travel news review

24 May '99
In northern India, Brahmin priests have begun efforts to curb the pollution levels of Hinduism's sacred river, the Ganges. At the behest of environmentalists, priests in the holy cities of Varanasi and Kanpur have been persuading pilgrims to bury their relatives by the side of the river instead of cremating them. Hindu teaching stipulates that immersion of the cremated remains in the river frees the soul from its bondage to the cycle of bodily rebirth. So great is demand for cremation that many of the thousands of bodies cremated daily are dumped into the river before they have been fully cremated to make room for others, adding to the pollution.

21 May '99
A small stretch of Indian coastline in the southern region of Kerala is unusually rich in naturally-occurring radioactive materials. The area's population of about 100,000 is exposed to radiation levels five to 30 times that found in most other areas on the planet - a level estimated to be equivalent to radiation levels from 17 to 100 chest x rays. Black sand beaches on the Arabian Sea contain radioactive materials such as thorium, uranium and monazite. A government study into the local population's health suggests that prolonged exposure to low levels of radiation may have led to resistance to radiation poisoning and even other diseases, although these conclusions are disputed.

18 May '99
A scheme intended to facilitate the return to India of persons of Indian origin, or PIOs, has recently been launched by the Indian government. The PIO Card Scheme enables PIOs throughout the world (except Pakistan and Bangladesh) to return without a visa and enjoy the economic, cultural and social currently available to non-resident Indians. About 15 million people are set to benefit from the scheme, which recognises Indian origin as far back as four generations. The card costs just under US$1000 and is valid for twenty years.

18 May '99
Six Mumbai eunuchs have begun new careers as debt-collectors, and with some success. The hijras visit the debtor on behalf of the debt-collection agency and threaten to lift their saris and expose themselves unless the debt is paid up. The strategy seems to be working, as hijras - eunuchs by deformity, genetic accident or by choice - are shunned by contemporary Indian society. Their position on the social hierarchy is lower even than the Untouchables, even though they were until last century well-educated and influential advisors to the Mughals. As a result, the estimated 150,000 eunuchs of Mumbai have, until now, made their living by blessing the birth of a child and by harassing wedding guests and even passers-by on the street with threats of indecent exposure.

17 May '99
The history of oneupmanship that characterises the fraught relationship between Pakistan and India has slipped to new lows. After India's announcement that the first anniversary of its nuclear testing program, 11 May, has been deemed National Resurgence Day, Pakistan has trumped its neighbour.Eighteen days of celebrations have been earmarked to celebrate the Pakistani anniversary, beginning 10 May and culminating 28 May, the day of the anniversary. Public rallies and seminars have been organised, songs have been written and television stations are setting broadcast time aside for programs honouring the tests. According to the government, the festivities are to encourage Pakistanis to work towards self-reliance.

30 April '99
Border conflicts continue in the disputed Kashmir region straddling India and Pakistan. In the latest incidence of violence, 15 civilians were wounded when Indian troops fired mortar shells at a Pakistani village about 250km north of Pakistani Kashmir's capital, Muzaffarabad. Such incidents are a regular occurrence in the region, a third of which is under Pakistani control. The rest is Indian Kashmir, the only Muslim-dominated province in India, in which guerillas fight on ongoing battle for an independent Kashmir or a merger with Pakistan. The two countries have fought two wars over the region since Indian independence in 1947.

23 April '99
For once Indian environmental groups have something to cheer about. After an absence of three years, the giant olive ridley sea turtle has come back to the beaches of Orissa on the eastern Indian coast. Tens of thousands of turtles are nesting en masse on the beach of Ekakulanasi Island. It's a victory for government departments and voluntary groups who have long campaigned against illegal fishing trawlers. The turtles become entangled in trawlers' nets, and are either drowned or hacked to death. Orissa's beaches are the largest of the turtle's mass nesting sites.

19 April '99
The high-output Indian film industry has set a new standard for the mass production of films: 23 hours and 58 minutes, in fact. Guinness Book of Records representatives were on hand in the southern city of Chennai (formerly Madras) to witness the production of the Tamil-language film, Swayamvaram. The feat necessitated a crew of almost 2,500 working on 27 sites across the city, including 10 heroes, 11 heroines and 14 directors. The film's release is set for June.

