Friday, March 28, 2008

BANGALORE LASTDAY MAKE IT MEMORABLE


FOLLOWING HORSES LOOK GOOD ON BANGALORE RACES ON THE LASTDAY

RACE NBR 1 SHEZA STAR PLACE

RACE NBR 2 ASTONICAL AND EAT SPREAD A SMILE STABLEMATE

RACE NBR 3 SHES A DIAMOND

RACE NBR 4 GENTLE KNIGHT

RACE NBR 5 HILL OF GRACE

RACE NBR 6 DANCING HIGHNESS

THEN GO HOME

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

AIRINDIA INFLIGHT SEATS COST LESS DUE WEAK DOLLAR


AI faces pressure from Italian seat suppliers as dollar weakens

New Delhi, March 24 Air India is facing pressure from its suppliers to be compensated for the weakening of the dollar against the euro. Italy-based aircraft seat manufacturing company Avio Interior has approached the airline for making good the lower realisation arising to it on account of the transaction being invoiced in dollars.

In late 2006, Air India chose Avio Interior to provide seats for the 23 Boeing 777 aircraft being procured by it. The decision to go with the Italian seats was taken not only because the price being quoted was the lowest but also as an eminent panel had recommended it, officials said.

At the time of signing the contract, it was agreed that the billing for the contract would be settled in dollars. Since then, the dollar has depreciated more than 25 per cent against the euro thereby lowering the earning of the Italian company. This has prompted the company to approach Air India for seeking a way out of the financial problem it finds itself in.

While officials refused to disclose the value of the deal, sources indicated that the compensation being sought could run into several millions of dollars.

The matter was taken up at the airline board meeting held here late last week and the feeling is that Air India has a strong case not to pay the compensation being sought. Sources felt that the Italian company should have hedged the contract and not asked for payment only in dollars.

Monday, March 24, 2008

HAPPY EASTER


NEW AIRPORT AT HYDERABAD OPENED BY G M R


THE NEW AIRPORT AT SHAMSHABAD AT HYDERABAD OPEN

Hyderabad, March 23: A SpiceJet Airlines flight scrambled its schedules and landed first at the new international airport in Shamshabad on Sunday to set a record. By touching down almost 50 minutes ahead of schedule, the SpiceJet flight pulled a fast one and spoilt the show for Lufthansa, which was all set to become the first airline to land at the new airport.

SpiceJet flight SG 397 from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad was scheduled to land at 12.50 pm, but it touched down at 12.01 pm because "the pilot decided to take off early".

Though the Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt arrived at 12.19 pm, six minutes ahead of its scheduled time, history had already been created.

However, in the fervour to welcome the Lufthansa flight, mediapersons and officials did not even notice that the domestic SpiceJet flight had already landed. Neither did the passengers of SpiceJet flight get a ceremonial welcome.

"The SpiceJet flight was to reach Hyderabad at 10.55 pm, but following a request from the airport authorities, we rescheduled the flight so that it would reach the new Hyderabad airport at 12.50 am on Sunday," said the airline’s spokesperson, Mr Ajay Jasra.

"The GMR group, which operates the airport, wanted the Lufthansa flight to land first. But our plane left early and landed first," added Mr Jasra.

Another SpiceJet flight from Mumbai, that was rescheduled to reach Shamshabad by 12.55 am, landed at 12.25 am instead.

Airport officials were puzzled by SpiceJet’s explanation that their pilots had decided to take off early though the management had agreed to fly in late. But it was Lufthansa which got the official welcome. Fire tenders sprayed water on the flight even as it was moving on the runway, which is a custom of sorts in airports.

"The traditional welcome was given to the Lufthansa flight as planned," said the GMR vice-president (corporate communications), Mr Vijay Vancheshwar. He added that many flights had tried to reach the airport before time to create records. "This brought smiles on the faces of passengers," he said.

