Iacocca – An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca with William Novak is one of my favourites !  I’m sure that this record breaking bestseller by the author of TALKING STRAIGHT, will be enjoyed by all his readers. A must read for all management students and those who are headed for a business career....  

Lee Iacocca , the son of Italian immigrants , is  an American legend.  He  is a straight – shooting , fast talking , blunt, practical  business man - the man who made his mark by giving results ! His name is the symbol of integrity, ‘guts’ and know-how. He is one of the great success stories of the decade. A genuine hero...a leader.

Beginning his career at Ford as a trainee,  he rose spectacularly through the ranks of Ford Motor Company and became its president. Iacocca successfully developed many automobiles at Ford, including the Ford Mustang. After 32 years of his employment with Ford , 8 years as President of Ford , he was fired ! Ford was his first and only employer till that date, he had never worked anywhere else. The power play which toppled him would have shattered him, but he didn’t get mad , he got even.

Iacocca was not without a job long , Ford’s loss was Chrysler’s gain . Iacocca ,as the chairman of Chrysler Corporation, was instrumental for the miraculous rebirth of Chrysler from near  bankruptcy to the most envied of the Big Three automakers of America.

His book , IACOCCA – An Autobiography , is a profile of a strong-minded corporate chief. Many people admire him for his marketing savvy and management expertise. This book is his success story, about his breath taking career. Iacocca reads like he talks – plain and straight. This book gives lots of management tips on industrial policy, labour costs, auto safety etc.

Thekkadi - Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

 

TEA ESTATE

Thekkady Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, which is spread across 777 sq.km, of which 360 sq.km is thick evergreen forest. Lying close to the plantations is one of the world's most fascinating natural wildlife reserves. The sanctuary is famous for its dense evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savanna grass lands. It is home to herds of elephants, sambar, tigers, gaur, lion-tailed Macaques and Nilgiri Langurs. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can have the unique experience of viewing wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake. The greatest attraction of Periyar, however, are the herds of wild elephants that come down to play in the lake.

The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. Noted for its geomorphology, diversity of wildlife and scenic beauty, the Reserve attracts visitors from all over the world. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park.

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CAEDAMOM



CARDAMOM



PEPPER N COFEE PLANTS

Thekkadi is in Idukki District in Kerala, close to the Kerala - Tamil Nadu border town - Kumily. The winding journey to this hill town, along the Periyar River, offers a stunning view of the rolling hills draped in lush greenery .The entire district is picturesque. Closest airports are Madurai International Airport (134km) and Cochin International    Airport (185 km) and the closest railway station is Kottayam(114km).



Thekkady is considered a heaven for natural spices such as black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and clove.This is one of the world's largest auction centres for candamom. A walk through the sprawling cardamom plantations of Vandanmedu is a heady experience.

LONAVALA ......a beautiful hill station

Lonavala, in Pune district of Maharashtra, is a popular tourist destination with various sightseeing attractions which includes architectural, historical and religious sites. It is just about 100 kms from Mumbai and 55 kms from Pune , can be reached by road or rail and lies 622 m above sea level in the Sahyadri Ranges, which separate the Deccan Plateau and the Konkan Coast .

 

The name of the city is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Lonavali’ which refers to a ‘group of caves’. The name was given to the place due to the presence of many caves in and around the city. The place has valleys, hills, waterfalls and lush greenery due to which it is also called the ‘Jewel of Sahyadri’.


Lord Elphinstone, who was the Governor of the Bombay Presidency, discovered the city of Lonavala along with Khandala in 1871.The present day Lonavala was a part of the Yadava Dynasty, which was taken over by the Mughals, who ruled the region for a long time. The Governor of Bombay favoured Lonavala in 1811 due to its large forest cover. This forest cover made the city a vacation and hunting spot by the British administrators, which lead to its reputation as a tourist destination.

