Andaman & Nicobar Islands Have Entry Formalities To Foreigners

ENTRY FORMALITIES FOR FOREIGNERS

Indian nationals needs no permit to visit the Andamans. However, visiting to tribal reserved areas in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is prohibited.

All Foreign nationals required a permit (RAP - Restricted Area Permit) to visit the Andaman Nicobar Islands, which is easily available on arrival at Port Blair by flight or ship from the Immigration Authorities for 30 days subject to availability of valid visa. This is extendable for another 15 days with permission and the delegated authority to extend permission is the Superintendent of Police, Andaman District, Port Blair.

The Restricted Area Permit can also be obtained from the Indian Missions overseas and also from the foreigners Registration offices at New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata and from the Immigration Authorities at the Airports of New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

PLACES COVERED UNDER RESTRICTED AREA PERMIT

For Day and Night Visits

Entire island of Middle Andaman excluding Tribal Reserve

Entire island of South Andaman, excluding Tribal Reserve

Municipal area, Port Blair

Havelock Island

Long Island

Neil Island

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park except Boat, Hobday, Twin Islands, Tarmugli, Malay and Pluto (Night halt in these Islands subject to special permission of the UT Administration)

Mayabunder

Diglipur

Rangat

Baratang Island

North Passage Island

Little Andaman Island excluding tribal reserve.

For Day Visit Only

Jolly Buoy

South Cinque

Red Skin

Mount Harriet

Ross Island

Barren Island – restricted to visit on board vessels only, with no landing ashore.

Narcondam Island

Interview Island

Brother Island

Sister Island

Madhuban

Contact

1.Tourist Information Centre : Directorate of Tourism, Andaman & Nicobar Administration Port Blair, 744101 Phone: 03192 - 232694/232747(F)

2.Tourist Information Centre : Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair, 744101 Phone: 03192 - 232414

Long Island - It Is a Dream Land In The Form Of Fully Lush Village

LONG ISLAND 

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ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

A UNIQUE VILLAGE NESTLED IN NATURE

Long Island, just 47 nautical miles from Port Blair, having an area of about 18 sq.km., is a modern village with population of around 2000 having many plus points and facilities generally not available in other villages of Bay Islands. It has its own power-house, a well equipped Boat Building Yard, Senior Secondary School, bank, wireless facilities, hospital, Range Forest Office and even police outpost. Long Island is a dreamland settlement without any road network.

Only four feet wide concrete footpath connects different parts of the ‘Panchayat’ area starting from the jetty. Casurina trees make pleasant avenue astride the footpath leading to Government School and to Police Outpost area. Islanders cover these footpath kilometers several times just to reach work place, school, Range Forest Office or temple.

ATTRACTIONS OF LONG ISLAND

Vast marine wealth and exclusive beaches, cosy caves, green hills and magnificent mangroves – a perfect package for adventure tourism.

The pristine beauty of Long Island and adjacent islands in the form of lush green tropical forests, untouched virgin beaches coupled with unique Marine ecosystem attracts the tourists from different parts of India and abroad.

The Islands have dense tropical forests of all types ranging from Tidal Swamp forests to Evergreen Forests.

It has beautiful virgin silvery beaches along its coasts at Lalaji Bay and Merk Bay of North Passage Island adjacent to Long Island.

Cruising through the creek at Yerrata and the sunset view from Long Island can attract any nature lover to these places. Long Island is also a paradise for birding.

Long Island is located 82 kms from Port Blair or 35kms north of Havelock

Govt. Ferry between islands

BY SPEED BOATS

There are regular boats from Port Blair to Long Island thrice a week with stopovers at Neil Island and Havelock. Govt. Boat Schedule

BY BUS

You would need to get a bus early from Port Blair to arrive in Rangat early enough to catch the 4pm boat from Yeratta (near Rangat) to Long Island. There are later buses up to 11am but the journey takes 6 hours, so you may have to stay the night in Rangat and get the 9am boat to Long Island.

Four Gateway Of Entry To Taj Mahal

ENTRY TO TAJ MAHAL

The four storeyed main gateway of the Taj Mahal is 100 feet high and is built in red sandstone. The Arabic calligraphy from the Holy Quran and motifs of entwined flowers, leaves and vines spiraling down its niches. These motifs have been made by semi-precious stones inlaid in the white marble.

The  Southern Gate  

The Gate is towards the south, Which faces the old Mumtazabad (Modern Taj Ganj). It is meant for the pedestrians. On the right side of this gate is a Tomb of red stone which is surrounded by court yards and crowded with a dome. It is said that this is a grave of one lady companion of Mumtaj Mahal. Due to this reason this building is called as the Tomb of a Maid of Honour.

It stand on an evelated square measuring 156 feet each way. In the central chamber, there are two uninscribed tombs of marble stone. The platform of the building is octagonal and the cupola is turnip-shaped. No historian has given an account of these graves, yet they agree with this probability that these graves may belong to the personal ward attendants of Mumtaz Mahal. Just opposite this building, there is a red stone edifice of the same type.

The  Eastern Gate 

This gate faces towards Fatehabad. There is a domed tomb erected on an elevated platform near this gate. This Tomb was built in the memory of another wife of Shah Jahan called Sirhindi begum. Due to this, the gate is known as ‘Sirhi Darwaza’.The main building is eight sided, having twenty four arches,a big hall and a verandah.

The Western Gate 

It is the main entrance to the Taj Mahal and this gate faces towards the Agra cantonment and Agra city.There is a red sand stone edifice outside this gate which is known as Fatehpur Begum another wife of Shah Jahan. It is erected on a beautiful terrace.The count yard is paved and its measurements are 130 feet and some 175 to 200 persons can perform Namaz in here.

