One of my PhD students is working on her thesis titled “Marketing Strategies for Tourism Industry;’’ the University practices progress review on research every year. One of the panellists asked her to explain what her contribution to the research is, and what are the 4 Ps of tourism?  My student has done a wonderful job; she tried explaining the 4 Ps, however, the panellist was not in a mood to listen to her explanation. How do we explain 4 Ps of tourism? Can we call tourism a tangible or an intangible product? The most accepted definition is provided by the World Tourism Organization (WTO), “tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to end staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes”.

The natural curiosity of human to know different places, its culture, and desire of travel is inborn. People keep travelling for number of reasons. The travelling activities will never stop; therefore tourism activities will increase in the future more and more, especially with the development of transportations system and the information technology.

Nevertheless, tourism is a very multifaceted industry which involves numerous stakeholders right from government of a nation, hospitality stake holders, and the nature (environmental factors) themselves – each contributing to either its growth or downfall.

Lets understand the 4 Ps of tourism:

Product: First and foremost, tourism as a product differs from other products due to its large canvas. It covers a range of elements such as accommodation, food and beverages, transportation, scenic/heritage/historical/geographical/spiritual attractions, recreation and of course the customer’s own outlook. Not everything is tangible in it; it is a mix of tangible and intangible experiences. And a customer is going to like a “product”, which is a “destination” for a tourist. If the elements listed above are up to the tourist’s satisfaction, the product is purchasable.

In a marketing mix a product is any offering which satisfies customer’s requirement. Since tourism business is all about experience of TOURIST – this needs a different handling all together. It has to satisfy the tourist’s innate experiences.

Each tourist has his/her enigma; there are lot of tacit expectations of tourists. I personally think tourism as a product is complex in nature. It’s packaging matters.

Price: Price in case of tourism is the amount of money that customer pays for the package offer. Whether the package is highly priced, properly priced or is low priced is decided by the experience of the tourist. The pricing should be based on basis of offering made; the accommodation standard, food standard, transportation standard, recreation and the aspirations to be met with. Some destinations are expensively priced while some are modestly priced.

Tourism products are rarely identical. This is because locations differ and also because of the people and the components that make up the experience provided to a traveler.  It can be incredibly diverse and pricing strategies can evolve as a tourism destination develops.  The pricing varies according to the package: uniqueness of the destination, what value added services are provided inclusive of the experience, which segment is being served (middle income/ high income/ low income) the operating costs (fixed and variable) and break even of the service provider.

For most tourism businesses setting prices will be market based. It is driven by what do competitors with similar products and services charge within a given market. Let me clarify here, preferably being price competitive is not price driven, its product driven. It also depends on the seasonality element. In sense, tourism business is seasonal in nature.

Place: In case of tourism industry, distribution is a tricky aspect. In terms of definition, distribution is concerned with making the product available to the customer. It includes various activities undertaken to make the product accessible and available to target customers. Tourism being a service product, and here the customers need to be transported to various destinations (point of sale), its channels are tourist operators, agents, wholesalers, Tourist Company’s website, blogs etc. For the distribution channels in tourism understanding the distribution systems, recommended rates of commission, and the roles of various booking agents’ matters.

Retailers provide customers with an accessible place; either online or as a shop front by booking travel products.  They sell products to customers. Wholesalers are businesses that will sell product through established retail distribution channels both at shop front and online on behalf of the service provider.  They also sell individual product elements and link them to form packages. The role of the intermediary has been an important element at all stages experienced by the tourism sector. Technology has played a pivotal role in growth of travel industry.

Promotion:  Refers to informing the customers about existence of a product. The promotional activity consists of educating, persuading, reminding the customers about the product. A variety of media vehicles are available and being used by the tourism industry.

Tourism promotion uses a good promotional mix such as personal selling, advertisements in print media and electronic media, television etc. People prefer less-travelled destinations; these products require accommodations, transportations and infrastructural facilities of an international standard. Distinctive advertising strategies help to promote nation as a brand, which develops over so many choices in our world. Painting a tourism product in a positive light always helps in attracting potential consumers, and consequently the product consumed is the very essence of the advertising world.

The tourism business is highly hyper competitive in nature. The tourism destinations are faced with a rapidly changing surrounding, nature and increasing demands from travelers. It requires adaptable and workable marketing strategies. The world is well connected today – thanks to Internet. Nationally, tourism ministries of governments are tremendously responsible for its maintenance and development both. And, tourists are complex in nature; they go for overall holistic experience. In order to support the development of a destination that provides a seamless experience are the ones that click.

To sum it up – sky is the limit for growth of tourism sector. The 4 Ps can be developed in manifold and can be mixed and merged beyond imagination.

Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the Sun into the zodiac sign of Capricon (Makara rashi) on its celestial path. The day signifies arrival of spring. Makara Sankranthi is a solar event making one of the few Indian festivals which fall on the same date in the Gregorian calendar every year i.e on 14 January, with some exceptions sometimes this festival is celebrated on 13 or 15 January. Makara Sankranti begins the harvest season and ends the northeast monsoon in South India. Apart from a harvest festival Sankranti is also regarded as the beginning of an auspicious phase in Indian culture. This festival is regarded as a ‘holy phase of transition’. It marks the end of an inauspicious phase which according to the Hindu calendar begins around mid-December. From Makar Sankranti any auspicious and sacred ritual is sanctified in a Hindu family. Scientifically, this day marks the beginning of warmer and longer days compared to the nights. In other words, Sankranti marks the termination of winter season and beginning of a new harvest or spring season.

Makar Sankranti is celebrated in Karnataka by exchanging pieces of sugarcane, a mixture of fried til (sesame), molasses, and pieces of dry coconut, peanuts and fried gram. On this auspicious day, people in Karnataka distribute Yellu and bella (Sesame seeds and Jaggery) and greet with the words” Ellu bella thindu, Olle Maathu Aadu” (Eat sesame seeds and speak only well). The significance of this exchange is that sweetness should win through in all the dealings.

In Tamilnadu it is celebrated as one of the major festivals. It is celebrated over four days. The festivities begin on the last day of the 9th Tamil month of “Maargazhi” and continue till the third day of the 10th Tamil month 0f “Thai“. It marks a new beginning; as, during the month of Maargazhi people abstain from all family celebrations and spend the entire month for devotion. On the day of Sankranti cows and bullocks are attractively decorated and fed ‘Pongal’- a sweet preparation of rice. Special prayers are offered. In the evening, the cattle are led out in procession to the beat of drums and music. A festival called Jalli kathu is held in Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Tanjavur,all in Tamil Nadu, on this day. Bundles of money are tied to the horns of fierce bulls which the villagers try to repossess. Everyone joins in the community meal, at which the food is made of the freshly harvested grain. This day is named and celebrated as Tamilian Tirunal in a fitting manner throughout Tamil Nadu.

In Kerala, at Sabarimala where the Makara Jyothi is visible followed by the Makara Vilakku celebrations. The 40 days anushthana by the devotees of Ayyappa ends on this day in Sabarimala with a big festival.

In Maharashtra, Sankranti is celebrated by exchanging multi-colored tilguls made from til (sesame seeds) and sugar and til-laddus made from til and jaggery. Since sesame seeds have a greater ability to absorb and emit sattva(virtues) frequencies, consuming tilgul helps improve spiritual practice. People exchange tilgul amongst one another results in an exchange of sattvic component. Gul-poli is offered for lunch. And, while exchanging tilguls as tokens of goodwill people greet each other saying”til-gul ghya, goad goad bola” meaning “accept these tilguls and speak sweet words”. The primary thought in the exchange of tilguls is to forget the past ill-feelings and conflicts and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends. Women folk invite other married women for a get-together called “Haldi-Kumkum” and given gifts (utensil, clothes, etc.). Women wear black sarees on this occasion. In Goa, celebrations closely resemble that in Maharashtra; the women folk celebrate ‘haldi-kumkum’.

In Gujarat, Sankrant is celebrated with lot of fun and frolic. People offer thousands of colorful offerings to the Sun in the form of beautiful kites. The act stands as a symbol for reaching to their beloved God, the one who represents the best. This festival thus helps the maintenance of social relationships within the family, caste and community. Kite flying has been associated with this festival in a big way. It has become an internationally well-known event.

In Punjab where December and January are the coldest months of the year, huge bonfires are lit on the eve before Sankranti and are celebrated as Lohri. Sweets, sugarcane and rice are thrown in the bonfires, around which friends and relatives gather together. The following day, which is Sankrant, is celebrated as Magi. The Punjabi’s dance their famous dance Bhangra, and then gather to enjoy sumptuous food that is specially prepared for the occasion.

In Bundelkhand and Madhya Pradesh this festival of Sankrant is known by the name “Sakarat” and is celebrated with great pomp & high spirits accompanied by a lot of sweets.

In Orissa, many tribes start their New Year from the day of Sankranti by lighting bonfires, dancing and eating their particular dishes sitting together. The Bhuya tribals of Orissa have their Maghyatra in which small home-made articles are put for sale. In Jagannath temple at puri this festival is observed as Uttarayana Yatra and Uttarayan Vandapana of lord Jagannath. People offer a special kind of newly harvested rice and sugarcane mixed with jaggery, grated coconut, banana, molasses, chenna (cheese), Khua, various fruits, dry fruits and milk called “Makara Chaula” to the presiding deity, the Sun God & lit solemn pyre for satisfying the evil elements plaguing household. This day is also observed in Jagannath temple, Puri with two popular Veshas (costumes) of Lord Jagannath i.e. Nabanka Vesha (one day before Makar Sankranti) and Makara Chaurashi Vesha (on the day of Makar Sankranti). In the districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Sundargarh where the tribal population is more than forty per cent, the festival is celebrated with great joy and merriment.

