Live: India, in real time

India is a country on the go; at any given moment in time, there is much happening in the fields of politics and governance, of finance, of development; there is constant churning in society, considerable activity in sports and in the arts... It's almost too much to keep track of. And hence, this effort: a real-time, constantly updated look at the events that matter. Refresh this page for real-time updates.


Students at Osmania University protest during a two-day strike demanding the creation of Telangana.


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CALLING READERS: On this live blog, we curate in real time the goings on in the world around us. Come be a part of the project: If you see an interesting story, send us the link to indiaeditors@yahoo.in and we'll publish it in this space. Got an interesting photo to share? Same email link applies. Got suggestions on how we can improve this further? Ditto.
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9:00 am: Roti, charpai, padyatra: Rahul fights Maya


Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi would leave for Tappal in west Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday morning as he takes on UP Chief Minister Mayawati on her home turf. Rahul Gandhi started the padyatra on Tuesday from Bhatta-Parsaul village.


With this padyatra, the Congress has kicked off its campaign for 2012 UP polls.


The Congress General Secretary made impromptu stops on Tuesday, interacting with villagers. The padyatra will culminate at the Congress' Kisan Mahapanchayat at Aligarh on Saturday.


On his first night on the padyatra, Rahul Gandhi had a simple meal of four rotis and slept on a charpai at a farmer's house in Rampur. IBN has the story 


8:45 am: Dharavi in Mumbai is no longer Asia's largest slum


Dharavi, spread over 557 acres and housing nearly three lakh people, is no longer Asia's largest slum. Mumbai has at least four larger contenders for the dubious distinction, some of them three times the size of Dharavi. Though, the island city is now largely free of slums.


The erstwhile smaller slums in the suburbs have metamorphosed into contiguous, larger slums. The Kurla-Ghatkopar belt, the Mankhurd-Govandi belt, the Yogi and Yeoor hill slopes stretching from Bhandup to Mulund flanking the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) on the east and Dindoshi on the western flank of the National Park have all eclipsed Dharavi.


While the profile of the suburban slum sprawls is still to be established, the Mankhurd-Govandi slums that have sprung up at the base of the Deonar dumping ground are known as a "dumping ground" for the city's poor. It has the lowest human development index in the city and is constantly in the news for malnutrition deaths. Moreover, following earlier trends, the slums have come up on hill slopes and mud flats. Full story on ToI 


8:30 am: Chennai teen shooting case: Cops get crucial leads


A Lieutenant Colonel is among three army men being questioned, according to police sources, in connection with the shooting of 13-year-old Dilshan in Chennai on Sunday. The teenager had entered the grounds of an Army residential complex to collect almonds.


Police sources have told NDTV that the cell phone tower locations of the suspects confirmed their presence at the scene of crime. The army has reportedly given three names to the investigators, and asked the personnel to cooperate with the probe. NDTV has the story

About nike-footwear

Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman popularly said: “If you have a body, then you are an athelete.” He set the tone and direction for a young company created in 1972 called Nike, and it kickstarted with a handshake between two visionary Oregonians - Bowerman, and his University of Oregon runner Phil Knight. They and the people who supported this endevour grew the company that became Nike from a US-based footwear distributor to a global marketer of athletic footwear, apparel and equipment that is unrivalled in the world.


Nike was named after the Greek goddess of victory. Nike’s swoosh logo, one of the most recognisable logos, was originally designed by a student and cost all of 35$. After the company achieved its success, that same student was gifted a diamond ring with the swoosh logo.


Nike’s first products were track running shoes. They currently also provide shoes and sponsor sportspersons and teams from some of the most popular sports on the planet. Nike Air Max is a line of shoes first released by Nike Inc. in 1987. The most recent additions to their line are the Nike 6.0, Nike NYX, and Nike SB shoes, designed for skateboarding. Nike has recently introduced cricket shoes called Air Zoom Yorker, designed to be 30% lighter than others. In 2008, Nike introduced the Air Jordan XX3, a high-performance basketball shoe designed with the environment in mind. They also use Flywire and Lunarlite foam to reduce the weight of shoes and make them an absolute pleasure for wearers.


