Flying under a cover

Worried about flight delay, baggage loss or medical emergency? Make sure you pack a travel insurance along with your baggage. A look at the options that can come in handy

While booking travel tickets, most of us uncheck the ‘buy insurance’ box or decline to buy travel insurance from agents because it costs extra money. It is good to be optimistic that nothing can go wrong, but it could get really troublesome if things do go wrong, especially on foreign soil where help is difficult to get. It, therefore, makes sense to buy protection against all kinds of disasters that can strike during travel.

Although travel insurance is not mandatory, it is highly recommended. If you fall seriously ill while travelling, these covers can save you a tidy sum, given the skyhigh hospitalisation costs in countries such as the US and Canada. Also, it is best to carry a travel cover if you are planning a vacation with a bawling infant or a toddler in tow.

Delay in receiving baggage or, worse, loss of baggage, can throw all your carefully laid out plans in jeopardy, especially if you are travelling for an occasion that has a specific dressing protocol. However, if you have travel insurance, you can use the money to go on a shopping spree to put together a dandy wardrobe.

Despite these obvious advantages, many people do not opt for travel insurance as it is not mandated for travel within India and in (some) foreign countries. Some people are simply not aware of it.

The importance of travel insurance is realised only when one goes through a hard time. For instance, this January, more than 100 flights were delayed at Delhi international airport due to dense fog. In another scenario, several passengers were injured in the recent Nepal flight crash. While one cannot avoid such situations, travel insurance could mitigate the financial inconvenience, if not the emotional trauma.

What’s on the menu

Unlike covers for life and health, purchase of travel insurance is by far the easiest. You can buy it even a few hours before your travel. The choice of insurance depends on the travel destination and the duration of travel. According to industry experts, not many opt for domestic travel insurance as they could be holding a health and personal accidental cover that can be used during medical emergencies. But if you want to insure yourself against loss of baggage, flight delay and cancellation or delay in receiving baggage, it would be best to go for a comprehensive travel insurance for domestic travel too.

Domestic travel insurance can be bought online or offline through airlines, travel aggregators/agents, insurance companies’ portals and insurance aggregators. It is recommended that travel insurance be bought irrespective of the place of travel — for both domestic and international use. Frequent travellers could find a travel cover particularly handy, given the regular delays in flights/trains.

For international travel, travel duration plays a crucial role in deciding the insurance; whether you are making a single trip or multiple trips throughout the year. In case of a single trip, the maximum policy period is usually six months, although it may vary with insurance companies. These single trip plans are suitable for individuals going abroad for a specific period — on a vacation, graduation of a family member or for any other purpose. A multitrip policy is usually valid for a year. The customer has to pay the premium only once and gets to undertake as many trips as he/she wants, within the policy period.

There are travel plans specifically tailored for students going abroad for studies. The policy period can vary from one month to a year or it can cover the entire duration of study. The basic cover takes care of medical emergencies during the travel and, while the student is abroad, baggage loss, trip delay, flight cancellation, and so on.

Most student travel policies come with a sponsor cover, wherein, if the sponsor of the policy (parent or guardian) is no more (during the period the policy is in force), the insurance company would cover the tuition fees for the student. Other covers include family visits, loss of laptop and tuition fee repayment on behalf of the student (in case the study is interrupted or discontinued, the insurer will reimburse the tuition fee so far paid).

There are also other types of travel insurance plans specifically targeted at some sections of the population. For instance, many general insurance companies provide senior citizen travel policies where they enjoy the same benefits (as other plans) such as emergency medical expenses cover, personal accident, daily hospitalisation allowance. Similarly, you can also buy one travel insurance for the entire family and all sections of the travel policy would be on a floater basis. Normally, family will include self, spouse and two children.

Know your policy covers

Once you know the type of travel insurance to take, all you have to do is buy one. Almost all general insurance and (few) standalone health insurance players offer travel policies. Since there is a greater need for insurance during international travel, let’s consider what’s on offer.

A basic travel insurance plan will cover certain key medical and non-medical expenses. In medical or health-related covers, all travel policies provide covers for emergency medical expenses, personal liability expenses (it covers expenses due to injury to third-party or damage to that person’s property), personal accident cover, medical or emergency evacuation, cash on hospitalisation or cash in emergencies such as if you get robbed. The premium to be paid will differ depending on the players and the policy cover opted.

