Metro Mart November 2013

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Volume 3 Issue 4-5 N0vember 2013

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T H I R U VA N A N T H A P U R A M

Kovalam & Beyond
Indian Hospitality Internationally
Tourism must go rural
A long way to go
Preserve Kovalam
Connectivity needs to be boosted

“Veendum, veendum I like
dancing for the people of
Thiruvananthapuram.”

The boutique of
designer products

Manju Warrier is
Goodwill ambassador
for ‘She Taxi’

FEATURE STORY
www.metromartdaily.com

Mannarasala - the supreme
place of worship of
the serpent Gods

November 2013

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Why Sikkim topped the 2014 Lonely Planet list? Hailing
from a city where tourism is one of the prominent
revenue makers, this news caught my attention, which
was published in Times News Network on 3rd November
2013. The article is an eye-opener for anyone in the tourism
industry to learn how we can develop a tourism spot. Sikkim
was nowhere in the global tourist map a decade ago. But
with long-term plans by the government and using of funds
from various agencies for the benefit of the industry and the
people, Sikkim rose to the top spot of global tourism.

Foreword

Hi Readers,

All these years what have we achieved greatly in the tourism
development of our city - apart from Kovalam? If nearby
areas like Vizhinjam and Poovar developed, was it due to
private venture or government initiatives? We are blessed
with natural spots – be it lakes, hill stations, rivers, etc. Can
a city which does not have a proper master plan for years,
be expected to have a tourism development plan? We talk a
lot, but when it comes to action we miss the essentials. But
we cannot survive by taking things for granted. Kovalam
is an international tourism spot, tourists will come! When
that is the case, visit the beach; you will see empty shores
during the beginning of tourism season. Only a combined
and sincere effort from every stakeholder including each
citiyite can bring a positive change in the growth of tourism.
Each of us has to participate and inspire our leaders to act,
to enable growth.

Hari Shanker
Manag8ing Editor

With the help of Japanese and American experts Sikkim
was the first state to frame an eco-tourism policy. In
underdeveloped areas of the state, Sikkim has successfully
developed homestay-based tourism model. Union
government projects like Indira Awaas Yojana aided to
develop the houses in villages with provision of additional
funds to build an extra room and western style toilet for
tourists. Then the family members were given training in
all aspects of hospitality at Hotel Management institutes.
Today these home stays are a preferred destination for
nature-loving foreign and Indian tourists. Development of
infrastructure and adequate skilled manpower brought
Sikkim a sustained tourism growth.

In this edition of METRO we are featuring several articles
on cities’ tourism opportunities – ‘Kovalam and Beyond’
penned down by experts from the industry. We have our
complete menu offered in this edition for your reading
delight. Do write back to us to make METRO more useful to
you.

November 2013

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CONTENTS

Volume 3 Issue 4-5 November 2013

8

Indian Hospitality
Internationally

12

A long way to go

14

Collaboration
would develop
the destination

16

Preserve Kovalam

Sub Editor

18

Connectivity needs
to be boosted

Editorial Assistant

Ampili Nair

Creative Assistant

Sayan Chaudhuri

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“Kerala”- World’s Best
Family Destination

Annual Subscription `400
Managing Editor
Hari Shanker
hari@martinfotech.in

CEO & Managing Director
Siji Nair
sijicn@gmail.com

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Experience Luxury Grooming
at The Leela Kovalam

24

Grand Kerala Shopping Festival

26

V Viswanath

Roopesh Shekhar
GM Sales

Sibu Nair

Sparkles – The boutique of
designer products

GM Administration

Binoy Krishna

Manager - Promotions

Anoop I S

Corporate Office:-

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Paithrika HomesEmail: metromart.tvm@gmail.com

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Mannarasala

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Recipe

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Metro Update

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Last Leaf

Redefine fine living!

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Metro Mart is a monthly journal published from Trivandrum. Views and opinions expressed in the journal are not
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Metro Mart reserves the right to use the information published here in any manner whatsoever. While every effort
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© All Rights Reserved

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November 2013

RNI No: KERENG/2011/40037

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Indian Hospitality Internationally
Kovalam & Beyond
Kovalam is nature’s gift to Kerala with such an idyllic
beauty which could lure any tourist who looks for a scenic
location. Kovalam is known for its lush grove of coconut
trees, crescent shaped beaches, calm blue waters, and a
rustic village life around. Kovalam was brought to the
world as a beautiful tourism location by the Maharaja of
Travancore realizing its potential.

E M Najeeb

The European guests of
the royal family in 1930’s
had discovered the
potentiality of Kovalam
as a tourist destination. It
was Col. Goda Varma Raja
of the Travancore Royal
family who took lead in
the late 60’s to establish
Kovalam as a destination.
By the beginning of 70’s
India Tourism Development Corporation set-up a
five star hotel resort at an
amazingly beautiful spot at
Kovalam, bringing Indian
hospitality of international
class to this location. It
was Kovalam that had
brought Kerala into the
Indian tourist map first.
In the later years we found
a gush of unplanned
development at Kovalam.
Later we found many more
congesting constructions
coming up to cater to the
charters that started landing for Kovalam. A good
number of hotels contracted with charter operators
at very lower tariff, and as

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November 2013

a result their yield dropped
and at the same time could
not entertain the conventional operators sending
groups and FIT’s. Charters
unfortunately could not

continue to operate. It is
a set of good quality highend hotels which came
up later in Kovalam that
retained the high yielding
tourists at Kovalam and

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saved the traffic. Now the
strength of Kovalam zone
is the excellent resorts
adorning the place.

experience with the local
ambience. It is more of a
beach village with a visible
village life around. So
far we could not define
All through Kovalam has
the destination in that
been ailing, and has been
character, and has been
in need of basic infrastruc- treating it as any other
ture, except for some
beach destination, which
cosmetic developments
was a mistake. We need to
done here and there. It has convince ourselves as to
been lacking a good mashow this destination has
ter plan, a clear destination to be developed realizing
product definition and a
the most satisfying and
futuristic development
unique visitor-experiences
road map. In the absence
it offers. Based on that, we
of such blueprints, nobody should make a master plan
integrating necessary infracould do much for the
structure, hospitality faciliquality enhancement at
ties, recreation and activity
Kovalam.
centres, and natural village
Kovalam is not a convenlife with prominence to
tional beach destination.
fishermen’s life. Kovalam
It does not have long
should be linked to an
stretches of white sand
attractive tourist circuit
beaches like Goa or any
making it a worthwhile
other places. Kovalam
destination. Though a touroffers a very unique visitor ism circuit was developed

at the southern region of
Kerala with Kovalam as
the major hub and other
tourist centers as part of
it, the circuit has not been
worked upon to perfect it
and promote.
There is a backwater
stretch leading from
Kovalam to beautiful
lakes like Kadinamkulam.
Ones the canal is cleared
at Varkala, it will connect
further north upto Kottapuram making it an attractive inland waterway.
At Kovalam, beyond the
present beaches there are
attractive beach locations
developed at Chowara,
Vizhinjam, etc which have
already developed as excellent resort destinations.
Trivandrum is a unique
tourist spot where one can
reach a beautiful hill resort
like Ponmudi in 2½ hours
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of travel from the beautiful
Kovalam beach. Neyyar
dam is known for its ecologically rich environment,
Veli village – a picnic spot
and Varkala is yet another
beach resort. From Trivandrum, it is easy to visit the
land’s end Kanyakumari
enjoying the confluence
of the three oceans and
the Vivekananda Rock. If
all these attractions are
arranged in an excellent
circuit and marketed,
Trivandrum region will
gain a lot of attention. The
Trivandrum international
airport is provided with
Tourist Visa on Arrival
(TVoA) facility for tourists
from more than 40 countries recently, which would
trigger-off the growth of
tourism in the region very
fast. But, pathetically the
infrastructure is poor at
many locations and tourist
centers like Ponmudi and
other such locations are
neglected. In such a situ-

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ation, Kovalam and just
the surrounding places
are the consolation we
have. Trivandrum city with
its heritage and historic
grandeur is another major
strength of the region.
Infrastructure, failed to be
provided include good approach roads, fresh water
supply, waste management, sewage systems,
public lighting, signage,
beach cleaning and a blueprint for a planned beach
village. The authentic village life of Kovalam should
be revived. History and
heritage be brought back.
People or agencies polluting air and water of the
place should be penalized.
Sound pollution should be
banned for peaceful atmosphere. Necessary legislation should be applied for
ensuring the same.
There are very unique local
attractions like fishing,
local cuisine, seafood,

local life, local knowledge,
traditional medicine, et al,
to be integrated to give
the beach village a stand
alone character. The place
used to be known for its
fresh fish, lobster, king
prawns, kalamari, fruits,
coconut-toddy etc, could
be brought back with its
authentic freshness to
attract the tourist. There
is a ‘Responsible Tourism’
movement initiated in this
village, participating the
villagers in the tourism
industry as stakeholders
and service providers. They
produce the local produces
and supply to the local
hotels. This movement has
given a new perspective
about tourism that tourism
is their affair too. Responsible Tourism initiatives
can be integrated to the
product development of
Kovalam beach destination. There should not be
isolated buildup of tourism
by certain segments alone.

