The Longevity Equation: Sex+Sleep=Long Life

Blue Zones..wondering what they are?.. well they are small geographical pockets inhabited by the world's longest lived populations. Here, they tell me, are the maximum number of people over 90, living in one place!.

Scientists think the key to long life might be garnered by the study of these populations.In fact, an extensive study is ongoing to derteminine how these pockets of populations live as long as they do.

Check out this link to know more...

http://www.aarpmagazine.org/health/longevityquest

Presently, life expectency in India is 62 years.. slightly more in females than males. A study showed that most health related costs in a person's life are in the last few years of his/her life. A huge amount of money is spent with little respite from the persistent suffering. 

The longeviety quest (as the study is called) is currently focussed on a tiny Greek island of Ikaria.

Here, they believe water from the hot springs might help  relieve joint pains/skin problems.Also, low levels of radon have been detected in the region- making scientists question if low levels of radiation might actually repair damaged DNA! And of course,people here susbide on a Mediterraen diet- which is well known for its health benefits. A locally made honey, drawn by bees from the pollen of thyme, has been attributed anti-oxidant and anti-senility activites!

The best part about the island is the character of the people. Although they have volcanic tempers, they supposedly, quickly subside!. They sleep at  midnight, wake up late and take frequent naps in between.  And here is the absolute winner- even people over 90! are sexually active!!

So the logical conclusion that scientists have drawn from the facts is-  SEX+SLEEP=LONG LIFE!!

In short, their analysis has 9 factors which are believed to be the secrets to a long and health life...

1.stop eating when you are about 80% full

2.Eat more veggies, less protein/processed foods

3.drink red wine in moderation!

4.have a sense of purpose in life

5. maintain a spiritual and belief system

6.Work less*** slow down and take vacations

7.make physical movement a vital part of life

8. have a healthy social network- in fact, having at least 2 good friends is suppose to add years to your life

9. make family a priority.

Eleven Men and One Ball

What is it about men and football! This obsession amongst our men folk has baffled me! I used to subscibe to the traditional women's contention- "What fun is it watching 11 grown up men run after 1 ball!!"

That was till last sunday. 

My husband is a complete football fanatic!- that is a gross understatement actually.. in fact i think he is possessed slave of the gods of football! His loyalties are to Arsenal- for me, a nicely named team of red-shirted players with a coach whose name has an umbilical cord like connection to the team name!(Arsene W). 

Anyway, there was this FA cup semifinal on TV this sunday between Arsenal and Chelsea. We have an unspoken and unwritten agreement when it comes to football matches- he gets to watch all his Arsenal matches at whatever times without a fight for the remote as long as I get to watch whatever I want at othertimes. But this sunday i wasn't exactly happy about surrendering my powers on the remote. Still a promise made, is a promise kept. So i sat there, rather gruppily, slouched on the sofa.. forced into watching the match, for i had nothing else to do. 

Now i have never actually watched a football match from start to finish.. But this time, i was hooked!.. the match was actually captivating especially if have a side to support. It was a duel betwen the strengths of opponents- a test of power and mindplay. The emotions were palpable.One moment, you would cheer for your player when he nears the goal to shoot and the next moment, raise your hands up over a missed oppurtunity. What more, you never have comercials interuppting the play session! like in cricket! Also the commentary is fast-paced, not the usual small talk they make like in cricket.

My husband quickly filled me in on the rules of the game as it rolled on- and come to think of it, when you actually understand the sport, it makes great entertainment!.I guess, i was always in the dark about football, since women don't exactly "play" football in school/college..its regarded as a male sport for the most part. Unlike tennis/hockey/badminton.. women really haven't percolated into football in a big way- part of the reason that women turn their noses up at their partners wanting to catch the match!

Anyway, Arsenal lost the match 1-2, despite my husband swearing by his lucky Arsenal jersey and dribbling an imaginery ball  with his feet, like his gods on TV! But the larger point- it was a great fight to watch.. although Arsenal seemed sloppy at some point.

And for my final message- for all women folk- watch football!..its definitely more entertaining than those ridiculous soap operas or staged reality shows!..In fact Football Rocks!

SOS from Medicos.. Is anybody listening???

While talking to a set of young freshly passed out batch of medicos who had just completed their MBBS, i could sense their disillusionment with their choice of a career. While their IT schoolmates were earning lumpsums, they were getting peanuts in terms of salary and had to grind their books overtime now if they were aiming for a post graduate seat.I too went through the same emotions at that stage and so did many of my friends. 

