Subhasis Banerjee

  DAMAN Colonized by the Portuguese seafarers in 1559 A.D., it became a part of the Indian Union only in the 20 th century. Daman is a laid-back seaside resort of stark natural beauty. Coming down in the west from the Shayadri Range, River Daman Ganga has divided the resort into Nani Daman or Little Daman in the north and Moti Daman or Big Daman in the south. The cultural influence of the old settlers is reflected in the architecture of the Old Cathedral Church and Nani Daman Fort. The Jampore Beach in Moti Daman and the Devaka Beach in Nani Daman are two main attractions of the place. Accessibility : On the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, Vapi is the nearest railway station to Daman. If one wants to travel by road, Surat in Gujrat is 104kms north and Mumbai in Maharashtra is 193kms south via Vapi. Accommodation : There are a variety of Hotels in Daman ranging from budget to standard. Season : Throughout the year.

SIMLIPAL NATIONAL PARK AND TIGER RESERVE One of the premier Tiger Reserves of the country, the Simlipal National Park with an extensive area of over 2,700 sq km spreads over hills, valleys and grasslands in the Keonjhar district of north-east Odisha. The thick deciduous forest is intervened by the Polpola and Buribalam rivers and doted by a number of waterfalls of which the Joranda and the Barehipani Falls require special mention. Meghasini, the highest peak in the Park and the grasslands of Dudhrichampa are awfully spectacular. The venomous King Cobra, Banded Krait, Viper and Indian Python roam freely inside the Park. The teeming birdlife of the Park includes Pea Fowl, Red Jungle Fowl, Rose Finch, Racket Tail Drongo, Hill Myena, Leaf Warbler, Alexandria Parakeet, Sikra, Grey Wagtail and Merlin. Tiger, Leopard, Hyena, Indian Wolf, Sloth Bear, Elephant, Bison, Deer, Fishing Cat and Leopard Cat are the prominent members of the abounding wildlife population of the reserve. Accessibi...

  SOURAV CHANDIDAS GANGULY Photo Credit: Original Photographer as in Google Sourav Chandidas Ganguly , affectionately known as Dada, is an Indian cricket administrator, commentator and former national cricket team captain who is the 39th and current president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Ganguly established himself not only as one of the world's leading batsmen but also as one of the most successful and intelligent captain of the Indian national cricket team. While batting, he was especially prolific through the off side, earning himself the nickname “ God of the Off Side” for his elegant stroke play square of the wicket and through the covers. Ganguly got his big-break while playing for India on their tour of England. He scored 131 runs in his very debut and cemented his place in the Indian cricket team. Ganguly's place in the team was further assured after successful performances in series against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Australia, winning various ‘Man...

  KAPIL RAMALAL DEV NIKHANJ Photo Credit: Original Photographer as in Google Kapil Ramalal Dev Nikhanj is a former Indian cricketer. He was a fast bowler and a hard hitting middle order batsman. Regarded as one of the greatest all-rounder to play the game, he is also regarded as one of the greatest captains in the history of cricket. He was named by Wisden as the Indian Cricketer of the Century in 2002. Kapil Dev captained the Indian cricket team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup. He was India's national cricket coach between October 1999 and August 2000. He retired as a player in 1994, holding the world record for the greatest number of wickets taken in Test cricket, a record subsequently broken only by Courtney Walsh in 2000. At the time, he is also India's highest wicket-taker in both major forms of cricket - Tests and ODIs. He is also the first player to take 200 ODI wickets in the history of the game of cricket. He is also the only player in the history of cricket t...

  BHANDARDHARA Nestling amidst the hills and lush green forests, Bhandardhara is a calm and sylvan holiday resort overlooking the splendid Arthur Lake, formed by the dammed waters of the Pravara River. The main places of interest around are Wilson Dam, Umbrella Falls , Randha Falls and Ratangarh Fort. The Wilson Dam was built in 1910 A.D. on the Pravara River and the restrained waters created the Arthur Lake. In the vicinity lies the Umbrella Falls and the Randha Falls . Overlooking Bhandardhara is Mount Kalsubai (1,646 meteres), the highest peak of the Sahyadri Range which is a trekkers’ delight. The Ratangarh Fort also lies in the vicinity. Accessibility : Igatpuri, on the central railway route of Mumbai, is the nearest railway station. Mumbai is 185kms south-west by road from here. Accommodation : There is a Tourist Lodge here. Season : Throughout the year.

