TravelX_February_2010

VOL. I, ISSUE I, FEBRUARY 2010

Rs 50

Putting the zing back to exploring the world

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FEBRUARY 2010 TRAVELX 1

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

ONE IMAGE that’s come back again andagain and again as one drives home each

evening in the foggy Delhi maze is the serendip-ity of a Kanyakumari sunrise. Sitting, literally atthe very edge of Incredible India, watching thewaves of the Arabian Sea and Indian Oceanmerge into each other... that’s magic. On the oth-er hand you have the tiresome chore of wonder-ing how you’ll pack your bags for a 33-degree Goa

from a three-degree Delhi. That’s the contrast!Frankly, you are spoilt for choices in this land, the sheer vari-

ety boggles the mind and excites the senses and when you add toit the legacy left by generations of invaders and rulers, you canonly feel blessed. But there’s dejection too. Two years back on atrip to Hyderabad, I made my visit to the Golconda Fort. It was amarvellous afternoon of exploration of a slice of history. But theimage that still lingers in my mind is the amount of garbage andjunk all around the fort — enough for several truckloads. No onewas irked, except a few of us who were huffing and puffing ourway across the fort.

Contrast this with the Hamams in Istanbul, some of them over500 years old. Beautifully preserved, privatised and scrupulously

supervised by the authorities. This apparently laissez-faire diktatwas a practical and sensible one. There were far too many struc-tures from the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires than the govern-ment could manage. So why not let the people own it and man-age it for profit under strict supervision?

I went to one last summer: the Cemberlitas Hamami that wasbuilt in 1584. There is a modern reception, waiting rooms andchanging room, but inside the Hamam is just the same as thegreat Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan designed it. And mind you,you could well miss the tiny entrance that’s overshadowed by thetouristy offerings of Sultanahmet. I wonder if there is somethingfor us to learn in that?

As we ponder let’s celebrate and travel. It’s been a marvellousjourney to this launch issue. Inbound, outbound, food, traditions,customs and what have you. We hope you like it just as much aswe did in putting it together.

Enjoy!

Welcome aboard

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CONTENTS

COVER STORY

COMPASS

TWIN CITIESCOMFORT FOOD

DOUBLE DELIGHT!Jude Fonseka misses Sydney harbourand the majestic Opera House butthen he wouldn't for the world miss ameal at Bengaluru's Via Milano!

AAAH!CHOLE BHATURE!Chickpeas, aka Cholewhen coupled withBhature is the 'staple'north Indian delightthat many havegrown up with andstill fantasise about.

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AROUND THE WORLD BOLLYWOOD STYLE

6NEWS, LAUNCHES & DEALS

MAGIC OF BHOPAL A peek at the wonder thatwas — and is — Bhopal.

SHORT TAKES We bring you the latest from the travel world: special packages,restaurant and hotel openings along with some attractive dealsfrom across the globe.

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WANDERLUST

ISTANBUL

36 FOCUS EYE TALK

Never before seenshots from the camera

of an airline pilot!

ROAD TRIP TORAJASTHAN48

HYDERABADIDELIGHTS64

At ease in Europe and equallycomfortable being in Asia.That's the historic and culturally vibrant city of Istanbul, fast emerging as apopular holiday destination.

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Editorial and Marketing Office: Newsline Publications Pvt Ltd., D-11(Basement)Nizamuddin (East), New Delhi 110 013. Phones: +91-11-41033381-82

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any delay in publication, error or failure of advertisement to appear.

Printed and Published by K Srinivasan for Rojus Media Pvt. Ltd. at Nutech Photolithographers, B-240, Okhla

Industrial Area, Phase-I, New Delhi 110020

Editor-in-Chief: K SRINIVASAN Managing Editor: TIRTHANKAR GHOSH

Co-ordinating Editor: PRIYANKA SAXENAReporters: Punit Mishra, Jasleen Kaur, Sreya Shandilya

Special Correspondent - Mumbai: Roohi Ahmad (Mob. 9820295648)Design: Ruchi Sinha, Pradeep Jha, ShivnathDirector: Ravi Sharma (Mob. 9650433900)

Gen Manager: Rajiv Singh (Mob. 9810030533) Senior Manager (Marketing): Varun Malhotra (Mob. 9650433099)

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Executive Director: Renu Mittalemail: [email protected], [email protected]

LE MERIDIEN,REINVENTED56 FEBRUARY 2009 TRAVELX

Volume I No 1

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Jordan offersvisa on arrival IF YOU are a fan of the world heritagesite Petra, then you ought to rejoice. Jor-dan has decided to grant you a visa onarrival. No hassle, no jhanjat, just packyour bag, put your passport in your pock-et and off you are to Amman. For starters,you’ll get a two week visa that should begood enough to soak in the magic of thecapital city, drive along to the dead sea orgo along to Aqaba. For the record youhave a daily direct between Delhi andAmman (Royal Jordanianhttp://www.rj.com, tel: +91-11-3320635/7418).You also have plenty ofoptions from Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Airand Qatar. For details please visit websitewww.visitjordan.com, www.jordanem-bassyindia.org.

Earn while you stayat the CourtyardIF YOU are planning a visit to Chennai,Gurgaon, Hyderabad or Ahmedabad,make sure you check in to the Courtyardby Marriott, which has recently intro-duced an attractive “You stay, We pay”promotion across the country. Startingthis month, a guest staying at any Court-yard by Marriott across India will beempowered to receive money based on

the nights that they spend at the property,to spend in any manner that they desire!Guests staying for a night will earn Rs1,000; for two nights will get Rs 2,000,and so on. The amount will increase withthe number of days’ stay. With this gift,you can avail of any ONE service, suchas, suite upgrade, dining at any restau-rant, cocktails at the bar, airport transfersand more.

Go Thailand!WE KNOW there are manywho are looking for an oppor-tunity to visit Thailand buthave many questions unan-swered. Well, all those unat-tended queries can now be

cleared at the new service centre (aninternet call centre) at the TAT (TourismAuthority of Thailand) head office. Visi-tors can check out the latest information

and updates on Thailand and can evenlodge a complaint! The information isavailable in both Thai and English lan-guage and can be obtained via internetinquiry or video live chat. Suraphon Sve-tasreni, the new Governor of the TourismAuthority of Thailand is doing all toinsure that footfalls increase to the coun-try and visitors take back an unforgettableexperience.

TRAILER

IF YOU are planning to fly to the UK,Europe, US or Canada till March 31,2010, rush to Air India and avail theCompanion Free Scheme. Valid on afull fare in First, Executive and Econo-my classes on international as well asdomestic routes, the scheme awards afree ticket for a companion.Wait, there is the icing on the cake forregular AI flyers - Air India hasentered into a Frequent Flyer Pro-

gramme agreement with SingaporeAirlines. Incidentally, the airline alsohas an agreement with Star airlinemember, Lufthansa. The Maharaja boasts of new aircraftthat matches the best in the industry.With the deployment of B777s to all itsseven west-bound destinations — NewYork, Newark, Chicago, Toronto, London, Paris and Frankfurt and also toTokyo - flying is a pleasure.

Maharaja’s advice:Buy one, fly two

SHORT TAKES

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New York getspopular IT’S LIVELY, vibrant, busy, and beauti-ful. The New York, seen through the eyesof many Bollywood directors, is a dreamdestination for many of us. Well, last year,

more than 45 million people thronged thecity of New York, exceeding all projec-tions and expectations of the city. A 3.2per cent increase in tourism, with an esti-mated 46.7 million visitors, is expected in2010. The more than 45 million peoplewho visited New York City last year spentapproximately $28 billion.

Dine in style at theSheraton Grande

THOSE LOOKING to enjoy fine diningin Bangkok will now have a lesser price topay, thanks to Hotel Sheraton GrandeSukhumvit, Bangkok. From the traditionalThai curry to authentic Italian flavours,the hotel is offering all wrapped in a tan-talising deal to its guests. Under the deal,upon booking a deluxe room, you canreceive food credit worth Baht 2,000 tospend in any of the multi-cuisine restau-rants in the hotel. The offer is valid tillMarch 31, 2010 and in all the restaurantsof the hotel.

Switzerland for just Rs 29,990. Thepackage includes Economy Classairfare Mumbai/Delhi – Zurich –Mumbai/Delhi on Swiss Interna-tional Air Lines. Not just the pric-ing, there is another reason to cele-brate for the Indian traveller. Theapartment’s kitchenette isequipped with an Indian pressurecooker along with all the essentialIndian spices! So all those peoplewho have been looking forward tovisit this land of mountains andlakes – your wait is finally over!The package can be bought andpaid for before March 31, 2010.Visitors can also log on towww.swisstoursonline.com formore details.

IN WHAT is being termed as ‘exclu-sive apartment packages’, SwissTours is offering a special 7 nights /8 days stay in an apartment in

Meet the whale in Sri Lanka SIGHTING DOLPHINS has become a popular tourist attraction in all placesthat have beaches, but the more adventurous lot can now even go for whalewatching!! Now, thanks to 365tours, visitors can come face to face with some ofthe ocean’s most fascinating and admirable creatures — blue whales and dol-phins, this winter season in Sri Lanka. Their whale watching trips take guestsabout 15 nautical miles into the Indian Ocean to observe whales that migrateover a thousand miles to its warm waters. These eco-tours operate in thewhale’s natural habitat respecting the ecosystem and the wonders of the ocean.

FIRSTCUT

8 days in Zurich @ Rs 29,990


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Go Green with Carlson properties IN A recent development, eight Carlsonhotels across Asia Pacific have beenrecognised by premier worldwide certifi-cation label, Green Globe for undertakingenvironmental efforts. Park Plaza BeijingWangfujing, Radisson Hotel Pudong Cen-tury Park, Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan, Radisson Hotel Shanghai NewWorld, Radisson Plaza Xing Guo HotelShanghai and The Regent Beijing haveachieved bronze certification. So nexttime you visit China and want your stayto be an eco-friendly one — go the Carlson way!

Time to go‘healthy’WHILE MANY of us want to start ourday with a healthy breakfast, the paucityof time often restricts our time sched-ules. But not any more! ITC Royal Gar-

denia’s 24-hour Coffee Shop - The Cub-bon Pavilion is now offering an amazingrange of healthy breakfast options in theform of two most popular food items.The ‘multigrain dosa’ offers a perfectmix of linseed, oats, whole wheat, maizeand many other “good for you” grainsmake the much loved dosa a fantastical-ly healthy way to kick start the day. Nexton the menu is Gardenia’s SignatureBircher muesli. This homemade Birchermuesli gives a healthy and deliciousstart to the day. So what are you waitingfor? Go start your day the healthy way!

Ataste of grilldelicaciesITC-WELCOMGROUP’S renownedbrand of cuisine, designed around the con-cept of grills in various parts of the world,now comes to ITC Royal Gardenia, Ben-galuru. Its new restaurant ‘West View’offers a perfect mix of five distinct courses,including The Cold Buffet Carte, The SoupTureen, The Grill, Fruit and Cheese andDesserts. The best seasonal cuts of meatsand fish from India and abroad, as well asthe freshest vegetables from various partsof the country, are all offered here for the

customer to choose. The recipes are craft-ed from traditional recipes gleaned fromEngland, Europe and the Americas.

Your favourite Q’BA now opensat Malcha Marg, New DelhiFOR ALL of you who love the food and ambience of Q’BA, well, you can nowenjoy the flavours of your favourite restaurant/bar at its newly opened outlet inMalcha Marg, South Delhi. Known as ‘nU.Delhi Q’BA’, the restaurant is the latestaddition to the Q’BA bandwagon of restaurants in Delhi. With live band (flown allthe way from Thailand) playing in the backdrop, you can choose and savour froma wide range of Grill comprising food items from India as well as around theworld. Take your pick from Chicken Tikka, Sikandari Raan, Kakori Kabab...to thesteaks, lamb chops, Chelo Kebabs, and grilled prawns…

The outlet also houses the best possible selection in Wines, Spirits, Malts,Cocktails and Beer… While at nU.Delhi Q’BA, try not to miss the mouth-water-ing New Zealand lamb chops, jumbo king prawns, which incidentally are the USPof the outlet and for those who have a sweet tooth, the Cinnamon Crème Bruleeis a must try!!

DIDYOU

KNOW?


EVER HEARD OF DESIGNERTOURS?IT’S THE era of specialised tourism andeveryone in the business is trying hard tocarve a niche for themselves. From shop-ping packages to gay trips, all is beingorganised by travel agents across the globetoday. A part of the tourism clan, yet apartfrom the rest because of its specialisedservice, Daniel and Nathalie Dhombres,co-founders of Ultimate Travel, a French luxury travel company (www.theultimatetravel.eu), chalks out atwo-day itinerary for an ultimate Frenchtravel experience.

DAY 1Private presentation of ladies’ready towear collection and accessories at YvesSaint Laurent’s flagship rue duFaubourg Saint-Honoré.

ROGER VIVIER’S SHOW ROOM RUEDU FAUBOURG SAINT HONORÉWe offer you the discovery of RogerVivier’s house and find out the latestluxury Haute.

Couture shoes, chic handbags, sun-glasses, luxury leather goods, fashionjewellery…

LUNCH AT LA TABLE DU CHEF ATTHE PARK HYATTOverlooking the spectacular open-plankitchen in a sumptuous setting, therestaurant caters for four to eight privi-leged guests, all gourmets who are capa-ble of appreciating the array of exception-al dishes and some wine to go with it.

CHAUMET FROM HISTORY TOMODERNITY IN PLACE VENDOMEGuests will have the privilege to admiresome exquisite and most contemporarypieces, worn on every red carpet in the world.

MONTBLANC THE FINEST LIMITEDEDITIONS Montblanc Limited Editions are tributeto the finest master craftsmanship.Admire the exclusivity or even get apersonal copy of the collectors’guideMontblanc Collectables.

HOTEL COSTES — THE TRENDIESTPLACE FOR TEA TIME Napoleon III style revisited, splendidItalian style courtyards, an extravagantluxury hotel with the jet set. This placeis a shrine to the latest lounge trend.

LEFRANC FERRANT TWO HEADSAND FOUR HANDS IN COUTURE!Mario Lefranc and Béatrice Ferrantlaunched Lefranc Ferrant in 2007 inorder to re-invent “une maison deHaute Couture.” Spend a privilegedmoment with the in their Palais Royalintimist show room to create your ownpersonal chic and modern wardrobe.

BACK AT THE HOTELBack at the hotel enjoy a restful momentwith a manicurist, a make-up artist or anenergetic massage before going on toenjoy the Paris night.

DINNER AND SHOW AT THE LIDO The Lido has been a favourite venue forthe finest shows with the most famousnames since 1946. We propose ourguests an exceptional evening with thefamous blue bells girls.

DAY 2ZILLI EXOTIC AND EXTRAORDINARY SKINSJackets, coats, suits, knitwear, leathergoods, cufflinks... At ZILLI our guestswill discover unique and amazingpieces.

FIR( F I R S T I N F O R M A T I O N R E P O R T )

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CHRISTIAN DIOR: THE FASHION EMBLEMATIC PLACETake a dip in Dior’s world and findyour fragrance.

LA CIGALE RÉCAMIEREnjoy a wonderful culinary experi-ence with Cigale’s best - soufflésHenri IV (a cheese soufflé servedwith a chicken and mustard sauce).

“STYLISTE PRIVÉ” FASHIONSELECTION AT “LE BONMARCHÉ”Go for some elegant shopping at LeBon Marché, the trendiest depart-ment store in Paris.

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN: THECOSIEST STORE FOR ONE-OF-A-KIND SHOESThis store displays shoes in an inti-mate, exhibit-like environment andif you still can’t find the perfectshoe, Christian Louboutin will cus-tom-design one for you.

