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And even if you do manage to find an affordable gym, chances are the equipment would be outdated, it will be operating out of a dingy basement and would play songs of Honey Singh on loop.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

-*-

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.

-*-

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.

-*-

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.

-*-

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.