Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

The mercury level in the country’s capital is soaring quite high this summer. And to escape from the heat wave, we decided to go out of the city. Being nearer to the <keyword id="52569" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="himalayas">Himalayas</keyword>, hills were our first preference. However, a new resort, <keyword id="4504487" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="le-reserve">Le Reserve</keyword> Corbett at <keyword id="94857" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jim-Corbett-National-Park">Jim Corbett National Park</keyword> in <keyword id="44522" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttarakhand">Uttarakhand</keyword> in the foothills of the <keyword id="4504488" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="kumaon-himalayas">Kumaon Himalayas</keyword> made us change our mind. The rustic and wooden feel of the property with an asymmetric pool, as displayed on the internet, made us choose our April getaway at the jungle this time. 
 
This place is listed on most of the popular online portals; however you can contact the property directly over a call for better deals. 
 There is a good part about <keyword id="18633" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jim-Corbett">Jim Corbett</keyword> area. It’s hilly but without altitude. It’s colder than the city but warmer than hill stations. By road, <keyword id="66744" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ramnagar">Ramnagar</keyword> where the <keyword id="310615" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Le">Le</keyword> Reserve is located is less than six hours. And if you take the night train you would reach Ramnagar, the station that looks like RK Narayan’s dream town of <keyword id="75873" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Malgudi">Malgudi</keyword>, in five and a half hours. 
 
On a Saturday early morning in the end week of April, we checked ourselves in at Le Reserve Corbett. The estate has recently been converted into a luxurious resort with jungles all around. 
 Keeping in sync with the ambience of the place, wood has been extensively used. Right from the rooms to the front desk, the scent of pine wood is addictive. The owner <keyword id="4504486" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="karan-tewari">Karan Tewari</keyword> has done a commendable job here. 
 
The concierge processed our booking and told us our room was on the first floor. The room is spacious enough with a bed is designed like a log. The cane furniture in the room gives it a typical cottage kind of feel. The first floor rooms have veranda that overlook the pool. We could see the sky gathering the grey clouds of midsummer and preparing for a heavy shower. Relishing over the tea, we were enjoying the chilled breeze coming from the upper Himalayas. 
 All meals are served at the restaurant by the pool, Ambrosia. The chef is a local chap who knows cuisines well. While he served us Indian as well as Chinese during our stay for two days, I would any day choose his <keyword id="2710320" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kumaoni">Kumaoni</keyword> cuisine over anything else. Kumaoni dal or Kumaoni lauki masala (gourd curry) are the must try dishes at the place. If you are a non vegetarian, opt for chef’s choice of village chicken and you would definitely relish the delicacy. 
 Soon after the lunch and a short afternoon siesta, we were ready for the jungle safari, the most important part of Jim Corbett trip. Le Reserve’s concierge will make all arrangements for you, if you want. The journey from the resort to the <keyword id="4504485" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="durga-devi-gate">Durga Devi Gate</keyword> of Corbett is nearly 15 kilometres and worth it, thanks to the open jeep cruising at 110 km/hr. 
 
We returned from the safari right after the sunset and the high tea at the sprawling lawn of the resort has begun. There is a regular guitarist who would keep the place enliven. While he was singing songs from the yesteryears and we were sipping on whisky – both got blended into an addictive concoction. The tasty pakoras kept flowing in and soon after another big group joined us after their safari and they were sharing their experience. The lawn at seven o’clock in the evening has suddenly turned into a hunter’s lodge where people share their experiences after a long day of hunting. 
 
Some of us started humming to the tunes of the songs, played by the guitarist. And the confident ones gradually started singing songs by themselves. An hour later, when few of the guests were still swimming in the 4.85 foot deep pool, a smiling staff came to us to inform us that the dinner is being served. Again the dinner consisted of dishes that were local and tasted heaven. As the night got darker, the guitarists have left and the bonfire at the lawn has just burnt out, you can hear some howls coming from far away. When inquired, one of the staffs informed us that often wild foxes and barking deer come near the highway and that’s the origin of the screams. 
 The next morning, we walked for 10 minutes and spotted the <keyword id="390762" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kosi-river">Kosi River</keyword>, one of the tributaries of the Ganga right behind the resort. The summer months are dry and the river doesn’t have much water. On our way back, we spotted a herd of three spotted deer drinking water at the river. 
 If you get into the pool, just be cautious, it’s 4.85 feet at one side. The pool isn’t suitable for diving, though. And there will be wild monkeys around you drinking water from the pool. <keyword id="7308" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Don">Don</keyword>’t be scared, it’s their place we have invaded. 
 
