Naba K. Mondal (right), Project Director, India based Neutrino Observatory, inspecting the site for Inter Institutional Centre for Higher Energy Physics at Vadapazhanji, in Madurai. / Photo: S. James / The Hindu
The Inter Institutional Centre for High Energy Physics (IICHEP) at Vadapazhanji, near here, has completed research and development activities for the construction of a particle detector in the Neutrino Observatory (INO) coming up in a cavern in the Bodi hills in Theni district.
Though pre-project work was progressing well both in Madurai and in Theni, the construction of the main observatory in a cavern would begin only after clearance given by the Union Cabinet, INO Project Director Naba K. Mondal toldThe Hindu on Friday. “The clearance is expected soon.”
Mr. Mondal said a 66-acre site was identified at Pottipuram in Theni district for establishing ground facilities at the entrance to a two-km-long tunnel to be dug under the hills for establishing the observatory. The site had now been fenced and pipelines for supplying water to the site had been laid for construction work to begin.
Simultaneously, the IICHEP, functioning from a rented building, was carrying out research and development activities with respect to over 30,000 particle detectors required for the observatory and other allied facilities. “All parameters of the detector have been determined. Now, we have to start industrial production of the detectors and associated front-end electronics,” he added.
S. Stephen Inbanathan of American College, one of the collaborators for the project here, said the construction of a compound wall was completed around 33 acres of land, earmarked for establishing state-of-the-art facilities for the IICHEP. “Construction of buildings would commence soon, and the facility would serve as a research hub for particle physics.”
The INO is a collaborative project of 22 reputed science institutions in the country and is backed by the Departments of Atomic Energy and Science and Technology. The pre-project work started after an initial grant of Rs.83 crore sanctioned by the Centre last year.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> news> National> Tamil Nadu / by Mohamed Imranullah S / Madurai – May 30th, 2014
A car for all seasons: A white Ambassador with a red beacon light on top symbolised power. Painted yellow-and-black, the Ambassador also played the role of a taxi admirably./ Photo: S.R. Raghunathan / The Hindu
It once ruled our roads. It still rules our hearts
In the 1990s, Bjorn Borg cut a sorry figure as he faced younger players with his anachronistic wooden racquet. This man, who picked up Grand Slam titles with the ease of someone gathering sea shells, put up a dismal show during the comeback trail, failing to win a single match. Tennis had shifted gears from finesse to power, and Borg was too stuck in the past to make the adjustment.
The Ambassador’s story shares similarities with Borg’s. A symbol of social significance and an icon of power for decades, the Hindustan Ambassador lost its way when the field got wider allowing for more cars to compete for the buyer’s wallet. With a design that seemed to be cast in stone, the Ambassador was pitted against sleeker modern cars that were responsive to even minor shifts in buyer’s preferences. The writing was on the wall, for everyone to see, so clear that aliens in outer space could not have missed it. And therefore, the news of Hindustan Motors stopping production of Ambassadors at its Uttapara plant in West Bengal has been received with more sadness than surprise.
It is actually not so much sadness as an unsettling sense of loss. The car has been so much a part of the landscape, so us, so Indian, that it does not feel right to have it removed from us.
A white Ambassador with a red beacon light on top symbolised power for us. A politician or a bureaucrat somehow looked incomplete without an Ambassador. Painted yellow-and-black, the Amby played another role admirably, that of a taxi, gathering unlikely bands of admirers. In 2013, the Hindustan Ambassador was chosen as the world’s best taxi at Beaulieu’s World of Top Gear show. This humble car from India is reported to have made it by besting tough contenders from Britian, Russia, Germany, South Africa, America and Mexico.
The Amby has found its place among the cars of the world and has its loyal fans, which include youngsters who were born much after Maruti Suzuki 800 arrived with its impressive pick-up, compact body and attractive looks.
Joseph Rajini Asir (right) in his Ambassador, doing a politician’s greeting along with his friend Ram Keshav. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Joseph Rajini Asir destroys the theory that only people over 35 are charmed by the Amby. All of 24, he spells out his distress over what has happened to this car, and he is not making such remarks to blend in. Five months ago, this young man became a proud owner of an Ambassador. Employed with Amazon.com and a freelance photographer, he had been putting aside money towards buying one.
