Diamond Harbour Travel Guied

Diamond Harbour is a small town of 33,000 in South 24 Parganas District of West Bengal in India. It is situated on the banks of the river Hoogly, 51km south of Calcutta. It is located at the point where the Ganges River turns south toward the Bay of Bengal. There is a ruined fort here, alleged to date back to Portuguese pirates. This name has been given by the British. The old name was Hajipur. It can be reached by train or bus from Calcutta. Visitors to Ganga Sagara usually pass through Diamond Harbor.

The Diamond harbour Fort or Fort of Chingrikhali was built sometimes in 16th Century on the bank of the Holy River Ganges, most probably by the Portuguese or by the French as it was gateway to the Village Calcutta (then), and the capital of Bengal Murshidabad. They came as traders, were allowed to settle or build forts at many places on the banks of the Ganges as it was the main route via bay of bengal. This fort was also one of them, built for the Traders and as Warehouse to store merchandise befor loading on the ships to Europe. They used to come here for Silk, Spices, Muslins and Of course Gold!!!

Kolkata Port Trust is considering construction of cargo handling jetties at Diamond harbour


 Get in

It is 48 Km from Kolkata. Regular buses are available from Kolkata. Local trains available from Sealdah Station[1]. Worlds first ever telegraph line established between Calcutta and Diamond Harbour.
 Get around

Van rickshaw, cycle rickshaw, private buses.
 See

Lighthouse, Old Portugese Fort
 Do

Sailing in the river; picnic near old Portuguese fort, by the side of river; watch the jetties sail by; see the old church and burial ground; watch sunset.
 Buy

Hilsa, Lobster, Crab, fish in season
 Eat

Plenty of private hotels and restaurants.
 Drink

Green Coconut. It's best to bring your own alcohol.
 Sleep

The best address in town to stay for the night is Sagarika Tourist Lodge. About 20 private hotels are also available. Rooms are also available in PWD Inspection bungalow.

*Hotel Hansraj, ☎ +91 33 9681884299. checkin: 9 Noon; checkout: 9 AM. Garden, Children, Swimming Pool, Resturant & Bar, Conference Hall 400-1600. 
    The Sagarika Tourist Lodge, ☎ 03174 -255246, 255262, 55246. (A Government of West Bengal Undertaking). You can book a room at the West Bengal Tourist Office in Calcutta. Rs 275 to Rs 650 and dorm beds for Rs 35.      Hotel Punyalakshmi, ☎ 03174 2551909153432013, 9679205110,  Contact
 Get out

   1)  Bakkhali
   2)  Sagardwip
   3) Raichak
   4) Namkhana

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Beauty Tips with Tomato

   Remove Skin Sun tan
        If your skin is tanned after going in the hot sun, don't worry. Follow this. Take equal amount of cucumber juice and tomato juice. Apply it on the affected skin area using a cotton. Leave it for 20 minutes. Wash it and feel the difference.
    For Glowing skin
        For Glowing skin, apply the mixture of honey and tomato juice on your face, neck and hands. Keep it for 15 minutes and wash it. Do it regularly to see your glowing.
        Another method to get your skin glowing is take 4:2 ratio of curd : tomato juice. Apply it on your skin . Leave it for 15 mintues. If done regularly, you can see the difference in your skin.
        To improve the complexion of your skin, add tomatoes in your diet and also apply the tomato pulp on your face daily.
    Home Made cleanser
        Take the juice of tomato. Filter it. Add equal amount of milk. This will act as an excellent cleanser. You can refrigerate it and use it for 4 days. Do it daily to have a smooth and soft skin.
        Another cleanser using tomato , is add few s of lime juice to tomato pulp and apply in on your skin.

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Bakkhali travel guied

Bakkhali is seaside resort located in South Twenty-four Parganas district of West Bengal.
 Understand

Bakkhali is located on one of the many deltaic islands spread across southern Bengal. Most of the islands are part of the Sunderbans, barring a few at the fringes. Some of these are joined together with bridges over narrow creeks. This small island juts out into the vast expanse of the Bay of Bengal.

