Arts, Culture & Entertainment – Page 15

GLOBAL BRAND: INDIA RECORDS: KARNATAKA : IKEA the Swedish Home Furnishing Brand Opens its 3rd Store in Bengaluru, India. Making it a Record as India’s Largest IKEA Store currently at Nagasandra. 22.06.2022

The 4,60,000 sqft store that will sell over 7,500 products is expected to attract close to 5 million visitors this year

IKEA, the Swedish home furnishing brand, will open its largest store in India at Nagasandra, next to the metro station, on June 22, said the company on Tuesday.

The store that would display over 7,500 items would employ over 1,000 people to start with and is expected to attract close to 5 million visitors this year.

The company also said it would invest ₹3,000 crore in Karnataka and a part of it has already been deployed in setting up a 4,60,000 sqft store, it said.

Speaking at a media conference, former IKEA India CEO Peter Betzel said that at the time of the groundbreaking ceremony four years ago, the then Chief Minister himself was keen to see the store up and running at the earliest if possible in a few months. Although the pandemic had delayed it a bit, the outlet was worth the wait as it was IKEA’s flagship store in the country, he added.

Addressing the media, current CEO Susanne Pulverer said India was an omni-channel country for Ikea like no other.

IKEA Nagasandra, set up on a patch of 12.2 acres of land, is the brand’s third large store in the country after Hyderabad and Mumbai. The fourth store, in Delhi-NCR, is currently under construction. The store also features a 1,000-seater restaurant that serves both Indian and Swedish cuisines.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INDIA RECORDS: KARNATAKA: Led by Prime Minister Modi, Mysuru Hosts the ‘8th International Day of Yoga , 21st June – India’s First Public Yoga Day Event Post-Pandemic Participated by 15,000-plus Participants

The iconic Mysuru palace served as the perfect backdrop to 15,000-plus enthusiasts led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate the 8th edition of International Day of Yoga after a two-year break.

Mysuru hosted the main event of the 8th edition of International Day of Yoga (IDY) with a mass yoga demonstration after a gap of two years.

It was the first International Day of Yoga (IDY) public event after the outbreak of COVID-19.

There have been no yoga demonstrations in public in India since 2020 due to curbs on mass gatherings owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA RECORDS: NATURE & CONSERVATION: Karnataka’s First Wild Orchidarium to come up at Forest Department’s Kali Tiger Reserve in Uttara Kannada

In an effort to conserve the wild orchid varieties of Karnataka, the forest department is all set to establish an orchidarium in Kali Tiger Reserve (KTR) of Uttara Kannada district.

The orchidarium is being constructed at Nujji vilage of Joida (Supa) taluk of the district and soon, it will be open for nature enthusiasts and visitors.

The building work has been completed and about 40 varieties of wild orchids that are found in KTR are being grown in the orchidarium.

In the coming days, most of the orchid varieties found in the Western Ghats will be added, said Sachin Anil Punekar, Conservation Biologist and Founder of Biospheres-Ecosphere who has been helping the KRT set up the orchidarium project.

The Western Ghats is home for a rich orchid population and a majority of them are found in the Kali Tiger Reserve, especially in the Anshi region of Uttara Kannada district. “Out of 170 orchid species that are found in Karnataka, 80 species are from the Anashi region alone. Nearly 20 wild orchids are endemic to this region only. The orchidarium will act as a rescue and rehab site for wild orchids,” Punekar said.

source/contents: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INDIA RECORDS: KARNATAKA – TRAVEL & TOURISM: India’s First Sand Sculpture Museum in Mysore

The museum was conceptualised by the famous sand artist, MN Gowri. She took around four months to create the whole look.

Mysore (or Mysuru) is a historic city of Karnataka brimming with incredible attractions including Mysore Palace, Vrindavan Gardens and Mysore Zoo, among others. But did you know that Karnataka’s cultural hub is also home to a unique sand sculpture museum which has taken the country by surprise. It is also India’s first sand sculpture museum.

The museum was conceptualised by the famous sand artist, MN Gowri. She took around four months to create the whole look.

So, first of all, let’s talk about the location of the museum which is awesome. The museum is built close to Chamundi Hill and displays the rich cultural heritage of the city. The incredible museum is home to around 150 monoliths made using 115 truckloads of sand, water and a little glue!

source/content: timesofindia.indiatimes.com /timestravel

KARNATAKA RECORDS: SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENT: Dr.Nagnath V Yadgir, Doctor and Environmentalist has been Healing Kalaburagi’s Green Cover by Planting over 18,000 Saplings

Nagnath V. Yadgir, an Ayurveda doctor by profession and environmentalist by passion, has created a green cover in Kalaburagi city by planting 18,000 saplings in the last seven years.

Mr. Yadgir said that the first tree he planted in 2015 was in his compound. He brought some 30 saplings from the Forest Department and planted them in different places near his locality.

His team has planted 7,000 saplings at Sharan Sirasagi village on the outskirts of the city and 3,000 plantations on a single patch of barren land at Belur Cross. The team focuses on school compounds, community parks, and even graveyards, Mr. Yadgir added.

The ones most commonly planted are pongame oil (Millettia pinnata), neem, custard apple, bassora tragacanth, gulmohar, samanea saman, melia dubia, mango, banyan, sheesham, drumstick, guava, tamarind, and ashwatha trees. During the lockdown, even the school students joined him. He taught them the process ofmaking a nursery and educated them on the importance of trees.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA RECORDS: HISTORY, ARTS & CULTURE: The 19th Century Saint Pant Maharaj’s Portrait finds a place in the Art Gallery of Sambra Airport, Belagavi

A portrait of Pant Maharaj, a 19 ^th century saint from Balekundri village, now adorns the art gallery at the Sambra Airport in Belagavi.

