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The Hindu : “Aybowan” (welcome/greetings in Sinhala), smiles the young lady draped gracefully in the traditional Sri Lankan sari with folded palms welcoming us to enjoy the hospitality of the famed central city of Kandy.The chill in the Kandyan hills seems to disappear in the spontaneous warmth of the people of this island nation.The day dawns with the birds singing merrily, and the mist covered mountains beckon you to enjoy the sunrise. As the sun slowly spreads its golden rays across the rolling hills of Kandy, the sound of a sleepy hill town stirring to life, reaches you.The boatman on the Mahaweli hums a tune as you take a leisurely ride to soak in the mild sun and breathe in the cool air. The cameras, both still and video, roll automatically and every frame is picturesque even if you are not adept at photography.A sumptuous breakfast spread at the Chaaya Citadel that includes traditional Sri Lankan idiyappam (string hoppers) coconut rolls, steaming appam (hoppers) with chicken gravy or coconut milk, rice and sambar (both onion and fish) and a wide choice of breads and cereal from the continent, tropical fruit and fresh juices, tasty morsels of chicken, bacon, ham and eggs to order. Topped off with strong black tea or coffee and one is ready to take on the sight seeing.Pleasant stopA view of the temple from outside.Located 116 km from Colombo at an altitude of 500 metres, Kandy is a pleasant stop and next to Colombo, is Sri Lanka’s most visited place. In Sinhala, Kandy is called Maha Nuvara (meaning ‘Great City’ or ‘Capital,’ although this is most often shortened to Nuvara. The name Kandy is derived from the Sinhalese phrase, meaning literally “the five districts on the mountain.” The Portuguese shortened this to ‘Candea,’ using the name for both the kingdom and its capital Senkadagalapura.Kandy is considered as Lanka’s most scenic city with its blue-green hills,…More

The Hindu : Now Amitabh Bachchan fans can connect with the actor directly on bigb.bigadda.com. “bigb.bigadda.com allows me to express myself, share and reflect my emotions, thoughts, opinions and listen to what people have to say to me and show them the ‘real’ side to my larger-than-life image that they see through media. It’s a platform which I control and share my own drama without anyone editing or interpreting my thoughts,” says the actor.“What’s most important for me is that I can now share consequential replies to the inconsequential gossip that do the rounds. I have always wanted a platform, where I can speak… for truth is always stranger than fiction. People will now be able to get an unedited version of my views, ideas and thoughts, straight from me,” says Amitabh.Bigadda.com is part of the Reliance ADA group and is said to be the first Indian Youth Network with all forms of expression under one hat….More

The Hindu : It is just the place. It offers the kind of romantic privacy that honeymooners yearn for. We are talking about Shelter Cove, the idyllic little get-away hugging the Pacific. In California, beaches and privacy are a contradiction in terms, more so onweekends when we see people filling every inch of space. Against such a grim scenario, the prospect of ‘just you, me and the sea’, as promised by Shelter Cove, is singularly appealing.We hit highway 101 from the City of the Golden Gate. As the spiralling road takes you to the top of the range, a stunning spectacle unfolds. The sight of the mighty ocean, its waves lashing the foot of the hills below. The sun is just dipping behind the horizon. The sight remains framed in the mind’s eye for a lifetime. A writer has rightly described it as the place where ‘the sea and the land meet with a vengeance’.Excitement mounts as we hear that Shelter Cove has a ‘mystery’ — it’s called the Lost Coast. History and geography have conspired to keep this part of the Pacific coast out of bounds for people until mid-19th century. This stretch of coast as well as land remained unknown long after the rest of the United States was mapped. Hence, the name, Lost Coast. The only deep water port over a long rugged coastline, Humboldt Bay here remained obscure from seafarers because of its narrow and treacherous opening. It was witness to many shipwrecks.Chill winds blow as we reach Shelter Cove, also known as ‘Paradise’ and ‘Gem of the Lost Coast’. We check in at ‘Tides Inn’ where every suite offers a spectacular view of the Pacific. ‘Look ma, the sea is so close. I can’t believe it’, my grand-daughter, screams in delight.It is a long holiday, yet you do not see too many people. Cars do not choke the roads. The rich fly in…More

The Hindu : National Geographic Channel’s Earth Day Special, in partnership with CISCO, brings to light the changes in the world made by humankind. On April 22, “Six Degrees” tracks the world’s leading climate researchers and follows ranchers, photographers to uncover the warning signs and climate trends at 8 p.m. “Human Footprint” tracks our consumption from birth to old age in the developing world at 9 p.m. “Earth Report-The State of the Planet ” at 10 p.m. follows everything from carbon emissions to reforestation projects.“Africa Extreme” tracks Wildlife Conservation Society ecologist, Dr. Michael Fay who sets out to survey the biological richness of an entire forest ecosystem under pressure in northern Congo on April 22 at 9 a.m. and at 7 p.m., “Gabon-Triumph of the wild” will explore the magical, forbidding land in Africa. At 8 p.m. “Planet Mechanics” and henceforth every Tuesday night, engineers with an eye on the environment, Dick Strawbridge and Jem Stansfield have a mission – to fix the world. Visitwww.natgeotv.co.in/explore/earthday….More

