Marine Drive, Mumbai | Queen’s Necklace | 

Mumbai’s Pride Landmark

“Ude, Khule Aasaman Mein.. Khaabon Ke Parinday” this song always make me feel calm whenever I travel. I started loving travel since childhood. As a Mumbaikar, one place was never new to me, but whenever I visit that place. It make me feel new every time. Good time.. bad time.. this place gulps every problem silently. The place is none other than Marine Drive, Mumbai.

Just say Marine Drive! and I filled with envy. Marine Drive is a 3.6-kilometre road was constructed by late philanthropist Bhagojisheth Keer and Pallonji Mistry. It is a 'C'-shaped six-lane concrete road along the coast of a natural bay. The road links Nariman Point to Babulnath and Malabar Hill.

Old Marine Drive

Every mumbaikar has a escape place in Mumbai. I have my one and that is Marine Drive. The healthy breeze and bold-calm view of horizon along sea mesmerize the beauty. I have seen Marine Drive alive, talking to me in the morning. The broad promenade stretches along the Arabian Sea. The 3.6km long sea road delivers a grand view of costal side of C-shape. People walk through Marine Drive stretching their hands, jogging, some cycling, some are walking with their dogs.

The Marine Drive is famous for its Neo-Gothic architecture of 19th century and Art Deco Style architecture of 20th century. This architectural beauty has gained the heritage site recognition for the region, recently. Thus, Marine Drive is included in the long list of heritage sites of Mumbai.

The large inverted funnel shaped concrete structures. People and tourists sit on the rocks to experience real Mumbai’s breath. These tetrapods protect the promenade from the high waves. When the waves hit the shore, these concrete structures absorb most of the kinetic energy avoiding erosion and other problems.

This drive becomes spectacular at night. It literally looks like “Queen’s Necklace”. The grand hotels along with corporate buildings and lights of Wankhede Stadium. In the fast-living Mumbai, Marine Drive instils the sense of serenity.

Marine Drive is a pride landmark of Mumbai…!  Cheers ….!

-  Sarthak Niwate (info.sarthakfeeds@gmail.com) 

Googly : Shanti Boy of Hampi, Karnataka | Travel Experience | Blog | Long Trips | Hampi Time

"Googly : Shanti Boy of Hampi"

Good Time with Googly

We had been to Hampi, Karnataka for 3 days and we made lasting friendship with someone. Here's our experience scripted in words but, it was fascinating more than you would experience it after reading this blog.

Googly : The name itself defines his extraordinary activities in Hampi. We met Googly as tourist and he met us as caretaker, cook, waiter rather every post required for that small restaurant. 

Googly always gave soft smile whenever we pass from his place. We also found him very sincere and polite. He was able to talk in thik-thak Hindi and okay-okay English. Mumbai is the dream city for Googly. While spending good time with him, we came to know that, he has grown up without parents. Hyderabad is origin and he also knows Tulu language. This was just an intro of our Googly : Friend from Hampi.

Then why we called him Shanti Boy of Hampi ?

Anyone can gain interest to know about Googly as he starts talking. As per as my views, he was illiterate but, the perception of living a human life is far away different than any common human. He says himself child of Shiva. He always say like, "Shiva is Great. He is my Guardian. Shiva want Shanti..." Once a time came, when we saw tears in his eyes while talking about his Parents. His father was a Yogi Baba and he don't know much about his mother.

While rolling a joint and mermering name of Shiva, "Money made man so rude. When I have money, people respect me. When no money, no respect." His eyes was telling abouy all of his deep internal hurt feelings. Lighting the joint he says, "You are lucky that, you have family. I don't have!" Joint was taking out his every single feeling. 

We were returning back to Mumbai on our 3rd Day in Hampi. We gifted Googly a Kurta printed with "Om Namah Shivay." Hampi is cheap for buying gifts. Memories were golden!

I don't know why but, Googly was true inspiration of life. We learned many things from this excursion and Googly was wonderful. 

