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.

If you want to get to know someone, take a trip with him. If you really want to get to know a person, don’t bring anyone else along, don’t take an all-inclusive guided tour, and either go somewhere that neither of you have been before nor somewhere the other person truly loves. It’s been said that if you really want to know a person, travel together. Think about it: not only are you spending a lot of time with someone, but it’s a particularly revealing kind of time. You see a new side of a person because he leaves behind his routines and is pushed out of his comfort zone. You might learn something about this person, which he has managed to hide. The person might be a curious learner, he might be generous, he might be music lover, a singer, a good chef or on the contrast he might be stingy, a backbiter, a gossip monger, a greedy pot anything.

While travelling, sometimes things get stressful: we miss a train/bus/flight, we forget to carry our belongings, and we leave things back in the hotel…..at such time you see just how easily this person can shrug it off, take responsibility, use his sense of humour and still manage to have a good time. You might learn some more facets of his personality. You can also find out whether this person is dependable or not. People say that while travelling they have made new friends, they have strengthened relationships, but many say they have even fractured some relationships. While travelling with someone he/she might reveal things that you simply don’t like and never knew before.

We see a variety of travel companions over the years; mostly good, but a few not so good. Travelling typically comes with difficulties, and you will learn how to adapt in order to make it work. Additionally, by learning how people in different cultures deal with various problems, you can actually see whether your partner is a problem solver. We all have little phobias that we experience in our daily lives; travels help you to overcome them. In the same way that travel makes you more outgoing by forcing you into conversations and human interactions, travelling can help expose you to things that you might normally have an aversion to – such as large crowds, public transportation, unusual cuisine, or even certain animals and insects found in nature.

If you do find yourself in conflict while travelling, it is best to address it as soon as possible. First, identify the problem as you see it. Is your partner being too controlling? Chronically running late? Being a tightwad (miserly)? Complaining excessively about the local culture? Is fussy about food habits, is very self centric? Take a call whether you want to be associated with this person or not.

Learning curve is defined as ‘the rate of a person’s progress in gaining experience or new skills. It can be presented in graphical representation of the common sense principle that the more one does something the better by putting in headwork; one gets better and better at it. Learning curves are geometric curves that can be graphed on the basis of a formula. In business organizations when people are hired the learning curve is measured on the basis of their output.  Typically, the X (horizontal) axis measures cumulative output and the Y (vertical) axis measures the cost per unit. The curve starts with a high cost per unit at the beginning of output, decreases quickly at first, and then levels out as cumulative output increases. The slope of the learning curve is an indication of the rate at which an employee’s learning transforms into cost savings.

One can explain the shape of learning curve in a different way. When a new task or production operation begins, a person or system learns quickly, and the learning curve is steep. With each additional repetition, less learning occurs and the curve flattens out. At the beginning of production or learning, individuals or systems are said to be “high” on the learning curve. That means that costs per unit are high, and cumulative output is low. Individuals and systems “move down” the experience or learning curve by learning to complete repetitive tasks more efficiently, removing hesitation and mistakes, mechanizing certain tasks, and making adjustments to procedures or systems.

People’s learning happens sporadically sometimes or not all such that they cannot be graphed.  But that’s exactly what you should do. The phrase, of course, has spread from management science to business and other activities generally. In the broader frame “learning curve” has come to mean that every new activity requires the acquisition of knowledge and skill. It takes time and requires money to master new jobs and new fields, but later knowledge provides efficiency and leverage.

In an average case, one follows the common path; he/she gains education in a structured setting and uses the knowledge as the basis for a career.  If an individual continues to learn ahead, advancement by gaining further education he/she grows. Career advancement is a byproduct of a person’s experience. That’s important too. Learning curve grows by unlearning what we have learnt.  In most areas of learning, there is always a “next step” with data or content one consumes because constantly things keep changing.

