Kashmir to rebrand itself as a golf destination

by Iva Skoch on

Kashmir probably does not evoke emotions of vacationing and relaxation in most people. After 18 years of militant violence, Kashmir wants to rebrand themselves from a heavily militarized Himalayan region to a global golfing destination.

According to this article in the NY Times, Kashmir’s government believes that golf will attract tourists who spend more than the penny-pinching backpackers who still come to trek in the mountains and stay on Srinagar’s latticed wooden houseboats. The state is spending $6.2 million to build a golf course in the winter capital, Jammu, to be completed later in the year, the fifth course in the region, and an international airport is scheduled to open in the summer.

My question is, Is there a country out there, which is supposedly not a golf destination nowadays?

Rats ravage India, says China

by Iva Skoch on

Sometimes, it is fun to read the Chinese The People’s Daily newspaper. Among other entertaining things, I have noticed how they tend to over-report anything bad that’s going on with India. Do I sense a little competition for the world’s best new superpower?

Anyway, so I read in The People’s Daily newspaper that rats ravaged India and a million people face famine as a result of it. Specifically, they write: “Hordes of rats ravaged the forests of Mizoram, India, feasting on the fruits of wild bamboo that flower every 48 years, then ate the region’s entire paddy crop leaving about a million people facing famine, officials and aid agencies said on Monday.”

It gets better. “Their harvest lost to rats, some villagers are now working as daily wage laborers on a World Bank-funded road project. Farmers complained that they found work for only one day a month and earned just a little over 2 U.S. dollars.”

Now, can you believe that? That would NEVER happen in China!

Names that don’t travel well

by Iva Skoch on

Whenever I am in a Spanish speaking country, I feel really special. Every time, I get a check, it says “IVA incluido.” That alone isn’t bad news for me, but since everyone else is getting checks with “IVA included,” it makes me feel, you know, a little cheap.

IVA is the Spanish equivalent for the VAT, so I find my name everywhere: from checks to car showrooms. I guess, it is not as bad as running for President with a name like Barack Hussein Obama, but CNN reports that crazy names are totally common for Indian politicians.

Here are a few of the people competing for legislative seats in India: Frankenstein Momin, Billy Kid Sangma, Britainwar Dan, Admiral Sangma, Bombersingh Hynniewta, Laborious Manik Syiem, Hilarius Pohchen, Boldness Nongrum, Clever Marak and Adolf Lu Hitler Marak.

Hitler must be a popular name in Mumbai. The restaurant “Hitler Cross” was forced to change its name, however, after Mumbai’s Jewish community protested.

Photo of the Day (11/10/07)

by Justin Glow on

Even though it’s nearly impossible to take a bad photo of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, I’d still like to congratulate Gadling reader pixelskew for snapping this amazing shot. It’s so perfectly symmetrical, the only way you can tell it’s not just half of an image doubled over is by looking at the crowd of people at the base of the mausoleum. Just as impressive is the sky, which gradually changes from blue to pink to white to green. Magnificent. Pixelskew also gets bonus points because I was there not even a week after this picture was taken, back in December of 2006.

If you’d like to contribute a Photo of the Day shot for consideration, please visit our Gadling Flickr pool and upload your favorites.

India: Now at The Newark Museum

by Kelly Amabile on

There’s a really unique look at India on exhibit at the Newark Museum right now. India: Public Places/Private Spaces is devoted to contemporary art and photography from 28 Indian artists. A cornerstone program running in conjunction with the exhibit is a two-day symposium taking place Oct. 27-28: India: Changing the Way We See will include lectures, readings and film screenings by a select group of internationally renowned scholars, writers and artists as they explore the impact of a rapidly changing India on the global art scene. There will also be an art workshop about Bollywood on November 17 and a family Thanksgiving program celebrating the arts and culture of India on November 23. The art exhibit runs through January 6, 2008.

The Newark Museum has over 80 galleries, including African, American and Asian collections. They have a really nice museum shop too. The Museum is located in the downtown arts district, not far from the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.