There are many problems with the way medical education is imparted in India. When i ask around my medical friends circles, what they would like to change about medical education, i am flooded with a volley of ideas!. Its a pity, no body up there is listening!

Here are a few interesting ideas from people who had "been there. done that"...

• Many doctors agree that 5and a 1/2 year course (invariably 6!) for MBBS is a waste of time.(Now there is even talk of another year- for a rural posting!). The entire course can be cut short by at least a year- taking off 6 months in 2nd year (Patho/Phrm/MicrB/FM) and another 6months in 3rd year (ENT/Ohpl/SPM). Even the truncated 4 and 1/2 year would drag on for 5 years.. taking the slow rate of admissions to the courses and examination schedules!
• In fact most doctors feel direct MD degree (maybe then the 5 and 1/2 year course is warrented!) is the need of the hour rather than a preliminary MBBS degree. This will reduce the burden on students preparing for MD entrances.
• Diplomas must be abolished and all degrees must be given as Masters only. It will save the poor diploma holder the discrimination he/she will face in the job front.
• After MD medicos must be encouraged to work  and gain in experience rather than slogging it off in college libraries over entrances!. Why don't we have Campus placements in medicine? Hospitals must hire on campus. The salary and perks must be on par with any fresh graduate from a professional stream which is sadly lacking here.
• Personally Im one for rural medical service. But with the pathetic state of health centers in the periphery, I don't think freshly passed out medicos are the best answer to improving health care in rural areas. And making it compulsory for them in order to obtain their degrees, amounts to exploitation! Instead the service should be voluntary with incentives greater than what one can expect in the cities- like a sponsered fellowship program at the end of 2 years of rural service. Also, these facilities must be linked up by telemedicine units to a head hospital where all experts reside- so that speacialized consltation can be availed of when needed.  Needless to say, PHCs (Primary health centers) must be transformed on the lines of well equipped mini-nursing homes!.
• Spealization is a must nowadays with the explosion of information, leaving no single individual a master of the whole of medicine. Specialization courses must be need based- there is no point having umpteen number of seats for say OBG, if the jobs are already saturated. Yes, we have a dismal doctor to population ratio in India, but part of the reason is poor dispersion of healthcare to all areas. And of course, the number of seats per field must be updated on a regular basis.
• Now the biggest hurdle that a medico needs to cross is the entrance exams for getting INTO a post graduate course. Why is this so tough? Because the number of MBBS seats far out number the number of MD seats. So in effect, its a rat race out there!. Well there are 2 solutions for this-1. The logical solution would be to increase the number of post graduate seats within the limits of the need based approach, in propotion to the MBBS seats (because everyone needs to speacialize in medicine in the future!)-this will ensure that everyone gets a post graduate seat but still leaves the rat race open to choices of seat. so the other solution is 2. Scrap the entrances as a whole. Follow a fellowship pattern for speacializtion. Allow the doctor to work in an institute with that speacialization for a minimum period of time .. say 3 years.. and then test is/her acumen at the end of the period both theoretically and practically (includes monitored surgeries!) before awarding him/her the degree. If the institute traing is on par with the degree requirements, the candidate is sure to pass.. if not he/she should be asked to reappear for the test. (no need to regulate the number persons in training for that spealization.
• Do you have any suggestions to improve the medical education in this country? Fill me in!

Debate the Future

Looks like I can get over writing about news and news channels!.. but .. hey!.. for someone sitting at home all day.. thats a major part of my life (read: i have a pathetic life!)..

Anyway.. was watching this debate on TV yesterday.. which had three speakers.. one each from the Congress, Left and BJP. And as expected the debate hardly touched on the core issues and challenges we faced these days. The Congress spokesperson called the BJP a "divisive party that will spread hatred amongst society" and the BJP retaliated by calling the Congress "pseudo secular"! And likewise they traded shots on terrorism and internal security. When BJP brought out  the mumbai attack story.. the congress harped on the Kandahar issue. Needless to say, the Leftist speaker was hardly given any soundbytes!.. expect ocasionally to play third umpire or showcase his neutrality on the issue. 

It depressing to watch quality TV time being wasted away in child-like fights. When are our leaders going to realize that people couldn't care less if Sonia Gandhi is of foreign origins or whether Varun Gandhi's speech tapes were doctored or not or if we have a dual power center in our country's top brass !.. All we want is RESULTS !.. not inflated promises/ harebrain schemes/ nonsencical debates.

