tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204645992024-03-10T23:24:27.295-04:00Saritha Rao RayachotiWriting PortfolioSarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.comBlogger225125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-56182498880539371812015-02-06T23:47:00.000-05:002015-05-05T09:23:44.769-04:00Centre Stage - P.C. Ramakrishna<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">P.C. Ramakrishna, veteran theatre actor
and director, recounts to Saritha Rao Rayachoti some of the high points of his 50-year
association with English Theatre.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">If performing
Carnatic music professionally had been more remunerative, P.C. Ramakrishna
would perhaps be better known today for his prowess on the Mridangam. In the
1960s, faced with the choice of continuing to play the instrument or taking the
first steps towards a corporate career, Ramakrishna chose the latter. However,
what has remained unchanged over the last 50 years is his commitment to his true
calling - theatre. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Ramakrishna is
part of The Madras Players, the oldest running English theatre group in India,
that itself turns 60 in 2015. This span of time, we realise, parallels perhaps the
very growth of English Theatre in the country. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“Initially, The
Madras Players produced plays written by English, American, Russian and European
writers.” recounts Ramakrishna, “But since the 1970s, four Indian playwrights
emerged, who changed forever, the metier - Badal Sircar, Mohan Rakesh, Vijay
Tendulkar and Girish Karnad. We enacted their plays translated to English back
then, but today many of our plays are written in English, including from
Chennai, writers like Sabita Radhakrishna, Chetan Shan, Timeri Murari and
Shreekumar Varma.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Ramakrishna has
been an integral part of productions such as Land of the Free, Silence! The
Court is in Session, Rural Phantasy (based on Kalki’s Kanayazhiyin Kanavu),
Meghadootam, Dance Like A Man, Mangalam and more recently, Honour, which he
directed. He has played innumerable characters, from the titular role in his
first play, The Amazing Mr. Scuttleboom to his most recent enactment of Mr.
Whymper in the Peter Hall adaptation of Animal Farm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“In 1960 we had
50 to 60 people in the audience for English plays with Indian themes. Today we
have 3 shows running at full house. The audience’s expectations of a theatre
experience have also grown. Take for instance, our production of Mike Cullen’s Anna
Weiss in 2000.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The play on the
subject of False Memory Syndrome is about a therapist whose young patient, in
the midst of therapy, remembers being sexually molested by her father. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Ramakrishna recalls,
“The subject was very intense. We rehearsed on camera because the actors
playing the two women were not comfortable with onlookers. I found it traumatic
to work on this play and return home to two teenage daughters. At the end of
the performance, the audience stayed in their seats for almost 20 minutes, reluctant
to leave without an interaction on the subject. The therapist, Dr. Vijay
Nagaswami, who was part of the audience, spent some time answering the audience’s
questions.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Sivasankari’s
Karunai Kolai was conceived as an English play by Ramakrishna and rendered an
ending different from the original with the author’s permission. “Mercy is a
monologue I directed in 2005, about a couple who are very devoted to each other.
The play features the predicament of the husband, as his wife shows no signs of
recovering from coma following a mishap. I remember the audience opinion being clearly
divided on the ending. The men predominantly agreed with the husband’s point of
view, empathising with the guilt of the caregiver. But the women in the
audience believed that the ending was not fair to the character of the wife.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">He holds up ‘Water’
as an example of the writer’s keen observation of a social situation. “Komal
Swaminathan’s Tamil play, Thanneer Thanneer moved me immensely when I first saw
it. In 2012, we approached his daughter about producing it in English at
coincidentally the same time that the idea occurred to her. The brilliance of
Water is that the social situation and corruption depicted in it are as true of
today as they were when the play was first enacted in the Tamil original 32
years ago.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Ramakrishna
retired
from a corporate career in 1993 in order to devote more time to
theatre. That year, he also dabbled briefly in Tamil cinema, with roles
in movies like May Maadham and Mani Rathnam's Thiruda Thiruda. With his
accent-neutral diction and resonating voice, he is also a
much sought after voice-over professional for corporate films and
documentaries for clients such as BHEL and ISRO, with the latter's
videos about their launch vehicles and satellites carrying his
distinctive voice. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Ramakrishna
speaks of mike-friendliness, and the distinction between a singing voice and a
speaking voice, which brings us to the care he takes to keep his vice sounding
the way it does. “It works for me, but may not work for a singer. Speaking requires
short breaths and singers take long breaths - the discipline is different. I am
blessed with the DNA, but I do take care of my voice with some rudimentary
breathing exercises. I drink liquids at room temperature and avoid spicy foods.
I do not speak above the ambient noise level, at, say, a wedding. I also stay
silent when I can.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The last statement
catches us unawares. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Ramakrishna
elaborates, “Silence is an active state, and it is not at all about shutting
off. An hour of silence a day leaves the voice refreshed and the mind,
unclogged. This was, perhaps why the rishis of yore undertook mauna vratham.
Silence is indeed the greatest rejuvenator.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>(An edited version of this article was published in the January 2015 Issue of Harmony - Celebrate Age) </i></span></span></div>
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Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-74503161585345436922015-01-19T06:14:00.000-05:002015-05-05T09:24:19.075-04:00Restaurant Spy - Auroville Bakery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span class="il">Auroville</span>,
located 10 kms from Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu, is an international-universal
city where residents from nearly fifty countries live and work to realise the
vision of human unity as envisaged by philosopher-yogi Sri Aurobindo and his
spiritual collaborator, Mira Alfassa, known as The Mother. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">An indigo-blue wall-painted sign
in four languages indicates that we are at the <span class="il">Auroville</span> <span class="il">Bakery</span>. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Originally
located in Kottakarai, it </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">moved to
its current location in the Douceur Settlement in 1991. Since then the capacity
has been increased from baking 200 bread loaves a day to 600. The <span class="il">bakery</span> is an
extension of the ethos of the community and functions primarily for residents, so
it </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">does
not pander to the service standards that a casual visitor may expect. Nor does
it vie to fulfil one’s fantasies of melt-in-the-mouth confections from <span class="il">bakeries</span>
with tenuous links to France. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">However,
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">here’s what the <span class="il">Auroville</span> <span class="il">Bakery</span> has going for it -
wholesome, filling and - if I may use the word in a complimentary way -
‘rustic’ range of breads, savoury items and cakes. Catering to a large
international population, the <span class="il">bakery</span> has been, for years, making the kind of breads
that have since come to be known as ‘artisanal’. The items are vegetarian with
the exception of egg, but in 2011, the <span class="il">bakery</span> also began making vegan cakes. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">A sweeping design element of red
brick forms the backdrop for a cane shelf, wooden racks and glass-fronted
displays that hold the items for sale. There is no price list and few items are
labelled. Besides, there is no place to eat here near the display, with easy
access to second helpings. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">I carry an assortment
of baked items in their paper wrapper to the modest cafe in the backyard where
the resident cat sidles up, hoping to get fed. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">A larger cafe is scheduled to open soon with a menu that will include
breakfast, lunch, dinner. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">THE FOOD </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The breads come in varieties like
multigrain, ragi, corn, raisin and sourdough. They even have pumpernickel and
baguettes. One of the customers tells me that she usually picks up a loaf
of bread and freezes it. When required, she simply pops a slice directly from
the freezer into the toaster. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">I give the breads a miss, and
being too early for the first batch of cake, dive straight into a self-assembled
platter of </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">croissants. All the
varieties are, without exception fluffy and yield easily to the touch. They are
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">kneaded in an air-conditioned room where blocks of butter
are compressed to sheets to be better incorporated into the dough. The Cheese
Croissant has amazing depth of flavour from the grated cheese encrusted on the
outer folds. The filling seems too little for me, but then again, one can never
have enough of cheese in one’s croissant. I bring back a Chocolate Croissant
and reheat it to find that the hard bits of chocolate have melted to a lovely
gooey consistency spilling out of the encasing pastry. The apple croissant has
too little apple. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The only way to taste the Spinach
Pie is when it’s warm. Sadly, the <span class="il">bakery</span> does not reheat items. The filling is
moist without being eggy and the base is just firm. Since there is no cutlery
and I have to eat the pie off the wrapper, it’s a messy experience. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The disk-like RiniAmericans are more
biscuit than sweet pie. The blend of flavours - the sourness of the lemon curd icing
with the cinnamon - is a revelation. I especially liked the flavour best on the
thin outer edges that are slightly more browned than the middle. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The muffin is a hefty chunk and I
tear off bits and eat it all day, making it an endless treat. The crust tastes
nutty and the centre is dense and soft, with streaks of chocolate. After
tasting this wholesome version, I’m never going back to demure muffins in
frilled paper. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The vegan brownie is less moist
than a regular one, but it is crumbly and less sweet, making chocolate the dominant
flavour. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The <span class="il">bakery</span> also
retails peanut butter, cashew butter and jams in flavours like pineapple, grape
and apple, but these are sourced. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">WHAT TO DRINK: The cafe serves coffee
and tea dispensed from containers. We try a hibiscus flower beverage, also
called Power Syrup locally, which I find refreshing in the humidity. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">INSIDER TIP: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Items fly off the shelves even as
they are being stacked, so turn up for savoury bakes at 8 a.m., breads at 10.30
a.m. and cakes at noon. The optimum time is between 11 a.m. and noon. Also, the
items can be very filling and it makes sense to take away some for later. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">BESTSELLERS</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Undoubtedly, the
croissants. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">DETAILS</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span class="il">Auroville</span> <span class="il">Bakery</span>, Douceur,
<span class="il">Auroville</span> – 606101. Ph : 0413 2622159</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Timings - 6.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Mon – Sat.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Pies and Croissants from Rs. 30,
Riniamericans – Rs. 25, Muffins – Rs. 20, Hibiscus Juice – Rs. 25. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Ratings</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">QUALITY 8/10</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">CHOICE (How many varieties are
there on the menu?) 7/10*</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">ATMOSPHERE 6/10</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">VALUE 8/10</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: 115%;">*depends
