Category Archives: Travel

50 lakhs take holy dip on Maghi Purnima in Sangam

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Travel
With the Maghi Purnima snan, majority of kalpwasis started leaving the mela campus with unforgettable memories (TOI photo)

Sangam (Allahabad):

Amid tight security arrangements and pleasant weather conditions, around 50 lakh devotees, saints and Kalpwasi, on Friday, took a holy dip in the Sangam – the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati – on the occasion of Maghi Purnima, virtually the last bathing day of the ongoing Magh Mela.

The Maghi Purnima snan also marked the culmination of Magh month as well as month-long kalpwas. Around 50,000 kalpwasis, performing the rituals and seeking salvation on the banks of Ganga for the past one month, started leaving on the banks of Ganga after completing all rituals.

SSP, Allahabad, Shalabh Mathur told TOI, ” No untoward incident was reported, and the snan passed off peacefully.

Meanwhile, Magh Mela officer, Ashish Mishra told TOI ” with devotees and pilgrims arrived from all directions, there was heavy rush of devotees at all 17 ghats since wee hours and majority of them started returning due to badhra period.

He, however, said a strict vigil was being maintained in and around mela campus with senior police officials regulating the crowd at both entry and exit points.

With the Maghi Purnima snan, majority of kalpwasis started leaving the mela campus with unforgettable memories. The kalpwasis had also completed all the rituals before leaving the ganga banks. The strength of devotees returning had swelled manifold on exit routes.

Mela police officials claimed “devotees hailing from rural backgrounds started to congregate on the banks since Thursday night. Devotees threw themselves into the waist-deep water, forcing the Jal police personnel to intervene and stop them from going into deep water.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Allahabad News / by Kapil Dixit, TNN / February 10th, 2017

Lucknow girl’s trip to highest lake fetches her a national record

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports, Travel
Vartika is the first woman biker to reach Tsa Lhamo, which is the highest lake in India

Lucknow :

It was her passion and the desire to make a name for herself while pursuing it that 27-year-old Vartika Jain Srivastava put her motorbike in full throttle, felt the wind in her hair, meandered through rough roads and became the ‘first woman biker’ to reach the highest lake in the country, Tsa Lhamo, also called the Cholamu lake, in North Sikkim.

For her feat, the young woman has booked herself a place in the Limca Book of Records. While she made the trip between May 3-13, 2016, it was on Friday that the Limca book certified her national record.

As she covered over 2,616 kilometre from Lucknow to the lake situated at a height of 5,330 metre (17,490 feet) in less than 10 days, Vartika was accompanied by three close companions. Her husband Ambar, their friend Atul Ghosh and Vartika’s younger brother Pratyaksh, all of whom were also featured as the first group to reach the highest lake on a continuous bike journey in Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records. Additionally Pratyaksh, at 20, became the youngest male rider for the same in the two books.

“It took me three months to get permission for the lake which is under the Army and cannot be accessed by civilians otherwise. Once I made it to the lake, the view was mesmerising. The water is in shades of green, blue and even purple with frozen edges, ice-capped mountains on one end and clean sand spread over acres on the other. The oxygen levels are low so we had to be quick,” she said.

Recalling the most difficult part of the journey, Vartika said, “Lachen is about 55 kilometre from the lake but it took us almost five to six hours to get there because of the bad roads. The end made it worth it all.” Starting as a rider only in 2007 when her husband, who was a friend back then, pushed her to learn riding, Vartika hasn’t looked back. She was the winner in the women’s open motocross category in Lucknow first motorsports contest held in April, 2016. She has also been featured in the Asia as well as India books of record.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow News> Lucknow Girl / by Yusra Husain, TNN / January 28th, 2017

Women pilot Lucknow’s first Metro run

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Travel

Lucknow :

When the Lucknow Metro first chugged down the elevated corridor on Kanpur Road for trials on Thursday, it became a matter of pride for Lucknowites to see two women piloting the train on the priority section.

