Kingfisher Red

Low-cost airline Deccan would now be called Kingfisher Red and would be a separate brand from Vijay Mallya promoted Kingfisher Airlines.

This would be the second branding exercise for the once called ‘common man’s airline’ after its merger with Kingfisher Airlines in December 2007. The legal merger of the two separate brands is expected by the end of this month.

Details of the current branding exercise of the two carriers are expected to be announced by the end of this week. The spokesperson of Kingfisher airlines refused to comment on the issue.

Air Deccan, which was launched in August 2003 by Captain G.R. Gopinath, a silk-farmer turned-aviator, introduced the concept of no-frills carriers to the country.

After the acquisition of Deccan by liquor magnate Vijay Mallya last year, the airline was branded as ‘Simplifly Deccan’ and its logo was changed to Kingfisher’s logo of two palms joining together forming a flying a bird or the tail of an airplane.

Mount Abu in India

For centuries, it has been to the royalties in Rajasthan what Shimla has been to the British and is a summer retreat, even today, of the state governor. There is very little snow fall in mount abu except for the fine layer of ice that freezes over the Naqqi lake. Located at an elevation of 1239 meters. It has been a popular retreat from the heat of Rajasthan and neighboring Gujarat for centuries. The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary covers 290 square km of the Aravalli mountain range.

Nearest Airport - Udaipur (185 km)

Nearest Railway Station - Abu Road (29 km)

Road - Taxi from Jaipur or Jodhpur (about 264 km via Sirohi)

Cool Hotels - Hotel Shikhar and Circuit House.

Famous as the birth place of Maharana Pratap, kumbhalgarh offers a cool drive and stay one can only dream about in the Rajasthan summer. Kumbhalgarh fort is surrounded by dense vegetation including that of Sitaphal (custard apple). The Badal (clouds) guest house constructed in the middle of the wild by the state forest department offers a camping experience that is very rare in Rajasthan as you cannot spend (and survive) a night in the forest anywhere else in Rajasthan as it has panthers, sloth bears and four-horned antelopes besides the crocodiles in the lake !

Nearest Airport - Udaipur (85 km)

Nearest Railway Station - Udaipur (85 km)

Road - Taxi from Udaipur (85 km)

Cool Hotels - Aodhi (Kumbhalgarh); Fateh Bagh & Maharani Bagh Orchard Retreat (Rankapur-off Udaipur-Jodhpur road).

Naldehra Shimla

If like us, you do not like crowded places (like shimla) - Naldehra near Shimla is the cool place for you. Getting there will mean a drive along a cool twisting mountain road surrounded by pine tree forests and forest trails. On the way, you will also pass a golf course that Lord Curzon built (oldest golf course in India).

Naldehra is 22 km from Shimla and 392 km from Delhi. The simplest way to get here is to drive from Delhi, a journey of 10 hours via Chandigarh (139 km from Naldehra). The nearest airport is at Chandigarh, and the closest railhead is at Shimla - a narrow gauge rail. Buses, luxury coaches and tourist taxis ply between Delhi and Shimla and from there you can take a connecting bus or taxi to Naldehra.

Naldehra is a year round holiday destination. The summers are pleasantly cool with temperatures ranging from 15°C to 28°C - you can get by with cotton clothes, light woolens and an extra layer for the evenings. The winters are very cold and the temperatures drop to -4°C, with a high of 7°C. Heavy woolens and snow protection are needed in winter.

Nearest Airport - Shimla (35 km)

Nearest Railway Station - Shimla (35 km)

Road - Taxi from Shimla

Cool Hotel - Chalets Naldehra (cool pinewood cottages) & heated swimming pool.

The name of this Himalayan summer resort translates as “golden meadow”, and originates from the yellow blooming flowers found there through the valley in the spring season. Sonamarg is also known as the gateway to Ladakh as it is situated on the strategic Srinagar-Leh highway between Thajwas glacier and the river Sindh that emerges from the foothills of Kolahoi mountain. Sonamarg is in the middle of forests and the cold desert region of Ladakh across Zojilla mountain pass. The mountain cliffs that surround Sonamarg offer cool possibilities for mountaineering - Sonamarg is famous for its rock climbing sites and alpine skiing and the waters contain trout fishes offering great opportunities for tourists interested in fishing. The Amarnath pilgrimage also brings hundreds of thousands of yatris to Sonamarg every year. The resort functions as the base camp for a second pilgrimage route via baltal to Amarnath in addition to the more popular Pahalgam route. The track leading from the mountain resort to the Gangabal lake offers prospects for hiking in the presence of cool scenery. Also known as the Harmukh Ganga, the Gangabal lake has been held sacred by the Kashmiri pandits for centuries.

The drive to Sonamarg is through the Sindh Valley which presents yet another spectacular facet of countryside in Kashmir.

Sonamarg is situated at a distance of 84 kms from Srinagar, on the Srinagar-Ladakh Road. J&K SRTC operates regular buses as well as sightseeing buses during the season. The route passes through the picturesque town of Ganderbal (21 kms), Kangan (40 kms) and Gund of the Sindh Valley, before reaching the resort. Spectacular views of the Harmukh range dominate the horizon all along the route.

At a time when mercury rises in the plains of India, it is soothing cool in the upper reaches. Sonamarg is a perfect tourist destination for summer. The lush meadows and snow capped peaks in the backdrop offer magnificent views. Sonamarg is a complete scenic destination in itself. There are a number of places that one can visit when in Sonamarg. There are a number of waterfalls in and around Sonamarg that you can visit. Gadsar Lake and Satsar Lake are two beautiful lakes that you can visit. The lakes are surrounded by tress and flowers. Nilgrad and Nichnai Pass are other two beautiful places that you can visit.

Some of the places around Sonamarg that you can visit are Thajiwas, Baltal, Zoji-la pass and Yushmarg.

The Tourist Office at Sonamarg is within the premises of the Tourist Complex, behind the cafeteria. Tourists are advised to visit the office for information and assistance. In particular, trekking trips into the mountains should be undertaken only after consulting the Tourist Office at Srinagar or Sonamarg for safety and feasibility.

Nearest Airport - Srinagar (105 km)

Nearest Railway Station - Jammu (400 km)

Road - Bus Service / Taxi from Srinagar

Cool Hotels - Snowland, Glacier and Glacier Heights