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The Hindu : y>Car and bike questions? We have the answers

I travel 50 km every day and am looking to buy a diesel saloon. I have shortlisted a used and accident-free Skoda Laura L&K PD AT, which has done around 37,000km in 18 months from the date of delivery; it is being sold for Rs. 10 lakh. Is this the best option keeping maintenance in mind or would a brand-new Hyundai Verna AT or a manual transmission Chevrolet Optra Magnum be better? If I opt for the Optra, my concern is whether Chevrolet can survive after GM’s bankruptcy.

K Shivnarayan

The used Laura is still your best bet but ensure the car’s condition is very good. Remember that the Laura is very expensive to maintain; so be prepared for some big bills in the future. GM will survive in India so you shouldn’t worry about its products. However, neither the Magnum nor the Verna A/T will give you the pleasure of the Laura.

I have a Rs. 5.5 lakh budget and am planning to buy a saloon such as the Mahindra Logan, Ford Ikon or Maruti Swift Dzire. My average usage will be 750-1,000km a month but when I am out of town, the car will not be driven for around 10-20 days a month. Should I go in for a petrol or diesel saloon? I am not in favour of the Dzire due to its cramped rear seat and insufficient space, and the Ikon for its high maintenance and spares costs and low resale value. I somewhat like the Mahindra Logan 1.4 DLX. Please advise.

V. Patel

Everything points to the Logan in this case because it is the most spacious and comfortable of the lot. It is also a car that has proven reliability and is inexpensive to maintain. Even with your limited running, we recommend the diesel as it would fetch you a better resale value….More

The Hindu :

Greenix Village in Fort Kochi gives you the Kerala experience in its entirety

Photos: Vipin ChandranGlobetrotter’s delight A view of Greenix Village, which is a storehouse of art and culture of Kerala

If you are vacationing in Kerala and need to know everything about the history, art and culture of the land, then the one stop place is the Greenix Village in Fort Kochi. For it is here that N. A. Muhammed Kutty, the managing director, has allowed his passion for the art and history of his land to take over and translate itself into this interesting endeavour, which is both educational and entertaining.

He has converted two old warehouses to house a museum showcasing Kerala’s history and tradition, in all its fascinating forms.

It is a delight for the tourist and a refresher for the new age Malayali, many of who are distanced by time and space from their land. Greenix Village will take you through all the aspects, ancient and rural of what Kerala was and is a treasure trove of. A strikingly beautiful mandapa, with a huge Nataraja statue, at the end of a long-pillared passage joining the two refurbished warehouses forms the central part of Greenix Village.

Both sides of this imposing passage are lined with tall statues in stone of typical Indian figures. A Nandi at the entrance and the Nataraja at the end convey a very ethnic, temple-like feel. On either sides of the passage are the theatres, a 160-seater big theatre and a smaller 35-seater one, where cultural shows are held . The ‘kalari kalam’, a traditional dugout, has classes and performances.

There are five well appointed rooms at the far end of the passage and an ayurvedic and dental spa complete the holistic art, culture and wellness tour. A curio shop with interesting Indian souvenirs and a spice shop too are included in this well thought-out package.

The museum…More

The Hindu : y>The Legend of Scorpio tracks the journey of the popular SUV

Mahindra launched a coffee-table book The Legend of Scorpio at the Auto Expo in New Delhi, which details the conception, development and progress of the Scorpio into its current status.

Anand Mahindra, vice-chairman and managing director, Mahindra & Mahindra, said: “The book follows the Scorpio’s journey from the new kid on the block to the cherished possession of more than two lakh Scorpio owners. It also chronicles our corporate journey from self-doubt to self-belief.

“The Scorpio resonates with Indians because, in so many ways, it represents an evolving India.

It not only redefined the SUV space, it became a tangible embodiment of Indian aspirations.”

The book is priced at Rs. 700, and will be available at most leading bookshops.

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The Hindu : y>

Live action Get a chance to share screen space with cricket legends

Max has launched an initiative titled, “Extraaa Innings T20 Junior”. It comprises a nationwide hunt for eight junior DLF IPL Extraaa innings T20 hosts. The auditions will be held till February 7. The event will be judged by Extraaa innings hosts Gaurav Kapoor and Samir Kochhar. Registration forms will be distributed in schools and teachers will select 30 students from each school. These students will be invited to the auditions. It will be based on confidence level, communication skills, on-screen presence of the children. The winners will get an opportunity to express their views and interact with their home team players, guests and experts panel on-air in the IPL.

The auditions will be held at Stracey Memorial High School, St Marks road on Sunday from 9 p.m. onwards.

