Tuesday 26 February 2013

Sunderban Tour Package from Kolkata

coffee & snacks at resort.

3rd Day: Sunderbans Tiger Reserve (West Bengal)
As you wake up to the chirping of birds and morning wake up bell, a hot cup of tea is served in your balcony. View the array of birds in the fruit trees near your accommodation. Refresh before we head for the morning cruise into the Sunderban Tiger Reserve once again through creeks and rivers heading to the Sudhayakhali Watchtower. Walk through the caged walkways after disembarking towards the watchtower, searching for the elusive tiger. Keep a look at the sweet water pond where you may sight a deer drinking water or a water monitor lizard basking by the sun as well as monkeys and wild boars may be sighted nearby. Breakfast is served on board with refreshments as we cruise back to resort. After an early lunch you will be transferred back to Kolkata.

* Timing may vary depending upon tide, traffic and road conditions.

Inclusions:

Transfer by Sharing AC Bus from Priya Cinema - Kolkata to Gothkhali and back to Priya Cinema - Kolkata.

Accommodation.

Cruise in Motor Boat in the Creeks & Forest by sharing boat on 1st & 3rd day. On 2nd day exclusive boat.

Food (2 Breakfast + 3 Lunch + 2 Evening Snacks + 2 Dinners).

Forest entry fee.

Exclusions:

Any Kind of personal expenses, tips, camera charges etc.

Mineral water, Soft drink & Hard Drinks.

Any thing which is not include in the inclusions.

Special Note: We can customized the above itinerary as per guest requirement.

Kolkata Tour Package

For booking & package details please contact:

SUPPORT TOURISM

Kolkata:

49, Ganesh Chandra Avenue, 1st Floor, Kolkata - 700 013, West Bengal, India.

Mo. +91 80172 55157, 94740 32135

Jalpaiguri:

Charuprova Complex, Kadamtala, Jalpaiguri - 735 101, West Bengal, India.

Mo. +91 90516 36688, +91 99039 86904

Email: info@supporttourism.in

Web: www.supporttourism.in

Kolkata Tour Package

Kolkata

Hand-Pulled Rickshaw

Kolkata, erstwhile called Calcutta, called as the ETON of the East during the British regime, is a city with many faces. It is actually a city of surprises that overwhelms its tourists and business travellers. The charm of this greatest colonial city never dies out and that is what makes it the Indian 'City of Joy'. It ranks among the four major metropolis of India along with Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. Take a tour of Kolkata with Support Tourism and feel the lifestyle, the vibrancy and culture of Kolkata in intimacy.

Victoria Memorial

Some of the best-built buildings in India are the colonial buildings in Kolkata. This makes Kolkata, unlikeany other city of India, a unique hub of culture and heritage. There are many monuments dating to the period of British that are landmarks of Kolkata today and also give the city its pride.

Tram Service at Kolkata

Kolkata has long been known for its literary, artistic and revolutionary heritage. As the former capital of India, Kolkata was the birthplace of modern Indian literary, artistic and scholastic thought. The people of Kolkata tends to have a special appreciation for art and literature; its tradition of welcoming new talent has made it a "city of furious creative energy. For these reasons, Kolkata has often been dubbed as the Cultural Capital of India or the Literary Capital of India.

Sikkim Travel Destinations

The visitor to Sikkim will be spoilt for choice with each of the four districts offering a unique travel opportunity.

East Sikkim

The east district is the most populated with Gangtok being the main administrative and business centre. Apart from the modern attractions of the capital town, in the east you will also find the beautiful Tsomgo Lake, the historically important Nathula pass, as well as many monasteries and temples. Gangtok is the capital of Sikkim and heart of all the business hubs.

West Sikkim

West Sikkim is replete with history and religion. This is where the first Chogyal of Sikkim was consecrated at Yuksum in 1642 and this is where some of the holiest and most important monasteries of Sikkim were established, including Dubdi and Sanga Choling, the first monasteries to be built in Sikkim. West Sikkim is beautiful terrain abounding in lakes and waterfalls and also has great trekking routes. Gyalshing is the head quarter and town of the West District.

