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The Hindu :

With its local flavour, bigadda.com is bringing people closer

CATCHING UP Different networks for different friends

After Amitabh Bachhan started blogging on bigadda.com, the ranks of celebrity bloggers swelled — Harbhajan Singh, Celina Jaitley, Pooja Bedi, Diana Hayden, Gulshan Grover…

“Blogging sites can’t match the reach of traditional media, but they are proving indispensable to celebrities. Besides connecting with their fans, these stars use the free space to issue clarifications and clear the air. Often, they don’t get this privilege in the mainstream media. Their policies may prevent them from taking up a celebrity’s cause,” says Shivanandan Pare, COO, Bigadda.

Even on occasions when traditional media is inclined to help a celebrity, its support can only be limited. “Because they work under constraints of space and time,” says Pare.

On the other hand, blogging makes it possible for a celebrity to go on and on. When Harbhajan was facing problems in his career, they were a matter of concern to his fans too. Thanks to his regular entries on Bigadda, they knew what was going on in his mind.

In return, Bigadda too has benefited immensely. Spurred on by statistics (Bigadda has 4.5 million registered users and generates 1.25 million pages daily; Big B’s blogging space registers 1,25,000 hits every day), about 30 brands advertise on the website.

Pare says there’s another reason why Bigadda draws Indian consumers — local flavour. “Among social networking sites, there is none as Indian as Bigadda.”Changing lives

Pare believes the future belongs to networking sites — they have already changed the way we look at relationships and business. Despite making people more connected than they imagined they could be, these networking sites have not changed the way we create and maintain our physical networks. “For example, I would want to keep my school friends separate from other networks I might have,” says Pare.

People will look at having multiple networks online. “People…More

The Hindu :

Gautam Gambhir is a combative cricketer. And very much his own man

PHOTO: PTIOn song Star opener Gautam Gambhir

How time flies! It was almost 15 years ago, but seems like yesterday. One bright summer morning at the Capital’s Modern School ground, the host team was preparing to bat first against the Delhi Sports Journalists Association team.Encounter with journalists

Uday Gupte, the coach of Modern School, wanted to give the journalists a glimpse of one of his talented wards. He chose a 12-year-old to open the innings.It did not take long for the scribes to realise what they were up against. With the ease and elegance usually associated with any left-handed batsman, this lad sent the ball scurrying in all directions. He raced away to his half-century and was hungry for more. Before long, he reached a well-deserved century.

That was Gautam Gambhir’s first encounter with the journalists. He was frail and diminutive but focussed and determined. Over the years, his focus and determination have only become more intense and some of those scribes now write about his exploits in international cricket.

As a school kid, he could be spotted at the ground, honing his cricket, or at the nearby Bengali Market that offered some mind-blowing snacks. He has always been a kind man at heart, moved by the plight of the poor and always keen to “help”, particularly strangers. But on the field he had steely resolve, unwavering and unsparing. As former Test cricketer and Delhi selector Vivek Razdan remembers: “Gautam is fiercely committed. On the eve of the Ranji final against Uttar Pradesh last year, he hurt his palm badly. When I asked him whether he could play, he said: ‘Bhaiyya, we are going to win the final.’ And he went on to score a century (130 not out) in the second innings to see Delhi through.”

Gambhir may have taken four years…More

The Hindu :

Check out Cameron Highlands and its many wonders

PHOTO: BY AUTHORCool holiday The view from the Highlands

Indian Summers areevocative — bright colours, dizzying sunlight, breath-taking sights — and, for local residents, a fervent desire to escape to cooler climes.

For those seeking cool options beyond Ooty or Kodaikanal, Cameron Highlands in Malaysia is pretty chill. Given its proximity to Kuala Lumpur — about three-and-a-half hours by car — you can even combine a few days of hanging out at the hip, happening Bangsar in the capital city, before haring to the hills.

Cameron Highlands is accessible only by road — and as these roads are in excellent shape, the drive is extremely pleasant. However, given the vertiginous climb during the last part of the trip, do go prepared if hairpin bends do something to you. On the way up and on the mountaintop — or plateau, to be geographically accurate — are views aplenty to soothe the mind. Also conspicuous by their absence are car rental services, so it’s wise to drive there, as opposed to taking the bus. While there’s lots of walking to be done in the form of trekking, jungle explorations and sightseeing, it makes a difference to have your own wheels to get around.

Though primarily a getaway-from-it-all resort, Cameron Highlands does have an interesting history. It derives its name from William Cameron, a British surveyor who discovered it in 1885 during a mapping mission, yet strangely forgot to map this particular discovery.

