Abraxas Lifestyle by Abraxas Lifestyle

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LIVING THE GOOD LIFE !

Nov. 2012 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1

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very year, the world observes the launch of several new magazines. Abraxas, however attempts to depict lifestyles and trends with a difference. Creating this inaugural issue has been fun and hard-work! I have always wanted to write and showcase to the world, what is the Indian take on design and fashion. The youth can participate in our design and fashion competitions – and the winners will be featured too! This is our way of empowering the young designers. Don’t miss our travel destination section too. With the recession the World is going through, we wish to advice our readers to stop worrying and to grab opportunities in every situation. We would like to encourage writers to contribute their stories (factual not ﬁction) of their experiences, whether on their travels or just a day in their lives. Let me reassure you that going through our magazine will be informative and fun. Our tribute to the legends who passed through this World is primarily to motivate the innovative minds – to put on their thinking caps and do away with inequalities that exist. We care for our World and the future of our planet. We need to bring about a change in our attitude with both concern and involvement. Let us be the change!

Rita Mody Joshi EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Contents

LIVING THE GOOD LIFE ! NOV. 2012 | VOL 1 | ISSUE 1

C OVE R

CONTRIBUTERS O O O O O O O O O

Tarun Tahiliani Simona Bassi Kornelia Santoro Reita Faria Powell Kim Pereira Aamer Zakir Aparna Palyekar Aaron Fernandes Drona Tekchandani

O O O O O O O O O O

Akshay Rajan Dean D’Cruz Alex Davis R Kurup Sanjana Sud Heleen Van Gent Amol Satoskar FishEye Zubin Atre LiveToEat

O O

O O O O

O O

Atul Churamani Gayatri Ganjawala Kristna Saikia Dadhichi Toth Akash Das Prabuddha Dasgupta Remo Fernandes Sangeeta Narula

M O D E L: Gauhar Khan MAK E-U P: Akriti Puri HAI R: Maria Sharma P O ST P R O C E S S I N G: Paul LO CATI O N: Mumbai O UTF ITS & STYLI N G: Umair Zafar P H OTO G RAP HY:

Maya Singh for Abraxas Photography

FASHION 12

THE INDULGENT BRIDE Tarun Tahiliani’s bridal couture

GAUHAR GOES CANDID ‘Never experienced anything like a casting couch’

STAR AND STUDS Meet the beauties who sparkled on the runway at the IIJW

THROUGH TIME AND SPACE A peek at jewellery designer Simona Bassi’s collection

EYE CANDY Ditch the boring monochromes for these pop out hues when choosing eyewear

TIME OF HER LIFE India’s ﬁrst Miss World Dr Reita Faria Powell talks about her crowning moment

WRAP UP, BEAUTIFULLY Get decked in festive glam Kim Pereira’s saris

DECODING YOUR PERSONAL STYLE Feel comfortable in your own style writes Aamer Zakir

NATURE’S BEAUTY SECRETS Raid your kitchen closet for simple tips for ﬂawless skin this winter

RE-VISITING ALICE IN WONDERLAND Model Dawn Moritmer and Body painter Aaron Fernandes bring Grim’s fairy tales to life

CALENDAR GIRL These bikini gals scorched the Goan picturesque backdrop A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

C O NTE NTS

Contents 40

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE MONTH Drona Tekchandani gets clicking

FASHION DESIGNER OF THE MONTH Akshay showcases his designs DESIGN

HOME AWAY FROM HOME Beautiful Olaulim provided architect Dean D’Cruz an idyllic landscape to build the Abraham holiday home

KEEP IT SIMPLE! Product designer Alex

Davis’ sleek designs have found a fan following the world over 53

INTERIOR DESIGN AT ITS BEST Architect Rita Mody Joshi talk about the evolution of space

ONE TILE AT A TIME All that you needed to know about digital tiles

GOING POP WITH ART Add that arty touch to interiors

COLOUR FUTURES 2013 Here’s help to choose the right colour for the home Diwali

THE FAST LIFE Pro rally driver Amul Satoskar shifts gears

78 80

POTTERING AROUND THE PLANET: CHINA Fisheye visits the land of the dragon YOGA WITH A DIFFERENCE Apply the art of yoga to shoot at the bull’s-eye

A BLISS ABOVE THE REST Indulge in a blissful massage at the Sohum Spa

LIVE TO EAT Cafe Mangii – Dig into a scrumptious meal at this ﬁne dining restaurant

