Adithya Sivasankar and G. Prashanthi from Sri Akilandeswari Vidyalaya, Trichy, won the zonal final held in the city / Photo: M. Srinath / The Hindu
Sixty-five teams participated in the INTACH quiz, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the trust
Which is the area in the city that served as the horse stable for the Nawab of Carnatic? Which Indian island speaks Dhivehi, a language typically spoken in the Maldives?
If these questions leave you flummoxed, you may be surprised at the confidence with which teenagers of classes VII to X, participating in the Chennai Round of the INTACH India Heritage Quiz 2014, shot back answers without so much as batting an eyelid.
Held at Asian College of Journalism, the quiz series commemorated the 30 anniversary of INTACH or the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage.
Sujatha Shankar, convenor, INTACH Chennai Chapter, said, “As a society we tend to take our heritage for granted. We hope by such efforts the next generation takes ownership and gets involved in protecting what is ours.”
The quiz itself saw 65 teams of two each participating from over 20 schools across the city. The team of Arjun Pant and Sachin Vinaayak from Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Annanagar, went on to the zonal finals. Here, they met their counterparts from Pondicherry, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Salem, Madurai, Trichy and Coimbatore.
The winners of the zonal final were Adithya Sivasankar and G. Prashanthi from Sri Akilandeswari Vidyalaya, Trichy. The girls will soon be on national television representing the southern zone in the national semi-finals and finals to be held in Delhi.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / Staff Reporter / Chennai – July 18th, 2014
In-house canteens are an integral part of the campus. Photo: M. Karunakaran / The Hindu
From idli-vadai-pongal to vempampoo rasam and filter coffee, Chennai’s canteens have it all
Legend has it that the strike in Binny Mills in 1921 started over food. Led by V. Kalyanasundaram, it lasted six months, but was suppressed when the management tactically split workers into two groups, using canteen hierarchy. But the struggle didn’t go waste: It spawned the first workers’ union and the employee canteen got established on firm ground.
Today, every departmental canteen in Chennai has history added to its menu. “The 250-year-old College of Engineering, Guindy, gave south Indian industry its basic structure, which included the workers’ canteen,” says painter Srinivasan N., analysing the canteen concept. “In manpower-rich manufacturing, subsidised food is seen as a way to keep workers happy. Whether autonomous (IIT, DD, Anna University, Chennai Port Trust), Government-controlled (Ordnance Factory, Ripon building, ONGC, Southern Railway) or private (TAFE, Hyundai, Leyland), in-house canteens are an integral part of the campus. Now, brain-powered IT industries have switched to food courts,” he remarks.
Whether brick and mortar or chrome and steel, canteens here are a no-frills service. You check the prices of the standardized menu on the blackboard, buy coupons and accordingly collect food at the counter. Hot, soft idlis, crispy vadas, and thin dosais along with ‘meals’ are a staple.
Have you been to any of these?
AIR
The canteen opened on December 1, 1974 and shifted to the separate tower block in 1984. The shift at AIR starts at 6 a.m. and at 8 the staff is assembled in the canteen. Newsreaders are the first to choose from idli, puri, dosa or pongal and get their fill of tea or coffee. You can come back for bajji, vadai and bonda till noon, and after that you can go for a lunch thali that consists of rice, sambar, rasam, two vegetables, buttermilk, pickle and appalam for Rs 20. Peckish at 4 p.m.? Try out the kara sevai, butter murukku and the bajji.
While the pathway and the hall need sprucing up, nothing can dim the thrill of being in a place where Chennai’s luminaries broke bondas. “L.K. Advani came here in the 80s and had special coffee,” says Dr. Selva Peter, Deputy Director/Hony. Secretary of the canteen, listing out the celebrity visitors: Kannadasan, T.M. Soundararajan, P.B. Srinivas, L.R. Easwari, Sivaji Ganesan, Ilayaraja, Vairamuthu among others.
During the two years of the Isai Saaral programme, all popular Carnatic and Hindustani singers were treated to snacks, Selva Peter says.
Although the canteen staff number has dwindled, the cooks still serve “guests” from the Police Commissionerate nearby, Bank of India, Santhome branch and the Crime Records Bureau. At the All-India staff training workshop, out-of-state participants wanted to know which hotel the food was from. Not surprisingly, Sankaran, head cook since 1974, was quickly re-appointed when he retired.
