Rashtrapati Bhawan Glitters After Dusk On Indian Republic Day

Dome's day - Rashtrapati Bhawan glitters after dusk on Indian Republic Day (26th January 2009)

Sweden’s Ice Hotel Created in Winter, Melts to The Ground by Summer

Hundreds of couples marry in Sweden’s Ice Hotel every year; the 91-room structure, created in winter, melts to the ground by summer

SWEDEN: The temperatures are sub-zero, the walls are covered with snow, there are no doors or bathrooms.

Every bit of furniture, even the crockery, is carved out of ice.
The Jukkasjaervi Ice Hotel is expected to host over 150 weddings before the summer, when it will melt back into the river.

Every year just as winter begins, a team of snow builders, architects and artists from across the world gather at Jukkasjaervi, a small town far north of the Arctic Circle.

The hotel is created over a 6,000 sq m area using ice from the nearby Torne River, and stands from December to April.

The hotel also has a tiny chapel where, just as in the rooms, the temperature is minus five degrees Celsius.

Yet hundreds of couples brave the chill to have a memorable ceremony. They’re brought into the chapel in sleighs pulled by reindeer.

The food at the reception is served in bowls carved out of ice as the couples raise a toast using ice glasses.

That’s one well-iced cake!

Bush Twins Advise Obama's Girls

Barack Obama's Daughters Sasha and Malia Obama at the inauguration

WASHINGTON: Just in time for move-in day, the Bush twins offered their best advice Tuesday to Sasha and Malia Obama on living in a "magical place" called the White House.In an open letter to the Obama kids, 27-year-olds Barbara and Jenna Bush advised the girls to relish it all — to "go to anything and everything you possibly can"."Just go," they wrote in a letter published in the Wall Street Journal. "Four years goes by so fast, so absorb it all, enjoy it all!"

The twins reminisced about their favourite memories of the White House, and gave plenty of specific advice, too, to seven-year-old Sasha and 10-year-old Malia:

>>Surround yourselves with loyal friends.
>>Trick-or-treat down the plane aisle if you're travelling on Halloween.
>>Cherish your pets "because sometimes you'll need the quiet comfort that only animals can provide."
>>And this: "Slide down the banister of the solarium, go to T-ball games, have swimming parties, and play Sardines on the White House lawn. Have fun and enjoy your childhood in such a magical place to live and play."

Daddy's the best

The twins turned serious at the end, recalling how the public image of their own father got distorted over the years.

"He is our father, not the sketch in the paper or part of a skit on TV," they wrote.
As for the Obama girls' dad, they added, "Many people will think they know him, but they have no idea how he felt the day you were born, the pride he felt on your first day of school, or how much you both love being his daughters. So here is our most important piece of advice: remember who your dad really is."

Barack Hussein Obama Was on Tuesday Sworn in as America's 44th President

Obama is administered the oath of office as the 44th US President by Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha by his side.

Barack Hussein Obama was on Tuesday sworn in as America's 44th President, bringing a message of hope to a nation hungry for change after eight years of George W Bush regime.
The 47-year-old first African-American to enter to the White House, Obama was sworn in by the US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts at noon at the Capitol Hill.

Anil Ambani, A Regular At The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon

Some things never change. Anil Ambani, a regular at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, is seen here practising on Saturday (18th Jan 2009) morning at Marine Drive

Circus Arts in Goa Had Performers From Across the World Participate in InJuCo

Circus arts gained centrestage in Goa last week as performers from across the world participated in InJuCo, the Indian Juggling Convention, started by a German national in India

The moment you step into InJuCo you realise you've stepped into a whole new world that isn't anything like the one we've been living in all these years. People are artists, work is play and smiling, a way of being. For those who don't know what InJuCo is, it's short for the Indian Juggling Convention that took place in Goa all of last week. And for those who don't know what a Juggling Convention is, well, it's time you quit your job, join in and find out for yourself. I did!

