Monthly Archives: September 2020

Backyard tourism set to boom as travellers explore short and safe vacations

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

After many months of intermittent lockdowns, travellers are venturing out again, opting for remote getaways, Nature trails and short drives as backyard tourism booms

Waking up to the sounds of a gurgling Cauvery and soaking up spectacular views of monsoon-drenched mountains, it was a blissful morning in Coorg for Archana N Vidur. “After being cooped up for five months, it felt like I was breathing again,” she says.

Archana and her family based in Bengaluru are just back from their first road trip post lockdown. “We had to get some fresh air and flush out the negativity that has entered our lives during COVID-19. Connecting with Nature, frees you up mentally,” she adds. They booked an entire property, the Carpe Diem Homestay at Kushal Nagar, which is a five-hour drive from Bengaluru.

“We selected a place that is cut off from ‘touristy’ destinations. We packed blankets, bed sheets and toiletries. We carried our plates, glasses, cutlery and a dishwasher too! Of course, we kept our masks on at all times. We packed our used clothes in sealed plastic bags and washed them immediately on return.”

Backyard tourism has now emerged as a favourite activity. Now that there are fewer restrictions on travelling across states, people are venturing out on short and safe vacations close to their cities — from weekend drives to isolated home stays to exploring the countryside on bikes. J. Rumi, a writer based in Bengaluru has lined up places like Dandiganahalli dam, Manchenahalli dam, and Turahalli forests, all well within 50 to 100 kms from her house. “ We can drive down and then go on treks, cycle around or spend some quiet time with Nature.”

Coppersmith Barbet   | Photo Credit: Manish Kumar

Author and travel blogger Manjulika Pramod is contemplating a road trip to Machilipatnam beach which is 80 kilometres away from her home in Vijayawada. “I want to go to a place where I can easily avoid human contact. So, it’s best to go to a beach where we can take our own food. Nature, especially the sun, sand and waves will definitely cheer me up,” she says.

The monsoon has also ushered in some much-needed cheer. “It is the best time to explore the green countryside of my state, Jharkhand,” says Manish Kumar who lives in Ranchi and blogs in Hindi about travelling and conservation. “I indulge myself with trips within 50 to 80 kilometres over the weekends to places like the beautiful Patratu Valley on the outskirts of Ranchi, or the isolated Dhurva dam, which is a haven for migratory birds. Another popular place is the Ramgarh countryside (top photograph) for its lush green paddy fields,” says Manish, adding “Backyard tourism is going to boom now.”

Running wild and free

However, travelling during lockdown comes with its fair share of challenges. One has to follow handy tips to travel safe. Says Archana, who along with her husband Vidur runs Travelmynation, a couple travel and lifestyle blog, “COVID-19 is not the time for surprise vacations. We took all safety precautions as we travelled with our parents who are senior citizens and our two Lhasa Apso dogs. We packed our food, including coffee, and stopped at the outskirts cut off from the city to have our meals before reaching Coorg.”

Rashmi Chadha, founder of Wovoyage, a startup for women-centric travels   | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

In a post-lockdown scenario, a road trip is also a way to finally reunite with family or friends after months of isolation. “A protocol is in place. Those joining avoid outside travel before the planned trip. They get tested and take off from a common point,” says Delhi-based Rashmi Chadha, founder of Wovoyage, a startup for women-centric travels. “Recently, we organised a road trip for a group of seven to eight women, most of them friends who travelled in two cars to Kanatal in Himachal to spend a few weeks in solitude. Some of our clients in Mumbai are taking off to Lonavala over the weekends. Those in Delhi now make trips to Rajasthan. The trend now is to travel with close-knit groups.”

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She also points out that the lockdown is encouraging people to explore their own backyards. “Domestic tourism is picking up. People are travelling to different places within their State, for example people in Madhya Pradesh are exploring places like Chanderi Fort and Jhansi Fort.”

