Kalari Fest 2012 - Pondicherry

Kalari Fest - 2012

30-03-2012, at 8.00 PM
KRPASHRAYA AURODHAN GARDEN, 237 Papamal Koil Street,
Vaithikuppam, Puducherry

31-03-2012, at 7.30 PM
SRI AUROBINDO AUDITORIUM, BHARAT NIVAS,
Auroville

01-04-2012, at 7.00 PM
HINDUSTAN KALARI SANGAM
UDAYAN, EDayaChavadi Road, (Near Vinayaka Koil), Auroville

Events Organized by
HINDUSTAN KALARI SANGAM
hindustankalari@gmail.com

La Maison Rose's Special Bebop Jazz Night on 23rd March - Pondicherry

Pondicherry Airport is expected to start operations from August 2012

Source: Deccan Chronicle

With a new terminal building expected to be ready by August this year, the Puducherry airport is all set for a makeover. While there are no scheduled flights to this Union Territory(UT), airport authorities plan to facilitate airline operators to fly ATR type aircraft.

Presently un-scheduled flights, helicopter operations and flying clubs operate this airport. “The Rs. 30 crore new terminal building that can accommodate 150 passengers at a time will be opened by August this year,” said Airports Authority of India (AAI) southern region executive director D. Devaraj. Noting that no airline has filed for any operations from Puducherry airport, he said the AAI has made the airport ready for ATR operations.

“The present runway length is 1,503 metres and it is enough to operate ATR type aircraft,” he said, adding that there are no constraints for airlines to start operations right away as the old terminal building is available for passenger movement.

However, Mr Devaraj noted that bigger aircrafts like Airbus 320 and Boeing 737 can’t be operated from Puducherry airport unless the runway length is extended to a minimum of 2,200 metres. “As per our master plan, we have asked for 436 acres of land to increase the runway length to cater to operations of bigger aircraft,” he added.

Due to runway length constraint, Puducherry airport that can be reached in just 10 minutes by air from Chennai cannot handle flights that have been diverted from Chennai because of bad weather conditions.

When contacted, Puducherry welfare minister P. Rajavelu told DC that the UT has sought the help of the Tamil Nadu for acquiring 200 acres of land at both ends of the runway.

“The land at both ends of the runway comes under the territorial limits of TN. So we have started a dialogue with TN government and in a recent communication, the TN government has asked us to send exact requirements,” he said.

Airlines game to operate from Pondicherry airport soon
Airline companies are interested in operating from Puducherry airport. A Puducherry government source said Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher have expressed their interest in operating from Puducherry.

“The companies have accepted to depute technical experts to study the feasibility of operating flights from the Union Territory to various destinations in the country”, the source added.

While noting that Puducherry has a good potential to attract a large number of tourists particularly from France who can land directly in the Union Territory instead of other locations, state tourism director A. S. Sivakumar said the congestion at Chennai airport would get eased when Puducherry airport becomes operational. He noted that about 80,000 tourists visit Puducherry between April and August every year.

Mr Sivakumar further noted that it is advantageous for private carriers to fly to Puducherry, as the VAT on aviation turbine fuel is only 1.5 per cent in Puducherry compared to 15 per cent in TN.

“Puducherry is turning into an industrial hub with chemical factories, medical and engineering colleges and consumer industry base. So the need for air travel is bound to improve in the coming days,” said Air Passengers Association of India (APAI) president D. Sudhakara Reddy.

A frequent flyer, Mr Reddy said Puducherry is already a tourist destination and so it will be viable to operate long distance flights to and fro the Union Territory.

When contacted, a Jet Airways spokesperson said the airline company would look at operating flights from Puducherry only after AAI completes the development works at the airport there.

Super Markets & Departmental stores in Pondicherry

Nilgiris Super Market
23, Greenfield, Bouleward Mission Street Cutting,
Rangapillai Street, Pondicherry - 605001

Nilgiris Super Market (Ellaipillaichavady)
15, Ellaipillaichavady Sithanandha Ngr Indira Gandhi Statue,
4th Cross Street, Ayyanar Koil Main Road, Nellithope, Pondicherry - 605005

Reliance Fresh
3 4 & 5, Annai Theresa Nagar Mulakulam,
Villianur Main Road, Pondicherry - 605001

Spencers Daily
108, Near Balaji Theatre, Kamarajar Salai,
Venkata Nagar, Pondicherry - 605011

More Super Market
No. 199, Ranga Pillai Street, Pondicherry - 605001

More Super Market
209/5a, Citi Plaza, Nh 45-A,
Reddiarpalayam, Pondicherry - 605010

Oviya Super Market
75, Kali Temple, Villianur Main Road,
Reddiar Palayam, Pondicherry - 605010

Auroville "Holi" Tango Festival 8th to 11th March 2012

We are very glad to announce the coming of the four day AUROVILLE ‘HOLI’ TANGO FESTIVAL featuring international maestros Pino & Caterina, from Turin (Italy); Antonella, extremely talentuous teacher and dancer from Tuscany (Italy) with Hubert from France, and Jorge (Ecuador) with Aurevan from Auroville!

After Delhi and Mumbai, Auroville, an international township of 2200 inhabitants, will be hosting South India’s very first Tango Festival in March 2012.

Join us on this green plateau, 10km north of Pondicherry, for four days of fun, workshops and Milongas every night!

Workshops will be offered throughout the day; putting a special emphasis on the fundamental basics which allow one to dance anywhere, with anybody – the quality of the embrace, the posture and the interpretation of the music.

Classes of milonga, vals and tango nuevo will be proposed as part of the programme.

Be you from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai or anywhere else on this blue planet come and join us for four days of intensive tango experience.

For more info check our website: http://aurovilletango.org/