Kite Festival

The festival is held on the day of Makar Sankranti, i.e., 14th January every year at Jodhpur in Rajasthan and Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan is Hindu festival that is observed to mark the end of the chilly months of winters with the movement of sun into the northern hemisphere. This is the season when the skies are clear and the breeze seems pleasant making every body in a jubilant mood.

Ahmedabad In Gujarat, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as the kite-flying day. Kite-flying day in Gujarat is an extraordinary day, unlike at other places. Ahmedabad, Gujarat's premier city, leads the way in the celebration of Uttarayani, and is the venue of the International Kite Festival.The International Kite Flying Festival in Ahmedabad begins with the break of the dawn and continues all through the day without and intervals or breaks. The enthusiasm of the people is worth noting as they compete with each other in kite flying and shouting in excitement. The same passion continues even after dusk and nightfall when illuminated box kites can be seen in the sky. They can be found in series strung in on line and are known ad 'Tukkals'. Local kite flying festivals are held in other cities as well but International Kite Festival in Ahmedabad witnesses a large gathering of participants and observers from all over Indian and world. If you want to quench you curiosity about the history o kites and kite flying, you can learn all this and much more at the Museum in Ahmedabad, which very concisely yet colorfully traced the history of kites and beginning of kite flying. From dawn to dusk, people of all ages fly kites rejoicing in the spirit of the day. The blue January sky is enlivened by kites of different colours and hues. Kites soar in the sky, their lines moving as if alive. Crowded rooftops, fun-loving rivalry to outdo each other, and delicious Gujarati feast are the hall-marks of the day. A tremendous variety of kites are seen with friends, neighbours and total strangers indulging in kite fights. The nights see the arrival of the illuminated box kites, often in a series strung on one line, to be launched into the sky. Known as Tukkals, these kites add a touch of splendour to the dark sky.

Jodhpur The three-day International Kite Flying Festival in Jodhpur is held at the Polo Ground. The sky looks absolutely beautiful with kites in myriad hues, designs and shapes of the kites being flown in the air. The Air Force helicopters release colorful kites from the sky while school children release colorful air balloons. The festival is divided into two sections, namely, the Fighter Kite Competition and the Display Flying. The kite flyers compete with each other displaying their skills in order to win the Fighter Kite Competition while the other calmly fly the kite exhibiting their beautiful kites for the Display Flying. The prestigious trophies are awarded to the winners of both the categories and every participant is offered dinner at an exotic venue. The Grand Finale of the International kite Flying Festival in Jodhpur is held in the extant lawns of the Umaid Bhawan Palace. The finals of the Fighter Kite competition and Display Flying are followed by the prize distribution ceremony, thanks-giving ceremony and farewell dinner with the Maharaja of Jodhpur. The festival is attended and participated by a large number of people from India and abroad.

Economic Impact of Tourism

Impact of tourism on the economy of the country: Tourism emerged as an industry in recent past. This new industry is developing as the biggest industry of the world. And now the technical boom helps tourism to be in the main driving seat of any countries economy. According to the survey of World Tourism Organization tourist movement throughout the world can touch the 1600 million mark within 2020. And that’s why the specialists of this industry think that “it is a new economic phenomenon, a new business, a new industry of vast dimension and magnitude.” The biggest feature of this industry is that it can generate maximum employment opportunity. And it’s simply because of the number of subsidiary industries. Importance of tourism in the countries economy: Tourism is one of the driving force which helps regional development and economic development. The Government of India understood the importance of tourism as an industry in 1980’s. So tourism is a late-started industry in this country. Recent study shows that the globalization and open economy helped tourism to emerge as one of the biggest FOREX earner of this country. It brings the opportunity of infrastructure development. The overall development of any country depends specially on the improvement of road, vehicles, communication, water supply, airports, and railway stations. Economic progress and industry development depends completely on the overall development of country. And tourism plays a major role on this overall infrastructural advancement. Directly and indirectly tourism helps agriculture and other industries. Few examples can show the importance of tourism in Indian economy. 1) Tourism industry can generate 5 million job opportunity. 2) Foreign tourists buy handicrafts of almost of one thousand crore Rs. in a year. 3) Total income from this smoke-less industry in this country is almost 20000 crore Rs. and that is again without any factory. 4) Regions like Aurangabad in Maharastra, Khajuraho in MP, Jammu & Kashmir, Raghurajpur in Orissa etc emerged with the help of tourism only.

Concept of Tourism Marketing

Marketing Concept Marketing is a human activity directed at satisfying needs and wants through exchange process. According to the British Institute of Management “Marketing is the management function which organizes and directs all those business activities involve in assessing and converting customers purchasing power into effective demand for a specific product or service and in moving the product or service to the final customer or user so as to achieve the profit target or other objectives set by the company.” Marketing are based on two principles: 1} fulfilling the community’s needs for goods and services, determining the consumer’s needs and meeting them. 2} the company must make a reasonable profit while satisfying the needs of the customer. There are three important aspects of marketing concept. 1) Customer Orientation: - this concept indicates mainly to more customers’ participation and profit making. 2) Dual-core Marketing: - this concept indicates that the first job of marketing is to identify the need of the buyer and then increase those wants through different type of promotion. 3) Integrated Marketing: - not only consumer orientation in enough but the company need to develop their infrastructure to provide best of the services. Facilities of marketing concepts:- It can give a proper view of the market. Then it will be easier to divide the market in different segments which will allow setting best promotional activity. It can help to identify the potential buyer. It can show the way to more profit through customer orientation. It also helps to identify the way to develop the quality of products or services. Marketing Process Market analysis Market research Market segmentation Product formulation Pricing Place of distribution Promotional activity the 5th ‘P’ – People, Process and Physical Factors

