Destination India

Orissa (PART-X)

                                      Wildlife of Orissa (1)

Simlipal National Park

Orissa boasts of a diverse topography that consists of scrub jungles, valleys, dense evergreen forests, and hills, estuarine and manmade forests. The forest region of the state is around 38 percent of its total geographical area. The diversified ecological niches and environmental surroundings of Orissa provide outstanding habitat for a very rich fauna, not to mention a significant variety of flora as well. So it's pretty natural that many people from near and faraway lands come here lured by the Wildlife in Orissa. One such place worthy of mentioning is the Simlipal National Park, situated in the Mayurbhanj district in the Indian state of Orissa. Simlipal National Park derives its name from the abundance of Semul or red silk cotton trees that bloom vividly. The park has an area of 845.70 square kilometres (326.53 sq mi) and has some beautiful waterfalls like Joranda and Barehipani. Simlipal is home to ninety-nine Royal Bengal Tigers, 432 Wild elephants.  Besides Simlipal is famous for Gaurs (Indian Bisons) , Chausingha, as well as an orchidarium. The park is a floral treasure.  You can find about 82 species of orchids in the park. There are about 501 species of plants that belong to some 102 families.

The Simlipal reserve is flanked by handsome peaks of Khairiburu (1178 meters), Meghasani (1158 meters) that are covered with thick forests of Sal. Several Rivers like Budhabalanga, Khairi, Salandi; Palpala, etc. originate from the hills and meander through the forests running like veins in the body. Many of the rivers have formed cascading rapids and foaming falls before leaving for the plains. The waterfalls of Barehipani (400 meters) and Joranda (150 meters) are simply stupefying.

                              

Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary

Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary is an exquisite biodiversity combined with beautiful terrains and a Mangrove dominated ecosystem. The spectacular wildlife, birds and vegetation makes Bhitarkanika one of the most amazing wildlife sanctuaries in India. Located in the estuarine region of Brahmani- Baitrani in the state of Orissa the sanctuary continues to attract tourists all through the year.

Mangroves are spread all over the entire 625 km area of the Sanctuary including the wet and the marshy lands. The sanctuary has 55 different varieties of mangroves which are used as nesting ground by the migratory birds coming from Central Asia and Europe. Teak, Salaia, Bamboo, Hair, Babul, Zizphus, Kauriculata, Palas are the other significant flora of the region. The sanctuary is also the breeding location for the giant salt water crocodiles which includes the rare partially white crocodiles. The sanctuary also houses 215 species of birds which includes eight different varities of Kingfisher alone. Woodpecker, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Brahmany Ducks, Sea Gull, Hornbill, Waders, Bar Headed Geese etc are other avifauna of the region.
Pestilential reptiles like pythons and king cobras reside in the sanctuary. Water monitor lizards, flying fox, wild dogs, leopards, wild boar, four horned antelopes, Chinkara, Hyena, Blue Bull and Bear are the other important fauna which are flourishing within the protected area of Bhitarkanika National Park.

Kuldiha

Kuldiha presents typical mixture of Peninsular (coastal) Sal forests and moist mixed deciduous forests of Deccan peninsula. Small rivers emerging from the Kuldiha landscape are Tangana, Kamala, Basudhar, and Uastal Nala. The forested areas of the region feed to Budhabalanga through tributaries Sono in North and Gangahar in south.

There are two reservoirs in Kuldiha. The Rissia reservoir in northwest is over river Tangana and Sindhua reservoir in southeast is over Uastal nala. These to reservoirs have helped the crop and climate regime of the region.

Elephants that characterize the landscape are commonly seen in Kuldiha. The reservoirs attract the elephants round the year. Forests along the migration route of elephants from Kuldiha to Similipal and Hadagarh through the forests of Gogua, Ketakijhari, Balihudi and Kupari are fragmented but offers scope for revival. From the year 2004, tiger has been reported from Kuldiha. This could have been possible because of establishment of forest linkage with Similipal.

The Forest ecosystem of Kuldiha provides an ideal habitat for the largest herbivore, the Gaur as well as the burrowing Pangolin. There is a good population of Giant squirrel indicating that the forest canopy of Kuldiha is in good state.

