Spice October issue ipad 1

SALMAN KHAN | KARNATAKA SPECIAL | COIMBATORE 

spice 

www.spiceroutemagazine.com 

Volume 12 | Issue 10 | October 2018 

THE INFLIGHT MAGAZINE 

DEDICATED TO DELIVER 

SpiceXpress has launched its first dedicated freighter aircraft

FROM THE 

CMD’S DESK 

Ajay Singh 

Chairman & Managing Director 

Dear Readers, 

Welcome aboard SpiceJet! 

October marks the onset of holidays and 

travel, joy and celebration, shopping and social 

gatherings. It’s also that time of the year when 

your doorbell rings and you find a gift hamper at 

your doorstep. A surprise gift from a loved one! 

Now that is how closely your favourite 

airline aims to get integrated in your life! In 

September, SpiceJet launched a dedicated 

air cargo service under the brand name 

SpiceXpress offering safe, on-time, efficient and 

seamless cargo connectivity across India and on 

international routes. SpiceJet is the first Indian 

airline to offer end-to-end cargo services. Our 

first freighter aircraft was unveiled at the Indira 

Gandhi International Airport in the presence of 

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Jayant 

Sinha; Civil Aviation Secretary, R.N. Choubey; 

Airports Authority of India Chairman Guruprasad 

Mohapatra; and other dignitaries. 

To begin with, our air cargo operations will 

cover Delhi, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Hong Kong, 

Kabul and Amritsar. There is a huge untapped 

market for air cargo services in India and I feel 

that a player like SpiceJet - with its low cost 

structure - is best suited to address this need. 

Indian aviation is growing at an 

unprecedented pace and SpiceJet, as always, 

is at the forefront to extend air connectivity to 

the smaller towns and cities of India which have 

hitherto remained unconnected. 

October will see SpiceJet launch 42 flights 

on international and domestic routes including 

multiple new flights connecting unserved markets, 

thereby reiterating our commitment to UDAN. 

This is a matter of national pride. 

This month, SpiceJet became the first and 

only Indian airline to connect Sikkim with the rest 

of the country and beyond with daily direct flights 

connecting Pakyong (Gangtok) with Kolkata and 

Guwahati. In the absence of air connectivity to 

Sikkim, tourists headed to the state had to fly to 

Bagdogra in West Bengal and then travel over 100 

km by road to reach Gangtok. Our direct flights to 

Pakyong will cut travel time by several hours. 

The holy city of Ajmer and Pushkar which 

attract millions of pilgrims every year from India 

and abroad will finally have air connectivity 

with SpiceJet launching flights from Delhi to 

Kishangarh. With the addition of our Ahmedabad- 

Jaisalmer UDAN flight, SpiceJet is now operating 

23 daily flights under the regional connectivity 

scheme. We are also the only airline flying to 

Shirdi connecting the famous temple town to key 

metros of Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. 

SpiceJet also launched flights on Guwahati- 

Patna, Amritsar-Bangkok, Amritsar-Goa, 

Hyderabad-Bangkok, Mumbai-Kanpur and 

Kolkata-Kanpur routes making it the only airline to 

operate on these sectors. 

We are not done yet! 

At SpiceJet, we are constantly aspiring to 

provide our valued flyers with unforgettable 

experiences and are always willing to walk that 

extra mile to ensure that travelling on SpiceJet is a 

rewarding experience. With this in mind, we have 

launched a brand new frequent flyer program – 

SpiceClub – which offers a wide range of benefits 

to our customers. Every rupee that you spend 

to buy a flight ticket or a service with us will 

earn you reward points which can be redeemed. 

In August, SpiceJet emerged as the country’s 

most punctual airline clocking the best on-time 

performance amongst all airlines. We registered a 

load factor of 93.6 %. This was the 41st month in a 

row that we flew with the highest loads in India. 

Last but not least, I take this opportunity to 

wish you and your family good health, prosperity, 

happiness and, of course, a joyous festive season. 

Tailwinds and Happy Landings! 

Jai Hind! 

2 ||||| AUGUST 2016

9026539 AUG18_SPJ_SPICEROUTE COVER SEPT.ai size 20.3 x 26 cm 

www.spiceroutemagazine.com 

October Spice Cover.indd All Pages 

Volume 12 | Issue 10 | October 2018 

SALMAN KHAN | KARNATAKA SPECIAL | COIMBATORE 

THE INFLIGHT MAGAZINE 

27/09/18 3:27 PM 

spice 

OCTOBER 2018 

www.spicejet.com 

DEDICATED TO DELIVER 

SpiceXpress has launched its first dedicated freighter aircraft 

CONTENTS 

SPICEXPRESS MAKES A 

GRAND DEBUT 

SpiceJet launches the country’s 

first dedicated cargo service by a 

domestic airline 

46 

BEING SALMAN KHAN 

Salman Khan in a freewheeling conversation, 

talking about everything from his current work 

to future plans. 

60 

54 

5 MUST-DOS IN COIMBATORE 

Coimbatore may have the tag of being an 

industrial city but its history and culture make for 

several interesting sights earning it the moniker 

Manchester of the South. 

6 

OCTOBER 2018

Head Office / Corporate Showroom: OSIM India - A Division of Paramount Surgimed Ltd., 1, L.S.C., Okhla Indl Area, Phase-II, New Delhi - 110020; 

Enquiry - 09560770120, 09560591059, Service - 9968011727, sales@osimindia.com, www.OSIM.com 

Japanese Chiropractic 

Massage Expert & Designed by 

Sato Tsuyoshi

CONTENTS 

BALANCING ACT 

It lacks the allure of cumin, 

the aroma of fennel and the 

chutzpah of aniseed, and yet, 

when it comes to cranking up 

the taste quotient, caraway can 

surprise with a trick or two up its 

rich-hued sleeve. 

DESTINATION 

KARNATAKA 

The flora and fauna of 

Karnataka is diverse and 

with forests making up for 

close to 20 percent of the 

state’s geographic area, 

there are many secrets to 

uncover. 

66 

72 

FESTIVE FERVOR 

Come October and India gears 

up for one of its longest festival 

Dussehra that is spread over a 

whopping 10 days and is an ode 

to Goddess Durga. 

80 

SPICEJET INSIDER 

Social media 14 

SpiceVacations.com 16 

Spice products 20 

News 156 

My town 161 

Stars of SpiceJet 162 

Mobile apps 164 

Onboard menu 166 

SpiceJet add-ons 167 

SpiceJet fleet 168 

Route map 170 

8 

OCTOBER 2018

CONTENTS 

SALT TO THE RESCUE 

Niggling cold and cough, seasonal alergies, sinusitis, asthma, etc are 

conditions urbanites have learnt to live with. But what if you could 

get rid of all these by just inhaling micro particles of salt? That’s a 

possibility now with salt therapy. 

144 

126 

spice 

OCTOBER 2018 

EDITOR 

RAJU BIST 

rajubist@mwspiceroute.in 

ART DIRECTOR 

AMIT NAIK 

DEPUTY ART DIRECTORS 

HEMALI LIMBACHIYA 

TANVI SHAH 

PRODUCTION MANAGER 

MANGESH SALVI 

SENIOR DIGITAL MANAGER 

JAYESH V. SALVI 

AD SALES 

MUMBAI 

VINOD MOHITE 

+91 9323554207, vinod@mwspiceroute.in 

NEW DELHI 

TANVEER AHMAD 

+91 9555098401, tanveer@mwspiceroute.in 

MUDIT SRIVASTAVA 

mudit@mwspiceroute.in 

CHENNAI, PONDICHERRY, HYDERABAD 

CECIL S KOTEY 

cecil@mwspiceroute.in 

BENGALURU 

ANURADHA KUBER 

anuradha.kuber@mwspiceroute.in 

KOLKATA 

PULAK GHOSH 

spicerouteeast.advt@gmail.com 

KERALA 

SANJEEV NAIR 

MODE MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS PVT LTD. 

sanjeev@modemedia.in 

GUJARAT 

SANJAY CHAWDA 

sanjaychawda@gmail.com 

For international advertising contact 

Vinod Mohite (vinod@mwspiceroute.in) 9323554207 

PRODUCED BY 

MAN ON A MISSION 

SpiceJet’s Captain Puneet Sharma is successfully leading a band of 

volunteers to clean up Pune, one street at a time 

EDITORIAL & MARKETING OFFICE: 

MW.Com (India) Pvt. Ltd., 401, 4th Floor, Todi Building, 

Mathuradas Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, 

Lower Parel, Mumbai 400 013., Tel: 022 67487777 

DELHI: 24/1, First Floor, Hauz Khas Village, 

New Delhi - 110016 Tel/Fax: 011- 26516071/72 

All rights reserved worldwide. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be 

returned unless accompanied by a postage pre-paid envelope 

12 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

@flyspicejet The pilot on my Mumbai-Goa 

flight was amazing. He kept entertaining 

the passengers when we hit a bit of 

turbulence. Aye aye captain! Best ever! 

@flyspicejet Thanks a lot 

for the timely support 

extended by your cabin 

crew members to my wife. 

She was flying from Delhi 

to Ahmedabad when she 

felt uneasy. 

@pyarasaparth 

@SubhashAmethi 

@flyspicejet Flew from Hyderabad to Chennai 

recently. Extremely polite service by Ananya and 

Manisha coupled with smooth flying by Captain Rishi 

Kumar. An impeccable service demo by the crew. 

@Hidayath_Sajedi 

@flyspicejet Thank you for your 

prompt help when most 

needed. Your team had been 

very helpful in solving my 

problem as I made my way with 

patchy network through the 

woods and forests of Kerala. 

Your Twitter team deserves a 

special mention. 

@YaduBhargavan 

@flyspicejet Every 

time I have flown 

with SpiceJet, I 

have tasted 

healthy, fresh and 

delicious food on 

board. 

@emymec 

BUZZ ON 

SOCIAL MEDIA 

@flyspicejet I love the food you guys 

serve on board. Special mention must 

be made of the excellent coffee. 

@Shash_ 

@flyspicejet Had an awesome experience 

while flying from Pune to Ahmedabad. On 

time takeoff and smooth landing. Wonderful 

crew. Agli baar SpiceJet hi yaar! 

@BadshahLotus 

@flyspicejet Had a 

wonderful view from 

40,000 feet of the Great 

Himalayan region while 

flying from Hyderabad to 

Leh. SpiceJet has the 

fastest flight between these 

two airports. 

@flyspicejet Excellent service for 

unaccompanied child from Surat to Delhi. Special 

mention of crew and ground staff, for going out 

of their way to make the kid comfortable. 

@TraveldiariesHY 

@flyspicejet Tried SpicEngage for the first time. Great 

addition. Now only need internet. 

@varunkrish 

@ashindia 

FIND YOUR FAVOURITE AIRLINE ON @FLYSPICEJET ON TWITTER & FACEBOOK 

14 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

SPICEVACATIONS.COM 

GREAT DEALS ON HOTELS AND PACKAGES 

PLAN YOUR HOLIDAYS WITH SPICEJET’S UNIQUE INITIATIVE 

SPICEVACATIONS.COM, A PLETHORA OF END-TO-END TRAVEL SOLUTIONS, MAKING 

YOUR TRAVELS NOT JUST CONVENIENT, BUT ALSO RED. HOT. SPICY 

Now book your 

hotel as soon as 

you land 

SPICEVACATIONS.COM is a one-stop 

shop for hotel bookings and customised 

travel packages, offering services 

beyond the ordinary. Take your pick 

from a vast network of domestic and 

international holiday destinations, and 

book your flights with the right bundle 

of services to ensure an effortless 

journey. Carefully hand-picked hotels, 

quick car rentals, and travel packages 

created in association with local holiday 

experts – you have much to benefit 

from SpiceVacations.com. On the 

website, you can choose between 

cheap, budget and luxury vacations; 

search for the best hotels across India; 

and have a great experience while saving 

money. In addition, backpackers can add 

some comfort to their travels without 

lightening their pockets. For those who 

haven’t booked their hotels, you can 

book your hotel as soon as you land. 

With SpiceVacations.com, you can 

make changes in your itinerary online, at 

every step of the trip. For instance, if you 

want to opt for a bigger car even if the 

package entails a smaller one, you can do 

so with ease. You need to simply decide 

on the theme of your vacation, such 

as pilgrimage, honeymoon, heritage, 

wildlife, beach or hills, and the platform 

throws up a wide variety of deals in 

terms of location, hotel arrangements, 

local sightseeing tours and car rentals, 

among others. 

With this unique initiative by 

SpiceJet, you have the flexibility of 

booking a package at a minimal amount 

and can pay the rest later through 

various EMI options that are made 

available along with other regular 

options on offer. 

As the website is powered by 

SpiceJet, you can enjoy great flight 

and hotel deals. All these culminate in 

smart, convenient and detailed travel 

packages. In keeping with the times, the 

new product will also be connected with 

SpiceJet’s mobile app but this will be 

done at a later stage. 

So, travel the world with SpiceJet’s 

enviable travel packages and experience 

the perfect holiday. 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

16 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

INNOVATIONS FOR 

COMFORT 

& CONVENIENCE 

AT SPICEJET, we believe that customer experience can always be improved upon. In 

keeping with this philosophy, we are constantly looking for ways to make travel not 

just a hassle-free experience, but also one that passengers will remember. 

Our slew of innovations reflects this: a product that rewards travellers who travel only 

with hand baggage; another that makes life easier for those who carry heavy baggage, 

but not heavy enough to be checked-in; yet another that offers a bigger choice of 

meals on board; a product that provides seat and meal of your choice; products to 

please those who are always on the lookout for extra legroom; a prepaid card that 

allows passengers to make cashless transactions; and finally an add-on service that 

allows the flexibility of cancelling or changing ticket(s) to suit your travel plan. 

20 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

1SpiceMax 

SpiceJet’s SpiceMax provides more comfort 

and convenience. With extra legroom and 

greater personal space, passengers can travel 

with ease. Apart from significantly extra 

legroom on board, fliers can also enjoy other 

added ancillary products such as 

priority check-in, complimentary 

meal and beverage, priority 

baggage handling and priority 

boarding (aerobridge gates) at 

dedicated SpiceMax counters at the 

airport for a modest add-on fee per seat 

per flight. The ease with which fliers can 

opt for this product enhances the experience. 

When booking a connecting flight with a stop-over, 

passengers can purchase SpiceMax seats separately 

for the two flights. 

3 

Hot Meals 

Passengers have a wide 

variety of meals to opt for on 

SpiceJet flights. Those flying 

Boeings are spoilt for choice. 

There are two choices each of breakfast, 

lunch, dinner, snacks and sandwiches. 

Eight Chef’s Choice menus are available 

24x7 (Boeing and pre-booking only), 

including Grilled Chicken Breast with 

Mushroom Sauce, Yellow Rice, Sautéed and benefits, too: the option of a glutenfree 

hot meal; dhokla preparation; a 

Carrot & Beans Baton in non-vegetarian 

and Vegetable Pasta in Neapolitan sauce menu with Thai, Continental and Indian 

in vegetarian. Passengers taking Q400 options; discounted rates compared 

flights can choose from two different to onboard prices; passengers can 

types of sandwiches. Hot beverages (tea wish their loved ones on birthdays and 

and coffee) and ready-to-eat products anniversaries mid-air with a cake on 

(like dal chawal, veg biryani, upma and select flights; and a takeaway Kids’ Meal 

cup noodles) are also served. In addition, bag, shaped like an airplane. In addition 

dhokla is available as a gluten-free to hot meal, passengers also have an 

option for pre-booking on Q400 flights. option of enjoying a Jain Cold sandwich 

Pre-booking a meal offers other choices when they pre-book. 

2 

Seat + Meal Combo 

This provides seat and meal 

of the passengers's choice 

at discounted rates. The 

product can be purchased 

for `399 on the Domestic and `499 on 

the International Sector. It is on a per 

passenger, per sector basis and can be 

availed of by guest and SpiceClub member. 

A passenger can purchase the product by 

clicking on the Add-On’s Page/Seat Map 

Page on www.spicejet.com at the initial 

booking stage or by clicking on Manage 

My Bookings tab after the booking has 

been made or minimum six hours prior to 

the scheduled departure. 

PRE-BOOK NOW! 

Pre-book your meals to make your 

journey with us a more comfortable 

experience. You can enjoy exceptional 

discounted rates. It makes purchasing 

food and beverages onboard an entirely 

cashless affair. You can pre-book at the 

time of booking your flight, or add it later 

through ‘Manage My Booking’ on the 

website, www.spicejet.com. 

4 

You 1st 

Helping you make your travels 

smoother is this special 

offering from SpiceJet. For 

just `399, you can now get a 

combination of priority check-in as well 

as preferred bag-out by availing of this 

unique product. For passengers catching 

ex-India flights, it is available at `499. 

Passengers availing of this service will 

have to check-in for their flight at the 

airport check-in counter, as Priority-Check- 

In. The booking, made via the SpiceJet 

website (www.spicejet.com), can be 

availed latest up to two hours before the 

scheduled departure. 

21 

OCTOBER 2018

5 

My Flexi Plan 

Planning a trip will be easier 

than ever with SpiceJet’s 

new innovative add-on 

service, My Flexi Plan. 

Passengers can now enjoy the flexibility 

of cancelling or changing the ticket(s) to 

suit their travel plan. If they are certain 

about travel but not about the dates, 

then they can book a ticket by opting 

for this service. Customers can opt for 

this add-on at the time of booking done 

through reservation team by paying a fee 

of `1,500 for domestic travel ticket and 

`1,750 for international travel ticket. The 

service will be applicable only for one 

change or one cancellation per ticket. 

7Carry More On Board 

Making air travel even more 

convenient, SpiceJet’s 

‘Carry More On Board’ 

is a service for travellers 

with heavier cabin baggage. It is 

targeted at passengers who carry 

cabin baggage heavier than 7 kg, 

and do not want to check-in. Fliers 

can carry bags weighing up to 5 kg 

extra, a maximum of 12 kg on board, 

while paying a nominal fee for each 

kg above 7 kg. Bags can be heavier, 

but not larger, and the standard free 

baggage allowances remain as before. 

Customers can opt for this product 

during airport check-in and at airport 

ticket counters 

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

6 

Priority Check-In 

This service provides the passenger a hassle free and comfortable 

check-in experience at the airport with SpiceJet’s dedicated priority 

check-in counter. The passenger can buy Priority Check-In while or 

after making the booking. It can be bought latest up to two hours 

before the scheduled departure. The service is available only on www.spicejet. 

com or via SpiceJet’s Reservations. The pre-paid service can be bought for per 

passenger, per sector of the journey, on the payment of the non-refundable fees. 

A Priority Check-In for flights within and/or originating from India costs `200. For 

flights originating from out of India, the fare is `300. The fees are refundable if the 

booking is cancelled by the passenger or the flight is cancelled by the airline. There 

is no additional fee applicable for infant passengers. Passengers who have bought 

Priority Check-In will have to check-in for their flight at the airport check-in counter. 

8 

Hand Baggage Only 

This is another unique product that offers a discount to those 

passengers who carry only hand baggage. Available on most 

direct domestic flights, this fare has a minimum 15-day advance 

purchase period, and no free check-in baggage allowance is 

permissible. Bookings for this can be made on www.spicejet.com, at airport 

ticket offices, and through select online travel portals. Passengers should 

keep in mind that hand baggage allowance does not change. Those who 

book these fares, but decide to check in luggage later, will have to pay more. 

22 

OCTOBER 2018

TELANGANA’S LATEST 

TOURIST ATTRACTION 

OPENING SHOT 

RETAIL 

NOW FLYING 

SpiceJet flies to Hyderabad. Log on 

to www.spicejet.com for details 

IT’S NOT A FORT, PILGRIMAGE CENTRE, historical 

landmark or dense forest that is attracting curious 

visitors in busloads to Telangana’s capital city. Instead, 

it is Swedish giant Ikea’s first store in India, located in 

Hyderabad’s HITEC City, that has become a must-go 

destination for outsiders and locals alike. Browsing stuff 

at the country’s largest home furnishing outlet is a 

delightful experience — from 10 am to 11 pm, 365 days a 

year. The best thing about the shopping experience here 

is the absence of pesky salesmen — you can touch and 

feel more than 7,500 products across floors, at your own 

pace, without anybody peeping over your shoulder. 

RAJU BIST 

24 

SEPTEMBER 2018

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Spiceroute

OPENING SHOT 

PUSHKAR MELA 

BEYOND CAMELS 

IT STARTED OFF 100 YEARS AGO AS AN ANNUAL MEETING GROUND FOR CAMEL 

TRADING and even now is often known for this particular activity. But there is much 

more to the popular Pushkar Fair, which will draw hordes of visitors next month 

between 15 and 23, not only from India but also abroad. There are cultural and musical 

events; a carnival hosting magicians, acrobats and snake charmers, among others; and 

outlets selling a wide variety of handicrafts. This year, the world famous event will 

also cater to fans of that ultimate outdoor activity: glamping. 

RAJU BIST 

26 

SEPTEMBER 2018

For the first time in India, top 

and rank holder students, have 

OUR GOVERNING COUNCIL 

Eminent members governing the Edunguru project are luminaries from the education industry who have 

Prof. S. S. Kushwaha 

M.Sc, Ph.D, Former Vice Chancellor 

Kashi Hindu Vidyapeeth, 

Varanasi & Ranchi University, Ranchi 

Prof. K.K. Agarwal 

M.Sc, Ph.D 

Ex. Founder VC. Guru Gobind Singh 

Indraprastha University, New Delhi 

Prof. A.K. Sharma 

M.Sc, Ph.D 

Former Director NCERT & Chief Academic 

Officer, UGC for University Progs. 

