Relaince Fresh: Review:Something Fresh to Refresh
9:21 PM Posted by ukmad
In my FIR (First Investigation Report) series, I review the newly opened shops, in the same series, here’s Reliance Fresh, Khanapur Road, Belgaum.The frontage of the Fresh outlet is big and about 5 cars can be parked in front and about 30 odd two wheelers can be accommodated in front of the outlet it self. Others will have to find place to park cars along side of the road, which is possible as there is space after the road. However, there is no security guard on duty and hence there is a huge chance of your car being trapped in between a few others, as was mine today.
Ambience, great, with the AC was on even when there was load shedding was a plus point, presentation and layout similar to other outlets. Left to right: Vegetables, fruits, grains, toiletries, cosmetics, and confectioneries.
No much discounts or offers as seen in Big Bazaar but a few were there which is company given so they are available at your next door kirarna store also. I just overheard a announcement of a Special offer of icecream.
Now to the pricing: I was amazed with the pricing of vegetables, which I really thought were not so Fresh, all vegetabl
es. See the image for a price comparison done on 04-11-2008. The prices were taken by me first hand at Fresh and then at the 1st Gate vegetable market. You see and decide. Only the prices of Potato and Tomatoes were less than those of Fresh prices, in all others Fresh prices were lower, in fact far lower. But to add to this the vegetables in the market were far more Fresh looking than those in Fresh outlet. Therefore, the price comparison may differ. I did not buy vegetables in Fresh outlet but bought a few at the market. Tough I spent Rs.300 at Fresh it was all Biscuits, chocolates & Cosmetics. The prices in the main market would be cheaper by about Rs.3-5 in which case those prices would be lower than those of Fresh also.In addition, there was a variety of goods like food grains, cosmetics, blankets, towels, mats, cushion covers and of course carbonated beverages and stuff.
I was there at 6.30pm and was not so crowded as still many do not know about it. I also saw a few next-door neighbors of Fresh shop there. The 2nd outlet at Hotel Hanuman, near JNMC is also operational.
Your thoughts on this please, if anyone of you had been there your comments on the same.
Bottom line: Visit once at least, you will end up buying something that is for sure.
BJP Shashikant A Naik Wins
4:43 PM Posted by ukmad
BJP’s Shashikant A Naik has won the Belgaum Legislative Council members from local bodies’ constituencies against S C Malagi of Congress.
By-elections were held as Satish Jarakiholi (JD-S), resigned their council membership to contest Assembly elections.
Forums launched on Belgaumblog
1:11 PM Posted by ukmad
I request all readers to utilize the Forums to share their knowledge and help each other. You can use Forums to share your knowledge or even ask queries. Just be a part of it and all will be benefited.
Niranjan Navalgund wins bronze at World Youth Chess Championship held in Vietnam
10:37 AM Posted by ukmad
Niranjan Chandrashekar Navalgund has won himself a bronze medal at the World Youth Chess Championship held in Vietnam.
This blog had posted about his participation, see here
Congrats! Niranjan You made us proud.
Stone throwing during Rajaotsav celebrations
10:12 AM Posted by ukmad
Autorikshaws damaged: Lathi charge done at Khadak Galli
The police did not specifically state the cause of the incident, reliable sources in the department said the trouble started when a saffron kite was spotted near Khadak Galli, off Rani Channamma Circle-Shaniwarkut Road. On spotting the kite, some of the Kannada activists protested.
Suddenly, stones were pelted and the windshields of five autorickshaws parked on one side of the street were smashed.
The police, who were taken unawares, used their lathis to break up the procession and brought the situation under control. The procession resumed after the tension eased.
Four persons injured in the melee were admitted to hospital. Some of the police personnel also suffered minor injuries in the stone pelting.
On the other side, Kannada Rajyotsava was celebrated with added pomp and fanfare this year on Saturday as the long-standing demand to accord classical language status for Kannada was granted.
Source: The Hindu See Image in Tarun Bharat
November 1: Kala Din Vs Rajotsava= No business
5:26 PM Posted by ukmad
The Rajotsav procession was as usual with pomp and glamour and also dolby.Shops enroute the Rajotsav procession were also closed, as it is normally done by all shop keepers during processions. The procession was on until 5pm I could see one truck passing by.
