Shubh Yatra Inflight Magazine - Air India December 2019

The inflight magazine of Air India

December 2019 | Vol 7 | Issue 12

A walk through the Himalayas Five must-try trekking routes

What we didn't know about the Puranas

Free Copy -- for inflight reading only

Economist and author Bibek Debroy on his books

Towards a cleaner Ind ia the s u C ce s s o f Swachh B ha r at M i s s i o n

Automation for a Changing world

Smarter Solution, Better Tomorrow Delta Industrial Automation offers comprehensive green manufacturing solutions for smart machines, production lines and factories to meet the rapid market changes and ensure our customers an outstanding future together.

Find out more at ENGIMACH 2019 and get an overview of Delta India Industrial Automation business in specific and discuss in detail about its CNC, AC Drives, Servo Motors & Drives, PLCs, HMIs, SMPS, Power Quality, Smart Sensors, Temperature Controllers, Energy Management and Robotics Solution offerings complimenting the machine tool applications.

Meet us at ENGIMACH 2019 Venue: The Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat Hall no. 12, Stall No. 40 Date: 4th to 8th Dec 2019 Know More....

www.deltaelectronicsindia.com automation@deltaww.com #DeltaPoweringGreenAutomation

Cmd's note

v'ouh yksgkuh

v/;{k ,oa izca/k funs'kd

Ashwani Lohani

Chairman and Managing Director

In November, we fulfilled our promise of flying to Africa with the first flight between Mumbai and Nairobi being launched on the 27th of November, 2019

fiz; fe=ks]

Dear Friend,

uo o"kZ nLrd ns jgk gS] lkFk gh fØlel vkSj uo o"kZ dh NqfV~V;ka vkus okyh gSAa

New Year is round the corner and so are the Christmas and New Year Holidays.

vkxkeh NqfV~V;ksa ds fy, gekjs lEekuuh; ;kf=;ksa dks esjh 'kqHkdkeuk,aA eSa ,vj bafM;al fo’ks"kdj ¶ykbax Øw dks Hkh viuh 'kqHkdkeuk,a nsuk pkgrk gw]a tks NqfV~V;ksa ds nkSjku Hkh vius ifjokj ls nwj jgdj gekjs ;kf=;ksa dks csgrjhu lsok,a nsus ds fy, fujarj iz;kljr jgrs gSAa okLro es]a eq>s mu ij xoZ gSA

My best wishes to our esteemed passengers for the ensuing holidays. My wishes are also due to all Air Indians, especially the flying crew who continually strive to give their best to our passengers, even while being away from their families during holidays and that makes me proud of them indeed.

ns'k esa foekuu lsDVj rsth+ ls o`f) dj jgk gSA Hkkjr esa vc foekuksa dh la[;k 650 gks pqdh gS vkSj yxHkx 1]100 foekuksa dk vkWMjZ fn;k x;k gSA blls mM+ku ;k=k vc vf/kd ls vf/kd lLrh] vklku o lqfo/kktud gksus okyh gSA ge ;g Hkh le>rs gSa fd foekuu {ks= ns'k esa vFkZO;oLFkk rFkk i;ZVu dks c<+kok nsus esa egÙoiw.kZ Hkwfedk fuHkkrk gSA vr% vkidh jk"Vªokgd viuh {kerkvksa dk loksÙZ ke mi;ksx djrs gq, viuh Hkwfedk o drZO;ksa dk lnSo fuokZg djrh jgsxhA

The aviation sector in the country continues to grow rapidly. The number of aircraft in India has now touched 650 and with almost 1,100 aircraft on order, flying is going to become more and more economical, easier and comfortable. We also realise that the aviation sector plays a crucial role in enhancing economy and tourism in the country and that your national carrier shall always play its role to the best of its abilities.

uoEcj es]a geus vÝ+hdk ds fy, mM+ku ds vius okns dks iwjk djrs gq, 27 uoEcj] 2019 dks eqca bZ rFkk uSjksch ds chp viuh igyh mM+ku vkjaHk dh gSA vxys o"kZ tuojh ekg es]a fnYyh&yanu mM+ku Mªheykbuj ds ctk; 777&bZvkj foeku ls izpkfyr djus dh vk'kk gS] ftlls nSfud mM+ku esa 86 vkSj vf/kd lhVsa miyC/k gksxa hA fudV Hkfo"; esa gekjh eqca bZ o yanu ds chp rFkk eqca bZ vkSj nksgk ds chp vfrfjDr nSfud mM+kusa vkjaHk djus dh Hkh ;kstuk gSA

In November, we fulfilled our promise of flying to Africa with the first flight between Mumbai and Nairobi being launched on the 27th of November, 2019. In January next year, we hope to replace the DelhiLondon Dreamliner flight with a 777-ER aircraft thereby providing another 86 more seats on the daily flight. We also plan to introduce additional daily flights between Mumbai and London and between Mumbai and Doha in the near future.

vkxkeh fofuos'k ds bl pqukSrhiw.kZ nkSj esa Hkh vkidh jk"Vªokgd fujarj ,slh ubZ varjjk"Vªh; mM+kusa vkjaHk dj jgh gS] tks bl ckr dk izrhd gS fd ,vj bafM;k bl dfBu nkSj esa Hkh vius ;kf=;ksa ds izfr iwjh rjg izfrc) gS ,oa mudh ;k=k lac/a kh vko';drkvksa dk /;ku j[krh gSA

Such new international flights that your national carrier has been introducing regularly are indicative of its commitment and concern for passengers even in these trying times of ensuing disinvestment.

xq# ukud nsoth ds tUe dh 550oha o"kZxkaB ekuotkfr ds fy, J)k vkSj vkuanksRlo dk volj gSA mudh lcls egÙoiw.kZ f'k{kk,a & bZ'oj ,d gS rFkk lHkh euq"; fcuk fdlh /kkfeZd jhfr&fjokt+kas ds lh/ks muds lkFk tqM+ ldrs gSa rFkk tkfr] lEiznk; ;k fyax fHkUu&fHkUu gksrs gq, Hkh lHkh euq"; bZ'oj dh n`f"V esa ,d leku gS]a lnSo ls gh lkFkZd jgh gSAa mudh f'k{kkvksa ij [k+jk mrjus dk iz;kl djus ds lkFk gh] bl mRlo ds Lej.k esa geus ,d 787 foeku dh Vsy ij *,d vksd a kj* ds izrhd dks isVa djk;k gS] ftlus ve`rlj ls yanu LVsuLVsM ,;jiksVZ ds fy, 'kqHkkjaHk mM+ku Hkjh] ,slh mM+ku izpkfyr djus okyh jk"Vªokgd izFke ,;jykbu gSA

The 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji is an occasion of great reverence and joy for the mankind. His most important teachings, that there is only one God, that all human beings can have direct access to God without the need for rituals and that everyone is equal, regardless of caste, creed or gender, are indeed so relevant always. While trying to be true to his teachings we also commemorated this occasion by painting the “EkOnkar” symbol on the tail of a 787 aircraft that flew the inaugural flight linking Amritsar to London Stansted Airport marking another first by the national carrier.

eSa vkidks ;g Hkh vk'oLr djuk pkgrk gwa fd dnkfpr gksus okyh dfe;ksa ds ckotwn] ,vj bafM;k lnSo vius ;kf=;ksa dks csgrjhu lsok,a iznku djus ds fy, izfrc) jgrh gSA

Let me also assure you that Air India, despite its occasional shortcomings, remains committed to always do its best for its passengers.

'kqHk ;k=k

Bon Voyage

t; fgan!

Jai Hind!

december 2019 I shubh Yatra I 3

Contributors/editor's letter pg 52

pg 66

pg 80

pg 92

Manuel Olveira Seller

Zinara Rathnayake

shasiprabha tiwari

Dr deodatt sharma

eSuqvy vkWyosjk lSyj

ft+ukjk jFkuk;ds

'kf'kizHkk frokjh

lSyj eqacbZ fLFkr yk yksdk ekfj;k uked jsLrjka ds 'ksQ+ gSaA bls lSyj us viuh iRuh fedh rqytkiqjdj ds lkFk feydj bls vkjaHk fd;k gSA og tks O;atu idkrs gSa] muesa LiSu dh fojklr >ydrh gSA

jFkuk;ds dksyacks fuoklh Lora= i=dkj gSaA mUgsa ioZrksa ls yxko gSA pk; csgn ilan gS vkSj Hkkjr ds iwoksZÙkj esa ?kweuk cgqr Hkkrk gSA muds vkys[k esa LFkkuh; O;atuksa] leqnk;ksa ,oa i;ZVu dks fo'ks"k LFkku feyrk gSA

frokjh ,d n'kd ls dyk rFkk laLd`fr ds laca/k esa vkys[k fy[krh vk jgh gSaA mUgksaus vkdk'kok.kh o nwjn'kZu ds fy, Hkh dk;ZØe fd, gSaA l`tukRed ys[ku ds fy, mUgsa lEekfur Hkh fd;k x;k gSA

Rathnayake is a Colombo-based travel author. She loves mountains, chai, and Northeast India. Her stories often deal with local cuisines, community empowerment, and sustainable travel.

Seller is the chef of the Mumbai-based restaurant La Loca Maria, which he has established with his wife Mickee Tuljapurkar.

The dishes he prepares at the restaurant reflects his Spanish heritage.

tf;rk ca/kksik/;k; laikndh; funs'kd

Jayita Bandyopadhyay Editorial Director (jayita@maxposuremedia.com)

Tiwari has been writing on art and culture for over a decade. She has also been associated as a presenter with Akashvani and Doordarshan, and has received several awards for creative writing.

A veteran journalist and Manak Award winner, Sharma is the former editor of Rajasthan Sujas, the magazine of the Information and Public Relations Department of Rajasthan.

pg 96

GARIMA ASTIR

Astir is a certified Angel Card reader and enjoys reading books on spirituality and fiction.

She takes a keen interest in the latest technologies too. She can be reached at facebook.com/ garimaastirangelguidance

MkW nsonŸk 'kekZ

xfjek vfLVj

ofj"B i=dkj ,oa izfrf"Br ekud vokWMZ ls lEekfur MkW 'kekZ jktLFkku ds lwpuk ,oa tulaidZ funs'kky; dh if=dk ^jktLFkku lqtl* dk fiNys 12 o"kksaZ rd lEiknu dj pqds gSaA

vfLVj ekU;rk izkIr VSjks dkMZ jhMj gSa rFkk mUgsa vk/;kfRed o dkYifud miU;kl i<+uk ilan gSA uohu rduhd Hkh mUgsa Hkkrh gSA facebook.com/

garimaastirangelguidance

ij muls laidZ lk/k ldrs gSaA

In October this year, as the country celebrated Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an announcement that caught the world's attention. He said villages in India have become open defecation free. He stressed the feat of building around 11 crore toilets for approximately 60 crore people within 60 months under Swachh Bharat Mission. We celebrate this phenomenal success on the cover of the December issue of Shubh Yatra.

bl o"kZ vDVwcj ekg esa tc ns’k Hkj esa egkRek xka/kh dh 150oha tUe’krh eukbZ xbZ] rc iz/kkuea=h Jh ujsna z eksnh dh ?kks"k.kk us nqfu;k Hkj dk /;ku viuh vksj vkdf"kZr fd;k FkkA mUgksua s crk;k fd vc Hkkjr ds xkaoksa esa yksx [kqys esa ’kkSp ugha djrsA Jh eksnh us dgk fd LoPN Hkkjr vfHk;ku ds rgr vkxkeh 60 ekg esa yxHkx 60 djksM+ yksxksa ds fy, 11 djksM+ ’kkSpky; cusx a As blh vfHk;ku dh lQyrk dks ge ’kqHk ;k=k ds fnlEcj laLdj.k ds vkoj.k ij n’kkZ jgs gSAa

In this edition, we focus on noteworthy Indians and their unique achievements. Noted economist and author Bibek Debroy speaks about translating the Puranas, as members of the foremost Indian electronica band Midival Punditz unravel how travel has inspired their music. In the travel section, walk with us, as we trek along some not-so-known routes in the Himalayas, rediscovering the magic of the mountains.

bl laLdj.k esa geus pqfuank Hkkjrh;ksa ,oa mudh miyfC/k;ksa dk mYys[k fd;k gSA izfl) vFkZ’kkL=h ,oa ys[kd fccsd nscjkW; us iqjk.kksa ds vuqokn ds ckjs esa crk;kA ogha Hkkjrh; bysDVªkWfudk cSM a fefMoy iafMr ds lnL;ksa us crk;k fd i;ZVu us muds laxhr dks fdruk izHkkfor fd;k gSA i;ZVu laHkkx esa vki gekjs lkFk fgeky; ds mu Vªd S ij pys]a ftuds ckjs esa yksx ugha tkurs rFkk ioZrksa ds tknw ls iqu% :c: gksAa

As the year draws to an end, let's rejoice the milestones achieved and the spirit of Indianness!

vc tc o"kZ lekIr gksus dks gS] vkb, miyfC/k;ksa dk t’u euk,a rFkk Hkkjrh; gksus dk xoZ eglwl djs!a

Follow us on

6 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

www.shubh-yatra.in

shubh-yatra.in

www.facebook.com/ShubhYatraIN/ Tweet @airindiain

Bon Voyage

Editor: Aruna Gopalakrishnan Printer & Publisher: Rema Raja Editorial Team: Sameek Bhattacharya, Avinash Kumar Das, Puja Kaushik, Madhu Tuteja SHUBH YATRA (BON VOYAGE) MONTHLY BI-LINGUAL (HINDI & ENGLISH) INFLIGHT MAGAZINE OF AIR INDIA LTD PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY REMA RAJA ON BEHALF OF AIR INDIA LTD, AND PRINTED AT THOMSON PRESS, FARIDABAD, INDIA AND PUBLISHED AT AIR INDIA LTD, 113 GURUDWARA RAKABGANJ ROAD, NEW DELHI, EDITOR Aruna Gopalakrishnan

CEO and Managing Director Prakash Johari Director Vikas Johari Editorial Director Jayita Bandyopadhyay

MaXposure Media Group India | Maxposure Media Group India Pvt. Ltd. #TheAddress, Plot No. 62, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase III, New Delhi-110020, India Tel: + 91 11 4301 1111, Fax: +91 11 4301 1199 E-mail: info@maxposuremedia.com USA | Maxposure Media Group LLC, 22 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 108, Mineola, New York 11501 Mob: +1 646 3672 916 E-mail: info@maxposuremedia.com

Bahrain | Maxposure Marketing Services WLL Suite No. 652, 6th Floor, The Lounge Serviced Offices, Building 247, Road No.1704, Diplomatic Area, P.O. Box 11409, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Mob: +973 3306 7099, Tel: +973 1751 8793 E-mail: info@maxposuremedia.com Thailand | Maxposure Media (Thailand) Co. Ltd No. 4/1 Soi Latphrao 52 (Nivet 2), Wang Thongland Sub-District, Wang Thongland District, Bangkok E-mail: info@maxposuremedia.com Malaysia | MMGM SDN. BHD. A-15-03 Tropicana Avenue, No.12, Persiaran Tropicana Tropicana Golf & Country Resort, PJU3, 47410 Petaling Jaya Selangor Malaysia Phone: +60 378860995 E-mail: info@maxposuremedia.com UAE | Maxposure Arabia FZ LLC Dubai Media City, Building No. 8, Premises no.

523, Fifth Floor, Dubai, UAE , Tel: + 971 4431 0793 E-mail: info@maxposuremedia.com

Bangladesh | Subcontinental Media Pvt. Ltd. Profficio 2nd Floor, 4 Mohakhali Commercial Area, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh, Tel: + 880 18 6226 0427 Email: shohedul@subcontinentalmedia.com

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION NORTH AMERICA

Canada | Wayne Saint John | The New Base, Tel: +1 416 363 1388 E-mail: wayne.stjohn@thenewbase.com

MaXposure India offices Bengaluru | 409, A Wing, 4th Floor, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bengaluru-560001, Tel: +91 80 41510657 Chennai | Workafella unit no 415, 4th floor, #10, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Nungambakkam High Rd, Nungambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600034, Tel: +91-44-42015684 Indore | 7/1, 409, 4th Floor, Ratan Mani Complex, Opp. Inter Star Showroom, New Palasia, Indore-452001 Tel: +91 73 1424 8881 Jaipur | Shop No.B-18, Hotel Arco Palace, Opp. Metro Station, Sindhi Camp, Station Road Jaipur-302001, Tel: +91 14 1404 7655 Kochi | Sushil Menon Arista Tel: +91 9740191055 E-mail: sushil@maxposuremedia.com Kolkata | DPS Corporate Club, 1st Floor, 9A Sebak Baidya Street, Kolkata-700029, Tel: +91 33 4068 0111 Mumbai | 7/711,The Summit Business Bay - Omkar Andheri Kurla Road, Behind Gurunanak Petrol Pump, Andheri - East, Mumbai - 400093

Europe

France | Nicolas Devos | IMM International Tel: + 33 1 4013 7905 E-mail: n.devos@imm-international.com London | David Simpson I Simpson Media Ltd Tel: +44 79 0088 5456 E-mail: david@simpson-media.com Russia/Switzerland | Gleb Korotkov, Halfbudget, Tel: + 7 9852243800, +41 767102525, E-mail: info@halfbudget.com Turkey | Tan Bilge | Media Ltd Tel: + 90 21 2275 8433 E-mail: tanbilge@medialtd.com.tr

Far East

Hong Kong/Indonesia | Peter Jeffery Asian Integrated Media Ltd, Tel: + 852 3910 6388 E-mail: peterjeffery@asianimedia.com Japan | Yusuke Yamashita | Pacific Business Inc, Tel: + 81 3 3661 6138 E-mail: yamashita-pbi@gol.com South Korea | Jung-Won Suh | Sinsegi Media Inc. Tel: + 82 2785 8222 E-mail: sinsegi-2@sinsegimedia.info

Australia

Sydney | Charlton D’Silva | Publisher’s Internationalé, Tel: +61 2 9252 3476 Email: charlton.dsilva@pubintl.com.au

THIS IS A FREE COPY FOR IN-FLIGHT READING ONLY. MMGIPL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SELECTION OF ARTICLES, PHOTOGRAPHS UNDER PRB ACT. @ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE WriTING, ARTWORK AND / OR PHOTOGRAPHY CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE USED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF MMGIPL. AIR INDIA / MMGIPL DOES NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE OF UNSOLICITED PRODUCTS, MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ARTWORK, TRANSPARENCIES OR OTHER MATERIALS. THE VIEWS EXPREsSED IN THE MAGAZINE ARE NOT NeCESSARILY THOSE OF THE PUBLISHER OR AIR INDIA LTD OR MMGIPL. ALL EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE WHILE COMPILING THE CONTENT OF THIS MAGAZINE, BUT WE ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE EFFECTS ARISING THEREFROM. AIR INDIA LTD / MMGIPL DOES NOT ASSUME ANY LIABILITY FOR SERVICES OR PRODUCTS ADVERTISED HEREIN. All articles marked as ‘in focus’ in the magazine are advertorials.