Classification of Indian Fairs and Festivals

Classification of fairs and festivals in India and their role in the development of tourism. The diversity of fairs and festivals in Indian sub-continent is enormous. It is simply because of many religions and their participation to make a country, India. These fairs and festivals have their own charm to attract tourists and thus they made their position in world tourism calendar. India with her 5000 years culture and heritage nourishes these fairs and festivals to depth, importance and colour. Fairs and festivals in India can be divided in three categories. Religious fairs and festivals: - religious and regional diversity allow Indians to have different festivals like dusshera, diwali, Id, Christmas etc.

Seculer or Social festivals:- from Indian point of view we can keef Independence Day, Republic Day, Book fair etc in this category. Promotional festivals: - few festivals have been designed keeping the interest of attracting tourists like mango festivals, desert festivals, kite festivals etc. Beside these three categories of fairs and festivals there are few more festivals in India which can be defined as cultural festivals. Few examples of this type are Konark Dance Festivals, Mahabalipuram Dance Festival, and Tansen Festival of Gwalior etc. Department of Tourism, Govt of India and ITDC are working together to promote these festivals all over the world and nowadays we can see participation of foreign tourists in these festivals are increasing. Tourism in India has a very close relation with the festivals. Till date the participation of domestic tourist was the main crowd in these festivals but now the promotional efforts by the national tourism organizations and different programs like Visit India or Incredible India are attracting a major amount of foreign tourist. DoT started different zonal cultural centers allover the country in 1998 and these centers are arranging cultural shows, light and sound shows, handicraft shops etc to promote regional fairs like tribal fairs. And this activity is not only promoting the culture but also bringing small places like Jagdalpur or Joygaon in world tourism map. And thus Govt. of India also earning good amount of FOREX.

Tourism Product

Definition:

"The products which satisfy tourist’s leisure, pleasure or business needs at places other than their own normal place of residence are known as Tourism Product. " Product in its generic sense can be thing, a place, a person, an event, or an organization which satisfies the needs of a person. The product which is offered should have an intrinsic value for the customer. Therefore, a product is an offering having some need satisfying capacity. This product can be exchanged with some other value, so that there accrues a mutual satisfaction for both the supplier as well as the receiver of the product. A Product could therefore be defined by its three characteristic: 1. The product must be offered 2. It should satisfy some need or needs of the buyer 3. It should be exchanged for some value. Very often the product can be a thing like the ethnic garments of Rajasthan or marble status from Jabalpur. It can also be like a place like Mumbai or Goa. It could be an organization like the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) or FOREX department of a travel agency. Yet again, it can be a person like snake charmer, dancer, a guide or a fictitious character like Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse. Events are also tourism products like Snake Boat Race of Kerala or the Elephant Festival of Jaipur or the Kite Festival at Ahmedabad. Products of tourism also encompass activity. This could be paragliding or scuba diving or trekking. We can divide products into tow categories: 1) Tangible products like car, TV or microwave oven and 2) Intangible products like banking, health service. Therefore, tourism products are intangible products or service having the following distinct characteristics: (i) Intangibility (ii) Inseparability (iii) Perishability (iv) Variability (v) Absence of Ownership (vi) Customer participation 1. Intangibility: - services can not be touched or seen. What can be seen is their effect. A guide’s comment can be heard. While a travel agent provides a ticket from place A to place B. the ticket is just a piece of paper, only an entry pass for using the service. An airline provides the service of transportation. What we only can see is the aircraft which carries passenger from one place to another. The intangible characteristic poses problems of understanding and evaluating services. The services are promises which can be evaluated after or during use and not before. The difference between the products and services are products are first produced then sold and then consumed. But services first sold then produced and consumed simultaneously. 2. Inseparability: - It is not possible to separate services from the person providing the service. A guide or an interpreter has to be present to provide the service. 3. Perishability: - Services can not be stored. Fro example hotel rooms not occupied for one particular day are lost for that day. If tourists do not do not come to see the Taj Mahal the view is lost for that day. 4. Absence of ownership:- when a person buy a car, the ownership of the car is transferred to him but when that person hire a taxi he only buy the right to be transported to a pre-determined destination at a pre-determined price. Hotel rooms can be used but not owned by the guest. So services can be bought for consumption but the ownership remains with the person or the organization which is providing the service. 5. Variability: - services are people based products. Services are inseparable from the person who offers it. They are produced and offered by individuals. Due to this, quality of service differs from person to person, and from time to time with the same individual. Therefore services can not be standardized. Another reason for variability of services is involvement of the guest or customer in the process of service production, delivery and consumption system. 6. Participation of Customer: - in the service delivery system (selling – production – consumption) the customer is involved almost at every stage. A per son who wants to fly from CCU to DEL may ask any one else to book the ticket on flight but that person needs to be present on the flight physically. Otherwise the service for that particular person can not be produced and hence can not be consumed.

