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PARINEETI CHOPRA | THE ONAM EXPERIENCE | JUNGLE LODGES<br />
spice<br />
Volume 10 | Issue 09 | September <strong>2016</strong><br />
THE INFLIGHT MAGAZINE<br />
GREAT<br />
MONSOON<br />
HOLIDAYS
FROM THE<br />
CMD’S DESK<br />
Dear Readers,<br />
I am delighted to say that in July,<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet recorded the best on time<br />
performance of all major carriers<br />
in the country including IndiGo, Jet<br />
Airways, Air India and GoAir. We have<br />
also registered a load factor of 92%,<br />
making <strong>Spice</strong>Jet India’s favourite<br />
airline for the 15th month in a row.<br />
Our continuing network<br />
enhancements have a ‘Look East’<br />
focus. Starting from October 4,<br />
we are adding new destinations,<br />
namely Silchar, Gorakhpur and<br />
Aizawl. The airline will operate<br />
its Q-400 aircraft on Kolkata-<br />
Silchar-Guwahati; Kolkata-<br />
Aizawl-Guwahati and Kolkata-<br />
Gorakhpur-Delhi routes. A new<br />
city pair, Kolkata-Visakhapatnam-<br />
Kolkata will be operational from<br />
November 1. Our aim is to deepen<br />
our engagement within India by<br />
enhancing regional connectivity, in line<br />
with the government’s new policy. The<br />
new schedule will also include additional<br />
frequencies on its existing routes of<br />
Kolkata-Bagdogra and Kolkata-Guwahati.<br />
We are also connecting Mangalore<br />
to Dubai with daily flights beginning<br />
October 30.<br />
On India’s 70th Independence Day,<br />
we offered our gratitude to the people<br />
who allow us the ‘freedom of safety’ by<br />
defending our borders. All passengers<br />
who flew on the Indian Armed Forces<br />
category fares were offered ‘meals’ and<br />
‘beverages’ at no cost. Many officers were<br />
also upgraded to <strong>Spice</strong>Max (our premium<br />
seating). The flight interiors also sported<br />
the Indian tri-colour on the bulk heads<br />
of the B 737s and at the entrance of the<br />
Q-400s. The tricolour in the form of<br />
ethnic wear and badges added to<br />
our staff’s sartorial elegance.<br />
Assam was at the receiving<br />
end of the wrath of nature as it<br />
witnessed one of the worst floods<br />
in decades. <strong>Spice</strong>Jet contributed<br />
by ferrying thousands of packets<br />
of food aid for relief to various<br />
destinations such as Majuli Island<br />
and Jorhat, and also Bundelkhand<br />
in Madhya Pradesh. We also<br />
financially contributed to the food<br />
aid from amongst funds set aside<br />
for our CSR duties. Our efforts have<br />
been lauded by both NGOs and the<br />
government.<br />
We at <strong>Spice</strong>Jet take pride in<br />
celebrating India’s `Woman Power`<br />
as PV Sindhu, Sakshi Malik and Dipa<br />
Karmakar brought laurels to the<br />
country at the Rio Olympics; and<br />
as per our tradition, we will felicitate and<br />
reward the distinguished ladies like we<br />
have done in the past for medal winners.<br />
Awards galore for <strong>Spice</strong>jet too,<br />
as we won the 4th Delhi Management<br />
Association-Thomas Assessments<br />
National Award for Excellence in Talent<br />
Management. <strong>Spice</strong>Jet was awarded for<br />
Best Employee Engagement.<br />
Jai Hind!<br />
Ajay Singh<br />
Chairman & Managing Director<br />
2 ||||| AUGUST <strong>2016</strong>
SPICEJET ||||| CSR<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet extends a helping<br />
hand for Assam flood relief<br />
In July this year, Assam<br />
received 60 per cent more<br />
rainfall than it received in July<br />
2015, flooding the state. This<br />
affected 1.8 million people, and<br />
flooded the Kaziranga National<br />
Park.<br />
•<strong>Spice</strong>Jet, in association with<br />
Anybody Can Help, a voluntary<br />
association, and Assam CM<br />
Sarbananda Sonowal’s office,<br />
helped with relief efforts<br />
•Nearly 800 kilos of rice<br />
and dal, donated by Anybody<br />
Can Help, were ferried and<br />
distributed by <strong>Spice</strong>Jet to<br />
Jorhat<br />
•1,500 packets of food<br />
supplies were donated by<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet in Majuli Islands<br />
•103 cartons of milk, donated<br />
by Nestlé and organised by<br />
Anybody Can Help, were ferried<br />
and distributed by <strong>Spice</strong>Jet to<br />
Jorhat<br />
•42 cartons of medicines,<br />
donated by NGO The Sara –<br />
Jammu, were ferried and<br />
distributed by <strong>Spice</strong>Jet to<br />
Jorhat<br />
132 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
EXPERIENCE ||||| FESTIVALS<br />
GOA-A HERITAGE HAVEN<br />
HIDDEN AWAY AMIDST THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR OF GOA IS ITS RICH AND EXQUISITE HERITAGE THAT CAN BE<br />
ENJOYED ALL OVER THE STATE. WE TAKE YOU ON A GUIDED TOUR OF SOME OF THE SURPRISES<br />
1 2<br />
Goa is a land of beautiful<br />
beaches, hinterlands,<br />
cuisine, culture, colour<br />
and costumes.<br />
Nonetheless, in the midst of all<br />
the glitter and glamour is its<br />
exquisite and rich heritage that one<br />
cannot miss admiring. Heritage in<br />
Goa can be seen through seven<br />
heavenly wonders and can only be<br />
experienced when in Goa. It can be<br />
found aplenty through its<br />
monuments, culture, cuisine, houses,<br />
hospitality, forts and traditions.<br />
MAGNIFICENT MONUMENTS<br />
While in Goa visit Old Goa, one of<br />
Goa’s biggest heritage hub just nine<br />
kilometres from the capital city,<br />
Panjim. This heritage complex<br />
houses the tomb and relics of St.<br />
Francis Xavier at the Basilica of Bom<br />
Jesus. It is a part of the UNESCO<br />
World Heritage Site. The St.<br />
Cajetan’s church which stands<br />
opposite the Se Cathedral is also<br />
part of the UNESCO World Heritage<br />
Site. The Se Cathedral, the largest<br />
and the grandest church in Old<br />
Goa and Asia is a big attraction for<br />
tourists. at Old Goa. The main<br />
attraction of this church is its giant<br />
bell, sky high ceilings, massive<br />
pillars and eight chapels therein.<br />
FAMOUS FORTIFICATIONS<br />
Standing tall and strong are some<br />
historical forts in Goa which<br />
resonate the freedom struggle that<br />
led to Goa’s liberation and the<br />
valiant and heroic sacrifices of<br />
Goan freedom fighters that<br />
contributed to it.<br />
Fort Tiracol is a must visit site on<br />
the northern tip of Goa at the<br />
mouth of the Tiracol River. The 17th<br />
century fort now houses a Boutique<br />
Heritage Hotel by the Goa Tourism<br />
Development Corporation. Reis<br />
Magos Fort is located on the<br />
northern banks of River Mandovi.It is<br />
a prime tourist spot and a major<br />
heritage site. In ruins for a long<br />
time, the fort is now restored and<br />
renovated and houses caricatures by<br />
Late Mario Miranda, renowned<br />
Goan cartoonist.<br />
HAUTE HOUSES<br />
Go is a hot favourite for its<br />
Portuguese styled heritage houses<br />
in the North and South which<br />
overwhelms one’s senses through<br />
their vibrant colours and<br />
architectural designs of the old<br />
Latin quarters.<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY: GOA TOURISM<br />
8 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
Fontainhas in Panjim is a<br />
perfect location to take a look at<br />
heritage houses now thrown open<br />
for tourists as heritage hotels,<br />
heritage restaurants, art galleries<br />
etc. Margao, Chandor, Curtorim in<br />
South Goa and Saligao, Siolim,<br />
Pernem in North Goa are<br />
perfect for heritage trails through<br />
the quaint towns and villages<br />
bedecked by heritage homes.<br />
GTDC conducts walking trails in<br />
Fontainhas latin quarter & on<br />
Diwar Island.<br />
CHARMING CULTURE<br />
Goa’s cultural heritage will leave<br />
you simply spell bound. The rich<br />
cultural heritage of Goa is a stark<br />
contrast to the rest of India.<br />
Goa’s culture has a<br />
combination of originality and<br />
influences with<br />
a riot of colour, costumes and<br />
creativity.<br />
Festivals are the best time to<br />
witness Goa’s culture when artists<br />
and artisans converge on the<br />
streets to showcase local and<br />
traditional dances, folklore,<br />
handicrafts and a lot<br />
more.<br />
GOAN<br />
GOURMETS<br />
This aspect of Goa’s<br />
heritage will surely<br />
sound tempting! One<br />
can truly expeience<br />
Goa’s heritage<br />
through its food and<br />
flavours. Goa’s cuisine<br />
is influenced by its<br />
Hindu origins, 400<br />
3<br />
years of Portuguese<br />
colonialism and<br />
modern techniques. The use of<br />
coconut, rice, kokum are distinct<br />
features. Added spice to it makes<br />
the meal really nice.<br />
TANTALIZING TRADITIONS<br />
The warm and hospitable, easy<br />
going lifestyle along with adaptable<br />
customs and traditions are other<br />
aspects of Goan heritage one<br />
needs to witness and experience.<br />
People are free to follow their<br />
respective religions, and attached<br />
customs and traditions.<br />
1. MAE DE DEUS CHURCH,<br />
SALIGAO GOA<br />
2. NILAYA HERMITAGE, ARPORA GOA<br />
3. PALACIO DO DEAO, GOAN HOUSE AT<br />
QUEPEM GOA<br />
4. MAHADEVA TEMPLE, TAMBDI<br />
SURLA GOA<br />
For more information and<br />
bookings<br />
P: + 91 - 832 - 2438830 /31<br />
E: reservations@goa-tourism.com<br />
WEBSITE : www.goa-tourism.com<br />
www.facebook.com/<br />
officialgoatourism<br />
@TourismGoa<br />
To download the APP<br />
4<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY: GOA TOURISM<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 9
PARINEETI CHOPRA | THE ONAM EXPERIENCE | JUNGLE LODGES<br />
Volume 10 | Issue 09 | September <strong>2016</strong><br />
THE INFLIGHT MAGAZINE<br />
spice<br />
GREAT<br />
MONSOON<br />
HOLIDAYS<br />
GREAT<br />
MONSOON<br />
DESTINATIONS<br />
CONTENTS<br />
54<br />
GREAT MONSOON DESTINATIONS<br />
With the rains having well and truly set in across most of India,<br />
here’s walking you through a clutch of places where you can enjoy<br />
the wet season in the peak of its glory<br />
JUNGLE LODGES<br />
Looking for a different kind<br />
of holiday? Head to these<br />
pioneering resorts down south<br />
located in forests in the middle<br />
of nowhere<br />
64<br />
70<br />
EMPOWERING LIVES<br />
MAYA, a Karnataka-based NGO<br />
working since 1991 in the area<br />
of social reform, has evolved<br />
three projects into successful<br />
independent entities impacting<br />
millions of lives<br />
BANGLADESHI CUISINE<br />
Originally the poor man’s meal,<br />
Bangladesh’s bhorta has been<br />
elevated to a form of fine<br />
art today, cutting across all<br />
economic strata<br />
78<br />
14 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
CONTENTS<br />
VERSATILE CELERY<br />
First recognised for its medicinal<br />
properties, celery is now<br />
increasingly being used in more<br />
than just soups, sauces, stews<br />
and salads<br />
86 106<br />
100<br />
THE COMEBACK GIRL<br />
For those who had thought<br />
she had disappeared, Parineeti<br />
Chopra is back, and how!<br />
ODE TO THE KING<br />
Come monsoon and Kerala<br />
turns into a phantasmagoria<br />
of colours, flavours, rituals<br />
and cultural performances<br />
for 10 days coinciding<br />
with its biggest and most<br />
important festival of Onam<br />
SPICEJET INSIDER<br />
Social media 20<br />
<strong>Spice</strong> products22<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Vacations.com26<br />
My town140<br />
Against all odds 141<br />
Mobile apps142<br />
Music144<br />
News 146<br />
New on the menu149<br />
Stars of <strong>Spice</strong>Jet150<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet fleet152<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet add-ons158<br />
16 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
CONTENTS<br />
120<br />
PRIYANKA CHOPRA<br />
The actress takes time out to share with us her favourite<br />
vacation memories<br />
124<br />
SPA SECRETS<br />
Wonder how our Bollywood beauties manage to look so ravishing<br />
and radiant despite back-to-back shoots and frenetic lifestyles?<br />
Well, most of them have their own beauty and wellness regimes<br />
that they absolutely swear by. Be it exotic massages and body<br />
wraps or personalised therapies, here’s what some of our glam<br />
divas revealed about their go-to spas around the world<br />
spice<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong><br />
EDITOR<br />
RAJU BIST<br />
rajubist@mwspiceroute.in<br />
EXECUTIVE EDITOR<br />
EKTA MOHTA<br />
ekta@mwspiceroute.in<br />
CREATIVE DIRECTOR<br />
KAPIL C BATUS<br />
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR<br />
HEMALI LIMBACHIYA<br />
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER<br />
TANVI SHAH<br />
JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER<br />
VIDHI DOSHI<br />
PRODUCTION MANAGER<br />
MANGESH SALVI<br />
DIGITAL ARTIST<br />
JAYESH V. SALVI<br />
AD SALES<br />
MUMBAI<br />
VINOD MOHITE<br />
+91 9323554207, vinod@mwspiceroute.in<br />
RAHUL MUKHERJEE<br />
+91 9029457667, rahul@mwspiceroute.in<br />
NEW DELHI<br />
TANVEER AHMAD<br />
+91 9555098401, tanveer@mwspiceroute.in<br />
TAMIL NADU & PONDICHERRY<br />
CECIL S KOTEY<br />
+91 9884232475, cecil@mwspiceroute.in<br />
BENGALURU<br />
ANURADHA KUBER<br />
+91 9902329703, anuradha@mwspiceroute.in<br />
WEST BENGAL & NORTH-EAST<br />
MOHD. ASAD<br />
+91-9718834941, media.asad@gmail.com<br />
CHANDIGARH<br />
A ANU<br />
+91-7508049977, aryapuneet7@gmail.com<br />
KERALA<br />
T SIVASANKARAN<br />
+91 9947683001, sivakeral15@gmail.com<br />
GUJARAT<br />
SANJAY CHAWDA<br />
+91 98240 43072, sanjaychawda@gmail.com<br />
TELANGANA & AP<br />
ROCKWEL JOSEPH<br />
+91 9885804155, rocky@mwspiceroute.in<br />
PUNE<br />
ARUSHI SHRIVASTAVA<br />
+91 9538846897, arushi@mwspiceroute.in<br />
PRODUCED BY<br />
EDITORIAL & MARKETING OFFICE:<br />
MW.Com (India) Pvt. Ltd., 401, 4th Floor, Todi Building,<br />
Mathuradas Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg,<br />
Lower Parel, Mumbai 400 013., Tel: 022 67487777<br />
DELHI: 24/1, First Floor, Hauz Khas Village,<br />
New Delhi - 110016 Tel/Fax: 011- 26516071/72<br />
All rights reserved worldwide. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be<br />
returned unless accompanied by a postage pre-paid envelope<br />
18 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
BUZZ ON<br />
TWITTER<br />
Have to say,really like the Weekend<br />
uniform of @flyspicejet! Lovely and very<br />
courteous cabin crew!<br />
@sandeeprrao1991<br />
@flyspicejet Appreciate the quick<br />
response in getting the matter resolved.<br />
Special mention to Mr. Siddharth<br />
Panigrahi. Thank you!<br />
@sillycrayon5<br />
It was an awesome experience flying<br />
with @flyspicejet #sg192 from<br />
Bangalore to delhi. It was a really<br />
great experience great #captain<br />
smooth landing and #sayba<br />
#Sushmita great air hostesses<br />
@ABanandavionics<br />
Rapid and prompt medical assistance<br />
to an old lady (on her own)<br />
complaining about severe breathing<br />
<strong>issue</strong>. Strength to family. @flyspicejet<br />
@flyspicejet jst want to share,u hav a<br />
wonderful staff,varsha,at the front desk<br />
@ #HyderabadAirport who was vry<br />
helpful to my wife today<br />
my wife couldnt share her appreciation<br />
for varsha’s help at that time; so am<br />
conveying the same on her behalf here<br />
Thank you @flyspicejet for such<br />
awesome leg space<br />
@harsha_actor<br />
@VivekJVarghese<br />
@prajaktkamat<br />
And now <strong>Spice</strong>Jet announces special<br />
offers for Indian Armed, Defence<br />
personnel. free meals and beverages<br />
and many more<br />
Great way to start the journey.<br />
Awesome playlist guys #<strong>Spice</strong>Jet<br />
@AskAnshul<br />
@TapasBasak<br />
Well done @ spicejet what an<br />
ontime performance Delhi- Pune-<br />
Delhi return flights..great keep it up..<br />
@amytbhasin<br />
@flyspicejet Thanks for the extended<br />
help team.....<br />
@mirajgodha<br />
@flyspicejet flew BOM-BLR over<br />
the weekend, comfy flight...<br />
special mention: Capt.Danny<br />
Desai’s announcements were a lot<br />
of fun :)<br />
the personal touch was refreshing.<br />
not the usual delay-due-to-ATC.<br />
In fact, got spontaneous claps<br />
from passengers :)<br />
@nrucho<br />
On my Mumbai Kolata <strong>Spice</strong>Jet flight<br />
something nice happened. So, the<br />
company’s travel agency booked me<br />
under the veg meal category. Now<br />
those who know me, know how I feel<br />
about veg food. So I ordered a nonveg<br />
sandwich @200 and chomped it<br />
in a jiffy. So as we were about to land<br />
the steward comes up to me and says,<br />
“Sir, we sold your unused veg meal to<br />
another deserving flyer and so we<br />
would like to return your Rs 200.<br />
Simple things that an organisation<br />
does leave a smile on the face. It’s a<br />
good customer experience moment<br />
coz they could just add 200 to their<br />
kitty and no one would know or care.<br />
Good job spicejet.<br />
Robin Varghese Panicker<br />
SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
20 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
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SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
INNOVATIONS FOR<br />
COMFORT<br />
& CONVENIENCE<br />
AT SPICEJET, we believe that customer experience can always be improved upon. In<br />
keeping with this philosophy, we are constantly looking for ways to make travel not<br />
just a hassle-free experience, but also one that passengers will remember.<br />
Our latest slew of innovations reflects this: a product that rewards travellers who travel<br />
only with hand baggage; another that makes life easier for those who carry heavy<br />
baggage, but not heavy enough to be checked-in; yet another that offers a bigger<br />
choice of meals on board; products to please those who are always on the lookout for<br />
extra legroom, and those who are particular about where they sit on a flight; a prepaid<br />
card that allows passengers to make cashless transactions; an add-on service that<br />
allows the flexibility of cancelling or changing ticket(s) to suit your travel plan; and<br />
finally a product that aims at greater customer ease in case of flight disruptions. No<br />
surprise then that we are the country’s favourite budget airline.<br />
22 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
1<strong>Spice</strong>Max<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet’s <strong>Spice</strong>Max provides more comfort and convenience. With extra<br />
legroom and greater personal space, passengers can travel with ease.<br />
Apart from significantly extra legroom on board, fliers can also enjoy other<br />
added ancillary products such as priority check-in, complimentary meal<br />
and beverage, priority baggage handling and priority boarding (aerobridge<br />
gates) at dedicated <strong>Spice</strong>Max counters at the airport for a modest add-on fee<br />
per sector. The ease with which fliers can opt for this product enhances the<br />
experience. When booking a connecting flight with a stop-over, passengers can<br />
purchase <strong>Spice</strong>Max seats separately for the two flights.<br />
2<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Club<br />
This prepaid card allows<br />
passengers to make cashless<br />
transactions. With the<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Club card they can<br />
purchase meals, merchandise and addon<br />
services. Every recharge entitles the<br />
card holder to get additional credits,<br />
which convert to currency on the card.<br />
By paying just `599, a passenger can<br />
enjoy a host of exclusive benefits worth<br />
up to `5,999. The introductory benefits<br />
are two free vouchers worth `599 that<br />
can be used for domestic flight bookings;<br />
a free air ticket on the member's<br />
birthday; free priority check-in; preferred<br />
communication for any <strong>Spice</strong>Jet Promo<br />
Sale; and more.<br />
3<br />
Hot Meals<br />
With a brand new menu<br />
flagged off on all <strong>Spice</strong>Jet<br />
flights, passengers now have<br />
a wider variety of meals to<br />
opt for. Those flying Boeings are spoilt<br />
for choice. There are four options for<br />
breakfast. All day meals (which includes<br />
snacks, lunch and dinner) is spread<br />
across eight menus. Seven Chef’s<br />
Choice menus and two kinds of<br />
Platters are available<br />
24 x 7. Passengers taking<br />
Q 400 flights can now<br />
choose from eight different<br />
types of sandwiches. These<br />
are available only through<br />
pre-booking. There is a<br />
great variety on offer –<br />
from Vermicilli Croquette, Saute Brocoli<br />
and Chicken Stroganoff to Angara Paneer<br />
Tikka Sub Roll. New additions include<br />
a gluten-free meal, which can only be<br />
pre-booked. Passengers also have the<br />
option of pre-booking a menu with Thai,<br />
Continental and Indian options as well<br />
as Indian Platters. With the expanded<br />
online menu selection, customers<br />
who pre-book their meal will enjoy<br />
discounted rates compared to<br />
onboard prices. Passengers can also<br />
continue to wish their loved ones<br />
on birthdays and anniversaries<br />
mid-air by pre-booking cakes<br />
on select flights. A takeaway<br />
Kids’ Meal bag, shaped like<br />
an airplane, is available on<br />
pre-booking.<br />
4<br />
My Flexi Plan<br />
Planning a trip will<br />
be easier than ever<br />
with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet’s new<br />
innovative add-on<br />
service, My Flexi Plan. Passengers<br />
can now enjoy the flexibility of<br />
cancelling or changing the ticket(s)<br />
to suit their travel plan. If they are<br />
certain about travel but not about<br />
the dates, then they can book a ticket<br />
by opting for this service. Customers<br />
can opt for this add-on at the time of<br />
booking by paying a nominal fee of<br />
`1,125 for domestic travel ticket and<br />
`1,250 for international travel ticket.<br />
The service will be applicable only<br />
for one change or one cancellation<br />
per ticket.<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 23
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
5<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Flex<br />
The next time you book a<br />
flight on <strong>Spice</strong>Jet, opt for<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Flex, a uniquely crafted<br />
bundled fare that offers<br />
passengers immense benefits such as<br />
preferred seat choice at no additional<br />
charge and change fee waiver. Enjoy<br />
these benefits at a marginal premium<br />
only. Considered an ideal option<br />
for frequent travellers and business<br />
executives, these fares are valid on all<br />
direct, via and onward flights. Customers<br />
can book <strong>Spice</strong>Flex only on www.<br />
spicejet.com, and via travel agents.<br />
PRE-BOOK NOW!<br />
Pre-book your meals to make your journey<br />
with us a more comfortable experience.<br />
You can enjoy exceptional discounted rates,<br />
with meals starting at<br />
`180 to full-fledged<br />
meals at `275. The<br />
onboard hot meal<br />
prices have been<br />
reduced from<br />
`350 to `300. So,<br />
pre-booking your meal<br />
makes purchasing food and<br />
beverages onboard an entirely cashless<br />
affair. You can pre-book your meals at<br />
the time of booking your flight, or add<br />
later through ‘Manage My Booking’ on the<br />
website, www.spicejet.com. Pre-book meals<br />
through the <strong>Spice</strong>Jet mobile app, and you<br />
can even get 50 per cent off on meals.<br />
6<br />
Fly For Sure<br />
Fly For Sure has been launched for greater<br />
customer ease in case of flight disruptions. It allows<br />
a passenger booked on <strong>Spice</strong>Jet a guarantee of<br />
flying in the next 24 hours in case of a flight delay<br />
beyond 90 minutes, missing a flight not exceeding 30 minutes<br />
from airport check-in closure of the original flight or a flight<br />
cancellation by the airline. With Fly For Sure the passenger<br />
gets to fly, in spite of the above unforeseen circumstances. It is<br />
available at `299 while booking for the flight and <strong>Spice</strong>Jet will<br />
reimburse the passengers for an alternate flight ticket (not<br />
exceeding double the price of the original ticket or the cost<br />
of second ticket, whichever is lower) on the airline of their<br />
choice in the same sector within 24 hours of the original<br />
scheduled booking with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet.<br />
7<br />
Carry More On Board<br />
Making air travel even more<br />
convenient, <strong>Spice</strong>Jet’s ‘Carry More<br />
On Board’ is a service for travellers<br />
with heavier cabin baggage. It<br />
is targeted at passengers who carry cabin<br />
baggage heavier than 7 kg, and do not want<br />
to check-in. Fliers can carry bags weighing up<br />
to 5 kg extra, a maximum of 12 kg on board,<br />
while paying a nominal fee for each kg above<br />
7 kg. Bags can be heavier, but not larger, and<br />
the standard free baggage allowances remain<br />
as before. Customers can opt for this product<br />
during airport check-in and at airport ticket<br />
counters.<br />
8<br />
Hand Baggage Only<br />
This is another unique product that offers a discount to those<br />
passengers who carry only hand baggage. Available on<br />
most direct domestic flights, this fare has a minimum 15-day<br />
advance purchase period, and no free check-in baggage<br />
allowance is permissible. Bookings for this can be made on www.spicejet.<br />
com, at airport ticket offices, and through select online travel portals.<br />
Passengers should keep in mind that hand baggage allowance does not<br />
change. Those who book these fares, but decide to check in luggage later,<br />
will have to pay more.<br />
24 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
SPICEVACATIONS.COM<br />
TRAVEL WITH EASE AND FLEXIBILITY<br />
PLAN YOUR HOLIDAYS WITH SPICEJET’S UNIQUE INITIATIVE<br />