Nike sells an assortment of products for sports activities like association football, basketball, running, combat sports, tennis, American football, athletics, golf and cross training for men, women, and children. Nike also sells shoes for outdoor activities such as tennis, golf, skateboarding, baseball, American football, cycling, volleyball, wrestling, cheerleading, aquatic activities, auto racing and other athletic and recreational uses. Nike is popular in youth, chav and hip hop culture. The brand recently teamed up with Apple Inc. to produce the Nike+ product which monitors a runner's performance via a radio device in the shoe which links to the iPod nano.

Longest bridges in world

The world's longest cross-sea bridge, spanning 36.48 kilometers across the mouth of the Jiaozhou Bay in China's eastern Shandong province, opened to traffic four years after construction started. Here's a peek into some of the world's longest bridges.

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

Located in Louisiana, United States, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, consists of two parallel bridges that run parallel to each other. The bridges are supported by 9,500 concrete pilings and spans over 38.35 kilometres. The southern terminus of the Causeway is in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The northern terminus is at Mandeville, Louisiana.

Donghai Bridge

Completed on December 10, 2005, the Donghai Bridge has a total length of 32.5 kilometres and connects Shanghai to the Yangshan port in China. The 'Donghai Bridge' is popularly known as 'The stone'.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a four lane bridge that connects the Delmarva Peninsula's Eastern Shore of Virginia with Virginia Beach and the metropolitan area of Hampton Roads, Virginia. The bridge has a total length of 37 kilometres.

Vasco da Gama Bridge

The Vasco da Gama Bridge is a cable bridge with a total length of 17.2 kilometres. The bridge was opened to traffic on 29 March, 1998. The bridge spans across the Tagus River near Lisbon, Portugal.

Penang Bridge

The Penang Bridge opened to traffic on September 14, 1985 and connects Gelugor in Penang island and Seberang Prai to mainland Malaysia. The total length of the bridge is 13.5 kilometres.

Rio-Niteroi Bridge

The Rio-Niteroi Bridge is a box girder bridge that connects the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niteroi. The bridge opened on March 4, 1974 and the total length of the bridge is 13 kilometres.

Confederation Bridge

The 12.9 kilometre long bridge opened on 31 May 1997, connecting the Prince Edward Island with New Brunswick, Canada. The Confederation bridge is a two-lane highway toll bridge.

San Mateo-Hayward Bridge

Commonly known as the San Mateo Bridge, the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge connects San Francisco Peninsula with the East Bay. The total length of the bridge is 11.265408 kilometres.

Seven Mile Bridge

The Seven Mile Bridge is is located between the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Strait. Finished in 1982 at a cost of $45 million, the Seven Mile Bridge connects city of Marathon in the Middle Keys of Florida to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys of Florida.

Check out India's 13 super expressways

India has roads stretching across 3.314 million kilometres, making it the third largest road network in the world.
Expressways and highways have made road transportation much faster and efficient in India. The 13 expressways in India cover a distance of 683.36 kilometres. Fifteen new expressways are under construction.
A massive project is underway to expand the highway network and the government plans to add an additional 18,637 kilometres of expressways to the network by 2022.
Here's a look at India's 13 expressways...
Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway
Distance: 95 km


The Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway also known as National Expressway 1 connects Ahmedabad and Baroda in Gujarat.
The expressway reduces the travel time between the two cities from about 2.5 hours on National Highway 8 (NH 8) to about an hour now.
Opened in 2004, this expressway has 2 lanes on each side and one service lane. It is a part of the Golden Quadrilateral Project by NHAI.




The Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway is India's first six-lane concrete, high-speed, access controlled tolled expressway.


Connecting Mumbai with Pune, the expressway has reduced the travel time to two hours.


