Happy Flying! // Air Costa Inflight Magazine // March 2015 by Air Costa

VOL 1 • NO. 10 • MARCH 2015

Special STAR TRAVEL

Escape With Shah Rukh Khan

GADGETS

Travel Apps For That Perfect Trip!

QUICK BREAK

Historic Fort JadavGadh Beckons...

CONTENTS

The Visakhapatnam Itinerary

On the cover:

Submarine INS Kursura (S20), Ramakrishna Mission Beach, Visakhapatnam, @Dinodia Photo LLP

10/

Calendar What’s Happening Around India This Month.

16/

Shop Stop Your Must-Haves This Month!

20/

The Buzz All The Latest Travel And Hospitality News.

Gadgets Super Travel Apps For Your Next Holiday.

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Weekend Escape Stay At Fort JadavGadh— A True Blast From The Past!

Star Travel Why Shah Rukh Khan Is Our Ultimate Globetrotting Superstar…

Photo Essay These Stunning Montages Of The Zuri Kumarakom Resort & Spa Show Us Why Kerala Truly Is ‘God’s Own Country’!

60/

Movies This Month’s New Releases.

66/

Visakhapatnam Through The Eyes Of A Cartoonist.

68/

Horoscope What The Stars Have In Store For You This Month.

70/

Kids Corner Aesop’s Fables, Fun Trivia And More…

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Printer & Publisher Abbas J Kapadia Editor Raul Dias Editorial Team Blitz Multimedia Team Art Director Rosetta Vaz Art Studio Blitz Multimedia Art Studio Sr. Manager - Production Abbas J Kapadia Mumbai, Goa, Pune: Dy GM—Marketing & Ad Sales Nitin Ule Mobile: +91 9820804003, E-mail: nitin@blitzmultimedia.co Hanzila Mirza Mobile: +91 9920188604, E-mail: hanzila@blitzmultimedia.co Daniela Barretto Mobile: +91 9819718195, E-mail: daniela@blitzmultimedia.co Smita Sangwan Mobile: +91 9920812199, E-mail: smita@blitzmultimedia.co Coordinator: Advertising Sales Sushma Soman Mobile: +91 9820388210, E-mail: sushma@blitzmultimedia.co Ahmedabad: Sheju Mobile: +91 9879561716, E-mail: s&sadvertising223@gmail.com North Head - Marketing & Ad Sales Pradipto Nandy Mobile: +91 9987797269, E-mail: pradipto@blitzmultimedia.co Delhi: Santosh Pandey Mobile: +91 9871386201 / +91 9911186201, E-mail: mediasantosh1@gmail.com Dhruv Kotru Mobile: +91 9818199477, E-mail: dhruv@blitzmultimedia.co Bangalore, Kerala, Puducherry: Sanjay Jariwal Mobile: +91 9900239492, E-mail: jariwals@gmail.com Kolkata: H. K. Jaiswal Mobile: +91 9836210096, E-mail: hk_jaiswal@rediffmail.com Hyderabad: Anand Bichali Mobile: +91 7799651219, +91 9885634618 E-mail: bichalianand@gmail.com, media9.hyd@gmail.com Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry & Guntur: N. Rajashekar Mobile: +91 9246336642, E-mail: nrshekar9@gmail.com Chandigarh: Puneet Arya Mobile: +91 9316969911 / +91 9878869911, E-mail: aryapuneet@yahoo.com The contents of Air Costa - Happy Flying shall not be published or reproduced in any form without the written permission of the Editor. The copyright in the contents of this magazine including photographs printed and published vests exclusively with Blitz Multimedia Private Limited. Printed And Published By: Mr. Abbas J Kapadia on behalf of Blitz Multimedia Private Limited and printed at Dhote Offset Technokrafts Pvt. Ltd., 2nd Floor, Paramount Estate, Above ‘Booker’, Plot No. 5 A, Off Vishweshwar Nagar Road, Opp. Gambhir Indl. Estate, Goregaon (E), Mumbai-400063. Tel.: +91 22 42389898 and published at Blitz Multimedia Private Limited, A-3, Sangam Bhavan, Ground Floor, Arthur Bunder Road, Colaba, Mumbai-400 005. Board No: +91 22-66512600/666. Editor: Raul Dias. Editorial Tel: +91 22-66512631, E-mail: raul@blitzmultimedia.co Advertising Tel: +91 22-66512605/608. E-mail: advertising@blitzmultimedia.co

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

Dear Happy Flyer, On behalf of the Air Costa family, I thank you for flying with us today. As we are all set to enter into the new financial year 2015-16, our highest priority will be to ensure all our guests have a Happy Flying experience with our best-in-class product, enhanced customer service and better connectivity. In our continuing quest to provide you with better domestic connectivity, we will be starting a daily direct flight between Vijayawada and Chennai, effective 28th March 2015. With the continuous demand, we have now strengthened our connectivity between Vijayawada and Bengaluru with double daily flights. Further, we now connect Hyderabad to Chennai with a daily direct flight to cater to our business travellers.

I am pleased to inform you that we will now connect Coimbatore to Tirupati (via Hyderabad) with a return flight, as well as starting a daily direct flight between Vijayawada and Chennai, effective 28th March 2015.

I am pleased to inform you that we will now connect Coimbatore to Tirupati (via Hyderabad) with a return flight. Guests from Coimbatore can now plan their visit to Tirupati, India’s most revered religious destination and seek the blessings of Lord Venkateswara. To provide you with exceptional travel benefits, Air Costa presented you with multiple offers last month with low fares on all our sectors, thus enabling our guests to plan their summer vacation in the most economical and convenient way. We will continue to pamper you with more such offers this month, which you can look forward to. The beauty of India’s stunning East Coast is best exemplified by the port city of Visakhapatnam. In this ‘Visakhapatnam Special’ issue of Happy Flying, we urge you to head there for your next vacation. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed! Once again, I would like to thank you for your continuous support.

Happy Flying With best wishes, L. Ramesh Chairman, Air Costa

HAPPY FLYING! / MARCH 2015

calendar

Events around India

this month 1-7 MARCH

International Yoga Festival 2015 Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh

Join in all the bliss of yoga this month at the world famous annual International Yoga Festival on the banks of the holy Ganges river, in the lap of the sacred Himalayas, the birthplace of yoga at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram. Receive the darshan and inspiring, uplifting

wisdom of revered saints, the teaching and touch of renowned yoga teachers from across the world, from a wide variety of lineages, plus ecstatic kirtan, divine Ganga Aarti and much more. The

International Yoga Festival is a truly globally-unique event bringing together so many masters from so many traditions, cultures and countries in one sacred, beautiful place!

6 MARCH

Holika bonfire on the night before Holi where people gather, sing and dance. The next morning is a free-for-all carnival of colours, where participants play, chase and colour each other with dry powder and coloured water, with some carrying water guns and coloured water-filled balloons for their water fight. Anyone and everyone is fair game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children and elders!

Holi

All over India

The country’s biggest spring festival also known as the festival of colours or the festival of love—that’s what this riotous (in a good way!) festival is all about. It is an ancient Hindu religious festival which has become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of South Asia, as well as people of other communities outside Asia. Holi celebrations start with a

8 MARCH

Paripally Gajamela Kodimoottil Bhagavathy Temple, Parippally, Kerala

No one would miss an opportunity to behold the grand spectacle of a procession parading about 50 caparisoned elephants. This month visit the Kodimoottil Bhagavathy Temple, at Parippally in Kerala’s Kollam District to attend the Gajamela Festival, which

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is a veritable feast for the eyes. Parippally Gajamela is part of the annual festival at the Kodimoottil Sree Bhagavathy Temple dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali. The word gajamela in Malayalam literally means festival of elephants. Several cultural programmes are also arranged as part of the event on the temple premise. The get-together of the elephants takes place on the last day of the ten-day festival.

15-24 MARCH

Thirunakkara Arattu Thirunakkara Mahaeva Temple, Kottayam

Kerala is the land of high festivities and cheer. And one of the famous temple festivals, Thirunakkara arattu is celebrated at Thirunakkara Mahaeva Temple located in the heart of the Kottayam District of Kerala. Mahadeva is the presiding deity of the temple. The passionate

celebration continues for ten days and concludes with the bathing ceremony of lord Mahadeva called ‘Arattu’. The mystic traditional dance of Kerala, Kathakali forms an important part of the celebrations. The beautifully and colourfully dressed and masked Kathakali dancers perform all night long on third and fourth night. Don’t miss this one!

