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The Hindu : y>Kenilworth Beach Resort & Spa, Goa offers a holistic spa package for couples

INDULGE For three days

Kenilworth Beach Resort and Spa Goa have come out with a holistic journey spa package for couples. It is being offered exclusively at The Agua Spa.

This special package comprises healthy food, drinks, and three signature spa experiences per person, yoga, meditation and an ayurvedic doctor consultation. The package allows you and your partner to indulge in three days of holistic experience at the spa.

You can enjoy a holiday with three nights and four days of a holistic journey at The Kenilworth Beach Resort and Spa, Goa at Rs. 36,000 per couple for Deluxe and Garden View Rooms. The offer from this five star deluxe resort is available till July 31.

There are many in-house events scheduled during the day, including a half-day sight seeing trip in an air-conditioned coach to Mangeshi temple, Old Goa church and a river cruise on the Mandovi River.

The holistic package includes buffet meals at The Palms.

For Reservations, contact: The Kenilworth Beach Resort & Spa Utorda, Salcete. Call 0832 6698888 or log on towww.kenilworthhotels.com.

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The Hindu :

Former American Idol Sanjaya Malakar, who was in India to shoot for a commercial, says he’s in another reality show

Indian-American singer Sanjaya Malakar, the former “American Idol” contestant who was a hit with the series’ audiences will now feature in the popular reality show “I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here.”

Sanjaya was one of the most popular contestants on “American Idol” despite the judges raising apprehensions about his voice.

He says, “Reality TV made me what I am. I was interested in pursuing a career in a creative field. ‘American Idol’ came as godsend. I feel that reality TV has revolutionised and changed people’s perception of entertainment a great deal.”

He adds, “It has taken time, but will emerge as a key of the entertainment industry soon, as it allows everybody an opportunity to achieve fame and success.”

“I Am a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here” features celebrities who live in jungle conditions with few comforts and have to earn human essentials. About the series, Sanjaya says, “It is very different from what I have done earlier. It is a relatively new concept and has been a learning experience, both at a professional and personal level.”

He says, “The show creates situations where the contestants are forced to adapt to adverse situations and survive. It is great fun. The show is fairly new in its genre and cannot be compared to another show as such.”

Sanjaya visited India recently to shoot for a commercial. “It was my second trip to India and I liked it a lot. I stayed with my aunt and grandmother. I also listened to some Bollywood music and watched some movies.”

He is not averse to a career in the Hindi movie industry, “I will be keen on working in Bollywood and the Indian music industry. I would like to learn and understand the nuances of the industry, before taking a plunge.”

Sanjaya…More

The Hindu : LAKSHMI SHARATH

Tales of the legendary mahseer from the Cauvery Fishing Camp at Bheemeshwari

PHOTO: BY AUTHORCrying need To conserve the mahseer

“One tug at my rod and it went all the way down into the Cauvery…My mother had a good laugh when I told her how I lost my rod,” chuckles Sandeep Chakravarthy as the entire group burst out laughing.

I had just walked in towards the end of the story and seeing my clueless expression, Sundar explains: “We are talking about the mahseer. It is so powerful, it can drag people with it, let alone rods. I’ve nearly lost my life in the river once when I was out fishing. It must have weighed at least 140 pounds.”

I nodded my head, realising the discussion is about angling and I had just missed another story of fishing. But, it’s obvious that in the Cauvery Fishing Camp at Bheemeshwari, one would not hear stories of tigers.

“But, the mahseer is the tiger among fish; it is to angling, what tigers are to wildlife,” says Sandeep, a die-hard angler and conservationist. Both he and Sundar, the manager of the camp and an authority on angling, decide to introduce me to the mahseer, a game fish that largely inhabit the River Cauvery.

“This nearly 40-km stretch of the river Cauvery is its home and its habitat is largely rapids and near rocks in cooler waters,” adds Sundar, as Sandeep tells me there are seven species of the fish and the female is larger than the male.

Powerful and handsome, some of this fresh water game fish weigh more than 100 pounds. The season is largely between October and February, and that is when international anglers throng the banks of the Cauvery.Catch and release

The British may have brought in the concept of sports fishing to India, but historic legends say King Someshwara in the 11th Century engaged in it…More

The Hindu :

Nagore Sessions

Earth Sync, Rs. 295

Is there any single way by which bhakti can be defined and practised? The emergence of the various strains of Sufi expression into mainstream concert spaces is not only an indication of the many forms of bhakti, but also a testimony to our troubled times. From exotic and serene to a frenzied outburst to sublime, devotion comes riding a whole spectrum of vibrant colours. Earth Sync, a label that nurtures folk, tribal and native music, takes us to the tucked away land of Nagore in South India. Evolving a music that collaborates with the music of the roots, “Nagore Sessions” brings Tamil sufi chants sung at the Nagore Dargah. The three singers — Abdul Ghani, Ajah Maideen, and Saburmaideen Babha Sabeer in their intense earthy passion take you through an organic expression of devotion — simple and unaffected.