Magazine App Now available

You can now join, like, share or become our fan on www.facebook.com/ShubhYatraIN/

To become a fan and get daily updates, simply scan this QR code from your smart phone and click on the URL to visit us on facebook

Information info@maxposuremedia.com Advertising info@maxposuremedia.com Marketing marketing@maxposuremedia.com

8 I Shubh Yatra I December 2019

shubh-yatra.in

Careers hr@maxposuremedia.com E-mail shubhyatra@maxposuremedia.com CIN No U22229DL2006PTC152087

Contents I december 2019

NAVIGATOR 44

sure shorts 36-38 Snapshots of festivals, food and culture, entertainment and events

special feature 44 THE CLEAN REVOLUTION Swachh Bharat Mission, the world’s largest sanitation drive

open house 46 whittling the words of history Economist and author Bibek Debroy on translating the Puranas into English 52 serving up christmas cheer Traditional Christmas delicacies with a new-age twist

10 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

56 'chai in varanasi will make you feel like an indian' Ambassador of Korea (South Korea) to India, Shin Bong-kil, on his experiences in India

footprints 60 right on trek Five scenic hiking trails in Dehradun, Uttarakhand

76

When the clock strikes midnight Five harbourfront destinations across the world that ring in the New Year with fireworks

96 calling cards What the cards hold for you in December

66 a quiet paradise Explore the sights, sounds and cuisine of Jaffna in Sri Lanka

Pop pourri 72 Travelling with the punditz Tapan Raj and Gaurav Raina of Midival Punditz on their inspirations and new album

In the November 2019 issue of Shubh Yatra, this photograph had been erroneously captioned. This is the interiors of a Jain temple in Bundi, Rajasthan. We deeply regret the error.

shubh-yatra.in

72

Contents

vk;ke 80 lqjhyh

Loj lfjrk

rkulsu laxhr lekjksg esa Hkkjrh; 'kkL=h; dykdkjksa ds dk;ZØe ns[ksa

80

infpºu 86

vn~Hkqr!

Ldh dk Hkjiwj vkuan ysus ds fy, lSykuh vkSyh esa f[kaps pys vkrs gSa

ljl 92

66 60 86

ukpsa] t+jk >wedj

dkycsfy;k u`R; ns[kdj gj dksbZ jksekafpr gks mBrk gS

air india Behind The Scenes Fleet

14 22

Corrigendum: In the November 2019 issue of Shubh Yatra, an error had been made in the mention of the year of the first war of India's Independence, which took place in 1857.

We deeply regret the error.

On the Cover Under the Swachh Sundar Shauchalaya campaign of Swachh Bharat Mission, over 1.3 crore households across the country painted their toilets, evoking a sense of pride in their “izzat ghar” (house of pride).

The cover image is one such beautifully decorated toilet in Dras, Jammu & Kashmir.

Association of Business Communicators of India - (ABCI) Awards for shubh Yatra magazine YEAR: 2011 CATEGORY: Features (Language) BRONZE YEAR: 2012 CATEGORY: External Magazine SILVER YEAR: 2012 CATEGORY: Magazine Design SILVER YEAR: 2012 CATEGORY: Bilingual Publication Silver YEAR: 2012 CATEGORY: Photo Feature BRONZE YEAR: 2013 CATEGORY: Bilingual Publication GOLD YEAR: 2014 CATEGORY: Bilingual Publication GOLD

North American Travel Journalists Association Awards for shubh Yatra magazine

YEAR: 2017 CATEGORY: Cover silver YEAR: 2017 CATEGORY: Lifestyle finalist

12 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

Shubh Yatra wins 'Honors' at New York-based Galaxy Awards

CATEGORY: Photography (Various)

YEAR: 2014 CATEGORY: Photo Feature silver YEAR: 2014 CATEGORY: Photography Silver YEAR: 2015 CATEGORY: Photo Feature bronze YEAR: 2016 CATEGORY: Photo Feature silver CATEGORY: Photography gold

shubh-yatra.in

air india behind the scenes

Ready for

twitter chatter

take off Vsd vkWQ+ ds fy, rS;kj

After a 16 hr flight and one hour of major turbulence, I’m happy to be in NY. Thank you @airindiain crew for your hospitality.

But when the immigration lady officer said, “Welcome back #DrKapoor. I love your work in @nbcnewamsterdam!!”, all the stress of that turbulence vanished.

Offers and discounts to make flying happier ;k=k dks vkSj vf/kd lq[kn cukus ds fy, vkWQ+lZ ,oa NwV

Anupam Kher

Flying with the Maharajah @airindiain and Maharani @preetijhangiani tonight. @airindiain arrives 20 minutes before schedule.

Bravo. Thank you my costar @preetijhangiani still on Insta.

Parvin Dabas It is always so much comfortable and safe when travelling with @airindiain.

I always enjoy their hospitality and service.

Divyansh Tandon

The beautiful city of Nairobi

Connecting India, For You

dusfDVax bafM;k] vkids fy,

Air India offers you a well-connected network, with a multitude of flights across India and overseas. On the domestic front, Air India has connected Patna with Amritsar, Mumbai-Dehradun-Varanasi-Dehradun-Mumbai and Mumbai-AurangabadUdaipur-Aurangabad-Mumbai.

,vj bafM;k vkidks Hkkjr rFkk fons’k esa vusd mM+kuksa ds lkFk csgrjhu laidZ o usVodZ v‚Q+j djrh gSA ?kjsyw usVodZ ij] ,vj bafM;k us iVuk&ve`rlj] eqacbZ&nsgjknwu&okjk.klh&nsgjknwu&eqacbZ rFkk eqacbZ&vkSjaxkckn&mn;iqj&vkSjaxkckn &eqacbZ lsD‍Vjksa dks tksM+k gSA

On the international front, Air India started flights between Mumbai and Nairobi from November 27. In recent times, flights have also been launched between Amritsar and London Stansted Airport, Mumbai and Kuwait, and Delhi and Doha. Delhi-Seoul and Delhi-Toronto too have been linked with a direct flight.

varjjk"Vªh; usVodZ ij] ,vj bafM;k us 27 uoEcj ls eqacbZ o uSjksch ds chp mM+kusa vkjaHk dh gSaA gky gh esa ve`rlj o yanu L‍VSuL‍VM ,;jiksVZ] eqacbZ ,oa dqoSr rFkk fnY‍yh o nksgk ds fy, Hkh mM+kusa vkjaHk dh xbZ gSaA fnY‍yh&fl;ksy rFkk fnY‍yh&VksjaVks ds fy, Hkh lh/kh mM+kusa vkjaHk dh xbZ gSaA

14 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMber 2019

Dreamliner, the best aircraft in India. Flying in the #dreamliner of @airindiain. Happy to be with my favorite Maharajah.

Kaynatkazi Thank you @airindiain for the great fly to Delhi from Dubai. And a big salute to Madar for his fantastic way of treating the guests.

Shafeek Saby

Great staff at Delhi airport @airindiain! Because of them, I was able to catch my early morning flight to Vijayawada despite reaching last minute! Shout out to Harinder Singhji and Shyama! Thanks!!

Gurubhai Alok

shubh-yatra.in

air india behind the scenes

Upgrade to First or Business Class at the airport on domestic and international flights for a nominal charge. For details visit airindia.in

More baggage allowance, than the rest

Fly for Sure Offer Air India has introduced ‘Fly for Sure Offer’ for passengers who are concerned that their travel plans may change. At the time of purchase of ticket, by making an advance payment of `2,000 per sector, you can avail one-time flight change facility on the same sector and day of travel. Applicable for domestic flights only.

cSxst vykmal esa o`f)

¶+ykbZ Q+kjW ’;ksj vkWQj+ ,vj bafM;k vius mu lHkh ;kf=;ksa ds fy, ftUgsa ;g fÝ+d gS fd mudh ;k=k ;kstuk esa ifjorZu gks ldrk gS *¶+ykbZ Q+kWj ’;ksj vkWQ+j* is’k djrh gSA fVdV [k+jhnrs le; 2]000 #i, izfr lsDVj dk vfxze Hkqxrku dj vki mlh fnu rFkk mlh ;k=k lsDVj ij ,d ckj mM+ku esa ifjorZu dh lqfo/kk ys ldrs gSaA ;g dsoy ?kjsyw lsDVjksa ij izpkyu djus okyh mM+kuksa ds fy, ykxw gSA

We offer you an unbelievable free baggage allowance of 25 kg on domestic sectors, in Economy Class on all fare levels.

We also understand the baggage needs of the little ones and have allowed a free baggage allowance of 10 kg for infants.

Those of you travelling on Alliance Air flights and connecting to Air India domestic flights and vice versa, holding a single ticket, will also be eligible for 25 kg. For journey applicable only on Alliance Air flights (aircraft types ATR 72 and 42) free baggage allowance is 15 kg.

Book your ticket online, at airindia.in, for more convenience, better discounts and extra mileage points

?kjsyw lsDVjksa ij bdksukWeh Js.kh esa lHkh fdjk;k Lrjksa ij ge vkidks 25 fd-xzk- Ý+h cSxst vykmal dh vfo’oluh; NwV nsrs gSaA ge vkids uUgsa&eqUuksa dh cSxst vko’;drkvksa dks Hkh le>rs gSa vkSj f’k’kqvksa ds fy, 10 fd-xzk- rd dk fu%’kqYd cSxst vykmal ns jgs gaSA vki esa ls tks ;k=h ,d gh fVdV ls ,yk;al ,;j dh mM+kuksa ij ;k=k djrs gq, ,vj bafM;k dh mM+kuksa ls ;k blds foijhr dusDV gks jgs gSa] os Hkh 25 fd-xzk- cSxst ds Ý+h vykmal dk ykHk ys ldrs gSaA dsoy ,yk;al ,;j dh mM+kuksa ¼,;jØk¶+V Vkbi & ,Vhvkj 72 ,oa 42½ ij ;k=k djus okyksa dks 15 fd-xzk- rd ds fu%’kqYd cSxst vykmal dh NwV nh tk,xhA

For details log on to www.airindia.in

16 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMber 2019

shubh-yatra.in

Enjoy a world of artistic wonder

‫اﺳﺘﻤﺘﻊ‬ ‫ﺑﻌﺎﻟﻢ ﻣﻦ‬ ‫ا ﺑﺪاع اﻟﻔﻨﻲ‬

Louai Kayali | Sorrows, 1971| Oil on wood

Enjoy a world of artistic wonder and creativity spread over large spacious galleries that welcome you throughout the year. This unique museum offers art lovers and all visitors, the opportunity to admire the splendor of the museum’s permanent Arab Art collection, as well as temporary exhibitions hosted by the museum throughout the year. In addition to participating in the museum’s regular program and workshops.

Opening hours Entry is free

Saturday to Thursday 8:00 am – 8:00 pm Friday 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm For Enquiries: + 9716 568 8222

sharjahmuseums.ae

air india behind the scenes

Preferred Seat Selection

The scheme allows you to select a desired seat on the aircraft, like front row, emergency exit, window and aisle seat. You can purchase a preferred seat from any of Air India’s offices in the city or at the airport, from our call centre and Air India’s mobile application. The facility of Advance seat selection will be available till 240 minutes (D-4 hours) before departure, and within D-4 hours, selection of all seats will be free of charge. To know more, visit our website www.airindia.in and https://flightservices.airindia.in

ilanhnk lhV dk p;u

bl Ldhe ds rgr vki foeku esa viuh ilanhnk lhV tSls ÝaV jks] bejtsalh ,fXtV] foaMks ;k vkby lhV dk p;u dj ldrs gSaA vki viuh ilanhnk lhV ,vj bafM;k ds fdlh Hkh dk;kZy;] ,;jiksVZ] gekjs dkWy lsaVj ;k ,vj bafM;k ds eksckby ,Iyhds’ku ls [kjhn ldrs gSaA vkidks izLFkku djus ls 240 feuV ¼Mh&4 ?kaVs½ igys ,Mokal lhV pquus dh lqfo/kk miyC/k gksxh rFkk Mh&4 ?kaVksa ds Hkhrj lHkh izdkj dh lhVksa dk p;u fu%’kqYd gksxkA vf/kd tkudkjh ds fy, gekjh osclkbV www.airindia.in o https://flightservices.airindia.in ns[ksaA

Special row for women passengers In a historic first, Air India is now reserving an entire row in Economy Class at no extra cost for women passengers travelling alone on its domestic flights. Women travelling with infants can also occupy these seats but without bassinets. The scheme is currently not applicable on Alliance Air and Air India’s code share flights.

Know more on www.airindia.in

efgyk ;kf=;ksa ds fy, fo’ks"k iafDr bfrgkl esa igyh ckj] ,vj bafM;k viuh ?kjsyw mM+kuksa esa bdksukWeh Js.kh esa vdsys ;k=k dj jgha efgyk ;kf=;ksa ds fy, fcuk fdlh vfrfjDr ykxr ds ,d iwjh iafDr ¼Row½ vkjf{kr dj jgh gSA f’k’kq ds lkFk ;k=k dj jgha efgyk,a Hkh ikyus ds fcuk bu lhVksa dks ys ldrh gSaA orZeku esa ;g ;kstuk ,yk;al ,;j vkSj ,vj bafM;k dh dksM ’ks;j mM+kuksa ds fy, ekU; ugha gSA vf/kd tkudkjh ds fy, www.airindia.in ns[ksaA

Concessionary Fares

Concessionary Fares on the domestic sector have been made more attractive to senior citizens, armed forces, paramilitary forces and students. Concessionary Fares are available for sale from Air India’s City Ticketing Office (CTO), Airport Ticketing Office (ATO), website www.airindia.in and Call Centre.

To know more, visit our website www.airindia.in

fj;k;rh fdjk, ?kjsyw lsDVjksa ij] ofj"B ukxfjdksa] l’kL= cyksa] v/kZlSfud cyksa rFkk fo|kfFkZ;ksa ds fy, fj;k;rh fdjk;ksa dks vkSj vf/kd vkd"kZd cuk;k x;k gSA fj;k;rh fdjk, ,vj bafM;k flVh fVdfVax vkWfQ+l ¼lhVhvks½] ,;jiksVZ fVdfVax vkWfQ+l ¼,Vhvks½] osclkbV www.airindia.in rFkk dkWy lsaVj ij foØ; ds fy, miyC/k gSaA vf/kd tkudkjh ds fy, gekjh osclkbV www.airindia.in ns[ksaA

18 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMber 2019

prepaid baggage

allowance

Now, pre-purchase additional baggage allowance through Air India’s call centre or at any of Air India’s booking offices till six hours of departure of flight and save 20 per cent vis-a-vis airport rates.

izhisM cSxt s vykmal vc vki viuk vfrfjDr cSxst vykmal ,vj bafM;k ds dkWy lsaVj vFkok fdlh Hkh ,vj bafM;k cqfdax dk;kZy; ds ek/;e ls izLFkku ls 6 ?kaVs igys rd izh&ijpst+ djsa vkSj ,;jiksVZ njksa dh rqyuk esa 20 izfr’kr dh cpr ik,aA

FLY YOUR COMPANION

free

First and Business Class travellers can also now avail of Companion Free Scheme for travel to/from any non-metro domestic sectors.

dEiSfu;u Ý+h Ldhe QLVZ ,oa fct+usl Dykl ds ;k=h dEiSfu;u Ý+h Ldhe dk Hkh ykHk ik ldrs gSaA os fdlh Hkh ukWu esVªks ?kjsyw lsDVjksa rd@ls ;k=k ds nkSjku ,d dEiSfu;u lkFk ys tk ldrs gSaA

shubh-yatra.in

air india behind the scenes

Follow us on

@airindiain AI-SBI credit card, loaded with benefits

Airsewa mobile app and portal The AirSewa web portal and a mobile app was launched by the Government for the convenience of air passengers, which provides an integrated common platform where passengers can lodge their grievances against all major stakeholders in the aviation sector including airlines. For details log on to the website www.airsewa.gov.in

osc iksVZy o eksckby ,si ^,;j lsok* gokbZ ;kf=;ksa dh lqfo/kk ds fy, ljdkj }kjk ^,;j lsok* osc iksVZy vkSj ,d eksckby ,si yk¡p fd;k x;k gSA ;g ,d ,dhd`r lk>k IysVQkWeZ iznku djrk gS ftl ij ,;jykbuksa lfgr foekuu {ks= esa lHkh cM+s Hkkxhnkjksa ds fo#) ;k=h viuh f’kdk;rsa ntZ djk ldrs gSaA mM+ku esa foyac] cSxst [kksus vkSj /ku okilh esa cgqr nsj gksus ds lkFk&lkFk ,;jiksVksZa ij yach ykbuksa lfgr gokbZ lsokvksa ls lacaf/kr lHkh f’kdk;rsa www.airsewa.gov.in ij ntZ djk,aA

call centres

Flying Returns As a flying returns member, you can enjoy a host of offers like Family Pool and also redeem points online on star partner flights. Family Pooling is now live on flying returns. For details please log on to www.flyingreturns.co.in

¶+ykbax fjVUlZ ¶+ykbax fjVUlZ lnL; ds :i esa vki vusd vkWQ+lZ tSls ^QSfeyh iwy* rFkk LVkj ,yk;al lnL; ,;jykbuksa dh mM+kuksa ij IokbaV~l vkWuykbu fjMhe djus dk ykHk mBk ldrs gSaA ^QSfeyh iwfyax* vc ¶+ykbax fjVUlZ ds ek/;e ls laHko gSA vf/kd tkudkjh ds fy, d`i;k www.flyingreturns.co.in ij ykWx vkWu djsaA

Do you have special needs for travel?