16 April '99
About 5 million Sikh pilgrims - or about one quarter of India's entire Sikh population - converged on the Punjabi holy city of Anandpur Sahib over the past fortnight. They were be celebrating the 300th anniversary of the founding of the religion's militant branch, Khalsa Sikhism, although the festivities were split between moderate and radical Sikh factions.

Over 5000 police officers assembled amid fears that the festivities would be sabotaged by hardline Sikh separatists waging an ongoing struggle for an independent Sikh homeland. Although the Punjab is now safe for travel, a decade of separatist Sikh violence beginning in the early 80s claimed up to 10,000 victims, ending with brutal repression by Indian authorities.

12 April '99
The government of Rajasthan has decided to put an end to the days of lager louts linking arms and singing 'Roll Out the Curry'. Horror of horrors, beer has been banned from sale in the state's restaurants and 74 beer bars, begging the question of what exactly a beer bar can sell if not beer - beer nuts, perhaps? The ban will be introduced as a phase-out: new licenses will not be issued and current licenses will not be renewed.

9 April '99
Hot on the heels of the historic first run of a bus service between Lahore and Delhi comes the first dry run of the Dhaka-Calcutta bus service. The service will be the only overland public transport between the Bangladeshi and West Bengali capitals, and will vastly simplify access to Bangladesh for travellers and locals.

6 April '99
An earthquake in India's Himalayan foothills has claimed 73 victims and rising. Described as severe and damaging, India's seismological department measured the quake at 6.8 on the Richter scale. Reports estimate its length at 40 seconds, with an epicentre in the remote Kumaon hills in Uttar Pradesh, about 300km (186mi) north of Delhi. Tremorswere felt in the major northern cities of Chandigarh, Varanasi and Kanpur.

An eight kilogram bomb exploded while being defused in the railway station of the Hindu holy city of Ayodhya. The explosion injured three policemen defusing the bomb, but claimed no fatalities. The explosion occurred just minutes before the arrival of a train full of pilgrims returning from a pilgrimage to Lord Ram's birthplace. It is the latest incident in a bitter feud being waged between Hindus and Moslems ever since Hindu fundamentalists destroyed a mosque in the city in 1992.

29 March '99
The caste war in India's northwest continues to simmer. In the latest round of violence in Bihar state, bordering Nepal, Maoist rebels raided a village, killing 35 upper-caste Hindus. The People's War Group claimed responsibility for the attack as revenge for the murders of 33 members of the Dalit ethnic group over the past six weeks.

22 March '99
Seven people have fallen victim to the latest series of guerilla attacks in India's troubled north-eastern province of Assam. Five of the victims were members of the Central Reserve Police Force, which fights alongside the army. The attack occurred in the remote village of Jatinga. The other two victims were policemen on patrol, shot at close range. None of the region's several separatist groups - some of which are in negotiations with the Indian government - have yet claimed responsibility.

15 March '99
Indian Airlines are currently offering discounts on selected flights. Ten per cent discounts are available until at least the end of March - and possibly later - on return tickets between Madras and Calcutta, Madras and New Delhi and Bombay and Bangalore. The discounts are available for both rupee and dollar fares, and include child and infant fares.

12 March '99
The Kama Sutra carvings of central India's renowned Khajuraho temple complex are this year celebrating their thousandth year of cavorting. President R.K. Narayanan kicked off the celebrations on Saturday at a function timed to coincide with the annual dance festival, as well as the launch of Visit India Year and India's millennial celebrations.

The adults-only tourist attraction is a United Nations world heritage site dating from the Hindu Chandela kings of the 10th and 11th centuries. Indian tourist authorities hope the festivities surrounding the ancient depictions of sexual gymnastics will seduce enough tourists to reverse a decline in international tourism to India.

9 March '99
Officials from India's government-run airline admit their planes are looking rather shabby. In fact, Indian Airlines (IA) has announced a major facelift for its aging aircraft fleet, much of which is over 20 years old. The refurbishment is expected to cost about 22 million rupees (US$500,000). The move is designed to create a favourable impression amongst IA's passengers in the face of stiff competition on key routes from private carrier Jet Airlines, with its fleet of brand-spanking-new aircraft. The airline does not plan to buy new aircraft in the near future.