Evergreen County Resort in Coorg   | Photo Credit:  Special Arrangement

Most travellers, however, choose to reconnect with Nature after months at home. Says Bajan Bopanna of Evergreen County Resorts, located inside a coffee estate in Coorg, “We see a rise in bookings. They want to trek or go on plantation trails within the property or enjoy a private camp fire.” Col VG Pandey (retired) of Vama Resorts at Nandi Hills near Bengaluru says families from locations within the State have been visiting the military-themed resort and camp. “They engage in activities that we offer, like how to improve mind-body coordination, overcome fear of enclosed spaces, to name a few.”

Richa Gupta   | Photo Credit:  Special Arrangement

Some take a road trip for a change of scenery like Richa Gupta, a digital media marketer for travel brands, who lives in Pune. “We wanted to beat the boredom. We checked in at Taj Fort Aguada resort at Sinquerim Beach, Candolim in Goa, which is located on a cliff overlooking an ocean. The check-in was contactless, safe and clean. We spent time at the beach and went on treks. Now, I am ready to be cooped up.”

Nishu Boralia   | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Nishu Boralia, a chartered accountant based out of Bengaluru, plans to pitch a tent inside the forest in Chikmagalur. “The professional and personal space has become blurry. I am craving for open skies, a bubbling waterfall, and birds chirping around me.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu /Home> Life & Style> Travel / by K. Jeshi / Coimbatore – September 22nd, 2020

Charles II silver sugar box stars in our pick of five auction highlights this week

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

ATG’s weekly selection of items that caught bidders’ eyes includes a rare Charles II silver sugar box described as “in an exceptional state of preservation” that sold above estimate in Nottingham.

Charles II silver sugar box – £19,000 at Mellors & Kirk.

1. Prattware coiled pipe – £880

Prattware coiled pipe – £880 at Sworders.

Sworders in Essex is dispersing one of the world’s finest collections of pipes and smoking accoutrements across a number of sales this year. The Trevor Barton (1920-2008) collection represents more than 50 years of acquisition and study by a Hertfordshire pipe collector known to many in the antiques trade as ‘The Pipe Man’.

Barton began collecting pipes and other tobacco-related items in 1947, shortly after he was demobbed. In addition to regular visits to Bermondsey market, he travelled widely during a sales and marketing career which helped him to grow his collection.

Selected items from the Barton collection were sold at Christie’s in 2010, but the remainder were kept by the family. The first tranche of the collection formed part of Sworders’ Fine Interiors auction on September 22.

Every lot (many of them multiples) sold above top estimate including this Prattware coiled pipe c.1820, elaborately coiled and painted in ochre and blue dashes. Expected to bring £400-600, it made £880.

2. Coorg War knife – £8000

This 19th century Indian knife with a shaped and carved horn handle comes in its original morocco case. A handwritten label says it was gift from the Raja of Coorg to Colonel George Mackenzie Stuart, the commander of a column of the Madras Army at the taking of Coorg and commandant at the fortress of Vallore where the Raja was later held.

This appears to reference the Coorg War fought between the British East India Company and the small south Indian state in February-April 1834. British losses during the campaign were 93 killed before the British ensign was raised and Chikavira Rajendra, the last ruler of the Coorg kingdom, was sent into exile.

Coupled with this provenance, this fine knife sold for £8000 (estimate £400-600) at Gildings of Market Harborough on September 22.

3. Harry Rountree illustration – £2600

An illustration for ‘The Lost World’ by Harry Rountree – £2600 at David Lay’s in Penzance.

It was estimated at £40-60 but this 14 x 10in (35 x 25cm) pen and ink by New-Zealand-born artist Harry Rountree (1878-1950) sold for £2600 at David Lay in Penzance on September 17.

Fully signed, is one of the original grisaille illustrations created for Conan Doyle’s sci-fi classic The Lost World. The story of an expedition to a plateau in the Amazon basin where prehistoric beasts still survive has spawned many films (the first in 1925). However, it was originally published serially in the Strand Magazine during the months of April-November 1912 with Rountree supplying the illustrations.

