Travel

Mujib_Sheikh / November 16, 2015

Visit Darjeeling: Queen of Natural Beauty in India

Mankind can find beauty very easily in nature which surrounds them wherever they live or visit. However, visit Darjeeling in North East India and you’ll understand why they call her the Queen of Nature. The serenity and the peaceful environment of this hill station especially of the tea plantations will make you fall in love with this place.

This incredibly beautiful place and popular tourist destination is located in the Mahabharat Range or Lesser Himalya at an average elevation of 6,710 ft (2,050 m). It is noted for its tea industry and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was once a popular hill station during the days of the Raj, a lovely Victoria town built among the Himalayan foothills.

Foreign tourists come to see the beautiful views, visit the tea plantations and resorts, to go trekking at high altitude spots, to go shopping at colorful markets and to experience the cultural diversity. The cultural diversity includes many Tibetan refugees that moved here after Tibet was annexed by China and they co-exist with the descendants of the many Nepali and Bihari laborers brought to work in the tea plantations. The town is also a jumping off point for travelers heading to Sikkim. Obviously, you’ll see many Buddhist monasteries.

It’s a very popular place to visit for your honeymoon, or a relaxing family trip, or even a fun vacation with friends. You can choose to visit there by going on a North East India tour package.

“Flowers are everywhere. The days are cold and the sun almost seems to play hide and seek with us”. – Rabindranath Tagore.

Yes, Darjeeling is a such a place where you can feel and see the unpredictable condition of the weather where the clouds and the suns are busy playing hide and seek.

Main Attractions: Not to be Missed!

The Mall Road, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Shingamari Ropeway, Zoological Park (Darjeeling Zoo), Mahakal Dara Temple, Tiger Hill, Batasia Loop, Gangamaiya Park, Rock Garden, Happy Valley Tea Estate, Ava Art Gallery, Japanese Temple (Japanese Peace Pagoda), Dhir Dham Temple, Mirik Lake and Darjeeling Tea Estate.

Location: Near the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, India. Darjeeling is one of the country’s most famous hill destinations.

Area: 3,149 Square Km. Location  27 Deg. 13 Min. N to 26 Deg. 27 Min. N Latitude 88 Deg. 53 Min. E to 87 Deg. 59 Min. E Longitude

Altitude: Darjeeling Town:  6710 Feet.

Nearest Railway Station: Darjeeling(Narrow Gauge), New Jalpaiguri(Broad Gauge)

Nearest Airport:  Bagdogra

Neighbouring Countries: Nepal, China, Bhutan & Bangladesh

Density: 413 Persons Per Square Km.

Literacy: 57.62%

Languages: Nepali, Hindi, Bengali and English are the prevailing languages. Bengali is the language of the plains. Tibetan is spoken by the refugees and some other tribal peoples.

Festivals:  Houses are decorated and the festivities arranged on the eve of Diwali and lasts for about two weeks. It consists of Lakshmi Puja, Bhailo, Deosi and Bhai Tika. There are robust folk dances with the males participating enthusiastically in the ‘Chabrung’ of the Libus, the Tamangs dance, ‘Damfu’, and the most popular of them all, the scintillating Maruni. Gay folk songs fill the air with ‘Jhowre’ relating to the lover, and the ‘Juhari’ which throws questions and answers between the lovesick couple. The ‘Rosia’ is sung in the fields, the ‘Baloon’ extols the deeds of the Mahabharata and ‘Malsiri’ is kept for the Durga Puja. The ‘Rateli’ are nursery rhymes set to music. It seems that the people have saved all their energy for these two weeks which are filled with great rejoicing and celebrations.

Map of Darjeeling and neighbouring cities :

How to reach Darjeeling:

You can reach Darjeeling by air, road or railway.

By Air:  The nearest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra which is a distance of 90 kms away. Direct flights are available to Bagdogra from New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta) and Guwahati. From the airport, taxis can take you to Darjeeling at a charges around Rs 1,200 on average.

By Rail : It takes almost 12-13 hours to reach Jalpaiguri from Kolkata (Calcutta). New Jalpaiguri is the nearest railhead which is a distance of 88 kms from Darjeeling. Trains come from all parts of India to New Jalpaiguri en route to Darjeeling. The 8 hour journey in the famous toy train from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling is another great option worth exploring.