SPICEVACATIONS.COM, A PLETHORA OF END-TO-END TRAVEL SOLUTIONS, MAKING YOUR<br />
TRAVELS NOT JUST CONVENIENT, BUT ALSO RED. HOT. SPICY<br />
Customers need<br />
to simply decide<br />
on the theme of<br />
their vacation<br />
SPICEVACATIONS.COM is a one-stop<br />
shop for customised travel packages,<br />
offering services beyond the ordinary.<br />
Take your pick from a vast network<br />
of domestic and international holiday<br />
destinations, and book your flights with<br />
the right bundle of services to ensure an<br />
effortless journey. Carefully hand-picked<br />
hotels, quick car rentals, and travel<br />
packages created in association with<br />
local holiday experts – you have much<br />
to benefit from <strong>Spice</strong>Vacations.com.<br />
With <strong>Spice</strong>Vacations.com,<br />
customers can make changes in<br />
their itinerary online, at every step of<br />
the trip. For instance, if a customer<br />
wants to opt for a bigger car even if<br />
the package entails a smaller one, he<br />
can do so, and with ease. Customers<br />
need to simply decide on the theme<br />
of their vacation, such as pilgrimage,<br />
honeymoon, heritage, wildlife, beach or<br />
hills, and the platform throws up a wide<br />
variety of deals in terms of location,<br />
hotel arrangements, local sightseeing<br />
tours and car rentals, among others.<br />
A separate online domain, this<br />
product adds to the customer’s<br />
convenience and also acts as an<br />
information buddy. In the second phase<br />
of operations, travel experts will share<br />
their experiences, comments, blogs, etc.,<br />
that can help customers plan their next<br />
trip. Reviews from fellow travellers will<br />
also help customers plan their vacations<br />
in the right manner.<br />
With this unique initiative by<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet, customers have the flexibility<br />
of booking a package at a minimal<br />
amount and can pay the rest later<br />
through various EMI options that are<br />
made available to them along with other<br />
regular options on offer.<br />
As the website is powered by<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet, every customer can enjoy<br />
great flight and hotel deals. All these<br />
culminate in smart, convenient and<br />
detailed travel packages. In keeping<br />
with the times, the new product will also<br />
be connected with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet’s mobile<br />
app but this will be done at a later<br />
stage.<br />
So, travel the world with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet’s<br />
enviable travel packages and experience<br />
the perfect holiday.<br />
SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
26 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
OPENING SHOT ||||| THE ARTS<br />
ODISHA’S MOST<br />
FAMOUS SON IS<br />
A SAND ARTIST<br />
FROM PURI<br />
OTHERS BUILD CASTLES in the sand for fun. Sudarsan Pattnaik, 39, has opted for<br />
sand art to showcase social concerns. In the process, he has become the RK<br />
Laxman of Sand Art and Odisha’s most famous face worldwide. The Puri-based<br />
Padamshree recipient and holder of 21 Limca Records is a social influencer with a<br />
star-like following in social media. The fan mails – “no less than 50 every day<br />
which I receive through Twitter, SMS and e-mail” – suggest topics for him to work<br />
on. In the last 21 years, he has created sand sculptures on terrorism, environmental<br />
<strong>issue</strong>s, women empowerment, world peace and religious equality. More recently,<br />
his works on the Syrian child washed ashore and Irom Sharmila ending her<br />
16-year-old fast stood out for their creativity and impact. Pattnaik, who started the<br />
Golden Sand Art Institute at Puri beach in 1994, says, “Appreciation and<br />
involvement of people are the two things that an artist strives on, and for me it’s my<br />
living fuel.”<br />
- Madhulika Dash<br />
28 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
OPENING SHOT ||||| NATURAL WORLD<br />
NO MORE WAITING<br />
FOR THE BUTTERFLY<br />
MAN’S NEW BOOK<br />
HE IS A PHOTOGRAPHER, AUTHOR,<br />
naturalist and teacher. But Isaac<br />
Kehimkar is best known as India’s<br />
Butterfly Man. A living legend on the<br />
subject, his best-selling book The Book of<br />
Indian Butterflies was published in 2008<br />
and featured 635 species. On September<br />
30, the second book, Butterflies of India,<br />
will be released, covering 1,000 of the<br />
1,318 species found in India. Kehimkar<br />
had started his lifelong affair with the<br />
natural world by volunteering in 1979 at<br />
the Bombay Natural History Society<br />
(BNHS), where he is now the Deputy<br />
Director. The soft-spoken, self-effacing<br />
naturalist on how and when he got the<br />
Butterfly Man of India epithet: “Really I<br />
do not know when people started calling<br />
me with that title, but yes after the<br />
publication of my first book, I started<br />
getting fan mail and lots of queries from<br />
butterfly photographers and students<br />
wanting to study butterflies.”<br />
Clockwise from top left: Isaac Kehimkar on<br />
a field trip with butterfly enthusiasts;<br />
Crimson Rose; Orange Oakleaf; Chocolate<br />
Albatross; and Black Rajah<br />
30 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
OPENING SHOT ||||| HERITAGE<br />
KUDOS FOR TIMELY PROTECTION OF<br />
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet flies to Pune, 136 km away. Log<br />
on to www.spicejet.com for details<br />
THE KAAS PLATEAU, located 25 km from Satara in Maharashtra, is a beautiful<br />
biodiversity spot whose wide range of wild flowers had started attracting nature<br />
lovers over the last few years. But the trickle had changed into hordes in recent<br />
times. Last year, on some days, there were as many as 12,000 visitors.<br />
Unregulated tourism had seen many pitfalls leading to habitat destruction at the<br />
UNESCO World Heritage site. People were driving their vehicles right into the<br />
middle of the flowering area. Many of them were rampantly plucking flowers to<br />
carry back with them. The Satara Forest Division has now stepped in to protect<br />
the fragile ecosystem of the area. Tourists, each paying Rs 50, will now only be<br />
allowed in batches of 750 tourists in each of four daily slots. Every slot will extend<br />
to three hours. Bookings can be done on the Forest Division’s website. Here is one<br />
move of the bureaucracy which everyone is appreciating.<br />
32 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
OPENING SHOT ||||| DESTINATIONS<br />
SUMMIT SHOPPING<br />
IN THE GRAND<br />
CANYON OF OMAN<br />
THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE IN OMAN, head<br />
to Jebel Shams (Mountain of Sun), which,<br />
at 3,048 metres, is the highest point in the<br />
sultanate. In the upper stretch of the<br />
mountain is an area called the Grand<br />
Canyon of Oman. It offers stunning views<br />
of tiny villages, gorges, a large natural<br />
water pool and ravines. At the summit, you<br />
can catch your breath by indulging in a<br />
little bit of shopping at little stalls set up by<br />
children from the villages - they will<br />
sweetly sell you homemade handicrafts<br />
like slippers, key rings and rugs.<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet flies to Muscat, 240 km away. Log<br />
on to www.spicejet.com for more details<br />
34 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
OPENING SHOT ||||| COSUMERISM<br />
INDIA’S<br />
LARGEST MALL<br />
NOW HAS<br />
COMPANY<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet flies to Kochi. Log on to www.<br />
spicejet.com for details<br />
IF SHOPPING IS THE NEW<br />
RELIGION, massive malls are its<br />
cathedrals. And in India, the title<br />
for the largest among them all (in<br />
terms of gross leasable area) goes<br />
to Lulu Shopping Mall in the heart<br />
of Kochi, Kerala. Covering a<br />
staggering 17 lakh sq ft across five<br />
floors, it boasts of a nine screen<br />
multiplex, party halls, more than<br />
350 shops, game arcades and 18<br />
multi-cuisine kitchens that can<br />
cater to 4,500 shopaholics in one<br />
sitting. More is on the way. Buoyed<br />
by the success of the Kochi<br />
property, a sister mall is being<br />
planned over 19 acres in Akkulam.<br />
It will be the second largest mall in<br />
the country, will entail an<br />
investment of Rs 2000 crore and<br />
will also have a hotel and<br />
convention centre.<br />
36 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
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OPENING SHOT ||||| OFFBEAT<br />
THE COLOURFUL<br />
HOUSES OF OLD MANALI<br />
JUST 3 KM AWAY FROM MANALI, the popular holiday destination in Himachal<br />
Pradesh, is Old Manali, famous for its orchards. In fact, it was here that the British<br />
first introduced apples, the growth of which later spread all across the region. Old<br />
Manali is also known for its charming bylanes, Manaligarh Fort, innovative cafes,<br />
cherries being sold in paper cups, a temple dedicated to Sage Manu and affordable<br />
guest houses. Lost in all these attractions sometimes is the unique colourful look of<br />
the abodes here. The multi-hue exteriors give a cheerful disposition to the place,<br />
matching the nature of the locals.<br />
38 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
OPENING SHOT ||||| STRUCTURES<br />
THE ARCHITECTURAL<br />
WONDER THAT IS<br />
THE GOPURAM<br />
THERE ARE TEMPLES. And then there are<br />
temples with gopurams. Gigantic towers at<br />
the entrances of temples in south India, the<br />
richly ornate gopurams are sights to behold.<br />
Some of them overshadow the temples inside<br />
and go back to the 12th century, beginning<br />
with the advent of the Pallava dynasty in<br />
what is now Tamil Nadu. Humans, divine<br />
beings, mythical animals – you will find all<br />
these and more carved on the gopurams.<br />
Each region has its own style of the<br />
structures but there is one commonality:<br />
they all follow a theme derived from Hindiu<br />
mythology. The theme is usually associated<br />
with the deity of the temple inside the<br />
complex. Here are four gopurams that we<br />
liked in the southern states.<br />
Clockwise from top:<br />
Attractive gopurams<br />
in Andhra Pradesh<br />
(Shri Venkateshvara<br />
temple); Tamil Nadu<br />
(Manargudi temple);<br />
Kerala (Vishnu<br />
temple in Kochi);<br />
and Karnataka<br />
(Virupaksha temple)<br />
40 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
MELANGE ||||| HAPPENINGS<br />
HOT DATES<br />
EVENTS // MUSIC // THEATRE // ART<br />
music<br />
BOOM 0.1 FEATURING<br />
BADSHAH AND<br />
AASTHA GILL<br />
Rapper Badshah will<br />
perform his super-hits<br />
such as ‘Kar Gayi Chull’,<br />
‘Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui<br />
Hai’ and others.<br />
When: September<br />
18, <strong>2016</strong><br />
Where: Guwahati<br />
poetry<br />
AN ODE TO THE BARD<br />
OF BENGAL<br />
Rabindranath Tagore’s poems<br />
are perhaps the best portrayal<br />
of Indian rural life and femininity.<br />
Among his fifty and odd<br />
volumes of poetry are Manasi,<br />
Sonar Tari, Gitanjali, Balaka,<br />
The Gardener and The Crescent<br />
Moon. In this event, Gulzar will<br />
present his Hindi translations of<br />
selected works of Tagore along<br />
with a commentary in English,<br />
while Jaya Bachchan will preface<br />
the Hindi translations with the<br />
original Bangla version.<br />
When: September 1, <strong>2016</strong><br />
Where: NCPA Mumbai<br />
comedy<br />
OBSESSIVE COMEDIC DISORDER<br />
Stand-up comic Sapan Verma talks about the<br />
education system, dealing with parents, house-hunting<br />
in India and several other irritating things that every<br />
’90s kid will relate to.<br />
When: September 10, <strong>2016</strong><br />
Where: Gurgaon<br />
44 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
MELANGE ||||| HAPPENINGS<br />
music<br />
RAHUL AND ROHIT MISHRA<br />
Since 2007, Rahul and Rohit Mishra have been under the tutelage of<br />
Girija Devi and have become professionally trained in khayal, thumri,<br />
tappa, dadra, chaiti, kajri, hori and bhajan.<br />
When: September 23, <strong>2016</strong><br />
Where: NCPA Mumbai<br />
comedy<br />
COMEDY VISARJAN II<br />
Witness one of the biggest nights of comedy in Kolkata.<br />
Comedy Visarjan II features TV artistes Sunil Grover, Ali<br />
Asgar, Kiku Sharda and Chandan Prabhakar perform<br />
together, and YouTube sensations Kanan Gill, Abish<br />
Mathews, Kenny Sebastian, Kaneez Surka and Zakir Khan.<br />
When: September 25, <strong>2016</strong><br />
Where: Kolkata<br />
dance<br />
VAMATARA – TO THE<br />
LIGHT<br />
This is the latest<br />
production of dancerchoreographer<br />
Malavika<br />
Sarukkai and includes<br />
both solo and group<br />
choreography. The concept<br />
of Vamatara is inspired by<br />
the enduring image of the<br />
lotus in Indian thought and<br />
philosophy, rising upwards<br />
from the sludge to the<br />
light as a symbol of eternal<br />
hope.<br />
When: September 2, <strong>2016</strong><br />
Where: Bengaluru<br />
46 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
MELANGE ||||| HAPPENINGS<br />
SEPTEMBER<br />
L<br />
ISTINGS<br />
1<br />
What: The Prestige (Mind<br />
Reading and Magic Show)<br />
When: From 4.00 pm<br />
Where: Lamakaan,<br />
Hyderabad<br />
2-4<br />
What: Sahaj<br />
Parav (Music<br />
Festival)<br />
When: From<br />
4.00 pm<br />
Where: Nazrul<br />
Mancha,<br />
Kolkata<br />
3<br />
What: Aadar Malik Live (Stand-up<br />
Comedy)<br />
When: From 7.00 pm<br />
Where: NCPA Mumbai<br />
4<br />
What: Classical Duet Festival<br />
(Dance Performances)<br />
When: From 4.30 pm<br />
Where: Uttam Mancha,<br />
Kolkata<br />
7What: India<br />
9<br />
Summit <strong>2016</strong><br />
(Full-day<br />
Symposium)<br />
When: From 8.00<br />
am to 5.00 pm<br />
Where: Taj Palace<br />
Hotel, New Delhi<br />
10<br />
What: Rukmini Vijayakumar<br />
(Bharatanatyam Performance)<br />
When: From 8.00 pm<br />
Where: Jagriti Theatre, Bengaluru<br />
What: Sharik Hasan (Jazz Concert)<br />
When: From 7.00 pm<br />
Where: Alliance Francaise,<br />
Bengaluru<br />
What:<br />
Orthodoxically<br />
Me by Praveen<br />
Kumar (Stand-up<br />
Comedy)<br />
When: From 7.30<br />
pm<br />
Where: Alliance<br />
Francaise, Chennai<br />
10 &<br />
11<br />
What: Bakra Eid<br />
Where: Across<br />
India<br />
13<br />
What: Roald Dahl<br />
Centenary Tribute<br />
When: From<br />
7.00 pm<br />
Where: NCPA<br />
Mumbai<br />
15<br />
What: Ganesh<br />
Visarjan<br />
Where: Across<br />
India<br />
16<br />
What: Pink<br />
(Hindi Film)<br />
Where:<br />
Across India<br />
17<br />
What: India Today What:<br />
Youth Summit<br />
When: From 10.00 am<br />
Where: Jawaharlal<br />
Nehru Stadium, Delhi<br />
21<br />
23<br />
28<br />
Ziro Rush <strong>2016</strong><br />
(Music Festival)<br />
When: From 10.00 am<br />
Where: Biiri Village,<br />
Arunachal Pradesh<br />
What: Born to Love –<br />
Life Story of Cupid by<br />
Sandip Soparrkar<br />
When: From 7.00 pm<br />
Where: NCPA Mumbai<br />
What: M.S.<br />
Dhoni: The<br />
Untold Story<br />
(Hindi Film)<br />
Where: Across<br />
India<br />
48 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
T: +91 96861 94777<br />
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BENGALURU | MYSORE | HYDERABAD | CHENNAI | MUMBAI
MELANGE ||||| INFORMATION<br />
WHAT'S NEW<br />
TAXIS IN DUBAI PROMOTE<br />
KERALA TOURISM •<br />
With the onset of the tourism season<br />
in the Middle East, Kerala Tourism has<br />
rolled out a promotional campaign in<br />
Dubai targeting Arab travellers and<br />
showcasing the state’s backwaters<br />
and waterfalls on taxis plying in the<br />
bustling metropolis. Two hundred<br />
Kerala-branded taxis ferry the<br />
message of ‘A Faraway Land Four<br />
Hours Away’– with eye-catching<br />
visuals. The Middle East outbound<br />
tourist market is the world’s fastestgrowing<br />
segment with a 9% rise<br />
in 2015.<br />
TWO STATES CREATE ‘SELFIE DANGER ZONES’<br />
AT TOURIST SITES <br />
The Ministry of Tourism has <strong>issue</strong>d a directive to state<br />
governments “to prevent any untoward incident” by setting<br />
up ‘selfie danger zones’ at tourism sites, and the governments<br />
of Karnataka and Maharashtra have already complied. Many of<br />
India’s selfie-related accidents have involved young people being<br />
reckless close to waterfalls, cliffs and trains, while attempting to<br />
take the perfect photo.<br />
PUNE EMERGES AS MOST BUDGET-FRIENDLY<br />
INDIAN DESTINATION <br />
TripAdvisor announced the sixth edition of its annual<br />
TripIndex Cities, which compares the cost of a three-night<br />
break inclusive of a four-star hotel, a visit to three attractions,<br />
lunch, dinner and taxi fares. Among 27 cities, Pune was<br />
adjudged the lowest cost destination at ` 26,595, while<br />
Mumbai the most at ` 38,444.<br />
SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
50 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
MELANGE ||||| INFORMATION<br />
RUSSIANS TOP LIST OF<br />
FOREIGN TOURISTS IN<br />
GOA •<br />
According to tourism ministry statistics,<br />
106,754 Russian tourists visited Goa from<br />
October 2015 to May <strong>2016</strong> this year. The<br />
United Kingdom ranked second with<br />
34,549 tourists, followed by Ukraine. In<br />
all, 1.58 lakh foreign tourists arrived in<br />
Goa on short-term visits.<br />
CHANDIGARH AIRPORT<br />
BECOMES LATEST<br />
HUB TO EMBRACE<br />
RENEWABLE ENERGY <br />
The 25-year project, which is<br />
being undertaken in partnership<br />
with ReNew Power, will see the<br />
development of five megawatt<br />
solar power installation at the<br />
airport. Once completed, the<br />
plant will be able to generate<br />
8.4 million units of power per<br />
year and offset more than 8,000<br />
tonnes of carbon emissions<br />
annually. The airport said that the<br />
power plant will reduce its energy<br />
costs by approximately 20%.<br />
DELHI AIRPORT ENABLES FASTER CHECK-IN <br />
Passengers at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) can now access<br />
faster check-in, due to the implementation of Rockwell Collins’s new Arinc vMuse<br />
mobile passenger processing solution. IGI is the first airport to implement Arinc<br />
vMuse, facilitating airlines and ground handling agents to utilise a tablet-based<br />
application to check-in passengers from anywhere in an airport. In addition to<br />
Arinc vMuse mobile, the airport has deployed Arinc vMuse, Arinc SelfServ Kiosks,<br />
Arinc VeriPax Passenger Reconciliation System and Arinc BagLink for baggage<br />
messaging to facilitate passenger processing and reduce congestion.<br />
SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
52 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
COVER STORY ||||| TRAVEL<br />
54 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
GREAT<br />
MONSOON<br />
DESTINATIONS<br />
WITH THE RAINS HAVING WELL AND<br />
TRULY SET IN ACROSS MOST OF<br />
INDIA, HERE’S WALKING YOU<br />
THROUGH A CLUTCH OF PLACES<br />
WHERE YOU CAN ENJOY THE WET<br />
SEASON IN THE PEAK OF ITS GLORY<br />
Most parts of<br />
India, dusty<br />
and hot for<br />
many of the<br />
months,<br />
come alive<br />
during the monsoons. Some are suddenly<br />
adorned with lush greenery, others are<br />
speckled with gushing waterfalls, still<br />
others wear colourful cloaks of wild<br />
flowers. Discerning travellers eschew<br />
the summer months when crowds are<br />
swarming all over the place and hotel<br />
rates are sky high. Instead, they opt for<br />
the cooler and greener monsoon months<br />
which also offers the bonus of more<br />
economical holiday packages. We run<br />
you through some wonderful<br />
destinations where you can enjoy the<br />
monsoon in its full glory.<br />
MUNNAR<br />
KOCHI<br />
Rolling hills and emerald green tea<br />
plantations make for a picture postcard<br />
setting, and with the onset of monsoon,<br />
the gathering clouds lend a surreal feel to<br />
the breathtaking scenery. Raindrenched<br />
Munnar (eastern Kerala) has a<br />
freshness about it that is lacking at other<br />
times of the year. The clouds hang low or<br />
gently sweep across, alternately masking<br />
everything in a translucent curtain and<br />
clearing up to reveal stunning vistas.<br />
The region is shrouded in mystery,<br />
thanks to the mist left behind. The best<br />
way to spend time is to soak in the<br />
atmosphere, take long walks along<br />
deserted roads or inside plantations, and<br />
become part of the romance that<br />
Munnar exudes.<br />
(Distance from airport: 130 km)<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 55
COVER STORY ||||| TRAVEL<br />
ANDAMAN ISLANDS<br />
PORT BLAIR<br />
Miles from the country’s coast and in<br />
the middle of the Bay of Bengal lie the<br />
Andaman Islands: exotic, unspoiled,<br />
and offering a significant slice of history.<br />
Perhaps the only place in India with such<br />
marine diversity, the rains bring many<br />
of the water-based activities here to a<br />
grinding halt but the sea and coast<br />
continue to exert a magnetic pull.<br />
You can either stay put in Port Blair,<br />
or if the weather permits, head out to<br />
one of the islands, especially Havelock,<br />
which is less crowded and has beautiful<br />
beaches and coves where you can watch<br />
the waters - bright blue one minute,<br />
angry grey the next… A dip in the sea<br />
may seem scary but it is an altogether<br />
different experience lying on the beach<br />
and watching the waves lash against<br />
the rocks with a thunderous roar. This<br />
is not for everyone but comes highly<br />
recommended for those who love<br />
the monsoon.<br />
(Distance from airport: 69 km)<br />
SHILLONG<br />
GUWAHATI<br />
The rain gods are particularly bountiful when it<br />
comes to the north-eastern state of Meghalaya,<br />
whose very name translates as megh (cloud)<br />
and alaya (home) i.e. home of the clouds. The<br />
state’s capital, Shillong, sees average to heavy<br />
rainfall during the monsoon months, with light<br />
drizzles often morphing into torrential rain.<br />
You can go boating on the massive Barapani<br />
Lake or Umiam River or head to Nehru Park<br />
nearby, where you can see a wide variety of flora<br />
and fauna. If you’re an adrenaline junkie, the<br />
rapids at the base of the Elephant Falls are just<br />
the place for you. A trek to Shillong Peak,<br />
located at an altitude of 1,965 metre, proves<br />
just why Shillong earned the epithet, “Scotland<br />
of the East”. The gushing waterfalls, lush<br />
green vegetation and orchids in a riot of colours<br />
are sure to blow you away.<br />
(Distance from airport: 120 km)<br />
56 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
COVER STORY ||||| TRAVEL<br />
GOA<br />
GOA<br />
It’s a given that Goa is where you can<br />
enjoy sun, sand and surf throughout the<br />
year. However, from June through<br />
October, rains bring an added flourish to<br />
the natural bounty of this state. Soaked<br />
beaches, verdant environs, swollen<br />
waterfalls plus all the offseason<br />
financial benefits make it worth your<br />
while to visit Goa during the monsoon.<br />
You can visit the iconic Dudhsagar<br />
Falls which are in their full glory. Else,<br />
this is also the time when Goans<br />
celebrate a plethora of festivals. Sao<br />
Joao, the fertility feast of Saint John the<br />
Baptist, sees men jumping into<br />
overflowing wells to retrieve bottles of<br />
feni, the local alcohol. Also, the feast of<br />
Saint Peter and Saint Paul has people<br />
sailing up the river on rafts that double<br />
as stage for performances. Then there is<br />
the Bonderam fest, replete with<br />
colourful flags and parades. As in<br />
neighbouring Maharashtra, Goa too<br />
celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi.<br />
SHANTINIKETAN<br />
KOLKATA<br />
In 1862, Rabindranath Tagore's father<br />
Maharshi Debendranath had build a<br />
small house and called it<br />
Shantiniketan (Abode of<br />
peace). Thirty nine years<br />
later, Rabindranath started a<br />
school there that was modeled on<br />
the lines of the ancient gurukul<br />
system. It would later grow into a<br />
university called Visva Bharati.<br />
Shantiniketan is a year-round<br />
tourist destination but becomes all<br />
the more attractive during the<br />
monsoons with vistitors attracted to<br />
the campus’ wonderful sculptures,<br />
frescoes, murals, and cultural events<br />
including Varsha Mangal<br />
(photo on right).<br />
(Distance from airport: 164 km)<br />
58 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
COVER STORY ||||| TRAVEL<br />
JOG FALLS<br />
MANGALORE<br />
The Sharavathi River splits<br />
downstream from the Linganamakki<br />
Dam and plunges 830 feet to form four<br />
distinct falls i.e. Raja, Rani, Roarer and<br />
Rocket that are together called Jog<br />
Falls. Situated in the Shimoga district<br />
of Karnataka, the spectacular falls are<br />
certainly the state’s pride. While they<br />
are visible almost throughout the year,<br />
it is during the monsoon that they are at<br />
their gushing best.<br />
You can sit on one of the benches<br />
and gaze at the waterfalls, which,<br />
framed by thick green jungle, make for<br />
a stunning sight. It’s even possible to<br />
catch a brilliant rainbow on a sunny<br />
day. When the falls plummet into the<br />
valley below, they form an<br />
impenetrable screen of milky white.<br />
When clouds cloak the falls from view,<br />
it’s magical to hear the roaring water.<br />
Within minutes, they clear out and<br />
reveal priceless views…<br />
(Distance from airport: 216 km)<br />
KODAIKANAL<br />
MADURAI<br />
Known as the Princess of hill stations,<br />
Kodaikanal is Tamil for ‘gift of the forest’. Not<br />
only does the hill town retain an idyllic charm<br />
during the rains, the hills turn a deep green and<br />
the place is transformed into a kaleidoscope of<br />
colours. You can pick from a number of sights<br />
including Kodai Lake, Coaker’s Walk, Golf<br />
