Source…www.ba-bamail.com
Natarajan
environment
” When Pandit Nehru Stood on his Head …”
Ahead of International Yoga Day, it seems the entire world has been swept up by the yoga craze.
As the world gears up for this one-of-a-kind event, where people across the world will contort their bodies into various postures, here’s a rare image of the country’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru practising the sirsasana (supported headstand).
This is what what the former PM wrote on the sirsasana. “Among my exercises one please me particularly — the shiorshasana, standing on the head with the palms of the hands, fingers interlocked, supporting the back of the head, elbows on the floor, body vertical, upside down. I suppose physically this exercise is very good; I liked it even more for its psychological effects on me. The slightly comic position increased my good humour and made me a little more tolerant of life’s vagaries.”
Source….www.rediff.com
Natarajan
This Ramzan , Hindu , Muslims to Fast Together in Uttar Pradesh Town…
At a time when controversy over performing yoga is on, a group of Hindus in Uttar Pradesh’s Mahoba district has decided to observe Roza with their Muslim neighbours during the holy month of Ramzan starting on Friday.
“We have decided to observe fast with our Muslim brothers from Friday at Udal Chowk crossing in Mahoba. We will be sitting in a group of about 60 persons including at least 25 Hindus and will attend ‘Sehri’ and ‘Iftar’…,” Tara Patkar, coordinator of Bundeli Samaj, said.
Patkar said that the move would serve dual purpose: On one hand it will spread the message of religious harmony and on the other it will boost their campaign for setting up of All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Mahoba.
“We want policy makers to acknowledge our unity and take a positive decision for setting up of AIIMS in the district as poor health services in this area affect all, irrespective of caste and creed,” he said.
“Though politics is going on over the issue of performing yoga on International Yoga Day (on June 21), we have invited politicians of all parties to show our unity for a cause,” he added.
He said that this would be part of their AIIMS-Mahoba campaign under which they wrote over one lakh letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 18 languages.
“Under this campaign, Muslim youths and children wrote to the PM in Sanskrit while Hindus wrote in Urdu, besides in other languages like Sindhi, Punjabi and Malayalam.
“Camps were set up at many prominent places like railway stations, bus stops and hospitals to make the campaign a success. Even schools were involved in the campaign,” he said.
Explaining the logic behind the demand, Patkar said the district is situated at the heart of Bundelkhand and does not have proper health care facilities.
“Patients admitted to primary health centres are referred to Kanpur, Lucknow, Agra and to districts of neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. Setting up AIIMS will help the entire region spread over seven districts in UP and five of MP,” he said.
Patkar claimed that their voice had reached the Prime Minister’s Office, which sought details of their campaign.
Source….www.rediff.com
Natarajan
” Never Imagined My Son would come this far….” Thanks to Anand Kumar of Super 30 of Bihar…
Photographs: M I Khan
Yet another year, and yet another tale of success for Super 30, the scheme run by Anand Kumar in Bihar that tutors children from poor and modest backgrounds to gain entrance into the hallowed Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
Twenty-five out of the 30 students made the grade this year when the results of JEE-Advance were announced Thursday, June 18.
The mood at Anand Kumar’s residence, from where he runs Super 30, was upbeat. The successful students basked in the glory of their considerable achievements.
One of the Super 30 students got into the University of Tokyo this year and so did not take the JEE-Advance, and gave his place to another student.
Anand Kumar selects 30 meritorious students every year, mostly from poor families, and grooms them for the IIT entrance test. The students live with him for the duration, entirely at his expense.
The aim of the exercise is to ensure that anyone with the requisite ability can make it to the prestigious institutes.
Students whose fathers are daily wage earners, roadside vendors, and drivers have passed the test and ensured a bright future for themselves.
“Super 30 is just a big family for me. My wife, brother, mother and all my team members are attached to it. In today’s materialistic world, this is what gives me solace and strength to carry on,” says Anand Kumar, the remarkable man behind this successful venture.
Among the successful students this year is Dhananjay Kumar, whose father is unemployed. His mother runs a small shop in the village of Patori in Samastipur. He has just one pair of clothes that he wears all year round.
Another student is Sumit Kumar, a resident of Masaurhi. His father, Satyendra Kumar, is an agricultural labourer.
Abhinav Verma is from Nalanda. His father too is an agricultural labourer and the family is very badly off.
“Had it not been for Anand Sir’s Super 30, my son would not have been able to study at all. How can I afford all this? He was another father for my son,” said Yogeshwar Kumar, an agricultural labourer whose son Prem Pal made it to the JEE-Advance.
