Asian Traveller March 2015 by Mediasteps

Vol. 8

No. 6

Pages 96

` 100

US $10 (Overseas)

March 2015

www.mediastepsindia.com

Discover

China

Let's Celebrate Thai Style New Year in Songkran Festival 13-15 April,2015.

Ayutthaya - Just 80km north of Bangkok is the old capital of Thailand. It is usually visited as a part of day trip from Bangkok which is usually includes stops at Bang Pa In Palace as well as Bang Sai royal arts Center. Although there are numerous attractions, the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Historical Park in the heart of Ayutthaya city, is a UNESCOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Heritage site and a wonder to behold. Tel: 91-11-41663567-69, 46741111 Tel: 91-22-22042727-28

Highlights Vol. 8 I No. 6 I March 2015 Interview 6 Exclusive Lalith De Silva

Cover Story

Discovery of China

The aroma of the Chinese food and the pride of owning a smart phone at affordable price endear China to the Indian middle class

8 Nightlife in Amsterdam

24 Lost Indian Cities 30

Back in Mt Everest

More than 4,000 climbers have reached the summit of Mount Everest since it was first scaled in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay

62 Where to stay in Bengaluru 18 72

Amsterdam is alive with energy. Whether you want to have a drink with friends, enjoy a performance or dance until dawn

Hollywood

Pench Tiger Reserve Conjuring up images of ‘Mowgli’, the pint-sized 'ManChild’, ‘Bagheera’, the Black Panther and the inimitable ‘Sher Khan’, the villain of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book is Pench Tiger Reserve, in Madhya Pradesh

Tribal Tourism

The idea of inhabiting in a place where prominent Gods of a religion lived sounds surreal

EDITOR'S NOTE

TOURISM & TERRORISM

To create a better world, a healthier and happier world, you need to promote tourism. But terrorism is a fact of life we cannot push under the carpet. Terrorism is a global phenomenon, and no more an Asian phenomenon as it used to be. It can strike anytime anywhere without warning. As we are about to go to the press came the news that Benjamin Netanyahu is re-elected as Israeli prime minister for a third term. The question you would like to ask is, ‘Will it promote peace, will it promote global peace?’ The answer is ‘yes’ and ‘no’, because it takes two to make war. The world needs pro-active diplomacy, not war; the world needs willingness to listen than listened to; the world needs more compassion than cruelty. Dialogue and tourism are the gateway to peace and understanding. Have you ever wondered why the Chinese do not smile as much as the Indians. The Chinese instinctively mistrust strangers. You have to first earn their trust before getting accepted. To do business with the Chinese, you have to first earn their trust through the right networking. Your brilliant business plans will come to naught, if you don’t understand their culture. The Discovery of China in this issue will give you a head-start in doing business with the Chinese. Prostitution is not only legalized in the Netherlands, but also taxed. What we tend to ban, they legalise. The Nightlife in Amsterdam is an eyeopener, because nightlife is not all about orgies but also about music and culture. It is following your passion uninhibited. The Lost Civilizations, A Tour of Hollywood town, Climbing Mount Everest, Eat, Drink & Fly, and the choicest hotels should interest you. Happy reading! Dr. G. Biju Krishnan Editor & Publisher editor@mediastepsindia.com +91 9745001001

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

SRI LANKAN HOSPITALITY Hospitality, warmth and service are our USPs Lalith De Silva

Sri Lankan Airlines is an award winning carrier, with a fine reputation as a global leader. What is your USP?

operating and how many destinations do you cover?

Our unique selling point (USP) is our Sri Lankan hospitality, warmth and service. That stayed from the very inception of Ceylon days to the Air Lanka days to finally becoming the Sri Lankan airlines. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where we top and compete in the market. We were a very small, regional carrier which quickly started servicing the international routes like London. All credit to our hospitality.

At the moment, in this financial year, the focus is the Eastern area, especially India. India has been doing tremendously well compared to Europe, which was unfortunately going through recession. It is recovering but we have our major incoming traffic from India and the Far East. China is giving us a very big market and the disposable income is increasing with the Chinese passengers, where we see development and future.

How many aircrafts are you

Has the election of new President,

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

Maithripala Sirisena been a positive sign for business? Yes indeed, very much. The first thing what he did was to conduct a meeting India’s Prime Minister Modi. That makes a huge difference. Not that the previous government didn’t have relationships, but we can see the change immediately. First thing he did was to reach out to the neighbouring country, India and build strong relationships.

The last visit of an Indian PM, Rajiv Gandhi happened 27 years ago. Has the situation changed now? Yes, that is correct. In fact, I think that it is a very positive sign, the co-operation between the two countries. And there’s lot of cultural interconnectivity - when you’re visiting Sri Lanka it appears that you are in India because of the sheer amount of Indian tourists. In fact, it was the Indian tourists that kept the industry going during the unfortunate period we passed. So with the Indian PM coming, the trade will likely improve the regional cooperation, and regional tourism of SAARC

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

countries. I am also very hopeful about the e-visa policies that has been adopted by the new government in India.

What do you expect from the Indian government? India is not properly promoted in Sri Lanka. A lot of Sri Lankans think of wildlife, in some far places like Kenya to spend huge amount of money on airfare alone. Or snow for that matter. Snow means Europe. But just a couple of miles away, you get all that in one country. That’s the uniqueness of India, but it has not been marketed in India. Most tourists who visit India are for pilgrimage and shopping. There’s a lot to see in India which people are paying out of their nose to see in other countries.

What’s your future expansion plans for 2015? We’re not adding any new destinations as such, but we might probably add a destination in Australia. Other than that we will be consolidating our existing destinations, increasing frequency and re-fleeting. We will be replacing some of our old

aircrafts 340’s with the new 330230-300 versions.

How do you visualise growth in the next five years for Sri Lanka? Actually we have been steadily, in spite of high fuel prices at one time. Fuel prices are now declining, encouraging airline industry. This is a very positive time that could reduce airfares bringing an increase in the number of passengers. If I am not mistaken, IATA has predicted a rise in the number of passengers in the Asian region for 2015.

After the LTTE, people are very much interested to go the Jaffna side. Do you think the area has the potential to become a tourist hotspot? Already development projects are taking place. We didn’t have hotels because of the disturbance for 30 years, but now lot of Indian investors are investing. The beach is amazing place to be. It is more like, you’re in Maldives. The Eastern coast is much better. We have a couple of boutique hotels coming up. But it is still in its early developmental stage.

COVER STORY

THE DISCOVERY OF

CHINA 8

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

The aroma of the Chinese food and the pride of owning a smart phone at affordable price endear China to the Indian middle class. But you must be wondering why the Chinese do not smile at strangers

wo words you must know to understand the Chinese: guanxi and mianzi. The first means networking; even more than networking, sharing favours with family, friends, and groups. It is your influence to get things done. And if you are outside his networking, the Chinaman may not even look at you. He does not

trust strangers and would like to do business only with someone who has won is confidence through networking. The second word means face, or prestige. The Chinese are quick to take offense because you may have said something inadvertently that offended their sentiments or pride. They tenaciously guard their

The Terracotta Army was included on UNESCO's World Heritage List by in 1987.

pride or honour that you need to see them from their culture to appreciate them. Their culture imparts a sense of pride that they believe they are a superior race and a nation. The Chinese take athletics and sports very seriously and look upon them as expressions of solidarity and patriotism. Talents are identified at early teens and send them to the sports academy, which gives them handsome rewards and groom them as future

gold and silver medallists. Perhaps a pleasant way of understanding Chinese culture is through the culinary delights. The original Chinese food is medicinal and it is a health therapy. To the Chinese, cooking is an art, which used to be discussed in palaces and royal cooks rewarded. The idle aristocrats did nothing but eat, drink and dissipate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and food became their sole object of living. No wonder Chinese food got all the attention it deserves

Lanzhou Ramen, a staple Chinese food

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

The original Chinese food is medicinal and it is a health therapy. To the Chinese, cooking is an art, which used to be discussed in palaces and royal cooks rewarded

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

and much more. But chairman Mao Zedong discouraged Chinese women confined to the kitchen two to three hours every day, and called it a colossal national waste. Those who live by the palate will certainly disagree. The richness and variety it offers comes from its adaptation of the best of cuisine from neighbouring countries, and from Europe and America at a later stage. The evolution of Chinese food and the evolution of the English language are on the same principle

of adaptation because of imperial expansion. Broadly, there are eight cuisines taking their names from the regions they originate from: Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Szechuan, and Zhejiang. Interestingly, Chinese cuisines are outside China as well: Singaporean, Malaysian, Indonesian, Indian and American, depending on wherever Chinese people are found. The staple foods of Chinese cooking include rice, noodles, vegetables, and sauces

and seasonings. The grains are typically served as warm noodle soups instead of bread as in Europe. They consume mutton, pork, dog, and beef, preserved with salt, vinegar, curing, and fermenting. The flavor of the meat was enhanced by cooking it in the fat of a different animal. Food was judged for color, aroma, taste, and texture and a good meal was expected to balance the Four Natures (‘hot’, warm, cool, and ‘cold’), and the Five Tastes (pungent, sweet, sour, bitter, and salty). Salt was added in cooking in the form of soy sauce, and not at the table. The predominance of chopsticks and spoons as eating utensils also necessitated that most food be prepared in bite-sized pieces or (as with fish) be so tender that it could be easily picked apart. Chinese food and sight-seeing go hand in hand. There are seven historical landmarks which every visitor must explore:

The Forbidden City

(or the Palace Museum) is one of the most-visit sites. It used to be an imperial palace in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. It has housed 24 emperors. China’s best-preserved imperial palace is the world’s largest ancient palatial structure (720,000 square meters, and

more than 9,000 halls), and the essence and culmination of traditional Chinese architectural accomplishment. Today, the palace is a large museum. There are thousands of historical relics and two of the most precious scroll painting of 'A Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival' and a gold cup with three

terracotta soldiers and horses, and more than 10,000 bronze weapons were unearthed in these three pits.

The Terracotta Army was included on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1987, candidate for the title Eighth Wonder of the World and the largest military museum underground. An interesting fact is

In ancient China, the Great Wall was used as defense against the invasion of nomadic tribes (mainly Mongolians) in northern China. Today, the Great Wall is a symbol of China, together with Tian’nmen and the five stars or the Communist flag pillars used by Emperor Qianlong. Beijing is the city with the most historical sites in the world, including the Great Wall, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, and the Forbidden City. The museum exhibiting this lifesize terracotta army lies about 1.5 km east of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin, which is believed to be a magnificent mausoleum (it has not been unearthed). The museum, with three pits containing the Terracotta Army, covers an area of 22,780 square meters. Over 8,000

that all the terracotta soldiers were made to face east towards Emperor Qin's enemies. Xi’an where the Terracotta Army is located is one of the two greatest ancient cities in China. The Ancient City Wall is another highlight of the city.

The Great Wall of China is one of the

greatest sights in the world. The entire Great Wall includes defensive systems built in the Warring States Period (475–221 BC), the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC), the Han Dynasty (202 BC–220 AD), the Northern Wei Dynasty (386–557), the Jin

Mogao Caves Photo: mostbeautifulplacesintheworld.org

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

The ancient Summer Palace

The Summer Place is China’s largest imperial garden. UNESCO described it as “a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value.”

Dynasty (1115–1234), and the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). In ancient China, the Great Wall was used as defense against the invasion of nomadic tribes (mainly Mongolians) in northern China. Today, the Great Wall is a symbol of China, together with Tian’nmen and the five stars or the Communist flag. The entire Great Wall of China zigzags across the mountains of northern China. We highly recommend hiking along the bestprotected sections of the Great Wall: Shanhai Pass, Juyong Pass, Badaling, Mutianyu, and Yumen Pass. If you are interested in Tibetan culture, the Potala Palace you should not miss. The Potala Palace was first built as a palace of Songtsen Gampo (617–650), the founder of the Tu-Bo

Dynasty. After being rebuilt in the 17th century, it was the residence of Dalai Lamas. There are plenty of precious historical relics in the palace, including over 10,000 Buddha statues made of gold, silver, jade, wood, or clay, and about 10,000 tangkas (scroll paintings related to Budhhism). The gorgeous mural paintings, wooden carvings, and color paintings used for decoration are outstanding.

The Potala Palace is located in the northwest of Lhasa city. Other top attractions in Lhasa are: Norbulingka (the Summer Palace of Lhasa), Jokhang Temple (a Tibetan Buddhist temple with more than 1,350 years of history), and Drepung Monastery (the largest monastery in the world, with about 10,000 monks).

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

Potala Palace, Photo: chinamaps.info

The Summer Place is China’s

largest imperial garden, built according to the blueprint of Hangzhou’s West Lake. UNESCO added this 300 hectare site to the World Heritage List in 1998, and described it as “a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value.” The Summer Palace was a royal summer resort in the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), so the architectures and the layout there are quite exquisite. Boat cruises are available on Kunming Lake. There are numerous stores in Suzhou Street, selling

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

souvenirs like antiques, snacks, silk, jewelry, and tea. The shop assistants there are dressed in the costumes of the Qing Dynasty.

The Mogao Grottoes, a Holy Land

of Buddhist Art, is situated near Dunhuang City. It has 735 grottoes, 450,000 square metres of mural paintings, 2,415 colored Buddha statues made of clay, and more than 50,000 historical relics. All of these make the Mogao Grottoes the largest and the most significant “holy land” of Buddhist art. The Mogao Grottoes' first carving was in 366, and with a contruction period spanning 16 dynasties, they are a summation of Buddhist art. The Mogao Grottoes are situated near an important city on the ancient Silk Road — Dunhuang, where you can

see Crescent Spring (a miniature oasis in a pristine desert). Confucianism is a cornerstone of Chinese civilization. The Three Confucius Historical Sites consists of the Confucius Temple, the Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion. Ancient architectural buildings, ancient stone tablets, and Confucius culture are the highlights.

The Cemetery of Confucius

has become the graveyard of the Kong family, and more than 100,000 Confucius’ descendants are buried there. That why it is called Kong Lin (literally meanning Confucius Forest) in Chinese. The Kong Family Mansion, was where the descendants of Confucius lived. Qufu Confucius is the second largest scale ancient architectural

West Bank, Summer Palace, Beijing

The Cemetery of Confucius

The Forbidden City (or the Palace Museum)

complex, after the Forbidden City. The temple was originally built as Confucius’ house, and was changed into a temple to worship Confucius in the second year after his death. After that, extension of the temple continued, and today’s 95,000 square metres was completed in the Yongzheng period (1722– 1735) of the Qing Dynasty.

