Arunachal Buddhist festival Buddha Mahotsava to promote cultural tourism; Preparations for Chhat festival begin in Bihar; Prince Charles starts India visit, haunted 'A Royal Duty' by Diana's butler Burrell; Seven killed, 53 injured as coaches overturn near Bangalore; Charles to stay at Jodhpur; Foreigners feel safe despite recent rape cases in Delhi; Goa-Maharashtra boat services to resume soon; River rafting expedition begins in Uttarkashi; Darjeeling ropeway mishap leaves four dead; Diwali turns carnival; All-religion temple in Kushinagar; Dengue plagues Delhi and Pune; Goa all set to run 'sky bus'; Swiss diplomat's rape: 'A blot on the Capital's image'; Why UK has introduced transit visas for Indians?; News from India, News for Tourists and Travellers, India Travel Times, India News, India News Times, Indian News, Travel News, Travel,Tourism,

Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh), Oct 30: A three-day Buddhist festival is being held in Arunachal Pradesh to attract tourists to the Himalayan region bordering China. The third Buddha Mahotsava opened in picturesque Tawang town, situated at a height of 10,000 feet, on Wednesday to promote spiritual tourism in the state. A religious procession was taken out on Thursday from a 400-year-old Buddhist monastery to Yid-Ga-Chozen, the festival venue, where the monks are holding a prayer for world peace.

The festival commemorates the life and teachings of Lord Gautama Buddha. Hundreds of Buddhist monks playing cymbals and drums were present at the festival. Dancers in traditional attire took centrestage amidst chanting and drum beating and demonstrated various facets of Arunachal Pradesh's dance and music. State authorities have extended all support to the festival and are also promoting the event to attract tourists. Buddha Mahotsava, a festival that brings out the Buddhist influence on the life of the people in Arunachal Pradesh, has already become an attraction for all visitors to the Hidden Paradise set atop lofty mountains with their majestic peaks.

A three-day Buddhist festival is being held in Arunachal Pradesh to attract tourists to the Himalayan region bordering China. The third Buddha Mahotsava opened in picturesque Tawang town, situated at a height of 10,000 feet, on Wednesday to promote spiritual tourism in the state. A religious procession was taken out on Thursday from a 400-year-old Buddhist monastery to Yid-Ga-Chozen, the festival venue, where the monks are holding a prayer for world peace.

Patna, Oct 29: People in Bihar are busy preparing for the two-day annual festival of "Chhat" (worship of Sun god, symbolising life force and prosperity). The festival, which will conclude on Friday, is also celebrated in parts of Uttar Pradesh. During the festival devouts offer special prayers for the welfare and prosperity of their families. As part of the rituals women stand waist-deep in water for at least two hours and offer fruits and flowers to Surya, the Sun God. People are crowding the markets to buy fruits, earthenware and straw baskets for the festival.

"This is the biggest festival of Bihar, we make it with full devotion, the entire family celebrates, people go to the bathing ghats for the prayers," P.L Rai, a devotee, said. People go to bathing ghats and pay obeisance to both the rising and the setting sun during the festival which is celebrated on the sixth and seventh days after Diwali. Most of the devotees said they were worried that the ghats were quite filthy. "This year we are very worried about the ghats, they are receding and filthy, there is no way to pray at the river because there are no ghats left. The government must do something about it," Shobha Sharma, a devotee, said.

However, the administrators allayed such fears saying the ghats would be cleaned ahead of the festival. "We have started the process of cleaning all the ghats and hope to complete it 100 percent by tomorrow evening. Apart from this, we are looking into the security measures like barricading, electricity, medical facilities, swimmers, etc at the ghats," Deepak Prasad, district magistrate of Patna, said. A heavy rush of devotees is expected on the festival day and the authorities usually ban private-run boats from ferrying people. In 1995, 78 people had died when a boat capsized during the festival.

New Delhi, Oct 28: Prince Charles arrived in India on Tuesday to support efforts to save the former British colony's ancient heritage and promote its young entrepreneurs, but his visit is being clouded by a new book on Princess Diana.

Shortly before his arrival in New Delhi, newspapers and TV ran pieces on "A Royal Duty", written by the late Diana's former butler, and its revelations of her fears of a plot to kill her and details of her private life.

Burrell ignored an unprecedented plea from Diana's sons, princes William and Harry, and went ahead on Monday with publication of the book. With an initial 95,000 copies on sale in Britain and 700,000 in the United States, the book's most sensational revelation is that Diana predicted her own death in a car crash just 10 months before she died in a Paris road tunnel in 1997. It is also packed with personal letters and details about the famous infidelities of Diana and Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, before their break-up.

