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The Hindu : y>Drive about New Zealand and take in the scenery

Thomas Cook has come up with a New Zealand package, ideal for those travelling to a country known for its adventurous spirit and eclectic regions. Vast open spaces filled with stunning rugged landscapes, unspoilt beaches, spectacular geothermal and volcanic activity, a temperate climate and fascinating wildlife make New Zealand one of the most mesmerising countries in the world. Self-driving holidays are the most relaxing ways to get lost in New Zealand’s scenic marvels. The minimalist traffic and breathtaking views at almost every bend only add to the excitement. For Indians, driving in New Zealand is not difficult because the Indian driving licence is valid in New Zealand, and Kiwis also drive on the left-hand side of the road!

You can check out New Zealand’s picturesque South Island on a blissful self-drive holiday with the ‘6 nights – 7 days’ package at Rs. 69,990 per person. The package is inclusive of return economy airfare on Singapore Airlines, New Zealand visa fees, accommodation in 3-star hotels with daily breakfast, car rentals and insurance.

From the garden city of Christchurch, the adventurous city of Queenstown, to spectacular Milford Sound and incredible views of Mount Cook (Glacier Region), the itinerary covers some of New Zealand’s most exhilarating destinations. The package is valid from May 1 to May 31 and the booking should be done before March 31. Contact Thomas Cook on – 1800-2099-100.

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The Hindu :

Facial search on a matrimonial site means you might just find your ownA.R. Rahman or Priyanka Chopra for a life partner

Photo: Murali Kumar K.Who’s your favourite? Music director A.R. Rahman is the most-sought after celebrity face

Are you single and hoping to come across someone who resembles your childhood crush? Do you secretly admire your neighbour’s daughter, who is happily married with a successful husband and a kid? Or have you lost sleep over Aishwarya’s marriage with Abhishek Bachchan? Well, what’s over cannot be changed. But all’s not lost. There is a chance to retrieve what we have lost. Upload the photograph of the person whose face you secretly admire or the photo of your long-awaited dream person and the Facial Search will lead you to profiles of members with resembling facial characteristics. One of the matrimony sites that allows you to do that is Bharatmatrimony.Ideal partner

“I wanted to meet someone with Nargis’s smile. So I uploaded a smiling face of the yesteryear actress. I have a few options sent by the site and I am on the job to say yes to one of the persons,” says Kalandar Sheikh, a software programmer. Kalandar adds: “Sadly one of the girls rejected me because she wants her ideal partner to resemble actor Surya. Thankfully, the other two have not specified anything like that.”

The state-of-the-art face recognition technology works on the dimensions of a face, measures distances between the features, and matches it with photos uploaded in the marriage portal. Interestingly, besides the existing profiles many have even uploaded pictures of celebrities. They have also recorded the most sought after celebrity face in men and women. And the most sought after faces range from actors, sports stars to politicians. King Khan might be a heart-throb but in the search list it’s Irrfan Khan who is much ahead of SRK. “SRK lacks Irrfan’s…More

The Hindu :

Heathrow’s new Terminal 5 is everything a traveller can possibly look forward to

Photo: By Authorhassle-free journey With the self check-in kiosks

I simply love London with its Gothic architecture, grand museums and beautiful parks. But the dampening factor used to always be the arrivals and the departure. Crowds galore and the frenetic busy feel of Heathrow used to always be like bitter medicine, especially during departure.

Last month, though, I flew British Airways and my entry and exit into the U.K. was through Heathrow Airport’s new Terminal 5. And instead of bitter medicine, this time, my experience was like fine wine thanks to the design, layout and facilities of this new terminal. From a distance, the T5 building looks like a designer glass building. In fact, the glazed walls and roof are not just visually pleasing, they also let in natural light and cut down on the use of artificial lighting, said a bartender at the 5 Tuns pub in the terminal. The eco-friendly designing doesn’t end there. “Do you know that 85 per cent of Terminal 5’s heat is supplied by excess heat produced from the Heathrow heat and power station, piped through an underground tunnel? And that this Terminal stands on land reclaimed from a previous sludge works?” he adds.

Another interesting ‘green’ fact is that 85 per cent of the rainwater hitting Terminal 5 is collected and reused for non-potable uses, reducing demands on the main water supply system by 70 per cent.

Since I had a 10.30 a.m. flight, I had arrived the previous evening and checked into the Sofitel Hotel which is actually connected to Terminal 5 through a walkway. The next morning, since I had already checked in online, I could just walk in and drop my bags at one of the 100 dedicated bag drop desks.

This is when I realised that the powers that be at Heathrow…More

The Hindu :

The Sylvain Luc Trio gave Bangalore 60 minutes of terrific music

FRENCH FLAVOUR Tremendous trio

I admit that my reaction when I arrived at the Leela Palace at 7.25 p.m. on March 20 was probably not typical, but I certainly was dismayed when I was told that the concert was not going to start at 7.30 p.m., but at 8 p.m.