Indian Gods in Chinese Market

The Yiwu market in China is the world’s largest commodity market. This trading city in the province of Zhejiang every year attracts half a million businessmen from 90 countries in search of everything from computer parts and mobile phones to toy cars and plastic buckets. You will be amazed to see Hindu deities adorning the walls of some of the electronic shops – Krishna, Ganesha, Hanuman and Saraswathi. It demonstrates the astute business sense of the Chinese, and the Chinese market penetration in India. More than a hundred Indian companies buy directly from this market, to supply and distribute across India. Over the past decade, Yiwu has emerged as a marketplace for the world. Goods from factories across China’s manufacturing heartland in the southern provinces of Zhejiang and Guangdong find their way to Yiwu’s traders, before being dispatched across the world. There are at least three other companies that produce images and statues of gods and goddesses for the Indian market. Most of the factories are located in Cangnan, a county close to Wenzhou – a thriving port city in Zhejiang that is famous for being a centre of entrepreneurship. Some of the companies have

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

listed annual sales of 10 million Yuan (Rs. 10 crore); they also render a range of Christian images for export. Zhang Daofeng, who runs a factory in Cangnan, said his company’s “Indian Gods series”, which included posters, three-dimensional images and statues, were being sold across India. Mr. Zhang was one of the earliest producers of images of Hindu gods. Today, he estimates, there are between 30 and 40 companies in China doing the same, even as they struggle to stay competitive as wages across China rise year after year. “Many of the new factories offer poor quality, but the Indian customers are very price sensitive so business is down,” he said.

Connect your business

Connections are a crucial part of life in China. It’s so in business, too, in China. But connections are not just knowing somebody by face. It is entering into the trust of someone, or a group of people. The greater your connections, the greater your chance of success in business. Foreigners who land in China to do business overlooking the cultural context may end up making losses. Having good ‘guanxi’ – developed outside the formal work setting, for instance at evening meals or over drinks – is often the secret to securing a business deal. The exclusive China Entrepreneur Club (CEC), a non-profit group of 46 of China's top entrepreneurs and business leaders, is a good place to begin. The small group ensures people can really get to know each other, build close connections and ultimately help each other out. "We have had a lot of occasions for example, when members are in trouble or got into difficulty the entire club is

behind a person, or we divert a lot of time to help that particular member through a difficult time," says a CEC member talking about his business. The favours are reciprocal. If a person helps somebody out, he or she will expect to be repaid at some point. The Chinese generally tend to be less private and socialise more with their colleagues than their Western counterparts, and doing deals this way is a natural extension of that. Experts say it's simply part of the "social fabric" in China. "It's very difficult to get things done without it." In fact, most business leaders say it's downright impossible to do business in China without networking. No matter how strong or how smart an entrepreneur is, as long as he does not belong to the business community, does not have a lot of friends who may help him, he's not going to be in business for long. This seems fundamentally unfair, especially when you have a product or service that is is good enough, and you wish to succeed on merits. Yet guanxi's roots are tightly bound in history, with the notions of obligation and loyalty going back thousands of years. The Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s tried to destroy it to enforce communism, but guanxi's importance only multiplied. And when China launched market economy, there were no written contracts to do business. So the networking came to the rescue of the system. Said a management guru at an international seminar: “Get out there and build your guanxi – it might just be the best decision you ever make for your company.”

ENTERTAINMENT

The Entertainment Capital

Of The World

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

The name ‘Hollywood’ was coined by H J Whitley, the ‘Father of Hollywood’. The name is derived from a native plant with bright red winter berries that resemble holly. Originally the name ‘Figwood’ was to be used because of number of fig trees surrounding the area

t all began with Whitley’s plan to buy a 500-acre plot from a ranch owner, E C Hurd. Hurd's wife, who came to know of the proposed deal, talked to a few other ranch owners, who were impressed by the name Holywood and renamed their ranch. So you have a Hollywood in Illinois and a Hollywood in Florida. Hollywood was a small community in 1870 but in 1910, it was merged with the city of Los Angeles. Soon a prominent film industry began to emerge, eventually becoming the most dominant and recognizable in the world.

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

With the arrival of a local newspaper, a hotel and two markets, life began to change in the small town. By 1912, major motion-picture companies had set up production near or in Los Angeles. In the early 1900s, most motion picture patents were held by Thomas Edison's Motion Picture Patents Company in New Jersey, and filmmakers were often sued to stop their productions. To escape this, filmmakers began moving out west, where Edison's patents could not be enforced. Also, the weather was ideal and there was quick access to various settings. Los Angeles became the capital of the film industry. Director D W Griffith was the first to make a motion picture in Hollywood. His 17-minute

short film was titled In Old California. The first film by a Hollywood studio, Nestor Motion Picture Company, was shot on October 26, 1911. The Whitley home

in October 1911. Four major film companies – Paramount, Warner Bros., RKO, and Columbia – had studios in Hollywood, as did several minor

Hollywood became to be known as Tinseltown and Movie Biz City because of the glittering image of the movie industry. Hollywood has since become a major centre for film study in the US was used as its set, and the unnamed movie was filmed in the middle of their groves at the corner of Whitley Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard. The first studio in Hollywood, the Nestor Company, was established by the New Jersey–based Centaur Company

companies and rental studios. In the 1920s, Hollywood was the fifth largest industry in the nation. Hollywood became known as Tinseltown and Movie Biz City because of the glittering image of the movie industry. Hollywood has since become a major

centre for film study in the US.

A tour of Hollywood

One of the best-kept secrets of Hollywood is a conducted tour of studios. Warner Bros and Universal Studios are among the few who meet the aspirations of the aficionados. Along the way, you may see an Oscar Award-winning star in flesh and blood. Some have reported seeing George Clooney, Steven Soderbergh, Rob Lowe and Alexis Bledel. Others have spotted director Steven Spielberg outside a sound stage where he was filming. You learn a lot about film-making while on the tour. You'll see trees and boulders on wheels, so they can be moved about easily... You'll discover how a single street can be used for both modern and

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

period pictures. You'll learn that they created a jungle and waterfall inside a huge sound stage here for Jurassic Park, and find out that Audrey Hepburn was told about the JFK assassination on a set here, while she was making My Fair Lady. And you'll learn that actors such as Kevin Costner, Mel Gibson, and Steven Seagal have offices here at Warner's. You and your tour guide ramble about in a small tram resembling a golf cart; you are allowed to stop and get out of the tram to inspect many of the sets up-close, and your guide is always nearby to answer any questions you might have. The tour is much more extensive and authentic than the superficial. When you run a Hollywood movie studio, you never know who is going to drop by. In October of 1954, Queen Elizabeth paid a backstage visit to Warner's and the toured the set of their movie, The Pajama Game. Then there were the visiting politicians and corporate sponsors who expected to be shown around the studio when they came to Hollywood. Eventually, Warner's decided to expand the VIP tour to include members of the public as well. Before the tour, guests are shown a 15-minute film chronicling the history of Warner Bros Studios, from the first talkie The Jazz Singer through today's Matrix movies. The promo uses scenes from countless Warner Bros' classics, as well as rare bloopers. Then you hop aboard the small carts, and ride to the new Warner Bros. Museum, which houses a treasure trove of movie memorabilia. At last word, the upper level was devoted to the first two Harry Potter movies, WB's most popular movie franchise. Visitors, however, say they don't give you enough time to spend in the museum as

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

you might like â&#x20AC;&#x201C; only about 15 minutes. Then it's out to the carts again, to settle back for the tour. These trams seat only two across, so everyone has a good view as you roll through the vast 110 acre lot. Remember the line from the classic Casablanca, "We'll always have Paris?" Well, those Paris flashback scenes were shot on mock French Street here. You'll see it on the tour. In the 1938 classic The Adventures of Robin Hood, a wooded glen was used to show Sherwood Forest. Those same woods were home to Walton's Mountain in the popular TV series The Waltons. In fact, the old Walton house and lumber mill are still standing. In Tarzan, this same wooded area passed as a jungle. It even appeared as Ireland in Finianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rainbow, and was the location of scenes in many other productions like Camelot, Fantasy Island and Bonanza. If you've ever seen The Music Man, you'll remember the classic song "Trouble". You've got trouble, folks! Right here in River City! Trouble with a capital T, and that rhymes with P, and that stands for pool! That famous scene was shot on Midwest Street, the largest permanent set on the Warner's back lot, a town square that was originally built in 1943 for Saratoga Trunk. The quaint white church in this town square was also used in The Waltons. Part of Midwest Street is a residential avenue of period Victorian houses, built for Ronald Reagan's best movie: Kings Row, but used for many other films and TV shows. Here, you'll recognize the Seaver house from Growing Pains and the mayor's house from The Music Man. They also filmed

If you've ever seen The Music Man, you'll remember the classic song "Trouble". You've got trouble, folks! Right here in River City! Trouble with a capital T, and that rhymes with P, and that stands for pool!

The tour itself lasts exactly two hours. It's recommended that you buy your tickets in advance, online, at their website.

"We'll always have Paris" the TV series Gilmore Girls there. The oldest section of the back lot at Warner Bros is New York Street, a mock city block, built in 1930 for the gangster movies that made Warner famous. The other side resembles San Francisco. It was here that they shot portions of Yankee Doodle Dandy, Batman Returns , and the sci-fi classic Blade Runner. Visitors don't spend all of their time on the tram, either. The trams stops and they let you get off to explore at various points along the way. After your tour of the back lot sets, the tour next moves into the "front lot," a busy area crowded with dozens of giant sound stages, offices, and post-production buildings. They'll confiscate your cameras at this point of the tour, and lock them away – you'll get them back at the end of the tour. The tour makes several stops in the front lot. You may go into The Mill, a studio factory that builds the numerous props needed for the movies – everything from furniture to giant Oscar statues. The room is filled with plaster

of Paris moulds and statues; hanging from the ceiling are large scale models of airplanes used in filming Memphis Belle and Mel Gibson's Forever Young. Inside the high-tech postproduction labs, you'll be shown the "additional dialogue" areas where actors re-do spoken lines after the film has been shot, and you'll visit the room where an orchestra adds the musical scores while watching the film on a huge overhead screen. (If you come at the right time, you'll actually be able to watch and listen as the orchestra records the musical soundtrack for a film.) Warner Bros tries to include some filming whenever possible, and if you're lucky, you may get the chance to see a star rehearsing his or her scenes. Exactly how much action you encounter, however, is more or less the luck of the draw, and depends upon when you happen to arrive. MidApril, for instance, is one of the worst times of the year to see shooting at the studio – almost all of the shows are "in hiatus" (a sort of summer vacation), and action at the studio is minimal then.

No one under age 10 is admitted on the tour. Dress casually, and wear comfortable shoes. You can bring a (still) camera, but you can only use it on the back lot - not during the other half of the tour. Admission Price: Tour of studio costs $49 per person, regardless of age (minimum age is 10). Tickets: are available online. All adults must present current government issued photo identification upon registration and persons under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. (A special five-hour deluxe tour is offered once each morning, and costs $250. It tends to sell out a month in advance, so reservations are a must.) Hours: Tours are given all day, Monday through Friday from 8:20 AM to 4 PM. There are limited tours on Saturday, and none on Sunday.

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Sree Gokulam Chit & Finance Co. Pvt. Ltd.

HISTORY

Lost Indian

Cities Bustling sea ports. Prosperous trade centers. Marvelous worship houses. Gorgeous palace forts. Powerhouse capitals of great empires. India had it all, thousands of years ago. While most of these exist solely as mythological legends, a few of them did leave physical evidences of their past glory. And it is such relics that make any myth, an interesting part of history. Some of them vanished suddenly, to great wars or to rest under the oceans. Others faded away slowly, left abandoned, for the forests or the land to gulp them down. Despite their disappearances, their legacies lived on.

Dwaraka, Gujarat

The legendary city and dwelling place of Lord Krishna, Dwaraka is believed to have submerged six times, and this modern city of Gujarat is said to be the seventh Dwaraka to be built in the area. As per the Hindu mythology, Dwaraka is among the most sacred and holy cities of India, which was taken in the sea right after the death of Lord Krishna. Though this was regarded as a grand metaphor, as part of the great Indian Hindu epic ‘Mahabharata’, and other works such as ‘Harivamsha’ and ‘Purana’, which contains traditions about the foundation of the city, its planning and the glory it subsequently attained, the underwater archaeological excavation of the site proved otherwise. The significance of the discovery of Dwaraka is not just to provide the archaeological evidence to corroborate the traditional account of the submergence of the legendary city, but also indirectly fixing the date of the Mahabharata which is a landmark in Indian history. The carbon date of some of the artifacts found in Bet Dwaraka (about 30 miles away from Dwaraka), also connected with the Krishna legend is about 5000 years old. According to Srimad Bhagavatam & other scriptures, Dwaraka was submerged in year 3102 B.C (which is approx 5100 years). The excavations done in the past 30 years thus prove that the descriptions found in the ancient Hindu scriptures are not to be discarded as fanciful

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Lothal is one of world’s earliest docks, with trade route between West Asia and Africa and for being 2,000 years ahead of the Greeks. The excavation that started in 1955 brought into light the massive structures of the city that could have been completely destroyed by floods and other decaying process Map includes lost cities in and around present day Gujarat.

but are to be treated as based on actualities as seen by their authors.

Dholavira, Gujarat

Belonging to Indus Valley Civilization, Dholavia, Gujarat, is one of the most prominent and largest archeological sites in India. Locally known as Kotada Timba Prachin Mahanagar Dholavira, the site was discovered by J.P. Joshi in 1967 – 68. The site which has been under continuous excavation since 1990, by the Archaeological Survey of India, is the fifth largest Harappan site in the Indian subcontinent. The excavation of the site brought in light the sophisticated planning and organized architecture of the area. The site includes reservoirs, step well, and various other antiquities such as seals, beads, animal bones, gold, silver, terracotta ornaments and vessels.

Lothal, Gujarat

Dating back to 2400 BC, Lothal, in modern day Gujarat, is one of the most significant cities of Indus Valley Civilization. Located along the west coast of India, the city was discovered in 1954. The city is famous for being one of world’s earliest docks, with trade route between

West Asia and Africa and for being 2,000 years ahead of the Greeks in its citizens’ navigation savvy. Trenches in the northern, eastern and western flanks of the mound that were revealed in the excavations prove that inlet channels connected the dock with the river. The excavation that started in 1955 brought into light the massive structures of the city that could have been completely destroyed by floods and other decaying process. However, dwarfed walls, platforms, wells, drains, baths and paved floors are still visible.

Surkotada, Gujarat

Submerged city ruins of Dwaraka.