Inaugurated in May 2005, the Jaipur-Kishangarh Expressway connects Jaipur with Kishangarh.

Pondicherry Tourism Places:

SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM:

Founded in 1926, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram has grown, under the Mother's guidance, from a small group of two dozen disciples into a large diversified community with almost 1200 members. Counting the 400 students of the Centre of Education and the hundreds of devotees who live nearby, the larger ashram community consists of more than 2000 people.

Situated in a busy city of over 700,000 people, the Ashram is not a quiet place of retreat but a vibrant centre of life in a modern urban setting. The dynamic character of the community reflects the life-affirming aim of Sri Aurobindo's Yoga. Work as an offering to the Divine is an essential aspect of the Yoga, and all Ashramites do a certain amount of productive work each day in one or another of the Ashram's departments.

In the sadhana or spiritual discipline at the Ashram, there are no obligatory practices, no rituals, no compulsory meditations or systematic instructions in Yoga. Sadhaks are left free to determine the course and pace of their sadhana in accordance with their own natures. But the general principle of the sadhana is the same for all: there must be a surrender to the Divine and an opening to the Divine Force so that it may work to transform one's being.



The Ashram is located in the eastern part of Pondicherry. Ashramites live and work in a large number of buildings spread throughout the area. The focus of community life is the Ashram main building, usually called simply "the Ashram", which consists of an interconnected block of houses, including those in which Sri Aurobindo and the Mother lived for most of their lives. At its centre, in a tree-shaded courtyard, lies the Samadhi, a white-marble shrine where their bodies are laid to rest.

The Ashram provides its members with all they need for a decent and healthy life. Various departments have been organised to look after the basic requirements of food, clothing and shelter, as well as medical care. There are also libraries for study and facilities for a variety of cultural pursuits. The Ashram is administered by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust.


CONTACTING BUREAU CENTRAL

Bureau Central,
Information Centre of Sri Aurobindo Ashram,
Cottage Complex,
3, Rangapillai Street,
Pondicherry 605001
India

Working Hours: 6am to 8pm (all days)
Phone: +91-413-2233604
email: bureaucentral@sriaurobindoashram.org





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Auroville:



Auroville  is a small town 6 km north of PondicherryThis town was a vision of The Mother from Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry as it's an international town. She envisioned a town where unity will be celebrated and all will have a spiritual vocation. At the moment, in July 2010, 2200 people from 43 different countries are living in the city. About 40% are Indians (more than 15% are French and 15% are German).

Auroville Handbook is the official guide to Auroville that can be bought in the Visitors' center and the bookshops around or Auroville's website. A map of the town can be bought in Pondicherry at the Boutique de Auroville and at the visitors center in Auroville.
Entering :

By Rickshaw (Rs 100-150) or Taxi (Rs 240) from Pondicherry. Many buses between Chennai and Pondicherry pass the turn off to Auroville - you can get down here and into one of the waiting rickshaws at the junction.

You can also take a taxi from Chennai Airport. It costs Rs. 1500 (apporox USD 35.00) (price quoted December 2009. If you call a taxi service in advance: +91-413-2622400, +91 413 2623586 (both companies are run by Auroville township near Puducherry), they will be at the Arrivals exit with a sign with your name on it).

You can also rent scooters in Pondicherry and drive yourself for a day trip or arrange to keep the scooter for a few days or more.
Get around

Best by motorbike, also possible by bicycle. Rickshaws and taxis can be ordered for trips out of the town. If you have a guest card than you can use the community's bus to Pondicherry (for free). You can hire motorbikes for Rs 60-100 per day and in some guesthouses you'll get a bicycle for free with your rent.

The nearest petrol station is on the sea front road just north of the Auroville turnoff. If you find yourself low while in town, a few of the shops have 1 liter water bottles filled with petrol for sale.
Visiting :

Savitri Bhawan

    Matrimandir - Meaning "Temple of the Mother" in Sanskrit, this is the geographical and spiritual heart of Auroville. The outside is plated with gold, while the inside is stark white with a gigantic crystal in the center.

