For this trip, we booked a hotel in Bhimtal. It suited me as I always prefer to stay away from crowded center-of-tourist-attraction places. Earlier also when I visited Nainital in 2012, I stayed in Pangot instead of Nainital.

I woke up at 3:00am on Friday night. I had already packed my small bag and camera last evening. I freshened up, picked my backpack and reached Gayatri-Anand’s place. We had decided to take this journey in their Maruti Vagon-R. We had contracted a professional driver to drive us into the hills. Gayatri, Anand, their cute child Pakhi and I began the journey from Mehrauli at around 4:00am. Anand was driving as we were to meet our driver near Rashtrapati Bhawan. Durgesh, our driver, was found waiting for us and he promptly took control of the steering wheel. It was still dark when we began journey to exit Delhi.

We took the route of NH 24 (Delhi > Ghaziabad > Hapur > Garhmukteshwar > Rampur) and then we turned on to NH 87 (Rampur > Rudrapur > Haldwani > Kathgodam > Bhimtal).

Our first stop was at a tea stall in Hapur. We got out of car, stretched our legs and enjoyed hot steaming tea in earthen cups. Although I had woken up at 3:00am but still I was not feeling sleepy. By now, sun was up and it was time for me to train my camera on the world around me. I took out my camera, loaded it with freshly charged A4 batteries and began clicking.

Chai at a roadside tea-stall

After having tea we decided not to stop for next 3-4 hours as we wanted to reach Bhimtal as early as possible. Road condition all the way up to Bhimtal is pretty good. We only had to slow down in Rampur and Rudrapur as we passed through inhabited areas. Later we realized that it would be better if you take Rampur bypass road right after Kosi overbridge. This bypass would be about 20 kilometers longer but you’ll go at higher speed.

We stopped at a dhaba just before Haldwani at around 11:00am to have breakfast. We ordered stuffed parathas and tea. After eating and resting for a half an hour we were again on the road. Elevation into the hills began after Kathgodam. If you are traveling by train, Kathgodam is the last station. From here you can catch taxis or buses to reach hill stations like Nainital, Almora, Ranikhet, Mukteshwar etc. Durgesh drove uphill slowly and that saved us from that nasty feeling of dizziness and nausea.

Kathgodam Railway Station

We checked in the Hotel Lake Inn at around 1:00pm.

Hotel Lake Inn, Bhimtal

Our lake facing room provided a beautiful view of the lake. Not many boats were there in the lake at that time.

Bhimtal lake

We rested for a while and then went to the Bhimtal lake. Activities like boating and kayaking are available in Bhimtal. They charge about Rs. 250 for boating. You can also go for paragliding for Rs. 700. Gayatri, Anand and Pakhi went for a 20 minutes boat ride. As we felt hungry, we ate pizza from a local pizza joint at Bhimtal. It was delicious!

Paragliding launch pad at Bhimtal

At around 4:00pm we again got into our car to go to Nainital. On the way, we saw clouds were forming in the hills. The views were stunning but the same clouds were threatening to come heavily down on us. As it was peak season and that too a Saturday; Nainital was full of tourists. So much so that as we approached Nainital, we got stuck in a huge traffic jam. All the traffic was stalled for up to 5 kilometers. In that jam, we kept on moving towards Nainital at a snail’s pace in hope of visiting Mall Road.

But all of a sudden rain and hails began to drum our car’s roof. We were stuck in the traffic for about 2 hours. Now seeing heavy rain, we decided to turn back to Bhimtal. We drove on spiraling road through thick rain. It was dangerous but Durgesh was skillful. We reached our hotel in Bhimtal only to find that all power supply was gone due to storm. Hotel staff was trying to bring up the backup generator. Soon the generator worked and we went into our room. Weather was now really cold due to rain and strong wind. I got into my blanket and immediately fell asleep.

Next morning we woke up at 6:30am. We wanted to leave the hotel by 7:30am to resume our journey. We wanted to go to Mukteshwar and then to Nainital before heading back to Delhi. Breakfast was included in our hotel reservation but the hotel staff said that they will be able to provide proper breakfast only at 8:00am. They said that they could offer only tea and sandwich before that. We accepted, ate sandwiches and again hopped into the car.

Mukteshwar is about 40 kilometers from Bhimtal. The road is in pristine condition and very scenic.

Road to Mukteshwar

On the way, we stopped several times to appreciate views, take photos and also for a quick bite. We reached Mukteshwar temple at 11:30am. The temple is located at a height of about 2100 meters from sea level.

Mukteshwar temple

Main attractions in Mukteshwar are the temple and Chauli Ki Jali. I could not go at either of these places as the path was not easy for my crutches. Gayatri and Anand went to the temple. Chauli Ki Jali is just 200 meters ahead of the temple and the way to Chauli Ki Jali goed through the temple. Chauli Ki Jali are overhanging rocks that provide very beautiful view of the valley below. You can also do rock climbing and rapping at this site.