Why do our politicians only talk the language of the past? Why don't they talk about the FUTURE? What are their plans for reform of the economy/police force/ electoral process? How do they intend to improve literacy and health status of the population? Why don't we have 2 leaders face off over these issues ? Let us hear what ideas they have to bring about these changes? And they should not get away by making empty schemes that are both impractical and expensive (eg. Rs 2/kg rice). They should be grilled into how they intend to finance their schemes also.

The media for the large part is allowing the politicians to get away with loose talk when it can play a larger role. Even on bigwig media channels debates are centered on absolute bull shit!

I was mildly apeased when Rahul Gandhi in a press conferance brought out this fact- "forget the past. lets talk about the future" he said. But on the same day, his own party spokesperson went on about "we did this-this-this when we were in government, now the BJP when in government did that-that-that.. so since "that" is worse than "this".. congress is right and BJP is all crap... blah blah blah..." God save this nation!

Shoegate Scandals

Other than the dismal state of the economy, the only other thing people are talking about these days is the General Elections. Its a mammoth exercise extending over one whole month. Its already has had its fair share of controversies, highs and lows. 

With 24 X 7 X 365 news channels, hardly anything goes unreported (although some issues get "over reported" and others "under reported"). From the assets (strictly monetary) of the topmost politicians to the issues that interest the poorest of the poor.. news is buzzing with stories, every second. 

One particular trend, that struck me, well.. distrubing yet necessary in some way, was the rise in "shoegate" scandals!. From the home minister to low key leaders, they have all become victims of "shoe slinging". At one public rally, a 60 year old gentleman, got up from the audience to sling his shoe at the candidate addressing the rally! He missed!.. but not the TV camera- they got the entire shot - priceless footage. So bad is the situation that another popular mass leader refused to speak at a rally, until a huge net was erected in front of the dias!

Well, in a way.. politicains are a victim of their own deeds.. and the public is well within its rights to display some outrage- espeacially since other ways to seek redressals in this country are painfully slow- defeating their purpose. I sure hope politicians will wake up to the fact that people want results not promises.  

I was recently talking to a friend about how my partner is never free to go out for a nice holiday.. to which she instantly replied "Maybe you should have a staycation!". "A WHAT?"-I asked her. "Staycations" she promptly informed me were the alternative to expensive holidays in these times of recession, where the family has a vacation in their own city-which invariably is not well visited by the residents of the city in comparision to tourists.

Hmm!..curious to know more such "recession-genic" words.. i did an online search.. and came up with some suprising findings!..

In-sourcing: when workers float through different departments in lieu of temps.

BBR: buy, burn, and return. Buying DVDs or software from a store, burning them, and then returning them for a refund.

Intaxication: euphoria when receiving a tax refund.

Wii bum: a person who has no Wii of their own, so goes over to others' houses largely to play their Wii for free.
 
Sellsumer: a consumer/entrepreneur who hawks insights and ideas to corporations to help sales.
 
TALF’d: Tricked into believing something big is going to happen when it doesn’t.

Ponzimonium: describes the recent spike in mini-Madoffs.
 
Furcation: an unpaid, forced holiday.
 
Shovel-ready: local infrastructure “ready to go” projects waiting for stimulus money.
 
Duppie: a downwordly-mobile urban professional. 
 
Renoviction: when a landlord moves a tenant out during renovations and then jacks up the rent.

Gift A Peace Tree

There are many paths up the Mountain, but the view of the moon from the top is the same.-Old Japanese Proverb

The essence of the saying is with reference to the different religions of the world and the common thread that binds them. I couldn't agree more with this aptly put proverb. 

News, these days underlines the growing intolerance among people for people of different religions/races/castes. Wars of the world have polarised the nations on religious grounds. We now live in fear- wondering when the next terror attack is going to strike us, when the machinery of countries will breakdown in disarray, and when , if ever, our children can enjoy the peace that once lived in our society.

Frankly speaking, it seems like mankind is regressing in his "warring purposes". If wars in history were fought for land and power, wars nowdays are fought for religious dominance!..utterly regressive! especially when the whole concept of religion is a personal preference!

I recently can across an initiative called the "peace tree", that intends to bind people without the "blinding" of religion. Its based on a film where 2 little girls of 2 different religions strive to celebrate each others' festivals. 