Prof. Saket Kushwaha 

M.Sc; Ph.D 

Former Vice Chancellor 

LNM University, Darbhanga 

OUR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE BOARD 

A galaxy of over 500 qualied, experienced and best quality lecturers 

from leading educational institutes of India 

Introducing Edunguru, 

with 3340 courses 

in both Hindi & English medium 

2612 

COURSES 

Subject Tutorials 

6th to 12th Class 

CBSE & 10 State Boards 

(in both English & Hindi) 

682 

COURSES 

COURSES 

Test Preparation 

Under Graduate 

IIT-JEE, NEET/ AIIMS, NDA, BBA 

Law Entrance and many more, 

Graduate/Post Graduate 

Indian Civil Services, Banking, 

Railways, SSC, MBA 

and many more 

46 

English Language 

Courses 

6 Levels (Absolute 

Beginner to Advanced) 

App for Learning & Practice, 

INDI - intelligent & responsive 

feature for conversation 

Edunguru App available at:

educational leaders, professors 

come together to shape your future 

been the guiding force in creating the methodology for effective learning across educational sectors in India 

Prof. Puruchuri Gangadhar Rao 

M.Sc, Ph.D 

Vice Chancellor, University of 

Science & Technology, Meghalaya 

Prof. Arun Kumar Srivastava 

M.Sc, Ph.D, 

Life Time Distinguished 

Professor, BHU 

(Dr.) Prof. S. Durgaaprosad 

M.Sc, Ph.D, FNA 

Vice Chancellor, Himalyan University, 

Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh 

Prof. Sunil Rai 

M.Sc, Ph.D, FNA 

Vice Chancellor, Kaziranga 

University, Jorhat, Assam 

OUR STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL 

An elite group of All India Rankers from various competitive exams who are an active 

part of the council to mentor Edunguru students 

Edunvantages 

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INDIA'S LARGEST DIGITAL EDUCATION UNIVERSE

OPENING SHOT 

NAINITAL 

THE CALL OF THE HILLS 

IT HAS BEEN ABLE TO ATTRACT HORDES 

OF TOURISTS to its holy places, national 

parks, rivers and mountains. Now 

Uttarakhand Tourism is going local. It is 

organizing tourism-specific conclaves to 

drum up support for its beautiful cities and 

hill stations. Among them is Nainital. At an 

altitude of 2,084 m and often referred to as 

the "Lake District of India", Nainital is 

surrounded by mountains on three sides and 

is located around the beautiful lake Naini 

Tal. As these images show, there is much to 

see and admire in Nanital. It is one of the 

most prominent hill stations in the country 

that welcome tourists any time in a year. 

However, the best time to visit Nainital is 

from February to November. So, what are 

you waiting for? 

RAJU BIST 

30 

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2018

MELANGE 

EVENTS 

HOT DATES 

DANCE // MUSIC // THEATRE // ART 

MUSIC 

JODHPUR RIFF 

A glimpse of rare musical forms and Rajasthani folk 

instruments, facilitated interactions with folk experts, 

rubbing shoulders with legendary masters of folk 

traditions and top-notch international musicians — the 

Jodhpur RIFF is back in its eleventh edition. 

When: October 24-28, 2018 

Where: Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur 

LITFEST 

BLF 2018 

The Bangalore Literature Festival is all set for its seventh 

edition. The annual event will see an eclectic mix of renowned 

and upcoming authors. On the anvil are appearances by more 

than 150 authors and unique literary events including science 

fiction and curated children’s programming. 


Where: The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru 

ART 

EARTH AS HAVEN 

The acclaimed solo exhibition Earth as Haven: Under the 

Canopy of Love, by artist Jayashree Chakravarty, is being 

held for the first time in India. The installation responds 

to the particular physicality of the site and audiences 

encounter large, suspended paper structures, a network 

of imaginary forms inspired by the minute intricacies of 

insect dwellings like wasp nests and cocoons. 

When: September 12-November 11, 2018 

Where: Jehangir Nicholson Gallery, Mumbai 

32 

OCTOBER 2018

MELANGE 

EVENTS 

FESTIVAL 

THE SACRED PUSHKAR 

The Sacred Pushkar returns for its fourth edition with 

the festival celebrating mindful living with sacred music 

performances, healing therapies, yoga, guided meditation, 

interesting workshops, food trails, and curated heritage 

walks in timeless Pushkar. The city’s spiritual ambience 

will combine with divinity itself through the ageless 

enchantment of music. The festival will feature headline 

performances by award-winning vocalist and composer, 

Bombay Jayashri and the Sufi singing duo Nooran Sisters. 


Where: Pushkar, Rajasthan 

MUSIC 

HINDUSTANI VOCAL (KHAYAL) 

Music aficionados will have the pleasure of hearing a 

Dr. Alka Deo Marulkar recital. Daughter and disciple of veteran 

vocalist Rajabhau Deo, Dr. Marulkar was also privileged to 

train with MS Kanetkar. Her music reflects a confluence of 

three traditions: Gwalior, Jaipur and Kirana. 

When: October 4, 2018 

Where: Godrej Dance Theatre, Mumbai 

THEATRE 

QADIR ALI BAIG FEST 

One of India’s most prestigious theatre extravaganzas, the 

Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival is back in its 13th edition this 

year with a host of eminent names performing in Hyderabad 

including Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Pankaj Kapur, Supriya 

Pathak Kapur, Ila Arun, Cyrus Broacha and Heeba Shah. 

When: October 26-November 4, 2018 

Where: Radisson Blu Plaza Hyderabad, other venues 

34 

OCTOBER 2018

MELANGE 

EVENTS 

OCTOBER LISTINGS 

1 2 5 

What 

Football 

academy 

Where 

Apeejay 

School, Delhi 

What 

Sunday brunch 

Where 

The Lalit 

Mangar, 

Faridabad 

What 

Rakesh & 

Friends 

Where 

NCPA, 

Mumbai 

6What 

Euphoria 

performance 

Where 

Tata Theatre, 

Mumbai 

7 

What 

Calligraphy 

workshop 

Where 

Phoenix Market, 

Chennai 

9What 

Tent stay 

Where 

Gokarna 

13 

What 

India Film 

Project 

Where 

Nehru 

Centre, 

Mumbai 

14 

What 

Dandiya 

Night 

Where 

Sarita Vihar, 

New Delhi 

19 

What 

Badhaai Ho 

Where 

All over 

25 

What 

Jio MAMI 

Mumbai Film 

Festival 

Where 

Multiple venues 

26 

What 

Home Decor 

Show 

Where 

The Ashok, 

New Delhi 

29 

What 

Shopping Festival 

Where 

Shantinagar, 

Bengalauru 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

36 

OCTOBER 2018

SHOP ONLINE 

rarerabbit.in 

JACK E T: PA I Z E B LAC K 

SHI RT: S P E C I AL B LAC K 

SHOES & T I E : C O URT E S Y 

r a rer abbi t . i n 

JACKET: PAIZE BLACK 

SHIRT: SPECIAL BLACK 

SHOES & TIE: COURTESY

MELANGE 

INFORMATION 

WHAT'S NEW 

SOUND AND LIGHT MAGIC ON THE 

LAKE 

The next time you are in Rohtak, Haryana, 70 km 

from New Delhi, do take in the new tourist attraction 

there — one of the first screen projection sound and 

light shows in the region. It has been installed by the 

India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), the 

hospitality, retail and education company owned by 

the Government of India, under Ministry of Tourism. 

The show has been organised at the Tilyar Lake. 

FOR A NOBLE CAUSE 

Art & Soul Cancer Foundation is collaborating with Passages for 

an exclusive exhibition titled cARTpet, curated by Brinda Miller. 

Reproduced from key artworks of 22 of India’s leading artists, the 

exhibition aims to raise breast cancer awareness as well as funds 

to support patients with their treatment expenses. The exhibition 

with a limited-edition collection of hand woven and tufted carpets 

in wool and silk will open at Blue Sea, 12 pm on October 21 to 

mark breast cancer awareness month in Mumbai and continue 

at Gallery Art & Soul from October 22 to November 1, 2018. 

Participating artists include Anjolie Ela Menon, Baiju Parthan, 

Brinda Miller, Jehangir Sabavala, Krishen Khanna, Badri Narayan, 

Paresh Maity and Ram Kumar. 

CRUISE TOURISM TO TAKE OFF IN 

INDIA 

One of the fastest growing segments in the 

tourism industry worldwide, cruise tourism has a 

bigger potential in India, especially since it boasts 

of a 3,200 km long coastline. But now it has 

been decided to make Mumbai the hub of the 

proposed activity. Sea locations in Maharashtra 

like Alibaug, Vijaydurg, Mandwa and Sewree will 

also be further developed as feeder points for 

the new service. 

SHUTTERSTOCK

MELANGE 

INFORMATION 

GOING GREEN IN 

STYLE • 

There’s good news for the 

environment and health 

conscious in Maharashtra. 

The state government 

is planning a whopping 

10,000 km of cycle tracks 

and walkways. The idea 

is to encourage the use 

of non-polluting mode of 

transport. This follows an 

earlier announcement of 

a 39 km long cycling and 

jogging track to be built 

in Mumbai alongside one 

of the long pipelines that 

supply water to the city. 

KERALA ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL • 

Kerala has been one of the most innovative Indian 

states in the promotion of tourism. Now it emerges 

that the state does not want to let go of this 

reputation, even after being badly hurt by recent 

flooding. The Department of Tourism, Kerala, has 

finalised `12-point Action Plan to revive Tourism’. 

The aim of the exercise is to regain confidence of 

tourists. It is being quite candid in its efforts. To 

beging with, the Department will soon come out 

with a white paper that will act as a status report 

on the exact current situation at key destinations 

in the state. 

SRI LANKA WINS TOP HONOUR • 

The 25th edition of the annual World Travel Awards 2018 

saw Sri Lanka emerge as Asia’s Leading Adventure Tourism 

Destination at a big event. Each year, WTA organises gala 

ceremonies to recognize and celebrate individual and 

collective success within each key geographical region. 

This year, the Asian and Australasia Gala Ceremony was 

held on September 3, 2018, at the Intercontinental Grand 

Stanford Hotel in Hong Kong. The awards were voted 

for by travel and tourism professionals and business and 

leisure travel consumers worldwide 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

40 

OCTOBER 2018

COVER STORY 

CARGO SERVICE 

SpiceXpress 

Makes 

46 

OCTOBER 2018

A Grand 

Debut 

SPICEJET LAUNCHES THE COUNTRY’S 

FIRST DEDICATED CARGO SERVICE BY 

A DOMESTIC AIRLINE 

47 

OCTOBER 2018

COVER STORY 

CARGO SERVICE 

Trust SpiceJet to always 

introduce innovative 

products and services and 

stay ahead of the curve. On 

September 10, 2018, at a 

ceremony at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi 

International airport, it launched yet 

another path-breaking service. The airline 

flagged off SpiceXpress, a dedicated air 

cargo service and also inducted its first 

freighter aircraft. This is the first time that 

a domestic airline in India is introducing a 

dedicated cargo service. 

The new service will fall back on 

SpiceJet’s common pool of resources: 

pilots, engineers, ground staff, airport 

infrastructure, etc. Domestic and 

international routes will be covered by 

SpiceXpress using Boeing 737 planes, 

beginning with a Boeing 737-700 freighter. 

The first aircraft took off on September 18, 

2018 from Delhi to Bengaluru. 

Apart from these two cities, the initial 

air cargo operations will cover Guwahati, 

Hong Kong, Kabul and Amritsar. By the 

end of fiscal 2019, four freighters will be 

in operation. Once the dedicated freighter 

fleet is fully operational, SpiceJet’s cargo 

capacity will zoom up to 27,000 tonnes 

per month from the current 10,000 

tonnes per month. 

Earlier, on Septembr 13, 2018, SpiceJet 

signed a MoU with the Afghanistan 

Chamber of Commerce and Industries 

(ACCI) — the first time that an Indian 

carrier has been given an important role to 

promote trade for Afghanistan via the 

Indo-Afghan air corridor. SpiceJet plans 

to transport 1500 tonnes of cargo every 

month under this MoU. The MoU was 

signed by Manjiv Singh, Chief Project 

Officer, SpiceJet Ltd. and Atiqullah 

Nusrat, Chief Executive Director, ACCI. 

In collaboration with ACCI and with the 

support of the government of Afghanistan, 

SpiceJet will transport fresh fruits and dry 

fruits, carpets and other commodities 

from Kabul to different states of India at 

competitive prices. 

“I am delighted to announce the 

launch of our dedicated air cargo 

operations and induction of our first 

freighter aircraft. With our proven 

operational capability, this is an extension 

of our ‘belly cargo’ service to a ‘dedicated 

freighter’ with Boeing 737 aircraft. We are 

excited about the potential the logistics 

industry offers. There is a huge untapped 

market for air cargo services in India and a 

player like SpiceJet — with its low cost 

structure — is best suited to address this 

need,” said Ajay Singh, Chairman and 

From left: Guruprasad Mohapatra, AAI 

Chairman; Jayant Sinha, MoSCA; Ajay Singh, 

CMD, SpiceJet; and RN Choubey, Secretary, 

MoCA, at the SpiceJet freighter launch 

THE 

MAKING OF 

A WORLD 

CLASS AIR 

CARGO 

SERVICE 

Like with other 

SpiceJet products 

and services, 

SpiceXpress has the 

best interests of the 

end user in mind as it 

rolls out a one-of-itskind 

service. Its 

salient features: 

To begin with, 

SpiceXpress will cater 

to Delhi, Bengaluru, 

Guwahati, Hong 

Kong, Kabul and 

Amritsar. 

By 2022, 

SpiceXpress will 

reach out to 150 

destinations across 

India, Asia and 

Europe. 

Among other 

consignments, 

SpiceXpress will 

handle blood, organs, 

automobiles and live 

animals. 

By the end of 2019, 

four freighters will be 

in operation carrying 

a total of 900 tonnes 

cargo per day. 

48 

OCTOBER 2018

COVER STORY 

CARGO SERVICE 

WITH OUR PROVEN 

OPERATIONAL 

CAPABILITY, THIS IS 

AN EXTENSION OF OUR 

‘BELLY CARGO’ SERVICE 

TO A ‘DEDICATED 

FREIGHTER’ WITH 

BOEING 737 AIRCRAFT. 

THERE IS A HUGE 

UNTAPPED MARKET 

FOR AIR CARGO 

SERVICES IN INDIA 

Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet 

Managing Director, SpiceJet. “The 

aircraft will be acquired on pure operating 

leases and haven’t incurred any major 

CAPEX, while the ground operations will 

be either self-handled by the existing 

Spicejet ground infrastructure or shall be 

outsourced till we develop a certain scale 

of operations” he added. 

SpiceXpress will be in the forefront in 

handling time and temperature sensitive 

shipments like letters, blood, organs, and 

medicines. Other shipments will include 

automobiles, apparels, consumer 

electronics, and live animals. 

E-commerce-related products are also 

expected to figure big on the list and help 

SpiceXpress become a full-grown cargo 

service sooner than expected. 

The airline will also ship perishables 

like farm fresh fruits and vegetables to the 

Middle East. Among its key features, 

SpiceXpress will offer Priority Based 

Delivery (PBD), Hour Based Delivery 

(HBD), Priority Cargo and Personalised 

Services (PSS), among others. 

With the launch of SpiceXpress, 

SpiceJet brings to the table a safe, on-time, 

efficient and seamless air cargo 

connectivity across India, Asia and 

Europe. The new service will be powered 

by SpiceJet’s fully integrated 

transportation network including air 

cargo, ground transportation and 

warehousing facilities pan-India. At 

present, SpiceJet offers cargo services 

through 36 Boeing and 22 Q400 aircraft 

and reaches 47 domestic and seven 

international destinations. 

The SpiceXpress fleet will be operated 

on an “incremental direct operating cost 

model". By the end of this year, the number 

of domestic destinations catered to is 

expected to go up to 60. By 2022, 

SpiceXpress will touch 150 destinations 

across India, Asia and Europe. The new 

service is expected to give a big fillip to the 

growth of SpiceJet’s ancillary business. 

THE BIG 

BOOM IN 

AIR CARGO 

The air cargo traffic in 

India is expected to grow by 

60 per cent in the next five 

years. The Indian logistics 

industry which provides 

employment to more than 

22 million people has grown 

at a compound annual 

growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8 

per cent during the last five 

years. It is expected to 

touch $ 215 billion in the 

next two years. Eyeing the 

huge growth potential in 

both domestic and global 

markets and fuelled by the 

ever-increasing 

e-commerce boom, 

SpiceJet aims to shore up 

SpiceXpress’s existing 

capacity, transforming it 

into a full scale freighter 

cargo service. 

50 

OCTOBER 2018

ENTRY FROM RAJENDRA PRASAD ROAD 

IGNCA, JANPATH, NEW DELHI

STAR BUZZ 

INTERVIEW 

BEING 

SALMAN 

KHAN 

SALMAN KHAN IN 

A FREEWHEELING 

CONVERSATION, 

TALKING ABOUT 

EVERYTHING FROM 

HIS CURRENT WORK 

TO FUTURE PLANS. 

BY AARTI KAPUR 

SINGH 

His wisecracks or his run-ins with the 

universally accepted norms of social 

demeanour notwithstanding, it is hard to 

ignore the kind of hold Abdul Rashid 

Salim Salman Khan has over the masses 

and how they react to him. His persona remains larger-thanlife 

when compared to his stardom on the screen, big or small. 

Khan's films (that he happens to conquer with, every Eid) 

generate the same hysteria and frenzy as do constant rumours 

of his marital status. The 52-year-old is Bollywood's eternal 

enfant terrible. That he and controversy go hand-in-hand is 

not news. The reactions to his being in the news range from 

the obvious strong to the banal ‘not again’. 

54 

OCTOBER 2018

STAR BUZZ 

INTERVIEW 

That being said, and not to take away 

from his knack for stirring up hornets' 

nests, Khan is also known for, in filmi 

language, his bada dil. This interviewer 

has been an eyewitness to him exchanging 

his 7 For All Mankind jeans with a light 

boy's faded pair because he needed it for a 

film role. On another instance, he gave his 

cycle (on which he had just travelled from 

home to a studio) to a spot boy. Tales of his 

magnanimity are the stuff that legends are 

made of. It is perhaps for this reason that 

even Khan's controversies don't dent the 

deity-like adulation he gets from his fans. 

Bhai or messiah - what is the better 

way to describe you? 

Why do people have to bracket me 

for everything I do? Not messiah, please! 

Somebody gave me a break, so I am doing 

this. It’s also because my upbringing was 

proper. There’s no insecurity or jealousy. I 

like people to be successful and have a 

great future. Besides, I love working with 

new directors, new actresses, new actors, 

and new technicians. In the process, if they 

get a push in their career, that’s really good! 

You are being modest here. I am not 

just talking about newcomers, but 

those at the peripheries that you 

help… 

Do I? Who am I to help? There is a larger 

power that makes it happen. I do nothing. I 

just make friends. 

And fans too… 

If they admire me for doing that and can 

emulate that, I'd have achieved the biggest 

reward. 

Speaking of fans, yours are the most 

loyal ones. Does fan loyalty matter to 

you? 

Yes, it does. You see, the most amazing 

thing about Baahubali’s success was that 

the Hindi audience is so accepting. They 

made a Telugu film so large, even though 

they do not know too many Southern 

heroes apart from a few of them. But the 

Southern audiences know us well. Yet, our 

films do not do that volume of business 

because their fans have an extraordinary 

sense of loyalty to their actors. In the 

South, the fan following is very strong — if 

there is a Kamal Haasan fan, he will be a 

Kamal fan forever; a Rajinikanth fan will 

be a Rajinikanth fan for life. Moreover, we 

have piracy here. 

One should try piracy there (in the 

South), where the fan clubs won’t even 

allow it. Whether a politician or the 

underworld does it, they don’t give a damn; 

they will fight it. Here, even industry folks 

watch other actors’ pirated movies at 

home. Yes! Hats off to the Hindi audiences. 

They love movies, and they do go and 

watch English, Chinese and Southern 

films. Yet a Salman Khan fan will also 

watch an Aamir Khan film and a Shah 

Rukh Khan film too. And, if the film is 

good, they will appreciate it. 

Most people are of the opinion that 

you always play to the gallery both on 

FACT FILE 

THE REEL AND THE 

REAL SALMAN 

Beyond the spotlight is a 

human being not many people 

are aware of. Here is the 

Salman Khan you may not 

have been aware of: 

• That the actor is also a 

talented painter is not a 

secret. What is unknown 

is that one of his paintings 

fetched Rs 2.5 crore at an 

auction. Khan mostly likes 

to paint or sketch faces 

with serene, meditative 

expressions. His paintings 

often have secular themes 

that show God as one. He 

even painted the posters of 

his film Jai Ho. 

• Salman even taught his 

protégé Sonakshi Sinha to 

paint. 

• Being Human – The 

Salman Khan Foundation was 

established in 2007 and is a 

trust active in the areas of 

education and healthcare for 

the underprivileged. 

• The villagers of 

Hatluni village in Karjat, 

Maharashtra, got a surprise 

gift on New Year’s Day 2015. 

The actor led the entire unit 

of Bajrangi Bhaijaan to paint 

houses in the village. He also 

gifted sarees to women and 

played a game of football with 

the village boys. 

56 

OCTOBER 2018

STAR BUZZ 

INTERVIEW 

I OWE IT TO MY 

AUDIENCES TO MAKE 

THEM HAPPY. I WOULD 

BE HAPPY TO MAKE AS 

MANY PEOPLE HAPPY AS 

I CAN. IT IS NICE THAT 

DESPITE EVERYTHING, 

DESPITE YOUR FLAWS, 

PEOPLE WHO LOVE YOU 

LOVE YOUR WORK 

the big screen and the small screen as 

well. Do you agree? 

I totally agree. Basically, we actors 

are nothing but entertainers. We are dutybound 

to give our audiences their hardearned 

money’s worth. I really felt bad 

when they were depressed with 

Tubelight. I am glad they liked Tiger Zinda 

Hai and Race 3. Whenever I face the 

camera, I instantly feel that emotional 

connect with them, and I immediately put 

on my charm and start playing to the 

gallery. 

I owe it to them to make them happy. I 

would be happy to make as many people 

happy as I can. It is nice that despite 

everything, despite your flaws, people that 

love you love your work. And it is even 

better when people that don't like you also 

appreciate the hard work you put in. 

With Bigg Boss and now, 10 Ka Dum, 

and in an age where format 

boundaries are blurring, would you 

like to do more TV? 

Not really! I am quite happy with my own 

space in the small-screen arena. 

You have written movie scripts, sung 

songs… would you like to direct as 

well? 

In the initial stages, and before I made my 

debut as an actor, my father wanted me to 

be a director, so he sent me to Shashilal 

Nair to assist him when he was 

directing Falak (1988) starring Jackie 

Shroff. But as far as direction is concerned, 

once again, my answer is a big no! At least 

not in the near future. Right now, I am too 

busy with my acting commitments. I am up 

for all sorts of challenges though… 

You had once narrated an incident 

from your childhood that taught you 

to be prepared for anything… 

Yes, it was to do with how I learnt to swim. 

My first swimming pool was a well in 

Indore — a watery cave I shared one 

afternoon, with a fish, two turtles and a 

water snake — when a relative pushed me 

off the edge. A rope was tied to my leg to 

make sure I didn’t drown. Someone 

shouted instructions down at me, and left. 

