Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Harshika Poonacha has lots of dance fun

Harshika Poonacha
Harshika Poonacha

Harshika Poonacha is pretty active on social media and keeps her fans updated about whatever she’s up to. So on Sunday, several of them were please when she told them she was judging a dance competition at a mall in the city.

“At Orion mall to Judge the 7up Dance competition… Super exited to see all the 50 teams perform,” she tweeted. The B3 actress later added, “7up Dance Up at Orion mall… super fun and seeing some real nice talents… All the best guys.”

Harshika is currently working on the film Gulaabi Street.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Kannada> Movies / TNN / May 11th, 2014

Ravichandran to get ‘Drishyam’ gift on his birthday

If sources are to be believed, the Kannada remake of the hit Malayalam film Drishyam starring Crazy Star Ravichandran will be released on May 30, coinciding with the actor’s birthday. The shooting of the yet-to-be-titled film directed by P Vasu was mostly done in Madikeri district.

The film, which has already created a buzz in the industry, will see Ravichandaran and Navya Nair sharing space for the first time.

RavichandranKF12may2014

Navya, who had acted in Kannada movies like Gaja and Boss, is staging a comeback to Sandalwood with this movie. She will play Ravichandran’s wife character, which was originally essayed by Meena in Drishyam.

Madhu Neelakantan is the cinematographer, Ilayaraja is the music director and M S Ramesh has written the dialogues for the movie. The film also has Achyuth Kumar, Srinivasmurthy, Suchendra Prasad and Sadhu Kokila in significant roles.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Kannada> Movies / TNN / Mty 06th, 2014

MTV Splitsvilla Season 7 set to get sexier and hotter with Sunny Leone

She joins MTV VJ Nikhil Chinapa as co-host of the new season of the hugely popular show
SunnyKF12may2014

Goddess of oomph, Sunny Leone, will soon be seen scorching TV screens as she steps into her new role as the host of the seventh season of MTV’s hugely popular flagship show, MTV Splitsvilla. A sizzling Sunny will be seen co-hosting the new season alongside MTV VJ Nikhil Chinapa.

With over 68 million viewers in urban India, MTV Splitsvilla has been a favourite of audiences ever since its launch six seasons ago. The show also received immense love online with more than 18 million video views just for the last season. With over 3.5 million fans on the Facebook page and over 1,500 tweets for each new episode that went on air, season six of the show has been the biggest one yet. Now, in its seventh season, Sunny has been roped in to up the ante and make this year the hottest one for the show ever.

Speaking about her decision to host MTV Splitsvilla, Sunny Leone said, “MTV is an iconic youth brand. I was always fascinated by the edgy content, the cool shows and always wanted to be a part of it. After moving to India, I got the opportunity to watch Splitsvilla and enjoyed it quite a bit. It’s great that I now get to be a part of it. I am absolutely excited about working on the show and I know it’s going to be a treat for me and my fans alike!”

Nikhil Chinapa said, “It’s great to be back with another season of one of MTV’s most popular show, MTV Splitsvilla. This year we’re changing things around to raise the stakes and the excitement around the show. MTV has put together not just a fantastic new cast but also has made some very interesting changes to the format. With all the elements coming together, MTV Splitsvilla promises to deliver the best season we’ve ever had to fans this year.”

Vikas Gupta, Programming Head of MTV India, said, “MTV Splitsvilla is a sexy show which delves into the love, life and relationships of hot young people. It’s about the youth finding love and what choices they make. Sunny is a gorgeous woman who has a great fan following which makes her one of the most sought after faces in the industry today and we’re extremely delighted to have her as the face of our flagship show. In MTV Splitsvilla Season 7, you will see Sunny in a way you’ve never seen before.”
Along with getting one of the hottest women to host the show, this year MTV has many more surprises planned for viewers of MTV Splitsvilla which will be revealed as the show goes on air.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

source: http://www.bestmediainfo.com / Best Media Info / Home> Media Info> Television / BestMediInfo Bureau / Delhi – May 06th, 2014

Mysore flour mill owner gets possession of palace

Nagaraju’s dogged fight over a period of 18 years for his ancestral property began from scratch

Claiming to be a descendent of the erstwhile rulers of Kodagu, a flour mill owner from Mysore has now gained possession of the historic 17th century palace and fort which is predominantly in the heart of Madikeri town.

“My efforts of 18 years have ended with the President of India ordering that the palace belongs to me,” a beaming H C Nagaraju, the owner of the flour mill in Shivarampet, told Business Standard.

