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Power play
The time of the year when each of our politicians rake their mental stimulus more than regular. The time when, when they are ‘seemingly’ more energetic than usual. Who would want to loose out on a chance to get close to the public, at least once. Nevertheless, they are not all about political hubbub. Give it to them, for they have a life, like we do. They too get bogged down, once a while. They need to unwind once a while, may be read a book or watch their favourite film. For the health freaks, maybe a quick run on the treadmill. We quiz them on their picks…
Brisk walk, meditation and padyatras, do the needful when it comes to keeping fit for Pawan Bansal. But, when it comes to ‘pressure of work’, he hasn’t known this. De-stress: Work is rather pleasurable for me. It hardly tires me. But if it does, I spend a quiet evening with my family and engage in catching up with things. This is my best stress buster. Read you must: The Age of Turbulence by Alan Green Span What’s on your I-pod: Haven’t got down to using it yet. Home food: Home made vegetarian food especially dahi bhallas. Family ties: Whenever I am at home I try to snatch moments to lift a grand child up and relive my school day. As a family we always ensure that the family togetherness is never compromised at the altar of our busy schedules. At the dinner table we all invariably come together and have a family meal. Soap sob: Never find time to watch soap operas. Favourite place in Chandigarh: Sukhna Lake. For the youth: They now form the pivot of India’s inclusive and organic growth. It’s time for them to realise their full potential and come forward in large numbers to exercise their franchise and elect a government they desire and deserve. The former chief minister of Punjab, finds himself gather an extra pound during the elections. “The unfortunate part is that I don’t get time to do any kind of exercise during the elections,” says Captain Amarinder Singh, who still manages to keep a check on his diet. “It is common and a routine to be fed, while travelling. However, I try to restrict myself by taking just a sip of tea, which is offered to me. Otherwise, I think exercising my mental faculty keeps me energised,” he puts in. Read on: Before I retire for the day, I read up a history book, primarily on military. Work pressure not an issue: Almost 42 years now, I have learnt how to handle situations. So, there is no such pressure. Exercise, if time permits: Save for the elections, I walk regularly. And if I have time during the campaign, I would take a walk in the garden or run on the treadmill. Family ties: The entire family is contesting elections, so we hardly get time to sit together. But yes, I spend some time with my mother. Movie buff: I love to watch movies, and I am also fond of watching programs on wildlife, ancient history, stuff that they show on National Geographic and History Channel Soap tales: A big no Favourite destination: I have been all over the world, and at a point of life I wouldn’t want to run around the world. Maybe a getaway to the hills would be best. No time foe self: After all the meetings and campaigning, as the day comes to an end I have dinner, read a book and then catch up on my sleep. There is no time for myself. Almost 20 fresh pages of a history book or an autobiography are what serve as the best stress buster for Manpreet Badal. Reading Urdu poetry is also relaxing. In addition to this… Tread on: Personally, I like to use a treadmill whether I am in Chandigarh or at my village Badal. A 5 kms walk does the needful. Stress buster - I try to keep a book with me while I travel or campaign. If I catch 15-20 minutes, I try to read fresh pages of the book. A book that I recommend is Farid Zakaria’s The Post American World. Presently, I am going through Hamoodur Rehman’s report. News Hour: I am a compulsive news watcher. BBC, NDTV to name a few. But the only time I get to watch news is when I am on the treadmill. And I am not so fond of movies. Diet chart: This is the only pitfall, only thing that I can’t control. I end up having a pitcher of tea daily. Family Time: We hardly get time to sit together 5 minutes luxury: I like to go to my farm in village Badal, it’s a lovely place. He is a movie buff, and the last one that he got to see was Body Of Lies. Campaigning leaves no time to catch up on fitness fundas, nevertheless… Breathe easy: The day starts with puja and pranayaam. Apart from this, I don’t have time for anything else. Dietary issues: I can’t afford to keep a check on the diet. If I am in the field, it looks awkward to refuse if someone offers anything. De- stress with music: Generally, when I am coming back after a long day, I listen to music on my I-phone. Old Hindi and English numbers are my favourite. Nothing’s gonna change my love for you is my favourite 5 minutes Luxury: A lunch break, wherein I can go to some field, lie down under a tree on a charpoy and give some rest to my back. This is the time, when I go back in time and think about the years of hard work, which has brought me to this position. jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Travel time
Ultimate luxury
Believers of 'journey is the destination' know what we are talking about. Packing bags, shuttling, sight seeing at supersonic speed, is not what holidays are for. Star Cruises, the luxury liner, claims to bring 'everything under the sun' in their ship - Superstar Virgo. Get over spas, jacuzzis, table tennis; think golf course, karaoke pubs, casinos, water slides in the same liner while traveling from Singapore to Thailand via Malaysia! Travelling is for pampering, all the five senses, including the sixth and even the common sense! Adventure point
Marvelous Mauritius
Newer pastures
