http://www.samachaar.in Smachaar.in en-us 2010 Samachaar.In Thu, 10 May 2012 05:24:32 GMT Thu, 10 May 2012 05:24:32 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/_Kashmirs_spiralhorned_Markhor_goat_in_peril__128123 New Delhi/Srinagar: It is an animal that is as much an icon of Kashmir as the beautiful Dal Lake and its shikaras. The magnificent spiral-horned Markhor, the largest member of the goat family, has for centuries inhabited the high mountains of Kashm... Thu, 10 May 2012 05:24:23 GMT http://samachaar.in/Bollywood/Filmmakers_line_up_biopics__with_Bollywood_twist__127847 Mumbai: The commercial success of "The Dirty Picture" gave new life to biopics. Bollywood has now lined up a slew of real people's real stories, though filmmakers admit these are churned out with a dash of entertaining fiction."Pa... Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:01:44 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/__Three_cheers_for_Indian_culture_say_IPLs_foreign_cheerleaders_127144 New Delhi: Back home, they are bankers, school teachers or dancers. But many young women have come to India from foreign shores like Ukraine, Russia, Belgium and Norway as cheerleaders for the Indian Premier League (IPL), attracted not by the money... Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:26:29 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/From_Hizbul_spokesman_to_Kashmirs_antidrug_campaigner_126932 Srinagar: He was once among the most wanted separatist guerrillas of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terror outfit in Jammu and Kashmir. But today Abdul Khaliq Dar alias Junaid-ul-Islam spends most of his time advising youths against drug abuse. &n... Sun, 08 Apr 2012 05:51:45 GMT http://samachaar.in/Weather/sunny_morning_for_Delhi_126867 New Delhi: It was a warm, sunny Good Friday morning for the capital with the minimum temperature settling at 22.4 degrees Celsius, three notches above average. The met department forecast a sultry day, with a partly cloudy sky by evening."T... Fri, 06 Apr 2012 05:10:31 GMT http://samachaar.in/Business_and_Economy/_Want_to_buy_exotic_veggies_Head_to_Ladakh_126817 eh (Ladakh), April 5 (IANS) At 73, Ama Sonam Dolma is a successful entrepreneur. She grows the seeds of exotic vegetables and herbs which we buy at a handsome price to spice our pasta, soups and salads. The only difference: the seeds of her broccoli... Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:19:23 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/_History_back_on_shelves_with_a_dash_of_drama_126813 New Delhi: History books are inching back on the shelves - but with a dash of drama and peppy language to hook the average reader.   "I think there are two major attractions that a historical narrative holds for us. First, histo... Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:16:08 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/360_degree_art_spaces__the_new_buzzword_in_India_Feature_126623 New Delhi: Galleries in India are moving beyond mere selling of art. They are now integrated spaces which teach art, conduct residencies for artists, sell handicrafts and even offer a quick bite to the tired soul.Their number is steadily rising ... Sat, 31 Mar 2012 06:03:22 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/This_British_chef_pairs_gourmet_food_with_health_nutrition_126409 New Delhi: Food lovers who believe gourmet cuisine and weight-watching don't often go together must have an experience with acclaimed British chef Rob Rees -- often referred to as the Cotswold (rpt Cotswold) chef from the heart of England.The l... Sun, 25 Mar 2012 05:28:05 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/Cycling_to_work_Growing_movement_to_tackle_mobility_crisis_126401 New Delhi: Cycling to work may soon become a reality in Delhi, and not just for the poor. With pollution and shrinking roadspace, the capital is under pressure to adopt the Netherlands model that promotes cycling as an alternative to driving.&qu... Sun, 25 Mar 2012 04:25:48 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/__Humble_egg_in_exotic_avatars_in_Indian_gourmet_kitchens__126317 New Delhi: Times have changed for the humble egg. Gone are the days of bhurji and egg curry; it is the age of "personalised omelettes" with names inscribed on them, of one-eyed Susans and egg jellies for desert.  A decade ago, a... Fri, 23 Mar 2012 06:05:51 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/_Chandipur_beach_Where_the_sea_disappears_suddenly__125953 Chandipur (Odisha), (IANS) Have you seen the sea disappear in front of your eyes? A unique phenomenon rarely seen anywhere else, the sea recedes by as much as five kilometres every day on the Chandipur beach in eastern India, not just enthralling th... Fri, 16 Mar 2012 06:03:12 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/A_sheep_farm_vs_Kashmirs_dwindling_Hanguls__125173 Dachigam National Park (Jammu and Kashmir),  It is Kashmir's pride, but its numbers have been dwindling rapidly over the years and stands at just over 200. Besides fighting off poachers and other threats, the highly endangered Hangul deer has t... Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:45:31 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/_Solang_Valley_Indias_newest_destination_for_adventure_sports__124778 Manali: Winter sports is no longer confined to the breathtaking locales of Jammu and Kashmir. Solang Valley in Himachal Pradesh is fast turning into a popular destination for skiers and comes alive when much of northern India retreats into the warm... Sat, 18 Feb 2012 09:12:04 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/Now_TV_serials_shot_in_foreign_shores_123962 New Delhi:  From the famous Sydney Opera House in Australia to beautiful exotic locales in Switzerland and Macau: . In reality shows, sometimes a foreign location is just the best place to execute a tough project," said Alva.One can also l... Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:56:24 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/_Two_IITians_sowing_change_in_Bihars_farmlands__122852 Patna: A degree from IIT was the big ticket of Shashank Kumar and Manish Kumar to white collar jobs. But instead of chasing corporate dreams, the two youngsters are dirtying their hands in the fields of Bihar, providing solutions to farmers and try... Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:46:11 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/___Of_loss_and_love_for_a_30000member_green_family_122610 Lucknow: The death of his wife and his young son left him completely shattered and he even contemplated suicide. But today, Bhaiyaram, 40, a farmer in Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot district, is a changed man with a `green family' of 30,000 'members'.&... Mon, 17 Oct 2011 06:13:00 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/___Bhopal_gas_tragedy_feeds_a_peoples_museum__122141 Bhopal: Just four hours before the world's worst industrial disaster took place, Inayat Mohammad had gifted his wife Bano Bee a sari. The 45-year-old man died that very night, perishing in the 1984 Bhopal gas leak. And his widow, now 60, has not wo... Mon, 19 Sep 2011 07:43:33 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/_Foreigners_prefer_to_adopt_specialneeds_children_121975 New Delhi: When it comes to adopting a child, not many Indians would go for one with special needs. However, the trend is quite the reverse in the case of foreigners who prefer a differently abled child for adoption.   According to A... Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:36:04 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/_Oz_couple_in_India_on_trail_of_lost_son_121957 Kullu (Himachal Pradesh), Sep 14 (IANS) "If I am gone, I am not dead. I have gone to free my mind..." These are lines in the memoir of a missing Australian youth that have been keeping the "journey of hope" alive for his elderly ... Wed, 14 Sep 2011 03:58:24 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/Forget_threads_and_beads__invest_in_gold_diamond_rakhi__121187 New Delhi: Raksha Bandhan denotes a promise of protection forever from a brother to a sister - so might as well seal it with a life-long investment like a silver, gold or diamond rakhi. Ahead of the festival, these are being readily bought despi... Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:49:12 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/Dreams_no_bar_for_kids_at_prison_play_school_120945 New Delhi: "I want to be a doctor," murmured five-year-old Guddu Kumari, flashing a shy smile and then hurrying to the rest of her classmates resting in the L-shaped play school at the women's prison in Tihar Jail, India's largest prison.... Tue, 02 Aug 2011 05:58:54 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/__Culture_odyssey_The_eclectic_journey_of_Indian_dance_Feature_120610 New Delhi: From temple dancers and royal courtesans to modern-day prima donnas: Indian classical dance has gone far in the last 100 years from seclusion to the contemporary glamour stage of mainstream culture and from religious dance dramas to expe... Fri, 22 Jul 2011 07:14:53 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/__Bengali_folk_theatre_gets_a_Bollywood_twist_120470 Kolkata: Jatra, the popular Bengali folk theatre form, is being dished out with some Bollywood garnishing. While veterans like Asrani and Shakti Kapoor have done it in the past, this time actresses Raveena Tandon and Monica Bedi have jumped into th... Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:22:33 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/Comic_book_business_gets_serious_in_India__120311 New Delhi: Riding on popular superhero-like characters Shaktiman, Nagraj and Chacha Chaudhary, Indian comic books have come a long way. They are expected to grow by leaps and bounds into a Rs.300-400 crore industry in the next decade.  &n... Tue, 12 Jul 2011 06:07:48 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/___Quran_and_computers_Azamgarh_madrassa_with_a_modern_touch__120210 Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh), July 8 (IANS) Re-inventing itself to keep pace with the times, a century-old Islamic seminary in Azamgarh district not only has a broadbased curriculum with science and computers but also a polytechnic to equip its students... Fri, 08 Jul 2011 05:42:05 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/Amitabh_Dev_Anand_pray_for_Rajnikanths_health_118949 New Delhi: Dev Anand and Amitabh Bachchan have wished a speedy recovery to southern megastar Rajnikanth, who is admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Chennai hospital.  "I pray for my dear Rajani's sound health and speedy re... Thu, 19 May 2011 09:21:27 GMT http://samachaar.in/Uttar_Pradesh/___Positive_he_brings_smiles_to_other_HIVaffected_117746 Maharajganj (Uttar Pradesh), April 16 (IANS) When Dayanand Gupta, 30, tested positive for HIV four years ago, his world came crashing down. He even left his job. But today he is living not only for himself but also for others like him.  &n... Sat, 16 Apr 2011 06:30:00 GMT http://samachaar.in/Science/___Reaching_out_to_Bihars_Mahadalits__by_radio_117740 Patna: In the age of smart phones and 24-hour television channels, the poorest of the poor still rely on the vintage transistor radio to quench their thirst for news and entertainment. And Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has a perfect plan up his... Sat, 16 Apr 2011 06:25:15 GMT http://samachaar.in/Jammu_and_Kashmir/Gulmarg_weaves_its_magic_around_tourists__117176 Gulmarg: A magical mist surrounds this ultimate destination of skiers sports lovers honeymooners and adventure- seeking tourists as yet another snowfall changes the landscape in Gulmarg the world-renowned tourist retreat in Jammu and Kashmir.Tall pi... Sun, 03 Apr 2011 05:02:11 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/__Spring_arrives_in_Kashmir_bringing_hopes_of_peace_116564 Srinagar: The harsh winter chill is fading away, the brown and barren landscape is giving way to lively green and farmers are getting ready to again plough their fields. Spring has arrived in the Kashmir Valley, bringing with it some tourists and t... Thu, 17 Mar 2011 06:43:29 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/__Love_and_elopement_in_the_heart_of_tribal_Madhya_Pradesh_116537 Jhabua: Holi, the festival of colour and abandon, takes on a different hue in Madhya Pradesh's tribal area of Jhabua. The annual festival, held in the week preceding Holi, involves tribal youngsters exchanging sweet glances during  community d... Thu, 17 Mar 2011 04:28:05 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/Baul_songs__from_ektara_to_fusion_music_Feature__115114 Kolkata: Baul music has caught on in a big way among Bengali music lovers, with the soulful songs sung by wandering minstrels finding favour with Bengali bands and movies."The Namesake" -  a movie which depicts the hardships and stru... Thu, 03 Feb 2011 07:50:38 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/__Soldiers_of_sorrow_Maoists_or_children_115061 Bhubaneswar: "I thought it would be fun, but now I realise that I should go back to school...I was tortured in the Maoist camp," said 12-year-old Rajani Mota Majhi, who has surrendered before police in Orissa. Officials say one out of eve... Wed, 02 Feb 2011 06:51:24 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/__Of_love_and_longing_for_India_a_French_womans_journey_114771 New Delhi: Christelle Gourdine, a French national of Guadeloupean and Indian origin, has been fascinated by her Indian roots for many years. But she is surprised and saddened that not many know about the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe's Indian conn... Thu, 20 Jan 2011 04:51:19 GMT http://samachaar.in/Bihar/___Bihars_silent_revolution_30000_women_now_own_land_114736 Patna: Until two-and-a-half years ago, Parvatia Devi and Kamla Devi were among the poorest of the poor. They worked as farm labourers and did odd jobs to eke out a living. But today they are proud owners of land and part of the silent revolution th... Wed, 19 Jan 2011 07:39:34 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/___Kashmirs_grandpas_miss_winters_icicles_storytellers_114653 Srinagar: "Snow is all right, but, my dear, where are the icicles?" asked a bewildered Samad Sheikh, 75, who lives in a hamlet here in north Kashmir. Winter has been harsh this season, but the old man has an uncanny feeling that all might... Mon, 17 Jan 2011 07:09:47 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/Gujarat_kites_touch_new_high_for_Uttarayan_festival_114587 