“Bagdad Guru” opens scintillatingly to handclaps and beats on the frame drum (dafli, dayeera). The piano (on keyboard) provides an enigmatic drone as the song opens to a hypnotic dissonance. The electronic sounds with violin, morsing, flute and tabla soak the song in an international sound — West-Asian and Western. This grand rendition is very traditional; something that would emerge from one’s surroundings. This, however, is true of most of the tunes in the album, and reminds one of Kannada’s genius, Kalinga Rao, who was a master at blending earthy, unfussy tunes with sophisticated orchestration. Violin (B.V. Raghavendra Rao) in this number is outstanding.

“The Saint” brings back strong reminders of “Tum hi mere mandir” from the film “Khandaan”, composed by Ravi. Set in its soil, the song has soft, gentle inflexions. In fact, like a typical bhajan, it is monotonous and repetitive, nevertheless energising.

Most Tamil verses in the album have been translated from Arabic and Urdu, which have been passed down through the centuries. They sing the praise of the…More

The Hindu : y>

Animal Planet celebrates World Environment Day with a line-up of programmes that will be telecast between June 1 and 5.

The programmes will be telecast every night at 10 p.m., which will be followed by a full-day programme marathon on the World Environment Day. This will be aired from noon to midnight.

The programmes travel across the world, including India, to highlight the effects of climate on the wildlife and their habitat. Human accidents pose a serious threat to animal habitat. Incidents such as spilling of thousands of tons of oil into the Cornish Sea are responsible for damaging environment beyond repairable limit.

Environment depletion has raised serious questions on the existence of thousands of animal species worldwide.

Animals like polar bears, seals and penguins living in the artic region are experiencing challenges due to the melting ice beneath their paws, which is leading to shrinkage of their reproduction area.

“Saving our Seabirds”, “Almost Human with Jane Goodall” and “Ghost of the Ganges” are some of the programmes that will be telecast on this channel as part of its special programme.

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The Hindu :

Collage presents summer collections from leading design labels

Stamped! Every single piece carries a signature style

Summery yellows, pale pinks and a whole lot of happy colours dominate the summer collections at Collage, which is home to designer brands. Leading names in fashion find a place here and every single piece carries an individual signature style.

“I have introduced new collections for the summer and the monsoon, because in Bangalore we always have an early summer. So, there are whites and cottons for the summer as wells as colours in yellows, indigos and pinks for the monsoon,” says the owner Priya Vasudevan. Collage offers varied styles ranging from stylish and chic to funky, to feminine and Indian attire. There are also, jewellery, bags, shoes and accessories.

Priya believes in a right product mix, which is about clothes that are appealing, yummy and the right fit. “They look good. Just close your eyes, pick up any piece and wear it. I assure it won’t look ugly,” she adds. The idea behind introducing happy colours is to elevate the mood. Georgette tops in bold colours with aesthetic embellishments from designer Payal Jain come in a variety of sizes. Satin scarves in bright colours and bold prints look cute and lend a Spanish feel. For a chic look, all you need to do is just throw the scarf around your neck with white outfits.

It is whites all the way in Rose Tree collection designed by Kamini. You have tunics, kurtis and whole sets to choose from. Cotton collection from Hyderabad in blacks and whites highlight the distressed look, the irregular weaves to ensure the feel of the fabric. The flower power line designed by Poonam, a Delhi-based designer, is again in white and include full sets, tunics and tops.

The ready-to-wear clothing from Abraham & Thakore, includes shirts, pants, skirts and dresses and an extensive loungewear line in…More

The Hindu : y>

Ragging has been in the news recently and with some incidents resulting in deaths of students, the government has been coerced to take action on such dreadful crimes. The debate about the effectiveness of a comprehensive ban on ragging and the steps that should be taken to tackle this menace rages across the country.

MetroPlus asked city residents for their views on this issue. Many felt that while raggingbuilds a rapport between seniors and juniors, it should not cross certain boundaries and cause mental and physical agony.

They felt ragging should be a fun activity.Most felt that serious forms of ragging, that may result in physical injury and mental agony must be dealt with sternly. Most of the citizens felt that students involved in such crimes must be persecuted by the courts and expelled from the school or college, if the charges are proved. Many also talked about the need to create a comprehensive anti-ragging policy to deal with the menace.

We sample some responses.

Ragging must be treated as a fun exercise. Seniors must not indulge in hooliganism in the name of ragging. Friendly banter should be encouraged as it helps build a good rapport between the senior and junior students. Some restrictions must be imposed on senior’s.