There is a 8 km long beach stretching from Bakkhali to Frasergunj with gently rolling waves. These are twin towns now forming one continuous locality. Except on an occasional holiday the beach is not crowded. A small stretch near Bakkhali has been lighted up. It is a hard beach suitable for cycling or even driving. One can take long walks with coconut water.

Bakkhali is also the name of a river in the Chittagong division of Bangladesh.
Beach view at Bakkhali
Beach At Bakkhali
Road Map
Wind turbines
 Get in
 By road

It is 125 km by road from Joka tram terminus at the south-western edge of Kolkata. The road runs through Diamond Harbour and Kakdwip to Namkhana, where the car or bus has to be transported across the Hatania-Doania creek in a special ferry. The ferry service is available from 7AM-11PM except from 12 noon till 1:45PM (lunch hour). The fare for crossing a Car/Jeep is approx Rs 160 + Rs 30 toll (including loading/unloading). The creek is not very wide, just about a hundred metres or so, but is considerably deep allowing the movement of ships from Kolkata to ports in Bangladesh. The creek reduces the journey-time for the ships. Because of this, it is difficult to construct a bridge across the creek. An ordinary bridge will hamper movement of ships and a high bridge is a costly proposition. There is an excellent road from Namkhana to Bakkhali. The 130 km stretch from Kona expressway (with links to the Mumbai and Delhi sections of the golden quadrangle project linking the four metros of India) and Bakkhali has been marked as National Highway (NH) 117.

 

The road journey from the fringe of Kolkata to Bakkhali takes about 3.5 hours and as much as 5 hours. However, crowded market places and occasional stretches of bad road can delay movement. Some sections are very crowded specially early morning because of bazar and later at the evening time, there are no by pass for these smaller towns.
 By bus
WBSTC has regular bus service from Dharmatala to Bakkhali. One starts at 7AM in the morning from Dharmatala and reaches Bakkhali at around 11:30AM and leaves from Bakkhali after half an hour for Kolkata(Dharmatala). Another starts at 8AM from Dharmatala to reach bakkhali at 12:30PM and starts from Bakkhali after half an hour forty five minutes. So the bottom-line is that there are two round trips from Kolkata to Bakkhali provided by WBSTC. This schedule is subject to change and one must confirm it from Dharmatala Bus Stand before venturing out from Kolkata. The route of the bus is Dharmatala- Alipore-Chiriakhana-Taratala-Diamond Harbour-Kakdwip-Namkahana-Bakkhali, the fare is RS 70.

There are plenty of local buses up to Namkhana and then again from Namkhana to Bakkhali.
 By train

The nearest rail station is at Namkhana. There are regular trains from Sealdah via Lakshmikantapur and Kakdwip to Namkhana. Check the time table in erail.in. The first train starts at around 4AM from Sealdah. Then at around 4.40AM then 7.30AM and next to this one is at a long gap at around 10.30AM . Train fare is around Rs 22 and the journey takes around 3 hrs. From Namkhana station you will get a van rickshaw to reach the place from where you need to cross a narrow creek in a small boat. Van fare is Rs 5 per head or Rs 30 if you reserve a van and for crossing the creek you need to pay Rs 1. Then from the bus stand one can get buses for Bakkhali which take around 45mins to 1hr and their fare is Rs 13. The Bakkhali bus stand is very close to all the hotels and just a 5 min walk from the beach.
 By air

The nearest airport is at Netaji Subhash Chandra (NSC) Bose International Airport or Dum Dum (IATA: CCU) in northern Kolkata. It is located approximately 17 km (11 mi) from Kolkata's city centre and is India's 5th busiest airport. Bakkhali is around 130 km or a 3 hr bus ride from Kolkata.
A Beautiful Sunset in Bakkhali
 Get around

Taxis or hired transport are not generally available at Bakkhali or Namkhana. Those who desire to travel in hired transport should preferably arrange for it from Kolkata or try their luck at Diamond Harbour. Most Bakkhali hotels have chargeable dormitories for drivers to stay.

