It is very small falcon and in shape is like shrike.It is a species of "Birds of Prey " in a falconidae family.It is found in southeast Asia across Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, India,Vietnam. I shot it at Corbett National Park Dhikala forest Rest house backside. It is a smallest falcon in falcon family. In India it generally found in Himalayan Range like northeast Uttarpradesh, Sikkim, Bengal and Assam. Collared falconet is Shy Bird.
Description and Facts About Collared Falconet :
- Its wings are pointed.
- It is 18 cm Long only.
- Tail is rounded and medium length .
- The adult male has a black crown and white forehead.
- It is the member of genus Microhierax which are the smallest falcon.
- It is found in forest country aprox 5500 ft height.
- It roosts and breed in old woodpecker or barbet holes in dead trees
- It feed mainly insects and small species of birds.
- It also shy and nervous.
- It has shortish wings and tail is medium length.
- It has also strong half feathered legs and very powerful feet.
- A bold white collar and supercillia
- It is a smallest falcon in falcon family.
Collared Falconet is a raptor so its feets are very strong to catch and it is also a good hunter bird. During my trip to Corbett national Park we done a morning safari and taking a rest at Dhikala forest lodge. On the back side of lodge on a old dead tree we found it. I seen Collared Flaconet for the first time and i ask to my mentor what is it ? and he said its a collared Flaconet and i ask is it Falcon ? Well i am surprised that its a small bird that called Falcon but its true. It looks very cute to see but its a good hunter. Bird watching and bird photography is my favorite at that time and now also. Bird photography is very challenging because you have to follow the bird and its behaviour for taking a good picture of bird.
Birds Of Gujarat ( Dendrocitta vagabunda ) : Rufous Treepie bird is a member of Crow family. It found in open scrub, forests, urban area and agriculture areas. The bird with long tail and beautiful color combination of Tail is bullish grey and stipped black. I shoot it at Jessore sloth bear sanctuary during Kedarnath temple trek. It generally found in India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand and Bangladesh.
Description About Rufous Treepie :
- Body color is cinnamon and black head of Rufous Treepie bird.
- It has long Tail with bullish grey and black tipped.
- White patch in wings.
- The lower back and underparts are tawny brown to orange brown in color.
- Feet and legs are black.
Things to Know about Rufous Treepie Bird :
- In India Rufous Treepie breeding season is April to June.
- It generally lays 3 to 5 eggs.
- It built nest in bushes and trees.
- Rufous Treepie Bird call is bob - o - link or ko - tree .
- Kotri is the local name of the Rufous Treepie bird.
- Gujarati Name of Rufous Treepie is Kherkhato
- Treepie also known for feed on fruits of which are toxic to mammals.
The bird Rufous Treepie is familier to get photographed. It has large sound so you can easily find him in a jungle by sound directions. Also a color is attractive so found easily.
Photos Taken At Jessore Sanctuary, Gujarat.
Gear Used : Canon 1000 D , Canon 55-250 mm Lens
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Annular solar eclipse occurred on 21st June 2020.An Annular Solar Eclipse occurred when Moon diameter smaller then sun.It blocking most of sun light and looks like annular like a ring. Well on earth different places eclipse was seen . This Solar Eclipse was seen in most of Asian countries but the percentage of visible of eclipse are different. I am in India Gujarat so i can see 78% of eclipse visibility. Above image is Multiexposure photo of Annular Solar Eclipse at 4 minute of interval. Next Annular Solar Eclips is on 14 oct 2023 .
A ring was visible at northern India, Southern china and Saudi Arabia. Well in India monsoon is coming and i think that we was not able to see the biggest Solar eclipse of this 20th sanctuary. Yes this eclipse was the most visibility about 78% of this century. So it was very important to be a part of it and take a photos of it. I use Eclipse 2.0 mobile application for follow eclipses. This application shows you all solar ,Lunar eclipses dates and timings and also it shows Transits too. So it is good application for astro event lovers.
I never miss a chance to shoot it. Its a Sunday (holiday ) so i am ready from 9 am at my rooftop. Well I was thinking if rain was not fall on that day so me and my friend go outside with good background and take a shot of Solar Eclipse. But when v see timing and direction of sun we decided to shoot at home because at the peak of eclipse sun was on our head so no need good background and foreground just shoot sun. It was very difficult to shoot with camera without proper gear like ND Filter or u need X-ray film at time of shoot eclipse. I use ND Filter for time-laps and also i done multi-exposure shoot of solar eclipse at interval of 4 minutes. Unfortunately on multi-exposure I accidentally touch my tripod and the line was broken of my Eclipse. but still its good image to see. Also I shoot with canon 100-400 mm lens with X-Ray film on my lens with the help of my son. That was amazing experience to shoot solar eclipse. I shoot Lunar Eclipse previously and also Venus Transit before. But at that time i have not proper gear and camera and lenses too.
