Mahabaleshwar Trip

Mahabaleshwar  is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station located in the Western Ghats range. With one of the few evergreen forests of the world, it served as the summer capital of Bombay province during the British Raj.

Today, Mahabaleshwar is a popular holiday resort and honeymoon spot, and an important pilgrimage site for Hindus. It is the site of Mahabaleshwar Temple. Many tourists visit nearby Panchgani. After the construction of a new highway, it is only a five-hour drive from Mumbai. Mahabaleshwar is also known for the honey and strawberries produced here. One can visit strawberry farms to enjoy the real flavour of the fruit. It is said that the climate of Mahabaleshwar is ideal for Strawberries and Mulberries. One can also get a taste of "Strawberries with Cream"

The Venna lake is one of the major tourist attractions of Mahabaleshwar. The lake is surrounded by trees on all sides. A late winter evening boat ride through the slight fog is well appreciated. Tourists can enjoy a boat ride over the lake or a horse ride next to the lake. A number of small eateries line the banks of the lake. The Mahabaleshwar city market and the S.T. bus stand is about 2KM from the lake and makes for a nice walk during the day. Most tour operators include the Venna lake in their tours. Most buses, private vehicles will stop at the Venna lake on their way to Mahabaleshwar on request.

With another popular and scenic hill resort Panchgani in close vicinity (about 20KM), most tourists often visit both places together. The 'Table-Land' phenomenon of nature at Panchgani is breath-taking

Pratapgarh Fort

The Maratha king Shivaji commissioned Moropant Trimbak Pingle, his prime minister, to undertake the construction of this fort in order to defend the banks of the Nira and the Koyna rivers, and to defend the Par pass. It was completed in 1656.

The Battle of Pratapgarh between Shivaji and Afzal Khan was fought below the rampants of this fort on November 10, 1659. This was the first major test of the fledgling kingdom's army, and set the stage of the establishment of the Maratha empire.

Pratapgad continued to be involved in regional politics. Sakharam Bapu, a well-known minister of Pune, was confined by his rival Nana Phadnis in Pratapgad in 1778. He was later moved from fort to fort until he finally died at Raigad. In 1796, Nana Phadnis, while escaping from the intrigues of Daulatrao Shinde and his minister Baloba, assembled a strong garrison in Pratapgad before heading to Mahad.

In 1818, as part of the Third Anglo-Maratha War, Pratapgad surrendered by private negotiation. This was a great loss to the Maratha forces, as Pratapgad was an important stronghold, had a large garrison, and could suppress much of the country round Wai.

A 17-foot high equestrian bronze statue of Shivaji was unveiled by Jawaharlal Nehru, then Prime Minister of India, on the 30th of November 1957, the same year a road was constructed by the Public Works Department from Kumbhrosi village up to fort. A guest house and a national park were built inside the fort in 1960.

The fort is currently owned by Udayan Raje Bhosale, the heir of the Satara princely state

Taj Hotel Mumbai

The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower is a five-star hotel located in the Colaba region of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, next to the Gateway of India. Part of the Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, this building is considered the flagship property of the group and contains 565 rooms. From a historical and architectural point of view, The Taj Mahal Palace and the Tower are two distinct buildings, built at different times and in different architectural designs.

The hotel has hosted notable guests such as The Beatles, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Bill Clinton, Jacques Chirac, The King & Queen of Norway, The Duke & Duchess of Kent, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, Roger Moore, Joan Collins, Mick Jagger, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Deep Purple, Michael Palin, Hillary Clinton, Michelle, Barack Obama & Oprah Winfrey as well as professional cricket teams on tour.The Taj Mahal Palace hotel resort was commissioned in Indo-Saracenic style by Tata and first opened its doors to guests on 16 December 1903.It is widely believed that Jamsedji Tata decided to build the hotel after he was refused entry to one of the city's grand hotels of the time, Watson's Hotel, as it was restricted to "whites only". However, this story has been challenged by some commentators that suggest that Tata was unlikely to have been concerned with 'revenge' against his British adversaries. Instead they suggest that the Taj was built at the urging of editor of The Times of India who felt a hotel "worthy of Bombay" was needed.The original Indian architects were Sitaram Khanderao Vaidya, Ashok kumar and D. N. Mirza, and the project was completed by an English engineer, W. A. Chambers. The builder was Khansaheb Sorabji Ruttonji Contractor who also designed and built its famous central floating staircase. The cost of construction was £250,000 (£127 million today).[2] During World War I, the hotel was converted into a 600-bed hospital. The dome of the hotel is made from steel as used in the Eiffel Tower. Jamsedji Tata imported the same steel during that time. The hotel was the first in India to install and operate a steam elevator. The hotel imported American fans, German elevators, Turkish baths and English butlers, for the first time in India.

