Indian Coast Guard: Sentinel of the Indian Maritime Zone
The Indian Coast Guard [Bharatiya Thatrakshak] was constituted as the fourth armed union of India, on 19 August 1978, under the Coast Guard Act. The force's main function is to protect India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), covering an area of 2.02 million sq. km, and operates under the effective control of the Ministry of Defense. Coast Guard vessels and aircraft have been assisting the custom authorities in anti-smuggling operations and has effectively served national interests in high-risk areas. They are also used in SAR operations, anti-pollution and other duties in maritime zones.
The Godavari River is a major waterway in India, next in importance to the Ganges and Indus rivers. It ascends at Triambak which is situated near Nasik in the Western Ghats northeast of Mumbai (formerly Bombay) in Maharashtra. The Godavari flows some 1400 km southeast across south-central India into Andhra Pradesh, and drains into the Bay of Bengal through its seven mouths. Its major tributaries are the Manjra and Indravati rivers. The Godavari River is sacred to all religious people. It has several places of pilgrimage on its banks. Every twelve years, Pushkaram, a major bathing festival, is held on the banks of the river. It is sometimes called the 'Ganga of the South,'
Bihu is the Biggest Festival of Assam, one of the most beautiful states of India, known for its tea gardens, lush green forests and the mighty Brahmaputra river.It is the celebration to welcome seasons and it is vital for a farmer’s life in Assam. Although this festival retained its originality it incorporated specific characteristics of the city life. The origin of the word ‘Bihu" is said to be from the Sanskrit word ‘Vishu’.
The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict,was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir..The cause of the war was the infiltration of Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants into positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control.
Between 1727 and 1734 Maharajah Jai Singh II of Jaipur constructed five astronomical observatories in west central India.The observatories, or "Jantar Mantars" as they are commonly known, incorporate multiple buildings of unique form, each with a specialized function for astronomical measurement.