The reprinted dictionary is available for perusal at the St Mary’s Basilica in Bangalore. It will be in the markets by next month. The dictionary is the second one compiled by the priests of The Paris Foreign Mission Society. The first one, Dictionarium Canarense-Latinum, was compiled by Jean-Marie Auguste Bouteloup in 1855. The two were discovered in the archives of the oldest church in Bangalore, the St Mary’s Basilica.

The mission society had set up in Bangalore, and Father Bouteloup was in charge of it. He has additionally authored over 13 books in Kannada.

Covering an expanse of 104.27sq.km, and established in the early 70’s, the Bannerghatta National Park is just 23km off Bangalore. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, is the governing body of the park. It comprises 10 reserves forests of the Anekal Range of the Bangalore Forest Division. It is located quite close to the Tamil Nadu border. In fact, a lot of animals come here from Kollegal and Tami Nadu areas during summer. The highest point in the reserve is above 1,600m.

The national park is home to white tigers and lions. Elephants and deer are the most abundantly found animals in the area. Other fauna are panthers, sambar, bears, spotted deer, black buck, wild boars and varieties of snakes and other reptiles. Birds such as cormorants, painted storks, pelicans, white ibis and spoonbills are found in the park. The lions and tigers of the reserve were hunted by former rulers of south India. It used to be their private reserves.

Within the reserves there are many trekking routes, waterfalls, hills and temples to check out. The large area of the park also consists of a biological reserve, zoo, a crocodile farm, snake park, pets corner and a museum. Kids will be enthralled to visit the park of pre-historic animals. The auditorium/theatre here screens hour-long movies and clips on animals and environment.

The place has India’s first a butterfly park. It was inaugurated by Kapil Sibal, the then Union Minister of Science and Technology, on 25 November 2006. The Butterfly Park covers 7.5 acres and has a butterfly conservatory, museum and an audio-visual room. The circular enclosure accommodates about 20 species of butterflies within it. The environment created within the dome is humid and just apt for the natural growth of the winged creatures. There is an artificial waterfall and a small bridge.

The Suvarnamukhi stream that flows through the park, finds its source in the Suvarnamukhi hills. As you enter the park, you can see a huge boulder, almost a kilometre long. The hills continue on from here. The Champaka Dhama Swamy temple, built in the Dravidian style of architecture, and belonging to the Hoysala age, is located at the foot of this giant boulder. The main deity is Vishnu. His consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi, too, are worshipped here. Another famous shrine here is the one dedicated to Narasimha. The Suvarnamukhi pond, aout two km away, is said to have curative powers. People visit it all round the year, especially in the Monsoons.

Safaris into the reserve give you a glimpse into the lives of these wild animals. The area falls under an elephant corridor that connects it to B.R. Hills, and also to areas in Wayanad in Kerala. Also, you can camp or trek with the help of the local guides. There should be at least 10 people in a group for the lion and tiger safaris. The park is open on all days except Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The best time to visit is between September to January.

And for those who just wanna bite a corn cob and walk around the zoo, that’s also an option. There are many shacks and food stalls at the entrance of the zoo – the standar fare of corn, coffee, sugarcane juice, and snacks.

It was in the 1970s that the synagogue fell into disuse. There were almost 3,000 Jews in the area at the time. There was worship and service in the synagogue prior to this. The people still remember it. After renovation, the Kerala government believes that it will attract a lot of tourists, especially Jews.

Kerala’s tourism as well as agriculture depends on these rains. Farmers can breathe a sigh of relief now. Tourism-related industries and owners are looking forward to the influx of tourists the Monsoon will bring. Travellers are attracted to the rains here: it is more than mesmerising, to say the least.

The CMH Road outlet is right opposite the Max Mueller Bhavan – easy to locate and get to. The L-shaped seating area is a mix of red and grey cushion chairs and cane chairs and wooden- and granite-topped square as well as round tables. The brand’s logo – three intertwined coffee beans – can be seen high up on the walls and on the counter, situated in a corner of the coffee shop.

