If you are interested in joining an illustrated lecture by Serene Fass in aid of Jeevika Trust, please contact Rosemary on 02088 973 3773. The event will be held at the Royal Geographic Society, to include stall holders, artists and some representation of hoteliers in India, such as the Taj and Oberoi groups.

For further information on the trust please log on to www.jeevika.org.uk.

The Kerala ‘Chakara’ An artist’s record of a fishing phenomenon.Susan Beaulah came across the ‘Chakara’ quite by chance. Emerging onto a remote Kerala beach in 2001, on her first trip to India, she was delighted to find it bursting with life; the shore was lined with extraordinary, fanciful fishing boats and, almost as far as the eye could see, people everywhere were landing, sorting and selling fish.A wonderfully picturesque scene, the reality of the Chakara is also of intense heat, squalor, noise and stench; also the curiosity - even animosity - of the fishing communities who were not keen to allow a female, foreign painter the space and peace to discreetly record their activities and lives. So vibrant and astounding was the whole experience, however, that Susan was determined not to be driven away… Returning the following year, she found herself faced not with the amazing scenes of the previous year, but by miles of empty sand; not a fisherman let alone a fishing boat in sight. Had it been a mirage, or was she simply on the wrong beach? No, what she had previously stumbled upon was a phenomenon known as ‘The Chakara’.Kerala is a lushly exotic State of waterways where as many as 41 rivers and creeks form what is known as ‘The Backwaters’. Just how and exactly where a Chakara occurs is little understood, but it seems that during torrential monsoon rains, clays and silts are washed down from the mountains in huge quantities. These deposits, rich in silica and certain metals, are carried by the rivers as they break through coastal mud banks en route to sea. There, a chemical reaction takes place between the riverine mud and the sea salts which literally thickens the sea water. The unusual calm this brings to the normally turbulent coast, as well as by the oxygen and nutrients released from the clay, attracts huge numbers of fish and shrimps, creating a perfect environment for the eager fishermen. The ephemeral nature of the mud banks means that the position of the Chakara, which lasts only a few months, changes from year to year. Susan, with her driver and guide, Babu, covered hundreds of miles of Kerala coast before re-discovering this illusive fishing community. Acclimatising herself to the hardships of the beach and negotiating a working relationship with the fishermen has been a delicate and often nerve-wracking experience.The extraordinary story of how she established a rapport is told by her in the illustrated account that accompanies the Exhibition

This Exhibition runs from 6pm Thursday 15th May- 6pm Monday 2nd June. For more information please log on to www.abbottandholder.co.uk

30 Museum Street- opposite the British Museum –London WC1A 1LH

Elephants carrying spy cameras tell the story of four cubs growing up in the Indian Jungle.From the day their eyes open and they tumble out of the den, captures the lives of four tiger cubs as they grow up alongside their devoted mother. The elephants continue to film the young stars as they grow into adult hunters. Over two years based in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, the elephants help capture the most intimate portrayal of tigers ever filmed. They also reveal the secret life of the other extraordinary creatures of the Indian jungle.

One of Central India's lesser known parks, Pench National Park is situated in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh. The park was aptly named after the Pench River, which meanders through the Park. Pench was declared a sanctuary in 1977, and was elevated to National Park status in 1983. It was established later as a Tiger Reserve in 1992

The park is open to tourism from October to June and there are a number of lodges situated in the buffer zone of the reserve. Please contact me for further information on visiting Pench. Having recently returned in November 2007 I have first hand knowledge of the area so please give me a call if you are thinking of looking for the elusive tiger sometime soon.

Monty continues his journey through the gardens of India this evening, at 7pm on BBC 2.

Monty sets off tonight on a technicolour tour of India, taking in some of the most opulent and heavenly gardens in human history, including perhaps the most famous garden in the world, the Taj Mahal.

The highlights include the great Mughal tomb gardens, the sumptous water palace gardens at Deeg. the Edwin Lutyens -designed garden city of New Delhi, the spice and tea gardens of Kerala and a 1930 s throw back English Surburban garden on the site of an old railway station. The highlight for me is the discovery of the Rock Garden at Chandigargh, a unique rock and sculpture garden little known in the west.

Tune in 7pm tonight.

Welcome to my new blog. I will be updating this blog soon so check back regularly.