BONPOINT: CHILDREN’SSMART AND GLAMOROUSLOOKAngelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’sfavourite shop, Bonpoint, for morethan 30 years, has been dressing thechildren with “savoir-faire”.

CHRONOPASSION Chronopassion by its seriousness,its long experience and competenceof its staff, became the place of unavoidable sales of watches in Paris.

BACK AT THE HOTELAt the hotel, indulge in some relax-ation with a manicurist, a make-upartist or an energetic massagebefore enjoying Paris’gastronomy.

DINNER AT THE BACCARATCRISTAL ROOMIn the old dining room of Marie-Laure de Noailles, Philippe Starckconceived a place that offers anamazing atmosphere and is a pleas-ure from the moment you step in atthe red crystal carpet until the endof the dinner.

Experience theSupertall! WONDERS IN Dubai do not only flow at thecore of the Earth but also stand on the heightsof 800 metres from the Earth surface. Dubainow also boast of having the tallest building ofthe world — The Burj Khalifa. It includes 57elevators, 1,044 residential apartments, 49floors of office space and an Ultra luxuryArmani Hotel. Anticipated to be home to135,000 people, Downtown Burj Dubai hastwo shopping malls, five hotels and an officecomplex — Emaar Square. This tallest build-ing of the world gives the most panoramicview of the planet Earth from its top BurjKhalifa’s observation deck. For reaching therethe journey starts with 65-metre-long travela-tor that transports through time, from the ear-liest days of Dubai to the present. After paus-ing briefly at a unique viewing point for thefirst close-up view of the soaring Burj Khalifa,here begins the vertical ascent to the observa-tion deck in a high-speed elevator, travellingat 10 metres per second. Needless to mention,the observation desk offers a 360-degreepanoramic view of the city, desert and ocean.

So for those who are travelling to Dubaiand are planning a visit to this monolithicstructure, please remember that from Sundayto Wednesday, observation hours are 10 am - 1 pm and from Thursday to Saturday10 am - 12 am. Bookings are done online tooand the last lot of tickets for entering areavailable 45 min before closing. Reservedadmission costs AED 100 whereas immediateentry fee is AED 400 for adults and AED 75for kids. There is no entry fee for childrenbelow three years.

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Hotel stay for20 cents a nightTHE RISE of no-frills airlines is set to contin-ue in 2010, and this time they are planning tomake a major impact in the hospitality indus-try. Air Arabia will open its hotel in Sharjah,while Air Asia boss Tony Fernandes is hot onthe trend with a new Malaysian hotel thatoffers hotel rooms for 20 cents a night. Fer-nandes plans to open 150 hotels like thisaround the world by 2012.

Air tickets? Soon at apost office near youTHE NEXT time you want a visa, trav-eller’s cheques, a hotel booking or evenan air ticket; all that you need to do istake a walk to your post office. ThomasCook, the country’s largest integratedtravel-related services company, has tiedup with India Post to provide a host ofservices ranging from domestic and inter-national tickets, visa and passport facilita-tion, travel insurance, foreign currency,travellers cheques, etc. In the first phaseof the joint move, Thomas Cook has set

up counters in five important post officesin Delhi. Similar counters will be set upin post offices across the country in thenear future.

Amari all set to land in IndiaTHERE’S GOOD news now for the trav-ellers on the go who swear by the Amarigroup. The brand is now increasing itsportfolio from the present 11 to 51 prop-erties in Asia Pacific by 2018. A force inThailand’s hospitality industry for overfour decades, Amari colours andRhythms, true to its name, assures avibrant stay that makes a traveller alwayscome back for more. Additionally, thegroup is also refurbishing its two primeproperties - Amari Watergate, Bangkokand Amari Coral Beach Phuket alongwith introducing Amari ResidencesBangkok in 2011. They are also aimingfor higher brand visibility in India in2010 and are looking at Delhi, Mumbaiand Goa for launching its maiden proper-ty in India. Amari is targeting to haveseven properties in India once its expan-sion drive gets over.

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Indian cinema’s staple pulpromances have found several pulpdestinations... And still

COVER STORY

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PREETI VERMA LAL

THERE WAS a time whenstars sashaying in foreignlocales used to be a raresight and would have peoplesit up straighter in their seatsto get a better look, but

today, it is perhaps the destination and thesheer beauty of its surroundings thatcatches the eye of the audience. So, did thestars made foreign locales look so dazzlingor was it the other way round? Read on toknow more…

Picture this — an unusual honeymoonin Europe. A demure woman in whitesaree metamorphoses into a sexy seductresswithin five-frames. The dapper husband isbefuddled at the sensual twist, as hewitnesses his wife’s net stockings and thelampshade for a hat transformation. Thesetting was oh!so Europe, the locales sobreathtaking and the song so dulcet thateven almost five decades later the mujhebudha mil gaya from the Raj Kapoor-Vyjantimala starrer Sangam gets cineastesfoot-tapping. But who would have thought

that the honeymoon shot across Europewould actually spawn a new trend in Hindifilms - that of using exotic foreigndestinations as backdrop for the plot or as aflitting milieu of a song sequence wherethe heroine in chiffon or spaghetti is

beamed from a dreary neighbourhood tothe snowy slopes of the Alps and where thespruced don schemes heists while thesuperhero with invisible wings scurriesacross skyscrapers to lend an arm to thedamsel in distress (and hopefully, sing aFE

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A still from Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna showcasing the famous BrooklynBridge, New York in the backdrop

schilthorn, in switzerland, with lots of green and snow coveredmountains has been featured in many bollywood movies

Photo courtesy: switzerland tourism


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song too!). The Hindi film’s staple pulpromances have found several pulpdestinations. And still counting!

The trend revved up soon after whenYash Chopra took his chiffon-clad heroinesto Switzerland to jive, roll and croon in thesnowy climes. Even though the chiffonlooked so anomalous in the sub-zerotemperature, the audience lapped the sightof an exotic country, as the producers sangall the way to the bank and the Indianfootfalls to the tiny European nation grewby 30 per cent. So grateful was the Swissgovernment for this boost to tourism thatthey even named a lake in the honour ofChopra. Thereafter, Chopra’s heroinescould merrily dance around the ChopraLake in Switzerland! However, muchbefore the chiffon phantasmagorias becamesuch a rave, Raj Kapoor had gone aroundthe world in eight dollars in the film of thesame name. The movie with a jumpy view

of the world went all but unnoticed. Butthat did not stop the producers fromairlifting the entire cast and crew toLondon, New York, Dubai, Australia,Bangkok, among others, for long stints andshoots for a film.

Initially, foreign locations were more ofan appendage to the plot than full-lengthsettings that gained ground with the slewof so-called NRI films. Dilwale DulhaniyaLe Jayenge (DDLJ), the Shah Rukh-Kajolromantic caper where love blossoms on atrain that chugs through Europe, almostslices the movie into London-Punjab halves— the first half with a typical Londonbackground and the second moving back toIndia with a dash of Punjabi essentials likesarson da saag and karva chauth. When thehalves seemed too little, movies moved bagand baggage to other countries. A majorchunk of Kaho Naa Pyar Hai was shot inNew Zealand while the entire reel ofSalaam Namaste was shot in Melbourne.Movies like Kabhi Alvida Na Kehnashowcased New York to the masses whileMurder had Mallika Sherawat running onthe streets of Bangkok. Joining thebandwagon, movies shot in foreign localesinclude Don in Malaysia, Kabhi KhushiKabhi Gham in London, Guru in Turkey,Heyy Babyy and parts of Bachna AeHaseeno in Sydney and many many more.Foreign locations have now also becomethe part of film titles, like Chandni Chowkto China and Bombay to Bangkok. Thenames are countless and the settings asvaried as it can get.

Says Tania Chambers, Chief Executive,Screen, New South Wales (NSW), “Sydneyis becomingly increasingly popular withIndian filmmakers, thanks to movies likeHeyy Babyy, Victory, Shivam, Chak deIndia, Bachna Ae Haseeno and popularreality TV series, MTV Roadies, all ofwhich have been shot in Sydney.” Shewent on to outline the most shot-locationsin Sydney that includes Opera House,Harbour Bridge, the contemporary cityskyline, places of natural beauty such asNielsen Park, period houses includingVaucluse House and Elizabeth Bay House,the sand dunes or Kurnell. In Melbourne,the favourite locations are City waterfrontarea, Burke Street, Flinders Street stationand the Great Ocean Road.

Every destination has something uniqueto offer. While in Thailand, it is the beachesof Pattaya, Phuket and Krabi that are themost sought-after, in addition to its hugeairport, Thai temples, Sky Train andshopping markets. In London, mostfeatured locations include the area aroundBig Ben and London Eye while New York,Manhattan and Switzerland have become

Superhero Hritik Roshan showcasing his skills against the Singapore skyline in Krrish

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1964SANGAM was, perhaps, thepioneer that introduced theconcept of shooting in foreignlocales in Bollywood. After all, who can forget the sensuousVyjantimala serenade her shockedhusband (Raj Kapoor) in theeternal number, Mujhe budha mil gaya.


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synonymous with a roll in snow. In the beginning, all filmy roads led to

Switzerland, but of late, it is Thailand thattops the list of favourite film locale withSouth Africa following as a close second.Forget London and New York, the newlocations on the block includes Italy,Austria, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Poland andIsrael. It might sound unbelievable butsoon after Bangkok hosted IIFA in 2008,around 123 film shoots from India, rangingfrom music videos to documentaries,feature films and advertising commercialstook place in Thailand.

Krrish, however, took the pulpdestination story to another level. In a firstof its kind, producer Rakesh Roshanavailed the Film in Singapore! Scheme(FSS), initiated by the SingaporeGovernment, to lure film producers. InKrrish, Singapore did not look like a merebackdrop, but seemed so inherent to theplot. However, the story of the city and thefilm did not end with the last canned shot.The Singapore Tourism Board launched aKrrish Tour Package in conjunction withthe film’s worldwide release. Says Toh SorkLee, Area Director, Western India,Singapore Tourism Board, “Marking a firstof sorts for any International Tourism

Board and a Bollywood film that was shotabroad, the tour was aimed at acquaintingvisitors with the flavour, culture, sights andsounds of the island city, as they trace thesteps of the Superhero in the cosmopolitancity. While Sentosa and the Singapore Zooare indeed figures in any traveller’sitinerary in Singapore, the Krrish tourswent a step ahead and also offered riverboat rides on the Singapore River, Lau PaSat (the Old Market).”

Several countries have sniffed arevenue-churner in Bollywood and havethrown enticing baits to the producers anddirectors. Under the umbrella of Office ofTourism Development, Ministry of Tourismand Sports, Thailand has created aOneStopServiceCentre with the sole aim ofassisting foreign production companies toshoot in the country. This centre facilitatesthe process of getting permits to shoot inThailand. Not just this, the ThailandTourism Board also organisesfamiliarisation trips for film producers.

Not to be left behind, the New SouthWales (Australia) government recentlyintroduced a significant industry attractionpackage and a “film-friendly” protocol toencourage filming in NSW. Thegovernment has provided an additional $5

Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone romancing in China inthe movie Chandni Chowk to ChinaCOVER STORY

Initially, all filmyroads led toSwitzerland, but oflate, it is Thailandthat tops the list offavourite film localewith South Africafollowing as a closesecond. The othernew locations onthe block includesItaly, Austria, SriLanka, Ireland,Poland and Israel.

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COVER STORY

SYDNEY: Behind the scenes, enjoy a tour ofOpera House, climb the Harbour Bridge, takea flight over Harbour on Sydney Seaplane,catch a ferry across Harbour to see TarongaZoo, do a day trip to Blue Mountains andHunter Valley, go to Bondi or Manly beach,shop in The Rocks and Paddington Market

KUALA LUMPUR: Visit the Petronas TwinTowers, China Town, Suria ShoppingCentre, Merdeka Square, Bukit Bintang, BatuCaves and Central Market

BANGKOK: Take a tour of the GrandPalace, Temple of Dawn, Dream World,Safari World, Siam Ocean World; shop in

Pratunam, Pahurat and Chatuchak WeekendMarket, to the more sophisticated nightmarket at Suan Lum Night Bazaar. Floating markets are Taling Chan Market,Bang Ku Wiang Market, Tha Kha andDamnoen Saduak

NEW YORK: Do not miss the Central Park,Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty,Times Square, Ground Zero Tour,Rockefeller Centre, Brooklyn Bridge,Museum of Modern Art

Must see/Must do

LONDON: Must see theOxford Street, CamdenMarket, Tower ofLondon, Big Ben,Buckingham Palace, StPaul’s Cathedral,London eye andTrafalgar Square


million to the Screen NSW budget toattract $70 million in film production. Andby the time you read this, Kajol, KareenaKapoor and Arjun Rampal would be inSydney to can the Bollywood version ofStep Mom.

Singapore, on the other hand, is activelypromoting itself as an ideal destinationunder the Film in Singapore! Scheme (FSS)for which the Singapore Tourism Board haspoured in $6.3 million. Through FSS, eachfilm-maker or broadcaster may be grantedfinancial support, on a case-by-case basisand/or project facilitation and informationprovision, with the cost subsidies totallingto a tempting 50 per cent. On its part, theMalaysian Government has set up Puspal, aone-stop clearance centre for permits,permissions, immigration and othernecessary requirements for the film.Mauritius too has developed MauritiusFilm Development Corporation to promotefilm activities in the island nation. To beatthem all is the offer of the Fiji Islands,where the government is promisingproducers a 35 per cent payback of the cost incurred.

Today, not just films, but even stars arebeing roped in as ambassadors by manycountries. Keen to join the filmbandwagon, South Korea TourismOrganisation recently signed Shah RukhKhan as its cultural ambassador to promotetourism and to encourage filmmakers toshoot in Korea. King Khan garneredanother honour in his kitty when theMalaysian Government awarded himDatukship for his contribution toentertainment. Though the award stirred alot of controversy but no one debatesKhan’s role in the increasing footfalls oftourists in Malacca. Khan is not the onlyone, though. Producer Rakesh Roshan toowas honoured by the New Zealand PrimeMinister for promoting tourism.

Huge investments, along with smartmarketing tools have resulted inexponential growth in tourism. Says

Manoharan, Director, Malaysia Tourism,“Bollywood films have majorly contributedto the growth of tourism in Malaysia. Afterthe release of Shah Rukh Khan starrerDon, the sleepy island of Langkawisuddenly became active on every Indiantraveller’s itinerary, for nearly half the filmwas shot there, while in Kuala Lumpureveryone wanted a ride on the cable car. Itis this inspirational value which is drivingtourism. People want to be where the starshave been or where films have been shot.”Agrees Beena Menon, Representative,Tourism Victoria, “After the success ofSalaam Namaste, the number of Indiantravellers to Melbourne has grown bynearly 20 per cent year on year — agrowth, which to a great extent, can beattributed to the Indian films.”

So next time you mosey up to themultiplex with popcorn and cola in tow,don’t just cry the tissue to pulp over amushy romance, but remember to keepyour eye on the exotic backdrop as well.Who knows, between the gyrating coupleand the scowling don, you might just findyour next holiday destination. A pulpdestination, that is.