4. Charles II silver sugar box – £19,000

Charles II silver sugar box – £19,000 at Mellors & Kirk.

In family ownership for several generations, this 27oz Charles II sugar box was described by Nottingham auctioneers Mellors & Kirk as “in an exceptional state of preservation, with hardly any sign of wear and no damage or repair worthy of note”.

Probably last on the market a century ago, it is engraved with an armorial crest and fully marked to the rim, lid and hasp for London 1681 and the maker’s mark AR with a mullet and two pellets below.

Estimated at £10,000-15,000 on September 16, it took £19,000.

5. Portrait of WH Auden – £28,000

Portrait of WH Auden by Maurice Feild – £28,000 at Bonhams.

This oil on canvas portrait of WH Auden (1907-73), offered for sale at the Bonhams Modern British and Irish Art sale on September 16 is by Maurice Feild (1905-1988). It came by descent from the artist to a private collection in the UK.

Feild and Auden were colleagues and friends during their time teaching at the Downs School, Colwall during the early 1930s with this informal 22 x 15in (56 x 38cm) portrait signed titled and dated verso 1937. It was a key year for Auden: his visit to Spain where he experienced first-hand the horrors of civil war, provided the inspiration for his poem Spain.

Feild, an associate of the Euston Road School of painters, later went on to teach at the Slade in 1954.

A picture of obvious literary interest, it was pitched at an appealing £800-1200 but found sufficient admirers to bring £28,000.

source: http://www.antiquestradegazette.com / Antiques Trade Gazette / Home> News> 2020 / by Roland Arkell / September 25th, 2020

Kodagu roads: ZP seeks ₹20-cr. grant for repair

Agriculture, Business & Economy

Public criticism forces ZP to seek government’s help to deal with the situation resulting from bad roads

The members of Kodagu Zilla Panchayat have met Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K.S. Eshwarappa and urged him to release a sum of ₹20 crore for urgent repair of roads that have become unmotorable following heavy rains over the last three years.

Kodagu had witnessed widespread floods and landslides three years in a row, resulting in extensive damage to the road infrastructure and causing hardships to the local people. The bad roads have led to resentment against the elected representatives, especially the members of the Zilla Panchayat whom the public are blaming for the apathy.

The public have been resorting to novel protests across the district demanding immediate repair and asphalting of damaged roads. There have been instances of public planting saplings on the potholed roads to vent their ire.

A delegation from the Kodagu ZP led by president Harish met Mr. Eshwarappa in Bengaluru on Tuesday and apprised him of the condition of roads besides the urgency for releasing funds for their repair and asphalting.

In a letter to Mr. Eshwarappa, Mr. Harish said tourists had been sharing messages and photos on the poor condition of roads in Kodagu on various social media platforms.

He sought an immediate grant of ₹20 crore for improving the condition of roads.

source: http://wwww.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – September 24th, 2020

Tata Coffee in initial negotiations to acquire V G Siddhartha’s coffee plantations

Business & Economy, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)
Representative Image. Credit: Getty Images

Tata Coffee is in preliminary talks to acquire 12,000 hectares of coffee plantations belonging to Cafe Coffee Day founder V G Siddhartha for Rs 1,200-1,500 crore, Business Standard reported.

Coffee Day’s operations, including personal assets and coffee plantations, is currently being handled by Siddhartha’s wife, Malavika Hedge, after he died by suicide last year in August amid allegations that he faced pressure from lenders, a private equity firm and harassed by tax officials.

This development comes on the heels of Tata Consumer Products (TCP) approving an exploration of acquisition of Cafe Coffee Day’s vending machine business. CCD is looking for a valuation of about Rs 2,000 crore for the same, a Bloomberg report said. 

Siddhartha is believed to have availed loans worth Rs 2,000 from banks like HSBC, Rabo Bank, Lakshmi Vilas Bank, RBL and IndusInd Bank. Some of the lenders have already initiated recovery proceedings against the plantation assests last November.