Still humming; 'God's own country', 'Malaysia truly Asia' or 'Go Goa'? Is Europe still your dream destination? Safe to call your travel knowledge anachronic. "In India, certain offbeat and hitherto undiscovered places like Thekkady, Munnar and Poovar in Kerala are finding favour," says Ritesh Sharma, branch manager, Club Mahindra. "Singapore, Europe et al have always been popular but Hong Kong and China are emerging fast," says Naveen Labana, leisure travel executive, Thomas Cook. Custom made
Well, if luxury's getting redefined, with activities getting innovative and destination moving beyond, can packages be behind? Some recent buzzwords? Customised packages. Almost all the travel agencies offer customised solutions wherein one can design their own travel plan instead of lapping up the 'one size fits all' travel packages. Nothing’s exhaustive, they're ready to offer, provided you're ready to ask for sun, moon and stars! manpriya@tribunemail.com Net solutions
It's a wedding of the travel and technology. Wistful thinking, deciding where to go, arranging tickets, booking resorts or just back from holiday, there's a site, travel portal for every imaginable purpose. Zoomtra.com, a travel search engine has launched a destination and travel review application-India Dekha-on the two popular social networking sites-Orkut and Facebook. Then there's also travel portal, Travel Blogs, a collection of handpicked blogs, written by seasoned travel bloggers. Makemytrip.com actually lets you devise your own travel plan. |
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After replacing Aishwarya Rai thrice - as the actress with most Internet downloads, ambassador of a jewellery brand and now as the Indian face of Barbie - 24-year-old Katrina Kaif has proved how young actresses in Bollywood are giving their 30-plus colleagues a run for their money.
"Actors have a very short span of life as most of them start early and by the time they cross 30, the nature of the roles they get are more mature than candy floss stuff. So the industry is always on the lookout for young blood," Chatterjee said. Other young actresses like Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor and Genelia D'Souza too are walking away with the lion's share of films and brand endorsements in the industry these days. Deepika has been cast instead of 35-year-old Aishwarya in Kalpana Lajmi's Singhasan. She has also bagged the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) ad from 34-year-old dimpled beauty Preity Zinta.
After the success of Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na, Genelia D'Souza has become a sought after name and replaced Preity and Rani Mukerji as the brand ambassador of Cadbury's Perk and Fanta respectively. These apart, Kareena took on the mantle of doing a full-fledged role opposite Aamir Khan in Three Idiots after Kajol walked away. "When Rekha and Hema Malini turned older, Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi replaced them. When the latter two became slightly older, Aishwarya Rai and Rani Mukerji took their place and now these two are being replaced by Katrina and Priyanka. It's a cycle - even these actresses will be dethroned some day," said Chatterjee. — IANS
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After Scarlett Johansson and Johnny Depp, Victoria Beckham is making a cameo appearance on TV cartoon Spongebob Squarepants. The 34-year-old former Spice Girl has landed a guest role as a princess on the hit Nickelodeon cartoon. Posh recorded the voice-over late last year and, according to the sources, studio bosses are quiet impressed.
"Victoria was a complete pro and finished all her takes in a day," sources said. "She isn't interested in becoming an actress, but voice-over work is something that appealed. She joked that she could simply rock up to the studios in a trackie and no make-up and no one would ever know. "Scriptwriters created the role of a posh British princess especially for her and were blown away by what a natural she was. "Victoria enjoyed every minute and is keen to do more. Network bosses have been in touch since, offering more work - she really does have her pick of projects," the source added. She was persuaded to take the part by youngest son Cruz, four - who is a huge fan of Spongebob. Posh's episode is likely to air during an hour-long special this summer. — ANI
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Supermodel Kate Moss has revealed that she idolises legendary attractive diva Elizabeth Taylor. Kate, who herself is a style icon for multifarious women around the world, revealed that she found Elizabeth Taylor to be the ultimate style icon. "I'd be like Liz Taylor if I was going to imitate anyone," she said. "Just the way she breathes and everybody wants to give her diamonds because she goes: 'Oh my God. I just love it,' they give her bigger and bigger ones," she added. Meanwhile, Kate was also in the news for unveiling her summer collection.— ANI
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When old masters make melody
Similar views were expressed by another well known and among few female maestros of Patiala gharana, Primila Puri. Daughter of former Indian Army Chief, General SM Shrinagesh and now a city based performing classical vocalist and art promoter Puri observed that Patiala gharana gayaki maintains its traditional purity and historical continuity. The classical music imparts refinement to folk, light or any music form, she claims based on the expertise she attained in renditions of thumri, dadra, bhajan and ghazal that encompass her repertoire. Her revered Ustad Munnawar Ali Khan of Patiala gharana has exposed her to the depth and rigour of highest standards of the classical tradition while she too remained completely committed and devoted. However, such dedication is found lacking in some of the teachers and the taught as the commercial considerations prevail. A graded artist of AIR with a few albums to her credit, Primila Puri had performed extensively till 1995. But with her conscientious riyaz, she retains the same charismatic form, which was apparently discernible at a Triveni concert where she performed after a hiatus of eleven years.
