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The Hindu :

Take in the sights and sounds of Verona, the fortified city that teems with history and Shakespearean hyperbole

Photos: By AuthorMedieval charm It is belittling to Verona’s splendour, should the city be advertised as the poor man’s Rome or the setting of the world’s most loved play

What’s a world of tragic-love excesses without Romeo and Juliet and how would generations of star-crossed lovers ever embalm their wounded souls if not for the refuge that paean to ultimate love offered?

And so, some ingenuous Italians used the Shakespearean hyperbole beautifully, pointed to a well-preserved ancient house and announced to the world: This is where Juliet lived!

Few places have since registered in public imagination as firmly as Verona, a city in northern Italy basking in the world heritage site status awarded by UNESCO.

Never mind that Juliet was a fictional character, and academia still debates if Shakespeare ever visited Italy at all!

It is belittling to Verona’s splendour, however, should the city be advertised as the poor man’s Rome or the setting of the world’s most loved play.

Verona’s architecture, with the city itself fortified by some 40 towers, is the perfect antidote to the monstrous glass high-rises we have accustomed ourselves to.

Exploring the city

In keeping with its theme of fortified city, medieval gates announce entry to Verona, separating it from the rest of the Veneto region bang in the middle of a bustling road.

The wonderful thing about many Italian cities — Venice, Treviso, Pisa, Rome, Turin, Siena, et al — is that the entire town can be traversed by foot.

If we can have Bollywoodised, film idol-worshipping Indians naming quasi-imagined locales just by virtue of a film shoot at the place — chunari chunari point in California, Yash Chopra Switzerland points, the Dil Chahta Hai wall in Goa, then Juliet’s house, balcony and all, swears by its legitimate birth!

A meandering lane, Via Cappello, boasts a remarkably…More

The Hindu :

The Bombay Store, which made a difference to shopping in the city when it arrived, has now relocated

ELABORATE There’s something to fit every idea

The Bombay Store, which was on M.G. Road, has now relocated to 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar. The place now is more stylish, larger, and is designed to make you enjoy your shopping.

The place has dry fruits, jams, herbal personal care products that include handmade soaps and moisturisers and so on as soon as you walk in. So, what greets you is a waft of fragrance. The products are segregated with large display boards making it even more easy for you to have access to the products you need. This section also offers dry fruits, which starts at Rs. 19 for a small pack. There is also saffron imported from Spain and sold under the brand name “Taj Mahal”! The herbal products start at Rs. 110.

For black tea connoisseurs there is a wide range of tea leaves, which come in interesting flavours like cinnamon, ginger, rose and jasmine. For tea with milk there is the Darjeeling and Sancha tea. These start at Rs. 190 for 100 gm. packs.

Bag lovers can pick pretty bags made from jute, banana stem, with kalamkari prints or some zari work. These also come in pretty designs with Indian paintings and start at Rs. 350. “They are popular with tourists,” says the store manager.

The most interesting section is the wall-clock range. They are made in unusual designs like a broken coconut shell with the hour hands, or with musical instruments or just tiny earthen mud pots placed for every number. The clocks are priced at Rs. 750.

The jewellery section offers a wide range in silver and semi-precious stones. The ear rings start at Rs. 199 while the finger rings start at Rs. 600. There is a huge section of Kashmiri shawls and stoles in…More

The Hindu : y>Travel The Oberoi introduces Himalayan Vacations offer

The Oberoi Cecil, Shimla and Wildflower Hall, Shimla in the Himalayas introduces Himalayan Vacations offer for guests who are looking forward to enjoy balmy mountain air, fragrance pine and cedar forest, long leisurely walks and fun-filled picnic in the foothills of the Himalayas.

The offer valid from April 1 to June 30 allows guests to enjoy accommodation for two persons — daily breakfast; an additional room for two children at a special reduction of 50 per cent.

Car transfers between Shimla railway station and hotel comes at a special reduction of 15 per cent on spa therapies. The price of this special offer is Rs. 19,000 for a two night stay.

At Wildflower Hall, guests can enjoy accommodation for two persons — daily breakfast and a special reduction of 15 per cent on spa therapies.

The price of the offer is Rs. 31,000 for a two night stay. A special offer for longer stay, single occupancy and for stay after 30 June 2010 are also available.

For reservations, call 011-2389 0606 or toll-free 1 800 11 2030 or visit www.oberoihotels.com.

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The Hindu : y>

Cry freedom Catch the final season of Prison Break

After engineering a daring escape from the Panamanian prison, Sona in the previous seasons, brothers Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) and Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) are determined to seek justice against the Company, the shadowy group responsible for destroying their lives and killing the woman Michael loves, Dr. Sara Tancerdi.

Michael’s quest for vengeance leads him to Los Angeles, where his world is turned upside down when company operative Gretchen informs him that Sara is still alive. Realising the only way they will truly be free, Michael and Lincoln vow to find Sara and take down The Company by stealing the organization’s “black book.” Unfortunately for the brothers, they must evade Company assassin Wyatt and find an on-the-loose T-BAG, who possesses a vital clue to help them pull off their most difficult challenge yet. Catch the final season of “Prison Break” from Monday to Thursday at 10 p.m. only on Star World.