The ride in the crude bhut-bhuti, a motorised country boat, from Frasergunj fishing harbour to Jambu Dwip, a small, uninhabited and forested island out in the sea, can be a thrilling experience. The two-hour ride (both ways) costs only Rs. 35 per head. The country boats can also be hired for other rides. The weak-hearted are advised not to take the rides.

For all the spots a Ricksaw van will charge you at max Rs 60 per head and it will take around 5 hrs to visit all the spots and stay for about 1 to 2hrs in Jambu Dwip .
 See

The walk over the beach from Bakkhali to Frasergunj is a pleasant experience. The rickshaw van is the only transport available locally. On these rickshaw van you can take a trip to Henry's Island and Watch Tower. A rickshaw trip will travel through the local villages and their surrounds. From the watch tower you can view the entire Sunderban area. It is a splendid view. On one side you can see the Bakkhali Beach in the far distance and on all the other side the green expanses of Sundarban. It is cheap and since one has plenty of time, the ride can be enjoyable but do not expect much.

A temple called Bishhalakshmi is at the end of the Bakkhali main beach and is worth seeing. The pandit ji is quite different there as he won't allow you in the temple. He has his own rules.
 Do

Most of the time would be spent in enjoying on the beach but some people look out for opportunities to do other things also.

Get a massage at Bakhhali Beach(full body 45/-, head and shoulder 10/-).

Make it a point to visit Henry's island. If you have a car, its around 10mins ride from Bakkhali. Entry fee is Rs 5. You can also use the rickshaw vans as well. There are 3 guest houses on Henry Island. If you wish you can stay there too. The lodges are named Mangrove, Sundari and Bani. Bani has a watchtower on the roof is very close to the sea beach. You can enjoy a good view of the surrounds from there. These lodges belong to the Fisheries Department of West Bengal. For reservations, contact: State Fisheries Development Corporation, Bikash Bhavan ☎+91 33 2337 6470. Have a look at the view from the watch tower and do walk to the beach. The walk goes through a stretch of mangrove jungle accessed by crossing a small bamboo bridge.
view of henry's island from the tower

The credit for turning Henry Island into a holiday hotspot goes to the fisheries department of the state government which has set up a pisciculture project here. The fisheries department has dug more than 50 ponds occupying over 25 bigha on 100-hectare of land. Trees such as gora, kankru, palm, naturally growing sundari and hetal have been planted. Henry Island is named after a European who surveyed land in the area in the late 19th century. Dense mangrove forest is parted by numerous canals covering the area. Wildlife such as tiger, deer, wild pig, crocodile and snakes were common. The island was only an extension of the Sunderbans and the surveyor could not have dreamt that it would become a human habitat in little more than a hundred years.

Visit the Benfish harbour and Frasergunj Beach on the way to Henry's Island.

You can also visit the Crocodile Park and Mangrove forest just beside the Bakkhali Bus stop. The entry fee is Rs 2.

You can pay a visit to a Small island JammuDeep,amidst the sea where you have to travel via boat in high waves, the boat ride is just thrilling.on arrival you will be delighted to see the beach full with Red Crabs its really a nice view.
 Buy

Credit cards are not accepted anywhere, nor are there any ATMs around the place, so carry cash.

The stationary shops have reasonably good stocks if you want to write a letter home.
 Eat

    New Hotel Parijat in between the local bus-stand and WBTDC Lodge provides the best food here at moderate prices. You will find all sorts of fishes like pomfret, hilsa, prawn and the standard rui and katla too. A normal rui thali with other recepies only costs Rs. 35/-. Chicken meal Rs 80, prawns Rs 100. No breakfast available here. Extremely good staff.

    Frazargunj Indian Hotel beside the Hotel Deepak. You will get many varieties with wonderful taste and reasonable price. If you buy sea fish and crab from outside and ask them to prepare it for you, they will do that happily. These young men are very cooperative.

