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Oberammergau : Where a vow started with a Pandemic and ironically postponed with a Pandemic

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20/10/2020 Manisha Deb Sarkar * Oberammergau Our Route for Oberammergau from Herrsching in Germany It was a comfortable cool morning in June, 2017 when I set out for Oberammergau from Herrsching in Germany . While driving along the silk smooth road that skirts through the eye soothing greeneries a sudden feeling of happiness filled my mind – that it is not a dream but a reality and I am travelling in the Bavaria state of Germany, a place so renowned for its picturesque natural beauty . On the way Reached My destination Oberammergau is a small town located in the foothills of the Alps cladded with dark green shaded coniferous trees. Mount Köefel is the signature of the town . It is some 61 km and about an hour long journey from Herrsching where I started my drive. Mount Köefel Mount Köefel I had little idea about the village. Before sharing Oberammergau in relation with the pandemic situation I prefer to give you some idea of its basic features. Oberammergau is a municipality in...
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The COVID Experience in Qatar

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20/10/2020 Sudeshna Sanyal * Earlier this year as the spread of coronavirus started to gather momentum in different parts of the world, we, the residents of Qatar, braced for its impact as well. Although the first cases outside China were reported from different countries in January, the first confirmed case of COVID in Qatar was reported on 29 February,’20. This was a Qatari citizen who was evacuated from Iran. By 19 March, the number of total infected people rose to 460. Everybody knew that the spread of the infection in Qatar was inevitable in our intricately connected world. One by one, the government started taking strict steps to contain the spread of the virus. Travel ban was imposed, first, on 15 countries and later more were included in the list. A general ‘Lockdown’ was imposed in the first week of March and schools, universities, parks, religious places, shops, restaurants, malls and other establishments were closed. Face masks became mandatory in public places with a ...
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A Visit to Poland and Berlin: A Saga of Despair and Hope

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 Jayita Mukherjee   In July 2016, I got an opportunity to visit Poland as my paper was accepted for presentation at the Conference of International Political Science Association, being held at the Polish city of Poznan. This was my first visit abroad and I was excited and tensed at the same time, since I was going alone from Kolkata. The populace in the flight presented a mini-Bharat, Gujrati businessmen settled in US, Sikhs going to Canada, Bengalis going for Europe tour and so on, all scheduled to take different flights from the Frankfurt Airport. The journey was eventless, no turbulence and no missile attack about which I was a bit apprehensive as the flight was crossing the airspace of Afghanistan. The Frankfurt airport is like a mini city. The courteous airport support staff kindly guided me to take the   tram that will take me to the terminal for flight to Poland as airport signages were all in German language. Weird, I thought, since it is an international airp...
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Unforgettable Alberta: A Journey Through Untamed Landscapes and Hidden Gems

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 Sudeshna Sanyal Cruise over a submerged ghost town? A mysterious Merman? Inside the mouth of the world’s largest dinosaur?      Alberta, one of Canada’s most breathtaking provinces, offers a travel experience like no other. From the rugged peaks of the Canadian Rockies to the dramatic landscapes of the Alberta Badlands, Alberta is a paradise for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and those casual travellers who are looking for a peaceful break in a serene environment. Whether one is drawn by its vibrant cities, or ancient lakes and glaciers, Alberta's diverse landscapes and experiences captivate every traveller.      Last summer, I had the opportunity to spend a month in Alberta, and it was an unforgettable, exhilarating experience. The Majesty of the Canadian Rockies: Banff, Jasper, and Yoho      The Canadian Rockies are undoubtedly the crown jewel of Alberta. A visit to Banff National Park, one of the most famous national parks i...
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Unveiling Treasures of North Bengal

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Akkhaika Sur North Bengal, a testament to nature’s grandeur and diversity is few kilometres away from the hustle and bustle of Kolkata. North Bengal is the home of such unique and hold magnificence of topography in the lap of nature, where we can observe majestic Himalayas, lush tea gardens and dense forests which conserve biodiversity. North Bengal is such a calm and serene region where we can find numerous rivers like Teesta, Murti etc. In 2023, I travelled to North Bengal to experience the beauty and the serenity of nature. I visited Aholdhara, a little-known village of West Bengal, at a distance of 50 kms from New Jalpaiguri Station- popularly called NJP which happens to be the gateway of North Bengal. Luckily, I was able to witness the majestic snow-clad Kanchenjunga, which truly glittered like gold as the sun with its rise brightened the dawn. And from locals we came to know that we can also observe Kanchenjunga from Ahaldhara viewpoint specially in early morning. There were many...
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A unique tribal group practicing an eco-preserving agro-technique by a women empowered society