“Our family has had a relationship with the Ambassador. My grandfather Durai used to drive a Landmaster,” Joseph explains what led to his purchase of an old Ambassador with a carburettor-fed engine.
Enthusiasm of this kind for the Amby is rare among those in their early-twenties. Because, from the early days of their lives, they would have had a raft of modern cars to gaze at and the Amby would have seemed very distant from their times. That is because the car did not undergo major changes for a large part of its life. Mechanics and Amby collectors would tell you that the Amby rolled out in 1990 was essentially the same as the one in 1958, with the majority of the differences just surface-deep.
“A plethora of important elements, such as the gearbox and suspension parts could be interchanged between Ambassadors in the Mark I to IV family,” says R. Gunasekar, who is employed with Popular Motor Corporation.
Others like vintage and classic car collectors Jayaram brothers — Sri Kumar and Jai Kumar — who have had Ambassadors ranging from Mark I to Mark IV, at different points of time, would agree with him.
Patterned on the Morris Oxford II and the Morris Oxford III respectively, the Hindustan Landmaster and the first Ambassador model, often conveniently referred to as Mark I, were like cousins who clearly appeared to have come from a common stock, but also looked markedly different from each other, helped by factors such as dimples, deep-set eyes and the arrangement of teeth. Distinguishing features of the Ambassador included a dimpled hood, a three-spoke steering wheel (the Landmaster had a two-spoke wheel), tail fins and deep-set cowls for the headlamps.
In contrast, the Ambassadors through Mark I to IV were like children born to the same couple and were similar in many more respects and could be retrieved and grouped together even if they were lost in an ocean of humanity. The frontal section helped differentiate between these Ambassadors; other parts of the car, including the dashboard and the lamps, also underwent some changes. It was this generation of Ambassadors that established the idea that these cars had a common core that shone brightly though their dissimilarities. A path-breaking development took place in this generation: a variant of the Mark IV received a BMC B-series diesel engine and is now credited with being the first diesel car produced in India.
Beginning with the launch of the Nova, which came on the heels of the Mark series, a desperate attempt was made to infuse a sense of variety into the brand so that potential buyers did not feel starved of choices. The exercise extended to the current generation of Ambassadors (or, should it be called the last?), consisting of Classic, Grand, Avigo and Encore. Efforts were also made to bring these cars on a par with the best in their category in terms of technology and visual appeal.
From the time of Nova, attention was paid to the steering column for the sake of safety and suspension and braking system were improved considerably,” says Gunasekar.
Despite this exercise, the Ambassador continued to be seen as a brand that underwent only nominal design changes. Admirable continuity, you may call it, but the apparent sameness did not make the car popular with a generation that is spoilt for choice and is always looking for new experiences.
Families began to gravitate towards other cars entering the expanding market. However, for a long time before the canker dug its feet in, Ambassador continued to be the car of choice for politicians and bureaucrats. It also continued its grip on the taxi business. In fact, even now, when the Indica seems to dominate the scene, the Ambassador has a following.
Ravi Kumar, who runs a car travel company, says he will not let go of his 2008 Ambassador. / Photo: K.V. Srinivasan / The Hindu
Ravi Kumar, who runs an eponymous car travel company in Mylapore, is known as ‘Ambassador’ Ravi. He would not let go of his 2008 Avigo because he has found regulars who would not settle for anything other than an Ambassador. “I know people from Malaysia who ask me to bring my Ambassador when they are here in Chennai,” says Ravi, who longs for the days when the Amby ruled Indian roads.
“At one point, in my travel company I was running 15 Ambassadors that were my own and 40 others that belonged to other people. The advent of the call taxi business has pushed out the Ambassadors. But, there are still people who want the Amby,” says Ravi.
Call it wishful thinking or anything you want, but this is what Joseph believes in: “The Amby is here to stay.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Melange / by Prince Frederick / Chennai – May 30th, 2014
Instructors getting ready to handle the driving session for the students at the Supra SAEINDIA ’14 drivers’ training programme at the Kari Motor Speedway in Chettipalayam, Coimbatore, on Wednesday./ by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
The second phase of the training programme will be held next month
It was three days of thrills and frills for over 100 undergraduate and post-graduate engineering students in the Supra SAEINDIA ’14 drivers’ training programme, which concluded at the Kari Motor Speedway in Chettipalayam recently.
