Information. ‘Ganges’ is a DVD of three episode TV series aired on BBC in 2007. It is distributed in India as DVD by Saregama. The video is approximately 150 minutes long. As of posting this, it retails for Rs.399.00 in India.
Review. The series takes the viewer along the river Ganges, tracing the river from its birth to the place where it discharges into the sea. The first part, called ‘Daughter of the Mountains’, is about the river originating from glacial melts and swiftly moving down the Himalayas to reach the plains in Haridwar. The second part – River of Life – is about the river, religions and the way of life of people in the Gangetic Plains, till it reaches the delta. Predictably, the third part is dedicated to the river delta and the Sundarbans, and is called ‘Waterland’.
The excellent quality of photography grips the viewer throughout the series. It is all the more evident in the first part where the Ganga flows through magnificent mountain ranges. Other best appeal of the DVD is in the portrayal of the wildlife, which begins with lamergiers and griffons in the Himalayas, and then takes us through the aquatic life in the plains and the wildlife of the delta region. For the Indian audience, the parts of the DVD covering the culture, and stories related to birth of the Ganges and evolution of culture seems like nothing new. Despite that, the narration remains excellent through the series. At the end of the three episode, it is the quality of photography that remains vivid in memory. Watch it on HD screen to do justice to the video.
Travelling in Rajasthan in February 2008
Jaipur >> Shekhawati >> Pushkar >> Jaisalmer >> Jodhpur
+ Previous: Images of Sam Sand Dunes
+ Next: Images from Jodhpur
Travelogs on Jaisalmer posted earlier:
* Pushkar to Jaisalmer
* Seeing Jaisalmer
* Badal Singh and Khuri Village
* Sand dunes of Khuri
* Camel Safari and Camping in the Desert
Jaisalmer is most popular for its desert safaris. Once in Jaisalmer, you can book camel safaris with your hotel owner or many travel agents spread across the town. Try to find a reliable agents through any references before you go – the business is very competitive and there can be a good chance that you get a raw deal. The safari options are many – you could decide to go for just half day, overnight, or spend many days in the open.
Sam sand dunes is the best place to see open desert. It has a wide area of dunes, which is not a frequent occurrence. You can go on short camel rides here, or spend a night in one of the semi-permanent camps setup in the peak seasons.
Sam Sand Dunes
Another less popular place to see sand dunes is at Khuri Village. The dunes here are not as good as the ones in Sam, but spreads over a larger area and are less crowded. Khuri Village has a few guesthouses, but no mid range of premium accommodation.
Jaisalmer Fort
In Jaisalmer town, the most prominent place to visit is the fort, that stands over a mound is visible from any corner of the town. Inside the fort is a set of Jain Temples, Laxminath Temple and the royal palace. Patwon Ki Haveli is another attraction in the town. Gadi Sagar is a large lake at the edge of the town. The ancient town of Lodurva (Lodhruva), a 20km town is now abandoned, but was the capital of Marwar region once.
Gadi Sagar Lake
Finding any kind of food and accommodation is never a problem in Jaisalmer. There are plenty of budget hotels spread all over the town, and many premium hotels exist. A short stroll in the main streets of the city should easily help you find a restaurant that serves the food of your choice – North Indian, South India, Marwari, Israeli or Italian.
Continued at Images from Jodhpur
Armchair exploration just got better. Google Earth’s latest version is loaded with lot more data to let users explore inside the oceans. According to the Official Google Blog
We have always had a big blue expanse and some low-resolution shading to suggest depth. But starting today we have a much more detailed bathymetric map (the ocean floor), so you can actually drop below the surface and explore the nooks and crannies of the seafloor in 3D. While you’re there you can explore thousands of data points including videos and images of ocean life, details on the best surf spots, logs of real ocean expeditions, and much more.
I had downloaded Google Earth and sampled it in the initial days of its first release, but never got to play much with it due to some technical issues. I just downloaded the latest again, and I am overwhelmed with the information available.
The oceanic content they are talking about includes content from National Geographic, BBC Earth and other sources. Get it here.