Printed and Published by the Press Office, High Commission of India, India House, Aldwych, London WC2B 4NA. Tel: 0207 836 8484. Fax: 0207 632 3191. Email: [email protected] Website: www.hcilondon.net Disclaimer: India Digest gathers its contents from diverse sources and the views expressed in interviews and articles published do not necessarily represent the views of the High Commission or the Government of India. Travel &Tourism January 1, 2008 Page 8 SASARAM: Where Sher Shah Suri lies forgotten S her Shah Suri, who ruled Delhi from 1540 to 1545, left an indelible mark on India. The son of an Afghan horse trader, he succeeded in building a powerful empire. Sher Shah is best remembered for building what is called the Grand Trunk Road, which runs across India and links the Khyber Pass (Afghanistan) to Kolkata. This artery from the east to the west of the country was lined with trees so that travellers could rest in the shade. Today, if there were a prize for a futuristic Pathan ruler, Sher Shah would win hands down. Sasaram, a small town on the Grand Trunk Road, in Bhojpur district of Bihar, has a clus- ter of beautiful tombs built during Sher Shah’s regime. Sher Shah’s own tomb, hexag- onal in shape, was built in stone. It is the sec- ond-highest tomb in the country and has a very unusual setting. The entire structure is built on a platform in the centre of a lake. Seen from a distance the tomb looks as though it is floating on water. You would have to walk down a narrow pathway — in the middle of the lake — to reach the tomb. It is the grandest, one of a kind Pathan structure in India. It is 76 metres wide and rises in five pyramidal stages to a height of about 46 metres. Walk around, and you can still see the remains of glazed and painted decora- tions on the exterior walls. A contemporary historian once said, “It is one of the most praiseworthy tombs among those in India.” The interior of the tomb is well-ventilat- ed and well-lit as it has large windows on top fitted with stone jallis (lattice work). The arches on the western wall were once adorned with verses from the Quran and glazed coloured tiles in geometrical pat- terns and floral carvings in stone enclosed in enamel borders. Much of this has van- ished with only a few glazed tiles running on the interior of the dome and the walls and cupolas outside. An inscription record- ing the completion of the tomb can be seen in a small arched recess on the outside wall. The mausoleum of Sher Shah’s son Salim Shah also lies nearby, in the centre of the large artificial lake. It was supposed to be larger than Sher Shah’s tomb, but the work could not be completed. Still, it has a strange charm. Sher Shah’s father Hasan Khan Suri, too, was buried in Sasaram town. His tomb is known as Sukha Rauza. The tomb of Ali Wali Khan, the architect of these wonderful monuments, is located on the outskirts of Sasaram. It lies in ruins today. Another place worth a visit is a hill near Sasaram, which is famous for an inscription of Ashoka’s time. Brazilian Samba to spice up Goa’s February ’08 Carnival T he Nongkhnum River Island on Kynshai river in the West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya was discovered by a group of students during their project work in 1996. Besides proming it as a tourist desti- nation, the State Government is set to conduct a survey to ascertain if it is the second largest river Island of Asia. Owned by four brothers of the Nongslej clan, the island has only five houses. It also has three waterfalls — Thum, Wenia and Langshaing. The State Government is also planning to rebuild the island’s infrastructure, particularly roads, to make it an easily accessible destination. Come, discover Meghalaya’s river island G oa’s February 2008 Carnival will have a touch of the annu- al ‘Mardi Gras’ celebrations of Rio de Janeiro, with the Brazilian Consulate in Mumbai and Goa’s tourism planners joining hands for the cultural extravaganza. Tableaux depicting Brazil’s history and multi-ethnic culture will be a part of the Carni- val parade, while a samba school band will present Brazil’s music and dance forms, said the Consul General of Brazil in Mumbai, Paulo Antonio Pinto. Participants will be shortlisted from the Brazil- ian community in Mumbai and Goa. Swinging and swaying to drum beats, lemanja, the Brazilian Goddess of Sea, will accompany King Momo, when he throws open the Carnival by issuing a decree to eat, drink and be merry. From a riot of colours to the beauty of an overjoyous human congregation, Indi- ans can, for the first time, savour the ingredients of the Rio Carnival on the streets of Goa. The pre- Lent celebrations, set to begin in the first week of February, will feature Samba dancers, led by a per- former in the garb of Iemanjain. So, gear up for some revelery in true Brazilian style. Rashtrapati Bhavan comes closer to people T he Rashtrapati Bhavan will no longer be impervi- ous to the curiosity of the masses. A slew of pro- grammes has been designed to help people, especially tourists, understand the historical and con- temporary relevance of this landmark in New Delhi. To bring the place “closer to the people”, the imposing gates of the Presidential House were thrown open on December 15, 2007. The general public was familiarised with the ceremonial change of guard at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the first time ever. Spectators watched the accoutred soldiers carry out the change of guard cere- mony from the foothills of the Raisina Hills to the gates of the President’s House. T he 800-year-old dance form of ‘Perini Shiva Tandavam’ was celebrated at a three-day dance fes- tival at Warangal from December 8 to 10 where it was born. Perini, which has martial roots, is exclusively performed by male dancers and was originally intended to psyche up warriors for battle. The dance form derived its name from ‘prerna’ or motivation and was invented by Jayapa Senani, the military chief of the famous Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva. It was mandatory for the warriors of Kakatiya kingdom to witness the Perini Shiva tandavam before venturing into the battlefield. Such was the apparent effect that immediately after watching a performance of the war dance, soldiers would charge fearlessly into battle. More than 300 dancers from across the country representing 22 dance groups took part in the festival held at the historic Warangal Fort. T our operators are cashing in on the rich military lega- cy of the Northeast, especially the contributions made by the sons of the soil during World War II. As British Indian soldiers, many fought the Japanese army dur- ing the war. Many of those valiant soldiers have been hon- oured at the war memorials in Kohima, Imphal, Guwahati and Digboi. The epicentre of many a battle, about 63 years ago, these sites have turned into lush, azure hills today and one epitaph says, “When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today”. The concept of war memorial tourism is catching up in the Northeast. So, are you ready for a date with the World War heroes of the Northeast? Northeast to promote war memorial tourism Warangal Fest showcases dance of warriors T he Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Bombay has for the second time been included in the Condé Nast Traveller ‘Best for Food’ in The Gold List 2008. Condé Nast Traveller’s Gold List is in its fourth successful year and pro- vides readers with the ultimate guide to the world’s best hotels. The pres- tigious list ranks hotels according to service, rooms, food, ambience and design, location and leisure facilities, taking into consideration those hotels that have received the highest ratings in the readers’ Travel Awards 2007, plus the editor’s choice. Taj Mahal Palace in Gold List a second time