Taken by canon 6d with 100-400 mm lens with X-Ray film. You must have to use some special glasses or x-ray film to see Solar eclipse because It can damage your eye if you see directly.
Camera gear used :: Canon 6D,Canon80D,Canon50mm,Canon 18-55mm,Canon 100-400mm,ND filter both 50mm and 18-55mm lens.
Time-Laps video of Annular Solar Eclipse 2020
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Singapore Tour : Singapore in in south east Asia and most popular for overseas Holidays. More than 50000 approx. foreign tourist came in a year in Singapore. Singapore is known as a fine city.Fine means obviously beautiful but its about money ( $ ) aslo. This city is 100 % corruption free city. And the rules and regulations are awesome.Everything is automated systems like traffic,taxis etc.Also have different types of taxis with different rates.Every year more than 50 lakh peoples visit singapore. The best thing i like most in Singapore is water. Here wherever u take water from anywhere is a pure drinking water. Fines for break rules r too high so no one can take risk to break rules.
Places to Visit Singapore :
- Singapore Flyer
- Marina Bay Sands Hotel
- Universal Studios Singapore
- Sentosa Merlion Tower
- Gardens By The Bay
- Sentosa Island
- S.E.A Aquarium
You can see the panorama view of city from Singapore Flyer.It is the largest flyer in the world.One full round of flyer take at least one hour. Below image taken from capsule of Flyer.You can see the Marina Bay Hotel in this view.More than 1100 International Banks located in Singapore. Also some most beautiful places in Singapore are Clarke Quay, Bukit Timah and MacRitchie Reservoir Park.
What to Buy from Singapore :
- Singapore Sling : Most loved drink in Singapore
- Kaya : Coconut Jam
- Orchid Jewellery : Real Orchid plated in 24 carat Gold
Where to Buy :
There are lots of places to go for shopping in Singapore. Some famous places are Clarke Quay, China Town, Little India, Bugis street ( For cloths and bags ), Mustafa Center etc.
Singapore Flyer Ticket Price :
For Above 13 years age Singapore flyer ticket price is 33 Singapore $ and for 2 to 13 years children ticket price 21 Singapore $ .
The whole wheel round take almost 1 hour.
Song Of the Sea :
Its a Multimedia show at Sentosa Island on beach Siloso. Amazing Light and Fountain show with amazing lights music and graffix visualization.
A Beuatiful Panorama Image of Singapore City.
Malaysia Trip
Malaysia is in Southeast of Asia. Malaysia is origin of Malay kingdom.in 18th century. Official language is Malaysian but most people can speak English as per forign tourism are well attracted here. Kaula Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia. Currency of Malaysia is Malaysian Ringgit. You can check your country currency exchange rate from www.xe.com
Places to Visit in Malaysia :
- Batu Caves are on travel to Malaysia to visit.
- Kaula Lumpur the capital city of Malaysia
- George Town
- Langkawi : Cable Car, Indoor Aquarium, Sky Bridge
- Patronas Twin Tower
- Resort World Genting or Genting Highlands
Singapore and Malaysia both are really Awesome places to Visit. Also In compare to Malaysia Singapore is more expensive too. But both places are their own beauty. You can enjoy with your family both places. You can add also Thailand in your Trip as i added it or separate Thailand trip. I recommand to separate Thailand Tour with some islands like Phuket or Krabi. Make your Trip combine of Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore currency is Singapore Dollar and Malaysia currency is Malaysian Ringgit. But you can take US Dollar at both places. Exchange your US dollar to exchange both or some good places where they can give you best rates. If you buy from your US dollar at Singapore or Malaysia then they will give remaining amount in local currency and that may little loss of your US dollar rates in exchange.
I travel Singapore - Malaysia on Flamingo Travels. I also recommand that plan your own trips and book Good hotels near famous areas and transports so you can explore more .
Gear Used : Canon 1000 D, Canon 18-55 mm lens
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Abstract photography is a beautiful subject to shoot where ever you are. You can find beautiful subjects to shoot as an Abstract Photo. Generally i work lot with bubble photography so i choose water abstract as my subject.You need good camera gear with good lens like 50mm or 100mm Macro lens or some good f1.8 lenses.Wider aperture need tripod and remote shutter to shoot. But i generally shoot with handheld shots.
How to shoot Water Bubbles Abstract Photo and what you need ::
- For colorful water Abstract photo u need to put water in glass bowl and put some oil drops into water then add some food color in it.