16-31 MARCH

Shigmotsav 2015 All over Goa

The Shigmo festival, also known as Shigmotsav is a spring festival celebrated in Goa. The Shigmo parades consist of traditional folk and street dancers and elaborately built floats depicting moments from regional mythology and religious scenes. Goa’s answer to the festival of colours, Shigmotsav can be termed a fusion between Holi and Carnival. It is the biggest festival for Hindus and is spread over a fortnight. The grand finale of the festival is the artistically-designed and beautifullylit floats taken out in the state capital Panaji and other places like Ponda, Vasco, Madgaon and Mapusa. Shigmotsav is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Phalguna, the last month of the Hindu calendar. Festivities start with prayers to the village Gods and Goddesses. The last five days of the fortnight is when the parades are held.

22-24 MARCH

Mewar Festival 2015 Udaipur City Palace Complex, Udaipur

Pics used for representational purpose.

The Mewar Festival is celebrated every year with lots of joy and happiness by the people of Udaipur, Rajasthan to welcome the coming of the spring season (king of the seasons). The festival celebration provides everyone a unique opportunity to review all the living heritages of the Mewar like arts, folk music, dance, food, festivities, colors and cultural diversity. A variety of seminars are also organised to deal with the traditional craft arts aiming to combine it with the modern and contemporary styles in order to recreate the new versions from age-old arts and crafts in the Mewar. It provides an opportunity to the craftspeople to get together for three days to show off their qualities and attempt to renew their talent. (Note: Festival and event dates are liable to change)

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SHOP STOP

Your must-haves

this month! Diagold launches ‘Coloré Bijou’ Diagold has launched their new collection—‘Coloré Bijou’. Diamonds when combined with beautiful coloured gem stones become perfection. And so, to bring these assorted colours in your life, the brand has launched an exquisite range of colourful jewellery for this spring/summer season. The entire collection is a blend of precious and semi-precious gemstones like ruby, emerald and sapphire with diamonds, raising the ordinary to extraordinary. The collection comprises of earrings, rings and bangles that are perfect to add grace and elegance in your look.

Carl F. Bucherer’s Patravi ScubaTec in rosegold At Baselworld 2015, the Lucerne-based Carl F. Bucherer brand presents the latest Patravi ScubaTec model. The case in pure rose gold imbues the timepiece with an irresistible attraction. The black and blue ceramic inlays on the unidirectional rotating bezel create striking highlights that harmonise perfectly with rose gold. Equally impressive is the black dial, which has a gleaming scale-like structure that creates myriad reflections similar to the effect of light striking the surface of the sea. Equipped with a helium valve, luminescent hands and indices, an ultra precise automatic movement and a rugged rubber strap with integrated adjustment, the Patravi ScubaTec is the ideal companion for individuals venturing into the fascinating underwater world.

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Gemvanity from VELVETCASE.com VELVETCASE.com, The world’s largest platform for custom-made and international designer jewellery presents Gemvanity—a perfect assemblage of Victorian style vintage designs for the spring/ summer 2015 season. An amalgamation of the romance of ancient tradition with today’s sensibilities, the quirky pieces in Gemvanity are hand crafted; the centrepiece Gemstones are one-of-a-kind which makes it appealing and the perfect one to adorn this season. High on magniﬁcence, the pieces are made using ancient jewellery making techniques such as ﬁligree, fret work, hand hammering, texturing and mosaics. Each piece is set with stones like kyanite, tanzanite, ruby, pink tourmaline, emerald, sapphires and many more making them an extraordinary bijouterie.

16Stitches.com’s new collection In the midst of all the lovely things our men do for us the entire year, let’s do something special and unique for them. How about designing a shirt for them? 16Stitches.com online custom clothier for the well-travelled, stylish men of today can help you do that. Choose from a wide range of high quality fabrics and select prints like cocktail, polka dots, pinstripes, plaid, gingham checks, Moroccan magic and many more. One can also personalise the amount of details, like button hole thread colour and contrast fabrics for the collars, cuffs. For those who prefer standard ready to ship products, 16Stitches also offers a range of pre-made standard sized shirts with different ﬁts and styles. Making it convenient for the user to pick a shirt based on the occasion, the entire range is broken across three categories i.e. Dress Shirts, Friday Casuals and Sunday Brunches.

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THE BUZZ

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hot in the World of

Travel and Hospitality

Indigo is now in New Delhi Back in 1999, just off the busy by-lanes of South Mumbaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Colaba Causeway, Indigo was born to espouse the five ingredients of a tested winning recipe: innovation, great food, warm hospitality, attention to detail and customers who revel in these; and eventually revolutionised the concept of fine-dining in India. Sixteen years down

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the line, Indigo continues to define dining culture in Mumbai and is now all set to do the same in the capital. Minimalist restraint and fine detailing maintain a taut balance between stark walls, concrete flooring, simple teak furniture and a few brightly coloured frescoed surfaces. Everything is designed to make sure that the food is the star of the show. The

restaurant is spread over an expansive 7,000 sq. ft. space, located in the leafy confines of the plush Musical Fountain gardens of Netaji Nagar. While the Indigo in Mumbai thrives on its old-world charm, the Indigo in New Delhi is more contemporary and design-driven, with every space bearing its own unique treatment.

GITAM UNIVERSITY

Accredited by NAAC with ‘A’ Grade MHRD ‘A’ Category University Recognised Research University

(Estd. u/s 3 of the UGC Act, 1956)

VISAKHAPATNAM

HYDERABAD

BENGALURU

GITAM ADMISSION TEST (GAT- 2015)

A COMPUTER BASED ONLINE TEST FOR ADMISSION TO ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND PHARMACY PROGRAMS (2015 - 16) for its Bengaluru, Hyderabad & Visakhapatnam Campuses Eligibility Criteria

Pass in Intermediate or 10+2 examination with a minimum of 60% aggregate marks (50% aggregate marks for B.Arch./ B.Pharm.) in Maths, Physics & Chemistry and First Class from a recognized Central / State Board either in 2015 or 2014 and Rank obtained in GAT-2015. Note: * Candidates with Maths / Biology, Physics & Chemistry subjects are eligible for B.Tech. Biotechnology and B.Pharmacy. ** Candidates seeking admission to B.Arch. program should qualify in NATA / JEE (Main). For M.Tech. / M.Pharmacy Programs, candidate should pass in qualifying degree with a minimum of 50% marks from a recognised university and score obtained in GAT-2015.

Apply online @ www.gitam.edu

/ GITAMAdmissionTest / GITAMAdmissions

Applications also available @ Union Bank of India, Indian Bank & Karur Vysya Bank Last date for receipt of Applications: 31st March, 2015 Online admission Test commences from 20th April to 10th May, 2015

For admission enquiries: IVRS: 0891-2866444

Infiniti’s diving trips to incredible Barren Island Scuba divers in India and around the world are in for a special treat this season as the Infiniti live-aboard, India’s pioneering live-aboard super yacht will do special scuba diving trips to the legendary Barren Island in the Andaman Islands right till April. While there are many diving destinations in the Andamans, the most elusive and beautiful is “Barren Island”. Diving the

surrounding waters of this remote island with the only active volcano in all of South Asia is simply stunning! With superb visibility, lush and fast growing coral gardens, Manta Rays and other pelagics, this is scuba diving at its most sublime! There are several stunning dive sites here such as Purple Haze, Coral Paradise, Manta Bay, Auditorium and Gallery and more...

Mad Over Donuts’ new Box of Happiness! There are numerous happy occasions in one’s life every year—birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, job promotions, examination results and so many more. To make all these occasions even more special, Mad Over Donuts introduces its Box of Happiness—a box full of delicious donuts that promise to, literally, put words in your mouth! The Box Of Happiness comes with 24 square-shaped donuts that are filled with delightful dark chocolate ganache and topped with white chocolate. Each box is a canvas for you to express yourself. From wishing someone a Happy Birthday or Anniversary, or celebrating a coworkers accomplishments and even expressing your love to that special someone; the Box Of Happiness makes all this possible! Available at all Mad Over Donuts outlets across the country.

MARCH 2015 / HAPPY FLYING!

THE ITINERARY

Eastern Charm...

ial

Spec

The idyllic eastern seaside city of Visakhapatnam has many facets simply waiting to be discovered by the intrepid traveller seeking a little more than what meets the eye!

oing by sheer size, the port city of Visakhapatnam, popularly known as Vizag (and formerly as Waltair during the Brisitsh era), ranks second amongst the cities in Andhra Pradesh. It is famous for housing the oldest shipyard in India, thanks to its vast natural harbour that is one of its kind on the country’s east coast. The city has also been nicknamed City of Destiny and Goa of the East Coast due to its awesome beaches that help you slip into that relaxed, unhurried state of being.

