World’s Most Expensive House Built

“India’s richest man, and Forbes’s fourth richest man, Mukesh Ambani, has built the world’s most expensive house in Mumbai. It is estimated to be worth $1 billion. The lavish building– named Antilia, after the mythical island– has 27 stories, is 567-feet high and has 37,000 square meters of floor space — more than the Palace of Versailles. It contains a health club with a gym and dance studio, at least one swimming pool, a ballroom, guestrooms, a variety of lounges and a 50-seater cinema. There are three helicopter pads on the roof and a car park for 160 vehicles on the ground floors. It’s obviously quite a job keeping all this running smoothly, so the house, if you can call it that, also boasts a staff of 600. And all this for just Ambani, his wife and their three children to enjoy.” LINK

INDIAN GIANT SQUIRREL

Whoever gave the Indian Giant Squirrel its name was not joking. It makes the European and North American squirrel look like dormice in comparison. This is no ordinary squirrel – secretive and shy, it is indeed a giant among its kind… Known also as the Malabar Giant Squirrel, Ratufa indica is easily distinguishable from its smaller relatives, having a very conspicuous color scheme which can be either two or three-toned. The head and body of this gorgeous looking animal is up to sixteen inches in length, compared to the ten of the Eastern Gray found in the US.” w/ photos. LINK, Via: Youtube



The Indian giant squirrel is an upper-canopy dwelling species. It is endemic to deciduous, mixed deciduous and moist evergreen forests of Peninsular India, reaching as far North as Satpura ranges in Central India.

White tiger turning black

A white tiger cub born at the Vandalur zoo in Chennai, India is turning black. From The Telegraph:

Biologists believe a large presence of melanin, the dark skin pigment, is the likely reason for its unusual colouring.
Tigers' skin colour is determined by the presence of black and yellow pigments. In most tigers, the colour yellow dominates over black to give them their characteristic colouring.

"In this cub, the reverse has happened — black is the dominant colour," senior zoo biologist Dr Manimozhi told The Times of India.

"It is the dominance of yellow pigment that enables tigers to survive in the wild," he added. "In fact, this is the reason why most white tigers are found only in zoos and not in the wild," Dr Manimozhi said. LINK, Via: Youtube

"White tiger cub in Indian zoo turns black"

Hogenakkal: The Niagara Falls of India

Nothing soothes the body and mind like a water fall does. Enjoy the bliss that Hogenakkal, a water fall in South India, can offer you. You can bathe, boat and swim, and derive the medicinal benefits its waters bring you as it traverses through thick jungles filled with rare herbs.
At Hogenakkal, an area surrounded by hills, the river bifurcates and drops down as a series of misty waterfalls. You experience blissful euphoria as you watch the lovely panoramic view of river falling down rocky terrains amidst permeating thunderous downpour. LINK, Via: Neatorama, Via: Youtube

7 Cat Species Found in 1 Forest

The Wildlife Conservation Society took a two-year survey of wildlife biodiversity in the Jeypore-Dehing rain forest in India, and found seven different cat species in a 354-square-mile area. This is the highest diversity of cats ever found in a single area. Camera traps in the rain forest have captures pictures of leopards, the clouded leopard (pictured), the leopard cat, the Asiatic golden cat, the jungle cat, tigers, and the marbled cat. Link, -Via: Digg, Via: Neatorama

(image credit: Kashmira Kakati)

Crocodiles trained to recognise their names

A pair of dwarf crocodiles can recognise their own names after training, a Cheshire aquarium claims.

The tiny reptiles, called Paleo and Suchus, are even learning when they are allowed to open their mouths, the Blue Planet Aquarium in Ellesmere Port says.

The programme has been successful with mammals but it is one of the first times it will be used on reptiles.

Manager Tom Cornwall said: "They are very intelligent and started responding to their names in just a few days."

In a bid to train them, the crocodiles, which are called Cuvier's dwarf caiman, are given food as a prize if they react in the right way.

The programme is based on a similar scheme which is in operation at the famous Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in India. LINK

Unique Houseboats Called Kettuvalloms

These unique boats are called Kettuvalloms and they are one of the most important tourist attractions of Kerala, India. Kettuvalloms have almost everything: bedrooms with terraces, balconies with comfortable seating, bathrooms and even kitchen with private chef.