An assortment of the Bangalore elite, or P3Ps if one wants to be less than kind, were standing around happily sipping Seagram 100 Pipers or other beverages and nibbling at short eats, so they were in no hurry to get their ears to work instead of their mouths. They probably agreed with the opinion of the Director of the Alliance Française, who told me: “First we drink. When we are drunk, it sounds better.”

In the event, the Sylvain Luc Trio (Luc on guitar, Jean-Marc Jafet on electric bass guitar, and Pascal Rey on drums) actually started performing at 8.30 and finished much too soon, in my opinion, after almost exactly an hour. I’d have happily sacrificed my Fanta and my snacks to have heard another hour of their music. Judging from the enthusiasm of the audience, they too wouldn’t have minded more music, even if it meant less food and drink. However, 60 minutes of (terrific) music was all that was on the menu, enough to whet one’s appetite, and we had to be satisfied with it.

The trio played six pieces, each thus getting a reasonably long workout of about 10 minutes. Most of the pieces were not named, but they were all probably original compositions of the trio (the first was composed by Jafet and was called “Bella Vista”).

They were in a variety of tempos, slow to brisk, and might all have been influenced by Basque music — Luc himself is Swiss-born but claims that Basque music is in…More

The Hindu :

Read about the experience of cruising down the Ganges and taking in the sights and sounds of the towns that float by

Photos: BY AUTHORWater world Scenes from the journey

I walked up the stairs from the jetty to the starboard rim and stepped on to the main deck. John, the Captain, extended his hand for a firm shake.

A smiling receptionist stood behind a small reception desk, giving the illusion of being in a boutique hotel rather than in a ship on the Ganges.

The 55-metre-long mv Paramhamsa with four decks is a small ship, designed specifically for river cruises. Anchored at the Millennium Park Jetty by Strand Road of Kolkata, it was warming up in the morning sun among other small and medium vessels.

My roomon the upper deck is like one in a standard 3-starhotel. Air-conditioned and complete with a sofa set around a coffee-table, a coffee-maker and crockery. The large port-side window shows the glistening river with boats, barges and ferries slumbering past. As finicky as I am, I took a fastidious peep at the attached toilet. “Good”, I told myself.

The stationary barge, a part of which I could see from my window, started to drift away. “We have started Sir,” said Manas, the concierge who had chaperoned me to my room. I was startled. I thought we were stationary and the barge beside was moving. The open sundeck is a great place to enjoy the river cruise. The gothic buildings of the Raj era that line up the Strand Road were slowly moving back as we were moving up-stream. I walked the length of the deck and into the bridge room where the ship is piloted.

Munir was at the wheel. The windshield of the bridge was slowly being filled up, from one end to another, by the majestic frame of the most recognised icon of Kolkata —…More

The Hindu : y>

Play time Now catch Hanuman in a PlayStation game

Sony Computer Entertainment has launched, “Hanuman: Boy Warrior”.

The game has been developed by an Indian game development studio – Aurona Technologies Limited, on PlayStation 2. It is the first game with Indian mythology content and is playable in Hindi and English.

The launch of the game “Hanuman: Boy Warrior” is a culmination of a journey that began at the first ever Game Developers’ Conference for PlayStation platform that was organised in Mumbai last year. It has been developed exclusively for PlayStation 2. “Hanuman: Boy Warrior” will be available in India for Rs. 499.

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The Hindu :

Dutch author Thomas Van Berckel expresses his feelings for India in his first English book, Small World Big World

Photo: Murali Kumar K.FASCINATING Thomas: ‘I am impressed by women in India. They are educated, powerful and focussed’

It deals with the much talked about balancing act — of tradition and modernity in Indian women. In Dutch author Thomas Van Berckel’s words it is their ability to exist in two worlds ‘the small world and the big world’ that makes them powerful. “I am impressed by women in India. They are educated, powerful and focussed. They work, do business in the big world and at the same time perform their role as a wife and a mother in the small world,” he says.

The stories in “Small World Big World”, his first book in English, is a slice of India as seen and experienced by the author in the last five years. The first story “Rose and her friends at La Branche”, he says is an old story, drawn from his experiences of working with mentally challenged people in the Netherlands. It was a fund-raising initiative of this organisation that brought him to India to the cities of Chennai, Kolkata, Kerala and Bangalore. “It is either you love India or hate India. For me, it is more of love. I have been to Africa and I see the same spirit here, of anticipation,” the author adds.

This law degree holder from the University of Maastricht now runs Globalize Me, the Indian branch of the language translation agency in Bangalore. He has also set up The Toe to Heart Trust, an NGO with his Indian wife Lalitha. “We have adopted 15 children and sponsor their education and they are part of our family,” adds Thomas. He has published columns in magazines in Dutch and also co-authored books on a variety of topics, about the art and…More

The Hindu : y>SOCIETY It begins with rivalry but ends up being a bond, says BINDU TOBBY about siblings

Photo: H. SatishPEACE ZONE Rivalry is part of the maturity process

It’s like a wart you want to so badly remove, but slowly as the years go by, you realise that it has grown on you and became so much a part of you, that it even defines you – so said Garfield (the cat), about his friend Odie (the dog). Ican’t seem to liken that comment to siblings more than anything else.

