Table for One - Natas

Someone in the history of food writing is bound to have made the connection between food and personality. And last evening, the display shelf at Theobroma was erupting with an eclectic array of characters. There were the usual suspects, the everymen of the dessert selection like walnut brownies and chocolate mousse. A whole range of pastries with exotic icings vied for attention on the shelf. Then there were the rocker-chick types like vodka-chilli something-something that stood aloof, yet needy for attention with their streaks of green. 

But it was a quest for Theo's carrot cake that drew me there. It was the best I had tasted since falling headlong in love with its wholesome flavour in London. But on the counter where it usually stood, was a single slice of something gloopy, obviously someone's idea of caramel heaven. No carrot cake. But I wasn't about to go home armed with mere walnut brownies.

And then, at second eye-sweep, I spotted them. 

Humble natas amidst all that jazz, standing on the tray like self-aware monks who were one with the divine.  What better way to celebrate the end of my time in Mumbai than a Portuguese custard dessert at my favourite dessert shop in the entire world, Theobroma? The memory of this dessert was my lembrança, a keepsake from my time in Mumbai.

The natas had a simple crust, a well-browned top and a sprinkling of coarsely ground cinnamon. Physically, it is a quiche-sized base filled with custard. The crust was thinner at the bottom and thicker at the sides. It was served cool (not cold), and the side crust was firm enough not to yield to the side of a fork. What does one have hands for anyway, eh? The portion was just right - neither too little to whip up a craving, nor too large to make one feel like a Portuguese-spouting python.

I felt a familiar feeling, one that I hadn't experienced in ages. At that moment I absolutely knew I would eat a nata and I would eat it right there.

Now for the flavour. The brown top had no smoky aroma, no peeling layer, and no overpowering eggy smell to the custard. The custard was creamy, mildly sweetened with sugar, flavoured with lime zest and vanilla. 

The owner of Theobroma affirmed the flavours I could detect, but added that there was cinnamon and nutmeg as well. I think the fascinating blend of citrusy zest and vanilla dominated the nata and the cinnamon was largely a textural addition for the top.

The story goes that one of the top doctors of Mumbai tasted natas in London and asked the owner of Theobroma if she would make it for him. But she didn't know the recipe. So, he even provided her with the recipe. Ever since, she has been making natas. Thanks, doc!

Let's hope the natas at Theobroma don't go the route of the carrot cake. Apparently, few bought it. The owner even included almonds (sacrilege, if you ask me) but it didn't help. So, head out and grab a nata sometime.

With no need for conversation, I sat by myself, numb to the presence of the mobile phone, oblivious to other dessert-eaters, engrossed in an otherworldly experience, grateful that I didn't have to share the moment or the nata with anybody. 

DID SHAKTI WEAR THE PANTS?

This was published on my erstwhile blog in July 2009. Navaratri this year, seems the perfect opportunity to republish it.

Till some time ago, my financial decisions were taken only partially by me. The bigger decisions were entrusted to people in my life - my father, my husband and my chartered accountant. In the midst of all the money talk, I've felt restless and incompetent. I couldn't comprehend why the government needs a share of every bit of money I earn.

In the last couple of months, I took over the decision-making  of course, with the advice and opinion of trusted people.Although I find the process tedious and people are justifiably exasperated trying to explain why I can't have my mutual fund statements the way I want them, I am finally making my own decisions and sticking by the repercussions.

Why was it so hard for me to take control of an area that should logically be my responsibility? It's been a very difficult decision that feels like going against the grain of who I am as a woman. The same reason that someone I know - a brilliant top-ranking executive with a financial organisation is unaware of how her investments are doing.

My theory is that women, especially of my generation in India, are perhaps the first generation to en masse step over the threshold to work outside home. I'll set aside the single women who, when they are not depending on their fathers, have held complete decision-control of their lives.

