(Source Print edition http://www.dailymirror.lk Page C 2 )

Colourful Cultural Reflections of Dhaka and Delhi

Monday, 21 November 2011 03:00

By Srimal Fernando

Dhaka and Delhi reflects the flavors of the region. The cities are among the most vibrant and dynamic capitals in whole of South Asia.These are the lands of history filled with memory of many told and untold events. For centuries Delhi, the capital state of India and Dhaka the capital of neighboring Bangladesh earned its reputation for being at the crossroads of many cultures. The culture of both these towns possesses a rich history dating back to Mughal era. In Dhaka and Delhi many people belonging to different ethnic groups with different cultures, languages and beliefs have long lived together in peace and harmony. These two cities had produced some of the most influential legendary writers and thinkers and artists. Most eminent personality that has had a tremendous influence and belonged to both these places was Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. The poems Vandey Mataram and the two national anthems “Amar Shonar Bangla” for Bangladesh and “Jana Gana Mana for India composed by him had a incredible inspiring impact on the people of the Indian sub-continent even 150 years after his birth. Every year millions of tourists prefer to visit these two major cities in the Indian sub-continent to marvel at its exquisite landmarks and beauty, taste and its exceptional cuisine and indulge in its famous shopping and for its unique fashion styles.

As the most populous city of Bangladesh, Dhaka has a vibrant cultural life crowded with a   legacy of a rich cultural past .There is no end to the breath-taking sites visitors can see in Dhaka. The city is also blessed with countless mosques, several temples and monuments which are symbols of this great city’s culture. The 17^th centaury Seven Domed Mosque, Chawk-bazaar Mosque and the Husaeni Dalan Mosque with towering minarets are some of the well-known mosques present in the city. There are many exotic places-of-interest in Dhaka. Of those  the most popular is Lalbagh Fort built in 1678 by the son of Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb and the Shahid Minar  the Symbol of Bengali nationalism .The city is also known as the Rickshaw capital of the world, where low-cost and non-polluting cycle rickshaws  are one of  the major modes of  transportation for  thousands of people in City.

Delhi is one of the busiest cities in the Indian sub-continent that is undergoing rapid development where modern buildings are rising besides the 19th century buildings.  Array of giant cranes show the development fever in the city. Delhi possesses an enormous cultural richness which it owes, not only to its history but also to its formidable heritage. Among its highest-esteemed attractions in the capital is the17th century Red Fort complex constructed in 1639 by Emperor Shahjahan. Humayun’s Tomb, the mausoleum of Mughal emperor Humayun built according to Mughal architecture in 1565 is one of the most recognizable and the best-known monuments in the city that attracts thousands of visitors every day. The 42-metre tall India Gate a hexagon complex a national monument of India,the 238 ft Qutub Minar built according  to Indo–Islamic architecture on  the ruins of the Red Citadel known as Lal Kot ,Raj Ghat the  place where Mahatma  Gandhi  was cremated and the National Museum are some of the  prominent land marks in the city. The two cities are well-known for its wide variety of exquisite handicrafts and for colorful souvenirs. Delhiites and Bengali’s of Dhaka    are known for their love for theatre, films, music and dances.

Remarkable Culture of the Bhutan Kingdom by Srimal Fernando ( Source : Daily Mirror)

( Source  : Daily Mirror Sri Lanka Page C 2 Life) 
( http://www.dailymirror.lk/ )

Remarkable Culture of the Bhutan Kingdom

Monday, 07 November 2011

By Srimal Fernando

The Kingdom of Bhutan is a land locked state located at the eastern end of the Himalayas. It is  bordered to the south, east and west by  India and to the north by China. The Bhutanese call their country the Land of Thunder Dragon and is a haven for those seeking peace, rejuvenation and entertainment as well as a recreational area for thrill seekers and adventurers. The country with a   seven hundred thousand population   has a unique and vibrant culture .Majority of the Bhutanese are divided linguistically into Sharchops,Ngalong and Lhotshampa. The countries natural and historical attractions appeal to many visitors from all parts of the world. Bhutan is a land of poets, ancient and modern arts and a great variety of cultures in a terrain with lakes, mountains and valleys. Bhutan is largely an agricultural society with fairly rich resources both for vegetable crops and animal husbandry. Although the country has deep Vajrayana Buddhism roots, the country is a highly secular nation which accommodates Hinduism, and several other minor religious communities with equal respect and pride. The people of the country  are unified by a common history.

They are also united through a common language. Dzongkha. Bhutan art possesses several distinctive characteristics that give it its own unique style. There are grottos, temples and pagodas that are still there for the young generation to see and understand their roots and origin. The country has a long and rich history and  respect of literature, religion, custom and national dress code. Bhutanese men wear Gho, a longish robe tied around the waist by a cloth belt, known as Kera. The women wear an ankle length dress known as Kira which is made of bright colored fine woven fabric with traditional patterns. Religion  has an over whelming  influence  in Bhutanese architecture .The castle like Dzongs with their gently tapering wall with classical lines  large courtyards and beautiful galleries are among the finest examples for this architecture. The capital, Thimphu is a bustling affluent town with glitzy shopping malls, boutiques and colorful markets which houses the intellectual elite as well as the seat of the government. Thimphu has many places of interest. Some of the prominent landmarks in Thimphu are The Royal Place, Tashichho Dzong or  “Fortress of the Glorious Religion” The bronze statue of Buddha, overlooking Thimphu city ,the National Library,The National Assembly,the SAARC building  and the SAARC Development Fund (SDF) Secretariat,  Taj Tashi,The Clock Tower Square the ‘Thimphu Chorten’ memorial and the Royal Academy of Performing  Arts (RAPA). The concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) has its origin in Bhutan. One of whose four pillars is preservation and promotion of  cultural values. The country and the people have the perfect attributes and credentials as a warm and generous host. Bhutan  is renowned for the monarchy who   is heading the transition  to democracy and empowering the people.The country   captured the interest of the entire world in recent months. The  Royal Wedding  of His Majesty The King Jigme Khesar Namgyel  Wangchuck and Royal Bride Ashi  Jetsun  Pema held on the auspicious day of 13 th October, 2011 at the Changlimithang Stadium  in Thimpu gave Bhutan  a progressive and a positive image.