Course, Bryant Park, Pine Forest, Dolphin Nose<br />
and Pillar Rocks. You can go for treks or simply<br />
walk down to Kodai Lake while soaking in the<br />
beauty of pink cherry blossoms that lend a<br />
distinct character to Kodaikanal at this time of<br />
the year. Cycling around the lake is another fun<br />
activity and cycles of all sizes are up for hire.<br />
Children can enjoy horse rides here. Enjoy the<br />
omnipresent cascades of the season while<br />
eating at small cafes that serve simple yet<br />
delectable fare mostly fresh out of the oven.<br />
(Distance from airport: 117 km)<br />
60 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
COVER STORY ||||| TRAVEL<br />
LADAKH<br />
SRINAGAR<br />
Ladakh lies in the rain-shadow region<br />
of the Himalayas and experiences<br />
very little rain, but it is precisely for<br />
this reason that you should travel to<br />
this arid yet stunning region during<br />
the monsoon. In fact, May-end to<br />
September is the best time to visit<br />
Ladakh when whatever little rain is<br />
experienced in short, heavy bursts<br />
and the skies remain a clear, pristine<br />
blue rest of the time.<br />
If adventure is what you seek,<br />
white-water rafting on the Indus and<br />
Zanskar rivers is just right for you.<br />
Opt for popular trails such as the<br />
Phey-Nimo route, Kharu-Spituk<br />
route and Upshi-Kharu route for<br />
spectacular mountain views. Ladakh<br />
also offers a large dose of culture,<br />
with its colourful festivals and<br />
gompas that display a unique blend of<br />
Indian, Tibetan and Chinese-<br />
Buddhist cultures.<br />
(Distance from airport: 430 km)<br />
COORG<br />
MANGALORE<br />
Sometimes called the Scotland of India,<br />
Coorg is a visual treat during the monsoon.<br />
Located in the Western Ghats in Karnataka,<br />
it is well-known for its coffee plantations.<br />
Home to Tadiandamol, the third tallest peak<br />
in Karnataka, Coorg’s rugged terrain makes<br />
for an ideal getaway, especially during the<br />
rains.<br />
Behold the cascading Abbey Falls that<br />
are in full steam at this time of the year.<br />
Another must-see is Talacauvery, the<br />
birth-place of the revered Cauvery River.<br />
Seated at an elevation, Talacauvery is almost<br />
always enveloped by fog and makes for<br />
breathtaking views during the rainy season.<br />
Likewise, Madikeri’s Raja Seat offers<br />
stunning views of the valley drenched in<br />
colours of the monsoon.<br />
(Distance from airport: 150 km)<br />
(BY ANITA RAO-KASHI, BINDU GOPAL RAO AND AARTI KAPUR SINGH)<br />
62 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
TRAVEL ||||| STAYS<br />
7 GREAT JUNGLE<br />
LODGES IN<br />
SOUTH INDIA<br />
LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF<br />
HOLIDAY? HEAD TO THESE<br />
PIONEERING RESORTS DOWN SOUTH<br />
LOCATED IN FORESTS IN THE MIDDLE<br />
OF NOWHERE<br />
BY: AARTI KAPUR SINGH<br />
We may not be<br />
able to lord over<br />
the jungle like<br />
author Edgar<br />
Rice Burroughs’<br />
fictional wild man, Tarzan, but we could<br />
certainly head to one for some muchneeded<br />
respite from the madness of our<br />
concrete jungle.<br />
There are numerous wildlife<br />
sanctuaries across the country. Usually,<br />
each one of them is known for being<br />
home to a particular species. The<br />
sanctuaries are also distinguished by the<br />
best months to visit them. However, you<br />
can stay only on their fringes.<br />
But unknown to many, there are<br />
some in the southern states that lend<br />
themselves beautifully to the idea of<br />
staying in a forest in the middle of<br />
nowhere and marvelling at the abundant<br />
flora and fauna, some of which is<br />
indigenous to the region. <strong>Spice</strong> Route<br />
takes you on a safari of seven best jungle<br />
lodges south of the Vindhyas.<br />
TUSKER TRAILS<br />
BANDIPUR, KARNATAKA<br />
Bandipur National Park was once the<br />
private game reserve of the Maharajas of<br />
Mysore; today, Tusker Trails lets you get<br />
up, close and personal with it. Pick from<br />
the six cottages with double bedrooms<br />
and attached bath that offer a rustic<br />
charm or the three with lavish interiors,<br />
a lounge and private balcony. You can<br />
treat yourself to picnics, outdoor sports,<br />
open-air meals and swimming. In case<br />
you are looking to get off the grid, this<br />
jungle resort promises you the chance to<br />
be one with nature. Sit by the water’s<br />
edge at Mangala Reservoir or enjoy the<br />
many walking trails. Else, enjoy some<br />
“me time” at their spa.<br />
Location: Bandipur National<br />
Park, Karnataka<br />
Best time to visit: March to October<br />
Website: http://www.<br />
bandipurnationalpark.in/wildflowertusker-trails.html<br />
Contact: +91-80-23618024<br />
64 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
TRAVEL ||||| STAYS<br />
RIVER TERN LODGE<br />
BHADRA TIGER RESERVE, KARNATAKA<br />
Nestled in the Western Ghats, River Tern Lodge derives<br />
its name from a nearby island to which hundreds of River<br />
Terns flock during the breeding season. Sitting on a<br />
hillock near Lakkavali in Chikmagalur district, the lodge<br />
is a stone’s throw away (4km) from the northern<br />
boundary of Bhadra Tiger Reserve. Enjoy the soft ripples<br />
of the River Bhadra or take off on a jeep safari in the<br />
evenings when you can sight leopards, wild boars,<br />
elephants, Gaurs (Indian Bison), deer, crocodiles and<br />
monitor lizards, among other wildlife. With the reserve<br />
being home to over 200 species of birds including grey<br />
jungle fowl, red spur fowl and Malabar Parakeet, bird<br />
lovers are surely in for a treat.<br />
Location: Near Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Karnataka<br />
Best time to visit: June to March<br />
Website: http://www.riverternlodge.com/<br />
Contact Number: 9449599780<br />
TAJ GARDEN RETREAT, THEKKADY, KERALA<br />
Located near the famous Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Periyar,<br />
which is one of Kerala’s most picturesque regions, the Taj Garden<br />
Retreat sits 2,700 feet above sea level and has spacious rooms with<br />
fine wooden décor, adorned with natural fabrics. This charming<br />
resort comprises 32 rustic villas with thatched roofs. Close to<br />
civilization and yet, totally removed from it, these villas fit right<br />
in with their surroundings. Revel in the wildlife at Periyar<br />
National Park, take a houseboat ride in the backwaters, or indulge<br />
in a rejuvenating Ayurvedic massage; there is something for<br />
everyone here.<br />
Location: Near Periyar National Park, Kerala<br />
Best time to visit: September to March<br />
Website: http://www.thekkady.com/tajgarden/<br />
THE SERAI, KABINI<br />
NAGARHOLE, KARNATAKA<br />
This is a premier luxury resort seated on the banks of<br />
the Kabini River in Karnataka. Kabini is known for its<br />
jungles, and the resort, which spans 70 acre land, of<br />
which, 60 acre runs wild, serves as an excellent gallery<br />
for viewing wildlife. Guests can soak in the tranquil<br />
environs and enjoy jeep safaris, boat rides and elephant<br />
rides at the elephant training camp. The adjoining<br />
forests boast more than 300 species of birds including<br />
the endemic Malabar Trogon, Malabar Pied Hornbill<br />
and Crested Hawk Eagle; herbivores such as Asiatic<br />
Elephant, Gaur and Sambar; and a thriving population<br />
of predators such as tigers (Nagarhole is said to have<br />
the highest density of tigers in India), leopards and<br />
wild dogs.<br />
Location: Near Nagarhole National Park, Karnataka.<br />
Best time to visit: September to May<br />
Website: www.theserai.in<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 65
TRAVEL ||||| STAYS<br />
JUNGLE HUT, MASINAGUDI, KARNATAKA<br />
Jungle Hut lies near the Mudumalai Wildlife<br />
Sanctuary at the foothills of the Nilgiri mountain<br />
range in Karnataka. At 3,000 feet above sea level and<br />
wide-ranging climatic conditions, this holiday estate is<br />
surrounded by a wealth of plant and animal life that<br />
thrives amidst virgin jungles and sparkling streams.<br />
You can trek meandering forest paths, set out on jungle<br />
safaris, and sleep under starry skies. With no<br />
telephones, music or television to invade the quiet<br />
surroundings, the atmosphere is one of utter serenity.<br />
They have regular cottages with rooms furnished with<br />
local materials, in-house paintings and verandahs that<br />
skirt the forest. One of the highlights is a visit to the<br />
forest department elephant camp where around 29<br />
pachyderms are cared for and trained.<br />
Location: Near Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary<br />
Best time to visit: July to March<br />
Website: http://www.junglehut.in/<br />
PAPINAKONDOLU RESORTS,<br />
ANDHRA PRADESH<br />
Abutting the Papikonda National Park in Andhra<br />
Pradesh is Papinakondolu Resorts situated amidst the<br />
green surroundings of Bhavanasi Lake. The park is<br />
inhabited by tigers, panthers, leopards, hyenas, jackals,<br />
sloth bears, horned antelope, sambar, spotted deer and<br />
crocodiles with the majestic Black Panther being the<br />
most sought after resident. Pick from cottages or<br />
standard rooms. For a mystic experience, head for the<br />
Borra Caves. The adventurous can opt for a trek to some<br />
amazing waterfalls in the neighbourhood.<br />
Location: Near Papikonda National Park,<br />
Andhra Pradesh.<br />
Best time to visit: October to May<br />
Website: http://www.papikondaluresorts.com/<br />
RED HILL, TAMIL NADU<br />
This century-old heritage bungalow is set at an altitude of 7,000<br />
feet on the edge of the Silent Valley and the National Thar Reserve<br />
overlooking Emerald Lake in Ooty in Tamil Nadu. Red Hill is part<br />
of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and famous for its lush green<br />
forests. A bird watcher's paradise, more than 60 species can be<br />
spotted here. The bungalow offers nine spacious rooms with<br />
colonial-style architecture including a fireplace and attached<br />
bathroom. Each room comes with a view of the hills or the lake<br />
which is mesmerising. Go trekking, hiking, cycling, take a jeep<br />
safari through the jungles, explore the plantations in the region…<br />
there is adventure all around!<br />
Location: Near National Thar Reserve, Tamil Nadu.<br />
Best time to visit: September to May<br />
Website: http://redhillnatureresort.com/<br />
66 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
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EATING ||||| BANGLADESHI CUISINE<br />
THE FULL<br />
CIRCLE<br />
ORIGINALLY THE POOR MAN’S MEAL,<br />
BANGLADESH’S BHORTA HAS BEEN<br />
ELEVATED TO A FORM OF FINE ART<br />
TODAY, CUTTING ACROSS ALL<br />
ECONOMIC STRATA.<br />
BY PRITHA SEN<br />
A bhorta platter<br />
Food is never static. It<br />
evolves and changes much<br />
as we do ourselves, linked<br />
inextricably to our lives,<br />
lifestyles and identities.<br />
Just 70 years ago, the subcontinent ate<br />
Indian food. Then it became Indian and<br />
Pakistani. Today, the repertoire has<br />
grown with Bangladeshi food creating<br />
its own unique space. Isn’t Bangladeshi<br />
food Bengali, you may well ask, with the<br />
two Bengals sharing a common history,<br />
culture and language as well? Yes, it is,<br />
but a fractured political history<br />
beginning in 1947 created a distance,<br />
spurring distinctive differences in food<br />
and its cultural significance.<br />
Bhortakahon (Bhorta Tales), a recent<br />
food event in Kolkata<br />
highlighting a single unique<br />
dish called the bhorta,<br />
sought to build a culinary<br />
bridge over the river<br />
Padma, activating dormant<br />
memories of how both once<br />
ate together, but have<br />
grown apart under the<br />
pressure of identities that<br />
proclaim a Hindu majority<br />
BANGLADESH<br />
HAS RETURNED<br />
TO ITS ROOTS<br />
WITH A<br />
REDISCOVERY OF<br />
ITS REGIONAL<br />
CUISINE<br />
in West Bengal and a Muslim one in the<br />
erstwhile East Bengal, which is now<br />
Bangladesh.<br />
As regional cuisine is prone to be, the<br />
two Bengals at one time, while sharing a<br />
common cuisine, took pride in the subtle<br />
differences that lay in cooking styles and<br />
the nuances balanced on availability of<br />
ingredients, produce and use of spices.<br />
Historically and geographically,<br />
undivided Bengal, more so eastern<br />
Bengal (now Bangladesh), lay claim to a<br />
lush and fertile land, crisscrossed by<br />
major rivers – a terrain that yielded as<br />
much green produce as it did more than<br />
500 varieties of fish in the innumerable<br />
water bodies and paddy fields dotting<br />
the countryside. This then gave rise to a<br />
culture of eating<br />
uncultivated foods that was<br />
available in abundance,<br />
aided by the wetlands<br />
mangrove ecosystem.<br />
The biologically rich<br />
terrain, especially of<br />
eastern Bengal, encouraged<br />
the generous use of coconut,<br />
all kinds of greens, edible<br />
leaves, flowers, stalks and<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY PRITHA SEN<br />
70 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
EATING ||||| BANGLADESHI CUISINE<br />
Above: Nabeez, a drink made with soaked resins<br />
or dates; Top: Long beans and tomato bhorta<br />
peels of all vegetables – a zero-waste<br />
culture – that formed a distinct part of<br />
the cuisine. More than a hundred<br />
different leafy greens are known be part<br />
of food and fodder, foraged from water<br />
bodies and forested areas and while<br />
weeding agricultural fields or from<br />
plants cultivated for other purposes such<br />
as tender leaves of jute. The culture of<br />
eating then was similar between Bengali<br />
Hindus and Muslims, marked only by the<br />
differences that religious taboos had<br />
thrust upon them. The Hindus used less<br />
onion and almost no garlic, and the<br />
Muslims used the same with abandon.<br />
ALL BUT FORGOTTEN<br />
An example of the use of uncultivated<br />
foods would be the shaplar bhela bhaja,<br />
which has been all but forgotten in<br />
urbanised West Bengal. The name<br />
literally means water-lily rafts,<br />
demonstrating rural Bengal’s ingenious<br />
use of aqua greens, rich in nutrients. The<br />
dish was made with the thick portion of<br />
the water lily stalks, roughly ground<br />
mustard seeds, sesame seeds, coconut,<br />
jaggery, salt, green chillies and rice flour.<br />
Culinary art also played a part in which<br />
the stalks were cut in equal lengths and<br />
the pieces arranged like the planks of a<br />
raft and then pierced with thin bamboo<br />
or cane sticks to stitch them together.<br />
Fritters were made from water hyacinth<br />
flowers, jute leaves, flowers of the sajna<br />
plant or the pumpkin.<br />
Gaarur dal, a lentil made with the<br />
addition of coconut, ash gourd, taro and<br />
water lily stems, was made in every<br />
Hindu East Bengali home on Gaaru<br />
Sankranti day in the months of Ashwin<br />
(Sep-Oct) just before Durga puja. The<br />
ritualistic aspect notwithstanding, what<br />
stands out is the collective nutrition.<br />
Again, innovative use of various<br />
vegetable seeds such as jackfruit or<br />
pointed gourd all but lay forgotten in the<br />
Bengali cuisine of India. Bangladesh,<br />
however, has returned to its roots with a<br />
rediscovery of its regional cuisine, aided<br />
by the fact that a slow urbanisation has<br />
helped it retain much of its traditional<br />
foods.<br />
THE CURIOUS STORY OF<br />
BHORTA<br />
Such then is also the story of the bhorta,<br />
albeit a curious one, that the Bengalis of<br />
Bangladesh have made uniquely their<br />
own. Once a simple concoction of<br />
mashed vegetables or small fish, the<br />
emergence of the bhorta is significant<br />
given what it symbolises today in postliberation<br />
Bangladesh, being the chosen<br />
dish along with pantabhat (fermented<br />
rice) for the nationwide Bengali New<br />
Year celebrations. This at once raises it to<br />
the status of a cultural symbol over the<br />
famed Bangladeshi pulaos and gourmet<br />
hilsa preparations. The dish had humble<br />
rural origins in steamed, boiled or<br />
roasted mashed greens, vegetables,<br />
peels, seeds or fish. While the Hindus<br />
called this preparation bata (mashed or<br />
ground), makha (mixed) or pora<br />
(roasted), the Muslims called all of it a<br />
bhorta, a culinary tradition that has been<br />
elevated to the form of a fine art, cutting<br />
across all economic strata.<br />
For example, the kalo jeera (onion<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY PRITHA SEN<br />
72 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
EATING ||||| BANGLADESHI CUISINE<br />
seeds) bhorta exists in<br />
daily on popular demand. The selection<br />
the form of kalo jeera<br />
includes spinach, malabar spinach,<br />
bata in the homes of<br />
water spinach, stem amaranth leaf, jute<br />
Bengalis in West<br />
leaf, cabbage, wax gourd, ridge gourd,<br />
Bengal. However, it is<br />
pointed gourd, drumstick, water lily,<br />
still given only for its<br />
stem of aroid, potato, brinjal, hyacinth<br />
therapeutic value to<br />
bean, okra, snake gourd, bitter gourd,<br />
lactating mothers, as a<br />
bottle gourd, tomato, mustard seeds,<br />
cure for anaemia and<br />
onion, chilli, garlic, pumpkin, coriander<br />
preventative against<br />
leaf, taro, peanuts, dried fish, fresh fish<br />
infections as it was in<br />
and many more, each different from the<br />
the olden days. But<br />
next. Once associated with a lack of<br />
today Bangladesh has<br />
wealth, this austere mash has now<br />
taken this commonly<br />
turned into a tool to bridge the social and<br />
shared dish, tweaked it<br />
cultural gaps, providing a common<br />
to suit all palates and<br />
meeting ground for the haves and the<br />
put it on fine-dining<br />
have-nots. In fact, it is not the<br />
tables. Those in West<br />
economically deprived who have aspired<br />
Bengal, especially those<br />
to access the food of the rich; it is the<br />
who trace their roots to<br />
privileged who are returning to their<br />
the erstwhile East<br />
roots to embrace the food of their simple<br />
Bengal, have all but<br />
agrarian forefathers as the Bengali New<br />
forgotten the tradition<br />
Year celebrations demonstrate.<br />
of eating all peels as was<br />
Ethnographic studies point out that, like<br />
once seen in the kaanch<br />
language, ethnic identities are also<br />
kolar khosha bata (green<br />
expressed through food choices. So<br />
Above: Duck curry; Top: Kalo jeera bhorta<br />
banana peel) or the potoler khosha bata<br />
(pointed gourd peel) among others.<br />
when you think India, you think curry.<br />
For England the association is fish and<br />
With origins in thrift in order to feed<br />
chips; for the US it’s the burger; and<br />
large families, the dish used little oil,<br />
likewise for Bangladesh, it’s the bhorta, a<br />
spices or fuel. Mixed with the slightest<br />
unique concept that binds people<br />
onion, generous chillies and just a drop<br />
together.<br />
of mustard oil made a little go a long way<br />
Bhortakahon, the bhorta festival in<br />
with steaming rice. Sometimes poppy<br />
Kolkata with culinary expert Nayana<br />
seeds or mustard paste was added to it<br />
Sengupta Af roz from Dhaka, can be then<br />
by Hindu Bengalis while the Muslims<br />
likened to a memory project that sought<br />
added garlic. In the modern context,<br />
to showcase this extraordinary story<br />
culinary experts from Bangladesh say<br />
that had its genesis in undivided Bengal.<br />
that the bhorta has regained in<br />
The history of a shared culture between<br />
popularity because it can be prepared<br />
the two Bengals provided the perfect<br />
SOME RESTAURANTS IN<br />
BANGLADESH TODAY OFFER<br />
UP TO A HUNDRED KINDS<br />
OF BHORTAS DAILY ON<br />
POPULAR DEMAND<br />
quite deliciously with a minimum use of<br />
oil and spices with the boiling, steaming<br />
or roasting process adding value to the<br />
health-conscious eater.<br />
THE MANY VARIETIES<br />
Some restaurants in Bangladesh today<br />
offer up to a hundred kinds of bhortas<br />
platform to start a culinary dialogue that<br />
would go a long way in preserving a<br />
region’s cultural heritage.<br />
A FORMER JOURNALIST, PRITHA<br />
SEN IS A FOOD ANTHROPOLOGIST<br />
WHO SPECIALISES IN THE CUISINE<br />
OF BENGAL.<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY PRITHA SEN<br />
74 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
VIEWPOINT ||||| SPIRITUALITY<br />
ENTROPY IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS<br />
KAMLESH D. PATEL EXPLAINS HOW ENTROPY PLAYS OUT IN OUR<br />
RELATIONSHIPS, LEADING TO DISINTEGRATION AND BREAKDOWN AMONG ALL<br />
CONCERNED, AND SHARES WITH US THE INPUTS NEEDED TO OVERCOME IT AND<br />
BRING STABILITY AND HARMONY<br />
Kamlesh D. Patel<br />
WHAT IS ENTROPY? Let’s<br />
try to understand it<br />
practically. You bring a<br />
book home from the<br />
library, and then your<br />
father gives you another<br />
book as a gift. Your<br />
girlfriend gives you<br />
magazines, and you have<br />
music CDs. They all pile up<br />
on a small table, so now<br />
there is enough clutter on your table. The<br />
rest of your room is also in a disorganised<br />
state: your clothes are here, your socks<br />
are there, and your towel is hanging<br />
somewhere.<br />
You get frustrated with the mess and<br />
clean up everything. Now the room looks<br />
cleaner than before, until you start<br />
bringing more books and things, and<br />
again, the system disintegrates and<br />
becomes disorganised. To keep things in<br />
order requires constant input of energy.<br />
So, entropy is the degree of disorder or<br />
randomness in any system.<br />
In human relationships too, we have<br />
interactions day after day and these<br />
relationships also become higgledypiggledy.<br />
We let things build up in our<br />
inner chambers. These inner chambers<br />
become more and more disorganised as<br />
we store more and more, just like the<br />
books and clothes in our room. We keep<br />
harbouring things, and one day, what we<br />
harbour explodes, unless we do<br />
something about it. We need input to<br />
stabilise any relationship, to iron out the<br />
wrinkles or differences, so that we don’t<br />
harbour and store things forever.<br />
But do we have to do this every time<br />
we make a mistake? Do we always have<br />
to offer the other person ice cream or<br />
candy to pacify them? This would mean<br />
constant investment to maintain a<br />
relationship. When constant input is<br />
required every time there is a fight or an<br />
argument with a friend or family<br />
member, you will require greater input<br />
each time. You may even have to buy<br />
them a Mercedes one day!<br />
In a family, if you have to tolerate<br />
each other, constant input is required. In<br />
situations where you have to give<br />
constant emotional input, it is a broken<br />
family even though you may be together.<br />
When the constant state of my being is<br />
love, the need for constant input<br />
disappears and the constant input is<br />
zero. When zero input is needed, it<br />
means that it is the most stable<br />
relationship, the most stable family,<br />
where I don’t have to explain myself.<br />
There is no need for, “I did this<br />
because…” or “I didn’t want to do this<br />
because…” Where there is love, there is<br />
no need for explanations.<br />
ABOUT KAMLESH D. PATEL<br />
From an early age, Kamlesh Patel was<br />
interested in spirituality and meditation,<br />
and eventually came to the feet of his<br />
Guru in 1976 while still a student. He is<br />
now the fourth spiritual guide in the sahaj<br />
marg system of Raja Yoga meditation.<br />
Kamlesh is married with two sons,<br />
and is a role model for students of<br />
spirituality who seek that perfect blend<br />
of eastern heart and western mind. He<br />
travels extensively and is at home with<br />
people from all backgrounds and walks of<br />
life, giving special attention to the youth<br />
of today.<br />
To know more about Heartfulness and Sahaj Marg, please visit www.heartfulness.org or send an email to contact@heartfulness.org<br />
Reprinted with permission from Heartfulness Magazine, Issue 3, December 2015, www.heartfulnessmagazine.com.<br />
76 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
CARING ||||| MAYA<br />
EMPOWERING LIVES<br />
KARNATAKA-BASED NGO, MAYA, WORKING SINCE 1991 IN THE AREA OF SOCIAL<br />
REFORM, HAS DEVELOPED THREE PROJECTS INTO SUCCESSFUL INDEPENDENT<br />
ENTITIES IMPACTING MILLIONS OF LIVES. BY BINDU GOPAL RAO<br />
American cultural<br />
anthropologist of the<br />
1950s and 1960s,<br />
Margaret Mead, once<br />
said, “Never doubt that<br />
a small group of thoughtful, committed<br />
citizens can change the world. Indeed,<br />
it is the only thing that ever has.” If you<br />
need proof, look no further than<br />
Movement for Alternatives and Youth<br />
Awareness (MAYA), a Karnataka-based<br />
non-governmental organisation (NGO)<br />
which has been tirelessly working<br />
towards social reform for the past<br />
quarter of a century.<br />
Established on January 19, 1991,<br />
under the Karnataka Societies<br />
Registration Act, 1960, MAYA started<br />
78 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
1 In The News.<strong>pdf</strong><br />
2 In The News.<strong>pdf</strong><br />
3 In The News.<strong>pdf</strong>
CARING ||||| MAYA<br />
Top: A health navigator providing<br />
village with BP and diabetes services.<br />
Bottom: A school health and hygiene<br />
workshop in Chanapatna<br />
out by taking up systemic<br />
<strong>issue</strong>s such as education<br />
and livelihood that needed<br />
urgent attention. Today,<br />
three of its programmes<br />
have been successfully<br />
developed into<br />
independent social<br />
enterprises that have<br />
substantial on-ground<br />
impact. Alex Rodrigues,<br />
