Eagle eye on birds of prey

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

Kiran Pooncha.
Kiran Pooncha.

From sketching to photography could be considered a natural transition, but switching from land acquisition to bird photography and conservation is a paradigm shift. Kiran Poonacha from Bangalore has not only made that shift but also crowned it with international laurels and appreciation from the world’s best bird photographers.

Known as the raptor man of India, Pooncha is a born conservationist, rescuing and carrying out documentation work on raptors, especially eagles in various corners of India. It also gives him an opportunity to capture the majestic birds in action. Says Pooncha, “I love their temperament, their style, their enormous power and majesticity. I want to share my moments with these powerful yet graceful birds with everybody.”

Unlike visualisation by other photographers, his image of the winged wonders stands out because they are captured when in action and that is what gives life to the pictures. The birds taking off, flying, diving, swooping, hunting, feeding, nurturing, he has caught all these with the right background and foreground, surreal lighting, great precision and artistic imagery. “Capturing birds in flight is technically very challenging but it is such rare movements that interest people and also stays in their memory. I’m also pursuing my passion in my hometown Coorg. This is a tribute to what I have been exposed to during my early years while growing up in Madikeri. I sincerely hope my photographs will help influence people conserve birds by restoring their natural habitat,” says Pooncha with a smile.

Hailing from a family of nature lovers and born and bred in the hill district of Coorg, a place abounding with rare and beautiful species of birds, Pooncha was inspired to start birding at the tender age of seven. Chikkaballapur, where he did his schooling and a nearby place called Gudibande with rocky terrain and scrub forests that support a variety of avians, played an important role in igniting his interest. Midway for 15 years, he missed nurturing these winged wonders in their habitat as he was busy with his education and professional duties but now nothing seems to stop him in his pursuit.

“I patiently bided for the time when I could go back to the world of birds. In 2006, Neeta, my wife and birding partner, gifted me a camera and that is when my passion for capturing my love for birds began. Coinciding with this, I met a couple of people through a social networking website who shared similar interests. These incidents gave me a second chance to pursue my passion to visualise birds in a permanent frame,” says Pooncha.

Pooncha became a member of India Nature Watch that supports well-known photographers from across the country for sharing their work on their website. This exposure played an important role in helping him to improve his photographic skills. He purchased his first DSLR camera in 2007 and his dear friend and boss Kumar Babu gifted a zoom lens and that is when he started concentrating on his chosen hobby, bird photography.

“I have done extensive studies on birds since childhood. I have raised pigeons, kites, parakeets, and sparrows, looked after injured birds, tending to their broken wings and spoon-fed them. Not all survived, however, one injured black kite would not part from me even after two years,” says the raptor man. Pooncha proudly adds, “I can tell you the spots where ea gles can be found, where they hunt, breed and Bangalore is filled with raptors—tawny eagles, snake eagles, boneless eagles, Indian spotted eagles and many more species.”

Now, every holiday and weekend is taken up by trips to scrub forests and wetlands around Bangalore in search of eagles. His favourite haunts on the outskirts of the city include Hessarghatta, T G Halli, Bannerghatta forests, Gudibande and Hoskote.

Over the years, his portfolio on raptors has attracted international attention and awards as some of the images are pretty rare, hitherto never captured on camera. Dedicated to studying these birds, Pooncha says, “My social life is a big zero as all my time is taken up either following them through thorny jungles or standing in slimy wetlands for days together, hoping for the best shot.”

Recollecting his experiences, he says, “Once I was following a Bar Headed Geese near Talkad near Mysore when a snake wound up around my leg. My position was so treacherous that neither could I leave my subject nor ignore the reptile. But fortunately, after two hours, the snake slinked away. Another time, I had to sit in the water for hours together to get a Little Grebe in action. Some images like two snakes fighting for territory at Hessarghatta, a snake eagle hovering between death and new life and falcons at Kolar for whom I waited for three years are still fresh in my mind.”

Pooncha’s dream project, a birding resort on a 30-acre land surrounded by Pushpagiri Hills near Madikeri will soon be a reality. He is hoping to bring renowned experts like Arthur Morris, popularly called “father of bird photography”, Doug Brown and others for workshops on bird photography apart from giving an opportunity to youngsters to know more about birds.

Decrying the nation’s obsession with big mammals, Pooncha appeals, “Birds need our help. They play a very important role in the food chain, pollination and of course, they are the natural scavengers of the earth. We have to look beyond tigers and elephants as India has thousands of species that needs protection at all levels. If I can convince hundred people to conserve nature in and around Bangalore, it will be a small beginning to save these helpless avians.”

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Magazine / by Meera Bhardwaj / March 31st, 2013

We, the voices of love

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

We, the Voices of Love, assert:

The true beauty and vision of a language stem less from the quantity of its speakers and more from the quality of its openness to growth of varying worldviews, other linguistic traditions and its own hybrid development.