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The Hindu :

If we do not take conservation of water seriously, we are likely to have a dry future

Unaccounted water loss Plugging leaks is important

How often have you walked down a road and seen a pipe with fresh water bubbling up and flowing down into a drain? It is a common place occurrence, but how many of us will take the trouble of calling the BWSSB and informing them of the leak? Bangalore has the dubious distinction of being one of the primary cities in the country for wasting fresh water.

Population growth, climate change, pollution, and careless management of this scarce commodity is the cause of this escalating problem. On the occasion of World Water Day today, {+n} {+d} and with a hot and difficult summer looming ahead, it’s time we took water conservation seriously. Waste water from sinks, showers, toilets according to figures off the BWSSB website equal the three stages of the Cauvery water projects.

This is a mind boggling and frightening scenario.

Shivkumar from the Karnataka Council for Science and Technology says: “Bangalore has a peculiar problem. Water has to be pumped 95 kms from the river Cauvery to the city and up the gradient of 500 metres. This is why 300 crores of the BWSSB funds go on electricity to pump this water. However, Bangalore is lucky to have a natural undulating gradient to be able to collect rainwater and we do have good showers periodically. So instead of planning mega projects it’s better to conserve ground water and harvest rain water for the city. There is a 41 per cent loss of fresh water and we do not know where it goes, 16 per cent is the water supplied in unmetered water fountains across the city, so 57 per cent is a very large figure of unaccounted water loss. The water pipes in the city are over 100 years…More

The Hindu : y>

The recent blatant show of wealth by some BSP workers at a function, where BSP supremo and UP Chief Minister Mayawati was adorned with a garland of Rs. 1,000 notes has set political temperatures rising across the country.

MetroPlus asks city residents about their take on this incident. While most were outraged and felt that such vulgar display of wealth only showcased the arrogance of those in power, some felt that the issue has been blown out of proportion by the media.

Some felt that at a time, when the common man was facing the pinch of inflation and struggling to make ends meet, such meetings served no purpose other than sending out a populist message to the voters. Many felt that such antics only served to antagonise the voters against such parties. Most felt that the money should have been used to serve the purpose of those citizens who fall prey to the spectre of manmade and natural disasters. Many also felt that the BSP could have spent the Rs. 200 crore to help victims of the recent stampede at a town in the State. We sample some responses

It is shameful expenditure at a time, when the coffers of the UP treasury are almost empty. Those with such massive sums at their disposal must spend it on those who need it the most and not on making the highest tax payer in the country richer.

Harsha

Bank officer

Such measures speak of the level of hypocrisy that has crept into Indian politics. It is important that the IT department take note of such developments and demand the correct accounts. Such blatant display of wealth must be barred by the EC and the RBI.

Suresh

Engineer

Though I do not support this vulgar display of wealth, I feel that the media is trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. We, as a country, have many other…More

The Hindu : LAKSHMI SHARATH

A visit to the cradle of the Vijayanagar empire resonates with myriad tales

PHOTO: BY AUTHORArchitectural glory Hampi

Great civilizations and dynasties are all founded on streams of blood. The birth of a dynasty is replete with battles fought and won. It is the same with the Vijayanagar empire, except that there are several stories here and various versions. But, the location remains the same — a river bed with a fortification on one bank. This was the principality of Anegundi, ruled then by a Hoysala chieftain. When the Delhi Sultans laid siege to the Hoysalas and Kakatiyas, the latter fell, leaving South India vulnerable to attack. Our story begins here in the 14 {+t} {+h} Century. Sitting in a coracle and enjoying the ride around the Tungabhadra, I heard a guide narrate the story of Vijayanagar to a group of tourists.

“When the Delhi Sultans invaded Warangal, two brothers, Hakka or Harihara and Bukka, escaped and landed here in Anegundi,” he said pointing to the town on the other side of the river. The brothers, who were under the Kakatiyas, started serving the local chief. Meanwhile, the chief gave refuge to Bahauddin, a rebel nephew of the Delhi Sultan, Muhammad Bin Tughlaq. “The Sultan plundered Anegundi and the brothers escaped again, and this is when they met Vidyaranya, a seer from the Sringeri Shankaracharya Mutt who asked them to build a city on the other bank of the river. He called it Vijayanagar, or the city of victory, though we also call it Vidyanagar after the seer,” the guide added.

The story, however, does not end here. The brothers raised a small army and revolted against the Sultan, who returned the kingdom to them. The seeds of the Vijayanagar empire, which went on to rule all of South India for over 350 years, had just been sown.And yet everything about Hampi is…More

The Hindu : y>Whether it’s Europe or Ladakh you want to head to, pack your bags for the holidays

WOW, Women on Wanderlust, the women’s travelling group, is organising a 12-day tour of East Europe with Austria. The tour from May 15 to 26, covers Prague, Kutna Hora, Bratislava, Budapest, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Salzburg, Melk and Vienna.

