The best things come in small packages! Daman and Diu

They say the best things come in small packages… One visit to  beautiful Daman and Diu and who wouldn’t agree more? Charming tourists and all who visit it, read up on India’s second smallest union territory basking prettily in the southern fringes of Gujarat, with plenty to offer its tourists!

Boasting of a history that dates back to antiquity, this picturesque union territory even finds its mention in the Mahabarata, and is a treasure trove of tourists delights, home to some beautiful beaches,  impressive forts, magnificent cathedrals, and majestic monuments.  Twin islands that were once ruled by the Kushana Emperor, the Portuguese entered Daman in the latter part of 14th century and the first half of 15th century. Since then the places became Portuguese colonies for a period of 450 years, finally getting the status of a separate Union Territory in 1987.

With its sun kissed beaches, historical monuments and thick palm-groves, it attracts tourists from all over. So if serenity and virgin atmosphere is what you’re looking forward to this holiday try Daman and Diu.  Tourists here are most attracted to Daman and Diu for the clean and picturesque beaches it offers. Some important beaches here include the Devka Beach, a place to enjoy the sand and sun, a place also known for its amusement park with a number of colourful fountains.  The Jampore beach, the Nogoa Beach, and the Fisherman’s Beach are other must visits for their spectacular beauty, and are ideal for sunbathers, beachcombers, swimmers, and pony riders

Also home to some interesting forts, some must visits include the Fort of Diu, built over six years from 1535 A.D. Skirted by the sea on three sides, this fort acquires a prominent position and is an imposing structure dominating the town-scape also offering a magnificent view of the sea. The Moti Daman fort is another huge fort that dates back to 16th century. Said to be about 30,000 sq. mt, and known to have 10 bastions and two gateways, this massive fort was used to house a large number of Portuguese gentry within the confineS of the Fort with their families.

Catching one’s eye is Nani Daman - a small fort with high stone walls It encloses an area of 12,250 sq. The most conspicuous part of the Fort is the giant gateway facing the river with a large statue of St. Jerome and two giant human figures, on either side of the gateway. It is also home to an imposing church, the Church of Our Lady of the Sea, and a Jain temple.

Other attractions in Daman and Diu include the 17th-century-old Se Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady of Rosary in Moti Daman. Here one can witness some exquisite Portuguese carvings on the walls of the churches. Like Goa, churches here too are a major attraction…  some noted churches here  for their exquisite architecture and interiors include the Saint Thomas Church and Church of Bom Jesus, a church built by the Portuguese in 17th century, the latter known for its impressive rosewood carvings.

 Enchanting all with its layout, facilities and size, is the Damanganga  Tourist Complex here, an artificially built complex self-contained with a cafeteria, cottages, health club, conference Hall, Amphi Theatre, giant waterfalls, Island gardens, fountains, water sports and more all available under one roof.

Other wonderful gardens / tourist spots include the Mirasol Lake Garden; here one can find two islands connected by a bridge, fountains  beautiful boats, a toy train, and a variety of cuisines. This is a famous tourist spot.

Resembling the Pantheon at Athens, the Pargalo Garden was raised in memory of the Portuguese soldiers who fell during the liberation uprising at Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Another magnificent lake-garden known to be a favorite here is the Satya Sagar Udyan for its colourful fountains and shrub-skirted promenades that offer an enchanting view.

Apart from gardens, try the Hilsa Aquarium, only recently developed; it displays a good collection of exotic and colouful fish.

The Collector’s house, the Government House, the House of Bocage , Municipal Council, Paryatan Bhavan, the Secretariat building, Shaking Tower at Delwada, Forte do Mar, Jallandhar Shrine, Fortress of Panikotta here are also known for their wonderful architecture and should not be missed.

While Daman and Diu is not a typical shopping destination, it is still an interesting experience. From leather slippers to woven bamboo mats and baskets, electronic goods, gift articles and attractive household appliances; one can find them all when you shop here. Daman is particularly noted for Customs Shops selling seized foreign goods at attractive prices.

What makes the place even more inviting is, the fact that even though Daman and Diu is the perfect combination of a beach hotspot, the region is bereft of swarming touristy crowds, rendering you with a pleasant surprise as you visit it! Being conveniently located close to two major Indian states, Maharashtra and Gujarat, reaching Daman and Diu is not a concern at all as it has a well developed communication network with key locations in western India.