on time of day</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: 115%;"><i>(An edited version of this article was published in the December 2014 Issue of Good Food Magazine India)</i> </span></span></div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-38100983668637595022014-09-09T02:00:00.001-04:002015-05-05T09:23:49.494-04:00The Name of the Game<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTSvv6hEmCC-73h_53LQltEiojU7DdYXTIEh6xX6kJ3E9z0okoNJeLPZaCsmN1WISSZbTEanlv17Q48sWzaIis59Ly6NNHvGjGV7ve2y9ygmPxGpPLekHMDeD7J7K_4B6TsS7/s1600/Chondamma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTSvv6hEmCC-73h_53LQltEiojU7DdYXTIEh6xX6kJ3E9z0okoNJeLPZaCsmN1WISSZbTEanlv17Q48sWzaIis59Ly6NNHvGjGV7ve2y9ygmPxGpPLekHMDeD7J7K_4B6TsS7/s1600/Chondamma.jpg" height="297" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Early
this year, when Sujatha Muthanna attended a social gathering in Mysore,
little did she realise that she would be one among many who would go
home that evening with an improved vocabulary and a finer understanding
of Kodava Takk, the spoken language of the Kodava community.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bestowed
with the sobriquet, The Scotland of India, Kodagu or Coorg as it is
commonly called, is a land blessed with lush forests, fertile soil, an
abundant monsoon season and bountiful produce in the form of coffee,
cardamom, pepper and many varieties of fruits. This is the land of clans
and warriors with numerous Kodavas having served in the armed forces,
including Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and General K.S. Thimmayya. The
Kodavas are renowned for their valour, respect for tradition and elders,
a love for the outdoors and a deep emotional bond with their land.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Today,
a major cause for concern within the community is the population
figures of Kodavas both resident in Kodagu and outside. The number
varies depending on the source and year of survey, but hovers at
approximately one hundred thousand. There is also a marked departure
from agriculture as a main occupation and migration from Kodagu to other
cities and countries in search of better infrastructure and
opportunities. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kodava
Takk, the language spoken by the community does not have a script, and
many of the stories and songs in the language have been passed down
orally. The Kannada language is used as a script even though this poses a
challenge in conveying some sounds and expressions that are unique to
Kodava Takk. Also, English words have crept into everyday vocabulary
and the usage of the mother-tongue is gradually diminishing.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Many
attempts have been made at an individual level by members of the Kodava
community to help preserve the culture of their forefathers. One such
member is seventy year old Achandira Chondamma Uthappa, based in
Bangalore. Chondamma creates the crossword puzzle that appears in the
community’s weekly newspaper, Brahmagiri, but a more interesting fact is
that she has created an ingenious way to kindle interest in Kodava
Takk. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“While
those who live in Kodagu use Kodava Takk extensively, the city-dwellers
from the community have forgotten many of these words that are unique
to our language and tradition.” says Chondamma. “Those who have settled
in the cities mainly speak English and the local language of that
region. They visit Kodagu occasionally, and except in social gatherings,
they do not get the opportunity to speak our language. Moreover, their
children grow up not knowing the mother-tongue. This is when I realised
that we can promote the language through simple games and Tambola.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In
2012, Chondamma set about creating the Kodava Takk Tambola as a
variation of the popular party game, Tambola or Housie-Housie. She hoped
that even as people enjoyed playing a familiar party game, Kodava Takk
words would get introduced into their everyday vocabulary. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
conventional game of Tambola or Housie-Housie is extremely popular in
gatherings at clubs and social associations in India including the
Kodava Sangha that Chondamma is a member of. It is similar to the
American game of Bingo, itself derived from the Italian lottery Lo
Giuoco del Lotto d'Italia. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
rules of Tambola are simple. This is a game of chance, and the only
skill required is that of ticking off numbers on a ticket as they are
being called out by the game host. Each ticket has fifteen unique
numbers ranging anywhere from one to ninety. There is usually no cap on
the number of tickets a person can play and no limit to the number of
people who can play the game. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">From
a bag of numbered coins, the game host pulls out a random number and
announces it, placing the coin on the corresponding place on a Tambola
board. Those with tickets that have the number strike it off and the
objective is to strike out as many called numbers as possible. There are
prizes for completing specific sections, for instance, Jaldi Five is
the first ticket that strikes out any five called numbers on a single
ticket and there are prizes for the first ticket/s to complete each row.
The grand prize goes to the first ticket to strike out all fifteen
digits. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
Kodava Takk Tambola is only a minor variation on the conventional
Tambola - the numbered board and coins remain the same, but the tickets
are different. On the ticket, there are fifteen cells with unique
numbers printed on them. The variation is that each numbered cell also
contains a word from the Kodava language. So, each ticket essentially
has fifteen kodava words on it. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For
each session, the host can decided whether to call out the number as in
the conventional game or choose to call out the Kodava word. For
instance, the word corresponding to the number 2 is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">‘ibbiny’</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> which is the word for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">‘manji’</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
or ‘mist’. Those who are unfamiliar with the language, can still play
the game based on the numbers being called out, thereby making the
vocabulary an interesting byproduct of playing the game. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In
the first section of her published book of tickets, along with
instructions to play, Chondamma provides the list of numbers with the
corresponding Kodava word, usually three- or four-lettered, that are not
in regular use. She also provides useful cues about some words and the
host can use these or create new points of discussion for each word or
concept. For instance, the word corresponding to 38 is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">‘kalakupya’</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
which is the name for a traditional jacket or blouse. The game host, in
this case, could go into details of the traditional attire of the
community.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Initially,
Chondamma prepared a handwritten set of fifty tickets which were
introduced at a social gathering within the Kodava community. Based on
its success, the feedback and the appreciation she received, she
published ticket books with one hundred tickets each. She has since
distributed ticket books across associations in the city of Bangalore as
well as in Mysore, where Sujatha Muthanna came across the game. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The
most striking aspect about Kodava Takk Tambola is that it is a form of
experiential learning.” says Sujatha, “When a number or word is called
out by the host, there is a brief conversation about the word and the
concept it may represent. The host is, in this case, not merely an
organiser of the game who reads out the word, but is also a sort of
facilitator for learning the vocabulary. At the session I attended, the
conversations that this game sparked off were so rich with detail and
filled with anecdotes narrated by the elders and the host, that we were
all clamouring for more rounds of the game.” </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
possibility of using the Kodava Takk Tambola for language-learning is
immense since a large group of people with one ticket each can
effectively add a minimum of fifteen words to their vocabulary in the
duration of one game session. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chondamma
hopes that the community will play Kodava Takk Tambola in many of its
social gatherings and provide her feedback. She also believes that this
game will benefit families, where under the pretext of playing a game,
children can very quickly be taught words and traditional concepts that
they may not be familiar with but which link them to the land, language
and the cultural identity of their forefathers.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>An edited version of this article appeared in the September 2014 issue of Harmony India's online edition. Pic courtesy Harmony India (Prasad Durga)</i>.</span></div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-84247354475749315492014-07-05T01:24:00.001-04:002014-07-05T01:24:13.942-04:00Uncoding Kodi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFtIRa4Et5n7fEF6yF1TZeUluCXqda3Z2X1Bp48k-Tag_wvoHhudvX1YYyzNqbMonJc91QJSeyEs5deqGJzhPbBmQmI2921MQWBgPmTrxodtnHjEWU4aa3wg2kKaQtTS8jr_8/s1600/Kodaikanal+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFtIRa4Et5n7fEF6yF1TZeUluCXqda3Z2X1Bp48k-Tag_wvoHhudvX1YYyzNqbMonJc91QJSeyEs5deqGJzhPbBmQmI2921MQWBgPmTrxodtnHjEWU4aa3wg2kKaQtTS8jr_8/s1600/Kodaikanal+Collage.jpg" height="245" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
have fond memories of an earlier time, when school excursions from
Madurai were invariably to Kodaikanal, where friendships were forged
over smuggled cigarettes and teen romances kindled on post-dinner walks.
I have grown up since, and so has Kodaikanal, which now aspires to
upgrade from ‘Princess of Hill Stations’ to ‘Queen’.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
Lately, although I steer clear of tourist attractions like Chettiar
Park, Bryant Park, Coaker’s Walk and Pillar Rocks, I absently revert to
calling this beloved hill station by its touristy nickname, Kodi. </span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
can’t help notice how some things remain the same and some have
changed. The man-made lake, a brain child of Vere Henry Levinge,
continues to be the tourist hub, with bicycles and horses for hire, and
street-food indulgences of steamed peanuts and roasted corn-on-the-cob
seasoned with lime, fiery chilli powder and salt. The next generation of
cherubic toddlers of Tibetan origin cling to their mothers’ chubas in
shops selling woollens. The fruit stalls near the Bus Stand continue to
sell plums that are always too ripe to behold and too sour to devour.
The homemade chocolates industry has grown by leaps and bounds and the
Cheese Factory is renowned for its cheddar. Suicide Point has long since
shed its besmirched reputation and now goes by the real-estate-friendly
name of Green Valley View. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Unlike
Ooty which has long since been ravaged by tourism, I hoped Kodi would
remain pristine. But I also itch to do something different, delve to
find a deeper personal connection to the place. This is where a nature
guide like Kumar comes in. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kumar
leads treks and nature walks in and around Kodaikanal and staunchly
follows the adage, ‘Take only pictures, leave only footprints’. He also
believes that the Forest Department is justified in keeping some lush
parts of the forest, particularly the area around Berijam Lake, off
limits for tourist invaders. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Over
the years, Kumar has added numerous words and phrases to our nature
vocabulary - Hipericum, yellow raspberry, wild passion fruit, wild
lemon, blue gum, acacia bark and numerous kinds of lichen. We learned
from him that the ‘idli-flower’, with its flower-head that looks like
the South Indian steamed rice-cake, is hydrangea that grows blue in
these parts because of the high iron content in the soil. Thankfully,
Kumar steers clear of mentioning the famed blue Kurinji, whose blooming
once in 12 years in these hills I have been unfortunate to miss thrice
over.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On
one of Kumar’s treks, we met two tireless German farmers who walked on
ahead discussing botanical names of the trees that they passed, while we
wheezed weakly to catch up with them. Another time, we trudged up a
hill to a little house that hugged the side of a steep hillside where we
met someone who was presumed to be skilled at crafting moccasins the
Native American way. I had my Pied Piper moment when we walked through a
village handing out many kilos of ripe plums to the children of the
village who pursued us till we ran out of fruit.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is the other, less touristy side to Kodi that I have the privilege of experiencing, one that compels me to return. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This
morning, we are blessed with glorious weather on a half-day nature walk
with Kumar and a few other trekkers. The sun is only now beginning to
slant into the Sholas, shooting slivers of light through the dense
foliage that is still dripping moisture from last night’s rain. I inhale
the wet, lush, earthy aroma and try to memorise the smell of this
morning so I can summon it to mind in the throes of rush hour in the
city. The others in our group have moved ahead but I decide to take it
slow, attempting to capture some of the experience in futile megapixels.
