Author: Juhee Mehta

Literally, see characters of books in every person she meets. Apart from eating, she is found adventuring and talking to herself. Believes in magic and escape reality through words. If she possibly knows you, you might find yourself in her poems.

Categories
People

Guinness World Record: 12,500 Paintings and Statues of Lord Ganesha from Udaipur

Lord Ganesha, the eliminator of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the lord of intellect and wisdom. Call whatever you may, Lord Ganesha is the most worshipped deity in Hinduism. Not only in India, but Ganesha can be found throughout Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bali, Bangladesh, and Nepal too. Such is the love and faith of devotees all around the world.

While talking about the devotees, let me mention a couple from Udaipur who possess the collection of more than 12,500 paintings and statues of Lord Ganesha. Shocked, aren’t you?

Mr. Ram Kogata and Mrs. Lalita Kogata got married in 1988 and the passion for art, common hobbies and interests between both of them persuaded them to do something different. The idea of Ganesha creations struck their minds when they created a Ganesha idol for their home. This incident inspired them to study on Lord Ganesha even more.

It took both Ram and Lalita, struggle and hard work of about 30 years. And the journey wasn’t easy. Hardcore research, tying up with good artisans who would exactly shape their ideas and dreams, finance, time and most importantly support of the people around you is all part of their journey. But they believe that it is the blessings of Lord Ganesha which brought them to such heights where more than 350 artisans from a small village to award-winning artists came together and made their dreams come true.

Creation of Ganesha artistry

  • Statues – The statues of Ganesha in the collection were made of several materials which involved Gold, Silver, Sandalwood, Marble, Granite, Serpentine Stone, Precious / Semi Precious Stones, Bronze, Brass, Copper, Wrought Iron, Glass, Terracotta, Clay, Wax, Soft Toy materials etc.

 

  • Paintings of Ganesha included Miniature Paintings with Goldwork, Modern, Abstract, and GemStone, Scratch, Nail, Calligraphy, Glass Paintings, Marble Tile, Marble Plate, Oil Paintings, Inlay, Hatching, and Traditional/contemporary Paintings etc.
  • There is special Ganesha series made by the Kogata couple which consists of 1000 different paintings each depicting one of the thousand names of Lord Ganesha as per Hindu mythology. Along with that, there are some more series like Village life in India, Turbans of India, Music Instruments, Yoga, Childhood, family, Hindu marriage, etc.

Awards and Recognition

The work of Kogata couple has found its way in all the leading record books of the world for their collection of the maximum number of Ganesha statues and paintings.

  • Guinness book of world records has acknowledged their work for not once but twice in the year 2014. Limca book of records registered their record in the year 2009. Along with India book of records in 2013, Asia book of records in 2013, and unique world record book in 2013. Besides that, there are several other organizations which recognized their work and honored them for the same.
  • In 2012, Mrs. Lalita Kogata was selected for “Bhaskar Woman of the Year” in Art and Culture category.
  • At a local level, their work was honored by –
    • Maharana of Mewar Shri Arvind Singh Ji Mewar,
    • Mayor of Udaipur Ms. Rajani Dangi,
    • MLA and past MP Ms. Kiran Maheshwari,
    • UCCI
    • Udaipur Chartered Accountants’ Branch

It is rightly said ‘Every great dream begins with a dreamer’.

Do you have any such interesting story which you want to share with us, send it to me at juhee@udaipurblog.com.

Categories
Social

Snake Catcher in Udaipur: Padam Singh Rathore

The season of monsoon has approached. Every one of us is a bit fascinated by this season and so are snakes. From last decade people have frequently found snakes in their surroundings. And now that it has been said, ignoring the above fact can have you pay a price.

In order to make the citizens aware of the snake-related issues nearby, we had a conversation with the founder of Wild and Street Animal Rescue Society, Mr. Padam Singh Rathore. He is rightly known as ‘the snake catcher’ in the city for he has rescued an umpteen number of snakes from in and around the city.

