Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Gaongeri Cross - Caution !
Six Roads meet at this place. NH-17 runs from North to South, towards the South-West is the Gaongeri Ramnath Temple Road, North-West is the Baval village Road, North-East is the Road to Majali Market (Old Goa-Karwar Road) and North-West is the Road to Sadashivgad Market.Accidents keep happening at this place very often. The villagers residing at near this Cross are awakened in the dead of the night or even during the day, by the loud bang of an accident, and have to remove the victims from the mangled vehicles.
And yeah, forgot to say that the lone person that was driving this car was unscathed...
So much for Luck ! Careful next time.....
Monday, November 24, 2008
And quietly flows the River Kali..... amidst the Western Ghats...
Originating at Kushavali, on the border of Karnataka and Goa, the Kali drives its name from the dark colour of its managese-rich waters. The river meanders through the unique biodiversity of the Western Ghats along its short course of 184 km in the Uttar Kanara district of Karnataka before joining the Arabian Sea at the strategically important port-town of Karwar.
The river is the lifeline to some 40 M people in the district and supports livelihoods of tens of thousands of people including fishermen on the coast of Karwar. Among other fauna, the Kali offers a perfect natural corridor for wild elephants and black panthers.
Already, the six Hydro Electric Projects on the river have submerged over 12 800 Ha of forests in the region.In addition to this, the river is threatened by the continued discharge of untreated effluents from the West Coast Paper Mill at Dandeli. Since the flow in the river has been restrained on account of dams and diversions along its course, the farming and the fishing communities have felt the enhanced impact of accumulated pollutants in the river.
Kali might be a lesser-known river than the famous Cauvery and Krishna in Karnataka but is no less significant in terms of the contribution it makes to the livelihoods security of people and the ecosystems it sustains in the Western Ghats.
The river is the lifeline to some 40 M people in the district and supports livelihoods of tens of thousands of people including fishermen on the coast of Karwar. Among other fauna, the Kali offers a perfect natural corridor for wild elephants and black panthers.
Already, the six Hydro Electric Projects on the river have submerged over 12 800 Ha of forests in the region.In addition to this, the river is threatened by the continued discharge of untreated effluents from the West Coast Paper Mill at Dandeli. Since the flow in the river has been restrained on account of dams and diversions along its course, the farming and the fishing communities have felt the enhanced impact of accumulated pollutants in the river.
Kali might be a lesser-known river than the famous Cauvery and Krishna in Karnataka but is no less significant in terms of the contribution it makes to the livelihoods security of people and the ecosystems it sustains in the Western Ghats.
Researchers have confirmed that this short west flowing river, whose farthest point by crow flight along its course is just 32 km from the sea, cannot withstand any more interventions both to fulfill its ecological functions as also to ensure livelihoods security to people. However, current developments along the river may eventually choke and dry the annual flow of 9,000 MCM in the Kali. The river is home to six hydel projects and the Kaiga Nuclear Power Project. Thanks to the large obstructions along its course, the Kali flows uninterrupted for just about 18 km along its 184 km course in the Western Ghats.
After this 18 km, the Kali flows Quietly and almost Lifeless.....
Same Post Also posted on my Karwar Daily Photo Blog
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Traditional fishing @ Karwar
Traditional fishing Shot during the monsoons at Amdalli - Mudga Fishing village in Karwar, when mechanised-boat-fishing is prohibited.... It was a Sunday, and a boy helps his father in the work.....
