Do you Know ?

First Nobel prize winner for

Literature - Sully Prudhomme, France (1901).

Peace - Jean Henri Dunant, Switzerland & Frederic Passy, France (1901).

Physics - Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, Germany (1901).

Physiology & Medicine - Emil Adolf Von Behring, Germany (1901).

Chemistry - Jacobus Henricus Van't Hoff, Netherlands (1901).

Economics - Ragnar Frisch, Norway & Jan Tinbergen, Netherlands (1969).

First person to win two Nobel prizes - Marie Sklodowska Curie (first in Physics, 1903 and the second in Chemistry in 1911).

World's first

First criminal to be executed by electrocution - William Kemmler in Auburn Prison of New York (1890).

First sex change operation in the world - George (Christine) Jorgenson (1952).

First human heart transplant by Dr. Christian Barnard (1967) on Louis Washkanskym, lived 18 days.

First test tube baby - Louise Brown. In Lancastershire, England. Patrick Christopher steptoe, English obstetrician, together with Robert Edwards, biologist, succeeded in his first human invitro fertilisation (1978).

World's first Television service - The British Telecasting Corpoation (BBC) started from Alexandra palace with three hours of program a day (1936).

First US President to speak on Television - Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was the first US President to ride in a car, first American to get the Nobel prize for peace, first and only US President sworn in for a fourth term (1939).

First pilots to fly around the world non stop and non refueled - Jeana Yeager and Dick Rutan, they achieved this in a specially designed aircraft named the Voyager (1986).

First Known person to survive the jump off of Niagra falls - Sam Patch (1829).

First man to set 600 mi/h land speed record in a car - Craig Breedlove (1965).

First solo transpacific balloon flight - Steve Fosset (5430 miles, 1995).

First couple to conquer together Mt Everest - Andrej & Marija Stremfelj, Slovenia (1990).

First and only supersonic airliner - Concorde (New York- London, now not operating).

Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide. It is commonly used as a versatile cooling agent. Dry ice sublimates, changing directly to a gas at atmospheric pressure. Its sublimation and deposition point is -78.5 °C (-109.3 °F). Its enthalpy of sublimation (ΔHsub) at -78.5 °C (-109.3 °F) is 571 kJ/kg (245.5 BTU/lb). The low temperature and direct sublimation to a gas makes dry ice a very effective coolant, since it is colder than ice and leaves no moisture as it changes state.(Although it can carbonate food that is near).

History

In 1835 the French chemist Charles Thilorier published the first account of dry ice. Upon opening the lid of a large cylinder containing liquid carbon dioxide he noted much of the carbon dioxide rapidly evaporated leaving solid dry ice in the container.

Manufacture

Dry ice is readily manufactured Carbon dioxide-rich gas is pressurized and refrigerated until it changes into its liquid form.

The pressure is reduced. When this occurs some liquid carbon dioxide vaporizes, and this causes a rapid lowering of temperature of the remaining liquid carbon dioxide. The extreme cold makes the liquid solidify into a snow-like consistency.

The snow-like solid carbon dioxide is compressed into either small pellets or larger blocks of dry ice.

Applications

Dry ice is commonly used to package items that need to remain cold or frozen, such as ice cream, without the use of mechanical cooling. In medicine it is used to freeze warts to make removal easier. In the construction industry it is used to loosen floor tiles by shrinking and cracking them, as well as to freeze water in valveless pipes to allow repair.

In laboratories, a slurry of dry ice in an organic solvent is a useful freezing mixture for cold chemical reactions.

Safe handling

Dry Ice temperature is extremely cold at -109.3°F or -78.5°C. Always handle Dry Ice with care and wear protective cloth or leather gloves whenever touching it. An oven mitt or towel will work. If touched briefly it is harmless, but prolonged contact with the skin will freeze cells and cause injury similar to a burn.

Storge

Store Dry Ice in an insulated container. The thicker the insulation, the slower it will sublimate. Do not store Dry Ice in a completely airtight container. The sublimation of Dry Ice to Carbon Dioxide gas will cause any airtight container to expand or possibly explode. Keep proper air ventilation wherever Dry Ice is stored. Do not store Dry Ice in unventilated rooms, cellars, autos or boat holds. The sublimated Carbon Dioxide gas will sink to low areas and replace oxygenated air. This could cause suffocation if breathed exclusively. Do not store Dry Ice in a refrigerator freezer. The extremely cold temperature will cause your thermostat to turn off the freezer. It will keep everything frozen in the freezer but it will be used up at a faster rate. It is the perfect thing if your refrigerator breaks down in an emergency.

Burn Treatment

Treat Dry Ice burns the same as a regular heat burns. See a doctor if the skin blisters or comes off. Otherwise if only red it will heal in time as any other burn. Apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection and bandage only if the burned skin area needs to be protected.