Shah Rukh andKajol serenading

to Suraj Hua Mad-ham in Egypt inthe movie Kabhi

Khushi KabhiGham

SINGAPORE: Visit the newlyrevamped Marina Bay area, a havenfor shopping, dining andentertainment; Singapore BotanicalGarden for a culinary experience;CineBlast, Asia’s first and onlyexperiential cinematic ride; SentosaLuge and Skyride, Night Safari,Under Water World and JungleBreakfasts at the Singapore Zoo;nightlife at 1927-built St. JamesPower Station, the largest one-stopnightlife destination in Singaporecomprising nine outlets spread across60,000 sq ft

MELBOURNE: Enjoy a tour of thePhilip Island Penguin Parade; nightout at Crowne EntertainmentComplex; Melbourne Zoo, QueenVictoria Market, Rialto Towers for abird’s eye view of the city

MAURITIUS: Walk with the Lions($69), Undersea Walk ($35), enjoySubmarine ride, one of the foursubmarine rides in the world ($125),Quad biking ($149 per couple), BlueSafari Subscooter, an underwaterscooter - the only one of its kind inthe world ($161 for a couple), visitAveture de Sucre (sugarcanemuseum), Pamplemousses Garden

1967A scintillating Sharmila Tagore setmany pulses racing and madealmost everybody wish for a visit toParis through her movie An Evening in Paris.

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A passion for fishing: Travel along theKennedy Cadesi and you will find the

landscape dotted with avid anglershunched on the rocks waiting for that

elusive catch from the Bhosporous

WANDERLUST

A whiff of history in Istanbul

ISTANBUL final.qxd 12/8/2010 4:52 PM Page 2


striking a bargain: Full of rugs and carpets, the Grand Bazar is theplace where they'll tell you that Oprah Winfrey came visiting yesterday.

Swallow that and continue to bargain like hell!

I step into Istanbul, and find it as real as seenin the pictures, if possible, even morebeautiful… with the Blue Mosque on one sideand the sea gliding on the other, it’s aperfect amalgamation of the traditional andthe contemporary — so what are you waitingfor? it’s time for some Huzun, Sema and atouch of history at the gateway to Europe

K SRINIVASAN

Kemal Attaturk! The man Turkeyreveres and is acknowledged asthe one who forged a decayingOttoman legacy into a modern

nation state stares at you from everystreet corner of Istanbul. And as at home,you won’t have enough fingers to countthe number of things they have namedafter him. As one of the receptionists atthe stately Armada Hotel(www.armadahotel.com.tr) said, “He isthe face of modern Turkey, if we areEurope and Asia and still one, it isbecause of Kemal Mustafa Ataturk.”

But before you get to Sultanahmet —the heart of the tourist district of Istanbulas well as the soul of the old city — youhave got to land at Kemal Ataturk airport— one of the world’s busiest junctionsand literally the gateway to Europe(virtually every European carrier hasmultiple flights into Istanbul) — which isas bad as Mumbai and Delhi at peakhours. As the A320 swoops over the Seaof Marmara, it takes a good 40 minutescircling above the azure blueMediterranean before touchdown(outbound, it took us 45 minutes to take off)!

Coming back to the hotel, one wouldn’thave thought of a better location for theArmada. It’s right behind KennedyCaddesi (or Kennedy Road, if you please),the long winding boulevard that leadsinto the city and looks very much likeMarine Drive — the Sea (of Marmara) onone side and skyscrapers cheek by jowlwith monuments and ugly modernstructures on the other. Actually, it is bangon the peninsula of Istanbul — that littlestrip of land that divides Turkey intoEurope and Asia.

As you have breakfast on the terrace ofthe Armada, you realise why everyone is

The entire strip ofKemedy Caddesiright up to the GalataBridge is spottedwith dozens of menwith fishing rods.


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The best way to travel across the Bosphorous is to take the ferry. You have one every half-hourgoing in different directions and is the preferred way to spend an afternoon.

Chewy and original: Whatmakes the Turkish ice creamsuch a delight is the almost

exotic nature of the vendor.His dress and his demeanour,

well, as they say is "hatke"

so taken in by Istanbul. There is anethereal picture postcard quality to thepanorama: on one side you have theSultanahmet and a glimpse of TopkapiMuseum, the Hagia Sophia and the BlueMosque and on the other side theBosphorous gently gliding into the sea:it’s a mélange of the ancient and themodern, round domes everywhere,ancient crumbling walls at every streetcorner and relics of the Byzantium andOttoman Empire all around the area.

Also, one can see the first glimpse ofOrhan Pamuk’s Istanbul (read hismasterpiece, Istanbul: Memories of a city,a semi-autobiographical tour de force)along the entire strip of Kennedy Caddesiright up to the Galata Bridge. Dozens ofmen with fishing rods spend an eternitywaiting for that elusive catch. And whatdrives them is the camaraderie of beingtogether with friends (it’s like a fourball ingolf, it’s no fun if you aren’t playingtogether, said one of them).You can rent a

rod and every other fishing paraphernaliaand join them or simply stand on theGalata Bridge and watch the steamersand the countless ferries go up and downthe Golden Horn to their Asiandestinations or eat to your heart’s fill inthe deck below the bridge.

It’s a cacophony of voices, horns andangry yelps. The Yenikapi FeribotTerminali (ferryboat terminal) in Besiktasis right below the Galata and the bus andtram terminus across the street. It’s thecity’s lifeline. The ferry connects thecapital with countless towns in theAegean region and along the Marmaraand the nippy catamarans bounce alongwith dozens of cars in its belly. The tramsand the bus take you deep into the bellyof this magical city.

So what is it that makes Istanbul(population 15 million and growing everyday) Istanbul? Pamuk believes it’s huzun(melancholy): “If I am to convey theintensity of the huzun that Istanbul


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caused me to feel as a child, I mustdescribe the history of the city followingthe destruction of the Ottoman Empireand… the way this history is reflected inthe city’s ‘beautiful’ landscapes and itspeople”. But Pamuk himself admits that itis no more the Istanbul that greetsvisitors today.

That was the Istanbul of the 70s-sepia-tinted memories of the Ottomon empire,Constantinople and gateway to the east,as he said in a recent lecture, Istanbultoday is “colourful, happier” and packedwith tourists. “But the yearning to be apart of the ‘West’, to be in the commonmarket and to be accepted as one by thecontinent does produce a tinge ofmelancholia or huzun if you may please.The morning newspapers are full of EUstories or the NATO alliance and there islittle to suggest that the yearning forEurope has lessened in any way.

That’s evident in the almost majesticmanner in which residents in theEuropean section flaunt theirgeographical superiority. “This is Europe,can you feel the difference between the

two sides?” is often asked of you.The question is actually surprising for

the Asian side is hip, full of action and acompelling and refreshing change fromthe antiquity of the European section.Across the Bosphorous Kadikoy iscompletely bindaas. Ferries leave every10-30 minutes and till as late as 11 pm.Vibrant, irreverent with interesting cafesand great discounts, the Tuesday Marketis worth a trip to this section of Istanbul.Moda is equally enchanting, again greatcafes and the tea garden on the hillsreminds you of Darjeeling except that thesunset and the sea are something else.Best of all, there is the old fashioned tramthat runs through in a loop from Moda toKardikoy, like the one in Istiklal Caddesiin Taksim.

One can go on and on, but to feel themagic of enchanting Istanbul, you need toexperience it first hand.

28A relaxed shine: If you think that getting your shoes polished was an ex-

clusive south Asian preserve, think again. Rows of shoeshine-wallas atthe Istanbul train and bus station.

liberal and accommodating: Young couple inside the Blue Mosque. Now,can you think of any mosque anywhere in the world that would throw

two lungis at you and give you the space to have your own experience?

A visit to theCemberlitasHamam, built byMimar Sinan, thegreatest of allTurkish architects in1584 is a must.


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MUST SEE/MUST DO

WHAT’S SO SPECIALABOUT NEVIZADE SOKAK?The food isn’t special, but the sheerexperience of making your way across theIstiklal Caddesi to the narrow alley aroundthe flower passage (Cicek Pasaji) andsavouring the atmosphere is exceptional.This is Beyoglu, the modern part ofIstanbul. Order a chilled beer, dip into themezes (cold starters) and ask for the day’scatch and watch the action as the city’s hip-hop crowd and tourists like us descend foran evening of action. There is nothingbetter than a few hours in one of themeyhanes (taverns) here. There is an old-fashioned tram that runs in a loop fromone end of Istiklal Caddesi to Taksimsquare — chugging bang in the middle ofthis High Street full of fashion and food.

THE BASILICA CISTERN INSULTANAHMETThis Basilica tells you a thing or two aboutthe engineering marvel in Byzantine times.Bang in the middle of Sultanahmet square,you will miss it if you fail to spot thebuilding next to the tram line, stairs lead

down to the cistern. This undergroundaqueduct was the city’s water storage.Water still drips from the ceiling and asyou walk through the cistern on the raisedplatform, you wonder at this marvelcreated close to 15 centuries ago.Supported by giant Doric and Corinthiancolumns, you will see two giant Medusa -one upside down! Completely renovatedwith a cafeteria!

SPICE BAZAAR If you want to be touristy then a mustsee/must do has to be the Spice Baazar andthe Grand Bazaar. Just wander around thewinding alleys of either market, have a thickskin for the shopkeepers are impossible torestrain and don’t get taken in by theunbeatable offers. The Egyptian SpiceBazaar (Misir Carisisi) is near Pamuk'sbeloved Galata Bridge right below the NewMosque which is actually 400 years old!Wander around the spice bazaar and samplethe Lokum, baklava, teas and Turkish coffeeand dried fruits. A favourite is the apple tea.Now how the apple tea came to beassociated with Istanbul is anybody’s guess.But they are heaped in packet after packet,processed powder or the original dried fruit.Take your pick. And don’t forget the driedmeat-neatly packed and hanging in bunchesfrom every second shop. They’ll tell you itwill last over a year. Want to buy that?

THE GRAND BAZAAR This is grander and bigger than the SpiceBazaar. If they harass you for the apple teasand the baklava at the Spice Bazaar, beprepared to be enticed by the finest Persian,Syrian, Arabic and Turkish carpets in thismagnificent shopping arcade full of carpetshops whose owner will tell you proudlythat Clint Eastwood had come visitingrecently. That’s the magic of morphing onPhotoshop. And then pointing at you, theyyell ‘Indian’ and when you nod your headthey breakdance: Mere sapano ki rani. Youcan’t escape Bollywood!

WHIRLING DERVISHES Watching the sema ceremony of theMevlevi sect isn’t entertainment. Many aredisappointed at the performance. Whatthey forget is that this is a Sufi tradition ofdhikr (worship). It’s somber, ritualistic anddeeply moving particularly if you manageto get the tickets to the one at the MevleviMonastry. Unfortunately, we couldn’tcatch the ceremony at the Monastery, itwas under renovation and the show hadbeen moved to a nearby auditorium. Itwasn’t the same, but it was something tosee the Whirling Dervishes. There areplenty of Dervish shows in theSultanahmet area. But that’s not a patch onthe real thing.

HAMAM: A visit to the CemberlitasHamam, built by Mimar Sinan, the greatestof all Turkish architects in1584. Beautifullypreserved, the hamam is an experience thatyou must savour. There are several in theSultanahmet area.

TURKISH ICE CREAM: Againuniquely Turkish and called “dondurma”—a chewy ice cream that is hugely popular.The best part is the stall owners’flamboyance in doling out the stuff. It’spaisa vasool as we would say.

(PICTURES BY K SRINIVASAN)

Why is thisMedusa upsidedown? No oneknows. You canfind this insidethe BasilicaCistern

Class act: Just soak inthe spirit and the energyof Nevizade Sokak

Spices and more: You have saffron.You have dried meat and different

types of spices. Make your choice.


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SATISH JACOB

KARIM’S SERVES one of myfavourite dishes during thecold season — a breakfast of‘paye’ (trotters) with hot tan-doori rotis — which I make a

point of having every time I am near theJama Masjid in winter. This month, threeother things, apart from sheer appetite,prompted me to visit Karim’s.

First, it was even colder and bleakerthan usual, which made me crave theheart-warming properties of ‘paye’. Second,my childhood friend Asad, who now livesin England and comes to India occasionallyto visit his mother, was returning to Lon-

don the following day and I had to see himbefore he left. We agreed to meet at JamaMasjid along with two other friends withwhom I had spent some of my happiestdays in the Walled City. Third, I also had tofulfil my promise to Masroor, the grandsonof Hakim Ajmal Khan, to visit his excellentlibrary in Ballimaran, where he still lives inthe ancestral home called ‘Sharif Manzil’,to pick up a copy of a rare English-Hindus-tani dictionary compiled by DuncanForbes, a Scottish linguist in 1867, a yearbefore his death.

As usual whenever I visit Shahjehan-abad, as Old Delhi used to be called, I parkmy car near Turkman Gate and walk toJama Masjid. I like to choose different

routes. Sometimes I go via Bazar Sitaramand Gali Prem Narain or via MohallaKabristan and Chitli Qabar — all placeswith a fascinating history.

The history that permeates every cornerof Old Delhi is important to me. This facthit me with great force when recently, during an idle afternoon, I started walkingfrom India International Centre (IIC) onMax Mueller Marg towards ConnaughtPlace. During this long walk, I went pastJinnah’s house, (close to the old Nehruhome), the National Museum and theGallery of Modern Art. That was it.

In Old Delhi, however, you can walk inany direction and every few feet there areplaces and buildings measuring just four

FOOTFALLS

From popular chat wallahs, Jalebiwala to paan wallahs, the age oldcharisma of the bylanes of good old Purani Dilli and Chandini Chowkhas only increased with time…

A walk in historyShahjehanabad (Old Delhi) still has many old mansions with

beautiful stone carved doors. This door in black woodstands in a haveli in Kasmiri Mohalla in Bazar Sitaram.


OLD DELHI WALKS final.qxd 12/4/2010 4:46 PM Page 45

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square miles that are seeped in the historyof 400 years.

Turkman Gate, for instance, becamefamous during the Emergency in 1975when several unauthorised homes weredemolished and scores of families weredumped without shelter in various placesacross the River Jamuna.

But its greater claim to fame is the factthat a great Sufi saint, Shah Bayabani, usedto live in this area during the reign of RaziaSultan, in the 12th century. Razia Sultan’sgrave is situated half-a-kilometre away,north of Turkman Gate.

The Gate was constructed much laterwhen Shah Jehan built Old Delhi as hiscapital in 1638 AD. During Razia Sultan’stime, this area was a thick jungle andfavourite hunting ground of the royal fami-lies because of the leopards and tigers thatcould be found here.

The Tughlaks also continued to hunt inthis jungle and erected a mosque known asKalan Masjid which is close to BazarSitaram, the haveli where Kamla Nehrulived and where Pandit Jawarlal Nehrucame, at the head of his ‘baraat’, to marryher. The haveli has survived but only just;it is run down, dilapidated, and a shell of itsformer self.

Bazar Sitaram is named after an enter-prising Kashmiri Brahmin who rose to ahigh position in the Mughal durbar duringthe reign of Shah Alam. Over the years, itbecame known as a neighbourhood whereinfluential Kashmiri families who hadfound gainful employment during the laterMughuls, liked to live.

One street in particular, Gali PremNarain, was famous for the grand and ele-gantly furnished havelis belonging to theKashmiri nobility. The ancestors of T.N -Kaul, the former principal secretary toIndira Gandhi, lived here and while hishouse has vanished, a few of the havelisstill stand.

The River Jamuna once flowed throughBallimaran and the Turkman Gate areaslong before the Mughuls settled on OldDelhi as their capital. By the time ShahJehan came to live in the Red Fort, theJamuna had changed its course and was onthe eastern side of the royal palace. Now ithas receded even further to the east.