By Road :  Travel from Kolkata (Calcutta) to Darjeeling is about 634 km. Time to travel by road is about 8 hrs, 50 mins. There are direct bus and jeep services to Darjeeling from New Jalpaiguri. As the terrain is hilly, reaching Darjeeling normally takes more time. Regular bus services connect Darjeeling and Kolkata, while taxis can also be hired from Kolkata which costs anywhere between Rs 12,000 to Rs 17,000 for a round trip.

Darjeeling Weather:

Located in very high altitudes, Darjeeling is West Bengal’s coolest destination. Temperatures in summer remain in the range of 15-20 degrees. But winters are very cold with chances of temperature falling to 0 degrees also. Heavy rains occur during the June-September monsoon period sometimes resulting in landslides.

Temperature – Darjeeling Town:  Annual Mean Max. Temperature 14.9 Degrees Celsius.  Annual Mean Min. Temperature 8.9 Degrees Celsius. Lowest Minimum Temperature -5 D. Celsius was recorded in  s11/02/1905.

Rainfall – Darjeeling Town: Average Annual Rainfall : 3092 MM. Average Number of Rainy Days : 126 Days.

Rainfall – Siliguri Town: Average Annual Rainfall : 3620 MM. Average Number of Rainy Days : 113 Days.

Hongkong

lailawati / November 14, 2015

Best 5 World Shopping Tour Destinations that Provide Halal Food

Consuming halal food is mandatory and compulsory for the Muslim people. When Muslims visit any place as tourists they want to be able to visit a  place that provides an abundance of halal food. For those that love to go on shopping tours, we provide you with our pick of the 5 Best World Shopping destinations that provide Halal Food.

  1. Bali Island

Although the Muslim population in this place is just 6% within a Hindu majority; Bali still provides an interesting variant of halal food. Halal restaurants or halal food corners have certain signs to let  the Muslim traveler know that the food being served is halal. Local residents who are Hindu have an excellent reputation for informing Muslim travelers of places that actually sell halal food and the places that don’t. On top of that, shopping in Bali is indeed a great and interesting experience.

Sukowati Market
Sukowati Market
Sukawati Market Bali
Sukawati Market Bali

  1. Bangkok City

Bangkok City in Thailand has a non-Muslim majority, however, it’s very easy to find halal certified food outlets everywhere. For example,  you can go to fast food restaurants such as  KFC / McDonalds, Grill Chester, and A & W. There are also many Thai and International dishes which  are also certified halal in Bangkok restaurants. On top of that,  a cheap shopping experience in Bangkok will keep you hooked. So fear not, eat and shop till you drop.

Khao San Road
Khao San Road
Mall at Bangkok
Mall at Bangkok

  1. New Delhi

Like Bali, New Delhi is a Hindu-dominated population with only 7% being Muslim. Interestingly, New Delhi provides halal food in many establishments.  This fact alongside the strong urban atmosphere makes the shopping experience for the Muslim in New Delhi a remarkable one.

Connaught Place
Connaught Place
New Delhi
New Delhi

  1. Hong Kong

Located on the South Coast of China, Hong Kong is considered one of the best shopping centers in the world. Halal food is not hard to find here at all. To find halal food easily and in great abundance, you can visit the Jordan District where there are several halal restaurants that provide menus containing Kebab type foods and delicious creamy curries.

Hongkong
Hongkong
Hongkong
Hongkong

  1. London

The high number of Asian, African and Middle Eastern immigrants has made its mark and  influence in London by offering a wealth of halal run restaurants and food joints.  Besides being famous for its’ shopping, London also offers many other interesting activities like art galleries, historic sites, and famous boutiques that must be visited.

London
London
London
London

lailawati / November 7, 2015

Tana Toraja: An Ancient & Cultural Experience in Indonesia

Tana Toraja is one place in Indonesia which still practices strong elements of their culture in everyday life. Tana Toraja has a unique culture set in stunning scenery. Once you venture away from the tarmac roads you will find soon a way of life that has not changed much in the last 100 years.

Tana Toraja Regency is a regency of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, home of the Toraja. The Toraja are an ethnic indigenous people. The local government seat is in Makale, where the center of Toraja culture is in Rantepao.

The residents in Tana Toraja are predominantly Christian, while the rest are Catholic, Silam and Aluktodolo. Aluktodoloo are the animist & ancestral beliefs of the Toraja people.

