Indira Gandhi - The iron lady of India...

 Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, 1966-77 and 1980-84. She was assassinated in 1984

 Indira Priyadarshini Nehru  was born on November 19, 1917, in Allahabad, India, to Jawaharlal and Kamala Nehru. She was the only child of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of independent India.

                                         Her collections                                                           Her pooja room

Indira Priyadarshini spent part of her childhood in Allahabad, where the Nehrus had their family residence, and part in Switzerland, where her mother Kamla convalesced from her periodic illnesses. She attended primary school in a variety of institutions in India and Europe. Though she enrolled at Somerville College, Oxford for her higher studies ,  returned to India without completing her studies.

Indira Priyadarshini Nehru  chose to marry  Mr Feroze Jehangir Gandhi , who belonged    to a Gujarati Parsi family , in 1942 and became Mrs Indira Gandhi. Feroz Gandhi  was an Indian politician and journalist . They  had two sons, Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi .

                                           Indira & Firoz Wedding 

                                               Rajiv Gandhi

In 1964, the year of her father's death, Indira Gandhi got elected to Parliament for the first time. She was Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the government of Lal Bahadur Shastri. Mrs Gandhi served as the 3^rd Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms (1966–77) and a fourth term (1980–84). She was the first woman to become prime minister in India and the 2^nd female head of government in the world .  Also , she was  the only Indian Prime Minister to have declared state of emergency in order to 'rule by decree' and the only Indian Prime Minister got imprisoned after holding that office.

 

On 31 October 1984 she was assassinated by her bodyguards , Satwant Singh and Beant Singh in the garden of her residence at 1 Safdarjung Road, New Delhi. The shooting occurred as she was walking past a gate guarded by them. She was to be interviewed by the British actor Peter Ustinov, who was filming a documentary for Irish television.  

                                          She got assasinated here

 

The day before her death, Mrs Indira Gandhi visited Orissa where she gave her last speech: "I am alive today, I may not be there tomorrow. I shall continue to serve till my last breath and when I die every drop of my blood will strengthen India and keep a united India alive.

                                          Sakthi Stala

 

Mrs. Gandhi was cremated on 3 November at  Shakti Sthala, near Raj Ghat , where Mahatma Gandhi is cremated.

                                      Raj Ghat

 

Iacocca – An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca with William Novak is one of my favourites !  I’m sure that this record breaking bestseller by the author of TALKING STRAIGHT, will be enjoyed by all his readers. A must read for all management students and those who are headed for a business career....  

Lee Iacocca , the son of Italian immigrants , is  an American legend.  He  is a straight – shooting , fast talking , blunt, practical  business man - the man who made his mark by giving results ! His name is the symbol of integrity, ‘guts’ and know-how. He is one of the great success stories of the decade. A genuine hero...a leader.

Beginning his career at Ford as a trainee,  he rose spectacularly through the ranks of Ford Motor Company and became its president. Iacocca successfully developed many automobiles at Ford, including the Ford Mustang. After 32 years of his employment with Ford , 8 years as President of Ford , he was fired ! Ford was his first and only employer till that date, he had never worked anywhere else. The power play which toppled him would have shattered him, but he didn’t get mad , he got even.

Iacocca was not without a job long , Ford’s loss was Chrysler’s gain . Iacocca ,as the chairman of Chrysler Corporation, was instrumental for the miraculous rebirth of Chrysler from near  bankruptcy to the most envied of the Big Three automakers of America.

His book , IACOCCA – An Autobiography , is a profile of a strong-minded corporate chief. Many people admire him for his marketing savvy and management expertise. This book is his success story, about his breath taking career. Iacocca reads like he talks – plain and straight. This book gives lots of management tips on industrial policy, labour costs, auto safety etc.

Thekkadi - Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

 

TEA ESTATE

Thekkady Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, which is spread across 777 sq.km, of which 360 sq.km is thick evergreen forest. Lying close to the plantations is one of the world's most fascinating natural wildlife reserves. The sanctuary is famous for its dense evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savanna grass lands. It is home to herds of elephants, sambar, tigers, gaur, lion-tailed Macaques and Nilgiri Langurs. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can have the unique experience of viewing wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake. The greatest attraction of Periyar, however, are the herds of wild elephants that come down to play in the lake.

The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. Noted for its geomorphology, diversity of wildlife and scenic beauty, the Reserve attracts visitors from all over the world. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park.