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Instead it should be a total
and comprehensive movement of the local community, hand in hand with the
mainline tourism industry.
Unfortunately this destination is also gripped
by negatives like growing number of peddlers,
hawkers, touts and stray
dogs. Studies show that
there are drug trafficking,
prostitution, organized
begging and such others.
This should be contained
on a war-footing basis
strengthening intelligence
and law and order. If necessary, our law should be
modified to contain such
menaces effectively.
The best way to clean up
the activities of the desti-

nation is to involve the local bodies and the general
public in the management
of the place. There should
be regular interfaces with
the local-body authorities,
village leaders and opinion
makers which should
support a healthy tourism
activity and a healthy
destination.
There is already an appreciable environmental
movement at Kovalam
namely ‘Zero Waste
Management’. Similar
movements should be
strengthened and an
environmental awareness
should be created. Such
movements with objectives of social betterment
also should be linked to

the tourism development
efforts of Kovalam. Local
culture should be revived.
Traditional products,
crafts, arts and festivals
of the locality should be
revived and brought to
prominence. This only
would help to keep the
identity of Kovalam as
a unique beach village
location and be able to
showcase the innate
wealth of the place. This
would surely bring back
its image as the “Paradise
of South” as it used to be
known once.
The author Mr E M Najeeb
is the Chairman and
Managing Director Air
Travel Enterprises Group of
companies

Tourism must go rural

Kallingal Shafeeq
Managing Director
Kallingal Bajaj

The focus of tourism industry is mostly focused on
the city limits of Thiruvananthapuram. Not much
tourism promotional activities are done for the scenic
areas of Ponmudi, Neyyar
Dam, Agasthyakoodam,
Kallar, etc. Proper accommodation facilities are
not provided at Ponmudi.
Safety and security has
to be ensured for families
that visit Ponmudi. Ponmudi could come up like

Munnar if appropriate
development is carried out
in the area. The tourism
potential of Agasthyakoodam is not realised as
it should be. Basic facilities
at Kallar, Aruvikkara, and
Neyyar Dam should be well
maintained and enhanced.
The work of Kallar-Ambasamudram Road is still
lagging. The completion of
which would boost tourism in the region.
November 2013

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A long way to go
Kovalam & Beyond
With the onset of the tourist season in Kovalam, it is high
time that one takes a measure of the arrangements that
we have in place for welcoming the visitors and ensuring
that they have one of the finest experiences in God’s Own
Country.
Year-on-year, everyone
associated with the
hospitality industry does
an introspection as to
what went well, where
it went wrong and what
needs to be done to make
it better. As a result, both
the government and the
private sector have played
a major role in bringing
quite a few changes as
far as the development of
Kovalam, as a destination
of international repute, is
concerned. But there is still

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November 2013

a long way to go to make
this destination more appealing, friendly, and easily
accessible, etc.
Government officials,
prominent citizens, hoteliers, associations have all
brainstormed time and
again to bring the changes
that have happened so far.
But I still strongly feel that
there are a few key areas
that need to be addressed
on a war time footing to
avoid the further decline
of inflow of visitors to this

Mathew Thomas
destination. These areas
have been there since long
and needs to be addressed
immediately and on a
larger scale.
Prominent among the
issues is accessibility. The
Kovalam bypass road especially from the Trivandrum
International / Domestic
Airport to Kovalam and
Poovar is very narrow with
the Thiruvallam bridge
being a constant sore
point which throws traffic
into chaos not only in this

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stretch, but also around
the neighboring routes
too.
Disposal of garbage is
another major issue which
not only Kovalam, but the
entire city of Trivandrum
seems to face. Necessary
measures need to be taken
for disposal of garbage
in a systematic manner.
Prominent hotels and resorts like Taj, Leela’s, Uday
Samudra, Somatheeram,
etc., have some measures
and processes in place
within the hotel premises
to take care of effective
disposal of garbage. But
this alone does not suffice.
The garbage disposed in
the other general public
areas and way sides give
an unhygienic feel to this
destination. In spite of various awareness campaigns
and drives by the government, rampant dumping of
garbage at unauthorized
locations and road sides is
evident.
Drinking water is another

cause for concern for this
destination especially for
the numerous hospitality establishments. The
major source of drinking
water is the water tanker
which brings them from a
distance. With the onset
of rains, the chlorine level
in the water is also very
much high.
A trend among tourists is
that they prefer to travel
to Sri Lanka nowadays
rather than come to
Kovalam. The reason for
the same is the very high
air fares for Trivandrum
sector whereas one can
get cheaper tickets for Sri
Lanka. It also gives the visitors a feel of having had
an international holiday at
lesser travel expense. To
add salt to the wound, the
heavy taxation in the state
for all associated services
takes a toll on the tourist
thereby making them think
twice before travelling
to Kovalam. These two
points need to be seriously looked into before

Kovalam
gets the
impression
of being an
expensive
destination for tourists.
The main thought about
any tourist destination in
the minds of the traveller
is always – “What All Can I
Do Once I Reach There?”.
As a beach destination,
Kovalam is yet to be
tapped to its potential.
Leisure and holiday
activities are still lacking in
a major way, though here
and there some initiatives
are being taken. One main
area to be explored is Water Sports which is always
a major attraction for any
beach destination. Options
for speed boats, water
scooters, surfing, kayaking, water skiing, jet skiing,
paragliding, parasailing,
etc., should be looked
into with investment from
private players. Equally
important or even more
important is the night
life in Kovalam. There are
hardly any night life options available in Kovalam
hence not so attractive to
the younger generation.
Kerala Tourism’s focus on
development of Kovalam
and especially the Kovalam
– Poovar belt is a very
important initiative and
needs to be done in a time
bound manner.


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Collaboration would develop
the destination
Kovalam is not what it was 10 years back. It
has become a very common place. People
are looking for places which are not yet crowded. As far
as infrastructure is concerned, there is limitation to what
government can do.

Karan Bakshi

However, this destination
will survive for the next
50 years, whether it is
domestic clients or foreign
clients. So it needs to
be supported with good
roads, power supply and
needs to have sufficient
water facility.
Beach-wise what they
can really improve on is
providing space for all
travelers who come to
enjoy the beach here,
which is a unique thing.
Domestic clientele will
compare what he gets in
Goa. Since the beach is
better than in Goa and as it
is not yet crowded as Goa,
we can get this exclusivity
in that space. But the
facility at the beach is
a problem. If there is
collaboration between
local people and the hotel
the necessary facility such
as well-maintained pool
cots, keeping the beach
clean, etc. can be provided
to the travelers.
The crowd now is
spreading up to Chowara
and Poovar. Hotels have
come up there. People

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November 2013

want to go to places
which are not that much
covered. Everybody
wants to have exclusive
place, good location. So
Poovar that way is getting
promoted quite well.
Better boats need to be
organized there. During
the off-season, it is a very
strong MICE destination.
Access by boat needs to
be enhanced. Government
needs to ensure proper
boats with safety. The
interior roads also need to
be maintained well. The
impression that the guests
get while driving down to
the destination should be
taken in to consideration.
Local people are the key to
any success of the hotels.
So collaboration with them
would aid developing
the place as a tourist

destination.
People who stay in
Kovalam for longer
duration need to have
some entertainment apart
from the beach. Tourism
department could put
up one central place in
Kovalam where they have
some sort of local cultural
performances every day,
which could be charged.
Kerala’s art and culture
should be showcased
at one location for the
customer. It would be a
big boost for Kovalam.
Visa-on-Arrival will really
help as there will be more
inflow of tourists.
The author Mr Karan Bakshi
is the Regional General
Manager , Thomas Hotels
and Resorts

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Preserve Kovalam
Highlight the stretch of Shanghumukham - Poovar as
tourist destination
Kovalam is one of the best beach destinations in the
world and we have to preserve the uniqueness. Lately, a
number of issues have crept up in and around Kovalam.
The most important is waste management. Efficient
waste disposal programmes need to be developed and
carried out by the government.
Across Europe, the trend
is eco-friendly, responsible
and sustainable tourism.
However, the image of
Kovalam as a serene
and eco-friendly spot is
changing. With the new
port coming up, travelers
see the construction
activity around it. Travel
agents around the world
get the feel that Kovalam
is changing to a port.