Scroll through the images below to catch a glimpse of the experience. Photos sourced.

Stay close to nature when you visit Jim Corbett National Park next time. Here's how

New Delhi, May 1 () Bharti Airtel's digital content platform Xstream has recorded a 50 per cent jump in streaming volume during the lockdown, the company said on Friday. While re-telecast of Ramayan is said to have broken records on Doordarshan, Airtel Xstream also noticed an increase in demand for retro content during the lockdown period."While overall streaming volumes have increased by 50 per cent on the app since the middle of March 2020, it is shows and movies from yesteryears that have seen the biggest surge in demand from users," Airtel said in a statement. The platform has registered an increase in the average session time and the number of daily sessions per user is also up by 40 per cent as people are spending more time inside homes."Cult TV shows like Malgudi Days, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Zabaan Sambhal Ke, Rajani and many more have witnessed 300 per cent surge in streaming volumes," the statement said. Bollywood Classics from Chaudhavin Ka Chand, Mother India, Don, Padosan, Andaz Apna Apna and Raja Babu have seen streaming volumes growth of 100 per cent underlining the strong demand of content from the decades gone by, it said.The company found that close to 80 per cent of the demand surge for retro content is driven by users from non-metros and smaller towns in states such UP, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh which highlights the growing adoption of OTT in these markets as smartphones and 4G penetration increases."The current situation has made video entertainment an obvious and large use case. At the same time, it has given all of us more time and space to travel back in time and rekindle some fond memories as the situation also makes us emotional," Bharti Airtel chief product officer Adarsh Nair said. PRS MKJ

Airtel Xstream records 50% jump in streaming volume during lockdown

Long before computers and the Internet started dominating our life, these handheld compact devices with wafer-thin pages transported people from one world to another in a jiffy. They were highly portable and could accompany you anywhere (<keyword id="51958" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="YES">yes</keyword>, even to the washroom), and came with all kinds of pricing. Those who embraced them underwent a metamorphosis that changed them for the better. And the effect was for life. Yes, we are talking about books here. 
 
Below are the top 10 books that every Indian should read. The list is an eclectic mix of world literature, visionary writing with Indian perspective and a historical yet contemporary chronicle of this country that is waiting to grow in leaps and bounds. But a list is a list after all, and it does not indicate or dictate the order of preference. 
 
<ol>
	<li>
		Things Fall Apart by <keyword id="1105257" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Chinua-Achebe">Chinua Achebe</keyword></li>
</ol> Chinua Achebe, who died earlier this year, was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor and critic. And this book is considered his magnum opus. The path-breaking novel showcases the struggle of the <keyword id="6500558" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="Indigenous">indigenous</keyword> communities against the intervention of external agents. It depicts the life of Okonkwo, a leader and local wrestling champion in Umuofia – one of a fictional group of nine villages in Nigeria, inhabited by the Ibo people during the late 19th century. A novel that truly portrays life at the grassroots. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="2">
		The Old Man and the Sea by <keyword id="823294" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Ernest">Ernest</keyword> Hemmingway</li>
</ol>
With the young outnumbering the old in a country that is bursting at the seams, this book makes for excellent reading. This small, palm-sized book is the story of an epic battle between an old, experienced fisherman and a large marlin. This is the story of Santiago, an old, unlucky man, and his young apprentice Manolin. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="3">
		The Autobiography of <keyword id="144869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Malcolm-X">Malcolm X</keyword> by <keyword id="880434" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Alex-Haley">Alex Haley</keyword></li>
</ol>
Racism is raising its ugly head in all countries, including the land of opportunities called America. In this context, the story of Malcolm X, who was assassinated when he was all of 39, tells the life’s events of an extraordinary African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="4">
		Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by <keyword id="15962" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Barack-Obama">Barack Obama</keyword></li>
</ol>
A story of Race and Inheritance by second term American President Barack Obama. Published in 1995 as he was preparing to launch his political career in a campaign for an Illinois office, this book effectively upholds the trials and tribulations of a young man who went on to dream big and realise the dreams of his forefathers. 
 