Overall this is was a bad day for business as there were very few people on the streets and the streets were deserted to an extent especially Ramdev Galli, Khade bazaar, Samadevi galli etc.
L'Oreal Professional beauty salon in Belgaum
10:43 AM Posted by ukmad
L'Oréal Professionnel - In the salons of the world's greatest hairdressers.
L'Oreal Professional beauty salon will open in Belgaum on November 7 above the Pepe Jeans showroom near the Kolhapur Cross.
L’Oréal Professionnel works in partnership with L’Oréal Professionnel salons to help hairdressers to dream, excel and succeed. L’Oréal Professionnel combines our passion for fashion with cutting edge technology, to bring you a portfolio of high performance products that meet your needs, allowing you and your hairdresser to push creativity and achieve outstanding results.
So now Belgaumites have a new hairstylists in town.Location Map
L'Oreal Professional
Siddanagowda Patil gets Social Service Rajyotsava awards
10:17 AM Posted by ukmad
Karnataka government has selected 89 personalities Rajyotsava awards recipients of the award will get Rs 1 lakh in cash besides 20 grams of gold. In the previous year only 20 grams of gold was given as part of the award. He along with other 88 persons will be honored on November 1.
Source Deccan Herald
Another wholesale vegetable market in Belgaum
10:12 AM Posted by ukmad
The fort road whole sale vegetable market is very congested and also causes a lot traffic jams and congestion. In addition the space is also not sufficient; hence there is a jostle for space by all. The trucks and Lorries stand on the road causing hardships to the regular traffic.
A few dealers are refusing to shift to the new market have their own reasons for their decision. Also, there is speculation that the middlemen, who will be losing their commission if all dealers shift to the new market, are influencing some of them against shifting. All the 150 shops allotted to wholesale vegetable dealers at the new market had been occupied. The Government had initiated measures to set up a separate wholesale vegetable market at a different location.
With the new market you could now get and sell all the vegetables at one place, earlier all the green vegetables were bought and sold at the Fort road market and potatoes and onions were sold at the APMC market. Now that all have come under one roof it should be easier for all to do trade.
Source The Hindu
Two terror suspects nabbed
12:02 PM Posted by ukmad
The arrests of terror suspects have increased in Belgaum over this year. It seems they had planned some terror activities in the city during diwali time.
Source The Hindu
New Venues for shopping this Diwali in Belgaum
8:15 AM Posted by ukmad
Rajmal Lakhichand Jewellers has come a long way since its inception in 1854. The 6th generation now holds the torch of the family business guided by the same vision that drove each generation of creators.
Relian
ce Fresh at Khanapur Road will commence operations within a day and one more super market, Smart Super Market is opening at Thakkar Plaza, Club road, Belgaum.So where did you shop this Diwali?
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Belgaum-Mumbai flight in 3 months?
7:05 AM Posted by ukmad
Discontinuing of the air service has discouraged entrepreneurs: BCCI
Belgaum is the second largest exporter of industrial products in the State
A delegation of the Belgaum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI), has submitted a memorandum to Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel requesting him to restart air service between Belgaum and Mumbai at the earliest. Many entrepreneurs had put on hold their plans to invest in Belgaum as the city lacked proper connectivity, discontinuing of the air service to Mumbai had only discouraged entrepreneurs further.
How could the Government expect entrepreneurs to invest in the city without providing them services such as air connectivity?
The BCCI said that airline companies had plans to expand their fleet. In such a situation, aircraft maintenance and service facilities at Mumbai and Bangalore might not be able to cater to the growing needs. Besides this, maintenance and servicing of aircraft had become expensive in metros. In addition, space available at airports in such cities for additional hangars and maintenance workshops was less, the BCCI said. As a result, majorities of airline operators were considering shifting their maintenance and servicing facilities to small cities (such as Belgaum), it said.
Belgaum had the potential to meet the requirements of airline operators, the BCCI said and added that nearly 4,000 persons could get jobs if such facilities were started here.
A friend of mine who came in from Dubai could not come to Belgaum directly as no flight was available, he had to go to Hubli and then come to Belgaum by car. Many people like who have come in from abroad for a holiday face the same problem. So its not only businessmen but also the public at large how is affected. He also added that reaching Belgaum takes more time than flying from Dubai to Mumbai.