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November 2013

New travel agents would
be reluctant to promote
Kovalam if they are
unsure about the status
of Kovalam as a tourist
destination. The resorts
and hotels who voice that
environment should be
protected and Kovalam
should be preserved
are labeled as people
against port development.
Government, in particular,

Subhash C. Bose

tourism department is
doing nothing to counter
these ramifications.
There should be strong
PR efforts from the
government to nullify
the fears of the guests
and travel agents.
Efforts should be taken
by the government
for simultaneous
development of tourism
industry and port. The

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focus of government on
Kovalam is almost nil. The
road shows conducted by
tourism department are
not reaching the targeted
audience.
Kovalam and Poovar
were declared as a
special destination. The
area demarked is quite
small. Since the beach
at Kovalam is becoming
crowded, the good
beaches before and
after Kovalam could be
highlighted. A model
tourism project can be
put up at Chowara beach
since the government
owns acres of land at this
place. Even though Poovar
– within 22 km from the
city – has been declared
as a tourist spot, there
is not much promotional
activities about it. Along
with preservation of the
lake and environment at
Poovar, infrastructure
development is necessary


for further advancement
of the destination. When
we say Kovalam and
Beyond, the entire belt
of ShanghumukhamPoovar – with all the
beautiful beaches and
scenic locations between
it – should be declared as
tourist destination and
the required facilities and
benefits provided.
Dog menace, trouble from
beach vendors, and lack
of safe facilities for the
guests at the beach are
some of the other ongoing
issues.
Hotels have only limited
permission and private
parties who have
permission to provide
facilities is not up to the
standard. Tourist resorts
and hotels could aid in
development of the tourist
destination if some leeway
is provided to them.
Some area in the beach

should be
earmarked
for the use
of tourists
exclusively.
Connectivity
between Kochi and
Thiruvananthapuram
needs to be boosted.
Responsible tourism
should be followed.
Guests could be taken to
local villages and given a
glimpse of the daily life
of local people, fishing
activity, etc. Currently,
safety is an issue to give
such demonstrations.
Earlier guests used to
reach Kovalam first and
only a fraction of that
went ahead to other
places. That situation has
changed. To have tourism
in Kerala, Kovalam has to
be preserved.
The author Shri Subhash
C Bose is the Corporate
General manager of
Somatheeram Ayurveda
Group

September 2013
November

17

Connectivity needs to be boosted
As all are aware, this season started very
badly, and it was mainly because of the
deflation of the currency and the simultaneous inflation in
the daily used commodities, fuel and airline rates.
Unnikrishnann V Menon

Firstly, the Civil Aviation
dept should allow
more schedules to
Thiruvananthapuram from
major sectors like Delhi,
Gujarat, and Bangalore,
as these are the major
sectors, which has scope
of business for hoteliers,
especially in Kovalam.
Secondly, to inhabit the
tourism sector in Kovalam,
we need a permanent
solution to clear off the
garbage disposed in both
sides of the national
highway between Kovalam
and Thiruvananthapuram
Airport. There should be
action not just discussions.
It should be taken up at
the government level
and hoteliers’ forum
should be involved in

the proceedings. These
discussions have been
going on for a long time,
without any result.

extended to countries
such as Russia from where
we could expect more
tourists.

Tourism Promotion Council
should act on time to
appoint proper lifeguards
and cleaning staff to keep
all the Kovalam Beaches
clean and tidy throughout
the year.

Kovalam must have
further entertainment
avenues such as Water
sports that would double
the revenue to Kovalam.
Shacks with liquor license
should be set up in
demarcated areas at the
beach. A certain degree
of liberty and privileges
to guests would enable
them to enjoy their stay in
Kovalam.

Visa-on-Arrival has to be

The author Mr.
Unnikrishnann V Menon
is the General Manager of
Swagath Holiday Resort Pvt
.Ltd. Kovalam, Trivandrum

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November 2013

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“Kerala”- World’s Best Family Destination
Jonty Rhodes Visits Kerala Pavilion at WTM, London
Lonely Planet has named Kerala as one among the world’s 10 best destinations
for taking the family along for a holiday in 2014.The Lonely Planet award for the
Best Family Destination was bestowed on ‘God’s Own Country’ at the World Travel
Mart (WTM) in London, the world’s leading travel trade event attended by industry
representatives from around the world
Kerala joined the likes of
New York City, Denmark,
Prague, Iceland, Italy and
Hawaii in being described
by the travel expert as a
child-friendly destination
ideal for the family. “The
intensity of travel in India
could put you off taking
a trip here en famille, but
Kerala is a family-friendly
version: more laid-back
than other regions,
greener, slower paced.
There are also lots of
national parks for elephant
spotting, palm-fringed
beaches and boat trips
along the lush canals of
the backwaters,” it said.
Kerala Tourism Director
Shri S Harikishore, who
led the state delegation

to the WTM, received the
award from Lonely Planet.
The WTM, which began on
November 4, concluded on
Thursday.
Former South African
cricketer Jonty Rhodes
was among those who
visited the Kerala pavilion
at the WTM, themed on

the Ayurveda. Rhodes,
who retired from
international cricket in
2003 after a spectacular
career during which he
became best fielder in
world cricket, is a brand
ambassador for South
African Tourism.
“With the British economy
registering the fastest
growth in the last three
years in the previous
quarter, the mood at the
World Travel Mart hosted
by London was upbeat,”
said Shri Harikishore.
The United Kingdom is the
most important market for
Kerala, recording nearly 1.5
lakh tourist arrivals in the
state last year.

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November 2013

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November 2013

21

BEAUTY

Experience Luxury Grooming
at The Leela Kovalam
The salon at The Leela is the only salon in India that offers advanced skin care by Clarins
and Forest Essentials. Anti-ageing to Hydrating to Purifying – there is a wide variety of
treatments that are designed for relaxation and beautification. Also offered at this salon
are rejuvenating therapies for hands and foot by Forest Essentials. Pedicure and manicure
by OPI is made available here for the guests’ benefit.
Leela Palaces, Hotels and
Resorts in their ongoing
efforts to enhance the
luxurious experiences
of the guests at The
Leela, is collaborating

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November 2013

with the American salon
brand Warren Tricomi
– legends in the world
of hair color and hair
styling. The unparalleled
signature work at these

brand salons has ensured
them a large client base
including celebrities. The
superior pampering and
subtle sophistication
of the Warren Tricomi

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salons are regularly
enjoyed by the likes of
Ivanka Trump, Jessica
Alba, Kate Beckinsale and
Adrien Brody. Specialties
at this salon include dry
haircut techniques and
custom-designed coloring
experiences. Warren
Tricomi salons define the
latest hair trends for each
season.
Color customization for
each client is done by
unique coloring techniques
at Warren Tricomi.

Contrast, shadow and
depth are well maintained
with these techniques.
To style hair, dry-hair
precision cutting technique
is used. The rapid-fire style
of cutting is quite artistic.
The guests at The Leela
can get a new look with
the salon’s custom design
coloring or avail of hair
or scalp therapy. Experts
at the salon diagnose the
hair and recommends
appropriate hair care.

Kovalam’ – with its cliff-top

The effect that ‘The Leela

The Leela Kovalam.

setting looking out over
pristine beaches to the
far horizon – has on its
guests is unparalleled.
The world class dining,
seamless service and
palatial accommodations
at The Leela Kovalam are
distinctive. Now with the
luxury hair and beauty
care by Warren Tricomi,
they can also have an
exclusive luxury grooming
experience at the salon in

November 2013

23

ww
SHOPPING

Grand Kerala Shopping Festival
Starts in December-Federal Bank Bank becomes title sponsor
The seventh season of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF) is
all set for a transformation on a wide scale and create a new pattern,
boosting the commerce and tourism sectors of the state in the future.
Federal Bank Bank becomes title sponsor of GKSF Season7
With an assurance of close
association offered by the
Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi
Ekopana Samithi (KVVES)
this time, registration of
shops and establishments
evincing interest for
participation has gone up
to one lakh, from the mere
7,000 in the sixth season.
Chief Minister Oommen

The third prize of Rs 5
lakh each will be given to
20 coupon winners and
fourth prizes of Rs 1 lakh
each will be presented to
50 winners, he said.
The Minister said that gold
coins in one, two, four and
eight grams – weighing a
total 27,532 grams – will be
given to 6,893 winners in

‘’We want the festival to have the
widest reach and it is with this
objective that we have decided to
start the campaign earlier,’
A P Anil Kumar
Tourism Minister
Chandy will set the GKSF
Season 7 into motion in
Kozhikode on December
1. Announcing the fest and
details, Tourism Minister
A P Anil Kumar said that
the canvas of the event
was undergoing a massive
change with a prize kitty
comprising Rs 11-crore
worth of gold and a mega
draw for giving cash prizes
totalling Rs 4 crore. The
first prize winner will get
Rs 1 crore and 15 second
prize winners will take Rs
10 lakh each.

24

September 2013
November 2013

draws of coupons, to be
held in the 14 districts in all
the six weeks of the fest.
One of the highlights of
the upcoming season of
GKSF is that shop owners
will also get consolation
prizes from coupons won
by customers – in a format
of the state lotteries – in
the prize range of Rs 1
lakh-Rs 5,000. Anil Kumar
said that a conscious
effort was being made to
convert the 45-day GKSF
programme into a highly
popular and attractive

MM Desk

event from this season.
The State Government
had sanctioned Rs 25 crore
each in the past seasons
for promotion of GKSF.
“This year, the budgetary
allocation was only Rs 15
crore. Next year,it will be
only Rs 10 crore and it will
be brought down further
in the years ahead.
The Federal Bank has
become the official ‘title
sponsor’ of the Grand
Kerala Shopping Festival)
this year with the Bank
signing an MoU with the
Tourism Department.
Tourism director S
Harikishore and Federal
Bank zonal manager C
P Sasidharan signed the
MoU in this regard in
the presence of Tourism
Minister A P Anil Kumar.
Ahead of the signing of the
MoU, Anil Kumar said that
campaign for the GKSF
will begin on November
15, ahead of the shopping
festival season.

