Category Archives: Tourism

Wah!! Railway Journeys through India

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When you travel by train, the journey itself is part of the pleasure. I just got back from my vacation to Jaipur and having spent nearly 4 days traveling in trains, I still can’t get over my fascination with the Indian railways and the profound experiences it offers to millions everyday.

If you have ever taken a long distance travel by the Indian Railways, you must know that the ride offers much more than you pay for: a magical experience! The tea sellers’ welcome cry of ‘chai, chai, garam chai’, the colors and scenery of ever-changing landscapes (farmlands, rivers, forests, to cities), varied fellow travelers (some obnoxious, some over-friendly), stations of small towns with funny names, vendors selling yummy refreshments, and the pleasure of observing populace of different parts of the country – a train ticket offers you this and much more!

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Traveling by rail is part of the escapade which gets going the very moment you step into the station and get lost in the crowd of passengers. In fact, getting to your seat amidst heavy bags of luggage can be quite a challenge!! If the journey is a long one, it’s no surprise that some fellow passengers enquire about every bit of your history and share a lot of information and discuss topics ranging from politics to universe. Sometimes, friendships strike and people are soon seen sharing food and snacks! (Yes, Indian hospitality is part of train journeys too).

In fact, delicious food and train journeys are part of each other. Sometimes, it gives the impression of a pursuit between the food and the journey – which would end first. Many prefer to carry food and snacks from home (sometimes enough to feed an entire village), while for others the train pantry offers many appetizing options. Also remember, every station has its own local cuisine specialties often leaving people battling with choices. If you are a foodie, there’s no better way to relish food from different parts of the country! Sounds fun isn’t?

Mind it, the Indian Railways doesn’t just help people commute. If you desire luxurious travel experience, the Golden Chariot and Royal Rajasthan on Wheels (to mention a few) are excellent means to explore tourist hot spots of Karnataka and Rajasthan. The Darjeeling ‘toy’ train (from Calcutta to Darjeeling) is another must-travel experience for every traveler as it provides breath-taking views of foot hills of Himalayas and is also a UN World heritage site . :D

Check this out to know the best train journeys in the world. Surprise, it features Indian trains too!

Indian railways being the third largest rail netwok in the world is the life line of the country connecting about 7500 stations and ferrying nearly 20 million people to their destined places every day. It’s also the most affordable way to commute in the country and is the largest employer in India with over 1.4 million employees.

The best way to experience a thrilling journey is the local rail networks in cities like Mumbai. They are known to be the one-of-a kind in the world, being heavily crowded but are generally the fastest and cheapest way to get around the city. It’s quite a task to get in to the train of your choice and then alight at the right station, all this requiring super adjusting skills (it has the highest passenger density in the world !)

The saga of train journey never fades. India’s railways has intrigued authors, inspired filmmakers and entranced dreamers, luring the nostalgic and tempting the curious. The

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connection between romance and train journeys is also very dear to Bollywood. How could we ever forget the role of ‘trains’ in electrifying romance! Right from ‘Dil wale Dulhaniya Le Jayege’ to ‘Jab we met’, trains continue to be an integral part of many Bollywood releases.

Sometimes the not-so-good things on train journeys could be unclean toilets and dirty stations. It’s also a sad plight to see passengers throw trash through windows polluting vast tracts of land. Whatever the case, there’s surely no better way to discover India than a train journey. For city dwellers it can be quite a revelation to witness the ‘Real India’ that resides in far flung areas untouched by various development projects. The railways are the place to understand the divide, the two extremes between well developed cities and the smaller towns and villages that are far from being developed.

It became clear to me why the railways have earned its name as the lifeline of the nation, the bloodstream that keeps the country’s heart beating.  If you haven’t experienced a long distance train journey in India, you have surely missed out on one of the most exciting experiences of life.

Rest apart, the traveling experience can be quite enchanting for first timers! If you are planning to embark on a train journey soon, these tips on theblueindian may be of use.

Do you have some unforgettable memories from train rides? Why not share and cherish them now! :D

Corbett Made News in April 2012!!

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Surprise, surprise, Corbett National park - India’s first national reserve – got quite popular in April 2012! Corbett is situated in Uttarakhand and was started in the year 1936. It covers an area of 1288 sq. kms and is flanked by the Himalayas and the Terai-bhabar region on either side.

This diverse yet rich landscape is home to some of the rarest fauna species including Indian Tigers, Asian Elephants, Leopards, deer, wild boars, Asiatic jackals, and Otters. Corbett’s birdlife cannot be missed either. Ospreys, ducks, Flycatchers, Great Barbets, and Wallcreepers fly miles (across oceans at times) into the park to escape the extreme cold in the Himalayas up north!