Neeraj Kumar Jha from Madhubani got a good rank. His father, Bhagwan Jha is a driver in Kolkata. “I had never imagined that my son would come this far.
“He was bright, but I did not have the resources. It was sheer good fortune of my child that he got Anand Sir, who took the burden off me. Today, what he has done for my son is something I could have never imagined doing even for my closest relatives,” said an emotional Bhagwan Jha.
“We worked hard. We could seek any help from Anand Sir or other teachers at any time. He was always there. If any of us fell ill, he took personal care of us,” Neeraj Kumar said.
One of the students, Sujit Kumar, was doing the test again this year after failing last year.
“He was our 31st student as he wanted to appear for the JEE again, but could not do so by staying at home due to poverty. He stayed here and made it. His passion helped the other students too,” Anand Kumar said.
Bhagawan Jha said he heard of Super 30 from the newspapers. “Luckily, my son impressed Anand Sir and that was the turning point in his life.”
Satyam Kumar had to stop studies twice because there was no money to pay his fees.
“At Super 30, the only pressure was to study well. Everything else was taken care of. My parents did not have to bother about anything,” says Kumar who is happy with his performance.
At a time when government funding for education is meagre and the quality of education poor, children from disadvantaged backgrounds who have a concerned, caring mentor can truly count themselves blessed.
M I Khan in Patna
SOFIA at Sunset
” உங்க வீட்டுக்கு ம்ருத்யு வர மாட்டான் …தைர்யமா இருங்கோ ..”!!!
நெரூர் சதாசிவப் பிரும்மேந்திரர் அதிஷ்டானத்துக்கு, தரிசனத்துக்காகச் சென்றிருந்தார்கள், பெரியவாள்.
சதாசிவப் பிரும்மேந்திரரிடம், பெரியவாளுக்கு இருந்த பக்திக்கும், மரியாதைக்கும் எல்லையே காண முடியாது. பிரும்மேந்திரர் பெயரைச் சொன்னாலும், கேட்டாலும், உருகிப் போய்விடுவார்கள், பெரியவாள்.
அதிஷ்டானத்தில்,ஜபம் செய்வதற்கு உட்கார்ந்து விட்டார்கள், பெரியவாள். அதிஷ்டான அன்பர்களும், பெரியவாளுக்குக் கைங்கரியம் செய்யும் பணியாளர்களும், சற்றுத் தொலைவுக்குப் போய் நின்று கொண்டார்கள்.
பெரியவாள், அதிஷ்டானங்களுக்குள் சென்று ஜபம் செய்வதையோ, சந்யாஸ முறைப்படி வணங்குவதையோ யாரும் பார்க்கக்கூடாது என்பது,ஸ்ரீமடத்து சம்பிரதாயம். மானுட எல்லைகளுக்கு அப்பால் சென்று, தெய்வீகத்தின் நுழைவாயிலில் நிற்கும் அபூர்வ தருணங்கள், அவை.
இந்தக் கட்டுப்பாடு, பக்தர்களின் நலனை முன்னிட்டுத் தான் கடைப்பிடிக்கப்பட்டு வந்தது. நூறு வாட்ஸ் மின்விளக்கையே பார்த்துப் பழகிய கண்கள் எதிரில், லட்சம் வாட்ஸ் மின் ஒளியைப் பாய்ச்சினால், எப்படித் தாங்கமுடியும்? அந்தச் சமயம் பார்த்து வெகு அவசரமாக வந்தார். ஓர் அன்பர் – ரங்கசாமி. “பெரியவாளை உடனே தரிசனம் பண்ணனும். பிரசாதம் வாங்கிக்கொண்டு உடனே புறப்படணும்”. என்று, மனம் திறந்து தொண்டர்களிடம் முறையிட்டார்.
“சுவாமி, பெரியவாள், கதவை சார்த்திக்கொண்டு அதிஷ்டானத்துக்குள் ஜபம் செய்து கொண்டிருக்கா, இப்போ யாரும் அவாளைத் தரிசிக்க முடியாது. தியானம் கலைந்து பெரியவாள் தானாகவே வெளியே வந்தவுடன் முதன் முதலாக நீங்கள் தரிசனம் செய்து கொள்ளலாம்.”
வந்தவர், இலேசுபட்டவர் அல்லர்; ரொம்பவும் அமுக்கமான பேர்வழி!.
தொண்டர்களின் பேச்சைக் கேட்டு சமாதானம் அடைந்துவிட்டாற்போல, பாவனை செய்து கொண்டிருந்தார்.
