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Abhay Rustum Sopori in Delhi

The savvy world traveler in search of Delhi luxury will find a gold mine in our lovely hotels.  We offer accommodations that meet the highest standards in the industry, combining old world charm and elegance with the conveniences of the new world.  Fine dining served up by our master chefs, exercise facilities with all sorts of fabulous extras, and gorgeous rooms with elegant touches of splendid detail fabricated by world-class designers are all here.  Guests will find themselves refreshed and rejuvenated, and ready to have new adventures in this complex and fascinating city.

Delhi is one of the largest cities in the world, and also one of the oldest.  As a result, it attracts people from all walks of life, drawn in by the history, mystery, and energy the city exudes.  One can find an amazing array of distractions, from tours to sight-seeing, visiting the city’s hundreds of attractions, excellent shopping, and temples and historic buildings.  There is certainly something here for all ages.  It also attracts a large number of artists, looking to contribute to the cultural scene in Delhi and in India.  One such artist, who is already making quite a contribution, is the santoor player, Abhay Rustum Sopori.

Abhay Rustum Sopori continues working in the line of his ancestors, having inherited both spiritual gifts and musical knowledge, supplemented with education in western musical traditions.  Sopori played his first concert in 1997 in Delhi, which was enthusiastically received.  Since then, he has performed all over the world, and recently won the very prestigious Ustad Bismallah Khan Yuva Puraskar from Sangeet Natak Akademy.  One of his signature talents is his use of vocals, and his training is superb.  He sings along with the instrumentals in his performances, adding a delightful combination of tradition and innovation, to the pleasure of his audiences.

Tags: Abhay Rustum Sopori, Delhi, luxury

Arthur Yap, Singapore Poet

When it comes to luxury, Singapore hotels are remarkable for anticipating the guests’ needs and wants. In a city with urban verve and gorgeous views, the hotels offer a place to call home in between all the adventures and excitement that the city offers.

One of the more international cities in the world, with its closeness to Taiwan and to China, Singapore is a source of inspiration to a host of writers. Arthur Yap is, many would argue, the most important and influential writer out of Singapore. His poetry is extremely delicate and precise, and contains an enormous sense of playfulness and poise. He has the same preference that e. e. cummings had for using all lower-case letters, and his work contains a certain ambiguity of place that inspire a sense of universality among readers. His work also contains a deep sense of irony and uncertainty, which reflect an attitude toward modernity and tradition. There is a sense of pull between these forces, and the tension is one that never quite reaches a conclusion. The result is a potent memory that rests like an uneasy bird in the consciousness of the careful reader.

Educated between Singapore and Leeds and Singapore again, Arthur Yap split his time between writing and teaching, demonstrating a dedication to continuing the Singapore letters tradition for the next generations. Arthur Yap argued for a kind of autonomous literature, one that could stand on its own without reference to other disciplines. His books of poems have won the National Book Development Council of Singapore Award a couple times, and he’s won the Cultural Medallion for Literature, as well as the South-East Asian Writer’s Award. After a long bout with throat cancer, he died in his sleep in Singapore in 2006.

Tags: hotels, luxury, singapore

The Myth of Shiva

Bangalore , India’s third most populous city, is home to over five million Bangaloreans (or Bengaloorinavaru in Kannada). It is known as the Silicon Valley of India because of its predominance in the global IT field, with a very strong presence in computers and technology. This makes it an excellent place to do business, and with the attractions that are numerous enough to suit any traveler, it is an ideal spot to stay at luxury hotels Bangalore . The amenities and hospitality will refresh the most weary traveler, readying the guests for days of business and pleasure.

Bangalore is not only known as a bustling city that is rich in industry; it is also very well known for music and dance. One of the most interesting times to visit is during the week-long Ganesha Chaturthi festival, which typically falls somewhere between August and September. This festival coincides with the birth of the mythic Ganesh. Ganesh is the son of Pavarti, wife of Shiva .

The story goes that Shiva was away at war, and Pavarti wanted someone to stand guard outside her door to protect her while she bathed. She conceived Ganesha out of a bar of sandalwood. When Shiva returned, he did not know who Ganesh was, and cut off his head. Pavarti was enraged, and ordered her husband to replace her son’s head with the first head he could find. Shiva’s army set out, and came upon an elephant, and cut off its head and returned it to the body of Ganesh. Pavarti was still angry, and demanded that the elephant-headed son be the first to be honored in every ceremony, and the custom of honoring Ganesh first is still practiced today.