SEE & DO Visakhapatnam, primarily an industrial city, is soon becoming a hot tourist

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destination thanks to its beautiful beaches, scenic hillocks, a lush green landscape and a rich history and culture. The city is surrounded by hills such as the Sri Venkateshwara Konda, Ross Hill and the Dargah Konda. Each of these hills houses the shrines of three different religions. The Venkateshwara Konda houses a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, Ross Hill has the Virgin Mary Church and the Dargah Konda has the tomb of the Islamic saint, Baba Ishaq Madina. Beaches such as the Rishikonda Beach, Ramakrishna Beach, Gangavaram Beach, Bhimli and Yarada Beach ﬂank the

eastern side of the city. Other tourist attractions include the Kailasagiri Hill Park, Vuda Park, Araku Valley, Borra Caves, Katiki Waterfalls Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary, Indira Gandhi Zoological Park and Dolphin’s Nose are a few places that are a must visit. Paying obeisance to the city’s rich maritime history and significance, the Naval Museum that was established in 1989 shouldn’t be missed. Located in the ENC complex, the museum displays Indian maritime history at its best. A variety of pictures, models of warships and other equipments offering a view of the rich history of the country are displayed in the museum. Apart from this, the museum also portrays naval heritage and the growth of the Indian Navy from the preindependence period. The museum is segmented into five major sections namely, maritime history, eastern

seaboard establishments and ports, naval archives, Aquaria and ocean resources. This museum also houses a collection of artifacts, which have ancient and archaeologically significance. All these artifacts are collected from the sites of Lothal, Harappa, Indus Valley and other civilisations. One of the most beautiful and iconic of all Visakhapatnam attractions can be found a little out of the main city limits. Located in the suburb of Simhachalam, the Simhachalam Temple is dedicated to Narasimha (the man-lion), an incarnation of Vishnu. The architectural style of the central shrine is the Kalinga style. The temple is situated among hills covered with cashew trees, shrubs, and mango groves. Many pilgrims undertake giripradhikshana (circumambulation) of the hill on auspicious days.

SHOP You can purchase jewellery, handicrafts, clothes, and traditional south Indian metal utensils from this port city. The region is also famous for spices, pickles, soaps, perfumes, musical instruments, handmade paper, and Indian tea. The main shopping areas in Visakhapatnam are Waltair Uplands Road, Jagadamba Junction, CMR Central, in addition to the government

run Lepakshi Emporium. This emporium is a treasure trove of native handicrafts, musical instruments, paintings, durries, wood carvings and toys. Some of the items that you may like to buy from here to take back home include richly coloured Cheria paintings that narrate mythological events, brass pooja pots, wall hangings, and vases. Pochampalli, Ikat, Dharamavaram, Venkatgiri and Nadyupet saris are the must buy when in Visakhapatnam. This apart, the city is also known for its handicrafts and Kalamkari paintings.

EAT

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(clockwise from top) punugulu and its chutneys; the Naval Museum; Kailasagari Hill Park; Rishikonda Beach; an artist working on a kalamkari painting

STAY

An abundance of sea food is what you will find to satiate your appetite in this coastal city. Fish and prawn curries made with sesame and simmered in coconut milk are simply divine. Try a combo meal at the multi cuisine restaurant Tulips at the Green Park Hotel or sit at the glass windowed Vista Restaurant

at the Park Hotel and sample some world cuisine. However, one of the most iconic of all dishes endemic to this part of India is the punugulu. This snack and common street food in Visakhapatnam is often served with a host of chutneys like the peanut-redolent chutney called verusanaga chutney and a toor dal chutney called kandhi pachadi. There is a whole range of places to stay in Visakhapatnam for every kind of budget traveller. In the top-end range, Hotel Four Points by Sheraton is a superb 5-star hotel located behind Care hospital on Waltair Road. Sprawled over six acres of beachfront with 66 sea-facing rooms, The Park Beach Resort, is a short two kilometers away from the azure waters and soft sand of the Ramakrishna Beach. But if you are looking for mid- to low-priced accommodations then you can choose from places like Sai Priya Beach Resort that is a comfortable 3-star property, located near Rishikonda Beach or the twostar Sarovar Hotel, located at Dwarakanagar.

We link Visakhapatnam with Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Tirupati and Vijayawada! For flight schedules, please refer to the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Flight Scheduleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pages at the end of this magazine.

GADGETS

A long journey will fly by with this selection of interesting travel apps that Hester Harris recommends you download ASAP.

Appy

Travelling!

IRCTC (IOS/Android) The fastest and most efficient way to travel in India is by train, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s six hours or 20 minutes. The new IRCTC app allows you to plan and book your journeys anywhere, anytime. This app offers a huge range of facilities from train schedules, to live train statuses, booking reservations and easily allows you to add passengers. It accepts a variety of payment methods from debit and credit cards to net banking, making the transactions simple and user friendly. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the safest way to get from point A to point B, allowing you to hop on the train with no worries and enjoy the experience of Indian trains. This app is the most effective and easy way to travel through one of the most exciting countries in the world.

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Whitefield, Bangalore

/teamsumadhura /teamsumadhura

Tipulator

(IOS/Android) Always struggling to work out how to split the bill after over-indulging yourself on a trip with friends? This app is the perfect way to make sure you pay the right amount and leave the correct tip. The app has an uncomplicated tip calculator, working out the percentage of the bill you want to leave, as well being able to choose from a range of rounding options. The Tipulator allows you to split the bill between friends and colleagues with ease in the various currencies from around the world. Wherever you are in the world, the Tipulator comes in handy and enables you to work the tip and total amount of the bill out in just a couple of touches!

Foodspotting (IOS/Android)

India Travel Guide by Tripso (IOS/Android)

With 879 amazing cities in this country, the India Travel Guide app is a life saver. The India Travel guide app is similar to having your very own personal guided tour around any of these cities; all you need to do is choose which one to visit first. It provides in depth information on the national parks, guides more wellknown cities, as well as providing mini guides for those who like to explore off the beaten track. With experts such as “Travelers World Wide” constantly updating this app, you are sure to have the most amazing experience and visit some extraordinary places with the India Travel Guide by your side. There is even a World Travel Guide for your future international travels.

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This new food app not only locates your preferred restaurants but also interesting dishes due to recommendations from other ‘foodspotters’ who report their findings of foods they loved. This is a visual app to help you locate your favourite foods near to you, mentioned by experts like ‘Travel Channel’ or your friends, as well as allowing you to report and suggest other recommendations to other foodspotters. You can either do this by taking a photo and posting it or simply by commenting “loved it”. This App also allows you to become a food expert by spotting five or more dishes in the same category and also allows you to bookmark foods that you “Want” to try or suggest dishes by bookmarking them with “loved” or “tried” to others. Become a real foodie and find the dishes you love all around the world.

Hostelbookers

(IOS/Android)

Travelling on a budget is the hardest thing to do when you’ve spent 24 hours on an overnight train and all you want is a hot shower and a fluffy pillow. The Hostelbookers app allows just that on your personal budget. You can sort by price, rating, property type or name and the finest hostel for your tastes appears in any country and city with no booking fee. This app is the best for finding budget accommodation, allowing you to look at pictures, reviews and descriptions. It also provides hotel booking if you decided to you want to treat yourself and spend that little bit more. Reviews say “simply the best app for backpackers and must have for anyone planning or on a trip.”

Postagram (IOS/Android) When you’re travelling around the world it’s hard to keep in contact with loved ones and relatives. This brand new app means you don’t even need to try and find a letterbox or a post office. You simply snap a picture of your travels from around the world or take it from Facebook, Instagram or your own photo album, write a message and attach the contact details. The rest is done for you, Postagram will print and send it in either in 2-3 days or 2-3 weeks depending on your whereabouts. It’s a quick and easy way to keep in touch while also giving them a quick update.

Packing Pro (IOS) It’s hard to fit all your belongings in a backpack for six months of nonstop travelling or only a couple of necessary items for a quick romantic weekend getaway. If you’re always forgetting your toothbrush or simply need some help on deciding what to take, the Packing Pro is the app for you. Coming with a range of facilities like sample lists, built-in expert advice, syncing and sharing options. You can create the best list for any type of travelling Packing Pro will help by being able to Multi-Edit your lists, having over 800 items including items on pets, babies and religion. Packing Pro caters for families too by being able to adjust the amount of people, days, temperature and destination to your preference. With Packing Pro your forgetting days are over.