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The Hindu : SHAPUR KOTWAL

Testdrive Though expensive, the 911 Turbo has always been a halo car for Porsche and this version could be the best one ever, writes Shapur Kotwal

It takes much more than just raw data to form a good story. But, in the case of the thoroughly updated 911 Turbo, it’s fair to make an exception. The reason: there’s just no better way to fully understand the colossal thrust this car generates as it is catapulted off the line using F1-inspired launch control. The reason for this propulsion is the new direct injection turbocharged flat six which is crucially mated to one of Porsche’s new twin-clutch gearboxes. Porsche’s Doppelkupplung or PDK gearbox reduces shift times and keeps loss of momentum to a strict minimum.

Using the launch control of the new 911 Turbo requires you to select Sport Plus mode, squeeze the brake pedal down hard with your left foot and completely depress the throttle with your right. The words ‘Launch control’ that now light up on the steering wheel prepare you for the launch. At this time, the motor is screaming wildly as it spins at 5000rpm, causing the rear of the car to squat like a big cat ready to pounce.

And when Porsche says launch, it means launch! As soon as you get off the brake, the system waits a fraction for turbo boost to build up to 0.5 bar and then it lets go the clutch. The acceleration is not dissimilar to being let off a giant bowstring, the accelerative forces ramping up rapidly with a rubber-band-like effect that gets stronger and stronger.

Zero to 40kph comes up in a ridiculous 1.1 seconds. In two seconds and just 19 metres you are doing 70kph and 0-100kph is dispatched in a very superbike-like 3.2 seconds!

The manner in which the 911 Turbo goes about making this speed is a bit different from…More

The Hindu : NIKHIL VARMA

Actor-director Rahul Bose tells NIKHIL VARMA his new movie, Fired, is a psychological thriller along the lines of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining

Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.Multiplex maharaja Rahul Bose: ‘The rise of technology is probably great news for smaller filmmakers’

“You cannot blame the Hindi film industry for making over-the-top movies. says Rahul Bose, in the city to promote his latest film, “Fired.”

‘“Fired’ is not a horror movie per se. It is a psychological thriller like ‘The Shining’. It is the story of what an egoistic, ambitious man, who uses a host of dirty tricks to take over a company faces in his office in the course of a single night. He fires nearly 130 people after taking over the company. At night, all the murky deals he undertook to achieve success returns to haunt him.”

The actor director says the film set in London, “is spooky, but not in the conventional Bollywood sense. I feel that Bollywood does not make complex horror movies. It still stick to the old conventions like a haunted mansion, creaking doors and flying spirits to generate the chills. We need films like ‘The Shining’, where director Stanley Kubrick cranks up the tension to unbearable levels.”

Though not a very avid fan of horror movies, Rahul Bose has enjoyed “The Blair’s Witch project” and has also caught some scenes for the latest fear fest “Paranormal Activity.” “These movies work as they keep you engrossed and scared simultaeneously.”

The skilled rugby player says, “In ‘Fired’ I am alone in most sequences. We had to ensure that the character does not repeat his expressions or overreact.”

Character sketch

As for getting under the skin of the character, Rahul contends, “I usually get a character sketch from the director and work from there.”

Ask him about his belief in the spirit world and the pragmatic Mr. Bose says: “I do believe that spirits exist in…More

The Hindu : y>Here’s more on Chevrolet Beat and Hyundai i10

T he i10 has been the undisputed king of the mini-car segment for some time now. But General Motors’ freshly minted Beat is just so alluring and capable that it’s begging for a shot at the title. We check out these two Korean protagonists. The Beat has a massive cowl for a small car, the window or shoulder line drops for that aggressive tipped-forward stance, and the long headlights and pinched rear give it a sporty look. The i10 has looks positively tame. It has a more traditional-looking shape.

The Chevy’s cabin has a sophisticated look, and the dash, in particular, looks good enough to be on a car twice its price. The integration of the stylistic wave that runs across it and the central console are truly special. At night the insides give off an icy blue glow, the quality of the buttons and dials is very good, and the cabin is crammed with intelligently-designed storage space. The three-spoke steering wheel and the floating instrument pod with its multi-function display add a sporty touch to the insides, which gels well with the overall design of the car. The Beat also has very impressive doorshut, the doors clamping shut with the precision of a submarine hatch.

The Hyundai is plenty of head. Interior quality is first rate too with nicely textured plastics and solid switchgear. But the i10 doesn’t quite exude the richness of the Beat. The beige colour means it feels more airy but can get soiled easily and the strong reflection from the beige dashboard top hampers visibility.

Other than these few glitches, it’s hard to fault the i10’s logically laid out cabin. The gear lever has been moved to the dash to liberate more space. The front seats don’t have the same lateral support as in the Beat but the seat base is wider,…More

The Hindu : y>Shah Rukh Khan hosts IIPM quiz

Question hour The actor is all set to don the quizmaster’s hat

The B-school IIPM, 4Ps, a business and marketing magazine, and Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan come together to host “Dare’10” business and marketing quiz on February 8.