4 March '99
The tiny province of Goa, on India's west coast, is shaping up to be a hot zone in the war between environmentalists and developers. Most recently, construction of a US$5.9 million luxury resort on the Nagorcem-Palolem beach was brought to a halt by a Bombay high court when it upheld a protest initiated by the environmental Goa Foundation. The decision is the latest of 40 court cases over the past 10 years in Goa alone brought by environmentalists against hotel and industrial groups they deem to have violated Goa's Coastal Zone Management Plan. The court's decision upheld the Foundation's claim that the hotel site was within 400m (1312ft) of sand dunes, which, as 'Nature's line of defence', are categorised as the most sensitive Coastal Regulation Zone 1. Despite the breach in regulations, the Goa Chief Town Planner and the Ministry of Environment and Forests had previously approved construction of the hotel.

24 February '99
Pakistanis, Indians, travellers and anti-nuclear activists will be heartened by news of a rapprochement between traditional rivals - and recent additions to the nuclear family - Pakistan and India. A visit to Lahore by Indian Prime Minister Mr Atal Bihary Vijpayee was the first of its type in 10 years. The adversaries have gone to war three times in the past 50 years, twice over the status of the province of Kashmir, which each country claims as its own. Last year, both nations conducted underground nuclear weapons tests, sending shockwaves throughout the region and the world and unnerving each other in the process.

Pakistani Prime Minister Mr Nawaz Sharif greeted Mr Vijpayee when he descended from a bus full of politicians and movie stars and decorated with the flags of both countries. The bus was on an historic journey - the first commercial service between the neighbours in 51 years - prompting the Pakistani leader to envisage a time when both countries would enjoy a relationship similar to that of Canada and the USA. The catalyst for the 24-hour visit is said to have been the stunning success of the Pakistan-India cricket series recently held in India, during which the Pakistanis were given a standing ovation by appreciative Indian audiences and became cult figures throughout the country.

19 February '99
Indian health authorities are confident that within three years they will have eradicated leprosy as a public health problem. Their confidence springs from the results of a national campaign conducted over the past 12 months in conjunction with the World Health Organisation [WHO] to isolate hidden incidences of the disease. A public health problem is defined as an incidence rate of over one per 10,000 members of the population. Bhutan, Maldives, Thailand and Sri Lanka have already bettered this target, while Myanmar, Bangladesh and Indonesia expect to reach it by the end of next year.

India currently accounts for 65% of leprosy infections worldwide. Contrary to common opinion, leprosy is curable at all stages of onset, is mostly non-infectious and, in the 30% of infectious cases, multi-drug therapy renders the patient non-infectious within a few days.

15 February '99
If Indian banking authorities are starting to sweat, it's not just because of the heat. A recent audit indicated that, with less than eleven short months to go to the New Year, only 21 per cent of India's bank branches are certain to function come next January 1. The Reserve Bank of India is worried the entire Indian banking system may become unworkable as Y2K (year 2000) compliant and non-compliant systems collide. The Reserve is nonetheless sticking to the March 31 deadline, by which time banks are to have ensured compliance. Non-compliant banks will incur penalties when the deadline expires.

5 February '99
From little things big things grow. Despite continuing stumbles, India's on-line revolution is gathering momentum. The Indian government has relinquished its monopoly control of Internet services, opening the way for a host of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to enter the market. The ISPs face a seemingly insurmountable variety of problems, not least of which are a lack of local content as well as poor telephone and PC penetration. There are only 19.1 million telephones in the entire country, servicing a population soon to overtake China's as the largest in the world. The statistics are not deterring analysts' predictions that, after a slow 1999, the number of Indian subscribers to the Internet will grow to 1.5 million by the end of 2000.

1 February '99
Government officials have condemned as 'barbaric and hellish' an attack on an Australian social worker and his two sons in the eastern state of Orissa, south of Calcutta. The attack, allegedly perpetrated by Bajrang Dal activists, resulted in the deaths of Graham Stewart Steins and his two sons, aged seven and nine. The Bajrang Dal is one of several fundamentalist Hindu wings of the Sangh Parivar, a coalition of groups including India's dominant political party, the BJP. It's the latest in a recent series of attacks against Christians, Christian places of worship and property.

25 January '99
A 24-hour telephone information service has been introduced to provide information on Bombay's eat-in and takeaway restaurants. By dialing 888 8888, callers can glean information on a variety of their favourite cuisines.

