Travel and Flavors

RNI No: 122229 KERENG/2013/49674

www.travelandflavors.com

March 2015

Kochi-Muziris Biennale

India’s first-ever biennale of international contemporary art

Swayambhunath

`50, AED 7, $5

Enchanting Kerala

The who’s who of Kerala Tourism talk about their favourite destinations

Where Hindus and Buddhists alike find solace

Damascus A journey in search of the centuries-old tradition and culture

Badami Explore the stunning temple architecture in red sandstone

Ngwe Saung

Experience the virgin beauty of Ngwe Saung beach in Myanmar

INside

22 cover story

Kerala’s exciting destinations

42

60

Global

42 The beauty sans glitz and glamour 52 The Middle East’s crowning glory 56 Deadly airport landings 64 A Kathmandu sojourn

India

84

90

60 When sandstones come to life 80 A home away from home 84 An awe-inspiring Channa Kesava Temple

Kerala 68 94

Kochi-Muziris Biennale Wax museum: For your eyes only

Flavors

74 Set the taste buds ablaze 90 Lip-smacking barbeques & delightful buffet

Regulars Travel News 10 Unique Festivals 14 Top of the World 16

68

My Shot 17 The Big Picture 20 Travel Tips 50 Strange Travellers 98

Volume 3 Issue 3 | March 2015 Founder & editor Ravi Deecee Executive Editor Ratheema Ravi DC MEDIA - OPERATIONS

dc media - ADVT SALES

dc books

General Manager M Kumar

head - marketing Vinu V Nair Regional head - T& F Projects Vijimon P B Regional head - FM Division Kainakari Shibu Regional heads - EMK Division Rajasree Varma Anu P M Blessy Susan George M K Haridas Rohil Kumar A B Managers special projects Devika Venugopal sales coordination Geena Mary George admin & HR Priya P A adnmin - support team Athul P M Sone Varghese Vishnu P M

Administration General Manager S Arun Kumar Manager-Administration Anil Kumar B Manager-Corporate Relations Joseph A G Finance & accounts Associate General Manager Alex Thomas Sr Manager-Accounts Ciril Babu Production Deputy General Manager Victor Sam Editorial - Mango Saraswathy Rajagopal Editorial - DC Books Jayadev K V A V Sreekumar Ramdas R Eswaran Namboothiri H Anoop G Prakash Marahi Sanjeev S Muraleedharan Sreedevi P Tency Jacob Aravindakshan N V Sunoop Chandrasekharan Nimmy Susan Deepthy Dinesh Purchase Lekha Pradeep Nisha Sunil Online & Portal Jacob Varghese Jeevan K Augustine

T&F - EDITORIAL Associate Editor Dipin Damodharan Magazine Editor K S Rajagopal SENIOR REPORTERS Tony William Gireesh R G DC MEDIA - EDITORIAL T K V Mani Sujeesh K S Juliet Sebastian Remya Nair Creative Visualizer Kailasnath Design & Layout Anoop U K Anoop K.R Online & Portal S Sreenath

DC Media - Circulation Regional head Sabu Varghese Mathew manager - Logistics Mobin E Mathew agency coordination Nirmala Sanjay finance & accounts Josy John Anjali Madhu Realisation Maya Murali

dc books Store Sales Dan George Renjithdas H Jaison P Mathew Tomy Antony Satheeshan Nair Mani V K Rajmohan Rights Sumitha Jyothidas Dileep Kumar T

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editorSpeak contributors Rathika Ramasamy is India’s first woman wildlife photographer and one of the world’s top 10 wildlife photographers.

Renuka C Sekhar is a Bangalore based fashion designer and travel writer. Being a travel maniac she loves to explore new places and meet new people.

Richi Mohanty works as a User Interface Designer in Bangalore. She is an avid traveller who loves meeting new people and experiencing various cultures

Aswathy Kumar is a traveller and a journalist who has worked with Times of India and CNN-IBN.

Jenny Thingshung is a food writer and journalist based in Delhi. She is also a travel buff, who specialises mainly on the diverse cuisines of the North East.

8

travel & flavors March 2015

I

t’s natural that tourists throng well-known destinations and they often frequent many of these places not just because they are pristine and naturally beautiful but they are very much in the tourism circuit drawing the attention of travelers from around the world. Goa, Lakshadweep, Thailand and Mauritius are just examples of how certain places always become first choices of tourists while many others go unnoticed despite the fact that they have the merits to become major tourist attractions.

Kerala unfortunately belongs to the latter category.

Although the state has lots of attractions like best beaches and hill stations, meandering rivers and backwaters, and historical places, fewer foreign tourists are coming here as compared to say Goa or Thailand.

Only the backwaters of Kerala are making an impact at the international level as a result of the systemic campaign in recent years. Consistent promotional campaigns are what we need urgently to bring prominence to the state in the global tourism circuit. Let tourists, both foreign and domestic, know about what Kerala has to offer. It is nothing but aggressive marketing and there is no other way to make the world know about the wonderful features of the state. If Gujarat and Karnataka did take the plunge to promote their ‘asset’ through massive campaigns, why does Kerala lag behind?

The cover story of this issue of Travel and Flavors introduces some of the best destinations in the state, so you get to know what’s all available in these prime locations. More importantly, you can listen to what those concerned in the tourism sector say about the specialities of these destinations.

There is a photo feature section in this issue that showcases the exceptional works of artists at the ongoing Kochi-Muziris Biennale in Kochi. Those who couldn’t make it to the exhibition of international standards yet can glue their eyes to the pictures of selected works of art in these pages. The story on the wax museum in Kochi is more than informative as it tells about years of hard work and the ambition of the artist. One of a kind in the country, this celebrity wax museum has already become a crowd-puller.

As its name mentions, the hotel The Ancient Barbeque in Gurgaon serves lip-smacking barbeques and delightful buffet which unleash your taste buds. The hotel serves a happy blend of American, Mediterranean, Oriental and Indian cuisine with vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices. Read the story ‘Lip-smacking barbeques and delightful buffet’ to have more details of the ‘exclusive’ servings by the hotel.

Travel News

Bolgatty Event Centre par excellence

Kochi: The largest public sector hotel enterprise in India, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) has ventured into the new regime of MICE Centres with the opening of Bolgatty Event Centre at Bolgatty Island in Kochi, Kerala.

In the 15 acres of Bolgatty Island, KTDC has made available different facilities for MICE. The Bolgatty Event Centre which is ideal for guest functions, marriage functions and international exhibitions has got conference halls, board room facilities and large green lawns suitable for outdoor events. A vast car parking area is also available. KTDC aims to tap the emerging wedding tourism market and conference market in Kerala with this new move.

Built at a cost of Rs 6 crore, KTDC’s Bolgatty Event Centre with the 16,000-sq ft convention centre cum dining area can seat 1,000 people. Works are underway to raise the seating capacity to 3000.

In the inaugural address, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy congratulated KTDC for this venture. He also acknowledged KTDC Chairman Vijayan Thomas’ efforts in leading the enterprise.

Tourism Minister AP Anil Kumar assured his assistance for making Bolgatty Event Centre the venue of the next Kerala Travel Mart (KTM).

The oldest Dutch palace outside Holland, Bolgatty Palace and Island Resort has 58 rooms, a nine-hole golf course, Cochin International Marina, a swimming pool and an Ayurvedic centre.

KTDC has seven premium hotels, eight budget properties, 30 hotels, including 13 Tamarind economy hotels, and more than 70 units consisting of boating units, restaurants and cafeteria at different parts of the state.

10 travel & flavors March 2015

Weekend Getaway at The Marriott Jaipur Jaipur: Who wouldn’t love a stay at the Pink City- Jaipur that too in the luxurious way? For couples, Mysha India Services, a travel company in India puts an irresistible offerWeekend Getaway at the Marriott Jaipur. Experience the legendry history of the city through Mysha India’s package.

Walk down the history lane to admire the marvel of palatial forts and buildings or explore the colourful bazaars for exquisite handcrafts or spectacular jewellery.

An epitome of magnificence and vibrancy, Jaipur city has something for everyone.

Jaipur Marriott Hotel is entrenched in the cultural legacy of the Pink City and complemented by inviting spaces that stand for refined elegance and a contemporary look.

Strategically located near the airport, the guests can delight in spacious

guestrooms adorned with traditional characteristics, yet complete with modern amenities.

The package includes accommodation in a deluxe room for two nights (including breakfast at the all-day dining restaurant), an air-conditioned car for 8 hours, within city limits, for shopping or local sightseeing with compliments from Mysha India Services and complimentary airport or railway transfers. The package validity is from April 1 to September 30.

For more information visit: www.myshaservices.com

TripAdvisor acquires ZeTrip and travel journal app Rove CALIFORNIA: TripAdvisor, the largest travel site in the world, has acquired ZeTrip and its automatic travel journal app Rove. The latter had been a favourite among the travellers as it provides an automated private travel journal. Based on your GPS coordinates and other data, Rove provides a location-based log of your travel moments. It remembers the restaurants you ate at, museums you visited, hikes, romantic strolls, trips and more. You can also add notes and photos to your log. The app has been much lauded by the frequent travelling fraternity for its user-friendly interfaces.

Bombay style cafE ‘Dishoom’a hit in London London: Bombay style cafe Dishoom in London’s Covent Garden has reached the top spot in Yelp’s, an app which shares crowd sourced reviews about local businesses’ top 100 places to eat in the UK. Keeping up the Iranian ambiance, Dishoom offers Indian dishes with a British touch at an affordable price. The list based on reviews by members of the public had Dishoom with an average four-stars gleaned from over 370 recent reviews. Many had reviewed it as “excellent

service” “reasonable prices” and “wonderful food”. The restaurant opened in 2010 by four brothers from Gujarat, blends Indian dishes with British twists. The restaurant can also be found in King’s Cross and Shoreditch.

Opened by Persian immigrants to India in the 19th century, Iranian style cafes in Mumbai were a hit with their khari chai (very strong tea), brun maska (hard buttered croissants) and khari biscuits (multi-layered baked salted biscuits).

India, the second most AirAsia to start red eye flights to hospitable country in Asia Pune, Jaipur Mumbai: AirAsia, the six-time champion of the world’s best low-cost airline, is all set to start red eye flights to Pune, Jaipur and other cities. Red eye flights which operate from midnight to early hours between metros and nonmetros are expected to bring down air fares. The Tata Group-AirAsia JV which began its service from Bangalore is also planning to start flights to Delhi from March. The airline has plans to expand its present aircraft strength of three to thirteen this year.

Via.com,-India’s highest-rated travel app

Bangkok: India is the second most hospitable country in Asia along with Thailand, according to TripAdvisor. India has won the title for two consecutive years.

India secures 28 awards along with Thailand while Indonesia leads in the Asia section with 35 awards.

In the six categories namely Bargain, Family, Luxury, B&Bs and Inns, small and top 14 Indian hotels have secured places in the top 10 ranks. In the Family hotels category, The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Rajasthan, ranks 8th and Sai Vishram Byndoor ranks 14th (both in Luxury hotels category). In the Bargain category, Kaiya House at Varkala, Kerala, has secured the first place for the fourth year in a row.

New Delhi: Via.com, India’s largest travel network has received a tremendous response for its recentlylaunched application for Android devices.

Within a short span,

the app has managed to outdo competition and become the highestrated travel app in the country. A seamless booking experience, instant connectivity with the airline helpdesk and the EMI facility which no other travel app offers have made the VIA app the top rated travel app in the country with a rating of 4.4 on Google Play.

“We are thrilled by the kind of rave reviews the VIA app has received. Almost 45% of the traffic on our consumer-facing

platform now comes through the app. It has resulted in a 200% rise in traffic on VIA. com and a 140% spike in the conversion rate. Going forward, we aim to introduce more features that will firmly foster VIA app’s identity as the go-to travel booking destination for users,” said Swaminathan Vedaranyam, CEO, Via. com.

Download app from Google Play Store: https://play.google. com/store/apps/ details?id=app.via

March 2015 travel & flavors

11

Travel News

Tokyo is the safest city

Goa ranks 6th in Top 10 Nightlife cities

Tokyo: The world’s most populous city, Tokyo is also the safest, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit report ‘The Safe Cities Index 2015’ followed by Singapore, Osaka (Japan), Stockholm (Sweden) and Amsterdam (The Netherlands). Jakarta is at the bottom of the list of 50 cities in the Index. Two cities from India have also found a place in the list- Delhi and Mumbai- at 42nd and 44th positions respectively. In the Middle East and Africa section, Abu Dhabi emerged first as the safest region.

Panjim: Goa ranks 6th in National Geographic’s Top 10 Nightlife cities. It is the only city from India to feature in the list. The survey says even the ban on all-night fests hasn’t stopped the fun on the golden shores of Goa. The city’s night bazaars and music festivals are very popular even among the foreigners. The city of Dublin, Ireland, has topped the list followed by Belgrade, Serbia. La Paz (Bolivia), Sao Paulo (Brazil), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Ibiza (Spain),

Houston (Texas), Thessaloiki (Greece) and Baku (Azerbaijan) are the other cities which managed to find a place in the list.

April Events Calendar 2015 DATE

EVENT

April 1 April 2 April 2

April 3-6

April 5 April 7-11 April 8 April 9-12 April 10 April 10-17 April 11 April 13 April 14-17 April 19 April 22-23 April 24 April 27 April 28 April 29 April 30

Onbashira Naghol Land Diving Splashy Fen Music Fest VITM 2015 Kanamara Matsuri

World Food Travel Summit One Spark International Boat Show Lucidity Coachella Tortuga Music Fest Songkran Riyadh Travel Fair Tales of the Cocktail Visit Scotland Expo New Orleans Jazz Fest King’s Day Thrissur Pooram Sun Fest St Lucia Jazz and Arts Fest

LOCATION Shimo-Suwa, Japan Pentecost Island, Vanuatu Underberg, South Africa Hanoi, Vietnam Japan Lisbon, Portugal Florida, US Shanghai, China California, US California, US Florida, US Chiang Mai, Thailand Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Louisiana, US Glasgow, UK US Netherlands Kerala, India Florida, US Pigeon Island, Saint Lucia A scene from Songkran Fest, Thailand.

