Gomphrena Serrata KBG-16 Winner

KBG-16 had shown a wild flower. We at Kaun Banega Ghumakkad had said:
"Scorching heat!
We humans look for shade.
But this wild flower sprouts from nowhere!
It sustains the heat.
Which is this flower?"

The correct answer is Gromphena Serrata. We are featuring the names of readers who gave first three correct answers. There are many readers who gave partially correct answer like Gomphrena Celosioides. It may be same family of flowers but not what was shown in the Contest. In Telugu, the flower is called Neeru Bogada.

The flower is very cottony and has hairy stem and leaves. We had also said that it grows singly or in bunches. See the pictures below.

More the heat, more numbers of Gomphrena Serrata sprout. See the drying fairway on the golf course where these pictures were taken.

We thank more than 300 readers who participated. First answer came within five minutes which was partially correct. First three correct answers came within the next hour or so. Congratulations to the winners who come from different backgrounds as listed below:

1. Mohini Paroolkar, Home maker and doting grandma, Nature lover from Goa
2. Narendra Soni, Businessman from Delhi
3. BVN Harish, Management professional and on-line researcher from Telangana

We had also given a hint that the flower is native to Central America but has naturalised itself to India as well. So, folks in USA couldn't say that KBG Contest was India-focussed! However, readers from USA chose to be silent again.

The pictures for KBG-16 Contest were taken while I was playing golf with my foursome pictured below. I thank them for their patience while they had to frequently wait for me to shoot the pictures and rejoin them!

We end with a PQ- picturesque quote- on wild flowers which we had carried earlier.

Thanks for browsing. Stay connected.

-   Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 3rd May 2019

Special thanks to Dr Chitra Shanker for research support and Ramya Sriram www.thetap.in for KBG logo design.

#KBG #kaunbanegaghumakkad #Contest16 #wildflowers #nature #summer #funwithnature #ghumakkadharsh #ghumakkadhb #flowersofamerica #naturalised #gromphenaserrata #winners #PQ

Saraighat Bridge over Brahmaputra

Kaun Banega Ghumakkad Contest No. 13

KBG-13 the jury is out.
The picture shown in the contest was Saraighat Bridge over river Brahmaputra in Assam (current spelling Asom) India.
The winners are:

1. Commodore R Asokan Indian Navy (Retd)
2. Col Avinash Tiwari (Retd) and Mr Deepak Jena
3. Prof Sabyasachi Mondal, IIIT Allahabad

There was a tie for the second place. Winning responses came within 45 minutes! We congratulate all the winners. Well done.

Brief History

Saraighat bridge was built over Brahmaputra river near Guwahati in the years 1959 to 1963. The river flows West to East.

The bridge connects Northern and Eastern parts of Assam and further all the NE states. 

Originally it was the first rail-cum-road bridge in this part of India. Later on a three lane companion road bridge was constructed and inaugurated two years back.

The pictures shown in the contest were taken from the new road bridge. The clue was the eastern and western boundary of the bridge which are different. The pictures with clues are reproduced below.

It was heartening to see more than 50 correct responses. As in the earlier contests, more than 200 readers participated. 

Interestingly the winners came from different age groups from a youthful 25 to veterans nearing 75 years! They came from different backgrounds as well. From MBA students, research scholars and professors to Armed Forces veterans, they all added to the richness of the Contest.

Ghumakkad is once again grateful to all of you for taking this Contest forward.

KBG-14 will feature the Nature again! Sharpen your knowledge of trees and plants near you.

Stay connected.

      - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 14th April 2019

#kbg #kaunbanegaghumakkad #kbgcontest #clues #funwithtravel #photowalks #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #saraighatbridge #brahmaputra #assam #northeastindia #winners #kbg13  

Fort Aguada KBG-12 Winner

KBG-12 Contest was a no-brainer.
We received hundreds of correct answers within a day.
Yes, the picture in question was Fort Aguada in Goa India.

The first three correct answers came within 26 minutes across all the channels i.e. Instagram, Facebook, Blog, WhatsApp and e-mail. Congratulations to the following alert readers:

1. Priyanka Chavan (within 4 minutes)
2. Kedar Singh (19 minutes)
3. Akhil Vamshi (26 minutes)

This is the first time in KBG Contest series when we did not give any clues. All the readers could correctly identify the Fort from just one picture.

Here are some more pictures of the Fort.

The moat around the upper fortress.

Brief history as per Archaeological Survey of India.

To get a feel of the scale of the water tank in the Fort and its thick walls, see the 50-second video.

Location

Fort Aguada is on the tourist circuit of Goa. There is a 5-star property with the same name. Besides Google search, many readers had also visited the place. Thanks for your active participation. Here is a location map courtesy Google Maps.