He has displayed a notice in his shop that says: “As per the order of His Excellency President of India, the Mercara Palace belongs to H C N Wadeyar.” It quotes the order No.F.No.1-204/2013-RTI (Hq) dated 26-9-2013, Government of India, Janpath, New Delhi.

This is the latest notice displayed in his shop to inform his customers of his successful fight, in addition to already putting up copies of other documents and photos of his forefathers belonging to the erstwhile Haleri dynasty of Kodagu.

Nagaraju’s dogged fight for his ancestral property began from scratch, from corresponding on the issue with a number of authorities like the Departments of Archaeology, and the state and Central governments and moving the courts. Before approaching the courts, he began to acquire documents from various sources, including the British Library in London to establish that he descended from the Haleri rulers.

“My father often told me that we belong to the Kodagu royal family and the Madikeri Palace belongs to us, based on what his father and grandfather had told him,” he said, narrating how he began to establish his right over the palace and the surrounding fort in Madikeri. “To establish what my forefathers were saying, we had swords, shields, palm leaf manuscripts in our house which my father gave away, finding them of no use,” he adds.

Calling himself H C N Wodeyar, he has displayed his claim he is the Maharaja of Coorg and owner of the Madikeri Palace. According to him, his lineage starts from Queen Devajammanni, wife of Lingaraja. The palace, which witnessed rebellious uprisings against the colonial rulers in 18th century, it presently houses the Kodagu’s Deputy Commissioner’s office within the fort.

“They have agreed to shift to a new place and hand over possession to me,” he said, adding he intends to convert his ancestral palace into a tourist attraction. Beside the palace stand two life-size statues of elephants that attract people who visit the monument.

Lingaraja succeeded the famed Dodda Veera Rendra Wodeyar (1780-1809), the hero from Kodagu history, as the Coorg Raja. His successor Viraraja was deposed in 1,834 following which the British annexed Kodagu and exiled the last of the rajas, bringing an end to the nearly two-century-long reign of the Haleri dynasty that came to power in the 17th century, in the district nestling amidst the lush Western Ghats, known for coffee and oranges, besides elephants.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Current Affairs> News> Et cetera / by Gouri Satya / Mysore – May 04th, 2014

CMC has no info on roads, population

Startling RTI reply reveals

In an astonishing revelation, the City Municipal Council has claimed of lacking information about the number of roads and streets and the population in particular road or street in Madikeri city.

The reply of the public relation officer of the Madikeri CMC to a Right to Information query filed by an individual, which is available with Deccan Herald, shows that the CMC lacks information on the population in CMC limits.

T C Thimmaiah, a resident of Dechur had filed an application under RTI to the CMC on January 20, seeking information.

He had sought information as he had complained on the creation of wards in the recent poll for Madikeri CMC was not according to the specific guidelines.

The people residing in his ward were included in the voters list of another ward. He also alleged that the area and population was not considered while constituting the wards.

“For example, the population in Ward No 17 is 465, while the population in Ward No 1 is 1,916. The population is almost four times more in Ward No 1 compared to Ward No 17.
Therefore, I filed the RTI with the CMC to know on what basis they had divided the wards,” he told Deccan Herald.

The CMC has 25 blocks which has been divided into 23 wards. He had sought information about the roads, streets, number of houses and population in particular area.

CMC Assistant Executive Engineer who is also the Public Information Officer, K M Ravikumar sent a reply to the RTI query on February 26, along with information about 23 wards attached to it. The reply note said that “the revenue department office of the CMC does not have any information about the roads, streets, number of houses and population in the said blocks.”

Wonderstruck T C Thimmaiah has said that it is ridiculous that the authorities have no information about the population based on which the election is held.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by Srikanth Kallammanavar / DHNS – Madikeri, March 28th, 2014

An unusual combination of comedy and music takes stand-up comedy to a new high in Pune

One of a kind comedy show is happening at a popular hangout in Pune at 9 pm today. It is a unique combination of music and comedy where The Yellow Experiment and Nikhil Chinapa will tickle the funny bones of the audience with their music-centric comedy and improvisation. We speak to them and find out how they plan use music and comedy together!

The Yellow Experiment that will perform a unique comedy and music show tonight DNA Correspondent DNA
The Yellow Experiment that will perform a unique comedy and music show tonight DNA Correspondent DNA

The Yellow Experiment that is – Daniel Fernandes, Kenneth Sebastian and Kanan Gill will be in Pune today and they tell us what makes their show so different!