Give us details on the request form available on www.airindia.in

Looking for a credit card with travel benefits? Look no further than the Air India-SBI credit card. Get the best-inclass travel benefits like miles and lounges. Available in two variants, the Air India-SBI Signature Card and Air IndiaSBI Platinum Card, with an attractive rewards structure.

Get details under Special Offers on www.airindia.in

ykHk ls Hkjiwj ,vj bafM;k&,lchvkbZ ØsfMV dkMZ D;k vki ;k=k ykHk ls Hkjiwj ØsfMV dkMZ dh ryk’k esa gSa\ rks ,vj bafM;k&,lchvkbZ ØsfMV dkMZ vkidh bl ryk’k dks iwjk djrk gSA bl dkMZ ls vki ekbYl rFkk ykmat tSls loksZŸke ykHk izkIr dj ldrs gSaA vkd"kZd fjokWMZ ds lkFk ;g dkMZ&,vj bafM;k ,lchvkbZ flXuspj dkMZ rFkk ,vj bafM;k ,lchvkbZ IysfVue dkMZ nks :iksa esa miyC/k gSA iwjh tkudkjh ds fy, osclkbV www.airindia.in ij Lis’ky vkWQ+j ns[ksaA

dkWy lsUVlZ

feedback

Air India contact numbers passengers can access in India and outside are:

;k=h Hkkjr ds Hkhrj rFkk fons'kksa esa ,vj bafM;k ds fuEu uEcjksa ij lEidZ dj ldrs gS%a

India: 020-26231407/ 0124-2641407/1860 233 1407 Australia: 613 701 98270 US and Canada: 1888 634 1407 * UK: 8000 489 254 * France: 331 874 06644 (9am to 9pm) (Local) Germany: 49 69 25511337 (9am to 9pm) (Local) Singapore: 800 101 4016 * (Local) Callers from all foreign locations can also call on: +91 124 2641407 (international call rates applicable) +91 20 26231407 (international call rates applicable) *Toll-free numbers Please give your contact number at the time of ticketing to help

Hkkjr% 020&26231407@0124&2641407@1860 233 1407 vkWLVªfs y;k% 613 701 98270 ;w,l ,oa dukMk% 1888 634 1407 * ;wd%s 8000 489 254 * Ýkal% 331 874 06644 ¼izkr% 9cts ls jkf= 9cts rd½ ¼LFkkuh;½ teZuh% 49 69 12009821 ¼izkr% 9cts ls jkf= 9cts rd½ ¼LFkkuh;½ flaxkiqj% 800 101 4016 * ¼LFkkuh;½ lHkh fons'kh LVs'kuksa ls dkWy djus okys fuEu uEcjksa ij Hkh dkWy dj ldrs gS%a $91 124 2641407 ¼varjjk"Vªh; dkWy njsa ykxw gksxa h½ $91 20 26231407 ¼varjjk"Vªh; dkWy njsa ykxw gksxa h½ *Vksy Ý+h uEcj Ñi;k fVdfVax ds le; viuk dkWUVsDV uEcj nsa rkfd nsjh@ck/kk gksus ij vki ls laidZ fd;k tk ldsA

us reach you, in case of a delay/disruption.

20 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMber 2019

www.airindia.in

çfrfØ;k Passenger feedback is very valuable to us. Do write in with your suggestions/ observations through www.airindia.in/ feedback-form.htm

;kf=;ksa dk QhMcSd gekjs fy, cgqr egÙoiw.kZ gSA Ñi;k www.airindia.in/ feedback-form.htm

ij vki gesa vius lq>ko@fVIif.k;ka HkstAas

shubh-yatra.in

ON T H E W I N G S OF ADRENALINE, you fly like the ace of aces l o o p i n g a t re c o rd h e i g h t s , or feel the horsepower of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest ro l l e rc o a s t e r. A s j o y r u s h e s t h ro u g h y o u r b o d y, f ro m z e ro t o 2 4 0 k m / h i n f i v e seconds, you will find that fun always comes first.

YOUR E X T RAORDI NA RY STORY

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi #InAbuDhabi

visitabudhabi.ae

air india behind the scenes

Air India boasts the biggest modern state-of-the-art fleet, comprising Boeing (747-400, 777-200LR, 777-300ER and 787 Dreamliner) and

Airbus (319, 320, 320Neo and 321). Its subsidiaries, Air India Express and Alliance Air, have in their fleet the B737-800s and ATRs respectively.

Air india FLEET B747-400 (4 aircraft)

B777-300ER (13 aircraft) Typical Seating F/J/Y 12/26/385

Typical Seating F/J/Y 4/35/303

A320 (9)

B777-200LR (3)

Seating Configuration VariantsF/J/Y -/12/138 -/-/180 -/-/168 -/12/150

Typical Seating F/J/Y 8/35/195

A320NEO (27)

B-787 Dreamliner (27)

Seating Configuration Variants F/J/Y -/12/150

Typical Seating F/J/Y -/18/238

A319 (22) Seating Configuration Variants F/J/Y -/8/114 -/-/144

A321 (20) Typical Seating F/J/Y -/12/170

alliance air ATR-72-600 (18 aircraft)

ATR-42-320 (1) Typical Seating F/J/Y -/-/48

Typical Seating F/J/Y -/-/70

Air india express B737-800 (25) Typical Seating F/J/Y -/-/186-189

22 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMber 2019

shubh-yatra.in

air india

know-how

air india connection

Vanakkam Sri Lanka!

Alliance Air goes international as it lands in Jaffna, Sri Lanka

Images from Alliance Air’s inaugural flight from Chennai to Jaffna Alliance Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India expanded its wings globally and launched international flight operations from Chennai International Airport to Jaffna International Airport and back with an inaugural flight on October 17, 2019. Direct commercial flight operations connecting the two destinations on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays have begun from November 11, 2019.

After successfully connecting 54 widespread regional dots on the aviation map of India, Alliance Air has spread wings internationally by adding Jaffna in Sri Lanka as the 55th and the first international destination to the airline’s ambit.

Apart from being Alliance Air’s maiden international foray, it connects Chennai to Jaffna after a gap of 41 years. Flyers to Chennai from Delhi, Coimbatore,

26 I Shubh Yatra I dEceMBER 2019

Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Dubai, Trivandrum and Muscat now have the option of connecting to Jaffna, making air travel more convenient.

Ashwani Lohani, CMD, Air India and CS Subbiah, CEO Alliance Air, along with other officials were present on this historic flight. Dignitaries of Sri Lanka including the country’s then President, Maithripala Sirisena and the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe graced the occasion. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka; S Balachandran, Consul General of India in Jaffna, and several other senior officials were also present.

It was indeed an honour for Alliance Air to launch international operations for the first time to Jaffna, a seraphic city on the northern tip of Sri Lanka. Jaffna has a unique allure for tourists

with plenty of sites to explore like the famous Kadurugoda Temple, the Jaffna Library and the island of Delft, with about 2,000 wild horses roaming its coastline.

Chundikulam is Jaffna’s best kept secret for ornithologists. The city is also known for Nallur Festival 25 days of Hindu traditions in July.

Air India CMD, Ashwani Lohani said at the occasion, “A proud moment – second airline in Air India group goes global.”

“It brings us immense delight that after spearheading efforts to connect unique regional routes within India under the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) programme, we now fly international, adding the beautiful island nation of Sri Lanka in the aviation ambit of Alliance Air. This will be the first non-stop service between Chennai and Jaffna,” said the CEO of Alliance Air.

shubh-yatra.in

Mahatma Gandhi had once said, “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”

air india family

News from Air India Air India’s direct flight from Mumbai to Nairobi touched Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and added another feather in its hat

Air India’s direct flight from Mumbai to Nairobi was flagged off on November 27, 2019. Capt Amitabh Singh, director, Operations, operated the inaugural flight. Meenakshi Mallik, commercial director, lit the inaugural lamp. The flight received a rousing reception at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Rahul Chhabra, India’s high commissioner to Kenya; Alex Gitari, MD, Kenya Apt Authority and Dr Betty Addero Radier, CEO, Kenya Tourism Board received the first flight

Scripting a perfect landing “We must thank Air India for the way it handled the situation during the emergency and ensured all of us came out safe and sound against all odds,” was the acclamation from passengers of the Bhubaneswar to Mumbai flight, which had to make a precautionary landing in Raipur due to a major technical exigency affecting one of its engines. Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani praised the crew members for the

Air India CMD, Ashwani Lohani and other senior officials with the cockpit and cabin crew of the aircraft

28 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMBER 2019

way they rose to the challenge and effected a perfect and smooth evacuation of passengers. “We are proud of you,” he said, while felicitating them at the Air India headquarters in New Delhi. The cockpit crew, comprising Capt Aditya Chopra and Capt AK Aggarwal, displayed the expertise and experience Air India pilots are known for. “We must thank the training, the best in Asia, that we get in Air India,” said Capt Chopra. The cabin crew, comprising Poonam Singh, Sunil Pranjale, Sunil Kandoriya, Ankita Baria and Nigar Saiyad, kept the passengers calm, thereby ensuring one of the safest airline evacuations in recent history, with all passengers, including a pregnant lady, coming out of the aircraft in a slide chute before the aircraft was towed to the apron area. Subsequently, they also guided the passengers back to the aircraft to identify their cabin baggage. Recalling the experience, the crew said, “We had to hold on to our nerves while assuring the passengers, securing the galleys, and the exit doors. Able-bodied passengers were also requested to pitch in during the evacuation process. It was a big challenge to keep them calm and instill confidence in them to ensure a smooth emergency evacuation.” For the cabin crew, it was all about self belief and the solid foundation of training given at Air India that helped in ensuring a scratchless evacuation in an incredible time of less than 50 seconds.

shubh-yatra.in

air india family

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Som Parkash, and Air India CMD, Ashwani Lohani, launched the Amritsar-London Stansed Airport flight to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji. The tail of the inaugural aircraft was painted with ‘EkOnkar’ insignia as Air India’s tribute to the occasion

Air India celebrated Swachhta Pakhwada with Swachhta Pledge and Shramdan led by Ashwani Lohani, CMD, Air India, and all employees at the airline’s headquarters in New Delhi

Versatile personality Udit Singh Rana has been with Air India since 2015 and goes that extra mile to make the national carrier proud by participating in every cultural event organised by the airline. He is not just a cabin crew member but also a versatile singer and a stylist, associated with a number of brands. He has also been hired by the airline as a grooming instructor. He has set an example of how to strike a balance between his career and passion with perseverence and dignity. He has received several appreciations from passengers for his professionalism.

30 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMBER 2019

Director, Operations, Capt Amitabh Singh; director, Personnel, Amrita Sharan, and the then CVO Shoba Ohatker, taking the Integrity Pledge on the occasion of Vigilance Week, 2019, with fellow Air Indians at Airlines House, New Delhi

shubh-yatra.in

air india family

CREW CORNER 2.0

This section focusses on the exceptional employees of Air India. We proudly feature some of our exemplary dynamic duos helping you fly across the world this holiday season. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Like father like son Dnyaneshwar B Shingrup joined Air India in 1984. He currently holds the post of Sr AGM along with Shop Maintenance Manager (Avionics) and also looks after Base Maintenance at the NEC Hangar in Mumbai. He is known not only for his helpful nature but also as a doting father. His son Saurabh D Shingrup, who joined Air India in 2016, is proudly taking his father’s legacy

forward. He has served in Saudi Arabia working as an Instructor for AVSEC / DGR / Human Factors and Airside Safety training over 10,000 ground staff from various nationalities. He has won praise for his in-flight announcement and is also one of the few people in the world to have received written replies from Her Majesty The Queen, Elizabeth II, four years in a row.

Positive vibes Capt Radhey Shyam Arora and Capt Jyotsana Arora met as trainee pilots in GFTC, Lucknow, in 1995. Both later realised their dream of joining IGRUA and as luck would have it, ended up in the same batch. Radhey went on to join Alliance Air in 2002 as a co-pilot on the ATR fleet. He later joined Indian Airlines in 2004 and got command in 2008 on Airbus 320. Jyotsana joined Air India as a co-pilot on the Airbus 310 fleet in 2004, Boeing 777 in 2012 and got command in 2014 on Boeing 777. They got married in 2004 and have been blessed with two beautiful children since. The

couple is based in Delhi and always makes time for their family and friends.

Jyotsana says “My favourite thing about Radhey is his great sense of humour.

He eliminates the stress of any situation and fills our home with love and laughter.” In Radhey’s words, “Jyotsana is an incredible woman who manages work and family with remarkable ease.

I admire her passion for travelling and her dedication towards our family.” This dynamic duo also has great regards for their parents who have been instrumental in their achievements by always providing support and encouragement.

Soaring high Nachiket Naik joined Air India in 2006 as deputy chief cabin crew and trained as cabin supervisor. He also operates Air India’s prestigious VVIP flights and has received an appreciation letter from the Rashtrapati Bhavan for his excellent service and hospitality on board VVIP flights.

Hemali Ganesh Mestry joined Air India in 2004, flying as deputy chief cabin crew and has received appreciation letters from esteemed passengers for the excellent service and hospitality and also operates the airline’s VVIP flights.

She was also a part of Air India’s first allwomen flight to Toronto and recently the

32 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

airline’s all-women flight to Chicago. Her hobbies include photography, conducting wedding shoots and writing travel blogs. She says, “Air India has played a key role in shaping our life. We take great pride in serving our national carrier. Whatever we are today is because of the airline. It has not only helped us in choosing the right life partner but also helped us fulfill our dream of exploring the world. We both are passionate travellers, mountaineers and freeclimbers.

Air India gave us the opportunity to explore the world and understand various cultures and places around us.”

shubh-yatra.in

air india family

Travel together Gunjan Aggarwal and Ashish Bisht joined Air India in 2009 and were trained on B777 and B737/B787 respectively and have already completed 10 years in the company.

They married in 2015 and despite being on different fleets in Air India, they have managed to travel with each other to various cities on the diverse Air India network.

Mother and son duo Meenu Mohan joined Air India in 1986 as an air hostess and today is a (CS) Manager. She says its been a wonderful and an enriching experience of 33 years. Having had quite a number of lifealtering experiences with the airline, she says that she will always be indebted to Air India for helping her and her crew through tough times. “I can never forget my experiences with Air India,” she adds.

Meenu had the privilege of flying former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former President Pratibha Patil. Her son Kunal Mohan is a cabin crew flying B 777, who joined Air India in 2012. He studied at Le Roche in Switzerland and has been awarded the star award for flying as well been a part of the new uniform launch recently and other Air India promotional events. The mother-son duo takes pride in being a part of and serving Air India.

Professional outlook Kedar Gupte, deputy manager, Sales, joined Air India in 1986 at Porbandar, which was then operated by Avro. After the company was decommissioned, he shifted to the Cargo division in Mumbai and was later transferred to Passenger Handling Domestic and International Squad, and finally moved to the sales and market-

34 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

All in the family As a young graduate, Capt JN Tewari started flying in 1953 with Bharat Air, which later became Indian Airlines. He was an examiner (TRE) on Dc3 (Dakota) and boasts about over 30,000 hours of flying experience.

Later, his son, Capt Anil Tewari, a young graduate, joined Indian Airlines (now Air India) in 1988 as a check pilot (LTC). He has flown the DC-3 (Dakota), A320 family and is currently flying the B787 and has over 20,000 hours of flying experience. ing team in 2016. He has prepared trim sheets for various airlines like Emirates and Air Lanka. He was a part of the evacuation programme during the Gulf War in 1990 and Operation Raahat in 2015. He takes pride in his professional outlook and credits the airline for not only teaching him life values but also introducing him to Madhavi, his wife. Madhavi joined the airline in 1985 in the cargo division and worked at Airport Reservation and Passenger Handling. Currently, she is in sales and while at the Airport she greets everyone with a smile and goes out of her way to create a pleasant experience for crew and passengers alike. Earlier she had been engaged as a duty manager, counter manager, boarding in-charge, baggage services, customer services and load and trim for various aircraft.

In 2015, his grandson Capt Aayush Tewari, an MBA and LLB, joined Air India. He flies the Airbus and has over 3,000 hours of flying experience.

That’s three generations of pilots, dedicated to serving the country and proudly flying for the national carrier.

This section is conceptualised by Captain Rishabh Kapur, a third-generation Air India pilot. He has received numerous laurels for his courage and service to the country and Air India.

Please write to rishabh.kapur@airindia.in or fill in the in-flight feedback form

shubh-yatra.in

sure shorts

EXPLORE Hornbill Festival, Nagaland

Go out, travel, discover ... From hotspots, festivals and culture to cuisines, automobiles and technology

Held at the Naga Heritage Village at Kisama, Kohima, the annual Hornbill Festival brings together the tribes of Nagaland. This event aims to promote and protect the rich culture and traditions of the state. Highlights of the festival include traditional archery, wrestling, a medley of music, dance, art and craft, and colourful parades along with stalls offering local delicacies and herbal medicines.

More than 50 bands are expected to perform at the Hornbill Music Festival, to be held on the same dates in Kohima and Dimapur.

36 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

december 1-10

shubh-yatra.in

sure shorts

december 15-22

December 7-8

Echoes of Earth, Bengaluru Serendipity Arts Festival, Goa

From exhibitions to performances, from workshops to symposiums and from culinary art to literature and more - this is a multi-disciplinary festival. To be held across several venues across Panjim, the festival also features educational initiatives, interactive projects and institutional engagements.

Foot-tapping music, a line-up of renowned music artistes from the world over, cultural performances and art installations - the fourth edition of this festival is expected to be bigger and better than ever. Some of the artistes who will perform at the event include Acid Pauli, Daniel Waples, Fakear, Jitter and Lifafa.

