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Royal Orient Train
The ''Royal Orient'' is an Indian luxury tourism train that runs between Gujarat and Rajasthan, covering important tourist locations in the two states. Modelled on the ''Palace on Wheels'', India's first luxury tourist train, the train offers tourists a taste of royal luxury while "showcasing the best of Indian culture and heritage". History The train started in 1994-95 as a joint venture of the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat and the Indian Railways. The livery follows a blue scheme to differentiate it from the Palace on Wheels. The train did not do well in the initial years, with passenger occupancy dropping from 25 percent in the first year to 15 percent in subsequent years. However, after an overhaul in 2007, things started looking up and the train started making profits. Facilities There are 13 coaches in the train, named after erstwhile kingdoms of Rajputana. The coaches provide five-star hotel comforts to passengers. Cabins are furnished in a palatial style and have sp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indian Railways
Indian Railways (IR) is a statutory body under the ownership of Ministry of Railways, Government of India that operates India's national railway system. It manages the fourth largest national railway system in the world by size, with a total route length of . or 83% of all the broad-gauge routes are electrified with 25 kV 50 Hz AC electric traction . In 2020, Indian Railways carried 808.6 crore (8.086 billion) passengers and in 2022, Railways transported 1418.1 million tonnes of freight. It runs 13,169 passenger trains daily, on both long-distance and suburban routes, covering 7,325 stations across India. Mail or Express trains, the most common types of trains, run at an average speed of . Suburban EMUs run at an average speed of . Ordinary passenger trains (incl. mixed) run at an average speed of . The maximum speed of passenger trains varies, with the Vande Bharat Express running at a peak speed of . In the freight segment, IR runs 8,479 trains daily. The a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Palitana
Pālītāṇā is a city in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. It is located 50 km southwest of Bhavnagar city and is a major pilgrimage centre ("shashwat tirth") for Jains. It is first of the two vegetarian cities in the world. History Palitana is associated with Jain legends and history. Ādinātha, the first of the Jain tirthankaras, is said to have meditated on the Shatrunjaya hill, where the Palitana temples were later constructed. The Palitana State was a princely state, founded in 1194. It was one of the major states in Saurashtra, covering 777 km2. In 1921 it had 58,000 inhabitants in 91 villages, generating a 744,416 revenue. In 1656, Shah Jahan's son Murad Baksh (the then Governor of Gujarat) granted the village of Palitana to the prominent Jain merchant Shantidas Jhaveri. The management of the temples was assigned to the Anandji Kalyanji Trust in 1730. After the Second Anglo-Maratha War the Palitaena Kingdom officially declared independence under ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahaparinirvan Express
The ''Mahaparinirvan Express'' is a tourist train which was launched by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on 28 March 2007, to attract Buddhist pilgrims. The train takes passengers on an eight-day, seven-night spiritual tour which visits Buddhist sites across North India North India is a loosely defined region consisting of the northern part of India. The dominant geographical features of North India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demarcate the region from the Tibetan Plateau and Central .... History The train gets its name from the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha. A sacred journey which includes Buddha's visit to various important Buddhist pilgrimage sites, such as Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Varanasi and Kushinagar. Features and Services The Mahaparinirvan Express is operated by Indian Railways using carriages from a Rajdhani Express train. This is a fully air conditioned train offering three different classes of travel (first class ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Deccan Odyssey
The ''Deccan Odyssey'' is an Indian luxury train modeled on the ''Palace on Wheels'' and put into service to boost tourism on the Maharashtra route of the Indian Railways. The train, owned by travel company Cox & Kings since 2014, takes visitors on a variety of seven night, eight day trips across Maharashtra. History The ''Deccan Odyssey'' was devised by Indian Railways and the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corp in 2001 in an effort to increase tourism in Maharashtra. Integral Coach Factory started construction in 2002 and finished in 2003. The first trip departed on 16 January 2004 for a week-long maiden trip and was flagged off by Prime Minister Vajpayee. Journeys were suspended the same year, however, due to unprofitability. Service restarted following monsoon season. It was briefly renamed the ''Indian Maharaja-Deccan Odyssey'' under Thomson Cook. The train was not in service for the majority of the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to start running again in October ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fairy Queen
In folklore and literature, the Fairy Queen or Queen of the Fairies is a female ruler of the fairies, sometimes but not always paired with a king. Depending on the work, she may be named or unnamed; Titania and Mab are two frequently used names. Numerous characters, goddesses or folkloric spirits worldwide have been labeled as Fairy Queens. Folklore The Tuatha Dé Danann and Daoine Sidhe of Irish mythology had numerous local kings and queens. Oonagh, Una or Nuala was the wife of Finvarra or Fionnbharr, fairy king of western Ireland, although he frequently took other lovers. She was usually described living with Finvarra in his hill Cnoc Meadha, but was sometimes said to have a separate residence in Cnoc Sidh Una ( Knockshegouna). In one story following the model of the Fairies’ Midwife ( Aarne-Thompson type 476), “Fionnbharr’s wife” (unnamed) is thoughtlessly cursed by a human girl who must then serve as her midwife. Fionnbharr’s wife attempts revenge by giving the g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jantar Mantar