DIWALI 62

65 66

ideas this Diwali

ENTERTAINMENT GALORE Latest

LIVING TRIBUTE TO A GENIUS Akash Das talks

96 98

JOÃO PASSES AWAY A tribute by Remo Fernandes

WHEN GOD WANTED TO REST A visit to Gods own country, Kerala OTOAI Outbound travel made easy PRODUCTS Fuji launches XF1 GADGETS New releases NUDITY IS A MYSTERY IN DISGUISE Keeping it simple

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ARTIST WATCH Jitendra Sutar – A look at the artist’s work and inspirations

about Prabuddha Dasgupta 72

MUSIC IS MY FIRST LOVE Gayatri Ganjawala’s upcoming album

SOMETHING SPECIAL Perfect gifting

releases you don’t want to miss

SWEET TREATS Delicious desserts you can’t resist

THAT ‘TANHA DIL’ VIDEO Atul Churamani writes nostalgically about the making of the video

AN INDIAN SOIREE Festive fashion straight off the ramp

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ASTRO WATCH Predictions by Dadhichi Toth A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

MANAGING EDITOR AND PUBLISHER CREATIVE HEAD BUSINESS HEAD

Hemant Sud Datta Gawade Dhaval Gupta Akash Das Alex Davis Atul Churamani Conrad Gonsalves Pradeep Gupta Remo Fernandes

ADVISORY BOARD

Ritu Kumar

Sanjib Chatterjee Sarbjit Singh Shankar Sahney EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Rita Mody Joshi Nicole Suares Seema Crispino Nunes Cassandra D’Roza

EDITOR (GOA) DEPUTY EDITOR (DELHI) DEPUTY EDITOR (GOA) FEATURE WRITER (GOA) CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION

Monica Badhwar Amitabh Singh Shilpi Bhargava Ritesh Kumar Denwy Fernandes Aditya Das Mahesh Pednekar

VP OPERATIONS SR. MANAGER PROJECTS MANAGER DESIGN GRAPHIC DESIGNER (DELHI) GRAPHIC DESIGNER (GOA) PHOTOGRAPHER (DELHI) PHOTOGRAPHER (GOA) PRINT AND CIRCULATION

Manish Verma T. Srirengan Sudhir Arora MANAGER Sarita Shridhar

ASSOCIATE VP GM, PRINT SERVICES

SR. MANAGER CIRCULATION AUDIENCE SERVICE

REGIONAL OFFICES BENGALURU 401, 4th Floor, MBC Building, 134 Infantry Road, Bangalore - 560 001 Tel: 080-43412000 Fax: 080-22862971 CHENNAI 5-B, 6th Floor, Gemini Parsn Apartments, 599 Mount Road, Chennai - 600 006 Tel: 044-28221712, 28220360, 28229116 Fax: 044-28222092 KOLKATA 23/54, Gariahat Road, Ground Floor, Near South City College, Kolkata - 700 029 Tel: 033-65250117, 65250118, 40011506

MUMBAI 501/502 5th ﬂoor Acropolis, Military Road, Marol, Andheri (East), Mumbai 400 059 Tel: 022-29204142/3/4 Fax: 022-29203964 PUNE Flat No. 9, Popular Heights 3, F Block, North Main Road Koregaon Park, Pune - 411 001 Tel: 020-66203378, 66203379 Fax: 020 – 66203377 SECUNDERABAD Room No. 5 & 6, Srinath Commercial Complex, SD Road, Secunderabad - 600 003 Tel: 040-27841970, 27841665 Fax: 040-27808134

INTERNATIONAL OFFICES SINGAPORE Cyber Media (Singapore) Pte Ltd #14-03, High Street Centre, 1 North Bridge Road, Singapore - 179 094 Tel: +65-63369142, Fax: +65-63369145

CALIFORNIA Huson International Media President, 1999, South Bascom Avenue, Suit 1000,Campbell, Ca95008, USA Tel: +1-408-879 6666 Fax: +1-408-879 6669

The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct. Abraxas Lifestyle cannot be responsible for unsolicited material unless accompanied by adequate return postage. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

CORPORATE OFFICE HARYANA

Cyber House, B-35, Sector 32, Gurgaon, Haryana - 122 001, Tel: +91-124-4822222, Fax: +91-124-2381683 EDITORIAL OFFICE

DELHI

GOA

W-26, Greater Kailash-II, New Delhi 110048 Tel. : +91.11.4143.7519 Email: delhi@ abraxaslifestyle.com

1st Flr., F2, Vijay Laxmi Apt. Coqueiro Circle, Nh-17, Porvorim, Goa - 403501, India. Tel. : +01.832.645.8777 Email: goa@ abraxaslifestyle.com

Owned and published by Hemant Sud (W-26, Greater Kailash-II, New Delhi-110048) on behalf of Abraxas Communications Pvt. Ltd. Printed at Pearl Printer, C-105 Okhla Industrial Area Phase I, New Delhi 110020 Printed, marketed and distributed by Cyber Media (India) Ltd.