Images are for representational purposes only

December 1-5

december 20-22

International Sand Art Festival, Puri, Odisha

Held at the Chandrabhaga Beach near Konark in Puri, this annual event brings together some of the best sand artists from the world over. Organised by the state tourism department, it aims to highlight the beauty of the coasts of the state. Internationally-renowned sand artist from Odisha and Padma Shri awardee, Sudarshan Pattanaik, has been appointed as the brand ambassador of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edition.

38 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

Comic Con India, New Delhi

Dress up as your favourite superhero, meet fellow comic lovers, purchase original merchandise and participate in engaging competitions at the Delhi edition of Comic Con India. The star attraction of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event is the limited edition version of the popular Archie Comics titled Archie in the Incredible Comic Con India, that will be gifted to every visitor.

shubh-yatra.in

jk"Vª h ; QS ' ku iz k S | ks f xdh la L Fkku

National Institute of Fashion Technology A statutory institute governed by the NIFT Act 2006 Ministry of Textiles, Government of India

ADMISSIONS 2020 / / / / / /

Fa s h i o n D e s i g n Te x t i l e D e s i g n Leather Design Knitwear Design Accessor y Design Fa s h i o n C o m m u n i c a t i o n

Bachelor Programme ( B . F. T e c h ) 4 y e a r s / Apparel Production

-------------

Bachelor Programmes (B.Des) 4 years

Master Programmes 2 years / M.Des Master of Design / MFM M a s t e r o f Fa s h i o n Management / M . F. Te c h M a s t e r o f Fa s h i o n Te c h n o l o g y

L a s t D at e o f R e g i s t rat i o n : 3 1 s t D e ce m b e r 2 0 1 9 NIFT Campus, Hauz Khas, Near Gulmohar Park, New Delhi - 110 016 Te l : + 9 1 - 1 1 - 2 6 5 4 2 0 0 0 , 2 6 5 4 2 1 0 0 https://applyadmission.net/NIFT2020/

BENGALURU • BHOPAL • BHUBANESWAR • CHENNAI • GANDHINAGAR • HYDERABAD JODHPUR • KANGRA • KANNUR • KOLKATA • MUMBAI • NEW DELHI • PATNA RAEBARELI • SHILLONG • SRINAGAR (J&K)

infocus

Science and Engineering Research Board: Driving Indian Research The board has emerged as a key funding agency, supporting diverse discipline-wise and interdisciplinary scientific platforms Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) is a premier national research funding organisation, which has been entrusted to stimulate research footprints of Indian science and engineering to the highest global standards, by providing generous extramural support for research and development. SERB strives to ensure that Indian scientific landscape remains nationally relevant and globally contemporary in terms of its creativity, execution and impact, while remaining aware and aligned to key social responsibilities and crucial national missions. Consequently, a visible increase in transformative R&D activities measured by excellent research publications, valued fellowships for young and established researchers, and quality human resource capacity building exercise in niche areas of research expertise have been carried out. With a pan-India reach through our comprehensive investigator database, we are able to reach S&T personnel in national academic institutions and research laboratories, and offer project support on a competitive basis in all areas of investigations.

Activities at a glance SERB has been a frontrunner in adopting and implementing transparent, modern research management practices through online submissions of new projects, monitoring of progress reports and necessary financial documents. Such a smooth automated

42 I Shubh Yatra I December 2019

Strengthening S&T Research Support & Funding

Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)

Capacity Building for Advanced Research Augmenting Institutional Research in Key Domains

Vibrant Ecosystem of Science, Technology & Innovation

Advantage India

Knowledge Dissemination of S&T Research

Fig. 1 Key sectors of SERB impact workflow has enormous benefits for the investigators and it leads to easy extraction of data relevant to funding support, outreach and other crucial statistical parameters.

Some important research programmes of SERB are: Core Research Grant scheme provides support through individual-centric, competitive research funding to scientists working in frontier areas of Science and Engineering. These decisions are rendered by a participative process populated by reviewers and domain experts. Start-up Research Grant provides support to young investigators, through a two-year research grant, to initiate their independent research career in a new institution. This schemes also feeds to other funding programmes, where successful ideas can be further

expanded to secure full support.

Empowerment and Equity Opportunities programme offers committed support to the marginalised sections of our society and helps inculcating motivation for productive research.

Apart from conventional research support programmes, SERB engages with other ministries to implement new programmes to look at major S&T research challenges in key sectors through IMPRINT-India initiative, to energise, enable and embark in providing robust technological solutions for inclusive growth, self-reliance and R&D dominance at the world stage. This would be achieved via development of products/ processes and viable technologies, through focussed translational projects in high priority technology thrust areas, and by enabling technology push for industry

(2018-19) Physical & Mathematical Sciences

16%

Chemical Sciences

13%

Earth & Atmospheric Sciences

5%

Engineering Sciences

16%

Life Sciences

50%

EMR + ECR + NPDF Fig 2. SERB discipline-wise sanctions under Extra Mural Research, Early Career Research & National Post-Doctoral Fellowship and other stakeholders, and focussing on capability and competence in selected technology thrust domains. SERB has also initiated an innovative approach to embed a participatory, inclusive and sustainable culture of social responsibility among its investigators by integrating a ‘Scientific Social Responsibility’ policy in SERB projects.

We play a pivotal role in capacity building in frontier areas of science, technology and innovation. Fellowship programmes such as National Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and Ramanujan Fellowship provide research support to fresh PhD graduates and to brilliant Indian scientists and engineers as a brain-gain programme, who are wishing to start their scientific career India, respectively.

Jagdish Chandra Bose Fellowship is meant for established scientists and investigators, for their outstanding performance. This fellowship is scientistspecific and highly selective through a robust nomination process. Visiting Advanced Joint Research Assistance (VAJRA) Faculty Scheme was instituted to bring a strong international connect to R&D ecosystem of India and create synergy at both ends. This scheme offers adjunct/visiting faculty positions to overseas scientist/faculty/R&D professionals, including Non-resident

Indians (NRI) and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI), to undertake collaborative research in public-funded academic and research institutions.

Science and Technology Award for Research (STAR) is an outstanding recognition of successful investigators for their outstanding performance. This

award celebrates the focused work of selected investigators, while reinforcing productivity and overall efficiency within Indian research ecosystem.

SERB is also seeding highly transformative and disruptive research by introducing and implementing niche research programmes to support innovation in translational research initiatives and technology development.

Under the aegis of Prime Minister’s 100 days of National Science Agenda, Scientific and Useful Profound Research Advancement (SUPRA) was recently launched to seek high quality disruptive research

concepts, possessing a certain degree of uncertainty, consisting of new hypotheses and to provide ‘out-of-box’ solutions.

Under similar agenda, National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) aims to create a strong foundation and a seamless ecosystem for CPS technologies encompassing technology domains of cybernetics, mechatronics, embedded systems, IoT, big data and artificial intelligence.

SERB is implementing selection of Technology Innovation Hubs, Sectoral Application Hubs and Technology Translation Research Parks, enshrined under a technology life-cycle approach.

Summary It is indeed heartening to note that SERB has emerged as a key funding agency, supporting diverse discipline-wise and interdisciplinary scientific platforms for entire Indian scientific landscape of research community at every level. The scientific mandate of SERB and its commitment to investigators has helped energizing and strengthening research programmes across the wider segment of the Indian society.

Key components of our functioning critically includes inclusivity, transparency, efficiency and speed of service are acknowledged by the entire S&T community in India.

As India moves ahead with her aspirations to dominate global stage with research prowess, SERB remains a key enabler in wide-ranging support for cutting-edge ideas in original research landscape with high impact outcomes.

Contributed by: Prof Sandeep Verma, Secretary, SERB Dr Amitava Roy, Scientist G, DST/SERB Ms Zeba Hasan

December 2019 I shubh Yatra I 43

special feature achievement

t h e cl e an

Revolution Swachh Bharat Mission has been recognised as the world’s largest sanitation drive

On August 15, 2014, in his maiden Independence Day address to the country, Narendra Modi became the first Prime Minister of India to address open defecation from a national platform. It was a practice prevalent in India which had seemed difficult to curb. But the PM resolved to eradicate it in just five years. On October 2, 2014, the PM launched the ambitious Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), to achieve this goal. He has fulfilled his promise, as in just five years India has gone from being responsible for a large chunk of the world’s open defection burden to becoming Open Defecation Free (ODF)!

44 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMBER 2019

A people’s movement

The unprecedented success that Swachh Bharat Mission has achieved, especially in rural areas through Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G), is being lauded across the world. It is not only a sanitation success but a mass movement of around 1.25 billion people, resulting in changing an age-old habit of millions. Nearly 6,50,000 grassroots sanitation champions or swachhagrahis were trained to deliver sanitation messages in their villages. Largescale people’s participation campaigns like Swachhata Hi Seva, have seen participation of over 200

An artist’s impression of Swachh Bharat Mission

shubh-yatra.in

sive improvement in India’s sanitation coverage has resulted in direct employment opportunities for masons, labourers and industries involved in supplying sanitaryware, and also created indirect opportunities for several associated sectors.

Beyond sanitation

The SBM has contributed significantly to the country’s productivity. A study by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has found that in Open Defecation Free areas, there were 32 per cent fewer cases of diarrhoea among children, 15 per cent fewer cases of stunting and 32 per cent fewer cases of women with below normal body mass index (BMI). Better nutrition and health for women and children directly contributes to higher school attendance and improved learning outcomes. The rapid improvements in sanitation have had a positive spin-off on various other sectors of development as well.

The massive improvement in India’s sanitation coverage has resulted in direct employment opportunities for masons, labourers and industries involved in supplying sanitaryware, and also created indirect opportunities for several associated sectors

The way forward

The SBM is now focussing on its sustainability and ensuring that gaps in toilet coverage, if any, are plugged and that no one is left behind, as it actively moves to the next level – ODF Plus. ODF Plus is the broader goal of overall cleanliness in India’s villages. The key factors in becoming ODF Plus are ODF-Sustainability, Solid Waste Management (biodegradable and plastic) and Liquid Waste Management (grey water and fecal sludge management). A village would be considered ODF Plus if it continues to sustain its ODF status and safely manages its solid and liquid waste.

million people. Under the Swachh Sundar Shauchalaya campaign, over 1.3 crore households across the country painted their toilets, evoking a sense of pride in their “izzat ghar” (house of pride).

The impact

The SBM has had a positive impact on the life, health, wealth and dignity of rural communities. Amplifying these benefits is SBM’s impact on the market economy and, in particular, job creation. The mas-

On August 15, 2019, the PM announced another big goal of achieving piped water supply for all households by 2024. The government has also taken a momentous step by creating a new ministry, the Ministry of Jal Shakti, by merging the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation with the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. The stage is now set for an integrated approach to manage water more efficiently, preventing its wastage and maximising its utility.

A study by UNICEF has estimated that SBM has resulted in the creation of over 75 lakh full timeequivalent jobs in five years.

UNICEF also estimated that in an ODF village in India, each household saves an average of INR

50,000 per year on account of medical expenditure and lives saved. WHO says SBM has saved 3 lakh lives already.

Inspired by SBM, Nigeria has announced national open defecation free campaigns.

Further, recognising the mass impact of SBM, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded the prestigious Global Goalkeeper Award to PM Narendra Modi.

DECEMBER 2019 I shubh Yatra I 45

open house literature

The chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the man credited for the most number of translations of ancient Indian texts – Bibek Debroy needs no introduction. From the Ramayana and Mahabharata to the Puranas, his latest ambitious project, Debroy has, over the years, been translating these works from Sanskrit to English. So it did not surprise me when, during a candid interview in his office at NITI Aayog in New Delhi, he happened to mention that he holds honorary doctorates in both Economics and Sanskrit!

After successfully publishing 10 volumes of the Mahabharata in English, Debroy has turned to the Puranas, with an aim to translate them into English.

I met with him just days after The Markandeya Purana, his second translation of the Puranas was published, and I walked away with not only a newfound love for our ancient texts but also a profound respect for the man who seems to have struck a harmonious balance between his passion and profession. Excerpts from the interview:

Image: Bharat

Being an economist, you harbour a strong passion for the ancient texts. When and how did this interest generate?

Whittling the words of

history

An economist by profession and a writer by passion, Bibek Debroy opens up to Shrabasti Mallik about his love for the ancient Indian texts and his aim of translating all the Puranas into English

46 I Shubh Yatra I December 2019

It began when I was teaching at Presidency College in Kolkata in the ’80s. At that time, I used to know economist, the late Ashok Rudra, who also used to write extensively. I once mentioned to him how each one of the Pandavas were proficient in one weapon – Bhima in the gada, Arjuna in all weapons and so on, and discussed the possibility of a statistical study of the frequency in which these weapons were used during the course of the Kurukshetra war in the Mahabharata. He asked me to read the Drona Parva [seventh of the 18 Maha Parvas or books of the Mahabharata] to find the answer to my question.

I studied and wrote an essay in Bengali and several more after that, for various publications. That was the beginning.

When you were referring to original texts of the Puranas for translation, which versions were you looking at?

When I began somewhere in the ’90s, I wasn’t as knowledgeable or proficient in the matter as I am now. So when I decided to read the Puranas, my models were the works of Panchanan Tarkaratna, a renowned Sanskrit scholar. During the end of the 19th century he had translated a few Puranas to Bengali. I tried to acquire all his translations but several of them had gone out of print and not even one copy was available. I got hold of a few and started my work. Many years later, after I

shubh-yatra.in

open house Literature

I enjoy travelling with the airline. The meals served in Air India are fresh, delicious and filling - Bibek Debroy

Did you

Know •

•

Many of our beliefs surrounding our day to day lives are based on the Puranas. The way we construct our temples, for example, is based on the Matsya Purana. Likewise, funeral ceremonies on the Garuda Purana; Durga Puja on the Markandeya Purana; and astrology, astronomy and iconography of gods and goddesses on the Agni Purana.

Given all his work commitments, Debroy can translate about 2,00,000 Sanskrit words into English in six months. But he’s quite happy if he is able to do 40,000 words a month, which is roughly 1,500 words a day.

48 I Shubh Yatra I December 2019

had translated the Valmiki Ramayana and also the Mahabharata, I was contemplating working on the Puranas. It was then that I was invited to be the special guest at the convocation ceremony of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha in New Delhi, one of the few universities in the country where the entire curriculum is taught in Sanskrit. There I met the university’s vice chancellor, professor Ramesh Kumar Pandey and we discussed about my plans of working on the Puranas. A few days later, he gifted me 11 of the Puranas. I managed to get hold of the other seven and things just fell into place.

Tell us about the sequence in which you plan to publish the translated Puranas.

It is important to understand that there is not much known about the Puranas as compared to the epics. So there was a need to create a market first. And for that, I had to start with the Purana which was most popular – Bhagavata Purana. After that, I worked on the Markandeya Purana.

Do you feel that the Puranas give a glimpse of life and society of ancient India?

During my research, I have come to understand that the texts were written in various parts of the country. So the differences that I found were mostly related to geography and the food habits of the characters. That being said, all the Puranas have undergone a process [of

creation]. Maybe sage Veda Vyasa composed one original Puran Samhita, which, over the course of time, took off in different directions. We don’t have the original text.

What we have instead, are the final form of the Puranas which would probably date back to somewhere between the 4th and 12th centuries. By then, Panini, the ancient Sanskrit philologist, had already formatted the language. So, there is standardisation in the language.

In the introduction of The Markandeya Purana you have mentioned that while you translate, there is a certain amount of interpretation involved.

More often than not, a translator will use a permutation of a combination of similar words. For example, he/ she may have a different take on whether ‘vanara’ should be translated as an ape or monkey or kept as it is. However, I have mentioned in the book’s introduction that I have deliberately tried to stick to the positions of the words in the Sanskrit text, so the English is not very structured. Also, there are several interpretations of one single reference or mention. If I mention every interpretation, the style of the narrative will change and it will become an academic book. So my style has been to explain my interpretation of choice in the footnote, making it clear to the reader that it is one of the many interpretations. So yes, there is a little bit of bias involved, but that appears only in the footnotes.

shubh-yatra.in

infocus

UTTAR PRADESH

A Saga of Inclusive Development The state government, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has not only initiated several schemes benefitting the people but also spearheaded overall development had signed MoUs for investment of ` 4.68 lakh crore with various public sector undertakings, private companies and industrial houses. Work has been started in investment projects of about ` 2 lakh crore, which will, in turn, give employment to 5 lakh people in the state.

A large state like Uttar Pradesh (UP) which is also the largest populated in India, needed a multi-pronged approach for overall development.

Such an approach became all the more important when the Government headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath started its holistic, balanced and far-sighted approach two and a half years back. The guiding principle of this government is ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas aur Sabka Vishwas’.

Launching, executing and monitoring of various schemes across the state is a big challenge, which the present Uttar Pradesh Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is meeting with great success.

The saga of development continues to unfold as the state looks ahead into a secure and prosperous future.

50 I Shubh Yatra I December 2019

Investors’ Summit and Groundbreaking Ceremonies Witness Grand Success Improving the living conditions of people in a huge state like UP requires multipronged efforts. Planned industrialisation leading to employment generation and overall prosperity is one of the means to achieve the development targets. The UP Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, has been pursuing this goal ever since it took over reign of power in the state.

The first Investors’ Summit was held in the capital Lucknow in February 2018.

At the summit, investment opportunities and potential in the various sectors of Uttar Pradesh were showcased to further the cause of economic development in the state and promote cooperation.

During the summit, the state Government

With the proposed investments soon turning into reality, the state’s economy will soon acquire a scale of USD 1 trillion, thus contributing to the Prime Minister’s vision of making India a USD 5 trillion economy. Steps like the single-window system for investors, Nivesh Mitra, ease in issuing licenses, simplification of labour laws and identification of focus sectors such as banking, electric mobility, infrastructure improvement, pharmaceuticals etc had also made investment in the state a better choice.

Uttar Pradesh has been included in the list of Achiever State in terms of ‘ease of doing business’ while it stands at the first place in setting up micro, medium and small industries.