Disposal

Unwrap and leave it at room temperature in a well-ventilated area. It will sublimate from a solid to a gas.

Electricity in India is 230 to 240 V AC, 50 Hz and sockets are the three round pin variety.

One lakh means 100,000 and one crore is 10 million.

Major English national dailies include Hindustan Times, Times of India, Indian Express, Pioneer, Asian Age, Hindu, Statesman etc. Current affairs can be read from magazines like Frontline, India Today, the Week, Sunday and Outlook. For travel related articles refer Outlook Traveller.

The national (government) TV broadcaster is Doordarshan. Other major channels available are BBC, CNN, Discovery, Star Movies, HBO and MTV. FM radio is also popular with quality music. All India Radio (AIR) nationally transmits local and international news.

Indian Festivals

Mar/Apr
Mahavir Jayanti : The Jain festival commemorates the birth of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism.

Ramanavami : Hindu temples all over India celebrates the birth of Rama. In the week leading up to Ramanavami, the Ramayana is widely read and performed.

Easter : The Christian holiday marks the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Apr/May

Buddha Jayanti : This triple blessed festival celebrates Buddha's birth, enlightenment and attainment of nirvana.

Eid Milad un Nabi : This Islamic festival celebrates the birth of the Prophet Mohammed.

June/July

Rath Yatra (Car festival) : Lord Jagannath's great temple chariot makes its stately journey from his temple in Puri (Orissa) to during this Hindu festival.

July/Aug

Naag Panchami : This Hindu festival is dedicated to Ananta, the serpent upon whose coils Vishnu rested between universes. Snakes are believed to have power over the monsoon rainfall and keep evil away from homes.

Raksha Bandhan : On the full moon day girls fix amulets known as rakhis o the wrists of their (not necessarily blood-related) brothers to protect them in the coming year. The brothers reciprocate with gifts. Some people also worship the Vedic sea god Varuna.

Aug/Sep

Independence Day : Celebrates on 15 Aug, marks the anniversary of India's Independence in 1947. Main venue is Red fort, New Delhi.

Ganesh Chaturthi : This joyful festival celebrates the birth of the popular elephant-headed god, Ganesh, and has particular verve in Mumbai. On the last day of the festival clay idols of Ganesh, the god of good fortune, are paraded through the streets before being ceremoniously immersed in a river, sea or water tank.

Janmastami : Celebrates the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. Devotees fast all day until midnight and in Mathura (birthplace of Krishna in Uttar Pradesh) the festivities last longer.

Shravan Purnima : On this day of fasting, brahmins replace the sacred thread looped over the left shoulder.

Sep/Oct

Navratri : This Hindu festival leading up to Dussehra is dedicated to the goddess Durga who beheaded a demon. Goddess Lakshmi and Saraswati, of wealth and learning respectively, also gets special praise. Hindus takes part in rituals, fasting and prayer; then after sundown there is folk dancing with sticks, dandiya raas. Some regions also have nightly garbas (folk dancers without the sticks). You can enjoy the celebrations in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Dussehra (Durga Puja) : This festival celebrates Durga's victory over the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura and often ends with the burning of the images of the demon king Ravana and his accomplices, symbolic of the triumph of good over evil. It's also known as Ram Lila (life story of Rama), with fireworks and re-enactment of the Ramayana. It is mainly celebrated in West Bengal with mass submersions of Durga idols.

Gandhi Jayanti : It is the birth anniversary (2 nd Oct) of the Father of the Nation - Mohandas Gandhi - with prayer meetings at Raj Ghat, Delhi.

Onam : State festival of Kerala celebrated with folk dance and sadhya (lunch with variety of curries).

Oct/Nov

Diwali (Deepavali) : During this happiest Hindu festival, oil lamps are lit to show Rama the way home from exile, sweets are given, and fireworks let off. The festival lasts five days. On day one, doorsteps are decorated with rangolis/kolams (chalk/rice flour designs); day two celebrates Krishna's victory over the tyrant Narakasura; three is spent worshiping Lakshmi; four commemorates the visit of the friendly demon Bali; and on day five men receive an auspicious tikka (forehead mark) from their sisters.

Ramzan (Ramadan) : This 30 day dawn to dusk fast marks the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the month during which the prophet Mohammed had the Koran revealed to him in Mecca.

Nov/Dec/Jan

Nanak Jayanti : The birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, is celebrated with prayer readings and processions.

Christmas : Christians celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Christ on 25 Dec.

Eid al Adha (Bakrid) : This Islamic occasion commemorates the Propjet Ibrahim's readiness to obey god even to the point of sacrificing his son.

