Think Cha'at

Kailash Parbat. Does it sound familiar? Indeed it is one of the famed Mumbai Chaat places that we have loved and longed for in Chennai. Nestled in a quiet corner of the Harrington road, Kailash Parbat boasts of serving a variety of authentic north-Indian cuisines, and a one-stop shop for yummy chaats, baturas, paneer tikkas and ice-cream sodas.

Many might not know how famous Kailash Parbat is though they just have begun their innings here in Chennai, their first in South-India. Its supposedly one of the most crowded and awesomest (couldn’t help for the adjective used – means most awesome) place back in Mumbai. Their crisp and crunchy pani puris out there are one of the yummiest in town. Dhahi Puri was just too good, Chaat Platter beats its taste and most of the baturas which their menu card boasts of go well with.

It seemed like the ideal place for lunch. Not many people were around me when I went, though I could smell some business meetings on. The restaurant manager, Mr. Vijesh Menghani said they expect a crowd of about 200-250 on weekdays and about 300-400 on weekends. It is so deliciously cosy that you can almost forgive the slow service.

I should say KP (Kailash Parbat) is not the fast food joint kind rather their Menu is so very big that it keeps going on and on and you really are struck with awe as of what to order. But, right from authentic Chinese, European, to the north-Indian, Sindhi, chaats everything is available. So if you are sick and tired of the plain old butter naan and paneer butter masala in the name of north Indian cuisine, this is exactly the place you should go to!

We started off with their authentic Dhahi Puri and Pani Puri, slowly shifted gears to their Veg O Veg sizzler and the European sizzler – plump niblets of corn sitting pretty on a sea of tomatoes and onions and a bed of French fries and noodles. Topped with some cauliflower, spaghetti and broccoli, a squeeze of lime and multitudinous chutneys, it set the mood for things to come.

Next on menu was the main course with the salt and pepper vegetable and a little later came in the baturas, one of the best I have ever had in Chennai. They can be juxtaposed to the ones being done in the north of India. With creamy cheese that oozes out of a crisp golden batura, spicy and piquant channa, a pickled mirchi and some salted onions, could one genuinely want more? The main course ceased with a watermelon fresh juice. The very look of the way the fresh juices or mocktails were presented can attract anybody. Way too good. The ambiance here might well set the mood to feast on their varieties of cuisines; exceptionally cosy. Good management and respect to the customers without burning a hole in their wallets.. ofcourse!

Race in your vehicles to Kailash Parbat at 9,First Floor, Harrington Road, Chetpet, Chennai- 600031 or ring them at 044 43510601 for their exclusive Monday-Friday buffet that costs Rs. 279. This buffet includes starters, 3 Chaats, 4 North-Indian dishes, 2 Sindhi dishes, 1 continental and 3 desserts to choose from.

Think Chaat. Think Kailash Parbat!

FACT FILE :

Where ? : Kailash Parbat - 9,First Floor, Harrington Road, Chetpet, Chennai- 600031

Must Try: Dhahi Puri and Chaat Platter

Kesari Paneer Tikka

European and Chinese Sizzlers

Salt and Pepper Vegetable

Channa Batura

Kulfi Falooda

Timings Open: 11 am to 11 pm

On the Wallet: 500 for one

Offers: Monday – Friday Buffet. All for Rs. 279/- includes starters, 3 Chaats, 4 North-Indian dishes, 2 Sindhi dishes, 1 continental and 3 desserts to choose from.

Leap of Faith - Higher Education vs Job

I’m spoilt for choice. And for once, plurality doesn’t seem like such a nice thing.

Yes, I did the rigmarole of school, then followed the herd to a graduate degree – and like Aamir, I’m now asking ‘Next is What’? Suddenly the security of a college student ID is past tense and the road ahead is multi-forked – do I take the job with its plum pay package and postpone studying for a while or ‘specialize’ in what-I’m-guessing is my area of interest. My mind is arguing both sides of the picture, weighing pros against cons. And the noisy clamor in my head also realizes that this time, ‘my’ decision is solely ‘my’ responsibility. Sometimes, it’s just easier to do as you’re told.

Amrutha Kuber, a fresh MOP graduate, puts it succinctly. “I was first choosing between an MBA and a PG in Mass Communication, and then between working and studying and now I think if I do get the job I really want, I might have to choose between the job and studying and working part time with an ex-boss.”

Or, she could dig a hole in the ground and hide.

The dilemma is no joke though. Ever since the invention of campus recruitments, students with under-graduate degrees have had to choose between enticing pay packages in uber cool work environments and signing up for a post-graduate course. Work does seem advisable as experience in the industry (although not mandatory for a Masters in India) helps in not only applying what you’ve learnt and streamlining your skills; it also teaches ‘perspective’ and moulds your individuality. As opposed to rushing through degree after degree like a bull against matadors. On the other hand, very few who opt for a job will ever trudge back to a classroom.