    You can also try the various road side shacks for lunch and dinner. They come a little cheaper but the food can be sumptuous and tasty. However, because Bakkhali doesnt have a steady flow of tourists,most restaurants dont have a steady menu of lunch or dinner. You have to place an order for lunch/dinner few hours in advance.

    Henry island can be a paradise for non- vegetarians , but you are left with little or no option for vegeterian , which can become a major problem at time

    Most hotels have their own restaurants

 Sleep
Travel Warning

NOTE: To avoid the unsavory, corrupt, and thoroughly untrustworthy booking services based in Kolkata, it is best to get a place to stay on arrival without advance reservation.


There are many hotels at both Bakkhali and Frasergunj and new ones are steadily coming up. The bus from Namkhana passes over Frasergunj before reaching Bakkhali. Henry Island is located closer to Frasergunj. None of the hotels have a direct view of the sea (the casuarina forest or jhau bon can be visible at maximum). The WBTDC Tourist Complex is nearest to the sea.

    Hotel Amarabati, ☎ +91 97 3261 9340, +91 33 2210 1822 (Kolkata office), [1]. checkin: 12noon; checkout: 12noon. Modern facilities are available. Cottage-Rs 650 , Delux Room-900, A.C.-1,200, Delux Four Baded- 1,500, Bathtub Room-1,600.
    Ananya Hotel, (In between Bakkhali and Frazergunj), ☎ +91 98 3150 7528. checkin: noon; checkout: 11:30AM. Three floors, plenty of water, hotel roof access, very good ambience and airy. Enclosed car parking available. Only problem with this hotel is the lack of any availability of food or snacks. Double room Rs 300-500 with AC, 10 bed top floor dormitory for Rs 120.
    Hotel Babylon, South 24 Parganas beside Punjab National Bank, ☎ +91 973278 1970. checkout: 11AM. Newly built, clean hotel. Double rooms Rs 200-400.
    Bakkhali Tourist Lodge, (take bus from Kolkata and the ferry across the Hatania-Doania river), ☎ Lodge +91 32 1022 5260 (visitwestbengal@yahoo.co.in, fax: +91 33 2248 5168), [2]. checkin: 12noon; checkout: 12 noon. The only lodge near the beach is run by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC) at Bakkhali. Credit cards accepted. Rs 1,500. 
    Bakkhali Tourist Lodge, (take bus from Kolkata and the ferry across the Hatania-Doania river), ☎ Lodge +91 32 1022 5260, WBT Booking centre +91 33 4401 2659, +91 33 4401 2660, (visitwestbengal@yahoo.co.in, fax: +91 33 2248 5168), [3]. checkin: 12noon; checkout: 12noon. The only lodge near the beach is run by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC) at Bakkhali. Credit cards accepted. Reservation, 120 days in advance is available from Tourism Centre at 3/2, B.B.D. Bag (East) (ground floor). Rs 1,500. 
    Hotel Bayview, ☎ +91 32 1022 5214, mobile +91 98 3613 5942 (hcp_2009@rediffmail.com). Facilities are okay for budget conscious travellers. Food is Bengali only and seems to be clean and hygienic compared to other road-side eateries. 
    Hotel Deepak, Frasergunj, ☎ +91 33 2464 0081, +91 33 2463 3203 (pgcl@rediffmail.com), [4]. A/C and non-A/C rooms, lift, swimming pool, bar, Bengali/Chinese/Continental. dorm bed Rs 100/day, rooms Rs.450-850. 
    Hotel Dolphin, Chowrasta, 24 Parganas (South), ☎ +91 32 1022 5296, +91 98 36543585, [5]. checkin: 12 noon; checkout: 11AM. A/C, non-A/C rooms, cottages, parking, garden, restaurant. On call doctor. Rs 1,200-2,000 + 5% tax on A/C rooms. 
    Henry Island, Henry Island WBFD (10 min from Bakkhali), ☎ +91 33 2337 6470. Two complexes. One is just at the entrance of the Henry Island Mangrove area just adjoing the Matla river, and the other is 2 km inside it. The cottages inside Henry Island are named after various mangrove trees. The watchtower has a nice view. To book contact the State Fisheries Development Corporation (Bikash Bhavan). Rs 300-600. 
    Joyguru Abasan, main road to beach. (2 minutes from Bakkhali bus stand.), ☎ +91 97 3437 0212. checkin: 10AM; checkout: 11AM. Residential type hotel. Generator provided and running water available 24 hrs/day. All double bed rooms have good ventilation, some rooms are facing the sea. Rs 200-450. 
    Sagar Belaya Guest House, (at Frezergunj), ☎ +91 33 2453 5817, +91 92 3154 9732 (sagarbalaya@gmail.com, fax: +91 90 5182 6220). checkin: 11:30AM; checkout: 11AM. Up to 50% off-season discount available. Bengali foods & snacks are available. Group cooking facility available, dining room@Rs 500/day, onsite generator 6PM-10PM daily. 8 double rooms Rs 500-600, 2 triple rooms Rs 600-750. 
    Sahana Tourist Lodge, ☎ 91 33 22486850, +91 98 7459 6275 (mobile) Kolkata mobile +91 98 3026 8698 (sahanabakkhali@gmail.com). checkin: 12 noon; checkout: 11AM. 10 rooms with dble rooms and one 4 bed rooms available on the 1st floor for Rs 850. Off-season discount may be available. Car parking, onsite power generator, cable TV , children's playground. Rs 425-850. 
 Contact

