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India.com
3 days ago
- India.com
Chandigarh: The Ultimate Backpacking Spot You Need To Explore
Popularly known as the 'City Beautiful', Chandigarh is a well-planned city in northern India that serves as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana. With its modernist buildings, clean streets, and lush greenery, Chandigarh has made a name for itself as one of the most sought after travel destinations for backpackers looking for an enriching trip at an affordable price. Its cultural wealth and urban lifestyle offer something unique to everyone. In this regard, I will list seven points describing why Chandigarh is perfect for any backpacker. 1. Cheap Place to Stay The range of budget places available is what makes Chandigarh so appealing to backpackers. Hostels, guesthouses, and budget hotels are commonplace in the city, all of which are specially tailored to travelers seeking to save money without compromising their level of comfort. Most of these places of accommodations offer essential amenities like free Wi-Fi, clean communes, and spaces where backpackers can mingle with other travelers. Moreover, custom booking websites allow these visitors to compare prices and deals allowing them to get the best prices for a hassle free stay. 2. Effective Urban Infrastructure and Relatively Simple Navigation First-time visitors to Chandigarh do not have to worry about getting lost because they can easily navigate the city's well-planned grid layout, which even includes allocated residential, commercial, and recreational zones for each sector. This organized approach to city planning ensures that public markets, tourist attractions, and landmarks are always easy to reach by walking or popular forms of public transportation. For independent traveling backpackers, this seamless infrastructure reduces time wastage and mitigates confusion. 3. Plenty of Historical Heritage and Exciting Cultural Activities Even though it was founded in 1953, Chandigarh still has a lot of history and culture behind it. The city has a number of monuments and museums that showcases India's past and present. Some notable places include: Rock Garden: A garden containing an extensive collection of forgotten industrial waste turned into beautiful sculptures. Government Museum and Art Gallery: Houses artifacts, coins, and paintings from the Harappan civilization and even the ancient era. Open Hand Monument: This powerful symbol of peace and unity signifies the forward thinking nature of the city. These locations act as a source of education and creativity, and are therefore, ideal for backpackers who prefer traveling to culturally rich countries. 4. Exquisite Scenic Wonder and Ecotourism With Shivalik Hills to the northeast, Chandigarh has many tranquil parks and scenic gardens. Nature lovers will also appreciate Sukhna Lake – an artificial lake best for boating, morning walks, or resting by the water. Landscaping at Rose Garden or Zakir Hussain Rose garden is done in a way that attracts photography enthusiasts; it is home to thousands of osmanthus varieties . Chandigarh is considered a cycling capital due to its various parks and bountiful gardens, one of which is the Leisure valley – a huge district park in the southern part of Chandigarh. Other local sites such as Kasauli and Morni Hills are perfect for trekking while a few hours away at Bir Billing, people's hearts can be raced while paragliding. 5. Famous Local Food at Reasonable Cost Any traveler's journey is never complete without savoring the famous dishes of the place they travel to, and Chandigarh does, without a doubt, satisfy that urge. The city is a perfect blend of traditional Punjabi cuisines along with its street food, all at inexpensive prices. From butter chicken, sarso ka saag with makki di roti, chole bhature, and lassi, the locals will never be short of delicacies. To eat out, try out the Sector 7 Market and Elante Mall Food Court. Locals always tell stories about their exploits at dhabas where authentic taste is combined with fantastically low prices. 6. Welcoming Population and Low Crime Rates Chandigarh is well regarded for its inhabitants and their warm reception towards people which makes it a great option for public university students touring India. The citizens are helpful and ready to assist travelers in understanding the city better and even suggesting some insider places. Also, Chandigarh continues to be one of the safest places in India because of its crime rates and law enforcement. This level of safety gives a great opportunity for travelers to move about without the fear of getting harmed in any way. 7. Hub For Other Exciting Places One more factor in support of Chandigarh is that this city is central to a number of other interesting places within North India. Some of the places which one can enjoy a few hours drive include Shimla: A beautiful hill station famous for its British style buildings and great scenery. Amritsar: Most popular for the Golden Temple and the Wagah Border ceremony. Dharamshala and McLeodGanj: These are in the lap of the Himalayas, well known for Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and also the spiritual centres. This proximity means that tourists are able to increase the number of places they wish to visit and enhance their travelling experience. Final Thoughts As a closing remark, it is worth noting that Chandigarh's reasonable prices, its navigation ease, culture, stunning nature, delicious foods, safety, and good connectivity to other places make it suitable for backpackers. If you are a history lover, nature lover, a culinary enthusiast, or an adventure seeker, this city provides endless options. The unique amalgamation of modernity and ancient traditions is what distinguishes the city and what makes it very appealing to tourists. So, get your bags ready, your map out, and get ready to explore the unforgettable city of Chandigarh – the ultimate paradise for backpackers.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Kutch housed hunter-gatherer communities 5,000 years before Harappans arrived: Study
