A bio-diversity park is proposed to come up in Dulapally reserve forest area, outside Hyderabad. Students and children will be encouraged to visit the museum and park to enrich themselves about the rich biological heritage and importance of conservation.

Existing parks will be refurbished and new ones will come up soon in all the districts of Andhra. They will help to check levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants, buffer ambient temperatures, recharge the groundwater table and preserve ecosystems.

The National Tribal Festival starting on April 30^th, in Valliyoorkavu near Manathawadi town in Wayanad, will be participated by more than 500 tribal artists, artisans and delegates of India. It is jointly organised by the Department of Youth Affairs, ST Development and Wayaad district administration. It will be inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

Valliyoorkavu Bhagavathi temple will be the main venue – for many centuries, it has been witness to a big, annual festival of tribes in Wayanad. The principal deity of this temple is Goddess Durga, and the three principal forms of the deity are Bhadrakali, Vana Durga, and Jala Durga. To the south of the temple flows the Kabani River.

This five-day festival called Gothrayanam will exhibit important customs and lifestyles of various tribes of India. Exhibition and sale of tribal medicines and ethnic food will be a prim attraction. There will be seminars and workshops to address tribal issues, as part of the festival. Cultural programmes giving prominence to various tribal arts of Indian states, and a documentary festival on tribal issues will be organised as well.

To reach Valliyoorkavu, take the road to Mananthavady, and then three km to Arrattuthara by Pulpally Road. Kalpetta is 24km away.

The new venture is an online programme which allows pan-Indian participants can interact in a citizen-science venture. The users can log in and give information about birds in their location. Eighteen common birds such as House Sparrow, Common Hoopoe, White-throated Kingfisher, Green Bee-eaters, Black Kite, House Crow and Rose-ringed Parakeet can be mapped using this programme.

Assam is home to this endangered species of animal, with the Kaziranga National Park recording the most of them. Other protected areas where you can find these animals are at Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Manas National Park.

The FIFA World Cup is a venue for India to promote its Rural Tourism initiatives and eco-tourism market. Two out of the five BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — Brazil and South Africa will be jointly promoting tourism with India.

Also excavating at Sui-Vihar, famous for Sankhya doctrines in Pakistan, they found a circular platform at built with sun-dried bricks and a number of supporting walls to hold the platform and the cylindrical structure. Signs of a Buddhist establishment were also noted.

Mala Dhawan and her sister, Sonia set up the nonprofit trust in 2010. They only showcase products that are made by hand – right now there are about 40 members in the collective. Urban and rural artists, as well as those from the hilly regions will be represented at the crafts bazaar. You’ll find anything from beeswax lip balm and silk sarees to household linen and carpets here.

The four I’s that are pillars of the organisation are:

Innovate: Evolve and reinvent products, designs, mediums and experiences

Interact: Participate! Encourage young people to develop a love of working with their hands and older ones to develop or reignite a hobby.

Inform: Build sensitivity and appreciation not only for the end result of handmade work but also the process and effort involved.

Include: Transcend social and economic barriers to build a community of artists and like-minded individuals. 

Besides Mala Dhawan and Sonia, A Hundred Hands has others, too, as founders and advisory board members. Bindia Thapar an architect by training and an illustrator by choice. Prem Subramaniam has worked in the fields of Engineering, Tourism and CSR. Melissa Arulappan is interested in and good at baking, cooking, and is a public relations consultant. Pankaj Wadhwa is a successful entrepreneur

The handmade products are sold via community bazaars, workshops, volunteer programmes and corporate tie-ups.

‘Man and Environment in respect of Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve’, a workshop will be held at TBGRI. Several prominent researchers and scientists will present papers at the event. The Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, established in 2001, covers 3,500sq.km. Almost half of that is located in the Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of neighbouring Tamil Nadu. The famed peak, 1,868-metre-high Agasthyamala is located in this biosphere area. Three wildlife sanctuaries of Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney are part of the biosphere.

In order to enroll for the program, those interested must submit his biodata along with an application to the forest department, stating the details of the tree, its genre, the bird varieties which make a home on the tree, the number of cavities and a recent colour photograph of the tree. You also have to get a recommendation letter from the local self- government representative and an affidavit that you will protect the tree at least for a year. The remuneration to be received has still to be decided.