Languages inspire imaginations beyond constructed demarcations of religion, caste, class, political boundaries and forms of chauvinism. Hence, the more languages we know, the more we can work to build a better tomorrow.

Within the political confines of Karnataka, we have a rich legacy of syncretism, secularism and Ahimsa. Various identities have not only co-existed but coalesced, strengthening our peoples.

Languages, like human beings, are combinations of multiple linguistic, religious and other identities. Hence, like our languages, we are all inter-connected, making us one and the same.

Within the political boundaries of Karnataka, history and art reveal that all religious and community affiliations have contributed to the growth of Kannada.

Our common theme of love and equality is exemplified through artists and icons such as the following: Gururajalu Naidu, Ferdinand Kittel, Pampa, AK Ramanujan, Kanaka Dasa, Shishunaala Shareef, DV Gundappa, Nisar Ahmed’s translations of Pablo Neruda, Poorna Chandra Tejaswi, Vachanagaras, and several others.

Such unity in diversity has made all our languages a model for the entire globe.

Languages offer an inclusive way of overcoming our shared histories of colonial suffocation. During colonialism, monolithic linguistic identities were forged among our people via the English language and others. The only way to regain our pluralistic strength is to reject static linguistic traditions entrenched by the English language (and other colonial forms) and develop our vernaculars in abundance.

In other words, our lingua franca(s) must always be diverse and complex if we are to grow as unified peoples. If we settle for a static, colonial option like English (or any other) as the primary lingua franca, we limit our imaginative capabilities and perpetuate the dominance and violence of imperial rule once again.

That doesn’t mean the colonial linguistic option should be rejected completely. Instead, it should be learnt as a means to overcome the histories of subjugation we have faced by those languages of colonial descent. Learning must be a form of taking pride in our heterogeneity and marginalisation and never a need to emulate or display proficiency which more deeply entrenches hierarchies in the public spheres.

Accents of all kinds are equally valid, and we should work to promote our indigenous accents within the framework of learning the colonial language(s).

We must be aware of our interactions on a daily basis. It is positive growth when we speak to one another in our local languages even without complete knowledge of the others’ languages (either spoken and/or written), as we are actually helping our minds grow creatively. Also, by communicating in one another’s vernaculars, we are engendering new(er), hybrid languages, recognising our shared histories, undermining modern-day vestiges of imperialism, and hence, strengthening our peoples even further.

According to many scholars, children can readily learn 5 to 6 languages at a stretch. We ask that men and women raising children keep this in mind for long-term betterment and promote the learning of and interaction with several languages along with the tenants of Ahimsa, love, equality and ubiquitous respect.

People without conventional verbal linguistic skills should also be treated as equals and their languages of sign and other methods recognised as equal linguistic traditions.

For the information of all, languages of our peoples outlined within the political boundaries of Karnataka are described in detail below:

The medieval Deccan has been a major repository of Urdu cultural maturation. The Adil Shahis of Bijapur enhanced the aesthetics of Urdu (Dakhani) and even patronised the growth of Sanskrit, Marathi and Kannada, giving credence to the inclusiveness of the Sufi traditions. Partition Urdu literature by Ishmat Chughtai, Hasan Sadat Manto, and others along with ghazals, shairis and kawalis remain inspirations of goodness, compassion and love for all of us today.

The Qutub Shahis of Golkonda (and Hyderabad) also engendered heterodoxy within the political confines of today’s Andhra Pradesh. The Qutub Shahis championed non-violence, demilitarisation and the growth of Indo/Persian synthesis. Also, the kingdom of Vijayanagar exemplifies the splendour of Telugu-Kannada interdependence and friendship. Today’s Hyderabad-Karnataka region (and Bengaluru) not only has speakers of both languages but has created linguistic amalgams that combine the historicity of Kannada with the lyricality of Telugu. Also, the poetry of Telugu has inspired many to question the injustices of society, making social reformers like Guruzada Venkata Apparao and Srirangam Srinivasa Rao relevant today.

The Tamil Bhakti movements of inclusivity and resistance, Ramaswamy Periyar’s idealism and the reformation poet Subramanya Bharati reside in all our hearts even today. Tamil has had an organic presence in our capital Bengaluru ever since the Chola period. Today, those who trace lineage to the age-old migrations from Tamil Nadu-such as litterateur Masti Venkatesh Iyengar and others-have produced wonderful works of art and literature in our local languages.

The theatre movements of Kannada have gained much from the vibrant stage traditions of Marathi (along with Bengali and Parsi dramaturgy movements) via talented stalwarts like Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar. Marati speakers from Belgaum, Bidar and Bengaluru have provided strong governance dating back to Hyder Ali. Writers such as Da. Ra. Bendre remain sources of strength for today’s Kannada literary harmony. Vijay Tendulkar’s plays in Marathi have been recognised globally and we appreciate his hybrid Konkani legacy.