It is a conscious decision by the Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) to give the opportunity to women so that they get a chance to prove their mettle before public in handling high-tech Metro trains.

“We have chosen two women operators to drive the Metro train before the CM and public for the first time. Our women train operators are so confident and excited to drive it that they wished to take lead in the trials. They have undergone rigorous training, both at the Centre of Excellence of LMRC and hands-on training at the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation,” LMRC MD Kumar Keshav told TOI.

He added that “LMRC is a progressive and coherent organization which believes in giving opportunities to both boys and girls”.

With this, Lucknow becomes the first city in the country where women operators commence Metro trials.

The two women taking the lead are Pratibha and Prachi Sharma, both from Allahabad. Pratibha has done B Tech in electronics and communication engineering from SRMSCET, Bareilly while Prachi did her diploma in electrical engineering from IERT, Allahabad. Both joined LMRC as station controller-cum-train operators on June 9.

The decision is a welcome break from the tradition as train operators’ job is generally considered a male preserve. There were a total of 97 vacancies for train operators’ job in Lucknow Metro, for which 3,827 applications had poured in from women candidates. This is 19% of the total applications LMRC received for the job. LMRC was in for a surprise to get an overwhelming response from the state’s women for heavy-duty technical jobs.

LMRC recruited a total of 21 women station controller-cum-train operators as a part of UP government’s 20% horizontal reservation policy for women in government jobs. Except for Chennai, most of the other cities with metro train systems have just 1-2% women operators. Even the Delhi Metro has only three-four women operators driving trains.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India /News> City News> Lucknow News / by Priyanka Singh / TNN / December 01st, 2016

Lucknow girl wins ‘PETA India’s cutest vegetarian next door’ contest

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Travel
Allankrita Sarkar, a 23-year-old LLB student of Lucknow University, beat nine other female finalists to bag the ‘PETA India’s Cutest Vegetarian Next Door’ online contest. (Ashok Dutta/HT photo)
Allankrita Sarkar, a 23-year-old LLB student of Lucknow University, beat nine other female finalists to bag the ‘PETA India’s Cutest Vegetarian Next Door’ online contest. (Ashok Dutta/HT photo)

Allankrita Sarkar, a 23-year-old LLB student of Lucknow University, beat nine other female finalists to bag the ‘PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) India’s Cutest Vegetarian Next Door’ online contest. Allankrita will feature on PETA’s website and will also receive a certificate, sash and trophy.

Vaibhav Upadhyay of Indore won in the men’s category. Winners were selected based on several factors, including vote count.

The contest was aimed at selecting youngsters who could help create awareness on issues concerning animals, urge people to go vegetarian and raise their voice against cruelty to animals.

“I feel that I won this competition as the blessings of animals are very powerful. I have a strong connection with animals and yes, my friends and relatives also voted for me. Winning this contest will hopefully help me in raising people’s awareness regarding animals. I am looking forward to helping more animals in need,” said an elated Allankrita, adding that she went vegetarian after witnessing a chicken being cut up at a butcher’s shop.

“I turned vegetarian when I was in class 6. I saw a chicken being cut at a meat shop. It was a scary sight. Its cries still echo in my ears,” she said.

Allankrita has three pets at home and is also taking care of 8-10 street dogs of her locality in Aliganj. “I prepare food for the street dogs in my colony. They come to my gate at different times of the day to eat it,” she said.

“I feed all the dogs of my locality and look after their basic first aid. I also create shelters for them during winters. People in my locality call me if they find any animal in distress,” she added.

Allankrita comes from a family where early on she was taught to be compassionate towards animals. “I carry a first aid box in my scooty. In case I find any needy animal on the road, I stop there to treat it,” said the youngster who works with the animal welfare NGO Jeev Ashraye.

