Spiceroute October 2013

Volume VII Issue X October 2013

www.spiceroutemag.com

The inflight magazine of SpiceJet

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Spreading

wings Dear SpiceJetters, It is time for festivals as the country celebrates Dussehra, Durga Puja and Id-ul-Zuha. This is also a perfect time to fly with SpiceJet as you visit your friends and family. SpiceJet has added another new destination - Bangkok. We have also increased connectivity to our existing network with additional flights from Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Bagdogra and Guwahati to various cities in our network. Visit our website spicejet.com for more details on the schedules.

Bookings for Bengaluru - Bangkok are now open and the first flight commences from 27th October. With this we now connect 46 domestic destinations along with 10 international destinations with more than 360 daily departures.

Meanwhile, as you fly with us, do pick up a copy of Spiceroute, the monthly inflight magazine. In this issue, the magazine brings you interesting articles on festive Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram and the quaint hamlets of Bekal and Landour. You also get to read about artistes and their unique passions, latest fashion trends and the versatility of the Indian bread.

Feel free to write in to us at custrelations@spicejet.com Happy flying!

Kalanithi Maran Chairman

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COO & Publisher: Vikas Johari CEO & Managing Director: Prakash Johari CFO: Kuldip Singh Editor: Florina Soren Information: info@maxposure.in Submissions: editor@maxposure.in Advertising: sales@maxposure.in Accounts: accounts@maxposure.in Careers: hr@maxposure.in E-mail: spiceroute@maxposure.in MaXposure Media Group India Pvt. Ltd. Head Office Unit No F2b, 2nd Floor, Mira Corporate Suites, Plot No . 1 & 2, Ishwar Nagar, Mathura Road, New Delhi -110065 Tel: 91.11.43011111, Fax: 91.11.43011199 West | Mumbai | Time Square Building, 3rd floor, Western Express Highway, Andheri (E),Mumbai-400069, Tel: 91.22.61991111, Fax: 91.22.61991115 Ahmedabad | Office No. 4, Meagabyte Business Centre, Top Floor, Navrang Building, Opp Parth Complex, Swastik Cross Road, CG Road, Navranpura, Ahmedabad - 380015, Tel: 91.79.40193627 Indore | 7/1, 409, 4th Floor, Ratan Mani Complex, Opposite Inter Star Showroom, New Palasia, Indore - 452001, Tel: 91.731.4248881 East | Kolkata | DPS Corporate Club, 1st Floor, 9A Sebak Baidya Street, Kolkata– 700029, Tel: 9133.40680111 Raipur | Magnetto Offizo, Office No.546, 5th Floor, Magnetto The Mall, G.E.Road, Labhandi, Raipur. Tel: 91.771.4264571 South | Bangaluru |1010 A Wing,10th Floor, Mittal Towers, M.G. Road, Bangaluru-560001, Karnataka, India, Tel: 91.80.40921037-38, Fax: 91.80.41510657 Hyderabad | 1-11-222/2 Ground Floor, Street No.4, Gurumurthy lane, Begumpet, Hyderabad-500 016, Tel: 91.40.40021545 Chennai | FL 9, Alsa Mall, First Floor, 149, Montieth Road, Egmore, Chennai-600008, Tel: 91.44.42015685, Fax: 91.44.42015684 International Sales Offices EUROPE : London | Seraphine Money | IMM International 10 Denmark Street, London WC2H 8LS- UK Tel: +44 20 3301 4900, Fax: + 44 20 7240 3258 Mob: +44 777 459 8220 France l Nicolas Devos | IMM International C/O 80 Rue Montmartre75002 PARIS - FRANCE , Tél: +33 (0)1 40 13 79 06, Fax: +33 (0)1 40 13 00 33, www.imm-international.com Switzerland | Nathalie DupuY | IMM International CHOffice Director IMM International Rue Tabazan, 91204 Genève Tel: +41(0)22 310 80 51, Mob: +41(0)78 95 25 900 Email:n.dupuy@imm-international.com Italy | Sandra Bonini | G+J International Sales Italy Srl Via Benedetto Marcello,4, 20124 Mailand, Italy Tel: +3902.20526722, E-Mail: bonini.sandra@guj.de Germany | Claudia Scheil | Gruner +Jahr AG & Co KG Am Baumwall 11,20459 Hamburg, Germany Tel: +49 40 3703 2944, E-Mail: scheil.claudia@guj.de

ASIA: Singapore, Hongkong, China | Peter Jeffery | Asian In-Flight Media Ltd Unit 1802, 18/F, 88 Hing Fat Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2850 4017, Fax: (852) 2850 4097 E-mail: peterjeffery@asianimedia.com Malaysia | Shallie Cheng | Mind Sense Sdn.Bhd. No.107, 1st.Floor Menara Mutiara Majestic, Section 3, 46,000 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Tel: 60.3.7781.7700 E-Mail: shalliecheng@gmail.com Japan | Michiko Kawano | Pacific Business Inc Akutagawa Bldg, 7-7 Nihonbashi Kabutocho, Chuo-ku Tokyo 103-0026 JAPAN Tel: +81.(0)3-3661-6138, Fax: +81.(0)3-3661-6139 E-Mail: kawano-pbi@gol.com South Korea | Jung-Won Suh | Sinsegi Media Inc. Jungang Bldg., Room 817, 44-21 Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul Korea 150-890 Tel: 82.2.785.8222, Fax: 82.2.785.8225 E-Mail: sinsegi-2@sinsegimedia.info Thailand | Stephen Marsh | Media Representation International Co., Ltd. 168 Sukhumvit Soi 20, Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok 10110 Thailand.

Tel: +662.204.2699, Fax: +662.663.7048 E-Mail: stephen@mediarepint.com, www.mediarepint.com Middle East: Manoj Khimji | Red Dot Media 1107 Fortune Executive Tower, Jumeirah Lakes Towers (Cluster T), PO Box 358639 Dubai, UAE, Tel: +971 4 422 8900 Email id: manoj.khimji@reddot-media.com Americas: Canada | Wayne Saint John | Publicitas Canada 468 Queen Street East, 300 Toronto, Ontario M5A 1T7 Tel +1.416.363.1388, Fax +1.416.363.2889 E-Mail: wstjohn@aprcanada.com, www.publicitas.com/canadaapr USA West coast | Ralph Lockwood | Huson International Media 1999 South Bascom Avenue Suite 450 Campbell, CA 95008, USA Tel: +1.408.879.6666, Fax:1.408.879.6669 E-Mail: ralph.lockwood@husonmedia.com USA East coast | Francesco Lascari | Huson International Media Huson International Media | 13-17Laight Street | Suite 401, Box 7| NewYork, NY 10013 Tel: 212.268.3344, Mob: 646.407.6966 Email: francesco.lascari@husonmedia.com

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Spiceroute MAGAZINE. Printed AND PUBLISHED BY VIKAS JOHARI ON BEHALF OF MAXPOSURE MEDIA GROUP (INDIA) PVT. LTD. (MMGipl) for spicejet ltd. AND PUBLISHED AT MMGipl, Unit No F2b ( Second Floor), Mira Corporate Suites, Plot No . 1 & 2, Ishwar Nagar, Mathura Road, New Delhi -110065, india. Spiceroute MAGAZINE is published monthly.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE WRITING, ARTWORK AND/OR PHOTOGRAPHY CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE USED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF MMGipl. MMGipl DOES NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE OF UNSOLICITED PRODUCTS, MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ARTWORK, TRANSPARENCIES OR OTHER MATERIALS. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher or SpiceJet. All efforts have been made while compiling the content of this magazine, but we assume no responsibility for the effects arising there from. MMGipl DOES NOT ASSUME ANY LIABILITY FOR SERVICES OR PRODUCTS ADVERTISED HEREIN. FOR INQUIRIES | MMGipl TEL: +91.11.43011111, www.Spicejet.com, www. maxposure.in

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October 2013 4 www.spiceroutemag.com

Contents 18 HOT DATES October happenings across SpiceJet network

Cover story 36

Festive Kolkata Visit the lit-up Kolkata during Durga Puja

48 City guide 48 hours in Thiruvananthapuram A bouquet of charming experiences

58 Quick getaway Tranquil heaven Head to Bekal for perfect harmony

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Landour in leisure Unwind amidst scenic locales

70 Theme holiday Nature’s mosaic Visit Saputara in Gujarat this Gandhi Jayanti

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incredible island Jewel of the North-east

OCTOBER 2013 Volume VII Issue X October 2013

82 Festive flavour

www.spiceroutemag.com

The inflight magazine of SpiceJet

in high spirits Cultural festivals this October

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92 Spice trail The dark sweet Add taste to your food with Jaggery

ata Kfeostilvke calling

98 Gourmet delight

r you et cr pps fo Fun a Kerala’s se l, Beka lly Tu rk Ma

breads of india Choose from traditional favourites

FOR OUR NEW FRESH AND HOT MEALS Turn to pg. 232

SpiceJet now offers over 150 connections on its existing network For details log on to www.spicejet.com October 2013 10 www.spiceroutemag.com

Contents 104

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eAT healthy, LIVE WELL Organic options for one and all

travel buzz

170

110 In Conversation

GADGETS

love for india Teté-a-teté with Mark Tully

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FilmS

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BANG ON CUE Chitra Magimairaj and her dreams

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118 Glam world

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BOOKS Games

APPS FOR COMPANY Kill time and get entertained

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zoom in

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FUNKY FLOURESCENTS Try all things bright and beautiful

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132 Well-being

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Predictions SPICEJET DESTINATIONS

lifestyle matters How to avoid dreaded diseases

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SPICEJET OFFICES

232 140 Culture canvas Beyond the ordinary Extraordinary talents of common people

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SPICE BITES

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SPICEJET ROUTE MAP

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quirky passions Unconventional interests of top artistes

Fleet Guide

152 Good samaritans

SPICEJET SCHEDULE

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POWER OF EDUCATION Literacy for children to improve lives

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changing perceptions Empowering the blind

180 Kids’ corner my best friend Day out with pets and kids

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children’s platter Get littles ones to eat!

SpiceJet now offers over 150 connections on its existing network For details log on to www.spicejet.com October 2013 12 www.spiceroutemag.com

Alstone International

E: info@alstoneindia.com • www.alstoneindia.com Toll Free No. 1800-1233123 • SMS ACP TO 56161 Branch Offices: Ahmedabad • Bangalore • Chennai • Delhi • Indore • Kochi • Kolkatta • Lucknow • Mumbai • Noida • Pune • Ranchi

Spice mail

Letters from the

SpiceJet family Great food The food looked so tempting at the back of the boarding pass, and much to my delight, the food was served hot and was tasty as well.

Congratulations to the SpiceJet team for rendering such exemplary services always.

Amit

Perfect timing I had a wonderful experience of reaching my destination before time. The airline is known for its on-time departures too. Thanks SpiceJet for such timely service and a smooth check-in process.

Trained staff One thing worth appreciating is that your ground staff makes it a point that the buses are never over crowded and the passengers can travel at ease. Such thoughtfulness is encouraging.

Satishbabu Gorantla

Ravi Gupta

October 2013 14 www.spiceroutemag.com

FOR TRADE/DISTRIBUTION ENQUIRIES, CONTACT +91.9810814852

HOT DATES

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Camel Racing If in Dubai, do not miss the Al Marmoum racing season which will see majestic camels vying to reach the finishing line. The race aims at maintaining the local and traditional sport of camel racing. It will take place at Al Marmoum Camel Racetrack, Dubai Al Ain Road from October 1- 3.

solo theatre ‘Going Solo’, India’s first and only international solo theatre festival, will bring award-winning and riveting one-person acts, showcasing the magic of theatre. This first-ofits-kind festival will be held at MLR Whitefield, Bengaluru from October 11- 13.

5 Candid couture Amethyst presents the exhibition ‘Sujata Weaves and Prints’ by Sujata Sarawgi which will showcase an eclectic collection of sarees, stoles, scarves, kurtas and kurtis which weave together the traditional crafts of block-printing and kantha work with contemporary couture. The exhibition will be on at Amethyst, Whites Road, Royapettah, Chennai till October 5.

October 2013 18 www.spiceroutemag.com

16 Art y affair Artist Niki Hingad presents a new series titled Shunya – a solo show on the concept of ‘how can nothing be something’, and the discovery of the zero. This will be showcased in Mumbai at The Jehangir Art Gallery from October 16-22.

20 Shopping fiesta Pune will witness its largest fashion audience at a unique exhibition called ‘Pune Fashion Fiesta’. This event will host a fashion show with well-known designers. There will also be collaborations with leading brands, and a generous display of products which will be available for sale. JW Marriott is the venue for this exhibition to be held on October 20.

OCTOBER

22 Musical Night World famous new-age percussionist Bickram Ghosh, who is ranked amongst the top tabla players of our country, will be performing live at Indian Council for Cultural Relations Auditorium at Ho Chi Minh Sarani in Kolkata on October 22.

24 Festive Dharamshala The hills of Dharamshala will host the 2nd Dharamshala International Film Festival.

The festival will have 30 films including fiction, documentaries, shorts and experimental – carefully selected from the best of contemporary world cinema by noted filmmakers and DIFF directors Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam. Top filmmakers, producers, critics, the festival directors and movie lovers will be attending the festival to be held from October 24- 27.

25 Crafting success This year the Dastakar Nature Bazaar will be showcasing over 160 craft groups, NGOs and small producers, as well as new designers working in contemporary and traditional art forms. Innovative Pune Thamba copper-wares along with Kolhapuri chappals will be among the special attractions here. The event will be held at Kisan Haat at Andheria Modh, New Delhi from October 18-27.

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Travel buzz

Travel news 1. West Bengal beckons

2. MP tourism an ‘industry’ soon

Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal recently organised the Tourism Promotion Road Show in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at the Ashok Hotel, New Delhi. It was graced

by Shri Krishnendu Narayan Choudhary, Hon’able minister-in-charge of tourism, West Bengal; accompanied by Shri Vikram Sen, principal secretary, West Bengal Tourism and Shri Bhaskar Khulbe, principal resident commissioner, Govt of West Bengal. The focus was on inviting investments to West Bengal, tourist attraction and general events.

Tourism projects that offer investment opportunities include the Gajoldoba tourism hub, Jharkhali Eco Tourism Park, Big hotel project at Digha, Darjeeling, and training institutes which offer degrees and diplomas in the hospitality sector. The West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation has come up with different puja packages. Shri Vikram Sen concluded the Road Show by inviting everyone to come to West Bengal for the upcoming Durga Puja Carnival: “I can promise that once you come to West Bengal, you would want to explore the opportunities available for investment and development.”

Tourism will soon get the status of an industry in Madhya Pradesh, promising various benefits for tourists as well as locals. According to media reports, the government is going to put up a proposal in this regard before the state cabinet, said Kailash Vijayvargiya, minister for industries, Government of Madhya Pradesh. He said industry status will open new avenues for tourism development, and also create job opportunities and more revenue options. He pointed out that there are huge possibilities for tourism in the Indore region, and Mhow in particular. Keeping this in mind, tourist infrastructure is being developed at Choral, Janapaw, Tincha and Patalpani. Soon, boating facilities will be started at Choral Dam. Brijendra Pratap Singh, minister for tourism, Government of Madhya Pradesh, said Indore region is being connected with mega-tourist circuits of state. He said that efforts are being taken to increase tourist inflow by developing infrastructure and connecting tourist circuits.

All arrangements are being made to provide security to foreign tourists, who can get police cover just by informing about their arrival to respective police stations.

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October 2013 22 www.spiceroutemag.com

3 3. Andaman and Nicobar all-seasons destination The Department of Tourism, Andaman & Nicobar Administration (ANA) is working towards positioning the union territory as an all-season destination, rather than just a winter holiday spot. The tourism board plans to promote fairs and festivals throughout the year. C.G. Vijay, manager (Tourism), directorate of information publicity and tourism, Andaman & Nicobar Administration, said, “The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have a lot more to offer tourists. The Department of Tourism hosts festivals throughout the year and we are trying to bring more tourist footfall during these festivals. We are promoting the Island Tourism Festival from January 5-15, the Beach Festival in April, the Music Festival/Monsoon Festival in May/ June, the Food Festival in September, and Film Festival in November, to achieve the same.

Also, we will promote activities like forest safaris and hiking for promoting the Islands as all-season destinations.”

Travel buzz

6. Japanese festival

4 4. In holiday spirit

5. Attractions at Mysore Palace

The ‘HolidayIQ.com Traveller Insights: Will the airline fare hike dampen holiday plans?’ survey looks at the impact on airline bookings due to hike in Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), which has resulted in increased airfares just ahead of the festive season, as per a release. The results? Among 94 percent of holidaymakers still intend to travel during the festive season. A sizeable 36 percent plan to go ahead with their holidays either by increasing budgets or making changes in their budget allocations; another 23 percent are planning to postpone their holiday. And 37.2 percent travellers said they’ll choose a cheaper accommodation option and use the amount saved for the flight tickets while 27.3 percent said they’ll shorten the duration of their trip and use the amount saved for flight tickets. Some 26.8 percent said they’ll holiday in destinations closer home and 34.5 percent have cancelled immediate vacation plans.

Built in Indo-Saracenic style, the Mysore Palace is a repository of exquisite carvings and works of art collected from all over the world. Designed by English architect Henry Irwin, the new Palace is an interesting combination of Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture. Known as the Amba Palace, it was formerly the residence of the royal family – the Wodeyars. Mysore’s most recent attraction is the Son-et-Lumiere, a one of a kind sound and light show held in the vicinity of the Mysore Palace, showcasing 50 minutes of Mysore history and culture, and featured in three languages – Kannada, English and Hindi. The Palace saw 2.5 million tourists last year. This year, Mysore Dasara will be held between October 5 and 14 in which the Wodeyar royal couple perform a special puja to Goddess Chamundeshwari in the Chamundi Temple, followed by a special durbar in the Palace.

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October 2013 24 www.spiceroutemag.com

Jidai Matsuri known as Festival of the Ages is held at the Heian Jingu Shrine in Kyoto, Japan. It is one of the three largest festivals of Kyoto and will take place on October 22. The highlight is the jidai gyoretsu (historic pageant): a mikoshi (a portable shrine) and a suite of some 2,000 people dressed in costumes representing various eras of Kyoto’s 1,200-year history parade. At noon, the procession departs from Kyoto Gosho (Kyoto Imperial Palace), and parades over a total distance of 4.6km as far as its destination – the Heian Jingu Shrine, arriving there around 2pm. The line of the parading people stretches over a long distance and it takes more than one hour for the entire procession to pass one spot. This is a fine opportunity for tourists to take a closer look at the beautiful costumes, accessories and fittings which are reproduced with the quintessence of Kyoto’s rich traditional handicraft techniques.

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Travel buzz

9 9. Strengthening bonds

7 7. Autumn special in Nagasaki Nagasaki Kunchi Festival, an autumn festival rich in cosmopolitan atmosphere, is celebrated at Suwa Shrine in Nagasaki, which has a history of 370 years. This festival is held every year for three days starting on October 7 in accordance with the solar calendar, drawing large numbers of tourists from both inside and outside Nagasaki Prefecture. The highlight is the HonoOdori in which the towns in charge, called Odori-cho, take turns every year to perform dances. Each Odori-cho takes charge once every seven years. The Hono-Odori is also performed in the square in front of the City Public Hall, at the sacred resting place for gods during the festival parade and at the Yasaka Shrine. The attractions prepared by the Odori-cho include dazzling floats shaped like river barges or Chinese boats on wheels.

8. New guidelines for hotel classification Dr K Chiranjeevi, minister of State with independent charge for tourism, Government of India, has approved the revision of guidelines for hotel classification/ re-classification to make hotel services customer-oriented. Suggestions from the tourism and hospitality industries were considered before the approval was given, stated a release. The aim is to provide a higher level of services in hotels and to make information about customer rights available to them on and before their arrival. So now all categories of hotels will have to indicate the complimentary facilities and amenities provided to guests on their websites.

Facilities provided only on request must also be included in the same category and guests must be informed.

October 2013 26 www.spiceroutemag.com

Brand USA successfully concluded the second India Travel Mission recently. Two interactive sessions were held, one in Mumbai and the other in New Delhi. Mr Jay Gray, vice president, Global Partnership Development, Brand USA said that according to statistics, India ranked 12th amongst the top 20 touristgenerating countries for the US with 724,433 arrivals, an increase of 9.2 percent over the previous year. In 2012 Indian visitors also ranked 10th in the world in terms of money spent, with a total spend of $4.9 billion – an increase of 11 percent over the previous year. Therefore it was stated that the India Travel Mission is a productive platform for US delegates to strengthen cooperation with their Indian counterparts.

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Travel buzz

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10. Magical Wales

11. Midnight run in Bangkok

12. Tours on television

On October 4 and 5, celebrate local produce at the Neath Food Festival in Wales. Amid Neath’s historic market town atmosphere, there will be cookery demonstrations, children’s activities, produce shows, live music and community projects. Local restaurants, cafes, hotels and bars will be hosting food-and-drink-themed events.

There will also be a programme of musical entertainment in Victoria Gardens and fitness demonstrations in Angel Square.

From October 18 to 21, be part of the SWN Festival at Cardiff, which promotes and celebrates new music from Wales. Between October 27 and November 9, you visit the Dylan Thomas Festival at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea dedicated to Welsh poet Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953). The Festival showcases talent from Wales and beyond.

The annual Amari Watergate & BMW Thailand Charity Midnight Run is the only race in Bangkok to be held during the night, allowing runners to enjoy cooler temperatures (average of 24°C). Competitors can choose from two distances – 6km or 12km, depending on ability and agility. The city streets are closed to traffic and protected by a police and security force ensuring more than 5,000 runners can compete in this fun challenge through the heart of Bangkok.

The race is on Saturday, October 19. Male and female winners of the 12km race will be awarded the Royal trophy of HRH Princess Sirindhorn. Everyone who crosses the finish line gets a special commemorative medal.

The proceeds from the race will be donated to a number of charitable causes. An Amari Watergate Midnight Run hotel package is available during this period.

CNN’s popular original series Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, which has been nominated for four Primetime Emmys in the 2013 competition, launched its second season on September 20 on CNN International. The new season of the lifestyle series takes Bourdain and his crew into ‘parts unknown’ within Spain, New Mexico, Copenhagen, Sicily, Detroit, Tokyo and South Africa. In the New Mexico episode, to be telecast on October 4, Bourdain takes a close look at the mash-up of cultures that comprise this uniquely American state by sampling its food – a combination of Spanish, Mediterranean, Mexican, Pueblo and even chuck-wagon influences. Future episodes include Copenhagen in Denmark which explores the food and natural beauty of Copenhagen, the economic and cultural center of Denmark.

13. New hideout

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JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts announced the launch of its first hotel in Bengaluru. A perfect blend of style and sophistication, this property is designed to redefine luxury for the modern business and leisure traveller.

It overlooks the plush 300-acre Cubbon Park, offering a coveted combination of incredible views, architectural splendour and warm hospitality. The luxury five-star property features 297

October 2013 28 www.spiceroutemag.com

rooms and suites, including an ultraluxurious Presidential Suite.

It also offers guests an unforgettable experience of contemporary and approachable luxury with spacious guestrooms, stylish lounges, worldclass restaurants and a wellness center that includes state-of-the-art fitness equipment and a luxurious spa. With the debut of JW Marriott Bengaluru, the brand now has five hotels in India.

Travel buzz

14. Wed in style Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Maldives has recently launched Ocean Pavilion, a romantic setting for symbolic celebrations and ceremonies. Set in complete seclusion and surrounded by the crystal waters of the Maldives’ largest lagoon, the pavilion is only accessible by boat. Its architecture reflects the local Maldivian style, with antique wooden columns and a tiled roof. For couples wishing to reaffirm their commitment to the sound of lapping waves in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Maldives offers a ‘Renewal of Vows’ package which includes a ceremony at the idyllic Ocean Pavilion followed by a sunset cruise with space for family and friends, lavish meals and more. With the powder-soft Maldives beach and its magnificent sand bank, Maldives is also considered as a spectacular dream wedding destination.

15 15. Winter escapade Shervani Hilltop Nainital, a four-star garden boutique resort, offers a special winter package which includes accommodation for a couple on twin sharing basis for 2 nights/3 days, along with welcome drink, morning and evening tea with cookies, daily breakfast and dinner, complementary transport to the mall at regular intervals, adventure activities, bonfire in the evening, nature/jungle walk and recreational activities at the Resort.

The cost is `9,999 onwards for weekdays and `11,999 onwards for weekends. For festival weekends and holidays, it is `13,999 onwards. Shervani Hilltop’s exquisite view with 65 percent open garden area can make for a great getaway amid lush green hills.

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16 16. Travelista India Travelista, India’s first travel film, photography and shopping festival, returns for the second time this October at Dilli Haat in New Delhi between October 11 and 13. Travel film and photography screenings will be part of the festival, along with over 55 stalls of apparel, jewellery, home décor, accessories, kitsch, pop art and vintage.

Nomadic film screenings under the moonlit sky, funky rickshaws, roadside carts selling the popular cutting chai and popcorn and colourful art installations will be some of the attractions. The festival aims to establish a platform for formally trained artists, upcoming women designers and entrepreneurs to showcase their talent – over 50 women entrepreneurs and designers have been represented at Travelista so far.

Entrepreneur Akshuna Bakshi, 23 years old, organised the first edition of the festival in February 2013. For this edition, India’s leading backpacking company indianbackpacker.com’s Akshay Chhugani has joined hands with Travelista. The Festival promises to be a delight for travel junkies and culture vultures.

17. Jaypee in Agra

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As the season of heat passes by, welcome the lovely weather of monsoon with an exquisite getaway from the hustle bustle of monotonous life. Gear up to spend the much-needed time with your loved ones in the land of the most beautiful monuments of the Mughal era as Jaypee hotels offers you an array of retreat packages at Jaypee Palace Hotel, Agra.

October 2013 30 www.spiceroutemag.com

Spread out over an unbounded 25 acres of elegantly landscaped greenery with a glorious structural blend of red sandstone and marble, the regal Jaypee Palace Hotel has much to offer for a perfect vacation. Surrounded by the enormous water bodies and endless walkways, this magical creation impeccably blends Mughal and contemporary architecture with modern amenities.

Travel buzz

18. Iconic French wines Aspri Spirits is one of India’s leading distributors and importers of wines, spirits and liquor from across the world. It recently showcased fine wines from Burgundy produced by Maison Albert Bichot. Some of these wines are also available at airport duty free shops at Terminal 3 in Delhi. Maison Albert Bichot is a legendary name among wineries and dates back to 1350, since the Bichot family made Burgundy their home.

Though the family became attached to wine making only in the 19th century, they have built a reputation for their world-class heritage wines. To ensure usage of the bestquality fruit, Maison Albert Bichot acquired vineyards in the most reputed growing areas.

They also carefully sourced grapes in order to vinify and age its “négoce” wines to ensure top quality. Maison Albert Bichot owns four estates set at the heart of four great viticulture regions that make up Burgundy: Chablis, Cote de Nuits, Cote de Beaune and Cote Chalonnaise in France. Maison Albert Bichot along with Aspri Spirits has worked closely over the years to promote these iconic wines in India. Maison Albert Bichot’s focus for quality has won them appreciation and accolades at both French as well as international level. Some of the prestigious awards include Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2004: winner of the “International Pinot Noir Trophy; International Wine Challenge: 2004 “Red winemaker of the year”.

19 19. Relaxation at T3

20. Vivanta at Surajkund

When you are next at Terminal 3, visit Ishana Experience Centre, conceived by The Spa Group as an ‘experiential’ retail destination that brings together several aspects of Indian heritage. Ishana enables customers to experience and explore the diverse elements of India as well as complementary services including Ayurvedic consultation, astrology, readings, live dance and music performances, mehendi application and live craft demonstrations. Also on display are authentic Indian products that exemplify fine craftsmanship. Ishana Nature Spa is inspired by the tenets of Ayurveda and yoga, and offers express therapies that help its customers relax and rejuvenate. The Healing Pool, one of the highlights, is consecrated by Sadhguru – Spiritual Master and founder of Isha Foundation, Coimbatore. Having won various awards like “Store design of the yearMulti Brand: Awarded by ET Retail Awards in February 2013” and “Customer service excellence in Specialty Retail: Awarded by Retail customer service awards 2013”, Ishana is a demonstration of the wide spectrum of expectations from the rich Indian culture and equally enriching heritage.

Vivanta by Taj - Hotels & Resorts has announced the latest addition to the Vivanta portfolio with Vivanta by Taj - Surajkund (earlier being operated and managed as The Claridges, Surajkund). Mr. Raymond N Bickson, MD & CEO, Indian Hotels Company Limited said, “This hotel will be the third Vivanta in the region after the recent launch of Vivanta by Taj - Gurgaon, NCR and our contemporary classic address Vivanta Ambassador. This is in line with a strategic plan to expand our presence in the National Capital Region.” Deepa Misra Harris, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces said, “Vivanta

by Taj - Surajkund will be seen in a new avatar as the perfect place for both business and leisure. With a 18,500 sq ft indulgent and much-lauded Jiva Grande Spa, sunkissed courtyards, gurgling aqua bodies, interesting installations, signature restaurants luxurious rooms and generous conferencing and banqueting spaces, Vivanta Surajkund promises the next sanctum.” Vivanta Surajkund will soon be unveiling exciting motifs that underline the brand’s penchant for pleasantly surprising you.

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18 October 2013 32 www.spiceroutemag.com

Cover story

Festive

Kolkata

October is a special month when the City of Joy is immersed in celebrations.

This makes for a perfect time to catch the true spirit here.

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he celebration starts months prior to the great event. Though known for its colonial past, the five-day long Durga Puja (or Poojo as it is popularly known) renders a completely different image to the city. It is perhaps one celebration that is awaited again, right from the moment it ends. The ending notes when Goddess Durga is immersed in the Ganga are “aste bochor abar hobe�, meaning next year it shall happen again... such is the fervour of this mother of celebrations.

For locals puja means pandal hopping, eating out, meeting friends, wearing new clothes and of course exchanging gifts and greetings. The city also hosts many guests from across the globe, who especially come during this time of the year to be a part of the biggest festival celebrated in the state. For tourists it can be a heart-warming experience seeing the magnitude of festivities here. Along with devotion for the Mother Goddess, it is the grand artistry which is worth admiration.

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Bengalis are known for their love for art and culture and Durga Puja is yet another occasion when you can see its manifestation in almost everything, from pandals to decorations, cultural evenings and of course in their ethnic dresses. Having spent my childhood days in the city, I still remember the times when Poojo meant loads of fun and eating out. That fact that I belong to a different faith never came in way of celebrations with friends. That is what the city does to you – it embraces each and

Cover story

Pandals made with paint boxes and bamboo sticks

then taken to various pandals where devotees perform pujas for the five days (Sasthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Dashami), before finally immersing the idols in the holy Ganga (Hoogly).

Some pandals are made of innovative items like bottles, chipped wood and even shells

every one who comes into its fold and makes you feel special.

Religious renderings Kumartuli is the place where action begins months ahead with a special group of people modelling the idols with straw and mud. Then comes the decoration and beautification which makes the idols look almost real. The artistes get orders from different parts of the country and from across the world too. The idols are October 2013 38 www.spiceroutemag.com

The puja pandals (temporary structures) of Kolkata are another unique phenomenon whose fame has reached all corners of the world. Built in grand scale, these pandals are exceptional works of art. While some are made of innovative goods like bottles, chipped wood or even shells, others are also replicas of monuments and important buildings from across the world. The decoration of the pandals are no less, with the use of lights and interesting artifacts. The city roads are all illuminated with different designs, making the city look completely bejewelled.

