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magazine India Outbound, a bi-monthly magazine focused on outbound travel from India, is published by Media India Group. Distributed all over India, the magazine caters mainly to the tourism professionals and is looking to develop new and innovative circuits and promoting new destinations and high-end travelers.

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Website: http://india-outbound.com/ Facebook: //www.facebook.com/India.Outbound.Magazine

contact@360representations.com INDIA

Step O ut and Disco

VOL. 6

Number

2

INDIA VOL. 6 Number 3

ver!

Venice

A Romantic

Bruny

Escapade

March

TasmanianIsland Treasure

Alpine Con

Face to

face with

-April

2014

versation

Step Out and Discover!

May-June 2014

Rio De Janeiro

Jungfraujo

ch

Luxem

bourg E hiddenurope’s jewel

Marvels of the

Marvelous city

Bergen Media

Cruising the Fjörds India

Toronto From

the C ockpi

A Biryani with Spicy Treats t: Che er

s for Dubai flyers

Iceland !

Where Nature and History Overlap Media India

ian skies From the cockpit: Etihad Airways’ first class routes to Ind

Aarohan Un porteur d’espoir pour les faibles Réduire la pauvreté et les écarts sociaux et permettre aux enfants défavorisés d’avoir un avenir meilleur par l’éducation, tel est le but de l’ONG Aarohan fondée en 2005.

La faible fréquentation des enfants issus des bidonvilles est liée non seulement à la pauvreté mais également à d’autres facteurs comme le genre, la caste, les opportunités de travail, la qualité de l’apprentissage et l’échec scolaire de la plupart des enfants qui ne sont pas préparés et suivis dans leurs études (c’est là où Aarohan intervient). Aarohan signifie “s’élever” en hindi. C’est-à-dire donner aux enfants l’espoir et les moyens sur le long terme de réussir à l’école pour sortir de la misère.

Comment nous aider :

Sponsoriser un enseignant Pour seulement 3000 Rs par mois, soit 50 euros, vous pouvez permettre à un professeur qualifié d’enseigner aux classes de niveau primaire. Aujourd’hui, c’est un des besoins les plus immédiats pour Aarohan.

Sponsoriser l’éducation d’un enfant Avec un don de 3600 Rs par an, soit 60 euros, vous pouvez fournir le matériel scolaire nécessaire à l’éducation d’un enfant.

Sponsoriser le repas du midi Pour un minimum de 50 enfants : 10 Rs par jour / par enfant, soit 500 Rs (10 euros), vous permettrez à 50 enfants de se nourrir correctement.

Sponsoriser une sortie Un pique-nique dans un parc ou une visite au zoo, un site historique ou un parc d’attraction. Avec un don de 15 000 Rs (250 euros) vous permettrez à 100 enfants de faire une sortie, la plupart d’entre eux n’ayant jamais voyagé en dehors du bidonville.

Ou en faisant don de : 1. Livres, sac d’école, bouteilles d’eau, et autres matériels scolaires…

2. Nous acceptons les cadeaux/les vêtements pour les enfants.

3. Les uniformes scolaires, les chaussures et les chaussettes : 250 roupies par enfant soit 4 euros.

Des manteaux : 100 roupies par enfant soit 1,50€.

4. Nous acceptons les chèques et virements à l’ordre de AAROHAN SOCIETY. Détails bancaires : VIJAYA BANK A/c. No. 604201010001665

CONTACT :

B-127, Basement, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi - 110017, Tel.: 011 - 65951911 Mobile : 9810712938, 9910059312, E-mail : aarohansociety@ gmail.com, www.indianngoaarohan.org

Interview

l u a P a r t i m i n Ag Tailoring Tolly

Trends

Agnimitra Paul is one of the finest designers the city of Kolkata has. The designer who got her first break in the film industry with the Esha Deol debut Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe back in 2002, today defines fashion for many leading actors of the Bengali film industry.

Anupam Chanda

• Tell us about your work, how you started and what your focus areas have been over the years?

I had initially set out to be a doctor but somehow my calling was something more interesting where I could create on a regular basis which was fashion designing. In my childhood, I had been fascinated by the Hindi film industry and all the creations leading actors wore on screen, and was later fortunate to meet Sridevi while scouting for work in Bombay after my training in fashion design. Never had I imagined that I will be designing for someone whom I have grown up watching. She was a great inspiration as she always encouraged and liked my

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May-June 2014 INDIA & YOU

Dossier

W entry of airasia

Price war in the

Indian skies AirAsia, which has entered the Indian skies with an aim to become the cheapest airline in the subcontinent, has induced a fresh dose of competition into the domestic aviation market at a time when the industry is reeling under severe financial pressure, thanks to the low fares. Leading low-cost carriers IndiGo and SpiceJet reacted immediately by cutting prices, leading to another price war in the Indian skies.

Jasleen Kaur

e still remember, a decade ago return flights from Delhi to Mumbai were available for less than Rs 4,000 (50 euros) on budget carriers such as Indigo; these are now thrice as much. The budget carriers were really good options as the fares were very competitive compared to full service carriers like Kingfisher, Jet Airways and Air India. However, the distinction between a budget and a full service carrier has almost disappeared over the years. Another reason why the budget players flourished is because some airlines including Kingfisher shut down due to huge losses. This enabled the budget airlines to occupy the space.

Now, the budget airlines themselves face a challenge – the entry of AirAsia, the largest budget airline in Asia. Tony Fernandes, CEO, AirAsia said, “We have carefully evaluated developments in India over the past few years and strongly believe that the current environment is perfect to introduce AirAsia’s low fares which stimulate travel and grow the market.”

AirAsia has started operation in a few cities in southern India, including Goa, Bangalore and Chennai and at very low prices, in many cases much cheaper than the Indian budget airlines. This has forced the others to follow suite and lower their prices as well. For the consumers, it is a victory as the ticket prices have reached unprecedented levels, making a Delhi-Mumbai ticket as expensive as a Delhi-Singapore one, for instance. “This will make air travel a little better. Getting a ticket on trains is becoming harder by the day, flights become an easy way to travel,” said Siddharth, an entrepreneur from Delhi.

that route to Rs 1,400, down from Rs 4,000. A few months later, both Air India and Jet Airways, then the market leader, dropped fares by a third after Air Deccan introduced Rs 4,000 round fares on its new Delhi-Srinagar flight.

Both Jet and Air India were selling at a huge discount: thousands of rupees below their per seat cost. But the strategy was simple: slash prices to keep your share of passengers. Market share first, margins and bottomlines later. Not much has changed since then.

Just a day before AirAsia India launched its services, SpiceJet offered fares of Rs 1,499 on Bangalore-Goa and BangaloreChennai, the Malaysian carrier’s planned

maiden India sectors. AirAsia pulled out all stops. It offered one-way prices of Rs 990 all inclusive on its routes and later topped it with a Rs 5 base fare promotional tickets.

IndiGo followed AirAsia with a Re 1 base fare on flights on the Bangalore-Chennai and Bangalore-Goa sectors. These fares could impact margins. SpiceJet posted record losses of Rs 10.03 billion in the year ended March 31. Air India has quietly been following the fare cuts. Jet, which hasn’t been as aggressive has steadily lost market share this year, declining from 19.9 per cent in January to 17.1 per cent in May. For consumers, entry of AirAsia with low fares is a victory, which has made air travel better than train affordable once again

When dogfight intensifies....

The entry of AirAsia India has brought back the memories of the earlier price war which had happened more than a decade ago. Just a few hours before Air Deccan, India’s first low-fare carrier, was to launch its Mumbai-Ahmedabad flights with a fare of Rs 1,500, national carrier Air India slashed its own fare on

INDIA & YOU July-August 2014

15

Box Office

Box Office

2013 Box Office

A year of box office records

2013 has been a year of box office records and not only for the big budget films. Even independent cinema has found a much better acceptance by Indian audiences. According to the annual report of KPMG on the Indian entertainment sector presented at the FICCI-Frames convention, India’s box office grew by 10 per cent in 2013, with gross revenues hitting a cumulative Rs 93.4 billion. Growth was propelled by the spread of multiplex cinemas — with their higher ticket prices — and by growing diversity of film content. Here are the top 10 box office hits of 2013:

Box

Office report 2013-14 2013-14

Dhoom 3 – Rs 3.19 billion Dhoom 3 scored the biggest opening weekend ever and by the end of 2013, the Aamir Khan starrer has managed to go beyond the worldwide mark of a whopping Rs 4.5 billion gross at the Box Office. The movie has made a cumulative Rs 3.19 billion gross at the box office. Dhoom 3 has become the highest grosser worldwide by earning Rs 4.52 bn at worldwide business.

Chennai Express – Rs 2.26 billion Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone starrer Chennai Express, directed by Rohit Shetty, earned close to Rs 2.26 billion in India. It also became the first film to break into the Rs 1 billion club in just four days, beating Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots.

The league of

One Billion

A film is deemed to be successful only when it attains the ‘hit’ status. Due to increasing competition, revenue has become the prime criterion to gauge the success of the movie, rather than longevity of the movie. Where 2013 became a year of box office record with the foray of movies even in the Rs 3 billion club; 2014 in the first quarter has been dull with only one movie in the bracket of Rs 1 billion. A look at the biggest box office wins of 2013 and top 10 of the first quarter of 2014.

Krrish 3 – Rs 2.4 billion Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra starrer Krrish 3 is one of the top grossing ventures of 2013. After Chennai Express, this movie crossed the Rs 1 billion mark within 4 days, and went on to collect Rs 2.4 billion overall.

Jasleen Kaur

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May-June 2014 INDIA & YOU

INDIA & YOU May-June 2014

13

Co n t en t India & You November-December 2014

08

26

68

Interview

destination

cuisine

Javed Iqbal Ansari, Bihar Tourism Minister

Goa For countryside and quiet beaches

Maharashtrian cuisine A food-lover’s delight

Santosh Mishra, Managing Director, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board

Sikkim Along the forgotten Silk Route

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Lakshadweep Land of multitude Islands

DOSSIER Indian Medical Tourism From Enigma to Reality Indian wellness tourism Growing well

50

City Break Udaipur Where nature meets heritage

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BUSINESS

Culture

A slice of MICE

Ramleela: Personifying Divinities

Cinema Haider Little more than kin less than kind International Film Festival of India, Goa The countdown begins

72 Diaspora Regional PBD in London A new initiative

Publisher Ranvir Nayar

40

Editor in Chief Ranvir Nayar

Editorial Director Santosh Goenka

Editorial Advisor

PHoTo fEATurE

Rajendra Shende

Copy Editors

Durga Puja of Kolkata

Jasleen Kaur, Shweta Keshri

Editorial Team Ameeta Agnihotri Hirni Bagh Anupam Chanda Alexandre Classens Mireille-Joséphine Guézennec Jasleen Kaur Venkata Krishna Anil Nair Christine Nayagam S Ramachandran Gayatri Ramanathan Sandeep Silas Lucie Simonel Manjeet Singh Shweta Keshri Shivani Unnikrishnan John West

Graphics Anita Channer, Ankita Shamsheer, Pratap Singh, Shikha Bahuguna

Web Manoj Upadhyay, Pramod Kandpal, Ratan Singh

Photographers Ira Gur-Aryeh, Ishan Sharma, Piyush Sekhsaria Sas, Shashi Sahai, Sudharak Olwe

Photo credits Images from City Palace and Udaipur are given by ‘Media Office, Eternal Mewar, The City Palace, Udaipur’ and Prashant Salumber respectively

Corporate Communications (contact@mediaindia.eu) Marc Seviran, Sameer Mohammad

Marketing Team (sales@mediaindia.eu) Anupam Chanda,Vaibhav Agarwal, K. Ganesh, Sushant Lahori

Events and Partnerships Sanjiv Bhasin

Head Office 12 rue d’Isly 75008 Paris Tel 0033143558507

New Delhi 610-611, Ashoka Estate, 24, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi-110001 Telefax 009111-43534818

Chennai 8/1 State Bank Street, Mount Road, Chennai-600002 Tel./Fax 00 9144 28455938

Bangalore K.Ganesh Tel./Fax 00 91 8025658274

Kolkata A-170 RK Nagar, Kolkata-700153 Tel./Fax 00 91 9748699996

Published by MEDIA INDIA GROUP Capital: 20 000 euros SIREN N: 453 030 371 Press Commission: 0708 K 84914 ISSN: 1767-5952 Depot Legal: November 2014 Date of publishing No.63: November 2014 Printed at: Suman Graphics New Delhi

HEAliNG

W

BEYOND BORDERS

elcome to yet another special issue on the occasion of World Travel Mart, London, which also marks the year-ending issue of India & You.Travel is evolving rapidly the world over.There is a visible shift from mass tourism to niche tourism and medical tourism is one of the niche segments.The medical tourism market in India is projected to hit USD 3.9 billion mark this year, having grown at a compounded annual growth rate of 27 per cent over the last three years. A popular destination for heritage, culture and spirituality, India is now developing rapidly as a hub for tourists with medical needs ranging from basic dentistry to complex cardiac and orthopedic procedures. Additionally, in the last two decades, the economic boom in India has led to the building of medical facilities and infrastructure that rival the western medical care. Apart from infrastructural growth, the abundant skilled physicians and nurse practitioners in the country act as added incentives.With the emergence of new companies in healthcare, mainly in the private sector, medical tourism has become a serious business. From receiving medical tourists, in the past, predominantly from South and West Asia, Middle East, Africa and CIS states in central Asia; the last decade has seen a sharp rise in visitors from developed world such as the U.S. and Europe primarily for elective or discretionary treatments like cosmetic, regenerative or dental.The country is expected to receive a total of 3.2 million medical tourists next year, representing a tremendous opportunity for the Indian industry.