Mobile phone coverage at Bakkhali is good, covers full range up to JammuDeep. Aircel mobile services are not available. BSNL, Vodafone and Airtel has good coverage. Ideally, one should check with the hotel one intends to stay at to determine which of the mobile phone service providers have facilities in the town and whether STD calls can be made from the hotel. ISD calls cannot be made from the hotels but there are public call offices at Bakkhali and en route providing that facility.
 Get out

    Bhagabatpur – crocodile project

    Sagar Island - Gangasagar

    Sundarbans National Park – gateway for the West Bengal part of Sundarbans is through Canning and Basanti, but Sunderbans accessible from Bakkhali. But best accessed though Basanti. If you reach netadhopani you can see tiger too. We had the chance to see that

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Captive in Sundarban

Last December we embarked on a wildlife trip to Sundarban Tiger Reserve in West Bengal. I went on the invitation of a group of French tourists who came to visit West Bengal as part of a French Community Welfare NGO by the name of "Asian Connexions". They were on the lookout for a French speaking guide. Since I speak French fluently, they decided to add me to their party.

Along the southern tip of West Bengal stretch the magnificient Sundarban, a 4,262 sq. kms of watery wilderness of which 2585 sq. kms are devoted to the tiger reserve. With an intricate pattern of creeks and narrow channels, open muddy beaches and densely canopied forest, one is acutely aware of the possibility of a lurking tiger or a skulking crocodile, Sundarban has several notable features. Apart from being a UNESCO declared World Heritage Site (Natural) it is also a National Park and part of the Project Tiger.
   


The wide expanse of deltaic estuary where the sacred flow of the Ganga and the Brahmaputra river systems mingle with the saline waters of the Bay of Bengal is popularly known as the Sundarban. Of about 10,000 square kilometre of the estuarine mangrove of undivided India, 2,585 square kilometre have been brought under Project Tiger as Sundarban Tiger Reserve.

Over the centuries, the flow of the Ganga gradually turned eastwards and drained through river Padma in Bangladesh, resulting in complete disappearance of fresh water flow through the Tiger Reserve except a trickle in the east in the form of Kalindi.