 
<ol>
	<li value="5">
		The Immortals of Meluha by <keyword id="182794" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Amish-Tripathi">Amish Tripathi</keyword></li>
</ol>
After a brief lull on mythological stories with contemporary perspectives, this book is something fresh and new. This is the story of Shiva (considered the Destroyer), woven to suit the modern palette. Needless to say, the book helped many return to their reading after many years. And set the stage for more such attempts to be made by young corporate writers. None like this one! 
 
<ol>
	<li value="6">
		The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni</li>
</ol>
She is a well-known name among NRI readers since long. After Irawati Karve’s classic study of Draupadi (the female protagonists of Mahabharata) in her book Yuganta (end of an epoch), Palace is another milestone. It is about reimagining the world famous Indian epic, this time told from the point of view of the amazing woman – Draupadi. It is quite relevant from today’s perspective, with a heady mix of history and mythology and rooted in Indian tradition. You will find a totally new interpretation of Panchaali’s life, manipulated by the turns of fate. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="7">
		Malgudi Days by <keyword id="1727179" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="R-K-Narayan">R. K. Narayan</keyword></li>
</ol>
This collection of 19 short stories published in 1943 continues to be the favourite of many owing to its flavoursome language. Set in a tiny village in Southern India, this book is a capturing narrative of the innocence of people against the changing values of the society. When the book was published, <keyword id="187229" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="the-New-York-Times">The New York Times</keyword> said: Everyone in the book seems to have a capacity for responding to the quality of his particular hour. It’s an art we need to study and revive. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="8">
		The Discovery of India by Pandit <keyword id="6360386" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Jawaharlal-Nehru">Jawaharlal Nehru</keyword></li>
</ol>
Political leaders today come from a different genre altogether and intellectual mastery is not a compulsory parameter of that ecosystem. But this book written by the first Prime Minister of independent India shows the country in a new light. Starting from the Indus Valley Civilisation, it goes on to trace the arrival of the Aryans and finally the rule of the British Empire. India of the past was filled with harmony and peace, but the evils of society slowly corrupted the people. It’s an analytical take, probing deep into the life, culture and philosophy of the country. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="9">
		Imagining India: The Idea of a Renewed Nation by <keyword id="44604" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Nandan-Nilekani">Nandan Nilekani</keyword></li>
</ol>
When the corporate guru-turned-bureaucrat, who is spearheading one of the most controversial projects of disbursing a Unique Identification (UID) number to every Indian citizen, shares his insight, you better sit down and listen. In his book, Nilekani elaborates on the ideas that shaped India’s past and present. And like a true visionary, he asks the key question about the future: How will India, as a global power, avoid the mistakes of earlier development models? Read it for a better understanding of the economic success story in the making. 
 
<ol>
	<li value="10">
		The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity by <keyword id="9663" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Amartya-Sen">Amartya Sen</keyword></li>
</ol> This one comes from the most elite of all as economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen reflects on the contemporary India. In this book, he speaks of an immensely diverse country that is standing at the crossroads. In a <keyword id="678332" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Subtle">subtle</keyword> manner, the book celebrates India’s cultural achievements, success of democracy, secular politics and attempts to remove cultural and gender inequalities while pursuing peaceful existence within its sub-continent.

You Searched For "Malgudi" and got 3 results

Stay close to nature when you visit Jim Corbett National Park next time. Here's how

Suchayan Mandal

Airtel Xstream records 50% jump in streaming volume during lockdown

PTI

10 Books Every Indian Should Read

Preetam Kaushik

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides