Monthly Archives: February 2013

State gets honey from far off places to meet demand

Business & Economy

Bangalore:

Changing food habits has transformed the market for honey over the last few years. The industry has grown over five times in this period, challenging honey packers to strengthen their backward linkage to ensure product availability in the market.

So much so that honey packers in Karnataka have been sourcing honey from far off States such as Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand since production in Kodagu and Shimoga districts, the traditional honey producing regions, is insufficient to meet the growing demand. From about 500 tonnes of honey sold in 2005 in Karnataka, the market in 2012-2013 has reached about 3,000 tonnes, regional honey packers’ estimate.

“Honey, which was earlier used in very small quantities for medicinal purposes or in rituals, has now become a part of the monthly grocery list of many homes,” J.D. Shivashankar, Chief Executive Officer of Prakruthi, told The Hindu . “The steep rise is due to the realisation of health benefits by a large number of consumers and also due availability in stores that has increased volume sales,” he added. This increase has put pressure on the packers sourcing for good quality honey.

Packers here source sunflower honey from Bijapur, and Latur in Maharashtra, Dhaniya and Ajwain honey from Madhya Pradesh, Jamun honey from Rajasthan, Mustard and Eucalyptus from Punjab, Mustard honey from Haryana, Karanj and Lichi from Bihar and Jharkhand and also forest honey from Sunderbans in West Bengal, all depending on seasons.

While most of the packers offer multi-floral honey, a combination of honey; a few provide uni-floral honey depending on the season.

“The demand increased substantially since honey was being promoted as a health product. Today, it is not about sourcing honey, but how well it is processed and packaged to maintain quality,” said Chaya Nanjappa of Nectar Fresh, a Karnataka Village and Industries Board backed unit. One of the biggest processers and packagers of honey, Mysore-based Nectar Fresh is an ISO 22,000 certified company that offers both multi-floral and uni-floral honey.

“We collect different kinds of honey from our mobile units, depending on the season in the north and ensure quality product is received,” she said. There is a huge growth in the bulk supplies to hospitality, pharma and Ayurveda industries, she added.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> National> Karnataka / by Sharath S. Srivatsa / February 15th, 2013

Coffee grower to exhibit his 85 cars

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Sports

Madikeri:

Ahmad Kutti, a resident of Nellihudikeri, has organized an exhibition of 85 different cars, some vintage, on February 13 and 14.

Entrance to the exhibition is free for students from Siddapur, Abhyathmangala, Nellihudikeri and other surrounding villages. In addition to the cars, Kutti, a coffee grower, also owns 20 two-wheelers, seven jeeps and seven lorries.

Among the cars Kutti owns is a 1951-model Moris minor,1953-Hill man,1976-Moris-8, 1943 Ford jeep,1928 Ford tower, 1948 Ford perfect, 1946-Ford Myangilo, 1948-Austin-A-50, 1968-Hill man super mix and 1956-Austin-A-50.

Kutti has a separate garage for these cars inside his estate. The cars are not merely showpieces, but are in working condition, he says proudly. His son Ashraf, who studies in Bangalore, informs his father immediately when there is a vintage car for sale. Kutti has even bought a vintage car from senior politician K H Patil for just Rs 3,500.

After purchasing the car, some of which have to be brought to his garage in a lorry, Kutti gets them repaired spending more than its worth to bring them back to running condition. Kutti even brought a car from Pune.

He brought one car from Pune. He is also a member of the Karnataka Vintage Cars Association and participates in every vintage car rally.

Initially, his family members were worried, but about his peculiar taste, later they adjusted and enjoying moveding in those cars. The records of all the cars are perfectly maintained.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Bangalore / TNN / February 11th, 2013

Bidappa to celebrate ‘Karnataka Day’ at Surajkund Mela

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

Karnataka has been selected as the theme state for the ongoing International Crafts Mela, Surajkund and ace designer Prasad Bidappa will choreograph a fashion show Saturday to celebrate ‘Karnataka Day’.

From colours, ethnicity, traditions to hospitality, the best of Karnataka is showcased at the 27th edition of the crafts mela started Feb 1.

Karnataka’s main event will take place Saturday with a fashion show and a bouquet of cultural programmes. The day will be observed as ‘Karnataka Day’, reads a statement.

“Our main intention this year is to portray the grandeur of the many worlds of Karnataka that many people don’t know about,” Arvind Jadhav, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism), Government of Karnataka, said in a statement.

“We now want to bring to centre stage little known but highly intriguing facts about our silks and sarees, the Dharwad gharana and its contribution to hindustani music, the colourful patterns of Navalgund and Kasuti, the national flag manufacturing that is unique to our khadi units in Dharwad and many such lesser known stories,” he added.

