HEART OF INDIA:MADHYA PRADESH

Madhya Pradesh, the center most state of India, and popularly known as the “Heart of India”, is one of the most stunning states in the country. Its capital is Bhopal, and it borders the states of Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Second largest state in terms of area and sixth largest in terms of population, Madhya Pradesh has been ruled by many dynasties.

The state exhibits splendid monuments, ancient temples, palaces and forts. Sights of its splendid past can still be seen in the state. The state is a tourist’s haven, travel fanatics can participate in cultural, wildlife, pilgrim, and heritage tours.

A Spectacular State

The Narmada River flows through the state from east to west between the Vindhya and Satpura mountain ranges. The state has sub-tropical climate, like most parts of North India it experiences hot-dry summers, followed by rainy season and then cold and dry winters.

Madhya Pradesh is a mighty state, entailing largely of a plateau splashed with the hill ranges of the Vindhyas and the Satpuras. The hills give rise to the main river system - Narmada and the Tapti, running from east to west, and the Chambal, Sone, Betwa, Mahanadi west to east.

An Exciting Panorama of Wildlife

One third of the state is forested and offers an exclusive and exhilarating panorama of wildlife. Madhya Pradesh houses 11 national parks, Bandhavgarh National Park, Kanha National Park, Satpura National Park and Sanjay National Park being few of them. Three of the 18 biosphere reserves in India are in Madhya Pradesh, namely, Panchmarhi Biosphere Reserve in Satpura Range, Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve and Panna National Park.

A Sacred Destination

Madhya Pradesh is known for its heritage sites, holy destinations such as Ujjain and Omkareshwar, and natural exquisiteness with hills, forests, waterfalls, rock cliffs and rivers. With a perfect blend of all cultures, people from all religions striving in the land, a sight of India and its unity in diversity is clearly seen in Madhya Pradesh. Read on to know about some of the bravura tourist places in the state.

Mandu: This awe-inspiring location is situated at the projection of the Vindhyan mountain range. Surrounded by a plateau, it is separated from the valley by a deep ravine. The place has wonderful crystal clear lakes and glittering ponds. The place is fantabulous and will be loved by nature lovers.

Khajuraho: Khajuraho is the most famous heritage site in Madhya Pradesh. A must visit place, it is famous for its ancient temples built during the reign of Chandela kings. 83 temples were built over a span of 100 years, from 950 AD to 1050 AD. Only 22 temples are remaining at the moment. Bandhavgarh National Park: Bandhavgarh has the highest collection of tigers in the country. Madhya Pradesh is also known for its wonderful white tigers. The park has a large biodiversity.

Pench Tiger Reserve: Popularly known as the "Land of Kipling" or the place where Mowgli lived, Pench Tiger Reserve is a splendid place to visit. This place inspired Rudyard Kipling and he wrote, “The Jungle Book". This place in India did actually have a small boy who was nurtured by the wolves in the jungle. This incident was actually penned down in "Camp Life of Seoni" by Col. William Sleeman.

Sanchi: Sanchi stupa is the most celebrated monument in Madhya Pradesh. It is the oldest stone structure in India, and was commissioned by emperor Ashoka in 3rd Century BC. The stupas at Sanchi has inscriptions written in Brahmi, and hold great historical significance.

Ujjain: It is a major magnetism for spiritual tourists from all over the world. It has many artistic and magnificent temples, one of them being Mahakaleshwara, an ancient temple which is said to be the abode of Lord Shiva. Other attractions in the city include, Ganeshji ka Mandir, Kaliadeh Palace, Kal Bhairava, Durgadas ki Chhatri among others.

Orchha: Located at a distance of about 75 km from Gwalior, this place was the seat of administration of the Bundela Rajputs. Orchha boasts of excellent palaces depicting the typical architectural designs of the Bundela Rajputs. The Jehangir Mahal, Raj Mahal and the Ram Raja Temple are among the best attractions to visit in Madhya Pradesh.

Bhopal: The capital city of MP, the palaces and temples in Bhopal boasts of its rich historical past. The city was earlier called Bhojpal, after king Bhoj who constructed the city with beautiful dams and lakes surrounding it.

Indore: Indore has two sparkling rivers flowing across the city namely Khan and Saraswati. There is small and artistic temple in the center of the city, which belongs to the 18th century. Must visit places include Chhatris, Chokni Dhani, Kanch Mandir, Lal Baag Palace, Nehru Park, Mahatma Gandhi Hall and Rajwada.

Chitrakoot: Chitrakoot is a noteworthy location for Hindus. This place is assumed to be visited by Lord Rama and Sita during the exile of 14 years. Some of the attractions to visit in Chitrakoot are- Hanuman Dhara, Janki Kund, Bharat Milap Temple and Sage Atri Shrines.

The Chatori Gali

Like any other part in India, Madhya Pradesh also has a rich and varied cuisine. Wheat and meat are prominent in the North and West part of the State, while Fish and rice are widely consumed in the Southern and Eastern parts. Milk is a common ingredient in many parts of the state. Bhopal is famously known for rogan josh, korma, qeema, biryani, pilaf and kebabs. There is a street named "Chatori Gali" in old Bhopal where one can find traditional Muslim non-veg fare like Paya Soup, Bun Kabab, and Nalli-Nihari as some of the specialties.

