Rafael Nadal on Monday expressed his frustration that tennis players remain unable to practise due to the coronavirus pandemic, while Roger Federer revealed he was happy with his recovery from knee surgery. The Spanish government has extended the country's state of alarm until May 9, with the entire population confined to their homes except a small number working in specific sectors, leaving Nadal perplexed as to why he can't train. "It's true I don't understand very well because we cannot play tennis when many people are going to work and even more so in our sport, where we keep at a large and safe distance and we play on opposite sides of the court," world number two Nadal said during an Instagram Live.

"But I understand that we are in a very critical situation, that the government is dealing with something unprecedented and I also understand that the last thing they think of is who can train and who cannot train. "I understand the situation and obviously there are many things that are not logical but you have to accept the rules." Nadal treated tennis fans to an Instagram Live in which he spoke to both Roger Federer and Andy Murray about their experiences during lockdown.

The men's and women's tours have been halted due to the virus, while Wimbledon was cancelled last month for the first time since World War II and Nadal's favourite Grand Slam the French Open was pushed back to September 20. "I am not playing tennis, I do not have a court at home and I miss it a little," Nadal said. "I am sticking to my physical routines.

From the gym of my academy they were able to bring me some machines when lockdown began so I try to work a little in the morning, a little in the afternoon. "It is very important to have both the head and the body focused and it is what I am trying to do at all times." Federer meanwhile gave an update on his right knee after the 20-time major winner decided to undergo surgery in February.

"I've been hitting a bit against a wall, (doing) rehab with the knee," Federer said. "It's OK, I had a really good first six weeks, then it was a bit slower, now it's getting better again but I have plenty of time. "There is no stress, no rush. If there is anything positive (about being in lockdown) that's the only thing really. I just want the knee to be good, it doesn't matter when I return."

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Canadian tennis ace Eugenie Bouchard's tendency to pick dates online is set to become the theme of an upcoming Hollywood romantic comedy.

According to report in The Canadian Press, a script based on Eugenie's date with one of her Twitter followers, John Goehrke, who won a bet on the 2017 Super Bowl, is already being worked upon.

The couple continued to meet thereafter for more dates. However, this story has an update with Eugenie, 26, recently deciding to go on another random date with an online fan.

During an Instagram chat last week, Eugenie, agreed to go on a date with a fan named Bob, who donated GBP 3,210 (Rs 2.7 lakh) to help feed hospital staff battling the Coronavirus pandemic.

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American tennis player Sloane Stephens has started a fundraiser for students and teachers in Haiti in association with her fiance Jozy Altidore's JA Foundation. "Can you imagine climbing 200 flights of stairs every day simply to access clean water, and education, and healthcare? The children and families in Marre-a-Coiffe, Haiti do just that. I'm taking the Hike for Haiti Challenge to raise awareness and funds to help provide students and teachers in Haiti vital support.

Jozy Altidore

From April 17 to May 17, we'll be hiking 200 flights of stairs in solidarity," Sloanne, 27, says on her fundraising page. Meanwhile, Jozy remarks: "In these times of adversity and social distancing, it's so important to find ways to virtually stay connected to others in our community, and to stay healthy and active at home. The JA Foundation will be matching funds donated to my team page up to $2,500, so your contribution will have double the impact."

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The ATP and WTA, along with the International Tennis Federation and organisers of the four Grand Slams (Tennis Australia, the Federation Francaise de Tennis, All England Club and United States Tennis Association) are planning create a 'Player Relief Programme' to provide assistance to the coronavirus-impacted players.

"With so much uncertainty around when it will be safe to restart the professional tennis tours, the international governing bodies of world tennis can confirm they are in discussions to create a Player Relief Programme to provide much-needed assistance to the players who are particularly affected during this time of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis," ITF said in a statement on Tuesday.

"These discussions have been progressing well and details are being finalised with an announcement expected in the near future. Already agreed is that the ATP and the WTA will administer the Player Relief Programme and all seven stakeholders will make a significant contribution," the statement added. IFT further said: "We know that for our players, as well as for so many people worldwide, there is the need for financial support for those who need it most and we look forward to finalising and sharing the further details of a plan in due course."

The London-based governing body has also announced the creation of player panels for those competing on its World Tennis Tour. "The panel will provide a forum for players to provide their input and have their say on how the tour is run and will be a further opportunity for the ITF to engage with the player community," ITF said. The men's and women's players will each elect a panel of seven current player members, who will have voting rights.

Men's players with an ATP ranking of below 350 and women's tennis players with a WTA ranking not higher than 151 will be allowed to nominate a fellow player or stand in the election.

All professional tennis activities remain suspended till July 13 due to coronavirus outbreak which has so far claimed more 1.7 lives across the world.

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WTA founder Billie Jean King joined Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on Wednesday in suggesting now is the time to merge the men's ATP and women's body into one umbrella organisation to oversee the two professional tennis tours. Federer, holder of the men's record of 20 Grand Slams, was the first to raise the notion on Twitter, triggering an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from King and Nadal.

"Just wondering...am I the only one thinking that now is the time for men's and women's tennis to be united and come together as one?" Federer said. "I am not talking about merging competition on the court, but merging the two governing bodies [ATP and WTA] that oversee the men's and women's professional tours." Trailblazer King, who was a part of establishing the WTA in 1973 and was one of the 'Original 9' on the tour, said her support for the idea dates back decades.

Common voice needed

"I agree, and have been saying so since the early 1970s. One voice, women and men together, has long been my vision for tennis. The WTA on its own was always Plan B. I'm glad we are on the same page. Let's make it happen. #OneVoice," she tweeted. Nadal, who has 19 Grand Slam titles, supported his long-time rival's proposition. "Hey @rogerfederer as you know per our discussions I completely agree that it would be great to get out of this world crisis with the union of men's and women's tennis in one only organisation," he said.

Federer and Nadal argued by a merger tennis could emerge stronger from the Coronavirus lockdown which has seen the sport shut down, with Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since World War II and the French Open pushed back to the end of September. "It probably should have happened a long time ago, but maybe now is really the time. These are tough times in every sport and we can come out of this with two weakened bodies or one stronger body," Federer wrote. He said the current system was "too confusing for the fans when there are different ranking systems, different logos, different websites, different tournament categories".

Talks underway: Wawrinka

Later, three-time Grand Slam winner Stanislas Wawrinka claimed discussions are underway regarding the move with the ATP's chairman Andrea Gaudenzi. "It was not just a comment like that, there is more talk behind that. Gaudenzi at the ATP was already talking about it," he said during an Instagram Live with 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert. Australian star Nick Kyrgios and two-time women's Grand Slam champion Simona Halep also said they were behind the idea.

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Belgian tennis player Kirsten Flipkens was fined by police during a cycle ride recently. World No. 77 Kirsten unknowingly rode across the border, entering the Netherlands and paid the price for the violation. According to Dutch newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, Kirsten had to pay the border police a fine of 250 euros.

"I had entered a route of 130km in my GPS [the system picks the route automatically] and then I saw that I found myself in The Netherlands [in Komoot] as it entered the shortest route back to Belgium. I saw them [police] from a distance of one kilometre and then immediately I was put aside like a criminal with sirens on the side. Really bad," a frustrated Kirsten wrote on Twitter, adding that another cyclist passing by told her, that he had received only a warning at the same crossing.

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Ukrainian tennis champion Elina Svitolina is keen to try new things during this Coronavirus-caused lockdown and hosting a TV show is on top of her list, according to tennisworldusa.org.

"I recently tried a completely new sphere. I have very long prepared for interviews and understand that it is not an easy job, especially for those people who are not in this area. I really liked it. Maybe in the future I want to do some TV show. It is interesting to me, and I think that now there is time to try something new," said the World No. 5 tennis ace.

Elina, 25, who is currently in lockdown with her Frennis tennis star boyfriend, Gael Monfils, 33, is also completingher online education. "I had to work hard to pull up on my French. I already know some of it, as I had learnt it before but now I'm doing an intensive mode. I am left with two tests: training on nutrition and I also want to take a course in psychology or fitness. This is what I want to do," added the 2018 WTA Finals champion.

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American tennis ace Serena Williams, a successful entrepreneur with fashion labels, handbags and jewelry lines to her name, believes her daughter Alexis Olympia, two, could grow up to be a good businesswoman.

Serena, currently in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is busy working from home with her little girl by her side throughout—even during online meetings.

"I love being a full-time mom and not having the responsibilities to travel and play. I love to spend so much time with her but it's interesting. She's in every single call that I have, every single meeting. I feel like she's getting a little bit of it, so she's going to be a really good businesswoman when this is all over," the 23-time Grand Slam champion told USA's People magazine.

The former World No. 1 offered some valuable parental advice too. "You should schedule your day well, and always include your kids. They are the voice of the future.

It's like we're living a future history lesson and that's rare. My advice to parents is to always bring your kids in. You never know what they're going to pick up," added Serena, 38.

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Tennis legend Leander Paes, who made a guest appearance on the Education Webinar for Coaches, jointly organised by the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), on Monday said it is key to focus on learning new skills during the lockdown period.

The country has been under lockdown for more than a month now to curb the menace of COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is important to focus on learning new skills during the lockdown", Paes said on how to best utilise this time away from tennis action and keep yourself active and mentally fit, as quoted by AITA's official website.

The 18-time Grand Slam champion also spoke on what keeps him going even at the age of 46. "For me, the relationships that I have had through tennis are the things that I cherish the most. "Those relationships over generations are what's special.

Paes recalled old relationships and had very special words for R.K.Khanna and Anil Khanna. "When I started playing tennis, R.K Khanna was the President of the AITA. I would not be who I am today without Khanna because he actually helped me in the Juniors, as a 14 or 15 year-old.

"He helped me get into the ITF Junior team. At that point, my family could not afford all the international coaching. And then after that Anil Khanna who was the President, took over the mantle of support."

Paes also thanked others including Bishwadeep, AITA CEO for having been there over the last two decades in Davis Cup ties that Paes had played, always being there to give support.

Paes signed off from the Webinar with a message to coaches saying, "Greatest joy you can have is to see your students do well at tennis. Use the sport as a vehicle to make them good human beings."

The Webinar, now in its second week, will have a session of "Coaching Young Children and Young People" by Kawaljeet Singh and Miguel Crespo from the International Tennis Federation will join as the guest speaker.

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Novak Djokovic has apparently broke confinement rules in Spain by going back to a tennis court. Djokovic posted a video on Instagram showing him exchanging shots with another man at a tennis club in the coastal city of Marbella, where the Serb has reportedly stayed. Djokovic filmed the video while hitting shots and wrote he was "so happy to play on clay...well, just for a bit with my phone in the hands."

Spain on Monday loosened some of the lockdown measures that had been in place since mid-March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing professional athletes to return to practice. But sports facilities are supposed to remain closed at least until next week in most parts of the country, with the exception of training centres for teams in professional leagues in sports such as soccer.

The Spanish tennis federation said in a statement on Monday that professional players in Spain were allowed to exercise by themselves or with a coach, but not yet on a tennis court. It said it would work on a set of guidelines to inform players and clubs about what they would be permitted to do beginning next week.
The federation's statement did not appear to be related to Djokovic's appearance on the court in Marbella.

Requests for comment made to the federation and to Djokovic's staff late on Monday were not immediately answered. It was not clear if Djokovic, the reigning Australian Open would be subjected to fines or sanctions if it was confirmed he broke the lockdown rules.

The No. 1-ranked Djokovic recently said he was against taking an anti-Coronavirus vaccination if it became mandatory to travel once the pandemic subsides, though he later said he was open to changing his mind.

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The tennis club where Novak Djokovic broke confinement rules in Spain has said it mistakenly allowed the top-ranked Serb to practice and apologized for the error. Djokovic published a video of him training on Monday in apparent violation of Spain's current rules amid the coronavirus pandemic. The video posted on Instagram showed Djokovic exchanging shots with another man at the club in the coastal city of Marbella, where the Serb has been staying for the past several weeks.

Djokovic filmed the video while hitting shots and wrote he was "so happy to play on clay .. well, just for a bit with my phone in the hands. Spain has eased some of the lockdown measures that had been in place since mid-March, allowing professional athletes to return to practice, but most training centers and sports facilities must remain closed until next week. We are sorry that our interpretation of the regulation could have been erroneous, and this could have inconvenienced Mr. Djokovic or any other citizen acting in good faith," the Puente Romano Marbella Tennis Club said in a statement.