Surkotada is located in Gujarat about 160 km NorthEast of Bhuj, in the district of Kutch. The ancient mound Surkotada is surrounded by sandstone hills. Jagat Pati Joshi of the Archaeological Survey of India discovered the mound in 1964. These mounds, covered with reddish brown laterite soil, are surrounded by clustered undulating rising ground. Occupied for an uninterrupted period of 400 years beside a large river 750 m wide (now a tiny stream) that flowed past the northeastern side of the site, the first settlement Ruins of Lothal. period of Surkotada lasted from

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2100 BC – 1950 BC. The second phase existed between 1950 BC – 1800 BC, bringing in a new wave of people, marked by new types of pottery and instruments. This phase ended with a large fire. The final phase lasted from 1800 BC to 1700 BC. And while most of the Indus Valley Civilization decayed or died out by 1700 BC, Surkotada continued functioning as a mature, civilized city for a longer period of time.

Kalibangan, Rajasthan

Distinguished by its unique fire altars and ‘world’s earliest attested ploughed field’, Kalibangan used to be a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization. Having given the evidence of the earliest (2800 BC) ploughed agricultural field ever revealed through an excavation, two mounds representing two phases of settlement is supposed to have existed - the first between 3500 BC and 2500 BC and the second between 2500 BC and 1750 BC. While the evidences point to an earthquake around 2600 BC that ended the first settlement, the second settlement is believed to have abandoned the city due to a dried-up river. Present day Kalibangan is a small town located on the southern banks of the Ghaggar (Ghaggar-Hakra River) in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan. The excavation of the city started in 1969.

Stone carvings of Mahabalipuram.

Vijayanagara – Hampi, Karnataka

Capital of one of the largest Hindu superpowers of India, Vijayanagara was founded in the 14th century by two gallant princes of the Sangama dynasty, Harihara I and Bukka Raya I. The city that bore the same name as that of the mighty Hindu empire of South India, reached its peak of glory under the regime of Krishnadevaraya (1509-29). During this period the city stretched over 33 sq kms, while the empire itself covered almost the entire South Indian peninsula – beyond Krishna

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Floating ruins of Mahabalipuram.

Temples of Hampi.

and Tungabhadra rivers. The city that boasted of an estimated population of half a million derived its wealth from agriculture and the control of spice and cotton industry. The empire fell under the combined attack of the Deccan sultans that included Sultanates of Bidar, Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar and Berar in the battle of Talikota in 1565. The city was permanently abandoned by its inhabitants following the ransack by the Muslim army after the catastrophic defeat of the imperial army in the battle. The ruin of this ancient city is now a designated World Heritage Site and an official ghost town that surrounds modern Hampi in Karnataka.

Pattadakal, Karnataka

A World Heritage site and a very popular tourist destination in Karnataka, Pattadakal is a small village in Karnataka on the banks of

Kalibangan, ‘world’s earliest attested ploughed field’, used to be a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization. Reasons for the decline is believed to be a massive earthquake around 2600 BC, or drought that dried-up the river Malaprabha River in Bagalkot district. The place is famous for its ancient temples and other historic monuments. The best known among them is the Virupaksha temple, built by Queen Lokamahadevi

(Trilokyamahadevi) in 745 AD to commemorate her husband’s victory (Vikramaditya II) over the Pallavas of Kanchi. The place also accommodates a group of ten 8th century monuments includes majestic temples, a monolithic stone pillar and a Jain sanctuary. The monuments at Pattadakal, representing various Hindu temple styles, were created by ancient kings and queens over two centuries.

Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

Revealed by the 2004 Tsunami, when the sea pulled about 500 metre back, evidence of an ancient port city, believed to be the part of mythical city of Mahabalipuram, were found by the India divers. The Archaeological Survey of India that launched the diving expedition found clear pattern, man-made temple structures, supposed to be part of the Seven Pagodas of Mahabalipuram, dates back to the

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7th century. This beach-front temple is believed to be part of the extended ancient port city of Mahabalipuram ruled by the Pallavas dynasty.

Puhar - Poompuhar, Tamil Nadu

Once a flourishing port city known as Kaveripattinam, the ancient city of Puhar or Poompuhar was the capital of the early Chola kings in Tamilakkam. The city, located near the present-day Poompuhar of Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu in India, once was a bustling trade port. Owing to its location, near the mouth of Kaveri River, the city served as a natural harbor for large merchant ships from around the world. The glory of this celebrated port city gets lauded in literary epics like ‘Silapathikaram’ and ‘Manimekalai’. It is also mentioned in the songs, poetries and heroic literary epics on the ancient Chola kings. The city is believed to be washed away by a powerful tsunami possibly caused by Krakatoa 416 AD. Potteries dating back to the 4th and 5th century have been Virupaksha temple, Pattadakal. discovered on the shores of this town.

Muziris – Kodungallur, Kerala

Muziris was an integral part of Mahodayapuram (present day Kodungallur), the capital city of the later Chera dynasty. The region served as an important trade link in the Indian maritime history, since the Roman period. Commodities such as pearls, muslin, ivory, teak, diamond, silk and perfumes in addition to spices used to be exported to various countries around the world such as the Arabian Peninsula, China and other European countries. Also it was an important gateway for cultural and religious relations, such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam entering the region in the early centuries AD. The massive 14th century floods of Periyar split the river into two. The right branch that went up to the natural harbour at the mouth of the river, silted by the flood, became poorly navigable for large ships. It destroyed the ancient town and diverted the well-established trade and port requirements to other ancient ports along the Malabar Coast. The misfortune of Kodungallur, thus, helped other major ports to rise to prominence. Kochi was one Pre-Harappan site of Kalibangan. of them.

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FOCUS

BACK IN

MOUNT EVEREST More than 4,000 climbers have reached the summit of Mount Everest since it was first scaled in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Every year, nearly a quarter of a million people come to Nepal to hike the Himalayas, and over 800 try to scale the famed mountain. As a result, it has become the "world's highest garbage dump." Let's take a look at major trekking paths to Mount Everest

ount Everest has long been the greatest attraction for nature lovers and trekkers alike. Now, even common tourists are willing to shell out serious dough to get a glimpse of Mount Everest and more than willing to shell their savings to join an expedition to climb the world’s highest peak. Changes in the development of tourist activity in the Everest region can be seen in terms of visitor types and host-visitor relationships. Since the 1950s, tourism has brought major economic changes to the Mount Everest region, leading to prosperity for many Sherpas, but also changing patterns of land use and resource management and increasing pressures on high-latitude resources and environment. More and more climbers are now reaching the summit, thanks to advances in mountaineering equipment. Indeed, scaling Everest is

The tourism potential will remain in this region as long as Mount Everest and the Great Himalaya’s exist. However, the same tourism has created a difficult puzzle for Nepal, the Everest host. On one hand, it's a reliable source of income for the otherwise poor country but it’s very success could also be paving a path to its destruction

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becoming a lucrative business. Every year, nearly a quarter of a million people come to Nepal to hike the Himalayas, and over 800 try to scale the famed mountain. However, about 90 percent of the latter groups have no actual climbing skills, having paid between $30,000 and $120,000 for a guided trip up. Mount Everest is the highest elevation on Earth. It rises 8,850 meters (29,035 feet) above sea level. Mount Everest is part of the Himalaya mountain range, which separates the large continent of Asia from the Indian subcontinent. The 32 tallest peaks on Earth are in the Himalayas. Mount Everest is a part of two nations, Nepal and China. The traditional Nepalese name is Sagarmatha and Tibetan name is Chomolungma. A British surveyor, Sir Andrew Scott Waugh, gave Mount Everest its English name in 1865. He named it after Sir George Everest, a Welsh geographer. The Nepalese side offers the best track to climb the Everest and attracts more expeditions than Tibet. Since Nepal ranks among the poorest countries in the world, trekking tourism is a vital economic lifeline for the country. Tourism has enabled the Everest region to become one of the wealthiest areas in Nepal. Tourism related employment opportunities include trekking agents, tour operators, sirdars (trekking field managers) high altitude climbers, porters and cooks. However, becoming a tourist destination was the worst thing to ever happen for the mighty Himalayas and Mount Everest. As a result, the famed mountain has become the “world’s highest garbage dump.” The problem of accumulating trash is worsening mainly due

Mountaineers moving through traditional south cole route.

to the increasing number of mountaineering expeditions and trekkers. The gravity of situation has even lead to a proposal by Sir Edmund Hilary to stop allowing people to climb Mount Everest until the problem of garbage is addressed sufficiently. Environmentalists and other organizations have attempted to organize cleaning efforts with little success due to intensity and size of the problem. However, the misty peak attracts more climbers every year. There are over 18 named routes on Everest and a couple that are still unclimbed. However, the vast majority of climbers use the traditional routes: South Col or the Northeast Ridge Standard aka North Col route. Both the traditional north and south routes have their pros and cons. Up until 2007, the trend was for more climbers to choose the north due to lower costs. But with the Chinese restricting permits over

the past few years, the south side has retained the lead as the preferred route primarily due to commercial operators wanting to reduce uncertainty and to limit their risks.

South Col route

The southern route via the Khumbu Icefall and the South Col is the one most commonly taken by climbers attempting to summit Everest. The Mount Everest rush started after Edmund Hillary and

The gravity of situation has even lead to a proposal by Sir Edmund Hilary to stop allowing people to climb Mount Everest until the problem of garbage is addressed sufficiently

Tenzing Norgay made it to the top in 1953. They used the South Col route. The route taken by them to Everest provides the classic trekking experience in the Himalayas. This trip offers the enchanting sights of Lukla trail in the higher Khumbu, and relaxed observation of the diverse flora and fauna in the mid altitude regions on the approach to the Khumbu valley, the famed Everest territory. The final leg of this trek is quite strenuous with a series of ascents and descents, trekking against theâ&#x20AC;?grainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of the Himalayas. However, these challenges are softened by traditional exquisite tea houses, small hamlets of hardy mountain people and monasteries on the back drop of towering Himalayas, to make it one of the most delightful walks in Nepal.

North Col route

The north side of Everest is steeped in history with multiple

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attempts throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s. The first attempt was by a British team in 1921. Mallory led a small team to be the first human to set foot on the mountains flanks by climbing up to the North Col (7003m). The second expedition, in 1922 reached 27,300′ before turning back, and was the first team to use supplemental oxygen. It was also on this expedition that the first deaths were reported when an avalanche killed seven Sherpas. The 1924 British expedition with George Mallory and Andrew “Sandy” Irvine is most notable for the mystery of whether they summited or not. If they did summit, that would precede Tenzing and Hilary by 29 years. Mallory’s body was found in 1999 but there was no proof that he died going up or coming down. A Chinese team made the first summit from Tibet on May 25, 1960. Nawang Gombu (Tibetan) and Chinese Chu Yin-Hau and Wang Fu-zhou, who is said to have climbed the Second Step in his sock feet, claimed the honor. In 1975, on a successful summit expedition, the Chinese installed the ladder on the A tribal trash collector on the foot of Mt Everest. Second Step. Tibet was closed to foreigners from 1950 to 1980 preventing any further attempts until a Japanese team summited in 1980 via the Hornbein Couloir on the North Face. The north side started to attract more climbers in the mid 1990s and today is almost as popular as the South side when the Chinese allow permits. In 2008 and 2009, obtaining a permit was difficult thus preventing many expeditions from attempting any route from Tibet.

East Face or Kangshung Face

The Kangshung Face is the East Face of Mount Everest, one of the Tibetan sides of the mountain. It is 3,350 metres from its base on the Kangshung Glacier to the summit. It is a broad face, topped on the right by the upper Northeast Ridge, and on the left by the Southeast Ridge and the South Col. Most of the upper part of the face is composed of hanging glaciers, while the lower part consists of steep rock buttresses with couloirs between them. It is considered to be a dangerous route of ascent, compared to the standard North Col and South Col routes, and it is the A potential climber pointing towards the way to Mt Everest.

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

A sole climber using the North Col route.

most remote face of the mountain, with a longer approach. The changes were prompted by the catastrophic avalanche in 2013 that killed 16 Sherpa guides as they were trying to fix ropes and crack snow and ice to carve out a route for foreign climbers.

New South Col route

As the 2015 climbing season approaches, the Nepal government is going to change the main climbing route up the mountain for the first time in decades. The main route will be changed to one up the center of the mountain that avoids the deadly Khumbu Icefall, where a single avalanche killed 16 sherpas in 2014. That fear of more avalanches this year has prompted the shift to a more difficult, but safer route that was used until

the 1990. exist. However, the same and their local guides tourism has created a attempt to scale Everest, The new route; New difficult puzzle for Nepal, Authorities are adding South Col route, which the Everest host. On more medical staff at will pass through centre one hand, it's a reliable Mount Everest's base of Khumbu icefall, rather source of income for the camp this season and than follow its side, where otherwise poor country will speed up rescue tragedy occurred. but it’s very success could efforts during the current The new route will deviate from that followed also be paving a path to its climbing season. The destruction. moves come after 16 local since the first ascent of guides were killed by an Spring climbing the highest mountain avalanche last year in the season in Nepal is from in the world in 1953 and deadliest disaster ever on March 1 to May 31 when pass through the centre of the world's highest peak. hundreds of foreigners the mountain’s infamous Khumbu icefall, rather than follow its left side, where the recent tragedy occurred. The tourism potential will remain in this region as long as Mount Everest and the Great Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay after their successful summit. Himalaya’s

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CUISINE

Eat, Drink & Fly Dining and wining are part of the wanderlust. While in a foreign land, even pure vegetarians are tempted to try the forbidden. The world is full of culinary delights; enjoy...

Unagi, Japan

For the fans of the Friends, unagi is not an alien word. But for Japanese, unagi is not a total state of awareness, but a prized delicacy of grilled river eel. Prepared over hot charcoal, and then steamed remove far, it is served with a sweet barbecue sauce. This legendary cuisine is believed to have powers imbued in it to fight Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hottest summers.

Peking duck, China

Originally called "Shaoyazi" in a 1330 manual of the imperial kitchen, Peking Duck has become a national symbol of China. The duck after treating is pumped with gust of air into their neck cavity to separate skin from fat, and is then roasted in a closed or hung oven. The shiny brown duck is further glazed with maltose syrup.

Seafood paella, Spain.

This is how you want a duck that isn’t flying or floating.

Shepherd’s pie, Britain

Mexican Tacos.

England’s greatest inventions like the steam engine and the Jaguar are dwarfed when you think of shepherd’s pie – minced lamb topped with mashed potato. Originally, a food of the poor made with leftover meats, shepherd’s pie or cottage pie now has earned its place in the list of Britain’s best.

A steamy pan of paella makes a sumptuous lunch. Shrimp, lobster, mussels and cuttlefish combine with white rice and various herbs, oil and salt in this Valencian dish will send you into holiday mode.

Hamburger, Germany

Lobster, Global

When people spend $20 billion each year in a single restaurant chain devoted to Hamburger, you know it has to be class. And it needs no introduction when a three year old could tell you about its taste!

Chicken rice, Singapore

Shepherd’s pie.

of it. A predominant part of the Iranian diet, kebab may be served with either steamed, saffroned basmati or Persian rice or with Persian naan.