- The First image with oil n color. Well i mixed up lots of color so i got only blue tone color in my image but it looks like a DNA of human body (just joking ).
- The images i need tripod to get very clear and sharp image and get better result.
- Some examples of Water mixed oil bubbles with black and white like above and below too.
- You can put your camera on tripod for better quality and higher aperture
Now Below image is just a water . I just turn on my washbasin nobe and water ranout speedly then i shoot it with flash . For water bubbles there are lots of mathods you can do. Soap mixed with bubbles , Oil and Water mix, Dish wash mixed with water, some colddrinks shaking etc. You can capture lots of water bubbles images at your home.
The above image is running water with slow shutter speed looks like motion blur of water. It looks nice like motion blur abstract photo.
Gears Used In Abstract Photography :
Canon 6 D Body with 50 Mm canon lens, Canon 80 D with Canon 100 mm Macro lens, External LED Light, Flash used in some images not in all. No tripod is used in all Images. Water bubbles photos and water bubbles abstract photos taken from mobile phone also. Just try it at home with your cellphone.
Abstract photography is best subject to explore your creativity. You can do Abstract Photography at Your Home too. There are lots of subjects at home you can do and play with objects in different direction with your camera. Its all upon your skills. Well I am not a professional in Abstract Photography but i love to shoot with my gears any kind of photography. So if you like my Abstract Photography then please share with your friends.
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Moderate Trek Of India : Har Ki Dun Trek / Har Ki Doon Trek is most popular trek and moderate trek for beginner and pro. trekkers. The trek passed through Govind National Park. Here i am going to tell about my whole trek.Our trek was organised by my best friends Parikshit Acharya and Kailash Jani.Both are really good trekker and i join them mostly at Jessore.
Our Trek from Sankri - Har Ki Dun - Sankri organised by Yata India . Below image is taken from sankri base camp hotel.
Har Ki Doon or Har ki Dun valley is in Uttarakhand and it is too far from my home so long travelling i had to face. We are total 41 members group for har ki doon trek from Gandhinagar, Kalol, Mehsana and Palanpur. And the best thing is participants age starts from 8 years to 40/42 years around so all type of members children , teenager and middle age.
How to go Har Ki Doon / Har Ki Dun (manage your own trip)
Our Itinerary : Complete Guide for trek to har ki doon/Har Ki dun
Our Day To day Itinerary to Har ki Dun is as below.
- Day 1 : Mehsana to New Delhi via train (ashram express )
- Day 2 : Reach Delhi and get another train to Haridwar Night stay at Haridwar
- Day 3 : Early morning leave to Sankri via Massoorie ,Dehradun .(sankri night stay)
- Day 4 : Acclimatize at Sankri Base camp (nature walk,village visit)
Sankri Is base camp of our trek. Here we can acclimatize our body to cold weather for one day.
Now we start our trek to Har ki Dun on fifth day
- Day 5 : Sankri to Taluka via local transport about 10-12 km
Trek start from Taluka to Seema village about 12 km (Stay at seema camp site)
- Day 6 : Seema to Har ki Doon valley about 16 km (stay at Har ki doon camp site )
- Day 7 : Visit Maninda Lake (optional ) or Play at big ground at Har ki Dun Valley.
- Day 8 : Leave from Har ki Doon to seema ( Night at seema campsite )
- Day 9 : Seema to Sankri (night stay sankri )
- Day 10 : Sankri to Haridwar (visit har ki pedi ganga arti n leave at night 11 pm to delhi via bus )
- Day 11 : Reach Delhi Swaminarayan Ashram have lunch n leave via train to Mehsana
As we done trek about 28 km from Taluka to Har ki Doon into 2 days u can split it into 3 days by adding one hold at osla village. The trek from Taluka to Seema is very easy as not much hike.After seema trek is little bit difficult at 2-3 places where u have to take hike at 45-60 degree but it not so difficult . U have to stay calm and believe in urself that u can complete it .There are some stalls where u can refresh urself with Meggy noodles, Buttermilk ,Lassi and Eggs.
THINGS TO CARRY DURING TREKKING
3-4 trek pents,3-4 Full sleeve t shirts, 4 pairs of shocks,Bagpack,Water bottle, Mug, Lunch Box, Spoon, Torch with extra cell,Sleeper,Good quality Shoes,Raincoat, Woolen Jacket, Thermal,MonkeyCap,Goggles,Hand Gloves,Sun Cap,Toothpaste-brush,Cold Cream, Vicks, Band Aid, Diclofanec Sprey,Medicines,4-5 Big polythene,Money, Original Photo ID,Camera kit
Note: There is no charging option after leave Sankri until u get back to saknri so take Powerbank for ur mobile and atleast extra 2 batteries for ur camera . Also take ur original Id and one xerox of it with u always.
