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DESERT FESTIVAL

The Desert Festival is held in the months of January- February. This three day event is the perfect foil for Jaisalmer to showcase its charm to the rest of the world. In the three days the otherwise barren land comes to life and parades for the world the cherished moments of a glorious and illustrious past. The traditional dances coupled with the rousing desert music displayed by folk dancers take the audience on a high unmatched by anything else. There are some lighter moments like the Turban tying contest and the Mr Desert Contest which add a touch of excitement to the festival celebrations.

The famous Gair dancers and the traditional fire-dancers leave the crowds enchanted whenever they perform. The grand finale is a trip to the sand dunes where one can enjoy the pleasure of a camel ride and at times also view the musicians and dancers performing on the dunes. All arrangements are made by the Department of Tourism and RTDC.

HOW TO GET THERE

Air: The nearest airport is at Jodhpur.

Rail & Road: There are convenient rail and road connections to Jaisalmer from Jodhpur (about 285 kms.). Jaisalmer is also situated on National Highway No.15.

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Kanha National Park

Kanha National Park in the Mandla District spreads over 1,945 sq.km of dense sal forests, interspersed with extensive meadows and trees and clumps of wild bamboo. This area known as Kipling Country' is where all the jungle books of Rudyard Kipling were conceived.

The main attraction of Kanha is the Tiger. This is pristine Tiger country with one of the largest population of tigers in India. Other than the Tiger there are a plethora of other wild animals like Bison, Gaur, Sambar, Chital, Barasingha, Barking Deer, Black Deer, Black Buck, Chousihgha, Nilgai, Mouse Deer, Sloth Bear, Jackal, Fox, Porcupine, Hyaena, Jungle Cat, Python, Pea fowl, Hare, Monkey, Mongoose, Leopard etc.

The area is also a heaven for all kinds of birds and is a paradise for the a bird lover. Here you can see some of the largest variety of birds, like Storks, Teals, Pintails, Pond Herons, Egrets, Peacock, Pea Fowl, Jungle Fowl, Spur Fowl, Patridges, Quails, Ring Doves, Spotted Parakeets, Green Pigeons, Rock Pigeons, Cuckoos, Papihas, Rollers, Bee Eater, Hoopes, Drongos, Warblers, King Fishers, Wood Peckers, Finches, Orioles, Owls, Fly Catchers.

Facts and Figures:

Area : 1,945 sq.kms.
Altitude : 600-900 meters.
Temperature (deg C): Summer- Max 40.6, Min 23.9; Winter- Max 23.9,
Min 1.1.
Rainfall : 152 cms.
Best Season : April to June and November to January.
(The park is closed from July to Mid November during monsoon)

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION:

By Air: Nagpur (266 kms) is the nearest Airport to visit Kanha National Park connected by Indian Airlines flights with Bombay.

Rail: Jabalpur (169 km) is the convenient rail head to visit Kanha.

Road: Kanha National Park is connected by road with Jabalpur 175 km, Khajuraho 445 km, Nagpur 266 km, Mukki 25 km, Raipur 219 km.

Local Transport: The Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) operates a Jeep Service for visitors to go around in the park. Booking can be made through the Manager, MPSTDC, Log huts, Kisli. Wild Chalet Resorts at village Mocha, Kanha can also arrange for local sightseeing.

TIMINGS FOR PARK EXCURSIONS:
15 Nov to 15 Feb. Sunrise to 1200 and 1500 to Sunset
16 Feb to 30 Apr. Sunrise to 1200 and 1600 to Sunset
1 may to 30 June Sunrise to 1100 and 1700 to Sunset

Visitors are advised to reach the gate half an hour in advance to complete the formalities for entry into the park.

TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES:

1) The Manager, Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd., Log Hut, Kisli, Bhopal.
2) The Field Director, Project Tiger, Kanha Tiger Reserve, Mandla - 481661. Tel : 2232.

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naa maOM QamaI- naa hI AQamaI-
naa maOM jatI naa kamaI hao.
naa maOM khta naa maOM saunata
naa maO saovak svaamaI hao..
naa maOM baMQaa naa maOM mau@ta
naa maOM ivart naa rMgaI hao .
naa maOM kahU sao nyaara huAa
naa kahU ko saMgaI hao..
naa hma nark laaok kao jaato
naa hma svaga- isaQaaro hao.
saba hI krma hmaara ikyaa
hma krmana sao nyaaro hao..
yaa mat kao kao[- ibarlaa baUJao
saao ATla hao baOza hao.
mat kbaIr kahU kao qaapo
mat kahU kao maoTo hao..

Translation
Neither am I Righteous nor Non-Righteous
Neither am I an Ascetic nor a Sensualist ||
Neither Do I Speak nor Do I Listen
Neither Am I a Servant nor a Master ||

Neither Am I Constrained nor Liberated
Neither Am I Sad nor Jubilant ||
Neither Am I Distinctly Isolated from Anything
Nor Am I Identified Completely with Anything ||

Neither Do I go to the World of Hell
Nor Do I Proceed to the World of Heaven ||
All Actions are Really My Actions
But Yet I am Distinct From the Actions ||

This Truth Only A Rare Exceptional One Realizes
Such A Person Sits in Quiescence ||
Oh Kabir Don't Bring Forth Any Creation
And Don't Efface Anything Either ||

Explanation
This song exemplifies vintage Kabir mysticism. Since the ultimate cannot be truly described in language or by using analogies from the physical reality, Kabir uses the concept of negation as a means of instruction. Here, the master mystic shows that the contrasting polarizing forces are of a similar nature and truly the opposite sides of the same "worldly" coin. Ultimate Truth is not a balancing of these opposites but actually beyond.