In this conversation, he shared valuable information about the concerned issue. Read along to know more about it.

How did you start with the snake rescue work?

About 24 years ago, I got caught in an incident where a water snake was found in the front of my house which is situated near Madar. So, when people used to fish in the canal flowing from Madar, they often used to catch snakes along with the fishes and being afraid of them, they used to kill them. I didn’t like the fact that the innocent snakes are being killed so I picked up the dead snake and observed how they are being held and how can I rescue them.

Then I talked to the local snake charmers and learned the tactics to rescue snakes. I even went to Baroda to learn about the same. Then I came back to Udaipur and started this rescue work.

How many people call on a weekly basis for the snake catching service?

Weekly? We get 15-20 calls on a daily basis. But before we reach a place for the rescue there are certain points that we keep in mind. Like we only rescue snakes that are found in homes and public places. If they are found near farms or forests then we do not rescue them because this disturbs the ecosystem. If the count of snakes decreases near farms then the count of rats would increase. And most of the snakes found in the city are non-venomous.

What difficulties do you face while rescuing snakes here?

Most of the times, the distance of the location from our office is more so by the time we reach there, the snake vanishes. Apart from that, it is really difficult to control panicking people around the snake. Either they are panicking or they want to click selfies or pictures with the snake. Snake is one reptile that is afraid of humans. So when there is so much human chaos around, the snake hides somewhere and often gets aggressive.

Also, ours is a 24 hours service, so it gets difficult to find houses of people during night time. Even the snake becomes less visible in the dark.

What species of snakes are most common in the city and in which areas?

32 species of snakes can be found in the city out of which only 4 are venomous namely Cobra, Saw Scaled Viper, Russel’s Viper, and Krait.

The old city of Udaipur from Delhigate, Hathipole, Surajpole to Udaipole is mostly snake proof. And even if there are any snakes, they are non-venomous. But with time, Udaipur has been stretching a bit in terms of area. So, the habituation of humans has reached places which used to be agricultural land or forests like Bedla, Rampura, Shobhagpura, etc.. So these are the places where the most number of snakes are rescued from.

 

If someone finds a snake in their household, what all things should he keep in mind?

The first and the foremost thing to keep in mind is to not tease the snake. Nowadays, after watching channels like NatGeo and discovery, people think that they can easily catch a snake. If you see one, click a picture of it and send it to us so that we can inform you about the do’s and don’ts related to the type of snake before we come to rescue it. And in case it’s not possible, simply call us and we’ll be there.

To prevent snakes in your household, make sure to clean your garden area regularly. Remove all the burrows of rats because that’s one place where snake goes in search of rats. During summers, snakes rest in cold places such as coolers, bathrooms, wash basins, water tanks etc. and during summers, this cold-blooded animal seeks warmth near gas stoves, under vehicles, etc. Keep a check at all these places to stay safe.

Where do you release the snakes after catching them?

It completely depends on the kind of snake. For example, if it’s a water snake, we release it in the waters of a nearby forest, if it’s a venomous snake, then it would go in the dense forest nearby, similarly, if it’s a non-venomous snake, it is released at the beginning of a forest. This entire process occurs in the presence of forest department.

 

How much do you charge for your service?

Within the radius of 2 km from our office, we deliver free services. In the year, 2017 we received calls from nearby villages too. This one time we received a call from Bhopal for the rescue. At such time, we just charge for the conveyance it needed to reach there. Also, it is not possible for us to go at several places at the same time, so we have taught the tactics to rescue a snake to people in Dungarpur, Sagwada, etc.

It is better to be informed than to be injured.

In case you are in need of a snake rescuer, call Padam Singh Rathore at 9829597722/9414234826.

If you have any such valuable information that you want to share amongst the citizens, then write to me at juhee@udaipurblog.com.