Assamese call this festival as Bihu. The word Bihu is derived from the language of the Dimasa people. Bi means “to ask” and Shu means “peace”. The word Bishu gradually became Bihu to accommodate linguistic preferences. Bihu is also used to imply  Bihu dance and Bihu folk songs

In Kolkata, West Bengal, Sankranti, also known as Pous Sankranti after the Bengali month in which it falls, is celebrated as a harvest festival Pous Parbon. The freshly harvested paddy along with the date palm syrup in the form of Khejurer Gur and Patali is used in the preparation of a variety of traditional Bengali sweets made with rice flour, coconut, milk and khejurer gur and known as Pithey. All sections of society participate in a three-day begins on the day before Sankranti and ends on the day after. Goddess Lakshmi is usually worshipped on the day of Sankranti.

Many fairs are held on Makar Sankranti the most famous being the Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years at one of four holy locations, namely Haridwar, Prayag (Allahabad), Ujjain and Nashik. The Magh Mela (or mini-Kumbh Mela held annually at Prayag) and the Gangasagar Mela (held at the head of the Ganges River, where it flows into the Bay of Bengal). Millions take a dip in places like Ganga Sagar and Prayag and pray to the Sun God.

The significance of Makar Sankranti is that it is the time to remind yourself that celebrating movement is possible only when there is a taste of stillness within you.  It is a festival which teaches you that our real wealth is the goodwill and camaraderie with those around us, including the land on which our food grows, and the animals that help to make our work lighter.

Though we are taught to inculcate certain habits like washing hands before meals, regular brushing of teeth, and bathing and wearing clean clothes from our young age, in most households, cleanliness of public places is not inculcated in the minds of children. Cleanliness needs to be imbibed in our characters, no wonder our public places and societies are kept filthily.

Gandhiji dwelt on cleanliness and good habits and pointed out its close relationship to good health. No one should spit or blow his nose on the streets. In some cases the sputum is so harmful that the germs infect others. In most developing and progressive countries spitting on the road, throwing trash on the roads, cleaning nose on the road is a criminal offence. Those who spit after chewing betel leaves and tobacco have no consideration for the feelings of others. Spittle, throwing mucus from the nose, etc, is such an ugly thing that we are least bothered about it. India is blessed with beautiful heritage tourist destinations, instead of keeping them clean and tidy and help flourishing tourism, they are neglected and kept dirty.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA) or Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is a nation-wide campaign in India by the present Government from 2014 to 2019 that aims to clean up the streets, roads and infrastructure of Indian cities, towns, and rural areas. The objectives of Swachh Bharat include eliminating open defecation through the construction of household-owned and community-owned toilets and establishing a systematic mechanism of monitoring toilet use. The mission is run by the Government of India; the mission aims to achieve an “open-defecation free” (ODF) India by 2 October 2019, the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi.

The mission aims at constructing 90 million toilets in rural India at a projected cost of 1.96 lakh crore (US$30 billion). The mission will also contribute to India reaching sustainable development growth (SDG), established by the UN in 2015. The campaign was officially launched on 2 October 2014 at Rajghat, New Delhi, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is India’s largest cleanliness drive till date.

A clean place instantly looks attractive. Cleanliness raises an ordinary looking place to the extraordinary. Abroad the heritage sites are kept so clean, neat and tidy, they therefore look appealing to visit by foreigners. Imagine how Niagara Falls would look if there were plastic bags, bottles or other waste material all around? In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a vow in 2014 that he would clean up river Ganga by 2019 in five years tenure of his government. A detectably clean Ganga could boost Modi’s credibility as someone who can be trusted to deliver. But, the river is yet to be cleaned. It’s not an easy task, accepted, but in past four years hardly any work has been done on the cleaning it. Among the Hindus in India, the river Ganges is considered sacred and is personified as the Goddess Gaṅgā. She is worshiped by Hindus who believe that bathing in the river causes the remission of sins and facilitates liberation.

The aesthetics of a place raises when it is kept clean and neat. Cleanliness is a character trait, it cannot be forcefully taught. Keeping your environment clean goes a great way in keeping you and your family healthy. It provides enough inspiration to start making a few changes for a cleaner surrounding, cleaner city and cleaner nation. Garbage that is not attended to, garbage lying on the road or in uncovered bins serves as perfect breeding grounds for pathogens and germs. Why allow germs to form?  Why allow them to exist in the first place? Why can’t we close the Pandora box of waste? It will reduce the spread of all transmissible diseases.

Tourists prefer visiting destinations which are kept cleaner, where the possibility of acquiring diseases is minimal. It is a very sensible thought. Nobody would want to spend their vacation lying in bed. Hence keeping a place clean will easily lure more tourists and make tourism a booming industry. Like in the cities like Indore, Bhopal and Chandigarh which are supposed to be the cleanest cities in India, the tourism is on boom. Statistics show that these cities attract a large number of travelers every year.