-Sarthak Niwate (info.sarthakfeeds@gmail.com)

Words by Sarthak | Poems | Marathi Poem | Marathi Kavita |

मनाची भटकंती

रानावनात साऱ्या, मन माझे बागडले
शहरातील मुके पक्षी, रानी मज सापडले

पुन्हा तिच गुंज, माझ्या कर्णांनी अनुभवली
डोळ्यातील आसवांनी पापणी मात्र लवली

फुलावरती मधमाशी ओशाळून बसली
कोळ्यानं कौशल्यानं जाळी सुरेख विणली

गोंडस ते हरिणीचं इवलसं पाडस
शेपटीवर लटकण्याचं वानराचं धाडस

गजबजलेलं रान स्मरणात कायम राहिल
मनातील कोपऱ्यात जागा करुन राहिल

- सार्थक...

(info.sarthakfeeds@gmail.com)

Introduction : PROLOGUE OF Cambodia

        Introduction : PROLOGUE OF Cambodia

Tourism is an important even vital source of income for many regions and countries. Today people increasingly travelling across the globe for many reasons for business, pleasure, adventure, relaxation, religious, recreational, medical, sports, culinary, agro and so many. 

Pilgrimages are the major tools as they form an important item of the spiritual discipline almost all religions in the world. Cambodia is very best destination for pilgrimage tourism. Pilgrimage tourism is very important for tourism industry. Generally, people of all ages visits pilgrimage places. People in general and pilgrims in particular go on pilgrimage to temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras for worshipping their religious gods and goddesses. 

#TravelTips

"Make two copies of all of your travel documents in case of emergency, and leave one with a trusted friend or relative"

Cambodia is famous for its architectural buildings and beautiful surroundings. There are many Cambodia things to do that one can enjoy both ways- alone or with friends and family. Cambodia travel information is a must-have before visiting the country in order to get some insight into the culture, living, and things to do in Cambodia, in advance. The capital of Cambodia is Phnom Penh, which is a very beautiful city, and therefore a major tourists’ attraction. Many organizations in Cambodia offer excellent Wildlife and Nature Holidays, Trips & Tours in Cambodia.

In Cambodia, Siem Reap Angkor Wat Temple Complex-Home of the World Heritage has been awarded as the Best Destination in the World. Cambodia still has some of the prettiest islands in mainland Southeast Asia. In the Cardamom Mountains, it has one of the last unbroken rainforests in Asia — a vestige of wild elephants and tigers, and a wonderful ecotourism destination. But it’s rural Cambodia that especially rewards the curious traveler with its rivers, caves, rice fields, and charming little towns.

5A’s of Cambodia: Successful destinations meet five essential requirements. Destinations that attract visitors create sales and revenue opportunities for the country and also stand as a means of foreign exchanges for the country.

There must be a good mix and balance between the basic 5 A’s that are essential to a successful destination. These are

Accommodation, Accessibility, Activities, Amenities, and Attractions.

4 P’s of Marketing which is very helpful for promoting Cambodia as a  best tourist destination. Manufacturing the product as per the requirement of the users or people, which fulfills customer’s demand, place rightly (means easily available or visible to customer) at right price (cost of the product should justify the usage of the product) while doing some promotion (promotional activities which are to be done by manufacturers to motivate buyers to buy the same).

A SWOT Analysis looks at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are relevant to an organization in a new venture. A   SWOT Analysis is a tool which allows users to look at the direction a company or organization may wish to move towards in the future. By specifying clear objectives and identifying internal and external factors that are either helpful or not, a short and simple SWOT Analysis is a useful resource which may be incorporated into an organizations strategic planning model.

Knowing what this country has gone through in recent years, the spirit of the Cambodian people has never been higher. With white sand beaches, incredible foods, and jaw-dropping temples, Cambodia should be on everyone's backpacking list!

