Hindi Poetry- Eras

If we dig deeper into the origin and evolution of Hindi poetry then we can find it to be segregated in four eras of Adikal, Bhaktikal, Ritikal and Adhunikkal. Adikal refers to period between 10th century to the beginning of 14th century. Bhaktikal is also referred as devotional period that stretches from 14th century to 17th century. This was the period when Mughal ruled over India and Hindi was losing its prominence. Ritikal is also known as Scholastic period and this period witnessed emergence of two types of poets; Ritimukta and Ritibaddha. The former referred to poets whose compositions were bereft of any rhetorical conventions whereas later signified poets with rhetoric.

The last era is of modern Hindi literature that has four subdivisions of Renaissance, Dwivedi Yug, Chhayavada Yug and Contemporary era. Renaissance period owes a lot to Bhartendu Harishchandra who is also known as Father of Modern Hindi Literature because of his contribution in bringing modern outlook in Hindi literature. Dwivedi era was guided by Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi who is credit to bring a reformed style of writing in Hindi poetry. We are a part of contemporary era that is in existence since 1937. Hindi poetry has given numerous gems in all the eras. Hindi shayari has kept on getting stronger and considering its spread in many parts of the world, Hindi is sure to witness few more refinements. Expatriates of Indian origin have taken Hindi to diverse places and it is widely spoken in many parts of the world.

Hindi Language

India represents unity in diversity. It’s a land of many cultures, different religions, and huge number of languages. Hindi is the primary official language of India. It is one of the world’s most spoken languages. Spoken across all over the India, Hindi boasts of a great heritage and history. Also refereed as Indo-European language, it is primarily spoken in central and northern India. Hindi is supposed to be an offshoot of ‘Khari boli’. Hindustani is the mother language out of which emerged two standardized languages of Hindi and Urdu. Urdu is the official language of Pakistan. Hindi and Urdu do share some similarities.

However, there is a basic difference between these two languages in terms of script. Devanagari script is used for Hindi whereas Nastaliq script is used for Urdu. Sanskrit is the main source of vocabulary for Hindi words and hindi shayari whereas Urdu gets its inspiration from Arabian and Persian languages. Apart from these factors both languages share numerous similarities. Being the national language of India, Hindi is spoken by millions of people in many parts of the country. No less than six states have declares Hindi to be the primary regional language. These states include, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.

Hindi has several dialects like Maithili, Bundeli, Brajbhasa, Bhojpuri, Marwari and Awadhi. The roots of the Hindi can be found in seventh or eighth century India. By the beginning of 10th century, Hindi poetry has started to take roots and since then it has kept on refining and remodeling itself.

City Palace, Udaipur

City Palace is one of the most popular tourist places in not only Rajasthan but in India also. Located in the heart of the city, City Palace is one magnificent proof of the architectural talent of India. The building was built by Maharaja Uday Singh of the Sisodia clan. Rajput rulers were famous for their taste in art and architecture and City Palace bears testimony to that fact. Situated beside Lake Pichola, this wonderful construction has impressive exterior and exquisite interiors. Udaipur is known for housing several wonderful structures but City Palace outshines all.

If we go back to history, Udaipur as a city was founded by Maharaja Udai Singh. Soon after that he started building this glorious structure. With the passage of time, the following rulers added to the palace complex. All the additions done afterwards further enhanced the beauty of the palace. Overall design of the building is in perfect harmony and is one fine example of synchronization. The two relatively new portions of the construction have been converted into a luxurious hotel.
The design of the City Palace is a beautiful amalgamation of Chinese and European architectural styles. Marble and granite has been used in the constriction of the building. For the connoisseurs of architecture and monuments, city palace is a treat. It’s sheer delight to visit this place and feel mesmerized by the grand charm of the palace.

Paragliding in India

Who does not wish to fly? One of the most exciting and most thrilling adventures is paragliding. It makes you experience what flying is. Thanks to so many adventure groups and travel agencies, paragliding is a sport that has gained tremendous popularity in India in so many tourist centers.

Paragliding uses thermals as the driving force and with the right weather conditions; you can fly in the air for upto three hours. One can fly upto three thousand meters and paragliding takes place around gentle hills.

For those who are wondering the difference between paragliding and parasailing, there isn’t much. It is just that parasailing is done with parachute tied to a moving vehicle and you are flying above sea.

Some of the important paragliding centers in India are:

Himachal Pradesh

The bald peak of Billing, above the Buddhist monastery of Bir in Kangra, is a perfect site for paragliding.  There are many adventure sport organizations in Himachal that conduct these adventure sports like paragliding, rock climbing, rappelling, river rafting etc.

Uttaranchal

Uttaranchal has a unique topography and this is what makes it an excellent site for paragliding. The area of Garhwal is an excellent destination.

Rajasthan

 The vast open barren land in Rajasthan offers great gliding opportunities. Special strips of land are exclusively made available for paragliding. Some of the famous centers for the same are Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner and Kota.

Maharashtra

The western Ghat hill range in Maharashtra is apt for paragliding.  Paragliding is famous in centers around Mumbai and Pune because of the population it attracts.

Delhi

Sohna which is about 40 kms. from Delhi is coming up in a big way for paragliding.

Goa

Goa beaches like Vagator and Kalangut offer parasailing trips for Rs. 500 per person for fifteen minutes.

Not just that, there are a lot of training programmes that the Himachal tourism conducts at various points in the year. There are a lot of adventure sport organizations that conduct these courses.

Golconda Fort

Golconda Fort is located in southern state of Andhra Pradesh. A look at this monumental place and you are sure to find an ancient city within it. Golconda Fort is one of the most popular and historical monuments of India. This piece of immense importance belongs to the era of Qutb Shahi Kingdom. This kingdom was one of the most powerful in the southern region. The origin of word ‘Golconda’ is credited to Telugu word ‘Golla Konda’. The meaning of the word is ‘Shepherd’s Hill’. It was not only a strategically important place but also the center of thriving diamond business. This famous fort has a proud history. Its origin goes back to 1143 when then reining ruler of Hindu Kakatiya dynasty built it. It is generally believed that a shepherd boy saw idol of a God and that inspired the ruler to built the structure.

The fort has been built on the granite hill that has height of 120 meters. Qutb Shahi dynasties made this magnificent structure its current day stature and prominence. The dynasty expanded the basic structure over a period of 62 years. Its circumference was 5 km and from a mud fort it was turned into granite fort. Famous diamonds like Kohinoor, Regent, Darya-e Nur and Hope etc were discovered in the mines of Golconda. The architecture of the fort is a wonderful mixture of Hindu and Muslim architectural styles. Its one of the most visited place in south India.