Mussoorie: Himalayan beauty India is born into

Mussoorie: One of the hill city of India to look into Himalayan beauty, just 35 kilometers from the Dehradun.

Dehradun itself is in the valley of Garhwal Himalayan range, with structures

and buildings raised in British colonial period.

Blue sky, mist in the air and traveler unfolds wing. Sky is the limit for botanist, explorer, nature lovers and of course for those who sought relief from the searing heat of the Indian plains. 

Mussoorie is a hill station in northern Himalayan range, whose average elevation is about 2005.5 metres (6580 ft), nature has given such a beauty to this place, as this place is called, 'The Queen Of Hill Stations'.

Mussoorie, like other hill resorts in India, came into existence in the 1820s or thereabouts, when the families of British colonials began making for the hills in order to escape the scorching heat of the plains. 

I could photograph only these two birds in pair, Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus) of many which were singing in a chorus in full throat melodious orchestra, while walking on the "Camel's Back Road" of Mussoorie.

The Great Himalaya Range has some of the most diverse eco-systems on the planet that are home to an enormous variety of plant and animal life. 
So for people who really want to experience the flora and fauna of the Himalayas it will be a wonderful experience. 
The Himalayas is the home to many rare species of wild flowers.

Roof Iris, Botanical name: Iris tectorum    Family: Iridaceae (Iris family)

Common name: Royle's Larkspur
Botanical name: Delphinium roylei    Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup family)
Synonyms: Delphinium incanum

More out of chance than design, Mussoorie is a beautiful Himalayan hill town, home to deodars (Cedrus Deodara) everywhere. 
Route is sprinkled with brilliant red flowers of the the Rhododendron (Rhododendron arboretum). 
Beautiful Himalayan fir (Abies pindrow), Chir pine (Pinus roxburghi), sturdy Himalayan Oak (Quercus leucotricophora) with their pale cream flowers hanging in clusters, Chestnut tree (Aesculus indica), pale green poplar and tall Himalayan Cypress (Cupressus Torulosa).

Post office of Mussoorie, operating since December1, 1936; in those British colonial times posts were carried manually from Dehradun.

Himalayan mountain range in the back drop, underneath the shades of thick canopied trees, with the up and down of any typical hill town, shops are clustered with various objects; are also the point of attraction for tourists as well as enthusiasts of all age groups.

While walking in the wood in these parts of Himalayan range, many water streams, big and small are bestowed from the nature, where an eco-system sustains in full diversity, with interesting flora and fauna; this one in picture (Kempty Falls) attracts tourist at large.

Mussoorie is often talked about for its scenic beauty. However, not many people know that it has a rich literary heritage and its residents are passionate about books and authors. 
Mussoorie is home to many writers, the most well-known being Ruskin Bond. 
No wonder then that a bookshop in this hill station is one of the most popular places to hangout. 
Cambridge Book Depot: for the past 14 years, Ruskin Bond comes to the bookstore on every Saturday if he is in town and the bonding session with him.

"Sir Walter Scott must have been a very popular writer with the British in exile, for there are many houses in Mussoorie that echo his novels and romances -- Kenilworth, Ivanhoe, Woodstock (now a well-known school), Rokeby, Waverly, The Monastery as also Abbotsford, named after Scott's own home."
(share courtesy:Ruskin Bond)

"How high is that mountain?" asked Anil. 
"It must be over 4,000 meters." said Miss Mackenzie. 
"I always wanted to go there, but there is no proper road. At that height, there'll be flowers that you don't get here - blue gentian, purple columbine, anemone..."  
(excerpt from the story, "A bouquet of love" by Ruskin Bond)

Evening light illuminates the spectacular view of the hills naked at one side while the other side with woods around - of pine, cedar, birch, oak, rhododendron and deodar - which glow green. 
Mussoorie, the proverbial Queen of Hill stations, as professed by the British gentry who evaded hot, desultory summers of Delhi and Kolkata by spending time here.

