Performances each evening during Delhi International Arts Festival will be held in various locations throughout Delhi and NCR. The multi-media festival concludes with a closing ceremony at Purana Qila on 10 November, 2012.

Delhi International Arts Festival is presented by Prasiddha Foundation and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Entry is free for all events.

India is on the cusp of festival season as the weather begins to change as well. This turn, however, is a welcome relief as tourist season begins to kick into full throttle.

I’ve just a few more weeks of balmy drenched days before heading off once again to India. Perfect weather for catching up on the musings of other writers.

Here are 5 India blogs I’m reading this week:

Essential Hindi for Foreign Travelers (Language, Travel) @bihar

It’s one thing to type out a few useful Hindi words and phrases, but Shaluji went the extra mile with this well executed post in her India blog. Six categories of basic Hindi, typed in an English to Hindi translation, are perfected with actual spoken word audio samples allowing the reader to practice with authentic coaching.

How Do You Travel So Much? (Travel)

It’s a question most long term travelers are asked at some point. Part curiosity, part envy, it’s not always the easiest question to properly answer. Fortunately Vamsee found a way and shared it on her India blog.

Resilience and Determination, or Apathy, in India? (Culture) @aboutindia

What is it that drives Indians? It may not be what you think, even from the perspective of a transplanted expat. Sharell continues to see India for what it is and not what it isn’t in spite of the countries abundant challenges.

Mysore Dasara (Festivals) @indiaoutsidemyw

Some festivals are celebrated with just a little more jubilation in India. The Mysore Dasara procession is one such event, well known throughout the country. Isabel was fortunate enough to catch the pre-celebration rehearsals at the famed Mysore Palace. What’s more fun than getting a close up view of an elephant march?

Apple Halva (Food) @indiansimmer

Slightly warm halwa is one of my favorite Indian sweets in which to indulge after a hearty meal. Gajar halwa comes to mind when carrots are in season, even kaju halwa is quite nice.  But apple halwa? A new twist on a classic recipe. This slightly older post dating back to September, filled with photos as tasteful looking as the recipe, slipped through my radar until now.

What India blogs are you reading this week?

#5IndiaBlogs

But there is a twist. The shortfall presented by eliminating the Airport Development Fee will now need to be recouped in other ways by the respective airport authorities.

The Airport Development Fee is just one of two fees currently imposed on passenger plane tickets for flights departing from either airport, the other being a User Development Fee (UDF) is charged. The Airport Development Fee is levied to meet the cash flow requirements during renovation or modernization of an airport project whereas a User Development Fee is charged for using the completed facility.

The Airport Development Fee at Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport is Rs 200 per domestic passenger and Rs 1,300 per international passenger. Passengers flying from Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport are charged Rs 100 per domestic flights and Rs 600 per international flight.

With the elimination of the Airport Development Fee, Delhi and Mumbai airports will need to fund the shortfall in revenue presently earned through the ADF. Airlines will be hit with a combination of hikes in landing and parking charges while ticketed passengers will see an increase in the User Development Fee.

Passengers unaware of the various taxes will likely not see much of a change in fare prices.

The first of 100 events scheduled during Oz Fest will kick off in Delhi at Purana Qila. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard will attend an opening-night outdoor concert featuring Australian aboriginal singer Gurrumul Yunupingu and Indian classical musician Anoushka Shankar. There will also be a sound and light show by AGB Events, the organizers of Sydney’s annual Vivid Light Festival, on the Sher Mandal Observatory at Purana Qila.

Oz Fest events scheduled in October include:

-Cricket matches between Australian Indigenous Cricket Team and local cricket clubs in Mumbai and Pune

-Melbourne International Comedy Festival;  5 comedians perform and audition to find a new Indian talent from Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore

-Mini Film Festival in Mumbai

-Book Readings by Australian and Indian writers in Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore, Chennai

Full Oz Fest Event Schedule

Oz Fest is a collaboration between Australia and India governments. The $3 million AUD festival runs from October 16, 2012 to February 5, 2013.

Come one come all. Picking the right dhaba is a matter of personal preference. Vast stretches of super highways are jammed with choices for road weary hungry travelers. While I prefer quiet, smaller dhabas with limited seating, John Q Public are drawn like moths to a flame to the larger commercial variety; jammed parking lots, attached gift shops, cavernous toilets and streams of people from surrounding states clutching their stomachs as they retire from the the dining halls.