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
feel something brush against the side of my leg, and jump back to let
Shiva bound ahead of us. He is impatient for the opportunity to play
‘fetch’ and frequently jumps into ponds to retrieve sticks, liberally
drenching us in the process. Ever since as a child I was chased by a
ferocious dog, I have always been nervous even around an even-tempered
Labrador like Shiva. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
admire the sight of a bunch of worms that walk in a weird manner on the
shaded path. I crouch to get a good angle to capture the mid-air wiggle
that these worms make. Kumar usually sets his pace by those in the
group who lag behind and I’m not surprised to find him standing nearby,
observing me. But I am focussed on capturing for digital posterity, this
mysterious type of worm that uses both ends of its body to maneuver its
way. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“If I were you,” says Kumar in a hushed voice, “I would be very still.”</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In
these parts, it is not uncommon to come across a Gaur, an Indian Bison
that is indigenous to the region. I remember seeing one on a previous
trek, a majestic beast with large horns, a muscular back and legs
seemingly clad in white-socks. It stared us down with unfathomable eyes
for an unnerving duration of time. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I whisper, “Is it a Gaur? Is it behind us?” </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“No, but you are inches away from photographing a leech.”</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
stand up in a rush, stomping my feet and brushing away hundreds of
imaginary leeches that could catapult me into a low-budget ‘forest
adventure-gone-wrong’ movie. In my haste, I’ve dropped my camera and
hesitate to reach for it, as I look frantically for a sunny patch in
which to examine my shoes.To my alarm, the leeches are all over the
shaded sections, and for the rest of the morning, we stop occasionally
to dislodge them from our shoes and socks.The others walk on,
unperturbed, using their bare fingers to pick leeches off their ankles. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We
walk along gurgling streams and sun-drenched grasslands, but the
morning is ruined for me. I fear that unspeakable horrors might be
hovering over our heads, and in this case, it was indeed right under
under my nose. This wasn’t the discovery I had in mind and I now have a
compulsive need to check my footwear for imaginary blood-engorged worms
that I’m anyway not supposed to feel. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On
completing the walk, we pile into the back of a pickup truck. Kumar and
the rest of the group sit among chatty village folk who take to Shiva
rather effortlessly. I give him a wide berth and shrink against the side
of the truck, examining my socks yet again, silently cursing them all
for being nonchalant about leeches.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Near
the town centre, we alight from the pickup truck and walk along steep
paths that have not seen tar in decades. Kumar leads us through an upper
road that overlooks the site of ‘The Church Under The Hill’, the first
church to be erected here in 1858, with a roof that some claim, was made
entirely of biscuit tins. All that remains is a granite pillar marking
the spot, and a cemetery around it. In all the years I have visited
Kodi, the engraved history on those old tombstones have been kept out of
bounds for us by ferocious hounds that seem to be the guardians of the
cemetery. Shiva seems very mild in comparison and I decide, quite on a
whim, to befriend him. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We
finally stop at a cafe for refreshments, and I ask to hold Shiva’s
leash. I have no idea what to do and I sit on a bench awaiting the
coffee and chocolate brownie I have ordered. Shiva sits on his haunches
regarding me. He finally decides to take charge and walks up to me. I
look into his eyes and stroke his forehead. His tail wags joyfully and I
am emboldened to stroke his back. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In that moment I make two discoveries. I have a mortal fear of leeches, and I am a little less afraid of Labradors. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">GETTING THERE - </span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kodaikanal
is a hill station in the Palani Hills, about 500 km from Chennai. The
nearest airport is Madurai (120 km) or Trichy (150 km). The nearest
railway station is Kodaikanal Road (80 kms).</span></span></span><br />
</div>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">LEECH THERAPY</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dhanvantari,
who is the Hindu god of medicine, is usually depicted holding in his
four hands, auspicious symbols such as nectar, conch, disc and a leech.
One of the forms of Ayurvedic therapy for conditions like varicose veins
and eczema is Jalauka Vacharana that makes use of leeches for
treatment. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BLUE KURINJI FLOWER</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Strobilanthes Kunthiana blooms every 12 years in the Nilgiris and Palani Hills. The next blooming is presumed to be in 2018.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">GAUR, THE INDIAN BISON</span></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
Gaur is one of the largest living land animals in South East Asia. In
India, it is found predominantly in and near the Western Ghats. With a
body length that can go up to 11 feet, Gaurs can easily weigh a ton.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
</span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Pics
by author </i></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>An
edited version of this article was published in the June 2014
issue of Culturama.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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</div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-75019903081116292972014-05-03T00:08:00.000-04:002014-05-05T03:09:10.862-04:00Wood-Fired at the Piazza<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2Utv0F24X0j-4LL8-apZG-rwqUoRqV5lWvLg6WEZju3uA_13yylqUGpMPGiLejzIiBa5hTUkTGMMEd25oBn4AhDjiVcHftsLE2uyTKYBf106KQaqfkRjsjE5WP8ztAOUarF8/s1600/Firenze+Collage+-+dusk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2Utv0F24X0j-4LL8-apZG-rwqUoRqV5lWvLg6WEZju3uA_13yylqUGpMPGiLejzIiBa5hTUkTGMMEd25oBn4AhDjiVcHftsLE2uyTKYBf106KQaqfkRjsjE5WP8ztAOUarF8/s1600/Firenze+Collage+-+dusk.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On our last evening in Firenze, we race across the Ponte Santa Trinita before the take-away pizza goes cold and the white wine goes warm. We rush past touristy eateries with menus in English, street performances too zippy for our taste and finally reach the Piazza della Signoria where the sketch artists are packing up for the day. We settle on the steps of the Loggia dei Lanzi and listen to the street musician playing his guitar for those of us still too aroused by the splendour of the city to call it a night. This would be a good way to die - with food, wine and music, surrounded by Renaissance sculpture at a Piazza I have come to love.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Firenze is a giant museum in the guise of a city. While the dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is breathtaking in its enormity and detail, and Michelangelo’s David and his Slaves series look like marble come to life, every chance I get, I return to this Piazza that throbs with the formidable presence of the Medicis, the patrons of the Renaissance. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">From the Loggia Dei Lanzi, I get a fantastic view of the piazza with its souvenir shops, al fresco restaurants and gelaterias. Take these out of the picture and the Piazza seems pretty much as it was in the days of the Renaissance. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Loggia dei Lanzi is a hall open on three sides, whose graceful arches and trefoils are barely noticed in the presence of sculpture as engaging as Benvenuto Cellini’s bronze, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Perseus with the head of Medusa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Pio Fedi’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rape of Polyxena </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and Giambologna’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rape of the Sabine Women </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hercules beating the Centaur Nessus</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Both the Piazza (square) and the adjoining Palazzo (palace) are named after the Signoria or Priori of nine members who formed the governing council during the Medieval and early Renaissance Period. The statues of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hercules and Cacus</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and a replica of Michelangelo Buonarroti's </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">David</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> flank the entrance to the palace. The original stood at this very spot until 1873 when it was moved to the Galleria dell’Accademia, a mere kilometre away. But this replica is just as riveting and costs nothing to behold.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Originally used as a town hall, the Palazzo Signoria went on to become a palace for the Medicis during the time of Cosimo I. The task of converting it into a palace befitting the ambitions of the Medicis fell to the talented Giorgio Vasari. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With a little advance planning, The Secret Passages tour is a better way to see the palace, particularly to understand the threats that necessitated private hiding places and passages for a quick escape, and for an ‘above-the-scenes’ look at how Vasari went about restructuring the thirty nine-panelled ceiling of the magnificent Salone dei Cinquecento. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With the same entry pass, you can also access other parts of the palace like the modest private chamber of Cosimo I’s wife, Eleanora of Toledo, the Room of Maps and The Old Chancellery that was at one point, Niccolo Machiavelli’s office. It is presumed that at Eleonora’s urging, the family moved across the River Arno to the Palazzo Pitti in 1550. Palazzo della Signoria soon came to be known as the Palazzo Vecchio or ‘old palace’. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A little to my right, stands the Uffizi (offices wing), that brought the region’s administration under one roof, also during the time of Cosimo I. Today, the rooms leading off the corridor showcase a staggering collection of art and sculpture including Botticelli's </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Primavera</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Birth of Venus</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Raphael’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Madonna of the Goldfinch</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Caravaggio’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bacchus</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Titian’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Venus of Urbino, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Michelangelo’s</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Doni Tondo</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and Leonardo Da Vinci’s</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The Annunciation</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">An interesting story that I came across at the Uffizi was that of the Carmelite monk Filippo Lippi whose paintings, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Madonna and Child</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Coronation of the Virgin</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> were modelled on a nun called Lucrezia Buti. Filippo is said to have fathered Lucrezia’s son, Filippino Lippi, also an artist, whose paintings are on display at the Uffizi. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We walk towards the middle of the Piazza in search of a gelateria that is still open, passing Ammannati’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fontana del Nettuno</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, a marble fountain glorifying Neptune on a chariot of rearing sea-horses. Not far from it, stands Giambologna's elegant bronze of Cosimo I on horseback. It wouldn’t come as a surprise to find that Neptune’s well-built frame with rippling muscles was perhaps originally modelled after Cosimo I. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With the Piazza nearly empty, we reluctantly begin to retrace our steps to the B<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>&</i></span>B when we come across a plaque underfoot with a familiar name. The phrase ‘Bonfire of the Vanities’ came about when the followers of the monk, Girolamo Savonarola burned objects that were presumed to lead one to sin, including musical instruments, art and books considered too immoral for the time. Savonarola himself was hung and then burned at the stake and this plaque marked the spot where the monk met a grisly wood-fired end.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The consumed pizza from earlier does a little flip inside me. There were worse ways to die in this Piazza. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>And edited version of this article was published in the May 3, 2014 edition of The Hindu Melange. A link to the article is <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/travel/florence-worth-every-cent/article5969863.ece" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></span></div>