If citizens don’t feel the necessity of cleanliness, the Swach Bharat Movement will be hardly constructive. It is difficult and almost impossible to clean and set everything in a managed way in short time. Waste manage is a real big task. India must gear up technologically for the challenge of waste management.

In next 50 years, the longevity revolution will be in full swing. The world will be obsessed with the latest, most novel genetic enhancement to revitalize and extend lives. Retrofitting which means addition of new technologies to the older system genome for a new appearance, for a newer look will be the fashion statement, people will be busier with newer hobbies, and obviously the scenario of the society will be all different. Due to the medical innovations when people will live longer, they might crave for more than just the late 21st century version of adventure, including the requisite trip to space or a month on Moon or Mars Colony excursion. They will want to continually reinvent themselves and their potential. People will want more leisure time. It will be the key to man´s future. Therefore, careers in leisure have a great future, and the range is far too big.

In fact even today people have started giving more importance to leisure. People understand happiness is more important for good health. Mental wellness is an important part of our overall health and it improves our physical well-being. Participating in leisure and recreation activities can help in managing stress and reduce depression, https://holisticdental.org/klonopin-for-anxiety/. Leisure provides the chance to find balance in life. A family outing is beneficial for kids because parents showcase healthy ways to handle stress and emotions. Participating in leisure activities regularly reduces depression; in fact, just thinking about past outdoor recreation experiences can elevate mood.

Each one spends his leisure time in different ways depending on what each one likes to do more. But, in regard to the question as to whether the good use of leisure time is the key to man´s future, I think that we can take advantage the leisure time doing something that we like to do while this activity helps us in total physical and mental rejuvenation.

There are a wide variety of professional career opportunities in the leisure and recreation. Tourism is the most vibrant field. It is the most vital economic activity. And the sector offers big range of career opportunities. Life coaching can be linked with leisure. Life coaching is a type of coaching, or counseling that can be used to help people who are in major transition phases in their lives. Professionals in this field often try to help people plan goals and takes steps to realize those goals. Simply put, a life coach offers advice and guidance to deal with change that will put their clients on a path to success. They help to start taking actions in the areas of life that one wishes to change. A life coach guides through the process by asking questions that helps an individual to evaluate and decide which steps to take in order to reach his/her goal or make an important change. They play the important roles of motivator, strategist and accountability partner.

Each one spends the leisure time doing they want to do, but there are a lot of activities which we can do and furthermore get benefits. Each moment has value and we should not waste it. Not everyone looks forward to life changes, however, and some may have a hard time coping with them. Unfortunately, those who can’t or won’t change will often miss out on improving their lives. Some may even need help with these changes.

There might be a number of reasons why a person might seek the guidance of a professional life coach. For instance, they might be stuck in a rut in their lives and looking for a way to move forward. Others, however, seek the guidance of life coaches for help at different turning points in their lives, such as: higher studies, starting a career, advancing a career, buying a home, coping with divorce, reorganizing financial goals, advancement in career, hobby etc.

Life coaching clients might also be looking for guidance on personal goals as well, like losing weight or getting healthier, changing look, leadership style, soft skills etc. There are certain traits and skills that an individual should possess in order to succeed in a life coaching career. Life coaches should be energetic, inspiring, motivational, and organized. Excellent listening and communication skills are also a must. It is a serious job. The life coach needs to be compassionate too. The field of life coaching has been around for years. It became more popular during the 1970’s and 1980’s, however, as it took on the form of executive coaching, or business coaching, it concentrates on fewer aspects. This type of coaching is often used to help executives and CEOs communicate better with their underlings and further their careers. In the 1990’s, business coaching started to make the transition to general life coaching. Today, life coaching is available and useful for everyone, not just executives, and the field is growing steadily.

The movie ‘Chhoti Si Baat’ in 1975 shows veteran actor Ashok Kumar in the role of life coach. He coaches a painfully shy young man Arun Pradeep (Amol Palekar), who lacks self-confidence and fails to stand up for his convictions, in the process letting all and sundry walk all over him. He falls for Prabha Narayan (Vidya Sinha) at the bus stop, and its love at first sight….. He lacks enough courage and is unsure if his feelings could be reciprocated. Ashok Kumar who plays Colonel Julius Wilfred Nagendranath Singh instills confidence and guides Arun (Amol Palekar) to gain confidence in himself. Arun learns some important lessons of life, which he did not at home because he was the sole child of his parents and he was spoiled enough not to think of realities of the world.

We are entering an era where value sets are shifting. A cognitive shift in which new lifestyle choices and business models will emerge is already taking place. We all know that money alone can’t buy happiness; when we become vulnerable, we start looking elsewhere for emotional well-being and greater meaning in every aspect of life. This brings huge opportunities in both areas leisure and life coaching since people want to achieve higher levels of personal fulfilment. Life coaches help people to search their happiness map. Empathy is a vital factor to facilitate, educate and inspire that journey. Trust me friends, it is also the fundamental driver to the 21st century’s striving businesses and societies. People simply want empowerment, and with that personal well-being, has become a new religion already informing lifestyle preferences.