Mussoorie being at an average altitude of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), with its green hills and varied flora and fauna, is a fascinating hill resort. Commanding snow ranges to the north-east, and glittering views of the Doon Valley and Shiwalik ranges in the south, the town was once said to present a 'fairyland' atmosphere to tourists.

"Mussoorie has always remained a poor cousin to Shimla, which had it's Viceroy. Nainital had it's Governor from the Unitd Provinces. Mussoorie remained unofficial - for affairs of the heart. It has always been a gossipyplace, as the extracts from the Miscellany and the "John Lang" article will show. May be it is too close to the plains and not close enough to the real mountains; but it has never been a dull or boring place."
(share courtesy: Ruskin Bond)
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The Indian history: 
Like any other country in the world, India too had it's past full of captivity and turmoil, like:

1.The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture.

2.Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century.

3.By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh.

4.Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife.

The Himalayas: 
Many myth and legends are attached with this mountain in India. It was a barrier hard to cross by invaders in earlier days and the harsh weather of the north beyond that plate. India is warm and cozy, having weather pattern, because of this mountain. Monsoon is controlled by this mighty range. India owes all it's richness to Himalayas.

The Himalayan range: 
Not many places in the world can charm you like the Himalayas. Not every place gives you the reason to visit there every season. But then every place does not boast of the beauty as the Himalayas. The Himalayas are covered with different array of flora and fauna. With its exotic wildlife and natural beauty it has always attracted travelers and tourist across the world. The eastern and the western regions of the Himalayas are covered with varied forests. The Western region is known for blue pine, spruce, silver fir, junipers, conifers deodar, and Chirpine, which are found in abundance. While the eastern Himalayas are famous for maples, rhododendrons, alder, and birch, oaks, laurels, and dwarf willows. The region of Assam is known for lush evergreen forests and bamboo and tall grasses. The Himalayas is the home to many rare species. Nearly about one third of all mountain animals live here. Due to Himalayas long range, which extends to over 1,500 miles in length and 250 miles in width it is divided into three ranges: the Lesser, Greater and Outer Himalayas. Since the range is so much in length and width that variety of climatic condition, vegetation and wildlife can be seen. The Himalayan regions have many national park and wildlife sanctuaries. So for people who really want to experience the flora and fauna of the Himalayas it will be a wonderful experience.

Life along the Ganges

The great river valleys and cultures
Egypt, Mesopotamia, Indus river valley and China.

Indian civilization shift from Indus basin to Ganges basin

The disintegration of the Harappan civilization (http://sciencedoing.blogspot.in/2014/04/indus-valley-civilization-collapse.html), in the early 2nd millennium BC, mark the point when the center of Indian civilization shifted from the Indus basin to the Ganges basin.*

There may be links between the Late Harappan settlement of the Ganges basin and the archaeological culture known as "Cemetery H", the Indo-Aryan people, and the Vedic period (http://sciencedoing.blogspot.in/2012/09/exploring-lost-places-indus-valley.html).

Early Vedic age and Ganges

During the early Vedic Age of the Rigveda (http://sciencedoing.blogspot.in/2013/01/the-vedic-god-agni.html), the Indus and the Sarasvati River (http://sciencedoing.blogspot.in/2013/01/saraswati-lost-river-of-india.html) were the major sacred rivers, not the Ganges. 

But the later three Vedas give much more importance to the Ganges. The Gangetic Plain became the centre of successive powerful states, from the Maurya Empire to the Mughal Empire.

Ganges is the longest river in India 
The river has the second greatest water discharge in the world and its basin is the most heavily populated in the world with over 400 million people living in the basin.

Ganges and Hinduism
The 2,525 km (1,569 mi) river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state. The Ganges is the most sacred river to Hindus. It is also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs. It is worshipped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism.

Ganges from Himalayan valley to Gangetic plain
After flowing 250 kilometres (160 mi) through its narrow Himalayan valley, the Ganges emerges from the mountains at Rishikesh, then debouches onto the Gangetic Plain at the pilgrimage town of Haridwar.

