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The Hindu : Celebrate the festive season in Singapore till January 2 with a fairytale setting of snowflakes at Tanglin Mall, go on board an open-top bus for a 30-minute tour of the Christmas light-up along Orchard Road, shop at malls which remain open till midnight every Saturday. Every mall at Orchard Road and Marina Bay area have a plethora of special promotions, discounts, lucky draws as well as unique festive entertainment programmes at their atrium spaces. Till December 25, there will be carol-singing and a musicalDance the night away at Clarke Quay at Attica, IndoChine’s The Forbidden City and more. Bring in the New Year at Marina Bay New Year’s Eve Countdown 07/08. With its spectacular visual art installation on the bay, stirring video dedications and rousing display of fireworks, it promises to present all visitors with a spectacular visual treat to round up the year and launch into a brand new exciting 2008. Or welcome the New Year at the Clarke Quay Mardi Gras Party where Brazilian dancers, street performers, a live band and plenty other forms of entertainment are in store as you count down to 2008. Or party at Asia’s grooviest beach – Sentosa, with non-stop music spun by DJs, a foam pool for bubbles of fun and a double-dose of pyrotechnics., For more information, visitwww.visitsingapore.com/inHolidayIQ a travel guide and research community that offers opinions written by travellers to help others plan holidays has listed Palakkad for its fascinating mosaic of mountains, forests, valleys and rivers, this exotic destination in the Western Ghats is the gateway to the unexplored Silent Valley National Park, Wayanad for its rainforests and mountains, whose misty environs offer a wide range of trekking opportunities, plantation visits and wildlife tours, Pondicherry for its French culture entwined with the spiritual calm of an ashram make this seaside town unforgettable and Kanyakumari for the most auspicious place to spend the New Year,…More

The Hindu : BeatstreetBreaking BarriersUstad Amjad Ali Khan, Rs. 295Twelve Christmases ago, sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, played a memorable version of ’Silent Night’ in the Church of North India, New Delhi – an experience that some who were privileged to be there, claim, still brings out the goosepimples for them, when ever they recollect that rare combination of music and devotion. After all these years, the Ustad finally found the time, recently, to get together with a skilled arranger – Stephen Devassy – and a sensitive instrumental group – the Southern String Orchestra – to create, what is without doubt, one of the most unusual, and most ’Indian’ Christmas music experiences to be available in recorded form.Airtel has supported this venture and Times Music has issued the album (Breaking Barriers; CD Rs 295; Cassette Rs. 65), just in time for the rest of us to experience the warm and mellifluous touch that the Ustad’s sarod brings to “Joy to the World”, “Silent Night”, “Jingle Bells”, “We Three Kings” and five other well loved hymns and carols. The mixing of the solo instrument and the orchestra by Manoj Kumar and Sam Devassy is superb – and makes for a true-fusion experience.Let the barriers break and the soulful music flow, this festive season.Taare Zameen ParT Series, Rs.160Aamir Khan does nothing by half measures. “Every child is special”, may be the tagline of his new film Taare Zameen Par, but for the perfectionist, every movie, and every song in it, is special. It is certainly befitting that Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have put together an original score that touches the heart and compliments the sensitive lyrics. Exuberant enough to appeal to children and sensibly soulful for adults, the songs have the best of both worlds.The title song by Shankar Mahadevan, Dominique Cerejo and Vivienne Pocha is the pick of the lot. Of the other seven tracks, watch out for Khan’s zestful vocals in…More

The Hindu : On top ofthe worldWalk through pink blossoms in Christchurch. Share an intimate moment in a secret cave. Dance barefoot under the stars. Soar high in the blue skies of New Zealand with a free fall. Feel at the top of the world with a heli-tour or simply indulge in a luxurious thermal spa to calm your senses. Whether you’re looking for breathtaking destinations, or a honeymoon filled with different activities, New Zealand is the perfect getaway.This wedding season, Tourism New Zealand along with Quantum Travels has announced a special honeymoon package covering some of New Zealand’s most romantic destinations such as Auckland, the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Rotorua, Queenstown, Milford Sound and the Franz Josef Glacier region. For Rs.1, 82,199 per head, couples can enjoy a 15 days - 14 nights stay in New Zealand.Here’s a sneak peek of the dream destinations: Auckland is surrounded by subtropical islands, sparkling waters and lush native rainforests with an abundance of outdoor events. Travel south to arrive at Waitomo for a magical underground boat ride and a tour of the famed Waitomo Glowworm caves. Rotorua is the next stop where luxurious sulphur baths and spa therapies await you at the Te Puia Thermal Reserve Paradise Valley Springs.Spend a leisurely day in Wellington.Aboard the InterIslander ferry, sail through Marlborough Sound before reaching Kaikoura, a picturesque coastal town popular for its wildlife encounters, seafood delights and Maori experience. Pass through the sprawling Canterbury plains and spend a romantic day in Christchurch, before moving onto New Zealand’s highest mountain, Mt. Cook.Visit Milford Sound and enjoy a cruise along the world famous fiord amidst misty cascading waterfalls. On your way back, experience the unforgettable TranzAl pine train journey.So pack your bags and explore untrammelled paths, green pastures and rolling hills of this Pacific Island.For details, contact Quantum Travels, Tel: (22) 2632 2800 or look upwww.quantumtravels.com…More

