Wednesday 19 March 2014
Gulmarg ( गुलमर्ग )
Gulmarg's legendary beauty, prime location and proximity to
Srinagar naturally make it one of the premier hill resorts in the country.
Originally called ‘Gaurimarg’ by shepherds, its present name was given in the
16th century by Sultan Yusuf Shah, who was inspired by the sight of its grassy
slopes emblazoned with wild flowers. Gulmarg was a favourite haunt of Emperor
Jehangir who once collected 21 different varieties of flowers from here. Today
Gulmarg is not merely a mountain resort of exceptional beauty- it also has the
highest green golf course in the world, at an altitude of 2,650 m, and is the
country's premier ski resort in the winter.
The journey to Gulmarg is half the enchantment of reaching
there-- roads bordered by rigid avenues of poplar give over to flat expanses of
rice fields interspersed with picturesque villages. Depending on the season,
nature's colours could be the translucent green of spring, summer’s rich
emerald, or autumn’s golden hues, when scarlet chillies festoon windows of
village homes. After Tangmarg, the climb to Gulmarg begins through fir-covered
hillsides. At one point, known simply as View Point, travelers generally stop
their vehicles for a few minutes and look out a spectacle of snow-covered
mountains, almost within touching distance.
What to do:
Horse riding/Hiking
Cable car riding to Khilanmarg
Golf playing
Snow Skiing during winter months (End Dec -Middle March)
Lord Amarnath ( अमरनाथ मंदिर )
Lord Amarnath
Amarnathji Yatra - a journey
into faith
"The Himalayan
pilgrimages are the oldest organised travel system, evolved over time by Hindu
sages and embodying the spirit of wander, adventure and spirituality"
One of the holy trinity,
Shiva is a living god. The most ancient and sacred book of India, the Rig Veda
evokes his presence in its hymns. Vedic myths, ritual and even astronomy
testify to his existence from the dawn of time.
Shiva is known to have made
his home in the Himalayas. He built no house nor shelter, not for himself or
his bride. He was an ascetic, and yet married; he could be both for "he
was the wild god sporting in the forest or taking his ease on a cloud."
Kashmir - Amarnathji Yatra
Legend has it that Shiva
recounted to Parvati the secret of creation in the Amarnathji cave. Unknown to
them, a pair of mating pigeons eavesdropped on this conversation and having
learned the secret, are reborn again and again, and have made the cave their
eternal abode. Many pilgrims report seeing the pigeons-pair when they trek the
arduous route to pay obeisance before the ice-lingam (the phallic symbol of
Shiva).
AmarnathJi - The Yatra
Procession
The trek to Amarnathji, in
the month of Shravan (July - August) has the devout flock to this incredible
shrine, where the image of Shiva, in the form of a lingam, is formed naturally
of an ice - stalagmite, and which waxes and wanes with the moon. By its side
are, fascinatingly, two more ice - lingams, that of Parvati and of their son,
Ganesha.
According to an ancient
tale, there was once a Muslim shepherd named Buta Malik who was given a sack of
coal by a sadhu. Upon reaching home he discovered that the sack, in fact,
contained gold. Overjoyed and overcome, Buta Malik rushed back to look for the
sadhu and thank him, but on the spot of their meeting discovered a cave, and
eventually this became a place of pilgrimage for all believers. To date, a
percentage of the donations made by pilgrims are given to the descendants of
Malik, and the remaining to the trust which manages the shrine.
Yet another legend has it
that when Kashap Reshi drained the Kashmir valley of water (it was believed to
have been a vast lake), the cave and the lingam were discovered by Bregish Reshi
who was travelling the Himalayas. When people heard of the lingam, Amarnathji
for them became Shiva's abode and a centre of pilgrimage.
Whatever the legends and the
history of Amarnathji's discovery, it is today a very important centre of
pilgrimage and though the route is as difficult to negotiate as it is exciting,
every year, thousands of devotees come to pay homage before Shiva in one of his
famous Himalayan abodes.
Situated in a narrow gorge
at the farther end of Lidder valley, Amarnathji stands at 3,888 m and is 45 km
from Pahalgam and 141 km from Srinagar. Though the original pilgrimage
subscribes that the yatra be undertaken from Srinagar, the more common practice
is to begin the journey from Pahalgam, and cover the distance to Amarnathji and
back in four or five days. Pahalgam is 96 km from Srinagar.
Since the base point for the
pilgrim's trek is picturesque Pahalgam, a large tented township springs up to
accommodate the pilgrims. The conduct of the yatra is a gigantic task in which
the State Government takes the assistance of the security departments for
providing security and helping to keep the route open. All intermediate halting
places have the same kind of facilities as are provided at Pahalgam, and a
Yatra Officer is appointed to conduct the pilgrimage.
Charminar ( चारमीनार )
Charminar
The Charminar, built in
1591 AD, is as much the signature of Hyderabad as the Taj Mahal is of Agra or
the Eiffel Tower is of Paris.