12 travel & flavors March 2015

Quick Festival

A mega fair to flex muscles Where: Punjab, INDIA

H

olla Mohalla is a Sikh festival which sometimes coincides with the Sikh New Year. The festival consists of camping out, enjoying various displays of fighting ability and bravery by performing daredevil acts like bareback horse-riding, standing on two speeding horses, Gatka (mock encounters), tent pegging etc., followed by kirtan, music, and poetry. Hola Mohalla is actually a mega fair held at

Anandpur Sahib in Punjab on the day following the festival of Holi. The fair was initiated by Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh guru, so as to physically strengthen the Sikh community by holding military exercises and mock battles. On the last day, a long procession led by Panj Pyaras starts from Takth Keshgarh Sahib, one of the five Sikh religious seats, and passes through various important gurdwaras and terminates at the Takth.

Ushering in the New Year

U

gadi is celebrated mainly in Karnataka on the New Year day in the Hindu lunar calendar.

Apart from Karnataka, people in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Punjab, West Bengal and Assam celebrate the day. It is an auspicious occasion for starting new ventures. Usually, the festival is held in later March or early April. Elaborate preparations are there, which

Where: Karnataka, India start a week in advance.

People clean their houses and surroundings, and also buy new clothes to enjoy the spirit of Ugadi. On this special day, meals start with jaggery and neem leaves. People across Karnataka celebrate this festival with much enthusiasm and gaiety. Panchanga Shravanam, hearing of the Panchanga, is the most important thing on the day.

Saying farewell to winter

F

rom March 14 to 19, the streets of Valencia in Spain witness artists and craftsmen setting fire to their works as part of the Las Fallas celebrations that go all night long. The festival dates back to the Middle Ages when excess winter supplies were burned down to welcome the spring. This ritual is observed along with the commemoration of St Joseph, the patron

Where: Valencia, Spain

saint of the carpenters. Each neighbourhood sets up huge sculptures at various locations in the city. People wear traditional attire, dance to the beats of local bands and offer flowers to the Virgen de los Desamparados, Valencia’s patron saint. Fiestas extend into the night with live music, dance and frequent cracker blasts. On the final day, the huge sculptures filled with crackers are set on fire.

March 2015 travel & flavors

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Unique Festival / The Bali Spirit Festival

The Balinese bliss The Bali Spirit Festival is unique in many ways. Through yoga, dance, healing and music, the festival makes you rejuvenated mentally and physically and also unifies the global community When: March 31- April 5 Where: Indonesia

I

f you are bored with the usual music and dance festivals, fly to Indonesia and experience the Bali Spirit Festival held at Ubud in Bali, Indonesia. A spiritually charged event that takes place on the tropical island of Bali, the annual Bali Spirit Festival inspires and unifies the global community through yoga, dance, healing and music. In a synergy of global cultural collaboration and nondenominational spiritual practice, the festival welcomes a targeted, passionate and enthusiastic global audience from over 50 countries to Bali each year.

It isn’t just a yoga festival even though there are a variety of yoga classes offered throughout the day and evening. Meghan Pappenheim from Ubud created the festival in 2008 as a means of connecting people to each other and to the vibrant and lifesustaining Balinese bliss. There are music and art classes, tours to local temples and spiritual sites, nutrition and health workshops, family activities like Balinese dance for kids, circus tricks and storytelling. You can avail cranial sacral treatment, Reiki,

Chakra balancing, an Esalen-style massage, Balinese traditional healing and Tama-Do sound medicine in the treating huts during the festival.

Now in its 7th year, the Bali Spirit Festival has grown from a renowned music and yoga festival to become an international energy-charged event showcasing the world’s best in health, yoga, lifestyle, wellbeing, world music, community and social change. Located in the world famous arts and healing hub of Ubud, the Bali Spirit Festival enjoys being a worldclass destination and provides unique opportunities for people to experience a personal shift and transformation.

Set by day on lush terraced lawns with open pavilions, the party moves by night to an outdoor stage for a world music concert like no other on Earth.

The BSY Festival prides itself on its commitment to philanthropy and social change, contributing to health and environmental causes through the endorsement, financial support, and empowerment of its annual sponsors. The Bali Spirit Festival is sure to make you feel good physically and emotionally.

Beltane Fire Festival / Unique Festival

Photo Courtesy: Beltane Fire Society/Facebook

Lighting of the sacred fire

it’s a dance and music festival with plenty to eat and drink.

The festival commemorates the change of season- the beginning of summer which is considered auspicious and the time for growth When: April 30 Where: Scotland

B

eltane Fire Festival is hosted

by Beltane Fire Society, a community arts performance charity formed in 1988 in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The ancient festival of Beltane marked the beginning of summer, and was held on the night before May 1. Seasonal changes were very important to the pastoral Celtic people. Summer meant a time of light and growth to come. The celebration included baking Beltane bannocks, displaying fresh greenery and hand fasting (which could be viewed as a temporary or permanent marriage, as the individuals preferred).

One of the most important aspects the Beltane celebration was the lighting of the Beltane fire. The bonfire represented the growing power of the sun through midsummer. Cattle and farm animals were driven around the fire and brave people would leap across the bonfire.

The festival has evolved over the time. It begins with a procession from the National Monument and winds

counter-clockwise along a path. May Queen will lead the parade and the Green Man at its end. At the end, they light a huge bonfire followed by dance, food, drink and music. There will be even nude dancers.

The performers will enact the ritual story of the lighting of the sacred Bel Fire. Different groups try to help as well as hinder the Green Man and May Queen. The procession is complete when the Green Man is killed and reborn. People will retire to dance, eat and commemorate the change of the season as invited couples are hand fasted by the May Queen.

The Old Town of Edinburgh which includes the medieval fort of Edinburgh Castle is a nice place if you like Heritage. The Royal Mile Street features Reformation buildings, narrow closes, kirks, turrets and plenty of nook and cranny. Close to it the New Town features grand Georgian architecture which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

March 2015 travel & flavors

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TOP OF THE WORLD / MOST-VISITED CITIES

Hong Kong

makes it

to the top N

o wonder Hong Kong tops the new tourism figures for 2013 with 25.6 million visitors followed another Asian city Singapore with 22.5 million visitors. Hong Kong is a safe city for visitors. Daily operations in the city are quite normal with attractions, hotels, shopping malls and public transport running smoothly.

Singapore, an island city-state, with plenty of interesting places like food joints that serve palatable delights, excellent shopping and nightlife areas, restaurants and massive art fairs, is a happening city. One can also relax in best gardens and parks away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Singapore of late has become a great stopover for businessmen who plan a foray into the South Asian region.

Bangkok is the third Asian city to figure among the 10 most-visited cities in the world with 17.5m visitors. The capital of Thailand, Bangkok is a paradise of tourists across the world as it offers literally everything to visitors and never ceases to marvel them.

London, Paris, New York City, Macau, Shenzhen, Kuala Lumpur and Antalya are the other most popular cities.

Here is the number of tourists each country received in 2013.

16 travel & flavors March 2015

2 4 6

1

Singapore- 22.5m

3

Bangkok, Thailand- 17.5m London, UK- 16.8m

5

Paris, France- 15.2m Macau- 14.3m

7

8

New York City, US- 11.9m Shenzhen, China- 11.7m

9 10

Hong Kong, China -25.6m

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia- 11.2m Antalya, Turkey- 11.1m

1

2

3

4

5

9

MY SHOT

WAR TROPHY: This cannon named Malik-e-maidan meaning ‘monarch of plains’ at the Bijapur fort in Karnataka is considered the world’s largest medieval cannon. The 4-m long cannon weighing 55 tonnes was brought to this fort as a war trophy from Ahmednagar. According to history, about 400 oxen, 10 elephants and hundreds of soldiers were used to transport this beast to the top of the fort.

Aravind C Photographer

March 2015 travel & flavors

17

MY SHOT

COOLING EFFECT: A family on a visit to the mist covered Nandi Hills or Nandidurg, the ancient hill fortress located in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka, which is known for its cool climate even during summer.

Vivek Nair Photographer

Send us your pictures and tell the stories behind them Please note that the entries for the ‘My Shot’ segment must stick to the following guidelines if the pictures are to be published Profile photo along with personal details to be sent along with the entries Photos being featured have to be at least 2 MB in size A clean description of the photo must be sent along with the entries

email: editorial@dcmediacorp.com

18 travel & flavors March 2015

The Big Picture / Poenari Fortress

The Haunted castle of

dracula

C

onsidered to be the castle of the fictional character Dracula, Poenari Fortress is located at Valachia (Southern-Centre Romania), 108 miles northwest of Bucharest. The ruins of Poenari Fortress stand high on a cliff overlooking the Arges river, at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains.

Built at the beginning of the 13th century by the first Walachian ruler, the castle changed names and residents a few times over centuries and eventually, it was abandoned. The castle became popular as a haunted place after the horror novel ‘Dracula’ written by Bram Stoker in 1897 took the world by storm. Thousands of tourists visit the fortress every year with an enthusiasm to unravel the mysteries surrounding the castle. There are 1,462 steps to climb before reaching the castle ruins perched high above the surrounding area like an eagle’s nest.

20 travel & flavors March 2015

March 2015 travel & flavors

21

Cover Story / Destination Kerala

Kerala’s exciting destinations

Everybody has his own choice, especially when it comes to vacations or spending a weekend outside with family or friends. Though small, holiday destinations in Kerala are lovely and economical. You can enjoy the scenic beauty, wildlife and mouthwatering local cuisines, and also relax abundantly. Choices are plenty here and the only thing you have to do is to know the interest of your partner and when to take time off from your work and the rest is assured, a pleasant experience that you would love to cherish.

Here, the who’s who of Kerala Tourism Industry list out their favourite destinations in the state and also briefly explain to Tony William, Travel and Flavors correspondent, why they opt for these places

March 2015 travel & flavors

23

Cover Story / Destination Kerala

AP Anilkumar Tourism Minister, Government of Kerala

Munnar

Perhaps, nobody knows about Munnar better than AP Anilkumar, Tourism Minister, Government of Kerala, as he is actively involved in the projects planned for the development of the hill station. And of course, Munnar, one of the best hill stations in the state, tops Anilkumar’s choice of destinations in Kerala.

Under his guidance, Department of Tourism is taking initiatives for overall development of Munnar as a favourite destination for holidaymakers through a single and comprehensive master plan.

The nearby area is the abode of the Neelakurinji flowers which blossom once in 12 years (now protected as Kurinjimala Sanctuary). Spread over 97 sq km, Eravikulam National Park is home to the largest population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. There are also several other species of rare animals, birds and butterflies.

24 travel & flavors March 2015

A view of the tea estates in Munnar.

An eco-township is going to come up in Munnar with emphasis on measures for sustaining its rich flora and fauna. Anil Kumar hopes that the plan which also includes commercial, residential, leisure and recreational zones would eventually transform Munnar into an international ecotourism destination and would be a benchmark for planned tourism development in Kerala.

Parambikulam

Parambikulam in Palakkad district is Anilkumar’s next best choice. The tiger reserve here has also been identified as one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world. Parambikulam Tiger Reserve boasts of having the first scientifically managed teak plantations in the

world. The remains of a tram railway introduced in 1907 to shift timber from here to Chalakkudy in Thrissur district stand testimony to the bygone era.

Diverse habitats can be found at Parambikulam.

Evergreen forests, semievergreen, moist deciduous montane grasslands and shola forests can be seen here. Its mosaic pattern of vegetation helps to sustain diverse wildlife.

Two huge peaks and seven valleys of Parambikulam lure travellers and trekkers alike. Karimalai Gopuram, the tallest peak in the region, offers a spectacular view of the surroundings and Vengolimala is a trekker’s delight.

An eco-township is going to come up in Munnar with emphasis on measures for sustaining its rich flora and fauna

March 2015 travel & flavors

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Cover Story / Destination Kerala

Alappuzha

Alappuzha is Anilkumar’s another favourite place. The backwaters in Alappuzha and Kottayam districts are a sight to behold. The region consisting of many backwater villages, including Kumarakom, Kainakari and Kavaalam, is also known for its rice cultivation below the sea level. The paddy fields in these villages are protected by dykes that prevent water intrusion. Villagers here still follow the traditional way of living. One can witness local people

engaged in fishing, harvesting of lime shells, coir production and paddy cultivation. Huge barges transporting people and goods and of course the modern day travellers’ delight- the houseboats- are common sights in the area.

The minister was also instrumental in launching the backwater tourism global campaign named The Great Backwaters which earned rave reviews from the international tourism fraternity. According to him, the backwaters offer the visitors a host

of attractions that include activities, sightseeing, relaxation and mouthwatering cuisines. He is sure that the backwaters will continue to be the best experience for tourists coming to Kerala.

For the first time, Kerala Tourism is holding the Sand Art Festival, Alleppey-2015 (SAFA) on the beaches here next month. An exhibition and a competition in sand sculpting will be held as part of the festival. Eight Indian teams and two foreign teams will take part in the first edition of SAFA 2015.

A houseboat in the backwaters of Alappuzha.

26 travel & flavors March 2015

G Kamala Vardhana Rao Tourism Secretary, Government of Kerala

Kumarakom

The newly-appointed Tourism Secretary G Kamala Vardhana Rao who also holds additional charge of Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies, Kerala, puts Kumarakom at the first place in the list of his favourite destinations. According to him, Kumarakom is the best destination to experience the backwaters of Kerala.