“Discussions between Tata Coffee and Hedge started in February but were put on hold because of Covid,” a source told the publication. “Talks have resumed, though the deal may be in preliminary stages,” he added. 

A family representative, however, told that the information is speculative and is to be treated as baseless rumours. The representative further stated that none of the lenders have invoked recovery procedings on plantation assets.

Apart from the coffeee plantations, Siddhartha also owned silver oak and timber plantations priced at about Rs 2,000 crore. His personal assets included The Serai Resorts, a luxury hospitality resorts. 

Tata group has completed the restructuring of the consumer business and TCP’s joint venture with Starbucks progressing well. Deliberations to acquire the plantations are largely with the view of scaling up Tata Coffee’s land base. TCP holds 57.48 per cent stake in Tata Coffee.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Business> Business News / by DH Web Desk / September 25th, 2020

Mangaluru: Enjoy Yakshagana performance in ‘Arebhashe’ dialect

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Mangaluru :

For the first time a Yakshagana episode in the regional dialect of Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu, ‘Arebhashe’ has been created. It has been set to conform to the prosody requirements of Yakshagana and its first experimental ‘Talamaddale’ held recently was successful.

Young Bhagwath, Bhayashree Kulkunda has authored this Yakshagna Prasanga in Arebhashe as per the request of Karnataka Arebhashe Samskriti and Sahitya Academy. Yakshagana and Talamaddale have already been tried in this language but in the cases so far the lyrics were in Kannada. The academy felt that even the literature of the episode should be in Arebhashe. As per the academy’s plans, Bhavyashree has been translating five episodes into Arebhashe. She has already completed the translation of two episodes, ‘Sharasetu Bandhana’ and Panchavati’.

‘Sharasetu Bandhana’ episode is being recorded on audio and video in the form of Talamaddale with the title, ‘Banada Paala’.

President of the Sahitya Academy, Laxminarayana Kajegadde said that when the academy wanted to create Yakshagana Prasangas in Arebhashe, it was a challenge to find a person who can write in that language. He said that many who knew the language were not aware of the prosody requirements. Then Bhavyashree was approached. She initially hesitated but since has joined hands with the academy’s efforts, he stated.

Bhavyashree Kulkuda said that her first Guru, Vishwavinoda Banari encouraged her to start creating Yakskhagana lyrics in Arebhashe and her current Guru, Ganesh Kolekady guided about the prosody needs. She also said that Bhagwath, Subraya Sampaje, gave suggestions about the language while academy president, Laxminarayan Kajegadde and member Jabbar Samo cooperated with her.

‘Baanada Paala’ first Aebhashe Yakshagana Taamadddale with the participation of Bhavyashree Kulkunda as Bhagawathi, Murari Kadabalithaya on Chende and Akshay Rao Vittal supported by Arthadharis, Koltige Narayana Gowda Jabbar Samo Sampaje and Jayanand Sampaje will be available shortly on Youtube. Kajegadde said that already two episodes have been translated into Arebhashe and shortly five episodes will be available in Arebhashe.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld / Home> Top Stories / by Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru(SP) / September 22nd, 2020

Kodava Samaja Celebrates 152nd Birth Anniversary Of Appacha Kavi

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

Mysore/Mysuru: 

Mysuru Kodava Samaja celebrated the 152nd birth anniversary of Haradasa Appaneravanda Appacha Kavi as Kodava Thakk and Sahitya Divasa at Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Bhavan in Vijayanagar here yesterday.

Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa, Nellamakkada B. Kaveriappa of Bharani Art Gallery and Chenanda Uthappa spoke about the life and achievements of Haradasa Appacha Kavi and also about the lifetime achievements of litterateurs Dr. I.M. Muthanna and B.D. Ganapathy in their centenary year of celebration.

Maintaining that Appacha Kavi was not limited to just one community, they said that everyone should read the works of the great poet in order to have a deeper understanding of his contributions to the society.

