SOOTHING TIHAR'S CONVICTS WITH MUSIC

Many swayed their heads and tapped their feet while some sat still-- heads bowed and eyes shut -- in deep thought, as if deciphering what lies ahead as the soulful melody of raga Bairagi Todi reverberated in the air. Hundreds of inmates in Delhi’s Tihar Jail had a spiritual experience on a rainy morning here in a bid to augment their rehabilitation process through music.

The second edition of "Morning Raagas" was organised by the Tihar Jail authorities in collaboration with Legends of India, a registered society organising live performances of renowned artistes in the central lawn of Jail no.5 that has around 800 convicted prisoners, from pick pockets to murderers.

Renowned sitar player Pandit Shubhendra Rao and his wife Saskia, who plays the cello accompanied by tabla player Shailendra Mishra began their hour long recital with Bairagi Todi and two popular compositions -- Mahatma Gandhi's "Vaishnava Jana To" and bhajan “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram” followed by a “classical dhun" leaving the audience mesmerised.

The around 600 inmates, seated on plastic sheets due to the wet grass under a purple coloured marquee filled the vast ground as around a dozen policemen stood guard surrounding them.

Many possessed a fine sense of music as they enthusiastically applauded the complex compositions especially the ones that oscillated between high and low octaves.

Some of them were even tapping one of their hands against the other to match the beat of the tabla and it was quite evident that the rhythmic jugalbandi between the tabla, sitar and the cello had taken them to a different dimension.

In fact, one could have easily mistaken the convicts to be connoisseurs of classical music.

Tihar Jail which is Asia’s largest prison and houses close to 14,000 inmates.

The first edition of the 'morning ragas' was organised in Jail no. 8 on April 27 and from then it was decided that the event would take place on the first Monday of every month.

As I exited Jail no. 5, with a changed opinion about its convicts, the mellow tunes still played in my head only to be smothered by the blaring of vehicle horns as I got stuck in a traffic snarl.

For once, staying in the confines of Tihar Jail seemed a much better deal than to venture out in the chaotic civil society.

DEVELOPING VILLAGES WITH URBAN DISCARDS

Last month I came across a Delhi-based NGO named Goonj which literally means echo that is using discarded urban products to motivate the country's rural population to improve their lives by building roads, bridges and schools without waiting for the authorities to act in return of discarded clothes, stationery, shoes etc collected from urban cities.

The NGO, which began with just 67 pieces of clothes collected by founder members - Anshu Gupta and his wife Meenakshi - today has 11 offices in 21 states and 300 employees across India. It annually transfers over 1,000 tonnes of used clothes, household goods and other essential items from cities to villages.

Goonj has launched a number of initiatives over the years and one of the most popular is the 'Cloth for Work' wherein people living in rural areas are encouraged to undertake community service like digging wells and making roads and bridges, among others, in return for not money but clothes.

However, only washed and clean clothes, woolens, blankets, footwear and the like are given to people without compromising their dignity.

The model that has helped set up schools, water-tanks, roads, bridges et al in several villages all over India came as a blessing for 48-year-old Utara Pardar, a resident of Mandla village in Madhya Pradesh, who wanted to teach poor children in her village.

A teacher by profession, Pardar had managed to get a piece of land from the authorities in the village but had no money or resources to build a school. That's when Goonj came to her rescue by sending a truck full of clothes that lured many locals who came forward to construct the school that has so far taught hundreds of local children since 2008.

While Goonj encourages people to donate clothes that are clean and in one piece, Gupta admits that a lot of dresses or fabrics are soiled and torn.

However, the NGO has found an innovative way to also deal with this.

The torn clothes or shreds are used to make clutch bags, handbags, mobile pouches, pen stands and even sanitary napkins at their Sarita Vihar workshop in south Delhi that employs around 40 people.

The products are sold either online or through the NGO's offices.

In fact, making affordable sanitary napkins under the 'Not Just a Piece of Cloth' campaign is one of the pet projects of Anshu Gupta, who observed that in villages and slums, women and girls have poor menstrual hygiene.

And the good news is that the donations and contributions from people and corporates are rising "exponentially".

