Brigade Gateway is the latest addition to the mixed usage segment in Bangalore. Constructed by the Brigade group, it comprises the World Trade Center (WTC) in Bangalore, Orion Mall, residential appartments (Luxury, premium and Furnished), Sheraton hotel, Columbia Asia hospital and Brigade School.

Last Sunday visited there with two of my friends in the evening. At first look you are definitely gonna like it. The 30 story world trade center, nice embanked lake, high rise residential section. open space and cleanly maintained all adding to it. The first thing you will encounter is the 30 story world trade center and then the huge two level parking.

As I parked and walked out of the parking lot, I saw the lake where one of my friend was waiting. This is a shallow artificial lake. From the open space you can see the tallest office building in Bangalore in all glory. The external faces are completely in glass wheres the Utility building on MG road is a concrete work with small windows sprouting out. The only other two place where the WTC will come up is Goa and New Delhi. We did a little bit of photography and then headed to Orion mall. All sections of the mall is not yet open like 11 screen PVR cinema etc. About the shops I have nothing much to say as they look all the same. In short nothing special about this mall. I think there are 5/6 floors. On the 4th floor is the food court same like Forum or Garuda mall. This is the only place I found most of the people hanging around. We went to Choco bar and tried Choco Rum (Rs 59 for one shot). Nice taste ya! Meanwhile watched on TV RCB lost to DC in IPL and was knocked out of the playoff. Bad ya!

Then from Empire we ordered a full plate grill chicken (Rs 290). But the cashier swiped my card for Rs 490. When I brought this to his notice he was fumbling and refunded Rs 200 in cash. People be careful !!

The residential section is connected to the mall directly through a glass box over bride. An amazing facility for the residents. We took pictures by going to the over bridge. Also, from Orion mall we could saw the gopura of ISKON temple. Later we walked out of the mall and sat on the steps of the lake enjoying the minimal lighting around and the two falling fountains.

For your info, there is also an Axis bank ATM near the pharmacy in Columbia Asia hospital. But there was a shock awaiting us. While check out, we were asked to pay Rs 40 each for parking. I think we have spend little above 2 hours there. So parking price per hour is high!

Apart from the external architecture, there is nothing much worthwhile to visit. Orion mall can be nice hangout place for Rajajinagar, Malleshwaram, Yeshwantpur and neighboring areas. Lets hope that Orion mall will reduce some traffic and crowd from Mantri mall.

Location: Dr Rajkumar road near ISKON temple.

To view all the pictures, visit – Travelingbeats Photo Gallery.

The 5th season of Indian Premier League has started from April 4th 2012. Here is the complete match schedule for this season.

As Einstein showed that matter and energy are the same thing in different form with his famous equation E=mc², modern physics thinks that electricity, magnetism, gravity, energy are also the same thing. They show the same form at certain eV (electron volt). Unified field theory is still an open field of research and jury is out on the various theories proposed on it till now.

Wine lovers in Bangalore has an event to rejoice this weekend. The Karnataka Wine Board is conducting the International Wine Festival 2012 in Bangalore.

Date: 2th – 4th March, 2012
Venue: White Petals, palace grounds, Bangalore
Time: 12 noon onwards
Ticket cost: Rs 300

Ticket is available at Cuppa or online at Zomato.

Contact: +919972906418, +919900020277
Website: http://internationalwinefestival.in/

On show would be wine tasting, games, auto show, grape stomping etc. Also, you will be able to buy wines.

Today is 26/11/2011, it was the same day when Mumbai was attacked by terrorists trained by Pakistan. As 3 years went and we back at the indecent  we had much more information than we had then. The indecent which shocked the nation was planned by the ISI using their front organization Laskhar e Taiba. I don’t see much difference between ISI and the militant organizations.  We all know that it was Pakistan’s state policy to “Bleed India through thousand cuts”. Also, would like to remind the readers what former Pakistani prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said that He would fight a thousand years battle with India to take Kashmir. It is of their convenience to create such front organizations through which they get their dirty works done and if anyone questions the Pakistani government then say it is a handiwork of some non state actor. But don’t we know who created this non state actors and who handles them.

The work for Mumbai 26/11 might have started as early as 2003-2004. David Coleman Headley a half Pakistani and half American breed who was a drug smuggler was hired by the US DAE and FBI to spy on their behalf in Pakistan on terrorism.  But Headley  born as Dawood Gilani was already radicalized by then had become a partner of Laskar e taiba and ISI. He became a double agent and started working for both US and Pakistan ISI. He did surveillance of the Mumbai targets. His deeds and what he was upto has been reported couple of time by his wifes from time to time but the American establishment could not act nor did it pass enough information to India. If the US would have interrogated him then he would have spill the beans. View the complete video of the recent investigation of Frontline and Propublica done by Sebastian Rotella.

Watch A Perfect Terrorist on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.

Also read how the US botched up the investigation otherwise Mumbai might not have happened.