Of course, in those initial years you fight like Garfield and Odie (read cats and dogs) — learning to share, give and take. Loving and loathing each other. Being best friends and worst enemies, all at the same time… and amid all the tears you still share some great moments — laughing at some silly joke, keeping a big secret from your parents, sometimes just pouring your heart out to each other.

And as the years go by , the bickering is replaced with a sincere concern and certainty that there is someone you can fall back on. Invariably though, the journey is replete with black eyes, bruised egos and bitter battles…Attention issue

Says T. Zacharias, a sales professional working in Bangalore: “In most cases, in the initial years, siblings believe they have to compete for the largest piece of the ‘attention’ pie from their parents. That is invariably where the insecurity, rivalry and one upmanship begins. If parents consciously or unconsciously allow this inherent quality to grow, the rivalry starts to build.”

Ravi Raman, working with an MNC agrees: “Parents should ensure that insecurities don’t dominate thoughts of children. It is at moments when the insecurity is dominant between siblings that “rivalry” is stoked. However, when one feels ‘safe’ and ‘contented’ affection and love blooms for the other.” He laughs adding: “I still remember the days…More

The Hindu :

A tour of the popular temple town of Rajasthan

Photo: By AuthorSerenity A view of Pushkar town and its famous lake

Pushkar, congested, crowded and dirty by day, is magically transformed by evening. Come dusk, the quotidian makes way for the exotic, exciting and mystical in this temple town sacred to Hindus of all denominations.

The ghats, swarming with bathers and seekers of salvation, become bereft and silent as night falls. The lake tantalises through the silky mist, shimmering in the moonlight.Fairy lights twinkle on the far bank. Pushkar, the temple town in Rajasthan, 400-odd kilometres from Delhi, is many things to many people. For the devout, it is the ultimate pilgrimage destination with its holy Brahma temple, the only one in the world dedicated to the Hindu god of creation.

The fabled waters of the lake are believed to wash away the sins of the faithful who journey patiently from far and near just to take a dip in its sacred waters. For the tattooed and bedraggled youth from Europe and Israel who come hurtling down the town’s narrow winding roads on their bikes and motorcycles, Pushkar holds out the irresistible allure of nirvana of a different kind – one that enters the soul through the miasma of psychotropic smoke or the intravenous needle! Pushkar draws also the savvy trader and the bargain hunter, especially during the famous Pushkar Mela where tens of thousands of cattle and camels gather in the largest livestock exchange in this part of the world. While farmers and ranchers do their deals in the mela, the bargain hunters can pick up exquisite silver jewellery, leather crafts, puppets and antique household objects which will command obscene prices in their boutiques back home in Mumbai or Bangalore.

And finally, there are people like me who wander into this town out of curiosity to glimpse a fading way of life in…More

The Hindu : y>VACATION Choose between a host of activities for your kids this holiday season

Photo: K.R. DeepakTHINGS TO DO Sing a song, or learn to dance

Hoopla Club will organise a summer camp from April 6 for age groups six to 10, and 11 to 14. Children will get to learn various art forms and showcase their talents.Call: 65836545, or log on towww.hooplaclub.com

VETA has come out with ‘English Holiday’ for school students. The programme includes general knowledge, spoken English, grammar, creative thinking and social etiquette. The course will also focus on enhancing soft skills in children. Call: 9884301333/ 25252234

Anitha Santhanam will conduct a summer dance workshop from April 6 to April 17 at Studio for Movement Arts and Therapies. Registration is Rs. 1,500. Call: 98452 36242/ 97317 16979 or e-mail: brinda.movementarts@gmail.com

A summer camp will be conducted from April 13 to May 1 for those between two and 14 years. Classes include art and craft, creative writing, public speaking and theatre activities. The venue is Pearls & Petals Montessori, Jayanagar 1st Block. Call9448112228 and 9448112268.

*** Jain Heritage School will bring together fun-filled activities and creative learning at a summer camp. It is open for kids aged three to 14 and will be conducted from April 13 to April 29. Call: 23626122 / 23626123 or e-mail:jhs@jaingroup.info or visit:www.jgi.ac.in/jhs

Join the Dots will present a theatre experience for children aged six to 12. The course duration is from April 13 to April 18 at Jal Vayu Towers, NGEF layout. Call: 98455-70014 or e-mail: meenakshi.jointhedots @gmail.com

Daffodils English School Association in association with Aadyantha will conduct ‘Ranga Jaathre’ a theatre workshop for children above eight and below 16. The duration is from April 12 to May 10. Call: 23418188/ 98803-55935.

Shristi Centre of Performing Arts and Institute of Dance Therapy will organise a one-month summer course in dance, music, crafts, bhajans and story telling at Sanathana Kalakshetra at Jayanagar. Classes begin…More