Categories
Events

Daan Utsav: Celebrating the ‘Act of Giving’ in Udaipur

Daan Utsav is an initiative to encourage ‘the act of giving’ which is why it was earlier known as Joy of Giving. The event was launched in 2009 and is celebrated every year beginning from Gandhi Jayanti stretching all the way for a period of 8 days i.e. 2nd to 8th October.

The intent of the event is purely based on the idea of ‘giving’ and that’s the reason why some people donate money, some their time, some their skills and some their love. A large number of socially conscious citizens who can be – individuals, owners, donors, schools, colleges, corporates, NGO’s etc. volunteer their time across the country.

Some of the gestures of kindness in the event involves school children donating a fist full of grains to the needy, to college students teaching how to make LED bulbs to villagers, from people making fresh sandwiches and sharing them with the slum children to corporate employees fulfilling wishes of the underprivileged children.

If you are willing to participate in Daan Utsav, you just need to follow these four simple steps:

  • Do an act of kindness during the Daan Utsav week.
  • Put a Happy Dot (a small happy smiley) sticker on your cheek/finger/hand.
  • Take a selfie
  • Share it on social media: Personal account on Facebook and Daan Utsav Udaipur Page, Twitter, Instagram or Whatsapp with the hashtags #DaanUtsav #HappyDot #yourorg with a line on the act you performed.

So, are you ready to take a step towards kindness?

For more information, visit – https://daanutsav.org/ or reach out at their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Udaipurchapter/

Categories
Events

Auto Show at Celebration Mall gave an unforgettable experience to all the Automobile lovers

The 2nd season of Udaipur’s exceptional Auto Show presented by Forum Celebration Mall and Lap Media Network was conducted from 14th to 16th September. Leading automobile brands such as Nexa, Toyota, Jeep, ISUZU, Mahindra, Royal Enfield, Honda, and TVS were brought together at a single place.

In the Auto Show, different brands showcased the best of their products. While Mahindra displayed the latest ‘Marazzo’, Nexa showcased the upgraded Ciaz. However, the range of different bikes by Royal Enfield and the Jeep Compass left the audience enthralled.

The event witnessed more than 35,000 shoppers where they got involved in several games and contests. It also gave them the opportunity to experience the best in the field of two-wheeler and four wheeler vehicles.

Forum Celebration Mall understands the need of customers to explore different brands and it provides exactly that at a single platform. This festive season, the mall is set to amaze shoppers with its remarkable experience.

Categories
News

Udaipur becomes the Ideal Pre-Wedding Destination for Ambani’s

Udaipur has become the most preferred destination for celebrities to conduct their wedding and pre-wedding affairs. Which is why Isha Ambani, daughter of India’s prime businessman has been planning her pre-wedding bash before the wedding of her brother Akash Ambani.

Source: Latestly

Isha Ambani is to get married with Anand Piramal, son of great industrialist Ajay Piramal. Isha and Anand will reportedly have an engagement in the month of September in Italy and all the pre-wedding ceremonies will be conducted in Udaipur. Currently, the representatives of both the families are scouting for hotels which would be appropriate for their high-profile family union.

Source: India Times

Isha and Anand are childhood friends. The friendship was taken to another level when Anand proposed to Isha over a family vacation in Mahabaleshwar and she accepted. The grand wedding is said to be conducted in Mumbai by the month of December. While Akash and Shloka will get hitched by March 2019.

Categories
More

Udaipur Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Key to Success for GST Accounting Students

Udaipur Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a multi-district apex body of trade, industry, mining, education, and tourism. This leading association of southern Rajasthan has more than 500 direct members. While UCCI works to promote industrial development in the region, it is actively involved in skill development for the youth to build their career in the industry.

It is a matter of pride for the association that it was inaugurated by Hon. Minister Shri. Nitin Gadkari last year on 14th July. Within a short period, the vocational training programme of UCCI has proved itself to be a valuable initiative. Conceptualised by UCCI president, Shri Hansraj Choudhary and brought to reality by tireless efforts of CA Ravish Mandawat and CA Devashish Kogata, the programme has garnered a massive interest among the youngsters and every year it helps around 400 students develop their skills and find jobs in the accounting profession.