Faizal

Engineer

Ragging must be friendly and must not cause physical injury or mental agony. Strict action must be taken against those who bully youngsters on the pretext of ragging.

An anti-ragging mechanism must be created by the authorities.

Arun

Engineer

Ragging must be curbed, as it is hijacked by anti-social elements, who take perverse pleasure in ragging and attacking junior students.

Strict action must be taken against those who indulge in any form of ‘physical ragging’.

Gajendra

Manager

Ragging must not be encouraged. Strict action must be taken against the perpetrators of such acts. The government must draft an anti-ragging policy and implement it sincerely. We must not lose any more youngsters. Action must…More

The Hindu : y>

Divine Drapes The Spring Summer collection

The Sakhi Spring-Summer collection combines courageous design with superior fabric and features a variety of exclusive designs. The saris captures the myriad changes in the elements and with its detailing and fine design elements aims at making a fashion statement. Cut work, an art form involving delicate lace-like embroidery is a Sakhi speciality. The collection re-invents cut work by fusing different fabrics using appliqué technique.

For casual occasions, the Spring-Summer line exhibits a range of light Tussar Silk saris in muted salmon pink, toned-down turquoise and burnt mustard. The saris feature Benarsi brocade appliqué cut work in a bold motif placement design.

The bridal collection features Kanchivaram Silk and vibrant colours. The collection is priced between Rs. 4,500 and Rs. 20,000 and is available at Sakhi by Chandras: #305, 6th Main, Indiranagar, Bangalore – 560038, Ph: 41155551 and sakhifashions.com.

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The Hindu :

Glorious sights, great hospitality and a holiday to remember in Andamans

Photos: BY AUTHORHISTORY BECKONS Ross Island

A seemingly unending water line with bobbing boats and launches and tree-clad hills dotting the horizon — that’s what the eyes first take in when you land in Port Blair. A little before the landing, the vast blue expanse below takes on definite shapes — the many islands that make up the beautiful Andamans.

It has all the makings of a great holiday. Only, this is almost on the verge of turning into a non-event. On day one, we do the mandatory Cellular Prison and Viper Island routine carrying a slightly irritated child. By evening, he’s all pink and feverish. The next morning, he’s down with measles. Just the thing to ruin a holiday. But, no.

Our friendly guide materialises at the unearthly hour of 5 a.m. and bundles us off to a nearby hospital, where, cheerful nurses and a doctor pronounce the expected verdict, and surprise, surprise, tell us to go ahead with the holiday. “Keep applying calamine lotion and give him loads of tender coconut water and curd rice,” they tell us. And, a family sets out again to enjoy whatever is left of a hard-earned holiday.Honest locals

In all the excitement, we leave behind a handbag with Rs. 25,000 in cash. Only to find it in the same place, an hour later. I mentally give the brochure that spoke about honest locals a five-star rating.

The Cellular Jail

The natives know tourists are their means of sustenance and do their best to ensure you don’t forget your trip in a hurry. The tenderest of coconuts are cracked open to quench your thirst; travel with a sick child like I did, and you can see the red carpet being rolled out — hotels magically whip up curd rice, which is not even on their menu!

How…More

The Hindu : y>Shriya Saran takes a leap into Hollywood and also has an impressive line-up of films down south, writes K. JESHI

Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.Looking ahead Shriya says she chooses her roles based on a host of factors

Actor Shriya Saran has been a part of breezy entertainers in the South. She has made an impressive leap into Hollywood with Ashok Amritraj’s production, “Other End of the Line”.

A romantic comedy, it is based on an employee at an Indian call centre, played by Shriya, who travels to San Francisco to be with a guy she falls for, over the phone. She is paired with Jesse Metcalfe.

Shriya also has a crossover film “What’s Cooking Stella?” to her credit. Written by Deepa Mehta, the film is directed by Dileep Mehta.Indie darling

“I am really lucky to work with someone like Deepa Mehta. It is an Indo-Canadian film and looks at the treatment meted out to domestic helps in India. A cute film.”

In this light comedy, Shriya is cast with Lisa Ray who plays the Canadian diplomat, with the cook Stella played by Seema Biswas.

“It was a great learning experience. We had a month-long workshop and there was a lot of method acting,” the actor says. Her choice of roles is a blend of instant and method acting.

About choosing roles, she says: “Sometimes I go by my gut feeling, sometimes the banner; it is a mix of everything.”

In Tamil, she has a lot of “cute” films lined up for release. First is a popcorn entertainer, a bilingual titled “Thoranai” in Tamil and “Pista” in Telugu.

“A feel good film with a mix of comedy, action and romance. I play a bubbly role, a girl working in a call centre,” adds the actor.Keen on the present

Shriya, who was in Bangalore recently to launch Vaseline Healthy White at the Forum Mall, is keen to talk only about the present….More