Konkani, Tulu, Beary Bashe, and languages of the coast reveal a history of global interactions and innate hybridity. For example, the Paddanas of Tulu describe empowered femininity. The positive growth of the Tulu film industry is also a sign of progress and we support its creativity. Konkani and Beary epitomise diverse linguistic traditions. Konkani’s transnational-ness is evident in its influences from Arab, Turkish and Gujarati sources. Beary Bashe’s folk music, ghazals and literatures highlight an artistic fortitude stretching beyond political boundaries into today’s Kerala.

Malayalam has speakers throughout Dakshin Kannad, Mangalore and Bengaluru. Malayalam speakers’ attempts at overwhelming religious, social and educational egalitarianism in Kerala are acknowledgements that all communities and occupations have contributed in building a more inclusive society. We hope Malayalam speakers continue their robust cinema traditions, literary movements and political thoughts as exemplified by the likes of Asan, Ulloor and Vallathol as well as EMS Namboodiripad.

The often-overlooked tribal languages are the ones that present a highly unique, potent and inclusive force of imagination. Kodava has made strides in developing a new script and we support such creative efforts by the Mendale Takka and Kiggaati Takka. We also ask that Kodavas take a leadership position and help grow other tribal languages within our political confines as the Kodavas have benefited much in our society when compared to other tribal languages.

The speakers of our tribal languages such as Sholiga, Jenu Kuruba, Bettad Kuruba are the pride of our peoples. Their languages and belief systems possess enabling oral traditions, innate spirituality, and tenants of equality and justice that should be recognised and fostered for the benefit of the self-esteem of the speakers and an all-encompassing inclusive consciousness.

The people of Karnataka have a legacy of kindness and respect for those of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds both within the political confines of India and across the globe regardless of race, gender, class, community, religion or any other constructed affiliations. From Tipu Sultan who was fluent in six lanaguages, including Urdu, Persian, Arabic, Kannada, English and French, to Kengal Hanumanthiah who laid the foundations of social service and architecture via “Government’s Work is God’s Work” motto, to Nijalingappa who provided land for Tibetan refugees in Bylakuppe/ Mundgod/Kollegal/Gurupura, our peoples have prioritised inclusivity and heterodoxy.

According to ‘National Geographic’ sources, one language dies every 14 days and over the course of fifty years, the world will lose 7,000 languages. The speakers of our local languages recognise that any language on the ‘verge of extinction’ anywhere within the political confines of Karnataka requires immediate attention from its speakers, our governments and us. ‘Verge of extinction’ refers to languages that have not been given due recognition governmentally/financially (not including the ones listed above) or has a primarily elderly group of people communicating and maintaining it. We ask the youths to contact the elders of these communities who are like libraries of knowledge and insight, respect our elders, care for them and gain knowledge by documenting as much of the language’s oral traditions, legends, folklore, songs, histories, written works and the like from them immediately via videos, notebooks, recordings, etc – as it is in the best interest of our peoples, our languages and our humanity.

The people within the politically-defined boundaries of Karnataka also show respect and care without ever displaying inappropriate physical contact, visual oogling or verbal obscenities toward the women, men, and all gendered migrant workers, students, travellers, and peoples from within our regions, our political nation-state, the larger South Asian subcontinent and throughout the globe.

The political boundaries of Karnataka are composed of the following peoples: Bihari peoples who trace lineage to social reformers like ‘Babuji’ Jagjivan Ram and Siddhartha Gautama Buddha; Bengali peoples from the birthplace of colonial resistance, Kamaladevi Chatopadhyaya, Rabindra Sangeet, Sheikh Mujbir Rahman and delicacies of seafood; the dedicated workers of the Northeast from the lands of Irom Sharmila, a gender-inclusive Thang-ta and vibrant dance traditions; Malayalam peoples of Syrian Jews and their principles of religious inclusivity; the Afghani people with age-old traditions of heterodoxy epitomised with languages of Pasthu, Dari, Baluchi, religious cohesiveness of Jews, Arabs, and Hindu faiths, the nomadic integration of Uzbeks, Kyrgyes, and Turkmens, Pashtun champions of our Partition freedom struggle Khudai Khitmadgar, and Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan; the peoples of Northern, Central, and Western India and beyond political boundaries of the nation-state from the lands of Dara Shikoh, Guru Nanak, Shukra Raj Shastri, ‘Mahatma’ Gandhi, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Kashyap Bandhu, Maulana Azad, Sir Muhammad Iqbal, Bapsi Sidhwa, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the struggles of Medha Patkar, the wonders of all forms of classical music, folk sports, and folk art; those from the lands of Buddha’s influence of Jigme Singye Wangchuk, AP De Zoysa, and Vijay Kumaranatunga; those from the global traditions of social reform such as Annie Besant, Mother Teresa and Anne Smedinghoff.

Our peoples also seek the support from those of Africa, Middle East, South America, North/Central/Southeast Asia, global Island Nations, Australia, North America, Europe, and all others who believe in and champion LOVE, EQUALITY, and AHIMSA for all.