The statement, which was relayed by Djokovic's management team, said the club received a request from the player to practice and gave him the go-ahead with the "understanding that from May 4 all professional sports players were authorized to train." The club said it therefore believed he was "permitted to train in our facilities." It said it later received a "clarification" from the Spanish tennis federation and "both parties have agreed that training should resume" only next week.

Rafael Nadal said he also went to train on a court this week, but he did it on private property because the rules weren't fully clear to him. Soccer players were among the exceptions who could start training inside sports facilities beginning this week.

Spain has been one of the countries most affected by the pandemic but it started loosening some of its restrictions on movement as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 started to go down recently. The nation went into a lockdown on March 14.

Djokovic recently said he was against taking a vaccine for the coronavirus if it became mandatory to travel once the pandemic subsides, though he later said he was open to changing his mind.

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Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has revealed that fellow tennis star and World No.1 Novak Djokovic was once fanboying on her over dinner. During an Instagram Live chat with the Serbian ace, Sharapova, who called time on her illustrious career in February, said: "I remember we played this little exhibition. I was young, you were young, way before you had any Grand Slam titles. I don't know if you'd even won a tournament at that point," said Sharapova. This part of the chat was shared by ATP Tour on their official Twitter handle.

"We're not going to start hugging trees, right?"@MariaSharapova with the one-liners for @DjokerNole today. 🤣#tennisathome pic.twitter.com/bweyZMuJ2v

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 5, 2020

"You said that if you'd win (in a mixed doubles match), I would have to pay dinner. I was like, ‘Okay, whatever, who is this kid?'" Sharapova recalled. "You won and you were like, ‘We have dinner tonight. We're going to the Japanese place!' I was like, ‘Are you serious? You and me, going to dinner, tonight?' So we did. We ended up going to dinner and it was so funny because you pulled out I think it was an old Kodak camera and you asked the waiter to take a photo of us… and here we are," she further said.

"It's actually what happened. Maria is saying the truth," Djokovic said, laughing. "I think you were fanboying," Sharapova replied. Djokovic recently said that he was "mentally empty" and "confused" at the beginning of the ongoing freeze of the tennis calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The sport has been on a full stop for over a month due to the pandemic outbreak.

Novak Djokovic

Djkovic has enjoyed a revival in form after a slump in late 2017 and most of 2018. He was set to defend his Wimbledon title this year before the grass court Grand Slam was cancelled for the first time since the Second World War.

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Tennis ace Sania Mirza said that one needs to be more sensitive while coaching young female sportspersons. Speaking in the All India Tennis Association and the Sport Authority of Indias digital Coachs Education webinar on Wednesday, Sania said that coaches need to be sensitive of the hormonal changes that girls go through while working with them.

"My dad always tells me that to work with a woman tennis player is a lot trickier and a lot more mental because I do think that there are a lot of issues that girls go through, especially when they are adolescent," said Sania.

"There are so many changes that are happening, internally in your body and externally as well. You are trying to be the best tennis player that you can be while there are so many hormonal changes happening as well, and it happens throughout the life of a woman.

"You can be a little bit more sensitive to their needs and the way they are because a lot of the times they are just trying to discover who they are, while they are also trying to be a tennis player. It can be a pretty tough job."

33-year-old Sania made her comeback to tennis this year after giving birth to her first child. She won the Hobart International in January before playing an integral role in helping India seal a historic playoff spot in the Fed Cup.

"Just the way I have managed everything else, I could manage both tennis and motherhood. I am lucky enough to have enough help around me as well, that is a huge plus point for me. My mom and my sister have played a huge part in giving me as much help as possible," said Sania on being asked about how she is managing the twin-role of mother and professional tennis player.

"A lot of people questioned it even when I was trying to make that comeback, how did you find time to lose so much weight. There's so much that happens with your body after you give birth. You just have to, sort of, adapt, find a way to take out two hours from your day to work-out and try to find that balance. It's also good for your own sanity as well, to find time for yourself."

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Spain's tennis ace Rafael Nadal, who is in self-isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is trying to remain positive but is getting affected by the suffering of the people around him.

"I am a sentimental person, who is affected by things, and to see so many people suffering so much, so many people who have lost family their members without being able to even say goodbye...," the World No. 2 was quoted as saying by Tennis World USA.

The 19-time Grand Slam champion urged his fans to keep moving forward. "In the end, being able to give your brother or sister a hug will relieve some pain, and imagine that they have not been able to do it. You have to be positive and keep moving forward. There is no other choice. I am a super lucky guy." he added.

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It's not yet 9 am on a crisp wintry morning in Kolkata. Our guide for a synagogue trail, Jael Silliman, a Jewish scholar and author, reiterates that it's the ideal time to explore the three hidden gems before chaos takes over the oldest part of the city.

The decorative piece that rests above the central entrance to the chamber of the Magen David Synagogue in which the scrolls of the law are housed. Spot the representations of the Menorah and the two tablets on which are inscribed the initial words of the Ten Commandments. PICS/FIONA FERNANDEZ; information courtesy/jewishcalcutta.in

She curates an ongoing project on the city's Jewish community in partnership with Jadavpur University's School of Cultural Texts and Records and NUI Maynooth (Ireland). The digital archive received initial funding from Fulbright. 

A collection of scrolls of the Holy Torah housed at Magen David

"The area pin code is 1; the city took shape from here," Silliman slips the fact in, in between guiding our cabbie as he negotiates his rickety yellow Ambassador with the deftness of a Formala-1 driver in slow-mo. The Bombaywallah is smiling. Saki Naka seems like a sprawling promenade in comparison.

FOR GUIDED TOURS : Ms AM Cohen, General Secretary, Jewish Community Affairs, Jewish Girls School, 63 Park Street, Kolkata.
CALL : 9831054669
EMAIL : amc1946@yahoo.com log on to www.jewishcalcutta.in

STOP 1: Magen David Synagogue

Junction of Brabourne Road and Canning Street

We crane our neck and take a few steps back to soak in the grandeur of the structure built in Calcutta Renaissance style, as Silliman points to its steeple and clock tower, a rare feature in synagogues. The 42m-high tower was possibly suggested by its makers, who might have been influenced by the prevalent colonial design template. Silliman tells us that its benefactors allowed it on the condition that it towered above all other buildings in the city! "This synagogue was built in 1884 by Elias David Ezra, as the Beth El synagogue nearby was unable to accommodate the growing numbers of the community. Now, we are barely 20," she rues. We gaze at the stunning interiors, from its mosaic tiles and polished wooden furniture to the large stained-glass rose window. Silliman takes us closer to the pulpit where the Rabbi would preach, and towards the half dome and three curtained doors. Behind this, are housed handwritten Torah scrolls that are out of bounds for non-Jews. As sunlight bathes the space in all its morning glory, we notice rows of chairs that line the balconies of the synagogue. "Those were meant for Jewish women," she informs, all along giving us glimpses into customs and more importantly, the philanthropy and enterprise of the community that shaped the city, just like their counterparts in Bombay.

STOP 2: Neveh Shalome Synagogue

Junction of Brabourne Road and Canning Street

Kolkata's oldest surviving synagogue, which is Silliman's favourite, appears more like a dressed-down version of Magen David. Located in the same compound as its opulent counterpart, it was built in 1831, and rebuilt in 1911 by Jewish pioneer Ezekiel Judah Jacob.

We are welcomed at the entrance by Masood Hussain, who leads us to the upper level where he proudly explains the contents of a few rare books of the community. "Our families have been caretakers here for generations," he tells us with a wide smile. We spot several photo exhibits around us.

Caretaker Masood Hussain 

"We just held an exhibition of the city's Jewish history sourced from the digital archive that I am working on," shares Silliman. It's an invaluable resource. "Bring it down to Bombay!" is our first reaction to the exhaustive repository.

STOP 3: Beth El Synagogue

Pollock Street

We diligently follow our guide while combating the bullish traffic on Brabourne Road, to reach Pollock Street. Walking through this narrow gully feels as if all of India's market produce has been hastily thrown into a tiny location. The smells and sounds are in full flow.

All of a sudden, an impressive pale yellow façade springs up on us. The Beth El Synagogue was built in 1855-56 by visionaries, Joseph Ezra and Ezekiel Judah. Silliman leads us up the flight of marble steps to our final stop. Inside, we note that the basic architecture is similar to the other two synagogues. Though not in use for the congregation, its interiors are well maintained.

The craftsmanship of the chandeliers, stained glasswork, especially above the main entrance, its half dome and balconies, take our breath away. Despite the buzz outside, we could hear a pin drop as the past and present come to a standstill inside. Finally, we are able to gauge the unique challenge that faces this once-vibrant, now-dwindling community that has been integral to Kolkata's cosmopolitan fabric.

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Nearly 125 sailors from 10 countries participated in the sailing and regatta events as part of the three-day vClusive Cup - India Yachting Festival, which concluded in Goa on Sunday. Organised by vClusive, Luxury Hues Group and Marine Solutions, the event was conducted under the auspices of the state Tourism Department, along with the Confederation of Indian Industries.

Representational picture

"The vClusive Cup - India Yachting Festival is a platform that focuses on lifestyle experience. Our success lies in the fact that the mega event connects brands and consumers on an engagement platform," Vinu Sundaresan, founder and CEO of vClusive, told reporters here.

"We are committed to shaping the development of the luxury and marine sector, hence, we believe in involving the industry towards the growth of the tourism and leisure industry at large."

The aim of the event, Sundaresan said, was to expand the horizons of marine and lifestyle tourism in the country, considering the fact that India has a coastline of 7,000 km which could be tapped.

Gautama Dutta, Executive Director, Marine Solutions, said: "Yachting is a leisure past time that is waiting to be developed into a highly leveraged lifestyle and leisure activity.

"We realise its potential and we are committed to developing it in India. We also understand that yachting is waiting to be experienced as a lifestyle that is satisfying, adventurous and thrilling."

There is a New India rising. Along with this rise, there is a growing demand for experiential leisure, he said.

"We believe yachting can fill this space promoting not only marine tourism but also building infrastructure and creating employment," Dutta added.

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This year, (fortunately or unfortunately) has shaped out to be a traveller's paradise, with over 16 long weekends coming up. There are a number of destinations, both domestic and international, that have gained popularity in the recent past as popular travel spots among tourists. Here are top 7 places you could visit in India and abroad, as per ixigo, a travel marketplace:

1. McLeod Ganj (Himachal Pradesh)
McLeod Ganj is a paramount center of Tibetan Buddhism and culture. Precisely known as Little Lhasa, the town is home to a number of monasteries, essential temples, and other ancient structures. This beautiful hill station has it all, from treks to strolls, delicious cuisines to amazing beverages, adventures to spiritual places and much more. If you are an adventure junkie, experience trekking and camping on the Triund trail.

Coorg. Pic courtesy/YouTube

2. Coorg (Karnataka)
One of the best times to experience the raw natural beauty of Coorg is during March. This month sees the blooming of tea and spice plantations which fills the valleys with fragrances, refreshing your senses to the core. Must visit places in Coorg include Abbey Falls, Nagarhole National Park, Namdroling Monastery, Burude Falls, Honnamana Kere Lake, among others.

3. Sundarbans (West Bengal)
In the pre-winter month of November, the gates of Sundarbans National Park open. This month makes traveling to the dense mangrove forests easier to navigate through the meandering rivers to spot the Royal Bengal Tigers, as they are out sunbathing by the river. With enjoyable temperatures, dense foliage, and a wondrous wildlife, Sundarbans is easily one of the best places to visit in November. Beware of crocodiles and wild boar.

4. Mount Abu (Rajasthan)
The only hill station of Rajasthan, Mount Abu is the perfect escape from the scorching heat of June. Sitting amidst green forests, it lies in the Aravalli mountain range, around 1,220 meters above sea level. Get most of your vacation here and visit places like Nakki Lake, the famous Sunset Point, Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple, Trevor¿s Tank and Toad Rock.

