GROUP VENTURE Corporate retreats not only give employees a chance to relax, but also foster team spirit among colleagues

P I C T U R E P O S T C A R D BONDING ATA VACATION

Arindam Silletters@hindustantimes.com

Egypt conjures up images of pyr-amids and the Sphinx in front ofour eyes. And my last vacation to

this magical country where historyseems to be alive was almost a dreamcome true. It was like a time machinehad taken us back to an ancient civili-sation by the Nile.

I went with my wife and daughterand some of my relatives. We flew toDubai and, from there, took a flight toCairo. I had always wanted to take mydaughter, Sonika, to Egypt because sheloves history and anything that has alot of stories revolving around it.

From Cairo, we went on to Giza,which was an overnight trip in a mag-

nificent train. Soon, it was time for acruise on the Nile. We were retracinga royal route, since the pharaohs alsocruised the Nile. Along the river, thevista of villages in the shade of grace-fully swaying palms was breathtaking.

We visited the Philae temple, whichhad been submerged for 60 years, onan island on Lake Nasser. The boat rideto the lake was out of this world, withthe sunset providing a perfect backdrop.We saw the Kom Ombo temple and theEdfu temple. However, the best part ofthe journey was a long drive in theSahara. We went to the temple complexof Abu Simbel, which was built centuriesago. The constructions of pharaohRamses II against the backdrop of thedesert were fascinating to behold.Something even more enchanting was

in store later — a mile-long mirage.Karnak temple, Luxor temple and

the Obelisk are certain things that arebetter experienced than explained. Wefelt insignificant in front of the grandstructures of the Sphinx and the GreatPyramid. I felt like a pharaoh when Irode on a stallion. We thoroughlyenjoyed the Galabya party during ourcruise. At this party, I discovered thatmy daughter is an excellent belly dancer.

I bought an original papyrus, anEgyptian cat statue made of phospho-rus stone and many other souvenirs tosavour the memories of Egypt.Although I am back home now, I can’tforget the taste of Egyptian delicacies,especially the hummus.

(Arindam Sil is an actor)As told to Tasmayee Laha Roy

GIFT OF THE NILEAs you cruise along theriver, the archaeologicalremains of the ancientcivilisation take you ona ride through the corridors of history

In the land of pharaohs and pyramids

Swati Tewariletters@hindustantimes.com

Abreak from the monotonouswork routine, with the scopeto rejuvenate yourself andbuild up your self confidenceas you explore your adven-

turous side, while getting the chanceto bond with your colleagues and savourthe beauty of nature. This is what cor-porate retreats are all about.

With competition and demands toperform better growing by the day, com-panies are leaving no stone unturnedto keep up motivation and maintain astress-free environment for their

employees. Be it yogatherapy, psycholog-

ical counsellingsessions or moti-vational classes,they are trying it

all. But the latestto be added in the

list are corporate re-treats, where compa-nies take their employ-ees on holidays thatare meant to refresh,build team spirit andhelp discover one’sself through out-door education.

Travel compa-nies have come upwith experiential

learning packagesmeant for corporate

retreats, which provideall sorts of activities that

attract participants from var-ious age groups. Adventure

sports service providers, such asSunshine Himalayan Adventures, Treks’n Rapids, The Organisers, UlltimateTravels Pvt. Ltd and many more, havespecial sections to look after in-boundand out-bound corporate retreats.

“We have a special corporate out-door training package which offers par-ticipants the opportunity to learn to bea team player first, a team builder next,and, finally, a team leader. It strength-ens the will, perseverance, toleranceand acceptance of employees,” saysAnkit Sood, managing host of SunshineHimalayan Adventures, a company thatboasts clients such as Reliance, TERI,and Young President Organization,USA. The company calls its programmeCAT (Corporate Adventure Training)and MICE (Meetings, Incentives,Conferences and Exhibitions).

Team-building adventures, experi-ential workshops based on leadership,communications, team assessmentsand strategic planning are the focalpoints for such training.

“The main motive for organisingthese programmes is to developsportsmanship and competitive spiritamong colleagues. There’s always a win-win or win-lose chance for participantsin these programmes,” says Rupali Issar,director, Ulltimate Travels Pvt. Ltd.