Enlightened Gurus are in demand. People throng to yogis. The list of ‘so called’ yogis is illustrious and long. While real Gurus advocate simplicity, austerity and spirituality, the new Swamis play different rules and which have evolved a completely new value system. But they claim to be leaders of these virtues. Modern gurus harbor a fondness for money, sex, or fame a few love to even apply the political axe, while many have been backed with corporate connection. The Swami-startup list is growing. The complexities of life lays a fertile foundation for a Guru/Baba start-up. Given the multiple problems faced by people, the global quest for spirituality is growing.

Our society is both fast and slow; we are seeking efficiency and material accomplishment on the one hand, and quality of life and meaning on the other. To balance these contrasts, it is essential to practice introspection at each stage in life. For a long time society has banked on left-brain thinking only, relying on quantifiable data, while starving the more visionary right side of the brain, which is informed by intuition and imagination. These factors contribute to the bright future of leisure and life coaching.

 Each era has some unique features in its distinctive culture. India is rich in art forms which have constantly evolved over thousands of years. In ancient India, a range of art forms like paintings, architecture and sculptures evolved. The history of art in ancient India begins with primeval rock paintings and stone carvings, sculptures and cave painting. We can see the ancient rock paintings in the Bhimbetaka paintings, belonging to the prehistoric age. When we talk of art it should be understood that time and creativity is inseparable. Art in any form has an inimitable sensitivity. The ancient Indian art was produced by supple inventive minds deeply passionate with myths, legends, bits and pieces from epic, infinite gods born out of dreams and fantasies. The anonymous and indescribable artists have expressed their artistic instincts and their passion in variety of forms.

One such place worth a purposeful visit is Sahasralinga which is on the banks of the river Shalmala near Bhairumbe village. This place is 15 kms from Sirsi in North Karnataka (Uttara Kannada district).  You will see something like a thousand Shiva lingas carved on the rocks – some present in the river and some on the river bank. Each rock has carved Shiva linga on it and Nandi facing it.

The story goes like this: it is believed that 1001 Shivalingas were created by carving them on rocks by King Sadashivaraya, king of Karnataka (1678-1718). He used to worship Lord Shiva. For   many years he was childless. He made vow to the Lord Shiva that the moment he would have a child, he would carve sahasra (thousand) lingas.  Soon after his vow, a daughter was born; hence the Sahsralingas were created on the bank of Shalmala River.  There are also basavas (bulls) and other artistic forms carved on the rocks of the river. It is furthermore believed that there was a school of art here in ancient times. You can see a Hanging Bridge also here.

 There are quite a few places in North Karnataka in Sirsi, Yellapur, Ankola, Karwar, Harwade, Badami, Annigeri etc which are not exposed to tourists; the main reason being lack of infrastructural facilities and bad roads.

It is mentioned in most puranas that Lord Shiva likes to stay in seclusion; he does not like pomp and show therefore most Shivalayas (Shiva temples) are built in very calm, quite and secluded spots amidst the lush green jungles and also on isolated river banks.

While visiting Sahasralinga you can pack some food and beverages because there is no food available nearby. You can spend a day with nature here. Please do not throw used papers, plastic covers, hand bags. Don’t litter and spoil the beauty of this scenic site. Help maintain cleanliness. You can see that some of the lingams broken down, some of them half broken. The Government must try to restore the carvings. It is such a beauty – ancient yet very regal. Why can’t the Karnataka government declare it as heritage spot?

 How to reach? Sahasralinga is on the way to Yellapur from Sirsi. One has to get down get at bus stop called ‘Hulgol’ and walk towards ‘Hulgol’ and from the main road it is around 2 km. Yelllapur is a naturally bestowed central getaway on the Ankola (NH-17) – Hubli route. Yelllapur is home to Banana County Resort, 27 acres of land with beautiful cottages, landscaped garden, and of course banana plantation. You should visit this resort which gives you a refreshing experience of staying in lush green surrounding with water sports, walking track, boating, outdoor games and jungle safari.

Other nearby spots to be visited:

 Jenu Kallu Gudda (Gudda means hill) you can see amazing sunset from this hill. There some magic in the sunset watching from this hill.

Magod Falls: A treat to your eyes. Really beautiful and scenic waterfall tucked far away from the maddening crowd. Please treat your eyes with beautiful shades of greenery and grayish white waterfall.  On the way to this waterfall you will find nice lake called “Kavade Kere” of about 60acres area.

 Syntheri Rock in Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary: This is naturally formed monolithic granite structure having a height of 300 ft, which is located in the dense Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. The River Kaneri that flows at this place passes along the side of this rock. Owing to the flow of the river from the vicinity, erosion has resulted in the rocks getting hollowed. Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on the banks of River Kali in North Karnataka.  It is believed that the city is named as “Dandeli” after Dandelappa, a loyal servant of the Mirashi landlords who lost his life because of his loyalty. The calm and peaceful Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over 834.16 sq. km. The altitude of Dandeli varies from 100 m to 970 m; the highest point is the Hegada Temba.