It is for this reason alone that the tradition of pandal hopping is very popular among locals and visiting guests. People go around the city visiting as many pandals as possible till the wee hours. These trips are of course laced with intervals of eating sessions, where one can try out the many city restaurants or eat from the numerous kiosks outside the pandals . My alltime favourite used to be puchkas (gol guppa

Cover story

and pani puri in other parts of the country), rolls and tea served in earthen cups; these have now been replaced by plastic ones, taking away the nice earthen aroma which I really miss.

Must see

Food & fun

Bagbazar: This puja in north Kolkata, around a century old, is ranked among the oldest.

Traditional Bengali cuisine is an equal part of the celebration, because outside each pandal one is bound to find food stalls in huge numbers. Luchi- kosa mangso, ghugni, puchka, jhal muri, rasgulla, raj bhog; the list can go on with a wide range of choice. It is an accepted norm that in many households, food is not cooked for the five days of celebrations.

Eating bhog (festive food served at the puja site) is something that all look forward to, and

Kumartuli Park: This has gained popularity for being in the area where Durga idols are handcrafted.

College Square: The puja stands out for its picturesque setting, as the pandal is set up around a lake, and the whole area is enormously illuminated.

besides these, the chain of kiosks outside each pandal offers enough options. Kolkata is a heaven for foodies as the city has a great food tradition. Be it the fish delicacies, Kolkata-style biryani or the wide variety of sweets available only here, these five days may be less to try all the dishes available here. One more thing that is special about this city – good food is not always heavy on the pocket. While there are many fine-dining options like Oh! Calcutta and Sourav’s: The Food Pavilion, the ever-popular Aminia and Shiraz also offer mouth-watering delicacies at a very reasonable rate. The Trincas and Flurys at Park Street are not-to-miss in the city besides the K C Das stores where you also get special sugar-free sweets, in case your

Mohammad Ali Park: The puja is set up in a large park, which attracts many for its elaborate and attention-grabbing display.

Clockwise from top left: The theme-based pandals during pujas; Bengali women during sindoor khela; The delicious mishti paan

October 2013 40 www.spiceroutemag.com

Cover story

Photo | Cameron MacMaster

SpiceJet flies to Kolkata.

See schedule, page 236.

Mayur kucho dhoti is a must try for men and is never out of fashion doctors have banned you from sugar. Visitors can also pick up tinned rasgullas which can be conveniently packed and taken back home.

Even today, when ever I am in Kolkata, I make it a point to pick up tins of rasgullas for family and friends. In case if you forget to buy them in the city, you can pick them up from the stall at the airport or the railway station.

sarees; silk, kantha, tant or the ever-popular cotton printed (chapa) sarees. Men need not get disappointed here as there is enough for them to choose too. Even though Bengali men are not known to be too fashion/trendconscious, Durga Puja is one time of the year when they are at their traditional best. Ethnic kurtas in cotton and silk are found in plenty.

Another must wear when in Kolkata is the

Kolkata is also a shopper’s paradise, and what better time than the Puja season, when the best of everything is out on sale. Shopping for Durga Puja starts months ahead, when people go all out to buy everything from dresses and household items to even gadgets.

Traditional shopping hot spots like Gariahat, New Market, College Street, Dakhinapan or the new malls that have come up in the city are jam-packed with people queuing up to buy their stuff. It is here that you will find a kilometre-long queue outside Sreeleathers, a popular leather shop on Lindsay street. Kolkata is known for the mesmerising October 2013 42 www.spiceroutemag.com

Left: The hustle and bustle on Howrah Bridge; Below: The magnificent Victoria Memorial

mayur kucho dhoti which can surely give any modern designer a tough competition.

Living history The city also has a lot of history and culture and visiting the important attractions here can take you back in time. Almost each lane and building here has a story to tell. A cruise on the omnipresent Hoogly can be a nice way of taking in the local beauty. Regular ferry services are available also to cross the Hoogly from one side to the other. The Victoria Memorial at the centre of the city with the nearby St Paul’s Cathedral are one of the main attractions here. Some of the activities you

Cover story

Eating Out Oh! Calcutta: Forum Mall, 10/3 Elgin Road, Lala Lajpat Rai Sarani Kewpie’s Kitchen: 2 Elgin Lane (behind Netaji Bhawan) Bhojohori Manna: Ekdalia Road; Hazra; Salt Lake Sectors I & V Aminia: 6 A. S.N. Banerjee Road (opposite New Market)

could indulge in here would be baggi-ride and watching the musical fountains in front of the Victoria Memorial. There are also the National Library, Presidency College and the Jadavpur University which are institutes of wide acclaim. However, the city has something for every traveller. For sport enthusiasts, the Eden Gardens and the more recent Salt Lake stadium which have hosted many important cricket as well as soccer matches are worth visiting. Kolkata is also a city which has a long tradition of racing. Be it horse racing at the world-renowned Royal Calcutta Turf Club or The Statesman Vintage Car Rally, the city offers a slice of history in all its grandeur even today. Historic buildings like the erstwhile Great Eastern Hotel, Writers’ Building, General Post Office, Marble Palace or Job Charnock’s grave dot the city. If one has time to explore further, there is the beauty of the Sundarbans, the erstwhile French colony at Chandannagar, October 2013 44 www.spiceroutemag.com

The ornate Metropolitan building

the centuries-old banyan tree at the Botanical Gardens and much more.

The city is also an art lover’s paradise with regular exhibitions and cultural performances happening at various art galleries and auditoriums. Rabindra Sadan, Nandan and Sisir Manch at the heart of the city are art connoisseur hubs, where you are bound to find something interesting to watch. As a college goer, my friends and I watched all the Hollywood hits, back to back, at Nandan during the film festivals. I am sure many will hold such warm memories of this city. There are quaint auction houses too where you are still bound to find some unique treasures from yesteryear. All in all, the city entertains each and every visitor, and the Puja season makes the experience even more special.

City guide

48 Hours

in Thiruvananthapuram

October 2013 48 www.spiceroutemag.com

Apart from the breathtaking backwaters, this city is known for its temples, rejuvenating massages, glimpses of nature and great shopping options.

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6:00 AM Sea paddle

On the first morning in Thiruvananthapuram, my husband, baby daughter and I couldn’t resist a sea sojourn. A 30-minute drive to the scenic Lighthouse Beach in Kovalam (named after the old Vizhinjam Lighthouse which stands tall on a rocky promontory) gave us one 49

of the most cherished views, of dawn breaking over the waves. The sea and sky changed magically from black to orange to yellow to aqua as the sun rose. We walked barefeet into the ocean, the waves lapping softly at our feet.

11:00 AM Backwaters tour

After a quick shower and breakfast at the

City guide

Clockwise from top left: Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple; Charming backwaters; Famed Kerala spices; Closeup of temple carvings

The sea and sky changed from orange to yellow to aqua as the sun rose...

hotel, we headed to Poovar, 38km away, for the famed backwaters tour. During the approximately half-an-hour long cab drive, we had a glimpse of the popular local fat red banana hanging in bunches from most shops we passed; our cabbie told us it was the best cure for constipation. We also stopped to have a refreshing sip from bright orange coconuts – another local speciality, they tasted sweeter than the normal variety and were most satisfying. Once at Poovar, we chose the two-hour motorboat ride – lush foliage on each side lent a vibrant green tinge to the waters. The motorboat sped along, a cool breeze rejuvenating us along with the pretty views (including rare birds and fauna), going through wide waterways, turning into ones so narrow that it forced the leaves to lightly brush October 2013 50 www.spiceroutemag.com

our arms – a charming ride. And then we were back on the wider canal. The boatman stopped at the sole floating restaurant Leela where we ordered drinks and snacks – golden fried prawns with papad, chicken fried rice and the local speciality curd rice satisfied the appetite the ride had whipped up. And then it was back through the winding green waterways.

Before we started back, the guide showed us a colourful fish he had caught in the river, and keeping with the law of nature, set it free once we had admired it.

02:00 pM a unique lunch

The Indian Coffee House (ICH) near the railway station is located in a unique fourstorey spiralling tower designed by architect Laurie Baker. The seating is unconventional –

City guide

SpiceJet flies to Thiruvananthapuram.

See schedule, page 236.

Clockwise from far left: Woman selling traditional sarees; Rejuvenating Shirodhara treatment; Spotted deer at Neyyar; At the Lion Park Safari

benches on both sides of round tables are set in a circular design along the walls. The food is tasty and served piping hot, and it’s one of the few places where you get to sample the beetroot dosa.

03:30 pM Ayurvedic rejuvenation

We chose to go to the Kerela Ayurvedic Health Centre in Thirumala, 6km away from ICH. Low lighting and instrumental music was soothing to begin with. And once the therapist started the Abhyangam massage, checking with me on how much pressure she should apply, I could feel the stress melting away. I took a shower to wash away all traces of the massage, and was ready for an evening full of shopping.

07:00 pM Mall magic Pothy’s on MG Road, around 8km away, turned out to be just what we wanted. Spread over six

floors, this mall has everything – from a variety of garments including traditional Indian and westernwear, to food to jewellery to gadgets.

Two impressive floors are dedicated to sarees – fancy, designer, wedding and much more. Apart from clothes, we bought many kinds of papad and filtered coffee with the traditional steel glasses used to serve them.

DAY two

09:00 aM Wildlife galore

Approximately 35km from the city, Neyyar offers some great options for the keen wildlife lover. You can visit the dam and then take a ferry to reach the Lion Park for a safari.

But before that, we spent some time at their crocodile museum for a glimpse of some rare species. Once the ferry was ready to leave, we took the rough-hewn steps down to the river to the boat. Although it was quite full, October 2013 52 www.spiceroutemag.com

we were rewarded by the cool river breeze once we started. The Lion Safari Park is on an island in the middle of the river. We had to climb into a bus, again extremely crowded with humidity at its peak, which took us inside the park. But it was worth the effort as a little way down, we found a lion on the right side of the bus and a lioness on the left – both sat relaxed, roared to converse with each other, and then took a walk showing off their magnificent beauty – what more could we ask for? Back in the ferry, we stopped again at one end of the river and got to see the deer park and another crocodile park. Once we were back, we shopped for some cloves and black peppercorns at the tourist shop. And then headed to Thiruvananthapuram.

02:00 pM time to meditate

In the mood for some traditional cuisine,

we reached Ananda Bhavan on MG Road – a classic Kerela restaurant where nobody minds if you dig into your food with your hands! The thali turned out to be a good choice.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple was our next destination. It is said that this temple gave the city its name – the words ‘thiru’, ‘anantha’ and ‘puram’ mean ‘sacred abode of Lord Anantha Padmanabha’. It houses a statue of Lord Vishnu in the yoga nidra position lying on the serpant. You need to be in traditional attire and gents must change into lungis to be allowed entry into the temple. It is impressive from the outside thanks to the 100-foot seven tier gopuram, and breathtaking inside with sculptured granite stone pillars and numerous elaborate carvings.

The motorboat sped along, a cool breeze rejuvenating us October 2013 54 www.spiceroutemag.com

Lighthouse Beach offers great experiences early morning and late at night

05:00 pM Local treasures

The plan was to head to Kovalam for another beach visit. On the way, our cab driver decided to ‘show off’ the charms of Kerela. He stopped at a local shop where we got to see murukku, the famous south Indian savoury snack, being made live by a wizened old village lady. We didn’t need any more proof about the authenticity and freshness, and happily purchased it in huge quantities for friends and family back home. The cabbie also stopped at a Kerela tourism shop on the way where we bought some beautiful (and reasonable) local sarees, along with a fill of spices, including notso-easily available ones such as whole nutmeg and koova (arrowroot). And we picked up a few umbrellas, known to be strong and durable.

09:00 pM Dinner at the beach We were back at Lighthouse Beach... Amid the cool breeze, moonlight shining on the water and the sounds of the waves, we dug into chicken curry and fried rice – complete bliss.

A fitting end to a beautiful journey in God’s own country...

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Quick getaway

October 2013 58 www.spiceroutemag.com

Tranquil

heaven

Nestled amidst the lush green Western Ghats with the Arabian Sea by its side, Bekal is a paradise waiting to be discovered.

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was visiting Kerala after a very long time, and after seeing the beauty of Allepey and Munnar, my visit to Bekal, on the northern tip of Kerala, was out of sheer inquisitiveness.

Initial internet search revealed this place to be a hidden beauty in the Kasaragod district, with the imposing Bekal Fort. However, the moment one leaves Mangalore city (this is the nearest airport), the mystery starts unfolding.

Interesting shop names like Arabian restaurant, Sharjah Motor Works and Gulf Mega Store catch my attention and so do the big houses, each surrounded by not less than a dozen coconut trees. The new-age bungalows with all modern amenities surprised me, only to learn that this district has the maximum number of youngsters who have moved to the Gulf.

Secret surrender I was in for another surprise as I entered the Lalit Resort & Spa, Bekal where I was booked for my stay. With lagoon, backwaters and the beach by its side, it was like getting the best of Kerala at one place. Such luxury in the small town of Bekal was something 59

Quick getaway

SpiceJet flies to Mangalore.

See schedule, page 236.

Fact file

✓ Mangalore, the nearest airport, is

fishermen are seen netting their catch, the rural youth can be spotted at all times playing around on the beach.

75km from Bekal.

Trek the ghats ✓ Kasaragod railway station is connected Nestled in the Western Ghats, the greenery to all important Indian cities.

I did not anticipate. Spread across 26 acres of manicured landscape it can make your heart skip a beat. This place gives you an opportunity to experience all that makes Kerala God’s own country. The resort is known for its state-of-the-art spa which offers traditional Kerala massages as well as modern Medispa treatments. A lazy kayaking ride on the backwaters with the setting sun as the backdrop acts like a natural therapy for tired souls. The beach close by is another attraction here. One can just spend hours seeing the big waves lashing the long beach line. While local

around is captivating and what could have been a better way of experiencing it than going for a trek? Thonikadvu, an hour’s drive away from Bekal, is a perfect place to enjoy the lush greenery here. Adjacent to Coorg, the mountains here are abundant with tall trees, a small river and waterfalls. As I started my trek at the humble garden with some medicinal plants, little did I know what lay ahead. As I looked down there was nothing but a nonending green carpet – with rubber and coconut trees, some banana and Areccanut trees vying for attention too. With birds chirping and the sound of gushing water down below, there was no stopping me. Accompanied by my guide, I set of for my trek which was filled with

Tu hi re, the famous song from the popular movie Bombay, was shot at the magnificent Bekal Fort October 2013 60 www.spiceroutemag.com

Bekal is known for its green environ and mesmerising beauty

unknown promises. We rested at the small stream and let the fresh water run through our legs. No sooner had we let our feet down, small fishes came along and started nibbling into our feet – it was fish spa at its best. The cold stream water took away all the tiredness even as we got up to explore a little further.

Tunnels bringing in mountain water and an old house with typical Mangalorean roof served as a nice resting place after a long trek. Guests can also be served traditional Kerala cuisine, if they wish so. After a long trek and spending few long hours in the lap of nature, we again walked up, still being tantalised by the sights that makes the Western Ghats a must place to visit. Though there were not many fruits which we could pluck, we ended our trek with fresh tender coconut water. One has to taste it to know what freshness means and that moment I knew – I will never like any other coconut water served in the city stalls, because now I have tasted the best.

Fortified beaut y When in Bekal, all roads lead to the famous Bekal Fort. Recently it has also been the hot spot for shooting many Bollywood and South Indian films. The famous Tu hi re song from the

Quick getaway

Not-tomiss Garbad ice cream Spices and cashew Kasaragod sarees Houseboat cruise Ayurveda massage Theyyam performances

resort serves an innovative fusion menu which combines the best of all kinds of cuisines; like a makhni curry with corn biryani. In Kerala, the choices are plenty – from pure vegetarian menu to exciting fish dishes, you are sure relish every meal. It is only here that you can have a coconut dessert and rave about it unendingly.

Clockwise from left: People enjoying a trek through the banana trees; Trekkers crossing a stream; Theyyam is a popular dance form here

Kalaripayattu, an ancient martial art form, is known for its supremacy movie Bombay was shot here, rightly capturing the beauty of this magnificent fort. Spread over a large landscape, the fort offers a breathtaking view of the Arabian Sea and the rural life along the shore. Efforts have been made to beautify the fort with manicured lawns and proper lighting. The Bekal Fort has few specialties which set it apart from any other fort in Kerala.

The observatory tower which forms the highest point at the fort gives a bird’s eye view of the

surrounding area. There is also a tunnel which was used by soldiers as an escape route in case of any kind of attack. The fort is a favourite among locals and tourists and has a stream of visitors throughout the year.

Cuisine stopover Apart from the natural beauty of this place, this part of Kerala has a nice mix of authentic Kerala cuisine along with an influence of Konkani flavours. Kasaragod with its strong presence of Muslim population also has a lot to offer in the non-vegetarian menu. Bent on trying the best of Kerala food, I was treated to appam with fish moile on the first day of my stay at the Lalit Spa & Resort, Bekal. The chef took me through the whole range of extraordinary food that the resort serves to its guests, keeping both the wellness and taste factor in mind. The October 2013 62 www.spiceroutemag.com

Another aspect which makes Bekal special is its rich culture and since I happened to visit the place around Onam, I got a fair glimpse of the same. Local children were seen performing different dance forms at various spots. The day before Onam, children dressed in animal costumes are seen going from one house to the other collecting money for the next day celebrations. Sports too is big here with local boys organising cricket matches and other games throughout the year.

The Kasaragod district is also home to the outstanding art form of Theyyam. This is a rare combination of dance and music, and reflects important features of the tribal culture.

Kalaripayattu is another treasure from this region. An ancient South Indian martial art, Kalaripayattu can easily be called the mother of all martial artforms for its sheer supremacy.

There are few schools which teach this art form to youth from nearby cities.

When I left Bekal, I was more confused than before. I was not sure what to admire most; its natural beauty, ever-smiling local folks, the great food or just the whole experience.

Quick getaway

Landour in

leisure

Retaining an old-world charm, this cantonment town offers the purity and freshness of the hills, leaving you mesmerised.

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he thought of travelling to the hills has always sent a chill down my spine. The steep hilly roads make me feel sick. But this time it was different – something I couldn’t refuse. After nearly four years, two of my closest friends and I decided to go on a holiday together to Landour – 32km from the city of Dehradun, it is one of the most scenic places I have ever seen. I would call it the Switzerland of India! Maybe it was time to make friends with these winding lanes that promised me memories to last a lifetime. The 300m drive from Mussoorie to Landour was scary yet spectacular. Steep slopes and the fear of being

October 2013 64 www.spiceroutemag.com

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confronted by trucks on a single-lane road took a backseat when I looked at the beautiful sights outside the car window. As the car took a turn along the winding road and I struggled to see the steep incline, the serenity from the mountains settled within my soul. I gazed at the setting sun, wondering if this is how it felt to be in paradise...

Heavenly abode After the flight from Delhi to Dehradun followed by an uphill drive to Landour, all we wanted was a cozy bed and a steaming cup of tea. Rokeby Manor gave us all this and much

Quick getaway

more. Built in 1840 by Captain G.N. Cauthy, it is one of the landmarks of Landour. The house and two-acre estate are situated slightly above and towards the east of St. Paul’s Church and the old cantonment parade ground, which is now called Char Dukan. Like many houses in Mussoorie, its name is taken from the writings of Sir Walter Scott, whose book-length poem describes heroic battles near the original Rokeby Castle in England. This heritage building is resplendent with character in its elaborate brick arches and niches, intricate stone walls, real wood floors and beams, and cosy fireplaces. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, the traditions of bygone years can still be felt here. Being students of literature, all three of us were ecstatic being here as it was like a scene straight from the Victorian poems we had studied in college. Much to our delight, we were booked in at the log cabin – a luxurious three-bedroom cottage with its own private garden. This quaint cottage was built of real pine logs, and was truly a home away from home. A hot water shower and a some hot masala chai rejuvenated us and we were ready to go.

Char Dukan If Mussoorie is the ‘queen of the hills’, then Landour must be the fair prince. Visiting Landour in the rains made it more special.

I could see the hillsides with their clutch of

shops which made up the Landour bazaar, and beyond that, an all-enveloping mist. We put on our walking shoes and headed out into the drizzle armed with umbrellas.

A neat little hangout and one of the cosiest marketplaces I have seen in India, Char Dukan comprises a number of shops grouped together, more than the original four which the market was named after. It is here that you can take a break – sit and sip chai, snack, and observe people. This place attracts a sizeable foreign crowd – the Landour Language school is located closeby and foreigners come here to learn the local language. So don’t be surprised to see them talking in fluent Hindi.

Walking further down on the same road we came across one of the oldest stores in town –

Prakash’s store – where you can buy delicious homemade peanut butter and a variety of jams.

It was almost dusk and we decided to head to the St. Paul’s Church which is adjacent to Char Dukan. It can compete with archaic European churches when it comes to architectural beauty. Tired with all the walking, we headed back to the Manor to enjoy a live barbeque in the serene weather, enjoying a breathtaking view of the lit-up Dehradun below.

Celebrity Homes It was a rainy and gloomy morning when we woke up. But that did not stop our exploring spree. After a heavy breakfast (eggs in the hills somehow taste wonderfully fresh and yummy), we started walking towards the famous Lal Tibba. We took a ticket from a local lady to

Clockwise from top: The adventurous Landour trail; At the famous Char Dukan; Actor Victor Banerjee’s cottage

October 2013 66 www.spiceroutemag.com

Quick getaway

Clockwise from left: St. Paul’s church; Tea lovers at a small tea shop; The quaint Rokeby Manor

go up and see it through the big telescope installed there. The view was enchanting.

Then we headed straight on the circular stretch which brought us to a building called Ivy Bank. Ivy Cottage, famous children’s author Ruskin Bond’s home, was not too far from there. We walked on and reached a humble cottage where Mr. Bond, the grand old man of the mountains, resided. Celebrities such as

Tom Alter, Victor Banerjee and writer Ganesh Saili also have homes in this quaint town.

Musing over all the knowledge we received from the locals about these literary personas, we moved downwards for a lavish lunch at the newly renovated Jaypee Residency Manor in Mussoorie. A spread of Indian and Italian cuisine at the Cafe Manor made us hungrier.

Dipping into a bowl full of tender butter chicken complimented with soft butter naans

Tom Alter and Victor Banerjee also have homes in this quaint hamlet

SpiceJet flies to Dehradun.

See schedule, page 236.

brought out the Punjabi in me and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. As recommended by the chef, we decided to dig into hot gulab jamuns and caramel pudding to complete our blissful experience. As we could spare only a few minutes before we went back to our Manor, we decided to do a mini recce of the property. We were completely mesmerised by the 360 degree view of the mighty Himalayas, which we saw standing on the terrace garden of this luxury property. The hospitable general manager of the hotel informed us that many films have been shot here.

Clock tower A few kilometres downhill is the famous Ghanta Ghar. One of the main landmarks of this small town, it houses the famous Ghantabazaar. We had heard about a shoe maker here who can make genuine leather shoes in a day. Excited, we almost barged into Chowdhary Shoemaker’s shop and got busy exploring the different colours of leather that he stocked, and ended up placing a huge order.

Satisfied with our shopping, we headed back to relax as we had to leave early next morning for Delhi. On the way, we stopped at the wellknown Woodstock School and got photographs clicked with the students.

As we drove back, I turned several times to bid goodbye to the mountains, promising myself a return visit.

October 2013 68 www.spiceroutemag.com

Where you are surrounded by convenience Maxworth City blends the best of residential housing into the scenic splendor of Vidyaranyapura to provide you all the joys of a well balanced lifestyle, on par with global standards. Its proximity to the IT hub, prominent schools, colleges and hospitals make it a much sought after destination of modern living.

ORTH CIT AXW Y MPremium Apartments at

VIDYARANYAPURA

Amenities Multi-purpose Hall Recreation Centre with Indoor Games Indoor Badminton Court Swimming Pool

Highlights

Jogging Track Basketball & Tennis Court Children’s Play Area Parks Health Club, Steam & Sauna

Meditation Room Maze Garden & Senior Citizen Park 24 hrs Generator Back-up Round the Clock Security

Just 12 kms from Majestic 3 kms from BEL Circle Just 1 km to Yelahanka Near Sambhram College of Engineering

CONTACT : 99723 04970 KMP HOUSE, # 12/2, Yamuna Bai Road, Madhavanagar, Bengaluru-560 001 E-mail: info@maxworthrealty.com BRANCHES

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MAX

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MANGALORE

MYSORE

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Theme holiday

Nature’s

mosaic

Moody weather, lush green landscape and talented tribal inhabitants make Saputara in Gujarat a unique holiday destination.

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aputara is a land of surprises. As one crosses the dense cover of deciduous forests in different hues of green through a serpentine roadway to reach Saputara, the weather at the hilly vacation spot takes turns with the tick of the clock – a drizzle blanketing the entire green belt in mist, followed by a bright sun, only to be captured by dark nimbus clouds again. It’s a perfect natural retreat abounding with hills and water cascades offering a glimpse into the world of the tribals, considered among the oldest settlers of the country, who have managed to live through ages in kinship with the forests and streams. When other states in

the country face and struggle with the biggest threat of naxalism in their tribal belts, Gujarat shows the way to zero-crime rate and all-round development in its tribal domain.

Hill charm The only hill station in Gujarat, Saputara (literally meaning abode of serpents) is located in the tribal-dominated Dangs district bordering Maharashtra, and touches the northern tip of Western Ghats. Come monsoon and the town paints itself in lush green, redolent with vegetation and blooming flowers, thin streams rushing down the hillocks. Many October 2013 70 www.spiceroutemag.com

unexplored trekking routes make the place a picnic hotspot for people from the plains.

The exotic location and pristine beauty of nature in Saputara has changed the face of the tribal economy here. The concentrated efforts of the state government to tap the tourism potential of the place have borne rich dividends with nearly 3 lakh travellers flocking to Saputara in year 2012-13. This year the figures will surge further as tourists come in droves with family and friends to breathe in the fresh air and witness how indigenous communities are living in harmony without disturbing the

youmeandwe.co/MN/Oct13

MUMBAI - Bandra (W) - Turner Road, Tel: 26559000 Andheri (W) - Lokhandwala Tel: 26345090 www.maheshnotandass.in

Theme holiday

SpiceJet flies to Ahmedabad.

See schedule, page 236.

ecological fragility of the surroundings. As a famous Gujarati saying goes, these tribes have settled here just like sugar settles within a bowl of milk! More so, they continue to forge links with the outside world through huge tourist influx and a slew of successful schemes run by the administration to make their growth sustainable and upward bound.

Unmatched showcase Gujarat has a unique topography with its landscapes – as diverse as desert and beaches to mountain ranges. With thundering waterfalls, majestic fountains, green meadows and refreshing pollution-free air, Saputara offers what people pay for at expensive spas and massage centres – a peaceful synchronisation of mind and body. The quietness is enchanting enough to make a person lose track of mundane daily hectic life.

It is a place where one can talk and share with oneself.

At the peak of its beauty during the monsoon, this 1,000ft high abode crowning the Sahyadri Hills is thronged by lakhs from Gujarat and Maharashtra as well as other parts of the country. The beauty of the place has to be experienced to be believed, engulfed in mesmerising droplets of rain.

The ongoing Saputara Monsoon Festival was envisioned three years ago. Keeping in mind the importance of tourism in boosting the

Clockwise from top left: Boating at the Saputara Lake; The lake is an ideal picnic spot; The picturesque town amidst the Sahayadri mountains

Local artifacts at the Gandharvapur Artist Village are a spectacular delight economy of the region and the state. State machinery decided to show it to the world and improve the lives of some of its marginalised citizens in the deal. Hotels, resorts, artistic villages, tribal museums, crafts villages, food stalls, boat rides and more form part of the Festival. Saputara Tribal Museum is a step back in time with display of ethnic clothes, artifacts, utensils and musical instruments, making the Dang tribal life come alive to the tourists.

Local artifacts at the Gandharvapur Artist Village run by sculptor Surya Goswami for the last 30 years are a spectacular delight where visitors not just enjoy watching artisans work and purchase tribal art items, but also have the option of trying their hands at crafting a few art pieces themselves. Warli paintings and Bhavada October 2013 72 www.spiceroutemag.com

masks are a major attraction here. Visitors get dazzled by a plethora of activities like parades, painting competitions, laser shows, water games, cultural evenings, lip-smacking food stalls and much more. The Bhavada tribal dance form among Kokni tribals of Dangs is a good example of artistic zeal and acumen.

Adventure trail Parks and gardens around the famous Saputara Lake make for idyllic picnic spots. A 15-minute ride up the Sunset Point in a cable car is thrilling. Adventure enthusiasts can climb the hillock called Governor’s Hill to embark on adventure activities including mudbiking, ropeway, zip-line, rock climbing and more.

You also get to explore historical places

Theme holiday

service sector in the hill station with locals working at hotels, lodges and the like. Nearly 10 percent of their income is generated from the food stalls they put up at the festival site.”

MUST VISIT If you are visiting Gujarat this October then visit the Gandhi Museum at the Sabarmati Ashram on the ocassion of Gandhi Jayanti.

There is an ITI set up in the town to impart training to tribals in hospitality and tourism-related skills. This is an endeavour to boost skill development and economy of the villagers to bring them in the mainstream without detaching them from their tradition and culture.

Sabarmati Ashram is located at Old Wadaj in Ahmedabad which is approximately 408 kms from Saputara.

that have been part of India’s great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Nageshwar Mahadev Temple, Sita Van, Shabri Dham, Pampa Sarovar (The Ramayana Trail circuit) and Pandava caves re-live the magic with these relics of a civilisation gone by. Gira Falls is a 30-metre natural drop into the Ambica River.

Explore the fauna and flora of the mysterious Saputara at Waghai Botanical Garden which houses rare species of medicinal plants found in the region, Mahal Forest and Vansada National Park. Adventure buffs must move to the Mahal eco-campsite as it offers excellent

trekking options besides being bestowed with rivers and bamboo glides, and is considered to be one of the best forest sites in Gujarat. There are organised walking trails to Rajat Pratap and Tridhara treks.

Tourism benefits According to government data, the lives of the locals (98 percent tribals) have changed drastically with large numbers of tourists pouring in during the rainy season. According to Mr Vipul Mitra, Principal Secretary, Gujarat Tourism, “Special emphasis has been laid on

Saputara is also a transit point for Nasikand Shirdi-bound pilgrims, giving the place greater leverage from religious tourism angle.

In short, Saputara has all one can dream for a weekend getaway from the maddening crowd of cities. The picturesque town amidst the Sahayadri mountains is the perfect blend of nature, beauty and wildlife. The monsoon season offers a unique experience of an adventurous environ overcast with clouds and fogs spread over the hills. The success of the Saputara Monsoon Festival registered by the domestic as well as international tourist influx is a reality owing to hard work put in by the state government and the local population, to not only welcome the outsiders but also open up their cultural wealth spread across the landscapes. The woods surely whisper out: Kuch din toh guzaariye Gujarat mein!

Clockwise from top: Gandhi Museum at Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad; Ropeway is a big hit; Magnificent Gira Falls

October 2013 74 www.spiceroutemag.com

Theme holiday

Incredible

island

Culturally vibrant and scenic, Majuli on the river Brahmaputra has ancient monasteries, rich flora and fauna, and a diverse agricultural tradition. &

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eaving behind the somnolent town of Jorhat in Upper Assam, we headed to Nimati Ghat, a promontory overlooking the mighty Brahmaputra. At this boarding jetty there were several watercrafts waiting to ferry passengers towards Majuli, the world’s largest inhabited river island. Less than 25km from the district headquarters of Jorhat, the river sojourn to Majuli – a three-hour ferry ride along the October 2013 76 www.spiceroutemag.com

Brahmaputra – was an adventurous one, where we got to travel alongside an assorted crowd of passengers besides animals, and vehicles including a tractor and a dredging machine!