The competition will be based on three themes – the big kite, the best humanitarian message kite and the best innovative kite. There’s no age limit for the competitions. The winners will get prizes, certificates and membership in the Team Kerala Kite (Club) promoted by KLF. Kite Life Foundation is an NGO promoted by a group of kite flyers. KLF conducts workshops for students and offers new dimensions in kite making.

For details and to register, log on to www.kitelifefoundation.org or call 9895455115/9847328146.

There will be many original and hybrid varieties of plants from all over the world. Nurseries, farming societies, farmers, buyers and general public are welcome. After 2006, the venue for the flower show was moved from Subhash Park, Park Avenue Road, to Ernakulathappan Ground.

Canadian Tourism Commission, Canada’s tourism marketing and promotion agency, is organizing a major B2B road show, ‘Focus Canada – India’ at Fairmont Jaipur. It will be held between 13^th and 15^th of March 2012. It will be attended by about 50 Canadian sellers including Provincial Tourism Boards, tour operators, hotels, lodges, attractions and almost 60 hosted Indian buyers. This buyer-seller forum will help to network interactions between the two.

Along with the Nobel laureates C.V. Raman and Subramanyam Chandrashekhar, Ramanujan is among the three great men of science and mathematics that Tamil Nadu and India have given to the world.

Tourism Minister Anil Kumar will be the chief guest at the event. The seminar aims to look at discussing direct and public-private partnership (PPP) model investments from non-resident Keralites in tourism projects.

Another award ‘Wind under the Wings’ was conferred upon the Maharashtra Government for allowing free reign to Principal Secretary of Forests Praveen Pardeshi in revitalising wildlife conservation in the state.

For The Groupie: Go On A Bus Tour

Bus tours for groups take you around Cochin to visit at least five to six major tourist spots. Most travel agencies also arrange for a guide to travel with you; that makes life so much simpler!

For The Adventurous: Hitchhike

Although this isn’t a very safe option for women, if you’re adventurous enough you can try it. Grab a map and hitch a ride on a motor cycle or car on the road. If your companion has time, then he or she will take you around to see the churches, temples and famous Chinese Fishing Nets.

For The Water-lover: Hire a boat

As there’s a lot to see in and around the city of Cochin, especially Fort Cochin and Kumbalanghi, hiring a boat or a ferry ride are good options. A country boat or a pedal-boat in the lagoons is the best way to watch village life close at hand.

For The History-Lover: Take A History Tour

With big names such as Dutch Palace, Hill Palace and Archaeological Museum, Kerala Folklore Museum, Indo-Portuguese Museum and Kerala History Museum, you will have plenty on your hands if you wanna know about the history of Cochin and Kerala. Learn about the state’s and city’s demographic landscape, ancient history, lifestyle and other details at these museums. Some of them also have light and sound shows and special movie screenings.

For The Strong Legs: Engage Yourself In A Walking Tour

Fort Cochin and nearby areas can be visited on a walking tour. The streets are fairly wide and neatly-decorated. Shopkeepers on either side will beckon you to their shops. So will the small restaurant owners! A walking tour keeps you updated on the details and helps you to maintain your fitness as well.

For The Eco-Conscious: Hire A Bicycle

If you are bothered about the carbon footprint that you’re likely to leave behind when you go about in a vehicle, then choose a sturdy bicycle and cycle away! The streets are cycle-friendly and you can watch life going on, from a very close distance.

As there are no other harbours between Fort Kochi and Arthungal near Alleppey, the South Chellanam continues to be a busy one. It receives about a hundred fishing boats daily, from Fort Kochi and Munnambam to Kollam and Alleppey. The numbers will only go up as the season gears up.

The captain of the St Francis Club, K. Arun Kumar was all smiles as he zoomed past Nehru Trophy winners Devas rowed by Jesus Boat Club. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race held in Alleppey before this event is another world=famous boat race. It was instituted by Nehru himself, after he visited the area in Alleppey. Devas team were glad when they won the Thekkaodi women’s category. This grand boat race is the only one of the kind named after the Indian President.

There were several tourists and locals who flocked to witness this superb event. The watery track itself was more than a kilometre long, with people flocking on either side.