Doordarshan
I join Dr. Balaramani, Asst. Director/Hony. Canteen Secretary for a special thali lunch that included bright orange jalebis and sweet mango pieces. “We make sure our guests visit the canteen and we ask them to try a meal. It costs no more than Rs. 44 (lunch is Rs. 25),” he says. Post-recording, artistes, accompanists and theatre assistants head straight to the canteen. “Only the fussiest stars leave without tasting the day’s fare,” he says.
Starting small in 1975, the canteen went departmental in 1980. “Our canteen is exclusively for the 500 plus staff, resource persons, AIR FM transmitter engineers on the premises, home guards and the TN Women Police on guard duty,” Balaramani says. The canteen specialises in dosai varieties, on Tuesdays you get idli-vadai-pongal-upma, Thursdays are for puri-masala and keerai vadai. At 1 p.m. you can choose from the lunch thali and variety rice, at 3 p.m. it is bajji, dosai, tea/coffee and kesari.
The Doordarshan dining hall too has been graced by a galaxy of cinema and theatre artistes. Helpers have served actors Vivek and Nasser, Vairamuthu, Kutti Padmini, Kathadi Ramamurthy, Delhi Ganesh, R.S. Manohar, Nagesh and G.V. Prakash. The canteen is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., five days a week, but was open for 18 hours on election counting day.
“This canteen is more than a mother to us,” says Sethu Madavan, who joined in 1986. “Today, a canteen employee’s children are engineers. We enter the hall with a prayer that the day’s work should go smoothly,” he says.
AGS Office
Annapurani of AGS office, they call their canteen of more than 50 years, in a nod to their women-dominated workforce. Homely food goes to all the offices in the complex, and if you are here, you can’t leave without sipping their coffee. Even though the canteen went from co-operative to departmental, conventional to steam cooking, plantain leaves to plates, the aroma of coffee is a constant, say officials. While vadais are permanent, major breakfast foods are on a weekly rotational basis. Lunch is served in a thali, but if you fancy tiffin, that is available too. One item you don’t want to miss is the rasam say insiders. Also, plan your visit — Monday for pongal and Friday for the famed rice upma-vathakozhambu combo.
Close to 400 officials pile in for breakfast and lunch. For the single, married-with-kids and long-distance commuters, the canteen is a boon – the food is good and the rates are low. Curd rice is rated high, as is the neer-moru. You can also pick from chappathi or mixed rice varieties. Food combos have add-ons like sweets and coffee.
A meal costs Rs. 15, coffee is Rs. 5 per cup. The canteen maintains quality by buying provisions from its co-operative store in the complex. Cleanliness is religion — steam cookers hiss, mechanical scrubbers clean up plates, a machine kneads dough, huge exhausts keep the spot smoke-free and an RO plant provides water.
If the sitting area gleams, the counter looks like it’s from a popular fast-food joint. Everything smells class, and most AGs are patrons.
The canteen prepares and supplies snacks for office functions, higher officials’ visits and farewell treats to save on office budgets. During Deepavali, the kitchen prepares 1.5 MT of mixture and nearly one MT of sweets, so make sure you order the special mixture and boondhi laddu. “The office canteen is an extension of our kitchen,” say employees. For me, its best feature is its proximity to the parking area.
Anna University
As students, parents and guardians gather anxiously at Anna University grounds during admission season, the one place that keeps them smiling all day is the “main” canteen. The food is cheap – Rs. 16 for a full thali and Rs. 4 for coffee, apart from the sweets and ice-cream which are on offer all year round.
While the campus is 250 years old, the canteen has its own history. Generations of students have succumbed to its gastronomical charms.
“My mentor Ravi and I would bunk classes, sit under the aalamaram opposite the CEG canteen and order bread omelette. Whenever I was asked which branch of engineering I was in, I’d say canteen branch,” said Crazy Mohan. Bread omelette was his son’s favourite too, at AU.