As Asad and I enjoyed our ‘paya’ atKarim’s, we also talked of how it is not onlythe river which has changed course — butthe destinies of all the families we knew aschildren have also been transformed. Heasks me where these families, many ofwhom were descendants of the rulingMughal elite, have gone and I relate hownearly all of them have, over the years,

moved out to South Delhi, leaving theirhavelis to become derelict or to be takenover and used as warehouses.

As we get up to continue our walk, I amstruck by how I feel a surge of pleasure,mixed with nostalgia, every time I walkdown these noisy, crowded and often dirtylanes. I’m very fond of the other historicalmonuments in Delhi and I yield to no onein my admiration for the grand, leafyavenues and bungalows of Lutyens Delhi.But nothing can beat the unique charm and

character of this ancient quarter. Once you have walked around the

Gurudwara Mata Sundari which the sixthSikh Guru, Harkrishan Singh, and hismother, Mata Sundari founded, you are notfar from the Mehndiyan graveyard whereMaulana Waliullah, an Islamic reformer, isburied. The area around the graveyard isknown as the Mehndiyan because of themehndi (henna) plants that abound here.The graveyard came up at this spotbecause a dreaded prison used to be here

The entrance to the house in Bazar Sitaram where Kamla Nehru lived isnow painted in gaudy red. It was a grand and sprawling building butnow broken up into several dwellings.

Old Delhi is known for famous eatingshops. The Chaatwala in Chandni Chowkattracts huge crowds every day.

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and the prisoners who were executed inthe jail were buried in the Mehndiyangraveyard.

The jail — India’s first modern jail —was set up here before the Great IndianMutiny of 1857. A number of prominentMuslim leaders who participated in therebellion were executed here and later sev-eral freedom fighters were incarceratedand hanged here by the British. Twofamous freedom fighters, Avadh Behari andAmar Chand (both students of St. Stephen’sCollege) were hanged in this jail for staginga bomb attack against Lord Hardinge inChandni Chowk. After independence, thejail was moved to Tihar in west Delhi.

The common area in front of TurkmanGate is known for political rallies but it hasalso been the site of the Ram Lila festivalfor more a century. In the 19th century, itused to be famous for wrestling matches

and a huge ‘talao’ or a water body. Duringthe independence movement, MahatmaGandhi used to hold prayer meetings hereattended by thousands of people.

From Turkman Gate to Jama Masjid, youcan see the ruins of a great many mansions,formerly inhabited by the Muslim nobility.The area surrounding Jama Masjid washome to the great Urdu poet Ghalib wholived in Ballimaran. Other poets such asUstad Dagh, Mir Taqi Mir, Zauq andMomin, also lived in the lanes of ChandniChowk and Chaori Bazar — the streetwhere courtesans used to entertain theMughul elite with their exquisite eleganceand arts.

Chandni Chowk today is a bustlingwholesale market for spices, jewellery, tex-tiles and electrical goods but it used to be agreat bazaar, known far and wide, andpatronised by merchants and traders fromall over Central Asia who came to buy andsell priceless stones and spices.

In his book, “Travels through the

Moghul Empire”, Francois Bernierdescribes Chandni Chowk as an elegantavenue full of beautiful coffee houses andsarais (inns). A canal used to run throughthe middle of the wide avenue. Nobleswearing white muslin robes and turbansused to arrive in horse carriages or ele-phants for coffee and conversation.

Merchants would sit regally in their lowceiling, thatched roof shops, leaning againstbolsters as they waited for customers. Afew homes belonging to these merchantfamilies have survived the most prominentof which are the Chhuna Mal ki Haveli andthe haveli of Lala Jugal Kishore.

Chandni Chowk is also famous for tradi-tional cuisine and sweet shops — Dariba’sJalebiwala, Ghantewala, Chaina Ram, Kanwarjee and Haldiram are more than ahundred years old. On the hot summerafternoons of our childhood, when Asadand I lazed indoors, we used to hear thepounding of the artisans making the silverleaf that would be used by the sweet shops

The fawwara or the fountain in Chandni Chowk has witnessed somegory incidents in its 400 years of existence. It was here Aurangzeb

beheaded his elder brother Dara Shikoh. also seen in the backgroundis the gurudwara sis ganj sahib.

Another popular eating joint in Old Delhi is the Bhalla Corner, which iseveryday thronged by people in large numbers.

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Chandni Chowk today is abustling wholesale marketpopular for spices, jew-ellery, textiles and electrical goods.



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and paanwallahs. The Chat Corner near Central Bank is

now a great local landmark. This bank, infact, used to be the Imperial Bank, set upby the British and it is here that AvadhBehari and Amar Chand threw a bomb atLord Hardinge. Rumour has it that theman who owns the hugely popular ChatCorner boasts half a dozen Mercedes andlives in a mansion in Model Town.

Every corner of Chandni Chowk tells astory. Every few foot, you stumble across abuilding or site of great historical signifi-cance. It was here, at Kotwali, thatAurangzeb had the third Sikh guru, TeghBahadur, executed. A gurudwara stands onthe site of the kotwali where Guru TeghBahadur was kept in a lock up beforebeing beheaded. Thousands of Sikh pil-grims visit the gurudwara every day.

Next door is a mosque called the“Sunehri Masjid” or the Golden Mosquewhere the Iranian king, Nadir Shah,ordered the massacre of citizens in 1739because some people had attacked andkilled his soldiers in the bazaar. Thou-sands, including women and children, diedin the bloodbath. Nadir Shah later leftDelhi, carrying the famous PeacockThrone with him.

Chandni Chowk was the scene of anoth-er bloodbath when Aurangzeb staged acoup against his father Shah Jehan and hadhis three brothers — Dara Shikoh, Muradand Shuja — publicly executed. DaraShikoh, who was the heir apparent and afavourite of Shah Jehan, was brought inchains to Chandni Chowk and publiclybeheaded in a crime that shocked the citi-zens of Delhi who were very fond of theerudite young prince. What used to beDara Shikoh’s library now houses a polytechnic.

After the Mutiny, the library hadbecome the home of the British Resident,William Fraser, who later moved to BaraHindu Rao where he was assassinated. TheNawab of Loharu was charged with hismurder and hanged following a trial justoutside Kashmere Gate.

Thousands of prominent Delhi citizenswere publicly hanged like common crimi-nals by the British following the Mutiny.Among them were the Nawab of Jhajjarand the Raja of Ballabhgarh.

A more fitting name for Chandni Chowkmight be ‘Lal Chowk’ given how muchblood has flowed through it. In the 100years between the death of Aurangzeb andthe outbreak of the Mutiny, Shajehanabadhad been ransacked and looted by a suc-cession of raiders. Mughul Emperor ShahAlam suffered the indignity of having his

eyes gouged out inside the Red Fort by aknife-wielding Pathan chieftain who notonly blinded the emperor but tortured hischildren and the women in the harem.

Chandni Chowk is about a mile long,with the Red Fort at one end and the spicemarket in Khari Baoli at the other. Thismarket is still very busy and popular for itsspices, dried fruits, pickles, the best Bas-mati rice and silver leaf. Kinari Bazar, alsoknown as “The Wedding Street”, is a riot ofcolour which dazzles the senses. Familiesplanning a wedding come here, as theyhave for centuries, to buy beautiful

embroidered saris and all the other para-phernalia they will need for the rituals ofthe big day.

Right now, hectic preparations areunderway for a facelift to the capital in timefor the October Commonwealth Games.The city should become more beautiful andI welcome that. What saddens me is that solittle is being done to improve Old Delhiwhich, given its history, heritage and archi-tecture, possesses all the qualities of aWorld Heritage City, if only it were giventhe gigantic renovation it so badly needs.

(PICTURES BY ACHAL KUMAR)

Try and avoid going by car. Take theMetro instead, either from PatelChowk or Rajiv Gandhi Chowk. Getdown at Chandni Chowk and beginyour walk from Sis Ganj Gurudwara.First, explore Chandni Chowk betweenthe Red Fort at one end and FatehpuriMasjid at the other. The best places tosee are Kaori Baoli (the spice market),Kinari Bazaar, Jama Masjid, and theRed Fort.Carry a bottle of mineral water. Sincethere are no decent public toilets, makesure that you can hold on for a fewhours.Be careful about your wallet andbelongings. The crowded streets areperfect terrain for pickpockets.Take a break and enjoy some chaateither at Central Bank Chaat Corner,Parathe-wale Gali or at Haldiram, nearthe gurudwara.

If you are not happy doing a solovisit, you can get in touch with Shahje-hanabad Redevelopment Corporationand ask for a guide to take you around. Tel: 011-23392254.

There are two sports which have con-tinued in Old Delhi from the time ofthe Mughals — kite flying and pigeonflying. For kite-flying, people living inthe quarter use their roof terraces onspecial occasions such as RepublicDay, Independence Day, Rakshabandhan and all Muslim festivals. Onthese occasions, you can watch thespectacle of the sky being filled withbrightly coloured kites being flownand watched enthusiastically by entirefamilies who settle down on therooftop for the entire day, sustainedby tea and snacks.

Pigeons are a more expensive hob-by. A pair of good flying pigeons canput you back by a couple of thousandrupees. There are thousands ofpigeon enthusiasts who stock hun-dreds of pigeons in their lofts on theirrooftops. Many of these pigeons fallprey to the sharp threads on the kitesbut every afternoon during winter, itis still a delight to hear the shouts of‘Come’ or ‘Go’ by the pigeon ownersresounding across the rooftops.

Five steps to prepareyourself for the walk

The age old sports stillplayed in Old Delhi

34Kabutarbazi is a favourite past time of Dilliwalas. It is a

hangover from the times of the Moghuls.


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Nivedita Bhasin, an airline pilot with AirIndia, flies the A330, and is passionate aboutphotography.

When did you decide to take up photogra-phy as a serious hobby?The thought process started in mid 2005,but it was not until early 2006 that I found aphotographer to teach me the basics of photography!

What prompted you to take up this diversion in the first places?It was in the summer of 2005, when myfather-in-law underwent simultaneous kneetransplant operations. He too, was an airline pilot, having flown for more thanthree decades, and all his life he had spenteither flying or playing tennis. Basically, hewas very sporty and loved the outdoors. Hisoperation was a definite hindrance to hismuch loved outdoor activities and it certainly had a deep impact on me. I think Iwent through a period of quiet introspec-tion. I feared, I too may go through thisphase of inactivity some day and I wouldnot be well equipped to keep myself busyenough, to keep my body and soul healthy.

Flying had kept me busy for many years.Fulfilling the needs of two teen-aged children, my husband and home, besides anerratic flying schedule had left me with verylittle time/choice to try my hand at anyactivity unrelated to flying.

So, what started as a result of a last ditchoption in a way, has become a new foundpassion for me.

Your favourite photography story?It is definitely the time I went all the way toTaregna, near Patna to shoot the SolarEclipse in July this year.

It was as though I was preparing anassault on Mt Everest. The frenzy, theexcitement and the preparation (solar filters

Ladakhi Hospitality: Enroute to Pangong Tso

being fabricated, being gifted with a 2XExtender on the eve of my departure)before the journey and the actual moments of the Eclipse are really difficultto describe.

And, just as I had read and heard, theactual moments of totality... 2mins and 56secs, just flew by. It seemed that day turnedto night and back to day in the batting of an eyelid!

Your favourite photographers are?I don’t have any favourite, but, yes, the onephotographer whose images always floataround in my mind, is Raghu Rai.

Any favourite travel destination for takingpictures?Without a doubt, has to be Japan. For the

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Is he real? At the Guwahati Zoo

Innocent Faith: Prayingfor Kosen Rufu at ThikseyGompa, Ladakh

Flaming Flamingos: Birdsfeeding at Lake Nakuru, a

rift valley soda lake,Nairobi, Kenya

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Adrenaline Pumping: Dubai Desert Safari

On way to salvation: Pilgrimson board the special Haj Charter Flight to Mecca

simple fact, that you see a new Japan everyfour months... nature changes her colourswith each season... in winter, the snowcapped Mt Fuji, Cherry blossoms in Spring,listening to the Furin or wind chimes inSummer and the fiery Koyo or Mapleleaves in Autumn...all add to the beauty andgrandeur of the country.

Your camera and preferred lenses?I shoot with a DSLR Canon EOS 50D. Onmost of my flights, along with my flight bag,my Camera bag has become a constant fix-ture!

Mid range 17mm-85mm, wide 10mm-22mm (which I adore), the Tele PhotoEF70mm-200mm f/2.8L IS USM (my mostprized possession) along with the 2x Exten-der are the Canon lenses that I shoot with.

Your favourite travel story?I was returning from Agra. I was in Class Xand we were travelling by train. Although Ihad always aspired to fly and becoming anAirline Pilot was my childhood dream, Ihad never explored the possibilities of learning to fly till that time.On the journey by Taj Express, I got to sitnext to a couple of boys who were membersof the Delhi Gliding Club. By the time thetrain had chugged into Delhi Station, eachmolecule of my body was so enthused andcharged up, that I went to the Delhi Glid-ing Club the very next day... only to be toldthat I was too young to start Gliding... so,was it an aborted start to a FLYING Career,no, not at all. I started with aeromodelling,then went back to the Gliding club when Iturned 16, and, this was the beginning of anew life for me...!

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Dress them up: Fashionable dogs at Tokyo, Japan

The other way round: Flock ofpeople admiring the smiling MonaLisa, who is surrounded by securityand lens men

Awe inspiring: A view from the skyof the Mount Fuji (Fujisan)

An Evening in Paris: Every hour, onthe hour, 20,000 bulbs light up the

Grand Iron Lady

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ANITA RAO KASHI

IS THERE a description that canmatch the profile of this CEO? Well,let’s see…

A person born in Sri Lanka, who’slived most of his life in the Middle East,is a citizen of Australia, works in Indiaand calls both Bangaluru and Sydney hishome. That in a line describes Jude EFonseka, CEO, Deccan 360, the cargoand Logistics Company launched thisyear by Capt G R Gopinath. A citizen ofthe world would probably be a better fit.But even after spending his life in so

many different parts of the world, it’sBengaluru and Sydney that’s closest to his heart.

So how did he get here? “I believe itsdestiny,” said Jude, and considering theway his life has moved, so do we. He setfoot for the first time on Indian shores

way back in 1979 when he was posted toMumbai during his stint with SriLankanAirlines. “That’s when my love affair withIndia began,” he recalls fondly. Heworked in India for a couple of years,then moved on to the Middle East andthen to Australia, and had no inkling whatwas round the corner. “Out of the blue, Iwas approached when Capt Gopinath wasready to launch Deccan 360. My initialanswer was no, but perhaps destiny wasat work again, and I ended up taking thejob and moved to Bengaluru,” he says.

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TWIN CITIES

Taking the positives into consideration, Jude believesthat each city has its ownspecialities.

Away from theharbour…in Bengaluru!!

In this era of glob-alisation, workoften takes peopleplaces — literally, and makesnew cities a part oftheir life… Jude E Fonseka,shares his experiences in Sydney and bengaluru

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And though it has been some time now,the recent turn of events in his life stillseemed to flummox him. The rest of thefamily is in Sydney, making them a ‘longdistance family’ with either side travellingfrequently to be with the other.

He is eternally grateful to technologyfor trying to bridge the gap, in themetaphorical sense, at least. “Thank Godfor Skype. I am constantly in touch withmy family and even read my son a bedtime story. It keeps me connected andis the next best thing to being aroundphysically,” he says. On a more reflectivenote, he adds, “I am curious to know howthis (VOIP) was invented. Was the inventor away from home, missing familyand friends and ended up doing it? It’s interesting.”