To all language speakers across the globe, we acknowledge your struggles, admire your courage and extend our worlds to you.

Join hearts as we are all the Voices of Love.

source: http://www.ibnlive.in.com / Home> Blogs / Chatan Ahimsa / Thursday, April 11th, 2013

A valued legacy

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

Heart For Art: Rani Pooviah / Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Heart For Art: Rani Pooviah / Special Arrangement / The Hindu

A painting by Rani Pooviah now finds a place in the K.C.S. Paniker Museum of the Madras Movement, thanks to a donation

Over 50 years ago, a young artist named Rani Pooviah lived in Chennai, and taught at the Government College of Fine Arts. One of very few women in the field at that time, she was a gifted artist, a beloved teacher, and an integral part of the group of visionary artists, led by K.C.S. Paniker, who founded Cholamandal Artists’ Village in the 1960s.

A tragic accident cut short her life and her career, but not before she had made a significant contribution to the Madras Movement. That contribution was in danger of being forgotten, but now, her legacy has been enshrined in the K.C.S. Paniker Museum of the Madras Movement, in the form of a painting donated by P.M. Belliappa, in association with the Coorg Association of Madras.

One of Rani Pooviah's works / Special Arrangement / The Hindu
One of Rani Pooviah’s works / Special Arrangement / The Hindu

GLARING OMISSION

“I’ve been working at finding her works for some time,” said Belliappa, who knew Rani and her family personally. “Last year, I finally did. It had been haunting me that her paintings weren’t a part of the Museum. It was a glaring omission, a serious lacuna.”

“Rani and I both come from the area of Kodagu in Coorg, and she’s the only artist of such distinction to have come from there,” he adds. “So this donation was meaningful to me in more ways than one.”

For S. Nandagopal, who runs the museum, seeing this painting was a journey back in time. “When I joined the college as a student, Rani was teaching History of Art,” he says. “I remember, the first thing she said in class was that we weren’t going to talk about Greek or French art history, but about what some of our own great artists such as Janakiraman had done. That was a wonderful thing.”

Both men recall her being a vivacious and beautiful woman. “She was so exuberant, and she talked to us about a lot more than just art,” says Nandagopal.

After nearly a decade at the College, she got married and left for the U.S. That was where tragedy struck — Rani was in a car accident that left her in a coma for 13 years, never to recover.

“Her husband sent us some slides of works she did in the U.S.,” says Nandagopal. “They were incredible. If only she’d lived, she would have done some truly great work.”

The painting that has been donated to the Museum is one done by Rani in 1962, and captures her own particular style.

“When you look at her paintings, you see pure art, not bogged down by commercialism,” he says. “How sad it would be if younger artists never even knew who Rani was.”

Making sure the work of the Madras Movement artists is not forgotten is the purpose behind the Museum. “We’re in the process of acquiring more and more older works to try and fill the gaps and document the Movement completely,” says Nandagopal.

Thanks to the generosity of Belliappa, one important gap has been filled, and the memory of a pioneering young woman artist, captured for posterity.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review> Art / by Divya Kumar / Chennai, March 29th, 2013

Robin Uthappa’s IPL 6 lifeline

Sports

It’s that time of the year when cricket finds a new definition. From ‘city moment of success’ to ‘maximums’, IPL’s ‘bus dekhne ka nahi’ slogan has caught everyone’s imagination and interest, but besides all the razzmatazz, excitement and thrill, for quite a few cricketers this IPL 6 outing is a moment of truth.

Some are seeking redemption, for others it’s a launch pad and for quite a few discards this is another chance of making a comeback into the Indian side. Even though domestic performers are now being rewarded by this new selection committee, consistent scores in front of packed stadiums in the IPL helps the selectors in their decision making.

While there are a number of cricketers that fall under this category, there are three batsmen who find themselves at different crossroads of life – Robin Uthappa, Unmukt Chand and Ambati Rayudu. They’re three brilliant batsmen with extraordinary, smashing talent. First up, I’ll focus on Uthappa.
RobinKF10apr2013

Cut back to April 2006. A 20-year-old walks out for the very first time to open the innings alongside Rahul Dravid against England in the seventh ODI at Indore. By the time he walked back to the pavilion, Uthappa’s 86 runs underlined his impact in the middle. Twelve fours and a six in his 96-ball knock was an indication that runs flew from his bat, much like how time has flown in the last seven years for one of Indian cricket’s impact players.

Uthappa made his Twenty20 international debut in 2007, played eight games that year, then one-off game in 2008, 2011 and 2012. Such has been his story. While almost all cricketers from the 2007 ICC World Twenty20-winning squad have had consistent opportunities since then – Rohit Sharma, Piyush Chawla and Dinesk Karthik to name a few, only Uthappa has been ignored with alarming consistency. Uthappa has been denied a tremendous amount of cricket in the last seven years ever since his debut in 2006. At 21, he won the World Twenty20 and at 27 he has only played a handful games for India – 38 ODIs in addition to 11 T20Is.

