GENRE: Features

As millions of fans cheered for the Indian hockey team during the 2010 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup tournament, one particular fan in namma Bengaluru decided to show his support for the Indian team in a different way. Manoj Mahala, 27, felt that the team deserved more than the scant press coverage it was receiving during the tournament. To show his support to the team, Mahala started TheFansofHockey.com, a blog to provide news about the Indian hockey team. "The lack of consistent media coverage was something a lot of fans noticed and were discussing on Orkut (the once-popular social media website).…

She has traveled a long way since being found as a little black and white bundle in the middle of 100 Foot Road in Indiranagar. She could have easily been run over as the traffic was typical. She was alone - with no sign of a mum or other pups - just her - very afraid, and a dirty mess. I jumped out of my car and put her into a paper bag. She was little - less than 1kg.I called Amit to tell him that I was "bringing someone home for lunch" and he knew immediately that I was…

As urban gardeners, we have several simple organic options for ensuring adequate input of nutrients to the soil and plants. Panchagavya One of the most effective and common liquid nutrients for the garden is Panchagavya. It consists of five main ingredients from the cow (ghee, milk, curd, cow dung and cow urine) and serves not just as a growth promoting hormone and immunity booster but also as a pesticide. It is also a good source of micronutrients for plants and the soil. The usage is as simple as spraying a three percent solution on plants every 10-15 days. Seeds can…

We often tend to think of flowers as a thing of beauty, only to be admired. They look very pretty, whether cultivated carefully in the garden, or flowering in the wilderness...and often, they cast a beautiful scent around them, too. Right now, we have the Akasha Mallige trees in full bloom, a heady fragrance wafts through the air when we pass by them.But there are flowers which are good to eat, too! One such flower is the bloom of the banana (plantain) tree. Banana Flower. Pic: Deepa Mohan The banana plant produces a single inflorescence, also known as the banana…

If on a Sunday morning you want to spend your day with your dear ones away from the noisy city, do you have options other than Cubbon Park and Lalbagh?There are quite a few and not far from the city too.Shankaraa foundation on Kanakapura road is one such. It is an ideal get away if arts and culture excites you. Shankaraa foundation promotes intercultural interactions and provides platform and facilitates as a bridge between art and art lovers. It claims to be ‘a greenscape, dotted with timeless sculptures and an open- hearted space that promotes and propagates India's heritage.'There are…

For some, it's a nostalgia of their cities and for some others, it's just something new to try. Prerna Soni, a professional who shifted to Bangalore recently, says, "I discovered these dosa stalls providing a wide range of dosas. I like them since the taste and flavours remind me of my hometown." Variety of ingredients used in Dosas. Pic: Anisha Nair Nikhil Banerjee, a software engineer in Koramangala, says, "I love the taste of it. And (I like it) more so, because it is quick, fresh and healthy. It is pocket-friendly and filling at the same time. And most importantly,…

Merrily Tobin visited Jalvayu Vihar (JVV - where I have lived since retiring from the Indian Navy) for the first time in 1993. JVV was then just three years old. She recalls, "There were hardly any birds out here. The trees were just about picking up and the campus had a dry, barren look about it JVV site, circa 1987. Courtesy: Wg.Cdr.KJ Batt Jalvayu Vihar: Under Construction – 1989 – Barren Main Road & water tower. Pic: Wg.Cdr.KJ Batt In the next few years, JVV grew greener; the birds began to take notice and slowly moved in and so did…

Being fit is the new mantra and Yoga is making a comeback. Currently young women in the age group of 20 to 35 are especially taking to Yoga.There are a variety of yoga styles, some modified to suit modern needs are available for all age groups to suit different fitness needs. Yoga practice. Pic: a1000yoga Pradeep Govinda, CEO Due North Yoga Pvt. Ltd, operating a1000yoga group of studios, says, “We have low intensity styles like, Hatha Yoga, Iyengar yoga and Sivananda yoga; we teach high intensity styles like power, Hot and Mysore Ashtanga Vinyasa. Higher practices like Pranayama and Meditation…

Hot food is definitely tempting, what if it is smoking hot? A bed of minced meat cutlet with boiled vegetables with some great sauce and maybe mashed potatoes on the side, sizzling away at your table?That would be a Sizzler. The sizzling platter! Pic: Wikimedia Commons Though the roots of Sizzlers are associated with seafood being served on a sizzling platter, there have been several variations with time. There are even vegetarian sizzlers now.Non-vegetarians have several options to choose from. Steaks, chicken, mutton, pork, and of course - the original seafood. The meat is usually minced and made into a…

Recently BBMP, decided that it would put up an “adventure sports hub” on the hillocks of Turahalli forest on Kanakapura road. Nature lovers who regularly trek to the  forest decided it was time to protest.Old-timers of Bangalore will recollect Turahalli as a lovely forest, set with hillocks, where everyone could go, and did.Over a period of years, the pressure of population in Bangalore has meant that the once pristine forest has been “developed” into various layouts. All that remains is just a couple of hillocks. These are beloved to nature lovers, cyclists who organise downhill runs here, rock-climbers for whom…