Dhaba menus read like a greatest hits album by my favorite artist. Traditional Indian food dishes with “rib sticking” quality is akin to sitting around grandma’s kitchen table during the holidays. Dhabas are also an exceptionally good way to taste regional specific Indian foods made by local cooks. No fake Hyderabadi biryani here. Dhabas only serve what the locals eat.

One exception to this rule are Punjabi dhabas. It was the truck drivers hailing from the far northwestern Indian state of Punjab who brought the need for neat and clean, affordable highway restaurants to the masses. Hauling produce and much needed pieces of India’s burgeoning infrastructure, Punjabi drivers criss-crossed India with lead feet and hearty appetites.

Folks who smelled opportunity scrambled to open Punjabi dhabas along the more heavily traveled roads. Rajasthani, Gujarati and Marathi cooks installed “Pure Punjabi” placards above modest shacks hoping to grab their fortune one order at a time. But word quickly spread among the tight knit business saavy Punjabi community. The reputation of Punjabi dhabas is second to none. Fakes were flushed out, replaced by relocated Punjab entrepreneurs who opened truly authentic Punjabi dhabas.

Here are just a few of the countless dhabas of India that have generously fed me through the years.

Roopkund Trek Log Day 1 – 15th September: Enroute to base camp, Lohajung, Uttarakhand (2530m)

After our 10:40 pm train from Old Delhi station on 14th September, we reach Kathgodam Station by 5 am. It is still dark.

It is here that the Roopkund trek participants who had come in from different parts of India familiarized themselves with each other. We then proceed towards the sumo jeeps and tempo traveler bus outside Kathgodam Station to escort us to the base camp at Lohajung.

The 22 of us divided ourselves between 3 vehicles and we knew we were in for a massively long journey lasting nearly 10-12 hours. We had the company of beautiful scenery of the mountains, the local villages of Uttarakhand as we made our way through Ranikhet and Nainital. We even stopped to spot the house that was used by Hritik Roshan in his movie, Koi Mil Gaya.

By 7 pm, the last of the lot reaches Lohajung. Everyone is introduced to the group leaders and an in-depth discussion about the do’s and dont’s for the trek to Roopkund ensued.

By 9:15 pm, dinner was consumed and everyone went to bed.

Roopkund Trek Log Day 2 – 16th September: Lohajung to Didina (2600m)

The day begins at 5 am. By the time we eat breakfast, it is 7 am and within the next half an hour, our trek to Roopkund begins.

People were told to leave all their necessary items from their backpack behind to avoid being weighed down. Some others chose to give away their bags to the mules (Mule charges are Rs.150/- a day for 2 bags). When we began, we could see the clouds up-close, in fact, we were literally walking through them. We took the road route to a certain point. This route was filled with stones and pebbles. The Himalayan mountain tops in the distance were a majestic sight.

We passed several streams, refilled our bottles until the point where we began ascending. The climb was so tedious that everyone of us were longing to set foot on straight land. Eventually, after a nearly 6 hour trek, covering a distance of 9 kms, we reached Didina where we were accommodated in one of the cottages. Since we reached by 1pm, we had the rest of the day to spare and decided to engage in a game of cricket. What a joy that was !

By 9 pm everyone ate dinner and went to bed.

Journal entry: The day was delightful.

Roopkund Trek Log Day 3 – 17th September:  Enroute to Bedni Bugyal (3354m)

After waking up at 6 am, the routine of chai and breakfast followed.

We started by 8:15 am and it was only going to be a climb for the next 4-5 hours. We made our way through stoney terrain, through a beautiful forest patch, which was so gruesome a climb but ultimately, the point when we reached Ali Bugyal was all worthwhile.

Ali Bugyal was a magical sight of open green pastures, surrounding mountains and the clouds. After we were served a light nutritious snack at by 1pm, it started to rain.

Putting on our rain wear, we then proceeded to trek for the next 2-3 hours to reach Bedni Bugyal. When we reached Bedni Bugyal, there were several tents pitched for us, including one bunker like structure. The rainfall got heavier and our enjoyment of completing the trek for the day was dampened by the muck and wetness.

By 9 pm, we all snuggled into our sleeping bags, inside the tent; 3 in 1.

Journal entry: Witnessed the convergence of the dark clouds overhead when we reached a height of 10,000 feet at Bedni Bugyal, the largest meadow in Asia. Rain did start trickling down in the night, lowering temperatures to a bone chilling level.