Often called the National Dish of Singapore, this steamed chicken is served with fragrant oily rice, with sliced cucumber as the token vegetable. Variants include roasted/soy sauce chicken. The dipping sauces – premium dark soy sauce, chilli with garlic and pounded ginger – give it that little extra oomph.

Kebab, Iran

Students in Europe simply love it and gorge it. But to taste the original kebab, you have to visit the land of its origin, Iran where it flaunts distinct varieties

Seafood paella, Spain

Don’t be carried away by the glamour of the advertising world. When you have the best food delicious as the lobsters, keep it simple. The best way to enjoy lobster is to boil it and serve with a side of melted butter and slice of lemon.

Navratan Korma, India

Literally translating to nine gems navaratnas, this rich Mughlai gravy as you probably imagined, is made of 9 component; a mix of fruits, vegetables and fried nuts. The gravy is made of cashew nut paste or cream and this 9 jewelled combination will be remembered by your palate forever.

Bánh phu thê, Vietnam

Literally translating to "husband and wife cake," this Vietnamese dessert was traditionally offered by a man to

the woman he wants to marry. Still an essential part of wedding banquets, this cake is made from rice with mung beans stuffing, wrapped in a box made of pandan leaves.

The Nanaimo bar, Canada

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This popular bar dessert of Canada requires no baking, but its wafer crumb-based layer topped by a layer of custard icing and melted chocolate doesn’t require one. Many varieties consisting of different types of crumb, icing and chocolate exist, only making this “chocolate slice” more endearing.

Tacos, Mexico

A fresh, handmade tortilla stuffed with small chunks of grilled beef rubbed in oil and sea salt then covered with guacamole, cilantro or anything else you want, eaten at any time you want. This probably explains why every visitor who leaves Mexico takes some fat cells as souvenir.

Marzipan, Germany

The real Marzipan, which uses nothing but ground almonds with sugar, is so good, you’ll eat a whole bar of it, feel sick, and still find yourself toying with the wrapper on bar number two.

Lobster.

Som tam, Thailand

Thailand’s most famous green papaya salad is an unbeatable combination made from shredded unripe papaya. Thin strips of papaya is combined with five main tastes - sour lime, hot chilli, salty, savory fish sauce, and sweetness added by palm sugar. Mixed and pounded in a mortar; this salad is sometimes savory, slightly tangy yet crisp and crunchy.

Chocolate, Mexico

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The Mayans drank it, it was made into a film that gives us a guilt of eating too much of it! The story of the humble cacao bean is a bona fide outof-the-jungle, into-civilization tale of culinary wonder.

SPIRITUAL TOURISM

Ujjain Plethora Of Temples Ujjain is an ideal site for religious tourism in India. Situated on the banks of the river Shipra, the city in Madhya Pradesh is home to a plethora of temples and places of worship

jjain is one of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) of the Hindus, and the Kumbh Mela religious festival is held there every 12 years. The Simhastha Kumbh Mela enhances the city's importance as a tourist hub. It is the great bathing festival of Ujjain and celebrated in a cycle of twelve years when Jupiter enters the Leo sign of the zodiac, known as Simha Rashi. Ceremonial bathing in the holy waters of Shipra begin with the full moon day of Chaitra and continue in different intervals throughout the successive month of Vaishakha culminating on tee full moon day. Tradition calls for ten different factors to be located for the grand festival at Ujjain. According to the Puranas, the legendary churning of the ocean by the gods (Devas) and demons (Danavas) yielded, amongst other things, a jar (Kumbha) full of nectar (Amrita). Gods did not like to share it with demons. At the instance of Indra, the master of gods, his son Jayanta

tried to run away with the jar and was naturally followed by some of the demons. Simhastha - Archaeological View Kumbha of Ujjain is also known as the Simhastha. It is just natural that on the occasion of this pious parva, Sadhus of various sects and pilgrims assemble in large number to take dips in the celestial Shipra River. Thus, the gathering takes the form of a very large-sized fair. Needless to say, such fairs at Kumbha-places are among the largest religious gatherings of the world. Ujjain have many tourists places, most of which are of religious significance. As a great religious center, Ujjain ranks equal to Benaras, Gaya and Kanchi. Saivism, Vaishnavism and their various cults and sects, Jainism and Buddhism, have found a niche in this catholic city. The Avanti Khanda of the Skanda Purana mentions innumerable temples consecrated to Shakti and her various forms. The Siddha and the Natha cults which were offshoots of

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People offering pujas at shipra river ghat.

Mahakaleshwar temple view from shipra river.

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The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti, which means that it is facing the south. This is a unique feature, upheld by the tantric shivnetra tradition to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 Jyotirlingas. The images of Ganesh, Parvati and Karthikeya are installed in the west, north and east of the sanctum sanctorum Tantricism, also flourished in Ujjain. Ujjain is the modern name for Ujjayini. Legend has it that in the hoary past, the God like king Shiva of Avanti commemorated his victory over the demon-ruler of Tripura or Tripuri on the banks of the Narmada by changing the name of his capital, Avantipura to Ujjayini (one who conquers with pride). Sculptures and monasteries have been found sprinkled around Ujjain, leading to the credence that Buddhism thrived here in the 4th century. Ujjain's relevance is not constrained to the small circle of a religious place. Apart from that, this city was a haven of astronomers, and great poets. Besides this Ujjain was ruled over by many greatest rulers who have given out their best to this historic city. The illustrious kings of the Gupta dynasty whose reign is considered as the golden rule of India belonged to Ujjain. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a look at some of the important tourist attractions in Ujjain

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Ujjain is home to Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines to the god Shiva and is also the place where Lord Krishna got

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education. The temple is situated on the side of the Rudra Sagar lake. The presiding deity, Shiva in the lingam form is believed to be Swayambhu, deriving currents of power (Shakti) from within itself as against the other images and lingams that are ritually established and invested with mantra-shakti. The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti, which means that it is facing the south. This is a unique feature, upheld by the tantric shivnetra tradition to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 Jyotirlingas. The idol of Omkareshwar Mahadev is consecrated in the sanctum above the Mahakal shrine. The images of Ganesh, Parvati and Karthikeya are installed in the west, north and east of the sanctum sanctorum. To the south is the image of Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva.

Mahakaleshwar temple main entrance with spacious courtyard.

Bhartrihari caves.

Ram Mandir

Dedicated to Lord Ram who is flanked by his consort Sita on one side and brother Lakshman on the other side, Ram Mandir in Ujjain is a eye catching spectacle. Built in the 17th century, this fabulous shrine is a finest example of structural brilliance. The walls of the pretty shrine are decorated with beautiful paintings.

Sadhus during kumbhmela.

www.youtube.com Interiors of Chintaman Ganesh Temple.

Besides the attractive scenes from the lives of Rama and Krishna the painting of Bedalya Bua Maharaj and Sant Tukoba are very attractive. Certain old images are seen inscribed inside the temple are very remarkable for their amazing sculptural designs and perfection. A tenth century old image of Lord Vishnu installed in between the assembly hall and the interior of Ram Mandir needs a special mention.

Ujjain Jantar Mantar

Another place of astronomical importance and for star gazers is the Jantar Mantar (also called the Vedh Shala Observatory) established in the 17th century. Since, ancient times, Ujjain was the center of the studies and research of Hindu astrologers and astronomers and the observatory is evidence of the same. Jantar Mantar is derived from the words, Yantra and Mantra. It is located in the south eastern place of Ujjain and has four monuments. The first one, Samrata Yantra, 22 feet tall calculates the time. The second one, Nadi Walaya Yantra calculates the Equinoctial days. The third one, Dignasha Yantra calculates the positions of the planets and stars. The fourth and last one, Bhitti Yantra calculates the suns' declination and its distance from the zenith. It also has a telescope and a planetarium.

Kaliadeh Palace

Situated 8km north of the town, Kaliadeh Palace was built over a

Hindu Sun Temple, on an island in the river Shipra in AD 1458 by the Sultans of Mandu. Carvings from the Sun Temple still exist on the bridge to the island. A device brings the river water to the tanks in the palace from where it falls on sculptured stone screens. The central hall is surrounded with galleries. The Mughal Emperor Akbar visited Ujjain in AD 1601, and on the riverbank, he constructed a low building that was used as a stable. Later, this was used by Pindari thugs, the looters from neighbouring Pindar, to rest their horses. After centuries of damage to the palace, Maharaja Madhav Rao Scindia I, restored the palace to its lost glory in AD 1920.

Ujjain was the center of the studies and research of Hindu astrologers and astronomers and the observatory is evidence of the same. Jantar Mantar (also called the Vedh Shala Observatory) is located in the south eastern place of Ujjain is an important place for the star gazers

Bhartrihari Caves

Bhartrihari caves of Madhya Pradesh stand proudly on the bank of the Shipra River, near the revered Gadkalika Temple of Ujjain. Named after the famous sage 'Bhatrihari', the caves stand as testimony to the traditional wealth of India. Today, these caves are popular amongst tourists visiting Madhya Pradesh for their historical charm. The pellucid waters of Shipra cascades near the caves and add to the beauty of the place. These caves, assigned to 11th century AD, are the exact site where Bhartrihari, stepbrother of King Vikramaditya, resided and meditated. Born a king, Bhartrihari renounced his affluent lifestyle and adopted the garb of an ascetic. The reason behind it was his disturbing relation with his wife, which gave way to many complexities that he could not endure. The heartbreak led him to give up all his palatial dreams and become a spiritualist. There is a small temple inside the caves, which forms a holy shrine for people belonging to the Nath community. Every year, thousands of devotees frequent the place, to pay homage to the poet-prophet. In fact, Natha Sadhus (religious shamans) camp in huge tents that surround the caves and one can often notice them sitting around ritual fires. The ancient site of Pir Matsyendranath located nearby heightens the religious aura of the caves. It is one of the famous and most interesting attractions in Ujjain. The

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

Bhartrihari caves are an ancient site which has some interesting legends associated with it. It is said that it holds tunnels which lead directly to the four ancient dhams (char dham). These ways were later shut down by Britishers.

Bade Ganesh ji Ki Mandir

Bade Ganesh ji Ki Mandir in Ujjain is situated near the tank of the Mahakaleshwar Temple which houses a massive statue of the elephant-headed God of Wisdom and Prosperity, Ganesha. The Bade Ganesha Ji Temple of Ujjain is an Institute for teaching astrology and Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language considered the root of other Indian languages. Bade Ganeshji Ka Mandir very much glorifies the city of Ujjain. Lord Ganesh is

considered to be the most benevolent God who blesses his followers with wealth and prosperity. The Lord has a very sweet figure with a tusk of an elephant and is considered to be the most favorite son of Parvati, or Goddess Durga. Nowhere else in the country but in this temple Hanuman is depicted with five faces known as Panchamukhi (five-faced), Lord Hanuman here symbolises courage, loyalty, devotion, strength, and righteousness. This Ganesha temple is also an important centre of learning, it reflects on the status of temples in ancient Vedic times, circa 1500 BC when houses of prayer were study centres too. This practice is been prevalent even today in the South Indian temple complexes where idols are worshiped and religious teachings are imparted.

A devotee at snanghat.

HEALTH

How to Become a

Travel

Yogi

Sometimes we need reminders on loving ourselves, to go that extra mile to give attention to your body, often taken for granted. More so for travel bugs, who constantly gift themselves jet lags, prolonged hours of stationary posture, and erratic sleep patterns

s Bess Abrahams, co-author of Airplane Yoga rightly says, "The biggest benefit [of airplane yoga] is to avoid deep vein thrombosis, when you're sitting still for so long that your circulation basically coagulates". She adds, “You want to keep moving."

intended!). Practising the 1-23-4-5 counts for inhalation and exhalation relaxes you, boosts your metabolism and takes away the flying jitters. This calming technique pranayama, executed with breathing through nose with sealed lips also has the added advantage of oxygenating your blood.

Breathe

Neck Movements

For something that comes to us naturally, mastering breathing techniques takes you a long way (pun

Use the bathroom breaks to perform mini-lunges, bending one leg and stepping forward with the whole body and then back with the legs together. Do as much as you can to shake the stiffness out from hips, legs and calves

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Release the stress of a long day by giving your necks a full rotational stretch, inhaling when you tilt backwards and exhaling while you drop your head towards chest. Other neck exercises include giving it a full rotational stretch, and moving your head side to side for a horizontal stretch. These movements are to be undertaken with a slow, deliberate pace focussing on your breathing.

Torso Stretch

Right after neck, shoulders come in sagging under the weight of exhaustion. Stretch as much as you could, with your arms behind your back, inhaling in the process. Pause in the pose for a minute, and then let go. To loosen the abdomen area and the thighs, bring your knees to your chest, one at a time. Hug your knee by wrapping your hands around it, and grab your opposite elbows. Do this for both sides. Make the most of the space available, do all your gymnastics if you must!

Step Out

Rooting to your spot is the worst thing that can happen to you while travelling long distance. Grab the opportunity to move about, such as seat beat sign going off. Move your ankles and shake that pins and needles that’s plotting against your knees. Use the bathroom breaks to perform mini-lunges, bending one leg and stepping forward with the whole body and then back with the legs together. Do as much as you can to shake the stiffness out from hips, legs and calves.

The Ultimate Rejuvenation!

The all time favourite pose savasana, is your best friend for an overall relaxation of your limbs and mind. If you’re travelling business or first class, lying down to stretch offers no challenge, however, it’s a game changer in less than comfortable scenarios. If that’s the case, all you need is to find a place where you can comfortably prop waist down against a wall. The trick is to have the buttocks close to the wall as possible, and walk your legs upwards in steps, like a walk against gravity. The raised legs bring home a good flow of blood to head, heart and other channels. Besides, it also takes away the swelling in the legs and feet, caused by prolonged hours of sitting or standing.