தொண்டர்களின் சுதந்திரமான வாய்வீச்சு, அடக்குவாரின்றி வெள்ளமாக ஓடிக்கொண்டிருந்தது. பேச்சு வெள்ளத்தில் மூழ்கித் திளைத்துக் கொண்டிருந்தார்கள் அவர்கள். கண்ணிமைக்கும் பொழுதில், புதிதாக வந்த அன்பர் ரங்கசாமி அதிஷ்டானத்தின் கதவுகளைத் திறந்து கொண்டு, உள்ளே சென்றுவிட்டார்!
இந்தத் தடாலடித் திட்டத்தை யாரும் எதிர்பார்க்காததால் எல்லோரும் குழம்பிப் போய் நின்றார்கள்.
அந்த நேரத்தில் அதிஷ்டானத்திலிருந்து பெரியவாளின் குரல், அதுவரையில் சிஷ்யர்கள் கேட்டறியாத ஒரு கம்பீரத்வனியில் தெளிவாகக் கேட்டது.
“நீங்கள் ம்ருத்யுஞ்ஜய ஜப-ஹோமம் செய்ய வேண்டாம். உங்கள் வீட்டுக்கு ம்ருத்யு வரமாட்டான்;திரும்பிப் போங்கள்” அன்பர் ரங்கசாமி கதவை மூடிவிட்டு, சட்டென்று வெளியே வந்தார். அணுக்கத் தொண்டர்கள் அவரை மொய்த்துக்கொண்டு விட்டார்கள். ரங்கசாமி ஒரு கதையே சொன்னார்.
அவருடைய நெருங்கிய உறவினருக்கு, திடீரென்று நெஞ்சுவலி. பரிசோதனை செய்த டாக்டர்கள், “நாற்பத்தெட்டு மணி நேரம் போனால்தான்,உறுதியாக சொல்ல முடியும்” என்று சொல்லி விட்டார்கள். ஜோசியர், “உடனே ம்ருத்யுஞ்ஜய ஹோமம் செய்யுங்கள்” என்றார். உடனே போய், பெரியவாளிடம் தெரிவித்துப் பிரசாதம் வாங்கிக் கொண்டு வந்தால் நல்லது என்று ஒருவர் ஆலோசனை; வயதான மூதாட்டி ஒருவர், “பெரியவா, இதோ பக்கத்திலே, நெரூர்லே தானே இருக்கார். அவாகிட்ட சொல்லிவிடுங்கோ,அவா பார்த்துப்பா” என்று சொன்னதை எல்லோரும் ஏற்றுக்கொண்டார்கள். அதன்படி தான், அன்பர் ரங்கசாமி அவ்வளவு அவசரப்பட்டிருக்கிறார்.
அவருடைய அதிர்ஷ்டம் தெய்வமே அவருக்கு அருள்வாக்குக் கூறிவிட்டது!
ரங்கசாமி வீட்டுக்குள் நுழைந்தபோது அந்த நோயாளி உறவினர், படுக்கையில் உட்கார்ந்து புன்முறுவலித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தார்.
“ஆமாம், இன்னும் ஒரு நூறாண்டு அவருக்கு காரண்டி”!
Source….www.periva.proboards.com
Natarajan
Read more: http://periva.proboards.com/thread/7858/#ixzz3dPsjmnIL
Message for the Day…” You must Hold on to the Name of God Under any Circumstance …”
In the young-of-the-monkey type of devotion, the child must rely on its own strength to protect itself —wherever the mother jumps, the child must attach itself to its mother’s belly and hold on, even if pulled apart! So too, the devotee must stand the tests of the Lord and hold on to His name under all conditions, tirelessly, without the slightest trace of dislike or disgust, bearing the criticism and ridicule of the world and conquering the feelings of shame and defeat. An exemplary example of this type of devotion is Prahlada. In the second path, just as the kitten simply places all its burdens on the mother cat, so too, the devotee completely trusts the Lord and surrenders to Him. The mother cat holds the kitten in its mouth and transports it safely through even very narrow passages. Lakshmana is the example of this path. These two are sometimes referred to as devotion with effort (bhakthi) and self-surrender (prapatti). The former a hard path, while the latter a simple or safe path.
Standing tall: Charles Correa’s ICONIC buildings….
India’s greatest contemporary architect Charles Correa died on Tuesday night at the age of 84. He was best known for his “open-to-sky” designs, which were reflected in some of his famous projects.