His reflective mood evaporates and hiseyes begin to twinkle when asked abouthis likes and dislikes about the two cities.Rather than focussing on the negativesand indulging in hand-wringing, Judeseems to have taken the positives fromeach city and proceeded to enjoy them.“Sydney has a great lifestyle and the foodis great where meat is concerned, buteven the best Indian food is quite ordi-nary. On the other hand, the Indian food

in Bengaluru is simply great and I lovethe local fare, though I am yet to get agood steak. So each have their speciali-ties,” he said.

But what about other things? Are therethings he misses, things he would like totransplant from one city to the other? Thequestions animate him and he respondspassionately. “I don’t miss the regimenta-tion of Sydney: if you forget to put outyour garbage, you are stuck with it for aweek, and longer if it is garden stuff.Here, it is collected from your doorstepeveryday and you don’t even have tothink about it. Same with the support sys-tem: there’s somebody to clean up thehouse, drive you around and you don’thave to bother about finding parking

space, so those are certainly good here.On the other hand, it’s a bit of a dampen-er that pubs and bars shut so early, andone has to take the party home, which isnot always practical. In Sydney, especiallyduring the weekends, parties go on tilllate in the night and also into the nextmorning, which is fun,” he says.

And yet, despite all the drawbacks,Jude is certain that his comfort level withIndia, drawn from the fact that he is, afterall, from the region, played a large part inhis decision to take up the job and settletemporarily in the country. “I am not sureif I would have decided so quickly if itwas any other country,” he says in a con-templative mood. In the background, thesound of ringing phones and shufflingfeet had audibly increased; colleagueswere waiting for him for the next meet-ing. But I couldn’t resist one last ques-tion: would he consider settling down inIndia permanently? “That’s difficult toanswer. Once children grow up, our livesrevolve around them. I don’t know wheremy kids would want to settle, but I wouldwant to be close to them. If, by anychance, they want to settle here, then sobe it.”

(PICTURES BY JUDE E FONSEKA)

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Jude’s comfort level fromIndia can be drawn from thefact that he is, after all, fromthe region and this played alarge part in his decision totake the job in the country.

JUDE’S JUDGEMENT

Favourite restaurant in BengaluruVia Milano. I think it is at KoramangalaFavourite restaurant in SydneyBasils sea food restaurant, close tomy home. It has the best sea food Ihave ever tasted!

India in your wordsIndia is a country of mysticalbelieves that fascinates many visitors.It is filled with vibrant energy thatmakes people want to come backagain and again to either find innerpeace or to gain greater understand-ing of those mystical believes!Share one incredible experienceIt was the opportunity we had towork with the street children ofMumbai!!

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PROBIR SEN

TILL I visited the city, themental image I had of it was ofone of the many railwaystations passed by in a longtrain journey, or of one of the

country’s dusty crowded provincial towns,with architecture entirely functional,bordering on the ugly.

Today’s less prosaic and more tragicassociation is that of the gas disaster of1984, when 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanateleaked out killing 3,000 people in the firstinstance, and another 17,000, over theyears.

Therefore, my first encounter withBhopal was a very pleasant surprise andsubsequent visits coupled with later

working and staying there, led to thegrowing affection and love for the city andits people.

To begin with, Mother Nature has giftedthe city with boundless beauty. True to itstitle of ‘City of Lakes’, these are lakesindeed that greet us on our arrival inBhopal. If one comes by train, then theroad from the railway station to the citycrosses the Chhota Talab, (the Small Lake),while those entering the city via air gets tosee the Bada Talab, (the Great Lake) ontheir drive into the town skirts. This greatspread of water, spanning 31km; is morelike an expanse of sea than a lake, which,while enveloping the city, reflects on it aswell. The saying goes tal mein tal Bhopal,baki sab talaiya. However dominant theGreat Lake is, it is only one of many that

softens the city in so many parts.Next only in beauty to, and

complementing the lakes, is the undulatingbody of the city spread over three hills —Idgah, Shamla and Arera. The city nevertires, because it clothes itself differently —a soft carpet of lights from the ‘BirlaMandir’ along with a medieval skylinereflected in the lake when viewed from theIdgah Hills. Bhopal is a neat, well spacedout city, interspersed with gardens. Whiledriving through the broad streets of NewBhopal, or walking through the crowdedwinding alleys of the Chowk, one iscompelled to acknowledge that this townhas all the flavours of an old Indian bazaar.What remains consistent and unchanged,in all parts of the city, is the charm of itspeople — gentle, unhurried and innately

Return toGlory

42

Stately aura all around of resplendent lakes,

enchanting venerated mosques and temples, endowing

monuments showing glamorous lives of nawabs and

begums — Bhopal — never fails to impress even the most

discriminating tourists

A lovely view of the sunset at the popular Bhopal Lake

COMPASS

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civilised, a soothing contrast to those used to the rough lingo in the metropolitan cities.

Adding to what nature has endowedBhopal with, the city also boasts of a richhistory, dating back to over a thousandyears, if we link it with the 11th centurycity built by the legendary Raja Bhoj. Themodern city however, was developed bythe Afghan soldier of fortune, DostMohammad (1708-40). Straying from theimperial Mughal armies, using militarystrategy and treachery with equal skill,always backed by enormous courage,

he exploited internal dissensions to find a kingdom.

When in Bhopal, its first capital —‘Islamnagar’, lying 11km from Bhopal, isworth a visit. The story says that whileposing as a rich visiting nobleman; he setup camp, and invited the local ruler ofJagdishpur to a meal. After the guestssettled, on an agreed signal, the ropes ofthe tent were cut, after which they wereswiftly slaughtered and their bodiesthrown into a river, which appropriatelycame to be known as Halali. The gardens,fountains and palaces that you see at

Islamnagar, have an air of placidity, givingno clue about these bloody beginnings.

New Bhopal was created in the midfifties, as the capital of the newly formedstate of Madhya Pradesh. It therefore hada resemblance of town planning withgeometrically laid out wide roads,government offices and residences, butwas in danger of having a profile ofexcessive functionalism, had it not been forthe efforts of some imaginative officerswho worked hard to prevent this. Starkstructures of brick and mortar weremellowed by gardens and flowers, and


The magnificent Taj-UL-MASJID. This is the second largest mosque in Asia.

When in Bhopal, an evening drive on the lakeside road is recommended. It commenceswith ‘Bharat Bhavan’, passes through the National Museum of Man and ends at the ‘Van Vihar’, the 445 hectares finest open air zoo in India.

The famous Birla Mandir, a

must visit in Bhopal

Photo courtesy: Nandu M

anjeshwar


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open spaces created into parks, plannedwith great care, using contours for bedsand streams, and rocks as contrasts to thepastel shades of plants and flowers. Bhopalbecame a city of gardens where itscitizens-of-all-ages flock pleasantly.

In Bhopal, what is also unusual is theuse of the banks of the Great Lake tohouse, not government offices orresidences of the powerful or affluent, butunique public institutions.

When in Bhopal, an evening drive onthe lakeside road is recommended. Itcommences with ‘Bharat Bhavan’, aunique complex designed by CharlesCorrea, housing an art gallery with fineexhibits of contemporary, folk and tribalpaintings, a workshop for the fine arts, arepertory theatre, indoor and outdoorauditoria, libraries of Indian poetry,classical and folk music and the largestcollection of tribal artefacts in the world.This unique institution highlights love ofall art forms by the people of Bhopal, andthe creative efforts of the Government ofMadhya Pradesh, Bhopal. Such rich is itscreative and cultural aspect that it even ledPrime Minister Indira Gandhi to describeBhopal as the ‘Cultural Capital of India’, acity to which many eminent painters, poetsand playwrights came to settle, including J Swaminathan, Habib Tanvir and B VKaranth.

Next, bordering the lake, spread over200 acres, is the National Museum of Man,which has replicas of dwelling units oftribal, coastal, and mountain people fromall over the country, with an informativeclosed door gallery.

Finally, there is ‘Van Vihar’, the finestopen air zoo in India, where a very largevariety of animals live in luxuriant natural surroundings. It is spread over 445 hectares.

Bhopalis love to flock to this lakesidedrive early mornings and evenings ineither two wheelers, open First World Warrefurbished jeeps or cars. The boating,restaurants, young couples, brightcostumes and children create an air ofmini carnival that makes the entire citycome alive.

Despite these efforts, New Bhopal, likeNew Delhi, being an artificially createdplanned city, suffers from the absence ofcharacter that comes only from organicgrowth, for which, like Old Delhi, we haveto go to Old Bhopal. The heart of the oldcity is the Chowk, its winding lanes linedwith shops selling beadwork bags, bellmetal objects and silver jewellery byshopkeepers, many of whom seem straightout of the old testament. The old city alsoderives its charm from the palaces and

mosques built by the Begums of Bhopal,rulers who displayed a range of veryunusual talents.

Qudsia Begum, succeeding her husbandat the age of 18, ruled from 1819 to 1837.Though illiterate, she refused to permit thepurdah system, and had the strength todeclare her two-year old daughterSikandar her successor. She constructedthe Jama Masjid and Gohar Mahal, adelightful little palace overlooking theBada Talab.

Sikandar Begum, not only followed hermother in not observing purdah, but wenta step further and took to martial arts! Herenthusiasm was however not confined togender issues; she was proactive ineducation, opening schools and madrasas,and also constructed the Moti Masjid and

nawabon ki nagri — bhopal

The Tongas and architecture says it all

A white Tiger relaxing at Van Vihar,

the open air zoo in Bhopal

Photo courtesy: Nandu Manjeshwar



Moti Mahal. The only surviving child of Sikandar

Begum, Shah Jahan, (1844-60 and 1868-1901), was perhaps the most remarkable ofall the Begums. Following the finetraditions of her predecessors she showedkeen interest in schemes related to thewelfare of her subjects. Like her namesakeat Delhi, she was also a great builder,constructing a mini city, named‘Shahjahanabad’ after her, initiating theconstruction of the magnificent ‘Taj-ul-Masjid’ (‘Crown of Mosques’), the secondlargest in Asia, and a score of otherbuildings. Both learned and religious, sheauthored several books in Urdu, donatedto a mosque at Woking, Surrey in England,and to the Muhammad Anglo-Oriental College, which later led to the founding of the Aligarh Muslim University.

Apart from atmosphere of a medievalIslamic city with its palaces, mosques and winding lanes, the Begums of Bhopal also bequeathed to Bhopal a

A picturesque view of the Bhopal Lake

which runs along the length of the city

BY AIR: Catching a flight to Bhopal is the convenient way to reachthere. Regular flights from Bhopal to Delhi, Indore and Mumbaiare being served by Jet Airways and Indian Airlines, whileinternational flights to Gulf cities like Sharjah and Dubai areoperated by Air India. The fares of Jet Airways start from Rs 2,080,Rs 3,679 and Rs 5,079 for Delhi, Mumbai and Indore respectively,while Delhi-Bhopal flight of Indian Airlines costs Rs 2,345. Thesefares, however, are subject to availability and are likely to fluctuate.

BY RAIL: When not in a hurry, the ideal way to reach Bhopal isthrough the Shatabdi Express, which shuttles daily between Delhiand Bhopal. In addition, various express trains ply between Bhopaland cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Gwalior, Indore, Gujarat, Jhansiand Ujjain and facilitate railway travel to the place. For timings andfares, please see www.indianrail.gov.in.

BY ROAD: Bhopal is well connected to all major cities through anetwork of State and National Highways. One can reach Bhopalfrom Sanchi, which is just 46km away, Indore - 186km, Ujjain -188km, Pachmarhi - 195km and Jabalpur - 295km. Overnightdeluxe buses from Delhi, Gwalior and Jabalpur are also available.

Getting there


There is huge selection of touristaccommodation in Bhopal, which canprovide you a comfortable stayaccording to your budget. For thehigh-end travellers, Bhopal housessome good luxurious hotels, such asHOTEL JEHAN NUMA: Here theprice ranges from Rs 3,562 to Rs 16, 192, depending on the roomtype. For more details, contact at 0755-2661100-05, 4235100-07.RESIDENCY HOTEL: The price herevaries from Rs 3,256 to Rs 8,266. Formore details, contact at 0755-2556001-04, 4272706-08; 4252192-93.

For those looking for budgetaccommodation, Bhopal has lots instore in form of three and five starhotels, such asNOOR-US-SABAH PALACEHOTEL: Here a standard room costsRs 4,185 while Royal Club is priced atRs 5,050. One can reach 0755-4223333, 4239996 for furtherinformation.HOTEL PALASH RESIDENCY:Here standard room is priced at Rs 2,490 while deluxe room at Rs 2,990. Suite costs Rs 4,990. Formore details, contact at 0755-2553076HOTEL LAKE VIEW ASHOKA:Here standard room costs Rs 4,200 forsingle while Rs 4,500 for double andsuite is priced at Rs 7,000 for bothsingle and double. For more detailscontact at 0755 - 2660090-95,2661976, 2661964.

� For more details on hotels inBhopal, log on to the official MadhyaPradesh tourism website, i.e.www.mptourism.com, apart fromwww.yatra.com.

■ Those looking for wine-n-dineexperience can savour delectable cuisineat Hotel Jehan Numa Palace.

■ For a typical central India flavour, visitHotel Kwality or the famous ‘Wind andWaves’ restaurant at the Boat Club.

■ For a unique dinning experience, visitthe newly opened Shaan-E-Bhopal.Designed after arailway coach, therestaurant offers Continental andMughlai cuisines.

http://www.raahi.com/travel-guides/bhopal/where-to-eat.html is anexhaustive site providing information onwhat to eat and where in Bhopal.

When in Bhopal, one must see

BHARAT BHAVAN: Mecca for theart lovers.

UPPER AND LOWER LAKES: Thathave rightfully given Bhopal its epithet‘the City of Lakes’.

The towering edifice of TAJ-UL-MASJID.

MAHAVIRGIRI: the highest point inBhopal.

CHOWK BAZAAR to take souvenirsback home. Here one can shop for itraor traditional Indian perfume, exquisitesilver jewellery, beautifully-fashionedbeadwork, sequined and embroideredvelvet purses and cushions.

www.bhopal.nic.in provides a 360degrees view of the multiplesightseeing choices in Bhopal.

Where to stay Where to eat and drink

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tradition that endowed its ladies withpride and freedom.

History and beauty apart, what addsgreatly to the appeal of Bhopal are theplaces surrounding it. Sanchi andPachmarhi are great destinations, but whatare less than an hour’s drive from Bhopalare Bhojpur and Bhimbetka, both of whichare unique in their own ways.

The paintings, ranging from prehistorictimes to the early historic, oftensuperimposed on each other, depict themyriad aspects of man’s life-hunting,riding, fighting, drinking, dancing, praying— and a range of animals, such as,elephants, sambar, bison, deer, peacocksand snakes, as well as hunting scenes withbows, arrows, swords and shields.

Most striking are the vibrant colourswhich have survived all these years, whichblaze into life when water is sprayed.Even for those who may not find thesepaintings interesting, the massive bizarre-shaped black rocks, amidst forests, are avisual treat.

Returning from Bhimbetka, and takinga short diversion, one reaches Bhojpur, thegreat Saivite temple, constructed by thelegendary Raja Bhoj (1010-1053), warrior,scholar and patron of the arts, from whom,as mentioned earlier, Bhopal derives itsname. The approach to the monument hasremains of the embankments of theenormous lake, said to be 250 sq km inarea, built by Bhoj, which was laterdestroyed by Hoshang Shah. Gondlegends state that it took three months todestroy, and three years to empty, alteringpermanently the climate of the region.

The incomplete temple can be sightedfrom a distance, but what you see onentering can never be anticipated — thegigantic ‘lingam’, 7.5 ft in height, with acircumference of 17.8 ft, on a massiveplatform 21.5 ft sq, a great symbol of life-force, a sight compelling reverence.

