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By Monidipa Dey,   “ Vastu is the art of living in harmony with the land, such that one derives the greatest benefits and prosperity from being in perfect equilibrium with Nature .”  ~ P.K. Acharya, 1981, Author of the Manasara series on Vastusashtra and Silpasashtras. Jaipur is considered among one of the most well planned cities of the 18 th  century in its layout, considerations on sustainability, and for taking within architectural scope not only the geography of the surroundings but also the social fabric of the city. From the time the Rajputs started ruling Rajasthan and other parts of north India, their primary aim has been at securing their kingdoms from invasions. Being mainly agricultural societies the populace would move inside forts during invasions, which were located on hilltops and had thick, high fort walls for according maximum security during the attacks. While these had served well for many centuries in the past, with changing and ever expanding social and economic

Vistara has cancelled and rescheduled a significant number of its February flights during the last few days, aviation industry sources said on Sunday. Moreover, during the last few days, a considerable number of affected passengers have stated on social media that they have been facing difficulties in contacting Vistara’s customer care. Vistara spokesperson, however, told PTI that the airline is adjusting “capacity to demand” in view of the “volatility” in the Indian aviation market due to the current COVID-19 wave and resultant restrictions imposed by the state governments. ISRO Scientist Shibasish Prusty tweeted on Sunday that his Delhi-Bhubaneswar flight for February 5 has been cancelled and Vistara’s customer care number is a “cheap gimmick” as it has been busy for the last 48 hours. Another passenger Arpit Singh Khurana said on Saturday on Twitter that his Delhi-Kolkata flight for February 12 has been cancelled by Vistara and his calls to the customer service number are going

A prominent Hindu lawmaker from Pakistan’s ruling party has announced a delay in the visit of a delegation to India under his faith tourism initiative since New Delhi needs time to make arrangements for visitors due to COVID-19 restrictions, hours after India said it has a “positive approach” on the matter and is willing to engage with Islamabad on it. India on Friday said there is an interest on both the Indian and Pakistani sides to expand the agreed list of shrines and mode of travel under the 1974 protocol for visits to religious places, asserting that it has a positive approach on the matter and is willing to engage with Islamabad on it. “Let me underline that India has a positive approach on this matter and is willing to engage the Pakistani side. You are also aware that currently restrictions are in place on movement and gatherings in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the situation normalises, we expect that this time can be utilised to hold discussions under the bilateral Pro

Astro tourism in India: Astro tourism in India is set to get a boost! Starscapes, a chain of observatories, is establishing an astronomical observatory in Rajasthan’s Jaipur. As a part of this endeavour, Starscapes has set up a Mobile Stargazing Observatory in the city, with a permanent one to follow soon. Astro Tourism is a sector that has been gaining momentum in the Pink City in recent times, and therefore, the observatory has been set up at an opportune time. In an interaction with Financial Express Online’s Bulbul Dhawan, Paul Savio, CEO and Co-Founder, Starscapes, said, “Our objective is to offer opportunities for people to experience nature like never before. Wildlife safaris, nature walks, treks and water activities have been happening for a while now, but exploring the skies is still a very nascent hobby. This is primarily because of a lack of opportunities. There are easily over 5 million potential astro-tourists from India alone. With our plan of observatories across the c

How shuttler Lakshya Sen is smashing his way to the top from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/3AG17Mj

Badminton player Tasnim Mir: Brightening India's future from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/3r6eSAz

Tovino Thomas: Keeping us guessing from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/3GfvPx6

Stand-up comic Samay Raina: Game changer from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/3KPgUgo

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Fully vaccinated travellers entering England will soon be exempt from any COVID test requirements, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed on Monday. Speaking to reporters during a visit to a hospital in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Johnson said the daily Omicron variant data is getting better and it was time for the country to be more open for travellers. Over the weekend, the UK recorded 74,799 cases and 75 COVID deaths. “Although we have to be cautious, we are now moving through the Omicron wave, and you can see the figures are starting to get better,” Johnson said. “So what we’re doing on travel, to show that this country is open for business, open for travellers, you will see changes so that people arriving no longer have to take tests if they have been vaccinated, if they have been double vaccinated,” he said. Fully vaccinated travellers currently need to do a lateral flow or PCR test within two days of arriving in England after a pre-arrival test requirement was don