Tana Toraja is a sleepy rural region which cultivates rice, cacao, coffee, and clove most of the year. Toraja’s arabica coffee carries a high reputation and is something that visitors may be interested in trying. From June until September, when children are home from school, the rice is harvested and it’s time for a “rambu solo”, which is a complex funeral ceremony for the ancestors. During the time, Rantepao is transformed into a major tourist resort for national and international visitors.

Tana Toraja’s beauty is also reflected in its people. Although they are devoutly Christian ( there are small number of Moslems especially in the southern area), they combine this religious belief with magic and mysticism, and welcome visitors to witness their ceremonies.

The land of the Toraja people,  is famed for their spectacular and rather gruesome burial rites. After a person’s death, the body is kept — often for several years — while money is saved to pay for the actual funeral ceremony, known as tomate. During the festival, which may last up to a week, ritual dances and buffalo fights are held, and buffaloes and pigs are slaughtered to ferry the soul of the deceased to the afterlife puya. The deceased is then finally buried either in a small cave, often with a tau-taue effigy placed in front, inside a hollow tree or even left exposed to the elements in a bamboo frame hanging from a cliff.

 

 

In Tana Toraja, you can see the Lemo cemetery which is the home of the spirits. The dead bodies are stored in the open air among the steep rocks. The cemetery here are  a blend of death, art and ritual. At certain times the clothes of the dead bodies will be replaced with a ceremony called Ma Nene.

 

 

In addition you can also visit Londa, the funeral that is placed on the rock hill. In the cave in the rock hill are crates of dead bodies that are placed there according to his family tree.

You are allowed to see a funeral from a close distance. There are also special children’s funerals that are placed in a trunk in Sangala, because the local people believe that a child or baby must be buried in the trunk.

Traditional Tongkonan houses stand proudly in this setting. These intricately decorated houses with upward-sloping roofs are the center of all Aluktodolo rites ( Torajan religion before the coming of the missionaries ); from storing the harvest in the carved rice barns “alang”, to slaughtering sacred water buffaloes at a week or more-funeral ceremonies. The traditional house Tongkonan in Pallawa is a traditional home that has a unique shape located among bamboo trees on a hilltop. The Tongkonan traditional house  is decorated with buffalo horns that are placed in front of the house.

You can also visit Batutumongo, which is located on the slopes of Mount Sesean, the highest mountain in Tana Toraja. From here you can see the beauty of Tana Toraja from the top of a mountain. Then you can continue the journey to the Bori area which is a megalithic tourism place. In Bori, you can see a cemetery which stands above megalithic stone called “Batu Menhir” or menhir stone in English. The total number of stones here consist of 24 large pieces, 24 medium and 54 small size pieces. The size of the menhir stone is not an issue because traditionally they have the same value and prestige.

Each menhir stone made on certain burial ceremonies at a certain level are held for the community leader. Not every burial ceremony will have a menhir stone. Only those who made the level ‘Rapasan Sapurandan’ are able to have menhir stone for their burial ceremony where 24 heads of buffaloes are also cut off.

The uniqueness of the menhir stone in Bori makes it a very popular place to visit as the tradition of manufacturing menhir stone is hundreds of years old. Thus making Bori a popular ancient tourist place to visit.



To get to this place you can travel by a car which will take about 8 hours from Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Or to get there faster, you can hop on a plane from Hassanudin airport which will take about 45 minutes.

I have provided you with a glimpse of cultural tourism in Tana Taraja, Indonesia. This article fails to describe the wealth of experience you would gain from visiting Tana Toraja. So what are you waiting for, book your next holiday to Indonesia and visit this marvellous place.

The Door of The Hell on Karakum Dessert

lailawati /

Visit The Door to Hell at KaraKum Desert, Turkmenistan

"The Door of The Hell" on Karakum Dessert
“The Door of Hell” on Karakum Desert

If you want to see “the hell of fire or the door to hell”, you should visit the Darvaza Village located in Turkmenistan. Located in the middle of hot and expansive Karakum desert, the door to hell is a gas crater of a big hole measured 70 feet in diameter. It’s a great spectacle for global tourists who visit that country. The locals from Darvaza (also known as Derweze) have given the burning crater a name that suits it well – The Door to Hell. Everyone who visits Darvaza agrees with the name and finds it appropriate.

The large gas crater is a result of a Soviet gas exploration accident that began in 1971. At that time a group of Soviet geologists did some drilling activities in order to find some source of petroleum. But during the exploration, the ground around the area collapsed. As a result the heavy drilling rig became damaged and sank into a big hole. A moment later the natural gas came out of that location.

