The city is full of the sights and sounds of Diwali. Streets are lit up with endless strings of tiny electric bulbs. At home, the decoration is more traditional — rows of diyas with their swaying flame, an image that lends itself to a child’s earliest lesson in drawing a lamp. Every now and then, the night sky becomes a canvas for a drawing of a different kind, dynamic and wondrous, as bursts of fireworks sketch bright lines that end in collapsing stars. Which brooding heart will not find solace, even a cause for quiet joy, in a sight like this.

It’s amazing how each of our festivals represent mythology’s leap into modern times, an epic’s entry into our lives. The people of Ayodhya were eagerly awaiting Rama’s return from Lanka, so he could be coronated after 14 years of vanvaas, which actually turned out to be an exercise in national integration, since there is hardly any region in India that does not lay claim to having welcomed the peripatetic king in exile.

I have with me a recent Hindi publication, Janh Janh Rama Charan Chali Jaanhi, by Dr Ramavatar Sharma, a Ramayana scholar who has catalogued the names, along with photographs, of 214 places across India where temples or ponds commemorate its protagonist’s itinerary. I have heard people even in the Andamans contending that their island’s name is derived from Hanuman. Rama’s loyal sevak is said to have flown there in search of some medicinal herb that would cure Laxman, who was wounded in battle. When Rama, Sita and Laxman returned to Ayodhya, its residents lit rows of lamps to welcome them. That, the victory of good over evil, is believed to be the origin of Diwali.

Rather, it is one of the several origins of Diwali, since for Jains, the day marks the Nirvana of Bhagwan Mahavir, and this legend is no less meaningful. The lighting of lamps symbolises the seeking of the light of divine knowledge that went out with Mahavir’s passing.

I am writing about Diwali for another reason. A reader sent me a critical comment about a line — ‘Yeh to limited logon ki Diwali hai’ — that appeared in my column last week. It metaphorically described how the current stockmarket boom has further enriched the superrich, while leaving the poor, even small investors, untouched.

“Do you mean to say,” asked the reader, “that the poor do not celebrate Diwali just because the Sensex surge brings no gains to them? The rich-poor divide in India has always existed, but it hasn’t affected ordinary people’s participation in festivals.”

Point taken. It is wrong to equate Diwali with material wealth, or to think that those who have amassed more money have more joy in celebrating the festival. We would be cured of this mistaken notion by a walkthrough in slums during festival time, be it Diwali, Id or Christmas. The gaiety we see there is infectious. Our festivals are primarily about feeling and caring for our near and dear ones, for our neighbours, strangers, and all those living in this big world, our common home.

To know how little money has got to do with the basic spirit of our festivals, read Premchand’s immortal story Idgah. It is the tale of Hamid, a poor little orphan boy living with Ameena, his grandmother. It’s Id, and all the village boys are going to the fair in a nearby town to enjoy. Ameena’s agony is that her savings are too meagre to give her dear grandson a good enough idi, the money that children receive from relatives at festival time. Other boys spend their idi on sweets, toys and amusement games. Four-year-old Hamid’s concern is different. He overcomes all these temptations, saves the three paise his granny has given him to have fun at the fair and instead buys a pair of tongs for her. Why? So that she can make rotis without getting her fingers burnt. Even to remember this Premchand classic chokes me with emotions.

One way of understanding India is to understand our festivals. True, we need faster and more equitable economic growth so that people can enjoy life without the pain of poverty and want. But let us not be too fixated by the attractions of material prosperity. There are far more precious things to learn from our festivals than money can buy. They tell us about India’s civilisational continuity. Else, why should Rama’s return to Ayodhya several thousand years ago be celebrated as the festival of lights even now? Ever been to Hardwar at Diwali time and seen people leave diyas in the Ganga after the evening aarti? As the lamps are carried by the waters, whose journey begins in the sacred Himalayas and ends in the ocean in Bengal, you can experience your own life’s journey in Time, from its beginning-less past to its endless future. Our festivals tell us about the importance of thanksgiving to the Creator. They tell us how to discover happiness, harmony and life’s meaning in ourselves and in our relationship with others, with nature, with the cosmos. Therefore, this Diwali, let us light the lamp in our inner self, so we can better appreciate the illumination in the streets and fireworks in the sky.