CEO, MAYA,<br />
explains: “We began our<br />
journey by driving change in<br />
the systemic <strong>issue</strong>s of<br />
education and livelihood.<br />
Of our programmes, three<br />
have become independent<br />
organisations. They are<br />
known as Prajayatna, MAYA<br />
Organic and LabourNet. All<br />
three of them have had a<br />
substantial impact on the<br />
ground.”<br />
MAYA’s mission, in<br />
his words, is: “Working<br />
to create an empowered<br />
and equitable society<br />
that systematically<br />
addresses livelihood,<br />
education and health.”<br />
MAYA: A CASE<br />
STUDY<br />
The story of Alok<br />
Pandey from<br />
Raebareli is an<br />
inspiring one.<br />
Pursuing graduation,<br />
this youngster lives<br />
with his family of<br />
four and his father<br />
was the only earning<br />
member of the family.<br />
Alok was keen to help<br />
his father to support<br />
his family. He saw a<br />
newspaper ad on the<br />
LabourNet training<br />
programme and was<br />
trained in domestic<br />
electrical wiring. He<br />
now works as a part<br />
time electrician and<br />
makes about Rs 3000<br />
per month.<br />
INITIATING CHANGE<br />
Soon after it was instituted, MAYA took<br />
up the cause of children. “We began by<br />
working closely with street children<br />
nearly two decades ago, where we<br />
campaigned against child labour and<br />
pioneered in the space of child rights’<br />
advocacy, policy and training at the grass<br />
roots level. In our attempt to get children<br />
off the street, we realised that education<br />
was crucial and we evolved into<br />
community mobilisations and<br />
ownerships of local stakeholders of<br />
schools to reform the education system<br />
from inside. This is now known as<br />
‘Prajayatna’ or ‘Citizens’ Initiative for<br />
Educational Reform’,” informs Alex.<br />
The next <strong>issue</strong> that MAYA tackled<br />
was children dropping out of school<br />
owing to lack of employment<br />
opportunities after schooling. The<br />
movement introduced bridge schools<br />
and prevocational and vocational<br />
training centres for the youth to help<br />
them get into mainstream jobs. This has<br />
now evolved into “LabourNet”.<br />
A third initiative MAYA undertook<br />
was to support the local<br />
artisans of Channapatna in<br />
Karnataka by reviving the<br />
old, dying art of lac toy<br />
making. Today, the unit is<br />
known as “MAYA Organic”<br />
and caters to a large<br />
domestic and international<br />
market through its unique,<br />
organic, handmade toys<br />
and accessories.<br />
25 YEARS LATER<br />
Post incubation with<br />
MAYA, “Prajayatna” is<br />
today an independent<br />
programme. It works with<br />
marginalised children<br />
aged three to 14 years by<br />
making their schools and<br />
82 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
CARING ||||| MAYA<br />
anganwadis deliver quality services so as<br />
to give them an equitable opportunity to<br />
improve their lives. The programme, in<br />
collaboration with concerned<br />
stakeholders such as parents, teachers,<br />
the bureaucracy, and elected<br />
representatives, works towards creating<br />
an ecosystem that enables these children<br />
to learn well and reach their potential.<br />
The programme is present in over 7,000<br />
schools and 1,000 anganwadis that reach<br />
out to 500,000 children in Karnataka,<br />
Uttar Pradesh and Telangana.<br />
Today, LabourNet is an independent,<br />
for-profit, social enterprise, aspiring to<br />
train over 500,000 individuals and<br />
approaches its core purpose of<br />
developing skills and enabling<br />
livelihoods as a social challenge where<br />
aspirations, opportunities and<br />
inadequacies need to be brought<br />
together through a well-synchronised<br />
ecosystem. A NSDC partner with<br />
presence in over 28 states of the country,<br />
LabourNet has trained over 100,000<br />
workers till date.<br />
Maya Organic today provides<br />
employment to more than 200 people. By<br />
purchasing Maya Organic products,<br />
marketed under the brand name, MO,<br />
you can support the livelihoods of lac<br />
artisans in Channapatna. Significantly,<br />
the project has ensured survival of<br />
traditional lac-based art in a rapidlychanging<br />
global economy. Over 85 per<br />
cent of these products are exported to<br />
the US, Japan and other countries.<br />
While primary funding came from<br />
institutional and corporate<br />
contributions, in recent years, MAYA<br />
has been getting a great response from<br />
individual donors and other forms of<br />
online contribution such as crowdfunding<br />
platforms. Urging more people<br />
to support the NGO, Rashmi Hegde,<br />
Social Development Head, MAYA, says,<br />
“Your support will go towards the<br />
MAYA Health programme, to ensure<br />
children stay in school, people don’t lose<br />
jobs, government-driven health centres<br />
become more accountable and overall<br />
health of the community improves.”<br />
Over the next three years, MAYA is<br />
looking to scale up and further develop<br />
its products and services and form social<br />
enterprises. In Phase III starting 2019, it<br />
is looking to consolidate social<br />
enterprises and work in unlimited<br />
geographies with several partners.<br />
HEALTH IS WEALTH<br />
Heath education being imparted at the<br />
doorsteps of registered clients<br />
MAYA is busy driving a fourth initiative named MAYA Health that<br />
focuses on promoting preventive healthcare among the urban<br />
and rural poor. Rashmi Hegde, Social Development Head, MAYA,<br />
informs: “Our past learning has taught us that health is a critical<br />
parameter in an individual’s life. This is to say we have realised that<br />
no matter how much we educate a child in school or send people<br />
back to work, all is lost when a person falls ill and gets into a debt<br />
trap.” MAYA Health’s vision is to inspire health in communities,<br />
where every individual and household starts taking ownership of<br />
health. The way MAYA Health works is by empowering local women<br />
as micro-entrepreneurs to form a network of caregivers delivering<br />
affordable, preventive health services door-to-door. Presently, the<br />
programme has over 30 micro-entrepreneurs known as “Health<br />
Navigators” who work closely with the government and other players in the healthcare<br />
ecosystem. The good news is that these “Health Navigators” have already been able to reach<br />
more than 38,000 community members of Chanapatna. There are also over 5,066 people<br />
who have started work in areas such as diabetes, hypertension, child nutrition, eye care<br />
management, and menstrual health and hygiene. “We envision that support communities<br />
move from a reactive mind-set to a proactive one towards health. We are creating a new<br />
channel of healthcare micro-entrepreneurs who are based in the local community and will help<br />
with awareness about and detection of diseases and timely intervention," adds Hegde.<br />
84 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
STAR BUZZ ||||| PARINEETI CHOPRA<br />
“MY<br />
PERSONAL<br />
LIFE IS<br />
IMPORTANT”<br />
FOR THOSE WHO THOUGHT SHE HAD<br />
DISAPPEARED, PARINEETI CHOPRA IS<br />
BACK, AND HOW!<br />
BY: ANITA BRITTO (BOLLYWOOD<br />
NEWS SERVICE)<br />
She may have taken a<br />
longish break from the<br />
silver screen, but now<br />
that Parineeti Chopra is<br />
back in a slim new avatar<br />
in the special number<br />
Jaaneman aah from the film Dishoom,<br />
she’s indeed sent temperatures soaring.<br />
Suddenly, her kitty is overflowing with<br />
two films on hand including Yash Raj’s<br />
Meri Pyaari Bindu and Homi Adajania’s<br />
Takadum, not to mention having recently<br />
lent her voice to the 12-year-old<br />
character, Sophie, in the Hindi version of<br />
Steven Spielberg’s The BFG.<br />
You have lost a lot of weight recently. What<br />
is your advice to young girls who want to<br />
get fit?<br />
I feel that people need to be fit, no matter<br />
what size they are. There are dancers in<br />
New York who are big, but flexible.<br />
However, I was big and unfit. I was<br />
unhealthy, not chubby. I have struggled<br />
GETTY IMAGES<br />
86 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
STAR BUZZ ||||| PARINEETI CHOPRA<br />
that emotional break. It may sound<br />
stupid saying ‘I am new and I need a<br />
break’. But I really wanted it. I wanted to<br />
settle down. I just wanted to sort out<br />
some things. I wanted to work on my<br />
body. I wanted to wear shorts and better<br />
clothes, and not worry about anything.<br />
Would you say the break has been good for<br />
you?<br />
Now, I have this dedication and<br />
concentration towards my work<br />
because of this break. The one year break<br />
was amazing.<br />
What was it like to work with Varun<br />
Dhawan for the first time in the song<br />
from Dishoom?<br />
Varun is so spontaneous... he likes<br />
improvisation. He is so energetic. This<br />
song was a one-take song and we got two<br />
days to practise for the song. We both<br />
were perfect for this song.<br />
Top: At the launch of the Jaaneman aah<br />
song from Dishoom. Bottom: The<br />
actor in Dawaat-e-Ishq<br />
with my weight. I took it upon myself to<br />
work towards fitness. There was also<br />
pressure from Bollywood to bring me on<br />
the right path. It took me a year-and-ahalf<br />
to reach here... I was in the gym and<br />
nowhere else. Now, I eat and<br />
sleep well. I am fit now.<br />
At the same time, you also<br />
didn’t sign any new film for<br />
long. Did you miss seeing<br />
yourself on the big screen in the<br />
past one-and-a-half year?<br />
Of course, I missed it. But see<br />
when I entered the film<br />
industry, I did four films<br />
back-to-back. I am not from a<br />
film background; I come<br />
from a different discipline. I<br />
come from a world of<br />
banking and academics but<br />
here, I had to be in front of<br />
the camera all the time and I<br />
was under pressure. I needed<br />
THE OTHER<br />
CHOPRA GIRL<br />
Whether she likes<br />
it or not, Parineeti<br />
Chopra will always<br />
be spoken of in<br />
the same breath as<br />
her more famous<br />
cousin Priyanka.<br />
But while Priyanka<br />
entered Bollywood<br />
after winning the<br />
Miss World 2000<br />
title, Parineeti’s<br />
career took a more<br />
circuitous route.<br />
She was 'spotted' in<br />
2011 while working<br />
in the marketing<br />
department of Yash<br />
Raj Films. The banner<br />
launched her in<br />
Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl.<br />
What excited you about dubbing for<br />
the Hindi version of Steven Spielberg’s<br />
The BFG?<br />
When they offered me the film, my first<br />
priority was to watch it. So they brought<br />
the film from Los Angeles,<br />
and I loved it. I have a very<br />
heavy and distinctive voice<br />
and to become the voice of a<br />
12-year-old girl was a big<br />
challenge. I am so glad that I<br />
did the film. Spielberg is one<br />
of the top directors in the<br />
world, and I always joke that<br />
this was my one chance of<br />
being a Spielberg heroine.<br />
Did you get the chance to<br />
interact<br />
with Spielberg?<br />
No, because this was the<br />
Hindi version we were<br />
working on with the<br />
team here.<br />
88 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
STAR BUZZ ||||| PARINEETI CHOPRA<br />
Akshay will decide.<br />
What is it like to work with Ayushmann?<br />
Ayushmann is one of my favourite<br />
co-stars. I love working with him. We<br />
both burst into song all the time and<br />
they have to tell us to shut up. We are on<br />
the same wave length because I sing too,<br />
and he understands my singing<br />
technically and vice versa.<br />
Did you get the chance to interact with<br />
Amitabh Bachchan on this film?<br />
No, dubbing doesn’t work like that - I<br />
was dubbing in my studio and he was<br />
dubbing in his. But I have the pleasure<br />
and honour of knowing him since the<br />
time he called me after Ishaqzaade. He<br />
is always very appreciative of my work<br />
and calls after every film. I have an<br />
amazing relationship with him; we<br />
always talk about doing a film together.<br />
What is the status on Meri Pyaari Bindu?<br />
The first schedule has been shot. The<br />
second was started recently. We are<br />
waiting for Ayushmann Khurrana to<br />
resume shooting. He is in the US for a<br />
tour and will be back soon. This film is<br />
a beautiful story about two characters -<br />
mine and Ayushmann’s - and has the<br />
sweetest script; it touched my heart.<br />
I had a gut feeling that I had to do<br />
this film.<br />
You have also bagged another film – Homi<br />
Adajania’s Takadum opposite Sushant<br />
Singh Rajput.<br />
I am excited about working with<br />
Sushant again. He is a great actor and<br />
keeps you on your toes. Also, I was dying<br />
to do a film with Homi Adajania. I will<br />
start shooting in October.<br />
Buzz is that you are also a big contender<br />
for Dabangg 3…<br />
This is what even I heard last night but<br />
there is no truth to it. I will announce<br />
my next film soon.<br />
Your cousin Priyanka is busy with her<br />
international projects. Has she had time to<br />
spend with you?<br />
Yes, of course! Recently, she was in<br />
India and I spent a lot of time with her. I<br />
saw her after such a long time but even<br />
otherwise, we talk on FaceTime. She<br />
knows all the work that I am doing but<br />
she gives one the freedom to do what<br />
one wants.<br />
Clockwise from above: At the Toronto premiere<br />
of Shudh Desi Romance; at a Mumbai<br />
dinner for visiting British royalty; and with<br />
Ranveer Singh in Ladies vs Ricky Bahl<br />
You will also be singing in the film since<br />
you are playing a crooner in it.<br />
My look is going to be new too. Yes, I<br />
will be hopefully singing a couple of<br />
songs. My co-star is a great singer. We<br />
sing a lot of songs off screen and<br />
constantly try to impress our director,<br />
Akshay Roy, but he ignores our constant<br />
auditioning. So, I hope I get to sing duets<br />
with Ayushmann and my own songs<br />
too. Manish Sharma (producer) and<br />
Do you feel due to your work commitments,<br />
love and relationships have been<br />
sidelined?<br />
No, I give a lot of importance to my<br />
personal life; it is as important as my<br />
professional life.<br />
But then how come you are single?<br />
I have just not met the right person. I<br />
need a simple, honest, uncomplicated<br />
person... and that’s very hard to find.<br />
ALAMY<br />
90 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
THE GUIDE ||||| RULES OF STYLE<br />
HOW TO MAKE A STYLE STATEMENT<br />
BIBHU MOHAPATRA, COUTURIER<br />
• I am the one with the Western mind<br />
and Indian heart. I trained in the West<br />
for the market, but my core is very<br />
Indian.<br />
• The colour black is non-fussy and<br />
elegant. Black cotton T-shirts are always<br />
my uniform while I work. Investing in<br />
things black is always a good idea.<br />
• Style is more than just how you dress.<br />
It is also about how you develop your<br />
personality.<br />
• Luxury is what has been preserved<br />
over a long time, what has been kept alive<br />
by people’s skills and passed down the<br />
generations. Only that repertoire of<br />
craft can be considered genuine luxury.<br />
Investing in real luxury, where there is a<br />
history attached, will pay off better in<br />
the long run. A watch, a pen, an<br />
accessory which comes with a heritage<br />
story, a back story.<br />
• Style is paying attention to detail - like<br />
keeping your facial hair well-trimmed<br />
and getting a manicure.<br />
• Know your body type. Develop a<br />
unique sense of style. Push the envelope.<br />
• Whilst travelling abroad, a man can’t<br />
go wrong by wearing a black sherwani at<br />
a black-tie affair.<br />
• I think Amitabh and Abhishek<br />
Bachchan have a great sense of style.<br />
• Indian men should give ethnic wear<br />
more of a chance. It would be nice to see<br />
men wear traditional Indian clothes<br />
more often, rather than just stock them<br />
for festive occasions.<br />
• Givenchy is perhaps the only designer<br />
I admire.<br />
• I always tailor my cotton shirts. If you<br />
have access to a tailor, try to get one<br />
tailored yourself.<br />
• Black Converse sneakers, slim-fit<br />
Marc Jacobs jeans, a T-shirt: I could live<br />
in them. The more classic you are, the<br />
simpler your style, the classier you look.<br />
EXCERPTED FROM AN ARTICLE THAT<br />
APPEARED IN MW<br />
92 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
IN FOCUS ||||| MONTAGE<br />
OSIM INTRODUCES<br />
UINFINITY<br />
MASSAGE CHAIR<br />
uInfinity, the latest lifestyle massage<br />
chair from OSIM offers a humanized<br />
massage pleasure from head to toe. It<br />
gives you mental relaxation; eases strain<br />
from neck and shoulder; provides<br />
soothing comfort for arms, hands and<br />
palms; relieves tension in thighs, hips<br />
and butt; and rejuvenates calves, ankles<br />
and feet.<br />
The OSIM uInfinity’s download<br />
technology offers the widest choice of<br />
the most humanized massage<br />
programmes ever. The uInfinity chair<br />
allows the user to download more of the<br />
latest lifestyle massage programmes<br />
with a simple Bluetooth connection to a<br />
smartphone and also transfers the latest<br />
download massage programmes from<br />
your Smartphone into the uInfinity<br />
massage chair. This OSIM uInfinity<br />
chair has a potent combination of three<br />
complimentary innovations.<br />
•Download Massage: Download the<br />
latest new massage programmes into the<br />
uInfinity app in your Smartphone.<br />
•Humanized Massage: The Humanized<br />
and natural massage feel, together with a<br />
comprehensive head to toe massage<br />
coverage for the ultimate massage<br />
experience.<br />
•Lifestyle massage: The most unique<br />
and customer oriented suite of massage<br />
programmes ever, designed to serve<br />
different lifestyles and needs of the user<br />
and family.<br />
The OSIM uInfinity is an intelligent<br />
design for modern living where you can<br />
listen your favourite songs with<br />
uInfinity built-in-stereo speakers while<br />
you lie back for a holistic mind and body<br />
experience. You can enjoy complete<br />
control of the uInfinity from a touch<br />
screen controller with a large and easyto-read<br />
and colour-rich LCD display.<br />
94 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
IN FOCUS ||||| MONTAGE<br />
NEW THIS MONTH<br />
A LISTING OF PRODUCTS JUST LAUNCHED<br />
•BALMAIN<br />
Predictability is totally yesterday<br />
for today’s extraordinary women.<br />
Hence Balmain is introducing its<br />
latest collection of Euphelia<br />
timepieces which are chic yet<br />
with subtle playful touches<br />
that attract a lingering<br />
look. The dial consists of<br />
Roman and Arabic<br />
numerals. Bi-colour metal<br />
bracelets perfectly mirror<br />
dial and case detail. There are<br />
16 models in the Euphelia<br />
collection range each with its<br />
own distinct personality. The<br />
timepiece is water resistant to up<br />
to 50 metres.<br />
•CASIO<br />
Casio’s latest offering is its limited<br />
edition G-Shock GA-100 in<br />
collaboration with renowned<br />
international fashion designer<br />
Marcelo Burlon and his brand<br />
Country of Milan. The<br />
design of the new G-Shock<br />
GA-100 features an overall<br />
coral snake pattern. The base<br />
colour is bold monotone and on<br />
the buckle, back cover and metal<br />
band ring there is a black ion<br />
plated finish. The strap and case<br />
are made up of resin to offer<br />
extreme strength and flexibility. The timepiece features<br />
ultra-shock resistance, a full auto LED display, snooze<br />
function, a calendar and a battery that will last two years.<br />
•CALVIN KLEIN<br />
LIGHT<br />
Calvin Klein’s latest<br />
collection of<br />
watches for<br />
women is a subtle<br />
timepiece with<br />
lightness and<br />
delicacy.<br />
Marrying sinuous<br />
line with airy<br />
shapes, the watch<br />
displays a soft and<br />
refined silhouette<br />
devoid of excess for a<br />
look that is undeniably<br />
humble. The Calvin Klein Light range is<br />
offered with a sliver or black dial. A<br />
polished stainless steel and polished<br />
pink-gold bangle enhances the look of<br />
the watch. The subtle piece is also water<br />
resistant to up to 30 metres.<br />
TISSOT<br />
A style for connoisseurs, the distinct<br />
style of the Tissot Le Locle<br />
Regulateur means it is sure to appeal to<br />
watch lovers. It is available in a plethora<br />
of distinct models and is destined for<br />
those who are looking for more than just<br />
a watch but a piece of art and history. It is<br />
39.3mm in diameter and comes with a<br />
leather strap or stainless steel bracelet<br />
and has a bicolour PVD coating. It is<br />
water resistant to up to 30 metres.<br />
•SWATCH<br />
The Grüezi-All watches<br />
are totally on target to<br />
celebrate true Swissness in<br />
great style. The T’SCHUSS<br />
[SUOW137] is a portable<br />
winter wonderland with<br />
fresh snow and pretty<br />
pine trees tempting<br />
an exciting<br />
slalom down<br />
the slope.<br />
96 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
IN FOCUS ||||| MONTAGE<br />
•BULGARI<br />
Bulgari unveils a new exclusive<br />
collection of High Perfumery,<br />
inspired by mystical lands along the<br />
Gem Roads. Desiria, a Latin<br />
derivative of the word desire<br />
conveys everlasting love and<br />
passion. The exuberant<br />
representation of romance and<br />
grace, purple jade pays homage to<br />
the four beauties of China. Delicate<br />
purple jade is known to trigger<br />
nostalgia, reminding people of the<br />
past. The floral-oriental eau de<br />
parfum depicts the scent of a Chinese<br />
garden, captured in a bottle.<br />
ADIDAS<br />
In SS’16 adidas introduced the first running shoe,<br />
Pure Boost X specifically made for women. The shoe<br />
has been specifically designed crafted and validated<br />
for women. A truly unique experience for the women<br />
who run in style. The development of Pure Boost X<br />
took around three years, with help and insights from<br />
female athletes every step of the way. Built<br />
specifically, Pure Boost X provides the best fit, feel<br />
and transition with energized cushioning.<br />
ASICS<br />
ASICS, known for its various<br />
innovations over the years,<br />
launches fuzeX TR, a versatile<br />
training shoe that leverages<br />
lightweight cushioning and crossfunctional<br />
design to offer greater<br />
workout efficiency. fuzeX TR is an<br />
all-in-one shoe that delivers<br />
support to athletes across a<br />
variety of fitness backgrounds and<br />
levels of expertise. From high<br />
intensity interval training (HIIT),<br />
lifting free weights to running on<br />
a treadmill, fuzeX TR is the go-to<br />
shoe for a wide range of training<br />
activities.<br />
DE MILANO<br />
The new Da Milano collection<br />
features capaciously useful classy<br />
duffel bags made with fine leather<br />
weaves to tuck in everything and<br />
move around easily. The wallets too<br />
come in an assortment of various<br />
prints, leathers, designs and<br />
colors. For those who love<br />
minimal style, a leather belt is an<br />
excellent accessory to add to your<br />
everyday wardrobe as it is the most<br />
versatile style accessory that blends<br />
well with every person’s style.<br />
Computer bags are highly functional,<br />
spacious and gives a sharp classic<br />
professional look.<br />
BULGARI<br />
Trust Bulgari to come up with<br />
something new every time. Its<br />
brand new fragrance, Bulgari<br />
Man Black Cologne, blends<br />
sensuality with oriental<br />
freshness. Shaped in<br />
contrasts, this “burning<br />
water” brings an alternative<br />
sensation of pleasure, a wind<br />
of vegetal airiness in the heat<br />
of summer. It redefines the<br />
boundaries of a masculine<br />
seduction, tinged with raw<br />
sophistication and hypnotic<br />
power.<br />
98 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
PC/204 (SEP)
SPICE TALK ||||| CELERY<br />
EACH SPICEJET AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN NAMED AFTER<br />
A PARTICULAR SPICE. IN THIS ISSUE WE TALK ABOUT<br />
THE BENEFITS AND USAGE OF CELERY<br />
THE<br />
VERSATILE<br />
SPICE<br />
CELERY, FIRST RECOGNISED FOR ITS<br />
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES, IS NOW<br />
INCREASINGLY BEING USED IN MORE<br />
THAN JUST SOUPS, SAUCES, STEWS<br />
AND SALADS.<br />
BY SHALINI MITRA<br />
Green Smoothie with celery, cucumber, spinach, apple and lemon<br />
CELERY AS WE KNOW IT derives from<br />
the French word celeri said to have come<br />
from the Greek selinon which finds<br />
mention even in Homer’s Iliad. This<br />
Mediterranean spice started out as<br />
medicine for colds, flu, water retention<br />
and more, before morphing into its<br />
modern avatar of a plant meant for<br />
consumption – leaves, stems, seeds,<br />
roots and all…<br />
It was the Romans who first used<br />
celery as seasoning before it came to be<br />
widely utilised in cooking in other parts<br />
of the world such as France, Italy and<br />
North America. Even today, the French<br />
swear by celery, used along with onions<br />
and carrots, in most of their dishes<br />
including sauces, soups and stews. In<br />
India, celery - variously known as<br />
ajamoda (Sanskrit, Marathi); shalari<br />
(Hindi); bodiajmoda (Gujarati); bandhuri<br />
(Bengali); kernauli (Punjabi); and ajmada<br />
(Tamil) – is clearly not the base for<br />
cooking but is increasingly finding<br />
favour for the distinctive flavour it<br />
imparts to dishes - both desi and foreign.<br />
For instance, Sruthiskitchen.com<br />
tells you how to make a mean chutney<br />
using celery that goes with Indian<br />
breads, steaming rice and even as a<br />