The Door of The Hell on Karakum Dessert
The Door of The Hell on Karakum Dessert

The group of Soviet geologists then decided to burn the gas out of fear that the poisonous gas would escape into the atmosphere. But what they did was useless. They thought that the gas would burn out within a few days. But in fact, 40 years later up to this day, the fire is still burning.

“The Door to Hell” is located in a desert area covering most of Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan is a former Soviet country which is rich in oil and gas resources, especially around the Sea of ​​Aral, the Amu Darya River, and the Kyzyl Kum Desert.

At night, the light of fire from the hole looks beautiful from a distance. The village of Darvaza attracts tourists from around the world which is located 260 kilometers from the capital city of Ashgabat.

The Video :

[youtube]http://youtu.be/KGHxVW1NbrQ[/youtube]

lailawati / November 6, 2015

Mauna Kea: The Highest Island-Mountain In The World

If anyone asked you what the highest mountain in the World was, you’d probably answer “The Mount Everest”. Almost everyone knows that Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world and climbers from everywhere travel to Everest hoping to earn the distinction of climbing the “World’s Highest”.

The peak of Mount Everest is 8,850 meters (29,035 feet) above sea level. This high elevation gives Mount Everest the distinction of being the mountain with the highest altitude. Therefore, Mount Everest is the highest mountain measured from sea level.

Mauna Kea is an island and if the distance from the bottom of the nearby ocean floor to the peak of the island is measured, then Mauna Kea is taller than Mount Everest. The highest point in the Pacific Basin, and the highest island-mountain in the world, Mauna Kea rises 9,750 meters (32,000 ft) from the ocean floor to an altitude of 4,205 meters (13,796 ft) above sea level, which places its summit above 40 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere. Mauna Kea is over 10,000 meters tall compared to 8,848 meters for Mount Everest – making it the world’s tallest mountain.

Mauna Kea (referred to as the “White Mountain”) is a dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii, the largest and southernmost of the Hawaiian Islands.  It is located about 300 km (190 miles) from Honolulu, which lies on the island of Oahu.  The broad volcanic landscape of the summit area is made up of cinder cones on a lava plateau. The lower slopes of Mauna Kea are popular for hunting, hiking, sightseeing, and bird watching in an environment that is less hostile than the barren summit are

Mauna Kea is two million years old. Formerly, Mauna Kea was active volcano. Mauna Kea was last active more than 4,600 years ago. On the upper slopes of the mountain there is a cave where ancient Hawaiians dug basalt rock to make tools. In Hawaiian mythology, the peaks of the island of Hawaii are sacred, and Mauna Kea is one of the most sacred. An ancient law allowed only high-ranking tribal chiefs to visit its peak. Ancient Hawaiians living on the slopes of Mauna Kea relied on its extensive forests for food, and quarried the dense volcano-glacial basalts on its flanks for tool production. When Europeans arrived in the late 18th century, settlers introduced cattle, sheep and game animals, many of which became feral and began to damage the mountain’s ecology.

In recent years, concern over the vulnerability of the native species has led to court cases that have forced the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources to eradicate all feral species on the mountain.

With its high altitude, dry environment, and stable airflow and low level of light pollution (being far away from city lights), Mauna Kea’s summit is one of the best sites in the world for astronomical observation. The summit of Mauna Kea on the Island of Hawaii hosts the world’s largest astronomical observatory, with telescopes operated by astronomers from eleven countries.

Mauna Kea is unique as an astronomical observing site. The atmosphere above the mountain is extremely dry — which is important in measuring infrared and submillimeter radiation from celestial sources – and cloud-free, so that the proportion of clear nights is among the highest in the world. The exceptional stability of the atmosphere above Mauna Kea permits more detailed studies than are possible elsewhere, while its distance from city lights and a strong island-wide lighting ordinance ensure an extremely dark sky, allowing observation of the faintest galaxies that lie at the very edge of the observable Universe. A tropical inversion cloud layer about 600 meters (2,000 ft) thick, well below the summit, isolates the upper atmosphere from the lower moist maritime air and ensures that the summit skies are pure, dry, and free from atmospheric pollutants.

Their construction on a “sacred landscape”, replete with endangered species and ongoing cultural practices, continues to be a topic of debate and protest. Studies are underway to determine their effect on the summit ecology, particularly on the rare Wekiu bug. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1972.

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