By Amit Damani In the last two years, the homestay and vacation rental industry has experienced an inflection point. Frequent getaways have become an inherent desire as a result of shifting consumer dynamics of experiencing lockdowns. Affluent Indians, on the other hand, have been buying second homes and luxury villas in record numbers. The enriching relationships between guests and property owners have made the space profitable enough for many more individuals to become ambitious. The upcoming budget should include lower taxes, better infrastructure, and interest-free financing choices. About 4.5 million people work in the hospitality business, which accounts for about 9% of India’s GDP (GDP). The Indian hospitality industry has been seriously impacted, and we will require support from the Union Budget 2022. Because of the epidemic, millions of people in the hotel business lost their jobs, either owing to company closures or downsizing. The hotel sector is critical to India’s post-

The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has sought ‘One India One Tourism’ approach, which is inclusive of ‘One Tax Structure,’ in the forthcoming Union Budget to revive the pandemic-hit domestic travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Besides, the Association has sought bringing Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) under the ambit of GST to make air travel “more viable” for all stakeholders as well as extension of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS). There are several aspects which can be expected in the upcoming Budget to support the entire sector of ‘travel tourism and hospitality,’ which will help in making this sector revive and survive, TAAI, which is headed by Jyoti Mayal, said in a statement on Saturday. “For this, it is extremely important for both the central and state governments to work in tandem to facilitate this sector and support it to be included in the concurrent list to get Industry status to make it more structured,” the Association said. TAAI said

'Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth' shows how Nigeria came to find itself stuck in a cycle of recurring despair from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/3InQzE7

Commuters travelling to and from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Central Delhi, and New Delhi will now have a much easier commute with the works department expediting construction on the much-delayed Benito Juarez Marg (BJ Marg) underpass and skywalk. The project is set to be completed by March. The underpass project was originally scheduled for completion by January but a National Green Tribunal ban on construction activities in the National Capital citing pollution delayed the work. A Public Works Department official told  The Indian Express  that the work was on schedule and the majority of the civil work had been completed. Only lighting, roofing, and flooring work in the underpass are left. Pillars for the skywalk have also been erected and readymade steel girders are being installed. The project should be completed by March and will come as a relief to commuters, the official said. Nearly 2.5 lakh commuters daily w

Chef Vikas Khanna on his new book 'Barkat' from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/3tIGVIc

Travellers arriving in India from any country who will test positive for COVID-19 shall be treated/isolated as per the laid down standard protocol and will not mandatorily be managed at an isolation facility, authorities have said. According to the revised ‘Guidelines for International Arrivals’ released on Thursday, the new norm will apply from January 22 till further order. The rest of the provisions have remained the same in the revised guidelines.The existing guidelines state that travellers coming from any country including from those considered ‘at-risk’ shall be managed at isolation facility and treated as per laid down standard protocol. The revised guidelines removed the clause that mandated staying at “isolation facility” upon arrival. Passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to a medical facility as per health protocol. If tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per protocol.Foreign arrivals who

Proposed 5G services rolled out in India will be in spectrum bands that will have sufficient safeguards and will not interfere with civil aircraft altimeters, ITU APT foundation of India said on Thursday. Several airlines have cancelled their flight to the US following 5G services roll-out in the country alleging that 5G signals could interfere with key safety equipment, altimeter, on which pilots rely for take off and altitude readings. “In India, there is no risk from 5G services to aircraft and we are fully safeguarded as we are only allocating 3300-3670 MHz, which is more than 500 MHz below the altimeter spectrum. Thus the C band frequencies that are being auctioned for 5G in India are completely safe and there is no risk to the Civil Aviation Radar altimeters,” ITU-APT foundation of India President Bharat Bhatia said in a statement. ITU-APT foundation of India is recognised by UN body International Telecommunications Union and it works on spectrum related issues. The aircraft ar

Every day many exhibitions and events are organised that present the outstanding work of art. The main aim of the event or exhibition is to grab the attention of the attendees. Let us understand the science of events, it includes a series of speaker sessions, conferences, trade shows, moto expos and VIP experiences. There is a further diversification of the events, that is corporate, private and charity. Talking about the same, Rajiv Balani, founder of “Wassup Dubai” said, “As the name suggests, it is a business event where the end focal point is on the customers and the corporate affairs whereas the recreational events are more enjoyable events where the charity and philanthropy events are organised.  Many key things are organised such as meetings, seminars and conferences.”  There is a separate entity that is known as meeting and incentive, that covers each aspect of the traveller’s programme. When we speak about incentive travel, it is an important subset of MICE, Meetings, Ince