Organised for the first time by Spitfire Motorsports Pvt. Limited, in association with Meco Motorsports, the training programme turned out to a real learning experience for most of them. “It was simply amazing. We learnt a lot,” said Nehal Goudar. “It helped us to understand a racing car better,” quickly added Rahul. “Brilliant sessions but would love to have more track time in Formula and Saloon cars,” pointed out Parth Dipak.
There were many in the crowd who echoed sentiments.
But the surprising fact is that everybody, besides in-depth training programme, showed keen interest in participating in motor racing events.
“Obviously, they have reasons to be pleased. Normally these students get to design and construct their own formula cars with help from their faculties. It’s part of their curriculum but the driving part matters a lot. And, we are teaching them exactly that,” said C. Rajaram, Director, Spitfire Motorsports.
Former Formula racing driver Akbar Ebrahim of Meco Motorsports has given the task to his race boys to be the instructors.
They are Sandeep Kumar (Chennai), Chittesh Mandody (Kolhapur), Nikhil Kashyap and P.D. Nanjappa (from Bangalore).
They are national racing champions in various categories and they are handling the task given to them in an efficient manner.
“Meco Motorsports has sent us the drivers and we have provided the cars (four saloon & five Formula LGB Swift),” said J. Balamurugan, Director, Spitfire.
“It’s a unique opportunity to find whether they are good drivers. They can learn the technology and give their feedback. We can increase the motorsport base as well,” he added.
Balamurugan said the instructors had done an excellent job.
“It’s not speed that we are teaching but the right technique,” said Nanjappa. “It’s an excellent experience for us as well. They are all engineering students and they understand the concept much better. It makes our job easier,” he added.
“In fact, we have been through a lot of classes before coming here. We have been trained by Akbar Sir to train others. And, as racing drivers we are able to explain things much better,” said Sandeep.
“It’s a win-win situation for both because we get to refresh our racing knowledge,” he added.
Why Coimbatore? “It’s a natural choice because the city has both track and talent. Spitfire has got experienced people to handle the job as well,” said Balamurugan.
The second phase of the training programme will be held at the same venue next month.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Rayan Rozario / Coimbatore – May 30th, 2014
A car from the good old world – Ambassadors are still a symbol of pride. / Photo: S. James / The Hindu
The Ambassador car will remain in the hearts of the people forever even after it goes off the roads
The street opposite the bus depot on Bypass Road is no different but for the dozens of ambassador cars tightly parked along the sides. Some rusted and laden with dust wait for a coat of paint, some wait for a repair and some await a buyer. ‘Ambassador workshops’, as they are called, dot the street.
Now with the production stopped, the Ambassador may soon join the line of vintage cars.
There was a time when a car meant just Ambassadors. For its Swadeshi tag, it was sought after by the netas.
The garage of the rich too had an Ambassador parked majestically.
It was the peoples’ car too. Some years later, Ambys became synonymous with taxis.
Many owners take pride on their sturdy car and still claim that it is the best of the cars. Some see the machine as an inheritance from their fathers and grand-fathers, some even consider the Amby as a member of the family! It is a token of remembrance from the good old world.
The Amby makes a perfect car for the jugaad experiments of the desi mechanic. Mechanics praise the versatility and simplicity of its mechanism. “It’s a mechanic’s car and one can do any kind of modification in it,” says Bhoopathy, an Ambassador specialist. Private workshops like his thrived on Ambassadors. “Ninety percent of the vehicles we repaired were ambassadors. People preferred these as the maintenance cost is cheap,” says Bhoopathy, who started fitting Isuzu engines in the car even before the manufacturer introduced it. He compares the car to a quaint village inn. “It’s simple and not extravagantly luxurious. But it is still comfortable and affable.”
After vehicle owners started drifting to other sophisticated vehicles, the mechanics also tried to shift their attention to new models but found it hard. “It is extremely difficult to change. We have been servicing ambassadors for years with trained professionals. Now again we have to start from the scratch,” says Bhoopathy.