TAMIL NADU TRAVELLER

KANYAKUMARI

The Virgin Teenager

Dr S Bakthavatchalam Additional Director Tamil Nadu Tourism

Often the name of any given place has a connection with its history. Either of its origin. Or growth. Or decline and subsequent history. As curious as it sounds, to name a place that literally translates to the virgin teenager is quite uncommon. Tracing back to its time, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an interesting tale to be told about the land that watches over three seas. Dr.S. Bakthavatchalam tells you how the tale unfolds ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

It involves the story of a demon Banasura, who had been granted a boon - to be killed only by a virgin teenage girl. Protected by this boon, the demon wrecked havoc on the devas in the heaven. Listening to their pleas, Lord Vishnu advised them to supplicate before Goddess Parashakti. During the yajna that followed, Parashakti appeared before them in the form of a little girl. Promising to help them, she walked out of the holy fire, and traveling to the southerntip of India’s mainland where she began meditating upon Lord Shiva. Lord, on the other hand, fell in love with the beautiful form of Kanyakumari and proposed his love for her. Parashakti who agreed to become his bride, waited for his arrival at scheduled midnight on a certain auspicious day. But sage Narada sensed danger, as it was only ‘the virgin’ Parashakti who could quell Banasura. He could not be killed by a married woman. Sage Narada prevented the disaster by cunningly misleading Lord Shiva by falsely heralding the break of dawn. Lord, who was on his way from his abode in Suchindram, returned thinking he missed the appointed hour of marriage. Angry at Shiva for not arriving, the Goddess threw away all the food and decorations prepared for the wedding. It is believed that the multi-coloured sands and small pebbles found on the shore are the result of this. The heart-broken Goddess, however, continued her meditation with the hope that one day she will be united to her Lord. Meanwhile, Banasura having heard Kanyakumari's beauty, decided to take her by force. But Kanyakumari, who was prepared for the moment, resisted his attack. A fierce battle took place. It ended with Kanyakumari slaying Banasura with her chakra. At the

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

moment of his death, though, Banasura repented for his acts and begged to Parashakti to be able to absolve himself of his sins in the waters of Kanyakumari. Devi granted the boon. Thus, giving birth to the centuries’ old custom of pilgrims taking a dip in this holy confluence of seas to clean themselves of all the sins committed in their lives, knowingly and unknowingly. Geographically a cape, the place was called ‘Cape Comorin’ during the British Raj, to ease the Englishman's inability to pronounce local names. This

Kanyakumari also offers number of other attractions for the discerning travelers that includes Vattakottai Fort, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Mathur Hanging Bridge, Gandhi Memorial, Vivekananda Rock and Thiruvalluvar Stature place has been a great center for art, culture, civilization, and pilgrimage, besides, trade and commerce for centuries. Islam, Christianity and Jainism have contributed heavily to the architectural wealth and literary heritage of this place. During the early eighth century, Islam entered the southern part of India through the sea route with traders and missionaries and Christianity arrived in this area in AD 52, through St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ.

Statue of Thiruvalluvar.

The land was under the rule of the Cholas, the Cheras, the Pandyas and the Nayaks who ruled South India at various points. Kanyakumari was also under erstwhile Kingdom of present day South Kerala, Venad. But in 1609, Kanyakumari fell into the hands of Viswanatha Nayak of Madurai. The remaining part of Nanjilnadu remained under Venad though. Venad came to be known as ‘Thiruvithamkoor’ or Travancore under the valiant King Marthanda Varma. It was around this period, Padmanabhapuram, near Nagercoil, became the capital of Travancore. As the kingdom expanded northwards and southwards under him, the present day Kanyakumari came to be known as Southern Travancore. The capital shifted from Padmanabhapuram to Thiruvananthapuram in 1745 and when the rule of the Travancore royals finally ceased in 1947, Travancore joined the independent Indian Union. Under the new government, in 1949, Kanyakumari became part of the newly constituted Travancore-Cochin state. But since the majority of the population of Kanyakumari spoke Tamil, the district of Kanyakumari, part of South Travancore was Gandhi Memorial. merged with Madras State (now Tamil Nadu) under the Indian States Re-organisation Act of 1956. Kanyakumari District was thus formed on 1 November 1956 with the four taluks – ‘Agasteeswarem’, ‘Thovalai’, ‘Kalkulam’ and ‘Vilavancode’ from Travancore, merged with Tamil Nadu. Even historically this land has so much mythology written all over it that even a divine soul like Swami Vivekananda drew his spiritual strength to face the western world meditating here. Strategically located at the confluence of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, at Kanyakumari, one gets to watch the sunrise in the east, traverse the heavens and then finally set in the west—all over the water – a phenomenon that draws hordes of people from the world over, every year, just to watch this spectacle. Kanyakumari also offers a number of other attractions for the discerning travelers. Vattakottai Fort, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Mathur Hanging Bridge, Gandhi Memorial, Vivekananda Rock, Thiruvalluvar Stature, Chitharal Jain Monuments, Udayagiri Fort, Kanyakumari Beach, Muttam Beach, Suchindram Temple, Thirparappu Waterfalls, Vattaparai Falls, Perunchani Dam and Tsunami Memorial are some of such popular attractions of historical and Muttam Beach. geographical importance.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

How much do you know about IMEX? As the countdown to IMEX 2015 begins, how much do you know about the meetings industry’s annual event? You may already know that every May, IMEX in Frankfurt attracts event planners from around the world who come to do business with destinations, venues and international suppliers. You may also know that IMEX provides great networking and education opportunities. But did you know that this huge event is run by a small company of just over 50 people? And being a small team, we’re very much in touch with the feedback from the show floor. When we hear from visitors that they’ve got a month ahead of schedule by doing business at IMEX, or that they’ve gathered some brilliant ideas from the show, it makes us want to dance in the aisles. And those who have been before will know that quite a lot of dancing goes on in the aisles at IMEX. IMEX. A small, friendly company hosting a big, friendly event. Come and join us 19-21 May 2015 in fabulous Frankfurt. Register now for IMEX 2015 imex-frankfurt.com/register

imex-frankfurt.com Call +44 (0)1273 227311 Email info@imexexhibitions.com @imex_group The worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events

TRIBAL TOURISM

The idea of inhabiting in a place where prominent Gods of a religion lived sounds surreal. More so curious is when the dwellers of these deep forests wilfully alienate themselves from modernity, and find contentment in their unconventional society they built over the years

elcome to Bastar, a land believed to be the Dandakaranya of Valmikiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ramayana, and the route taken by the Pandavas when they went into hiding. Located in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, with 70% of its population being indigenous inhabitants, or adivasis (ancient ancestors), Bastar is the largest tribal area of the state. Situated 264kms from Raipur, this land of forest children, this largest tribal district of the state has more than its waterfalls, natural caves, tribal dances in store for us. The Bastar cluster is formed by various tribal groups within it such as the Gond, Bhatra, Halbaa, Dhurvaa, Muria and Bison Horn Maria. Among them, there is a distinct difference in tradition, dialect, costume, faith and culture. The old Shabari whom Lord Rama met was an ancient Gond inhabitant of these forests. A large number of them prefer to live in deep forests to avoid coming in contact with outsiders to protect their uniqueness.

A traditional folk dance of the Bastar tribes.

Culture

The local folks are known for their artistic skills and talent, producing fine examples of weaved clothes and handicrafts. They are also one of the earliest to work with metal producing figurines of tribal gods, animals and

Trivia! Bastar is also known as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Kashmir of Chhattishgarhâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Tribal bronze handicrafts.

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Bastar Palace in Jagdalpur City.

the like. In order to support and promote the tribal crafts culture, the government took initiative in creating Shilpgram, 15kms from Jagdalpur. Another cultural phenomenon that threw Bastar to the limelight was its Gond tribes, a majority of the Bastars for their exceptional system of marriages.

Festival

Bastar Dassera, the 10 day festival is one of the most important festivals Bastars are known for. They celebrate Dassera with the rest of India, but unlike the widely practised notion of celebrating return of Lord Rama, after 14 years of exile, Bastar Dassera celebrates the congregation of Devi Maoli. Believed to have started in the 15th century, this centuries old festival was started by Maharaj Purushottam Deo, the fourth Kakatiya ruler.

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Monuments

Built in Jagdalpur city, the kings of Bastar district built the Bastar Palace which served as their administrative headquarters. Built in prehistoric times, it still attracts visitors for its architectural splendour, engravings on the walls and the figurines that talks of the brave warriors they saw in their time. The Bhoromdeo Temple, the ancient temple of Danteshwari is said to be one of the 52 sacred Shakti peethas of the Hindu Mythology.

Nature

Home to 330 metre long Kutumsar cave, the second longest natural cave in the world, these forests have more than one marvel hidden in them. Kailash Cave, for example has a naturally formed Shiva linga made by the stalactites of these pitch-dark, mysterious

caves that has been in existence for over 6000 years. For the lovers of animals, Kanger Valley national Park is a good place to spot panthers, tigers, bears, jackals, langurs, and many species of birds and deers. The Indravathi National Park is also another option for wildlife enthusiasts. Called the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Niagara falls of India,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; the horse shoe shaped Chitrakoot waterfalls is a major tourist attractor. Joined by its kins are the waterfalls of Kanger Dhara, Mandawa, Chitradhara, and Tamada Ghumar.

BEST TIME TO VISIT November to June. Avoid rainy season as the caves would be flooded by the incoming waters.

FUN TOURISM

AMSTERDAM

Nightlife Amsterdam is alive with energy. Whether you want to have a drink with friends, enjoy a performance or dance until dawn, the city offers a diverse night life scene with a little something for everyone

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

hen the sun goes down, Amsterdam transforms into a whole new city. The cobblestone streets are quiet and the bridges are elegantly lit. The moon shines softly over the water. Inside, however, the party is just getting started. From funny comedy clubs to venues that feature energetic DJs and trendy bars to relaxed brown cafes, Amsterdam is alive with energy. Whether you want to have a drink with friends, enjoy a performance or dance until dawn, the city offers a diverse night life scene with a little something for everyone. One component that particularly stands out is the city’s live music

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

scene. Visitors are able to find just about every genre – classical, jazz, blues, rock ‘n roll, indie and more. Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein are two of the most lively nightlife areas. The trams stop around 00:30, but night buses and taxis are always available. Jessica Lipowski is a writer who has fallen in love with the Netherlands. She moved in 2011, seizing an opportunity to live abroad, a long-time dream. Jessica has always had a passion for writing. She also developed her love for travel early. She’s travelled all over the US and Europe, enjoying scenery, diverse cultures and delicious meals. She is sure Amsterdam is a city you'll never forget. The city is known

The Dutch have graced the world with some of the most accomplished artists of all time. Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Escher-to name but a few. Amsterdam is not only a city; it is also a muse that inspires creativity

for five things:

Bikes

For every citizen within Amsterdam, there exists a bike and a half. That amounts to about one million bikes, more than four times the amount of cars in the city center. Amsterdam is the world’s leading city concerning urban biking. Around 400 km of integrated biking paths exist, making the bike the best method of transportation in Amsterdam. The biking culture is wonderfully casual as well. No lycra-laden, hurried commuters, rather a lot of well-dressed biking aficionados that are fully committed to self-propulsion-even in the most extreme of weather.

Canals

A coffeeshop in Amsterdam.

Affectionately known as the Venice of the North, Amsterdam’s arteries consist of 165 canals. The canals were constructed during the 17th century when the Dutch were the global leaders in trade, art, science and military. These canals create a subculture of sorts, welcoming a cast of boats, bridges, canal houses and wildlife amidst their reflective surface-particularly when the weather is gorgeous.

Coffee Shops

Amsterdam is infamous for its liberal attitudes regarding what the Dutch consider to be ‘soft drugs’. The sale and consumption of small amounts of marijuana are tolerated within any of Amsterdam’s ubiquitous coffee shops. The marijuana trade exists in a grey area of legality. The logic behind it being that by tolerating the sale of marijuana, law enforcement are able to concentrate their efforts on containing the spread of harder drugs.

Flowers

Holland has had a long love affair with flowers. Since importing them centuries ago from Turkey and Iran, they have become the world’s main exporter of flowers and plant life. During the spring in Amsterdam, flowers sprout on a whim throughout the city’s many green spaces. An hour’s journey from Amsterdam is the Keukenhof Park in Lisse, one of the world’s most gorgeous gardens.

Art

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

Street art on a building wall.

creativity. With over 50 museums and 140 galleries, Amsterdam is an art lover’s paradise. Amsterdam is a foodie’s paradise. From Dutch cuisine and French delights to Japanese dishes, fresh succulent seafood, spicy Indonesian, tasty tapas and almost everything in between, the city offers just about every flavor from around the world. With so much to experience, your taste buds will surely be satisfied. The Dutch tend to eat early, and most kitchens close at 10 pm. A few stay open late, while some cafes and pubs may only serve finger food. After the quiet early evening hours, Amsterdam's streets and squares get again very busy at night. At the back of the Dam square, the whole area of town called Red Light District is always invaded by large groups of tourists walking in the streets and looking at the windows with the girls. Nearby small restaurants and cafes are full of people. Two of the busy night-life areas are Rembrantplein and Leidseplein. Around the latter, you will find the City Theatre (Stadsschouwburg), lots of theatres, cafes, restaurants, the Lido theatre, music centers like Sugar Factory, Paradiso and Melkweg offering rock, pop, dance, and rap.

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

A common Amsterdam transport.

Taking a camera into the Walletjes, is a serious breach of etiquette. One of the district's security crew may remind you – destroy your film; may even ask you to leave, or worse Another busy area of clubs, cafes and cinemas is Rembrandtplein. The square is surrounded by the cafes and clubs always full of guests. An important small street traditionally attracting theatre crowd is Nes (parallel to Rokin). Nearby cafes try to attract this intellectual crowd. The old area of the Jordn is mostly frequented by the young people. In its cafes and bars, it is easy to meet people and make new friends. Most of the coffee shops are open till mid-night, some a bit longer. The camera in a circle sign behind many of the windows, along with the furious tapping on glass of the women themselves, will inform you that taking a camera into the Walletjes, Amsterdam's red light district,

is a serious breach of etiquette. One of the district's security crew may remind you – destroy your film; may even ask you to leave, or worse. Prostitution has been legal in the Netherlands from 1815 and in 1996 the Dutch government started to tax it. According to statistics there are now over 25,000 prostitutes in the Netherlands and over half of these are said to be illegal immigrants. Like many cities in the world there are a large number of brothels in Amsterdam but unlike other cities there are a large number of red lit windows in the Red Light District. Inside the sex museum you will find a great collection of erotic art from throughout history and a number of other entertaining exhibits. There is everything from an extensive collection of literature and manuscripts portraying various illustrations of sex that have popped up throughout history through padded booths playing porno films to a gallery of alternative sexual fetishes. Everything’s very mixed in Amsterdam – a mix of influences. The city is too small to have separate clubs for everyone. People have to interact with each other, and that’s what creates an exciting dynamic.

KARNATAKA TRAVELLER

Bhatkal A Treasure Chest Of History

Bhatkal has seen its share of kingdoms and empire. The Saluvas, the Cholas, the Hoysalas dynasty, and lastly, the VIjayanagara Empire. The town also romanced the foreign rulers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Portuguese and eventually the British, during the colonial era. Faced with an air of desolation, and succumbing to urbanization, this small old port town is the best place to walk down a historic lane...

hatkal is a port town that shares its borders between the sea and the Western Ghats. An important port for trade in 16th century, Bhatkal is now one of the major stations along Konkan Railway line. To add more to its character, Bhatkal is now enjoying the attention from tourists who venture further from the popular destinations in its neighbourhood, the Murudeshwar temple. So what does this old port town have in store for us?

