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.