Feminism

Until very recently, Indian magazine advertisements continued to portray women in their stereotypical images. A woman was either shown in the kitchen cooking food, washing a bucketful of clothes, bandaging wounds or feeding her husband and children. Therefore, the picture that emerged was that of a woman who never produced knowledge or wealth but always consumed and remained a sort of hanger-on to her male. The status of women in India has raised many a controversy and headed many a movement. With the passage of time, the Indian woman's role has metamorphosed from a domestic manager to a prime purchaser. She has now emerged as a potential consumer, ready to redefine her status in the worldwide economy, and her contribution to the society is no longer confined to being solely a progenitor. Traditionally, the role of wife and mother has been seen as a woman's destiny and her only career choice.

For years, she remained totally dependent on her husband financially and chose to remain unaware of the world outside her home. It was the man who was the consumer for the whole family and thus a target for marketers. However, in the last 40 years, the rapid strides in education and employment have paved the way for drastic changes in the status of women-the latter have become self-reliant and also share enhanced emotional bonds with their husbands. From the woman confined to the domestic sphere to the liberated woman of the 21st century, from the woman totally dependent on a man to the totally independent career woman of today, women have made their way through and have evolved as individuals in their own right. And as far as the notion of consumers is concerned, women have become the target market for products and services in India.The implicit assumption that the history is a specifically male affair came under attack by feminist historians around 1970. It was fed by the need of the new feminist movement for a historical identity for women and by the professional pride of feminist historians who argued that mainstream history was one-sided, distorted and incomplete. Women appeared to have no historical significance. In most historical narratives they were either absent, of marginal importance or an exception to their gender.

Women’s history has formulated a multifaceted answer to this one-sided story. In the space of twenty-five years it has developed into a specialized field which meant in the words of Joan Kelly-Gadol (1970) – ‘to restore women to history and to restore our history to women’. In the course of time, interest shifted from documenting specific women’s traditions and culture to more theoretical considerations of the role of gender in the construction of the history. In other words, the desire to demonstrate that women were historically as important as men, resulted in curiosity about the ways in which the history of women differed from that of men. Eventually women’s history developed explicit critiques of historical knowledge. This development reflects an analogous shift of focus to other areas of women’s studies.

Stop Female Foeticide

A short clip on female foeticide

Anurupa Biswas...the living legend

Anurupa Biswas, the famous litterateur of Assam, took a little time to understand that it is difficult for a woman to aspire for the litterateur tag. She started writing while the nation was still reeling under British rule and being constantly encouraged by her husband, her first book could be published only in 1962.  

 Most of her poems deal with changing aspects of life ,starting right from Indian freedom struggle in “Bidroher Deshe” to struggle for language recognition in “19^th May Ayushmaan Ho” to her most recent book on women “Barak Upotyokar Nari Jagaraner Kotha”. She thus considers herself as the “Daughter of Time”.  And although recognition of her work came late, it did come in the form of literary pension of which she is the only recipient from the entire North East region which she received without even applying for it.

 In the year 1946 she wrote her first manuscript and it was not published as raising voice for women was impossible that time. During  the 60’s she got married ,and despite family responsibility, she wrote another manuscript “Jeebon Tomar Sheeyore”.  But it was a difficult time both family and finance wise but after great struggle came her first published book named “Kichu Kichu Briksha Ache Bole”.

 She was always confident not to deny her the right to write as a woman and for women despite living with constraints. In the year 1980 when the state of Assam became strife torn,she wrote “Bideshi  Bitaron”. Later she wrote songs, stories also. Some of her famous poems are “Trishnar ????” , “Kay Tor Bor” , “Chora Dilam Chorea” and many such poems.

The Hanging Gardens

The Hanging Gardens, Mumbai, in Mumbai, India, also known as Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens, are terraced gardens perched at the top of Malabar Hill, on its western side, just opposite the Kamala Nehru Park. They provide sunset views over the Arabian Sea and feature numerous hedges carved into the shapes of animals. The park was laid out in 1881 over Bombay's main reservoir, some say to cover the water from the potentially contaminating activity of the nearby Towers of Silence.