At a juncture when Indian cricket is showing faith in performing and under-performing youngsters, Uthappa rightfully deserves a long call into the Indian limited-overs set up. There came a time in his career, when his flexible, unconditional and versatile batting approach meant he would become a floater in the Indian batting line-up. He made his debut as an opener in his first ODI and would bat at No. 7 in his last ODI for India in July 2008. Between this period, he featured in all batting positions, from one to seven, only for him to realise he had failed to slot himself into a designated role that he would have like to fulfill for India. Not surprisingly, the 27-year-old by his own admission is now a designated opener and a tidy wicketkeeper, an option India can always bank upon.

Uthappa’s promising start combined with his selfless and unconditional approach needed to be nurtured; however, selection policies in India often come without any warning and his exclusion from the side meant the right-hander hasn’t featured in an ODI in close to five years. He has had to struggle throughout his journey in the Indian cricket set-up and in IPL 6 he may just find opportunity in adversity. Time has come for the selectors to keep a watch on this young man who lost out on his peak time on. If Rohit and Ishant Sharma can be persisted with despite average performances, why not show more faith in India’s World Twenty20 winner?

Talent banks on nurturing and opportunity. While Uthappa has been fortunate to find the right tutoring, training and teachings since his formative years, the opportunities have eluded the hard-working cricketer. His impact in the middle remains his biggest strength as a batsman. It’s not just the runs he gets, but the rate at which he gets them. Without drawing any comparisons, his approach is much similar to Virender Sehwag. It’s about scoring quickly only to ensure the strike rate compliments their healthy average.

Continuous effort is the key to unlocking potential and Uthappa’s hard yards in the middle is an indication of his preparation. Thanks to the IPL, this Indian discard is not a forgotten hero. Even though his performance reminds the cricket fan of his belligerence in his batting, it has unfortunately failed to ring the door bells of the selectors.

Uthappa’s IPL innings has helped the batsman realise his strength, understand his potential and evolve as a cricketer. His desperation is likely to translate into runs. While representing Royal Challengers Bangalore, he was able to make a great impact but sadly, ever since he has been with Pune Warriors, his constant shuffling in the batting order has meant he has been without a defined role.

Uthappa will be aware of the importance that IPL 6 holds for him. This isn’t his last chance but clearly this is his best chance. Thanks to the IPL, Indian cricket has reached a phase of unparalleled competitive balance and every season produces quite a few finds, reason enough for most of the discards to impress with their consistency. Uthappa finds himself in make or remake situation.

He may not have set the stage on fire this season in the domestic circuit, but he has produced some decent performances. He finished with 683 runs in nine Ranji Trophy games with five fifties and one hundred at an average of 45.53. More importantly, his seven games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy fetched him 445 runs, which included two centuries and two fifties at an average of 63.57. In the process he topped the run-getters’ list as well this season.

Time has come for the selectors to keep a watch on a batsman who has consistently translated his talent into runs. Uthappa remains an asset and his result-oriented and effective batting style can turn into a match-winning option for the Indian cricket team.

source: http://www.ibnlive.in.com / Home> Cricketnext> Blogs / by Mikkhail Vaswani / Tuesday, April 02nd, 2013

Kodava hockey fest inaugral on Apr. 14

Sports

Punjab XI and Kodagu XI to play first match

Virajpet :

Fixtures for the Madanda Cup Kodava Families Hockey Festival, 17th in the series, to be held in Balugodu village near here from Apr. 14 onwards, was formally released yesterday by the Madanda Family Sports Committee Conveners Thimmaiah and Sudhir Ganapathy.

After the inaugural match between Punjab XI and Kodagu XI on Apr. 14, six matches will be played on each of the two grounds per day; with 225 Kodava family teams vying for the trophy, said Thimmaiah.

“Quarter-final matches will be played from May 10 and the final match will be on May 12 at 10 am. Various cultural programmes will be held at Kodava Cultural Centre, located close to the tournament venue,” he said.

“The State Government has released Rs. 25 lakh for the grand event and another Rs. 5 lakh is expected,” said Thimmaiah, adding that KSRTC buses will be arranged from Virajpet town to Balugodu, to ferry hockey-lovers. Buses from Bittangala junction will also be provided.

Meanwhile, the Thathanda family members have urged the Kodava Academy to accord them the honour of hosting the 18th Kodava Families Hockey Festival 2014.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / April 05th, 2013

Because it’s worth it

Business & Economy, Uncategorized

Buying a house in the hills is a daunting yet worthwhile task. Aditi Phadnis lists some properties worth investing in and the challenges of owning them.
HillsHouseKF09apr2013

How many times have you, at the end of a long and weary day, shut down your computer and thought to yourself: “That’s it. I’m going to find a cottage in the hills”? Or dreamt of long and winding roads that lead to your home through pine or deodar forests?