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KIDDIE Travel Apps Road Trip Scavenger Hunt (IOS) Based on the classic scavenger hunt game we all played when we were kids, this app is a great way to keep the kids busy when you’re spending hours on end in the car. Simply set a number of points needed to win the game, insert the names of every player in the game and away you go.

Disney Storytime (IOS) This fun app provides access to 20 of Disney’s most famous tales, from Toy Story to Frozen. Children can read, listen and even record their own narration. Parents buy virtual credits which children can then spend on stories!

Petting Zoo (IOS, Android, Amazon/Kindle)

This one from developer Fox and Sheep comprises of a series of interactive animal animations by illustrator Christoph Niemann, ready to be stretched, flipped and wobbled by the kids’ tiny little swipes.

MyCityWay India (IOS/Android)

This App uses GPS and local information to give users the complete package. Whether you’re looking for a hairdresser or a temple or even a parking spot, MyCityWay will find it for you. Choose theone of the remarkable cities here in India and the activity or place you are looking for and you will be on your way in no time. This app is perfect for locals and travellers as it’s overflowing with valuable local knowledge for any destination, sights or activity you could ever dream of while discovering India. Learn about amazing new places with this full of knowledge app, it’s everything anyone in India needs, all in one simple touch.

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18-year-old Hester Harris who is originally from London, is here in India on her gap year and is discovering the “joys of the desi life” as she interns with Happy Flying.

WEEKEND ESCAPE

Royal Luxury

Reliving the royal Maratha life at the luxurious Fort JadavGadh hotel, near Pune is Khursheed Dinshaw’s idea of the perfect weekend break!

s the car pulls into the driveway of Fort JadavGadh, I can’t help but reminisce of how in a bygone era, royals rode on this same path on their elephants and horses. Royal splendour notwithstanding, Fort JadavGadh is one of the world’s first and few museum fort hotels and prides itself on its heritage. It is located

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on a hillock, south of Pune at a height of 2,511 ft above sea level. The first of its kind heritage hotel in Maharashtra, the fort was built in the year 1710. This unique project, a brainchild of Dr Vithal Kamat, focuses on a Gadh heritage experience in the Maratha culture. From the beating drums and the blowing of

(clockwise from top) The mighty Fort Jadhavgadh has been lovingly restored to perfection; A traditional welcome done with a tutari

HAPPY FLYING! / MARCH 2015

maharani suites. The Museum Suite with a spacious balcony overlooks the Aai Museum and Payatha Restaurant. At Fort JadhavGadh, the rooms are called kholis—how much more typically Maharashtrian can it get? Interestingly all the fort walls have been incorporated into the design of the rooms. By far the best feature of the fort has to be the swimming pool. Its focal point is a neem and a bel tree which majestically give shade and character to the vicinity. The pool looks breathtaking when lit too. The kids jumping in with delight or the adults smiling when enjoying a dip in the pool said it all. The Zazen Spa is located next to the pool and the trained therapists warmly massage your stress away. At Chhajja, which is the fort’s all day dining restaurant on the upper-level of the fort one can sit in the jharokha overlooking the fields. The royal tents on the premises are exactly for those who believe in glamourous camping. Kids love the swings in the lush, well mowed lawns while the morning aarti at the 300 year old Ganpati Mandir is the most blessed way to start the day at this heritage Maratha haven. (above) the luxury tents; the Ganesh Mandir and (right) the interiors of the plush rooms

the Marathi tutari (a local curved trumpet), followed by a traditional welcome drink and a tilak applied by the nawarri sari clad Maharashtrian lady, one immediately gets the feeling of having entered the pages of Maratha history. A sublime restoration Fort JadhavGadh is a sublime restoration of an early 18th century Maratha nobleman Shri Pillaji Jadhavrao’s Fort. One is spoilt for choice with the accommodation options from deluxe rooms, premium rooms with a hill view, and premium rooms with a rain shower to the maharaja and

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(right) the Chhajja outdoor dining area, the swimming pool, (below) a deluxe room and the Zazen Spa

Rich heritage The fort offers a sense of mystery as well as it houses dungeons including one which is believed to have been used by Pillaji Jadhavrao and his men in times of crisis. The activities on offer include pottery, a bullock cart ride, trekking, a fort tour or learning how to blow the tutari. The Aai Museum is located at the former royal horse stables. Inaugurated in 2007, it is named after the Marathi word for mother—aai—and displays household items used by mothers along with other artifacts which were used 400 years ago in India. Camphor containers, dhoop diyas, various oil lamps which have deity and animal carvings, rattles, grinding machines, water and cooking vessels, vegetable cutters, masala boxes, stone boxes for storing salt, olden pressure cookers, bells and miniature vessels for kids are on display. Other exhibits include jewellery boxes, hair

pins, combs which are made of ivory, teakwood, rosewood and sandalwood and animal horns, haldi kumkum boxes made from silver, brass, copper and wood. Did you know that the olden day foot scrubbers had brass pieces so that when the lady scrubbed, the pieces would rattle, informing men that the lady was bathing by the side of the wall and to offer her privacy? Remember there were no bathrooms at that time. There are lime boxes which have lids and attached chains. These come with a spatula to take the lime out and apply on the betel leaf. Betel pounders used by toothless people, nut cutters, chillums and hookahs which were a status symbol in India at that time, ink pots,

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palanquins, walking stick handles made of wood, bone, ivory, silver and gold and coin boxes can also be seen. The museum also has the world’s biggest lock with keys, but without a keyhole!

Pune-based Khursheed Dinshaw is a self-proclaimed nomad who masquerades as a freelance lifestyle and travel writer with over 1,400 published feature articles in niche publications in India and abroad.

P H O T O F E AT U R E

Where The Gods Unwind...

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Nestled in the gentle shade of a thousand coconut trees, with the waters of the placid Vembanad Lake lapping gently nearby, The Zuri Kumarakom Resort & Spa is the personiﬁcation of Kerala’s moniker of ‘God’s Own Country’ with its luxurious accommodation and pictureperfect setting.

The Zuri Kumarakom Resort & Spa is resplendent with its stunning water bodies and lush landscaping

Pics courtesy: The Zuri Kumarakom Resort & Spa

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(clockwise from right) the wooden Lake Pavillion; the Pool Villa Lake View; the Lime Tree All Day Dining Restaurant; the resortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traditional wooden entrance way

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HAPPY FLYING! / MARCH 2015

(above) the resortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s external facade; The Lime Tree All Day Dining Restaurant

MARCH 2015 / HAPPY FLYING!

(from top) The grand lobby; the Zuri Cottages

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BOOKS THE AMAZING RACIST

THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA

Eddie Trusted, an English school teacher in Colombo, wants to spend his life with Menaka Rupasinghe, a vibrant Sri Lankan beauty, but her orthodox terror of a father stands in his way. If Eddie wants to wed Menaka, it is Thilak Rupasinghe who he must woo. Unfortunately, Thilak wants his daughter to marry someone of the same race, religion and caste—if possible, maybe from the same locality. Eddie doesn’t tick any of these boxes, so instead, he must connect with Thilak in other ways, be it through eating curries that make him bleed spice and breathe fire, driving drunk through red lights, threatening co-workers with violence, or sleeping with snakes. Even then, will Eddie ever be good enough for a man who hates the colour of his skin?

It is a secret the Chinese government has been keeping for forty years. They have found a species of animal no one believed even existed. It will amaze the world. Now the Chinese are ready to unveil their astonishing discovery within the greatest zoo ever constructed. A small group of VIPs and journalists has been brought to the zoo deep within China to see its fabulous creatures for the first time. Among them is Dr Cassandra Jane ‘CJ’ Cameron, a writer for National Geographic and an expert on reptiles. The visitors are assured by their Chinese hosts that they will be struck with wonder at these beasts, that they are perfectly safe, and that nothing can go wrong...

Published by Hachette India; R399

Published by Hachette India (Orion imprint); R599

LEAVING TIME

REVIVAL

Jenna Metcalf was with her mother the night she disappeared in tragic and mysterious circumstances, but she remembers nothing. Over ten years have passed, and still Jenna reads and rereads her mother’s journals, hoping to find some clue hidden there. Desperate for answers, Jenna uses all her savings to recruit the aid of a private detective—and a psychic. Jenna knows her mother loved her. She knows she would not leave her. And she will not rest until she finds out what happened that night. In her most gripping mystery since House Rules, Jodi Picoult brings us a powerful story of a young girl’s determination to uncover the truth, however shocking and life-changing it might be.

