Nehru Planetarium is the name given to 5 planetariums in India, named after India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, These are located in Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune and Bangalore, plus there is a Jawahar Planetarium in Allahabad . Nehru Planetarium in Pune was the first one in Asia, established in 1954.
The Nehru Planetarium in New Delhi is situated on the grounds of Teen Murti Bhavan, officially known as ‘Nehru Memorial Museum and Library’, earlier the official residence of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru and now a museum in his memory. In 1964, the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund was set up to promote his ideas and it undertook to build the Nehru Planetarium with its aim being the promotion of astronomy education. This planetarium, like its namesake in Mumbai, was also inaugurated by Smt. Indira Gandhi on 6 February 1984. One of the major attractions of this place is the Soyuz T-10 which carried India’s first cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma to space, along with his space suit and mission journal.
The Sky Theater shown at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium are very popular and attract about more than 200,000 visitors per year. The sky theater is a dome shaped theater . It shows information on constellations, planets . Visuals such as Cartoons, Paintings, Computer animations, video clippings and special effects are liberally used in the programmes at the sky theater.
The planetarium was reopened in September 2010, after renovations worth Rs. 11 crore, ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games and received Queen’s Baton. It now has ‘Definiti optical star projector “Megastar” that can show 2 million stars. It also sets up old telescopes, projection boxes and solar filters at its premises at major Solar eclipses.
Visiting hours : 11.00AM to 05.00PM closed on Monday
Entry fee : Rs. 60/- per person for adults and Rs. 40/- per child between 4-12 years
Show timings : The regular programmes of the Planetarium include public shows at 11:30 AM (English), 1:30 PM (Hindi), 3:00 PM (English) and 4:00 PM (Hindi).
Ngadak Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries of Namchi which was built by Tensung Namgyal, during the reign of Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal regime. Belonging to as early as the 17th century, the word Ngadak actually means promise. Hence it is believed that anyone coming here would make a promise to come back again. This monastery was constructed as a palace to Her Highness Pendi Ongmu. It was damaged by an earthquake and is a testimony to old religious culture of Sikkim. A large new Gumpa is under construction at Ngadak as the old structure is ruined however it still exudes a sense of old Sikkim.
Ngong Ping 360
The Ngong Ping 360 is an aerial tramway on Lantau Island in Hong Kong. Intended to improve tourism to the area, the aerial tramway was previously known as Tung Chung Cable Car Project before acquiring the Ngong Ping 360 brand in April 2005. It consists of the Ngong Ping Cable Car, a gondola lift formerly known as the Ngong Ping 360 Skyrail, and the Ngong Ping Village, a retail and entertainment centre adjacent to the cable car’s upper station. Ngong Ping 360 connects Tung Chung, on the north coast of Lantau and itself linked to central Hong Kong by the Tung Chung Line, with the Ngong Ping area in the hills above. This is home to the Po Lin Monastery and the Tian Tan Buddha, both already significant tourist attractions in their own right. Before Ngong Ping 360’s opening, the only access was via a mountain road and bus service.
Ngong Ping 360 is owned by the MTR Corporation, the operator of Hong Kong’s rail system. It was built by Leitner Ropeways and was originally operated by Skyrail-ITM. Skyrail-ITM was removed from the project after an investigation following an incident in June 2007. It is now operated by a directly owned subsidiary of the MTR Corporation.
Ngong Ping Cable Car
Ngong Ping Cable Car is a 5.7-kilometre (3.5 mi) long bi-cable gondola lift system (referred to by its operators as a “cable car”) linking between Tung Chung (where it connects the MTR Tung Chung station) and Ngong Ping (where the Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha are located). Between the two terminals at Tung Chung and Ngong Ping, the lift system runs across the southern shore of the Hong Kong International Airport island and Nei Lak Shan, with eight towers including the stations. Five of the towers are located within the country park.
The cable car journey offers a 25-minute aerial alternative to the current one-hour journey by Tung Chung Road, allowing visitors to glide across Tung Chung Bay and up to Lantau Island towards Ngong Ping Plateau.
The cableway starts at the Tung Chung Terminal, runs across Tung Chung Bay to an angle station on Airport Island, where it turns through about 60 degrees before returning across Tung Chung Bay. It then runs up the Lantau North Country Park to another angle station near Nei Lak Shan, before finally descending to the Ngong Ping Terminal.
During the 25 minute journey, travellers can see panoramic views over the North Lantau Country Park, the South China Sea, Hong Kong International Airport, the Tung Chung valley, Ngong Ping Plateau and surrounding terrain and waterways. As visitors approach Ngong Ping, they can see The Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery
Ngong Ping Village
The Ngong Ping Village, built next to the Ngong Ping Cable Car Terminal, occupies a 15,000 square metre site and has been designed to mirror and uphold the cultural and spiritual veracity of the Ngong Ping area. Traditional Chinese architectural designs are a feature of the Ngong Ping Village, which contains an assortment of shopping and dining experiences, on top of a number of key attractions including Walking with Buddha, the Monkey’s Tale Theatre and the Ngong Ping Tea House. Chinese New Year, Christmas and the three days of Buddha’s birthday are among the most crowded days.[citation needed]
Ngong Ping Village’s international cable car gallery has cable car replicas from various countries including China, Switzerland, Italy, Brazil, Austria, France, Italy, Germany etc.
Source : wikipedia
Try the Crystal cabin featuring a glass bottom, which gives an astonishing bird’s eye view of the world below the cable car. Experience the magic of the deep blue sea and the lush green mountainside underneath your feet! Be thrilled by the feel of flying and yet getting close to nature’s beauty.
Just five minutes walk from Ngong Ping Village, you’ll find the Po Lin Monastery and the serene Giant Budhha (Tian Tan Buddha), the world’s tallest outdoor seated bronze Buddha statue.
Shrubbery Nightingale Park in Darjeeling is a beautiful public park in the city. Erstwhile the private courtyard of Sir Thomas Tartan’s Bungalow, this park was once upon a time the relaxing place for the British women back in the colonial days.
After being destroyed in a devastating earthquake in the year 1934, it was rebuilt into a splendorous park that became renowned for its beauty all over the country. During 1950s and 60s the park was a hot spot for Bollywood movies. However, with passing time after a couple of decades the park was neglected due to the growing tension in Darjeeling hills.
In 2011 the park was again redeveloped and opened to public. The place has still held on to its charming beauty and with its reconstruction, the beauty of the park has only been enhanced. Once again the place has become a favourite place for tourists travelling to Darjeeling and as for the locals the park is like the new toy of a child. So, on your visit to Darjeeling do make sure to visit this park, and be spell bound by its beauty.
Source : .ixigo.com
The Shrubbery Nightingale Park in Darjeeling, about 10minutes walk from the town is a beautiful tourist spot. It’s ideal for relaxing and enjoying the superb views of the Kanchenjunga and the other snow peaks of Eastern Himalayas. During the tourist season, Nepali cultural programs like local dances are held here everyday in the evening.
Noah’s Ark is a tourist attraction located on Ma Wan Island in Hong Kong. It is an evangelical Christian theme park centered, according to its own materials, on the themes of nature, art, education and love. The overarching theme of the park is a creationist narrative.
The park’s centerpiece is the world’s first full-size simulation of Noah’s Ark. Alighting from the ark are sculptures of 67 life-size pairs of exotic animals, birds and creatures. Noah’s ark is, in fact, a multi-storey building where visitors may book a stay in either a hotel or a youth hostel located on the top floor.
Within the park is a nature garden alongside the existing natural landscape, where native trees have been preserved along the terraced paths. The park features amusements designed for young children together with amenagerie of small animals (mostly reptiles) in small display cages. There is also an obstacle course, climbing, and outward bound type courses.
Inside Noah’s Ark the main attraction is a multimedia experience, including a 180-degree wide-screen theater. The multimedia experience begins with an introduction to Judeo-Christian teaching from the time of Moses and features an imagined ‘reconstruction’ of the Holy of Holies complete with the Ark of the Covenant. There are guides who lead the audience through a series of theaters and galleries designed to convey messages about the challenges that the Earth and humanity are facing today.
Take ferry to Park Island at Central Pier 2 (From MTR Hong Kong Station Exit E1 and walk through the IFC mall to Central Pier 2), or Tsuen Wan Ferry Pier (MTR Tsuen Wan West Station Exit D).
By Bus : The bus service between Tsing Yi MTR Station and Park Island is a frequent 24-hour shuttle service and the journey takes about 12 minutes. The Park Island Shuttle Bus departs from near Exit C underneath the station (it does not call at the public transport interchange adjacent to the station).
Observatory Hill is a hill near Chowrasta square, or The Mall as it is popularly known, in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. Magnificent views of snow-clad peaks, including Mount Kanchenjunga, are visible from the Observatory Hill. The Bhutia Busty monastery was originally located here. Now the hill has the temple of Mahakal. Two important arteries of the town, Nehru Road and Bhanubhakta Sarani, meet at Chowrasta. Another school of thought suggests that the presence of the megalithic core to have been a place of worship of the Rongs, representing a sacred location of the classic Long Chok (erect stones) type. The term ‘Dotsug’ was thus a literal translation of ‘Long Chok’
Chowrasta and The Mall around Observatory Hill are the main centers of tourist attraction in Darjeeling. They spread on hill slopes at an altitude of 2,134 meters (7,000 feet). In clear weather, one can see Mount Kanchenjunga and twelve other peaks, all above 20,000 feet. The view is clear during October to November. At other times of the year, it is a matter of luck, with clouds engulfing the entire area and some portions of the view available at opportune moments.
In spite of the high tourist flow, The Mall is the cleanest area in Darjeeling. Apart from the mountain views, tourists flock to the Chowrasta for pony rides (mostly by children) and collecting souvenirs.
There are several important places around Observatory Hill. Birch Hill, or Jawahar Parbat, an offshoot from The Mall, is an exclusive residential section where the Raj Bhavan is situated.The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is located on the western spur of Jawahar Parbat, about a kilometre and half from Observatory Hill. The Windamere Hotel and West Bengal Government’s Tourist Lodge stand above The Mall. Windamere, a cozy boarding area of the bachelor English and Scottish tea planters, was converted into a hotel in 1939. There are a number of hotels and restaurants in and around Chowrasta or The Mall. A road from The Mall leads to “Step Aside” – the house of the eminent freedom fighter Chittaranjan Das. He died in Darjeeling on 16 June 1925. The latest addition coming up is a large “Ranga Manch” (theatre) overlooking the Chowrasta.
The range on which Darjeeling is located is Y-shaped with the base resting at Katapahar and Jalapahar and two arms diverging north from Observatory Hill. The northeastern arm dips suddenly and ends in the Lebong spur, while the northwestern arm passes through North Point and ends in the valley near Tukver Tea Estate.
Ocean Park Hong Kong, commonly known as Ocean Park, is amarine mammal park, oceanarium,animal theme park and amusement park, situated in Wong Chuk Hang and Nam Long Shan in the Southern Districtof Hong Kong. As per the records about 7.6 million visited the park in in 2014, making it the world’s 13th most visited theme park, and the largest theme park in Asia. Half of all visitors now come from mainland China, in growth that parallels rising mainland tourist visitor levels to Hong Kong over the same period.
Covering an area of 91.5 hectares (226 acres), the park is separated by a large mountain into two areas, The Summit (Headland) and The Waterfront (Lowland). These areas can be reached by a 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) cable car system, or the Ocean Expressfunicular railway. To ascend the Headland comprises several hills, visitors can use Hong Kong’s second longest outdoor escalator.
The theme park has various attractions and rides, including four roller coasters , and also animal exhibits with different themes, such as a giant pandahabitat, rainforest and polar displays, as well as an aquarium featuring the world’s largest aquarium dome. Between 1979 and 1997, Ocean Park was most famous for its signature killer whale, Miss Hoi Wai.
As well as being an amusement park, Ocean Park Hong Kong aims to merge entertainment and education, including conservation advocacy. However it has been criticised by wildlife advocates for practices including the wild capture of large sea animals, such as dolphins and orca, and the presentation of shows featuring such animals performing.
Pragati Maidan, Mathura Rd, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, DL 110002
Phone: 011 2435 5387
Purana Qila or Old Fort Ramparts, and Lake
Purana Qila ( Old Fort ) is one the oldest forts in Delhi. Its current form was built by the Afghan king Sher Shah Suri, on a site which was perhaps that of Indraprastha, the legendary capital of the Pandavas. Sher Shah raised the citadel of Purana-Qal’a with an extensive city-area sprawling around it. It seems that the Purana-Qal’a was still incomplete at Sher Shah’s death in 1545, and was perhaps completed by his son Islam Shah , although it is not certain which parts were built by whom. Indraprastha is said to be founded by the Pandavas on the banks of the perennial river Yamuna, which would date the site back 5000 years. A Kunti Temple inside the Qila also exists, which is believed to be the place where Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas lived. Consequently, the fort is considered by some to be ‘the first city of Delhi’. Researchers now confirm that until 1913, a village called Indrapat existed within the fort walls. Excavations carried out by Archeological Survey of India (ASI) at Purana Quila in 1954-55 (trial trenches) and again 1969-1973 by its Director, B.B.Lal have unearthed Painted Grey Ware dating 1000 B.C., and with a continuous cultural sequence from Mauryan to Mughal through Shunga, Kushana, Gupta, Rajput and Sultanate periods, confirming the antiquity of the site.
The walls of the Fort rise to a height of 18 metres, traverse about 1.5 km, and have three arched gateways: the Bara Darwaza (Big Gate) facing west, which is still in use today; the south gate, also popularly known as the ‘Humayun Gate’ (probably so known because it was constructed by Humayun, or perhaps because Humayun’s Tomb is visible from there); and lastly, the ‘Talaqi Gate’, often known as the “forbidden gate”. All the gates are double-storeyed sandstone structures flanked by two huge semi-circular bastion towers, decorated with white and coloured-marble inlays and blue tiles. They are replete with detailing, including ornate overhanging balconies, or jharokhas, and are topped by pillared pavilions (chhatris), all features that are reminiscent of Rajasthani architecture as seen in the North and South Gates, and which were amply repeated in future Mughal architecture. Despite the grandeurs of the exterior, few of interior structures have survived except the Qila-i Kuhna Mosque and the Shermandal, both credited to Sher Shah.