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

ADVISORY BOARD 1. AKASH DAS Akash is an award winning photographer and a pioneer in the ﬁeld of visual communication and photography. A socially conscious person, he has also been part of social awareness and wildlife conservation campaigns in India.

6. REMO FERNANDES Padmashri award recipient singer/ songwriter Remo is one of India’s renowned pop/rock/Indian fusion music icons. His noted compositions like O Meri Munni, ﬂute song, Maria Pita Che are some of his all time hits. He is also a social activist.

2. ALEX DAVIS Internationally acclaimed product designer Alex, known for his sleek and avant-garde metal designs, has showcased his works at international art events at the Salone del Mobile - Milano, Maison & Objet - Paris, Visual Arts Gallery and India Habitat Centre, New Delhi to mention a few.

7. RITU KUMAR Ritu, one of India’s leading fashion designers, has carved a niche for herself in the fashion industry for her distinct style that involves intricate weaves and embroidery using traditional Indian craftsmanship.

3. ATUL CHURAMANI Having spent 24 years in the Indian music industry, Atul has been a key player, credited with many ﬁrsts including launching the careers of many of today’s stars. Today, he is the Head of Content for OnMobile Global Limited, India’s largest VAS company.

8. SANJIB CHATTERJEE Sanjib’s practice and search in the domain has helped him create a contemporary language ﬁrmly rooted in India that connects art, architecture, craft and design to produce high-end artifacts. His design ﬁrm Kaaru’s critically acclaimed work has been exhibited in London, Delhi and all over the world.

4. CONRAD GONSALVES Conrad is a mumbai-based reputed architect and interior designer and is the past National President of the Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID), the apex all-India body for interior design.

9. SARBJIT SINGH Sarbjit is India’s foremost Hospitality Interior Designer. His design ﬁrm Fab Interiors having designed hotels, resorts, spas and restaurants for almost every international and domestic ﬁve-star hotel chain, in India and all over the world. He is also on the Advisory Board of Institute of Indian Interior Designers - Delhi (IIID-DRC ).

5. PRADEEP GUPTA Pradeep is the chairman and managing director of CyberMedia, India’s leading specialty media house. He has received national awards for his championship of the disabled, and alumni awards for entrepreneurship. He is also an angel investor and a mentor to a number of entrepreneurs.

10. SHANKAR SAHNEY Nicknamed the ‘King of Punjabi pop’, Shankar is an award winning pop singer, bhangra king, Bollywood playback, suﬁ and spiritual singer. He has also turned music director and recently released an album, singing ghazals along with the legend Asha Bhonsle. A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Designers Showcase

7KH ,QGXOJHQW %ULGH Tarun Tahiliani’s Bridal Couture collection is a range of elegant bridal wear combining modern chic and 1920’s traditional classic styles. The designer’s use of Swarovski elements as well as the ﬁne craftsmanship, makes the garments not just wearable, but timeless pieces of art By SANGEETA NARULA

The eye catching ﬂowy gown to suit our contemporary bride. The rich craftsmanship in the front has hints of modern sensibilities to give a classy look 12

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Meshes of Swarovski elements and thread work add to the beauty. Embellishments are lavish with intricate Zardozi and antique gold work, along with sequins, clusters of crystals and appliquĂŠs 13

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Raw sensual glamour of the twenties with whimsical motifs. An air of royalty suggested by the gold embellishment 14

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Stunning lehenga with paisleys and gorgeous embroidery reďŹ&#x201A;ect the beauty of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vast heritage 15

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Lehenga with a tailored jacketan epitome of impeccable construction and craftsmanship 16

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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A feminine line reďŹ ning luxury combined with the spectacle of its rich embellishment 17

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I am very excited to be shooting for the cover of Abraxas Lifestyle-a new high-end lifestyle magazine. This is the first venture of Cybermedia - one of India’s leading publishing houses outside the IT/Computers/ Digital Space. The content for the magazine comes from Abraxas Communications (already well known in the fields of photography and interiors). Unlike others, this is the first lifestyle magazine from the industry with a dazzling advisory board consisting of well known designers and artists like Ritu Kumar, Akash Das, Remo Fernandes, Sarbjit Singh, Alex Davis and others. This shoot has been very interesting like trying some looks and styles that I have not done before. It has been a great teamwork and we are all very excited about it and are confident the results will be spectacular. It’s a matter of pride and honour for me to be chosen as the first cover girl of Abraxas Lifestyle magazine.