Classification of Tourism Products: 1. Natural: beaches, forests, mountains, lakes, deserts. 2. Man Made: fairs, festivals, monuments, paintings. 3. Symbolic: Marine Park, sanctuaries, water sports. Needs satisfied by Tourism Products: Pleasure, recreation: festivals, wildlife, sports Relaxation, leisure: beaches, hill stations Health: Yoga, Spas Education: heritage, culture Business: conference, convention Special Interest: adventure sports

Trekking in Himalayas

The Himalayas are a major attraction for the young and the old alike. For centuries Indian saints have wandered in the Himalayas and crossed difficult terrains in search of places of pilgrimage like Kailash, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Amarnath. There is a belief among Hindus that Gods live in the Himalayas. For trekking in the Himalayas Garhwal region, Dehraduna and Rishikesh are the ideal gateways. From Leh one can start trekking to Ladakh. The suitable season for trekking in the north – east region starts from end – September to May.

River Rafting

The 2700 km long Himalayas ranges from Ladhak to Sikkim from where the holy Ganga, Yamuna, the Indus and its tributaries – the Chenab and Sutlej, the Zanskar and the Teesta originate all providing ideal sites for river rafting. These rivers provide lots of opportunities to adventure tourism. The upper Himalayas are supposed to be among the best regions in the world for river rafting. The Zanskar River offers a professional and exciting six days on the river starting from Padam. The Ganga, the most sacred river of the Hindus, is ideal for both paddle rooting and car – rafting. A 10 km run towards Rishikesh is a fascinating experience. A new run has been mapped out on the Sutlej from Rampur to Tattoxpani and on to Salapur bridge – a 92 km stretch. Professionals are trained abroad to manage these river rafting expeditions. They have bagged even awards overseas. To oversee the operations, to provide safety measures, to supply proper equipments like helmets, lifejackets, first aid kits etc and to provide medical aid, the government acts through its tourist offices and through IAPRO ( Indian Association of Professional Rafting and Fitters ) and IRRA ( The Indian River Runner Association ). Rafting Routes River----------Base Camp----------Road Point----------Time Ganga------------Besai---------------Rishikesh---------Oct – April Yamuna-----------Kalsi---------------Dehradun---------Oct – April Indus---------------Karu-------------------Leh--------------July – Sept Chenab---------Kishtwar---------Kishtwar (J&K)-----Nov – March Satluj-------------Rampur---------Rampur(Shimla)----Oct – April Zanskar---------Padam---------------Kargil-------------Aug – Sept Sharda---------Tanakpur-----------Tanakpur-----------Oct – April Teesta-----------Dikchu--------------Gangtok-----------Oct – April

Folklore of India

The folklore of India compasses the folklore of the nation of India and the Indian subcontinent. The subcontinent of India contains a wide diversity of ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups. That’s why it is difficult to generalize widely about the folklore of India as a unit. Hinduism is the religion of the majority of the citizens of India. Folk religion in Hinduism may explain the rationale behind local religious practices, and contain local myths that explain the existence of local religious customs or the location of temples. These sorts of local variation have a higher status in Hinduism than comparable customs would have in religions such as Christianity or Islam. Some have claimed that the very concept of “folklore of India" represents a colonial imposition that disparages the Hindu religion. However, folklore as currently understood goes beyond religious or supernatural beliefs and practices. Indian folk heroes in Sanskrit epics and history and also in freedom movement are well known to every one. They have found a place in written literature. But in Indian cultural sub-system, Indian folk heroes are most popular. The castes and tribes of India have maintained their diversities of culture through their language and religion and customs. So in addition to national heroes, regional heroes, and local folk and tribal heroes are alive in the collective memory of the people. Lets take examples of the Santals or the Gonds. The Santals have their culture hero "Beer kherwal" and "Bidu Chandan". Gonds have their folk hero "Chital Singh Chatri". Banjara folk hero is "Lakha Banjara" or "Raja Isalu". But not only heroes, the heroines of Indian folklore have also significant contribution in shaping the culture of India. Banjara epics are heroine-centric. These epics reflect the "sati" cult. Folk heroes are some times worshipped in the village. There is a thin difference of a mythic hero and romantic hero in Indian folklore. In Kalahandi oral epics are available among the ethnic singers performed in ritual context and social context. Dr Mahendra Mishra, a folklorist has conducted research on oral epics in kalahandi taking seven ethnic groups. Indian oral epics are found abundantly every where there are caste based culture.Prof. Lauri Honko from Turku, Finland with prof. Vivek Rai and Dr K Chinnapa Gawda have extensively conducted field work and research on Siri Epic and have come out with three volumes on Siri Epic. Similarly Prof.Peter J Claus has done intensive work on Tulu epics. Aditya Mallick on Devnarayan Epic,Pulikonda Subbachary on jambupurana, Dr JD Smith on Pabuji epic are some of the commendable work that have been drawn attention of the wider readership.