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25

Sparkles – The boutique of designer
products
Sparkles has brought in Bollywood-style to Thiruvananthapuram for
the first time. The strength of the fabric is further enhanced with the
additional stitches in the designer sarees at Sparkles
Sparkles – a boutique
inspired by a love for
design, variety, and
colors. As Ms. Ann – the
proprietress – says, the
idea of a boutique started
when she and her mom
designed a saree for
herself. With the design
being a mega hit, orders
poured in for designer
wears. Currently, Sparkles

26

November 2013

has a team of designers
and tailors who cater
to the needs of each
customer.
Ann feels the support she
has received from family
and friends has given her
great strength. She said
that her mother gives
support in all aspects from
designing to final setting,
while she concentrates

V. Viswanath

more on marketing
and paying attention to
Sparkles’ customers.
A variety of fabrics,
designer tops, seasonal
specials, handbags,
accessories, etc., are made
available at Sparkles. At
this boutique, utmost care
is given to perfect the
products. This designer
boutique has customised

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designer wears made of
handpicked, fine quality
materials. Sparkles has
brought in Bollywood-style
to Thiruvananthapuram
for the first time. The
strength of the fabric is
further enhanced with
the additional stitches
in the designer sarees at
Sparkles. All the additional
care given to the designer
products at Sparkles are
at affordable price. Tops,
kurtis, handbags, jewellery,
fashion accessories, utility
designer products, etc.,
are also at this boutique.
Made-to-order wedding
sarees is another specialty
of Sparkles.

cotton sarees and tops are
also available. Customer
footfalls at Sparkles
have been increasing
day-by-day. The clients at
Sparkles include cityites
as well as visitors to
Thiruvananthapuram.

Every festival season, a
variety of new and special
products are offered at
Sparkles. This Diwali, the
boutique has introduced
half-saree, dhavani and
lacha sarees which are in
demand among teenagers.
Daily wear dresses such as

Sparkles is frequented
by people from the film
world. Professional dancer
Lakshmi Gopalaswamy
who visited Sparkles
recently says about
Sparkles, “This is a very
good concept. One shop
where you can pick up

sarees to bags. You can
just come in and get
everything. Top to bottom
you can dress up and
go. I have selected some
accessories which are
very attractive. It is within
reach of most people. I
also relate to this beautiful
heritage-type building of
Sparkles.”
The entrepreneur Ann
feels the challenges that
women face in any stream
of life should be tackled
with confidence and
positive attitude. She says
one can achieve success
and happiness if they
move forward with a clear
conscience.
The ambience, the
availability of trendy
fashion wears and
accessories are some of
the features that make a
visit to Sparkles Fashion
Studio at Sasthamangalam
a must for all fashion
lovers.


November 2013

27

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November 2013

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November 2013

29

HEALTH
HYPERMARKET

An Oasis of peace
Thirty kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram the capital city of Kerala, at the end of a
picturesque drive lies Neyyar Dam. A left turn from the main road, just before reaching
the bus stop takes me into a steeply inclined road forcing me to shift to first gear. As
I reach the top of the incline, a haven of peace and spirituality comes into view- the
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram.Their mission : – to spread peace, health
and joy through Yoga.

About the Author
Shri Ravi Easwaran,is a
graduate of the Teaching
Training Course (TTC)
of Sivananda Ashram,
Neyyar Dam and teaches
at the West Fort Centre of
the Ashram.
Shri Ravi Easwaran was
a Banker and then Head
of Retail business at two
major investment banks
in the country before
he sought premature
retirement to concentrate
on his first love , Yoga.

Their motif :- Serve, Love,
Give, Purify, Meditate,
Realise.
The Ashram was
founded by Swami
Vishnu-devananda, a
direct disciple of Swami
Sivananda. Swami Vishnudevananda was born in
Kerala in 1927. Swamiji
entered the Sivananda
Ashram in Rishikesh at
the age of 20 in 1947. Ten
years later, in 1957, Swami
Sivananda instructed his
disciple, with the words
“people are waiting”, to
proceed to the West to
spread the teachings of
Yoga.
Swami Vishnu-devananda
established the first
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta
Centre in Montreal,
Canada in 1959. Over the
years sixty other Ashrams
and centres have been

established all over the
world to enable the
teachings to reach to
as wide an audience as
possible.
The Dhanwantari Ashram
at Neyyar Dam was
established in the year
1978. In India, apart from
the Dhanwanatri Ashram,
there is the Meenakshi
Ashram at Madurai and
the Sivananda Kutir at
Uttarkashi. Apart from
these three full fledged
Ashrams, there are five
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta
Centres in India, two in
Delhi, one in Chennai, one
in Madurai and one in
Trivandrum.
The Dhanwantari Ashram
sits in the middle of twelve
acres of unsurpassed
breathtaking natural

He can be contacted at
reaswaran@gmail.com.
Or +91-80860-70630

30

November 2013

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beauty at the foothills of
the Sahyadri mountains.
The outer tranquility of
nature is reflected in full
measure in the serene
atmosphere inside the
Ashram. I check into my
accommodation and fall
asleep immediately.
As dawn breaks over the
Ashram, the first bell tolls
at 5.20 am. A few minutes
later residents move into
the main hall for half an
hour of meditation. For
the benefit of newcomers,
the meditation session
is preceded by brief
instructions on how
to ready oneself for
meditation. As the session
ends, Satsang begins
with the haunting strains
of “Jaya Ganesha”. This
is followed by an hour
of prayers, bhajans and
winds up with a beautiful
Aarti. In keeping with the
Ashram traditions, the day
is packed with activity.
Asana classes begin after
the Satsang. Asana classes
are graded-those who
are new to Yoga can opt
for beginners classes,
there are also gentle yoga
and intermediate yoga
classes. The instructors
are outstanding and
completely dedicated.
They are available for
guidance throughout
the session and after
the session too should
you choose to approach
them.After Yoga class, is
brunch at ten am. Lunch is
simple but tasty food and

is served by volunteers
(from among residents) in
a spotlessly clean brightly
lit dining hall. The brunch
is followed by Karma Yoga
– a variety of daily ashram
chores from serving tea,
serving brunch and lunch,
disposing of garbage
etc. Though participation
is voluntary, one finds
that almost all residents
participate cheerfully.
And, believe me, it is an
uplifting experience. By
the end of your stay you
will find yourself looking
forward to the daily
Karma Yoga. After Karma
yoga, there are classes
and lectures, Asana class
again at four pm followed
by dinner at six. Evening
meditation begins at eight
pm followed by Satsang,
usually winding up
between 9.30 pm and ten
pm. Lights are expected
to be out by 10.30 pm. For
those who would like to
benefit from the serenity
of the Ashram, the yoga
vacation programme is
offered. This programme
is based on the five points
of Yoga enumerated by
Swami Vishnu-devananda
for radiant health and
inner peace. The five
points are proper exercise
(Asana), proper breathing(
Pranayama), proper
relaxation (Savasana) ,
Proper diet (vegetarian
diet) and positive thinking
and meditation (Vedanta
and Dhyana). A lifestyle
within the framework of
September 2013
November

31

these five points promotes
a healthy and harmonious
life. The programme
is structured for two
weeks for best benefits.
However, if you have time
constraints, you can opt to
stay for a shorter period
with a minimum of three
days. The best benefits
are received by giving
up our preconceptions
and submitting oneself
wholeheartedly to the
ashram lifestyle and its
routine.
Many who have benefited
from the Yoga vacation
opt for the teacher trainng
programmes.
Sivananda Ashram is
one of the leading Yoga
Schools in the world and
its Teacher Training and
Advanced Teacher Training
Certificates have wide
international recognition.
The Ashram conducts four
TTC courses a year which
are attended by a large
number of international
students. The organisation
has, through its worldwide
network of Ashrams and
centers, trained more
than 29000 teachers over
the last five decades.
The TTC/ATTC courses
are very demanding, and
require full involvement
of mind and body, sixteen
to seventeen hours a
day, for a month. It is this
course that I have signed
up for and it is a truly life
transforming experience.
I find that over the one

32

November 2013

month period my body,
of course, becomes more
flexible than it has ever
been but more importantly
my thinking changesnegativity loses its hold
and a silent peace takes
hold of my mind and heart.
It is not just me.. here is a
sample of reactions from
graduates of the course:-

from Austria
“Yoga made me softer.
It changed the way I
experience and appreciate
my body, how I treat
myself and, of course,
others”

(iii) Says Suman
Maheshwari
The one month at
Thiruvanthapuram is
one of my most precious
(i) Says Sri Devi from
memories. Sivananda
Canada:Ashram has maintained
“Almost 6 months later
yoga in its pure form
back in the worldly life,
without any dilution of its
the benefits experienced
essence…..the chantings
while doing the TTC, are
were heart melting….I am
impacting every doing,
definitely coming back for
every thought, every
more love, knowledge and
day, no matter whether
practice. As mentioned
I am in the ashram, the
earlier, the Ashram has a
grocery store, or the
centre at West Fort on the
office… my body became
Airport road. The current
healthy enough to bear
centre, inaugurated in
discomfort, my mind
February 2009, by the
became calm enough to
Maharaja of Travancore,
allow me moments of
offers daily Yoga courses
genuine peace. And most
morning and evening as
important of all, my heart
well as meditation courses.
became big enough to
carry you all and share the It caters to beginners and
upwards all the way to
love I have been blessed
advanced students. The
with.” And the following
centre caters to the needs
words addressed by Sri
Devi to one of the teachers of those who want to
learn yoga and practice
:- “Despite our mood
it on a daily basis in their
swings, fatigue, lack of
lives. The course ends with
enthusiasm, you kept
a grandiose graduation
going on, every day, with
ceremony. Armed with
the same consistency,
my teaching certificate, I
the same self-confidence,
reluctantly pull away from
the same presence.
the Ashram. It has taken
You showed us what is
roots as my second home
detachment, and not
and I promise myself that
indifference.
I will definitely be coming
(ii) Says Anna Kantner
home frequently.