The country has tended to preserve its traditional music, theater and dance separately from new developments offering visitors the opportunity to experience an ancient form as much as they were hundreds of years ago. The music and dance of the country are extremely colorful and are a source of entertainment and enjoyment for the people of the country.

Passenger traffic is rising at South Asia’s busiest Airports By Srimal Fernando

 ( Source http://thediplomaticsociety.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=227)Passenger traffic is rising at South Asia’s busiest Airports
 
By Dr Srimal Fernando, South Asia Correspondent  

thediplomaticsociety.co.za

Air transportation is a major transport method in South Asia. Over the last two decades, the civil aviation industry and travel pattern in South Asia has changed dramatically. The region is home to a wide range of domestic and international airports. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in India, the Jinnah International Airport in Pakistan, Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA)  in Sri Lanka, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Bangladesh, The Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in the Maldives, the Paro Airport of Bhutan and the Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal are the largest and  busiest airports in this region that attract over 100  international airlines.  

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi, India became South Asia's largest and one of the most important aviation hubs in recent years. IGIA registered another record year with the airport’s passenger traffic reaching an historic 29.94 million passengers in 2010-11. It is also one of the busiest airports in India in terms of daily flight traffic. The airport opened a 4.43 kilometre long new runway in 2008 for commercial operations. The 502,000 square meter 'U' shaped state-of-the-art Terminal 3 building is the world’s eighth largest passenger terminal. International airlines including Air India British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Jet Airways, Malaysian Airlines, Emirates, Sri Lankan Airlines and Cathy Pacific Airways operates weekly services to many destinations around the world from IGIA. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) along with Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport handles more than half of the air traffic in South Asia.

Sri Lankas Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) located in Colombo, Sri Lanka is a major and strategic regional focal point between Middle East and Far East aviation lines.  The airport offers passengers a unique combination of functional advantages and welcoming travel experience. The BIA has international terminals, a transit terminal and a cargo village. The BIA image will certainly be further consolidated by the new state-of-the art facilities under the ambitious expansion programme that will be complete by 2012. BIA has begun development work on a major new passenger terminal that will raise the airport capacity to 16 million passengers per annum with a duty free shopping complex of 125 shops.  At the Airport first and Business Class Check-In Lounges provide specialized services for passengers with 39 check-in desks and immigration facilities and direct access to the departure lounges. BIA also serves as base for Sri Lankan Air, the flag carrier of Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka's second international Airport which will cover an area of 2,000 hectares will be constructed by 2012 in Hambantota. The airport will have landing capability of the latest aircraft; Air bus 380.

Ibrahim Nasir International Airport situated on the adjacent Hulhulae Island off Male’ island in the Maldives includes a seaplane base and a domestic base for internal transportation. The airport is a major stop over point for Sri Lankan, Emirates, Singapore, Malaysian and Oman Air lines.

Paro International Airport situated at an elevation of 7,300 ft is the major aviation hub in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Druk Air or the Royal Bhutan Airlines is the national flag carrier airline of the country that operates non stop flights to Paro from IGIA Delhi.

Tribhuvan International Airport is the other major aviation hub that links Nepal with rest of the world. In 1955 the airport was inaugurated by Late King Mahendra and renamed the Kathmandu airport in memory of his late father.

Jinnah International Airport in Karachi is the largest airport in Pakistan. The Airport witnessed a tremendous growth in passengers accounting for 6.6 million in fiscal year 2007-2008. At Jinnah International Airport the taxi-way is able to handle 12 aircraft at any one moment while the parking area measures 266,000 sq meters and is able to accommodate 42 aircrafts. The airport serves as base to Pakistan International AirLines (PIA), the flag carrier of Pakistan.

Kabul International Airport or Khwaja Rawash Airport in Afghanistan is expected to reach 100,000 passengers in 2011. The existing terminal at the Kabul International Airport has been refurbished and is currently being used for international and domestic flights.

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka is one of the busiest airports in Bangladesh. The Airport is a major aviation gateway to East of South Asia. It handled more than 4 million international passengers and 150,000 tons of freight annually. It is designed to handle the biggest planes in the world today. The Airport witnessed a tremendous growth and consists of two major terminals.

In recent years, millions of domestic and international travelers are using these airports, as tourism in the region is developing rapidly. To meet further growing demand the countries in South Asia need to partner with private sector operators to invest capital into these old airports to build state-of-the art airports with increased capacity in the next few years. These new developments in the aviation sector in South Asia will open further opportunities for numerous other sectors.