I wish if we could learn how to respect our past about which we talk and pretend that we care!

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Indian monuments- in Ruins
Indin monuments in ruins- People shit,pee and throw garbage here...which is known as Incredible India !!

Indin monuments in ruins- People shit,pee and throw garbage here...which is known as Incredible India !!

 

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rape confirmed, DNA probe will be done
A blame and blackface of security system in india, police have no clues about culprits of kidnapping and rape of german tourist. chances are bleek because rich and famous got hardly convicted in india. this case seems tobe similar like a french girl who was raped few years back and later on decided not to pursue the case.

 

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German woman identify arrested men
Latest development in kidnapping and rape of German girl has taken new turn when arrested men has been identified by her.

After decades of wait, a train has finally started chugging on rail tracks in Kashmir.

The Northern Railways today conducted trial run of an eight-coach Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) train between Ompora in Badgam district of central Kashmir and Kakapora in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.

The trial run was conducted to check safety aspects on the Kakapora-Pampore-Nowgam-Badgam track in the Qazigund-Baramula section.

The train covered distance of 22 km from Badgam to Kakapora in 18 minutes, attaining maximum speed of 110 km per hour. The train took almost same time in covering the return distance from Kakapora to Badgam.

The train has air-conditioned coaches with heating system and push-back seats. This is for the first time in the history of Indian Railways that a train with all these facilities will cover short distances in a particular area/region.

An inspection for opening of Railways for the carriage of passengers was also carried out on the occasion.

With this successful trial run, a new chapter has been added in the history of Indian Railways.

Punjab is  yet to come on a tourist map. Popular for living style and eat-drink and merry style of Punjabi's.

GOLDEN TEMPLE IN AMRITSAR: A temple of Gold which is sikh shrine. You must see this temple in day as well as in night. According to SIKH RITUALS and PRACTICE, you should cover your head, do not smoke, laugh/talk laudly, should not come under effect of alcoholor drugs.

VAGHA BORDER - Ex AMRITSAR: A India-Pakistan border ceremoney has become famous after National Geogrpahic abd Discovery TV channels features it. This is where you will find emotions of people of both countries. This is 1 hrs. drive from Amritsar and gate entry starts 4.0 PM in winters and 5.0 PM in summers.

JALANDHAR Famous for making sports goods of international quality. Jalandhar is also a mirror of upcoming modern life styleof Punjabis. A good amount of people fromthis region has migrated and settles in USA,CANADA, UK, FRANCE, ITALY. Shopping area of RAINAK BAZAAR is must to see and buy things of punjabi' culture. Famous eating place is HAWELI which is treditional punjabi eating joint[ air conditioned ]

Ludhiana: This city boasts of most luxury cars in India...even more than Mumbai.Manchester of India - famous for wollen clothings. Heavy traffic.Should be visited if you are interested in shopping of woolen only. Also popular for medical colleges like CMC [ Christian Medical Collage ] which was setup by Missionaries in British Era.

Chandigarh A happening place.Clean, well built city. Do not miss if you are going to Himachal Pradesh destinations like SHIMLA or MANALI. Chandigarh has some wonderful experiences stored for you in shape of ROSE GARDEN, ROCK GARDEN, MUSEUM, SUKHNA LAKE, SECTOR -17 SHOPPING AREA, PUNJAB UNIVERSITY and MOVIE THEATERS.In Summers- have draught beer in A/Cpubs !

Sometimes Indian railways is unbelievably efficient. The train from Delhi to Amritsar is one such example, and as I'd heard lots of good things about the place, I thought I'd visit. The bombings on the railway last month, which I imagine you heard more about outside India than I did inside, were on this route, and it seems that they're taking security pretty seriously: my whole rucksack was searched, and police dogs went throughout the train.

Amritsar is in the Punjab, right next to the Pakistan border, and is now one of my favourite places in India. Its most famous for the Golden Temple, which is the most holy site in the world for Sikhs. Yes, I'm doing quite well on the "most holy places" at the moment... Doubt I'll make it to Mecca, but you never know.