Other Attractions in Goa
For a quick photo tour of Goa, you may browse the following picture stories by Ghumakkad
Buddies in Sixties Rock Goa including the Mandovi River Cruise
What is new in Goa

Birds of Goa

The next Contest will test your travel knowledge again. 

All the best for becoming an accredited Ghumakkad!

    -  Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 6th April 2019

#kbg #kaunbanegaghumakkad #contest #funwithtravel #natgeoindia #planetmindia #fortaguada #goa #indiatourism #Wandertrails #photowalks #ghumakkadharsh #ghumakkadhb

Vasai Fort KBG-11 Winners

KBG Contest No. 11 was well contested.
The correct answer is Vasai Fort or Bassein Fort located in a northern suburb of Mumbai. The readers' responses ranged from Karnala Fort to Golconda Fort to the ruins in Ross Island near Port Blair.

We congratulate the winners who were the first three to identify the Fort correctly:
Akhil Vamshi
Veeresh Naidu
Suchitra Chowdury

There were many more who gave the correct answer thereafter. We thank them and wish them better luck next time.

Just to recapitulate, the clues given are reproduced below:

How to get there
Vasai Fort can be reached by the suburban train from Churchgate railway station in Mumbai. Get down at Vasai Road station and take a bus or auto to the fort located 8 kms south-west of the station. See the map below.

Brief History
The Fort was built in 1184 AD by the Yadavas of Devagiri. Thereafter it was controlled by the Chalukyas (till 1432),  Gujarat Sultanate (1432-1533), the Portuguese (1534-1739), the Marathas (1739-1818), East India Company (1818-1857) and the British Raj (1857-1947). The fort is a monument of national importance and is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. Readers may refer Wikipedia for more details.

The Fort Now
The fort is a major tourist attraction in the region for its Indo-Portuguese history. Several watch-towers still stand, with safe staircases leading up. The Portuguese buildings inside the fort are in ruins, although there are enough standing walls to give a good idea of the floor plans of these structures. Many of the arches have weathered the years remarkably well. They are usually decorated with carved stones, some weathered beyond recognition, others still displaying sharp chisel marks. Besides all the structures, tourists often also observe the nature that has taken over much of the fort. Butterflies, birds, plants and reptiles can all be observed. See Ghumakkad's pictures below.

Film Shooting
The fort is also a popular shooting location for Bollywood movies and songs. The Bollywood hit ″Kambakkht Ishq″ from Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya is one of the Bollywood songs. Movies such as Josh, starring Shah Rukh Khan, and Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega have a number of scenes from the fort.

Chimaji Appa Statue
In the 18th century, the Bassein Fort was taken over by the Maratha Empire under Peshwa Baji Rao's brother Chimaji Appa and fell in 1739 after the Battle of Baçaim. The fort was taken by the British in 1774 and returned to Marathas in 1783 under the Treaty of Salbai. The British in 1818 attacked and again took over the territory from the Marathas. The fort also played a strategic role in the First Anglo-Maratha War.

Although Ghumakkad had visited the fort more than 10 years ago, the pictures and KBG-11 contest brought back the memories. If you are in Mumbai and haven't seen Vasai Fort yet, do plan an outing. The ruins will not disappoint you. Am reminded of William Blake's famous words: "The ruins of time build mansions in eternity".

Moving on, KBG-12 once again centres around a Fort. Watch the announcement to grab the KBG Badge of Honour.

Thanks for browsing

     - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 24th March 2019/hbindia@gmail.com

#kbg #kbg11 #kaunbanegaghumakkad #funwithtravel #fort #ruins #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #contest #vasaifort #indoportugesehistory #seafort #natgeoindia #photowalks #travelindia #wandertrails #basseinfort #williamblake #chimajiappa

Winner KBG-10 Berryessa Lake

Come on folks in USA! You should have got it right!
And folks in California- it was meant to be a cake walk.
Which lake?
Lake Berryessa in California.
Near which dam?
Monticello Dam and hydroelectric project, located in Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve. 

KBG-10 had more than 200 participants. The responses ranged from Gobind Sagar lake and Bhakra Dam in Punjab, Srisailam in AP/Telangana, Umiam Lake in Meghalaya India to Diablo Lake in Washington to the Black Canyon of Hoover Dam in Nevada. However, there was only one correct answer. The Winner's badge for KBG-10 goes to Hemant Bhargava who is a Chair Professor at UCDavis and has hiked in the Reserve multiple times. Congratulations Hemant.

Monticello Dam is a look alike of the Hoover dam but much smaller. See the picture below.

This Reserve is unique because it is maintained by a University and not by the National Park Service! And the credit for this goes to the University of California, Davis (UCDavis). UCDavis alumni- are you floored? See the signage below.

