Dharamsala, Dec. 4\
The Miss Tibet Pageant-2013, which was held in Dharmasala for 10 years since it began in 2002, will now be held in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlement.

The organisers have decided to shift the venue since most of the Tibetans-in-exile live in South India. The contest will be held from Feb. 10 to 13, 2013 and the applications will be online soon with Jan. 15 as the last date to submit the form.

The organisers have also changed the timing of the event from June to February. “This is the time of Tibetan New Year, Losar, and hence the event is being held in the starting of 2013,” organisers said and added that eventually the event would be held in other parts of the country where Tibetan people are settled in large numbers.

The organisers had decided to forgo this year’s Miss Tibet Pageant 2012 in the wake of the growing unrest, to protest Tibet’s “grim” condition under the Chinese government. They said that the next year’s Miss Tibet will be dedicated to the critical situation in Tibet and especially for those who have sacrificed their lives for the Tibetan cause. The controversial event was vehemently opposed by many including the Tibetan government-in-exiles, saying it was not part of Tibetan tradition.

Till date, winners of the contest have twice won Miss Earth in the Philippines and Miss Asia Pacific World once

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / General News / December 04th, 2012

Madikeri or Mercara in Karnataka may be right there on the tourist’s itinerary, with the Madikeri fort, Raja Seat and the Omkareshwara temple being the usual haunts. But perhaps less well known are its waterfalls, trekking trails and elephant camps.

Abbey Falls is perfect for a picnic. Another spot that is ideal, scenically, for a family outing, complete with picnic hamper, is Nisargadhama, between Kushalnagar and Madikeri, where one could cross the Cauvery tributary on log rafts. It’s a beautiful picnic spot.

There is something here to everyone’s taste. For those who love adventure, 15 km away from Madikeri is the Dubare Elephant Camp where one can see the animals up close.

They can be fed, ridden, bathed, the sort of thing one sees done on Discovery Channel.

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> Channels> LifeStyle> Wanderlust / by DC Correspondent / November 23rd, 2012

Caption: Picture shows the Kodavas, attired in traditional dresses, bringing the newly-reaped paddy crop to be placed under the Nellakki and offer worship.
Mysore, Nov. 29
Hundreds of Kodavas residing in Mysore participated in the Huthri festival celebrations held under the auspices of Mysore Kodava Samaja at the premises of Sri Cauvery Educational Institutions in Kuvempungar last evening.

The harvest festival got off to a start with the lighting of the traditional lamp by the women members. Samaja President N.P. Kalappa welcomed.

On the occasion, the Samaja team which bagged prizes in the traditional dance competition held at Balugodu in Virajpet recently were felicitated.

The celebrations comprised performance of the traditional Kodava dances like bolkaat, ummathaat, kolaat, kathiyaat, thalipaat, pareyakali etc., by the men and women folk attired in traditional Kodava costumes.

This was followed by Nerekattuva ritual after which the Samaja President led the members to the paddy field created in the institution premises to reap the new paddy crop and distribute it to all the members along with the thambittu prasada.

The festival saw the participation of young and old alike.

The Samaja, in a bid to keep the youngsters rooted to their traditions and culture, had trained them in various traditional dances during the past one week at the Samaja premises in Vijayanagar.

P. Lovely Appaiah and C. Nirmala Subramani compered the programme.

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / General News / November 29th, 2012

The undulating landscape, miles of greenery and cloud-kissed mountains of Scotland, shown in the Bond flick ‘Skyfall’, might have taken your breath away. Fret not, you can feast your eyes on elysian fields right next door in Coorg. Hailed as the Scotland of India, this hill station has always been known to be a crowd-puller. Now, people from up North are making a beeline to spend a few relaxed days, nestled in the lap of nature.

Whether for the sprawling green acres or restrained calm, Coorg is pulling crowds in like never before. Based on state tourism board figures, the number of tourists jumped to 15 lakh, at the end of last year, and figures are expected to go up this year. Last year alone, there were close to six lakh holidayers during this time, in Coorg.