My uneducated and limited impressions lead me to consider Sikh culture to be closer to ours than most Indian cultures, in terms of mannerisms, gestures, niceties etc, and as a result it's easy to feel comfortable in Amritsar. There are still lots of people selling the same things, jostling for business, but somehow it feels friendlier. I don't know

The Golden Temple is wonderful. Its so serene, relaxed, & has a genuinely spiritual atmosphere. Its also free to enter, there's a free kitchen , & nobody demands a donation. This makes a huge difference. The temple is in active use: thousands of pilgrims visit daily, but it doesn't feel crowded - people give each other space, don't feel the need to shout or use mobile 'phones! Unlike most Hindu temples, non-believers are allowed into the inner sanctum (no photos though), which is a genuine privilege. I sat transfixed inside for hours while people shuffled past, prayed, sang with the constant music that's played by 3 priests: one tabla, 2 harmoniums, all with incredible voices playing hypnotic cyclical stuff in keys that I couldn't understand. It was beautiful

If you ever come to India, come here.

As I said already, Amritsar is very close to the Pakistan border. Every night at sunset is the border-closing ceremony, which is rather amusing... MC's on either side of the gates try to gee their crowds (seated in grandstands) into out-shouting/parting the other side. There's music, dancing, sudden silence, we hear "Pakistan" being chanted louder than "Hindustan," & raise our voices to match. It was close, but I'd have to give it to Pakistan (don't think he'd be happy about that though)...

Next, soldiers dressed like chickens perform elaborate mating rituals, stamping and scowling for their countries in synchrony with the other side. They stand still, then suddenly high-kick and start power-walking towards each other while the crowds roar them on. This goes on for a surprisingly long time.




I have no idea where this ritual came from, or why they choose to pursue it, but I don't think that really matters.
Fortunately, at the end of the dance, they decide to be friends and the flags are lowered for the night.


Everyone then tries to find their shared jeep back to Amritsar, and the festival is over. Driving back was like a computer game. Most of Amritsar is a grid without traffic lights, so motorbikes (lights off) just fly across our path, missing by a whisker. It didn't help that the most crucial part of any vehicle, the horn, was broken in our jeep. If I wasn't such a wishy-washy hippy, I'm sure I'd be able to use Indian traffic as a perfect example of the laws of entropy...

Amritsar, what else? Oh yes, the funniest place of worship in the world. Thanks Nye for recommending it...


This is Lal Devi. In her honour, this papier mache / marble fun house exists.


Apparently, its a temple, although I'd say its more a chamber-of-horrors-obstacle-course-glitter-ball-fairground-ride tacked precariously onto the side of a house.


You crawl through tunnels, splash through flithy water, check yourself in the mirrors, and worship!


So, that was Amritsar. I won't get any further north than it on this trip, although north-west India really appeals to me. I almost changed my mind while I was there, but I'd just sent all my cold weather clothing home with Mum, and didn't fancy freezing for my last month. I'll come back in the summer months one year and do it properly. It wasn't such a tough decision though, as I was on my way to Gujerat...

Himachal Pradesh has had to celebrate Independence Day in tears this year. Torrential rains and flash floods have brought in untold misery. The number of deaths may well be above one hundred. As many as 65 persons have been washed away in Ghanvi village alone. Dams, roads and railway lines have been damaged extensively. The total loss to property is estimated to be more than Rs 1,000 crore. Almost all districts of the state have been badly affected by cloud bursts and floods, with the worst hit being Kangra, Una, Sirmur and Shimla. This is not the time to discuss whether the state had made sufficient preparations to face just such an eventuality. After all, floods during the monsoon are almost an annual feature. What matters most right now is the ability of the government to provide relief and rehabilitation to the survivors. Many of them are living in a pitiable condition and their survival will depend on how quickly the administration mobilises itself to provide relief.

The government has promised to do this work on a war-footing, but past experience on this count has not been too reassuring. There is need to keep a close watch on the performance of the lower-ranking officials who come in actual contact with the affected persons. One major problem is that the washing away of roads has made many areas inaccessible. Will the government be able to rush in essential supplies through helicopters in sufficient quantity?

This tragedy is perhaps too big for Himachal Pradesh alone to cope with. There must be a national effort to make sure that the injured and displaced do not suffer because of paucity of funds. Not only a large number of houses have become unliveable, but huge tracts of agricultural land have also been washed away. The fragile ecology of many places in the region is in danger. The task at hand is huge but can be accomplished through government-public cooperation.

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