Ahmedabad: Multi-coloured kites of all shapes and sizes dotted the otherwise calm blue sky as they soared in the soft breeze at the sprawling Sabarmati river front at the 21st International Kite Festival here Tuesday. Over 37 countries and eig... Tue, 11 Jan 2011 10:12:53 GMT http://samachaar.in/Business_and_Economy/A_nonresident_Indian_can_remit_1_mn_from_property_sales_113659 The prices of ancestral properties left in India by emigrating non-resident Indians (NRIs) have escalated beyond their belief. Little wonder they have developed a new and intense interest in claiming their share especially with recession biting hard... Sun, 19 Dec 2010 07:36:19 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/Eighth_wonder_Bhopal_too_has_a_Taj_Mahal__113044 Bhopal: Did you know there is a second Taj Mahal in India? While the imposing Taj in Agra has captivated the world for centuries, its less famous counterpart here is lying in ruins.Nawab Shah Jahan Begum, Bhopal's 11th ruler, was a connoisseur of a... Thu, 09 Dec 2010 06:26:23 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/__From_jail_to_stage__reforming_prisoners_through_cultural_therapy_113037 Kolkata: Once hardened criminals and now do-gooders for all of society, Nigel Akkara alias Vikki and Debashis Chakraborty bring to life in more ways than one the old age story of robber Ratnakar who metamorphosed into sage Valmiki. Leaving beh... Thu, 09 Dec 2010 05:03:31 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/They_think_were_easy_target_Northeast_youth_in_Delhi___113025 New Delhi: On Dec 6, a 19-year-old boy from Assam was beaten up by a group of unidentified men on a bike around 12.30 p.m. in south Delhi's Netaji Nagar area. It was one of many assaults that youths from the northeast suffer in the capital - ... Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:21:51 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/__A_village_head_now_he_begs_to_differ_112895 Lucknow: As he sets out bedraggled from a dingy hut for his "family business" of begging, Narayan Nat finds people lined up, waiting politely for their turn not only to drop coins into his palm but also to get their civic and other proble... Tue, 07 Dec 2010 05:42:41 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/__Kerala_Jews_come_to_relive_past_as_present_fades_112632 Kochi: From thousands, the number of Jews in Kerala has dwindled to a mere 10 and they too live only in Kochi. The exodus of the community started over 60 years ago, though many visit this city to discover their roots and relive the past. &nbs... Thu, 02 Dec 2010 06:24:02 GMT http://samachaar.in/Science/__Internet_now_single_biggest_source_of_global_information_112622 New Delhi: What began modestly in the late 1960s as a way to connect research establishments by the US military has grown phenomenally to become the Internet, networking and empowering billions of people worldwide in myriads of ways. For instance, ... Thu, 02 Dec 2010 05:12:00 GMT http://samachaar.in/Business_and_Economy/Palpable_sense_of_change_as_Bihar_votes__Feature_112463 Patna: On the chaotic streets of Patna, rickshaw puller Ram Jagan Yadav casts a thoughtful glance around and says, "Change is here and change is the rule." As life goes on amid the Bihar polls, people have not failed to note that things a... Tue, 02 Nov 2010 07:44:13 GMT http://samachaar.in/Health/Wakeup_call_on_breast_cancer_in_India__Feature_112317 New Delhi: In the seemingly tranquil radiation room of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), two women lit up the ambience with their humour and telltale signs of victory as they shared a common experience: recovering from breast can... Thu, 28 Oct 2010 06:16:26 GMT http://samachaar.in/Delhi/Donors_give_new_meaning_to__eye_for_an_eye__Feature_111187 New Delhi: Schoolgoer Shivani Batra, who is 12 years old now, would often ask what the colour pink looked like, making her mother\\\'s eyes well up.  The Delhi girl suffered from corneal blindness - a problem that affects two million people in... Wed, 15 Sep 2010 05:10:08 GMT http://samachaar.in/Health/_Condoms_sex_issues_taboo_no_more_at_Jamia_Millia_Feature_111109 New Delhi: Not so long ago, the mere mention of the word "sex" would raise eyebrows and spark a debate in Jamia Millia Islamia, recall old-timers at the 90-year-old university. Today, however, students freely walk up to a university facil... Tue, 14 Sep 2010 04:08:56 GMT http://samachaar.in/Features/Chinese_version_of_Guinness_gets_recognition_108871 Beijing: Now, it's official. 'Chinness', the Chinese version of Guinness, has been recognised by the country's trademark regulator.Derived from 'Chinese' and 'Guinness', 'Chinness' has been officially approved by China's State Administration of Ind... Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:31:57 GMT