The married ones - although we have scaled new heights, and learned such terms as job-satisfaction, breaking the glass ceiling etc. - are also weaned on the stuff that our mothers have unknowingly introjected with their lives - financial (legal etc) decisions are made by the man of the house.

We don't question it or accept it completely and therein lies our discontent. Making one's own financial decisions is pretty much like wearing the pants in the household, aka being the man. So much power would surely make us aggressive and unfeminine. Moreover, what would we comprehend about all those numbers and legalese? That's my mum and her mum and her mum talking. Actually, my mum would never be caught dead saying it, but it's the way I think she lives her very content life. 

That's her way, but it doesn't need to be mine.

As I pry loose the fingers of that introject, it has left its marks on me. That will gradually heal. But I know it now for what it is - many mothers collectively (and unwittingly) making that introject a societal norm just because they didn't know better.

My eyes are now open to the fact that power and feminity can go hand-in-hand without trappings like pants, aggression etc. Let's not even go into the skill set required to assimilate, wield power and (ahem) handle male subordinates.

Take a good look around.
- First woman president of India - Pratibha Patil
- First woman speaker of India - Mira Kumar
- President of the Congress Party - Sonia Gandhi
- Youngest Indian MP - Agatha Sangma
- Managing Director and CEO of ICICI - Chanda Kochhar
- CEO of HSBC India - Naina Lal Kidwai
And many many more, in sectors that our mothers considered the male dominion.

Why do you think Shakti is such a potent force in mythology and religion?

Sure, I'm tempted to just allow others to take the decisions for me. But that also arouses feelings of discontent for not being my own person. It does take more effort on my part to learn the jargon and concepts, but let me assure you, it's easy once you get the hang of it. And yes, it does help to have a chartered accountant who can explain things to you simply. Most of all, we women are blessed with two very undermined qualities - commonsense and intuition.

I feel as gratified when my 'risk-averse' financial decision is ultimately proven 'wise' as when I shed copious tears as I fall in love all over again when I watch my favourite romantic comedy.

I am all woman.

And to answer the question, Shakti did just fine in a saree!

Endhiran

How does one put a spoiler alert for a movie whose awe-factor is not plot driven, but technical? 

Let's just say that if either Rajinikanth or Shankar were not part of this movie, it would fall flat. For a Shankar film, there is a moderate overpresence of the Rajini factor that makes the plot a little less intricate than Shankar's earlier offerings like Gentleman, Mudhalvan and Anniyan. Having said that, for a Rajinikanth film, there is more of the director and less of punch dialogues, the hero intro song and heroic flourishes.

In Endhiran, Shankar turns the concept of protagonist and antagonist on its head.  I'm sure it has been done before, but in India, we feel cheated if we aren't subconsciously cued to who the protagonist is right from the beginning. Shankar does this very cleverly in Endhiran.

Dr. Vasigaran (Rajinikanth) is oblivious to the world and his girlfriend, Sana (Aishwarya Rai Bachhan), as he painstakingly creates a humanoid robot that looks like him. It's an act that screams 'god creating man in his image' and comes up as a statement many times over during the movie. 

The robot, called Chitti (Rajinikanth again) is devoid of shades of grey - he only follows the rule book of black or white. Chitti is a robotic wonder as he dances, cooks, cleans, and 'reads' tomes in a matter of seconds. Sana is quick to tap his capabilities and Chitti is put to the test when he has to rescue her even when his battery is low.

Vasigaran's mentor, Vohra (Danny Denzongpa) sets out to steal Chitti's neural schema. He is also part of the panel approving Vasi's project for the armed forces, and he proves that Chitti is a dangerous machine who cannot discern good or evil, friend or foe. When this fact reinforces itself in an unfortunate incident, Vasi goes back to the drawing board and imbues Chitti with the ability to feel human emotion. 

Vasi is jubilant with the results, but Vohra warns him of the perils of having a robot with feelings - Chitti falls in love with Sana.When Chitti goes all out to win Sana, Vasi decides to stop Chitti. At this point, if you still thought Vasi was the protagonist, you will be faced with mixed feelings as  the creator turns destroyer  chillingly hacking up his creation. 