Apart from medical tourism, other niche segments like Buddhist tourism in Bihar and eco-tourism in Chhattisgarh are also booming. Bihar tourism minister Javed Iqbal Ansari and Santosh Mishra, managing director, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board have shared their plans to promote these sectors.

The conventional tourism, however, can never take a backseat. Attractive as ever, we take you to the quiet beaches and countryside of Goa. Away from the popular beach merriments and nightlife of North Goa, the South Goa provides a calmer and relaxed environ. A ride through the countryside enables experiences such as the Goan architecture, backwaters, abandoned fort Cabo da Rama overlooking the sea and the paddy fields surrounded by the lush green Western Ghat mountain range of the South-West India.The pristine beaches of South Goa allow the visitors to indulge into the nature and cherish solitude. In another ride in the foothills of Himalayas, we take you through the trails of forgotten silk-route of India. As opposed to being a busy highway that allowed exchange of knowledge, culture and commodities between India, China, Bhutan and the rest of the world, the network now lies cold and unused. A local tour guide takes one, through the hills, to the most scenic places from Kalimpong through East Sikkim up to Jelep-la, the Indo-China border. From mountains to the multiple islands of Lakshadweep, a destination swamped with natural beauty. From beach to beauty to watersports, Lakshadweep offers everything that a traveller desires from a vacation.

Travelling in India is incomplete without a touch of heritage and culture. Udaipur, a place that buzzes with these features, has an added advantage of natural heritage with the Aravalli mountain range and man-made lakes. In response to the festive season in India currently, we present to you interesting photographs from Durga Puja festival in West Bengal. Adding to the festival bit, we take you to experience Ramleela, the enactment of Hindu mythological epic Ramayana, in the religious city of Varanasi. Culture is incomplete without food and so we take you on a food journey to Maharashtra through a self-confessed food lover from West Bengal. He often finds himself requesting his folks to add Maharashtrian flavor to their Bengali food!

For the cinema-lovers, we bring the review of Haider, a much talked about film in India at the moment.The film is an adaptation of Shakespeare play, Hamlet, with which director Vishal Bharadwaj finishes his trilogy of films based on the work of this literary genius. He has put together his fascination this time in the backdrop of Kashmir. Although the vision is left compromised with too many elements packed in together, the film has been appreciated widely for its acting, cinematography and direction.

So, while you discover this Shakespearean tale, we let you enjoy the festive season and hope to see you in the New Year where once again the Indian diaspora from around the world will gather in India in January for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.Till then, a Happy New Year!

Destination

Advertorial The famous Flury’s platter

Bon Appetit The Kolkata Way

Kolkata street food retains the distinction of being unique to the culinary essence of the city, and harmonizes with the influences of other countries at the same time.

It is chowmein that best reflects this dual identity of Kolkata street food culture

W For foodies, Kolkata comes with a wide array of amazing delights at almost every corner of the city. Offering an unlimited bouquet, Kolkata food is tempting to the core and leaves you asking for more!

Anupam Chanda

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July-August 2014 INDIA & YOU

hether it is the beautiful Victoria Memorial, the majestic Howrah Bridge or the sun kissed Maidan grounds, all of them are an integral part of the rich heritage that symbolises Kolkata - a city who’s every street and every corner has some anecdote to relate. Its rich and exotic cuisine is also an important part of the city’s heritage. Kolkata’s denizens are famous gourmands and the city has a number of eateries which are must-visit for tourists as well. Kolkata offers a unique experience with a delicious approach to food. There is good food to be had at all hours and in almost all areas of Kolkata.

It is also one of the most inexpensive places to eat in India. The cuisine here is a mix of flavours, all stirred to a delicious whole in a culinary melting pot like no other because of which it deserves to be called a foodie’s paradise.

Starting from Daybreak For breakfast, you can try Hotel Hindusthan International, located in the

Chicken Tandoori on Kolkata Streets

heart of the historic commercial centre, just off park Street. The moment you step out of the hotel, you are tempted by the extensive fare offered by the numerous shops on the principal boulevard, on which the hotel is located. You get to see crowds of hundreds of men and women in business suits hovering around food stalls from the early morning hours and through noon, munching on delicious looking dosas, parathas, samosas, stews and other edibles. Kolkata street food retains the distinction of being unique to the culinary essence of the city, and harmonizes with the influences of other countries at the same time. It is chowmein that best reflects this dual identity of Kolkata street food culture.

Made by frying boiled chow noodles with mix veggies in oil, chowmein is a borrowing from the Chinese cuisine.

The main ingredient may be Chinese, but the smoky, spicy flavour is Kolkatan to the core. Bengalis are fond of egg and chicken chowmein, while veg chowmein is popular with the people in other parts of the country. Ask the locals what they like to eat when they go out for shopping or watching a movie?

Most of them will say for sure that it is spring roll stuffed with an omelette or chopped chicken or small mutton pieces.

The mouth-watering bites of egg rolls, chicken rolls and mutton rolls define the pleasure of evening outings for the locals. Even the Bengalis born and bred in a cosmopolitan society prefer this street food to burgers. Kolkata will not disappoint you if you are veg Paneer

spring roll is also available with their non-veg versions all served smoking hot with sauce and wrapped in a thin piece of paper.

Essence of The City Kolkata is large enough that it is best to deploy a simple organizing principle to unpack the city. There is simply too much terrain - physical, psychic or historical to cover in a few days or even a week.

You could choose a British Raj era frame which translates into a great deal of dramatic, if now crumbling, Victorian era architecture or you might take a far older spiritual angle, hunting down memorable Hindu locales. Alternatively, there is the epicurean route with your stomach leading the sightseeing. Considering Bengali cuisine’s range and depth, you will coincidentally collide with numerous city sights and nutritious history lessons, so you won’t depart from this storied place feeling like a vapid 21st-century hedonist.

A stimulant may be the first thing you need upon arrival in Kolkata, especially if a large meal still flickers in the distance.

Bengalis are known throughout India for their artistic and political inclinations, and two legendary cafes radiate this kind of ferment. On the north side of the city, there is the legendary Indian Coffee House. Kolkata having been majorly communist for over 30 years still exudes that essence and you can feel it as you step into this high ceiling, rollicking space where you half expect to witness Trotsky arguing with Lenin arguing with Marx.

INDIA & YOU May-June 2014

57

Destination

Cuisine

Instead, you see students, professors and various locals clustered around small tables, everyone holding forth and sipping cups of sweet, weak coffee.

Closer to the city centre is another legendary coffee house Flurys. Instead of palavering communists, this place offers the feel of turn of the century Vienna.

Ceilings tower, glass counters gleam, the larger gestalt suggests elegance. If the many fluttering, uniformed waiters get little to nothing accomplished, the coffee, pastries and sandwiches that finally arrive are first rate. This old world cafe open since 1927, offers prime perches for people watching. It is also a fine spot for writing a postcard or plotting your evening moves. Flurys is an important part of this wonderful food journey, and it is not complete without a visit to this legendary eatery in the building which was razed by a firerecently. It is an institution in the city and evokes strong emotions. There is an old world atmosphere and a glimpse of Kolkata of another era. Many people come back for the taste of Flurys whenever they are passing through.

Such is the nostalgia and attachments that this old world tea room invokes. You can gorge on beans on toast or the faint club sandwiches, the best bet however is the Flurys’ all day breakfast, which consists of two rashers of crispy bacon, two grilled sausages, one fried egg, one grilled tomato and one hash brown with either two slices of bread and butter or toast and butter, with choice of juice, tea or coffee. If you happen to go to Flurys at tea time then rum balls is a must.

As India has little in the way of cafe culture, these two atmospheric establishments offer critical respites for the weary, sensory, overloaded traveller.

Midday Munch in Style For lunch, there is a strict order to how a Bengali meal unfolds.

It starts with rice, followed by a bitter dish, vegetables

and cereals, seafood, chicken or mutton and finally, palate cleansing chutney.

Not to forget dessert, in particular mishti doi (yogurt sweetened with vanilla) or molasses rich jaggery.

And

Tangra is the place to go to appease your palate, if it is longing for a Chinese meal. It is here where the famed American chopsuey is rumoured to have been conceived!

For authentic fare recommendations, go all out for Beijing that proudly wears the tag of Kolkata’s best Chinese restaurant Chana Masala, the other delicacy found at every corner

according to local custom, it is traditional to conclude with paan (a piece of betel leaf wrapped around shredded coconut) and rose petal preserve. It is said to aid with digestion and act as a mild stimulant. Apart from a local invite, there is no better place than Aaheli the restaurant at the Peerless Inn hotel. Food ambience and dress code is a total concept. In simple words, the richness of Bengali culture art and literature. On offer is also the old and now lost zamindari cuisine- the cuisine of Thakurbari is closer to the heart of those who are nostalgic about the past.

There is a-la carte too but the thali (plate full of delicacies of the region) route is a better choice. As it is a complete journey for a person to enjoy Bengali food. Another place worth visiting is Tero Parbon in south Kolkata. Banish the misconception that Bengali cuisine is only about mustard oil and Eelish mach (one of the traditional fish dishes), the USP here is home cooked food, served in a traditional manner. Go for begun bhaja (fried eggplant), narkel diye chana

Evening Snacks & Chops - a Kolkata Speciality

dal (Bengal gram with fresh coconut), fish fry and steamed rice and it is a ticket to bliss. Then there is the other not to be missed place Oh Calcutta! Brunch being an excellent one-stop option here with a buffet stocked with more than a dozen freshly-cooked Bengali classics. Among the surprising favourites – green peas cakes, cabbage mutton, white pumpkin with lentil dumplings and, most brilliantly, banana fritters bobbing in a tangy curry would keep you asking for more.

Street Galore Coming back to the street snack scene, it is jhaal muri (spicy puffed rice)

that best describes Kolkata’s street food experience round the year. One of the most popular evening snacks, it is a great mouth entertainer both in and out of home. You can find large groups of locals savouring this crispy and spicy item everywhere in the city, including parks, gardens, cinema halls, markets, bus stops and railway platforms. Made of puffed rice, fried lentils, and other crunchy ingredients mixed with drops of mustard oil, spices, chopped tomatoes and onion slices, jhaal muri is a signature item along with bhelpuri (puffed rice mixed with mustard oil and some vegetables), churmur (mashed version of phuchkas) and phuchkas (small round wheat balls filled with tamarind water).