A century ago, when one talked about India, it was invariably about snake charmers,yogis and beggars in streets. Now IT is the main tag India shows, the progress it has made is certainly visible in growing strength of its currency (rupee) in international stock markets. Like burgeoning industry, tourism is also expanding very fast in India. Following is a list of places I have visited in India.
Places to visit in India:

Tajmahal (UttarPradesh)-This tomb of Mumtaj Mahal,wife of Mughal emperor Shahjahan has not only found place in the recently concluded hunt for new seven wonders of the world, but also bagged the first slot in it. The Taj truly deserves this position. It is said that 20,000 workers laboured day and night to build this epitome of love. It is generally considered the finest example of Mughal Architecture. I have been here twice and still want to go back.The beauty of this monument is breathtaking.Taj mahal is built in Agra,where other places of interest are castle of fateh pur sikri.
Shopping : Agra is famous for its sweet dish called “petha”.agra rugs,marble and leather is also famous.

Jaipur: (Rajasthan)-This city has got another name,”Pink City” because of its pink stone buildings and houses.this is the land of Rajputs,the tribe which is known for its courage,hospitality and deep sense of honor and pride.there are many attractions here e.g.Amber Palace, Birla temple,Jantar mantar,fort of nahargarh(people especially come here at night to watch the beautiful city in the moon light), Jal Mahal, “Water Palace” sits in the center of a lake,Hawa Mahal (palace of winds) is the most easily recalled landmarks of Jaipur and is also its icon.
Shopping: Famous for its precious and semi precious stones, Johari Market is the ideal place to shop for the same. In Jaipur you can shop for various items like handicrafts, lacquered brass work, textiles etc. Textiles in tie and dye (bandhani), Sanganeri and Bagru block print are important trademark varieties and style of fabric.

Kullu-Manali ( Himachal Pradesh)The cool winds seem to play music for your ears. Enjoy the intimacy of the town with the snowline with heat of the natural hot sulphur springs at the same holiday. Besides sight seeing you must try a hand at adventure sports and activities like skiing, hiking, mountaineering, paragliding, rafting, trekking, kayaking or mountain biking for the complete holiday experience. Worth visiting holiday spots in Manali comprise of the wooden hadimba temple in the Dhungiri Van Vihar forest area and the shiny Buddhist monasteries or gompas. Close by is the Rohtang pass the spot where the spectacle of the clouds sweeping the majestic mountains can be viewed.Kullu-manali has a specialplace in my memories as I went there with our street theatre group and we had a lot of fun together.
Shopping: You may pick up woollens for souvenirs like the splendid shawls and caps. Other Himalayan handicrafts like prayer wheels, masks, amulets, and musical instruments add a Tibetan tinge to your shopping.

Goa-If you have been to Goa ,you will return again to visit this beautiful city of beaches. Goa’s beaches are what makes the state one of India’s major tourist attractions. Goa offers you fishing beach, naturalist beach,rocky beach white sand beach allin one platter. Goa is a plastic free zone so any use of plastic bags etc is discouraged. The beaches throughout Goa have an abundance of seas shells. The local Indians string the small brown and black littorin shells into curtains. Calangute Beach was the first of the hippie resorts back in the 60’s and 70’s.
Shopping: The ’shoppoholic’ will never go empty handed as the local handicrafts have great variety to offer. The beach side stall gives the chance to tourist to enjoy the beach and shopping side by side.Some of the most exquisite items produced in Goa are woodcraft including cradles, baby carts, toys, corner stands, etc. Bamboo craft is one of the major crafts industry of Goa. The list of popular Bamboo products include flower baskets, mats, and letter-holders, pen stands, fans and other decorative items.