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Pill concerns
Emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) may be an easy way to avoid unexpected pregnancy but doctors caution it’s not a substitute of conventional ‘everyday’ birth control pill. “It should only be used in ‘emergency’ as the name suggests,” says Dr Swapna Mishra, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Fortis Hospital, Mohali. Unaware of the serious consequences, most women take about three-five pills per menstrual cycle to avoid unwanted pregnancy. “Women must know that an ECP ‘cannot’ be a substitute for regular oral or injectible contraceptives. Even, WHO defines emergency contraception as back-up method for contraceptive emergencies, women can use within the first few days after unprotected intercourse to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.” She explains: single EC pill contains about 8-10 times more oestrogen as compared to a simple contraceptive pill. And a woman has to take two such pills to keep the unwanted pregnancy at bay. Following inadequate knowledge, women land up taking an overdose. She says that the pill has high doses of progestins levonorgestral that interferes with the fertilisation process. “As a result, women don’t come to know when they have actually missed their periods. Most women come to us when they miss their second cycle and most cases are in advance stages of pregnancy,’’ says Dr Swapna. “Efficacy of ECP is less than regular contraceptives pills. And the failure rates keep adding, thereby increasing the chances of future pregnancies. Oral Contraceptive Pills have a failure rate of less than one percent (.3 percent) and ECP have about 20 percent,” says doctor What are the benefits of OCP? The benefit of birth control pills is that they are effective in preventing pregnancy but don’t interrupt sexual intercourse. Women who use OCPs, when compared to their non-pill counterparts, have occurrences of acne, pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and osteoporosis. Generally, women who have no gynecologic problems before they start taking oral contraceptives have no trouble becoming pregnant after they stop taking birth control pills, regardless of how long they have been taking them. When one wishes to get pregnant, it is recommended that one waits until one has had at least two normal menstrual periods after stopping the pills. What are the disadvantages of OCPs? One disadvantage of birth control pills is that one must remember to take a pill every day. Other problems one may have while taking birth control pills include:
ECP Pills that contain a progestin alone or a progestin and an estrogen together consumed within 72 hours within unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. Work is primarily by preventing or delaying the release of eggs from the ovaries. It does not cause abortion. Effectiveness rate is 98-99% provided taken under the guidance of a qualified doctor. Are ECPs a necessary evil: Research shows that 78 percent of the pregnancies in India are unplanned and at least 25 percent are unwanted. This unfortunately leads to abortions, numbering approximately 11 million a year, half of which are unsafe and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Health risks and side-effects: Changes in menstrual pattern, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headaches, dizziness and vomiting. anujaj@tribunemail.com
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Staying keen on exercise
Sachin Kalra What’s the trick to staying keen on exercise? Something that will convince one person to exercise might not have any affect whatsoever on someone else. Realising the benefits to be gained is good enough for some whereas others might need more convincing. Follow these simple steps to stick to your fitness programme and know that following a healthy lifestyle is like making a HEALTH investment in the future.