Defence Corridor The Defence Manufacturing Industrial Corridor has been planned in Bundelkhand area with a target of ` 20,000 crore investment and creation of about 2.50 lakh jobs. It will prove to be a game changer for the economy of Uttar Pradesh. The state is likely to emerge as a major gainer from the defence corridor proposed to be constructed in Bundelkhand and Agra. The small

shubh-yatra.in

free electricity connection to another 12 lakh families in UP.

Ujjwala Yojana Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) aims at safeguarding the health of women and children by providing them with a clean cooking fuel – LPG. Ujjwala Yojana was launched by PM Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016 in Ballia, UP. The state has also topped the list in Ujjwala Yojana, with over 1,35,00,000 LPG cylinders having been distributed in the state.

Yogi Adityanath Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh

and the medium industry in UP will be specifically benefited by this corridor with initial investment of ` 20,000 crore. With the focus of the Centre on indigenisation and ‘Make in India’, the promotion of indigenous technology for accelerating the pace of arms production in India will be given a push. The Uttar Pradesh Government is expediting work on land, infrastructure and related matters. Considering the eagerness among investors, participants and foreign companies in the project, it is likely to start taking shape very soon.

Saubhagya Yojana The goal of the Modi-Yogi governments is to illuminate and energise every house.

The Saubhagya scheme launched by the central government intends to provide electricity to each and every non electrified home. UP has set a shining example before other states since 100 per cent households have been electrified under this scheme. Around 1.09 crore free connections have been given from April 2017 to July 31, 2019 under the Saubhagya yojana across the state. Among these, maximum power connections have been given to BPL families. In the first phase, connections have been given to the intended consumers. On the proposal of the state government, the Center has approved

Reforms for Good Law and Order The Adityanath government has, from the beginning, been effectively working on zero tolerance policy on law and order, and has initiated multi-pronged action against criminals, land-mafia and anti-social elements, as a result of which not a single incidence of riots has been reported in the state during this period.

All major festivals, fairs, organising of religious activities and Lok Sabha elections this year have been conducted in a peaceful and safe manner.

Anti-Romeo Squad has been formed in the state under which policemen were deployed at public places and near girls’ educational institutions. Ensuring security for women is among the priorities of the government. In all districts, Rescue van, Women Helpline and a round-the-clock toll-free service (number 181) on which help is available has been started.

To keep a close watch on the law and order situation, foot patrolling was introduced and an anti-land mafia force has been set up in the state. The government has also initiated a drive to free government land illegally occupied by anti-social elements.

Kumbh Mela: Success Story For the first time, there was exceptional organisation of Prayagraj Kumbh this year. The government, on its part, left no stone unturned to make Kumbh-2019

a memorable experience for millions of pilgrims. The Kumbh, during its 49-dayduration, showcased the best of the country’s culture and spirituality, and will be remembered for years to come. The Prayagraj Kumbh has set notable records during which more than 25 crore people took holy dip.

There was great emphasis on cleanliness and sanitation throughout the mela. A record was set for most number of people cleaning and participating in sanitation work. Records were also set in the fields of transportation and art. Use of technology for administering the Kumbh was done very efficiently.

Many first times were also associated with this Kumbh, like visits of VVIPs including President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ambassadors of 72 countries and also citizens from 187 countries. For the first time, people had darshan of Saraswati Koop and Akshay Vat tree inside the fort.

CM Yogi Adityanath attended the closing ceremony of Kumbh and honoured saints and seers of various akharas.

Deepotsav: Ayodhya Rises up in Glory Ayodhya, the ancient pilgrimage city on the banks of the holy Saryu river, has been witnessing a rapid transformation over the past two and a half years. Several schemes to improve civic facilities and construction of new amenities are already in different stages of implementation. Old temples facing the ghats of the Saryu have been renovated. This year a grand ‘shobha yatra’ of Lord Ram was flagged off by Deputy Speaker of Fiji’s Parliament Veena Bhatnagar at Saket College, Ayodhya. A new world record was set during Deepotsav in the holy city of Ayodhya when ‘diyas’ (earthen lamps) were lit up simultaneously on the banks of the Saryu. People from different walks of life took part in the Deepotsav and lighted diyas to cherish the moment. A postal ticket on Deepotsav was also released on the occasion.

December 2019 I shubh Yatra I 51

Images are for representational purposes only

open house Food

serving up christmas

cheer

The winter holidays are traditionally all about feasting together with the family and reveling in the festivities of the season. Chef Manuel Olveira Seller whips up two classic Yuletide delights with a modern twist Christmas is one of the most widely-celebrated festivals across the world, with food being one of the most crucial elements of this celebration. It is the perfect season for people to indulge their sweet tooth with classic treats from all around the world, including gingerbread cookies from the United States, Japanese Christmas cake, struffoli from Italy, Bûche de Noël from France and the Christmas pudding from England.

With new textures and flavours being explored for different palates, the classics have now been infused

52 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

with modern trends. I come from a city called Toledo in Spain, and for me, Christmas eve holds a lot of importance as it is the time when families celebrate together, with Spanish classics like turrón and marzipan concluding the meals. Turrón is a type of nougat made of toasted sweet almonds and honey, and is usually the most favoured sweet. Whereas marzipan is a traditional dessert of almond and sugar carved into small shapes.

These are best paired with cava, a sparkling wine produced mostly in Catalonia, Spain.

shubh-yatra.in

open house Food A few other classic treats include bundt cakes, eggnog, cake rolls and cookies, which also can be modernised easily. One of the simplest yet traditional desserts for Christmas is a bundt cake. To add a little fun to the occasion, you can mix a small splash of your favourite rum to take it up a notch. You can give the classic eggnog (a sweet egg and milk punch) a new twist with eggnog cookies. Cake rolls can also be modernised by using brownies, instead of the classic sponge cake. The Bûche de Noël (yule log) can be given a tiramisu spin with a chocolate espresso filling or a chocolate hazelnut buttercream filling. Cookies are yet another classic that can be prepared into different styles. For example, a brookie, which is basically a brownie cookie or even a shakashaka cookie (Japanese word for something that you can shake and make noise with), which are two basic sugar cookies put together with a see-through sugar centre and filled with sprinkles that make a sound when shaken!

The author is a noted chef and the views expressed in the article are his own

Shakashaka cookies

Tiramisu Yule log Ingredients for chocolate sponge: 1) 1 cup flour 2) 1/2 cup cocoa powder 3) 1 tbsp baking powder 4) 1/3 cup sugar 5) 2 eggs 6) Vanilla extract 7) Milk (as per consistency)

Chocolate espresso filling: 1) 4 egg yolks 2) 1/2 cup sugar 3) 1 cup cold whipping cream 4) 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese 5) 1/4 cup melted chocolate 6) 2 tbsp of strong coffee

Preparation •

•

•

•

Ingredients 1) 115 gm unsalted butter, softened 2) ½ cup sugar 3) 1 egg 4) 2 cups flour 5) 20 pieces hard candy 6) sprinkles 7) ¼ cup white chocolate, melted 8) vanilla extract

•

•

Preparation • Mix sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Add flour to form a dough and keep in fridge for 30 mins.

• Roll it out an inch thick • Take a wide-shaped cookie cutter and cut out the

54 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

• •

•

cookies. Take a smaller cookie cutter of same shape and cut out the centre of each.

Place them on a tray laid with baking paper and put them in a preheated oven at 180 degree C for 10 mins.

Once done, place a hard sugar candy in the centre of each cookie. Place them in the oven for 2-4 mins till the candy melts.

Let them cool Fill your cookie centres with sprinkles and use the white melted chocolate as a glue to stick the other cookie on top.

Refrigerate them for 10 mins and serve.

•

• •

•

•

•

For the chocolate sponge, sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and set aside. In another bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until pale.

Add dry ingredients to the egg and sugar mixture in two parts. Add a tbsp of vanilla extract and a tbsp of milk to begin with. Depending on the consistency of the batter, add more milk.

Pour batter into a sheet tray and put it in the oven for 15-17 mins on 180 degree C. Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a clean kitchen towel.

Meanwhile, cook your sugar and egg yolks on a double boiler till pale and thick. Cool.

Whip the cream till stiff.

Add melted chocolate and coffee to the egg and sugar mixture and mix well.

Here, you can add and mix mascarpone cheese.

Add whipped cream to this mixture and fold it in gently being careful not to deflate the air that was whipped into the cream.

Unroll the sponge cake and put a thin layer of the mascarpone cream. Roll the cake again and wrap it in plastic wrap.

Put it in the fridge for 15-20 mins.

Dust the top with some cocoa powder and slice the cake to serve it up.

shubh-yatra.in

open house Foreign impressions

‘Chai in Varanasi will make you feel like an Indian’ Ambassador of Republic of Korea (South Korea) to India, Shin Bong-kil speaks about Indo-Korean ties and his experiences in India

Tell us about the cultural exchanges between the two countries.

It’s encouraging to see cultural interaction between people. It is especially very inspiring when the younger generation enjoy each other’s culture. An Assamese fan of the K-Pop band BTS told me that the message of hope in their songs is impressive. I realised that the younger generation’s love for K-Pop was deep-rooted and long-lasting. Koreans love Indian culture too. Now there are Indian restaurants almost on every street corner in Seoul and yoga is immensely popular.

What are the initiatives being taken to promote and encourage crosscultural exchanges?

The Korean Culture Center in New Delhi offers plenty of activities – Korean language, food, taekwondo, books, painting etc. Likewise, the Indian Culture Center in Seoul hosts a variety of Indian cultural activities a Korean can experience. Both countries are also collaborating to reduce visa restrictions so that travelling becomes smoother. It is our aim to see much more people-topeople exchange in the near future.

How has your experience been in India so far?

In the two years that I’ve been in India, I’ve been travelling extensively

56 I Shubh Yatra I December 2019

around the country, and there’s always something new, interesting and fantastic. There’s so much history and diverse culture here. I don’t think I will ever say I know India completely.

retracing Lord Buddha’s footsteps.

I’ve been to Bodhgaya in Bihar and Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh, revisiting the teachings of Lord Buddha and finding new meaning in his philosophies.

What are the similarities you find between Korea and India?

Which Indian destinations are on your bucket list?

There are plenty of similarities between Korea and India. Both countries have colonial history - India was a British colony and Korea, Japan’s. Both share the date of independence – August 15 (Korea became independent in 1945). People in both countries are family-oriented. This is why we are able to easily converse with each other because we can relate to each other. A reason why Koreans enjoy Bollywood movies and Indians enjoy Korean dramas and movies.

It has been lovely to visit Ladakh but I am yet to visit Kashmir. Koreans know Kashmir because of its famous cashmere wool. I would also like to spend some more time in the Himalayan foothills. I wouldn’t mind driving to Rishikesh, the capital of yoga, on a weekend.

Tell us about your travels in India?

When I came to India as the ambassador, I set an ambitious goal to travel to all the states at least once during my stay. So every chance I get, I try to visit as many places as possible.

So far I have travelled to over 20 states.

But I have been most interested in

‘Koreans love Indian culture. Now there are Indian restaurants almost on every street corner in Seoul and yoga is immensely popular.’

What would you suggest an Indian do in Korea and vice-versa?

If you’re visiting Korea, start with Seoul.

If you have more time, visit Busan, Korea’s second-largest port city. Not far from Busan you can easily reach Gyeongju, the old capital of Shilla Kingdom, where you will discover several heritage sites. If you are a businessman, visit the POSCO factory in Pohang. The cutting-edge technology of steel manufacturing will amaze you.

There’s so much to see in New Delhi.

But you have to experience the Golden Triangle (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur) to enjoy the fascinating world of the Mughals and other royal families. You cannot miss the city of Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India. If you have a cup of chai (sweetened milk tea) after a boat ride on River Ganges, you will almost be Indian!

shubh-yatra.in

infocus

Why South Korea should be

on your bucket list A country where swanky structures rub shoulders with traditional neighbourhoods and veritable treasures of history, South Korea is a fascinating tourist destination. A centre of modern innovation, style, natural delights and serene respites, it charms tourists with its mesmerising sights

Architecture

Museums

Ski Resorts

Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is dotted with several iconic structures.

Among the most popular is Building 63, which at a height of 250 m, is counted as the tallest gilded structures in the world. Another landmark is the 123-storey-tall Lotte World Tower, the fifth-tallest in the world and the tallest glass-bottomed observatory on Earth.

Besides these, DMZ, which stands right in between North and South Korea, is a must-visit. The city boasts about five grand palaces, the biggest of which is Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Built in 1395, it served as the home of Joseon dynasty.

South Korea is an art connoisseur at heart, serving up eclectic designs in its art galleries, buildings and even fashion houses. One of the best museums here is Leeum Samsung Museum of Art, which showcases a blend of modern and traditional artworks by both traditional and international artistes.

A striking structure, Simone Handbag Museum is an unmissable sight, since it is designed as a handbag! It holds bags dating back to 1550. Seoul National University Museum of Art is the hub of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s art culture. It holds regular exhibitions and shows that display the work of local and foreign artistes.

Snow escapades in South Korea are as thrilling as they are magical. The country is one of the hotbeds for skiing and boasts several renowned ski resorts. Yongpyong is among the top choices, comprising about 28 slopes that are suitable for both beginners and seasoned players. The highest slope rises to a height of 1,210 m. Tourists should definitely check out Alpensia, which was host to the 2018 Winter Olympic athletes.

Mountain Treks About 70 per cent of South Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terrain is mountainous, and trekking

December 2019 I shubh Yatra I 57

infocus

(Clockwise from top left): Jeonju bibimbap, a traditional Korean delicacy; Marina City in Busan; Seongsan Ilchulbong sunrise peak, Jeju

and hiking these rugged landscapes can be a thrilling and adrenalinegushing adventure. A favourite with enthusiasts is Seoraksan, whose highest peak, Daecheongbong lies at a height of 1,708 m. Trekking to the top of the mountain takes around three hours, after which you will be exposed to some of the most magnificent views of the landscape. Of Seoul’s notable mountains, Bukhansan is the most popular. It is the highest peak in the city, located at an altitude of 836 m. Several picturesque trails wind through the passes, offering panoramic views.

Beaches South Korea is fringed by water on three sides and boasts an array of pristine beaches. Jungmun Beach lies at the southern end of the country and offers water sports like jet skiing and windsurfing. A gorgeous white sand beach, Jeondongjin offers spectacular views of sunrises. On New Year’s, a popular sunrise festival is held at the Jeondongjin Sunrise Park. Haeundae Beach is a sought-after tourist spot, noted for the hot springs nearby.

58 I Shubh Yatra I December 2019

K-Pop A hotspot for K-Pop fans is the K-Star Road, which is dotted with Gangnam Dols and life-size bear-like statues that represent popular K-Pop groups and bands. On any good day, you can find groups of teenage girls posing against the statues and squealing in delight.

For young Indians too, this is a highlight of their trip as K-Pop has become extremely popular in the country.

Jeju Island Interestingly, Indians don’t need a visa to vacation on this gorgeous island, lying off the coast of South Korea. Jeju is home to the 1,950-m-high dormant Hallasan volcano. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hallasan National Park is a must-visit. You can also visit the Manjang Cave, which has been formed by the cooling of lava. Aside from superb beaches and picturesque trails, there’s much to explore in Jeju.

Cherry Blossoms and shades of autumn A unique destination in the world, South Korea turns into a paradisiacal landscape in March. This is the time

when the beautiful cherry blossoms start blossoming all over the country.

Some of the popular locations to check out are Jeju Island, Busan, Seoul, etc.

Fall foliage in the country is nothing short of nature’s most glorious artwork.

Spanning the months of September, October and November, the season paints the scenery of Korea in gorgeous hues. From Seoraksan National Park to Naejangsan National Park, there are many spots you can visit.

Food and Cuisine A global landing pad for food aficionados, South Korea offers a rich selection of delicacies. From mouthwatering hoeddeok , wellknown street food that is sweeter than pancakes, to japchae, a traditional noodle dish consisting of stir-fried sweet potato, veggies, meat, sugar and soy sauce, there’s a lot on offer. Korea’s culinary culture is as delightful as it is diverse. Dig into meat that is grilled right on your table or sample piping hot stews or taste the spicy chillies and pickles, the nuances of food here will not disappoint you.

shubh-yatra.in

Korea Tourism Organization, New Delhi Office

303, Pegaus one, Golf Course Road, Sector-53, Gurugram-122003, Haryana, Tel.: 0124-4649191 | Web: www.visitkorea.in | Email: India@knfo.or.kr

Like us on:

ktoindia |

kto_india

footprints inbound

A mountain trek not only lets you get close to nature, it can be a life-changing experience as well. Vinayak Surya Swami lists five unique winter trekking trails around Dehradun, which also allow you to give back to the local communities 60 I Shubh Yatra I December 2019

shubh-yatra.in

AIR INDIA ROUTE

Air India and Alliance Air fly to Dehradun from Delhi, Mumbai and Varanasi

But trekking has to be linked with social sustainability as well. Organisations like Indiahikes (indiahikes.com) are encouraging trekkers to contribute to the environmental welfare of the trails they walk through. Here are five unique and not-so-tough trek routes you can embark on this winter around Dehradun, Uttarakhand. And while at it, you can also contribute to the betterment of the local communities.

Image: Subhashis Pal

Deoriatal-Chandrashila

A view from Chandrashila top

It’s pure nirvana when, after a pre-dawn hike up a mountain, you are rewarded with a glorious sunrise that reveals several major peaks of the Himalayas. That’s what the Deoriatal-Chandrashila trek offers.

From Nanda Devi, Mt Trishul, Mt Nanda Ghunti, Mt Dunagiri, Mt Chaukhamba to the entire Gangotri range, you can see almost all the highest Himalayan peaks from the trek summit at Chandrashila peak. After a six to eight hour drive, you arrive at the small, mountainous village of Sari with just 100 houses. After following a picturesque trail that winds through a variety of forests and mountains, you will reach Deoriatal or Devariya Tal. The campsite near the Deoria lake is set against the backdrop of the mighty Chaukhamba massifs. The trek then heads to Syalmi, Baniya Kund on day four and finally through to the Chandrashila peak via the Tungnath temple, covering an ascent of almost 5,000 ft. The trail also passes through the Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary where one can spot a variety of birds.