Folk Dances of India

Pandavani (Chhatisgarh) This is popular form of story-telling prevalent among the tribals of the Chhatisgarh which serves as a means of both entertaining and educating the people. Pandavani narrates the story of the five Pandava brothers (protagonists of the epic Mahabharata) and are of two types: Kapilak and Vedamati. A team of Pandavani performers consists of one main narrator-singer and one or two musician-cum-singers, who play on the tabla and the harmonium. The main narrator-singer holds a tambura (stringed musical instrument), decorated with small bells and peacock feathers in one hand and kartal (a pair of cymbals) on the other. Kudiyattam (Kerala) Kudiyattam is one of the earliest of the theatrical arts of Kerala. Kudiyattam presents a full-fledged drama or select portions thereof. Several actors appear on the stage at the same time as in a modern drama. The actor portraying the male characters is known as the Chakiar and one who portrays the female characters is known as the Nangiar. The Nangiar also clangs the cymbals and chants Sanskrit verses which the Chakiar enacts. A feature of Kudiyattam is that there is a Vidushaka or clown who repeats in Malayalam all the Sanskrit verse being uttered by the actors. Chavittu Natakam (Kerala) This interesting art form was evolved by the church, under the guidance of the Portuguese missionaries, as a Christian alternative to the Hindu Kathakali. It presents stories from the lives of Christian saints and the entire history of Christianity. In sharp contrast with Kathakali, the actors in Chavittu Natakam not only speak and sing but also stamp on the wooden platform with their feet to the rhythm of the songs and the beating of drums. The movements of the actors are more lively and vigorous rather than graceful or artistic. Women are not allowed to participate in Chavittu Natakam. Vocal as well as instrumental music play an important place in this art form. Chhau (Bengal/Orissa) The origin of word Chhau is shrouded in mystery. According to some, Chhau might have originated from Chhaya (shadow). Another possibility is that the name sprung from dancing masks (locally known as Chhau) used by the performers of Purulia Chhau. The Chhau dance is native to the eastern parts of India. It probably originated as a martial art, which is why it comprises vigorous movements and leaps. During the 18th and the19th centuries, many of the princely rulers of Orissa evinced a keen interest in the development of this art. They maintained troupes that performed on special occasions and during festivals. In a Chhau performance, the depiction of birds and animals is a distinctive feature; there are also heroic dances with sword, bow or shield, by means of which the dancers demonstrate their dexterity. The themes often revolve around mythological heroes and warriors from the Mahabharata and Ramayana. There are three recognized schools or styles of Chhau. Seraikella (Bihar) Chhau flourished under royal patronage. Its vigorous martial character made it suitable only for male dancers. The princes were not only patrons but also dancers, teachers and mask-making experts. The Seraikella masks are similar to those used in the Noh dance of Japan and the Wayang Wong of Java. Purulia (West Bengal) Chhau uses huge, colourful masks, the making of which is a highly developed craft in the region. The barren region, with a mainly tribal population, multi-layered influences of Vedic literature, Hinduism, and martial folk-lore are the influences which have all blended and fused to mould the Purulia Chhau dances, conveying the one and only message - the triumph of good over evil. In Mayurbhanj (Orissa) Chhau dancers do not wear masks. The Mayurbhanj repertoire treasures the highest number of dance items, rarely found in any other dance forms of the world. The solo items include Dandi, Mahadev, Sabar Toka, Nataraj etc while the famous group items are Kirat Arjun, Mayasabari, Tamudia Krishna, Matrupuja, Kelakeluni, Dhajatal, Bainshi Chori, Kailash Leela among others. The presiding deity of Mayurbhanj Chhau is Bhairab (a fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva).The quintessence of Mayurbhanj Chhau, is visual poetry; it is set in a style that is free, intense, tempestuous, yet lyrical. Yakshagana (Karnataka) A native of Karnataka, this theatre form is basically folk but with strong classical overtones. Unlike the stylised costumes and masks of Kathakali, Yakshagana is a true people's theatre, often staged in the paddy fields at night. It revolves around the stories from Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. Although the name literally means: Song of the celestial beings, Yakshagana is more earthy and mundane than fantastic. There is both mystery and robustness about this dance form, in which singing and drum-beats merge with the dancing, and words with gestures. The colourful costumes and the dancers’ contours blend in with the rest of the elements. Kalbelia Dance (Rajasthan) This fascinating dance is performed by the womenfolk hailing from the Kalbelia community, who pursue the centuries-old profession of catching snakes and trading snake venom. Hence, the dance movements and the costumes have an uncanny resemblance to the slithery creatures. The dancers clad in black swirling skirts (with ethnic designs), sway sinuously to the accompaniment of pungi (an ethnic trumpet), dufli and the been – the wood-wind instrument used by the snake charmers. Two or three women sing in a shrill, high-pitched voice, while the others are engrossed in dancing. The combination of vigorous, zestful and perfect movements synchronizing with the enchanting musical is indeed a treat to both eyes and ears. Ghoomar Dance (Rajasthan) This is basically a community dance performed by groups of women on auspicious occasions. The name is derived from the word ghoomna (pirouetting). This dance has simple basic steps where the ladies move gently, gracefully in circles. The Ghoomar is the characteristic dance of the Bhils - a tribal community inhabiting various parts of Rajasthan. Men and women sing alternately and move clockwise and anticlockwise, affording free play to the numerous folds of the swirling ghagras (gathered skirts), donned by the women. Bhangra (Punjab) Though the historians of culture opine that the dance may have originated at the time of the wars with Alexander, no one is sure whether it existed until about five hundred years ago. It has come to light that during the 14th and 15th centuries, the farmers in Punjab danced and sang songs about village life while working in the fields. Gradually it became part of harvest as well as New Year celebrations (Baisakhi, April 13). Bhangra is a lively form of folk music and dance. While performing Bhangra, people sing Boliyaan (lyrics or couplets) in the Punjabi language. Some of the dancers play the dhol (a large drum), beating it with a stick while others play the flute and dholak (a smaller drum).Bhangra eventually became a part of social occasions including weddings. Giddha (Punjab) This dance form has its roots in the Punjab region, now split up between India and Pakistan. It is a folk dance performed by women