Due to Raja Bhoj’s involvements inwars, the temple remained incomplete;but still remains one of the best examplesof temple architecture of its times. Outsideare half-finished sculptures, the earthenramp used to lift stones to the sikhara(spire) of the temple, and architecturaldesigns of the temple engraved in therocks. It appears as if the workers havejust broken off — and the scene remainedfrozen for over 900 years.

All these — the lakes, the hills, thewarm and gentle people and theextraordinary sites surrounding it — makeBhopal a sanctuary which beckons most toreturn to it, again and again, and it is notsurprising, that some do so forever.

(PICTURES BY MP TOURISM)


[email protected]

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PANKAJ BUTALIA

AS I move from one incrediblemedieval fort in Rajasthan toanother, I cannot but be struckby the nostalgia that is myconstant companion. It is

almost as if this were the most enduringemotion that defines this gigantic state.Jaipur’s imperial vistas take us back ahundred years to the Raj while itsmonuments remind us of its three centuryold origins. Chittaurgarh and Jaisalmerbeckon from a millennium ago while otherremains of the past five hundred yearslitter the open countryside. Mirroring thisis the vast desert with hawks circlingominously above — a nostalgic lure of itsown — drawing me into its primevalbarrenness.

The tourist industry has obviouslyrecognised the potential of this lure aseverything in the state competes to try and

take the visitor back into an imagined land— where valour was the prized virtue andhandlebar moustaches its physicalmanifestation — and where the Maharajasand their vassals grew from strength tostrength even as their subjects struggled toeke out an impossible living from the dryearth. Today, most fortresses are luxury

hotels — testimonial to the fall of themighty.

For me, this trip to Rajasthan had somepersonal nostalgia associated as well.Twelve years ago we had taken our firstlong road trip by car around Rajasthan —starting in Bharatpur and ending inJaisalmer and even till date, memories of

On the Highway to Nostalgia

Featuring monolithic medieval forts, vibrantshopping avenues, national parks, and delectable

cuisine — A road trip, done like never before,showcases a new Rajasthan to us…

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MILES N MORE/RAJASTHAN

Hundreds of pelican flock tobharatpur during the winter sea-

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that trip refuse to go away. Rajasthan todayis said to have the best roads in India. Thetemptation was to see if our nine year oldwas ready to enjoy Rajasthan as much aswe had and also to see how the journeywould shape up with a newly arrived car inthe shape of a Tata Manza.

Since the decision to do this trip wastaken rather late in the day and winter isthe peak season for the desert, we decidedto do our bookings through a travel agentlocated in Jodhpur. In retrospect this was amistake — but more of that later.

Bharatpur lies on one end of Rajasthanwhile Jaisalmer is on the other. ButBharatpur is where the birds come everywinter and the memory of hundreds ofpelicans taking off in noisy unison andcormorants perched patiently on branchesoverlooking the marshes, waiting to divefor the next eel or fish that swam past, wasenough to ensure that this be our first stop.

The drive from Delhi to Bharatpur wasnot a long one as the highway is made forsmooth driving, so we made it in a verycomfortable four hours. Bharatpur has twoluxury hotels and a few small budget ones— mainly concentrated around theKeoladeo Ghana National Park. We’venever managed to stay at the ITDCmaintained Bharatpur Forest Lodge whichis inside the sanctuary and the Udai VilasPalace on the Agra Highway was a goodsubstitute. It was a well spread out placeand it allowed us to the luxury of loungingaround in its open courtyard and soaking inthe winter sun.

But a huge disappointment was in storewhen we went into the sanctuary for ourfirst visit. For almost two kilometres from

the entrance there was neither water normarsh. The draught last summer had hitthe sanctuary hard. No water meant nowater birds. A large municipality waterpump sluggishly chugged away — drawingout underground water in an attempt tocreate water bodies — but it was too little— too late. This was the end of Decemberand most migratory birds had alreadydecided to seek otherpastures. After threevisits to the park and thesmall ‘marsh’ that hadbeen created, where wehad sighted over twohundred species of birdson our earlier visit, wemanaged to spot but onespoonbill, one Ibis and apair of Indian SarusCranes. There was arandom jackal here orthere — and a crestedeagle somewhere in thedistance, maybe a fewblue jays as well, but allthis didn’t really add upto what the sanctuary isall about.

We left Bharatpurwith heavy hearts twodays later. It was bitterlycold and there was alight mist outside.Jodhpur was almost 500km away but the roadswere deserted and thejourney incredible. Thedesert offers miles ofstraight roads and the

newly constructed highways of Rajasthanwere a delight to drive on. We drove pastBalaji where buses full of pilgrims waitedin line to exorcise their ghosts! Near DausaI was reminded of Rajesh Pilot’s accident.If only the roads had been like these tenyears ago, he would have been alive today.

The short stretch of 150 km betweenBharatpur and Jaipur had three tollcollection points and five barriers becauseof some system of double checking whichone doesn’t see on other highways.Bypassing Jaipur still remains anunresolved problem. There needs to be asmoother transition from the east of Jaipurto its west. The worst stretch, exceedinglydangerous too, is the one between Ajmerand Beawar. It’s a single carriage road withvery heavy truck and bus traffic andcountless railway crossings. Heavily ladentrucks compete with state transport busesto overtake at high speeds. The death tollon this stretch must be the highest inRajasthan. But once we forked off fromPali, the drive became blissful.

It was in Jodhpur that we wereconfronted by the con our travel agent hadpulled on us. We had asked for homestaysat comfortable hotels or old Havelis, butinstead landed up in what was an overconstructed house in a relatively newcolony. Pictures of Maharajas of differentvintages were put up in the rooms to create

the 900 year old Jaisalmer Fort is one of the most magical forts in india

from leather juttis, bags to hats, Rajasthan haslots in store for you in terms of shopping

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a false grandeur. It was our first indicatorabout the fake nostalgia that Rajasthan’stourism industry thrives on. But Jodhpurhas so much else to offer that this was soonforgotten as we set out to do the touristthings. The much hyped Umaid Palace wasyet another disappointment. This grandpalace at which tourists pay to get in onlyto find that the crafty royalty allows themwith just four rooms crammed withinnocuous bric-a-brac were not impressive,to say the least. Apparently, the erstwhileMaharaja sold off 75 per cent of the Palacefor a hotel, kept 20 per cent for himself andthrew open the leftovers for a gulliblepublic. Architecturally too the Palaceseemed indifferent and confused. Did ithave an old Rajput design or were weseeing a pathetic neo Edwardianaspiration, one couldn’t say.

However, the rather spectacularMehrangarh Fort brought joy back to ourlives. Located high above the city, it offersgreat views of the town below. Inside is itsincredible Sheesh Mahal, with large mirrorpieces embedded in its walls and withintricate figures painted on plaster. There isa special section on the armory as well asthe entertainment rooms for the Maharajas— the Phool Mahal. The collection insideis also quite varied — with a wide range ofpalanquins, shields, carpets. It is here thatone gets the feel of being in a world

inhabited at another time by another class.A visit to the fort alone would be enoughreason to travel from Delhi to Jodhpur.

In addition to some good eye candy,Jodhpur offers superior shoppingopportunities too. For those who wish tobuy old wooden furniture, camel leatherjuttis, textiles and carpets, this is the placeto be. Strangely enough, the Fort offersgood shopping options for juttis andcarpets too — maybe a bit more expensivethan the street but with greater choice andcertainly better quality.

On exit from Jodhpur towards Jaisalmer,we stopped by Kalyana Lake - a vast,sprawling lake spread over 84 sq km. It washere that we saw the Cormorant we hadmissed in Bharatpur. We spent more timehere than we’d planned and had to tearourselves away to get back onto theundulating highway that lay ahead of us.

Finally Rajasthan was beginning to give uswhat we’d sought from it. No travel agentsor poor hotels could take this away. Or sowe thought!

When we reached Jaisalmer thereseemed to be no sign of Hotel ShantiResidency, where we’d been booked by thesame travel agent. It took half an hour ofbeing shuttled around before we managedto locate an obscure, shoddily constructedhotel surrounded by dust and hardwareshops about two km from the fort. Thethree pots were the only mocking tribute togreenery and incidentally were coated bydust and cement. The rooms were smalland finished excessively with locallyavailable brown marble! Once again wehad been taken in by the travel agent andthe photographs online. This was certainlynot where we expected to stay when weplanned our trip. Luckily by now we hadalso decided that the holiday was in ourhands and we had to disregard theenvironment we’d expected and make themost of what the place had to offer.

Jaisalmer remains “Sonar Kella”. It hasperhaps one of the most magical forts inthe world. A 900 year old fort which standshigh on Trikuta Hill, and which is made ofunique yellow sandstone. The fort, eventoday houses a substantial livingpopulation. Innumerable shops,restaurants, temples and old havelis inside

Located high above the city,the Mehrangarh Fort offersgreat views of the townbelow. Inside is itsincredible Sheesh Mahal,with large mirror piecesembedded in its walls.

Set at the edge of Thar Desert,the city palace, jodh-pur echoes with the tales of bravery


the fort make it one of the most alive fortsin the world. It is also perhaps the onlytourist destination in Rajasthan whichoffers a wide range of cuisine — fromTibetan to Chinese to Italian and of course,local. Primarily vegetarian, though.

For the next three days we ate, drankand breathed Jaisalmer Fort. The nine yearold’s search for Pizzas took us to RestoranteItalian at the entrance of Gate No 1 fromwhere we were able to get perhaps the bestpanoramic view of the inside of the fort.We also took a long drive to the sand dunesat Sam, where we had one of ourmemorable afternoons and a camel ride onShahrukh Khan!

Jaisalmer made up for anydisappointment we may have had earlier— even though the authorities had decidedto impose a ‘dry’ period from December 20to January 1. Talk about official killjoys!

Except for three or four meals duringthis period, food had been by and largedisappointing. By the time we hit Bikaneron our way back, we were famished andstarved for good food. The prospect ofeating heavily oiled food at some makeshiftplace in town was not particularlyappetising. But then lady luck smiled onus! Just short of Bikaner the railwaycrossing was closed and there was a hugepile up of traffic and that was where we

noticed a sign saying “chicken corner”. Weparked the car, rushed in and bullied thetwo young boys serving there to allow us todictate what we wanted and how to makeit. Under our hawk-like supervision, thetwo turned out the best Chicken Currywe’d eaten in a long time — made withvery little oil but tonnes of taste. You couldnot imagine how two and a half peoplecould make so much of a few pieces ofChicken and Tandoori Roti!

At Bikaner we stayed at a farmhouse -far out of town! Again, this was somethingwe had not bargained for. We were the onlyoccupants — which meant it didn’tcommand the price our travel agent hadcharged us for.

It was in Nawalgarh in the Jhunjhunuarea that we finally had our ‘haveli’experience. The Roop Niwas Kothi is thepoorer cousin of Roop Niwas Palace in thatthe split between the brothers left thesmaller property with the moreenterprising brother and the larger onewith the brother who clearly had no desireto run it as a hotel. Thus, this large thoughrather picturesque ‘kothi’ has a run downlook to it - with rickety chairs and tornmatting. The walls badly needed a coat ofpaint and the staff, when we managed tofind any, was out rightly rude. The ratherindifferent food was overpriced, takingadvantage of the fact that there are noplaces to eat nearby. The little townhowever has lovely old havelis andneglected baolis. The place has a distinctlyShekhawati feel to it with rich andcolourful frescoes all over. Here is nodistinction between art and life, but anuneasy overflow of one into the other.

We walked around the small town, sawthe havelis and the Poddar museum andheaded back for Delhi - happy with whatwe’d seen and the knowledge that drivesaround Rajasthan are possible and can befun. Our experience with the new TataManza was also a memorable one. Tatahasn’t had much success in the passengercar division. But the Manza will changethis. It was a smooth drive all the waythrough - even though the gear change andindicator lever reminded us of the trucksTata used to make! But the car has greatpick-up and incredible consumption. Wecovered just under 2,100 km on ourjourney and used 101 litres of diesel. Thismeant an average of 20.4 km / ltr, whichwas even higher than the highway averageTata promised. However, next time we’d dothe booking ourselves and look for placeswhere food options would be less limited— and where liquor policy was notarbitrary and unnecessarily moral!

(PHOTOS BY PANKAJ BUTALIA)

Try and book places yourself. Onlinesearches are the best option. Readreviews of hotels at different travelwebsites. Phone the hotel directly.Bargain and pull down “Rack rates” by15-25 per cent even during peak season.Travel agents will charge you RackRates as well as a commission.

Those unfamiliar with roads mustcarry a road map. Go to Google,MapsofIndia or Yahoo Maps, enter yourstart and destination - print out theroute given. This is the best and savesyou having to buy volumes of maps.

There are enough petrol pumps alongthe way - but rates differ. Diesel wasabout Rs 32 in Haryana and Rs 37 onthe highway near Jaisalmer. Figure themout before you embark on a journey.MECHANIC? If you’re stuck you haveno choice, but most cities today do havehelplines for cars. Carry along yourcarmaker’s helpline number ands see ifyou can be bailed out. FOOD? I’m a fussy eater. I hate oilyfood - so have to be disappointed whenI travel in Rajasthan - but sometimesdhabas allow you to dictate what youwant to eat and how it should becooked. We also came across the firstfive star dhaba of our lives on theAjmer-Jodhpur route.

WHAT TO CARRY? Water is a must. Some food if you

start early. Even if you plan to eat alongthe way, you’ll feel very hungry after an

early start. Sandwiches, parathas, takeyour pick. But do go for healthy snackspreferably. No point adding calories asyou drive.

Make sure you have a spare tyre readyat ALL times. If you have a flat tyre, getit fixed at the next possible stop.

First aid kit. Carry lots of music. Nothing can

compare with the accompanimentmusic provides on a long journey.

If possible, change drivers every threeto four hours. When this is not possible,stop at the first sign of drowsiness. Donot take chances!

NO liquor on the road. But do carryit along to Jaisalmer, where therestaurants inside the fort are mostlyunlicensed.

Don’t park on sand if the sand seemsexcessive. Our car had to be hauled byseveral men at the dunes, who charged ahefty amount for doing it

SOME TIPS FOR THE BEGINNERS

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In addition to some goodeye candy, Jodhpur offerssuperior shoppingopportunities to buyproducts, such as leatherjuttis, textiles, carpets, etc.


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RACHANA RANA BHATTACHARYA

THE VISITING card is precise:N 28º 37’ E 77 º 13’ and LeMeridien is easy to find. Afterall, it is one of the most soughtafter business hotels in the

most happening part of town: just offJanpath in the posh Lutyen’s part of New Delhi.

I await a meeting with Tarun Thakral,whose reputation precedes him. Agraduate in Hotel Management from IHMChennai, Tarun Thakral joined LeMeridien New Delhi as a youngmanagement trainee in 1986. To hone hisskills further, he decided to pursue anMBA in International HospitalityManagement from Cornell University andESSEC Paris and in the process, receivedtraining at the Le Meridien Etoile - Parisand Le Meridien - New Port Beach inCalifornia. On returning to India in 1992,he took over as the AccommodationManager of the Le Meridien — NewDelhi and by 1997, he was one of theyoungest General Managers in thehospitality industry who then went on tobecome the Chief Operating Officer of thecompany by 2005.

