Tatras Mountains

The High Tatras (Vysoké Tatry), the tallest range in the Carpathian Mountains, tower over most of Eastern Europe. Some 25 peaks measure above 2500m. The massif is only 25km wide and 78km long.Most of this jagged range is part of the Tatra National Park (Tanap): not that this fact has arrested development on the Slovakian ski slopes, much to the chagrin of watchdog groups like International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Tatra National Park complements a similar park across the peaks in Poland.

 

There are three main parts of High Tatras:

• The Western Tatras
• The (central) High Tatras
• The Belianske Tatras

Midmountain, three main resort towns string west to east. Štrbské Pleso is the traditional ski centre and is most crowded, with construction galore. Smokovec, 11km east, is an amalgam of the Nový (New), Starý (Old), Dolný (Lower) and Horný (Upper) settlements. Here there's still a bit of a turn-of-the-20th-century heyday feel, plus numerous lodgings and the most services. Tatranská Lomnica, 5km further, is the quaintest, quietest village. All have mountain access by cable car, funicular or chairlift. Poprad is the closest city (with mainline train station and airport), 14km south of central Starý Smokovec.

 

Notable Peaks

Gerlachovsky Stit (2.655 m / 8.710 ft) is the highest of the High Tatras and of Slovakia. For of its height and breathtaking scenery it is one of the most visited and challenging peaks. Hire a skilled mountain guide to lead you, otherwise it's hardly possible (and forbidden) to get there.
Lomnicky Stit (2.634 m / 8.642 ft) is possibly the most visited peak, probably because of its accessibility by cable car. You will find the highest situated Astronomical and Meteorological Observatory in Slovakia on the top.
Krivan (2.494 m / 8.182 ft) belongs to the Western Tatras and is the most popular amongst Slovaks. It is said that every Slovak has to climb to the top at least once in his lifetime. Krivan became the symbol of the freedom of Slovaks and since 1955, traditional national walks have been devoted to the Slovak National Uprising and the local heroes.

Crystal clear ice on lake in Tatra Mountains

Walking on water may sound to be miracle but in lakes of Tatra mountains its seems to be possible.The lake water is frozen and so hard that the your can actually walk in it.

When planning your trip, keep in mind that the highest trails are closed because of snow from November to mid-June. June and July can be especially rainy; July and August are the warmest (and most crowded) months. Hotel prices and crowds are at their lowest from October to April.

Contact

The administration of the Tatra National Park

Správa Tatranského národného parku

Tatranská Štrba 75
059 41 Tatranská Štrba
Phone: +421 (0) 52/448 42 17, +421 (0) 52/448 42 17
E-mail: stanap@sopsr.sk
Web: spravatanap.sk

Orchha Fort,Madhya Pradesh India

The Orchha Fort complex, which houses a large number of ancient monuments consisting of the fort, palaces, temple and other edifices, is located in the Orchha town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The fort and other structures within it were built by the Bundela Rajputs starting from early 16th century by King Rudra Pratap Singh of the Orchha State and others who followed him.

History of Orchha

The building traditions of the Indian subcontinent date back to at least the 2nd millennium BC.India has traditionally been primarily religious. The earliest Indian building where Buddhist and Hindu temples made of wood and then brick. By the 4th century BC, stone had become popular, and successive cultures acquired great skill in carving and construction. Large stupas where built, along with cave temple and monasteries carved out of solid rock.

The Gupta period (4th-6th century AD) saw the rapid development of temple architecture, often decorated with bands of elaborate carving. Northern India's most characteristic structure, a temple with a heavily decorated tower, reached its stylistic height in 7th-11th century. The extension of Islam into India in the 11 th-12th century introduced typical Muslim(l1 architectural forms (e.g. the dome and pointed arch) and decoration. Such masterworks as the Taj Mahal resulted from the rule of the Muslim dynasty in the 16th-18th century. European colonization and British rule introduced European style.

Only Natural colors have been used in painting the murals at Orchha. The pigment that been most widely used are red, orange, golden, yellow, green, white, brown and black. Elaborate preparation of the surface seems to have been done before the actual painting. Lime and shell powder were used for binding the surface wall, which was used for binding the surface wall, which was subsequently polished. The painting surface is about two to four mm thick and natural colors lend a vibrant touch.

Orchha (25°20' N; 78°42' E)
A Village of Prithvipur Tahsil, Orchha is situated on the Betwa river at a distance of about 13 km. from tahsil headquarters. It is 15km. from Jhansi (U.P.) Orchha is linked by rail on Jhansi-Manikpur section of the Central Railway.