Rocky coves, golden sandy beaches, and islands covered by coconut and palm trees are how Daman and Diu can best be described! Owing to its favorable climate, scenic location and serene surroundings, Daman & Diu is not only a popular weekend gateway,but a great getaway for nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts on India’s west coast.

Women’s Day and Indian women: Few prosper, many languish!

 

March 8: Yes it’s Women’s Day, yet again! This year the day is even more special as it marks the 100 years of the observation of the 1^st International Women’s day. The first time, the Women’s Day was officially celebrated was on 19^th March, 1911 at Denmark, Austria, Switzerland and Germany. The decision for observing the International Women’s Day took place in the year 1910 at the 2^nd international conference of the working women that took place in Copenhagen.

During the second half of the 19th century, turbulence and confusion in the industrialized societies, made women demonstrate and protest against the poor pay structure, domineering working conditions, inequality etc. This coincided along with the increasing demands on the part of the women for having voting rights in different countries. The year 1908 saw the march of 15,000 women through the New York City in demand for short hours, good pay and of course voting rights. In the year 1909, the Socialist Party of America announced that 28^th February be observed as the 1^st National Women’s Day through out the nation.  Till 1913, the last Sunday in the month of February was being celebrated as the National Women’s Day in the US. The Russian women who were campaigning about peace during the World War I celebrated their 1st International Women’s Day on the last Sunday of the month of February in the year 1913. Nevertheless, in 1913 itself, an agreement was made where in International Women’s Day came to be celebrated on March 8.  It is celebrated in more than hundred nations.

Pt Jawaharlal Nehru once said that “You can tell the condition of a nation by looking at the status of its women”.

International Women’s Day happens to be the story how the ordinary women make it big in the pages of history or the minds of the people. It is the age old struggle and fight of women for life, enjoying equal power and opportunity as men and many more. As the entire world come together to celebrate this special day for the Women’s, a striking yet interesting facet in this male dominated corporate India represents the Indian Women at the top echelons in various sectors of life. Today some of the largest and finest organizations in the financial and banking sectors such as HSBC, the Indian Arm of JPMorgan Chase, Reserve Bank of India, have some efficient and talented women as leaders at the top!

India witnessed a series of changes over the years with a woman speaker, a woman president and a woman heading the ruling party, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at present. Indian women have successfully and proudly broken into many ‘male-only’ quarters and today the country has women pilots, taxi-drivers, bus drivers and conductors and many more! Making there presence felt in a big away, at the corporate world are women engineers, scientists, doctors etc.

In the villages also, many women can be found entering the work stream as non- conventional role players such as panchayat heads, plumbers to just name some of them.

But on this Women’s Day 2011, one question that creeps into million minds and specially the women is, are these changes truly for the better or are these mere cosmetic, superficial changes? Are these just tokenisms, existing in the face of a unfortunate reality?

Indian Women: The Unfortunate Reality!

Another Women’s Day: is it another chance for the national assessment of the position of women in India wherein the glass ceiling is definitely within the reach but not yet broken, where the entertainment of the public is dominated more by patriarchal clichés, where the health statistics are ascertained, still by gender, and wherein the female foeticide or female infanticide continue to grow despite the strides in different sectors.

People often say that India is the land where gleaming high-rises exist parallel with the desperate poverty. Quite similar is the case with Indian women. On one hand there are women making it real big in different sectors and there are also women facing gender discrimination, abuse and ill treatments, domestic violence etc. Figures give us a complete and true picture of the Indian Women: The Unfortunate Reality!

As per one of the reports, India in the year 2008, recorded the highest number of maternal deaths world wide with 63,000 deaths, which is even more than nations like Ethiopia and Afghanistan.

Gender discrimination continues to pose serious threats to girls and women in various sectors. Early marriage of girl child is yet another serious issue faced by India. As per the report of the Unicef, India has the highest percentage of underweight girls.

The sex ratio is still at 933 women per 1,000 males, and same is the case with the literacy rate of women in India, as well. Following the 2001 census, the literacy rate of the females was 54.28 percent in comparison to the male literacy rate that stands at 75.96 percent.