Non-medical covers include payments for baggage delay, loss of baggage, loss of passport, trip delay and cancellation, repatriation of mortal remains and getting hijacked. In addition, players such as Bajaj Allianz and Tata AIG offer covers for home burglary, hotel change or hotel upgrade and trip curtailment.

Premium rates vary across players, so you need to be careful in choosing the best rate. For instance, ICICI Lombard charges premium of ₹1,178 (including tax) for single trip for an individual for a cover of $1 lakh. This plan provides medical and non-medical covers. On the other hand, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance charges ₹1,377 (excluding tax) for a cover of $2 lakh — single trip for an individual.

In addition to the basic covers, the company also gives home burglary insurance between ₹1 lakh and ₹3 lakh, if your home is burgled while you are away, and covers expenses for hotel change or upgrade to a superior class in a hotel.

You should also look at what’s covered. Flight delay is not covered by companies such as New India Assurance while Star General Insurance provides up to $150 ($25 per hour) and Religare Health Insurance gives $500 maximum for delay beyond 12 hours.

A policy holder has to fulfil certain conditions to get the claim. For instance, loss of checked-in baggage will be covered only if you had lost it while in custody of common carrier (commercial transport flying on regular routes at agreed rates).

Also, the insurance company deducts a certain amount before paying the claim in certain cases. In case of emergency medical expenses, for instance, some insurance companies insist on a deductible — an amount of, say, $100 to be borne by you.

On a cautionary note

Before deciding on the travel insurance, read the exclusions and the policy document to understand how much of the claim will eventually be settled.

For instance, if there is an accident that leads to permanent loss of hearing in both ears, ICICI Lombard Travel Insurance pays only 75 per cent of the sum assured as part of personal accident cover.

Similarly, look for the extent of premium repayment in case of policy cancellation. ICICI Lombard will not allow cancellation unless the unexpired period of the policy exceeds 30 days. On the other hand, Bajaj Allianz deducts cancellation charges of at least ₹250, and the refund of the premium depends on how soon you return from your travel.

Simply put, travel insurance is your plan B, if all your best laid out plans for the trip go awry.

Adda for a wholesome life

Head to Iiyndinai Organic Foods and its restaurant that serve healthy treats ranging from seasonal fruits and millets to ladoos and spices. For Raghul Dandapani, building customer loyalty is everything. The twenty-six-year-old founder of Iiyndinai Organic Foods knows that, despite its myriad advantages, the first experience of a customer looking to go organic can be pretty underwhelming. The opening months of his organic store — and subsequent restaurant — in Velachery have taught him as much.

“Customers walk into an organic store expecting it to be a supermarket,” he says. His simple store stocks around five varieties of rice and as many of millets, in addition to spices, pulses, oil and handmade treats like ladoos. “Since it’s organic, and has never been exposed to pesticides, it’s more susceptible to insects and the like. So we stock it all in small amounts. If, one day, a customer walks in and buys something in bulk, it takes us days to replenish it. But if someone asks for a particular variety, we source it as soon as we can,” he says.

Outside his single-room store, which eschews plastic completely, with its lines of glass jars and metal boxes filled with food grains, is a covered garage-like area which houses a few stacks of seasonal vegetables. Each sample from their suppliers goes through a chemical test before an order is placed, says Dandapani.

“Nearly 50%-60% of our sales are through vegetables. When you buy organic, your fruits and vegetables will always be seasonal. I can get apples for only two months a year and grapes for only three months a year.”

A number of products, which we usually take for granted, just aren’t an option anymore. “It takes time to explain to the customer that some of the products they expect, we just can’t give. For example, we can’t consider maida or refined flour organic since it is refined. Sunflower oil has the same issue.”

“Some customers are okay with it, but most are not,” Dandapani says. Those who are okay with it, however, keep coming back, and bring their friends and acquaintances with them to the restaurant as well as the shop. The little restaurant is tucked away in a homely tree-lined lane in Velachery, but people from other parts of the city also visit the place. It took him some months to realise that his customers don’t mind travelling the distance. That was when he decided to start delivery services as well.

“In the immediate neighbourhood, the only other restaurant with similar fare charges ₹80 for a meal. We charge ₹160, because of the different ingredients we source. For customers just passing by, that ₹80 is a big difference; they aren’t interested in the reasons behind it. So, our target customers are those who actively search for organic food, who are aware of the difference in taste that it brings.”