It is perhaps for these reasons that 74 judges from Delhi decided to take an official holiday at Corbett in April 2012. While Delhi’s judiciary defended the move stating that the trip would help in “personality development and would also act as a stress-buster”; the common janta was not too happy! The reason for this unhappiness was not just that these 74 judges ignored the judiciary for four days across six, Delhi, district courts. It was also the fact that these courts already had a backlog of “2.72 crore” cases as of March 2010!! In other words, Corbett made news for charming a substantial chunk of Delhi’s judiciary who were otherwise supposed to be resolving the common man’s disputes!

This is not the only reason that made Corbett popular in April! A pilot project called E-eye (electronic eye) was initiated in the reserve during this month. This project, the first of its kind in the country, was well-received. The E-eye project uses ten, high resolution, thermal and infrared cameras to monitor the movement of animals (tigers in particular) in poaching-sensitive areas. It will also generate alarms and help in tracking big cats when they cross the reserve’s boundaries.

What is surprising is that big cats (tigers and leopards) continue to be poached although Corbett is swarming with tourists, bureaucrats, forest officials, and film-makers! Yes, Corbett’s stunning landscape attracts a lot of film-makers as well! The latest film crew that visited the reserve is likely to be from the movie titled “The Forest”. The movie will hit the screens on May 4th and is going to be release by PVR Cinemas under the ‘Directors Rare’ initiative. So, if you have not visited Corbett already, you can watch “The Forest” and get a quick glimpse of this forested paradise.

To add to the mounting woes of human encroachment, Corbett has witnessed an unprecedented number of tourists this year! People visit from far across the world to spot Corbett’s elusive fauna. So, what is it that makes Corbett such a popular reserve? You see, Corbett was infested with man-eating tigers during the early decades of the 20th century.

These man-eaters (mainly tigers and leopards) were shot to death by famous British hunter Jim Corbett. He immortalized his hunts through best-selling books such as the Man-eaters of Kumaon, and The Man-eating Leopard of Rudraprayag. Thus, from the early 20th century till date, Corbett continues to mesmerize tourists.

Today, tigers continue to be the center focus of the Corbett reserve and about 200 of them thrive in the park. In fact, India’s tiger conservation program was initiated at Corbett on 1st April, 1973.

If you want to visit Corbett, then the best time is between mid – October until late June. The park is so huge that it is divided into four zones – Jhirna, Bijrani, Sonandi, Domunda, and Dhikala. During the peak season, all four zones are open to public. You can explore the park through jeep safaris and elephant rides. Even if you do not spot the elusive tiger, the park’s other inhabitants and sheer beauty will keep you mesmerized!

So, pack your bag, pick up good binoculars, shop for Jim Corbett’s books and head off to that forested paradise in Uttarakhand. What are you waiting for?

How Bollywood Celebrities Influence Tourist Footfalls

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Recently, an article in Economic Times listed Bollywood actors/actresses who endorse tourism projects. As I read through the list, there were a few predictable “Bollywood celebrity-state tourism” tie-ups. For instance, Rajnikanth and Preity Zinta are brand ambassadors for their native states – Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh respectively.

Then, there are some Bollywood celebrities who choose to endorse an Indian state that is not their native. For instance, Amitabh Bachchan – the legendary actor from Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh – has chosen to advertise for Gujarat state’s tourism.

These alluring advertisements of Gujarat tourism (featuring the legendary AB) have hit the jackpot! The state’s tourism has seen a drastic increase in tourists (after AB’s endorsement) including a 30 percent rise in foreign travelers!

Amitabh Bachchan is not the only Bollywood celebrity who does not endorse his native state’s tourism. To give him company are Shahrukh Khan and Prachi Desai. Shahrukh Khan endorses West Bengal’s tourism while Prachi Desai is Goa tourism’s brand ambassador.

The last star in the list – Akshay Kumar – is endorsing neither his

native state Delhi nor any other Indian state. He has chosen to endorse the American country of Canada. Soon, you will see Akshay Kumar in advertisements recommending Canada’s heritage monuments, national parks, food, and even culture to Indians. Salman Khan too has recently featured in a tourism advertisement for Cuba!

If Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan do (for Canada and Cuba respectively) what AB has done for Gujarat, then imagine this – Canada and Cuba might receive more number of Indian tourists than many Indian states themselves!!

It surely seems like a wake-up call for tourism ministries in Indian states and a new way of revenue generation for Bollywood celebrities :) !!

By the way, have you seen any advertisements of Canada featuring Akshay Kumar? I haven’t!!