As many as 400 artistes and artisans from across the state of Karnataka are participating at the mela and are presenting various forms of art, folk, music, dance and theatre shows.

Also the venue has been transformed into some of the popular monuments of the state including Tulabara from Hampi, Bara Kaman from Bijapur, Belur Chennakeshava Temple, Mysore Palace, Dasara Dolls, Jain Basadi, Pattadakal Temple Complex, Vijayanagara Empire and Hoysala Pillars.

There are a total of 75 stalls from Karnataka presenting their wares at the 15-day craft mela.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home / by IANS / New Delhi – February 08th, 2013

Starbucks, Tata Coffee open roasting plant in Karnataka

Business & Economy, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)

US-based Starbucks Coffee Company and its Indian partner Tata Coffee today inaugurated a roasting and packaging plant in Karnataka that will cater to the domestic as well as select overseas markets in future.

“In a key partnership milestone between Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Coffee Ltd, the two companies today inaugurated a roasting and packaging plant in Kushalnagar in Coorg, Karnataka,” the two firms said in a joint statement.

This facility will enable roasting and packaging of green coffee beans for Starbucks stores in India and select markets around the globe in future, it added.

Commenting on the development, Starbucks Coffee President (China and Asia Pacific) John Culver said: “This deepens our sourcing relationship with India’s coffee farmers and further demonstrates our long-term commitment to sourcing high quality arabica coffee.”

The facility is spread across 8,258 sq ft and has an installed production capacity of 375 MT. The plant has three major sections – green coffee storage and handling, roasting, and packing and dispatch.

“The plant leverages our combined strengths and passion for sharing the finest quality coffees with customers. This momentous occasion signifies a milestone development in our relationship with Starbucks as we roast and package our locally sourced espresso roast and prepare to export roasted and packaged coffees to select markets,” Tata Coffee Managing Director Hameed Huq said.

Earlier this week, Starbucks had said India will become one of its top five global markets in the long-term and will continue to expand aggressively here. It did not share any timeframe to achieve this target.

The company, which missed its target of opening 50 outlets in the country by 2012 at an investment of Rs 400 crore, however, remained non-committal on by when it would be able reach the milestone.

Tata Starbucks, the global coffee giant’s equal joint venture with Tata Global Beverages for the Indian market, has opened its 7th outlet in the country at Connaught Place here.

The JV had opened its first outlet in India in October 2012 in Mumbai, where it currently has four cafes. Last month, Tata Starbucks opened two more outlets at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Home> Companies> News / by Press Trust of India / New Delhi, February 08th, 2013

Harshika’s performing in Dandelli

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

On Sunday morning, Sandalwood actress Harshika Poonacha had a very early start to her day. The actress, who is scheduled to perform in Dandelli later in the day, was at the airport at as early as 5 am and tweeting about it.

Harshika had to be at the Bengaluru International Airport that early as flight timings had been advanced. “Good morning tweeps :)) Yes ll be very much performing in dhandeli today,On my way to d airport,All d flights are preponed,aarghhhhh!!” she wrote on her micro-blogging page.

Hours later, the actress was in Belgaum and seemed mighty pleased upon seeing the city colourfully decked with posters of the Challenging Star Darshan-starrer Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna, which is inching towards the 100-day mark at the box office “Jus landed in Belgaum,n I can c d posters of Sangolli Rayanna completing 100days everywher,feels proud to be a part of Kannada film industry,” she tweeted.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> Entertainment> Regional> Kannada / by Prathibha Joy, TNN / February 10th, 2013

His name is F.M Khan

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Leaders, Nature, Records, All


Caption: 1) F. M. Khan with SOM Editor-in-Chief K.B.Ganapathy 2) Garden in front of the house with a fountain.

It was a fortuitous visit. Being Sunday, I decided to drive to Kodagu with a couple of my friends with a double intent — visit the coffee estate, this being the coffee picking season and to enjoy God’s rest day Sunday with good food in one of those innumerable resorts and holiday homes. And on our way back via Madikeri, at Boikeri, about 8 kms on Mysore road, I saw a frayed, grayed wooden sign-post with the legend Balayatrie Estate with a colourful flex board announcing the flower show. Instantly, I knew what it was — the annual flower show conducted by the owner of the estate F.M. Khan, a former Congress Rajya Sabha member and a good friend of former Chief Minister of Karnataka R. Gundu Rao.