5. Istanbul (Turkey)
November in Istanbul is a few degrees warmer than the neighbouring countries of Europe and also provides a vigorous push of the exotic to ward off the winter blues. Quite literally the meeting ground of the East and the West, Istanbul is lined with frescoed palaces, churches, museums and art galleries. Indulge in a reviving Turkish bath, see the city from high above on a hot balloon or fill up on Baklava with Turkish tea.

6. Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is stunningly picturesque, affordable and full of simple, smiling people. One of the most beautiful island nations of the world, its geography boasts of blissful beaches, rolling rainforests, and magnificent mountains while its culture and creative cuisine guarantee a trip most memorable.

7. Egypt
After the fierce heat of the summer months, September is pleasantly perfect to explore the ancient wonders and the endlessly spellbinding landscapes of Egypt. With peering pyramids, deserts, soaring minarets and temple ruins, this `Gift of the Nile¿ deserves a place in everyone¿s travel bucket list.

What is life if full of care, you have no time to stand and stare. To ensure that you stand and stare at the beauty that is the Western Ghats, Mapping Journeys is organising trekking, rappelling and cliff traversing at the Duke Nose peak of Khandala for four consecutive days, on the fourth edition of The Duke Nose Festival.

"There will be an 8 am pick up at Lonavala station, from where we'll proceed to the Duke Nose base camp for breakfast, followed by an hour-long trek to the peak. There, our technical team will be ready with rappelling gear. The wall stretches to above 1,000ft and the first 350ft of rappelling will be downwards," says Veeral Raj, co-founder of the travel firm. "Next up is cliff traversing, which is a walk along a cliff overlooking a valley. The participants will be harnessed to a rope for safety," Raj explains.

He adds that the final sport is often an element of surprise for participants as people usually look forward to rappelling alone. With a technical team that boasts 12 years of experience in the field, Raj assures the trip is safe for first timers and for people across all ages. So put on those trekking shoes and head out for an adventurous weekend.

On February 10 to 13, 8 am onwards meeting point Lonavala Railway Station.
Log on to insider.in
Call 9867697306
Entry Rs 1,650

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If lazing around pristine white shorelines and engaging in fishing off the coast is your idea of the perfect weekend, sign up for a fishing trip organised by Grassroutes, that will be set in the scenic Adgaon beach along the Konkan coast.

Participants will learn traditional hand fishing and also the line-and-hook type of fishing

Shreya Thaker, from the rural tourism-centric tour group, says, "We aim to organise events that connect people with different communities and help them financially. So with the trip, Fishing for Fun, we are working with the Koli community to host fishing and hiking activities to keep you engaged while you also enjoy the traditional hospitality of homestays in this region, which includes Konkan cuisine prepared by locals." She states that participants will learn the technique of traditional hand fishing practised by locals while the line-and-hook type of fishing will be taught by Donna Sequeira, a facilitator from the organising company.

Participants will be taken on an early morning tour of the local fish market to spot varieties caught off the coast. "We are also planning to visit mango and cashew farms along with a hike to a hidden waterfall near the village," shares Thaker.

ON: February 17 and 18, 12 pm onwards
AT: Adgaon Beach, near Divegar. call 9820464838 for bookings
LOG ON TO: bit.ly/2nZetPx
COST: Rs 3,000 (adult) and Rs 1,800 (child) [inclusive of food, accommodation and fishing equipment; not inclusive of travel cost to reach location]

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Picking the right kind of footwear for your trip is important but what is more important is how to pack them. Wear your heavier shoes for the flight to lessen luggage weight, suggest experts.

Ishaan Sachdeva, Director at Alberto Torresi, Tabby Bhatia, Director at Voganow, and Harkirat Singh, MD at Woodland, have listed tips to make your travel lighter:

* Though slip-on shoes make everything faster at airport security, it is often recommended to wear your heaviest shoes when travelling. These account for half of luggage weight, so it's a big saver of space! It may take more time in the queue, but the sacrifice is well worth it for the saved weight and space.

* Try to find versatile shoes that will mix and match with all your outfits.

* Think outside the bag. Tie laces together and loop shoes onto the outside of your backpack, instead of packing them inside. Not only does this save room, but it lets smelly shoes breathe.

* When trying to figure out how to pack shoes for travel in a small bag, stuff smaller items and accessories into the shoes to utilise every available inch of packing space, and to prevent them from getting crushed.

If you're not stuffing, pack pairs of shoes tightly together, soles out, with the heels at opposite ends.

* Determine what activities you will do on your trip so you pack the appropriate footwear for the climate.

* Limit your colours to brown and black, as they go with anything. Besides, dark colours help hide scuffs and stains. If you pack a matching belt, you'll always be in practical style.

* Put the pair of shoes in a large plastic bag. Not only will this save you from digging through your luggage for a lost shoe but it will also help to keep your luggage odour-free.

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Indonesia is hoping for an "exponential" increase in tourist inflow from India and has set its visitor arrival target at seven lakh from the country in 2018, a senior official from the island nation has said. The country received 485,314 Indian visitors in 2017, which is nearly a 30 per cent rise from the year before, he noted.

With several low-cost airlines providing affordable deals between India and Indonesia, the island country is hoping to make the most of the opportunity, Pupung Thariq Fadhillah, the deputy director in the Ministry of Tourism, Indonesia, said during his recent visit to the city. "The exotic Bali island remains one of the most-favoured destinations for Indian tourists, over 50 per cent of whom enter the country through Denpasar airport in the island," senior tourism official DAL Janapriati said.

Seeking to offer 'Greater Bali' to the travellers, Fadhillah, who led a delegation from Indonesia to promote the country's tourism sector, said the country would also love to introduce ten more destinations to the Indians in the near future. Lake Toba, Tanjung Kelayang, Tanjung Lesung, Seribu Islands, the Borbodur, Bromo-Tengger-Semeru cluster are among the new hotspots in the Indonesian province, Janapriati said. "If we achieve the target of seven lakh tourist footfall from India, the country will rise to the fifth position in Indonesia's tourist footfall ranking, with Japan now at the top," she added.

Are you really bored of the routine and look to have a fun-filled vacation? Here your quest ends as the Good Friday long weekend is approaching and then you can plan to have some adventure for your lifetime. Though our country offers a vast number of adventure activities, it is always difficult to choose one out of them. It is really important to decide a right adventure sport at a right place to have the best utilization of your vacation. In order to help you we have list down some of the best places for you to consider this long weekend. We promise that these sports not only stimulate adrenaline rush but also help you to become fearless:

Bungee Jumping in Rishikesh
Bungee Jumping is an exciting and thrilling adventure sport. It is an ill-advised sport for the faint hearted. You might be surprised that though a lot of people take the initiative to try it out, but most back off just before the jump. First a long, extremely strong and stretchy cord is tied around the jumper's ankle, which leaps off of the jumping point. Jumpin Heights offers adrenaline-pumping activities such as Bungee Jumping, Flying Fox, and Giant Swing. Recognised by Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, the organization follows Australian and New Zealand Standards for Safety Regulations. Built above the glorious river Ganges, Jumpin Heights is host to India's first highest Bungee jumping platform (83 meters).jumpinheights.com

Wildlife Safari in Ranthambore National Park
For the wildlife adventure enthusiasts, Ranthambore National Park in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan is a celestial destination. Known to be one of the best parks to spot the majestic Indian Tigers, the park is also the home to several other endangered species. The Ranthambore wildlife sanctuary is popular for being India's largest National Park. It encompasses the Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary and the Keladevi Sanctuary and hence covers approximately a stretch of 1300 Sq. Km. The park welcomes all you adventure enthusiasts, wildlife photographers and nature admirers to be awe struck by its glory

Cycle Trekking in Himalayan
The mountainous region delivers a special kind of excitement to the adventure junkies. The great topography of India will let you experience this excitement. For cycle trekking, the Himalayan range and the mountainous regions of Kerala are the most favorite for the activity. One can ride individually or in groups to rejuvenate their senses.

Desert Camping in Jodhpur
For those, who crave for fun and adventure in the arid deserts of Rajasthan, Jodhpur proves to be an ideal destination. Also known as the 'Sun City', the adventure junkies can opt for desert camping along with bonfire, barbeque dinners and village tours in Jodhpur.

River Rafting in Rishikesh
The gushing waters of Ganges makes river rafting in Rishikesh one of the most exhilarating adventurous sports. Embraced by the majestic Himalayas and enveloped by the lush green vegetation, the divine city of Rishikesh invites all you adrenaline Junkies, to encounter some thrill. The Ganga River flowing through the city offers rapids ranging from Grade-I-V and makes it for an ultimate rafting destination in the country.

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"I feel second-borns don't get enough time with their parents, and are always jostling for space, so I had always planned a trip with Sairah," says former VJ and host Mini Mathur, of her show Mini Me, which has her traipsing around six European countries with her seven-year-old daughter. "In everyday life, kids get to know only a routinised version of you. But, when you travel, they see the real you. Now, she sees me as someone who can do anything - I am cool!"

Mathur and her daughter vowed to stay away from a touristy itinerary, and planned on getting the local flavour right - "so we travelled by train, air, cruise, cycle, and stayed everywhere from a vineyard and a luxury hotel to a youth hostel." Here, she recalls four experiences that she recommends every parent should try with their child. "The main thing to note is that one doesn't need to only go to kid-friendly places to have fun. Try new things and put your children in charge." For example, in Athens, Mathur gave her daughter the map and told her to navigate their way through. "We got lost, but then finding our way was also such an adventure. I now don't look at her as a child, but a best friend."

Eat, Eat, Eat
A lot of this trip centered around food. In Dubrovnik, Croatia, Sairah ate mussels for the first time. Initially, she exclaimed, "I don't eat creatures!" She is a very dal-chawal, vanilla ice cream girl, so I wanted her to try everything. In Rome, I told her to taste all flavours, and then if she still liked vanilla, it would not be because she didn't have options. In Venice, we sat at a farmer's market one day and just sampled cheese and meats all day. And in Barcelona, we ate paella!

Cycle through a city
Lucca, in Tuscany, is a walled city, surrounded by double walls on all sides. We got one of those adult-and-child bikes and rode all around the city. I had never got a chance in India to teach her to cycle, and so Lucca became that place. The weather was great and the whole experience was an exhilarating one.

Living on a Vineyard
In Rome, instead of doing the same old things like going to Trevi Fountain, we decided to live on a vineyard in Tarquinia, a tiny old city in Italy. We stayed with a family whose business is to make wines. And then his wife would cook all these different types of pastas for us. Sairah got to taste her first wine as well, as the winemaker said it's a tradition in Italy that the youngest child has to taste the first wine of the harvest. Well, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Whenever Sairah remembers this, she wouldn't have a memory from a textbook, but will recall this from experience.

Pizza chase in Naples
We made a list of the top pizzerias in Naples (the birthplace of the Pizza Margherita) and went to taste each pizza, all in one day. The places were spread out, so we travelled by train. I discovered that my daughter is a Pizza Margherita connoisseur. At one place, I said that I thought the pizza tastes off, and she said yes, the sauce is undercooked! It was a learning experience.

>> There are direct flights from Mumbai and Delhi to every major city in Europe
>> Mini Me airs on TLC every Friday at 9 pm

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Taiwan

Those caught up in the hustle bustle of a city life -- and craving for someplace pristine, calm and relaxed -- will fall in love with Taiwan. But along with its tranquillity and peace, there is also the effervescence of a place celebrating its culture and language with aplomb.

This small island nation in the South China Sea is truly the heart of Asia - and it is fast catching the attention of Indian travellers, offering as it does a perfect combo of fabulous food, superb night life, bustling markets, hot springs, culture, history, architecture and stunning natural beauty - from gentle mountains to lovely coastal landscapes.

It was around the Taiwan Lantern Festival 2018 that we landed at Taichung International Airport here to be greeted by our tour guide, the friendly and ever-smiling Charles Tung. And he wanted all of us - a group of travelling journalists - smiling as well. "Say cheese," he said as he got us to pose for a group photo before we embarked on our journey of exploration. And there is much to explore.

"Taiwan has a truly unique natural beauty. There are beautiful places like Sun Moon lake, Yangmingshan National Park, Black Dwarf Cave... to name just a few. These places provide an escape from the chaos of urban living," Noel Saxena, Country Head, Taiwan Tourism Bureau India Office, told IANS. Saxena said Taiwan is also very rich when it comes to art.