Set in the backdrop of Vembanad Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the state, Kumarakom houses a bird sanctuary that spreads across 14 acres and has been a favourite haunt of migratory birds. The bird sanctuary here is quite popular and a visit to the sanctuary on local canoes is really exciting as you can spot varieties of birds.

Kumarakom village where fishing and agriculture are the mainstay has got a rich expanse of mangrove forests, paddy fields and coconut groves.

Kumarakom is also famous for its lovely houseboat journey.

The backwaters in Kumarakom.

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Cover Story / Destination Kerala

Villagers in a countryboat.

Kerala Tourism first implemented its Responsible Tourism project at Kumarakom incorporating the local people.

The story of Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy’s novel ‘The God of Small Things’ is set in places around Kumarakom.

in blue colour.

The first national park in Kerala, Eravikulam National Park is home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahrs which are usually found on cliffs and grass-covered plateaus in the Nilgiri mountain range.

the eyes with the entire valley filled

beaches by TripAdvisor.

Kumarakom village where fishing and agriculture are the mainstay has got Marari Beach Munnar Another place which has a rich expanse of Munnar is a best hill station attracted Rao is Marari Beach in Kamala Vardhana Rao likes to Alappuzha. He sees the beach has mangrove forests, visit again and again. He is eagerly the potential to emerge as one of the waiting for the next blossoming time best tourist destinations in Kerala. paddy fields and of Neelakurinji which adds a magical A secluded beach, Marari is coconut groves. charm to the Munnar hills. clean and fresh. It is originally called Neelakurinji has got many Mararikulam, a sleepy fishermen’s Kumarakom is also sub-species that bloom annually in village. The beach has been listed cycle and there are 45 varieties of in National Geographic’s survey of famous for its lovely aNeelakurinji at the hills of Munnar.

Best Hammock Beaches and also The two-month long flowering featured in the India Top-25 list of houseboat journey season literally becomes a feast for the Traveller’s Choice Awards for 28 travel & flavors March 2015

Bekal

PI Sheik Pareeth IAS Tourism Director, Government of Kerala

PI Sheik Pareeth IAS, Tourism Director, Government of Kerala, gives full marks to Bekal as a tourism destination in the state. Situated in Kasaragod district, the small town of Bekal houses Bekal Fort, the largest and well-preserved fort in Kerala. He feels the fort and the beach is a perfect blend of history and natural beauty.

Bekal Fort built for defence purposes is amazing. Its planning and strong structure is

remarkable. Massive cannons can be found positioned in different spots on the fort to attack enemy ships at a long distance in the sea. Spread over 40 acres, Bekal Fort had large water-tanks and a separate section for storing arms and ammunition.

To preserve the rich heritage, natural vegetation and the pristine charm of this quaint village, Government of Kerala has formed the Bekal Resorts Development

Corporation Ltd (BRDC).

“It is a venture intended to make Bekal a ‘Beach Tourist Destination’ with international standards,” says Sheik Pareeth.

India’s first beach destination developed without disturbing the eco-balance of the region along with the fort is a prime location for filmmakers and has been featured in several movies.

Kollam

Kollam is the next best destination for Sheik Pareeth. Beautiful

A view of the beach from Bekal Fort.

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Cover Story / Destination Kerala

30 travel & flavors March 2015

Situated in Thiruvananthapuram district, the Varkala beach is the only place in southern Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea. The beach is ideal for sun-bathing and swimming.The place has numerous natural springs which are supposed to have medicinal and curative properties

A bird’s eye view of the Varkala beach.

busy trade centre for quite a long time. Cashew trading and processing here are of national importance as its exports bring in foreign currencies. Even the Malayalam proverb speaks a lot about the beauty and richness of Kollam- “Kollam kandal illam venda” which roughly means “If you are in Kollam, you forget about your ‘illam (house)”. Such is the prosperity of this place.

Kollam has got a number of tourist attractions- Thenmala Ecotourism Centre, Palaruvi waterfalls, Jatayupara, Alumkadavu, Kollam beach, Thirumullavaram, Thangasseri beach, Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary, Deer Rehabilitation Centre, Ashtamudi backwater, Munroe thuruth (island) and many more. Thenmala is considered India’s first planned eco-tourism destination with a dedicated zone for adventure and a butterfly garden. It has also got facilities for trekking in the forest.

Munroe Island village will be the best destination if you want to enjoy the quite life of people around the backwaters. Sasathamcotta Lake, the largest fresh water

lake in Kerala, has been included in Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. The eight-hour boat trip between Kollam and Alappuzha through Ashtamudi Lake is the longest and the most enchanting backwater experience in Kerala. Truly, Kollam has a bit of everything.

Varkala

Another choice of Sheik Pareeth is the Varkala beach.

He describes it as a beach in a unique setting. Situated in Thiruvananthapuram district, the Varkala beach is the only place in southern Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea. The beach is ideal for sunbathing and swimming. The place has numerous natural springs which are supposed to have medicinal and curative properties. Also known as Papanasam Beach, it is considered holy by Hindus.

It is believed that a dip in the water here may wash away the person’s sins in the life.

Janardhanaswamy Temple on the cliff overlooking the beach is 2,000 years old.

The Sivagiri Mutt, founded by the social reformer and philosopher Sree Narayana Guru, and his Samadhi are also close by.

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Cover Story / Destination Kerala

Wayanad

TV Anupama IAS Additional Tourism Director, Government of Kerala

For TV Anupama IAS who also holds the responsibility of Food Safety Officer, Wayanad is the best destination.

The beauty of Wayanad is something special for Anupama who is hailing from Ponnani in Malappuram district. “I had been to Wayanad many times and still love to be there. Its greenery always lures me. I feel that Wayanad must be the entry point for foreign tourists who want to have the real feel of God’s own country. Greenery is at its maximum in this place,” she says.

While the entire Wayanad is fascinating, Thirunelli, located 32 km from the nearest town

Manathavady, is closer to her heart. Thirunelli is known for Thirunelli Maha Vishnu Temple which is hailed as “Kashi of the South”.

“I like the ambience of the place. Thiruvelli surrounded by the Brahmagiri hills and the lush green forests brings a sense of tranquility to me. Equally fascinating is the ManathavadyThirunelli road stretch,” she says.

KannurMuzhappilangad Beach

Situated between the towns of Kannur and Thalassery, Muzhappilangad Beach, a secluded beach till recently, found a place

in Anupama’s favourite tourist destinations’ list during her two years of service in Kannur. “It was our favourite place to relax on weekends then. The beach wasn’t as crowded as it is now.

The sunset view over Dharmadam Thurthu (Island) is fresh in my memory. The cool breeze from the sea is really magical and can soothe our minds,” recalls Anupama.

Asia’s largest drivein-beach and Kerala’s one and only drive-in-beach, Muzhappilangad Beach stretches up to 5 km in length. The Anjarakandy river empties into the sea at Muzhappilangad Beach and the sand brought by the river makes the beach strong

Trekkers on Chembra Peak in Wayanad.

32 travel & flavors March 2015

‘I like the ambience

of the place.

Thiruvelli surrounded by the Brahmagiri hills and the lush green forests brings a sense of tranquility to me.

Equally fascinating is the ManathavadyThirunelli road stretch’

enough for vehicles to run along.

Of late, it has also become a hotspot of adventure sports as well as water sports like paragliding, parasailing and power boating.

Pattambi and Thrithala

Pattambi and Thrithala villages are closely associated with the childhood memories of Anupama.

She still remembers those days at her mother’s house in Thrithala village, Palakkad. “I used to go there on every vacation. The images of the wide paddy fields and the temples of rare beauty at Thirthala and the nearby Pattambi are vivid in my mind. These are the villages Malayalam writer MT Vasudevan Nair has sketched out in his books through words.

I hope Thrithala and Pattambi are remaining more or less the same even today,” says a nostalgic Anupama.

Thrithala village is also an important place for history/ archaeological buffs. Some notable monuments and the ruins of historic buildings are situated here. Kattil Madam Temple on the Pattambi-Guruvayoor road is considered an ancient Jain temple dating back to 9th or 10th centuries. You can witness the Dravidian style architecture with Chola and Pandya influences.

Kerala’s one and only drive-in-beach- Muzhappilangad Beach.

A tribal woman with her son returning from the forest after collecting wood.

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Cover Story / Destination Kerala

S Harikishore IAS District Collector of Pathanamthitta and Former Tourism Director

Boating in Gavi is one of the best options.

Wayanad

District Collector of Pathanamthitta and former Tourism Director S Harikishore says Wayanad is close to his heart.

“I think there is no other place in Kerala which can offer such a rich diversity. Waterfalls, mist-clad hill stations, wildlife sanctuary and reservoirs make Wayanad a perfect weekend destination,” he adds.

The charming Kuruva Island surrounded by the Kabini river, Chembra, the highest peak in Wayanad, which is ideal for trekking, Pakshipathalam where you can spot rare species of birds, Edakkal caves with the pictorial writings on its walls showing the prehistoric civilisation that existed in the region, the spectacular Meenmutty waterfalls and the largest earth dam in IndiaBanasurasagar dam, the attractions in the place are many and varied.

Gavi

“Swathed by different levels of mist-covered tea plantations and the greenery, the journey to

34 travel & flavors March 2015

A view of the mist-clad hill top and tea estates of Wayanad.

Gavi is refreshing and rejuvenating,” notes Harikishore as he talks about this destination. Till recently, only a few heard about Gavi, an eco-tourism centre located in Pathanamthitta district.

Listed in the Alistair International as a leading eco-tourism centre, Gavi is also one of the protected eco-tourism spots, thanks to the vigilant forest department which restricts the number of visitors here.

The Gavi eco-tourism project with the active involvement of the local populace has become a success in a short time. Gavi’s rich fauna includes endangered species like Nilgiri Tahr and Lion-tailed macaque, and more than 260 species of bird varieties. Gavi also offers tourists various activities like trekking, wildlife watching, outdoor camping in specially built tents and night safaris. Hills and valleys, tropical forests, sprawling grasslands, sholas, cascading waterfalls and cardamom plantations, the attractions are many in Gavi.

Muziris Heritage Project

Harikishore believes in the quote, “Without history there is no future.” His next choice is Muziris Heritage Project which he describes as “a reflective journey to the rich heritage of Kerala”.

He was also a part of the project as Tourism Director and four museums of the Muziris Heritage Project were inaugurated by him during his term as Tourism Director.

Muziris, an active port in the 1st century BC, was one of the most important centres of maritime trade in the world. It is believed that the change in the profile of the Periyar river basin on the Malabar Coast in Kerala due to a natural disaster- a flood or an earthquake or both- caused the decline of Muziris which was located at the mouth of the Periyar, overlooking the Arabian Sea. Excavation sites in and around Kodungalloor taluk in Thrissur district and North Paravur taluk in Ernakulam district- the area coming under the Muziris Heritage Project- prove that the merchants of Muziris had trade with Greeks, Romans, Jews, Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese, British and many others.

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Cover Story / Destination Kerala

Probably no one knows about Kerala’s popular destinations better than Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), the official host of God’s own country. KTDC has got many properties located at all major tourist destinations in the state. With seven premium hotels, eight budget properties, 30 hotels, including 13 Tamarind economy hotels, and more than 70 units consisting of boating units, restaurants and cafeteria at different parts of the state, KTDC has become one among the few public sector enterprises which register profits.

Munnar

PM Ali Asgar Pasha IAS Managing Director, KTDC

Munnar is undoubtedly Keralites’ favourite hill station. KTDC Managing Director PM Ali Asgar Pasha’s favourite destination in Kerala is none other than Munnar. Situated 5,200 ft above sea level in the Western Ghats, the word ‘Munnar’ refers to the confluence of three riversMudhirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly.

The journey to Munnar through tea plantations, valleys, streams and forests is mind-blowing. Munnar shares its border with wildlife sanctuaries and national parks like Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, Eravikulam National Park, Anamudi Shola National Park and Pampadum Shola National Park.

“KTDC’s Tea County hill resort at Munnar is the best place to stay and explore Munnar,” says Pasha. Spread across eight acres of land in Munnar, the resort is a honeymooner’s paradise.

Thekkady

Thekkady has got everything for a tourist to enjoy and rejoice tea-coffee and spice plantations, breathtaking views of hills, boating in the lake to spot wild animals, bamboo rafting and the largest wildlife sanctuary in the state.

The boating in the lake watching the hills and grasslands could be a beautiful experience for any tourist.

Elephants, gaur, deer, wild pigs

36 travel & flavors March 2015

KTDC Golden Peak hill resort at Ponmudi surrounded by the mountains is an ideal place to experience the many moods of the hills. Even a pleasant walk in and around the property is enough to rejuvenate a nature lover are the common sights during the boating. There are plenty of trekking options available at Thekkady for the adventure-seekers.

KTDC has got three properties at Thekkady- KTDC Lake Palace, Aranya Nivas and Periyar House.

Ponmudi

Blessed with scenic splendour and natural beauty, the Ponmudi hill station is situated in Thiruvananthapuram district.

Narrow, winding pathways, cool and green environment, spice-tea plantations, waterfalls, viewpoints, mist-covered valleys, peaks, river and wildlife sanctuary, the attractions offered by Ponmudi are immense.

Agasthyarkoodam, one of the highest peaks of the Western Ghats, lures adventure-seekers and trekkers with its sheer height.

KTDC Golden Peak hill resort at Ponmudi surrounded by the mountains is an ideal place to experience the many moods of the

A view of the hills at Ponmudi.

Boating is one of the prime attractions of Thekkady.

Cover Story / Destination Kerala

GS Rajmohan Marketing Manager, KTDC

Thekkady

According to GS Rajmohan, Marketing Manager, KTDC, Thekkady is the best destination in Kerala. “To learn and enjoy wildlife, there is no better place in Kerala than Thekkady. It is even larger than Singapore. As the forest area increases, you can enjoy the uniqueness and depth of the forest in its truest sense,” he explains. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Kerala and is spread across Thekkady.