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33

DINING

How to Follow Table Manners
Table manners play an important part in making a
favorable impression. They are visible signals of the
state of our manners and therefore are essential to
professional success. The point of etiquette rules is to
make you feel comfortable and not uncomfortable.
Table manners are the
rules of etiquette used
while eating, which
may also include the
appropriate use of utensils.
Different cultures observe
different rules for table
manners .Many people feel
out of place when dining
simply because they don’t
know how to follow table
manners. Especially if they
have been invited to a
nice place. Admittedly, it
is difficult to learn every
point of etiquette at a
glance .But here are a
few general pointers.
Remember, good manners
never go out of style.

34

November 2013

• The key objective in
learning table manners
(etiquette) is to feel
comfortable when dining
with others and the host
generally the leader at a
dinner party or meal. If
you are the host, don’t
panic. Ensure you read up
on etiquette before taking
on the role of hosting
and operate within the
boundaries so that you are
easy to follow.
• Wait for host to invite
you to the table, stand
behind the chair as
the other guests get
assembled. When the host

Ajith Kumar P
sits, take your seat. You
will get extra points for
helping others such as the
elderly, into their seats
before you take yours.
After you sit, pull your
chair to the table, without
dragging it over the floor
with a horrible scrape.
Take your napkin from
the table immediately and
place it neatly on your lap.
• Emulate your host,
Put your napkin in your
lap when you see them
doing it .Match their rate
of eating. (After all, no
one wants to have an
empty plate when their

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host is only half way done
with the dish.)If you see
them eating finger food
with a fork, follow their
lead – even if it seems
unreasonable.
• Use the appropriate
cutlery. If there are many
utensils in your place
setting and there is more
than one course, start on
the outside and work your
way in.
• Consider every action
before you do it and if you
have the slightest doubt,
don’t do it! you must
consciously refrain from
embarrassing yourself and
your host. Take small bites;
do not chew with your
mouth open; do not talk
with food in your mouth;
and do not place elbows
on the table.
• When someone says,
“please pass the (what
they would like passed to
them),” reach for it only if
you are the closest one to
it. Take the item and place
it next to your neighbour.
Continue passing the item
in this manner until it
reaches the person who
asked for it .Refrain from
helping yourself along the


way, before the person
who asked for it gets
the chance. Wait politely
until they have served
themselves. Then ask for
the bowl to be passed
back to you.
• Take one roll or one slice
of bread only. If you have
a bread plate to the left of
your fork, put the bread
on it. When the butter is
passed to you, use the
serving knife to take a
pat. Place it on your bread
plate then pass the butter
dish along with the serving
knife to the next person.
Use your fingers to tear off
a bite-size piece of bread.
Butter ONLY that bite –
sized piece. Then eat and
repeat as desired.
• Place your napkin next
to your plate on the
table when you wish to
leave. Wait for your host
to indicate the meal is
complete. Then stand up.
Push your chair back in
and thank your host for a
delicious meal.
TIPS
• Do not talk about
distasteful things at the
table.

• Keep elbows close to
your body when cutting
and eating
• Sit up straight.
• Pick up your glass when
drinking through a straw.
• Do not tilt your chair
back.
•If you are chewing gum,
dispose of it before you sit
down to the meal. Often,
there is no place to put it,
and sticking it under the
table is definitely not good
manners.
• Bring food up to your
mouth, not your mouth
down to your plate.
• Do not talk with food or
drink in your mouth.
• Do not embarrass
yourself or your host
• Most importantly – eat,
drink and be merry for
tomorrow we may die.
And have fun!
The author Mr Ajith Kumar
is the Front Office Manager
of Mascot Hotel Trivandrum

November 2013

35

METRO LIVING

Paithrika Homes- Redefine fine living!
‘Redefine fine living’- is the axiom of a bunch of young bloods in
the capital. With their custom made style and cozy living statements, Paithrika Homes and Estates Pvt Ltd, their venture, is all set
to change the facade of the city.
Home sweet home is
where your heart is.
Cherished in our bosom,
carved out in the golden
hues of our dreams it is the
Taj Mahal for the Mumtaz
of your life. A memento
for your loved ones... Your
search for happiness and
prosperity ends here.
An enriching experience
to be felt, warmth to be
experienced….its all this
and more. …. Paithrika
homes –the elixir that
colors your desires is
within your reach! Walk
into their premises. And
walkout…blessed
What is a home and how

36

November 2013

it differs from a building
of brick and mortar? It is
something very close to
your heart, a place where
you can be yourself far
from the maddening
crowd, a place where you
can unwind yourself after
a day’s toil .Not all the
houses that splurge on
luxury can be rightly called
a home. The indulgence
may invite the awe of
onlookers but not the
coziness and comfort
the owner long for .Here
comes Paithrika homes-a
perfect blend of poise and
elegance! It is furnished
with quality materials and
maintained by expertise

Ampili Nair

extraordinaire. Set in the
tranquil environs, these
homes flaunt a refreshing
sight!
Materials of international
standards, on time
completion, customer
satisfaction competitive
rates…. the features of
Pathrika homes continue...
The features that turned
a novice overnight into a
favorite. No segment in
real estate is without their
imprint. Plot development
for residential and
commercial purposes,
villa projects, commercial
buildings, hotels, estate
management Name it. And
they have it.

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November 2013

37

Spellbinding innovative
designs but rooted in
tradition, paying homage
to vasthu- the science
of architecture. No
compromises on ultimate
customer satisfaction, yet
magnanimous enough
to climb down on the
price tag. The impeccable
professionalism they
hold and the ultimate
commitment they show
towards the clients make
them a name to reckon
with.
Pranamam, the premier
designer villa project at
Chengottukonam has
swept the clients off their
feet. This eco-friendly
villas; amidst the green
pastures is a heaven on

38

November 2013

earth for the discerning. Its
nearness to Technopark,
Techno City, Kinfra Park,
International airport,
and Madavoorpara Ecotourism Project makes it all
the more dearer.
Serenity, another project
from the paithrika group
coming up in the serene
locales of Aakulam is
sure to be an awesome
experience, says Abhilash
the managing director
of the firm. He is in high
spirits over the grand
success of its first venture.
He says as they are very
particular about handing
over the apartment to the
clients in the stipulated
time, the customers are
overwhelmed. Moreover

the additional and hidden
expenditure incurred due
to the delay is avoidedAbhilash adds. He invites
you with open arms to
enjoy the opulence of
life in style on moderate
means. And he means
business….A banquet of
happiness is waiting.so
grab it!
For more details
Paithrika Homes &
Estates TC 4/2122, Near
BabyShop Kuravankonam,
Trivandrum - 04
Phone: +91 9495954488
Phone: +91 9446554488
Email: sales@paithrika.
com
http://www.paithrika.com
wwhttps://www.facebook.
com/Paithrika

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November 2013

39

FEATURE ARTICLE

Mannarasala - the supreme place
of worship of the serpent Gods
Though the legends related to the origin of a place cannot be deemed as its history, the story on the evolution
of Mannarasala as the supreme place of worship of the
serpent Gods is associated with Parasurama, the creator
of Kerala.
The Raising of Kerala:
Sree Parasurama decided
to seek release from the
sin of killing the Kshathrias. He approached the
holy Rishis. They suggested that he should make a
gift of a land of his own
to the Brahmins. Parasurama, the son of Bhrigu,
propitiated Varuna Deva
(the Lord of the Seas) to
get some land for himself.

40

September 2013
November 2013

He threw into the sea the
axe which Paramasiva had
given him with his blessings. Thus he raised the
land from the sea and gave
it as a gift to the Brahmins
according to the rules. This
land came to be known as
Kerala. That piece of land
was not habitable because
of the salinity. Not even
vegetables grew there.
People began to leave the

Geetha Rajendran
place. Bharghavarama was
pained at this. He undertook penance to please
Lord Siva, who advised him
that the objective could be
realized only if the flaming
poison of the serpents was
spread everywhere and
that the only means of doing that was the worship
of Nagaraja.
Parasurama, a Yogi, firm of
will and above all desire,

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November 2013

41

decided that he would
take no rest until he saw
Kerala come up as a land
of evergreen beauty full of
trees and plants, prosperous in every way. He set
out with his disciples in
search of a deserted jungle
in order to please Nagaraja who was inaccessible
and beyond anybody’s
understanding. He found
a suitable place near the
seashore in the southern
part of Kerala. Satisfied
with having found a proper
place for the realization of
his cherished dream, the
great Rishi constructed
a Thirthasthala for the
performance of penance.
Bharghavarama, a partial
incarnation of Lord Vishnu,
had to undertake very
severe penance.
Nagaraja makes his
appearance
Nagaraja, who was

42

November 2013


pleased, appeared
before Parasurama,
willing to grant him his
desire. According to the
poem by Mannarasala
M.G.Narayanan Namboodiri, the Nagaraja made his
appearance as if :
“ The unspeakable splendor of millions of moons!
The bright magnificence
of emeralds stuck to the
hoods. Golden jewels
made attractive by
miraculous embroidery!
Lotus feet worshipped by
crowds of Gods! Brilliant
beauty of form, full of
youthfulness!”.
Parasurama prostrated at
the lotus feet of Nagaraja and prayed to realize
his objective. Nagaraja
granted his request with
great pleasure. Ferocious
serpents arrived at the
spot at once to spread the
flaming Kalakuda poison.