At Haridwar, a dam diverts some of its waters into the Ganges Canal (http://throughpicture.blogspot.in/2014/01/proby-cautley-ganges-canal-in-india.html), which irrigates the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh, whereas the river, whose course has been roughly southwest until this point, now begins to flow southeast through the plains of northern India.

Life along the Ganges in Rishikesh and Haridwar
A pictorial tribute to this grand river of India, deep in the their religious conscience, flowing through the coast of Rishikesh and Haridwar:

Holy Ganges river of India witnesses varying activity along it's coast. White water rafting is another recreation for youngsters, in rapids of various grades in higher reaches of Himalayan.

White sand beach camp along Ganges in Rishikesh is another way to enjoy the natural and beautiful stay near this holy river.

Rishikesh is a place where Ganges appears from the Himalayan range into plains. There this river regarded as the most Holy, witnesses many human emotions performed at it's bank since ages.

 Rishikesh is considered by Hindus to be a holy city and is vegetarian by law.

An iron suspension bridge made over river Ganges to cross the river and is a landmark of Rishikesh.

 Haridwar is regarded as one of the seven holiest places to Hindus.

Holy dip in the Ganges at Haridwar.

 *a pictorial reference (in Hindi) about lost saraswati river:http://hindi.speakingtree.in/spiritual-slideshow/seekers/mysticism/content-380784/181484
#rishikesh and haridwar pictures belongs to author of this blog.
#river valley culture maps thankfully shared from:http://campusguides.stjohns.edu/content.php?pid=179056&sid=1507644
#textual reference thankfully shared from:http://en.wikipedia.org/

Satellite images of India

India from space

This week most of the on line editions of national news papers 

covered a report about India's satellite images, 

which were thankfully received from: 
nasa.gov

ISS

Chandrayaan-1

Mangalyaan

ISRO

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These images are very interesting as they show:

Indo-Pak border that is lit by floodlights. 

The floodlights dot the border in Gujarat to prevent smuggling and arms trafficking.
 (certain borders are fortified more than others. The US-Mexican border, the India-Pakistan border, the separation wall between Israel and the Palestinian territories, and the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea are among the places where the toughest national security and anti-movement policies are in force.
The border between these two countries is hotly contested, especially in the region of Kashmir. India is also wary of terrorist infiltration along the entire border. Sometimes called the “Berlin Wall of Asia”, the border has only one road crossing. Half of the border is floodlit, and hence can be seen from space.)

NASA has also captured some amazing photos 

of the Sundarbans area and the Ganges valley in Brahmputra.

These unseen photos of India from space show cities 

like Mumbai and Delhi, forest fires, and lakes. 

There are also images of India taken from Indian satellites Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan here. 

(shared thankfully from: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/)

Photograph taken from International Space Station, you can clearly see border between India and Pakistan due to special security lighting in orange. The Indian government sanctioned a move to erect floodlights along the terrain separating India and Pakistan in the Gujarat sector in 2003 to prevent smuggling and arms trafficking. Courtesy: ISS

his image of New Delhi was captured by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite on September 22, 2003. The dramatic differences in the landscapes tell some of the city’s history. Little vegetation interrupted the urban expanse. In contrast, the buildings of New Delhi were laid out along wide, tree-lined avenues that connected monuments, parks, and government buildings. Among the most obvious of these avenues is the Rajpath, visible as a green strip across the heart of New Delhi. The Rajpath connects the grounds of the President’s estate on the west to the India Gate (a World War I memorial) on the east. To the west of New Delhi is the Central Ridge Forest Reserve, which gives a hint of how the landscape would have looked before human development. Courtesy: nasa.gov

In this true-color MODIS image from October 23, 2001, the semi-arid Tibetan Plateau (upper left) meets up with the Himalayas to the south. From the heights of the Himalayas, snow-covered on their northern flanks, and lush with vegetation to the south, numerous rivers, brown with churned up sediment, flow into the valley of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India. Courtesy: nasa.gov