Losar : Tibetan New year celebrated mainly in Mc Leodganj (Himachal Pradesh) with teaching sessions by Dalai Lama.

Jan/Feb

Republic day : It is the anniversary celebration of India's establishment as a Republic on 26 Jan 1950. The military parade along Rajpath in Delhi is the main attraction. Beating of the Retreat ceremony is celebrated three days after the Republic day.

Pongal : This four day festival marks the end of the harvest season. It's observed on the first day of the Tamil month of Thai, which is in the middle of January. Festivities include boiling-over of a pot of pongal (a mixture of rice, sugar, dhal and milk), symbolic of prosperity and abundance. On the third day, cattle are decorated and fed the pongal.

Vasant Panchami : Books, musical instruments, and other related objects are placed in front of the goddess Saraswati to receive blessings. Mainly celebrated in West Bengal and is traditional to wear yellow dress.

Feb/Mar

Holi : It marks the beginning of spring and is celebrated (in North India) by throwing coloured water and gulal (powder) at one another. On the night before Holi, bonfires are built to symbolise the destruction of the evil demon Holika.

Muharram : An Islamic festival commemorating the martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam.

Shivaratri : This day of Hindu fasting is dedicated to Shiva, who danced the tandava (cosmic dance) on this day.

Kumbh Mela : It is the largest religious congregation on earth, attracts tens of millions of Hindu pilgrims, including masses of holy men, especially Nagas (naked sadhus) of militant Hindu monastic orders. A sea of tents is set up for the pilgrims during the mela. Nagas are the first to take the holy dip. The next Kumbh Mela is due in 2010.

According to Hindu creation myths, the gods and demons once fought a great battle for a kumbh (pitcher) containing the nectar of immortality. Vishnu got hold of the container and spirited it away, but in flight four drops, spilt on the earth - at Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain. Every three years, one of the four sites chosen by the holy drops takes its turn throwing the fantastical event known as (Maha) Kumbh mela.

Work for the welfare of animals , in India.

Snakes are revered all over India as it is related to Lord Shiva and Vishnu. Nag Panchami festival is for worshipping snakes. Killing of snakes is a non bailable offence attracting 7 years in jail as per Wildlife protection act 1972.

During rainy season snakes may come out in open. Majority of snakes (95%) are non poisonous. Do not harm snakes. They too have the right to live on earth.

If you have any complaints or doubts about animal rights ask to Mrs Menaka Gandhi at www.peopleforanimalsindia.org for quick and responsible action.

National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi

If you have any complaints or doubts about Human Rights in India, visit
http://nhrc.nic.in

Monsoon time prone to infectious diseases and accidents

1. Drink boiled water always.
2. Avoid food from outside sources where unhygienic conditions suspected/exist.
3. Water borne diseases viz viral hepatitis (jaundice), typhoid, acute gastroenteritis (loose motion) are on the rise. Avoid outside contaminated food, cold drinks, ice creams and water.
4. Two/Four wheeler drivers to exercise extra caution to view potholed wet and slippery roads.
5. Wear helmet and raincoat.
6. Do not use mobiles while driving.
7. Stay away from telephone/electric poles during thunder/lightening.

Enjoy the magic season of monsoon. If you are coming to Maharashtra, visit Lonavla near Pune and Mahabaleshwar.

Glossary of Indian words

acharya - revered teacher
adivasi - tribal person
agarbathi - incense
Agni - major deity in the Vedas (fire)
ahimsa - discipline of nonviolence
air cooler - big, noisy water filled fan
Ananta - snake on which Vishnu reclined
Andhaka - 1000 headed demon, killed by Shiva
apsara - heavenly nymph
Arjuna - Mahabharata hero, third among the Pandavas
Aryan - Sanskrit for 'noble'; those who migrated from Persia and settled in northern India
ashram - spiritual community
ASI - Archaeological Survey Of India, an organisation involved in monument preservation
attar - essential oil used as a base for perfumes
auto rickshaw - noisy, three wheeled motor vehicle
avatar - incarnation of Vishnu
ayah - Children's nurse
Ayurveda - the ancient and complex science of Indian herbal medicine and healing
azad - free (Urdu)

baba - term of respect, religious master
bagh - garden
baksheesh - tip or bribe
Balarama - Brother of Lord Krishna
bandar - monkey
baniya - moneylender
Bhagavad Gita - a part of Mahabharata, Krishna's lessons to Arjuna
bhajan - devotional song
bhangra - rhythmic Punjabi dance
bindi - forehead mark worn by women
Brahma - Three headed Hindu god
Brahmin - Highest in Hindu caste (the four castes are Brahmin, Kshatriya, the Vaishya and Shudra), temple priest
Buddha - originator of Buddhism, regarded by Hindus as 9th incarnation of Vishnu
bugyal - high altitude meadow
burka - one piece of garment used by conservative Muslim women to cover themselves from head to toe
bustee - slum