It took the mysterious disappearance of the famous Jim Thompson in 1967 to put Cameron Highlands firmly on the map. The military intelligence officer, who made Thai silk world famous, had, apparently, come for some rest and recuperation to the hill station, but vanished while taking a walk in the jungles. Coming from hot Kuala Lumpur — and even hotter Chennai — the cool temperature may be a…More

The Hindu :

Bike-crazy John Abraham is on a nationwide hunt for a biker with style and substance

PHOTO: AFPBIKING’S COOL! John Abraham

Shockingly, John Abraham turns out to be a bit of a school teacher. So much for any misty-eyed images of a deliciously bad biker boy. Or a hero who gets his cardio-kicks by lip-synching around trees. (In a terribly macho way, of course!) Instead of breathily singing “Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai” into the phone, he decides to give me a class on motorbikes.

Apparently, he got interested in them when he was very young. “I must have been about 10 when I fell in love with my cousin’s bike,” he says, adding dramatically, “It was a Honda CB 750.” Alright then, and moving on… “Wait, what did I just say?” says John . “Fell in love with a Honda?” John snaps: “No. Repeat after me. Honda. C for Cat.” (Or was it Cow.Cake?) “B for Bipasha.” (Fine, I made that up.) And so on.

Clearly, the Castrol Power Passion Hunt has found the ideal person to represent its search for the country’s most passionate biker.

A nationwide search, the hunt has held preliminaries in nine cities, all to judge bikers by their “style, skill, substance and passion”. Because that’s the whole point of biking, of course, looking hot in black leather — right? John sees biking as a personal style statement. Biker chic? “Totally. It’s happening in a big way in India now. It’s about attitude as well as attire. The way you sit. The way you look. What you wear. Just like there’s evening dressing and Friday dressing, there’s also biker dressing.”

Yet, bikes in India have traditionally been more about functionality than style. The many people who clamber on to their scooters and bikes every morning do so more to get to work than to flex biker biceps. John agrees that most Indian bikers…More

The Hindu :

Hop on to the Star Cruise Virgo on its way to Penang and Phuket if you love a touristy holiday and an entertainment-packed schedule

A floating luxurious bazaar Sail along and have loads of fun

On a very sleepy Sunday in clean Singapore, some sleep-ridden journalists board the Star Cruise Virgo. There are more than 3,000 people on board this floating township.

The three-day cruise takes you to Penang and Phuket. The carpets are a dazzling red and blue, the wooden interiors polished to a shine that bounces off the walls, and the sun’s glare is blinding.

It’s a floating ‘luxurious’ bazaar of sorts — loud, chatty co-passengers from Iran, the Philippines, Australia, Malaysia andIndia walk about in swarms. They are milling from every corner, posing in every angle, and capturing every view possible in the background.

And, after four hours of watching two movies on a late night flight and no sleep, you just want to find a corner and curl up and sleep, before the heavy-duty entertainment and socialising starts. But it’s time for lunch at the massive formal dining ‘Bella Vista’, and sleep takes a backseat. I attempt to dig into some chunks of meats — the beginning of my foray into endless rows of mild and meaty Western food. There’s Indian too, for the unadventurous.

I emerge and notice that it doesn’t look like it’s taken long for the people on board to save for this cruise — in fact, it looks like they’ll be back very soon. Large-hearted Iranian families celebrating Navroze, guffawing circles of friends from down under and, of course, honeymooning couples — protective husbands and bangle-sporting brides in shorts and spaghetti tops. The next day we stop at Penang, where we are whisked off into buses with tour guides sporting microphones. An hour’s drive around pretty Georgetown later, we reach a Government-run tropical agro farm that raises endangered…More

The Hindu :

India is a funny country that takes itself too seriously

Photo: Murali Kumar K.SHAKE IT UP Cyrus: ‘We lack an iconic comic character like Mr. Bean’

He shares his name with the funny man of Indian television and has managed to live up to the name in a career spanning more than 15 years. Cyrus Sahukar’s portrayal in the spoof on Simi Gerewal’s talk show made him a popular comic figure across the country. He is currently hosting MTV “Kickass Mornings” that showcase a range of mocumentaries.

He explains: “They are documentary-type features on the vagaries of daily life in India.”

He elaborates: “I play a host of different characters every week. The characters change so frequently, that sometimes I forget who I really am. The show has created an identity crisis for me.”

“Our aim is to ensure that people watch the show and enjoy their mornings, instead of worrying about work and the daily grind. The characters are also created from people we encounter in our everyday life. It is a new concept in India and I hope it will be successful.”

Cyrus feels that India is a country with many funny characters and incidents. “We are a funny country that takes itself too seriously. With stand up acts and the advent of comedy shows on TV and the internet, the trend is changing, but it will take time before a complete change is noticed.”

He adds: “People are more sporting about gags and jokes played on them. I feel that we lack an iconic comic character, like Mr. Bean. We have many brilliant comedians, but I feel that the lack of a character hinders the growth of comedy to some extent.

“We need to move beyond the regular stand up comedy and gigs, if you want the audience to remain interested.”

The peppy host says: “We plan to start a series soon that is closely modelled…More

The Hindu : y>Vivek Oberoi to play Paritala Ravi in RGV’s venture

New avatar Vivek Oberoi

Days after Ram Gopal Varma announced his plans to make a two-part ‘epic’ film on the late Paritala Ravi, the director reveals that his search for an actor who fit the bill ended with Vivek Oberoi.

