News

81 stranded tourists rescued in Spiti; power outages and road blocks plague region

Police in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley rescued 81 stranded tourists following heavy snowfall, relocating them to safer areas. Tragically, an excavator operator, Madan (27) from Kullu, lost his life due to shooting stones while clearing a blocked section of the Shimla-Kinnaur road. On Monday, the Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) in Chandigarh issued an avalanche warning for five Himachal Pradesh districts: Chamba, Lahaul and Spiti, Kullu, Kinnaur, and Shimla. As of Monday evening, more than 650 roads, including five national highways, remained shut in the state due to avalanches and landslides triggered by continuous rain and snowfall over the past three days, as reported by the state emergency operation center. The police statement mentioned that the 81 stranded tourists in Lahaul and Spiti district's Spiti Valley were relocated to various hotels and homestays on Sunday night. Additionally, around 290 roads are impassable in the tribal district, and numerous areas have been experiencing power outages for the last two days. The statement noted that the heavy rain and snow in Lahaul and Spiti have caused disruptions to the cellular network. Additionally, road closures are significant, with 158 roads shut in Shimla, 63 in Chamba, 50 in Kinnaur, 32 in Kullu, seven in Mandi, and one in Kangra district. According to the emergency center, the state currently has 1,436 dysfunctional transformers, and 124 water schemes are affected. Meanwhile, high-altitude and tribal regions experienced fresh snowfall, with Koksar receiving 40 cm, Gondla 33 cm, Kothi 27 cm, Keylong 21 cm, Kufri 5 cm, and Kalpa 4.5 cm in the last 24 hours, as per the meteorological department bulletin. According to the bulletin, Manali experienced the highest rainfall in the state with 60 mm, followed by Tissa with 52 mm, Poanta Sahib with 26 mm, Kataula with 33 mm, and Bhattiyat with 31 mm. The state capital Shimla received 10 mm of rain. Additionally, officials reported that on Sunday, an avalanche struck Dara Waterfall near Jasrat village in Lahaul and Spiti, blocking the flow of the Chenab River and prompting an alert in nearby areas. Residents of nearby villages including Jobrang, Rapi, Jasrath, Tarand, and Tharot were advised to remain vigilant and contact the nearest police post in case of an emergency. Cold wave conditions persisted across the state, with noticeable drops in minimum temperatures. Kukumseri in Lahaul and Spiti recorded the lowest temperature at minus 11.2 degrees Celsius.

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Majuli in Assam gets the prestigious GI tag for its mask-making and manuscript painting

It’s a proud moment for India as Majuli in Assam has received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag, acknowledging its traditional arts of Mukha Xilpo (mask-making) and Manuscript Paintings. The GI tag, bestowed by the Centre, recognises the deep cultural heritage and historical significance inherent in these traditional folk crafts. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed joy at this significant milestone, emphasising on a micro-blogging platform how this recognition will protect the rich artistic legacy of the state’s artisans. “Majuli’s Mukha Shilpa traces its origins to Srimanta Sankardev, who used arts as a medium for Bhakti. My gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji for granting the GI tag to the region’s mask & manuscript paintings. This will protect the rich skills of our artists” For those who don’t know, Mukha Xilpo is a traditional artform that originated back in the 1500s. It holds deep significance in the cultural heritage of the region. The art was introduced by Saint Sankardeva during the medieval period in Assam and soon became a popular form of cultural expression, with masks embodying various characters, emotions, and Vaisnavism themes. These masks are not just art; they reflect Majuli’s socio-religious fabric. These are made with indigenous materials and serve as visual narratives of Vaisnavism ideals. This tradition persists through skilled artisans in Satras (monasteries) and local villages. Similarly, Majuli’s Manuscript Paintings depict Hindu epic tales, particularly Lord Krishna’s Bhagavata Purana narratives, showcasing cultural heritage and artistic finesse. The uniqueness lies in manuscript writing styles—Gargayan script, Kaithall, and Bamunia. The GI tag not only protects these crafts but also shines a global spotlight on Majuli’s artistic prowess.