"Be it dance, music or even folk art, the Taiwanese have earned critical acclaim with an exceptional display of talent. Taiwanese hand puppetry and Taiwanese opera are two foremost examples of art forms that are authentically Taiwanese, in that they use the Taiwanese language, not Mandarin," he informed.

The Taiwanese love for music and art was evident at Ten Drum Ciatou Creative Park, located in Kaohsiung. Once a sugar processing plant, it is now the hub of a percussion group -- the Ten Drum Percussion Group that has won accolades globally, including a Grammy in the Best World Album category.

While taking a walk around the former factory, we had to take a path made up of the branches of trees... Quite literally, we were walking on trees without fear of falling down -- a unique experience.

Other stops included the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, a comprehensive recreational area featuring Taiwanese indigenous people's cultural relics as well as amusement park facilities; and the Sun Moon Lake, situated near Yuchi township, was truly mesmerising. One of the most beautiful alpine lakes in Taiwan, it is shaped like a crescent moon; hence the name.

The Buddha Memorial Centre at Fo Guang Shan is a landmark in the country. Touching 108 metres in height, the Buddha is made up of 1,872 metric tonnes of copper and iron and is currently the world's tallest bronze seated Buddha.

"Taiwan is blessed with natural beauty, scenic areas, great food, astonishing history and culture -- and Taipei 101. This makes it a great destination. It is a destination for all age groups," said Saxena.

The country is home to only about 20 million people and is a technology powerhouse. This was quite evident even at the traditional Lantern Festival - held earlier this month -- where all the work displayed was high-tech.

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To loosen up and de-stress, millennials have understood that travelling is the best therapy. Utilising long weekends, Indians are exploring more offbeat locations rather than going to another city with the same hustle bustle, say experts. Dhruv Raj Gupta, Founder and CEO, TripShelf and Dhruv Sharma, CEO and Founder of GuestHouser, have listed few travel trends this year:

1. Staycation is in: Staycation or staying in the same city has undergone a very interesting paradigm shift due to over-tourism. Travellers are increasingly seeking out relaxed, luxury stays at holiday homes around them in the same city.

2. Choosing home stays over hotels: A growing population of well-travelled urban millennials has grown tired of conventional tourism; which focuses on the simple historical sightseeing and standardized hotel rooms. This population is looking for something more personal and unique wherein they can take a dip in an unfamiliar culture, and experience it by living with a native family. They also look forward to eating authentic food of the place they're visiting and home stays thus prove to be a good option.

3. Exotic or offbeat destinations: Stress busting and exploring unexplored places are the two top reasons for travel on long weekends amongst millennials instead of catching up with friends, research or writing. From quaint solo getaways to off-season mountain escapes and immersive adventures, urban millennials are not nervous about trying unexplored places. They prefer short backpacking trips with just 2-3 nights to stay, and don't mind taking overnight buses or road trips to destinations within a distance of 400 km from Delhi.

4. Last minute travel: With the upswing of various online portals and last-minute attractive deals, spontaneous trips are trending among millennials and they don't hesitate in making plans on the go. Bookings are made less than 24 hours before the trip to various off beat locations.

5. Solo travel on an all-time high: With an all-time high number of people travelling solo, the travel industry has completely transformed to enrich the experience of young solo explorers. These young travellers engage in enriching experiences, learning new skills, immerse themselves in culture while they are out there exploring. The solo excursion helps in a personalized experience that is curated based on individual likes and preferences.

6. Wellness retreat: As people are taking care of their mental health and are paying it equal attention to as their physical health, wellness trips are taking a huge hike. The goal is to be more mentally sound and relaxed before returning to the routine life. Activities like yoga, meditation, hiking, surfing, long treks or even running are the focus of such trips to reduce stress. Various places like Rishikesh, Gokarna, Coimbatore and Mysore have amazing wellness retreats.

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Agartala: The first meeting of the 'Niti Forum for North-East' (NFNE) on Tuesday chosn five sectors including tourism and food processing to exploit them on mission mode basis to accelerate inclusive and sustainable economic growth of the region, said NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar.

Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh, in a significant announcement, also said that henceforth 100 per cent funding would be made by the Central government for central sector projects in the eight northeastern states, which were earlier being undertaken on the basis of centre-state sharing in the ratio of 90 :10.

"In the first meeting, NFNE has identified five sectors to exploit them on mission mode basis to speed up inclusive and sustainable economic growth of the northeastern region," Rajiv Kumar told the media after the meeting.

The other sectors are bamboo, horticulture and 'Made in Northeast'.

Rajiv Kumar said that the focus of development and infrastructural projects in the northeastern region would be based on the concept of "HIRA" -- Highways, Inland Waterways, Railways and Airways as conceptualised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The NITI Aayog Vice Chairman and DoNER Minister are Co-Chairmen of the NFNE constituted last month following Modi's direction to supplement the functioning of the DoNER ministry and North Eastern Council (NEC).

On the new funding pattern for central sector projects, Jitendra Singh said that this will only be applicable to the eight northeastern states, unlike the earlier 90:10 funding pattern which was in force for 11 special category states - which also included Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand.

He said the infrastructure of the northeastern region, which had been neglected for 65 years, had got a boost under the NDA government, with utilisation of funds increasing to Rs 30,000 crore in the last financial year from Rs 24,000 crore in 2014-15 fiscal.

Singh said that for the development of highways and roadways and tourism sectors, two separate corporations were formed and to boost the industrialisation of the region, the "North East Industrial Development Scheme" was finalised last month by the union cabinet with the financial outlay of Rs 3000 crores up to March, 2020.

He said that under the UDAN phase two and phase three, all the northeastern states would be connected by airways and the region's connectivities with the neighbouring countries would be further developed.

Chief Ministers, Deputy Chief Ministers, Planning and Coordination, PWD Ministers of Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Assam and top officials of all the eight northeastern states and various Central ministries attended the day-long NFNE meeting.

Rajiv Kumar said that 14 districts of eight northeastern states among the 115 most backward districts across the country and dubbed as "aspirational" districts, identified to accelerate the all-round development.

Of the 14 districts, seven are in Assam and one each in remaining seven states - Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Sikkim.

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Lhasa: Newly discovered cliff carvings in eastern Tibet may offer a glimpse into Buddhist art and local history from 1,200 years ago.

According to the regional cultural relics protection research institute, the discoveries dating back to the Tibetan Tubo Kingdom were found in Acur township of Qamdo city, Xinhua news agency reported.

The relics of the Buddha figure carvings were first found by construction workers who were mining for stones. The carvings are inscribed on cliffs that stretch some 10 metres in total.

Experts believe that the carvings were created in the 9th century, based on their style.

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Living high up in an apartment can cut off even the most ardent nature lovers from the soil. Perhaps this is why owning a piece of land is a dream many Mumbaikars - and especially those who have had a taste of what it's like - harbour. Dr Rashmi Pathak, who left her hometown Kolhapur to study medicine in Mumbai, was no different. She longed for the scent of sugarcane that filled the air during the harvest season, and a semblance of all that she had grown up with. To set things right, she and her husband bought a farm near Shahapur in 2001.

The doctor couple armed themselves with the knowledge of traditional manure and bio-fertilisers, and to ensure continuous production throughout the year, chose to have mango, cashew, chickoo and Indian gooseberry plantations on the farm, which they called Aditya Agro. The onset of summer means their 70-acre farm is now laden with red and yellow cashew apples, ready to be plucked and savoured. This Sunday, you can go cashew apple picking, sip on mocktails made from the fruit, and witness farm-life up close in Shilottar, no more than a two-hour drive away from Mumbai.

"We have organised day picnics in the past, but this is the first year that we are hosting guests for cashew-picking," informs Captain (retd) Adityavardhan Pathak, who joined his parents in the running of the farm after he retired from the Armed Forces in 2011. "Unfortunately, we lost 70 to 80 per cent of our trees to a massive fire in 2012. So, I lived on the farm for two years to put things back in motion. The experience was life-altering. When you live so close to nature, it reveals its many shades to you, which change from season to season, and even from day to night," says the Powai resident.

The trail will start at 10 am with a simple breakfast, followed by a briefing session. "Nature has its own way of telling you if its produce is ready to be consumed. If you have to tug at a cashew fruit, it means it's not fully ripe. A ready-to-be plucked cashew apple will give with just a slight twist," shares Pathak. Participants will then be divided into teams for a fun cashew apple-picking competition, where the fruit they pluck will be theirs to take. The Pathaks also provide recipes for cashew apple jams and juices that participants can try at home.

After the trail, a wholesome vegetarian Maharashtrian meal featuring dishes such as bharleli vangi (stuffed brinjals), vaalachi usal (field beans curry), tandlyachi bhakri (rice flour bhakri) and modak will be served. The day ends with a visit to the farm's in-house nursery, where saplings and vermicomposting kits can be purchased.

Nutty facts
>> Cashew is native to northeast Brazil, and was introduced to coastal India in the 16th century by Portuguese traders. Its initial purpose was that of a soil retainer to prevent erosion on the coasts.
>> The Jamaicans call the fruit cashew banana.
>> The Indian-sounding word kaju comes from the Portuguese caju or cajueiro
>> The cashew fruit is a rich source of Vitamin C and antioxidants.

On: April 15, 10 am to 4 pm
At: Aditya Agro, Shilottar, Shahapur
Call: 9223164501
Cost: Rs 990 for adults (Rs 780 for children from 4 to 12 years; cost includes meals)

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View from the train before entering One-Kiss Tunnel

The tiny hill station of Matheran is a far cry from the peace and serenity that its British founder Hugh Poyntz Malet yearned for. In the 1850s, Indian Civil Service Officer Malet was the Thane collector and while camping below in the village of Chowk, he climbed up the hill-top to explore the region finding it lush green with clean air and water springs, an ideal spot for a vacation. In love with the place, he frequented it with friends and family. Soon, the then Governor of Bombay, Lord Elphinstone, visited the place to make it as a site for his bungalow (still known as Elphinstone Lodge). The rest is history.

Today, over 160 years later, Matheran has lost much of its peace to commercialisation, but it retains some of its charm and character. It remains an eco-sensitive zone with no motorised vehicles, allowing only for horse rides, carts and cycle rickshaws. Though paver blocks have surfaced much of the red soil is intact, and it remains a quick getaway from fast-paced Mumbai.

Peerbhoy original loco

Track record
The journey is fun if you are in a group as it takes just about two hours for the entire ride. Reach Neral on the Mumbai-Pune line and the Matheran narrow gauge train station is adjacent to it. The station and the line are well maintained and are in the tentative UNESCO World Heritage List. Tickets are available on the spot with no prior or on-line bookings due to its limited capacity. The Central Railway runs about 102 services every week (see box). With a width of two feet, it is one of India’s narrowest running passenger railways, and is similar to the Darjeeling Hill Railway.

Matheran Railway station

After booking our tickets, we settle down in our seats. We note that ticket checkers are quite strict. As the mini train pulls out, the initial stretch runs parallel to the Karjat railway line and we spot the local trains pass by, but a sharp right and a steep climb runs the train between two hillocks and the spirals begin. The railway line that was built as a private venture of the Peerbhoy family between 1901 and 1907 still maintains most of its original layout, except for a few stretches. The line winds around the mountain in spirals taking us 2,625 feet above sea level!

Token Machine

High on geography
The train chugs along slowly, at only 13 kmph. The first station is after a distance of 4.8km called Jummapatti. Here, the road that had vanished meets the rail again and we spot motor vehicles speeding by. The line operates on the old token signalling system and the train comes for a brief halt here. Steam trains ran on the stretch till the early 1980s; these were replaced with diesel locomotives in 1984. As the train proceeds, there are three stretches, where we spot our train as it zigzags the curves to avoid reversing points.

The next station is Water Pipe Road, called so due to its proximity to the twin metal water pipes that make their way to the station. It’s another place where tokens are exchanged. During the journey, the rail intersects the road at several places. A little ahead, we enter the One-Kiss Tunnel, popularly named so because it gives a couple time for just a kiss! The entire line has over 121 bridges (mostly minor), 221 curves and only one tunnel. As the train reaches the next station Aman Lodge, we spot tourists walking along the train and more crowds.