This is a tribute to the proponent of Avadhut Navanath philosophy who spoke of the need for love for all humans, in his books Datta Prema Lahari and Prema Tarang.

Apart from a brief biographical detail about the seer, the 64 sq ft image contains a road map and directions to Balekundri, that is just four kilometres away from the airport.

A contemporary of Swami Vivekananda, Pant Maharaj was a proponent of spiritualism devoid of strict rituals. People from various castes visit his Samadhi and temple at Balekundri. Thousands from across Karnataka and Maharashtra gather at the annual festival in December.

Pant Maharaj was born in 1855 and passed away in 1905. He worked as a teacher in Belagavi for some years, before becoming a monk. He considered Sri Balmukund and Sri Kallappa Maharaj as his Gurus.

Pant Maharaj chronicled his experiences of meditation in his books and essays.

He met Swami Vivekananda when the latter visited Belagavi in 1892.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA RECORDS: AIRPORTS, TRAVEL & TOURISM: New World-Class Luxurious ‘080 Lounges’ Inaugurated to bring Luxury Back to Flying at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA)

Domestic and international flyers at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) can now relax at the luxurious ‘080 Lounges’, recently unveiled by Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL).

All the aspects in the domestic and the international lounges, including art, artisans, and heritage, revolve around Bengaluru and even the name, 080 is attributed to the city’s trunk dial code.

While the first phase of the project is now open, once the second phase is also inaugurated, each lounge will occupy a space of over 2,000 square feet.

VIDEO | THE NEW 080 LOUNGES AT BENGALURU AIRPORT IN JUNE 2022

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA RECORDS : Bengaluru’s First Airport-like Railway Station modelled on the lines of an International Airport,the Sir. M. Visvesvaraya Terminal, Baiyappanahalli (SMVB Terminal) opens at Baiyappanahalli

Inaugural train chugs off from the Baiyappanahalli terminal to Ernakulam.

The railway terminal, modelled after the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, have seven platforms, apart from eight stabling lines and three pit lines.

Commuters who boarded the first train from the Sir. M. Visvesvaraya Terminal, Baiyappanahalli (SMVB Terminal), on Monday evening were pleasantly surprised to finally use the swanky airport-like air-conditioned railway station.

“It looks like an airport and it was hard to believe. I reached here using Google Maps, but was taken aback after I reached here. I asked the auto driver twice whether this was indeed the railway station I was supposed to be dropped at,” said Amal, a commuter who travelled to Ernakulam on the first train from the terminal.

Most commuters were appreciative of the facilities and the state-of-the-art interiors of the railway station, one of its kind in the country.

“The facilities at the station are very good — escalators, air-conditioning, food court, the lounges — definitely much better than any station.

The terminal is definitely a great addition to a global city like Bengaluru,” said Sri Priya, another commuter.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INDIA RECORDS: KARNATAKA RECORDS: SPORTS, AQUATICS: ‘3rd Indian Open of Surfing’: Two from Karnataka were Winners. Ramesh Budhial was Crowned the New National Champion and in the Woman’s Category Suchanana Gowda came 3rd.

3rd Indian Open of Surfing, Panambur Beach, Mangalore – May 27-29th, 2022

The three-day premiere surfing competition under the aegis of the Surfing Federation of India was hosted by the Mantra Surf Club at the tranquil Panambur Beach in Mangalore, the organisers informed in a release on Sunday.

In a nail-biting finish, Karnataka’s Ramesh Budhial snatched victory from the grasp of Tamil Nadu’s Ajeesh Ali to be crowned as the new national champion in the Men’s Open Surf category on the final day of the 3rd Indian Open of Surfing on Sunday.

Sugar Banarse and Sofiya Sharma too were crowned the national champions in the Women’s Open and groms girls (16 & under) categories respectively, while Tamil Nadu’s Kishore Kumar became the national champion in the groms boys (16 & under) category.

Speaking after the tournament, Arun Vasu, President, Surfing Federation of India, said, “I am very impressed with the quality of surfers that whom we are watching compete here at Mangalore. With the LA Olympics insight, we are working hard to identify young and upcoming surfers and the quality and skill at display today only gives me the confidence to keep believing in our objectives. I would like to thank all the surfers who participated in this tournament and congratulate the winners for showcasing some great surfing.”

Ramesh finished with a total score of 16.33, while runner-up Ajeesh Ali finished with 15.67 points. Sathish Sarvanan was third with 13 points.

The women’s open surf competition saw Goa’s 16-year-old Sugar Banarse walk away with the national championship crown from Tamil Nadu surfer and defending champion Srishti Selvam.

Sugar, who had initially registered for the groms girls 16 & under category, was brave enough to take the chance of competing in the women’s open category and impressed everyone with her skills and surfing from the start.

Sugar scored a total of 14.50 points while runner-up Srishti Selvam earned 13.40 points. Karnataka’s Sinchana Gowda finished third with 10.20 points.

source/content : news18.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA RECORDS : ARTS & CULTURE : 2nd International Championship Cat Show in Bengaluru Organised by Cat Club of India – May 29th, Lalit Ashok

From ‘Dunzo’ to ‘Oreo’, more than 170 cats from across the country travelled to Bengaluru with their pet parents for an international cat walk.

Tiny paws, whiskers and a room full of cat lovers. Sounds like a morning in paradise? This is what Sunday morning looked like in Bengaluru when The Cat Club of India held its second International Championship Cat Show at The Lalit Ashok. More than 170 cats, kittens and adults of different breeds from different parts of the country participated in the show.

Bengal cats, Persian, Maine Coons, exotic short hair ones were present at the show. The criteria for choosing the winner was simple – presentation, cat’s overall health, his/her and temperament, says Sudhakar Katineni, one of the judges of the show.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (edited)