“People from the Cancer Institute and Science City take parcels of the healthy, non-spicy food,” said Registrar Dr. Ganesh, reminding me that the canteen bans soft drinks and preservatives. “The pav bhaji is very good here, have it with fresh fruit juice,” recommends Srinivasan.
“Prices are affordable, and the food is prepared with clean, modern kitchen equipment. An RO plant and a bio-waste-disposal system are part of this century-old canteen.”
The herbal food canteen at Chennai Corporation Campus. Photo : A. Muralitharan / The Hindu
Ripon Building
The canteen menu of South Indian delicacies at the Ripon Building were upgraded with a herbal touch in 2012. To ward off seasonal sniffles, it serves nilambu kashayam and sukku coffee; its vepampoo(neem) rasam is guaranteed to cure stomach trouble, thoothuvalai soup should help you breathe easy in cold weather.
In an effort to promote millets, the canteen serves varagu, saamai, thinai and kuthiraivali rice varieties. These can be washed down with herbal tea, herbal soups, juices and ginger buttermilk. The kollu (horsegram) rasam helps reduce weight, so eat away at this historic canteen.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Featurer> MetroPlus / Geeta Padmanabhan / Chennai – July 17th, 2014
She is spotted with some of the hottest hunks all over the country and biker-actress Alisha Abdullah enhanced that image recently when she and John Abraham bumped into each other in the city.
She even posted a photo online of the two rekindling their friendship, saying it was fantastic to get back in touch with John. “It was a chance meeting. We both ended up being in the same hotel, but a very fortunate coincidence indeed. I know John from nearly five years back when we were both brand ambassadors for a product, and though we have remained friends over time, you know how difficult it is to keep in touch in our industry. However, he was really excited to see me.”
And the bike-crazy duo apparently decided to collaborate on a project. “When he saw me looking fit and glam, John proposed the idea of working together and I was only too happy to agree, I mean, who wouldn’t? John was as warm and friendly as ever. He’s off to Los Angeles now, but we have set up a meeting for the second week of August to get together and brainstorm. The way he has maintained his body over the years is truly awesome, and I was absolutely gushing over him,” Alisha laughs. While shooting for her second movie is about to start, the racer says she’s struggling to balance her film, sport and fashion commitments. “But when the lure of Bollywood comes calling, it’s hard to say no,” she says.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Entertainment> Tollywood / DC / Gautam Sunder / July 28th, 2014
Santha Sheela Nair, retired IAS officer and vice president of Tamil Nadu Planning Commission, lighting the first lamp at the Chozeeshwarar temple in Gangaikonda Cholapuram on Friday | express
Jayankondam :
People of Gangaikonda Cholapuram and its surrounding villages took pride in celebrating the crowning millennium year of King Rajendra Chola.
Thousands of people, including women and children, thronged the Chozeeshwarar Temple on Friday evening and a huge rally started from Maaligai Medu, the village where remains of the king’s palace were excavated.
Three elephants walked in front of the rally in memory of the king whose skills on the battle field was well known. The elephants were followed by folk artistes, who caught the eye of people as the rally passed by. Slogans praising the king were raised all along the rally.
Writers Balakumaran, Kulothungan and Kudavayil Balasubramaniyan, who wrote books on the king and the temple, Santha Sheela Nair, vice-president of Tamil Nadu Planning Commission, P Senthil Kumar, commissioner of disciplinary proceedings, Nagercoil, K Dhanavel, IAS officer (retd) and Porko, former vice-chancellor of Madras University were taken on a chariot-like vehicle.
The writers were later honoured for their contributions to Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
Meanwhile, in Thanjavur, a torch relay commenced at Thanjavur Big Temple. The rally was flagged off by Collector Dr N Subbaiyan, in the presence of writer Balakumaran, who lit the torch. The torch was escorted through Thanjavur city by 1,000 volunteers on motorcycles.
From Palliagraharam, around 100 volunteers on bikes escorted 20 torch bearers, who took turns in taking the torch to Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
The torch was used to light up 1,000 lamps around the temple in Gangaikonda Cholapuram. The Thanjavur chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) made arrangements for the torch rally. The team of torch bearers later joined the rally.
A huge crowd welcomed the rally when it reached the temple. Around 6.30 pm, Santha Sheela Nair lit the first lamp at the temple, after which a thousand small lamps were lit by women, marking the millennial year of the king’s coronation.