Daniel has performed all over the country over the last two years and thinks there is nothing better than comedy. Kenneth Sebastian’s trademark is his incredible vocal ability which he uses to combine music and comedy. He performs regularly at comedy clubs like The Comedy Store and Canvas Laugh Factory and has been hailed as one of the top acts to watch out for in the years to come. Kanan Gill is a writer, musician, stand-up comedian, ex-software engineer and fitness enthusiast. He has won the Punch Line Bangalore competition and the open mic at The Comedy Store in Mumbai.

The Yellow Experiment is a comedy collective. “Through this new mix, the show will appeal to the audiences of both music and comedy,” said Fernandes. He has performed at The Irish Village and Olive Bistro before but, “the show at High Spirits will be the biggest one I have done in Pune” he added.

Talking about the unique combination, Sebastian said, “I already have a music background and I incorporate it in my comedy too. In today’s show, we will talk about music trends and song writing”. Most standup comedians joke about politics and other issues but Sebastian says, “We will talk about music and our jokes will be with respect to it”.

“It is not a traditional comedy, but it is based on the suggestions from the audience & Nikhil will join us at the end of the show for an improvisation of music and comedy”, added Kanan Gill.

For Nikhil Chinapa, it’s his first time at intentional comedy. He said, “This is my first attempt at comedy so I am half-excited and half-nervous about the show tonight.” Chinapa and Daniel used to talk and discuss about EDM on Twitter and that’s how they got talking about The Yellow Experiment. He added, “I love to try things out and give new things a shot.” One thing he would like to say to the people who are coming to the show today is, “There will be no intentional nudity”.

This first ever combination of music and comedy will be something to look out for, as two most appealing genres of entertainment come together with The Yellow Experiment and Nikhil Chinapa.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Pune / Place:Pune, Agency:DNA / by Deeksha Sharma / Saturday – May 03rd, 2014

Harshika had 8 cakes on her birthday

Harshika's birthday cake
Harshika’s birthday cake

Actress Harshika Poonacha had a busy and fun birthday, which she celebrated on May 1. The highlight of the day, however, seems to be the eight cakes she got on her big day.

The B3 actress took to Twitter to tell her followers how she spent her day. “It was a wonderful birthday indeed… Was at wonderla and rushed to the LIVE in Suvarna news,” she tweeted. She later posted a picture of a cake and said, “My 8th cake for the day… loved evry bit of it and thnq all for ur lovey wishes… Feels lik celebrating my b’day evrydy (sic).”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Kannada> Movies / TNN / May 02nd, 2014

Gulshan Devaiah relives memories in Greece

gulshanKF03may2014

We had told you about actor Gulshan Devaiah and his wife Kallirroi’s visit to her family in Greece.

To surprise Devaiah, she invited his dear friend of seven years, Kalki Koechlin, to Greece to holiday with them.

They went to the Acropolis one afternoon and spent an entire day walking around Athens. Their hosts and friends Robin and Katharina took them around. Nothing beats creating great memories with dear buddies.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Bangalore Mirror Bureau / May 02nd, 2014

Harshika Poonacha goes back to college

Harshika Poonacha
Harshika Poonacha

Harshika Poonacha went back to college today — and no, it was not to complete a degree or start a new one. The actress was at Don Bosco college in Bangalore to inaugurate a festival on the campus.

“Good morning twps. I’m sorry as I cudn reply u all,Yes I’m coming and I’m on my way to Don Bosco college. Gonna inaugurate d Fest fr You al (sic),” she tweeted on Tuesday morning. She then followed that up with a selfie, which she captioned, “Fun to be at College Fests. Takes me back to college.”

Harshika has a busy 2014, with as many as five films lined up — Meetru, Beet, Crazy Krishna, Anandha Thollai and Panipuri.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Kannada> Movies / TNN / April 29th, 2014

Coorg cookup

Shalini says oduputtu is a favourite / by Special Arrangement
Shalini says oduputtu is a favourite / by Special Arrangement

Coorg food blogger Shalini Nanda shares her recipes and memories of food. And reminds us that with any traditional cuisine, so much depends on the terroir

If you are a recipe seeker on the Internet you couldn’t have missed the site Coorg Recipes that takes you into the world of the Kodava community who love their food and drink and celebrate the produce they grow in their inimitable cuisine.

The newly re-launched avatar of the site features more than 40 traditional recipes from the Coorg region of Karnataka. P.T. Bopanna, a Kodava who’s been running the site says there is a “recipe of the month” section featuring recipes from contributors that’s been made interactive.

The new recipes come from well-known Coorg food blogger Shalini Nanda Nagappa, who now lives in Canada. “Growing up in an Army family, we were stationed in and travelled to various places in India. This provided wonderful opportunities to indulge my natural curiosity about all things related to food. My mother’s interaction with ladies from around the country, and abroad, invariably led to recipe exchanges that fed this fascination,” says Shalini in an e-mail interview.