Important : Har ki doon trek route is passed through Govind National Park so u must have to follow National Park rules. You have to submit ur fitness form and one original photo id xerox to forest department so must carry Medical certificate about ur fitness and ID proof.
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Abstract in photography is a good subject to shoot. What abstract means - The definition of abstract photography :: Abstract in photography means the subject existing in thought or in as an idea but it does not exist in physical form. Means Abstract Photography is an idea that you create from the subject. During lock down period i have lots of spare time to shoot every kind of theme photography at my home. Creative abstract photography ideas you can get from your home. Abstract photography in black and white looks beautiful in any subject. I use macro lens for this so i can call it Abstract Macro Photography.
TECHNIQUES AND EXAMPLES OF ABSTRACT PHOTOGRAPHY :
Now a days you have to be creative in photography. Everyday a new challenge to face. New subjects and new theme. I found lot of thing at my home that we can shoot for theme photography or abstract in photography. When my son had no school and he put his pencil box inside a drawer i guess an idea for pencil abstract photography. Then i take a rubber band and gather all pencil and bunch it all. and look what i get . A beautiful image and creature and a good sample of design made by pencil bunch. Then i shoot it process it in Black And White Abstract photo and color too. I take color pencil too for colorful abstract images.
My pencils are not same color and design so little bit mismatch of colors. So i do it black and white to destroy variant color. Color pencil with good colorful abstract art image.
How to create Pen abstract image :
You can try any subject to get abstract photography. You can create same abstract images with color Pen too. Here i give some sample images of Pen abstract photography ideas at home. Bunch of pen cover is also good to shoot as an abstract image. Also point ball pen pointer with your macro or some prime lens make image very attractive. For abstract images you can move your camera while your shutter release in slow make a motion image of any subject is really awesome. Below i provide some sample images of motion abstract of pen make image very attractive. For this you need tripod otherwise image will not get clear well i take it handheld but still if i use tripod then result will be better i think. Using some external lights to your subject is good for abstract images. I use macro lens so i fire flash and external light too for higher aperture value.
Create Motion Blur Abstract photo :
For motion blur just stady your subject use external lights and go for high aperture and low shutter speed. While you click your shutter like about 1 second to 5 second move your camera in any direction until your shutter close. See the result. You can work this trik to any subject like trees too. So you can easy take an Abstract Photo at your home items. Lots of Home items are being used for Abstract photography so try it. I will Put some more Home Abstract Ideas for Abstract photography at home.
Gear Used : Canon 80 D, Canon 100 mm macro lens, External LED light, Flash light of camera, No tripod used in all photos.
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Landscape Photography is one of my favorite subject. Corbett National Park is one of the most visited National Park in India. Its a Biggest Tiger Reserve in India and also large number of Tigers are here. Framing a landscape photo need good background and foreground. Well in corbett National Park Dhikala is the place where you can stay at night and also near to river side so you can visit Asiatic Elephant Family at Dhikala area.
Dhikala is situated at core location of Corbett National park. It is located about 30 km from Dhangadi Gate of Corbett National Park. Actually Dhikala is forest rest house where tourist can stay. Dhikala Forest Lodge is best place to stay in Corbett national Park. There are 6 different winges with different numbers of rooms in Dhikala. Dhikala is most popular to stay for wildlife photographers because in this area you can visit good river side sunset or sunrise and also a large number of Asiatic Elephants with Family.
Morning Golden Light :
While shooting landscape photography light is very important . When i was on my safari at Dhikala zone i saw morning golden light and a burned tree trunks standing on ground. Well i just capture is with good golden light. If you want good colors of sunlight then use white balance on shades in your DSLR camera. It boost your frame colors. And after then post processing with good color corrections. I also shoot it in Black and White landscapes at Corbett national Park.
Corbett national park is too big in area that Tiger siting possibility is too low. But there are another beautiful subjects to shoot their like elephants, crocodiles, birds etc. Also dont forget the Dikhala site where you can take landscape photos of amazing corbett. During sunset time here you can get elephant family and also magic of golden light.
Alone tree with golden light looks beautiful in frame.
A birds on top left branch of the tree .make my frame outstanding black and white photo with bird.
How to Reach Corbett National Park :
Corbett National park is located in Nainital District, Ramnagar, Uttarakhand. Nearest Railway station is Ramnagar about 10-12 km from Corbett Tiger Reserve. Kathgodam Railway station is about 3 hours distance from corbett national park. Nearest Airport is Pantnagar about half hour drive from corbett national park. Also you can fly to Delhi and then hire a car for corbett national park for one way. Best time to visit corbett national park is winter season. Well you can also visit all over year but winter is better to visit Jungle. Only Registered vehicles are allowed inside the park so you cannot go with your own car inside park. Bijrani is the best zone after Dhikala to spot Tigers.