The sprawling Thanga Niranjula Automobiles, which once buzzed with Ambys and their owners is now deserted. The owners have sold a portion of the mechanic shed for survival. “Ambassadors were not like the ready-to-use modern cars, even the brand new car needed some welding to fix the front and back seats properly. Most of the mechanical parts were made of lead making the car heavy,” says N. Ashok Kumar, one of the partners of the workshop.
Businessman K. Ganesh is a die-hard ambassador fan. His maroon-coloured 1957-model Mark-I Ambassador is a car with an antique moustache grille. “We were a big joint family and nearly 10 of us kids would go to the school in the car. It so easily accommodated all of us and our school and lunch bags,” says Ganesh, who repainted the car from black to maroon. “I have so many fond memories of the car bought from a royal descendant of Ramanathapuram.”
The ambassador was once a status symbol. It was parked only at palaces, mansions and bungalows. If the Fiat was called the ‘doctor’s car’, the Amby was called the ‘family car’.
“We have shifted houses in this car,” says 25-year-old Sharath Madhav pointing to his metallic gold Amby that his father bought in 2002. “It was my grand father’s wish to buy an ambassador car,” says Sharath. “Each time we returned from our native village in Nagercoil, we used to stack coconuts in the boot. It was huge and we have transported families out of cities.” Though the Ambassador is called the ‘man’ for its masculine and sturdy appearance, it is a car that everyone in the family loved and related to. “My mother never finds any other car as comfortable as the ambassador. It’s a kid’s car too, as there is so much of space for the children to play around and have fun,” says Sharath.
To R. Prabhu, an engineer, Ambassador is a statement. “You stand out when you drive the amby. It’s bulky and big and can never go unnoticed,” he says. In the age of luxury cars, the Ambassador continues to be a fancy among people and many give the credit to its ordinariness. “It’s a very simple and ordinary car. And that’s the beauty about it,” says Prabhu.
Several Amby owners remodelled the interiors and fitted power-windows, bucket seats, air conditioners and power-steering as the car’s ordinariness is also said to have gone against it. “Innovations were hardly introduced in the car. Even basic facilities came much later in the Ambassador. And that’s the reason for the drop in sales in spite of its engine performance,” feels P. Kumarappan, a car valater.
Best Taxi
Hindustan Motors’ Ambassador was rated the world’s best taxi at the Beaulieu’s World of Top Gear motorsport show last year. It started its life in Britain as Morris Oxford and introduced here with a name change to become one of the country’s most enduring vehicles. Ambassador saw off rivals from Britain, America, Germany, South Africa, Mexico and Russia to win the award.
R. Sarathkumar, actor and a car lover:It is a durable car and it ruled Indian roads for more than half a century. Though I don’t have one, I love driving this car. The bench seats are accommodative and are comfortable offering good thigh support. It has been the car of the masses then, now and forever. It is a preferred choice even now for its spacious interiors and ability to withstand bad road conditions. Whatever is said the goodwill of the ambassador will never die.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Motoring / by T. Saravanan & Shri Kumar / Madurai – June 04th, 2014
Hydro-geologist A. Gnanasekaran demonstrates the resistivity meter used to detect water sources below the ground. / Photo: Nahla Nainar / The Hindu
Old-school diviners and certified hydro-geologists are busy identifying sub-surface water zones in Tiruchi
So, you are among those who think that water comes from a tap? Spare a thought for the people who make a living scouting for aquifers below the ground – and have to get it right before the drilling equipment hits earth.
“Most builders don’t plan for long-term water usage or rainwater harvesting in Tiruchi,” says A. Thangavel, 59.
A seasoned ‘water diviner’ of the old school, Thangavel is a native of the nearby Kambarasanpettai village and claims to have “100% success” in finding water in and around Tiruchi since he started out in 1975.
Water diviner Thangavel with some of the traditional implements in his water dowsing toolkit. / Photo: A. Muralitharan / The Hindu
His toolkit (in a hard-backed suitcase) has an impressive collection of implements: pendulums of iron, copper, bronze and brass, a glass bottle, 20 types of rocks and a watch.
The armoury includes a copper dowsing ‘radar’ built along the lines of the old neem-wood witching stick (which Thangavel carries around separately). The coconut is missing, because it broke on his last assignment.