Neerja Khede, PETA India campaigns coordinator said, “Whether it’s about improving your health, reducing pollution from greenhouse gases or sparing animals from suffering and terror in factory farms and slaughterhouses, going vegetarian is always a winning proposition.”

Vaibhav, the male winner of the competition, strongly opposed harming and killing animals. He believes that the beauty of nature lies in animals and plants.

A communication from PETA read: “While the consumption of animal-derived foods contributes to a person’s risk of developing cancer, heart disease, obesity and other ailments, a plant-based lifestyle can give us clearer skin, help prevent heart attacks and even reverse heart diseases”.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Education / by Rajeev Mullick, Hindustan Times,Lucknow / November 02nd, 2016

World’s first official airmail was delivered in Sangam city in 1911

Amazing Feats, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Allahabad :

Sangam city had been witness to a historic occasion when the world’s first official airmail delivery took place on February 18, 1911. French pilot Henri Pequet took off on a bi-plane from Parade ground with 6,500 letters for the satellite town of Naini to raise funds for charity. The plane covered five miles in around 13 minutes to land at Naini. It was later termed as the world’s first official airmail

“The chaplain of Holy Trinity Church (presently situated on Sarojini Naidu Marg) required money to raise funds for a new hostel. In a unique coincidence, British commander Walter G Windham was in the city with airplane related machines and an imported aeroplane to participate in a cultural and handicraft exhibition on Parade Ground,” said R N Yadav, senior post master, Allahabad region.

“Later, fate brought the clergyman to Windham. He persuaded Windham to perform an aerial show to raise fund for the construction of a hostel. Windham later conceived the aerial show as as an airmail delivery event, which became historic due to its importance,” Yadav said adding that it was the world’s first officially documented airmal delivery.

“Windham felt that it could be advertisement for the exhibition as well as a demonstration of rapid and safe transportation of mails. Thus, the idea of the world’s first official airplane mail was born. Those interested in availing the service were asked to send their mail addressed and stamped to the chaplain of the Holy Trinity Church,” Yadav told TOI.

Philatelist Suryakant Awasthi said, “The clergyman had asked nominal sum of six annas per letter as a contribution for building the new hostel building. Only cards or letters weighing under one ounce in weight were accepted. A large number of people participated as the occasion was unique and letters addressed to people all over the globe were received.”

The letters include those addressed to Jawaharlal Nehru, King George V and several maharajas.

He said pilot Pequet was entrusted with the task of flying the Sommer bi-plane, which had a rotary Gnome engine of 50 horsepower. Pequet started at 5 pm and the landing took place after 13 minutes near Naini junction. When Pequet descended, there was no crowd to greet him. He merely handed over the mail bag to the only post department official present there and returned to Allahabad.

Pequet flew the plane at the speed of 60 miles per hour at a height of 120-150 feet.

The postal department, alongwith the Air Force, enacted the flying of world’s first air-mail as part of centenary celebrations on February 18, 2011, with equal number of letters but from Bamrauli airport to Naini.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City News> Allahabad / Vinod Khanal / TNN / October 15th, 2016

Two from city get first Kalam award

Business & Economy, Records, All, Travel

Lucknow:

Two key personalities from the city have won the first edition of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Award for ‘Innovation in Governance’.

Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation managing director Kumar Keshav and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) chief operating officer Jayant Krishna were awarded for showing exemplary work in improving governance and delivering value to the citizens.

The awards were given on Saturday during the memorial summit organized at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, to commemorate Kalam’s 85th birth anniversary.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City News> Lucknow / TNN / October 16th, 2016

Stories of UP attract travel writers

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Travel, World Opinion

Lucknow:

For travel blogger NP Prasad, Uttar Pradesh is a “land of many Indias in one place.” “Everything you can think about India is there is Uttar Pradesh. “Each of these has an interesting story behind,” said Prasad.

Prasad is a part of a team of 44 travel writers and bloggers from across the world who were here to participate in the second edition of the UP Travel Writers’ Conclave.