Like everything else in the store and restaurant, the delivery parcels are also plastic-free. Think doggy bags made of thick layers of newspaper, and poriyal, sambar and all liquids packed in little glass bottles. “We pack the glass carefully and cushion it well, and so far, there have been no accidents,” he says. It drives his operation costs up quite a bit. It also makes the restaurant charge a packaging and delivery fee that is higher than most, “but if you return the glass bottle, we give you the amount back,” he grins.

sweet joints

kumbakonam murari sweets, sastra college road. Branches at Sarangapani koil Keela veethi. Myiladuthurai & Thiruvarur - dry jamuns made of Maida, sugar  shelf life for 1 week without refrigeration.  Aajmeer cake, milk pedas, inji pakodas, sweet meets, ashoka halwa, wheat habshi halwa. 

https://www.wowladdus.com - bangalore

Eateries at kodaikanal with unique hill-town flavours.

junction at Seven Roads, some centrally located eating places in Kodaikanal 

From bakeries and gourmet cafes to five star resorts, Kodaikanal’s kitchens have a zest for organic, churning out recipes from scratch. Cheeses, herbs and vegetables are procured farm fresh. The laid-back atmosphere of a small town is deceptive. Restaurants and cafes bustle about to cater to the busy crowds of the season.

Cafe Cariappa

A miniature gourmet coffee house for true coffee lovers, Cafe Cariappa is a delightful nook with tables on barrels and wood panelled walls. Alongside, they serve hot Belgian waffles with chocolate syrup and honey, carrot cake and organic muffins. Sandwiches are filled with cheese and mustard from Caroselle, specialty cheese maker from Pethuparai. Kishore Cariappa’s dream was sparked by environmental interests and a yen to grow organic coffee. Purchasing a small farm 35 km from Kodaikanal, Cariappa set out to preserve the natural ecosystem engaging the local Mannadiyars, early agricultural settlers. The single origin coffee at the cafe is pure Arrabica, a premium brand. Cariappa roasts and grinds the coffee beans, all in-house, with his specially procured Italian machines. An elephant drinking coffee from a cup adorns the brown Kraft packaging with Cariappa’s trademark stamp ‘Origin Palani Hills’. He says, “I want this to be a revolutionary centre for ecology where coffee is the meeting point.” As coffee grows in the shade, trees are never cut in his estate. Elephants do visit the Cariappas and my bet is Kishore wishes they drink his coffee!                                                                                                               JS Heritage Complex, PT Road

Pastry Corner

If you have driven up the Ghats late afternoon, missed lunch and hit the in-between hour, never fret. Pastry Corner, the popular bakery will cater to a snappy luncheon and anytime snack. You can make your own sandwiches with their country-style, robust and fresh round-top breads. Owner Prasanna will insist that you eat it the same day and this is usually not a problem. In stock, but fast moving are his splendid jams made from peach, pear and plum grown locally. Pick up their piquant pizza slices with tomato and grated cheese, muffins, cream puffs, cinnamon rolls and pastries with generous dollops of fresh cream. They make crunchy, mouth-melting ice cream with fresh fruit in seasonal flavours. Favourites are pear, plum, mango, chickoo and butter-scotch. Hot coffee is always available made with freshly ground beans.

                Pastry Corner is near Indian Bank by 7 Roads Junction and at Spencers

The Cheese Shop

The Cheese Shop stocks a fabulous variety of cheeses, pesto, tangy mustard and fondue. Visitors grab the flavoured cheddars - green chilli, garlic and pepper and Cumin Gouda. Caesar’s Chocolates by Manna compares with any international brand. Flavours include rum and raisin, dates and honey, marzipan, almond nougat and orange, individually wrapped for freshness.                 