They have a interesting website at www.sandalwoodproductions.com/peacetree/

The whole thought process behind this initiative is commendable. They have a peacetree day - celebrated on June 1st- the purpose of which is stated as

"To create a common festival where families and friends from all faiths and races can learn about and celebrate each other’s cultures, traditions and festivals together. The concept of Peace Tree Day is to educate, donate and celebrate diversi

ty."

They even encourage children to make their own "peace tree" and give you loads of suggestions on how to go about doing it at 

http://www.peacetreeday.com/makeapeacetree.htm

I wish we can carry the ideals behind this project to every child on earth. At least, our children will learn to respect diversity as it exsits. 

I also think men and women who divide society on religious grounds should be introduced to this noble concept. For one, may be the next time one of our leaders sprews the "venom of religious intolerance", their should be a mass uprising to "nip it in the bud"..like a campaign to "gift a peacetree".. on the lines of the famous "pink chadi" campaign. Hmm.. thats food for thought! 

Let us embrace the beauty of every culture and faith to create peace in our world.

Kitchen Cabinet Cures

Remember the time when we were kids.. we always had grandmoms and moms fussing over us when we got a cold or loose motions or whatever..they always seem to have a cure for everything.. in their kitchens!. If you happened just to sneeze.. thats it.. they would rush off to the kitchen and cook up some concotion.. that what barely palatable.. but voila!.. it worked!

As adults, we never get those privileges. Now we wait 2-3 days (just like that.. doing nothing) for the cold to disappear.. then if it doesn't go away as scheduled.. pop in some OTC(over-the-counter) cold tablet.. wait.. wait.. fill the wastebasket to the rim with dirty tissues .. and then..finally.. heave a sigh of relief when it does go away.

Ever wondered what that good ole' home remedy contained..? that secret recipe passed down from mothers who got them from their mother's mothers' etc..?

Well in an effort to preserve these "kitchen cabinet cures" before they get lost forever.. i collected some and listed it down here for all to see.. here goes..

• Got a nasty cold?.. fret not..drink hot ginger tea every 2 hours.Or sample some hot veg/chicken soup (with extra pepper and ginger flakes). Hot milk with honey/ginger/pepper/turmeric also works well.
• Sore throat?... try salt water gargles and hot milk with turmeric.. works like magic.
• Boils bothering you?..make a paste of atta (wheat four) and milk and apply it regularly. Also, use a hot iron  on a hanky and press the hanky on the boil (the heat dissolves the boil).
• Loose motions?.. make a paste of poppy seeds and sugar and swallow it (don't try tasting it!).
• Burnt yourself while cooking a meal?...place a raw potato peel on the burn.
• Wound /cuuts?..apply haldi (turmeric powder).
• Burping troubles/ Excess Gas?..try a mixture of saunf (fenel), rock salt and jeera in water. also massage the abdomen and apply a hot water bottle to the area.
• Acidity?.. time tested recipe- buttermilk; also..banana.
• Had a meal that you suspect will make you throw up soon?.. no problem .. chew on some cardamon pods.. my mom swears by this.. she carries a box a cardamons on every trip.
• Cramps?.. Place the affected part on a iron/steel object!.. I really don't know how this works .. but it does// try it yourself..
• Hives?.. rub a brass ashtray on the part (as bizzare as it sounds it works!).. also kokum water.. applied on the part.
• Joint Pains?.. mash freshly cooked hot rice into a poultice and massage on the part.(superficial moist heat therapy).
• Toothache?.. dip a cotton ball into clove oil and apply on the part (only on the affected part). Also alum works just as well.
• Prickly heat?.. sandalwood paste in milk works llike magic.
• And this really tops my list of bizzare home remedies..a juice made of maize leaves can cure kidney stones!.. and my aunt swears by it!. and so do some doctors too!

The Funniest Diary Ever!

Im not a major fiction fan..although an avid reader, I prefer periodicals and non-fiction paperbacks to reading a novel.. . so if I'm recommending a storybook.. it must really be special. Recently, while visiting my local lending-library, i came across the book "Bridget Jones Diary". Having seen the movie, I reluctantly picked it up and flipped through a few pages. Hmm.. it seemed interesting enough.. so i brought it home to read. And I landed up reading it cover to cover, without a break, laughing to my self, all the way. It was simply hilarious!. Every woman (and man) must read this masterpiece of comical writings. It is written like a diary.. as the name goes.. each day's entry starts off with her weight/no of ciggis she's had/ no of glasses of alcohol she's consumed/ and her remarks about the same!. I think every woman can identify (at least in part) with BJ's life- her mistakes in love, her obsession with her appearence/weight, her friends and their advices, her parents and their concerns and most of all her never-dying resolution to change (for the better!). Badly need a laugh?? Get you hands on this book!