Roopkund Trek Log Day 4 – 18th September: Bedni Bugyal to Bhagwabasa (4375m)

Today was the day we realize the wrath of fury of the mountains. Three participants returned back this day due to inability to cope with the physical strain of the trek.

Amidst slight rainfall we begin our trek by 8:30 am. We passed by a Hindu temple known as Bedni Kund which was believed to have been the place where Lord Shiva and Parvati married. Further down in the trek, when all was calm, the sky burst open. Rain and wind lashed our bodies. We were gripped with an intense chill. Temperatures dropped by 8-10 degrees within minutes. Caught in the middle, the only option was to move on with all the might everyone had.

We did.

We reached a shelter at a point called Pather Nachauni. Everybody, all wet and freezing began questioning their ability to go further with the relentless rain. After our trek leader reached, he informed us about the weather not improving and that those who could go on, could and those who couldn’t or didn’t want to, could return.

It was so cold even inside a small room filled with 27 people that smoking became a resort to keep our bodies warm. Our teeth were chattering. We couldn’t move because the chill had ruptured our strength. It suddenly became a matter of testing our fate or safely returning back. We were even warned of sudden breathlessness and strike by lightning at that height.

As much as everyone wanted to complete the trek, 9 from 20 participants decided to head back. Eleven moved on.

The two sets went their opposite ways by 3:30 pm. The group that returned had a fairly peaceful return back, which by when, the rainfall reduced in its intensity.

The other group reached Bhagwabasa by latest 7 pm. Still fighting the cold, the group had no choice but to take their clothes off inside the enclosed shelter and leave them for drying. After dinner sad news reached this lot that the sleeping bags carried for them had been all drenched. The group was helpless and had to snuck themselves into the wet bag and go off to sleep.

On top of that, it began to snow.

Journal entry: At 13,000 feet the sky burst open to a death-riddled extent. Walking became a test of life.

Roopkund Trek Log Day 5 – 19th September: The Return at Bedni Bugyal

The day when the sun hit our sore heads. It was a joyful sight to see a clear blue sky over head.

The nine who had returned back to Bedni the previous day enjoyed the day with a lot of games played out in the open over dry ground. Most of the day did go into drying off the wet clothes. It felt wonderful to see the water evaporate turning the colour of each one’s clothes brighter to its original ones. We even became friendly with a Spanish man and Austrian woman who had come trekking to Roopkund by themselves and pitched a tent right next to ours.

The other end, what was supposed to be a trek starting at 5 am, from Bhagwabasa to Roopkund, began at only 8 pm. Everyone was unable to wake up after the previous day’s chill of a thrill. This day was just what they had hoped for. A treacherous climb awaited them. A short distance of even barely 200 feet had taken over 45 minutes. The place near Skeleton Lake was laden with snow almost 2 feet deep. Everyone finally made it to Roopkund, the Skeleton Lake. This group then made their way back to Bedni Bugyal from here on at about 12.30 pm. They reached Bedni Bugyal at 7 pm.

Journal entry: To a phenomenal surprise, the sky bloomed in the sunlight. Yet, the safe arrival of the remaining 10 always lurked. It was in the evening at 7 pm, that the fanfare began when the rest of the 10 returned, safe and sound. A bonfire ensued and stories about their journey all the way was shared. Our last night at Bedni, the stars looked even more beautiful and majestic.

Roopkund Trek Log Day 6 – 20th September: The return back to Lohajung

Everyone was fine, the weather stayed as good as it did the previous day and by 9 am, everyone made their way downwards to Wan.

Wan was little village a 3-4 hour trek away through a dense forest and the very famous Neel Ganga river. From Wan, there was a pickup arranged for that helped us get to Lohajung within the next one hour. And finally we were all back.

On that day, the Nanda Devi Raj Jat festivals, one of the most well known festivals throughout the world, was being celebrated. It happens once every 12 years.
 

About Nasir Nasir is a freelancer in Social Media and Copywriting. He also occasionally entertains as a trained Improvisational Comedian. Bicycling is another weekly indulgence along with tiresome treks. He can look for creativity in everything. Challenge accepted. In one word : Swashbuckling.     blog     @quirkyrebel

National Train Enquiry System, an Indian Railways sponsored website, has undergone a major overhaul in the past few months. What was once a clunky outdated service has transformed into a user friendly application with real time status updates on more than 8,000 Indian Railways trains.