Shell scatters, deposits, middens, stone tools. Researchers have found rare evidence of human settlement in Kutch. As they dug deeper, they found that Kutch was home to prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities way before the Harappan era. A recent study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) has offered new insights into Kutch's cultural evolution. The study by IITGN researchers, in collaboration with experts from IIT Kanpur (IITK), Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) Delhi, and Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad, has uncovered archaeological evidence that pushes back the human presence in this region by at least 5,000 years prior to the arrival of Harappans. These communities inhabited a mangrove-dominated landscape, relied on shell species (both bivalves like oysters and gastropods), and naturally adapted to such environments. 'While British surveyors had previously noted shell accumulations in the area, these were not recognised as shell-midden sites, the heaps of discarded shells from human consumption,' explained Prof V N Prabhakar, an Associate Professor at the Archaeological Science Centre in the department of Earth Sciences at IITGN and lead investigator of the study. 'Our study is the first to identify these sites, confirm their cultural significance, and establish a chronological context,' he added. These newly identified sites are the first of their kind to be documented in the Kutch region, with a defined cultural and chronological context. According to the researchers, the findings also show similarities with coastal archaeological sites in the Las Bela and Makran regions of Pakistan and the Oman Peninsula, suggesting that early coastal communities across this broader region may have developed comparable strategies for food collection and survival. 'The shell samples collected from Khadir and nearby islands were analysed at PRL Ahmedabad, with support from Prof Ravi Bhushan and J S Ray, and at IUAC, Delhi, with help from Dr Pankaj Kumar,' mentioned Prof Prabhakar. To determine the age of these sites, the researchers used Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), a precise method for measuring the radioactive isotope values of Carbon-14 (C-14) from the shell remains, which is absorbed by all living organisms. After death, C-14 begins to decay and is reduced by half every 5,730 years. Measuring the remaining amount in the shell samples allows scientists to estimate how long ago the organism died. As atmospheric C-14 levels have varied over time, the results were calibrated using tree ring data. Trees form one ring per year, and these tree ring sequences can be matched and extended back over thousands of years, allowing scientists to construct an accurate reference timeline of atmospheric C-14. The team discovered a variety of stone tools used for cutting, scraping, and splitting. Used cores from which the tools were manufactured were also found. 'The presence of these tools and associated raw materials suggests that the communities engaged in the prolific manufacture of implements for daily tasks,' said Dr Shikha Rai, a postdoctoral researcher at IITGN and co-author of the study. The raw materials may have been sourced from Khadir Island, now known for housing the Harappan city of Dholavira. The study challenges the commonly held view that urbanism in Kutch developed primarily under the influence of the Sindh region. 'Instead of abrupt external influence, what we see here is a gradual, locally rooted process of adaptation and cultural development,' said Prof Prabhakar. 'This accumulated knowledge of local geology, water resources, and navigation may have later helped the Harappans plan their settlements more effectively and engage in long-distance trade.' The researchers also believe that the shell middens and scatters will be important in palaeoclimate studies. Since climate change unfolds gradually over millennia and cannot be directly observed in the short term, natural materials like shells preserve signals that help reconstruct past environments. Previous studies at IITGN have already mapped the palaeoclimate of Khadir Island over the past 11,500 years. Further analysis of the recently discovered shell middens may contribute critical new insights into the climate conditions in which early humans lived. 'Humans in the past adapted to different climatic zones and environmental challenges without the aid of modern technologies,' explained Dr Rai, adding: 'Their ability to observe, respond to, and live within their ecological limits is something worth learning from today, especially in the context of global climate change.' The team now aims at mapping cultural developments in Gujarat, from prehistoric to historical periods, to build a broader understanding of how human adaptation has evolved. The findings from this study were presented at the 17th Annual Workshop on South Asian Archaeology (Hartwick College and University of Chicago), the Seminar Series on the Archaeology of the Indo-Iranian Borderlands (Sorbonne University, Paris), and the 50th Annual Conference of the Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies (ISPQS), Raipur — all in 2025. The research team includes Prof Vikrant Jain of the Earth Sciences Department, IITGN; Prof Javed Malik and Debajyoti Paul of IITK; Pankaj Kumar of IUAC, Delhi and Mahendrasinh Gadhavi of LD College, Ahmedabad.