Madhya Pradesh, the central most state of India boasts of a great culture and history. Its world class monuments, temples and splendid natural beauty is worth observing. Away from the hustle bustle of the busy city life, Madhya Pradesh is the place to be if you’re looking for some peace, and spiritual therapy and spend some time in the laps of nature.

Read More

Joy FM Keteke Fever; a classic night with elegance

The 2014 edition of Joy FM's Keteke Fever was a blast, a master stroke which brought some of the country's top notch business and political personalities back to the glorious era of 1970s and 1980s.

The event, which came off at the Banquet Hall of the State House on December 26 - Boxing Day, was just that perfect icing for 2014 – it was the mother of all parties!

The Banquet Hall was filled with a sea of the crème de la crème in society who in their own magnificent way turned the hands of time and relived the good old days, at least for the night.

In the usual Joy FM fashion and per the demands of the night, the setup at the venue was well planned to give room for more dancing and mingling. The stage, sound, lighting, dancefloor, seats were well planned and positioned to meet the demands of the night.

When the party switched into full gear at 10 pm, DJs for the night, Paul Ankrah (Beelei) and Andy Dosty manned the music time machine to perfection. With support from host of Cosmopolitan Mix on Joy FM, 'Soul Sister' Doreen Andoh, the night never lacked anything music. The now youthful patrons filled every inch of space on the dancefloor dancing to the great 70s and 80s tunes dished out by the DJs. Classic tunes such as Marcia Griffiths' 'Electric Boogie (The Electric Slide)', The Staple Singers' 'I'll Take You There', 'Bustin' Loose' by Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, McFadden & Whitehead's 'Ain't No Stopping Us Now', Teddy Pendergrass' 'When Somebody Loves You Back', and Donna Summer's 'Breakaway' brought back memories.

The shear excitement on the faces of patrons and sing alongs said it all. The Joy FM Keteke Fever met a need they had been waiting and craving for all year long and it was served exceedingly hot. The dance moves came in different shapes, sizes and formats but prominent among them was Electric Boogie (The Electric Slide) as patrons slid in admirable fashion. For close to six hours, the Banquet Hall of the State House was the hottest party zone in the capital.

Read More

Mzbel to celebrate 10 years in music in 2015

Sexy singer Mzbel is set to celebrate10 years in the Ghanaian music industry with an event dubbed: 'Mzbel Red Concert'. The event which was launched at the Alisa Hotel is slated for February 7, 2015 at the National Theatre. Explaining the significance of the month of February, Mzbel, who is known in real life as Nana Ekua Amoah, said the month of February represents the Mzbel brand which is built on love. She also explained fur ther that, the event will become an annual one and the 2015 concert will be the inaugural edition.

“Now my fans can have something to look up to yearly in terms of a concert,” she noted. The controversial singer mentioned that, as par t of the 10 th anniversary, a weeklong activities have been lined up star ting from February 3 to February 7, 2015.

“As part of the 10-year celebrations I will draw more attention to Women Empowerment and Children related issues especially girl child protection,” she noted. Mzbel hinted that, at the February 7 concert at the National Theatre, her fans will get the oppor tunity to enjoy an hour of great performance from her with support from some of her friends.

President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Bice Osei Kufour (Obour) affirmed the Association's support of the concert by attending the launch. The MUSIGA president stated that the musicians union will suppor t the event and its activities. He added that, as a union, they are very proud to see a female artiste come this far to celebrate a decade of good music and successful career.

Mzbel recently bounced back into the music industry with the release of the single 'Legelege'.

Read More

Florence Epee from Cameroon Scoops the Miss West Africa International 2014 Title

Florence Epee from Cameroon who wowed the crowd on the night of 21st December, left Nigeria with the Miss West Africa International 2014 title, succeeding to the former queen Hawa Kamara, Miss West Africa International 2013. Miss West Africa USA, Lily Ogechi Udumukwu originally from Nigeria, scooped the 1stRunners up and Annarosa Traoré Assita, Miss West Africa Mali 2014 left as the 2nd Runners up.

The event which was sponsored by the Swiss Spirit Hotel saw contestants from Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Niger, Togo, Mali, Senegal, Sao Tome and Ivory Coast.

On the day there was a very flawed line of judging by judges called up by D Sinatra Ents, organizers of Miss West Africa International 2014 in Nigeria. A number of judges seemed to have forced upon the other judges Miss West Africa Nigeria 2014 into the finals as well as having her announced as the winner, this was not only rejected by the crowd but also by the CEO of Miss West Africa International.

“Racheal (Miss West Africa Nigeria 2014) is a great and very beautiful girl, but it was very obvious she was far from the most impressive on the day, I felt slightly similar about the situation last year, and regretted for a whole year that it was not opposed, I will not let that happen again. I understand when there is a little difference of opinions, but it does raise questions when the judges results are totally different from the crowds expectations. I am not going to stress my brain about how it happened, or who was behind it, or what was the reason it happened, what is very obvious is that she is not the winner, and that Florence, Lily and Annarosa will now be acknowledged in their respectful positions. And that from this point on, we will not take the risk of letting franchisers decide on the judges for the international event. It is an international event, they didn't just jump in a taxi to get here. It is disrespectful to the girls and every single person that supports them” - Nana Tamakloe.