The journey from Calcutta to Sonakhali was in a luxury bus operated by the Sundarban Tiger Camp and was a an exhilarating 3 hour drive. The Bengal countryside looked lush green and we could see farmers with cows ploughing their paddy fields, a simple and very charming sight. A huge 36 seater motorised fibre glass boat was waiting to pick us up at Sonakhali, from where we journeyed through the backwaters and creeks. The canopied forest cover of Sundarban is so dense that it gets dark even in the daytime. It is a fact that the face of Sundarban changes dramatically with the diurnal tides, because of which the Sundarban forests are in perpetual flux. At peak high tide more than half the land is submerged and the forest seems to float. Life is sustained through a dynamic cycle in these waxy mangrove forests where the leaves which fall into the water are at the base of the ecological pyramid with the mighty tiger at the apex.

This year we were greeted by a spanking new Wildlife Resort - the Sundarban Tiger Camp which is aesthetically appealing. We were served with a welcome drink on our arrival at the Camp. The Tiger Camp blends perfectly with the surrounding lush greenery and the dense canopied mangrove forest. There are a number of tastefully decorated cottages with an eco-friendly feel in the sprawling 9 acre wide resort area. There is 24 hour hot and cold water, separate Western and Indian toilets for ladies and gents. Apart from the cottages, there are twin-bedded Swiss tents and motorised fibre glass boats to visit some of the strategic islands of Sundarban.

A little distance apart from the Sundarban Tiger Camp are the Mangrove Interpretation Center and hatcheries. At the hatcheries, the near extinct Olive Ridley Turtles and the rare River Terrapin (Batagur Baska) are being guarded. Eggs are collected from the wild areas, reared in safe place and then the young ones are released back into the wilderness.
Top

Man first came to live in Sundarban about six centuries ago from the time of Raja Protapadittya's son. Mr.Hamilton, a greatly respected name in Sundarban and a pioneer coloniser came somewhere around 1903. He had leased three islands of Sundarban viz. Rangabelia, Satjelia and Gosaba, from the Viceroy. For sheer survival, he cleared the forests infested with snakes, tigers, crocodiles and spent nights in machans or branches of trees. Mr.Hamilton established a religious center, co-operative societies and dispensaries for the poor. To facilitate local commerce, he was the first to print the one rupee currency note in this area.

The livelihood of around 5000 fishermen is dependent on the saline waters within the reserve. Fishing is allowed only in the buffer zone with valid permits. Narrow water courses are ideal for fishing. During the low tide, when the water recedes, they collect their catch. Similarly honey hunting is allowed in the buffer zone only during the months of April and May. The honey collectors, before the start of their actual operation, fine tune their reflexes to respond promptly to the dangers of a lurking tiger while combing the forest for honeycombs. The hay bundles to smoke out the honey bees and the equipment to collect honeycombs are their only defence weapons. Their knowledge about the behaviour of the tiger is almost instinctive, and developed through long years of actual exposure.

Our sojourn began after breakfast with a boat ride. Within 15 minutes the haunting beauty of Sundarban began to unfold like a veil slipping from the face of a beautiful woman. We could see the lush green mangrove forests on either side of the bank. The scenery became hauntingly wild with the increasing silence. We could see the occasional Dalmatian Pelican and the Giant Heron making their rhythmic flights across the water to the mangrove forests on either side of the bank.
Top

An SLR (single lens reflex) camera with a zoom lens, such as a 70 to 210 mm lens, is probably the best option for shooting a moving subject. The more common "point-and-shoot" cameras are too small and may give you disappointing results. The Indian sun provides excellent lighting, but using larger lenses will require faster film, especially in early morning or late afternoon when the light is softer. In this case, 200-400 ASA film is recommended. A lens hood and ultra violet filter are advisable.

Only the lucky ones sight the elusive tiger. We did spot a lone Royal Bengal Tiger, courtesy our jungle guide Deepak. Sunlight was filtering through the leafy canopy in a harlequin pattern of light and shade. We heard muted curses as the park ranger directed his team of trained trackers, to push their way through dense bamboo. Somewhere a tiger, satiated after a kill, was sleeping after his meal.