South Sikkim

South Sikkim, the smallest district belies its size with its variety of tourist attractions. With stupendous view of the Khangchendzonga range, the south of Sikkim is a fairy tale land of picturesque villages and high hills. Near Namchi, the district headquarters is Samdruptse Hill, the site of the 135 feet tall statue of Guru Padmasambhava. In the south too are Tendong Hill and Maenam Hill, of mythical importance to the Lepchas and Bhutias, as well as the tourist destination of Ravangla which hosts the annual Pang Lhabsol festival with great pageantry. Namchi is the district headquarter of South Sikkim which is 78 kms from Gangtok.

North Sikkim

Perhaps the most beautiful of the districts, the North offers an exquisite experience for the lover of Nature and alpine scenery. Yumthang alone is enough to satiate the most demanding, with its panoramic Valley of Flowers. During springtime the lush meadows abound with delicate wildflowers that carpet the Valley floor in a rich riot of colors. A must-see here are the Hot Springs and the vibrant Sikkimese tribal culture and customs. 67 kms from Gangtok is the Mangan District Headquarter of North District.

Travel Destinations East Sikkim

Aritar

Aritar (Altitude - 5,100 ft), located under Rongli Sub-Division, in East Sikkim. Is a fascinating place, combining history, and unspoiled its natural and landscaped beauty.Hedged in near the trijunction of Sikkim, Bhutan and West Bengal. Aritar is surrounded by the lush green forests, sweeping paddy fields and placid lakes hidden among the foliage. The breath-taking panorama of the entire Khangchendzonga Rangelies to its west, misty passesnof Nathula and Jelepla in the east and vast plains of the Dooars and North Bengal fall to the South. The Crowning glory of Aritar is the LampokhriLake (known as Ghati Tso by the Bhutias). Nestlings amidst groves of evergreen trees in serene environs, Sikkim’s oldest natural lake at an altitude of 4600 fts is arguably its greatest assets This serene Lake, 350 metres x 75 metres surrounded by greenery all around. Setting it above and apart from the hustle and jostling tourist downtown and offering a visual treat of specticular lakes, mountain vistas, with the ridge that definesSikkim stretching away below. The view in without doubt one of the most memorable in the world. While chirping of exotic himalayan birds and soothing sound of rippling water adds life to the natural beauty. Shaped like a human foot, this natural lake has recently been provided with artificial embankments, to facilitate boating, a first for Sikkim.Welcome to Heaven on Earth.

It is located on the edge of the Himalayas, and can be reached in from Gangtok, Kalimpong, New Jalpaiguri or Bagdogra.

Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary is quite a distance from Aritar and it the habitat of rare Red Panda. The valley also has flowering plant such as Rhododendron, Mangnolia etc.

Places of Interest in Aritar :-

Lampokhari : Initially one of the oldest natural lake in Sikkim and recently artificially constructed to facilitate boating for the tourists. At an altitude of 4600 ft (1,400 m) it is the only lake with boating facility in Sikkim.

Dak Bunglow : Popularly known as Ari-Bangla it is an old British built bunglow built by Sir James Claude White (first political officer of Sikkim during British rule in India) in the year 1895. At the same premises Sikkim’s first treasury was built as well as Sikkim Police was raised and the first outpost started functioning in the year 1897.

Aritar Gumpa : A monastery of the Kagyuapa order,considered as one of the holiest and oldest in Sikkim.The visitor’s can imbibe the tranquil air with splendour of monastic arts reflected in its traditional architecture, carved & painted murals and treasure of manuscripts and icons.

Parbateyswar Shivalaya Mandir : The most venerated shrine with picturesque splendour is considered a very holy pilgrimage site, where thousands of devotees throng for the blessing and participate during the month of “SAWAN” to offer water and sip the sacred water from a sacred vessel.

Mankhim: “Mangkhim”, a Temple of the Rai of Nepali origin is located at a height of 6500 ft at “Maity Village” (Kheselakha) . Hattipailay is another virgin village where the visitors can see elephant footprints on rock.