A series of looks, from a rebel in the jungles to a political strong-arm man, were tried out on the actor before he was finalised. Varma, who introduced Vivek in “Company” as Chandu, says, “He has remarkable intensity in his eyes which I noticed in the making of ‘Company’. His voice commands attention and there is an arrogance in his demeanour, but there is also a certain vulnerability, which makes one instantly warm up to him, which is what is needed for Ravi’s profile.”

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The Hindu : y>

Mythical marvels Something for everyone

As the exams draws to a close and vacations begin, Tata Sky has launched a special summer bonanza. It includes a host of fun-filled activities on Actve stories with a number of historical and mythological stories like the Ramayan, the Mahabharata and folk tales from the Panchatantra showcased in an interactive manner. Children can also develop and enhance their skills with a range of art, craft and rhyme workshops on Actve Wizkids.

Tata Sky also brings forth many interesting contests such as “Little Authors” and “Little Painters” where budding writers and artists will be given a platform to showcase their creativity and talent.

Children will also get the opportunity to watch music videos, and interesting trivia footage and backstage tour secrets on their favourite icon, Hannah Montana on Disney channels. Tata Sky also offers packages for women, who could watch celebrated Chef Sanjeev Kapoor dish out secrets of exotic recipes and sharing special tips to spice up the family palate only on Actve Cooking.

Actve Games offers IPL and cricket lovers a host of interactive games, trivia and contests. The bonanza also offers latest Bollywood and Hollywood titles such as “Dark Knight”, “Aa Dekhen Zara”, “Jumbo” and “Hello” on Showcase.

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The Hindu :

Take in the history of the Kumbalgarh fort

PHOTO: BY AUTHORPast glory Kumbalgarh

“Idhar se aap dekhenge to aapko poori (full) Mewar dikayidegi…aur udhar se Marwar,” my guide Firoze smiles.“You can see all of Mewar from here and from there, Marwar,” translates Rashmi Dhanwani, a human rights activist from Mumbai.

I am at the Kumbalgarh fort in Rajasthan with a group of achievers who have been part of the “Cerebrate team.” Rashmi from our group takes on the role of translator.

Standing almost at the roof of the fort, I see a 360-degree landscape of modern-day Rajasthan spanning out in front. Kumbalgarh fort built in the 15th Century by Rana Kumbha in the Aravalli Range had forked Mewar and Marwar and was a political asylum for many princes, including Rana Udai Singh who later founded Udaipur, about 90 km away from here.

Firoze continues as Rashmi translates: “Udaipur, Chittorgarh and Kumbalgarh form Mewar, while Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer are Marwar.”

My eyes trace the 36-km length of the wall of the fort, said to be the second longest in the world after the Great Wall of China. The soft hues of the setting sun caress the walls.

My reverie is interrupted by Rashmi, who narrates the story of Kumbalgarh. Rana Kumbha attempted to build the fort, but failed until he met a saint who offered himself as human sacrifice.

The martyr apparently advised the king to construct the fort after his death. “He wanted him to build a temple where the head fell and the main fort where the body lay… a wall was built along the entire stretch.”

We pause as Firoze shows us the two spots, which are now worshipped.

There are nine gates to the fort, the most massive being the Ram Pol or the Ram Gate. We walk past the various gates and gather around Rashmi as she explains: “This is where the lamp was lit.”

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The Hindu :

Reliance Trends is a sensible place to head to for some good retail therapy

TAKE YOUR PICK From a whole range of clothing

Reliance Retail has opened Reliance Trends in our city.The entrance is very refreshing from other stores.

Using glass walls and ceiling, the place is lit up with natural afternoon sunshine. You feel good that this section of the store is saving up on electricity.

It also looks very warm and cosy and offers loads of jewellery and hair accessories that start at Rs. 15.Make-up and clothes

Then there are two make-up counters. Besides these, this section also plays host to women’s wear.

The best part of the place is that it is very easy on your pocket. You can pick up a pair of jeans for Rs. 299. And two for Rs. 199! These price tags come with brands like First Class.

Then there is the DNMX brand. This one offers part wear, long tops and dresses that start at Rs. 499.

There are also casuals that come at Rs. 199. A brand called Network offers smart casuals for women, while Net Play offers complete casuals. There are pretty shirts, skirts and cotton trousers etc. that women can pick up.

Inside is the ethnic wear section. This section offers saris and salwar suits. While the former come at Rs. 399 upwards, there are printed kurtas for Rs. 199.

Reliance Trends has a whole range of clothes for children aged between zero to 14 years.

There are bibs, booties (for Rs. 69), diapers and jumpers.

There is also a special perfumed trousers for children. The fragrance lasts up to 10 washes, say the people at the store.

The men’s section offers some in-house brands and popular brands too. But something worth mentioning here is the wrinkle and stain-free trousers (Rs. 799), travel trousers that come with a flexi waist (Rs. 599) and shirts with mix ’n’ match…More