10 Oct

Top Places to see in and around Fort Kochi

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Almost every tourist attractions in Fort Kochi have a history of their own so is the Chinese fishing net. Kochi, the ‘Queen of Arabian Sea’, was once a major centre of trade with the Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and the British where everyone had left their marks. While some claim that the Chinese traders from the court of Kublai Khan set up Chinese fishing nets to shores of Kochi that dates back to 14th century; some others say Chinese explorer Zhang He introduced the Chinese fishing nets here in early 15th century. Whatever may be the correct claim, the fact is that this system is in use for more than last 500 years.

Once a fishing accessory, the Chinese fishing nets, now have become a major tourist attraction in Fort Kochi.

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Misty Mukteshwar – From a 12 year olds’s view

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The third day, we went to see a river and waterfall. We went there by trekking, starting early in the morning. It was a very lengthy journey. I kept on asking my guide that when we will reach the river. All the time his reply was that it is just a few kilometers far. The area was full of pine and oak trees. I collected many pine flowers (pine cone).We heard birdsongs of many types. One particular bird with long tail was very attractive. The guide told that the bird’s name may be ‘paradise bird’ but he was not sure. After coming to the guest house I searched in the internet and identified that it was a ‘red billed blue magpie’. It was an extremely beautiful bird which glided smoothly down the valley. I slipped on the fallen pine leaves and fell down many times on the way but it was all fun! After walking for about four hours we heard the sound of water rushing through the rocks. I started running in the direction of the sound and found a very fresh and clear stream, crashing through the rocks. This place was not visited by many tourists and hence very clean. Usually people throw things in the water. The sound of water falling from the high mountain was very loud. I missed my brother because with him I would have enjoyed more. The water was cold and green. Whenever I see water I can’t control myself and I started swimming.

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Charming Jhunjhunu: Rani Sati Temple

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After paying our tribute to all the twelve sati, we went inside the main mandapam of the Rani Sati. It was huge structure similar to those found in the Rama Krishna Mission temples. Lots of space was available for people to sit and pray. There was no statue of any sati. Instead a simple trident depicting the Goddess was placed for devotees to pray before her. The walls and columns of the mandapam were again beautifully painted. Two or three purohits were helping the devotees in offering prayers there. The followers of Rani Sati trace her origin from the times of Mahabharata, in which she was the wife of Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu. Her name was Uttara. She wanted to perform the rites of sati, when Abhimanyu died in the Mahabharata battle. Then, Lord Krishna persuaded her not to do so, giving her a boon that she would get an opportunity to perform Sati in her next birth. As prophesied by Krishna, she was born in modern-day Rajasthan (Shekhawati) and Abhimanyu was born near modern-day Hissar in Haryana. Her name was Narayani and Abhimanyu’s name was Tandhan. He had a beautiful horse, which was also eyed by the King’s son. However, in the battle for the horse, king’s son was killed. Further, an infuriated king killed Tandhan in the battle. The brave Narayani, after killing the King in revenge, performed sati at the pyre of her husband. She was supported by the caretaker of the horse, named Ranaji. For his efforts, the brave sati granted Rana Ji a boon that his name would always be remembered before her vey name. Thus, the name “Rani Sati” came into existence.

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Fort Kochi – Explore Amidst the Colonial Charm

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No cannon or other displays that go along with a Fort do exist at Fort Kochi. Though there are narrow alleys but none led to any gallery or a palace of any king or queen that a fort guards. In fact there exists no fort though the name endures it. Fort Kochi is a place within the city of Kochi and lies in the peninsula. Perhaps the name takes its first part since a fort was built in this region by the Portuguese.

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Charming Jhunjhunu: Making of Lac Bangles (Shekhawati style)

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If the second craftsman was satisfied with the measurement, his next function was to join the two ends of the rolled lac to make it into a bangle. For this, he brought both the ends of the rolled lac over the coal-burner and heated it for appropriate state of melting. The lac then binds itself and both ends join together. However, to make the joining spot invisible to the naked eyes, the craftsman had to rub off the uneven surfaces and make it smooth. He used a wooden handle for that function. Now, the bangle of the basic shape and size was made. It was handed over to another set of craftsmen for designing and sticking of semi-precious or artificial stones/glass pieces so as to make it attractive.

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Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Kanyakumari

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A memorial to Swamy Vivekananda stands on a rock surrounded by sea at Kanyakumari where he was presumably meditated on 25, 26 and 27th December 1892 before leaving for Chicago religious conference. It is the point of convergence of the three seas, the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the great Indian Ocean.

Swamy Vivekananda, the great disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (the best known saint of India during 19th century) and the founder of Ramakrishna Mission, on his quest to know the purpose of life, wandered all over India after the death of Sri Paramahamsa Dev. He came to Kanyakumari on 24.12.1892 and later, participated in the World Religious Conference at Chicago on 11th September 1893.

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Pangong Lake – Travelers’ Delight!

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The last leg of our journey to the mystical and majestic Ladakh was ‘Pangong Tso’! In local language Lake is called Tso. Pangong Lake falls in the disputed territory with China. So the whole lake does not belong to India. While China occupies two-third part of this magnificent high altitude lake, India remains satisfied with mere one-third part of it.

These days the Lake is a favourite tourist place among the domestic tourists much credit for which goes to the bollywood movie ‘3idiots’! …….

How incredible it was to see the tranquil lake and its azure blue waters! Pangong Tso is one of the largest saline lakes in Asia. On the Lake shore we walked and saw the effects of changing colours of the lake, aqua green to indigo blue! The saline water of the lake plays with the sunlight and produces different colours. We were told that during winter the lake freezes and become a solid surface to walk over it. Well, walking over a frozen lake! You need to check certainly the best season to visit there!

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मंडोर गार्डन, जोधपुर : राजपूत वैभव का प्रतीक (Mandore Garden, Jodhpur)

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वर्षों से जोधपुर राजपुताना वैभव का केन्द्र रहा है। जिसके प्रमाण आज भी जोधपुर शहर से लगे अनेक स्थानों पर प्राचीन इमारतों के रूप में मिल जाते हैं। जोधपुर से 9 किलोमीटर की दूरी पर एक ऐतिहासिक स्थान मौजूद है जिसको मंडोर गार्डन के नाम से पुकारा जाता है। इसी के नाम पर एक ट्रैन का नाम भी रखा गया है-मंडोर एक्सप्रेस जोकि दिल्ली से जोधपुर के लिए चलती है। मैंने भी जोधपुर पहुंचने के लिए इसी ट्रेन का रिजर्वेशन करवाया था। यह ट्रैन शाम को पुरानी दिल्ली से चलती है और सुबह सात बजे जोधपुर पहुंचा देती है।

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Sand Dunes of Nubra and Diskit Monastery

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Usually deserts occur in low altitude, such as the great Indian Thar Desert. But there is also one high altitude cold desert in India which occurs in the Hunder village of Nubra Valley…………..We arrived there. It was beyond our imaginations and dreams to see such a vast bed of silver sands with brown mountains at the backdrop…………The sand dune offers to its visitors the great Central Asian double-humped camel safari. While other visitors were busy in getting their turn first for the safari, I went close to the camels. They look the same normal camels except those two humps. For the first time I saw those camels.

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