Bharata Ratna Sir.M.Vishweshwariah

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Industrialise or perish. This famous statement by a great man Bharatha Ratna Sir Mokshagundam Vishweshwaraiah aptly sums up the economic philosophy of this great engineer-statesman. On this day of 15th September is a day to remember the great soul Sir.M V.
He was a man in a hurry. He wanted India to pull itself out of the great depths of degradation into which it had slid during the British rule and emerge as a strong nation especially after gaining freedom.

Starting from the early days of his career in Bombay, Hyderabad and finally in his home state of Mysore which was then under the benevolent rule of Sri Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, Sir M V's yeomen contribution and innovation in the field of irrigation, agriculture, communication, power, health and sanitation, education, major industries, trade and commerce, transportation and local self governance is tremendous. He is one person every Indian owes, can't pin point what. Its a kind of freedom fight this man has done by no one else. He has given India a route for its development towards a splendid future. Take a look at the contribution this amazing man has done.

1. He designed and carried out the waterworks for the Municipality of Sukkur in 1895. He is credited with the development of the Block System which would prevent the wasteful flow of water in dams.

2. He is best remembered for the instrumental role he played in the construction of the Krishna Raja Sagara Lake and dam in 1924. This dam not only became the main source of water for irrigation for the nearby areas, but was also the main source of drinking water for several cities.

3. His work was becoming so popular that the Government of India sent him to Aden to study water supply and drainage system in 1906-07. He did so and designed a project based on his study which was implemented in Aden.

4. The Visakhapatnam port was in danger of being eroded from the sea. Vishvesvaraya with his high intelligence and capabilities came up with a good solution to solve this issue.

5.During the decade of the 1900s Hyderabad city was reeling under the threats of flood. Once again the brilliant engineer supervised the engineering work at Hyderabad by lending his services as a Special Consulting Engineer in 1909.

6. He was appointed as the Chief Engineer of Mysore State in 1909 and as the Diwan of the princely state of Mysore in 1912, a position he held for seven years. As the Diwan, he made immense contribution towards the overall development of the state.

7. He helped in founding of the Government Engineering College at Bangalore in 1917 which was later renamed as the Vishvesvaraya College of Engineering in his honor.

8. Vishvesvaraya was knighted as the Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE) by the British for his contributions to the society in 1915. Vishvesvaraya was a man of principles and values. He was a very honest person who gave his best towards his profession and country. He valued cleanliness and was impeccably dressed even when he was well into his 90s.

9. He was awarded with independent India's greatest honor, The Bharat Ratna in 1955 for his relentless work in the fields of engineering and education. He is the recipient of several honorary doctoral degrees from eight universities in India.

This great Indian engineer lived a long and productive life and died on 14 April 1962 at the ripe old age of 102 years.


WE OFFER HIM OUR HUMBLE PRANAM ON ENGINERS DAY ie HIS BIRTHDAY.

Krishnaraja Sagara Dam

National Defence Academy

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National Defence Academy :
1. NDA is the first military academy in the world where three forces “ Army, Navy and Air Force"  defence are trained together.

2. It started functioning as Joint Services Wing (JSW) on Jan 1, 1949 at the Indian Military Academy (then known as Armed Forces Academy) in Dehradun before its inauguration as NDA on Jan 16, 1955. This "migration" is known as Operation Badli.

3. JSW was housed in barracks in which Italian prisoners of war were kept during World War II.

4. Money for the building of NDA came from a corpus donated by Sudan in 1941 in recognition of the sacrifices of Indian troops in the defense of Sudan during WWII. This is why the main building is called Sudan Block.

5. Khadakwasla was chosen as the site for the academy because of it being a lake shore, having a hilly terrain, proximity to the Arabian Sea, and other old military establishments such as an operational air base.

6. The country's first individual Olympics medal winner, Lt. Col Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is an alumnus of the NDA's 77th Course. He had won Silver in shooting in the 2004 Olympics held at Athens.

7. On January 11, 1949, the First Course, comprising of 190 cadets, started training. The Passing-out-Parade for 172 cadets was held on December 8, 1950.