A spectacularly dark and electrifying novel about addiction, religion, music and what might exist on the other side of life. In a small New England town, in the early 60s, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister, Charles Jacobs. Soon they forge a deep bond, based on their fascination with simple experiments in electricity. Decades later, Jamie is living a nomadic lifestyle of bar-band rock and roll. Now an addict, he sees Jacobs again—a showman on stage, creating dazzling ‘portraits in lightning’ —and their meeting has profound consequences for both men.

Published by Hachette India (Hodder & Stoughton imprint); R699

Published by Hachette India (Hodder Paperbacks imprint); R699

By Chhimi Tenduf La

By Jodi Picoult

By Matthew Reilly

By Stephen King

—Compiled by Raul Dias

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S TA R T R A v e l

The

GlOBeTROTTING SUPeRSTAR! He travels to more than 200 destinations in a year, but believes holidays to be a waste of time! Shah Rukh Khan talks to Desiree De Andrade about his travels, his crazy travel experiences and more...

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Kulu Manali is one of SRK’s craziest travel experiences

Home time in Dubai!

What’s your idea of a holiday? I am anti-holiday because I truly believe that I have very little time on earth to do what I have to do. And for me work is so wonderful and easy-going… I don’t like a massage. I don’t like going to the beach. Also, I travel to more than 200 different places, shoot at landmarks across the world, so I have seen them all. I like to take time off to be with my kids—stay at a hotel, play games, eat a lot of junk food, drink colas... do all the things that children like to do. Recently I went for a holiday, and my kids would go to the beach, so I’d drop them there, hold their towels and wait for them to come out. I am very boring as far as holidays are concerned. From all the destinations you’ve visited, any particular place you like spending time at? If I don’t have work I find it difficult to stay in a place.

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Sometimes I land, finish my work and take the flight back. But I like spending time in London. I like the greyness, the weather, the way the city is. I like it when it’s drizzling a little, wearing a hoodie and roaming around. Going to a McDonald’s or Starbucks or an Apple store or stepping into a bookstore...just the small little things. Going to a bookstore in London is one of the most romantic things one can do, while it’s raining outside, getting a cup of coffee, browsing through books. I also like Dubai. I have a little house there on the beach. So I go and hang out there sometimes. The one place on your bucket list that you can’t believe you haven’t visited yet? Just to be different I could say Macedonia or Laquia if you want (grins cheekily). Maybe the Antarctic. Some of my friends have been there and they tell me it is quite

Macedonia... maybe!?

interesting. There are these centres that different countries have put up there. It is the only continent not owned by any country. So it’s interesting, but not a bucket list thing. Your sartorial necessities? If only you found out what I travel with... I think I carry about nine bags, maybe more. Well, I carry a huge amount of bags, but they all have useless stuff in them. I’m a little spoilt like that. I need lots of things. Suddenly I’ll go,

Apple stores are great hang out spots for SRK

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‘arey, woh wali kitab chahiye mujhe’. I can ask for anything at any time, so my guy just carries everything. I am not very fashionoriented. There are two pairs of torn jeans, my sneakers (I am very specific about them), a Dolce & Gabbana black suit, a black shirt and a white shirt and some nice shoes that I carry. The one thing I don’t leave home without however is my Louis Vuitton laptop bag. I carry that everywhere. Even if I am wearing a suit, I’ll have it

with me. Your craziest travel experience? I was shooting in Kulu Manali. Like I said, I don’t like staying anywhere. So after finishing the shoot Jackie (Shroff) and I decided to come back. But there was a landslide. Everyone was advising us not to go but I wanted to get back home. At least three times on our way back when we passed or stopped, big

boulders fell down. Finally there was this huge boulder in our path that we just couldn’t get around, so we walked over it. And there were some people coming from the other side who obviously couldn’t go further, so we sat in their cars and went back to the airport. There was this person I’d met previously who was a big fan and had told me if I ever needed a plane to call him. So we went to a PCO and called him and were like, ‘Can you send the plane now?’ And in that bad weather the plane arrived. It was a goods plane I think, so we lay down and flew back and after that for nine days nobody could leave Manali. I remember feeling a sense of victory, ki hum nikal gaye waha se, but it was very dangerous and scary. It was one of the silliest and most exciting things I have done.

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“I like spending time in London”SRK

The Antarctic is interesting to SRK!

MOVIE calEndar

New Releases this Month! HINDI

NH 10 This road movie-meets thriller is directed by Navdeep Singh. It stars Anushka Sharma and Neil Bhoopalam in lead roles, and marks the production debut of Sharma. The film is co-produced by Phantom Films. It tells the story of a young couple whose road trip goes awry after an encounter with a group of violent criminals. The film’s quirky title refers to the 403 km long National Highway 10 that starts from Delhi, passes through Haryana via Bahadurgarh, Rohtak, Hisar, Fatehabad, Sirsa and ends at the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.

Main Aur Charles Directed by Prawaal Raman, the film is a biopic of the infamous conman Charles Sobraj and stars Randeep Hooda, Adil Hussain and Richa Chadda in pivotal roles. The film tells the story of the ‘Bikini Killer’ better known as Charles Sobhraj, a French serial killer of Indian origin, who preyed on Western tourists throughout Southeast Asia during the 1970s. Nicknamed ‘The Bikini Killer’ and ‘The Serpent’, due to his skill at deception and evasion, Sobhraj allegedly committed at least 12 murders. He was convicted and jailed in India from 1976 to 1997. After his release, he retired as a celebrity in Paris. He returned to Nepal and was arrested and tried there. He

MARCH 2015 / HAPPY FLYING!

was convicted of murder by the Supreme Court of Nepal on 12 August 2004, receiving a sentence of life imprisonment.

Advt.

ancheepuram Varamahalakshmi Silks is a temple of saris for the woman, who wishes to add a never before aura to herself. Kancheepuram Varamahalakshmi Silks is the new abode for women, bringing to them exclusively created designer saris. Antiquity is the symbol of “Varamahalakshmi” with unique variety of saris at the lowest prices ever. It’s a divine place and the products are so meticulously and pristinely designed, that they meet the standards of today’s woman.

Kancheepuram Varamahalakshmi Silks product lines are different from other players in the textile industry. So are its infrastructure facilities. It’s an abode for rare and eternal pure Kancheepuram Sarees, Aarani Sarees, Banaras Sarees, Dharmavaram Sarees, Uppada Sarees, Handloom Sarees. Kancheepuram Varamahalakshmi Silks provide this exclusive collection at an unbeatable pricing as they own more than 1000 handloom weaving machines. Thus eliminating the middlemen and serving the end consumers directly. The first store of Kancheepuram Varamahalakshmi Silks was launched on 18th October, 2012 at Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu. Subsequently more showrooms were opened at Bengaluru,

Vijayawada, Chennai and Hyderabad. Kancheepuram Varamahalakshmi Silks recently opened two stores in Hyderabad, one at Kalamandir Shopping Mall and another at Jubilee Hills.

HAPPY FLYING! / MARCH 2015

TELUGU

Rudramadevi Purported to be the first Indian 3D historic film, Rudramadevi is simultaneously being produced in both Telugu and Tamil. The film is directed by Gunasekhar, and has an ensemble cast like Anushka Shetty, Allu Arjun, Krishnam Raju, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Nithya Menon, Baba Sehgal, Catherine Tresa and many more. Anushka will be seen as Rudrama Devi, the 13th century revered Telugu queen of the Kakatiya dynasty and one of the few ruling queens in Indian history. The film’s soundtrack and background score are composed by Ilaiyaraaja and the art direction is handled by Thotta Tharani.

ENGLISH

Chappie This science fiction film directed by Neill Blomkamp and is based on Blomkamp’s 2004 short film Tetra Vaal. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel, Sigourney Weaver, and South African rap group Die Antwoord. The story goes something like this: In the near future, crime is patrolled by an oppressive mechanised police force. But now, the people are fighting back. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself. As powerful, destructive forces start to see Chappie as a danger to mankind and order, they will stop at nothing to maintain the status quo and ensure that Chappie is the last of his kind!

MARCH 2015 / HAPPY FLYING!

TAMIL

JK Enum Nanbanin Vaazhkai JK Enum Nanbanin Vaazhkai which in English means ‘Life of a friend called JK’ is a youth entertainer written and directed by Cheran. It stars Sharwanand and Nithya Menon, while Prakash Raj and Santhanam play supporting roles. It is being simultaneously made in Telugu as Yemito Ee Maaya. The film is being produced by Dream Theatres who earlier produced films like Autograph, Azhagai Irukkirai Bayamai Irukkirathu and Muran. The film features songs by G. V. Prakash Kumar and film’s core is by Siddharth Vipin.