and girls and is considered to be the female counterpart of Bhangra. As a part of the dance, women of all ages form a circle, clapping their hands and sing small couplets. Two or three women come to the centre and dance vigorously while responding to these couplets. The embroidered dupattas (stoles) and the chunky jewellery of the participants further enhance the tempo of the dance Raibenshe (Bengal) Among the various martial dances of Bengal the Raibenshe folk dances are remarkable for their expression of military energy and discipline and the atmosphere of martial excitement they create. The vigorous and manly movements of the body, together with the stirring notes of the drum, incite courage and daring. They afford a significant reminder that Bengalis, now believed to be a non-martial race, were once renowned for their military prowess. This dance was performed by a low-caste community of Bengal called Bagdis, who were professional guardsmen of the erstwhile feudal lords of Bengal, and were trained in the use of sticks, staves, daggers, short swords, This dance displayed the acrobatics of a quarterstaff master- (raibansh, a long wooden staff) made with bamboo. Bihu (Assam) It is the most widespread folk dance of Assam and is enjoyed by the old and the young alike. The dance performed on the occasion of the month-long Bihu festival that comes in mid-April, when the harvesting of crops is over.The participants are young men and women, who gather in the open, in the daytime and dance together in circles or parallel rows. Placing their hands on the small of their backs, the dancers move their shoulders backwards and forwards, while swaying from side to side. The dance is supported by drums and pipes. Intermittently, the dancers sing, usually of love. Bihu demonstrates the soul of the Assamese at its richest. Jhumur (Bengal) The dance gets its name from the cluster of bells worn round the ankles, which make a clanging noise.There are many variations of Jhumur. This dance is some times performed as a ritual worship of gods and goddesses, sometimes for courting and lovemaking, and yet again as a prayer for rainfall. This dance incorporates songs and dialogues, which depict the joys and sorrows, yearning and aspirations of the everyday lives of the common people. It is believed that Jhumur was originally a means of recreation between phases of tedious agricultural work. This dance form has also been adopted by the Santhals. Probably the most entertaining form of Jhumur is the Bhaduria, performed as thanksgiving for a bountiful monsoon. Losar Shona Chuksam (Himachal Pradesh) Performed on the occasion of Losar (Tibetan New Year) this is basically an agricultural festival dance performed by the local people of Kinnaur valley; in this dance the movements depict all kinds of agricultural activities from sowing to the reaping of ogla (barley) and phaphar (a local grain). Naati (Himachal Pradesh) Performed by the inhabitants of Kullu district, this dance is immensely popular. The menfolk clad in swirling tunics, churidaars, sashes and colourful caps link their hands and move in step to varying rhythms, dancing for hours on end. This dance has now been modified so that women can take part in it too. The musical instruments accompanying these dances include damane (a huge bowl shaped drum played with two drumstricks), anga, dhol (a large drum slung across the neck, rests on the chest and played with two thin sticks), dholak (hand drum), karnal (clappers), khanjiri (tambourine) and jhanja (large cymbals). Bhotiya Dance (Uttaranchaal) This dance is performed by Bhotia (a mongoloid race with the majority living in Bhutan) community living in this area and is connected with their death and funeral ceremonies. These people believed that the soul of a dear departed resides in the body of a goat or sheep, and it can be liberated by means of dancing. Chiraw (Mizoram) A highly colourful dance from the north-eastern state of Mizoram, it employs a grid of bamboo poles in its performance. The dancers move by stepping alternately in and out of the pairs of horizontal bamboos, held against the ground, by people sitting on either side, facing each other, who tap the bamboos open and closed in rhythmic beats. The bamboos when clapped produce a sharp sound which provides the rhythm of the dance. The dancers step in and out of the squares formed by the bamboos with ease and grace. The pattern and stepping of the dance resemble the movements of birds, swaying of trees and so forth. Gaur Dance (Madhya Pradesh) The most popular among the Madhya Pradesh dances are associated with the Bastar district, which has a predominantly tribal population.The Gaur dance of the Sing Marias or Tallaguda Marias (bison-horn Marias) inhabiting south Bastar is a spectacular dance, depicting the hunting spirit of the tribe. The word 'Gaur' means a ferocious bison. The call for a dance is given by sounding a bamboo trumpet or a horn. Wearing head-dresses decorated with strings of cowrie shells and plumes of peacocks, menfolk equipped with flutes and drums assemble at the dance venue. Women adorned with brass fillets and bead necklaces over their tattooed bodies soon join the assembly. They carry dancing sticks (Tirududi) in their right hands which they tap to match the drum-beats. They dance in groups besides the menfolk. The men with drums usually move in a circle and create a variety of dancing patterns as the dancing gathers momentum. As a part of the dance they attack one another and even chase the female dancers. This dance incorporates the movements of a bison namely charging, tossing of horns, hurling wisps of grass into the air, to name a few. Dhimsa (Andhra Pradesh) This dance is popular among the members of Valmiki, Bagata, Khond and Kotia tribes inhabiting the Araku Valley region of Vishakhapatam, in Andhra Pradesh. It is generally performed in local fairs and festivals of the area. Women attired in tribal dresses, finery and ornaments dance form a chain dance to the beat of typical tribal instruments like Mori, Thudum and Dappu which are played by the menfolk. There exist eight different categories of Dhimsa. For instance, in Gunderi/Usku Dimsa a male dancer while singing sends invitations to the females to dance with him. Thereafter, the male and female with firm steps move forward and backwards, while standing in a circle. Potar Tola Dimsa depicts the picking up leaves. Half of the dancers stand side by side in a row, while the rest stand behind in same manner, keeping their hands on shoulders of dancers in the front row. Turning their heads to right and left the two rows march forward and backward. Bhag Dimsa demonstrates the art of escaping a tiger’s attack. Half of the dancers form a circle holding hands. They stand on their toes, bowing and raising their heads. Moving round swiftly, the rest of the dancers enter the circle and form a serpentine coil.This is repeated several times. The Dhimsa dances by and large conform to the rhythm of either Aditala (8-beat cycle) or Rupakatala (a seven-beat cycle that is subdivided into 3+2+2).Tala literallay means a rhythmical pattern that determines the rhythmical structure of a composition.