Beach

Resting 16kilometres away from the Bhatkal town, well connected by roads and rails is the Bhatkal beach. The beach also flaunts its fresh sea food, spicy curries and sweets that are unique to the locale. Other hotspots in the surrounding area includes Honnavur, Shirur, Hadavalli, Kumta and Jog falls.

Religious monuments

Bhatkal also has a fair share in spirituality. In its neighbourhood it showcases two Jain Basadis from 16th century, an old Portuguese built church, and very famous mosques and temples. The most important temple is the Murudeshwar temple, surrounded on all three sides by the Arabian Sea. Built under the Vijayanagara empire, legends claim of a beautiful fort behind the temple which is said to have been repaired by the Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Other important temples are Solesvara and Kethapayya Narayan. The former is regarded to be the oldest temple built in memory of the conquest of Bhatkal by the Cholas in the 10th century. Equally popular mosques in the region include Khalifa Masjid, the Noor Masjid and the Jamia Masjid.

The renovated lighthouse of Bhatkal.

The Rocky Terrain

The hills and hillocks along the rocky shores offer a good challenge to the best of trekkers and hikers. Hence itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no surprise when the rocky slide of Western Ghats slopes down Arabian Sea to become an all time favourite spot for trekkers.

Other attractions Lighthouse Bhatkal Light House is situated beside the ruins of a fort in Bhatkal, which was constructed in 1891. In its older version, it used to be a stone masonry column with a double wick lamp placed inside the lantern. Now, it exists with

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

The Bhatkal beach.

halide lamps, becoming one of the usual haunts of Bhaktal. Jettappa Nayakana Basadi This Jain temple consists of two blocks of buildings joined together by intervening porch in east and west. The western portion has two storeys, while the eastern portion serves as a porch to the temple.

Distance

Bangalore: 494 Km, Mysore: 396 Km Mangalore: 145 Km Nearest Airport: Mangalore Nearest Railway Station: Bhatkal. Road: NH-17 connects Bhatkal with Goa, Mumbai and Mangalore

Best time to visit August- March

HOSPITALITY

Where To Stay In

BENGALURU

When you are planning an annual meeting of shareholders in Bengaluru, you are unlikely to look for the best swimming pool or the best chef in the town, but you will be focused on the best conference hall, spacious, cozy, with the state-of-the-art video and sound track facilities

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

f you have to catch the early morning flight, closeness to the airport matters you most. But in case, you have a couple of daysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stay and to meet a lot of clients, closeness to the airport is the last thing you look for, because half of your clients may not reach you. If you are an epicurean CEO who does not compromise on gubernatorial principles, you focus on the best chef in the town. But if you are Mahendra Singh Dhoni, you may look for the best recreational facilities, including the swimming pool. Branding is an important aspect of marketing, and studying how hotels try to create their brands cashing in on human needs will indeed make you business wise.

The Leela Palace Bangalore The Tranquillity Place!

In crazy times, tranquillity is a magnet of attraction. Ensconced in 9 acres of tranquility that includes

an azure lagoon, The Leela Palace Bangalore mirrors the lushness of the Garden City. Harking back to the royal heritage of the Vijaynagar Dynasty, this luxury hotel in Bangalore earns it name by showcasing gold leaf domes, ornate ceiling and grand arches, making it one of the most admired Bangalore hotels. This is a business hotel created for the emperors of the IT world. The Leela Palace Bangalore, provides a truly exceptional experience. It effortlessly marries the traditional past of Bangalore with its technological present. The good literature has created a market niche for the hotel.

The LaLiT Ashok Nature's Lap

When nature and naturopath are the buzz words, The LaLiT Ashok has tried to market it on its panoramic landscape. Nestled in an oasis of 10 acres of sprawling landscape and manicured lawns, The

LaLiT Ashok is one of the finest 5-star hotels amongst all Bangalore luxury hotels. The luxury hotel wears a contemporary and elegant look featuring the latest in technology along with trendy guest amenities and services. A sweeping drive-way lined with tall trees leads you to the porch of this recently renovated hotel. Besides its exclusive location, the hotel is also well known for its creative dining options and the city's largest banquet facilities. Wordsworth would have loved to stay in LaLiT Ashok, without even considering a second option.

The Oberoi, Bengaluru The Tech Savvy Oberoi

Located on MG Road, in the heart of the business and shopping districts of Bangalore, It is equipped with the latest in technology. The Oberoi, Bengaluru reflects and harmonises the dual personalities of Bengaluru the Garden City and major IT hub.

Branding is an important aspect of marketing, and studying how hotels try to create their brands cashing in on human needs will indeed make you business wise

All rooms have high speed WiFi access, and are equipped with Oberoi Eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nhance, an iPad interface that allows guests to manage everything from entertainment to in-room dining. If the literature is not glowing, the technology compensates for it.

ITC Windsor The Heritage dates the Global The ITC Windsor, Bengaluru, merges an old world ambience with international service to create a hotel experience that goes beyond expectation. The hotel has long acquired a reputation of playing host to the aristocracy of the world.

The Oberoi.

The hotel is located a mere three kilometres from the business centre and 33 kilometres from the airport in a highly secure diplomatic pocket. Flawless literature makes its marks.

Park Plaza Bengaluru Hotel Best Chef

Chef Amitabh Choudhury is a renowned culinary artist who infuses his own unique style and technique into each dish served at the hotel's restaurants. Menu items are prepared using herbs gathered from the chef's own gardens and celebrate a variety of global traditions. Treat yourself to a truly unforgettable dining experience with a remarkable meal at the Park Plaza Bengaluru.

The Taj West End For the Business Traveller

Next to the Golf Club and across from the Turf Club track stands The Taj West End, a lush, 20-acre garden in the middle of Bangalore. It is a sanctuary for today's discerning business traveler and offers up an array of cutting edge business technology, and a

ITC Windsor.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

24-hour Business Centre. For the leisure seeker, there is plenty to do. Sip drinks under a 125-years old Banyan tree. Laze in the sun. Linger over high tea and let us demonstrate that even though the old days certainly had plenty going for them, the present is even better.

Ritz Carlton Bangalore Best for Weddings

Located in the heart of downtown Bangalore, the hotel introduces seven fine dining restaurants and lounges to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emerging culinary scene, along with a luxurious spa featuring signature treatments. The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore has a truly unique sense of place, which makes it stand out among other hotels in Bangalore, India as an ideal venue for memorable meetings and weddings.

The Park Hotel Bangalore.

ITC Royal Gardenia The Garden of the Garden City

ITC Gardenia embodies the splendors of Nature. This luxury hotel in Bengaluru was built as a tribute to the beautiful city, and inspired from the magnificent gardens of the City. The Hotel is conveniently located in the commercial heart of Bengaluru and is in close proximity to key business districts and IT hubs of Bengaluru.

Vivanta

The Taj West End .

Gateway to Tech Park

This 5-Star hotel of the TAJ Group stands right at the main entrance to the International Tech Park. Soak in the space that's bang in the centre of Bangalore's business and entertainment areas. The lobby is a unique mix of chic and classic.

The Park Hotel Bangalore Designed to Perfection

Every minute detail in hotel rooms and suites accentuates the unique and modern styling meticulously crafted by Corran & Partners. Each floor is decorated to embody the various landscapes, experiences, life stays, and

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Ritz Carlton Bangalore.

cultures from across India.

Hyatt Bangalore Best Conference Hall

Hyatt Banglore offers a spectacular view of the Ulsoor Lake. Hyatt restaurants present an array of dining options from Multi-cuisine to modern Indian cuisine. The hotel also houses the Best Spa in Bangalore. Hyatt Bangalore is one of the best conference hotels in Bangalore for all types of meetings and events that are conducted with unparalleled style, elegance and attention to details.

ITC Royal Gardenia .

The Zuri Whitefield The Trendy 5-Satr

Five-star hospitality and chic design are what guests can expect at The Zuri Whitefield Bangalore, 1 km from ITPL Road. An outdoor pool, pampering spa treatments and a fitness centre are available. Each type of guestroom comes with its own set of extra benefits, such as butler services, free airport transfers and free chocolate platters. The 24-hour Karibu Restaurant has a live pizza oven and serves popular dishes Vivanta. like Butter Chicken Masala. Incanto Italian Restaurant serves specialties like Grilled Lobster with Garlic Butter Sauce. Other dining options include the rooftop Sake â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pan Asian Restaurant & Cigar Lounge, the stylish Bling Bar and the pool-side Infinity Bar. The literature stands out with tempting delicacies.

The Chancery Pavilion New Age Hotel

Allow us to welcome you to The Chancery Pavilion, Bangaloreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new-age 5 star luxury business hotel of discerning Park Plaza Bengaluru Hotel. choice. A contemporary designed 225 key ultra-modern hotel is a landmark in Bangalore's central business district. Overlooking the lush green Bangalore club, you see her sweeping profile. Glittering lobby, lounge bar, swanky restaurants, all day dining options, inviting swimming pool, well equipped gymnasium, health spa and over 20,000 sq. ft. of banqueting and conferencing space. The literature is embellished and brings out the salient features. Hyatt Bangalore.

NATURE

Sonamarg

MECCA OF THE DAREDEVILS

Pictures Courtesy: Ashfaq Rah, Villa Himalayas

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

Every year adventure seekers from all over the world religiously flock to Sonamarg to get their share of thrill amidst the snow clad Himalayan peaks, undulated mountainous landscapes, widespread grasslands, sparkling streams, boisterous waterfalls and villagedotted slopes. An alpine valley on the banks of Nallah Sindh – the largest tributary of Jehlum in Kashmir – Sonamarg, is in fact the Mecca of trekkers and hikers

‘P

aradise on Earth’ as the Mughals christened Kashmir, is truly a multi-faceted heaven that changes its hues every season. Extravagant and naturally gorgeous. It is here the erstwhile Mughal emperors holidayed during the harsh midyear summers of the hot Indian plains. And a picturesque little spot on this dazzling paradise is a serene little hill-station, Sonamarg, at 2740 meters above sea level, surrounded by awe-inspiring glaciers and majestic yet tranquil lakes. It derives its names from the enthralling golden-hued flowers spread all around, the sight of which is a pleasure to watch from the mountains that surrounds it. Located at 87 km from Srinagar in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir, the place is particularly renowned around the world for trekking and hiking trails. These widely celebrated golden meadows form an ideal base for a major trek, passing through a large number of high terrain lakes, such as Vishansar, Kishansar, Gadsar, Satsar and

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Gangabal. Sonamarg also gives rise to ‘The Three Sisters’, the three mighty Himalayan glaciers of Kashmir Valley - Thajiwas Glacier, Kolhoi Glacier and Machoi Glacier. These are home to some imposing peaks, such as Sirbal Peak, Kolhoi Peak, Amarnath Peak and Machoi Peak. Lying within the vicinity of Sonamarg, these peaks offer all forms of challenges for the discerning dare-devils - from mild to most hard. An enjoyable climate with mild summers and cold winters is what makes Sonamarg an ideal location for trekkers to explore the land’s natural beauty and challenging treks. Sonamarg also holds historical significance as a gateway on ancient ‘Silk Road’ to China and other Gulf countries. Geographically, this striking snow-covered, yet golden flowerladen meadow forms the Kashmiri gateway to Ladakh. Lying within the close proximity to the great Himalayan Zoji La pass, through which the Srinagar-Leh Road, also known as National Highway 1D (NH 1D), passes. In the present day

circumstances, NH 1D, also plays strategically important role for the Indian Army that controls this part of Kashmir. In addition to trekking and hiking, the place also offers options for several other equally pleasurable activities – sightseeing (ideal for honeymooners), trout fishing, fly fishing (an art practiced particularly in high terrain swift-flowing rivers), horse riding, cycling, pony rides, sledge rides, ice skating and pilgrim trips (the famed Amarnath Yatra starts from Sonamarg). This enchanting scenic place is amazing with many mindblowing attractions. • Nilagrad (colony of the Baltics) – this pretty little hamlet is a picturesque location where the swift-flowing stream of Nilagrad splashes into Sindh River. • Vishansar Lake – The crystal clear water of the lake with ice flakes offers an appealing view from nearby Nichnai Pass. Located at an amazing altitude of 4,084 m above sea level, this high altitude lake is popular among the trekkers. • Krishnasar Lake –

Another high altitude lake popular for fishing, especially for trout fishing. The lake is located at 3,801 m above sea level. • Thajiwas Glacier – the trekking route to this magnificent glacier is dotted with several amazing green water & frozen lakes. Located just 3 km from Sonamarg, the spot is popular for sledge rides on the snow in midsummer. Pony rides can also be availed to this place. • Zoji La pass – Situated at about 20 km east of Sonamarg, Zoji La pass is gateway to the Ladakh plateau. At 3,528 m above sea level, the pass connects Kashmir Valley in South to Ladakh in North. Apart from all the excitement provided by the adventure sports and activities, the winters in Sonamarg are an especially good visual treat for all. The charm of watching the bare, snow-covered landscapes from the warmth of a fireplace is pure bliss! It simply cannot be described in words. It can only be experienced. Period.

Sonamarg also gives rise to ‘The Three Sisters’, the three mighty Himalayan glaciers of Kashmir Valley - Thajiwas Glacier, Kolhoi Glacier and Machoi Glacier. These are home to some imposing peaks, such as Sirbal Peak, Kolhoi Peak, Amarnath Peak and Machoi Peak

WHERE TO STAY The Villa Himalaya is one of the Sonamarg resorts known for its excellent services and amenities. With 15 deluxe rooms and a multi-cuisine all-day-dining restaurant, the resort offers some superb perspective trips over exquisite natural landscapes.

HOW TO GET THERE Trains are available up to Jammu from where Sonamarg is accessible by road owing to its proximity to NH 1D.

“The Silk Road, or Silk Route, extending 6,437 kms, originated from the lucrative trade of Chinese silk carried out during the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). The Central Asian sections of the trade routes expanded enormously during this period, under Zhang Qian, the Chinese imperial envoy. This network of trade and cultural transmission routes also promoted cultural interaction by linking traders, merchants, pilgrims, monks, soldiers, nomads, and urban dwellers from China and India to the Mediterranean Sea. China also took great measures to protect their trade route and products, and to ensure this extended the Great Wall of China.”

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

ECO TOURISM

Mowgli’s

Pench Conjuring up images of ‘Mowgli’, the pint-sized 'Man-Child’, ‘Bagheera’, the Black Panther and the inimitable ‘Sher Khan’, the villain of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book is Pench Tiger Reserve, in Madhya Pradesh. And as per the unofficial records, today these jungles are home to the fastest growing tiger population in India Pictures Courtesy: Sanjay Kumar Shukla IFS

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Pench Tiger Reserve

Royal Bengal Tiger resting on rock.

Indian Bison.