We all need to apprehend that we know nothing. Only when we realize this, our mind gets ready for accelerated learning.  When we think we know all or that we have answers for all problems we become unreceptive. Therefore, approaching situations with the mindset that we know nothing is better as we then learn objectively and stop thinking subjectively.  And an objective, measured mindset is necessary for learning.  Unlearning what we have learnt is very important for learning new things. In sense, we learn same topics

I am of an opinion that often the challenges we face come as blessings in disguise. If you look at them closely, they have some opportunities hidden in them. Life’s challenges usually seem like inconveniences because they disrupt our schedules, or get in the way of something we want to do. But, those challenges accelerate our learning curve. Similarly, when we are working on an important assignment, the last thing we want is to face big, unexpected challenges or obstacles. When that happens, it usually means a major delay. But, we forget to look at our added learning curve; we instead look at greater expense, or some other unplanned complication. When we are focused on results it is hard to appreciate the detours caused by new challenges.

It is rightly said that failing in a class or two in school strengthens our learning curve. We need to look at each problem/challenge in a whole new light. What if we could learn to see them as highly beneficial experiences, adventures in learning are interpreted as learning experience.  The truth is, with the right mental attitude we can completely reframe the way we experience challenges. And changing our self talk positively with the right questions is one of the most effective ways to do that. With a little practice we can view the challenges as some of our most valuable life experiences.

There are few things in life which help us accelerate our learning curve. They are:

Keep learning: You need to learn while at work from others and learn on your own many new things. In your personal life you can experiment with cooking, with daily chores etc. learn to enjoy by doing things in a different fashion. This is how you can get out of your vertical and become exposed to others.  Read blogs, books, newspapers, magazines and case studies. Visit Internet and libraries continuously.  Get books online and in local shops.  Don’t close yourself from knowledge intake because of the new and unfamiliar media formats. Keep updating yourself.

Discuss actively with friends, acquaintances: Listen while others talk on unfamiliar topics. Ask questions to gather knowledge. Your independent learning can be more structured if that works for you, but I think the most important point is it’s a subject that’s pleasurable to you.  That way you’re likely to fill free time with it. We learn best when we have some connection to what we are learning, it becomes useful, when it matters to us. We learn better when we are good at it, when the process of learning is fun. We don’t enjoy challenging and baffling topics. We learn when the reward for that learning is reinforced by positive feedback.

Travel: I think travel makes everybody an amazing person. A short trip or a long trip whatsoever, travel helps us comprehend better, think better and perform better. We end our travels way better off than when we started. While travelling life throws us in unknown situations, sometimes we get cheated, worst; loss of passport, travel documents all this prepares us to hit back with greater plans and ideas to deal with them. Travel teaches you to deal with yours and other’s errors. It teaches us correct and reduces stress. It’s just great reaching top of the mountain, crossing a gorge, helping a co-passenger with his bout of asthma, pacify somebody’s crying child, help some senior citizen by picking his baggage, these things teach skills we dint have.

Develop your hobbies: It is so important to have at least one creative hobby. Research shows that creative hobbies have the power to improve people’s mental states, their learning curve improves. And, some time every day for a bit of self-indulgent creative fun is worth it. So develop some hobbies. Give yourself some time. For example, I think photography is most creative endeavor, which involves creating something out of nothing; photography is all about capturing the beauty that already exists around us. It changes the way you see the world. Not only does it train you to see things from multiple perspectives, but it also gets you to see things that you normally overlook.

Learn few foreign languages: A foreign language is a whole new system with diverse grammar rules, etymology, pronunciation and meaning, which are just a few of parameters which keep the learner busy mentally. Learning a new language puts the brain to task by recognizing new language structure. As the brain works out meaning and connotations while expressing ideas, it sharpens skills on reading, negotiating, and problem-solving. This keeps accelerating the learning curve.

Lastly maintain a habit of documenting your progress.

 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.

Cartography or mapmaking has been an important part of the human history for a long time; possibly from past 8,000 years. It seems in ancient Babylon, Greece and Asia cave paining was used for exploration of newer terrains. In those days also people used to create and use maps as an essential tool to help them define, explain, and navigate their way through the world. Tough we have learnt map reading in our high schools; I am presenting here some vital details of map reading which I have found very useful in recent years.