M O D E L : Gauhar Khan MAK E-U P : Akriti Puri HAI R : Maria Sharma P O ST P R O C E S S I N G : Paul LO CATI O N : Mumbai O UTF ITS & STYLI N G : Umair Zafar P H OTO G RAP HY : Maya Singh for Abraxas Photography

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Cover Story

*DXKDU JRHV FDQGLG ‘Never experienced anything like a casting couch’

orgeous Gauhar emerged on the scene as a vibrant contestant on the reality dance show Jhalak Dikhala Ja and shimmied her way into our hearts with her excellent dancing moves. She again swayed us with her significant performances in Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year and Ishqzaade. Unlike many others, she proved that she was not just another pretty face. Who says models can’t act? She proved this notion wrong. “Those who comment probably should watch these two films of mine,” she shares. Excerpts from the interview: Tell us about your current projects? Currently, I have shifted my base from Delhi to Mumbai, so I’m busy doing my household stuff. I am still continuing with Zangoora and have decided to give films my full time. Hopefully soon I would be signing some interesting projects. Without any mentor, do you think it’s difficult to get into Hindi films? Yeah obviously, if you don’t have someone from the industry background or if you do not have the finance, it’s little more difficult but not impossible. Hard work certainly pays. For me, it’s hard work and belief in God. If you find some way to show your talent then a few in the industry do notice and you are provided with a platform. TV or films? Which medium do you prefer? And which one would you like to take up in the long run? I have done TV but only the interesting genres. The Khan Sisters was based on my personal life. Undoubtedly, I owe a lot to TV but would never act. 19

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A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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;]KKM[[ Q[ ^MZa ZMTI\Q^M Q\¼[ LQNNMZMV\ NWZ LQNNMZMV\ XMWXTM .WZ UM Q\¼[ PIXXQVM[[ ) ) ) ) ) ) Is this a conscious decision? Yes, this is a conscious decision because I don’t agree with the aesthetics and credits given to acting on TV. Stories really need to be changed, writers really need to bring out new stories. All the soap operas are generally on the same storyline, which eventually end up in almost similar manner. Films are my ultimate passion and I love this industry. What roles are you looking for? Any dream role? I don’t think there’s anything like dream role. For me, my role in Rocket Singh was my dream role where I portrayed the character of a very strong woman. For me, my role in Ishqzaade was my dream role where I don’t have to wear any make up to prove my talent. Every role you do is a dream role and I would love to play everything be it Rekhaji’s role in Khoobsoorat, Aishwarya’s role in Ham Dil De Chuke Sanam or Priyanka’s role in Barfi. Your relationship with your sister Nigar, do you have those usual fights? In what ways are you both different and similar? Obviously, like any normal sisters we fight, we quarrel and do the crazy things. The Khan Sisters was actually a sneak peek into our lifestyle, showcasing our real personas. The show was about showcasing the real side, the unseen side of stars. It was a window into the private lives of two celebrity sisters. There was a thin line between reality and fiction. Those who have seen this, definitely relate with both of us. Though Nigar is like me in many respects, we are as different as chalk and cheese when it comes to our approach towards work. As in? (Smiles). We share a great rapport with each other. We both are very family oriented but our dressing sense is different, choice in life is different, choice in food is different. She is more simplistic. I am more flamboyant. She loves formal clothing and I am the mix and match types. She’s more open to ideas and I am very strong, very clear in what I want...like a typical Leo! What do you have to say about the casting couch? I have never experienced anything like a casting couch. It depends! Jab tak ungli nahi doge aapka koi haath nahi pakrhega ... sunane kee batein bahut hain. So far, I have had good experiences in this industry.

What’s success according to you? Success is very relative, it’s different for different people. For me, it’s happiness. What would you say on Love, Romance and Marriage? Ah… Marriage is a dream of mine. Inshallah I get married some day, it will happen for sure, everything has a time and things will happen when they have to happen. I hope to get married to a person who loves me, takes care of me and makes me feel like I am his whole world (giggles).In life there’s a phase of everything-love, romance and marriage, so waiting for the right time. Right now, I am very much single. What qualities do you desire to see in your Mr Perfect? Would you like to get married to someone from the industry or outside? Well, I don’t make judgements or assumptions, whether the guy has to be from the industry or outside. For me, it’s going to be the person who would matter. What next? Whether I work or don’t work, whether I find a right man or don’t. I have just one thing next to me - that is to be happy. Till what extent are you comfortable with exposure in the films? I guess one has to draw a line. I would never want to hurt my family, my friends or myself. I work to make them feel proud. I am doing the work I have faith in. I will never embarrass my family with the films, shows or projects I do. Being glamorous for me, doesn’t mean going overboard and doing whatever it takes to stay in the spotlight. Item numbers are the rage, your comments? The term “item number” is a very derogatory term. For me, an item song is a special number, rather an amazing dance number that enhances the popularity of the film. We need to respect it. Do you like media intrusion in your personal life? Who doesn’t like media intrusion? Anybody who says that he /she doesn’t like media intrusion would be lying. He doesn’t have the right to be in this industry. I’m so sorry but if there is no media, you would not be famous, it’s because of media you are getting publicity but there’s a certain line which even the media should not cross. Baal ki khal nahi nikalna chahiye. 21