Source : Wikipedia
The Delhi Old Fort is very near to the India Gate and the Humayun’s tomb in New Delhi.
One of the most significant monuments planned by Le Corbusier in Chandigarh is the Open Hand. The monument is a place to visit in Chandigarh. Rising 85 feet high from a sunken trench, a giant hand in metal sheets is designed to rotate “like a weather cock, not to show the incertitude of ideas, but to indicate symbolically the direction of wind (that is the state of affairs).” It is also meant to convey a message of peace “open to receive.”
Source : chandigarhtourism.gov.in
The Open Hand Monument is a symbolic structure located in the Indian Union Territory of Chandigarh, India, designed by the architect Le Corbusier. It is the emblem or symbol of the Government of Chandigarh and symbolizes “the hand to give and the hand to take; peace and prosperity, and the unity of mankind”. The largest example of Le Corbusier’s many Open Hand sculptures, it stands 26 metres (85 ft) high. The metal structure with vanes is 14 metres (46 ft) high, weighs 50 short tons (100,000 lb), and was designed to rotate in the wind.
The Open Hand sculpture is 26 metres (85 ft) high above a trench of 12.5 by 9 metres (41 ft × 30 ft). The metal wind vane, which is erected over a concrete platform, is 14 metres (46 ft) in height and weighs 50 tons; it appears like a flying bird. The sculpture was hand-cast in sheet metal at the Bhakra Nangal Management Board’s workshop at Nangal. The surface of the vane is covered with polished steel and is fitted over a steel shaft with ball bearings to facilitate free rotation by the wind.
Address: Jawahar Parbat, Darjeeling, West Bengal 734101
Phone:0354 225 3709
Zoo entranceRed Panda
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (also called the Darjeeling Zoo) is a 67.56-acre (27.3 ha) zoo in the town of Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal. The zoo was opened in 1958, and an average elevation of 7,000 feet (2,134 m), is the largest high altitude zoo in India. It specializes in breeding animals adapted to alpine conditions, and has successful Captive breeding programs for the Snow Leopard, the critically endangered Himalayan Wolf and the Red Panda. The zoo attracts about 300,000 visitors every year. The park is named after Padmaja Naidu (1900–1975), daughter of Sarijini Naidu. ThePadmaja Naidu Himalayan zoo serves as the central hub for Central Zoo Authority of India’s red panda program and is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan zoo now contains endangered animals like snow leopards, red pandas, gorals (mountain goat), Siberian tigers and a variety of endangered birds. However, there has been concern regarding the fact that the Himalayan animals may face a threat due to rising temperatures in the hilly area.
Captive breeding of snow leopards was started in 1983, with leopards which were brought to the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan zoo from Zurich, the United States, and Leh-Ladakh. The red panda program was started in 1994 with individuals from the Cologne Zoo, the Madrid Zoo, Belgium, and the Rotterdam Zoo. In addition to these species, the zoo is breeding the Himalayan tahr, blue sheep, Himalayan monal, grey peacock pheasant, Himalayan salamander, blood pheasant and satyr tragopan. The zoo is famous for its conservation breeding programmes of the red panda, Himalayan salamander, Tibetan wolf, and snow leopard.
As you step out of the New Delhi Railway Station and cross the road, you stand at the entrance of Paharganj Main Bazaar. Stretching for about a kilometer, it is a bargainer’s paradise. Chaotic, noisy and dirty, the market is only for shoppers who are rough and tough.
The whole Paharganj Main Bazaar is lined with shops full to the brim with books, music, jewellery, bags, clothes, shoes, incense, textiles, wooden statues, and handicrafts. Shanti Handloom and other textile shops offerbags, bed spreads, cushion covers, wall hangings, etc. The jewellery shops sell handmade beaded necklaces and bangles in every shape, size and colour. Carved wooden statues of gods and goddesses, brass wares and decorations are available among handicrafts. Prayer Incense Worldwide specializes in incense sticks, incense cones and Indian tea. Even books, both new and second-hand, are available.
Source : delhitourism.gov.in
Paharganj is a neighbourhood of Central Delhi, located just west of the New Delhi Railway Station. Known as Shahganj or King’s ganj or market place during Mughal era, it is one of the three administrative subdivisions, of the Central Delhi district, of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, with the other two being, Darya Ganj and Karol Bagh.
Known for its concentration of affordable hotels, lodges, restaurants, dhabas and a wide variety of shops catering to both domestic travellers and foreign tourists, especially backpackers and low-budget travellers, Paharganj Main Bazaar has become particularly popular as a haunt for international cuisine.
Paharganj is also home to the historic Qadam Sharif dargah, dedicated to the footprint of Prophet Mohammed, originally built by Firuz Shah Tughlaq, a 14th-century Sultan of Delhi. Qazi Wali Masjid, known for its intricate engravings, and arched doorways. The grave of poet laureate of Mughal court, Zauq, who lived nearby Nabi Karim and died in 1854, lies in the bylanes of Paharganj. It was restored in early 2000s, after the Supreme Court orders, but his house was never identified.
The tourist culture of Paharganj has been a theme for many films, including, Kate Winslet starrer, Holy Smoke! (1999), parts of which were shot when she stayed at a Paharganj hotel, in September 1998.[39] In 2008, parts of the Hindi film, Dev.D (2009) directed by Anurag Kashyap were shot in Paharganj area, depicting the seedy side of hotel industry, from prostitution to drug peddling.
Source : wikipedia
Paragliding Sikkim is becoming an increasingly popular adventure sport. The adrenalin rush to soar the skies is a memorable experience. Enjoy views of the magnificent Himalayan range in its snow covered glory from the sky as you fly like a bird.
No experience or training is required to enjoy paragliding Sikkim. Paragliding operators here offer Tandem Flights. It means that an experienced and certified pilot will accompany you. Both pilot and the passenger sit safely and comfortably in a harness which is attached to the paraglider. The pilot navigates the flight. So after an easy take off, you are left to enjoy the flight and the breathtaking views.
However paragliding needs you to be physically fit and within normal weight limits (90 kg). While the pilot does the job of navigation, you will need to participate in takeoff and landing. So wear sneakers, jeans/trousers etc.
There are two types of paragliding flights available for the adventure lovers and both are offered with Tandem Flights, accompanied by a certified pilot.
The first type of Paragliding flight is known as Medium Fly. As the name suggests, you will fly at a medium altitude of about 1300- 1400 meters. The flying time is 5-10 minutes.
The second type of paragliding flight is High Fly where you will fly at a higher altitude. The take-off location altitude is 2,200 meters. The total flying time in high fly is 20-30 minute.
Gangtok, the capital city offers the thrilling adventure sport. There are numerous tour operators offering deals for paragliding. Sikkim has some excellent launching ridges and sites. It will create some of the best paragliding experience in the country.
Source : indianholiday.com
Lok Sabha Marg, Gokul Nagar, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
Phone :011 2303 4521
The Sansad Bhawan (Parliament Building) is the house of the Parliament of India, located in New Delhi.
History
Originally called the House of Parliament, it was designed by the British architect Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker in 1912-1913 and construction began in 1921. The opening ceremony of the Parliament House, then called the Central Legislative Assembly, was performed on 18 January 1927 by Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India. The third session of Central Legislative Assembly was held in this house on 19 January 1927.
The Parliament Museum, opened in 2006, stands next to the Parliament House.
Building
The shape is circular, which is based on the Ashoka Chakra. Separate halls were constructed for the sessions of the Chamber of Princes, the State Council, and the Central Legislative Assembly.
The building is surrounded by large gardens and the perimeter is fenced off by sandstone railings (jali) modeled after the Great Stupa of Sanchi.
Central Hall
The Central Hall of the Parliament is designed to be circular in shape. The dome is 98 ft. (29.87 metres) in diameter and is believed that it is one of the most magnificent domes in the world. The Central Hall is a place of historical importance in India for two reasons: The transfer of colonial power to the Provisional Government under Nehru in 1947 and the framing of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly took place in this very hall. At present, the Central Hall is used for holding Joint Sittings of the two Houses. At the commencement of the first session after each General Election to Lok Sabha and at the commencement of the first session of each year, the President addresses both the Houses of Parliament assembled together in the Central Hall. When the Houses are in session, the Central Hall is used by Members for informal discussions among themselves. Central Hall is also used for special occasions when the Members of Parliament are addressed by distinguished Heads of States of other countries. The Hall is also equipped with Simultaneous Interpretation System.
Source : wikipedia
How To Reach
The Sansad Bhawan is situated at the end of Parliament Street, just north of Rajpath. You can always hire taxis and auto rickshaws from all over the city to reach the Parliament House. if Permit is taken to visit the Parliament, you can sit and view sessions in the public gallery. Permits are available from the reception office on Raisina Road, but you will need a letter of introduction from your embassy.
The Pemayangtse Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in Pemayangtse, near Pelling in the northeastern of Sikkim, located 140 kilometres (87 mi) west of Gabgtok. Planned, designed and founded by Lama Lhatsun Chempo in 1705, it is one of the oldest and premier monasteries of Sikkim, also the most famous in west Sikkim. Originally built by Lhatsun Chenpo in the 17th century, as a small Lhakhang, it was subsequently enlarged during the reign of the third Chogyal Chakdor Namgyal who was considered as Lhatsun Chenpo’s third reincarnate, Jigme Pawo. The monastery follows the Nyingma Order of Tibet Buddhism and controls all other monasteries of that Order in Sikkim. The monks of this monastery are normally chosen from the Bhutias of Sikkim.
The monastery was built for “pure monks” (ta-tshang) meaning “monks of pure Tibetan lineage”, celibate and without any physical abnormality. This practice is still retained. Only the monks of Pemayangtse Monastery are entitled to the title “ta-tshang”. The head lama of this monastery had the unique privilege of anointing the Chogyals of the erstwhile monarchy of Sikkim with holy water. Pemayangtse means “Perfect Sublime Lotus”, and is said to represent one of the four plexus of the human body.
The Pemayangtse Monastery is part of Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit starting with the first monastery at Yuksom known as the Dubdi Monastery, followed by Norbugang Chorten, Tashiding Monastery, the Rabdentse ruins, the Sanga Choeling Monastery, and the Khecheopalri Lake.
Visitors are allowed to visit inside and can go up to the 2nd and 3rd floor of the main building. Each floor has many traditional collections of Buddhist statues, traditional paintings, wooden masks and ritual texts. Some paintings are kept covered by cloths. At the top floor there is a beautiful wooden replica of Zangdog Palri the celestial adobe of Guru Padmasambhava. This is the main attraction of the Monastery. This colorful and beautiful piece is kept inside a big glass box to preserve it.
The Pineview Nursery on Atisha road in Kalimpong is located at a height of 4000ft., two kms. off Kalimpong town. Here you can see thousands of Cactus plants imported from Africa, the Mediteranean, Jamaica,Cuba, North and South America. This nursery has the largest collection of Cactus in the whole of Asia. The nursery is spread over in 2 acres and cactus are grown here which has been collected since 40 years. “A hobby that started 423 years ago is a full-blown affair for Indian Cactus grower Mohan.S.Pradhan. Asia’s largest collection of Cacti is tucked away at the foothills of the mighty Himalayas in the station of Kalimpong”….Christina Pfeiffer (Issue : Sept/Oct 2006, The Magazine of Sri Lankan Airlines)
Pinjore Gardens (also known as Yadavindra Gardens) is located in Pinjore, Panchkula district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is an example of the Mughal Gardens style, and was built by Patiala Dynasty Rulers.
The Pinjore garden is 22 km from Chandigarh on the Ambala-Shimla road. It was created in the 17th century by architect Nawab Fidai Khan during the early reign of his foster brother Aurangzeb (1658-1707). In recent times, it has been renamed as ‘Yadavindra Garden’ in the memory of Maharaja Yadavindra Singh former of the princely state of Patiala.
The Pinjore garden has been laid in seven terraces, with the main gate of the garden opening into the highest first terrace, which has a palace built in Rajasthani–Mughal style. It is called the “Shish Mahal” (palace of glass), which is adjoined by a romantic “Hawa Mahal ” (airy Palace). The second terrace with arched doorways has the “Rang Mahal ” (painted palace). The third terrace has cypress trees and flowerbeds leading to dense groves of fruit trees. The next terrace has the “Jal Mahal ” (palace of water) with a square fountain bed and a platform to relax. Fountains and tree groves are provided in the next terrace. The lowermost terrace has an open-air theatre, which is designed as a disc-like structure. A zoo adjoins the Pinjore gardens. The whole complex has been beautifully illuminated. A heritage train has been introduced to visit all the monuments and the gardens in the complex. Special festivals such as the Baisakhi (spring) festival in April and the Mango festival in June and July are major attractions at the gardens.
Rabdentse was the second capital of the former kingdom of Sikkim from 1670 to 1814. The capital city was destroyed by the invading Gurkha army and only the ruins of the palace and the chortens are seen here now. However, the ruins of this city are seen close to Pelling and in West Sikkim district in the Northeastern Indian state of present day Sikkim; Pemayangtse Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim which is close to the Rabdentse ruins. From the vantage point of this former capital, superb views of the Khachendzonga ranges can be witnessed. This monument has been declared as of national importance by the Archeological survey of India. It was first established in 1670 by Chadok Namgyal son of Phuntsog Namgyal by shifting from the first capital of Yuksom that was consecrated in 1642.
The Rabdentse ruins are part of Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit starting with the first monastery at Yuksom known as the Dubdi Monastery, followed by Norbugang Chorten, Tashiding Monastery, the Pemayangtse Monastery, the Sanga Choeling Monastery, and the Khecheopalri Lake.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan , “Presidential Residence” is the official home of the President of India, located in New delhi, India, . It may refer to only the mansion (the 340-room main building) that has the President’s official residence, halls, guest rooms and offices; it may also refer to the entire 130 hectare (320 acre) President Estate that additionally includes huge presidential gardens (Mughal Gardens), large open spaces, residences of bodyguards and staff, stables, other offices and utilities within its perimeter walls. The main palace building was formerly known as Viceroy’s House. In terms of area, was the largest residence of a Head of State in the world until the Presidential Complex of Turkey opened 29 October 2014.
