RM 50 Million Fund for Heritage Buildings in 2009 Budget

Yesterday, Prime Minister Badawi allocated RM 50 million fund for conservation work for the World Heritage Cities of Melaka and Georgetown in his Budget 2009. Compared to an overall budget of RM 209 billion, this amount is certainly a drop in an ocean.

Moreover, the amount is to be divided with Melaka and Georgetown. Conservation work and renovating heritage buildings are not cheap and involves specialised expertise. Hopefully, this allocation is just the beginning for Malaysia in recognising the importance of preserving our heritage for future generations.

I remember once some VIP mentioned that preserving old buildings is not progressive. They should be demolished and newer buildings must be built to replace them. How wrong these comments are. These old buildings with their unique characters reflect the architectural designs of their times and should be preserved.

Build newer buildings by all means BUT ensure that they are built outside the core heritage areas. Visitors to our heritage cities want to see unique buildings and cultures. They certainly do not want to see skyscrapers like theirs at home. If they want to see these skyscrapers,they can do so back in their own backyard.

Singapore has destroyed their heritage buildings during the building frenzy in 1970s and 1980s and they are regretting it. Bras Basah Road had elegant colonial buildings but they were bulldozed. Similarly, Hong Kong followed the same course on their buildings. Luckily, the Hong Kong authorities have maintained the Hong Kong Tram system.

The past can certainly co-exist with the present and we should preserve them for the future. Food for thought.

The Girnar parikrama : Exclusive celebration of Junagadh

The importance of GIRNAR PARIKRAMA from the religious point of view is much more. People from all over INDIA come to undertake this tough route, even without bothering about the harsh cold of forest.

Here are the individual distances of places located on the app. 36 KM. long parikrama route:
'Bhavnath' to 'Zina Bava Ni Madhi' = 12 Kms.
'Zina Bava Ni Madhi' to 'Malvela' = 8 Kms
'Malvela' to 'Bordevi' = 8 Kms.
'Bordevi' to 'Bhavnath' = 8 Kms.

Apart from religious point of view, the parikrama is equally important from social point of view because people of different castes and community come together on this pious occasion. They come to know about the different assets of different community. Here each and every person lives with other people without any differences.

The parikrama is organized every year on KARTAK SUD 11 TO 15 according to the Indian moon calander.

The parikrama starts from DUDHESHWAR TEMPLE at BHAVNATH TALETI. Then people pass through dense forest via the INTWA NI GHODI [ghodi is like pass in mountains - a buldge shape in which one has to first climb the elevation and than climb down the elevation].

After they pass this ghodi, they reach ZINA BAVA NI MADHI located very near to the largest dam of JUNAGADH district-HASNAPUR DAM. Pilgrims do a night halt here. A very beautiful temple named CHANDRA-MAULESHWAR is situated here. The probability of lions sighting here is maximum. This place is also known as RANIYO KUVO. But there is an important notice for the pilgrims that, the entry to this place is banned. You have to have the permission from Dept. of Forests to enter this temple.

Then there are two options for the pilgrims from Zina Bava Ni Madhi.

First option is to directly reach MALVELA and the other option is to reach Malvela via SARKHADIYA HANUMAN.

'Sarkhadiya Hanumaan' is the best Hanumaan temple in Junagadh. It is located amidst dense forest. Lion roars are almost common at this place. Chances of being confronted by deers is also maximum. Pilgrims can also visit Suraj-Kund from Sarkhadiya Hanuman.

Pilgrims reach MADVELA from either of the above mentioned routes. A very beautiful temple is located at MADVELA. As pilgrims start moving from MADVELA, the toughest ghodi is about to welcome them. This toughest ghodi is known as NAL-PANI GHODI OR MADVELA NI GHODI. This ghodi is so inclined that the maximum no. of accidents are reported from this place. Many aged pilgrim finds it difficult to cross this ghodi. Once the pilgrims reach the top of the ghodi, there is a forest hut located which counts the no. of pilgrims undertaking the parikrama. Now the pilgrims have to climb down the steep elevation of nalpani ghodi. After they climb it down, they reach BORDEVI.

BORDEVI is a temple of GODDESS. It is surrounded by Mango trees on three sides of the temple. Places like KAALA-GHUNO AND TATANIYO GHUNO are places which carry water all the year round. TATANIYO GHUNO or KHODIYAR GHUNO gives shelter to Crocodiles. Lucky people are able to see a crocodile with the golden earing. People who had lived in the concrete jungle like very much in this natural jungle. Bordevi is surrounded by unleashed nature on all 4 sides.

Pilgrims now start moving towards BHAVNATH TALETI from Bordevi. This is the end of tiresome, yet fruitful GIRNAR PARIKRAMA.

GETTING THE CRUISE LINERS TO BERTH INTO MELAKA

25th. August 2008

It was recently reported that a Malaysian Cruise Liner had to by-pass Melaka because Melaka had no proper disembarking and embarking facilities. The waterway into Melaka is shallow and cruise liners must anchor off-shore before passengers and crew can disembark into Melaka.



A cruise liner can bring in at least 2000 passengers or more into our shores at any one time. Should half of the passengers and crew decide to visit Melaka, more than 1,000 people of high nett worth can visit for a single day. That means we need to have shuttle boats to bring in the visitors and to bring them back to the ship. Moreover, on reaching our shores, we need to transport them to our historical sites and entertainment venues. We need at least 25 air-conditioned buses to ferry them around.

Do we have the necessary facilities and space to cater for such a crowd at any one time?

The Melaka State authorities should identify a suitable space to build a proper CIQ facilities so that our special guests can visit us without any hassle. The spin off is inmeasurable since the large entourage per visit will give direct economic benefits to locals. Local traders can sell their local souvenirs, offer our visitors our local cuisines and show them our friendly hospitality.

Imagine how many guests can visit us if we can receive at least 4 cruise ships or more per month.

Tourism Melaka would like to appeal to our Melaka State Government to undertake this infrastructure as early as possible. We should undertake this project on a fastrack basis so that Melaka can reap the rewards from our status as Melaka - World Heritage City and Everlasting Living Heritage.

The Sakkar-baug Zoo

The sakkarbaug zoo is ranked 4th all over india. It is one of the zoos throughout India where the ASIATIC LIONS are bred purely, means that pure gene pool of asiatic lions is maintained, Whereas other zoos of the world produces lions with a mix gene pool of african and asian lions.

Apart from LIONS, many more animals are found in the zoo. Tigers, Leopards, Bears, Jungle cats are the mammals found. Reptiles include crocodile, venoumous and nonvenomous snakes, indian monitor lizard etc.

A vide variety of birds are also preserved. 3 species of vultures also found and within 4 monts, a breeding centre will b set up in the zoo for vultures.