While cruising you will see memorable sights such as ancient temples and ruins, oppulant rice fields, water lillies, local villages and coconut groves, A cruise along the palm-fringed waterways of Kerala in a luxury houseboat is the most enchanting holiday experience in India today. LINK

Photo Series by Suresh Natarajan

This photo series is absolutely awesome.

Suresh is based in Mumbai, India.

Visit website, Via: Unstage

Amazing mouth harp guy

This is taken in India.. The guy is amazing. Add a breakbeat to this and you're off. LINK: Youtube

Living Root Bridges of India

In order to make a rubber tree's roots grow in the right direction - say, over a river - the Khasis use betel nut trunks, sliced down the middle and hollowed out, to create root-guidance systems.
The thin, tender roots of the rubber tree, prevented from fanning out by the betel nut trunks, grow straight out. When they reach the other side of the river, they're allowed to take root in the soil. Given enough time, a sturdy, living bridge is produced.

The root bridges, some of which are over a hundred feet long, take ten to fifteen years to become fully functional, but they're extraordinarily strong - strong enough that some of them can support the weight of fifty or more people at a time.

Because they are alive and still growing, the bridges actually gain strength over time - and some of the ancient root bridges used daily by the people of the villages around Cherrapunji may be well over five hundred years old. Link, Via: rootbridges, Via: Neatorama



Barbara crossing a living root bridge in Cherrapunjee. LINK: Youtube

Pure Relaxation & Meditation Music

"Water Element" from the album Sci-indra by Zane Savage Astronomy Records.

These beautiful scenes are from India. LINK: Youtube

The Face in Hogenakkal Falls

Photo: get_debashish [Flickr]

Neatoramanaut Debashish Paul took a photo of a section of Hogenakkal Falls in South India that has a face of a mustachiod man. I know, I know, it’s just pareidolia (the tendency of human brains to see familiar images and faces in objects), but it’s still very cool!

Link - Thanks Debashish! Via: Neatorama

Albino Crow

A bizarre albino crow has been found in Kerala, India. LINK: Youtube

Buffalo Born With 3 Mouths

“Devotees are gathering in a small village in northern India, to worship a buffalo born with three eyes and three mouths.” LINK: Youtube

India's Tata Motors Unveils The World's Cheapest Car

With the flash of cameras and oohs and aahs from the crowd, Indian company Tata Motors last Monday launched what is billed as the world's least expensive car, six years after it was conceived and six months behind schedule.

The Nano will start at $2,200 after taxes and dealer costs, while the more expensive CX and LX models with heat, air conditioning and power brakes will go for as much as $3,800. LINK

"Here's a video of the presentation"


Watch Ratan Tata unveil the much awaited Tata Nano at the Delhi Auto Expo. LINK: Youtube

Searching for the Snow Leopard

National Geographic photographer Steve Winter is picking up top honors for his images of the elusive snow leopard. Follow along as he sets camera traps in the remote mountains of northern India. LINK: Youtube

Human-Powered Ferris Wheel

No motor? No problem! In India, this ferris wheel is powered by men climbing up and using their body weight to rotate the wheel.

I guess you’d want to try this ride early, since the operators must be exhausted at the end of the day! LINK, Via: Youtube

8 of the Most Beautiful Mountains in the World

Shivling - Uttarakhand, India

The Shivling mountain, so-called because of its status as a sacred symbol of the Hindu god, Shiva, literally means ‘the phallus of Shiva’. Considered one of the most stunning peaks of the Garhwal region, the mountain soars 21,329 feet high. The Tapovan meadow which lies between Shivling and Gaumukh has become a popular pilgrimage site due to the stunning view of the mountain from that location. LINK

The Extraordinary Treehouse of Udaipur, India

We’ve have many posts about treehouses before on Neatorama, but never one this cool. Here’s an extraordinary treehouse in Udaipur, India, built by K.P. Singh. Allan Wu of Honda’s Drive Every Drop interviews the man:

The house is supported by a mango tree, and was conceived by Mr. Singh on a bet that he could maintain property value of a certain terrain without the need for chopping its fruit trees.

Photo Gallery, Neatorama, Via: Youtube

The World’s Shortest Man

“According to The Guinness Book of World Records, Gul Mohammed of India still holds the world record as the shortest adult human being. He stood 1 foot 10.5 inches tall and weighed 37.5 pounds.” LINK