The
English name is a transliteration and combination of the Urdu words Char and
Minar, translating to "Four Towers"; the eponymous towers are ornate
minarets attached and supported by four grand arches. The landmark has become a
global icon of Hyderabad, listed among the most recognized structures of India.
The Charminar is on the east bank of Musi river. To the northeast lies the Laad
Bazaar and in the west end lies the granite-made richly ornamented Makkah
Masjid.
Charminar
has the signature style of Islamic architecture. This great tribute to
aesthetics looks sturdy and solid from a distance and, as one moves closer, it
emerges as an elegant and romantic edifice proclaiming its architectural
eminence in all its detail and dignity. Charminar is a beautiful and impressive
square monument.
Sultan Muhammad Quli
Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty built Charminar in 1591
AD, shortly after he had shifted his capital from Golkonda to what is now known
as Hyderabad. He built this famous structure to commemorate the elimination of
a plague epidemic from this city. He is said to have prayed for the end of a
plague that was ravaging his city and vowed to build a masjid (Islamic mosque)
at the very place where he was praying.
It
is said that, during the Mughal Governorship between Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi
rule, the south western minaret "fell to pieces" after being struck
by lightning and "was forthwith repaired" at a cost of Rs 60,000. In
1824, the monument was replastered at a cost of Rs 100,000.
The
Charminar is a square edifice with each side 20 meters (approximately 66 feet)
long, with four grand arches each facing a cardinal point that open into four
streets. At each corner stands an exquisitely shaped minaret, 56 meters
(approximately 184 feet) high with a double balcony. Each minaret is crowned by
a bulbous dome with dainty petal like designs at the base. A beautiful mosque
is located at the western end of the open roof and the remaining part of the
roof served as a court during the Qutb Shahi times. There are 149 winding steps
to reach the upper floor. Once atop, the solitude and serenity of the beautiful
interior is refreshing. The space in the upper floor between the minarets was
meant for Friday prayers. There are forty-five prayer spaces.
In its heyday, the
Charminar market had some 15,000 shops. Today the famous markets known as Laad
Baazar and Pather Gatti, near the Charminar, are a favour, of tourists and
locals alike for jewellery, especially known for exquisite bangles and pearls
respectively.
The
Traditional Food, like Biryani, Haleem, Mirchi ka salan, Double Ka Meetha etc.
is available around Charminar. The area is also famous for its variety of
shops. During the season of Sankranthi, the area is completely crowded with
vendors selling kites.
In
2007, Hyderabadi Muslims living in Pakistan constructed a small-scaled quasi
replica of the Charminar at the main crossing of the Bahadurabad neighborhood
in Karachi.
Gateway Of India ( गेटवे ऑफ इंडिया )
Gateway Of India
This is how the Gateway of
India History goes. Gateway of India is the popular monumental building in the
South Mumbai City area near Apollo Bunder. The architect of the Gateway of
India monument is built in the combination of the Hindu and Muslim style. The
Gateway of India is built from the yellow color basalt rock and the reinforced
concrete. The stone which was used for Gateway of India construction was
transported from Gwalior city.
The central dome of the
Gateway of India is fifteen meters (49 feet) in diameter and is twenty six
meters (85 feet) above the ground which is the highest point. The construction
cost Gateway of India was all borne by the Government of India.
The Gateway of India has become
the most famous monument of the city Mumbai. The Gateway of India was
constructed by the King George V and Queen Marry to Bombay, before the Darbar
in Delhi in December 1911. The foundation stone of the Gateway of India
monument was laid down on 31st day of March in the year 1913 and George Wittet
‘s final design of the Gateway of India was approved in August 1914.
Among main facts of Gateway
of India history, there are some notable facts. The specialty about the Gateway
of India is that people who comes to Mumbai greets the monument which is
situated at the imperial bygone area of the Mumbai city. When people pass
through the gateway of India monument the first scene that is visible is the
beautiful water front at the South Mumbai.
The construction of Gateway
of India is as per the style of Indo- Saracenic style. Indo- Saracenic style
was more popular in Gujarat state of India in the 16th century. On the top of
the Gateway of India building, there is a central dome which is having the diameter
of fifteen meters.
The major purpose of the
construction of the Gateway of India is the celebration of the visit of the
King George V and Queen Marry to Bombay. Sir George Clark later has laid the
foundation stone of the monument in 1911. The designing plan of Gateway of
India monument was approved in the year 1914 and the reclamation was done in
1914 in the Apollo Bundar. The Gateway of India monument was completely
designed by the George Wittet and the whole construction period took almost 4 years
to be completed.
The ever first major event
that happened in the Gateway of India was the passing of the First Battalion of
the Somerset Light Infantry troops. That was also the last troop of the British
Army to leave the country of India after independence. This event was happened
on 28th of February 1948.
The Gateway of India
monument faces the beautiful scene of Arabian ocean which attracts the Mumbai
city. The Gateway of India is the must visit tourist place specially visiting
during the night time is fund. The Gateway of India History has everything that
well preserved for the future generation to come!