Because of the percolation of poison, the land of
Kerala was desalinated,
to become habitable with
envious greenery.
Parasurama then requested the Lord to bless
the land forever with his
eternal presence, and that
was also accepted by the
kindly-disposed Nagaraja.
Installation
At a very auspicious
moment Bhargavarama,
the supreme devotee,
installed, according to
Vedic rites, Nagaraja, who
is Brahma, Vishnu and Siva
in one in the ‘Thirthasthala’
(Hall of pilgrimage) filled
with Mandara trees, the
place now known as Mannarasala. (The installed
deity here represents
Anantha (Vishnuswaroopa) and Vasuki (Siva in
spirit). The installations of

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September 2013

42


November 2013

43

Sarpayakshi, Nagayakshi
and Nagachamundi, the
Naga deities, as well as
of their associates were
conducted in the proper
places with the proper rituals. Parasurama performed
to the accompaniment of
Vedic recitation and singing of Sama, Abhishekam,
Alankaram, Neivedyasamarpanam, Neeranjanam,
Sarpabali and other rites
pleasing to the serpents
and thereby made all the
serpents happy.
Parasurama brought
learned people from
other religions; installed
Durga and other deities
in different places; appointed Brahmins who
were Thanthric experts for
performing poojas; nominated Kshathrias, peasants
and the Ashtavaidyas who
were supreme among
the physicians; thus he
brought Kerala, filled with
beautiful vegetation and

44

September2013
November 2013

to prosperity.
After giving important
instructions to be followed
to preserve the sanctity of
the place, Parasurama left
to do tapas on Mahendra
Mountains.
Vasudeva & Sreedevi
Many generations passed
by. The family fell into the
grief of childlessness. Vasudeva and Sreedevi were
the sad couple who had
to bear that heavy load
of sorrow, who resolutely
worshipped Nagaraja to
allay their grief.
It was about this time that
unexpectedly fire broke
out in the jungle around
the dwelling place of Nagaraja and burnt down the
jungle. The serpents were
tortured by the flames,
forcing them to hide in
their pits with great difficulty.
Vasudeva and Sreedevi

looked after the serpents,
who had their hoods
charred, bodies half-burnt,
and fainting from time
to time, falling down and
crawling along. They gently fanned them with fans
made of sweet-scented
grass and poured ghee
mixed with honey and oil
on the wounds; cooled
their melted bodies with
sandalwood ointment; and
comforted them. They put
them at the foot of banyan
trees. They performed
purification ceremonies
and consecrated the pits;
and were put up in special
places under the shade
of deodar trees and in
Chitrakudas.
The couple performed
abhisheka with thirtha like
Panchagavya (a holy mixture of five items from the
cow’s milk, curd, butter,
urine and dung); observed
elaborate poojas according to rules with areca nut

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November 2013

45

flower bunches, fragrant
flowers and water, incense
etc., Nivedyam with
melted butter (ghee), milk,
payasam with molasses,
rice powder, turmeric powder, coconut juice, Kadali
fruit, cow’s milk, all mixed
together in the proper
form as Nurum Palum,
equivalent to the elixir of
life. They offered serpent
deities with great devotion, appam, aval (beaten
rice or rice wafers), tender
coconut etc. They chanted
vedic mantras, performed
circumambulation and performed all kinds of poojas
to restore those crowds of
serpents to full health.
The omnipresent and
omnipotent Nagaraja was
greatly pleased with their
continuous penance and
the love shown to his associates; Nagaraja made himself visible to the couple
and blessed them that he
would incarnate on the
earth as their beloved son.
He said “ I shall assume
the form of a serpent and
stay here (in Mannarasala)

46

November 2013

permanently, as long as
the sun and the moon are
there, showering prosperity on your family and
granting protection to all
the devotees who come
here …”.
Thus Mandarasala, the
place filled with Mandara
trees, the holy spot where
the serpents got shelter,
where the earth was fully
cooled, became Mandarasala.
The boon came true. The
Brahmin lady became
pregnant and gave birth to
five-hooded serpent-child
as well as a human child.
The two brothers grew
up together. Initiation
ceremonies and Vedic
education were carried
out at the proper time
in the traditional style.
Nagaraja instructed the
younger brother to enter
into matrimony for the
perpetual reservation of
the holy family and he
obeyed it. When the fivehooded Nagaraja realized
that the objectives of his
incarnation were realized,

he informed the Holy
Mother that henceforth he
would live at this Illam by
entering into Samadhi to
bless the devotees. Then
he suggested certain inviolable rituals and rules for
offering worship and then
went into the immaculate
cellar and vanished.
(It is believed that even
today that five-hooded
Nagaraja stays in the
cellar doing Tapas for the
abound prosperity of his
dependents. The members
of the household always
refer to him with great
respect and devotion as
“Muthassan’ and “Appoppan” (Grand father).
The jungle close by is the
exclusive preserve for his
unobstructed peregrinations (Appoppan Kavu Grandfathers’ Grove).
Mannarasala celebrations
The Ayilyam day in Tulam,
Kanni and Kumbham
months in the Malayalam
calendar and the Mahasivarathri are celebrated
here with great pomp.
The Ayilyam in Kanni is

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the birthday of Nagaraja
and that in Kumbham is
the birthday of Anantha,
the Muthassan of Nilavara
(cellar).
Mannarasala Ayilyam
The most celebrated
festival at Mannarasala is
the Ayilyam of Thulam. In
the beginning, the Ayilyam
of Thulam had no speciality or importance. It was
a regular custom for the
Maharaja of Travancore to
visit this temple on Ayilyam
day in Kanni. On one occasion, the Maharaja could
not reach the temple as
usual and had to postpone
the visit to the Ayilyam day
in Thulam. The royal palace
met all the expenses for
the celebrations of that Ayilyam.Several landed properties were given away to
the temple free of land
tax in order to make the
festival more attractive, as
an expression of repentance. Thus the Ayilyam of
Thulam came to secure a
royal splendor and official
glamour without difficulty.
The Ayilyam days of Kanni
47 November 2013

47


and Kumbham are still
celebrated with befitting
grandeur.

• On Sivaratri day; Sar-

Mannarasala Temple
Timings

Sivaratri: Nurum Palum in

Valia Amma has a special
pattern of pooja everyday,
and she must perform
pooja in the sanctum
sanctorum itself on certain
days like :• On the first day of
every month, malayalam
calendar
• On the day of Pooyam
star each month, malayalam calendar.

pabali in the temple.
• On the day after
Nilavara and Appooppan
Kavu.
LocationIt is located near
Haripad, 32 km south
ofAlappuzha,14km from
kayamkulam,115 km from
Cochin International
Airport and 125 km from
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, Kerala. In
this temple, the rites are
presided over by a priest-

• From the beginning
of Magha to the eve of
Sivaratri.

ess. The temple covers an

• Thiruvonam in the
month of Chingam.

two main idols are Nagara-

• From the 1st to the `12th
of Karkitakam.
• Twelve days before Ayilyam in Kanni and Tulam.
• On the Ayilyam day of
every month: the special
Nurum Palum in front of
Nilavara at the Illam.

area of 16 acres of dense
green forest grove. The
ja or the serpent king and
his consort, Sarpayakshini.
The most popular offering
of this temple is ‘Uruli
Kamazhthal’, the placing
of a bell metal vessel upside down in front of the
deity, which is believed to
restore fertility to childless
couples. Mannarasala

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November 2013

47

RECIPE

Erissery (Cowpeas and yam cooked in a spicy
coconut masala)
A lovely combo of cowpeas and yam which taste amazing when combined with a
spicy coconut masala.
podi - 1 tsp
For Tempering:
Coconut Oil - 2 tblspn
Mustard Seeds / kaduku
- 1 tsp
Urad dal / Ulundu - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Ingredients:
Cow peas / Vanpayar /
ThattaPayir / Karamani /
PerumPayir - 1 cup
Elephant Yam / ChenaKilangu - 2 cup cubed
Salt to taste
For Grinding:
Coconut - 1 cup
Whole Pepper / Pepper
Powder - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Garlic - 3 cloves
Turmeric powder / Manjal-

Method:
Soak Cow peas over night
in lots of water. Drain the
water and Pressure cook
it with a some water for
3 whistle. Let it simmer
for 5 mins. Switch off
the flame and let the
pressure go all by itself.
Remove and set aside.

till the yam is completely
cooked.
Add the cooked cowpeas
in this and mix well.
Now take the grinding
ingredients in a mixer and
make into a fine paste.
Pour this over the cooked
yam and cow peas and mix
well.
Let it simmer for 10 mins.
Now make the seasoning.
Heat oil and add mustard,
urad dal and curry leaves
in this. Let it sizzle and
crack.

November 2013

Pour this over the curry
and mix well.

I am Aarthi, I blog at Yummy Tummy. My passion
towards cooking started
just few years back. From
that day onwards I started
creating new recipes which
was really appreciated
by my friends and family.
I wanted to save those
recipes in a place where
it never gets destroyed.
Hence Yummy Tummy is
born. It started as my little
space where I store all my

48

Now take cubed yam in
a kadai and cover it with
water. Add salt to it.cover
and cook for 15-20 mins

recipes, but now it has a
grown a lot more than I
thought it would be. I update my blog on a regular
basis with step by step
pictures which helps my
readers a lot and show the
ease of cooking. Do drop
at my space sometime,
everyone is welcome.