Ramu (75) of Thottikulam village, said, “I haven’t seen such a joyful festival before. When I was young I heard a lot about King Rajendra Chola and this temple. Only now am I seeing how the people are celebrating the king. The joy of people here gives me the feeling that the king is alive and in our midst.” Later, a grand symposium was held on the temple and writers and historians spoke about King Rajendra Chola’s achievements in various fields.
(With inputs from TNIE Thanjavur correspondent)
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by K. Ezhilarasan – ENS / July 26th, 2014
Late King Rajendra Chola was on Saturday remembered not just for his skills in battlefield but also for tackling drought.
“The lakes, especially those built by Rajendra Chola 1,000 years ago still help us in tackling water problems,” said Porko, former vice-chancellor of Madras University, recalling his contributions at a grand symposium held at Gangaikonda Cholapuram on Friday night marking the millennial year of the crowning of the Chola king.
Writer Balakumaran said children should be taught the history of Tamil Nadu so that they will understand the importance of personalities like Rajendra Chola. “Every Tamilian should know the history of the Chola kings. I appreciate the people of Gangaikonda Cholapuram and the surrounding villages for organising this celebration,” he said. He also requested the State government to build a memorial for Rajendra Chola at Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
M Rasendhran, commissioner of agricultural department, praised Rajendra Chola for his skills on the battlefield.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / July 27th, 2014
Aavin milk plant in Pudukottai. File photo. / The Hindu
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has inaugurated through video conference a dairy plant in Pudukottai.
With the commissioning of the ‘Aavin’ dairy, constructed at a cost of Rs. 2.99 crore, all the 17 District Milk Producers Cooperative Unions in the State now have full-fledged milk processing and storage facilities, an official release said.
The Pudukottai dairy can process 35,000 litres of milk a day.
It would benefit nearly 45,000 milk producers under the cooperative fold in the district. It would also help augment the per capita milk availability in the district.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated refurbished milk dairy at Kaakkalur in Tiruvallur district, completed at a cost of Rs.4.51 crore, and warehousing facilities at a cattle fodder plant in Erode district, the release said.
Modernisation helped the Kaakkalur dairy to enhance its daily processing capacity to one lakh litres, thereby making available more quality milk to consumers of Greater Chennai and Kancheepuram district. The project was partly funded by the Centre.
Dairy Development Minister V. Moorthy and top officials were among those present on the occasion at the Secretariat.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Tamil Nadu / Special Correspondent / Chennai – July 21st, 2014
Fourteen Jain rock beds dating back to the 5th century AD have been excavated inside three caverns on top of a hill in Vellore district.
The beds were found on the Bhairavamalai in Latheri on the Vellore-Gudiyattam road when Jeeva Kumar, a Jain priest, was on a study tour in search of abandoned and neglected Jain sites in Tamil Nadu. “It was difficult to climb the hill because the rock steps to the caverns were almost lost over the years. Recently, the locals have built a temple near the caverns. They have also built a flight of 1300 steps for the new temple. Unfortunately, there is no passage to these caverns that house the ancient rock beds,” says S Jeeva Kumar, who has excavated a number of Jain sites in various parts of Tamil Nadu.
The hill is situated in a small village called Kukkara Palli and scholars say the word ‘palli’ has a strong association with Jainism.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / M. T. Saju, TNN / July 21st, 2014
Police personnel enjoying a final kabaddi match at the 54th police games meet at Netaji stadium in Vellore on Sunday | S Dinesh
Vellore / Tiruvannamalai :
Armed Police, Chennai, won the overall championship in the 54th Inter-Zonal Police Games Meet 2014 held in Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts.
Over 1,000 police personnel from central, north, south and west zones, Greater Chennai Police (GCP) and Tamil Nadu Commando Force (TNCPF) and Armed Police participated in the three-day sports meet, which began on Friday.
Eight events – obstacles, volley ball, basket ball, hockey, foot ball, hand ball, kabaddi and shuttle cock – were held. These events were held in three venues — VIT University campus, Nethaji Stadium and District Sports Complex in Tiruvannamalai. The Armed Police won volleyball (women), hockey (men), handball (men) and shuttle cock (men) doubles.