Rajmohan is all praise for the activities at Thekkady. “Maybe there’s no better place than Thekkady in Kerala where at a single point you can access whole day activities for a family like soft trek, bamboo rafting, night safari etc. It has already created a familiar environment for tourism,” he adds.

He says KTDC has three different properties at Thekkady which ensure visitors’ comfortable stay and

38 travel & flavors March 2015

Elephants spotted during boating at Thekkady.

The Nilambur Teak Forest.

Situated on an island in the middle of Periyar Lake, KTDC Lake Palace Thekkady, the high-end luxury cottage, was once the summer palace of the King of Travancore, which can be reached only by boat.

Aranya Nivas, the four-star premium jungle lodge ideal for wildlife enthusiasts, is located inside Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. For the budget category, there is KTDC Periyar House with decent basic amenities enjoyment of watching the wildlife. Be it the high end luxury traveller or the budget traveller, KTDC has different levels of accommodation at Thekkady. Situated on an island in the middle of Periyar Lake, KTDC Lake Palace Thekkady, the high end luxury cottage, was once the summer palace of the King of Travancore, which can be reached only by boat. Aranya Nivas, the four-star premium jungle lodge ideal for wildlife enthusiasts, is located inside Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. For the budget category, there is KTDC Periyar House with decent basic amenities.

Nilambur

Another destination which is very much in Rajmohan’s mind is Nilambur, a sleepy hill town in Malappuram district. Nilambur which lies close to the Nilgiris range of Western Ghats is also the gateway for people travelling to Ooty from Kochi.

“Nilambur is the

best place to know about teak plantations, teak forests and the forest eco system consisting of a river (Chaliyar) and a small waterfall. If you are looking for a trip away from the crowded regular tourist destinations, head to Nilambur. For travel enthusiasts who want their trip to be infotainment, there is no better place in Kerala than Nilambur. Not many have really explored the possibilities of this sleepy town blessed with a climate equivalent to Ooty.

The teak forest safari is another attraction here,” he says.

KTDC Tamarind at Nilambur is an ideal place to stay. The proximity to other tourist attractions like Aruvacode Tribal Art Heritage Village, Nilambur Kovilakom Palace, Adyan Para Waterfalls, Nedumkayam eco-tourism project and Kerala’s longest Hanging Bridge makes KTDC Tamarind popular.

Kovalam

For an average foreign tourist visiting Kerala in the

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Cover Story / Destination Kerala

Kovalam Beach.

80s, Kovalam undoubtedly topped their list of destinations. Perhaps, no other place in Kerala has pulled the crowd like Kovalam did in the past and it still continues to attract tourists despite a slump these days.

And of course, Kovalam is one of the favourite destinations of Rajmohan.

40 travel & flavors March 2015

“In my view, there is no place in Kerala like Fort Kochi and Kovalam where you can find both the domestic and foreign tourist activity. In other destinations, you won’t find this specialty. Be it season or off-season, it has got tourists coming. The vibrant energy it produces is immense. It has

been always a place of positive energy and leisure to me,” says Rajmohan.

Located by the seaside, KTDC Samudra Kovalam is the best place to stay and explore the beaches of Kovalam. KTDC Samudra offers premium stay with all its rooms overlooking the sea.

Eastern splendour / Ngwe Saung

The beauty sans

glitz & glamour

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Ngwe Saung in Myanmar is a village beach resort just five hours drive from the city of Yangon. The beach is known for its virgin beauty, crystal clear water, gigantic waves of the Bay of Bengal and seafood delicacies of your choice Aswathy Kumar

“S

orry love, we can’t go now?

My husband sat beside me with a sense of sheer disappointment splattered all across his face. I lay half asleep and through our white curtains, I could see the sun rising. In a few hours from now, we would be on a flight for our annual beach holiday.

In a few hours from now, we would be sun-basking on the warm crystal sands of Pattaya sipping frozen margaritas out of fancy swirly straws. Our suitcases lay packed right next to us and we were ready to go.

Only when I awoke the second time, a few minutes after my husband called his office to cancel our flight tickets and hotel reservations, I finally absorbed it fully that our trip to Thailand had actually been cancelled.

There wasn’t going to be the holiday that I had so longed for. I felt sad, let down but most of all I didn’t know what I would tell my six-year-old when she woke up. I was unsure if I had the courage to tell her that she wasn’t going to be able to cuddle up with her mommy in a fancy four-poster bed of our lavish hotel or splurge

at elaborate breakfast buffet or swim in a glitzy infinity pool overlooking the sea. I looked at my husband and immediately knew that we both couldn’t do it!

It was then that we decided to head out to Ngwe Saung, a popular holiday destination in Myanmar. It

There were no highways and all you get were narrow roads stretching all the way to Pathen, the next big city between Yangon and Ngwe Saung was just a four-hour drive from Yangon and fairly popular among the expats.

But most importantly, it had a beach and right now, that’s all we really needed.

I did have my share of fears and doubts as I exited the comfort of my lush green housing estate and into the chaotic, jam-packed

and almost non-existent roads of the Hlaing Tharyar industrial township. “What if we get lost? What if our Google maps don’t work?

What if we run out of water?

Will there be any rest stops?

What if the drive was too risky?” I was nervous and who could blame me. I had heard of horror stories of people getting lost and taking eight hours to cover a mere 150 mile distance.

“We will be fine, love,” reassured my husband. “If we could handle the vast stretches of Masai Mara and the treacherous roads of Sikkim and Raniketh, this was going to be easy!”

And I was so glad that he was right. There were no highways and all you get were narrow roads stretching all the way to Pathen, the next big city between Yangon and Ngwe Saung, and you were bound to have your heart skip a beat every time a truck hurtled at you at full speed or lose your patience every time you got stuck behind a slow-moving cycle rickshaw or unruly motorcyclists. But there was no better way to truly absorb the country in all its rawness and charm, quite a change from the craziness of Yangon. Be it the lush green

The beach stretches for several kilometres and Ngwe Saung village can be found towards the northern end.

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Eastern splendour / Ngwe SAUNG

To get around Ngwe Saung you can rent a bicycle, scooter or take the services of nearby bicycle and car taxis. Motorbikes can also be hired at most hotels here.

Ngwe Saung is a beach like no other, worth visiting to soak in the sheer beauty of the Bay of Bengal or devour the exquisite local cuisine served at the non-glamorous roadside restaurants in the village fields stretching on either side of the road, the innumerable little tea stalls embellished with their neatly aligned colourful plastic chairs selling chai and fried local savories or the quaint thatched roadside shops on stilts displaying an array of Myanmar snacks, baskets loaded with fried fish and luscious fruits like guava, papaya and mangoes, Myanmar was so famous.

We were amazed to see a procession of women clad in the traditional neon pink Longyi, children with colourful turbans on horses and men blowing trumpets aligning the sides of the road.

It had slowed down the traffic significantly, but we did not mind.

Such temple processions were not rare in the culturally vibrant and pious villages located on the outskirts of Yangon but it was our

first time and it was well worth the wait.

We reached our resort at around noon. Though the last 30 km to Ngwe Saung was a bit of downer, courtesy the long winding road, we were beyond ecstatic to see the Bay of Bengal stretched out in front of us, in all its glory. The breathtakingly beautiful coastline, the crystal clear waters that almost seemed to coincide with the Azure sky above us and the gigantic waves that seemed to mock at the calmness surrounding it were really charming.

I will agree that Ngwe Saung is nothing like your clichĂŠd beach destinations. There are no bikini clad waitresses, no fancy street shops or open bar restaurants playing loud music.

Ngwe Saung is worth visiting to soak in the sheer beauty of the Bay of Bengal or devour the exquisite local cuisine served at the nonglamorous roadside restaurants in the village ranging from barbecued lobsters, grilled whole fish in garlic sauce and my personal favourite the steamed fish in chili and lemon.

So what if it lacked glitz and the glamour of a Miami, a La Jolla or a Phuket? So what if it didn’t have the noise or the sheer life that had made these a dream holiday destination? Ngwe Saung was special, raw, untouched and almost like a virgin. And as I dipped my feet into its warm waters watching the sky turn into scarlet orange, I knew that I had just gotten a sneakpeak into the heaven!

TRIVIA

Weather here is unpredictable.

Swimmers should be aware that currents can be dangerously strong if you swim too far out and there is no beach guard or safety equipment at any time of the year.

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March 2015 travel & flavors

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UAE Focus / Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah

Luxury & comfort

unlimited Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah is not just a hotel resort in the UAE. It has turned into an unmistakable landmark in the Middle East with its enormous size, exemplary service and unique locale T&F Team

E

xtraordinary, sophisticated, unparalleled, legendary, etc are the words often used to describe Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah hotel resort in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. This description of the hotel resort literally comes true when you along with your family stay here on holidays.

46 travel & flavors March 2015

You easily fall in love with the entire locale and are likely to come to the resort again very soon. Such is the luxury and comfort provided in the beautiful natural setting at Waldorf Astoria. Businessmen also undoubtedly find it a sophisticated place to conduct meetings and interact with their international clients/

customers.

The location is ideal for a grand resort like this in the Middle East befitting diverse tastes of visitors from different parts of the world. Hajar Mountains, vast expanses of desert, the Al Hamra championship golf course and turquoise waters of the Arabian Sea are all there to trigger the adventure spirit in you.

These and many other venues for exhilarating activities make it the most alluring beach front in the Middle East.

And not to talk about the dining experience offered by the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah hotel which has been recognized worldwide for its exemplary service in the hotel industry. Dining

options in the hotel include eight restaurants along with two beach bars/lounges and a swim-up bar.

A landmark destination, Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah is located 50 minutes from Dubai International Airport. The very name and its pristine locale can lure those coming to Dubai. Facilities and attractions awaiting the guests in the resort are so many. Once you check in the hotel resort, you come to know that this landmark is unmistakable.

Explore and find out what else are available in this luxury resort. Water park, sailing, shooting and flying ranges, desert safaris and sightseeing are now at your doorsteps. Tennis

courts and temperature-controlled swimming pools, a modern fitness centre, kids’ club and contemporary convention centre are in place to serve diverse needs and interests of the guests. Modern conference and event facilities give businessmen a sigh of relief making their task simple and hassle-free. If you want to be away from the bustle of the city for some time, you can go for a desert safari, sailing or fishing at Waldorf Astoria. Of course, well-designed entertainment venues here can please one and all, irrespective of their age and gender.

Luxury is redefined in the resort.

A luxurious spa, an eye-catching,

Dubai Palm Clock

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UAE Focus / Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah

superb golf course and a private beach all set against the Arabian Sea show you what the ultimate luxury is on the earth. Welcome to the palatial spa and the golf resort at Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah.

Built at Al Hamra Village following the architectural style of the palaces of the Arabian Peninsula, the enormous Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah is well positioned with a long stretch of a private beach in the front and the sprawling golf course in the rear. Here you can have spectacular views of the Arabian Gulf and Hajar Mountains in the distance. From your hotel room, you can see the Oman shoreline beyond the horizon.

Like the imposing structure of the hotel, interior features are

stunning and faultless.

The traditional Arabic styles blend seamlessly with modern influences.

Restaurants, lounges, grand rooms and suites are designed in a way that tells you this hotel is no runof-the-mill beach hotel.

Everything inside the hotel has an Arabic touch. When illuminated, the massive structure has an effect on the city of Ras Al Khaimah at night.

Reaching the hotel resort is so easy that your helicopter can straightaway land in the middle of the extensive property.

The visitors at Waldorf Astoria have a wide choice when it comes to their accommodation. There are luxurious rooms and suites that include Classic King Room, Grand Junior Suite with Sea View and Balcony,

Deluxe Queen Room with Sea View and Balcony, Junior King Suite with Sea View, Tower Suite with Sea View and Balcony, Classic RoomDisability Access, Deluxe King Room with Golf View and Balcony, One-Bedroom Suite with Sea View and Royal King Suite.

Hotel facilities and amenities • • • •

• •

Health club and spa 18 hole championship golf course 350m private beach 2 outdoor temperature controlled swimming pools Floodlit tennis courts Water sports, including scuba diving and deep sea fishing

Dubai Palm deluxe suite bedroom

Dubai Palm Beach

• • • • • • • • •

Sightseeing tours Children’s club with nursery & temperature-controlled swimming pools Business centre Private limousine Helicopter pad Boutique stores Personal concierge services 24-hour laundry and valet 24-hour room service

Service

Room service, car hire, airport shuttle (surcharge), 24-hour front desk, Express check-in/check-out, currency exchange, tour desk, luggage storage, ATM/cash machine on site, concierge service, private check-in/check-out, babysitting/ child services, laundry, dry cleaning, ironing service, shoeshine, trouser press, meeting/banquet facilities, business centre, fax/photocopying, VIP room facilities and bridal suite.

Reasons to choose

Waldorf Astoria Low rates Manage your bookings online We speak your language 28 properties in Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah

March 2015 travel & flavors

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TRAVEL Tips / Paris

Say ‘bonjour’ before

you say

‘hello’ Know about the city you are going to visit abroad. The basic knowledge of the place and people will of course help avoid any embarrassment during your stay there, so your trip could be more enjoyable and hassle-free.

Besides convenience, knowledge about the people, their manners and customs in public places, general rules and regulations in society, local flavors and language, no-visit zones, weather etc makes you less stranger in a foreign city. Quick travel tips are what you need to have a glance at before embarking on a journey T&F Team

P

aris, the capital of France, is one of the largest cities in Europe and attracts tourists from all over the world throughout the year with the best places to see, classical music and dance to enjoy, culinary excellence to experience and many more attractions.