Adding to this are cases of dowry deaths, female foetcide and female infanticide, unequal pay rape, sexual harassments at the workplace and so many other threatening issues.

The entertainment industry, media, cinema, advertisements, television etc banks heavily on these women but unfortunately has done very little to address the problems and issues of the women in India.

Quite similar to the status of the Indian women in the country, is the Women’s Day, too; funny for many, a comment for some and just a celebration for others!

Can We Change it, this Women’s Day?

8^th March has been dedicated to the women of the entire world! It is the day when every woman should for once stop and reflect on one’s own achievements and congratulate oneself for the same.

To quote our former Miss Universe, Sushmita Sen:

“The origin of the child is the mother, a woman…she shows a man what loving, caring and sharing is all about…”

Women’s Day brings us an opportunity to honor and appreciate the women at our home, workplace, at the shop or the grocery store. Just a simple, small wish, a pat on her back, or only a small sms or email can make all the difference for her. Thank that special lady in your life, be it mother, wife, friend, sister, colleague etc; tell her how she is important to you. This small effort on your part is just enough to make the women smile with pride and joy!

They say that “Charity begins at home” nothing better than to start by apprizing the “everyday heroes”, the women at your home! Be it the working woman, a homemaker or a single mother, every day is a new day for them to struggle and fight their best out! They deserve as much praise and appreciation as the celebrities. 8^th March is the day to acknowledge and love these dynamic and courageous women in our lives! Let your mom, sister, wife, girlfriend, and every other lady feel special and happy about their invaluable contribution towards the society!

A woman’s essence surely lies in her abilities to love, care and sacrifice for others. Playing an enveloping character of a mother, wife, daughter, teacher, sister, friend, guide, nurturer and partner, Women are truly indispensable. Vulnerable yet emotional, erratic yet serene, women is the perfect combination of a diverse range of emotions Talk of being patient, she wont disappoint you; expecting her to be courageous in crisis, she would never fail.

Tormented and subjected for a long time and through ages, Indian women have fought through harassment, exploitation and fight their way out to secure their rights publicly. Despite the continuing injustice and exploitation against the women, at the working field as well as domestic, many milestones have been accomplished in connection with freedom of choice, education, liberty, equality etc. With increasing literacy and the financial independence enjoyed by women, today the women deserve a life of self worth and dignity! Women’s Day comes as a chance to celebrate the social, cultural, economic and political achievements by the women in India, and the entire world.

On the occasion of the Women’s Day, to name or point out one single woman in India for her contribution, won’t be fare, as we believe that everyone is special, valuable and unique in their own rights. Every woman makes a difference to India and to this World!

Women in India: The Past and the Present!

The women in India have seen their positions rising and falling from time to time and at various ages of history. While in the ancient India, the women enjoyed an equal if not higher position to that of men, the middle age saw a completely different picture. The women in the middle ages experienced very low points, where majority of them were suppressed and had no independence whatsoever. Child marriage, sati and ban on widow re-marriage became very common during this period.

In modern India, however, the position of women seems to be very different, paradoxical and contrasting. On one hand there are terrible stories of ‘dowry deaths’; female infanticide, child marriage happening in India. Villages and small town women are faced with constant victimization, by influencing figures and even their families.  On the other hand, high offices at various sectors are held by the Indian Women. They are excelling in all fields from sports, education politics, art and culture to media, science and technology and other service sectors.

The Constitution of India has guaranteed equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State (Article 15(1)), equality of opportunity (Article 16), equal pay for equal work (Article 39(d)) to every woman in India. However, how much of these are executed in the practical life is a question that still lingers.

India is honored as the “Motherland”. Adoration towards feminine faith and power and recognizing the potential of women is that what have been the source and foundation of strength and growth. India is home to a large number of distinguished women who breathed in development and change in every section of the society. While some remain at the helm of respect and tribute, some others fade away in one of those uncertain corners. Women’s Day and Indian women: Few prosper, many languish!

SO this International Women’s Day, we would like to reach out to those ‘unknown heroes’ whose untiring efforts couldn’t find a way of expression. Let’s celebrate for those women in India, who stand out with their wisdom, grit and everything, which prove them worth appreciating. We believe that every woman is special and we respect what we believe!