Image: Bharghavi N

Mountaineering legend Edmund Hillary had once said, “It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” To experience this, you needn’t climb the Everest.

Start with simple treks. A trek is not just another vacation in the hills nor is it about conquering a mountain terrain. A trek challenges a person both physically and emotionally, and as seasoned trekkers claim, for experiences that change one’s life, stepping out of your comfort zone is the first step.

DeoriatalChandrashila

Level: Easy to moderate Time required: 6 days Best time to visit: MarMay and Sep-Dec Max altitude: 12,083 ft Starting point: Rishikesh Base camp: Sari (near Ukhimath) USP: Enchanting forest trails, breathtaking views from the summit and a jaw-dropping campsite by a lake Giving back: Be sensitive to locals’ sentiments and participate in their efforts to preserve nature

December 2019 I shubh Yatra I 61

footprints inbound Reflections at a waterbody near Barnala

Image: Sudheer Hegde

Dayara Bugyal

Dayara Bugyal For most trekking enthusiasts, reaching the base camp is officially the beginning of the trek and Raithal paints a picture well-suited to the experience. Several treks cross the rolling greens of Uttarakhandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alpine heights.

Locally called bugyals, these pastures are the bastion of shepherds. Dayara is a relatively lesser known bugyal. A nine-hour drive from Dehradun through steep valleys with

the winding Bhagirathi river as a constant companion will bring you here. Starting the following morning, the trek will take you to the campsite in Gui. The next stop is Barnala and the trail leading up to the campsite passes through thick forests of oak and rhododendron. On day four, the trail climbs to 12,057 ft and offers clear, stunning views of majestic peaks! The trail is covered in snow during winter.

Level: Easy Time required: 6 days Best time to visit: All year (except June-August) Max altitude: 12,057 ft Starting point: Dehradun Base camp: Raithal (near Uttarkashi) USP: Rolling meadows, snow covered peaks and crystal clear mountain streams Giving back: You can partner with several organisations working in the region to preserve and propagate the traditional way of life here

Phulara Ridge

Phulara Ridge

Image: Sidharth Shukla

This unique trek is among the few ridge trails in India. This trek not only lets you walk along a precarious ridge but also is very close to a summit climb experience. After a five-hour-trek through pristine mountains, it lets you experience the thrill of being on top of the highest point in the surrounding area and looking down at rolling peaks below! The panorama of snow-capped mountains stays with you throughout the trek, making you feel as if they are walking with you!

Phulara Ridge Level: Easy to Moderate Time required: 6 days Best time to visit: AprilJune and Sep-Nov Max altitude: 12,171 ft

Starting point: Dehradun Base camp: Sankri (near Uttarkashi) USP: The breathtaking Pushtara meadows, dense and untouched pine forests,

62 I Shubh Yatra I December 2019

a thriving bird population, including the Himalayan monal Giving back: While you halt at Sankri, you can offer to work in the local farms

After an 8-10 hour drive to Sankri, the trek begins in the morning with a gradual climb through fragrant pine forests. On the final day of the climb, you will head to Bhoj Gadi and onwards to Pushtara via the Phulara Ridge. After mid-November, snow covers the trek route, and the challenge increases. You can also choose alternate routes.

shubh-yatra.in

WHAT IS KLOOK? To those whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to explore the city like a local, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bridging the gap with our app! Klook provides travelers a seamless way to discover and book attractions, tours, local transportation, best foods and other unique experiences in more than 350 cities.

footprints inbound

Image: Abhik Das

Kedarkantha trek

Kedarkantha trek Said to be a perfect winter trek, Kedarkantha offers even beginners the chance to savour the feeling of conquering a summit. And as mountaineers vouch, nothing beats the feeling of exhilaration and well-deserved achievement one feels while standing atop a mountain peak, looking down at the world below. After a 10-hour drive from Dehradun to Kotgaon,

said to be one of the prettiest villages in the Indian Himalayas, the trek begins as you head to Khujey and onward to Bhuja Dhadi the following day. On the final day of the ascent, you reach the Kedarkantha summit at 12,500 ft, where stands an arrangement of stones considered sacred. The descent to the base camp at Sankri takes you across ridges and offers breathtaking views of the Har ki Dun valley.

Brahmatal trek

First rays of the sun washes the Kedarkantha trek route

Level: Moderate Time required: 6 days Best time to visit: NovApril Max altitude: 12,500 ft Starting point: Dehradun Base camp: Sankri (near Uttarkashi) USP: Some of the best views from the summit, the best campsites and a spectacular drive through the Himalayas Giving back: Trekking has funded several programmes here. Avail help from locals, when you plan any adventure activity here

The Brahmatal trekking route

Brahmatal

Level: Moderate Time required: 6 days Best time to visit: Sep-April Max altitude: 12,250 ft Starting point: Haldwani Base camp: Lohajung (near Ukhimath) USP: The stage-like setting of the trek, abundance of snow and beautiful forests of oak and rhododendrons Giving back: A project is being run here, wherein experienced trekkers coach locals to become professional trek-leaders or instructors. If you can, pitch in.

Arguably one of the most popular winter treks, the Brahmatal trail is centered around a glacier by the same name.

The trek is an instant hit owing to the reality-defying views that surround you barely a couple of hours after the start of the trek. On just the second day of the trek, as you emerge out of a serene rhododendron and oak forest, you come face-to-face with the white wall of the Trishul massif, that only comes closer as you climb the ridge towards Jhandi top.

The trek takes you through the upper reaches of Lohajung to the Bekaltal lake at 9,689 ft and the campsite near its calm waters. The setting of the trek is unique, like a stage with a grand view.

In winter, as snow covers the trail, the experience becomes even better!

64 I Shubh Yatra I December 2019

shubh-yatra.in

footprints outbound

A quiet

paradise

Surrounded by lime-green paddy fields and sprawling lagoons, the bustling city of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka offers a quaint mix of old-world colonial charm and rich heritage, says Zinara Rathnayake

66 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

shubh-yatra.in

AIR INDIA ROUTE

Alliance Air flies to Jaffna from Chennai thrice a week

Historical buildings loom over dense palmyra groves, punctuating the busy cityscape with spots of tranquility. In the neighbourhoods, lined with paved paths, local women in printed silk sarees pile up bananas on their makeshift stalls, readying for a busy day. Embedded with sequins, their sarees glisten in the brilliance of the morning sun. Around them other sellers have already put up local produce on sale – from farm-fresh vegetables to crispy lentil snacks and local grape wine – a lot is on offer.

After an hour, the bazaar is up and about, with sellers and buyers haggling, as an occasional tourist from the south of the island looks for jaggery kuddan wrapped in dried palmyra leaves. These are small sugary blocks made with palmyra sap. Outside the market, tin fences surround the city homes, their walls painted in bright colours. The aroma of freshly-plucked jasmine fills the morning air inside the temples dotting the city. Welcome to Jaffna, a heritage city in the northern part of Sri Lanka. Bustling yet refreshingly green, with secluded colonial-era neighbourhoods, ancient buildings, and beautiful temples and churches, Jaffna is a hidden gem on the emerald island’s tourist map.

Fishing nets in Jaffna lagoon

december 2019 I shubh Yatra I 67

footprints outbound

1

2

3

1. Dutch Fort 2. Nallur Kandaswamy temple 3. A market in Jaffna

Colonial heritage

Nallur, a quiet suburb in Jaffna, is home to the Nallur Kandaswamy temple, devoted to the Hindu God Murugan 68 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

Overlooking the Jaffna lagoon is the tranquil Jaffna Fort, the most popular site in the city. Originally constructed by Portuguese army official Philippe de Oliveira in 1618, it was later fortified by the Dutch.

Having been a witness to several battles over centuries, the fort was in ruins, till restoration work began recently. It was once one of the greatest Dutch forts in Asia, but today it stands largely unexplored, with sections of its walls that were constructed with stones like coral, still hidden beneath overgrown bushes.

An archway, originally built by the Dutch, marks the entrance to the fort. Stroll along the ramparts, which open up to the azure

sea, where the postcard-worthy scenery attracts photographers and tourists. In the evenings, golden rays of the setting sun sweep the deep moats filled with aquamarine water.

Casuarina Beach

Located on the island of Karaitivu, Casuarina Beach is home to powder-soft sandy stretches. Not yet on the popular tourist map, the beach remains secluded. But there are enough activities to keep you occupied, if you get bored of long walks by the sea, which stays mellow throughout the year. Casuarina groves dot the shoals, giving the beach its name. For a local flavour, taste the corn ice cream and sip cups of tin paal tea, at the beach stalls.

shubh-yatra.in

footprints outbound

Boats at Nagadeepa island

Go island

hopping Sri Lanka’s northern peninsula is surrounded by small islands.

Many of them can be accessed from Jaffna. A short ferry ride takes you to Nainativu Island.

Legend says that Lord Buddha had once visited Nainativu.

There are two popular temples here – Nagadeepa Purana Vihara, a Buddhist temple that stands opposite Sri Naga Pooshani Amman Kovil. The latter is a Hindu temple with vibrant sculptures of Hindu deities.

Cruise further off the landmass to the Neduntheevu Island. Popularly known as the Delft Island, the rugged landscape rises above coral and limestone topography.

Cycle across the island to see the Portuguese Fort.

70 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

Thicker and creamier than regular tea, tin paal tea is made with condensed milk.

and wooden rafters. The interior boasts beautiful wood carvings.

Karaitivu island is about 27 km from Jaffna, connected by the Ponnalai Causeway, which runs through salt pans, shallow pools of saltwater that are home to shrimps, rice fields and vegetable farms.

Nallur Kandaswamy temple

An ancient kingdom

Before the arrival of the Portuguese to the peninsula, Jaffna was under the rule of the Aryacakravarti monarchy. Hailing from the historical region of Kalinga in India, these kings ruled the northern parts of the island from 1215 to 1624. One of the most striking remnants from that era is Mantri Manai. An archaeologically-significant monument, it is said to have been the abode of a minister in the court of King Cankili II, the last ruler of the erstwhile Jaffna kingdom. The old walls of the dilapidated building depict traces of Dravidian architecture mixed with Dutch and British influences. Nearby is Yamuna Eri, a pond built for the use of the royal family. An ornamental gateway greets you at the entrance of the building, leading to an arched porch and a tower. The two-storey building is supported by massive brick walls

Nallur, a quiet suburb in Jaffna, is home to the Nallur Kandaswamy temple, devoted to the Hindu God Murugan. A sight to behold, the temple has not one but four majestic gopurams. An exclusive trademark of Dravidian architecture, gopurams are entrance towers and feature elaborate work. The main gopuram soars above all, reaching a height of 25 m. In the sunlight, its goldenochre tower shimmers from a distance. The complex also houses shrines dedicated to several other gods. Large open halls with ornate columns, murals and sculptures of Hindu deities decorate the temple interior.

If you get tired of walking around, stop by at one of Jaffna’s busy markets and devour pittu (steamed rolls of ground rice layered with grated coconut). It comes with a deepred Jaffna crab curry with a hint of lime and fresh drumstick leaves. Jaffna offers a unique mix of the past and the present.

One just needs a little time to explore.

The author is an avid traveller and the views expressed in the article are her own

shubh-yatra.in

pop pourri celeb speak

Travelling wi t h t h e

P undi t z Electronica stars Tapan Raj and Gaurav Raina of the Midival Punditz tell Shubh Yatra about new music, a new year and how travel inspires their tracks

Tapan Raj (left) and Gaurav Raina, the duo that forms Midival Punditz

72 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMBER 2019

shubh-yatra.in

They have been at the forefront of the electronic music genre in India, blending Sufi and folk tunes with contemporary sounds. Standing on the verge of a new decade, Tapan Raj and Gaurav Raina of the band Midival Punditz tell us about their latest music and new inspirations.

We’re headed toward a new year, another decade.

Tell us about your plans and new albums.

The year 2019 has brought new vigour and inspiration into our music and our lives. Our new singles which released recently (Rootha yaar, Nukhta, Purvayi), have a very strong Indian folk element in them, as we have been leaning towards folk traditions. We worked with our long-time friend and collaborator Kutle Khan from Rajasthan on one of the singles, as we have a special place in our hearts for Rajasthani folk music. We are also planning a big project in Rajasthan next year, as a part of our new album.

What is it about Rajasthan that inspires you and your music?

We have travelled extensively through Rajasthan for our shows and this has brought us closer to the music and culture of the state. We feel a sense of familiarity with Rajasthan unlike any other place in India (apart from Goa). From sunset performances at the beautiful Lake Palace in Udaipur to a show held on the lawns of the majestic Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, we have had some of our most memorable performances in Rajasthan. Our next album is aimed at capturing some of the magic of the desert, its people and their culture.

Rajasthan is a very special music zone in India. Within this state, there are several schools of folk music, each distinctly different from the other, but all equally vibrant and uplifting. We have combined Rajasthani folk music with electronica in a few tracks like Baanwarey, Kesariya, Echoes, Twilight and Nukhta. And all of them have been received very well by our fans worldwide.

What role has travel played in the evolution of your music over the years?

Our music draws a lot of inspiration from our immediate environment, which is a combination of the city we are in, our friends, families and music artistes we interact and collaborate with. Travelling adds a muchneeded break from our base in Delhi. We feel inspired and full of ideas for composing new tunes that draw from the people and cultures we engage with.

DECEMBER 2019 I shubh Yatra I 73

pop pourri celeb speak

We love flying with Air India, especially on the long-haul non-stop trips to the US or Australia.

The airline gives us a home-away-from-home experience and we get taken care of very well. As students of the Air Force School, we also happen to know a few batchmates who are now pilots with Air India

Dream venue for a concert: Madison Square Garden in New York City

Caption: Cover of Midival Punditz’s album (from top) Midival Times; Light and Purvayi.

In the latter, they have collaborated with Bollywood singer Papon

A special meeting during your travels that will stay memorable…

It was amazing to go on a four-city tour in 2001 with Ustad Sultan Khan (the late legendary sarangi maestro). We travelled for sold-out shows in North America with the supergroup, Tabla Beat Science. The band comprised Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ustad Sultan Khan, Bill Laswell and Karsh Kale along with other special guests. Throughout the tour, the maestro told us endless stories about the time he toured the world with the likes of Pt Ravi Shankar, George Harrison and many other international celebrities. We had made it a point to record a track with him in an album titled Midival Times.

74 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMBER 2019

Have any of your travels actually found their way into your music?

In 1999, when we travelled to London, we came back and created a track called Fabric that also made its way into the soundtrack of Mira Nair’s movie Monsoon Wedding (2001). Similarly, there are tracks like Ajmer, which came about after our visit to the famous Ajmer Dargah, in Ajmer. For the track, we worked with local musicians from the Nizamuddin Dargah in New Delhi. The collaboration resulted in one of the first Sufi tracks in any of our albums. The track Baanwarey, from our album Light, was a result of travelling extensively across Rajasthan and collaborating with such celebrated artistes as Kutle Khan and Nathu Lalji in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur.

As musicians, you must be in demand during New Year’s eve. How do you prefer to celebrate?

Over the years, we have played at numerous New Year shows, making thousands dance to our music. This has not changed much, but once in a while, we get to spend a quiet New Year’s eve with our friends, preferably at a quiet beach in Goa or Sri Lanka, away from the clubbing crowds and hectic city life.

shubh-yatra.in

pop pourri photo feature

When the clock

strikes midnight Experience vivid pyrotechnic shows at these harbourfront sites from the world over on New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eve

76 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMBER 2019

shubh-yatra.in

Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong This picturesque harbour is synonymous with the daily light and sound show titled A Symphony of Lights. But come New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eve, and the radiant harbour transforms into a hub filled with visitors who gather to witness the stunning pyromusical that lights up the skies. These fireworks are one of the prime attractions of the celebrations in Hong Kong, that not only illuminate the night sky but also cast an equally vibrant reflection on the water. Best vantage points to witness this spectacle from include the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Center, Harbour City Car Park, Golden Bauhinia Square.

New York, the US New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eve in the Big Apple is about being one of the thousands who flock to Times Square to watch the iconic ball drop at midnight. But what if you could ring in the year with a dash of history, a pleasant stroll across a landmark bridge and an extravagant display of fireworks?

Join one of the companies organising a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to marvel at the lights bouncing off the East River and clear views of the Statue of Liberty in the distance.

Dubai, the UAE Expect a larger-than-life pyrotechnic shows at Burj Khalifa and a water-music dance at the Dubai Fountain.

It is advised to arrive early (visitors are known to arrive as early as 6 pm). A few of the best spots to enjoy the show from are the footsteps of Burj Khalifa and some of the restaurants lining the waterfront.

DECEMBER 2019 I shubh Yatra I 77

pop pourri photo feature

Marina Bay, Singapore New Year eve celebrations at Marina Bay Singapore Countdown are more than just admiring the firework display at midnight. From great food and engaging activities to live performances – there is never a dull moment. Some of the best spots to view the fireworks from include the ArtScience Museum, Ocean Financial Centre and the city’s iconic Merlion at Merlion Park.

Copacabana beach, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Watch brilliant fireworks, take a dip in the warm waters of the Copacabana beach, catch a live performance and gorge on some local dishes - stepping into a new year in Rio De Jeneiro doesn’t get any better!