The decision to build a residence in New Delhi for the British Viceroy was taken after it was decided during the Delhi Durbar in 1910 that the capital of India would be relocated from Calcutta (Kolkata) to Delhi. When the plan for a new city, New Delhi, adjacent to and south of Old Delhi, was developed in the beginning of the 20th century, the new palace for the Viceroy of India was given an enormous size and prominent position.
Consisting of four floors and 340 rooms, with a floor area of 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2), it was built using 700 million bricks and 3,000,000 cu ft (85,000 m3) of stone with little steel.
When Chakravarti Rajagopalachari assumed the office as the first Governor General of India and became the occupant of this building he preferred to stay in a few rooms which is now the family wing of the President and converted the then Viceroy’s apartments into the Guest Wing where visiting Heads of State stay while in India.
On 26 January 1950, when Rajendra Prasad became the first President of India and occupied this building, it was renamed as Rashtrapati Bhavan – the President’s House.
Mughal Gardens
The Mughal Gardens are situated at the back of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, incorporate both Mughal and English landscaping styles and feature a great variety of flowers. The Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens are open to the public in February every year.
Mughal Gardens
Main garden: Two channels running North to South and two running East to West divide this garden into a grid of squares. There are six lotus shaped fountains at the crossings of these channels. Whereas the energetic fountains rising up to a height of 12 feet (3.7 m) create a soothing murmur that enthralls the visitor, the channels are so tranquil in their movement that they seem frozen. In the channels at appropriate times of day can be seen reflections of the imposing building and the proud flowers. There are wooden trays placed on stands in the centre of the channels where grain is put for the birds to feed upon.
Terrace garden: There are two longitudinal strips of garden, at a higher level on each side of the Main Garden, forming the Northern and Southern boundaries. The plants grown are the same as in the Main Garden. At the centre of both of the strips is a fountain, which falls inwards, forming a well. On the Western tips are located two gazebos and on the Eastern tips two ornately designed sentry posts.
Long Garden or the ‘Purdha Garden’: This is located to the West of the Main Garden, and runs along on each side of the central pavement which goes to the circular garden. Enclosed in walls about 12 feet high, this is predominantly a rose garden. It has 16 square rose beds encased in low hedges. There is a red sandstone pergola in the centre over the central pavement which is covered with Rose creepers, Petrea, Bougainvillea and Grape Vines. The walls are covered with creepers like Jasmine, Rhyncospermum, Tecoma Grandiflora, Bignonia Vanista, Adenoclyma, Echitice, Parana Paniculata. Along the walls are planted the China Orange trees.
Around the circular garden there are rooms for the office of the horticulturist, a green house, stores, nursery etc. Here is housed the collection of Bonsais, one of the best in the country.
All the presidents who have stayed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan have taken a keen interest in the maintenance and upkeep of the Mughal Gardens. All have contributed in their own way. The underlying themes, however, have remained unaltered.
Museum
In July 2014, a museum inside Rashtrapati Bhavan was inaugurated by President of India Pranab Mukherjee. The museum helps visitors to get an inside view of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, its art, architecture and get educated about lives of past presidents.
Change of Guard is a military tradition whose origins are lost in antiquity. From time immemorial, guards and sentries at palaces, forts and defence establishments change periodically to enable a fresh body of troops take charge.
The change of Guard ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan was first opened to the public in 2007. Later the ceremony has been revamped and relocated to make it more visually appealing and public friendly. An equestrian display by the Presidents’ Body Guard (PBG) in their ceremonial regalia has been added and the venue has been shifted to the Forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, with easier public access.
The equestrian display presents the horse and man in ceremonial regalia in harmony with the music of a military brass band. The 30 minute ceremony commences with the PBG troops, astride their caparisoned, sleekly muscled, powerful and well groomed steeds advancing from behind the Jaipur column to the tune of ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’ played by the Army Brass Band. The Army Guard contingent then marches in and the new guard replaces the old guard.
The day’s ceremony ends with an equestrian display by the PBG before they ride away towards the Rashtrapati Bhavan and playing of the National Anthem.
Timings: Summer : Saturday 8.00 AM to 8.40 AM and Winter : Saturday 10.00 AM to 10.40 AM
The ceremony will be held every Saturday at 10 a.m. It will be open to the public, who will only have to produce a photo identity card at the place of entry to Rashtrapati Bhavan from gate no.2, near the Prime Minister’s Office.
Visiting Mughal Gardens
Image Credit : presidentofindia.nic.in
The Mughal gardens will be open for the public from February to March , except on Mondays, which are maintenance days, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Entry and exit into the gardens for the public will be from Gate 35 of the President’s Estate, which is located at the extreme end of the Church Road. Visitors are barred from carrying water bottles, briefcases, handbags/ladies’ purses, cameras, radios/transistors, cell phones, umbrellas, eatables. There will be special days when the gardens are open exclusively for farmers , differently-abled and visually challenged.
Netaji Subhash Road, Chandni Chawk, New Delhi – 110006
Phone : 011 2327 7705
This is a world heritage site.
The Red Fort was the residence of the Mughal emperor of India for nearly 200 years, until 1857. It is located in the centre of Delhi and houses a number of museums. In addition to accommodating the emperors and their households, it was the ceremonial and political centre of Mughal government and the setting for events critically impacting the region.
Constructed in 1648 by the fifth Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the palace of his fortified capital Shahjahanabad, the Red Fort is named for its massive enclosing walls of red sandstone and is adjacent to the older Salimgarh Fort, built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546. The imperial apartments consist of a row of pavilions, connected by a water channel known as the Stream of Paradise (Nahr-i-Behisht). The fort complex is considered to represent the zenith of Mughal creativity under Shah Jahan and although the palace was planned according to Islamic prototypes, each pavilion contains architectural elements typical of Mughal buildings that reflect a fusion of Timurid and Persian traditions. The Red Fort’s innovative architectural style, including its garden design, influenced later buildings and gardens in Delhi, Rajasthan,Punjab, Kashmir, Braj, Rohilkhand and elsewhere.
Source : Wikipedia
The Fort also houses the Diwan-i-Am or the Hall of Public Audiences where the Emperor would sit and hear complaints of the common folks. The Diwan-i-Khas is the hall of private audiences where the Emperor held private meetings. This hall is made of marble and its centre-piece used to be the Peacock Throne, which was carried away to Iran by Nadir Shah in 1739.
Panoramic view of the imperial enclosure. From left: Moti Masjid, the hammam, Divan-i-Khas, Khas Mahal and the ‘Rang Mahal
The other attractions within this monument are the Royal Baths or hammams, the Shahi Burj, which used to be Shah Jahan’s private working area and the Moti Masjid or the Pearl Mosque, built by Aurangzeb for his personal use. The Rang Mahal or the “Palace of Colours” housed the Emperor’s wives and mistresses. This palace was crowned with gilded turrets, delicately painted and decorated with an intricate mosaic of mirrors, and a ceiling overlaid with gold and silver that was reflected in a central pool in the marble floor.
On Independence Day (15 August), the Prime Prime Minister of India hoists the ‘tricolor’ national flag at the main gate of the fort and delivers a nationally-broadcast speech from its ramparts.
The Red Fort, the largest monument in Delhi, is one of its most popular tourist destinations and attracts thousands of visitors every year.
A sound and light show describing Mughal history is a tourist attraction in the evenings.
Primarily an up market residential area, sun-drenched Repulse Bay has a relaxed resort-like feel to it. Its wide, wave-lapped beach is popular with both locals and visitors and is great for strolls in the early morning, daytime sun soaking when the bathers are out in force, or lingering at sunset when all has turned mellow.
This crescent-shaped stretch of sand is one of the most beautiful beaches in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Life Saving Society clubhouse is built in traditional Chinese style, with a ceiling decorated with magnificent swirling dragons. Towering twin statues of the deities Kwun Yam and Tin Hau dominate the picturesque gardens that lead down to the beach.
The nearby colonial-style building, The Bay houses designer shops and award-winning restaurants, and resembles the luxury hotel built in 1920 that originally occupied the site. Most of its grounds were redeveloped into luxury apartments more than 20 years ago, and only the original arcade remains.
The Repulse Bay area is one of the most expensive housing areas in Hong Kong. In 2012, some townhouses reached HK$50,000 (US$6,500) per square foot
Kuan Yin Temple
Kuan Yin is considered to be the guardian of lifeguards. she is the goddess of compassion, especially to those in distress at sea. There are two huge statues of Tin Hau and Kuan Yin and a Chinese style garden leading to the beach. There is also a longevity bridge and it is said that each time you cross the bridge your life is prolong for three more days.
The Rimbi Waterfalls is one of the tourist attractions of Sikkim which is located about 12kms from Pellong at about 5kms from the Darap Village, another attraction of Sikkim. This waterfall can be seen throughout the year although in the rainy season it looks much more beautiful. The waterfall leads to Rimbi River and is famous for the recreational activities like fishing. The Karchen Powerhouse is the oldest powerhouse in west Sikkim. The powerhouse was built in the early 70s by the last king’ government. It used to supply water to all the neighboring villages during that period.
A waterfall in rock gardenThe garden is most famous for its sculptures made from recycled ceramic
The Rock Garden of Chandigarh is a sculpture garden in Chandigarh, India, , also known as Nek Chand’s Rock Garden after its founder Nek Chand, a government official who started the garden secretly in his spare time in 1957. Today it is spread over an area of 40 acres (161874.25 m²). It is completely built of industrial and home waste and thrown-away items.
Iconic Rock Garden creator Late Nek Chand,The 90-year-old Padma Shri awardee has millions of fans across the globe.
It is near Sukhna Lake. It consists of man-made interlinked waterfalls and many other sculptures that have been made of scrap and other kinds of wastes (bottles, glasses, bangles, tiles ceramic pots, sinks, electrical waste, etc.) which are placed in walled paths.
In his spare time, Nek Chand started collecting materials from demolition sites around the city. He recycled these materials into his own vision of the divine kingdom of Sukrani, choosing a gorge in a forest near Sukhna Lake for his work. The gorge had been designated as a land conservancy, a forest buffer established in 1902 that nothing could be built on. Chand’s work was illegal, but he was able to hide it for 18 years before it was discovered by the authorities in 1975. By this time, it had grown into a 12-acre (49,000 m2) complex of interlinked courtyards, each filled with hundreds of pottery-covered concrete sculptures of dancers, musicians, and animals.
His work was in danger of being demolished, but he was able to get public opinion on his side. In 1976 the park was inaugurated as a public space. Nek Chand was given a salary, a title (“Sub-Divisional Engineer, Rock Garden”), and 50 laborers so that he could concentrate full-time on his work. It appeared on an Indian stamp in 1983.The Rock Garden is still made out of recycled materials. With the government’s help, Chand was able to set up collection centers around the city for waste, especially rags and broken ceramics.
When Chand left the country on a lecture tour in 1996, the city withdrew its funding, and vandals attacked the park. The Rock Garden Society took over the administration and upkeep of this unique visionary environment.
The garden is visited by over 5,000 people daily, with more than 12 million visitors since its inception.
The terraced garden. Attribution : P.K.NiyogiChunnu Summer Falls in the garden
The Rock Garden (also known as Barbotey Rock Garden) at Chunnu Summer Falls and Ganga Maya Park are recently added tourist attractions in the hilly town of Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal, India.
The garden is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Darjeeling. While proceeding from the town along Hill Cart Road, one has to turn right, well before reaching Ghum. The road descends rapidly into the valley. With sharp bends all the way, there are scenic views at many points. Tea gardens dot the hill slopes.
Constructed by the Gorkha Hill Council Tourism Department, it was inaugurated by Subhash Ghising, the GNLF supremo. A multi-level picnic ground terraced around a natural waterfall, its attraction is in it “being a sort of road-side facility but with a little too much concrete.” The garden offers a beautiful view of a hill stream cascading over rocks along the slope, done up with flower gardens and sitting spaces at different levels. There also is a small lake. With tourists pouring in large numbers, tea shops and snack kiosks have come up.
Ganga Maya Park is further down the road, about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from the Rock Garden. Named after an innocent victim of police firing during the GNLF agitation, “it meanders down the course of a chortling mountain stream, past gazebos, clumps of flowering shrubs and trees, over humped backed bridges under which koi-carp coruscate, and into a circular lake with paddle boats and a waterfall.” It has a small lake where boating facilities are available. Gorkha folk dances are performed to entertain the tourists.
If you are at Gangtok you must experience ropeway Gangtok or cable cars located at Deorali market. This cable car journey is not included in local tour packages and this place can be easily reached by taking a local cab from any hotel.
This ropeway Gangtok of about less than 1 km long has three entry points or stops. The lowest point is at Deorali market and the highest point is at Tashiling (below the state secretariat). There is a midpoint stop at Nam-Nang. One can enter from any point and return to same point after touching other two points. Cable car journey provides spectacular view of Gangtok market, valley and State Assembly hall of the state of Sikkim on its 15 to 20 minutes journey. The ticket fee for adult is Rs 50 and Rs 30 for kids below 6 years. One can carry a video camera by paying a fee of Rs 50. No extra charge for normal still camera.
Zakir Hussain Rose Garden, is a botanical garden located in Chandigarh, India and spread over 30 acres (120,000 m2) of land, with 50,000 rose-bushes of 1600 different species. Named after India’s former president, Zakir Hussain and created in 1967 under the guidance of Dr Dr M.S.Randhawa, Chandigarh’s first chief commissioner, the garden has the distinction of being Asia’s largest. The garden has not only roses, but also trees of medicinal value. Some of the medicinal plants that can be spotted here are bel, bahera, harar, camphor and yellow gulmohar. The rose plants have been planted in carved-out lawns and flower beds.