Long-haul carrier Emirates said Thursday it would resume its Boeing 777 flights to the US after halting its use of the aircraft there over an ongoing dispute over the rollout of new 5G services in America. International carriers that rely heavily on the wide-body Boeing 777, and other Boeing aircraft, cancelled early flights or switched to different planes Wednesday following warnings from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Chicago-based plane maker over possible interference from the new 5G signals with radio altimeters. The FAA gave approval late Wednesday for more types of planes to land in low visibility near 5G signals, including the Boeing 777. Among the most-affect airlines by the FAA decision was Dubai-based Emirates, a crucial East-West travel airline which flies only the 777 and the double-decker Airbus A380. Emirates said its Boeing 777 service to Chicago, Dallas Fort Worth, Miami, Newark, Orlando and Seattle would resume Friday. Flights to Boston, Houston and

Air India on Wednesday announced the cancellation of eight flights to the US amid a global scramble by airlines to reschedule flights following concern that the rollout of 5G services in the country could potentially interfere with aircraft navigation systems. Air India tweeted that it would not operate eight flights on the Delhi-Chicago, Delhi-New York, and Delhi-San Francisco sectors due to the deployment of 5G communications in the US. Apart from Air India, Delta Airlines and American Airlines operate direct flights between India and the US at present. The Indian Express  reported that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation is already coordinating on the issue with Indian carriers. The concern stems from a US Federal Aviation Administration warning on January 14 that the new 5G technology, being rolled out from Wednesday, could interfere with in-flight instruments such as radar altimeters. Altimeters measure an airplane’s height above the ground. Radar altimeters operate in a

Air India said it has resumed six India-US flights on Boeing B777 aircraft on Thursday after the plane manufacturer gave the clearance to operate them. Air India had cancelled eight flights on India-US routes on Wednesday due to deployment of 5G internet in North America which could interfere with aircraft’s radio altimeters. US aviation regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in a fresh directive on Thursday, said radio altimeters fitted in certain types of aircraft, including B777, will not be affected by 5G services. Subsequently, an Air India spokesperson told PTI that Boeing has cleared the carrier to operate to the US on B777 aircraft. “Accordingly, first flight left this morning to JFK (New York). Other flights leaving in the day are to Chicago and SFO (San Francisco). Arrangements to carry stranded passengers are being worked out. Matter regarding B777 flying into the USA has been sorted,” the spokesperson said on Thursday. The Air India flights that have resumed t

Air India cancelled eight flights on India-US routes from Wednesday onwards due to deployment of 5G internet in North America which could interfere with aircraft’s navigation systems. Meanwhile, DGCA chief Arun Kumar told PTI that the Indian aviation regulator was working “in close coordination with our carriers to overcome the situation” that has arisen due to 5G internet’s deployment in the US. US aviation regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had on January 14 said that “5G interference with the aircraft’s radio altimeter could prevent engine and braking systems from transitioning to landing mode, which could prevent an aircraft from stopping on the runway”. Altimeter measures height of the aircraft above the ground. The band on which altimeter works is close to that on which 5G system works. Total three carriers — American Airlines, Delta Airlines and Air India — currently operate direct flights between India and the US. American Airlines and Delta Airlines did not r

Two IndiGo planes averted mid-air collision over the Bengaluru airport just after their take-off on the morning of January 9, senior officials of aviation regulator DGCA said on Wednesday. The incident was not logged in any logbook and it was not reported by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) either, they said. Meanwhile, DGCA chief Arun Kumar told PTI that the regulator is investigating the incident “and shall take strictest action against those found delinquent”. IndiGo and the AAI did not respond to PTI’s request for a statement on this matter. Officials of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that the two IndiGo planes — 6E455 (Bengaluru to Kolkata) and 6E246 (Bengaluru to Bhubaneswar) — were involved in ‘breach of separation’ at Bengaluru airport. Breach of separation happens when two aircraft cross the minimum mandatory vertical or horizontal distance in an airspace. Both these aircraft departed from the Bengaluru airport within a span of approximately 5 min