If you haven’t visited this incredible, small sized plateau near Satara in Maharashtra, you have missed the striking panorama of nature’s delight. Without wasting any further time, take a trip to this spot because this is the right time of the year just about two months of September and October. The plateau is full of wild flowers with ascetic colors and the blooms which last for about a month and a half.

The plateau is known as Kaas Pathar in Marathi language. The name Kaas originates from Kaasa tree (Elaeocarpus Glandulosus). This tree has a magic; its leaves turn green to red as they mature. It gives white flowers only for 15 days in the month of March. The area of plateau is approximately 1,000 hectare.The Kaas Plateau is situated in the Western Ghats of Shyadri range, just about 22 kilometers from Satara city in Maharashtra state of India. Pathar in Marathi means plateau.

Believe it or not, the entire plateau looks like a carpet of flowers of every hue of colors, they wild and alien, the flowers are small and medium size, with more than 900 different species of flowers, orchids and carnivorous plants such as Drosera Indica which are found only in Kaas.

Wear your walking shoes to keep your feet feeling good mile after mile, be prepared to walk.   Don’t stop, keep moving. Take a good camera to click pictures. Do carry magnifying glass with you so that you can enjoy the beauty of very tiny, micro flowers – they are so tiny in size that if you want to see their beauty with naked eyes you will miss the charm of them; hence carry your magnifying glasses.  Do not pluck the flowers, or don’t even touch them. You are not allowed to do so.

Recently Kaas has been declared as Biodiversity World Heritage Site by The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNSCO). There is a stunning Kaas lake also which is surrounded by dense forests and it lies between Sajjangad fort and the Kanher Dam.

It takes about seven hour drive from Mumbai and 3 and half hour drive from Pune. Due to its beauty it attracts many tourists, scientists, botanists and nature lovers. It seems Kaas Plateau was formed by volcanic actions and is covered by a thin soil cover as a result of which, no vegetation thrives in the region. This area experiences very high rainfall. You will experience sudden showers of big droplets of rains accompanied by fragrant lazing breeze. Due to its unique geographical and ecological features you will find unique flora and fauna in this region. It is one of the hotspots of biodiversity. You will have gratifying experience of trekking through the flowerbeds, enjoy the scenic beauty, if you are tired wait for a while, and take lazy strolls through the meadows.

Best time to visit Kaas Plateau is after the rains till October end. Many people visit Kaas during the rains; however, the plants bloom only in late August.

Recently the procedure for visiting Kaas has changed and it is a BIG change. You have to pre-register yourself on a website. Only 2000 people per day would be allowed to visit the place. This is a good decision taken. The website is www.kaspathar.com  you have to give your details along with the number of people with you. They charge you Rs.10/- per person.

They don’t allow you to park your vehicle on the road at the stretches of the flowers. Instead, you have the following options: 1) Park a few kms earlier and take a government bus to get dropped off in the main stretch. Or you can drive ahead and park at the junction where the main road becomes a one-way stretch from Bamnoli. And, last pieces of advice – visit this heavenly plateau on weekdays instead of weekends. You can avoid the maddening crowd.

Please get energized in the lap of the nature. Visit Kaas.

If you want to take quick break away from your frantic and exhausted life, you want enjoy the soothing scenery and you want just a day’s trip here are some famous spots near Mumbai & Pune. Take a look and drive down without any further delay one of these weekends:

MORACHI CHINCHOLI:

This is small cozily tucked away village. You will see lots of Peacocks here; in sense you can watch them from a short distance. It is their home. You can call this village as The Indian National Bird’s Habitat Centre. It’s just about 50 kilometers away from Pune on the Pune-Ahmednagar State Highway. What is most appreciable about the villagers is even when they have faced drought-like situations they have saved the peacocks without any government support. The village is lush green in monsoon and is well-maintained by the villagers.

Peacocks are slightly used to the local surrounding though – but withdraw the moment they see crowd of tourists. Please don’t shout loudly, don’t use stones etc. Immediately the peacocks go in hiding. We are supposed to respect their natural behavior. Every forest has its rules to follow. Don’t harm the nature. Don’t cut seeds, tree bark, roots and any other part of plants and trees, don’t pluck flowers; in our enthusiasm we tend to do these acts – by doing so we hurt the plants.  Use path and trails indicated for walking to minimize the damage to natural beauty. Please do not throw litter anywhere put wastes where it belongs. Do write on the trees. You will realize the plants, trees and animals have their own way of communicating with the surrounding. They can respond to the unspoken thoughts of humans.

Don’t waste time; take an immediate trip; you will see the dancing peacocks in the monsoon. Here you will find abundant tamarind tress and therefore it is called ‘Chincholi’ tamarind in Marathi is ‘Chinch’ and Chincholi means a plot of land of chinch trees. The best time to spot the peacocks is in the morning between 6 and 8 am and in the evening between 5 and 7 pm. Once you reach the village, you are treated to a delicious breakfast by the host. You can take a tractor/bullock cart ride to the farm and experience the irrigation and farming life. Take an afternoon nap under the shadow of mango trees. You will experience the typical Maharashtrian village life and you will return home with pleasant memories.