These are not just dreams. If you walk from Barlowgunj to Mussoorie, there is a turn in the road where you will spot a blazing ‘Guraas’ tree, an orange beacon on the velvet green hillside. There are places in Coorg where the scent of orange blossom can intoxicate you. And toasting bread on a log fire after a six km walk through the Nilgiris …what more can one say?

However, there is a practical side to all this. Research suggests that while there is pent-up demand for a second home in the hills (and this is growing), you would typically spend just 13 days in a year there: because children get bored easily, the wife doesn’t want to cook every day, and e-mail works only sporadically. Even before you get to that point, there are multiple challenges: buying land in the hills is mired in legal tangles, building on that land is even more difficult because rain and snow leave only six months in a year free for construction; everything, from labour to building materials is twice as expensive; and the quality of construction especially at the lower end of the market cannot be guaranteed.

But put those problems aside for a moment. Assuming that you’re a double-income family which wants to invest in a second home in the hills, where should you go, what should you buy and what should you watch out for?

* * * * *

Real estate experts say more and more families where the husband and wife are in ages ranging from 25 to 40 years now want a hill getaway. This is a new trend; earlier, it was the retirees who represented the market. The new Home in the Hills project belongs to young working professionals who want, on their holiday, to be in touch with the working world on their terms; so the getaway should be within easy reach of an airport or railway station, with easy access to amenities (there is nothing worse than giving the final touches to the chicken curry only to find that you’ve run out of gas and delivery of a fresh cylinder will take ten days!), and reasonably close to restaurants and hotels.

Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the north and Coorg and the Nilgiris in the south have emerged as the most sought after destinations. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have fairly strict restrictions about letting outsiders (those not domiciled in the state) buy land. In Uttarakhand you can only buy 250 sq m and, in Himachal Pradesh, you can’t buy land at all except on a 99-year lease or a built-up structure from the owner but not the land. Coorg and Nilgiris have land ownership rules that restrict the sale and purchase of land owned by tribal communities. So you can still buy a three-acre rubber estate in Coorg for around Rs 60 lakh and build a small dwelling there. But remember, Coorg is five hours driving time from Bangalore and though an airport is going to come up in Kunnoor, Kerala in the neighbourhood, that could take several years. The upside is: how many places in India can you think of that might have a small brook warbling its way through your property?

* * * * *

Manav Singh, an entrepreneur, agriculturist and developer is creating a resort-style fully serviced complex, Auramah Valley, just off the Naldehra Golf Course, about 30 km from Shimla. These are apartments but are designed for the luxury and comfort of a hotel. Still under construction, he has created the concierge first: Subhash, who has been appointed to take care of every wish of a customer. Domestics are discouraged: simply because Auramah has its own fleet of domestic help which will come in and clean, dust and wash up every two days.

Starting at Rs 92 lakh for a 1700 sqft two-bedroom flat (basic selling price), this is not cheap. And you are invited to buy a place. But just outside your door is the legendary 18-hole golf course, the sharp mountain air and every mod con you can conceive of.

If you want something more homely, there’s Chamfi in Uttarakhand. As you go towards Mukhteshwar from Bhimtal, you encounter an iron bridge about 8 km down the road. This road is also a bird watchers’ trail. At the end of the road, there is a group of nine cottages, created by developer-architect Sameer Jain.”The breeze is perfect here and vistas very fine”, says Jain about his project. He has designed the cottages using local materials and local labour. “The cottages are on the banks of a major stream in village Chamfi near Bhimtal in Nainital. Mountains and water is a remarkable combination and the area is famous for its mountains and lakes”, he says. The construction is such that you need minimal electricity. Water, a scarce resource in the hills, is easily available, though it needs to be purified for drinking. These cottages are comfortable rather than luxurious. They start at about Rs 40 lakh.

Kiran Rao of Cloud9Assets deals with property in South India, Coorg, and the Nilgiris especially. He says that Coorg is a destination still in the process of being discovered. But prices have gone up 250 per cent in the last four years. He says some real gems can be found in the Nilgiris which really qualify to the hill station appellation in south India at 7,500-8,000 feet above sea level.

So which will it be? Dhanachuli in Uttarakhand? The banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh? Or on the banks of the Talacauvery in Coorg? Take your pick.

LIVING ATOP A HILL
The pros and cons of owning a fanciful hill home

Upside
* You can get away from it all. The air is clean, the food is fresh
Downside
* Life in the hills is unpredictable and sometimes, not comfortable. You need to be flexible
Upside:
* No one knows you. No one knows where you are
Downside
* No one knows you. So you can’t call Dominos Pizza, or your favourite minister/broker/cablewallah. There’s no one to call
Upside:
* A cozy cottage, all your own
Downside
* You’re going to use it just 13 days in a year. Is it really worth it ? Houses last a lifetime — only if they’re cared for. Who’s going to look after it ? A caretaker? What if he takes care of it so much that he considers it as his property ?
Upside
* Life in the hills is uncomplicated and uncluttered, good for the soul
Downside
* There is politics in all relationships, especially if you’re going to be absentee landlord. And villages are not as romantic as they seem. Haven’t you read Agatha Christie?
Upside
* Roughing it out is good for you. Sharpens your reflexes, awakens your wits
Downside
* Rural life is not what it used to be. Nor is your system. Rural folk are used to impure water. You will need either bottled water or a water purification system. Otherwise an idyllic holiday may turn into a bout of jaundice or worse.
Upside
* A change of scene always revitalises you
Downside
* If you have a home in the hills, the tendency will be to go there rather than anywhere else for a holiday. Can you live with that?
Upside
* All real estate is an investment
Downside
* Holiday homes is the most illiquid real estate there is. It is a buyer’s (and developer’s) market.