The famous Bollywood model and actress, Deepika Padukone, spent last year during the festival with her family in Bangalore, her birthplace. This highlights and illustrates the popularity of the festival, where its significance is still held in high esteem, and travelers lucky enough to be visiting during this time can observe time-honored tradition in a rich urban setting.

Tags: Bangalore, hotels, luxury

Legend of Bukit Merah

There are many myths surrounding the landmarks of Singapore and surrounding islands. One such legend is in regards to a hill in Singapore, Bukit Merah. Many call this Redhill as the soil on the hill is actually red. There are a view versions to the legend, but all make reference to bloody events. Long ago the island of Singapore was populated by fisherman, the main source of their substance and economy was the industry of fishing. Many times out at sea the fisherman would be attacked by swordfish. Legend has it that a child living close to the hill suggested to the men the idea of building a fence to protect against further attacks. So the fence was built using the trunks of banana trees. The swordfish attacked again, but were caught up on the tree trunks, thus the young boy was proved right in his idea. The fisherman were happy as they saw their battle was one. And the boy was celebrated.

However, as legend has it, the King was not so impressed. Known as the most handsome, the most intelligent, he could not bear it that someone else had out-thought him, and a small boy no less. He had been known for attacking those who took the attention away from him, and as he had done in the past, he did so now. He ordered the boy to be killed. When the soldiers appeared at the hill to carry out the king’s orders, a woman with long hair awaited them. She had created a spell, and what the soldiers saw was a red fountain, and understood this to be a fountain of blood. The soldiers were frightened and left without carrying out the king’s mission. In another version, the boy was actually murdered and the red soil is the result of his blood spilled.

Other areas around the world have natural environments with red soil such as the Papago Mountains in Tempe, Arizona and the Red Rocks of Sedona in Northern Arizona. The scientific explanation is that the soil is rich with aluminum and iron, which is quite common in hot climates. This is a beautiful landscape and should be part of any luxury travel. Singapore is known for these legends, and they add to the beauty of the island and the richness of the culture, regardless of the scientific explanations.

Tags: luxury, singapore, Travel

Rule of Thumb

It is said, that in the United States, according to an out-dated, but never up-dated book of laws, that it is still legal for a husband to use a whip on his wife provided the welts left by the whip do not exceed the width of his own thumb. Hence the saying, “Rule of Thumb”. No doubt this is an urban myth, but in the city-state of Singapore whipping with a cane is legal, in the judiciary system as well as domestically. It is outlawed by the United Nations Convention Against Torture, however, Singapore has never signed to the Convention. And although much press has been given to cases in the past, and Amnesty International has condemned the legalized practice cruel and inhuman, it is still a widely used form of corporeal punishment.

Caning is legal in the home, in schools-private, reform, public and military. However the most severe forms, and one of the sad things that Singapore is widely known for around the world, is the practice of caning in the judicial and prison systems. Caning is a punishment reserved for the male population. Domestic and scholastic canings are carried out on younger children of either sex, but for the corporeal punishment sentenced by the courts, the requirement is that the subject be a male between the ages of 18 and 50, and must be proven to be in good physical health. Far from the Singapore luxury hotels, in a court room a judge will sentence caning, concurrent with a jail term, as no caning is sentenced to those that in the end to not go to jail. Sentences of caning are handed out to those who are convicted of robbery, rape, assault and prostitution. The famous case of the American student, Michael Fay, created outrage as he was struck with the cane four times, for spray painting cars. Vandalism yes, but he received the same kind of punishment as one who is convicted of rape.

There are precautions taken, padding to protect vital organs and specified areas on the body where one is allowed to cane another. Most often times the punished are caned across the buttocks. Medical attention is provided afterward, but this practice often mutilates the area and leaves permanent and sometimes horrific scars. All canings take place in one session, unless the one receiving the blows is deemed medically unfit to continue. In that case, the remaining strokes are delivered at a later date.

Tags: hotels, luxury, singapore