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CAEDAMOM



CARDAMOM



PEPPER N COFEE PLANTS

Thekkadi is in Idukki District in Kerala, close to the Kerala - Tamil Nadu border town - Kumily. The winding journey to this hill town, along the Periyar River, offers a stunning view of the rolling hills draped in lush greenery .The entire district is picturesque. Closest airports are Madurai International Airport (134km) and Cochin International    Airport (185 km) and the closest railway station is Kottayam(114km).



Thekkady is considered a heaven for natural spices such as black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and clove.This is one of the world's largest auction centres for candamom. A walk through the sprawling cardamom plantations of Vandanmedu is a heady experience.

LONAVALA ......a beautiful hill station

Lonavala, in Pune district of Maharashtra, is a popular tourist destination with various sightseeing attractions which includes architectural, historical and religious sites. It is just about 100 kms from Mumbai and 55 kms from Pune , can be reached by road or rail and lies 622 m above sea level in the Sahyadri Ranges, which separate the Deccan Plateau and the Konkan Coast .

 

The name of the city is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Lonavali’ which refers to a ‘group of caves’. The name was given to the place due to the presence of many caves in and around the city. The place has valleys, hills, waterfalls and lush greenery due to which it is also called the ‘Jewel of Sahyadri’.


Lord Elphinstone, who was the Governor of the Bombay Presidency, discovered the city of Lonavala along with Khandala in 1871.The present day Lonavala was a part of the Yadava Dynasty, which was taken over by the Mughals, who ruled the region for a long time. The Governor of Bombay favoured Lonavala in 1811 due to its large forest cover. This forest cover made the city a vacation and hunting spot by the British administrators, which lead to its reputation as a tourist destination.

Lonavla is close to Mumbai where Mumbaikers can go on a weekend and relax away from the traffic and noise of the city life. Monsoon brings out the best of Lonavala. Green carpeted hills, streams and waterfalls almost everywhere are an unforgettable sight. You surely will cherish the walk in the rain, enjoying the lush green hill views and fresh air… clouds floating around you ..getting drenched under numerous waterfalls… As the weekends are crowded with Mumbaikers, it is advisable not to plan your visits during weekends .



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Karla Caves



Major historical sites such as Bhaja Caves, Karla Caves, Koregad Fort and Lohagad Fort reflect the rich heritage and culture of the place. Other historical sites in the city include Tikona Fort, Tung Fort and Visapur Fort, along with the Bushy Dam. All these sites provide views of the neighbouring hilly terrains and downhill plains.

Other than the cultural and heritage sites, one of the most popular sightseeing attractions in Lonavala is the Rajmachi Wildlife Sanctuary, which reveals the wildlife beauty of the destination. Tourists can also visit religious places like the Bhairavnath Temple in Rajmachi, Shingroba Temple (Khandala) and the Koli Temple and the wax musium.

Incredible WAYANAD....... The green Paradise...

 Wayanad , with the green dense forest and mist-capped mountains is a place I always wanted to visit ! Its truly incredible --- clean and pristine, enchanting and hypnotizing……….., this land, located about 80 km from the sea shores of Kozhikode, is filled with history and culture…. A must see place.

I have been to Thirunelly Temple, Set in the idyllic backdrop of the Brahmagiri hills ,which is located deep inside the unexplored forests of Wayand. The temple dates back to 3000yrs or more. It is believed that Lord Brahma, the Creator , himself installed the presiding deity of the temple Lord Vishnu, the Preserver. This temple , which is also known as “ Thekkan Kasi’ (Kasi of the south) is famous for “Balitharpanam” or offering Shradham to the departed souls.

Prime tourist attractions in Wayanad are Wildlife Sanctuary, Chethalayam Waterfall, Sri Mahaganapathy Temple at Thiruvangoor, Pazhassi Raja Museum, Pookote Lake and Edakkal Caves  . Beisdes, Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, Tholpetty, Karappuzha Dam, Jain Temple at Sultan Bathery, Tiger Valley, Meenmutty Falls, Soochippara Waterfalls, Chembra Hills, Bird Sanctuary in north Wayanad, and Kuruva Islands are the other nearby tourist destinations in and around Wayanad. As it was raining , i could not visit most of these places.

Another attraction is the 'Chained Tree' which has an interesting story behind it.

You can see monkeys, deers and elephant convoyes (if you are lucky) on your way to Thirunelli. The tribal population and their facinating life style is very inetresting.

The travellers can stay in various resorts and hotels of all ranges situated in almost all parts of Wayanad . Or to enjoy the thrills of jungle life , you can stay on tree top houses or mud huts. You can also purchase pure honey , various bamboo products and spices.