Running thrice a day, up and down from the mainland, it is Majuli’s only link with the outside world – its lifeline. As the ferry sped along the mighty Brahmaputra, I could hear

Theme holiday

SpiceJet flies to Guwahati.

See schedule, page 236.

Clockwise from left: Traditional weaving at Majuli; Another Mishing lady with her grandchild; A Khasi woman selling bakery items

Majuli has been home to Assamese civilisation for the past five centuries the steady chug of the motor along with the waves beating against the hull of the vessel.

Pastoral delight Kamalabari Island first loomed into view as a small speck on the horizon. Then a huge landmass arose out of the water like the back of a tortoise. The cab ferrying us to some of the Vaishnavite monasteries (known as satras) zipped past a platter of pastoral delights. With a patchwork of harvested paddy fields, clumps of towering bamboo, water meadows, fish traps, banana plantations and hyacinth-filled fish ponds, the landscape was awesome.

Majuli Island shot into the limelight in the 16th century when Sankardeva, the Father of

Assamese culture, took refuge in Majuli and spent a couple of months propagating a new form of Vaishnavism – a branch of Hinduism distinctive in its primary worship of Lord Vishnu. Majuli has been the cradle of Assamese civilisation for the past five centuries.

Devotional Hub We began our island sojourn with a visit to the namghar (a large prayer hall) overlooking a simple shrine at the Kamalabari Satra. Villagers assemble here to sing, pray, read, discuss, and reach decisions on matters pertaining to the village. Accommodating around 500 disciples each, these satras consist of a large prayer hall surrounded by a quadrangle of huts or monk’s dormitories and bathing tanks. We were October 2013 78 www.spiceroutemag.com

overwhelmed by the Kamalbari monastery, which resonated to the music of cymbals and kirtans. Some bala bhaktas donning masks entertained us with a short dance-drama. We had a darshan of the satradhikari and the deka adhikari, the white-robed monks with their long manes and astonishing grace.

Fascinating history The island of Majuli was formed when a catastrophic flood made the Brahmaputra split into two branches. The beguiling Majuli Island is home to many rare varieties of flora and fauna, including various species of rare migratory birds such as the pelican, Siberian crane, and the stately adjutant stork.

As intriguing as its biological diversity is the vibrant culture and colourful tapestry of the Assamese past, carefully preserved in the 22 satras dotting the island. Sauntering through the winding lanes of the hamlets, we had fleeting glimpses of the fascinating tribal

Theme holiday

Fact file

✓ Getting there: The nearest rail head is Jorhat. You can take a local bus from Johrat to Nimatighat.

By ferry: Ferries leave for Majuli thrice a day. Check the timings with ✓ the tourist office in Jorhat before you leave.

Where to stay: Small hotels in Garmur and Kamalabari, the Circuit ✓ House and Inspection Bungalow.

lifestyle, and a dose of the rich culture and traditions associated with Vaishnavism. Majuli is the nerve centre of Vaishnavite culture, with its satras serving as centres for dissemination of education and the preservation of Assamese arts for harmonious living. These satras, which house priceless artifacts and writings, have existed since the institution of the satra was invented in the 15th century by the Assamese saint, reformer and philosopher Sankardev, who eschewed idolatry and the caste system.

Artistic bent The satradhikari explained how disciples in older times were trained in mask making, boat building and other traditional arts.

The two main settlements that have satras

Clockwise from right: Satras pulsate with dance, drama and kirtan; Children at a Vaishnavite monastery; The ferry from Jorhat

October 2013 80 www.spiceroutemag.com

are Kamalabari (the centre of learning) and Garamur (a centre of ancient weaponry). Each satra was known for its particular speciality: Natun Samugri Satra for mask making, Kamalabari Satra for its fine boats, Aunati for jewellery and handicrafts, and Dakhinpat for dance festivals. At one stage, Majuli boasted of 65 monasteries; sadly now there are only 22. At Aunati Satra, we were shown around a small museum with an enviable collection of relics, old utensils, jewellery and handicrafts.

What impressed us was an intricate ivory chess of mounted elephant figures and a mat woven from slivers of ivory.

En route, we stopped by a Mishing settlement comprising elevated huts, resting on wooden poles. They greeted us with the customary cup of apong (rice beer). Some Mishing women were engaged in weaving their colourful, distinctive sarong-like wraps while children huddled around them. At one satra, we watched islanders fashion symmetrical clay pots using only their hands. Perhaps Majuli is one place in the world where the potter’s wheel is not used for making pots. What intrigued us were the exotic pottery products crafted from beaten clay and burnt in driftwood-fired kilns. We left the island with a heavy heart and a fervent prayer for saving the ecosystem when we heard of the regular floods, continuous soil erosion resulting in large scale devastation and depletion of its size.

Festive flavour

In high

spirits

Come October and the enthusiasm reaches fever pitch. Yes indeed it’s time to come together to celebrate some of the greatest of Indian festivals.

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Dussehra Whether it’s after the Navratras or on the last day of Durga Puja; Vijayadashami or Dussehra as it is popularly called, remains one of India’s most exuberant festivals. It celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over the evil king Ravana, with the rescue of wife Sita, after a long and bloody battle. The pageants and processions of Dussehra celebrations end in an explosive display of pyrotechnics as giant wood-and-paper effigies of the 10-headed demon King Ravana, his son Meghnad and brother Kumbhkaran are set alight. These effigies are burnt in the presence of huge crowds who view this as a traditional act of burning the evil. Over much of northern India, amateur theatre groups don paint and costumes to re-enact the Dussehra story at Ramlilas in every neighbourhood; in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, feasting and fasting, whirling garba and click-clacking dandiya are integral parts of the festivities. Dussehra celebrations in Kullu are world famous as more than 200 deities are believed to ‘meet’ for the unusual Dussehra celebration. The celebrations include a dazzlingly decorated chariot carrying the idol of Lord Raghunathji. On the last day of the festival the chariot is taken to the banks of River Beas where a pile of wood and grass are burnt symbolising the burning of Lanka.

When: October 14 Where: Across India

October 2013 82 www.spiceroutemag.com

Festive flavour

F1 Indian Grand Prix 2013 If you wish to witness the test of man and machine in pursuit of speed, then book your tickets for Formula-1 racing. F1 or the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The leading class of auto racing in a single seater certified by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile is an annual racing championship that sees participation by skilled car racers from around the world. The cars, specially built for the purpose of racing, can go up to a speed of 360kmph with engine revolutions that can reach 18,000 per minute. The F1 race typically takes place over a weekend with the first two days being set aside for practice and qualifying rounds. On the last day is the actual race. The winner gets a trophy and the Super License issued by the FIA, which is considered the highest racing license of its kind. Formula 1 stars stalwarts of the game which include the likes of Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Lewis Hamilton, and many more from all over the world. From the Indian team Force India-Mercedes boasts a German racer Nico Hulkenberg and British racer Paul di Resta.

Indian racer Narain Karthikeyan will race for Spanish team HRT-Cosworth.

artistes from across India and overseas who will come together and celebrate Rajasthan’s musical heritage, and create music through innovative collaborations accompanied by a fusion of international and local folk art and exciting performances. RIFF is known as India’s first annual folk festival that celebrates the traditional folk music and arts. This festival first took place in 2007, and since then the RIFF society (Mehrangarh Museum Trust and the Jaipur Virasat Foundation) tries to rekindle the magic of folk and fusion every year in the same month by getting connoisseurs of their music and arts from all over the world together at this one stage. This beautiful festival, set against the grand backdrop of the Mehrangarh Fort, features an assortment of events including a jazz night, a Rajasthani night, as well as traditional dance forms and early morning raagas to soothe you.

When: October 17-21 Where: Jodhpur, Rajasthan

When: October 25-27 Where: Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida

Rajasthan International Folk Festival 2013 If folk music is your passion, then heading to the bright and beautiful desert city of Jodhpur this October would be a good idea. The royal city of Jodhpur is all decked up to welcome more than 250 musicians and performing October 2013 84 www.spiceroutemag.com

Id-ul-zuha Bakr Eid, better known as Id-ul-Zuha and Eid al-Adha in Arabic, is one of the most popular festivals celebrated by the Muslim community worldwide annually. This day is celebrated with great enthusiasm, magnificence and grandeur across the globe. On this special morning, Muslims dress in their best new clothes and move out to offer prayers in various mosques.

After the prayers, everyone exchanges greetings and gifts with one another. They then begin their day with breakfast, which usually starts off with a sweet preparation, usually either sheer kurma or sevaiyan. Soon after finishing the first meal of the day, it is time for the sacrifice of domestic animals. The meat of the slaughtered animal is then divided into three equal portions.

While the first part of the meat is consumed by the family, the other two parts are distributed equally among neighbours, friends, family members and poor people.

When: October 16 Where: Across India

Launch pad

Hot picks

Splurge on these lifestyle essentials.

Portable charger

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With over 12 hours of playback time from a single charge, a built-in USB port to charge mobile devices on the go, and seamless Bluetooth connectivity, the JBL Charge by Harman is the perfect companion for house parties, family trips, picnics and everyday use around the house.

Allergen presents Vivite, a product that serves a series of purposes in skin replenishment.

Allergan’s path-breaking GLX technology uses a process called partial neutralisation that allows high delivery of glycolic compound to the skin.

This also extends its duration of action in the skin and ensures minimal skin irritation.

Price: `9,990 Availability: www.jbl.com

Price: `5,955 Availability: Leading dermatology centres

Writing instrument Montegrappa, Italy’s most-revered manufacturer of fine writing implements, inaugurates its second century with a series of Elvis Presley pens, licensed by Elvis Presley Enterprises. The pens will be featured in Montegrappa’s popular “Icons” series and will be available in aqua, green, black and white.

Price: On request Availability: Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Jaipur

The cool effect

Drink safe water

Watch couture

Pick up CD linen shirts for the next party without a second thought. Drape yourself in classic cream, white, black, blues and greys; or play it up a notch with vibrant aqua, canary yellow, fuchsia and gold.

Tata Swach, the revolutionary brand of Silver Nanotech Water Purifiers, unveiled its new variant – Tata Swach Cristella Plus. This water purifier comes with a scratch-resistant, sturdy body and has the new fast-action ultralight Tata Swach Bulb as cartridge.

The Tata Swach Bulb purifies up to 3,000 litres of water.

Ck Impetuous, an adjustable bangle watch, is specially designed for the confident and sophisticated woman. The polished stainlesssteel version is paired with a silver or black dial while the PVD gold and PVD pink gold styles come with a silver dial.

Price: `1,200 onwards Availability: The Charagh Din Store at 64, Wodehouse Road, Colaba, Mumbai

Price: `1,499 Availability: Across all leading outlets

October 2013 86 www.spiceroutemag.com

Price: `16,900 Availability: Kapoor Watch Company

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Launch pad

dress up It’s time to step out in a dynamic bold spirit with abstract and geometric prints courtesy Mosaic Town collection by Fusion Beats from the house of 109°F. Vertical and horizontal stripes, squares and plaid make this collection stand out.

Price: `1,499 Availability: D-35, Central Market, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi

Feel fresh

All that glitters A stunning creation designed by master craftsmen, the auspicious jadau jewellery from TBZ-The Original is intricately crafted in gold, using precious uncut diamonds, emeralds and pearls in an antique look.

Price: On request Availability: Across all TBZ-The Original stores

Made in France by celebrated perfumers and distilled from the finest exotic ingredients, SKINN Titan is the latest offering from Titan Company Limited. This range of perfumes has been crafted to last longer with notes that endure. The essence of Bulgarian rose, lemons from the sun-kissed slopes of Italy, Indonesian patchouli, tonka beans from the forests of Venezuela and vanilla from Madagascar have been extensively used for these perfumes.

Price: `1,790 Availability: World of Titan outlets across India

Classic timepieces

Sleep comfortably

chic look

The Crazy Hours 10th anniversary limited edition from Frank Muller includes 74 pieces in rose gold and white gold. Each of the watches features the number “10” entirely set with diamonds. The numerals are polished to give an elegant mirror effect.

King Koil, an internationally acclaimed mattress brand has ushered in its premium mattress range called Posture Sense. This balanced coiled support system mattress has a unique dual comfort feature to ensure good sleep.

A comfortable pair of denims are a must while travelling. Check out the trendy rough and tough denims by IML Jeans Co. With understated elegance and an element of exclusivity, they help make a personal statement.

Price: On request Availability: Across all leading stores in India

Price: `15,000 onwards Availability: Across all leading stores in India.

Price: `7,999 Availability: www.imljeans.com

October 2013 88 www.spiceroutemag.com

Launch pad

Heal the heel

Travel light

Formulated with natural extracts and organic ingredients, Aaranyaa Soft heel cream cures hard, dry, and cracked heels. You can notice the changes within four days. It also helps improve the hard and dry skin on elbows or knees.

A new addition to Basecamp’s Go Travel range of convenient packing cubes is Shirt Savers.

Its dimensions are perfect for folded shirts, but also work for other clothing. Each pack includes a set of two cubes which can hold shirts for a holiday or a business trip. The ‘easyview window’ helps you locate and pull out the shirt you want, without disturbing the rest.

Price: `145 Availability: http:// www.healthkart.com/ brand/beauty/Aaranyaa

Price: `1,160 Availability: D-5, Inner Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi

wheel of time A mesmerising blend of extraordinary design and innovative watchmaking, OMEGA Ladymatic features a brown dial marked with diamond-set indexes. It is decorated with a supernova pattern with a date window at the 3 o’clock position. The bezel is mounted on a 34mm stainless-steel case and is presented on a brown satin-brushed leather strap with 18K red gold links.

Price: `3 lakh onwards Availability: All exclusive and multi-brand stores across India

October 2013 90 www.spiceroutemag.com

Spice Trail

The dark

sweet

Jaggery was traditionally known to be the colonisers’ sweet, but has lately emerged as the flavour and health powerhouse – with extra goodness of minerals!

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ince ancient times, jaggery or gur has been an integral part of the Indian palate.

Initially used as a cheap alternative to the expensive sugar, jaggery was always the choice of the poor and nomads, before making it to the rich man’s plate as a holy condiment sometime in the early 6th century. It is said that sugar, thanks to its white colour, was considered pristine and preferred as both the sweet spice and holy condiment. But it was eventually replaced with jaggery, given its resilience against heat and humidity and its balanced sweetness. In fact, it was around October 2013 92 www.spiceroutemag.com

1631 that jaggery became an important part of practically all religious rituals in India, including being extensively used in food.

Since then, it has been a part of India’s culinary world – sometimes used for sweetness and sometimes to balance the clash of flavours.

In sambar for instance, gur is used to balance the spicy, salty and sour components; in dal, the use of a pinch of jaggery is for the colour and an extra bit of sweetness. The nouten gur (or new jaggery) is an essential ingredient of the hugely popular nouten gur payesh – a

Spice Trail

Notun Gur Payesh (Rice pudding with jaggery ) Ingredients 2 litres milk 1 cup basmati rice 2tbsp unrefined sugar 250gm notun gur 1 bay leaf 2 green cardamom ½ cup assorted nuts (cashew, almonds and raisins)

Method Wash and soak the rice in water.

Boil the milk till it gets reduced to half of its original quantity.

Add the bay leaf and green cardamom.

Now add the rice; allow it to simmer. Stir frequently.

Add the sugar and 3/4 of the notun gur. Stir constantly till it is well dissolved.

Check on the sweetness, add the remaining gur if required. Let it boil till the rice is cooked.

Serve chilled.

In Odisha, jaggery is both a spice and a sweet condiment Bengali delicacy. In Odisha, jaggery is both a spice and a sweet condiment. It is the single sweet ingredient used in practically all its desserts, including pithas (pancakes) and mishti doi (sweet curd); it adds that extra zing to meat dishes and especially to the sweet-sourspicy crab-and-prawn curry.

Jaggery is also life-giving, and soulsustaining. In rural Maharashtra and Karnataka, water and a piece of jaggery are given when some one comes home after working in the hot sun.

How it's made Jaggery is essentially a by-product of sugarcane and date palm. Defined by its honey brown colour, it is a popular form of sugar made

from the sap of the date palm; and in some parts of south India and West Bengal, also out of coconut palm. In Sri Lanka, syrup extracts from Kithul trees are widely used for jaggery production. This, in fact, is considered the best quality jaggery available.

While both sugar and jaggery are made by boiling sugarcane juice/syrup at 200°C, what sets jaggery apart is that it is naturally processed. This allows it to retain all its minerals – calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and iron and traces of zinc and copper, thus making it the healthier sugar.

Taste-wise, well-brewed jaggery is like a cross between rich brown sugar and molasses, with a buttery, caramel-like aroma. Its flavour is strong, overpowering even, but the sweetness reduces with each spoon, unlike sugar. In fact, palm jaggery (the healthier version of jaggery) is less sweet than sugarcane jaggery.

Healthier sweet A storehouse of minerals and vitamins, jaggery is a natural source of glucose, and perfect for October 2013 94 www.spiceroutemag.com

treating low BP. It is also a good source of magnesium and helps relieve fatigue. It relaxes the muscles, nerves and blood vessels, thus effectively managing symptoms of asthma, migraine headaches, tension and muscle soreness. It is also known to reduce water retention and its iron content helps synthesise haemoglobin levels in the body. It also has selenium, making it an effective antioxidant.

Jaggery water has been a base for many an Ayurvedic treatment, and a known antidote for ailments like cough, cold and an upset stomach. It is a known digestive, and often suggested as a sweet alternative for diabetics.

It is also used to treat primitive form of bronchial or lung infections; in fact, according to research, it has shown to possibly offset some of the lung damage caused by silicosis, a disease of the lungs that occurs when people are exposed for a long time to silica powder.

Little wonder that India is the largest consumer and the second-largest producer of jaggery, closely followed by Burma, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.

Gourmet delight

Breads of

India

The Indian bread basket is overflowing with choices. Gourmet definitions keep changing, but the roti and its variations continue to be our staple diet.

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hile today we are familiar with multigrain, foccacia, ciabatta – all white breads which we have borrowed from the West, Indian breads have been in existence since much before. Phulkas, theplas, naan, sheermal, kulcha, dosa, rotlo – the list of indigenous Indian breads is endless. What’s more, each one is different in flavour, taste and texture.

Typically made from wholewheat flour, bread contains complex carbohydrates and October 2013 98 www.spiceroutemag.com

has a large amount of dietary fibre which aids digestion. But there is ample variety in the cereals from which bread is made – rice, lentils, jowar, bajra and more.

In fact, every region of India boasts of its own local breads. Flatbreads are the most common form of bread in India, but the flour and method of making these differ greatly from region to region. And that is what adds to the versatility of the breads.

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Regional favourites North India is known for its vast assortment of breads. Bakeries in Srinagar open early and one can start one’s day with a local flatbread called chot for breakfast. A small round bread topped with poppy and sesame seeds, it is delicious.

Other popular bread varieties include sheermal, baqerkhani (puff pastry), lavas (unleavened bread), kulcha and the flaky tsochvoru. These breads are generally washed down with noonchai (salt tea) made with tea leaves to which bicarbonate of soda has been added, lending a pink tinge to it.

There is nothing like the waft of a hot roti straight from the tawa

“Traditionally all the breads in Kashmir are made in a clay oven with common ingredients like refined flour, saffron, milk, water; they differ from each other in shape, size and texture. The consistency of the bread is the same all through the valley, as the recipes are being followed through generations by the bakers. Fresh baking starts early in the morning as it is the most popular breakfast,� reveals Gurjyote Singh Sethi, Executive Chef, Vivanta

by Taj, Dal View, Srinagar.

There is nothing like the waft of a hot roti straight from the tawa. Roti or phulka (thin flatbread) is an integral part of everyday meals and a staple in every north Indian kitchen.

Most north Indian breads are made with wheat flour (atta) and water, and are cooked on a tawa or griddle. Some breads like naan and kulcha are baked in a tandoor or clay oven.

The dough for the naan is usually maida or white flour and needs to be left for an hour to ferment. Maida may have gained popularity

with cooks and baawarchis owing to the Muslim influence, but traditionally Indian breads are made with wholewheat.

Another favourite in North India is the quintessential missi roti, flatbread made with wholewheat flour, gram flour and fresh fenugreek leaves. No north Indian can survive without his paratha. The traditional paratha, which is stuffed bread with a filling of potato or vegetables, ginger, and spices, is fried. It is a popular breakfast item with pickle and curd.

Flattened dough, when folded into fourths and then re-rolled to give a flaky and layered texture, makes a paratha.

Makki ki roti made from maize flour is a must-have in winter in north India. It is served with a dollop of butter and sarson ka saag and makes for an unparalled combination.

Sindhis are known for their koki or unleavened bread. While in Rajasthan, the baati takes over.

Dipped in ghee, this hard, unleavened round

Clockwise from left: Plain paper dosa; Fresh naan khatai; Garlic butter naan

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Clockwise from top left: Assorted Indian breads; Daal baati churma; Delicious laccha paratha

bread baked over firewood or cow dung cakes, is eaten with panchkutti dal and churma.

Variet y galore In South India, rice replaces wheat as the staple cereal. So the breads there are made using rice.

But that is not always the case in every state.

Chef Bala of The Orchid Mumbai adds that in Andhra Pradesh, chapatti and puri are made from wheat, whereas neer dosa in Karnataka, appam in Kerala, and dosa in Tamil Nadu are made from rice. Jowar roti and ragi roti stand cheek by jowl in the South with Malabari paratha and puttu.

Puris or the classic deep-fried bread made from wheat flour, is eaten all over India with aplomb. Who can visit Kolkata and stay away from the luchis? Similar to puris, luchis are made from fine maida instead of atta. Deepfried luchis are typically relished with cholar dal (chana dal) or alu dum by the people of West Bengal. Gujaratis are synonymous with their theplas. This thin flatbread made with methi (fenugreek) has a long shelf-life October 2013 102 www.spiceroutemag.com

and is delectable when eaten with pickle.

Equally famous is the bajrano rotlo or millet rotlo which is a small thick flatbread grilled over coal, mostly eaten in winter. A haven for foodies, Gujarat is known for other diverse breads such as bhakris and dhebras too.

Paowalas are legendary in Goa. Yes, of course it is because of their vast array of breads. “Pao, poie, undo, kaknam, lamb pao, goad poie and katricho are breads characteristic of Goa. These are made of maida or atta, yeast, salt, sugar, oil, water, milk and bran toddy. The ingredients required for these breads are easily available in the region and are suitable for the Goan palate,” says Samantha Nunes, Assistant Pastry Chef, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa. India’s bread legacy is a gourmand’s delight, so where is the need to turn to sliced breads? No matter what kind of meal it is and whatever the region, it will invariably be served with Indian breads. So go ahead, eat your breads with pride!

Gourmet delight

Eat healthy

live well

From finding space in most boutique stores to being used as ingredients in gourmet restaurants, organic foods have become a rage.

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n unhealthy diet is turning out to be one of the main causes of lifestyle diseases, along with stress and a sedentary lifestyle. While fast food is being projected as slow poison, organic produce is turning out to be the hero! This explains the increasing popularity of stores that sell organic food items, and restaurants which use such ingredients.

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What is organic food?

In simple terms, vegetables, fruits and crops that are grown without the use of any chemicals are termed organic. It is a known fact that such food is good for one’s health. “The abundant use of chemical pesticides is not limited to the outer layer of vegetables and fruits. These chemicals actually permeate

Gourmet delight

the produce, and hence cannot be cleansed, even by thorough washing,” explains Anuradha Madhusudhanan, owner/chef, Tattva - Art & Fresh Organic Kitchen, Hauz Khas, Delhi. She adds that while there’s no concrete evidence, there has been enough research to indicate that people who consistently partake organic food are less susceptible to falling ill.

And the best part is that organic food is not limited to vegetarian fare. “We serve everything from biryani and chicken kebabs to seafood and non-veg stuffed paranthas in our restaurant,” says Manjunath Panickaparambil, MD, Lumiere. The Bangalore-based Lumiere is a multi-cuisine restaurant where all the ingredients used are organically or naturally cultivated or grown. They have their own farms at Kanthalloore, Tamil Nadu and Bangalore, and work with other farms in Ooty, Kodaikanal, Hosur, Vyanad and some around Bangalore.

“The chicken used in our kitchen is freerange and given organic feed in our own farm and we use fresh seafood that is preserved in ice, without any ammonia, that comes in from one supplier in Kochi,” he shares. So at Lumiere you are likely to find a range of dishes including seer fish, snapper, jumbo and tiger prawn, halibut and pomfret.

Clockwise from right: Organic dish; Quinoa Pesto Pot; Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Is it available easily?

Many stores in most big cities are now stocking organic fare. Since it is more expensive than its non-organic counterpart, it is advisable to do some research to find authentic stockists.

Aggregators like Navdanya make it possible for individual buyers to get what they want.

Navdanya is a network of seed keepers and organic producers spread across 17 states in India. The main aim of the Navdanya biodiversity conservation programme is to support local farmers, rescue and conserve crops and plants that are being pushed to extinction, and make them available through direct marketing. There are many smaller farms across the country that grow organic produce and sell directly to a niche clientele. You can find some of them online as well.

Navdanya is a network of seed keepers and organic producers spread across 17 states in India October 2013 106 www.spiceroutemag.com

Gourmet delight

Packaged organic foods are fast getting popular

Incorporate the organic Sprinkle sesame seeds on salads.

Add ragi flour to regular atta to make healthier rotis.

Substitute refined sugar with honey or jaggery.

Herbs like coriander, parsley and basil are cooling and have a detoxifying effect.

Lemon juice is a rich source of vitamin C. It has antiseptic properties and also aids digestion.

If you’re looking for ready-to-eat items, Lumiere’s Organic Bakery offers a range of products which are made out of high-quality healthy, organic ingredients. You can even avail Anuradha’s extensive knowledge of ‘food as medicine’ and be rest assured that she will whip up sweet as well as savoury munchies that are packed with nutrition and made with the finest of ingredients. Actually, Tattva was preceded by a lunch delivery service that is still ongoing, mostly for office-goers, that comprises a three-course healthy, vegetarian gourmet fare made with organic ingredients.

The larger picture Anuradha explains that this lifestyle choice is not limited to food. “People who make a decision to switch to organic are generally more mindful about their health. So not only do they choose healthier ingredients for their food, they tend to make healthier choices overall,” she says.

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of cooking such as grilling, avoiding extensive use of microwaves, and so on.

Keeping this in mind, Tattva organised a workshop recently to showcase how easy it is to have fun and indulge while enjoying a healthy life. Jointly organised by Tattva and Chitra and Gopi’s Kitchen Garden Venture, the workshop aimed to introduce participants to the unhurried rhythms of the farmland; food growing processes; the joy of eating fresh, off-the farm, pesticide-free, natural foods and ingredients; and an extraordinarily diverse and delicious culinary wealth.

But the benefits of organic farming are not limited to individuals who want to eat healthier. The extensive use of chemicals leads to harmful effects on the ecological balance.

Plus, the practices of organic farming are less dependent on machines and so contribute towards rural employment. According to the Navdanya philosophy, “Organic agriculture is not just a source of safer, healthier, tastier food. Organic agriculture is much more than a method of farming. It is saving the earth and farmers’ lives.”

In conversation

Love for

India

Mark Tully shares his thoughts on fate, karma and his upcoming short stories collection.

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ark Tully has made India his home and has written extensively about the country. He worked for the BBC in India for almost 30 years. Now he is a freelance journalist and broadcaster based in New Delhi. His books include Amritsar: Mrs Gandhi’s Last Battle; Raj to Rajiv: 40 Years Of Indian Independence; No Full Stops, a collection of journalistic essays; a work of fiction – The Heart of India, and more. Here he re-lives his life journey and tells us why he believes in fate and karma...

Tell us about your upcoming short story collection.

I am writing about eastern Uttar Pradesh, a part of India generally considered rather backward. The stories are mainly about villagers because I feel there is not much written about the rural poor.

Do the people of India make the country so magical?

Over the years, I have had lots of Indian friends and I think the people have a big part in making you stay. I came to Delhi because

October 2013 110 www.spiceroutemag.com

In conversation

it was the only real place a foreign correspondent could work in. I don’t do this work often now, but there does not seem to be any reason for me to leave Delhi.

because most of my friends are Indian and I now live a pretty Indian life.

What has affected you most?

I was angered by the gas disaster – it was totally avoidable. There were two things that made it particularly frustrating – the company’s fixation on profits allowed the plants to become run down, creating the disaster. And secondly, politicians exacerbated the situation. They wanted to secure votes and so allowed people to settle illegally on the land, creating a slum cluster too close to the factory; and so the poor were worst affected.

Will you ever leave India?

I guess that is in the hands of God, I will have to leave some time.

You believe in karma...

Yes, and that what we do affects who we become in the next life, if reincarnation proves to be true. I am probably quite near to discovering this, but maybe we don’t discover, perhaps we are just reborn and don’t remember.

What about fate?

I do believe strongly in fate. Fate in personal terms is important and I think the trick is to find a balance between fate and free will. So don’t be too fatalist, but at the same time don’t spend the rest of your life ratracing around the place because you think it is all about what you have personally achieved.

How did fate play its part?

I became well known because of the history of my time. I came to India at the time when radios were coming in. It was all controlled by the government so naturally people wanted an alternative, and the BBC channel filled this vacant spot at the right time. I spent 22 years broadcasting almost daily on BBC World Service so it is not surprising I became well known.

Is fate important?

I think it is tremendously important and something young people, particularly in the Western world, tend to forget. There is so much stress and pressure to achieve. We should acknowledge that actually, we did not choose to be born, we did not choose our parents, and we have certain abilities and disabilities... so we

I have learnt that the greatest danger in your own happiness is your ego should realise the person we were made to be rather than what others want us to be.

You have won Knighthood and the Padma Bhushan...

Many people argue journalists should not accept awards as it shows they favour the government.

I hope that’s not true in my case as I have certainly written some hostile things about India, although that has not affected my underlying affection for the country. I am grateful for all these awards but do acknowledge it was my fate that got me there, not being the greatest journalist ever.

An autobiography?

In one of my books, which is the most personal I have written, I spoke about humility. I have learned two things in India. Firstly, the greatest danger in your own happiness is your ego; and second

is humility which makes you realise you are a very small part of something infinitely greater than you can imagine, and maybe that part is God. Your own role models?

I am just reading another book on Gandhi, who I am a great admirer of. I also admire some British thinkers and particularly someone who taught me while I was at Cambridge – a spiritual writer called Harry Williams. I have a lot of heroes and I think it is comforting to have them.

Childhood memories of growing up in India?

I always bitterly regret that at that young age, when our brains were so receptive, we could have learnt an Indian language so easily.

But our nanny was strict on not allowing us to do so. I have turned the whole thing on its head now

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Your perfect day in India?

One perfect day would be to wake up somewhere in the Himalayas, take one’s dog for a walk, come back and spend the morning reading a really good book. In the afternoon, we would perhaps go for a drive. It would be nice if the place had a little club in it, as I would go there and enjoy a couple of beers, and then go to bed.

Where do you like to travel?

I am interested in all the countries in South Asia. Bangladesh has a particular place in my heart – my mother was born there and I have witnessed the brutality of the 1970s war too! I also love Ireland and often visit there. I like to go on a holiday where I can just relax .

Favourite in India?