In Mumbai, Prince Charles will visit the set of the film, "The Rising", starring Bollywood's reigning queen and former Miss World, Aishwarya Rai and Aamir Khan. The movie, which also stars Toby Stephens, is based on an uprising in 1857 known as either the Indian Mutiny or the first war of independence. That led to Britain seizing control of most of the country from the British East India Company. This is Prince Charles' first visit to what was once the jewel in the crown of the British Empire since 1992, when Diana was photographed alone in front of the Taj Mahal in what became a defining image of their impending split.

New Delhi, Oct 23: At least seven people were reportedly killed and over 53 injured when a Bangalore-bound passenger train derailed near Palahalli Gate in Mandya district on Thursday morning. Railway officials confirmed the death of four women passengers, whose bodies were recovered at the accident site. However, other sources said at least seven persons died in the accident.

The injured have been admitted to K R Hospital, Apollo Hospital, and Mysore Railway Hosptial, the sources added. Giving details Mandya Superintendent of Police R. Hitendra said the incident reportedly occurred when four coaches overturned and one derailed soon after the daily passenger train running between Mysore and Bangalore left the Mysore station at 6.30 am. According to the sources, rescue operation was on and the derailed bogies were being searched to find if there were more casualties.

Railway Minister Nitish Kumar said a faulty wheel disc in one of the five derailed coaches of the passenger train caused the accident. Kumar announced an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh to the kin of those killed, Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured and Rs 5000 to those with minor injuries. Kumar said that the wheel discs were manufactured at the Durgapur steel plant in Bhilai, and that there had been previous instances of faulty wheels causing train mishaps in other parts of the country. He said that he had directed the Commissioner for Railway Safety to take steps to remove all faulty wheel discs. Meanwhile, a statutory inquiry has been ordered into the accident.

New Delhi, Oct 23: Prince Charles of Britain, who will be touring India from October 28 to November 5, will visit the historic towns of Jodhpur and Nagaur in western Rajasthan. Official sources said here on Thursday that the heir to the British throne would arrive in the Indian capital on November 2 and leave for Mumbai the next day. They said he would visit the historic Mehrangarh Fort and Ummaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur and the Ahichhatragarh Fort in Nagaur before leaving for Mumbai. Prince Charles, who last visited India in 1992, would be staying at the palace of Jodhpur's former ruler Gaj Singh.

New Delhi, Oct 22: Foreign women visiting New Delhi, hit by recent cases of rape, say fear is the least thing weighing on their mind. Two rape cases were reported in the city within a span of one week in which a Swiss diplomat was raped in a shocking incident during a film festival and a college student was raped by soldiers.

But for foreigners who come here to attain the bliss of India's traditions and culture, men do not pose any threat. "Yes, we are safe. The people here are very amazing people. They are safe and good people. Delhi is little mess now but it is good place," said Kristen, a German tourist. "We like the religion, different people and the rich colourful country but sometimes it's bit stressful for us because there are loads of people. And everyone wants to buy or sell something to you. Sometimes a lot of hassle to travel," said Moan, an Israeli tourist.

According to travel estimates, more than 2,000 foreign women visited India in 2002 and the number has increased to six percent this year. Police officials admit the incidents have dented the image of the city, but say people's confidence would regain once the cases are resolved. "Certainly it is very bad. It creates a bad impression, no doubt of that. But this one or two, it certainly has made a temporary kind of dent in the image of the place, or city or a security scenario. But certainly the Delhi police has the record of nabbing or solving any kind of serious cases and the professional competency and professional acumen and determination the Delhi police has, once the case is solved and the confidence is regained," said Dipendra Pathak, Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Of late, Delhi has become notorious for molestation and rape. Not far behind is Chennai metropolis having recorded the highest number of crimes against women. Mumbai, known to have a liberalised culture and a place where women are considered safe, recorded 127 cases this year. Expressing dissatisfaction at the security arrangements, Poornima Advani, chairperson of the National Commission for Women, said strict steps have to be taken to prevent such heinous crimes. "Besides that as security measures only for foreign visitors we have not done anything or sent any recommendation. We say that every person within our vicinity should be safe," said Advani on the sidelines of a joint conference on security for women with the Delhi police. Police say it is planning to start defence classes for women for self-protection.

Panaji, Oct 21: Boat service between Maharashtra and Goa is all set to resume after a gap of five years. Goa government officials on Monday said the service, which would start by month-end, would boost tourism.

"One thing it helps sea transport, second it invites a lot of tourism, it promotes tourism, helps lot of people coming by sea and is an alternative to other mode of transport...It's basically for the vessel company for what they offer, how they make this lucrative and how they provide this service," said A.P. Mascarenhas, Captain of Goan Ports.