Plan your happy vacation with Air Costa. Air Costa offers exciting holiday packages with Flights+Hotels facility.

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Ahmedabad Jaipur

Bengaluru Tirupati

Chennai Vijayawada

Coimbatore

Hyderabad

Visakhapatnam

WELLNESS

Fabulously

FIT

Want to keep looking and feeling your best? Need your mental and physical performance to improve? Akcelina Cvijetic’s practical tips for men show you how to optimise the performance of your brain and body. Look and feel good Include weight training into your daily routine to help shift the flab and tone up. Research shows that even once-weekly resistance training will have an impact on muscle strength. Exercise is a great way to help keep yourself looking and feeling younger. Another way is by increasing your antioxidant intake, by eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and drinking green tea. For an extra boost, try a superb antioxidant complex by BioCare called BioFlavone 1000 (www.biocare.co.uk). Keep your weight in check Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do for yourself. You will reduce your risk of heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and other serious health conditions. Eat lean protein such as fish, chicken, lentils, beans, nuts and seeds, as well as colourful vegetables. Remove processed and ‘white’ foods (bread, pasta, rice, sugar) from your diet as they lead to imbalanced blood sugar levels, which can contribute to diabetes,

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weight gain and other health problems. Opt for wholemeal varieties instead, and combine this with lean cuts of meat and side orders of vegetables. Take care of your heart Keep your cholesterol and blood pressure in check by taking regular tests. Cut down on fatty foods and increase your intake of fibre and protective foods such as apples, carrots, celery, garlic, onions, oats, almonds and green leafy vegetables. For extra support, try BioCare BioCardio—a brilliant cardiovascular complex. Maintain strong erectile function Most cases of erectile dysfunction are due to not getting enough blood to the area in question. Research has shown several herbs to be effective in improving sexual function. Ginkgo biloba can help increase the blood flow, while Siberian ginseng can help improve libido and stamina. Eating foods rich in zinc, such as oysters and tahini, is also important for good erectile functioning. Boost your performance with a great supplement such as BioCare Ginkgo Plus. Protect your prostate If discovered early, benign prostate problems can be prevented or corrected with some natural remedies such as saw palmetto, which can help improve urinary flow without any side-effects. Introducing some protective foods such as cooked tomatoes, watermelons, guavas, apricots and green tea in your diet can also have beneficial results. Try Bional Prostanol—it has had excellent clinical results and has all the nutrients to

support improvement (www.cressuk.com). Prevent diabetes Go for regular medical check-ups. Balance your blood sugar levels by eating regular small meals. Eat oat porridge for breakfast and spice it up with some cinnamon and grated apple. Sharpen your brain Adequate sleep can help improve both your short and long term memory. Snack on brain nourishing foods such as walnuts, pomegranates, grapes, blueberries and sardines. Take fish oil and ginkgo biloba supplements to support your cognitive functioning. Reduce stress levels Find ways to de-stress. Get a massage. Meditate. Visualise calming images. Your body needs more nutrients when under stress. Take a good supplement such as BioCare’s Vyta-Myn Complex, which contains specially selected minerals, vitamins and adaptogenic herbs, such as Siberian ginseng, to help your body cope better during times of stress. Keep your joints healthy A lot of joint problems, such as arthritis, can be prevented and significantly reduced with the right diet and supplements. Reduce

your intake of red meat and alcohol, and include more oily fish, ginger and turmeric in your diet. BioCare Joint Guard is a great tasting liquid supplement, specifically tailored to reduce inflammation and improve motility. Drink alcohol in moderation Drink good quality wine, slowly. This way of drinking has a heart and liver protective effect, as opposed to an offensive effect when drunk quickly. Alternate each glass of alcohol with a glass of water to re-hydrate your body. Take a milk thistle supplement a few hours before and after drinking alcohol to support your liver. (Always consult your doctor before making any dietary changes or taking any supplements, especially if taking prescribed medication.)

With a flourishing private practice on prestigious Harley Street in London, Akcelina Cvijetic is Nutritionist and Life Coach to the royal family, celebrities and business people. HAPPY FLYING! / MARCH 2015

I L LU S T R AT I O N S

Special

MARCH 2015 / HAPPY FLYING!

Rishabh Mehta draws everything by hand; he is the Founder of Cartoonwala.com your One Stop Illustration Shop

HAPPY FLYING! / MARCH 2015

Your Forecast For The Month Of March By Manisha Koushik ARIES (March 21 – April 20)

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Your reputation on the professional front is likely to increase during this month. Someone who is very close to you is going to get married. Youngsters will have fun times with their friends. You are going to get a positive response from your love interest. Your short journey outside the city is going to give you maximum enjoyment. It’s time for you to save a good amount of money. Deal with all property related issues very carefully. Your health will remain stable thanks to your cautious measures.

You make your own destiny in your professional life as your stars turn to be bright this month. People playing with stocks can expect excellent returns. There will be remarkable improvement in the health of people who are ill. All domestic issues will get cleared immediately because of your communicative skill. You may be charmed by a person in your romantic life. It is better to avoid night journeys this month.

Lucky Number: 6 Lucky Colour: Chocolate

Lucky Number: 2 Lucky Colour: Lemon

TAURUS (April 21 – May 20)

LEO (July 23 – August 23)

Your financial status is going to excel this month. You will pay back your creditors in time. Good health stays with you because of your restricted diet. You remain perfect in both your academic and professional life. Your nature to get along with others very easily will help you to get appreciation from your parents and others at home. You may see a person coming close to you in your romantic life.

All your pending issues at home will get cleared this month. Maintain confidentiality in all your travel plans. Keep aside all your romance for time being as something more important is waiting for you. Make sure that your journeys are quite comfortable for you in this month. If it is not so, you can very well postpone them to the next month. People in sales and marketing are going to have a great month ahead. You will have an effective control on your financial status.

Lucky Number: 15 Lucky Colour: Parrot Green

Lucky Number: 1 Lucky Colour: Pink

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

VIRGO (August 24 – September 23)

You may get a good sum of money through the auction of your property. Builders may even seriously think about a new township very soon. This is the perfect month to spend some time with your near and dear ones. Few may even arrange for an excursion or a picnic. There may be a celebration on the professional front. Eating healthy food will make you to stay fit.

This month you are going to meet a person whom you haven’t met for years together. Your love life is going to be fantastic as your love interest or spouse is going to shower you with their immense love. Youngsters may on exciting trekking or hiking trips. All your property related issues should be carried forward after proper legal consultation. As you are very sound in your professional life, it is high time for you to concentrate on enhancing your skills.

Lucky Number: 4 Lucky Colour: Dark Slate Grey

MARCH 2015 / HAPPY FLYING!

Lucky Number: 1 Lucky Colour: Lemon

Manisha Koushik is a well-known tarot card reader, numerologist, name therapist, chakra healer and a Vastu-Feng Shui expert. You can get in touch with her by visiting her website www.askmanisha.com, emailing her at support@askmanisha.com or via phone on +91-11-26449898, 26489899.

LIBRA (September 24 – October 23)

CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 21)

You are going to achieve your maximum in this month. You will be given freedom at your work space with all required resources and complete authority. Engineers and architects are likely to get their dream projects green lighted. All your domestic responsibilities are more likely to be accomplished, much to the satisfaction of all at home. Your love bonds will get strengthen by a candle-light dinner. You will get a chance to attend an overseas event through complimentary flight tickets. There is a chance for you to construct in your own plot. Your health seems to be excellent.

Your presence will be deeply marked by all your perfect moves in both the professional and social atmosphere. You can very well handle all difficult tasks in any place. It is good to invest right for a better future. You will get the sense of satisfaction by catering to the needs of a needy person in your family. You will keep up your passions for romance by allotting specific time for it. Homemakers will make their own combinations and permutations in their interior designing.

Lucky Number: 15 Lucky Colour: Peach

Lucky Number: 7 Lucky Colour: Grey

SCORPIO (October 24 – November 22)

AQUARIUS (January 22 – February 19)

You prove your superiority among others in your professional front. All your efforts to confirm this will end successfully. You will create your own niche because of your perseverance and positive attitude. With great difficulty you will keep up your promises. You will get the attention of your love interest by organising an event. Your income will increase to considerable levels through rent coming in from your property.

