Amazing Fact About India

The game of Snakes & Ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat'. The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. In time, the game underwent several modifications, but its meaning remained the same, i.e. good deeds take people to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.
 

Govt. of India decides to introduce Visa-on-Arrival scheme early next year for tourists from five countries

In a bid to boost to the tourism sector, Government of India (GoI) has decided to introduce Visa-on-Arrival scheme for tourists from five countries from early next year. Sujit Banerjee, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism (MoT) said that tourists from Singapore, Finland, New Zealand, Luxemburg and Japan will be given the Visa-on-Arrival facility on a pilot basis for a period of one year. The scheme will be applicable in airports, as well as ports across the country.

Village resort to be set up in Kutch to promote Ecotourism

In the first-of-its-kind development, Dordo village in Banni, Kutch is all set to foray into the hospitality sector by setting up a village resort, showcasing ancient architecture of Kutch with traditional Kutchi cuisine on its menu. The mini resort will be run by the village panchayat with help from state tourism department. Scheduled to open in January 2010 for tourists, the resort will be solely run by the panchayat. The tourism department will help them in getting bookings. Tourists will be able to make online bookings for the resort on the tourism department website.

According to a report, the state tourism department authorised the village panchayat to develop and maintain the resort after the panchayat successfully looked after the construction of 24 bhungas (mud houses) developed for the recently concluded Rann Utsav.

 

RTDC selects three villages in the state to develop and promote Rural Tourism

Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) has selected three villages- Khejadli and Khichan in Jodhpur and Sorsen at Baran, in a bid to develop and promote Rural Tourism in the state. According to a report in Times of India, while Khichan attracts tourists to see the Demoiselle Cranes, which come in winters, Sorsen in addition to birds offer Blackbuck sights and Khejadli, known for human sacrifice to save trees, organises a fair in winters and recently large number of foreign tourists have shown interest in this small town.