The One Line Economics Lesson

Captilism makes people unequally rich; Communism makes people equally poor!

Change your attitude

There is so much agitation in the west about jobs being "off-shored" to countries like India. It is "the" phenomenon being blamed for the job losses, a situation made worse by the recession. Its so bad that when someone loses there job to outsourcing- its called " he's been bangalored!". In the wake of the crises, President Obama plans to bring in more "protectist"measures. (rising economic vocabulary- sign of the times!).And India has pledged to do all it can to ensure its outsourced work stations (read: call centers) are safe guarded from job losses!.

What a world we live in!.. 

Each one for his own, shaping their economic destiny. 

Anyway, just wanted to share with you guys some thing i just read- from a letter written by a manager of a MNC to his employees regarding the outsourcing crises.

"....Change is hard.Change is hardest on those caught by suprise. Change is hardest on those who have difficulty changing too. But change is natural; change is not new; change is important.....Work gets done where it can be done most effectively and efficiently...it is time to think about the obligations of change as well as the oppurtunities in it...'

The Changing Face of Indian cinema: My Must See Movie List

In recent times I have come across a number of really good Indian movies- a suprising change from the usual song-dance-action routine. These films are more in tune with the times- realistic, low budget and refreshing. Technically too these movies are up to the mark in most instances. 

One of my present favourites is a telugu movie called "Happy Days". Its a college romance story.. but thats where the similarity to the usual masala potboilers ends. Its superbly made.. simple yet appealling. Its a definite must see for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. As for me, I have seen it 10 times already and till counting

Shekar Kamulla, the director of Happy Days, is quite obviously the brain behind the film- as the entire movie is steered by its direction. His earlier movie "Godavari" is also just as brilliant and is also a definite must-watch.

Another must see in my list is "A Wednesday" starring Naseruddin Shah and Anupam Kher in probably their best performances to date. Although somewhat predictable, its central theame is innovative. Another movie with a similar theame is " Aamir"- also a good flick. Although, made with sincerity that shows in the performances, its not quite in the same league as "A Wednesday". Naseruddin Shah gave us another stellar performance last year with "Parzania"- a moving story in the background of the Gujarat riots of 2002. More than the story, the movie brings into focus the horror of the riots like it has never been seen before- leaving you wondering how such deplorable acts can be carried out in this age!

A Pakistani movie "Khuda Ke Liye" is another reminder of the turbulent times we live in- where religious extremism and terrorism go hand-in-hand. You have to have patience to get through the slow script, but at the end, its worth it. It leaves you with a better understanding of society as its exists today.

I recently chanced upon a tamil movie-" Vaaranam Aayiram" and was floored by it. With dual acting by the ever perfect Surya and sound track by Harris Jayraj, its a complete entertainer. Even though it is a somewhat song-dance-action movie- its different in a way. 

Design of a Bygone Era

I have always been fascinated by design- art/science/ technology/fashion is full of examples of people striving to "design". Personally, i have a passion for interior designing. But, i love "design" in many forms- paintings, sculptures, architecture, modern technology and even fashion (although i rarely ever dress with the times!). 

I'm not exactly spiritually inclined but i do love visiting ancient temples, primarily for their achitecture. I always tell people- "if i wasn't a doctor, i'd be either a journalist or an architect". Temple architecture is mind-boggling in many ways. One of the temples in India that has left me spell bound is the Brihadeshwara temple in Tanjore, Tamil Nadu. In terms of size and architecture, it is clearly a cut above the rest. Recently i even saw a documentary on the temple on Discovery channel- the serial host was quite obviously awed by the experience. There are  number of interesting facts about this monument.

• The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Great Living Chola Temples" and has been built in the 11th cetury A.D.
  
• The 'Vimana' - or the temple tower - is 216 ft (66 m) high(about 70 meters) and is among the tallest of its kind in the world. The stones that make this mammooth object is believed to have been conveyed to the top by means of a inclined plane commencing from Sarapallam (scaffold-hollow), four miles north-east of the city!
  