This is what my life has been like… I do 

things before I learn them. But coming 

back to your question, I am game to work 

with Aamir Khan, if he is ready to direct a 

film with me… I am dying to work with 

Aamir for the longest time and would love 

to do an Andaz Apna Apna sequel with 

him! 

What are your future projects? 

Once again, I will be doing a film 

with Sohail Khan which is titled Sher 

Khan. Then, Sajid Nadiadwala’s Kick 2. I 

am also set to do a film with Sanjay 

Leela Bhansali, a long time after our last 

outing with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. 

Then there are films like Bharat, Dabangg 

3, and another dancing film with Remo. 

58 

OCTOBER 2018

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5 

TRAVEL 

CITIES 

MUST-DOS IN 

COIMBATORE 

COIMBATORE MAY HAVE THE TAG 

OF BEING AN INDUSTRIAL CITY 

BUT ITS HISTORY AND CULTURE 

MAKE FOR SEVERAL INTERESTING 

SIGHTS EARNING IT THE MONIKER 

MANCHESTER OF THE SOUTH. 

BY BINDU GOPAL RAO 

WITH AN ECLECTIC 

MIX OF 

SPIRITUALITY, 

HERITAGE, CULTURE AND 

NATURE, COIMBATORE 

HAS SEVERAL PLACES AND 

ACTIVITIES THAT ARE 

WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED. 

WE TELL YOU ABOUT FIVE 

OF THEM THAT MUST 

DEFINITELY BE ON YOUR 

ITINERARY DURING YOUR 

NEXT COIMBATORE VISIT. 

ADMIRE THE BEAUTIFUL SIRUVANI WATERFALLS 

Located about 35 km west of the city, the Siruvani Waterfalls, an offshoot of a river 

by the same name, cascades down majestically, especially in the monsoons. This 

waterfall can be accessed by trekking for about four kilometres inside a forest. Its 

water is known for its mineral properties and sweetness as well. The Siruvani dam 

located close by is the source of drinking water for the city of Coimbatore. Since the 

falls are in a forest zone you will need to finish your visit to this place before 5 pm. It 

is famous for its beautiful natural views. However do ensure that you take the right 

permissions and trek with precaution as the forest is home to several wild animals. 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

60 

OCTOBER 2018

TRAVEL 

CITIES 

MARVEL AT THE ARCHITECTURE OF 

PERUR PATEESWARAR TEMPLE 

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Perur 

Pateeswarar Temple has a history 

that dates back to over 1500 years and 

has a beautiful idol of Lord Shiva and 

his consort. Built by the Chola king 

Karikala Cholan, the pillars and intricate 

carvings will amaze you. The temple 

built in Dravidian style of architecture 

has a golden hall with 10 pillars and the 

external spire is a stunning riot of colour. 

This is where you will experience a nice 

old world charm and the temple itself is 

breathtakingly beautiful. The temple has 

an elephant as well who will bless you in 

return for some money. An annual dance 

festival is a key highlight of the temple 

as an ode to the presiding deity known to 

himself be a dance connoisseur. 

SAMPLE THE LOCAL FOOD AT 

VARIOUS OUTLETS 

When in Coimbatore it is a must that 

you try having a meal at the local 

eateries. For a traditional Tamil 

meal, the best place to head to is Sree 

Annapoorna Sree Gowrishankar, 

a well-known vegetarian chain 

that dates back to many decades. 

Do sample the local South Indian 

delicacies like idli, dosa, vada and 

upma when you are here. The best 

way is to choose a combination 

thali that will allow you to taste 

everything in smaller portions. And 

yes wash it all down with a fresh cup 

of piping hot coffee. This apart there 

are several new age restaurants that 

dot the city. Do stop at Barbeque 

Nation that dishes up some delectable 

grills in both vegetarian and nonvegetarian 

options and is popular 

among locals and tourists alike. You 

must try the range of delectable ice 

cream flavours at Pabrai’s Fresh and 

Naturelle Ice Creams as well as in 

Cornerstone Ice Creams. 

SHUTTERSTOCK & ALAMY 

62 

OCTOBER 2018

TRAVEL 

CITIES 

INDULGE IN A BIT OF SHOPPING 

When in Coimbatore, do keep some 

time aside to explore the local markets 

and malls. Silk sarees are a favourite 

here and in fact the saree stores 

here have an array of different kinds 

of sarees. Large format stores like 

Pothy’s have an extensive choice that 

includes sarees at various price points. 

Also head to Oppanakara Street and 

explore the many showrooms here 

that retail the famed silks of Tamil 

Nadu. This is where you can find many 

traditional sweet stores and local 

confectioners as well. For something 

more urbane head to Avinashi Road 

known for its array of international 

branded showrooms. This is where 

you can also do a spot of jewellery 

shopping. At Cross-Cut Road in 

Coimbatore you will find many stores 

selling cotton and silk clothing as well 

as spices and local produce. The local 

R S Puram market is the place for local 

food supplies and its central location 

makes it a good place to observe the 

life of the locals here. 

STROLL THROUGH THE COIMBATORE CORPORATION FLOWER MARKET 

The local flower market may be an unusual place to be on a list of things to see, but 

when you are here, you will be treated to a symphony of aroma and colour like at 

no other place. This local market is full of flowers of varying hues, the vendors here 

are quite friendly and will also pose for pictures. Locally called Poo Market (poo 

means flower in Tamil), it is best to visit the place in the early hours of the morning 

when you will see most of the action. There are mounds of jasmine, roses, marigold 

and other types of flowers in various colours. The intoxicating aroma of the flowers 

here is unmissable. The garland makers here come up with unique garlands that are 

customized according to the needs of the clients. This is where most people shop for 

flowers for weddings and other functions, family as well as official. 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

64 

OCTOBER 2018

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FOOD 

CARAWAY 

BALANCING ACT 

IT LACKS THE ALLURE OF 

CUMIN, THE AROMA OF 

FENNEL AND THE CHUTZPAH 

OF ANISEED, AND YET, WHEN 

IT COMES TO CRANKING UP 

THE TASTE QUOTIENT, 

CARAWAY CAN SURPRISE 

WITH A TRICK OR TWO UP ITS 

RICH-HUED SLEEVE. 

BY MADHULIKA DASH 

A FEW YEARS AGO, when 

Anurag Barthwal (Executive 

Pastry Chef, The Leela 

Gurugram Hotel & Residence) 

decided to choose caraway seeds 

or shahi jeera to glam up his aam 

panna shorbet, it was more of an 

experiment than a conscious 

decision. Back then, recalls Chef 

Barthwal, “ I was looking for 

something that wasn’t too usual 

a flavour and yet could bring in 

the desired result. And shahi 

jeera became an obvious 

choice.” 

Chicken fritters and stewed red 

cabbage with caraway seeds 

66 

OCTOBER 2018

FOOD 

CARAWAY 

EACH SPICEJET AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN NAMED AFTER 

A PARTICULAR SPICE. IN THIS ISSUE WE TALK ABOUT 

THE BENEFITS AND USAGE OF CARAWAY 

While the selection of shahi jeera may 

have been influenced by the classic 

caraway-rye marriage, the usage was 

different. Instead of merely throwing in a 

few seeds into the dessert, Chef Barthwal 

tandoor-roasted the ripe mangoes, and 

then slightly charred the seeds before 

adding the pounded mixture to the 

shorbet. The result, adds the pastry 

specialist, “was more than I expected. 

There was this sweet aroma, smokiness 

and a bit of umami flavours that just made 

a simple aam panna taste divine.” It was a 

technique that the chef used again while 

working with seabuckthorn recently to 

give the dessert its “taste elevation” for an 

epic dinner. 

Impressively, Chef Barthwal wasn’t 

the only one who has rediscovered the 

stone age spice, Mir Zafar Ali (Executive 

Chef, The Leela Palace Bengaluru) too 

made his own discovery, thanks to a 

guest’s demand of having something he 

never had before. Recalls Chef Ali, “What 

made me choose shahi jeera back then was 

sheer intuition. As an Indian chef, I had 

worked with shahi jeera enough to realise 

the brilliant aroma and balance it can 

bring to a dish — haleem is a perfect 

example — but the question was to see if it 

worked for dessert.” Chef Ali’s choice of 

using dark chocolate paid off, as he created 

what the chef today says, “a dessert with 

dimension.” What did the trick? “Roasted 

caraway,” reveals the chef who now also 

uses it as an infusion. The beauty, says 

Vikas Seth (Culinary Director, Embassy 

Leisure & Entertainment), is that “it pairs 

beautifully with bold flavours, and the 

best part is that it needs very little to create 

a new flavour dimension.” Chef Seth, who 

has extensively worked with caraway 

recommends it as a spice that can become 

the surprise element to bind two flavours 

together. Like with his Masala Millet 

Salad Bowl served with smokey salsa dip. 

Concurs Ravi Tokas (Executive Chef, 

Prankster), who bills shahi jeera as his 

“standard condiment” for most fusionstyle 

salad like the quinoa and litchi salad. 

The curious thing, adds Chef Tokas, about 

shahi jeera is that while it doesn’t pair 

quite well with other masalas, it works like 

a charm with pronounced natural 

flavours — be it of grain, vegetable or even 

meat. “In the case of the quinoa-litchi 

salad, for instance, the use of tempered 

caraway ensures that not only it gives it 

that earthy, nutty notes, but also that 

lingering aromatic aftertaste, which 

nudges you to go for the second bite.” 

For Akshraj Jodha (Executive Chef, 

ITC Windsor Manor, Bengaluru) caraway 

Puff pastry stuffed with vegetables and 

sprinkled with caraway 

HALEEM IS THE PERFECT 

EXAMPLE OF THE 

BRILLIANT AROMA 

AND BALANCE 

CARAWAY CAN BRING 

TO A DISH 

68 

OCTOBER 2018

FOOD 

CARAWAY 

seeds play the dual role of an aromatic 

spice and a flavourant. "The trick to 

using shahi jeera as a main tastemaker is 

to work with it where there aren’t many 

spices. Like in Awadhi Biryani, where it 

is used aroma and to bind the subtle 

flavorants together or as infused water, 

where shahi jeera gives it aroma and the 

goodness of curing acidity post a rich, 

heavy meal.” 

The interesting thing about caraway, 

adds Shantanu Mehrotra (Chef De 

Cuisine, Old World Hospitality) is while 

it is a spice that can easily overwhelm — 

you really cannot be liberal in using it — 

once you know its notes you can use it to 

create interesting flavours in Indian 

curries, especially kormas. 

But that, adds Chef Jodha, “doesn’t 

mean it can be a substitute to fennel or 

cumin — the two spices it is often related 

to.” Seconds Chef Ali, who uses crushed 

roasted caraway seeds in his dishes to 

give them an appetizing aroma and a 

certain sweetness. “Used in small 

proportions, it can add a sweet earthy 

flavour to any dish, be it muffins or tarts 

and even soup,” adds the culinary 

wizard, who often uses caraway seeds 

with Assam tea to make a post meal 

digestive. 

For Chef Rajiv Malhotra (Corporate 

Chef, Chor Bizarre), however, Shahi 

Jeera is a “staple condiment and the 

secret tastemaker” in most of his Indian 

dishes, especially the Seekh Kebab, Dum 

Ka Murg, Kashmiri Kanti Kebab, 

Masala Chaas, Kebabs, Bhindi (Okra), 

Savory Muffins and Masala Chai, to 

name a few. Adds the Indian cuisine 

specialist, “One of the reasons that shahi 

jeera unnerves many as a spice and yet is 

found amply in Indian dishes is because 

the spice has been used mostly for its 

medicinal properties than flavours. But 

they are dishes where one can 

experience caraway in all its flavour 

glory." 

SHAHI JEERA FISH TIKKA 

(COURTESY EXECUTIVE CHEF NARINDER, TRUE TRAMM TRUNK) 

INGREDIENTS 

• Boneless fish cut into 

cubes of 2 inches 

• Ginger-garlic paste 

• Green chilli paste 

300 gms 

1 tablespoon 

1 teaspoon 

• Juice of 1 lemon 

• Salt to taste 

• Mustard oil 

3-4 teaspoon 

• Carom seed (Ajwain) 8-10 cloves 

• Finely chopped green 

chillies 2 

• Gram flour (Besan) 2 tablespoons 

• Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon 

• Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon 

• Garam Masala 

powder 

1/2 teaspoon 

• Black salt (kala namak) A pinch 

• Yogurt 

4 teaspoons 

• Oil for greasing 

METHOD 

• Dry roast and grind the shahi jeera 

to a fine powder. Add the fillets to a 

large bowl. 

• Add the fresh ground powder, 

pickle, lemon juice, ginger garlic 

paste, salt, red chilli powder, garam 

masala powder and yogurt. 

• Mix well until the fillets are evenly 

coated. Keep aside for 15-30 minutes. 

• Sprinkle a bit of coriander leaves 

and toss gently. Thread the fillets 

onto the skewers. Place them on a 

preheated tandoor medium flame. 

• Tandoor the fish tikka for 10 to 15 

minutes on each side, turning them 

from time to time and frequently 

basting them with butter. 

• When the fillets are slightly 

charred and cooked through, remove 

and transfer to a serving plate. 

• Serve alongside the shahi jeera fish 

tikka, mint chutney and laccha onion 

and lemon. 

70 

OCTOBER 2018

SPOTLIGHT FESTIVALS 

FESTIVE FERVOR 

Come October and India 

gears up for Dussehra, one 

of its longest festivals, that 

is spread over a whopping 

10 days and is an ode to 

Goddess Durga. 

BY BINDU GOPAL RAO 

It is once again that time of the year 

when the Navratri festivities ring in 

a feeling of fun and add a zing to 

daily life. The 10 days of Dusherra 

are celebrated across India and its 

numerous manifestations make this 

festival as unique and as spiritual too. 

And this year the festivities are on 

between October 10 and 19. 

Celebrating Goddess Durga, the 

Navratri is spread over nine days and is a 

celebration of good over evil. Starting 

after Mahalaya Amavasya, the festival 

celebrates Goddess Parvati in her 

form of Shakti. The celebrations 

have a long history and date back to 

the Vijanagara empire and also the 

Wodeyar kingdom of Mysore. The 

two most important events that the 

festival celebrates is Ram's victory 

over Ravana as well as the slaying of 

Mahisasura by Goddess Durga. 

It is said that the Goddess fought hard 

for nine days and nine nights with the 

demon before finally killing him on the 

tenth day – Vijaya Dashmi. Buddhists 

also count this as an important day as it is 

believed to be the day when Ashoka 

converted to Buddhism and took an oath 

of nonviolence. The word Dusherra itself 

comes from Dus (meaning evil) and Hara 

(meaning destruction) in Sanskrit. The 

nine day festivities are celebrated across 

India with different names like Navratri 

(Oct 10-18), Dussehra (Oct 19) and Durga 

Puja (Oct 15-19) but the ethos is the same 

everywhere. The month of Ashwin as per 

the Hindu calendar and that falls 

typically during the months of 

September-October and there is a special 

meaning for each day of Navratri. On each 

of the nine days, the Goddess has a new 

look and new colour and there is a 

different significance of each day. 

The first day is when the Goddess is 

worshipped as Shailputri, the daughter of 

the Himalayas. On the second day, Durga 

is worshipped as Brahmacharini one of 

the many forms of Parvati. On the third 

day, the Goddess is worshipped as 

Chandraghanta a symbol of beauty and 

bravery. On day four, the Goddess is 

Kushmanda who according to legend 

created the entire universe. Day five is 

72 

OCTOBER 2018


when the Goddess is worshipped in the 

form of Skanda Mala (Skanda's mother 

who was the warrior head of the army of 

Gods). On the sixth day the Goddess is 

worshipped as Katyayani who has four 

hands and three eyes and sits on a lion. 

The seventh day sees the Goddess 

worshipped as Kalratri that translates to 

dark night when she teaches how to be 

courageous. The eighth day sees the 

Goddess worshipped as Maha Gauri 

when the Goddess is adorned with white 

jewellery. Day nine is when the Goddess 

assumes the form of Siddhidatri who 

embodies all the eight siddhis. 

The Durga Pooja festivities include a 

puja to gadgets and vehicles as well as 

well worship books to honour Saraswati, 

the goddess of learning. Durga Puja in 

West Bengal is typically a five day affair. 

The pandals see huge idols of the Goddess 

which starts on the Mahashasthi. The 

THE FIRST DAY OF DURGA PUJA, SAPTAMI, 

IS WHEN DEVOTEES OFFER FLOWERS OR 

PUSHPANJALI EARLY IN THE MORNING 

musical welcome includes a drum called 

dhak and the main activity on the first 

day is the unveiling of the face of the idol. 

An ancient ritual Kalaparambho involves 

worshipping nine types of plants and 

precedes the actual start of the puja. 

The first day of Durga puja, Saptami 

is when devotees offer flowers or 

Pushpanjali in the pandal in the morning. 

On the next day which happens to be the 

eighth day Mahashtami Sandhi Puja is 

performed that is the inter-linking of the 

Mahashtami and Mahanavami. The 

Navami puja is next which also includes 

an offering of a variety of food (referred to 

as Bhog). The last day is the tenth or 

Dashami when married women apply 

sindur to the image of the Goddess 

FUN FACTS 

• In many parts of North 

India, on the first day of 

Navratri there is a tradition 

to plant barley seeds in 

earthen pots. 

• On the day of Dussehra 

sprouts are used for good luck 

and men place them in their 

caps or behind their ears. 

• Dussehra is also celebrated in 

Bangladesh and Nepal. 

• Malaysia has an official 

holiday to mark Dusherra. 

• The festival marks the change 

of the agriculture crops. 

74 

OCTOBER 2018


dressed in white and red sarees as a 

sendoff. A procession with the Goddess 

happens in the locality where the pandal 

is located and the idol is finally immersed 

in the river. 

Every state in India celebrates the 

festival with a unique touch and subtle 

nuances that add to the flavour of 

Dussehra. The Mysore Dasara which has 

now become a huge annual affair includes 

a grandiose procession called Jumbo 

Savari where elephants are paraded and 

the Goddess is carried in a golden hoodah 

on one of the oldest elephants. Mysore is 

home to the Chamundi Hills where 

Goddess Durga is supposed to have killed 

Mahishasura and gives the city its name. 

Being the principal deity of worship 

of the royal family, the celebrations 

include a special durbar at the Mysuru 

Palace that is lit during the evenings as 

well as cultural events and exhibitions 

held across the city. In West Bengal, 

Durga Puja or Pujo, as it is referred to 

colloquially, is the time when the city is 

swathed in colourful festivities. Hopping 

between pandals each of which is done up 

in a unique way with large idols of 

Goddess Durga is a favourite activity at 

this time. 

If you are here head to the old 

mansions like Sovabazar Raj Bari and 

Rani Rashmoni Bari to witness the 

traditional Bonedi Bari pujas too. 

Himachal Pradesh celebrates Kullu 

Dussehra that sees a congregation of 200 

plus local deities from neighbouring 

villages to participate in Lord 

Raghunath’s Rath Yatra to Dhalpur 

Maidan. Interestingly these celebrations 

begin on Vijayadashami the last day when 

the Dussehra festivities is on in the rest of 

the country. 

The festival concludes with the 

THE MYSORE DASARA WHICH HAS NOW 

BECOME A HUGE AFFAIR INCLUDES A GRAND 

PROCESSION CALLED JUMBO SAVARI 

76 

OCTOBER 2018

THE 

WILD 

The Malabar 

Whistling-Thrush 

WESTERN 

GHATS 

Untouched and pristine Meghamalai on the Western 

Ghats has one of the richest reserve of flora and fauna. 

Somewhere in this paradise originates the Vaigai 

river, where the elephants, deer and bison gather - 

a truly magnificent sight. 

DIPR/910/DIS/2018


THE KULASEKARAPATTINAM DASARA IN TAMIL 

NADU COMBINES COLOURFUL COSTUMES, 

MUSIC, DANCE AND DRAMA 

Lankadahan ceremony when dry leaves, 

grass and twigs that symbolise Lanka 

are burnt on the banks of river Beas. In 

Karnataka the practice of a display of 

dolls in sequential form gives it the name 

Bombe Habba (that translates to doll 

festival). The dolls are usually images of 

Gods and Goddesses and also some 

contemporary ones make it to the 

display and is a huge draw with children 

and adults alike. 

A similar tradition happens in Tamil 

Nadu - Bommai Kolu and Andhra 

Pradesh - Bommala Koluvu. 

Hyderabad’s Bathukamma is a floral 

festival celebrated as an ode to Goddess 

Gauri that starts on Mahalaya Amavasya 

and ends on Durgashtami. Likewise, 

Bastar Dussehra is a unique 75-day 

festival celebrated in Chhattisgarh to 

honour the presiding deity of Bastar 

Devi Danteshwari. If you are in 

Varanasi, the Ram Lila (plays based on 

episodes from the Ramayana) 

performed beside the Ramnagar Fort is 

a key attraction. 

Delhi also has a fair share of the Ram 

Lila plays but do not miss the Kanjak 

Puja that includes puri-halwa-channa 

offerings and the burning of the larger 

than life effigies of Ravana, Ravana’s son 

Meghnada and Ravana’s brother 

Kumbhkarana on the last day. The 

Madikeri Dasara in Coorg includes a 

traditional Karaga, a ritualistic folk 

dance dedicated to Draupadi that is 

performed during the festival. 

The Kulasekarapattinam Dasara 

that happens in Tamil Nadu's 

Kulasekharapattinam at the 

Mutharamman Temple combines 

colourful costumes, music, dance and 

drama. Kota in Rajasthan celebrates 

Dussehra with a 25 day fest or mela 

that sees cultural performances, 

costume plays, fireworks and delicious 

festive food. 

Like with any festival there are 

many interesting foods associated 

with Dusherra. Interestingly many 

people also fast during Navratri which 

is broken after a special offering is 

made to the Goddess. Fasting involves a 

typical vegetarian diet based on fruits 

and milk. Special foods like sabudana 

vada, arbi ki kadhi, coconut laddoos, 

Kacche Kele ki Chaat, kele ki subzi and 

rajgire ki puri are usually prepared at 

this time as part of the special fast. 

The nine forms of the Goddess are 

offered special foods on each day. Day 1 

has Pure Ghee to Maa Shailputri for 

health, day 2 has sugar to Goddess 

Brahmacharini for longevity and day 3 

has milk or milk based sweets offered to 

Mata Chandraghanta for happiness. Day 

4 sees Malpuato Mata Kushmanda to 

help improve intellect and decision 

making. 