At 1:00pm we turned back and came downhill towards Nainital. We reached Nainital at 3:00pm but as the fate had it, we again could not see Nainital! The place was overly crowded with tourists and it sounded like a war-zone. There were vehicles everywhere, parking lots were full, people were shouting at each other, drivers were confused as to where to park and where to go… it was flooded with madness. I just did not like it. We dropped the plan of visiting Mall Road, Naina Devi temple and the lake. The simple reason was that there was no hope of finding a place to park our car. We missed Nainital even in the second attempt! Some other day probably! So, we got out of the lake area and headed on the way to Kathgodam.

Beautiful fruit stalls on roadsides of Uttarakhand

Gayatri and Anand were feeling dizzy due to travel in mountains. They slept for a while. I was not affected by dizziness so I enjoyed the whole route. We landed in Kathgodam at around 5:00pm and continued our journey towards Delhi. This time we took the Rampur bypass road and it saved us at least an hour.

We were dog-tired by the time we reached home at 12:00am. It was a trip that should have been one day longer, but we were happy to be able to go to all the places and still report in our respective offices on Monday morning!

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Lansdowne is a small town in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. It was founded by the British Viceroy of India Lord Lansdowne in 1887. The total area of Lansdowne is 6.09 km² and its current population is less than 20,000 people. Lansdowne is situated at a height of 1700 meters from the sea level.

Lansdowne is the home of Garhwal Rifles as this Indian Army regiment is headquartered here since 4 November 1887. The town bears the stamp of Army discipline and efficiency. Garhwal Rifles has made efforts to keep Lansdowne, its home, very clean and the ecology of the area is well-preserved.

Lansdowne is well connected to New Delhi. From Delhi, the best way to reach Lansdowne is by train. Train takes you from Delhi to Kotdwar and from there you can take a taxi to Lansdowne.

There are two trains from Delhi to Kotdwar:

• Mussoorrie Express: It departs from Delhi’s Sarai Rohilla station at 9:30 PM and reaches at Kotdwar 5:55 AM. Don’t get confused as there is another Mussoorrie Express (number 14041) which goes to Dehradun.
• Garhwal Express: This train leaves Old Delhi Junction station at 7:20 AM and arrives in Kotdwar at 14:20 PM.

I would suggest that you take Mussoorrie Express as it offers over-night journey; you can sleep comfotably and wake up in Kotdwar. Reaching Kotdwar early in the morning will also give you the whole day to enjoy Lansdowne. Mussoorrie Express is an ideal option for those who want to go to Lansdowne just for a weekend (and therefore don’t have much time). Total distance between Delhi and Kotdwar is 230 kilometers and the cost of a third class AC ticket in Mussoorrie Express is about Rs. 500.

The second best option to reach Lansdowne is to use your own car. From Delhi, Kotdwar is about 220 kilometers and then add another 40 kilometers from Kotdwar to Lansdowne. From Delhi you should take the road to Ghaziabad -> Meerut -> Khatauli -> Bijnaur -> Najibabad -> Kotdwar -> Lansdowne.

The third best option is to reach Lansdowne is to go by the bus. Both Uttarakhand Roadways and UP Roadways ply buses between Delhi and Kotdwar. Buses depart from Delhi’s Kashmere Gate ISBT. Frequency of these buses is about 60 minutes. Bus ticket from Delhi to Kotdwar costs about Rs. 200 and the journey takes about 6 hours.

I would recommend that you take the last possible bus from Delhi. The last bus leaves Delhi at around 11pm and it will bring you to Kotdwar at around 5:00am. It would be better than taking a bus from Delhi at 9pm and reaching Kotdwar in dead of the night at 3am!

Right outside Kotdwar railway station and bus stop, you will find taxis that can take you to Lansdowne and other places further. These taxis are white colored Mahindra MaXX jeeps which can accommodate 10-12 people. It is a good idea to get into a shared taxi. You’ll have to sit with about 10 people but it would costs only about Rs. 70 from Kotdwar to Lansdowne. If you prefer to hire a taxi all for yourself, they will ask you to pay as much as Rs. 1000.

A shared taxi in Gumkhal. Same taxis run in Lansdowne and Kotdwar.

Sitting is a shared taxi is not at all a bad experience. Folks are nice, you also don’t feel suffocated or crushed. On the contrary, you can actually talk to the local fellow travelers and take tips from them about the area.

If you reach Kotdwar while it is still dark, you may get inside a tea shop and enjoy a cup of tea with some snacks as the sun rises. Once it is all lit up with sunlight, you can hop into a taxi.

There are also buses from Kotdwar to Lansdowne but the ticket price is almost same as what you pay in a shared taxi. The choice is yours!

You will not get much of hill experience from Delhi to Kotdwar. The real ascent into the hills start after Kotdwar. Journey from Kotdwar to Lansdowne is very beautiful. You will be going through jungles of Blue Pine trees. Views of hills, trees, mist, stepped fields, clouds and far away Himalayas definitely warrant that this journey should be taken when the sun is up.

Please note that in the hills road turns every few meters. This can make some people feel dizzy and nauseating. In such a case you should try to keep your head as still as possible. Keep something in mouth (like a chewing gum) and try to engage in conversation with others to distract yourself from that spinning head feeling. Don’t worry at all, you will be all fine upon reaching your destination!