At first, you maybe blinded by the dreadlocks, tattoos and piercings all around but once you get over that you'll start noticing the real essence behind all this hippy-ness. Simply put, it's a space where artists — jugglers, acrobats, fire dancers, staff and poi spinners, clowns, street artists, healers and musicians — come together to showcase their talent, develop their skills and selflessly share their magic with all those around. This is addiction taken to a whole different level. They practise relentlessly, from morning to night. There are times when the hoola refuses to spin anymore, the staff knocks the spinner hard on the head and the three colourful balls fall straight to the floor after their many-attempted flights of fantasy — but the artist doesn't stop. He's at it from morning to night. You'll always see a ball balancing on a juggler's head and a pen rotating between a staff spinner's fingers — be it when he's eating a meal, indulging in conversation or just sitting idle. Their art has not only become part of their lives but part of themselves as well.

"India needed a space for artists to come together. That's what InJuCo is all about. A space where artists meet, explore and exchange ideas," says Tom Heine, a German national who started InJuCo last year for the first time in India. "What I like most about conventions are the innocent child-like smiles on each face. We sometimes forget how important it is to play. And what could be better than learning to master your game from some of the best artists of the world."

It may seem like a completely international event with just a handful of local participants, which isn't much of a surprise as circus arts has not really been the most popular thing we've seen while growing up. But it's interesting to notice that one of the key organisers of the event, Lata Seth, 27, is an Indian, born and brought up in Pune. She has been performing for over 10 years, in India and internationally, and attends as many international conventions as she can in a year. "Performing, for me, is meditative. It takes care of my physical and emotional well-being," says Lata. "While practising you don't think as you have to be focused and that helps you to always live in the present."

The convention is a completely non-profit event. The artists conduct workshops for free. Every evening sees hair-raising performances, which are also free. And the core team works voluntarily to organise the convention. "It's all about your love for the arts and selfless giving. Internationally renowned artists come here, but not for the money, just for the pleasure of teaching, of passing on the magic," says Lata.

Last year the proceeds were handed over to Lion's Club for a community service project but this year the plan is to open a fund for InJuCo, which will help the convention to sustain itself each year. "InJuCo is just a start. My vision is to build a village of local and international artists; where people from all over the world come together. Art is communication — communication is understanding — and when there is understanding, there is peace," philosophizes Tom.

InJuCo in its humble avatar shares its spirit with its artists — modest yet overwhelming. No grand advertising, no great PR activities and no, I wasn't 'assigned' to write this story. I was part of InJuCo, I learnt well and the little I can do is to try to pass on the magic. Keep playing.

Source: Mid-day

Fly a 'Dhoni' for Rs 10, This Sankranti

Ranchi: Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's popularity is touching the skies — literally. Kites with images of his face rule the market.

"I am unable to meet the demands of the Dhoni kite," said Mohammad Talib, who has been making and selling kites in this Jharkhand capital for years.

"Every day I prepare around 1,500 kites with photos of Dhoni. But I get over 2,000 young customers daily asking for these kites."

Shakar Singh, another kite maker, said, "All children come for Dhoni kites. Children and the youth are crazy to buy Dhoni kites and they are ready to pay any amount for it."Various clubs in Ranchi are organising kite flying competitions to mark Makar Sankranti on January 14.

"Dhoni is the pride of Jharkhand, and we love to see Dhoni kites flying in the sky," said Rizu Sen, a Class VII student.

Each Dhoni kite sells for Rs 10 and above. — Agencies

A Man Prepares To Fly a Huge Kite Ahead of The 18th International Kite Festival

A Man Prepares To Fly a Huge Windsock Kite Ahead of The 18th International Kite Festival in Ahmedabad on Wednesday (January 14)

About 200participants from India and abroad are expected to take part in the festival which begins on saturday.