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Bill Gates visited Gujarat’s Statue of Unity. When are you planning your trip?

Before heading out to mingle with the global elite at the highly anticipated Ambani pre-wedding celebration, Bill Gates decided to play the role of a tourist in India. And he did so in a great way. His Instagram speaks volumes about this. He took to the gram to share a series of captivating snapshots from his visit to the Statue of Unity, an awe-inspiring monument situated in the Indian state of Gujarat. This monumental structure, towering at nearly 600 ft, serves as a tribute to the esteemed political figure Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a key architect in reuniting India after the period of British colonial rule. Although the Instagram posts portray Gates engaging in typical tourist activities, his visit was anything but ordinary. Gates was extended a personal invitation by Prime Minister Modi himself, a fact he graciously acknowledged in his Instagram post, saying, "Thank you @narendramodi for the invitation to visit the impressive Statue of Unity. It is an engineering marvel and a great tribute to Sardar Patel." Gates also took note of the statue's positive impact, recognizing its role in creating economic opportunities for local tribal communities, especially women Prime Minister Modi responded to Gates' expressions of gratitude with enthusiasm, expressing joy at his visit and encouraging people from all corners of the globe to witness the grandeur of the Statue of Unity. Gates, deeply moved by the experience, poured his sentiments into the visitor's diary, commending the engineering prowess, the sheer beauty of the structure, and the meaningful homage it pays to Sardar Patel. Deeply inspired by the profound impact of his visit, Gates went a step further, sharing a follow-up video on social media. Set to the lively soundtrack of Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now," the video serves as a vibrant visual narrative, encapsulating the grandeur, magnificence, and cultural significance of the Statue of Unity, a monumental tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

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Can you visit Vantara, Anant Ambani’s ambitious wildlife sanctuary?

Recently, Anant Ambani, the younger son of Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, introduced his ambitious wildlife preservation project, which is poised to become the world's largest zoo and rehabilitation centre. Dubbed 'Vantara,' meaning 'Star Of The Forest,' this extensive initiative encompasses 3,000 acres within Reliance's Jamnagar Refinery Complex, often recognized as the Green Belt Of Gujarat. Launched on February 26, 2024, Vantara features dedicated facilities for elephants and state-of-the-art accommodations for various animals, including lions, leopards, tigers, and crocodiles. Apart from the scientifically designed animal enclosures, the centre also has hydrotherapy pools, a large elephant jacuzzi for arthritis treatment, and multiple water bodies. Revealing more about this, Anant informed that Vantara aims to collaborate with the Zoo Authority of India and other relevant government organisations to enhance all the 150-plus zoos in India in terms of training, capacity building, and animal care infrastructure. His ambitious wildlife conservation project aspires to rescue and rehabilitate animals globally, and is spread across 3,000 acres. The 1 lakh sq ft hospital and medical research centre offer advanced amenities like MRI, X-ray, ICU, CT scan, dental scalers, endoscopy, lithotripsy, dialysis, ultrasound, and video conferencing for surgeries. Then there is also the exclusive Elephant Hospital that provides specialised care with hyperbaric oxygen chambers, laser machines, and a pathology lab. Speaking about this initiative, Anant Ambani said, "What started as a passion for me at a very young age has become a mission now with Vantara. We are focused on protecting critically endangered species native to India. We also want to restore vital habitats and address urgent threats to species and establish Vantara as a leading-edge conservation program." Vantara's rescue and rehabilitation centre has reportedly saved and sheltered over 2,000 animals across 43 species from exploitative conditions. There is a dedicated staff of 2,100 that continues to provide refuge to animals in need. Explaining the philosophy that inspired him to establish Vantara, Ambani added, "Vantara is a combination of the age-old ethical value of compassion with the excellence of modern scientific and technological professionalism. I see Jeev Seva (animal care) as a seva towards the almighty as well as humanity. I drew inspiration to do this from my mother. In the Hindu religion, it is said that animals are dear to the gods." He further added, "We have saved more than 200 elephants and brought them here from all parts of the country. We do 'sewa' of elephants here. This is not a zoological park but a 'sewalaya.' The 600-acre area has been developed as a natural habitat for elephants.” Revealing more about this centre, Ambani also stated, "We have made a veterinary hospital with state-of-the-art technology. The hospital has MRI & CT scan machines, endoscopic robotic surgery machines and 6 surgical centres. We also put prosthetics for the animals at the hospital here... The zoological park will be opened to the public soon."