Orchha was the capital town of the State. It was founded by Maharaja Rudra Pratap in 1531 A.D. In 1783, Maharaja Vikramjit removed the capital to Tikamgarh since then Orchha has rapidly fallen in to decay. The name Orchha of Ondchha is traditionally derived from the scoffing remark of a Raiput chief who on visiting the site selected for the capital town. On an island in the Betwa which has been surrounded by a battlement wall, now sadly dilapidated and approached by a causeway over a fine bridge of fourteen arches, stands a huge palace fort mainly the work of Maharaja BirSingh Dev. It consists of several, connected buildings constructed at different times. The finest of these are the Raj Mandir and Jahangir Mahal.

The river Betwa here breaks though seven channel called the Satdhara, of which the origin is poetically ascribed to seven of the Orchha Chief in honor of whose achievements they are supposed to have started flowing - (The first channel was caused to flow by Diman Arjun, the second by he who slow the Mughals, the third by Pratap Rudra, the fourth by Bharti Chand, the fifth by Pancham, the , sixth by Madhur(kar) Shah and the last by Rai Dulha) .

Orchha is Famous religious center of Hindus. It is known for its religious and cultural heritage.

Travel within city
Orchha is a famous tourist destination in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Located in the banks of the River Betwa, Orchha is a tourist’s delight as this quaint old town has a lot of places of general interest. You can opt for buses, auto rickshaws and taxis while traveling to Orchha. These are the various modes of local travel available in the town.

Bus
Buses in Orchha normally run from 6 in the morning till 11 at night and these are the most preferred mode of travel in the town of Orchha. You can opt for bus travel as this is the cheapest mode of travel available in Orccha. Bus fares in Orchha normally range between Rs 3 to 6 and the fares depend on the distance covered.

Auto Rickshaw
Auto rickshaws in the town of Orchha do not run on meter and drivers may demand a flat rate while dropping you off at your destination. Bargaining for a better price is advisable, and this should be done before you board on auto rickshaw. Auto rickshaw fares will roughly cost you around 10 INR for every kilometer.

Taxi
Taxis in Orchha are available in all the major regions in the city, including the bus stand. You can opt for a taxi and a ride will cost you around Rs 100-150 from one point to another in the town.

La Tomatina :The Tomato Festival

Where is La Tomatina held?
La Tomatina tomato fight festival, Buñol, Spain. La Tomatina is a food fight festival held on the last Wednesday of August each year in the town of Buñol in the Valencia region of Spain. Tens of metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets in exactly one hour.

When is La Tomatina Celebrated in Spain? La Tomatina is celebrated on the last Wednesday in August in the small town of Bunol in eastern Spain. This year the festival takes place on August 27^th, 2014. The festival began way back in 1944 but there is no known religious or political basis for it.



What is the History of La Tomatina Festival?
La Tomatina started on the last Wednesday of August in 1945 (29th August 1945) when some young people went to the town square to attend the Giants and Big-Head figures parade. They decided to join the parade with a musician. The group's excitement caused a person to fall from the float. The participant flew into a fit of rage and started to hit everything in his path. There was a market stall of vegetables that fell victim to what soon became a furious crowd. People started to pelt each other with tomatoes until local law enforcement ended the battle.

The following year the young people deliberately repeated the fight on the last Wednesday of August, only this time they brought their own tomatoes from home. They were again dispersed by the police. The food fight became an annual event. In 1950, the town allowed the tomato hurl to take place, but the next year it was stopped again. Many young people were imprisoned but Buñol residents forced authorities to let them go. The festival gained popularity with more and more participants every year. In subsequent years it was banned again with threats of serious penalties. In the year 1957, some young people celebrated "the tomato's funeral", with singers, musicians, and comedies. The main attraction however, was a big tomato in a coffin carried around while a band played funeral marches. In 1957, demand for the popular festival led to its becoming official, with certain rules and restrictions. These rules have gone through many modifications over the years.



Another important landmark in the history of this festival is the year 1975. From this year on wards, "Los Clavarios de San Luis Bertrán" (San Luis Bertrán is the patron of the town of Buñol) organized the whole festival and brought in the tomatoes, which had previously been brought by the local people. Soon after this, in 1980, the town council took over responsibility for organizing the festival.

Since then, the number of participants has increased year after year as well as the excitement about La Tomatina Festival. In 2002, in the month of August La Tomatina of Buñol was declared a Festivity of International Tourist Interest by the Secretary Department of Tourism due to its success. In 2013, town officials introduced an entry fee and limited the number of participants, citing concerns over safety.

The city council follows a short list of instructions for the safety of the participants and the festival:

1. The tomatoes have to be squashed before throwing to avoid injuries.
2. No other projectiles except tomatoes are allowed.
3. Participants have to make way for trucks and lorries.
4. After the second shot indicative of ending the tomato hurl, no tomatoes should be thrown.