The famous Pappu phuchkawalla of south Kolkata has been around for almost a decade and the menu features a fine blend of chat cuisine in the west Indian style. Standing by the road to savour this juicy mound is an exclusive experience. Not to forget the Calcutta Mutton Rolls and Pao Bhaji (mashed mixed vegetable with Bun). Southern Avenue too has puchka vendors lined up at the Vivekananda park boundary wall. Unlike the north, bread with aloo dum is quite popular in south Kolkata and you must not miss the kabiraaji (chicken or fish cutlets) at Regent or SN Bannerjee road. Interestingly this cutlet is purely British in origin and was taught to a Bengali chef by the colonial masters (sahibs). They were then called coverage cutlets for obvious reasons of the egg coating. Since the local could not

pronounce it well, there came the new name.

We can’t afford to miss China town when we are talking about food.

Located in Tangra in the eastern part of the city, this was once a thriving nerve centre of all Chinese activity of the country. However now, owing to migration and other factors, the population has thinned tremendously.

Tangra is the place to go to appease your palate, if it is longing for a Chinese meal. It is here where the famed American chopsuey is rumoured to have been conceived! For authentic fare recommendations, go all out for Beijing that proudly wears the tag of Kolkata’s best Chinese restaurant.

Towards the Day-end As the night sets in and locals start surfacing and not far from Flurys down to the southern residential part of Kolkata 6 Ballygunge Place is not a very old white washed and pleasantly lit pure Bengali eatery. Here in addition to the a-la carte options, the menu offers thalis - a selection of several small dishes which gives a visiting diner the opportunity to sample a cross section of local flavours.

Sticking to the proper ritual order, two exquisite vegetarian dishes arrive first, baby eggplant in yogurt sauce and a fruity version of cereal made of yellow lentils followed by two kinds of fish. Fried bhetki (deep fried fish fillets) is similar to a fillet of flounder, while hilsa, the most coveted of local river fish, is bathed in a piquant mustard sauce, a Bengali classic.

A waiter passes with a communal plate of rice. A platter of luccis - small fried breads, like snow-white puris (deep-fried Indian bread)- come after.

For desserts, one must not miss the street side kesar kulfi (saffron flavoured Indian ice cream), served with rose syrup but if you want a good spread under one roof, it’s the street cafe again at Park Hotel, with its pulsating atmosphere. It is usually a struggle to choose between the American waffle, the French crepe, the Swiss desserts and the Italian gelato.. Just next door is another landmark of Park Street, Moulin Rouge dates back to the 1960s when Park Street was the centre of small but thriving pop, jazz and cabaret scene.

Even today, the area has retained its appeal as the place to hang-out during the evenings. Some of the best night clubs include SomePlace Else and Tantra. You would love sipping your midori martini here with ‘Saturday Night Blues’ Band on weekends. Kolkata is also a haven for sweet lovers. Sweets shops are everywhere, each with its own specialities. KC Das for ‘Rosogolla’, Bancharam for ‘Aabar Khabo’ (literally means it’s so good that one would eat it again) and Chittaranjan for ‘Rajbhog’ and ‘Sandesh’. These delicacies have carved a niche among the sweet lovers across the globe. After the Bengali dessert custardy, jaggery-sweetened yogurt, and an astringent chew of paan, a good walk by the windy banks of the Ganges is a nice way to end a wellexplored day. n

Destination

Destination

West Bengal

Gorumara

Kolkata

How to reach

Gorumara

A tryst with

Rhinos An exciting wildlife experience in the lap of nature around the foothills of the Himalayas, Gorumara in northern West Bengal has much to offer including the single horned Rhino.

Anupam Chanda

A single horned Rhino drinking from the stream as we watch from atop the elephant back seat nearby

F

rom the swaying elephant back seat, I was staring so intently at the gloom of the jungle that my eyes began to hurt. Suddenly a series of loud barks shattered the morning’s silence. The excitement was infectious as we sped off in the direction of the cheetal deer alarm calls.

Soon the deeper alarm snorts of sambar deer joined the cacophony of distress.

I willed the leopard to break cover and reveal herself and her almost adult

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July-August 2014 INDIA & YOU

cubs but she remained obscured in the bushes. The agitated deer was clearly telling us that she was very close, but she continued to elude us.The mahaut guided the elephant into possible hideouts and said even if she doesn’t come to us, the elephant will take us to her.

With our leopard stubbornly refusing to make an appearance, we decided to move over towards the grasslands, with hopes of at least spotting some rhinos.

The grey behemoths we were sitting on

are the true off-road vehicles of the bush and the grasslands and sitting on their backs provides an unrivalled vantage point for viewing the rhinos in their homeland. This peaceful surrounding of the dense jungle with the ever faint sounds of animals and insects, the picturesque and unspoilt Dooars Forest Range is truely a breath of fresh air.

Dooars, derived from the Bengali word ‘Duar’ meaning door, is actually one of the gateways to the Eastern Himalayas,

forming one of the most famous forests of the Himalayan foothills, leading to the ranges of Bhutan and North Eastern India. The area is still quite pristine, thanks to a not so efficient tourism promotion effort. Most of the places though are not accessible by the normal tourists and probably that has helped preserve its wild nature. The forests teem with wildlife, ranging from elephants, bisons, rhinos, leopards and other smaller creatures like sambhars, deers

of various types and countless varieties of birds and butterflies. There used to be tigers around the Gorumara area too, but not any more. The few which were left have retreated to the more dense areas around Buxa Tiger Reserve and towards the Bhutan hills. As quoted by a renowned wildlife enthusiast, ‘Dooars will remain a major reason to visit even if it ever became void of large animals, just due to the sheer variety of birds’. Yes, Dooars is a major birding destination as

By Flight: The nearest airport is Bagdogra which is 85 km away and takes two hours to reach in Gorumara National Park.

By Rail: The nearest railway station is New Jalpaiguri, which is well connected to major cities like Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Delhi.

By Road: The nearest place to get down from the bus is Chalsa.

From Chalsa to Gorumara is only 30 minutes journey.

well among bird watchers. Apart from the known varieties like the parakeets, jungle mynas and kingfishers, it is the home of the neelkanth or the Indian roller bird, which can be found in large numbers, if you have a keen eye. It is also home of the hornbill, which is also very common here.

The major destinations can be divided into two parts - the more popular western part comprising of Chalsa, Lataguri and the forests of Gorumara, Chapramari, Chukchuki and Khunia. The eastern part is quite remote at places and even more thrilling and comprises of Jaldapara, Jayanti, Buxa and Rajabhatkhawa.

The Gorumara National Park, which ranked number one amongst all in the country in a recent survey on various parameters, boasts of three of the biggest species of Indian wildlife - the great Indian one-horned rhino, the Indian bison and the Indian elephant. With a little bit of perseverance and patience, it is possible to get a glimpse of all three on a weekend trip. Gorumara, on the bank of rivers Murti and Raidak, is where people and animals co-exist, though not always peacefully. Located in the

INDIA & YOU July-August 2014

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Advertorial

Advertorial

The elephant carrying tourists into the grassland in search of rhinos & leopards

The Gorumara National Park, which ranked number one amongst all in the country in a recent survey on various parameters, boasts of three of the biggest species of Indian wildlife - the great Indian onehorned rhino, the Indian bison and the Indian elephant Where to stay?

A bison blocking the way

Dooars region, amidst mountains, rivers, waterfalls and tea gardens with miles of green in all directions it’s a kind of beauty one experiences in the silent wild.

Blissful, with the chirping of birds and the call of the wild, the Park is situated in riverine grasslands interspersed with savannah woodlands. Much of the forest is moist deciduous and Sal (shorea robusta) is the most common and valuable tree. Teak, Simul, Siris, Khair are also found here in abundance.

Whether you take a flight, train, bus or

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July-August 2014 INDIA & YOU

car, a drive from Siliguri to the forest is a must. It takes you through Chalsa and is a very scenic one where you get a slice of North Bengal in its unspoilt glory. The gate to Gorumara, a little after Lataguri town, is made of logs and the most appropriate place to stay for trip is at the nearby Panchavati Resort, the first resort to have come up in the area catering to the increased number of tourists year round. The visitors are not deterred by the rather heavy monsoons and even when the park is closed for the breeding

season. A quiet place right near the park entrance gives a comfortable stay with all the necessary facilities and the owner Bachhu Chakravarty gives a good idea of the area and how to cover all the right places in a few days. The resort employs only local villagers and through a unique self help concept has made a significant economic difference to the people of the area. All spices used in the resort food are locally grown by the villagers around the jungle area with most of them working for the resort in some way. The tribal dance organised in the evenings at the resort is a must see and portrays the local culture.

The lawns and playgrounds are well maintained for spending quiet evenings and early mornings. The rooms with their forest themes make a good setting for the mood and the food, with its distinct taste, has a moderate spread to choose from. Surrounded by tea gardens and lakes across the forest road, fishing is an added attraction and you can and over your catch of the day to the chef here who will cook it and serve it to you. On the last evening of your stay, the resort also organises a barbecue.

If you choose to spend some time on a watchtower, there’s a fair chance of seeing a few residents of the park.

The view from the watchtowers is truly spectacular, with leopards, rhinos, deer and elephants in abundance, as the tower offers a clear view of a lake and a salt lick that the animals frequent. But it is risky to stay there after dark. A mustsee for bird lovers is the three-storied Chukchuki Tower.

A young Leopard resting on the branches of a tree

The forest is home to many beautiful feathered creatures, with regular migratory visitors. Indian pied hornbill, woodpecker, sunbird, flycatcher, minivet, drongo, pheasants drop in during winter. A speciality is the Brahmany duck. Gorumara is breathtaking in its beauty, with vegetation of riverine grasslands interspersed with savannah woodlands. Don’t be surprised if you see a peacock perched on your window sill in the morning or an elephant wandering around your bungalow.The park has recorded fifty species of mammals, three hundred species of birds, twenty

species of reptiles, and thirty species of amphibians. It park has a large resident population of wild boar, but the critically endangered pygmy hog has been reported from the park. Numerous rodents, inluding giant squirrels and the rare hispid hare are found here and it’s also home to a large number of snakes, venomous and non-venomous, including the Indian python, one of the largest snakes in the world, and the king cobra but the Gorumara Panchavati experience is one that stays for a long time and makes you come back again and again. n

Accommodation at Panchavati Forest Resort is extremely competitive and ranges from 800 INR a night to 1,400 INR. Meals cost 220 INR per person. Contact Resort owner Bachhu Chakravarty /Sraboni Chakravarty +9198320 60164 / +9198320 68303

Things to Do Generally a three day trip is good enough. The first day can be spent visiting the forest and take the jungle safari that runs 32 km, including visits to Medhla watch tower and the Murti river. An option is the elephant back joy ride at Dhupjora. The forest is closed between June 16 and September 15 due to the mating season. The next day can be spent on a visit to the picturesque Jhalong & Bindu, which is the last village before you enter Bhutan.

You can also visit a hydel pwer project on Joldakha river and conclude with an evening bonfire tribal dance at the resort lawns. On the last day, you can visit two other picturesque spots Suntale Khola and Samsing at the foothills of the Himalayas and the Chapramari forest. Among the watchtowers worth visiting are Jatraprasad, Chandrachur in Khunia, Chukchuki which I renowned for bird watching and the Medhla watch tower.

Tribal Dance around a bonfire in the evening outside the perimeter of the forest

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Destination

40

November-December INDIA & YOU

Cinema

Little more than kin

le s s t h a n k i n d ConsiDeReD as tHe Best PeRfoRmanCe of sHaHiD KaPooR in HinDi fiLm so faR, HaiDeR is yet anotHeR PRoDUCt of VisHaL BHaRaDWaJ’s fasCination WitH sHaKesPeaRe’s PLays.

By Shweta Keshri

t

“

o be or not to be”, the famous line from shakespeare’s Hamlet has been well illustrated in the recently released Hindi film, Haider. The film marks the completion of the trilogy of film adaptations of shakespeare’s plays by director and producer Vishal Bharadwaj. He has often confessed that the Japanese adaptation of macbeth, Throne of Blood (1957), by akira Kurosawa stimulated his interest on making films based on shakespear’s plays. in 2004, he made Maqbool based on the same play and went on to make Omkara, an adaptation of othello, in 2006. the complexity of humans and relationships that form the basis of shakespear’s plays fascinate Bharadwaj. In his films he tries to transform the plays in indian settings taking different issues faced by modern india as the backdrop.