Organised by Uttar Pradesh Tourism and Worldwide Media Private Limited, the effort aims at promoting places of interest in and around Agra, Varanasi and Lucknow – the three destinations in the Heritage Arc, the tourist corridor being developed by UP government.

The itineraries, which span four days, cover the length and breadth of the three cities that form the core of Uttar Pradesh’s cultural heritage.

The participants would get to explore the various facets of the state — from food, heritage to wildlife, textiles and landscapes. The travels will culminate into a travel writers’ conclave in Varanasi on October 16.

Fourteen persons of the large group chose Lucknow over Varanasi and Agra. Their journey began on Wednesday with the inauguration ceremony at chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s residence here. In his interaction with team, the chief minister said: “Historic places in UP are interesting because of interesting anecdotes of existence besides their living traditions. I think you will have enough material to pen down.”

“I have come to see the heart of Uttar Pradesh,” said Lakshmi Sharath from Bengaluru. She has been to Agra earlier but is convinced that the land of the Taj is not UP’s heart. “It’s too touristy,” she remarked adding, “I look forward to the crafts and culture and their stories in Lucknow.”

Travel journalist from Delhi Malavika Bhattacharya confessed that Lucknow appeared to be more beautiful than her expectation. “I can feel a good mix of architecture and food in Lucknow,” she said.

Award-winning travel journalist from Ireland Isabel Conway was also impressed by the partly-Colonial nature of Lucknow’s heritage. “I have to visit the Residency,” said the resident of Ireland.

Anita Raokashi is another foodie travel writer from Bengaluru. “I look forward to the original Tundey (famous kebab makers in Lucknow),” she said . Sejal, editor of Mumbai based nature and focus portal, was more interested in getaways from Lucknow. All set for Dudhwa and Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuaries, she said, “Wildlife in UP is being talked about.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City News> Lucknow / by Shailvee Sharda / TNN / October 14th, 2016

Kumbh’s ‘lost-and-found’ baba passes away

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Travel

KumbhLostnFoundBabaLUCKNOW22aug2016

Allahabad :

Raja Ram Tiwari or ‘Bhule Bhatke Walon ke Baba’, known to the world as the one who ran ‘lost and found camp’ on the banks of the Sangam during Kumbh and Magh Melas for the past 71 years, died here on Saturday. He was 88. Tiwari, according to a conservative estimate, united over 14 lakh adults and around 21,000 children with their families during his self-less service spreading over seven decades. His latest passion was cleaning the Ganga.

“Babuji initiated his new venture, that of undertaking massive cleaning work of Ganga from Purnima (full moon) of April and wanted to do the same on every Purnima, but could not do much,” said Umesh Tiwari, youngest among his four sons. Raja Rama has left behind a family of 28 members including 20 grandchildren and his wife Shanti Devi (85 yrs) who lives in his native village of Gura Pure Badal of Nandu Ka Pura, Raniganj Tehsil of Pratapgrah district.

Starting the noble cause at the age of 18 along with his nine associates (in 1946), Raja Ram continued his work relentlessly for the past 71 years, starting from a handmade crude loudspeaker to a full-fledged camp having a strong team of over 150 volunteers during the previous Kumbh Mela in 2013.

When asked how his work will move forward, his long-term associate Pushkar Upadhayay said, “Such selfless service cannot stop after the demise of a person, especially the one who started it. No doubt we will miss his guidance in running the camp, but at any cost his name and work would continue, with more passion and commitment.”

Although the iconic man earned several awards and citations, including being featured in TV programme Aaj Ki Raat Hai Zindagi (broadcast on October 15, 2015), his family members feel that his services were not recognized by the Central government.