Gear Used : Canon 1000 D, Canon 6D, Canon 18-55mm, Canon 100-400mm
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Alcazar show Pattaya in Thailand is one of the famous show in asia . It is a perfact entertainment and must visit show. Show contains everything about Art,Sound and lighting.They play all countries songs in this show. You can see marvelous combination of costumes light and songs with ultrasonic sound.The theater has lots of sitting capacity may be 1000 -1200 i think ( i dont know actual sitting ) but that is too big. They serve water or juice during show. In this show all the performers are lady boys.
About Alcazar Show / Alcazar Cabret Show Pattaya :
- Alcazar show contains marvellous costume designs and inspirational songs combinations.
- Its a family show so anyone can visit and enjoy Alcazar show at Pattaya.
- All Perfomers in this show are Ladyboys.
- Show tickets include pick up and drop to your hotel.
- Show duration approx 1 hour.
- Alcazar show ticket price around 600 THB.
- You can take a selfie with performers by paying some amount to them at the end of the show.
- The show starts in 1981 with 100 performers and staffs.
- Theater capacity is almost 1200 seats at a time.
- There are total 17 acts performe during the show which showing songs and dances from China, Russia, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Persia and Korea.
- The show performance to deliver all these countries culture characteristics.
You can see the latest technologies and beautiful sounds and light systems. The different types of stages with diff. lights and they changed in some seconds so that is mind blowing. The color combinations of background and foreground and different costumes is awesome. All different types of songs played here. Different culture shown in this show and also a Hindi song played in it.
They can also play the famous songs like " Gangnam Style " By PSY.
So at the end you will not be disappointed . You can enjoy ur evening at pattaya by this show. Also some other attractions like walking street(A), Phantom show (A) , Nong Nooch village, Buddha Temple, Coral Island etc.
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Pallas's Fish Eagle is large brownish sea eagle. It is also known as Band Tailed Sea Eagle.It is Partially Migratory bird in central Asia. My first siting of Pallas's Fish Eagle Or Pallas's Sea Eagle at Corbett National Park in 2014 while I am participating Canon Wild Click organised by naturewanderers. Color of Pallas's Fish Eagle is light sandy brown. It face is white in color. Its Wings are darker than body color. Juvenile is dark brown in color.
About Pallas's Fish Eagle :
- It is known as Pallas's Sea Eagle Or Band Tailed Sea Eagle
- The length of Pallas's Fish Eagle is 70 to 85 cm .
- With Wingspan length is 180-210 cm.
- Male Eagle weight around 2 -3.3 kg and Female weight around 2.1 - 3.7 kg.
- Main Diet of Pallas's Fish Eagle is Fresh fishes.
- It also hunts water birds, small mammals, frogs and reptiles too.
- It breeds in Russia, Mongolia, India, Kazakhstan, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan etc.
- Pallas's Fish Eagle is Endangered spices and listed in Endangered on IUCN Red List.
- Golbal population of Pallas's Fish Eagle is around 2500 approx.
- Pollution and overfishing lakes by humans is main reason for putting in endangered to Pallas's Fish eagle .
- A reason for low count in India is spread of water hyacinth so difficult to find fishes in lake water.
Killing experience of Pallas's Fish Eagle :
To see kill of pallas's fish eagle is awesome experience. It standing on a tree and below 100-140 ft down a river goes and i saw that eagle stand for while then just down in fastest speed n catch a fish OMG what a scene that was . I just sow his speed n accuracy is fantastic.
I m not lucky too much that i shoot that action but a kill n feast i can capture.
Here below picture u can see his neck can turn 360 degree. That specialty makes him perfect for kill , watch, and be accurate .
Location : Corbett National Park, Near Dhikhala , During safari ride.
Canon gears : Canon6D , Canon 100-400mm
Read moreAccentor is a small bird of prunellidae family. In India it is generally found in East Sikkim area. It built its nest low in a bush. When i was on a trip to Singalila National Park. I found at sandakphu area. Sandakphu is high altitude place in Singalila National Park located in West Bengal. From here you can see Mt. Kanchenjunga very clear which is highest peak of West Bengal. Lots of Birds here. To visit Singalila Park November to February you can found lots of snow and good landscapes too with snow on Mt Kanchenjunga. Also if you are going for birding you can visit March to May/June Month is the best . It is very cold weather during winter November to February at Singalila National park.
About Alpine Accentor Bird :
- Alpine Accentor bird is robin size bird. Length of bird is around 15 -17 cm.