Hanging Gardens also known as Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens are the perfectly manicured terraced gardens on the slopes of the Malabar Hill, just opposite the Kamala Nehru Park. Providing a calming view of Sunset over the Arabian Sea, the Hanging Gardens have been carved into the shapes of animals. The park, which was laid out in 1881 over Bombay’s main reservoir, owes its name to the renowned barrister Pherozshah Mehta. You can be a part of healthy stroll down the Hanging garden early in the morning and in the evening and rejuvenate your energy level amidst the soft caressing breeze that blow from the Arabian Sea. With gaping vibrancy of natural beauty there is a modern expanse of the city down hills. You have a panoramic view of sweeping Chowpatty Beach and scintillating Marine Drive from the Ferozeshah Mehta Ggarden that has no less than an awe-inspiring expression from the onlookers.Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens serves as a picturesque retreat for the people of Mumbai. Suspended over Malabar Hills, the garden presents a picturesque vista of the dazzling city. It is actually a terraced garden that sprawls on the slope of the hill. Perhaps this is the reason of its being named as the Hanging Gardens. The garden is located on the western side of the hills, opposite the renowned Kamala Nehru Park. Perched at the top of Malabar Hill, on its western side, just opposite the Kamala Nehru Park, these terraced gardens, also known as Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens, provide lovely sunset views over the Arabian Sea. The park was laid out in the early 1880s over Bombay’s main reservoir, some say to cover the water from the potentially contaminating activity of the nearby Towers of Silence.

The main attraction regarding this garden is that offers a lovely view of the sunset across the horizon of the Arabian Sea. Another interesting feature comprises of its several hedges that have been fashioned into different shapes of animals. Besides the above-mentioned features, you can see a striking flower clock in the middle of the garden. In 1881, Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens was laid out over the main reservoir of the Bombay city of India. Also known as Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens, the Hanging Gardens were built in 1880 and renovated in 1921. These gardens are popularly known as Hanging Gardens, because of their location on the slope of a hill. The terrace garden looks south from Malabar Hill towards Colaba, and affords a panoramic view of the city or a breathtaking sunset. It is built over three reservoirs, which store 30 million gallons of water pumped here for cleaning before being supplied to the town. First built in the early 1800s over Mumbai’s main Reservoir, the garden is also believed to be constructed, to deal with the contaminated waters from the nearby ‘towers of Silence’. The hanging garden is located on the Malabar hills and hence is blessed with a distinct view of the sunset over the Arabian Sea. The garden is famous for its lush green cover and the numerous hedges that are carved into the shape of animals. The garden is built over three reservoirs, which store 30 mullion gallons of water, which is pumped for cleaning before being supplied to the town. Thus the Hanging Gardens (Ferozeshah Mehta Garden) in Mumbai . Serves a very important purpose besides being a place of leisure for tourists. This beautiful garden can be reached from all parts of the city by buses, cabs and even local trains. Kamla Nehru Park (or) Hanging Garden is located at Walkeshwar near Girgaon Chowpatty beach with beautiful big Childrens gardens, Donno why its is called Hanging garden ? This place is also a famous sight seeing places, where from a particular point a person can see a lovely view of Mumbai chowpatty Beach and complete Queens necklace. Also there is a old monument called “Boot House” or “Old Womens Shoe” made up of Stone just for entertainment and a Good ride for children.This garden is one of the very famous and oldest gardens since old Mumbai.

A visit to Elephanta caves

trimurti at elephanta caves

The Elephanta Caves  are a network of sculpted caves located on Elephanta Island, or Gharapuri (literally "the city of caves") in Mumbai Harbour, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the east of the city of Mumbai in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The island, located on an arm of the Arabian Sea, consists of two groups of caves—the first is a large group of five Hindu caves, the second, a smaller group of two Buddhist caves. The Hindu caves contain rock cut stone sculptures, representing the Shaiva Hindu sect, dedicated to the god Shiva.

The rock cut architecture of the caves has been dated to between the 5th and 8th centuries, although the identity of the original builders is still a subject of debate. The caves are hewn from solid basalt rock. All the caves were also originally painted in the past, but now only traces remain.

The island was called Gharapuri and was a Hindu place of worship until Portuguese rule began in 1534. The Portuguese called the island Elephanta on seeing its huge gigantic statue of an Elephant at the entrance. The Statue is now placed in the garden outside the Bhau Daji Lad (erstwhile Victoria & Albert) Museum at the Jijamata Udyan (erstwhile Victoria Gardens) at Byculla in Mumbai. This cave was renovated in the 1970s after years of neglect, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 to preserve the artwork. It is currently maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India