The forth best option to reach Lansdowne is by air. The nearest airport, Dehradun’s Jolly Grant, is about 180 kilometers away. You will anyway have to travel 180 kilometers by rail or road. The nearest international airport is New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI).

If you ask me, there is nothing significant to see in Lansdowne. It’s a place with scenic beauty, just to relax and feel the pristine air quality and breath-taking views.

Nevertheless, let me tell you what else is there in Lansdowne that might please the tourist in you!

Bhulla Tal or Bhulla Lake

According to me, this is by far the best place in Lansdowne. Bhulla Tal is a small lake made and maintained by the Garhwal Rifles. The entry ticket is Rs. 10 per person and it remains closed on Wednesdays for cleaning. You can also enjoy boating in the lake; for which there are extra charges. Bhulla lake is just about one kilometer from the Lansdowne city center (Gandhi Park).

Ticket office at Bhulla Tal.

Bhulla Tal is a small but beautiful lake in Lansdowne.

Tip in Top View Point and Snow View Point

Both these are view points from where you get a good view of hills and the Himalayas. Going to these places could turn out to be disappointing if the weather is foggy or misty. In such conditions you will not get to see the snow capped Himalayan peaks. But if the weather is clear, the views from these points are really nice.

Tip-in-Top point is also known as Tiffin Top! I have a suggestion related to these view points. I will write about it in the where to stay section of this article.

St. John’s Church

St. John’s church is still operational and daily prayers are held here. This church is not really accessible for wheelchair users as one has to walk to reach it.

St. Mary’s Church

St. Mary’s Church has now been converted into a small museum. Entry fee is Rs. 10 per person and there is an audio-visual presentation at 8:00am every day. Distance is one kilometer from Lansdowne city center.

Bhim Pakora

About two kilometers from city center is this rock called Bhim Pakora. Two rocks have been placed on top of each other in perfect balance. One can move the top rock with an easy push but no matter how much power you apply, you won’t be able to topple the rock. It is said that Bhim, one of the Pandava brothers, had placed these rocks like this.

Garhwal Rifles Museum

This museum is named after Darwan Singh Negi, the first Victoria Cross holder from the Garhwal Rifles. The museum opens from 9am to 12pm and then from 3pm to 6pm. Entry fee is Rs. 50. This museum houses artifacts related with the history of the Garhwal Rifles. The museum is located right in the city center.

Santoshi Mata Temple

This is probably the highest point in Lansdowne. You can visit the temple and you will also get a breath-taking view of hills from here. Viewing sunrise and sunset from here is a superb experience.

That’s about it all! This is all you have in Lansdowne.

If you can trek, you should begin your trek in the city center and then walk to Bhulla Lake, then Tip-in-Top, then St. Mary’s Church and eventually reach Mata Santoshi Devi Temple. All these attractions are on the same path with is just about 4 kilometer.

Lansdowne has a number of hotels that range from budget hotels to nice three star hotels. I would recommend that you select a hotel which gives you a good view of hills and mountains. See, Lansdowne is mostly about relaxing and enjoying views. There is no point going to Tip-in-Top and Snow View points where you would stay for may be 30 minutes. Would not it be better if you get a similar view from your hotel’s balcony? Think about it!

As I often do it, during this trip, I did not stay in the main hill station area. I rather prefer to go away from the main area and stay in even more calm and peaceful place. In this case, I chose to stay in Gumkhal. Gumkhal is about 15 kilometers from Lansdowne. A shared taxi will take you there for about Rs. 25. It takes about 30 minutes to reach Gumkhal.

Any of the following hotels could be a good choice for your stay in Lansdowne.

Tip N Top Resort

This is easily the best place to stay in Lansdowne. It’s a small resort run by the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Limited (GMVN). The resort is reasonably priced. You should make your booking well in advance as Tip N Top resort remains in high demand. The resort has two tree cottages and several wooden cottages. It’s a great experience to stay in Tip N Top.

Tourist Rest House (TRH)

This is the second property maintained by GMVN. The tourist bungalow is also very popular among tourists —so you again should try to make booking as soon as possible.

Fairydale Resort

They offer rooms for over Rs. 3000 per night. But it is worth it as Fairydale is among the best places to stay in Lansdowne.

Hotel Snow Cliff

Hotel Snow Cliff is located in Gumkhal, about 15 kilometers from Lansdowne. What I liked about this hotel is the view that it offers. From the terrace of the hotel, you can get the view that you’ll see from Tip-in-Top in Lansdowne. They have great food and the hotel staff is all eager to help you in any way possible. Rooms and bathrooms are very clean. Each room has its private balcony. They also organize bonfire, offer cycles on rent, arrange for trekking and camping etc. The rooms are offered for Rs. 3000 onwards but I would greatly recommend this hotel.

The other good hotels in Lansdowne are Garhwali Inn (Rs. 2500) and Forest Palace (Rs. 3000).

Budget Hotels in Lansdowne

There are several budget hotels as well but there is no recommendation from my side as I don’t have any credible information about them. These hotels could be good for singles and backpackers —but if you’re traveling with family or group of friends —it would be better to go for the above mentioned hotels as many of them offer family rooms for a reasonable price.