Rediff.com takes a look at some popular buildings that got the Correa touch.
1. Islamic Centre, Toronto, Canada
Toronto’s Islamic cultural centre stands out because of its stunning glass dome. It shares a patch of parkland with the Aga Khan Museum.
Correa designed the structure in partnership with local studio Moriyama & Teshima Architects to provide a cultural centre for the Islamic community. Photograph: deezeen.com
2. Champalimaud Centre for The Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
Champalimaud Centre rings a bell, doesn’t it? Yes, here’s where Lalit Modi’s wife was treated for cancer in 2014.
This research and diagnostic centre with its state-of-the-art facility is a work-in-progress.Photograph: Carlos Luis M C da Cruz/Wikipedia
3) Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York
Designed by the legendary Correa, the building has a red granite base and a double-height penthouse porch at the top, which houses offices of India’s permanent representative, deputy permanent representative, a minister and political coordinator, six counsellors, a colonel-rank military advisor and several other secretaries.
It is just down the road from the UN Headquarters in New York. Photograph: Julio Ferrer/Flickr
4) Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalay, Sabarmati Ashram
The museum at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad was designed by Correa. It was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru on 10 May 1963. Photograph: Sanyam Bahga/Wikipedia
5) Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur
This arts centre built in 1992 is dedicated to India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
It is a contemporary building based on the archaic notion of the cosmos — the navgraha (nine planets) mandal, according to Correa’s website (charlescorrea.net). Photograph:
Sahil Latheef/travellingsahil.blogspot.com
6) Vidhan Bhavan, Bhopal
Correa designed Vidhan Bhavan in Bhopal, in Madhya Pradesh. It overlooks courtyards and gardens — there are gardens within gardens divided into nine squares, according to Correa’s website.
He also designed the Bharat Bhavan. Photograph: archnet.org
7) Kanchenjunga, Mumbai
Kanchenjunga is one of the most luxurious apartment blocks in the city located at the upmarket Peddar Road. The interlocking duplexes in the building are somewhat like the Permanent Mission of India to the UN structure in New York.
8) Cidade de Goa, Goa
This five-star beach resort, a few minutes drive from Panaji, is built on a sloping site which descends down to the beach on a river. Photograph: Cidade de Goa/Facebook
9) British Council, Delhi
Built in 1992, the new building of the British Council houses a library, an auditorium and an art gallery. These elements are arranged in a series of layers, recalling the historic interfaces that existed between India and Britain. Photograph: Courtesy British Council
10) Portuguese Church, Mumbai
One of Mumbai’s oldest churches, the Portuguese Church (The Church of Our Lady of Salvation) was redesigned by Correa in the 1970s. The shell roofs are ventilated at the top and the skylight in the baptistery is by noted Indian artists M F Husain.
Source….www.rediff.com
Natarajan
” Taste of TamilNadu…” …See this Mouthwatering FoodMap of TamilNadu !!!
Priya Bala of Folomojo.com hits the road!
Few things unite a country as diverse as India as food.
And so Priya Bala decided to help us with a food map of Tamil Nadu.
Ready?
Let’s go!
Vadacurry in Chennai
We start our culinary adventure in Chennai, a city famous for its idli shops and military messes, besides kotthu (kotthu parota) and thengai-manga-pattani sundal which is an essential part of an outing to Marina Beach.
But there’s one dish that features in a typical Chennai saying ‘Gamalakdi giri giri Saidapettai vada curry’ and also become the title of a recent movie.
That’s vadacurry. No long culinary history backs this popular breakfast dish.
It could well be that an eatery wondering what to do with the left over masal vadai thought this one up.
Crumbled bits of masal vadai are dropped into a tasty gravy that’s got a big hit of garam masala.
You eat it with idli or set dosai and feel utterly content.
Idli in Kanchipuram
In the silk-weaving town that gives this item its name, it’s known as koil idli.
That’s because Kanchipuram idli originates from the Sri Varadaraja Perumal Koil, or temple, there.
Spiked with whole pepper, cumin, curry leaves, dried ginger and asafoetida, the traditional way is to steam the idlis in mandharai leaves.
Besides the temple kitchen, vegetarian eateries in Kanchipuram like Kanaga Vilas and Sri Krishna Vilas make their own versions of this idli, each claiming it to be the real thing.
Makkan Peda in Arcot
There’s no chance that you’ll pass through Arcot in Vellore District and not hear about its famous sweet, the makkan peda.
The story goes that it was the likes of the Nawab of Arcot who first dined on these syrup-soaked sweets.