VTC provides a very exclusive GST Accounting training which includes the practical knowledge along with the theory. Each batch consists of only 20 students and more. The training module is designed to incorporate on hands training on actual company financial data. The curriculum focuses on advanced concepts of accounting, advance tally with inventory, advanced MS Excel, GST implications and MS Office suite. Apart from the GST accounting concepts the programme also covers the following:

  1. GST return filing
  2. Online tax payments and knowledge of eGras
  3. eWay bill generation
  4. Stock market
  5. Communication and presentation skills

The biggest advantage of this programme is that the training is conducted by a team of young, enthusiastic and reputed Chartered Accountants from the industry who support students to get clarity in their training. When approached for a comment, UCCI President Shri. Hansraj Choudhary said “The knowledge provided at schools and colleges is quite inclined towards theory and doesn’t exactly match the requirement of the industries. To fulfill this requirement of industries in the aspirant, VTC works as a catalyst and makes a student become impeccable with both theoretical and practical knowledge.” 

After the successful completion of 20 batches, a new batch is going to start from 25th September 2018 and those who want to benefit from this highly specialized accounting training should apply now.

For admissions and queries contact: 9462565777, 0294-2492214

Address: UCCI, Mewar Industrial Area, Madri, Udaipur

Categories
Food

Enjoy Chur Chur Naan and Dal Makhani at Ranaji in just Rs 60

Expensive dinner and junk food have become a daily affair of people everywhere. But sometimes it becomes a bit tedious to have the same food again and again. At such times all we want is something in the middle of a proper dine and fast food and that too in affordable prices.

If you think so too then you do not have to worry at all. Ranaji presents the most scrumptious and lip-smacking dish of all time and trust me it won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Chur chur naan of Ranaji assures every food fanatic that he wouldn’t leave the place disappointed ever.

 

Ranaji serves the all-new chur chur naan in just Rs 60 and the buttery naan will be accompanied by the tangy pickle and dal makhani which will just double the flavor of the crunchy and savory naan. A large number of Naan is available at Ranaji, some of which are cheese naan, cheese garlic naan, chur chur naan, etc. Although all the dishes are a must try the cheese garlic naan is something which is absolutely irresistible and should not be missed by any foodie out there.

Ranaji is a prominent brand in the city which is known for its scrumptious cuisine and satisfactory services since the year 2013. Ranaji has 5 eateries in the city. The first restaurant was started in 2013 at Fatehsagar. After that, Ranaji started their food truck (6 pm to 11 pm) situated at Sukhadia circle near Baskin Robins, where chur chur naan was first introduced, which is named as ‘Ranaji on wheels’. Following the food truck, a kiosk named ‘Ranaji special’ (12 pm to 5 pm) was started at Gulabbagh, then at the Choupati Bombay Market, Sukhadiya circle (12:30 pm to 12 am) and the fifth outlet is situated at Khaugali, Sukhadia circle (12:30 pm to 12 am). Few more outlets can be expected by Ranaji so as to deliver their services in the entire city.

 

‘Ranaji on wheels’ was started with an idea of the takeaway facility. This is why it provides freshly prepared, delicious and hygienic takeaway vegetables which can be bought desirably on a weight basis. The van covers different locations on different timings making it accessible to everyone in the town. Apart from that if you are in search of delectable Jain cuisine, then Ranaji has got that covered too. You can find Jain food at ‘Ranaji special’ near powerhouse lane, Gulab Bagh.

Apart from the chur chur naan, Ranaji has some most scrumptious dishes like paneer handi, Pindi Chana masala, paneer tikka, Mughlai seekh kabab, mushroom tikka, tandoori aloo, pineapple tikka, etc. So, are you ready to have the ultimate foodgasm of your life in absolutely pocket-friendly prices? Then visit the nearest outlet of Ranaji and have the most savory dishes of your life.