Nature of Service Marketing...

The nature of services marketing So far, much of what has been said could be equally applicable to either a product or a service. So, is there anything special about services marketing? At one level, the theory of marketing has universal application – the same underlying concerns and principles apply whatever the nature of the business. However, the nature of a particular service business may dictate a need to place much greater emphasis on certain marketing elements, which in turn could lead to different marketing approaches. It is frequently argued that services have unique characteristics that differentiate them from goods or manufactured products. The four most commonly ascribed to services are: Intangibility – services are to a large extent abstract and intangible. Heterogeneity – services are non-standard and highly variable. Inseparability – services are typically produced and consumed at the same time, with customer participation in the process. Perishability – it is not possible to store services in inventory. However, the huge diversity of types of service businesses suggests that it is difficult to fit services into a neat definition. It is clear, for example, that not all services possess all of the above characteristics and that some even possess the opposite (tangibility, homogeneity, separability and durability) Services possess other special qualities of importance to marketers. Services offer significant opportunity for resource sharing, such as through line-rental or timeshare agreements, where personalized access to telecommunications or a holiday home is kept at an affordable level by sharing access to goods, physical facilities, systems and expertise. The duration of usage, or time element, extends the perspective for pricing strategy beyond relative quality and value. Thus, while activity-based costing is widely used in manufacturing, time-based pricing may be a desirable option in the provision of services. Further scope for competitive differentiation may exist where price-sensitive customers can take advantage of lower cost timeperiods and time-sensitive customers are willing to pay extra for speed or last-minute convenience. Arguably, marketing’s traditional emphasis on the provision of goods as the basis for economic exchange is being replaced by an emphasis on the provision of services – elevating the importance of marketing planning for service businesses. The nature of services marketing There is an increasing trend towards differentiating what were once considered to be tangible products by exploiting the intangible service elements of the offer. The service elements can be added to provide unique features matching customer needs. For example, in the highly competitive photocopier business, service has become a major factor in the buying decision. Photocopiers are leased or sold with service contracts which tie customers to the supplier. Nevertheless, it will be difficult to proceed without attempting to define a service in some way. Therefore, while recognizing that any definition might prove to be unduly restrictive, and that somewhere a service may exist which does not conform to what we say, the definition is: A service is an activity which has some element of intangibility associated with it. It involves some interaction with customers or property in their possession, and does not result in a transfer of ownership. A change of condition may occur and provision of the service may or may not be closely associated with a physical product. Classification of services There have been a number of approaches used to develop a classification scheme for services. The intention behind this work was to provide service managers with a means of identifying other companies who, though operating in different types of industries, shared certain common characteristics. Some of these early approaches were not always helpful in aiding the development of service marketing strategies. In some cases, the fault lay in the oversimplification of the classification scheme used, which did not offer enough strategic marketing insights to be of much value. In other cases, service managers were not open-minded enough to recognize where similarities with other industries could exist.

IATA

IATA (International Air Transport Association) IATA is an international trade body, created some 60 years ago by a group of airlines. Today, IATA represents some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic. The organisation also represents, leads and serves the airline industry in general. IATA (International Air Transport Association) was founded in Havana, Cuba, in April 1945. It is the prime vehicle for inter-airline cooperation in promoting safe, reliable, secure and economical air services - for the benefit of the world's consumers. The international scheduled air transport industry is now more than 100 times larger than it was in 1945. Few industries can match the dynamism of that growth, which would have been much less spectacular without the standards, practices and procedures developed within IATA.At its founding, IATA had 57 members from 31 nations, mostly in Europe and North America. Today it has some 230 members from 126 nations in every part of the globe.IATA was involved in establishing a sound technical and legal framework for the operation of the world’s airlines. It organized the first worldwide Traffic Conference in 1947 which worked out agreements related to air fare construction rules for multi-sector travel. IATA is also the coordinator of Multilateral Interline Traffic Agreements that allows the member airlines around the world to accept each others ticket. The modern IATA is the successor to the International Air Traffic Association founded in the Hague in 1919 - the year of the world's first international scheduled services.