Apart from serving as a host of other events, the Zakir Rose Garden serves as the venue for hosting an annual rose festival called Rose Festival, a major cultural event in Chandigarh during February or March. Celebrated mainly as a tribute to the magnificence of the rose itself, the attractions include food, drinks, joyrides, and contests of varying nature, such as photography, gardening, landscaping, bonsai, and Rose Prince and Princess. The contests are open to the residents or institutions from nearby places.
The Ruins of St.Paul’s are the ruins of a 16th-century complex in Macau including what was originally St. Paul’s College and the Church of St. Paul also known as “Mater Dei “, a 17th-century Portuguese church dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle. Today, the ruins are one of Macau’s best known landmarks. They are often, but incorrectly, mentioned as a former cathedral (see Macau Cathedral), a status they never had. In 2005, they were officially listed as part of the Historic Centre of Macau, a Unesco World heritage Site.
The Ruins of St.Paul’s now consist of the southern stone façade—intricately carved between 1620 and 1627 by Japanese Christians in exile from their homeland and local craftsmen under the direction of Italian Jesuit Carlo Spinola—and the crypts of the Jesuits who established and maintained the Cathedral. The façade sits on a small hill, with 68 stone steps leading up to it. The carvings include Jesuit images with Oriental themes, such as The Blessed Virgin Mary stepping on a seven-headed hydra, described in Chinese characters as ‘Holy Mother tramples the heads of the dragon’. A few of the other carvings are of the founders of the Jesuit Order, the conquest of Death by Jesus, and at the very top, a dove with wings outstretched.
The ruins were restored by the Macanese government into a museum, and the façade is now buttressed with concrete and steel in a way which preserves the aesthetic integrity of the façade.[citation needed] A steel stairway allows tourists to climb up to the top of the façade from the rear.
It is customary to throw coins into the top window of the ruins from the stairs, for luck.[citation needed]
From its perch on a hilltop facing the city of Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, the monastery complex at Rumtek Dharma Chakra Centre embodies the vision and aspiration of the Sixteenth Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorie , to establish his seat-in-exile to help spread the teachings of the Buddha throughout the world.
The monastery, the largest in Sikkim, is home to the monks community, the place where they perform the sacred rituals and practices of the Karma Kagyu lineage.
Many sacred objects are housed within the complex, and one of the most magnificent is the Golden Stupa , which contains the precious relics of His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa. Opposite that building is the shedra, or college,Karma Shri Nalanda Institute for Higher Budhhist Studies . Members of the lay sangha practice in the community lhakhang just outside the walls of the monastery complex.
Surrounding Rumtek Dharma Chakra Centre is the stupa walkway, where monks, pilgrims, and visitors alike perform kora.
Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg, Rajpath Area, Central Secretariat, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
The Secretariat Building or Central Secretariat is where the Cabinet Secretariat is housed, which administers the Government of India. Built in the 1910s, it is home to some of the most important ministries of the Cabinet of India. Situated on Raisina Hill, the Secretariat buildings are two blocks of symmetrical buildings (North Block and South Block) on opposite sides of the great axis of Rajpath, and flanking the Rashtrapathi Bhavan (President’s House).
The Secretariat Building was designed by the prominent British architect Herbert Baker in Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture. Both the identical building have four levels, each with about 1,000 rooms, in the inner courtyards to make space for future expansions. In continuation with the Viceroy’s House, these buildings also used cream and red Dholpur sandstone from Rajasthan, with the red sandstone forming the base. Together the buildings were designed to form two squares. They have broad corridors between different wings and wide stairways to the four floors and each building is topped by a giant dome, while each wings end with colonnaded balcony.
Much of the building is in classical architectural style, yet it incorporated from Mughal and Rajasthani architecture style and motifs in its architecture. These are visible in the use of Jali, perforated screens, to protect from scorching sun and monsoon rains of India. Another feature of the building is a dome-like structure known as the Chatri, a design unique to India, used in ancient times to give relief to travelers by providing shade from the hot Indian sun.
The style of architecture used in Secretariat Building is unique to Raisina Hill. In front of the main gates on buildings are the four “dominion columns”, given by Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. At the time of their unveiling in 1930, India was also supposed to become a British dominion soon. However, India became independent within the next 17 years and the Secretariat became the seat of power of a sovereign India. In the years to follow the building ran out of accommodation
The Senado Square, or Senate Square or Largo do Senado is a paved town square in Macau, China and part of the UNESCO Historic Centre of Macau World heritage Site. It is an elongated triangular shaped square and connects Largo do São Domingos at one end and Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro on the other.It covers an area of 3,700 square meters (4,425 square yards)
The Senado square was named after the Leal Senado,a meeting place for the Chinese and Portuguese in the 16th to 18th centuries,located directly in front of the square, where Leal Senado Buildingstands today.In 1940, a small garden was built at the centre of the square,featuring a bronze statue of Vicente Nicolau de Mesquita standing above a stone pillar pulling out a sword.The statue was pulled down in the 12-3 incident as Mesquita was responsible for the deaths of many Qing Chinese soldiers.A fountain was built at its site and still stands today.
Vast majority of the buildings around the square are European styled and many are protected monuments. The square used to allow traffic and parking lots were present,with increasing number of tourists the entire area was covered by Portuguese pavement in the early 1990s and designated a pedestrian-only zone.
Many large events in Macau were hosted on the square,this include festival celebrations,flea markets and performances.The governors of Macau also used to inspect their troops there.A number of Hong Kong films in the 1950s and 1960s had scenes shot at the square.
The 2005 100 patacas note issued by the Banco Nacional Ultramarino features the square on its obverse side.
Sha Tin Racecourse is one of the two racecourses for horse racing in Hong Kong . It is located in Sha Tin in the New Territories. It is managed by Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Penfold Park is encircled by the track, and the Hong Kong Sports Institute is located immediately south of the property.
Originally built with capacity for 35,000 and one grandstand, it now has capacity for 85,000 and two grandstands. It also has 20 stables for a capacity of 1,260 horses.
Sha Tin Racecourse, at Sha Tin District in the east of New Territories, was built in 1978 by reclaiming land from the sea. With the capacity of holding more than 60,000 spectators, it is universally acknowledged as a world-class racetrack. The business hall of Sha Tin Racecourse consists of two floors and is provided with a large number of ticket windows for punters. Rows of fluorescent displays are arranged in the hall for people to watch real-time situation in the racecourse.
Note:
1. Races on Wednesdays often take place in Happy Valley, while race meetings on Saturdays (or Sundays) are often held in Sha Tin.
2. No person under 18 is allowed to bet or enter premises where gambling is permitted.
3. No person under 18 is allowed to enter the racecourses.
Source : travelchinaguide.com
Timings : Usually race starts at 1.00AM ( only on Saturdays or Sundays )
Entry fee : $HK 10
Getting there:
1.Take MTR East Rail Line and get off at Racecourse station (only available on race days).
2. Take MTR East Rail Line, get off at Fo Tan station and then walk for about 15 minutes.
3. Take KMB line 802,848, 868, 869, 872, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889, 891, 893, or NWFB 811 and get off at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Shanti Kunj is situated between Rose Garden and Cricket in Sector 16. This is a completely noise-free area with natural undulations. The natural stream running through this garden divides the park into five areas. The five parts of the garden depict different kinds of trees such as medicinal plants, vertical shaped trees, flowering trees, trees for shade and environmentally suitable areas.
Source : chandigarh.gov.in
Shanti Kunj garden located between Cricket stadium at sector- 16and Rose garden presents a serene, pollution free atmosphere in Chandigarh city. Large amount of trees and plants in the garden provide soothing effect even in hot summer months. There are numerous herbs and medicinal plants in this garden which provide excellent healing effect. Shanti Kunj garden is divided into five segments by a natural stream flowing through the garden.
ShantiKunj is dedicated to impart spiritual, cultural, moral and ethical consciousness among people. The main motto of this ashram is to keep up national integration and work towards global peace, harmony, friendship and universal brotherhoodness. People from all faiths, caste, creed, religion, sect and region visit this serene atmosphere to offer their prayers for universal peace.
ShantiKunj works towards achieving its target of national integration, unity, elimination of jealousy, ignorance and hatred by using age old traditions of Mantra, Sanskar and Yagya. Motivational lectures are also conducted to bring about importance of human values and virtues in life.
Source : discoveredindia.com
The Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary is located in Yumthang valley in North Sikkim. The sanctuary is surrounded on the east by Chuba-Sagochen mountain ranges and on the west by Chomzomei Tso that extends till the Lava Pass. The sanctuary covers an area of around 43 sq.kms, which comprises of several species of rhododendrons and lies at an altitude of 3048 to 4575 m. The Yumthang Chhu meanders through the sanctuary giving it a picturesque outlook. The best time to visit the sanctuary is from April to July, when the rhododendrons are in full bloom and the sanctuary turns into a riot of colors.
The place is very rich in natural vegetation cover and comprises of various species of plants & trees. The chief attraction of the place is the Rhododendron shrubs & trees that are found here in abundance. There are around 40 different species of Rhododendrons that lends the park a colorful look during the spring season. In addition to this, there are various other trees like Potentillas, Saxifrages, Primulas, Aconites, Poppies, Gentians and many more.
The Singshore suspension bridge, the highest bridge in Sikkim and the second highest bridge in the Asian continent with over 100 meters in height is a little away from Pelling town . The total length span of the bridge is approximately 200 meters, an engineering accomplishment made possible by connecting two gorges in West of Sikkim.
The downward view from the bridge is overwhelming with the sight of beautiful waterfalls and breathtaking views of the green hillsides above are pleasing. Singshore Bridge promises a sight to behold. Local authorities are also planning to offer adventure activities like bungee jumping.
Sir Robert Ho Tung Library was constructed before 1894 and was originally the residence of Dona Carolina Cunha. Hong Kong businessman Sir Robert Ho Tung purchased it in 1918, using it as his retreat. He passed away in 1955 and in accordance with his will, the building was presented to the Macao Government for conversion into a public library.
Source : en.macautourism.gov.mo
Sir Robert Ho Tung Library library is located in St Augustine’s square in the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The library is housed in a mansion that has good historical, cultural and architectural value
History
The building was constructed before 1894 and was owned by Dona Carolina Cunha. Later the mansion was purchased by Hong Kong businessman Sir Robert Ho Tung in 1918 as a retreat and he lived there between 1941 and 1945. He died in 1955 and the building was presented to the Government for conversion to a public library in accordance with his will.
Sir Robert Ho Tung Library was officially opened in 1958 to the general public. In 2005, a new building was constructed near the back garden of the mansion, making the library the biggest public library in Macau.
100/F, International Commerce Center, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon.
Phone : +852 2613 3888
Sky 100 is situated on the 100th floor Interior of Sky 100 observation deck
of the ICC in West Kowloon. Sky100is a 360-degree indoor observation deck on the 100th floor of the International Commerce centre, in West Kowlon, Hong Kong.
Sky 100 is located two floors below the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong Hotel in the same building. Visitors reach the observation deck using high speed elevators, which travel from the 2/F entrance to the 100/F in 60 seconds.
Sky100’s Advanced Telescope provides “sunny day setting” and pre-recorded views from bright days, and on-screen indicators point to landmarks. Other settings include night views and fireworks. Interactive touch screens dot the deck, offering facts, tips and an itinerary planner.
The deck offers views of Hong Kong Island, full view of the Kowlon Peninsula and—weather permitting—the ridges that gave Kowloon its name and Tai Mo Shan in the background.
There is a café serving local snacks and refreshments as well as a restaurant serving international cuisines on the 101st floor.
Since 2012, sky 100 has also served as the finish point for the annual “Race to ICC-100—SHKP Vertical Run for the Chest”, organized by Sun Hung Kai Properties (Developer of the International Commerce centre) and the Community Chest of Hong Kong. The race begins at Level 8 and winds its way up the building’s staircases to sky 100. The event is normally held in early December.
Located on the 100th floor of Hong Kong’s tallest building — the International Commerce Centre (ICC) — sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck, the highest indoor observation deck in the city, offers incredible 360-degree views ofVictoria Harbour.
To get there a high-speed lift will whisk you up 100 floors in just 60 seconds. You can also explore the observation deck’s state-of-the-art interactive exhibition with a fascinating multimedia tour of Hong Kong’s history and culture. A professional photo booth with advanced augmented-reality (AR) technology delivers snaps with special backgrounds and 3D effects, and you can do up a custom-made Hong Kong travel plan with one of the itinerary planning devices.
Source : discoverhongkong.com
“The socio-religious revolution or renaissance which took place in India in the nineteenth century is generally known for its three facets: the change in Indian thought current under the hypnotic impact of the West; a positive leaning towards puritanic revivalism as a reaction to the influx of western ideas; and a deliberate attempt at synthesis of the Oriental and the Occidental. But besides these currents, there was one more – a spontaneous outburst of an inner urge of the Spirit, which was far away from any external influence whatsoever. The father of this spiritual renaissance was Soamiji Maharaj, the founder of the Radhasoami Faith, who started his teachings as early as the twenties of the nineteenth century. Whatever he said or wrote was the outcome of his intuitive realization and mystic revelations. Under this spiritual impulse he could draw a super-sensitive and English educated disciple like Hazur Maharaj towards him. The devotion of the disciple for the Master was matchless in form and precedence. And it was on his repeated requests that Soamiji Maharaj founded this esoteric faith in 1861. The chief characteristics of this faith are love and devotion. It revitalized the medieval Bhakti trends and revived the ancient Guru traditions. The faith presents a new concept of the Supreme Being, a novel revelation of the name “Radhasoami” and introduces a well-defined and developed method of internal practice — surat-shabd-yoga—to the seekers after Truth. Not only an ascetic but also a man living in family can practise this Yoga. The faith has many other spiritual observances and a well spelled code of moral conduct to be followed by devotees. The faith owes its systematization to the second guru, Rai Saligram Bahadur (Hazur Maharaj), who was its real architect. The Radhasoami Faith has made a remarkable contribution in the socio-religion field as well. The founder gurus of the faith made direct hit upon the prevalent malpractices and anomalies in the indigenous socio-religious beliefs. They advocated for steady and gradual reforms in Indian society and simplified religion so as to make it accessible to all who desire salvation from worldly bondage, without any distinction of caste, colour and nationality.”