- Bird just like similar to house sparrow in color with brown back streaked.
- Adult Alpine Accentor have red brown spotting on underparts
- Also adult have grey head too.
- In Asia Accentor found at 2000 m above height. Specially at Himalayas.
- It build nest in bush.
- It laying 3-4 plain (not spotted) eggs of sky blue color.
Singalila National Park :
Singalila national park is located in West Bengal. There are lots of birds in this sanctuary. Also its good for trekking at Sandakphu. From here you can see Mt. Kanchenjunga easily and very closely. Also a beautiful Himalayan Mountain range with snow. Amazing weather very cold in winter and moderate in summer. Summer season is the best for birding at sandakphu.
Alpine Accentor bird Binominal Name is Prunella Collaris . Total 9 subspices are recognised of Alpine Accentor bird.
Gear used : Canon 1000 D, Canon 55-250 mm Lens.
Road To Heaven is named to the road from Khavda to Dholavira in Kutch Gujarat. The road is so wonderful and scenery so it known as Road to Heaven . Khavda to Dholavira distance is around 58km but from Khavda there is a single line narrow road passes through small villages around 15-20 km approx. The main road starts after it and it is around 30-35 km approx. strait to Dholavira. Road is under constriction but almost 70-80% work done. The road heading to the city of Harappan Civilization Dholavira which is one of the largest site of Harappan Civilization and Indus valley Civilization.
Kutch is a largest district of Gujarat and also of India. Main City or Headquarter of Kutch District is Bhuj. Kutch is famous for White Desert or White Rann. In Every winter season from December to February celebrate “ Rann Utsav “ to attract foreigners and also locals. Tent City made in white desert to stay and also cultural programs arranged in it. The main Rann Utsav held in Dhordo of Kutch.
After visit White desert people also visit Dholavira which is nearest destination from Dhordo and also Kalo Dungar in between. From Dhordo you will have to go Khavda first and then from Khavda to Dholavira which is connected through “ Road To Heaven “. Dholavira is located at Khadir Bet. Khadir bet is separated because after monsoon the water filled outer side of bet. So the Road To Heaven is the way to connect Khadir bet to main city Bhuj.
About Road To Heaven Dholavira / Road to Heaven in Kutch :
- · It connected from Khavda to Dholavira.
- · Road to heaven distance around 30-35 km.
- · After monsoon the rain water on the both side of the road. You can see beautiful Greater Flamingo birds in between. Water level is low but muddy.
- · After winter in January –February the water on both side of the road is evaporated and turn into salt. Not all water but some areas during the road.
- · Water on the both side of the road or Salt/ white layer on both side of the road make the beauty of the road and that’s why it name as “ Road To Heaven “
- · When you are on the road there is hardly some traffic you face the open road with both side water or salt at morning or evening make the scenery like a Heaven.
I must suggest to visit Road To Heaven in Kutch while you visit Kutch. Also Visit Dholavira which is one of the largest Harappan Civilization site.
Places to visit near Road To Heaven :
Dholavira, Kalo Dungar, Dhordo, White Desert
Places to Visit near Bhuj : White Desert , Kadiya dhro, Chhatardi, Mandvi beach, Vijay vilas palace, Bhujyo Dungar, Smriti Van, Vande matram memorial
Camera Used : Canon 80D, Canon 6D, DJI Mavic Air2
Thol bird sanctuary is located in Kadi Taluka in Mehsana District near sanand Gujarat. It is an artificial lake located near village Thol. In 1912 thol lake was built and it was declared as a Sanctuary in 1988. The main use of lake is use of water for irrigation. The Thol Bird Sanctuary or a Thol lake wildlife Sanctuary India is a habitat of more than 150 spices of birds. Also it is famous for migratory birds Flamingos and Sarus Crane which breeds here.
About Thol Lake / Thol Bird Sanctuary
Thol lake is located near Thol village and its area around 38000 acres. Lake faces all season winter , summer and monsoon. During winter temperature goes to 8 degree and in summer temperature goes to 43 degree. Thol lake is under control of Forest and Irrigation department of Gujarat. Thol lake water storage capacity is around 84 million cubic meters. Thol wildlife sanctuary is declared as Eco Sensitive Zone .
Flora and Fauna Thol Sanctuary :
Thol lake has many vegetation plants like Zizyphus, Acacia nilotica, Ficus, Capparis, Azadirachta indica etc. There are also some mix flora of Marshy and Aquatic plants reported in Thol Lake.
Thol lake is protected area and it is very good habitat for water birds. In thol bird sanctuary there are more than 150 spices of birds found . Among these more than 60 % of birds are water birds. Flamingo bird is most prominent bird of Thol Lake. Also Sarus Crane nest in large number here.