As one walks into the lobby, it is easy tosee why. The hotel is nothing like what itonce was. The thick carpets, blackinteriors, and heavy chandeliers are gone.Instead, there are buoyancy and lights

The warm and charismatic TarunThakral, Chief Operating Officer,Le Meridien Hotel, New Delhi, isnot only a futurist with amission, but also a corecommissioner who ensures yourpenny's worth as you step into hiskingdom…

RENDEZVOUS

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now. To my right, was a spectacular redand beige coffee shop. In front, against thebackdrop of the glass-backed receptionarea, a massive stacked-glass sculpturesoars upwards into the atrium and spillsmellow, muted sunshine onto the whitefloors with circular mosaic inlay in shadesof grey. The effect is spectacular. The hotelseems to glow from within... drawing youreye to small eclectic touches: two chairsupholstered in a black and white ‘cowhide’design, hushed black curtains that flowdown right from the top of the atrium tothe floors below, creating an immensesense of space... dwarfing the bellboy whoemerges from behind it and leads me tothe lift.

Tarun Thakral turns out to be warm,affable and charismatic, and puts oneinstantly at ease. “When Le Meridien firstopened its doors on March 14, 1988” herecalls, “it had all the latest features inhotel interiors incorporated into the

property: all-glass frontage, black granitefloors, an atrium lobby with a glass curtainwall, and French furniture — it was themost modern looking hotel of its time. ButManmohan Singh’s economic policies inthe ‘90’s changed all that. Those policiesushered in very rapid changes in our lives— new cars, new lifestyles, more exposureto the world. Till the year 2000, we were anew hotel, still recuperating ourinvestments. But by then the hotel, despiteits very contemporary exterior, had begunto look a bit dated within. So 6-7 yearsback we tied up with the internationalbrand: Starwood Hotels and Resorts whichmeant we had to meet certain worldwidestandards if we wanted access to theirclients. To achieve this, we beganrenovating the hotel about five years ago.”

Having overseen two massiverefurbishings at Le Meridien, Tarun isclear that one must see the big picture andmake every penny count. “The rooms are

our core business. So we ensured thatevery single inch of space was utilisedfunctionally. And everything that interfacesthe guest, met global standards. Wewanted a chic contemporary look withabsolutely top-quality features, so we gotMumbai-based Bobby Mukherjee &Associates to re-vamp the interiors. We hadto import most of our stuff, but guestcomfort is where we don’t cut any corners.We started with mock-ups, bringing theinteriors up-to-date: not just in the way itlooked but by modernising our functionalfeatures as well. Today, each guestroomand suite has Wi-Fi + high speed internetaccess, a 42” plasma TV, DVD, VCD andCD Player. The 1st phase of renovationbegan in April 2004 and by September 91rooms were done. In the 2nd phase werenovated 104 rooms and another 104 inthe third. Post renovation, we now offer awide range of choices: soundproof roomsdone up in lighter and darker hues,bathtub and shower cubicle options, even‘Pillow Menus’ with a wide choice of size,shape and material. We innovated on rates and tried to cater to all sections of our clientele.”

“Technology had changed the industryso we installed high-tech computers whichfacilitated smooth check-ins and check-outs, and trained the staff so that alldepartments could access guest historiesand assist them more ably, by being awareof their needs and preferences: Does he

“Technology had changed the industry sowe installed high-tech computers whichfacilitated smooth check-ins and check-outs, and trained the staff so that alldepartments could access guest historiesand assist them more ably.”

The lavish banquet hall with exquisite interiors in theLe Meridien has catered to many events


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prefer a room on the non-smoking floor, alarger bed, is she allergic to a certainingredient? It’s all there at the click of abutton. Computerisation has led to bigleaps in the quality of service. Post 26/11and the bomb blasts at the Taj Mahal Hoteland Oberoi Trident Towers in Mumbai,ensuring guest security has become amajor concern. We have installed cctvcameras and more guards, better skilled atscanning and frisking protocol.”

Having recently attended a few dos atthe Conference Halls (that seat upto 1500people and offer state-of-the-art amenitieslike AMX remote control units andcordless conferencing etc.), I tell him ofhow almost everyone had commented withdelight on the outstanding cuisine.Hearing the compliment, Tarun beamscontentedly, “We conducted a survey ofwhat Delhi-ites like to eat and hired anexcellent F&B Consultant - Chef teamfrom Australia.” As you walk through thehotel, it all falls into place. Nero, theLounge Bar with its gothic overtones is theperfect space for private tête-à-têtes, orsimply walk across to the Henri’s Bar andask the celebrity bartender for one of hisfamous cocktails. There’s all day diningfeaturing a mix of Asian and Westerndishes at The One. You can shake a leg atLe Belvedere the rooftop nightclub with alive band, where you can enjoy grandviews of Lutyen’s Delhi and feast onChinese Cuisine. Or taking a uniquedeparture from traditional fare, savourfresh pairings at Monsoon their excitingnew Indian Restaurant. Stop by at Caffee eChocol’art to sample the time-testedweapons of seduction: freshly brewedcoffee and a rich selection of melt-in-the-mouth chocolates.

You may not realise at first, why thewhole experience of swishing through thedoors of Le Meredien feels so uplifting.Understated scent machines with differentkinds of subtle fragrances delicately refresh

the air you breathe in, as you walk inthrough each area of the hotel - the doubledoors into the lobby, the lift and then yourroom. The soft background music changestoo, making for an exceedingly pleasingsensory experience and immenselysubliminal high. What isn’t there? Aswimming pool, steam baths, a gym andmodern spa with private treatment roomsto relax you completely — you name it,they have it.

When asked how they achieved this,Thakral ponders amused, “You know, if youmake it a great experience for him, thetraveller returns. In the early days,hospitality was very PR-oriented.Managers went out of their way to buildsocial contacts, remain popular and mediasavvy. But I believe you must draw a line

somewhere. To me, profits are the bottomline,” he states squarely. “Simple things wehad learnt through experience wereincorporated - we made huge energysavings. The massive chandelier in thelobby consumed massive amounts ofelectricity - you can see we’ve changedthat. Double-doors in the lobby areahelped cut down air-conditioned air loss.Rainwater harvesting, recycling in thekitchens…eco-features are just basiccommon sense” says Tarun humbly, playingdown his achievements.

“We’ve moved with the times. Thestability in our management has helpedbuild teams that can relate to and trusteach other. Many of our employees havebeen with us for over a decade. Whenthere’s a sense of involvement, ownership,of being allowed to use your creativity toits fullest, you feel immensely empoweredand complete delegation becomespossible” says Meena Bhatia (VicePresident - Operations & Marketing).”Rajesh Sikka who has been with thecompany for 15 years, seconds her. “Mr.Thakral does not tolerate nonsense, but heputs his full confidence in you. He neverdiscourages anyone and appreciates andrewards hard work. He actually listens topeople and personally helped with mydaughter’s school admissions…how can Ipossibly leave? Where will I get such anatmosphere again in any industry?” Goodquestion. Unlike a lot of managers, TarunThakral is not a single-minded man withblinkers on - but a hands-on multi-dimensional one with his balance sheet infront of him and his heart in the rightplace. To whom every aspect of lifematters equally - work and relaxation,cuisine and leisure, comfort andcontentment. One reason why perhaps, heis able to so easily, put both his employeesand guests at ease.

(PICTURES BY LE MERIDIEN NEW DELHI)

Post revnovation, LeMeridien offers somethingcalled 'Pillow Menus' with awide choice of size, shapeand material.

The refurbished luxury suite bedroom at the hotel

The new Indian restaurant 'Monsoon'with the bar lounge area


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EXOTIC EXCESS

LEELA’SLUXURY LIVINGWhen a Hollywood star chooses a six month old property tostay in, there must definitely be something special about it. To discover the secret, we took a trip to THE LEELA KEMPINSKIGURGAON — DELHI NCR and its hospitality, which is uniqueto the Leela brand, gave us all the answers…

PRIYANKA SAXENA

What can you say about ahotel that within just sixmonths of being intobusiness already boastsof a guest list

comprising Hollywood actress JuliaRoberts and her three kids along withRanbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, PriyankaChopra and more? It can simply be termedas ‘the Leela effect’.

That effect rippled through the warmsmiling faces and folded hands thatwelcomed us into the lobby of The Leela,Gurgaon. White chrysanthemums andrippling waterfalls created nothing lessthan a magical ambience.

If the lobby area upped ourexpectations, the Upper Lobby areamatched it. The Upper Lobby area alonecaters to some five banquet areas, offeringa total of 27,000 sq ft of function space,the largest in the region. Supplementingthe banquet area is a full service businesscentre, well equipped with all the needsof a businessman. From marriageceremonies, to popular dance and musicprograms to international conferences,almost everything can be organised in

Live kitchens inside the restaurant 'Spectra' at the Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon

The Upper Lobby area caters to some five banquet areas,offering a total of 27,000 sq ft of function space, the largestin the region.

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the main lobby area at the Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon


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these banquet areas. The artistic wallgraphics, done along the corridors of theupper lobby, needs a special mentionhere as you cannot just walk past itwithout admiring the beauty of itsmodern art.

Next on our list was to take a dip inluxury, well virtually at least. SpaLavanya, located again on the upperlobby is a reflection of Leela’s principlephilosophy that purports graciousness andwarmth. Spanning over 10,000 sq ft,Lavanya features a relaxation area,consultation rooms, treatments rooms, spasuites and personal steam rooms. Youhave to stay a couple of nights here just todo justice to the spa’s various treatments.

The adjoining salon too is well furnishedwith all latest techno gadgets, promisingvalue for money service.

The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon cansurely be called a culinary delight. ItsItalian speciality restaurant, Zanotta,located on the top floor, scores high for itsspectacular view and perfect ambience.An Italian wine cellar coupled withsoothing Italian music offers anunforgettable experience. Meanwhile, itsIndian speciality restaurant - Diya,located in the main lobby, is aculinary mosaic of Indianflavours. With a capacity toaccommodate 112 guests,Diya is a delightful venuefor people who enjoy thetraditional Indian fareoutside of their kitchens.Last but surely not theleast, its multi-cuisinerestaurant - Spectra aloneboasts of an investment of $9million. Spectra features aninteresting setting of culinary islands withlive kitchens serving global cuisinespanning several continents. Therestaurant has an adjoining private loungeand a sophisticated bar called Rubicon.

The rooms with their understatedluxury presented a balanced synthesis ofspace, beauty and advanced technology:from LCD screens to glass walled

bathrooms with wooden shades to moreplush interiors, the Leela effect was thereto experience.

“Having opened in July this year, wehave already become the No. 1 in thecity. In November 2009, for a period ofabout 20 days, we experienced 100 percent occupancy,” said Vella Ramaswamy,General Manager, The Leela KempinskiGurgaon, Delhi (NCR). Talking aboutbeing the only property in Indiastanding attached to a mall he said,

“Hotels being attached to the mall isa concept that is quite popular

abroad. We are happy to bethe pioneers in introducingthis concept in India. It isthe latest trend and hasmany advantages. Ourguests can check-in inthe morning, get fresh,

have breakfast and walktheir way into watching the

latest movie. We are veryproud to be showcasing the

modern living of the Indian people.”Inside the Leela, the ambience,

service, beauty and extravaganza mademe temporarily forget where I was. Itwas only when I stepped on the porchthat the flying Indian national flag mademe realise that I had just experiencedluxury at its paramount best in nowhereelse but India.

The guestrooms at The LeelaKempinski, Gurgaon offer

luxury at its best

Guestroom InformationGuestrooms 294Presidential suite 01Deluxe Suites 06Executive Suite 21Service Apartments 90

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DIDYOU KNOW?

Its multi-cuisinerestaurant — Spectra, alone

boasts of an investment of $9million. Spectra features an

interesting setting of culinaryislands with live kitchens servingglobal cuisine spanning severalcontinents. The restaurant has

an adjoining private loungeand a sophisticated bar

called Rubicon.

The spa ‘Lavanya’ promises and offers relaxation in luxurious settings


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WANDERING GOURMANDPUSHPESH PANT

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DeliciouslyHyderabad

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HYDERABAD, foundedmore than four hundredyears ago to commemoratethe idyllic romance ofprince Quli Qutab Shah

and the talented danseuse Bhagmati akaHyderibai has many claims to fame. Thebeautiful Char Minar and Medina Masjidare well known landmarks as is the tower-ing statue of the Buddha in Hussein Sagar.This city was the capital of the Nizam whowas once reckoned to be the richest manin the world and who led a life of amazingcontradictions — using a large diamond asa paper weight and saving cigarette buttsfor later use.

There is much to see and do in Hyder-abad and its environs including the SalarJung Museum, which is testimony to anoble’s whimsy that has resulted in a mindboggling collection of art objects from allover the world. Laad Bazzar, nestlingunder the shadow of the famous quartet ofminarets, panders to ladies’ weaknesses -bangles, costume jewellery and pearl sets.This is the place to collect exquisitelycrafted pieces of Bidari metal ware.

The historic city Golconda, now inruins, promises an exciting daylong excur-sion back in time. The fort as well as thecluster of Qutubshahi tombs is a rich

repository of architectural styles. However, the charms of the city apart,

for us, the greatest seduction has alwaysbeen the food. Where else can you break-fast on Kicchadhi-Kheema (rice withlentils with mince) or snack day long ondainty savouries like Luqmi (mince dilledthin packets of puff pastry)? If one city inIndia can vie with Luc-know as the prime gourmetdestination it is Hyderabadfor sure.

Biryani, Dum Ki andKacchi, paired with MirchiKa Saalan (large greenchillies in mild yogurtgravy) are the signaturedishes of this city. DaalchaGosht is an unusual attrac-tive blend of lentils andmeat. Of the kebab thatshows a distinct imprint of Deccan arePatthar Kebab (fillets grilled according tofood lore on volcanic stone), Tatti Kabab(with prominent grill marks of wire mesh)and the chapli (shaped like sandals).

For those who wish to get more adven-turous with the cuisine, on offer are temp-tations like paaye and zuban — trottersand tongue, which can be best savoured at‘Parvez’ near Secundarabad railway sta-

tion. This joint has an enviable reputationfor this local delicacy. Visitors in a hurry,who are unable to fit in a lunch or dinnerin their hectic schedule, often manage toget the famous Hyderabadi Biryani packedfrom ‘Paradise’ along their way to the air-port. Paradise — originally an Irani butnow a multi cuisine restaurant, is a famouslandmark in the city. Residents are dividedamongst partisans of Hyderabad Houseand Bawarchi. For sheer ‘taste-plus’ atmos-pherics nothing can beat Medina and themany’ holes in the wall’ in Pattharghatti.

‘Shadab’, next door, is the place to sam-ple traditional Hyderabadi fare in sem-blance of a restaurant. If you are fortunateto have friends in the city, work hard tocadge an invitation to sample the fare atthe Nizam’s Club. The cooks there areproud of their kitchen’s reputation and sel-dom disappoint with Hyderabadi reper-toire be it Biryani, Dum Ka Murg or Dub-ble Ka Meetha.

Vegetarians can take delight in sweetand sour Baghar Ke Baigan prepared withground nuts, jaggery, tamarind and tem-pered with curry leaves, Chooran KeKarele (bitter gourd with piquant spices)and Tamatar Ka Kut (tangy tomatoesthickly pureed and tempered served withhard boiled eggs).

The desserts are no less exotic. KhubaniKa Meetha (dried apricots stewed andserved with sinfully large dollops of clottedcream), Baadam Ki Jaali (almond marzipanreplicating fine latticework) and Gil-e-Fir-daus (literally ‘Clay of Paradise’- a blend ofcardamom laced mildly sweet thickenedmilk, yogurt, clotted cream and milk solidsenriched with slivers of almonds and pista-

chio), can hold their ownagainst any contender onthe sub-continent.