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Thursday, November 20, 2008
Karnataka RTO codes
KA - Karnataka
-----------------------
KA-01 ----> Bangalore Central (Koramangala)
KA-02 ----> Bangalore West (Rajajinagar)
KA-03 ----> Bangalore East (Indiranagar)
KA-04 ----> Bangalore North (Yeshwanthpur)
KA-05 ----> Bangalore South (Jayanagar)
KA-06 ----> Tumkur
KA-07 ----> Kolar
KA-08 ----> KGF (Kolar Gold Fields)
KA-09 ----> Mysore
KA-10 ----> Chamrajnagar
KA-11 ----> Mandya
KA-12 ----> Madikeri
KA-13 ----> Hassan
KA-14 ----> Shimoga
KA-15 ----> Sagar,Shimoga Dist
KA-16 ----> Chitradurga
KA-17 ----> Davangere
KA-18 ----> Chickmagalur
KA-19 ----> Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada District
KA-20 ----> Udupi
KA-21 ----> Puttur
KA-22 ----> Belgaum
KA-23 ----> Chikkodi
KA-23 ----> Chikkodi
KA-24 ----> Bailhongal
KA-25 ----> Dharwad
KA-26 ----> Gadag
KA-27 ----> Haveri
KA-26 ----> Gadag
KA-27 ----> Haveri
KA-28 ----> Bijapur
KA-29 ----> Bagalkot
KA-30 ----> Karwar, Uttar Kannada
KA-31 ----> Sirsi, Karwar
KA-32 ----> Gulbarga
KA-33 ----> Yadgir
KA-34 ----> Bellary
KA-35 ----> Hospet
KA-36 ----> Raichur District
KA-37 ----> Koppal/ Gangavati
KA-38 ----> Bidar
KA-39 ----> Bhalki
KA-40 ----> Chikkaballapur
KA-41 ----> Rajarajeswari nagar, Bangalore District
KA-42 ----> Ramanagar, Bangalore Rural District
KA-43 ----> Devanahalli, Bangalore Rural District
KA-44 ----> Tiptur, Tumkur District
KA-45 ----> Hunsur, Mysore District
KA-46 ----> Sakaleshapur, Hassan District
KA-47 ----> Honnavar, Uttarakannada District
KA-48 ----> Jamkhandi, Bagalakot District
KA-49 ----> Gokak, Belgaum District
KA-50 ----> Yelahanka, Bangalore District
KA-51 ----> Bannerghatta, Bangalore District
KA-52 ----> Nelamangala, Bangalore District
KA-53 ----> K.R. Puram, Bangalore District
KA-54 ----> Nagamangala, Mandya District
KA-55 ----> ??, ?? District
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Monday, November 3, 2008
Goddess Mahamaya Festival, Kadra, Karwar
The Annual Festival of Goddess Mahamaya of Kadra will be celebrated today on the 3rd of November 2008 at Kadra, Karwar.It is the First Post Harvest Festival of the year, and so it is flocked by innumerable devotees, mainly agriculturists, who offer their prayers for a good harvest, and seek blessings of the Goddess for a Good Market for their Harvest. It is believed that the Goddess is a powerful one, who will protect her devotees at any cost from all evils and sufferings.
Devotees from neighbouring towns and villages, like Haliyal, Anshi, Ramnagar, Khanapur, Dandeli, Ulavi, Joida, Kumbharwada, Goa, Yellapur, comes in hordes for the festival, which continues till late in the mornnig of the nest day.
These pictures are of the place where the Goddess rests for giving the Darshan to her devotees, near Kadra market, overlooking a perennial stream, which flows into the Kali River.
The last picture is of the several Entrances donated by Her devotees, over a period of time. The emple of the Goddess is away at a distance of Five kms from this place, in the forest. She is brought here over a Palanquin by her Devotees.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tourism policy ?? - Coal-based Thermal Power Station at Hankon, Karwar
POWER At what cost ? Residents of Hankona, a sleepy village near Karwar, are up in arms against a proposed power plant in the region. The locals allege that the company behind the proposed thermal power plant bought land from them in the guise of setting up a resort.
The Kali which flows here has created an evergreen thick forest cover. Except for a bridge that was recently built by the government, the village is entirely cut off from the outside world.