EGYPT: A PARADISE OF RUINS BY THE NILE

In the middle of the vast and eerily desolate landscape on the outskirts of Cairo stand the iconic pyramids of Giza and the great Sphinx, a riveting sight that took my breath away. For a moment, it felt like time stood still as I gazed at the surreal beauty and grandeur of the man-made marvels that have defined Egypt from time immemorial.

The three pyramids of Cheops (Khufu), Chephren (Khafre) and Mycernius (Menkaure) in front of me made up for the long walk under the scorching sun on the hot desert sand while the gentle breeze in the shade provided by the massive pyramid walls cleaned the sweat beads on my forehead.

A specimen of fine human engineering and robust construction techniques present in ancient Egyptian civilisation, the pyramids have stood the test of time and left many archaeologists around the world baffled.

Back in ancient Egypt it was common for kings and queens to construct pyramids for themselves when they were alive as a final place to rest in their afterlife. The materials used were two different types of limestone weighing between two and 15 tonnes.

The first pyramid - Djoser - was built in Saqqara on the west bank of the river Nile, the site of royal burials since around 2100 BC, but following many instances of robbers breaking into pyramids to steal jewellery and other valuables buried alongside kings, the practice was stopped about 1,000 years ago, said Hassan.

Besides the famous pyramids, cultural highlights in Cairo include the Egyptian museum, which has a separate section for human and animal mummies.

Housing the world's most extensive collection of pharaonic antiquities, the museum exhibits the treasures of Tutankhamun, wooden models of daily life, statuettes of divinities, and a rare group of Faiyum Portraits.

A must see after Cairo is Alexandria, the second largest city in Egypt - famous for its catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa and the modern library.

It is just a three-hour drive from Cairo and the visit to the catacombs is enthralling as you walk down a spiral staircase many feet under the ground. The bodies of the dead would have been lowered on ropes down the centre of this circular shaft.

As you enter, the spooky site of hundreds of graves, tombs and even bones at the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt welcomes you.

Legend has it that the site was discovered accidentally in 1900 when a donkey disappeared into the ground and the locals found the catacombs while digging up the ground.



Moving down south is the tourist hotspot of Luxor which provides an opportunity to explore historical sites like the Valley of Kings and Queens on the Nile's west bank while riding on a hot air balloon - which can easily be the highlight of your trip.

Other major attractions include the Luxor temple, the temple of queen Hatshepsut - a female pharaoh, which was very unusual at that time.

And if the whole experience of learning about an ancient civilization and the deluge of historical information leaves you overwhelmed, Egypt has a solution for that too.

Just indulge yourself in a felucca cruise on the Nile. Sit back and reflect on life as gentle gusts of wind form ripple patterns on the surface of the Nile - among the world's longest rivers and on the banks of which lives 96 percent of the Egyptian population.

THE MAN WHO TAUGHT US TO LAUGH AT OURSELVES

It's almost a year since we lost author and journalist Khushwant Singh (March 20, 2014) and on his first death anniversary I am sharing a descriptive piece on his funeral. 

Known for his larger than life image, author and journalist Khushwant Singh, who died here Thursday, aged 99 had a subdued funeral attended by a few family members and politicians while media persons made up most of the crowd.

There was no cavalcade of vehicles following the white coloured Maruti Eeco van in which he undertook his last journey, accompanied by his son Rahul Singh, to the Lodhi Road crematorium, a five minute drive from his posh south Delhi home in Sujan Singh Park.

The crematorium too saw a moderate turnout. Apart from the family members, some politicians, journalists and writers who had come to pay their obeisance, the media persons covering the funeral made up most of the crowd.

Draped in shawls, wreaths made of white lily flowers as well as bouquets and garlands of marigold, chrysanthemum and roses, Singh's body was consigned to flames at around 4.30 p.m. in the electric crematorium at the Dayanand Ghat mukti dham inside the Lodhi crematorium.

Teary-eyed family members hugged and consoled each other while some in the crowd, standing at a distance, narrated Singh's famous anecdotes and quotes to each other, conscious not to laugh out loud as they recalled Singh's witty writings.

The fact that even after his death, Khushwant Singh managed to bring a smile on the faces of those who came to grieve him is a fitting tribute to the man who taught people, especially Indians how to laugh at themselves.

KIRAN BEDI: THE UNCONVENTIONAL POLITICIAN

In just over a week's time, Delhi is set to get a new Chief Minister -- from a non-political background -- as the Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal are the only true contenders for the post with Congress down and out.