The treats range from varieties of hot and cold coffees, iced teas and coolers. Try the Irish Caramel flavoured Coffee. The paninis, wraps, sandwiches and muffins are yummy. The Chocolate Chip Muffin can silence any cranky kid! There are a wide array of desserts – pastries, mousse and other confectionery.  The black-aproned waiters are non-interfering and pleasing. The place is right for a quick bite as well as a celebration with friends or family.

Costa Coffee finds presence in 25 countries, and has about 1,600 outlets, with more than a thousand in the UK alone.

This is good news for those looking for cruises in the subcontinent. Gujarat, located on the West Coast of India, is a place known to be open to tourists. Its coast has serene beaches, islands, creeks, the Gulf of Kutchch, the Gulf of Khambat, pilgrimage centres and several tourists spots.

Many cruiseliners have approached Gujarat Tourism to start their operations. With its proximity to Mumbai and Goa, which are already established cruise destinations, it should be no problem for the state to link up cruises and start off. The fact that the state has some of India’s deepest and well-developed ports will be an added advantage.

As the whole old city is painted pink, it is difficult to distinguish between shops, medical stores, restaurants and bus stops. But what keeps the shopping areas unique are the colourful wares displayed outside them. The roads leading to most bazaars here are crowded, with about four lanes of traffic on one side, coupled with loads of hawkers, handcarts, two-wheelers and pedestrians. Foreigners visiting the bazaars should have some prior experience in shopping on Indian streets otherwise it’ll be almost a nightmare!

The sweet shops are awesome – the soft smells wafting outta the bakeries beckon you from metres away and once there, you wouldn’t wanna leave! There’s peeni, besan laddoos, kaju kathlis and jalebis. The lassi and chaats are refreshingly tasty; the Rajasthani sweets come in kilo-count boxes; the savouries and fries should be had there itself, for the best tastes.

What to pick up: Textiles are what most tourists buy in Jaipur. Though they are priced double of what they’ll cost you in Delhi’s Dilli Haat or Janpath, most of us still buy from Jaipur only for the variety and the idea that it is more authentic here. You can get shawls, stoles, skirts, kurtas, saris, and more. Jewellery is a good option. Lots and lots of trinkets can be bought from Jaipur’s bazaars. The inlaid stone work, for which Rajasthan is famous, can be found in most jewellery shops and curio shops. Wooden toys, souvenirs, terracotta wares, red sandstone sculptures are interesting gift items to take back.

Jaipur is one of the cities in the Golden Triangle – others being Delhi and Agra – and the tour is incomplete without visiting the other two. Each bazaar is connected with the other by small, pucca roads. People teem in the shops quite in the morning itself. Tourists, too, end up here by early forenoon to start bargaining and shopping.

Sometimes just looking around at life in the bazaars, and not buying anything, can turn out to be absolutely delightful. Like all Indian cities, the sounds and sights are more than enough to fill your senses.

Strolling up to the HRC located in GVK One, Hyderabad, I had a slight misgiving about what the experience would be like. Happy to say only the lighting disappointed me: it’s toooo bright for a hard rock cafe!! What hits you as you make that 14-step walk to its inner door are the rare photos of rock musicians on the wall, and the outfits and guitar used by another on their tours. And there’s more to explore.

Once in, the decor, the rock memorabilia mounted on the walls, and of course, the music, takes you on. The seating ranges from comfy cushion sofas to high stools and normal-enough table and chair combos. The DJ cubicle is roomy and located diagonally across the entrance. The ‘crew’ are a friendly lot and would oblige to play requests and dedications for ya.

The music was good. It picked up tempo and loudness as time wore in. Slower songs of U2 and INXS gave way to faster, beaty numbers from the likes of Nickelback, Metallica and Zeppelin. There’s a house band playin on Thursdays, and frequent band performances and concerts otherwise. On the walls you’ll find about 120-odd rock memorabilia – Michael Jackson’s hat, Madonna’s bustier, Billy Idol’s guitar and so on.