The people of this island-like village had however sold their land a few years ago to a Delhi-based company which had paid them double the asking rate, saying that a five star resort and a pharmaceutical industry would come up on the land.
The farmers who sold their land without second thoughts are now wringing their hands in dismay. The company has begun felling the trees on the land it bought. Word is that a thermal power plant (what is...) will come up on the island. The Project is also cleared by the Govt.
Continue Reading here...
Meanwhile, take a look at this :-
Orissa inks MoUs for 10 thermal power plants will be set up with an investment of Rs 45,000 crore to produce 10,920 MW power...
Reconsider thermal unit at Chamalapura: KERC Blaming the State government undertaking Power Company of Karnataka Limited (PCKL) for the controversy surrounding the setting up of a 1,000 MW coal based thermal power plant at Chamalapura in Mysore district, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has advised the government to take a fresh look at the decision.
Raichur in Karnataka, India has a coal-based thermal power generating station..
It is reported here that High levels of mercury in fish stocks have been found, mainly in coastal areas. Mumbai, Kolkata, Karwar (in Karnataka) and North Koel (in Bihar) are some of the severely affected areas.
* In Mumbai, mercury levels in fish were 0.03-0.82 mg total Hg/kg dry weight (dw); crabs had 1.42-4.94 mg total Hg/kg dw mercury compared to the permissible limit of 0.5 mg/kg.Mercury levels in oysters in Karwar ranged from 0.18-0.54 mg/kg dw.The North Koel river showed mercury concentrations almost 600-700 times above the limits.Mercury in ground water and surface water was detected from across the country: Delhi, Mumbai, Vadodara, Vapi, Ankleshwar, Bhopal, Panipat, Singhrauli, Ganjam, Dhanbad, Durgapur, Howrah, Medak… the list stretched on endlessly.Levels higher than the permissible limits were found near chlor-alkali, cement and chemical units and thermal power plants
Please take a look at this and sign it...Campaign against Coal Based / Fired Thermal Power Plant Projects in India
Greenpeace points to the problem: Thermal Power Plants lead to Climate Chaos
This is the best alternative for a Coal-based Thermal plant - Solar Thermal Electric Power Plants
Solar energy can meet at least 32.5% of the present electricity demand of Karwar and Uttara Kannada.
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Thursday, July 10, 2008
Navy ship to be immortalised as artificial reef - Karwar News - Economic Times
A decommissioned Indian Navy ship has become part of an environmental project to showcase the country's marine life - offering adventure tourists opportunities for underwater tours of the vessel.
The ship, which has been sunk off the Karnataka coast in the Arabian sea, will serve as an artificial reef and over time become a natural home to weeds, sea plants, fishes and other creatures of the sea.
The ship, Seaward Defence Boat T-54, had guarded the country's maritime borders for 23 years from the time it was commissioned in September 1982.
The 162-tonne vessel, also known as 'The Ever Vigilant', was sunk off Karwar Port January 30. Prior to this, it was brought for "final preparations" to Karwar, where the Indian Navy is developing a major base.
The electrical wiring and the communication system were removed from the ship and traces of oil cleaned from the fuel tanks. The ship was then towed out, mines were fitted on the vessel and detonated, causing it to sink.
"The mines exploded and sea water rushed into the compartmets. After two blasts, the ship started sinking slowly - stern first and then the bow," an official said.
A survey conducted by a diver revealed the vessel was nestled on the seabed.
The area has initially been opened to professional divers as the underwater visibility has to improve to about six metres before it is possible to view the ship from glass-bottomed boats. The ship will also promote scuba diving as a sport.
Being a first of its kind of project for the Indian Navy, a lot of deliberation had gone into the identification of the site, and the planning and execution of the project.
"The weapon systems and most of the ship's machinery were removed after it was decommissioned. For the project, relevant parts of the ship which had to be cut away to give access were carefully photographed and demarcated," an official said describing the preparations before the ship was sunk.