“I wait for people to call me for my services. Up to 2000, I was dowsing water using just a watch, for free,” says Thangavel. What follows next is an explanation based on iffy science: “There is an electrical charge in the flow of water that seems to react to certain groups of blood, but not to those who are overweight, non-vegetarian or diabetic,” he says. A positive blood group and ‘pure lifestyle’ are essential to becoming a water diviner, he insists.
Thangavel starts out with a copper wire, which indicates the presence of water, but not its depth. “I make a marking after studying the lie of the land and aquifer’s location. For this, I start with the copper wire, and then use these tools one by one – I note how activated each element is in that spot, and then finalise my marking,” he says, adding a survey could take anywhere between three to five hours, or more than a day for trickier calculations.
“These days I don’t answer so many questions because the customer doesn’t want to pay me for my trouble,” Thangavel says. So he has narrowed down his findings to just three issues: the availability of water, its depth and the long-term yield. His fees hover in the range of Rs.3000-5000.
Claiming to have boned up on his technique by reading ancient literature on water dowsing, Thangavel says that the construction boom in Tiruchi has led to an increase in the need for water diviners. “But most of them are doing stuff blindly,” he says dismissively. “Water dowsing has been in existence for many centuries throughout the world, but in India it has no official certification.”
Traditional diviners and qualified hydro-geologists have little choice but to co-exist in the crowded marketplace, says A. Gnanasekaran, who has been marking groundwater spots for over 24 years now.
Gnanasekaran decided to specialise in hydro-geology after working on his 1990 Anna University post-graduate project that surveyed geophysical methods to explore groundwater supply and using that technology to help farmers.
While he dabbled with commercial work for a while, Gnanasekaran says he works for the government as well – he is in fact certified by the authorities to scout for water in the districts of Tiruchirappalli, Dindigul and Tiruvallur.
Tiruchi is a winner in the rock formation stakes, says Gnanasekaran, as its alluvium, the fertile layer of soil and sediments deposited by the Cauvery river, is an excellent source of water zones within 30 to 40 feet and is regularly recharged.
“The further you move away from the river banks, to Musiri, Uppiliyapuram and so on, you will find hard rock formation,” he says.
Gnanasekaran and his team of four geologists use the resistivity meter, approved by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) and the ‘Schlumberger method’ to test for the presence of potable water and that for irrigation. “We work on plots between three to 40 acres,” he says. “We start by studying the local geology and bore-well locations, and calculate our costs based on the extent of land and time required for the calculations. The government has stipulated Rs. 1800 as the charge per water marking. This is what I charge the farmers too,” he says. The rates are higher for institutions or industries.
“Very often customers come to us after they have become confused by traditional water diviners’ markings. Actually we are testing for the conductivity (power to transmit heat, electricity or sound) of the soil rather than for water,” says Gnanasekaran. “The higher the resistivity (the power of resistance to an electrical charge), the lesser the chance of water being there.”
But broadly, Gnansekaran tries to coincide his findings with the calculations of the old-school diviners, to keep everyone happy. “I interpret the result based on my experience, and pinpoint the area personally first. The exact calculations on water depth in relation to its resistivity will be available next day in the form of a computer-generated graph,” he says.
The shallow water layer is almost dry in Tiruchi, says Gnanasekaran. “Around 95% of well irrigation systems, which use water from within 100 feet depth, have died out. In recent years, we have been going for water within 200-300 feet, but even this is drying up slowly. Now the government recommends deep wells of 600-800 feet,” he adds.
Though new software has made it easier to calculate resistivity levels, it is costlier, and therefore less viable for small projects, says Gnanasekaran, who also runs the Annai Trust, an NGO that works with socially and financially disadvantaged people.
A spell of rainy days can deprive water diviners of their livelihood, but Thangavel is confident of training others to take it up.
Gnanasekaran is concerned about the over-exploitation of water resources, but says he steps back once the aquifer has been identified. “I don’t have a role to play in what happens to the water after this,” he concludes.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Nahla Nainar / Tiruchirapalli – May 30th, 2014
Showed his class : A.V.K. Rajasimhan. / Photo: M. SRINATH / The Hindu
A.V.K. Rajasimhan’s vocals had a vintage touch.