Big Plans For Wankhede Stadium, Getting Ready to Host the 2011 World Cup Cricket Final in Style (View Pictures)

Next time you enter the Wankhede Stadium...... in 2011, it will look like this if all goes according to plan for the people behind the development

View Some Artist Graphic Images of how The Wankhede Stadium would Look after the Face-lift

Elevators that carry maximum of 20 people at a time will be used in North and South stands. Twenty such lifts are planned

A view of players dressing room with showers EOF8

Plush corporate boxes

The players’ dressing room (above the sight screen) and MCA President box (above the dressing room) at the Pavilion end

KEY MEN: Shashi Prabhu and Prof Ratnakar Shetty

MUMBAI is getting ready to host the 2011 World Cup cricket final in style — at a new and improved Wankhede Stadium which will now have colourful bucket seats and more facilities for spectators.

The plans indicate that spectators can look forward to some comfortable cricket-viewing at the stadium which was first built in quick time (11 months, 23 days) to host the fifth and final India vs West Indies Test in January 1975. Test cricket in Mumbai was played at the Brabourne Stadium prior to the 1974-75 series which ended 3-2 in favour of the West Indians.

In March 2011, cricket lovers will throng to the Wankhede to witness the finale."It was a challenge for us to comply with the guidelines set by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for international matches because there isn't much space to make any major changes," says architect Shashi Prabhu. Prof Ratnakar Shetty, the Mumbai Cricket Association Honorary Treasurer informed that the entire cost of the Wankhede redevelopment would work out to the tune of Rs 130 to 140 crore.

While cricket lovers can look forward to a plush and comfortable stadium, the capacity has been increased by only 4000."

We could not do much with the East and West Stands (due to railway lines and residential buildings on either sides respectively). That is why we decided to increase the height of the other two stands (North and South stand) to 24.95 metres as compared to the earlier 10.25m. It will be a multi-level stadium," added Prabhu.

The new structure will have a capacity of 39,000 spectators as compared to the earlier 35,000. "Our main aim was to give every spectator a clear view of the match, apart from comfort and world-class facilities. We have designed it in such a way that everyone can see the ball crossing the boundary line from any corner of the ground."

Asked about the not-so-substantial increase in capacity, Shetty said: "This is a redevelopment project. We have space constraints and so there was not much scope to increase capacity."

One of the highlights of the stadium is the suspended cantilever roofs. The Teflon fabric roof is lighter in weight and is also heat resistant. There will be no beam support for the roof so the spectators will have a better view. On the roof there will be exhaust fans to suck the hot air from the stands and allow the breeze from the West to flow in. The stadium will have 20 elevators for North and South stands.

There will be ramps for physically challenged people. Prabhu promises to have good toilets and spacious snack bars and a better drainage system. Water soaking will become much faster because of ejecto pumps. The men piloting the project are confident work will be over well before the December 2010 deadline.

Old

* Capacity: 35,000

* Narrow benches

* Staircases

* Badly maintained toilets

* Poor food stalls

* Ineffective drainage system

* Hot asbestos roof

New

* Capacity: 39,000

* Comfortable bucket seats

* Lifts, ramps for the handicapped

* Clean and spacious toilets

* Proper and spacious food stalls

* Ejecto pumps

* Teflon heat resistant roof

Pictorial Tribute to India's Cricketing Stalwart, Kapil Dev on His 50th Birthday

Indian fans cannot conceal their joy and lift their hero to celebrate India’s third Test win over Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground

Lifting the Prudential World Cup watched by Man of the Match Mohinder Amarnath

PIC COURTESY: Patrick Eagar EOF8

Enjoying a joke at a function with Mohammed Azharuddin, who had just come into the Indian team

Being prsented a bouquet by actor Deepti Naval during India’s tour of the United Kingdom

One of the earliest photographs of Kapil Dev — during a Ranji Trophy game in Mumbai, 1977

Celebrating after equalling Richard Hadlee’s 431-wicket mark in Bangalore