Any good campsite or retreat made

keeping corporate clients and outdooradventures in mind, should have a num-ber of exciting activities, such as whitewater rafting on the Ganga, mountainbiking, night hiking, trekking and rockclimbing. All these activities are usu-ally combined with specially executedoutdoor management developmentgames as spider’s web, eskimo walk andothers, which facilitate a high level ofteam building, leadership skill devel-opment, motivation and much more.

“The biggest thing is the way peoplede-stress while participating in adven-ture sports. Participants learn to con-quer their worst fears, be it the fear ofheights after a rock climbing sessionor the fear of water after rafting,” saysPranav Kukreti, of Treks ’n Rapids.

Besides de-stressing, these pro-grammes rejuvenate employees. Kukretisays, “This is the best rejuvenation ther-apy and we call it ‘sustainable eupho-ria’. People remember these experiencesand derive strength from them.”

Treks ’n Rapids boasts a clientelesuch as Reliance ADAG, Ranbaxy,Procter & Gamble, Tata Motors Ltd,

Tata Consultancy Services, ING, KPMGand Delphi Automotive Systems, andthey prefer locations such as Whisper-ing Pines, Jwarna and Aryanam inUttrakhand, Matheran in western India,Yercaud in south India and Darjeeling.

Psychological sessions are an inte-gral part of corporate retreats. “Weengage in various counselling sessionswith international motivational speak-ers such as Jeff Salz, Vince Poscentteand George Walther. For a new team,we have induction exercises that bringthe team together,” says Sood. Treks’n Rapids believes in creating psycho-logical situations through involvingactivities with the help of sensitive coun-selling and feedback.

Many employees have benefited fromsuch programmes. “I went on one ofthese tours in September. I had an excel-lent time with my colleagues and we triedout various activities,” says VinitChoubey, a financial analyst from Delhi,who went to Bangkok for such a holiday.

Place: MASSANJORE

Located on the border of West Bengal andJharkhand, Massanjore, by the Mayurakshiriver, welcomes you with a clear sky, rockyterrain and a crystal clear lake. The back-drop of the hills gives the place the look ofa picture postcard. If you are looking for anenergising weekend in the heart of sereni-ty, this is the right place for a quick trip.

WHAT TO SEE: The Massanjore damacross the Mayurakshi river is an awe-inspiring sight and perhaps the best thingto see at Massanjore. The dam is 155ft highand 2,170ft long. Built with Canadian aid, itis also called Canada Dam or Pearson Dam.The blue waters of the Mayurakshi and thesurrounding greenery offer a soothing treatfor the eyes. On moonlit nights, the placelooks ethereal. Don’t forget to stop for awhile at the narrow sandbank in the streamfor an out-of-the-world experience. On theway to Massanjore, you will travel throughSuri. At Tilpara, near Suri, there is a 1,013ft-long barrage. You can also visit Sonaturpara,where an almost 200-year-old temple is ded-icated to the Damodar river. Although thereis no idol in the temple, the terracotta workon the walls leave tourists mesmerised.These carvings narrate stories about LordKrishna’s life.

HOW TO GET THERE: Jharkhand StateTransport Corporation buses ply fromBabughat to Massanjore. It takes almostseven hours to reach Massanjore.

WHERE TO STAY AND WHAT TO EAT:Many hotels are available at Massanjore,where you can put up. One of the bestoptions is the Youth Hostel, just 2km fromthe dam. You can also stay at the state gov-ernment-run Mayurakshi Bhavan. Mostkinds of cuisine are available here.

COST: Double rooms cost R100 per night.A dormitory is also available at the YouthHostel. A double room at MayurakshiBhavan costs R300 per night.

BEST TIME TO VISIT: You can visitMassanjore at any time of the year. However,it is wise to avoid the heat of the summermonths.

Compiled by Tasmayee Laha Roy

WITH DEMANDS TO PERFORM BETTER GROWING BY THE DAY, COMPANIES ARE LEAVINGNO STONE UNTURNED TO KEEPUP THE MOTIVATION LEVELSOF THEIR EMPLOYEES

Cruising the Nile. PHOTO: ARINDAM SIL

Employees take part in the CAT and MICE programme.

The dam at Massanjore.

Adventure sports, suchas rock climbing, arepopular activities in corporate retreats.

The sun-dappled Philae temple and (right) the Luxor temple. PHOTOS: ARINDAM SIL

TALK TO US Discovered a new destination? Want towrite to us about your latest vacation?Write to us at:

traveldeskkolkata@hindustantimes.com

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