Talk about India, from India with you

Good morning/Good afternoon/Good evening my friends, wherever you are! This is 4:00pm. 16^th December, Sunday in India. How are you friends? I’m doing quite well here. 2013 is knocking at the door! It has not been a smooth going for Indian music and cinema in this year. Many of our Matiny idols & Music “Gurus” passed away. Only five days back, we lost one of the most renowned musical personalities of our country, Ravi Shankar-ji. The Indian sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar died on 11 December at around 16:30 in a hospital near his home in Southern California. I want to share some words in his respect.
Shankarji worked as a composer & created the background music for the famous “pather panchali” (song of the road) by Satyajit Ray. He served as the music director of All India Radio from 1949 to 1956. He played the pioneer role in  increasing the popularity of Indian classical music in Europe and the United States.

Pandit Ravi Shankar

 Shankar-ji engaged Western music by writing concert for sitar and orchestra. From the year 1986 to 1992 he was nominated as a member of the upper chamber of the Parliament of India. Shankar was awarded India’s highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 1999, and received three Grammy Awards as well.

Mr Shankar loved to mix the music of different cultures. He collaborated with the flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal and the jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane, who had become fascinated with Indian music and philosophy in the early ’60s. Coltrane met with Shankar several times from 1964 to 1966 to learn the basics of ragas, talas and Indian improvisation techniques. Coltrane named his son Ravi after Mr Shankar. He also collaborated with several prominent Japanese musicians – Hozan Yamamoto, a shakuhachi player, and Susumu Miyashita, a koto player – on East Greets East, a 1978 recording in which Indian and Japanese influences intermingled.

That’s all for today! Hope you are enjoying the weekend with your family. Take very care of yourselves! Have a good day/ afternoon/evening/night! Namaskar.

Tips from the kitchen of an Indian homemaker

Today’s Tips

1. Friends, the Christmas is knocking the door and many of us would like to make Christmas cake in home. Add a little dry rice to sugar while grinding it for the cake. It will keep it from becoming lumpy.

2. Are you planning for a new shoe to rock the Christmas and New Year party? Rub the soles of new footwear (leather soled) with some sandpaper; it will keep the footwear from slipping on polished floors.

Beauty Tips :

1. In winter, usually we suffer from dry skin or skin breaks. Pour ½ spoon of castor oil and ½ spoon coconut oil in 1 bucket of hot water and use it for bathing. It will make your skin soft.

2. Mix Glycerin and Rose water in a proportion of 1:3. It is a natural moisturizer; use it for your hands and legs before go to bed. Store it in refrigerator and use daily.

Festivals of India in the month of December

Rann Utsav

Rann Utsav or the Rann Kutch Utsav is a cultural extravaganza organized at different locations within Kutch in Gujarat. The fair is like a mirror to the traditional art forms and culture of India.It is organized by the Gujarat tourism department to celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of the Kutch district.
The people of Kutch are known for their hospitality and warmth of conduct and the fair has the basic motive of highlighting the cultural splendor of Gujarat. Kutch is the most ecologically and ethnically diverse areas in the state of Gujarat. The people and geography of Kutch can be described by the hospitality, warmth and diversity of culture and communities found here.

Dance in Rann Kutch Utsav

The Rann Kutch Utsav held during the full moon time in winters every year is an unparalleled showcase of the ethnic widely different yet hugely diffused spectrum of Indian traditional art forms.  People from far and near gather during the festivities of Rann  Utsav to celebrate and salute the spirit and warmth that people of Kutch have inherited and protected.
The most enchanting experience in the Festival is the presentation of different art forms, dances, music during the shade of Full moon and in an aura of chilling winters. Many tourists from outside the state of Gujarat enjoy various tour packages that involve sihtseeing of the Kutch and adjoining areas during the fair.

In 2012, Rann Utsav will be celebrated from December 15^th to January 31^st.   

Lokranjan Dance Festival

Khajuraho Temple

Lokranjan is an extremely popular tribal dance festival held in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. The festival is organized by the Adivasi Lok Kala Academy. Lokranjan is generally organized during 8th to 12th December every year. The academy organizes the festival on behalf of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation.

The festival of Lokranjan is an example of excellent efforts from the Government to preserve Indian Culture and art forms.

A performance by local Folk Dance Group

During the festival different dance forms are conducted on a single platform. Artists from all over India gather here and symbolize cultural awareness. Khajuraho, an ancient town of Chandel dynasty is famous for its architecture and sculpture all over the world. The monuments at Khajuraho have been listed in the UNESCO’s World Heritage sites. One of the most popular tourist destinations in India, Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their erotic sculpture.

 In 2012, Lokranjan Dance Festival at Khajuraho will be celebrated from December 8th to December 11th.

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