Life goes on for Vasi and Sana. Chitti's mutilated parts are found by Vohra and with the last vestiges of battery power, Chitti pleads for life. Vohra recreates the robot but introduces a new look and a red chip - a destructive nuance that Chitti Version 1.0 lacked. Chitti 2 goes berserk, abducting Sana and creating an impregnable fortress guarded by his humanoid robot clones.

At this point, if you thought Vohra is the antagonist, Shankar again turns the tables on you when Vohra is found dead, killed by Chitti 2. This is where we realise that the protagonist and the antagonist are two versions of the same character - Chitti. In retrospect, I now realise that Chitti (not Vasi) had a version of the 'Rajinikanth intro' song that is a staple in all his movies.

It is now up to Vasi to rescue Sana and destroy his creation. Chitti 2 proves to be nearly impossible to kill. After the ear-numbing climax Vasi finally removes the red chip and reverses Chitti back to his earlier version. In the end, Chitti spouts the essence of the movie - unlike his robot self who can be righted with the simple removal of the red chip, humans cannot remove the evil that exists in them so easily.

This is a Rajinikanth fest for his fans. I watched Endhiran at Aurora in Matunga, Mumbai - a single-screen cinema that will soon go the multiplex way. There's no describing the fervour and frenzy at a single-screen, especially when you have to exit the theatre from between the legs of a gigantic Rajinikanth in his robotic serial-lit avatar.

What Works

- First, full marks for the characterisations. You quickly bridge Rajinikanth's off-screen persona and on-screen scientist one with a moderately unkempt Vasigaran. Then, the differentiation between the human Vasi and the robot Chitti 1. And finally, the differentiation between tho two robots - Chitti 1 and 2.

- Rajinikanth must have had a blast playing Chitti and Chitti 2. Chitti 2 evoked the most whistles from the audience. He is portrayed as unstoppable, diabolic, funny and hopelessly in love with Sana. He had the best lines and the most sinister gravelly laugh. He has a streak of grey, signifying perhaps, a robot who is now wiser to the ways of the humans after being let down by his creator?

- Technically, this movie is impeccable. The Special effects are spectacular- try figuring out how they did the snake thing in the end. Also, having two characters played by the same actor, sharing a scene is so passe. Here, there are hundreds of Chittis moving about and doing different things.

- The Rajini factor - some of his old lines are recycled to good effect. There's even the Rajinikanth movie trademark guest appearance by a snake, albeit one of a spectacular kind.

- The Rajini stunts - those uber-cool things he does defying gravity and the speed of light - all are there, but performed by the robotic Chitti character. It makes it more believeable that Chitti would do those, not Vasi.

- One of the highpoints of Endhiran is the way sci-fi sits comfortably with Tamizh culture and lifestyle. Eg: Rangusky, the mosquito and Ayudha Poojai are tapped well. Also, the sequence where Chitti and Sana go to the kuppam to protest the loudspeaker is hilarious. An absolute fusion of genres, if one may call it that.

-There's even a fitting (intended?) dig at Kamal Haasan's fetish for multiple roles when Chitti creates many more in his image, a veritable army of Chittis. Maybe this movie should have been called Sahasravataram ;-)

Mixed Bag

- For those who found Ramayana references thanks to Aishwarya Rai Bachhan, the asura reference and the abduction, there is a mixed characterisation here - it works only if you can accept that loyal Hanuman fell in love with Sita, turned into a Ravana and abducted her.

- Aishwarya Rai Bachhan looks better than she has in a long time, but some looks in the title song were not very complimentary. She was cleverly used to draw in the audiences for the Hindi version and this seems to have worked. A younger heroine like Shriya may have looked out of place paired opposite the self assured Vasi. But with so much Rajinikanth, there's little place for a strong female character. Aishwarya is mature eye candy rather than female lead.