The small town of Chail. And Kolkata; I am very fond of it.

How about Indian food?

I love mustard spinach and bread made from ground corn.

Indian films you like?

The last one I saw was Munna Bhai MBBS. I love most Bollywood movies, especially the dances!

In conversation

Bang on

cue

A leg injury ended Chitra Magimairaj’s career in cricket and hockey. Refusing to give up, she turned to billiards.

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hitra Magimairaj is a twotime world billiards champion.

She recently won bronze at the Asian Indoor Games in 6-red snooker. Medals jostle for space to find pride of place in her trophy cabinet. But Chitra’s story is not just about a successful sportsperson; hers is a story of determination and grit.

The 39-year-old had earlier set the cricket and hockey fields ablaze with her skills, talent and promise. She was part of a Karnataka under-19 cricket team which had won a south zone tournament. But life had something different in store...

Why did you leave cricket and hockey?

It was the most difficult phase of my life. Five years were lost when I tore five ligaments in my leg and my hockey and cricket career came to an abrupt end. I would October 2013 114 www.spiceroutemag.com

have taken an extreme step, but did not thanks to my parents and brothers who encouraged me all the time.

How did you manage?

Deep inside, I knew I would make it. The hunger to excel in sports was still blazing inside me. The injury actually fanned it further. I didn’t want to end up a loser.

Do you miss playing hockey and cricket?

Of course I do. I used to get so emotional on a hockey field. It was like John McEnroe showing his emotions on the courts... I used to get that animated on a hockey field. And I miss the crowd pumping you up from the stands.

Share some anecdotes.

I used to play hard, would never

In conversation

Chitra has won many medals and trophies in cuesports

At my age, I would have retired in hockey. In cuesports, life begins at 40 allow a player to dribble past me and get into the D. Hockey remains my favourite sport.

Any regrets?

There is a regret that I didn’t play hockey for my country. As a kid, I used to dream of dying on a hockey field playing for India.

A bit stupid, I know, but that was hockey to me. In cuesports, you can’t even make noise, you see. You have to control your emotions.

Why cuesports?

My whole family sat together and decided I go for a sport which was not strenuous and would allow me to have a long career

as I had already lost five crucial years. So golf and cuesports were the best options. And that is how I chose cuesports.

Are you happy with your decision today?

Now I see it as a blessing in disguise. At my age, I would have retired by now in hockey. But in cuesports, life begins at 40.

Who did you train under?

I went to Arvind Savur sir, my father’s colleague. He guided me throughout. Without him, I wouldn’t have come this far.

How was the experience?

He liked my dedication. He

would ask me to do a particular shot five times, but I would do it 20 times.

Tell us more about the training process.

I would practice for hours, day in and day out. Whenever I got a chance, I was at the table. The Karnataka State Billiards And Snooker Association helped a lot.

They gave me a membership that allowed me access to a table.

The challenges you faced?

Whenever anyone would ask me why I was into cuesports, I would say to be a world champion. I know a lot of people found that funny. But I never wanted to settle for second best. And then I went on from there, climbing up the ladder, step by step.

Cuesports for women don’t get much recognition.

Please comment.

It’s bad, and disappointing.

October 2013 116 www.spiceroutemag.com

But I want to do something for cuesports. I want people to come and watch women play the sport.

And possibly, even challenge men in the sport.

On a lighter note, which is your favourite destination?

Among the places I been to so far, Australia wins hands down.

I loved the country because of its scenic beauty as well as the sea. But I dream of going on an African safari.

What do you like most about travelling?

When I go to a place, I love to explore its origin, its history and its culture.

And what is it that you don’t like?

I don’t like to go to a shopping mall when I visit a destination. I would rather be at a countryside, understanding the people and their sensibilities.

Are you a foodie?

Any trip would be incomplete without trying the local food. I love to try different cuisines.

Glam world

Apps for

company

These can do more than just kill time. Get entertained and keep yourself productively occupied for hours by downloading some today.

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greed – we do not need a reason to download an app today. But when you are on a long flight, apps are imperative. Imagine the long haul for a boarding pass, the time in security check, the queue for boarding … and of course that frightful phase when you jerk awake just to realise it’s only been 15 minutes into the flight. The frustration then can be alleviated by only one thing: in-flight entertainment. By which we do not mean the cinema on the flight cache, but a fresh stock of apps that do a wee bit more than just help you kill time. They are productive and also help build hand-eye coordination!

FxCamera Have Android, but the picture quality is poor?

Get the magic wand called FXCamera. This app actually rectifies all the poor qualities of a below-2MP camera by infusing interesting October 2013 118 www.spiceroutemag.com

Glam world

elements like ToyCam, Fisheye, Polandroid, SymmetriCam, Warhol, and Normal which can transform an image completely.

Evernote Food gives you a ‘table’ to chart your weekend food trail, and helps you share it too!

Cost to Pocket: Free Link to Download: https://play.google. com/store/apps/details?id=ymst.android. fxcamera&hl=en

Songza This app helps you customise your playlist as per your moods, all day long. It comes with interesting categories like newspaper music, unwinding after a long day, recovering from boss bashing, waking up, cooking breakfast

and more. Noteworthy is its AirPlay function, which allows it to efficiently recede to the background when you have to work on your phone or fiddle with other apps. Another plus is that it has both iOs and Android versions.

Cost to pocket: Free Link to download: http://itunes.apple.com/ us/app/songza/id453111583?mt=8

Evernote Food If there was ever an offline wonder app, it has to be Evernote. Much like the advance note pad, this iPhone and Android platform compatible app allows you to live your food fantasy in style. Much unlike its older brother Evernote, Evernote Food gives you a ‘table’ (not a pad, thankfully) to chart your own weekend food trail or make a new one with the pictures stored previously and then share. Plus, its affiliation with Foursquare means that every place is well-covered.

Cost to pocket: Free Link to download: http://itunes.apple.com/ in/app/evernote-food/id481893372?mt=8

Moxtra Binders Ever wished for an app that could organise your personal and professional lives – at least thought-wise? Moxtra Binders does exactly that. Based on the simple metaphor of a binder, the app is apt at organising unstructured data of different types into one universal format, dealing with clutter, and bringing it all together in a nice way to share. What makes it truly productive is that it is cloud based and easy to carry along. The binders can be shared publicly on social media, privately or in a real-time meeting, and can be worked on offline too!

Cost to the Pocket: Free Link to Download: http://itunes.apple.com/ us/app/moxtra-your-binder-share-selectively/ id590571587?ls=1&mt=8.

CamCard Business cards can be tough to keep a track of, and difficult to store. The CamCard app reads business cards and saves them instantly to phone contacts. It also syncs all your cards across smartphones, tablets, computers and the web app to store them in one accessible place, which you can regularly visit to edit and October 2013 120 www.spiceroutemag.com

If you’re among the who’s who of the Indian industry, it’s time you chose to advertise in

D nakaran

 Average ABC certifed daily circulation of a whopping 12,67,104 copies  IRS certified readership of 47.08 lakhs  Published from eight centres in Tamilnadu  Also published from Pondy, Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi  Winner of Best Tamil Daily award from ILNA  All pages printed in colour  Weekend supplements that are colourful as well as informative If you have still not started advertising in Dinakaran, call or sms 98400 22729 now or email to advtdinakaran@gmail.com

D nakaran

The only widely circulated Tamil Daily in India

Glam world

update. In fact, the latest addition of the brandnew AR Card allows you to add multimedia contents to your business card. When others scan your card, they’ll see your photo, product graphics, and even video clips. What better way to scan people of use from a pile of organised data – easy breezy, we say!

Cost to pocket: Free Link to download: https://play.google. com/store/apps/details?id=com.intsig.

BCRLite&hl=en

RemoteDroid Lifehacker, the premium tech review site, called it one of the best remote apps of 2010.

And for good reason. This Android-based app actually turns your (Android) phone into a wireless trackpad and mouse, when you need one. In short, full cursor and text control from a small screen onto a much bigger screen at your choice!

Cost to pocket: Free; Pro comes at #1.99 Link to download: https://play.google.com/ store/apps/details?id=com.joshsera&hl=en

Pocket This app’s job may look simple – it stores all the content you want to read or view later. Aptly once called Read It Later, Pocket functions more like a personal PA. It automatically syncs to your phone, tablet or computer so you can view data any time, even offline. It gauges your interest and collects videos for a later see/read.

Cost to pocket: Free Link to download: https://play.google. com/store/apps/details?id=com.ideashower. readitlater.pro&hl=en

OverNear Introduced early this year, OverNear is the future of Facebook. The app, which has

received its first update, now allows you to check in at your current location or to check in at a location you’ll be at in the near future – and then plan accordingly. The app can currently be accessed through your Facebook login, and allows you to use pictures from your Facebook profile. However, reviewers insist that the new OverNear Social Planner will soon make Facebook location redundant, at least while you’re flying. The best part – OverNear also notifies you when your friends on the app are nearby, giving you the opportunity to connect offline too.

Cost to pocket: Free Link to Download: https://itunes.apple.com/ us/app/overnear/id543973521?mt=8

Wunderlist Wunderlist is the easiest way to manage and share your daily to-do lists. Whether you’re running your own business, planning an overseas adventure, or sharing a shopping list with a loved one, Wunderlist is here to help you get things done. And it works offline too!

Cost to the pocket: Free Link to download: https://play.google.com/ store/apps/details?id=com.wunderkinder. wunderlistandroid&hl=en

TripIt Imagine a PA who quietly collects your email, studies it, creates an itinerary and organises it in a file for later viewing and reviewing, even when you are offline. And yet, changes it to your whims, without a sigh! TripIt syncs with its new card view and use of Google Maps now plans your trip to the last final detail, including delays in flight. The Pro version October 2013 122 www.spiceroutemag.com

The Songza app helps you customise your playlist as per your moods, all day long

At $ 4.49 (`280 plus), the app may look mighty expensive but is absolutely worthwhile. This flight simulator can give you something to do on a long flight: pretend to be the pilot. It’s a bit twitchy but lots of fun and very realistic.

(paid of course) also gives updates about cancellations via SMS and tracks frequent flyer points.

Cost to the pocket: $4.99 Link to download: https://play.google.com/ store/apps/details?id=com.laminarresearch. xplane_default&hl=en

Cost to pocket: Free Link to download: https://itunes.apple. com/in/app/tripit-travel-organizer-free/ id311035142?mt=8

Maplets It’s a simple app that downloads and displays nearly 10,000 little maps, from airport terminals to subways. The maps are available offline so you don’t need a data connection.

Must have when travelling to a new place.

Cost to pocket: $2.99 Link to download: https://itunes.apple.

October 2013 124 www.spiceroutemag.com

com/in/app/maplets-by-zaia-design/ id337841739?mt=8

X-Plane

Perfois App A homegrown app for Android users turns financial budgeting into a piece of cake, no matter where you are. All you need to do is download this free app, and your account co-ordinates, the in-built Perfois software automatically syncs it into the pie chart format that would allow you to keep a tab of your expenditure. Best for those looking to live grand, but within their budget!

Cost to Pocket: Free Link to download: https://www.perfios.com/ android/

Glam world

Funky

fluorescents Neon has made a startling comeback. This new and fresh take on all things bright and beautiful has everyone hooked!

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yellow jacket or hot pink heels or maybe a bright green nail paint? These seem to be the top questions in the minds of young fashionistas these days... It’s time to ditch the dark and heavy, and be ready to add a pop of electric neon to your wardrobe. This 1980s look has been revitalised, and has become the hottest trend of 2013. So shoes, bags, nails, clothes – everything that is bright is a trend this season. From the small screen to the silver screen, from the red carpet to office fashionistas – everyone seems to want to bring out the neon in them today. While you decide to take this trend forward, it is important to keep in mind some of the dos and don’ts.

Here’s a simple guide on how you could rock this trend.

Less is more It is never a good idea to jump into trying something out of the box. If you are still not confident about sporting a complete neon look, it’s better to begin with a neon statement piece like a bag, necklace or shoes. Teaming up your

October 2013 126 www.spiceroutemag.com

Glam world

LBD with a neon yellow bag or with neon pink heels can get you lots of attention. Similarly, a dash of coral to your neutral look can make the difference – you could wear a coral-and-gold neckpiece with a beige or off-white ensemble to look stylish yet trendy. For a more funky effect, you could also try out fluorescentframed sunglasses – in hot pink, fluorescent yellow and more, these are readily available in the market nowadays.

Glow in the dark If you are not one who likes to take risks when it comes to clothes, restrict yourself to either a neon top with black jeans or vice versa. You could also wear a pair of white jeans with a neutral top and layer it with a classic neon blazer for a chic look. Neon tights could be your saviour for the days when you can’t think

of what to wear. Grab a white tee and wear it on your fluorescent tights – it will add an edge to your look. If you are the more daring sorts, you could also make a statement by wearing a colour block tailored dress.

Or you can try adding a pop of these fun colours to your Indian wear as well. Veteran fashion designer Pam Mehta agrees completely.

“The bright and effervescent character that neons add to a your look appeals to most eyes, be it in the form of prints or as solids. Neons come in a huge array of shades. The eclectic palette of neons is suitable not only for street style but is also being used in a huge way in couture and Indian bridalwear. One can ombre dye a neon with a nude or grey to make it little subtle and adapt it in sarees, suits and gowns,” she asserts.

Neon neckpiece and ensembles by Pam Mehta; Neon nail paints

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Grab a white tee and wear it on your fluorescent tights – it will add an edge to your look

Glam world

BIG NOS Don’t wear all things neon.

Avoid sporting clashing neons at one time.

It is best not to wear neons on a daily basis.

Clockwise from top left: Bold and trendy yellow heels; Fuchsia-framed sunglasses; Neon blue top

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Bright, bold, beautiful We had the year of the vintage red lip and then the season of the berry bitten pout. But this time around, the colours are more saturated and the intensity is way higher. Introducing... the neon lip. In the tube, it looks like it would require some serious confidence to pull off, but bright orange lip colour looks quite at home with the warm undertones in Indian skin. Similarly, neon colours are a must for your nails. Medium and darker skin tones can handle a glowing neon orange. If you are fair skinned, you could opt for a fuchsia or a bright green shade which will give you an edgy and funky look. Vishakha Chhaproo, vice president marketing FACES Cosmetics India, gives her take on this fun trend. “Neon has been on the top chart of the fashion industry this year. We can see this trend of the 1980s catching up fast in the beauty industry as well. Neon eyes and nails are hot lately. However, when it comes to makeup, neon is not the easiest to wear and can be intimidating. Neon nails are the best way to keep up with the trend – you can never go wrong with them. You can also experiment with neon eyes by donning the right mix of bright and neutral colours – say, we can go for a subtle gold or silver eye shadow with a neon green or blue winged eyeliner or vise versa.”

Most importantly, remember that neons are happy colours. So if you are going to wear them, it is best to do it with a smile and let their energy overtake you. And of course, there are extra points for neon pink lip colour.

Well being

Lifestyle

matters

Dreaded diseases like cancer, heart attacks and diabetes are on the rise, mainly due to the way we live. Here are simple ways to avoid getting affected.

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eports have predicted millions of deaths in the coming decades due to lifestyle diseases, a term which comprises mainly noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). According to World Health Organisation ( WHO) data, by 2030, NCDs will account for almost three quarters of all deaths in India, and the years of life lost due to coronary heart disease will be greater here than in China, the Russian Federation and the United States of America combined. So the Indian Health Ministry has recently come out with national level diseasecontrol targets, including mass-scale reduction of salt, tobacco and alcohol consumption to reduce instances of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. While the government does its job, there are small changes that we can bring about in our lives to help counter the negative effects of modern lifestyle habits, and lead healthier lives.

What can happen First of all, we need to identify the problem areas. Dr Satish Koul, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon lists heart attack, obesity, hypertension, allergies, asthma, depression and frozen October 2013 132 www.spiceroutemag.com

Tips to keep your heart healthy when having diabetes

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ncontrolled diabetes can damage many parts of the body including heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys.

However, there are millions of people who live normal and active lives with diabetes. Here are the tips that can help you to keep your heart healthy even with diabetes.

1. Goal of any diabetes treatment is to keep blood glucose levels near normal.

Check your blood glucose regularly. Along with regular self-monitoring, see if your blood glucose is under control by having an HbA1c test (test which tells average blood glucose of last 2- 3 months).

2. It is very important to take medication as directed by physician to control diabetes. Your HbA1c should be less than 7%. If

your HbA1C is going above 7.5 it may indicate the need of change in treatment plan.

3. Follow a healthy eating plan. Have a balanced diet, containing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, starchy foods such as wholegrain bread, pasta and rice. Have whole wheat flour rather than maida, brown rice instead of white rice. It is essential to keep Transfats to minimum.

4. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Think of ways to increase physical activity, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, play with your child and walk instead of taking a vehicle. If a person with diabetes hasn’t been physically active recently, it is necessary to visit a doctor for a check-up

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before starting an exercise program. If you feel any discomfort while exercising, take rest immediately and visit your doctor.

Keep your blood pressure under control. Have it checked at every doctor visit. The target for most people with diabetes is below 130/80.

Keep cholesterol under control. Have it checked at least once a year. The targets for most people with diabetes are LDL—bad cholesterol: below 100 .HDL—good cholesterol: above 40 in men and above 50 in women Triglycerides— another type of fat in the blood: below 150.

Don't smoke. If a person has diabetes and is also a smoker, the risk of getting heart disease is doubled.

Concomitant Medication.

Type 2 diabetes often

coexists with other highrisk conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol and obesity which add to cardiovascular risk factors. Ask your doctor about the medicine appropriate for you to control diabetes and reduce risk factors for heart diseases.

Not to forget Tightness or discomfort in the chest, neck, arm or stomach which comes on when you exert but goes away with rest may be the first sign of heart diseases.

Be aware of symptoms and visit your doctor immediately if you notice any of them. People with diabetes sometimes may not feel chest pain because of nerve damage. It is always good to go for periodic preventive health check-ups to reduce risk of all complications associated with diabetes.

Well being

Reasons & remedies Our lives are full of new challenges which we take pride in taking on. But not many of us realise that late working hours, lack of sleep, the stress of working to a deadline – all these factors, when combined, are taking a toll on our bodies and gradually leading to a host of physical ailments. “Unhealthy diet, late nights, work stresses – these affect the body rhythm, leading to various complications, including infertility,” affirms Dr Ashe Sahai, a Delhibased gynaecologist.

Unhealthy diet, late nights, work stresses – all these lead to infertility shoulder as the top lifestyle diseases in India at present. “As the living and working style of Indians have changed, lifestyle diseases are affecting us at large. The diseases used to be associated with genetic or biological change; now every disease is somehow related to lifestyle,” he says.

Clockwise from top left: Indulge in these activities to enjoy a stress-free life; Read a book before going to sleep; Say no to smoking

Trends also suggest diabetes, cancer, cysts, vision problems, and back and neck trouble to be part of this list. According to the World Health Statistics report 2012, 11.1 percent of the adult male population and 10.8 percent of the female population have high fasting blood glucose. The worst part? All these diseases are striking at a young age, and affecting men and women equally.

October 2013 134 www.spiceroutemag.com

Often, many of us end up skipping meals, substituting them with a quick burger or roll because we don’t have the time. Awry eating times and junk food are a dangerous combination and are one reason why many of us are obese, and patients of diabetes.

Insufficient rest also contributes in the long run to problems such as hypertension and depression. Wrong posture while sitting at your desk, and elongated working hours lead to back and neck issues. Smoking and drinking are on the rise and are overall impacting our bodies. So is lack of physical activity.

However, a few smart changes in your lifestyle can counter these...

Stress on a good diet: Take homecooked food to office. Eat a low-fat, low-salt, high-fibre diet. Make sure you include salads, dals and yoghurt in the meal. Avoid refined sugar; it only adds sweetness to the dish, and has negligible health benefits. Try sweetening with jaggery or khajur. Also carry fruits as a healthy snack option to satisfy midmorning or mid-afternoon hunger.

Well being

Know the diseases Heart problems: Smoking, obesity and high cholesterol levels are all linked to heart diseases.

Lung problems: Asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia are caused by smoking and rising pollution levels.

Obesity: It can lead to complications such as diabetes, backaches and even infertility.

Diabetes: Due to abnormally high sugar levels in the body. It increases chances of cardiovascular diseases.

Hypertension: A fallout of poor diet and stress, this can lead to stroke, heart failure as well as kidney disease.

Exercise whenever possible: Dedicate some time in the day to physical activity – even if it’s just a morning walk. You can also try yoga or join the gym if you have the time.

Burning those extra calories is vital. Even in office, try to do all your odd jobs yourself – be it filling up your glass of water (Dr Koul suggests keeping a glass instead of a bottle so that you are forced to make more trips to the water cooler) or fetching your cup of coffee.

Take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator whenever possible. Walk from the bus stop or metro station to your office.

Improve your posture: Always sit with your back straight to avoid back and neck pain. It helps your organs to function properly and improve digestion. You’ll find this also betters your concentration levels.

Avoid smoking and drinking: It’s easier said than done, but find other ways to indulge your cravings – try chewing gum, or just catch up with office colleagues in the balcony instead of the smoking room if you’re craving a break.

Get enough shuteye: You must sleep enough. Plan your day such that you have a regular time for going to bed. And indulge in a relaxing activity before you drift off to sleep; read a book or listen to music.

Manage stress: Don’t get overwhelmed by work pressures. And don’t forget to take a deep breath every once in a while – slow deep breathing can work wonders to calm the mind.

Socialise: Meet friends, visit new places; this will keep your mind active and alert.

Be happy: Always have a positive outlook on life. Seek out the good and be satisfied with what you have.

Aches and pains: Frozen shoulder, slipped disc, neck problems – all are results of wrong posture and diet, coupled with lack of exercise.

Fertility issues: Toxins in the environment, smoking and drinking and an overall unhealthy lifestyle leads to complications such as PCOD, cysts and low sperm count.

Clockwise from top left: Healthy fruits and vegetables help; Do regular sugar checks; Exercise and eat well

October 2013 136 www.spiceroutemag.com

Culture canvas

Beyond the

ordinary

For some doing things extraordinary comes naturally. It is their unique talents and the zeal to be different that has made them stand apart.

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e all are born with some talent within us, but the question is do we work towards enhancing it? Trapped in the mundaneness of daily routine, it is rare that we realise these talents leave alone nurture them. However, there are some who, without any formal training, have excelled in things extraordinary.

And these are the people who have tasted success on the basis of sheer faith and confidence in themselves.

Story in sand With a deft hand and sleek finger movements, the talented Nitish Bharti won millions of hearts when he gave spectacular performances in the television show India’s Got Talent. Now a world-famous name, he has taken the art of sand animation across the globe. He crafts real-life stories with the nondescript sand as his only medium – what does the magic are his killer strokes which follow each other at

a lightening speed. An artist and storyteller, Nitish captivates his audience both with the innovative medium and his fast-paced creations. His depiction of ace cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s journey for survival bought tears in the eyes of the judges at the show.

Interestingly, Nitish has no formal art training and discovered his unique talent for making sand paintings purely by believing that God has gifted him something extraordinary and

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Left: One of Nitish’s magical creations Above: He portrays unique images using sand as the medium

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Culture canvas

Left: Jasleen Royal all set to win the audience over with her soulful melodies; Above: Satyajit Ramdas Padhye spreads laughter with his puppetry and ventriloquism

he has to do justice to his indigenous talent. In his own words: “As a child, I was mesmerised by sand and used to draw pictures on the sand. And one day, during high tide, a wave lashed and wiped everything. This fascinated me and gradually, I started drawing quickly before the wave could come and wipe off everything. I use to stand and watch until my drawing completely disappeared, realising that everything is temporary and provisional.”

Through a combination of live performance and visual artistry, Nitish manoeuvres sand granules into a series of stunning pictures; as the audience watches, he rakes his fingers and morphs one image into another, creating yet another detailed, striking and inspiring picture, giving a meaningful show that leaves a lasting impression. Accompanied by music, Nitish communicates religious, civic, cultural, and

corporate messages with a few flicks, scoops, shadings and smoothings, with just sand on a lighted table.

talent sounds so fancy. But I figured that I had a knack for music quite early in life. Since six, I have been into music. My brother started learning how to play the keyboard and I decided to take it on from there. I picked it up and never left it. I have been making melodies ever since.” This young star has recently won MTV Video Music Awards India 2013 in the Best Indie Pop Lyrics category amongst Kailash Kher, Delhi-based band Indus Creed and Rabbi Shergill. Currently she’s making news for her new song titled Maye ni which is based on a poem by late Shiv Kumar Batalvi. Hard work and practice is the only way to success she believes. “I try to practice everyday. I work on my vocals, guitar and read some poetry. My schedule is mostly crazy because I am living of out a backpack with gigs happening all over.

So while trying to hone your skills one should also learn to survive on power naps,” says the ever-smiling Jasleen.

One WOman band

Spreading laughter

She is a woman who defines her own style.

Always in her trademark pyjamas and long loose T-shirts, 21-year-old Jasleen Royal from Ludhiana, now based in Delhi, is a rock star in the making. Looking at the petite Jasleen, not many can image the magic that she weaves when she gets her act together. But with the guitar on her shoulder, her mouth organ and a tambourine, she transforms herself into an one-woman band. She plays three instruments simultaneously and matching the beat is her beautiful voice. Asking her about how she discovered this extraordinary talent, an enthusiastic Jasleen responds, “Extraordinary

Quitting a successful chartered accountancy career to delve into a profession which is still nascent in India was a risk well taken for Satyajit Ramdas Padhye – a gen-next ventriloquist and puppeteer. Carrying forward his father’s legacy in this art form, he discovered his genuine interest in this art.

He used to love accompanying his father at various shows from an early age. Explaining the nuances of the art, Satyajit opines, “Ventriloquism is an art of throwing your voice and making an illusion that it is coming from some other place. Hence, there should not be any movement of your lips when the puppet

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Culture canvas

With a firm belief in his talent, Vilas gave up a well-paying job in an MNC and turned into a speed artiste

Know them Nitish Bharti Among the top three finalists of ‘India’s Got Talent’ Jasleen Royal - Won the MTV Video Music Awards India 2013.

Satyajit Ramdas Padhye - Won the Best Entertainment Act Award at the UNIMA World Puppetry Festival in China.

Vilas Nayak - Won the Most Innovative Act of India Award.

is talking. Also a ventriloquist has to write his own script and be aware about the things that are going on. I practice the voice exercise daily in the morning for 10 minutes.” When asked about the journey and its challenges, Satyajit exclaims, “I must say it is difficult to carve a niche as this art form is different from others.

The biggest challenge that I faced is explaining to people that ventriloquism and puppetry can be well received by adult audiences as well.

There is a wrong perception in India about these being only for children.” Today, Satyajit is the first Indian ventriloquist to represent India at the UNIMA World Puppetry Festival in China where 74 countries participated. He performed in English and Chinese and also won the “Best Entertainment Act“ Award at the Festival.

Strokes of success Coming from a small town in Mangalore district – Ujire, the winner of ‘Most Innovative October 2013 144 www.spiceroutemag.com

Act of India’ award, Vilas Nayak is currently the leading speed painting artist in the Asian continent. Discovering his extraordinary talent in school when he sketched a Lord Ganesha in just five minutes, this small-town boy has worked on improving his speed and accuracy ever since. His famous Gabbar Singh portrait at the India’s Got Talent show received immense acclaim and judges were shocked to see how, with a few playful strokes of his hand, his painting was completed in just 2.50 minutes. He has also been lucky enough to paint Dr. Abdul Kalam in just five minutes, which mesmerised him completely too! Sharing his views on how difficult it is to make a niche in this industry, he says, “I think it’s not that difficult if you have a unique talent. The very fact that you are doing something really different sets you apart from many, and that’s an advantage. Having said that, it’s important to keep innovating and be really creative to survive in this industry. I’m already working on a few new techniques that will be launched soon.” With a firm belief in his talent, Vilas who comes from a middle-class background decided to quit his well-paying job in an MNC and turned into a full-time speed artist. “Once I took that risk, I knew there is no looking back,” he says.

Culture canvas

Quirky

passions

Like all of us, celebrities too have their share of unconventional interests.

Top artistes share what whims they choose to indulge in and why. |

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ime and money do not count when artistes decide to indulge their passions. The love of their lives may be earrings, bangles or even the humble Indian pankha, the collections are invaluable to each of them.

beaut y in asymmetry Not many know why Mallika Sarabhai (dancer, publisher, activist, writer and actor) wears mismatched earrings. This unique look was first flaunted by her due to practical reasons in 1985. “I was in Frankfurt and had two additional piercings done on each ear. The ones on the right ear became septic, and soon closed over.

So I had three on my left ear and one on the right. I thought about it and concluded that nothing in nature is symmetry. It’s a male thing to want symmetry,” she says. Of course this unique habit triggered a lot of reactions.

S i nha

Mallika remembers one incident fondly: “In 1999 I was on the friendship bus to Lahore with Atalji. As we finished our conversation, he got a mischievous look in his eyes and said, ‘I promised my granddaughter I would ask you this question! What is the rahasya behind your earrings?’” The choice of earrings depends upon the ensemble she’s planning to wear and her mood. Her collection is also sourced at whim. “I’ve never been to a jewellery shop.

I pick up whatever I find interesting. Often that means stopping people on the road and offering to buy what they are wearing! I have only once had a copy made of something from a statue from Babylon,” she says. She doesn’t have favourites. “I might like something one day and then the next day something else calls me!” Taking care of it? “I occasionally clean silver with a brush and toothpaste.”

Mallika Sarabhai always wears three earrings on the left ear and one on the right

October 2013 146 www.spiceroutemag.com

Photos | (Right) Yadavan Chandran (Left & middle) Dinesh Shukla

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contemporary artist who has a lot of interest in the traditions. I derive inspiration from them.

I am interested in sculpture, temples, music, craft... So I have a large collection of crafts of various forms from all over the world – from Egypt, Africa, China, India, everywhere...

All these are donated to my arts centre in Bhubaneshwar (the upcoming JD Centre of Art – Jatin Das’s dream which is being worked upon by architect BV Doshi in Bhubaneshwar).

This is 45-year-old collection,” he explains.

The pankha collection, his unique passion, is 27 years old. One of the largest private collections in the world, it has been showcased in many museums across the globe.

The fans are of different shapes and sizes and made of varied organic material. There are antique hand-drawn ceiling fans used in the Mughal and colonial eras, large hand fans held by attendants for nobles and women, ceremonial fans, as well as a large variety of personal fans. He’s bought them, some have been gifted, and yet others have been made on special request by mothers, wives and daughters in rural households across India.

“The Delhi government has agreed to set up a National Pankha Museum in New Delhi to house the hand fans,” he informs us proudly.

Right: Artist Jatin Das choosing another unique addition to his rare, 27-year-old collection.

Below: One of the pankhas from his treasure trove

His impressive collection of pankhas is sourced from across the world stir in the air Internationally acclaimed artist Jatin Das has been a fond admirer of the pankha, with a collection of over 6,500 pieces. When you walk into his studio in Asiad Village, Delhi and you’ll find a simple woven bamboo hand fan hanging on a nail on one of the many book shelves. The rest of the impressive prized collection, sourced from across the world, is carefully stored away in steel trunks, each fan kept neatly in plastic bags with details of where it was sourced written out in small paper tags inside. Each piece has been documented in writing as well as photography. “I am a October 2013 148 www.spiceroutemag.com

Value of the collection? A recent article claimed it was over 2 crores, but Das waves it aside. “Yeh sab commercial language hai. It is invaluable – worth many crores, but money is not the point. They won’t be available anywhere,” he says.