"Moreover, in view of the strict naval guidelines for dismantling and cleaning the ship, all potential contaminants that could adversely effect marine life were removed to make T-54 as environmentally safe as possible," the official added.
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Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Nice Words About Karwar in Gladeye's Blog....
People are kind – they go all out to help a woman traveler. I remember hitting Karwar, west coast, Karnataka, without a hotel reservation. Karwar is an awesome 3-hour bus ride from Goa. Karnataka tourism has put out these fabulous ads with lines like ‘but for Karwar we wouldn’t have had the national anthem’, ‘the sands here inspired Tagore to pen his first play’ etc. All very bewitching and unsuspecting people fall for it. Not that the sea is not awesome – it is; and the shells larger than what one has seen anywhere else.
But, here’s the catch: There are no decent hotels on offer. One would imagine that a town by the sea will have hotel rooms looking out to the sea. I was disappointed. Lonely Planet in hand, I checked out the first hotel. Firstly, no sea view, no nothing. The more expensive rooms were okay – so I asked to have a look at the cheaper rooms. They led me through a narrow corridor on the first floor on the other side of the hotel. One of the doors was open. A board outside announced services of a palmist! I glance inside to see the fortune teller – pot bellied middle aged male, ochre robes beads, tilak and all. And I beat a hasty retreat. Strange men in strange robes as neighbours will not do. It doesn’t help that the room the boy shows me sheets with holes in them.
So, I leave my bags there, tell them I’ll be back soon, take some reccos from them where I can get a sea facing room and off I go, hopping into the first auto I see. Enter Karnataka and the language of signboards changes suddenly from English to Kannada. Men wear kumkum, women wear the orange flower in the hair, the bus has a puja with bright yellow flowers, the lungi appears. I see a non-descript building, I cannot read the board but I can tell it is a govt building. The auto man tells me it’s the PWD guest house. So we go have a chat. Yes, rooms are available – Rs 100 per day, but you must get persmission from the PWD office in town. The auto guy takes me willingly. About 11 am in the morning, the all male-office is surprised to see a female unescorted visitor. I tell them my request. First, they are bewildered. Then, they say its election time, so they are expecting guests, they need to check. A flurry of activity. Phone calls are made. A young man asks me to write an application. I do that. Couple of minutes later, he calls the guest house and I have a room.
I thought about it: The men could have said no, we don’t have room – too bad. But they made so much effort to see if it was possible to get me a room. Something like – a woman lands at your door seeking shelter – we cannot turn her away. With my metro mindset I would probably have done that if I was in their place. But they didn’t. When I reach the guest house I find the auto guy doesn’t overcharge for taking him on a spin around town, and the guest house has given me its best room.
Link
But, here’s the catch: There are no decent hotels on offer. One would imagine that a town by the sea will have hotel rooms looking out to the sea. I was disappointed. Lonely Planet in hand, I checked out the first hotel. Firstly, no sea view, no nothing. The more expensive rooms were okay – so I asked to have a look at the cheaper rooms. They led me through a narrow corridor on the first floor on the other side of the hotel. One of the doors was open. A board outside announced services of a palmist! I glance inside to see the fortune teller – pot bellied middle aged male, ochre robes beads, tilak and all. And I beat a hasty retreat. Strange men in strange robes as neighbours will not do. It doesn’t help that the room the boy shows me sheets with holes in them.
So, I leave my bags there, tell them I’ll be back soon, take some reccos from them where I can get a sea facing room and off I go, hopping into the first auto I see. Enter Karnataka and the language of signboards changes suddenly from English to Kannada. Men wear kumkum, women wear the orange flower in the hair, the bus has a puja with bright yellow flowers, the lungi appears. I see a non-descript building, I cannot read the board but I can tell it is a govt building. The auto man tells me it’s the PWD guest house. So we go have a chat. Yes, rooms are available – Rs 100 per day, but you must get persmission from the PWD office in town. The auto guy takes me willingly. About 11 am in the morning, the all male-office is surprised to see a female unescorted visitor. I tell them my request. First, they are bewildered. Then, they say its election time, so they are expecting guests, they need to check. A flurry of activity. Phone calls are made. A young man asks me to write an application. I do that. Couple of minutes later, he calls the guest house and I have a room.