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Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-56334556135461528492014-04-29T23:43:00.000-04:002014-04-30T07:46:14.910-04:00Butter Tea and Conversation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_TCu5tUz-UsXuKzZ0_hr8SbWrYuhr_V_xmmgjA53yRe9Ap1D3OIiv1-okgubLg4FDSJM1MNyYo_xFBj9gDeiHqPthvPOBPYOdq_ZweDyM0_R1gFAY_tEo-Zzaa3O5T4VFCVh/s1600/Bylakuppe+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_TCu5tUz-UsXuKzZ0_hr8SbWrYuhr_V_xmmgjA53yRe9Ap1D3OIiv1-okgubLg4FDSJM1MNyYo_xFBj9gDeiHqPthvPOBPYOdq_ZweDyM0_R1gFAY_tEo-Zzaa3O5T4VFCVh/s1600/Bylakuppe+Collage.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It
must be a cunning curse from Hermes, the Greek god of travel. I always
seem to leave something unfinished on my holiday itinerary. At one
level, it irks my Type A personality to have anything left unticked on a
list. At another level, I am told by well meaning travel partners, that
this gives me reason to return. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
last time we visited the Bylakuppe Tibetan Settlement in the early 2000s,
it was a journey spurred by the whimsical idea of getting a glimpse of
Tibetan life a short drive away from Mysore, Karnataka. The idea was so
whimsical that we forgot to carry a camera.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bylakuppe
was supposedly halfway to Madikeri, Coorg. We estimated it to be an
easy afternoon drive, with a couple of hours for sauntering around at
the Settlement and back home for an early dinner. However, the distance
to Bylakuppe proved to be about at least twenty kilometres more than we
had estimated and the additional distance meant that we had less time to
saunter before sundown.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
remember tall trees flanking the highway, resplendent with Tibetan
prayer flags, leading up to the turn-off to Bylakuppe Tibetan
Settlement, the Golden Temple at the Namdroling Monastery. But back
then, all we had time for was the Golden Temple, where we gazed in awe
at the giant statues and resplendent paintings on the walls. I regretted
not having enough time for a proper exploration of the place and to
indulge in my fantasy of perhaps nursing a cup of hot butter tea as the
Tibetan who runs the eatery narrates inspiring tales about how the early
settlers converted this arid expanse to arable land.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s
been nearly fifteen years and Bylakuppe is firmly on the agenda this
time, albeit en route to Madikeri. We have Google Maps, we have web
resources to guide us and we pass signages until Hunsur. We even have a
camera. More importantly, we have a plan to spend a couple of hours on
focussed sauntering, drinking in culture and hot butter tea in equal
measure.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Before
we know it, we’ve missed the turn-off. However, the highway seems
bereft of tall trees and I search for the Tibetan prayer flags that
heralded the way the previous time. We backtrack and choose a road that
looks unfamiliar but promising, thanks to the profusion of Tibetans in
the vicinity. I cross my fingers and hope this is indeed the right road.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
remember the sense of incongruity from my previous trip. We pass
Tibetan Buddhist monks riding bikes, spilling out of share-autos and
buying supplies at small shops whose names are written not in the
angular flourish of the Tibetan script, but in curving Kannada
lettering!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
road winds through small clusters of houses and intermittently, open
land where there is little shade, when we suddenly spot bursts of bright
colours, fluttering happily in the breeze. Belated, but welcome
confirmation all the same. The prayer flags transform the surrounding
landscape into a sacred kaleidoscope of colour. We even spot a unit en
route that prints them, and make a mental note to check it out on the
way back. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We
follow the signs, some printed, some handwritten and finally arrive at
our destination, the Golden Temple. While India is home to several
Tibetan settlements, the first to be set up was the Lugsung Samdupling
Settlement at Bylakuppe, Karnataka in 1960. According to the Central
Tibetan Relief Committee, it is also one of the largest settlements in
India, spread across 3210 acres. A second settlement in Bylakuppe came
up in 1969, called Dickyi Larsoe and it is spread across 2000 acres.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
Logsum Samdupling settlement itself has five monasteries, and we make
our way towards the Namdroling Nyingmapa Monastery that houses the
Golden Temple. Walking into the precincts of the Namdroling Monastery
through its ornate archway, we cross the neatly maintained yard and
buildings with multicolour trims and then take the path to the prayer
halls, passing through the courtyard garden with the occasional turkey
scurrying about on the grass. The monks’ quarters are clustered around
this garden and every doorway is decorated with auspicious festoons and
doorway curtains in bright fabric. The monks, draped in maroon and ochre
robes, hurry towards the prayer halls, where they are seated in neat
rows, their droning voices dipping and rising, with the steady beat of
an accompanying drum. It is rousing and calming at once. It sounds as
though a thousand bees have congregated under one roof, droning in
unison.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
Golden Temple is less gold and more colour. It looks taller than the
last time I was here and I realise it has acquired an ornate wheel-like
frame that forms a backdrop. The exterior has handpainted frescoes on
the outer walls and statues on each storey of the vihara and on the
wheel backdrop. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Khatas</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> or auspicious white scarfs, symbolising offerings of goodwill are tied on the large red doors to the temple.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Inside,
three large statues dominate one end of the hall – the 60 ft Buddha
Shakyamuni and the slightly smaller statues of Guru Padmasambhava and
Buddha Amitayus. The structures hold holy relics and are made of copper,
plated with gold. The walls behind the statues and all around the hall
bear testimony to the painting traditions of Tantric Buddhism, replete
with paintings of teachers, scholars and disciples of the Buddhas and
numerous gods and goddesses, some smiling benevolently while others
wrathfully bare their fangs.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At the canteen, the absence of butter tea doesn’t augur well. The canteen does, however, have </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">momos </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(steamed dumplings) and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">thukpa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (noodle broth) and we try to get the lady behind the counter to talk. She looks to be about thirty five and wears a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pangden</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> apron over her </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">chuba</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
(robe), that traditionally suggests that she is a married woman. She
says that she was born here, which explains her effortless instructions
in the Kannada language to the young boy working in the canteen. But she
doesn’t talk much, only stopping to point out the portrait of Penor
Rinpoche, who established the monastery in 1963. We valiantly try to
finish the bowl of bland Thukpa without dribbling it over
our chins and struggle through steamed momos stuffed with what I’m
convinced is surely a local adaptation with the Kannadiga penchant for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">soppu</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (greens) and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">alugadde</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (potato).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We
must be on our way, onward to Madikeri, but I have a vague sense of
dissatisfaction as though I haven’t seen enough. Just as we’re winding
our way towards the highway, we remember the Tibetan flags. I finally
get my chance to learn more about the Tibetans in Bylakuppe when I meet
Jampagelek who runs the Bhodjong Prayer Flag Printing Centre. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Tibetans
regard prayer flags as sacred.”, he says “It is believed that the
prayers they hold are carried by the wind to benefit all humanity.
Prayer flags are hung auspiciously on the first 14 days of the lunar
cycle, when the moon is on the ascent. The flags have sacred mantras
printed on them, and this is why they should not be allowed to fall on
the ground or come underfoot. When the flags become old and begin to
come apart, they can be discarded by burning and a new set can be put
up.”</span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In
1959, Jampagelek’s parents and elder brother fled from Tibet and
arrived in Sikkim through the Nathu La Pass. They led a difficult life
as coolies and construction workers and this was where Jampagelek was
born. When he was six years old, the family moved to Bylakuppe where the
settlement had been established. After completing his primary
education, Jampagelek studied Buddhist Philosophy at Sarnath and
returned to Bylakuppe to begin the prayer flag unit. He says, “In the
old days, these flags were made using wooden blocks which made the
lettering illegible. I have type-set all the mantras and use the
computer to lay out the content and then screen print it on to the
fabric.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We
leave Bylakuppe after purchasing a packet full of flags that Jampagelek
has kindly picked out specially for me. He gives me flags with the Wind
Horse, a symbol of good fortune, health and happiness. The flag with
the Wind Horse in the centre also has four other animals in the corners-
Garuda, Dragon, Snow Lion and the Tiger. Collectively, the five symbols
hope to evoke the dynamism of these five animals in the spirit. It is
said to be specifically beneficial for people who are writing exams,
travelling to faraway lands and to energise a lazy family member. I’m
going to assume that the travel part is the only one that’s relevant to
me.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Back
home, when the next new moon cycle begins, we fasten these colourful
flags on the railings of the verandah and wait for the possibilities to
unfold. It has been an unfinished journey yet again. Maybe Wind Horse
will hasten my return to Bylakuppe, to visit the unit that makes
Thangkas, and talk to the owner who, I hope is old enough to have
actually lived in Tibet before 1959 and has intriguing tales to narrate
over a long pending cup of hot butter tea.</span></span><b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">TIBETAN PRAYER FLAGS</span></span></b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jampagelek
shows us both the Dharchen which is a pole flag and the Mugthak Lung
Thar - a composition of five flags, in the symbolic colours, Blue (Sky),