25 January '99
The Punjab Tourist Development Corporation (the PTDC) has announced a plan to revive the flagging fortunes of tourism after a decade of militant violence in the region. The plan includes the development of tourist sites and heritage areas, with the possible construction of an Oberoi Hotel in the holy city of Anandpur Sahib. As part of the initiative, the PTDC will hand over management of regional tourism attractions to the private sector, which has, of course, welcomed the moves.

18 January '99
Bookings are open for a superfast train service between Mumbai (Bombay) and Calcutta, to be introduced from 16 January. Previously the quickest train service between the two cities was the 34 hour Geetanjali Express. While Central Railways' new service - at 31 hours - is a marginal improvement, weary passengers will be grateful for the three hours' reprieve and the air-conditioned comfort available in three-tier, two-tier and first class carriages.

15 January '99
After a number of what have been described as 'dry runs', a bus service between Delhi and the Pakistani city of Lahore is set to commence sometime after 20 January, pending final government clearance. The service is scheduled to run four times a week, completing the 500km (310mi) journey in about 14 hours. Passengers will need valid visas, which will not be issued to tourists. Only those with relations (of the human, not the presidential, variety) on either side of the border are eligible, although both countries issue special visas to businessmen, journalists and artists.

8 January '99
In an attempt to curb illegal immigration and smuggling between India and Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal has announced plans to build a fence between the two countries. Nearly 900 km (1450 mi) of fence will be erected, almost half the total length of the border.

4 January '99
Officials are looking at ways to improve air quality in Delhi as pollution levels in the city are at an all-time high. More than 400 deluxe buses will commence on Delhi's city bus routes during peak hours next March. Fares on the deluxe buses (deluxe means air-conditioned) will be more than ordinary bus fares but officials are hoping the deluxe buses will attract commuters who generally travel by car.

4 January '99
Train and air services have returned to normal in northern India after days of blanketing fog caused much disruption to transport services. New Delhi's international airport has resumed full services for the first time since 18 December when heavy fog set in.

Most trains in and out of New Delhi were also affected with most trains 10 to 18 hours behind schedule or cancelled completely. Forecasters have predicted poor weather conditions will continue in northern India for some time yet, causing more delays to transport services.

30 December
The government of India has issued a warning to travellers visiting Agra. In recent months there has been an increase in the number of scams and robberies reported to police by travellers. Government authorities are advising travellers to avoid the hordes of unlicensed guides and touts, particularly around the Taj Mahal. One of the more popular scams used by touts and guides is taking travellers to restaurants where they are served drugged food and robbed.

23 Decemeber '98
Six policemen and four civilians were killed in a bomb explosion in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam. The explosion occurred as police returned with four suspected extremists from a raid on a militant hideout. This follows a bomb blast on Friday that killed seven people and injured over 40. The recent violence is a product of hostilities between Assam's Bodo people and Bangladeshi Muslim settlers, particularly in areas now designated as Bodo homelands.

23 Decemeber '98
Indian Railways will run extra train services during the Christmas, Sabarimala and winter holiday season. Western Railways will run eight special trains between Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi. Central Railways will run special trains between Mumbai, Howrah and Ernakulam and will add extra coaches to certain trains. Southern Railways will also run special express services between Madras Central, Quilon and Chennai Central. .

16 December '98
The Mumbai-Goa ferry that runs from Mumbai's Mazagaon Dock to Panaji is not operational. The service usually begins at the end of the monsoon (15 October) but according to operators Frank Shipping Services the boat has been experiencing "engine problems". A series of launch dates have come and gone in November and December but the service has failed to materialise.

11 December '98
While India and Pakistan agree in theory on the establishment of a Delhi-Lahore bus service, neither country can agree on where the bus will go and how often it will run. Currently passengers wishing to travel overland between India and Pakistan have to go to Amritsar in northern India and change trains. Anyone who has been to this border knows getting on this train is no mean feat; it's a serious push and shove affair to get both a ticket and a seat. With the Amritsar connection out of the way, travel between the two countries will be much easier from both sides of the border.

1 December '98
Travellers to the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu will have to brush up on their Tamil language skills. Commencing next year, primary school students will be taught in Tamil only. The decision to no longer use English in schools will, it is hoped, reduce the spread of English across the state and increase the use of Tamil.

