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The Hindu :

Take in the sights and silence of The Andamans peopled by multi-hued fish and pristine corals

PHOTO: by authorUnderwater delights Elephant Beach

Even a rookie can revel in the underwater delights of the Andamans. Ask me. Playing in the shallow waters of the Cauvery hurtling down near my grandparents’ home is the closest I’ve gotten to a water body. Compared to that, the Bay of Bengal is mind-boggling. It stretches till what seems like eternity, varying shades of turquoise and azure.

And, even if you know nothing about swimming or snorkelling, which is the thing to do here, slide into a life buoy, bob about in the aquamarine waters, and know that all is well with the world!

But, first things first. We set off from oh-so-picturesque Havelock, where everything seems so photogenic — dead coral fragments swept onto the shores, and half-broken molluscs in shades of pink you haven’t seen outside your box of watercolours — and head to Elephant Beach, perfect for amateurs to indulge in snorkelling. Our motor boat, handled by two confident lads, leaves behind wisps of petrol fumes as we embark on a 45-minute journey across the middle of the ocean.

As you look around at the schools of flying fish, and the horizon in the far distance, Nature takes over in all her splendour.

The profusion of water can overwhelm you, but don’t let that prevent you from focussing on the little things that make the boat ride interesting — experienced snorkellers gliding in the water like they were meant to be there, small dinghies dropping off divers at spots known for their marine life, and birds swooping down on their next meal.

Finally, Elephant Beach is upon us, and we hurriedly get off from the boat and into the cool inviting waters. The boatman allows us three hours here, and we wonder if that’s too much time on a secluded…More

The Hindu :

Arun Pai, through his Bangalore Walks, tells you stories of the city that time has buried

Photo: K. GopinathanTelling tales Arun Pai

“We are actually sitting on what used to be a tank. Did you know?” Arun Pai asks, as we get talking about his five-year-old innovative endeavour, Bangalore Walks. “Inspired by the lakes and tanks Kempegowda had built, the Englishman Miller had actually built a huge tank here. It used to exist until 30 years ago,” he explains, uncovering a past that the Alliance Francaise building now conceals. “Did you know that the Cantonment Station was built in 1862? Do you know that till after Independence Cant was never connected to the rest of Bangalore?” Arun manifests as the modern age raconteur. As he takes groups of 15 to 20 people on explorations around the city, he weaves a nuanced story of past, present and future. “I know thousands of stories about this city, which I have collected from people who have had a close association with the city.”

“You cannot tell everyone the same story,” explains Arun. For instance, if there is a Maharashtrian group on their walk, he will talk to them about Shivaji’s childhood in Bangalore. “For the French, the German, and the localite – our opening line is different. I am not in history business, what I do is a performance. We are professional storytellers, and our audience has to be engaged not just with the stories that we have to tell, but also with the city. We are salesmen of Bangalore,” avers Arun, unabashedly. Most corporate companies attach their foreign clients visiting India to Arun. Bangalore being the face of emerging India, Arun believes that he is selling India through Bangalore.

“Bangalore has a huge immigrant population, who like the city because it doesn’t force them to get into it. They come on my walks and enjoy it…More

The Hindu :

Parvathy Omanakuttan on movies and more

She might have won pageants in style, but when it comes to movies, Parvathy Omanakuttan doesn’t seem to be in control. The 2008 Miss World runner-up is unsure how she’ll fare in tinsel town, though she has high dreams for her debut United Six, which is all set to roll out by next year.

Like former beauty queens, Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen and Lara Dutta, Parvathy, too, hopes Bollywood will prove lucky for her. Directed by Vishal Aaryan, the movie is about six girls. Says Parvathy about the picture sans a hero “There should be risks in everyone’s life.”

Parvathy had film offers even before she walked the ramp, but she refused them as she wanted to concentrate on education. Now, she is ready for the big screen. “A film depends upon a lot of things, such as good story, good director, producer… So, I’m looking for a project that gives me satisfaction.”

Parvathy has many offers from regional banners, but is yet to take a call on them.

