Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

‘Improve plight of women in rural areas’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features

There are several laws to protect the interest of women. Women should make use of the available laws to lead a dignified life, said First Additional District and Sessions Judge M V Jadara.

Speaking at women’s day programme organised by the State Women’s Commission, Kodagu district administration, zilla panchayat, Legal Services Authority and woman and child welfare department here Saturday, he said that women are successful in each and every field. Zilla Panchayat CEO P I Srividya said that women should be empowered economically. DySP Prasanna V Raju, Backward Classes and Minority Welfare officer K V Suresh, Women and Child welfare Deputy Director Mumthaz among others were present.

In a separate programme organised by the district legal services authority, Mahilodaya Mahila Okkuta and Bar Association, Additional Civil Judge S Siddaraju said that education helps in the progress of a country. Women should focus on education.

Ashok of ODP said that a society can progress only when they are empowered. There is a need to improve condition of women in rural areas. Child marriage, evils of dowry system should be eradicated from the society. Widows should be honoured and respected.

CMC Commissioner B B Pushpavathi read out an oath.

Mudigere

Women should engage themselves in productive works during their free time, said Ujire Church Priest Vincent.

Speaking at women’s day programme organised by Kapuchin Krishi Seva Kendra and Banakal Vimukthi SHG Federation, he said that mother mould the personality of her children.

Banakal Vimukthi SHG Federation President Prema said that the Federation has been emphasising on cleanliness. About 460 members of the Federation were given loan of Rs 5,000 each without interest to construct toilets in their houses. Women are encouraged to take up pisciculture, vermi compost and dairy farming to empower themselves financially. Women should develop leadership qualities in them and come to the mainstream of the society, said Banakal church priest Vinod.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District> Madikeri – DHNS , March 09th, 2014

Shubra ​Aiyappa is addicted to belly dancing

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

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Shubra Aiyappa, a self-confessed travel junkie, is addicted to belly dancing these days and she’s hoping to take it to a whole new level. “I have travelled a lot over the past few years and I try my best to go on a holiday at least once every five months. During one of my recent trips,when I went to Istanbul, I just fell in love with belly dancing.

Almost every cafe in Istanbul had a belly dancer and it was mesmerising to watch them perform. So, I decided to learn belly dancing as soon as I came back to Mumbai. It’s almost like a crazy workout,which is a big bonus for me and it’s really tough, although the professional belly dancers make it all seem very effortless,” Shubra says.

She reveals that she has just completed a-month-and-a-half course in belly dancing. “I have always loved dancing and I am hoping to show off my belly dancing skills in one of my films in the near future,” she says. The actress will soon be seen in Nara Rohit starrer Prathinidhi and she’s also part of another untitled Telugu film, where she is paired opposite Arvind Krishna. “I am in love with Telugu film industry and I feel at home every time I am in Hyderabad,” she says signing off.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Telugu> Movies / by Hemanth Kumar, TNN / March 20th, 2014

Harshika gets her first heroine-centric film

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

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Industry experts say that it was to be expected — the minute Kannada actress Harshika Poonacha dropped her bubbly girl-next-door image, meatier roles would come her way.

Harshika, whose last release B-3 saw her in a more sensuous avatar, has now bagged her first heroine-centric film. The Kannada film, which has been titled The Gulaabi Street, will be directed by debutant BS Pradeep Varma.

“I am very excited about this film, as I will be playing the main character. For the first time in my career, I am the hero in a film,” says the actress.

Heroine-centric films are still like a needle in a haystack and, not considered very commercially viable in Sandalwood. Does Harshika still think she can do justice to the role and carry a film on her shoulders?

“Yes, I believe that the character is just right for me. This film is about a girl who will love you if you love her, but rub her the wrong way and she will retaliate with equal force,” she says.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Kannada> Movies / by Prathibha Joy, TNN / March 24th, 2014

Coffee festival

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)

Cafe Coffee Day, Kuvempunagar, has organised Coffee Festival to learn the fine art of coffee making and many interesting facets of coffee art from Coffee Evangelist Merlin Raj (National Barista Champion of 2012.