Boat services between the coastal states were stopped in 1997. The new service between Gateway of India, Bombay, and Panjim in Goa, would carry 200 passengers in a single trip and one ticket would cost 1,500 rupees for economy class and 1,900 rupees for luxury class. The 225 nautical-miles-long route will be covered in seven to eight hours with a speed of around 35 knots. The new boat service is expected to attract more tourists to Goa, famed for its sunny beaches. The state receives nearly one million tourists every year, including 125,000 foreigners.

Uttarkashi, Oct 21: The Indian Army has begun a white-water rafting expedition in Uttarkashi. Five army officers and 42 soldiers are taking part in the nine- day expedition, which would cover a stretch of 176 kilometers between Uttarkashi and Hrishikesh. Army officials said the expedition was undertaken to toughen the soldiers. "The main aim of this sort of exercise is to train our army men in such a way that they are ready to face any kind of threats and dangers easily," Colonel Bishamber Dayal said. Endowed with abundant natural beauty, Uttaranchal has a huge potential for trekking, skiing and water sports. The state has plenty of water resources, which is ideal for water sports like rafting, canoeing and kayaking.

Siliguri, Oct 19: At least four tourists, including three women and a child, were killed and 11 others seriously injured when two ropeway cars operating between Singameri and Tukver in Darjeeling hill station of West Bengal detached from the cable and plummeted downhill, police said. The condition of the 11 injured, who were rushed to Darjeeling Sadar hospital, was stated to be serious.

The accident occurred when the cable supporting the ropeway cars snapped in between the second and third pillars, police added. Two other ropeway cars with eight to 10 passengers which dangled in mid-air in between the first and second pillars were safely brought down.

New Delhi, Oct 19: The celebration of the festival of Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, has witnessed a sea change in the last few years. The festival is hardly celebrated in its true traditional way as the evils of commercialisation have touched this otherwise very bright and simple festival.

This year, the national Capital has become host to various carnivals of Diwali melas, as they are popularly called. People are seen thronging such carnivals for mere fun. These carnivals are not part of any culture traditionally followed in the celebrations of this festival. They have all fun activities like joy rides, food stalls and also exhibition stalls put up by big companies.

However, the tradition is still alive. Candles and earthen lamps, which mark the festival, are lighted outside houses and people burn firecrackers. It is customary for people to buy new clothes and household utensils on this occasion. Exchange of sweets and gifts is an important element of Diwali. This time, for a fortnight shops selling sweets, dry fruits and utensils have been doing brisk business

Diwali, which falls in October-November, has its origins in the Hindu mythology. Legend has it that on this day, Lord Rama returned to his kingdom in Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana. Millions of earthen lamps and candles were said to have been lit to mark the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and victory over Ravana. The festival is also celebrated in honour of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. It is believed that Lakshmi enters only those homes that are clean and well-lit. Preparations begin many days before the festival. Houses are white-washed, new clothes are stitched and sweets and dry- fruits are ordered to be delivered to the homes of relatives and friends. On the Diwali day, Goddess Lakshmi is offered flowers, fruits and sweets and the traditional pooja is performed. Thereafter, people set off firecrackers.

Kushinagar (UP), Oct 19: A multi-religious complex in Kushinagar district, one of the principal centres of Buddhist pilgrimage, is attracting devotees and tourists from all over the world. The five-floor complex built on a six-acre plot in Ramkola town aims to bring religious harmony. The temple has the idols of gods and goddesses from different religions and great leaders under one roof.

Lal Govind Rao, a resident of Ramkola, says that the complex brings people of all religions together. "This temple is dedicated to all religions. It is a confluence of all religions, where people of all religions, all communities come and pay obeisance without any discrimination," he said. "Gods and goddesses of all religions are here, there are idols of saints of all religions, be it Christianity or Judaism. There are also idols of great men like Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose and others. It is a very good place, reminds you of the greatness of the world," Pervez Hussain, a Muslim devotee, said. People say Swami Bhagwananand, a local priest, was ordained by the Almighty to build a temple in Kushinagar. Kushinagar is the place where Lord Buddha left his corporeal self and attained enlightenment.

New Delhi/Pune, Oct 18: New Delhi and Pune appear to be in the grip of dengue, an unusually dangerous strain of tropical fever. In Delhi, ten people have died and 1250 other cases have been reported.

Dengue fever has struck Pune for the fifth consecutive year. Doctors are worried as it usually peaks in October and November. This year dengue has already claimed three lives in the first two weeks of October alone. R Gadia, a doctor in a Pune hospital, said dengue has struck right in the heart of Pune city. "This year we have again seen dengue starting from the heart of Pune now. And we see more than 300 patients being admitted in the hospital," he said. Lack of proper sanitation and waterlogging after unusually heavy rains have made matters worse.