SHAHISTA N. V.

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The Hindu : y>

Rejuve, The Spa at The Lalit Ashok has come up with a winter package, which will be on till February 28, 2010. It is offering hot oil therapy, steam and a head massage for Rs. 950 plus taxes.

As part of the winter body care package, you can get an ayurvedic abhyanga massage with steam and sauna. Then there is the aromatherapy care with an aroma body massage, with an aroma face massage followed by steam and sauna, priced at Rs. 1,595.

The winter face care package offers a facial with skin type analysis. The facial is said to cleanse, hydrate and moisturize the skin. This is priced at Rs. 1,795.

For details call The Lalit Ashok on 30527777.

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The Hindu :

Master Chef Komal Taneja’s Big Bee’s Secret Honey Recipes blends the magical taste of honey in a variety of Indian and international cuisines

Delicious gulab jamuns get a honeylicious twist in the form of honey syrup; mutton chops and chicken wings come glazed in honey and there is exciting combo rice with pineapple, veggies and honey. “The idea is to replace sugar with honey and enhance the taste,” says Master Chef Komal Taneja. Her new book “Big Bee’s Secret Honey Recipes” (Undercover Utopia, Rs. 375) brought in association with Dabur, brings together honeylicious recipes in Indian and international cuisines. “It was a special challenge to innovate with honey without altering the taste in Indian cuisines, especially Mughlai and Punjabi. Maharashtrian, Goan and Kashmiri cuisines use a little bit of sugar, so it was easy to replace it with honey,” she adds. The author has taken into account the temperature at which honey is to be cooked, the amount of brown sugar to be added to stabilise the temperature and the nutritive value too. Standard measures of ingredients (in cups, teaspoons and tablespoons) have been used to make it easy for the readers. “All the dishes have been tasted and I can vouch for each item. The USP of the book is its transparency.”

Eye-catching photographs accompany the preparations and there is a quick tip below every recipe. Her expertise in cooking (over two decades) helped her pick and choose the right dishes that can be prepared with honey. For instance, chicken wings. “To make it more interesting, I glazed it with honey and burnt it on the flame,” she says.

In Kashmiri dish chatpati arbi masala made with colocasia, a dash of honey is added to bring in a sweet and sour taste. In ragda pattice, a famous Maharashtrian dish prepared with boiled potatoes, channa and white peas, honey is added to enhance…More

The Hindu : y>Bangalore is on the high road to transition. Sharath S. Srivatsa catches up with monuments that have stood their ground

Pitch forked from a Pensioners Paradise to the fastest growing city in the country, Bangalore still has some remnants of the old world charm. The transition of this once laidback city basking in the colonial hangover may have brought rapid changes in it’s topography, but it still boasts of its heritage and historical elements.

Over the decades, landmarks-educational institutions, clubs, famed tanks and parks, structures from the colonial times, historical temples, market places and the famed restaurants — have all helped the city retain its charm, and preserve nostalgia among the quintessential Bangalorean.

While many signposts of heritage lost their battle to the development that the city witnessed over the last two decades, several others have transformed themselves to keep pace with the changing way of life that has been brought about by the globalised world to keep a date with posterity. Though the list of such ‘ways of life’ in Bangalore is long and exhaustive, here is an attempt to chronicle some that continue to fascinate us.

Tipu’s Palace and Fort

Tipu Sultan is believed to have called it ‘The Envy of Heaven’. The palace rebuilt by Tipu in 1781, is constructed mainly with wood. Only a portion of the original palace remains today, and unlike many other palaces in the State, Tipu’s palace has the indigenous Karnataka palace architecture. As against the popular belief that Tipu used it as his residence, Dr. Aruni of Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) pointed out that it was meant to receive guests and hold durbars.