Learn some French phrases

Like any other cities with a long history, Paris also can do wonders to visitors if they speak even a little French. You will be surprised by the effect of using some French phrases in public places. Although most Parisians in tourist

areas can speak English, they prefer French and you can “break the ice” with some key phrases like Au Revoir- Goodbye, S’il vous plait- please, Merci- Thank you, Monsieur for male, Madame for female and Mademoiselle for young female. Don’t forget to start a conversation in French. French people like their language more than anything else. They love to see you speak French even if you are not fluent and it is broken.

Don’t take cabs to explore the city

Walk or take the Métro as cabs are expensive in Paris. One has to pay for the

distance and the time spent in the cab, so if you’re stuck in a traffic jam with the meter running, the cost of a short trip can be huge. The Metro is the best option as all buildings are located just a few hundred yards away from the stops. Plus, cabs are available only at taxi stands and it is difficult to hire a cab on the street. If you depend on the Metro and plan to come late to your hotel room, check the chart first in the Metro showing the last train departure and connection times.

Dress fashionably

Remember that Paris is a fashion centre. While deciding how to dress in Paris, it is important to find the right combination of substance, elegance, comfort and creative flair.

In Paris, you are, whether a visitor or a local, are supposed to dress for the occasion. You can see many Parisians carry umbrellas at all times. However, sightseers should dress comfortably since touring Paris involves a great deal of walking. It is important to keep in mind that the French tend to dress more formally than others for everyday activities. Darkcoloured suits are common for men and women, and women also wear conservative, neutral-toned dresses.

Do shop early at department stores

In the afternoon, there will be huge crowds on the streets and at the department stores and hence there could be little enjoyment in the shopping. So it is good to shop in the morning before the crowd arrives.

Keep in mind that unlike in the US, shopping centres in the city are not just shops for Parisian businessmen but an extension of their homes.

They don’t believe in the phrase “business is business”.

Culinary excellence

Like shopping, French take dinning seriously. A visitor should know what to do and what not whether you are at a café or a classic restaurant in the city. Since Paris is one of the world’s leading gastronomic capitals, you’re going to indulge in its vast haven of culinary excellence.

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Exploring the past / Damascus

The Middle East’s

crowning glory

The city of Damascus has a history and culture dating back to the times of Greeks and Romans, which reflect in the way of society and the attitude of the people in the city. Travel & flavors takes you around the great city in the Middle East T&F Team

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he 10th-century traveler and geographer alMaqdisī had rated Damascus among the four earthly paradises. There were some 125 monuments in the city from different periods of its history and it was also the centre of a thriving industry specialised in swords and lace in the middle ages. Founded in 3rd millennium BC, this Middle

desert, Damascus has been called the “Pearl of the East,” because of its beauty and lushness.

It is considered one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Greeks, Romans and Christians had dominated the city in different periods before the Islamic conquest of Syria. The people here in general are aware of the place’s long history, their

Located in the southwestern corner of the country, dominated to the west by Mount Qasiyun and bounded to the east by the desert, Damascus has been called the ‘Pearl of the East,’ because of its beauty and lushness

inhabited as early as 8,000 to 10,000 BC. It represents a historical reference for comparing the systems of architecture and town planning over several thousand years. A popular story about Prophet Mohammed’s journey to Syria recounts that, upon seeing verdant Damascus, he refused to go in as man should only enter the paradise once.

In Damascus, anybody will be struck by the sight of aspens and poplars growing along streams, fruit (particularly apricot) and nut orchards, and olive groves and vegetable gardens. The heart of Damascus’s Old City, which contains most of the city’s historical monuments, is Hellenistic in origin with significant Roman additions and modifications.

Umayyad Mosque

East city was an important cultural and commercial centre.

Syria’s second largest city and the capital, Damascus is credited for being one of the oldest cities in the Middle East.

Located in the southwestern corner of the country, dominated to the west

by Mount Qasiyun and bounded to the east by the

culture and roots, and they often discuss the cultural aspects in the public and are proud of their lineage.

Damascus was a quiet place till recently with the people having tolerance and great understanding of various ethnic traditions.

Excavations at Tell Ramad on the outskirts of the city have demonstrated that Damascus was

Umayyad Mosque is one of the most beautiful mosque in Syria and one of the holiest in the world for Muslims. Converted from a Byzantine cathedral (which in turn had occupied the site of the Temple of Jupiter), Damascus’ crowning glory was built in AD 705. Damascus became the capital of the Islamic world under the

Many residents have left the ancient section of Damascus in search of modern housing.

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Exploring the past / Damascus

It was on the road to Damascus that St. Paul is said to have a vision, after which he converted from Judaism to Christianity.

Umayyad rule and the caliph, Khaled ibn al-Wahid, built what he called “a mosque the equal of which was never designed by anyone before me or anyone after me”.

The outstanding feature of the mosque is its golden mosaic which adorns the facade of the prayer hall on the southern side of the courtyard and a 37-m stretch along the western arcade wall and it represents the Barada Valley and the paradise that Prophet Mohammed saw in Damascus. You can enter the Umayyad mosque from the north

side, but first you’ll need to buy a ticket outside the northwestern corner of the mosque and look for the “Putting on Special Clothes Room” sign. The resting place of one of the great Arab heroes, red-domed mausoleum of Saladin, can be seen next to the ticket office in the small garden north of the mosque’s walls.

The mausoleum was originally built in 1193.

Sayyida Zeinab Mosque

The Iranian-built Sayyida Zeinab Mosque at the site of the burial place

of Sayyida Zeinab, granddaughter of Mohammed, is about 10km south of the city centre, in a neighbourhood which is popular with Iranian pilgrims. To reach the mosque, take a microbus to Karajat as-Sitt from Sharia Fahkri al-Baroudi in the city centre. At Karajat as-Sitt, change to a different microbus for the mosque.

Souq al-Hamidiyah

Souq al-Hamidiyah is the largest and the central souk in Syria. The souq starts at Al-Thawra Street and ends at the Umayyad Mosque plaza.

Built in 1780 under the rule of Sultan Abdul Hamid, the souq is named after its creator Al-hamidiyah. It was expanded in 1884 and later, on the order of Hussain Basha Alazem, its walkway was enclosed by an ornate iron cover. The goods on sale include items of local copperware, wooden mosaic artwork and much more.

Souk Sarouja

Sayyida Zeinab Mosque

How to reach

International carriers like Qatar Airways, Air Arabia and Emirates fly non-stop from Mumbai and Delhi to Damascus. Air India also offers flights to Syria via Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Damascus is also well served by bus routes, both public and private, from Lebanon and Jordan.

When to go

The eternal city Damascus can be visited at any time of the year. Syrian

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Souk Sarouja is one of the first inhabited areas built outside Old Damascus’ Fence and it dates back to the 11th century. It held the status of being the largest market in the Holy Land, and was split into two separate structures that ran from west to east, and north to south. The areas immediately outside the city walls were developed as burial places in medieval times which you can see today.

summer is hot and winter is mild but wet. Spring and fall are excellent seasons for a visit.

TRIVIA

The Damascus Straight Street is a Roman street (Decumanus Maximus) that runs from east to west in the old city of Damascus. St. Paul had visited the street as recorded in the book of Acts and it contains several interesting sights from the Roman, Christian and Islamic periods.

Al Hamidiyah Souq

The Roman triumphal arch.

Arnous Square in Salhiyyeh district.

Aviation Plus / scariest Airports

Deadly airport

landings Tighten your seatbelt and gather courage because you are going to land at one of the most dangerous airports in the world. Don’t panic and scream as your safety is assured by the experienced pilots T&F Team

The runway at Lukla Airport in Nepal.

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I

t is not the flying phobia but the real danger to all passengers aboard a flight is a cause for worry when the plane is about to land in one of the dangerous airports in the world. Only experienced pilots with sufficient knowledge of the local terrain and weather can assure passengers’ safety.

Forget about smooth or good landing, passengers tend to pray for only safe landing in these airports, especially at night with poor visibility. Short runway, hilly terrain, extreme weather conditions etc. always pose a challenge to pilots’ airport approach. Travel and Flavors takes you to some of the scariest airports around the world, so you come to know how difficult the landing and takeoff are in these airports.

Paro Airport

Paro Airport is the only international airport in Bhutan.

The airport surrounded by mountains is considered most challenging. Indeed, only eight pilots in the world are currently certified to land here. The airport is located in a deep valley and landing involves negotiating a range of mountains. Planes have to cross dozens of houses which are scattered across the mountainside while coming within feet of the roofs.

Juancho E Yrausquin Airport

Juancho E Yrausquin Airport is the only airport on the Caribbean Island of Saba.

The airport is flanked on one side by high hills with cliffs that drop into the sea at both ends.

It is one of the world’s shortest runways (approximately 1,300 feet long). Pilots remark that landing on this runway is similar to touching down on an aircraft carrier. Aircraft must fly headlong towards a cliff and

make a sharp bank to the left just before landing.

Princess Juliana International Airport

The airport is possibly best known for a very low-altitude landing approach as one end of the runway is extremely close to Maho Beach, Caribbean. To ensure that the correct altitude is maintained the pilots must make regular instrument checks. Maho Beach has become a popular spot to observe approaching aircraft.

Take-off involves a sharp turn to the right, actually a U-turn, to avoid the mountains that loom large at the end of the runway.

Tenzing-Hillary Airport

Tenzing-Hillary Airport, also known as Lukla Airport, is a small one in the town of Lukla in Khumbu, eastern Nepal. The programme ‘Most Extreme Airports’, broadcast on The History Channel in 2010, rated the airport as the most dangerous airport in the world.

The airport is popular because this is the place where people alight to go to Mount Everest base camp. A fall of 9,200 ft is awaiting passengers at the end of the runaway and since the 1970s, Lukla Airport has had high accident rates.

Narsarsuaq Airport

Narsarsuaq Airport is located in Narsarsuaq, southern Greenland. The approach for landing involves flying over a fjord, which is a spectacular sight for passengers. The threat of turbulence and wind shear are ever present. The pilots with excellent knowledge of the local terrain and weather conditions are permitted to make the fjord approach. Night time take-offs and landing has been banned.

Aviation Plus / scariest Airports

Courchevel Altiport in French Alps

Lukla Airport, Nepal

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Flights at Paro are allowed under visual meteorological conditions only and are restricted to daylight hours from sunrise to sunset.

Barra Airport

Barra Airport is a short-runway airport situated in the wide shallow bay of Traigh Mhòr at the north tip of the Island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The airport is the only one in the world where the flights use a beach as the runway. Flight times are decided by the tide and the ‘runway’ is washed away each evening.

Matekane Air Strip

Matekane Air Strip is an airport located in Lesotho, Africa. The airport is having a 400-m (1,300 ft) runway that extends to the edge of a 600-m (2,000 ft) cliff and is classified as one of the world’s scariest runways. Don’t try if you are a faint-hearted.

Toncontin International Airport

Toncontin International Airport is a civil and military airport located 6 km from the centre of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The History Channel programme ‘Most Extreme Airports’ ranks it as the second most dangerous airport in the world. Since 2008, large aircraft have been banned from landing here after an Airbus A320-233 overshot the runway on landing and entered a nearby street which resulted in the death of five people and many more were injured. Mountainous terrain here makes it extreme difficult for the pilots to land.

Courchevel Altiport

You might have seen this airfield in the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies. The History Channel programme ‘Most Extreme

Airports’ ranks it as the seventh most dangerous airport in the world. Only certified pilots are permitted to land at this high altitude airstrip in the Saint-Bon-Tarentaise region of the French Alps. Flying conditions are hazardous as the approach is through deep valleys and also due to the extreme mountainous weather.

Wellington International Airport

Wellington International Airport is an international airport located in the suburb of Rongotai in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. The short runway, a risky approach through hilly landscape and frighteningly strong wind make the condition exceptionally difficult for the landing.

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Travel Blog / Badami

When sandstones

come to life The sandstone architecture in Badami makes you wonder how brilliant and imaginative our ancestors were in sculpturing and building temples Richi Mohanty

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urn over the pages of your history book. You may come to know about the great Chalukya Empire and its capital city Badami in the South. The glorious past of Badami has been preserved in the stonecut architecture. The city dating back to the 5th century AD is located on the banks of a lake named Agastya Tirtha. The visitors to the ancient city are welcomed by the red sandstone cliffs towering over the area, along the dusty road. You can see the massive red stone structure in the town from far. The lanes and bylanes there

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offer a wonderful sight of traditional houses with carved wooden doors and quaint little windows.

Sitting right above the water body is the most popular tourist attraction of the place- Badami Caves. The colour of the spiraling red sandstone lends the name to the place, Badami meaning colour of Badam. The best time to visit these caves is late afternoon when sunrays fall directly on the red stone. As the colour of sunlight deepens, the sandstone emanates an orange glow, a view so glorious that you feel blessed.

There’s a sense of quietness befalling the four caves that sit atop the hill, the only access being the 2000 steps leading to the final cave. Like all visitors here, we also took to the caves on our arrival to see it in detail and we spent time watching the magnificent red stone glowing in the twilight.

The first cave is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is the oldest of the four, carved probably in the 6th century AD. The porch has a gigantic carving of the famous Natraja striking 81 dance moves in just one pose while the inside walls of

The glorious past of Badami has been preserved in the stone-cut architecture.

The city dating back to the 5th century AD is located on the banks of a lake named Agastya Tirtha

the cave depict Shiva and Parvati and Harihara- half Shiva and half Vishnu. The second cave is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, which is much simple in design.

Like the cave one, four robust pillars support the verandah with the tops carved in the shape of yali, a mythical lion. The wall sculptures depict various incarnations of Lord Vishnu. As you proceed further, you reach the steps leading to the natural caves and eventually to the fort but the visitors are not allowed there due to the treacherous route that is often invaded by monkeys.