• Enjoy Baal Mithaai —a sweet that is covered with small white beads of sugar.
• Go to Tarkeshwar Mahadev temple, about 40 km  from Lansdowne.
• Taste Buras flower juice. Buras are red color flowers whose juice is pretty tasty.
• Visit Bhairavgarhi temple. It is located on a hill top and is about 18 km from Lansdowne. Go from Lansdowne to Gumkhal and then from there the temple is about 6 km. You’ll have to trek for about 2 kilometers up the hill. About 2 km from Bhairavgarhi is located the Hanumangarhi temple.
• Visit the Jwalpa Devi temple.

Bhairavgarhi temple is located on a hill top about 18 km from Lansdowne.

• The last shared taxis from Lansdowne to Kotdwar ply at around 5pm. So, if you are planning to take one, make sure you’re back in the city center before 5pm. “Booking Taxi” —that is a taxi booked only for you, can be booked up to 7pm. They charge about Rs. 1200.
• As you will reach Kotdwar by 7pm, you will have more than two hours to kill before Mussoorrie Express arrives at the railway station. There is big market around Kotdwar railway station as well as bus stop. You can do shopping and have dinner before you catch your ride back to Delhi.
• In Lansdowne, the taxis are not regulated. They don’t have meters and charges are all decided by the drivers. They charge Rs. 100 to take you from one point to any other point in Lansdowne. But this charge is only for dropping you there at that point. If you also want to come back to city center, you’ll have to pay Rs. 200. For Rs. 600, they offer you to take to all the points of interest in Lansdowne. The whole trip takes about 4 hours. If you want to hire a taxi for the whole day, be ready to pay Rs. 1200.

So, friends this was the information I had for you on Lansdowne Trip. I hope you enjoy your trip. Please let me know your experience of vising Lansdowne and share more tips that you want to give to other readers. All the best!

The post Tips for Lansdowne Trip: Travel, Hotels and Weather appeared first on Writely Expressed.

I visited New Delhi World Book Fair for the first time when I was doing my graduation. I have been a great lover of books since my childhood. The local public library used to satisfy my reading needs. But, I remember, when I needed to understand the philosophy of Gautama the Buddha, I could not find good books in the library. That was the primary reason that took me to the New Delhi World Book Fair for the first time. And I was fascinated to see an ocean of books there!

Inauguration of New Delhi World Book Fair 2014.

1. Dates: 14 to 22 February 2015
2. Timings: 11am to 8pm daily
3. Venue: Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
4. How to Reach Pragati Maidan: Pragati Maidan is located near Purana Qila. This exhibition venue lies on the blue line of the Delhi Metro. There is a Metro station near Gate No. 10 of Pragati Maidan. You can get off the Metro and walk for 5-10 minutes to enter the Maidan through Gate 10. Hall No. 12 and 12A are located nearest to the Gate 10.
5. Halls: 1, 6, 7(A-E), 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12A and 14
6. Tickets for New Delhi World Book 2015 will be available at Gate No. 1, 2, 7, 8, and 10 of Pragati Maidan
7. Tickets will also be available at about 40 Delhi Metro stations (including Kashmere Gate, Rajiv Chowk, Vishwavidyalaya)
8. Ticket Price: Following are the prices of tickets to enter Pragati Maidan during NDWBF
   1. Rs. 20 for adults
   2. Rs. 10 for children below 12 years
   3. Rs. 10 for students (you will have to show your student ID card)
9. Public parking:  If you’re a exhibitor in the fair, you’ll get a special pass that will allow you to park your vehicle inside Pragati Maidan. For general public, parking is located at Bhairon Marg. It is paid parking. After parking your vehicle you will have to walk a considerable distance to reach Gate No. 1 of Pragati Maidan. From Gate No. 1, you’ll get the free shuttle service that will take you to the desired Hall. The nearest Halls to Gate No. 1 are Hall 6 and 1
10. Facilities: National Book Trust, India offers several facilities to the fair visitors
    1. Free shuttle service: These vehicles ply between Gates and Halls. Use them to cut the distance you would need to walk in huge Pragati Maidan area.
    2. Mobile ATM: Usually one or two mobile ATM machines are stationed inside the Pragati Maidan. You can easily withdraw cash from these machines.
11. Purchasing books: All the exhibitors in the New Delhi World Book Fair are required to give 10% discount on the printed price of the books.
    1. Only some of the exhibitors accept credit cards.
    2. Please note that it is best to carry enough cash if you want to purchase books. Most of the publishers do not accept credit or debit cards.
    3. However, if you run out of cash, you can always use the mobile ATM (but you’ll have to locate it!).
    4. Most of the publishers will provide you with carry bags, so that should not be a problem.
    5. If you are looking forward to buy a lot of books, I would advise that you begin purchase from Hall 7, Hall 6 and Hall 1. Then proceed towards Gate number 5,6,7,8 (located on Mathura Road). You can keep on gathering books on your way from various Halls and at the end make an exit from Gate 5,6,7 or 8. This is perhaps the most efficient way if you have to walk on foot.
    6. Note that the shuttle service stops operation at 5:00 pm
12. Getting a taxi or auto from outside Pragati Maidan could prove to be a difficult thing, especially after dusk. Plan your visit keeping this in mind.
13. Pragati Maidan has eateries within the premises. You can grab snacks or a meal from there. Authorized tea and coffee vendors, ice-cream sellers also roam around. But all these items are expensive.
14. Try not to miss the cultural programs that are organized at Lal Chowk area in the evening. They are good.