The suspension of scheduled international passenger flights in the country has been extended till February 28, aviation regulator DGCA said on Wednesday. Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020. However, special passenger flights have been operating between India and approximately 40 countries since July 2020 under air bubble arrangements formed with them. In a circular on Wednesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated: “The competent authority has decided to extend the suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger services to/from India till 2359 hrs IST of February 28, 2022.” This restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flight specifically approved by the DGCA, it mentioned. Fights under air bubble arrangement will not be affected, it noted. The DGCA had on November 26, 2021 announced that India will resume scheduled international passenger flights from December 15, 2

Travel plans for thousands of passengers, including those travelling to India, were disrupted after airlines cancelled or curtailed some flights to and from the US over the issue of deployment of new 5G service, scheduled to begin from Wednesday. Several international airlines, including Air India, have announced that they will cancel flights into the US, warning that the signals from new 5G phone service could interfere with aeroplane navigation systems. The US aviation regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on January 14 said that “5G interference with the aircraft’s radio altimeter could prevent engine and braking systems from transitioning to landing mode, which could prevent an aircraft from stopping on the runway”.The C-band service, which offers faster speeds and broader coverage, was due to be turned on from Wednesday. Air India tweeted on Tuesday that due to deployment of 5G communications in the US, “our operations to the USA from India stand curtailed/revised with

Trade bodies in West Bengal are pressing for relaxation of the partial lockdown measures clamped by the government on the job intensive tourism sector and have demanded its relaxation. The travel restriction announced by the Mamata Banerjee government to contain the spread of the disease in the state has severely impacted the state’s tourism industry, they said on Monday. This season sees high flow of visitors to the mountains in north Bengal, the Sundarbans, Santiniketan, in the sea resorts of Digha and Mandarmani and other tourist destinations in the state. The restrictions have pushed to the wall again the tourism sector which was recovering after the previous ones in 2020 and 2021, the spokesman of the trade bodies said. The Travel Agents Association of Bengal (TAAB) said the government must consider reopening the sector with detailed safety protocol and appoint a committee with representatives from the government, trade bodies and other stakeholders to ensure it. The Associati

Remember when Julia Roberts’ character in ‘Eat Pray Love’ visited India in search of spirituality and was so impressed by the cultural exoticism that she went on to practice Hinduism in real life? Not just Julia Roberts, George Harrison, a Beatles band member, also embraced India mysticism in the 1960s. The impact of the many-splendored culture of India on the western civilization has been sporadic but illustrious. Sometimes the impact is so powerful that it converts to a psychological condition among certain Westerners on their voyage to a country that is known for preserving its culture and heritage, India. The condition does not appear in the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of mental disorders IV or even in Wikipedia but is being experienced by many westerners who had resided in the country for months and then go back. Known as ‘India syndrome’, the condition is more of a psychosis that hits people from developed European or other western countries who are looking for an escape

Book review: 'A For Prayagraj' by Udbhav Agarwal from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/3toC7ri

In a significant improvement from the ranking of last year, the Indian passport has strengthened as the country improved its passport ranking in the Henley Passport Index 2022. Climbing from its earlier ranking of 90th, the country’s passport has now reached the 83rd rank. With the jump in Indian passport ranking, the Indian nationals will be able to visit as many as 60 countries from around the world without the need of a prior visa. In other words, a total of 60 countries will now felicitate the direct entry of tourists holding Indian passports by providing visa-on-arrival facility or some other mechanism. . While last year, the number of countries which provided prior visa-free entry to Indians was 88, Oman and Armenia are the latest additions to grant this facility. Other notable tourist destinations where Indians can visit without a prior visa sanction include Botswana, Cambodia, El Salvador, Fiji, Indonesia, Madagascar, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka among others. While India imp

Elephant in the room: Interview with wildlife photographer Senthil Kumaran from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/3K7S8I2

Chennai Photo Biennale: Back to the future from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/33mcGvL