Haider is set amidst the insurgencyhit Kashmir conflicts of 1995 and civilian disappearances. In this adapted film, Haider is a poet who returns to Kashmir at the height of the insurgency to find his disappeared father and ends up tugged into the politics of the state during this search. During this course he is revealed to deceits that turns the poet into a person bit by vengeance. Like his previous adaptations, Bharadwaj has approached the issue through the story of a family and the density of their relationships. the plot revolves around Haider (shahid Kapoor), his mother Ghazala (tabu) who has an affair with his uncle Khurram (Kay Kay menon) after her husband, Dr. Hilaal meer, is taken away by the army for treating a militant’s wounds. the story unfolds with Haider feeling betrayed by his paternal uncle Khurram, for luring his mother to fall in love. He starts looking for his father in police stations and detention camps across Kashmir.

While he does not get any lead, he is depressed by his mother’s relationship with his uncle.

With the course of time he is approached by a mysterious person Roohdaar (irrfan Khan), who is a part of separatist movement, and narrates to Haider how he had met his father in one of the detention camps and the story

of his brother’s betrayal. Roohdaar in addition tells Haider that his father, who is killed at the camp, sent him a message to take revenge for his brother’s betrayal. the setting is ideal for the gloomy tale of `Hamlet’, the story of the confused prince who has a thing for his mother, and whose bewilderment and grief at his father’s death sends him hurtling over the cliff. as director, Bharadwaj brings out the best from his actors, much like his other films. Shahid Kapoor as Haider has effectively embodied Hamlet. He looks a little out of place in the beginning but the traumatic role rubs onto him with time. as an unfortunate son who lost his father and seemingly betrayed by her mother and uncle, he has convincingly brought in vulnerability, confusion, aggression and madness to his character. His love-hate relationship with his mother Ghazala is shown at several occasions. tabu, who truly forms the backbone of the film through her performance, keeps the viewers riveted on her throughout the film as Ghazala. Her puffy eyes cry of guilt, fear, revenge and inestimable love for her son, Haider. Her deceptive eyes manifest truth when Haider sees her getting cosy with his uncle Khurram (Kay Kay menon) just a fortnight after her husband’s disappearance. Known for her immersion in the roles she plays, tabu is possessed by Ghazala and thus in turn by Gertrude. the undertone of ‘oedipus complex’ between tabu and shahid’s character to show the love and complexity in their relationship is played well by the filmmaker, keeping in taste of the Indian audience. Being one of the finest actors in indian cinema, Kay Kay menon steals some scenes as Khurram that depicts the evil Uncle Claudius. irrfan Khan leaves a mark with his effortless acting even with his small but significant part complementary to the ghost of Hamlet’s father in the play. The two film old, shraddha also appeared as cameo, as Haider’s love interest arshia. apart from the cast, Vishal Bharadwaj has given close attention to the small details of the film. The screenplay, for example, has been written together with Basharat Peer, a journalist

and script writer of Kashmir origin. the speech, therefore, has been worked on to match the way local people speak here. Bharadwaj has been critisised for fiddling with the facts about the unfateful insurgency and for making the army look bad in the film. The script, however is largely inspired by Peer’s Curfewed night, an eyewitness account of the Kashmir conflict. The monologue of Haider, post intermission, is one of the high points of the film where there is a transformation in his character and he makes numerous references to the famous line “to be or not to be” in multiple contexts. the fact that the film is entirely shot in Kashmir also gives it a unique realism. the backgound score, given by Bharadwaj himself, fuses traditional Kashmiri instruments with elements of electro-rock. one of the other moments of the film is the “Bismil” song that shows the frustration and aggression of Haider through choreography. this was taken from the original play itself where Hamlet organised a play that depicted the plot of the murder of his father. the romantic song “Khul Kabhi toh”, comes abruptly in the script contradicting the sensible treatment of the film overall.

Haider is an admirable effort, particularly in the way Bhardwaj portrays Kashmir as practically a character of its own in the film. the desolation of the characters is very often mirrored in the desolate landscape – vast stretches of land, covered in little else but snow, a charred, decrepit house that serves as the backdrop for some of the film’s most crucial scenes and the sounds of salman Khan’s songs from his campy 90’s hit films that play out throughout the film, even when men are being picked up for questioning and tortured.

However, it fails to convey a sense of the true tragedy of Kashmir, nor does Haider hold as close to the plot of the play as it could have. Although the film is beautifully shot and wonderfully acted, too many elements packed in together compromises its vision. in a way, it’s a little like Hamlet’s description of his new step-father, Uncle Claudius: “a little more than kin, and less than kind.” n

INDIA & YOU november-December

69

Cannes

Spotlight

India @

2014

Indian cinema will have a slightly lesser presence at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, after India served as the official guest country of the 2013 edition. The regular Indian contingent – Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor and Freida Pinto will be seen dazzling the red carpet. However, the new face added to it is Uday Chopra. Only two Indian movies will be screened during the festival, though they are not in the main competition categories. Unlike Vidya Balan was part of the Cannes Jury 2013, this time no one is in the jury from India.

In addition, on business front, some discussion and forums to bring Indian media and entertainment to the global forefront and facilitate business and ideas exchange internationally are expected at the India Pavilion organised by FICCI. Jasleen Kaur

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May-June 2014 INDIA & YOU

FICCI to organise India pavilion Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is coordinating on behalf of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for the India Pavilion at the 67th Cannes Film Festival. The pavilion will showcase Indian cinema across linguistic, cultural and regional diversity, with the aim of forging an increasing number of international partnerships in the realms of distribution, production, filming in India, script development and technology and promoting film sales and syndication. In particular, the area of focus is establishing India as a global film shooting destination and highlighting initiatives such as single window clearance and co-production agreements with various countries that will enable this.

Leena Jaisani, Head – FICCI Media & Entertainment, said, “The management of the India Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival, one of world cinema’s most prestigious creative and business forums, is thus the next step in our continual efforts to focus the world’s attention on Indian entertainment as a key player in the global business arena. We are hugely honoured and privileged that the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, has entrusted us with the responsibility to coordinate India’s presence and participation at the 67thCannes Film Festival.”

To fulfil the goal, FICCI in association with Ministry will be organising interactive sessions with Indian and international film industry stakeholders at the India pavilion. Speakers at the session include Dave Gibson, CEO, New Zealand Film Commission; Cindy Shyu, CEO, Lighthouse Productions, China; Colin Burrows, CEO, Special Treats Productions; and the cast and crew of Grace of Monaco, the opening film at the festival.

In addition, FICCI will be facilitating structured B2B meetings between Indian and international delegates at the festival, and coordinating for exclusive networking events. Alongside, the ‘Indian Film Guide’, which will list all films related initiatives undertaken by the government of India and information about all Indian films and delegates at Cannes this year, will be distributed to key international stakeholders.

Indian beauties Flaunting international brands is actress Sonam Kapoor’s everyday style statement — but promoting ‘desi’ designers and Indian elements is the motto for the young and stylish diva whenever she makes an appearance at foreign venues. The actress feels that if one embraces one’s body the way it is, they will look beautiful. “Every year, I have been trying to bring in Indian

INDIA & YOU May-June 2014

59

Destination

Laksh ad w eep

Land of multitude

IsL a n d s a PeRfeCt aMaLgaMation of isLanDs, LaKsHaDWeeP CoMPRises of 36 big isLanDs, CoRaL Reefs, CoRaL atoLLs anD seveRaL sMaLL isLanDs. foR PeoPLe LooKing foR Destination bRiMMing WitH natURaL beaUty, UntoUCHeD by HUMan aCtivities anD faR aWay fRoM CRoWD, LaKsHaDWeeP is tHe ansWeR.

by Anupam Chanda

a

s the ship got on course, the entire passenger lot gathered on the deck and stayed on past the magnificent sunset on the arabian sea. as we entered deeper into the dark spaces of the sea, i could feel the air getting denser and heavier with the increasing humidity. sailing to a unique Union territory of india threw in a new experience and raised the anticipation levels for the next few days.

Lakshadweep islands lie about 220 to 440 kms off the Kerala coast between 8 and 12 degrees north Latitudes and 71 and 74 degrees east Longitudes. the islands are connected to the mainland by passenger ships and flights operated from Kochi. today six passenger ships operate between Cochin and Lakshadweep. the passage takes 14 to 18 hours depending on the island to be visited. ships offer different classes of accommodation including air-conditioned cabins and seating with a cafeteria, snack bar, entertainment lounge and an upper deck. the following morning as the ship docked about 5 kms from the coastline of one of the islands, everything around had changed. splendidly beautiful coral islands, exquisite marine, gorgeous natural lagoons, miles of sandy silvery beaches, and to top it all, delicious sea food.

Recognised as the smallest union territory of india. Lakshadweep is stunningly beautiful. the grand landscapes, wonderful marine life, beautiful beaches, and the scenic lcompletely enthral the visitors. as an international tourist hotspot, the islands offer a host of

tourism related activities, with primary focus on water sports. the water sports activities range from snorkelling and deep sea diving to swimming with friendly dolphins. a paradise for divers, the Lakshadweep islands are world renowned as the definitive exotic diving location in the arabian sea. Many tourists visit here simply to enjoy the sports activities. in Lakshadweep , two major private organisations are in-charge of managing and handling all the water sports activities. they are known as Lakshadweep institute of Water sports and sPoRts (society for promotion of nature tourism and sports). these two bodies hold regular camps for the tourists all through the year. experts who help people from all age

groups with these activities realise the potential of the sport. apart from the usual water sport activities like snorkelling, canoeing, deep sea fishing, tourists can also indulge in varied other activities like scuba diving, deep sea diving, wind glassed bottom boat sailing, kayaking, surfing and so on. However tourists are advised to check in advanceas some of the activities are limited to specific islands at specific times of the year.

Kavaratti Island among the many islands in Lakshadweep, Kavaratti is the most developed and is the capital of this Union territory. With its splendid snow white coral sands and

Children playing on agatti beach

INDIA & YOU november-December

37

the reef in front of the bangaram island

a ship that sails from Kochi port to Lakshadweep

The Kalpeni Islands are a group of three small islands that in popular opinion are the most charming island calm lagoons, Kavaratti is a much favoured destination for the tourists. to put it simply Kavaratti is gloriously beautiful. the eternal beauty of the lush green coconut trees, the leaves swaying with the gentle sea breeze and the magnificent sandy beaches mesmerise the visitors bountifully.

Kavaratti is also home to numerous mosques. Mosques are good examples of the rich architectural heritage of india. Ujra Mosque, among the 52 dotted in the island, stands out. His mosque is Kavaratti’s primary attraction and an important pilgrim centre for Muslims. Ujra mosque has an ornamentally carved ceiling which is believed to have been carved out from a piece of drift wood. other attractions here are a captivating aquarium with many varieties of corals and different species of colourful fishes. This is an ideal spot for water sports.

Kalpeni Islands the Kalpeni islands are a group of three small islands that in popular opinion are the most charming island in the Lakshadweep region. one of the most striking features of these islands is that they are surrounded by a lagoon that is amazingly splendorous. in addition to being a popular water sport destination, the Kalpeni islands fascinate

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november-December INDIA & YOU

tourists with their natural beauty. tourists here can expect to be overwhelmed by their magical spell. the awe-inspiring natural surroundings may unearth one’s hidden poetic skills!

Agatti Island Life is very smooth here. everybody knows everybody. there is no crime. the island has only two hotels and one of them only takes orders for food a day in advance. tourists are advised to be prepared for basic food if not travelling as part of a package tour. there are no buses here so bicycles are the best way explore the island. Limited tourist infrastructure here makes for an unusual but good experience. there are a few antique buddhist sculptures that show that the islanders once practiced buddhism. now islam is practiced exclusively. fishing is the main occupation with tuna being the main fish. The local fishermen practise a unique way of fishing. They catch small fishes near the island and keep them alive in a container before proceeding out to the sea.