Start Safely- Check with your health care provider before trying a new exercise routine so you don’t do anything that’s unsafe. Also, take time to get proper instruction on different types of exercise and technique. Choose a workout you enjoy- Thirty minutes on the treadmill is torture if you’d rather be walking outdoors or taking a dance class. It’s crucial to make exercise something you like doing, otherwise you’ll dread making it a part of your life. Set realistic goals- Setting a goal takes you from merely wishing and dreaming, to heading toward a specific, reasonable target. The deadline will push you to get the most out of your exercise and nutrition program. When you reach your goal, and you will, set a new, specific goal to take you to the next level. Exercise with a friend- Statistics tell us that people who exercise with a friend are more successful at exercising consistently. You can make each other accountable. Knowing that someone is waiting for you can be great motivation to show up and get it done! Take it one day at a time- The more gradually you take on an exercise plan, the more likely you are to achieve your goals. Your body will adjust better if you start slowly, and you’ll get stronger without injuring yourself. Avoid making too many lifestyle changes at once. For instance, changing your diet, giving up smoking and rushing into a full-on fitness plan is too much all at once. Exercise at least 6 days per week - Studies have shown that those who exercise 5 to 6 days a week, in the morning are much more likely to stick with the program and reap the benefits. Morning exercise awakens the metabolism and senses to kick start your day. And a long/bad/ hectic day can no longer be an excuse for not working out. Vary your fitness routine- Cross-training is the key to a balanced fit body. If you don’t change up your workouts, your body only trains one set of muscles and you stop seeing results. To prevent this fitness plateau, make sure you incorporate a variety of strength training, flexibility and cardiovascular exercise into your routine. Reward yourself- There’s no better way to sustain your motivation to get fit than immediate gratification. So, when you reach the halfway point of your goal, treat yourself to something like a nice dinner out or that new handbag you’ve had your eye on. Skip a day- Exercise obsession is as bad as none at all because it’s physically and mentally counterproductive. Allowing your muscles to rest and rejuvenate is a crucial part of being healthy and achieving maximum results. And giving yourself a mental break prevents burnout and makes you more likely to stick to a long-term exercise plan. kalrasachin@hotmail.com
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It doesn't even matter what you travel for. Luxury? Adventure? Escapism? Or business? The fact remains that man cannot be reborn, but he can travel! In the process, rediscover, replenish, and rejuvenate. Recession, ugly as the word may sound, can go take a walk. When did gypsies bother about meltdown? Giving 'tribute' befitting the spirit we bring you everything 'offbeat' about the holidays in the ensuing summers. Those wishing to visit Goa, Shimla, Mussoorie, can conveniently turn over. 
If bungee jumping excites you more than sight seeing, trekking's on your mind rather than shopping and scuba diving works in place of unwinding at spa. In short, if you're the adventure types, time you rediscovered Himachal. The popular tracks being from moderately difficult Chandratal Lake to Baralacha Pass, Hamta Pass, Bhrigu Lake to the extremely difficult Thamsar Pass in Kangra or Kugti Pass in Shimla. Himachal is much more than Shimla's mall road! 
Those wishing for a combo of exotic locales, thrill and water sports can discover Mauritius. Says Tarika Ahuja, destination manager, Mauritius Tourism; "It's such a popular destination, so much so that even recession hasn't affected us as much. Even in 2008, there were roundabout 44,000 Indian travellers who visited Mauritius. And there's still a lot left to be discovered." Apart from the beaches, explore activities - sub scooter (sea exploration in a sea through under water scooter), deep-sea fishing, quad biking (available at several parks, this sport lets explore countryside) dolphin cruise, catamaran cruise (imagine barbeques and swim with dolphins along the West coast). 
Not just Aishwarya, Katrina has also replaced 33-year-old Sushmita Sen for an endorsement deal with shampoo brand Pantene. Noted film critic Saibal Chatterjee says this is a normal phenomenon in the industry.
Like Katrina, Bollywood's size-zero girl Kareena, 28, nudged Aishwarya out of the Filmfare Top-10 Power list. And Masakali girl Sonam Kapoor has succeeded Aishwarya as the Indian face of cosmetic brand L'Oreal.
The purity of thought, the emotive feel and depth of contents, powerful voice and discipline are essential factors to embellish an Indian classical raga or a composition.” This opinion comes as an affirmation from Ustad Ram Lal of Patiala music gharana. Born in Patiala in 1935, Ram Lal was attracted to the melody of music every time he witnessed any performance or even a brass band playing some lilting tunes. His childhood association with Fateh Ali Khan and Amanat Ali Khan before partition at Patiala, who later became stalwarts of Patiala gharana too motivated him to make music as his calling. He learnt the intricacies of classical music from Guru Hira Lal and now Ustad Ram Lal claims to have groomed over thousand disciples. In city, for a private concert organised by the Triveni Sangeet Sabha, he shared his views w. On the popularity of Indian classical music he says, “ It is on a tremendous rise against a handful of artists and ustads. It has transcended the barriers and reigns supreme the world over. Also, the print and electronic media has contributed substantially to the propagation of music and other performing arts.”
Think of all the benefits of exercise- Increased energy, increased mental focus, increased self-esteem, increased sense of control over your life, reduced chances of heart attack, osteoporosis, breast cancer, increased strength and stamina, reduction of stress...etc...etc..