How to Navigate inside Pragati Maidan

Pragati Maidan is a huge exhibition ground. Although there are proper signboards everywhere inside the Maidan, but still finding your way could be confusing. The following map of Pragati Maidan can help you find directions to your desired Hall or other places. Click on the map to enlarge it:

Map of Pragati Maidan. Find directions to your favorite Halls.

Accessibility of Pragati Maidan

Pragati Maidan is a fairly accessible venue. They have built even roads. There are big and clear signboards to point you towards various locations. All the Halls are either barrier-free or have ramps built for wheelchair users.

During the New Delhi World Book Fair, I have seen that elderly and people with disabilities can borrow wheelchairs from the entry gate. Nevertheless, if you are a wheelchair user, it is recommended that you bring your own wheelchair. You’ll find most of the places accessible. Toilets are not very clean but they are accessible.

Information about Activities in New Delhi World Book Fair

There are several ways you can get information about the fair and what’s going on in there. Following are a few of such options:

1. Pick a free newsletter: National Book Trust, India publishes daily newsletter which contains reports on activities of the previous day and also the schedule of events that will happen on the current day. The Hindi newsletter is called Mela Varta and the English counterpart is Show Daily. These newsletter are for free distribution. If your arrive early at Pragati Maidan, you can pick you copy from information desks and other places in every Hall.
2. Follow New Delhi World Book Fair on Facebook: NBT India has significant social media presence. During the fair, the organization make posts about the on-going activities on their Facebook page. From this page you can also get photographs and clippings from the above mentioned newsletters.
3. Ask at Information Desk: If you have a question, you can go to the information desks in various Halls.
4. Download Mobile App: NBT India has launched a mobile app that will give you all the important information about the fair. This app will also act as your guide within the fair venue. The app is available for Android and iOS platforms.

List of Publishers / Exhibitors at the New Delhi World Book Fair 2015

Bird’s eye view of stalls in New Delhi World Book Fair.

National Book Trust, India publishes the list of all the publishers who take part in the New Delhi World Book Fair. This list is released in two parts; one contains those publishers who will setup their stalls and the the other list contains information on publishers who have applied for stands.

• List of publishers on stalls
• List of publishers on stands

This list tells you every participating publisher’s Hall No. and stall / stand number.

Theme of the New Delhi World Book Fair 2015

Theme logo of the New Delhi World Book Fair 2015

Every edition of NDWBF, with few exceptions, has been having a theme. Special programs are organized during the fair to focus on the year’s theme. In most cases, a Theme Pavilion has also been constructed.

Theme of the NDWBF 2015 is Suryodaya: Emerging voices from North East India. The fair will focus on the literature and writers from the North-Eastern states of India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura).

Themes of previous editions of NDWBF

• Kathasagara: Celebrating Children’s Literature (year 2014)
• Indigenous Voices: Mapping India’s Folk & Tribal Literature (year 2013)
• Towards 100 years of Indian Cinema (year 2012)

Guest of Honour Country at New Delhi World Book Fair

Logo of the Guest of Honour Country at World Book Fair 2015

Often there is a specific country on which New Delhi World Book Fair put focus. This country is called the Guest of Honour Country. Publishers from this country come as a delegation to participate in the fair. Literature and culture of Guest of Honour Country is showcased to the fair visitors in the Foreign Pavilion.

Guest of Honour Country for the year 2015 is Singapore. Following countries have been Guest of Honour in previous years:

• Poland (2014)
• France (2013)

Organizer of the New Delhi World Book Fair

Not many people know who organize the Asia’s biggest book fair! Well, it is the National Book Trust, India which organizes this gala event every year in New Delhi. For last few years, India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) has been the co-organizer of the fair. ITPO is the owner of Pragati Maidan.

National Book Trust, India is mostly referred to as NBT India or just NBT. It is the government agency whose mandate is to promote books and reading habit in the country. To this end, NBT India organize several book fairs all over the country every year. New Delhi World Book Fair is the largest among the fairs organized by NBT India.

NBT India has created a video documentary on New Delhi World Book Fair. It gives you visual information on several aspects of the Asia’s largest book fair.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ika9FYfql2s

I would encourage all my readers to go and visit this excellent fair. At New Delhi World Book Fair, you’ll find thousands of publishers and millions of books. A host of literary programs, discounts, meetings with your favorite authors and massive variety of books will certainly help satiate your desire to read and learn. Go to Pragati Maidan and visit New Delhi World Book Fair!

This article has been written and submitted by Kishore Sharma.