While Kejriwal has been the CM before, for a period of 49 days, and everybody is quite familiar with his brand of politics and governance, all eyes are on Bedi.

In the past few weeks, I have seen a lot of her clips on news channels, which at times appeared to be weird, funny or plain ignorant. And I can safely say that she is indeed an unconventional leader.

However, at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally here Sunday, I had a first hand experience with Bedi and her unconventional self.

At the DDA ground in Sector 14, Dwarka, the venue of Modi's rally, the BJP leaders were caught by surprise when the party's chief ministerial candidate threatened to end her speech midway as she was getting disturbed by the crowd chanting Modi's name.

The thousands of people gathered at sprawling ground were waiting eagerly for Modi, and were raising slogans praising him and the BJP at regular intervals as BJP candidates from many west Delhi assembly constituencies addressed the people one by one.

As Bedi was midway into her speech, news of the prime minister reaching the ground sent the crowds into a tizzy who started chanting his name.

At this point, Bedi took a long pause and waited for the crowd to settle down. However, when that did not happen, she resumed her speech but stopped again after a few seconds, visibly distracted and disturbed by the loud cheering.

She turned to the party leaders seated behind her on the dais and said, "I cannot speak like this", startling many of them.

Immediately, union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy rushed to her side while frantically signalling with his hand, asking her to carry on.

But a reluctant Bedi repeated that she "cannot speak like this", forcing Rudy to whisper something in her ear.

Seconds later, Bedi regained her composure and finished her speech as the party leaders breathed a sigh of relief.

All's well that ends well, they say. However, if Bedi becomes the CM, it would be interesting to see how the BJP handles her.

WITNESSING THE REPUBLIC DAY PARADE LIVE AT RAJPATH

For the first time in my life, I got an opportunity to attend the Republic Day parade at Rajpath. However, the excitement didn't last long thanks to the gloomy weather and the poor arrangement at the venue.

Following are some of the sidelights of the parade:


With the rain playing spoilsport, the dignitaries gathered at Rajpath to witness India's 66th Republic Day parade were forced to wear caps and take cover under umbrellas and raincoats.

US President Barack Obama, the chief guest at the parade, and wife Michelle were seated in a roofless bullet-proof glass enclosure along with President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and his wife Salma and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As it started to drizzle, officials with huge, black umbrellas and members of the support staff standing next to them sprang into action.
While the Obamas held their own umbrellas, the Indian dignitaries and leaders attending the ceremony had their better halves or their official staff holding the cover for them.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi also held her own umbrella. Two seats away, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah was seen taking shelter under an umbrella held by his wife.

Kiran Bedi, the BJP's chief ministerial candidate for next month's Delhi assembly polls, wore a raincoat.

Many dignitaries also donned caps to protect themselves from the cold and drizzle.

Mukherjee and Ansari sported fur caps, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and senior BJP leader L.K.

Advani wore golf caps while Modi wore a traditional and colourful Rajasthani headgear.

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Modi's Swachh Bharat stumbles at Rajpath

Had Prime Minister Narendra Modi peeked into the enclosures erected in front of him at Rajpath when the 66th Republic Day parade concluded, he might have been forced to rethink the prospects of his pet Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, or Clean India campaign.

Soiled sheets of newspapers, pamphlets (carrying details of the parade details) and polythene bags that had been used by the crowds to clean their seats and cover their heads during the morning drizzle were littered all around the VIP enclosures as the function ended.

Many of the chairs lay toppled while the seats of almost all of them had shoe marks and sludge on them as the crowd had stood atop them minutes before to catch a glimpse of the departing dignitaries.

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'We Love Obama'

The camaraderie between visiting US President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to have rubbed off on Delhiites as well. When Obama reached Rajpath to attend the 66th Republic Day parade, the crowd climbed atop their chairs to catch a glimpse him and his ride - The Beast.

The crowds cheered, clapped and waved at Obama and his wife Michelle. The Obamas too waved back, much to the delight of the crowds.

A group of young men even had a huge yellow-colored poster with the message - We Love Obama, with a red heart signifying love.

In fact, the highly publicised Modi-Obama 'chair pe charcha' on the verdant lawns of the Hyderabad House Sunday was a hot topic of discussion among the audience as they waited for the parade to begin. Most of them had gathered since early morning, braving the rain and the January chill.