spread for all types of sandwiches. Given<br />
our fondness for spices, celery is also<br />
used in its seed form; either whole or<br />
ground. “Most spices yield a complex<br />
blend of flavours when used in<br />
combination but celery seeds are an<br />
exception. They taste just like celery,”<br />
opines Raju Tamang, Executive<br />
Corporate Oriental Master Chef at The<br />
Green Gourmet Restaurant, New Delhi.<br />
According to Mumbai-based Ria<br />
Mittal, a self-styled cook and<br />
entrepreneur whose spice powders are a<br />
hit with housewives, “With its heady<br />
aroma, celery powder is a natural flavour<br />
enhancer and is extensively used in<br />
seasoning meat, flavouring beverages<br />
and confectionary, spice rubs, and baked<br />
and barbecued dishes. However, ground<br />
celery seeds taste more bitter as<br />
compared to whole ones and hence,<br />
should be used sparingly.” Cookery<br />
expert Heena Desai who features on<br />
ETV Gujarati’s Rasoi Show echoes<br />
similar sentiments. “Celery deserves<br />
respect for providing maximum flavour<br />
to dishes but it should be used with<br />
caution. Even a pinch of celery can make<br />
or mar a dish. Not everybody relishes the<br />
flavour it imparts,” she warns.<br />
Incidentally, the Indian version of celery<br />
seed has a slight lemony aroma unlike its<br />
French counterpart which is sweet with<br />
citrusy notes.<br />
SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
100 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
SPICE TALK ||||| CELERY<br />
Top: Homemade soup with beans,<br />
carrots and celery. Bottom: Melon<br />
salad with celery, chilli and cucumber<br />
Speaking of our love<br />
for pickles which have<br />
been made for centuries<br />
using salt, seasoning,<br />
vinegar and even oil,<br />
Mittal elaborates: “Most<br />
homemade pickles such<br />
as mango, lemon, gingergarlic<br />
and dill use a<br />
variety of seeds, including<br />
celery seeds, for that<br />
extra zing. Pickles<br />
contain probiotics that<br />
are beneficial for health.<br />
As they are made using<br />
different types of seeds,<br />
they also contain<br />
vitamins, sodium and<br />
potassium.”<br />
However, for Thai<br />
cuisine expert, Chef<br />
Meaw of Radisson Blu<br />
Plaza, New Delhi, cooking with celery is<br />
all about staying with the tried and<br />
tested. As he says, “Bright green, fresh<br />
celery gives a unique flavour to the four<br />
Ss – soups, salads, stews and sauces.”<br />
Whereas, others like celebrity chef<br />
Sanjeev Kapoor vouch for the versatility<br />
of celery. “Grilled dishes, salads or<br />
smoked meats can be sprinkled with<br />
CELEBRATING CELERY<br />
Prepare a prawn cocktail by mixing ketchup, spring onion, paprika, mayonnaise<br />
and lemon juice before stirring in cooked prawns. Pour lettuce leaves arranged in<br />
separate glass bowls over the mixture and finish with a dash of celery salt.<br />
Toss celery leaves, apples, walnuts, and vinaigrette or any other dressing of<br />
choice in a large bowl before seasoning with salt and pepper for that crunchy<br />
salad.<br />
Simply blend one cup of celery stalks with two to three cups of fresh water and<br />
lo and behold, your fat-cutting, fibre-rich celery juice is ready to sip.<br />
Tickle your taste buds with spicy sweet pickled celery which is just so easy<br />
to make. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, salt peppercorns, vinegar, water,<br />
and mustard seeds. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until sugar and salt<br />
dissolve completely. Pour it over celery stalks.<br />
Tomato celery soup is the perfect shot of warmth during winters. Sauté onion<br />
and celery in butter before adding sugar, lemon juice, parsley, salt and black<br />
pepper and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.<br />
SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
102 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
SPICE TALK ||||| CELERY<br />
‘celery salt’ which not only enhances<br />
flavour but also imparts longevity to<br />
foods,” he says.<br />
Leaving aside chefs and gourmands,<br />
health aficionados too are gung ho about<br />
celery, which they believe is a good<br />
source of vitamin K, and small amounts<br />
of Vitamin C and Vitamin A. Celery juice<br />
helps maintain pH balance while celery<br />
seeds are a natural diuretic which help<br />
in elimination of uric acid, thereby<br />
curing bladder and kidney disorders.<br />
Celery is good for athletes because of the<br />
presence of sodium which helps fight<br />
dehydration. In fact, according to the US<br />
Food and Drug Administration (FDA),<br />
celery not only gives you the right<br />
amount of folate, potassium, fibre and<br />
molybdenum but is also naturally low in<br />
calories, carbohydrates and fats, thus<br />
helping lower bad cholesterol.<br />
Clockwise from top: Chicken<br />
breast, celery, spinach, cheese<br />
and apple salad; slow cooked<br />
chicken with onions, carrots<br />
and celery; stir fried fish with<br />
celery; and celery seed<br />
CELERY NOTES<br />
The shroud of King Tut’s tomb<br />
was adorned with garlands of<br />
wild celery, among others.<br />
Hippocrates called celery a<br />
nerve soother.<br />
As far back as 30 AD, Aulus<br />
Cornelius Celsus wrote about the use of celery seeds to relieve pain.<br />
In ancient Rome, celery was considered an aphrodisiac. Today, celery is known<br />
to contain androsterone, a pheromone released by the sweat glands of men that<br />
attracts women.<br />
Notorious Italian lover, Casanova, ate lots of celery to keep up his stamina.<br />
In 1856, a Scotsman named George Taylor first introduced celery to Kalamazoo,<br />
Michigan, which later came to be known as the Celery City.<br />
Celery contains ‘negative calories’ which means that one spends more calories<br />
digesting it than those consumed by eating it.<br />
A patron at the Pump Room in Chicago’s Ambassador East Hotel started the<br />
trend of stirring the cocktail, Bloody Mary, with a stalk of celery.<br />
SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
104 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
FESTIVALS ||||| ONAM<br />
Kerala’s scenic backwaters come alive with snake boat pageants and races during Onam.<br />
ODE TO THE KING<br />
COME MONSOON AND KERALA TURNS INTO A PHANTASMAGORIA OF COLOURS,<br />
FLAVOURS, RITUALS AND CULTURAL PERFORMANCES FOR 10 DAYS COINCIDING<br />
WITH ITS BIGGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT FESTIVAL OF ONAM. BY BRINDA GILL<br />
Ask any Keralite when<br />
one should visit the<br />
state, and the reply will<br />
invariably be “during<br />
Onam”. Kerala’s biggest<br />
and most important festival coincides<br />
with the harvest season, and is<br />
celebrated for 10 days throughout the<br />
state by all communities, with rituals,<br />
festive meals, new clothes, snake boat<br />
races, cultural programmes and what<br />
have you. As Onam falls in August or<br />
September during the monsoon, “God’s<br />
own country” turns into a kaleidoscope<br />
of blues and greens, making it a very<br />
pleasant time to visit the state.<br />
Legend has it that ages ago, King<br />
Mahabali, an illustrious and benevolent<br />
106 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
FESTIVALS ||||| ONAM<br />
on his head and pushing him into the<br />
netherworld. So pleased was vamana<br />
with King Mahabali’s devotion that he<br />
revealed his true identity as Lord Vishnu<br />
and granted him a visit to earth once<br />
every year. It is this annual visit of King<br />
Mahabali that Kerala celebrates with<br />
great fanfare as Onam.<br />
Top: Women get together during Onam,<br />
dance, make flower decorations in front of<br />
their homes, and celebrate festivities<br />
together. Below: Puli Kali or Play of the Tigers<br />
is a performance by men made-up like<br />
leopards, tigers and lions.<br />
ruler, reigned over regions<br />
of present-day Kerala,<br />
bringing to it immense<br />
peace and prosperity. Such<br />
was the authority and<br />
adoration he enjoyed that<br />
even Lord Indra, God of<br />
the Heavens, started<br />
feeling insecure about his<br />
own power and popularity,<br />
and finally approached<br />
Lord Vishnu<br />
for help. Lord<br />
Vishnu decided to visit King<br />
Mahabali disguised as a<br />
Brahmin vamana (dwarf),<br />
and asked him for a boon<br />
which the generous king<br />
granted.<br />
Vamana asked for land<br />
which he could cover in just<br />
three steps and upon King<br />
Mahabali’s consent, swelled<br />
exponentially, thereafter<br />
covering earth with his first<br />
step and heaven with his<br />
second. Seeing that there<br />
was no place left for vamana<br />
to cover with his third step,<br />
the king bowed down,<br />
letting vamana place his foot<br />
ONAM<br />
OVERSEAS<br />
With Malayalis<br />
scattered in all<br />
corners of the globe,<br />
Onam becomes the<br />
perfect occasion for<br />
them to re-connect<br />
with their roots.<br />
Keralite associations<br />
in numerous<br />
places including<br />
the USA, South<br />
Africa, various<br />
Gulf countries and<br />
England plan grand<br />
celebrations on the<br />
day. Apart from the<br />
religious rituals,<br />
numerous cultural<br />
programmes are<br />
also organised for<br />
all members of the<br />
families.<br />
CULTURE CURRY<br />
When in Kerala, one can view traditional<br />
performing arts such as Kathakali,<br />
Mohiniattam, Thullal and Theyyam, and<br />
martial arts like Kalaripayattu<br />
throughout the year. But it is only during<br />
Onam that one gets to see specific arts<br />
and traditions. “The traditional<br />
wrestling style, onathallu, or bare-fist<br />
fighting, can be seen. Onathallu is<br />
famous in the Palakkad district,<br />
especially Pallassana in Chittur Taluk<br />
and Vadakkencherry,” says Madhu S.<br />
Kayarat, MD, Moon Days, a Kochi-based<br />
major player in the travel and tourism<br />
sector. Kayarat talks about onavillu, a<br />
bow-shaped musical instrument crafted<br />
exclusively for Onam and played as an<br />
accompaniment to Onam songs. “The<br />
onavillu can be seen at<br />
various places in Kerala.<br />
The best place for tourists<br />
to see it is at the<br />
Padmanabhaswamy<br />
Temple,<br />
Thiruvananthapuram, on<br />
Thiruvonam day, which<br />
falls on September 14 this<br />
year, where it is offered to<br />
the deity as part of Onam<br />
rituals. A cultural<br />
extravaganza called<br />
athachamayam which<br />
takes place at<br />
Thripunithura, Kochi, is<br />
also exclusive to Onam and<br />
takes place on September 4,<br />
which is atham in the<br />
Malayali calendar, an<br />
108 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
FESTIVALS ||||| ONAM<br />
important date that marks ten days to the<br />
beginning of Onam,” informs Kayarat.<br />
Being that time of year when<br />
legendary King Mahabali visits his<br />
beloved people, no stone is left unturned<br />
to welcome him. Girls, women, put in<br />
hours of effort and ingenuity to create<br />
large, colourful compositions with fresh<br />
flower petals called pookalams in front<br />
of homes.<br />
The traditional pookalam starts<br />
small and is progressively added to over<br />
Onam, resulting in ten concentric circles<br />
symbolic of the ten-day festival. Often, a<br />
spectrum of pookalams, reflecting<br />
devotion and festivity, is created. A metal<br />
lamp may be lit at the centre of these<br />
decorations. Pookalam competitions are<br />
held throughout Kerala and thoroughly<br />
enjoyed by participants and onlookers<br />
alike.<br />
FESTIVE SHOPPING<br />
No festival is complete without<br />
shopping, especially that last minute<br />
dash to stores through crowded streets<br />
hemmed in by pop-up stalls and vendors<br />
hawking their wares. Interestingly,<br />
Onam has a name for it. The day before<br />
Onam is called uthrada pachil, derived<br />
from the words uthradom, which,<br />
according to the Malayali calendar, is the<br />
ninth and penultimate day of Onam, and<br />
pachil, which means to run around.<br />
Uthrada pachil describes the frenzy<br />
in local markets as shoppers rush to buy<br />
vegetables, groceries, Nenthrapazham<br />
or the Kerala banana, banana leaves for<br />
the sadya feast to be prepared the next<br />
day, and even festive outfits to be worn<br />
during Onam. This year, uthrada pachil<br />
falls on September 13.<br />
Onam begins by celebrating the<br />
ascent of King Mahabali from the<br />
netherworld to earth. The revered<br />
Thrikkakara Temple, Ernakulam,<br />
dedicated to Lord Vamana, is the heart of<br />
festivities, as it is said to be at this spot<br />
that vamana placed his<br />
foot on King Mahabali’s<br />
head, pushing him into<br />
the netherworld,<br />
commemorating the very<br />
event that led to the birth<br />
of this festival.<br />
Hoisting of the<br />
festival flag, rituals,<br />
decoration of the idol,<br />
performances, a<br />
ceremonial procession of<br />
caparisoned elephants,<br />
and serving of sadya<br />
mark the festivities that<br />
go on for 10 days, and end only with<br />
lowering of the festival flag on the last<br />
day.<br />
Sadya - a traditional Kerala-style<br />
vegetarian banquet, which can comprise<br />
up to two dozen dishes served in a single<br />
course – is served on banana leaves, and<br />
is the highlight of Onam celebrations.<br />
Dishes are served in a specific order<br />
and each dish is served at a specific place<br />
on the banana leaf, either directly or in<br />
small bowls. Among the specialities are<br />
dry and gravy preparations, sambhar,<br />
steamed rice, banana-jaggery chips,<br />
papads, pickles, salad, and of course<br />
Top: Athachamayam, a colourful cultural<br />
extravaganza, in Thripunithura, Kochi.<br />
Below: A swing is affixed to a tree branch and<br />
girls enjoy swinging from it during Onam.<br />
110 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
FESTIVALS ||||| ONAM<br />
payasam for dessert. Servings are<br />
replenished through the meal, leaving<br />
one well satiated. Once the meal is over,<br />
banana leaves are folded; folding the leaf<br />
away from oneself indicates one has<br />
enjoyed the meal and is paying a<br />
compliment to the chef.<br />
SNAKE BOAT RACES<br />
Kerala’s idyllic backwaters take centrestage<br />
during the legendary snake boat<br />
pageants that are deeply rooted in<br />
ancient beliefs, and enact historical<br />
events while inculcating athleticism and<br />
team spirit. Billed as the largest team<br />
sport in the world, snake boat races, have<br />
spectacular boats manned by teams of<br />
helmsmen, oarsmen and singers.<br />
Snake boat races held during Onam<br />
exude a verve all their own, and include<br />
the Payippad Boat Race at Payippad,<br />
Alappuzha; the Kumarakom Boat Race<br />
at Kumarakom; and the ritual Aranmula<br />
Boat Race at Aranmula. For a<br />
comprehensive list of snake boat races,<br />
please visit https://www.keralatourism.<br />
org/festivalcalendar.php.<br />
Top: Women and girls<br />
enjoy celebrating<br />
Onam together<br />
Middle: The Onam<br />
festive lunch called<br />
sadya is a traditional<br />
Kerala vegetarian<br />
meal with up to two<br />
dozen dishes served<br />
as a single course on<br />
a banana leaf<br />
Below: Pookalams or<br />
colourful and<br />
decorative floral floor<br />
decorations, made in<br />
front of homes,<br />
create a festive<br />
welcoming ambience<br />
TIGERS AT PLAY<br />
During Onam, one may be forgiven for<br />
thinking that big cats have laid siege to<br />
the streets. On the last day of the festival,<br />
men with lifelike faces of tigers, lions<br />
and leopards painted on their ample<br />
bellies dance through the streets of<br />
Thrissur and onto Swaraj Ground,<br />
marking puli kali or ‘play of tigers’<br />
festivities. Not only the generous<br />
abdomens of these men, but also their<br />
entire bodies are painted with animal<br />
patterns; a process that takes several<br />
hours. The look is completed with masks<br />
on the men’s faces and belts made of bells<br />
around their waists as they perform the<br />
“tiger dance” to the beat of drums.<br />
The men stride like tigers and enact<br />
scenes of tigers pouncing on their prey<br />
or being hunted.<br />
112 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
IN FOCUS ||||| MONTAGE<br />
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FITNESS MYTH-<br />
BUSTERS YOU<br />
SHOULD KNOW<br />
BY MEENAKSHI S<br />
SENIOR FITNESS TRAINER,<br />
HEALTHIFYME<br />
THERE ARE SEVERAL misconceptions<br />
about weight loss and general fitness seen<br />
on the Internet, some of which are<br />
misleading and have harmful consequences.<br />
Here are some myth busters that will help<br />
you.<br />
MYTH: More sweat equals to more calories burnt<br />
Sweating is your body’s way of maintaining<br />
its normal temperature. How much you<br />
sweat does not correlate with the calories<br />
you expend. It is the duration and intensity<br />
of the workout that matters.<br />
MYTH: Exercising on an empty stomach<br />
burns fat<br />
On an empty stomach you are likely to<br />
exercise less intensely, decreasing the<br />
amount of calories you burn. Fruits such as<br />
banana and apple are recommended, about<br />
30 minutes prior to your workout.<br />
MYTH: Sitting long hours is fine as I<br />
exercise regularly<br />
Sitting is the new smoking thanks to<br />
desk jobs and sedentary lifestyle. Skip the<br />
elevator, take the stairs, have stretch<br />
breaks at work and walk instead of<br />
driving whenever possible.<br />
MYTH: I can eat whatever I want as long<br />
as I exercise<br />
The calories you burn during workout are<br />
a mere fraction of your daily consumption.<br />
So you won’t get very far if you cannot take<br />
responsibility for your dietary decisions.<br />
Don’t forget to track your fitness on the go<br />
with HealthyfyMe, available for free on<br />
Android & iOS<br />
114 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
IN FOCUS ||||| MONTAGE<br />
A NEW ERA IN HIGH<br />
QUALITY SOUND<br />
FROM ZEBRONICS<br />
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Whether for the living room or bedroom,<br />
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Commenting on bringing the sound<br />
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LONGINES<br />
REISSUES A<br />
CHARMING MODEL<br />
THE LONGINES HERITAGE<br />
1969 draws its inspiration<br />
from a timepiece created in<br />
the late 1960s. This model’s<br />
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original model. Rosecoloured<br />
hands and indexes give it an<br />
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brand had its start in 1832, the Longines<br />
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It is here that the brand draws<br />
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as a tribute to its long watchmaking<br />
tradition. So was born The Longines<br />
Heritage 1969, a piece with a vintage<br />
design echoing the lines of a watch<br />
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At the time, this model was available<br />
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For its re<strong>issue</strong>, a steel case has been<br />
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116 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
VIEWPOINT ||||| YOGA<br />
THROUGH THE MYSTIC EYE<br />
SADHGURU IS A YOGI, MYSTIC AND VISIONARY. AN INTERNATIONALLY-RENOWNED SPEAKER, SADHGURU’S WIT AND<br />
PIERCING LOGIC PROVOKE AND WIDEN OUR PERCEPTION OF LIFE. IN THIS SERIES, SADHGURU ANSWERS QUESTIONS, AND<br />
OFFERS REFRESHING PERSPECTIVES ON DIVERSE TOPICS<br />
bring this quality, but we should keep in<br />
mind that they are not the only thing.<br />
For someone getting started with yoga,<br />
they can take up something called upayoga,<br />
which gives you physical and<br />
psychological benefits but doesn’t touch<br />
the spiritual dimension. It can be learnt in<br />
five minutes and can be practiced<br />
anywhere. Once people experience the<br />
benefits, they will naturally seek yoga in<br />
a more serious manner.<br />
Sadhguru with Juhi Chawla<br />
JUHI CHAWLA<br />
Actor<br />
If you’re a beginner, what is the best<br />
practice to follow the path of yoga in its<br />
true form?<br />
Sadhguru: Yoga is not just about morningevening<br />
practice. Every aspect of your life<br />
– the very way you walk, breathe, interact<br />
– should become a process of yoga.<br />
Yoga is not something that you do. Yoga is<br />
something that you become. If you<br />
cultivate your body, mind, emotions and<br />
energies to a certain level of maturity, a<br />
quality arises within you where being<br />
peaceful and joyful is not determined by<br />
anything outside of you, it is determined<br />
by you. Yogic practices definitely help<br />
UPA-YOGA: IGNITING<br />
YOURSELF FOR ACTION<br />
High on Yoga is a pioneering initiative<br />
by <strong>Spice</strong>Jet and Isha Foundation, which<br />
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Below, Sadhguru explains what<br />
upa-yoga is.<br />
Sadhguru: In vernacular languages,<br />
“upayoga” refers to something useful,<br />
but actually it means sub or pre-yoga.<br />
Yoga itself is not an exercise. It is a<br />
technology through which a dimension<br />
beyond the physical becomes a living<br />
reality within you. So, it needs to be<br />
handled in a committed atmosphere.<br />
But upa-yoga does not demand that nor<br />
does it cause problems if done<br />
improperly because you can’t do it<br />
improperly – it’s very simple.<br />
Upa-yoga exercises muscles and<br />
lubricates joints, improves neuronal<br />
regeneration and memory, reduces sleep,<br />
activates the spine and brings a deep sense<br />
of peacefulness. The practices are available<br />
on apps and at http://isha.sadhguru.org<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet welcomes its passengers to ask Sadhguru questions on yoga, health, wellbeing and other topics of<br />
general interest. Select questions will be answered in forthcoming <strong>issue</strong>s. Please email your question to<br />
mediarelations@ishafoundation.org For more of Sadhguru’s wisdom, visit http://isha.sadhguru.org<br />
118 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
TRAVEL ||||| CELEBRITIES<br />
THE GLOBETROTTING DESI<br />
PRIYANKA<br />
CHOPRA<br />
ACTOR<br />
THE ACTRESS TAKES<br />
TIME OUT TO SHARE<br />
WITH US HER<br />
FAVOURITE VACATION<br />
MEMORIES.<br />
BY AARTI KAPUR<br />
SINGH<br />
What is your idea of a<br />
perfect holiday?<br />
A vacation, whenever I<br />
can go for one, is for<br />
complete and allencompassing<br />
rejuvenation. It’s a<br />
vacation in every sense<br />
of the word, where I<br />
don’t want to talk or<br />
think about work at all.<br />
I did just that when I<br />
took my first holiday in<br />
three years for New<br />
Year’s Eve – we went as<br />
a family and had tonnes<br />
of fun. On a holiday, I<br />
really want to have<br />
some “me time”. I love<br />
travelling because of<br />
the sheer pleasure of<br />
exploring new places<br />
and thankfully, my job<br />
gives me ample chances<br />
to do that. But when<br />
one is working, there is<br />
hardly any time to just<br />
be on a holiday.<br />
Your work does take you<br />
to some lovely locations.<br />
How different is<br />
travelling for work from<br />
travelling on a vacation?<br />
It is very different when<br />
you travel for work.<br />
There is still a<br />
disciplined routine -<br />
The actor enjoyed the outdoor shoot of Dostana in Miami<br />
Priyanka is beginning to get a vibe of Montreal where she now stays<br />
call time, shoot and so<br />
on. But then, once in a<br />
while, I have been lucky<br />
enough to have work<br />
and vacation merge<br />
together. Shooting for<br />
Dostana, for instance,<br />
was like a vacation for<br />
me. It was more of a<br />
rejuvenating holiday<br />
than work. We were in<br />
Miami for two months<br />
and I was so fresh and<br />
rested when I came<br />
back. It was like a really<br />
relaxed outdoor and I<br />
had a great time<br />
because everybody got<br />
along well with each<br />
other. I didn’t feel like I<br />
was working. I think it<br />
was just the vibe in the<br />
entire crew. Everybody<br />
was so much fun and<br />
we did everything<br />
together. I think just<br />
being able to connect<br />
with everybody at a<br />
deeper level was really<br />
nice. When I came<br />
back, I felt I had just<br />
finished my summer<br />
vacations.<br />
Another place I<br />
also loved was Brazil - I<br />
shot there for a season<br />
of Khatron Ke Khiladi -<br />
and I liked the place<br />
because I had never<br />
been there and I was<br />
like this wide-eyed girl<br />
absorbing all the<br />
fantastic things I saw.<br />
Now that I am living in<br />
Montreal, I am<br />
beginning to get the<br />
vibe of the place.<br />
Whenever I do get the<br />
time, I am out and<br />
about - exploring the<br />
SHUTTERSTOCK (TOP), ALAMY (BOTTOM)<br />
120 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
food, venues and<br />
culture.<br />
Which is your favourite<br />
place in the world for a<br />
vacation?<br />
My home, because I’m<br />
hardly ever there you<br />
know (laughs). I feel<br />
like this school kid who<br />
wants to come back<br />
home during summer<br />
vacations and gorge on<br />
mangoes. But to answer<br />
your question seriously,<br />
I can never have<br />
enough of the US. I love<br />
going back there. It is<br />
very forthcoming and<br />
welcoming. I have lived<br />
in Newton (outside<br />
Boston), in Queens and<br />
in Cedar Rapids - but at<br />
that time, I was a<br />
12-year-old ninth<br />
grader who got a huge<br />
culture shock.<br />
Mauritius is<br />
somewhere I go every<br />
time I want a quick<br />
getaway and back in<br />
India, it is Jaipur -<br />
because of the colours<br />
of the city and its<br />
Phuket brings back an<br />
interesting vacation memory<br />
magnetic old world<br />