Civil Aviation in India

History of civil aviation in India : The history of civil aviation in India began in December 1912. This was with the opening of the first domestic air route between Karachi and Delhi by the Indian state Air services in collaboration with the imperial Airways, UK, though it was a mere extension of London-Karachi flight of the latter airline. Three years later, the first Indian airline, Tata Sons Ltd., started a regular airmail service between Karachi and Madras without any patronage from the government.At the time of independence, the number of air transport companies, which were operating within and beyond the frontiers of the company, carrying both air cargo and passengers, was nine. It was reduced to eight, with Orient Airways shifting to Pakistan. These airlines were: Tata Airlines, Indian National Airways, Air service of India, Deccan Airways, Ambica Airways, Bharat Airways and Mistry Airways.In early 1948, a joint sector company, Air India International Ltd., was established by the Government of India and Air India (earlier Tata Airline) with a capital of Rs 2 crore and a fleet of three Lockheed constellation aircraft. Its first flight took off on June 8, 1948 on the Mumbai (Bombay)-London air route. At the time of its nationalization in 1953, it was operating four weekly services between Mumbai-London and two weekly services between Mumbai and Nairobi. The joint venture was headed by J.R.D. Tata, a visionary who had founded the first India airline in 1932 and had himself piloted its inaugural flight. Open-Sky Policy The Open-sky policy came in April 1990. The policy allowed air taxi- operators to operate flights from any airport, both on a charter and a non charter basis and to decide their own flight schedules, cargo and passenger fares. The operators were, however, required to use aircraft with a minimum of 15 seats and conform to the prescribed rules. In 1990, the private air taxi-operators carried 15,000 passengers. This number increased to 4.1 lakh in 1992, 29.2 lakh in 1993, 36 lakh in 1994 and 48.9 lakh in 1995.The 1996, private air taxi operators carried 49.08 lakh passengers which amounted to a 41.14 per cent share in the domestic air passenger traffic. Seven operators viz NEPC Airlines, Skyline NEPC, Jet Air, Archana Airways, Sahara India Airlines, Modiluft and East West Airlines have since acquired the status of scheduled airlines. Besides this there were 22 nonscheduled private operators and 34 private operators holding no-objection certificate in 1996. The number of plus 120 category aircraft in the private sector was 34 and the total fleet strength was 75 in June, 1996. Two out of seven scheduled air taxi operators suspended their operations in 1996 because of the non-availability of aircraft. Ministry of Civil Aviation, located at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi 110003, India, is the nodal Ministry responsible for the formulation of national policies and programmes for development and regulation of Civil Aviation and for devising and implementing schemes for the orderly growth and expansion of civil air transport. Its functions also extend to overseeing airport facilities, air traffic services and carriage of passengers and goods by air. The Ministry also administers implementation of the Aircraft Act, 1934 and is administratively responsible for the Commission of Railways Safety, a statutory body set up under The Indian Railways Act. It has under its purview the following organisations: 1. Attached / Autonomous Organisations Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Commission of Railway Safety, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi 2. Air Carriers Air India Ltd. Indian Airlines Ltd. Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd. 3. Airports Airports Authority of India

Ministry of Civil Aviation The Ministry of Civil Aviation is responsible for the formulation of national policies and programmes for development and regulation of civil aviation and for implementing schemes for systematic growth and expansion of civil air transportation. Its functions also extend to overseeing the provision of airport facilities, air traffic services and carriage of passengers and goods by air. The Ministry is also administratively responsible for Commission of Railway Safety, a statutory body set up under the Railways Act. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) DGCA is the regulatory organization for enforcing law and regulations. DGCA is responsible for: - [1] Regulation of air transport service both international and domestic. [2] Registration of civil aircraft in India. [3] Formulation of standards of aircraft in India. [4] Licensing of pilots, aircraft engineers and flight engineers. [5] Licensing of aerodromes in India. [6] Investigations and inspections of air accidents. [7] Implementation of bilateral air service agreements with foreign countries. [8] Supervision of training activities of the flying and gliding clubs in India. [9] Processing of aviation regulations. [10] Development of light aircrafts. DGCA is also responsible to coordinate with ICAO regarding all regulatory functions. BUREAU OF CIVIL AVIATION SECURITY (BCAS) The BCAS is the nodal body on all civil aviation security matters. It determines the standards of pre-embarkation security and anti sabotage measures in civil air transportation sector in India. It also monitors the application of security regulations at the airports. BCAS also imparts training in aviation security. It has four regional offices at Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi, which have a bomb detection and disposal squad each.