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Manisha Deb Sarkar  Planning the visit:  Ziro valley – Homeland of Apatani tribe It was 2016. I was sitting unperturbed as the steady grip of Dr. Rupa holding her ‘Bolero’ steering was slowly crawling up the scary zig-zag roadways leading me to Ziro, a unique town in Arunachal Pradesh. Dr. Rupa and her family lives here. She hails from the non-nomadic Apatani ethnic tribal group and is presently working as Assistant Professor of Geography at Rajiv Gandhi National University in Itanagar, the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh. I expressed my desire to visit her hometown and talk with this unique tribal people. Dr. Rupa gladly took me over there and helped me in two ways. Firstly, she made me acceptable to the people and thereafter acted as an interpreter. From our conversations many unique features were unfolded to me.  Pre-ideas:  Nursery bed for sowing paddy saplings Mountain-girt valley and the centrally located paddy field Apatani women – farmers and farm land owne...
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Groundwater Depletion in India -Now it’s Time to be Conscious

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09/09/2016 Juthika Dey* Ground water is the water that seeps through rocks and soil and is stored below the ground. The rocks in which ground water is stored are called aquifers. Aquifers are typically made up of gravel, sand, sandstone or limestone. Water moves through these rocks because they have large connected spaces that make them permeable. The area where water fills the aquifer is called the saturated zone. The depth from the surface at which ground water is found is called the water table. The water table can be as shallow as a foot below the ground or it can be a few hundred meters deep. Heavy rains can cause the water table to rise and conversely, continuous extraction of ground water can cause the level to fall. Source: Overview of Groundwater in India, Rupal Suhag , February,2016 Figure 1: Graphical Representation of Ground Water and Associated Terms The underground (hydro -geological) setting of ground water defines the potential of this resource and its vuln...
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A Delightful Holiday in Kashmir

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21/12/2018 Gargi Banerjee* I was in Kashmir along with my parents for ten days on a holiday in the year 2016 during the month of May. I thought it worth writing a blog about our impressions and the beauty of nature. I can never hope to describe like movies, poets, storytellers have shown and described the splendour of Kashmir. I will just say it’s one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. I have travelled to many places throughout India but the beauty of Kashmir will always remain evergreen in my mind till my last breath.  Pir Panjal Range In Kashmir, we were in Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Srinagar, Pahalgam and Patnitop. Gulmarg is called ‘snow clad Switzerland of India’ …Snow covered natural meadows mesmerized us. The town is situated in the Pir Panjal range of the western Himalayas. Blind valleys were new to me in Pahalgam. The beauty of Betab and Aaru valley was treat to our eyes. It offers an unforgettable horse ride trip up to the valley.  Betab Valley...
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Monsoon Magic….in Debrigarh.. A short Wildlife Photographic travelogue …

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  Brati Majumdar (Chatterjee) After a long gap of nearly three years, after finishing the story of the life of Dry Fish Workers and stressed due to work pressure…there was a need for refreshment. Many beautiful destinations popped up, with numerous suggestions from friends and relatives, we decided to pick the impossible,” A jungle safari, amid monsoon”.  We were informed promptly, that, most of the WLS’s been closed for three months during monsoon, there was no hope for a safari….but a sudden meeting with a friend of mine, and we came to know about the Debrigarh WLS, which remains open in September. With no delay, we visited the site, and our trip was planned. On September 22, 2023, we reached Sambalpur, where we were greeted by the staff of the WLS. After light refreshments, we headed towards our destination. As we leave the hustles and bustles of the beautiful township of Sambalpur, blessed by Goddess Sambaleshwari, the scenario began to change. Winding up along the roa...
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Exploring Sundarbans: A Journey Through Gosaba, Pakhiralaya and Sajnekhali Eco Tourism Complex

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Sneha Das I still vividly remember how driven up I was in packing the bag for the trip. It wasn't just about going to see a new place for the first time that intrigued me, but it was traveling alone without my parents for the first time. I was having both independence and uncertainty, something I’d never experienced before. It was a trip to the magnificent Sundarbans. It is known as the world’s largest mangrove forest with an area of almost 10,000 sq. km and is marked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area comprises about 55% of forested land and 45% wetlands as tidal rivers, channels and estuarine mouths of rivers. On the 5th of December,2022 we set off for Gadkhali by bus. Our bus departed the depot at 7:30a.m. with four teachers and 42 students of humanities department to study the environment and society of Godakhali. The bus ride took so long, but there was laughter, chatter, and music. I was sitting next to my friends, and in this setting, I realized just how much I had be...
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