DONGLA OBSERVATORY AND UJJAIN PLANETARIUM

Ujjain, a 1000+ year old city, has been considered very important since ancient times ~ both for religious purposes as well as for its astronomical significance. In religious, it has multiple ancient temples and hundreds of sacred pilgrimage sites many considered 'shaktipeeth' 'Jyotirlingas of Shiva' or temples that are 'vibrant and alive' with the diety residing in it. It is also the venue for one of the major Kumbh melas. On astronomical side, Surya Siddhanta and the Panch Siddhanta ( considered great works on astronomy ) were written in Ujjain. It was long considered that the Tropic of Cancer and Zero degree Meridian passed through it; hence, it has been a hotspot for astronomy enthusiasts too besides saints/sages since time immemorial with Raja Jaisingh of Jaipur hogging the spotlight. He had a penchant for mathematical and astronomical studies and built various observatories with interesting calculating and measuring instruments at places like Jaipur, Delhi, Mathura, Varanasi, and also, Ujjain - these being popularly known as 'Jantar-Mantar'. One needs to visit these 'jantar mantar' to understand how various studies related to astronomy/ weather etc were done during olden times. In modern times, with better and improved technologies we have observatories like the one in Dongla or Planetariums. Ujjain has both; and quite advanced ones too, helping in studies of astronomy, space science, observe the marvels of the milky way/ galaxies and research. The place is situated in such a location i.e in the tropic of cancer, that the place almost always has a peculiar vibe of 'timelessness'. Its also the main worship site of 'mahakal' where 'kal' denotes time.


road to dongla observatory, clear skies...


close up...


insides of the observatory...biggest telescope of mp...

zero shadow measuring instrument at dongla...

With the biggest optical telescope in Madhya Pradesh, Dongla Observatory is an important astronomical site in India. The place experiences Zero Shadow Day on the day of Summer Solstice and there is an instrument that measures it as well, besides others. Ujjain, where once the actual intersection of the zero degree meridian of the ancient world with the Tropic of Cancer was said to have located is no longer considered so; instead, it is at Dongla which is located about 39 kms from Ujjain, making it a very important site for astronomers and geographers alike.

Ujjain Planetarium

the insides...

science enthusiasts...
The Ujjain Planetarium is an ultra-modern ( with 3-D Imax movie theatre within ) planetarium with seating capacity of 124 persons.

Ujjain is an ancient city beside the Kshipra River in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. An important Hindu pilgrimage destination, it’s known for the centuries-old Mahakaleshwar Temple and many other ancient temples. It is also famous for its ancent astroniomical studies.
Address : Dongla, Madhya Pradesh 456443 | MPCST Planetarium, Antariksha Parisar, Sector C, Vasant Vihar, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh 456010
Stay tuned for all my road, rail, flight, cruise & walk trips.
( Images - All rights reserved. )
Our Rating Scale is : 1 to 5 = ◕◕◕◕◕ - It was Awesome!

TAWANG ROAD TRIP IN PICTURES

Photo Travelogue!


Of many, there are primarily two main ways to reach Tawang; one, by Tezpur-Bhalunkpong-Tenga-Bomdila route and the other by Mangaldoi-Udalguri-Bhairabkund-Kalaktang-Rupa-Bomdila route. Both routes are pretty, passing through thick forests, green hills and mesmerising views. There are some inner roads that go upto Bhutan as well. But since these are mountainous regions with thick forests, always go with a guide or person who know these terrains well. To be on safe side, I like to stick to highways..and even if I tred an offbeat path, I try not to go far and avoid treks that has multiple paths. A 510.8 km journey, its recommended to start early morning as it takes 12+ hrs.


The start is lush greenery on both sides...and slowly, both the terrain as well as the type of vegetation changes. From tropical to temperate to alpine; in one journey, one sees it all...


raw, untouched, unexplored - the region is still a 'virgin'..no noisy tourists or littering, thankfully ...


the view gets better and better...


army camp...due to china border close by, there are many of these here...


its time to actually drive through the snow that has been teasing so far...

sela gate welcoming...



frozen sela lake near sela mountain pass



time to go higher...





BRO ( Border Roads Organisation ) ensuring roads are snow-free and motorable...






mighty himalayan peaks beackons atlast...



in contrast to the regular mountains and hills that we see or cross by, the main 'higher' himalayan range starts looming ahead - which are stark black majestic rocky triangular giants with snow capped peaks...they look so intimidatingly stunning...you feel tiny and insignificant in front of them...nature or God's creation is amazing... 'bows down'!



himalayan yaks ...grazing snow? hmm...

With the completion of the all weather Sela Tunnel ( enabling year-round access for tourists, locals and military alike ) the time taken to get to Tawang from Tezpur has been incredibly shortened by over an hour avoiding the challenging top. In my case though, I prefer the older route as that ensures maximum thrill. We were caught in a blizzard atop Sela for hours!


Address :Arunachal Pradesh, Tawang.
Stay tuned for all my road, rail, flight, cruise & walk trips.
( Images - ©Owner. All rights reserved. )
Our Rating Scale is : 1 to 5 = ◕◕◕◕◕ - It was Awesome!

TOP ATTRACTIONS OF UPPER ASSAM - JORHAT AND TINSUKIA

Upper Assam is not just tea gardens, it has lots of other attractions too especially around the cities of Jorhat and Tinsukia, besides others. It has a multitude of wildlife sanctuaries and natural reserve forests, offering interesting flora and fauna of exotic species in its vast expanses of hills, valleys and rivers; as well as offering religious, cultural, spiritual, historical and archeologial marvels and limitless natural attractions. Here's exploring just a few from the diverse catalogue :-)


pretty rolling hills in the background of a typical inter-city/state bus depot...the region is well connected...


temple perched on top of a hill amongst greenery ( naam ghars pertaining to srimanta sankardev's Eka-sarana movement are plently in the region )...

Jungle trek...



bird spotting...




animal spotting ( famous one horned rhino ) in wildlife sanctuaries...

Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, Molai Forest, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary, Bherjan-Borjan-Padumoni Wildlife Santuary are a few amongst many besides the world famous Kaziranga...

Lachit Borphukan’s Maidam

@Lachit Maidam Road, Lahdoigarh, Sorumona Poria, Assam 785700


Named after the famous Ahom General, Lachit Borphukan, this 'maidam' with a memorial stone, was constructed by Swargadeo Udayaditya in his memory in 1672, and has the brave warrior's last remains that were laid to rest in the grounds. It is a place of historical importance, as the brave warrior had fought off the Mughals and defeated them 17 times in the famous 'Battle of Saraighat'. It is recommended to visit this place to pay tribute to the great soul. Located in Gohain Gaon, this well decorated maidam is around 15 kilometres from Jorhat and 8 kilometres from Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary. Easily accessible, cabs and buses are available from any of the locations in Jorhat.


beautiful ancient temple...


tilinga temple tinsukia... There are many centuries old ancient temples in these parts of the state of Assam, of which, Tilinga is a famous Shiva temple located in Tinsukia. It is a major tourist attraction, frequented by locals too. It is believed that tying a bell at this temple makes your wishes come true. The temple thus have thousands of bells of different sizes ( of various metals ) tied all around it. It lies in Bordubi, 17 Km from Tinsukia. There are also hundred Shiva tridents speared here and there in the sand.


Address : Jorhat | Tinsukia
Stay tuned for all my road, rail, flight, cruise & walk trips.
( Images - All rights reserved. )
Our Rating Scale is : 1 to 5 = ◕◕◕◕◕ - It was Awesome!