They were later taken up by the sweet-makers of the town.
One of the most popular makers of this sweet is the Arcot Chettiyar Sweet Stall that’s well over 150 years old.
The makkan peda looks like a gulab jamun but tastes nothing like it.
A rich dough casing of maida and khoya holds a mixture dried fruits and nuts inside.
These little balls are deep-fried and then soaked in syrup to become the treat that is makkan peda.
Biryani in Ambur
Ambur is a nondescript town on the Chennai-Bangalore highway and most people would never have heard of it, but for the fact that the word ‘biryani’ has become attached to it.
Food history has it that one Muslim family in the area started making and selling biryanis in the late 19th century.
It grew to be a bigger family business, giving way to Rahamaniya and, now, Star, Ambur’s best biryani maker.
Lots of imitators have sprung up since, but the mutton biryani at Star in Ambur is something special.
Chocolates in Ooty
Perhaps it’s the weather that makes Ooty, set high in the Nilgiris range, ideal for chocolate-making.
Despite the popularity of the locally produced chocolates, the business is still a cottage industry.
Dark, milk, white, fruit- and nut-studded, it’s a huge choice. Tourists never leave without a box of Ooty chocolates.
Coconut buns in Coimbatore
The affluent textile city of Coimbatore has a profusion of very good bakeries.
They sell an array of goodies, but none is more famous than the coconut bun.
Decades ago, a slice of sweet, warm coconut bun and a glass of tea is what the textile mill workers turned to for a pick-me-up.
Now, everyone in Coimbatore enjoys this teatime treat.
KR Bakes is an old bakery that has quite a reputation for its coconut buns.
Degree kaapi in Kumbakonam
The true coffee aficionado in TN will look askance at instant coffee and even the pricey, foam-topped cuppa from Starbucks.
It’s got to be filter coffee, brewed in the double filter the traditional way, combined with frothy milk and served sweetened in a dabara-tumbler set.
Nowhere is the coffee better than in Thanjavur district and the town of Kumbakonam rightfully stakes a claim for the best.
The ‘degree’ apparently refers to the creaminess of the milk, measured by a lactometer.
Highways across the state are dotted with ‘Kumbakonam degree kaapi’ stalls, but the real thing is in the temple town.
Murukku in Manapparai
Manapparai is a small town, nestling in a fertile patch on the Madurai-Trichy highway.
Whether you drive through or travel by bus, there’ll be no escaping the murukku vendors of Manapparai.
The place is famous for its crunchy, lightly spiced murukku, a perfect any-time snack.
What makes it special? The water of Manapparai, say the locals.
Thalappakatti Biriyani Dindigul
Like all good things, this dish has spawned imitations aplenty.
In fact, the makers of the original Dindigul Thalappakatti biriyani have been fighting tough legal battles to protect their brand name.
The story goes that a certain Nagasamy Naidu, who started the business in the 1950s, always wore a ‘thalapa’ or turban; hence the name of the biryani.
It is made from a particular type of seeraga samba rice and the meat of goats from the big markets in Paramathi and Kannivadi.
Jigarthanda in Madurai
The signature drink of the city that revolves around the Meenakshi temple is jigarthanda and does just that — cooling the very being in the scorching temperatures that prevail there.
It is believed the Muslim settlers carrying Mughal culinary inspirations brought this sweet, cold drink to Madurai.
Jigarthanda stalls abound in the bustling city, particularly around the temple, and the best, everyone agrees, is at Famous Jigarthanda.
These milky drinks contain almond tree resin — now more commonly substituted with China grass jelly– thickened milk, nannari sherbet and a dollop of ice cream.
‘Special’ versions can have a serving of basundi topping things off.
Ennai Parota in Virudhunagar
Madurai is the parota capital of the region.
But about 50 km south is Virudhunagar, which takes the parota to another, artery-clogging level that makes it the popular dish it is.
The parotas which are shaped from coils of dough, already soaked in oil, are then fried in a shallow tava, till crisp and flaky.
Waiting crowds at the Burma Kadai then tear or crumble the ennai parota, pour over a river of gravy and tuck in, not forgetting to burp afterwards.
Kara Sev in Sattur
Also in Virudhunagar district is the dusty town of Sattur, which finds itself on the food map of the region, thanks to a delightful, spicy snack it produces by the ton.
Sattur is famous for its kara sev, crisp-fried strands made of gram flour and rice flour, seasoned with chilli and garlic.
The Shanmuga Nadar Mittai Kadai here has been making kara sev for a century and more.