Sometimes, the decision is not entirely yours; parents and mentors may play a role. But mostly, only the individual’s opinion matters. Preeti Pratap, a student at SSN College of Engineering, prefers to study further “just for the love of it. I expect the next two years of my life to be very enriching both scientifically and culturally.” But post-PG, jobs aren’t handed on a platter, especially for arts and science students who realize it’s their turn to pursue. So how much does a wrong choice cost? And is there a second chance?

Nithya Alse, a fellow Commerce graduate confesses, “It’s all been all so confusing and frustrating to understand how my decision now will reflect in the future. But I think it’s okay not to know the answers to everything. They'll come to us when we least expect it.” Manju Thomas, who’s chosen the studying route, is more gung-ho. She sums up a treatise on her decision-making process and how she’s game for the consequences with the classic line from casino circuits, “Hit me".

There are a few lucky ones whose stars are in line, who’ve always known where they’re headed besides knowing how to get there. For the rest of us it’s a journey of faith into an unknown future, with both blind faith and some apprehension in the rucksack.

Individual Views

Mr. Jayaprakash Gandhi, a leading career consultant, says students in the engineering stream should plan their ‘next’ step right from the second year. This gives them adequate time to assess their strengths and weaknesses. For a Master’s degree, plenty of unexplored career options like data storage, cyber or network security are waiting in the wings. The GATE examination is compulsory for those aspiring to associate themselves with leading institutions like Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and also for higher education in India. GRE and TOEFL require adequate preparation time too. He believes it’s time colleges break out of the commercial mould and focus on the academic pursuits of students. Otherwise, we’re heading towards an alarming situation where 13 lakh engineering students pass out each year of which only 20% are employable. Academic inclination is better for career growth in the long run.

Initially, when people asked me what I planned to do in my future, I almost certainly said higher studies. Well, then came placements. Getting placed in an IT company added a hint of confusion to my plans. But having done a BE in Biomedical Engineering, it seemed almost unfair to join an IT company and take a 360 degree turn. And when it came to making a decision, my fascination for the subject and possible opportunities in the US scored over the job offer. Whether my idea of pursuing a career in this field will be successful or not will be known only after my stint in the University. Till then, I’m keeping my palms together in prayer.

Sandhya S

Final year, Biomedical Engineering, SSN College of Engineering

Campuses are abuzz with companies like IBM, L&T, Wipro and many others recruiting students. I for one have decided that my calling is to begin my career now. It’s time to apply the knowledge I’ve acquired over 16 years to my work environment. A job would require let me explore new horizons and test my abilities as a professional. I’ll how to work together in a team, how to constantly innovate and improve my work and also become a responsible adult.

S Bhavani

Final year, Biomedical Engineering, Rajalakshmi Engineering College

Just when I thought I could relax a tad bit after four strenuous years of B.E, I have

to take the next important decision of my life. Every person I meet has the same ingeminating question – “so are you doing your Masters or going to work?”. After a thorough analysis of both these options, my answer is – WORK, for two years. With some work experience, I can gain insight into what a company demands from its employees. It will alleviate my choice of selecting a course to specialize in when I do my Masters. Moreover I will not be treated as a fresher later, which will also expand my job options.

Naveen Vasu

Final year, Mechanical Engineering, R.M.K Engineering College.

Silent Predator - A Review

The story takes a flying start in a luxurious private safari lodge back in Kruger National Park, Africa. In the absence of Nick Roberts who had disappeared mysteriously, Detective Sergeant Tom Furey a veteran himself gets appointed as a protection officer to Britain’s Assistant Minister of Defence, Robert Greeves. Tom Furey plays a central character in this fiction and steers Tony Park’s Silent Predator with great ease. Once Mr Greeves gets kidnapped by what appears to be a criminal conspiracy, things get too hot to handle for Furey and his counterpart in the mission, Sannie Van Rensberg. And especially when the kidnap happened when Tom was busy eyeing a pretty girl, he dug his own grave! And in an attempt to set things right Furey and Rensberg go against official orders in the hunt for the suspected group of terrorists through the Kruger Park to the coastal waters of Mozambique. This very attempt to find Mr Greeves puts them on a high-octane chase covering a dozen of African countries and straight into the tunnel of troubles!

As the story unfolds slowly, Mr Furey discovers a lot of predators in Africa, even more than what he found in the lodge. Things fall short of expectations for Furey and Rensberg and they get to battle for their lives. It gets even tougher when you have nobody to pose your trust on especially when the unknown predator is waiting to get his hands on you!

Though Tony Park is a native of Australia, he indeed had given us a complete African package with his racy storyline with a lot of detailing. After five months of intense research and also having been an army reservist, Park’s fifth book, The Silent Predator will go well with his fans and readers. The story has it in all the essential ingredients – the African landscape, lots of fights, his tough heroes, and of course the sassy smart heroines you expect.

The Silent Predator could send a chill down your spine and it is one of the best ways to spend a cold evening and I bet once you start flipping the pages of this book, you would be transported to somewhere warm and exotic and into the thickest forests of Africa. So get ready for it all and I would rate this better-than-average thriller for its good write and for the exciting scenes in the real fresh African setting! A Strong plot base, unexpected twists human trafficking, kidnap, betrayal, and romance – quite satisfying!