Day 5 sees bananas offered to Mata 

Skandmata for physical health. On 

Day 6 honey is offered to Maa Katyayani 

for physical appearance and day 7 has 

jaggery offered to Mata Kaalratri for 

pain relief. Day 8 is Durga Ashtami and 

Mahagauri is offered coconut and day 9 

sees til or sesame to Goddess 

Siddhidatri that helps in protection 

against anything untoward. 

Navratri delicacies do include a lot of 

sweets and savouries that are local to 

each of the areas where celebrations 

happen with gaiety. However the best 

takeaway from the ten day long festival 

is the key message that good always 

triumphs over evil – a lesson that 

matters so much especially in today’s 

times. 

78 

OCTOBER 2018

SPOTLIGHT KARNATAKA 

FESTIVALS 

ON THE 

WILD SIDE 

The flora and fauna of Karnataka is diverse and with forests covering 

around 20 per cent of the state’s geographic area, there are many 

secrets to uncover. BY BINDU GOPAL RAO 

Do you know that Karnataka has 

one of the highest populations 

of tigers in the country? Well it 

is not just tigers but a variety of 

animals and birds that you can see in this 

state. With a plethora of wildlife sanctuaries, 

national parks, forest reserves, bird 

sanctuaries and conservation centres, 

Karnataka is a potpourri of experiences 

when it comes to experiencing all things in 

the wild. We list the places that you must 

definitely see if you are a lover of wildlife. 

ANSHI NATIONAL PARK 

Extending about 340 sq km, the Anshi 

National Park is 60 km from Karwar in 

Uttara Karnataka and is adjoining the 

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. A Project Tiger 

sanctuary, this is part of an eco-sensitive 

part of the Western Ghats and is also called 

the Kali Tiger Reserve. The forest here 

primarily has evergreen and semi-evergreen 

trees and is home to about 200 bird species 

including the Malabar pied hornbill, Ceylon 

frogmouth and Great hornbill. The animals 

seen here include elephants, Indian leopard, 

leopard cat, bonnet macaque, slender loris, 

gaur, wild boar, sambar, dhole, sloth bear, 

Malabar giant squirrel and several species of 

snakes. You also have set treks that also serve 

as vantage points and you can see some 

stunning grasslands here. 

BANDIPUR NATIONAL PARK 

Among one of the most well-known national 

parks in the state, the Bandipur National 

Park is located in Chamarajanagar district 

adjoining the Mudumalai National Park in 

Tamil Nadu, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in 

Kerala and the Nagarhole National Park in 

Karnataka. Located about 60 km from 

Mysore, this park was set up by the Mysore 

Maharaja in 1931. Located at the foot of the 

Nilgiri Hills, this place is home to many 

tigers, Asian elephants, leopards, dhole, gaur 

and sloth bears. Being part of the Nilgiri 

Biosphere Reserve, the topography is a mix 

of tropical mixed deciduous forests that 

support a large diversity of animal and bird 

life. There are close to 350 species of birds 

identified here and you can also see a vibrant 

reptile community including marsh 

crocodiles, Russell's viper, Indian pond 

terrapin, common Indian bronze back, 

starred tortoise, common Indian monitor, 

Indian chameleon and more. The Nugu 

River here has several aquatic animals and 

the highest point is Himavad Gopalaswamy 

Betta that has superb views too. 

80 

OCTOBER 2018

81 

MAY 2018


From top: Bannerghatta National Park; 

Kudremukh 

BANNERGHATTA NATIONAL PARK 

Bannerghatta National Park is located 22 

km south of Bengaluru and is not to be 

confused with the biological park that 

houses a zoo and safaris in a manmade 

setup. Carved out of the National Park, 

the biological park is home to several 

species of butterflies as well. This 

national park here has deciduous forests 

and thorny shrubs as well as bamboos, 

Eucalyptus and more. This is where you 

can sight animals like the sambar, 

common langur, bonnet macaque, 

spotted deer, barking deer, Indian crested 

porcupine, Indian leopard, gaur, Indian 

elephant, golden jackal, fox and more. 

KUDREMUKH NATIONAL PARK 

Covering over 600 sq km, the Kudremukh 

National Park located 95 km from 

Chikmagalur is home to evergreen and 

semi-evergreen forests as well as Shola 

grasslands at elevations above 4593 feet. 

Known for its stunning natural vistas 

that include a range of continual 

mountains, deep ravines and steep cliffs, 

the Park is home to the Bengal tiger, 

Indian leopard, sloth bear, gaur, sambar, 

spotted deer, dhole, golden jackal, liontailed 

macaque, common langur, barking 

deer, Malabar giant squirrel, Indian 

crested porcupine and birds like the 

Malabar trogon, great hornbill, Malabar 

whistling thrush and imperial pigeon. It 

is well known for conserving the liontailed 

macaque and is named after the 

eponymous peak that looks like the face 

of a horse. Perinneal streams from the 

rivers Tunga, Bhadra and Nethravathi 

have helped increase the bio diversity of 

this park. 

NAGARAHOLE NATIONAL PARK 

Recently renamed as the Rajiv Gandhi 

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82 

OCTOBER 2018


National Park, Nagarahole means Snake 

River in Kannada and is spread over area 

of about 575 sq km and adjoins the 

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala. 

The Kabini dam divides the Nagarahole 

and Bandipur National Parks. The forest 

here has a large number of rosewood and 

teak trees that are home to the Indian 

elephant, chital or spotted deer, leopard 

cat, four horned antelope, flying fox, 

giant fruit bat, Bengal tiger, rusty spotted 

cat and birds like herons, ducks, kites, 

eagles, falcons, partridges, storks, egrets, 

quails, peafowl, owls, lapwings, 

sandpipers, pigeons, doves, parakeets, 

cuckoos, nightjars, swifts, kingfishers, 

bee-eaters, barbets, swallows, larks, 

woodpeckers, orioles and more. You can 

also see reptiles like the marsh crocodile., 

star tortoise, common Indian monitor 

lizard, geckos, spectacled cobra, Indian 

python and green whip snake here. 

From top: Nagarhole National Park; 

and Kabini National Park 

KABINI NATIONAL PARK I 

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY 

With its varied topography the Kabini 

National Park is home to 250 species 

of flowers and trees.. With the 

largest population of elephants, 

Kabini also has animals like leopard, 

panther, sambhar, spotted deer, 

chital and bisons. This sanctuary also 

offers a water safari on Government 

run boats and is on the bank of 

Kabini River. 

BILIGIRIRANGA SWAMY TEMPLE 

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY 

Located in the Chamarajanagar 

district over 540 sq km, BR hills as 

this is popularly known is home to 

the BRT sanctuary that has several 

species of mammals including 

elephants, sloth bear, gaur, tigers, 

leopards, barking deer and sambar as 

CARDIAC CARE AT COLUMBIA ASIA 

Columbia Asia Hospital – Sarjapur 

Road in Bengaluru, is in the 

forefront in providing cardiac 

care. Here are some of the conditions 

managed at the hospital: 

• Cardiac arrhythmias, such as atrial 

fibrillation, are abnormalities in rhythm of 

the heart. The heart can beat too slowly, 

too fast or with an abnormal rhythm. There 

are various types of arrhythmias, some of 

which are life-threatening. Arrhythmias are 

diagnosed by using electrophysiological 

studies that sometimes involve 3D mapping. 

Some common treatment method lies 

include ablation of any abnormal pathways 

or implantation of devices that either pace 

the heart or defibrillate the abnormal 

rhythms. 

• Cardiomyopathies are diseases affecting 

the heart muscle. This affects people of 

all ages and are usually inherited. The 

heart muscle becomes enlarged, thick or 

rigid, affecting its ability to pump blood 

efficiently. 

• Inflammatory heart disease is another 

condition caused by infection of heart 

muscles by bacteria, virus or from an 

autoimmune disorder. There are three 

main types of inflammatory heart disease: 

pericarditis, endocarditis and myocarditis 

depending on which part of the heart is 

affected. 

• Heart failure is serious condition and 

usually secondary to other diseases of the 

heart. It is a condition in which the heart 

loses its ability to pump blood efficiently 

through the body. In other words, the heart 

cannot pump enough blood to meet the 

needs of all the organs in the body. 

• Coronary artery disease: Blood vessels of 

the heart are blocked leading to deficiency 

in the blood supply to the various regions 

of the heart. Once this is suspected an 

angiogram will reveal the exact nature of the 

disease and the kind of intervention 

84 

OCTOBER 2018


well as 215 species of birds. Located at 

the confluence of the Eastern and 

Western Ghats, the sanctuary is home to 

bio diversity of both ranges and is also a 

tiger reserve. 

BHADRA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY 

Located in between the districts of 

Chikamagaluru and Shimoga, this 492 

sq km sanctuary has the tiger, leopard, 

elephant, gaur, slender loris and 

pangolin and birds like Malabar 

whistling thrush, paradise flycatcher 

and ruby-throated bulbul. As the Bhadra 

River flows through the forest, the moist 

and dry deciduous forest also houses 

Kallahathigiri which is the highest peak 

here at 1875 metres. The hills of 

Kemmannundi and Bababuden are 

within the sanctuary and the lush 

greenery set amidst the hill ranges is 

spectacular. 

BHIMGAD WILDLIFE SANCTUARY 

Located in Belgaum district this 

sanctuary is named after the 17th century 

Bhimgad Fort by Shivaji which is inside 

the forest valley. This forest is known for 

its Barapede caves said to be the only 

known breeding area of the highly 

endangered Wroughton’s free-tailed bat. 

CAUVERY WILDLIFE SANCTUARY 

The Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary located 

in the Mandya, Chamarajanagar and 

Ramanagar districts is a protected area 

with dry deciduous trees. With the river 

Cauvery running through the sanctuary, 

there are animals like the common 

langur, bonnet macaque, elephant, wild 

boar, malabar giant squirrel, smoothcoated 

otter, leopard, dhole and grizzled 

giant squirrel are seen here. The river of 

course is home to the Mugger crocodile, 

snakes, Indian mud turtles and the famed 

Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary; and 

Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary 

NU HOSPITALS - NEPHRO–UROLOGY & FERTILITY CARE AT ITS BEST – BENGALURU, INDIA 

The Karnataka based NU Hospitals is 

known for superior, yet affordable 

Nephro-Urology & Fertility care. It is the 

centre of excellence for all Genito- Urinary 

system disorders and has various Sub 

Specialities like, Paediatric Urology, Male 

Infertility, Laparoscopic Urology, Kidney 

Transplantation, Neuro Urology, Uro 

Gynaecology, Laser Surgeries for the 

Prostate and Stones, IVF and Female 

Infertility etc. 

The genesis of NU Hospitals was in July 

1999 at Padmanabhanagar, Bengaluru 

when it began as a dedicated speciality 

centre for Nephro-Urology care. Another 

modern and state of the art 100 bed 

facility is situated at Rajajinagar, 

Bengaluru (Next to ISKCON). NU Hospitals 

will also shortly open facilities at Ambur in 

Tamil Nadu and Shivamogga in 

Karnataka. The reach to these Tier II-III 

towns has bought super speciality care to 

their door step. 

Expert Advise and Ethical Treatment 

The main strengths of NU Hospitals 

include the group's experienced 

professionals, strict adherence to quality 

protocols at all levels, and cutting-edge 

research. 

“We are not only one of the leading 

Nephro-Urology hospital in South India 

but we were the first dedicated 

Nephro-Urology centre in Karnataka. All 

this has resulted in us gaining a unique 

perspective on 

nephro-urology 

medicine. It has 

provided us with 

a wealth of 

experience, 

knowledge and 

expertise in 

providing quality 

care”, says 

Dr. Venkatesh Krishnamoorthy, the 

Chairman and Founder of NU Hospitals. 

Over the last eight years, NU Hospitals 

have performed as many as 243 kidney 

transplants, 22,345 Urologic Surgeries 

and 1,48,961 Haemodialyses. The 

Hospital had 2,92,320 Outpatients and 

29,206 Inpatients. A number of patients 

from abroad are also availing the 

specialised treatment of NU Hospitals. 

“We adhere strictly to quality protocols at 

all levels. Operating procedures of 

International standards are followed. As 

and when these standards are revised, 

our protocols are also updated 

accordingly. Periodic medical audits 

ensure results that are comparable or 

even superior to those in the literature”, 

says 

Dr. Prasanna 

Venkatesh, the 

Managing 

Director and Sr. 

Paediatric 

Urology 

Consultant at NU 

Hospitals. 

The NU Hospitals Laboratory has been accredited with NABL, in March 2012. NU Hospitals is the first standalone 

Nephro-Uro centre in India to get the prestigious NABH accreditation at both their Hospitals in Bengaluru 

86 

OCTOBER 2018

Expert Advice - Ethical Treatment 

Fertility Specialists 

Padmanabhanagar - Bengaluru 

THE NU ADVANTAGE 

Rajajinagar - Bengaluru 

Paediatric Urology 

• Rare Skill set and Expertise 

available 

• Competent Anaesthesia Team 

• Paediatric Specific Imaging and 

Investigations 

• Specific Cutting Edge Endo-Uro 

Instrumentation 

Reconstructive Urology 

• Complex Supra Major Surgeries 

• Referral Centre 

• Expertise in treating Urinary 

Incontinence 

Neuro Urology & Uro Dynamics 

• Paediatric Uro Dynamics 

Capability 

• Specifically Trained and 

Experienced Consultant 

• Special Unit – Nursing and 

Technician 

Uro Oncology 

• Tumor Board Governed 

• Superior Outcomes/Results 

• Comprehensive Treatment under one 

Roof 

Pediatric Nephrology 

• One of the very few Centers in India 

• Committed Resources 

Kidney Transplantation 

• Active Cadaver Transplantation 

Program 

• Living Donors-Laparoscopic Kidney 

Retrieval 

• 400+ Kidney Transplants @ NU – Team 

Andrology 

• End to End Full Spectrum Service 

• Leading to Integrated Assisted 

Reproductive Techniques 

• Mens Sexual Health, Prosthetic Urology 

- Penile Implants 

Infertility/ IVF 

• Advanced technology for IVF treatment 

• Specialized IVF Laboratory with state 

of the art equipments 

• Experienced Specialists 

• Systematic Treatment under One Roof 

• Positive Results 

Laparoscopic Urology 

• Most Advanced Urological Surgeries 

• Less In Hospital Stay, Quick Recovery, 

Accelerated Normalcy, Faster Back to 

Work 

• Specialized State of Art Infrastructure 

• Highly Trained Cohesive Team 

Preventive Nephrology 

• Lifestyle Management – 

Hypertensive-Diabetics 

• Specialty Education Programs- Renal 

Disorders 

080 4248 9999 care@nuhospitals.com www.nuhospitals.com, www.nufertility.com 

Bengaluru: Padmanabhanagar & Rajajinagar Karnataka: Shivamogga Tamilnadu: Krishnagiri & Ambur Maldives: Male

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary; and 

Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary 

mahseer fish. Kanakapura, Hanur, 

Cowdally and MM Hills wildlife ranges 

are part of the Cauvery Sanctuary and the 

reserve forests of Basavanabetta, 

Chilandavadi, Muggur, Chikkayalur and 

Mahadeswara are also part of this 

sanctuary. 

DANDELI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY 

Located in North Karnataka district with 

an area of475 sq km, the abundance of 

flora and fauna makes this one of the 

largest sanctuaries in Karnataka. This 

sanctuary houses the bison, jackal, 

langur, leopard, barking, spotted and 

mouse deer, sloth bear, tiger, gaur, 

elephant, wild dog, civet cat and giant 

flying squirrel along with many species of 

colorful birds. Apart from the wildlife 

safaris in jeeps, this is where you can 

experience coracle boat rides, treks, 

nature walks, bird watching and 

crocodile sighting trips. This is also an 

elephant reserve and also the best place 

for sighting the Great Indian Hornbill or 

Great Pied Hornbill and the Malabar Pied 

Hornbill. The elusive Black Panther can 

also be sighted here – if you are lucky. 

MOOKAMBIKA WILDLIFE 

SANCTUARY 

Spread over 247 sq. km. in Udupi district 

this sanctuary has some unique flora and 

fauna amidst the evergreen, semievergreen 

and moist deciduous forest. 

This makes it home to the slender loris, 

lion-tailed macaque, wild pig, sambar, 

barking deer, otter, porcupine, chital as 

well as the endangered cane turtle. A 

climber species Coscinium fenestratum 

is unique to this place. Bordering the 

Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary you 

can also experience camping and 

trekking activities here. 

Chancellor Sri Dr 

Nirmalanandanatha 

Mahaswamiji 

ADICHUNCHANAGIRI 

UNIVERSITY’S VAST REACH 

Adichunchanagiri 

University is situated in 

a lush green campus of 

67 acres at B.G. Nagara, 

Nagamangala Tq., 

Mandya District, 

Karnataka on the 

Bangalore-Mangalore 

National Highway No. 

75, 105 km from Bangalore, the capital city 

of Karnataka. The University consists of six 

constituent colleges in the disciplines of 

Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Engineering, 

Management, Commerce and Education. 

The environment-friendly campus has 

adequate infrastructure and physical 

facilities for Academics and Research. The 

campus caters to around 4000 students, 400 

teachers and 1800 support staff. The 

University employs a broad range of 

strategies to achieve its Vision, Mission and 

Objectives to expand the horizon of world 

knowledge, provide instruction, teachinglearning, 

training, research and 

development at the level of Higher 

Education in the faculties of Health 

Sciences, Engineering and Technology, 

Management and Technology, Humanities 

& Social Sciences and other Emerging and 

Thrust areas. 

VISION 

Education for all with value systems of 

empathy, enrichment, equity, excellence, 

empowerment & enlightenment to serve 

the society 

MISSION 

• Education to all for self-reliance, socioeconomic 

change to develop an inclusive 

society with shared opportunities & 

responsibilities. 

• Empathy towards the less fortunate, the 

sick, the suffering & the disabled 

• Enrichment to acquire abundant 

knowledge, requisite skills & appropriate 

attitude 

• Excellence for quality assurance, 

enhancement & sustenance in academics 

& research to produce graduates of global 

standards 

• Equity for fairness & social justice by 

providing equal opportunities 

• Empowerment of graduates to become 

intuitive, innovative & inventive 

• Enlightenment to attain wisdom & virtues 

in life to think beyond self 

Contact Us: (+91) 08234 287281 

Email: info@acu.edu.in 

88 

OCTOBER 2018

ADICHUNCHANAGIRI 

UNIVERSITY 

(Estd. under Karnataka Act No.18 of 2013) 

info@acu.edu.in 

B G Nagara - 571448, NH-75, Nagamangala Taluk, 

Mandya District , Karnataka, India.


BIRD 

SANCTUARIES 

ADICHUNCHUNAGIRI BIRD 

SANCTUARY IN MANDYA 

DISTRICT. 

ATTIVERI BIRD 

SANCTUARY IN UTTARA 

KANNADA. 

BANKAPURA PEACOCK 

SANCTUARY IN HAVERI 

DISTRICT. 

BONAL BIRD SANCTUARY 

IN YADGIR DISTRICT. 

GHATAPRABHA BIRD 

SANCTUARY IN BELGAUM 

DISTRICT. 

GUDAVI BIRD SANCTUARY 

IN SHIMOGA DISTRICT. 

KAGGALADU BIRD 

SANCTUARY IN TUMKUR 

DISTRICT. 

KOKKARE BELLUR IN 

MANDYA DISTRICT. 

RANGANATHITTU BIRD 

SANCTUARY IN MANDYA 

DISTRICT. 

MANDAGADDE BIRD 

SANCTUARY IN SHIMOGA 

DISTRICT. 

KAGGALADU HERONRY IN 

TUMKUR DISTRICT. 

MAGADI BIRD SANCTUARY 

IN SHIRAHATTI TALUK. 

RAMADEVARABETTA 

VULTURE SANCTUARY IN 

RAMNAGAR 

90 

OCTOBER 2018


OTHER 

WILDLIFE SPOTS 

ARABITHITTU WILDLIFE 

SANCTUARY in Mysore district 

covering an area of over 13.5 sq 

km, this park has eucalyptus and 

sandalwood plantations and is 

home to animals like the spotted 

deer, fox and leopard and over 230 

species of birds. 

ADICHUNCHANAGIRI WILDLIFE 

SANCTUARY in Mandya district 

created mainly for the 

conservation of peacocks. 

BRAHMAGIRI WILDLIFE 

SANCTUARY in Kodagu is spread 

over 182 sq km, the evergreen 

forests topography is dominated 

by bamboos here. 

DAROJI SLOTH BEAR 

SANCTUARY in Bellary district 

with an area of 56 sq km within the 

Bilikallu reserve forest, this 

sanctuary was created for the 

conservation of the Indian sloth 

bears. 

MALAI MAHADESHWARA 

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY in 

Chamarajanagar district, 

Kollegala taluk. 

MELUKOTE TEMPLE WILDLIFE 

SANCTUARY in Mandya district 

is home to an endangered species 

of flora called Cycas circinalis. 

NUGU WILDLIFE SANCTUARY in 

Mysore has an area of 30 sq. km. 

and the backwaters of Nugu dam 

forms part of the sanctuary. 

PUSHPAGIRI WILDLIFE 

SANCTUARY in Kodagu district 

spread over 103 sq. km. with thick 

evergreen and semi-evergreen 

forests as well as a sholagrassland 

habitat in the elevation. 

RANIBENNUR BLACKBUCK 

SANCTUARY in Haveri district is 

primarily a Eucalyptus forest and 

has been created for the 

conservation of blackbucks 

and is also the habitat of the 

endangered great Indian 

bustard. 

SHARAVATHI VALLEY 

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY in 

Shimoga is spread over 431 

sq. km. and is also home to 

snakes and birds like the 

racket-tailed drongo. 

92 

OCTOBER 2018


MANGALORE 

GETAWAYS 

The coastal town of Mangalore, often called the Gateway of 

Karnataka, serves as a wonderful base to explore many spiritual 

and cultural locations in the vicinity. BY BINDU GOPAL RAO 

Here are some important 

places that are easily 

accessible by road from 

Mangalore. 

KARKALA 

Nestled in the backdrop of the Western 

Ghats and being a famed Jain pilgrim 

centre, Karkala is home to about 18 Jain 

temples or basadis including Mahaveera 

Basadi, Anekere Padmavathi Basadi, 

Chaturmukha Thirthankara Basadi and 

Hiriyangaddi Neminatha Basadi. The 

Chaturmukha Basadi has a whopping 

108 pillars and has three life size images 

of Thirthankaras and smaller images of 

24 other Thirthankaras and was built 

over 30 years. A recurring characteristic 

of this small town is the black stone that 

you will see everywhere that gives its 

name as Karkala is derived from Kari 

(black) and Kallu (stone) in Kannada. 