His favourite piece? “I like all of them that’s why I have them,” he points out. Is it a task to take care of them? “Sometimes we fumigate – this, that and the like. But the point is that this is a rare dying craft. In our country we have no concern for historicity, for archiving... All old buildings are broken down, trees are cut off, family homes are broken down and converted into modern houses, family jewellery is sold off. Art of nature and manmade art – both are being destroyed. We have no respect for tradition. If I have scouted for pankhas in Indonesia, China, Japan, Korea, Egypt, Africa, India; it’s for future generations, for posterity,” he says emphatically. The latest on his collection – the fans will soon be printed on an Indian postal stamp.

Culture canvas

If she likes a design, Shobha buys it in all colours to match her outfits bangles forever

Her extensive collection includes single statement pieces in metal, many of which she picked up on a trip to Bangkok. “They’re practical when I’m travelling,” she points out. Another useful addition – copies of her wedding bangles (these are her favourites in the collection), which she got her karigar to make, so she doesn’t have to visit the locker every time there’s a function. The collection for her “is invaluable, because you won’t find so many pieces together at one place”. She proudly shows off an exclusive metal bangle with a peacock design and jadau work, another charming one with beads which she tells us is called gajra... The method of storage is unique

Above: Shobha Deepak Singh’s eclectic and attractive bangle collection Right: The way she wears them on Karva Chauth, with red and gold as the prime colours

Photos | Naveen Sharma

From traditional bangles with meenakari work to modern metallic ones, Shobha Deepak Singh, director of Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra in Delhi, is in love with her eclectic collection. “I was 16 when my mother put these four gold bangles on my wrists,” she says as she shows me four exquisite gold bands that adorn her hands, along with 10-odd pretty bangles in cream, a few multi-coloured, to match the elegant salwar suit she’s wearing. “I wore many bangles at my wedding. And after that, I never looked back – I matched my bangles with my clothes always,” she says. In accordance with family tradition, she makes it a point to wear one glass bangle – a plain deep red piece. And alongside, she may slip on lac creations with or without designs, and mirrorwork, and even some blingy pieces. “I am going to be 70, so I’m not so keen on wearing heavy jewellery except if I want to go out. But yes, I always like to have matching bangles, shoes and bag,” she says. “A woman should dress up, even if she’s at home. And in my case, people come unannounced. I’m always ever-ready to meet and greet anyone!” smiles Shobha.

– lined up neatly on old rolled-up magazines.

“Necessity is the mother of invention,” she smiles. These neat rows of bangles are then kept in drawers; some pieces are on bangle stands. Where and when does she shop?

“Anytime. If I go to Jaipur I find some nice bangles. Then there’s Hanuman Mandir, Greater Kailash market.... And during my travels.” If she likes a design, Shobha buys the whole box, in all colours “so that I don’t have to worry about not having a particular design in the shade of my outfit!” Karva Chauth is one day when she wears bangles by the dozen – in red and gold. One memorable time – her daughter’s wedding, her “best production till date”. She October 2013 150 www.spiceroutemag.com

got large amounts of bangles from Jaipur, along with a Delhi churiwala, to gift to the guests. “Everyone was free to take as many as they wanted; all designs were handpicked by me,” she says proudly. Her one regret? “We’re losing our Indianness. Abroad, people are crazy about my bangles. I fail to understand why we don’t want to wear them. They’re so affordable too!” In keeping with changing times, she designs practical ‘elastic bangles’ – similar to bracelets, they can fit any wrist. Inspired by family jewellery designs, they’re retailed at her boutique Abhooshan. “One has to be proud and have a passion for whatever one does in life. I’m crazy about my bangles,” she signs off.

Good samaritans

Power of

education

Pratham is a charity dedicated to improving the lives of children around India by making them literate.

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ratham’s motto is simple and direct: ‘Every child in school and learning well’. Founded in 1994, the organisation today functions in 20 states and is one of the largest NGOs providing quality education to disadvantaged children in India.

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of Houston in USA before returning to India and enlisting with the National Literacy Mission to help slum-dwellers in Mumbai in 1989. The idea of starting Pratham as a societal mission came from Richard Bridle, the then project director of Unicef, Mumbai, in 1993. The plan was to have a tripartite relationship between Unicef, the municipal corporation of Mumbai and corporate houses.

®

The GMAT Exam In India Indian business schools that accept the GMAT exam Globally, more than 5,800 graduate business & management programs accept the GMAT exam. Business Schools in India that accept the GMAT exam: ISB, Hyderabad & Mohali IIM, Ahmedabad IIM, Bangalore IIM, Calcutta IIM, Lucknow IIM, Indore IIM, Kozhikode FMS, Delhi IIFT, Delhi & Kolkata K.J.Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research, Mumbai Ÿ MICA, Ahmedabad Ÿ TISS, Mumbai Ÿ Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management, Ahmedabad Ÿ School of Business, Alliance University, Bangalore Ÿ Amity Business School, Noida Ÿ DMS, Delhi, Kanpur, Bombay, Madras, Roorkee & Kharagpur Ÿ IIM, Ranchi Ÿ IIM, Rohtak Ÿ IIM, Shillong Ÿ IIM, Tiruchirappalli Ÿ IIM, Udaipur Ÿ IIM, Raipur Ÿ IFMR, Chennai Ÿ NIT, Surathkal Ÿ Apeejay Stya University, School of Management Sciences, Noida Ÿ IILM Institute of Higher Education, New Delhi Ÿ GITAM School of International Business, Visakhapatnam Ÿ Amrita School of Business, Amrita Viswa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, Bangalore, Kochi & Coimbatore Ÿ IILM Graduate School of Management, Greater Noida Ÿ Siva Sivani Institute of Management, Hyderabad Ÿ NIIT, Neemrana

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S.P Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai School of Management, NMIMS, Mumbai Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai XLRI, Jamshedpur IMT, Ghaziabad, Hyderabad, Nagpur & Dubai ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad & Mumbai MDI, Gurgaon TAPMI, Manipal XIM, Bhubaneswar Goa Institute of Management, Goa PSG Institute of Management, Coimbatore IMI, New Delhi, Bhubaneswar & Kolkata VIT Business School, VIT University, Vellore Birla Institute of Management Technology, Noida Europe Asia School of Business, Pune ISBF, Delhi National Institute of Securities Markets, Mumbai FLAME, Pune Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies, Harihar & Pune NIFT, Delhi School of Business Studies, Sharda University, Noida Seshadripuram Institute of Management Studies, Bangalore Asia Graduate School of Business, Hyderabad BIMS, Bangalore IISWBM, Kolkata ITM, Mumbai Jindal Global Business School, O.P Jindal University, Sonipat Apeejay School of Management, New Delhi School of Telecom Management,Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune SOIL, Gurgaon TERI School of advanced Sciences, TERI University, Delhi, Pune, Bangalore, Mumbai & Guwahati

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Good samaritans

Clockwise from left: An ASER survey in progress; Dr Rukmini Banerji conducting the survey; Pratham’s Science Program; At Pratham Open School of Education

The objective was to see that government schooling is one of quality

Read India, was launched in 2007 in response to the findings of its first Annual Status of Education report (ASER) published two years before that. The report found that while the rate of enrolment in schools was high, around 50 percent of school children could not read fluently or do simple arithmetic even in class V.

Sweet success Challenging scenario Dr Chavan and social worker Farida Lambay spearheaded a survey on the status of primary education in Mumbai. “We found that almost 2,00,000 kids did not go to school and 37 percent of the children could not read or write. Students going to state-run schools lacked motivation and seemed disengaged.

We wanted to supplement, not substitute the efforts of the government,” says Lambay, who has just retired as vice-principal of Nirmala Niketan Institute of Social Work, Mumbai.

“The objective was to see that government schooling, which is the constitutional mandate, is one of quality and that education should be an equaliser rather than a divider. The original trust was started by Unicef along with the Corporation, corporates, colleges of social work and eminent citizens of Mumbai. Pratham started by organising balwadis for children in the slums. “Several children went to class I without going to preschool and this was one of the reasons why they dropped out of school early. Pratham is now looking at the 3 to 16 age group and skilling programmes for the youth,” she says. The charity’s flagship programme,

The primary goal of Read India is that all children aged between six and 14 years should be able to read, comprehend and solve basic maths problems. Read India was able to reach over 33 million children within the first three years. Today, it has spread across 19 states

October 2013 154 www.spiceroutemag.com

in India, reaching over 1.5 million children in 2012 alone. More than 60,000 volunteers were mobilised and 20,000 villages covered by the programme. In most states where this programme was initiated, the number of children not able to recognise alphabets is nil.

The percentage of kids able to read simple sentences is up by almost 20 per cent.

The high number of child labourers in India is a stumbling block. Lambay formed the Pratham Council for Vulnerable Children in 2001 to help children at risk receive education and lead better lives. “In 2005-06 alone, around 23,000 child labourers were rescued,

Good samaritans

Pratham has started computer-aided literacy projects in schools rehabilitated and repatriated. We work hard to make the government accept the fact that even today plenty of children go to work and not to school. We try and accommodate working children into educational and social programmes. In 2005, around 78,000 children were not going to school in Mumbai. Now, this number has come down to 11,000,” she says.

Against child labour The Council plays a key role in influencing policies related to working children. It has partnered many state governments in drafting protocol dealing with rescued children and advising on legislation concerning child labour.

The Council has also set up residential schools in Maharashtra and Bihar to teach kids who have been rescued, but who are unable to return to their homes.

Rukmini Banerji heads Pratham’s ASER Centre. She worked in Chicago following the completion of her doctoral degree in education, but returned to India to start working for Pratham in 1996. “Surveys by ASER or Annual Status of Education Report began because there was hardly any data available on what exactly children were learning in schools and whether they were achieving the

standards relevant to their age group. India had succeeded in getting more and more children to enrol in schools, and now it was time to see what they were learning. The first survey took place in 2005 and has continued annually. Children aged between three and 16 years in urban areas and 5 and 16 years in rural areas were asked whether they go to school, and whether they could read and do sums,” says Banerji. “The children were asked if they could recognise letters, words and read simple text. They were also asked to recognise numbers, do simple subtraction and division sums. The results were shocking – 50 percent of the children in government schools between the ages of six and 14 couldn’t read or do arithmetic at a reasonable level,” adds Banerji.

Sadly, there has been no improvement.

Banerji feels one reason could be that many parents are uneducated. The system does not identify children who are falling behind and giving them extra support and attention. ASER’s testing methodologies have been adopted in many countries, including Pakistan, Tanzania, Kenya, Mali and Senegal.

Adding skills Pratham has also tried to make a difference to

many lives by starting computer-aided literacy projects in schools and PACE, a skills-training programme targeted at youth between the ages of 18 and 25. It trains youngsters to do jobs in the banking, hospitality and agriculture sectors and also helps them start their own businesses.

Pratham Books, whose mission is to see ‘a book in every child’s hand’, has published over 200 books in 11 Indian languages so far. These books are available at reasonable prices and they have spread the joy of reading among 12 million children.

As Pratham approaches its 20th anniversary, Dr Chavan says he would like to see technology play a greater role in learning.

Last year, he was awarded the WISE Prize, one of the biggest awards in international education – a major landmark which also reminds him of how much still remains to be done.

Clockwise from top: A proud Pratham child; At an urban learning centre in a Delhi slum; Happy faces

October 2013 156 www.spiceroutemag.com

Good samaritans

Changing

perceptions

Score Foundation aims to create a social environment where the blind are given equal opportunities to grow and succeed.

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t all began when George Abraham, CEO of Score Foundation, visited a school for the blind in 1989. He was disturbed to see that its functioning left much to be desired – in terms of the services, the facilities and the people working there. Being visually impaired had never stood in George’s way and he had pursued a successful career in advertising for almost a decade. But post this visit, he decided October 2013 158 www.spiceroutemag.com

to give it all up and use his knowledge, skills, network and experience to work with blind people. “I realised that I was fortunate to be well-educated, to have had the backing from my parents which gave me confidence. Plus, my wife and I had the energy, education and the skills,” he says. An NGO called EFICOR gave him a fellowship for two years – of `1,500 per month (which just paid his house rent at that

Good samaritans

Clockwise from left: Answering calls at the helpdesk; George with a few of the children; All smiles at one of their awareness camps

time) – and told him to travel, understand the domain better and then take a call on what he wanted to do. “I spent one year meeting people and soon realised that sport (especially cricket – his childhood passion) plays an important role in developing personality, is an effective medium to promote a cause, and could be taken to the international stage. To cut a long story short, we organised international cricket tournaments for the blind,” he says.

Recognising abilit y When they started promoting cricket for the blind, they decided to raise funds as sponsorship not as donations. “There is a subtle difference – sponsorship recognises the ability, donations recognise the disability,” George points out. In 1996, he founded the World Blind Cricket Council, with seven countries as founding members. Tata Steel was their first sponsor and they organised the first world cup for the blind in 1998. Between 1998 and 2000, George went on to do a series of 50-odd workshops on communication skills with young blind boys and girls across India, from regions including Bengal, Bihar, UP and Rajasthan. “This was like a research and I found

that awareness levels and communication skills were poor. And there was a strong traditional mindset that blind people could only become musicians or teachers, that too language teachers. I had also met family members, teachers and people from the government and found that parents when they have a child who’s blind do not give him importance, schools do not easily take in blind children because they require extra care and help, and similar problems exist at work. It’s because they all focus on the blindness – on the nazar,” he tells us.

But he has also met several blind people who have got education and training and are now successful businessmen, journalists and lawyers. “Obviously there is a difference in attitude. That is where the nazariya, the perception comes in,” says George. In

Sponsorships recognise the ability while donations only look at the disability October 2013 160 www.spiceroutemag.com

2003, they launched Project Eyeway with the website eyeway.org. The aim was generating a knowledge resource, training and low-vision intervention (when people have bad eyesight, they use visual aids to cope with the situation).

George also worked at the low vision centre at Shroff Charity Hospital, but moved on because “they were only interested in the medical side of things. I was more interested in information, knowledge, creating awareness. Project Eyeway is essentially a knowledge resource on life of blindness,” he explains.

Reaching out In 2005, they launched their radio programme Eyeway Yeh Hai Roshni Ka Karwan. It’s now in its tenth season. The numerous calls they got in response led them to start a helpdesk which is now busy answering numerous queries from across India.

Good samaritans

Stills from the television series Nazar Ya Nazariya

Nazar Ya Nazariya aims to build awareness through real-life stories Score Foundation’s latest initiative is the television series Nazar Ya Nazariya on Doordarshan (every Saturday at 9.30am) which also aims to build awareness – through real-life stories of visually impaired and blind achievers across India. Renowned actor Naseeruddin Shah introduces and sign off each episode while actor Harsh Chhaya is the anchor.

“Our eventual goal is to become a centre for policy, advocacy, research and communication on blindness. We would have information on day-to-day living for the blind, as well as a knowledge bank that policymakers can refer to for improving life for blind people – to influence the way education happens, employment happens, the way corporate India thinks,” says George. “I know it’s ambitious.

It’s not even seen as something that has to be done... mindsets need to change – most people are only interested in whether a blind guy gets food or his immediate needs are met.”

Aims and challenges The aim is to change the system through advocacy, research and communication. “These concepts do not appeal to most people. That’s why resource generation is a problem,” George points out. They are also looking to establish a network across India, instead of setting up separate branches in each city. “If someone wants to learn computers in Patna, we should be able to tell him where to find a facility in Patna itself, through a local organisation,” explains George.

Lack of understanding and sensitivity are other issues. “Our cities are not made for blind people. Trees are planted in the middle of footpaths and there is hardly any space to walk around them. One fine day they decide to widen the roads and the footpath is gone. Many places provide wheelchairs, but they forget the issue is not with walking, it’s with seeing.”

Success stories The Foundation’s initiative has surely made life a little easier for some at least. Arush was visually impaired since birth. His mother used to visit the Score Foundation website for tips on upbringing. When he started going to playschool, he was unable to participate in regular activities. Their representatives October 2013 162 www.spiceroutemag.com

visited his Noida playschool and counselled the teachers and activities were introduced keeping Arush’s needs in mind. He is now studying in Class IV in DPS Ghaziabad.

Varanasi-based primary school teacher SP Singh lost his vision in his early 30s. Married with two children, he was worried he would have to quit his job. After listening to Score Foundation’s radio programme, he called up the help desk. He was counselled, motivated and guided. “They told me about the Persons with Disabilities Act 1995 and the section on job security that promised his source of livelihood would not be endangered because there are government policies in place. The morale boost was just what I needed. I gained confidence, talked to my department, and gave them all this information about the Act,” he tells us. He was also informed about computer training CDs (which he ordered from the National Association for the Blind) and mobile software which reads out all messages and identifies callers so he can use a mobile phone.

“Remember, the blind too come with certain abilities – give them a chance to grow and they can do much more. What is needed is good parenting, good education, more opportunities,” George signs off.

Spotlight/real estate

Real estate

boom

The housing sector in India has been growing by leaps and bounds. Here’s a look at the latest in the property market.

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etropolitan cities in India are fast becoming hubs of industrial parks, high rises, residential complexes, sprawling malls and huge commercial complexes. And all these are gradually but steadily transforming the city skylines. If you are commuting on the busy and packed streets of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata or any other tier I and tier II city, you will come across brightly coloured cranes, rubble, construction and hordes of workers scurrying up and down towering skyscrapers. A sure sign the real-estate sector in India is high!

Current scenario It’s boomtime for the commercial real-estate sector in India. This growth can be attributed October 2013 164 www.spiceroutemag.com

Spotlight/real estate

A celebrated name Famed for being one of the most trusted names in the realty domain of Pune, Nyati group is rapidly making its presence felt across other cities in India as well. Successfully developing over 30 million square feet of prime residential and commercial floor space across the breadth and skylines of the city, this group has carved a niche in the minds of their customers.

to favourable demographics, increasing purchasing power, existence of customer-friendly banks and housing finance companies, professionalism in real estate and favourable reforms initiated by the government to attract global investors. Indian real estate offers higher profits from construction; they are nearly double as compared to countries like the US. The government has introduced many progressive reform measures to exploit the potential of the sector. This will help in meeting the property demand and impact the realty sector in a positive way. Along with the government’s move, the stimulus package by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowing banks to provide special treatment to the real-estate sector, has also been highly effective. The emphasis on affordable housing also helps developers to create international standard quality projects.

On the commercial front, they have delivered high-end ergonomic spaces that offer great functional utility to customers. Delivering high-quality spaces that are architecturally superior and aesthetically refined, while offering great value for money, has been their constant endeavour.

Based on these principles, they share a trusted relationship and an enduring bond with their customers.

Policy First, the much-debated policy on FDI into the multi-brand retail sector was finally implemented in September 2012. The policy now permits FDI of up to 51 percent into this sector, which is likely to boost the retail real-estate market with the entry of international products, practices and technologies into India. Back-end retail infrastructure such as logistics and warehousing will receive a significant boost from this policy, as 50 percent of the total FDI into the retail sector is directed at these segments.

Second, the government of India has deferred the implementation of Direct Tax Code (DTC) from 2014 to

A new policy now permits FDI of up to 51 percent into the real estate sector October 2013 166 www.spiceroutemag.com

Array of projects Nyati Eternity in the south of Pune: 1 and 2 BHK luxurious apartments Nyati Epitome in the south of Pune: Exclusive 3 BHK lifestyle apartments Nyati Equatorial in the west of Pune: 2, 2.5 and 3 BHK luxurious apartments Nyati Elysia in the east of Pune: 1, 2 and 3 BHK luxurious apartments Plus points • Eco-friendliness and promise of fulfilling social responsibilities • 100 percent safe and secure transactions • Honouring personal values • Timely possession • Customer-friendly approach • Financial strength and healthy cash flow • Efficient and professionally managed systems

Spotlight/real estate

Making waves

STOKING PRICES Speculation for making quick gains Rising construction cost High labour charges Hike in excise duty Increase in service tax Rising land prices

Mastering the art of construction for five years now, Mandar Housing Pvt. Ltd & Mangal Morya Developers – a firm promoted by Mandar Morya Group – has been making waves with an unimpeachable record of meeting and even exceeding customer expectations in the residential and commercial sector.

Mandar Morya group is a partnership firm incorporated on October 8, 2011 with Shri Avinash V. Dhole and Shri Raju S. Sulire as partners. This group has developed standalone as well as mass housing complexes in and around Virar, Bolinj, Mumbai, Palghar, Boisar and Bhiwandi. They have carved a niche for themselves in the construction industry with the successful execution of these projects and further consolidated

Projects Daulat Heights: First round building in Virar. Located at one of the most green scenic locations in Virar.

Bhavya Heights: Well-planned 15-storey residential tower with a shopline.

Sai Empire: Located at a welldeveloping location at Virar.

Maa Jay Ambe Heights: Best citycentric location at Virar.

Mandar Heights: Home with luxury, prestige and style located at Virar.

M. B. Tower: Created with best features located at Virar.

Mandar Avenue F-1: Spacious and well-ventilated flats located at Virar.

Casa Bliss: Ultimate luxury located at Virar.

Shreeji City : Live with nature at Kaman Bhiwandi Road.

their expertise in the ever-growing housing industry. With a firm belief in “elegance and strength”, the group has a dedicated team of experts. The group specialises in construction of residential and commercial buildings for the middle-income group, especially the service class, in the organised sector at Bolinj and Virar.

They have a great brand value in the vicinity areas of Bolinj-Virar and all projects completed by them in the past are almost sold out.

Plus points • Schools, colleges, market, post office, top-level sports and recreation facilities for children • Well-planned hobby center, focused vocational guidance and police station are located within reasonable distances.

• Provision of drinking water from the municipal corporation.

• The Reliance Energy, MSEB and Tata Electricity board is passing through this area.

2015, which gives occupiers more time to capitalise on their expansion decisions while carefully negotiating with developers. Third, the delay in the implementation of DTC has resulted in a good portion of the office space demand for IT SEZs to spill over from 2013 to 2014. With the demand for IT SEZ space to remain healthy in the next 12-18 months, we expect the developers of IT SEZs to focus on execution and completion of projects for the duration, to ensure ready supply to match the immediately upcoming demand.

Future trends According to analysts, this is a good time for purchasing real estate intended for long-term investment and end use.

The cyclical nature of the markets is expected to push up the residential property rates in the next three years. If the investment horizon is greater than this period, then it makes good business sense to invest in property in metros and other fast-developing cities.

The decision to purchase property in the emerging areas should be backed by a complete analysis of the demand-supply forecasts and infrastructure plans for the region. As far as capital appreciation and rental yields are concerned, mid-range houses are expected to provide better returns than luxury apartments or premium property purchased at discounted prices.

October 2013 168 www.spiceroutemag.com

Gadget guru

Gift guide

Give a happy surprise to your near and dear ones this festive season with a gizmo of their choice.

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3 1 2 4 2. Amkette USB 3.0 Superspeed Hub

1. BlackBerry Q5 For those who don’t like typing on touchscreens, BlackBerry has introduced the Q5 which features a full QWERTY keyboard that has been re-engineered for optimised typing and a 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen. It is based on the company’s advanced BlackBerry 10 platform. So apart from the ability to send and receive push mail and BBMs instantly, the phone aims to be fun to use too.

Specs: 1.2GHz dual core processor; 3.1-inch touchscreen; 8GB internal memory; 2GB RAM; 5MP autofocus camera with LED flash; WiFi; bluetooth; accelerometer; gyro; proximity; compass; BB10 OS; push mail; IM; BBM 6; black, white, red, gray and pink colours; 120gm weight.

Price: `24,990

Moving big files from device to device can be agonisingly slow. This Hub is perfect for data transfer between multiple data storage devices – laptops, smartphones, PCs, hard disks and flash drives. This plug-and-play device can boost transfer rates by up to 5GB per second – 10 times faster than what you are accustomed to with USB 2.0.

Specs: USB 3.0; up to 5GB per second transfer speeds; 4 downstream ports, 1 upstream port; USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 compatible; plug and play; LED indicator; onboard overload fuse protection; Windows/Linux/Mac OS X compatible; 85x60x13mm size.

Price: `2,299

3. HP Slate 21 AiO This 21-inch touchscreen PC is slick, uncomplicated and powerful. The added advantage of Slate 21 is that you can tap into the extensively developed Android ecosystem October 2013 170 www.spiceroutemag.com

of touch-enabled apps – something that is still at a nascent stage on the touch-friendly Windows 8 OS. Specs: 21.5-inch, full HD (1920x1080 resolution) IPS display; built-in speakers; Nvidia Tegra 4 quad-core processor; 8GB eMMC storage; 3 USB 2.0 ports; SD card reader; 15° to 70 ° recline range; optical touchscreen, mouse, keyboard; Android 4.2, multi-user support; HD front-facing camera; face recognition; gesture keyboard.

Price: `29,990

4. LG Song Star The LG Song Star karaoke can be rigged to your TV and lets you sing along – alone, or at a party! It has over 4,000 songs in nine languages, including regional Indian ones. There’s realtime scoring to evaluate your performance. You can also record up to 60 songs (four hours) on the device and store 45 favourites.

Specs: 4,000+ songs in English, Hindi, Gujarati, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil,

Gadget guru

Punjabi and Malayalam; lyrics display in Hindi and English; JPEG/video playback on NTSC/PAL TV; amateur/professional scoring; wired mic; echo key control and tempo control.

Price: `14,000

5. Rockstand eBook/ eMagazine App Made for Android smartphones and tablets, Rockstand offers over two million books and magazines in various languages. Prices start as low as `7! Text-to-speech with voice and speed modulation allows everything to be read to you in case you don’t want to tire your eyes.

Specs: Android app; in-app downloads for books, magazines, comics; same purchase on up to three devices; text-to-speech function; offline mode; 400-800 books storage on a mobile; auto-bookmarking; night-reading mode; download manager; periodic free book offers.

Price: Free

6. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT4 The FT4 is one tough guy that can withstand drops from two metres and is also water resistant to a depth of 12 metres. So you can easily use this stylish shooter without a worry.

As expected, the ruggedness of its tough outer shell and cosseted interior comes at a price.

Specs: 12.1 megapixels; 2.7-in TFT screen LCD display; 28mm ultrawide angle; 4.6x optical zoom; image stabiliser; full HD video; 1,600 ISO; GPS; in-camera panorama; 3D, digital effects; JPG; AVCHD; MP4; 20MB built-in memory; mic/speaker; micro HDMI; 940mAh

Li-ion battery; 197gm weight.

Price: `20,990

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7. Google Chromecast Ever wished you could view movies, TV shows, YouTube, music and more off your smartphone, tablet or laptop on the larger screen of your TV? All you need to do is to plug in the USBpen-drive-like Chromecast device into any HDTV and hook it to your WiFi. It also comes with a remote.

Specs: 1080p resolution output video; HDMI compatible; 2.4 GHz WiFi 802.11 b/g/n; Supports Android 2.3 and higher, iOS 6 and higher, Windows 7 and higher, Mac OS 10.7 and higher, Chrome OS; 34gm weight.

Price: `5,500

8. fancy USB Drives This festive season, Fortune Marketing has introduced a wide range of USB drives in the form of Indian deities. The range spans Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman, Lord Krishna, Lord Mahavira, Balaji and Sai Baba among others.

The company is also offering a fascinating mix of flash drives encompassing all the signs of the zodiac.

Specs: USB flash drive, 4GB to 64GB capacity.

Price: `500 onwards

9. Diamante Bling Case If your friend has an Apple iPhone 5 and likes bling, gift her this dainty-looking but solid case made of resilient polycarbonate. It will secure the phone from accidental bumps and drops to a large degree by acting as a shock absorber,

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You can get a swanky stylus as well as a film screen protective to safeguard the iPhone.

Specs: Apple iPhone compatible, polycarbonate build, snug fit, easy access to all ports, controls, mic and speakers.

Price: `1,000

10. Handcandy Bett y LadyBuds Want to listen to music and talk on the phone with your necklace? Get the beaded Betty Ladybuds! A magnetic clasp holds the headphones on your neck while an in-line mic allows hands-free conversations on your phone.

There is a 26-inch cord extender in addition to the 31-inch length of your headphones section.

The standard 3.5mm audio jack works with all phones and music players.

Specs: Hand-beaded necklace compatible with all phones and music players, stereophonic earbuds, in-line mic, controls in mic unit, standard 3.5mm audio jack, 31-inch headphone cable, 26-inch extender.

Price: `2,500

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Silver screen

Films releasing in

October 2013 Upcoming Bollywood caper Besharam Besharam looks like a quirky comedy with a hint of romance and tender sentiments weaved in. As the name suggests, this movie promises to be all out and over the top with the fun element ruling supreme. Directed by Abhinav Kashyap, the heartthrob of Bollywood Ranbir Kapoor plays the character of a car mechanic from Delhi who is a super cool, street-smart guy. Inspite of the fact that he comes from an orphanage, his aim is to live life to the fullest. Tara (Pallavi Sharda) is his love interest and there is much drama that brews up unwittingly.

He is also chased by cop couple Chulbul Chautala (Rishi Kapoor) and Bulbul Chautala (Neetu Kapoor). But unstoppable that he is at his antics, Ranbir’s character in this movie is all set to fix his past, even if it dares him to become shameless!

BOLLYWOOD

Boss Release date: October 18 Cast: Akshay Kumar, Aditi Rao Hydari, Shiv Pandit, Johnny Lever, Ronit Roy and Mithun Chakraborty Director: Anthony D’Souza

Mickey Virus Release date: October 25 Cast: Manish Paul, Elli Avram, Varun Badola, Manish Choud Director: Saurabh Varma

Ishq Actually

Release date: October 2 Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Pallavi Sharda, Rishi Kapoor, Neetu

Kapoor, Jaaved Jaffrey, Amitosh Nagpal, Kamal Kiri Director: Abhinav Kashyap

Hollywood

Tarzan

Upcoming Hollywood caper Escape Plan This movie was initially known as the ‘Exit Plan’ and even ‘The Tomb’ and now the name has been frozen as Escape Plan.

It is an action thriller that has the rough-and-tough guys from Hollywood like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger coming face to face to blaze up the silver screen. The story spins around Stallone’s character – that of Ray Breslin, a structural engineer who is wrongly convicted of a crime. So he has to work hard on his escape plan, with help from by his cellmate Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger).

Release date: October 25 Cast: Rajeev Khandelwal, Raayo S Bakhirta, Neha Ahuja, Ann Mitchai, Siddharth Van, Neha Gehlo Director: Anish Khanna

Release date: October 3 Cast: Kellan Lutz, Spencer Locke, Anton Zetterholm, Jaime Ray Newman Director: Reinhard Klooss

Captain Phillips Release date: October 18 Cast: Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, David Warshofsky Director: Paul Greengrass

Insidious: Chapter 2

Release date: October 18 Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Caviezel Director: Mikael Håfström October 2013 174 www.spiceroutemag.com

Release date: October 25 Cast: Rose Byrne, Patrick Wilson, Lin Shaye Director: James Wan

by Sayanti Banerjee

Book shelf

Excerpts from

My Journey

APJ Abdul Kalam’s book traces his life through its ups and downs. We present few chosen memories...

A working boy at eight Rameswaram in the 1940s was a sleepy little town... The only source of information about the outside world was the newspaper. The (only) agency that distributed newspapers was run by my cousin Samsuddin.... There were about a thousand literate people in the town, and he delivered newspapers to all of them... The newspapers came by morning train and were kept at Rameswaram station.

From there they had to be collected and sent to all the subscribers. This was Samsuddin’s business... However, as World War II raged,... the British government placed a number of sanctions and rations on goods... Food, clothes, the needs of the babies of the household, all became difficult to procure and provide for.... Samsuddin came up with a proposal that excited and delighted me tremendously.