The third cave is the largest and most decorated

The foundation of Badami or Vatapi was laid by Pulakeshi I (535 - 566 AD) and his son Kirtivarman, the Ist (567 - 598 AD), beautified the town with temples and other buildings.

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Travel Blog / Badami

Photos: Sachin Tanwar & Kaushik Datta

There are a total of four Badami Caves. Out of which, three are the Brahminical caves and one is the Jain cave.

of the lot, again dedicated to Lord Vishnu sitting on a snake. The verandah has similar pillars and the ceiling panels have images of gods on their favourite rides like Indra riding an elephant, Brahma on a swan and so on. The ceiling panels have been fully painted like storyboards with mythological characters.

The cave exudes grandeur and the vivid imagination our ancestors could put across with a strong

Badami before returning home on the same day.

As planned, we visited the Agastya Tirtha tank and the popular waterside Bhuthanatha Temples early in the morning.

These temples made with sandstones show the early phases of South Indian architecture. These are Shiva temples. Lord Shiva is believed to be present here as God of Souls or Bhoothnath.

Apart from the religious sites, there is

As planned, we visited the Agastya Tirtha tank and the popular waterside Bhutanatha temples early in the morning.These temples made with sandstones show the early phases of South Indian architecture imagery.

The fourth cave is dedicated to Jainism, the smallest and most recent one, probably in the 8th century AD. Though the entrance porch style is like that of the other three, the carvings are fewer and the cave appears deeper.

To see the cave in detail, we climbed down the steps. Exhausted, we returned after watching the beautiful creations down in the cave. It was time for dinner and a good night’s sleep. I was thinking about the next morning which would be hectic as we had plans of catching the rest of

the Badami Fort built

by Tipu Sultan and an archeological museum on the other side of the tank, which showcases the brilliance of our ancestors.

The city is also a popular destination for rock climbing owing to the cliffs with horizontal cracks. There are multiple routes. Both professionals and beginners can enjoy these cliffs and so it came to be known as “Mecca of Rock Climbing”.

Travel by the road is the best way to get to Badami. Trains are also available. For accommodation, there are multiple options in the town centre.

How to reach

By Air: The nearest airport is Hubli (around 106 km) which is connected to Mumbai and Bangalore airports. From Hubli, one can reach Badami by bus or taxi.

By Rail: The nearest major rail junction is Hubli. The Hubli Jn has good rail connectivity with major cities across India. Also, direct train is there from Bangalore (Yashawantapur Jn) to Badami.

By Road: Badami is well connected by road. Both

government and private buses are available from Hubli, Dharwad, Belgaum, Bangalore, Bagalkot, Hampi and Bijapur.

Where to stay

There are limited options of places to stay in Badami. The accommodation options in Badami range from mid-level to budget hotels. No luxury properities here.

TRIVIA

The architectural and sculptural wonders of Badami Caves and Temples are likely to become World Heritage Site next year.

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Pilgrim’s Progress / Swayambhunath temple

A Kathmandu sojourn

The Swayambhunath temple complex considered the most sacred for Buddhists houses one of the oldest stupas in the world. What makes the temple so special is that Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims alike offer prayers here RG Gireesh

I

came to Nepal on an official visit and also had plans to see a few places which had been listed on my Nepal itinerary. When my official responsibilities were over, I decided to travel to Swayambhunath where the famous temple complex is situated. It was seven in the morning. I took a taxi from Bagdol where I stayed and told the driver to steer towards Swayambhunath.

While entering the temple complex, a herd of monkeys came to

welcome me. Now I understand why people call it ‘Monkey Temple’. “Be careful if you are carrying eatables as these monkeys can be nasty at times,” warned a visitor who seemed to be very familiar to the place. He might be a local or someone who had frequented this complex before.

Walking towards the temple, I saw the Buddha stupa towering over the valley. Along the walkway, there were street vendors selling clothes and other small items. After 10 minutes

It was seven in the morning. I took a taxi from Bagdol where I stayed and told the driver to steer towards Swayambhunath

Swayambhunath Temple is also known as Swayambhu Temple, Monkey Temple, Self-Created Temple and Swayambhunath Stupa.

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It is one of the few places where Buddhist and Hindu faiths exist in harmony, sharing the basic tenets of Hinduism and Buddhism.

walk, I reached the temple where devotees were seen performing various rituals. Some throw coins into the temple pond where the statue of the Buddha is standing on a lotus. The pond bears this message: “May peace prevail on earth.�

The temple is surrounded by religious prayer wheels. Pilgrims walk clockwise around the stupa, chanting mantras and spinning the wheels. Scattered stupas in the area reminded me of pawns on a chess board. The Buddha

stupa was completely renovated in 2010 and the dome was re-gilded using 20 kg of gold. The colourful prayer flags hung around the temple give it a spectacular look.

It is enthralling to watch devotees lit butter candles inside the temple.

I have heard many stories about the temple complex. One of them is that the entire Kathmandu valley was an enormous lake and there was a lotus in it.

Bodhistava Manjushri had a vision of the lotus and came there to worship it. Manjushri cut a gorge

The stupa was completely renovated in 2010 and the dome was re-gilded using 20 kg of gold. The colourful prayer flags hung around the temple give it a spectacular look

The stupa at Swayambhunath Temple.

Devotees spinning the prayer wheels.

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Pilgrim’s Progress / Swayambhunath temple

A multitude of mini stupas at Swayambhunath.

through the mountains surrounding the valley in order to make the site more accessible to pilgrims. The lake water drained out and what remained is today’s Kathmandu valley that came to be known as Swayambhu which means ‘self-created’ and the lotus became the stupa.

Every morning you can see hundreds of Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims ascend the 365 steps from the eastern side that lead up the hill. My driver said that the best way to reach the Swayambhunath stupa is to walk from Thamel area. It is a 40-45 minute walk which is worth all time.

Nepal is one of the best travel destinations for people of all ages because the country offers a variety of things. I would like to suggest a few places in Nepal which you should visit during your Nepal journey. The list includes Pokhra, Chitwan National Park, Nagarkot, Bhaktapur, Patan, Birgunj, Sagarmatha National Park, Daman, Dakshinkali, Manakamana, Lumbini, Pashupati Temple, Boudhanath, Durbar Square, and the Himalaya trekking route.

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When to visit

The temple is most beautiful in the morning. If possible, visit on a Saturday, the only day Nepalis have off from work. This is the primary day of activity around the Harati and other shrines.

TRIVIA

The dome at the base

represents the entire world.

When a person awakes from the bonds of the world, the person reaches the state of enlightenment.

The 13 pinnacles on the top symbolise that human beings have to go through the 13 stages of spiritual realizations to reach enlightenment or Buddhahood.

A view of Kathmandu from the Swayambhunath hill.

Cultural Zone / Kochi-Muziris Biennale

Showcasing artistic

excellence

Tony William

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n international exhibition of contemporary art, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale has become a novel platform for cultural engagement in Kerala.

Young and budding artists from India find it a unique opportunity to showcase their talents. The name Kochi-Muziris Biennale itself is reminiscent of the rich tradition and culture of the state, which once flourished in the ancient port city of Muziris (Kodungallur) on the Malabar Coast. Besides trade, exchange of cultures and lifestyles naturally happened here following constant interaction between the locals and Jews, Romans, Arabs and Christians at different periods.

The second edition of the biennale is hosting around 100 artists from 26 countries. The biennale has got very exciting venues in and around Fort Kochi to exhibit works of artists, which increase the appeal of the art festival held every two years. Aspinwall House, Excavation site at Paravoor, Durbar Hall, Pepper House, Kalvathi Jetti, Kabral Yarder, David Hall, Parade Ground, Dutch Warehouse and Kashi Art Gallery are the perfect setting for an art exhibition of international standards. Art lovers and even commoners can take part in seminars and symposium being held as part of the event.

Opened on December 12, 2014, the exhibition will run till March 29, 2015 and is drawing thousands of visitors. It is indeed a feast for all art lovers. Those who are visiting Kerala during the time cannot miss the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. Here Travel and Flavors takes a sneak peek into the exhibits.

Harbinder

‘H

arbinder’ is made with clay, polyurethane and hay. Artist Sahej Rahal creates scenarios where strange and indeterminate beings emerge as if from the cracks of our civilization, challenging the ways in which we experience time and space. An anchor, an ancient blade, an array of astronomical devices, monoliths, visors, ceremonial masks and sci-fi automations are used in the creation. The cracked and crumbling structures point,both forward and backward, to the very beginning of civilization and its aftermath. Sahej Rahal is hailing from Mumbai.

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Cultural Zone / Kochi-Muziris Biennale

Undercurrent

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hese intensely visceral sculptures, installations and videos by the artist Mona Hatoum work within a dynamic of conflict both within their form- minimalist yet surreal- and in the emotions they arouse in the viewer. Born in 1952 in Beirut, Lebanon, Mona Hatoum is living in Berlin and London. In her hands, seemingly innocuous objects like light bulbs, toys or even a wheelchair can acquire strange and threatening dimensions. ‘Undercurrent’ is a circular arrangement of light bulbs and interwoven wires on the floor. The throbbing lights warn of dangers from landmines or snaking streams of lava and yet are irresistible in their allure.

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Alternate Shapes for the Earth

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ataraj Sharma’s ‘Alternate Shapes for the Earth’ is a way of challenging the certainties that limit our perception of the world.

Conceived in the aftermath of the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat, this installation calls for coexistence of multiple views of people. Born in 1958 in Mysore, Karnataka, Nataraj Sharma is living in Vadodara, Gujarat.

Here, Sharma recasts planet Earth in shapes other than the sphere, all arranged on rotatable sculpting stands, ‘Celestial prototypes-works in progress’ as he calls them. According to the artist, the installation had its origin in a drawing describing the movement of Earth, Moon and Sun.

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Cultural Zone / Kochi-Muziris Biennale

Artha

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his installation takes your breath away. ‘Artha’ is in the shape of a diamond- a universal symbol of prosperity, wealth and vanity. The seductive red translucence of this sculpture gives you a shock on encountering the objects- 10,000 discarded slides of blood containing blood drawn from a large number of people, including the artist Prashant Pandey. Born in 1984 into a family of marble sculptors in Jaipur, Pandey moved away from the tradition of chipping away on stones to create the idols of Gods and Goddesses, and worked with what was discarded and often ostensibly impure.

Backbone

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hanthamani Muddaiah’s installation ‘Backbone’ made with cement and cinder (combusted remains of coal) in the shape of a large spinal column is a metaphor for the many centripetal forces that hold civilizations together, from rivers to ideologies. This 90-foot-long installation lying curled on the ground like a giant sea serpent prompts questions about its origin. In its fragmented stage, it evokes an archeological site littered with skeletal remains that have suddenly emerged out of the ground.

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Background Story: Endless Xishan Mountain Scenery

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hinese artist Xu Bing uses light and shadow to create works that resemble classical Chinese paintings made of leaves, fibres and other discarded materials. Xu Bing was born in 1955 in Chongqing, China and has been working in Beijing for some time.

In ‘Background Story: Endless Xishan Mountain Scenery’, Xu Bing has replicated in shadows a landscape painting by Chinese artist Xu Ben who lived when the Ming Dynasty ruled China (1368-1644). According to the artist, he chose this particular painting as its creation coincided with a period in history when generals of the Ming empire, among them the legendary General Zheng He, were making oceanic expeditions.

An old landscape painting (above) and its shadows (top) that make an impressive painting.

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Exotic flavors / The Caribbean

Set the taste buds

ablaze The Caribbean cuisine is a fusion of African, American, European, East Indian, Arab and Chinese cuisines. Some well known Caribbean cuisine include key lime pie, barbequed ribs served with guava sauce, chicken kababs, jerk chicken, and coconut shrimp RG Gireesh

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visit to the Caribbean Islands was always my dream and it finally happened this year.

The Caribbean is known for its beautiful beaches and the tropical weather but I was not much aware of its cuisine. Here is an opportunity for me to dig into some delicious Caribbean dishes. Rice served with beans and different types of sauces is a staple food in the Caribbean Islands, and each island has its unique rice dish.

The Caribbean squash called Calabaza is sweet and is commonly found in pumpkin soups and meals with a lot of vegetables. Try to eat Carambola

known as ‘star fruit’ which is tasty, crisp and very popular in salads and desserts.

A popular Caribbean dish which I ordered was the seasoned jerk chicken, a unique spicy dish. Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica in which meat is dry-rubbed or wet marinated with a very hot spice mixture called Jamaican jerk spice.

The goat stew is very famous here and it is Montserrat’s national dish. This popular stew is made with tomatoes, dumplings, green papaya, breadfruit and goat meat.

The Caribbean roti is something different, which we are not familiar with. It is made by wrapping a piece of flat bread around vegetables

or meat.

Seafood is very popular in the Caribbean. Shark, fish, lobster, and conch are popular in different regions.

Flying fish is very common in Barbados while fried shark and crab are popular in Tobago. Western Africaninfluenced salt fish can be found throughout the Caribbean.

Pepperpot is a very famous delicacy in Guyana, which is served only on special occasions. Along with curried chicken and cooked rice, pepperpot is one of Guyana’s national dishes. It’s a stewed meat dish, with basic ingredients like the Caribbean hot peppers. Beef, pork and mutton are the favourite meat

The goat stew is very famous in Jamaica and it is Montserrat’s national dish. This popular stew is made with tomatoes, dumplings, green papaya, breadfruit and goat meat

Caribbean dinner

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Exotic flavors / The Caribbean

Ginger beer

and they are served with homemade bread.

Get some fresh local drinks which are made from readily available fruits or other plant parts.

Homemade drinks available here are lime wash, pine drink, sorrel drink, ginger beer (made from ginger root) and peanut punch.