78 I Shubh Yatra I DECEMBER 2019

shubh-yatra.in

vk;ke

vk;kstu

lqjhyh Loj lfjrk

’kf’kizHkk frokjh ds vuqlkj Xokfy;j esa vk;ksftr gksus okys rkulsu lekjksg esa ns’k&fons’k ds izfl) dykdkj fgLlk ysrs gSaA bl ckj ;g vk;kstu 16 ls 21 fnlEcj rd pysxkA

Xokfy;j ’kgj jkuh e`xu;uh vkSj jktk ekuflag rksej ds vej isze dh dgkuh dk lk{kh gSA blh /kjrh ij xk;d cStw ckojk] fe;ka rkulsu] gkWdh ds tknwxj /;kupan] ljksn oknd mLrkn vet+n vyh [k+ku tSls jRuksa us tUe fy;kA ;g ’kgj viuh le`) fojklr dks laHkkys gq, gSA yxHkx ,d ’krkCnh ls ;gka ij vk;ksftr gksus okyk rkulsu laxhr lekjksg Hkh bl ’kgj dh fojklr dk gh fgLlk gSA blesa ns’k&fons’k ds dykdkj vkSj Jksrkx.k bl vk;kstu ds lk{kh curs gSaA

vk;kstu dk mn~ns’;

Lkaxhr lezkV fe;ka rkulsu Ekqx+y njckj ds uojRuksa esa ls ,d FksA Xokfy;j esa tUes fe;ka rkulsu us ihj eksgEen xkSl vkSj Lokeh gfjnkl ls laxhr lh[kk FkkA mUgha dh ;kn esa bl ’kgj esa yxHkx uCcs lky ls rkulsu mlZ ;kuh rkulsu lekjksg dk vk;kstu

80 I ’kqHk ;k=k I fnlEcj 2019

fd;k tk jgk gSA bl volj ij ns’k&fons’k ds dykdkj vkdj rkulsu ds lekf/k LFky ij lqjksa dh Lojkatfy vfiZr djrs gSaA rHkh rks laxhr lw;Z rkulsu us ;g in jpk Fkk] ^^frfej gju izHkkrdj fnudjA rstLdj txUefr n`xefu foHkkdjA lglz jfLe HkLe dju] irax xksirk re dkS jfLeoku egkekjraM eSgjA^* mudh ;g jpuk jkfxuh xqtZjh vkSj f=rky esa fuc) gSA dbZ lfn;ka chr tkus ds ckn Hkh lqjksa dh og ped o rstfLork cuh gqbZ gSA muds in dh gh rjg] mudk O;fDrRo Hkh vkstLoh jgk gksxkA ge vkt mldh dsoy dYiuk dj ldrs gSaA mUgha dh Le`fr esa o"kksaZ ls Xokfy;j ds gthjk esa rkulsu ds lekf/k LFky ij vkt Hkh dykdkjksa vkSj laxhr izsfe;ksa dk esyk yxrk jgk gS vkSj vkxs Hkh yxrk jgsxkA Xokfy;j ds d.k&d.k esa laxhr ds Lojksa dks eglwl fd;k tk ldrk gSA oSls Hkh ’kkL=h; laxhr ds lSdM+ksa jRuksa us Xokfy;j

shubh-yatra.in

vk;ke

vk;kstu

dykdkjksa ds lEeq[k cSBdj Hkkjrh; ’kkL=h; laxhr lquuk] Jksrkvksa dks vius vki esa ,d vuks[kk vuqHko iznku djrk gSA lekjksg esa bl ckj fons’kh dykdkj Hkh fgLlk ys jgs gSa

mLrkn vykmn~nhu [k+ku laxhr ,oa dyk vdkneh ds mifuns’kd jkgqy jLrksxh us crk;k fd bl ckj laxhr lekjksg dk 95oka vk;kstu gksxkA blesa 40 dykdkj fgLlk ysaxsA bl o”kZ tkWftZ;k] cqYxkfj;k] phu] ;wuku vkSj csfYt;e ds dykdkj Hkh bl lekjksg esa f’kjdr djsaxs 82 I ’kqHk ;k=k I fnlEcj 2019

dh /kjrh ij tUe fy;k gSA blfy, Xokfy;j vkSj Xokfy;j ?kjkus dk fo’ks"k egÙo gksrk gSA ?kjkus dk eryc gS&fof’k"V ’kSyh ;k jhfrA [;ky xk;u dh dbZ ’kSfy;ka izpfyr gSaA [;ky ;kuh dYiuk] blfy, ;g LokHkkfod gS fd gj xk;d dh dYiuk&foykl ds vuqlkj mldh xk;dh vyx cusA ?kjkuksa ds cM+s mLrknksa vkSj iafMrksa dh dYiuk ls gh ?kjkuksa dk foLrkj gqvkA [k;ky xk;dh ds izfrf"Br ?kjkuksa esa Xokfy;j] fnYyh] y[kuÅ] vkxjk] fdjkuk] ifV;kyk] fHkaMh ckt+kj ?kjkus vkrs gSaA gkykafd] vc LFkkuh;rk dh iqjkuh nwfj;ka feV pqdh gSaA vkSj bl nwjh dks laxhr lekjksgksa us dkQ+h de fd;k gSA bldk ifj.kke] rkulsu mlZ ds :Ik esa yksxksa ds lkeus vk;k FkkA

dykdkjksa dh mifLFkfr

Xokfy;j esa vk;ksftr gksus okys rkulsu lekjksg esa iafMr ,y- ds- iafMr f’kjdr dj pqds gSaA og rkulsu lEeku ls lEekfur gSaA mudk cpiu vkSj thou dk cgqewY; le; Xokfy;j esa chrk gSA og crkrs gSa] ^^eaSus lu~ 1940 ls rkulsu mlZ esa laxhr ds lQ+j dh ’kq#vkr dh FkhA dbZ ckj firkth ds lkFk Hkh laxr dykdkj ds :Ik esa izLrqfr nh FkhA

tc Hkh firkth ds lkFk rkulsu dh lekf/k ij tkrs Fks] ogka yxs beyh ds isM+ ds iŸks vo’; [kkrs FksA vc ml isM+ dh txg nwljk isM+ yx x;k gSA eSaus iqjkus beyh ds isM+ ds iŸks [kk, gSaA mlZ esa eksrhpwj ds yM~Mw caVrs Fks] eq>s vkt Hkh mudk Lokn ;kn gSA** Xokfy;j ds egkjkt ftokthjko flaf/k;k us mlZ rkulsu dh ’kq#vkr dh FkhA rkfd laxhr ekrZaM rkulsu dh ;kn dks rkt+k j[kk tk ldsA lkFk gh] jkT; ds laj{k.k esa laxhr fo|k dks iks"k.k vkSj izksRlkgu feyrk jgsA bl vk;kstu ls irk pyrk gS fd ckn’kkg vdcj ds njckj ds uojRuksa esa ls ,d jRu Xokfy;j dh /kjrh ij iSnk gq, FksA Xokfy;j ?kjkus ds tkus&ekus dykdkjksa esa jktk HkS;k iqaNokys] iafMr fo".kq fnxEcj iyqLdj] fouk;d jko iVo/kZu] iafMr vksadkjukFk Bkdqj] iafMr fou; eqn~xy jgs gSaA orZeku esa bl ?kjkus dks iafMr mYgkl dk’kydj] e/kqi eqn~xy] fouk;d rksjoh] ’kqHkk eqn~xy] ekfyuh jktqdj ,d u;k mtkl ns jgs gSaA ogha ;qok dykdkjksa esa eatw’kk dqyd.khZ] ehrk iafMr] ’kk’orh eaMy dh vkoktsa+ Hkh Xokfy;j ?kjkus dh [kqyh vkSj cqyan xk;dh ls laxhr txr dks uokt+ jgh gSaA ysf[kdk dyk&laLd`fr ij vkys[k fy[krh gSa

shubh-yatra.in

WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE INVESTING IN TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE TRAVEL MORE REWARDING. At Star Alliance, we are working with our member airlines to make earning and spending miles/points more exciting. You may not see it but you will feel it. Watch the full story here:

staralliance.com/tech

Don’t let

Baldness Destroy your Happiness More than 4000 Successful Results “Dr. Suneet Soni has given me the most Natural &Artistic Hair Transplant Result” Hemant Pandey (Bollywood Actor)

Our Happy Clients

- 011-41406606 / +91-8527220878 - 0141-2355394 / +91-9571750906 ADD: E 44, GREATER KAILASH (PART 2), NEW DELHI / D - 145, VAISHALI NAGAR, JAIPUR, RAJASTHAN

,vj bafM;k dk ekxZ

infpºu Hkze.k

vn~Hkqr!

,ykbal ,;j dh fnYyh ls nsgjknwu ds fy, izfrfnu nks mM+kusa izpkfyr dh tkrh gSaA nsgjknwu ls vkSyh dh nwjh yxHkx 304 fdyksehVj gSA

;fn Hkkjr esa fLoV~t+jySaM ns[kuk gS rks vkSyh vo’; tk,aA ohjsanz flag usxh crk jgs gSa fd mÙkjk[kaM fLFkr vkSyh esa vki igkM+ksa ij fcNh cQZ+ dh lQsn pknj ij Ldhbax dk vkuan ys ldrs gSaA

mÙkjk[kaM ds fgeky;h {ks= esa tgka ,d vksj cQZ+ ls vkPNkfnr Åaph&Åaph ioZrekyk,a ns[kus dks feyrh gSaA ogha nwljh vksj ;gka dh f’kokfyd igkfM+;ksa ij ?kus o`{kksa ls yns fo’kky ou {ks= fcalj] nw/kkrksyh] ifM;kj] fte dkWcZsV] jktkth jk"Vªh; m|ku ,oa jkB {ks= bR;kfn Hkh ns[kus dks feyrs gSaA buds chp ls gksdj ns’k dh ifo= ufn;ka ljLorh] vyduank] HkkxhjFkh] fiaMj] dkyh xaxk] iwohZ u;kj] if’peh u;kj vkfn NksVh&cM+h

86 I ’kqHk ;k=k I fnlEcj 2019

ufn;ka cgrh gSaA bu ufn;ksa dh ?kkfV;ksa esa fofHkUu izdkj dh tM+h&cwfV;ka fglqj] fduxksM+] djkSank] fcPNw cwVh] dVjh] f>axksj] dkyh fglqj o dgha Qwyksa dh cgkj okyh ?kkfV;ka ns[kus dks feyrh gaSA buds n’kZu djus ns’k&fons’k ls lSykuh ;gka f[kaps pys vkrs gSaA lfnZ;ksa esa ;gka gksus okyh cQZ+ckjh ,oa cQZ+ ij [ksys tkus okys varjjk"Vªh; Lrj ds [ksyksa dks ns[kus Hkh i;ZVd ;gka cM+h la[;k esa igqaprs gSaA

shubh-yatra.in

infpºu

Hkze.k

;gka i;ZVdksa ds Bgjus dh Hkh mfpr O;oLFkk miyC/k gS

fnYyh ls vkSyh yxHkx 500 fdyksehVj dh nwjh ij gSA vkSyh tkus ds fy, eq[;r% nks jkLrs gSaA igyk jkLRkk fnYyh ls gfj}kj ls vkSyh yxHkx 273 fdyksehVj dh nwjh ij gSA bl jkLrs ls lQ+j djrs le; ,d jkr gfj}kj ;k _f"kds’k esa foJke djuk iM+rk gSA nwljs fnu ioZrh; {ks= dk jksekapdkjh lQ+j vkjaHk gksrk gSA

izd`fr dk migkj

vkSyh esa Ldhbax rFkk cQZ+ dk vkuan dsoy fnlEcj ls ysdj ekpZ rd gh fy;k tk ldrk gSA fnlEcj esa ;gka ij cQZ+ dh lQsn pknj fcN tkrh gSA lfnZ;ksa esa ;gka dM+kds dh BaM iM+rh gSA vr% vius lkFk xeZ diM+s vo’; ysdj tk,a 88 I ’kqHk ;k=k I fnlEcj 2019

mÙkjk[kaM izd`fr ds foLe;dkjh Lo:i o HkkSxksfyd fofo/krkvksa dk /kuh jkT; gSA blds vkSyh {ks= esa vki uSlfxZd ut+kjksa ds lkFk&lkFk ;gka lkgfld [ksyksa dk vkuan Hkh mBk ldrs gSaA gj _rq viuh uSlfxZd NVk fc[ks+jdj bl {ks= dks ,d vyx gh :i iznku djrh gSA vkSyh {ks= bruh fofo/krkvksa ds chp clk cQZ+ rFkk ?kkl dk ,slk eSnku ¼cqX;ky½ gS] tks fLoV~t+jySaM dh cQ+hZyh Hkwfe dh ;kn fnykrk gSA vkSyh cQZ+ dh ’osr pknj vks<+s i;ZVdksa dks viuh vksj bl izdkj vkdf"kZr djrk gS fd ;fn i;ZVd ,d ckj ;gka dh cQh+Zyh <ykuksa ij fQ+lyus dk vkuan ys ys rks og ckj&ckj ;gka vkuk ilan djrk gSA vkSyh {ks= esa cQZ+ dh <yku yxHkx 3-5 fdyksehVj ds nk;js eas o yxHkx 2]700 ehVj ls ysdj 3]200 ehVj rd dh ifj{ks= esa QS+yh gqbZ gSA lfnZ;ksa esa bu <ykuksa ij nwj&nwj rd cQZ+ te

shubh-yatra.in

tkrh gSA vkSyh izd`fr dh fnO; lqanjrk dks vius eas lesVs gq, gSA blds pkjksa rjQ cQZ+ ls <ds Åaps&Åaps lQ+sn pedhys ioZrksa ij /kqa/k ds :i esa fyiVs ckny cgqr :ekuh n`’; izLrqr djrs gSaA vkSyh dh cQZ+ dh <ykuksa ij i;ZVd rFkk LFkkuh; fuoklh] D;k cPps] D;k cw<+s lHkh ,d nwljs ij cQZ+ ds xksys ekjrs fn[kkbZ nsrs gSaA ;g n`’; eu dks vkuafnr dj nsus okyk gksrk gSA vkSyh eq[;r% varjjk"Vªh; Ldhbax dsanz gSA ;gka varjjk"Vªh; Lrj rd ds Ldhbax f[kykM+h Hkh cus gSaA ;gka ns’k&fons’k ls Hkkjh la[;k esa i;ZVd Ldhbax dk vkuan mBkus rFkk Ldhbax dk izf’k{k.k ysus igqaprs gSaA vkSyh esa x<+oky eaMy fodkl fuxe dk Ldhbax izf’k{k.k dsanz Hkh gSA ;g jksi&os VkWoj uacj & 10 ds fudV fLFkr gSA Ldhbax dk izf’k{k.k ysus ds fy, de ls de 12 lky dh mez gksuh pkfg,A ;gka Ldhbax djus ds fy, _f"kds’k] nsgjknwu rFkk fnYyh ls ,Mokal cqfdax dh tkrh gSA ;gka Ldhbax djrs le; <yku ds ,d Nksj ls nwj] nwljs Nksj ij nks NM+ksa ¼fLVYV½ vkSj Ldh dh lgk;rk ls rst+h ls cQZ+ ij fQ+lyuk rFkk cQZ+ ls vkPNkfnr ioZrksa ds chp cQZ+ ls <dh ?kkVh esa pkjksa vksj ?kweuk csgn jksekapdkjh gksrk gSA

infpºu

Hkze.k

;knxkj lQ+j

vkSyh esa Ldhbax dk dsanz gksus ds lkFk&lkFk ifM;kj ?kkVh lnkcgkj ou {ks= Hkh gSA vkSyh dk {ks= tks’kheB ls yxHkx nl fdyksehVj dh nwjh ls izkjaHk gks tkrk gSA tks’kheB ls vkSyh VSDlh ls rFkk xaMksyk ¼dscy flLVe ^jksi&os*½ ls Hkh igqapk tk ldrk gSA jksi&os ls vkSyh rd igqapus ds fy, fVdV feyus dk le; lqcg vkB cts ls ysdj ’kke pkj cts rd gksrk gSA jksi&os }kjk ?kus nsonkj ds o`{kksa ds ou ds Åij ls gksrs gq, rFkk cQZ+ ls <dh Åaph&Åaph igkfM+;ksa dks ns[krs gq, lh/ks cqX;kyksa ds Åijh fgLls esa igqap tkrs gSaA okdbZ ;g vuqHko ,d ;knxkj lQ+j cu tkrk gSA vkSyh ls yxHkx nks fdyksehVj nwj ifM;kj eafnj rFkk xkWjlkWu VkWi gSA ;gka igaqpus ds fy, yxHkx vk/ks ?kaVs dh iSny ;k=k djds p<+kbZ djuh iM+rh gSA jkLrs esa nsonkj] vksd] cqjka’k] vYikbu ds o`{kksa ls Hkjk ?kuk ou {ks= feyrk gSA pyrs&pyrs vpkud ou {ks= lekIr gksrs gh tks n`’; lkeus vkrk gS] og eu dks ea=eqX/k dj nsus okyk gksrk gSA lkeus fgeky; dh izeq[k pksfV;ksa] ioZrksa ,oa cqX;ky ds n’kZu gksrs gSaA buesa ls eq[;r% uanknsoh ioZr] nzks.k ioZr] gkFkh ioZr] eu ioZr ¼dker½ f=’kwy] xkWjlkWu cqX;ky vkfn gSaA lSykuh fgeky; dh HkO;rk dks vius dSejs esa dSn dj vius lkFk ys tkrs gSaA xkWjlkWu VkWi ij ljdkj us gsyh&Ldhbax cukus dk izLrko Hkh j[kk gSA rks D;k fopkj gS] vki Hkh vkWyh tkus dk dk;ZØe cuk ysaA

;gka i;ZVd jksi&os dk vkuan ys ldrs gSa vkSj mUgsa ix&ix ij izdf` r ds uk;kc ifjn`’; ns[kus dks feysx a s