charm. I am a total<br />
beach bum so I am also<br />
fond of beach<br />
destinations – all of<br />
them.<br />
What do you do while on<br />
a holiday?<br />
I love taking in new<br />
sights and sounds - so I<br />
visit a lot of musical<br />
shows and do the<br />
touristy sight-seeing. I<br />
also go crazy eating<br />
local fare. If I have<br />
friends in the city, we<br />
paint the town in the<br />
colours of the rainbow.<br />
But it’s not like there is<br />
an agenda - I don’t force<br />
myself to get out of my<br />
pyjamas and glad-rags.<br />
Mostly, you will find<br />
me curled up by the<br />
pool or beach with a<br />
nice book.<br />
WHILE ON A<br />
HOLIDAY I<br />
REALLY WANT<br />
TO HAVE SOME<br />
"ME TIME"<br />
Priyanka took off on her own in a shikara at Dal Lake<br />
Which is your most<br />
favourite vacation<br />
memory?<br />
Oh yes, plenty of them.<br />
When I visited<br />
Kashmir in 2007, I went<br />
there after about 15<br />
years. So obviously, I<br />
was one excited girl<br />
reliving her school<br />
summer vacation<br />
memories. I started<br />
roaming about on my<br />
own to take in the<br />
natural beauty. At Dal<br />
Lake, I couldn’t resist a<br />
boat ride, so I rented a<br />
shikara and started<br />
rowing it myself. I was<br />
so engrossed by the<br />
serene lake and the<br />
pristine mountain<br />
views that I jumped<br />
after hearing loud<br />
voices cheering behind<br />
me. The next thing I<br />
saw was this swarm of<br />
boats all around me,<br />
cheering me. I realised<br />
that these fans had<br />
followed me in other<br />
boats to catch a close<br />
glimpse. But they were<br />
very sweet and helped<br />
me row back to shore.<br />
Another time I was in<br />
Phuket with my<br />
friends and we were<br />
making sandcastles on<br />
the beach and<br />
suddenly, this man<br />
started yelling “Mimi,<br />
Mimi”, which is my pet<br />
name. I had taken such<br />
pains to organise a day<br />
off at a place where I<br />
thought nobody would<br />
recognise me and then<br />
I face this. I ducked<br />
behind one of my<br />
friends and scurried<br />
back into our room.<br />
Later, another one of<br />
my friends informed<br />
me that Mimi is a very<br />
common name in<br />
Thailand and the man<br />
was simply calling out<br />
to his daughter.<br />
Is there any place that<br />
you wish to travel to?<br />
Oh, I really want to go<br />
to Japan for a vacation.<br />
And I thought I would<br />
be able to see Mexico<br />
now that I am so close -<br />
but it hasn’t happened<br />
yet. I will have to plan<br />
it out soon.<br />
SHUTTERSTOCK (TOP), ALAMY (BOTTOM)<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 121
IN FOCUS ||||| MONTAGE<br />
KAILASH MANSAROVAR – A<br />
LEGEND, A REVELATION, A<br />
MYSTERY<br />
BY DINESH GUPTA<br />
MOUNT KAILASH – the abode of Lord Shiva and<br />
Goddess Parvati , has captured the imagination of<br />
human beings since time immemorial. Kailash<br />
Mansarovar Yatra is one of the most arduous treks. It<br />
involves trekking up to an altitude of 19,500 feet under<br />
inhospitable conditions, including extreme cold and<br />
rugged terrain. I along with my wife and a group of<br />
likeminded friends, were seeking the divine darshan of<br />
Kailash Mansarovar for quite some time, which could<br />
be materialized only by the blessings of Lord Shiva. All<br />
Kailash Mansarovar yatris visit Pashupatinath temple<br />
to seek his blessings before commencing the yatra to<br />
Mt. Kailash. Next day, we flew to Lhasa, which was at a<br />
height of 11,000 feet. The train journey from Lhasa to<br />
Shigatse was an exhilarating one.<br />
Now, the ultimate journey to the abode of Lord<br />
Shiva began with religious fervor. Everyone got up at 3<br />
am the next morning to catch a flight to Ali, the last mile<br />
to Lake Mansarovar. As the plane touched base in Ali, a<br />
very humble town, each one of us felt so near to Lord<br />
Shiva. After two hours, somebody in the group caught a<br />
glimpse of Mt. Kailash. Our excitement turned into an<br />
euphoria. The trek around Mt. Kailash is of 52 km and<br />
has to be done on foot, pony or yak. Reaching Dirapuk<br />
after a 16 km trek from Darchen, we felt as if we had<br />
reached heaven. Finally it turned bright gold as the first<br />
rays of the sun made the peak glow. All bowed and<br />
prayed with folded hands.<br />
(The author is a pioneering visionary and media tycoon. He<br />
is the chairman of Sadhna News and Prabhatam Group)<br />
122 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
LEISURE ||||| CELEBRITIES<br />
SPA SECRETS<br />
MAINTAINING GOOD LOOKS SURE INVOLVES SOME HEAVY DUTY PAMPERING. WE<br />
ASKED A FEW BOLLLYWOOD CELEBS ABOUT THEIR FAVOURITE SPAS AND THEY<br />
WERE ONLY TOO HAPPY TO OBLIGE.<br />
BY: AARTI KAPUR SINGH<br />
Wonder how our<br />
Bollywood<br />
beauties<br />
manage to look<br />
so ravishing and<br />
radiant despite back-to-back shoots and<br />
frenetic lifestyles? Well, most of them<br />
have their own beauty and wellness<br />
regimes that they absolutely swear by,<br />
with relaxing and rejuvenating spa<br />
treatments. They take all the pampering<br />
very seriously and after all this time, are<br />
very clued in on the leading spas and the<br />
in-house speciality of each one of them.<br />
Be it exotic massages and body wraps or<br />
personalised therapies, here’s what<br />
some of our glam divas revealed about<br />
their go-to spas around the world.<br />
124 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
SHILPA SHETTY<br />
KUNDRA<br />
“I am a total spa addict and love<br />
pampering myself. While I love<br />
the soothing therapies of my<br />
own spa, I also like Harrods’ Urban Retreat<br />
in London and Zamani Zanzibar Kempinski<br />
Hotel’s Anantara Spa in Tanzania. Both<br />
these places have well-informed therapists<br />
who not only know what they are doing, but<br />
also take great pains to explain each and<br />
every procedure to you before and while<br />
they are treating you. No other place can<br />
beat the deep t<strong>issue</strong> massage at Anantara<br />
Spa – it is a good two hours of heavenly<br />
peace. It is run by the Thai Mandara Spa,<br />
and that means that they never ever rush<br />
into or out of therapies. So, one can actually<br />
relax without looking at the watch.”<br />
Zamani Zanzibar<br />
Kempinski Hotel’s<br />
Anantara Spa<br />
PRIYANKA<br />
CHOPRA<br />
“Oh, I could spend an<br />
entire lifetime in a<br />
spa! Those are the<br />
places where I actually let my hair<br />
down when I am travelling. I am<br />
totally a water and beach person,<br />
so most of my favourite spas are in<br />
places where there is sun, sand<br />
and surf. This is very good because<br />
I can get rid of all the tan after<br />
frolicking! I practically live in The<br />
Standard Spa when I am in Miami.<br />
The Willow Stream Spa<br />
Their huge hamam (bath) is a<br />
godsend, and so is their Vitamin<br />
Wrap treatment where they wrap<br />
your body in orange and coconut<br />
milk and then apply a face mask<br />
packed with tons of vitamins and<br />
aloe. As a last step, they moisturise<br />
and you leave the premises with<br />
your skin feeling like pure silk.<br />
The Willow Stream Spa at<br />
Fairmont Monte Carlo is another<br />
favourite because of their sea<br />
algae body wrap and a special<br />
acupressure facial.”<br />
ADITI RAO HYDARI<br />
“When it’s hot, there can be nothing<br />
more soothing than water. I love the<br />
idea of rejuvenating through water<br />
therapy at The Quan Spa, J.W. Marriott, in Mumbai.<br />
I am always ready for their Manihi Lagoon Island<br />
Bath, which uses the rhythm of water. The aroma<br />
adds to the sensory experience, making you feel as if<br />
you are lounging in a pool, far from the madding<br />
crowd. They also have their own body massage<br />
where they use a moisturising balm to massage your<br />
body. I was told it contains Brazil Nut Oil and<br />
Vitamin E Oil. I sleep like a baby whenever I come<br />
home from there.”<br />
The Quan Spa<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 125
LEISURE ||||| CELEBRITIES<br />
Oberoi Rajvilas Spa<br />
KAREENA KAPOOR<br />
KHAN<br />
“I am addicted to<br />
manicures and pedicures<br />
and there’s a running joke<br />
among friends and family that I actually<br />
check into a hotel’s spa rather than their<br />
room first! It’s true for I always head to a<br />
hotel’s spa almost as soon as I check in.<br />
Despite having seen the most luxurious<br />
spas all over the world, my most<br />
favourite place to rejuvenate is the<br />
Oberoi Rajvilas Spa in Jaipur. It’s a piece<br />
of heaven on earth! This place is<br />
absolutely connected to the roots and<br />
down-to-earth and yet, so decadent. I<br />
have experienced most of their relaxing<br />
massages and even complex,<br />
specifically-targeted, herbal oil-andpaste<br />
therapies to feel pampered and<br />
refreshed. They have been gracious<br />
enough to customise treatments for me. I<br />
am particularly fond of their Maharani<br />
Ritual Spa – the massage alone lasts for<br />
about an hour and I doze off within the<br />
first ten minutes. I also love their lemonand-yoghurt<br />
body massage.”<br />
SRIDEVI<br />
“I have a spa fetish to the extent that I<br />
am always clued in on most new<br />
treatments that are being spoken<br />
about. So much so, on checking into any place I<br />
haven’t been to before, I first check out their spa to<br />
figure out how good the place must be. I am open to<br />
trying out varied therapies, and the moment I come<br />
to know about a new indulgence introduced by any<br />
spa, I am usually the first to try it out. My friends<br />
are forever asking me for recommendations – I am<br />
that up-to-speed with what is new and good in spa<br />
treatments. I love the deep and intense massage at<br />
Four Seasons’ Spa in Provence and Banyan Tree in<br />
Phuket. I have tried out honey scrub, massage and<br />
fruit facial at the Marriott in Pune, and I often go<br />
there to relax over the weekend.”<br />
Banyan Tree<br />
126 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
ART ||||| INSTALLATIONS<br />
Left Top: The Orion installation brings out the artist’s artisanal skills<br />
Bottom: Infinity is one of the four light installations created by the<br />
artist Above: Cube highlights the artist’s unique style<br />
ART FROM<br />
THE HEART<br />
RENOWNED INSTALLATION ARTIST VIBHOR SOGANI’S WORKS<br />
ARE A REVOLUTIONARY BLEND OF ARTISANAL SKILL,NEW<br />
TECHNOLOGY AND UNIQUE MATERIALS<br />
BY BINDU GOPAL RAO<br />
If you live in or have been to Delhi, chances are<br />
you would have noticed a huge stainless steel<br />
installation around the AIIMS flyover.<br />
Designed as part of the beautification of the<br />
national capital, this is installation artist<br />
Vibhor Sogani’s creation. A leading creative<br />
professional and product designer, he is an<br />
alumnus of the National Institute of Design (NID),<br />
Ahmedabad, and a well-established name in the art world.<br />
LAUNCH PAD<br />
Ask him how it all started and he replies: “My design<br />
journey started after my schooling in Jaipur. Despite being a<br />
good student, academics never excited me. After a session<br />
130 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
Top: Initially Studio Vibhor Sogani<br />
specialised in table top accessories<br />
Bottom: Slim is an interesting<br />
interplay of light and design<br />
with a career counsellor and an aptitude<br />
test, I was told my 3D visualisation is<br />
good and I would do well in a creative<br />
field.”<br />
In 1992, Sogani graduated from NID<br />
with a degree in Product Design<br />
(Industrial Design), after which he<br />
worked for a year with the furniture<br />
division of Godrej in Mumbai. He moved<br />
out and took up freelance projects, which<br />
somehow weren’t easy to come by.<br />
“Finally, in August 2002, I launched my<br />
collection of table top accessories under<br />
the label Studio Vibhor<br />
Sogani. Till 2005, I was<br />
involved in my accessories<br />
line but somewhere down<br />
the line, I realised this<br />
stream was far too<br />
commercial for my creative<br />
sensibilities,” says Sogani.<br />
In 2007, Sogani was invited<br />
to participate in an art show<br />
and soon, he ended up doing<br />
his first show titled, ‘God & I’<br />
featuring wall art and<br />
installations in stainless<br />
steel and other materials. In<br />
his words, the exhibition<br />
was “liberating” as he did it<br />
for himself and without<br />
stressing over its<br />
THE ART FORM<br />
Installation art is<br />
the term used for<br />
site-specific, threedimensional<br />
works<br />
that aim to change a<br />
viewer's perception<br />
of a space. The art<br />
form spans the<br />
entire gamut of<br />
traditional as well<br />
as non-traditional<br />
media like painting,<br />
sculpture, found<br />
objects, drawing<br />
and text. The term<br />
has been used since<br />
the mid-1950s. In<br />
recent years viewer<br />
participation has<br />
emerged as a key<br />
component of<br />
installation art.<br />
functionality.<br />
Recalling his journey, he says: “The<br />
shift from design to art was an internal<br />
struggle for me but I had an advantage as<br />
I was technically equipped and that<br />
became the most interesting and<br />
intrinsic part of the process later. The<br />
same year, I also got an opportunity to do<br />
some work in the field of lighting and the<br />
response was encouraging at various<br />
levels. My lighting portfolio started<br />
growing and as a designer, I felt more<br />
satiated and involved. In terms of<br />
competition too, the segment was more<br />
specialised. There were lesser people in<br />
my category from the Indian<br />
subcontinent and that allowed me<br />
enough room to expand.”<br />
DESIGNER DREAMS<br />
Before Sogani’s tryst with art, he worked<br />
as a design consultant on several<br />
commercial projects with clients across<br />
sectors such as real estate, hotels, and<br />
government bodies. “I worked on some<br />
off-beat projects such as the country’s<br />
first few go-carting tracks, redesigning<br />
Mumbai’s suburban trains, and<br />
upgrading Kashmir’s copper craft. Also,<br />
trophies for events like the Samsung Cup<br />
(India-Pakistan Cricket<br />
Series in Pakistan, 2004);<br />
Pepsi Cup (India-Pakistan<br />
Cricket Series, 2005); PHL<br />
Trophy (Premier Hockey<br />
League) and Hutch-Delhi<br />
Half Marathon were<br />
designed and executed by my<br />
office,” he points out.<br />
Quizzed on the marriage of<br />
art and technology, the<br />
designer-cum-artist says:<br />
“Being an industrial<br />
designer from NID, the<br />
comfort with industrial<br />
processes and technology<br />
was always there. Exposure<br />
to Indian crafts and<br />
handicrafts came in the first<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 131
ART ||||| INSTALLATIONS<br />
Top Right: Sogani’s studio is<br />
spread over 35,000 square feet<br />
Above: Vibhor Sogani, design<br />
consutant turned artist<br />
FACT FILE<br />
phase of my career while I was<br />
consulting. Art is an expression pretty<br />
much from within. To amalgamate and<br />
arrive at technology-driven installations<br />
was an easy choice. Once I got rolling, it<br />
wasn’t difficult.”<br />
CONTEMPORARY CHIC<br />
Sogani’s is an experimental style<br />
involving combining materials like steel,<br />
copper, bronze and stone to create art,<br />
sculptures and light installations. His<br />
work reflects his contemporary, urban<br />
sensibilities. Having started Studio<br />
Vibhor Sogani in 1994 in Delhi, he has<br />
several award-winning projects and<br />
PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE<br />
One of Sogani’s best and the country’s largest public art<br />
installations is named ‘Sprouts’. It is a 40 feet high stainless steel<br />
installation spread over six acres of greens surrounding the AIIMS<br />
flyover in the heart of Delhi. The idea behind Sprouts was: ‘When<br />
the seeds begin to sprout’ - to show how India is shaping up and<br />
transforming since independence. It was a joint governmentprivate<br />
project<br />
nstallations to his credit. The studio,<br />
spread over 35,000 square feet,<br />
comprises different zones where each<br />
zone has a distinct installation and is an<br />
experience in itself. Lush green exteriors<br />
showcase a variety of outdoor<br />
installations ranging from<br />
one to 20 feet.<br />
LABOUR OF LOVE<br />
Taking his portfolio ahead, Sogani has<br />
created four light installations - Orion,<br />
Cube, Cascade and Infinity. Each one of<br />
them showcases his artisanal skill. They<br />
also stand out for the use of new<br />
technology, and unique materials. He<br />
shares an interesting anecdote from<br />
2004 when the Indian cricket team<br />
travelled to Pakistan after 14 years for a<br />
full-blown one day and test series.<br />
“I was given the opportunity to<br />
design and create the trophies,<br />
mementos and other associated products<br />
for both the series and got to travel with<br />
the team. We were in the streets of<br />
Pakistan with the Indian flag and<br />
wearing the team colour. The euphoria<br />
attached to the experience was<br />
unparalleled. We managed to win both<br />
the series and brought the trophies<br />
home, making me a lucky charm of<br />
sorts,” he recalls.<br />
About the trophy, he says: “It got<br />
immense international acclaim and<br />
became a turning point in my career,<br />
especially in terms of my experience<br />
with metal."<br />
132 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
IN FOCUS ||||| MONTAGE<br />
BAGGIT LAUNCHES THE<br />
SURREAL STREAK<br />
GET SURREALISTIC WITH<br />
BAGGIT, India’s most loved bag<br />
brand and give a refreshing touch<br />
to your wardrobe. The Surreal<br />
Streak collection brings<br />
out an alive and<br />
amusing twist to the<br />
pop trend through<br />
statement phrases,<br />
monster eyes, lip<br />
illustrations and tiedye<br />
techniques<br />
integrated in different<br />
bag styles. The collection<br />
is an amalgamation of<br />
conventional tessellation<br />
patterns, speech bubble vector shaped bags and infusion<br />
of the popular jhuti material. Updated with thick textures<br />
and unnatural colours, the collection comprises totes,<br />
backpacks, satchels, utility pouches and wallets in shades<br />
of pink, red, purple, green, blue, rose, mustard, black and<br />
maroon. The merger of style and unreal pop graphic<br />
elements makes this collection sassy for the youthful you<br />
to stay on trend and fashionable. Bring alive the surreal<br />
influences in the world of fashion with this fun range.<br />
Baggit is India’s leading fashion accessory brand,<br />
founded in 1990 by Nina Lekhi with its first launch in a<br />
standalone retail store before moving on to Large Retail<br />
Format stores and then finally launching its own<br />
Exclusive Brand Outlets in several cities across the<br />
country. A brand that incorporates eco-friendly values to<br />
luxury products, Baggit’s strong belief in ‘Beauty without<br />
cruelty’ won it the PETA Proggy Award. Aimed at the<br />
modern indian woman, Baggit offers a wide range of<br />
accessories such as bags, belts, caps, wallets and multiutility<br />
pouches along with several more wardrobe musthaves.<br />
Taking into consideration the need to be organized<br />
through the day, each bag by Baggit offers several pockets<br />
and slots, making it easier to access one’s vital needs. For<br />
more information, please visit Baggit exclusive stores and<br />
www.baggit.com or facebook.com/baggit<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 133
IN FOCUS ||||| MONTAGE<br />
STYLISH SCARVES FROM AHUJASONS<br />
PLANNING A NICE exotic holiday to the beaches or the hills? A<br />
holiday is a mix of excitement, fun, relaxation and cool fashion<br />
which will be cherished for ever. Every moment should be<br />
incredible, from the destination to your style. So, keeping your style<br />
statement in mind, Ahujasons has launched an exclusive ‘Resort<br />
Wear Collection’ of scarves which will add a dash of fashion<br />
quotient to your look, making your vacation all the more thrilling.<br />
The collection has been specially designed for the modern day<br />
fashionistas who seek perfection in whatever look they sport.<br />
Designed in an array of soothing fabrics like super fine linens and<br />
cotton, the Resort wear collection is available in breathtaking cool<br />
shades of the ocean, beach, sun and sand which is perfect for your<br />
holiday. The collection will spell magic to your wardrobe and will<br />
bring out the diva in you as you have a gala time during your<br />
vacation. Stunning designs of exclusive digital prints and<br />
experimental surface ornamentation are on offer. While travelling<br />
will distress you, the collection will add that extra zing, making<br />
your holiday a blissful experience.<br />
COME BACK<br />
TO LIFE WITH<br />
CD PARTY<br />
SHIRTS.<br />
WHEN IT COMES TO PARTYING, CD Party Shirts are the<br />
only rule that you don’t break. Rise from within and come<br />
face to face with a being who knows no boundaries as you<br />
put on a new life. Merge yet emerge at every do. Calm your<br />
beating heart as it feels what was once unimaginable. From<br />
eye-popping optical prints to chic embroidery to trendy<br />
patchworks with colours like Blueberry, Burgundy,<br />
Canyon, Citric, Army green, Butter, Camel, Black forest<br />
and Chickoo – there are hundreds of designs to get the<br />
party going. Shop online at www.cdshirts.com or walk in<br />
to The Charagh Din Store at 64, Wodehouse Road, Colaba,<br />
Mumbai 400 005 or call 91 22 6152 2300. Follow Charagh<br />
Din on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cdshirts<br />
NEW TACO BELL OPENS IN NEW DELHI<br />
THE WORLD’S LARGEST Mexican-style fast food chain<br />
announced the exciting opening of an all new Taco Bell at<br />
Epicuria Nehru Place, its ninth restaurant in the country.<br />
The new location redefines the fast food experience and<br />
transcends quick-service restaurants with an edgy new<br />
interior and a customizable menu made to order. While you<br />
are here, you’ll be able to hang out with your friends in the<br />
redesigned dining room featuring retro dining chairs with<br />
benches made from reclaimed mango wood, a sea freight<br />
container with private seating within and a DJ console<br />
above for hosting awesome aspiring local musicians. Says<br />
Ankush Tuli, Managing Director, Taco Bell India, says,<br />
“We are delighted to bring the all new Taco Bell to India,<br />
with its unique positioning of Mexican-inspired food<br />
experiences at unbelievable value."<br />
134 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
HEALTH ||||| PREVENTION<br />
well. Stand under the fan and/or put on<br />
the air-conditioner to ensure complete<br />
drying, after which, dust these areas<br />
with anti-fungal powder to keep<br />
infections at bay. Do not wear socks<br />
without drying your feet and fingers.<br />
6 SKINCARE<br />
TIPS FOR THE<br />
MONSOON<br />
IF YOU THINK SKIN PROBLEMS OCCUR<br />
ONLY DURING SUMMER, THINK AGAIN.<br />
BY: DR CHYTRA ANAND<br />
Viral infections and<br />
stomach bugs are not the<br />
only bane associated<br />
with monsoons. Our<br />
skin too faces a lot of<br />
distress. Here are a few things you can do<br />
to ensure minimal damage to your skin<br />
during the rainy season.<br />
KEEP YOUR SKIN CLEAN<br />
Dirt and dust stick to your skin due to<br />
humidity and oiliness, and cause<br />
bacteria to build up in the pores, which<br />
may lead to skin infections and<br />
breakouts. Hence, keep your face and<br />
skin squeaky clean at all times.<br />
Beginning with the face, use a mild,<br />
soap-free or PH-balanced cleanser twice<br />
daily to wash away dirt, grime, oil and<br />
bacterial build up in pores. Follow it up<br />
with a serum; either vitamin C-based for<br />
regular wear or salicylic acid-based for<br />
oily and acne-prone skin. Use a light and<br />
soothing water-based moisturiser.<br />
DRY YOURSELF WELL<br />
Constant sweating and humidity render<br />
skin damp, particularly at the folds.<br />
Fungal and bacterial infections are<br />
commonplace owing to damp weather.<br />
Areas such as armpits, groin region, skin<br />
in-between toes and fingers are<br />
particularly vulnerable. After a bath, dry<br />
these areas and also your hair and scalp<br />
DO NOT FOREGO SUNSCREEN<br />
Contrary to popular perception, the<br />
Sun’s UV radiation easily penetrates<br />
cloud cover and enters buildings through<br />
glass windows and doors. Therefore,<br />
wear sunscreen all the time, and reapply<br />
every few hours.<br />
APPLY MINIMAL MAKEUP<br />
This season is for minimalist makeup.<br />
Heavy skin applicants clog pores and<br />
cause skin irritation. If you must apply<br />
makeup, use water-proof cosmetics.<br />
Replace heavy foundation bases with<br />
lightweight powders. Ensure that the<br />
products you use do not clog skin pores.<br />
DEAL WITH EXCESSIVE SWEAT<br />
Keep yourself clean and dry. Bathe and<br />
clean off sweat every morning and<br />
evening using antibiotic soaps. This will<br />
also keep bad odour at bay. Keep areas<br />
like armpits, inner thighs, fingers and<br />
toes especially clean and dry to prevent<br />
bacterial and fungal infections.<br />
VISIT A SKIN SPECIALIST<br />
If you find yourself bogged down by<br />
repeated acne breakouts and excessive<br />
pigmentation, see a dermatologist.<br />
De-tanning treatments like peels and<br />
microdermabrasion will help remove<br />
summer tan; fillers like Juvederm will<br />
help replenish the skin’s lost glow and<br />
hydration; while medi facials and revlite<br />
photofacials will help maintain skin tone<br />
and texture during monsoons.<br />
(The author is Cosmetic Dermatologist,<br />
Kosmoderma Clinics, located in<br />
Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad)<br />
SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
136 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
IN FOCUS ||||| MONTAGE<br />
SÖKTAS MAKES<br />
AN IMPACT IN<br />
INDIA<br />
FOR DECADES, SÖKTAS has designed and provided the<br />
finest shirt fabrics for the top fashion houses in the world.<br />
In recent years, India’s rapidly growing economy, and the<br />
vibrant fashion awareness has increased the demand for<br />
premium, luxury shirts with impeccable designs in line<br />
with global trends. Since 2009, Söktas has proudly brought<br />
its coveted, quality fabrics to India as well, by establishing<br />
operations in the country. Setting the standard for the most<br />
desired fabrics in men’s shirts with innovative research,<br />
development, production and presentation capabilities,<br />
and an extremely broad archive of over 300,000 fabrics,<br />
Söktas continues to serve its top-class customers and<br />
clients around the globe. The fabrics are designed by the<br />
foremost designers in design offices in Italy, Turkey, and<br />
India; intricately woven with high quality Egyptian Giza<br />
cotton; and expertly finished in the Söktas mills.<br />
ANODYNE<br />
THERAPY SYSTEM<br />
NOW AVAILABLE<br />
IN INDIA<br />
THE ANODYNE THERAPY system is a medical device used<br />
in the United States and Europe and is now available in<br />
India. This device is a breakthrough in the treatment of<br />
neuropathy - a condition of that often leads to non-healing<br />
ulcers and amputations. Jennifer Turtzo, International<br />
Director of Anodyne Therapy LLC, explains. “This device<br />
has been used with exceptional outcomes in the United<br />
States for 15 years and we are thrilled to have our products<br />
available for both healthcare professionals and consumers<br />
in India.” The Anodyne Therapy System emits infrared<br />
light at a specific wavelength of 890 nm. These treatment<br />
pads are placed on the affected area of the body for 30<br />
minute sessions. This wavelength of light stimulates the<br />
release of Nitric Oxide a naturally occurring chemical in<br />
the body. This release of nitric oxide in the<br />
microvasculature improves circulation and nerve<br />
function, effectively reducing pain and improving healing.<br />
The patient feels no pain with the treatment.<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 137
BOOKS ||||| REVIEWS<br />
READER'S CORNER<br />
What the serious bookworm is checking out this month<br />
THE GIRL WHO ATE<br />
BOOKS<br />
Nilanjana Roy<br />
This is a unique collection<br />
of essays from one of the<br />
best-loved critics around.<br />
One of India’s most<br />
widely read journalists,<br />
Nilanjana Roy has been<br />
writing reviews, columns,<br />
essays and features for<br />
over two decades. The<br />
Girl Who Ate Books<br />
reinvents the best of<br />
these occasional pieces<br />
and weaves them<br />
together with a set of<br />
new personal essays.<br />
From early memories of<br />
living in a house made of<br />
books, to encounters with<br />
men and women who<br />
hoarded them, to the<br />
author’s first taste of the<br />
printed word - this is a<br />
memoir of reading, loving<br />
and living with books like<br />
no other. Written in her<br />
understated but<br />
unfailingly elegant style,<br />
this is an indispensable<br />
collection for those who<br />
live to read and read to<br />
live. Among other books,<br />
Roy is the author of The<br />
Wildings, which won the<br />
Shakti Bhatt First Book<br />
Award (2013). Her column<br />
on the reading life for the<br />
Business Standard has<br />
run for over 15 years.<br />
ODYSSEUS ABROAD<br />
Amit Chaudhuri<br />
In this highly acclaimed<br />
novel, Amit Chaudhuri<br />
tells us the story of one<br />
unremarkable July day in<br />
1980s’ London. Ananda,<br />
student of poetry, is<br />
lonely, and somewhat<br />
fraught, as he grapples<br />
with the big questions of<br />
literature. His uncle,<br />
Radhesh, a bachelor<br />
leading an early retired<br />
life in a Belsize Park<br />
bedsit, is a self-involved<br />
eccentric. On this day,<br />
they find uncertain<br />
companionship as they<br />
circle around their past<br />
and take stock of their<br />
place in the city. Ananda<br />
and Radhesh both<br />
provide a foil to each<br />
other and yet remain<br />
apart, as Chaudhuri<br />
shows why he is<br />
considered his<br />
generation’s best<br />
chronicler of acutely<br />
observed life. Chaudhuri,<br />
54, is a well-known<br />
author and academic. He<br />
was awarded the Sahitya<br />
Akademi Award, Indian<br />
government’s highest<br />
literary honour, in 2002<br />
for his novel A New<br />
World. He is currently<br />
Professor of<br />
Contemporary Literature<br />
at the University of East<br />
Anglia.<br />
BANDHAN<br />
Tamal Bandyopadhyay<br />
This is the story of<br />
Bandhan, the only bank<br />
that emerged in eastern<br />
India after Independence.<br />
Founded by the son of a<br />
sweet vendor, with a<br />
mere Rs 2 lakh, the sum<br />
total of his life savings.<br />
On 17 June, 2015, Chandra<br />
Shekhar Ghosh stepped<br />
out of the Reserve Bank<br />
of India building in<br />
Mumbai with the muchcoveted<br />
banking licence,<br />
beating some of the<br />
country’s top corporate<br />
houses. This moment<br />
compensated for all the<br />
frustrations that had<br />
come along the way. A<br />
year later, Bandhan Bank<br />
was launched with 6.7<br />
million small borrowers.<br />
So, how did Ghosh build<br />
India’s biggest MFI from<br />
scratch and then, along<br />
with his team, transform<br />
it into a universal bank?<br />
Bandhan: The Making of a<br />
Bank chronicles that<br />
journey. This is also<br />
Ghosh’s personal story -<br />
of a boy growing up in<br />
small-town Agartala<br />
struggling with poverty,<br />
but relentless in his<br />
ambition to make it big.<br />
Along the way, he battles<br />
competition as well as<br />
hostile moneylenders.<br />
HARRY PORTER AND<br />
THE CURSED CHILD<br />
J.K. Rowling<br />
Based on an original<br />
new story by J.K.<br />
Rowling, Jack Thorne<br />
and John Tiffany, a new<br />
play by Jack Thorne,<br />
Harry Potter and the<br />
Cursed Child is the<br />
eighth story in the Harry<br />
Potter series and the<br />
first official Harry Potter<br />
story to be presented<br />
on stage. The play<br />
received its world<br />
premiere in London’s<br />
West End on July 30,<br />
<strong>2016</strong>. It was always<br />
difficult being Harry<br />
Potter and it isn’t much<br />
easier now that<br />
he is an overworked<br />
employee of the Ministry<br />
of Magic, a husband<br />
and father of three<br />
school-age children.<br />
While Harry grapples<br />
with a past that refuses<br />
to stay where it belongs,<br />
his youngest son Albus<br />
must struggle with the<br />
weight of a family legacy<br />
he never wanted. As past<br />
and present fuse<br />
ominously, both father<br />
and son learn the<br />
uncomfortable truth:<br />
sometimes, darkness<br />
comes from unexpected<br />
places.<br />
A MIDSUMMER’S<br />
EQUATION<br />
Keigo Higashino<br />
Keigo Higashino’s<br />
excellent third whodunit<br />
featuring Manabu Yukawa<br />
takes the brilliant<br />
physicist to the dying<br />
Japanese resort town of<br />
Hari Cove, where Yukawa<br />
offers his expertise at<br />
hearings on an offshore<br />
drilling proposal that<br />
promises to boost the<br />
nation’s economy by<br />
providing access to rare<br />
metals. Locals who fear<br />
the effects of the<br />
resulting environmental<br />
damage, which also<br />
threatens the area’s<br />
fishing industry, are<br />
against the plan. As the<br />
corporation behind the<br />
mining operation holds<br />
meetings to win over<br />
opponents, Masatsugu<br />
Tsukahara, a fellow guest<br />
at the hotel where<br />
Yukawa is lodging, is<br />
found at the base of a<br />
seaside cliff, apparently<br />
dead from an accidental<br />
fall. An autopsy reveals<br />
that Tsukahara actually<br />
died from carbon<br />
monoxide poisoning, and<br />
the mystery deepens<br />
when Yukawa learns that<br />
the dead man was a<br />
former homicide<br />
detective.<br />
138 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
MELANGE ||||| TAROT<br />
YOUR FORECAST THIS MONTH<br />
BY: SRINIVAS IYER<br />
Aries<br />
There are some<br />
Taurus<br />
Avoid overseas<br />
Gemini<br />
Family matters<br />
Cancer<br />
Do not make<br />
Leo<br />
Change in<br />
Virgo<br />
An excellent year<br />
worries nagging you<br />
travel as it may not<br />
gain momentum till<br />
impromptu<br />
professional life is<br />
lies ahead of you<br />
which will disappear<br />
be as productive as<br />
September 12 after<br />
financial decisions<br />
indicated, and so<br />
but be careful about<br />
after September<br />
you wish it to be.<br />
which, there will be<br />
as they could lead<br />
also gain in wealth.<br />
your diet as you<br />
16. Be careful<br />
Eat simple food this<br />
status quo. Some<br />
to losses. Your<br />
Financial matters<br />
tend to gain weight.<br />
with finances till<br />
month as there may<br />
of you will move<br />
son may be the<br />
take precedence<br />
Beautification and<br />
September 19. Some<br />
be problems related<br />
into a bigger house.<br />
cause of some<br />
throughout the<br />
communication<br />
of your enemies<br />
to the stomach.<br />
Marriage is also<br />
mental agony for<br />
month. Things<br />
are on your mind.<br />
continue to act behind<br />
Some unwarranted<br />
indicated for those<br />
a short spell. Take<br />
improve on the<br />
Children will do well<br />
the scenes to make<br />
fears may bother<br />
eligible. Spirituality<br />
extra care of your<br />
home front for you<br />
in academics. Fortune<br />
life difficult for you.<br />
you this month.<br />
is on top of mind.<br />
children’s health.<br />
and your family.<br />
smiles on you.<br />
Libra<br />
This year, you expand<br />
Scorpio<br />
Extreme caution<br />
Sagittarius<br />
Sickness owing to<br />
Capricorn<br />
Focus is on past<br />
Aquarius<br />
Long and tiring<br />
Pisces<br />
It’s time to say<br />
connections in<br />
is advised while<br />
excess heat is seen.<br />
life karma. People<br />
journeys to new<br />
goodbye to sorrow<br />
foreign countries.<br />
travelling and<br />
Till September<br />
around you will<br />
places are seen but<br />
and anxiety.<br />
Gains are indicated<br />
driving; avoid risky<br />
19, avoid eating<br />
experience ill health<br />
they are essential<br />
Health improves,<br />
but expenses<br />
sports. Overall<br />
out and in public<br />
which is difficult to<br />
for growth.<br />
your enemies are<br />
also rise. Risk in<br />
risk reduces after<br />
places as this could<br />
diagnose; seeking<br />
Professional<br />
destroyed, you grow<br />
investment-related<br />
September 19. There<br />
affect the health<br />
a second opinion<br />
matters gain<br />
in leaps and bounds,<br />
matters reduces<br />
are some worries<br />
of your wife and<br />
is advised. Lady<br />
momentum and<br />
and family ties are<br />
after September 19.<br />
at the beginning<br />
children too. New<br />
Luck smiles on you<br />
changes are seen<br />
great. An auspicious<br />
Religious travel is<br />
of the month. You<br />
opportunities<br />
and helps you sail<br />
for the better.<br />
journey is indicated.<br />
indicated for you<br />
make new friends,<br />
are indicated<br />
through all kinds of<br />
Avoid impromptu<br />
Fame and recognition<br />
throughout the year.<br />
especially women.<br />
professionally.<br />
situations.<br />
investments.<br />
come your way.<br />
(Astrologer Srinivas Iyer is based in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. He can be contacted on +91 9867755116 and shrinivaasiyer@gmail.com)<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 139
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
MY TOWN<br />
Our ongoing series where we look at various Indian cities through<br />
the eyes of <strong>Spice</strong>Jet staffers. This month, Amit Kumar Srivastava,<br />
Security Officer, holds forth on Varanasi<br />
Your connection to the city: I have<br />
Favorite eats in the city: Sweets are<br />
been born and brought up in Varanasi. I<br />
the real forte of this place. Delicious<br />
have completed my Masters in Tourism<br />
kachauri, jalebi, samosa and a range of<br />
Administration from the Mahatma<br />
streetfare which includes offerings from<br />
Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith.<br />
the local chhatwallah will win the heart<br />
of every visitor.<br />
Best thing about Varanasi: Varanasi is<br />
a city of God and we start our day with<br />
Recommended places near the<br />
blessings, accompanied by the sound<br />
city: There are many interesting<br />
of temple bells and Vedic mantras. It<br />
places nearby like Ramnagar Fort,<br />
is a crucible of religious, spiritual and<br />
Vindhyachal, Sonbhadra and Chunar<br />
academic thought and beliefs.<br />
Fort. But you just cannot miss out on<br />
visiting Sarnath. Just 11 km away from<br />
One must-see in Varanasi: The<br />
Varanasi, it is a highly revered Buddhist<br />
elaborate Ganga Aarti (prayer riutal)<br />
pilgrimage centre. It is believed that<br />
every evening, just after sunset, at<br />
after getting enlightenment at Bodh<br />
Dashashwamedh Ghat, should not be<br />
Gaya, Lord Buddha preached his first<br />
missed by anybody. Light from wicks<br />
sermon, sanctified as Maha Dharma<br />
soaked in ghee or camphor is offered<br />
Chakra Pravartan, at Sarnath. The<br />
and traditional Hindu devotional songs<br />
area is a treasure trove of numerous<br />
Clockwise from above: Sarnath, an attractive<br />
destination near Varanasi; one of the ghats<br />
touching the Ganges; and Ganga Aarti being<br />
performed at Dashashwamedh Ghat<br />
are sung during the ritual. As the aarti<br />
begins, young priests<br />
take their positions on<br />
archaeological finds.<br />
Varanasi when<br />
a platform and begin<br />
compared to other<br />
swinging the lamp to<br />
places: It is among the<br />
the tune of chants.<br />
oldest living cities in the<br />
world. The people here<br />
What else the city is<br />
are simple and helpful.<br />
NOW FLYING<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet offers direct flights to Varanasi<br />
from Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad<br />
and convenient connections from other<br />
cities across the network. Log on to<br />
www.spicejet.com for details<br />
famous for: Varanasi is<br />
renowned for its ghats -<br />
riverfront steps leading to<br />
the banks of the Ganges.<br />
The city has 87 of them.<br />
Most of them are bathing<br />
and puja ceremony ghats.<br />
While modernisation has<br />
taken over many other<br />
Indian cities, Varanasi has<br />
maintained its traditional<br />
culture and celebrates all<br />
festivals in the same way<br />
as in the past.<br />
SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
140 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
AGAINST ALL ODDS<br />
Sujeet Kumar, who works in <strong>Spice</strong>Jet’s reservations department,<br />
cannot hear nor speak. But that has not stopped him from being<br />
efficient at his work<br />
LIKE MANY OTHER YOUNG MEN from<br />
the interiors, Sujeet Kumar came to New<br />
Delhi in search of a job. Unlike the others,<br />
however, the B.Com from Barh, Bihar,<br />
faced a double challenge – he is hearing<br />
and speech impaired.<br />
But when he landed up at the<br />
Gurgaon office of <strong>Spice</strong>Jet for a walk-in<br />
job interview, the young man walked<br />
out with a job. “He may be deprived<br />
of speech and hearing but he came<br />
across as a very sensible, mature and<br />
determined individual with an amazing<br />
willpower which made him fit for the<br />
job and the organisation,” says Sukanya<br />
Anbalagam, GM, HR, <strong>Spice</strong>Jet Ltd.<br />
Sujeet is now a Reservations<br />
Executive in the Team Support function.<br />
His is a non-voice job profile and he<br />
is a part of <strong>Spice</strong>Jet’s reversal team<br />
taking care of refunds on PNRs, mailing,<br />
etc. Pradeep Shah, GM, Reservations,<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet Ltd and Sujeet’s department<br />
head remembers the interview, “The<br />
entire interaction was in gesture and<br />
sign language assisted by writing on<br />
a piece of paper. I did not feel the<br />
communication barrier even for a<br />
second.”<br />
He adds, “It’s been five months since<br />
Sujeet and me are in the same team.<br />
He is diligent and knows his job very<br />
well.” Others describe him as “calm and<br />
composed” and “very passionate about<br />
his work” and someone who takes full<br />
responsibility of the work assigned to<br />
him. He interacts with his colleagues<br />
through sign language and is touched<br />
by their friendly behaviour and helpful<br />
nature.<br />
But then, Sujeet too deserves<br />
kudos. He is very efficient at his work<br />
and is quick on the uptake. Initially the<br />
organisation had put him on refund<br />
queues which is an easier function to<br />
perform with less manual calculations,<br />
but gradually when his efficiency<br />
improved he has been given tougher<br />
activities which he is able to perform<br />
well.<br />
Sujeet’s selection and later, his<br />
grooming on the job and motivation for<br />
his efforts prove once again that <strong>Spice</strong>Jet<br />
is an organisation with a heart. “HR in<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet encourages departments to<br />
employ individuals with special needs<br />
wherever and whenever it is possible,”<br />
says Anbalagam. “<strong>Spice</strong>Jet is an equal<br />
opportunity organisation and we<br />
encourage diversity as a culture."<br />
Working at <strong>Spice</strong>Jet, Sujeet says,<br />
allows him to learn newer things and<br />
to grow as a professional. He then<br />
beautifully describes his innermost<br />
thought: “There is a very healthy work<br />
culture at <strong>Spice</strong>Jet. I feel like a butterfly<br />
flying in a big garden. It gives me<br />
immense joy.”<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 141
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
FLIGHT BOOKINGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet’s popular mobile app offers never before convenience and speed for customers on-the-go<br />
With <strong>Spice</strong>Jet’s new mobile app,<br />
customers will find it more<br />
convenient than ever before to<br />
make and manage bookings, check flight<br />
status, and receive exclusive offers on their<br />
mobile devices. The interface is so simple<br />
that even the origin of journey helpfully<br />
gets auto-filled thanks to inbuilt geotagging.<br />
The app also allows customers to book<br />
or add exciting <strong>Spice</strong>Jet add-on products<br />
such as choosing premium <strong>Spice</strong>MAX<br />
seats, in-flight meals and Priority Checkin.<br />
Customers can also pre-book excess<br />
baggage at discounted rates through this<br />
app.<br />
The payment gateway of the app offers<br />
a variety of options like Quickpay, credit<br />
card, debit card and Internet banking. The<br />
Quickpay option ensures instant booking<br />
with just a single click.<br />
You can download the official<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet app from Google Playstore<br />
and App Store.<br />
SPICE FIRST CHECK-IN<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet has raised the<br />
bar of customer comfort<br />
and convenience with the<br />
effective integration of<br />
technology into its services.<br />
In a first of its kind initiative<br />
by any airline in the country,<br />
the carrier has launched<br />
<strong>Spice</strong> First Check-In. This<br />
enables customers to get<br />
their boarding pass on their<br />
smartphones at the click of<br />
a button.<br />
The airline which has<br />
set a new benchmark in<br />
the country by launching a<br />
slew of customer-friendly<br />
and innovative products<br />
and services has effectively<br />
incorporated Near Field<br />
Communication (NFC)<br />
and Beacon technologies<br />
with its mobile application.<br />
This enables customers<br />
who have booked tickets<br />
through the <strong>Spice</strong>Jet mobile<br />
app to receive boarding<br />
passes directly on their<br />
smartphones. Customers<br />
will thus be relieved from<br />
standing in long queues<br />
thus further enhancing their<br />
travel experience.<br />
STEP: 1<br />
The main<br />
menu screen<br />
offers four<br />
options. To<br />
book a flight,<br />
select Flight<br />
Booking<br />
142 ||||| AUGUST SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> <strong>2016</strong>
ENJOY EXCLUSIVE OFFERS<br />
With <strong>Spice</strong>jet’s hot new mobile app, one can not only book flight tickets on the go, prebook<br />
spice add-ons, check flight status and manage one’s bookings, but also get access to<br />
exclusive discounts. Book through the mobile app and get up to 7% discount on flight<br />
tickets and 50% discount on meals<br />
STEP: 2<br />
Choose the required field. Fill in the<br />
details and click on the Search Flights<br />
options<br />
STEP: 3<br />
Flights options according to date of<br />
travel are displayed. The fare details<br />
are at the bottom<br />
STEP: 4<br />
On selection of the button, the<br />
detailed fare sumary is displayed<br />
STEP: 5<br />
Once the required flight option<br />
has been selected, fill in your<br />
contact details<br />
STEP: 6<br />
Fliers can choose numerous add-on<br />
options that will make the journey<br />
hassle-free<br />
STEP: 7<br />
Customers can pay via Credit or<br />
Debit card. QuickPay option saves<br />
transaction time<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 143
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
MUSIC ON BOARD<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet plays soft rock music on its Boeing flights for boarding and landing. Here’s this month’s playlist<br />
WET WET WET<br />
Love Is All Around Me<br />
This song was a cover by<br />
Wet Wet Wet (the<br />
original was by the<br />
Troggs) for the movie,<br />
Four Weddings and a<br />
Funeral. The band chose<br />
it over Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I<br />
Will Survive’ and Barry<br />
Manilow’s ‘Can’t Smile<br />
Without You’.<br />
PHIL COLLINS<br />
A Groovy Kind Of Love<br />
The Mindbenders were<br />
the first to record this<br />
song, and Collins’ was<br />
a cover. Unlike the<br />
Mindbenders’ version,<br />
which was an upbeat,<br />
guitar-based pop song,<br />
Collins’ was a slow ballad<br />
with prominent piano and<br />
strings.<br />
CHRIS DE BURGH<br />
Lady In Red<br />
On the British TV series,<br />
This Is Your Life, Chris de<br />
Burgh said that the song<br />
was inspired by the<br />
memory of the first time<br />
he saw his wife Diane,<br />
and how men cannot<br />
even remember what<br />
their wives were wearing<br />
when they first met.<br />
ROXETTE<br />
Listen To Your Heart<br />
In 1998, Roxette received<br />
an award from BMI for<br />
this song being played<br />
over 2 million times on<br />
American radio.<br />
BEE GEES<br />
How Deep Is Your Love<br />
It won the 1977 Grammy<br />
for best pop performance<br />
by a group. It was the<br />
first of four new songs on<br />
the Saturday Night Fever<br />
soundtrack to top the US<br />
Hot 100.<br />
THE BEATLES<br />
Love Me Do<br />
John Lennon and Paul<br />
McCartney wrote this in<br />
1958, when John was 17<br />
and Paul was 16. They<br />
made time for writing the<br />
song by skipping school.<br />
They had written songs<br />
before, but this was the<br />
first one that they liked<br />
enough to record,<br />
making it the Beatles’<br />
first single.<br />
STEVIE WONDER<br />
I Just Called To Say I<br />
Love You<br />
This song was featured in<br />
the movie, The Woman In<br />
Red, starring Kelly<br />
LeBrock as the woman<br />
and Gene Wilder as the<br />
man mesmerised by her.<br />
Wonder wrote the score<br />
for the movie, and this<br />
song won the Oscar for<br />
best original song.<br />
AIR SUPPLY<br />
All Out Of Love<br />
This one deals with the<br />
unrequited love of a<br />
singer, who feels lost<br />
without the object of his<br />
affection.<br />
SHANIA TWAIN<br />
You’re Still The One<br />
This song was remixed<br />
for its single release to<br />
sound less country and<br />
more pop in the hope of<br />
giving Twain a<br />
mainstream crossover hit.<br />
The plan worked, and<br />
Twain took home two<br />
Grammy awards that<br />
year.<br />
QUEEN<br />
Crazy Little Thing<br />
Called Love<br />
This was the first song for<br />
which Freddie Mercury<br />
played rhythm guitar. He<br />
was keen to keep the<br />
song minimal, despite his<br />
limited guitar knowledge,<br />
and producer Mack<br />
claimed that he rushed<br />
into the studio to record<br />
it “Before Brian [May]<br />
could get there”.<br />
THE POLICE<br />
Every Breath You Take<br />
Sting wrote this song at<br />
the same desk in Jamaica<br />
where Ian Fleming wrote<br />
his James Bond novels. It<br />
was the biggest hit of<br />
1983 in the US.<br />
RIGHTEOUS<br />
BROTHERS<br />
Unchained Melody<br />
Is there anyone who<br />
hasn’t slow danced to this<br />
song? The mellifluous<br />
vocals and soulful lyrics<br />
were also most famously<br />
used in Ghost.<br />
ROD STEWART<br />
Have I Told You Lately<br />
Rod Stewart performed<br />
this on his MTV<br />
Unplugged special in 1993<br />
and released the acoustic<br />
version as part of his<br />
album Unplugged... And<br />
Seated. This version was<br />
a big hit, going to<br />
number 5 in both the US<br />
and the UK. Stewart got<br />
so emotional, he cried at<br />
the end of his MTV<br />
performance.<br />
RONAN KEATING<br />
When You Say Nothing<br />
At All<br />
Richard Curtis wanted a<br />
key song for his new film,<br />
Notting Hill. He suggested<br />
this to Ronan Keating,<br />
