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The Hindu : It was a pleasant surprise to see the people of Vettangudi in Sivagangai district so cheerful and happy. The perfect onset of the North-East Monsoon has attracted more tourists to their sleepy little village this winter. They havebeen flocking to see alarge congregation of birds at the Vettangudi bird sanctuary.When I reached this village off the National Highway, there was a mild drizzle.Avillage road dotted with a profusion of trees and emanating the heady smell of wet earth forked out after about a kilometre. It culminated at a beautiful wide channel with a tank at one end.A few hens ran around chasing each other while a few cows grazed by the roadside. A lone photographer wastaking pictures.The bird sanctuarylooked well maintained complete with a watch tower, a children’s play park, a covered resting area for visitors and a row of cement benches lining the wall of the tank.Colourful sightI sat watching a big group of Asian Open Bill Storks, who appeared sunbathing.The Vettangudi bird sanctuary is a natural habitat of winter migratory and residential birds. Situated over 39.9 hectares and covering the three tanks ofVettangudi, Periyakollukudi and Chinnakollukudi villages in the area of operation, it attracts more than 8,000 migratory birds belonging to 217 species, mostly from Europe and North Asia.It indeed is a beautiful spot to spend time watching birds come and go. A little down the channel, by its bund, a group of white ibis seem to be having a meeting.Pairs of night heronsin a playful moodfly away, then swoop down toscoop out foodfrom the mud.Little dabchicks wade by and darters with their wings held half-open continuously displaytheir diving skills. A pair of little cormorants fly in and out of water and finally take a break on the mud plank puffing out their chest and spreading their wings to full glory.The local administration has undertaken active de-silting work of the channelto convert it…More

The Hindu : A magical productionThe Bard’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream comes to townDash Arts Production is presenting “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, directed by Tim Supple, brought together by Reliance Communications and the British Council on January 11 and 13 at 7 p.m. There will be an exclusive show for college students on January 12 at 11.30 a.m. and the evening show at 8 p.m. is open to all. The play is at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, G.D. Park Extension, Vyalikaval, near Sankey Tank. Tickets priced at Rs. 500, Rs. 300 or Rs. 200 are available at Reliance Web World on Brigade Road (32939660), CMH Road (30529990), Airport Road (32535952), Cunningham Road (32930025), Koramangala (32939123), at British Library (22489220) except on Sundays and public holidays and at Chowdiah 23445810), only 48 hours before the performance….More

The Hindu : Game for action?A mobile game on he animated Hanuman seriesThree games High scorers in the contest will win Hanuman merchandise.Jump Games has launched mobile games based on the animated feature “Return of Hanuman”.The mobile game that showcases Hanuman taking on the evil forces of Guru Shukracharya and Rahuketu has been launched across all major operators in the country. CDMA subscribers can get the game directly via their operators while GSM users can download the game by messaging `Hanuman’ to 55454. For a wider reach nationally, Jump is also releasing a black and white version of the game compatible with low-end handsets. Apart from this, there are two other mobile games that will be released as a part of the three-game Hanuman series. This is the first time that a game based on an animated character is being made available in Hindi simultaneously. Jump Games plans to launch a countrywide contest around the mobile game where high scorers can win attractive gifts and Hanuman merchandise…More

The Hindu : My KIND OF PLACEMINI MATHURCHITRA SWAMINATHANMysticalIndia has so much to offer. Heard this too often? But when I say it, you have no choice but to believe me. You know why?As the host of a travel show, I have travelled extensively through the country. I think you need a lifetime to explore its magnificence. And an extra dose of patience and energy if you cannot afford luxurious travel. Yet it’s worth the effort and every pie.From head to toeLadakh at the top, Goa in the middle and Kerala at the bottom are my three favourite destinations in India. Each is a unique blend of natural beauty, tranquillity and history.The peaks, the beaches and the greenery are a perfect calm-balm.Looking beyondLondon, Thailand and parts of Europe fascinate me because of the sight seeing, shopping and dining. London in particular will never cease to charm me. It’s non-stop action in this world-famous metropolis, which inspires you to get set and go.Working holidaysMost often, I go on work-cum-pleasure trips. Though once-a-year I take a month off and travel to purely relax and enjoy myself. Travel to me is all about seeing, exploring and learning.Mini Mathur, TV Personality, spoke to…More