PHANSAD WILD LIFE SANCTURY:

If you are fond of wildlife do visit Phansad in Raigad district. It falls in Murud and Roha Talukas. It was created in 1986 by Government of Maharashtra to preserve some of the coastal woodland ecosystem in the Western Ghats. This sanctuary consists of 6979 hectare of forest, grasslands and wetlands. The area was once part of the hunting reserves of the princely state of Murud-Jannira. This wildlife sanctuary is not very far from both Mumbai and Pune. It’s about 145 km from Mumbai.

You will find about 90 species of butterflies, large variety of rare birds, Leopard, Hyena, Muntjac, interestingly, you will see the Indian Giant Squirrels here. You will see a beautiful mix of flora and fauna here. It is so soothing to eyes and it just enriches your soul. Feel fresh, inhale the pollution free air, and just be with the nature. You will inhale a mild floral fragrance the moment you enter the sanctuary. This sanctuary also houses around 710 species of plants like Ficus, Jamba, teak and many more. Medicinal plants like Clitoria, Biflora, Ramphicapa Longifolia and others are also found here.

There are four main trails through the sanctuary that take in the main waterholes, Gunyacha Maal, Chikhalgaan and Phansadgaan, that are some of the best places to see wildlife. The “Sacred Groves” are located near Supegon. The sanctuary consists of pockets of open grassland, which in Marathi is called mal. The sanctuary is best approachable by road from Murud-Janjira and Roha. The nearest railway station is Roha.

We need more National parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries; because it helps save several animal populations and endangered organisms. Let’s realizes just how many animals and plants are going extinct, and how much it’s already affecting our environment. We need more places that can protect these animals and keep them safe. Visit Phansad; it is worth at least one visit.

BED AND BREAKFAST

BED AND BREAKFAST have come a long way; the term itself has been coined in the UK after World War II. At that time numerous foreigners needed a place to stay and local people had opened their homes and started serving breakfast to those overnight guests. Hence, a BED AND BREAKFAST is accommodation offered in someone’s private home. The proprietor may live on premises or nearby. Breakfast is usually homemade and sumptuous served in the dining room, the bedroom or at a patio in the private garden of the house. The majority of BED AND BREAKFAST offers a private bathroom. Privacy and sociability are equally available depending on the inclination of the guest.

BED AND BREAKFAST offers cozy, clean and comfortable surroundings to the guests; generally the rooms are set up just like a room in your own house. Every BED AND BREAKFAST setting is different. Some BED AND BREAKFAST have shared bathrooms, so if you don’t mind that, you may save some money to stay there.

A research conducted on BED AND BREAKFAST says that people who have stayed at BED AND BREAKFAST  have rarely regretted it. The hospitality they receive from their host is impeccable. Usually people who offer BED AND BREAKFAST service are warm and social and like to have people in their homes. They are more helpful to their guests and will go out of their way to accommodate the guest’s requirements. If you are planning a quiet vacation to relax and spend some time on the beach or a woods, find a BED AND BREAKFAST in the location and add charm to your holiday.

Besides a homely setup, BED AND BREAKFAST offers cool atmosphere, and personal pampering which cannot be compared to a hotel. Moreover, the BED AND BREAKFAST hosts are always a good source for detailed local knowledge and great help for planning a trip. Guests generally communicate directly with the owner which allows them to make prior planning for special requirements. It’s a sort of hybrid between a luxury hotel and a private home, embodying the best of both worlds.

Usually for BED AND BREAKFAST owners running the service is a secondary source of income or a primary occupation. Generally the owners themselves prepare the breakfast and clean the rooms, but some BED AND BREAKFAST hire staff for cleaning or cooking. A property which hires professional management is uncommon.

It is very difficult to put a strict label to BED AND BREAKFAST; they have some differentiation parameters. Location, architecture, interior decoration, facilities and services – all these features of a BED AND BREAKFAST vary in large amounts depending on location, standards, and people running the place. BED AND BREAKFAST are to be found in townhouses, country houses, farms, cottages, villas, lodges, country inns, historic homes, castles, cabins, carriage houses, boats, mansions, ranches, apartments, boats and everyday homes. The list can go on endlessly. But it is the variety that makes staying in BED AND BREAKFAST so exciting, romantic, and thrilling.

Travelers can come together with the host’s family members; I have one good experience to share; when we visited Goa in Canacona few years back, the hosts were so kind that they included us in their family function – ring ceremony of their granddaughter.  The ceremony was very traditional and elaborative, three hours long which began with a puja. It was followed by dinner – typically Konkani style. Today, even after 7 years, we are in touch with the family (BED AND BREAKFAST owners) that’s the charm of BED AND BREAKFAST .