90 I ’kqHk ;k=k I fnlEcj 2019

ys[kd Lora= i=dkj gSa

shubh-yatra.in

ljl

dyk

ukpsa] t+jk >wedj jktLFkku dk ikjaifjd dkycsfy;k u`R; ns[kdj vkids eqag ls ;gh ’kCn fudysaxs ^HkbZ okg] D;k [+kwcA* MkW nsonÙk ’kekZ gesa bl dyk ,oa blesa ikjaxr izfl) dykdkj ds ckjs esa crk jgs gSaA

lrjaxh laL—fr esa jph&clh] /kjrh ds xHkZ ls fudyh vkSj [+oktk ds vk’khokZn ls iquthZfor jktLFkku dh ekVh dh csVh xqykcks ,d ,slh yksd u`R;kaxuk gSa] ftUgksaus vius foy{k.k u`R; ls u dsoy dkycsfy;k u`R; dks izflf) ds f’k[kj ij igqapk;k vfirq dchys ls fudkydj bl u`R; dks varjjk"Vªh; Lrj ij izfrf"Br fd;k gSA iq"dj ds xqykc dh rjg vius u`R; dh lqxa/k ls ns’k&fons’k ds eapksa dks egdk;k gSA lkFk gh bl yksdu`R; dks eap dk vkd"kZ.k cuk;k gSA dkycsfy;k os’k&Hkw"kk esa lqlfTtr xqykcks tc u`R; djrh gSa rks jcM+&lh ypdrh] lkai&lh cy [kkrh vkSj rst+h ls pDdj [kkrh fQ+jdh&lh mldh nsg vokd dj nsus okyk ,slk n`’; mRiUu djrh gS] ftls ns[kdj n’kZd vpafHkr] jksekafpr vkSj vkuafnr gks mBrs gaSA

deky dh dyk

ikjaifjd ifj/kku igudj dkycsfy;k dykdkj tc fQ+jdh dh Hkkafr ?kwerh gS rks ns[kus okyk grizHk jg tkrk gS

92 I ’kqHk ;k=k I fnlEcj 2019

^dky* dk vFkZ lkai vkSj ^csfy;k* dk vFkZ nksLr gksrk gSA lkaiksa ls fe=rk j[kus vkSj mldk laj{k.k djus ds dkj.k bl tkfr dk uke dkycsfy;k iM+kA jktLFkku esa oSls rks vusd yksdu`R; tSls xsj] ?kwej] pØh] rsjkrkyh] dPNh ?kksM+h] ce jfl;k] pax] xhanM+] HkokbZ] lgfj;k] pjh vkSj xojh gSa fdarq buesa dkycsfy;k u`R; vius vki esa vuwBk gSA laxhr dh y; ij budk in lapkyu vkSj gkFk dh eqnzk,a vn~Hkqr n`’; izLrqr djrh gSaA ogha muds us= dh Hkafxek,a ,oa xnZu dks ?kqekus dk vankt+ Hkh ns[krs curk gSA ;s u`R;kaxuk,a tc rst+ xfr ls pDdj [kkrh gSa rc os ^fQ+jdh* vFkok pdjh dh Hkkafr ?kwerh fn[krh gSaA mudk flj ,oa muds ’kjhj ds vU; vax vyx&vyx ?kwers ut+j vkrs gSaA budk ’kjhj ,sls ypdrk gS ekuks os

shubh-yatra.in

ljl

dyk

ns’k Hkj esa ,slk dksbZ laLFkku ugha gS] tks dkycsfy;k u`R; dk fof/kor izf’k{k.k nsA jktLFkku esa jgus okyh lisjk tkfr dh efgyk,a gh ;g vuks[kk u`R; izLrqr djrh gSa

jcM+ ls fufeZr gksaA chu dh /kqu ij mudh ypdrh dk;k ,slh yxrh gS ekuks ukfxu cy [kk jgh gksA ;s urZfd;ka viuh vka[kksa dh iqrfy;ksa ls pØklu dh eqnzk esa uksV ,oa vaxwBh mBkus tSls djrc fn[kkdj n’kZdksa dks grizHk dj nsrh gSaA

ifj/kku dk egÙo

dkycsfy;k jktLFkku dh ?kqeDdM+ tkfr gSA ;g tks/kiqj] ikyh] fljksgh] Hkjriqj] vtesj] dksVk] HkhyokM+k] fpÙkkSM+x<+] mn;iqj ,oa ckalokM+k ft+ys esa feyrh gSA bl tkfr ds iq#"k /kksrh&dqrkZ] dkuksa esa xks[kju vkSj xys esa rkbfr;k igurs gSaA ogha dkycsfy;k efgykvksa dh os’kHkw"kk cgqr pVd ,oa vkd"kZd gksrh gSaA d<+kbZokyk dkyk ygaxk] dkyh dqrhZ ¼vaxj[kh½] pedhyh rkjksa okyh ikjn’khZ dkyh vks<+uh] flj ij iksiV] xys esa ckjyk] ukd esa Hkwyh] dkuksa esa yVokys d.kZQwy] ikao esa ikofM+;s] pwM+k] pksVh esa vkVh] yPNh] Qwanh igurh gSaA budh dkyh pedhyh os’kHkw"kk vkSj eksrh&lhi ls cus jax&fcjaxs vkHkw"k.k cgqr vkd"kZd yxrs gSaA bl dkyh os’kHkw"kk esa u`R; djrs le; ;s urZfd;ka okLro esa ukfxu izrhr gksrh gSaA

nqfu;k Hkj esa viuh dh ljkguk yksdfiz;rk ds dkj.k dyk iq"dj esys ls pfpZr vkSj vesfjdk esa Hkkjr egksRlo jktLFkku dk dkycsfy;k esa dkycsfy;k u`R; dh izLrqfr ls yksdfiz; gqbZ ’k ds vusd dk;ZØeksa u`R; vc ;wusLdks dh xqesayizkcks’kalkvcizkIrrddjns’pqk&fons dh gaSA dkycsfy;k u`R; dks o”kZ 2010 ls vewrZ varjjk"Vªh; Lrj ij ys tkus okyh xqykcks dks iùJh lkaL—frd fojklr ekuork ls lEekfur fd;k x;k gSA blls iwoZ og jk"Vªifr MZ] jktLFkku xkSjo] vfgY;kckbZ iqjLdkj vkSj dh çfrfuf/k lwph esa vokW laLdkj Hkkjrh ds dyk lk/kd lEeku lfgr vusd ’kkfey fd, x, gSa iqjLdkjksa ls Hkh lEekfur dh tk pqdh gSaA mUgksaus 94 I ’kqHk ;k=k I fnlEcj 2019

fons’kh laxhrdkjksa ds lkFk Hkh dke fd;k gSA dkycsfy;k u`R; ds mRFkku ,oa izpkj&izlkj ds fy, lfØ; xqykcks ,slk Ldwy lapkfyr djuk pkgrh gaS] tgka og yM+fd;ksa dks dkycsfy;k u`R; fl[kk ldsA mYys[kuh; gS fd jktLFkku dk ;g dkycsfy;k u`R; ;wusLdks dh fo’o/kjksgj lwph esa gSA dkycsfy;k u`R; dks fo’oLrj ij yksdfiz; cukus vkSj yqIr gks jgh bl dyk dks cpkus ds fy, fd, x, mRd`"V iz;klksa ds fy, mUgsa ^iùJh* ls Hkh lEekfur fd;k tk pqdk gSA

egksRloksa dk vk;kstu

vki jktLFkku dk izfl) dkycsfy;k u`R; ;gka vk;ksftr gksus okys fofHkUu egksRloksa esa ns[k ldrs gSaA 1 ls 3 fnlEcj rd gksus okys dqEHkyx<+ egksRlo( 10 ls 12 fnlEcj rd gksus okys dksyk;r esys rFkk 29 ls 31 fnlEcj esa ekmaV vkcw esa gksus okys foaVj egksRlo esa vki efgyk dykdkjksa dks ;g vkd"kZd u`R; djrs gq, ns[k ldrs gSaA

vuks[kh xkFkk

vtesj ft+ys ds dksVMk xkao esa lisjk ifjokj esa tUeh xqykcks dh dgkuh Hkh cM+h jksekapd gSA xqykcks us crk;k] ^^esjk tUe /kursjl ij ’kke lkr cts gqvk FkkA esjk uke /kuoarh j[kk x;kA tkfr dh vkSjrsa pkgrh Fkha fd esjk tUe u gksA fdarq esjh ekWlh us eq>s xksn ys fy;kA cpiu esa tc eSa cgqr chekj jgus yxh rc esjs firk eq>s vtesj ’kjhQ+ ys x,A ogka eq>s ihjckck ds vk’khokZn Lo:i xqykc feyk rks esjs firk us esjk uke xqykc j[k fn;kA vkxs pydj eSa xqykcks dgykus yxhA**

ys[kd izfrf"Br if=dk ds laiknd jg pqds gSa

shubh-yatra.in

SAI INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL ES

R LLY

FU

L

TIA

N IDE

I’M A VISIONARY MAVERICK TRAILBLAZER INNOVATOR PIONEER AND MORE...

FROM HERE I CAN GO ANYWHERE

LET YOUR CHILD SOAR HIGH WITH CONFIDENCE, CHARACTER & COMPASSION

SAI International Residential School (SIRS), is a pioneer in New Age Learning, a Gurukul of today epitomising the School of future. It equips each student with the right vision, values and ideas, to transform them into truly educated, refined, inspired, confident, empathetic and happy global citizen.

ADMISSIONS OPEN 2020-21 BOARDING

SPORTS

Fully air-conditioned hostel for child’s comfort. Ensuring safe & secured enviornment equipped with modern technology

Inculcating responsibility, team spirit, fairness and respect through various sporting activities

ACADEMICS Academic programs with happy classrooms emphasising on 21st century learning skills

LEADERSHIP

Other Initiatives

CBSE affiliated from Class V to XII

Leadership programs and personal grooming sessions aimed at holistic development of each child

DIGITAL

SAI INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL

EducationWorld India School Rankings 2019

Opening the doors to a digital future through latest technologies

Emerging School

CAMPUS

World Education Award 2018

An open environment for real-time, interactive and personalised learning

For Admissions, Call:

0671-7100100 | 81143 68700 City Office Plot - 5A, Chandrasekharpur, Infocity Road, Bhubaneswar - 751024, Odisha, INDIA

AWARDS Odisha’s No.1 Co-ed Boarding School Award

Campus Address SAI International Residential School, SAI Vihar, 1400 Ramdaspur, Nuagaon, District - Cuttack-754008, Odisha, INDIA

Emerging High Potential School EducationWorld India School Rankings 2018

admissions@sirs.edu.in www.sirs.edu.in

pop pourri predictions

Cancer, Jun 21-Jul 22

Your guardian angels are telling you to take your time and not rush into things. You are not in a competition. This is a month of forgiving and healing. Be kind and compassionate to yourself and others, and watch miracles happen.

vkids flrkjs vkidks ladsr ns jgs gSa fd fdlh Hkh ekeys esa tYnckt+h u djsa] lcz ls dke ysaA vki fdlh izfrLi/kkZ esa ugha gSaA ;g ekg {kek djus ,oa fodV ifjfLFkfr;ksa ls mcjus dk gSA vius o nwljksa ds lkFk fouez jgsa] mlds ckn deky ns[ksaA

Hkfo";ok.kh

Aries, Mar 21-Apr 19

This month, focus on yourself. If need be, introspect as well. Love and nurture yourself. Do things that satiate your creativity. Participate in activities that bring you joy and happiness. Treat yourself with respect.

bl ekg Lo;a ij /;ku nsaA vxj t+:jr iM+s rks vkRe&fparu Hkh djsaA viuk [;ky j[ksaA ftuls vkidh jpukRedrk mtkxj gks] ,sls dke djsaA ftu pht+ksa ls vkidks [kq’kh feys] ,slh xfrfof/k;ksa esa fgLlk ysaA Lo;a dks lEeku nsaA

Gemini, May 21-Jun 20 Be open to receiving goodness and abundance.

You attract what you emit, so be careful of your thoughts and emotions. Believe in yourself and trust that you are worthy of happiness. Some may expect good news or receive a gift.

vPNkbZ ,oa le`f) ikus ds fy, rRij jgsaA tSlk vki djrs gSa oSlk gh ikrs gSaA vr% vius fopkjksa o Hkkoukvksa ds izfr lrdZ jgsaA Lo;a ij fo’okl j[ksa vkSj r; ekusa fd vkidks [kqf’k;ka feysaxhA lq[kn lekpkj ;k migkj feyus dh laHkkouk gSA

96 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

calling cards

Taurus, Apr 20-May 20

This month may bring in positive news on the financial front in the form of a salary hike, a bonus, a promotion or a flow of money from an unexpected source. Others may experience a movement in their relationship or in projects.

Garima Astir reads this month’s Angel cards. These readings are guided messages from your Guardian Angels that are always calming and positive in nature

xfjek vLVhj crk jgh gSa fd bl ekg vkids flrkjs D;k ladsr ns jgs gSaA if<+, vius flrkjksa ds lans’k

bl ekg vkidks /ku ls lacaf/kr lq[kn lekpkj feysxk] tSls vk; esa o`f) gksxh] cksul feysxk] mUufr gksxh ;k fQ+j fdlh vizR;kf’kr lzksr ls /ku dh izkfIr gksxhA vU; yksxksa dks muds fj’rksa vFkok izkstsDV esa lq[kn vuqHko dh izkfIr gksxhA

Leo, Jul 23-Aug 22 If you have been feeling low for some time, remember that there is light after darkness.

Situations will start to improve and you’ll notice a positive movement in other spheres of life. Try to look for the good in every situation.

vki vxj grksRlkfgr eglwl dj jgs gSa rks ;kn j[ksa fd gj jkr ds ckn lqcg vo’; gksrh gSA ifjfLFkfr;ksa esa lq/kkj gksxkA vkidks eglwl gksxk fd thou ds nwljs igyqvksa esa Hkh ldkjkRed cnyko vk jgk gSA gj ifjfLFkfr esa ’kqHk ?kfVr gksus dh lkspsaA

Virgo, Aug 23-Sep 22 This month it’s important to work as a team. It will bring in positive results and you’ll be able to meet your deadlines smoothly. Working in a team will also help you share your workload and focus on your expertise.

bl ekg vkids fy, vge gS fd vki Vhe ds :i esa dke djsaA blls ldkjkRed ifj.kke feysaxs rFkk dk;Z Hkh r; le;&lhek esa lekIr gksxkA Vhe esa dke djus ls vkidk cks> Hkh de gksxkA blls vki viuh n{krk ij /;ku dsafnzr dj ldsaxsA

shubh-yatra.in

Promotion

pop pourri predictions

Capricorn, Dec 22-Jan 19

Libra, Sep 23-Oct 22 Your guardian angels are guiding you to participate in hobbies that excite you and make you happy. If you feel energetic, use it to complete your pending tasks. This month is all about honing your skills.

Keep yourself open to any surprise that may come your way because you might witness some miracles. Whatever your heart desires is within reach so do not lose hope. Have faith and continue with your hard work.

vkids flrkjs ladsr ns jgs gSa fd vki viuh gkWch ds vuqlkj dk;Z djsa] ftlls vkiesa mRlkg dk lapkj gksxk vkSj vkidks [kq’kh feysxhA ÅtkZoku gksus ij vki vius yafcr dk;Z iwjs dj ldsaxsA bl ekg vki vius dkS’ky ij gh /;ku dsafnzr djsaxsA

gSjku dj nsus okyh fdlh Hkh ifjfLFkfr ds fy, rS;kj jgsaA laHkor% vkids lkFk peRdkj ?kfVr gksA vkidh bPNk,a vo’; iwjh gksaxh] blfy, grksRlkfgr u gksaA vius vFkd dk;ksaZ ij fo’okl j[ksa] vkidks mudk lq[kn ifj.kke feysxkA

Scorpio, Oct 23-Nov 21

Aquarius, Jan 20-Feb 18

It’s time for you to relax, take it easy and enjoy yourself, just like when you were a child. Reclaim your innocence. Stop thinking about the future and live in the present. Remember to make a wish or prepare a wish list on full moon night.

You will realise that you are intuitive and aware, and know what’s good for you. So, make your own choices and do not depend on others. Trust and follow your intuition, they will never guide you wrong.

;g le; vkids fy, vkjke djus dk gSA eLr jgsa ,oa gj iy dk vkuan ysa] tSlk vki cpiu esa fd;k djrs FksA Hkfo"; ds ckjs esa fpark djuk NksM+ nsaA orZeku esa thuk lh[ksaA vius fny ds lHkh vjekuksa dks iwjk djus ds ckjs esa lkspsaA

vkidks vkHkkl gksxk fd vki Hkyh&Hkkafr tkurs gSa fd vkids fy, D;k csgrj gSA vr% viuh et+hZ ls dk;Z djsa vkSj nwljksa ij fuHkZj u jgsaA Lo;a ij fo’okl j[ksa vkSj viuh varjkRek dh lqusaA vkidks ges’kk lgh lykg feysxhA

Sagittarius, Nov 22-Dec 21 Focus on the job at hand and do not let anything distract you. Meditation and yoga will help increase your ability to focus and organise. It’s month to declutter and detoxify yourself. Live and enjoy the present.

vki viuh tkWc ij /;ku nsa rFkk fdlh vU; pht+ ds dkj.k /;ku u HkVdsA ,dkxzrk ds fy, /;ku yxk,a o ;ksx djsaA ;g ekg vkRelkr ,oa Lo;a dks ’kq) djus dk gSA orZeku esa th,a vkSj gj ,d iy dk vkuan vuqHko djsaA

98 I Shubh Yatra I december 2019

Those born in December are kind, honest, active, both reasonable and stubborn, restless and practical about life.

Pisces, Feb 19-Mar 20 Your guardian angels are guiding you to focus on your present moments, conversations and lessons. Keep your eyes and ears open. Pay attention to the signs you are receiving from the universe before you take any decisions.

vkids flrkjs crk jgs gSa fd vki orZeku dh ?kVukvksa] viuh okrkZyki ,oa vkidks feys lcd ij /;ku nsaA gj ne lrdZ jgsaA fdlh Hkh ekeys esa dksbZ Hkh fu.kZ; ysus ls igys Hkyh&Hkkafr lksp fopkj dj ysaA

shubh-yatra.in

t a e r t e R o Ec MARINE DRIVE

KONARK 2019

Sun. Sand. 50 luxury cottages.

Your New Year celebrations start 14th December.

Parasailing, Paramotoring, ATV rides, Rifle shooting, Archery, Jet Ski , Banana Boats, Speed Boats, Bicycles, Beach Volleyball

Food Festival, Flea Market, Cultural Shows & Music Concerts

For more details & booking log on to ecoretreat.odishatourism.gov.in

A unique tourism experience from Odisha Tourism