• Rajaraja Cholan, the Great Chola king built the temple, also known as Big Temple. "In the twenty-fifth year of Rajaraja Cholan (A.D 1009-10) on the 257th day of the year the king handed over the copper pot for the finial at the top of the Vimana". It weighed about 235 lbs., and was overlaid with gold plate of weight of 292.5 Kalanju or nearly 35 lbs. It is believed that its shadow is never cast on the ground!
  
• There is a big statue of Nandi (sacred bull), carved out of a single rock, at the entrance measuring about 16 feet long and 13 feet high. The monolithic stone is said to come from the river bed of Narmada- in west India.
  
• There is a tradition that the Nandhi is growing in size with the progress of time. It was feared it might become too large for the Mandapam erected over it and a nail was driven into the back of it, and since, its size has remained stationery!!!
  
• The entire temple structure is made out of hard granite stones, a material sparsely available in Thanjavur area.
  
• The Sivalinga of Sri Brihadisvara is probably the grandest in existence. The tower over the shrine is named Dakshina-Meru after the abode of Lord Shiva at Kailasam, the Uttara-Meru.
  
• It is perhaps the only temple in the world which carries an exhaustive documentation ranging over almost a hundred long inscriptions engraved on the walls, pillars and podium, of the comtempory history of the times.
  
• The temple also sports a depiction in stone, of eighty one of the one hundred and eight karanas of Bharata Muni's Natya Sastra -  from whence the dance form Bharthnayam originated.
  
• The inscriptional data also abound in mention of the jewellery of the period; about sixty-six different types of ornaments and jewellery are listed with all the details.
  
• An axial and symmetrical geometry rules the temple layout.
  
• It is said that the the wish to build a temple like this is said to have occurred to Raja Raja while he stayed at "eezham" [today's Sri lanka] as a war head. He saw a lot of Buddha statues that were very tall, which would have made him wish to build a great temple to his cordial deity SHIVA.
  

If you haven't seen Tajore yet, then i'll highly recommend it especially if you are a design fanatic like me!

Best Weekend Breaks

Hampi- the erstwhile Vijayanagar kingdom, now in ruins is a definte must-see for anybody touring India. We left for Hampi in a car from Hubli.Its about a 4 hour drive.. reasonably good roads.. scenic too. We reached Hampi by midday. Since we were planning to return to Hubli by nightfall.. we had only a few hours at our disposal. We bought a guide book.. but the whole place was so vast.. that we didn't know where to start. Our best investment for the trip was a local guide.. who offered us an hour's tour for a mere 100 bucks..an irresitible offer! This guy was briliant.. took us all around the place.. explaining the significance of this and that.. took our photos (ensuring that both of us figured in all the photos.. instead of i-take-u-u-take-me).  the entire experience left us in awe. One shudders to think how this kingdom must have existed in its times of finery. Brilliant architecture.. especially the dancing hall with "musical pillars" and the imposing idols of worship.

Devbagh Beach- A beach resort on an island off the coast of Karwar..a perfect getaway from the city. We went by bus to Karwar.. from there the tour operators organized a ferry till the island. Is like getting into paradise.. as the boat steers you closer to the island... breathtaking views everywhere!. We stayed in quaint little cottages and cabins. The food was amazing.. cooked by the local chefs.Most of all..the privacy is the best part. The beach is for the most part isolated..letting you soak in the sun (and rain . in our case). Plus we were treated with the works.. Banana boat drive, Beach volleyball..etc..All in all.. Fantabulous!

Gokarna-Temple town on the west coast. This town has its mention in mythology and is sacred to Shivites. It has four beaches..dotted with innumerable resorts. We choose the lesser known Kudle beach to stay.. and we were rewarded with a plush resort, unbelievable privacy, awesome scenery and a number of phoren tourists! The beach was inviting.. and we had a blast. We explored the sleepy town the next day..cant forget the temple street with enterprising pujaris!..

BR Hills- a canopy of a forest atop a hill near the town of Mysore with an organised eco-tourism unit and a wildlife santuary. This place is dense jungle, cut off from the world. surrounded by tribal hamlets and beasts of the wild. We choose the monsoon month of september to visit this place..not the best of decisions if you hate getting wet and dirty as you tred through the forest. The jeep safaris were thrilling as were the night's stay in tents (with no electricity) amidst calls of the wild.