Once they spot tuna, the small fishes are released into the water and simultaneously water is sprayed with a small pump. this spray of water, apparently, fools the tuna into believing that there are a lot more small fishes. Long bamboo poles with fishing

hooks are deployed. the boats leave by early morning and return in the evening with their catch. There are no modern fish processing facilities on the island so traditional methods are used. Immediately on arrival, the fish is cut up, boiled and dried in the sun. this dried fish is then exported to the mainland. During low tide when the water recedes, people go hunting for octopus. the water in the lagoon during low tides is as low as 30 centimetres. octopus decorates the entrance to its hole with stones in a distinctive pattern. the octopus hunters spot this pattern and it’s hunted by spears. octopus tentacles drying out in the sun is a common sight along the beach. the agatti island is considered to be the gateway to Lakshadweep, since the only airport in the island is located here. a remarkable tourist destination agatti boasts of a splendidly attractive lagoon in the west.

Andretti Islands Located closest to the indian mainland near Cochin, the andretti island is densely populated. the island boasts of spectacular natural surroundings. apart from the natural attractions, many buddhist archaeological remains and the tomb of saint Hazrat Ubaidullah also generate considerable interest among the tourists.

Bangaram Islands an uninhabited, unspoilt and tranquil island which is totally pollution free, bangaram is surrounded by a picturesque lagoon, enclosed in a coral reef. the coral formation attracts a variety of aquatic life.

it is a thrilling experience to go for deep sea fishing in the local boats along with the local crew be delighted to come across harmless sharks and the green and hawk-bill turtles. over years bangaram islands have gained popularity of being a beautiful tourist spot with stunning natural beauty and a secluded atmosphere. awash with green and dense coconut trees, sparkling coral reefs, sandy beaches and turquoise blue lagoons, the island beacons the travellers with it’s enchanting views. at bangaram, one can indulge in a variety of activities like wind-surfing, parasailing , scuba diving, water-skiing and snorkelling.

Mini Coy the southern-most island in the group, Mini Coy, is somehow isolated from the other islands. this isolation makes Mini Coy quite an interesting place. Culture here is quite distinct , a kind of bend of Maldivian and south indian cultures. Women enjoy a domineering position in the Mini Coy society, due to which the island is also sometimes referred to as the women’s island. the beach at Mini Coy offers the tourists with varied facilities like bathing huts, changing rooms and numerous water sports arrangements.

Kadmat for those in search of solitude Kadmat is an ideal retreat . the long shoreline with beautiful sandy beaches is dotted with a series of well secluded tourist huts. adding to all the charm is a fine lagoon of even depth. The shallow lagoon on the western side has a perfect setting for varied water sports activities. there is also a

narrow lagoon on the eastern side, making it perhaps the only island with lagoons on both sides. a strikingly wonderful feature of Kadmat is that the landscape is filled with in-numerable coconut palms that form a natural canopy over the entire area, protecting one from the sunlight. Considered as hotspot for water sport activities, the island has full fledged institute and a diving school with well trained instructors. the exclusive nature of the island also makes it a perfect retreat for honeymooners. it is also worthwhile to know that Kadmat is the only island in Lakshadweep apart from bangaram and agatti where international tourists are permitted.

Lakshadweep mesmerises the visitors with its splendid atmosphere that prevails all around. Pure white beaches, dense palm

groves and beautiful lagoons; the group of islands are perfect for nature lovers and water sports enthusiasts, or for those who simply wish to spend time idly. n

bitra Kadmat bangaram

Chetlat Kiltan androth

amini

agatti

Cherium

Kavaratti suheli

Kalpeni

How to reach

Minicoy

By ship: Lakshadweep island can be reached by ships and flights operated from Kochi. For all tourist purposes Kochi is the gateway to Lakshadweep.

By air: agatti and bangaram islands can be reached by flight from Kochi. Indian Airlines operate flights from Kochi. Onward flights from Kochi are available to most of the airports in india and abroad. airstrip is there in agatti island only. from agatti boats are available to Kavaratti and Kadmat during fair season october to May. Helicopter transfer is available from agatti to bangaram island Resort during monsoon and to Kavaratti throughout the year. the

fishermen returning to their homes after the days catch

flight from Cochin to Agatti takes approximately one hour and thirty minutes.

INDIA & YOU november-December

39

Lead Story

revenue

Bollywood 2013-14

High on content and

Lead Story

W

ith the release of the year’s much awaited movie Dhoom 3 which minted Rs 1 billion in a record three days, 2013 has become a year of box office records and not only for the big budget films. Even independent cinema has found a much better acceptance by Indian audiences.

This year saw eight films make Rs 1 billion against nine films in 2012 and most of them were happy to gently armtwist audiences into watching the film by making sure that the big budget film was the only release that week. In January, Race 2 became the first film of 2013 to enter the Rs 1 billion club. It was quickly followed by Aashiqui 2, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Raanjhanaa, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Chennai Express, Grand Masti, Krrish 3, Goliyon ki Raasleela: Ram-Leela and Dhoom 3.

While some of them ran out of steam after having breached the Rs 1 bn barrier, others continued to earn even more. Leading the bandwagon was Shah Rukh Khan and his star power in Chennai Express, which became the first film of the year to surpass the Rs 2 billion mark.

But Dhoom 3 broke that record with the collection of Rs 3 billion in total.

With Indian cinema celebrating its 100 years in 2013, Bollywood found newcomers challenging the reign of superstars in the one-billion-rupee club even as small-budget, but content driven films found better acceptance at the box office.

Moving on, 2014 so far seems to be slow in taking off for Bollywood, only one movie in one-billion-club. However, the power of music and women has taken some movies to the ‘hit’ chart.

Jasleen Kaur

06

May-June 2014 INDIA & YOU

INDIA & YOU May-June 2014

07

CuIsINe

Maharashtrian cuisine

A food-lover’s delight MAhArAshTrIAN fooD refleCTs INflueNCes froM ArouND The worlD. The PorTuguese broughT ChIllI PePPers; The MughAls broughT wITh TheM fruITs suCh As APrICoTs, MeloNs AND PluMs; AND, The brITIsh ToMAToes. As A resulT, The regIoNAl CuIsINe of The souTherN sTATe Is A rICh sPreAD of TexTures, AroMAs AND AesTheTICs.

By Anupam Chanda

S

tepping out of the Bandra railway station of Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, take the narrow pedestrian lane spilling with fresh flowers and green vegetables and follow the nose. The olfactory trail is likely to lead one to a ramshackle kiosk.

The nameplate is rusty with paint peeling off and the entire contraption in danger of falling off any moment. The service is dubious – the brawniest lot who muscle their way to the counter get the hottest stuff, the food is served on the crushed pages of the previous day’s newspaper and there are no spoons or forks.

Customers are encouraged to have food with their bare hands.

The crowd here is eclectic - small time politician, big actors, corporate head honchos, doctors, lawyers, beggars, thieves, housewives, midwives, collegians and many more, bonded together by their search of flawless maharashtrian snacks. And the food...well the batata vadas, sadu danachi khichdi, aalu vadis, lasoon chutney and puri-bhaji (popular snacks) are delectable enough to inspire poetry in the most barren of souls. Nobody has ever got around to discovering how they get the outer covering of the vadas so crisp, the sabudana so soft yet so dry and the potatoe bhaji (vegetable fritters) so white soft and easy on the tummy.

The nameless kiosk meanwhile, decades into the business, continues to make culinary history.

Of all the good things that happened to me in life, one of the best was having a maharashtrian for a close friend. Almost every weekend I decamped from my den to take up temporary residence with Amol,the afore mentioned friend. Consequently I learned all there was to learn about maharashtrian food habits - home cooked delicacies, the city nooks and crannies that served authentic maharashtrian grub, known only to a secret club of food lovers. Dishes that are eternally linked to festivals and came garnished with

deep nostalgia and the maharashtrian’s eternal love affair with the pressure cooker.

One of my earliest memories is that of Amol’s mothersitting with a stoic expression at the foot-held vegetable cutter and chopping onions. The mound of chopped onions was easily about a foot high and the purpose was to use it for the entire day’s dishes. Then began the cooking of various meals in which predictably, the pressure cooker played a sterling role.

Nobody can make chapattis (Indian bread) quite like the maharashtrians , I discovered early in life, just as no non maharashtrian should ever try his/her hand at saboo dana ki khichdi (a dish made from soaked pearl tapioca).

The only time my folks attempted the khichdi at home, the khichdi turned a viscous gluey mess and had to be scrapped off the pan with a screw driver. No other community can stretch a limited amount of meat to feed an army of people satisfactorily.

Karanji, filled with coconut and khoya

The magical rubber band like trait is almost biblical and can be equalled by the Chinese.

Cooking and eating chicken curry, a weekend favourite here, is a spiritual and holistic experience, to be devoured with impartial attention to meat, masala (spice) and gravy.

The pieces are indistinguishable,having been chopped with geometric uniformity, the gravy thick and fragrant and needing other accompaniment other than the mandatory koshimbir, a kind of finely chopped salad.

There is a kind of democratic justice in the way everybody gets to eat chicken curry the same way. Quite unlike my bengali folks who go to war over who should have the liver, who should tuck into gizzard, which member qualifies for the legs and which family member deserves to be given short shrift in the form of a chicken neck.

The landscape of Maharashtra is neither lush nor hospitable like Kerala or West Bengal. It consists of endless sweeps of barren

CuIsINe

Chaklis

maharashtrian masala. The farsaan counter displays chaklis, karanjis,shankarpalas, chiwda etc. that are undoubtedly some of the tastiest snack in the world butwhile making them at home, there is a very fine line between getting it right and goofing up royally. The trick is to exist in the moment while cooking, having your eyes fixed on the gas flame (the temperature of the oil being of prime importance) and think pure and benevolent thoughts while frying. every time I get distracted with other thoughts, my shankarpalas turned brittle and my karanjis burst like diwali crackers splattering coconut filling all over the kitchen walls. Cooking I learned was as spiritual and tricky a business as white water rafting or transcendental meditation. epitomising the indomitable spirit of maharashtrians, is an essential part of maharashtrian cooking, being both independent and enmeshed with the cuisine of goa and northern parts of Karnataka. Malvan

a coastal town in the Sindhudurg district of southern Maharashtra, shot to culinary prominence with sol kadi and Bombay duck fry. The coconut in every conceivable form is used in malvani cooking – dry roasted, fried in oil, fresh and grated or squeezed to obtain coconut milk. Nearly every Malvani dish is given the added sourness with the use of kokum, tamarind and raw mangoes. The rose pink coloured sol kadi that doubles up as both appetiser and digestive, is a blend of kokum and coconut milk and considered a must to balance the fiery curries that malvani cuisine abounds in.

My mumbaikar friends plan their diwali farsaan, a collective term used for a type of snack, weeks in advance, staggering the process between relatives so that everybody gets to congregate and help in each house.

The proceedings are full of camaraderie and gossip. Consequently the Diwali snacks never go wrong. A word of caution that I liberally give to non-maharashtrians is that the hit-or-miss

quality extend to a lot of their dishes, you can either get them so crisp and crumbly that on eating them one attains instant nirvana but on the flip side, they could turn as hard as pebbles and uproot your molars. Again that zen state of mind is needed in the kitchen.

There is nothing as rich and delicious as the upaasachi bhaaji, a dish eaten while observing fast. The potato preparation cooked in pure ghee (clarified butter), sprinkled with coarsely ground peanuts and devoid of any masalas is a dish that could inspire fasting for 365 days!

Milk, sweets and fruits too are permitted on a fast, providing further fodder for unkind jokes.