India’s Hugli River (sometimes spelled “Hooghly”) is a Ganges River distributary, one of the many branches of the river that are collectively known as the “Mouths of the Ganges.” As the Ganges approaches the coastal plain, the river fans out over the flat terrain of Bangladesh and West Bengal, India, as numerous meandering channels. The Hugli branches off the Ganges about 200 kilometers north of Calcutta, and the river flows past the city before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Courtesy: nasa.gov

A large fire was burning in India’s Sri Venkateshwara National Park on March 24, 2014, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this image. The fires are outlined in red. The park consists of dry deciduous forest, and is home to a wide range of rare wildlife, including tigers and the golden gecko. According to local news reports, several forest fires have burned in national parks and wildlife reserves in the hills of Andhra Pradesh over the past week. The protected forested land is dark green in contrast to the surrounding tan landscape. Courtesy: nasa.gov

This image, taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, shows Lake Sambhar’s eastern saltworks in detail. Today, they are operated by a joint venture between Hindustan Salts and the Government of Rajasthan. East of the dam is a railroad, built by the British (before India’s independence) that provides access from Sambhar Lake City to the salt works. Courtesy: nasa.gov

NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of Tropical Cyclone Lehar after it weakened to a depression and neared the coast of India on November 29. Lehar made landfall south of Machillipatnam. Courtesy: nasa.gov

The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) flying on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this image of Lonar Crater on November 29, 2004. In this simulated-true-color image, pink-beige indicates bare ground, blue and off-white indicate human-made structures, dark blue indicates water, green indicates vegetation, and dull purple indicates fallow fields. A vegetation-lined lake fills the crater, one of the few natural features of this scene. Signs of human habitation surround the lake, especially the cluster of blue and off-white points to its immediate northeast. Outside of this settlement, the vicinity is a patchwork of agricultural fields. Courtesy: nasa.gov

This image mosaic is comprised of three astronaut photographs acquired within ten seconds of each other as the International Space Station passed over India. Almost cloud-free conditions reveal the continuous urban land cover of the megacity extending north to south across Salsette Island—a distance of nearly 50 kilometers. Sanjay Gandhi National Park, bordered on three sides by the urbanized area, is the largest national park in the world located within city limits. In addition to providing a refuge for native plants and animals (including humans), the park also includes two lakes that form part of the Mumbai drinking water system. Courtesy: nasa.gov

With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER images Earth to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. ASTER is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched Dec. 18, 1999, on Terra. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and data products. Courtesy: nasa.gov

North of the Bay of Bengal in eastern India, the city of Calcutta (large purple area) hugs the eastern bank of one of the myriad channels that split off the Ganges River before it empties into the Bay. The arm of the Ganges that runs through Calcutta is known as the Hooghly River. It is the large, pale green river running through the left side of the image. Calcutta, also referred to as Kolkata, is about 100 miles north of where the Hooghly empties into the Bay via the Mouths of the Ganges. Courtesy: nasa.gov

Bangalore as seen from space. Courtesy: nasa.gov

Southern region of India with the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. Courtesy: nasa.gov

Saser Mustagh- The Saser Muztagh is the easternmost sub range of the Karakoram range, in the Kashmir region of India. Courtesy: nasa.gov

The Palk Strait. Courtesy: nasa.gov

An aerial view of Mumbai. Courtesy: nasa.gov

The Sunderbans area of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Courtesy: nasa.gov

The Chandrayaan-1 Image: Photograph of the earth with India at its center. The photograph was taken on March 25, 2009 at 07:03:03 UTC from Chandrayaan 1 - India's first satellite to moon. Courtesy: ISRO

The Mangalyan Image: Photograph of India along with the some other parts of Asia and Africa taken by our first interplanetary space mission officially known as the Mars Orbiter Mission on November 19, 2013, from a 70,000 kilometers above Earth. Courtesy: ISRO