Categories
Social

These Stats Show That Udaipur really is a Touristic City!

It wouldn’t come as a matter of surprise to anyone if I say that Udaipur is a tourist city. And it definitely should be with the inordinate amount of beauty it beholds. From history to nature and to hospitality there is absolutely no field left where the city disappoints any tourist which is one of the reasons why people love coming to the city and spend their leisure time between the lush Aravali Hills with their friends and family.

Being a bit curious about tourism in the city, we had a very interesting conversation with the Deputy Director of Udaipur Tourism, Miss Sumita Saroch. In this conversation, we came to know about the current as well as the past status of the tourism in the city. In Addition to that, we also came across the statistics related to the tourism where certain points could be noted.

Source: Patrika

Facts derived from the statistics of tourism in Udaipur:

  • The number of tourists that flocked to the city in the year 2017 was 2.74 Lakh where 83,400 were Indians and 1,90,500 were foreigners.
  • It was noted that the maximum number of tourists in the year 2017 came to Udaipur in the month of November and December which were 1,31,000 and 1,38,000 respectively.
  • While the minimum was in the month of May with just 61,000.
  • About 9% increment in the tourist rate was seen in the year 2017 from the previous year.
  • In the past 7 years, 2017 was the golden year in tourism as the maximum number of tourists flocked to the city in this very year.
  • There are around 658 authorized tourist guides in the city of Udaipur from which 600 holds a city-based license and the rest holds a state-based license.

While this conversation, Ms. Saroch gave a very important message to the people of Udaipur by which they can effectively contribute to the tourism of Udaipur. Watch the video below to know what the message is.

Did you like the article? Or have an interesting story to share?

Write to me at Juhee@udaipurblog.com

Categories
Places to Visit

A Fun Filled Itinerary for All Aged People at Forum Celebration Mall

Celebration Mall has become the ideal weekend destination for all the people in the city. And why wouldn’t it be? After all, the mall is incorporated with an ample number of stores and places which ensures a fun and frolic time with your friends, children, or family. From scrumptious food to a gala time at shopping, the mall has covered everything for you.

Below is the perfect day out plan for people from all the age groups. Read along to find out which one is the most appropriate for you and your companions.

For kids

For kids, Forum celebration mall is a complete package of fun and a joyful day. While you are busy shopping at your favorite stores, kids can have a good time at Game Zone getting engaged in a wide range of games which they can choose from. Apart from that, they can enjoy the car ride there which will let them explore the entire floor in happening and colorful cars and rides. If they are willing to go a bit adventurous and want to spend their day in a different style, then Hungama 7D is the best option for them where they can opt from multiple movies available in it. And in the end, a happy meal for your children would be waiting at Mc Donalds. And if your kids need some grooming, there is a special Kids salon by Champion.

For friends

Planning for a super cool Sunday? Here’s the entire day out plan for you. PVR at Celebration Mall will give you the best movie experience where you can choose from the trending movie with a comfortable sitting arrangement and stunning sound system. After watching the movie, it is time to let go of your hunger pangs and for the same reason, there are multiple options from which you can choose from. These options include Subway, Dominos, Mc Donalds, Café Coffee day, Barbeque Nation, Restaurants like Jaipur Jungle, Hari Vedas and if you are willing to enjoy food from multiple brands at a single place, then there is an entire food zone waiting for you which consists of brands like Dominos, Dosa Plaza, Keventers, Belgian Waffle, Tikka Express, Frozen Junction, Bamboo Grilles, and many more.

 

For Family

Every member of the family will have an assured happy time in the mall as there are all the elements that will make a memorable day for every one of you. Ladies! Brace yourself for a day filled with shopping at your favorite brands. Allen Solly, Arrow, Levi’s, Baggit, Metro, Nike, Reebok, Lavie, Iconic, Woodland, Adidas, AND, Bata, Biba, you name it and it’s there. For everyday items, groceries and daily beauty products and packaged food items, you can find Big Bazaar at the ground floor. Men don’t need to get disheartened by this because they can enjoy some shopping time too at stores like Wills Lifestyle, Peter England, Manyavar, Reliance, Blackberry’s, etc.