- A.R. Rahman's music - it doesn't work for me without the trivia associated with it. One too many songs but yes, BGM was fitting.

Pics courtesy film's official website - http://www.endhiran-the-film.com/

Post Script -  Just realised that at the end, Chitti signs off from the world with Vasigaran's trademark sign-off, 'dot' with the gesture. Is it to signify that with Chitti, a part of Vasigaran has also ended?

On Slate's article on Rajinikanth

This article is predominantly for Tamizh cinema lovers.

I'll be the first to humbly admit that I'm nowhere near as ardent a Rajini fan as Mrs. Laksmi, the 76 year old woman who watched Enthiran on the first day of release in Mumbai.

After reading the article in SLATE, I like the fact that the world is sitting up and taking notice.But I do get the impression that the writer is trying very hard to analyse a phenomenon without being swept away by it. I take offence to the careless description -"The second-highest-paid actor in Asia is a balding, middle-aged man with a paunch, hailing from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and sporting the kind of moustache that went out of style in 1986."

Balding? Man, he has balded, and flaunts it in real life, knowing the audience is intelligent enough to differentiate on-screen and off-screen persona. Read BARADWAJ RANGAN'S brilliant article on this.

Paunch - If I had to pick one well-preserved, fit looking (non iron pumping) actor in the Tamizh film industry among the many we have, it would be Rajini. What paunch? Was he thinking Rajini and looking at Alec Baldwin?

Moustache - Why 1986? What happened in that year that the moustache went out of style then? And where? In New York? In TN, it is very much in and the Vettaruva Meesai has also made a  thumping comeback  with Surya in Singam.

There's also a careless remark about Tamil cinema being the poorer cousin of Bollywood. I quote, "At 61 years old, Rajinikanth has made more than 150 movies in India, and he isn't even a proper Bollywood star. He works in the Tamil film industry, Bollywood's poorer Southern cousin, best-known for its ace cinematographers and gritty crime dramas." What is a proper Bollywood star? If it's the  very 'Peetre' Hrithik Roshan in the rather tangled Kites, I rest my case.

The 'poorer Southern cousin of Bollywood' just made one of the most expensive movies in Indian cinema while Bollywood is recycling plots from old Tamizh and Malayalam movies and Hollywood bosses are making wusses out of their superheroes.

Grady Hendrix needs to stop trying to analyse and simply absorb what happens here. Come, live in Tamizh Nadu for a few years, watch every release on its first day, see our TV serials, learn Gaana, maybe even date Paravai Muniyamma (IF she consents. "Date-a? Kattaiyile Poravane! Naan Un Paatti  Vayasu , da. Yennai yenna Cougar nenachittiya?).

Perhaps then, Grady will at least scratch the surface of trying to understand why the movie reels are taken to a temple first and then transported with due fanfare to the theatre, why cut-outs are anointed, why silver paper fragments fly from the front benches. And Grady will finally finally realise why 'with great power comes great responsibility' is dhrabai compared to 'naan oru dhadavai sonna nooru dhadavai sonna madhiri'.

Idhu eppadi irukku?


Pics from the official website of Endhiran. 

Thanjavur Dolls

In local parlance, there is a colourful usage of the term, Thanjavur Thalaiyatti Bommai (Thanjavur Head-Bobbing Dolls) – it is attributed in jest, when accusing someone of being a 'Yes Man', mutely bobbing the head in assent to the boss' ideas!

While Thanjavur Thalaiyatti Bommai is a generic term given to dolls made in Thanjavur, much confusion exists over which of the two prominent types is the real deal – the Dancing (bobblehead) Girl or the Tilting Doll.

The principle in a conventional bobblehead doll is that the head is linked to the base with a metal spring or a metal pivot. A tap on the head makes it bob.

The Dancing Girl is a variation of the bobblehead doll with not one, but three moving parts – the head, the chest and arms & the skirt-draped hips. Once assembled, barring the sturdy base composed of the doll's feet, the gentlest tap on the skirt can set the three parts in interlinked motion, thereby creating the effect of 'dancing'. There are other variations like a seated old couple where only the heads bob.