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There used to be some slum areas in Glasgow. They could still be there but I am not aware of them. In 1845, Friedrich Engels, the German philosopher, noted in his book The Condition of the Working Class in England:

“I have seen human degradation in some of its worst phases, both in England and abroad, but I can advisedly say, that I did not believe, until I visited the wynds of Glasgow, that so large an amount of filth, crime, misery, and disease existed in one spot in any civilised country. The wynds consist of long lanes, so narrow that a cart could with difficulty pass along them; out of these open the ‘closes’, which are courts about fifteen or twenty feet square, round which the houses, mostly three or four storeys high, are built; the centre of the court is the dunghill, which probably is the most lucrative part of the estate to the laird in most instances, and which it would consequently be esteemed an invasion of the rights of property to remove. In the lower lodging houses, ten, twelve, or sometimes twenty persons, of both sexes and all ages, sleep promiscuously on the floor in different degrees of nakedness. These places are generally, as regards dirt, damp, and decay, such as no person of common humanity would stable his horse in.”

So, in order to improve the overall quality of the Glasgow city, the Glasgow City Improvement Trust decided to take photos of the slum areas of the city.

Thomas Annan’s Old Closes and Streets of Glasgow shows conditions of the poor in Glasgow in 1868. It is the finest photographic works of the 19th century.

In the year 1866, the Glasgow City Improvement Trust decided to given the commission Thomas Annan. Thomas Annan was a Scottish photographer. He was well known for his photographic records of the bad housing conditions of the poor in Scotland. Annan excellently performed his job and produced the first photographic record of the situation of urban poor. Annan took 30-35 photographs over a period of three years (1868-1871). So, you can imagine how tricky it was to take photos in those times.

The presented photograph is part of that collection which was named as the Old Closes and Streets of Glasgow. This photograph was taken as “plate number 7” and it shows the Close, No. 75 on High Street in Glasgow.

Annan’s Old Closes and Streets of Glasgow is regarded as one of the finest photographic works of the 19th century.

For more information on Thomas Annan’s work, check out the Glasgow University’s webpage.

What do you think of this photograph and the story behind it? Please comment and give your feedback as it helps me in writing better content for my readers. Thank you for reading and stay connected with my website as I will continue to bring stories on more iconic photographs for you.

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Little Vaishnavi offering food to her mother Sangeeta. Photograph by A.M. Faruqui. Courtesy: The Hindu newspaper; a major English daily in India.

The photograph shows a woman who is a double amputee. She has lost both her arms above the elbow joint. In the photograph, she is sitting on a roadside and is being offered food by her two year old daughter.

The woman’s name is Sangeeta. She used to work as a laborer at construction sites. On a fateful day, Sangeeta met with an accident at one such site of Multai township in Madhya Pradesh. Despite their best efforts, doctors could not save her arms. Having been disabled, Sangeeta’s life descended into darkness.

But soon after the accident, a man named Suresh Behare came and married her. Suresh was fully aware of Sangeeta’s disability at the time of marriage. The couple ran from pillar to post in hope of finding some help. They even approached both the district administration and the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. But no one helped them. Their two year old, cute and responsible daughter bears a very beautiful name, Vaishnavi. Ironically, the photo was taken during the second National Convention on Children’s Right to Food in Bhopal.

The photograph is truly heartrending for those who can feel. Sangeeta can not even caress Vishanavi for her dutiful behavior. At the tender age of two, Vaishnavi is playing the role of mother for her mother. Imagine what all would be going through Sangeeta’s heart.

Look at the hands of Vaishanavi. Such lovely little hands! Her face is the definition of innocence. At this age when children make tantrums and even fight for food, Vaishnavi has evidently understood her mother’s constraints. She is behaving like Annapurna (Hindu goddess of food and nourishment). Faruqui took another photograph of mother-daughter pair. It’s given below.

Another photo of Sangeeta and Vaishnavi. Photographer: A.M. Faruqui. Courtesy: The Hindu (a national English daily in India)

Update on 01 March 2014

Ever since I wrote about this photograph, I have been receiving a large number of emails requesting whereabouts of Sangeeta and Vaishnavi. People want to help the mother-child duo. That is indeed such a good gesture. But, I am sorry to inform that I do not have information about their current location. If you find any latest piece of information about Sangeeta and Vaishnavi, please let me know so that this article could be updated further.

However, in case you remain unable to find this mother-child pair, make sure that you find a Sangeeta and a Vaishnavi in your vicinity. There are millions of souls out there who need help. If you’re in a position to help, please help just anyone who is in need. Thank you.

How did you like this photographs and the story behind it? Please comment and give your feedback as it helps me in writing better content for my readers. Thank you for reading and stay connected with my website as I will continue to bring even more iconic photographs to you.

The post Sangeeta and Vaishnavi in Bhopal (Viral Photograph) appeared first on Writely Expressed.

The Situation Room. President Obama and other government officials monitoring raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. Photograph by Pete Souza

Laden, the mastermind of September 11, 2001, attacks on World Trade Center was hiding inside a building in Abbottabad of Pakistan. Most people had believed that Osama was taking shelter in mountain caves somewhere on Afghanistan-Pakistan border. However, to everyone’s surprise, American security agencies located him in a beautiful garrison town in Abbottabad. Americans were 50 to 80% sure that Osama was hiding in the said building.

