A passionate Aussie campaigner for India’s ‘toy trains’

28/10/2007 0 Comments read Travel

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Photo Credit: Shekhar Ghoshal

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 28.10.2007 (IANS): Sydney, Oct 26 (IANS) : An Australian professor’s childhood fascination for trains combined with academic conviction has made him a passionate campaigner for some of India’s most romantic mountain railways.

Robert Lee, an associate professor at the School of Humanities and Languages at the University of Western Sydney, has been instrumental in two Indian railways – the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway – winning World Heritage status in 1999 and 2004 respectively.

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More and more Aussies soaking up ‘Incredible India’ experience

27/09/2007 0 Comments read Travel

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 23.09.2007 (IANS): While Australia is becoming a favoured destination for Indians asking “Where the bloody hell are you?”, Aussies are going in steadily large numbers for the “Incredible India” experience. With only 50,000 Aussies travelling to India in 2003, the number shot up to 106,000 in 2006 and this year has seen an increase of about 18 percent.

“We are hoping to see 130,000 Aussies visiting India by the end of this year,” says the regional director of the Indian Tourism Office in Sydney, Shanker Dhar. “We are hoping to see 130,000 Aussies visiting India by the end of this year,” says the regional director of the Indian Tourism Office in Sydney, Shanker Dhar.

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Maori Treasures

03/12/2005 0 Comments read Gender, Indigenous, Travel

Reihana Parata Photo Credit: Neena Bhandari

By Neena Bhandari

Wellington, 03.12.2005 (The Australian): In the freezing cold, a mellifluous voice penetrates the stillness as we are treated to a traditional Powhiri or Maori welcome ceremony before being ushered into the Maori Treasures complex near Wellington.

Powhiri is the protocol for establishing a new relationship with all the five senses – sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. The ceremony is completed with a Hongi or pressing of noses, which acknowledges sharing the same air and touching foreheads, signifying sharing the same knowledge. After this, from a visitor one becomes tangata whenua (people of the land).

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