Represented India at World Barista Championship in Vienna, Awarded for best signature beverage in Indian Barista championship) tomorrow at 12 noon.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Brief / March 19th, 2014

Media Academy awardees felicitated

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All

KodaguKF23mar2014Winners of Media Academy awards — K. Jeevan Chinnappa (Karnataka Bureau Chief of The Hindu) and M.S. Rajendra Kumar (Mysore Bureau Chief for Prajavani) — and who had served in Madikeri for several years, being felicitated by the Kodagu District Journalists’ Association in Madikeri yesterday.

Former Assembly Speaker and MLA Ramesh Kumar, senior journalist Ravindra Bhat, Kodagu Press Club President U.M. Poovaiah and Kodagu Patrika Bhavan Trust General Secretary K.B. Mahantesh are seen.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / March 18th, 2014

Nidhi Subbaiah is star struck

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

Many will be able to recognize Nidhi Subbaiah, but the actress is thrilled that a certain veteran actress recognized her. The Bangalore lass took to her micro-blogging page and tweeted that she met Waheeda Rahman recently and was surprised that the veteran actress remembered bumping into her two years ago. If that is the case, Nidhi seems to have made quite an impression.
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“Just had a fan girl moment with Waheeda Rahman! Again!! And she actually remembered we were on the same flight 2 years back! Sigh..,” tweeted Nidhi.

Nidhi, who hails from Coorg, made her acting debut with in the 2009 Telugu film Sweet Heart, after which she went on to do Kannada films like Pancharangi, Krishnan Marriage Story and Anna Bond. She made her Bollywood debut in 2012 with Ajab Gazabb Love in which she was paired with Jackky Bhagnani. She was even rumoured to be romantically involved with Jackky.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Kannada> Movies / TNN / March 17th, 2014

Actress Shubra Aiyappa launches Pochampally ‘IKAT art mela’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

Mela 2014, at Sree Chowdeshwari Kalyana Mantapa ,West of chord Road ,Rajaji Nagar,Bangalore.In this Mela, renowned Textile designers and Weavers of Pochampally , presenting their designer and appearls, handicrafted designer sarees, dress materials, hand bags many more. The exposition will be on till 23 rd March 2014.
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Sandalwood upcoming and Tollywood Actress Shubra Aiyappa inaugurated the Mela by lighting the lamp. “It’s glad to see various apparel, particularly designer Fabrics, silk and cotton sarees, to be showcased for the Fashion Connoisseurs” said Shubra .”Platforms such as this are required to reach out women looking for well-designed hand made handloom cotton, exclusive home textile. Which can see the blend of different style and concept of handloom creations coming together under one roof? she added.

‘Weavers exhibiting their creations of different genres of handloom products in vibrant colours and textures in wide variety and styles” Krishna- Ex -Chairman pochampally Handloom park, said. on display colour ful range of fabrics like home textile to apparel fabrics, stoles , scraves, and sarees in silk & Cotton, duppatas, table mats, covers, cotton shirts & Kurtis, Hand bags’ he added.

source: http://www.newstrackindia.com / NewsTrack / Home> Life Style / by NI Wire / Bangalore – Saturday, March 15th, 2014

Gulshan Devaiah’s selfie time

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

On Saturday morning, actor Gulshan Devaiah, restaurateur Carlton Braganza and actress Monica Dogra caught up at the arrival lounge of Kempegowda International Airport and managed a selfie.
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“Every picture I take I try to make it a selfie or a photo bomb… they’re in fashion,” said Devaiah. Devaiah, who is in the city to meet his mother, was thrilled to be here on Women’s Day (a coincidence, he insists). His wife is joining him in the city today. The trio was on the same plane from Mumbai but in different seats, and caught up with each other only on landing in the city.

Devaiah was reminiscing about meeting Braganza at Opus six years ago, when he was a semi-finalist at a kroak night. “It’s always nice to bump into nice people. Both are real artistes and I like them,” he told the diarist.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Kannada> Movies / by Bangalore Mirror Bureau / March 10th, 2014

‘Improve plight of women in rural areas’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders

There are several laws to protect the interest of women. Women should make use of the available laws to lead a dignified life, said First Additional District and Sessions Judge M V Jadara.

Speaking at women’s day programme organised by the State Women’s Commission, Kodagu district administration, zilla panchayat, Legal Services Authority and woman and child welfare department here Saturday, he said that women are successful in each and every field. Zilla Panchayat CEO P I Srividya said that women should be empowered economically. DySP Prasanna V Raju, Backward Classes and Minority Welfare officer K V Suresh, Women and Child welfare Deputy Director Mumthaz among others were present.