This place is also known for the 

monolithic statue of Bhagawan Bahubali 

at Gommateshwara betta that towers 42 

feet high making it the second tallest one 

in Karnataka and was erected way back 

in 1432. An anointing ceremony or 

Mahamastakabhisheka happens once in 

12 years and the next one is slated in 

2026. While in Karkala, stop by the 

beautiful St. Lawrence church at Attur 

that has a rich history and also 

celebrates an annual feast when 

pilgrims throng the place. Karkala is 

also home to some old temples like 

Anantashayana, Venkataramana, 

Gopalakrishna and Veerabhadra. For 

some quiet time head to the 

Ramasamudra Lake that is not just 

scenic but is also known to be a 

perennial source of water. 

Distance from Mangalore: 55 km. 

UDUPI 

The temple town of Udupi is as well 

known for its famed Krishna temple as it 

is for its delectable cuisine and lovely 

pristine beaches. At the heart of the town 

is the Sri Krishna Temple or the Udupi 

Krishna Math that was started by saint 

and philosopher Madhavacharya in the 

13th century. A Dvaita philosophy center, 

the sanctum sanctorum houses a 

beautiful idol of Lord Krishna. An 

important element of this temple is the 

Kanakana Kindi a small window through 

which his ardent devotee, Kanakadasa 

could see Lord Krishna. The Ashta 

Mathas or eight temple trusts here are in 

charge of the administration of the 

temple in rotation. Close by at Yellur, you 

can also see the Lord Shiva temple said to 

be over 1000 years. Udupi is well known 

for its beaches Kaup, Malpe and St. 

Mary's Island. When it Udupi, sample its 

world renowned cuisine that evolved in 

the large kitchen of the Krishna Temple 

that serves meals every day to all 

devotees that visit the temple free of cost 

every day. One of the important festivals 

held here is the Paryaya that happens 

every alternate year that witnesses 

chariot processions, folk dances, cultural 

shoes and religious hymns. The ancient 

Milagres Church, Maravanthe Beach, 

Kollur and Someshwara Wildlife 

Sanctuary are some places that are worth 

a visit from Udupi. 


94 

OCTOBER 2018


MUDABIDRI WAS RULED 

BY THE JAIN FAMILY OF 

CHOWTAS WHO MOVED 

THEIR CAPITAL HERE IN 

THE 17TH CENTURY 

KUKKE SUBRAMANYA 

Sri Kukke Subramanya shrine dedicated 

to Lord Subramanya is worshiped as the 

lord of snakes on the banks of the 

Kumaradhara River. A revered temple, 

there are several rules that need to be 

followed by men and women who enter 

this temple. Legend has it that this is the 

place Vasuki, the king of snakes 

worshipped Lord Shiva to protect snakes 

from the wrath of Garuda. This is when 

Shiva sent his son Subramanya to protect 

the snakes. The silver Garuda tower here 

is said protect devotees the poison from 

Vasuki's breath as it is believed that he 

stays inside the temple. There are manye 

important poojas performed here 

including the main ritual of Sarpa 

Samskara / Sarpa Dosha to alleviate 

issues of negativity in one’s life. Naga 

Pratistha Puja is performed by couples 

who are childless and the Ashlesha Bali is 

performed by people affected by 

Kaalasarpadosha which happens due to 

planetary misalignment. 


DHARMASTHALA 

Shree Kshetra Dharmasthalaon the 

banks of river Nethravathi is among one 

of the holiest places in South India and 

the main temple here dedicated to Lord 

Manjunatha, a form of Lord Shiva is over 

800 years old. The golden linga of Lord 

Shiva in this temple has poojas conducted 

by Vaishnava priests whereas all the 

administration is taken care by Jains. The 

specialty of this temple is that it is known 

as a place where truth and righteousness 

is upheld at all cost. This is where local 

people seek justice which is administered 

by the temple head or Dharmadhikari Sri 

Veerendra Heggade. When you are here, 

step into the Manjusha Museum that has 

an enviable collection of well-preserved 

artefacts as well as some old wooden 

temple chariots. Also stop by at Manjusha 

Car museum that houses the private 

vintage car collection of Veerendra 

Heggade. Photography is not permitted at 

both museums. This place is also known 

for the 39 feet tall monolithic statue of 

Bhagavan Bahubali as well as a temple 

dedicated to the Sun God. 


MUDABIDRI 

Another important Jain center, 

Mudabidri or Moodabidri is a quaint 

town by the coast. This place was ruled by 

the Jain family of Chowtas who moved 

their capital here in the 17th century and 

the remains of the Chowta Palace with its 

intricately carved wooden pillars and 

ceilings can be seen to date. The temples 

here have wooden roofs and exquisitely 

crafted idols carved out of precious 

gemstones. There are over 18 basidis in 

Mudabidri including Guru basadi, 

Tribhuvana Tilaka Chudamani Basadi 

and Ammanavara Basadi. Guru basadi is 

the oldest monument here and is home to 

a 3.5 metre high stone idol of 

Parshwanatha. The Jain manuscripts - 

Dhavala, Jayadhavala and Mahadhavala 

called Siddhanta in Digambara tradition 

are preserved here. The most ornate Jain 

temple here is the thousand pillared 

Tribhuvana Tilaka Chudamani basadi 

built in 1430 A.D. 


96 

OCTOBER 2018

IN FOCUS 

MONTAGE 

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NEW MBA AND IT PROGRAMMES FROM ST ALOYSIUS 

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EDUCATION under one roof, the St 

Aloysius Institute of Management & 

Information Technology fuses wisdom 

and human values with learning. 

Offering a new campus for students 

pursuing MBA and IT programmes 

in Mangaluru, St Aloysius College’s 

(autonomous) new campus, St Aloysius 

Institute of Management & Information 

Technology is located at Kotekar on NH 

66, about 11 km from the main campus 

in the city. The sprawling, green campus 

with state-of-the-art infrastructure 

is the centre for Management and 

Information Technology, offering 

postgraduate degree programmes under 

the autonomous scheme and is affiliated 

to Mangalore University. Some of the 

courses offered: 

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ADMINISTRATION (MBA) 

Dual specialisation in Marketing, 

Finance, Strategy, Human Resources, 

Business Analytics and MSc (Software 

Technology). 

MSC (BIG DATA ANALYTICS) 

The programme is designed to provide 

students with a comprehensive 

foundation for applying statistical 

methods to solve real-world problems. 

Courses include Business Intelligence 

and Data Mining, Big Data Analytics 

with Map Reduce and Hadoop and Soft 

Skills module to tap full potential of the 

students. 

MSC (BIOINFORMATICS) 

This course was introduced in 2004 

considering the demand for IT 

professionals in Biotech industry. St 

Aloysius College is the only college 

which offers this programme. The 

institute also has Bioinformatics Centre. 

98 

SEPTEMBER 2018

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99 

OCTOBER 2018

IN FOCUS 

MONTAGE 

SAG INFOTECH LEADS AS A TAX 

SOLUTION PROVIDER 

IN THE CURRENT WORLD OF 

FINANCIAL FLUCTUATIONS, the tax 

industry is completely overhauled by 

multiple series of direct and indirect 

taxes levied in form of different 

accountability. Goods and services 

tax is a current tax regime applicable 

in India subsuming almost 17 indirect 

tax into one for a clear and better tax 

efficiency. It is also one of the complex 

tax scheme introduced in India which 

needs to be constantly monitored 

through various business industry for 

the further correction in the working. 

All the major tax solution providing 

organization are in a quandary to 

understand the exact course of tariffs in 

the country. 

SAG Infotech is one such 

organization which is closely working 

on all the facets of taxation to develop 

tax solutions for professionals. The 

company is already in pursuit of 

providing software based on general 

tax applicable in India and continuously 

updating and refining them to function 

at par. SAG Infotech is a tax solution 

provider since the last two decades with 

a wide range of tax filing software in its 

portfolio. The organization runs with 

the coordination of 250+ employees 

serving 28,000+ clients across the 

country with a significant number of 

overseas clients. The company mainly 

performs IT management for the 

financial and tax professionals of all 

segments and industries through all the 

verticals of business. 

DREAM BIG WITH RAMAGYA 

itself, 

RAMAGYA GROUP HAS BEEN 

workstation, robotics and astronomy, 

A BEACON FOR EXPANDING 

motor activities-sensory rooms, 

EDUCATIONAL ACCESS and a leader school cinema, mental math lab, 

in instructional innovation. Under explorations-social science lab, AC 

the ambit of Ramagya Group of 

digital classrooms, Montessori learning 

Institutions lie various schools, sports corridors and reflective corners. 

academies and coaching institutes for Ramagya has carved a niche for 

higher education. Ramagya School, 

the frontrunner in their portfolio, 

needs no introduction in Delhi-NCR. 

Ranked amongst top 30 Great Indian 

Schools by Forbes India magazine, it 

is constantly ranked among the top 

five senior secondary schools in the 

region by TOI. Ramagya is a school of 

excellence with international state-ofthe-art 

infrastructure equipped with 

sprawling Wi-Fi campus, veative lab, 

edifying e-library, digital connect, 

standardized science laboratories, art 

by giving equal weightage 

and importance to each and every 

sports, thus preparing medalists at 

national and international events. It is 

ranked among the top 10 leading sports 

academies across the nation. Physical 

well-being, sportsmanship and team 

spirit, among other virtues, continue 

to bloom under the expert guidance 

of the mentors at the Academy. 

100 

OCTOBER 2018

SPOTLIGHT HEALTH 

KIDNEYS AND 

THE VITAL ROLES 

THEY PLAY 

It is necessary to take proactive steps in preventing ailments 

associated with the kidneys. BY Dr. Dilip Rangarajan, MD (Gen- 

Medicine), DNB (Nephrology), FRCP(Glasgow) 

Lying on either side of the 

abdomen, kidneys are paired 

organs and measuring about 

9-10 cm in length and weighing 

about 150 grams each. Apart from getting 

rid of water, waste products and drugs 

from the body, kidneys help in 

maintaining the balance of salts like 

sodium and potassium in the body. There 

is a lot of acid accumulation in the body 

daily generated from the food intake and 

this needs to be properly balanced with 

base which is vital for survival and this is 

done by the kidney. 

Blood pressure regulation in the body 

is also done by the kidneys. In 

addition,kidneys are responsible for the 

production of haemoglobin through 

secretion of erythropoietin. The two 

organs are responsible for bone strength 

through their calcium and vitamin D 

handling. 

Kidney failure can be acute which is a 

potentially reversible condition or chronic 

which is an irreversible condition. Acute 

kidney failure can be caused by 

dehydration due to severe diarrhea, drugs 

like pain killers called as non steroidal, 

anti-inflammatory drugs (like ibuprofen/ 

diclofenac/aceclofenac/etoricoxib), antiacidity 

drugs like pantoprazole and some 

antibiotics and anticancer agents, 

inflammatory condition of kidneys or 

sudden blockade to passage of urine or to 

blood flow of the kidneys. 

Chronic kidney failure is caused by 

diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, 

certain inflammatory conditions of the 

kidney, long term usage of pain killers, 

long standing blockade of urinary tract, 

repeated infections of the kidneys and 

some inherited kidney disorders. Long 

standing diabetes mellitus is the most 

common cause of irreversible kidney 

failure in the world. 

Kidney failure can be relatively 

asymptomatic till late stages. Some 

symptoms of kidney diseases are swelling 

of face and legs, decreased or increased 

urine output, red urine, decreased 

appetite, loss of appetite, vomiting, 

breathlessness, back pain or retardation of 

growth in children. 

Diagnosis of kidney disease is done by 

urine examination and blood tests like 

blood urea and serum creatinine. 

Ultrasound abdomen is also done to look 

at the size of the kidneys (in chronic 

kidney failure kidneys are usually small), 

appearance of the kidneys (certain 

characteristics tell us whether the 

problem could be chronic) as well as to 

rule out any block to the passage of urine. 

Acute kidney failure is treated by 

treating the cause of it. Dialysis may be 

required in some patients till recovery of 

kidney function. Chronic kidney failure is 

a progressive disease and may ultimately 

lead to a stage when permanent dialysis or 

kidney transplantation is needed. 

Prevention of kidney failure and 

prevention of progression of kidney 

failure is an important element. Cessation 

of smoking, weight reduction, good 

exercise, diet control, good control of 

blood sugar, good control of blood 

pressure with appropriate drugs and 

avoidance of drugs like pain killers and 

anti acidity drugs play an important role in 

prevention. It is imperative for all 

diabetics and hypertensives to check 

urine for protein and blood tests like blood 

urea and serum creatinine at least once a 

year to ensure that the kidneys are 

functioning properly. 

(The author is Senior Consultant 

Nephrologist & Medical Director, NU 

Hospitals) 

104 

OCTOBER 2018

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IN FOCUS 

TELANGANA 

THE FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS 

Celebrated by the women of Telengana, Bathukamma heralds the onset of winter 

MILLIONS OF FLOWERS, ROW AFTER ROW, 

SPIRAL UP TO FORM TWIRLING CONES OF 

MARVELLOUS BEAUTY. This is Bathukamma, an 

ancient and still very present nine-day festival 

in the Indian state of Telangana. The speciality 

of the occasion: it is purely a woman’s festival. 

Celebrated solely by the womenfolk of every 

home, Bathukamma falls during the last days of 

monsoon, right before the onset of winter. An 

extensive celebration, its grand finale occurs two 

days before the great festival of Dussehra. 

According to Hindu scholars and pundits, the 

history of Bathukamma dates back to the Chola 

dynasty. Like every other fairy tale, this story 

too has a princess. Her name, once Lakshmi, was 

Bathukamma, meaning ‘Mother Goddess Come 

Alive’, in Telugu. Daughter of King Dharmangada, 

she survived many unforeseen accidents in her 

life. And being a lover of all things beautiful, she 

had a strong affinity towards flowers. 

Another legend speaks of the fearless Goddess 

Gauri. After a fierce fight with a demon, the 

goddess fell into deep sleep due to fatigue on the 

day of Aswayuja Padyami. Her devotees strongly 

prayed in much fervour so that she would wake 

up. Their prayers came true on Dasami Day, when 

she awoke. 

Since then, Bathukamma was said to be 

celebrated by women with full pomp and 

fanfare. They use local seasonal flowers to 

make the Bathukamma; some are common 

flowers like cassia, rose, celosia, marigold and 

chrysanthemum. These flowers are not only 

stunning in sight, but have medicinal properties. 

108 

OCTOBER 2018

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IN FOCUS 

TELANGANA 

ALL NINE DAYS, IN THE 

EVENING, THE WOMEN 

AND THEIR DAUGHTERS 

GATHER TOGETHER 

AND SURROUND THEIR 

BATHUKAMMA, WHICH 

ARE SET IN OPEN AREAS 

OF THEIR LOCALITY 

They act as cleansing agents and have the 

unique quality of purifying water. The 

immersion of the multitudinous flowers, 

leaves the water fresh and pristine. 

On the first five days, women cleanse 

their courtyards with a mixture of 

cow dung blended in water. The yard is 

decorated with rangoli made with rice 

flour. During this time, the Bathukamma 

is also created with cow dung, five small 

lumps in conical shape, displayed in the 

front of every house. 

A folk art, Bathukamma is made 

during the afternoons, and takes hours 

to finish. The flowers are cut, some 

dipped in various vivid colours, some 

scented, and are arranged on a large 

brass plate called thambalam. Stacked 

up in the shape of a cone, with seven 

concentric layers, the installations are 

decorated with lotus or pumpkin flowers 

on top, along with a Guramma, an idol 

symbolising Gowri, made from turmeric. 

During this time, young women 

pray to find their prince charming, the 

perfect husband as per their desires. 

The older women dress in traditional 

sari while young girls are adorned in 

half sari or lehenga-ooni, and jewellery 

galore. The men are not involved much 

in the festivities, apart from collecting 

wild flowers and helping out with other 

chores, when families come together. 

All nine days, in the evening, the 

women and their daughters gather 

together with their Bathukamma, which 

are set in open areas of their locality. 

They surround their Bathukamma, 

forming a circle and spend the evening 

singing folk songs and dancing to 

them. The songs invoke blessings of 

the goddesses, seeking good health, 

prosperity and happiness for their 

family. 

The women then move as a 

procession, carrying their Bathukamma 

on their heads. The beat of the folk music 

quickens, transporting the participants 

to another realm, as the ambience soars 

high with amplifying vibes of energy. 

The crowd unites to form one, the fused 

entity of women move to the rhythm, 

dancing and singing in chorus. 

In the end, they reach their 

destination, a local lake or river where 

they immerse their Bathukamma in the 

water. After which, they share maleeda, 

a dessert made with sugar and corn 

bread, amongst their friends and family. 

They return home with their empty 

thambalam, singing songs in praises of 

their goddesses. The songs echo through 

the streets late into the night, all through 

the celebrations. 

112 

OCTOBER 2018

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MONTAGE 

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MEN TYPICALLY DON’T TAKE MUCH CARE OF THEIR SKIN 

and even if they do, they hardly ever follow a routine with 

products that are designed especially for them. Men’s skin 

is very different from that of women due to various factors 

like high levels of sebum secretion caused by testosterone 

or due to shaving. They, therefore, need a specialised 

skincare routine of their own which is simple yet effective. 

Oriflame, the leading Swedish direct selling beauty brand, 

has introduced an exclusive skincare range for men, NovAge 

Men, which is developed specifically for 

male skin and comprises an easy routine 

with four steps that take two minutes, 

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effect. Created to suit every skin-type, 

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a complete solution to address 

men’s unique skincare needs, 

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skin energy. 

AKSHAY KUMAR RELEASES 

BOOK BASED ON THE GITA 

THE BOOK 'BHAGAVAD GITA- SAYING IT THE SIMPLE 

WAY' WRITTEN BY VIJAY SINGAL was unveiled by popular 

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar at an event wherein the 

discussion was anchored by Atul Bhardwaj. The book is a 

compilation of supreme life changing shlokas from the Gita 

along with their English and Hindi translations respectively, 

for easy understanding of the readers. The placement of 

shlokas has been restricted to two shlokas per page so that 

the readers don't lose interest due to too much of text in 

a single page. Singal, a former bureaucrat, is an eminent 

author in the field of spirituality, philosophy, psychology and 

religion. He has presented the shlokas in simple language. 

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of 14.5 mm and 10.5 mm thickness. These slabs are best 

suitable for kitchen tops, counter tops and heavy duty 

areas. With Maximus Mega UNI Slabs the possibilities 

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114 

OCTOBER 2018

VIEWPOINT 

YOGA 

THROUGH THE 

MYSTIC EYE 

RANKED AMONGST THE FIFTY MOST 

INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN INDIA, 

SADHGURU IS A YOGI, MYSTIC, 

VISIONARY AND BESTSELLING 

AUTHOR. SADHGURU HAS BEEN 

CONFERRED THE “PADMA 

VIBHUSHAN” BY THE GOVERNMENT 

OF INDIA IN 2017 

The reason why there are millions of 

people who think they are on the 

spiritual path but do not get anywhere 

is, they do not understand that they 

have to absolutely give themselves to 

something if something really has to 

happen. Giving yourself to it does not 

mean you have to stop your work, your 

family or something else. This is a 

misunderstanding that has always 

been there, “If you want to turn 

spiritual, go to the mountains.” 

There is no spirituality in the 

mountains. It is an inward step. What 

you do within yourself is spirituality, 

what you do outside yourself is not 

spirituality. Wherever you go, whether 

you live in the city or in the Himalayas, 

it is the same interiority for you. What 

kind of clothes you wear or what kind 

of atmosphere you live in is a personal 

choice. It has nothing to do with 

spirituality. 

Spirituality is an inward step — to 

take a step into a dimension which is 

not in your present level of experience 

takes a different level of focus. Right 

now, you have your own sense of 

understanding, your own ideas, your 

own assumptions and your own 

philosophy; you have not kept them 

aside. 

But if you want to take a step into 

an experiential dimension, all the 

nonsense that you have been talking 

till now, all the things that you believe, 

all the things that you think are true or 

not true, you have to leave all that 

aside. 

Whatever you think of yourself and 

whatever the world thinks of you right 

now, is only socially relevant. It has no 

existential relevance. Existentially if 

something has to happen, we have to 

approach it in a completely different 

way. You have to leave your social 

nonsense aside. If you keep all the 

nonsense aside, and be like you are just 

born, looking at everything fresh, only 

then there is a possibility. 

SpiceJet welcomes its passengers to ask Sadhguru questions on yoga, health, wellbeing, and other topics of 

general interest. Select questions will be answered in forthcoming issues. Please email your question to 

mediarelations@ishafoundation.org. For more of Sadhguru’s wisdom, visit isha.sadhguru.org 

118 

OCTOBER 2018

IN FOCUS 

MONTAGE 

WHAT INDIA’S YOUTH CAN’T UNSEE: MYOPIA 

BY DR. SRIDHAR PRASAD 

INDIA IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S 

YOUNGEST COUNTRIES with a median 

age of less than 29. That translates into 

well over 350 million young Indians 

between the ages of 10 and 24. This is 

a motivated generation, aspiring for 

an exciting and fulfilling life ahead. 

But it is also faced with a growing 

health problem that it is scarcely 

aware of. Myopia, commonly referred 

to as short-sightedness, is a visual 

dysfunction that limits the ability to 

see distant objects clearly or without 

the aid of glasses. Myopia usually 

sets in early, affecting school-going 

children. 

In 2010, just over 28% of the 

world’s population had myopia. This is 

predicted to rise to 34% by 2020 and 

nearly 50% by 2050. In some Asian 

countries, 70% of those aged 17 or 

above are myopic. 

A study done in Delhi by AIIMS 

revealed that one of six or 17% of 

children between the ages of five and 

15 are myopic. According to UN data, 

countries where myopia prevalence 

was estimated and measured as low in 

the past, such as India, will have major 

increases by 2050. 

What’s worrying is that myopia is 

being diagnosed earlier in school-going 

children and is rising in severity. In 

fact, a child with one short-sighted 

parent has three times the risk of 

developing myopia, or six times 

the risk if both parents are myopic. 