Nirmal Dham : This place situated about 5 km (approx) from Rhenock Bazar, is an abode of “Nirmal Guruji” (a.k.a.) “ Kopchey Baba”, known for his miraculous healing power, which has attracted hundreds of devotees from all over India and neighboring countries.

Ever green nursery & Ram Gauri Sangrhalaya : Located at Rhenock Bazar, the nursery and museum is privately owned and has drift wood collections, botanical & other varieties of flowers.

Kali khola falls (Lonely falls) : 100 m in height (Rorathang-Rongli road).

Changey water fall : 50 m in height (Near Lampokhari).

Lungchok valley : Trekking destination (Lokdara, Chujachen).

Love Dara : Low hill picnic spot. Aritar.

Phursey Lake: Phursey Lake is located few km uphill from aritar is a isolated jungle, where a years old logs stands still delivering nice reflection on the water.

Tsangu Lake or Tsongmo Lake or Changu Lake is a glacial lake in East Sikkim, some 40 kilometres away from Gangtok at altitude of 3780 m (12400 ft). Most parts of the year it remains covered with ice. Below is a picture with snowfalls on the shrubs with part of the Lake in the background in the end of December.

Nathu La(La meaning Pass in Tibetian) is 54 km east of the Sikkimese capital, Gangtok, and 430 km from the capital of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, Lhasa. The pass, located at an elevation of 4,310 m (14,200 feet) above mean sea level, forms part of an offshoot of the ancient Silk Route. This route is now open for trading between India and China after being closed for more than 40 years. The pass is open only to Indian nationals.

Baba Mandir is built as a memory for CAPTAIN "Baba" Harbhajan Singh, an Indian army soldier who died near the Nathula Pass in Eastern Sikkim, India. He is respected by all the solders of the Indian army. Every year on September 14, a jeep departs with his personal belongings to the nearest railway station, New Jalpaiguri, where it is then sent by train to the village of Kuka, in Kapurthala district in Punjab. As per train rule the train reserved seat never left blank, but for baba reservation is done to travel him at his home town every year with solders to drop Baba at his home town. A small sum is also sent to his mother each month.

Trekking and Adventure at Aitar

Aritar also offers to trekking to virgin forest and the trek starts from Lampokhari to Phurssey lake takes you to Gorujurey (A Silent valley) where a view tower has been built to view the scenic beauty of the surrounding areas. Still further trek lead to Rochela, the historical trip-junction boarder ofSikkim, West Bengal and Bhutan. It is one of the most beautiful trekking route in Sikkim.

Rachella: Trekking to Rachella is indeed an another splendid experience.

Package Tours & Trekkings Organised by SUPPORT TOURISM

Package tours are arranged to Zuluk, Kupup, Tsanghmo Lake, Reshi, Pedong Lava Etc. Trekking to Rachela and Phushrey Lake. Pickup and Drop From New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, Bagdogra Airport & Siliguri.

Suggested Tour Itineraries:

02 Nights and 03 Days
Day 01 : Transfer from New Jalpaiguri Railway Station/Bagdogra Airport/Siliguri Bus Stand to Aritar.
Day 02 : Aritar Local Sight Seeing.
Day 03 : Transfer from Aritar to New Jalpaiguri Railway Station/Bagdogra Airport/Siliguri Bus Stand.

03 Nights and 04 Days
Day 01 : Transfer from New Jalpaiguri Railway Station/Bagdogra Airport/Siliguri Bus Stand to Aritar.
Day 02 : Aritar Local Sight Seeing.

Day 03 : Ariter to Zuluk-jelepla,kupuk,Nathang, tukla valley, Baba Mandir,Tsomgo Lake, Nathula Boarder.

Day 04 : Transfer from Aritar to New Jalpaiguri Railway Station/Bagdogra Airport/Siliguri Bus Stand.

03 Nights and 04 Days

Day 01 : Transfer from New Jalpaiguri Railway Station/Bagdogra Airport/Siliguri Bus Stand to Sillery Gaon.