At every opportunity she travelled home to Coorg to her maternal grandparents’ home. Under the watchful eye of her indulgent grandmother she enjoyed whipping up cakes and desserts for family. She self-published a cookbook in 2010, called A Cookery Year in Coorg (she runs a blog by the same name). Excerpts from an interview:

What is it about Coorg cuisine that sets it apart from others? What’s its distinguishing characteristic?

As with any traditional cuisine, much depends on the terroir, so to speak. Rice, grown in the fertile valleys of Coorg, is the staple, and it was eaten at every meal. I think there is an amazing number of ways in which rice is transformed into flatbreads, crepes, noodles, steamed cakes and more. Some are echoes of preparations found in the cuisines of neighbours in coastal Mangalore, North Kerala and Malanad. Others are quite unique, like paputtu, maddputtu, and oduputtu.

Rice and puttus are accompanied by curries of mutton, poultry, pork, (both fresh and preserved), salt fish, freshwater fish and crab, bamboo shoot, and wild mushrooms. Farmed produce like pumpkin, and fresh and dried beans are popular too. The recurring notes in these preparations tend to be that of fragrant cassia, cloves and cardamom, the brightness of fresh green herbs and green chillies, the sweetness of fresh coconut, the deep warmth of pepper, and dark roasted coriander, cumin and mustard.

Add to this the clarifying effect of sharp citrus, or powerful kachampuli, (a souring agent made from Garcina gummi-gutta). In all these, every cook has a unique take on how, and how much. With changing social norms and the physical environment, some significant elements of Kodava cuisine like wild game, once abundant in the forests of Coorg, are no longer viable. Foraged potherbs, and the use of coconut oil and lard are also not as widespread today. The cuisine continues to evolve, though, with cooks recreating traditional dishes by making use of what is readily available. For example, if one does not have access to wild bamboo shoot one can substitute with farmed bamboo shoot, imported from Thailand. It’s not quite the same, but it works.

Why is it that the “pandi cury” has become almost a synonym for Coorg cuisine, outside the Kodava community?

The short answer to that would be “because it’s so good!” Joking aside, for the uninitiated, a quick glance through the range of recipes on coorgrecipes.com should tell anyone there is much more to discover. Still, the combination of dark roasted spices, pork, and the unique sharpness of kachampuli combine in pandi curry to create something special.

What made you take to cooking? What kind of dishes do you like to cook?

I’ve always loved food, so I suppose it was natural to hang around in the kitchen picking up on the goings on. I’ve also always been curious about the entire process of preparing food, even before I was old enough to handle things on my own. My maternal grandmother indulged that interest and encouraged me. When I was young I was always whipping up cakes and desserts for the family. I enjoy most cuisines and like to cook anything that catches my fancy. I love seafood, and living on the coast of the Pacific NW, I am privileged to have access to some of the best out there. I also have a particular interest in the vast range of regional Indian cuisines.

Among the recipes you have shared, which are your most treasured ones, and why?

I feel every recipe has some special association, whether it evokes memories of meals past, was shared by a friend, or is just some fun innovation. Oduputtu is a particular favourite. I didn’t eat this when growing up, and it isn’t commonly made these days. I would hear my mother recall how she and her siblings were welcomed home from school long before they actually reached the house, by the delicate fragrance of the resin used to scent this unusual rice pancake. Her descriptions spurred me to seek out the clay pan it is traditionally cooked in, season it, and set about practicing getting the batter just right.

With the kaipuli recipes, I enjoyed the process of testing how exactly to substitute one locally found citrus fruit with another that is more widely available where I live and has a similar flavour profile, but different physical characteristics. Palya, which is the simplest style of preparation of vegetables, is applied to a variety of wild greens that once were commonly eaten, each for known health benefits. It’s been wonderful discovering some of these, like thaaté thoppu (Cassia tora), for myself.

For people living outside Coorg, will ingredients/cooking apparatus you have featured in recipes in coorgrecipes.com be easy to come by?

Coming from an army family and having lived outside Coorg for much of my youth, and now living in North America, I am familiar with many of the limitations as well as the possibilities in recreating recipes. Many ingredients are specific to the Coorg region, but on my blog I make it a point to try out, and offer what in my opinion may be the closest substitutes for both ingredients and equipment wherever possible. In India, there are online sources like coorgshoppe.com to help source ingredients like kachampuli and spices.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Food / by Bhumika K / Bangalore – April 24th, 2014