Running along the contours of Western Ghats, Konkan Railway is newest railway network inaugurated in the year 1998. Featuring a total number of over 2000 bridges, a maze of 91 tunnels through mountaineous terrains, gorges and viaducts, the construction of Konkan Railways is engineering marvel; a man-made feat symbolizing that everything is possible.

Currently, the 760 km route connects the entire Arabian Sea coastline featuring four major states including Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala.

Starting from Mumbai the route progresses ahead through Veer, Khed, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Rajapur Road and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and crosses Goa, the tourist paradise through Karbude (6 km), the longest Indian Railway tunnel. At Goa, one can explore the beauty of the beaches, serenity of the churches, and bewildering fun of enjoyment and nightlife.

Afterwards, the route extends towards Karnataka featuring Udupi, the city of pilgrims and Mangalore, the port city. This halt marks an entry of the tourists to the heritage state of Karnataka including Bangalore, Mysore, Coorg, Hampi, etc.

Further down the line lies the end destination of Konkan Railways, Kerala. Kochi, the gateway to Kerala is famous for Chinese Nets, Fort and the only Jewish Synagogue. At last, the route to Konkan ends at Thiruvananthapuram, the evergreen city of India famous for the richest temple in the world, Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

Now with this saviour route, one can save plentiful time while exploring the coastal strip of Western
Coast through Konkan railway track. Indeed it is a fast and safe way to experience the serene
nature of Konkan region.

Konakn Climate

Maximum temperature of 37 degrees. and Minimum temperature of about 15 degrees. Rainfall is from 300 mm up to 900 mm in the monsoon.

Best times to visit Konkan
The Konkan coastline is situated in the tropical region and the average temperatures are in the 30 degrees throughout the year and can go up to 40 degrees in May and October. The whole region is Humid and there is heavy Rainfall from June to September.
The best Period to visit Konkan is from November to February as the temperatures are a bit milder with less Humid conditions. But many local people who work outside Konkan or ‘Chakarmanis’ as they are locally referred, do visit in the summer vacations. If you decide to visit Konkan in Summer be sure to book an A/C accommodation.
For people who cannot tolerate Hot and Humid conditions, December and January months are the best time to visit.

Konkan Railway, with 2,000 bridges and 91 tunnels, is an engineering marvel

Konkan region, well-known for its natural beauty, is situated at the coastal line of western India, stretched from Raigad to Mangalore.
It has a 720 km long coastline. Maharashtra’s Konkan area consists of Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Thane districts.

Konkan is a coastal strip of land bounded by the Sahyadri hills on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west. So you can experience the beauty of sea as well as of mountains.
The coastline is dotted with tall coconut groves, evergreen mango trees, creeks, harbours, hot water springs, caves, temples and the typical Konkani homes.

Along with the great natural beauty, Konkan region boasts of several places of geographical, cultural and architectural interest. There are a number of architectural wonders in the form of sea-forts such as Janjira, Vijaydurg, Suvarndurg, Gopalgad, Kulaba, Sindhudurga and many more.

Konkan is gifted with amazing natural beauty and is fast emerging as a favourite tourist destination. Tourists from Maharashtra as well as from other States now prefer to visit Konkan because of several reasons such as:

• Close vicinity from metros including Mumbai and Pune
• Easy accessibility due to better roads and Konkan railway
• Affordable accommodation and overall expenses are less.
• Visiting unexplored places is an added attraction.

Konkan’s greenery, coconut, cashew, mango and jackfruit trees, beautiful virgin beaches, waterfalls, mountains, and lush green valleys definitely provide a rich and pleasant experience for the travelers. Not only beaches but Konkan also offers a huge choice of majestic forts, ancient caves and sacred temples. The best period to visit Konkan is from November to February as the atmosphere is pleasant with less humid conditions. Some of the places to visit in Konkan are given below:

• Alibag, Murud and Janjira
• Srivardhan, Diveagar, Harihareshwar
• Dapoli, Harne and Kelshi
• Chiplun, Guhagar
• Ganapatipule, Sangameshwar
• Ratnagiri, Pavas
• Malvan, Sindhudurg, Vijaydurg, Devgad
• Amboli, Savantwadi, Vengurla, Terekhol

The entire region of Konkan is well-connected with roads. Rail-connectivity (Konkan Railway) and air-connectivity is also available, but limited to only a few destinations. Overall Konkan is an incrediblybeautiful Coastal Paradise. Visit once to have a memory of lifetime.

Famous in Konkan
Though Konkan is famous for its natural beauty and several places of geographical, cultural and architectural interest, there are some other things for which Konkan always comes first in our mind. These are nothing but the fruits and fishes of Konkan.

• The king of fruits Hapus (or “Alphonso”) mango especially from Ratnagiri District.
• Fanas (jackfruit)
• Karvanda
• Jambhul
• Kokam
• Cashew
• A variety of fish that are exported from Ratnagiri port

Konkan, A feast for the nature-lovers!!!

In Scotland to reach from Glasgow to Mallaig created a very beautiful rail route in 1880. That route is very beautiful therfore it is seen in Movies Like Harry Potter and The Chember of Secrets. From few year Glasgow to Mallaig rail route includes beautiful routes in worlds.