source: http://www.business-standard.com /Business Standard / Home> Beyond Business> Features> Features / by Aditi Phadnis / New Delhi, March 15th, 2013

Coffee exporters upbeat on high Robusta demand

Coffee News

( There is a good demand…)
( There is a good demand…)

Kochi :

Though coffee prices continue to move in a lower range, rising demand for the robusta variety may provide some relief to exporters. High demand and the prospects of a lower crop in Vietnam, the largest producer of robusta coffee, are expected to stoke a rally in prices. Arabica prices have crashed in the world market owing to a bumper crop in Brazil.

“There is a good demand for robusta cherries. We can expect a good offtake of the variety in the next few months,” said Ramesh Rajah, president of Coffee Exporters Association of India.

However, the issue is whether India will be able to offer robusta at a competitive price. Robusta prices touched $2,139 tonne in the world market on Monday. “But right now India is offering its produce at a price which is higher by $75-100 per tonne compared to the shipments from Vietnam and Uganda. Buyers are increasingly looking for coffee from cheaper origins,” said an officer of major exporter NKG Jayanti Coffee.

Exporters are expecting higher robusta supplies and the fresh stock will enable shipments at competitive rates. Planters have forecast a lower crop for both varieties. But the robusta crop is not as bad as arabica, which is predicted to be one of the worst in the recent times due to pest attacks. On Monday, the arabica price stood at $1.35 per pound. “The harvest has been just over and we are still assessing the total output. From what we gather, it could be near to our earlier estimates of 80,000 tonne of arabica and 2 lakh tonne of robusta,” said Nishant Gurjer, chairman of the Karnataka Planters’ Association.

Coffee Board’s post-monsoon estimate for 2012-13 is 1,00,225 tonne of arabica and 2,15,275 tonne of robusta. Meanwhile, reports of a possible lower crop in Vietnam have raised the hopes of Indian coffee exporters. The earlier estimate was that the Vietnam crop will be at 25 million bags (of 60 kg each) but it now appears that the harvest could be still smaller. “If the Vietnam crop is low, robusta prices will move up in the world market,” said an exporter.

Such a situation augurs well for Indian coffee exporters as it will lead to better earnings. Coffee exports for this calendar year have gone up marginally because of the export of the carryover arabica stock.

source: http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com / Home> Markets /by PK Krishnamurthy, ET Bureau / March 26th, 2013

RCI awards Gold Crowns to 12 Club Mahindra Resorts

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Uncategorized

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd has received several coveted distinctions further endorsing its commitment towards its members.

RCI has awarded 12 Club Mahindra Resorts the prestigious RCI Gold Crowns & also awarded Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd the prestigious ‘President’s Club’ award.

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd’s resort at Coorg was listed as No.1 in the ‘Top 25 Hotels for Families in India’ and as No.2 in the ‘Top 25 Hotels for Families in Asia’ by Trip Advisor as part of the ‘Travellers’ Choice Awards 2012′. In addition, its resort at Coorg was also included in the ‘Top 25 All Inclusive Resorts in Asia’.

Club Mahindra was voted as the ‘Product of the Year 2012’ in the ‘Holidays and Hospitality’ category by ‘Product of the Year India’ based on a consumer survey across 30,000 respondents.

Shares of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd last traded in BSE at Rs.262.30, down by Rs.1.65 or 0.63%. The stock hit an intraday high of Rs.266 and low of Rs.259.

The total traded quantity was 1145 compared to 2 week average of 3597.

source: http://www.equitybulls.com / Home> Stock Report / April 06th, 2013

Shell Advance Freedom Riders Asia sees Charley Boorman on a Royal Enfield Bullet 350 in India

Sports

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Shell Advance Freedom Riders Asia sees Charley Boorman on a Royal Enfield Bullet 350 in India. Charley Boorman toured India on a Royal Enfield travelling through Coorg, Ooty and Munnar.

Shell Advance along with Star Sports will be airing a bike series known as Freedom Riders Asia which will be hosted by avid bike enthusiast Charley Boorman. This six- part series will see Charley Boorman explore biking cultures in six Asian countries namely: India, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Through these series Shell will showcase how their range of motor oils for two stroke and four stroke vehicles are beneficial in maintaining bikes. The series will also aim to connect riders from these countries and enhance the passion showcased by those taking part in adventure activities. Through these series Charley will not only delve into the biking culture of a respective country but will also take time to engage with the local population and enjoy the culture.