8. NDA was formed as an experiment to see if Indian youth from diverse backgrounds and beliefs could act together in unison after appropriate training for sufficient time.

9. NDA has produced 27 service Chiefs Of Staff till date. Current Chiefs Of Staff of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force are all NDA alumni.

10. Cadets are awarded a Baccalaureate degree (a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science) after three years of study.

11. Over 700 cadets of 27 countries train alongside their Indian counterparts at the NDA.

12. There are 18 squadrons in the NDA divided into five battalions.


13. Twelve Indian states donated around Rs. 5 lakh each for the construction of as many squadron buildings. The buildings are named in their honour.

14. It was decided in the 1950s to replace the English motto of "Service Before Self" with a corresponding Sanskrit version."Seva Parmo Dharma" thus became the new motto.

15. Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to fly into space, is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, which he joined as an IAF cadet in 1966.

16. The NDA has the distinction of being the alma mater of 271 brave martyrs of India.

Kalap: India's most remote village

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Kalap: India's most remote village

Kalap is a village in the upper Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. Situated at an altitude of 7,500 ft, the village is nestled among virgin pine and deodar forests, and overlooks the gorge cut open by the roaring River Supin.

The trek from Netwar to Kalap passes through dense lower Himalayan forests. You walk through predominantly pine forests, interspersed with broad leaf forests and a few deodar trees. Along the way you have to cross one major stream - Rau-gad - which also has a stunning waterfall. The trek is 11 kms long. It is not especially difficult in terms of terrain.

The people of Kalap claim to be descendants of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The village of Kalap and its surrounding villages are steeped in the mythology of the Mahabharata. The main temple at Kalap is dedicated to Karna, the warrior who fought alongside the Kauravas. The idol of Karna moves between the various villages in this region. When the idol is carried to a village, it is celebrated as Karna Maharaj Utsav.
In the winter - January - there will always be a Pandav Nritya performance in the village. In this dance form, various stories from the Mahabharata are enacted.

This region is home to many legends. Most of them are found in the local songs. One local legend is the 'weather stone' in a small shrine above the village. It is said if you turn it clockwise it will start raining and turning it anti-clockwise will stop the rain.

Everything that you need to live, eat and wear is made at Kalap. It is a unique way of life, imposed by the harshness of the remote location. It is a great place to observe the practice of organic farming in everyday life.

Do visit this amazing Village Kalap

KHAJJIAR

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KHAJJIAR
 
This beautiful place in Himachal Pradesh bears a very striking resemblance to Switzerland's topography, the well known romanticizing location. Khajjar is located at the foot of Dhauladkar , in the lap of Himalayas and is 2000 meters above sea level.

A beautiful panoramic view of the densely populated forests and the meadows and snowy peaks of Himalayas can be captured. Summer months are the best to visit this place as it wouldn't be too cold and the hill station would be laden with beautiful flowers which makes it one of the most beautiful places to visit in India.

INCREDIBLE BHARATHA

Umaid Bhavan Palace

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If you want to touch the past, if you want to unfold every chapter of medieval history before your eyes, plan a holiday vacation in Jodhpur at the Umaid Bhawan Palace, now converted into a magnificent heritage hotel.

Umaid Bhawan Palace, located at Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India, is one of the world's largest private residences. The place is spread across 26acres of land. Named after Maharaja Umaid Singh, grandfather of the present owners of the palace, this monument has 347 rooms and serves as the principal residence of the erstwhile Jodhpur royal family.
Umaid Bhawan Palace was called Chittar Palace during its construction due to use of stones commonly known as Chittar in the building. Ground for the foundations of the building was broken on 18 November 1929 by erstwhile Maharaja Umaid Singh and the construction work was completed in 1943. Over 3000 artisans toiled to create this magnificent edifice in golden yellow sandstone.

Designed by eminent Edwardian architect Henry V Lanchester, this grand palace is a magnificent blend of Renaissance framework and Rajput tradition. Each suite is different, with ethereal underlying themes of a royal grandeur or princely passion; elegant interiors with gilt furniture and exquisite artwork, makes one travel on the rails of antiquity.