The Hindu : Vinod Raja, an alumni of Film and Television Institute, Pune, is an independent film-maker who’s captured in his documentaries the struggles of tribals in India against displacement due to various ‘developmental projects’. He was in town for the screening of his documentary “The Mahua Memoirs”, which shows the plight of adivasis. Excerpts from an interview:How did you start off as a film-maker?I started off as a freelance cinematographer. I also assisted filmmakers like G.S. Bhaskar and Ashwini Kaul. “The Bee, The Bear and the Kuruba”, started in 1996, took four years to complete, after learning about the Advasi (Kurubas, Yeravas and Paniyas) movement in Nagarhole against the Taj hotel groups who wanted to build a resort in Rajiv Gandhi National Park openly violating the ‘national park protocol’. The sustainable, conservationist, beautifully organic lifestyle of adivasis juxtaposed against the commonly followed western ways of conservation was a story I felt compelled to tell.How was your experience shooting ‘The Mahua Memoirs’?We filmed it for three years in four states — Chattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh, with the help of various individuals and NGOs and with the renowned writer Mahasweta Devi. I’d seen the minority tribal population in southern states, but it’s the state of the majority tribals who live in these states that I wanted to explore. All through, especially in Orissa, I got to witness mass devastation by corporate big guns.Your documentary shows peaceful methods being suppressed and freedom of speech and expression denied. Does it represent the true picture of democracy as you’ve seen?I have been interrogated several times, constantly kept under surveillance and even roughed up. In a peaceful protest in Tikri in Kashipur the police attacked me from behind and my camera was smashed. But what’s gratifying is the film is being shown at several places including schools and colleges. Even parliamentarians have watched it and the first response I get is…More

The Hindu : If you are loaded and are looking for something exclusive and imported then head straight to Beyond. This brand new store, on Bellary Road, sells high-end products from boutiques across the globe.The store was started by Anil Kathotia and Uday Jamnadas. The duo travel extensively looking for exclusive pieces thatgel well with Indian homes. “We do not manufacture anything here, but source everything from outside,” adds Anil.The main attraction at this 10,000 sq. ft. store is the Moroccan furniture. There are dining tables, recliners and sofas. “Ox hide is used here. We also have some products where horse hair has been used.”There are some classy designs for your home from Italy, Spain, Bali and Switzerland to name a few. These start at Rs. three lakh upwards.“The maintenance of leather is easy. You can shampoo wash it and we also provide some gels that keep the sheen of the leather.”If your stomach churns just thinking of sitting on a leather sofa then Beyond also offers some sleek designs in artificial leather and fabric. There are also dining tables and chairs made from teak wood. Some come with contemporary and unusual shapes while there are those with intricate hand carvings or the wooden table that also comes with bamboo inlay work.There are spring mattresses from Sobha Restoplus, carpets in varied hues, shapes and sizes. But a larger section again focuses on accessories and designs for your dining or drawing rooms. “That’s because people prefer to custom design their bedrooms, and each room is shaped and sized differently so we do not want to focus on that front,” says Anil.Furniture made from six mm. leather is a “specialty of Beyond”. This one, made from buffalo hide is imported from Brazil, but is made in Italy, says Anil. It is priced at Rs. four lakh and above.“People are ready to pay for good and exclusive designs these days. Money…More

The Hindu : In memory of C.G. Krishnaswamy, the late theatre activist and Chairman of the Karnataka Nataka Academy, Ranga Chetana has organised a theatre festival from April 21 to April 26. This is modelled on CGK’s dream of Janapara Samskruti Utsava.The festival will kick off on April 21. At 7 p.m. Panchama Samskritika Sangha will present “Jenu Hudugi”.On April 22, Lakshmipathi Kolar’s play “Allamana Bayalaata” will be staged. It is directed by Dr. K. Ramakrishnaiah and presented by Ranga Nirantara. On April 23 is Nisargapriya’s “Nijaguna Shivayogi” directed by Nataraj Honnavalli for Sanehalli’s Shivasanchara.The kavigoshti, poetry reading session on April 24 is at 5.30, chaired by Prof. H. V. Venugopal. This will be followed by “Nammellara Buddha”, written by Dr. Lokesh Agasanakatte and directed by Y.D. Badami. The women’s poetry reading session is on April 25, chaired by Usha P. Rai. Chandrashekar Talya’s “Allama” will be staged after this, directed by Shreesh Dobala. Both plays are by Shivasanchara, Sanehalli.On the evening of April 26, 5 p.m., there will be a folk mela and folk songs. Also, Nadachetana and CGK Awards will be given away. This year’s CGK Award goes to Sukumar Mohan, theatre activist from Udupi, and the Nadachetana Award goes to ten people from various walks of life.The venue for all the programmes is Ravindra Kalakshetra. On all days, the plays begins at 7 p.m. For details call 94486 84055….More