White(Wind), Red(Fire), Green(Water) and Yellow(Earth), fastened with a
rope between poles.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There
is a central spiritual figure in each flag - usually the Wind Horse,
Tara, Padma Sambhava and Avalokeswara - surrounded by the relevant
Sanskrit mantra written in Tibetan calligraphic script. Each flag has
spiritual relevance to the deity being invoked and personal relevance to
the household it is hung over.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There are also small festoons for the entrance to homes with the same
five colours, but with the sacred mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum printed
across them.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">HOW TO GET THERE</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bylakuppe is about 240 kms from Bengaluru and 87 kms from Mysore on the Mysore-Madikeri Road. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">NOTE: Foreign nationals are advised to get in touch with </span><a href="http://www.tibetbureau.in/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">www.tibetbureau.in</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the
official bureau of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, about applying for a
Protected Area Permit (PAP) that is required to visit or stay at </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the Tibetan settlements in India. It is advisable to contact the office by telephone first. </span></span><b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #444444;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Pics by author. </i></span></span>
<br />
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>An
edited version of this article was published in the April 2014
issue of Culturama.</i></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-32881230085785021132014-03-27T02:34:00.000-04:002014-04-01T09:48:42.986-04:00Palaces Of India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmQEbh_gIAnyacyyBYP4YW0fdM4uk9oZCCsEg_WIF8uq1S4FGq0Ph2vP6zmwq3nskQUxg1KL00gy-Ic9ISP9Egb1Hc4KFnsSxEsrEArG9x0Vu_G8l3gY25oxTiRkQWhD5CKyM/s1600/Nayak,+Madurai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmQEbh_gIAnyacyyBYP4YW0fdM4uk9oZCCsEg_WIF8uq1S4FGq0Ph2vP6zmwq3nskQUxg1KL00gy-Ic9ISP9Egb1Hc4KFnsSxEsrEArG9x0Vu_G8l3gY25oxTiRkQWhD5CKyM/s1600/Nayak,+Madurai.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If
a <span class="il">palace</span> converted to a luxury hotel is not really your cup of tea,
here's a glimpse into</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">some royal residences, famous and lesser known,
where you can let your imagination run riot. Some <span class="il">palaces</span> have been
converted to museums and some continue to be used partially as the
residences of royal descendants. In some <span class="il">palaces</span>, come dusk, the
Son-et-Lumeire brings alive halls and pavilions echoing with legends
of romance, valour and sacrifice.<b> </b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>14<sup>th</sup>
CENTURY</b><b> </b></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>RANI
PADMINI <span class="il">PALACE</span>, CHITTAURGARH, RAJASTHAN</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Indian
history is replete with legends of queens who showed great valour
when faced with the threat of invading enemy forces. One such story
is that of Rani Padmini, also called Padmavati, the second wife of
the Rajput king, Rawal Ratan Singh. In 1303, when Allahuddin Khilji
caught a glimpse of the Rani, he wanted to take her by force and
attacked the kingdom. Seeing no other honourable means to escape,
the Queen and the women of kingdom performed a mass immolation,
traditionally called Jauhar so that their men could unflinchingly
martyr themselves in battle. The Rana Kumbha <span class="il">palace</span> is said to be the
site of the Jauhar. A reconstructed water <span class="il">palace</span> of the Rani stands
today as testimony to the aesthetics of those times.<b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>PADMANABHAPURAM
<span class="il">PALACE</span>, THUCKALAY, TAMIL NADU/KERALA</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Although
it is located in Tamil Nadu, the <span class="il">palace</span> is officially part of the
Government of Kerala and about 60 km from Thiruvananthapuram. Named
after the presiding deity of the royal family, the <span class="il">palace</span> is presumed
to have been originally constructed in the 14</span><sup><span style="font-weight: normal;">th</span></sup><span style="font-weight: normal;">
century and many of the rooms</span><b> </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">of
the now-standing structure were added on subsequently. This <span class="il">palace</span>
was the seat of the Travancore kings until the capital was shifted in
1795 to Thiruvananthapuram in today's Kerala. As Indian <span class="il">palaces</span> go,
this one is modest, sans the pomp and grandeur one would attribute to
Indian <span class="il">palaces</span>. It does have its share of intricate carvings on some
pillars, wall murals and an array of artifacts on display. But the
<span class="il">palace</span> is noted more as a glorious example of Kerala's architectural
heritage and the innate simplicity of traditional Keralan lifestyle.
Do ask about about the black flooring you see there.</span><b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>15<sup>th</sup>
CENTURY</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>GWALIOR
FORT <span class="il">PALACE</span> COMPLEX, GWALIOR, MADHYA PRADESH</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">While
the Gwalior fort has also seen its share of Jauhar and presumed to be
the site where the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb ordered the execution of
his brother, Murad, there is also a sweet little romantic story that
resonates in these precincts. King Maan Singh Tomar was a great
patron of music. The king eventually fell in love with a village girl
from the Gujar community called Mriganayani and married her on
fullfilling her condition that she be built a separate <span class="il">palace</span> with
water supply via an aqueduct. Mriganayani's <span class="il">palace</span> in this fort is
called Gujari. Do visit Maan Singh's Man Mandir <span class="il">Palace</span> too. Tansen
began his journey to being a great composer of Hindustani music,
under Maan Singh's patronage and it was here that the musical
tradition of Dhrupad began to flourish. The </span>Son-et-Lumeire<span style="font-weight: normal;">
at the fort recounts, amongst other stories, the story of Maan Singh,
Mriganayani and the music that evolved in those times.</span><b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>16TH
CENTURY</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>CITY
<span class="il">PALACE</span> COMPLEX, UDAIPUR, RAJASTHAN</b> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> If
there is one place that will dominate your visit to Udaipur, it would
be the this one. Originally built by Maharana Udai Singh in 1553, the
complex has lofty archways, ornate balconies and resplendent halls
built in both Mughal and Rajput architectural styles. The museum
houses a fine collection of miniature paintings, royal clothing,
accessories and armour. Do visit the Mor Chowk with its intricate
mosaic work featuring India's national bird, the peacock.<b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>BAAZ
BAHADUR'S <span class="il">PALACE</span> AND RUPMATI'S PAVILION, MANDU, MADHYA PRADESH</b> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">While
Mandu has a history that far pre-dates the legend of Rani Rupmati and
Baaz Bahadur, it is this romantic story that has seeped into the folk
songs of the region. Baaz Bahadur's love for music was rivalled only
by his love for Rupmati. When Emperor Akbar's general, Adham Khan
invaded the region in 1561, the defeated Baaz Bahadur fled, but
Rupmati killed herself before being captured. Ahmad-ul-Umri's 'The
Lady of the Lotus – Rupmati, Queen of Mandu' contains a brief
recounting of the legend as well as poems of love and longing
attributed to Rupmati. Rupmati's Pavilion and Baaz Bahadur's <span class="il">Palace</span>
in the complex overlook each other, separated only by the Rewa Kund
reservoir. Also explore the other <span class="il">palaces</span> in the complex, like Jahaz
Mahal and the Hindola Mahal, not linked to the legend.<b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>AGRA
FORT <span class="il">PALACE</span>, AGRA, UTTAR PRADESH</b> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">While
the Taj Mahal garners eyeballs at dusk, a more romantic view can be
had from the <span class="il">palace</span> inside the Agra Fort. The fort was built by
emperor Akbar, completed in 1573, but the <span class="il">palaces</span> inside have been
razed and rebuilt depending on who occupied it. Akbar's grandson,
Shah Jahan was imprisoned here by his own son, Aurangzeb. From the
exquisite white marble Musamman Burj, a splendid view of the Taj
Mahal can be had. This balcony is rumoured to have been where Shah
Jahan died, gazing at the Taj Mahal. Do visit the Jahangiri Mahal and
the Khas Mahal too. The structures are an interesting mix of Hindu
and Islamic architecture.<b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> </span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">FORT
<span class="il">PALACE</span> COMPLEX, ORCHHA, MADHYA PRADESH</span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Orchha
is the land of the Bundelas, a community of Rajput warriors renowned
for their great sense of asthetics. It is a region rich with the
architectural heritage of numerous temple towers, pavilions,
cenotaphs and <span class="il">palaces</span>. Admire the intricate trellises and the fine
wall art in the Raj Mahal. The Sunder Mahal is now an Islamic
pilgrimage spot. The Jehangir Mahal is by far the most imposing of
the structures, built in Mughal style to commemmorate the victory of
Mughal emperor, Jehangir over King Vir Singh Deo. The </span></span>Son-et-Lumeire
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">shows
at Orccha include the Jehangir Mahal, the Raj Mahal and the Cenotaphs
– do check the timing as it differs by season of the year.</span></span><b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>17TH
CENTURY</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>LEH
<span class="il">PALACE</span>, LADAKH, JAMMU and KASHMIR</b> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> If
you feel breathless when you look up at the imposing facade of the
Leh <span class="il">Palace</span> and the Victory Tower flanking it, it may not necessarily
be altitude sickness. It could be awe. The <span class="il">Palace</span> nestled atop a hill
was built by King Semgge Namgyal on similar lines to the Potala
<span class="il">Palace</span> of Lhasa, Tibet. The nine-storeyed <span class="il">palace</span> is in ruins and
currently undergoing restoration, but there are some spectacular
views to be had from the top.<b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>THIRUMALAI
NAYAKAR MAHAL, MADURAI, TAMIL NADU</b> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Built
in 1636 by King Thirumalai Nayak and presumably designed by an
Italian architect, what remains today of this once-magnificent <span class="il">palace</span>
is only a courtyard and a few pavilions. But this is enough to give
an insight into the amalgam of the two styles incorporated here –
Islamic and Dravidian. The most striking feature of the <span class="il">palace</span> - the
13 metre tall pillars, using a unique plaster of shell lime and egg
white for a smooth finish. The pavilions are exquisite in their
stucco work depicting celestial beings and winged beasts. If you stay
for the Son-et-Lumeire
at 6.30 p.m., do take along mosquito repellent.<b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> </span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">19TH
CENTURY</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">MARBLE
<span class="il">PALACE</span>, KOLKATA</span></b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">A
permit is required in advance from the West Bengal Tourism office, to
see this neo-classical residential building. A walk through the
Marble <span class="il">Palace</span>, built by Raja Rajendra Mullick Bahadur is a
fascinating way of acquainting oneself with the ways of the opulent
Bengalis of the 1800s. It has a wonderful collection of art,
sculpture, furniture and bric a bracs and the name seems to have come
from the profusion and variety of marble used in its construction.