For courtesy, I asked my friends if we could visit the show even as I swerved the vehicle to the kachcha road into the estate. A few metres inside and there were nearly 20 cars parked in two parking lots. Men, women and children were there enjoying the flower garden in front of the house with a dysfunctional fountain surrounded by angelic figures (see picture). There were many burqa-clad ladies among others. I wondered if there would come a day in our country when a fatwa would be unleashed to prohibit growing of certain varieties of flowers, as it happened in Kashmir where a fatwa was issued prohibiting playing of certain kind of songs and music by an all-girls band!

Poor Rock Band girls and their families are in hiding now. What a secular country this. Sometimes, I wonder if secularism in this country is applicable only to Hindus and not to other religious groups. A re-look into the definition of this nebulous word ‘secular’ or ‘secularism’ is needed because this word finds a place in our Constitution following an amendment, which was not there otherwise. Let it be.

To revert to F.M. Khan’s flower show, I have nothing but admiration for his efforts, a labour of love. I learn he has been holding this private flower show since 1998 and people are enjoying it thoroughly, for, after all, who would not love flowers. Flower saplings too were there for sale but when I went much of it was sold. Khan’s youngest daughter, who obviously must have taken total responsibility for the show, too was there at the sales point with a receipt book and a visitors’ book.

The name F.M. Khan was as familiar in Karnataka as in Delhi in the late 80s — during the period of Emergency — like R. Gundu Rao then and Shah Rukh Khan today in Bollywood. F.M. Khan and Gundu Rao were two names the Congress (I) party members in Karnataka respected as much as feared for they really did matter in politics of the day — thanks to their intimacy to Sanjay Gandhi the Terrible of the Emergency days. In fact, these two from Karnataka were the blue-eyed boys of Sanjay Gandhi.

It was Gundu Rao who went to the Bangalore Race Club and ‘trapped’ photographs of a few IAS officers who should have been in the Vidhana Soudha. And it made all-India news. I was in Poona then.

As for F.M. Khan, he was like a young stallion, a rising star. Sadly, he faded into oblivion as fast as he rose in politics. If my memory serves me right, I think he was also the Treasurer of the party.

Mrs. Indira Gandhi had visited this house and stayed there after she lost power, post-Emergency and it was big news. I was looking for a plaque somewhere outside the house commemorating the visit of such a great leader but could not find one. I also forgot to ask Khan or his daughter about Indira Gandhi’s visit.

The house, a typical British bungalow with tiled roof, is rather old, may be a hundred-year-old and looked its age needing restoration. The surroundings with service buildings too looked as if in need of care and maintenance. As I strolled around, I was mentally visualising the old glory and the flamboyant life the family, including F.M. Khan, led in the past as one of the richest coffee planters of Kodagu.

Times have changed and the young, debonair F.M. Khan too has changed — has become old like me, but a senior.

In his heydays in politics, he was confident and assertive. Always on short fuse. But now he seemed to have mellowed. He still carries that aristocratic bearing on his feeble shoulders. Heard, he was once mortally sick, but has bounced back. As visitors were trooping into the garden, he was standing at the steps giving a gentle welcome smile with a twinkle in his eyes, apparently feeling happy and nice about what miracle he has done with the flower show spreading happiness and fragrance.

My friends did not know him though they had heard his name. As a courtesy, I acknowledged his presence and wished him simultaneously introducing myself. He seemed to have recognised me. “Would you mind if I took a picture with you?” He smiled in approval (see picture) and as I took leave of him he said, “I am extending the show by a day till tomorrow. Would you publish it in your Kannada paper Mysooru Mithra?” I kept my word, of course.

Yes, I met our own F.M. Khan and reminded myself how nature and time, together, ravage man and all his creations.

Tailpiece: If only R. Gundu Rao had not overplayed his role and got expelled from the party at a critical time after losing the State elec-tion, I am sure, both he and F.M. Khan would have risen in the party and F.M. Khan would be playing the role of another Khan from Karna-taka, the present Minister for Minority Affairs K. Rehman Khan in Congress. With the sudden tragic death of their Godfather Sanjay Gandhi, their political fortunes faded for ever. Sadly, Gundu Rao too died young.

e-mail: kbg@starofmysore.com

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / Home> Abracadabra…. Abracadabra /by K. B. Ganapathy / February 09th, 2013

Storm music fest spreads wings, may go abroad

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Coorg (Karnataka):

After two successful editions in the misty landscape of Napoklu here, the Storm Music Festival might become a bi-annual affair, and one edition each year may even take place in international shores, says one of the festival directors.

The event could happen in Coorg itself, but at a different location here, said Lavin Uthappa, managing director of Liquidspace Entertainment, the organisers of the two-day music fest.

Talking about the plans, Uthappa said: “We are not really keeping the same venue next year. The person who has given us the place is into tea plantation, so obviously he would think about himself too.