The tour is filled with visits to historical sites, visit to the beer hall where Budweiser took shape, walking tours to castles, cruise lunches. Take in Gothic architecture, roadside cafes. Soak in the hot springs of Budapest. Visit a national park and go hiking, visit palaces and museums and more.

The cost per person on twin share is Rs. 1,39,000. Single occupancy surcharge is Rs. 20,000. All documents/passports need to be sent latest by March 25.

WOW is also organising a six-day tour of Ladakh, from June 23 to 28. The tour will include a visit to the Shanthi Stupa at Leh, Thiksey Monastery, Shey Palace, Sindhu Ghat, Stok Palace Museum and Hemis Monastery.

On the cards is a visit to Pangong Lake located at an altitude of 14,500 ft., some two-thirds of which lies on the other side of the Indo-China border. You also get to visit Sangam, the confluence of Indus and Zanskar Rivers, Temple of Guardians in Spituk monastery, revered by Hindus as Kali Mandir.

There’s a drive to Khardung-La, the highest motorable pass in the world.

The package costs Rs. 26,000 per person on twin share. Single occupancy surcharge is Rs. 10,000. There’s an Early Bird offer. If you pay the full amount by May 1, you pay Rs. 24,000.

For further details call Sumitra Senapaty, WOW founder on 0-98916-55054. Or check www.wowsumitra.com.

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The Hindu : y>Bangalore Film Society organises lectures, presentations and screenings to discuss water conservation

Bangalore Film Society in association with Bhoomi Network, Era Organic, Voices from the Waters, Environment Support Group (Environmental, Social Justice and Governance Initiatives), Suchitra Film Society, Rainwater Club and Samvada organises two days of lectures, presentations and screenings to highlight the issue of water scarcity on March 22 and March 23 at Ashirvad, 30 St. Mark’s Road Cross, Opp. State Bank of India at 5.45 p.m. There will be a panel discussion on the use and abuse of water. Stewart Ayash, a scholar on international health issues, health communication and consumer health issues will speak on the global use and abuse of water. Viswanath Srikantaiah a well-known water activist from Bangalore and the founder of Rainwater Club, Bangalore, will speak on water through the ages in India.

At 6.45 p.m. the film “Water and a City”, a documentary about Bangalore’s relationship with water directed by Swati Dandekar will be screened and will be followed by a discussion. Patricia Zimmerman from Ithaca College, U.S., a scholar on cinema, photography and media arts and the co-director of finger lake environmental film festival will lead the discussion.

Other films to be screened include “Living on the Edge”, (Kannada and English with English subtitles) by Raseena Sherif and Anu Priya, students of Jyothi Nivas College, followed by discussions.

“Living on the Edge” takes a closer look at the city’s contribution to the global issue, and throws a few uncomfortable facts about the future at its viewers. Leo Saldanha, of Environment Support Group and environmental justice campaigner will lead the discussion.

On March 23, “Publos unibos: swineflu ground zero in Mexico” directed by Felipe Casanova and Miguel Angel Tiaz deals with the terrible epidemic of swine flu which began in La Gloria and has now spread and threatened the entire world, will be screened at 6 p.m.

The other film “From…More

The Hindu : y>Cricketer Anil Kumble shows he can juggle the ball and the camera equally well, with his photography book Wide Angle. K.C. VIJAYA KUMAR finds some rare shots of Kumble’s teammates

Interviews with Anil Kumble usually follow a set pattern. He speaks his mind, as strong words and candour light up the interaction. And when you think it’s over, Kumble will shift his attention to the accompanying photojournalist. Soon there will be a discussion about angles, lighting, the clarity of images and shutter speed. Kumble will do a snap appraisal of the pictures and it’s a trait that highlights the active photographer who lurks beneath his larger-than-life cricketer image.

And it was no surprise that Kumble the photographer has mined his memories through freeze frames of a two-decade career. The pictures ranging from his favourite lightning bolt across the Durban skyline, to Venkatesh Prasad in drag, are all part of “Wide Angle”, a book of photographs that was launched here on Wednesday.

“Photography has been a passion with me. During tours I used to record moments within the dressing room and in fact I used to tell the players, ‘As long as I am here with my camera, there won’t be any privacy for you guys!’ Now that I have retired, I hope they do have their privacy. Clicking pictures has always been a stress buster,” Kumble said.

Cricket spins off some funny characters and Kumble pointed out that players like Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Venkatapathy Raju and Vinod Kambli added laughter to the dressing room. “Srinath once walked out as a sardar sporting Bhajji’s turban! Guys like Raju and Kambli were great characters too and on tour, when you are away from the family, it helps to have these players around. They are all part of this album.”

The book is also a pointer to the friendship between Kumble and Sachin Tendulkar. It is a bond…More