Why do we use Maps?

Maps are one of the most important tools researchers, cartographers, tourists, students and others can use to examine the entire earth or a specific part of it. In simple words maps are pictures of the earth’s surface. They can be used as general reference to show landforms, political boundaries, water bodies, and the positions of cities.

What are the uses of Maps?

A map gives a minute depiction of a very large space. It acts as a guide in places which we have never visited before. They give us the distance in two places, mountains, rivers, railway station, airport, and shapes of places or destinations.

Purpose of a map
With a map, one does not have to depend on anybody for local directions. It acts as direction finder for a very small price.

The IT revolution has given way to GIS (Geographic Information Systems) it has become large domain within the broader academic discipline of Geoinformatics. The fact is – Geoinformatics due to spatial data infrastructure has no restrictive boundaries.

Different types of maps can show us a plethora of information existing on earth. Twenty years ago, we used paper maps and printed guides to help us navigate the world.

Today, the most advanced digital mapping technologies—satellite imagery, GPS devices, location data and of course Google Maps are much more accessible. This sea change in mapping technology is improving our lives and helping businesses realize untold competences and destinations. I today’s age it is essential for every business organization to have its online presence for its existence needs to be known to the world. Its presence needs to be found. And where do people go when they need to find something? It’s Google, and when we look out for something Google maps are most useful. They present the minutest detail to find out a location.

What are the different types of maps.

Definition of Political Map: A political map does not show any topographic features. It instead focuses solely on the state and national boundaries of a place. They also include the locations of cities – both large and small, depending on the detail of the map. A common type of political map would be World Atlas.

Definition of Physical Map: Physical maps often include much of the same data found on a political map, but their primary purpose is to show landforms like deserts, mountains and plains. Their topography style presents an overall better picture of the local terrain.

Uses of Physical Maps
Physical maps use color connotations to show physical landscape features of a place. They show rivers and lakes and water bodies with blue color. Mountains and elevation changes are usually shown with different colors and shades to show relief. Normally on physical maps green shows lower elevations while browns show high elevations.

What is a Topographic Map: In modern mapping, a topographic map is a type of map characterized by large-scale detail and quantitative representation of break, using contour lines (outline) by using different methods.

Conventional definition of  topographic map require a it to show both natural and man-made features. A topographic map is published as a map series which is made up of two or more map sheets that combine to form the whole map. A contour line is a combination of two line segments that connect but do not intersect; these represent elevation on a topographic map. Contour lines on topographic maps are normally spaced at regular intervals to show elevation changes. For example. each line represent a 100 foot (30 m) elevation change usually. When lines are close together the terrain is steep and when lines are little distanced they represent a reasonable terrain.

Definition of Climate Map: They symbolize aspects of climate. They show the geographic distribution of the monthly or annual average values of climatic variables such as temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, percentage of possible sunshine, isolation, cloud cover, wind speed and direction, and atmospheric pressure over regions ranging in area from a few tens of square kilometers to global breadth. The climate map minimizes the bias in the data by averaging 30 years data; this it does to take into account one or two periods with abnormally high or low values.

Definition of Economic Map: An economic or resource map shows the specific type of economic activity or natural resources present in an area. This is shown through the use of different symbols or colors depending on what is being shown on the map. Economic Map shows branches of various production spheres. These maps are concerned with the trade, commerce, transport of goods, economic conditions etc of a country, a state or a city. These maps also show unemployment, energy resource usage, banking and commerce, and world trade.

Definition of Road Map: A road map is one of the most widely used map types. These maps show major and minor highways and roads in details, as well as spots like railway station, airports, city locations and points of interest like parks, campgrounds, temples, churches and monuments. Major highways on a road map are generally red and larger than other roads. Minor roads are a lighter color and a narrower line. A road map primarily displays roads and transport links. It also shows political boundaries and labels, making it also a type of political map. The earliest road map was drawn around 1160 BC in ancient Egypt.