Nestled along the Southern slopes of the Satpura ranges of Central India, Pench Tiger Reserve comprise of the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Mowgli Pench Sanctuary and a buffer. The river Pench, from which the park derives its name, splits the National Park into two while forming the lifeline of the Park. Situated along the either sides of the river, the park accommodates, besides a vibrant and diverse collection of flora and fauna, open hilly terrains, quaint teak forests and picturesque little jungle streams, forming a pleasingly stunning landscape. The description of these forests’ natural wealth and richness is splendidly portrayed in the historic ‘Ain-i-Akbari’, penned during the Mughal Era. 'Seoni - Camp life in Satpura Hills’ by Robert Armitage Strendale; 'Highlands of Central India' by Forsyth; and 'Wild Animals of Central India' by Dunbar Brander are some of the other legendary works on natural history of the abundance of nature in this region. What’s more, ‘The Jungle Book’ by Rudyard Kipling was set in the jungles of Pench. It is a well-known fact that the semi-autobiographical 'Seoni' by Strendale was the inspiration behind the world classic. Kipling borrowed heavily from Strendale's books 'Seoni', 'Mammalia of India and Ceylon' and 'Denizens of the Jungle' for the topography, wildlife, and the ways of these jungles. The character of Mowgli was inspired by Sir William Henry Sleeman's pamphlet, 'An Account of Wolves Nurturing Children in Their Dens' that gives an account

Wild pigs on the loose.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

Majestic peacock looking for rainbow.

Indian sambar among dotted deers.

of a wolf-boy captured in Seoni district near Sant Baori village in 1831. Most locations of The Jungle Book are actual locations in Seoni. The gorge of Bengunga River where Sherkhan was killed, Kanhiwada villlage and the 'Seeonee hills' are a few examples. And these places of historical significance fall under Pench National Park. The forest of Pench was declared a Sanctuary in 1977. In 1983, Pench was named as a National Park. Subsequently in 1993, it was made the 19th Tiger Reserve of India. And besides Tigers, it also boasts of 45 Butterfly, 33 Mammal, 1200 Plant and 13 Reptile species. FLORA The undulating topography supports a mosaic of vegetation. The geography progresses from moist, sheltered valleys to open, dry deciduous forest rich with beautiful shrubs trees and climbers. More than 1200 species of plants recorded from the area include several rare and endangered plants as well as plants of ethno-botanical importance. Teak, Saja, Bijiayasal, Lendia, Haldu, Dhaora, Salai, Aonla, Amaltas all find their home here in addition to charmingly swaying bamboo grasses line the water courses and dot the valleys. Scattered white Kulu trees, also known as 'the Ghost Tree', stand out conspicuously among the various hues of green. The ground is covered with maze of grasses, plants, bushes and saplings. Mahua is another significant tree for both wildlife and tribal people of this region. The flowers of this tree are eaten by mammals and birds. These are also harvested by the tribal people for food and to brew beer.

T -15 Tigress or Collarwali of Pench Tiger Reserve.

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

‘The Jungle Book’ by Rudyard Kipling was set in the jungles of Pench. It is a well-known fact that the semi-autobiographical 'Seoni' by Strendale was the inspiration behind the world classic Fauna

Dominated by fairly open canopy, mixed forests with considerable shrub cover and open grassy patches, the high habitat heterogeneity favours high population of Chital and Sambhar. Pench tiger reserve has highest density of herbivores in India (90.3 animals per sq km). Copious numbers of chital, sambhar, gaur, wild boar, langur and rhesus macaques roam these forests. This incredible woodland is also home to a number of endangered species. More than 30 tigers share the region with the leopard, wolf, jungle cat, dhol (Indian wild dog), hyena and jackal. Pench is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Parakeets, hornbills, kingfishers, barbets, minivets, orioles, wagtails and a host of carnivorous raptors, including the crested serpent eagle, crested hawk eagle and whiteeyed buzzard. More than 325 intriguingly striking species of birds fill this heaven with their calls.

Attractions

The gates for entry to core area of Pench Tiger Reserve are Turia Gate, Karmajhiri Gate, and Jamatara Gate. Rukkhad Gate is for entry to buffer area. The park also offers different options for jungle safari via Turia Gate (main entry), Rukkhad Gate and Sillari Gate. Jamatara Gate is approachable from Chindwara. Turia Gate is about 105 kms from Nagpur

and 60 kms from Seoni. Karmajhiri gate is about 55 kms from Seoni. Pench is the only Indian National Park with facilities for water rafting. Other than the wildlife safari and other regular activities at the National Park, a visit to the neighbouring porter’s village, ‘Pachdhar’ is highly recommended. Just about 18 km from Pench's Turia gate lays the serene Pachdhar Village. It a traveler’s delight, to watch the artisans at their wheels, infusing glorious art into lumps of clay. In addition, the cluster of villages around the park also gives you a glimpse of the culture and customs of the local Gond tribe.

Where To Stay

Several resorts and jungle lodges are available for a day or two’s stay. Thathastu Resort located near Turia Gate and well-known for its excellent services and amenities, is a jungle resort that offers a pleasant experience amidst these expansive woodlands of Satpura.

HOW TO GET THERE Winner of the Best Management Award 2011, this park is accessible from Pauni on National Highway 7. Despite being part of Madhya Pradesh, it is more convenient to enter the park from Nagpur, Maharashtra. The nearest broad gauge railway station and airport is at Nagpur.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

Dotted deers near the waterhole.

Tourists spotting tiger on safari.

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

NATURE

Kovalam A Queen’s Dreamland

The journey of an obscure, but pristine little fishing hamlet of the pre-Independence era at the farthest corner of Kerala named ‘Kovalam’ (groove of coconut trees), to an internationally renowned beach destination has been short, but quite an interesting one. It involves the dream of a queen The Sea Lover’s Paradise

It all began with the Queen H.H. Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai’s desire for a suitable beach-side holiday spot close to her official residence in Thiruvanathapuram, the capital of erstwhile Kingdom of Travancore. It was the rocky crescent-shaped beaches Kovalam that caught the appeal of the queen. To fulfill her wish, her consort Sri Rama Varma

Valiya Koil Thampuran, constructed a summer retreat on the cliff top overlooking the sea in 1932. This unique seaside palace of the royal family was brought to the public eye by her nephew, the Maharaja of Travancore, when he opened it to entertain his European guests, who in turn discovered the potentiality of Kovalam beach and started promoting Kovalam

in Europe as an important tourist destination. However, the real influx of foreign tourists happened in the 70’s, with the arrival of hippies on their way to Ceylon in the Hippie Trail. It was this mass exodus of foreigners that transformed the casual sleepy fishing village of Kerala into one of the most happening tourist beachside destinations in

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

An aerial view of the crescent-shaped beach.

This unique seaside palace of the royal family was brought to the public eye by her nephew, the Maharaja of Travancore, when he opened it to entertain his European guests, who in turn discovered the potentiality of Kovalam beach and started promoting Kovalam in Europe as an important tourist destination

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India. Kovalam is an absolute paradise with its tranquil and serene surroundings, consisting of three crescent-shaped sandy beaches Lighthouse Beach, Samudra Beach, and Hawa Beach (Eve's beach) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; separated from each other by rocky shores. These serene beaches of Kovalam, apart from its natural exuberance, romantic moonlit walks and relaxing Ayurvedic massages, are also a famous spot for water sports - swimming, kayaking, para-gliding, snorkeling etc. Most of Kovalam has shallow waters, stretching hundreds of meters, making the destination ideal for swimming. And the best part is, Kovalam offers the pleasure-seeking

tourists an excellent diversity to suit all desires and occasions.

Lighthouse Beach

Having got its name from the old 118-ft Vizhinjam Lighthouse, located on the top of the Kurumkal hillock, the beach is undoubtedly the most frequented beaches in Kovalam. The lighthouse, the chief attraction of the beach, is built using stones, and coloured in red and white bands. The intermittent light beams render a heavenly charm to the place at night. Moreover, a 360 vista of the widespread ocean in front, and the compelling line of trees that dot the beaches makes the steep climb up the narrow staircase of the light house a worthwhile experience.

Kovalam beach lighthouse.

Hawa Beach

Also known as Eveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beach, it is the liveliest beach of Kovalam. The beach is believed to have derived its name from the topless foreign ladies who used to throng there to sunbathe on the beach. In fact, the place was known to be India's first topless beach. This practice is now banned, though. But yet, the silvery sands of Hawa beach continue to attract hordes of tourists, both foreigners and natives, every year.

Samudra Beach

The most attractive feature of this beach is its isolated location and the serene feel it offers. The beach is separated from its surroundings by disjointed fissures and giant promontory from its southern side. One wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find massive noisy crowds here, as the place is most frequented by the peace-loving souls who prefer their isolation and silence away from the hustles of their routine city life.

Vizhinjam Sea Port

Located at about 3 kms away from Kovalam, Vizhinjam is famous for its old Hindu temples, huge churches

and an age-old mosque, apart from the wide variety of fish that the port market offers. The Proposed International Trans-shipment Terminal at Vizhinjam is however the chief attraction of the modern times.

Kovalam Cave Temple

A few yards from the Vizhinjam Harbour, is a rock cut cave temple that dates back to the 8th century. The temple opens out to an underground cave, presently closed to outsiders. On the granite boulder on the either side of the opening is an incomplete bas-relief and at the very entrance of the cave sits idols of Lord Sastha. And not very far from the cave is yet another ancient temple with idols of seven deities, on an elevated ground, overlooking the waters below. The access to this temple is by a narrow path.

Wellness Therapy

With a number of Ayurveda and wellness therapy centers available, the visiting tourists also have options for relaxation, rejuvenation and treatments besides the other more popular options like sunbathing, swimming and other marine activities.

HOW TO GET THERE The nearest airport and rail station are Trivandrum International Airport and Trivandrum Central Railway Station respectively. Both are well connected in their respective spheres of operations.

WHERE TO STAY

Numerous hotel and resorts options are available in Kovalam for the tourists, in all budget ranges. Among the best are Uday Samudra Hotel and Resort, Kovalam & Leela Palace Kovalam.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

REVIEW-Technology

Tricks And Tips On Buying Chinese Smart Phones

Buying Android smart phones from China can be economical. However, the chances of getting duped are real. Here are some tips to reduce the chances of disappointment and frustration

Always buy from a well known vendor Finding a good online Chinese wholesaler can be difficult. But you look into Chinavasion. com <http://chinavasion.com/>, McBub.com <http://mcbub. com/>, Merimobiles.com and iPadAlternative.com

Research and read about the device you want to buy

The number, type and varieties of Chinese made Android smart phones is bewildering. There are lots of Chinese companies making

Android phones, many just for the huge Chinese market itself. This means they update and re-fresh their product lines frequently. It isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t unusual for a device to be available for just a few months when it will be surpassed by another model. Read reviews from people who have actually bought the products. A good place to find real reviews of Chinese tablets is tabletrepublic.com

Always pay by PayPal

The primary method of payment for most Chinese wholesalers is

PayPal and for some it is the only option available. Avoid other alternatives like bank transfers etc.

Use the best shipping method you can afford

Once you have made your purchase, the phone or tablet has potentially a long journey ahead of it. Whenever possible use a service like DHL or UPS. Most wholesalers will ship by courier but the postage price will be anywhere from $30 upwards, depending on your location. There are other advantages to using a courier

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

including speed – you normally get the package within a few days rather than the 20 to 30 days using normal postage.

Don’t forget the sales tax in your country Many countries around the world have a sales tax which is levied on goods which are bought. This tax equally applies to items bought outside the country. When your new phone or tablet arrives from China your local customs office will likely want you to pay this sales tax. The total cost of your new device will be price +postage + sales tax.

3G isn’t the same everywhere in the world

When buying a Chinese smartphone with 3G connectivity it is important to

check which 3G frequencies the phone supports. A truly international phone like the Nexus 4 supports 3G on 850, 900, 1700, 1900 and 2100 MHz. The last number is the “official” 3G frequency, but for full compatibility across the world several different frequency ranges are needed. A large portion of Chinese phones only support 850 and 2100 MHz. This means that it will work in your area if there is a “standard” 2100 MHz 3G network but if your carrier uses additional frequencies like 900 MHz to extend coverage and boost speed then not all Chinese phones can take advantage of the additional frequencies. If you keep these points in mind, you can save a lot of money buying Chinese smart phones.

REVIEW-BOOK

THE SNOW LEOPARD by Peter Matthiessen

GREAT

TRAVEL BOOKS

Travel writer Peter Matthiessen and naturalist George Schaller are exploring the Himalayas in search of the snow leopard. This predator was seldom seen but only glimpsed twice by Westerners in the previous twenty five years. The naturalistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original objective was to compare the mating habits of the Himalayan blue sheep with those of the common sheep. A third objective was to visit the Crystal Monastery and its Buddhist lama. Matthiessen frequently remembers his wife Deborah Love, who died of cancer before the expedition. The book is also a meditation upon death, suffering, loss, memory and healing. The memories of Deborah operate with a number of other recursive stylistic traits that play against the linear, outward progress of the journey logged through maps and dates. Towards the end of the book, Matthiessen sits on some rocks and observes, "These hard rocks instruct my bones in what my brain could never grasp in the Heart Sutra that 'form is emptiness and emptiness is form' â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Void, the emptiness of blue-black space, contained in everything." Schaller eventually spots a snow leopard, but Matthiessen does not. Questions of absence and presence play in tandem with the wider question of gaining peace through an acceptance of how the world is rather than desiring phenomena to arise which do not exist.

JOURNEYS by Jan Morris

This book is a collection of articles on places as different as

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

Las Vegas and Bombay, Athens and Shanghai, and Sydney and Aberdeen. She combines observation, history, and politics to produce the passionate and witty essays that prompted Rebecca West to call her ‘the best descriptive writer of our times’. She was born James Morris but underwent a sex change operation and became Jan Morris. She wrote about it in her book Conundrum. Morris had married Elizabeth and had five children, one of whom died at infancy. James Morris is known particularly for the Pax Britannica trilogy, a history of the British Empire, and for portraits of cities, notably Oxford, Venice, Trieste, Hong Kong, and New York City, and has also written about Wales, Spanish history and culture. This book will impress you for her ability to pierce right to the heart of a place and her acute eye and ear for the telling detail. An encyclopaedic knowledge and an unparalleled musicality of language allow her to modulate a reader’s journey through page-long sentences without ever losing the trail of meaning.

A SHORT WALK IN THE HINDU KUSH by Eric Newby

This book is an autobiographical account

of the adventures in the Hindu Kush and the mountains of Afghanistan. It has been described as a comic masterpiece, and considered among the greatest travel books of all time. The action in the book moves from Newby's life in the fashion business in London to Afghanistan. On the way Newby describes his very brief training in mountaineering in North Wales, a stop in Istanbul, and a nearly-disastrous drive across Turkey and Persia. They are driven out to the Panjshir Valley, where they begin their walk, with many small hardships described in a humorous narrative. The book has been reprinted many times, in at least 16 English versions and in Spanish, Chinese and German editions. In his preface to the book, novelist Evelyn Waugh sketches out the "deliciously funny" account of Newby selling women's clothes, and the "call of the wild". The book is in the first person by Newby.