By the 'head bobbing' definition and its associated parlance, the Dancing Girl and the Old Couple should logically be regarded as Thanjavur Thalaiyatti Bommai.

But if you drop the word 'Thalaiyatti' (head bobbing), the Government of India's Geographic Indication (GI) Registry indicates a variation of tilting dolls as authentic Thanjavur Dolls.

A Tilting Doll moves on the principle of equilibrium. The doll is hollow but has a weighted curved base that makes the entire doll bob and upright itself without toppling over.These dolls were traditionally used to improve fine motor skills of toddlers learning to crawl and grasp objects.

Bhoopathy, an artisan who crafts various types of dolls in Thanjavur tells us how the Thanjavur Tilting Doll, also called Gundu Chatti Bommai (Round Pot Doll) or Raja Rani Bommai are made. “Plaster of Paris and paper pulp are mixed along with tuber gum in a dough-like consistency. This dough is pressed into moulds to make the front and back panels of the doll. Once dry, the panels are removed from the moulds and paper is stuck on them. Tuber gum is used to seal the front and back of the hollow doll as well as the seam that joins the clay-filled rounded base. Once this is dry, the doll is smoothed with sandpaper and coloured with oil paint.”

Bhoopathy clarifies the difference between the two types, “The Dancing Girl is a doll with a stable base primarily for display during say, the annual Navaratri Kolu (a tiered display of dolls in Tamil Nadu, akin to the Japanese Hinamatsuri festival). However, the conventional Thanjavur Doll is actually a set of Tilting Dolls that are childrens' toys.”

(An edited version appeared in Culturama's September 2010 Issue)

24 BY CITY – Chennai

Acclaimed as the Detroit of India, Chennai (formerly Madras) is a perfect blend of culture and technology, as heady as the filter coffee served here.

SEE

Wherever you stay in Chennai, you are never too far from one of the two main beaches. Wake up to a glorious day with a drive along one and end the day with a walk along the other.

MARINA BEACH

While the beach itself is one of the longest in the world, drive down this stretch to take in the beauty of the Indo-Saracenic, Italianate and even Byzantine style buildings. S. Muthiah's Madras Rediscovered is a handy historical guide to this fascinating city and its unique architecture. Among the chief sights are the University Buildings, the Senate House, Vivekananda House (also curiously called Ice House), the Queen Mary's college and the office of the Inspector General of Police. There are also memorials to political leaders and statues of prominent personalities dotting the revamped promenade. The Triumph of Labour bronze statue by Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhry is another prominent landmark. Swimming in the sea and sunbathing are prohibited at this beach. 

FORT ST.GEORGE

The State Legislature and Secratariat of Tamil Nadu are currently in the precincts of Fort St. George, built in 1680. There is a Fort Museum here and also the oldest Anglican Church in India, St. Mary's Church where many a wedding, including that of Lord Robert Clive, was solemnised.

GOVERNMENT MUSEUM

Located in Egmore, this museum houses an excellent bronze figures gallery. Marble structures from the famous Buddhist sites excavated in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, are located here. The campus also has a childrens' museum, The Connemara Public Library and the Museum Theatre - fine buildings that complement the imposing structure of the National Art Gallery section of the museum. More details on the exhibits here: http://www.chennaimuseum.org/  Open between 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Fridays and national holidays.

MYLAPORE

Life in Mylapore literally revolves around the Kapaleeswarar Temple. The four main streets adjoining the temple and the temple tank are a bustle of shops, people and animals. Stores selling silk sarees and jewellery; stalls hawking fresh flower offerings, vetiver bath scrubs, even vegetables; palmists, parrot astrologers and holy men – all reinforce the ambience of an ancient temple-centric locality.