The present owner of the Palace is Gaj Singh. The Palace is divided into three functional parts - a luxury Taj Palace Hotel (in existence since 1972), the residence of the owner's royal family, and a Museum focusing on the 20th century history of the Jodhpur Royal Family.

Beside being the largest private residence in the world, the golden-yellow sandstone monument is the first to use air conditioning, electricity and elevators, and is the only place to have paintings from the Ramayana, drawn by a Polish artist. Walk along the periphery and look at the palace. Perfectly symmetrical. The rippleless walls hold exquisite embellishments on the outer parts, such as eagle carved from sandstone. The best part is that all original fittings have been retained, and hence a curious tourist can satiate his passion of beholding a splendid example of Indian craftsmanship.

A stay in Umaid Bhawan Palace would transport you to the royal world and give you a taste of their lifestyle. The Umaid Bhawan Palace has a combination of rooms and suites:

Maharaja Suite: The once Maharaja Umaid Singh's own suite. Typically masculine, the suite is decorated with murals of leopards from Africa, tigers and horses. Enter the majestic alcove and witness murals of leopards from Africa, Indian tigers and Arabian horses, standing aloof, real as life. Relax on the plush Ruhlmann sofas decorated in faux leopard skin. Look around. Hey! there is a magnificent flaming torch lamp in chrome at the corner. Lit it. Move in to the drawing room and get a glass of wine from the delightful secret bar. Now turn again and have a seat. Feel the ambiance which adds to the famous palace attractions in Jodhpur. Isn't it royal? That is the essence of Rajasthan. Welcome to an utopian world of highness and lifestyle equipped with luxurious amenities.

Maharani Suite: Once the private chamber of the Maharani of Jodhpur. Typically feminine, the suite is done up in pink, black and chrome. With a private drawing room, dining room and a little kitchenette, the suite is complete. Overlooking the beautiful gardens and the Mehrangarh Fort. With a private drawing room, dining room and a little kitchenette, the suite is complete. Overlooking the beautiful gardens and the Mehrangarh Fort.

INCREDIBLE BHARATHA

Creepy Gadikal

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Time for a creepy info again..

GADIKAL:

For those who have travelled through Gadikal in Chikmagalur, Karnataka, at an untimely hour, the story ahead has been a mysterious and chilly experience indeed.
Somewhere along the way, there is a sharp U-turn with a rock in between the road. What appears to be people sitting on the rock on closer inspection are apparitions.
Legend has it that one uneventful day, a bus had lost control and ran into the rock. There were some people waiting here who got killed in the accident. These are the same people which are seen sitting on the rock.
Are you guys interested to go to Gadikal.. choose it if you want to have a creepy weekend.

Panchatantra

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One of India's most influential contributions to world literature, the Panchatantra consists of five books of animal fables and magic tales (some 87 stories in all) that were compiled, in their current form, between the third and fifth centuries AD. The German Sanskrit scholar Johannes Hertel (1872-1955) believed that the original collection was compiled in Kashmir about 200 BC, and that at this time many of the stories were already ancient. The work's self-proclaimed purpose is to educate the sons of royalty.

The Panchatantra is a legendary collection of short stories from India. Originally composed in the 2nd century B.C, Panchatantra is believed to be written by Vishnu Sharma along with many other scholars. The purpose behind the composition was to implant moral values and governing skills in the young sons of the king. The ancient Sanskrit text boasts of various animal stories in verse and prose. During all these centuries, many authors and publishers worked hard to make these fables accessible and readable by a layman. The grand assortment has extraordinary tales that are liked, perhaps even loved by people of every age group.

The Panchatantra is the best guide to enroot moral values in children since its each tale has a moral lesson in its end. The Panchtantra is a great book where plants and animals can speak and converse with human beings too. The etymology of term Panchatantra suggests that it is a combination of two words, Pancha (five) and Tantra (practice/ principle). So, the five principles or practices illustrated by Panchatantra are Mitra Bhedha (Loss of Friends), Mitra Laabha (Gaining Friends), Suhrudbheda (Causing discord between Friends), Vigraha (Separation) and Sandhi(Union). Here are provided some of the popular tales from Panchatantra.