India.com
26-05-2025
- Science
- India.com
95-Century-Old City Discovered Beneath Ocean – Oldest Civilisation Ever?
Ne Delhi: Does the story of human civilization begin where we think? Do the true origins of our societies, cultures and cities stretch back far earlier than the history books suggest and perhaps hidden beneath the very waters we see today? A startling revelation off India's western coast has led the above questions. It casts shadows over our conventional understanding of the past. An underwater site in the Gulf of Khambhat has puzzled archaeologists and scientists for more than two decades. It has stirred debate and raised the possibility of a city submerged under the ocean. Is it a myth or the elusive trace of an ancient civilization that could rewrite the timeline of human history? The Discovery That Shook History Marine researchers from the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), during a routine pollution survey off India's coast in 2000, stumbled upon something remarkable. Their sonar equipment revealed geometrically structured and large formations on the seabed. It was something that defied natural explanations. It laid about 120 feet below the water's surface. Stretching over five miles in length and two miles in width, this ancient site could be older than any civilization we have historically recognised. Human remains, sculptures, ancient beads and pottery shards, the artifacts found from the depths offer tantalising clues. Carbon dating of the artifacts reveals that they are nearly 9,500 years old. The discovery pushes the boundaries of human history. This discovery, if verified, could challenge everything we thought we knew about early human settlements – especially in relation to the Indus Valley Civilization that has long been considered one of the oldest known advanced cultures. A Window Into Prehistoric Civilization Can this submerged city provide a clue to understand how early societies thrived and developed? The chief geologist for the NIOT team, Dr Badrinaryan Badrinaryan, too believes the same. According to him, the artifacts point to a civilization lost beneath water because of increasing sea levels at the end of the Ice Age. Known for its remarkable advanced culture and urban planning, this theory suggests that the Harappan civilization may have evolved from this older 'mother culture'. This, if true, may upend the prevailing belief that well-organised societies did not exist before 5500 BCE. Of course, the idea of a submerged city is not new. Myths and legends suggest that entire civilizations disappeared beneath the waves. But the discovery of such an ancient site presents a real-world mystery that potentially has enormous implications for our understanding of human development. Ongoing Debate Several scholars are convinced with the exiting discovery. Experts such as Dr. Akko Parpola and Dr. Iravatham Mahadevan have cast doubt on the interpretations. Though Dr. Mahadevan argues that certain structures seem man-made, yet he cautions that the artifacts might have been carried by ancient rivers and not necessarily pointing to a lost city. Similarly, Dr. Parpola has questioned the reliability of carbon dating. He says that natural processes might have influenced the patterns and shapes on the seafloor. The debate highlights the complexities of interpreting underwater archaeological sites. The ocean is a harsh and ever-changing environment, and distinguishing between human-made structures and natural formations is no easy task. Can This Discovery Redefine History? Can this discovery lead to rewriting of the history of early civilizations? The Gulf of Khambhat site, if confirmed, will suggest the existence of a culture far older than the Indus Valley. It can also prompt us to reevaluate the factors – which shaped ancient societies. Rising sea levels, shifting coastlines and natural disasters could have submerged civilizations long before the first written records emerged. Researchers are exploring this submerged enigma as the world watches in anticipation. The idea that ancient human civilization might have evolved in ways we have not yet fully comprehend can lead us to untold histories. The Gulf of Khambhat is considered to be the first chapter of a much larger story – which has been hidden beneath the waves for thousands of years.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Lost civilisation discovered beneath the Indian ocean could be older than the Harrappan civilisation