                                         At Venus Cottage, Observatory Road near BSNL Office

Cloud Street

Housed in a rather innocuous building, this quaint eatery can be easily missed. A friendly setting of cane chairs, a spotless tiled floor and soothing blues and fusion set the prelude for a compelling gourmet meal. For soups, pick from creamy potato or spinach. Wood fired pizzas 10” and 14” are made in a real brick oven and slathered with cheese, layers fatter than the delicate thin crust they rest on. “Cloud Street is a passion not a business”, says Chef Binsen with enthusiasm about owners Michael and Tanya. They recommend the Anchovy and Roasted Onion Pizza and sizzlers, for starters “a very different hummus and pita.” Our favourite veggie picks were the spinach-mushroom and pesto-tomato pizzas. If you want a heftier meal, go for the pepper steak or barbeque chicken. Revel in a lasagne or Spaghetti Neapolitan. They offer just three desserts, but you’ll keep going back for more – a spongy moist lemon cake, a coffee-walnut cake and brownies, baked European style.                 

                                   Opposite Kodaikanal Tourist Office, P.T Road, Kodaikanal

The Carlton

With architecture that combines stone, wood and glass, the oldest heritage resort of Kodaikanal, The Carlton, rarely fails to deliver. Meals are designed for the climate and altitude of the hills – fibre rich with less fat and lightly spiced, bringing out the natural flavours of ingredients. Pick from a soul-satisfying, innovative menu from East and West – a variety of pastas, lasagne, kadai paneer and a choice of meats - succulent Madurai Mutton Masala, grilled fish or their famous kozhi vartara curry. Starters tempt – an amazing Sabji Platter with marinated mushrooms, cauliflower potato and paneer tikka or murgh tikka. Delve into a fresh Kodai tossed salad with herbs or cheddar salad. The Kodai herbal soup is great for the nippy weather. Naans and phulkas are crisp and light. Desserts delight -chocolate triple pastry, apple strudel and hot jalebis with rabadi. A happy sojourn with nature, the ambience of Carlton with a wonderful lake view is irreplaceable. A gaggle of white geese on their spread of green lawn may turn up to surprise. Evenings, a logwood fire crackles in the foyer. To further warm up, visit the bar – End of the Road.          Lake Road near 7 Roads Junction

Yoga and smoothies

The trending health food spaces: yoga cafés, where you can enjoy wholesome, nutritious food in serene surroundings whether or not you are a yogi Quaint little vegetarian cafes, often attached to yoga studios, are coming up all over the country. They offer a contemporary vibe, greenery, and nutritious food that call for mindful eating. We explore a few.

Yogi-sthaan, Bengaluru Plot 89, 11thCross Road, Indiranagar, Stage 1

Yoga studio, B&B, café, retreat. When Ajitsingh Tapasvi conceived Yogi-sthaan, all he wanted was a fluid space where one could ‘just be’.“I wanted this space to be like home — you can treat it as your office or as a café; you can do yoga orread; you can even stay over,” he explains.“We ask no questions and force nothing upon you. When a guest walks in, he gets a copper water bottle with two kansa glasses. After that, we do not disturb him.” Open, green, unobtrusive, and relaxed, Yogi-sthaan’s food is vegetarian, uses macrobiotic practices, ancient grains and traditional methods of cooking. Try their hash browns that come with mozzarella, red and yellow pepper, spinach and herbs served with yoghurt dressing. Or simply ask for tea with toast and liquid jaggery.

Mystic Yoga Café, Kolkata 20A,Camac Street, 2nd Floor

The yoga practitioners coming to Mystic Yoga centers asked what they could eat after an invigorating session of yoga; some just wanted to spend more time in the peaceful environment of the studio. It’s what led Abhishek Maheshwari to start the cafés (four, across the city). They serve small meals, snacks, and an all-day breakfast.“Our meals are cooked using the principals of Ayurveda and are based on four pillars: healthy, tasty, satisfying and affordable,” says Maheshwari. If the no-fuss décor, fresh menu, and wide range of spiritual books doesn’t bring you back, the spinach and chickpea soup, or the vegan omelette might.

Yogi’s Belly, Hyderabad Isha Life, PlotNo 522,Road 27,Jubilee Hills

White wrought-iron chairs set under a large mango tree, bare white walls and a chequered tile-grass floor beneath, Yogi’s Belly is the zen you need in the middle of the busy Jubilee Hills. An extension of the Yoga Studio, crafts store, and Mahamudra, a fine-dining restaurant, at Isha Life Foundation, the place marries the traditional with the modern. Try the ice tea with turmeric and sabja seeds, drumstick soup, ragi mudde, and rice waffles.