The fables of the Panchatantra found their way to Europe through oral folklore channels and by way of Persian and Arabic translations. They substantially influenced medieval writers of fables.

Taj Mahal Hotel - Mumbai

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Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumabi is one of the most beautiful structures in India. Built by Jemshedji Tata, is an incredible piece of architecture and a major landmark in this country. Some things you should know about this place are below:

The Company was incorporated in 1902 and it opened its first hotel, The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai, in 1903.

The original Indian architects were Sitaram Khanderao Vaidya and D. N. Mirza, and the project was completed by an English engineer, W. A. Chambers.

The builder was Khansaheb Sorabji Ruttonji Contractor who also designed and built its famous central floating staircase.

The cost of construction was £250,000 (£127 million today).

The dome of the hotel is made from steel as used in the Eiffel Tower. Jamsedji Tata imported the same steel during that time.

Taj Hotel Mumbai was the first in India to install and operate a steam elevator. The hotel imported American fans, German elevators, Turkish baths and English butlers, for the first time in India.

The Company undertook major expansion of The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai by constructing an adjacent tower block and increasing the number of rooms from 225 to 565 rooms. With the completion of its initial public offering in the early 1970s

Taj Hotel Mumbai has 565 rooms, 46 suites, and 11 restaurants. The first 24-hour coffee shop in India was opened in this hotel in 1972. India first authentic Sichuan restaurant, the Golden Dragon, was opened in this hotel. It was also the first to hire English butlers.

Taj Hotel Mumbai also opened the city€™s first licensed bar. It also opened the countrys first international discotheque Blow Up.

Taj Hotel Mumbai was converted into a six hundred-bed hospital during World War I.

Architectural Elegance :

Taj Hotel Mumbai has two wings, the original The Taj Mahal Hotel (Old Wing) and the newer Tower (Multi Storied structure).

The Taj Hotel Mumbai original building was commissioned in Ind-Saracenic style by Tata and first opened its doors to guests on 16 December 1903.

Taj Hotel Mumbai is an architectural marvel and brings together Moorish, Oriental and Florentine styles.

Taj Hotel Mumbai showcasing contemporary Indian influences along with beautiful vaulted alabaster ceilings, onyx columns, graceful archways, hand-woven silk carpets, crystal chandeliers, a magnificent art collection, an eclectic collection of furniture, and a dramatic cantilever stairway.

The interiors of the Tower wing were conceived by Dale Keller, a Hong Kong based Swiss designer who ensured that an Indian-ness manifested itself in the new building too with detailing like a relief panel in Udaipur style, Tanjore pillars in the Indian restaurant and the like.

Chandartaal Lake

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Chandra Tal Lake

Chandratal or Chandra Tal or Chandra Taal or Chander Taal or simply Moon Lake is a barren but beautiful lake located at a height of 14100 feet in Himachal Pradesh in northern India. It comes under Spiti and Lahaul district of Himachal Pradesh and is situated at a distance of six km from Kumzum Pass.

The lake got its name because of its crescent shape. It is believed, Chandratal was discovered by traders who came to the region from Tibet or Ladakh. After an arduous journey, the traders used to rest near the lake before resuming their journey to Kullu or Spiti.

The sweet water lake is around 2.5 km wide. It is the source of Chandra River which merges with Bhaga River to form Chandrabhaga River and later assumes the identity of Chenab.

The lake can be visited only during the three summer months. For the rest of the season, the lake remains cut off and frozen.

The lake is normally blue but changes colour with the colour of the sky. Chandra Bhaga mountain range (CB Group) forms the perfect backdrop for the lake.

Though the place is barren and bereft of any human settlement, it is a famous camping site during summer. Travelers often get awestruck by the blue colour of the lake, bordered by wide carpet of green grass coupled with the pristine white of Chandra Bhaga mountain range.

According to Hindu mythology, Chandratal is the place where Indra, the King of Gods, came down on his chariot to transport Yudhishthira, eldest of the five Pandavas, in his mortal form to Swarga (heaven). Locals believe that fairies visit the lake at night.