The US President had a very tough decision on his hands. And Barack Obama decided to conduct a quick strike to get elusive Osama. Navy Seal Team 6, a special team of the US Navy SEALs, was tasked to “kill or capture Osama” operation. This operation was code named Operation Neptune Spear and the target, Laden, was being referred to as Geronimo. About two dozen members of Navy SEALs were heliborne in the dead of night in Abbottabad.

The SEAL team killed Osama, did a DNA test to verify that they got the right man, bagged the body and got out of Pakistan in less than an hour. Thereafter, the body of Laden was buried in the sea at an undisclosed site.

A classified document seen in this photograph has been obscured by the White House before release of the photograph. The document lies on the keyboard of an open laptop in front of Hillary Clinton. The following people are visible in the photograph:

Seated, from left to right, are:

• Vice President Joe Biden,
• President Barack Obama,
• Brigadier General Marshall Webb, USAF, Assistant Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command;
• Denis McDonough, Deputy National Security Advisor;
• Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State; and
• Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense.

Standing, from left to right, are:

• Admiral Mike Mullen, USN, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff;
• Tom Donilon, National Security Advisor ;
• Bill Daley, Chief of Staff;
• Tony Blinken, National Security Advisor to the Vice President;
• Audrey Tomason, Director for Counterterrorism;
• John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism;
• James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence.

An Oscar winning film was made on the events of finding and killing Osama Bin Laden. The movie is named Zero Dark Thirty and it was directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

What do you think of this photograph and the story behind it? Please comment and give your feedback as it helps me in writing better content for my readers. Thank you for reading and stay connected with my website as I will continue to bring stories on more iconic photographs for you.

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And it was carried out by an American!

Timothy McVeigh and his accomplices detonated a truck containing 2300 kilograms of explosives near the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on 19 April 1995. The blast killed 168 people, including 19 children under the age of 6, and injured more than 800 people. It also destroyed 324 buildings and 86 cars. A total damage of $652 million was estimated because of this explosion. McVeigh had some grudges against the federal government and decided to take revenge in such a deadly way.

Firefighter Chris Fields holding a dying baby in the aftermath of Oklahoma City Bombing. Photographer: Charles Porter

The presented photograph became iconic and is most associated with the event. It was taken by Charles Porter. It features a firefighter named Chris Fields holding a dying baby in his arms. The baby’s name was Baylee Almon. After the bomb detonation, it was only destruction and fire all around. The police, firefighters and locals were rummaging through the debris in hope to find survivors. Suddenly, a police sergeant John Avera located Baylee Almon’s tiny and half-burned body. Avera shouted “I have a critical infant! I have a critical infant!” and gave the one-year old baby to the Oklahoma City fire Captain, Chris Fields. The baby could not be saved. He died in a hospital located near the site of explosion.

This photograph earned Charles Porter the Pulitzer prize for Spot News Photography in 1996. Another photographer named Lester LaRue was standing only three feet away from Porter and took a similar photo –but it was Porter’s photo that was chosen for the prize. Charles Porter was not really a photographer. He was the employee of a utility company.

Timothy McVeigh was sentenced to death and was executed on 11 June 2001 by administering a lethal injection. Incidentally, exactly 3 months after McVeigh’s execution —the September 11 attacks took place.

In May 1995, whatever was left of the Murrah building was demolished for the safety reasons. Now a national memorial stands at that site.

What do you think of this photograph and the story behind it? Please comment and give your feedback as it helps me in writing better content for my readers. Thank you for reading and stay connected with my website as I will continue to bring stories on more iconic photographs for you.

The post Oklahoma City Bombing: Baby and Firefighter (Famous Photograph) appeared first on Writely Expressed.

Young Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi enjoying ice cream near India Gate.

Today, Anurag Chatrath, a friend of mine forwarded this photograph to me. I know it is not a famous photograph –but just as it happened with Anurag, I also found the simplicity of this photograph very striking. The innocence and boyish look on the face of young Rajiv is absolutely unarming –don’t you agree? The couple looks at ease without any mob or security cover around them.

Both Rajiv and Sonia are holding an ice cream cone in hand –and I wonder what the Kwality Ice Cream vender is reaching out for inside his cart. Another ice cream cone perhaps? If yes, then for who? Or is he looking for balance money to be returned to Rajiv?!

But let’s keep all that away for a moment. Seeing Sonia Gandhi as a more casual and common person is refreshing. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on 21^st May 1991 by the LTTE. Later, Sonia Gandhi became the President of the Indian National Congress –one of the major political parties in India. That makes her one of the most powerful persons in the world.

Now we are used to with seeing Sonia Gandhi as a much older lady who is always draped in starched cotton sari. That’s her dress code as Congress President. Time and struggle has taken away her nonchalant beauty of younger days. Her image, in recent years, has taken a toll as she was accused of running the country through a “remote-controlled” Manmohan Singh. As UPA Chairperson, she has to take the blame for all the huge scams that were committed during the 10 year rule of the UPA. Recently, Narendra Modi led BJP unseated the UPA in Lok Sabha Elections.