The Hindu : “These days Kunal Ganjawala, he with the hit numbers of “Saawariya” under his belt, is showing a different facet of his personality. He is busy judging the talent hunt “Chhote Ustaad” on Star Plus.“Along with fellow judges Shreya and Pritam, I told Star and producer Gajendra Singh that we will judge the show only when we are given some powers. We have seen judges in other shows pleading with the public to vote for the right candidate. Yet, more often than not, those who don’t deserve to, walk away with the trophy. The producers agreed and have given us a 50 per cent say. We will pull back any deserving kid out of the danger zone and will make sure that the final two are the best of the lot. We are also working towards an arrangement where finalists get to sing original compositions in the final round, as veryoften the appreciation is for the song, not the singer.”“Saawariya” may have failed the box office test, but its music is still casting a spell on listeners, and Kunal, who’s sung three songs, including the highly stylised “Pari”, is happy. With minimal music it was a difficult song to compose and sing, he says. “The credit goes to Sanjay (Leela Bhansali) who explained to me how he is going to shoot the song frame by frame. Seldom do you find a director who makes you sing a song 20 times to achieve perfection. After a point I started feeling like Ranbir. I have got compliments from people like Karan Johar who said ‘Tumhari awaaz to ekdum Ranbir par chipak gayi’.”He contrasts this with his first hit “Bheege honth tere”. “That song I sang as myself. I had not met Emraan Hashmi. Director Anurag Basu had told me it is an evocative number and they are launching a new heroine (Mallika Sherawat) with the film.” Talking about…More

The Hindu : It is nothing short of a miracle, calculated to enchant even the most jaded of city-bred souls. Some 80 kilometres south of Bangalore on the Mysore road, you need to take a turn down what rapidly becomes a pitted track, towards Kokrebellur. Twelve kilometres of bumping and bowling down the road and you come upon what is essentially just another pan-Indian village, the hamlet of Kokrebellur.Fittingly enough, in what could be a scene straight out of “Malgudi Days”, little boys clad in khaki shorts and little else play with bicycle tyres, cows low in sheds, goats bleat by the roadside, women in earth-toned, rough cotton saris tend to their everyday chores. Just another day in the life of a village.Then, your eye travels upwards, to the handful of raintrees dotting the village. And you stand in the classic pose: mouth agape, filled with awe. There is much movement in those trees. There they are, scores of painted storks in their black/white/pink glory, clucking, tending to their young, checking their wingspan, some flying to neighbouring trees. Huge nests perch seemingly precariously in the crooks of branches, holding young and noisy storks.On the day I visit, there are at least 500 of these birds. They fish in the waters of the Cauvery nearby or in the shallow ponds that surround the village, build their nests, breed their young, socialise with some cormorants and egrets that visit them, and fly off before summer peaks. And, amazingly enough, these birds do not nest in even one tree outside the perimeter of this village!What came first?The village leads its life, the storks lead theirs and the twain do not meet, leave alone clash. Yogesh, a village youth, proudly tells me that Kokrebellur is conscious of its status as a favourite breeding spot for the storks. The birds come in by autumn, are settled by November, breed in February-March, and are…More

The Hindu : Choose from Ffolio’s latest festive and New Year range of fashionable designer clothing and an eclectic and enchanting line up of jewellery, by designers Araiya and Vasundhara. With an ensemble of cocktail and evening wear and a contemporary line of jewellery, here’s your chance to put your best foot forward.The latest collection by Araiya is simple and less provocative. It’s about blending ethnic and vintage influences with contemporary and futuristic forms. The materials are in satin, viol, viscose and cotton in white, black and a hint of green and lustrous metallic finishes in gold, silver and glossy fabrics which are the highlights of this collection. The label is the inspiration and aspiration of Arshiya Fakih, who launched Araiya in Mumbai in 1998.Vasundhara Mantri, a jewellery-designer has created a collection of earrings, pendants, rings, bracelets and watches made of semi-precious stones in turquoise, rose quartz, amethyst and more and range from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 8000. Ffloio is at No.1, Embassy Chambers, No. 5, Vittal Mallya Road Call 22218142/43….More

The Hindu : There’s a new store of northeastern craft in Indiranagar that will force you to change your perceptions on northeast India. Called Ants, the store stocks products ranging from skirts in cottons to lovely stoles and shawls in Eri silk, kurtas and tops in all sizes and designs.The mezzanine section houses mattresses and cushions made from kona grass in Manipur, black stone pottery of the Tangkhul Nagas. From the matrilineal Khasi tribe of Meghalaya come tidy basketry, while the Karbis and Dimasas contribute with their weaves. Jewellery from Kinnaura tribe of Himachal complements the dresses that you may pick up.Books come with an inaugural 20 per cent discount in collaborations with Blossoms.There’s also a café serving coffee and herbal teas. In house tailors could fit your dress for you while you sip coffee.The design studio in the store will also make anything to order for you, stitch it, and courier it to you in a week.Ants is at #2023/B 1st Cross, 14th A Main, HAL IInd Stage, Indiranagar. Call: 41715639 or 41521742. Or visitwww.theant.org…More