The West Highland Line features journeys from Glasgow to Fort William, known as the outdoor capital of the UK, and Glasgow to Mallaig where the train crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, famous for being featured in the Harry Potter movies. In addition you can travel to Oban, via Crianlarich. The West Highland Line provides impressive views including the Erskine Bridge, Dumbarton Castle, glimpses of the Arrochar Alps and more.

• Train Frequency: – 6 trains each day from Glasgow to Oban. 3 trains each day from Glasgow to Mallaig via Fort William.
• Reach Glasgow from London by overnight sleeper. One departure per day (except Saturday nights) between London Euston and Glasgow Central, calling at most stations.

History

The standard history of the railway is John Thomas’s The West Highland Railway, first published by David & Charles in 1965 and repeatedly revised. In 2005 John Donald published The West Highland Railway: Plans, Politics and People by John A McGregor. There have been various reprints of the 1894 guide By Mountain, Moor and Loch, originally published before the Mallaig line was built.

A cave near Inversnaid is associated with the historical figure of Rob Roy, who appears in Sir Walter Scott’s eponymous 1817 novel about the Jacobite fugitive. Rannoch Moor appears in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel Kidnapped, set in the aftermath of the second Jacobite Rising. A humorous look at wartime island life is provided by Compton MacKenzie’s Whisky Galore!.

Time

The journey time between Glasgow Queen Street and Fort William is about 3¾ hours, between Fort William and Mallaig just under 1½ hours.

Cost

Advance fares for Glasgow–Mallaig start at £15.70 each way, so the cheapest return is £31.40. The Jacobite adult day return fare is £33, child £19 in standard class, £56 and £31 in 1st class. Prices on the Caledonian Sleeper start at £19 for a single journey.

Location

This holiday is based just outside the West Highland village of Spean Bridge, and you can choose to travel here by road, or follow the length of the West Highland Rail Line, starting at Glasgow.

Route
The journey starts under the 1880 wrought-iron roof of Glasgow Queen Street and winds past soulless distribution sheds and suburban housing to the start of the 100-mile West Highland Railway at Craigendoran Junction. As the diesel engines growl up the bank through leafy Helensburgh, you see ships riding at anchor in the estuary before they disappear behind woods of birch and oak above Gare Loch.

From Garelochhead there is a spectacular view back along the narrow loch to the south before one of those almost theatrical transitions that punctuate the route. The train burrows through a fern-clad cutting and emerges to a panorama over Loch Long where it is joined by Loch Goil. Arrochar & Tarbet station, which once supplied breakfast baskets to northbound passengers, lies between lochs Long and Lomond on a strip of land used as a portage in 1263 by King Haakon of Norway as he sought more places to raid.

The views along Loch Lomond are some of the finest of the journey, the railway running along a shelf cut into the hillside above a dense canopy of trees. A summer ferry links Inveruglas with the idyllically situated Inversnaid Hotel on the opposite shore. The long climb up Glen Falloch beside the birch-fringed river ends at the junction for Oban at Crianlarich and the meeting of three glens.

Once the railway has passed the end of Loch Tulla, it is 32 miles before anything more than a track is seen again. The wilderness of Rannoch Moor is majestic, one of those rare places in Britain where there has been little to upset the course of nature. The pause at Rannoch station usually sees a few well-equipped walkers alight, enough to support a tea-room in summer and the adjacent Moor of Rannoch Hotel. The shed covering the line at Cruach, north of Rannoch station, was built to protect the track from drifting snow and is unique in Britain.

Beyond Cricket Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni Discover Life in Australia

Coffee buddies Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni take some time off cricket. Kohli looks dashing.

 

Almost four months away from home, the Indian cricket team has made Australia a home away from home. What do they do apart from playing cricket or training in the nets. They hit the beach, click endless selfies, dine out, some go for funky haircuts while others prefer to search for peace in the wild. If in Australia, the beach visit is a must, and the Indian cricket team didn’t miss the opportunity to unwind after a positive start to the World Cup campaign.

Australia :

Australia – the sixth-largest country in world – is dazzlingly diverse: a sing-along medley of mountains, deserts, reefs, forests, beaches and multicultural melting-pot cities.

Dhawan, away from the hustle bustle, got all peaceful. The Delhi dasher shared the picture of his visit to the Brahma Kumaris ashram in Blue Mountains, Sydney.

Brahma Kumaris ashram in Blue Mountains, Sydney :
The Centre is located on 132 acres of beautiful rugged bushland. The architectural design creates a soothing atmosphere, conducive to relaxation and meditation. Accommodation is in twin-share bedrooms with ensuite.

Dine overlooking the magnificant valley views. Walk down to enjoy the delights of the heritage stone cottage, set among English-style gardens where you will discover crystal-clear water, cascading over rocks. Enjoy walking along the pathways through the native bush.

For Dhawan, Australia is second home since his wife lives there. Unlike his teammates, Australia tour gave Dhawan an opportunity to spend quality time with kids and his beautiful wife. The ‘Gabbar’ showcases some bar-be-Que skills here.