GMR officials said that SpiceJet flight was given clearance to land as they did not want it to fly around till the new airport became operational.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

GOLDEN TEMPLE AT VELLORE



Vellore: One of the biggest Hindu shrines in southern India, the Sri Puram Golden Temple a grand golden temple built by a spiritual organization in Tamil Nadu at an approximate cost of US$160 million (Rs 600 crore), the consecration (kumbhabhishekam) was performed on August 24, 2007, presence of over 30,000 devotees. The Mahalakshmi temple, located on a sprawling 100 acres of land at Sripuram, near Vellore, about 125 km from Chennai, has been constructed by Vellore-based Sri Narayani Peetam, headed by spiritual leader Sri Sakthi Amma. "The Taj Mahal was built as an expression of love for a single person but the Sri Puram Golden Temple stands for unconditional love for the entire humanity," says Amma, 31, who also goes by the name of Shakti Siddha.
"We know it is also the sign of the universal goddess - Lakshmi," says William, who gives only one name and says he is of Canadian origin. The steps that lead to the innermost section are laid with polished black and grey granite from the neighboring South Arcot and Dharmapuri districts. The grey stone called "Paradiso" because of its wavy patterns of violet with the color of iron. And this too has been used in large quantities.
"If we had built a hospital, factory, educational institution or a business, it would have ended up serving a small community. But now, Amma's temple will sow the seeds of goodness in the hearts of everyone who visits here," Amma, clad in ochre robes, says in Tamil.
The temple, covering 55,000 sq ft area, has intricate carvings and sculptures in gold. Except the walking path, the entire structure has been covered with gold and copper. This would be more grandeur than the Golden Temple in Amritsar, mutt sources said. About 400 goldsmiths and coppersmiths, including craftsmen from Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams, have completed the architectural marvel in gold in six years. More than one and one-half ton of pure gold was glitter and gleam under the sun, Devotees hail the temple as "one of the wonders of the world," and say that it is the only temple covered fully with gold.
According to official sources, the gold bars were purchased through RBI in "a transparent manner. " First the coppersmiths set to work creating a copper base on the temple structure with engravings and etchings before the gold, beaten into nine layers of foils, was draped around it. The sanctum sanctorum will hold the Deity of Mahalakshmi made of stone granite, but covered with gold kavacham (adornments). "The Sripuram or Spiritual Park is Amma's dedication to the world and mankind," said P. Murali, a trustee of the Peetam.
Surrounded by mountains and lush and scenic beauty, the temple, entirely conceived and designed by Amma, would be open to people of all religions. "The temple is Amma's gift to mankind," the sources said. "When one enters the Sripuram, their focus is just on the magnificent temple. But when they leave, they cannot do so without taking some messages and gaining some wisdom," according to a booklet detailing the 'services' rendered by the Peetam. "In this quagmire of materialism, Sripuram rises as an inspiration to man to find the divinity wit hin him," adds a brochure.
Murali said arrangements were being made to hire personnel to throw a security cover around the temple. "But the gold sheets have been laid out in such a manner that it would cost more to rip it off than purchase the gold," said a top Vellore district official.
Location
The Sri Lakshmi Narayani Temple located in ‘Sripuram’ (spiritual town) in Thirumalaikkodi, about seven km from here, was consecrated by Sri Sakthi Amma, head of the Sri Narayani Peedam, Thirumalaikkodi, on Friday.
Unique structure
It is a unique temple whose ‘Vimanam’ and ‘Ardha Mandapam’ have been coated with gold both in the interior and exterior. Twelve layers of gold foils have been pasted on copper sheets embossed with the designs of Gods and fixed on the walls. One-and-a-half tonnes of gold has gone into the design of the Sri Lakshmi Narayani Temple, which has been built at a cost of Rs.300 crore.
100-acre site
According to Sri Sakthi Amma, the decision to have the temple coated with gold is only to attract visitors and enable them to get wisdom through the messages of the Vedas, which they will have to read before reaching the temple located on sprawling a 100 acre-site. The temple has been designed in such a way that visitors can reach the golden temple only after going through a star-shaped pathway, which has the messages from the Vedas on both sides.