Picnickers at Echo Point/PICS/RAJENDRA B. AKLEKAR

This is the closest station to Dasturi Point till where motor vehicles are allowed. The railways have a number of special trains to cater to this crowd as beyond this point besides the train, only horse carriages, cycle rickshaws and carts are allowed. After we cross Aman Lodge, we reach Matheran in 20 minutes, and as we alight, the locomotive goes ahead in a spiral loop to make way for the return journey.

WHAT TO SEE
Located in the Sahyadris at 2,625 feet above sea level, Matheran has 38 points, including a lake. Panorama Point provides a 360-degree view of the surroundings and Neral, Charlotte Lake and Celia Point offer nice views of the dam. Echo Point, is a must-visit too.

While in Matheran
The marketplace on the main street is ideal for knick-knacks, curios and food items like chikki and fudge.
Phone network works well in the market, but weaken elsewhere.
Villagers are co-operative but remember that Matheran has inadequate medical facilities.

Ali Akbar Adamjee Peerbhoy

Remembering a legacy
“The story of the Matheran railway is intriguing. By the turn of the century, the hill resort became popular during summer vacation. Once, after arriving from Mumbai to Neral, Sir Adamji was unable to reach Matheran as no horses were available throughout the day due to the heavy rush. He returned with the thought that of improving things and came up with an idea of a small railway to connect uphill. It was the fastest available mode of transport and he was ready to fund it. This historic decision changed the destiny of the hill station. The next time he visited Matheran was only after his own railway was built,” recalls Ali Akbar Adamjee Peerbhoy (inset), second great-grandson of Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy. His forefather built the line as a family enterprise over a century ago.

Toy train schedule
Monday: 17 services Tuesday to Thursday: 14 services Fridays: 21 services Weekends: 22 services
COST 1st class (adult): R300, 2nd 2nd class (adult):Rs 75. NOTE: Bookings are done only at Neral station

Travel by road
If you prefer to drive down by the road, set your phone map to Dasturi Naka, the entry point into Matheran. It’s until here that motorised vehicles are allowed. It has ample parking space. From Dasturi Point, you can either walk up to Matheran — it’s a 20-minute trail — or opt for cycle rickshaws, horse rides or the train. The Aman Lodge station is next to the Dasturi Point car park. The services between Aman Lodge and Matheran is frequent and is a 10-minute-long-journey.

Rs 55k
The cash you will have to shell out if you wish to book an entire train with its steam engine!

Also read: Matheran toy train finally begins to run on the entire 21-km stretch to Neral from January 26

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Mount Everest. Pic courtesy/YouTube

Trekking is a mix of adventure, delight and self-fulfillment. The high-altitude treks offer a thrill-packed action - an experience that should not be missed at any cost.

The mighty Himalayas are the cure for those bitten by the adventure bug. Whilst it takes a lot of gusto, courage and determination, travelling smart is necessary.

Talking about the essentials of smart packing, Rupali Juneja, a travel expert, said, "If you are planning to explore the fascinating mystery of the snow-capped Himalayan beauty, there are several aspects that should be taken care of before starting the sojourn. Many times people over-pack their bags by stuffing it all. This is done because you never know what you might end up needing on your way. However, this is an absolute NO-NO! You must always pack your backpacks smartly so as to avoid wasting time trying to find things later. This will also ensure that you are carrying less/lightweight while climbing up."

"Take time to understand the terrain you are off to. If you have chosen arid mountains, make sure you carry a good hat or a sun cap and pair of glasses. Good trekking shoes, of course, are essentials as would be a sturdy rucksack. A water bottle, sunscreen, insect repellent, Swiss knife are the other essentials. For higher reaches, thermals, woolen caps and warm socks are a must," said Navneet Mendiratta, a content curator, and travel expert.

1. Prepare a checklist: A checklist always helps to remember and organise the items that one needs to carry. Always opt for travelling light.

2. Arrange them the right way: Arranging all your belongings is a task but if done in a right way, everything becomes easily accessible.

3. Quick snacks: Food will surely keep one energised during the trek.

A good and memorable trekking is always the result of a smart packing. So be a smart trekker and enjoy the thrill of trekking expedition in the Himalayas.

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A Writers Retreat session in progress

While most of us aren't as lucky as Ruskin Bond to call the hills of Uttarakhand home, a brief escape to nature can help get the creative juices flowing. If you love writing and feel you could do with some inspiration as well as insights into honing your prose, the upcoming edition of Writers Retreat might be your ideal getaway.

The sprawling open-air venue

Designed by the live storytelling event series, Tall Tales, and Grassroutes, an organisation that seeks to connect the urban dweller with the rural community, the two-day retreat will take place in Dehna. The village, located at a two-hour drive from Mumbai, is nestled in the Sahyadris. And thanks the many streams and rivulets that spring up during monsoon, it is also called the land of a thousand waterfalls.

Michael Burns

The retreat features seven workshops rolled into one along with some free time to explore and soak in the rural life. "The first day is all about the universal story structure - how to start stories, what to do in the middle, and how to end them. Irrespective of the language or genre, there is a basic structure that many writers with great ideas find difficult to adhere to," says Michael Burns, director of Tall Tales. The day will end with a film screening, where participants will watch a structured story unfold on screen.

The next day will get into the nuances of good writing, like designing unforgettable characters. "Some writing exercises will encourage participants to explore their relationship with nature; something that's difficult to achieve amidst the distractions of a busy city like Mumbai," signs off Burns.

On: October 1, 9 am onwards
Meeting point: To be decided three days prior to the trip
Log on to: instamojo.com
Email: akshay@talltales.in (seats limited)
Cost: '8,000 ('7,000 for students)

Arijit Datta hobbles into The Fatty Bao with a twisted ankle. Sidd Coutto bustles in 10 minutes later. The former's a music composer who's moved away from bands like Agni and Airport towards film and advertising, while the latter is probably the busiest musician in the city's indie circles. They first dive into starters — Crystal Dumpling, Spicy Mushroom Sushi Roll, Dancing Prawns and California Rolls — and then into conversation about their craft.

Sen: How do you switch seamlessly from making indie music to more commercial projects?
Datta: It's not a switch really. I think that for me and for Sidd also, wherever there is a mode of expression, we just go there and do our thing.
Coutto: Yeah, true. For commercial concerts, you just go up there and rock 'n' roll, dude. It's just a two-hour gig, where you're hanging with your buddies on stage and partying away.
Datta: It would be different when it comes to writing songs, which we both do, because if you have to mould yourself according to the audience, that's what you might call a switch.

Sidd Coutto (left) and Arijit Datta share a laugh at The Fatty Bao in Bandra. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar

Sen (to Datta): So when you were composing for the movie Filmistaan, did you have to keep the audience in mind?
Coutto (answering for both): See, performing is one thing and composing is another. When you're writing for films, you have to be clear that it's the director's baby. You are facilitating his vision. Yes, it's your baby at one level, but you're not both the mummy and the daddy.
Datta: The good part about Filmistaan was that the director let me interpret the film my own way. So I never had to break away from my own self, because the music came naturally to me. Plus, the movie had no market pressure as such, so I didn't really have a brief.
Coutto: ...Which by the way isn't the norm, so [singing to the tune of a Daft Punk Song] you got lucky.
Datta: Yeah, and for me, I think very cinematically. Even with my band's songs, if I just change the arrangements a bit, they can be in a film.
Coutto: Also, when most people come to you for work now, they come for what you make. It's not like the old days when it was like, 'Aisa banaa aur waisa banaa.' So you don't have to switch so much, since they want you for you.
Datta: I think there are newer minds. There are newer storytellers with a different language altogether, who go in search of newer sounds, voices and composers.

Sen: So it's not the era of Jatin-Lalit and Anand-Milind anymore?
Datta: No. But they also had their own sound. At that time, Jatin-Lalit were the kings, ya. Of course, they didn't move with the times.
Coutto: Or, the times moved away from them. But they did try. Infact, [Anand-Milind's] Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak is my favourite Hindi film album of all time.

Datta: Yeah, it's my favourite too. It was a complete album. Even the least-remembered song [sings a bar from Kaahe Sataye], even that I remember! So yeah, they did their time; they brought in their sound and gave us memorable tunes. But then our tastes started changing. MTV, Channel V and VH1 came in, and the world suddenly became bigger.

The mains, Asparagus Bacon Fried Rice and Exotic Mushroom Ramen, arrive. This is followed by moments of silence interspersed with appreciative sounds such as 'mmmm'.
Sen: What are some of your favourite places to eat at in Mumbai?
Coutto: Over the past couple of years, I've discovered that Social actually has awesome food. They have a vast variety of things, with small dishes included. Did you know that they have something on the menu called Staff Khaana? It's exactly what their staff eats and it's great, dude. But I don't end up ordering it as much because there are so many more things I like. But they have removed bheja from the menu, and I love bheja.
Datta: I can never have bheja, man.
Sen: So if you go to Bangkok you're never going to try cockroaches and locusts?
Datta: Never. I can't go in that direction. I know that people are adventurous with their food and everything. But I can't do that.
Coutto: For me, when it comes to food, I let my nose guide the way. Otherwise, I have no restrictions.
Datta: I love going to this place called National. It's a dhaba that a Sardar owns and it's been running since 1952, near Bandra Talao. It serves pure food, you know, the sort with less oil — makki roti with butter on top, rajma, bhindi — and you can even have their water and nothing will happen to you.
Coutto [Putting his fork down and rubbing his tummy]: Yeah, I'll go there with you sometime. But right now, I think I'll go home and play some slow blues songs.

New Delhi: Technology can help children learn and stimulate them to think in new and positive ways, but it needs to be balanced with experiential learning in order to ensure the holistic development of a child, say experts.

Representational picture

Parents can, for instance, look at supplemental activities like gardening. Gardening can not only teach children new skills, self-confidence, and responsibility but can also be a lot of fun for children.

Kashish A Chhabria, counselling psychologist and psychotherapist, and Hemant Mittal, consultant psychiatrist, and counsellor, highlights some do's and don'ts that you may consider using as a guide.

Do's
>> Monitor you child's media consumption, including video games, television, movies, and internet. Make sure you activate the restricted mode when kids use the internet.

>> Communicate with your child about what they observe in video games, television programs or movies. Ask them how they feel about the media they have access to and discuss it with them.

>> Incorporate new activities into your child's life. These can be educational as well as fun. There are games available which teach children about gardening and the different types of plants found in India.

>> Engage children in outdoor activities like nature walks and hikes to get them excited about the interesting flora and fauna prevalent in India.

>> Do get down on the soil with bare hands and feet with your child. It is absolutely okay to be "dirty". (until and unless suggested otherwise by a health practitioner).

Don'ts
>> Learn to negotiate, if your child demands the latest tablet or mobile phone for his or her birthday, give in to their demands provided your child agreed to go for a walk outdoors with you or spends 2 hours thrice a day playing a hands-on experiential game.

>> Do not set up electronic devices in a child's bedroom.

>> Do not allow unlimited access to media instead lay down ground rules. For example, place a time limit on how often or long a child is allowed to use an electronic device, including games and television.

New York: Maintaining strong social networks with positive, warm and trusting friendships in old age might be key to slowing down age-related decline in memory and brain functioning, researchers say.

Representational picture

The findings showed that superagers -- who are 80 years and older -- who have the cognitive ability at least as good as people in their 50s or 60s can have more satisfying, high-quality relationships compared to their cognitively average, same-age peers.

"This study supports the theory that maintaining strong social networks seems to be linked to slower cognitive decline," said Emily Rogalski, Associate Professor at the Northwestern University in the US.

"The study is particularly exciting as a step toward understanding what factors underlie the preservation of cognitive ability in advanced age, particularly those that may be modifiable," added Amanda Cook, doctoral student at the varsity.

Previous studies have shown psychological well-being in older age to be associated with reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia.

"It's not as simple as saying if you have a strong social network, you'll never get Alzheimer's disease," Rogalski said.

"But if there is a list of healthy choices one can make, such as eating a certain diet and not smoking, maintaining strong social networks may be an important one on that list," Rogalski noted.

For the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, the participants answered a 42-item questionnaire called the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale, which is a widely used to measure of psychological well-being.

The scale examines six aspects of psychological well-being: autonomy, positive relations with others, environmental mastery, personal growth, purpose in life and self-acceptance.

