HERITAGE WORLDWIDE e newsletter

Around the country in 10 days

source:the Telegraph

From Delhi to Gir Lion Sanctuary, from Ajanta and Ellora and Bimbedka Caves to Khajuraho, the journey promises to be an unforgettable one for Ranchi’s high school students. Thanks to Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY), Delhi, students across the country will get an opportunity to catch a glimpse of exquisite heritage sites. The Jharkhand chapter of the organisation will take care of students going from the state. It has already contacted 25 public schools to be part of this trip. A first of its kind, the 10-day Heritage Tour will start from Delhi on March 30. Apart from the most sought-after locales, students will visit places like Ajmer, Udaipur, Porbandar, Dwarka, Gwalior Fort, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Elephanta Caves. And all these will also be light on the pocket. A meagre registration amount of Rs 1,000 per student would cover all expenses including transportation, food and lodging. With the registration process for the trip still on, Rajiv Ranjan, state co-ordinator of SPIC MACAY, said they are expecting over 500 children across the state to take this maiden trip. “We have contacted 25 schools and from each school, 25 students from Classes VIII to XII will go for sightseeing,” said Ranjan. “It makes a great difference when students learning theoretically visit those places and get an insight of heritage sites. This trip will be beneficial particularly for art students, who have great interest in historical facts, which is also part of their syllabus,” added the co-ordinator. Students, on the other hand, are equally enthusiastic. “Since my final examinations will be over by March 18, it will be a much-needed break. I am eager to see Elephanta, Ajanta and Ellora. I have read about these in my history textbook and now I want to experience and explore the mysteries that shroud these popular heritage sites,” said an eighth standard student of DAV Public School-Bariatu Bobby Singh. If Singh is interested in exploring the secrets of the caves, equally enthusiastic is Ankush Rai, a ninth grader in Delhi Public School, Ranchi. “We will get an opportunity to visit the important sites, considered to be rich and valuable sources of historical information. All the sites mentioned in the itinerary are the most sought after destinations by both domestic and foreign tourists,” he said. A similar kind of tour was organised by INTACH, Jharkhand, in collaboration with the state tourism department last year.