cenotaph - a monument honouring a dead person whose body is somewhere else
chaam - ritual masked dance performed by some Buddhist monks in gompas to celebrate the victory of good over evil and of Buddhism over pre existing religions.
chaitya - Place of Buddhist worship with a hall divided into central nave and two side aisles by a line of columns, with a votive stupa at the end
chakra - disc like weapon of Vishnu
Chamunda - form of Durga; a real terror.
chappals - sandals
Char Dham - four pilgrimage destinations - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri
charas (hashish) - resin of the marijuana plant
chogyal - king
chorten - stupa (in Tibetan)
chowk - town square

dargah - tomb of Muslim saint
darshan - viewing of a deity
darwaza - gateway
Dasarath - father of Lord Rama (7th incarnation of Vishnu)
devadasi - female temple dancer
dhaba - basic restaurant
dharamsala - pilgrim's rest house
dhobi - washer man
dhol - large two sided Punjabi drum
dholi - man carried portable chairs
Digambara - naked Jain saints
dikpala - temple guardian
dowry - money and goods given by a brides parents to their son-in-law's family. Giving and taking of dowry is illegal but still exists
Draupadi - wife of the five Pandava princes
durbar - royal court
Durga - a beautiful, fierce woman (Shiva's wife) riding a tiger

Ganesh (Ganapati) - Elephant headed son of Shiva and Parvati, having rat as vehicle.
Ganga - sacred river representing Hindu Goddess.
ganga aarti - river worship ceremony
ganj - market
ganja - dried flowering tips of marijuana plant
gaon - village
garh - fort
Garuda - half man-bird vehicle of Vishnu
ghazal - Urdu song derived from poetry; sad love theme
gufa - cave
gurdwara - Sikh place of worship
Guru Granth sahib - Sikh holy book

haj - Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca
Hanuman - Monkey god, follower of Rama
haveli - traditional ornately decorated Rajasthani residence
hookah - water pipe used for smoking ganja or strong tobacco
iftar - breaking of Ramdaan fast at sunset
imam - Muslim religious leader
Indra - God of rain, thunder, lightning and war
jali - carved marble lattice screen
jauhar - ritual mass suicide by immolation, traditionally performed by Rajput women at times of military defeat to avoid being dishonoured by their captors.
jawan - soldier
jhula - bridge
jihad - holy war

kabaddi - traditional game (similar to tag)
Kali - terrible black Hindu goddess dripping with blood and wearing a necklace of skulls
Kalki - 10 th incarnation of Vishnu expected to appear at the end of Kaliyug
Kama - Hindu god of love
kapali - sacred bowl made from a human skull
Krishna - Vishnu's 8th incarnation
Lakshmi - Vishnu's consort, goddess of wealth
lama - Tibetan Buddhist priest
lingam - phallic symbol, symbol of Shiva
Losar - Tibetan New year
lungi - loose coloured garment worn by men

madrasa - Islamic seminary
mahal - palace
maharaja - great king
mandi - market
mandir - temple
mani stone - stone carved with the Tibetan-Buddhist mantra 'Om mani padme hum'
mani walls - wall with mani stones found mainly in Ladakh, Kashmir
marg - road
mehndi - ornate henna designs on woman's hands (and often feet)
mela - fair or festival
Mughal - Muslim dynasty of subcontinental emperors from Babur to Aurangzeb

namaste - traditional Hindu greeting
namaz - Muslim prayers
Narasimha - man-lion incarnation of Vishnu
Nataraja - Shiva as the cosmic dancer. Shiva's cosmic victory dance is called tandava
pashmina - fine quality woollen shawl from Kashmir
pir - Muslim holy man
punka - cloth fan, swung by pulling a cord
purdah - a Muslim custom to keep women in seclusion
Qwwali - Urdu devotional singing
rann - desert
Saraswati - wife of Brahma, goddess of learning; sits on a white swan holding a veena (a stringed instrument)
Shikara - gondola like boat found in Dal lake, Kashmir

thangka - Tibetan cloth painting
tonga - two wheeled horse/pony carriage
Trimurti - the Hindu triad of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma
Urs - death anniversary of a Muslim saint
Vedas - Hindu sacred text of hymns in Sanskrit in four books - Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda.
Vishnu - part of Trimurti with 10 incarnations - Matsya (fish), tortoise (Kurma), wild boar (Varaha), Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and the expected avatar of Kalki.
wav - step-well, commonly found in Gujarat
zakat - tax in the form of a charitable donation by Muslims
zenana - area in an upper-class home where women are secluded (in Rajasthani palaces)

CENTRAL VIGILANCE COMMISSION
Satarkata Bhavan , A-Block
GPO Complex , INA
New Delhi - 110 023

A public servant working in any organisation, to which the executive control of the Government of India comes under CVC. CVC works in accordance with the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. You can rertport about the corruption in Central goverment employees and taking of bribe to [email protected]

For more details visit http://cvc.nic.in

Believe it or not - Wonderful facts for one and all

If you keep a goldfish in a dark room, it will eventually turn white.

