Srinagar-Jammu national highway closed for fourth day due to heavy rainfall and snow

Heavy rain and snowfall has cut off Kashmir from the rest of the country and the Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained closed for the fourth consecutive day. It was difficult to restore the nearly 300-Km highway which is the only all-weather surface link between Kashmir and rest of the country because of continuous rain and snowfall.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 11 March 2017.

Over two feet of snow had accumulated on the ground at Jawahar Tunnel, one feet at Zig and four inches in Qazigund town but, the real problem is the continuous landslides and falling stones triggered by incessant rains in Ramban sector. Huge boulders and sliding stones have totally blocked the highway at various places between Banihal and Ramban axis.
The famous ski resort of Gulmarg, which experienced over two feet of fresh snow during this week, continued to be the coldest recorded place in the state. Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir is the base camp during the annual Amarnath yatra and, it also witnessed a fall of two degrees in the night temperature.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Barack Obama enters the league of top US Presidents with ranking of 12

Public tours of the White House will begin again from March 7

Explosion in French nuclear power plant in a non-nuclear zone


Didi caught in the whirlpool of industries (satire)

Moody’s love hate relationship with the raincoat (satire)

The curse of social media – cold blooded murders committed


Mumbai will get to see Justin Bieber in action on May 10

Kangana Ranaut is 'fearless Julia' in Rangoon

Shakti Kapoor holds his audience spellbound in the Khandagiri Yatra


ISIS carries out car bombing in Baghdad - kills at least 55

Suicide bomb attack kills at least 72 in a Sufi shrine in Pakistan

Mayor of London worried about ISIS attacks on the city

Ice lingam of Amarnath cave has melted much before time - thousands of pilgrims disappointed

The journey to the cave temple in Amarnath to get a darshan of the ice lingam of Lord Shivais an annual event - it starts on July 02 and is supposed to conclude on August 18, the day of Raksha Bandhan. But, this year, the huge lingam has melted away much before time, 34 days before the end. This has come as a heartbreak for the Amarnath pilgrims who have yet to get a darshan. This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 15 July 2016.

As it is, this year's yatra was badly affected because of disturbances in the Kashmir valley. The annual Amarnath Yatra had already seen nearly 1,45,000 pilgrims having 'Darshan' of the deity inside the famous cave shrine situated 3,888 metres above the sea level. However, the melting of the ice linga comes as a huge setback to those pilgrims who are still waiting to get the darshan. This is not the first time it has happened and the reason is attributable to the rise in temperature of the surroundings due to assemblage of so many people, burning of joss sticks, arrival of people by choppers etecetera.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -
San Fermin bull-running festival kicks off in Pamplona

Three new crew members from US, Russia and Japan on their way to the International Space Station

2016 Rio Olympics - Rio de Janeiro gets ready to welcome 5,00,000 tourists


Didi not happy seeing urchins in Howrah Station (satire)

Moody discusses women’s fashion with Baba Someday (satire)

Lord Shiva and the mystery of haunted houses (satire)


Two suspected ISIS jihadists arrested in Ataturk Airport

There were more than 2000 gun related violence in Chicago during 2016

Four killed and nine police officers injured in terror attack in Bangladesh during Eid prayer


Salman Khan starrer Sultan set to enter the Rs 100-crore club by Day-3

A R Rahman off on his UK Intimate Tour - will perform in London on September 22

Katy Perry creates microblogging history with over 90-million followers on Twitter

48-day-long Amarnath Yatra begins - will continue till August 18

The 48-day long annual Amarnath yatra has begun and will continue till August 18 through the two routes of Baltal and Pahalgam. There is complete and tight security arrangements for the over 9,000 pilgrims who have set off from base camps in Ganderbal and Anantnag districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 2 July 2016.

Out of 7,500 pilgrims who have assembled at the Baltal base camp (Ganderbal), 4000 had already crossed the Dumail gate to begin the 14-Km long trek to the Cave Shrine. By 10 am, the remaining 3,500 pilgrims had also crossed the gate towards the Cave Shrine. In addition, from Nunwan base camp (in Pahalgam in Anantnag), another 1,600 yatris had crossed Chandanwari towards the Cave Shrine.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh would also visit the Amarnath Cave Shrine to participate in the special puja that heralds the beginning of the annual yatra. They will have `Darshan` of the ice stalagmite inside the cave which is revered as a `Shiva Linga` by the devotees. It is believed that the Shiva Linga grows and shrinks with the phases of the moon and attains its height during the summer festival.
Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has advised the pilgrims to carry sufficient woollen clothes, umbrella, raincoat, and waterproof shoes because the weather in the Yatra area is unpredictable. Pilgrims are also advised to carry their identity cards and Yatra permit, and travel in a group. Prepaid SIM cards from other states would not work in Jammu and Kashmir and the Yatra route. Hence, the pilgrims can purchase pre-activated SIM cards at the base camps of Baltal and Nunwan. The SASB has also advised pilgrims to ensure that pollution and disturbing the environment is not done.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Powerful tornado hits eastern China killing at least 51 people

British Airlines have suspended all flights to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt indefinitely

People in Gujarat prefer mobile phones to toilets inside the house


Yoga and khadi gel with Baba and Moody (satire)

Didi’s ideas to prevent suicides in Metro Rail (satire)

Goddess Saraswati is furious with toppers toppled (satire)


Tom Hanks to receive the lifetime achievement award at the Rome Film Fest

Darth Vader, the galactic man in black, to make a comeback in Rogue One

'The Jungle Book' inches towards the Rs 200 crore mark - Disney contemplates a sequel


20-year-old British man wanted to kill Donald Trump in Las Vegas

Violence in Sirte between ISIS and pro-government militiamen kills at least 60

Terror suspect in Brussels shopping mall wore a fake suicide vest

Amarnath Yatra could become a religious tourism plan by including local sights

Amarnath Yatra could very soon become a religious tourism plan by including local sights. This is being considered by the Central government and the Jammu and Kashmir government. The move is expected to boost local economy by absorbing the footfalls of tourists.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 17 June 2016.

The Home Ministry has taken the initiative to hold preliminary discussions with the state government to evolve ways and means to link the annual Amarnath Yatra with tourism packages so that local population can reap benefits. The Amarnath cave shrine is situated in the Himalayas at a height of 12,756 feet. Pilgrims usually take one of two routes - one of these is from South Kashmir's picturesque Pahalgham and the other is through Northeast Sonamarg. Both are well known tourist spots.
However, the pilgrims are generally focused with the Yatra route and do not venture into other places of tourist attraction like Gulmarg in North Kashmir or the Mughal gardens and Dal lake in Srinagar city. The present proposal will offer them other places.
The cave shrine had been discovered by a Muslim named Buta Malik in 15th century and, ever since then, his family has been receiving a part of the offerings made by the devotees.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Vistara to begin a daily flight from Kolkata to Delhi for travelers to Europe

Colony of red squirrels in Wales scared stiff due to rave parties

Turkey's plan to boost tourism - sends an Airbus A300 at the sea bottom


Mama comes calling on Moody (satire)

Didi plans new conquests via Rabindrasangeet (satire)

Lord Shiva and achhe din through Gangajal (satire)


Christina Grimmie shot dead by unidentified gunman in Florida

TE3N first day box office collection of Rs 2.61 crores in India fails to impress

Sonu Nigam opens up on technology and modern day music


Ukraine police arrest a French citizen to foil terror bid during Euro 2016

Delhi police unearths a kidney transplant racket - arrests kingpin from Kolkata

Car bomb attack on Istanbul police leave 11 dead