Serve with rice.

My Blog : http://www.yummytummyaarthi.com

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November 2013

49

METRO EVENT

Dr Vasudevan bags the Non Resident Kerala
Entrepreneur of the year award
Vasundhara Sarovar Premiere is a premium 5 star resort located on the tranquil and
unexplored backwaters of Vayalar in the Alleppey district of Kerala. The hotel offers 60
luxurious accommodations including tastefully appointed floating cottages and houseboats, complemented with elaborate on-site dining options, recreational and wellness
facilities including a Spa. Dr Vasudevan MD of the Vasundhara Sarovar Resort has bagged
the Non Resident Kerala Entrepreneur of the year award from D.C. Media and D.C. Books
and many more accolades are in waiting if all his visionary dreams become true.
Towering hills, plain lands,
lagoons, backwaters and
beautiful beaches, Kerala
has everything to lure travelers across the globe to
her bosom. Over the years
it has become a favorite
destination for backpackers round the world.
Earlier, if it was beaches
that caught their fancy,
now it is backwaters that
force them to pitch their
tent here. Hitchhiking was
the norm in olden days but
now they come to Kerala
with a well planned holiday
package. Resorts of class
have come up everywhere
to accommodate these
cherished clients. Vasundhara Sarovar Premiere on
the Vayalar road is one
of the finest resorts that

50

November 2013

have come up along the
waters of Vayalar. Vayalar
-the terrain that once
witnessed revolutionary upheavals and Rama
varma is now renowned
for this premium resort.
The cozy rooms, furnished
with all modern conveniences, the resort has
everything to pep you up.
The corporate interests
are catered by the wellequipped conference
rooms .Kids and adults will
find the well-framed Swimming Pool and Jaccuzi in
the Spa amusing.
Dr. P Vasudevan, MD of
the Resort has always
been associated with
handicrafts industry. Here
at Vasundhara Sarovar too,
he plans to have involve-

ment from the vil¬lagers
of the area to bring the
small town of Cherthala as
a prominent destination
on the map. Being the one
with a humble beginning,
he does not believe in
competition. He wishes
to see the small scale coir
industry in the village
flourishing. He has aimed
for trips of the guests to
the houses of the welcoming locals to show them
how the coir ropes and
footmats etc are made
and give them a base
level peek inside the life of
Keralites. In addition local
ladies are invited to spin
cir yarn as well as weave
coconut leaves to make
them useful for roofing or
making walls. This gives
extra income to the local

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ladies by way of tips from
guests, especially foreign
guests and knowledge
to the guests how coir is
made.
In addition to all these,
Dr P.Vasudevan, the
Managing Director of the
resort has immense plans
to make Vayalar a tourist
hub. He is planning to
grow fish in every water
body and vegetables in every bit of land organically,
using manure produced
with an organic waste converter, the only one in Kerala. With this OWC, he is
planning to convert waste
generated into organic
manure in 15 days, without
any stench. In addition
promote entrepreneurship by providing ready
made set ups like growing
milking cows, chicken, fish,
organic farming etc.
He also wants to start
making vermi compost
using the water hyacinth,
make baskets out of
hyacinth A farm filled with
cows ,chicken, turkey,
emu and ornamental birds
like parrots, pheasants,
love birds etc is his dream.
Each one to be handed
over to a local, no wages
or salary. The produce will
be bought by the resort at
market price.
He believes in improving
education, then only the
Athithi Devo Bhava slogan
of the tourism industry

Mr P. Vasudevan with Mr. Prashanth Vasudevan son of
Dr. P. Vasudevan. Prashanth is a director in Vasu Coco
Resorts Pvt Ltd and Chief Executive Officer at India
Merchandising Services the Delhi based buying house.
work, the corruption, rape
and terrorism get reduced.
With this in mind, he got a
two room building made
and handed over to the
local LP School, so that
they can start pre-primary
classes. A brand new nursery building in area double
of the existing one, with
proper toilet, water and
electricity and some play
equipments, along with
area for farming - growing
vegetables and fruits - is
ready to be handed over
to the Panchayat soon. A
scolarship for one needy
child, selected by the
Head Master of the Upper
Primary School in Bheemanad, where he studied
is instituted, to meet all
educational expenses till
graduation. After the
graduation the student is
welcome to contact him or
other functionaries in the
resort for placement.
Vasundhara Sarovar
Premiere, Vayalar recently

awarded as the‘Best Upcoming Spa Resort in
Kerala’ at a recent event
in New Delhi. These are
amongst world’s most
authoritative travel awards
that offer exceptional
recognition to best service
provider brands that
contributed immensely in
transforming the face of
the global travel industry. Government of India
has honoured him with
a Life Time Achievement
Award for his enormous
contribution towards
the growth of handicraft
export. His international
business relations and
philanthropic activities
rewarded him a Doctorate
by Viswaprakash International University. The income tax department has
recognized his integrity
and honoured him with an
“ Honest Tax Payer”/highest in his category award.
November 2013

51

METRO BYTE

Indian Institute of Spa Research and
Management (IISRM) Inaugurated
Spa industry is the fastest growing segment in global hospitality and leisure business.
The increase in annual disposable income and the increased level of health and beauty
awareness envisions the potential for dynamic growth in the spa industry.
Dominance of Yoga and
Ayurveda therapies is
seen in the Indian spa
and wellness segment.

industry being 20-30 per-

Indian Institute of Spa Re-

cent annually, the need for

search and Management

trained professional also

(IISRM) is promoted and

runs high.

managed by Center for
Natural Beauty Therapies

Thai, Swedish and Turkish

The number of medical

form of spa and wellness

professionals in various

therapies are in nascent

fields of medicine and in

CNBT sources, collates

stage. With India climbing

the hospitality sector who

and documents beauty

on the global tourism list,

are unemployed and un-

traditions and traditional

there is a growing demand

deremployed is quite high.

beauty therapies. It has a

for wellness spa and body

An additional qualification

growing central repository

treatment firms. Currently,

in a fast growing industry

of traditional knowledge

the spa industry in India

which complements their

on beauty therapies and

is highly fragmented. The

education would increase

systems of healing across

projected growth of spa

their income potential.

the world.

52

November 2013

(CNBT). The organisation

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IISRM caters to both the

contact networks and get

requirements of the indus-

on-the-job training.

try and of the job seekers.
The institute provides a
comprehensive range of
international standard professional programs. At this
educational organization,
technical and practical
aspects of different spa
therapies, yoga and meditation, quality consciousness, skill techniques etc.
are imparted. Adequate
emphasis is also given on
the managerial aspects like
spa management, beauty
& wellness marketing,
financial management and
budgeting, communication, stress management,
beauty and wellness sociology etc. The experienced
industry practitioners from
across the globe and the

IISRM has brought in a
major initiative to the spa
and wellness industry in India, i.e. of Academic-Industry partnership. This would
be of utmost benefit to the
spa and wellness industry.
The spa firms would not be
lacking professionals since
the institute could provide
them the required number
of highly trained spa and
wellness professionals.
Another segment in the
spa industry that would
benefit is spa equipment’s
manufacturing. National
and international marketing and sales opportunity
could be derived from
the functioning of the
institute.

students from around the

IISRM is ideally located

world make the learning

in the heart of Thiruvana-

environment at IISRM

nthapuram city and the

multicultural and truly

campus facilities are state-

inspiring. Internships at

of-the-art. The certifica-

reputed spas would aid

tion provided at IISRM is

the students to develop

of high value. It has joint


certification program
with REACH (Resource
Enhancement Academy
for Career Heights, Kerala
State Women Development Corporation), Super
Salon - the makers of
one of the most widely licensed spa-salon software
systems in the world, and
Red Cross, Thiruvananthapuram. The institute
assures 100% placement
assistance on completion
of courses. Students who
complete courses at IISRM
could also be ambassadors of traditional Indian,
Ayurvedic knowledge and
spa therapies. The spa
management and therapy
courses at IISRM are
taught on a professional
scale that would enable
them to move in to various
roles in the industry. The
courses are exclusively for
women.
Indian Institute of Spa Research and Management is
thus best placed to acquire
a lot of citation across the
spa and wellness industry.

November 2013

53

AUTO MART

Ashok Leyland launches ‘STILE’ MPV
The Hinduja Group flagship, Ashok Leyland today
launched the STILE, a
stylish Multi-Purpose
Vehicle (MPV) based on
a contemporary, awardwinning vehicle platform.
STILE will follow the highly
successful DOST as the
second product offering
from Ashok Leyland’s fastgrowing Light Vehicle business and was developed
by the Ashok Leyland–
Nissan Motor Company
Joint Venture. The Ashok
Leyland STILE will roll out
from Nissan’s manufacturing plant at Oragadam,
near Chennai.
In an economic environment where cost of

fuel is of
significant
concern,
the STILE
MPV will
offer the
Indian customer bestin-class fuel e ciency of
20.07kmpl (as certified
by ARAI) as well as global
levels of performance
and comfort. Speaking at
the launch occasion, Dr. V
Sumantran, Vice Chairman,
Ashok Leyland, said, “We
are extremely delighted
to launch the second
product from the Ashok
Leyland Nissan JV, which
we believe, will change the
dynamics of Indian MPVs.

