Kozhikode named India’s First UNESCO City of Literature
Kozhikode, Kerala, is basking in celebration today as it marks a historic milestone by becoming India's first city to be designated as a UNESCO City of Literature. This significant recognition, officially announced at 5:30 PM at the Kandamkulam Muhammad Abdu Rahiman Memorial Jubilee Hall in Tali, Kozhikode, on October 31, 2023, highlights the city's rich literary heritage and cultural significance. In the next four years, Kozhikode will host an array of literary and cultural activities to honor its new status. Iconic locations like Mananchira, Tali, and Kuttichira are set to become...
Exploring Svalbard: The Land of the Polar Night
Imagine a place where the natural cycle of day and night is reversed, enveloping the land in darkness for half of the year. Welcome to Svalbard, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, where the Sun remains below the horizon for six consecutive months. This extraordinary phenomenon, known as the Polar Night, provides a captivating and otherworldly experience for visitors daring enough to explore this remote and icy wilderness. A Unique Arctic Location Svalbard lies about midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, experiencing extreme variations in daylight due to its high...
अंतर्राष्ट्रीय योग दिवस पर नया रायपुर के जंगल सफारी में करीब 200 लोगों ने किया योगा
10 वें अंतर्राष्ट्रीय योग दिवस के उपलक्ष्य में नया रायपुर के नंदनवन जंगल सफारी में 21 जून को पर्यटन मंत्रालय (भारत सरकार), छत्तीसगढ़ नोडल कार्यालय, रायपुर, नंदनवन जंगल सफारी, नया रायपुर, छत्तीसगढ़ पर्यटन बोर्ड और नया रायपुर विकास प्राधिकरण (एनआरडीए) के संयुक्त तत्वाधान में योग दिवस कार्यक्रम का आयोजन किया गया. जिसमें करीब 200 लोगों ने उत्साह से भाग लिया. इस उपक्रम के माध्यम से एक विश्व रेकॉर्ड कायम करने का प्रयास किया गया. अंतर्राष्ट्रीय योग दिवस की 2024 थीम थी "स्वयं और समाज के लिए योग". जंगल सफारी में सुबह...
6 Stunning Mountain Towns in India for a July Getaway
As July approaches, many travelers seek destinations that offer a respite from the summer heat. Mountain towns in India, with their cool weather, lush landscapes, and serene ambiance, provide the perfect escape. Here are six picturesque mountain towns to visit in India this July: Munnar, Kerala Nestled in the Western Ghats, Munnar is famous for its sprawling tea estates, misty hills, and abundant flora and fauna. July showers transform Munnar into a verdant paradise, with tea plantations shimmering under the rain and waterfalls like Attukal and Lakkam flowing with renewed vigor. Visitors...
Ambubachi Mela 2024: No VIP Passes and Other Guidelines
The Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam, hosts the significant annual festival, the Ambubachi Mela. From June 22 to June 26, 2024, devotees will celebrate the annual menstruation of Goddess Kamakhya, symbolizing fertility and womanhood. Temple Closure and ReopeningDuring the festival, the Kamakhya Temple will close from June 22 to June 25 to mark the goddess's menstruation period, during which devotees are prohibited from entering. The temple gates will reopen at 9:08 PM on June 25. The Ambubachi Mela annually attracts numerous devotees from across the country who participate in age-old customs...
Lonar Lake in Maharashtra: Where Compasses Malfunction and the Sand is Magnetic
Approximately 52,000 years ago, a colossal meteor impact in Maharashtra created one of nature's hidden gems: Lonar Lake. This extraordinary crater, formed by a meteor weighing 2 million tons traveling at an estimated speed of 90,000 kmph, stands out among the many meteor impacts on Earth. From above, Lonar Lake might look like any other body of water. However, this almost perfectly oval lake is one of only two natural craters in the world made entirely of basalt, a dark, fine-grained volcanic rock. Its waters are seven times saltier than seawater,...
Beaches that Glow During the Night: Nature’s Bioluminescent Wonders
Imagine walking along a beach at night, with waves crashing at your feet and the sand beneath your toes illuminated by an otherworldly blue glow. These magical beaches are not scenes from a fantasy novel but real places where natural phenomena create stunning bioluminescent displays. Bioluminescent organisms such as phytoplankton or dinoflagellates typically cause the mesmerizing glow seen on these beaches. These tiny marine creatures emit light as a defensive mechanism, producing a blue or greenish luminescence when disturbed by waves, footsteps, or any form of agitation in the water. Glowing beaches...
Oil Spill Forces Closure of Sentosa Island Beaches: Impact and Response
Sentosa Island, celebrated for its opulent waterfront residences and dynamic tourist offerings, faced an unforeseen challenge on Saturday, June 15th, when authorities shuttered its beaches due to an oil spill originating from a nearby port. The incident occurred at Pasir Panjang terminal on Friday, involving a collision between a Netherlands-flagged dredger and a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel. This collision precipitated a spill that has adversely affected the surrounding waters, prompting a swift response from the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore. Authorities immediately initiated extensive clean-up operations to mitigate environmental...
World’s Highest Rail Bridge: Trains to Soon Cross Chenab Rail Bridge in Kashmir
Exciting news from Kashmir! The Chenab Rail Bridge in Reasi district, standing 359 meters above the Chenab River, will soon see trains running across it. As the highest rail bridge in the world, it exemplifies human ingenuity and engineering excellence, overcoming significant geographical challenges to enhance infrastructure and connectivity. The Northern Railway has announced that the train service from Ramban to Reasi will soon traverse this monumental bridge. Currently, trains operate along the Kanyakumari to Katra route, with services extending from Baramulla to Sangaldan in the Kashmir Valley. Vishesh Mahajan, Reasi's Deputy...
Gujarat’s Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum Nominated for UNESCO’s 2024 Prix Versailles Award
In a recent announcement, Gujarat’s Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum has been shortlisted for UNESCO’s prestigious Prix Versailles Award 2024. This museum, dedicated to the memory of the tragic 2001 earthquake in Bhuj, serves as a poignant symbol of human resilience and hope. The Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum stands among seven remarkable museums nominated for the esteemed Prix Versailles Award. Since its inception in 2015, this annual UNESCO competition has highlighted outstanding modern architectural projects from around the world. Smritivan - A Tribute to Resilience Spanning 470 acres, Smritivan pays tribute to those affected...