In Hard Rock Cafes all over the world – 124 of them – there’s about 70,000 such items. The very first one being Eric Clapton’s guitar that he wanted to be put up on the wall of his then favourite bar – the Hard Rock Cafe in London. In Hard Rock Cafes across the globe there are guitars, drums, pianos, harmonicas, microphones, shirts, pants, scarves, shoes, handwritten lyrics, cars, bikes, and even a tour bus as part of the rock and roll memorabilia. Established in 1971, one of the world’s most known bands, it has cafes, casinos and hotels in 42 countries!

The food is average; the drinks looked like they had variety. The place gets crowded post 10 30 p.m.; book a table earlier if you have to!

Psst: On your way out, check out their rock store – okay tees, cocktail glasses, beer mugs, pins and more.

Verdict: Started out as an American diner in a Rolls Royce dealership in London has turned a true rock lover’s haven, I’d say!

The ship’s authorities are regularly updating their journey status on popular social networking sites. The once rife Silk Route is now revived through the trade that’s been happening between the Middle East and South East Asia.

Indians won the overall title as well, at the fifth Commonwealth Boxing Championships today. The other champions at the stage are Asian champion Suranjoy Singh (52kg), South Asian Games gold medalist Amandeep Singh (49kg), Asian silver medalist Jai Bhagwan (60kg) and Paramjeet Samota (+91kg).

Everything about films, TV, radio, digital entertainment, animation, gaming and visual effects will be presented, discussed and exhibited in the three days. Topics like piracy, role of Internet, film formats and much more will be in the forefront of the sessions.

Delegates from about 40 countries are expected to participate, with major contributions from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Hong King, Italy, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the UAE, the UK and the USA.

He’s gonna be promoting Kerala Tourism. The state mnisters and Oscar winner Resul Pookutty felicitated him at a recent function. Now let’s see the Bachchan magic working on Kerala.

Leaving the city, you can also stop at the Khadakvasla Lake, sip chai and eat corn cobs and masala mangoes from roadside stalls and stop to take photos or to just breathe the fresh air. There are stone masonry works along the tree-lined roads. You can find stone turrets, too, on the way.

Now, the history of the fort. It belonged to the Mughals, and was called Kondhana in their times. Maratha warrior Shivaji had had an eye on this strategic fort for quite some time, when Tanaji Malusare, a general in his army, expressed a wish to capture it. Yashwanti, Shivaji’s pet monitor lizard was sent up the fort’s wall, at midnight. And as they have a dreadful grip it allowed the soldiers to climb the wall using a rope tied to its back.

But Tanaji died before the complete capture of the fort, and Shivaji named it after him. Shivaji’s words were: “the fort has come but the lion (Sinha) has gone.” And thus naming it Sinhagarh Fort. Near the fort is a manmade water tank Dev Taka, that used to meet the water needs of the fort’s residents for many centuries.

An interesting thing about this tourist highlight is the presence of several shacks nearby that sell genuine Maharashtrian food. You can relish bhakris (local jowar rotis), kanda bhajjis (onion fritters) and bhaingan bharit (spicy aubergine paste) at these ‘homemade’ food stalls.

India, too, has its share of glory. How many countries can boast of having had so many women in power – as ministers, police personnel, prime minister and president? Indian women are known for their meekness and humility. In the recent years, they’ve known to have broken boundaries that otherwise seem unsurmountable!

They have proved their mettle in all fields and shine in areas such as politics, defence, sports, etc. Every year many awards are given away to prominent women. Functions are held to commemorate their achievements and to felicitate them, too. This year, too, the president and other ministers have put up quite a number of reservations and concessions.

Whether at home, workplace or society, the respect women command have increased. It will continue to go up in the days ahead.

The first round of Holi is played with dry powders and then the next with wet colours. Holi ushers in spring, a season associated with love and wellbeing. Sweets, special dishes and ornate cuisines colourfully decorate eachand every house where Holi is celebrated.

There are many legends associated with Holi. The most popular one is: Brahma granted Hiranyakashipu, the king of demons, a boon that made it impossible for him to be killed. After his long penance he demanded that he not be killed “during day or night; inside the home or outside, not on earth or on sky; neither by a man nor an animal; neither by astra nor by shastra”. His arrogance reached the zenith, and he attacked the Heavens and the Earth. He wanted people to stop worshipping gods and start praying to him.