The city houses a won-derful blend of flavoursand cooking styles, rang-ing from Persian andTurks to Andhra andtraces of Tamil, Kannadi-ga and Maharashtrian.This is the place wherenot only the North meetsthe South but East too

flirts deliciously with the West. For those who like it hot, there is the

Amaravati — chain of ethnic restaurantswith its scorchers both vegetarian andnon vegetarian. Here you can gorge onPesarattu (a green lentils pancake, Dosailook alike but very different in taste andtexture) and ‘gunpowder’ Podi (chilly hot spice-lentils mix) and myriad hued Chutneys.

Famous primarily for the beautiful CharMinar and the delicious biryani, Hyderabad, in addition to these, has manymore delicacies in store for a gourmand… PUSHPESH PANT introduces them to us…

Hyderabad is a place where not

only the Northmeets the Southbut East too flirts

deliciously with theWest.

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COMFORT FOOD

They rise,you shineYes, we mean those balloon-sized puris puffed up with pride. Call it what you like — the combo has as many variations as itsname. We take on a lip-smacking journey in search of the HolyGrail... or simply the ubiquitous and deliciously satisfyingnorthern India staple, Chole Bhature

K SRINIVASAN

IF YOU WANT to get to the juiceof Chole in Chole Bhatura readPamela Timm’s engaging blog ‘Eatand Dust’ on her gastronomicjourney across India. Says Timm,

“When conniving Mughal upstartAurangzeb imprisoned his father, EmperorShah Jehan, in Agra Fort in 1657, he told

him he could choose just one thing to eatevery day for the rest of his life. The

old man chose chick peas becausethe prison cook told him he wouldbe able to make something

different of it every day of the year.Until recently, I would have snortedin disbelief at this – chick peas?Synonymous with hairy hippies inbedsits and tubs of slimy

supermarket hummous? “Then came Chana Bhatura and I

discovered I could actively cravesomething involving chick peas.

There are very few deep-friedfoods I can resist and I admitwhat first attracted me to thisdish, in places like Evergreen

in Green Park and Nathus inBengali Market, both in NewDelhi were the magnificentballoon-sized puffed-up bhatura.In the early days theaccompanying chana was just a

sloppy, sludge-coloureddistraction. I used to dip the bread

but I’m ashamed to admit the chick peasoften went back to the kitchen barelytouched. It was Sitaram Diwan Chand’sChand’s Bhatura that did the trick.”

And she is so right! Sitaram Diwan

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Chand’s Chana Bhatura (or Chole Bhature,if you want to use the Punjabi preference)is a class act. From their tiny outlet atChuna Mandi near the Imperial Cinema,Sitaram Diwan Chand dish it out in theclassic mould – bhatura, chole, onion andpickled carrots.

Not everyone though follows thistradition, although their own following isas legendary as Sitaram’s magic. Forexample, Bhogal Chat Bhandar (behindScindia House) has a wonderfully goldenfluffy, oval Bhaturas, but his Chole isin’tthe chole from the pind — the traditionalrecipe that you get at places like Kwality (abit overrated in my view), althoughDilliwallas like Arun Jaitley swear by thequality of their chole and view it as goodas from the Pind (now Punjab, earlier WestPakistan).

Getting back to Bhogal Chat Bhandar,well, his Chole are a mélange of masalaswhose aroma will engulf you like aChristian Dior perfume and linger on long

after the meal is over. His chole arenothing like the classical channa that youget with a Bhatura — it’s a little watery,with plenty of kachalu (the best I haveever tasted) and chopped onions garnishedon the top. Be warned, it is different, it’sspicy, it’s hot and it’s the best, providedyou go with a packet of tissues to take careof the perspiration.

Interestingly there is another four byfour outlet in Sadar Bazar that has perhapsthe second best (or is it neck on neck)masterpiece that you get at Sitaram. Idiscovered it by chance on a quarterly tripto Sadar Bazar. Fried in pure desi ghee,the Chole is just the right mix of chic peas

and gravy, coupled with several slices ofpotato and achaar, which is more than

just carrots. Get it packed or standthere and savour it. Most prefer

both—eat one plate and getone packed as well!

Compared to this,Chole Bhature at theKwality restaurant isbland, run of the mill

stuff. There is hardly anygravy to the Chole and the

only distinguishing feature of their chickpea is the generous helping of Desi Gheein which it is made and the large slice ofaaloo that comes with it — a single slicemind you (like a potato wedge), nothingmore nothing less. So why it is that plentyof Dilliwallas go gaga over Kwality and thefood guides of the city rate it as a hot spot.I guess it’s because Dilli’s cognoscentinever steps out of Lutyen’s Delhi andgetting to Chunna Mandi or Sadar Bazarisn’t really part of the menu. The netas dotravel a bit which is why I am surprised atJaitley’s choice of Kwality as his chartbuster for Chole Bhature.

Finally, there are many places whereyou get great Chole Bhature. North Indiais full of good eateries of this classicPunjabi dish. But if you take my word, thetwo best cities would be Delhi andAmritsar. The locals say that the bestChole Bhature can be savoured atKanhaiya Sweets at Lawrence Road,Amritsar. That’s where the people from thePind really settled and its here that thearoma really wafts through your nostrils.

(PICTURES BY H C TIWARI)

JUST A THOUGHTIs it Channa Bhatura or CholeBhatura? Guess it’s the same exceptthe Punjabis prefer the chole to theChanna.

And if it’s drenched in desi gheethen grab it and gulp it with a tall coolglass of lassi.

The aachar can vary from pickledmango to carrot to mirchi to thedelicious kachlu that Kallu dishes out.

But what makes the Chole is thegarnish—strips of ginger, plenty ofonions, shavings of mirchi and thattouch of radish and carrot in season.

The Bhatura can be oval or round.Some prefer the slightly thicker ovalones to the round thin fluffy ones.That’s a matter of taste. It makes nodifference to the cholesterol count.

The two cities that dish out the best CholeBhature are Delhi and Amritsar.

You can have a Bhatura filedwith aloo or panner. Thefavourite is paneer, the alooscores in the Kulchas.Somehow the aloo doesn’thave the same zing in aBhatura.

Now you can’t eat theBhaturas with vegetables. It'sbest with Chole. But the Cholecan be had with tikkis, puris orkulchas. Even the aloo subziwith Bhatura doesn’t producethat magic.

There is a Facebook CholeBhature fan club. Missing itmost are our brethrenoverseas. Oh, for a bite of that delicious delight, they reminisce.

Chole Bhature are savouredbest when eaten straight out ofthe kitchen. Thetaste is neverthe same whenmicrowaved.


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RUPALI DEAN

THIS CHIC den is a magnet forcelebrities and well-connectedlocals. Once inside, the classyambience makes quite an

impression. We were escorted by themanager Sahil Sharma to our table whichwas a circular rattan bed with a screen ofbamboo. The ambience couldn’t be better —Al fresco dining, candles and azure bluewater. Options are aplenty — one can eithermelt into a chair and soak in the atmosphere,hang out at the bar with your favouritecocktail, or settle down to a languid snackymeal with world music playing in thebackground. The bar is decorated in ariotous mixture of plain and hand craftedpatterned tiles by artist Lubna Chowdhary. Icould see that the romantic swing seats attwo of the pavilions were quite a favourite

and remained occupied till the time we werethere. The giant revolving mirror ball at theopen deck projected over the pool created aglamorous effect. The décor with its cleanlines and soothing natural hues made mefeel every bit the globe-trotting high roller,even if it was for one night. Emphasishere seemed to be on lingeringand lounging albeit elegantlyso we felt free to reclinewhile taking in the killer view-true some thingsnever change.

Well, the sparkle doesnot end here, which Isoon realised afterlooking at the menu. Thebar menu alone had some163 varieties of wines, whichincludes both new and the oldworld wines along with the cocktail

list showcasing stellar fruits and spirits fromthe four corners of the globe which includedaiquiris, fruit Mojitos, vallah, seasonalmargaritas, champagne and wine cocktailsalong with other interesting poolsidebeverages. Grilled fruits and exotic spices

are mixed and muddled with top shelfspirits to create inspired cocktails.

Luckily we were at the barquite a bit perusing the

cocktail list — its oddconcoctions includeeverything from ‘cheekychocolate monkey’ withVodka, crème de banana,crème de cacao and

Vanilla ice-cream to ‘Sea-Breeze’, which is a good

mix of white rum, cranberryand grapefruit juice. And of

course on offer are also the premiumFEBR

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Nothing quite beats the romance of pool side lounging with a tantalising menu to match. Aqua, at ThePark Hotel in New Delhi is a must visit for people who enjoy finer things in life…

Aqua @ The Park, New Delhi

Savour the best @ AQUA

DIDYOU KNOW?

This nightspot, which is theseason's hottest destination, is

designer Manish Arora's favouriteplace for all his parties and get-

togethers. Aqua has hosted somefamous fashion shows by designersManish Arora, Deepika Geehani,Mandira Wirk, Rajvi Mohan, the

sister duo Gauri & Nainika and theColour Trends in associationwith Swarovski and Fashion

Design Council ofIndia.

LIQUIDICTION

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single malts and branded beers. “Some ofthe popular shots served are Brainhaemorrhage, B-52, Kamikaze and Cocoon.We play Lounge music, funky house andprogressive house generally but on FridaysDJ Richard Godinho plays retro and it is alsocalled as Retro Nights @ Aqua,” shared ourfriendly bar tender Shiv. On offer is aninteresting international menu of easy,poolside Mediterranean and barbecuecuisine as well.

To start our evening we ordered someChampagne and I would like to add herethat it is a must have for any fan of sparklingwines or nice dry whites, and remember tohave it with some food as champagnes arenot just for celebration after all. However,because Champagne is naturally acidic, itmakes a really good food match - and not justfor oysters and caviar as you might predict,but also for a variety of different foods. Thereare innumerous foods on Aqua’s menu thatpair beautifully with it, making for yummyfinger foods and an elegant looking soirée.Our Dom was served in a well lit torch andthe warm service by smartly dressed(uniforms designed by none other than

Rohit Bal) stewards made theirshowmanship even more enjoyable. The“mushroom cigars with a cheese dip” gelledextremely well with the Dom.

It certainly seems a place to spend awayevenings, sipping on elegant wines in a cosysetting. The manager Sahil was brilliant withhis suggestions on wine and my husbandand I especially loved the “gran sangre de

toro” by Torres. Coming to food, if you are hungry, the

menu’s one to return for. Everything fromthe “Mezze Platter”, “chicken Yakitori with aWasabi dip” to the “Creole spiced fish withcilantro aioli” and “Grilled bratwurstsausages, mustard onion layonnaise” has itsplace. I had an altogether new epicureanexperience! Fresh flavours and herbs unitewith ingredients sourced and skillfullyprepared from gastronomic styles of theMediterranean coastline. Cooking stylesrange from grilled and poached to braisedand slow roasted, to extract the goodnessand flavours of the ingredients. To start with,I discovered the distinct Chef’s touch whenI ordered the ‘Grilled Lamb’ comprising twogenerous chops of rare Australian ‘MurrayBridge’ free range lamb, slow roasted toextract the goodness.

Sea food lovers can rejoice for there isplenty for them however the ‘Prawn skewersmarinated in Indonesian dalat spice’, the‘Porcha Year’, fried prawns with red chilliand garlic marinade and the ‘wok tossedcalamari with black beans and capsicum’ ishighly recommended. Pasta lovers could gofor the homemade pastas in differentpreparations to suit one’s preference.

No trip to Aqua is complete without apizza; ‘Three cheese and Pesto’ being ChefHirak Goswami’s personalrecommendation. Another must try is the‘Polenta crushed cottage cheese, barbequesauce’, decadent to the core.

To end on a sweet note my vote goes allout for the stunning ‘Hot Fudge Sundae’. Ifyou are in the mood for something trulysinful, order a ‘Chocolate Mousse cake’ —one of Aqua’s signature dishes. While theessence of Aqua remains, its translation inthis new menu is indeed exceptional. Carefulattention to detail, from the palate awakeningcocktails right down to the coasters, putsAqua in a class of its own. From the classiccocktails to the sensational menu, quality andservice is paramount. Water glasses aremagically filled and drinks are presented insexy stemware. All in all, the food, the drinks,the place — everything is superb.

(PICTURES BY AQUA, THE PARK, NEW DELHI)

A yummy grilled chicken starter

The much popular Bar @ Aqua, The Park, New Delhi

Recipe of fruitMojitoBy Sahil Sharma, Manager, Aqua

INGREDIENTSSugar- 1 tea spoonLemon chunks- 4 piecesMint- few leavesFresh cut fruits (for ex-pineapple, apple, orange, grapes)Red wine- 20 mlWhite rum- 60 mlMixed Juices (Cranberry, apple, pineapple)Crushed Ice

METHOD1. Take a Tom Collins, muddle lemon

chunks and mint together with sugar2. Add all fruits to it. Muddle the fruits

slowly (don’t mash it) 3. Put some crushed ice in it. Add red wine

and Bacardi.4. Put all the juices together slowly

(preferably in layers).5. Garnish it with fruit (if available red

Californian grape).

AQUA final.qxd 12/4/2010 4:30 PM Page 3

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CRUISING HEIGHTS

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1Austria is: A wonderfullyuncomplicated place. It’s an English-speaking nation in the heart of Europe

and has a spectacular combination ofcultural and natural attractions.

2Call of the Alps: Come Summer andAustria’s glorious mountain resortsserve as a perfect ski and board

destination. But is it also a live music venueand a party hotspot? Most definitely!!!

3No other city like Vienna: The citycan boast of a higher ratio of greenspace to the total area than Vienna.

Forests, grasslands, parks and gardenscover some 20,000 hectares and there isalso plenty of action in Vienna duringfestival time.

4For those who love walking: TheVienna Woods are not only the greenlungs of the city but also provide

footpaths and mountain-bike trails to alldistances. Springtime in the city is perfectto enjoy its offerings to the fullest.

5The city of Salzburg: The city ofWolfgang Amadeus Mozart and TheSound of Music is a beautiful mix of the

past and the present. Even when theSalzburg festival, the biggest in the city, isnot on, it certainly has something equallyinteresting running.

6Leads you to the Alps: The Alpsembrace the country end-to-end andTyrol, "the Mountain Land" is the

perfect place to start. Going through thehuge mountain ranges, toe-wetting in thecrystal clear rivers and enjoying at the skiresorts, all begins from here.

7We all desire for one: Wattens nearInnsbruck houses Swarovski CrystalWorlds, the place where the

astonishing crystal beauties are created.

The works are nothingless than magic. Ashuttle bus betweenthe Swarovski centreand Innsbruck makesthe connection quickand easy.

8Go shopping:MariahilferStrasse in

Vienna offers over ahundred shops tosatisfy the Indianshopper’s everyneed! The elegant

pathways of Kohlmarkt and Graben inVienna, Getreidegasse in Salzburg and thecenter of Innsbruck offer an array ofinternational designers ranging fromHèrmes, Gucci, Chanel and Louis Vuitton,Tiffany, to famous brands like Diesel, Dolce& Gabbana. The deals here offer a perfectvalue for money.

9Largest ice cave in the world: Thecaves in Werfen were first discoveredin 1879. Since1920, tourists have been

thronging to see the ice caves in all theirsplendour! The caves and most of theglaciers in Austria can be easily reached bytaking cable cars.

10Casinos: Soak up the mood andexperience the thrill — choosefrom American or French roulette,

Blackjack, Poker, Punto Banco or the slotmachines.

TAKE IT FROM ME Follow Christine Mukharji to the land of The Sound of

Music and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

and you could land up with 10 more

reasons to visit Austria

AUSTRIAFOR ALL SEASONS &

10 REASONS

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