27 November '98
Elephanta Island, one of Mumbai's most popular tourist attractions, may become even more popular if a proposed amusement park planned for the island goes ahead. As well as the theme park, plans for tourist accommodation and a safari park on the island have also been suggested. The theme park idea has been met with much opposition from heritage groups in Mumbai, who believe the sanctity of the island must be preserved. The rock cut temples on the island are believed to have been created when the island was known as Gharapuri, the Fortress City. Although the Portuguese did their fair share of damage to the temples, their size, beauty and power remain impressive.

23 November '98
The Indian Tourism Development Corporation has launched a new train package tour travelling to Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Northern India. The six day tours leaves from Calcutta and travels to Varanasi, Rajgir and Gaya before returning to Calcutta. The price of the tour per person, which includes food and accommodation, ranges from US$379 for the ordinary traveller to US$799 for the luxury traveller. Tickets can be obtained from the India Tourism Development Corporation in New Delhi.Kashmir issue. The nuclear warheads may not help, either.

27 October '98
Since both India and Pakistan have got the Bomb, suddenly the foreign secretaries and prime ministers are engaging in 'friendly conversations' and 'very cordial' meetings. The two prime ministers are even becoming 'comfortable' with each other.

Despite the rhetoric, India has rejected Pakistan's proposal for a 'no-war' pact because Islamabad has linked it to the settlement of the disputed territory of Kashmir, so don't go booking your Dal Lake houseboat just yet. Pakistani foreign secretary Sartaz Aziz said that relations between India and Pakistan could not be normalised without progress on the Kashmir issue. The nuclear warheads may not help, either.

23 October '98
Three people were killed and 12 were injured early this week when the Magadh ('superfast') Express derailed near Gahmar railway station in Danapur division because of faults in the track. It was the fourth accident of its kind recently, and the Indian Railway Minister has consequently summoned a meeting of the Railway Board in Delhi to review railway safety measures.

5 October '98
A recent survey by the US publisher Readers Digest has revealed unsurprisingly that Indian and Chinese drivers in are the worst in Asia. In India there are around 155 road deaths daily - around 70,000 in the last year - which is an astonishing total in relation to the number of vehicles on the road. In China, more than 75,000 people died in road accidents last year. Both India and China blame truck and bus congestion on the roads and the equal congestion in vehicles for the high number of deaths.

30 September '98
Despite much opposition from the All-Party Muslim Action Committee, the Taj Mahal will open to tourists on full-moon nights. Until 1984, when Sikh militants threatened to bomb the Taj Mahal, the tomb had been opened on full moon nights. It is expected the first full moon opening will take place on 5 October.

The Taj Mahal, described as the most extravagant monument ever built for love, has become the de facto tourist emblem of India. This poignant Moghul mausoleum was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his second wife Mumtaz Mahal, whose death in childbirth in 1631 left the emperor so heartbroken that his hair is said to have turned grey overnight. Construction of the Taj began in the same year and was not completed until 1653. In total, 20,000 people from India and central Asia worked on the building.

20 September '98
Plans to reopen the Taj Mahal for moonlight visits by tourists have been vigorously opposed by the All-Party Muslim Action Committee. The objections to the re-opening were based on the Taj Mahal being used as a money spinner for adjacent hotel owners and souvenir shops when it is a site of sentimental and spiritual value for Muslims.

12 August '98
Daily Qantas flights from Mumbai to Sydney, Australia, started last week. The flights via Singapore leave Bombay at midnight, and arrive in Australia the next afternoon. Business and economy class ticket are available on the service but Qantas does not offer any first-class services between India and Australia.

28 July '98
The Mangalore-Nizamuddin Mangla Express 2617 Down/2618 Up may not mean much, but in simple terms itÆs a new train service. And what a service it is too, cutting 14 hours off the journey between Cochin in Kerala and Agra in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. The new service operates on the recently completed Konkan Railway, and connects Goa with Agra and Cochin. First train leaves the station at 1 August.

22 June '98
Indian Airlines has begun 24 hour reservation and ticketing services from its main Calcutta office. The office in Airlines House is located at 39 Chittaranjan Avenue, telephone (033) 266869.

8 July '98
Kenya Airways has begun air services between Mumbai and Lagos, the capital of Nigeria. The flights to Lagos are via Nairobi and will operate on Sundays and Wednesdays. The return economy fare is Rs 52,735 (US$ 1230) plus Rs 500 Mumbai airport tax (US$11.00). A one-way fare to Lagos is Rs 29,515 (US$692) plus the airport tax.

