Kasol Tourism

A small village in Himachal situated along the banks of the river Parvati, Kasol is a tourist attraction that is rapidly gaining fame as a very popular hub for trekkers, backpackers, and nature lovers. Commonly known as the Amsterdam of India, this quaint little village is resplendent in natural scenic beauty, and is one of the few places in the country that is yet to be ruined by urbanization and commercialization. Situated between the towns of Bhuntar and Manikaran, Kasol might seem like a plain, nondescript village from the outside, but it is one of the best places in the country to just sit back and chill in the lap of nature.

With the waters of the Parvati river gurgling along and a stunning view of the snow-capped mountains in the background, taking a stroll along the river is one of the best ways to spend a day in Kasol. With smooth boulders and clean white sand separating the green grass from the frothing sea-green waters of the river, every single bend in the river opens up to a breathtaking panorama of cliffs, pine trees, and gushing waterfalls.

Kasol is famous for its trekking trails, which include treks to Kheerganga, Yanker Pass, Sar Pass, and Pin Parbati Pass. To get a real feel of the culture in these regions, go on a visit to the village of Malana. Located a few kilometres away from Kasol, Malana is a tiny hamlet inhabited by people living in self-imposed isolation. The people of Malana claim themselves to be Aryan descendants, as a result of which they avoid interaction with outsiders. The village has plenty of scenic sights, though, and is often called ‘Little Greece’.
Kasol is inhabited by a huge number of people from Israel, which is clearly discernible from the plenteously available Israeli food, and the street signposts inscribed in Hebrew. Kasol has quite a few streetside cafes which serve delicious food, and the experience of sitting and enjoying a meal amidst the dark green forests and the awe-inspiring mountains make the meal even more enjoyable.

Kasol has a flea market that sells a variety of items, so you can pick up trinkets, souvenirs, pendants, and even semi-precious stones to take back home for family and friends.

Introduction to stepwells

• The Adalaj step well or 'Vav', as it is called in Gujarati, is intricately carved and is five stories deep. It was built in 1498. The history of the Adalaj step-well is established by an inscription in Sanskrit found on a marble slab positioned in a recess on the first floor, from the eastern entry to the well. Its construction was started by Rana Veer Singh of the Vaghela dynasty of Dandai Desh. But he was killed in a war, wherefater the Muslim king Mahmud Begada of a neighbouring state built it in Indo-Islamic architectural style, in 1499.
  
• The Sanskrit inscription in the stepwell describes,
• "Samvat 1555 (1498 AD), month of Magha, Mahmud Padshah being king.
• "Salutation to Vinayaka (Ganesha) to whose race belonged King Mokala, chief of the country of Dandahi. From him was born Karna, whose son was Mularaja. Mahipa was Mularaja's son, and Virsinh and Naisha were the sons of Mahipa. Virsinh's queen, whose name is Rooda, has constructed this well.
• "It is dedicated at this time — when the sun is in the north, the month is Magha, the bright half (Shukla Paksha), the 5th day, the day of the week, Wednesday, the lunar mansion — Uttara, Karana-Bava, the yoga — Siddhi."
• Then follows a glowing description of the well, after which the queen, or rather lady of the chief, is praised in a few verses; the expense is stated at 5,00,111 tankas, or over five lakhs, and the whole ends with a repetition of the date as given above.
• The cultural and architectural depiction in the deep wells at various levels are a tribute to the history of step wells, built initially by Hindus and subsequently ornamented and blended with Islamic architecture during the Muslim rule.

History

Historical places of Gondal

Orchard Palace was converted into a seven-room heritage hotel decorated with 1930s–1940s art deco furniture, antiques and handicrafts. The garden contains many types of birds, including a large population of peacocks. The Room of Miniatures is a sitting room with a collection of miniature paintings, brass, and furniture. One of the highlights of the palace is the Rail Saloon of the royal family of Gondal which has been converted into a suite with a drawing room, dining room and bedroom. The royal garages have an extensive collection of vintage and classic cars.

• Gandhidham is a city in the Kutch District of Gujarat state of India. The town was created in the early 1950s for the resettlement of the refugees from Sindh (now in Pakistan) in the aftermath of the partition of India. It was named after Mahatma Gandhi, the father of Indian nation. Gandhidham is an economic capital of Kutch and it is a fast developing city in Gujarat state. A growing retirement and family city, Gandhidham is the 8th most populous city in the state of Gujarat. The city is a popular destinations for conventions, business, and meetings.

History

• Soon after the Partition of India in 1947, a large group of Sindhi Hindus refugees from Sindh of Pakistan migrated to India. The Maharaja of Kutch His Highness Maharao Shri Vijayrajji Khengarji Jadeja, on the advice of Gandhiji gave 15,000 acres (61 km²) of land to Bhai Pratap, who founded the Sindhu Resettlement Corporation Ltd (SRC) to rehabilitate Sindhi Hindus that migrated
  
  from Sindh in Pakistan
• The Sindhu Resettlement Corporation Ltd was formed with Acharaya Kriplani as chairman and Bhai Pratap Dialdas as managing director. The main objective of the corporation was to assist in the rehousing of displaced persons by the construction of a new township. The original plan was prepared by a team of planners headed by Dr. O. H. Koenigsberger, director of the division of housing in the Government of India. Later, the plan was revised by Adams Howard and Greeley Company in 1952.
•  The foundation stone of the town was laid with the blessings of Gandhi in 1947. Hence, the town was named Gandhidham. To clean the desert where it was built, Bhai Pratap gave incentive of 25 paise to kill scorpions and 50 paise to kill snakes.The original plan envisaged 400,000 as the ultimate population of the town, expecting half of it to be reached in the mid-seventies. A revised plan envisaged three stages of town development with the mid stage lasting longer with a population around 150,000.

Geography and climate

• Gandhidham is located at latitude 23.08° N longitude 70.13° E. The main city is constructed in accordance with the principles of Vastu-Shastra (Hindu belief of construction), i.e., the main city has its face directed to the East. Summers are hot and dry and frequently the temperature touches 45 °C (113 °F). In winters, it falls to 3 °C (37 °F) accompanied by cold waves. The climate here is "desert." there is virtually no rainfall in a year in Gandhidham. This climate is considered to be BWh according to the Koppen-Geiger classification of climates. The average annual temperature is 26.8c. The average rainfall is 375mm.