All your financial savings will help you to spend for something most important in life. You are more likely to get an outstanding payment credited to you. All minor health issues will get cured with the help of simple home remedies. You can maintain your slim and trim figure with the help of minor exercises. Your utmost responsibility at work will get noticed and appreciated. You are likely to go ahead with all decisions of your spouse in order to maintain smooth atmosphere at home.

Lucky Number: 2 Lucky Colour: Pink

Lucky Number: 9 Lucky Colour: Olive Green

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 – December 21)

PISCES (February 20 – March 20)

At your professional front, you can confidently dominate in your field with your expertise. It is advisable to clear every single issue at home to avoid something big. Few may light up their budding romance with small messages and exchanging glances. If you like to travel, then this month is for you to plan some interesting trips. All your property issues will get cleared easily. You will always have something better waiting for you.

All your efforts to maintain a relationship with everyone in your social front will prove to be successful. Few may enjoy their evenings in the company of likeminded people. There is a chance to move close with your person of interest, so make better use of this opportunity. There may be contradictory orders at work, but you can manage effectively with wise decisions. Proper budget plans may raise funds for your projects. Your journey through this month seems to be successful.

Lucky Number: 3 Lucky Colour: Red

Lucky Number: 18 Lucky Colour: Saffron HAPPY FLYING! / MARCH 2015

Kids

CORNER

Aesop’s Fables (Translated by George Fyler Townsend)

The Lion and the Mouse

A lion was awakened from his sleep by a mouse running over his face. Rising up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the mouse piteously entreated, saying: “If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness.” The lion laughed and let him go. It happened shortly after this that the lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by some ropes to the ground. The mouse, recognising his roar, came, gnawed the rope with his teeth, set him free and exclaimed “you ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, not expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favour; now you know that it is possible for even a mouse to confer benefits on a lion.”

The Mole and His Mother

A mole, a creature blind from birth, once said to his mother: “I am sure than I can see, mother!” In the desire to prove to him his mistake, his mother placed before him a few grains of frankincense, and asked, “What is it?” The young mole said, “It is a pebble.” His mother exclaimed: “My son, I am afraid that you are not only blind, but that you have lost your sense of smell”.

The Herdsman and the Lost Bull

A herdsman tending his flock in a forest lost a bull-calf from the fold. After a long and fruitless search, he made a vow that, if he could only discover the thief who had stolen the calf, he would offer a lamb in sacrifice to Hermes, Pan, and the Guardian Deities of the forest. Not long afterwards, as he ascended a small hillock, he saw at its foot a lion feeding on the calf. Terrified at the sight, he lifted his eyes and his hands to heaven, and said: “Just now I vowed to offer a lamb to the Guardian Deities of the forest if I could only find out who had robbed me; but now that I have discovered the thief, I would willingly add a full-grown bull to the calf I have lost, if I may only secure my own escape from him in safety.”

MARCH 2015 / HAPPY FLYING!

Trivia Time!! It is said that when England is in danger a drum owned by Francis Drake rolls by itself.

A Rubik’s Cube can make 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 different combinations!

The ice cream cone was originally a way to hold flowers, not ice cream!

The Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt, built about 2600 BC, was constructed with enough stone to make a brick wall that could go around the world 20 inches high.

The hottest continent on earth is Africa, where a record high of 58 degrees Celsius was once recorded. The letter Z is only used in words more than five letters when two vowels are present. See for yourself! If everyone in the world took a daily bath, our entire supply of fresh water would be get dirty in a single day! Eww…

A little over a hundred years ago, the first modern traffic light was put to use in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1914. Honey is the only food that won’t spoil. In China, they believe that the longer one’s earlobes are, the wealthier they will be.

Just For Laughs Q: What does a nosey pepper do? A: Gets jalapeno business!

Q: What do you call a fake noodle? A: An ‘Impasta’!

Q: What is the most hardworking part of the eye? A: The pupil!

Q: Why did the picture go to jail? A: Because it was framed.

Q: What do you get when you cross fish and an elephant? A: Swimming trunks.

Q: What do you call security guards working outside Samsung shops? A: Guardians of the Galaxy.

HAPPY FLYING! / MARCH 2015

Feedback Hello, I took my first Air Costa flight from Chennai to Ahmedabad today, and I felt that I must provide you with some feedback. With all the negativities that surround air travel today, I was delighted to experience the excellent service of your professional staff. I was pleasantly surprised that my simple query of “do you serve hot coffee on board?” was met with the exceptional gesture of coffee being offered during boarding itself! Wow, this truly was an outstanding gesture by your staff member, Bhawna and it was an experience I have never had before… even on best of the international flights. Keep being good, as being good could be different enough in this age of competition. Regards, Sanjeev Srivastava Founder and Trainer Aktion India

You flight was cool as passengers get more leg space compared to the other airlines that I am a frequent flier with. It was my first experience flying Air Costa and my flight was superb with low noise and smooth flying. Gautam Jain

Flying with Air Costa was very comfortable. The cabin crew provided us with wonderful service. We also reached well on time. I hope to fly with Air Costa again. All the best and keep it up! Sneha Jaiswal

Hamne Chennai se Jaipur ko 31st January Air Costa se gaye they aur us udan ke parichalak Rupesh Farid they. Nazira thino, ache hasmuk, madhur bhashi aur friendly they. Unki tharakki ki kamna kartha hun! Shantilal Jain

It was my first time flying with Air Costa from Hyderabad to Vijaywada and it was wonderful!!! The crew members were good and gave us a warm welcome and there were no issues at all. Puneet Vohra

Good, bad, ugly… your feedback is welcome. Do write to us at: feedback@aircosta.in

MARCH 2015 / HAPPY FLYING!

Mind, the driver Dr. M. C. Das

Management Consultant drmcdas@aircosta.in

“The mind is in its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven” said John Milton in his epic book of poems Paradise Lost. The mind is an invisible and intangible organ of the human body. All other organs can be seen, measured and weighed. Their composition can be analysed and their functional areas can be identified. But, the human mind is beyond anybody’s perception or comprehension. It is a big store house of thoughts. Everything on the earth, right from a pin to a rocket, has its origin in the human mind. Nothing has fallen from the sky. It has in its store, the most useful, as well as dangerous things. It has positive powers and negative powers in it. It can develop and destroy. It is the master of other tangible organs in the body. Neither a leg nor a hand moves without its command. Even the little finger of the hand doen’t rise without its order. “Manayeva Manushyanam Karanam Bandh Mokshyoh” says the Hindu scriptures. Mind is the cause for the sin of attachment or salvation. Then, what is this mind? Where is it? Who is behind it? Is it autonomous or controlled? Is it genetic or generic? The mind can’t be defined. The mind is what the mind does! It could be as big as the universe or as small as a pebble. If positive thoughts are stored, it becomes broad and if negative thoughts are stocked, it becomes narrow. So, the size of the mind depends on the quality of thoughts we store. Positive thoughts lead to positive actions and negative thoughts lead to negative deeds. It has no specific location. It is all-pervading. Man is behind it! It doesn’t act on its own. It is instructed by the man. It is like an automobile. Though it is an automobile, it doesn’t run on its own. It is to be driven and it goes to the place to where it is driven. If you drive it towards north, it wouldn’t go towards south. The mind is not genetic! It is not inherited. It is made and branded just like generic medicine is packed and branded. It can be trained and controlled. It can be made into a value-added product and effectively branded and marketed. Make the MIND (My Internal Nonapparent Demeanour) positive and enjoy happy living!

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E V E N T S AT A I R C O S TA

Mr. LVS. Rajasekhar, MD - Air Costa addressing the gathering.

Air Costa sponsored 79th Senior National Badminton Championships

Mr. LVS. Rajasekhar, MD - Air Costa being felicitated by Honâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Shri. Nara Chandrababu Naidu garu at Air Costa sponsored 79 th Senior National Badminton Championships, Vijayawada

Mr. LVS. Rajasekhar receiving memento from Shri. Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju (Minister of Civil Aviation). Also seen Shri. Kesineni Srinivas, MP - Lok Sabha (Left) in the picture.

MARCH 2015 / HAPPY FLYING!

Mr. LVS. Rajasekhar, MD – Air Costa lighting the lamp

Mr. Raj Kishore, Director - AAI (Gannavaram Airport) lighting the lamp

Aviation Security Training Institute (ASTI) Inauguration at Air Costa Head Office

Chief Guest Shri. A.B.Venkateswara Rao, IPS., Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada City lighting the lamp. (L-R) : Mr. LVS. Rajasekhar, MD, Air Costa, Dr.M.C.Das, Management Consultant, Air Costa, Capt. K.N. Babu, CEO Air Costa and Heads of Departments were seen in lamp lighting ceremony.