  DUMPA TIGER RESERVE Sprawling over 300 sq km of dense semi-evergreen and a variety of Bamboo forests on the north-western portion of the stunningly beautiful Mizo Hills, Dumpa is a premier Tiger Reserve. The Dumpa and the Dhaleswari rivers flow through the Park. Along with the Tiger, other members of the cat family found in the Park are Leopard, Panther, Clouded Leopard, Leopard Cat and Fishing Cat. The rest of the fauna includes Elephant, Wild Boar, Gaur, Sloth Bear, Swamp Deer, Hog Deer, Muntjac, Slow Loris, Common Langoor and Hoolok Gibbon. Accessibility : A 70kms drive from Aizwal, the capital of the state, transports one to the reserve. Aizwal is connected by road to Silchar, 180kms north in the neighbouring state of Assam , which is considered to be the gateway to Mizoram. Silchar is very well connected by air, rail and road. Accommodation : Forest Rest Houses are available inside the reserve. Season : October to April. N.B.:- FOREIGNERS REQUIRE “RESTRICTED AR...

  BINSAR Shrouded in the serene embrace of alpine flora, ferns and hanging moss deep within Oak and Rhododendron forests, the virgin hill station of Binsar offers the ultimate view of the Himalayas with a 300kms wide panorama of the Kedarnath, Chowkhamba, Trishul, Nanda Devi, Nandakot and Panchali peaks. At every quarter of the day with the changing position of the sun, these peaks adore a completely different hew creating a celestial aura. Accessibility : 30kms north-east of Almora, Binsar is approached by road. Accommodation : There is only a Tourist Lodge in Binsar. Season : October to May.  

  AULI Located in one of the most scenic locations of the Garhwal Himalayas at an altitude of 3,045meters, Auli is an ideal ski resort with its slopes comparable to some of the best in the world. The perennially snow clad Nanda Devi Range graced by the peaks of Mukut, Mana, Trishul, Nilkantha, Dronagiri and Kamet, the Gorson Reserve Forests and the Nanda Devi National Park form the backdrop of this serenely beautiful and finest ski destination of the country. While winter offers skiing, sledging and other snow sports along the slopes, summer offers noticeable trails for trekkers and hikers. Accessibility : About 280kms by road from Haridwar in the north-east, one reaches Joshimath. From here, one can reach Auli by a 5kms ropeway. In the summer, one can also trek to Auli from Joshimath. Accommodation : There is a Tourist Complex and a luxury Resort here. Season : October to May.  

  ALMORA Finding a mention even in the old scriptures of Hindu mythology, this quaint mountain resort at an altitude of 1,645meters in the Kumaon region is perched atop a saddle shaped ridge of the Kashyap Hill. It is the main cultural centre of Kumaon and offers striking views of sunrise on the Trishul peaks. Unlike most other hill stations of the country, Almora is not a British creation and its history dates back to 1560AD when the then ruler of Kumaon, Kalyan Chand, discovered this wooded hill station of Pine, Oak and Deodar. From the Bright End Corner, one can observe bewildering sunrises and sunsets on the Chowkhamba, Nandadevi, Nandakot, Panchali and Trishul peaks. Accessibility : Almora is 127kms north-east of Nainital and 93kms north of Kathgodam, the nearest railway station. It is well connected by roads. Kathgodam has very good railway connections. Accommodation : There are numerous standard Hotels in Almora. Season : October to May.  

LAKSHADWEEP – A PARADISE ON EARTH   Off the west coast of India, there lies a cluster of 36 exquisite coral islands out of which only 10 are inhabited. The azure sky, shallow blue waters, spectacularly coloured underwater, silky white beaches with the backdrop of palm and coconut clusters – all make Lakshadweep a celestial destination. Marked by a total absence of winter and a prevailing tropical climate with emphatically beautiful sunrise and sunset, these islands flaunt a heavenly milieu on a moonlit night. Apart from its beauty, Lakshadweep offers tremendous opportunity for deep-sea fishing and underwater coral survey. The main islands are Kavaratti, Kadmat, Kaalapani, Minicoy, Bangaram, Agatti and Androt. The Kavaratti Island of only 3.5sq kms of area is the head quarter of the union territory. The Society for Promotion of Recreational Tourism and Sports (SPORTS) was created to conduct tourism operations in Lakshadweep and are successfully conducting tour packages from Koch...

THE SUBLIME POTENTIAL OF TOURISM IN INDIA The sublimely rich potential of tourism in India with an affluent diversity of choice of perspective is probably unparallel in the world. From pristine natural beauty to overwhelming historic heritage along with a rich biodiversity can spell magic for the country’s health and wealth if utilized mindfully and with ebullience. Not only that, the protean gastronomic delicacies of each individual region of this country is also unmatched on this planet. But sadly, this has remained apathetically untapped for decades. A little thought towards tapping this unexplored versatility of latent prospective can alone change the economic destiny of India eternally. Mindful development of precise infrastructure can deliver magical results in the fiscal health of the country and its people. A peek-a-boo into the secrets of such latent potential will reveal an immeasurable treasure-trove. Precisely we can divide these vast potential into three parts – Wild, Ex...