The Hindu : Faraway in a distant hamlet encircled by rock, hills and plains, dead-beat farmers calculate time by the sound of the church bells that repeat the sounding joy or alarm. Rung in the morning, noon and evening in a church miles away, villagers then know when it’s time to rise, take a break and eat, and make their way back in the fading hours at dusk. At the same time, they could be warned about an impending storm, the death of a parishioner, a civil war or be called to prayer.As you plod up the stairs of the belfry or bell tower of the 1882-erected St. Mary’s Basilica in Shivajinagar, round winding stairs and a half-broken ladder that close on you and defy gravity, historical chimes are unfurled in the most gothic of settings with a magnificent view of the city. Balancing your way round two large slightly chipped bells to peer at the inscriptions that have been covered with dust, grime, bird droppings, drops of rain reveal: “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” – “Glory to God in the Highest” in Latin, donated by “R.R. Arokeasawmy” and probably made by Eugene Baudouin Flondeur in Marseille in 1881. “French missionaries built this church. The bells are in perfect condition and there is one man employed to ring them. The ringing of bells is God’s invitation to worship, forget difficulties and create an atmosphere of prayer,” says Parish Priest A.S. Anthony Swamy.It is said that church bells were started in 400 A.D. in Campania, a town in Italy by Bishop Paulinus of Nola, thus giving two Latin words for bells – “campana” and “nola”. Church bells which were later consecrated by Pope Sabinian in 604 A.D., were subsequently brought to Eastern churches around the 9th century. St. Gregory of Tours is the first person to mention the bells’ use in Christian worship – customary in the Celtic regions from…More

The Hindu : White water rafting in Colorado, experiencing the pristine architecture of the old city centre in Sienna, fishermenon the beaches of Kovalam, and the St. Peter’s square with the church bells ringing in the background. Tim Richards is busy building an Internet audio podcast portal for travellers and holiday goers to sample before packing their bags for adventure.www.heartbeatguides.com is all about the new age Internet. “Feel the pulse and hear the people,” says Tim, whose rich mp3 audio guides to cities, restaurants, beaches, mountains, cruising, culture and cuisine are selling like hot cakesin cyberspace.Started in 2006, Yahoo nominated heartbeatguides as one of the best search finds of 2006. “The Internet has gigantic potential in my kind of business.A normal text and picture based website or book will not be able to capture the ambience and atmosphere of a city or tourist spot.” Broadband and mp3 does the trick.A freelance presenter with BBC Wales who has done national level programmes like ‘Goodmorning Wales’ and ‘Wales Today,’Tim is now on a spree of international tours, tobuild and update his audio library. Besides Kerala, he has been to other places in India like Jaipur, Delhi, Agra and Goa.India and Malaysia are by far his favourite destinations. The co-existence of Malay, Hindu and Chinese culture, religion and cuisine in Malaysia, he says, would impress anyone. India is more a ‘people’s place’ and is being increasingly noticed the world over. Tim is making a 30-minute clip about Kerala featuring the backwaters of Allepey, Fort Cochin and the beaches in and around Kovalam.He regrets that he couldn’t go further north towards Wayanad due to a lack of time. But he says he will be back “for the mountains” soon.The Leela, Kovalam will be featured inadded to his Hotels Guide audio podcast shortly. Interestingly, the hotels guide at the site comes without charge.Tim’s rich media files come at about £3.00 a piece payable…More

The Hindu : Future Group has opened the Staples store in Marathahalli. Originally founded by Tom Stemberg in 1986 in America, the store today has outlets across the world. The speciality of Staples is that it offers a gamut of technology and an assortment of stationery with the aim to make it easy for customers to run their offices.This new store has an area of 15,000 sq.ft., spread across two levels and is designed just as a super market, where you can pick up anything and everything that you would ever need for your office.The products at this store are divided into four categories. The first is the technology section that offers laptops (Rs. 25,000 onward), digital cameras, printers, accessories, pen drives, mouse (wired and wireless ones, priced at Rs. 650 onwards). Staples offers national and international brands and some of the products are also sold under the brand name Staples itself.Office supply is the second section that offers stationery, organisers (Rs. 254 onwards), files, folders, and pens, to name a few items. While you can pick up certain items in single pieces, pencils and erasers are to be bought in packs. Another alluring part of this section is the children’s section where you can pick up books, colour pencils, scissors, boxes, water bottles and the works, in bright hues. There are also pretty crayons in attractive packs that would light up a child’s face. For adults too there are attractive hand-made and organic books in varied designs and covers. The third is the office furniture. Starting at Rs. 704, there are chairs, tables and safes designed specifically for office use, explains Aditya Malpani, the store manager. He also adds that the office furniture is a big hit “because of the quality and the pricing that Staples offers”. The furniture is imported from countries like China and Bangkok.The last section is the business section where you can get…More