Child Prodigy: K Visalini

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K. Visalini is an Indian girl who holds the world record for the highest with a recorded IQ of 225. Visalini also holds several other records including the youngest person to receive CCNA certification and youngest person to receive EXIN cloud computing certification. Visalini appears in several international conferences as chief guest and keynote speaker.
K. Visalini was born in 2000 in South Indiancity Tirunelveli. Her father was an electrician in a private firm and her mother worked as an announcer with the All India radio. Visalini was born with the congenital oral anomalyankyloglossia. Her mother (who was then preparing for Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission exams), in order to improve her daughter's speech anomaly, started talking to Visalini and would read aloud the subjects to her. By the age of three, Visalini could recite all 1,330 couplets of Tirukku.

Vallam Kali

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Vallam kali or the Snake Boat Race is the most enchanting facet of the festival of Onam. The event is promoted as a major tourist attraction of the state of Kerala and draws a large number of domestic and international tourists. Vallamkali has been going on for good number of years and its popularity is soaring with each passing year.

Vallamkali boat are no ordinary boats and there are fixed measurements to it. It is about 100 feet long and has a seating capacity of 150 men. The boats are usually made of anjili (Artocarpus hirsuta), though sometimes teak and kadamb (Naucleacadamba) wood is also used. The curled ends of the boats are shaped like cobra hoods and it is from this shape that boat has derived its name. Each boat is meticulously crafted by skilled craftsmen and a lot of patience and hard work goes into making and decorating it. The boat is treated as a deity and a holds a lot of emotional value for the village folk. Only men are allowed to touch the boat that too with bare feet. Each boat belong to individual villages located near the river Pamba.

To watch the grand gala race, thousands of people assemble on the banks of the river Pamba at Aranmulla where a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Arjuna is located. About 30 elaborately crafted Chundan Vallams or snake boats participate in the mega event.

The boat race is conducted on a stretch of 40 kilometers from the hills to the low lying plains on the fifth day of Onam. The sight becomes endearing when one looks at the beautifully decorated boats being rowed by oarsmen dressed in white dhotis and turbans.

The most remarkable feature of the Snake Boat Race is the depiction of the great team spirit. It also displays the importance of being united and to be in harmony with nature. A single mistake by one person can produce imbalance and could lead to the overturning of the boat.

These day even women participate with lot of enthusiasm in the event and a separate race is conducted for them.

INCREDIBLE BHARATHA

KAMBALA

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Kambala

The traditional Kambala is a non-competitive sport, where the buffaloes are made to run one after another through the fields of slush. However, the tradition evolved into a rural sport that pits buffalo teams against each other to race in what is one of the most rustic and spectacular settings in India. Both competitive and non-competetive Kambalas take place through the year and you can look through the official calendar and decide on what to witness. The race is a big event in this part of the country and more than big money is at stake; villagers consider it a mark of pride and prestige to have their buffaloes win.

There are multiple versions to the history of Kambala, while some believe that the kings of more than 1,000 years back started this tradition as a royal pastime, others believe that the farmer community started the tradition. The traditional Kambala festival was considered a thanksgiving gesture to the gods for a good harvest or rain. Some even say it is in thanks to the higher powers for protecting their animals against diseases. It was initially organised primarily by the kings and landlords in the various villages.

The Kambala is conducted in different part of Udupi, Mangalore and the surrounding region across different dates between November to March. So it is not one single event but many races and events the collectively forms the modern day Kambala.

Buffaloes are stars of the event, all eyes are on them! These buffaloes are specially trained and fed in preparation for the event. The seniority of the buffalo is based on its age. In fact, the winning team of buffaloes are pampered silly! Can you believe these buffaloes even receive special massages to help them cope with the aggressive demands of the sport. The runners are also trained and prepared for the event. They are paid well and star runners are much in demand.

In 2014, many animal activists protested (don't know if this is fortunate or unfortunate) against the Kambala buffalo race, condemning it as an act of cruelty against animals. The supreme court even sent out a ruling in November 2014 banning the race. However, recent news suggest that the Kambala Buffalo Race is set to take place in parts of Karnataka with stringent rules in place, including buffaloes without riders not being allowed to race and video cameras shooting the entire incident to ensure no harm is brought to the animal.