The Palace with intricately sculpted arches and surrounded by exquisite minarets is one of the popular tourist spots in Bangalore and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The adjacent Bangalore Fort built by Yelahanka Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda II dates back to…More

The Hindu :

Noted writer-scenarist John Paul takes one on a nostalgic trip through the Malayalam tinsel world

Storyteller John Paul: ‘For our generation, money was not the only aim’

What sets John Paul apart from many of his tribe is the ability to call a spade a spade in decent language, be it cinema or a book. What would one choose to call him? A scriptwriter or a writer? Both hats suit him well. In the eighties, most good Malayalam cinema had one thing common: John Paul. Be it P.N. Menon, Bharathan, I. V. Sasi, Mohan, Balu Mahendra, K. S. Sethumadhavan, Fazil, Kamal, they all made movies with John Paul’s story or script. Films like “Marmaram”, “Kathayariyathe”, this love affair with words, which started in the late seventies, continues in different avatars today.

“One must change one’s attitude to cinema with the times. Reading the pulse of the audience is important,” says John, whose latest book on Bharat Gopi (‘Adayala Nakshatramayi Gopi’, published by Green Books) was released last week. He did not have to do much research for this book, for his association with Gopi went back to “Palangal” days. “We would sit on the banks of the Bharathapuzha and talk about various subjects till the wee hours of the morn. There was a certain chemistry between us which lasted till the end. There was really no need for me to do much. This book was already within me, it just needed to be documented. His attitude to any role was so intense, taxing, that it would take a toll on his health. He always said ‘Every character is the first and last for me’.”

While doing the role of the tabala player, Ayyappan in “Yavanika”, he told K. G. George that he did not know how to play the mridangam. “George told him, ‘but Ayyappan does’. And that was it. While shooting, he played…More

The Hindu : y>…

It is not a positive development. The new state will have to face many issues including a spat over the future of Hyderabad city, which falls in the middle of the proposed state. It will result in similar demands across the country.

Kasi

Chartered Accountant

It may help in development of the neglected region. However, it will give rise to similar demands from across the country. The Centre must reconstitute a State Reorganisation Committee and conduct fresh surveys on the ground.

Rajesh

Banker

T he central government decision to kick start the formation of the separate State of Telegana from Andhra Pradesh, following a public agitation has the country debating about the viability of smaller states and whether this will result in the Balkanisation of the country in the long run. Similar demands for Statehood have cropped up in many parts across the country.

MetroPlus asks city residents whether the demand for smaller States is justified and whether the centre must contemplate the creation of another States Reorganisation Committee to decide the claims and counter claims.

Many felt that though viable from an administrative viewpoint, small states often tend to be politically unstable and are prone to end up into the abyss of corruption that is the bane of the political system.

Many felt that the Telengana agitation was also stage managed by some elements just to showcase the present AP dispensation in a negative light.

Some felt that smaller states were necessary to maintain the federal character of the polity. We sample some responses.

I feel smaller states would be easier to govern and would help in better development, but it could also result in corruption. Business barons may try to dictate their whims to smaller states. The continued Balkanisation is not good for national unity.

Vindhya

Accountant

Smaller states often tend to face many larger problems. I feel that this trend of focusing on regional identity could result in the unity…More

The Hindu : y>

Clash of the titans Apache Vs Gladiator

Fox History and Entertainment will launch a nine-part series today at 10 p.m. The show, “Deadliest Warrior” will pit the most feared warriors in the planet against each other. From the greatest stealth fighters in American history to the killers of ancient Rome; the savage Scandinavian raiders to Japan’s legendary masters of death; each week, the series examines two groups of the world’s most lethal men, analyzing their unique skills of destruction, their strengths, weaknesses and the weapons used.

Each episode culminates by pitting the warriors against each other in a computerised battle that calculates a winner using the latest technology. Tonight, in the inaugural episode, “Apache Vs. Gladiator”, watch apache, the greatest stealth fighter in American history take on the gladiator, the thrilling killer of ancient Rome. You will also get to see pirates cross swords with knights, Yakuza versus Mafia, Green Beret fight Spetznaz, Shaolin Monk slug it out against the Maori and the IRA and the Taliban battle for supremacy.

There is also “William Wallace vs. Shaka Zulu” where two specific legendary warriors are put to the test. Both have led armies; both fought for their freedom and for revenge.

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