World over, BED AND BREAKFAST are run in different fashions. Registered Irish BED AND BREAKFAST is star rated but the majorities are not registered. Generally, BED AND BREAKFAST in Ireland are family owned & run with a small percentage being managed but still with the personal service expected in this sector. Owners/Hosts must live on premises. Breakfast can mean a cooked or continental style buffet.

In China expatriates have re-modeled traditional structures in quiet picturesque rural areas and opened a few rustic boutique hotels with minimum amenities. Most patrons are tourists but they are growing in popularity among the Chinese

In Cuba, which opened up to tourism in the 1990s after the financial support of the Soviet Union ended, a form of BED AND BREAKFAST  called ”casa particular” (private home) they are famous and will be seen outside the tourist homes.

In Hungary, BED AND BREAKFAST is very popular. Usually is a small family-run hotel, a friendly ambience and a pleasant atmosphere. It provides an affordable alternate for the hotels. In Hungarian the BED AND BREAKFAST  is called “Panzió” or “Szálló”.

In India, the government is promoting the concept of BED AND BREAKFAST. The government is doing this to increase tourism; in 2010 Common Wealth Games especially BED AND BREAKFAST was given a boost, keeping in view the expected demand for hotels.  In India, BED AND BREAKFAST have been classified in 2 categories – Gold & Silver BED AND BREAKFAST . All BED AND BREAKFAST will be approved by the Ministry of Tourism who will then categorize it as Gold or Silver based upon the pre-defined criteria.

BED AND BREAKFAST business model is copied from the British. The British were the pioneers in this business. They are famous in southern province of Skania, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmo etc.

The custom of opening one’s home to travelers dates back the earliest days of Colonial America. Lodging establishments were few and far between in the 18th century and, apart from a limited number of coaching inns, travelers relied on the kindness of strangers to provide a bed for the night. Hotels became more common with the advent of the railroad and later the automobile; most towns had at least one prominent hotel.

During the Great Depression, tourist homes provided an economic advantage to both the traveler and the host. Driving through town on US highways, travelers stopped at houses with signs reading Tourists or Guests welcome, indicating that travelers could rent a room for the night for approximately $2. The rooms brought needed income for the home owner and saved money of the traveler, representing an intermediate option between inexpensive camp or cabins and costly railway hotels. In 1950s and 60s the Motel was a fad, the motels had carved niche for themselves then. They are in present days called ‘economy limited serving hotels’.

Through the 1980s and 1990s, BED AND BREAKFAST s increased rapidly in numbers and evolved from home stay BED AND BREAKFAST with shared baths and a simple furnishings to beautifully renovated historic mansions with luxurious decor and amenities. Printed directories listed options in various cities. By the mid-1990s, the Internet made it more affordable for innkeepers to promote their properties worldwide; it provided on-line reservation software and allowed travelers to view detailed photos, videos, and reviews. BED AND BREAKFAST s are found in all states, in major cities and remote rural areas, occupying everything from modest cottages to opulent mansions.

Some advantages of BED AND BREAKFAST:

• Breakfast is included: While this may seem obvious, it’s actually a wonderful amenity in terms of convenience and cost savings. BED AND BREAKFAST offer anything from a continental spread to a hot gourmet meal. As a special touch, some facilities will even serve this meal in your room.
• Privacy and peace: BED AND BREAKFAST tend to be more exclusive with fewer guests. They don’t often cater to large families and are more popular among couples. If you’re looking for a place to spend a quiet weekend, a BED AND BREAKFAST may be your best option.
• Personalized service: At a BED AND BREAKFAST, there are only a handful of guests. The hosts give you a much more personal experience. Typically, the gatekeeper is the owner and thus he makes sure that you have a great stay.
• They are usually located in quite areas. Unlike hotels, BED AND BREAKFAST s are often found off the beaten path. This provides you with a great opportunity to see less traveled parts of the community that you would otherwise miss, it gives you chance to rewind. They are good place to meditate.
• More secure. At a BED AND BREAKFAST, there are fewer people coming and going. With lesser guests, BED AND BREAKFAST owners tend to keep a much better eye on the hotel property than a typical hotel staff. In fact security is one of their priorities in service.
• Taste the local flavor: BED AND BREAKFAST are usually established and run by locals, therefore, the local spirit, local custom and way of life is maintained. You are served local food, and can enjoy some local entertainment. BED AND BREAKFAST s tend to offer all those special extra touches that can make your stay pampering and luxurious. Comfortable bed linens and bathrobes, organic food, and locally roasted coffee and beverage, are only some of the many perks that may be offered. Some facilities even stock snacks and drink in the common areas and rooms in case you get hungry.
• Enjoy extra activities. Many BED AND BREAKFAST offer additional recreational activities in their regular packages. Depending on the location, you may be able to enjoy biking, hiking, canoeing, golfing, or skiing, go get there.

So next time you plan an outing, do try the BED AND BREAKFAST facility.