After living in Marathi-land for a while, I almost felt the sun-dried coconut, powdered peanuts and kaala masala slyly made place in my DNA makeup. My bengali relatives are shocked and horrified when I frequently request them to add maharashtrian flavour to the bengali food items.I would suggest all the food-lovers to savour the food as the maharashtrians do ! n

MUMBAI’S TOP 10 STREET FOOD JOINTS

Sol Kadi Til laddoos served on a Diwali platter

mountains, sea breezes, coconut trees along the coast line and sturdy crops. Add to that invaders over the centuries settling down in pockets and injecting their culinary influences into the local fare. The Portuguese, east Indians, Parsis and the british may have made inroads and spun innovative culinary detours, but the core of Maharashtrian cooking remains unchanged.

Bhakri, made out of jowar (Sorghum), bajra (Pearl millet) or nachni (finger millet) is still the staple diet in many homes, patted into shape by hand and roasted on a hot tawa. Ganesh chaturthi, a hindu festival celebrated in honour of the lord ganesha, is still synonymous with food items like steamed /fried modaks. with a hostile terrain of ingredients used in cooking, I

66

November-December INDIA & YOU

learned , was chiefly aimed at enhancing taste, providing quick nourishment and encouraging longevity. The generous use of garlic, sundried coconut, kokum, groundnuts (crushed, whole, roasted, fried), ghee and the dry nature of sweets and snacks were all conductive to the foods lasting longer. While puran poli, a famous dessert in Maharashtr, is made with channa daal (a kind of pulse) and jaggery, the left over water from the pulse is made into a sweet-sour amti, a kind of curry. onions , curry leaves, coriander are a must for most dishes as is the ubiquitous kaala masala (speacial homamade spice in Maharashtra). When used in brinjal split, stuffed(with a paste of onion ginger garlic, tomatoes, peanuts, tamarind and kaala masala)

and cooked in oil over a low flame – the resultant dish is an unparallel marvel. The traditional kaala masala of the maharashtrians has an intriguing air of secrecy about it with no one ever wanting to disclose the components.

With an Indiana Jones like persistence, I believe I have cracked the 15 digit code and discovered that it is a conglomerate of whole coriander seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, red chillies, poppy seeds and various other components (15 components in all) dry roasted and ground together in approximately equal proportions.

Deep in the alleys of girgaun and grant Road in southern part of Mumbai where no motorist dare venture, are little stalls that sell homemade snacks and pouches of

Pav Bhaji at Sardar’s - A fiveminute walk from Mumbai Central station, sardar’s refreshments specialises in straight-from-the-streets, finger-licking pav bhaji. It’s hidden behind white barriers, but mutter pav bhaji to any passerby and they will point you in the right direction. sardar’s, 166-A Tardeo road Junction, Tulsiwadi, near Tardeo bus depot, +91 22 2494 0208, eur1 a serving. open noon-2am Kebabs at Sarvi - Mohammed Ali Road is the benchmark for skewered kebabs, that hang from smoking stalls like sizzling curtains. But towards the north end, veer left on to Dimtimkar road and head to sarvi. sarvi, 184/196 Dimtimkar road, opposite Nagpada Police station, byculla west, +91 98 3353 3305, from eur 1 for four kebabs. open 9.30am-11.30pm Vada Pav at Anand - It’s every Mumbaikar’s grab-and-go snack. Potato patties mashed with garlic, chillies and coriander are dipped in chickpea flour, fried golden, then laid in pav - a springy white bap that’s well buttered, spread with coriander chutney and sprinkled with garlic and chilli powder.

Anand, opposite Mithibai College, gulmohar road, Vile Parle west, 20p a bap. open 7.30am-11pm Pani Puri at Elco Panipuri Centre - A crisp fried sphere, filled with potato, chickpeas, onion and sprouted lentils, then dunk it into a sweet-and-sour mix of tamarind and jaggery, then a liquid blend of coriander, mint and garam masala. - elco Pani Puri Centre, 2/A elco Market, 46 hill rd, bandra west, +91 22 2645 7677, 50p for two. open 10am-11.30pm Chicken Tikka Rolls at Bademiya - No Mumbaikar seems to have been to bademiya before 3am. A testament to the late-

night allure of its charcoaled, meaty goodness. Slid off skewers, the meat is wrapped in a steaming roomali roti- as thin and soft as a handkerchief and topped with strips of fried onion. No sauce required, its juices are enough. bademiya, Tulloch rd, Apollo bunder, Colaba, open 5pm-4am Bhel Puri at Sharmajees And Badsha’s - A crunchy, cold, sweet-and-sour mix of puffed rice, sev, chopped onion and potato, and tamarind chutney. It has to be mixed and eaten on the spot, and most vendors will concoct their own variations.

Chowpatty Beach is the home of bhel puri, where it should be eaten while strolling along the shore.

- sharmajee’s and badshah’s, Chowpatty beach, near Charni road station, 30p per plate. open all day Keema Pav at Olympia Coffee House - A plate of fried minced meat and hunks of bread to mop it up. Directly opposite the unfateful leopold’s, olympia does saucers of delicious masala kheema.

- olympia Coffee house, rahim Mansion, 1 sb singh rd, Colaba, +91 22 2202 1043, open 7ammidnight Channa Bhatura at Cream Centre - A football-sized, deep-fried puri alongside a bowl of creamy masala chickpeas, diced potatoes and onions.

- Cream Centre, fulchand Niwas 25/b Chowpatty sea face, +91 22 2367 9222, open noon-11.30pm Crab at Mahesh Lunch House – A jumbo butter garlic crab with a roomali roti to wipe up the crunchy bits of garlic and chilli.

- Mahesh lunch home, 8-b Cawasji Patel street, fort, +91 22 2287 0938 Juices and Milkshakes at Bachelorr’s - The cream-andstrawberry milkshake is a classic, but it also churns out numerous chocolate variations, from Classic Chocolate and black gold Premium to liquid Marble along with a host of fresh lime, coconut water and lychee juices.

- bachelorr’s, Chowpatty sea face, opposite birla Krida Kendra, near Charni road station, +91 22 2368 1408, open 3pm11pm

INDIA & YOU November-December

67

Mark Your

DiarY

International Yoga and Music Festival When: Nov 1-14 (0700 until 1900 hours daily) Where: Rishikesh, Uttarakhand Organised by Nada Yoga School every year since 2008, the International Yoga and Music Festival features 50 yoga teachers, Ayurvedic doctors, and yogis, yoga lecturers, musicians, and philosophers from Rishikesh and abroad. Free classes and lectures are held with topics including yoga asanas, Ayurveda, philosophy and classical music.

There is an Indian classical music concert in the evenings as well.

Ayurveda Jhansi Festival When: Nov 19-25 Where: Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh The week-long festival is a platform for displaying the rich cultural heritage of the Bundelkhand region. The ethnic music and dance performances are held. This festival also celebrates many legends in the field of poetry, especially those from this region. Each day features special performances by renowned artists.

The festival also features shows like Bollywood night and laughter shows.

Lucknow Mahotsav When: Nov 25-Dec 5 Where: Lucknow, UP Lucknow Mahotsava is organized every year to showcase Uttar Pradesh art and culture and in particular Lucknowavi ‘Tehzeeb’ (respect) so as to promote tourism.

Lucknow Mahotsava evening would be adorned with on one hand by the celebrities, famous artists’ performances and on the other by renounced classical singers.

Lucknow Mahotsava is also a shopping delight.

Hornbill Festival When: First week of December Where: Kohima, Nagaland If you haven’t visited India’s north-east yet, then attend the Hornbill Festival. The unique culture of Nagaland – one of the seven states in the region – is showcased in the form of music and dance performances, art exhibitions and sporting events. And if you have it in you, enter in the Naga King Chilli-Eating Competition.

Lucknow Mahotsav When: Nov 25-Dec 5 Where: Lucknow, UP Lucknow Mahotsava is organized every year to showcase Uttar Pradesh art and culture and in particular Lucknowavi ‘Tehzeeb’ (respect) so as to promote tourism. Lucknow Mahotsava evening would be adorned with on one hand by the celebrities, famous artists’ performances and on the other by renounced classical singers.

Lucknow Mahotsava is also a shopping delight.

Shilpgram Fair When: Dec 21-30 Where: Udaipur, Rajasthan Shilpgram festival, a colourful crafts festival, is held annually in Udaipur. This fair is a perfect destination to try out the hand woven clothes, embroideries, mirror works and handicrafts. If you are interested in learning the art and craft of Rajasthan, you can join the workshops that are structured to demonstrate the method.

Rann Utsav Kutch When: Dec 14, 2014-March 18, 2015 Where: Rann of Kutch, Gujarat Rann Utsav is a cultural extravaganza that takes place at various locations within Kutch in Gujarat. This Utsav or fair showcases traditional art forms of India. The fair celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of the Kutch district and highlights the cultural splendor of Gujarat.

Enjoying the shades of full moon with folk music and dance forms in chilling winters is an enchanting experience.

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BEACHES & SANDS For the dough • 400 grams of all-purpose flour • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1

• 1 ½ tbsp salt • One and a half cup lukewarm water • 4 gms dry yeast • 1 tbsp sugar Mix the yeast and sugar with a cup and a half of lukewarm water and set it aside in a container at least twice that size so the yeast can activate. In the meantime put the flour, salt and extra virgin olive oil in a large bowl. When the yeast mixture is frothy, pour it bit by bit into the bowl whilst kneading. Knead for about ten minutes until the dough is smooth. It must feel soft and elastic when you touch it. Make a ball with the kneaded dough, dust it with flour and set it aside in a large bowl covered with a dry cloth (or cling film) to rise for at least 2 hours or until it doubles in.

The pizza sauce • 3 cans of tomatoes (400gm per can) • Half a bunch fresh basil • 2 or three fat garlic cloves • Some dry oregano

2

• Two tbsp olive oil • Sugar • Salt Whilst your pizza dough is resting, place your tomatoes in the food processor and pulse it for a minute or two. Chop your

Fresh from the oven for

pizza lovers Italian pizzas have reached the palates all across the globe. As the frenzy increases, grab a chance to feed your children with homemade authentic pizzas to keep their taste buds homebound!

Text by Alexandre Clasens

garlic and basil leaves. Add the oil to the pan, when warm add the basil and garlic and saute for half a minute. Add your tomato paste and bring to a gentle boil. When it reaches the boiling point, remove from fire and filter the sauce through a strainer.

You should only keep the liquid tomato sauce. Pour it back into your pan and cook on slow flame for ten minutes. Add the salt and sugar, mix and cook the sauce until it has reduced. It should be cooked until you obtain a thick consistency. (You can store this sauce one week in the fridge in an airtight container)

The pizza • Chopped green olives • Chopped white mushrooms • Mozzarella/pizza cheese • Olive oil

3

• Oregano Preheat your oven at 250 degrees. Take your dough and hit it with your fist to release the air. Divide it in two (or four for thin crust pizzas). Use a pastry roller and roll your dough into a pizza base the same way you roll a roti. Put it on a pizza tray suited

t's been more than a decade that names such as Pizza hut, Domino's and Smoking Joe's have appeared in almost every cities in India. Instances such as young teenagers pleading their parents for a pizza treat became so common all over the country that local neighbourhood restaurants included a variety of pizzas in their menus to attract these customers.

But, have you ever tried to make pizzas at home?

Well, we guarantee you that you will never spend any more penny buying expensive pizzas for your children! As is said, once you try it at home, you'll never want anything from outside.

I

Here is a chance to enjoy cooking simple and authentic Italian pizzas for a fraction of the price of the ones that are delivered at your doorstep. For more fun, we suggest you to invite your children to help with the preparation. Making pizza is fun and your children will definitely enjoy the experience.

Whilst you knead the dough, they can cut the vegetables or cheese. Cooking with family makes the food taste even better. You may also get to know what pizzas really taste like in Italy. Adding too many toppings ruins the experience. The trick to a good pizza is not adding more than two or three toppings, cheese included of course!

for cooking at high temperatures. Use a fork and make some small holes all over the pizza. Pour some olive oil and spread it evenly with a brush. Take two three table spoon of your pizza sauce, spread it around your pizza base in circle. The goal is to put the sauce all over the pizza base, don't overdo it. Take some chopped green olives & white mushrooms and spread it evenly on the pizza. Chop your mozzarella/pizza cheese very finely, place it on top of your toppings. Pour some dried oregano all over the cheese. Keep it simple, avoid overusing the cheese.