What if the roots of human civilization stretched back far earlier than we ever imagined so far, in fact, that entire cities may now lie forgotten beneath the sea? It sounds like something from a myth or a lost chapter of history, yet off the coast of western India, a mysterious underwater discovery has brought up this very question. Found in the gloomy depths of the Gulf of Khambhat, this ancient submerged site could potentially rewrite the timeline of civilization itself. The discovery was made more than two decades ago by Indian marine researchers and has never been conclusively accepted or rejected. But what exactly was found beneath the sea and why does it continue to stir such controversy even after 25 years? A look into prehistoric civilization In December 2000, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) made a massive discovery in the Gulf of Khambhat, off India's western coast, that happened to take place in routine pollution surveys. Sonar technology showed large, geometric structures on the seafloor, suggesting the existence of a submerged city. This alleged city is located approximately 120 feet underwater, and spans over five miles in length and two miles in width. Artifacts recovered from the site include pottery, beads, sculptures, and human remains. On being carbon-dated, it was found that these artifacts date to be nearly 9,500 years old, potentially predating the Indus Valley Civilization. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like เทรดทองCFDs กับโบรกเกอร์ที่เชื่อถือได้ | เรียนรู้เพิ่มเติม IC Markets สมัคร Undo As per reports by Indy100, Dr. Badrinaryan Badrinaryan, chief geologist for NIOT's scientific team, proposed that these findings indicated the existence of an advanced civilization submerged by rising sea levels at the end of the last Ice Age. He suggested that the Harappan civilization might have descended from this "mother culture," challenging the belief that well-organized societies couldn't have existed prior to 5500 BCE. Experts like Dr. Iravatham Mahadevan and Dr. Akko Parpola have questioned the interpretations. Dr. Mahadevan acknowledged the man-made appearance of certain structures but cautioned that some artifacts might have been transported by ancient rivers. Dr. Parpola raised concerns about the reliability of carbon dating and the potential for natural processes to have shaped the site. Credits: Images generated by canva
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Time of India
Navy stitches past with present to sail into future
KARWAR: The Navy commissioned INSV Kaundinya , a 20m-long sailing yacht based on a 5th-century fresco at the Ajanta caves , at the Karwar naval base on Wednesday. The wooden ship , stitched together entirely by hand in Goa, will embark on a transoceanic voyage along the ancient trade route from Gujarat to Oman, scheduled for later this year. Naval officials said if the first voyage is successful, the yacht will then sail from Odisha to Indonesia later. The induction of this wooden vessel comes 40 years after the Navy decommissioned INS Bhatkal, its last wooden-hulled minesweeper. "We knew that these stitched ships were used to cross the ocean from very ancient times. We know that Indians were sailing the oceans from the bronze age, from the Harappan period. There's enough evidence of Indians crossing from the ports of Gujarat to Oman and Bahrain and going all the way to Mesopotamia," said Sanjeev Sanyal, PM's economic advisory council member, who initiated the whole project. "The problem is that there are no records of exactly what sea-going ships during the Harappan period looked like. There are some texts, like the 'Yukti Kalpa Taru', which we used. We used some testimonies of ancient travellers from other countries who came to Indian Ocean," said Sanyal. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Egypt: New Small Electric Car For Seniors. Prices Might Surprise You. Electric Cars | Search Ads Undo With no detailed blueprints available, multiple stakeholders put their heads together to get INSV Kaundinya to sail. "From Sanyal's vision to Malayali shipwright Babu Sankaran's skill, and from the Navy's oversight to the Goan shipyard Hodi Innovations' determination, the stitched ship replica is a model for successful collaborations," said Commodore Srikant Kesnur (retd). INSV Kaundinya is named after India's first known mariner who, according to legend, established the Fuhan dynasty after marrying a Naga princess. "Kaundinya is not mentioned in Indian records, but we know of him from records of Cambodia and Vietnam. We can only guess where he came from, but just as a hint, there is still a gotra called Kaundinya that lives along the Odisha-Andhra coast, and it is possible that Kaundinya is actually not his first name but his gotra name," said Sanyal.