I thought about it: The men could have said no, we don’t have room – too bad. But they made so much effort to see if it was possible to get me a room. Something like – a woman lands at your door seeking shelter – we cannot turn her away. With my metro mindset I would probably have done that if I was in their place. But they didn’t. When I reach the guest house I find the auto guy doesn’t overcharge for taking him on a spin around town, and the guest house has given me its best room.
Link
Friday, June 20, 2008
An award winning Short Story by Mr.Ravibala Shenoy set in Karwar...
Ravibala Shenoy works as a reference librarian at a large public library in Illinois and writes book reviews for Library Journal. Her writings have also been published in The Chicago Tribune, Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), and The Times of India.
The Sacrifice
RAVIBALA SHENOY, Jul 07, 2007
The night is pitch dark.
Shri Ganeshaya Namaha, Kartik Krishna Dvadashi, Saka 1821 [November 28, 1899].
With this invocation I write in the light of the mashal. The dry palm leaves emit more smoke than light as they burn. I am sitting in the unwalled shed near the water ramp waiting for the sailboat that will take me to Karwar. The boat is supposed to arrive in Kharge from Kadra after midnight, but there's no telling when it will come.
The air vibrates with the sound of insects. Small creatures, waghonyo, with tiger stripes on their backs, are crawling all over this shed.
Tonight, I am on my way to the Karwar harbor from where the steamer to Mumbai departs in the morning. Why am I leaving? I am finished with Kharge. There is an island in the middle of the Kali River called Ulge. To go there one has take a coracle from Kharge. If two people sit in the boat along with the boatman, the boat sinks to about four fingers from the level of the river. A raging current can tip the boat in such a way that you feel that at any moment the water will rush in. That is how I feel, and why I must leave Kharge. I have told no one that I am leaving home.
Continue Reading....
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Thursday, June 5, 2008
Lazy Morning in Kadwad - Dattanand Shirodkar's Art
This landscape, set in a beautiful small fishing village called Kadwad is situated on the outskirts of Karwar. Karwar is a rapidly expanding town on India's West coast. The painting can evoke longings for an escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life.
As a way of life, fishermen set out to catch fish early in the morning before sunrise. Around mid morning they typically have a break to socialise and have a bite to eat for brunch. It is at this time of day that this panorama was captured.
More Paintings of Dattanand Shirodkar - Links :-
Dawn in Kadwad
Sunrise at Kadwad
Daybreak at Kadwad
And Please Buy them...
Karwar - misnomer
A wonderful post in the Blog of "Backpakker" about Karwar - Devbagh, with beautiful pictures.. Couldn't resist Linking it here...
My sincere Apologies to "Backpakker"...
My sincere Apologies to "Backpakker"...
Collection of Ravi Varma Art of Late G.K.Haldipur, Karwar
This webpage started as an attempt to catalogue all the lithographs/ oleographs/prints of Raja Ravi Varma before his centennial death anniversary on the 2nd October 2006. A few collectors from Bangalore, Karwar, Chennai and Baroda, INDIA pooled in their collections and this is the result. The inputs are from Karwar's renowned lawyer Late G.K. Haldipurkar and his son Aniruddha Haldipurkar, Advocate, Karwar.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
New Train Service to Karwar - Garib Rath
The Garib Rath, touted as the poor man's air-conditioned luxury train, will ply between Mumbai-Kollam (Kerala) on the Konkan Railway's (KR) picturesque coastal route.