Reaching Sri Thyagaraja Sangeetha Vidvat Samajam in Mylapore and finding a safe parking space for the car was an ordeal. But the stress vanished once you entered the Samajam because of the divine vibrations prevalent there. Adding to the ambience was the imposing statue of the Saint poet, which gave you the much needed serenity as his kritis have done for centuries.
A.V.K. Rajasimhan, son of A.L. Krishnamurthy Bhagavatar (popular for his abhinayam-based sampradaya bhajans) was featured by the Samajam in its annual Tyagaraja Jayanthy Utsavam exactly five days after the his Jayanthy.
Tyagaraja was born in the Tamil month Chiththirai with Poosam as his star and this year it fell on May 6.
Like his father, Rajasimhan, who trained under O.V. Subramaniam, shines in samparadaya bhajan. His foray into Carnatic music is a recent phenomenon. The grooming in nama sankirtanam has really worked well for him. Here is a voice that has a vintage touch endowed with sweetness and the concert too bore that stamp.
However, the same could not be said of his selections that evening. While one expected him to delve into the ocean of the Saint’s kritis, that he included other composers was a mild aberration taking into account the occasion. Two such songs were Dikshitar’s ‘Sri Mooladhaara’ ( Sri) for the beginning and the other, Thanjavur Sankara Iyer’s ‘Ranajana mala,’ for the end.
Strangely, he left out the numerous utsava sampradaya kritis of Tyagaraja that one yearned to listen to. Despite the shortcomings, the evening’s fare showed his class. One was the alapana of Chandrajyothi, a real challenge, given the fact that there aren’t many kritis in this raga. Rajasimhan completed the essay with aplomb. And for veteran violinist M.A.Sundareswaran (M.A.S), it gave him ample scope to reiterate why he is a highly rated accompanist. That evening, his father and veteran violinist Parur M.S. Ananatharaman and flute vidwan N. Ramani were both present at the concert, which might have been an added inspiration for M.A.S.
A fast-paced thathva meruga tarama set the tone for the evening’s main Todi. He was able to paint a multi-coloured portrait of the raga with all its hues. M.A.S’s reply further enhanced the mood already created by the singer. Tyagaraja’s ‘Karuna Joodavamma’ was sung with devotional fervour that Sathguru had perceived.
Srimushnam Raja Rao, who has completed 50 years of service to classical music, was in his elements. His sollus bore the stamp of a maestro embellishing the concert. In the company of E.M. Subramaniam (ghatam), his tani was gripping.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review> Music / by V. Balasubramaniam / Chennai – May 22nd, 2014
Chennai has a variety of options for biryani. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Akshatha Iyer picks some of the city’s favourite biryani joints that serve the dish for Rs. 100 or less
Chennai’s biryani obsession has nurtured a wide range of cooks, styles and spaces — from the fancy five-star spreadto the delicious plate of the greasy variety served from a hole-in-the-wall down the road.
Real Kalyana Biryani
Hanging out in Nungambakkam? If you want a traditional meal, head to the blandly-titled Real Kalyana Biryani restaurant. Walking down the stairs to their basement dining hall, you can soak up the aroma of freshly-ground spices blended with well-cooked meat. As the name suggests, this place specialises in traditional Muslim biryani served at weddings.
Customers eat off freshly washed banana leaves, which are quickly filled with biryani, followed by a onion raita, brinjal gravy and a sweet, which changes every day. On the day we visit it’s a cheerful yellow kesari. Busy through the day, the restaurant draws about 150 customers for dinner alone. “Our biryani is authentic and tastes of home. We use pure ingredients and hygiene is our prime concern,” says Yasar, manager of the restaurant. Apart from this they cater for parties and family get-togethers. They are particularly popular with the offices in the vicinity, and are busy through lunch sending out parcels. “I come here because I feel the food is tastier than at any other biryani restaurant. I also like the fact that they have good quality as well as quantity. So it is value for money,” says Anand, who eats here at least three times a week.
Where: Nungambakkam High Road
How much: Rs.75 (for one)
When: Noon-4 p.m, 6 p.m.–10 p.m.