Ghumakkad has hiked in Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve. The hike takes you on a ridge. As you climb the top, lake Berryessa comes into view. What a magnificent lake! It is a popular destination for boating with multiple piers and jetties. See the pictures below.

Thanks for participating in KBG-10.

The Stebbins Cold hiking trail has some amazing flora. Ghumakkad had posted some PQs - picturesque quotes- based on the pictures taken during the hike. Few of the PQs are reproduced below:

 

So the guys in California, do the Stebbins Cold Canyan hike. It is a day hike. You can't camp for the night there. But you will love the flora. Share your pictures later.

Ghumakkad will take you to some ruins in the coming episode.
Better luck next time.

     - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 15th March 2019/ hbindia@gmail.com

#kbg #kaunbanegaghumakkad #lake #dam #traveltheworld #natgeo #planetm #photowalks #wandertrails #contests #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #hiking #kbg10 #winnerkbg10 #lakeberryessa #monticellodam #stebbinscoldcanyonreserve #ucdavis 

Winners KBG-9 Shiva Statue in Pilani

Identifying Lord Shiva's statue evoked enthusiastic response.
We received a range of responses pinning the statue to be in Nepal, Haridwar, Vadodara and Gurugram Highway.
However, the answer to KBG-9 is Pilani. Yes, the statue is located in Pilani but not in BITS campus as many readers pointed out. It is built in a pond talab तालाब opposite the Devi Mata Mandir in Pilani. 

The clue for identification was the chatris or canopies in the picture. An identical statue built by the same sculptor exists on Delhi-Gurugram raod sans the chatris. Many readers from Delhi region mistook it to be so.

Fact file:
Location of the Statue: Pilani
Height: 80 feet from pedestal
Pedestal height: 20 feet
Year built: 2011 or so
Sculptor: Matu Ram Chejara
Twin Statue: On Delhi-Gurugram road by the same sculptor.

Winners:
We congratulate the first three winners of KBG-9:

1. Dr Umesh Dhyani, Former Prof BITS Pilani and author
2. Ms Ruchi Bhargava a BITSian and teacher
3. Dr Jyoti Iyer Mathur, a BITSian and Professor Georgia Tech USA

We would also like to mention Prashant Jade and BC Jayaprakash who gave one of the earliest answers as 'BITS Pilani'.

More than 200 readers participated in KBG-9. We thank each one of them. Many of them said that KBG is becoming addictive! We are humbled.

Although Ghumakkad has plenty of pictures for future KBG contests, but your ideas are most welcome. Do mail us.

Thanks for becoming a Ghumakkad!

-   Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 10th March 2019/ hbindia@gmail.com

#kbg #kaunbanegaghumakkad #shiva #statues #travelindia #natgeoindia #planetmindia #photowalks #wandertrails #contests #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #shivastatuePilani

Winners KBG-8 Suvarna Vidhana Soudha Belagavi

KBG-8 Answer? Kaun Banega Ghumakkad?
Vidhana Soudha Bengaluru.
Most readers mistook it. 
Yes, it is a look alike.
But the building in KBG-8 is Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, Belagavi (previously known as Belgaum). 
It means the Golden Legislative Assembly, constructed to commemorate the golden jubilee of the formation of Karnataka State. Ghumakkad had taken the picture in Dec-17 during a visit to Belagavi. 

More than 200 readers participated. We congratulate the winners of KBG-8 listed below:
Raghu Suryavanshi, entrepreneur, blogger
Ramdas B Dhavare, former Professor
Ankur Gupta, author-painter-guitarist

In addition, there was an anonymous correct entry. We acknowledge the 'unknown' person as well.

The imposing building is situated atop a high ground 10 kms away from Belagavi in the Halga-Bastwad area of Belgaum, just off NH-4 Bangalore-Mumbai highway. It is not as much of a tourist attraction, but certainly worth the drive. 

According to Wikipedia, the building took five years to build at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crores. It is often criticized because it gets utilised only for 10 days every year when the winter session of the Assembly is held there. But the building looks grand and that’s why Ghumakkad chose to feature it in KBG-8 with a hope that more people will become aware of it.

For Ghumakkad’s perspective on Belgaum, click the link 'Belgaum the Smart City'. The picture story will take you around Belgaum, its fort and other attractions.  

Kaun Banega Ghumakkad (KBG) enters its 9th Contest. Look out for the next announcement soon!

Thanks for browsing and participating in this contest to create awareness about Nature, Wildlife and our Heritage,

     - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 26th Feb 2019/ hbindia@gmail.com  

#kbg #kaunbanegaghumakkad #Contest #travel #knowyourIndia #Suvarnavidhanasoudha #belagavi #belgaum #natgeoindia #planetmindia #photowalks #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #karnataka