Superagers scored a median overall score of 40 in positive relations with others while the control group scored 36 -- a significant difference, Rogalski said.

Union Minister of Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal had to clear the air after reports suggested that khichdi was to be India's national dish. Culinary experts lift the lid on its rich, comforting legacy

Pushpesh Pant, Food historian and author
The first mention of khichdi is in the Vedas as kshirika. Years later, Al Bernini circa 1,000 AD called it the staple diet of India. So yes, it is already a national dish. Milestone versions are Birbal ki Khichdi, which has an apocryphal story about a dish that was made in Emperor Akbar's kitchen when his son, Salim, came home after conquering Gujarat.

Made of dry fruits and meat, it was a metaphor that Salim had "devoured" Gujarat, where khichdi was consumed. On the other hand, the Anglo-Indians made Kedgeree, with fish and eggs. In south India, Pongal is a version of the same dish.

Also read: India sets Guinness world record with 918 kg khichdi

In Puri's Jagannath temple, and in Badrinath, it is served as a prasad, but it is important to note it is not a vegetarian dish. We have some excellent meaty varieties like khichda (thick paste of beef, lentils and spices) and shola khichda (mince, rice, dal and vegetables).

Kurush Dalal, Food historian and archeologist
Both dal and rice have been part of the paleo-botanical records in archaeological excavations for the last 4,000 years. The question is: Were they cooked together? Was this eaten where both were grown? The answer is, khichdi is a generic term, and can be made with different grains.

While the dal is a critical component, there is no specification of the type. It can be tuvar, masoor, mung or chana dal. Rice, jowar, bajra, wheat and cracked wheat are options for the 'cereal' part. There are dry and wet versions. The urban version, cooked separately, is called dal-khichdi. It's the saviour dinner of single men.

Ashish Chopra, Delhi-based culinary historian
Two words describe it: soul food. An amalgamation of ingredients makes it a wholesome dish, which can have pulses, rice, vegetables and meat. The Angami Nagas call it galho. It is a pork version with greens, lentils and rice. In Mizoram, they call it sawchair. Just the way we say, life ki khichdi ho gayi, the dish is really about order from ingredients that are full of disorder.

Also read: Khichdi won't be named 'national dish', Harsimrat Kaur clarifies

Rajasthan has a muttony bajra-based soita, while Male in the Maldives has a prawns, lentil and rice preparation called Maltai. The masai of Kenya and River State, Nigeria - an area known for its spices and fish - make a fish sauce soup with rice, which is, in desi terms, a khichdi.

Also read: Khichdi to be branded India's national food on November 4

Mohsina Mukadam, Food historian and head of history department, Ruia College
The ingredients have remained the same since its first mention in the Vedas. While Emperor Akbar's kitchen is known for its khichdi, even Jehangir loved the Gujarati-style khichdi called Laziza (which means tasty), and Aurangzeb preferred a keema version. It was the best option to be cooked as prasad as it could end up feeding a large group without hassle.

On the stage at the majestic Royal Opera House, artistes take their seat in a semicircle for what is an unusual gathering. At the centre is British radio and television presenter Nikki Bedi, who, along with familiarising her guests with the flow of the show is also breaking the ice between participants. They are here to record The Arts Hour, a BBC radio production that goes on a tour once a month to capture the best in arts across the world. The Mumbai edition airs today.

Actor Bhumi Pednekar (with Nikki Bedi to her right) calls out the boors behind Padmavati protests. Pics/Pic/Bipin Kokate

In the city on the evening of November 22, the researchers have picked six artistes who they feel best represent the dynamic cultural scene of the city. Flanking Bedi are film critic and director of the Mumbai Film Festival Anupama Chopra, and actor Bhumi Pednekar. Seated next to them are stand-up comedian, screenwriter and novelist Anuvab Pal, and Shamir Reuben, head of content and social media at the spoken word collective, Kommune. On either side of the stage, fine-tuning their arrangements are the popular Hindi rock ensemble Anand Bhaskar Collective and pop duo from Kolkata — with a big fan following in Mumbai — Parekh & Singh in signature fruity suits. "The show is a way of seeing a people and their culture, and understanding their politics and issues through the prism of art. Stand-up comedy and spoken word are burgeoning fields in Mumbai. There is also a sea change in the kind of subjects that Indian cinema is choosing. Issues like sanitation, erectile dysfunction and fat shaming are not just making it to film, they are also managing to attract audiences into theatres," says Bedi about why it was a good time to come to Mumbai.

Nischay Parekh readies to perform the band's hit song

For this edition's research, Bedi, who was born a Moolgaokar and has roots in Mumbai, played the fact checker for producer Nicki Paxman along with providing other insider inputs. A regular feature of the show, The Culture Cab, involves the presenter hailing a cab with an artiste who then takes her around the city to explore it like a local. Though her Mumbai guide was Pal, with whom she explored the splash of global colours at the ongoing Sassoon Docks art project and the murals of Bandra, Bedi shared her favourite part of the city with him, too — Walkeshwar's Banganga.

Throughout the recording that lasted two and a half hours, the team's homework kept the conversation alive and relevant. Bedi, a natural at hosting, puts her guests at ease. It comes across in Pednekar's candour, who minces no words when asked about the ongoing controversy around Padmavati. "You know, these are people who don't give a s**t about history," she says, a word Paxman gets politely replaced at the end of the show with the milder "damn". Bedi then moves on to ask Pal and Reuben if comedy and spoken word have become popular for similar reasons and how social media has played a part. With artistes as guests, each segment packs in a performance. While Pal's jibes about SoBo residents have the audience in splits, Reuben's poetry moves many to tears. Vocalist Nischay Parekh of Parekh & Singh shares the inspiration behind their music video with a million hits, I Love You Baby, I Love You Doll, before performing it, and Anand Bhaskar shares why all his compositions are in Hindi before segueing the show to its end with a rendition of Fanaa.

An audience member comments about the need to see more everyday people in films

Rahul Baswani, who came to know of the show through Pal's tweet, is happy to have made it in the audience. "I listen to a lot of podcasts. So, the most fascinating bit for me was towards the end when they did the retakes," he says. In the green room, mutual understanding and fandom fill the air. "At the end of the day, we are all artistes, and we could feel the synergy and a shared language throughout," says Parekh, who has just promised Pal that he'll be there for his Kolkata gig the next day, even as Pal admits that the music duo is everything he would have wanted to be as a 27-year-old.

The sound engineers at work

Chopra, on the other hand, is happy that the show recognises the power of Indian cinema and how it is evolving. "Outside India, there is a fixed notion of what Bollywood is. But there is a different language [spoken] now, which most people don't know of. I am hoping that the show will communicate that." For Reuben, it has been a platform for artistic exchange. "The beauty of tonight was people might have come to watch comedy and they learnt a bit about spoken word. Or that they wanted to hear a poem and they left with music," he says. "For the BBC to say that there is something stirring in Mumbai is a statement."

On a Wednesday morning, the cottages that line St Roques Road in Bandra bask in the winter sun. The lane is quiet, except for the occasional bark of a pet or scooters zooming off into the nearby Ranwar village. As a taxi driver wipes the dust off his kaali peeli, Jay Weinstein approaches him with a camera in tow. He doesn't ask for his name, ethnicity or life story; only for a couple of photographs. Seeing him puzzled, the Australian-origin photographer breaks into crisp Hindi, "Main kahin bhi jaata hoon, anjaane logon ki tasveer banata hoon [Wherever I go, I make images of strangers]."

Hearing the familiar language, the driver is game to play the subject. First, he's asked to wipe the expression off his face and stand next to his cab. Satisfied with the shot, Weinstein tells him, "Ab muskuraiye [now smile]," and captures his wide grin on camera. The interaction lasts only for a few minutes but we spot the driver smiling even after Weinstein's DSLR is back in his bag.

Jay Weinstein documents  the smile of a taxi driver in Bandra. Pics/Bipin Kokate

This connection forms the essence of the 38-year-old's ongoing photography project, So I Asked Them to Smile (SIATS). Over the last two years, Weinstein has shared 250 portrait pairs - non-smiling and smiling frames of kids and adults from all walks of life - on digital platforms. Next week, he will display 30 most compelling frames for the first time at an exhibition.

The photographer shows the images he takes to each subject

The backstory
It was a trip to Bikaner in 2013 that gave birth to this project. When Weinstein raised the camera to photograph a man with a wispy beard, he was greeted with a stern look. Miffed, he turned away, only to hear the man urging him to take his picture. "We make judgments about strangers in binaries as friendly-unfriendly or good-bad. These are rarely accurate. The idea is to change the way we view a stranger, and see how their smile changes our assumptions," says the US-born photographer, who spent his growing up years in Vrindavan, studied recreational sports coaching in Australia and returned to Mumbai in 2004 to pursue acting.

"He was jumping around in the water with a friend one afternoon, as I wandered down Juhu Beach," says the photographer

Soon, he ventured into advertising, and rekindled his love for travel and photography. "It gave me a reason to notice things that we walk past, and start conversations with strangers," says Weinstein, who considers the art meditative. "The calmer you are, the more of the outside world you notice."

"She was exploring the stunningly restored Kaiyuan temple complex one evening, with her daughter in Quanzhou, Fujian, China"

Say cheese
For the last few years, he has turned a full-time traveller and spends most of his time in India. "I love Mumbai but when you step out, you realise how different the rest of India is," shares Weinstein, who has visited Meghalaya, the interiors of Maharashtra, Orchha in Madhya Pradesh and the coast of Kerala, where he found his subjects to be camera-shy. "In rural areas, I also had to translate 'smile' as 'daat dikhaao' since they don't understand the meaning of muskurana."

Language also poses a barrier in non-English speaking countries. "In China, instead of 'say cheese', they say 'chetz', which means eggplant," he laughs. What's the next country on his wishlist? "Pakistan. The project's initial followers were Pakistanis. I assumed they wouldn't be happy seeing these photographs but realised where else would they have seen images of Indians as humans, without an agenda. Indians don't get to see their photographs this way either."

From: December 20 to 26, 11 am to 7 pm
At: Jehangir Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda
Call: 8828472412

Go click-happy here
>> Homi Modi Street in Fort
>> Industrial estates in Lower Parel 
>> Village neighbourhoods like Chuim and Chimbai in Bandra West

Portrait-making tips
While there is enough information about how to get your technique right, I'd suggest you interact with your subjects and treat them with dignity

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Matt Preston likes to dress and stand out in the crowd, and over the nine seasons of food reality show MasterChef Australia, we've seen his dapper style evolve. A flamboyant dresser, he exuded elegance this season with his well-cut suits and tasteful cravats. The 55-year-old journalist and food writer juggles writing and television with equal élan, calling the former his "happy place". "I love nothing more than sharing my adventures in food, whether from my own kitchen or around the world, in recipes and stories. I worked that out with my newspaper and magazine columns plus five cookbooks, last year I wrote my 2,000,000th word about food! Three million here I come!"

The balance, he says, is simple as there is so much waiting when making a TV show, that it gives him the time to write while filming. "Then I travel for five months when we aren't filming," he tells us in an email interview. Edited excerpts:

Matt Preston

Your connection with India is strong. Which Indian chefs do you admire? Any particular dish that makes your mouth water?
So much of the great food I've enjoyed around India is from street stalls and holes in the wall, where the chef doesn't have a PR team, a cookbook or his/her own line of branded chutneys! Largely, I enjoy these simpler places better than the fancy ones. I do, however, try and enjoy the company of Manu Chandra whenever I'm
in India.

Where does Indian cooking stand on the global platform?
Indian cuisine in undoubtedly one of the world's great cuisines and stands proudly alongside the likes of French or Italian in that ranking. The way India is embracing unique, indigenous and wild ingredients — like the gongura I enjoyed in Hyderabad or the kachampuli vinegar I fell in love with in the south west — it's bang on trend. Indian cuisine is also receiving new global prominence, thanks to the explosion of interest in vegan and vegetarian food around the world. With this in mind, Gary [Mehigan, fellow judge] came back from his most recent trip to India raving about fresh green chickpeas and green sorghum; something we seldom see here but which could easily find a place in my kitchen.