SANTHOME CATHEDRAL

St. Thomas, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ is said to have been martyred at what is now the St. Thomas Mount, close to the Chennai airport. His remains are interred however, at the Santhome Cathedral. It is a belief among the devout that the sand from his tomb has curative properties and the Church provides a Relic Card that has a small amount of sand embedded in it. More details at http://www.santhomechurch.com

Step into the alley just adjacent to the Cathedral and you will find a smaller church that for years has weathered the roaring sea just beyond its stained glass window.

THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

The Society, with its chief aim as Universal Brotherhood without Distinction, has its International Headquarters at Adyar, created in 1882 by the founders, Madame Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott. The campus is open to walkers between 8.30 - 10 a.m.and 2 - 5 p.m. Scholars of Theosophy may contact them at http://www.ts-adyar.org/

ELLIOT'S BEACH

While this beach in Besant Nagar (also lovingly called Bessie's) does not boast of the grandeur of the Marina Beach, it does have a modest stretch of sand and highlights like the Ashtalakshmi Temple, the Vailankanni Church, the Schmidt Memorial and the broken bridge. Swimming in the sea and sunbathing are prohibited here. Do avoid unlist sections of the beach in the evenings. There are many restaurants near the beach serving fine Indian and International cuisine.

TAMILNADU TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

TTDC has a half-day sightseeing tour of Chennai commencing in the afternoons at 1.30 p.m. To foray out towards Mamallapuram, TTDC has a Hop On-Hop Off bus service that stops at various sights along the stretch including a heritage museum called Dakshina Chitra. Details here: http://www.tamilnadutourism.org

Specially themed tours are organised by local groups during the Music Season (December-January), Chennai Sangamam (January) and Madras Day celebrations (August).Check local listings.

EAT

Chennai boasts some specialty restaurants serving gourmet international cuisine. However, the two types of local food one must savour are Vegetarian Tiffin (like Idlis, Vadas and Dosas at outlets like Saravana Bhavan, Ratna Cafe and Vasantha Bhavan) and non-vegetarian Chettinad cuisine(like Chettinad-style rabbit, shark, chicken, mutton etc. in outlets like Anjappar, Karaikudi, and Ponnusamy). You will find a mix of these in a more upmarket ambience in the South Indian Restaurants part of the bigger hotels.

Chamiers (Chamiers Road), Amethyst (Gopalapuram) and The Madras Terrace House (Royapettah) are traditional bungalows enterprisingly converted to retail spaces hosting art exhibitions, performances, boutiques, bookstores and cafes. 

ENTERTAINMENT

While Chennai boasts of multiplexes and malls, the more traditional forms of entertainment are equally patronised.

Chennai is home to the Sabha culture – organisations devoted to the encouragement of the performing arts. During the December-January Music Season, every Sabha vies to host music and dance performances by noted and upcoming artistes. Music lovers are known to Sabha-hop during the season partaking of their meals in the various temporary dining halls set up at the different Sabhas.

During the festival of Pongal, around January every year, the public spaces in Chennai come alive with cultural performances for Chennai Sangamam. The event includes a food festival in addition to the scintillating music and dance performances by folk as well as contemporary artistes. Check local listings.

However, plays, music and dance performances do occur the rest of the year and are usually listed in local publications.

SHOP

Besides malls like Spencer Plaza, Citi Centre, Ampa Sky Walk Mall and the spanking new Express Avenue, Chennai boasts of a fantastic array of fabric and saree stores like Nalli, Kumaran, Sundari Silks and Pothys alongside jewellery marts like G.R. Thangamaligai, Prince, VBJ, KFJ, and Lalitha Jewellery making up the retail haven of T.Nagar. On the pavements outside these stores, you will find small stalls selling anything from strings of jasmine flowers to kitschy plastics and accessories.

There are boutiques like Anokhi and FabIndia with a range of apparel for the entire family. Pick up handicrafts from Tamil Nadu at stores like the government-run Poompuhar, Kalpa Druma and Victoria Technical Institute. 


(An edited version appeared in Culturama's October 2010 Issue)