Artjuna, Goa No 972, Monteiro Vaddo, Anjuna Bardez

Attached to an Iyengar-style yogashala that also has a quaint boutique, on the Anjuna beach, the Artjuna Goa was set up in an old Portuguese house, and has both indoor and outdoor seating. Moshè Imbar, who owns the place, tells us,“Our café primarily serves Mediterranean cuisine.” A lively space, and one of the few yoga cafés that has a small section of non-vegetarian fare, Artjuna serves an all-day breakfast and small eats. Its USP is the freshness of the ingredients, home-made cakes and coffee, and a vegan menu. The

Yoga House, Mumbai Nargis Villa,Water Bungalow, Sherly Rajan Road, Bandra West A bright space in the heart of suburban Mumbai, The Yoga House Café takes you away from the noise and traffic of the city, even if for a little while. Sheer curtains, white furniture and sea-green walls make the place a haven. Attached to the Yoga House, the food here is based on macrobiotic recipes rooted in ancient dietary wisdom and traditions, and the menu centers around whole grains and local, seasonal produce. Try the 10-grain toast, home-made muesli, fresh juices and smoothies and the signature hash brown at this plastic-free hangout.

Yogi’s Belly Café, Chennai New Number 117, Old Number 50, Luz Church Road, Mylapore 

The Yogi’s Belly Café brings together the best of Indian culture: yoga, traditional cuisine and artisanal craftsmanship. Located within the Isha Life premises, it blends traditional with contemporary.“The menu here has been curated with a unique approach to health and fitness that stems from a deep understanding of the yogic sciences,” says Meena Thennaapan, who manages the centre. Café offerings like raw turmeric juice, papaya and red capsicum salad, and black sesame kulfi blend the regular and the exotic. With large rattan chairs, comfy couches and sheer curtains, the café is a modern take on an ancient science.                                                            Thanks to whatsapp msg 

Everything under the sun at chennai

The Friday market at Pallavaram has a 100-year-old history. Antiques, bicycles, vegetables, auto-parts, pots... You can even buy yourself a live goat atthis high-energy space which brings a village to the city

Empowering

The Elimai line of travel products uses colourful textiles woven by the differently-abled residents of Krupa Home

“The most popular section at the campus of Krupa Home is the weaving room, and almost every resident wants to get in there and spend some time,” chuckles Dr Radhika Soundararajan, coordinator of this 10-acre residential facility for adults with disabilities run by AIM for Seva at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai.

“There is colour, activity, songs and fun at our loom room, and quite naturally, other residents who are usually involved in gardening, marble paper making or agarbatti assembling, also want to sit at this unit. The loom room is always cheerful and filled with positivity,” she explains. There are three looms at Krupa, and four of the residents are trained in weaving with assistance from three helpers.

“We engage the differently-abled residents in hand loom weaving as a therapeutic rehabilitation for their physical, mental, social and vocational abilities. The warp and weft is restricted to creating brightly-coloured rough textiles with check and stripe prints, ” she says.

Even though they were making bags and a few other utility items with the woven textiles, Soundarajan wanted to take it to the next step by developing concept products. “We approached Fariha Begum who had worked with Bhawani bedsheet weavers of Tamil Nadu and created her line of leather bags, Therku. She visited our centre and was excited to see the close knit rough handloom woven by Krupa residents. Based on her suggestion, we decided to launch travel line products,” she says.

“The material woven at Krupa has knots and is uneven and rough. But each knot has a story, and in fact we attach a weaver tag to all the products in the line,” says Soundarajan. Elimai (simplicity in English) offers passport holders, laptop cases, sling and tote bags, shopping bags and book bags.

They are working on adding more utility products in this line. “When we showed the Elimai products (the finished product has been developed by Fariha) to the weavers of our home, they were thrilled by the outcome. They also came up with some suggestions,” she says.

The idea behind Krupa is to provide shelter for differently-abled adults and enable them to be meaningfully occupied as it adds to their sense of self worth and happiness. Residents treat the various units in the facility at Krupa Home like their office and spend the day working; Sunday is their day off. “Sundays are chaotic at Krupa Home. Sundays seem to be boring for the residents. While on other days, there are activities that keep them involved. Everyone here likes go to office even on a Sunday, probably to the loom room,” smiles Soundarajan.

Elimai products are available at AIM For Seva, Mylapore, 10 am to 5 pm, 24987955