Tell us about the creative process of setting the challenges on the show.
A crew of over 200, including a department of challenge producers, is responsible for this. We look for challenges that seem impossible but are achievable, so when accomplished, the excitement, pride and pleasure of the contestants is palpable. This means that a pressure-test dish might be cooked a dozen times to ascertain how long the contestant should be given to achieve it.

What are some of the funny off-the-camera incidents that occurred this season?
Our trip to Japan was a lot of fun. As was spending the week with [Israeli-British chef] Yotam Ottolenghi. Most of the anecdotes are scurrilous, so you'll have to wait for my autobiography!

How did you get into food writing?
A friend gave me a restaurant review column as she knew I was a good cook and had written a column back [about life, music, the arts and politics] in the UK.

How different was food writing back then?
Very much. In many ways, I was once like you are now, I was young but I was happy. I'm still happy but much older and wiser!

What was your first job?
I made tea at the offices of the UK's biggest tea importer. I had a rickety trolley and in a radical move, introduced coffee for the first time.

The show airs Monday to Friday at 9 pm on Star World.

Studies in Form-Akbar Bhavan-20 from a series of cyanotype prints by artist Seher Shah and photographer Randhir Singh

A Summit can be anything you want it to mean, and we re-define it every time. Just when you think you have figured it out, we alter our course. You might think you know what the 2020 Dhaka Art Summit might look like, but we hope to add further surprise," says Diana Campbell Betancourt. At the age of 33, Betancourt is the third time artistic director of one of Asia's most important art events, the Dhaka Art Summit, set to open on February 2. Betancourt, who used to be based out of Mumbai, has been at the fore of bringing contemporary voices in art from Asia to the biennial event, which is now in its fourth edition. Joined by guest curators, Betancourt has brought over 300 artists across 10 curated exhibitions. We ask her what's different this time. Edited excerpts from the interview:

Bangladesh as centre
2017 was an important year as it marked 70 years of independence for both India and Pakistan. In 1947, however, what is now Bangladesh was still effectively a colony of Pakistan. Usually viewed as the poorer younger brother of these two countries, we saw the need to put Bangladesh back at the centre of its cartography. We want to shift the narrative away from India-Pakistan. We are looking at the trade and cultural connections that Bangladesh had with the Middle East and Southeast Asia, rather than only looking at South Asia. There are fewer Indian artists this time around, and we have more artists from Thailand and Myanmar and Singapore as we've shifted our focus further east. The Summit is not a nationalist exercise, so we are able to address the slippages across borders. We are also exhibiting one of Mrinalini Mukherjee's hemp sculptures in Bangladesh for the first time, through the support of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art and the Mrinalini Mukherjee Foundation, which draws connections to Bangladesh via the jute and textile trades which interlink its history with the rest of the world.

Diana Campbell Betancourt. Pic/Noor Photoface

Making more room
This time we have extended the Summit from four days to nine. There was a lot of local demand the last time. We saw 1,38,000 visitors in 2016. This year, we have split the weekends for different kinds of crowds.

Special focus on Sri Lanka
We believe that just as Bangladesh is left out of global dialogue, Sri Lanka is even more excluded. The show, titled One Hundred Thousand Small Tales, is curated by Sharmini Pereira, and has 40 artists right from the 1940s to the present.

Headed in the right direction
The Solo Projects section, which used to invite commissions from leading artists in the region, is replaced by Bearing Points. I felt that the Solo Projects didn't intellectually tie together everything we do in the Summit. The exhibition is curated by me, and the title refers to a compass, to a map that helps you orient yourself to lesser explored transcultural histories of the region.

Going back to school
The Summit has always been known for its workshops. This edition will have a free art school, with sessions conducted by artists such as Rashid Rana and Dayanita Singh, among others. It will be right at the middle of the summit, emphasising that culture is a key part to keeping people secular.

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The cast rehearsing at The Cuckoo Club

If you ask anyone, which part of the wedding they enjoy the most, chances are that the 'sangeet' would be a popular choice. Especially, in a city like Delhi that is known for their great Indian weddings. Prerna Chawla and Shikha Talsania's upcoming play Dekh Behen takes on this larger-than-life grandeur of a wedding that is taking place at a plush Chhattarpur farmhouse.

What makes this Akvarious production extra special is that this play has been put together by an all-girl team. Talsania says, "Dekh Behen is a kitschy, light-hearted story of five bridesmaids catching up hours before they are to put up a rehearsed item number at the Sangeet ceremony, in a big fat Delhi wedding. It's a bittersweet comedy about daughters, girlfriends, mothers, sisters, wives, and getting through one bloody 'shaadi ka function'." Playing the lead character, the bride's brattish sister, is YouTube superstar Mithila Palkar who used to be an active member of Thespo. While she always wanted to act on stage, she found her space backstage doing play readings. Speaking about her role Palkar says, "Riya belongs to a rich Punjabi family from Delhi. She's intelligent but inevitably a brat. But, she is also trying to figure out life as it happens to her and is battling a perpetual conflict of principles and emotions, like most of us, in our early 20s, do. So, 'rich brat' aside, I can relate to Riya."

The play has been written by Dilshad Edibam Khurana and Tahira Nath Krishnan. Khurana says, "Dekh Behen is a fun story that also touches upon a lot of issues that are common among friends or siblings. Through the course of the story, these issues get discussed and ironed out. But at the end of the play, you will go will go back home with a smile on your face." One can easily relate to the title and the poster of the play, thanks to the popular 'dekh behen' memes. So, is that the connect, we ask Talsania. She says, "The title came up during a coffee break conversation, while we were doing another play. Come and watch the play, you'll see why it's an apt title."

When: February, 1-4, 8 PM
Where: The Cuckoo Club, 5AA Pali Hill, Bandra West
Entry: Rs 400
Call: 9619962969

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Nupur Dhingra Paiva with daughters Tara, 9, and Isabelle, 6. Pic/Shadab Khan

When five-year-old Armaan walked into child psychotherapist Nupur Dhingra Paiva's clinic, her impression about the kid, whose shoulders were hunched over, was that he was "weighed down by something significant". Armaan's mother would later tell her how he felt unloved, wanted to run away from home and even shoot himself. But, it wasn't until Armaan's father joined the therapist and his wife for chat, an hour later, that Paiva noticed something alter in the child. The kid slowly crawled into his father's lap, and curled up there like a little prawn, Paiva recounted. That the child was craving for his dad's attention was a given.

Vignettes like these form the crux of Paiva's new book, Love and Rage: The Inner Worlds of Children (Yoda Press), where she breaks down conversations she has had in her healing room with both parents and children, to reiterate how love and affection is central to influencing a child's personality. "I felt an urgent need to communicate with the world that what comes into our consulting room is not crazy or bizarre -it is the stuff of ordinary life - ordinary conflicts, struggles and joys. And that mental health distress in adolescence and adulthood is almost entirely based on early life experience, from conception onwards," says the Delhi-based clinical psychologist, of why she wrote the book. "Adults who are interacting with children, as parents, teachers or carers, are sometimes far removed from the lived experience of the child. They become task focussed and outcome oriented - it becomes a lot about achievement, growth and the end result of happiness," she adds. In doing so, Paiva says that people forget "that the growth of the personality is a complex, slow process that needs nurturing".

Here, Paiva, who is also mother to two daughters, offers an "only love-not rage" guide.

>> It takes two
When a child is angry with one parent, it helps to have an available alternative. I have to add that I am not necessarily talking about the heteronormative two parents - male-female couple. Children need a diversity of responsible caregivers, someone who will take it upon themselves to keep the child's emotional needs in mind. The role of mother and father is about a mental attitude, the function they play for the child. It does not have to be a biological parent.

>> We need daddy
Often women find it difficult to let men get involved in caregiving tasks like feeding, bathing and putting to sleep. When a child has emotional access to their fathers, the diversity of experience offers them a wider range of seeing how to live in the world, because men and women live in the world quite differently. Just as an involved father gives a son a sense of someone to look up to, he gives a daughter an experience of being loved and valued - something she will carry with herself into future relationships with men.

>> Prep for school
The first couple of years of kindergarten are not about learning shapes or the alphabet, it is about learning to separate from home. It is a physical/emotional wrench, leaving safety and going to another space - one that can be fun and engaging, provided we can get over the fear of separating from the people we feel safe around. Once children are helped to adapt to this huge change, they can get on with learning. Otherwise, anxiety hampers learning for years afterwards.

Start early with picture story-books or perhaps even a visit to the school for the child to see what it looks like a month or so before the emotional temperature rises in April. Be prepared for repetition for as every parent of a young child knows, once is never enough. Stories that matter the most must be repeated endlessly, without variation so that they can sink in. The story of how everyone leaves home and goes to school is of central emotional import. In fact, it is a rite of passage.

>> Play hard
Using our bodies is a release for everything - anger, anxiety and other feelings - that get stuck in our muscles. In the emphasis on growing children's minds [or getting them to finish homework and projects], we forget about how important it is to be using their bodies. Children are calmer and more attentive, when they have had an experience of using their muscles in activity, especially free play.

>> It's okay to cry
Never tell a child not to cry. All children cry, for all sorts of things, so it is important to first figure out what the crying is trying to communicate. Simply telling a child to stop crying without first trying to understand what is under it, will damage their relationship with you. If the crying is because of sadness, then telling them to stop crying is plain selfish. We do it because we can't bear their expression of sadness. It is far healthier to accept that they are sad, and give them a hug. This kind of acceptance lets them know that while nothing can be done about it, at least their experience is being validated and acknowledged.

>> Don't ignore
Ignoring feelings teaches your child that you don't particularly care for his feelings, just his actions or his/her compliance. This only ensures that the feelings will reappear in a form that is harder to link to its source. In other words, the child will use a defence in order to deal with a feeling, and the anxiety its presence creates.

>> Keep it real
I am not advising that people deny that they also can get angry with their children. "Only love" is not a reality. My aim is to be real with my relationships, including my children. So, I freely express affection - lots of hugs and physical warmth, an hour at bedtime talking about their day and their worries. I also freely express disapproval or annoyance. I explain, and negotiate. As a result, I have very opinionated children who are expressive and open, including about their anger with me or their father. We accept it as real and engage with it as much as is possible at the time.

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If you have played your favourite Kishore Kumar song or a Beatles classic umpteen times but do not know why you forget to press the stop button for some particular numbers, new research offers some clues. Listeners often engage and develop a "deep connection" with some of their favourite songs, said the study published in the journal Psychology of Music.

The study involved more than 200 participants who completed an online questionnaire about their experience listening to their favourite song, including how it made them feel and the frequency with which they played the song. The participants reported listening to their favourite song hundreds of times.

The mean among the sample was more than 300 times and this number was even larger for listeners who had a deep connection to the song -- something that was particularly likely if they had mixed emotions, such as "bittersweet," while listening. Certain features of the song were particularly important reasons why respondents listened many times, said Jason Corey, Associate Professor of Music at the University of Michigan in the US and a co-author of the study.

The most important features were the song's "melody," "beat/rhythm" and "lyrics", the study found. For songs that made listeners happy, beat/rhythm was especially important for relistening. Finally, the more times people listened to their favourite song, the more the listeners could hear it internally, the researchers said.

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My friend wants me to decide whether or not the boy she is dating is someone she should get into a relationship with. I don't want to make that kind of decision because I don't want to be blamed later if it doesn't work out. What do I tell her?
Why can't you tell her what you just said? That you don't want to be blamed if it doesn't work out? She's your friend, so why can't you just be honest about how you feel?

I detect a pattern of constant negativity in my boyfriend. He is never really happy about anything, no matter what happens. If he has a great birthday party, some little thing will ruin it for him. If we watch a great movie, he will be upset at the end of it because there's a traffic jam. If I get him something nice to surprise him, he will find some fault in it and wonder why I didn't get him something else. This is a constant habit and it's really getting on my nerves because I am a very positive person. His behaviour constantly drags me down and I don't want to turn into someone like him. How can I get him to change?
Negativity is a powerful force that can drag someone down, along with everyone in his or her orbit. It's great that you're a positive person, because it means you are probably helping to keep him afloat. I suggest you get him to speak to a professional, because someone needs to evaluate where this negativity comes from. Is it a sign of depression, for instance? Also, try and understand why he feels the way he does. It's obvious that you care about him, but it's also important for him to know that you have to deal with his negativity and that it affects you, too. He should be aware of the consequences of his actions, especially if he assumes they don't affect anyone but himself.