Users can access National Train Enquiry System (NTES) on any internet enabled desktop or mobile device. Compatible devices such as iPhone or Blackberry will automatically connect to the TrainEnquiry.com mobile app. It’s free to use and optimized for touch screen devices.

Information provided on National Train Enquiry System is collected across India by the Centre for Railway Information Systems in near real time. Expected Time of Arrival (ETA) of the trains is determined by using predictive algorithms.

Details for individually selected trains include:

• Current status of the train; On time / Delayed / Arrived
• Last location and time update
• Previous two stops plus departure timings from stations
• Next two stops and an ETA

Many features from the previous version of National Train Enquiry System have been improved. Most notably and much needed was the search function. The earlier version of NTES required users to type in the exact train number to locate it. Now users may input the train number, train name, the origin/final destination station, or any combination of these to find the appropriate train. Predictive search was also added to the latest version of National Train Enquiry System, meaning the site will suggests trains as the user types, functioning much like major search engines.

Royal Rajasthan on Wheels will depart New Delhi Safdarjung Station every Sunday with room for up to 82 passengers traveling in 35 rail coaches. Private living quarters are decorated in silk and velvet bedspreads and draperies with sofa chairs and a writing desk designed with Rajasthan’s royal past in mind. On-board amenities include a spa, gymnasium, and two restaurant lounges.

Passengers wishing to disembark from Royal Rajasthan on Wheels for city sightseeing are transported via AC coaches from the train to each site and back again.

Royal Rajasthan on Wheels Itinerary

Day 1: Sunday Depart Delhi
Day 2: Monday Arrive Jodhpur  9:15 AM; Depart 4:30 PM
Day 3: Tuesday Arrive Udaipur  7:00 AM; Depart 2:30 PM
Day 3: Tuesday Arrive Chittorgarh 4:45 PM; Depart 10:00 PM
Day 4: Wednesday Arrive Swai Madhopur (Ranthambore) 5:30 AM; Depart 9:15 AM
Day 4: Wednesday Arrive Jaipur 11:30 AM; Depart 10:15 PM
Day 5: Thursday Arrive Khajuraho (M.P.) 10:45 AM; Depart 8:00 PM
Day 6: Friday Arrive Varanasi (U.P.) 7.00 AM; Depart 7:55 PM
Day 7: Saturday Arrive Agra (U.P.) 10:00 AM; Depart 9:00 PM
Day 8: Sunday Arrive Delhi, disembark

Royal Rajasthan on Wheels will run every Sunday from October 2012 through April 2013.

This is a beautiful time of year. The crisp air is ripe for long walks along the local nature trails converted from abandoned railway tracks.

Although planning my 8th trip to India, and hurriedly writing posts for Full Stop plus trying to read 3 books simultaneously, I still carve out time to discover what other writers are publishing.

Here are 5 India blogs I’m reading this week:

Easy Eggplant (Food) @veenasmarket

Veena’s Indian food blog is more than just recipes. Her artful photographs pop with brilliant color while capturing the essence of Indian cooking. The most recent post for easy eggplant is a terrific way for nearly everyone to bust out those cooking utensils shoved in the back cupboard.

Janpath Bazaar, Delhi (Travel) @breathedreamgo

Mariellen’s 5 1/2 month return to India has just begun. Readers not familiar with this Canadian based blogger and book author can jump in at the beginning of her latest adventures spanning from North to South India. Her widely ambitious journey passionately revolves around the concept of female travel in India.

MariGold Land (Photography) @chetuzz

Discovering the true rural side of South India is J Chetan’s goal with his blog, The Rural India. In as few words as were needed he did just that in a remarkably simple post about one of India’s most popular flowers. Gorgeous photos will leave every reader fondly remembering road trips past the rich farm fields of India.

The Cunning Fox of Tal Chhapar (Nature) @desitraveler

India travel is so much more than the fairy tale palaces and forts as evidenced in the latest post on Desi Traveler. “So how does a fox survive in the jungle…” the author asks. Read on to find out.

People Like Us, GB Road (People) @olddelhiwhore

I’ve become a loyal reader of The Delhi Walla, voyeuristically seeing Delhi through his eyes. Author Mayank Soofi has an intriguing yet mysterious way of writing which translates into photographs with unsettling detail in his latest post about Delhi’s red light district.

What are you reading this week?

#5IndiaBlogs