Source : wikipedia
The construction of the Soami Bagh was commenced in 1908 and people believed that the construction of the building will never come to an end. In fact many people argued that the monument is the “next Taj Mahal”. One of the major tourist attractions of the monument is its carvings in stone that comprises of blending or colored marble. The marble of the tomb contributes to its brilliant appearance making it an extraordinary monument in India.
Soamiji Maharaj purchased Soami Bagh, where he used to perform spiritual practices there. Later on Soami Bagh became the abode to the Samadh of Soamiji Maharaj. Located adjacent to the mausoleum, there is Bhajan Gar the place where, Soamiji Maharaj carried out the spiritual practices during his lifetime; the Bhajan Ghar also houses satsang once per day.
Near the Soami Bagh Samadhi there are some other buildings too. Bhandara festivals are celebrated here as a tribute to past Sant Sat Gurus and Satsang is from all over the world, come here to attend the festival. These buildings have provided the kitchen facilities for Bhandara festivals held at Soami Bagh several times every year.
The Swami Bagh Samadhi is mainly the mausoleum of Huzur Swamiji Maharaj (Shri Shiv Dayal Singh Seth) in the Swamibagh section, on Bhagwan Talkies to Dayal bagh road, in the outskirts of the city. He established the Radhaswami Faith. The devotees regard the Samadhi to be sacred.
Small but beautiful Sikkim is blessed with an outstanding Sri Sridi Sai Baba Mandir situated in Assanthang, a couple of kilometers away from the district headquarters of Namchi. The temple is a religious and pilgrimage center dedicated to the people of Sikkim by the honorable Chief Minister, Dr. Pawan Chamling.
Sri Sridi Sai Baba Mandir is a two storied building displaying the modern architecture; the ground floor accommodates devotees for singing hymns in praise of Shridi Baba and the first floor provides dwelling to the marble statue of Sri Shridi Sai Baba and ten other beautiful paintings of Lord Vishnu (Hindu God) in ten different incarnations. The temple is surrounded by a beautiful garden from where one could get a panoramic view of Mt. Khangchendzonga.
Founded in 1587 by three Spanish Dominican priests who originally came from Acapulco in Mexico, St.Dominics Church is also connected to the Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary. It was here that the first Portuguese newspaper was published on Chinese soil, A Abelha da China (“The China Bee”), on 12th September 1822. The bell tower, at the back of the building, has been modified into a small Museum of Sacred Art, now exhibiting a collection of around 300 artifacts.
Source : en.macautourism.gov.mo
History
St.Dominics Church was established in 1587 by three Spanish Dominican priests who arrived from Acapulco, Mexico. It was the scene of violence in 1644, when a Spanish officer—loyal to the King of Spain and opposing the colony’s determination to stay allegiant with Portugal after the dissolution of the Iberian Union—entered St. Domonics church in order to seek refuge from an angry mob. He was promptly murdered at the foot of the altar while mass was being celebrated. Sixty-three years later, in 1707, the Dominicans supported the Pope’s stance with regards to the Chinese Rites controversy. This was in opposition and defiance to the view of the Bishop of Macau, who subsequently excommunicated them. When soldiers were sent to the church in order to uphold this ruling, the friars responded by closing the church for three days and throwing rocks to repel them.
The first Portuguese-language newspaper in China—A Abelha da China (The China Bee)—was published at St. Dominic’s on September 12, 1822. St.Dominics church closed down in 1834 when monastic orders were dissolved and expropriated to the government, who then converted it into barracks, a stable and an office for public works. However, it later reopened and was given many works of sacred art from other religious orders dissolved back in Portugal.
The church underwent renovation in 1997 and a museum was added alongside the church
St.Dominics Church is listed as one of the 29 sites that form the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Established in 1728, the old Seminary, together with St. Paul’s College, was the principal base for the missionary work implemented in China, Japan and around the region. St Joseph’s Seminary taught an academic curriculum equivalent to that of a university and in 1800 the Portuguese Queen Dona Maria I conferred on it the royal title of “House of the Mission Congregation”. Adjacent to the Seminary is St. Joseph’s Church, built in 1758, an exemplary model of baroque architecture in China, as noted in UNESCO’s 2001 publication Atlas mundial de la arquitectura barroca.
Stanley New Street and Stanley Market Road, Hong Kong Island
Source ; discoverhongkong .com
Stanley Market is a street market in Stanley on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The street is a typical example of a traditional old open-air market in Hong Kong and has since become a major tourist attraction, well known for its bargains. Many of the stalls or shops in Stanley Market sell Hong Kong souvenirs as well as clothing – particularly silk garments and traditional Chinese dress – toys, ornaments, luggage, souvenirs, paintings, and Chinese arts and crafts. The market grew out of Chek Chu Tsuen, a nearby village
There are several small Chinese restaurants in the marketplace and a small old dai pai dong or open food stall. There are also a variety of restaurants along the seafront.
The nearby Stanley Main Street offers many larger restaurants, both Western and Chinese.
Stanley Beach
Stanley is famous for its two beaches: Stanley Main Beach, located on the eastern side of the peninsular, and St. Stephen’s Beach, on the western side. Both beaches are sandy and have areas designed for barbecues. Like many beaches in Hong Kong, they also have netted perimeters to protect swimmers from sharks.
The larger of the two beaches – Stanley Main Beach, which is also popular with windsurfers and other watersport enthusiasts, hosts the Stanley Dragon Boat Championships each year in June to celebrate the Tuen Ng Festival.
This market in the quaint village of Stanley on Hong Kong Island’s south coast is a huge hit with locals, expats and tourists for good reason: its enormous selection of brand-name clothing items (large sizes are available) and accessories, jewellery, home furnishings, souvenirs, ornaments and Oriental knick-knacks are sold at reasonable prices in a picturesque warren of lanes.
And if that’s not enough to grab you, the nearby eateries along the breezy seaside strip surely will!
Source : discoverhongkong.com
2. Central : Central Pier, Central, Hong Kong Island
3. Wan Chai : Wan Chai Ferry Pier, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island
The charming Star Ferry boats have been faithfully carrying passengers from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon and back since 1888. While the two sides of Victoria Harbour are now connected by a world-class infrastructure system of road and rail tunnels, tens of millions of people still climb aboard the humble Star Ferry vessels each year. Many visitors take the ride for an up-close look at one of the world’s most photographed harbours, while locals have kept their affection for it because, even after a century, it’s still a highly reliable and efficient form of transport. National Geographic rates the Star Ferry crossing as one of 50 ‘places of a lifetime’.
Source: discoverhongkong.com
The Star Ferry operates the following cross-harbour routes (The prices are effective from 24 June 2012]):
Central to Tsim Sha Tsui. For lower deck, it costs HK$2.0 on Mondays to Fridays; HK$2.8 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. For upper deck, HK$2.5 on Mondays to Fridays; HK$3.4 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui for HK$2.5 on Mondays to Fridays; HK$3.4 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Harbour Tour: a tourist cruise, making an indirect, circular route to all the stops, namely Tsim Sha Tsui, Central and Wan Chai.
Passengers may use Octopus or tokens to pay for the ride. Tokens are available in the vending machines at the piers. Direct payment by coins at turnstile is also accepted but no change will be provided.
The Tsim Sha Tsui – Central route does not accept cycles, but the Tsim Sha Tsui – Wan Chai route accepts cycles for an extra charge of HK$13, except during the evening peak hour from Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui.
Source : wikipedia
TST Ferry pier: MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station, Exit L6. Walk to the Clock Tower along Salisbury Road.
Central Ferry pier: MTR Hong Kong Station, Exit A2 or MTR Central Station, Exit A. Walk to the pier along Man Yiu Street.
Wan Chai Ferry pier: MTR Wan Chai Station, Exit A1. Take the sky bridge to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and descend to Convention Avenue at Harbour Road.
Sukhna LakeSunset view at Sukhna LakePanorama of the Sukhna Lake in the morning.
Sukhna Lake is located in Sector 1, adjoining the Rock Garden near the foothills of Shivalik Hills. Sukhna is an artificial lake. This 3 km rain-fed lake was created in 1958 by damming the Sukhna Choe, a seasonal stream coming down from the Shivalik Hills. It has The Garden of Silence within it.
Sukhna is an inseparable part of the city of Chandigarh. Le Corbusier had foreseen that the residents of the city would be drawn it for the ‘care of the body and spirit’. The city planners were deeply attached to the lake. So much so that Pierre Jeanneret’s ashes were immersed in the lake in 1970 as per his wishes by his niece.
The roof of the ‘bandh’ or dam has become a favorite promenade. Serious walkers pursue an exercise regime, families enjoy an evening stroll and nature lovers mingle with children on roller skates. Photographers and painters love to capture its scenic beauty of the setting sun, or the heavily clouded monsoon sky, or the early morning mist in winter set amidst the tranquility of the lake. Even anglers do not leave unrewarded.
Sukhna has a membership-based Lake Club with lawns, a gym, indoor games, swimming pool and tennis courts with both synthetic and grass courts. Boating, rowing, sculling, sailing, kayaking and water skiing can be enjoyed throughout the year.
The lake, which was the venue for the Asian Rowing Championships, has the longest channel for rowing and yachting events in Asia. It also has facilities for other water sports like water surfing, skiing and sculling.
Sukhna is a sanctuary for many exotic migratory birds like the Siberian duck, Storks and Cranes, during the winter months. The lake has been declared as a protected national wetland by the Government of India.
During summers, there are streams of men, women and children from all walks of life offering voluntary service to desilt the lake bed for about three months. This annual ritual has been a regular feature since long ago.
Sukhna Lake is the venue for many festive celebrations too. The most popular is the Mango Festival held during the monsoons when scores of varieties of mangoes are on display. From time-to-time other food festivals, featuring specialities from different Indian States, are also held here, along with cultural performances.
The Sulabh International Museum of Toilets in Delhi is a museum run by the Sulabh International, which is dedicated to the global history of sanitation and toilets. According to Time magazine, the museum is one of the weirdest museums among the “10 museums around the world that are anything but mundane. It was established in 1992 by Dr.Bindeshwar Pathak, a social activist, founder of Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement, recipient of national and international awards including the Stockholm Water Prize in 2009. His objective in establishing this museum was to highlight the need to address the problems of the sanitation sector in the country, considering the efforts made in various parts of the world in this field since the third millennium BC
The museum, has exhibits from 50 countries, arranged sequentially in three sections of “Ancient, Medieval and Modern”, according to the period of the sanitation artifacts collected from 3000 BC till the end of the 20th century.
The museum’s exhibits bring out the development of the toilet related technology of the entire gamut of human history, social habits, etiquettes specific to existing sanitary situation and the legal framework in different periods. The items on display not only include privies, chamber pots, decorated Victorian toilet seats, toilet furniture, bidets and water closets in vogue since from 1145 AD to-date. Display boards have poetry related to toilet and its use.
Some of the interesting and amusing objects and information charts on display are: a reproduction of a commode in the form of treasure chest of the British medieval period; a reproduction of the supposed toilet of King Louis XIV which is reported to have been used by the king to defecate while holding court; a toilet camouflaged in the form of a bookcase; information on the technology transfer from Russia to NASA to convert urine into potable water, a deal of $19 million; display boards with comics, jokes and cartoons related to humour on toilets; toilet pots made of gold and silver used by the Roman emperors; information about flush pot designed in 1596 by Sir John Harington during Queen Elizabeth I’s regime; the sewerage system that existed during the Harappan Civilization; and historical information from the Lothal archeological site on the development of toilets during the Indus Valley Civilization.
The pungent flavours and smells of Hong Kong’s fishing heritage are still evident in the unusual delicacies produced in Tai O Fishing village on Lantau Island. Homemade shrimp sauce, shrimp paste, salted fish and dried seafood can be found in the shops adjacent to the Rope-drawn Ferry Bridge on Tai O Market Street. Some local tour operators can arrange visits to shrimp paste factories and salted fish plants.
Tai O Stilt Houses
Tai O is home to the Tanka people, a community of fisher folk who’ve built their houses on stilts above the tidal flats of Lantau Island for generations. These unusual structures are interconnected, forming a tightly knit community that literally lives on the water. Their enchanting world is a photographer’s paradise.
The manually operated drawbridge that spans the narrow creek dividing the town replaced a rope-drawn ‘ferry’ that operated for over 85 years.
Also known as the “Venice of Hong Kong”, Tai O Fishing village is a hot tourist spot for both foreigners and residents of other parts of Hong Kong, despite damage by a fire in July 2000. The pang uks, a kind of stilt house, built right over the waterway are still quite scenic. A rope bridge tended by local women used to be quite popular with visitors, but it has been replaced with a steel pedestrian bridge in October 1996.
For a small fee, some residents will take tourists out on their boats along the river and for short jaunts into the sea. Many tourists come to Tai O Fishing Village specifically to take these trips to see Chinese white dolphins. It is also a good place to see the sunset.
MTR Tung Chung Station, Exit B and go to the bus terminus. From the bus terminus next to the MTR station, take bus 11 to Tai O bus terminus (the journey takes approximately 50 minutes) and walk for around five minutes to the Rope-drawn Ferry Bridge. Walk another five minutes after crossing the bridge. The market is located on both sides of the bridge.
MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B. Take Ngong Ping cable car to Ngong Ping Village (approx 25 minutes). Take bus 21 to Tai O bus terminus (approx 20 minutes) and walk for around five minutes to the Rope-drawn Ferry Bridge. Walk another five minutes after crossing the bridge. The market is located on both sides of the bridge.
Source: discoverhongkong.com
One of the best of Macau attractions, Taipa Village is where the original community of Taipa Island started from, and one of only two traditional “villages” that still exist in Macau. It’s a small cluster of narrow lanes and alleys, with old colonial houses along them, painted in hues of yellow, blue, and green.
Walking along the narrow streets and beautiful old district lines, you’ll see a lot of historical buildings that offer a glimpse of the life of the old village of Macau.
Getting there : Take a free bus to Venetian , walk towards galaxy (Estrada da Baia de N). Before you cross the street you will see an escalator on your right, which takes you to the village.