Day 02 : Sillery Gaon to Aritar.

Day 03 : Ariter to Zuluk-jelepla,kupuk,Nathang, tukla valley, Baba Mandir, Tsomgo Lake, Nathula Boarder. Night Stay at Zuluk.

Day 04 : Transfer from Zuluk to New Jalpaiguri Railway Station/Bagdogra Airport/Siliguri Bus Stand.

05 Nights and 06 Days

Day 01 : Transfer from New Jalpaiguri Railway Station/Bagdogra Airport/Siliguri Bus Stand to Sillery Gaon.

Day 02 : Sillery Gaon to Reshi.

Day 03 : Reshi to Aritar.

Day 04 : Aritar to padamchen.

Day 05 : Padamchen to Zuluk.

Day 06 : Transfer from Zuluk to New Jalpaiguri Railway Station/Bagdogra Airport/Siliguri Bus Stand.

Package for Student Group

04 Nights and 05 Days

Day 01 : Transfer from New Jalpaiguri Railway Station/Bagdogra Airport/Siliguri Bus Stand to Aritar.

Day 02 : Aritar Local Sight Seeing, Nature trail and Boating.

Day 03 : Ariter to Zuluk-jelepla,kupuk,Nathang, tukla valley, Baba Mandir, Tsomgo Lake, Nathula Boarder.

Day 04 : Soft trek to Phursey Lake.

Day 05 : Transfer from Aritar to New Jalpaiguri Railway Station/Bagdogra Airport/Siliguri Bus Stand.

As per group requirement we can also arrange white water rafting but guest has to confirm us at the time of booking only.

For any type of queries please don't hesitate to contact us in our 24 x 7 Nos. +91 80172 55157, +91 94740 32135 or you can mail us at info@supporttourism.in or you can reach us through www.supporttourism.in

Indian Travel Destinations

India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with a kaleidoscopic variety and rich cultural heritage. It has achieved all-round socio-economic progress during the last 64 years of its Independence. India has become self-sufficient in agricultural production and is now one of the top industrialized countries in the world and one of the few nations to have gone into outer space to conquer nature for the benefit of the people. It covers an area of 32,87,263 sq. km, extending from the snow-covered Himalayan heights to the tropical rain forests of the south. As the 7th largest country in the world, India stands apart from the rest of Asia, marked off as it is by mountains and the sea, which give the country a distinct geographical entity. Bounded by the Great Himalayas in the north, it stretches southwards and at the Tropic of Cancer, tapers off into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west.

Lying entirely in the northern hemisphere, the mainland extends between latitudes 8° 4' and 37° 6' north, longitudes 68° 7' and 97° 25' east and measures about 3,214 km from north to south between the extreme latitudes and about 2,933 km from east to west between the extreme longitudes. It has a land frontier of about 15,200 km. The total length of the coastline of the mainland, Lakshadweep Islands and Andaman & Nicobar Islands is 7,516.6 km.

Geography

Location: The Indian peninsula is separated from mainland Asia by the Himalayas. The Country is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west, and the Indian Ocean to the south.

Geographic Coordinates: Lying entirely in the Northern Hemisphere, the Country extends between 8° 4' and 37° 6' latitudes north of the Equator, and 68° 7' and 97° 25' longitudes east of it.

Indian Standard Time: GMT + 05:30

Area: 3.3 Million sq. km

Telephone Country Code: +91

Border Countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan to the north-west; China, Bhutan and Nepal to the north; Myanmar to the east; and Bangladesh to the east of West Bengal. Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea, formed by Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar.

Coastline: 7,516.6 km encompassing the mainland, Lakshadweep Islands, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Climate: The climate of India can broadly be classified as a tropical monsoon one. But, in spite of much of the northern part of India lying beyond the tropical zone, the entire country has a tropical climate marked by relatively high temperatures and dry winters. There are four seasons:

winter (December-February)
summer (March-June)
south-west monsoon season (June-September)
post monsoon season (October-November)

Terrain: The mainland comprises of four regions, namely the great mountain zone, plains

of the Ganga and the Indus, the desert region, and the southern peninsula.