If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days, you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.

In the last 4000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.

It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors.

Marilyn Monroe had six toes.

Anti Corruption Bureau

If you have any complaints about corrupted State government officials in India, you can file a report with ACB to trap these corrupted persons.

In Maharashtra, contact : Anti Corruption Bureau

Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike annually than all of the Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.

More people are killed by donkeys annually than are killed in plane crashes.

No word in the English language rhymes with month.

Nutmeg is extremely poisonous if injected intravenously.

On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.

One of the reasons marijuana is illegal today is because cotton growers in the '30s lobbied against hemp farmers, they saw it as competition.

Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people do.

Shakespeare invented the word "assassination" and "bump."

Believe it or not

Some lions mate over 50 times a day.

Starfish haven't got brains.

Stewardesses is the longest word typed with only the left hand.

The ant always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.

The average human eats eight spiders in their lifetime at night.

The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.

The cruise liner, Queen Elizabeth 2, moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.

The electric chair was invented by a dentist.

The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.

The most common name in the world is Mohammed.

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she was wonderful!!! BIG WOW!!!!
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Interesting information

The name of all the continents end with the same letter that they start with.

The Pentagon, in Arlington, Virginia, has twice as many bathrooms as is necessary. When it was built in the 1940s, the state of Virginia still had segregation laws requiring separate toilet facilities for blacks and whites.

The sentence, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter in the English language.

The shortest war in history was between Zanzibar and England in 1896. Zanzibar surrendered after 38 minutes.

The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

The word "lethologica" describes the state of not being able to remember the word you want.

The word racecar, Malayalam and kayak are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left.

There are two credit cards for every person in the United States.

TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters on only one row of the keyboard.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

You are more likely to be killed by a Champagne cork than by a poisonous spider.

You can't kill yourself by holding your breath.

You share your birthday with at least nine million other people in the world.

Indian Roadways

Ancient India has highways, caravan and trade routes even to Baluchistan via Iran. Lord Rama travelled on a known route from Ayodya (UP) to Sri Lanka. Buddhist text mentions trunk and other roads of 700 - 185 BC. In Ashoka's time roads led to all Buddhist sites and missionaries were sent as far as Kashmir and the deep south. Later Mughals and the British keep the roads in good condition. New roads are made to remote areas due to military and administrative reasons.

Travel by road is a common choice. India has 33,00,000 km of roads. All major cities in India are linked by National Highways from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. India has 56 National Highways with total length of 34,000 km and the longest is NH 7 (2369 km). State roadways and Private operators run regular bus services in most of the main routes. Luxury cars, imported cars and coaches of international standard can be hired.

World's highest road : Khardung la (5602 m on Leh-Panamik route), Kashmir.

Longest road in India : Grand Trunk Road (Kolkata to Amritsar).