In New Delhi, the number of cases of dengue fever has gone up in the last few days. According to the assistant medical superintendent of Delhi's Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital B.R. Chanda, around 400 patients are being treated in the hospital and some of them are serious. "About 400 patients, fever patients, are come to the hospital. Today we have admitted 29 patients. Yesterday we admitted 30. The day before yesterday there were 34 patients. Some of them are serious. Those who have bleeding tendencies, bleeding from nose, from cough. They are serious," Dr. Chander said.

The dengue virus is spread by the female mosquito Aedes Aegipti which usually breeds in stagnant water. Dengue fever, for which there is no vaccine, causes excruciating muscle and joint pains, high fever and severe headache. Its most virulent form can cause internal bleeding and then death. Dengue, also called backbone fever, runs its course in six to seven days.

Panaji, Oct 16 : Railway Minister Nitish Kumar has launched a prototype of the sky bus in Goa. The sky bus is essentially a single-coach electric powered train suspended 30 feet off the ground on overhead rails. Goa would be the first state in the country to introduce the new mode of city transport.

The sky bus is the brainchild of B Rajaram, managing director of the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, which is credited with laying the country's most treacherous rail route running by south-western coastline. "I am very happy that the Konkan Railways prototype for the sky bus has been showcased to the world. Thirty-four organisations have taken part to help showcase the sky bus prototype to the world. The Goa Chief Minister has presented a proposal to the Konkan Railways that they will fund the test drive for the sky bus," Kumar said.

For the test drive, the sky bus will be laid over a 10 kilometre stretch between two cities in Goa - Panaji and Mapusa. Railway officials say the environment-friendly bus which is estimated to cost 50 paisa per kilometre should save foreign exchange worth 10,000 crore rupees (approx 1,000 billion dollars) on the import of fossil fuels. The cost of construction of track is also estimated at 500 million rupees per kilometre as compared to around 1.50 billion rupees for a normal train track. India would be the first country in the world to use such a mode of public transport.

Swiss diplomat's rape: A blot on the Capital's image (Go to Top)

New Delhi, Oct 16: The rape of a European diplomat at the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in the national Capital has scared women film buffs. A 35-year old Swiss diplomat was raped on Tuesday when she was leaving for home after watching a movie at the festival. "It's quite frightening especially (to) somebody who is visiting this country. I would be very careful, definitely," Liza, a delegate from Australia, said on Wednesday.

The European diplomat was attacked in the parking lot of the cinema and restaurant complex in an upmarket area in the city. Medical examination of the victim has confirmed rape. Another woman, daughter of an Indian film-maker, was also attacked by two suspected robbers in the parking lot of the festival. Women journalists, covering the festival, described the rape as a blot on the Indian Capital's image.

"Image is already gone. India is not secure for females especially. Capital New Delhi is not the place for the ladies to walk not only at night but in daylight also. In Bombay, you see, I am not being partial - this is my country - but women walk in the middle of the night, taking a cab, walking, nothing happens. It (New Delhi) is the Capital under the nose of the government," said Mc Lair, a New Delhi-based journalist.

Why UK has introduced transit visas for Indians? (Go to Top)
-by Trevor Bernard

London, Oct16: The British government has explained why it is tightening visa controls on Indians transitting through the country on their way to other destinations. The measure is part of a wider programme to counter abuse of UK's asylum system and to break up gangs profiting from trade in illegal immigrants.

Under the new rule, Indian travellers (as well as nationals of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon and Lebanon) will need a Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV), unless they are travelling with valid documents to or from the US, Canada or certain European states. This is to prevent them using their transit time to gain illegal entry to the UK and, in many cases, to apply for asylum. In a statement, the government emphasised that it is committed to increasing the number of visitors and students from India, and pointed out that those who need to apply for a DATV may do so at any one of 11 visa application collection offices across the country at a cost of Rs. 2150.

It is believed that by giving waivers to those travelling to or from North America or certain European states, the numbers affected will be reduced to a minimum, and that possession of a DATV will make life easier for genuine transit passengers at airports and reduce the scope for delay. It is a fact that Indian nationals are responsible for a significant level of abuse of immigration controls. It is estimated that in the first half of this year, Indian nationals accounted for 40 percent of cases where passengers able to transit the UK without a visa sought to stay illegally or claim asylum. During 2002, about 2000 Indian nationals applied for asylum, of whom only five were successful. During the same period, 400 arrived without any documents and over 270 arrived with forged documents. Indian nationals accounted for the highest number of asylum applications made on arrival in the UK. The government accepts that the new rules will cause inconvenience to some travellers, but says it will work to ensure that the DATV applicants are dealt with as speedily as possible. It claims that the visa service in India is one of UK's most modern and efficient.