The Gate Way To The Taj Mahal 

This gate way is an octagonal entrance hall, surrounded by small rooms on both the sides of the floors having beautifully ornamented gates on two sides, one opening towards the court yard side and the other to wards the Mausoleum itself. On the three sides of this gateway, there are strong balconies. The Gateway is a master piece of fine inlay work in itself.

Mukteshwar Temple - It Is A Land Mark Of Panthankot City

MUKTESHWAR TEMPLE

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HOSHIARPUR

Mukteshwar Temple is situated in Hoshiarpur district of the state of Punjab. It is a popular shrine of Lord Shiva and is also known as Mukesaran Mandir - located near Pathankot on Shahpur Kandi Dam road. It is the holy temple of the Hindu religion, where the idols of Lord Ganesha, Lord Bramha, Lord Vishnu, Lord Hanuman and Goddess Parvati are present.

This temple is one of the most sacred places around Pathankot. There are some caves which date to the time of the Mahabharata. According to a legend, the Pandavas stayed in those caves for a night during their exile (Agayatwas).

Locals say that these caves near the Mandir dates back to the period of the Mahabharata. These caves are on the way to Shahpur Kandi and is situated on the bank of the River Ravi, 22 km from Pathankot City in Shaupur Kandi at Doongh village.

The caves and temple has been carved on one of the rocky hill. This temple stands tall at the hill top and is a landmark around the city.

Situated at the hilltop, Mukteshwar temple has a white marble Shivling, with a copper Yoni. The Shivling is surrounded by the idols of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Goddess Paravati, Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesha.

A Fair, called the Mukesran Da Mela, is held anually at this place, in April, to mark Baisakhi festival. Also every year big festival on day of Shivratri and after one month of shivratri there is three day festival Chaitra Chodiya and also Navratri festival. 

Somvati Amavasya is another big fair temple committee organizes. Lots of pilgrim from all over the Punjab and nearby state Himachal, J &mp K comes here for to worship God every year mainly on Mukesran mela and Shiv Ratri.

By Air

The airport is a military airport that was started in the year 2006 on 21st November which one caters to the Indian Air Force Base. Earlier only flights to the North India were slated from the Pathankot Airport but as of now, no flights are scheduled from the base. One can take flights till Raja Sansi International Airport, Amritsar or the Jammu Airport and then complete their journey till Pathankot by train, bus or a taxi. The distance from the Raja Sansi International Airport till the Pathankot city is 118 km. Regular international and national flights fly from these Airports to most of the important cities all over India.

By Rail

There are two railway stations in Pathankot: The Pathankot Cantt (Chakki Bank Railay Station) which is right in the heart of the city and the Pathankot railway station which is very close (at walking distance) to Pathankot Bus Stand. Both the stations are connected to the broad gauge lines and are managed by the northern railways. Regular trains from Jammu, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Delhi and Ludhiana ply from these two stations.

By Road

The Pathankot bus stand is known as the Maharana Pratap Inter State Bus Terminal is located just very close to the National Highway 20 that is at a distance of 3 km from the city. Himachal Roadways, Jammu and Kashmir Roadways, Punjab Roadways and PUNBUS have bus services for interstate regions and the inter city of Punjab. Regular busses from Delhi, Ludhiana, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh ply from Pathankot. You can take bus for jugial to visit the holy mukteshwar shrine.

Mehudi Jain Temple - Ghantakarna Mahavir Deity Holds A Bow And Arrow As His Weapons

MAHUDI JAIN TEMPLE

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MEHSANA

Mahudi Jain Temple is considered to be one of the most sacred Jain pilgrimages, and it is situated in Mahudi, Mehsana District. This temple spreads over an area of 2 square kilometers. Maudi is 35 Km away from Ghandhinagar. The temple is quite beautiful, but it is associated with plenty of rumours.

In ancient times, the place was known as Madhumati. The idols and artistic remains recovered from the ground show that the history of this place is nearly 2000 years old, based on the inscriptions in Brahmi script.

Acharyadev Buddhi Sagarsurisvarji was inspired in a dream to install the idol of Ghantakarna Mahavir Dev in 1923 A.D. This idol is considered to have miraculous powers. Thousands of Jain devotees, as well as devotees from other backgrounds, come to receive blessings from this idol.

Ghantakarna Mahavir was a Kshatriya (warrior) king named Tungabhadra in his previous birth and considered to be the protector of the less fortunate. So even today his idol carries his weapons a bow and arrow.

It is always said that in his previous birth he was very fond of sukhadi, and so there is a tradition of all visitors offering sukhadi to him during the prayer. However, it is believed that the sukhadi should be consumed or donated before leaving the premises, otherwise it might bring bad luck.

Main attraction of the temple is 2 bells. One of these bell weights couple of tons. This bell is used only once in a year on Diwali and it's sound can be heard at few miles away from the temple. Second bell weights 40-50 kg and it has been places at the top of marble ladders.

It is customary to take a bhoomti (circumambulation) around the 24 shrines of the tirthankaras here. The nearest railway station of Vijapur is 10 kms away. There are good bus facilities to get to Mahudi from Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Kalol.

By air

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel airport at Ahmedabad is an international airport with direct flights to USA, UK, Singapore, Dubai and other international hubs. Numerous domestic flights are also operational from here.

By rail

The main railway station is located in Kalupur area. This station falls under the prominent national railway circuit and is connected to all major cities of India. If you are on the western side of the Sabarmati river, then you can go to the Gandhigram station near Ashram road to buy your railway tickets easily.

By road

Gujarat has one of the better developed road networks in India. Ahmedabad is well connected with all major cities and towns by road. Prominent bus stops are located at Gitamandir near Kalupur Railway Station and Paldi. Regular bus services are available by Gujarat state transport buses and private operators to all the major destinations of the state.