National Highways

1 : Delhi-Ambala-Jalandhar-Amritsar-Waga Pak border : 456 km
2 : Delhi-Mathura-Agra-Kanpur-Allahabad-Varanasi-Palsit-Bar-Kolkata : 1490 km
3 : Agra-Gwalior-Shivpuri-Indore-Dhule-Nasik-Thane-Mumbai : 1161 km
4 : Thane (NH 3)-Pune-Belgaum-Hubli-Bangalore-Ranipet-Chennai : 1235 km
5 : Baharagora (NH 6)-Cuttack-Bhubaneshwar-Vishakhapatnam-Vijaywada-Chennai : 1533 km
6 : Surat-Dhule-Nagpur-Raipur-Sambalpur-Baharagora-Kolkata : 1932 km
7 : Varanasi-Mangawan-Rewa-Jabalpur-Lukhana-Don-Nagpur-Hyderabad-Kurnool-Bangalore- Krishnagiri-Salem-Dindigul-Madurai-Kanyakumari : 2369 km
8 : Delhi-Jaipur-Ajmer-Udaipur-Ahmedabad-Vadodara-Mumbai : 1428 km
9 : Pune-Sholapur-Hyderabad-Vijaywada : 791 km
10 : Delhi-Fazilka-Pak border : 403 km
11 : Agra-Jaipur-Bikaner : 582 km
12 : Jabalpur-Bhopal-Khilchipur-Aklera-Jhalwar-Kota-Bundi-Devil-Tonk-Jaipur : 890 km
13 : Sholapur-Chitradurga : 491 km
14 : Bewar-Sirohi-Radhanpur : 450 km
15 : Pathankot-Amritsar-Bhatinda-Ganganagar-Bikaner-Jaisalmer-Barmar-Samakhiali : 1526 km
16 : Nizamabad-Mancheri-Jagadalpur : 460 km
17 : Panvel-Mahad-Panaji-Karwar-Mangalore-Kannur-Kozhikode-Kuttipuram-Edapally near Kochi (NH 47) : 1269 km
18 : Kurnool (NH 7)-Nandyal-Cuddapah-Chittoor (NH 4) : 369 km
19 : Ghazipur-Balia-Patna : 240 km
20 : Pathankot-Mandi : 220 km
21 : Chandigarh (NH 22)-Ropar-Bilaspur-Mandi-Kullu-Manali : 323 km
22 : Ambala-Kalka-Shimla-Narkanda-Rampur-Shipki la, China border : 459 km
23 : Chas-Ranchi-Rourkela-Talhar (NH 42) : 459 km
24 : Delhi-Bareilly-Lucknow : 418 km
25 : Lucknow-Kanpur-Jhansi-Shivpuri : 319 km
26 : Jhansi-Lakhandon : 396 km
27 : Allahabad-Mangawan : 93 km
28 : Barauni (NH 31)-Muzzafarpur-Pipra-Gorakhpur-Lucknow : 570 km
29 : Gorakhpur-Ghazipur-Varanasi : 730 km
30 : Mohania (NH 2)-Patna- Bachtivarpur : 230 km
31 : Bahri (NH 2)-Bakhtiarpur-Mokameh-Purnea-Dalkota-Siliguri-Sivok-Cooch Behar-North Salmara-Nalbari-Charali Amingaon (NH 37) : 1125 km
32 : Gobindpur (NH 2)-Dhanbad-Jamshedpur : 179 km
33 : Barhi (NH 2)-Ranchi-Baharagora : 352 km
34 : Dalkoa-Berhampur-Barasat-Kolkatta : 443 km
35 : Barasat-Bangaon-Bangladesh border : 61 km
36 : Nowgong-Dabaka-Dimapur : 170 km
37 : Golapara (NH 31 B)-Guwahati-Jorhat-Kamargaon-Makaum-Saikhoaghat : 680 km
38 : Makum-Ledo-Lekhapani : 54 km
39 : Numaligarh-Imphal-Palei-Myanmar border : 436 km
40 : Jorhat-Shillong-Dawki, Bangladesh border : 161 km
41 : Kolaghat (NH 6)-Haldia port : 511 km
42 : Sambhalpur (NH 6)-Angul (NH 5) near Cuttack : 261 km
43 : Raipur-Vizianagaram (NH 5) : 551 km
44 : Shillong-Passi Badarpur-Agartala-Sabroom : 630 km
45 : Chennai-Tiruchirapalli-Dindigul : 387 km
46 : Krishnagiri-Ranipet : 132 km
47 : Salem-Coimbatore-Trissur-Ernakulam-Kollam-Thiruvananthapuram-Kanyakumari : 640 km
48 : Bangalore-Hassan-Mangalore : 328 km
49 : Kochi-Madurai-Dhanushkodi : 440 km
50 : Nashik-Pune (NH 4) : 192 km
51 : Paikan-Tura-Dalu : 149 km
52 : Baihata-Charali-Tezpur-Bander-Dewa-North Lakhimpur-Pasighat-Tezu-Sitapani (NH 37) : 850 km
53 : Badarpur (NH 44)-Jirighat-Imphal-Silchar : 320 km
54 : Silchar-Aizwal-Tuipang : 560 km
55 : Siliguri-Darjeeling : 77 km
56 : Lucknow-Varanasi : 285 km

Indian Airways

Travelling in air find place in almost all Hindu epics. The Mahabharata and Ramayana speak a number of times about some sort of an aircraft (Vimana).

The first service carrying mail from London was operated by Puss Moth and flown from Karachi to Bombay. The inaugural commercial air service between London and Delhi was flown by De Havill in 66 Hercules on 30th Dec 1929. This flight made 29 stops during the 12 day flight (flying time of 56 hour 40 minute).

Indian Airlines, private scheduled airlines and air taxis provide domestic air services. Air India and other foreign airlines provides international service. Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd runs helos to ONGC shore operations, Arunachal Pradesh and to inaccessible areas and difficult terrain.