1 July '98
The Sanwaliyaji temple at Mandphiya in southern Rajasthan is to be restored and expanded as part of a five-year plan. Authorities are hoping the restored temple will emerge as a pilgrimage tourist destination similar to the nearby Nathdwara temple. The Rajasthan state government is currently considering granting Nathdwara, where an 18th century Vishnu temple of Sri Nathji is located, the status of temple town.

15 June '98
Extreme weather conditions are continuing in India, causing many deaths. In the eastern state of Orissa, the 5 -week long heatwave continues and temperatures in the state have reached 51°C (124°F) during the heatwave. On the west coast of India, the state of Gujarat has been devastated by a cyclone which hit last week. More than 900 people are believed to have drowned during the violent storm. The Gujarat Government has declared coastal areas as ``epidemic- threatened'' and food and medical supplies are being brought into the area. In the north east, all major rivers in Assam including the Brahmaputra, are flooded, causing widespread disruption to transport, power and other services throughout the state.

10 June '98
A new train service now connects Mumbai and Mangalore. The express train departs from the Kurla terminus (Mumbai) on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and departs Mangalore for the return journey on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The express train completes the journey in 16 hours. Bookings for the train can be made at any station in India connected to the Mumbai Passenger Rail Service booking system.

It never rains... More than 2600 people have died in IndiaÆs worst heatwave this century. Daily temperatures in New Delhi have hovered around 42°C (107°F) for the last four weeks. Meteorologists have predicted heavy rains in Rajasthan later in the week when a cyclone is expected to hit the Gujarat coast. A red alert has been issued, especially in Jodhpur and Udaipur, warning residents of impending heavy rain and winds. In other parts of the country pre-monsoon rains are also expected to bring some relief to the hundreds of thousands of people suffering in the heat.

3 June '98
India's new Hindu nationalist government is leading a campaign to reduce foreign influence in India. The government is particularly offended by theatrical and musical productions which are undermining the country's traditional culture. The government has stated kissing on theatre stages, 'permissive'. Theatrical productions and gyrating pop singers, particularly gyrating Pakistani pop singers, will be banned. Government officials have also called for a 11.30 pm closing time for all nightclubs, especially in Mumbai which has many western-influenced bars and theatres.

27 May '98
Northern India is still sweltering through a heatwave. Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh all have recorded record temperatures in the past 10 days. Gondar, in Uttar Pradesh, recorded the highest temperature, 49°C (120°F). The hottest day of the summer was recorded in New Delhi on Friday, with the mercury peaking at 44.6°C (112°F). The minimum recorded was 27.4°C (81°F). Power cuts and water shortages have been reported in a number of northern regions. The hot spell is expected to continue for another few days as IndiaÆs western monsoons are not expected for at least another week.

13 May '98
After a lapse of more than 10 years, AmritsarÆs Raja Sansi Airport will soon be taking international flights. International flights were suspended because of widespread violence in the Punjab. Air India has introduced flights on Sunday and Wednesday between Amritsar and Delhi. Passengers boarding at Amritsar are now booked through to their final destination in the United States, Canada, Europe and South East Asia, and passengers from these destinations can be booked through to Amritsar. Amritsar is IndiaÆs sixth international airport.

6 May '98
Water Kingdom, IndiaÆs first water theme park and one of AsiaÆs largest, has opened at Esselworld at Borivli, in northern Mumbai. The Water Kingdom can accommodate 2500 people and comes with every possible water attachment: water slides, rapid rivers and wave pools. The wave pool comes with lifeguards, a shipwreck, 27 water jets and three water guns.

The future of Mysore Palace, in the state of Karnataka, has been decided following a long court battle between the government of Karnataka and the former royal family who last occupied the palace. The palace, the seat of maharajas of Mysore, was completed in 1912 and was modelled on Windsor Castle in England. The state government took control of the Palace in 1976 when the Mysore royal family announced plans to turn the palace into a luxury hotel. Despite the Supreme Court order, the state government has refused to hand back the palace, worth an estimated US$250 million, to the family.

29 April '98
Hotels of India is a new internet site that offers reservation and online bookings for hotels in India. The site has a searchable index, phone and fax numbers, prices in rupees and US dollars and photographs of some of the hotels included on the site. Most of the hotels listed are in the mid to upper price range. The address is www.hotelsofindia.com.