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Turkmenistan Gateway to Hell: Turkmenistan’s famous ‘Gateway to Hell’ is set to be closed. The development has come based on the order issued by the country’s President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. Gateway to Hell is actually the Darvaza gas crater, and it is also called by names like ‘Door to Hell’ or ‘Gates to Hell’. It is located near Darvaza, Turkmenistan, and it is a popular tourist attraction in the country. But what is Gateway to Hell and why is it being closed? Financial Express Online has explained everything you need to know. Gateway to Hell: What exactly is it? Gateway to Hell is a natural gas crater located near Darvaza in Turkmenistan. It used to be a natural gas field which then collapsed into a cave and became a crater. But what is interesting about a caved-in natural gas field? Well, this one is burning. And has been burning for decades. The crater is situated amid the Karakum Desert. It is said that this region has one of the largest gas reserves in the world and th

5 times Siddharth got called out for his controversial statements from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/34zATit

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Sri Lanka luxury train: A luxury train service has been launched in Sri Lanka to connect the Jaffna district with the capital city of Colombo. The service has been started with the support offered by India in the form of a Line of Credit, marking a significant landmark in the strategic and cooperation ties between the two nations. According to a report by news agency PTI, the train, which was launched on Sunday, would be covering a total distance of about 386 km, going from Mount Lavinia suburb in Colombo to Kankesanthurai port suburb in the Tamil-dominated district of Jaffna. The launch of the intercity rail service was highlighted by the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka, which said that the development highlighted two important aspects of India’s development-oriented partnership with the island nation – the country-wide focus as well as development of infrastructure. As part of the loan facility, India provided Sri Lanka with AC DMUs or AC Diesel Multiple Units. The inaugural ri

Lata Mangeshkar tests positive for Covid-19. Shekhar Suman, Mukesh Khanna wish speedy recovery from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/3HRjsIC

Dia Mirza reveals she faced a near-death experience during pregnancy from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/3HR7K0C

Anushka Sharma's brother says 'happy growing up kiddo' as Vamika turns 1 from India Today | Leisure https://ift.tt/3GfmdmA

The India Pavilion at EXPO 2020 Dubai marked its 100th-day on Monday, becoming one of the most popular enclosures at 7,40,356 footfalls, showcasing the country’s business potential as well as cultural and geographic diversity. On the occasion, Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal tweeted, “100 glorious days of the India Pavilion shining bright at the @Expo2020Dubai. The world is witnessing #IndiaAtDubaiExpo as a hub of innovation, growth and opportunities. Visit the pavilion to experience the grand celebration of India’s growth story.” The India Pavilion was inaugurated on October 1 last year by Goyal, who is also the minister of consumer affairs, food, public distribution and textiles. The Expo, inaugurated on October 1, 2021 will conclude on March 31, 2022. It was originally scheduled for October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021. It was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As on January 8, the Indian enclosure recorded 7,40,356 visitors – one of the highest among partici

Airlines have been forced to rework their domestic schedules and even cancel several flights as the latest surge in India’s Covid-19 caseload has led to a demand for air travel spiralling. IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, on Sunday withdrew 20% of all its scheduled flights due to lower demand. IndiGo is also offering free changes for all bookings made up to January 31 for flights up to March 31. Tata-owned full-service carrier Vistara said it was adjusting capacity to sync with the changing scenario, while an Air India official told  The Indian Express  that it was merging some flights on routes with multiple daily services based on load factor. According to Ministry of Civil Aviation data, domestic air passenger traffic has been declining for two weeks when fresh Covid-19 cases first started surging and states began to impose curbs. The ministry logged 2.41 lakh passengers on January 8, down from 3.85 lakh on December 26. IndiGo’s load factor, a representative of demand, was

By Farooq Wani Last year, Kashmir tourism found unusual brand Ambassadors in the persons of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. By tweeting “Whenever you get the opportunity, do visit Jammu and Kashmir [J&K] and witness the scenic Tulip festival. In addition to the Tulips, you will experience the warm hospitality of the people of J&K,” Modi highlighted the uniqueness of both the place and its people. Shah’s post-J&K visit tweet also echoed the same sentiments. J&K has tremendous tourism potential and being a labour-intensive industry, it provides a very vast scope for employment as compared to other enterprises. Being a multi-segmental industry, tourism also provides a wide variety of jobs like hotel managers, receptionists, accountants, clerks, guides, travel agents, chefs, housekeeping staff, transport operators etc. Tourism provides good sustenance to the local population as well as generates revenue for the State exchequer. Jammu & Kashm