We hoped that in slinking away, the cat would head in our direction where a 3 feet barrier of white cloth was strung taut across the bushes. Although the 500 lb, lethally armed predator could effortlessly rip through the flimsy stockade, the stark white cloth against the green jungle would make him wary, and he would be apt to search for a another way. If the plan worked, the tiger would eventually emerge through a 50 feet opening in the quarter mile long tunnel beneath the leafy canopy. This is what tiger tracking is all about: to find answers to basic questions like, how many can live in a particular forest? What kind of prey do they feed on ? How long do tigers live and above all, how are they responding to man-made changes in their environment?

The avian fauna is rich and varied with more than 100 species here. Some of the resident bird species of Sundarban are the Giant Heron (Ardea Goliath), Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus Philippensis), Lesser Adjutant Stork (Leptotilos Dubius), Whitebellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus Leucogaster), Osprey (Pandion Haliaetus), Shaheen Falcon (Falco Peregrinus).The evening was spent marvelling at the sights and sounds of Sundarban which is a bird watchers delight, like all tiger havens.

Getting There
Getting to Sundarban National Park is not a problem at all as it is located close to the city of Calcutta which is well connected to the rest of the country by air, rail and road. If travelling by your own transport, it might be advisable to leave your vehicle at a safe place in Calcutta and use the public transport system or the STC run transports. If you choose to drive all the way to Canning, you might have to leave your vehicle unattended for the period of time you spend inside the park.

Accomodation
There are Forest Lodges, Government and private hotels as well as tented accommodation.

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Italy Venice city

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Lightning Strike, Kansas

Cotton Coulson is a contributing photographer to National Geographic Traveler and nationalgeographic.com. He is based in Denmark.

There's nothing I like more than shooting in what you might call “real weather.” I always seem to be running out on the ship's deck or onto the street in the rain, sleet, and wind when everyone else is running for cover. Why? Because I know from years of experience that this is when the light really gets dramatic and the skies might open up with shafts of sunlight and dramatic clouds, giving me the opportunity to create photos with emotion and energy. Wind, snow, rain, fog—I love all the weather elements. They add texture and dimension to photographs. For practical purposes, I like to keep my shooting gear simple to minimize the fuss.

Be patient, switch to manual mode, and pack a tripod. This photo, taken in Kansas, was one that I spent months pursuing for a magazine article. It ended up as the lead picture. When shooting storms and lightning, you never know when and where they’ll appear next, so you have to have patience as well as luck.

To shoot a successful lightening photo you need to set your camera on a tripod and set the mode to manual. You might also want to enable the mirror lock-up function and use a cable release to minimize camera shake. Adjust the f-stop to 8 or 11 to ensure your exposure is between 5 and 30 seconds, since you want to open the shutter and wait for the lightning bolts to appear in the sky. Since I never know where in the frame they’ll appear, I suggest you focus manually on infinity and include a lot of sky in your composition.

In this case, it was a blessing that it was late in the day when the storm was approaching, allowing for the lightning bolt to stand out against the dark and ominous clouds. As a final tip, be sure not to stand under trees or near metal poles for safety reasons.

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CockTail 2012 DVDSCR 500MB Movie Mediafire Free Download Link

IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance
Director: Homi Adajania
Starring: Deepika Padukone, Saif Ali Khan and Randeep Hooda
Release Date: 13 July 2012 (India)
Language: Hindi
Subtitles: n/a
Runtime: 2h 23min
Resolution: 608×272
Frame Rate: 29.97 fps
Source: IcTv DVDScr
Format: MKV
Plot: The story revolves around Gautam Khanna (Saif Ali Khan), Veronica D’Costa (Deepika Padukone) and Meera Gupta (Diana Penty). Gautam Khanna (Saif Ali Khan) always had a dream to go to London and have a job. His dream is fulfilled and he gets a job. But his mom, Nita (Dimple Kapadia) says that she has to finalize his marriage to a girl and so he has to wait. She finds her perfect ‘bahu’ in Meera Gupta (Diana Penty). But she does not tell Gautam about this and tells Meera’s parents even to not tell Meera.

LINKS FOR: - (DOWNLOAD)

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