One fallout of the conditions was that the rail stop at Rameswaram station had been done away with... Samsuddin found a way out. The

papers would be kept ready in large bundles.

As the train chugged down the RameswaramDhanushkodi track, they would be flung out on to the platform... Samsuddin offered me the enjoyable job of catching these bundles of papers being thrown from the moving train and then taking them around town for distribution! My enthusiasm knew no bounds. I was only eight, but I was going to contribute in a meaningful way to the household income!... I started my day while it was still dark outside, with my mother shaking me awake.... I would study (at my teacher’s home) for an hour and return by 5 a.m... my father would... take me to the Arabic School nearby, where I learnt the Koran Sharif... I would (then) sprint away to the railway station.

There I would wait, hopping from one leg to the other, eyes and ears keenly open for signs of the oncoming train... Like clockwork, they (the newspaper bundles) would be tossed out on to the platform... I divided them up into batches... and off I went. For about an hour

I tore around Rameswaram, delivering the papers to everyone. Soon I began to identify people by the papers they read. Many would be waiting for me, and there would always be a friendly word or two... I think most enjoyed being handed their papers by a cheerful eight year old.... In the evening, after school was over, I would do the rounds of Samsuddin’s customers again, collecting dues. Then I would meet him... to work out the accounts of the day. This routine continued for about a year... I could now judge quite accurately the distances I could cover at a sprint with a bundle of papers in my hand, and hence could time my arrival at various localities at the same time every day. I could calculate in my head the amount owed to Samsuddin by each of his subscribers, and could reel off the names of those who had not paid up that day. Mostly, I learnt that to be a working man meant you had to be up and ready to face the day, whatever else may happen to you....

When I failed One of the earliest such episodes from my life happened when I was a student of aeronautics

October 2013 176 www.spiceroutemag.com

that to ‘beI learnt a working man meant you had to be up and ready to face the day

at MIT. My design teacher there was Professor Srinivasan, who was also the head of the institute. Once...we were placed in teams of four students each, and our team had to design a low-level attack aircraft. I was in charge of coming up with the aerodynamic design. We worked very hard for weeks... after a few days, Professor Srinivasan asked to see the design I had created... His words stunned me. ‘This is just not good enough, Kalam’... I stared at the professor, dumbfounded. I had always been the star pupil in any class and had never ever been pulled up by a teacher for anything...

The professor... told me that I had to redo the entire design, starting from scratch...

Then he broke the next bad news. Not only was I supposed to do the work again, I had to finish it in three days!... ‘If you are unable to do so, your scholarship will be stopped.’...

The scholarship was the only way I could afford to be in college... I got to work right away, determined to prove myself. I skipped dinner and remained at the drawing board through the night... By the next morning, I was working like a man possessed. I took a short break to eat and freshen up, and went back to work again. By Sunday evening, my work was nearly complete... While I was putting my final touches to it, I sensed a presence in the room.

It was the professor... I didn’t know how long he had been standing there, watching me... He looked critically at my work for many minutes.

Then he straightened up and smiled. To my amazement, he hugged me affectionately. Then patting me on the back, he said, ‘I knew I was putting you under immense pressure when I rejected your work the other day. I set an impossible deadline — yet you have met it with work that I can only call outstanding. As your teacher, I had to push you to your limits so that you could recognize your own true potential.’ ...those words were music to my ears and revived my confidence and self-belief.

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Love for books I have come across many book lovers... One person... helped me out once by not buying a book. This happened in Madras... when I was studying at MIT. I had recently become interested in Russian literature, and had obtained a copy of a book that I was reading with great interest.... I needed to go home (but did) not (have) enough to buy a train ticket even for Rameswaram! I saw no way out other than selling the book... There was one shop which I always visited, as the proprietor had become a friend... When I presented myself at his shop... he looked at me with a mixture of pity and sadness... He could see that I did not want to part with the book, yet he also understood my reason for wanting to do so.

Then he came up with an idea that was brilliant in its simplicity and solved all my problems!

Why didn’t I leave the book with him as a sort of mortgage? He would loan me the amount he would have paid me for it ...I could return the amount to him and take back my book.

He promised not to sell it to anyone in the meantime! My happiness knew no bounds at this sudden change in my fortunes. I was now able to go home and not lose my book.

Needless to say, my book-loving friend kept his word, and that book stayed with me for many years – a reminder of the kindness of strangers and the equally strange world of bibliophiles!

Kids corner

My best friend

Making your child responsible is an important part of growing-up. Teach them to take care of pets, indulge in fun activities, and imbibe some life lessons.

WOR D S

O

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S i mr a n

O b e ro i

ctober is here – the season of festivities as well as holidays, starting with Dussehra all the way to Diwali in the first week in November. Children await this time most eagerly and want to do something fun and adventurous, something which can harness their energy in a constructive way. Going for holidays, picnics, activity camps or workshops are regular things; but they can all become

Multani

unique if you add one element – your pets!

It is interesting to see how much research is there on strengthening the relationship between your children and your pets. But a lot of it tends to be academic and non-experiential.

It seems like a lot of serious work, whereas it can actually be exciting. Here we explore the fun side of this much-discussed topic and also October 2013 180 www.spiceroutemag.com

see how, through interesting activities, we can teach our children to be responsible for their pet dog, cat, bird and more!

I had a baby about 10 months ago, but we had a canine child a year before that. Trying to be pet parents as well as parents to a human child has had its own share of ups and downs.

But now, as our son grows older and more

Kids corner

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Left: A swim with the dog not only provides exercise, it helps your child and pet form a unique bond Below: A family picnic can be lots of fun

aware of Elsa, our dog as his playmate or sibling (depending on what they both prefer!), we have tried to start focusing on bringing out the fun part of the relationship so that a comfort level sets in. As he grows older, it’s important to teach him to be responsible of taking care of her, just as we do, but being responsible goes beyond the usual “taking the dog for a walk”.

While there are a series of fun activities one can do, here are some of my favourite ones – these are truly fun and unique. So go ahead and try at least some of these... figure out which ones your child as well as your pet enjoys and repeat them as often as possible.

Time for a swim Try visiting swimming pools which allow pets

(if your pet can swim; most dogs can!) with your child in tow – it can be a lot of fun! We had ordered Elsa’s birthday cake from Bone Appetite, which makes treats for our furry friends. On completing their first anniversary, they invited us to a pool party at the Aaskar Pet Resort which has a special doggie swimming pool. You will be amazed that even the regular games that kids and pets play together actually become more fun when you add the extra element of splashing water to it!

Eating together There have been several occasions when we have wondered how we can take our pets to restaurants. In India there are few places which allow you to bring your pets along for a meal.

But the ones that do definitely make a big difference. When we go to such restaurants, the onus of ensuring that the child as well as the pet are both well-behaved is usually on the parents. However, with a slightly older child, you can try giving the responsibility of taking care of the pet to the child! So your little one can make sure the pet does not litter or trouble

At a restaurant, your child can make sure the pet does not litter or trouble others October 2013 182 www.spiceroutemag.com

Kids corner

A vacation with your child and pet can be a logistical nightmare; the key is to ‘plan’

Above: Take your pet bird for a shower at a pet salon regularly; Left: Pet cats can enjoy a sunny afternoon in the park

Explore options To take your pet for a pool party, visit https://www. facebook.com/ AaskarPetResort?fref=ts To dine with your pet and child together, visit http://www. gostana.com/ For pet vacation getaways, visit www. petvacations.in

October 2013 184 www.spiceroutemag.com

other diners and so on. That itself works well in teaching the same social etiquette to the child, and also harnessing his or her energy towards something constructive. Plus, it instills a sense of quiet confidence. Some such places that we know of are Under the Mango Tree in Bengaluru and Gostana in Mumbai.

Vacation magic A vacation with your pet and child together can be a logistical nightmare; the key here is to “plan”. We made a trip to Hunkal Woods in Chikmagalur, a pet-friendly coffee plantation and forested area. The open spaces and the greenery were a treat for us as well as for our dog! She loved the expanse of open land and it was a pleasure to see her virtually soar instead of run! While we tend to look for pet-friendly getaways close to Bengaluru (where we are based) and a whole lot of homestays provide such options across Karnataka, all states have such destinations. Mahindra Holidays is one group that allows you to take pets along at most destinations.

Pet parents’ picnic Believe me, this kind of picnic is certainly not a walk in the park. It needs you to be able to make your pet socialise with other pets and human beings, while keeping all under close supervision! Despite this, such a picnic can be great fun. A set of pet parents who had recently adopted lab-rescued beagles met with their newly adopted canine kids in Cubbon Park in Bengaluru recently. From the pictures, one can gather the immense amount of fun the pet parents, the pets and the children had!

Such a picnic also helps ensure that children lose unwarranted fear of other pets, and also understand how to interact with pets and each other in such an environment.

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Kids corner

Take your pet for a pampering spa session once in a while sPA SESSION One of the fun activities that is picking up momentum and interest is taking your pet to a pampering spa session. No matter what kind of furry pet you have, whether it is a dog, a cat, a rabbit, a guinea pig... their hygiene and personal grooming is priority. So as a pet parent you should take them for an occasional spa, and take your children along! It is critical for the kids to understand that first, just like any other living being, our pets need the gentle loving care as well as pampering from time

to time to make them feel special. Second, keeping your pets clean and well-groomed is of paramount importance – whether it is their skin, nails, teeth and so on. This is an importance concept for children to absorb and take responsibility of, and they will find it fun to see their pets in a bubble bath!

Apart from being a fun event, it be beneficial for children too. Some pets might be a little scared the first time and here is the chance to have your child give them that sense

October 2013 186 www.spiceroutemag.com

of comfort by being around. A couple of places which are doing a great job in this sphere are Wags and Wiggles Pet Salon in Bengaluru, and Red Paws Pet Spa in Delhi.

While dogs are the most common pets, several families keep cats, guinea pigs, rabbits and fish as pets. So go ahead and tailor make the activity to your pet – cats might have more fun lazing around in a sunny park while a pet rabbit may be allowed some burrowing time outside the house! 

Kids corner

Children’s platter

Do your little ones often refuse wholesome dal-roti-sabzi and gorge on chips and cookies? Here are some smart tips and recipes to help you.

A

regular diet of bland dal, sabzi and roti is likely to put your child off the meal.

They often end up making a fuss and gorging on tastier (but so inadequate) snacks such as chips, biscuits, instant noodles, colas and more.

The key to feeding your child healthy food is making it taste good and look appetising. So if you’re serving roti and sabzi, once in a while, make rolls by stuffing the veggies inside; serve with dollops of tomato sauce and mustard to make it look attractive. You can even use October 2013 188 www.spiceroutemag.com

your imagination – instead serving the salad alongside, use it to make a funny face on the plate... The eyes can be slices of radish, the nose can be a long piece of carrot, while the roll can act as the mouth!

Introduce novelty as far as possible. Try your best to avoid repeating a sabzi for lunch and dinner. If you have no choice, you can even use the leftover veggies to make a healthy toasted brown-bread sandwich – they’ll happily

Kids corner

Let your child help you in the kitchen to up her interest in food

lap it up with a generous dose of ketchup.

Another good idea – turn healthy juices into popsicles! Just freeze them in a glass with an ice-cream stick inside; stir once to ensure the juice sediments don’t settle. Your children will lap it up in the hot summer months, literally!

Give them smoothies every morning – it’s the best way to ensure they get their required dose of milk and fruit. You can easily alternate between chikoo, banana and mango – all taste great and don’t need too much additional sugar. Once in a while, go for fresh juice. Or give them flavoured milk... vanilla, strawberry and pineapple essence are readily available in the market. You just need to add a few drops to

the milk along with sugar to create this special surprise. Add some food-grade colour to make it look attractive.

You can also try some of these interesting recipes by ace chef Jayanandan Bhaskar from the five-star Leela Kempinski in Gurgaon.

He has been part of the popular reality show Master Chef India-1. Jayanandan always wanted to be a classical singer and had also received formal training in classical music. But he lost his parents within a span of one year while in school and he was forced to set up a food counter to overcome financial difficulties. He has no formal training in cooking. “I have faced my share of hardships, but I believe if you

Right: Chef Jayanandan Bhaskar of Master Chef fame Far right: The chef’s recipe of Ragi Sweet Balls

October 2013 190 www.spiceroutemag.com

have set your eyes on something in life, there is nothing that can deter you from achieving it,” he says. So go ahead, try these delicacies designed specially for your children by chef Jayanandan Bhaskar...

RAGI SWEET BALLS

Ingredients ½ cup ragi flour (I used malted Ragi flour for this dish) ¼ cup sesame seeds ¾ cup nuts (a mix of almonds, peanuts and cashew) 3 tbsp coconut powder ½ cup grated jaggery ¼ tsp cardamom powder

Kids corner

Method Dry roast the sesame seeds in a kadhai, stirring frequently, until they turn light golden brown. Also roast the nuts. Set both these aside.

Now roast the ragi flour. Do remember that in case you are using malted ragi flour, just warming the flour would be enough to release the flavours. Also warm up the coconut powder.

Blend all the roasted ingredients, grated jaggery, coconut powder and cardamom powder in a mixer/food processor.

Now divide the mixture into equal portions and then shape into laddus. I didn’t add anything to bind the laddus since I felt that the oils in the nuts and sesame would be enough. But if you wish to add ghee, feel free to do so.

Serve the ragi sweet balls with a glassful of hot or cold milk. Store whatever is remaining in an air-tight container.

POP JAGGERY

Ingredients 2 cups fresh puffed popcorn ½ cup jaggery (grated) ¼ tsp powdered clove (laung ) 1 tbsp clarified butter (desi ghee)

The key to feeding your child healthy food is making it taste good and look appetising Method Melt the clarified butter in a pan on a low flame or in the microwave. Then add clove powder and grated jaggery, and mix well.

Melt the whole mixture again in a pan on a low flame or in the microwave so that the grated jaggery melts well. After it melts, the mixture would have a sauce-like consistency.

Now spread out the fresh puffed popcorn on a large tray and pour the entire mixture on it.

Mix properly so that all the popcorn is coated with the mixture.

Fresh healthy popcorn, with natural sugar, are now ready to eat.

STRAWBERRY and GREEN APPLE PANCAKEs Ingredients ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup wholewheat flour ¼ cup quick-cooking oats 1 tbsp brown sugar

Left: Pop jaggery in the making Below: Delectable strawberry and green apple pancakes

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1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt ½ cup milk 2 tbsp egg white (optional) 2 tbsp canola oil 2 tsp butter 1 tbsp strawberry (chopped) 1 tbsp green apple (chopped) 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup Method In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, wholewheat flour, quick-cooking oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, combine the milk, egg white and oil.

Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to batter consistency. You can use a hand blender if you wish.

Put a little bit butter in a pan and then pour some of the batter in the pan, enough to make a pancake of the size you want.

Kids corner

These golgappas are served with jaljeera made of different fruit juices – goodlooking and tasty!

You can turn healthy juices into popsicles... just freeze them in a glass with an ice-cream stick Turn when bubbles form on top and cook until the second side is golden.

Take a pancake on the plate and decorate it with chopped fruits. Pour maple syrup generously over the pancake and serve.

FRESH FRUIT SHOTS

Ingredients 10 to 15 pieces golgappa or panipuri

½ cup lentil sprouts Salt and chaat masala as per your child's taste For Guava shot 100ml guava juice ½ tsp black salt 1tsp fresh mint (chopped) ¼ tsp roasted cumin ( jeera) ½ tsp lemon juice For Orange shot 100ml orange juice ½ tsp fresh ginger (chopped) ½ tsp lemon juice 50ml ginger ale or soda ½ tsp black salt For Cranberry shot 100ml cranberry juice ½ tsp fresh celery sticks (chopped) ¼ tsp fresh black pepper (crushed) ½ tsp lemon juice

October 2013 194 www.spiceroutemag.com

Method Guava Shot Mix black salt, chopped mint, roasted cumin and lemon juice with guava juice. Add 1/2 cup crushed ice to it. Pour it in a shot glass.

Orange Shot Mix chopped ginger, lemon juice, ginger ale or soda and black salt with the orange juice.

Add 1/2 cup crushed ice to it. Pour it in a shot glass.

Cranberry Shot Mix fresh chopped celery sticks, fresh crushed black pepper and lemon juice with cranberry juice. Add 1/2 cup crushed ice to it. Pour it in a shot glass.

Common for all the shots Mix salt and chaat masala in the sprouts.

Put this sprout stuffing in the golgappas or panipuris and serve it with the three exciting fresh-juice shots. Let your child try each of them out – healthy and tasty!

Games

Mind teasers Solutions HIS SOLO PERFORMANCE

NOVEMBER 6, 2011

IMPOSE IMPACT AFFORD SINFUL REBUKE EMBODY Even though he had many co-stars, it was this that got Harrison Ford rave reviews in “Star Wars” —

Answer :

HIS THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

PRINT YOUR ANSWER IN THE CIRCLES BELOW

by David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.

Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.

PRINT YOUR ANSWER IN THE CIRCLES BELOW HIS

©2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

FNSLIU

BUEERK

MATICP

OEMISP

YMOEDB

Find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/jumble

OEMISP

YMOEDB

BUEERK

MATICP

©2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/jumble

FARDOF

FNSLIU

Unscramble these six Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form six ordinary words.

FARDOF

Unscramble these six Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form six ordinary words.

Find the difference

by David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

Answer :

IMPOSE IMPACT AFFORD SINFUL REBUKE EMBODY Even though he had many co-stars, it was this that got Harrison Ford rave reviews in “Star Wars” —

HIS SOLO PERFORMANCE

NOVEMBER 6, 2011

October 2013 196 www.spiceroutemag.com

Launch pad

Shop hopping Surprise your kids with these products.

Rhy thm divine

Child care

Casio India Company Private Limited unveiled its stylish new Indian keyboard CTK-850IN recently. It has 11 Indian rhythms and 15 Indian tones. Packed with a new sound engine to deliver punchy notes, it has powerful creative features such as audio-in terminal and sampling function.

This comfortable chair harness from Basecamp’s Go Travel is made from wipe-clean PVC. It easily straps onto a chair, making feeding your child easier while travelling. Suitable for children above six months. The harness has adjustable straps and folds away easily into its pouch after use.

Price: `12,495 Availability: All major musical instruments retailers

Price: `1,300 Availability: D-5, Inner Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi

Happy Feet

Crunchy & Crispy

Bonjour presents a kids socks collection – My First Wardrobe – for children between 0-2 years. This value pack of five socks is ideal for washing and wearing through the week. Your little one will love the cute patterns and super-soft material.

Cremica has recently introduced Opera cottage-style potato crisps.

The four distinct flavours it provides are a balanced combination of well-seasoned ingredients prepared in olive oil, which gives them a unique taste.

Price: `399 Availability: www.bonjourretail.com

Price: `50 Availability: All leading departmental stores across India

October 2013 198 www.spiceroutemag.com

Launch pad

designer wear

Kid’s couture

Footsteps

Choose from a wide range of colourful dresses, tops, skirts, shirts, shorts and denims introduced by Marks & Spencers kids collection. All these are available in soft fabrics which are comfortable for your child’s tender skin. Pick from the wide variety of vibrant colours – perfect for play or a dressy date.

Footfun, a fashion brand for children up to age 10, offers designs in rainbow colours. From the house of Liberty, this range is colourful, light and comfortable, and includes smart sandals, elegant sports shoes and brightly coloured lycra uppers, without laces for a snazzy look.

Exclusively Little People caters to children up to age 12, offering unique designs and international quality in both western and ethnic wear at affordable prices.

The designers create highfashion apparel following the latest styles and trends.

Price: `199 onwards Availability: All Liberty outlets

Price: On request Availability: F-331/A, Lado Sarai, New Delhi

Price: `999 Availability: All Marks & Spencer outlets

October 2013 200 www.spiceroutemag.com

Over a century, VBJ has dedicated itself to perfecting a rare art. One that’s possible only with great love and constant innovation. Our new showroom is another step in carrying that legacy forward, of making each and every one of your moments complete. Moments made complete, with VBJ.

banana/VBJ/005

vummidi bangaru jewellers | 603 Anna Salai, Chennai 600006, Near Anna Flyover phone +91 44 4903 3300 | open 10 am to 8 pm.

Zoom in

Bewitching Bangkok

Pulsing with energy, the capital of Thailand has the best of art, fashion and entertainment. It also offers great options for foodies!

P HOTO G R A P H S

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Rupa li

dea n

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1. T he famous floating market.

2. S tunning view from the Sirocco at Lebua, the world’s highest al fresco restaurant.

3. T hai dancers on the beach.

October 2013 202 www.spiceroutemag.com

Zoom in

1. E xterior shot of Wat Aroon, the temple of dawn.

2. F resh produce is available at the local market.

3. E njoying a fun ride in the sky train.

4. A hawker busy carving a pineapple.

1 2 4 3

October 2013 204 www.spiceroutemag.com

Zoom in

3 2

1

1. T he Bangkok Museum is a must-visit.

2. S tatues at the Grand Palace.

3. H op on to the famed tuk tuk.

October 2013 206 www.spiceroutemag.com

Zoom in

Exotic

Sri Lanka

The country, with its mountains, beaches and monasteries is a traveller’s delight. Visit Colombo and the nearby cities for a glimpse of unending beauty.

October 2013 208 www.spiceroutemag.com

2 3

1. P ilgrim statues at the Dumbulla Golden Temple.

2. Sri Dalada Maligawa temple in the nearby city of Kandy.

3. Central entrance of the Sigiriya rock fortress.

1

209

Zoom in

1

2

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1. P anorama of Galle city.

2. F amous ancient Sigiriya Rock.

3. Fisherman

at work on the stilt.

October 2013 210 www.spiceroutemag.com

Zoom in

1

3

1. A monk at work in the Gangaramaya Temple.

2. Banana seller in Pettah.

3. Gorgeous tea plantation in Colombo.

October 2013 212 www.spiceroutemag.com

2

Predictions

Forecast for October 2013 By

D r . P r e m K u m a r S h a rm a

Aries Plan a long-distance tour with a lover; you will have a great trip.

Those looking for company can enjoy an unexpected friendship.

Manage work tensions with wit and humour. Cuts loom for those in private companies. Avoid domestic tensions by forgetting past grudges. Enjoy accidental benefits and consider upgrading your vehicle.

Taurus Encounters with a secret admirer require stage management. A rough period in romance.

Finances need attention. Be careful with new installations in the house. Use preventative measures for common ailments.

Past professional achievements help exploit the present situation.

Good Luck Tip: Use brown decor for stability in business.

Good Luck Tip: Draw four horizontally parallel black waves; close the chit and hang near the bed to improve communication.

Leo An exhausting month for professionals. Students struggle to keep up. Be calm when visitors throng your home. Travel by road, not train. Take on that selfimprovement project. Interests abroad yield positive results.

A lover appreciates it if you do something different.

Virgo Relieve work stress. Control your temper. Give others project responsibilities, encouraging them to give their best. Catch up on studies before you are overburdened. Romantic aspirations are thwarted with your childish approach. With parents away, you can breathe easy at home!

Good Luck Tip: Place yellow flowers or candles in the west to increase optimism.

Good Luck Tip: Orange in the dining area will encourage chi, power and togetherness.

Sagittarius Unexpected disruptions in your schedule. Be diplomatic; build a consensus with colleagues to ease workload. Advice promotes positivity. Progress towards your goal sees added intensity. Plan activities to infuse excitement into your love life. Those in finance should focus. A favoured distant relation is likely to visit soon.

Capricorn Nostalgia encourages you to build bridges with a loved one. Small sacrifices help newlyweds adjust.

Efforts at home ensure peace.

Those trying to get in shape will succeed. Some professionals head for greener pastures. Retail showroom owners profit. Resources will be raised for loan payments.

Good Luck Tip: Mend holes – stop money from slipping out.

Good Luck Tip: Hang a mirror above your stove to double its wealth-producing capabilities.

Gemini Mental stress cannot be ruled out for some. Travel may unburden the mind. Take the long-term approach in ventures to avoid draining resources. Marriage faces choppy waters. Those seeking matrimonial alliance will receive help. Anticipate long delays if lending money to a friend. Health may require your attention.

Cancer Sudden insights provide progress in complicated assignments. Be patient if projects take time to materialise. Business efforts are recognised. Road users must be careful. Good income boosts romantic spending, whilst a spouse will be uncharacteristically loving! Food lovers enjoy a lavish spread. Calm is difficult to achieve.

Good Luck Tip: Add small pink and red items to your bedroom for love and joy.

Good Luck Tip: If in the creative field, use more blue around you to counteract stress.

Libra Minimise surprises by considering unexpected scenarios when making plans. Undertake something different professionally to lighten your mind. Enhancing income requires hard work. Issues on the domestic front may disturb.

Be honest about what you want.

A tiff results in a communication breakdown between couples.

Scorpio Work is bustling, but you fall short of expectations; agreements fail.

Be discreet with future plans until they’re confirmed. Your correct judgment may salvage a situation.

Avoid overreacting when others vent. Minor confrontations or injuries from road carelessness.

Time to rest and de-stress.

Good Luck Tip: Something red in your purse attracts positivity.

Aquarius Use PR to get work recognised.

Convince colleagues to share burdens. Save for impending functions. Avoid shopping too much. Plan an occasion to create romantic memories. Avoid being over-friendly with strangers who try to gain insider details.

Good Luck Tip: Drop a penny into a bowl at the entrance of your home every time you enter or leave to increase savings.

October 2013 214 www.spiceroutemag.com

Good Luck Tip: Three coins in a red envelope at your computer desk will fetch more business.

Pisces Work pressure will decrease.

Monetary gains maintain your buoyant mood. Creative people should present original ideas to impress clients. Cut back on irrelevant associations; allow time for fun activities. Romantic rejection is on the cards. Don’t tire yourself with unnecessary travel.

Good Luck Tip: Turn your stove on daily for a minimum of 10 minutes to bring prosperity.

Advertorial

For a flawless skin

D

ue to extreme external conditions and stressful lifestyle, our skin undergoes lot of wear and tear, and thus ageing has become an issue at an earlier stage for women. Keeping this in mind, Piramal Healthcare launched Lacto Calamine Reneu Anti Ageing Cream developed with the cutting-edge US-patented ULMAe technology. ULMAe penetrates to the deeper layer of skin and thus reduces not just the fine wrinkles but also deep wrinkles. A sizable 83 percent of Reneu users have noticed significant visible reduction in wrinkles and fine lines in just eight weeks. Reneu

83% of Reneu users have noticed visible reduction in wrinkles and fine lines in just eight weeks

Tile tales

S

impolo, a leading vitrified tile manufacturer, has been recognised as Indian Powerbrand 2012 -2013. This is in recognition of their pioneering approach in introducing new technologies in ceramic industry which has always delighted customers. The award was received by CMD, Mr. Jitendra Aghara at a glittering show at Las Vegas, USA which was attended by various dignitaries of USA as well as India.

It has set up a state-of-theart plant with Italian SACMI technology to produce bigger sizes in double charge like 800x800 mm & 1200x800 mm. The plant has the longest kiln with length of 252 metres, biggest polishing line with 64 heads, biggest press of 6,500 tons, modular feeders and programmable TGV’s (Treck Guided Vehicles) robotic

is the first anti-ageing product in the Indian market to come with a Reneu Proof Strip kit that actually demonstrates the effect of the product as it works on the skin.

In addition to ULMAe, Reneu also contains nine Natural Nourishing Organic Extracts to moisturise the skin, and Natural AntiMelanin (NAM), that helps lighten skin tone and reduces dark spots.

Quality with style equipments. Such innovative and hi-tech machineries are installed first time in India by any ceramic company. “Every organisation needs growth but growth is the outcome of actions taken in the right direction, at the right time; and the vision is the blueprint for all the actions you take. So today, if Simpolo Group is touching the skies of success, it is directly proportional to the efforts that we have put under a noble vision i.e. Innovative Ideas, Improved Life,” says Mr. Jitendra Aghara, the young and the innovative CMD, Simpolo Group.

O

NN premium inners are specially designed for youth who want to add the x-factor to their personality. Each ONN product has its own distinct quality and characteristics. While designing these products, the company tries to maintain key factors like quality, innovation, and styling. A vast range of designs, top-notch material quality and sensible styling has gone into the making of ONN Premium Inners to meet the standards and aspirations of today’s youth. They are crafted with the latest technology and available in 30-plus styles.

Currently there are five categories of ONN products available in the market – Grande, Comfortz, Sportz, Casualz and Trendz. New product ranges are about to be introduced as they plan to expand into the Indian premium wear market segment. This winter

October 2013 216 www.spiceroutemag.com

season ONN WARMZ range will be launched. They will soon introduce a range for women as well. The brand promise is best quality at the best possible prices. ONN is present in 25,000 retail outlets.

They soon plan to launch the exclusive brand outlets across the country.

Advertorial

Experience serenity

T

he Pride Hotels, one of the fastest-growing hotel chains in India, has taken over the management of the Sun Village Resort at Goa near Baga in Arpora, a favoured tourist destination in North Goa. The 136room property has entered into an agreement which was signed by Mr. Arun Nayar, Executive Director Pride Hotels and Mr. Ralph Desouza, Managing Director, The Sun Village Resort Pvt. Ltd. The resort will now be known as Pride Sun Village Resort & Spa, with

effect from September 1.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Satyen Jain, CEO Pride Hotels said, “We are proud to have been appointed to manage and operate the Sun Village Resort. Opened in September 2013, this modern and uniquely designed hotel provides deluxe amenities and genuine local hospitality to ensure its guests a truly remarkable experience.”

Enjoy lip-smacking delicacies at the multicuisine restaurants at the hotel – Sunflower,

Hibiscus, Tomatium offering a choice of Buffet and Alacarte.

Experience the convenience of shopping at hardly any distance from the hotel at the shopping arcade which offers a variety of

exclusive brands. Designed to accommodate the needs of both business and leisure travellers to Goa, the hotel highlights a combination of contemporary style and local tradition.

Pride Hotels has taken over the management of the Sun Village Resort at Goa near Baga

A good deed

W

ith a rich heritage spanning over 15 years, Dehradun Institute of Technology(DIT Dehradun), flagship of the Unison Group, is famous for its under graduate and post graduate programmes and academic excellence.

In a response to appeal for humanitarian support for the victims of the recent Kedarnath disaster, students of DIT University Dehradun, donated an amount of `1 lakh towards Chief Minister Relief Fund. University

Comfort and trust Pro Vice Chancellor, Dr. B.V. Babu and Registrar, Captain Ajay Swarup along with the students handed over the cheque of `1 lakh, contributed by students, parents, teachers and nonteaching staff to Chief Minister, Vijay Bahuguna. Lauding the efforts of the students, the Chief Minister highlighted the need to have feelings of sympathy and compassion towards the victims of the tragedy, and urged them to continue supporting such causes in future as well.

L

ux is known for manufacturing inner wear of uncompromising quality and comfort, which has been recognised by the highest standard bodies.

With consistent customer satisfaction over many years, Lux has witnessed a massive growth of over 100 times in just 20 years. There are wide ranges of innerwear available for men, women and kids. With the brand mantra ‘Apna Luck Pehen Ke Chalo’, they portray an honest and trustworthy image with over 100 products ranges for men, women and children.

They have a presence in more than 5,00,000 retail outlets and plan to expand into modern retail and LFSs, increase their exports and the number of products. The target consumers are people who want quality apparel at economical prices. In the last five years, the brand has achieved a

October 2013 218 www.spiceroutemag.com

number of milestones including sponsoring the IPL teams, being title sponsor of Times of India Film Awards, achieving the Star Export House certificate and ISO certification. In the last two years, they’ve got enhanced machinery for increasing the production yet maintaining the quality and cost.