सिंधुदुर्ग एक प्रवास

Sindhudurg Fort, Maharashtra

कोकण... घनदाट हिरवी झाडी, स्वच्छ, सुंदर, अथांग सागरी किनारे, इतिहासाचा अमूल्य ठेवा जपणारे गड, किल्ले व चैतन्य प्रज्वलित करणारी मंदिरं.... कोकण म्हणजे निसर्ग सौंदर्याची लयलूटच म्हणावी लागेल... 

आणि अशाच या कोकणात... ऐतिहासिक सौंदर्य लाभलेला सिंधुदुर्ग महाराष्ट्राच्या ओंजळीत गेली चार शतके उभा आहे. परप्रांतियांवर अंकुश ठेवण्यासाठी महाराजांच्या आरमारात या किल्ल्याला फार महत्त्व होते. किल्ल्याचे क्षेत्र कुरटे बेटावर ४८ एकरात पसरलेले आहे. या जलदुर्गावर तब्बल ५२ बुरुजांची तटबंदी साधारण ३ किलोमीटर आहे. आजही हा सिंधुदुर्ग कर्तव्यनिष्ठपणे महाराजांच्या आरमारी दलाचे आद्यस्थान म्हणून अभेदपणे सागरीलाट झेलतं उभा आहे.

  

“Everybody is equally weak on the inside, just that some present their ruins as new castles and become kings –”

― Simona Panova

 सिंधुदुर्गाचे खास वैशिष्ठ असे की, किल्ल्याच्या परिसरात गोड्या पाण्याच्या तीन शिवकालीन विहिरी असून त्यातील पाणी आजही गोड आहे. किल्ल्याच्या चारी बाजूंनी खारे पाणी आणि आत गोडे पाणी हा निसर्गाचा एक अदभूत चमत्कारच म्हणावा लागेल...

     सिंधुदुर्ग किल्ल्यावर महाराष्ट्रातील एकमेव शिवाजी महाराजांचे शंकराच्या रूपातील मंदिर आहे. या मंदिराची स्थापना राजाराम महाराजांनी केली होती. श्री शिवराजेश्वारांचे देवालय व मंडपात महाराजांची अन्यत्र कुठल्याही किल्ल्यांवर न दिसणार बैठी प्रतिमा फक्त येथे दिसते.

     महाराष्ट्राचा व महाराजांचा ठेवा जपणारा सिंधुदुर्ग राष्ट्रीय संरक्षित स्मारक म्हणून घोषित केला गेला आहे पण, सद्य परिस्थितीवर एक ओझरती नजर टाकली तर, हे सारे वैभव धोक्यात आलेले दिसून येते. किल्ल्यावर ठिकठिकाणी कचरा फेकलेला असतो. प्लास्टिक बोटल्स, खाण्यापिण्याचे पदार्थ अतिशय विकृतपणे हे सारं घडतय. महाराजांच्या भेटीला येणारा तरुण वैभवशाली किल्ल्यावर मद्यपान करून स्वतःला एकनिष्ठ मावळा म्हणवतो. अरे ... नशा असावी तर ती राष्ट्रप्रेमाची आमच्या महाराजांसारखी.... नशा असावी तर स्वराज्य स्थापनेची आमच्या महाराजांसारखी... किल्ल्यावर मद्यपान करून “आमचे महाराज” असे म्हणाऱ्या कथित मावळ्यांची गरजच नाही. ही सध्याची शोकांतिका व दुर्दैवच म्हणावं लागेल...

     अथांग सागरात डौलत असलेला सिंधुदुर्ग महाराजांनी किनारी राज्यांच्या सुरक्षिततेसाठी बांधला होता. जर १६व्या शतकात तैनात केलेली सागरी सुरक्षा यशस्वी होऊ शकते तर, २१व्या शतकात २६/११ सारखा हल्ला व्हावा ....?

     मनुष्य कुठंतरी इतिहास विसरतोय... आम्हीही विसरलो होतो पण, सिंधुदुर्गच्या या एका प्रवासाने सारा इतिहास मनात जागा केला आणि उर्जा निर्माण झाली ती इतिहासाला जपण्याची....!

-         सार्थक निवाते   (info.sarthakfeeds@gmail.com)