With STILE, our mission
was clear – to deliver to
the Indian customer, a
contemporary MPV with
lots of space, contemporary styling, comfort features and most of all, classleading fuel efficiency.
With the STILE also in our
portfolio, we are now better positioned to cater to a
wider customer base and
range of transportation
needs.”

Kallingal Bajaj ‘Compact’ Three-Wheeler
Passenger Vehicles Launched
Kallingal Bajaj, unveiled
its new range of RE
Compact three-wheeler
diesel passenger vehicles
in Thiruvananthapuram.
RE Compact comes with
advanced features such
as higher fuel efficiency,
lower maintenance cost,
and better ergonomics.
“We have around 85 per
cent market share in the
small-sized passenger
three-wheeler category in
petrol and diesel versions.

54

November 2013

The new range will help
us defend our leadership
position,’’ he said.
Kallingal Shafeek said “
The new Bajaj RE compact
range is very efficient, and
offers lesser maintenance
and more savings and
comfort for our customers. Our mission is to keep
enhancing the customer
benefits and the user
experience through continuous improvements and
the new range promises to

fulfill this mission”.
NIMS Medi City Managing Director M S
Faizal Khan,Kallingal
Shafeek,Kallingal Shafeer,
Jalal, Shaju attended the
function.

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November 2013

55

METRO UPDATE

Kerala to launch ‘She Taxi’ for women on the move
Government’s Gender Park initiates service by women for women
The Government of Kerala is getting ready to introduce a first-of-its-kind, safe, 24X7
taxi service owned and operated by women entrepreneurs for women travellers.
‘She Taxi’ is the first offcampus project initiated
by The Gender Park which
has been newly set up by
the Department of Social
Justice, Govt. of Kerala,
to unify all activities in the
state aimed at achieving
gender equity.
The pilot service
will be launched in
Thiruvananthapuram on
November 19 with an initial
fleet of five cars, expected
to be scaled up to 100 in
three months, with plans
to extend the service to
Kochi and Kozhikode in the
next phase.
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd,
is partnering the Gender
Park as the official supplier
of the customised pink
and white ‘She Taxi’ cabs,
which will be kitted up
with the best available

56

November 2013

automobile technology
including GPS, precision
metering systems,
personal and emergency
alert systems, in-car
entertainment and other
luxuries. The carmaker will
also help provide training
to women drivers at the
Maruti Driving School.
The Gender Park will
identify the beneficiaries
and assist the women in
securing low-interest loans
from the Kerala State
Women’s Development
Corporation (KSWDC). It
will also arrange for health
insurance and provide selfdefence training for the
women drivers.
The fleet operations and
marketing will be handled
by Technopark-based Rain
Concert Technologies
Ltd which is setting up

a 24-hour call centre for
the purpose. The taxis
will have round-the-clock
access to the control room
and they will be monitored
and assisted by the Police.
“A safe and reliable mode
of travel for women on the
move is perhaps a longoverdue service. ‘She Taxi’
is going to be a milestone
for the public sector,” said
Kerala’s Minister for Social
Justice Dr M K Muneer.
“We know of womendriven taxis operated by
private firms and NGOs,
but this is the first initiated
by a government platform
and we will make sure
this becomes a model for
everyone to follow.”and
what makes it even more
special is the fact that
these taxis will be owned
by the women drivers,
Dr Muneer said. “So the

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‘She Taxi’ is not just for
security of women, it is
a means of promoting
entrepreneurship and selfemployment.”
Shri PT M Sunish, the CEO
of Gender Park, said they
have developed a business
model for the ‘She Taxi’
which projects a monthly
income of at least Rs
20,000 for the women
entrepreneurs. “We
have factored in every
possibility and still believe
it will be possible to earn
around Rs 20,000 a month
for an estimated 8 hrs of
operation everyday for 22
days a month. We are also
thinking of maximising
revenues for these women
through adverts on the
sides of the cars, in-car
LCD systems for streaming
ads and so on.”
He said the Gender Park
would like more women
to come forward to take
up the entrepreneurial
opportunity. “With so
many women travelling
singly for business,
professional and personal
needs and the current
concerns about their
safety, we believe there is
a huge market for womenoperated cab services,”
Shri Sunish said. “It is also
very empowering for a

Manju Warrier is the good will ambassador of She Taxi
woman to strike out into
a business dominated
by men. We see that in
the extraordinary, selfconfident women drivers
who have signed up to be
part of our pilot service.”
The She Taxis will initially
carry only women

passengers travelling by
themselves, in groups or
accompanying families.
The Gender Park hopes
that as attitudes change
and the women-driven
cabs find their social
space, the service will be
extended to everyone.
November 2013

57

Bhima Legacy Adds A New Dimension With
Bhima Boutique
If innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower, Bhima Jewellery is certainly
the former. Adding a dimension to the glitz off 88 years of Bhima’s heritage is Bhima
Boutique, an innovative concept in jewellery retailing.
The word boutique pops
up in a conversation
every now and then but
what makes them stand
out is their true purpose.
The idea of a boutique
in jewellery is quite
new, though the term
‘boutique’ is often used
in fashion and accessory.
What Boutique stands for
is ‘unique’, as in a style or
fashion.
The new Bhima Boutique
will offer you unique
designs that are matchless
in beauty and style. Here
one can find luxury defined
at its finest waiting to be
handpicked.
“At Bhima Boutique each
piece of jewellery is as
unique as you. There are
no replicas. That is the
uniqueness we bring out in
our collections,” says the
chairman, Dr. B. Govindan.
Crafted flawlessly under
the finest quality, the

58

November 2013

Boutique also comes in
signature Bhima style.
In the current scenario
where everyone wants to
choose something special
for themselves, Bhima
Boutique makes that
possible with exceptional
designs.
“We give you the
ambience you have always
looked for. At Bhima
Boutique, it’s just you
and your jewellery,” adds
Managing Director, Mr.
Suhas Rao.
“Here one can enjoy
comfortable shopping
experience along with
personalized individual
attention,” says Ms.
Gayathri Suhas, Director,
Bhima Jewellery.Founded
by K. Bhima Bhattar in
1925, the Bhima brand has
a legacy built on honest
workmanship and ethical
business practices that
has inspired the abiding

trust of generations
of customers. Since
inception, Bhima has
focused on the principle of
selling pure gold.
With Bhima Boutique,
the brand has once again
proved has to be a pioneer
and innovator in the
jewellery retail sector and
continues to be so. As
ever, Bhima comes with
its mark of distinction in
being the benchmark of
purity and style.
Bhima Boutique was
inaugurated by cine
star Amala Paul on 10th
November, at Bhima
Jewellery, M.G. Road
showroom.
Chairman - Dr. B.
Govindan, Jaya Govindan Managing Partner, Suhas
Rao M.S - Managing
Director Gayathri Suhas Director were present at
the occasion.

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“Veendum, veendum I like dancing for the
people of Thiruvananthapuram City.”
Lakshmi Gopalaswamy
Professional Dancer and
Cine Artist shares with
MetroMart on her
experiences and views
of Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram for
me is always a special
city. It is very culture
oriented. I have had many
dance programmes in
Thiruvananthapuram;
very great audience from
dance point of view.
Because of the history of
Thiruvananthapuram and
its royal family connection,
it is a very rich city. Being
from Karnataka, when
I go to some places
in this city I see a lot
of similarity between
Thiruvananthapuram
and Mysore. The
architecture is different,
but the atmosphere here
is very much like Mysore.
Thiruvananthapuram is
also unique because of its
being near to Tamilnadu
and the interesting blend
of Malayalam and Tamil
culture. Most importantly,
I have enormous faith in Sri
Padmanabhaswamy. Every
time I go to the temple,
it is a great experience

for me. It is one of the
most beautiful temples
that I have seen. So, my
connect is actually with
Sri Padmanabhaswamy.
The dance audiences are
very exposed and hence
their expectations from
dance programmes are
high. They do not easily

appreciate. It is always
a challenge to dance for
Thiruvananthapuram
audiences. I hope they
keep encouraging me like
they have for all these
years. I look forward to
every opportunity to come
to Thiruvananthapuram.
November 2013

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Greetings!
Upbeat tourist season is again at the thresholds of Kovalam. The stakeholders in
hospitality sector and others in the tourism industry are hopeful of witnessing an
increase in number of domestic tourists along with an increase in international
tourists this year.
The commencement of chartered flights with tourists from all over the world
heralds the Kovalam tourist season. The tourism sector and the Government is
gearing up to ensure a congenial atmosphere this tourist season.
In our current edition, Metro Mart aims to examine the existing conditions in
the sector as well as highlight areas where significant improvement is needed.
Our intention is also to bring in to focus tourist locations in Thiruvananthapuram
beyond Kovalam.
Many experts have shared their views with our readers on the current situation
of the tourism sector in Thiruvananthapuram, on the areas in need of improvement, and on the future of tourism industry in Thiruvananthapuram.
We would continue focusing on the same feature in the coming editions and
valuable comments and suggestions from people in the hospitality industry, tourists, etc. would be presented to our readers.
The seventh season of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF) is all set for a
transformation on a wide scale and create a new pattern, boosting the commerce and tourism sectors of the state in the future.
Happy Shopping!
Siji Nair

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Metro Mart November 2013

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Metro Mart November 2013