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Lufthansa says its latest two-day strike by ground crews will disrupt travel for more than 200,000 passengers

Labor union Verdi has called Lufthansa ground staff walk off work on Thursday and Friday after failed negotiations over pay and working conditions. Lufthansa responded it’s willing to negotiate at short notice, provided that Verdi calls off the strike. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Ground crew are among workers in Germany’s transport industry that have walked out over salary levels as staff shortages and high inflation bite. Thousands of passengers and major German airports were hit three times last month after security staff and ground crews across the country went on strike. The latest disruption will likely get exacerbated by a strike called by workers at Deutsche Bahn AG, the German railway also negotiating improved working hours. “With this uncompromising stance, the union is harming the company, many hundreds of thousands of customers and the employees of our companies,” Michael Niggemann, Lufthansa’s chief human resources officer, said in the statement. Verdi said on Monday that no agreement was reached during the fourth round of negotiations. The union has demanded a 12.5% salary increase and an extra €3,000 ($3,254.9) inflation bonus for ground staff. The next meeting is scheduled for March 13 and 14. Lufthansa said Verdi was “deliberately seeking escalation rather than a solution” to the dispute, and it will implement a special flight plan during the 59-hour warning strike. Lufthansa reports earnings on Thursday.

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The Rann of Kutch, Dholavira and the real road to heaven

The full moon is the timeless ambassador of the Rann Utsav. Dhordo in the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat opens its ice-white vastness of gritty, granular, dazzling salt to thousands of visitors from November till the end of February every year. The sun smoulders gold-orange-red in the west. The full moon rises ivory amidst the blue, turning gold then silver in the night sky. There is the exhilaration of natural phenomena, akin to the feeling of seeing the Northern Lights of Iceland’s winter solstice. Thankfully at Kutch’s Rann, the desert wind turns a soft chill, not freezing. The Rann Utsav tent city has every conceivable package for cyclists, sexagenarians, honeymooners, extended family reunions, budget travellers with arrangements for delicious vegetarian dinners and lunches, tour coaches, hybrid transport and camel carts, living up to the eco-village dream. The Contemporary Art Gallery offers perspectives by new artists, saluting Gujarat’s inclination for vibrant colour against blanched deserts. The craft bazaars slake the thirst for Ajrak textiles and ethnic design-hungry generations of tourists bargain with shop owners. From Dhodra, our next stop is Dholavira and on the highway via Khavda, we encounter ‘The Road to Heaven’. This is no euphemism. The 32-km stretch cuts through the Rann of Kutch lake, offering unmatched views of the lake and the endless salt beds. The whiteness of the salt has the brightness of snow. There’s no one to police or regulate this 32km single lane stretch with diggers continuing their metallic dinosaur scoop of salt, soil and sea as they widen the road to two lanes. Laying this single strip was a four-year project that was completed last year. In the distance, cowherds lead their cattle, walking for miles, some on their mobile phones, as they steer herds of nearly fifty sure-footed Indian bulls with the big horns that seem the living resemblance of the bull on the seals of Mohenjo-daro. We pass the military outpost of the India-Pakistan border, Karachi visible in the hazy distance.

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