“We have seen about seven locations in Coorg, also spoke to other states which have the facility of managing a music fest. It could also be in the north region, and of course, if we get offers from international market, we might end up doing one in India and another one abroad.”

The event is a mélange of adventure, camping, ecological awareness, late night campsite jams and handpicked music from across the world.

IANS

source: http://www.ZeeNewsIndia.com / Home> Music / Saturday, February 02nd, 2013

Raghu Dixit, Karsh Kale set Coorg music fest on fire

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Coorg (Karnataka), Feb 1 (IANS)

Serving Indian ethnic and folk music in their innovative, modern styles, two well-known Indian bands – The Raghu Dixit Project and Karsh Kale Collective, jazzed up the mood of an already keyed-up audience at the Storm Music Festival’s first day Friday.

The two-day fest is taking place in the misty but picturesque landscape of Napoklu.

The band of Raghu Dixit chose to present their unique Indian folk music to different level by contemporarising it in modern way. The unique combination of traditional Indian sounds mixed with western influences was one of the high points of the day, not to forget Dixit’s humorous way of interacting with fans.

Karsh Kale Collective mixed different genres of music such as Indian classical and folk with electronica, rock and pop for their performance, thrilling music aficionados with their passion and creativity.
“I loved both of them and I think they are the pioneers of the music industry… so who would want to miss then if they are performing in our city,” said Raghav Ram, one of the local residenta who came with his girlfriend to see them perform.
Dixit was excited to perform in Coorg.

“It is always good to perform here. We were there for the last edition also and I thank all who came today to see us perform. I also feel bad for those who didn’t come to be the part of fest and I just wish they should join us tomorrow,” he said during his performance.

Other who added fun on day one were bands Aganya, Coshish, Agam, and Advaita, singers Alisha Pais, Anand Vijay Sharma and spinners like Nikhil Chinapa, Vachan Chinapa, Pearl along with others.

As many as 40 Indian artists and five international artists are set to perform on four stages at the event.
In an another eagerly-awaited performance, singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan and popular fusion band Indian Ocean, two powerhouses of the Indian music industry, are set to collaborate for the first time for the grand finale of the fest.
The event will also be a melange of adventure, camping, ecological awareness and late night campsite jams. In all, the fest will go beyond music, with workshops on farming and yoga. The festival also stands firm on its ‘No Drugs’ policy.

(Nivedita can be contacted at nivedita.s@ians.in)

source: http://www.in.movies.yahoo.com / Home> Movie Reviews / by Nivedita, IANS / IANS India Private Limited / Friday, February 01st, 2013

M’lore: Birth anniversary of Field Marshal General Cariappa observed

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All

Mangalore,:

Dakshina Kannada Kodava Students Association observed 114th birth anniversary of Field Marshal General Cariappa at Kadri War Memorial to pay tribute to the great soldier.

N Prakash, deputy commissioner of Dakishna Kannada said, “Field Marshal General Cariappa was great a man, known for his bravery, discipline and dedication to the nation. He is an inspiration to all.”

Captain Ganesh Karnik in his inspirational address said, “General Cariappa’s contribution to the nation is immense; his birth anniversary should be celebrated throughout the nation. From past 65 years, more than 65,000 soldiers sacrificed their life for the sake of the nation. Though all of us cannot join the army, we can serve the nation in our daily deeds and show our respect to the nation. Kodagu has given great soldiers to this nation. When Pakistan occupied POK in 1948, General Thimayya said “Give me one week time, I will occupy every inch of land what we have lost today”. In 1971, during the Indo- Pak war, our army captured upto Lahore but unfortunately our army was called back. 90,000 Pakistani soldiers from eastern fronts and 4,000 soldiers from western fronts were taken as prisoners but were later freed. Today the Kodagu youths are moving towards IT BT, while the number of youths joining army is becoming less.”

Advisor of Kodava Students Association, S P Chengappa said, “Field Marshal General Cariappa was the first person if India to become the Field Marshall General for army, navy and air force. He was first Indian to receive Legion of Merit award.”

Nikhil Cariappa along with Darshini Dechamma submitted a memorandum to DC Chengappa the statue of Field Marshal General Cariappa to be installed at Nanthoor Circle.

Nalin Kumar Kateel MP, Capt Brijesh, state award winner Kasturi and Sudharathana were present on the occasion.

Darshini Dechamma welcomed, Harshitha Mandanna compered.

source: http://www.DaijiWorld.com / Home> Karnataka> News / Pic: Spoorthi Ullah / Daiji World Media Network – Mangalore (DV) / Mangalore, January 28th, 2013