It was a runner-up in volleyball (men) and shuttle cock (women) singles events and amassed a highest total of 183 points.
Central zone won obstacles and volleyball events beating South Zone and the Armed Police respectively in the finals. Greater Chennai Police emerged as a winner in basketball (women) and football beating Armed Police and west zone respectively.
Central Zone emerged as winners in kabaddi in both men’s and women’s category. In the events, Greater Chennai Police emerged as the second best team in men’s and women’s categories.
DIG Periaiah won the shuttle cock (officers) singles event, while DIG Periaiah and the DSP of TNCPF Elangovan emerged as winners in shuttle cock (officers) doubles event.
DIG of Vellore Range R Tamil Chandran handed over the overall championship trophy to Armed Police. He also distributed medals to winners of other events during the valedictory programme at Nethaji Stadium in the fort city on Sunday.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Express News Service / July 21st, 2014
A 13-year-old girl from here has successfully entered into the Limca Book of Records for dribbling two basketballs simultaneously for a distance of six km. The girl, who skated throughout the distance, achieved the record in 29 minutes and 58 seconds. The 13-year-old L S Sivashree is known to make everyone awestruck with her feats as she often engages herself in doing many impossible tasks. She is also a state-level under-14 basket ball player and an athlete who loves to run on long tracks.
Sivashree did the dribbling for Limca a few months back amidst thundering applause from the crowds on the busy Kamarajar Salai. She, along with her father L S Sundaramoorthy, a sports trainer and her younger sister L S Yogashree were all on cloud nine when they received the copy of the book recently. Although they received an official e-mail with confirmation and the copy of book with her record under ‘Human Story’ category, they are still awaiting the certificate. Like Sivashree, Yogashree too is keen in athletics and basketball.
A Class 8 student of Meenakshi School at Vandiyur Mariamman Theppakulam where she resides, an enthusiastic Sivashree said, “I want to participate in the Olympic Games and bring laurels to the nation in athletics event. Not only in sports, I’m also good in studies too. I always score more than 80% in all the subjects.”
“Sivashree in earlier attempts ran for 30 km when was just five years old. When she was six she ran for 10.5 km by dribbling a basketball. In another attempt she dribbled a ball while skating for 19 km when she was seven years. We have presented them to the Guinness records but they have not even considered the little girl,” said Sundaramoorthy.
“In the next level, I want prove my talent in running and basketball at the national level. I have been undergoing rigorous training to come up at the national level,” Sivashree said.
Sundaramoorthy said that during his school days he wanted to pursue basketball and table tennis seriously but was rejected citing his height. He then took up kho-kho and athletics to emerge as a state player. From then, he has been coaching his two daughters to groom them into the international level, he said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / by v. Devanathan, TNN / May 23rd, 2014
Participants at the India Heritage Quiz 2014 at Asian College of Journalism | Albin Mathew
Chennai :
Did you know that Mysore Pak was created by Kakasura Madappa? Several other quiz questions such as these were thrown at students from classes seven to nine from across the State at the INTACH India Heritage Quiz 2014.
The nation-wide contest was organised by The Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage (INTACH) as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, in collaboration with Xpress Minds Edutainment. It tested the students’ knowledge of Indian culture and heritage.
On Thursday, the Tamil Nadu zonal final was conducted at the Asian College of Journalism, Taramani, for students of nine schools. They were among the 150 students who were shortlisted from 40 schools in Puducherry, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Salem, Madurai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore and Chennai.
The winner, an all-girls team comprising Adithya Sivasankar and G Prashanthi from Sri Akilandeswari Vidyalaya, Tiruchy, was selected to participate in the National finals to be held in New Delhi.
Sarayu S from INTACH, said that quiz contests like these were designed to give the right exposure and motivate students to know about heritage.
“Heritage is more about the way we think. We all need to ponder along the lines of what our workplace or home would have been before. This gives a whole new perspective, and would interest kids. When they are tuned to think this way, conducting quizzes will further help them to be on track,” she said.
The organisation has also created heritage clubs in schools, where periodic activities such as presentations and role plays are conducted to enhance the students’ knowledge.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / July 19th, 2014