Delhi-The capital of India has many historical places hidden beneath its modern metropolitan look.Kutub minar: The 238 feet Qutab Minar is 47 feet at the base and tapers to nine feet at the apex. The tower is ornamented by bands of inscriptions and by four projecting balconies supported by elaborately decorated brackets. Humayun’s tomb: One of the greatest examples of architecture in India, Humayun’s Tomb is known for influencing the structure of the Taj Mahal as well.,Jama Masjid: Showcasing a rich influence of Persian architecture, the Jama Masjid is one of the oldest mosques of India. Red fort:It was from its ramparts that the first Prime Minister of India, Jawharlal Nehru, announced to the nation that India was free form colonial rule. The piece de resistance of the fort, the Diwan-I-Khas once housed the famous Peacock Throne, which when it was plundered by Nadir Shah in 1739, was valued at six million sterling.Jantar Mantar: At first sight, the Jantar Mantar appears like a gallery of modern art. It is, however, an observatory. Sawai Jia Singh II of Jaipur (1699-1743), a keen astronomer and a noble in the Mughal court. India gate: Built as a memorial to commemorate the 70,000 India soldiers killed in World War I, India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1931. Every year on 26th January, the day celebrated as the Republic Day of India, the Indian President places a wreath at the eternal flame Amar Jawan Jyoti under the arch of India Gate to pay his respects to the Indian armed forces. t is followed by a grand parade that moves along Rajpath, which comprise of marching contingents, tanks and weaponry, vibrant floats, folk dances and school children from different parts of India who participate in this colorful ceremony.
Shopping: Connaught Place, the modern hub of New Delhi houses many a state govt. emporia. he Central Cottage Industries Emporium, a rambling six-storey government shop where you can buy anything from a 12ft ornamental elephant god to a packet of Darjeeling tea. Prices are clearly displayed and fixed. This is a good place to buy gifts for friends at home.

Pondicherry - Pondichery was a French colony and the French influence shows clearly. The entire town is divided into 2 sections, the French Quarter or ‘White town’and the Indian quarter or ‘Black Town’ Many streets still retain their French names and French style villas are a common sight here. The city has such a laid back attitude, nobody seems to be in a hurry to do anything or go anywhere. For sun-bathing, swimming or merely strolling, Pondicherry’s beach and the 1 1/2 km-long promenade alongside, are the most delightful parts of the city. Pondicherry Museum is a treasure-house of antiques. Besides a section on French India with rooms done in typical French style, the museum devotes sections to Archaeology, Geology, Sculpture, Bronzes, Arms, Print, Handicraft and Art. The botanical garden preserves a large variety of exotic species of plants. Auroville (the city of dawn) is where 2000 people hailing from 30 different countries are living up to their dream of a united human race. The charter of Auroville is ringingly postnationalist: “Auroville belongs to nobody in particular. Auroville belongs to humanity as a whole.”
Shopping:The Auroville and Ashram handmade paper factory have popularised the use of handmade paper. These papers have their own beauty of different textures. Pondicherry has excellent ceramic artists. Most of their work is in tableware and decor. Various studios have envolved distinctive styles, such as “Golden Bridge” and “Rhinestone Art” which are both contemporary and Pondicherrian.

Shimla ( Himachal Pradesh) -The Ridge is the center of Shimla’s cultural and social life - an excellent place to view the surrounding mountains. Jakhu Temple, Jakhu Hill. Open every day. Offers spectacular views of the mountains from its location above the town. According to the epic Ramayana, the monkey god Hanuman rested here during his journey to the Himalayan mountains. State Museum is Housed in a reconstructed Raj-style building, the State Museum displays a collection of around 10,000 artifacts gathered from all over Himachal Pradesh.You can take a leisurely walk at the Mall - this 7km thoroughfare is famous for its Victorian Architecture, and retains much of its Raj-era charm. English author Rudyard kipling spent his childhood in Shimla.
Shopping: Shimla is famous for exclusively designed Kinnauri shawls, Himachali Caps and traditional local wooden handicrafts.I bought a beautifully crafted walking cane for my grand mother from Lakkar Bazar adjacent to Ridge.

