Indian Railways

Indian Railways (Hindi: भारतीय रेल Bhāratīya Rail), abbreviated as IR (भारे), is a Department of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Railways, and is tasked with operating the rail network in India. The Ministry is headed by a cabinet rank Railways Minister, while the Department is managed by the Railway Board. Indian Railways is not a private corporate body; however, as of recently, IR has adopted a corporate management style.
Indian Railways has a total state monopoly on India's rail transport. It is one of the largest and busiest rail networks in the world, transporting eighteen million passengers daily and more than two million tonnes of freight daily. IR is the world's largest commercial or utility employer, with more than 1.6 million employees.
The railways traverse the length and breadth of the country; the routes cover a total length of more than 63,327 km (39,500 miles). As of 2008, IR owned about 225,000 wagons, 45,000 coaches and 8300 locomotives and ran more than 18,000 trains daily, including about 8,984 passenger trains and 9,387 goods trains.
Railways were first introduced to India in 1853. By 1947, the year of India's independence, there were forty-two rail systems. In 1951 the systems were nationalized as one unit, becoming one of the largest networks in the world. Indian Railways operates both long distance and suburban rail systems.

Indian Farming

Indian agriculture began by 9000 BCE as a result of early cultivation of plants, and domestication of crops and animals. Settled life soon followed with implements and techniques being developed for agriculture. Double monsoons led to two harvests being reaped in one year. Indian products soon reached the world via existing trading networks and foreign crops were introduced to India. Plants and animals—considered essential to their survival by the Indians—came to be worshiped and venerated.
The middle ages saw irrigation channels reach a new level of sophistication in India and Indian crops affecting the economies of other regions of the world under Islamicpatronage. Land and water management systems were developed with an aim of providing uniform growth. Despite some stagnation during the later modern era the independent Republic of India was able to develop a comprehensive agricultural program.

Endorheic Anasagar

This lovely lake was constructed by King Anaji (1135-1150 AD), the grandfather of Prithvi Raj Chauhan, at a picturesque site located to the north of Ajmer. Next to the lake are the Daulat Bagh Gardens set up by Emperor Jehangir. Shahjahan added the Baradari (marble pavilion) to the lake. An embankment built between two hillocks-Bajrang Garh and Khobra Bherun (named after the Hindu temples built on them) forms the Lake.

The lake was built in the 12th century by putting up a dam across the Luni River and the lake was named after the then ruler of Ajmer Anaji Chauhana. The lake is surrounded by some of the marvelous piece of attractions of the city like the Daulat Bagh that was built by Shah Jahan and is built completely by marble stones. Surprisingly the lake dries up completely during the summers.
The Ana Sagar Lake is surrounded by many other attractions like the temple of Khobra Behroon which lies on the southern bank of the lake. The lake is an artificial creation that has been a lifeline for the people of Ajmer in the past. The lake still serves as a lifeline of beauty to the city to the locals and the visitors as well.
The best time to visit the Ana Sagar Lake, Ajmer is between the months of October to March when the climate remains cool and the water level up to the mark. The various nearby attractions of the lake are Adahi-Din-Ka Jhopra, Taragarh Fort, Nasiyan and Prithviraj Smarak.

Silent Wildlife

A deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. A number of broadly similar animals from related families within the order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) are often also called deer. Male deer of all species, except the Chinese water deer, grow and shed new antlers each year, as opposed to horned animals such as antelope—these are in the same order as deer and may bear a superficial resemblance, but they are permanently horned. The Musk deer of Asia and Mouse Deer or Water Chevrotain of tropical African and Asian forests are not true deer and form their own families, "Moschidae" and Tragulidae, respectively. All other animals in Africa resembling deer are antelope.

Peaceful City : Ajmer

Ajmer (Ajaya-meru in Sanskrit) was founded in the late seventh century by Dushyant Chauhan. He established the Chauhan dynasty which continued to rule the country while repeated waves of Turkish invasion swept across India. Ajmer was conquered by Muhammad of Ghor, founder of the Delhi Sultanate, in 1193. Its internal government, however, was handed over to the Chauhan rulers upon the payment of a heavy tribute to the conquerors. Ajmer then remained feudatory to Delhi until 1365, when it was captured by the ruler of Mewar. In 1509 Ajmer became a source of contention between the maharajas of Mewar and Marwar, and was ultimately conquered by the Marwar ruler in 1532. Ajmer was conquered by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1559. It continued to be in the hands of the Mughals, with occasional revolts, till 1770, until it ceded to the Marathas. From that time up to 1818 Ajmer was the scene of an ongoing struggle, being seized at different times by the Mewar and the Marwar maharajas, from whom it was often retaken by the Marathas. In 1818 the Marathas sold Ajmer to the East India Company for 50,000 rupees. Since then Ajmer has enjoyed stable governance even though during the 1857 War of Independence, some Indian sepoys at the garission in the nearby town of Nasirabad joined the revolt. In the British Raj, Ajmer was governed by an Agent to the Governor General [AGG] overseeing Rajputana. After independence in 1947, Ajmer retained its position as a centrally administrated state under a Chief Commissioner for some time. Ajmer was eventually merged with the State of Rasjasthan.

Photographics : Sham-e-Awadh

Lucknow is bravely struggling to retain its old world charm while at the same time acquiring a modern lifestyle. Regarded as one of the finest cities of India, Lucknow represents a culture that combines emotional warmth, a high degree of sophistication, courtesy, and a love for gracious living. The Pehle-Aap(after you) culture, popularised as a tagline for the society of Lucknow, is waning. But a small part of Lucknow's society still possesses such etiquette. This sublime cultural richness famous as Lakhnawi tehzeeb blends the cultures of two communities living side by side for centuries, sharing similar interests and speaking a common language.

Many of the cultural traits and customs peculiar to Lucknow have become living legends today. The credit for this goes to the secular and syncretic traditions of the Nawabs of Awadh, who took a keen interest in every walk of life, and encouraged the traditions to attain a rare degree of sophistication.