COMING INTO THE COUNTRY by John McPhee

In popular imagination, Alaska is a snow-covered land of igloos, oil pipelines, and polar bears. But Alaska is far more complex

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

geographically, culturally, ecologically, and politically. In Coming into the Country, McPhee describes his travels through much of the state with bush pilots, prospectors, and settlers, as well as politicians and business people who have their eyes set on a very different future for the state. To put it differently, McPhee moves easily from mosquito-infested camp spots to politicianinfested corridors, and manages to render with appreciation and precision the mundane complexities of Alaskan life, from fishing and gold mining to the search for a new state capital and everyday attitudes and rites in a bush outpost. This is easily the best book on Alaska.

THE GREAT RAILWAY BAZAAR by Paul Theroux Novelist Paul Theroux recounts his four-month journey by train from London through Europe, the Middle East, the Indian sub-Continent, and South East Asia, and his return via the TransSiberian Railway. It is considered a classic in the genre of travel writing. Thirty years later, Theroux retraced the journey, finding that people and places had changed. His account of this second journey was published as Ghost Train to the Eastern Star.

REVIEW-MOVIE

WHAT IT'S ABOUT:

Kudos to Yash Raj Films to backing some of the most unconventional stories and giving credit to the mainstream Hindi cinema it deserves. This film sets an ideal example for the fact that good needn’t be boring. Or overtly pretentious. It can rather be just simple and sweet. And do its job – to touch hearts and give the viewers something heartening to take back home. Dum Laga Ke Haisha, set in the mid-90’s tells the story of an uneducated Prem (Ayushmann Khurana) forced to get married by his family to the overweight Sandhya (Bhumi Pednekar), trained to be a teacher. Prem put off by his bride’s weight feels awkward of her presence. As husband and wife they struggle to cope up with each other’s shortcomings. Finding it difficult to accept each other beyond a point, they soon end up in court seeking divorce. However, they are asked to spend six more months together before the divorce is granted. Left to themselves, how they learn to look beyond the inadequacies and start bonding and how love blossoms between the unlikely couple forms the rest of the story.

POSITIVES:

DUM LAGA KE HAISHA Director: Sharad Katariya Language: Hindi

Director Sharad Katariya deserves applause for presenting an earnest and endearing package. His way of focussing on establishing each character of the film so well that you don’t miss a single recognisable face gets a special mention here. The city of Haridwar plays a strong part in film with its small town feel brought out beautifully. Ayushmann Khurana plays Prem to perfection, literally living through his part. Bhumi Pednekar makes an impactful debut, playing an unconventional part that other actors usually does not give a second thought about. Sanjay Mishra & Sheeba Chaddha (who plays Prem’s bua) is exceptionally good.

NEGATIVES:

The screenplay meanders at certain points. The focus is more on the problems between the couple than on the moments where they start bonding. The couples’ romance that blossoms late and end too quickly. Just when you feel like seeing more of it, the film jumps straight to the climax leaving you a bit unfulfilled.

VERDICT:

Dum Laga ke Haisha is an endearing, honest and feel-good film – definitely watch it!

Cast:

Ayushmann Khurana, Bhumi Pednekar, Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa and Sheeba Chaddha

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

REVIEW-MUSIC

ARE YOU GOING TO SCARBOROUGH FAIR? Anjali S

he song Simon and Garfunkel popularised was in fact, a very popular song in the medieval age traced back to the 1300’s. As incredulous as it sounds, when you sing Scarborough Fair in 21st century, knowing it was a popular song sung extensively 600 years ago is bound to give you goose bumps.

History

It was a ballad written by the medieval bards, incorporated by the folk tune and melody of the old English countryside. The title is in reference to fair in the Yorkshire town of Scarborough, a large scale trading event that brought tradesmen from all over England to sell their wares. It was a huge event that ran for 45days which commenced in mid-August. The song narrates the story of a jilted love, carrying a set

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

of instructions that is to be passed on by the listener to the narrator’s former love. If she manages to does the seemingly impossible tasks, he would take her back. Sung as a duet, it also has his female counterpart assigning equally difficult talks for him. Are you going to Scarborough Faire? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Remember me to one who lived there. She once was a true love of mine. Have her make me a cambric shirt Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Without no seams, nor fine needle work. Then she'll be a true love of mine. The recurring “parsley,

sage, rosemary and thyme” has been attributed more than the herbal value that it has today. It is believed to be symbols of virtues during the age, parsley for comfort, sage for strength, rosemary for love, and thyme for courage. Another possibility pointed towards parsley to remove bitterness, sage to cleanse, thyme for courage, rosemary for love. There’s also a speculation that this herb combination was used as a tonic of some sort.

Today

The still popular song has gone over changes over the centuries, but the essence of the song remains the same. With multiple cover versions such as the Celtic Woman and Amy Nuttall, the song also earned its spotlight in reality shows. Clearly, Scarborough Fair does not intend to fade into oblivion.

REVIEW-MUSIC

PASSING AFTERNOON

or me, this song has the most intriguing piece of lyrics that I’ve come across. Hands down, it is a brilliant composition, but the obscurity of the meaning has a lasting hangover that keeps haunting. A potent song, that calms and confuses you at the same time, defines Passing Afternoon.

about seasons, a representation of a woman who could be time personified, and her children. There is also an imagery that fondly gazes memory of a past, the transient life of humans and a beauty that celebrates short lived happiness.

History

Autumn blew the quilt right off the perfect bed she made

Composed by Samuel Beam, better known as Iron & Wine, which get’s its interesting name from a dietary supplement, "Beef Iron & Wine" that the composer saw in a general store. Passing Afternoon was released in 2004, in their second fulllength album, Our Endless Numbered Days. The song superficially talks

There are things that drift away like our endless, numbered days

And she's chosen to believe in the hymns her mother sings Sunday pulls its children from their piles of fallen leaves There are sailing ships that pass all our bodies in the grass Springtime calls her children 'till she let's them go at last

And she's chosen where to be, though she's lost her wedding ring Somewhere near her misplaced jar of Bougainvillea seeds

Today

The parent album, Our Endless Numbered Days was the first to be made in a professional studio and its receptivity has been tremendous. Passing Afternoon has been occasionally spotted in series, such as popular medical drama House on its fourth season finale. Same goes with the rest of its kin, rendering substance to scenes in different dramas. But for what it’s worth, when it comes to comprehending what the song actually means, we are none the wiser.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

REVIEW-HOTEL

Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel

n my first trip to UDS, I used a GPS feeding me stepby-step directions till we had to stop our car because our road ended with, well the Arabian Sea coast. As we stared confusion, the machine announced happily, “you have reached your destination”. It was a miscalculated human error, but on arriving at UDS, I realised how true my GPS was. This beach resort, in fact, preserves the beach in its pristine condition if not for better. Located just 15 meters from the sea, Uday Samudra hotel reigns over the beach of Kovalam, Trivandrum. This four acre resort set against

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

beaches, in the capital city of Kerala exceeds expectations with its landscaping, architecture, people and style.

Perks

UDS is only hotel in the state that flaunts three swimming pools facing the sea. Elephant rides on the shiny sands, or the beach safari is another thrilling experience you might want to indulge in while you’re rejuvenating in your leisure holiday. Other interesting amenities offered includes: Indian astrology (a consulting astrologer who would foretell future on planetary alignment), cookery show, dental clinic,

REVIEW-HOTEL

health clubs, candle light dinner, beauty parlour and shopping.

A review posted in Tripadvisor by Snapper2229 (UK) reads, “Just returned from a 2 week stay with a party of 10 at the Uday Samutra hotel in Kovalam, India. The location is ideal, it backs on to a wonderfully attractive beach. The hotel pools are top quality, clean, warm and safe. The friendly staff at the hotel were exceptional, nothing was too much trouble. The rooms were clean and tidy and the food was very good. We will definitely return.”

Stay

UDS features 207 units classified into Presidential Suite, Deluxe Suite, Exotica Premium, Exotica Atrium, and Exotica. Like they advertise, the rooms were indeed spacious with mostly an excellent view. The Exotica premium rooms have the best sea view from the balcony, with tastefully furnished room décor.

Eat

Eating at UDS presents you with three choices, The Lounge Bar, a western model coffee shop that serves snacks such as pizzas and sandwich. Grass hopper, the multi-cuisine restaurant featuring Chinese, Continental, Italian, Mughal and Kerala dishes. And Aquamarine, for sea food connoisseurs.

Reach

UDS is located 15 kilometers away from the Trivandrum International Airport. Trivandrum is also well connected by rail and road network with the rest of India.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

INTERNATIONAL NEWSLINE

Thailand welcomes New Year

Cruise Arabia represents Arabian Gulf The Oman, Abu Dhabi, Dubai with newly joined tourism authorities of Qatar and Sharjah is coming together under the Cruise Arabia Alliance to represent the Arabian Gulf at the Cruise Shipping Miami. The cruise industry’s leading global event is expected to host attendees from 125 countries and 900 exhibitors, this year on 16-19th March.

Beat the summer heat with Thailand’s Songkran, the celebration that marks the country’s start of New Year. Thais welcome Songkran with water-pistols, waterguns, giant hoses and even elephant trunks! Besides water-works, it is also a big ‘spring cleaning’ day having spiritual customs such building sand pagodas, which will be conducted on from April 13 to April 15.

Bhutan arrivals show increase The Kingdom of Bhutan is basking in global attention receiving more international tourists having ‘Celebrate Happiness’ its key denominator. Demonstrating an impressive growth of 14.85% in 2014, the inbound tourists for international travelers has touched 68,081. The tourism council of Bhutan also recently unveiled the ‘Visit Bhutan 2015,’ dedicated to His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who pioneered tourism in Bhutan.

MasterChef India featured in Dubai

Egyptian ministry gets makeover

MasterChef India gears up its culinary challenges choosing locations around Dubai for its fourth season. The 8 contestants who takes part in the ‘Dubai Week Challenge’, was hosted by Atlantis, The Palm Hotel & Resort, Global Village and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. The contestants are challenged to create vegetarian dishes inspired by the flavours of the Middle East.

Arab Republic of Egypt has appointed of Mr Khaled Abbas Ramy as their Minister of Tourism earlier this month. The surprise cabinet reshuffle is "to inject new blood" in the government, reports Egypt's state news agency MENA.

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

INTERNATIONAL NEWS LINE

Carnival in Seychelles The 5th edition of the Seychelles International Carnival of Victoria will live up to its epithet ‘carnival of carnivals’ between 24th and 26th April. Air Seychelles and Etihad Airways have introduced a special carnival offer, ‘Buy 1 get 1 free’, when purchasing any class of airline ticket to the Seychelles Carnival International de Victoria.

11.6 million guests visit Dubai

Castaway Island Fiji basks in awards

At the Excellence in Tourism Awards, Castaway Island Fiji won four awards and was named Number One Family Resort in Fiji by ‘Holidays with Kids’ magazine, Australia. The resort won best deluxe accommodation, the best fine dining accolade for its 1808 restaurant, best back of house performance by the Executive Chef Lance Seeto and shared the award for the best front of house performance with Lingo Reece of Castaway Island and Eunice Molia of South Sea Cruises.

TATIC signs MoU with 5 partners

Dubai’s hotel establishments welcomed 11,629,578 guests in 2014, registering a 5.6% increase from its previous year. Figures released by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) indicate growth at sustainable level, along with growing portfolio of hotels and apartment establishments.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand Intelligence Centre (TATIC) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the National Statistical Office of Thailand, Kasikorn Research Centre, and the Bank of Thailand with an aim to bolster Thailand’s tourism growth based on a research-driven strategy. The five partners are set to gather and share valuable data on the trends and challenges in tourism, both domestic and inbound markets.

HRS sponsors CTW AsiaPacific 2015 Hotel Reservation Service (HRS), Europe’s leading hotel portal, has come on board as a silver sponsor to CTW Asia-Pacific 2015 to leverage on the opportunity to engage around 150 corporate travel buyers from across Asia-Pacific.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015

NATIONAL NEWSLINE

‘Perfect Escapes’ from Oberoi Amarvilas

The 2nd Season of Wajid Ali Shah Concludes

The Oberoi Amarvilas introduced the ‘Perfect Escapes’ offer to provide guests an opportunity to take a quick break and give into the luxury of the hotel. The hotel located 600 metres from Taj Mahal, provides accommodation in premier room, with breakfast and 20% savings on spa therapies and late checkout in their offer.

Best Western India Partners with AHLEI Best Western India has announced that it will partner with the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) to meet its staffing needs for to its expansion. Currently established with 28 hotels in India, Best Western expects to add another 25 in the next 12 to 18 months. AHLEI currently, has approximately 40 academic registered institutions with the authority to offer its courses and certification in India.

Cox & Kings’ incentive for Travel Agents

The 2nd season of the Wajid Ali Shah festival program concluded in Lucknow with a tribute to poet-philosopher of the 13th century, Jelaluddin Rumi. Organised by the Rumi Foundation and supported by Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, the festival gets events such as free musical ballet, vintage car tours, introduction to Awadhi cuisine, insight into the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak dance style, and curated walks to landmark monuments. Another featured show was Indrasabha, an opera drama written in 19th century, a popular show during the time.

TAAI basks in limelight Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has received over 500 registrations for its 62nd Annual Convention in Bali. During the press meet Harmandeep Singh Anand, Secretary General, TAAI said that by 2015 end, TAAI is looking forward to having 100 tie-ups for its membership cards.

Cox & Kings Ltd has launched a special incentive program for the travel agents, wherein the agent gets an opportunity to win great incentives per customer. The group with operations in 23 countries offers an incentive bracket range from Rs. 1500-1,00,00. Valid on all Flexihol packages, this limited period offer is valid on bookings done before March 31, 2015 for travel period between April 01 and September 30, 2015.

March 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE CONTEST− 86

Unnikrishnann V Menon appointed as Corporate GM, Contour Group Pvt Ltd

Ian Connolly

appointed as Chief Devolopment Officer, Kerzner International

Valerie Marina

appointed as Director of Loyalty and Communications, Accor Barrios

Hermann Wegmuller appointed as CEO, Meeting point Asia

Chacko Jose

appointed as Executive Chef, Contour Group Pvt Ltd.

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Answers to TYKC - 85 1) USA 2)

Albert Einstein

1700 years

Port Vila, Vanuatu Post

Fugu or Puffer fish

Walter Cronkite

7) Poland 8)

JRD Tata

9) Elephant 10) Nigeria

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ASIAN TRAVELLER | March 2015