Natural Resources: Coal, iron ore, manganese ore, mica, bauxite, petroleum, titanium

ore, chromite, natural gas, magnesite, limestone, arable land, dolomite, barytes, kaolin,

gypsum, apatite, phosphorite, steatite, fluorite, etc.

Natural Hazards: Monsoon floods, flash floods, earthquakes, droughts, and landslides.

Environment - Current Issues: Air pollution control, energy conservation, solid waste

management, oil and gas conservation, forest conservation, etc.

Geography - Note: India occupies a major portion of the south Asian subcontinent.

People

Population: India's population, as on 1 March 2001 stood at 1,028 million (532.1 million males and 496.4 million females).

Life Expectancy Rate: 63.9 years (Males) and 66.9 years (Females).

Nationality: Indian

Ethnic Groups: All the five major racial types - Australoid, Mongoloid, Europoid, Caucasian, and Negroid find representation among the people of India.

Religions: According to the 2001 census, out of the total population of 1,028 million in the Country, Hindus constituted the majority with 80.5%, Muslims came second at 13.4%, followed by Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and others.

Languages: There are 22 different languages that have been recognised by the Constitution of India, of which Hindi is an Official Language. Article 343(3) empowered Parliament to provide by law for continued use of English for official purposes.

Literacy: According to the provisional results of the 2001 census, the literacy rate in the Country stands at 64.84 per cent, 75.26% for males and 53.67% for females.

Government

Country Name: Republic of India; Bharat Ganrajya

Government Type: Sovereign Socialist Democratic Republic with a Parliamentary system of Government.

Capital: New Delhi

Administrative Divisions: 28 States and 7 Union Territories.

Independence: 15^th August 1947 (From the British Colonial Rule)

Constitution: The Constitution of India came into force on 26^th January 1950.

Legal System: The Constitution of India is the fountain source of the legal system in the Country.

Executive Branch: The President of India is the Head of the State, while the Prime Minister is the Head of the Government, and runs office with the support of the Council of Ministers who form the Cabinet Ministry.

Legislative Branch: The Indian Legislature comprises of the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) forming both the Houses of the Parliament.

Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court of India is the apex body of the Indian legal system, followed by other High Courts and subordinate Courts.

Flag Description: The National Flag is a horizontal tricolour of deep saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the middle, and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. At the centre of the white band is a navy blue wheel, which is a representation of the Ashoka Chakra at Sarnath.

National Days: 26^th January (Republic Day), 15^th August (Independence Day), 2^nd October (Gandhi Jayanti; Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday).

Physical Features

The mainland comprises four regions, namely, the great mountain zone, plains of the Ganga and the Indus, the desert region and the southern peninsula. The Himalayas comprise three almost parallel ranges interspersed with large plateaus and valleys, some of which, like the Kashmir and Kullu valleys, are fertile, extensive and of great scenic beauty. Some of the highest peaks in the world are found in these ranges. The high altitudes admit travel only to a few passes, notably the Jelep La and Nathu La on the main Indo-Tibet trade route through the Chumbi Valley, north-east of Darjeeling and Shipki La in the Satluj valley, north-east of Kalpa (Kinnaur). The mountain wall extends over a distance of about 2,400 km with a varying depth of 240 to 320 km. In the east, between India and Myanmar and India and Bangladesh, hill ranges are much lower. Garo, Khasi, Jaintia and Naga Hills, running almost east-west, join the chain to Mizo and Rkhine Hills running north-south.

The plains of the Ganga and the Indus, about 2,400 km long and 240 to 320 km broad, are formed by basins of three distinct river systems - the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. They are one of the world's greatest stretches of flat alluvium and also one of the most densely populated areas on the earth. Between the Yamuna at Delhi and the Bay of Bengal, nearly 1,600 km away, there is a drop of only 200 metres in elevation.