Please note, my writing about this photograph has no associated political connotations. I am sharing this photo with my readers only as a GOOD and cute photograph.

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India and China fought a war –which ended in November 1962 when invading China declared a unilateral cease-fire. This iconic song is the result of despair which Kavi Pradeep, a great Hindi poet, went through when he listened to the accounts of the last stand of 13^th Kumaon Regiment during the war.

Lata Mangeshkar singing “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon” on 26 January 1963 in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan.

The C (or “Charlie”) Company of the 13^th Kumaon Regiment of Indian Army fought the last battle at Rezang La in Ladakh. The C Company, valiantly led by Major Shaitan Singh, battled not only the Chinese Army, but also a position of massive disadvantage against the enemy. Major Shaitan Singh was posthumously awarded Param Vir Chakra, the highest gallantry award in India.

The situation in Rezang La was such that the Indian infantry could not be assisted by the artillery because there were peaks between the two. Consequently the C Company had to take on the Chinese without any artillery cover. Everyone knew the outcome of such an endeavor. 114 soldiers of the C Company out a total of 123 were killed in action. But before laying their lives, our soldiers finished more than a thousand Chinese soldiers. Major-General Ian Cardozo, who later visited the battlefield,  wrote:

“When Rezang La was later revisited dead jawans were found in the trenches still holding on to their weapons… every single man of this company was found dead in his trench with several bullet or splinter wounds. The 2-inch mortar man died with a bomb still in his hand. The medical orderly had a syringe and bandage in his hands when the Chinese bullet hit him… Of the thousand mortar bombs with the defenders all but seven had been fired and the rest were ready to be fired when the (mortar) section was overrun.”.

Indian soldiers are so brave. These words are the testimony that our soldiers fought until they breathe their last. Most of the recruits of this famous Company were from Ahirwal region in Haryana (which now includes the districts of Rewari and Mahendragarh). Kavi Pradeep paid a timeless homage to the bravery of these soldiers by penning the moving song “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon”. Music Director C. Ramachandra composed the song and then the Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar, gave it her soulful voice.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, is also visible in this photograph. India celebrates its Republic Day on 26^th January. By the time Lata ji finished singing the song, tears had welled up in Pandit Nehru’s eyes and he said to Lata ji, “Beti tune mujhe rula diya” (O my daughter, you’ve made me cry). This incident has now become an often told story in Indian culture.

I am excited to see this rare picture… if you have audio or video recording of Lata’s performance on 26^th January 1963 in Ramlila Maidan –please share it with me; I shall be grateful.

Also, I will appeal to my readers to share this article as much as possible so that more and more Indians could see this photograph and salute our soldiers. Now, let’s listen to “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon” sung by Lata Mangeshkar in a concert many decades after the above mentioned historic performance.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdyPozsx_6M

Long live Lata ji!

What do you think of this photograph and the story behind it? Please comment and give your feedback as it helps me in writing better content for my readers. Thank you for reading and stay connected with my website as I will continue to bring stories on more iconic photographs for you.

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No big event, like JLF, is possible without support from volunteers. I have been at a number of events organized at a mammoth scale –but never before I have come across such dynamic and efficient team of volunteers.

When I was on my way to Jaipur to attend JLF my flight got delayed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. Pretty girls and handsome guys manning various customer service counters at the airport were of no help when I asked them for wheelchair assistance. Everyone tried to get rid of the people with special needs by saying that the relevant staff was on strike.

The scene, however, was totally different when I finally landed at the Sanganer Airport of Jaipur. About ten volunteers were very efficiently handling the JLF invitees. Not just the willingness but it was the eagerness to help that floored me. They all were working in a well coordinated fashion and were more than happy to go out of the way to help people.

I got prompt help from the ground transport management team of volunteers. Their coordinator, Suraj, is a wonderful person. It never took more than a phone call to make Suraj do necessary arrangements for my ground travel. Other folks in the team whom now I know by name are Deepansh, Ashish and Karan. Sometimes the level of courtesy these guys demonstrate becomes pleasantly embarrassing for me. If I need a car, I would make a call to Suraj –and he would promptly dispatch a guy to fetch me a car. First this volunteer would reach me in no time and introduce himself. Then he would run off to get me a car. If arranging a car and getting necessary clearance to cut through police barricades takes more than a few minutes –the volunteer would come back to me –apologize for the delay and ask me if I was comfortable while waiting. The volunteer would keep shuttling between me and the car’s locations in order to keep me updated of the status. Come on! This kind of work is not even done by 5-star trained staffers!

A friend of mine told me that, without taking credit away from these volunteers, such courtesy is part of Rajasthani culture and tradition. Several other instances, in which JLF volunteers were not involved, proved my friend’s words to be true. I feel that general public in Jaipur seems more courteous than the Delhiites.

Volunteers are present everywhere in JLF and are involved in every  aspect of organization. And I must say that they have impressed me big time. I am glad to see such eagerness, dynamism, manners, courtesy and dedication for job in young folks. May this spirit remain and grow with time. These volunteers are backbone of JLF and they should be applauded for their work.

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