Tel: 9840480435/4282 21128
Bismi Biryani
The appealing yellow and red board of Bismi Biryani on Thiruvanmiyur main road is difficult to miss. Bismi Biryani has made its mark for over 10 years. Most of the customers we met are loyalists and say they have been eating at this joint for more than two years at least.
S.J. Hussain the owner of this branch (there are a number of restaurants bearing the Bismi name across the city — though we’re cautioned that only some are ‘original’) tells us, “Before starting this biryani centre I was poor and found it difficult to provide for my family. The restaurants have brought me wealth and laurels. Today I am well-settled and a very happy man.”
Customers particularly relish his chicken fry and mutton biryani, which are served as a combination meal. There is a crowd of almost 300 people at lunchtime, many of whom stand and eat outside, or order parcels due to the lack of space. Chef Ummar Ali, also known as ‘Master’ is a big draw for his chicken biryani. Between spooning out the dish, he says that customers come looking for him. “I am happy that my food makes them happy.”
Where: Thiruvanmiyur Main Road near bus depot
How much: Rs. 60 (for one)
When: 11 a.m.-10.30 p.m.
Tel: 99412 70613, 99411 87572
Al Taj Biryani
Triplicane is a tough area to function in when you are in the business of biryani. “There are around 40 shops in and around this area, and we still manage to stand out,” says Hussain, the owner of Al Taj Biryani. Claiming that they are one of the oldest biryani restaurants in the locality, and are still leading the pack thanks to their special ‘Vaniyambadi style of biryani,’ he says “we have almost 350 customers on regular days and around 600 customers on Sundays”.
Al Taj Biryani’s advantage is the freshly-made biryani, made with their trademark blend of spices sourced from Vaniyambadi. (A small town near Vellore, Vaniyambadi is famous for its Mughal-style biryani, influenced by the Nawabs of Arcot. In a nod to the origin perhaps, this restaurant features Mughal paintings on its walls.)
They are particularly popular because they were the first ones to introduce ‘combo meals’ among the small biryani centres in the area. Their combo consists of finely roasted chicken 65, steaming hot biryani with chicken or mutton along with an aerated drink. The combo made the restaurant hugely successful, drawing in many customers and party orders. They have branches in Mylapore and Royapettah as well. Mohammed Yasar, a regular customer, who reluctantly pauses mid-way through a bowl of bread-halwa (their speciality dessert) says that he likes eating here because the food not just tasty, but also hygienic.
Where: Triplicane
How much: Rs. 100 (for one)
When: 10 a.m.-11p.m.
Tel: 98400 74038
Chennai Rowther Biryani Centre
Rowther Biryani is best known for its huge dining hall which includes both AC and Non-AC seating, looking into an open kitchen. Airy and spacious, it accommodates around 100 customers at one go. Mohammed, who owns the restaurant, tells us how he, along with three waiters handle the service. “Two in the AC section. Two in the non-AC section. Work is tiring but interesting.”
He adds, “We use only the best quality rice and 100 per cent halal meat for our customers.” His customers include office-goers, college students and families. The open kitchen is the main attraction — you can see the cooks doing everything from cutting vegetables to tossing up plates of hot biryani. They also offer a range of other dishes, from tandoori to Chinese. However biryani is clearly the star here. “I am not from Chennai, I just came here for work. I live alone, and I don’t have time to cook. Rowther Biryani centre is a big help,” says Akhilesh, between bites of chicken biryani. “Service is fast and friendly. It is like a home away from home.”
Where: K.B. Dasan Road, Alwarpet
How much: Rs. 70 – Rs.100 (for one)
When: 11.30 a.m.- 4.30 p.m., 6 p.m. -11 p.m.
Tel: 93804 50979, 4323 0636
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Akshatha Iyer / Chennai –
Family members of Major Mukund Varadharajan at the function on Wednesday./ Photo: R Ravindran / The Hindu
At a function, a host of distinguished personalities paid their respects to Major Mukund Varadharajan
The Tapovan Hall at the Chinmaya heritage centre on Tuesday evening witnessed the city paying respects to a son who sacrificed his life safeguarding the boundaries of India.
Major Mukund Varadharajan (32) of the 44 Rashtriya Rifles was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Shopian district, South Kashmir, on April 25. Mukund, who hailed from Chennai, was cremated with full state honours.