Since this is also a private residence, some areas may be off-limits.</span><b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>20TH
CENTURY</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>MAHARAJAH'S
<span class="il">PALACE</span>, MYSORE, KARNATAKA</b> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The
Mysore <span class="il">palace</span>, after being damaged many times over, was finally
reconstructed based on the design by British architect, Henry Irwin
in the Indo-Saracenic style in 1912. It is the seat of the Wodeyar
dynasty of Mysore. During the spectacular 10-day Dussehra festival in
September/October, the <span class="il">Palace</span> and the city come vibrantly alive. Pick
up an audio-guide and saunter through the various rooms with their
exhibits. Absorb the grandeur of the Courtyard, the Private Audience
Room, the Public Durbar Hall and the Marriage Hall. On weekends and
festival days, the Mysore <span class="il">Palace</span> is illuminated in the evenings. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Do
drop in at the Jaganmohana <span class="il">Palace</span> and Art Gallery also in Mysore,
whose structure predates the Maharaja's <span class="il">Palace</span>. It now </span>houses
a wonderful collection of exhibits collected by the Mysore royal
family including art by Raja Ravi Varma and Svetoslav Roerich. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Pic
by author </i></span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An
edited version of this article was published in the April 2012
issue of At A Glance.</i></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-24769202812151876512014-03-27T00:22:00.003-04:002014-03-28T03:24:04.884-04:00Made In Chennai - Rehane Yavar Dhala<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the first and most dynamic fashion designers to catapult the name of Chennai into the world fashion horizon. </span></span> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Professionally, you could be based anywhere in the world. Why Chennai?</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This is where my husband is, my family is. And I want it all – a career and a family. It doesn't matter where you are based - if you do your job well, the whole world will know how good you are. </span></span></span> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What was your first big break?</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After being part of the vibrant fashion scene in Rome, I moved to Chennai, married with a baby. I wanted to express myself through my art, but frustratingly, there were no takers for western wear. I didn't have a label back then, but I got the opportunity to design for Jacqueline Verghese who contested in Femina Miss India (I think in 1996). When I won the Best Designer of the Year award at the pageant, it was a validation of my work. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What was the turning point for you as a designer?</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lakme Fashion Week Mumbai 2002. It was not just about me - it was about being pitched against so much design talent, so many designers with their own thumb prints from across India, all under one roof. The experience reaffirmed that my designs were unique and distinct. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What are some of the challenges you've faced on the way to establishing yourself?</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I first began in Chennai, I did simple silhouettes with excellent cuts and no embellishments. There were no takers. Sadly, even today, there are no takers for a simple well-cut trouser. It's almost always unsold in my boutique. Nobody even tries it on. But when I wear it, people want to know where I bought it!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>How do you define a Rehane creation?</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">More is less. I decided to change my design definition and go the opposite direction - from simple, unembellished to flamboyant, over-embellished design. I have now toned it down a little to strike a balance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Any interesting anecdotes?</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When one of my tailors got married, in his wedding card, under his name, it read, 'Head Tailor for Rehane'. I thought that was very cute!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 2000, I had just launched my Roses Collection that did brilliantly well. A few ladies walked in to my boutique on Khader Nawaz Khan Road and sprayed yellow paint on my collection! We tried dry-cleaning, but that didn't work. We then replaced parts of the garments and had to throw away the stained sections. Why would anybody simply walk in to a boutique and do that?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There was also the time someone forged my signature on a cheque and tried to encash it!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What makes you tick?</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Belief in myself and dogged determination. Nothing on earth can stop me! I believe everything starts in the mind. So, when someone gave me a copy of Rhonda Byrne's The Secret, none of it was new to me - I already knew and practised what was in the book.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>How's 2011 looking for you?</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Busy. In April, there's Fashion Week Delhi. In May, I'm working on a collection in tandem with the Handloom Council. In July, I'm launching my range of spiritual wear in fabrics like organic cotton, ahimsa silk etc. It's very simple, new-age lounge wear that is comfortable and pleasing to the eye. In August, I'm preparing for Pret A Porter Paris. I'll be taking the same Paris collection to Fashion Week Delhi in end-September / October. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Any words of advice to someone just starting out in fashion design?</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you think it's easy, think again. If you think just because you're from Chennai, your collection will be accepted here, forget it. If you think making a style statement will work, you will hardly get any response beyond media labelling it as off-beat. If you're in it for the money, you will never succeed. Few people have the gift of making money and they make the best finance professionals, not designers. And finally, you will have to twist and bend yourself - be willing to make ghaghras for brides. It can also be very interesting.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An edited version appeared in Taxi Magazine's March 2011 Issue.</i></span></span></div>
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Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-71538797493136647102014-03-27T00:21:00.002-04:002014-03-28T03:24:58.215-04:00Made in Chennai - G.V. Prakash<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Undoubtedly the most hip and happening</span> music director in Tamizh cinema who has composed for movies like Veyil, Aayirathil Oruvan, Madrasapattinam,Va Quarter Cutting and most recently, Aadukalam. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>When did you begin to seriously consider music as a career?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In high school (+1). I was the Cultural Secretary and used to also play the keyboard at culturals. That was when I realised that I must explore music as a career. Incidentally, I now work with the same people I played music with back then – my sound engineer Sri Hari, flautist Navin Iyer and singer Saindhavi. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>How did your first break come about?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My first break in cinema came through a jingle I had created for Radio Mirchi's first anniversary. They asked for my showreel and when Vasanthabalan heard it, he liked it. He recommended me to Shankar Sir and that's how I ended up creating the music of <i>Veyil. </i></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Has it been smooth sailing?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There are always challenges. People had doubts about my capabilities, probably because I was so new and so young. I listen to people when they express themselves, but I stick to what I believe is right. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Tell us about your fans.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I have fan clubs that people start out of interest in my work. In fact,<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;"> Jagadish, w</span>ho manages my Facebook and Twitter accounts is doing it just because he wants to! </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Another fan, Nadia from Coimbatore has so many of my pictures. She keeps sending me collages and mugs with my pictures. When the Madrasapattinam team travelled there to promote the film, she was interested in meeting only me, not the rest of the crew.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">One fan came all the way from Delhi to meet me because he loved the song, 'Veyilodu vilayadi...' from 'Veyil'. He doesn't understand the language, but hears the song a hundred times a day because it makes him happy!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Why did you choose Chennai as base? </b></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I am very attached to Chennai. It is home. I keep moving depending on where my work takes me, but if I'm away for too long, I miss the city and my grandmother's cooking. Moreover, this is where my friends are.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What's a typical work day like?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is a creative field, so the timings of a corporate professional don't apply. I'm almost always at the studio and my friends drop in there to visit me. In the mornings, I hit the gym, then meet my clients and once work begins, I go on till midnight. At times, I have gone for an entire week at work without sleep!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>We hear you're composing music for a Bollywood movie. Tell us more. </b></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I've just completed three songs for the 3D movie, Joker, starring Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha, directed by Shirish Kunder and produced by Farah Khan. The audio release will be around September this year. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Any advice for those looking to make a career in music?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Be confident. But look at yourself from the outside, like a mirror is being held up to you. And be truthful. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What is the secret of your success as a music director?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Focus. And the fact that I know the pulse of the audience. I have a clear judgement that if I enjoy hearing something, then others will love it too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>An
edited version of this interview was published in Taxi Magazine in
2011</i>.</span></span>
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Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-62365866421274449622014-03-27T00:20:00.005-04:002014-03-28T03:25:32.686-04:00Made in Chennai - Mahadevan M.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Passionate food entrepreneur and Chairman of Oriental Cuisines Pvt Ltd owning some of Chennai's best loved food service brands like Cascade, Hot Breads, Zara, The French Loaf, Ente Keralam and Benjarong.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>How do you relate to the city?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'm a Chennai boy! I came to this city with nothing, but the people adopted me here. The city and I have grown together and complemented each other. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What was the turning point of your career as a restaurateur?</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The launch of Cascade. We created a sophisticated Pan-Asian restaurant with interiors designed by Parmeshwar Godrej that was different from the Chinese restaurants in the city. We discovered that the city was willing to pay more, provided there was good value. After the success of Cascade, my investors had the confidence that I could deliver.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What were some of the glitches along the way?</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">When we eventually launched in Delhi, people couldn't believe that someone from an 'idli-dosa-sambar' culture could create croissants! But we chose to launch first in Chennai and the South before launching in Delhi. If we had first launched Hot Breads in Delhi, our exposure would have been bigger and our growth, quicker. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What's your typical schedule like?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">That depends on which city I am in! A typical day begins at 9.30 a.m. As an NRI, I spend 6 months of the year in India and the rest, abroad. When I am abroad, I know Chennai is in good hands. When I am here, I have to talk to my people in the US, so a working day could end well after 2 a.m.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>To what/whom do you owe the success of your company?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The team. While the location and the food are important, our biggest investment is in people. They have a sense of belonging with us. Our US chef went on to open 6-7 units himself!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What are your plans for expansion in the coming year?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In Chennai, we will have two brand new theme restaurants this year. We hope to increase the number of outlets of The French Loaf to 100. Internationally. we're swimming cross-current in Dubai - the focus is on survival rather than growth. Our boys were recently refused Canadian visas for our Toronto operations, so by March I hope to take a decision on what to do about it. We now have 20 people in the US and that market looks very promising. We're also taking our operations to Zambia and Tanzania. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What should wannabe restaurateurs bear in mind?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There is money to be made in this field provided you have the commitment and self-belief. Know what you do and do what you know. And you have to be willing to put in those long hours.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>An
edited version of this interview was published in Taxi Magazine in
2011</i>.</span></span>