Chief Guest Shri. A.B.Venkateswara Rao, IPS., Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada City inaugurating “Aviation Security Training Institute (ASTI)” along with other Guests of honor

Fresh batch of Trainees & Head of Departments were present at newly inaugurated state of the art Computer based training (CBT) classroom

HAPPY FLYING! / MARCH 2015

Fleet Information Embraer E 170

Embraer E 190

EMBRAER 170 INTERIOR LAYOUT

EMBRAER 190 INTERIOR LAYOUT

PRODUCT & SERVICE OFFERING • • •

No middle row seating Wider aisle Larger windows

EMBRAER 170 • Seating

• •

7C 60Y

Increased leg room Greater stowage capacity

EMBRAER 190 • Seating

112Y 36.24 m 28.72 m

•

Length

Wingspan

29.90 m 26.00 m

•

Wingspan

•

Maximum Range

2,000 nm

•

Maximum Range

•

Maximum Weight

38,600 kg

•

Maximum Weight

2, 200 nm 47,790 kg

•

Engines

CF34-8E

•

Engines

CF34 -10E

•

Speed

Mach 0.78

•

Speed

Mach 0.78

•

Length

•

Inflight menu

Sizzlin Jalapeno, Tikka Masala - Tortilla Corn Chips with Cheesy Dip

Flight No.

Frequency

Transit*/ Transfer**

Dep.

Our Airport Offices

Arr.

Flights from Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad

LB614

Bengaluru

Daily

Non Stop

08:10 10:20

Air Costa,

LB633

Chennai

Daily

Non Stop

22:15 00:35

Domestic Terminal – 1,

LB614 / 646

Hyderabad

Daily

Bengaluru**

08:10 12:50

Sardar Vallabhai Patel International Airport, Sardarnagar,

Flights from Bengaluru

Ahmedabad – 382475

LB613

Ahmedabad

Daily

Non Stop

19:50

21:55

LB666

Coimbatore

Daily

Non Stop

08:40 09:30

LB673

Coimbatore

Daily

Non Stop

17:35

LB692 / 652

Hyderabad

Daily

Visakhapatnam**

10:40 13:55

LB646

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

11:40 12:50

LB696

Jaipur

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su

Non Stop

14:05 16:35

LB692 / 664 Tirupati

Daily

Visakhapatnam**

10:40 15:15

Air Costa Ticketing Office,

LB646 / 671

Tirupati

Daily

Hyderabad**

11:40

Kempegowda International Airport,

LB655

Vijayawada

Daily

Non Stop

19:45 20:55

Bengaluru – 560300

LB692

Visakhapatnam Daily

Non Stop

10:40 12:15

Phone : +91 – 80 – 66784230

18:25

14:15

Phone : +91 – 8511109922 +91 – 79 – 22850087 E-mail : amd.airport@aircosta.in

Bengaluru

E-mail : blr.airport@aircosta.in

Flights from Chennai LB632

Ahmedabad

Daily

Non Stop

05:20 07:45

LB651

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

05:25 06:35

LB634

Jaipur

Daily

Non Stop

17:05 19:40

Chennai

LB651 / 656

Vijayawada

Daily

Hyderabad**

05:25 12:25

Air Costa,

LB651

Visakhapatnam Daily

Hyderabad*

05:25 08:10

Counter #8, New Domestic Terminal, Meenambakkam,

Flights from Coimbatore LB646

Bengaluru

Daily

Non Stop

10:35

11:20

LB655

Bengaluru

Daily

Non Stop

18:45 19:25

LB636

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

09:50 11:10

LB646 / 696 Jaipur

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su

Bengaluru**

10:35 16:35

LB636 / 671

Tirupati

Daily

Hyderabad*

09:50 14:15

LB636

Vijayawada

Daily

Hyderabad*

09:50 12:25

Chennai – 600027 Phone : +91 – 9940387684, +91 – 44 – 22562225 E-mail : maa.airport@aircosta.in

Coimbatore

Flights from Hyderabad LB673 / 613

Ahmedabad

Daily

Bengaluru**

16:00 21:55

LB673

Bengaluru

Daily

Non Stop

16:00 17:05

LB652

Chennai

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Su

Non Stop

14:25

LB652

Chennai

Tu, Sa

Non Stop

15:20 16:35

LB667

Coimbatore

Daily

Non Stop

09:00 10:15

LB652 / 634

Jaipur

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Su

Chennai**

14:25 19:40

* Transit: Same Aircraft | ** Transfer: Change of Aircraft

15:35

Air Costa, Coimbatore International Airport, Civil Aerodrome (PO), Coimbatore – 641014 Phone : +91 – 9940284069, +91 – 422 – 2574425 E-mail : cjb.airport@aircosta.in Note: Details are subject to change.

Flight Schedule (Valid till 28 Mar 2015) Our Airport Offices Hyderabad Air Costa, Ticketing Counter #08 – B, Level – F, Passenger Terminal Building, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Ltd., Shamshabad – 500409 Phone : +91 – 8978081308, +91 – 40 – 66605066 E-mail : hyd.airport@aircosta.in

Flight No.

Frequency

Transit*/ Transfer**

Dep.

Arr.

LB652 / 634

Jaipur

Tu, Sa

Chennai**

15:20 19:40

LB671

Tirupati

Daily

Non Stop

13:15

14:15

LB636

Vijayawada

Daily

Non Stop

11:35

12:25

LB656

Vijayawada

Daily

Non Stop

20:20 21:10

LB651

Visakhapatnam Daily

Non Stop

07:05 08:10

Lb636 / 664 Visakhapatnam Daily

Vijayawada**

11:35

13:35

LB671 / 665

Tirupati**

13:15

16:55

19:25

Visakhapatnam Daily

Flights from Jaipur Jaipur Air Costa, Terminal – 2, Jaipur International Airport, Near Jawahar Circle, Jaipur – 302029 Phone : +91 – 7726000109, +91 – 141 – 2725207 E-mail : jai.airport@aircosta.in

Tirupati Air Costa Airlines (LEPL Projects Ltd. - Aviation), Tirupati Airport, Renugunta - 517 520

Vijayawada Air Costa, Gannavaram Airport, Vijayawada – 520004 Phone : +91 – 8676 – 252297, +91 – 8978180213 E-mail : vga.airport@aircosta.in

Visakhapatnam Air Costa, Civil Enclave, Visakhapatnam Airport, Visakhapatnam – 530009 Phone : +91 – 8978033666 E-mail : vtz.airport@aircosta.in

LB697

Bengaluru

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su

Non Stop

16:55

LB635

Chennai

Daily

Non Stop

20:05 22:45

Flights from Tirupati LB672 / 673

Bengaluru

Daily

Hyderabad**

14:35

17:05

LB672

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

14:35

15:35

LB672 / 656

Vijayawada

Daily

Hyderabad**

14:35

21:10

LB665

Vijayawada

Daily

Visakhapatnam*

15:40 18:05

LB665

Visakhapatnam Daily

Non Stop

15:40 16:55

Daily

Non Stop

07:15 08:20

LB666 / 666 Coimbatore

Daily

Bengaluru**

07:15 09:30

LB667

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

07:45 08:35

LB669

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

18:45 19:40

LB666 / 696 Jaipur

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su

Bengaluru**

07:15

16:35

LB664

Tirupati

Daily

Visakhapatnam*

12:45

15:15

LB666 / 692

Visakhapatnam Daily

Bengaluru**

07:15

12:15

LB664

Visakhapatnam Daily

Non Stop

12:45

13:35

Flights from Vijayawada LB666

Bengaluru

Flights from Visakhapatnam LB691

Bengaluru

Daily

Non Stop

08:35 10:10

LB652

Chennai

Tu, Sa

Hyderabad*

12:40 16:35

LB652

Chennai

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Su

Hyderabad*

12:40 15:35

LB652

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

12:40 13:55

LB665 / 669 Hyderabad

Daily

Vijayawada**

17:15

LB691 / 696

Jaipur

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su

Bengaluru**

08:35 16:35

LB664

Tirupati

Daily

Non Stop

14:00 15:15

LB665

Vijayawada

Daily

Non Stop

17:15

* Transit: Same Aircraft | ** Transfer: Change of Aircraft

19:40

18:05

Note: Details are subject to change.

Route Map

Connecting to with

9destinations

34 flights daily

Jaipur

Ahmedabad

Visakhapatnam Hyderabad Vijayawada

Tirupati Bengaluru

Chennai

Coimbatore

India

Map not to scale, graphic representation only

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