The inaugural special train left Thiruvananthapuram for Mumbai Friday evening 4.30 p.m. Regular services on this sector will start Monday (Feb 4) from Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak Terminus. In the return sector, it will start next Thursday (Feb 7) from Kochuveli.
The train will run Mondays and Fridays from Mumbai and Sundays and Thursday in the return sector, a KR spokesperson told IANS.
It will halt at Panvel, Ratnagiri, Sawantwadi Road, Karmali, Madgaon, Karwar, Ankola, Bijoor, Udupi, Kankanadi, Kannur, Kozhikode, Shoranur Junction, Thrissur, Ernakulam Town, Kottayam and Kollam.
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Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Kodibeer Temple n Maruti Temple Jaatraas.... Pictures..
These two Jaatras (fairs) held in the heart of Karwar city, are known for the Rangoli displays, and three best of those are selected by the Temple Committee. People draw, or get drawn colorful Rangolis in front of their houses, on the streets on which the Lords are taken in a procession in the traditional "Palkhis".
OYSTER ROCKS LIGHTHOUSE at DEVGAD, KARWAR
The Oyster Rock lighthouse is approachable by a machine boat to be taken from Karwar port. The RT station at Karwar provides logistic support to the Oyster Rock Lighthouse. Karwar is situated on NH 17. It is also a railway station on Konkan Railway.
Oyster Rocks are the group of islands and rocks- Devad gudda is the main summit on which the Lighthouse is situated. The hill has very good forest growth around lighthouse. The landing at Devad gudda island (Oyster Rock) is on the eastern side. The LH expert D. Alan Stevenson during his visit to the station in January 1927 described it as over staffed station.
The existing Lighthouse was built during 1860’s. The top of Tower ends in a dome through which there is entrance into lantern room. The first order optical equipment with four wick burners supplied by M/s. Chance Bros., Birmingham was installed and light was commissioned into service on 25th March 1864.The cupola of the Lighthouse lantern was painted white instead of orange or red for making the day mark more conspicuous. The first order optical equipment was removed and replaced by 2nd order optical equipment and 55 mm PV burner in the year 1933. The storm signal mast at Oyster Rock was shifted to Karwar port premises for logistic reasons
Under the modernization programme the PV light source was replaced by 230V 250W Metal halide lamp along with invertors, Batteries charged by SPV modules. The system was commissioned on 30th November 1999 and the light source was changed to 230 V, 3 X 70 W MH cluster lamps .
Source - http://dgllnoida.gov.in/history/oysterrocks.htm
Oyster Rocks are the group of islands and rocks- Devad gudda is the main summit on which the Lighthouse is situated. The hill has very good forest growth around lighthouse. The landing at Devad gudda island (Oyster Rock) is on the eastern side. The LH expert D. Alan Stevenson during his visit to the station in January 1927 described it as over staffed station.
The existing Lighthouse was built during 1860’s. The top of Tower ends in a dome through which there is entrance into lantern room. The first order optical equipment with four wick burners supplied by M/s. Chance Bros., Birmingham was installed and light was commissioned into service on 25th March 1864.The cupola of the Lighthouse lantern was painted white instead of orange or red for making the day mark more conspicuous. The first order optical equipment was removed and replaced by 2nd order optical equipment and 55 mm PV burner in the year 1933. The storm signal mast at Oyster Rock was shifted to Karwar port premises for logistic reasons
Under the modernization programme the PV light source was replaced by 230V 250W Metal halide lamp along with invertors, Batteries charged by SPV modules. The system was commissioned on 30th November 1999 and the light source was changed to 230 V, 3 X 70 W MH cluster lamps .
Source - http://dgllnoida.gov.in/history/oysterrocks.htm
Direct Trains from Mumbai (Kurla) to Karwar
Link : http://www.konkanrailway.com/website/ehtm/2619.html
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Khubey Jaaygo.... a Video
The Peculiar style of the Gabith Ladies inviting customers for the Oysters kept in the basket perched on their head....
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