The friendly warmth and camaraderie between the two leaders again evident during the two-hour parade.

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When the weather god smiled

It was a wet, gloomy start to the 66th Republic Day celebrations here as sporadic overnight rain that continued in the morning threatened the festivities as well as dampened the spirits of the people.

The crowds gathered for the function were a worried lot as the security personnel did not allow umbrellas inside the venue due to safety concerns and the light drizzle could very well have turned into a heavy shower.

But much to their relief, half an hour into the parade, the rain stopped and the dark clouds that had been hovering overhead dispersed and later enabled them to witness the flypast by the Indian Air Force.

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A dose of patriotism

It may have been a cold, foggy and wet Republic Day morning but the people who packed the stands, some of whom had walked for several kilometers to reach Rajpath, were in a patriotic mood.

Despite the long queues at the entrances, the crowds raised slogans like "Vande Mataram" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" at regular intervals. Some of them had small paper tri-colours pinned to their shirts and tops while others had tri-coloured scarves wrapped on their heads and around their necks.

Adding to the feel, were soul-stirring songs like "Yeh desh hain veer jawano ka" and "Mere desh ki dharti" that blared out of the address system.

AMIT SHAH: BJP'S MAN TO CONQUER DELHI

Miffed with infighting and lack of coordination among state leaders that may harm the party's prospects in the upcoming Delhi assembly polls, BJP president Amit Shah has decided to take charge of the election machinery in the capital from Dec 25, a top source said.

According to a senior party leader who is in the know of the development, Shah is currently occupied with the polls in Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir but once the results are out Tuesday, he will shift focus to Delhi and dedicate at least two months to the city before the assembly election are held, likely in February 2015.

"The Delhi BJP needs direction and guidance from a single authority. At present, everyone is acting like he is the captain of the ship which is resulting in utter confusion," the source said.

The source informed that owing to the threat from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shah started keeping an eye on the political developments in Delhi - where the BJP has remained out of power for the last 15 years - since he became the party president in July.

(The December 2013 polls threw up a hung 70-member house, with the BJP winning 31 seats, the AAP 28 and the Congress eight, with three seats going to other parties and independents. The AAP formed a government that lasted 49 days, necessitating fresh polls)

"He (Shah) knows that Delhi is not like other states where the contest is between BJP and Congress. The general anti-Congress mood prevailing across the nation has helped BJP but in Delhi, it's the AAP that is the main opponent of the BJP," the source added.

"Therefore, the party needs to put in much more effort but Shah knows that the party is struggling with infighting and poor coordination," said the leader.

Though, such allegations have been leveled against the party earlier as well, this time the cracks are showing.

A couple of weeks back a party leader, in charge of an event, openly chided a party spokesperson for talking to the media about the preparations.

He was unhappy with the spokesperson hogging the limelight and instead wanted the media to give him footage.

Furthermore, in a meeting held between Shah and the Delhi BJP leaders and office bearers in November, it was decided that all the party parliamentarians would hold 2,700 public meetings across the city.

However, a month later, that figure has been reduced to around 1,400, the source said.

"The state unit has failed in successfully organizing these meetings and managing to gather enough crowds. Their management has been sloppy and hence the MP's lost interest," said the source.

Furthermore, sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan too has been reduced to mere photo opportunities by some which has further added to the woes of the Delhi BJP's leadership.

Though, Shah is a tough taskmaster and has set a 60-seat goal in Delhi and hence, he is all set to take charge of Delhi after Dec 25, another source told IANS.

According to party leaders, Shah believes in working at the ground level and has directed the Delhi leaders, at a meeting Thursday, to do the same. Shah had earlier met the leaders in November.

The source further said that a major reshuffle in the Delhi BJP is in the offing once the election is over.

"A new team is likely to be formed for Delhi after the polls," the source said.

OPEN GYMS IN DELHI ARE ALL THE RAGE

Thanks to the tight schedules people have these days, not many the time to exercise. And majority of those who do get the time, are forced to settle for nearby parks and gardens where they can only do cardio exercise and no muscle training owing to the high fees of gyms.

And even if you do manage to find an affordable gym, chances are the equipment would be outdated, it will be operating out of a dingy basement and would play songs of Honey Singh on loop. Sigh!