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Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-19878586486627344852014-03-27T00:19:00.001-04:002014-03-28T03:26:12.190-04:00Made in Chennai - Tishani Doshi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Poet, Dancer, Writer, Wanderer...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What's the best writing-related advice you got?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The best advice anyone ever gave me was from the American poet CK Williams. He told me to treat writing as a job. That means, don’t do anything else when you’re supposed to be at work. That means have working hours, don’t answer calls while you’re working, don’t go shopping while you’re supposed to be working, and don’t switch jobs without due consideration. Of course, I often break the rules, but it’s good to have them. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What were some turning points you've had along the way?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first turning point would be discovering a book called Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair. The second turning point would be Rilke. The third would be a woman called Cathy Smith Bowers from North Carolina who encouraged and nurtured my poetic ambitions. Everything else was luck, timing and the rest of it. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What are some of the challenges you've had to brave?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh you know, the usual. Doubt, rage, bitterness, envy, adoration, betrayal. Humdrum stuff. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Why did you choose Chennai as base? You could have chosen to be based anywhere.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well, actually, no I couldn’t have chosen to be anywhere. Madras is the city I was born in and where my parents still live. When I decided to become a full-time writer the first thing I did was to quit my job, which meant that I quit my steady source of income, which meant that either I lived in poverty or moved back to the family house. After 8 years of student-like poverty I decided to move back home. That was a decade ago, and I’m still here. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What's your typical day like?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s highly typical actually. I like rituals and routines, so I basically have a pattern that I follow regardless of where I am. This involves Yoga, breakfast, writing, lunch, reading, nap, tea, walking, more writing, reading. Food is important, fresh air is important and of course, friends. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What would you consider your secret to success?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Success isn’t actually a word I associate with my life. It reeks of corporate smugness (to me). But, I suppose I’ve been successful in engineering the kind of life I want to live and this has happened mainly because of what I think is my greatest talent: stubbornness (read, perseverance). It really does go a long way. As does a strong support system. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What lies ahead? </b></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have no idea what lies ahead but I hope more books and other projects. I’m working on a collection of poems right now, so that’s what I have on my table for the moment. </span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Any words of advice for someone who'd like to be a writer?</b></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-family: georgia,serif; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Read, read, read. And write, write, write. That’s about it. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An
edited version of this interview was published in Taxi Magazine in
2011</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span> </div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-54997187993123038492014-03-27T00:17:00.001-04:002014-03-28T03:26:46.935-04:00Made in Chennai - Suchitra Krishna Kumar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Playback Singer, RJ, Television Host</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What was your first song as a playback singer?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The first song I ever sang as a playback singer was for Yuvan Shankar Raja. It was called 'Pelican Paravaigal' and was for a movie called 'Lovers'. Neither the album nor the film have released till date!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What were the turning points in your career?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There has never been one single break or turning point, because my career changed every 5 years! For my current career as a singer, the work I have done with Harris Jeyaraj, Bharadwaj, Mani Sharma and Yuvan were definite turning points. Recently, Devisri Prasad and Thaman have given an additional dimension to my singing - so they have become turning points too! </span></span> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Have there been any unique challenges that you've faced?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Indian singing definitely requires some amount of classical training and the playback singing industry generally prefers sweet, feminine voices for women. Being an untrained singer with a slightly unconventional voice was the biggest challenge. But somehow, the kind of songs I got to sing were stronger on tone, expression and power, which did come easily to me. </span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What are some of the poignant moments you've had as a singer?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Poignant incidents happen all the time. Srikanth Deva actually stands up and claps if I ace a song, Mani Sharma treats me like a daughter, Devisri Prasad and I bond like long-lost twins, Thaman and Dharan are wonderfully caring brothers. When Rahman Sir looked me in the eye after he heard my takes for his Telugu film 'Komaram Puli' and said "Sounding good, man!”, I thought I was going to faint! My years as a playback singer so far are full of gooey-warm, happy incidents! </span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Why did you choose Chennai as base? </b></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I didn't choose Chennai. Chennai chose me! </span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What's a typical work day like?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Walk the dog, feed her, feed self and husband (we have a power drink in the morning which our friend Andrea Jeremiah calls 'morning miracle'), yoga, lunch, work/learn at the bakery (I am an intern with 'Sandy's'), do my recordings, evening with friends/family/dog. </span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What would you consider your secret to success?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Is there one??? </span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What's 2011 looking like for you? </b></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2011 is a year of learning and travel for me. Apart from what I learn at Sandy's, I go for music lessons and plan to do a teacher's training course in yoga too. Also, I'm focusing on taking my stage concerts to the next level of showmanship. </span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What would be your advice to aspiring playback singers?</b></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-family: georgia,serif; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Like Whoopi Goldberg says in Sister Act, if you wake up in the morning and can think of nothing but singing, want to do nothing but sing, then that's what you are meant to do and it would be a crime to not pursue it. Devisri Prasad says pretty much the same thing.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>An
edited version of this interview was published in Taxi Magazine in
2011</i>.</span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-34261976759276264902014-03-24T05:32:00.002-04:002014-04-01T09:17:11.982-04:00Em and the Big Hoom – Jerry Pinto<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>What
is the book about?</b></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">At
the heart of the story, is the quirky, irrverently funny Imelda Mendes, also called <span class="il">Em</span>, who is also suicidal when in the throes of bipolar
disorder. Her husband, Augustine, also called the big Hoom, is the
bulwark of the family. The children - Susan and the narrator son,
who stays largely unnamed – are given free access to their beloved
<span class="il">Em</span>'s letters and diaries wherein we discover more
of her story, particularly preceding and following her falling in
love with Augustine. Somewhere in the midst of <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="il">Em</span>'s
flurry of words and the big Hoom's quiet presence, we sense the deep
love and regard they have for each other. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Who
is it by?</b></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jerry
Pinto is a poet, writer and journalist, and has edited several
anthologies of essays and poems. He is especially known his pieces on
Bollywood and his book, </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Helen:
The Life and Times of an H-Bomb, that studies the roles played by
Bollywood actor Helen to draw a study of morality and sexuality,
particularly in the 1960s, as perceived in Indian cinema and society.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Why
should I read it?</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This
defining account of mental illness in a family, is written with such
lucidity, humour and great affection that it could only come from a
deeply personal space. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">An edited version appeared in the September 2012 Issue of Culturama </span></span></div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-72729474152959757892014-03-24T05:28:00.002-04:002014-03-28T03:28:11.462-04:00Laya Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What is this album about?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Laya Project is dedicated to the survivors of the Tsunami of 26th December, 2004. It is a confluence of contemporary sound with originalrecordings of folk music traditions from the South East Asian coastal communities ravaged by the Tsunami.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Who is it by?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The album has 11 tracks featuring folk musicians and vocalists from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar and India. It is produced by Earth Sync, a Chennai-based record label that combines the classical, the folk and the contemporary, and boasts of some unique musical collaborations from different parts of the world.</span></span></div>
<div class="im" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="im" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Why should listen to it?</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The album not only documents musical traditions but also maintains the essence of each regional musical tradition within the larger contextual framework of a world music album. The voices of the folk artistes are raw, untrained and soulful in tracks like Ya Allah, Touare and Nium Nium, while the instruments, especially the percussives dominate in tracks like the vibrant Tapatham and Prem Jam.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Available in formats such as CD, DVD as well as downloadable digital audio files.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="yj6qo ajU" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="ajR" data-tooltip="Show trimmed content" id=":1a0" role="button" tabindex="0">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img class="ajT" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An edited version of this article appeared in the August 2012 Issue of Culturama</i></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-23325361500154774462014-03-24T05:25:00.002-04:002014-03-27T14:07:50.848-04:00Games Indians Play - Kabaddi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kabaddi (<i>ka-bad-ddee</i>)
is a team sport with seven to ten players in each team on court and a
few in reserve. The court is divided into two sides, each team
dominating a side until the break when they swap sides for the second
half of the match.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If Team A wins the toss,
they send out a 'raider' whose objective is to touch as many of Team
B's players as possible in their own side, and return to his side
within 30 seconds, all while chanting the word 'kabaddi' over and
over again. Team B's Defenders try to contain him on their side of
the court. If the Team A player is not able to return to the Team A
court, he is declared out and the Defending side gets a point. If the
Team A player manages to return, he gets a point and the Team B
player he touched has to exit the game. The side with the highest
points wins the match.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kabaddi is presumed to have
originated in India. It is also known as Chadugudu and Hu-tu-tu and
its variations are played across South Asia. It is the National Game
of Bangladesh.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An
edited version of this article was published in the August 2012
issue of At A Glance.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
</div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-55038590846261992852014-03-24T05:25:00.000-04:002014-03-27T14:03:00.474-04:00Indian Textile Traditions - Ponduru Khadi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Khadi
(<i>khaa-dee</i>) is the name given to hand-spun and hand-woven
fabric, either cotton, silk or wool. Mahatma Gandhi promoted Khadi as
part of his movement for Swadesh (self-sustenance) during the Indian
freedom struggle. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="il">Ponduru</span>,
in the Srikakulam District of the southern Indian state of Andhra
Pradesh, is known for its handwoven Khadi dhotis made of fine cotton.
The fabric is colloquially called <span class="il">Ponduru</span> Khaddar. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
cotton sourced for Pondur Khadi is known as short-staple hill
variety. The Khadi Village Industries Commission refers to the cotton
used for the <span class="il">Ponduru</span> variety as being 100% eco-friendly as the crop
is grown without fertilizers. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Normally
in creating the yarn, the process of loosening the seeds from the
fluff of the cotton is carried out mechanically. However, in <span class="il">Ponduru</span>,
even this is done by hand using a rather unique instrument - the jaw
of a locally available river fish! Once the seeds are separated from
the fluff, the yarn is spun on a spinning wheel. The weaving then
takes place on a hand loom. The fabric is famous for its fine texture
that is attributed to the process of hand-spinning and weaving. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An edited version of this article appeared in Culturama's September 2012 Issue.</i></span></span></div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-65253088730122016622014-03-24T05:23:00.004-04:002014-03-27T14:06:59.484-04:00Uniquely Indian - Mysore Devaraja Market<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">There
have been at least two fires here, and a section of the roof has
given way at least once before, but the Devaraja Market continues to
thrive as the nucleaus of the commercial hub in Mysore, Karnataka.