Definition of Thematic Map: An early contributor to thematic mapping was in England by the English Astronomer Edmond Halley. His first significant cartographic contribution was of a Star Chart of the constellation of the Southern Hemisphere, made during his stay at St. Helena and published in 1686. In that same year he also published his first terrestrial map in an article about trade winds, and this map is called the first meteorological chart. Another example of early thematic mapping was by London physician John Snow. In this map cholera disease had been mapped thematically. Snow’s cholera map in 1854 is the best known example of using thematic maps for analysis. Essentially, his technique and methodology anticipate principles of a geographic information system (GIS).

 What does a Thematic map do?

A thematic map focuses on a particular theme or special topic.  They do not just show natural features like rivers, cities, political subdivisions, elevation and highways. If these items are on a thematic map, they are background information and are used as reference points to enhance the map’s theme.

How to read Maps and develop map reading skills?

And, finally we all need to learn the map reading skills that is required to read and interpret maps. They fall under visual literacy because one needs to get habituated to read images. Visual literacy means not just decoding an image but also to comprehend it; grasping the image and its intentional meaning, evaluating it, and integrating it into other knowledge. Though it seems easy, map reading requires patience and a sharp approach to comprehend it.

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.

I think travel makes everybody an amazing person. A short trip or a long trip whatsoever, travel helps us comprehend better, think better and perform better. We end our travels way better off than when we started.

Don’t you think while travelling we get rid of our inhibitions? We get comfortable talking to strangers; get to understand other traditions and ethnicities. We forget about how we look while talking, smiling, and crying, our hairstyle and many other peculiarities. After a while, we don’t care about where people are from, where they are going, how long they’ve been traveling, and we just get engrossed in our journey.

It is immaterial to which destinations we are travelling; whether it is Mt. Everest, Alps, beautiful Paris, or a small not so famous hill station, the newness of the place, taking a flight, checking in and out of a hotel, talking to locals, eating something new, buying souvenirs – all of this makes us self-assured.  After accomplishing so much, we feel a lot more confident in our ability to achieve anything.

Often, travel helps us to deal with lot of dilemmas such as dealing with missed flight/train/bus; having to stay at the terminus a night, slow buses, wrong turns, delays, bad street food, and much, much more. After a while, it teaches us to learn how to familiarize ourselves in varying situations. It teaches us calm our nerves; not getting mad, not getting irritated, stop fuming and fretting. It teaches us to move on.

While travelling life throws us in unknown situations, sometimes we get cheated, worst; loss of passport, travel documents all this prepares us to hit back with greater plans and ideas to deal with them. Travel teaches you to deal with yours and other’s errors. It teaches us correct and reduces stress. It’s just great reaching top of the mountain, crossing a gorge, helping a co-passenger with his bout of asthma, pacify somebody’s crying child, help some senior citizen by picking his baggage, these things teach skills we dint have.

If you are going through a crisis like you’ve lost your job, snag in a relationship, lost a close one, made losses in business, cannot find solution to a problem travel can be a perfect way to come over these stages, they give you a fresh insight, they give you a better perspective. They help you transit easily.

During a travel we realize that we really need little in life; our habit of hoarding is futile. We become aware of the fact that all those luxury items we purchase for our home, ornaments, luxury brands – all this is pretty useless in leading a truly happy life. As they say, the more you own, the more it owns you. Travel brings you out of your shell – it brings out your good inner qualities making you sociable, witty, tolerant, happy, confident, and smart. Aren’t these qualities vital to lead a successful everyday life?

Enjoy the variety of flavors world has to offer you, enjoy the natural world, the sunrise, sunset, drizzling of showers, waterfalls, wild flowers, green mountain tops, blue sky, the starry night sky, gushing rains, the morning mist – go out there and embrace life. Don’t forget to take part in adventures; go for thrilling river crafting, scuba diving, paragliding, skilling, trekking and rock climbing. Go for fishing, go and explore the old and historical monuments, watch the expansive architecture, go for caving to feel mesmerized.

In reality, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away. We all need to unwind and invigorate. Aren’t we worth it??

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