So, how would you react if you get the best of both the worlds -- cardio workout as well as gym equipment to get those six-pack abs you always wanted in your neighbourhood park as you breathe in the fresh air.

Well, the NDMC has just managed to that.

Built over an area of 1,000 square metres, the gyms have been set up in 30 parks, including the popular Talkatora Garden, Lodhi Garden, and Nehru Park by the NDMC under its "Go Green, Open Gym" project.

Painted in bright shades of yellow, green, red and blue each gym has 12 apparatuses. They do not require electricity and include a cross trainer and abs and leg shapers. Each gym has been set up at a cost of Rs.6 lakh.

Remarkably, middle-aged men and women as well as senior citizens are equally enthusiastic as the youngsters.

Taking a cue from the NDMC, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) too has decided to join the bandwagon and would be establishing open gyms in every ward as a pilot project.

Great news for the city's fitness freaks indeed!

COMPACTS ARE REVVING THE INDIAN CAR MARKET

In a country where cars are seen as an extension of one's social status, shrinking parking spaces and congested roads are compelling Indian buyers to shift focus to the smaller compact segment that still offers luxury and maximum bang for the buck, experts maintain.

Car manufacturers also are flooding the market with their mini sedans, priced between Rs.500,000 and Rs.900,000, and sports utility vehicles (SUV) and multi-utility vehicles (MUV) in the range of Rs.600,000 to Rs.1.2 million.

The previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's policy of lower excise of eight percent for cars under four-metre length as compared to sedans with 20 percent and SUVs with 24 percent gave birth to this segment. The curent National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's decision to continue with this policy has given a further boost to the segment.

This segment is seeing a decent sales drive as it also offers the right combination of space, looks, affordability, luxury and, most importantly, better fuel economy and easy manoeuvrability in the city traffic, compared to full size sedans. 

Then, these vehicles are also quite comfortable to drive for the weekend getaways, which is becoming quite a popular recreation among youth today.

As a result, the segment has been growing at a healthy rate of 15-16 percent, compared to the rest of the industry - which has even seen marginal de-growth.

Features like touchscreen multi-information display, Bluetooth connectivity, projector headlamps, parking sensors, day-time lamps and CD players that were restricted to one segment above till a few years ago, have now made their way to compact cars as well, as auto makers lure the young tech-savvy buyers.

Even the buyers have become more realistic in choosing the right type of vehicle

Cars like the Ford EcoSport, Honda Amaze, Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and Hyundai Xcent are the popular sub-4-metre offerings. Along with other compact models like the Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano, Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Honda Mobilio, they have not only taken the market by storm but also helped some car makers, who were fringe players at best, to change their fortunes.

Companies like Renault and Ford have literally piggybacked on the segment to become prominent players overnight.

While Renault, despite a late entrant in the Indian market, became a household name once it launched the Duster SUV in July 2012, Ford that had tasted limited success in its close to two-decade operations in India saw unprecedented interest among buyers when it launched the Ecosport.

The hugely popular mini SUV got 40,000 bookings in a record 17 days and still has a waiting period of four to eight months in various parts of the country.

Little wonder this segment is the one where car-makers in India seem to be focussing on. In the next six months, at least half a dozen more mini-sedans and SUVs are expected to hit the market from makers like Maruti, Tata, Hyundai, Mahindra, Fiat, Chevrolet and Volkswagen.

QUAINT VIENNA IS INDIAN HONEYMOONER'S NEW PARADISE

A barefoot stroll with your soulmate in the lawns of one of the many museums of the historically rich city of Vienna or sitting across the table in a street cafe, just looking into each other's eyes, as a random stranger plays the violin at a distance in the city once home to Mozart.

How you savour your honeymoon depends on you but the fact remains that an ever increasing number of newly-wed Indian couples are now heading to Vienna for the perfect end to their elaborate wedding.

The city’s relaxed and laid-back attitude was the perfect getaway after many tiring weeks of preparations and celebrations that are associated with Indian weddings especially in the north.  

The capital of Austria is one of the country's nine federal states and is home to around 1.8 million people.

Boasting of palaces, monuments, cathedrals, parks and vineyards, it’s a city where ancient churches stand beside contemporary glass buildings.

Kunsthistorisches Museum that houses the world's largest collection of paintings is the most prominent museum in the city along with Belvedere and the Leopold in the MuseumsQuartier.

While the Ringtrasse, a circular boulevard of over five kilometres that has grand buildings and manicured gardens on either side entices the travellers to take a long walk and experience the rich history of the city.

Also known as the 'City of Music' Vienna has 50 theatres, including four opera houses. While those who love to shop, the posh first district in the old city is the most sought after address.

And among the popular markets of the city are Naschmarkt, the city's largest and which offers a mix of Viennese and international specialties.

This perfect blend of “history, culture and nature” bring tourists in droves to the city.

And the fact that numerous Indian restaurants have opened up in the city in the last few years has also helped in popularizing Vienna amongst Indian travellers.

According to an estimate, in the last five years, the number of Indian restaurants in the city has gone up from around 20 to over 50 at present while the price of an average meal for two costs between eight to 14 euros (Rs.660-Rs.1,500).

According to official data, from January to July this year, 15000 tourists from India visited Vienna-- a growth of 10.5 per cent over the same period last year.

MODI'S INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH WAS A REFRESHING CHANGE!

So, after three years of listening to Manmohan Singh at Red Fort on Aug 15, Narendra Modi's address was a welcome change. Following are some of the highlights of the event:

Modi shows off his humorous side

In between the serious issues of developing infrastructure, protecting the country’s women, falling sex ration, Modi did not forget to make his audience laugh with some clever one liners and keen observations.

Reacting to news that government employees had started coming on time to offices after the new regime at the centre, Modi quipped: “Is this news? Is this the level that we have stooped to?” asked Modi as the audience giggled.

Referring to his background as a tea-seller, his comment on developing tourism so that everybody including chaiwalas (tea sellers) could earn a good living had the audience in splits.

Similar was the reaction when he criticized people’s attitude of not being bothered about things that didn’t affect them

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Perfect weather

Strong gusts of cool winds and cloudy skies resulted in the perfect weather for those gathered at the Red Fort to hear Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech.

The sun remain hidden behind the clouds for a major part of Modi’s speech while the cool breeze provided comfort to what could have been an otherwise sultry day during the monsoon season.

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Sea of saffron, green and white

The Red Fort and the lawns around it were literally painted in the tri colours of saffron, white and green with vivid flower arrangements, garlands and numerous flags of all shapes and sizes.

Over a hundred flags were seen fluttering on poles around the 17th century historic fort as well as the lawns in front of it while garlands of flowers adorned the boundary walls of the ramparts of the fort.

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Charged up crowd

Right from the time Modi entered the venue till the time he left, the crowd remained enthusiastic and constantly cheered and applauded the 63-year-old leader.

As soon as Modi’s cavalcade reached Red Fort, the atmosphere turned electric. When he got down and waved to the cheering crowd, many of them stood on their chair to get a glimpse of the leader.

When Modi joked, they laughed and when he talked about improving the country’s infrastructure, they applauded.

All through his speech, the sounds of cheering, hooting, clapping and whistling reverberated in the air.

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Practicing what Modi preached

It was good to see that some of the suggestions Modi gave in his speech - particularly about keeping cities clean - was adhered to by the school children.

The thousands of school children, who were given packed lunches and snacks, used dustbins to dispose off the empty bottles, packets of food and chips. Every year, they used to throw them on the ground.

This time, a huge dustbin was kept in one corner of the ground where the children were savouring their refreshments while makeshift dustbins in the form of empty cardboard boxes were also placed all over.

Modi reaches out to children

The hundreds of school students who cheered Narendra Modi for over an hour at the Red Fort Friday were pleasantly surprised when the prime minister met them before leaving the venue.

As soon as Modi's cavalcade of black BMWs reached the front courtyard of the Red Fort, the excited children and even some of their teachers cheered him, standing on their chairs for a glimpse of the prime minister.

On his way out, Modi made sure to reward his young admirers by getting out of his sedan to meet them.

Modi shook hands and interacted with the children who were dressed in saffron, green and white - the Indian tricolour - and blue for a few minutes.

Such was the excitement that children and teachers from other enclosures in the ground jumped barriers and climbed atop chairs and even on each other's shoulders to get a closer look.

The Special Protection Group, which provides security to the prime minister, and police had a tough time controlling the overjoyed children.