Charley Boorman toured India on a Royal Enfield travelling through Coorg, Ooty and Munnar. He was kept company by avid bike enthusiast Sundeep Gajjar (aka MotoGrapher). Sundeep Gajjar rode a Ducati Multistrada, and Charley took the Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 350 for a ride.The road trip ended at Kochi where he was joined for a press conference Gul Panag and Mr. Kar Tai Koh, the global brand manager of Shell Advance. Freedom Riders Asia will be broadcast on leading sports channel STAR Sports and will be promoted across FOX internationals channels in Asia like Nat Geo, FOX and FX.

Shell Lubricants India Managing Direction Nitin Prasad said: “Freedom Riders Asia is all about celebrating and connecting bikers around Asia, while offering an entertaining travel and adventure experience to a wider audience. Importantly, through Charley, it is also a further expression of what Shell Advancestands for – enabling bikers to enjoy every ride and experience freedom through effortless mobility on the road.”

Simeon Dawes, Senior Vice President of Fox One Stop Media said, “Freedom Riders Asia is being developed specifically for the Asian audience as Asia has a growing population of adventure and travel enthusiasts. We are confident that audiences will appreciate and enjoy the places and activities that Charley will visit and experience, especially due to the local colours and flavours showcased.” “We are delighted that Shell Advance has collaborated closely with usto produce this programme with an innovative show concept aimed at further engaging with the audiences on a deeper level.”

Charley Boorman, host of Freedom Riders Asia said, “Bikes have always been my passion, and I’ve always loved Asia and its diversity. What’s fantastic about Freedom Riders Asia is that the programme is enabling these passions to collide and I’m really looking forward to embarking on the bike trip of a lifetime”. “I’m going to be meeting great local biker groups who will teach me a thing or two about riding in their part of the world and I cannot to wait to get over to Asia to feel the sun on my face, and feeling of freedom on the back of a motorbike!”

Talking about his India experience in the conference, Mr Charley Boorman said “It was an experience of a lifetime to ride through the scenic Coorg –Munnar route, which undoubtedly is an ultimate riding wonder. I also had a great time experiencing the local biking culture, chatting to the local people, learning about different traditions and performing some very interesting challenges. All in all, a great experience and I would love to come back to India.”

Mr. Kar Tai Koh, Global Brand Manager of Shell Advance said, “Freedom Riders Asia as a programme celebrates the spirit of biking across Asia, while at the same time, offers an entertaining travel and adventure experience. Through Charley, it is also a further expression of what Shell Advance stands for – enabling bikers to enjoy every ride and experience freedom through effortless mobility on the road. We chose Charley to represent the programme as we believe he is one of the most suited people around, being a true biker at heart and a familiar face that bikers in this part of the world can resonate with.”

Gul Panag, the much celebrated Indian actor who accompanied Charley for the Press Conference and co-hosted the Indian chapter of the show with him, too was happy with the show. She has been an avid bike enthusiast and had earlier made news during her marriage as her groom’s procession came on bikes. She said, “It is a wonderful format and the entire show is a complete package of adventure and thrill. Being a biker myself and understanding the biking community at large, I am really hopeful that the show would instantly establish connect with the audience. Charley has been a fantastic host and a true biker.”

source: http://www.rushlane.com / Rush Lane Daily News / Home> Shell Advance.. / by Nabanita Singha Roy / April 06th, 2013

Good to have the tie in B’lore: Bopanna

Sports

Two people the Bangalore crowd would have loved to see in action in the ongoing Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group I play-off tie against Indonesia were in the stands on Friday – Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna.

Not picked by the All India Tennis Federation, the duo, however, chose to cheer Somdev Devvarman and Co from the stands.

“Just to have Davis Cup here after 28 years is special for the State,” Bopanna told reporters. “It does a lot for tennis here. You know, it’s good that we have such a big event here. I’m happy that I was in town, and could watch the boys play.”

“If you are part of the Davis Cup for the last 10 years, you’re going to miss being part of the team. Sure to say, I would have loved to play this one. I met the entire team just now, but I met Som(dev) and Sanam (Singh) earlier in the week. We had a round of golf.”

Two days ago, Bopanna decided to renew his partnership with Bhupathi for the season ahead, choosing to call off the three-month association with Rajeev Ram. “The thought came up suddenly. Till the Miami Masters I was with Rajeev. Since Rajeev’s ranking is 48, and cut off at Monte Carlo is 49 (combined ranking), there’s no way we could get in. I had to either find a different partner for every week in Masters’ events and play with Rajeev only in the Grand Slams.

“It so happened that (Daniel) Nestor was playing with Robert (Lindstedt) and Mahesh was looking for a partner. We had done well last year, so it was easy to make the choice. We plan to play the entire season,” added Bopanna.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> Sports / DHNS, Bangalore / April 06th, 2013