Pointing out that Appacha Kavi is credited with scripting the first Kodava play and also acting in it, they opined that the great poet is very aptly called as Adikavi of Kodava language.

Mysuru Kodava Samaja President K.M. Belliappa, Secretary M.M. Ponnappa, Vice-President M.M. Ponnappa, Treasurer M.B. Jeevan, former Presidents Dr. A.A. Kuttappa, K.A. Kariappa, M.M. Karumbaiah, M.K. Kuttappa, B.M. Nanaiah and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 22nd, 2020

Who are the Kodavas? A riddle that ethnologists are yet to crack, says P.T. Bopanna

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All

Author PT Bopanna says while there are a number of theories on who the Kodavas are, none are scientific enough to establish the origin of the race

After retiring from journalism in 2010, with four decades in the field, PT Bopanna has championed the cause of Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka. Bopanna’s passion to showcase Kodagu’s beauty, culture, cuisine and people serves as a mirror to the hilly region.

“I have documented the lifestyle, language and cuisine of Kodagu beyond the well-known akki rotti and pandi curry,” says 70-year-old Bopanna, who runs five Kodagu-centric websites, has published seven books and produced a documentary on Kodagu. Bopanna’s latest book, My Coorg Chronicles, (Rolling Stone Publications) traces his journey from journalism to activism, and his efforts to chronicle the unknown facets of Kodagu. My Coorg Chronicles has colourful photographs, illustrations and a caricature of Bopanna by cartoonist Ponnappa.

Bopanna speaks to MetroPlus about the many aspects of his journey.

Excerpts.

Would you describe yourself as a journalist, activist or chronicler?

After studying journalism at Bhavan’s College of Journalism in Mumbai, I started my career in 1981 as the Coorg Correspondent of The Hindu. I registered my first domain www.coorgtourisminfo.com in 2005. Initially the traffic to my website was not encouraging. So I decided to bring out the content from the website as a book in 2006. Discover Coorg was a runaway success. I brought out two more editions of the book, adding more content with each edition. It was also translated into Kannada.

Your research reveals Kodavas as being different from the rest of Indians…

Kodava women are highly educated. There is no dowry system, and women drape their saris opposite to the style adopted by the rest of India. The customs are unique. Kodavas are Hindus, but priests have no role in their marriages. Kodavas revere the Cauvery River, they worship nature and guns. The Keil Murtha festival is dedicated to guns. The harvest festival, Puttari, is ushered in with a gunshot. When I realised that the land has a rich culinary tradition and I compiled traditional recipes in the website, coorgrecipes.com in 2006.

Who exactly are the Kodavas?

This is a riddle that ethnologists are yet to crack. There are any number of theories on who they are, but none scientific enough to establish the origin of the race. One theory says they are the descendants of Alexander the Great, while another traces their origins to a band of Kurds from Iraq.

Why did you bring out a video on Kodagu?

During the course of my work I realised there was a lack of documentation on Kodagu. This was mainly because Kodava language does not have a script. The language is a mixture of Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam. Any documentation was only after the British annexed Coorg in 1834. They kept records and maintained diaries. After Independence, especially after Coorg merged with Mysore State (Karnataka) in 1956, there wasn’t any documentation. I decided to produce a video on various aspects of Kodagu and in 2014 brought out a DVD, Discover Coorg. The video features tourist spots, homestays, jewellery, hockey and golf, Kodava marriages and traditional folk dances.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society / by Ranjani Govind / Bengaluru – August 18th, 2020

Gulshan Devaiah pens funny poem on ‘Bolly mafia’: ‘The drugs are free, so’s plastic surgery’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

Amid all the discussion about the existence of a ‘mafia’ in Bollywood, Gulshan Devaiah has a funny take on it. He penned a humorous poem on it and quipped about all the supposed perks, but ‘only for members, exclusively’.

“One for all, & all for one. The pay is good, & so’s the fun. The drugs are free, So’s plastic surgery. But only for members, Exclusively. If you’re thinking, Oh! I want in, Eat some s**t, You jealous cretin. #jest,” he wrote.