Air India : In July 1946 TATA Airlines were converted into a public limited company under the name Air India. In 1953, it was declared as the National carrier. India has bilateral air service with around 100 countries and carries more than 3 million passengers a year (www.airindia.com).

Indian Airlines provides service to 14 neighbouring countries. It operates over 72 destinations including 16 abroad. There is 50 % concession for Armed forces personnel, Senior citizens, blind, cancer patients and students for domestic travel. Different unlimited travel plans are also available for tourists.

The four main International airports are at New Delhi (www.delhiairport.com), Kolkata, Mumbai (www.mumbaiairport.com) and Chennai (www.chennaiairport.com). For details visit www.indianairports.com

Distances from the Airport to the city in km

Agra 7
Ahmedabad 10
Amritsar 11
Aurangabad 10
Bagdogra 14
Bangalore 13
Belgaum 14
Bhavnagar 5
Bhopal 11
Bhubaneshwar 4
Mumbai 26
Kolkatta 16
Chandigarh 11
Jaipur 15
Jodhpur 5
Jorhat 6
Keshod 3
Khajuraho 5
Leh 8
Lucknow 15
Madurai 12
Chennai 16
Nagpur 10
Patna 7
Porbandar 4
Port Blair 4
Kochi 28
Coimbatore 23
Dabolim (Goa) 30
Delhi 13
Gorakhpur 7
Guwahati 22
Gwalior 12
Indore 9
Jabalpur 15
Pune 8
Srinagar 14
Trichy 8
Thiruvananthapuram 7
Udaipur 24
Varanasi 22
Visakhapatnam 14

Indian Railways

East India Company can be considered as the pioneer of the Indian Railways and Lord Dalhousie for laying the foundation of rail transport in India. In 1853 the Great India Peninsular Co. built the first line of 33.6 km from Mumbai to Thane.

Currently the Indian railway is the second largest railway system in the world and also the biggest employer. India has 543,760 km of railway line with 6985 stations and over 11,275 locomotives (trains per day). 29% of the total track length is electrified and is second biggest electrified railway system in the world after Russia.

The three type of lines are Broad Gauge (1676 mm) 41,791 km, Meter Gauge (1000 mm) 17,044 km, Narrow Gauge (762 mm and 610 mm) 3,710 km.

First train in India (also in Asia) : 16 April, 1853 between Mumbai and Thane (32 km). Steam engine use coal and is running only few heritage routes. Diesel locomotives run on Diesel and was introduced in 1957. Electric locomotives were introduced in 1929. First electric train in India was Deccan Queen, introduced in 1929 between Kalyan and Thane.

Indian Railway has nine administrative zones - Central Railway (CST, Mumbai), Eastern Railway (Kolkata), Northern Railway (New Delhi), North Eastern Railway (Gorakhpur), North East Frontier (Maligaon in Guwahati), Southern Railway (Chennai), South central Railway (Secunderabad), South Eastern Railway (Kolkata) and Western Railway (Churchgate, Mumbai).

Indrail pass : It allows foreign visitors to travel anywhere in India by train within the period of validity (1 to 90 day). For train timings and reservation of tickets Indian Railways

High Speed trains

Rajdhani Express : Rajdhani Express trains were introduced in 1969 and they operate at the speed of 130 kmph. Rajdhani Express runs from Delhi to Howrah, Mumbai, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Patna, Chennai, Secunderabad, Jammu Tavi, Ahmedabad and back to Delhi.

Shatabdi Express : Shatabdi Express trains were introduced in 1988 and they operate at the speed of 140 kmph. Shatabdi Express routes are Delhi to Bhopal, Lucknow, Kalka, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Amritsar, Ajmer and back. Chennai to Mysore, Coimbatore and Tirupati, Mumbai to Ahmedabad and Pune, Howrah to Bokaro city and Rourkela, Rajahmundry to Secundrabad and back.

Luxury trains

The Palace on Wheels : Highly decorated palace like train running in Rajasthan tourist circuit.

The Royal Orient : The luxury train runs in Gujarat tourist circuit.

Shivalik Deluxe : The luxury train has amenity fittings that match the modern times. It runs from Delhi to Shimla with a single stop at Barog. The train has a sitting capacity of 120 and the journey time is 4 hour 45 minute. The train has wall to wall carpet, wide glass windows, reversible cushioned chairs, improved toilet facilities, cabin for couple, table for meals, tube lights, music system, micro phone for communication with the guard etc.

Shivalik Palace : It runs for the elite class of tourists in Kalka- Shimla route. The train has onboard catering, decorative lights, musical cordless bell, music system, variety of indoor games, magazines and books for reading, modern bathroom, dining table with cushioned chair.