The Taj Mahal , more often, from Persian and Arabic, “crown of palaces”, is a white marble mausoleum located on the southern bank of the Yamuna River in the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–1658) to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643 but work continued on other phases of the project for an additional ten years. The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around 32 million Indian rupees, which in 2015 would be valued at around 52.8 billion Indian rupees ($827 million US). The construction project employed around 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. The domed marble tomb is part of an integrated complex consisting of gardens and two red-sandstone buildings surrounded by a crenellated wall on three sides.
The Taj Mahal is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and is widely recognized as “the jewel of Muslim art in India”. It is one of the world’s most celebrated structures and a symbol of India’s rich history. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, the Taj Mahal attracts some 3 million visitors a year. On 7 July 2007 it was declared one of the Seven winners of New 7 wonders of the World (2000–2007) initiative in Lisbon.
“A white marble tomb built in 1631 – 48 in Agra, seat of the Mughal Empire, by Shah Jehan for his wife, Arjuman Banu Begum, the monument sums up many of the formal themes that have played through Islamic architecture. Its refined elegance is a conspicuous contrast both to the Hindu architecture of pre-Islamic India, with its thick walls, corbelled arches and heavy lintels, and to the Indo-Islamic styles, in which Hindu elements are combined with an eclecticassortment of motifs from Persian and Turkish sources.”______ Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman Architecture: from Prehistory to Post-Modernism. p223
The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage.”
The Taj! An awe-inspiring poetry in marble stands high and serene by the banks of the River Yamuna is an inspiring result of the application of architectural and scientific research.
The tomb laid out in rectangular shape can be approached through an immense gateway with huge arch and alcoves strewn on either side that stands tall and erect, as though guarding something precious. Three other smaller gateways follow the red sandstone towers topped with domes in white marble together make a pretty picture.
The Taj is an experience of its own kind, while on the one hand its magnanimity is so sublime, so on the other the exquisite inlay work and detailed craftsmanship together with the calligraphy is simply amazing. The combination simply leaves one absolutely mesmerized. The sheer splendour of the mausoleum is consummate, and the vastness is simply monumental.
The tomb is at the northern end with an expanse of greenery and fountains between it and the gateways. The ceiling is adorned with floral patterns and the décor of floors with geometric designs. The inner of the main structure is in lakhauri [a kind of earthen brick], which have been carefully covered with marble, whereas the adjoining structures are covered with red sandstone.
Majestic and sensuous, glistening brightly in the afternoon sun, the bulbous dome and minarets with a slight inward tilt, have all been inscribed meticulously with the Holy Verses bringingforth the arabesque ornamentation. The white marble from Makrana in Rajasthan has added its own natural beauty to this mausoleum that attracts tourists from all over the world.
As one goes around, the most breathtaking part remains the exquisite inlay work that looks up from every nook and corner of the façade. The blooms are worked out in immense detail and every dot and alphabet of the Holy Quran is neatly etched, cut and inlaid to perfection. The flowers, chiefly lilies mirror the Mughal love for gardens. One particular flower on the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal is said to have been inlaid with 35 different precious stones. Thecentral hall is surrounded by eight rooms that have a corridor running through them. The aura of serenity is all pervading, while translucent glass separates them to let-in the dim sunlight, making the interiors look solemn and intriguing. Indeed a masterpiece that none would ever be able to replicate including the orginal craftsmen, artisans and designers themselves.
While a visitor is still managing to grasp the symmetry of the structures set across the length and breadth of the complex, the Taj Mahal appears deep in the distance, indeed a spectacular sight to behold, forever!
However, it is the dome that leaves one gasping in awe. While the outer dome rises to 44.4 metres in height, the inner is 24.35 metres an architectural and technical feat. Ismail Afandi from Turkey, who also worked for the Ottomans is said to have been its designer. Marking an amalgam of Hindu and Islamic architecture are the typically Hindu Chhatris [An umbrella like structure] at the dome base from the corners. Shah Jahan has similarly left his individual imprint in several other aspects of the architecture as well.
The cenotaph over Shah Jahan’s tomb has an inkwell, while that of Mumtaz Mahal a slate over it, as it is said a man writes his desires on the woman’s heart. The epitaphs in addition to regular pronouncements about the individual have verses from the Holy Quran. The exquisite craftsmanship marks the marble lattice screens, which are elaborately worked out in oriental design enclose the cenotaphs. The tombs lie below the cenotaphs in a basement, undisturbed and in absolute quiet environs. What we do not see now are the bowls full of jewels on Mumtaz Mahal’s tomb, the Persian carpets on the floor and the silver doorways and overhanging chandeliers that once made up the inner décor.
Coming out of prevailing solemnity in the environ, one gets speechless with awe at the grandeur of the by gone era, enticing particularly the panels with lilies and tulips together with iris flowers that symbolise death. The Makrana marble will perhaps never again be handled; with so much grace and care and such elegance of balancing the ornamentation on it. The beauty and splendour of elegant craftsmanship that makes up the inlay work and calligraphy in fact, further accentuates the deathly calm of the mausoleum and in the quietude, it is the softly filtering rays of the sun through the lattice work on marble panels that strikes one as unusually ethereal in nature.
Outside one would have to crane one’s neck to look up at the apex of the dome, high and mighty agains the skyline. Secluded and singular in majesty, the structure stands clearly apart from everything around it. The balance of all the elements, the garden, the fountain and water channel and in the end the gateway, all look exquisitely managed to provide maximum harmony in terms of visual appeal. The sheer beauty of the outside of a monument marks the serenity within.
The Taj Mahal, for which not only the course of river Yamuna is said to have been diverted but as per interpretation of the Archaeological Survey of India, the Yamuna was incorporated into the garden design for the belief that its one of the rivers of Paradise.
The moods of the Taj vary from dawn to dusk. It looks milky white in the soft light that characterizes early morning, while the afternoon sun makes it glisten bright and dazzling in the overhead sunlight, almost looking like a jewel against the opaque blue of the skyline and then comes a moonlit Taj breaking into the night sky, majestic and simply beautiful in a sense that cannot be put into words. The sensuous appeal can never be more heightened as on a full moon night when it shines like a pearl making the visitor stand agape at the spectacle. The romanticism and sheer majesty of the structure is unbelievably true! No wonder if millions of people chose it amongst the World’s top wonders.
The romanticism and sheer majesty of the structure is unbelievably true! No wonder if millions of people chose it amongst the World’s top wonders.
Source : tajmahal.gov.in
A panoramic view looking 360 degrees around the Taj Mahal in 2005
Govt.approved tourist guides can be contacted from U.P.Tourism office, 64, Taj Road Agra. Ph: +91 562 2226431 and also from India Tourism Office, 191, Mall Road, Agra. Ph: +91 562 2226378.
Tashi View point is one of the major attractions of Gangtok and is located at a distance of 8 km from the town. The place is a must visit for nature lovers as it offers great views of the imposing Himalayan mountains. It offers a sweeping view of snow capped kanchenjunga peaks on a clear day. Adorned with a park on its hilltop Taashi view point offers panoramic views of Sikkim also. You can also view Labrang Monastery and Phodong Monastery situated on the opposite hills. You can also enjoy the sunset and sunrise from the Taashi View Point.
Tashiding Monastery is a Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Western Sikkim, northeastern India. It is located on top of the hill rising between the Rathong chu and the Rangeet River, 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Gyalshing and 19 kilometres (12 mi) to the south east of Yuksam. Tashiding is the nearest town to the Tashiding Monastery (Gompa), which is the most sacred and holiest monasteries in Sikkim.
Tashiding means “The Devoted Central Glory” and the monastery by this name was founded in 1641 by Ngadak Sempa Chempo Phunshok Rigzing who belonged to the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Ngadak was one of the three wise men who held the consecration ceremony crowning the first King of Sikkim at Yuksom. It was extended and renovated in 1717 during the reign of the third Chogyal Chakdor Namgyal. ‘Bhumchu Ceremony’ or festival is a popular religious festival that is held on the 14th and 15th day of the first month of Tibetan Calendar.
The Tashiding Monastery is part of Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit starting with the first monastery at Yuksam in Sikkim known as the Dubdi Monastery, Norbugang Chorten, Pemayangtse Monastery, the Rabdentse ruins, the Sanga Choeling Monastery, and the Khecheopalri Lake.
Source : wikipedia
The Teen Murti Bhavan (Teen Murti House) is the former residence of the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru in Delhi, who stayed here for 16 years until his death on May 27, 1964. It was designed by Robert Tor Russel, the British architect of Connaught Place and of the Eastern and Western Courts on Janpath during the Brotish Raj. Teen Murti Bhavan was built in 1930 as part of the new imperial capital of India, New Delhi as the residence of the Commander*in-Chief of the British Army.
Today, Teen Murti houses various institutions including the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML), which runs under the Indian Ministry of Culture. The complex also houses the offices of the ‘Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund’, established in 1964 under the Chairmanship of Dr.S.Radhakrishnan, then President of India. Teen Murti Bhavan also contains a number of mementos from various nations including England, Nepal, Somalia, China, etc. Each memento represents a notable resource of each nation. The foundation also awards the ‘Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fellowship’, established in 1968.
Also contained within the complex are the ‘Centre for Contemporary Studies’ and the Nehru Planetarium which opened in 1984.
The house is named after the Teen Murti (literally “three statues”) Memorial by British sculptor, Leonard Jennings, which stands on the road junction in front of its extensive grounds. The memorial comprises life-size statues of three soldiers, and was built in 1922 in the memory of the Indian soldiers from three Indian princely states, namely; Jodhpur State, Hyderabad State and Mysore State who served present day Gaza Strip, Israel, Palestine during the World War I under British India Army.
The Temi Tea Gardens in Ravangla, established in 1969 by the Government of Sikkim, covering an area of 177 hectares (440 acres) is located in South Sikkim in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim. It is the only tea garden in Sikkim and considered one of the best in India and in the world. Top quality tea is produced, which is in demand in the international market. The garden is laid over a gradually sloping hill. The tea produced in this garden is also partly marketed under the trade name “Temi Tea.
The guidelines issued by the Institute of Marketology (IMO) of Switzerland to produce organic tea have been adopted in the Temi Tea Garden; a project initiated in April 2005 and nearing completion. In growing organic tea, agro-chemicals are avoided by the tea estates that results in low production costs. Many European countries and Japan have shown preference for tea produced by adopting organic manuring method.
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery is a Buddhist temple in Sha tin, Hong Kong. It is located at 220 Pai Tau Village, Sha Tin. It is not an actual monastery as there are no resident monks and is managed by laypersons.
The monastery, which occupies over 8 hectares, is made up of two groups of architectural structures at lower and higher levels respectively. There is a pagoda, a hall, two pavilions and a tower in the architectural structure at the lower level. There are four halls in another structure at the higher level
The five halls in the monastery are used to house the statues of Buddhas.
The main journey up to the Ten Thousand Buddhas monastery is an attraction itself, as the path is lined on both sides with golden Buddhas, each unique and in different poses.
The monastery is built over two levels on a bamboo forest hillside overlooking Sha Tin and occupies an area of over eight hectares. It has five temples, four pavilions, one verandah and a pagoda and is reached by a steep concrete path with 431 steps.
Getting there :Take MTR East Rail line to Sha Tin station and take Exit B. Travelling time from TST is approximately 20 minutes. When you exit through Exit B turn left and walk down the slope passing some of the old traditional house on your left hand side towards the Home Centre (Ikea is located in this mall). Cross the street and left into Pau Tai Street. Walk towards the Sha Tin governmental building and turn right into Sheung Wo Che Street. Walk towards the end of this street. On the right side is a big parking garage for the Home Centre Shopping mall. The entrance for the 10000 Buddhas temples is on the left hand side and will lead you through some bamboo groves. You should be able to see already some big signs leading you the right way.
There is a cemetery close by and a lot of people are confused and take this one as 10000 Buddhas temples and are disappointed. Be sure to turn right into the Sheung Wo Che street ( where the government building and post office are ).
Temple Street is a street located in the areas of Jordan and Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is known for its night market and as one of the busiest flea markets at night in the territory. The night market lies in the Yau Ma Tei, Jordan part of the street. Popular with tourists and locals alike in the evening, it is also common to see the place crowded at dusk. It sells cheap merchandise and food items.
The Temple Street Night Market is sometimes known as Men’s Street as it is popular for men’s fashion. The market starts at 2 p.m., but is lively at dusk daily. Traffic is closed on the street at that time as visitors swarm into the street. There are more than a hundred stalls with colourful lights in the market. There are carts bulging with goods from clothingto mobile phones and watches. Stalls have items mainly for men, jeans, t-shirts, , lighters, shoes, and men’s accessories. Low-priced merchandise is common in the night market. Cheap second hand goods such as cassettes, video tapes, old newspapers, antiques are also sold there. Like in other night markets in South East Asia, prices can always be negotiated by bargaining.
When buying merchandise in Temple Street, it is advised that one hunt for shops hidden in the streets behind the stalls. This is one of the unique characteristics of Temple Street Night Market.
Tourists can do shopping and enjoy a Cantonese opera show.
The night market is famous for its snacks and roadside dining, which serves local street cuisine. It sells a wide range of delicious local delicacies.
There are also lots of restaurants selling seafood. These rice hot pots can be perfect for an intimate dinner. They are delicious as well as affordable. All of these culinary delicacies represent Hong Kong’s traditional and unique food culture.
Getting there : MTR Yau Ma Tei Station, Exit C, turn onto Temple Street at Man Ming Lane; or,MTR Jordan Station, Exit A. Turn right onto Jordan Road and then take another Right onto Temple Street.
Tenzing Rock, a gigantic natural rock in Darjeeling is named after Tenzing Norgay, the man who created history by climbing the Everest first time along with Edmund Hillary in 1953.
Opposite to this is the Gombu Rock named after Nawang Gombu, nephew of Tenzing who was the first person to climb the Everest twice, once in 1963 and then in 65. He took over as the Director of Field Training at Himalayan Mountaineering Institute after Tenzing retired in 1976.