CELEBRATING EID IN THE WALLED CITY

The bright, colourful shops and crowds of happy shoppers bring the walled city alive on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr or meethi eid marking the end of month-long fasting during the holy month of Ramzan.

The city’s Muslims, dressed in traditional attires offered prayers in the morning followed by day long feasting, shopping and merry-making.

The nearby markets of Jama Masjid did brisk business as clothes, footwear, jewellery and accessories were the most sought after products being bought by the revelers.

This year, a wide variety of skullcaps attracted many.

Caps made of velvet and imported from Bangladesh - called *turki topis  were quite popular and could be bought for Rs.50 (85 cents) a piece. Also in demand were the Asian caps which are made in Mumbai and sell for anything between Rs.25 and Rs. 50.

In addition to the skull caps, shopkeepers selling 'ittar', which is a natural perfume made by blending herbs and flowers, are also doing brisk business.

However, the highlight of the festival remains food and not just the locals but Delhiites from all over the city throng old Delhi to get a taste of the elaborate platter on offer - leaving them spoilt for choice.

Shops and stalls with huge woks and tandoors dish out mouth-watering items like mutton nahari, korma, keema naans, biryani, kebabs and the like that make you drool for more while desserts like rabri-faluda, paneer jalebi and meetha samosa further encourage the glutton inside you.

Though, Nahari - a stew of slow cooked meat with light spices -- is perhaps the favourite dish during the season, especially eaten by those fasting, as the day's first meal before dawn.

Among other favourites are khajla (pancakes) and pheni (vermicelli), which are to be eaten with milk and are especially prepared during the Ramadan month.

Khajla is soaked in milk for a few hours before consumption while pheni is shallow fried and milk and sugar are added.

CARING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT: VIENNA'S GREEN HOTELS

Meals prepared from locally sourced organic ingredients, hybrid cabs for guests, solar panels that produce electricity and water drawn from a well are some unique features on offer by the 'green hotels' of Vienna as they cash in on the global concept of eco-friendly hotels catering to the growing number of tourists conscious of their carbon footprint.

Over the last few years, the historic capital of Austria has seen a sudden spurt of green hotels and their numbers are increasing every year owing to a similar surge in the number of aware travellers from around the world who make it a point to stay in such places, officials said.

The many hoteliers of the city - one of the country's nine federal states with a population of around 1.8 million and known for its captivating architecture, rich culture and diverse cuisine - are leaving no stone unturned to earn the bragging rights for going green.

And the tariffs are just around 5-10 percent more compared to a conventional hotel.

Some of the innovative techniques used include water pipes running through ceilings and floors of the hotel rooms so that when hot water passes through, the room automatically becomes warm and there is no need for electric heaters.

Some hotels also provide electronic scooters and bikes to guests to explore the city and thereby reduce their dependence on petrol guzzling cabs.

The Best Western Premier was completely renovated in 2013 and thus made it the first among the few hotels in the city to fulfill the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF)-standards for allergy friendly hotels.

The original edifice built in 1989 now focusses specially on serving organic food. The hotel has also received the Austrian eco-label for its eco-friendly and sustainable concept.

And taking the preference for organic products to the next level is Hotel Daniel Vienna which not only has a vineyard but also a bee keeping facility inside the hotel complex in the heart of the city.

Apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins and herbs of every kind which are used to make home-made herbal oil are grown in the front lawn of the hotel while the hotel's roof is used for bee-keeping.

So, if you are headed abroad for a vacation this summer, be sure to include Vienna in your itinerary and contribute your bit towards the environment.

MODI: THE ROCKSTAR OF INDIAN POLITICS!

Now that the verdict's out and Narendra Modi has created history by leading a party that has won a clear mandate in the general elections after 30 long years, here is a look at one of the many aspects that has helped Modi to connect with the masses.

I closely observed his first public address to the people Vadodara today, a seat that he won by a margin of 5.70 lakh votes. Modi is one of the few politicians who has the gift of connecting with masses, banter with them and also speak on serious topics like the country's economy and defence.

It comes natural to him unlike his so called competitors like former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress Vice-President and his closest rival Rahul Gandhi and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.

In a country of diverse cultures, languages and traditions, you have limited resources to woo the masses from different regions. If you are a good orator, half of that job is done and Modi, I believe has a god gift talent os speaking well.