Take some olive oil and pour some over your pizza. Add a whole fresh basil leaf and place your pizza in its tray in the oven for about 20 minutes maximum at 220 degrees. Serve your children to keep them tongue-tied with food of their choice at home!

Advertorial

Jumpin Heights, Rishikesh

e k a T a leap of

faith Rishikesh is one place which does not only provide the tourists a dose of spirituality but also gives a taste of thrill of adventure sports. One such adventure zone is Jumpin Heights, where bungee jumping is a big draw.

Jasleen Kaur

How to reach

Flying Fox - the least scary activity

By Air: Dehradun airport is the nearest airport (20 km km from Rishikesh)

By Rail: Haridwar is the nearest railway station (25 km from Rishikesh)

By Road: Rishikesh is connected by road via Haridwar with Agra, Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Kullu, Manali, and Shimla.

O

ften we are all faced with challenges and most of us love to give it our best shot and fight it head on. Well, talking of challenges, fear of heights is something inherent in many.

And when this fear can be turned into a catalyst for a challenging adventure sport, what better way to get your adrenalines pumping?

Are you an adrenaline junkie? Do you have the guts to overcome your fear or to

feel the air up your spine and body? If yes, Jumpin Heights is the place to be!

Standing on the edge of a cliff, you look down to see the rocks at the bottom. You see the shallow gushing river. You gulp.

The only thing you are conscious of is a cold sweat running down your spine. The cords that tie you there are immaterial.

Fear is thumping in your ear. Each thump a question: What if the cord snaps? What if I hit my head? What if?

This feeling comes when you go for bungee jumping from a height of 83 metres

Destination

Bungee Jumping is a big draw

Giant Swing is scarier than Bungee Jumping

in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. All courtesy Jumpin Heights, which claims to be the country’s first cantilever bungee platform built over a rocky cliff over-looking ‘Hall’, a gushing tributary of the Ganges in Rishikesh.

Unparalleled thrill The journey began when the Jumpin Heights mini coach took us some 18 km upstream of Rishikesh at Mohan Chatti where the jumping station is situated.

En route, various advertising boards of Jumpin Heights make your heart beat faster with cliches like “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” and “Courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it”. At the station, while we awaited our turn in the cafeteria we watched live videos of people jumping and it only increased the fear. Finally, our turn came and the smile shrunk on the solitary walk down the long metal platform to the jump point. “Take a deep breath, look straight, and free yourself,”

said my trainer Suzanne, looking straight into my eyes even as a shiver went down my spine at the thought of jumping off the cliff. As Suzzane spoke, two other trainers fitted me out with two harnesses, one for the back harness and the other for the ankles. Suzanne, who is from Switzerland and works four to five months a year as a trainer with Jumpin Heights, assured me that all the safety measures were in place.

After the trainers double-checked everything, right from my weight into the fittings of the harnesses, they asked me to walk forward. I reached the edge of the launch pad and could see the crystal clear water of the river. They asked me not to look down and that I was ready to jump.

Trainers yelled, “3, 2, 1... Bungee” and I was in the air. With my ankles up and head down, the force of gravity fast pulled me down towards the river. The thrill of the free fall lasted only a few seconds, but the adrenaline rush didn’t stop even after the elastic chord to my ankle threw me a few metres up just before I could touch the

river. The only words that came out of my mouth at that time were, “Yes, I have done it.” There were two men standing below and they pulled me down with the help of a strap and put me on a mattress as they unbuttoned the harnesses. And when I got up, they gave me a water bottle. I trekked back to the reception counter.

Bungee jumping is a big draw here but the Giant Swing far outweighs the bungee in both the scare and the thrill element.

The Giant Swing plunges you down almost twice the height as the bungee and you swing wildly across the valley. The only psychological advantage here is that you are upright and have a rope in front of you to hold. Flying fox is the third adventurous activity and the least scary of the three.

A leap of faith costs about 2,500 INR (31 Euros) in India versus Rs 3,600 (45 Euros) in Nepal, which houses the world’s third highest bungee point on the river Bhote Kosi. The best bit: You not only live to tell the tale but show it too. An automated camera records each moment

of the jump and costs only 700 INR (9 eur). What’s more, you can watch others’ jumps on screen as well, while gorging on piping hot coffee. Besides providing you with a breath-taking view, the cafeteria also lets you watch live recordings of the jumps on their screens.

Safety is the top priority here says Devendra Gusain, Operations Manager at Jumpin Heights. “Safety standards offered by Jumpin Heights in India are comparable to safety standards and practices followed in Australia and New Zealand. Our trained staff looks at safety first with guidance from experienced jump masters from these countries. People suffering from complications like heart and blood pressure are not fit to jump.

Pregnant ladies are also not allowed. We are very careful about these things.”

The best time to visit here is between April and June. You can also visit after the winter when there is no fog, Gusain said, adding, “To please the palette of adventure lovers further, Jumpin Heights is expanding to Lonavala about 100 km from Mumbai.”

many options for budget accommodation but it lacks any four orfive star properties nearby. I stayed in a budget hotel, Shivanta Residency, where rooms were big enough and location was good but the food in their in-house restaurant was average, so I preferred the nearby restaurants, which only served vegetarian fare non-vegetarian food is banned in the holy town. The best food is served at the oldest restaurant of the city – Chotiwala.

There is a fat mascot with a pointed hairdo sitting right outside the restaurant with the plate having all the dishes that are served.

Before leaving the city, in the evening, we found a German Bakery facing the Ganges near Lakshman Jhula and, with mix vegetable pakoras (snacks) and lime soda in our hands, we simply watched the emerald green water of the Ganges flow by and heard pealing of the bells from the temples. And the contrast between the tranquility of the moment and the adrenalin rush of the morning could not have been greater! n

Budget stay, veg food I collected my belongings and came back to my hotel in Tapovan. Rishikesh has

5 things to do in Rishikesh, apart from Bungee Jumping • Take a holy dip in Ganges and watch the beautiful Ganga Aarti (prayer) at Parmarth Niketan every evening • White water rafting, if possible with overnight camping on the banks of the river. Best time is March to June and September to November.

• Other adventure sports like rappelling, rock climbing, kayaking, etc.

• Yoga in Rishikesh – There are many yoga centres here. International yoga festival takes place in March every year.

• Shopping – Go for handicraft items made of shells, beads and pearls.

Chotiwala is the oldest restaurant in Rishikesh

An evening Ganga aarti

Destination

The first view of Kanchanjunga range from a point above Zuluk

Along the forgotten

Silk Route THE ANCIENT TREACHEROuS HIGH ALTITudE TRAIL CALLEd THE ‘SILK ROuTE’ fROM THE HIMALAyAN fOOTHILLS THROuGH SIKKIM TO THE TIBETAN PLATEAu WAS uSEd AS THE MAIN TRAdE ROuTE IN MEdIEvAL TIMES. TOdAy ONE CAN dRIvE fROM KALIMPONG THROuGH EAST SIKKIM uP TO JELEP-LA, THE INdO-CHINA BORdER PASS WITH SPECIAL PERMITS fROM THE INdIAN MILITARy.

By Anupam Chanda

30

november-December INDIA & YOU

t

he ‘Silk Route’ formed an ancient extensive network of trade routes interconnected with each other. They also connected the Asian continent with Europe and Africa.

Extending over 4,000 miles, the routes enabled people to transport trade goods while simultaneously serving as a conduit for the spread of knowledge, ideas and cultures between different parts of the world. Trade on the silk route was a significant factor behind development and in many respects helped lay the foundations for modern world.

Over decades due to socio political reasons numerous trade routes, that played an important role in the rise of international trades round the globe, got closed or lost its regular travellers. They lie cold, empty and unused as opposed to being a busy highway for the exchange of commodities and culture in the past. Silk Road, one such route, has tremendous historic reference. In ancient times, this route was the main commercial road that connected China through Bhutan and India to the rest of the world. It was the

The trade routes lie cold, empty and unused as opposed to being a busy once upon a time only trade link between British India and Tibet through the passes of Sikkim, back in the late 18th Century.

Having stayed in the region since birth, 49 year old Gopal Pradhan, the headman of Zuluk vilage, is an all rounder. A brilliant guide, driver, butler, host and a complete entrepreneur with his amazing world above 10,000 ft. Pradhan’s father was one of the couriers of the ancient silk route from Kalimpong in West Bengal to Lhasa through the Jelep-la Pass. In those days it took more than a week to walk up to Jelepla from Kalimpong, with Zuluk being the main halt before the final ascent. Mostly food grains and sugar were traded for salt / potatoes

and sometimes smuggled gold. Raw silk was also part of the barter trade but less. Thanks to the Indian Army today civilians can easily drive up to Jelepla or even drive down past Nathula Pass that is the modern Indo-China trade gateway at 14200 feet to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim.

Gopal picks up tourists onto his 12 seater from Rongpo, the entry point of Sikkim, helps with all the necessary permits from the Sikkim Police and the Army at the check points on the route and also keeps narrating his father’s experiences throughout the trip.

The route takes one through perhaps the most beautiful and unexplored patches of East Sikkim. Small hamlets like Ranglee, Rhenock,

INDIA & YOU november-December

31

Travel accessories

Travel accessories

Grid-it (organization system) World travelers often have an assortment of gadgets that can fling around by unruly airport baggage handlers, or simply filter through your clothes in your luggage -- but no longer. Grid-it is a simple organization system made up of dozens of elastic bands that hold devices firmly to the inside case. It's slim and features a rear zippered pocket for more storage.

Travelon luggage tags One of the many pet peeves to air travelers is finding luggage as it rolls along the pick-up belt.

With a unique-looking travel tag, it's far easier to see your bag as it rolls along the conveyer belt. These tags are bright and colorful, and will save valuable time when you're heading out to your final destination.

Digital luggage scale Say goodbye to excessbaggage charges with this Weigh Me scale, which can weigh luggage up to 30kg in kilos or pounds. It’s the size of a shoehorn and light enough to hardly affect your luggage weight. Batteries are included.

If you travel with budget airlines with stingy allowances, this could pay for itself on one trip.

Steam iron Keep your holiday wardrobe wrinkle-free with this dinky travel iron. Weighing less than a bag of sugar, it heats up quickly, and the non-stick plate helps it glide effortlessly across a range of fabrics. Also works as a dry iron. The travel pouch it comes in makes it easy to store in your suitcase and between trips away.

Apple Airport Express If you spend a lot of time in hotel rooms tethered to a 3" blue Ethernet leash or racking up $9.95-a-day wireless charges, this little white box could be the handiest 7.58 ounces in your computer bag.

Originally marketed as a device for extending the range of an existing Wi-Fi network or for beaming music from a computer to a home stereo system, Apple's Airport Express also functions as a wireless base station in its own right. Just plug that Ethernet cable into the box and the box into an unoccupied outlet. When you fire up your computer, the transmitter shows up, ready to be configured into your own private Wi-Fi domain. Share it with whoever is in the room with you or, if you don't enter a password, your neighbors down the hall.

30

India Outbound November-December 2014

Fragrance atomiser This sleek, refillable atomiser will save valuable space in your suitcase. It can hold up to 50 sprays of your favourite perfume – plenty for a fortnight away.

Choose between black, gold, silver or pink. It’s small enough to fit into your handbag and complies with air-travel liquid restrictions.

Inflatable coat hanger It may sound like an unnecessary purchase, but if you’re camping, have limited storage or just can’t bear wrinkled clothes on holiday, then these lightweight lovelies could be for you. They blow up in seconds and, with their rotating hooks, can be hung from any available hook or door.

Relief for bites Insect bites can ruin a holiday, so beat the itch with this clever device. Tiny and virtually weightless, it generates a mild electrical impulse to your bite, stopping the urge to scratch and so reducing swelling. It’s safe for children over four. With 10,000 clicks, this little gadget will last you for years!

Waterproof case Splash-proof your phone and valuables on the beach, by the pool or even on theme-park water rides by stashing them away in this handy Beachbuoy waterproof case, which protects items to a depth of 16ft. The string handle is long enough to be worn over your neck or shoulder.

