The Smart India

I ndia’s National Animal and probably the most recognizable Animal from India, apart from the Indian Elephant, is the The Royal Bengal Tiger more commonly known the Indian tigers. Over many centuries they have become an important part of Indian tradition and lore. Even though Bengal Tigers are at the top of their ecosystem they are now an endangered species with a recorded tiger population of only 1,411 in 2008 as compared to 3,500 in the 1990’s with this figure drastically dropping each year. The primary reason attributed to this increasing drop in numbers is poaching for tiger skins and bones resulting in a total or almost wipe out of tigers in many Indian Wildlife Tiger Reserves. India has to decide whether it wants to keep the tiger or not. It has to decide if it is worthwhile to keep its National Symbol, its icon, representing wildlife. It has to decide if it wants to keep its natural heritage for future generations, a heritage more important than the cultural one, whether ...

I f you are, you should definitely try these popular street foods in Kolkata. Your search for best street food in Kolkata ends here, Indiamarks recommends them as a must have street food in Kolkata. Street food represent ready-to-eat food sold on streets. It could be on a bicycle, a stall or a small shop around the corner. While some street food are authentic regional delicacies, others are invented ones. These ready-to-eat street food of Kolkata are often referred as finger-food too. You’ll find a number of such vendors / stalls outside schools & colleges, in markets, near vegetable market (sabji mandi), near bus stands & railway stations etc. With variety in flavor and taste, Kolkata street food is delicious as well as economical. Someone rightly said “Some of the world’s most authentic eats can be found in tiny street-side stalls”. Street food is a luxury we can all afford. List of Best Street Food in Kolkata : Puffed rice mixed with other ingredients like, onion,...

S undarban National Park is one of the most famous wildlife sanctuaries in India and around the world. A trip to India is incomplete without a visit to this beautiful piece of wilderness that is located in the state of West Bengal. The national park is famous for its success story of efficiently managing and conserving the population of the Bengal Tiger that was tottering on the brink of extinction in the 1970’s. The success of conserving this ecological niche can largely be attributed to the locals who despite being attacked, killed, and mauled by tigers, continue to revere and worship it. This is the only place in the world where man eating tigers roam free in the inaccessible mangrove jungles that this forest is made up of. Reaching Sundarban The nearest town is Canning located 64 kilometers away from Kolkata (Sealdah) and can be reached by train. From Canning a boat can be boarded which then takes the tourists to Sajnekhali which is five hours away. Boats as well as guides c...

K anpur which was also known as Cawnpore is a city located in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India and although tourism is not a major industry here, there are numerous places of interest located in the city. This metropolis is one of the most populated one in India and carries significant economical as well as historical importance. Although the history of Kanpur is unclear till the 13th century, there are many myths and stories that are associated with the city. Moreover, the city is located on the banks of the river Ganges which gives it some religious importance as well. The city was witness to the massacre of numerous Britons and it is unclear whether the massacre was preplanned or happened because of confusion. The rebels besieged many British people and agreed a safe passage for almost 200 women and children under the rebel leader Nana Sahib’s agreement. These women and children were later taken to “Bibighar” or “Ladies room” and were ordered to be killed. However when the ...

I ndia is increasingly becoming a central location for luxury travel and river cruises. Luxury River Cruises in India are all the more spectacular because of the availability of large number of ports and beaches here. The long coastline of India, the plethora of islands and proximity to three water bodies – Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, make India a luxury cruise destination unmatched to any other. These luxury cruises gives the travelers the opportunity to observe the amazing geography of this heritage land. Following are the top 10 Best River Cruises and Boat Rides in India Sunderban river cruise Sunderbans Luxury Cruises head for the Sunderbans, the land of Royal Bengal Tigers, located at the Southern tip of West Bengal in India. Vivada, Vivada Inland Waterways Limited, offers weekly cruise packages comprising of three nights and four days, moving in the terrain of the stunning Sunderbans, from East to West and North to South in a round trip. The majestic jou...

The gigantic forts of India are the traces of rich heritage sagas. Some built to protect and some to rule. These forts of India were the huge structures built to house the military equipments and soldiers of the great kingdoms. Some were  Jal durg  (surrounded by water), some were  Giri durgs  (Hill Forts and fortresses), some were  Vana durg  (surrounded on all sides with a dense, impassable forest) and some were  Dhanu durg  (desert fortresses).  India is country with rich history and is one of the most ancient living civilizations in the world. Many kings and dynasties ruled India for a long time and believed in royal living. The historic monuments today speak about the royal living style of Kings of bye-gone era. The marks of luxury and royalty in history are now fabulous historic sites in India. These sites include Forts, Palaces and monuments that still stand tall and reflect the glorious past India had. Following are the top 5 For...