Check with the visitor center if you're interested in seeing the inside of the temple - the rules can be very strict, and it may take 2 days or so before you actually get inside (you've been warned!). You'll first need a visitors pass for a little guided tour of one of the meditation chambers, and once you've done that you qualify to visit the inside of the main temple the following day. Saturday and Sunday can be particularly busy and you may need to wait in line for 30-40 minutes. Bags, cell phones and cameras are not allowed in the temple.



Auroville's birthday celebration

If you have a guest card you can get a pass valid for all the days of your stay, otherwise you'll get a one day pass. Aurovilians can also take you in as a guest, though this isn't likely unless you have friends there.

    Auro Beach - Located at walking distance from the Auroville Busstop on ECR (East Coast Road), Auro Beach is considered one of the best beaches on India's Eastern Coastline although it it is still very polluted. Most of the people found on the beach are either Europeans or Tamils.



Auro Beach





One of the various architectural experiments

There are a lot of activities in Auroville like Yoga, Tai-Chi, Watsu, different kinds of alternative healing and courses. The variety is wider during the visitors' season (December to March), when they can attend the classical Indian dance performances of young virtuosos organised by Auroville Cultural Exchange. There are a plethora of social/economic/environmental/agricultural projects going on regularly. Many of them welcome tourists, and many tourists welcome the opportunity to spent a week or more volunteering to get a much more intimate look at what goes inside Auroville. There are at least 14 farms in Auroville, any of which will take daily volunteers. There are also many schools that can accommodate volunteers, environmental restoration projects, and village action initiatives, just to name a few. Kottakarai Organic Food Processing Unit is a small little shop that makes things like cookies and pasta from local and organic ingredients in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It is located next to Ganesh Bakery, a cafe/restaurant that is popular with tourists.
Purchasing:

    Hand woven hammocks
    Hand carved stone sculptures, including some erotic works
    Cool hippy clothing, but be sure to bargain hard on them as prices are set high in Auroville.
    LED Headlights,Parasite Zapper, Mind machines with Innovation unlimited,Silence.
    Books about Auroville - the idea, the architecture, the mother,... (Bookshop at the Visitor's Center). "Auroville in a nutshell" is a great booklet to start with for about Rs 50.

Eating:

    The Solar Kitchen is the main cafeteria and most popular place to eat. Everyone pays the same price - no matter how much you actually eat. The food is really yummy and it's a great place to met people! Upstairs you can find the cafe La Terrace serving coffees, salads, sandwiches and changing international dishes. It should be noted that both do not accept cash: you must apply for a guest card at the visitor's centre, fill it with credit, and pay using that account. Both, La Terrace and the Solar Kitchen try to use organic products whenever they can! At La Terrace try the delicious mushroom pasta with egg and don't miss out on the amazing ice-cream!!

    Ganesh Bakery is very popular, serving full meals and baked goods, with a well-stocked market attached.

    Visitor Centre has an excellent cafe with daily specials and a wide range of Indian and European food including great vegetarian food, drinks and desserts.

    Le Morgan at the Town Hall is a French restaurant which is open for lunch and also some dinners, please check. They often serve delicious fresh fish.

    Repos cafe is situated on the beach and has amazing salads, check out sunbliss salad or the houmous platter. It is open to people staying in Auroville and is closed on Mondays and open til 5 every other day.

    Aurelec serves breakfast and a wonderful buffet lunch for a fixed price of mainly north Indian food. It is also an art gallery.

    New Creation Corner is on the main round from the beach to Matrimandir and serves great vegetarian dishes, crepes and has a great atmosphere.

    Paradise Pizza is an amazing pizza restaurant where the pizzas are cooked on a clay oven and taste delicious. They also offer some daily specials of pasta.