The Hindu : When parents finally felt the need to give their teenagers mobile phones, little did the elated and unsuspecting youngsters realise that with parents also getting tech savvy, there would be wannabe Sherlock Holmes’ around them keeping a tab on their every move!Texting children to check on them, their whereabouts and the friends they are hanging out with, is on the rise. Many parents around the city feel that it is the best way to keep an eye on their children. Afshan Karachiwala, a mother of two says: “Mobile phones are a blessing in disguise for parents who are worried about their children. I, personally am not against giving my teenagers the privacy,but parents must know where to draw a line and that’s when they text their children to find out what they are doing.”Her husband Shaheed is of the opinion that “Children do not like the idea of parents’ texting to keep a watch on them. Little do they realise that we are not their enemies and that we text them only because we are concerned about their well being.”Why text when you can call? According to Dolly Sekar, another parent, “I respect my children’s privacy which is why I would rather text. I understand that they could be with their friends or at a party where it might be awkward to excuse themselves just to tell me what time I can expect them to return.” It is only when there is an emergency or when I haven’t received a reply to my message for a long time that I call to find out what they are up to.”SMS snoopsMost parents claim to have got into texting because of their children. While some teenagers actually took the trouble of teaching their parents how to send messages, other parents say that they learned on their own. With the gradual weakening of motor skills during middle age,…More

The Hindu : A demon king wants to be immortal, a warrior sage annexes land from the sea and two Gods plot to ensure that power is wielded only by the good. Such tales of gods and demons lend many a town a history and an identity. I have an appointment with someof the deities who live on the coast.The salts of the sea tickle the nostrils and the breeze lifts the spirits. The eyes feast on blue-green waters. I am in Tulu Nadu, erstwhile Emperor Ashoka’s Satiyaputra. Today, it includes Dakshina Karnataka and the coastal Uttara Karnataka.Where tales aboundReclaimed from the sea, this coast is said to be carved out by Parashurama’s axe. The story goes that Parashurama had a dispute with Varuna, lord of the seas, and threw his axe to mark his territory. Called Parashurama Kshetra, the area spans the Konkan coast, covering parts of Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra.The next stops are two ancient temple towns — Murudeshwar and Gokarna — where myths and legends flow with the waves. The seas and the mountains have been witness to a tale set in ancient times, a story about good, evil and a weapon called power. Ravana, the ambitious but devoted demon king, wanted to become immortal. He performed a rigorous penance to get the Atmalinga from Lord Shiva, who granted him his wish on a condition — the Atmalinga should never be placed on the ground. If it was, it would get embedded there. Sage Narada, fearing that Ravana may become invincible, approached Lord Vishnu to retrieve it.Duping RavanaOur story starts here. Ravana used to perform his rituals religiously in the evening. Lord Vishnu and Ganesha decided to exploit his devotion. As Ravana was nearing Gokarna, Lord Vishnu blotted the sun with his Sudarshana Chakra to make it look like evening. A Brahmin boy (Ganesha) approached Ravana, who requested him to hold the Atmalinga until he…More

The Hindu : Original rock and metal music in Bangalore seems to be finally finding its niche, and quite a large one at that. In keeping with the status of Bangalore as a somewhat Rock Capital of India, with an audience that is quite music-literate as well as mature, Whiplash’08, the Metal and Rock festival organised by the B.M.S. College of Engineering, was no less than a tribute to the rock cult status of the city.Focussing on Indian rock bands and original compositions, Whiplash provided the perfect platform for talent and despite the average sound quality, long sound checks and blazing heat (it was an all-day contest), the enthusiasm levels both in the mosh pit — which expanded as the sun went down — and the general audience, was unmistakable. With popular Indian band Bhoomi headlining the event, 11 bands selected out of 29 entries from all over the country performed. Illuminati won the Rock category and Inner Sanctum took home the prize for the best Metal Act.College festivals, it seems, have come of age (what with another college — a rather affluent one at that — managing to bring Boney M to perform in the city). Yet, two things set this one apart from the rest. Firstly, the fact that most of the bands, both the college acts as well as their more seasoned counterparts, played original compositions. Colleges, in the past, have been infamous for inviting Indian bands and insisting that they play only covers. With festivals such as Whiplash, all that is set to change.And secondly, the more important and exciting part: yes, the awards! In terms of money, several contests can give this one a run for its money; however, what probably got the bands turned on is the fact that the winner (Illuminati who won hands down in the rock category with a high-energy performance) will be opening for the Def Leppard Concert…More