India Gate ( इंडिया गेट )
India Gate
At the centre of New
Delhi stands the 42 m high India Gate, an "Arc-de-Triomphe" like archway in the middle
of a crossroad. Almost similar to its French counterpart, it commemorates the
70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army
during the World War I. The memorial bears the names of more than 13,516 British
and Indian soldiers killed in the Northwestern Frontier in the Afghan war of
1919.
The foundation stone of
India Gate was laid by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught in 1921 and it
was designed by Edwin Lutyens. The monument was dedicated to the nation 10
years later by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin. Another memorial, Amar
Jawan Jyoti was added much later, after India got its independence.
The eternal flame burns day and night under the arch to remind the nation of
soldiers who laid down their lives in the Indo-Pakistan War
of December 1971.
The entire arch stands on
a low base of red Bharatpur stone and rises in stages to a huge moulding. The
cornice is inscribed with the Imperial suns while both sides of the arch have
INDIA, flanked by the dates MCMXIV (1914 left) and MCMXIX (1919 right). The
shallow domed bowl at the top was intended to be filled with burning oil on
anniversaries but this is rarely done.
During nightfall, India
Gate is dramatically floodlit while the fountains nearby make a lovely display
with coloured lights. India Gate stands at one end of Rajpath, and the area
surrounding it is generally referred to as 'India Gate'.
Surrounding the imposing
structure is a large expanse of lush green lawns, which is a popular picnic
spot. One can see hoards of people moving about the brightly lit area and on
the lawns on summer evenings.
Red Fort ( लाल किला )
Red Fort
Red fort is one of the great
historical monument of India. First of all we will start from its
name. It is known as red fort because there is too much use of red stones in
construction of red fort. And because of the extensive use of red
stones in the great walls of the fort it is known as red fort (LAL
QILA). In 1638 Mughal king Shah Jahan has decided to shift his capital in
Delhi from Agra and thus Shah Jahan started the construction of red fort at the
bank of the Yamuna river in old Delhi. He assigns Ustad Ahmed and Ustad humid
as an architect for constructing a royal palace. Construction
of red fort was completed by Shah Jahan in the year of 1648. Red fort
is originally known as 'Qila-I-Mubarak'. The reason behind this name is that it
was the residence of the royal family.
The attraction of
red fort is the great and huge wall of red fort. The wall has two
entrances, one at the Lahore gate and another at the Delhi gate. Lahore
gate is the main entrance point of red fort. This wall is assuming that a 2 km
long which looks awesome in red stones. So friends this the great history
behind the Red fort, which is constructed by the Mughal king Shah
Jahan in 1648. I must say that visit this place at least once in
your life. Have a nice day.
Qutub Minar ( क़ुतुब मीनार )
Qutub Minar
Qutab Minar is a soaring, 73
m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak immediately after
the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom. The tower has five distinct storeys,
each marked by a projecting balcony and tapers from a 15 m diameter at the base
to just 2.5 m at the top. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone;
the fourth and fifth storeys are of marble and sandstone. At the foot of the
tower is the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque to be built in India. An
inscription over its eastern gate provocatively informs that it was built with
material obtained from demolishing '27 Hindu temples'. A 7 m-high iron pillar
stands in the courtyard of the mosque. It is said that if you can encircle it
with your hands while standing with your back to it your wish will be fulfilled.
The origins of Qutab Minar
are shrouded in controversy. Some believe it was erected as a tower of victory
to signify the beginning of the Muslim rule in India. Others say it served as a
minaret to the muezzins to call the faithful to prayer.
No one can, however,
dispute that the tower is not only one of the finest monuments in India, but
also in the world. Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim
ruler of Delhi, commenced the construction of the Qutab Minar in 1200
AD, but could only finish the basement. His successor, Iltutmush,
added three more storeys, and in 1368,Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed
the fifth and the last storey.
The development of
architectural styles from Aibak to Tughlak is quite evident in the minar. The
relief work and even the materials used for construction differ. The 238 feet
Qutab Minar is 47 feet at the base and tapers to nine feet at the apex. The
tower is ornamented by bands of inscriptions and by four projecting balconies
supported by elaborately decorated brackets. Even though in ruins, the Quwwat
Ui Islam (Light of Islam) Mosque in the Qutab complex is one of the most
magnificent structures in the world. Qutab-ud-din Aibak started its
construction in 1193 and the mosque was completed in 1197.
Iltutmush in 1230
and Alla-ud-din Khilji in 1315 made additions to the building.
The main mosque comprises of an inner and outer courtyard,decorated with shafts
and surrounded by piller. Most of these shafts are from the 27 Hindu temples,
which were plundered to construct the mosque. It is, therefore, not surprising
that the Muslim mosque has typical Hindu ornamentation. Close to the mosque is
one of Delhi's most curious antiques, the Iron Pillar.