The Hindu : Look around today and you’ll find many great DJs as well as great producers. Rarely, however, do those two abilities come in the same package. And rarer still are the DJ-producers who can claim to be among the top ten artistes on both sides of the fence. Arguably, no one wears the two crowns with greater aplomb than the pioneering Dutch artiste Ferry Corsten.“It is tough being both a good DJ and a good producer at the same time,” admits Corsten, who was recently in Bangalore for the Smirnoff Experience concert. “But I started out as a producer, and my own music has been important to me ever since the start. And it works well because as a producer I am able to supply myself with new sounds that no one else has. And as a DJ I can go out there and promote anything new I produce.”Corsten began his career as a producer, first experimenting in his early teens in order to get himself featured on a non-chart based radio show in Holland. “There was this segment where people could send in records that they had creatively mixed, and I thought that was something I could do.” Moving from that initial success onto greater things, Corsten got into DJing when he was asked by the Ministry of Sound to produce their trance compilation. The fame that working with Ministry of Sound brought him numerous requests to play the music he was producing, and Corsten eventually stepped up to the turntable to great results. Although he started off as a producer, Corsten explains that he finds both sides of the coin just as interesting. “If I am touring for too long a time, at some time I just need to give it up and go home to my studio, to my own planet. But if I’ve been stuck in the studio for months, I just…More

The Hindu : Cricket feverWith the Indian cricket team in Australia, it’s a good time to head thereCricket fever has hit Australia, with the ongoing tour of the Indian cricket team. A good time to fly to Down Under.The first match between India Australia was held in December last year at The Melbourne Cricketing Ground (MCG).The Twenty 20 match will follow on February 1 and the one-day international match between India and Australia on February 10.You could also visit wineries in the Yarra Valley or take a drive down the Great Ocean Road.The Sydney Cricketing Ground will host the second Test Match between India and Australia (January 2 to 6, 2008), followed by the India-Australia one day international on February 24.At Sydney, climb the Harbour Bridge or take a cruise around to enjoy a view of the iconic Sydney Opera house. Canberra, with Australia’s most important public buildings, art works and institutions, will host the match between Indian and Sri Lanka on February 12, 2008.Hobart will host a one-dayer between Sri Lanka and India on February 26, 2008.At Brisbane, home to Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Park and a cricket stadium GABBA, India will take on Australia on February 3.Adelaide, noted for its architecture and buildings, will host the fourth test match between India and Australia from January 24 to 28, 2008 at the famous Adelaide Oval.Then you can watch the third Test Match between India and Australia at the WACCA at Perth.For further information about the places and the matches visitwww.australia.com….More

The Hindu : ContestThe University of Dayton and Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA) will host a contest titled “Mindful Leadership”. The contest is for student winners to travel to the University of Dayton in Ohio, USA and attend the nationally renowned Redefining Investment Strategy Education forum, RISE VIII.Winners get a chance to interact with global professionals between March 27 and 29.Interested students aged between 18 and 25 years can submit their entries in English via e-mail toudayton@liba.edu. For details log on towww.liba.edu or sba.udayton.edu/rise/….More