10 years after 9/11 the US has already eliminated Al Qaeda head Osama Bin Laden from Abottabad which is near the Pakistani garrison town of Rawanpindi. Was the location of Osama Bin Laden not enough to the US that the Pakistani establishment is hand in gloves with the extremists. 3 years after 26/11 Ajmal Kasab the lone surviving terrorists is still alive and it seems the Maharashtra government has spent over Rs 16 crore on his security. So it means he is the most secured and guarded person in India. Leave alone the masterminds who are still thriving in Pakistan. Today the Pakistanis are taking of peace not because they have realized their mistakes but they have very little option. With US turning their back on Pakistan, the Pakistani establishment do not want to open too many fronts. This peace talks are nothing but a ploy to buy time. Pakistan today is in a very precarious situation with internal conflicts in Baluchistan, Pakistani Taliban, Shia – Sunni conflict, conflict between military and civilian governments etc.

In the world of economy we say China is a manufacturing based economy, India a service based economy, same way we can tell Pakistan is a terrorism based economy. How Pakistan is running terrorism these days is nothing short of business. They raise funds in the name of Islam and Jehad from Gulf countries and collect money from the US on the name of fighting terrorism. So we can clearly see what a double game Pakistan is playing. The issue is Pakistan has hardly ever been a part of the solution rather it itself creates problem. Pakistan has been declared a failed state by the international community as the thought of a homogenous never existed in different regions of the country. Pakistan’s racial discrimination has already created a new country in the name of Bangladesh in 1971.  Further racial discrimination continues in Baluchistan where people are fighting for an independent country. The Muslims who migrated from India during partition are still known as Mohajir (refugee). Like Pakistani Nuclear scientist Abdul Qaader Khan said in an interview that he still feels he is a Mohajir as the way he was treated. Watch the video below:

The burning issue with Pakistan is that people in different region of Pakistan has a a different meaning of the state and interprets in its own way. So the rulers has always blown passionate views like anti India sentiments, extremist views etc to keep the country together. The NWFP area is a Phustun area and which have more affinity towards Afghanistan. The Baluchistan has the Balouchs and so on. All this entities are drifting in their own ways. Only time will tell how long Pakistan can hold on!. So will Pakistan mend its ways? The answer is most probably no and not anytime soon in future. Many people, countries, think tanks etc talk of Pakistan’s disintegration soon and one person seems to have the map of division as well. Disintegration of Pakistan might bring down terrorism but to completely finish it there must be concrete military and political actions. Pakistan in its existence of over 64 years has achieved nothing but globalized terrorism.

The first space flight was done by the then Soviet (USSR) (now Russia) cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in 1961. No, I dont want you to tell the story of the first flight. But I want to show you the magnificent video of that first space flight. How many of you might have seen that? This video is created by the team of http://www.firstorbit.org/ mixing the original voice of Yuri Gagarin from that flight and the original music by Philip Sheppard. The video was shot from ISS (International Space Station).

Watch the video its just amazing — a flight of fantasy!

Durga puja the biggest festival of Bengalis and probably of eastern India. Hopefully this year the number of Durga puja pandel will increase further and the festival becoming more glittering. For the year 2011 lets check where we can go to see Durga puja in Bangalore.

1. Bengalee Association Durga Puja Gaytri Vihar, Palace grounds (near Mekhri circle)

Official website: http://www.bengaleeassociation.org

2. Jayamahal Sarbojanin Durga puja Organized by Jayamahal Ladies Club

3. RT Nagar Durga Puja Organized by RT Nagar Sarbajanin Durga Puja Samiti Patel’s Inn

Venue : VINAYAK MANDIR (1ST Floor),
Opp. F.M. Silk/Odyssy
(Beside R. T. Nagar Post Office)
R. T. Nagar Main Road
Website: http://www.rtnagardurgapuja.org/

4. Sarjapur Durga Puja Organized by Sarjapur Outer Ring Road Bengalee Association Total Mall, Outer Ring Road

Website: http://www.sorrba.org/durga-puja-2011

5. Socio-Cultural Association Indiranagar, Defence Colony Playground, 6th Main, between Indiranagar 100ft Rd and 80 ft Rd.

5. Sarathi Forum, Koramangala, Munureddy Kalayan Mantap, 80 ft Rd, 6th Block, Koramangala

6. Probashi Association, Malleswaram Canara Union Hall 8th Main, 13th Cross, Malleshwaram

6. South Bangalore Cultural Association, J.P.Nagar Puja, opp.to Bannerghata Road Shopper’s Stop.

7. Whitefield Cultural Association, Chetan Building Besides Whitefield police station, close to Nilgiris.

8. Antaranga Bengali Cultural Association, Sanjay Nagar puja. Its Sanay Nagar Main Rd through Ganganahalli, close to Food World.

9. Banaswadi Bengali Cultural Union, Sitaram Kalan Mantap, Banaswadi Main Road, Near Uttam Sagar

10. Murugeshpalya (Air Force) Wind Tunnel Road

11. Air Force Command Hospital, Near Ulsoor

12. Munekolal Marathahalli Durga Puja. Near Marathahalli Bridge.

13. Kagadaspura Durga Puja, 29th Cross, Janajeeva Nest, near SCT College

14. Mangala Kalyana Mantapa. 80 ft Road (opp. Ganesha Temple) 8th Block. Koramangala. Bangalore. 560095

15. Bengali in Bangalore
Aicoboo Residents Welfare Association Ground
Opp to Udupi garden (BTM) behind Bharat Petroleum Pump
Btm Layout 2nd Stage
Bangalore – 560076.
Website: http://bengaliinbangalore.org/durga-puja-2011

Check an account of my visit to Bengalee Association Durga Puja at Palace grounds in 2010.