Lonavla is close to Mumbai where Mumbaikers can go on a weekend and relax away from the traffic and noise of the city life. Monsoon brings out the best of Lonavala. Green carpeted hills, streams and waterfalls almost everywhere are an unforgettable sight. You surely will cherish the walk in the rain, enjoying the lush green hill views and fresh air… clouds floating around you ..getting drenched under numerous waterfalls… As the weekends are crowded with Mumbaikers, it is advisable not to plan your visits during weekends .



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Karla Caves



Major historical sites such as Bhaja Caves, Karla Caves, Koregad Fort and Lohagad Fort reflect the rich heritage and culture of the place. Other historical sites in the city include Tikona Fort, Tung Fort and Visapur Fort, along with the Bushy Dam. All these sites provide views of the neighbouring hilly terrains and downhill plains.

Other than the cultural and heritage sites, one of the most popular sightseeing attractions in Lonavala is the Rajmachi Wildlife Sanctuary, which reveals the wildlife beauty of the destination. Tourists can also visit religious places like the Bhairavnath Temple in Rajmachi, Shingroba Temple (Khandala) and the Koli Temple and the wax musium.

Incredible WAYANAD....... The green Paradise...

 Wayanad , with the green dense forest and mist-capped mountains is a place I always wanted to visit ! Its truly incredible --- clean and pristine, enchanting and hypnotizing……….., this land, located about 80 km from the sea shores of Kozhikode, is filled with history and culture…. A must see place.

I have been to Thirunelly Temple, Set in the idyllic backdrop of the Brahmagiri hills ,which is located deep inside the unexplored forests of Wayand. The temple dates back to 3000yrs or more. It is believed that Lord Brahma, the Creator , himself installed the presiding deity of the temple Lord Vishnu, the Preserver. This temple , which is also known as “ Thekkan Kasi’ (Kasi of the south) is famous for “Balitharpanam” or offering Shradham to the departed souls.

Prime tourist attractions in Wayanad are Wildlife Sanctuary, Chethalayam Waterfall, Sri Mahaganapathy Temple at Thiruvangoor, Pazhassi Raja Museum, Pookote Lake and Edakkal Caves  . Beisdes, Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, Tholpetty, Karappuzha Dam, Jain Temple at Sultan Bathery, Tiger Valley, Meenmutty Falls, Soochippara Waterfalls, Chembra Hills, Bird Sanctuary in north Wayanad, and Kuruva Islands are the other nearby tourist destinations in and around Wayanad. As it was raining , i could not visit most of these places.

Another attraction is the 'Chained Tree' which has an interesting story behind it.

You can see monkeys, deers and elephant convoyes (if you are lucky) on your way to Thirunelli. The tribal population and their facinating life style is very inetresting.

The travellers can stay in various resorts and hotels of all ranges situated in almost all parts of Wayanad . Or to enjoy the thrills of jungle life , you can stay on tree top houses or mud huts. You can also purchase pure honey , various bamboo products and spices.  



WATER …A Novel by BAPSI SIDHWA based on the film by DEEPA MEHTA

The author, Bapsi Sidhwa, is one of the prominent English fiction writers of Pakistan, a Parsi, born in Karachi , brought up in Lahore and now lives in Houston, Texas. She is an internationally acclaimed , award winning writer of 4 novels. Her books have been published in ten countries and has been translated into several languages.

Sidhwa’s novel “WATER” is based on the script of Deepa Mehta’s film “water”. The book narrates a very touching story of a 8 year old child widow ! The child widow , Chuyia, was abandoned by her parents at a widow’s ashram in Benaras after her 50 year old husband died. Little Chuyia is expected to live the rest of her life in the ashram in penitence.

The story is set in a village on the Bihar-Bengal border in India in the year 1936-38 . The author beautifully narrates the Indian village life and the child marriage prevailing at that time. Also throw light to the very pathetic and poor living conditions of widows in colonial India. This book also explains Mahatma Gandhi’s influence on people and his rise to power.

The picturisation by Deepa Mehta is equally good. You will never forget the child artist Sarala, who played the child widow Chuyia. All other actors like Seema Biswas , Lisa Ray , John Abraham , Shabana Azmi etc..paled their roles very well . It indeed is a haunting story of love , faith and courage.