The inbox is now open to take your most carnal and amorous queries. Send your questions on email to lovedoc@mid-day.com

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Mangoes can be used for skin and hair in several ways as they are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, all of which are good for the skin. Here are some amazing skin and hair benefits of mangoes.

Helps get a glowing skin: Mangoes are loaded with beta-carotene and Vitamin A. For a glowing skin, smear mango pulp on your face and leave it on for 30 minutes. Beta-carotene and Vitamin A present in mango help to revive the dull skin and turn your skin into a radiant one.

Helps fight acne: The beta-carotene in mango helps fight acne. The best time to apply mango pulp is at night. Apply a handful of mango pulp at night and keep it for an hour. Wash your face before going off to sleep. Alternately, boil a raw mango until the water is reduced to half. Use this water as facial astringent for drying up acne naturally. Use the mango astringent regularly on your face to get rid of acne, pimples and scars.

Helps get a fair skin: Beta-carotene in mangoes has a strong anti aging effect. In addition, Vitamin C in mangoes helps rest down collagen. Mangoes are a great way to reduce dark spots, freckles, acne scars and pigmentation. Apply mango pulp during summer to get a clear and fair skin that is free of blemishes, wrinkles, scars and acne.

Acts as a great exfoliating agent: Mango pulp when applied on skin along with glycerine or honey, helps to exfoliate dead skin cells. This, in turn, results in a smooth and glowing skin. Mix one spoon of mango pulp with one spoon of raw milk and two spoons of honey. Rub the paste on your face gently to remove blackheads and whiteheads. You can use mango scrub for removing dead skin cells and bring back the natural glow.

Acts as a natural peel off mask: We are aware of chemical peel off masks available in the market and their benefits on skin. Raw mango pulp is high in AHA (alpha hydroxyl acid) and Vitamin C, both of which are excellent peeling agents. Vitamin A does wonders to your skin and its deficiency can cause dullness, result in open pores as well as lead to eruptions on the arms, elbows and knees.

It is beneficial for hair: The seed of mango (soft part after breaking the outer hard seed) when kept in oil (any) for few days, and then applied, helps you to get rid of grey hair and prevents hair loss. When the same is mixed with fenugreek and yogurt, it serves as an excellent home remedy for dandruff.

Helps to form happy hormone: Mangoes contain a lot of tryptophan, which helps in the formation of the ‘happiness-hormone’ serotonin. A rise in happy hormone automatically cheers you up and brings back the natural glow on your face. Mango is thus called a happy fruit.
With inputs from Dr Apratim Goel, of Cutis Skincare Studio

Also Read: Mumbai Food: 8 Delicious Mango Dishes You Must Try During Summer

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Hyderabad: Haleem, a delicacy of Hyderabad is only prepared in the month of Ramzan. Speaking to ANI, Abdul Mohsin, Director, Pista house, one of the top Haleem sellers in Hyderabad, said, "Hyderabad tops two dishes, one is Biriyani and another is Haleem. Biryani is available in all seasons but Haleem will be available only during Ramadan, therefore, people from all places and community come to eat it as it is delicious and healthy, both."

"Public from across all over the state and country visit historic Charminar and come to our shop to have Haleem. We have started serving Haleem since 1997 and till now serve it. In Ramadan month Muslims, who fast for whole day, want healthy food to gain back energy, so by consuming Haleem they will get enough energy," he added.

Haleem, a delightful mix of grains and meat, is a stew popular in the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Although the dish varies from region to region, it always includes wheat or barley, meat, and sometimes lentils.

"Haleem is a very famous food in Hyderabad. Many people from various places and communities come here and consume it. It is available only in the holy month of Ramadan and everyone prefers Haleem due to its good taste," Abdul Razzak, told ANI.

Ramzan is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief.

Ramzan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which involves rigorous fasting for about 30 days including festive foods like dates, typically serves as appetizers, before a lavish meal served after sunset.

During this month, Muslims do not take food or water from dawn to dusk. They eat Suhur (a pre-dawn meal) and break their day-long fast with 'Iftar' in the evening.

India's 1.2 billion people include 175 million Muslims, and constitute the third-largest Muslim population in the world.

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Turns out, autism is not linked to consuming fish in pregnancy.

Scientists at the University of Bristol looked at the assumption that mercury exposure during pregnancy is a major cause of autism using evidence from nearly 4500 women who took part in the Children of the 90s study.

Using analysis of blood samples, reported fish consumption and information on autism and autistic traits from one of the largest longitudinal studies to date, researchers found no links between levels of mercury in the mothers and autism or autistic traits in their children. The only adverse effect of mercury found was poor social cognition if mothers ate no fish at all, especially for girls.

Lead author Jean Golding commented, "Our findings further endorse the safety of eating fish during pregnancy. Importantly we've found no evidence at all to support claims that mercury is involved in the development of autism or autistic traits.

"This adds to a body of work that endorses the eating of fish during pregnancy for a good nutritional start to life with at least two fish meals a week."

Dr Caroline Taylor said, "All species of fish contain traces of mercury, which can harm brain development, but we've found that the health benefits of fish, probably from nutrients such as vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and iodine, outweigh the risks from mercury.¿

"The advice on eating fish when pregnant is complicated and overwhelming. There is now a body of evidence to support a simpler and clearer approach that maximises the health benefits of fish.¿

The study appears in the journal Molecular Autism.

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Food tends to spoil more quickly during the summer. It is important to pay extra attention to your food and look for unusual odour and mould before consuming it, say experts. Indrayani Pawar, team leader, dietitian team, Hinduja Healthcare Surgical and Varsha Gorey, clinical nutritionist, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, suggest some tips:

1. Which foods spoil quickly
Foods with high moisture content and protein-based foods are easy targets for micro-organisms. Milk and milk products, raw and cooked meats and vegetables are more prone to spoilage compared to dry food items. Foods that are high in sugar, or salt or with high fat or oil content in contrast don't spoil quickly because these act as preservative agents.

Storage becomes important here - low temperatures serve to preserve these food items. One must ensure food is not kept outside for long periods of time.

2. How to identify bad food?
Spoilt food has a telling smell. Quite often, food items that look fine on the outside have mould or fungus growing inside which people don't notice. It is always better to check the food for any unusual odours and open the food item to check for unusual signs, such as stringy threadlike growth. Dairy based Indian sweets are more likely to spoil quickly compared to dry fruit and nuts based, pulse and flour based or dry coconut based sweets.

3. Eating well during the summer
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are always the best option in their respective seasons. In order to quench thirst in summer, fresh fruits and vegetables should be consumed (as they are also good in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals). Smoothies with curds, or simple buttermilk are better options than fizzy or cold drinks. Curd will help to soothe the stomach by providing probiotics and easy to digest proteins.

4. Eat safe while traveling this summer
If you're travelling long distances during the summer, it is best to carry dry foods. Nuts and oil seeds, roasted chiwdas, roasted makhana, multigrain khakaras and chikki are some examples. Kokum sherbet, aam panha, nimbu pani, buttermilk and lassi are also great for the summer.

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Bandra Worli Sea Link

The eternal monument to love, the Taj Mahal in Agra and the Rajiv Gandhi Bandra Worli Sea Link in Mumbai figure among the Top 10 TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice awards of 2018 for most visited and popular tourist landmarks, it was announced here on Tuesday.

The other top Indian monuments in the list of awards include: Amber Fort in Jaipur, Golden Temple of Amritsar, the Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple, and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in New Delhi, Agra Fort, and Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur.

The award winners were decided using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for landmarks worldwide over a 12-month period.

This year's TripAdvisor awards recognize 759 monuments spread in 68 countries globally, said the company's Country Manager Nikhil Ganju.

"India's landmarks as as diverse at its heritage and are among some of the most iconic structures in the world. The list presents fantastic gems ranging from poignant memorials to sheer architectural marvels that are great options for travelers," he added.

Mumbai's sole entry to the list, the RGBWSL is one of its most prominent modern landmarks and an infrastructure marvel of a cable-stayed bridge cutting through the Arabian Sea to connect Bandra with Worli.

The top 10 Travellers Choice Landmarks of Asia include: Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Taj Mahal and the Golden Temple in India, Wat Pho or Temple of Reclining Buddha in Thailand, Mutianyu Great Wall of China, Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine of Japan, Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar, Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia, and the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam.

Similarly, the Top 10 landmarks worldwide are: Angkor Wat, Plaza de Espana in Spain, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre in UAE, St. Peters Basilica of The Vatican, Mesquita Cathedral de Cordoba in Spain, Taj Mahal, Duomo di Milano in Italy, Alcatraz Island and Golden Gate Bridge both in US, and the Parliament of Hungary.

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Now days, a gluten-free lifestyle has become one of the most popular diet trends in the market. Every shop/ mall has set of foods stating 'gluten free food'. The demand for these gluten-free foods is increasing. In order to understand the gluten free food trends taking place in the market it is important to understand gluten.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, oats and their derivatives. Some people are found to be sensitive to gluten and show mild symptoms of intolerance such as chronic diarrhea and vomiting. Celiac disease is associated with an allergic reaction within the inner lining of the small intestine. The linings of the small intestine are destroyed by inflammations caused by the immunological reaction with gluten.

Dr Pradeep Gadge, Diabetologist, Gadge Diabetes Centre, says, "Gluten free products have been around for years suffering from celiac disease. However, the demand has now widened beyond medical needs. The food market started to grow beyond people who were just needs based and into a lifestyle choice. As many people think gluten-free diets are healthier and are giving up gluten to lose weight. It’s basically a fashion. Another common belief that gluten-free diets are healthier (and a growing availability of alternative breads and grain products) are also driving the trend. Gluten-free products have turned from being medicated products for gluten intolerant people to a lifestyle choice. Gluten-free foods are gaining popularity partly because manufacturers and marketers are aligning new product developments with other emerging trends in the food market. These trends include use of plant proteins and grains like quinoa."

There are many celebrities who follows fad diets for weight loss and people are just following them without knowing the medically reason. People want quick fixes, and diets are frequently used as a quick fix for issues. There are many restaurants and café where gluten free foods/dishes are available, and people are following that thinking it’s a low fat and healthier. But that is not true a gluten-free dish may contain a lot more butter or oil, and that is not healthier. It is always better to consult a qualified dietician or nutritionist before starting a diet.

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It may sound audacious to some but Facebook thinks that sharing with a trained employee of the company the intimate images that you fear might go viral in the social networking platforms can help it stop their spread, thereby protecting your privacy.

The social networking giant on Tuesday said it was testing a reporting tool so that people who worry that someone might want to harm them by sharing an intimate image can proactively upload it, which will eventually help Facebook to block anyone else from sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, or Messenger.

Facebook said it entered into partnership with safety organisations on a way for people to securely submit photos they fear will be shared without their consent -- images that are also referred to as "revenge porn" or "non-consensual pornography".

"This pilot programme, starting in Australia, Canada, the UK and US, expands on existing tools for people to report this content to us if it's already been shared," Antigone Davis, Facebook's Global Head of Safety, wrote in a Facebook post.

From anxiety and depression to the loss of a personal relationship or a job, the result of having most intimate moments shared without permission can be devastating for a person.

And while these images harm people of all genders, ages and sexual-orientations, women are nearly twice as likely as men to be targeted, Davis said.

"This week, Facebook is testing a proactive reporting tool in partnership with an international working group of safety organisations, survivors and victim advocates, including the Australian Office of the eSafety Commissioner, the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative and The National Network to End Domestic Violence in the US, the UK Revenge Porn Helpline and YWCA Canada," Davis added.

As part of this initiative, anyone who fears an intimate image of them will be shared can contact one of Facebook's partners to submit a form.

After submitting the form, the victim receives an email containing a secure, one-time upload link. The victim can use the link to upload images they fear will be shared.

Thereafter, one of a handful of specifically trained members of Facebook's Community Operations Safety Team will review the report and create a unique fingerprint, or hash, that allows the social network to identify future uploads of the images without keeping copies of them on its servers.

Facebook said once it creates these hashes, it will notify the victim via email and delete the images from its servers within seven days.

"We store the hashes so any time someone tries to upload an image with the same fingerprint, we can block it from appearing on Facebook, Instagram or Messenger," Davis added.

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