The desert region can be divided into two parts - the great desert and the little desert. The great desert extends from the edge of the Rann of Kuchch beyond the Luni River northward. The whole of the Rajasthan-Sind frontier runs through this. The little desert extends from the Luni between Jaisalmer and Jodhpur up to the northern wastes. Between the great and the little deserts lies a zone of absolutely sterile country, consisting of rocky land cut up by limestone ridges.

The Peninsular Plateau is marked off from the plains of the Ganga and the Indus by a mass of mountain and hill ranges varying from 460 to 1,220 metres in height. Prominent among these are the Aravalli, Vindhya, Satpura, Maikala and Ajanta. The Peninsula is flanked on the one side by the Eastern Ghats where average elevation is about 610 metres and on the other by the Western Ghats where it is generally from 915 to 1,220 metres, rising in places to over 2,440 metres. Between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea lies a narrow coastal strip, while between Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal there is a broader coastal area. The southern point of plateau is formed by the Nilgiri Hills where the Eastern and the Western Ghats meet. The Cardamom Hills lying beyond may be regarded as a continuation of the Western Ghats.

Geological Structure

The geological regions broadly follow the physical features, and may be grouped into three regions: the Himalayas and their associated group of mountains, the Indo-Ganga Plain, and the Peninsular Shield.

The Himalayan mountain belt to the north and the Naga-Lushai mountain in the east, are the regions of mountain-building movement. Most of this area, now presenting some of the most magnificent mountain scenery in the world, was under marine conditions about 600 million years ago. In a series of mountain-building movements commencing about 70 million years ago, the sediments and the basement rocks rose to great heights. The weathering and erosive agencies worked on these to produce the relief seen today. The Indo-Ganga plains are a great alluvial tract that separates the Himalayas in the north from the Peninsula in the south.

The Peninsula is a region of relative stability and occasional seismic disturbances. Highly metamorphosed rocks of the earliest periods, dating back as far as 380 crore years, occur in the area; the rest being covered by the coastal-bearing Gondwana formations, lava flows belonging to the Deccan Trap formation and younger sediments.

Rivers

The rivers of India can be classified into four groups viz., Himalayan rivers, Deccan rivers, Coastal rivers, and Rivers of the inland drainage basin.

The Himalayan Rivers are formed by melting snow and glaciers and therefore, continuously flow throughout the year. During the monsoon months, Himalayas receive very heavy rainfall and rivers swell, causing frequent floods. The Deccan Rivers on the other hand are rain fed and therefore fluctuate in volume. Many of these are non-perennial. The Coastal streams, especially on the west coast are short in length and have limited catchment's areas. Most of them are non-perennial. The streams of inland drainage basin of western Rajasthan are few. Most of them are of an ephemeral character.

The main Himalayan river systems are those of the Indus and the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna system. The Indus, which is one of the great rivers of the world, rises near Mansarovar in Tibet and flows through India, and thereafter through Pakistan, and finally falls in the Arabian Sea near Karachi. Its important tributaries flowing in Indian Territory are the Sutlej (originating in Tibet), the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab, and the Jhelum. The Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna is another important system of which the principal sub-basins are those of Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda, which join at Dev Prayag to form the Ganga. It traverses through Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. Below Rajmahal hills, the Bhagirathi, which used to be the main course in the past, takes off, while the Padma continues eastward and enters Bangladesh. The Yamuna, the Ramganga, the Ghaghra, the Gandak, the Kosi, the Mahananda and the Sone are the important tributaries of the Ganga. Rivers Chambal and Betwa are the important sub-tributaries, which join Yamuna before it meets the Ganga. The Padma and the Brahmaputra join inside Bangladesh, and continue to flow as the Padma or Ganga. The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet, where it is known as Tsangpo and runs a long distance till it crosses over into India in Arunachal Pradesh under the name of Dihang. Near Passighat, the Debang and Lohit join the river Brahmaputra and the combined river runs all along the Assam in a narrow valley. It crosses into Bangladesh downstream of Dhubri.