Solar charger A usable electrical socket might not always be at hand when your phone or MP3 player runs out of juice. However, in many popular holiday destinations, you're sure of sunshine. This portable solar charger charges a mobile for 35 hours, and iPod for 14 hours and a GPS for one-and-a-half hours, and has adaptors for most devices.

Portable door alarm Perfect for all safetyconscious travellers, particularly women on their own, this light, portable door alarm will help you rest easy. Simply jam the wedge under your door to make it harder to open, and you’ll be alerted by an alarm if anyone tries to get in. The ear-splitting alarm would wake even the deepest of sleepers.

Messenger bags Coming straight from Amsterdam, these bags are made of the highest quality materials, come in many fresh colors and feature some of the coolest print designs. You can build your own Crew Messenger bag. The parts click, stick and zip which allow you to (re)customize the bag at any time. The Interchangeable Flap comes in many colors & prints. Attach to the bag with velcro. This way, you can change it whenever you like. Car seatbelt strap 'clicks' with buckles into the bag and features a quick release cam buckle to adjust the length of the strap. The bag is made out of superstrong & weatherproof truck tarpaulin, ensuring it will last forever.

November-December 2014 India Outbound

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Destination

Destination

Where nature meets

heritage

UDaipUr Defies the popUlar notion of Dry rajasthan. the city that boasts of its heritage, cUltUre anD natUral sUrroUnDings can overwhelm a traveller with its varieD experiences.

by Shweta Keshri

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november-December INDIA & YOU

INDIA & YOU november-December

41

city breaK

city breaK

gateway to gangaur ghat at lake pichola

galleries in the city palace complex of Udaipur present the culture inside the palace to the world

U

“

daipur is the best city there could be, i wouldn’t leave it to go anywhere in the world”, says nirmal prajapat, an artist who also runs a restaurant with his three other friends. the city does have a certain charisma to it. located in the western and otherwise arid state of rajasthan, Udaipur stands in contradiction with its greenery and abundant lakes. it offers a rich combination of both heritage and nature fueled with art, culture and hospitality. while on one hand the old city can awe you with its life; lake badi, on the outskirts, can leave you in a poetic solitude. it enables a series of experiences and emotions if suitable time is invested. the city and its people have naturally responded to the tourism in the area. the earliest and the most popular lake, pichola, in the middle of the old city is dotted by hotels, restaurants and cafes on its shore. the old havelis have been turned into boutique hotels or bed and breakfast places. the market place has a very touristy air to it. much like other parts of rajasthan, people here are welcoming and friendly as well. a walk in the old city area reveals the heritage through architecture, the artistic ensembles and the calmness that lake pichola brings to the bustling city.

Marking the old city on foot the 16th century king of mewar region of rajasthan, maharana Udai singh ii, would not have thought that a hunting expedition would influence him into building a palace on the shore of Lake Pichola and finding a new capital for his kingdom. as suggests the tale, the king had a close encounter with a hermit who induced this vision. it is said that the King, subsequently, shifted his capital from chittorgarh to Udaipur. surrounded by the aravalli hills, Udaipur promised more safety than the frequently attacked capital chittorgarh, located approximately 115 kilometres away. the city of Udaipur draws its name from the king himself. the foundation of the city palace was laid at the spot where the king met the hermit, Rai Angan (the royal courtyard), adjacent to lake pichola. the palace since then has grown in size, with additions from all the maharanas ever since. it, therefore, illustrates different architectural phases such as the mewar, mewar-mughal phase and mewar-british phase. the series of palaces packed in complex face eastward, as customarily appropriate for the maharana or the sun dynasty. it

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has an exquisite facade that extends over 244 metres in length and 30.4 metres in height. with mountains at its backdrop and lake pichola outlining the other edge lengthwise, the city palace complex painted in gleaming white color has been compared to the greek islands, such as the mykonos. it is a living palace, as the descendant of the royal house of mewar and his family still reside there. the current royalty, shreeji arvind singh mewar, calls himself the custodian to the deity eklingji. he envisioned to protect the heritage left behind by his ancestors and to continue the customs and traditions the way the palace had always witnessed. he has successfully, through his vision and inherited assets, presented to the world the life inside the palace through a number of galleries. a part of the palace is also converted into hotels to grace people with rich hospitality of rajasthan. the galleries not only reveal the stories of the past but also keep them protected. it is often joked that every locked store room in the palace has the substance capacity to conceive a new gallery. crystal gallery, for example, includes a bewildering number of dinner sets, perfume bottles, decanters, glasses, washing bowls and even furniture. the display is the result of the crystal collection ordered from birmingham-based f&c osler company in1877 by the reigning king, maharana sajjan singh (1874-1884). it also houses the only crystal bed in the world! numerous jharokhas (overhanging balconies) in the city palace open to the view of lake pichola from where the lake palace and the jag mandir, located in the middle of the lake, can also be seen. both these palaces acted as summer getaways to the kings. jag mandir, built by a lineage of three maharanas between 16th and 17th century, was also a refuge to the mughal king shah jahan when he rebelled his father, the mughal king jahangir. it has now become the favorite destination for high profile weddings. While a common man can enjoy the surrounding with a meal or a coffee at jag mandir; to go to jag niwas or the lake palace, visitors need to check-in as it has been overtaken by the taj group of hotels. the beautiful palace, said to be inspired by the taj mahal, is off limits to even the local people. one may get its architectural glimpse from Octopussy (1983), a James Bond film that has scenes from inside the lake palace. it is unfortunate that the native people don’t have the access to appreciate the heritage of their land. outside the boundaries of the palace, the city displays the charm of a similar heritage as well. the narrow streets interlinked

city breaK

city breaK

From traveller’s diary cultural rajasthani folk dance, music and puppetry show hosted by the west Zone cultural centre at bagore ki haveli, adjacent to lake pichola, every evening. at gangaur ghat sits naru, a ravanhattha player, who makes the place musical with his fine tunes. He tells the legend behind ravanhattha, the instrument, with great delight. he also gushes about his trip to france with his wife for a concert, courtesy a fellow traveller and shows his recorded cD with immense pride. millets of mewar, located near lake pichola, is a vegetarian restaurant that specialises in traditional food made out of local farm produces. it is known for its fresh and experimental food. apart from that, the restaurant is a good place to meet new people and make friends as the young owners, who have varied interests, like to engage people in stimulating dialogues. ahar, located on the outskirts of the city, is an archaeological site.the ahar museum, located adjacent to it, has artifacts belonging to a civilization possibly dwelling nearby around 5000 b.c. apart from this the area also has approximately 250 cenotaphs to commemorate the maharajas and the royal families of mewar that were built over approximately 350 years. halchal café that runs on saturday evenings from 7 to 10pm at shikshantar, a local ngo. it is a unique café where the visitors decide the amount to be paid for the dishes ordered by measuring its

with the lake palace in its centre, lake pichola is dotted by numerous hotels along with the city palace on its coast line

with each other have numerous old havelis (mansion) that once used to be inhabited by the subordinates of the kings and have been passed on to their families for generations. when the city was found 500 years ago, the warriors and the courtiers moved first to the new capital and occupied areas surrounding the palace. similarly Brahmins, Baniyas, Rajputs, and Shudras, the different castes in india, occupied different places. the higher castes settled at the safest and most convenient areas. the construction of the havelis differed according to the needs of different castes and occupations. while some have been retained for personal use, a number of them have now been transformed into hotels or restaurants providing the visitors with an essence of life inside the havelis of rajasthan. the lanes also hide in them the traditional artisans of the city. in Kalash marg, for instance, reside the artisans who make bronze pots. most of the shops here claim to be 100 years old. with the steel industry taking over, it has little scope of survival left. the buyers are most often the villagers who visit to buy utensils to be gifted in weddings. the lanes open into the bazaar (market place) that negates the silence inside. while it

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is best to rise early to enjoy a walk without the noisy honks of the vehicles in crammed streets, the life that shops and people add to the bazaar is something one must experience. it offers a variety of options to engage with. leather products such as bags and diaries; the colourful bandhej sarees and dress materials famous in rajasthan; silver jewelleries are a few popular choices among people. the streets also have millions of galleries that sell the miniature and contemporary paintings from local artists. the owners favourably participate in conversations and share their knowledge on the art and its history without any pressure of compulsory purchase. as the sun goes down, the lakes and the surrounding hills make the city even more beautiful.the ghats along the lake pichola and the lakefront at Fatesagar are filled with the local population. on the other side of lake pichola, numerous restaurants offer spaces to dine sitting next to the lake or terraces that overlook lake and the palace.the city palace, lit well from inside, displays the details of each façade.the cool breeze from the lake and the sight of the glowing lake palace in the centre make the surrounding comparable to the romantic city of venice.

The natural heritage Udaipur acts as a tease to other parts of dry rajasthan with its eight lakes. lake pichola, the first from the five artificial lakes in the city was built by a tribesman pichchu banjara in the 14th century, who transported grains, to meet the water and irrigation needs of the people. this small irrigational pond was later enlarged by maharana Udai singh. other lakes such as Jaisamand, the second largest artificial lake in asia, have been built by the initiatives of the ruling kings of mewar in different eras. apart from being a relief for the people, the lakes and marshlands are home to 500 plus species of animals and birds found here. winter proves to be the best season for migratory birds that bring the marshes and grasslands to life. while lake pichola forms a home for birds like rudyshe duck, sandpiper, wagtails, besras; lake fatehsagar acts as a host to species such as the pelicans. the surrounding hills offer a wide range of hiking options as well. while the hill fort of Kumbalgarh located 82 kilometre northwest of Udaipur and hill temples such as eklingji, 23 kilometres away from the city, naturally provide trekking options; the local tour operators offer other such experiences as well. n

the local market in Udaipur

quality and quantity. it is a platform for people to share their ideas, making new friends and to promote local grains like Kangani. above all, one can also volunteer and take hold of the kitchen if they have a passion for cooking.

Rajasthan Capital Key Cities

bikaner

churu

jaisalmer

jaipur

jodhpur

bhilwara

bharatpur

bundi

Udaipur

How to reach

By Flight: the maharana pratap airport is well connected to the metro cities of india.

By Rail: Udaipur lies on a vast network of rail that connects it to major cities in india

By Road: a wide network of bus service link Udaipur with several destinations. some of the important distance are agra 630km, ahmedabad 262 km jaipur 406 km jodhpur 275km and mount abu 185km.

Where to stay Udaipur offers a wide range of hotels starting from high end luxury hotels to budget hotels for the backpackers.

a traditional sculptor at work

INDIA & YOU november-December

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The World’s Window to India

Number 62

Sept-Oct 2014

Dossier E-commerce in India A growing opportunity

City Walk Bhubaneswar The city of temples

Art & Culture Pichwai Paintings Krishna as muse

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UK 4 GBP - EUROPE 8 € UAE: 18 AED - KSA: 18 SAR INDIA: 200 INR - CAN: 9,95 CAD DOM: 7,20 € - A: 7,50 € Oman RO: 1.8 USA: 8 USD OTHER COUNTRIES 9 € ISSN: 1950-3482

Teej in Pink City

Media India UK 4 GBP - EUROPE 8 € UAE: 18 AED - KSA: 18 SAR INDIA: 200 INR - CAN: 9,95 CAD DOM: 7,20 € - A: 7,50 € Oman RO: 1.8 USA: 8 USD OTHER COUNTRIES 9 € ISSN: 1950-3482

www.india-magazine.com

The World’s Window to India

Number 62

Sept-Oct 2014

Dossier E-commerce in India A growing opportunity

City Walk Bhubaneswar The city of temples

Art & Culture Pichwai Paintings Krishna as muse

62

UK 4 GBP - EUROPE 8 € UAE: 18 AED - KSA: 18 SAR INDIA: 200 INR - CAN: 9,95 CAD DOM: 7,20 € - A: 7,50 € Oman RO: 1.8 USA: 8 USD OTHER COUNTRIES 9 € ISSN: 1950-3482

Teej in Pink City