I spent most of the days in Jamaica where some mouthwatering dishes like curry goat, fried dumplings, ackee and salt fish, steamed cabbage and rice and peas are awaiting you. Jamaican

Ackee and Saltfish

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food is famous for its taste and spicy flavor. Don’t miss the Jamaican Patty, a pastry that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture or turmeric. As the name suggests, it is commonly found in Jamaica. The patty is often eaten as a full meal, especially when paired with coco bread.

Fish, including red snapper and lobster, are prepared in a variety of ways in Jamaica. You will

be addicted to Escoveitch fish or fried fish served here with a sauce made of vinegar, onions and hot peppers.

Experience some popular desserts like mango and sour soup ice cream. The ice creams are traditionally made of coconut milk and you will get it in flavors like grape nut, rum and raisin.

Potato pudding, gizzada (a small tart shell with sweet spiced coconut filling) and grater cake are some other desserts in Jamaica.

Rice ‘n Peas, vegetables and chicken made with Jamaican jerk spice

Wild Sahya / Tour Guide

Get set for wildlife

experience

Feel safe and happy when you are on a wildlife tour or an expedition as Wild Sahya organises everything for you to make your trip hassle-free and complete T&F Team

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hose who are travelling would like to have new experiences. For them, every journey opens an opportunity to learn something new.

While some travel totally unprepared, others organise everything well like professionals. Both have advantages and disadvantages. However, it is advisable to travel with an experienced hand if you want your journey to be hassle-free, especially when you plan an adventurous trip. Wild Sahya, a subsidiary of Ainex India, is an organisation that can

plan everything for you if you want to go on a wildlife tour or a photographic expedition.

Wild Sahya conducts expeditions to various wildlife destinations in India, both customised and group packages. Be it personalised package, team outing or corporate tour, Wild Sahya takes great pride in offering the best service to its clients.

“Our team walks that extra mile to ensure the guests are rewarded with an experience of a lifetime,” says V Gopakumar, Managing Director, Ainex India. Wild Sahya,

launched in 2013 with its business office in Kochi, Kerala, is promoted by a group of professionals with rich experience in hospitality and service industry.

Specialised in adventure tourism in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Goa (jungle treks, white water rafting, forest safaris, forest vacations, backwater vacations, exclusive beach packages and hill tourism), Wild Sahya accepts bookings for hotels and resorts, home stays, houseboat cruises and Ayurveda packages

in Kerala. It also provides corporate group packages and institutional tour packages across India.

“We have tie-ups with the leading hotels in Kerala

V Gopakumar, Managing Director, Ainex India

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Tour Guide / Wild Sahya

Photos: Rajesh Mangat

Wild Sahya conducts expeditions to various wildlife destinations in India, both customised and group packages.

Be it personalised package, team outing or corporate tour, Wild Sahya takes great pride in offering the best service to its clients and other parts of the country, including Jungle lodges and resorts in Karnataka. Our guides and drivers are well experienced and approved by the forest department,” adds Gopakumar.

Wild Sahya takes care of the travellers right from the airports or the railway stations.

The packages like Monsoon at Hill Tops of Munnar and Marayoor, Monsoon Mocktail at Wayanad and Thirunelli, White Water Rafting at Kodagu, Nagarhole Magic, Tusker Encounter at K Gudi, Bandipur jungle safari package, Kabini package with four jungle safaris and vacation

offers such as Thekkady Calm, Nelliyampathy Naturals, Marari Dreams, Alappuzha package, Sholayar Delights and Mystical Marayoor had many travellers choosing it. The packages include safari drives and trekking.

“We get maximum guests on weekends. We work within the rules and regulations of the respective forest departments without disturbing the wildlife or environment,” says Gopakumar.

Monsoon tourism is something which Wild Sahya is really promoting. “It is an area we can really look upon.

Backwaters have a romantic

We specialise in wildlife tourism, making it our brand. In addition, we are also in talks with schools and colleges to promote environment awareness, jungle explorations etc. beauty during monsoon.

Now more guests are coming here to explore this magic.

Most of our locations have the advantage of exploring monsoon. Munnar & Chinnar is quite wonderful during the monsoon season. Yes, it’s an off-season, still we can take advantages of it,” he says.

Wild Sahya has regular corporate clients who opt for adventure tourism. Their number is steadily increasing.

Gopakumar sees it as a good change from the conventional trips.

It is a surprise that Wild

Sahya’s packages start from just Rs 2,999 per person depending on the type of room and location. For wildlife enthusiasts, there is a package that offers two safaris (In the morning and evening), one night stay and food.

“We are not like any other travel operator. We specialise in wildlife tourism, making it our brand. In addition, we are also in talks with schools and colleges to promote environment awareness, jungle explorations etc.,” says Gopakumar.

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Avian Habitats / Hadinaru Kere

A home away from home

If you are a bird watcher, take a trip to Hadinaru Kere in Karnataka where you can spot the bar-headed goose among over 30 species of birds. Birds come here from South Tibet, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia during winter after crossing the Himalaya Text & photos by Raghavendra Pattar

H

adinaru village nestled in the foothills of Chamundi is a very important location for migratory birds, including some rare species. The area consisting of deep waters and marshlands is home to a variety of habitats. Birds from South Tibet, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia are coming here during winter after crossing the Himalaya. Flocks of bar-headed geese that breed in the southern region arrive in Hadinaru Kere (lake) during October– March. Hadinaru Lake and its surroundings offer a breeding

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ground for bar-headed geese with more congenial climatic conditions.

For a serious bird watcher, Hadinaru Kere is an ideal spot free of noise and the bustle of tourists who usually throng the neighbouring Ranganathittu. Till date more than 33 species of birds have been recorded at Hadinaru Lake. Their total population may be increasing but it is complex to assess population trends. Tagged birds from central Mongolia have been recorded and confirmed

by Mongolian institutes and bird watchers from Mysore.

Photographic documentation has clearly indicated the area of tagging, sex and other details of individual bird.

The bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) is an unmistakable bird which is medium to large and pale grey with a striking black and white pattern on its head for which the bird gets its common name. The head is mostly white, but is clearly marked with two horizontal dark stripes. The upper one is broad and runs over the head from eye to eye.

The lower stripe circles the lower nape and is much narrower. Its

The destruction of bird habitats at Hadinaru Kere and the surrounding places affects not only migratory birds but also the locally endemic bird species like Red Munia.

The bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) is an unmistakable bird which is medium to large, pale grey with a striking black and white pattern on its head for which the bird gets its common name

long wings appear almost white but when in flight, they are tipped with black. The goose has brown eyes and yellowish to pale orange legs and feet.

Male and female bar-headed geese are similar in appearance although the male is usually slightly larger. Juveniles look similar with plumage and lack the distinctive horizontal bars on the back of the head. The bill, legs and feet of juveniles are greenish-yellow and duller than the adults.

The bar-headed goose produces rather human-like cackling notes and when in flight, it gives the slow, deliberate and somewhat nasal

honking calls characteristic of geese. Contact calls comprise one to three syllables, whereas greeting calls, which are only given between family members, comprise up to five syllables. Interestingly, they utter two different warning notes, one which is given when a bird of prey is nearby and the other for when land predators are close. Trilled calls are used to indicate that the bird is sleepy and in defensive situations, it hisses.

In a 2012 study that tagged 91 geese and tracked their migration routes, it was found that the geese spent 95% of their flying time below

A bar-headed goose spotted at Hadinaru Kere, Karnataka.

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Avian Habitats / Hadinaru Kere

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Migratory birds flying to Hadinaru Kere and other wetlands in the region from Eurasian countries during winter find it difficult this year as water bodies here have dried up.

5,784 m (18,976 ft) altitude, taking a longer route in order to utilise lower-altitude valleys and passes. Only 10 of the tagged geese were ever recorded above this altitude, and only one exceeded 6,500 m (21,300 ft), reaching 7,290 m (23,920 ft). All these high altitude flights except one were recorded at night.

The bar-headed goose migrates beyond the Himalayas to spend winter in parts of South Asia, from Assam to Karnataka. It is a primarily herbivorous species, foraging mostly by grazing on land. The goose eats a variety of grasses, roots, leaves, stems, seeds and berries during the breeding season, as well as small insects and crustaceans. In winter, they eat grain, tubers and other vegetables. Interestingly, they demonstrate a high tolerance for poisonous plants, including Convallaria majalis.

The breeding season generally starts in late May or June. They tend to form long-term monogamous pairs, with colonies often containing more than 1,000 pairs but it is also known to form harem groups consisting of one male and up to five females. They usually build nests among marshes along rivers or next to lakes and sometimes in trees. The bar-headed goose generally returns to the same nesting site year after year.

The female goose usually lays four to six eggs although it can be three to eight eggs at times. Incubation lasts up to 27 or 30 days. The goslings are able to leave the nest two days after hatching

and are capable of feeding themselves just one or two days later. The young birds take their first flight at about 53 days. During the autumn migration and the ensuing winter season, family members tend to stay together.

The world’s highestflying birds

Himalayan climbers struggling to make the last few steps to the peak of Makalu have long marveled at the sight of bar-headed geese flying high above them. The birds cruise at an altitude of 29,500 ft, nearly as high as commercial aircraft. It has been found that the goose crosses the Himalayas in a single day.

To fly at a great height, the goose must sustain a 10 to 20-fold increase in oxygen consumption. By comparison, lower-altitude birds such as the Canada goose cannot sustain at an altitude of 30,000 ft.

Large wings and lungs, a dense network of capillaries surrounding the flight muscle, and hemoglobin that more tightly binds oxygen to the lungs work together to sustain oxygen flow throughout the bird’s circulatory system, including its flight muscle.

How to reach

By Rail: Major railway station is Mysore Junction which is 21 km away from Hadinaru village.

Tandavapura railway station and Sujatapuram Ha railway station are very nearby.

By Road: Tirumakudal and Chamrajnagar are the nearby towns having road connectivity to Hadinaru.

TRIVIA

Hadinaru is a beautiful village where most houses are built with bamboo and thatched roofs. Wall and floor of the houses are painted by a mixture of dirt, grass and cow dung.

Survival threat

In Hadinaru, these migratory birds are now facing threat to their survival.

The villagers complain about the birds as their agricultural lands lie next to the lake.

And the lake is where the residents wash their clothes.

There is also nest disturbance from cattle, dogs and other animals in the village.

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Travelogue / Somnathpur

An awe-inspiring

Channa Kesava Temple The journey and the visit to Somnathpur Channa Kesava Temple in Karnataka turned out to be an eye-opener for the author who narrates how she got stuck in the middle of her journey and what awakened her spirit after all Renuka C Sekhar

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“A

fter all, loneliness doesn’t scare me. It gives me time to grow stronger than I have ever been.” I don’t know who said this but I am sure I can say this dialogue perfectly when a situation arises.

I was on my way to Somnathpur Channa Kesava Temple and now left alone midway through the journey to Bannur in the hours of darkness, with my green American traveller, two pairs of clothes and a mobile battery reminding me at regular intervals that it will take the last breath in another 15 minutes. I was unfortunate that I missed my bus while

taking a coffee break near Harohalli.

The driver and conductor hardly noticed my absence as there was no shortage of gorgeous women in our bus. Luckily, a truck which came that way dropped me at Bannur where the atmosphere was spooky, silence lingered in the air with an equal dose of anxiety and just one street light was blinking for its turn.

I was not afraid but I felt a hundred pink cotton candies swirling inside my tummy, resulting in drinking a bottle of water which I was not able to swallow at one go. It was burning inside, still I smiled. The night was pitch-dark, so dark that I could barely see anything. I decided to move on. I had to since there was nothing else to do in this time of night.

Far away I saw a ray of hope. I watched attentively

for a while in the same direction. It appeared to be something with an awesome physique. When I moved further, the object was clearer. It was a smart bull decorated with a beautiful chain around the neck and was attached to a cart with fluorescent paint. Yes! You can call it a bullock cart. When it reached a little closer, I heard a Kannada song in the background, from the smart phone of the man who could be the driver of the cart. The man raised his eyebrows with a bit of surprise and asked me in Kannada: “Why are

Travelogue / Somnathpur

Brilliant art works in stone at the temple.

you here? And where you want to go?”

I assumed what he asked. I wasted no time nor did I give him time to ask another question. I said: “Somnathpur Temple.” I knew exactly where I had to go. As per my friend Puneet who arranged my accommodation here, there is a sculpture shop opposite Somnathpur Temple run by his friend and my stay was at a villager’s house nearby.

To my surprise the man handed me his smart phone when I told him that my mobile ran out of power. I looked for direction in his mobile and I read about Bannur “HASI BHATTA”, “BISI BELLA” and this place is famous for paddy and jaggery. The bullock cart with me inside moved through a paddy field. As it was midnight, I couldn’t ask for jaggery. The air was

clean, but a bit cold and dew drops were there on grass blades and paddy leaves. The July breeze tickled my feet and I was as happy as a baboon in a banana plantation.

I wrapped my pink shawl around my head. For a moment, it looked like an old movie- the hero and heroine caught up in a remote place in a bullock cart. All the stuff of an old flick was there. I was thinking about this and many other things. Soon I reached Somnathpur, a beautiful, sleepy village, where my stay was arranged. I received a warm welcome in the middle of the night.

The warm sunlight filtered through the curtains of my room and a cup of hot masala Mysore tea awakened my spirit and I was all set to explore Somnathpur Channa

To my surprise the man handed me his smart phone when I told him that my mobile ran out of power. I looked for direction in his mobile and I read about Bannur ‘HASI BHATTA’, ‘BISI BELLA’ and this place is famous for paddy and jaggery

Mallithamma is the name of the master sculptor who had carved the maximum number of images at Somnathpur Temple.

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The author in the temple complex.

Travelogue / Somnathpur

The most striking feature of the Hoysala architecture is its abundant use of sculpture. In some way, the whole temple appears to be a massive piece of sculptural art.