Spend a cheerful day with your entire family at the snow park where you can play in the snow no matter what the temperature of the city is.

 

The weekend is approaching. Made your Mall plans yet? 

Categories
Places to Visit

Places to Visit in the City of Hills – Dungarpur

The city of hills – Dungarpur is a casket of beauteous places that have some very interesting historical events associated with it. On the foothills of Aravali range, Dungarpur is situated at a distance of around 103 km from Udaipur. For all the Udaipurites, it can be the best getaway destination and the experience of visiting each of these places would be simply amazing. The exceptional architecture of its palaces and royal residencies built during the times of Maharawal Shiv Singh (1730-1785 AD) attracts an ample amount of tourists every year. Some of the places that you can consider visiting this weekend are listed below.

 

Udai Bilas Palace

Source: Yatra

Named after Maha Rawal Udai Singh II, the Palace follows some classic Rajput architectural style that can be clearly seen in its stunning balconies, arches, and windows. The palace is divided into three sections namely Raniwas, Udai Bilas and Krishna Prakash which is also called Ekthambiya Mahal. Today, Udai Bilas is functioning as a heritage hotel.

 

Juna Mahal

Source: World-Monuments-Fund

The word ‘Juna’ means old and Mahal means Palace. The apparent old palace was built in the 13th century. The seven-storeyed Mahal is built on a high platform constructed by the Pareva stone. The carefully constructed fortified walls, watchtowers, narrow doorways, and corridors will literally take you back in time. You will be left absolutely spellbound by the beautiful murals, miniature paintings, and delicate glass and mirror work.

 

Surpur temple 

Source: Pilgrimaide

Dungarpur is pretty rich when it comes to temples and for the same reason, you’ll find umpteen number of temples where Surpur is one of them. Located on the banks of the Bangdi river, this ancient shrine contains some other attractions too such as Bhulbhulaiya, Madhavrai Temple, Hathiyon Ki Agad and several inscriptions.

 

Gaib Sagar Lake

Source: Tour My India

Gaib Sagar Lake is famous for its shrine of Lord Shrinath Ji which rests on the banks of it. Apart from the core temple which is Vijay Rajrajeshwar Temple, there are some other exquisitely carved temples too. The ‘shilpkars’ or sculptors of Dungarpur have shown their great craftsmanship at this temple of Lord Shiva.

 

Government Archeological Museum

Source: Rajasthan Tour Operator

The museum was meant to house the sculptures collected mainly from the Vagad region by the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Rajasthan. The royal family of Dungarpur has a great contribution in this museum. The family gifted the land for the museum along with some of its personal collection of sculptures and historically important inscriptions.

 

Badal Mahal

Source: राजस्थान पर्यटन

Badal Mahal is located at the banks of Gaib Sagar Lake and it is another Palace made with Pareva stone. The fusion of architectural style of the Rajputs and Mughals offers an interesting twist in the design of the palace. It has 2 stages, 3 domes, and a veranda where every dome consists of a carved half ripe lotus and the middle one has three.

 

Beneshwar temple

Source: The blog of Dungarpur city

Formed at the confluence of river Som and Mahi, Beneshwar temple is the most revered Shiv Linga of the region. It is believed that the Linga at the temple is self-created. Every year a famous tribal festival is held in the month of February which holds a great significance amongst the Bhil tribe.

 

Shrinath Ji temple

Source: Tour My India

This temple was built in the year 1623 by Maharawal Punjraj. The main attractions at the temple are the idol of Shri Radhikaji and Goverdhan Nathji. Other than that there are other shrines dedicated to Shri BankeBihariji and Shri Ramchandraji.

 

Weekend at Dungarpur, anybody?