In a separate programme organised by the district legal services authority, Mahilodaya Mahila Okkuta and Bar Association, Additional Civil Judge S Siddaraju said that education helps in the progress of a country. Women should focus on education.

Ashok of ODP said that a society can progress only when they are empowered. There is a need to improve condition of women in rural areas. Child marriage, evils of dowry system should be eradicated from the society. Widows should be honoured and respected.

CMC Commissioner B B Pushpavathi read out an oath.

Mudigere

Women should engage themselves in productive works during their free time, said Ujire Church Priest Vincent.

Speaking at women’s day programme organised by Kapuchin Krishi Seva Kendra and Banakal Vimukthi SHG Federation, he said that mother mould the personality of her children.

Banakal Vimukthi SHG Federation President Prema said that the Federation has been emphasising on cleanliness. About 460 members of the Federation were given loan of Rs 5,000 each without interest to construct toilets in their houses. Women are encouraged to take up pisciculture, vermi compost and dairy farming to empower themselves financially. Women should develop leadership qualities in them and come to the mainstream of the society, said Banakal church priest Vinod.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS / Madikeri – March 09th, 2014

India uncovered: hiking in Coorg

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, World Opinion

The Coorg highlands
The Coorg highlands

I‘m on a craggy ledge in the hills of Karnataka, and although it has been a tough four-hour hike to get up here, the views are extraordinary. At an altitude of just over 5,000ft, I can see all the way to the Arabian Sea coast and the jungles of Nagarhole.

Coorg (also known as Kodagu) is one of the wildest mountainous regions in India, covered in dense forests inhabited by wild boar, elephant, sloth bears and tropical birds. But there is little sign of man. On my way up, I have walked through rainforest, climbed over stiles, hiked through paddy fields, pastures and plantations of coffee and cardamom into misty thickets of teak and rosewood. And I have passed just 10 people.

The reasons for this are historical. Until the 19th century, the area was ruled by a clan of Kodagu rajas who deliberately kept the hill country devoid of roads, and relied on narrow jungle trails between settlements to discourage invasion. That, for a while, kept foreigners out. Even a few years ago, Coorg was little visited, and anyone adventurous enough to come here stayed in small traditional hotels, temple rooms or the private homes of the local Kodava people. There was very little on offer for travellers.

The highlands of Coorg as seen from Vivanta by Taj Picture: Chris Caldicott
The highlands of Coorg as seen from Vivanta by Taj
Picture: Chris Caldicott

That all changed last year with the opening of Vivanta by Taj Madikeri Coorg in Madikeri, the region’s beautiful hill station capital. Now, visitors not only have a contemporary hotel in which to relax (it has glass walls to show off the spectacular views) but also a new range of activities to enjoy, based on the natural surroundings and the culture of the Kodava people (who have their own tribal dress and cuisine – and a fondness for extremely strong liquor).
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Easy day treks can be organised from Madikeri, including one to the impressive, domed Indo-Saracenic tombs of the rajas at Gaddige and the spectacular Abbi Falls. Other options for guests at the Taj property include overnight guided treks into the misty peaks, past streams and forest temples, and courses in zip-wire and high-rope skills. For the less adventurous traveller, there are botanical walks in the 180-acre forest and trips to villages to learn about pottery and other crafts. Not least of the attractions is a 30,000ft spa, for those who prefer to eschew adventure and just take up a supine position and be pummelled.
The hotel's Jiva Grande spa
The hotel’s Jiva Grande spa

The accommodation: Perched high on a forested ridge, the 63 villas are discreetly hidden in the rainforest canopy. Features include wraparound glass walls, huge marble tubs and warming fires. The architecture takes inspiration from local houses, with entrances and courtyards open to the sky and, at the spa, wood-fired Gudda baths (where guests are scrubbed and massaged). Dishes on offer range from Coorg specialities and health food to international cuisine. Doubles from £80, b&b.

Getting there: Greaves Travel is offering six nights at Vivanta by Taj and one night at Taj West End Bangalore from £1,880 per person. The price includes breakfasts, return flight with British Airways, private transfers and guides.

source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk / The Telegraph / Home> Luxury> Travel / by Chris Caldicott / March 07th, 2014