Keshava Temple which is located on the banks of river Cauvery. When entered the courtyard, I was awed by the beauty of the pillars itself. I already have the information that it was built around 500 years ago. It is a typical example of the Hoysala architecture made with soapstone.

Indeed, one has to be here to believe this architectural extravaganza and mere explanations would not do justice to the temple construction.

It was the work of the sculptor and master architect Jakanachari. I virtually stood aghast watching the intricate designs and carvings. The whole temple stands on a four-foot high stone platform. There is a long veranda around the temple, which contains 64 cells.

The temple ceiling is beautifully carved with exquisite floral designs in stones. You may wonder how talented the artisans were! I spotted the carvings depicting Lord Ganesha, Lord Krishna playing the flute, Lord Vishnu, dancing Lakshmi, threeheaded Brahma, Matsya, Saraswati and Indra on the elephant back.

Travelling is a way of life for me but when art and architecture come along with it, I am extremely pleased. Around five hours flew away in a jiffy while I was reinventing the story behind it. The best part of the temple is undoubtedly inside. A set of sixteen ceilings, each depicts different stages of a blooming plantain- a splendid example of the

Hoysala architecture.

I realised the Hoysala architecture is not just like any other stone carvings I have seen in temples. Every visitor can feel the magical effect the works in stones, which have been an inspiration to generations of artisans in the region.

The sun was shining in all its brilliance. When I stepped out, I couldn’t resist the rich aroma of freshly cut raw mangoes sprinkled with powdered salt and chilly flakes.

My stomach snarled and howled to get a mere bite of it.

I snatched a piece of neatly cut long green mango. The skin was too thick but I crunched it in my The finely carved stone statue of Lord Krishna playing flute. mouth without any embarrassment.

I slurped my mango like it was my born rival. I finished the ceremonial eating by pouring ginger and chilly flavoured buttermilk into my deserted, parched mouth. It was just the beginning, the real Somnathpur flavours were waiting for me in my friend’s house. Bonda Bajji, Shavige Bath, Bisibelle Bath, Kosambri, Huli or Saaru, Raagi Muddae, Puliogere, Chitranna and Pulavo paired with some heavenly Mysore sweets such as Chiroti, Obbattu or Holige followed by the world famous Mysore Pak were in store for me.

Somnathpur Channa Kesava Temple was such an experience that the dust of my daily life was removed from my soul and the artist in me The lathe-turned pillars are one of the characteristic started simmering. feature of the Hoysala art.

How to reach

Channa Kesava Temple is in Somnathpur, which is near Mysore.

You can take bus from Bangalore, Mysore and Srirangapatna. The best time to visit the temple is in the morning before the granite circumambulation

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path turns hot, however it is very cool inside the temple.

Where to stay

Since Somnathpur is a village and there are no hotels and restaurants, visitors have to arrange their accommodation in Mysore.

TRIVIA

The idol of Channa Keshava (Lord Krishna) is missing in the main sanctorum. However, the other two sanctorums contain beautiful images of Venugopala and Janardhana, both are forms of Lord Krishna.

Culinary Tales / The Ancient Barbeque

Lip-smacking barbeques & delightful buffet 90 travel & flavors March 2015

The Ancient Barbeque or TAB in Gurgaon will unleash your taste buds with lip-smacking barbeques and delightful buffet. TAB serves a happy blend of American, Mediterranean, Oriental and Indian cuisine with vegetarian and nonvegetarian choices Jenny Thingshung

I Shahi Tukra

f mouthwatering barbeques, impressive buffet, scrumptious desserts and a whole lot of celebrations in true north Indian style is what you are looking for, The Ancient Barbeque or TAB may be the right place for you in Gurgaon. I found that this place is for big fat extended Indian families to enjoy its mouthwatering serving in a cosy space with a live karaoke artist singing Bollywood numbers. TAB is the destination to crave the hunger for some lip-smacking barbeques and delightful buffet.

The cuisine served at TAB is a happy blend of American, Mediterranean, Oriental and Indian, and is available in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices. TAB’s specialty is the unique ‘live-grill’ embedded on your table

The main course has a wide array of north Indian, Chinese and Italian dishes. While it wouldn’t be possible to try all of them, I was quite satisfied with the overall servings Dal Makhni

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Culinary Tales / The Ancient Barbecue

Minty melon

Mutton chops

Where

Good Earth Centre, Sector 50, Gurgaon.

What to eat

Well-laid buffet and a range of barbeques from vegetarian to non-vegetarian food.

Murg biryani

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which allows you and your friends to sit around it and experience the warmth of a barbeque party right at your table. One can grill his/her own starters in a choice of flavors the restaurant provides with the marinades and sauces to enjoy them right off the grill! I particularly find prawn barbeque and pineapple barbeque quite mouthful and absolutely loved its spread of sauces and marinades for the grill!

The buffet is full-course with a complement of soups, salads, main dishes and desserts. To chill down your throat and to put you in the right spirits, a mindboggling selection of mock tails is served here. Buffet served some of the most palatable delicacies such as Potato salsa, Lamb chops, Chicken on skewers and Kebabs which are in fact just too good to resist. The main course has a wide array of north Indian, Chinese and Italian dishes. While it wouldn’t be possible to try all of them, I was quite satisfied with the overall servings.

The dessert range is incredible with freshest serving fruits on the plate.

Orange gelato, a beautiful shave ice-cream they served was a mixture of sweet and sour. I thought it was a great neutralizer for your palate.

The ambience is fantastic and the staff is welcoming and attentive. I am told that the restaurant caters to the young corporate officers during the day and evenings are always reserved for the families who come and unwind to an assortment of barbeques and the well-laid buffet.

Even on Mondays, it was jam packed which goes to show the liveliness of the place as well as the quality food they serve. I recommend that you experience the feel of eating Indian savory but at the same time, gorge on the Mediterranean, Oriental, Italian and even Chinese cuisine in their balanced well-laid buffet.

The concept of ‘live grill’ at one’s table gives a feeling of warmth and luxury. Dining at The Ancient Barbeque gives one this lovely feeling of efficiency and royalty and of course the luxury of good food. And if you want to experience this sensation, you should know where to go.

Creative Corner / Celebrity Wax Museum

For your

eyes only You may have the tendency to touch them and feel it, but don’t do it because they are just wax replicas of celebrities.

Sunil’s Celebrity Wax Museum at Oberon Mall, Kochi, is literally a crowd puller. It showcases many celebrities in their wax incarnations Remya Nair

W

ax figures have never fascinated me.

I have read a lot about Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London, still I am not comfortable with the idea of wax as a medium for artistic works, may be because I am unwilling to appreciate a naturalistic form of art.

Complexity has been my favourite technique. But my anti-wax structure attitude just melted away

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after a short visit recently to Sunil’s Celebrity Wax Museum at Oberon Mall, Kochi.

The museum showcases a galaxy of dignitaries who we can never bring under one roof in real life for many reasons. You know well that these are wax replicas. Still the urge to touch these figures is immense because they look as if they are flesh and blood.

Here, some of the

people who stand still will never prefer the company of others in real life while some of them belong to different centuries or era.

With much delight, I gazed at the awe-inspiring lifeless figures in the museum.

Sunil’s Celebrity Wax Museum is a 20,000-sqft space spread across the fourth floor of the Oberon Mall in Kochi. Passing over a very cordial front office, we reach the main hall. To the left sits ‘Father

of the Nation’, Mahatma Gandhi, cross legged before a charka (a spinning wheel) and fully engrossed in his work. Anna Hazare, a veteran social activist, is seen sitting in a similar posture, not much away from the Mahatma. Very near to the duo stands late K Karunakaran, former chief minister of Kerala, with his characteristic smile. There is an array of stalwarts and stars who gleefully give them

company.

All these 30 plus wax statues are amazing and nobody could make out the difference at the first glance.

The selection of personalities and their familiar postures and the way in which they had been placed in the museum were the other factors that astonished me.

In all these, we can sense the brilliance of the artist.

Replicas of Pandit Jasraj playing a harp while Baba Ramdev in a yoga pose enjoying the music,

great social reformer and thinker Sreenarayana Guru discussing with Vellapally Nadesan and celebrated footballers Baichung Bhutia, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo having a conversation are really heartening. It is a rare opportunity to see so many eminent people, both living and dead, together under one roof.

There are Korean Pop singer Psy in Gangnam Style and King of Pop Michael Jackson in Moonwalk posture

All these 30 plus wax statues are amazing and nobody could make out the difference at the first glance. The selection of personalities and their familiar postures and the way in which they had been placed in the museum were the other factors that astonished me March 2015 travel & flavors

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Creative Corner / Celebrity Wax Museum

enthralling the crowd. Rowan Atkinson akka Mr Bean in his trademark eye roll is an attention-grabbing sculpture. Another sculpture is that of MF Husain busy painting something abstract. Jet Li in his ‘Fearless’ avatar is all set to give Bruce Lee a punch. Legal luminary Justice VR Krishna Iyer is at his study table, immersed in thoughts.

There is VS Achuthanandan, veteran communist leader and former chief minister of Kerala, clad in his customary white jubba and dhothi. Fictional heroes Shakthiman and Yenthiran Rajanikant, film actor Innocent, EK Nayanar, former chief minister of Kerala, cartoonist Shankar, Winston Churchill, Angelina Jolie, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Subash Chandra Bose, Queen Elizabeth, Dalai Lama and singer-actor Madonna and Telugu actor Venkatesh make this wax museum more lively.

My favourite among the display was

His biggest dream is to open a large museum in the Mumbai city which could be realised soon.

He also expressed his desire to make the best 50 of Raja Ravi Varma paintings in wax

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Amrish Puri. Seated in a sofa, in a grey suit and grey hat, he looked so real in wax. I was gazing at the replica when the sculptor Sunil Kandalloor, the artist, walked in with a smile.

Sunil enthusiastically explained the intricacies behind the wax sculpturing and how he got attracted to this art form. He said one day while leafing through a magazine, he was stuck on a story about Madame Tussauds and her wonderful works. It was almost 16 years back. Wondered at the realistic aspect of this art form, he started researching on it. And it was after eight years of study that he made a bust statue of Lord Krishna, which has been displayed at the Guruvayoor Devaswom Museum.

The first piece of work gave him enough confidence to go ahead.

Now, he focuses on sculpturing full figure of famous personalities. He has got a spacious museum at Lonawala,

Maharashtra, and the one at Oberon Mall is his second endeavour. Earlier, his technique to attain perfection was to study the photographs of his subject. But now, he personally meets them and takes their body measurements. He takes less than 30 days to finish a figure whereas it took months to complete a work before. “I want to do sculptures of more celebrities. My aim is to develop a first-class museum of wax figurines in India, which can be a hot destination like Madame Tussauds of London,� says Sunil. His biggest dream is to open a large museum in the Mumbai city which could be realised soon. He also expressed his desire to make the best 50 of Raja Ravi Varma paintings in wax.

Strange Travellers

Freedom from Less luggage will make your travel more comfortable but travelling around the world without baggage is a challenge for anyone. Here is a young man who not only travelled without baggage but documented and shared it in real time through his blog

luggage

Tony William

L

ess luggage, more comfort! No luggage, best comfort! Rolf Potts, a freelance reporter, author and a traveller, made this as his motto when he took up the challenge of ‘No Baggage Challenge’ in late August of 2010. He embarked on a trip around the world without a single piece of luggage.

For six weeks, he explored 12 countries on five continents. The trip statistics reads like this: 42 days on the road, 34,440 miles travelled, 12 countries visited, three oceans crossed, 12 flights and four trains taken with zero bags.

Ever since Rolf wrote his first book, Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel, the most popular book on long-term travelling, the idea of travelling without luggage had been in his mind. It was during this time that he got an offer to field-test some travel clothing for an Idaho-based sportswear company ScotteVest. In a whimsical fit of inspiration, he asked them: why just send me the clothing? Why not send me around the world with no luggage?

ScotteVest and the budget travel network BootsnAll.com sponsored his travel and thus his journey began.

He wore cargo pants, ScotteVest Tropical travel jacket/vest, socks, underwear, and a short-sleeved t-shirt under a long-sleeved pullover and kept a spare t-shirt, two extra pairs of socks, and a spare pair of underwear in pockets of his travel jacket which has got multiple useful pockets. Every night he washed the day’s socks, underwear and t-shirt in the hotel/hostel sink and these items will usually be dry enough to pack or wear by next morning. He washed

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the cargo pants once a week. He also carried a deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, all-in-one soap, glasses, contact solution, sunscreen and lip balm, earplugs, ipod Touch, Bluetooth foldable keyboard, camera, small flashlight, pen and notebook, passport, credit card, sunglasses and safety pins.

Though Rolf was accompanied

by Justin Glow, his video cameraman, according to the rules of the challenge he was not supposed to borrow anything from his companion. Rolf notes that the most challenging aspect was not the baggage but documenting it in real time and sharing it through his blog www.rtwblog.com.

He planned his itinerary from

New York to England, Spain, Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, Bangkok, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia before ending it up in New York City on October 5, 2010.

His experiences during the journey include all sorts of thrill sports in New Zealand, eating assorted insects from a street vendor, enjoying the nightlife of Bangkok, drinking elephant-dung tea in South Africa, exploring the nightlife in Spain, riding a camel in Egypt, enjoying the most meticulous and detailintensive straight razor shave of his life at Cairo, visiting the legendary pyramids in Giza and enjoying the authentic Spanish Tapas, all with the comfort of no baggage.

Rolf rarely stays in one place for more than a few weeks and feels somewhat at home in Bangkok, Cairo, Pusan, New York, New Orleans, and the north-central Kansas, where he keeps a small farmhouse on 30 acres near his

family. Every July, he can be found in France where he is the summer writer-in-residence and the programme director at Paris American Academy. He currently teaches nonfiction writing at Yale University.