Other places: North India
Kasmir:Srinagar,Gulmarg,Sonmarg

Uttarpradesh: Nainital,dalhuji,dehradun,mansoori
Rajasthan: Pushkar, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Mount Abu
Himachal Pradesh:Chamba,Kangra

Western India
Gujrat: Ahmedabad, Sabermati, Champaner
Maharashtra: Mumbai, Elephanta, Ajanta and Ellora caves

South India
Tamilnadu:Chennai,Tanjavur,Mahabalipuram,Ootty
Kerela: Allapuzha,trivendrum,kochi
Karnatka:Bangalore,HAMPI,Golkunda
Andhrapradesh:Tirupati,Hyderabad,Guntur

East India

West Bengal: Kolkata,Darjeeling,Kalimpong
Manipur: Gangtok,

 The industrialised west and booming oriental economies like China, Japan and Malaysia remain firmly ahead in the requirement of commercial aeroplanes, but Boeing's annual current market outlook (CMO) has upgraded India's figures for the next 20 years. Boeing said India will require 911 new commercial planes from 2007 to 2027 worth over $86 billion. Last year the two-decade CMO had forecast that the country will need 856 new planes worth $ 72 billion.

The aircraft major attributed this growth to the 'robust' economic growth and an increasing demand for domestic and international air travel. The break-up of the current CMO foresees an all-round growth in different sectors is — 55 regional jets; 674 single aisle; 173 twin aisle and nine 747 and larger planes. The highest increase is in the twin-aisle segment, that's up from an estimated 120 planes in 2006 to 173 this year. The projected requirement of the planes would be for adding to fleet capacity and replace old ones.

"India will witness a 20 % growth in traffic over next five years. Later this will stabilise at about 12 %. It is one of the fastest growing countries though China, Malaysia and west are far ahead in terms of fleet requirement," said Dinesh Keskar, Boeing's senior V-P (sales, commercial airplanes). "The growth in twin aisle category reflects the "current and future demand for point-to-point regional and international travel."

Boeing has orders for 141 planes worth $20.4 billion from AI, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and JetLite and three business jets for VVIPs from the IAF. It has delivered 18 planes with a list price of $2.3 billion to Indian carriers so far this year

Scientists have found a new species of limbless lizard in a forested area in east India, according to media reports Tuesday.

    "The lizard is new to science and is an important discovery. It is not found anywhere else in the world," said Sushil Kumar Dutta, head of the zoology department of the North Orissa University in the eastern Indian town of Baripada.

    The newly found 7-inch long lizard looks like a scaly, small snake, Dutta said. "It prefers to live in a cool retreat, soft soil and below stones."

    The lizard was found 10 days ago during a field study in the forested region of Khandadhar near Raurkela in Orissa state, about 1125 kilometers southeast of New Delhi, he said.

    "The new species will be scientifically described at a later stage after accumulation of more data," Dutta said.

    The other limbless lizards belonging to different families have been found in India's Nicobar island, in the northeast, and in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states, he said.

    While modern snakes and lizards are derived from a common evolutionary ancestor, they belong today to two entirely separate groups of animals, or orders.

    Snakes, over millenia, gradually lost their limbs and developed their characteristic forms of locomotion. But modern limbless lizards are not snakes, Dutta said.

    The closest relatives of the new species are found in Sri Lanka and South Africa, Dutta said.

It's official. The country's new unified national carrier, created from the merger of Air India and Indian (Airlines), will be called Air India and retain the Maharajah as it's mascot. And if all goes well for the new giant, an initial public offering is also very much on the cards sometime next year. The low-cost carrier of the new entity, created from Air India Express and Alliance Air, would now be called Air India Express. The new Air India's fleet strength, currently 116, would go up to 227 once all of the 111 new aircraft on order are delivered. The National Aviation Company, formed after merging the two entities, will have its registered office in New Delhi, while its corporate office will be in Mumbai and its office for domestic operations as well as the strategic business units will be mostly based in the national capital. <P>Making all these announcements, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, however, remained noncommittal on who would be the new chairman and managing director of the airline. "We have sent our proposal to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet," was all he said today. Unveiling the new livery and logo of the airline today, Patel said, "Since Air India is a globally and nationally recognised brand, and a the designated airline in international bilaterals and the 'AI' code is available only to the existing name, it has been decided that the merged entity would continue with the same name." The design components of the new logo and livery have been drawn after merging some of the current features of both Air India and Indian Airlines. The logo of the new airline is a Flying Swan with the Konark Chakra placed inside it. The Flying Swan has been morphed from Air India's characteristic logo The Centaur - whereas the orange Konark Chakra is reminiscent of Indian's logo. While the new logo will feature prominently on the tail of the aircrafts, the Konark Chakra will also feature individually on all the engines of the aircrafts. The choice of colours namely red for Flying Swan and orange for Konark Chakra are meant to signify vigour and advancement. The colours also have a strong association with two carriers, retaining the earlier imagery of traditional hospitality and service. Patel said that the new merged entity would receive around 22 new aircraft by the end of this year. "The first of the Boeing 777-200 LRs will leave Seattle on July 9. Two more such planes will arrive in July. The first of the A321s will arrive around early July. Four Boeing 777-300 Ers and four A320s will also be inducted this year," he said. The new carrier will begin direct Mumbai-New York flights from August 1. A Delhi-New York direct flight is also on the cards. "We are looking forward to restoring back Air India's glory by providing a good and punctual service," Patel said.