The BCCI has done its job, now a follow up is very essential in this case as normally promises made are not kept. The people of Belgaum should get a flight to Mumbai, as the AirDeccan(Now Kingfisher Red) had stopped its Belgaum Mumbai flight on March 30 sighting under occupancy. I also urge and request the MPs,MLAs,MLCs to take keen interest in this issue and see that we have a direct flight. Source The Hindu
Belgaum is the second largest exporter of industrial products in the State
A delegation of the Belgaum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI), has submitted a memorandum to Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel requesting him to restart air service between Belgaum and Mumbai at the earliest. Many entrepreneurs had put on hold their plans to invest in Belgaum as the city lacked proper connectivity, discontinuing of the air service to Mumbai had only discouraged entrepreneurs further.
How could the Government expect entrepreneurs to invest in the city without providing them services such as air connectivity?
The BCCI said that airline companies had plans to expand their fleet. In such a situation, aircraft maintenance and service facilities at Mumbai and Bangalore might not be able to cater to the growing needs. Besides this, maintenance and servicing of aircraft had become expensive in metros. In addition, space available at airports in such cities for additional hangars and maintenance workshops was less, the BCCI said. As a result, majorities of airline operators were considering shifting their maintenance and servicing facilities to small cities (such as Belgaum), it said.
Belgaum had the potential to meet the requirements of airline operators, the BCCI said and added that nearly 4,000 persons could get jobs if such facilities were started here.
A friend of mine who came in from Dubai could not come to Belgaum directly as no flight was available, he had to go to Hubli and then come to Belgaum by car. Many people like who have come in from abroad for a holiday face the same problem. So its not only businessmen but also the public at large how is affected. He also added that reaching Belgaum takes more time than flying from Dubai to Mumbai.
The BCCI has done its job, now a follow up is very essential in this case as normally promises made are not kept. The people of Belgaum should get a flight to Mumbai, as the AirDeccan(Now Kingfisher Red) had stopped its Belgaum Mumbai flight on March 30 sighting under occupancy. I also urge and request the MPs,MLAs,MLCs to take keen interest in this issue and see that we have a direct flight. Source The Hindu
High Street Camp Belgaum, Old Photo
5:02 PM Posted by ukmad
 | This is an old photo of the High Street Camp, Belgaum. Seems to me its taken in the early 1900 or late 1800 may be cant correctly say. Its a post card on which this photo is there and is available for sale at ebay. |
Cost Cutting Diwali
5:31 PM Posted by ukmad
Diwali is that time of the year when all rich and poor in the whole of the country spend money saved over a year for clothes, sweets and many other things.
The large corporates, who till last year used to gift their employees gifts of hefty amounts this time plan to make it very simple with a Cap, when last year it was a costly T-shirt. Those gifts to clients have also seen a cutting, from costly art ware to just sweets this time.
The global melt down, Indian Stock market crash, which on Friday saw its most formidable fall ever and inflation have had its own impact on this Diwali.
May it be the rich or the poor, all have been hit very badly by the Melt down bug. Diwali time for all businesspersons is like an opportunity to cash in on just anything and everything, but this time it is another case. The malls in big cities are empty with footfall going down by 20 to 25%.
In Belgaum, it is no different story. We do not have many malls (other than Big Bazaar) over here and the bulk of the Diwali business is in the local shops. One shopkeeper told this blog that, He never feels its Diwali time. Normally during this time, we do not get any free time but this year we are all free with very little business. During Diwali, normally costly and above average prices of commodities sell very easily, this time only cheap verities are selling, one more businessperson added.
The sweet shops are also facing the same problem. The regular yearly orders have come in but for a less quantity, one owner said. The prices of dry fruits have touched the sky and hence the demand for them has diminished.
On eve of Diwali, I wish all my readers a Happy Diwali and wish that you are not in the Cost Cutting Diwali brigade.
As for me I will send emails and sms this time as I am part of the Cost Cutting Diwali brigade.
Happy Diwali!
Kite is in the air
1:33 PM Posted by ukmad
A piece of paper, a few broom-sticks [from the stick broom not the grass type.] and some string. Put them together with a boy from Belgaum and you have avionics that rival NASA.You pasted the paper onto the stick frame in what approximated a square. The paper had to be fine tissue paper but if push came to shove, even newspaper would do. Then you tied a Kuni, One up zero down. That's one finger measured horizontally above the upper connection of string to kite and none at the lower end. Kite flying is not a spectator sport.