The principal tributaries of Brahmaputra in India are the Subansiri, Jia Bhareli, Dhansiri, Puthimari, Pagladiya and the Manas. The Brahmaputra in Bangladesh receives the flow of Tista, etc., and finally falls into Ganga. The Barak River, the Head stream of Meghna, rises in the hills in Manipur. The important tributaries of the river are Makku, Trang, Tuivai, Jiri, Sonai, Rukni, Katakhal, Dhaleswari, Langachini, Maduva and Jatinga. Barak continues in Bangladesh till the combined Ganga-Brahmaputra join it near Bhairab Bazar.

In the Deccan region, most of the major river systems flowing generally in east direction fall into Bay of Bengal. The major east flowing rivers are Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Mahanadi, etc. Narmada and Tapti are major West flowing rivers.

The Godavari in the southern Peninsula has the second largest river basin covering 10 per cent of the area of India. Next to it is the Krishna basin in the region, while the Mahanadi has the third largest basin. The basin of the Narmada in the uplands of the Deccan, flowing to the Arabian Sea, and of the Kaveri in the south, falling into the Bay of Bengal are about the same size, though with different character and shape.

There are numerous coastal rivers, which are comparatively small. While only handful of such rivers drain into the sea near the delta of east cost, there are as many as 600 such rivers on the west coast.

A few rivers in Rajasthan do not drain into the sea. They drain into salt lakes and get lost in sand with no outlet to sea. Besides these, there are the Desert Rivers which flow for some distance and are lost in the desert. These are Luni and others such as, Machhu, Rupen, Saraswati, Banas and Ghaggar.

Climate

The climate of India may be broadly described as tropical monsoon type.

There are four seasons:

winter (December-February)
hot weather summer (March-May)
rainy southwestern monsoon (June-September) and
post-monsoon, also known as northeast monsoon in the southern Peninsula (October-December).

India's climate is affected by two seasonal winds - the northeast monsoon and the southwest monsoon. The north-east monsoon, commonly known as winter monsoon blows from land to sea, whereas south-west monsoon, known as summer monsoon blows from sea to land after crossing the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal. The south-west monsoon brings most of the rainfall during a year in the country.

Flora

With a wide range of climatic conditions from the torrid to the arctic, India has a rich and varied vegetation, which only a few countries of comparable size possess. India can be divided into eight distinct-floristic-regions, namely, the western Himalayas, the eastern Himalayas, Assam, the Indus plain, the Ganga plain, the Deccan, Malabar and the Andamans.

The Western Himalayan region extends from Kashmir to Kumaon. Its temperate zone is rich in forests of chir, pine, other conifers and broad-leaved temperate trees. Higher up, forests ofdeodar, blue pine, spruce and silver fir occur. The alpine zone extends from the upper limit of the temperate zone of about 4,750 metres or even higher. The characteristic trees of this zone are high-level silver fir, silver birch and junipers. The eastern Himalayan region extends from Sikkim eastwards and embraces Darjeeling, Kurseong and the adjacent tract. The temperate zone has forests of oaks, laurels, maples, rhododendrons, alder and birch. Many conifers, junipers and dwarf willows also occur here. The Assam region comprises the Brahmaputra and the Surma valleys with evergreen forests, occasional thick clumps of bamboos and tall grasses. The Indus plain region comprises the plains of Punjab, western Rajasthan and northern Gujarat. It is dry and hot and supports natural vegetation. The Ganga plain region covers the area which is alluvial plain and is under cultivation for wheat, sugarcane and rice. Only small areas support forests of widely differing types. The Deccan region comprises the entire tableland of the Indian Peninsula and supports vegetation of various kinds from scrub jungles to mixed deciduous forests. The Malabar region covers the excessively humid belt of mountain country parallel to the west coast of the Peninsula. Besides being rich in forest vegetation, this region produces important commercial crops, such as coconut, betel nut, pepper, coffee and tea, rubber and cashew nut. The Andaman region abounds in evergreen, mangrove, beach and diluvia forests. The Himalayan region extending from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh through Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Meghalaya and Nagaland and the Deccan Peninsula is rich in endemic flora, with a large number of plants which are not found elsewhere.