Additionally, more children and teens 

with no previous family history of 

myopia are now being diagnosed with 

the condition. Many of these children 

also tend to become introverted as they 

grow up. A greater focus on studies 

and extra-curricular further reduces 

outdoor time. Factors such as these 

are depriving children’s eyes of critical 

visual stimulation and development, 

that is achieved only when looking at 

distant objects when outdoors, and 

even resulting in a ‘myopic eye’. 

The author is Senior Manager — 

Applications, LenSx, Alcon India

HEALTH 

TRENDS 

SALT TO THE 

RESCUE 

NIGGLING COLD AND COUGH, 

SEASONAL ALERGIES, SINUSITIS, 

ASTHMA, ETC ARE CONDITIONS 

URBANITES HAVE LEARNT TO LIVE 

WITH. BUT WHAT IF YOU COULD 

GET RID OF ALL THESE BY JUST 

INHALING MICRO PARTICLES OF 

SALT? THAT’S A POSSIBILITY NOW 

WITH SALT THERAPY. 

BY NIVEDITA JAYARAM PAWAR 

The salt 

room at 

Naad 

Wellness 

A children's room at a 

salt therapy centre 

Soft lighting helps 

set the mood 

SALT ISN’T JUST FOR SPRINKLING over 

dinner or a soothing bath anymore. It can 

even relieve you of ailments such as 

inflammation, loosen congestion and 

allow easier and improved breathing. It is 

believed to be so beneficial that some spas 

are devoting entire rooms to salt cave 

therapy. Salt therapy is catching up in 

India, although Europe is far ahead of the 

game with thousands of salt rooms spread 

everywhere. 

So what exactly is salt therapy? Salt 

therapy is a natural drug-free therapy 

that has been practiced for over 100 years. 

One of the first known positive effects 

was noticed on Polish salt mine workers 

who had a very low rate of respiratory 

diseases. Salt therapy involves relaxing in 

a salt cave or room constructed with sea 

salt bricks lining the walls and a looser 

grain of salt on the floor. The air in the 

room is dense with dry salt particles. A 

typical salt session runs from 20 to 45 

minutes. In some salt rooms the lights are 

dimmed so you can sit back and relax in 

the comfort of a massage chair. Some like 

to read, whilst others enjoy a period of 

quiet rest and relaxation. At the salt 

therapy room at Naad Wellness in Sonipat 

the walls are made of bricks of Himalayan 

pink salt while the ceiling too is covered 

with white salt. Aside from making the 

rooms look hugely Instagrammable, the 

soft golden lighting from the Himalayan 

salt helps set the mood of the treatment. 

The peaceful music and comfortable 

LITE BITE FOODS 

126 

OCTOBER 2018

BLOCKBUSTER OF A BOOK! 

–AKSHAY KUMAR 

BY 

AMIT LODHA 

THE TRUE STORY OF HOW 

BIHAR’S MOST DANGEROUS 

CRIMINAL WAS CAUGHT 

BUY 

NOW!

HEALTH 

TRENDS 

DOS AND 

DON’TS WHILE 

UNDERGOING SALT 

THERAPY 

Wear comfortable 

clothing to ensure a relaxing 

session. 

Drink one or two glasses 

of water before entering a 

salt cave. 

No food or water is 

allowed in the salt cave. If 

there is a medical condition 

that demands the use of 

water during the session, 

it is provided outside the 

salt cave. 

Be heedful of salt cave 

interiors as they are delicate. 

Kids playing at 

Salt Escape 

lounge chairs help to deeeply relax the 

mind and body. The atmosphere inside 

Salt Escape, a salt spa in Mumbai, mimics 

a natural salt mine or cave where micro 

particles of salt are constantly dispersed 

into the air. The size of the particles vary 

according to the ailment e.g. for 

respiratory issues the particle size is 

small enough to be absorbed in the lungs 

and for skin conditions the flakes are 

large enough to be absorbed by the 

surface cells. The spa room has over 2.5 

tons of sieved soft salt on the floor and 

walls. These are more for aesthetic 

purpose as the main therapy is offered 

through the micro salt particles released 

in the air. “The salt that is used is very 

different from table salt. It is 99.5 percent 

pure NaCl (Sodium Chloride) and is 

pharmaceutical grade salt, free from any 

impurities,” says Jamsheed Mehta, 

Director, Salt Escape. 

A typical session lasts for 60 minutes 

and all you have to do is just sit back on the 

red lounge chairs and breathe normally. 

Dim lighting and soft music that sounds 

like waves help to calm nerves and help 

believe that you are at the beach. You 

could read, listen to music on your 

headphones, go through emails (Wifi is 

available), or take a nap. The children’s 

salt room has a number of books, games, 

puzzles and TV programmes to keep 

them occupied. The effect is similar to 

spending time near the ocean. So what 

exactly are the benefits of surrounding 

oneself with floor-to-ceiling slabs of 

salt? “Salt therapy can help relieve the 

symptoms of a wide range of respiratory 

and skin conditions. The dry salt particles 

when inhaled deeply into the lungs help 

relieve inflammation, loosen congestion, 

and allow easier and improved breathing. 

Because salt is anti-bacterial and antiinflammatory, 

the salt particles help to 

open up the airways, increase oxygen 

intake and cleanse the airways of smoke, 

dust, pollutants and other allergens,” 

explains Dr Rishikesh Ashok, Chief 

Ayurveda consultant, Naad Wellness. In 

addition to breathing in the salt, the dry 

salt particles also land on the skin and 

help relieve symptoms of sore, flaky, red 

and irritated skin often associated with 

psoriasis and eczema. Additional benefits 

are reduced stress and headaches with 

better sleep patterns. “I have been living 

with acute rhinisitus and sinusitus since 

age three. My allergies worsened in my 

late 20s and mornings involved 

continuous sneezing. I started salt 

therapy with 25 sessions paced out in a 

month. Allergies can never disappear 

completely, but salt therapy helped clear 

my nose from within as well as increase 

my lung capacity,” says Nitasha Arora, a 

Mumbai-based public relations 

professional. Although many salt therapy 

clients will notice some immediate 

improvements, consistency is important 

when it comes to salt therapy. After 

regular salt therapy, breathing can 

become easier and shortness of breath, 

wheezing, coughing, congestion and 

irritated skin may gradually be alleviated, 

adds Dr Rishikesh. 

130 

OCTOBER 2018

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SPORTS 

CRICKET 

INDIA LOOK TO 

CONTINUE HOME 

DOMINANCE 

AFTER A SERIES LOSS IN ENGLAND, INDIA WILL TAKE ON WEST 

INDIES IN A SEVEN WEEK LONG HOME SERIES. WILL THIS BE 

ANOTHER WALK IN THE PARK FOR INDIA? 

BY MKM FAIYAZ AHMED 

Virat Kohli-led team India will once 

again look to dominate in test matches 

at home as they play West Indies in a 

two match test series starting on 

October 4 at Rajkot. After losing to England 4-1, the 

Indian management will keep in mind some 

substandard performances of senior players. The 

experienced Murali Vijay who averages 12.80 in five 

test matches this year (excluding century against 

Afghanistan) was sent back amidst the tour of 

England after his dismal performances against 

South Africa and England. It looks tough for Murali 

Vijay to make a comeback from here. The young 

opener, KL Rahul was dingy throughout the test 

series until he made an excellent 149 in the final 

innings of the England tour and looks a worthy 

prospect. 

The other opener Shikhar Dhawan continued 

his poor run of form in overseas test matches and 

may well face an omission from the test squad. It will 

be fascinating to see if Prithvi Shaw will make his 

debut against the shaky West Indies side. Shaw has 

been making headlines in the recent past for his 

flamboyant batting display in the First Class Cricket. 

The 18 year old right handed batsman from Mumbai 

is promising and definitely worth a try. 

The injury of Wriddhiman Saha will keep him 

out of action for at least three more months which 

makes way for the dashing young wicket keeper 

Rishabh Pant. He was replaced after Dinesh Karthik 

was ousted for his poor all-round performance. 

Rishabh Pant opened his international account with 

a six off the second ball he faced from Adil Rashid. 

However, he was dismissed for 24 after making a 

promising start to his test career. Pant failed to 

134 

OCTOBER 2018 

Virat Kohli

SPORTS 

CRICKET 

impress in next the next four innings but 

announced himself at the international stage 

with a superb 114 on the final day as he 

became the first Indian wicket-keeper to 

score a test hundred in England. He reached 

this rare feat with a huge six which drew a 

great sense of excitement and attention 

among the cricket fraternity. 

India’s vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane’s 

poor run of form since couple of years is 

evident and it raises a serious concern. But it 

looks as if the Indian management wants to 

persist with him and is looking to build a 

team around the trio of Virat Kohli, 

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane 

which is confounding. Rahane managed to 

score just 878 runs in 19 test matches at an 

average of 30.27 which includes only one 

hundred since 2017. India’s longing worry 

has been a permanent solution to the number 

six position. Karun Nair has not been tried 

enough which seems a bit unfair to him. 

Hanuma Vihari looked scratchy in the 

only test match he played against England 

but may well be given another chance to 

prove his mettle. Hardik Pandya doesn’t 

always justify the position in every situation 

and may not be picked due to an injury 

during a match against Pakistan in the Asia 

Cup. With some of the batsmen failing to 

capitalize after being given enough chances, 

the management needs to come to a fore and 

take tough decisions. 

It will be interesting to see if Kohli will 

keep changing the playing eleven as he has 

been criticized for making players feel 

insecure about their place in the team. A few 

questions have been raised on Kohli’s 

captaincy and his decision making in the 

recent tour but he answered his critics by 

scoring 593 runs in the series which is 

astounding. Kohli’s aggressive captaincy 

may not have changed the score line in 

India’s favor but his keenness on playing 

attacking cricket is surely a positive sign for 

Indian cricket. He allows his fast bowlers to 

attack the batsmen which has certainly 

yielded results and made Indian pace attack 

unsettle the opponent teams. 

After playing for over a decade, Ishant 

Sharma seems to have hit the purple patch 

and has formed a considerable bowling line 

up alongside Mohammed Shami and Jasprit 

Bumrah that can trouble any batting line up. 

The spinners have done their job and will 

play a pivotal role in home series. It will be 

interesting to see if India will consider the 

in-form Mohammed Siraj, who has been 

making inroads in first class cricket. 

On the other hand, the West Indies team 

would be hoping to give some challenge to 

India after their impressive series against 

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. However, West 

Indies haven’t won a series in India since 

1983 and last played in India on Sachin 

Tendulkar’s farewell test match in 2013. 

Most of the West Indies players will be 

playing their first test in India including 

skipper Jason Holder. Among the current 

players, only Shannon Gabriel has played a 

test match and is currently among the top 

wicket takers of 2018 with 28 wickets at an 

average of 15.64. West Indies has some 

emerging batsmen in Shai Hope, Shimron 

Hetmeyer, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich 

and the experienced Kraigg Brathwaite who 

has appreciable temperament for the longer 

format. 

The ever-improving skipper, Jason 

Holder is a fighter. But, his batsmen will be 

up against the nagging bowling pair of 

Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. 

Holder has led the team well in the recent 

past and have had an amazing year with the 

bat and as well as with the ball. It will be 

interesting to see if the team will draw an 

inspiration from the skipper’s performances. 

The West Indies test squad will be touring 

without much experience on Indian soil. 

Nevertheless, West Indies have great 

players for limited over format and have the 

potential to challenge team India in One Day 

Internationals and especially in T20 cricket. 

It will be enthralling to see if West Indies 

will play with their full strength team in 

ODIs and T20Is. 

Jason Holder 

JASON HOLDER'S MEN 

WILL BE UP AGAINST 

THE NAGGING BOWLING 

PAIR OF RAVICHANDRAN 

ASHWIN AND RAVINDRA 

JADEJA 

136 

OCTOBER 2018

IN FOCUS 

MADHYA PRADESH 

HELPING THE 

UNDERPRIVILEGED 

The Mukhyamantri Jan – Kalyan (Sambal) Yojana is ensuring welfare benefits to all in Madhya Pradesh 

Shri Narendra Modi, 

Hon'ble Prime 

Minister 

Shri Shivraj Singh 

Chouhan, Chief 

Minister - Madhya 

Pradesh 

THE MUKHYAMANTRI JAN – KALYAN 

(SAMBAL) YOJANA, a visionary welfare 

scheme launched by the Shivraj Singh 

Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh, 

is bringing about a transformation 

in the lives of the poor, weaker and 

backward section of society through 

several path-breaking initiatives aimed 

at easing their financial burden. An effort 

is being made to enhance income levels 

of the poor and to provide all necessary 

amenities. The scheme provides financial 

as well as social security to poor people 

from all sections of society. Under this 

scheme, not only residential land is being 

provided on lease to every poor individual 

but financial assistance will also be 

provided for construction of houses. For 

proper monitoring of the scheme, a five 

member committee is formed wherein 

representation of an un-organised 

worker and a female member is ensured. 

Registered beneficiaries under the 

Mukhyamantri Jan - Kalyan (Sambal ) 

Yojana have been availing benefits from 

April 1, 2018. The schemes are: 

FREE EDUCATION TO CHILDREN 

Under this scheme, free education to 

children of the registered un-organized 

workers is provided from class 1 up to Ph.D. 

FREE TRAINING 

Free training shall be provided to the 

registered un-organized workers with 

the aim of increasing their income level. A 

short term course shall be undertaken to 

enhance skill and workmanship. 

LOAN SUBSIDY FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENT 

Subsidy on loan will be provided to 1 lakh 

registered workers every year to explore 

self-employment opportunities. 

GRANT FOR E-LOADER 

Under this scheme, grant will be provided 

to the registered un-organised worker for 

purchase of E-loader or handcart. 

OWNERSHIP OF HOME TO ALL WORKERS 

Residential land will be provided on 

lease to all the registered un-organized 

workers. Those not having houses or 

have raw houses will be provided 

financial assistance for construction of 

finished houses. 

PRASUTI SAHAYATA YOJANA 

Compensation of Rs. 4000 during the last 

three months of pregnancy and Rs. 12,000 

post delivery of child will be deposited 

directly into the bank account of the 

registered female worker. 

FREE MEDICAL TREATMENT 

Medical treatment to the poor and 

families of registered un-organized 

workers will be provided free of 

cost. Medical assistance/treatment worth 

up to Rs. 2 lakh under “Rajya Bimari 

Sahayta” will be provided free of cost. 

ANTYESHTI SAHAYATA 

Under this scheme, financial assistance 

of Rs. 5000 shall be provided to family 

of the registered worker toward funeral 

expenses. Also, financial assistance 

of Rs. 4 lakh in the eventuality of 

accidental death shall be given to 

the family of the registered 

un-organized worker. 

COMPENSATION IN CASE OF 

PERMANENT DISABILITY OR DEATH 

Under this scheme, financial assistance 

will be provided as compensation to the 

families in the eventuality of disability or 

death: Partial Permanent Disability – Rs. 

1 lakh; Permanent Disability – Rs. 2 lakh; 

Natural Death – Rs. 2 lakh; and Accidental 

Death – Rs. 4 lakh. 

GRANT FOR TOOLS/EQUIPMENTS 

Under this scheme, a grant of Rs. 5000 

is being provided to the registered unorganized 

worker for purchase of tools/ 

equipments. 

138 

OCTOBER 2018

ARTS 

EXHIBITION 

CELEBRATING 

WOMANHOOD 

NAYANAA KANODIA’S UPCOMING 

SHOW OF PAINTINGS HONOURS 

THE INDEFATIGABLE AND INVINCIBLE 

WOMEN OF INDIA AND ALL OVER 

THE WORLD. 

“My work 

celebrates and 

honours the 

woman who 

has succeeded against all odds and has 

pierced the glass ceiling, thereby 

breaking the barriers and mindset of 

gender discrimination which has become 

the norm across the globe, especially in 

india,” says artist Nayanaa Kanodia. 

A brilliant colorist, Kanodia, an 

economist-turned-painter, may be 

considered the pioneer of L’Art Naif in 

India. She has established a rare niche for 

herself in this very particular mode. She 

completed her graduation from Lady Shri 

Ram College, New Delhi in Economics 

Honours and won the National 

Scholarship of the Government of India. 

She is an entirely self –taught artist 

except for a year’s apprenticeship with 

Anjolie Ela Menon. 

Having no formal training in art 

enabled Kanodia to bring patterns of 

strong individualism into her work long 

before it was considered a redefining 

approach for unique and contemporary 

artists of today. Her works are 

permanently displayed at Musee 

International D’Naif Art in Paris. 

In 1998 she was chosen from among 

artists of all the Commonwealth 

countries by The Commonwealth 

Institute to have a solo show to 

inaugurate their newly renovated 

Complex in London. Looking at the 

contribution she has made to L’Art Naïve 

she was invited by Victoria and Albert 

Museum, London in 2001 to demonstrate 

her painting techniques in this 

prestigious museum and also exhibit her 

paintings in their gallery. Besides this, 

she is the first Indian whose paintings 

are in the collection of Paintings in 

Hospitals, UK which was earlier listed as 

a museum. Erica Jong, a famous author, 

recently acquired her work 

She has conducted art camps in India 

and abroad. She has a teaching 

A BRILLIANT COLORIST, 

ECONOMIST-TURNED- 

PAINTER NAYANAA 

KANODIA MAY BE 

CONSIDERED A PIONEER 

OF L'ART NAIF IN INDIA 

140 

OCTOBER 2018

ARTS 

EXHIBITION 

MANY PIECES 

REFLECT AN UNKEMPT 

MAELSTROM THAT 

HAS ENGULFED OUR 

TRANSITIONING SOCIETY, 

PROVIDING FUEL TO A 

RAGING DICHOTOMY 

experience of two decades and is on the 

faculty of Spic Macay International. She 

gives talks and presentations on art in 

prestigious organizations and 

universities. In addition to this she is a 

judge in many art events, art fairs and art 

competitions She has attended 

numerous art camps in India, Bangkok, 

Cambodia, London, Moscow, St. 

Petersburg, Italy, Greece and Sweden. 

Nayanaa’s work typifies the best 

characteristics of this genre — the air of 

whimsy, the flat bright polished 

surfaces, vibrant and dynamic colours 

and the extraordinary plethora of 

intricately worked detail and patterns. 

The freshness and charm of the images 

she creates gives a crystalline utopian 

appearance to the mundane everyday 

life being depicted. She reflects on the 

charming idiosyncrasies of her subjects 

with a fine degree of wit and gentle 

satire. Her paintings depict the various 

faces of India - lifestyles past and present 

- weddings, bazaar (market) scenes, 

vehicles, ancient sports, beach 

compositions, many of which with 

economic growth, will eventually 

disappear. 

Many pieces reflect an unkempt 

maelstrom that has engulfed our 

transitioning society, providing fuel to a 

raging dichotomy where on the one hand 

we have people tenaciously clinging to 

their roots, fearing the extinction of 

their cultural identities, and on the other 

hand we have the birth of a new 

generation dependent upon progressive 

conveniences. 

Says the artist, “My paintings intend 

to make you feel that you are watching a 

snapshot of life at maximum 

preposterousness , exuberant and 

bursting with energy, idiosyncrasy and 

absurdity .The conversation I hope to 

create in my work is a certain truth of life 

and on a deeper level, a well thought 

philosophy.” 

Nayanaa Kanodia’s The 

Quintessential Woman will open at the 

Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, from 

October 2, 2018 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

142 

OCTOBER 2018

143 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

MAN ON A MISSION 

SPICEJET’S CAPTAIN PUNEET SHARMA IS SUCCESSFULLY LEADING A BAND 

OF VOLUNTEERS TO CLEAN UP PUNE, ONE LOCALITY AT A TIME 

OVERWHELMING 

RESPONSE 

Swachh Pune-Swachh Bharat is a 

cause being pursued by like-minded 

volunteers. Their crowning glory 

came on August 13, 2017, when 

an event called Don Taas Swacch 

Pune Prayas (Loose translation: Two 

Hours Clean Pune Attempt) was 

organized as an effort to celebrate 

the country’s 70th Independence 

Day in a cleaner, greener and unique 

way. In all, 70 events were supposed 

to be organized all across the city. 

But so great was the response 

that 80 events were held in all. 

These included plantation drives 

at five of Pune’s biggest hills and 

the beautification of five PMC-run 

schools and one orphanage. The core 

group consists of around 20 people. 

But on that day, 1500 volunteers 

participated in the drive. 

For more information check out the 

Facebook page Swachh Pune Swachh 

Bharat 

IT ALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 12, 2014, 

when Captain Puneet Sharma, along with 

seven others, descended on Pune railway 

station in Maharashtra and cleaned up its 

dirty platforms. The former Air Force 

Wing Commander, who has been with 

SpiceJet since April 2, 2012, and is based in 

Pune, called his campaign Swachh Pune- 

Swachh Bharat. Captain Sharma, who 

flies Boeing 737s, draws his inspiration 

from the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. “It is a 

wonderful initiative led by our visionary 

leader, the honourable Prime Minister 

Shri Narendra Modi,” he says. “I am 

supporting this because all citizens need 

to contribute in order to achieve this 

mammoth task. I have been supporting 

this initiative ever since it was launched.” 

A small Facebook post seeking 

support from friends led to the first event 

at Pune railway station. “At a time when 

social media was being used for all kind of 

activities, I thought of using it optimally to 

channelize the energy of youth for a 

greater purpose,” says Captain Sharma. In 

the last four years his organisation 

has been able to make its presence felt in 

every part of Pune city. From cleaning 

railway stations and bus stops to giving 

full makeovers to schools run by the Pune 

Municipal Corporation (PMC), the team 

today has to its credit more than 200 

events conducted without a break. 

Numerous NGOs and social groups 

are supporting Swachh Pune-Swachh 

Bharat’s cause and this has helped it 

organise many mega events. Last year it 

was able to mobilise nearly hundreds of 

volunteers at various different locations. 

These included spot fixes and 

beautification and awareness drives 

across the length and breadth of the city. 

To make things interesting for the 

youngsters an element of fun and 

adventure too was introduced by 

conducting treks and cleanup drive of 

144 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

heritage forts and sites. Now the team 

includes scores of volunteers coming from 

different professional backgrounds. There 

are architects, designers, teachers and IT 

professionals along with students. The 

dedication and devotion to the cause by 

this amazing team has converted a 

humble endeavour into a mass movement 

in Pune. 

Captain Sharma was born in a small 

Punjabi business family and he did his 

schooling and college from Ludhiana. 

While in college he took a keen interest in 

Air Wing NCC activities. This keen 

interest led to his attending some national 

level camps along with the prestigious 

RDC (Republic Day Camp) in 1986. He 

was part of the proud air wing contingent 

which walked the Raj Path that year on 

Republic Day. 