Prahlad, his son, was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. In spite of several threats from Hiranyakashipu, Prahlad continued offering prayers to Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu tried several times to kill his son, but failed. He once ordered Prahlad to sit on a pyre on the lap of his sister, Holika. Now, she could not die by fire by virtue of a shawl which would prevent fire affecting the person wearing it. After the fire was lit, the shawl flew from Holika, who was then burnt to death, while Prahlad survived unharmed. The shawl moved to cover him. The burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi. On Holi Day, Holika Dahan is undertaken, where her effigy is burnt.

Lord Vishnu came in the form of a Narasimha (who is half-man and half-lion) and killed Hiranyakashipu at dusk (which was neither day nor night), on the steps of the porch of his house (which was neither inside the house nor outside) by restraining him on his lap (which is neither in the sky nor on the earth) and mauling him with his claws (which are neither astra nor shastra).

Every year, different states of North and Western India vie to outdo each other in the celebration of Holi. Gulal Goti, a balloon filled with colours, was very famous with the royal families of Rajasthan. Nowadays, even the common man plays with it. West Bengal’s specialty is Bhang Holi. After or during the celebrations, Bhang (a mixture of milk, almonds and marijuana) is drunk by the people. It is very much permitted by the government and has several religious associations and mentions.

As with all festivals now, Holi, too, is being increasingly celebrated by people across all religions and regions. South Indian, too, celebrate it with much pomp.

It’s true that the hawkers crowded on streets leading up to a temple, monument or any tourist spot can be quite revolting. Not only do most of them sell fake goods, some even ‘train’ young boys and girls to steal tourists’ belongings (read camera, purse and phone) while the older ones distracts the tourist(s).

But then again, don’t we all buy that li’l key chain from a tear-eyed girl, if only to help her get a square meal? Shooing away hawkers or ignoring them does not take away the problem. The government should take steps to clear streets and areas near tourist spots of hawkers as well as provide them with legitimate shop spaces to sell their wares. Why not have a welfare society or a common building for groups of hawkers to showcase their items than let them inundate the streets?

Also, tourists – both Indian and foreign – should be aware of their constant presence and be prepared to deal with them, if necessary. An idea about original and fake goods will help, too.

It will be inaugurated by Writer C. Ayyappan on January 8. This festival will see intellectuals and academics opening seminars, interacting with students, conducting science programmes, and in discussions.

The avenues at the festival will give authors a chance to understand their readers, and how best to suit their writing for them. A common public discussion and thinking will aid publishers, authors as well as the readers. Prominent cultural activist and film maker Sashikumar and noted academic and thinker Dr Nizar Ahmed will be at the forefront of the activities.

“Thinking goes public” is an apt tagline for the festival that will be a convergence for thinkers, public, photographers, critics, writers and activists.

Here’s a list of the authors and participants of Kochi Life 2010:

Slavoj Zizek                        Gail Omvedt
C. Ayyappan                      Akeel Bilgrami
Prabhat Patnaik                C. K. Janu
J. Devika                              T. M. Yesudasan
Tejaswini Niranjana         Gopal Guru
Ram Rahman                      Kumar Shahani
Annapurna Garimella       Usha Zacharias
Javeed Alam

Slavoj Zizek	Gail Omvedt
C. Ayyappan	Akeel Bilgrami
Prabhat Patnaik	C. K. Janu
J. Devika	T. M. Yesudasan
Tejaswini Niranjana	Gopal Guru
Ram Rahman	Kumar Shahani
Annapurna Garimella	Usha Zacharias
Javeed Alam

Here’s an interesting story: William the hornbill was the Bombay Natural History Society’s own pet for 26 years! This “office canary” lived in a cage behind Millard’s chair in Phipson & Co.’s office for 26 years and died in 1920.

Also check out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Hornbill

http://changlang.nic.in/namdapha.html