The Hindu : FROM THE DIARY* * *WORKSHOPMadhu Nataraj is organising a holistic healing/movement/experiential creativity workshop for women called the “The Goddess Dances” on January 24 at the Natya Stem Dance Studio from 10.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 9845150257 or write tostemdance@hotmail.com for details, course fee, registration. Registration closes on January 20. There is no age limit and no prior knowledge of dance required. Part of the proceeds from the workshop will go towards women’s welfare organisations in India. Visitwww.stemdancekampni.in* * *THEATRERangashankara is staging on January 8 and 9, S. Surendranath and Vibhavari Deshpande’s “Gumma Banda Gumma”, directed by Padmavati Rao for children above 5 years in Kannada at 7.30 p.m. Call 98869 98550.* * *SALEMango, the clothes store, is having a sale from January 11 at G-15, Garuda Mall, Magrath Road. Call 66641115.* * *MUSICOpus is hosting on January 14 “Stormy Mondays” with Barracuda Blues with Greg Hamra on drums, Dev on harp, Vinod D’sa on guitar and vocals, Raveen on vocals and keyboard and Ninja on guitar. For reservations call 23442580.* * *CONCERTBangalore School of Music is having their first New Year concert with a celebrity piano recital by Grammy nominee Joseph Banowetz from USA on January 8 at 7.30 p.m. at Alliance Francaise, Thimmaiah Road, Vasanthnagar. The programme will include outstanding performances of Liszt and the romantic literature among others. Entry is by donation cards for the Outreach Project. Call 41253208.* * *FOOD AND DRINKThe Leela Palace Kempinski is presenting a wine dinner at the poolside on January 11 at 7.30 p.m. at Rs. 4,500 per person with chateau owners from five different regions in Bordeaux: Pessac Leognan, Saint Juline, Pauillac from the Right Bank and Saint Emilion and Pomerot from the Left Bank. The wines chosen are Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Chateau Branaire-Ducre, Chateau Pontet-Canet, Chateau Canon-La Gaffeliere and Chateau Gazin. For reservations call 9341211208.* * *PROGRAMMEUnited Arts Society is having Marathon First Touch sessions…More

The Hindu : London, a sense of placeThe city has so much going for the touristPHOTOS: BY AUTHORETERNAL CITY A cosmopolitan mix of the stubbornly traditional and the proudly avant-gardeThe rain and the dosage of gray in the general colour of the day had increased as we emerged from the depths of the London Bridge Tube station onto Borough High Street.What hit me first was the buzz around the place, it was getting onto lunch in what is a predominantly business area and as we tried to co-ordinate a printed map to the three dimensional real world, we were the only stationary part of that street. Everything else seemed to be moving at 4x and everyone around seemed to be going somewhere with purpose in their stride and focus in their gaze.We hurriedly escaped this pandemonium of pin striped suits and pleated skirts and found refuge in an empty alley between a pub and an Indian restaurant.In this buffer zone between beer and butter chickenwe took a breather before setting out forthe Borough Market. Here, I was much at home. Tourists sauntered around, old women shopped and corporate types were grabbing a quick bite at the food stalls.This market is all about local produce – meat, dairy and vegetables. So there were tables stacked with wheels of cheese, fresh game hanging from hooks, fresh sea catch on ice and local farm produce.Not surprising since Borough Market is London’s oldest food market. It was established on the south bank of the Thames when the Romans built the first London Bridge. It has occupied its present site for 250 years.We headed straight to the wild venison stall, sampling the cheese that was being offered at the cheese stalls. The lesson I learned with the third bite of that hot dog was that authentic English mustard can take the fight to the most evil of Indian chillies and it proved this…More

The Hindu : With houses becoming designer homes by the day, Hacker adds to this list of custom-made kitchens. These German-made, high-tech kitchens are sleek and are designed to think. Located at Trisha, which also stocks lighting, locks, handles and more, it is the space where you’d seek home solutions.Levelled in three floors, with fittings like handles, door knobs and locks for cupboards, kitchens and bathrooms on the first floor, lighting on the second, and kitchens on the third. There is a variety of both Indian and international brands to choose from. What’s nice about Trisha is that it’s not one of those typically large home stores where you’d get lost in a maze; it’s compact and stocks a range of gadgets.On the first floor while you could get anything from Rs. 4 to Rs. 40,000 – it has been kept in mind that all kinds of customers can drop in and pick up anything – from a small nail to a designer handcrafted crystal door knob. Brands like Artemide from Italy, Oligo from Germany, Blum from Australia, Hafele from Germany are stocked to keep the ‘international’ tastes of customers who look for that exclusive touch and quality.On the second floor, are modular light fittings from the very basic to the very snazzy. Here you could find anything from Rs. 700 to Rs. One lakh.The third floor is where the prized German-made Hacker kitchens are displayed. From pale sunny-yellow, modern steel and grey, to warm wooden – there are eight such kitchens on view. Made in Rodinghausen in Germany, Hacker has been in existence since 1938 – with a deep experience in kitchen spaces. With LED lights in the glass wall cabinets, worktop cabinets, slide-in ironing-boards to flat granite slabs that can be pulled over the kitchen sink, these kitchens are space-efficient, user-friendly and are carefully thought-out designs. The kitchens range from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 40…More