It’s the perfect thing to munch on with a cup of hot tea.
Palgova in Srivilliputhur
The sacred birthplace of Sri Andal is also known for its milk sweet, palgova.
Made by painstakingly stirring fresh milk and sugar over wood-fed fires, it is rich and creamy and a must-buy for those who visit this part of Tamil Nadu.
North Indian sweet-making techniques seem to have been brought here by locals who travelled or people like the Singhs who run the Sri Venkateswara Vilas Lala Sweet Stall and originally hail from Rajasthan.
Kadalai mittai in Kovilpatti
Kovilpatti in the southernmost part of Tamil Nadu is best known for an everyday sweet, kadalai mittai or peanut candy.
It’s so unique to the region that makers have now applied for a GI (Geographical Identification) tag.
It’s available here in shops with names like KS Kadalai Mittai and VVR Kadalai Mittai.
The secret, they claim, is the quality of the peanuts they use and the mixture of jaggery syrups.
Nutritionists give this sweet the thumbs-up, saying a small slab of Kadalai Mittai is packed with nutrition and energy and makes the perfect snack.
Halwa in Tirunelveli
They say it is the water of the perennial Thamiraparani that makes the halwa of Tirunelveli so good.
For the locals, it is no occasional treat.
It is an everyday experience — a dollop of hot halwa, straight out of the karhai, glistening with ghee being plopped on to a leaf, to be eaten piping hot, perhaps with a side of kara sev providing a foil to the sweet richness. Iruttukadai or the dark shop, where the halwa is made only after dusk, is said to make the best halwa.
Macaroons in Thoothukudi
A bustling port and fishing harbour is not where you’ll expect a dainty baked delicacy. But there it is — the macaroon of Thoothukudi.
The long-established bakeries here specialise in making these light-as-air confections which use egg whites, sugar and cashewnuts.
The macaroon-makers of Thoothukudi send their products to other cities, but say they can never be made elsewhere and taste the same.
CREDITS….Lead photograph (used for representational purposes only): Jagadeesh Nv/Reuters
Photographs courtesy: Folomojo.com
Source….www.rediff.com
Natarajan
“Mumbai remains the most expensive city in India”….says a survey….
Mumbai has emerged as one of the costliest cities in the world due to increase in foods prices, home services and rentals, says a Mercer’s Cost of Living Survey 2015.
Mumbai has emerged as one of the most expensive cities to live in, according to a survey. Photograph: Reuters
Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, held its position as the most expensive city in India and is ranked above Dallas, Frankfurt and Vancouver, according to a recent survey
Image: Luanda is the world’s most expensive city to live in, according to a survey. Photograph: Reuters
Luanda, the capital of Angola, has been rated the world’s costliest city to live in, for third consecutive year, as per Mercer’s ‘Cost of Living Survey 2015’
Image: Hong Kong is the second most expensive city in the world for expats. Photograph: Scott Audette/Reuters
“India’s most expensive city, Mumbai (at 74th place), climbed 66 places in the ranking due to its rapid economic growth, inflation and services basket and a stable currency against the US dollar,” the survey has revealed.
Image: Zurich is the third most expensive city in the world, according to a survey. Photograph: Photograph: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters
“It (Mumbai) has witnessed higher inflation over the last one year compared to other metro cities, higher cost of fuel, transportation, increased prices of food items, home services and rentals, impacting the cost of living,” it said.
The survey further said that Mumbai is ranked higher and more expensive than cities like Dallas (77), Munich (87), Luxembourg (94), Frankfurt (98) and Vancouver (119).
Image: Cost of living in Singapore is one of the highest in the world. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images
Mumbai, the most populous city in the country, is followed by New Delhi (132nd place) and Chennai (157), which rose in the ranking by 25 and 28 spots, respectively.
Besides, Bengaluru (183) and Kolkata (193), the least expensive Indian cities, climbed in the ranking as well, it said.
Image: Rentals, food, travelling and related costs are very high in Geneva, says a survey. Photograph: Reuters
The survey includes 207 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each location, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.
Asian cities dominate the top 10 costliest cities rankings along with major cities in Switzerland, it said. Hong Kong (2), Zurich (3), Singapore (4) and Geneva (5) top the list of most expensive cities for expatriates, while Bishkek (207),
Windhoek (206) and Karachi (205) are considered world’s least expensive cities for expatriates, according to the survey. Tel Aviv (18) continues to be the most expensive city in the Middle East for expatriates.
Source…..www.rediff.com
Natarajan
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