Both these rocks are used for rock climbing training by HMI.
Tenzing himself used to practice climbing on this rock. During a visit of erstwhile Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Tenzing demonstrated a climb on this rock without any safety equipment.
If interested one can try climbing the rock with help of harness (only a rope around your waist) with the help of professional guides.
Thangu is located at an altitude of 13000 feet. It is about 30 kilometers north of Lachen. Since it is located at a high altitude, the place remains covered with snow for most of the time. Especially from the month of October to March, the land is shrouded with the white blanket of snow. But this whiteness turns to a collage of numerous shades in May with the commencement of the blossoming season. The alpine vegetation of Thangu is acclaimed for its natural beauty bestowed from the hand of God.
It is a small village where many visitors usually acclimatize before they proceed to Gurudongmar Lake or Muguthang. Its alpine meadows are dotted with wooden houses and army camps. The calm water of Teesta flowing through the valley presents a fantastic contrast. Mostly inhabited by the Nomadic tribes, the valley is trespassed and crisscrossed by a number of streams and rivulets, the most important of them are Chopta Chu, Thangu Chu and Lassur Chu.
The routes from here to Chopta Valley and Muguthang are for some visitors who would like to trek and explore the area.
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Etihad Airways is a flag carrier and the second-largest airline of the UAE (after Emirates). Its head office is in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, near Abu Dhabi International Airport. Etihad commenced operations in November 2003.
The airline operates more than 1,000 flights per week to over 120 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas, with a fleet of 122 Airbus and Boeing aircraft as of July 2016. In 2015, Etihad carried 14.8 million passengers, a 22.3% increase from the previous year, delivering revenues of US$9.02 billion and net profits of US$103 million. Its main base is Abu Dhabi International Airport.
In addition to its core activity of passenger transportation, Etihad also operates Etihad Holidays and Etihad Cargo. Etihad established its own airline alliance, Etihad Airways Partners, in 2015, that includes Alitalia, Jet Airways, Air Berlin, Niki, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles and Etihad Regional. With the exception of Niki, Etihad Airways holds minority equity investments in the participating airlines; as well as holding a stake in Virgin Australia, which is not officially listed as an Etihad Airways Partner. Booking for these airlines is consolidated under one network.
As of 12 October 2016, Etihad Airways is rated as one of a small number of 5-star airlines by Skytr
Source : wikipedia
Estrada da Baia de Nossa Senhora da Esperanca, Macau
Phone : +853 2882 8888
The Venetian Macau is a luxury hotel and casino resort in Macau owned by Las Vegas Sands. The Venetian is a 39-story, $2.4 billion anchor for the seven hotels on the Cotai Strip in Macau. The 10,500,000-square-foot (980,000 m2) Venetian Macao is modeled on its sister casino resort The Venetian Las vegas, and is the seventh- largest building in the world by floor area. The Venetian Macau is also the largest casino in the world, and the largest single structure hotel building in Asia.
The main hotel tower was finished in July 2007 and the resort officially opened on 28 August 2007. The resort has 3000 suites, 1,200,000 sq ft (110,000 m2) of convention space, 1,600,000 sq ft (150,000 m2) of retail, 550,000 square feet (51,000 m2) of casino space – with 3400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables and a 15,000 seat Cotai Arena for entertainment and sports events.
The casino measures 546,000 sq ft (50,700 m2). It is further divided into 4 themed gaming areas namely Golden Fish, Imperial House, Red Dragon and Phoenix. The casino consists of over 3400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables.
Source : Wikipedia
In the tourist area of Venetian Macau, there are the Venetian styled buildings, canals and plaza. The most amazing thing is that all of these are on the third floor of the resort hotel. The Grand Canal Shoppes is also on the third floor and is the largest indoor shopping mall in Macau with an area of 22 acres and with more than 350 stores.
There is a Grand Canal Shoppers area where, as in Venice you are able to relax on a gondola as the pier is near the plaza with the trip taking 15 minutes accompanied by songs from the gondoliers. The San Luca, Marco Polo and Grand Canals are all named after the famous Venetian canals. Beside the canals there is the San Marco Square, which was also named after the Italian plaza. An artificial sky is created at San Marco Square with Grafik 5000 lighting control system to present different levels of light with the ability to give the desired blue sky effect at any time of day.
Shopping area and the artificial sky( Source : tripadvisor.com)
1, Institutional Area, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, Delhi 110003
Phone: 011 2461 1515
The Tibet House in New Delhi opens a gate to Tibetan culture. The activities of this centre reach beyond the circle of Tibetologists and Buddhist Masters, it integrates laypersons as well as scholars of many disciplines, artists and social activists.
The Tibet House was founded in 1965 by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to preserve and disseminate the unique cultural heritage of Tibet and to provide a centre for Tibetan and Buddhist studies. It has since widened its horizons.
From 1959 onwards, Tibetans have been fleeing from the political upheavals in their homeland, travelling the difficult paths across the Himalayas into India. Many brought with them precious objects and books of religious and cultural significance.
Located in the heart of New Delhi, the five-story facility houses a Museum of valuable Tibetan art and artefacts as well as a Library with nearly 5000 volumes of manuscripts and books, a Resource Centre, a Conference hall, a Gallery and a Bookshop.
Tibet House offers incentives and resources for research and translation projects and publishes important texts and research results. It hosts lectures, organizes conferences, exhibitions, film shows, and festivals. These programmes focus on Indian and Tibetan Buddhist history, religion, philosophy, art, literature and culture, and bear witness to the vital and evolving heritage of the Tibetan people.
As an increasing number of people worldwide get interested in Tibetan studies and Buddhist teachings, the horizons of Tibet House continue to expand. Its mission is not only to preserve the past but also to explore the contribution Buddhism can make for alleviating global suffering.
27, West Lebong Cart road, Darjeeling, West Bengal – 734101
Phone : +97 354 2255938,2252552
Image credit : tripadvisor.in
Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre in Darjeeling, India is a rehabilitation Centre for the Tibetan refugees in the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region. It was established on 1 October 1959, after they followed Dalai Lama and escaped from Tibet.The production of Tibetan handicraft is the centre’s main activity.
Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre Situated at Lebong and locally known as Hermitage. The place initially provided emergency relief to Tibetan refugees who had come through a hazardous trek over the Himalayas into India. The Hill-side had a special significance for Tibetans, because of the fact that Thirteenth Dalai Lama had spent his exile in India from 1910 to 1912 following the Chinese invasion of Tibet at that time.
The center was registered as charitable organization under the act of Government of India. Starting off with just four workers, today the center is the home for 130 Tibetan family. The center has been a part of multifarious activities which ranges from handicrafts, training of artisans, and craftsmen. These activities are primarily to the care of the sick, elders and needy destitute. The Center now comprises one crèche, one nursery school along with a pre-primary school (up to +2 standard).
Source : Wikipedia
TRADITIONAL HANDICRAFTS
The production of handicrafts continues to be the mainstay both in terms of activity as well as its source of income.
To date, the Centre has been exporting to 36 countries all over the world.
Some of the traditional items are
Tibetan carpets, thankas, wood carved items like folding tables, frames, wall hangings, metal items like bronze and copper pots, prayer wheels and leather items such as gents and ladies boots and shoes.
Tinchuley is a small mountain village (rather a hamlet) in Darjeeling district and located at an altitude of 5,800ft.The word Tinchuley stands for three chullas ( chulla means oven ), and this is represented by three prominent hill tops that resembles the three chullas. It is a developing tourist destination of the region. With the help of organizations such as the WWF ( World Wide Federation ), the village has developed village home stays. The villagers also showed keen interest in modern farming and with the help of WWF they developed floriculture, vermiculture, organic projects. The WWF has been actively helping some 17 families from this region to promote village tourism.
Nirmals orange orchards, 8 kms from Tinchuley, a family owned property which has a factory producing fresh orange juice, marmalades and pickles ( they sell it at a reasonable price ) is worth seeing.
Nearby there are a number of tea estates, where you can watch tea plucking, visit the factory and see tea processing.
It provides stunning Himalayan views with the Majestic Kanchanjunga towering over the entire region. The places specializes in Village Tourism and one can take village walks, nature hikes and tea garden visits during their stay here. The untouched natural forest, is a birdwatchers paradise and sunrise views from specific points in this region are greatly talked about by all.
Places to visit nearby : Sunrise Views,Tinchuley Monastery,Bird Watching,Orange Garden Visits,,Takdah Bazaar,Takdah Orchid Centre,Tea Garden Visits,Teesta Valley and Durpin Dara.
Intersection Safdarjung road and Aurobindo Marg, Delhi
Safdarjung’s Tomb is a sandstone and marble mausoleum in New Delhi.. It was built in 1754 in the late Mughal Empire Style for the statesman Safdarjung. The monument has an ambiance of spaciousness and an imposing presence with its domed and arched red brown and white coloured structures. Safdarjung was made prime minister of the Mughal Empire (Wazir ul-Mamlak-i-Hindustan) when Ahmad Shah Bahadur ascended the throne in 1748.
Architecture
The Safdarjung’s Tomb the last monumental tomb garden of the Mughals, was planned and built like an enclosed garden tomb in line with the style of the Humayun tomb. It was completed in 1754. The slabs from the tomb of Abdul Rahim Khankhana were used in the construction of the tomb.
The tomb has four key features which are: The Char Bagh plan with the mausoleum at the center, a ninefold floor plan, a five-part façade and a large podium with a hidden stairway.
The main entry gate to Safdarjung’s Tomb is two-storied and its façade has very elaborate ornamentation over plastered surfaces and is in ornate purple colour. There is an inscription in Arabic on the surface and its translation reads “When the hero of plain bravery departs from the transitory, may he become a resident of god’s paradise”. The rear side of the façade, which is seen after entering through the gate, has many rooms and the library. To the right of the gate is the mosque which is a three-domed structure marked with stripes.
Ceiling at the entrance of the tomb.
Entering through the main gate of the Safdarjung’s Tomb gives a perfect view of the mausoleum. Its walls are built high and the central dome, which is the main mausoleum of Safdarjung, is built over a terrace. Red and buff stones are the materials used for building the main mausoleum which measures 28 metres (92 ft) square. The central chamber, square in shape, has eight partitions with a cenotaph in the middle. Here there are partitions in rectangular shape and the corner partitions are in octagonal shape. The interior of the tomb is covered with rococo plaster with decorations. There are four towers around the main tomb at the corners which are polygonal in shape and are provided with kiosks. They have marble panels which are faded, and decorated arches. There is an underground chamber in the mausoleum which houses the graves of Safadrjung and his wife. The ceiling of the mosque has been plastered, painted and ornamented.
Garden
The large square garden surrounding the tomb is surrounded by a wall that is approximately 280 metres (920 ft) long on each side. The layout is in the form of four squares with wide foot paths and water tanks, which have been further subdivided into smaller squares. The garden is in the Mughal charbagh garden style, and is a smaller version of the garden of the Humayun Tomb which is also built in Delhi. One channel leads to the entrance gate and the other leads to the three pavilions. The main podium over which the mausoleum is built measures 50 metres (160 ft) on each side. The high walls have been built in rubble stone masonry and have recessed arches in the interior. The towers or chatris are octagonal in shape. Its overall layout consists of four pavilions which have multiple chambers and the entrance gateway to the east is impressive. On the eastern side adjoining the gate are many apartments and a mosque, and a courtyard. The pavilions are laid out in the western, northern and southern directions and are named Jangli Mahal (palace in the forest), Moti Mahal (pearl palace) and Badshah Pasand (King’s favorite) respectively. Nawab’s family used to reside in these pavilions. Now the entire monument is under the control of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) who have their offices in the pavilions and also a library over the main gate.
This Toy Train has been accorded the UNESCO World Heritage status.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, also known as the “Toy Train”, is a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railway that runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal, India. Built between 1879 and 1881, the railway is about 78 kilometres (48 mi) long. Its elevation level varies from about 100 metres (328 ft) at New Jalpaiguri to about 2,200 metres (7,218 ft) at Darjeeling. Four modern diesel locomotives handle most of the scheduled services; however the daily Kurseong-Darjeeling return service and the daily tourist trains from Darjeeling to Ghum (India’s highest railway station) are handled by the vintage British-built B Class steam locomotives. The railway, along with the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka-Shimla Railway, is listed as the Mountain Railways of India World Heritage Sites. The headquarters of the railway is in the town of Kurseong. Operations between Siliguri and Kurseong have been temporarily suspended since 2010 following a Landslide at Tindharia in 2011. However the normal Toy Train service has resumed between New Jalpaiguri (NJP) and Darjeeling from 2 December 2015.
World Heritage site
DHR was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1999, only the second railway to have this honour bestowed upon it,the first one being Semmering Railway of Austria in 1998. To be nominated as World Heritage site on the World Heritage List, the particular site or property needs to fulfill a certain set of criteria, which are expressed in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention] and its corresponding Operational Guidelines. The site must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. The protection, management, authenticity and integrity of properties are also important considerations.
More than a mere district, Tsim Sha Tsui is a giant world bazaar, where Hong Kong’s glittering harbour is met by an alternate sea of stalls, shops, markets and malls.
Even if you’re penny-pinching, merely taking a stroll along Nathan Road and the streets crossing it is an experience worthy of attention. Here you’ll journey past Bollywood-themed memorabilia, Shanghainese tailors, sweet-talking restaurant touts, gorgeous gems and jewellery, flashy cameras, international brand name stores and Asian street label boutiques . You can also escape the hustle and bustle of what’s called ‘the golden mile’ by slipping into a number of spacious and plush malls, including iSQUARE, The One and K11.
Take a short walk over to Canton Road where you’ll be confronted with the best the world has to offer in luxury designer goods, not to mention Hong Kong’s biggest shopping mall – the enormous Harbour City and 1881 Heritage , a unique experience that blends history with luxury shopping.
Tsim Sha Tsui’s shopping also extends beyond these two roads. To the east is the Tsim Sha Tsui Centre and Empire Centre, which invite you to rest those protesting feet for a while at a harbour-side alfresco bar and restaurant strip.