15 April '98
The last Kumbh Mela of the century is in progress in Haridwar, 214km (133mi) north-east of Delhi, attracting millions of pilgrims and a huge number of Hindu holy men who come to bathe here, where the Ganges emerges from the Himalayas. The main bathing days this year are 11, 12 February, 28 March, 5, 11, 13, 14, 26, 29 April, and 14 May. According to Hindu creation myths, the gods and demons once fought a great battle for a kumbh (pitcher) containing the nectar of immortality. Vishnu got his hands on the container and spirited it away, but during his flight four drops of nectar spilt on the earth - at Haridwar, Allahabad, Nasik and Ujjain. A huge mela (fair) is held at each of the four places once every 12 years. It will take place next in Allahabad in 2001.

8 April '98
The Glory of India Temple, a new multi-million dollar high-tech temple built by the Hare Krishnas, has opened in New Delhi. The temple features scripture-reciting robots, with Indian and American actors providing the voices. There are also performing robots which enact scenes from the Mahabharata, one of the major Sanskrit epics of India.

Sahara Airlines have commenced daily flights between Goa and Delhi. The flights depart Delhi at 11.45 am, with the return flight leaving Goa at 2pm. Previously only Indian Airlines offered a daily Delhi-Goa flight.

18 March '98
A backlash by voters in the alcohol-free northern India state of Haryana could see the re-introduction of alcohol in the state. A new policy is expected to be introduced in April permitting the sale of alcohol in restaurants, guesthouses and hotels. Pressure from womenÆs groups resulted in the banning of alcohol in 1996. However, the ban was not all that successful, as massive smuggling and bootlegging operations provided most Haryans with access to alcohol.

4 March '98
Three ‘seat-grabbers’ were arrested at New Delhi railway station on Sunday following a scuffle with disgruntled passengers. A gang of 40 professional seat-grabbers threw stones at members of the public and later police before being outnumbered by railway officials and fleeing the platform. Seat-grabbing is a common scam in New Delhi, and involves professionals jumping into trains before paying passengers, occupying seats in unreserved compartments and ’selling’ the seats to passengers without reservations for up to Rs50 just before trains depart.

Election officials in the Indian province of Orissa kept carrier pigeons on hand to communicate urgent messages during the second phrase of general elections recently, in case radio and telecommunications services failed.

18 February '98
The lead-up to India's general election has culminated in a series of bombings, guerilla attacks and riots in which over 70 people have died. In the southern city of Coimbatore, a hospital, a railway station and a bus terminal were among the targets of the 17 bombs which killed over 50 people. The bombings resulted in riots and arson, and occurred after weeks of increasing tensions between the Hindu majority and the Moslem minority. Groups from both sides have been blamed for the bombings but no one has claimed responsibility. Outside of Coimbatore, more than 19 people were killed in pre-election violence. Voting for the parliament will continue until 7 March, and security forces are on full alert and ordered to shoot on sight anyone attempting to disrupt the polling.

India will have two new luxury trains in 1999 under a new plan by Indian Railways and Sterling Holiday Resorts Ltd. One will cover scenic areas in the north, starting in New Delhi and going to Jaipur, Agra, Gwalior, Jhansi (Khajuraho), Varansi and Lucknow. The second will travel south from Bangalore to Mysore, Madras, Kodaikanal Kanyakumari, Trivandrum, Cochin and Mettupalayam (Ooty).

4 February '98
Travellers on the express train service between Mumbai and Ahmedebad, in Gujarat, can now travel on to Rajasthan following the extension of the service to Jaipur. Trains leave Mumbai Central daily at 19.35, arriving in Jaipur 24 hours later. On the UP express, trains leave Jaipur at 06.50, arriving the following day at Mumbai Central at 06.25.

Other new Indian Railway services shortly to be introduced are a bi-weekly express service between Jaipur and Amritsar and a weekly service between New Delhi and Secunderabad in Andhra Pradesh.

21 January '98
Health authorities in the southern state of Tamil Nadu issued a health alert following an increase in the number of reported cases of Japanese Encephalitis. A number of people have already died from a viral meningitis with clinical features resembling Japanese Encephalitis. For most travellers the threat of contracting the disease is fairly low and vaccination against the disease is only recommended to travellers intending to spend long periods in rural areas.