GENRE: Features

Nature is sometimes only as far away as one's window! Here's the view from an apartment balcony: I can see four kinds of trees. Pic: Deepa Mohan One can see the roads and transport and one can also see four different types of trees in the picture.Framing the photograph at right and left, are some of the most common trees in India, the coconut palm. What a wonderful tree it is, with every part of it being useful to us...the palm fronds used for thatches, brooms and pandals for auspicious occasions; the coconuts being useful as one of the few…

Indulging in chocolates and ice creams is surely irresistible. But along with it comes the fear of that bulging waistline. This time, how about some healthy treat to your body! Salads are the way to go. Mind you! It is not the usual boring carrots and tomatoes on a platter that I am talking about. I stepped out to check out some of the coolest salad joints in Koramangala. Pic: Anisha Nair Namdhari's Fresh - One word that attracted me to Namdhari's was "Organic". The fruits and vegetables are grown in their own farms, the organic way. Indian ingredients get…

Nirmala H S, 38, a HSR Layout-resident has always been interested in gardening but had never been able to pursue it. That changed recently when she started volunteering at an organic community gardening initiative in JP Nagar. This is a 50x80 plot of land or ‘patch' located midst prime real estate on 17th Main Road on JP Nagar II phase. Pic: Jyothi Nagaraj Nirmala and a number of other volunteers are together growing tomatoes, chillies, radish, coriander, dhantu soppu, and other produce at the patch now. "When I grew up in Davanagere, in central Karnataka, I watched my father and…

The far side of Bangalore is a nature's bounty in full swing. Just 60 kilometers away from the hustle-bustle of Silicon City is a powerfully quiet countryside with breathtaking views, century old temples and rocky hills. The destination is, Devarayanadurga in Tumkur district. Devarayanadurga once known as Anebiddasari is a well known pilgrim spot amid green hills and is guaranteed to revive your spirits with its beautiful rocky terrain. Devarayanadurga. Pic: Usha Hariprasad Here is a quick look about the place and its history.A coup d'oeil of Devarayanadurga history:The place is also known as Karigiri which means elephant hill in…

Once, when the older brat was two years old, I was visiting relatives in Delhi and came across a bubbly young lady who was thrilled at having won a very special gift hamper. It turned out that her son, also two, had just been judged ‘Best smile'' baby in a Healthy Baby Competition he (or rather she) had participated in. My eyes had almost popped out of their sockets. Did such competitions still exist? Weren't they rather regressive, pitting one baby over another purely on the basis of their looks and if I may add, chubbiness? Pic: Wikimediacommons I may…

TAAQADEMY in Koramangala is the result of the band, Thermal and A Quarter's 16 year old tryst with music. This 3-month-old academy teaches music-making and song-writing as well as playing instruments and is also conceived as a space for musicians and bands to practice or hang out: ‘Make Space for Music' is TAAQADEMY's sweet demand of us.The Bangalore Rock Pic: Sushumna Kannan The story behind this academy started four years ago, on Queen's Road. It is intricately linked to the journey its members themselves made since starting as a band in Christ College in 1996. 23 thousand people ‘like' it…

An entire day dedicated to celebrating womanhood. She's egged on to claim her rights, her individuality, to embrace her womanhood, buy jewellery, go to spas and celebrate. What does the ‘other half' of the population think of this celebration? Do they embrace it or do they question it? Deepak R. Pic: Anisha Nair Deepak R, 24, consultant, Electronic City"In today's age men and women are considered equal. They both support each other in every spectrum of life. They walk shoulder to shoulder in every field and so this day is important to let them know that they are great achievers."Col.…

Benglauru hosted the 33rd National Masters Athletic Championship from the 23rd - 26th February 2012 at the Kanteerava stadium. Pic: Anju K P For the uninitiated, the Masters meet is for people aged 35 or above. At this meet, there were 10 age categories (for 5 years each) ranging from the 35-39 group to the 80 and above group. There could be more categories in the future with increasing life expectancy in line with global trends. The meet is organised by the Masters Athletics Federation of India (MAFI), which is the nodal body for the organization of events for athletes…

Most of us who have tried to grow plants are sure to have encountered these 'troublemakers'. They have often 'spoilt' our well-laid plans for the garden, or harassed us into spending extra time, clearing them from the garden. In fact it has become such a habit, that even while walking through or sitting idly in the garden, we can catch ourselves picking them off the soil. I am talking here about what we all refer to as 'weeds'. Only of late, have I tried to change my lens for viewing these plants. And it's been a great learning. Contrary to…

Incense sticks, camphor, vermilion are the items that we normally associate with Grandhige Angadis. But these stores known for stocking up on all things related to pooja, are also the treasure trove of folk medicines. Pic: Vijayalakshmi P That brown bark to cure the acidity or that seed to fix the cough, these Grandhige Angadis are the place to find the ingredients for grandmother's sure shot home remedies.Some of these shops are decades old and the shopkeepers can practically prescribe these folk medicines. "I am here for the past 20 years, I have learned many things about the roots and…