Kangana Ranaut has been talking about the ‘movie mafia’ and how she has been targeted by it. She recently alleged that Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray colluded with them and got her office in Mumbai demolished. She also said that a few years ago, the mafia tried to destroy her financially as well as her standing in society. She claimed that it got so bad that she wanted to shave her head and disappear at one point.

Earlier this month, Kangana warned the ‘movie mafia’ and said that their attempts to harm her will only backfire. “Movie Mafia today you might break my face n my house using your powerful friends, it will give you momentary happiness but if you are clever you will know my end is my beginning, you will end me here I will rise somewhere else … trust me it will hurt you even more,” she wrote on Twitter.

Kangana has also talked about a ‘drug racket’ in Bollywood and claimed that 99% of the people in the industry have been exposed to drugs. Several members of the film fraternity have condemned these remarks. Jaya Bachchan, in her speech in the Parliament, raised objection to the negative portrayal of the film industry and urged the government to discourage it.

Sometime back, the Producers Guild of India addressed the attempt to ‘defame and slander the film industry and its members’. “A picture has been painted of the industry as a terrible place for outsiders to aspire to; a place that treats those who dare to enter it with contempt and derision; a murky den of substance abuse and criminality. This narrative is salacious enough for the media to exploit to great effect in order to boost its ratings, readership and page views. But it is not the truth,” the guild said in an open letter.

source: http://www.poptimesuk.com / Pop Times / Home> Entertainment India / by Pop Times News Team / September 19th, 2020

Okkuta supports priests of Talacauvery

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All
A view of Talacauvery Kshetra in Madikeri.

Kodagu Gowda Samajagala Okkuta has decided to support fully the priests who perform puja at Talacauvery Kshetra.

The decision was taken during a meeting held in the presence of Gowda Federation Youth wing, said Okkuta president Somanna Soorthale.

Okkuta office-bearers said, “The unscientific works at Gajagiri Betta led to its caving in. A delegation will be taken to the state government shortly demanding action against those who were responsible for such activities. At a time when the death of the Talacauvery priest and family members is still fresh in our mind, a few have been trying to recreate the history of Talacauvery, which is condemnable move.”

A few are trying to disrupt peace in peace-loving district, Somanna alleged. Kodi and Ballada families have been discharging their duties at Talacauvery and Sri Bhagandeshwara Temples for several centuries.

“We condemn all the unscientific activities that are carried out within 10-km radius of the Kshetra and all those that affect the sanctity of the Kshetra. However, we can not accept those who have been trying to harass those who are carrying out business activities in Talacauvery. Goddess Cauvery is worshiped by all. It is sad that a few are trying to distort the history of Talacauvery kshetra,” he added.

It is good that Akhila Kodava Samaja is planning to conduct Shatarudrabhisheka at Talacauvery on September 21. It would have been good if all the communities were invited for the same.

The meeting also condoled the death of Chief Priest Narayana Achar and four others in landslide at Gajagiri Betta in the first week of August.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Karnataka Districts / by DHNS/ September 20th, 2020

Kanubari in Arunachal Cultivates Coffee in Over 400 Hectares

Coffee News

Kanubari in Arunachal Pradesh so far known for its lush green tea gardens may soon be recognized for coffee.

With over more than 400 hectares of land and around 400 farmers, the coffee beans are now bearing a visibility.

Gabriel D. Wangsu, also chairman, APSCIT and e-Gov, said that coffee offers scope for economic growth and help maintain natural equilibrium.

Earlier, Joint Director of the Coffee Board of India, Dr CG Anand, who arrived here from Bangaluru to study the feasibility of coffee cultivation, said that Kanubari is suitable for robusta coffee and success stories of other parts of India can be replicated here.

source: http://www.northeasttoday.in / Northeast Today / Home> Northeast> Arunachal Pradesh / September 18th, 2020