It is made clear that the path of righteousness is as binding as the path of non-righteousness, because worldly matters veritably drive both of these. According to Kabir, an ascetic is as far from the ultimate as an utter materialist, as their focus continues to be on the physical reality - the ascetic goes to great lengths to negate or move away from it, while a materialist seeks it with relentless persistence. By negating these polar views the song indicates an approach that tries to do neither - leading a natural and spontaneous existence where the path emerges as the journey proceeds.

In such a state of detachment, the person is identified with the constant observer within, and therefore realizes that he is neither the one speaking or listening. He is not the master who commands nor the servant who obeys, but really the consciousness that unifies everything. Since this observer self is the superset of everything, it cannot be constrained by anything because there is nothing outside of itself to be constrained by. If there are no constraints, then there is no question of liberation either. Also no desire to see a certain reality manifest implies no jubilation or sadness. However, lack of jubilation does not mean absence of happiness.

Here Kabir also clarifies that since he is in a state of oneness he cannot be characterized as different from something or identified with something - because there is no-thing other than him. He also makes it clear that heaven and hell are just mental realities and comparable to dream-like states that one experiences in sleep. Such limited experiences are not, however, in the realm of his aware and awakened state.

He describes his state of oneness by saying that he is not the doer of the actions but, at the same time, the actions would not be possible without him being there. Since he is identifying himself with his invariant Self, there can be no action. For example, the deep of the ocean in not in any form of action or commotion even though a typhoon maybe raising havoc in the form of colossal surface waves. But those waves are possible only because the depth of the ocean actually exists.

After giving these attributes of his state of identity with the ultimate, Kabir says that only an extremely rare person realizes this truth. Most people are enamored by the physical reality. Then others who try to go beyond get caught in the internal states of mental realities, including visions, which soon become desires to be fulfilled at the physical level. Being bound to their visions they are as vulnerable to desires - much like a person seeking physical comfort. Only a very exceptional person is able to realize the fallibility of such transient realities; and a person who is able to fully grasp this truth then attains a state of peaceful bliss.

Having understood all this, Kabir reminds himself not to get caught in the web of illusory creation and dissolution, that has so successfully entangled almost everything and everybody.

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A Spicy Affair…

India is a home for diverse cuisine. From tandoori tikkas and kababs from the North to rasam and bisi bele bhaat down South. You have an array of mouth-watering recipes. Curries can be made as dry or gravy preparation. Generally curries with gravies are served with Indian breads (naans, roties) or rice.

Pista COCO Pasand

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. shelled, unsalted pistachios
  • 1 tbsp. icing sugar
  • 1 tsp. white poppy seeds
  • 1/2 tbsp. milk

For the Coconut Casing:

  • 120 g sugar
  • 5 cardamom pods ground in a grinder
  • 120 g desiccated coconut which is unsweetened
  • 4 tbsp. condense canned milk

Instructions... To Make

The filling: Put the pistachios into the container of a clean coffee grinder. Grind to a coarse powder. Mix the ground pistachios, sugar, and poppy seeds with milk in a bowl. Mix to a paste. Put aside.

The coconut casing: Put the sugar into a small heavy-bottomed pan. Add 4 tablespoons of water. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cook over a medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until the syrup forms a single thread when a little is dropped from a spoon into a cup of cold water. Remove from the heat. Add the coconut and cardamom. Mix well. Add the condensed milk. Stir to mix.

Lay a 23 cm piece of cling film on your work surface. While the coconut paste is still warm, roll it into a thick sausage. Put the coconut sausage horizontally on to the centerpiece of cling film and flatten it to form a rectangle about 9 cm wide.

Roll the pistachio paste into a separate sausage of the same length. Put the rolled pistachio sausage on the coconut rectangle, slightly below the center, a little closer to your end. With the aid of the cling film, fold the coconut paste over the pistachio paste. Press down on the cling film to firm up the roll. Now continue rolling, being careful to keep the cling film on the outside of the roll, until you have a slim "Roll". Press down evenly on the cling film to get a neat roll. Let the roll cool and harden a bit. Remove the cling film and cut crossways into 1 cm thick slices.

The South Indian Prawn Delicacy

Ingredients...

  • 2 tbsps. Vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 lb raw tiger prawns, peeled
  • 1 quantity Balti sauce
  • 2 oz creamed coconut
  • 2 oz ground almonds
  • 1 lb courgettes sliced
  • ¼ pt double cream
  • 4 tbsps. chopped fresh coriander
  • seasoning
  • 2 oz toasted almond flakes to garnish

Process

  • 1. Heat the oil over high heat in a large Balti pan or wok. Fry the onion for 2 minutes over high heat. Stir in the prawns and cook for 3 minutes until they start to change color.
  • 2. Add the Balti Sauce, coconut and almonds then bring to a boil, stirring at the same time. Add the courgettes and cook gently for about 10 minutes until the prawns are cooked.
  • 3. Stir in the cream and simmer for 1-2 minutes, then add the coriander. Season and garnish with flaked almonds.

Nawabi Curry

The food taken by Nawabs to keep fit and healthy.

Ingredients :

  • Large tomatoes 3
  • 100 gm. Finely chopped mixed boiled vegetables (French beans, carrots, cauliflower)
  • Sugar ½ teaspoon
  • 1-tablespoon oil
  • Salt to taste

FOR PASTE

  • 1 large onion
  • 1-tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1-tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1-tablespoon khus khus
  • 2 teaspoons aniseed
  • 25 mm. Piece of ginger
  • 2 green chilies
  • 3 cardamoms
  • 3 cloves
  • 3-stick cinnamon

Method:

1. Chop the tomatoes. Add 1-½ teacups of water and cook until soft.
2. Pass through sieve to make tomato puree.
3. Heat the oil and fry the paste for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the tomato puree, vegetables, sugar and salt.
5. Serve hot.

(Serves: 6)

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