Here is his Vadodara address:

The sounds of hooting, clapping, whistling and sloganeering resonated in the air as Narendra Modi, all set to become India's 14th prime minister, met with rockstar adulation here as he delivered his first speech following BJP's impressive victory in the Lok Sabha poll.

As soon as Modi, who is also the chief minister of the state, made an appearance on the dais, the massive crowd began chanting 'Modi, Modi' and continued for at least a couple of minutes before Modi urged them to settle down with folded hands.

All through his speech that lasted for over half an hour, Modi thanked the voters, talked about the hard work that his party workers had put in, discussed plans to bring about change at the national level and in his trademark style, joked and bantered with the audience much to their amusement.

Ten minutes into his speech, Modi turned to his right and asked some of the people, standing in the corner to move a bit so that those standing behind them could see him speaking.

"Those who are standing there in the corner move a bit so that the other can see me properly," he said as the crowd cheered loudly.

"Wherever I am, I know what bothers you," he added as the cheers turned into applause and whistling followed again by a round of slogans praising Modi.

On at least a dozen occasions all through his address, Modi was interrupted by the charged crowd. And despite his repeated requests even with folded hands to keep calm and allow him to continue, the crowd rarely paid heed.

Finally, at one point Modi asked the crowd with a smile on his face: "Shall I speak, do I have your permission?"

As the cheering supporters settled down, Modi thanked them and carried on, only to be interrupted again a few minutes later.

But obviously Modi wasn't complaining as the repeated interruptions adulating him only brought a smile on his face.

The BJP is poised to win all the 26 seats from Gujarat with Modi returning with the highest ever parliament victory margin of over 570,000 votes. 

TIMELESS VIENNA!

Sitting in one of the many street cafes, sipping hot espresso in between bites of a sacher torte (Viennese chocolate cake) while listening to a violin being played in the background is perhaps the perfect way to spend an evening in surreal Vienna, which takes pride in its laid-back culture.

The historically-rich capital of Austria is one of the country's nine federal states and is home to around 1.8 million people and boasts of palaces, monuments, cathedrals, parks and vineyards. It's a city where Gothic, Neo-Gothic and Baroque-styled churches and houses stand tall besides contemporary glass-tinted shops and buildings.

Every corner provides a photo opportunity.




Vienna also boasts of world-renowned museums and art collections, one of them being the Kunsthistorisches Museum that houses the world's largest collection of paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, a Flemish Renaissance painter and printmaker known for his landscapes.The other renowned museums are the Belvedere and the Leopold in the MuseumsQuartier.




A stroll around the city is akin to journey back in time to the city's imperial past.

The highlight, of course, is the Ringtrasse, a circular boulevard of over five kilometres that was constructed in place of the old city walls that were razed for expansion by emperor Franz Joseph in 1857.

The ring has grand buildings and manicured gardens on either side. A leisure walk is a must once you've treated yourself to one of the cafes or built an appetite.




Also known as the 'City of Music' Vienna has 50 theatres, including four opera houses, and once hosted renowned composers such as Wolfgang Amadeue Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven, to name just two.

The influence of such legendary musicians is evident from the fact that the city has a vibrant culture of street musicians. It's common to see them playing instruments like the violin and guitar in the market squares every evening.

The posh first district in the old city is the most sought after address and is thronged by tourists and locals alike. It is a shopper's paradise with boutiques of all major international brands while the winding cobble stoned streets add to the romance of a long-lost empire.

But there's no mad rush of shoppers or club hoppers at night and instead, a sense of calm prevails in the popular market places, where the shops usually down shutters by 7 p.m.

Among the popular markets of the city are Naschmarkt, the city's largest and which offers a mix of Viennese and international specialties.

A flea market blossoms every Saturday, while for groceries, spices and cheeses from across the globe, the Rochusmarkt is the place to head to.

From glitzy fashion brands to second-hand goods at a flea market, the choices are spoilt for shoppers.The many cafes and restaurants that remain open till late keep the atmosphere alive and a major contribution comes from the street musicians.

Many cafes have the traditional exquisite window displays like a prancing horse or a replica of a monument - all made of sugar.

The hot apple strudel served with either whipped cream or vanilla sauce and the sacher torte are a delight for those with a sweet tooth.








The amalgamation of history, music and good food that Vienna offers is, indeed, a feast for the senses.