A large section of people including former civil servants, military personnel, judges and other noted personalities gathered in the evening to commemorate the brave soldier from the city and honour his contributions to the country. Also present were his family members, including his young daughter.
Gita Menon of Chinmaya Mission began the tribute, saying “We bow to the proud son of India.” She went on to add that soldiers provide a sense of security to every citizen in the country.
Nonagenarian V. Kalyanam, who was the personal secretary of Mahatma Gandhi, was also present during the evening. In his brief words to the Major’s family, who were in the front row, he said the officer was a brave man and wished the family well.
“Brave men like Mukund give their today for our tomorrow,” stated retired Colonel David Devasahayam from the Indian Army, to the applause of those gathered in the auditorium. Retired IAS officers M G Devasahayam and Naresh Gupta also paid tributes.
Swami Mitrananda, acharya of Chinmaya Mission, Chennai, honoured the late Major’s family members with a memento towards the end of the evening which concluded with a mime titled Paapa by theatre artist Krishna Ganapathi. A video recording of tributes by personalities who couldn’t attend was also screened.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai> Events / by Staff Reporter / Chennai – May 21st, 2014
An array of age-old Thanjavur paintings was found at an abandoned Ettukal Mandapam near Gandharvakkottai in the district by members of the District Science Forum.
According to Manikandan, a teacher at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Gandarvakkottai, and member of Tamil Nadu Science Forum, the paintings were found on the roof top of the Ettukal Mandapam located in the banks of Chettiyurani, a small irrigation tank, in Gandharvakkottai. He said the paintings were lying in a dilapidated state.
After finding the paintings, the team called on a famous artist S Kaliyaperumal here, to know its details. Kaliyaperumal told them that the paintings were of the later Maratha period. Artists had used bio-chemicals to give colour and shade to the paintings.
The members of the Science Forum urged the district administration to take decisive steps to protect the painting before it gets completely destroyed.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / June 03rd, 2014
Anu Hasan feels a part of her will always belong to her home city Tiruchi. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
My memories of Tiruchi are a stream of pleasantly vague incidents interspersed with events of stark clarity.
I remember walking to Aruna Nagar to get the bus to school and stopping to catch butterflies on the way. My brother and I used to go to the same school for a very brief period. And I remember him walking too fast for me to keep up with him. But I was too proud to ask him to slow down and I would half run half walk behind him.
After a few years, I went back to studying at my old school – St Joseph’s Anglo Indian Girls Higher Secondary school…or convent as it was called then. I loved being back there.
I got my first cycle when I was in the 6th standard and my mother was upset that Visu maama who had gone with me to help choose the cycle had allowed me to buy one that was much too high for me. She later took back her words as my height shot up to 5 ft 7 inches.
I would cycle to school from Kumaran Nagar, past Bishop Heber College and Hostel, studiously ignoring the jeering calls from the boys. The climb up the bridge over Uyyakondaan Vaaykaal would get me out of breath but I would die before I admitted any such thing.
And then we would cross court and then cycle past Campion – another attempt at studiously ignoring the boys who stood outside the school while being acutely conscious of the fact that the July wind could whip my uniform skirt embarrassingly high at any moment if I weren’t careful enough. Half the time I cycled with one hand holding my skirt in place. It’s a wonder I didn’t fall off!
My days were filled with basketball and dance classes and samosas and Maaza (mango drink).
I remember practising basketball in YMCA and my parents coming to watch me. I remember my mother’s shock when some guy yelled out my name as we went past Bishop Heber. She looked at me in askance and I shrugged.
My school teachers who loved me and disciplined me and guided me and encouraged me … what would I have become without them … or should I say how much worse would I have been without their influence in my school life.
When I look back at those years gone by, I wish I could remember more but then I realise I remember that I was happy and that I had a great childhood…and after all that is all that matters isn’t it?
And now even though I live in the United Kingdom and have been to many parts of the world, in my heart, I am still the same small town girl.
I am from Tiruchi and a part of me will always belong there.
Tamil actress and TV anchor Anu Hasan (born Anuradha Chandrahasan) is currently based in the UK.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Anu Hasan / Tiruchirapalli – may 20th, 2014