Fairy Queen : Built in 1855, this 153 year old pristine beauty, the oldest working steam engine in the world runs a two day trip from Delhi to Alwar on selected days. It departs from Delhi Cant. station at 10 am with 50 passengers for an unforgettable journey.

The toy trains of India

Shimla (2221 m) : The toy train from Kalka to Shimla is through 107 tunnels and lofty arched bridges. The train covers the 96 km in 5 hour.

Ooty (2193 m) : From Mettupalayam (326 m) near Coimbatore, the toy train starts its journey at 33 kmph. The narrow gauge route has 16 tunnels, 31 bridges and tall girder bridges. The train treks across plains, plantations and forest clad hills giving a breathtaking view. The train runs from 1899 on the 46 km long route in 4.5 hour.

Darjeeling (2134 m) : The most famous toy train (in UNESCO's world heritage list) runs from New Jalpaiguri in 7.5 hour. The 86 km route to Darjeeling offers panoramic view of the Himalayas.

Matheran (768 m) : A car free hill station near Neral (39 m) on Mumbai - Pune rail route, narrow gauge toy train connects Neral with Matheran (13 km, 6 hour) and 30 min. by Taxi.

Konkan Railway : The 760 km long scenic sojourn is an adventure on rails. The route connects Roha (near Mumbai) to Mangalore. The construction completed on 26 Jan 1998 after a 8 year long period. The route is over formidable terrain with 179 major bridges, 1819 minor bridges, 92 tunnels (aggregate length of 84 km). The longest bridge (2.065 km) on the route is over river Sharavati near Honavar. The tallest viaduct is near Panval Nanadi near Ratnagiri with a height of 64 m. The longest tunnel (6.5 km) is at Karbude near Ratnagiri.

The modern track has concrete sleepers and the trains can run at even 160 kmph. Of the 59, the important stations are Veer, Khed, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Rajapur road, Kankavali, Sawantwadi, Thivim, Karmali, Verna, Madgaon, Karwar, Kumta, Bhatkal, Udipi and Surathkal. This route reduces the travel time from Mumbai to Goa (10 hour), Mangalore (26 hour) and Kochi (12 hour) by train.

Indian Waterways

Mohenjodaro, the site of Indus Valley civilisation had found with a two masted ship. Rig Veda has refernce to ships. Naval expeditions and merchants praying to sea before starting the voyage were common in old times. King Vijaya (56-48 BC) went to Sri Lanka with horses and elephants crossing the sea is depicted in Ajanta fresco.

Under Akbar big ships and boats were built. During Mughal times shipping and internal navigation had a department of its own. According to 15th century traveller, Nicoli Conti, Indian ships were longer than the Italian ones. Kozhikode was the greatest shipbuilding centre and executed even foreign orders.

Inland water system : It provides transport and communication for the common man. The three National waterways are Allahabad-Haldia on Ganga Bhagirath-Hooghly river (1620 km, NW 1), Sadiya-Dhubri Bangladesh border (891 km, NW 2) on Brahmaputra river, Kollam-Kottapuram (168 km), Champakara canal (14 km), Udyogamandal canal (23 km) and stretch of the west coast canal were declared as National Waterways number 3.

Ports in India

About 1000 BC, from Ophir (Sopara, near Mumbai) goodes were taken for Hiram, king of Tyre in his ships. About 25 BC, ports like Bharakachha (Broach), Muzris (Kodangallur), Poduca (Pondicherry), saptanea (Chennai), Puhar, Tamarlipti were well known and traded with Greece, Rome, west Asia and Gulf countries. In 17 th century KOzhikode and Kochi were become important ports of trade with Europe, Iran and other Gulf countries.

India has 6100 km of coastline and 11 major ports apart from 139 minor ports.

1. Mumbai, Arabian Sea, natural and biggest port, handles one fifth of the total traffic, major naval base.
2. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Arabian Sea, newly opened port.
3. Kochi, Arabian Sea, largest natural harbour.
4. Kandla, Arabian Sea-Gulf of Kutch, tidal port.
5. Mormugoa, Arabian Sea, second largest port.
6. Mangalore, Arabian Sea, a tidal port.
7. Chennai, Bay of Bengal, oldest port and largest artificial habour.
8. Tuticorin, Indian Ocean, shallow port.
9. Visakhapatnam, Bay of Bengal, deepest protected port, major naval base.
10. Paradeep, Bay of Bengal, newly opened port.
11. Kolkata, Bay of Bengal On Hooghly river, the biggest terminal port of South Asia.

The four major shipyards are Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineering Ltd Kolkata, Mazagaon dock Ltd Mumbai, Hindustan Shipyard Ltd Visakhapatnam, Cochin Shipyard Kochi. In addition there are 32 small shipping yards in private sector.