Top 10 Fruit Capitals of India India is a land of diversities in terms of culture, cuisine, language and climatic conditions. These diverse climatic conditions are apt  for certain type of farming. The hot climate of Nagpur is perfect for oranges, cold climate of Shimla is good for apples, Allahabad is a good place for Guava cultivation etc. Following is a list of top 10 fruit capitals of India. Nagpur – The Orange City Nagpur is synonymous with Oranges. Nagpur is by far the largest cultivator of oranges as compared to whole of other Indian cities. Oranges are grown over a 20,965 hectares of land, while in total Vidharva region 80,000 hectares are under Orange cultivation. There are 2 seasons of Oranges, Ambiya and Mrig with the Oranges of Mrig season being bigger and sweeter. Mahabaleshwar – Strawberry Mahabaleshwar an acclaimed hill station is also the Strawberry capital of India. Visitors are greeted with numerous Strawberry farms across the town. The main season i...

Preamble of  The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 says An Act to provide for, as a good governance, efficient, transparent, and targeted delivery of subsidies, benefits and services, the expenditure for which is incurred from the Consolidated Fund of India, to individuals residing in India through assigning of unique identity numbers to such individuals and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The very preamble says the idea of the 12-digit identity number is to efficiently transfer government benefits to individuals residing in India. But does Aadhaar consider the homeless people residing in the country as its beneficiaries? It seems no. For getting an Aadhaar card, it is compulsory to have an address proof. As per 2011 census, there are 17,73,040 homeless people in India – 52.9 % in urban areas and 47.1% in rural areas, constituting 0.15% of the total population. That means over 17 lakh pe...

स्‍वामी व‍िवेकानंद के जीवनकाल में कई ऐसी घटनाएं हुईं, ज‍िनसे हमें कुछ कर गुजरने की राह म‍िलती है। Swami Vivekananda   knowledgefouryou नई द‍िल्‍ली.  स्‍वामी व‍िवेकानंद का जीवन महान है और उनकी हर बात क‍िसी प्रेरक घटना से कम नहीं हैं। उनके जीवनकाल में कई ऐसी घटनाएं हुईं, ज‍िनसे हमें कुछ कर गुजरने की राह म‍िलती है। उन्‍हीं में से कुछ प्रमुख घटनाएं यहां। 1. लक्ष्य पर ध्यान लगाओ स्वामी विवेकानंद अमेरिका में भ्रमण कर रहे थे। एक जगह से गुजरते हुए उन्होंने पुल पर खड़े  कुछ लड़कों को नदी में तैर रहे अंडे के छिलकों पर बन्दूक से निशाना लगाते देखा। किसी भी लड़के का एक भी निशाना सही नहीं लग रहा था।  तब उन्होंने ने एक लड़के से बन्दूक ली और खुद निशाना लगाने लगे।  उन्होंने पहला निशाना लगाया और वो बिलकुल सही लगा। फिर एक के बाद एक उन्होंने कुल 12 निशाने लगाये और सभी बिलकुल सटीक लगे।  ये देख लड़के दंग रह गए और उनसे पूछा, "भला आप ये कैसे कर लेते हैं ?" स्वामी जी बोले, "तुम जो भी कर रहे हो अपना पूरा दिमाग उसी एक काम में लगाओ। अगर तुम निशाना लगा रहे हो तो तम्हारा प...

S wami Vivekananda's birthday or National Youth Day is around the corner and it is time to remember him.                                           Swami Vivekananda A mong all young generation monks in the world, the name of Swami Vivekananda flashes bright and clear. He was one of the most influential monks of all times. One of the amazing gifts that he has given us is that he believed in us. Swami Vivekananda should always be remembered for his inspiration to the mankind. Swami, without a doubt, is the greatest source of achievement, pride and inspiration. Vivekananda spread the words of humanity and brotherhood among all men and women and called for global integrity through spiritual upliftment. National Youth Day is celebrated on 12 January every year on the birthday of Swami Vivekananda . Share On his 155th birth anniversary, we remember some inspiring things on Swami Vivekana...

K erala Backwaters – Backwaters in Kerala is a unique web of 900 kms of interconnected waterways that include lakes, lagoons, canals and rivers – are an integral part of Tourism in Kerala.  These waterways connect various cities, which are actually the start and end points of these backwaters. A Journey through the curving and winding backwaters of Kerala is an experience of returning to nature. It takes you through a mixture of historic and modern towns and scenic holiday getaways. Now-a-days Kerala backwater tourism is something special and Kerala Houseboats go a long way in actualizing the many backwater oriented tourism possibilities. Holidaying in Kerala houseboats have become very popular in the Kerala backwaters and provide an extremely soothing experience to cherish life long. Kasarkod Backwaters: The northernmost district of Kerala, Kassarkod is situated on the sea coast with the Western Chats on its east and northern borders. Backwater trips on the Chandragiri ...