who was at the time still<br />
with Irish boy band,<br />
Boyzone.<br />
ELTON JOHN<br />
Can You Feel The Love<br />
Tonight<br />
This was featured in the<br />
Disney movie, The Lion<br />
King, when the main<br />
character, Simba the Lion,<br />
falls in love with his<br />
childhood friend, Nala.<br />
This version was<br />
performed by the film's<br />
voice actors while the<br />
Elton John version plays<br />
over the end credits.<br />
TRACY CHAPMAN<br />
Baby Can I Hold You<br />
It is the third single<br />
released by the<br />
contemporary folk artist.<br />
BRUNO MARS<br />
Count On Me<br />
This country-tinged<br />
friendship tune was<br />
written by Bruno Mars for<br />
his debut studio album,<br />
Doo-Wops & Hooligans.<br />
BRYAN ADAMS<br />
(Everything I Do) I Do<br />
It for You<br />
This song is featured in<br />
the Kevin Costner movie,<br />
Robin Hood: Prince Of<br />
Thieves, where it plays<br />
over the credits. Initially,<br />
this song didn’t get<br />
Hollywood approval, as<br />
the film company wanted<br />
it to have instrumentation<br />
in line with the films’ era<br />
– lutes, mandolins and<br />
other such. The film<br />
company relented, but<br />
buried the song midway<br />
through the credits.<br />
U2<br />
With Or Without You<br />
This was voted the best<br />
single of 1987 in a Rolling<br />
Stone magazine readers’<br />
poll. It became the<br />
anthem of the characters,<br />
Ross and Rachel, on the<br />
hugely popular sitcom,<br />
Friends, after it was used<br />
in an episode where Ross<br />
dedicates it to Rachel on<br />
the radio.<br />
KENNY ROGERS<br />
Lady<br />
Lionel Richie wrote this<br />
song, especially for<br />
Rogers.<br />
144 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong><br />
*All information sourced from songfacts.com
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
How <strong>Spice</strong>Jet celebrated Independence Day<br />
As a gesture of gratitude all passengers flying with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet under the fare of Indian Armed Forces on 15th<br />
August were offered a meal and beverage at no added cost. The personnel were also entitled for a free<br />
upgrade to <strong>Spice</strong>Max. Adding further to the Independence Day spirit, all <strong>Spice</strong>Jet flight seats, except <strong>Spice</strong>Max,<br />
adorned tri-colour headrests. The airline also placed the tri-colour on the bulk heads of its Boeing 737 aircraft<br />
and at the entrance of its Q-400. Water cups with Independence Day artwork were used to serve beverages<br />
onboard. The cabin crew flaunted a special dress code with men in their weekend uniforms and a flag pinned on<br />
their left collar, while women will wore an orange kurti and jeans with a tri-colour band on one of their arms. The<br />
ground staff and inflight base officials were dressed in ethnic attire with flags pinned on. The pilots had the flag<br />
pinned on their ties. Celebrations were carried out across all airports.<br />
Chennai<br />
Pune<br />
Srinagar<br />
Jabalpur<br />
146 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet won award for Best Airline<br />
At the recent India Travel Awards West, held to confer<br />
regional recognition to stars and stalwarts of the travel<br />
industry, <strong>Spice</strong>Jet received the award for Best Airline –<br />
Domestic. The lady in the trophy was specially designed<br />
and created for this honour.<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet distributed 200 pairs of slippers to<br />
children in need<br />
Following a Dainik Bhaskar front-page story that detailed<br />
how students from 3200 Udaipur schools walked barefoot<br />
every day, the <strong>Spice</strong>Jet team from Udaipur contributed<br />
individually and from the fund collected on Independence Day<br />
to distribute 200 slippers. The slippers were given to children<br />
from a government school in Iswaal village, 22 km from Udaipur.<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet topped Industry<br />
On-Time Performance &<br />
PLF for July <strong>2016</strong><br />
Ashok Gajapathi Raju inaugurates the smart check-in facility in Hyderabad airport.<br />
Also seen, SGK Kishore, CEO, GHIAL, and Ajay Singh, CMD, <strong>Spice</strong>jet<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet became first airline to launch check-in using Near Field<br />
Communication and Beacon Technologies<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet launched smart check-in facility using BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) and NFC<br />
(Near Field Communication) technologies under the aegis of Ashok Gajapathi Raju,<br />
Honourable Union Minister for Civil Aviation, in GMR Hyderabad International Airport.<br />
NFC enables passengers to get their boarding pass on their smartphone. Customers need<br />
to open the <strong>Spice</strong>Jet app, touch the mobile device on the NFC check-in poster at the airport<br />
and get their pass. So the customer does not need to carry any printouts or key in the PNR<br />
number. The service will soon be available in all airports supporting e-boarding facility.<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet set a new benchmark<br />
in Indian aviation by registering<br />
the best On-Time Performance<br />
(OTP) and highest Passenger<br />
Load Factor (PLF) among<br />
major carriers having sizeable<br />
operations in the four metros of<br />
Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad and<br />
Mumbai. OTP for the month of<br />
July <strong>2016</strong> stood at 79.2%; while<br />
the airline again topped the PLF<br />
chart registering 92% for the same<br />
period. <strong>Spice</strong>Jet has registered<br />
more than 90% PLF for 15<br />
consecutive months; the highest<br />
in each month in Indian skies. The<br />
airline also registered the lowest<br />
flight cancellation rate of 0.28%<br />
during the same period.<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 147
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet won award for Best Employee<br />
Engagement<br />
At the 4th DMA-Thomas Associates National Award for<br />
Excellence in Talent Management, <strong>Spice</strong>Jet was awarded for<br />
Best Employee Engagement out of 104 corporates. The award<br />
was presented by Sundara Rajan, Founder & Director, Thomas<br />
Assessments; Rajan Pandhi, Director, DMA; and Yogesh Misra,<br />
Vice-President, Thomas Assessments.<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet sponsored travel for educational<br />
tour of J&K girls<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet facilitated the travel of 20 female students and two<br />
teachers from Mawar Valley, J&K, organised by the Indian<br />
Army for Operation Sadbhavna. The annual educational<br />
tour saw the kids visiting various important places in Delhi,<br />
Chandigarh, Dehradun and Amritsar. They boarded a <strong>Spice</strong>Jet<br />
Boeing from Amritsar to Srinagar. The tour was flagged off by<br />
Commander TMG Brigade from Naugam.<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet adds new flights<br />
and connections with a special<br />
emphasis on Northeast India<br />
Starting October 4, <strong>Spice</strong>Jet will add<br />
new markets such as Silchar, Gorakhpur<br />
and Aizawl. The airline will operate<br />
new flights on sectors such as Kolkata-<br />
Silchar-Guwahati; Kolkata-Aizawl-<br />
Guwahati and Kolkata-Gorakhpur-Delhi.<br />
Kolkata-Visakhapatnam-Kolkata flights<br />
will be effective from November 1.<br />
The airline will offer tickets at an<br />
all-inclusive introductory fare of ` 2,127<br />
for the Kolkaka-Aizawl and ` 1,899 for<br />
the Aizawl-Guwahati sectors; ` 3,699<br />
for the Kolkata-Silchar and ` 4,188 for<br />
the Silchar-Guwahati sectors; and ` 3,210<br />
for the Kolkata-Gorakhpur and ` 3,335<br />
for the Gorakhpur-Delhi sectors. The<br />
new schedule will also include additional<br />
frequencies with a direct flight on its<br />
existing routes of Kolkata-Bagdogra and<br />
Kolkata-Guwahati.<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet flagged off first Hajj <strong>2016</strong> flight from Gaya<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet ushered in India’s Hajj season as it flagged off its first flight dedicated to<br />
the special operation from Gaya. The Airbus 320 carried 135 passengers onboard.<br />
The flag-off ceremony was accomplished by Dr. Abdul Ghafoor, Minister of Minority<br />
Affairs, Bihar; Kumar Ravi, District Magistrate, Gaya; Dilip Kumar, Airport Director,<br />
Gaya Airport; Sumant Rautela, Head of Ground Services, <strong>Spice</strong>Jet, and esteemed<br />
members of the Hajj Committee. <strong>Spice</strong>Jet will carry more than 8,000 pilgrims on<br />
special flights to Mecca from Gaya and Indore.<br />
148 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
NEW ON THE MENU<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet introduces “pre-booking only” menu for Thai,<br />
Continental and Indian Platters<br />
SPICEJET HAS UNVEILED an all-new inflight menu and flyers can now look forward to<br />
a fresh and improved dining experience. The airline has added a number of new<br />
alternatives to its ‘buy on board’ options. The ‘Hot Meals’ section has been entirely<br />
revamped. In addition, special meal categories such as Gluten-free meal have been<br />
introduced. Also, a special pre-booking menu has been activated for availing Thai,<br />
Continental and Indian platters. Hot favourites like Pringles and Aam Papad (two<br />
flavours being Bomb Peda & Spicy Meetha) have been introduced in the non-perishables<br />
section to entice the kids and youth categories of customers. With biriyani and kathi<br />
rolls being hot favourites, the airline has retained them in the menu considering the<br />
feedback received from customers and the sales team.<br />
THAI CHICKEN CURRY<br />
You can now even prebook<br />
a menu with Thai and<br />
Continental options<br />
o<br />
NON-VEG<br />
TANDOORI PLATTER<br />
Hearty platters are for<br />
your asking 24 x 7<br />
o<br />
o<br />
STEAMED RICE<br />
WITH KADI<br />
PAKODA<br />
Enjoy traditional<br />
and mouth-watering<br />
home-like food up in<br />
the sky<br />
CHICKEN STROGANOFF<br />
WITH YELLOW RICE<br />
Check out this variation<br />
of a mid-19th century<br />
Russian dish<br />
THE JOY OF PRE-BOOKING<br />
There are many benefits of availing<br />
the pre-booking meals facility<br />
before taking a <strong>Spice</strong>Jet flight.<br />
The passenger can choose from a<br />
wider menu and can be sure that a<br />
meal of choice is served on-board.<br />
Pre-booking also ensures great<br />
discounts - flat 50% on prebooking<br />
through the <strong>Spice</strong>Jet app<br />
and 50% on pre-booking drinks.<br />
Meals can be pre-booked at the<br />
time of booking the flight or later,<br />
through ‘Manage My Booking’ on<br />
wwwspicejet.com. The alternative<br />
is to pre-book through the <strong>Spice</strong>Jet<br />
mobile app.<br />
o<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 149
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
ST RS OF SPICEJET<br />
This month we celebrate a few leading lights from the inflight department,<br />
who are keeping the <strong>Spice</strong>Jet flag flying high<br />
SUCHI KITROO<br />
AHMEDABAD<br />
Customer appreciation:<br />
I am happy to say<br />
that Suchi was very courteous and<br />
professional in her conduct on a<br />
recent <strong>Spice</strong>Jet flight that I undertook.<br />
Although the flight arrived late from the<br />
earlier sector, she handled the situation<br />
well and made passengers comfortable<br />
in the best possible way. I look forward<br />
to flying with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet again.<br />
Experience with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet: With<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet, every day is a new challenge.<br />
The airline has encouraged me to work<br />
in a better manner and inculcated<br />
greater discipline in me. This will go a<br />
long way in all aspects of my life. I am<br />
glad to be a part of the <strong>Spice</strong>Jet family.<br />
PRIYANKA<br />
MUKHERJEE<br />
KOLKATA<br />
Customer appreciation:<br />
Throughout the flight, I observed<br />
Priyanka’s assistance to passengers<br />
and her trying her best to help,<br />
especially in handling infants, mothers<br />
and aged people. With the return<br />
flight delayed by almost an hour,<br />
kids were crying and disturbing their<br />
mothers but Priyanka handled the<br />
situation very well.<br />
Experience with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet: It’s been<br />
wonderful working with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet and<br />
am thankful to the airline for giving<br />
me a platform to prove myself. I thank<br />
god, my family and my colleagues<br />
who have always encouraged and<br />
motivated me. I look forward to<br />
working with added zeal.<br />
CABIN CREW INCHARGE<br />
CABIN ATTENDANT<br />
SHIVANI GOEL<br />
DELHI<br />
Customer<br />
appreciation:<br />
Throughout my <strong>Spice</strong>Jet flight,<br />
Shivani had an amazing smile on<br />
her face. The flight was extremely<br />
pleasant because of her. The way she<br />
took care of kids and old passengers<br />
was remarkable.<br />
Experience with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet: It’s been<br />
six years working with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet. I<br />
am proud to say that being a cabin<br />
crew is one of the most wonderful<br />
jobs in the world. It is so amazing<br />
when I walk up to the departure gate<br />
with my crew. Life in the sky is full of<br />
responsibility but there's lots of fun<br />
at the same time.<br />
SAMEERA SYED<br />
BENGALURU<br />
Customer appreciation:<br />
Sameera is very courteous<br />
and knows how to deal with everyone in<br />
the right manner. Her level of confidence is<br />
commendable and so is her ability to sort<br />
out problems of passengers. Employees<br />
like her are an asset to any company. The<br />
hospitality extended by her made me<br />
fall in love with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet and its services.<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet rocks!<br />
Experience with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet: I feel blessed to<br />
be part of the country’s most loved airline.<br />
Training with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet has transformed<br />
me from a semi-skilled person to a skilled<br />
cabin crew, which in turn has made me<br />
more confident as well as a good listener.<br />
I have put in a lot of hard work to achieve<br />
all this and when that hard work is<br />
appreciated, it’s like icing on the cake.<br />
150 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
CABIN ATTENDANT<br />
CABIN CREW<br />
JYOTI KUMAR<br />
PUNE<br />
Customer appreciation:<br />
Jyoti took really good<br />
care of me and my friends. We travel<br />
frequently to many countries and I<br />
have to say that though <strong>Spice</strong>Jet is<br />
a budget airline, the service is truly<br />
commendable. I would definitely give<br />
the airline a five star rating, if asked,<br />
and recommend it to all my family and<br />
friends.<br />
Experience with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet: I am proud<br />
to belong to the <strong>Spice</strong>Jet family.<br />
Being courteous and friendly is the<br />
secret to keeping external and internal<br />
customers happy. <strong>Spice</strong>Jet is both<br />
friendly and professional which is a<br />
great combination.<br />
KUNAL CHAUGHULE<br />
MUMBAI<br />
Customer appreciation:<br />
The <strong>Spice</strong>Jet crew was very<br />
polite and took good care of guests on<br />
a recent flight. I would like to specially<br />
put in a word of appreciation for Kunal<br />
who helped make my journey really<br />
comfortable.<br />
Experience with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet: I used to think<br />
the aviation industry is all about glamour<br />
but it was after joining <strong>Spice</strong>Jet that I<br />
realised it’s not just glamour but mainly<br />
safety of passengers. I give my 100 per<br />
cent on each flight and make sure that all<br />
passengers leave with a smile on their face.<br />
I am lucky to have such an amazing team<br />
at the BOM base which makes me feel<br />
blessed to be part of the <strong>Spice</strong>Jet family.<br />
AASTHA JAISWAL<br />
AHMEDABAD<br />
Customer appreciation:<br />
I would like to thank<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet for the amazing hospitality and<br />
breakfast on a recent morning flight to<br />
Delhi. I also appreciate the ever-smiling<br />
face of your crew member Aastha. She<br />
took very good care of the passengers<br />
and made everybody, old and young,<br />
feel at home.<br />
Experience with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet: It's been a<br />
lovely journey for me with <strong>Spice</strong>jet. I<br />
have learned a lot but am aware that<br />
there is still a lot more to be done<br />
ahead. Each day is challenging and I love<br />
challenges. I have been commended by<br />
by seniors on jobs done well. It feels very<br />
good when you are appreciated.<br />
RAHUL TIKYANI<br />
HYDERABAD<br />
Customer appreciation: I<br />
would like to place on record<br />
my appreciation for <strong>Spice</strong>Jetter Rahul,<br />
with whom I have had the pleasure of<br />
flying quite often. I generally do four to<br />
five return flights every month and if I were<br />
to pick one person who has left a great<br />
impression on me over the past 20 flights,<br />
it would have to be Rahul. Kudos to him for<br />
his excellent attitude, service, and sense of<br />
professionalism!<br />
Experience with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet: My dream was<br />
to fly and I’ll forever be grateful to <strong>Spice</strong>Jet<br />
for helping fulfil my dream. It’s been<br />
four wonderful years with the airline and<br />
looking back, I can see how I have evolved<br />
both professionally and personally. For this,<br />
I remain indebted to <strong>Spice</strong>Jet. I have learnt<br />
so much, both from my seniors and juniors.<br />
CABIN CREW INCHARGE<br />
NARIPENDER SINGH<br />
AHMEDABAD<br />
Customer appreciation:<br />
I had a wonderful and<br />
completely home-like experience on my<br />
flight from Ahmedabad to Muscat, thanks<br />
to the hospitality of Naripender and his<br />
team. This was my first experience with<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Jet and henceforth, I will always<br />
fly with the airline and recommend it to<br />
everyone around me. The entire credit for<br />
me feeling this way goes to Naripender<br />
who, I would like to say, is a wonderful and<br />
extremely poised gentleman.<br />
Experience with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet: <strong>Spice</strong>Jet has<br />
given me exposure and challenges and my<br />
journey with the airline has been full of<br />
opportunities to prove my calibre. It has<br />
been a wonderful experience right from<br />
the day I joined. I am proud to be part of<br />
Team <strong>Spice</strong>Jet.<br />
POOJA GUPTA<br />
BENGALURU<br />
Customer appreciation:<br />
I would like to place on<br />
record my appreciation for Pooja and<br />
her tireless cabin service throughout<br />
my Mumbai-Hyderabad flight. She has<br />
a very pleasing personality and is wellgroomed.<br />
Her attitude towards service<br />
was exemplary. I wish her all the best<br />
for a bright future.<br />
Experience with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet: I would like<br />
to thank <strong>Spice</strong>Jet for all the support<br />
and the trust placed in me. I thank the<br />
airline for making me a better person.<br />
It is a great honour for me to be part<br />
of the <strong>Spice</strong>Jet family. It has been a<br />
great learning experience. My team<br />
members and seniors have helped me<br />
in making my work very smooth. This<br />
has motivated me to give off my best.<br />
SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong> ||||| 151
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
Boeing 737 - 700/800/900ER Series<br />
Interior arrangement of Boeing 737 - 700 (149 Passengers)<br />
Interior arrangement of Boeing 737 - 800 (189 Passengers)<br />
Entry / Exit<br />
Row 1 -26<br />
Emergency Exit<br />
Entry / Exit<br />
Row 1 -32<br />
Entry / Exit<br />
Emergency Exit<br />
Entry / Exit<br />
Row 1 -20<br />
Interior arrangement of Boeing 737 - 800 (177 Passengers)<br />
Row 1 -32<br />
Passengers<br />
(single class configuration)<br />
BOEING 737-700<br />
149<br />
BOEING 737-800<br />
BOEING 737-900 ER<br />
BOMBARDIER Q400<br />
177/189 212<br />
78<br />
Engines<br />
(maximum thrust)<br />
CFM56-7B22<br />
(22,000 lbs)<br />
20500 kg<br />
61998 kg<br />
6200 km<br />
0.79 M (840 km/h)<br />
8 years<br />
5 years<br />
7 years<br />
2<br />
22<br />
4<br />
Speed unit M denotes Mach Number. 1 Mach is equal to the speed of sound.<br />
BOEING 737-700<br />
112 ft 7 in (34.3m)<br />
117 ft 5 in (35.7m)<br />
110 ft 4 in (33.6m)<br />
41 ft 2 in (12.5m)<br />
11 ft 7 in (3.53m)<br />
CFM56-7B24/26<br />
(24,200lbs/26,300 lbs)<br />
20500kg<br />
70987/79015kg<br />
5,600 km<br />
0.79 M (840 km/h)<br />
BOEING 737-800<br />
CFM56-7B26<br />
(26,300 lbs)<br />
20500kg<br />
75749 kg<br />
5000 km<br />
0.79 M (840 km/h)<br />
BOEING 737-900 ER<br />
PW 150 A<br />
(5071 SHP)<br />
5318 kg<br />
29,257 / 28,998kg<br />
2000 km<br />
666 km/h<br />
3.6 years<br />
14<br />
BOMBARDIER Q400<br />
93 ft 3 in (28.42m)<br />
107 ft 9 in (32.83m)<br />
24 ft 4 in (8.34m)<br />
8 ft 2 in (2.49m)<br />
The above mentioned descriptions are accurate at the time of magazine printing.
Routemap<br />
Domestic<br />
International<br />
Effective from 4th Oct /30th Oct /<br />
1st Nov, <strong>2016</strong> onwards<br />
Gorakhpur<br />
Belagavi<br />
Thiruvananthapuram<br />
India connects with <strong>Spice</strong>Jet<br />
Flight schedules are subject to regulatory approvals and change.<br />
Map not to scale, graphic representation only.<br />
Content as on 25th August, <strong>2016</strong>.<br />
Silchar<br />
Aizawl
SPICEJET ||||| INSIDER<br />
ADD-<br />
Know more about <strong>Spice</strong>Jet’s<br />
innovative products and services<br />
SEAT SELECTION DOMESTIC PRICING INTERNATIONAL<br />
PRICING<br />
SPICEFLEX<br />
CUSTOMERS<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Max* Seat (on Q400 Aircraft) M 500/- same as domestic M 400/-<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Max Seat (on Boeing/Airbus Aircraft) M 1000/- same as domestic M 900/-<br />
<strong>Spice</strong>Max Seats<br />
M 900/- same as domestic M 800/-<br />
(Non Reclining on Boeing/Airbus Aircraft)<br />
Preferred Seats – on Boeing/Airbus Aircraft M 300/- (ahead of exit row window or aisle) same as domestic Free<br />
M 100/- (ahead of exit row middle seats) same as domestic Free<br />
M 150/- (behind exit row window or aisle) same as domestic Free<br />
M 99/- (behind exit row middle seats) same as domestic Free<br />
Preferred Seats - on Q400 aircraft M 200/- (front half of cabin window or aisle) same as domestic Free<br />
M 100/- (rear half of cabin window or aisle) same as domestic Free<br />
SPICE CLUB (Rewards Card) M 599/- NA<br />
PRE-BOOK EXCESS BAGGAGE<br />
5 kgs M 2450/-<br />
10 kgs M 1,600/- M 4900/-<br />
15 kgs M 2,700/- NA<br />
20 kgs M 3,800/- NA<br />
30 kgs M 6000/- NA<br />
PRIORITY CHECK-IN M 200/- M 300/-<br />
BAG OUT FIRST<br />
1 Bag M 100/- NA<br />
2 Bags M 200/- NA<br />
3 Bags M 300/- NA<br />
CARRY MORE ONBOARD (FREE ALLOWANCE 7 KG; BUY UP TO 5 KG MORE)<br />
Pre-book M 250/- per kg same as domestic<br />
At Check-in M 300/- per kg same as domestic<br />
At boarding gate M 300/- per kg same as domestic<br />
MY FLEXI PLAN M 1125/- M 1250/-<br />
HAND BAGGAGE ONLY FARE - CHARGE AT AIRPORT<br />
Fare type change fee if checking-in bag at<br />
airport after purchasing HBO fare<br />
Up to 15 kgs - M 400/-<br />
NA<br />
SPICE CAKE M 750/- M 800/-<br />
SPICE LOUNGE (Delhi/Bengaluru/Hyderabad/ M 600/- M 1200/-<br />
Kochi/Varanasi/Guwahati/Jaipur)<br />
FLY FOR SURE M 299/- NA<br />
SPICE TALK (INTERNATIONAL SIM CARD) NA M 249/-<br />
*SPICEMAX SEATS OFFER SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LEGROOM, PLUS COMPLIMENTARY MEAL, PRIORITY CHECK-IN, PRIORITY BOARDING (AT<br />
AEROBRIDGE GATES), AND PRIORITY BAGGAGE HANDLING **NA STANDS FOR ‘NOT AVAILABLE’ *THE ABOVE MENTIONED PRICES AND<br />
FEATURES ARE ACCURATE AS AT THE TIME OF MAGAZINE PRINTING, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE<br />
158 ||||| SEPTEMBER <strong>2016</strong>
Office Furniture<br />
STANDING IS THE NEW SITTING<br />
Height adjustable desks are new generation worktables that offer flexibility to users who<br />
sit glued to their work for more than eight hours. Flexible work life helps you to stay active<br />
throughout the day, allowing you to stay fit and healthy during desk work. Changing your<br />
work position makes working more effective and productive.<br />
Now available online (Automatic and Manual) on store.featherlitefurniture.com<br />
Now open at PS Continental, 1st Floor, 101, 83/ 2/ 1, Above Porsche, Topsia Road South, Kolkata. Mob: +91 98307 74009<br />
FEATHERLITE COLLECTIONS: #16/A, Millers Road, Vasanthnagar, Bangalore - 560 052. | Tel: 080 4020 9631 | Email: sales@featherlitefurniture.com<br />
Ahmedabad | Ananthpur | Bhubaneshwar | Chandigarh | Chennai | Coimbatore | Davangere | Durgapur | Ernakulam | Goa | Guwahati | Hubli | Hyderabad | Imphal<br />
Indore | Jaipur | Kochi | Kolhapur | Kolkata | Kurnool | Ludhiana | Lucknow | Mangalore | Madurai | Mumbai | Mysore | Nagpur | Nellore | New Delhi | Noida | Patna<br />
Pune | Rajkot | Ranchi | Raipur | Salem | Secunderabad | Shimoga | Siliguri | Thiruvananthapuram Tinsukia | Tirupathi | Vadodra | Vijayawada | Vishakapatnam | Nepal<br />
Dealers enquiry solicited: +91 93428 27325 | nitinsrivastava@featherlitefurniture.com<br />
www.featherlitefurniture.com
R.N.I NO:DELENG/2015/63282