A Jantar Mantar ( Hindustani pronunciation: ͡ʒən̪t̪ər mən̪t̪ər is an assembly of stone-built astronomical instruments, designed to be used with the naked eye. There were five Jantar Mantars in India, all of them built at the command of the Rajah Jai Singh II, who had a keen interest in mathematics, architecture and astronomy; The largest example is the equinoctial sundial belonging to Jaipur's assembly of instruments, consisting of a gigantic triangular gnomon with the hypotenuse parallel to the Earth's axis. On either side of the gnomon is a quadrant of a circle, parallel to the plane of the equator. The instrument can be used with an accuracy of about 2 seconds by a "skilled observer" to measure the time of day, and the declination of the Sun and the other heavenly bodies. It is the world's largest stone sundial, known as the Vrihat Samrat Yantra. The Jaipur Jantar Mantar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hawa Mahal
The Hawa Mahal is a palace in the city of Jaipur, India. Built from red and pink sandstone, it is on the edge of the City Palace, Jaipur, and extends to the ''Zenana'', or women's chambers. The structure was built in 1799 by the Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of the city of Jaipur, India. He was so inspired by the unique structure of Khetri Mahal that he built this grand and historical palace. It was designed by Lal Chand Ustad. Its five-floor exterior is akin to a honeycomb with its 953 small windows called Jharokhas decorated with intricate latticework. The original intent of the lattice design was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life and festivals celebrated in the street below without being seen, since they had to obey the strict rules of "purdah", which forbade them to appear in public without face coverings. This architectural feature also allowed cool air from the Venturi effect to pass through, thus making ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gir Wildlife Sanctuary
Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Sasan Gir, is a forest, national park, and wildlife sanctuary near Talala Gir in Gujarat, India. It is located north-east of Somnath, south-east of Junagadh and south-west of Amreli. It was established in 1965 in the erstwhile Nawab of Junagarh's private hunting area, with a total area of , of which is fully protected as a national park and as wildlife sanctuary. It is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion. The 14th Asiatic Lion Census 2015 was conducted in May 2015. In 2015, the population was 523 (27% up compared to previous census in 2010). The population was 411 in 2010 and 359 in 2005. The lion population in Junagadh District was 268 individuals, 44 in Gir Somnath District, 174 in Amreli District, and 37 in Bhavangar District. There are 109 males, 201 females and 213 cubs. Gir National Park is closed from 16 June to 15 October every year, throughout the monsoon season. History In the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lake Palace
Lake Palace (formally known as Jag Niwas) is a former summer palace of the royal dynasty of Mewar, it is now turned into a hotel. The Lake Palace is located on the island of Jag Niwas in Lake Pichola, Udaipur, India, and its natural foundation spans . Popularly described as the Venice of the East, Udaipur hosts the pristine Lake Palace, curated out of white marble. Jag Niwas, the then Lake Palace, was constructed circa 1743 -1746 by Maharana Jagat Singh II. The 62nd custodian of the House of Mewar spent a handsome price on building this luxurious palace. The exquisite lake palace was extensively used as a summer retreat for the Mewar Royal family. Currently, IHCL is managing the palace and has done so for the last 50 years. This luxurious palace has attained global fame as several super-hit films, including Octopussy, The Fall, etc., have been shot here. History The Lake Palace was built between 1743 and 1746 under the direction of the Maharana Jagat Singh II (62nd successor to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sabarmati Ashram
Sabarmati Ashram (also known as Gandhi Ashram) is located in the Sabarmati suburb of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, adjoining the Ashram Road, on the banks of the River Sabarmati, from the town hall. This was one of the many residences of Mahatma Gandhi who lived at Sabarmati (Gujarat) and Sevagram (Wardha, Maharashtra) when he was not travelling across India or in prison. He lived in Sabarmati or Wardha for a total of twelve years with his wife Kasturba Gandhi and followers, including Vinoba Bhave. The Bhagavad Gita was recited here daily as part of the Ashram schedule. It was from here that Gandhi led the Dandi march also known as the Salt Satyagraha on 12 March 1930. In recognition of the significant influence that this march had on the Indian independence movement, the Indian government has established the ashram as a national monument. History Gandhiji's India ashram was originally established at the Kocharab Bungalow of Jivanlal Desai, a barrister and friend of Gandhi, on 25 M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jama Masjid, Delhi
The Masjid-i-Jehan-Numa (), commonly known as the Jama Masjid of Delhi, is one of the largest mosques in India. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1650 and 1656, and inaugurated by its first Imam, Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari. Situated in the Mughal capital of Shahjahanabad (today Old Delhi), it served as the imperial mosque of the Mughal emperors until the demise of the empire in 1857. The Jama Masjid was regarded as a symbolic node of Islamic power across India, well into the colonial era. It was also a site of political significance during several key periods of British rule. It remains in active use, and is one of Delhi's most iconic sites, closely identified with the ethos of Old Delhi. Names The mosque has two names. The older one, bestowed by Shah Jahan, is '''Masjid-i-Jehān-Numā''', roughly translating to "mosque commanding the view of the world" in Persian and Urdu. The other more common one is '''Jāmā Masjid''', which emerged among the comm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