    Solitude offer a vegan meal cooked from produce on the farm. This is available at lunch times and you must book in advance and make a donation.

    Lhasa Tibetan Restaurant a family restaurant on the main road into Auroville center, at right hand (surrounded by some Pizza places). Don't be scared, the house looks unpromising from the outside, but the place is actually very spacious and the food is amazing and affordable too.

Sleep



Bharat Niwas

There are more than 450 beds in different guesthouses in Auroville, and many more in the non-Aurovilian hotels around the township, which are generally less expensive. The best way is to go to the visitors' center  in Auroville and browse through their book in which you can see the rooms and get details about them. Prices range from Rs 75-2100 per person per day.

Overnight guests in Auroville's guest houses are expected to pay a daily contribution of Rs 100 (30 for students), which is often included in the guesthouse rate. For this contribution you receive a Guest Card which allows you to use the services of Auroville, like the Solar Kitchen, classes and some shops.

December through February is the guests' season - the busiest time in Auroville. Plan your trip in advance for this period.
Way  to  Out:

You can take a taxi to Chennai airport for Rs. 1500 from Auroville. Or you can take a taxi to Pondicherry bus station for Rs. 150, then take a regular bus for Rs. 45 to Tambaram , cross the highway through an underground and get a train connection from there to Chennai Airport for Rs. 4 (just a few kilometers away).

From Allankuppan,Kottakarai village westside Aurovills every 30 min a bus go to Pondi over Kootroad,where you can enter a bus to Tindivanam,Tirruvanumalai,Chennai. Often the bus is already full.Its safer to go to Pondi. The bus is 5 Rs Thge same problem you face on the ECR (East cost road) if you catch a bus to chennai.

PIX: Will Toyota Etios Liva give Swift a run for its money?

Shrawan Raja, Indianautosblog.com

The Toyota Etios Liva follows the Japanese company's philosophy: A Toyota for everyone.

The Liva is the cheaper Etios designed to take down the Maruti Swift with its XL cabin, A-Class fuel economy and mass-market price. Toyota launched the sedan model last year and they had to delay the Liva's introduction from April to June because the production line was not able to keep up with the demand.

So will the hatch generate such a phenomenal response? Let's find out:



The Toyota Liva, in essence, is an Etios without a boot and that's about it! No really, that is all there is to say about this hatchback.

Whereas the Etios sedan has a length of 4265mm, the Liva gets a length of 3775 mm with a 9cm reduction in wheelbase (roughly the passenger cell's length).

If you leave dimensions and engine specs aside, the Liva's spec sheet and Etios's spec sheet look like photocopies.

How to increase breast size

Have you ever thought of how you can increase your breast size without expensive implant surgery? There are several things you can do that are totally safe and far less expensive than surgery. You can get totally natural looking breasts, which doesn't usually happen with implants.

There are actually three things you can do that work for most women. By combining all the methods you will achieve great results. Here are some tips on how to increase your breast size:

Natural breast products
Herbal supplements work well for most women. The improved pills contain only natural ingredients like fenugreek seed, blessed thistle and wild yam. There are other ingredients, but these are usually found in most effective supplements.

No, exercise won't actually increase the size of your breasts but it will certainly help give the appearance of a larger bust line. Push ups and chest flies work very well for lifting and firming the breasts. Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 push ups everyday, along with 3 sets of 10 to 12 chest flies using 5 to 8 pound weights.

Massaging the breasts increases circulation and helps promote growth? Performing the massage in a slow circular motion for about 3 to 5 minutes per day will result in a small amount of breast growth. These are some easy tips on how to increase your breast size.

Many women wonder how natural breast pills work. This is pretty simple. The herbal ingredients in the supplements work together in your body to make phytoestrogen which is similar to the natural estrogen in a womans body.

These phytoestrogens target the breast tissue and mammary glands, promoting breast growth. It usually takes just two months to start seeing results, and most women see very significant growth in six months.