Famous Migratory Birds of Thol Lake
• Flamingos
• Sarus Crane
• Great White Pelican
• Mallards
• Bar Headed Geese , Grey Headed Geese
• Waterfowl
There are also some spices reported here like Dalmatian Pelican, Indian Skimmer, Greater Spotted Eagle, Indian Vulture and white rumped Vulture etc. In Mammals Bluebull, Blackbuck and Golden jackal reported here.
Thol Lake Timing and Fees :
Thol lake open everyday at 6 AM in morning and close at 5.30 PM in evening. Entry fees for Thol Lake or Thol sanctuary is 50 INR for per person. Also Camera fees extra at 200 INR and if you go via car then car fees also 500 INR. Foreigner fees are 10 $ per person.
Best Time to Visit Thol Sanctuary / Thol Lake :
Best time early morning for Thol Lake. In winter if you go before sunrise you can see Twilight sky amazing with lake shore and birds sound .During all season Thol lake has its own beauty. Every season you can visit at Thol Lake. But mostly during winter from November to March season is best for Thol Sanctuary visit. Because during winter lots of Migratory birds came here and stay for long time so for birding winter season is best at Thol Lake. Also during summer some of birds stays here like flamingos and pelicans, geese etc. So you can also see them in summer too. Also during summer water level of lake is low so may be the birds you can get in deep or sometimes closer. During monsoon most people don’t visit but if you like macro photography then you must visit Thol lake in monsoon. You can get some excellent macro subjects like waterdrops , Spiders, Insects etc.
What to do and What not to do in Thol Lake / Keep in mind while visiting sanctuary in India :
• Keep silence in sanctuary
• Maintain discipline
• Keep sanctuary clean
• Do not throw plastic waste anywhere in sanctuary
• Protect wildlife
• Observe birds, mammals etc and protect them and identify them
• Follow rules of wildlife protection act -1972
• Don’t disturb birds and animals
• Don’t enter in sanctuary with liquor and inflammable objects
• Don’t make loud noice.
• Enter in sanctuary with permit only and keep receipt till you leave sanctuary
• Don’t feed birds and animals
Where to Stay near Thol Lake :
Well near to Thol Lake there are not good places to stay at night but you can go near to destinations like Kadi, Kalol or Gandhinagar , Ahmedabad where you can get good places to stay at night. Nearest I suggest Kalol around 15-18 km or you can go Ahmedabad around 25 km.
Places to Visit near Thol Lake :
If you are staying at Ahmedabad then go for Ahmedabad Darshan , Pol area of Ahmedabad and Adalaj Ni Vav ( Heritage places ) etc. Also go for fast food test at night at Manek Chauk and SindhuBhavan road there are lots of option for food lovers like Urban Chauk, Freezbee etc.
If you stay at Gandhinagar then visit Mahatma Mandir at Gandhinagar, Sarita udyan , Akshardham Temple etc.
I would suggest Modhera Sun Temple if you had some more time which is around 100km from Ahmedabad. For bird lovers and bird photographer I would suggest visit Little ran of Kutch (LRK) during Winter season, Pariej Lake, Indroda park Gandhinagar, Jessore Sanctuary Banaskantha etc.
How to Reach Thol Sanctuary :
Nearest airport is Ahmedabad and from Ahmedabad thol lake distance is around 30-40 km
Also for Railway station is Ahmedabad because you can get all frequency and destinations from Ahmedabad railway station.
Bahucharaji or Becharaji is located in Mehsana district Gujarat. It is a Hindu Temple of Hindu Goddess Bahuchara Mata.Bahucharaji Temple is in Bahucharaji town near shankhalpur village Mehsana. Bahucharaji Temple is in center of town. Bahucharaji temple managed by State Government. Ma Devi Bahucharaji is worshipped here as Goddess Bala Tripura Sundari.
Story of Bahucharaji temple
As per old people says Dandasur demon was stayed near Becharaji and won Patallok, Mrutyulok and Devloka all three lokas. The Devil has boon from Lord Shiva that a godeess appeared against him in small girl form. All 3 lokas Devas went to Goddess Parambaa to save them from demon. The Bahuchar mata appeared in form of small girl for fist time at Varakhadi tree . So bahuchar mata known as Bala Bahuchara Mata. Goddess killed demon with Trishul and bought peace for people of earth.
- Main vehicle of Bahuchar Mata is cock.
- Bala Yantra of Crystle and encased In gold is worshipped at temple.
- Bahuchar Mata carries sward on top right hand, Abhay mudra on bottom right, a text of scriptures on top left and trident on bottom left.
- In my family we believed that new born male child first time hair removed ( Mundan ) after 1 year in temple.