The person who drew the short straw [i.e. the smaller one who could be bullied] was given the kite to hoist. He took the kite twenty odd meters away, faced into the wind and when you yelled at him, he would leap into the air and throw it as high as he could. Houston, we have lift off. If the flier did not co-ordinate his hauling in of the string, (Manja) it was many attempts before the apple fell away from the ground. When it did, the hoister had to charge back to the flier and stand a few paces upwind of him with the firki. [If you have to ask what a firki is go listen to Britney Spears.] He had to be ready to give deel. i.e. feed out the manja as your kite soared higher and higher. You had to get it between the telephone and electric wires, then past the odd branch of the drumstick tree and finally past the television antennae that were the final guardians of the gates to the open skies.Then you got older and just flying a kite was not enough. Your manja had to have the finest glass on it to make it the sharpest. Your kite had to be responsive to little flicks and tichkis for aerial sorties. Your point man who held the firki had to be tuned in to you to know when you wanted deel and when he had to lapat (rewind). You engaged in aerial combat [ok Lugees] with squadrons of the Luftwaffe, from the buildings down the road, Jockeying for supremacy of the skies. Climbing high into the sun so that with one fell swoop the manja of lesser mortals gave way leaving their kite slowly floating away on the breeze. With a flood of chokra boys running after it, waving long sticks with a twig tied at the end to ensnare the vanquished. And when you where vanquished you hauled your precious manja in as fast as you could before it snagged on the antennae or telephone cables or trees that you had skillfully maneuvered thru on your way out. Your firki had to be in the hands of a master, to stop the manja you reeled in becoming one big gotala. This master would turn around and keep the tension on the manja by letting it pass between his legs while he spun the firki with both hands at a speed of twenty frames per second or more.Yeah I should have just said a blur of motion. The gurus of kite flying would engage in a lugee, slice their opponents with a skill that made Jack the Ripper look like Mr. Bean, then capture the fallen kite in mid-air by entwining their manja with the trailing manja of the loser and then haul both kites in thru the maze. Skill? The progeny of Neil Armstrong and Sunita Williams could not do it, with joint parentage. You have to be born in Belgaum for that.
The person who drew the short straw [i.e. the smaller one who could be bullied] was given the kite to hoist. He took the kite twenty odd meters away, faced into the wind and when you yelled at him, he would leap into the air and throw it as high as he could. Houston, we have lift off. If the flier did not co-ordinate his hauling in of the string, (Manja) it was many attempts before the apple fell away from the ground. When it did, the hoister had to charge back to the flier and stand a few paces upwind of him with the firki. [If you have to ask what a firki is go listen to Britney Spears.] He had to be ready to give deel. i.e. feed out the manja as your kite soared higher and higher. You had to get it between the telephone and electric wires, then past the odd branch of the drumstick tree and finally past the television antennae that were the final guardians of the gates to the open skies.Then you got older and just flying a kite was not enough. Your manja had to have the finest glass on it to make it the sharpest. Your kite had to be responsive to little flicks and tichkis for aerial sorties. Your point man who held the firki had to be tuned in to you to know when you wanted deel and when he had to lapat (rewind). You engaged in aerial combat [ok Lugees] with squadrons of the Luftwaffe, from the buildings down the road, Jockeying for supremacy of the skies. Climbing high into the sun so that with one fell swoop the manja of lesser mortals gave way leaving their kite slowly floating away on the breeze. With a flood of chokra boys running after it, waving long sticks with a twig tied at the end to ensnare the vanquished. And when you where vanquished you hauled your precious manja in as fast as you could before it snagged on the antennae or telephone cables or trees that you had skillfully maneuvered thru on your way out. Your firki had to be in the hands of a master, to stop the manja you reeled in becoming one big gotala. This master would turn around and keep the tension on the manja by letting it pass between his legs while he spun the firki with both hands at a speed of twenty frames per second or more.Yeah I should have just said a blur of motion. The gurus of kite flying would engage in a lugee, slice their opponents with a skill that made Jack the Ripper look like Mr. Bean, then capture the fallen kite in mid-air by entwining their manja with the trailing manja of the loser and then haul both kites in thru the maze. Skill? The progeny of Neil Armstrong and Sunita Williams could not do it, with joint parentage. You have to be born in Belgaum for that.
AbitOfMe N, the author can be contacted on Orkut.