Vedant Ruia, a Mumbai-based businessman, is planning a trip down South with his family.

“I’ve never seen the interiors of Karnataka and this time of the year is favourable. I am going to fly to Bengaluru, drive down to Mysore and then head to Coorg. I’ve heard the drive up there is also really scenic. Besides, I would love to spend time in a place where my cellphone doesn’t work!” says Vedant Ruia.

Resort owners and homestays in Coorg are reporting a significant increase in interest levels from holidayers residing in Mumbai, New Delhi and other northern cities. “This season, a number of winter holidayers are opting for Coorg over other South Indian hill stations like Ooty, Chickmagalur and Kodaikanal. Coorg is more accessible, has several hotels to choose from and has great weather all through the year,” says Rahul Bopanna, of Holiday Inn, Madikeri.

Nicknamed as the Kashmir of the South, it’s no secret that Coorg has been given a facelift and embodies a huge part of Karnataka’s tourism. Apart from an idllyic holiday, there are several tourist attractions that lure even a heritage traveller, who seeks a little history lesson during his vacation. Cherian Ramapuram, of Orange County, explains this fascination, “Coorg beckons the discerning traveller. It’s the land of spices, coffee, warriors, beautiful women and deep-rooted culture, and is blessed with wonderful weather all year round. Once a person travels to Coorg, he wants to go there again and again.”

Of late, even homestays have become popular as travellers seek a rustic experience on holiday. Shivaprasad, owner of Birds Paradise Homestay, one of the 200 registered homestays in Coorg, says, “It’s no surprise that there are so many options today. All our house guests feel there is a certain untouched, raw quality about Coorg that sets it apart from other hill stations. When they come here, they want to spend a few days in isolation, eat the local food, and relax. It adds value to their vacation.” There are around 2,000 homestays in Coorg, apparently, but only close to 200 are registered.

Places like Munnar, Thekkady, Ooty and Kodai buzz with tourists during the season. Travellers prefer the solitude and quiet that Kodagu has to offer. Shamli Narayan, a chartered accountant based in Mumbai, will be travelling to Coorg next weekend. “My husband and I have been thinking of places to visit in the South and we decided on Coorg. We are paying a relatively nominal price for a holiday package and there are several add-ons. It’s a good deal.”

Several resorts offer a variety of options like a body massage, yoga class, coffee plantation tour, trekking and even white-water rafting for the bravehearts. Also, the onus of attracting tourists lies on the owners, to showcase what the beautiful hill station stands for.

Sarfaraz Saudagar, marketing manager of The Tamara Coorg, says, “Coffee is the biggest USP. When you can personalise unique experiences, it draws crowds. We engage guests in a coffee plantation tour since our resort is located within a coffee estate. There is also the option of personalising a coffee type in a guest’s name.”

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> Tabloid> Bengaluru / by Sindhuja Balaji, DC, Bangalore / November 18th, 2012

Mumbai :
More than 45 top acts are set to perform at Storm 2013 Camp Out music festival, scheduled to take place on 1-2 February at Napoklu, Coorg in Karnataka.

In its second edition, the fest will have four stages across 22 acres of the venue now called ‘stormfield’, where a galaxy of national and international stars- including singer-songwriters as well as Electronica artistes will perform.

Apart from the music, “adventure, camping, ecological awareness, late night campsite jams, workshops on farming and yoga activities will be held,” organizers said.

This year, the organizers also claim to have a exhaustive musical line-up with few surprises at the fest. The festival also stands firm on its ‘No Drugs’ policy.

The first Storm fest which made its debut earlier this year saw 12 bands, 16 Indian DJs and 5 International names perform to more than 2, 500 revellers.

source: http://www.radioandmusic.com / Home> Editorial> News / by RnM Team / November 26th, 2012