Another golden opportunity of 

attending an Airforce Attachment Camp 

in the same year changed the course of his 

life. It was there that he decided to join the 

Indian Air Force and in a career spanning 

23 years, proudly flew fighters and 

transport planes. Earlier, during his NCC 

days, he had also flown gliders and 

propeller aircraft. “I am few of those 

fortunate ones, who are able to convert 

their hobby into a profession,” says 

Captain Sharma. 

Life at SpiceJet has been 

professionally satisfying, he adds. “One of 

the best training faculties and a very good 

cockpit environment makes this an 

organisation worth working for. I am 

happy to be part of the SpiceJet family. We 

together as an exceptional team have been 

able to tide over tough times and are sure 

to do well in the journey ahead.” 

Captain Sharma says his colleagues — 

both seniors and juniors — are quite 

appreciative about his association with 

the Swachh cause. “I haven’t let this 

passion of mine interfere with my 

professional commitments. An occasional 

requirement of mine during mega and 

special events is accommodated with ease 

by the operations department. I hope all 

SpiceJetters will take a cue from this 

model of activism and do their bit to push 

for the Swachh Bharat cause.” 

Captain Puneet’s efforts tie in very 

well with the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan 

mission launched by Prime Minister Modi 

on October 2, 2014. At the launch, the PM 

had asked people from all walks of life to 

help in the successful implementation of 

this mission. The mission seeks to achieve 

the goal of Clean India in the next five 

years so that the 150th birth anniversary 

of Mahatma Gandhi can be celebrated as 

an accomplishment of this duty. Swachh 

Bharat Abhiyaan exhorts people to devote 

100 hours every year towards the cause of 

cleanliness. 

As many as nine public figures 

(Mridula Sinha, Sachin Tendulkar, Baba 

Ramdev, Shashi Tharoor, Anil Ambani, 

Kamal Hasan, Salman Khan, Priyanka 

Chopra and Team Tarak Mehta ka Oolta 

Chashma) were invited by the PM to make 

a contribution towards Swachh Bharat, 

share the same on social media, and invite 

nine other people to do the same, hence 

forming a chain. People were also asked to 

share their contributions on social media 

using the hash-tag #MyCleanIndia. 

CAPTAIN PUNEET 

SHARMA'S PATH- 

BREAKING EFFORTS TIE 

IN VERY WELL WITH 

THE SWACHH BHARAT 

ABHIYAN LAUNCHED BY 

PRIME MINISTER SHRI 

NARENDRA MODI 

146 

OCTOBER 2018

IN FOCUS 

MONTAGE 

POLICE LAUNCHES 18-19 

WINTER COLLECTION 

ITALIAN BRAND POLICE HAS ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH 

OF THEIR 2018/19 leather accessories and bags collections 

exclusively on Flipkart. Globally feted for its urban, street 

style, the collection reflects the rebel outlook of the brand. 

The energetic style and urban charisma of the collections 

has a fierce impact on consumers. Brought to India by 

one of the fastest-growing global fashion houses, Torero 

Corporation, Police’s 18/19 Winter Collection is without a 

doubt one of their strongest bodies of work. It aims to expose 

the unseen and introduce the urban lifestyle with a fresh 

perspective, so that fashion becomes more obvious to the 

bourgeoisie. The collection epitomizes various qualities of 

a leading premium lifestyle that result in designs that stand 

out for their strength of character and innovative creativity. 

"With over 30 years of international success, and previously 

endorsed by celebrities such as Bruce Willis, George 

Clooney, David Beckham and Neymar Jr., Police is one of the 

few authentic global lifestyle brands in the world," says Mr. 

Yashovardhan Gupta, CEO of Torero Corporation.

MELANGE 

TAROT 

YOUR FORECAST THIS MONTH 

BY SRINIVAS IYER 

Aries 

This festive season 

brings in major 

changes for you 

and your family 

after October 

12. Financial 

investment of 

others needs 

to be handled 

with extra care, 

including inherited 

properties. 

Taurus 

Areas of love, 

education, children 

and romance 

remain energized 

till the 16th of 

this month. Make 

the most of it. 

Transformation is 

happening in your 

life now. Avoid 

investing in real 

estate. 

Gemini 

New sources of 

finance are opening 

up. Be prudent 

in your financial 

dealings and 

investment matters. 

Health matters 

and loans are now 

coming in to focus. 

Partnership and 

romance need 

attention. 

Cancer 

You will be very 

creative this month. 

Make the most of 

it by building this 

in your strategy 

document. Around 

the middle of this 

month, you enter a 

period of financial 

abundance. 

Romance is in 

the air. 

Leo 

The first half of the 

month is great for 

self-expression and 

the second half 

for pursuing your 

creative pursuits. 

Any outward mass 

communication 

should be planned 

after October 18 for 

the most effective 

results. 

Virgo 

Avoid major 

financial decisions 

after the 18th of 

this month. Wrap 

up major decisions 

before the 12th 

and then maintain 

status quo. Your 

persona shines and 

your energy levels 

are high. Finances 

are good. 

The above is based on the sun sign and planetary transits thereof. It is general in nature. For specific readings, seek out expert advice based on 

your individual chart. (Astrologer Srinivas Iyer is based in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. He can be contacted on shrinivaasiyer@gmail.com) 

TAJ-INSPIRED COPPER ENAMEL RANGE FROM BAAYA 

SHIBANI JAIN, FOUNDER & CEO, 

BAAYA DESIGN, was always inspired 

by the resplendent marble inlay work on 

the walls of the Taj Mahal. She and her 

team of designers took on the challenge 

to bring the rich colours seen in the inlay 

work, into a totally different and equally 

rich craft — that of copper enamelling. 

Earlier, the enamelling process was 

seen in minute work, in jewellery. 

They decided to try and use a similar 

process to create a range of copper 

wall plates and lamps. This was also 

Baaya’s attempt to revive a fading craft 

form native to Alibaug, in Maharashtra. 

The craft was brought into the 

place by a Spanish artist named 

Andreu Vilasís. The artisan follows 

a comprehensive process using glass 

powder colours and copper wire. This is 

a painstaking process and is a true test 

of the dexterity of our artisans. Circular 

plates or bowls are created on a dye to a 

precise depth. The wire work is fastened 

through an initial process called flux 

work. 

The base wire work is created in 

such a way as to support the intricate 

floral motif work. The wire work is 

pre-cut to create the motifs on a stencil. 

These completed designs are then 

placed and adhered to the copper 

surface by firing the entire piece at a 

temperature of 850°C (1,560°F). This 

is a tricky process as the wired designs 

tend to move until completely adhered. 

148 

OCTOBER 2018

MELANGE 

TAROT 

YOUR FORECAST THIS MONTH 

BY SRINIVAS IYER 

Libra 

Keep major 

projects on hold 

till the 28th of 

this month. You 

are advised to 

worship during this 

period and also 

some meditation. 

Your finances 

will improve but 

expenditure will 

also increase. 

Scorpio 

The Wheel of 

Fortune is moving 

and this month is 

your lucky time. 

This is a long-term 

lucky phase for 

you. Relax, this is 

just the beginning. 

Plan well and make 

the most of it. 

Good period for 

sportspersons. 

Sagittarius 

Trend of name, 

fame and social 

connections 

continue. Good or 

bad results depend 

on your karma. 

Avoid stress, which 

is seen in your 

chart. Use words 

carefully, as you 

may hurt others 

unknowingly. 

Capricorn 

An action-packed 

month lies ahead 

for you. Slowly 

there is now better 

clarity in your life, 

which you are 

happy about. The 

next one year is all 

about expansion of 

social connections, 

making new friends 

and more income. 

Aquarius 

You are entering 

a period of 

expansion in your 

professional life. 

Business and work 

responsibilities 

come your way. 

You will connect 

with with senior 

leadership. 

Politicians come 

into the limelight. 

Pisces 

The wheel of 

fortune and 

planetary transits 

are now in your 

favour. Rest is selfexplanatory 

that 

you can understand 

for. The smile on 

your face will speak 

for itself. Romantic 

associations will 

take place. 

The above is based on the sun sign and planetary transits thereof. It is general in nature. For specific readings, seek out expert advice based on 

your individual chart. (Astrologer Srinivas Iyer is based in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. He can be contacted on shrinivaasiyer@gmail.com) 

SPECIAL LENS EDITION BY THE MONK 

THE MONK, A PREMIUM EYEWEAR 

BRAND that offers plethora of 

exquisite and colourful designs, 

presents its latest Special Lens 

Edition. Comprising of 10 inspiring 

design categories, the collection 

speaks volumes about how comfort 

and style can perfectly align to 

create a masterpiece. Attuned with 

trending styles, this collection 

comes in exciting hues like marble 

pink, mother of pearl and demi 

Havana Brown. 

This unisex array of sunglasses 

is a head turner and can be paired 

with one’s cool and comfy outfits. 

Crafted using C39 Reflective 

Lens with enhanced translucency, 

each eyewear gives you an accurate 

view and promises an incomparable 

look with never seen before 

detailing. The range also comes 

with one additional pair of lens and 

a compact frame created with high 

quality acetate, stainless steel. Made 

specifically keeping the Indian face 

cut in mind, these sunglasses are 

a perfect balance between vintage 

elegance and contemporary appeal. 

So this season, nail your accessory 

game by owning these trendy 

eyewear from The Monk! 

150 

SEPTEMBER 2018

SIKKIM STATE LOTTERIES 

DIWALI BUMPER 

Draw on only 1 Lakh Tickets 

MRP 

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CRORE 

Watch Live Draw 

Draw on 12.11.2018 

4:30PM Onwards

EVENTS SPORTS 

CRICKET FESTS 

DELHI’S COOLEST 

FEST IS BACK 

THE SIXTH EDITION OF THE POPULAR NORTH 

EAST FESTIVAL WILL BE HELD AT THE IGNCA, 

JANPATH, IN THE CAPITAL 

SpiceJet flies to Delhi. 

Log on to www.spicejet.com 

for flight details 

Being held between October 26 

and 28, 2018 at the IGNCA, 

Janpath, New Delhi, the 

North East Festival is getting 

bigger and bigger. At the last edition of the 

festival, organized during the first week of 

November, there were more than a lakh 

people in attendance. Its popularity is due 

to its enormous entertainment value and 

very unique and refreshing cultural 

content which has caught the attention of 

Delhites. 

One of the main attractions of the 

North East Festival is the spectacular 

presentation of North East cuisines. There 

will be more than 40 food stalls that will 

present varieties of North Eastern Food 

from Naga, Manipur, Assamese, 

Arunachali, Sikkimese, Mizo, Tripura and 

Meghalaya cuisines. 

The region’s food is famous for its 

herbs, healthy content and varieties of nonvegetarian 

local cuisines. However, the 

festival will bring plenty of vegetarian 

delicacies to satisfy taste buds of Delhites. 

Another attraction will be a presentation of 

organic fruits and vegetables of the region. 

Naga chilli, also known as Ghost Chilli; 

pineapple from Tripura and Meghalaya; 

Assam Lemon; Elephant Apple; Arunachal 

Kiwis; and many varieties of cardamom 

will be available in the festival. NERAMAC 

will present various food processing 

products of North East under its ONE 

brand. NEHHDC and other NEC-assisted 

organization will present a spectacular 

presentation of authentic handloom and 

handicraft products of the North East. 

North East Festival will host three 

evenings of colourful fashion shows which 

will present most talented North Eastern 

designers such as Yana Ngoba, Barsha 

Aditya Singh, Rupert Lynrah, Escape 

Engmoiya, Sanghamitra Phukon, Bompie 

Riram, Jagrity Phukan and Khrielasier 

Liezietsu. All these designers have their 

152 

OCTOBER 2018

EVENTS 

FESTS 

own boutique and brands and will present 

and interact with fashion bloggers and 

media apart from displaying their designs. 

Around 30 North Eastern models will 

showcase the designs. A special Assam 

Handloom Exhibition is one of the major 

attractions. A special fashion exhibition 

will be presented by fashion photographers 

of the North East. 

An art exhibition will present talented 

artistes of the region creating a canvas of 

colours at the festival. A photography 

exhibition will depict tourist attractions of 

North East India apart from major 

festivals, tribes, etc. The Daytime Carnival 

will present beautiful dance forms of 

North East such as Hojagiri dance of 

Tripura, Naga Warrior dance, Bamboo 

(Cheraw) dance and many more. 

The North East Festival is the hub of 

music. The NEF stage has helped in 

launching some of the most popular bands 

in India. This time NEF Rock Battle will be 

organized which will see talented rock 

bands of Delhi competing for attractive 

prizes. Around 25 bands will be on display 

during the competition. 

The main North East Festival stage 

will be rocking as always. This year line up 

will have artistes from different musical 

genre including rappers Khasi Bloodz, 

classical rock band Still Waters, beautiful 

Naga folk band Tetseo Sisters, rocking 

Arunachali folk band Omak Komut 

Collective, Pune-based popular rock band 

Aswekeepsearching, Assamese new 

sensation Neel Akash, evergreen brand 

ambassador of the North East Festival 

Zubeen Garg, Choir from Manipur, rapper 

Rahul Rajkhowa, Bollywood singer Papon, 

Voice India winner Pawandeep Rajan, DJ 

MKSHFT, DJ Shameless Mani and many 

more. Three evenings of music will bring 

Delhi’s music lovers in one place to witness 

the most popular music festival of Delhi. 

With support from various central 

government agencies, North East Festival 

is driven by famous Socio Cultural Trust 

Trend MMS in collaboration with IGNCA. 

Mr. Shyamkanu Mahanta, Founder & Chief 

Executive of North East Festival informed 

that the festival has been able to connect 

with Delhi, has helped in networking of 

North East Tour operators with potential 

tourists from Delhi and has helped in 

giving a platform for North Eastern talents 

to showcase in national capital. 

Mr. Mahanta offered gratitude to 

SpiceJet for supporting the festival since 

the beginning. He was of the opinion that 

SpiceJet has very strong connectivity in 

the North East and has helped in 

promoting tourism in the North East 

extensively. 

THE NORTH 

EAST FESTIVAL 

IS THE HUB OF 

MUSIC. THE 

NEF STAGE 

HAS HELPED 

IN LAUNCHING 

SOME OF THE 

MOST POPULAR 

BANDS IN 

INDIA. 

154 

OCTOBER 2018

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NEWS 

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

Debojo Maharshi, Chief Marketing Officer, 

SpiceJet (extreme right), handing over the 

first ticket to Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, 

Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam 

SpiceJet to launch 

operations from Sikkim 

SpiceJet has announced the launch 

of its operations for the muchawaited, 

un-served market of 

Pakyong (Gangtok) from October 4 

that will provide much-needed air 

connectivity to the North-Eastern 

state of Sikkim. SpiceJet is the 

only Indian airline to provide air 

connectivity from Sikkim to the rest 

of the country and beyond. Pakyong 

(Gangtok) will be SpiceJet’s ninth 

destination under the regional 

connectivity scheme UDAN and is the 

only operational civil airport handling 

commercial operations in the state. 

The airline will operate daily direct 

flights on the Pakyong-Kolkata sector 

from October 4, 2018 and Pakyong- 

Guwahati sector effective October 

16, 2018. SpiceJet was awarded the 

routes under UDAN II. 

The announcement was made 

in the august presence of Shri 

Pawan Kumar Chamling, Hon’ble 

Chief Minister of Sikkim. Ajay Singh, 

Chairman and Managing Director, 

SpiceJet, said, "Our new flights will 

provide a major boost to tourism and 

we are proud to contribute to the 

growth story of this vibrant state.” 

SpiceJet launches three new 

direct flights from Guwahati 

SpiceJet is launching three new direct 

flights from Guwahati connecting 

Pakyong, Patna and Hyderabad. SpiceJet 

is the first and only carrier to offer daily 

direct connectivity on the Guwahati- 

Pakyong-Guwahati route starting October 

16, 2018 and Guwahati-Patna-Guwahati 

route starting October 10, 2018. SpiceJet 

has also introduced daily non-stop flight 

services on the Guwahati-Hyderabad- 

Guwahati sector effective from October 

10, 2010. 

The announcement of the new flights 

was made in the august presence of 

Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble Chief 

Minister of Assam. On the occasion, 

Debojo Maharshi, Chief Marketing Officer, 

SpiceJet, handed over the first ticket to 

Shri Sonowal, thereby marking the formal 

announcement of the launch of the new 

flight service. Ajay Singh, Chairman and 

Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “Assam 

is one of the key markets for SpiceJet 

and the introduction of these new flights 

further reiterates our commitment on 

enhancing connectivity in this region. 

With the introduction of these flights, 

passengers from Guwahati will now 

have more travel options with added 

flexibility and seamless connectivity on 

our network.” 

SpiceJet announces eight 

new domestic flights 


of eight new domestic flights. 

SpiceJet will be connecting Kanpur 

with Mumbai with a daily direct 

flight and will be the first and only 

airline operating on the route. 

Effective October 8, the airline will 

introduce new direct flights on the 

Bengaluru-Coimbatore sector. The 

morning and evening flights on the 

sector have been designed to offer 

convenience to frequent travellers 

helping them avail same day return 

trips. Additionally, SpiceJet will 

also enhance its operations with 

an additional frequency on the 

Hyderabad-Surat (second frequency) 

route. Deploying a mix of its fleet of 

Boeing 737 and Bombardier Q-400 

aircraft on the routes, the airline also 

strengthens its network across North, 

South and West India. All the new 

flights introduced will be operational 

daily, whereas the evening flight on 

the Coimbatore-Bengaluru route will 

fly on all days except Tuesday. 

156 

OCTOBER 2018

WWW.OBERONMALL.COM 

MALAPPURAM | FEROKE | KONDOTTY | U.A.E. 

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TIPSY TOPSY

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

SpiceJet signs MoU with 

Afghanistan Chamber of 

Commerce & Industries 

SpiceJet has signed a MoU with the 

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce 

and Industries (ACCI). This is for 

the first time that an Indian carrier 

has been given an important role to 

promote trade for Afghanistan via 

Indo-Afghan air corridor. SpiceJet 

plans to transport 1500 tons of 

cargo every month under this MoU. 

The MoU was signed by Mr. Manjiv 

Singh, Chief Project Officer, SpiceJet 

Ltd. and Mr. Atiqullah Nusrat, Chief 

Executive Director, ACCI, along with Mr. 

Ajmal Ahmady, Senior Advisor to the 

President of Afghanistan in banking 

and financial affairs. In collaboration 

with ACCI and with the support of 

government of Afghanistan, SpiceJet 

will transport fresh fruits and dry 

fruits, carpets and other commodities 

from Kabul to different states of India 

at competitive prices, which will be 

subsidized by the Afghan Government. 

SpiceJet operates dedicated air 

cargo services under the brand name 

SpiceXpress. SpiceJet would be 

transporting these commodities from 

Kabul using its freighter aircraft to 

Indian metro cities and through its 

pan-India passenger flight network. 

Mr. Manjiv Singh, Chief Project Officer, 

SpiceJet Ltd.; Mr. Atiqullah Nusrat, Chief 

Executive Director, ACCI; and Mr. Ajmal 

Ahmady, Senior Advisor to the President of 

Afghanistan in banking and financial affairs 

at the MoU signing ceremony 

SpiceJet launches SpiceClub – 

airline’s all-new Loyalty Program 

SpiceJet has launched a new age, graded 

loyalty program — SpiceClub — which 

offers a plethora of benefits to customers 

and once again reiterates SpiceJet’s 

commitment of providing a memorable 

experience like never before. SpiceJet 

is the only low cost Indian airline to 

offer tier-based loyalty plan. SpiceClub 

is segregated into four tiers — Classic, 

Silver, Gold and Platinum. As a member 

of the SpiceClub program, customers can 

earn rewards ranging from upto eight 

reward points/Rs. 100 spent on every 

flight booking, upgrades, meals and 

other add-ons to earning free flights, free 

upgrades, free meals and free change 

and cancellations. A member can earn 

additional up to 200 points for booking 

tickets directly through SpiceJet’s website 

and mobile app. 

SpiceJet's senior officials handing over the first ticket to Shri KT Rama Rao, Hon'ble 

Minister for Industry & Commerce, Municipal Administration & Urban Development, ITE&C, 

Mines, Handloom & Textiles, NRI Affairs, Government of Telangana 

SpiceJet to connect 

Hyderabad with Bangkok 


of two new daily direct flights from 

Hyderabad on both international and 

domestic routes effective October 10, 

2018. The new flights launched will 

connect the city with Bangkok and 

Guwahati. 

The announcement was made in 

the august presence of Shri KT Rama 

Rao, Hon’ble Minister for Industry & 

Commerce, Municipal Administration 

& Urban Development, ITE&C, Mines, 

Handloom & Textiles, NRI Affairs, 

Government of Telangana. On the 

occasion, senior SpiceJet officials 

handed over the first ticket to Shri 

Rao, thereby marking the formal 


flight service. 

Shilpa Bhatia, Chief Sales and 

Revenue Officer, SpiceJet, said, “We 

are delighted to launch our new flights 

from Hyderabad. Bangkok has always 

been one of the most preferred global 

destinations and the domestic addition 

reiterates our conviction in the potential 

of the north-eastern regions.” 

158 

OCTOBER 2018

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SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

Kishangarh is SpiceJet’s 

eighth UDAN destination 

SpiceJet has announced the launch of 

its operations for the much-awaited unserved 

market of Kishangarh effective 

October 8, 2018. The airline will 

operate a daily direct flight on Delhi- 

Kishangarh-Delhi sector. The marble 

city of Kishangarh marks SpiceJet’s 

eighth destination under the regional 

connectivity scheme. The airline was 

awarded the route under UDAN II. 

The announcement was made 

in the august presence of Smt. 

Vasundhara Raje, Hon’ble Chief Minister 

of Rajasthan. On the occasion, G P 

Gupta – Chief Strategy Officer, SpiceJet, 

handed over the first ticket to Smt. 

Vasundhara Raje, thereby marking the 

formal announcement of the launch of 

the new flight service. 

The new daily flight will provide 

pilgrims and tourists a much better 

access to Ajmer and Pushkar. The 

famous Ajmer Sharif Dargah of Sufi 

SpiceJet to introduce four 

new direct flights from Uttar 

Pradesh 

Saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti 

located at Ajmer attracts millions of 

people every year from India and 

abroad. Pushkar is one of the oldest 

cities in India. The city of Pushkar is 

home to the famous Jagatpita Brahma 

Temple considered to be one of the 

five sacred pilgrimage destinations for 

Hindus. 

Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet said, 

“SpiceJet is proud to add Kishangarh as 

the latest addition to the list of airports 

in India’s most vibrant and colourful 

state and this would be our second 

UDAN sector in Rajasthan after Jaipur- 

Jaisalmer-Jaipur.” 

“I AM DELIGHTED WITH 

SPICEJET’S EXCEPTIONAL 

OPERATIONAL 

PERFORMANCE THAT 

HAS SEEN US EMERGE 

AS THE COUNTRY’S 

MOST PUNCTUAL 

AIRLINE CLOCKING 

INDUSTRY’S BEST ON- 

TIME PERFORMANCE 

OF 87.4% AND THE 

HIGHEST PASSENGER 

LOAD FACTOR OF 93.6%. 

THIS IS THE 41ST MONTH 

IN A ROW THAT WE 

HAVE FLOWN WITH 

THE HIGHEST LOADS IN 

THE COUNTRY. WE AT 

SPICEJET WILL STRIVE TO 

BETTER OURSELVES AND 

CONTINUE TO PROVIDE 

OUR CUSTOMERS 

WITH A WORLD-CLASS 

EXPERIENCE EVERY TIME 

THEY FLY WITH US.” 

- AJAY SINGH, CHAIRMAN AND 

MANAGING DIRECTOR, SPICEJET 

SpiceJet, in its endeavour to connect 

Uttar Pradesh like never before, 

has announced the launch of four 

new direct flights from the state. 

Reiterating its commitment towards 

increasing air connectivity on regional 

routes, SpiceJet will be the first and 

only airline to offer daily direct flights 

on the routes of Mumbai-Kanpur- 

Mumbai and Kolkata-Kanpur-Kolkata. 

SpiceJet will also launch flights 

connecting the holy city of Varanasi 

with Kolkata and Bengaluru. The 

announcement was made in the august 

presence of Shri Yogi Adityanath, 

Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. 

On the occasion, Debojo Maharshi, 

Chief Marketing Officer, SpiceJet, 

handed over the first ticket to Shri Yogi 

Adityanath, thereby marking the formal 


flight service. 

Debojo Maharshi, Chief Marketing 

Officer, SpiceJet (second from right), 

handing over the first ticket to Shri 

Yogi Adityanath, Hon’ble Chief 

Minister of Uttar Pradesh 

160 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

MY TOWN 

Our ongoing series in which we look at various Indian cities 

through the eyes of SpiceJet staffers. This month, Snesha 

Dhargalkar, Cabin Crew, holds forth on Goa 

Clockwise from above: The Basilica of Bom 

Jesus; Dudhsagar Falls; and Baga beach 

SpiceJet flies to Goa. Log 

on to www.spicejet.com 

for details 

Connection to the city: I am originally 

from Goa, the dream destination of many 

Indians. 

Best thing about Goa: Life here is as 

basic, crazy or luxurious as you make 

it. The days are sunny and relaxed. It is 

the only place that makes you feel you 

are abroad. The people here have a very 

relaxed, fun and loving approach to life. 

That is why we are always called Susegad 

Goenkar (Relaxed Goan). 

How Goa is different from other 

big Indian cities: It’s a fun place and 

affordable and a fusion of Indian and 

Portuguese cultures. When compared to 

other states Goa is not heavily populated 

but when compared in terms of tourist 

inflow, it is the most populated place. 

Night scene: Goa isn't just about beaches 

and churches — it becomes more lively 

and musical at night. Baga beach is well 

known for its commercial night life. Club 

Titos and Cafe Mambo are famous. Other 

places worth checking out are Silent Noise 

(Cancona), Showbar Exchange (Candolim) 

and Cape Town Cafe (Clangute). 

Favourite eating place: My favourite 

eating place is Martin’s Corner. It has got 

great ambience, live music and some 

amazing sea food. The best part is that 

you can choose your own fresh sea food 

which is displayed before it is cooked. My 

favourite dish here is Crab Masala. 

Local attractions: I would recommend 

visiting Old Goa's Basilica of Bom Jesus 

which holds the mortal remains of St. 

Francis Xavier. You can also go trekking to 

Dudhsagar Falls and Kuskem Waterfall or 

set off on a crab-catching trip in Sonaulim. 

Which are the other places where 

you have visited in India? How does 

Goa compare to them? Being a part 

of SpiceJet I have got the opportunity 

to explore different parts of India like 

Ahmedabad, Kochi, Chennai, Jaipur, 

Guwahati and Delhi. Honestly till now I 

have not found a better place than Goa — 

it is heaven on earth. 

SHUTTERSTOCK, ALAMY 

161 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

ST RS OF SPICEJET 

Meet SpiceJet achievers from our engineering department, who 

have stood out for their outstanding work 

AMIT YADAV 

DELHI 

Internal appreciation: The 

best thing about Amit is that 

he does his job silently and very efficiently. 

One of the most sincere people around, the 

word no does not exist in his dictionary. 

He has grown through the years as a result 

of his hard work and passion for the job. 

We wish him all the best and would love to 

always see him smiling. 

Experience with SpiceJet: I am very proud 

to be a member of the Great SpiceJet 

Family. It feels very good when your hard 

work is appreciated. My seniors have 

always supported me and it is wonderful 

when they appreciate your work. I am very 

thankful to SpiceJet for having given me an 

opportunity to work with such good team 

members. This is an awesome airline to 

work with. 

JITENDRA JHA 

HYDERABAD 

Internal appreciation: 

Jitendra has been a 

wonderful team member. He is selfmotivated 

and has the initiative for 

accomplishment of the tasks allocated 

to him. His service record shows a high 

level of dedication. He leads his team in 

the most appropriate manner and grooms 

new team members very well. We are very 

happy to have him as a part of our team. 

Experience with SpiceJet: I am a proud 

member of the SpiceJet family since April 

2007. It's been a privilege and an honour to 

be working for this airline. I have enjoyed 

every day here, while working under the 

guidance of my seniors. I am thankful to 

SpiceJet for making me who I am today. 

I look forward to continuing my pleasant 

journey here. 

PARTHA GHOSH 

DELHI 


Partha has demonstrated 

utmost professionalism and dedication 

in completing his assignments within a 

given timeframe. His pleasing nature and 

commitment towards work makes tasks 

easy for all his colleagues. We would like 

to thank Partha for the extra efforts put 

in by him in recent months and hope 

that he keeps performing with the same 

consistency. 

Experience with SpiceJet:I am proud to be 

a part of the SpiceJet family. I endeavour 

to work hard and am dedicated to my 

profession. And when that hard work is 

appreciated, it is like an icing on the cake. 

I am thankful to SpiceJet for having given 

me such a good opportunity to achieve all 

my goals. 

ARINDAM BHAR 

KOLKATA 

Internal appreciation: I 

would like to appreciate 

the sincere efforts put in by Arindam. 

He took remarkable intiative during the 

aircraft recovery at Guwahati, took extra 

care for position of engineering spare and 

equipments at the time of opening of the 

new transit station in eastern region and 

did proper follow up for the position of 

AOG spares at base and outstation apart 

from his off-duty hours. 

Experience with SpiceJet: It's been 

almost three years with SpiceJet. It's a 

great feeling while working in such a nice 

work environment amidst good working 

culture. On various occasions I have got 

appreciation for my work from seniors. It 

feels very nice while getting support and 

help from seniors and colleagues. 

162 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

DEEN KUTHPUDEEN 

MADURAI 


Deen is sincere, honest 

and a good team member. He maintains 

good relationships with staff from 

other departments to ensure on time 

performance every time. He knows his 

responsibilities and excels in every kind of 

situation. 

Experience with SpiceJet: It has been 

a great and wonderful experience with 

SpiceJet. This journey has been very 

pleasant, especially the kind of support 

I have got from my colleagues, seniors 

and managers. I thank each and every 

individual who has directly or indirectly 

helped me in my journey. SpiceJet 

has given me a fantastic opportunity 

to enhance my career in a fast-paced, 

dynamic and rewarding environment. 

RAJNI YADAV 

GURGAON 


Rajni is a sincere and hard 

working employee. She has a methodical 

approach to her work and is excellent at 

it. Consistent and reliable, we are proud 

that she is a part of the SpiceJet team. 

Her contribution towards the engineering 

planning department is much appreciated. 

Experience with SpiceJet: It has been an 

amazing experience working with SpiceJet 

for the last seven years. It was always the 

dream airline I wanted to work with. I feel 

very attached to SpiceJet and want to be 

always honest in my work. Seniors here 

are always approacheable for any kind of 

work-related help. I have seen SpiceJet 

always appreciating its hard-working 

employees for their contribution and 

dedication towards work. 

MOHAMMAD 

NAUSHAD 

GURGAON 


Mohammad is an excellent performer and 

great team player. He is excellent in liaising 

with regulators and has performed several 

projects like aircraft induction and CAT A 

license in a timely manner. He is always 

up for a new challenge. He ensures quality 

output and has always been dedicated 

towards his work. 

Experience with SpiceJet: It's been two 

wonderful years with SpiceJet and a great 

learning experience here. It's a great 

feeling when your colleagues and seniors 

compliment you on your work. I would 

like to thank one and all for being there as 

and when required. Thanks to them, my 

experience with SpiceJet gets better with 

each passing day. 

ANSHUL THAPA 

GURGAON 

Internal appreciation: Anshul 

is very friendly, sincere and 

dedicated. He is passionate about his 

job and a valuable resource for SpiceJet. 

He has always been motivating his team 

members and must be appreciated for his 

diligence. One very good trait of his is that 

he is always ready to face new challenges. 

Experience with SpiceJet: It has been 

almost eight years with SpiceJet. I am 

highly grateful for being selected as one 

of the Stars of SpiceJet. I have learnt a lot 

here and would like to deliver more with 

my performance in the future. I thank my 

manager and colleagues for their valuable 

inputs and the trust they have always 

shown in my capabilities. I will work to the 

best of my abilities and in a result-oriented 

manner. 

TEJVIR SINGH 

GURGAON 

Internal appreciation: He is 

surely one of the brightest of 

our lot and as a team player, he brings out 

the best in all those around him. He always 

ensures that internal and external players 

have their issues resolved and come out of 

problems with a smile. His 'Never say die' 

attitude and a will to go beyond the call 

of duty are an inspiration to all of us. His 

well-directed approach to performance is 

an inspiration for others. He is certainly a 

gem in the Spice crown. 

Experience with SpiceJet: In my four 

and a half years with SpiceJet, my work 

has always been interesting. Hard work 

is noticed and acknowledged here every 

single time. The management is very 

supportive and approachable. SpiceJet is a 

great place to work in. 

ADITYA 

VISHWAKARMA 

GURGAON 


I would like to appreciate Aditya’s 

dedication and efforts as a core member 

of the AMOS team. Very few in the 

organisation are as conversant as him 

with the working of ERP AMOS for various 

engineering day-to-day activities. He has 

been a centre point for all engineering 

sections and has handled it very aptly 

and provided the best possible solutions 

whenever the need has arisen. 

Experience with SpiceJet: All my 

colleagues and seniors have worked handin-hand 

to make SpiceJet what it is today. 

Growth, picking up experience, challenging 

career, this is what draws me more closer 

to my job. My company infuses confidence 

and pride in me. 

163 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

FLIGHT BOOKINGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS 

SpiceJet’s popular mobile app offers never before convenience and speed for customers on-the-go 

With SpiceJet’s new mobile 

app, customers will find it 

more convenient than ever 

before to make and manage bookings, 

check flight status, and receive 

exclusive offers on their mobile devices. 

The interface is so simple that even the 

origin of journey helpfully gets autofilled 

thanks to inbuilt geo-tagging. 

The app also allows customers to 

book or add exciting SpiceJet add-on 

products such as choosing premium 

SpiceMAX seats and in-flight meals. 

Customers can also pre-book excess 

baggage at discounted rates through 

this app. 

The payment gateway of the app 

offers a variety of options like Quickpay, 

credit card, debit card and Internet 

banking. The Quickpay option ensures 

instant booking with just a single click. 

You can download the official 

SpiceJet app from Google Playstore 

and App Store. 

Spice First Check-in 

SpiceJet has raised the 

bar of customer comfort 

and convenience with the 

effective integration of 

technology into its services. 

n a rst o its kind initiative 

by any airline in the country, 

the carrier has launched 

Spice irst heck-n. his 

enables customers to get 

their boarding pass on their 

smartphones at the click o 

a button. he service will 

be initially introduced at 

Hyderabad as a pilot project. 

he airline which has 

set a new benchmark in 

the country by launching a 

slew o customer-riendly 

and innovative products 

and services has effectively 

incorporated Near Field 

Communication (NFC) 

and Beacon technologies 

with its mobile application. 

his enables customers 

who have booked tickets 

through the SpiceJet mobile 

app to receive boarding 

passes directly on their 

smartphones. Customers 

will thus be relieved from 

standing in long queues 

thus further enhancing their 

travel experience. 

STEP: 1 

The main 

menu screen 

offers four 

options. To 

book a flight, 

select Flight 

Booking 

164 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

ENJOY EXCLUSIVE OFFERS 

With Spicejet’s hot new mobile app, one can not only book flight tickets on the go, prebook 

spice add-ons, check flight status and manage one’s bookings, but also get access to 

exclusive discounts. Book through the mobile app and get up to 20% discount 

on flight tickets. 

STEP: 2 

Choose the required field. Fill in 

the details and click on the Search 

Flights options 

STEP: 3 

Flights options according to date of 

travel are displayed. The fare details 

are at the bottom 

STEP: 4 

On selection of the button, the 

detailed fare sumary is displayed 

STEP: 5 

Once the required flight option 

has been selected, fill in your 

contact details 

STEP: 6 

Fliers can choose numerous add-on 

options that will make the journey 

hassle-free 

165 

OCTOBER 2018 

STEP: 7 

Customers can pay via Credit or 

Debit card. QuickPay option saves 

transaction time

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

THE MID-AIR MENU 

SpiceJet’s `pre-booking only’ 

menu offers Continental, Thai, Chinese, Italian 

and Indian options 

BREAKFAST 

MASALA OMELETTE 

WITH GRILLED CHICKEN 

SAUSAGES & HASH BROWN 

Beaten eggs fried to perfection 

and sprinkled with chosen spices 

accompanied by scrumptious 

addition of grilled sausages and a 

portion of hash brown. 

VEGETABLE UPMA WITH 

SAMBAR, MEDU VADA & 

STEAMED IDLI ALONG WITH 

COCONUT CHUTNEY 

Enjoy South Indian savoury upma 

mixed with a colourful selection 

of vegetables accompanied by 

golden fried medu vada and idli 

steamed to perfection and fresh 

coconut dip. 

SNACKS 

CHILLI CHICKEN 

WITH VEGETABLE 

FRIED RICE 

Scrumptipus chunks of 

boneless chicken fried 

with chili and spices with a 

hearty portion of fried rice. 

o 

o 

o 

CHILLI PANEER WITH 

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE 

Fresh lumps of 

cottage cheese 

marinated with 

chilli sauce, soya 

sauce and pepper 

powder paired 

with delicious 

fried rice. 

LUNCH 

o 

CHICKEN METHI MALAI 

WITH JEERA RICE & DAL 

MAKHANI 

Delicious chicken curried in 

yoghurt and cream with added 

flavours accompanied by jeera 

rice and a buttery mix of dal 

makhani. 

PANEER METHI MALAI 

WITH JEERA RICE & DAL 

MAKHANI 

Fresh cottage cheese curried in 

yoghurt and cream with added 

flavors accompanied by jeera rice 

and a buttery mix of dal makhani. 

166 

OCTOBER 2018 

o 

o 

DINNER 

CHICKEN TIKKA EGG 

BIRYANI WITH MIRCH KA 

SALAN 

Long-grained rice flavored with 

exotic spices, layered with 

chicken and eggs along with 

curried chili pepper on the side. 

VEGETABLE 

BIRYANI WITH 

MIRCH KA SALAN 

Long-grained rice 

flavoured with exotic 

spices and vegetables 

accompanied by Mirch 

ka Salan on the side. 

SANDWICHES 

o 

CHICKEN 

JUNGLEE IN 

MARBLE BREAD 

Chicken mixed 

with green chutney 

and sandwiched 

between marble 

bread slices. 

CUCUMBER, 

TOMATO & CHEESE 

IN MULTIGRAIN 

BREAD 

Mixed vegetables and 

cheese stuffed between 

a healthy portion of 

multigrain bread slices. 

o 

o 

PRE-BOOK YOUR MEAL AND 

SAVE UP TO 10% 

o

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

ADD- 

SEAT SELECTION DOMESTIC INTERNATIONAL 

SpiceMax Seats M 600/1000/-* M 1200 /- 

Know more 

about 

SpiceJet’s 

innovative 

products 

and services 

Preferred Seats - on Boeing 

Ahead of exit row window /aisle M 300/- M 450/- 

Ahead of exit row middle M 250/- M 400/- 

Behind exit row window /aisle M 200/- M 350/- 

Behind exit row middle M 99/- M 150/- 

Preferred seats Q400 

Front half of cabin window /aisle M 250/- M 400/- 

Rear half of cabin window / aisle M 150/- M 300/- 

Seat + Meal Combo 

Combo Price M 399/- M 499/- 

PRE-BOOK EXCESS BAGGAGE 

5 kgs M 2200/- M 2450/- 

10 kgs M 4100/- M 4900/- 

15 kgs M 6000/- NA 

20 kgs M 7900 /- NA 

30 kgs M 11700/- NA 

PRIORITY CHECK-IN M 300/- M 400/- 

Preferred Bag Out 

1 Bag M 100/- NA 

2 Bags M 200/- NA 

3 Bags M 300/- NA 

YOU 1 ST M 399/- M 499/- (Ex-India flights) 

CARRY MORE ONBOARD (FREE ALLOWANCE 7 KG; BUY UP TO 5 KG MORE) 

Pre-book M 250/- per kg M 450/- per kg 

At Check-in M 400/- per kg As per current excess baggage rate 

At boarding gate M 400/- per kg As per current excess baggage rate 

MY FLEXI PLAN (EFFECTIVE FROM DECEMBER 21, 2017) M 1500/- M 1750/- 

HAND BAGGAGE ONLY FARE - CHARGE AT AIRPORT 

Fare type change fee if checking-in bag at airport 

after purchasing HBO fare 

Up to 15 kgs - 

M 400/- 

NA 

SPICE CAKE M 750/- M 800/- 

SPICE LOUNGE (Delhi/Bengaluru/Hyderabad/Kochi/ M 750/- M 1400/- 

Varanasi/Guwahati/Jaipur) 

VALUEPACK 

a) Pay M 499/- and get a SpiceJet voucher worth M 1999/- 

b) Pay M 999/- and get a SpiceJet voucher worth M 3999/- 

*SPICEMAX SEATS OFFER SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LEGROOM, PLUS COMPLIMENTARY MEAL, PRIORITY CHECK-IN, PRIORITY BOARDING 

(AT AEROBRIDGE GATES), AND PRIORITY BAGGAGE HANDLING. *BASIS AIRCRAFT TYPE/SECTOR **NA STANDS FOR ‘NOT AVAILABLE’ 

*THE ABOVE MENTIONED PRICES AND FEATURES ARE ACCURATE AS AT THE TIME OF MAGAZINE PRINTING, AND ARE SUBJECT TO 

CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE 

167 

OCTOBER 2018

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

Boeing 737-900ER 

Boeing 737-800 MAX 

Interior arrangement of Boeing 737 - 700 

(149 Passengers) 

Interior arrangement of Boeing 737 - 800 & 737-800 MAX 

(189 Passengers) 

Entry / Exit 

Row 1 -26 

Emergency Exit 

Entry / Exit 

Row 1 -32 

Entry / Exit 

Emergency Exit 

Entry / Exit 

Row 1 -20 

BOEING 737-700 


BOEING 737-900 ER 

BOEING 737-800 MAX 

BOMBARDIER Q400 

* 

3 

28 

4 

1 

23 

Passengers 

(single class configuration) 

149 

189 

212 

189 

78/90 

6200 km 

0.79 M 

(840 km/h) 

5,600 km 

0.79 M 

(840 km/h) 

5000 km 

0.79 M 

(840 km/h) 

6,500 km 

0.79 M 

(840 km/h) 

Speed unit M denotes Mach Number; 1 Mach is equal to the speed of sound. 

2000 km 

666 km/h 

*These numbers exclude wet lease aircraft. 



BOEING 737-900 ER 

BOEING 737-800 MAX 

BOMBARDIER Q400 

112 ft 7 in (34.3m) 

112 ft 7 in (34.3 m) 

93 ft 3 in (28.42m) 

117 ft 5 in (35.7m) 

117 ft 10 in (35.92 m) 

110 ft 4 in (33.6m) 

41 ft 2 in (12.5m) 

11 ft 7 in (3.53m) 

129 ft 6 in (39.5 m) 

40 ft 10 in (12.45 m) 

11 ft 7 in (3.53 m) 

107 ft 9 in (32.83m) 

24 ft 4 in (8.34m) 

8 ft 2 in (2.49m) 

The above mentioned descriptions are accurate at the time of magazine printing.

Kabul 

Srinagar 

Leh 

Jammu 

Dharamshala 

Adampur 

Amritsar 

Dehradun 

Dubai 

Jaisalmer 

Jodhpur 

Delhi 

Jaipur 

Kishangarh Kanpur Gorakhpur 

Varanasi Patna 

Bagdogra 

Pakyong 

Guwahati 

Silchar 

Dibrugarh 

Udaipur 

Dhaka 

Muscat 

Kandla 

Ahmedabad 

Jabalpur 

Kolkata 

Porbandar Surat 

Shirdi 

Mumbai 

BAY OF BENGAL 

Pune 

Visakhapatnam 

ARABIAN SEA 

Hyderabad 

Rajahmundry 

Vijayawada 

Goa 

Hubli 

Tirupati 

LAKSHADWEEP 

(INDIA) 

Mangalore Bengaluru 

Chennai 

Kozhikode 

Coimbatore 

Pondicherry 

Kochi 

Madurai 

Port Blair 

ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS 

(INDIA) 

Thiruvananthapuram 

Tuticorin 

Colombo 

Male 

INDIAN OCEAN 

Domestics India connects with SpiceJet. 

International 

New Routes 

Flight schedules are subject to regulatory approvals and 

change. Map not to scale, graphic representation only. 

Content as on 25th September, 2018 

Routemap 

Bangkok

R.N.I NO:DELENG/2015/63282

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