The essence of the festival is nicely summed in a popular quote on Kambala "Hold your breath. Silence rules the air as thousands watch in stunned anticipation! The man is crouching behind the buffaloes on a slive of wood attached to the animals. Not a muscle moves. Only the wind is playing on his lock of hair. For him the race is all that matters. Suddenly the scene explodes, the man springs up, his hand cocked, his whip held high and the huge animals lunge forward, bellowing, their hooves churning the muddy waters and sending their wet spray in the hot air, their eyes wide, wild and white - man and beast engaged in one spurt of activity and one aim - victory."

CHETTINAD

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Chettinad
Chettinad is a region of the Sivaganga districtof southern Tamil Nadu state, India.

Chettinad is the home of the Nattukottai Chettiars (Nagarathar), a prosperous banking and business community. Chettinad is a city of culinary delights, which is one of the main attractions for visitors.

Chettinad is diverse in cultural heritage, art and architecture. It was built by people who had migrated South and they brought with them building expertise and varying decorative styles that are evident in the beautiful Asian baroque 18th century mansions. Wide courtyards lead into spacious rooms embellished with Italian marble, Burma teak and chandeliers, Indonesian crockery, European crystal and Belgian wall-length mirrors.

The temples of Chettinad are a salute to the beliefs of the early Tamil dynasties. Each temple has its own holy water lily tank called an oorani. Some say the walls were polished with egg whites to give them their smooth texture.

Another claim to fame is the flamboyant fan of pure cotton colours of the unique Chettinad Saree with its bold patterns and contrasting tones. Women even drape it in a different way to the regular saree.

From the cool calm of the temples to the hot spice of its singular curries, Chettinad is a fusion of flavours and culture.

Visit Chettinad once for a grand visual treat of the mansions

INCREDIBLE BHARATHA

FORCE ONE

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FORCE ONE
After the Mumbai terror attacks, the Maharashtra government brought together the best commandos and assembled the youngest Indian special force called Force One. The sole motive of this squad is to protect the Mumbai metropolitan area when under threat. Force One is one of the fastest response teams in the world and can get ready for action in less than 15 minutes. From over 3000 applications, 216 of the best soldiers were selected who were then trained under close guidance from the Israeli Special Forces.  

NUBRA VALLEY

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Nubra Valley
Ladakh - the ‘Land of the High Passes’ - is among the most stunning parts of the Indian Himalayas. Wedged between Pakistan, Tibet and Xinjiang Province (China) and India’s Himachal Pradesh, it forms the eastern part of the contested state of Jammu & Kashmir. North of Leh, Ladakh’s ‘capital’, lies a far-flung and austerely beautiful enclave cradled by rugged mountains ‒ this is the Nubra Valley (often simply abbreviated to Nubra), a tuft of land on the very scalp of India.

The region actually comprises two valleys: Nubra and Shyok. Both their rivers rise amidst the remote and heavily glaciated peaks and troughs of the Karakoram Range. The Nubra joins the Shyok in ‒ as far as tourism is concerned ‒ the region’s heart near Diskit before flowing westwards into Pakistan to eventually join the mighty Indus.

Far more relevant to today’s visitor is the journey to Nubra on what is claimed to be the world’s highest motorable road. Climbing steadily out of Leh and the Indus Valley, the road officially crosses the Khardung La pass at 5602m (18,379ft), although this height is now disputed and the accolade is probably incorrect. But don’t let the maths or contested measurements spoil what is still a great drive.

Plunging into the Shyok Valley via Khardung village, distant hamlets and their patchwork fields add a human touch to the muscular scenery and immense views. All Nubra’s settlements ‒ and there are many large, handsome homes set amidst groves of poplars and fields of barley ‒ occupy shelves of land above the rivers. A couple of ancient Buddhist monasteries, a handful of mostly feral Bactrian camels grazing a dune-like stretch of valley floor, opportunities for walking and hiking, and one long Shyok Valley drive can easily fill several days’ exploration.

A visit to this place should be in your Bucket list..