Tsim Sha Tsui is a major tourist hub in metropolitan Hong Kong, with many high-end shops and restaurants that cater to tourists. Many of Hong Kong’s museums are located in the area.
The Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront is another popular destination for locals and tourists alike. It is especially popular for photographers, as it offers an unobstructed view of the Central area of Hong Kong across Victoria Harbour. The Star Ferry terminal is another popular attraction for tourists, and the Avenue of Stars is also popular with photographers.
Tsim Sha Tsui is also a great place to watch Christmas lightings during December every year as tall buildings in the district will set up light bulbs on their walls with Christmas patterns, which is a well known famous scene.
Source : wikipedia
Located between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula
Night view of Victoria Harbour from Victoria Peak
The Victoria Harbour is world-famous for its dramatic panoramic night view and skyline, particularly in the direction towards Hong Kong Island where the skyline of skyscrapers is superimposed over the ridges behind. Among the best places to view the harbour are the Peak Toweratop Victoria Peak, or from the piazza at the Cultural Centre or the promenade of Tsim Sha Tsuion the Kowloon side. Rides on the Star Ferry, particularly the route between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, are another popular way to view the harbour and cityscape.
As the natural centre of the territory, the harbour has played host to many major public shows, including the annual fireworks displays on the second night of the Lunar New Year. These shows are popular with tourists and locals alike, and the display is usually telecast on local television. To enhance the popularity of the harbour as a sightseeing location, the government introduced a show dubbed A Symphony of Lights Sadly, security guards try to prevent buskers from playing any actual music on the promenade.
Also recently opened was the Avenue of Stars, built along the Promenade outside the New world Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui. Modeled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, it honours the most illustrious people the Hong Kong film industry has produced over the past decades.
By the end of November every year, the outer walls of buildings in the central business districts on both sides of the harbours are dressed with Christmas-related decorations, and replaced with Lunar New Year -related ones by January.
Nighttime panoramic view of Hong Kong Island from the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui
The energetic Victoria Harbour is truly Hong Kong’s lifeline, and with its constant parade of vessels and breathtaking surrounding scenery, a harbour cruise is a must-do on any trip to Hong Kong. Step aboard for a journey into the true heart of Asia’s world city.
For Cruise details
The Peak Tram approaching the Peak TowerView from Victoria Peak looking north towards Victoria Harbour and Kowloon
Victoria Peak is a mountain in the western half of Hong Kong Island. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak. With an elevation of 552 m (1,811 ft), it is the highest mountain on Hong Kong island, ranked 31 in terms of elevation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Tai Mo Shan is the highest point in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with an elevation of 957 m).
The summit is occupied by a radio telecommunications facility and is closed to the public. However, the surrounding area of public parks and high-value residential land is the area that is normally meant by the name The Peak. It is a major tourist attraction that offers views over Central, Victoria Harbour, Lamma Islandand the surrounding islands.
With some seven million visitors every year, the Peak is a major tourist attraction of Hong Kong. It offers spectacular views of the city and its harbours. The viewing deck also has coin operated telescopes that the visitors can use to enjoy the cityscape. The number of visitors led to the construction of two major leisure and shopping centers, the Peak Tower and the Peak Galleria, situated adjacent to each other.
The Peak Tower incorporates the upper station of the Peak Tram, the funicular railway that brings passengers up from the St. John’s Cathedral in Hong Kong’s Central district, whilst the Peak Galleria incorporates the bus station used by the Hong Kong public buses and green minibuses on the Peak. The Peak is also accessible by taxi and private car via the circuitous Peak Road, or by walking up the steep Old Peak Road from near the Zoological Botanical Gardens. The nearest MTR station is Central.
The evening flag lowering ceremony at the India–Pakistan international border near Wagah. Attribution : Kamran Ali
Wagah is a village situated near a road border crossing, goods transit terminal and a railway station between Pakistan and India, and lies on the Grand Trunk Road between the cities of Amritsar, Punjab, India, and Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
The border is located 24 kilometres (15 mi) from Lahore and 32 kilometres (20 mi) from Amritsar.
The lowering of the flags, or the Beating Retreat ceremony at Wagah border, is a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have jointly followed since 1959. The drill is characterized by elaborate and rapid dance-like maneuvers, which has been described as “colorful”. It is alternatively a symbol of the two countries’ rivalry, as well as brotherhood and cooperation between the two nations.
Wagah Border Ceremony takes place every evening before sunset at the Wagah border, which as part of the Grand Trunk Road was the only road link between these two countries before the opening of the Aman Setu in Kashmir in 1999. The ceremony starts with a blustering parade by the soldiers from both the sides, and ends up in the perfectly coordinated lowering of the two nations’ flags. It is called the beating retreat border ceremony on the international level. One infantryman stands at attention on each side of the gate. As the sun sets, the iron gates at the border are opened and the two flags are lowered simultaneously. The flags are folded and the ceremony ends with a retreat that involves a brusque handshake between soldiers from either side, followed by the closing of the gates again. The spectacle of the ceremony attracts many visitors from both sides of the border, as well as international tourists.
Made internationally famous by the 1960 film The World of Suzie Wong, historic Wan Chai is not just Hong Kong’s party district; by day it’s a pleasant neighbourhood for wandering and shopping.
Dotted along Queen’s Road East are a number of excellent rattan and Chinese furniture shops that will happily arrange to have your purchases sent home for you or, for competitively priced clothing, try Spring Garden Lane where stalls offload garments originally earmarked for export. Techies won’t complain about getting lost in the Wanchai Computer Centre on Hennessy Road; a building jam-packed with hardware, software, accessories and other gadgets. And both kids and ‘kidults’ might want to check out Tai Yuen Street; an entire strip of toys touting everything from the latest to the classics.
Nostalgia alert! For those born before 1980s, a walk down Tai Yuen street is liable to bring on rushes of happy childhood memories. Some of the classic toys that were once made in Hong Kong and placed under Christmas trees around the world have survived here, nestled like treasures among the latest ‘thingamajigs’ that today’s kids go wild over.
Most toy manufacturing left Hong Kong for Mainland China I n the 1980s, but the locals’ passion for kiddie collectables hasn’t died on this street, where everything from semi-precious limited edition figurines to the humble bottle of bubbles are available. This is also a great place to pick up festive decorations.
Wan Chai offers historical conservation sites including Old Wan Chai Post Office, Hung Shing Temple and Pak Tai Temple. Many of the medium-sized shopping centres are named in numerals, such as Oriental 188, 328, and 298 Computer Centre. Theses numbers might have come from the earlier days when all prostitution houses were numbered, as they were referred to as “big numbers” (大冧巴, dai lum bah).
There are many commercial complexes and office skyscrapers in Wan Chai. The HK$4.4 billion 78-storey skyscraper Central Plaza currently stands as the third tallest building in Hong Kong. The apex of Central Plaza is designed as a unique neon tower clock. It consists of four neon spandrel bands; at every 15 minutes, the colour changes from top to bottom to represent different times of the day. More than an innovative clock, “Lightime” has become a new symbol in the same way as the Eiffel Tower reminds people of Paris. Small but free art exhibitions used to be held on the second floor all-year round, whereas the first floor connects Wan Chai’s footbridge network: the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre at the network’s extreme north, Wan Chai Pier, China Building, Harbour Centre, Central Plaza, Immigration Department Tower, Wan Chai Court, Wan Chai MTR Station and Johnston Road (the tram line) at the network’s extreme south.
More recent tourist attractions include the Golden Bauhinia Square, the site of a daily flag-rising ceremony. This ceremony is enhanced on 1 July (handover anniversary) and 1 October (National Day of China).
A 3-storey pergola exhibition is built opposite to Li Chit Garden. Tai Fat Hau footbridge also holds an art display of the fingerprints of 30,000 citizens slated for the Guinness Book of World Records.[20] The sticker pictures on 50 poles of the bridge have been colloquially called the “50 landscapes of Wan Chai” (灣仔五十景).
Getting there : Take the MTR to Wan Chai station. Look for Exit A3 on Johnston Street. Facing south, cross the road and you’ll reach Tai Yuen Street, perpendicular to Johnston. Just follow the street down the row of green tin stalls.
The Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple’s claim to ‘make every wish come true upon request’ might have something to do with its popularity. Home to three religions (Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism), its natural setting and beautifully ornamented buildings make it as much a scenic attraction as an important religious centre.
The temple commemorates the famous monk of yore, Wong Tai Sin (also known as Huang Chu-ping), who was born in the Fourth century and became a deity at Heng Shan (Red Pine Hill). In 1915, Taoist priest Liang Ren-an carried a sacred portrait of Wong Tai Sin from Guangdong in southern China to Hong Kong. Now housing this precious portrait, this Temple is where worshipers pray for good fortune through offerings, divine guidance and fortune telling.
Feng shui enthusiasts may notice structures representing the five geom antic elements: the Bronze Pavilion (metal); the Archives Hall (wood); the Yuk Yik Fountain (water); the Yue Heung Shrine (fire), where the Buddha of the Lighting Lamp is worshiped; and the Earth Wall (earth). Other areas of the complex include the Three Saints Hall, the Confucian Hall and the extravagantly colourful Good Wish Garden that is lavishly decorated with chinoiserie.
The architecture is the traditional Chinese temple style with grand red pillars, a golden roof adorned with blue friezes, yellow latticework, and multi-coloured carvings. Aside from the Daxiong-baodian or Grand Hall, Sansheng Hall and the Good Wish Garden are also worth seeing. The temple grounds also feature three memorial archways. The first one stands outside the temple and is carved with the name of the temple. If you walk past the soothsayers and the fortune-telling stalls, you can see another memorial archway. And if you continue further along the third memorial archway standing before you.
Sikkim has many hot springs known for their therapeutic value. High in Sulphur content, the waters are believed to have great medicinal properties with the average temperature of the water in these hot springs close to 50c.
There are some well known hot springs in North Sikkim. The Yumthang Hot Springs is located some distance away from Yumthang village. To reach the hot spring one has to walk a few hundred yards from the road and across a pedestrian bridge on the River Lachung. For the convenience of bathers, there is a hut with two pools which contains hot spring water. Hot water rich in sulphuretted hydrogen gas from a spring just behind the hut and is diverted to the pools.
A 25 kilometre drive up from Yumthang takes you to the Yume Samdong Hot Spring at the base of the Donkia-la Pass.
Another popular hot spring is the Reshi Hot Spring, located about 25 kms from Gyalshing, near Reshi, on the banks of the Rangeet River. The water of these springs, being high in sulphur is believed to have special curative powers for skin diseases. There are trekkers’ huts for the convenience of the tourists. Close by is Kah-do Sang phu or the cave of the occult fairies considered sacred by the people.
Borong and Ralong Hot Springs are located within a distance of 7 kms from each other. Popular with visitors from all over the region, these natural spas are said to have curative powers. Ralang Cha-chu can be reached after an hour long walk from Ralong monastery while Borang Cha-chu is reached after a 7 km drive to Ralong and then a 40 min walk downhill. For overnight stay temporary huts are available but you have to carry your own bedding and cooking utensils.
Yumthang situated at a height of 11800 feet is popularly known as ‘Valley of Flowers’, Located at a distance of 148 kms from Gangtok, it is a paradise for nature lovers with a fascinating blend of flora and fauna and breathtaking scenic beauty. In spring season, wild flowers such as primulas and Rhododendrons bathe the landscape in rich colours, making it a tourist hot spot. The Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary over here has 24 species of Rhododendron flowers which bloom from April to May end.
Hot spring located on the right side of Yumthang river is a popular tourist attraction. In addition to a vast green meadow, lush green forest abounding in Pine and silver fir trees throngs the place. While driving towards the valley, one can see cascading waterfalls and streams.
Six kms away further North is Shiv Mandir. A drive or trek to this place can be very refreshing and exhilerating. Situated further up at a distance of 16 kms, at an altitude of about 16,000 feet is Yumesamdong. The rugged vegetation- free mountains, especially in the months of November-December and February¬March over here present a breathtaking scenario. The approach to Yumthang is from Lachung valley, situated at a height of 8000 feet. It is at a distance of 120 kms from Gangtok. It has a unique self-governing body called the Dzumsa, which substitutes the modern Gram Panchyat. The village, spread out on the either side of Lachung Chu, has managed to retain its unique culture and tradition.
The Yumthang Valley is a grazing pasture surrounded by the Himalayan mountains in the North Sikkim district of Sikkim, India. It is at an elevation of 3,564 metres (11,693 ft) above msl at a distance of 150 kilometres (93 mi) from the state capital Gangtok.
Yumthang Valley is popularly known as ‘Valley of Flowers’ and is home to the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, which has over twenty-four species of the rhododendron, the state flower. A tributary of the river Teesta flows past the valley and the town of Lachung, the nearest inhabited centre. Yumthang is closed between December and March due to heavy snowfall.
The rugged Himalayan range at Yumthang
A forest rest house is the only permanent residence in the Yumthang valley. During the spring months, the area blooms with rhododendrons, primulas, poppies, iris and other flora. During the summer months, villagers take their cattle to these heights to graze (a practice known as yaylag pastoralism). In view of increasing number of tourists, there is possibility of environmental degradation in near future. Skiing is conducted in the valley.
Transportation by road
Tourists may travel from Gangtok to Lachung (the nearest village where accommodation is available) by booking a full vehicle or shared one and stay over night. A direct journey to Yumthang is not feasible as roads are commonly foggy and it becomes dark very early around 5:30 pm. A trip to the Valley takes around two hours from Lachung, which is about 125 km from Gangtok.
Source : wikipoedia
Zero Point and Yume Samdong (26 kms from Yumthang valley) of North sikkim is basicaly same and the same region is positioned at15,300 feet on top of water level. The drive through the curving mountains from Yumthang to Zero pont is an experience for a life-time. At this point the road ends. The international border between India and China is at a short distance from here. There are fourteen hot springs in Yume Samdong. See. The way leading to Yumesamdong is a passage through natural grandeur filled with the delicate scent of Azalea flowers pervading the atmosphere. The plant is used for by the locals as incense. The valley is grazed by yaks and their nomadic shepherds.
