Did you know that Karnataka has India's second largest milk co-op ?

The Karnataka Milk Federation is the second largest in India after Amul, and the largest in South India. Its milk is in the coffee served at numerous Café Coffee Day outlets and its ghee is in the famous Tirupati laddoo.  Its milk products power the Indian army and are exported to several countries including USA, Russia, South Africa, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Nepal, Bangladesh and other countries. Read more in the BEST OF BANGALORE Innovation edition. Click here to buy online.

Jungle goes dot com! Launch of the new JLR website

Elephants, Bisons and Leopards are some of the many residents of Karnataka's jungles.

Want to know about the leopards and the tigers, the elephants and the jackals, the sambhar and the drongos, the crested serpent eagles and the cuckoos that are sighted in the lush (as yet) forests of Karnataka? Click on to www.jlrexplore.com for the almost daily updates of sightings by guides and trackers.

Experienced naturalists also post photos and articles on the visually appealing blog started by the Jungle Lodges and Resorts Limited (JLR), the State-owned eco resort chain. JLR has also its revamped website www.junglelodges.com/.

Aptly enough, the launch was a showcase of wildlife documentaries. The first was about the Indian River Tern, a species of fresh water birds which breed in an island in the Bhadra River in Chikmagalur district.  Shot on the River Tern Lodge, a JLR property on the river bank, the film told the story of the terns from the time they come to nest on the island, till their departure during the monsoons, when the river floods their temporary homes. The second film was about the Indian Sloth Bear, a fascinating breed of nocturnal bears, native to the Daoroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary in Hampi. The film was shot in the Sloth Bear Resort, which borders the sanctuary.

Indian River Terns nest on an island in the River Bhadra.

Indian Sloth Bear. 

There were two more short films, one on the K Gudi Wilderness Camp in the Billigiri Ranganna hills, and the other on the Om Beach Resort in Gokarna.

Tourism Minister RV Desphande launched the new website and Arvind Jadhav, Additional Chief Secretary launched the blog on December 20 at the ITC Windsor Bengaluru. Amur Reddy, Managing Director, JLR, hopes that the new revamped website will help attract more guests to their various properties, given that tourists do extensive research online before booking hotel and holiday packages.This website is meant to act as a single touch point to visitors and impart much needed information to nature enthusiasts.

The setting sun as seen from the River Tern Lodge.

By Subhalakshmi Roy/Raintree Media Features

All images from www.jlrexplore.com and www.junglelodges.com/

A glorious moment in Raintree Media's publishing history: President of India presented with the first copy of 'Karnataka-A Cultural Odyssey'

The cover of the book

Raintree Media is proud to announce the publication of 'Karnataka-A Cultural Odyssey', an elegant coffee table book, which covers everything from the taste of bisibelebhat to the pomp of Mysore Dasara. A celebration of Karnataka's rich culture and heritage, this book has been published exclusively for the Raj Bhavan, Karnataka.

The Governor of Karnataka, the President of India and
the Chief Minister of Karnataka with a copy of
 'Karnataka-A Cultural Odyssey'.

 It was  a moment of pride for Raintree Media when the first copy was gifted to the Honourable President of India Pranab Mukherjee at a glittering evening at the Raj Bhavan, Karnataka on Monday, September 23, 2013. The book was gifted to him by the Honourable Governor of Karnataka, Dr. Hans Raj Bhardwaj. President Mukherjee was also felicitated by Dr. Bhardwaj and the Honourable Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah.

Smiles all around as the President gets a true blue Kannadiga welcome with Mysore peta, shalya and our book.

Dr. Bhardwaj says about the book, “This is the book that we have specially commissioned for the Raj Bhavan to bring out the cultural grandeur of the entire state. The purpose of this book is to enable visitors to Karnataka to embark on a cultural odyssey of this vast state, and to carry back memories of its rich heritage and vibrant society. The writing is based on meticulous research, and the concise and well-written articles are interspersed with beautiful photographs. I am sure this book will provide delightful and insightful reading about this progressive state.”

Sandhya Mendonca, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Raintree Media (standing second from left),and her team with the Governor of Karnataka,the President of India and the Chief Minister.

Sandhya Mendonca, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Raintree Media, says, “We are indebted to His Excellency the Governor of Karnataka, Dr. HR Bhardwaj, who has had the vision to commission this unique publication that showcases the vibrant culture of Karnataka. We have been able to present the best of our state: from the historic temples to the traditional art forms, from the colourful festivals to the delicious food. This is the most prestigious publication Raintree Media has done to date.”

‘Karnataka – A Cultural Odyssey’ showcases the cultural grandeur of Karnataka – its historic structures that are the bequeathal of several dynasties; the spiritual centres that are a treasure trove of myths and legends; festivals that bind the community in a unique way; thriving art, and diverse and delectable cuisine. The book also takes readers on a private tour of the Raj Bhavan, Karnataka.

The book is edited by Sandhya Mendonca, and contains over 200 stunning photographs from a battery of photographers including Dinesh Shukla, KG Somsekhar and Asha Thadani, and is designed by Mishta Roy. The 200-page book is a thoughtful harmony of well-researched information and eloquent imagery. With the inputs of experts in their fields, like Naresh Narasimhan, MK Raghavendra, Prakash Belawadi, Vikram Sampath, Madhu Natraj, Dr. MS Asha Devi and Suresh Jayaram, the book offers the reader a vivid picture of the evolution of the culture of the region.

This is the second book published by Raintree Media exclusively for the Raj Bhavan, Karnataka. The earlier book ‘The Raj Bhavan Karnataka Through the Ages’, published in 2010, describes the evolution of the historic building and the office of the Governor.

The book release was followed by a cultural programme where eminent musicians from Karnataka showcased the state’s traditions. The first artiste for the evening was Carnatic maestro, Vidwan RK Padmanabha. He presented his composition, Sama Gana Priye Sharade in Raga Hindola Adi Taala, and Vaishnava Janato. He was accompanied by Vidwan CN Chandrashekhar on the violin and Vidwan C Cheluvaraj on the mridangam, both top ranking artistes with the All India Radio.

The release of Karnataka-A Cultural Odyssey was made special by the enthralling performance of Carnatic maestro Vidwan RK Padmanabha, accompanied by Vidwan CN Chandrashekhar on the violin and Vidwan C Cheluvaraj on the mridangam.

Hindustani vocalist Ustad Faiyaz Khan presented Sufi music, the poetry of Kabirdas, and the bhajans of Meerabai. He was accompanied by Shruti Kamath on the sitar and tabla prodigy Trilochan Kampli.

The magic of Hindustani Classical music, expertly cast by
Ustad Faiyaz Khan and his accompanists, young tabla maestro Trilochan Kampli and Shruti Kamath on the sitar, enraptured the audience.