- It is also believed that any new child don’t speak properly then bought here and on his behalf cock donated to Mata and in few days child can speak properly.
- All over from India devotee came here and pray for blessing of Goddess. On purnima ( full moon ) day is special for devotees. On Chaitri Poonam 5 days fair arranged near the Temple and in city.
Where to Stay in Bahucharaji or Bechraji :
There are lots of Dharamshala , Hotels, Guest Houses in Bahucharaji. All places are in good rate available. People can also go to Mehsana , Shankhalpur for stay . Also people can go to Modhera Sun Temple for visit.
Bahucharaji Mata Temple Darshan Timing :
Bahucharaji Mata temple darshan timing is from 5.30 AM to 10 PM .
Nearest Airport : Ahmedabad
District : Mehsana
Pincode of Bechraji : 384213
Ambaji is a town in Banaskantha district. The town surrounded by aravalli Hills. Ambaji is Famous for Ambaji Temple. Millions of devotees visit Ambaji Temple every year. Even my family also visited Ambaji Temple once in a year Climate of Ambaji is change in all season . Summer is very hot around 45 degree and in winter temperature goes down to 6-7 degree. Rainfall average 15 -30 in in monsoon.
About Ambaji Temple:
- Ambaji Temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas .
- Ambaji Mata Temple is a major Shakti peethas in India. It is also known as Arasuri Ambaji Mata Temple.
- Shree visa Yantra is worship as main God. No one can see Yantra with nacked eye. And also the Photography of Yantra is not allowed.
- The original seat of Ambaji Mata is at on top of Gabbar Hill.
- On purnima day large number of people come to Ambaji temple for darshan. On Bhadarvi Poornima there is a large mela in city. People from all over the country come here by walk from their destination on Bhadarvi Purnima . People make food camps, medicine camp, refreshment camp in between the road for people who come by walk in Ambaji Temple.
- The shrine of Shri Amba is regarded as a revered shrine by Shakta Shaktism sect of Hinduism. There was a say and also it believed that the heart of Sati Devi has fallen here.
The Myth of Ambaji Temple :
According to Lord Vishnu cut the corpse os sati with his weapon Sudarshan Chakra and 51 pieces fell on earth. That 51 place built shrine. And at Ambaji there was a say that Sati Devi’s heart was fallen so Ambaji is one of most important Shakti Peeth.
Gabbar Hill , Ambaji Temple
Gabbar is located at west of Ambaji Village at around 4-5 km away. It believed that original seat of the Goddess is at top of Gabbar Hill. There are around 999 steps for climbing Gabbar Hill. Among them 300 stone steps and rest are very narrow passage so it’s a thrill to climb. On the flat top of the hill there is a small temple of Ambaji. In this temple small covered lamp keep constantly burning. The lamp also seen from Ambaji Temple at night. There are footprint of Goddess their under the pipal tree.
In Ramayana there is a say that Lord Rama worship devi Ambaji so Devi Ambaji gave him an arrow name AJAY and with this arrow Lord Rama killed Ravan in the war.
9 Swaroop of Devi Ambaji :
- Shri Bhramcharini
- Shri Chandra Ganta
- Shri Katyayini
- Shri Kalratri
- Shri Mata Gauri
- Shri Kushmanda
- Shri Shail Putri
- Shri Siddhi Datri
- Shri Skandmata
Ambaji Temple Darshan Timing
Arti timing every day 6.00 AM in the morning
Winter Timing
|
Morning |
7.00 AM to 11.30 AM |
|
Afternoon |
12.30 PM to 4.00 PM |
|
Evening |
6.00 PM to 8.30 PM |
Summer Timing
|
Morning |
7.00 AM to 10.45 AM |
|
Afternoon |
12.30 PM to 4.30 PM |
|
Evening |
5.30 PM to 9.15 PM |
Monsoon Timing
|
Morning |
7.00 AM to 11.30 AM |
|
Afternoon |
12.30 PM to 4.30 PM |
|
Evening |
5.00 PM to 9.00 PM |
Ambaji Mata Devasthan Trust has installed Udan Khatola ( Rope –way ) facility for Gabbar hill.
Rope way price for adult is 125 rs and for kids below 110 cm is 64 rs.
Where To stay In Ambaji :
There are lots of hotels in Ambaji. Most hotels near to the temple. Generally i prefere at Reva Prabhu hotel or Jethiba Sadan which provide good Gujarati Thali in food and good condition rooms with good fare. Now a days there is a resort near Pancha village bus stand name Vanraji Resort before 3-5 km from Ambaji Temple. It is the first resort in Ambaji and resort is awesome. You can stay and enjoy the arravalli hills.