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• Manipur eyes a place in winter tourism
  
  

Gold plated marble handicrafts make comeback in Rajasthan

Handicraft in marble at a shop in Kishangarh town, located on the Jaipur-Ajmer Highway in Rajasthan. Kishangarh is slowly emerging as one of the biggest marble handicraft markets in the country.

  Jaipur: It could be one of the most treasured items a smoker could afford, a huge marble hookah (hubble-bubble) with gold carvings. Handicrafts from pots to elephants made out of marble

Customers inspecting the marble handicrafts at a shop in Kishangarh

with intricate gold inlay and carvings have become a    rage in Jaipur. Gold carvings on marble traces it's origin to the Mughal times. Handicrafts made out of marble with traditional Mughal motifs have now a huge domestic as well as an international market. "There are around 20-25 factories here and our customers are in the Gulf and European countries. Its demand is increasing in India also. We have got a good response," said Suraj, a gold carving artisan. The minute art works have cast their spell on Indian customers who are ready to dig deep into their pockets. "I really liked the design and so I bought it," said Meenu Thapa, a buyer. India ranks amongst the top five countries in marble export. It produces nearly 10 percent of total world production and 95 percent of this comes from Rajasthan alone.
- Feb 4, 2005

Manipur eyes a place in winter tourism(Go to Top)

     Aizawl: Manipur, it seems, is eying its place in India's tourism map. To attract tourists, the state government recently organised a winter festival at which it brought forth Manipur's cultural richness. Out of the 29 tribes in the state, 17 not only showcased their rich repetoire of dance and music, but through their different styles reflected their united purpose of presenting to the world a new facet of Manipur - a Manipur where violence is an aberration and peace is way of life. "People in Manipur did not have such an awareness before. The tourism department is not so developed here, but the government and the art and folk dance guild still organised the festival. I think this will certainly boost the tourism sector," said Imocha Heisnam. "The prospects are good. Now, in terms of development, it (tourism festival) will bring prosperity," added Ibotombi Singh. The state government is working hard to develop tourism, using its rich natural and anthropological beauty to attract tourists in droves. In 2001 around 100,000 people visited the state. The state government is trying to restore peace and remove some of the bureaucratic bottlenecks to attract many more tourists. "We have got the protected area permit or PAP because of which foreign tourists can't visit. We have already discussed this issue with the governor and will also take it up with the Government of India. Secondly, the budget provision for the tourism department is very low, and we have requested the Government of India to help us to develop this sector of the state," says Manipur's Tourism Minister K.Govindas. A little paradise on earth, Manipur is home to a host of rare flora and fauna, besides an exotic scenery.The state government has initiated plans to develop tourist complexes in Moreh,Thongam Mondum,Singda and a health resort near Imphal.By developing its tourism infrastructure, Manipur hopes to broaden its reach to the ASEAN nations. The prospects are bright as the state may soon be linked by highway to most countries in South East Asia.
-Feb, 2005

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