Architecture of India

Architecture of India India is the home of one of the most ancient civilization. The heritage of India is almost 5000 years old. Previously Hinduism was the main religion in this country but gradually comes Muslims, Buddhists, Jain and Christians and they helped this country to become the motherland of a proud heritage. India is truly a land of monuments. With this flow of civilization we can find different temples, mosque and other monuments throughout the country. The monumental heritage of India dates back to 3500 BC to 1500 BC, where one of the most extensive urban civilizations in the history of man grew up in the Valley of Indus River and its tributaries. This civilization consisted of a network of cities spread over an area of a million square miles. Mohenjo Daro and Harappa (both now in Pakistan) were the most important among several walled cities renowned for their well planned streets, covered drains, great baths. The buildings of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa are the oldest examples of subcontinental architecture. Other examples are Kalibangan at Rajasthan, Lothal in Gujrat and Ropar in Punjab. The monuments of India could be divided in few categories. HINDU ARCHITECTURE Hinduism is the oldest religion which prevailed throughout India. We can find heritage monuments of Hinduism every nuke and corner of the country. Hindu temples are mainly two types – 1. Mandap shaped and 2. Meru shaped. Mandap shaped temples are largely found in south India in which the temples are built as a tent. Meru shaped temples are mainly found in central and northern India. The temple is built in the shape of meru – the sacred mountain. The top is pointed towards to the space representing moksha. Both the types follow a basic structure which is almost same throughout India. The Parts of Temple. Gate (Gopuram):- in every temple we find four gates in four directions. The main gate always faces towards east or west. These gates are decorated with beautiful sculptures. Platform (Mandap):- it is the platform in front of the main part of the temple with numerous pillars supporting the ceiling. The doorway slab: - it is the boundary line between the platform and Garbha Griha. Garbha Griha: - it is the main part of the temple built in the center of premises. The front wall has the carved doorway and the other three walls have small windows. In the center part there is a small platform where the main statue of God is placed. It is like a small room decorated with sculptures inside. The Path: - the Garbha Griha I surrounded by path to go round it. The Top: - the top of Garbha Griha is called shikhara. Water Tank: - to wash hand and feet to refresh almost in all temples one water tank is found. BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE The earliest monumental heritage was Buddhist stupas. A number of them were built in the Ganges valley in the northwest and the Deccan plateau, between 230 BC and 500 AD. These monuments are known as stupas, built in the memory of Lord Buddha were earlier used probably as burial tombs, but by 200 BC they had became dome shaped and letter becoming taller and more magnificent with different style and character related to its religion. Stupa is a domed mount near the summit of which is inset a chamber containing relics of Buddha. The summit was crowned with a small enclosure, Sinside which were set up fires of honorific. A sailing with one or more gates enclosed the structure and the preaching hall ‘chaitya’. Perhaps the pillar was aligned with it. The most famous ‘stupas’ are at Sanchi and at Bodh Gaya where Buddha achieved the enlightenment. In the South the ‘stupa’ at Amravati and Nagarjunkonda are more decorated. The ‘stupa’ of Surnath is of 7th century. INDO-ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE The Muslims brought in the culture which has left a tremendous influence on India’s art and architecture. With the passage of time, a genuine Indo-Islamic style of architecture emerged. This school combined various influences - both indigenous and imported. It consists of tombs, miners, masjids, forts and palaces. Tombs are built in the memory of the Sultan and their families. The most famous of them is the Taj Mahal built by Shahjahan in the memory of Mumtaj Mahal. It is a magnificent tomb built in marble the basic structure of Islamic architecture are towering arches set in the rectangular surface, on the four sides. A huge bulk drum raised on a drum crowns the central area. Four minarets are in the four corners. The straight sides, pointed arcades of five to seven arcs are the main characteristics of miners. It is a kind of tower. The forts and palaces are the examples of luxury and grandeur. Characteristics of Muslim architecture: - the Muslim monuments are huge and show the splendid grandeur and luxury of their patron. They are mostly built in red stone which imparts solidity to the construction. Muslim architecture introduced for the first time in India the arches. The use of miners added slimness to the huge buildings. Use of gardens around the buildings added beauty. Jharokhas are again one of the main features of Muslim architecture. Jharokhas are the delicate stone nets decorated with flora or geometrical designs. The use of precious stones demonstrated their luxury inscriptions of calligraphy from Holy Quran added delicacy and decoration to the Islamic Architecture. At the beginning the Muslim architecture was purely Persian but the later constructions is influenced by Hindu architecture. The Indo-Islamic architecture is a beautiful synthesis of Persian and Hindu architecture. GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE During the British period, massive gothic architecture of the west was introduced to India. The best known British architect to work in India was Sir Edwin Lutyens, who was responsible for the master plan of New Delhi. He created an acceptable combination of mainly Mughal features and the western concepts. The Portuguese settlements at the western coast produced an architecture that was distinctly Gothic in character.

Indian Tourism...

INDIAN TOURISM SCENERIO India is a multi climatic, multi ethnic, multi religion, multi lingual & multi cultural country. With snow capped mountains, blooming valleys, scenic resorts, rolling rivers, vast desert areas, dense forest, priceless monuments, temple & other places of heritage India is a land of continental dimension & immense diversity. It is tourist destination for all reasons & for tourist of all means & all reasons. Tourism in India •0.8% share of world market•Tourists (2005)–International 3.97 million–367 million (domestic) •Employment –Direct -10.7 million –Indirect –24.4 million•Export earnings ~ US $ 9.6 bn 2006•Contribution to GDP –Direct 2%–Overall 5.3%. Tourism in India: Key Potential •Adventure Tourism •Pilgrimage Tourism •Nature & Wildlife Tourism •Recreation & Leisure Tourism •Cultural Tourism Tourism in India: Key Issues •Regional Linkages, Access & Connectivity (Plains & Hills) •Accommodation Infrastructure –High end as well as affordable •Basic Civic Infrastructure •Tourist Amenities •Financial Resources •Service Delivery & Hospitality •Untapped Infrastructure Potential •Institutional & Regulatory Issues