India is rich in flora. Available data place India in the tenth position in the world and fourth in Asia in plant diversity. From about 70 per cent geographical area surveyed so far, 47,000 species of plants have been described by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata. The vascular flora, which forms the conspicuous vegetation cover, comprises 15,000 species. Of these, more than 35 per cent is endemic and has so far not been reported anywhere in the world. The flora of the country is being studied by the BSI and its nine circle/field offices located throughout the country along with certain universities and research institutions.

Ethno-botanical study deals with the utilisation of plants and plant products by ethnic races. A scientific study of such plants has been made by BSI. A number of detailed ethno-botanical explorations have been conducted in different tribal areas of the country. More than 800 plant species of ethno-botanical interest have been collected and identified at different centres.

Owing to destruction of forests for agricultural, industrial and urban development, several Indian plants are facing extinction. About 1,336 plant species are considered vulnerable and endangered. About 20 species of higher plants are categorised as possibly extinct as these have not been sighted during the last 6-10 decades. BSI brings out an inventory of endangered plants in the form of a publication titled Red Data Book.

Fauna

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), with its headquarters in Kolkata and 16 regional stations is responsible for surveying the faunal resources of India. Possessing a tremendous diversity of climate and physical conditions, India has great variety of fauna, numbering 89,451 species, which include protista, mollusca, anthropoda, amphibia, mammalia, reptilia, members of protochordata, pisces, aves and other invertebrates.

The mammals include the majestic elephant, the gaur or Indian bison - the largest of existing bovines, the great Indian rhinoceros, the gigantic wild sheep of the Himalayas, the swamp deer, the thamin spotted deer, nilgai, the four-horned antelope, the Indian antelope or black-buck - the only representatives of these genera. Among the cats, the tiger and lion are the most magnificent of all; other splendid creatures such as the clouded leopard, the snow leopard, the marbled cat, etc., are also found. Many other species of mammals are remarkable for their beauty, colouring, grace and uniqueness. Several birds, like pheasants, geese, ducks, mynahs, parakeets, pigeons, cranes, hornbills and sun birds inhabit forests and wetlands.

Rivers and lakes harbour crocodiles and gharials, the latter being the only representative of crocodilian order in the world. The salt-water crocodile is found along the eastern coast and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A project for breeding crocodiles, started in 1974, has been instrumental in saving the crocodile from extinction.

The great Himalayan range has a very interesting variety of fauna that includes the wild sheep and goats, markhor, ibex, shrew and tapir. The panda and the snow leopard are found in the upper reaches of the mountains.

Depletion of vegetative cover due to expansion of agriculture, habitat destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, introduction of toxic imbalance in community structure, epidemics, floods, droughts and cyclones, contribute to the loss of flora and fauna. More than 39 species of mammals, 72 species of birds, 17 species of reptiles, three species of amphibians, two species of fish, and a large number of butterflies, moth, and beetles are considered vulnerable and endangered.

Indian Union and its Territory

India comprises 28 States and 7 Union Territories. They are:

States:

Andhra Pradesh
Assam
Arunachal Pradesh
Bihar
Chhattisgarh
Goa
Gujarat
Haryana
Himachal Pradesh
Jammu & Kashmir
Jharkhand
Karnataka
Kerala
Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra
Manipur
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Nagaland
Odisha
Punjab
Rajasthan
Sikkim
Tamil Nadu
Tripura
Uttarakhand
Uttar Pradesh
West Bengal

Union Territories:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Chandigarh
Dadra and Nagar Haveli
Daman and Diu
National Capital Territory of Delhi
Lakshadweep
Puducherry

Please check our other blogs to get the state wise details of travel destinations. For any type of queries please don't hesitate to contact us in our 24 x 7 Nos. +91 80172 55157, +91 94740 32135 or you can mail us at info@supporttourism.in or you can reach us through www.supporttourism.in

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Tuesday 26 February 2013