The Asian Development Bank is helping to finance a 100-megawatt wind energy plant in India as part of a drive to promote renewable energy sources in Asia. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, India has emerged as the world's fifth-largest producer of wind energy.

India's first windmills were built about two decades ago, when a handful of small industries invested in wind turbines to escape the country's perennial power outages.

Today, windmills dot the landscape in several southern and western states, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra, producing a total of 6000 megawatts of power.

Now, with the economy soaring and the country hungry for energy, large private sector groups have begun making major investments in wind power. The government is offering tax breaks and other incentives to encourage them.

The latest initiative comes from India's largest private power company, Tata Power.

The company is building wind power facilities to produce 100 megawatts of power in Maharashtra state, with the help of an $80 million loan from the Asian Development Bank.

Ajay Sagar, head of the private sector and financial services group at the ADB in New Delhi, says wind power may account for only a tiny part of India's overall energy mix. But he says it is crucial for a rapidly industrializing country to explore clean energy sources.

"Renewable energy initiative is very important although the size could be small. But the advantages to the environment are huge," said Sagar. "For this Tata power project itself, it will contribute to a reduction of greenhouse gas emission by approximately 2.6 million tons of carbon dioxide during its projected life of 20 years."

So far, wind energy accounts for a meager one percent of the total power produced in the country. But India is now the world's fifth largest wind energy producer - behind Germany, Spain, the United States and Denmark.

India is also the third-largest consumer of electricity in Asia, behind China and Japan. More than two-thirds of the country's power is produced by thermal plants, and most of those are highly polluting coal-fired plants.

Over the next five years, wind energy generation is expected to more than double, with industries adding about 8000 megawatts to existing capacity. 

NEW DELHI: Twenty-one years after India withdrew from the race to host the 1992 Olympic Games, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), on Saturday, announced it will now bid for the 2020 Olympics.

The IOA President Suresh Kalmadi made this announcement soon after the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, inaugurated the Indian Olympic Bhawan at the Qutab Institutional Area here on Saturday morning.

The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Dr. Jacques Rogge, also attended the ceremony and that gave the IOA an occasion to send its message across the world - only 11 days after it lost the bid to host the 2014 Asian Games to the South Korean city of Incheon.

"We will officially launch the New Delhi's bid for 2020 Olympics in 2011, soon after the conduct of the 2010 Commonwealth Games," said Mr. Kalmadi and sought Dr. Rogge's support for the bid.

The rare adult tigers have vanished from the Ranthambore National Park, which covers 60 square miles in the western state of Rajasthan, The Indian Express newspaper reported, citing the Wildlife Institute of India.

India has laws to protect wildlife and imposes severe punishment on violators. But lax enforcement, high prices for tiger skins and the use of their bones and claws in traditional medicine in neighboring China have created a thriving trade.

According to a census held in August 2005, Ranthambore had a total of 26 big cats - 21 adult tigers and five cubs younger than 20 months. By October 2006, another census showed a total of 31 tigers in the reserve but only 18 adults and 13 cubs - showing eight adult tigers missing from the count, the newspaper added.

"The sex ratio has improved a lot and we have a very good year with cubs, but all is not well," Fateh Singh Rathore, a former conservator at the tiger reserve, told the newspaper. "We need better patrolling and tracking by the park management if we are serious about saving the tiger."