The market has a rectangular plan, with many entrances and two
distinct arches in the North and the South. </span>The
Dufferin Clock Tower, locally called the Chikku Gadiyara (small
clock) stands opposite one of the entrances to the Market. All the
requirements of every day life in Mysore, from vegetables, fruits and
flowers to woks, clocks and medicines are available in and around the
Market. There are bakeries, medical stores and fancy shops on the
periphery of the market, facing outwards, still in business after
decades. Inside the market, there are rows of shops and stalls,
selling anything from dessicated coconut to vegetables to fruits to
perfume. Strands and garlands of the famous Mysore Mallige (jasmine
flowers) are available in the flower stalls here. Leading off the
market, nothing exists, sadly, of the streets evocatively called
Onduvarane Galli (One-and-a-half Anna Street) and Nalakuaane Galli
(Four-Annas Street), perhaps named after the price of the merchandise
available on that street in days of yore. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>An edited version of this article appeared in Culturama's September 2012 Issue.</i> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span>
</div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-58430708681905110002014-03-23T12:01:00.000-04:002014-03-27T13:40:55.560-04:00Interpretation - Buddhist Monks with Begging Bowls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A
‘patra’ or begging bowl holds symbolic importance for Buddhists, and
there are numerous legends about the Buddha having begged for alms. In
some sects of Buddhism, groups of monks, like the ones in the picture, head out
early in the morning in single file to beg and receive alms of food,
money and items of ritual worship. The focus is not so much on the giver
or receiver as much as on the act itself, where a monk or nun will
receive alms with no ego, expectation or attachment and the lay Buddhist
will give alms in the same spirit.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>An edited version of the article was published in Culturama's </i><i>December 2012 Issue.</i> </span></div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-59320010335771819872014-03-23T11:43:00.004-04:002014-04-01T09:17:54.003-04:00Selected Stories by Saadat Hasan Manto<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><b>What
is the book about?</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">This
collection contains some of Saadat Hasan Manto's best-known stories
set in India and Pakistan during the period of the Partition in the
1940s,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
about the forgotten, the displaced and the marginalised in both
societies. Women, especially prostitutes, feature prominently in this
collection of his stories and he writes about them with none of the
lasciviousness of the voyeur.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">The
Dog of Titwal and The Last Salute reveal the mindset of the border
security forces of the two countries. There are wonderfully nuanced
stories, like A Wet Afternoon and The Blouse, about the stirrings of
sexual awareness. Manto's best loved story is the darkly comic Toba
Tek Singh, where he speculates on what would happen if India and
Pakistan exchanged mental asylum inmates on the basis of religion. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Who
is it by?</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">Manto
has been long regarded as one of the most prolific writers of Urdu
fiction. His disdain for hypocrisy and his unvarnished depiction of
sexuality earning him as many brickbats as admirers. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">Translated
from the Urdu originals by Khalid Hassan, the stories preserve the
combination of irony, intensity and brevity that has come to be
recognized as Manto's writerly voice.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Why
should I read it?</b></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">The
charm of the book is as much in the author's intensely human voice as
the milieu in which his stories are set – the political climate
bears an eerie resemblance to the testy relationship between the two
countries today. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">An
interesting piece of trivia is that the book cover is of a painting
by Iqbal Hussain, renowned for his portraiture of prostitutes in Hira
Mandi, Lahore, Pakistan, where he lives. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>An edited version of the article was published in Culturama's </i><i>July 2012 Issue.</i></span></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-23910192352980954352014-03-23T11:41:00.004-04:002014-03-28T04:04:56.469-04:00The Best of Wadali Brothers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What
is this album about?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This
is one of the few albums by the Wadali Brothers, well known exponents
in the vocal musical tradition inspired by the Sufi poets. This
mini-album contains three of their most popular songs - Tu Maane Ya
Na Maane, Ghoonghat Chuk O Sajana and Duma Dum Mast Qalandar, giving
a glimpse into the raw devotion that their music is renowned for. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Who
is it by?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Ustad
Puranchand and Ustad Piyarelal Wadali belong to Punjab and are the
fifth generation in a line of Sufi singers. While they have sung for
film and cut music albums, they have a clear preference for live
shows over recordings. They have been awarded the Sangeet Natak
Academy award in 1991 and the older of the two brothers, Ustad
Puranchand has been awarded the Padmashri in the Arts category by the
Indian Government in 2005.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Why
should listen to it?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Sufi
music has always been traditionally performed at <i>dargahs</i>
(shrines) of Sufi saints and they express different forms of
longing for the divine. While Bollywood has incorporated a lot of
Sufi music into soundtracks, the Wadali brothers believe that their
songs are voice offerings to the divine - their music is perhaps the
next best thing to hearing a live performance at a Sufi shrine.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>An edited version of the article was published in Culturama's </i><i>July 2012 Issue.</i></span></span></div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-78473053888570675892014-03-23T11:41:00.000-04:002014-03-28T04:07:20.510-04:00Parzania<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>What
is the movie about?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Cyrus
Pithawala (Nasseruddin Shah), a Parsi film projectionist befriends
Allan (Corin Nemec) an American on a downward spiral, who is in
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, to complete his PhD on Gandhi. Allan becomes
witness to the disintegration of the Pithawala family, when Hindu
mobs go on a premeditated rampage to kill Muslims in the city. Cyrus'
wife, Shernaz (Sarika) escapes with their daughter Dilshad, but gets
separated in the melee, from their 10-year old son, Parzan. Cyrus
searches futilely for him and finally takes solace in spirituality.
Shernaz testifies at the Human Rights Commission hearing, voicing the
helpless of being pitted against a blood-thirsty mob even as the
police plays mute spectator. She laments not knowing what happened to
Parzan and the tragedy of Dilshad being forever emotionally scarred
by the violence.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Who
is it by?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="il">Parzania</span>
was directed by Rahul Dholakia who went on to win the Golden Lotus
National Award for Best Director in 2005 for <span class="il">Parzania</span>. Dholakia has
been accused of being anti-Hindu, choosing to depict only the carnage
by the Hindu mobs, without depicting the violence that the Muslim
mobs unleashed. Dholakia went on to face immense difficulties in
having the film released in Gujarat.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Sarika,
who plays Shernaz Pithawala won the Silver Lotus Best Actress award
2005.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Why
should I watch it?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="il">Parzania</span>
depicts the psyche of terror. It is based on the true story of a boy
called Azhar who has been missing from his Gulbarg Society residence,
after a massacre on February 28, 2002, much like what is depicted in
the film. The scenes before the carnage are of an idyllic cocooned
life. The scenes of the carnage and after focus on the fear, nausea
and ultimately, the courage of the victims to carry on. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>An edited version of the article was published in Culturama's </i><i>July 2012 Issue.</i></span></span>
</div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-63684252050835305602014-03-23T11:39:00.001-04:002014-03-27T14:06:59.479-04:00Uniquely Indian - Mumbai's Dabbawalas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Dabbawalas
(dabba=container, wala=man - also called Tiffinwalas) are people who
are in the business
of picking up and delivering lunches to workplaces in Mumbai.
Office-goers in Mumbai have long commutes and normally leave too
early in the morning to carry lunch. At a mere Rs. 300 a month, a
dabbawala picks up a packed lunch from the client's home every
morning, and transports it to the workplace. In the afternoon, the
reverse process takes place. This complex delivery mechanism employs
about 5000 dabbawalas delivering 200,000 lunches every day with a
coding system to minimise errors. That's approximately 40 containers
per dabbawala. The error factor is 1 in 16 million transactions.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It's
this high level of efficiency in a highly specialized trade that has
earned dabbawalas a Six Sigma Certification from the Forbes group.
The processes have also garnered interest in business schools and
organizations both in India and abroad. The story goes that when
Prince Charles and Richard Branson wanted to observe the process,
they had to align their schedules to that of the dabbawalas. At the
end of the day, the dabbawala is a triumph of the entrepreneurial
spirit. Not bad for an organization where 16% of its members are
totally illiterate and only 5% are educated above the SSC level. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Source
for numbers data: </span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">http://mumbaidabbawala.org/</span></u></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>An edited version of the article was published in Culturama's </i><i>July 2012 Issue.</i></span></span></div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-2097010750316855112014-03-23T11:36:00.005-04:002014-03-27T13:42:05.853-04:00Interpretation - Mandala<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A
group of monks create a sand mandala of myriad colours : A mandala is
a sacred representation in geometric form, of the Universe. As per
the Buddhist tradition, not only is the representation in the mandala
important as a visual concept to focus one's meditation upon, but
also the very act of creating the mandala, as a learning tool for
monks. At the end of a ceremony, the sand mandala is usually swept
away (representing impermanence) and allowed to flow in the waters of
a stream.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>An edited version of the article was published in Culturama's </i><i>July 2012 Issue.</i></span></span></div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-51819964939601129402014-03-23T11:36:00.001-04:002014-03-27T14:07:50.853-04:00Games Indians Play - Mallakhamb<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
gravity-defying traditional sport of Mallakhamb has seen not only a
revival in recent times, but also widespread popularity. The word
'Mallakhamb' (Malla=wrestling, Khamb=pole/pillar) referred
traditionally to a pillar used by Indian wrestlers to exercise
stretches and twists to make their bodies lithe and their spines,
supple. The name has come to signify a group of gymnastic sports, of
which Pole Mallakhamb and Rope Mallakhamb are the most common. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
Pole Mallakhamb, the gymnast must balance on a standing wooden pole
with a bulbous head. The gymnast performs twists and yogic asanas
while balancing on the pole. Perhaps the most awe-inspiring part of
this form of mallakhamb is the transitions betweens asanas and the
foot-hold balance where the gymnast balances perpendicular to the
pole. In the variant called Hanging Pole Mallakhamb, a shorter pole
is suspended vertically from a mount, and the gymnast demonstrates
his skill on this constantly moving length of wood. The key here is
to maintain the center of gravity. In Rope Mallakhamb, a thick cotton
rope is suspended vertically. The rope is grasped in the space
between the big toe and second toe of either foot and the gymnast
winds it around the body to perform some seemingly impossible
balancing exercises and asanas. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
sport has its own National Championship in India and there are
training centres primarily in the state of Maharashtra, where the
sport originates from.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An edited version of the article was published in Culturama's </i><i>July 2012 Issue.</i></span></span></div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20464599.post-78614113059990728732014-03-23T11:34:00.005-04:002014-03-27T14:06:13.265-04:00Indian Languages - Hindi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The
British Raj used the term 'Hindoostani' interchangeably for two
languages, Hindi and Urdu, with Hindi spoken by the Hindus and Urdu
spoken by the Muslims. In post-Independent India, Standard Hindi was
selected as the Official Language, incorporating much of the
Khariboli dialect spoken by those living in the region surrounding
Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. While this dialect included Urdu words, the
script adopted for Standard Hindi was Devnagari. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In
a multi-lingual country whose diversity is often jokingly described
as 'a different language or dialect every few miles', it was bound to
be difficult to implement one language as the national language of
India. Hence, English was included as an additional language for
official purposes. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hindi
is spoken as a mother-tongue by 180 million people, and as a second
language by 300 million people. It has 11 vowels and 35 consonants.
Those consonants borrowed from languages like Persian, English and
Arabic, are denoted with a dot. Some of the most famous writers and
poets in the Hindi language include Kabir, Goswami Tulsidas, Munshi
Premchand, Maithili Sharan Gupt, Jaishankar Prasad and more recently,
Nirmal Verma. Hindi classes are available in many cities across India
and there are also proficiency exams in the language.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Source
for numbers data: Central Hindi Directorate (Department of Higher
Education)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>An edited version of the article was published in Culturama's </i><i>July 2012 Issue.</i></span></span></div>
</div>
Sarithahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04120583490957972087noreply@blogger.com0