As his body was brought from his native village to his house at Om Gayatri Nagar colony of the city, several senior officials of the district administration and prominent citizens visited his house to pay their last respect.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / by Rajeev Mani / TNN / August 22nd, 2016

Visitors show interest in Azad’s urn displayed in Lucknow museum

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Records, All, Travel
The urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar "Azad" displayed at the State Museum in Lucknow (TOI photo)
The urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar “Azad” displayed at the State Museum in Lucknow (TOI photo)

Lucknow :

As the nation steps into its 70th year of Independence, the urn containing the ashes of freedom fighter and revolutionary Chandra Shekhar “Azad” completed its 40 years in the UP State Museum, located within the precincts of Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden (formerly called Lucknow Zoo).

The urn was kept at a special gallery for the visitors as a part of Jashn-e-Azadi celebrations to mark the 70th Independence Day. However, much about the special urn is unknown to the public. Sunday, the eve of the Independence Day sprang a surprise for a few visitors, who while visiting the State Museum were amazed to see the urn containing the ashes of Azad, and that they had never noticed it during their earlier visits.

Elaborating further about the urn containing the ashes of Azad, director of State Museum, Yashwant Singh Rathore, said, “After the cremation of Chandra Shekhar ‘Azad’, some of his ashes was kept in safe custody of Shiv Vinayak Mishra (Azad’s uncle). The ashes kept in the urn have been kept as a memory of the revolutionary.” He further stated that the historical procession (Shobhaa Yatra) of the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad started on August 1, 1976 from Varanasi’s Vidyapeeth and reached the State Museum in Lucknow on August 10, 1976.

Born in 1887 in Unnao’s Beeghapur, Shiv Vinayak Mishra was a freedom fighter who participated in the Satyagraha movement called by Mahatma Gandhi and also in the Non-Cooperation Movement from 1930-32.

When Chandra Shekhar grew up, he left his parent’s place and fled to Banaras. His uncle Pandit Shiv Vinayak Mishra used to stay there. Chandra Shekhar took some help from him, and made some arrangements to get admission in the Sanskrit College.

Aadesh Shukla, who visited the Lucknow State Museum along with his friends was amazed to tumble upon the urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad. “I had visited the museum earlier, but it seems that I had always missed the urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad. Anyway thanks to Jashn-e-Azadi, I not only saw the urn, but also clicked its photo,” Shukla said.

Anupam Mishra, while reacting to development was of the view that the Uttar Pradesh government must give adequate publicity to this special urn, which contains the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad kept in State Museum, Lucknow. “Some of the amount of money spent on the advertisements by the UP government could be easily diverted to give some publicity to this,” Mishra said.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Swarajya Party of India headed by Anupam Mishra fielded Azad’s great-grandson Rajeev Mishra alias Raju from the Unnao parliamentary constituency.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / Arunav Sinha / TNN / August 16th, 2016

Tourist spot to glorify Kakori train action

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Travel

KakoraTrainActionLUCKNOW12aug2016

Lucknow:

Kakori Train Action Smarak will be developed as a tourist place with auditorium, library and cafeteria on a PPP (public-private partnership) model.

District Tourism Promotion Parishad has sanctioned Rs 50 lakh for development of Kakori Smarak and work will begin in October 2016 to be completed by March 2017.

District magistrate Raj Shekhar said, “Lucknow district administration has submitted a proposal of nearly Rs 4.5 crore to the tourism department for the overall development of the Kakori Smarak area as tourism destination.

“The proposed library at the Kakori Smarak will have most of the books dedicated to the freedom struggle, including the Kakori Train Action and other prominent historical incidents,” said the DM.

He added that apart from history books, literature pertaining to tourist places in Lucknow will also find place in the library.

The auditorium will be used for screening 10-minute documentary films in English and Hindi on Kakori Train Action showing the glorious revolutionaries of the freedom struggle.

Lucknow district administration is celebrating the ‘Festival of Freedom’ titled ‘Swadheenta Saptah’. In the celebrations there will be a series of eventsbased on freedom. The events began on Tuesday and will conclude on August 15.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / August 10th, 2016