Destinations

Destinations

Agartala

Ahmedabad

ALLAHABAD

AMRITSAR

Airport: The Singerbhil Airport is located about 12km away from the city centre. Taxis are easily available from outside the airport.

Airport: Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport is located 15km from the city centre.

Airport: Allahabad Airport is located at a distance of 12km from the city. Taxis are available.

Must See: Kankaria is an artificial lake that dates back to the time of the sultans. It has become a crowd puller in recent times.

Must See: The Allahabad Fort, built from the year 1583 onwards

by Akbar, stands at the junction of the rivers Yamuna and Ganga.

Airport: Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport is an international airport, located 11km from the city.

Must Stay: Ginger Agartala on Airport Road offers convenient accommodation and services.

Must Stay: Formule1 off SG Road is a centrally located hotel. A free Wi-Fi zone, it offers comfortable rooms with quality bedding.

Must Stay: Enjoy your time in the great city of Allahabad by staying at Guest House Bungalow, which offers well-furnished rooms.

Aurangabad

Bagdogra

belgaum

Airport: Aurangabad Airport is located at a distance of 10km from the city centre.

Airport: Bagdogra Airport serves the towns of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Gangtok. Take a bus or private/ shared taxi to these regions.

Must See: In the heart of the city of Agartala lies the Ujjayanta Palace, a royal house carved and sculpted in Indo-Greek style.

Must See: The dark tunnels, passages and archways at the Daulatabad Fort, 13km away from Aurangabad, speak of its history.

Must Stay: Hotel Vits is a luxurious business-class hotel located on the Railway Station Road.

Must See: Jallianwala Bagh is reminiscent of the Indian freedom struggle and is a well-known historical site in Amritsar.

Must Stay: Enjoy your time in the spiritual city of Amritsar by staying at Radisson Blu, a fine hotel.

Bengaluru

Airport: Belgaum Airport is located Airport: Bengaluru International at a distance of 10km from the city Airport is located 40km from the centre. Taxis are easily available. city’s business district. Taxis and Must See: Belgaum Fort is a huge Volvo buses are easily available from the airport.

Must See: There are several tourist fortress situated in the centre of activities that you can engage in at the city. Dating back to 1519, the Must See: Ulsoor lake is spread Darjeeling, Dooars and Siliguri. fort stands tall by telling the tales of over a huge area and dates back to the era gone by. the time of Kempe Gowda I and II. Must Stay: Situated on the Bihar More in Bagdogra, Marinas Motel Must Stay: Relax at Hotel Adarsha offers a great stay option with finely Palace, situated on the College furnished rooms.

Road in Belgaum.

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Must Stay: Hotel Formule1 Bengaluru Whitefield is close to shopping and corporate hubs.

Bhopal

CHANDIGARH

Chennai

Coimbatore

Airport: The Raja Bhoj International airport is located in Bairagarh, 15km from the city.

Airport: Chandigarh Airport is located at a distance of 8km from the city centre. Taxis are easily available.

Airport: Chennai International Airport is 7km from the city centre.

Airport: Coimbatore Airport in Peelamedu is located 13km away from the city. Taxis are available.

Must Stay: Revel in royal luxury at the Jehan Numa Palace Hotel in the upscale Shamla Hills area in the city.

Must Stay: Experience a stay with all possible contemporary comforts at the JW Marriott Chandigarh, a plush five-star hotel which offers great ambience.

Must See: Marina Beach is a 12km stretch of pristine beach, the second longest in the world.

Must Stay: The Residency is nestled in the shopping hub of the city. It is strategically located near the airport, railway station and city centre. For reservations, please feel free to contact the duty manager on 7401204255.

Colombo

DEHRADUN

Delhi

dharamshala

Airport: Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka’s only international airport.

Airport: Jolly Grant Airport is located some 30km from the city centre. Taxis are easily available from the airport.

Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport is located 20km from the city centre. Prepaid and radio taxis are easily available.

Airport: The Gaggal Airport also known as the Dharamsala Airport, is located 14km from the city.

Must See: Situated 8km from the city centre, Guchchu Pani is a beautiful picnic spot.

Must See: The Purana Qila is an old fort or rather the remains of the 16th century Shergarh.

Must Stay: Madhuban Hotel is a beautiful option with aesthetically designed rooms featuring modern amenities and culinary delights

Must Stay: At a convenient distance from the airport and NH8, Lebua New Delhi is a fine five-star hotel situated in Dwarka.

Must See: Bhimbetka, located about 50km from Bhopal, is home to ancient rock shelters, which house amazing cave paintings.

Must See: Gangaramaya Temple is not only a place of worship for Buddhists, but also a centre of learning for the religion.

Must Stay: When you are in Colombo, choose to stay at The Gateway Hotel Airport Garden, near the airport.

Must See: Sukhna Lake is an artificial reservoir and a famous recreational spot.

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Must See: An exciting journey to the centre of a forest brings you to the magnificent Kovai Kuttralam waterfalls, about 37km away.

Must Stay: Le Meridien Coimbatore sets a benchmark in modern luxury and offers a perfect combination of comfort and extravagance for business travellers.

Must See: One of the major tourist attractions of Dharamshala is the Kangra Art museum.

Must Stay: Himachal Tourism Hotel Dhauladhar offers a commanding view of the mountains. It is situated in the heart of the town.

Destinations

Dubai

Goa

guAngzhou

Guwahati

Airport: Dubai International Airport is a major aviation hub in the Middle East, and is the main airport of Dubai.

Airport: Dabolim Airport in Vasco is 30km from Panaji, Goa’s capital.

Taxis are available.

Airport: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is the main airport of the city.

Airport: Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport is 25km from the city.

Must See: Sri Mangeshi Temple in the Priol area is a beautiful temple situated amidst refreshing natural surroundings.

Must See: The Pearl River flows through the Guangzhou city. Take a boat tour on the river to admire the breathtaking night view.

Must See: Assam State Museum operated by the Assam Government is located near Dighalipukhuri tank.

Must Stay: Bid farewell to your blues and relax at the White Pearl Suites situated near Baga Beach.

Must Stay: Crowne Plaza Science City is a plush hotel, perfect for your stay.

Must Stay: Located in Madhab Nagar, Khanapara, Greenwood Resorts offers a relaxing retreat.

Hubli

Hyderabad

Indore

Jabalpur

Airport: Hubli Airport is the airport currently serving both the twin cities of Hubli and Dharwad in Karnataka.

Airport: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport: Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport is 25km from the city.

Airport is located at a distance of 8km from the city.

Must See: Mecca Masjid is a

Must See: While in Dubai, check out the Jumeirah Beach a famous beach resort located just 15km from central Dubai.

Must Stay: Atlantis The Palm is a luxury resort built on the scenic Palm Island.

Must see: Panoramic view of the city of Hubli, Nrupatunga Betta, 5km from Chennamma circle.

heritage mosque in the old city of Hyderabad, close to the historic landmark of Chowmahalla Palace.

Must Stay: Radisson Blu Plaza Must stay: Hotel Clarks Inn on the Hotel, Banjara Hills offers 155 Gokul Road is a modern-day retreat modern rooms with the finest of world-class facilities. complete with all the amenities.

Must See: Rajwada is a remarkable mansion that sings the glory of the heritage of Indore.

Must Stay: Radisson Blu Hotel, located in the heart of Indore’s business hub, is ideal for the discerning business traveller.

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Airport: Jabalpur Airport, also known as Dumna Airport, is 11km from the city centre. Prepaid taxi services are available.

Must See: Situated 25km from Jabalpur are the mesmerising Dhuandhar waterfalls, which call for a visit for sure.

Must Stay: Kalchuri Residency is a plush three-star hotel in Jabalpur.

Jaipur

Jammu

Airport: Sanganer Airport is 13km from the city centre. Prepaid taxis are available.

Airport: Satwari Airport is 8km from the city of Jammu. Prepaid taxis are easily available.

KABUL

Kathmandu

Airport: Kabul International Airport, also known as Khwaja Rawash Airport, is located 16km Must See: Mubarak Mandi was the from the city centre. royal residence of the Maharaja of Must See: Built in the late 19th Jammu and Kashmir during the century, Bagh-e Bala is preserved Dogra rule. and the area around the palace has Must Stay: Fortune Inn Rivera is a been turned into a large park.

Airport: Tribhuvan International Airport located in Kathmandu is the only international airport in Nepal. Taxis are easily available.

Must Stay: Gateway Hotel Ramgarh Lodge, Jaipur offers a royal experience.

cosy retreat, perfect for a business stay as well as for a family vacation.

Must Stay: Make your stay memorable by choosing to stay at Kabul Intercontinental Hotel.

Must Stay: In the heart of Diplomatic Enclave and Durbar Marg stands Hotel Shangri-La.

Khajuraho

Kochi

Kolkata

Kozhikode

Airport: Khajuraho Airport is just 3 km away from Khajuraho town.

Airport: Cochin International Airport is situated just 30km from the city centre. Taxis are easily available.

Airport: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is 20km from Kolkata city. Prepaid taxis are easily available.

Airport: Calicut International Airport is located at a distance 25km from the city centre. Taxis are easily available.

Must See: Fort Kochi is a small village located near the large city of Kochi. It is home to untouched picturesque beaches.

Must See: The Marble Palace at Chorbagan is now a museum, home to precious art by Rubens and Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Must See: Krishna Menon Museum is dedicated to diplomat V K Krishna Menon, where his personal belongings are exhibited.

Must Stay: Relive the past at Cochin Heritage Home, located just next to the Bishop’s House in the Fort Kochi area of the city.

Must Stay: Chrome Hotel on AJC Bose Road offers relaxation in the tech-savvy interiors, latest amenities and fine food facilities.

Must Stay: Choose to relax at the Gateway Hotel, a brand from the Taj Group, situated on the beach road in Kozhikode.

Must See: Hawa Mahal is a beautiful historical monument, situated near Johari Bazaar. The surrounding area is great for souvenir shopping.

Must See: The prestigious Khajuraho temples which are ornamented with most striking, erotic and aesthetic sculptures that expose the philosophy in the Hindu religion.

Must Stay: Make yourself feel at home at Hotel Clarks, Khajuraho which is located at a convenient distance from the Khajuraho temples.

223

Must See: In the heart of the Kathmandu valley lies Darbar Square, an ancient square strewn with palaces and temples.

Destinations

Lucknow

Madurai

MALE

Mangalore

Airport: Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport is located about 11km from the city centre. Taxis are available.

Airport: Madurai Airport is located about 10km from the city centre.

Taxis are available.

Airport: The Mangalore International Airport is about 20km from the city centre.

Must See: Bara Imam Bara, constructed hundreds of years back when there was a famine, is one of the most popular monuments in Lucknow city.

Airport: Ibrahim Nasir International Airport is the main international airport in the Republic of Maldives.

Must See: Sri Meenakshi Temple is one of the most popular temples Must See: The National Museum in the city that is dedicated to Shiva in Sultan Park and the Jumhoree and his consort Parvati.

Maidan with its green grass and lush vegetation are must-sees.

Must Stay: The Gateway Hotel

Must Stay: Vivanta by Taj, Gomti Nagar offers splendid standards in accommodation and is equipped with all the modern facilities.

Pasumalai offers high standards in accommodation and is equipped with latest amenities.

Must Stay: Cerulean View Boutique Hotel is one of the best hotels in Male.

Mumbai

muscat

mysore

Airport: Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is 30km from downtown Mumbai. It is advisable to take prepaid taxis.

Airport: Seeb International Airport Airport: Mysore Airport, also is located 32km from Muscat, the known as Mandakalli Airport, is the capital of Oman. main airport serving the city. Taxis are available.

Must See: The Grand Mosque

Must See: Take a walk in upscale south Mumbai. Visit Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Church Gate and Colaba Causeway.

Must Stay: Luxurious home away from home is the plush Novotel on Juhu Beach.

which displays modern Islamic Must See: Gumbaz is the burial architecture also houses the chamber of Tipu Sultan, father world’s largest carpet (70m X 60m). Haider Ali and his mother Fatima.

Must Stay: With a great location near the beach and a cluster of little restaurants, Omani Beach Hotel is the best place to stay.

Must Stay: Overlooking the breathtaking Brindavan Gardens, Royal Orchid Brindavan is a fourstar luxury Heritage Hotel.

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Must See: About 15km away from Mangalore city is the Pilikula Nisragadham, a beautiful lake with boating facility.

Must Stay: Elegance and luxury go hand in hand at Gateway Hotel, Old Port Road in Mangalore

puducherry Airport: Puducherry Airport is located at Lawspet in Puducherry.

Taxis are available.

Must See: The stylish French War Memorial, located in the renowned Goubert Avenue, is a monument for the soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War. Must Stay: The Dune is a fascinating eco-beach hotel situated in vicinity of the sun-kissed sea.

Destinations

Port Blair

Pune

Rajahmundry

Riyadh

Airport: Veer Savarkar International Airport is located 2km from the city centre. Taxis are easily available.

Airport: Pune International Airport is situated at a distance of 10km from the main city. Prepaid taxis and auto rickshaws are available.

Airport: The Rajahmundry airport is located in Madhurapudi, 18km north of the city.

Airport: Riyadh King Khalid International Airport is located 35km north of Riyadh.

Must See: Cellular Jail, a revered shrine dedicated to Indian freedom fighters, is situated at Aberdeen near Port Blair.

Must See: Saras Baug is a major landmark and has a Ganesh Temple. The place is a famous recreational site in the city.

Must See: Sir Arthur Cotton Museum and the barrage at Dowlaiswaram give some interesting insights on history.

Must See: The National Museum of Saudi Arabia is a must see. It offers excellent information on Arabia’s history, culture and art.

Must Stay: Try your hand at snorkelling and deep-sea diving at at the Kaala Pani Resort.

Must Stay: Relax in the lap of luxury at the Four Points

By Sheraton, a five-star hotel.

Must Stay: Simple, elegant and cosy rooms are what you can be sure of at Akanksha Inn, one of the best hotels in this city.

Must Stay: Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre is a stylish business and leisure hotel located high in the Kingdom Tower.

Sharjah

Srinagar

Surat

thiruvananthapuram

Airport: Sharjah International Airport is situated some 15km from central Dubai. Taxis are available.

Airport: Srinagar International Airport is situated some 12km from the city centre.

Airport: Surat Airport is located in Magdala around 11km southwest from the city centre.

Airport: The Trivandrum Airport is located at a central location.

Must See: Souq al-Arsah is one of the oldest souks in the country and calls for a visit. Visit the traditional coffee house to have mint tea.

Must See: Hazrat Bal in Srinagar on the left bank of Dal Lake is a well - known shrine where a hair strand of the Prophet Mohammed is treasured.

Must See: Sardar V Patel Museum and Planetorium represents the rich history and eclectic ethnic mix of Surat.

Must Stay: Offering picturesque view of the city, Radisson Blu Resort Sharjah is a nice hotel.

Must Stay: Offering panoramic view of the Dal Lake, Vivanta by Taj is a good option.

Must Stay: The Gateway Hotel Athwalines in Surat is known for offering plush accomodation along with latest amenities.

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Must See: The interactive Kerala Museum, opposite the Napier museum, is the first of its kind, with touch-screen terminals.

Must Stay: Former home of Royal British Officers, Mascot Hotel is now a heritage hotel offering luxurious stay and amenities.

Destinations

Tirupati

Tiruchirapalli

Airport: Tirupati Airport is situated Airport: Tiruchirapalli Airport or at a distance of 14km from the Trichy Airport is 5km from the city Tirupati city. centre.

Must See: The Sri Venkateswara temple is considered one of the holiest temples.

Must See: The landmark of the Trichy town is the Rockfort temple, a beautiful structure perched atop a hillock.

Must Stay: Having served some prominent personalities who Must Stay: Situated on the Mc thronged the holy town, Hotel Bliss Donald’s Road in the heart of the serves good comforts and food. city, Breeze Residency is one of Trichy’s premier hotels.

Tuticorin

Udaipur

Airport: Tuticorin domestic airport is located 16.9km from the city.

Airport: Udaipur Airport or Maharana Pratap Airport is situated at a distance of 22km from the city.

Must See: The Palayamkottai Road area surrounds the Lord Bhagam Priyal temple, Lord Shiva and Lord Perumal temples.

Must Stay: SRM Hotel offers an enticing home-away-from-home experience with its services and rooms.

Must See: The splendid City Palace is one of the most beautiful palatial structures here.

Must Stay: The Leela Palace Udaipur, located on the banks of Lake Pichola, offers a spectacular view of the tranquil lake.

Varanasi

Vijayawada

visakhapatnam

Airport: Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport is 18km from the city. Taxi and auto-rickshaw services are easily available.

Airport: Vijayawada Airport is located in Gannavaram, just 20km from the city centre.

Airport: Visakhapatnam Airport is located about 7km from the city centre. Taxis are easily available at all times.

Must See: Mogalarajapuram caves near Must See: Take a boat ride at the Dasawamedh Vijayawada are among the three cave temples Ghat to enjoy the divine ambience of Varanasi to known for the magnificent carvings of Shiva. the fullest.

Must Stay: Haailand Buddhism-based theme Must Stay: Offering comfortable stay, Clarks park and resort is a unique holiday destination Varansi is one of the best options in the city. that evokes the mystique of South East Asia.

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Must See: Kambalakonda is a wonderful nature reserve, located about 20-25 minutes away from the city.

Must Stay: The Gateway Hotel, situated on the Beach Road in Visakhapatnam, is a comfortable hotel. Enjoy southern delights like dosas and peesarattu here.

Spice offices

SpiceJet Offices Corporate Office SpiceJet Limited, 319 Udyog Vihar, Phase - IV, Gurgaon 122 016, Haryana Tel: +91 124 3913939; Fax: +91 124 3913844 Customer Services E-mail: custrelations@spicejet.com Reservations Toll Free: 1-800-180-3333 and 987-180-3333 Regional Heads North & Central India: Sumant Rautela Email: sumant.rautela@spicejet.com Delhi T1 & T3, Nepal & Afghanistan: Nelash Godara Email: nelash.godara@spicejet.com East and Andaman & Nicobar Islands Mitali Gogoi Email: Mitali@spicejet.com West Vinod Saldanha Email: vinod.saldanha@spicejet.com Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka Pankaj Handa Email: pankaj.handa@spicejet.com Tamil Nadu, Kerala, SriLanka & Maldives R. Ranjeev Email: r.ranjeev@spicejet.com Agartala Airport Manager: Avishek Kar Address: Spicejet Ltd., C.A. Agartala Airport, Agartala(Tripura) Email: avishek.kar@spicejet.com Ahmedabad Airport Manager: Johnson George Address: Spicejet Ltd., SVP International Airport, Ahmedabad(Gujarat) Email: johnson.george@spicejet.com Allahabad Airport Incharge: Vijay Yadav Address: Spicejet Ltd., Allahabad Airport, Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh) Email: vijay.yadav@spicejet.com Amritsar Airport Incharge: Deepak Anand Address: Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar(Punjab) Email: deepak.anand@spicejet.com Aurangabad Airport Incharge: Ajay Chip Address: Spicejet Ltd., Aurangabad Airport, Aurangabad (Maharashtra) Email: ajay.chip@spicejet.com Bagdogra Airport Incharge: Saurav Raj Thapa Address: Spicejet Ltd., Civil Aerodrome, Bagdogra, Siliguri(West Bengal) Email: saurav.thapa@spicejet.com Belgaum Airport Incharge: Hemanth Kumar Address: Spicejet Ltd., Belgaum Airport, Belgaum (Karnataka) Email: hemanth.kumar@spicejet.com Bengaluru Airport Manager: Panakaj Handa Address: Spicejet Ltd., Bangalore International Airport, Bengaluru (Karnataka) Email: pankaj.handa@spicejet.com Bhopal Airport Incharge: Rajul Srivastava Address: Spicejet Ltd., Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal

(Madhya Pradesh) Email: rajul.srivastava@spicejet.com Chandigarh Airport Incharge: Manmeet Singh Barham Address: Spicejet Ltd., Civil Airport, Chandigarh Email: manmeet.barham@spicejet.com Chennai Airport Manager: Gavin Jeffries Address: Spicejet Ltd., Kamraj International Airport, Chennai (Tamil Nadu) Email: gavin.jeffries@spicejet.com Coimbatore Airport Manager: Santosh Kumar Nair Address: Spicejet Ltd., Civil Aerodrome, Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) Email: santosh.nair@spicejet.com Colombo Airport Incharge: N. Kalidassan Address: Spicejet Ltd., Bandarnaike International Airport, Colombo (Sri Lanka) Email: n.kalidassan@spicejet.com Dehradun Airport Incharge: Manish Pandey Address: Spicejet Ltd., Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, Uttarakhand Email: manish.pandey@spicejet.com Dharamshala Airport Incharge: Rahul Garg Address: SpiceJet Ltd., Kangra Airport, Gaggal(Himachal Pradesh) Email: rahul.garg@spicejet.com Dubai Airport Manager: J. Venkatramakrishnan Address: Spicejet Ltd., Dubai International Airport, Departure level-Terminal 1, UAE Email: j.venkat@spicejet.com Goa Airport Manager: Anish Dubey Address: Spicejet Ltd., Goa International Airport, Dabolim(Goa) Email: anish.dubey@spicejet.com Guangzhou Airport Manager: Vrushiket Bhise Address: Spicejet Ltd., Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangdong (China) Email: vrushiket.bhise@spicejet.com Guwahati Airport Manager: Bhaskar Borgohain Address: Spicejet Ltd., Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati (Assam) Email: bhaskar.borgohain@spicejet.com Hyderabad Airport Manager: Raghunath Singh Address: Spicejet Ltd., Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad (Andhra Pradesh) Email: raghunath.singh@spicejet.com Hubli Airport Incharge: Mahavir Gaur Address: Hubli airport, Hubli(Karnataka) Email: mahavir.gaur@spicejet.com Indore Airport Incharge: Pavitra Shukla Address: Spicejet Ltd., DABH Airport, Indore (Madhya Pradesh) Email: pavitra.shukla@spicejet.com Jabalpur Airport Incharge: Jaimin Premasawala Address: Spicejet Ltd., Jabalpur Airport, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh Email: jaimin.premasawala@spicejet.com Jammu Airport Manager: Deepak Koul Address: Spicejet Ltd., Jammu Airport,Civil Enclave Jammu (J&K) Email: deepak.koul@spicejet.com

Jaipur Airport Manager: Brijendra Sinsinwar Address: Spicejet Ltd.,Civil Airport Sanganer, Jaipur (Rajasthan) Email: brijendra.sinsinwar@spicejet.com Kathmandu Airport Manager: Rajendra Krishna Joshi Address: Spicejet Ltd., Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu (Nepal) Email: rajendra.joshi@spicejet.com Kabul Airport Incharge: Sunil Rehman Address: SpiceJet Ltd., Kabul International Airport (Afghanistan) Email: sunil.rehman@spicejet.com Kochi Airport Manager: Shamon P.S Address: Spicejet Ltd., Cochin International Airport, Kochi (Kerala) Email: shamon@spicejet.com Kolkata Airport Manager: Sagarnath Das Address: SpiceJet Ltd., Terminal II, NSCBI Airport, Kolkata (West Bengal) Email: sagarnath.das@spicejet.com Kozhikode Airport Incharge:Sajith Kannoth Address: SpiceJet Ltd., Calicut International Airport, Malapuram (Kerala) Email: sajith@spicejet.com Lucknow Airport Manager: Janardan Sahai Mathur Address: SpiceJet Ltd., Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) Email: janardan.mathur@spicejet.com Madurai Airport Manager: Balaji Ramanan Address: Spicejet Ltd., Madurai Airport, Madurai (Tamil Nadu) Email: balaji.ramanan@spicejet.com Male Airport Incharge: Alexis Anand Raj Address: Spicejet Ltd, Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, Male (Maldives) Email: alexis.raj@spicejet.com Mangalore Airport Incharge: C.M.Biddappa Address: Spicejet Ltd., Bajpe Airport, Mangalore (Karnataka) Email: biddappa@spicejet.com Mumbai Airport Manager: Tarun Kalwadia Address: Spicejet Ltd., Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai (Maharashtra) Email: tarun.kalwadia@spicejet.com Muscat Airport Manager: Irfan Kanth Address: Spicejet Ltd., Seeb International Airport, Muscat (Oman) Email: irfan.kanth@spicejet.com Mysore Airport Incharge: KP Bopanna Address: Spicejet Ltd., Mysore Airport, Mysore (Karnataka) Email: bopanna.kp@spicejet.com New Delhi Airport Manager: Nelash Godara Address: Terminal 1D, IGI Airport, Palam (Delhi) Email: nelash.godara@spicejet.com Pondicherry Airport Incharge: S Mahesh Address: Spicejet Ltd., Puducherry Airport, Lawspet (Puducherry) Email: mahesh.s@spicejet.com Port Blair Airport Incharge: Arun M Address: Spicejet Ltd., Veer Sawarkar International

October 2013 230 www.spiceroutemag.com

Airport, Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) Email: arun.m@spicejet.com Pune Airport Manager: Adil Palia Address: Spicejet Ltd., Civil Enclave Pune Airport, Pune (Maharashtra) Email: adil.palia@spicejet.com Rajahmundry Airport Incharge: Amit Naraian Address: Spicejet Ltd.,Rajahmundry Airport, Madhurapudi (Andhra Pradesh) Email: amit.naraian@spicejet.com Riyadh Airport Incharge: Azhar Shaikh Address: Spicejet Ltd., King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) Email: azhar.shaikh@spicejet.com Sharjah Airport Manager: Debasish Choudhury Address: SpiceJet Ltd., Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah (UAE) Email: debasish.choudhury@spicejet.com Srinagar Airport Incharge: Sartaj Ahmed Mantoo Address: Spicejet Ltd., Srinagar Airport, Srinagar (J&K) Email: sartaj.mantoo@spicejet.com Surat Airport Incharge: Harin Rajguru Address: Spicejet Ltd.,Surat Airport, Surat (Gujarat) Email: harin.rajguru@spicejet.com Tiruchirappalli Airport Incharge: C.N. Kishore Address: Spicejet Ltd.,Tiruchirapalli Airport, Tiruchirappalli, (Tamil Nadu) Email: c.n.kishore@spicejet.com Tirupati Airport Incharge: N Nagaraju Address: Spicejet Ltd., Civil Aerodrome, Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) Email: n.nagaraju@spicejet.com Thiruvananthapuram Airport Incharge: A.C.Ratheesh Address: Spicejet Ltd., Trivandrum International Airport, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) Email: ratheesh.ac@spicejet.com Tuticorin Airport Incharge: Narasimhan S.R Address: Spicejet Ltd., Civil Aerodrome, Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu) Email: narasimhan.r@spicejet.com Udaipur Airport Incharge: R. Shyam Sharma Address: Spicejet Ltd.,Maharana Pratap Airport Dabok, Udaipur (Rajasthan) Email: shyam.sharma@spicejet.com Varanasi Airport Manager: Rajesh k. Singh Address: Spicejet Ltd., L.B.S. Airport, Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) Email: rajesh.s@spicejet.com Vijayawada Airport Incharge: Srikanth Yalla Address: Spicejet Ltd., Vijayawada Airport, Gannavaram (Andhra Pradesh) Email: yalla.srikanth@spicejet.com Visakhapatnam Airport Manager: Digvijay Wala Address: Spicejet Ltd.,Visakhapatnam Airport, Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) Email: digvijay.wala@spicejet.com

Spice bites

October 2013 232 www.spiceroutemag.com

Routemap

October 2013 234 www.spiceroutemag.com

235

Spice schedule Destination

Agartala Bengaluru (Via-CCU-BOM) Bengaluru (Via-CCU-HYD) Guwahati Hyderabad (Via-CCU) Kolkata Kolkata Mumbai (Via-CCU) Ahmedabad Bengaluru Bengaluru (Via-BOM) Bengaluru (Via-PNQ) Chennai Chennai (Via-BOM) Chennai (Via-HYD) Chennai (Via-HYD) Coimbatore (Via-MAA) Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Goa Guwahati (Via-BOM-BLR-CCU) Hyderabad Hyderabad Jaipur Kolkata (Via-BOM-BLR) Kolkata (Via-DEL) Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Port Blair (Via - DEL-CCU) Port Blair (Via-HYD, MAA) Port Blair (Via-HYD, MAA) Pune Pune (Via-JAI) Allahabad Delhi AMRITSAR Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi (Via - BOM-STV) Mumbai Srinagar Surat (Via - BOM) Aurangabad Delhi Delhi Delhi Bagdogra Bengaluru (Via-CCU) Chennai (Via-CCU)

flight no.

freq

dep

arrival

SG-874 SG-872 SG-873 SG-872 SG-872 SG-874 SG-874

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

1630 1450 1300 1450 1450 1630 1630

2250 2010 1400 1830 1550 1725 2045

SG-285 SG-528 SG-345 SG-281 SG-206 SG-913 SG-917 SG-281 SG-106 SG-138 SG-104 SG-106 SG-137 SG-528 SG-913 SG-917 SG-912 SG-528 SG-104 SG-142 SG-206 SG-528 SG-142 SG-104 SG-917 SG-917 SG-345 SG-912

1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily Daily 7 Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily Daily 7 Daily 1,3,4,5,7 2,6 Daily 1,2,3,4,5

0935 0555 2120 0550 1905 1900 0610 0550 1010 2000 0635 0945 1435 0555 1900 0610 1125 0555 0635 1015 1905 0555 0930 0635 0610 0610 2120 1125

1135 0920 0040 0810 2305 2220 0940 0950 1140 2125 0755 1120 1610 1405 2050 0755 1235 1220 1040 1115 2010 0655 1035 1335 1225 1355 2250 1440

SG-2358

Daily

1600

1745

SG-2114 SG-2354 SG-2514 SG-152 SG-152 SG-151 SG-152

Daily Daily Daily 1,3,5,7 1,3,5,7 1,3,5,7 1,3,5,7

1455 2045 0825 1615 1615 1310 1615

1620 2205 0945 2245 1850 1410 2015

SG-162 SG-164 SG-962

Daily Daily Daily

1940 0810 0810

2130 1010 0955

SG-942 SG-324

Daily Daily

1930 1420

2330 1810

Destination

Coimbatore (Via-CCU, MAA) Delhi Delhi (Via -GAU) Delhi (Via-CCU) Delhi (Via-GAU) Guwahati Guwahati Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata Mumbai (Via-CCU) Bengaluru Agartala (Via-BOM-CCU) Agartala (Via-HYD-CCU) Ahmedabad Ahmedabad (Via-BOM) Ahmedabad (Via-PNQ) Bagdogra (Via-CCU) Belgaum Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai (Via-VGA) Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi (Via-BOM) Goa Guwahati (Via-BOM-CCU-IXA) Guwahati (Via-CCU) Hubli Hyderabad Hyderabad Hyderabad Hyderabad Kochi Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata (Via-BOM) Kolkata (Via-HYD) Kozhikode Mangalore Mangalore

flight no.

freq

October 2013 236 www.spiceroutemag.com

arrival

SG-324 SG-885 SG-951 SG-956 SG-881 SG-881 SG-951 SG-324 SG-956 SG-943 SG-942 SG-943

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

1420 1040 855 1825 1400 1400 855 1420 1825 1010 1930 1010

2000 1250 1315 2225 1825 1500 955 1520 1925 1020 2030 1410

SG-873 SG-871 SG-286 SG-529 SG-342 SG-941 SG-3301 SG-3232 SG-1083 SG-3306 SG-3306 SG-3307 SG-3002 SG-3004 SG-3310 SG-3303 SG-229 SG-216 SG-502 SG-224 SG-503 SG-186 SG-506 SG-110 SG-1106 SG-873 SG-528 SG-1084 SG-1074 SG-1074 SG-1088 SG-871 SG-2,4,6 SG-524 SG-528 SG-941 SG-873 SG-871 SG-1073 SG-3231 SG-1023

Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 1,3,4,5,7 1,3,4,5,7 2,6 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily Daily 5 1,3,4,6,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,3,4,6,7 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily

0615 0920 1205 1940 0555 545 0740 1125 1240 1510 1700 1845 2140 0905 1740 1055 1600 2015 0635 0845 730 1510 1855 1535 1420 0615 0955 1920 1520 1520 2215 0920 1145 1840 0955 545 0615 0920 1230 1400 0855

1230 1420 1405 2300 0905 940 0905 1220 1345 1610 1800 1945 2245 1025 1845 1530 1840 2305 0925 1125 1020 1750 2210 1955 1550 1400 1405 2035 1640 1640 2335 1020 1245 2120 1220 755 1100 1300 1335 1455 0950

SpiceJet now offers over 150 connections on its existing network For details log on to www.spicejet.com

dep

Destination

Mangalore (Via-BOM) Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mysore Pondicherry Pondicherry Pune Pune Pune Srinagar (Via-DEL) Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (Via-MAA) Tuticorin (Via-MAA) Vijayawada Vizag BelgAum Bengaluru Bhopal Delhi Delhi Hyderabad Hyderabad (Via-IDR) Indore Chandigarh Delhi Delhi Delhi (Via - BOM-STV) Mumbai Srinagar Surat (Via - BOM) Chennai Ahmedabad Ahmedabad (Via-BOM) Ahmedabad (Via-BOM) Ahmedabad (Via-HYD) Ahmedabad (Via-HYD) Bagdogra (Via-CCU) Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru (Via-VGA) Belgaum (Via-BLR) Coimbatore Coimbatore Coimbatore Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi

flight no.

freq

dep

arrival

SG-344 SG-344 SG-110 SG-529 SG-873 SG-3305 SG-3305 SG-1073 SG-228 SG-342 SG-228 SG-224 SG-505 SG-3307 SG-1083 SG-3303 SG-245

Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily 1,3,5 4,6,7 5 1,3,4,6 Daily 2,5,7 Daily Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,7 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily

1015 1015 1535 1940 0615 1220 1220 1230 2130 0555 2200 0845 1040 1845 1240 1055 0745

1400 1155 1715 2125 0745 1310 1310 1330 2230 0725 2325 1350 1145 2140 1530 1210 0915

SG-3302

Daily

0925

1035

SG-2226 SG-2227 SG-1053 SG-1063 SG-1063

2,4,6 2,4,6 1,3,5,7 2,4,6 2,4,6

2000 0825 2040 1930 1930

2200 1015 2220 2220 2020

SG-2116 SG-2112 SG-152 SG-152 SG-151 SG-152

Daily Daily 2,4,6 2,4,6 2,4,6 2,4,6

1920 0835 1620 1620 1310 1620

2020 0940 2245 1850 1410 2015

SG-282 SG-106 SG-106 SG-916 SG-912 SG-323 SG-3305 SG-3231 SG-1084 SG-3148 SG-3301 SG-3013 SG-1012 SG-3304 SG-3301 SG-324 SG-3012 SG-281 SG-304 SG-306 SG-308 SG-325 SG-312

Daily 7 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 1,3,4,5,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

1150 0535 0550 1955 0710 0955 1035 1240 1805 2015 0615 0740 1920 1415 0615 1905 0610 0845 1140 1655 1850 2020 0705

1410 0915 0935 2310 1030 1350 1140 1340 1900 2120 0710 0845 2035 1710 0905 2000 0715 0950 1420 1935 2150 2305 0940

Destination

flight no.

freq

dep

arrival

Delhi Delhi (Via-BOM-AMD) Delhi (Via-BOM-AMD) Delhi (Via-PNQ) Goa Guwahati (Via-CCU) Hubli (Via-BLR) Hyderabad Hyderabad Hyderabad Hyderabad Hyderabad Hyderabad Hyderabad Jaipur (Via-HYD) Jaipur (Via-HYD-AMD) Kochi Kochi Kochi Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata Kozhikode Kozhikode Madurai Madurai

SG-182 SG-106 SG-106 SG-208 SG-463 SG-321 SG-1084 SG-3309 SG-1261 SG-272 SG-1004 SG-916 SG-1265 SG-912 SG-912 SG-912 SG-3241 SG-3243 SG-289 SG-321 SG-323 SG-464 SG-188 SG-3251 SG-3251 SG-305 SG-303

Daily 7 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,7 Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily 7 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 5 2,4,6,7 1,3,4,5,7 Daily

0805 0535 0550 0515 1315 0520 1805 1410 1100 1530 1745 1955 2125 0710 0710 0710 1040 1905 0840 0520 0955 1825 2150 1030 1330 1335 1710

1105 1120 1140 0930 1500 0925 2035 1530 1210 1640 1905 2100 2255 0815 1110 1235 1205 2040 0955 0745 1210 2045 2355 1205 1505 1430 1810

Madurai Madurai

SG-362 SG-291

Daily Daily

0630 0830

0730 0930

Mangalore (Via-BLR) Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mysore (Via-BLR) Pondicherry (Via-BLR) Port Blair Port Blair Pune Pune (Via-HYD-AMD-JAI) Pune (Via-HYD-JAI) Tiruchirapalli Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram Tuticorin Tuticorin Vijayawada Vizag Coimbatore Ahmedabad (Via-MAA) Chennai Chennai Chennai Delhi (Via-HYD) Hyderabad

SG-3231 SG-276 SG-296 SG-106 SG-106 SG-273 SG-3305 SG-3305 SG-917 SG-917 SG-208 SG-912 SG-912 SG-3165 SG-3307 SG-3271 SG-1083 SG-3291 SG-3304 SG-3277

1,3,4,5,6,7 1,2,3,4 Daily 7 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily 1,3,5 4,6,7 1,3,4,5,7 2,6 Daily 1,2,3,4,5 7 1,2,3,4 Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,7 Daily Daily Daily

1240 1410 2010 0535 0605 0835 1035 1035 1020 1145 0515 0710 0710 1030 2005 0555 1405 0715 1415 1710

1455 1605 2155 0730 0745 1030 1310 1310 1225 1355 0650 1440 1440 1140 2140 0745 1530 0835 1530 1900

SG-282 SG-282 SG-284 SG-3022 SG-234 SG-234

Daily Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5 Daily Daily

1020 1020 2030 0735 1030 1030

1410 1120 2125 0845 1430 1150

237

Spice schedule Destination

Hyderabad Pune (Via- HYD) dehradun Delhi Delhi delhi Ahmedabad Ahmedabad Ahmedabad Ahmedabad Allahabad Amritsar Amritsar Amritsar Amritsar (Via - STV - BOM) Aurangabad Aurangabad Aurangabad Bagdogra Bagdogra Bagdogra (Via-CCU) Bagdogra (Via-GAU) Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru (Via-DEL) Bhopal Bhopal Chandigarh Chandigarh Chandighar (Via - STV - BOM) Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai

flight no.

freq

dep

arrival

SG-1022 SG-1022

Daily Daily

1855 1850

2010 2330

SG-2413 SG-2325

Daily Daily

1120 1620

1225 1720

SG-206 SG-148 SG-142 SG-142 SG-2356 SG-2113 SG-2352 SG-2410 SG-151 SG-161 SG-163 SG-961 SG-881 SG-951 SG-955 SG-885 SG-223 SG-209 SG-509 SG-501 SG-516 SG-183 SG-505 SG-109 SG-2326 SG-2327 SG-2115 SG-2111 SG-151 SG-305 SG-303 SG-315 SG-309 SG-301 SG-187

Daily Daily 7 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,3,5,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 2,4,6 2,4,6 Daily Daily 2,4,6 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

1705 1900 0725 0815 1410 1320 1910 0635 600 1715 0535 0535 1115 0615 1355 0550 1220 1655 2035 0605 2130 1150 0720 1010 1715 0610 1755 0710 600 1010 1350 1720 1915 0630 1830

1835 2035 0900 0945 1540 1435 2025 0805 1230 1910 0740 0740 1325 825 1755 0955 1505 1940 2325 0850 0010(+1) 1430 1005 1430 1900 0800 1900 0815 1235 1300 1640 1935 2155 0915 2120

Chennai (Via-AMD-BOM)

SG-206

Daily

1705

2305

Coimbatore (Via-CJB) Dehradun Dehradun Dharamshala Dharamshala Goa Goa Guwahati Guwahati Guwahati (Via - IXB) Guwahati (Via-IXB)

SG-211 SG-2328 SG-2223 SG-2382 SG-2383 SG-253 SG-255 SG-893 SG-885 SG-951 SG-881

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

0545 1005 1505 1055 1355 1055 1455 1520 0550 615 1115

1000 1100 1600 1230 1500 1330 1720 1745 0820 955 1500

For bookings, visit our website at www.spicejet.com

Destination

Hubli (Via- JLR-BOM) Hyderabad Hyderabad Hyderabad Hyderabad Hyderabad Indore Indore Jabalpur Jaipur Jammu Jammu Jammu Jammu Kochi (Via-BOM) Kochi (Via-BOM) Kochi (Via-HYD) Kochi (Via-PNQ) Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata Lucknow Madurai (Via-MAA) Madurai (Via-MAA) Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai (Via - STV) Mumbai (Via-Ahmedabad Mumbai (Via-Ahmedabad Mumbai (Via-AMD) Mumbai (Via-JAI) Mumbai (Via-JLR) Port Blair Pune Pune Srinagar Srinagar Srinagar Srinagar Srinagar Srinagar (Via - STV-BOM-ATQ) Srinagar (Via - STV-BOM-IXC) Srinagar (Via-IXJ) Surat Tirupathi (VIA-HYD) Thiruvananthapuram (VIA-BLR) Udaipur Varanasi Varanasi

flight no.

SG-2441 SG-233 SG-221 SG-239 SG-211 SG-231 SG-2326 SG-2327 SG-2441 SG-133 SG-857 SG-853 SG-851 SG-855 SG-103 SG-131 SG-231 SG-217 SG-607 SG-104 SG-955 SG-963 SG-417 SG-305 SG-303 SG-109 SG-103 SG-852 SG-119 SG-894 SG-131 SG-151 SG-142 SG-142 SG-206 SG-133 SG-2441 SG-104 SG-217 SG-219 SG-868 SG-224 SG-863 SG-865 SG-261 SG-151 SG-151 SG-851 SG-151 SG-233 SG-505 SG-2437 SG-114 SG-127

freq

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,3,5,7 1,3,5,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily 3,5,7 1,3,4,5,7 Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 7 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 6 1,3,5,7 2,4,6 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,2,4,6

dep

0735 1345 1510 1940 0545 0945 1715 0610 0735 0700 1330 0730 0850 1050 1200 0555 0945 0840 2035 0835 1355 1035 1945 1010 1350 1010 1200 1510 1740 2125 0555 600 0725 0815 1705 0700 0735 0835 0840 1945 1045 1220 1420 1510 0820 600 600 0850 600 1345 0720 1020 1340 1930

Note: Schedule subject to change and regulatory authority approvals.

1- Mon, 2-Tue, 3-Wed, 4-Thu, 5-Fri, 6-Sat, 7-Sun. October 2013 238 www.spiceroutemag.com

arrival

1410 1555 1725 2150 0810 1205 1900 0805 0945 0800 1450 0900 1010 1140 1700 1035 1400 1310 2250 1040 1625 1245 2100 1430 1810 1215 1410 1720 1940 2325 0740 920 1035 1115 2010 1015 1210 1335 1045 2140 1200 1350 1550 1630 0935 1410 1410 1115 755 1740 1145 1155 1505 2055

Spice schedule Destination

Varanasi Varanasi Vizag (Via-HYD) Dharamshala Delhi Delhi GOA Ahmedabad Bengaluru Chennai Delhi Delhi Delhi (Via-AMD) Hyderabad Kolkata (Via-BOM) Kolkata (Via-MAA) Mumbai Mumbai Guwahati Agartala Ahmedabad (Via-CCU-BLR-BOM) Bagdogra Bengaluru (Via-CCU) Bengaluru (Via-IXA-CCU-BOM) Chennai (Via-CCU) Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi (Via-IXB) Jaipur (Via-CCU) Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata (Via-IXA) Mumbai (Via-CCU-BLR) Mumbai (Via-DEL) Mumbai (Via-IXA-CCU) Hubli Bengaluru Delhi (Via-BOM-JLR) Hyderabad (Via-BLR) Jabalpur (Via-BOM) Mumbai Hyderabad Agartala (Via-CCU) Ahmedabad Ahmedabad Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bhopal Bhopal (Via-IDR)

flight no.

freq

dep

arrival

SG-116 SG-965 SG-221

Daily Daily Daily

0935 1625 1510

1100 1755 1905

SG-2384 SG-2385

Daily Daily

1255 1255

1430 1430

SG-138 SG-1107 SG-464 SG-254 SG-256 SG-138 SG-1072 SG-804 SG-464 SG-247 SG-804

Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,2,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily 1,2,4,5,6,7

1640 1610 1540 1400 1750 1640 1415 1640 1540 1330 1640

1830 1740 1735 1630 2010 2125 1545 2135 2045 1440 1745

SG-874 SG-529 SG-885 SG-529 SG-874 SG-322 SG-881 SG-894 SG-951 SG-885 SG-525 SG-529 SG-803 SG-322 SG-525 SG-874 SG-529 SG-894 SG-874

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

1445 1435 0855 1435 1445 1900 1535 1815 1025 0855 0955 1435 0700 1900 0955 1445 1435 1815 1445

1545 2300 0955 1910 2250 2320 1825 2045 1315 1250 1345 1545 0800 2020 1105 1725 2125 2325 2045

SG-1088 SG-2452 SG-1088 SG-2452 SG-2452

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

2055 1430 2055 1430 1430

2155 2035 2335 1810 1550

SG-871 SG-916 SG-912 SG-3310 SG-1073 SG-1073 SG-872 SG-1023 SG-1031 SG-1063 SG-1053

Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily 1,3,4,6,7 5 Daily Daily Daily 2,4,6 1,3,5,7

1050 2135 0850 1555 1040 1040 1910 0710 0935 1710 1710

1420 2310 1030 1710 1200 1200 2010 0830 1050 1910 2020

Destination

Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai (VIA-BLR) Coimbatore Coimbatore Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Goa Indore Indore (Via-BHO) Jaipur Jaipur (Via-AMD) Kochi Kochi Kolkata Kolkata Kozhikode Kozhikode (Via-BLR) Madurai Madurai Mangalore (Via-BLR) Mumbai Pondicherry (Via-BLR) Port Blair (Via-MAA) Port Blair (Via-MAA) Pune Pune (Via-AMD-JAI) Pune (Via-JAI) Rajahmundary Tirupathi Tirupathi Thiruvananthapuram Varanasi (Via-DEL) Vijayawada Vizag Vizag Indore Bhopal Delhi Delhi Hyderabad Hyderabad (Via-BHO) JABALPUR Delhi Hubli (Via- BOM) Mumbai Jaipur Ahmedabad

October 2013 240 www.spiceroutemag.com

flight no.

freq

dep

arrival

SG-1011 SG-1003 SG-911 SG-1264 SG-913 SG-1262 SG-917 SG-3310 SG-1048 SG-211 SG-226 SG-234 SG-108 SG-236 SG-116 SG-1071 SG-1053 SG-1063 SG-912 SG-912 SG-231 SG-1051 SG-871 SG-901 SG-1073 SG-1073 SG-3313 SG-3313 SG-1023 SG-402 SG-1073 SG-917 SG-917 SG-1022 SG-912 SG-912 SG-1061 SG-1041 SG-233 SG-546 SG-116 SG-1001 SG-221 SG-401

Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,3,5,7 2,4,6 7 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily Daily Daily Daily 2 1,3,4,6,7 3 1,2,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily 5 1,3,4,5,7 2,6 Daily 1,2,3,4,5 7 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

1230 1605 1710 1935 2120 0600 0830 1555 1700 0840 1030 1220 1725 2000 0645 1225 1710 1710 0910 0850 1235 1925 1050 640 1040 1040 0900 0950 0710 2130 1040 0830 0830 2220 0850 0910 0935 0720 1630 1440 0645 0705 1755 0715

1350 1725 1815 2115 2220 0720 0940 1845 1835 1000 1255 1430 1925 2210 0845 1355 1910 2020 1110 1235 1400 2125 1300 855 1230 1325 1100 1150 0950 2305 1330 1225 1355 2330 1440 1440 1040 0835 1740 1625 1100 0800 1905 0820

SG-1053 SG-2226 SG-2227 SG-1063 SG-1053

1,3,5,7 1,3,5,7 1,3,5,7 2,4,6 1,3,5,7

1930 1955 0825 2040 1930

2020 2200 1015 2220 2220

SG-2452 SG-2441 SG-2441

Daily Daily Daily

1830 1005 1005

2035 1410 1210

SG-913

Daily

1710

1825

Spice schedule Destination

Chennai (Via-AMD- HYD) Delhi Guwahati (Via-CCU) Hyderabad (Via-AMD) Kolkata Mumbai Pune Jammu Delhi Delhi Delhi Mumbai (Via-DEL) Srinagar Kochi Bengaluru Chennai Chennai Chennai Delhi (Via- BOM) Delhi (Via-BOM) Delhi (Via-HYD) Delhi (Via-PNQ) Hyderabad Hyderabad Mumbai Mumbai Pune Vizag (Via-BLR) Kolkata Agartala Agartala Ahmedabad (Via-BLR-BOM) Bagdogra Bagdogra Bagdogra Bagdogra Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru (Via-BOM) Bengaluru (Via-HYD) Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Coimbatore (Via-MAA) Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Goa (Via-BOM) Goa (Via-MAA) Guwahati Guwahati Guwahati Guwahati

flight no.

freq

dep

arrival

SG-913 SG-218 SG-883 SG-913 SG-883 SG-133 SG-912

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5,7

1710 2040 1415 1710 1415 0830 1310

2220 2130 1820 2050 1625 1015 1440

SG-851 SG-858 SG-856 SG-852 SG-851

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

1310 1525 1210 1310 1040

1425 1645 1330 1720 1115

SG-245 SG-3242 SG-3244 SG-287 SG-118 SG-112 SG-108 SG-214 SG-108 SG-1052 SG-112 SG-118 SG-214 SG-245

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5,7 Daily

0605 1800 2110 0655 1840 1120 1535 1355 1535 2150 1120 1840 1355 0605

0705 1925 2240 0805 2315 1620 1925 1835 1655 2330 1320 2040 1555 0915

SG-873 SG-871 SG-529 SG-323 SG-955 SG-941 SG-944 SG-529 SG-523 SG-942 SG-874 SG-872 SG-324 SG-463 SG-322 SG-181 SG-324 SG-608 SG-219 SG-956 SG-964 SG-803 SG-463 SG-528 SG-883 SG-321 SG-801

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

1130 1330 1645 1240 1655 830 1810 1645 0715 2100 1800 1620 1550 930 2055 0525 1550 0800 1630 2000 1320 0830 930 1250 1700 0815 0525

1230 1420 2300 1350 1755 940 1900 1910 0935 2330 2250 2010 1810 1205 2320 0730 2000 1010 1905 2225 1540 1300 1500 1405 1820 0925 0630

Destination

Guwahati (Via-IXA) Hyderabad Hyderabad Jaipur Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai (Via-BLR) Port Blair Pune (Via-DEL) Kozhikode Bengaluru Chennai Chennai Hyderabad Hyderabad (Via - BLR) Lucknow Delhi Madurai Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Delhi (Via-MAA) Delhi (Via-MAA) Hyderabad Hyderabad Mumbai ( Via-MAA) Mumbai ( Via-MAA) Mangalore Bengaluru Bengaluru (Via-BOM) Chennai (Via-BLR) Hyderabad Hyderabad Mumbai Mumbai Agartala (Via-CCU) Ahmedabad Ahmedabad Ahmedabad Amritsar Bagdogra (Via-CCU) Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Bengaluru Chandigarh Chennai Chennai Chennai Chennai Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi

October 2013 242 www.spiceroutemag.com

flight no.

freq

dep

arrival

SG-873 SG-872 SG-902 SG-525 SG-874 SG-803 SG-943 SG-529 SG-104 SG-219

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

1130 1620 2115 1140 1800 0830 1150 1645 1135 1630

1400 1830 2315 1345 2045 1120 1410 2125 1335 2140

SG-1074 SG-3252 SG-3252 SG-1074 SG-1074

1,3,4,6,7 5 2,4,6,7 2 1,3,4,6,7

1355 1225 1525 1255 1355

1455 1355 1650 1440 1640

SG-418

1,4,6

0735

0845

SG-304 SG-306 SG-296 SG-273 SG-304 SG-306 SG-3317 SG-3317 SG-296 SG-273

Daily 1,3,4,5,7 Daily Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,7 3 1,2,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily

1000 1500 1840 0800 1000 1500 1615 1645 1840 0800

1055 1600 1940 0855 1420 1935 1815 1845 2155 1110

SG-3232 SG-341 SG-3232 SG-1024 SG-1024 SG-341

1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 2 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily

1010 1430 1010 1025 1515 1430

1105 1810 1220 1200 1650 1600

SG-873 SG-529 SG-106 SG-106 SG-151 SG-944 SG-109 SG-341 SG-874 SG-528 SG-151 SG-275 SG-274 SG-206 SG-291 SG-114 SG-112 SG-110 SG-136

Daily Daily 7 1,2,3,4,5,6 1,3,5,7 Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily Daily 2,4,6 1,2,3,4 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily

0815 2200 0810 0815 1000 1445 1250 1630 2120 0735 1000 1145 1645 2100 0605 1110 1415 1745 2015

1230 2300 0915 0935 1230 1900 1430 1810 2250 0920 1235 1340 1840 2305 0755 1310 1620 1955 2220

Spice schedule Destination

Delhi Delhi Delhi (Via-AMD) Delhi (Via-AMD) Delhi (Via-JAI) Delhi (Via-JLR) Delhi (Via-STV) Goa Goa Guwahati (Via-BLR-CCU) Guwahati (Via-CCU-IXA) Hubli Hyderabad Jabalpur Jaipur Jammu (Via-DEL) Kochi Kochi Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata (Via-BLR) Madurai (Via-MAA) Mangalore Srinagar (Via - ATQ) Srinagar (Via - IXC) Srinagar (Via-DEL IXJ) Surat Thiruvananthapuram Varanasi (Via-DEL) Vizag (Via-HYD) Mysore Bengaluru Chennai (Via-BLR) Pondicherry Bengaluru Bengaluru Chennai (Via-BLR) Chennai (Via-BLR) Hyderabad (Via-BLR) Port Blair Chennai Chennai Delhi (Via - CCU) Hyderabad (Via-MAA) Kolkata Pune (Via - CCU-DEL) Pune Ahmedabad Ahmedabad (Via-JAI) Bengaluru Bengaluru Chennai Chennai Chennai (Via-JAI-AMD-HYD) Delhi

flight no.

freq

dep

arrival

SG-118 SG-851 SG-106 SG-106 SG-218 SG-2452 SG-152 SG-803 SG-248 SG-528 SG-873 SG-2441 SG-401 SG-2452 SG-218 SG-851 SG-103 SG-131 SG-804 SG-873 SG-944 SG-528 SG-291 SG-344 SG-151 SG-151 SG-851 SG-152 SG-275 SG-114 SG-401

Daily Daily 7 1,2,3,4,5,6 Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,2,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 1,3,5,7 2,4,6 Daily Daily 5,6,7 Daily Daily

2110 0550 0810 0815 1810 1615 1920 1200 1640 0735 0815 1240 0520 1615 1810 0550 1450 0835 1855 0815 1445 0735 0605 1230 1000 1000 0550 1920 1125 1055 0520

2315 0755 1120 1140 2130 2035 2245 1300 1745 1405 1400 1410 0640 1810 2010 1010 1700 1035 2135 1100 1735 1220 0930 1400 1410 1410 1115 2015 1320 1505 0820

SG-3306 SG-3306

1,3,5 1,3,5

1330 1330

1420 1610

SG-3306 SG-1074 SG-3306 SG-3306 SG-1074

4,6,7 5 4,7 6 5

1330 1350 1330 1330 1350

1420 1450 1610 1800 1640

SG-272 SG-272 SG-219 SG-272 SG-219 SG-219

1,3,4,5,7 2,6 Daily 1,3,4,5,7 Daily Daily

1255 1425 1405 1255 1405 1405

1455 1640 1905 1640 1600 2230

SG-342 SG-913 SG-345 SG-227 SG-359 SG-359 SG-913 SG-214

Daily 1,2,3,4,5,7 Daily Daily 1,3,4,6 2,5,7 1,2,3,4,5,7 1,2,3,4,5,7

0755 1510 2320 0645 2300 2230 1510 1625

0905 1825 0040 0815 0055(+1) 0025(+1)

2220 1835

Destination

Delhi Hyderabad Hyderabad (Via-JAI-AMD) Jaipur Kochi Rajahmundry Hyderabad Srinagar Amritsar Bengaluru (Via-DEL) Chandigarh Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi (Via - ATQ-BOM-STV) Delhi (Via - IXC-BOM-STV) Delhi (Via-IXJ) Jammu Mumbai (Via - ATQ) Mumbai (Via - IXC) Mumbai (Via-IXJ-DEL) Surat (Via - ATQ-BOM) Surat (Via - IXC-BOM) Surat Amritsar (Via - BOM) Chandighar (Via - BOM) Delhi Mumbai Srinagar (Via - BOM-ATQ) Srinagar (Via - BOM-IXC) Tirupathi Hyderabad Delhi (Via-HYD) Hyderabad Tiruchirapalli Chennai Thiruvananthapuram Bengaluru Chennai Chennai Delhi (VIA-BLR) Hyderabad Mumbai Tuticorin Bengaluru (Via-MAA) Chennai Chennai Hubli (Via-MAA,BLR) Udaipur Delhi Varanasi

October 2013 244 www.spiceroutemag.com

flight no.

freq

dep

arrival

SG-208 SG-1025 SG-913 SG-913 SG-217

Daily Daily 1,2,3,4,5,7 1,2,3,4,5,7 1,2,3,4,5,7

0720 2350 1510 1510 1115

0930 2050 1640 1310

SG-1062

Daily

1100

1155

SG-152 SG-209 SG-152 SG-854 SG-262 SG-869 SG-209 SG-209 SG-864 SG-867 SG-854 SG-152 SG-152 SG-852 SG-852 SG-152 SG-152 SG-852 SG-152 SG-152

1,3,5,7 Daily 2,4,6 1,3,5 6 Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 2,4,6,7 1,3,5,7 2,4,6 Daily Daily 1,3,5,7 2,4,6 Daily 1,3,5,7 2,4,6

1450 1435 1450 0930 1010 1235 1435 1435 1620 1700 1230 1450 1450 1155 1155 1450 1450 1155 1450 1450

1545 1940 1550 1050 1135 1405 1605 1605 1745 1830 1335 2245 2245 1425 1240 1850 1850 1720 2015 2015

SG-151 SG-151 SG-152 SG-151 SG-151 SG-151

1,3,5,7 2,4,6 Daily Daily 1,3,5,7 2,4,6

825 825 2045 825 825 825

1230 1235 2245 920 1410 1410

SG-1042 SG-236 SG-236

Daily Daily Daily

0855 1810 1810

1010 2210 1930

SG-3166

1,2,3,4

1200

1305

SG-506 SG-3308 SG-3272 SG-506 SG-545 SG-276

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily 5,6,7

1655 2200 0805 1655 1220 1355

1805 2330 1000 2210 1405 1605

SG-1084 SG-1084 SG-3292 SG-1084

1,3,4,5,7 1,3,4,5,7 Daily 1,3,4,5,7

1550 1550 0855 1550

1900 1710 1020 2035

SG-2436

Daily

1215

1350

0120(+1)

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Spice schedule Destination

Delhi Delhi Delhi Delhi Hyderabad (Via-DEL) Mumbai (Via-DEL) Tirupathi (Via-DEL,HYD) Vijayawada Bengaluru Chennai Hyderabad Vizag Bengaluru Chennai Delhi (Via-HYD) Hyderabad Hyderabad Kochi (Via-BLR) Mumbai (Via-HYD)

flight no.

freq

dep

SG-233 SG-119 SG-128 SG-966 SG-233 SG-119 SG-233

Daily Daily 2,3,5,7 Daily Daily Daily Daily

1130 1535 0810 1830 1130 1535 1130

1250 1655 0940 1955 1555 1940 1740

SG-3304 SG-3303 SG-1002

1,3,4,5,6,7 Daily Daily

1230 1230 0820

1350 1350 0915

SG-2,4,6 SG-3278 SG-226 SG-402 SG-226 SG-2,4,6 SG-402

Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily

0945 1920 0900 1935 0900 0945 1930

1115 2105 1255 2055 1000 1245 2305

INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE Destination

Ahmedabad Dubai Muscat Chennai Colombo Colombo Chennai Madurai Madurai Delhi Dubai Guangzhou Kabul Kathmandu

flight no.

freq

dep

INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE

arrival

arrival

SG-015 SG-061

Daily 1,4,5

1640 2130

1815 2300

SG-001

Daily

0100

0220

SG-002 SG-3316 SG-3316

Daily 3 1,2,4,5,6,7

0320 1350 1435

0445 1450 1535

SG-011 SG-081 SG-021 SG-045

Daily 1,3,4,5,6,7 2,4,6 Daily

0855 1645 0900 1550

1120 0035 (+1) 1020 1740

Destination

Kathmandu Riyadh DUBAI Ahmedabad Delhi Kochi Mumbai Guangzhou Delhi KABUL Delhi Kochi Dubai Male Kathmandu Delhi Delhi Lucknow Sharjah Madurai Colombo Colombo Male Kochi Mumbai Dubai Muscat Ahmedabad PUNE Sharjah Riyadh Delhi Sharjah Lucknow Pune Varanasi Varanasi Sharjah

flight no.

freq

arrival

SG-041 SG-031

1,3,5,7 Daily

0800 0300

1000 0515

SG-016 SG-012 SG-018 SG-014

Daily Daily Daily Daily

1925 2310 2055 1230

2330 0410 (+1) 0225 (+1) 1655

SG-082

1,2,4,5,6,7

0155

0510

SG-022

2,4,6

1120

1450

SG-017 SG-3901

Daily Daily

1710 1250

1950 1410

SG-042 SG-046

1,3,5,7 Daily

1100 1840

1240 2010

SG-055

3,5,7

2200

0100 (+1)

SG-3314 SG-3314

3 1,2,4,5,6,7

1200 1245

1300 1345

SG-3902

Daily

1445

1705

SG-013

Daily

1945

2135

SG-062

2,5,6

0030

0420

SG-051

1,3,4,6

2230

0030 (+1)

SG-032

Daily

0615

1255

SG-056 SG-052 SG-054

1,4,6 2,4,5,7 2,3,5,7

0145 0110 0145

0635 0600 0655

SG-053

1,2,4,6

2155

0100 (+1)

* All Time In Local. (+1) - Next Day.

• SpiceJet flies to 45 domestic destinations covering the north, south, east and west of India. Whether you are flying for business, visiting friends or planning a holiday, SpiceJet is the smart way to travel. • SpiceJet now flies to 9 international destinations.

October 2013 246 www.spiceroutemag.com

dep