The event will be held at Koramangla Indoor Stadium’ which has a 3000-seating capacity.

The quiz urges participants to not just bank on their knowledge and information about brands and marketing concepts but also their presence of mind, communication skills and self-confidence. With SRK in the lead, what is expected is three hours of action, dance, drama and laughter.

While SRK hosts the grand finale, the six teams (12 participants) who reach the finals have been through four rounds of .

More than 100 B-schools participate in four zonal rounds that are held simultaneously across India, 26 B-schools then make it to the National round.

From there, 10 Indian B-schools reach the international round and compete with six international B-schools .

Of these eight B-schools graduate to the semi-finals and finally six winning teams from the Semi-finals are handed over to SRK for the grand finale.

The Dare format involves audiovisuals, performances, dares, challenges, audience interactions, surprises, gift hampers and guiding the audience through all of this is the host Shah Rukh Khan at his wittiest best.

The rounds in the grand finale have been inspired from the concept of the ‘marketing-mix’ ( 4Ps: Product, People, Place and Promotion) and the ‘audience interaction’ rounds are planned on the theme of the five senses.

The quiz begins at 5 p.m. at Koramangala Indoor Stadium.

The show is open to the public.

It is a ticket-based show priced at Rs.1, 000.

Tickets are available at IIPM Bangalore, Sangeetha Mobile (in selected outlets), Coffee Day Xpress (in selected outlets) and BookMyShow.com. Call: 30082745 / 9341285050.

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The Hindu :

Ikebana master Katsuhito Kurata demonstrates the Japanese style of floral arrangement

Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.BLOOMING ART The style uses the beauty of full blooms

Many a master has been feted at the KSCA Clubhouse, but this master’s feat set him apart. As Katsuhito Kurata, from the Ikenobo Ikebana School, Kyoto, snipped his way through Jiyuka, Rikka and Shoka arrangements in all their nine-component glory of blazing birds of paradise and pink-tongued heliconia, all eyes remained riveted on this little master.

Clad in a navy-blue Kimono, the Sensei took little time to churn out umpteen Jiyuka styles in quick dexterous movements, his only implements, a tiny pair of shears and some copper wire to wrap around woody stems in order to bend them in the desired direction. Some of the arrangements made use of artificial material such as acrylic wire and foam, a contemporary twist to this original Ikebana style.

“It is used to contrast the beauty of the natural material,” Sensei says slowly, in English. He bends pink and green acrylic wire into a pair of butterfly wings, and throws in some spikes of anthurium, making it look like child’s play.

In a way, that is how it started for the professor, who began learning Ikenobo at the age of 11, highly influenced by a neighbour, who was also an Ikebana teacher. Now 44, he has 33 years of experience in the art, and is a member of the Ikenobo Headquarters Secretariat and the Central Governing Board of the Ikenobo Society of Floral Art. From August to December 2006, the sensei was appointed as a visiting professor to the U.S. and Canada to give demonstrations and conduct workshops.

“Americans and Canadians admire Ikebana for the simplicity of its beauty,” he says from his experience . There are also the obvious comparisons between Western floral arrangement and the styles of Ikebana, a topic we discuss over coffee…More

The Hindu :

Vasanthi Sankaranarayanan retells popular folk and mythical tales on elephants

Raconteur Vasanthi Sankaranarayanan

Vasanthi Sankaranarayanan is well known in the literary circles. She has translated many a modern classic from Malayalam into English. Now the translator turns author with the collection of short stories titled “Elephant Stories that Ammu Heard”, published by Z Library of the Paridhi Group. It narrates stories about elephants, both imaginary and real.

The seven elephant stories in the book are in the form of a grandmother narrating tales to her granddaughter, who has come home on holidays.

Childhood fascination

Vasanthi says that her fascination with elephants goes back to her childhood in Kannambra , Palakkad, the place of the renowned Kannambra vela, which is a downscale version of the Thrissur Pooram and the finale of all the velas and poorams of North Kerala.

“For many of us the fascination with elephants goes back to our early childhood and this book is the result of such a long enthrallment. This is a gift to my grandchild who lives in the U.S. and for all other children too. For decades, elephants and humans have co-existed peacefully in Kerala. Although I do not have a definite opinion on the enslavement of elephants, there is something fascinating about the relationship between captive elephants and the humans in close contact with them,” says Vasanthi.

Vasanthi has recounted tales from mythology such as the story of the origin of Ganesha, triumph of Ganesha over Subrahmanyan to win the Jnappazham and even the Gajendramoksham episode from the Bhagavatam.

There are also stories such as ‘The Tailor and the Elephant,’ those about the bond between the mahout and the elephant such as that of the renowned elephant Kulathoor Ramachandran and his mahout Gopalan Nair.

Most of these stories are very popular in Kerala, but when they are retold in English, they take on a new aura. In between the stories, the author…More