Amazing Fact About India

Until 1896, India was the only source for diamonds to the world. ( Source . Gemological Institute of America )
 

India becoming medical hub for orthopaedic surgeries

Low-cost facilities, world-class expertise and almost no waiting list in Orthopaedic surgeries have made India the hub of medical tourism with more foreigners, needing joint replacements or affected with bone injuries, flocking to the country for treatment.
The market for orthopaedic implants has grown by five to six times in the last decade and a large portion of this growth has been driven by medical tourists from developed countries, as also from Africa and Middle East, experts say.
The cost factor, which is almost one twentieth of what it is in the western countries, is the primary motivator for foreigners, who want to avail "world-class" facilities at affordable prices, they say.

Himachal Pradesh to push health tourism on Kerala lines

Himachal Pradesh, one of India's more popular tourist destinations, will now promote ancient systems of nature cure on the pattern of Kerala to lure health-conscious affluent visitors, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has said. 'Our main focus will now be to tap high-end health tourists. Such tourism is quite popular in Kerala. We are adopting that pattern,' Dhumal, who also holds the tourism portfolio, told IANS. 'We are identifying spots far from crowded areas, where we plan to open these nature-cure centres. Initially, nine health resorts will be opened,' he said.
The government has also decided to send 28 ayurvedic medical officers to Kerala shortly for training in nature cure systems, and plans to request the southern state for specialised masseurs to train Himachali youth.
'Himachal's rich medicinal plant species can contribute towards curing incurable diseases. People in remote villages are still curing themselves by using locally grown herbs,' Dhumal averred.
 

Selja meets Pranab, asks for budgetary sops for tourism

Minister for Tourism Kumari Selja urged Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to offer budgetary incentives for the tourism industry as it is facing a crunch due to global economic slowdown.
Leading a delegation of key stake holders from tourism industry, Selja met the finance minister and submitted a memorandum requesting concessions in the union budget to be presented July 6.

Diu fort finds place in New Seven Wonders of Portugal

The local administration in Diu is buoyed by the Portuguese government’s initiative to list the Diu fort as one of the New Seven Wonders of Portugal. The fort is a tourism site in the Union Territory of Diu.
The Diu fort and the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa are the only two wonders from India among the seven from across the world selected from the total list of 27 monuments in 16 countries built by the Portuguese during their colonial rule.
The list of new monuments was announced on June 10, the Portuguese National Day, at a ceremony held in Portugal, according to foreign media reports.
The others on the list are: Mazagão Fortress in Morocco, Santiago Old Town in Cape Verde, Saint Paul Church in Macao (China), St. Francis Convent in Ouro Preto (Brazil), and another convent by the same name in Salvador da Baía (Brazil).
 

Hemis Festival -12 Jul 2009 - 13 Jul 2009

The colourful Hemis Festival commemorates the birth of Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tantric Buddhism in Tibet. The festival is held at Hemi Gompa, an incredible Buddhist monastery which is the most spectacular monastery in Ladakh with links to the Ladakhi Royal Family. Dressed in the dramatic red robes and tunics and blasting out tunes on large horns, the vibrantly-dressed monks make the Hemis Festival an incredible spectacle that each year attracts thousands of devotees from across the region.

Puri Rath Yatra - 24th June to 3rd July,2009(Puri, Orissa)

Puri Rath Yatra is a mega procession that is organized at Puri, the temple town of Orissa. It is held every year in the month of June-July and lasts for about ten days. During the procession, the idols of lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra and goddess Subhadra, the deities of the Sri Mandira, are taken out. Thousands of devotees transfer the deities in their respective chariots from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple. For seven days, the deities stay at the Gundicha Temple and then return to Sri Mandira.