Other highlights of the day saw an amazing performance by Shoki singer, Orezi, comedy by Frank Da Don, Hosting by Denrele, and a young candidate by the name Carla Patricia Lima of age 16 give a fierce performance on the day whilst representing Sao Tome. Miss West Africa ltd believes the confusion of the winner will stir, but switching the titles was a necessary action if it wishes to maintain a great history of rewarding those that deserve to uphold the Miss West Africa title. “There is a lot to express on this situation, but now the only essential thing at this time is to thanks all the queens for thier participation. We are looking forward to making an extrodinary impact on pageantry with the new international queen Florence Epee, she is more than determined, beautiful and passionate about Africa, and deserves every inch of the crown on her head.” - Miss West Africa ltd

Read More

Agya Yaw Wins Challenge Season 6

Agya Yaw Nsiah Agyemang was announced winner of The Challenge Season 6 Reality Show held at the La Beach Hotel in Accra.

For winning the competition, Agya Yaw has won a full scholarship to pursue a Master’s Degree programme at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland and other packages.

25-year-old Victoria Maame Esi Aidoo, an old student of Holy Child School picked the second position while Anthony Kofi Annan, a graduate from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology was adjudged third. For their prize, they won full scholarships to pursue a Master’s Degree programme in two universities in the UK; Northumbria University in Newcastle and University of Salford in Manchester.

Read More

Morocco wants Rabat and Casablanca to become “global destinations”

The Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development (SMIT) aims at making Rabat and Casablanca “global destinations” and to spend about MAD 18 billion to develop rural tourism notwithstanding the economic crisis.

In a report issued at its Supervisory Board meeting in Rabat on December 22, the Moroccan agency disclosed that investment in Morocco’s tourism industry in 2014 amounted to $2 billion. This is “despite economic crisis,” said Lahcen Haddad, the Minister of Tourism. The report states that financial support for the tourism sector has increased investment to MAD 63 billion since the inception of the 2020 vision plan on November 30, 2010. The agency realized revenue of MAD 365 million in 2014, in addition to MAD 79 million in operating income, and achieved 57% percent of targets for 2020.

Imad Barrakad, the CEO of SMIT said that 2014 marked the enrichment of Morocco’s cultural offerings by developing new tourist destinations such as Rabat, Casablanca, and Tangier thanks to the Moroccan tourism fund in association with sovereign funds from the Gulf countries.

SMIT intends to put Rabat and Casablanca among the world’s most prestigious destinations as resorts for recreation and culture through the creation of museums, theaters, libraries, interpretation centers, marinas, restaurants, cafes, shopping malls, and upscale hotels.

The Moroccan government and SMIT also signed an agreement in September with a budget of MAD 2.4 billion to develop rural tourism expecting to create more than 25,000 job opportunities.

SMIT has already declared its interest in creating partnerships with regional investment centers for the implementation of development projects such as the convention center in Marrakech, the exhibition center in Tangier, the constellation thematic resorts in Fez and Meknes featuring the history of Morocco. In 2015, “SMIT plans to intensify its promotion and solicitation of investors internationally,” according to the president of SMIT.

Read More

New airline offers East Africans connections to 82 cities

The arrival of "flydubai" in East Africa during October and November, since then serving Entebbe, Bujumbura, Kigali, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar, has, besides boosting tourism and trade for regional businesses, also opened up a whole new range of destinations for travelers from the region.

After launching some 23 destinations in 2014, the most ever rolled out in a single year, the airline now serves 89 destinations overall, giving East African travelers 82 destinations to fly on to after transiting in Dubai. Most of these are found across the Indian subcontinent, Eastern Europe, and, of course, the Gulf and the Arabian peninsula, opening doors for business opportunities both ways.

"I think we are not taking advantage of this budget airline coming to Entebbe as of now. Tourism can get a real boost if we could only tap into their East European network. No other airline can get tourists cheaper to Uganda than they do. We need to partner with them, in fact partner more with all airlines flying to Entebbe, and package good offers," answered a tour operator in Kampala when tipped off to these opportunities. In response to the same question directed to a senior member of the Private

Sector Foundation Uganda, he, on condition of anonymity for not being the official spokesperson of PSF (U), said: "You are right. We should organize a trade mission to some of the places they fly to and promote our coffee, tea, flowers, fish, and other exports. New airlines create new opportunities, and we have been slow to take advantage. Their fares are very affordable, so a trade mission group can economize a lot when going out to sell Ugandan products and produce." Another source close to the airline in Uganda added that they are keen to see the entire region take advantage of their daily flights to Entebbe and Dar es Salaam and their several flights a week to Bujumbura, Kigali, Kilimanjaro, and Zanzibar: "Tour agents should prepare offers, and the airline can then partner to promote Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania across their network. Reasonably-priced packages together with low fares should make that a win-win situation."

Read More