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A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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STYLE FILE BEAUTY PHILOSOPHY

Never overdo anything, whether clothes or make-up. Try keeping it simple and natural. MAKEUP MUST-HAVES

A good moisturiser with a good SPF and mascara is a great way to deﬁne your eyes and enhance your looks. HANDBAG ESSENTIALS

Mascara, lip balm or gloss, wallet, mints and perfume. BEAUTY RECIPES

I drink lots of water and when I am really tired, I put cucumber on my eyes. SKIN CARE

I cleanse my face well, drink lots of water, use good products and yes if you are happy that really shows. DAY LOOK

Day wear is from tracks to jeans to skirt. I keep a natural look with no makeup. NIGHT LOOK

It’s semi-formal, could be a dress or a blazer paired with a trouser. I keep loud eyes with subtle lip colour, but if lips are dark then nude eyes. FAVOURITE DESIGNERS

Many. I love Ritu Kumar, Manish Malhotra, Neeta Lulla and Narender Kumar. GET GLAMOROUS TIP

No matter whatever you wear, put red lipstick, it will add a glam quotient. FITNESS FILES

I am not a yoga person. I am a weight trainer. My trainer Ahmed Yusuf is the best in India. DIET DISCIPLINE

I eat healthy and stay away from fried food and too many sweets. I have a sweet tooth (chuckles), but I try to keep a check. I have wholesome meals, like daal sabji. FESTIVE WARDROBE

I’m obsessed with Indian clothing. On festivals or weddings, I try being traditional. I love to dress up heavy - Indian suits churhidaars, saris and traditional heavy clothes with zardosi and gota work. Vintage jewellery looks great with traditional attire, so I wear nice classic stuff to compliment my outﬁts. 23

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Ankita Shorey wearing a stunning kundan maang tikka for Gitanjali’s Sangini show

Jewellery

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Bipasha Basu in diamonds for Gitanjali Nakshtra

Jewels were deﬁnitely the best friends of these glam divas at the India International Jewellery Week 2012 Abevvy of beauties walked down the ramp of the India Abe International Jewellery Week, showered in exquisite jewellery Intern ellery jewellery designers. What made it even more by renowned ren spectacular was the number of celebrities who wore thee best specta pieces. Designers like Japanese sensation Nabuko Ishikawa, pieces kawa, India’s Tanvi Garg, Dipti Amisha and companies such ch as Raksha Enterprises, Jewels Emporium, Kashi Jewellers Raksh ellers participated with great enthusiasm, with designs par partic excellence. The audience appreciated the innovation, design, excelle pp esign, craftsmanship at the show. craftsm manship and quality seen exclusively excl

Looking like a million dollars, Malaika Arora Khan is garlanded with diamonds, emeralds and blue sapphires by KGK Entice Pvt Ltd 24 24

Sushmita Sen looks lovely in Birdicchand Ghanshyamdas

Esha Gupta in a ruby-diamond bib-necklace, teamed with earrings, designed by Kashi Jewellers

Yami Gautam grabs attention with a 3D diamond foral centered necklace by D Navinchandra (Kriplani) A Cybermedia Cyyb Cyberm Cyb yber errm erm med edi e diia Publication d Public Pub Pu ub u blic liiccati cat aati ttio on n | Nov No N November ovem ov emb emb mber 20 201 2012 01 0 12

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Designer

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7LPH DQG VSDFH Fusing cultures and techniques, Simona Bassi creates timeless pieces of jewellery ﬁnds KORNELIA SANTORO

s I step into Simona Bassi’s garden, I know, I have come to a special place. This impression intensiﬁes as I admire her jewellery, once inside. “I like to mix the old and the new to make something unique,” says the Italian designer talking about her jewellery. After having travelled twice around the world, in the year 2005 she settled into a cosy home tucked away in Assagao, a village in the hinterland of the Northern beach belt of Goa. Simona Bassi loves to collect antiques, especially rare stones and beads. “I had so many ideas and here I found a place where I Above: Simona Bassi can realise them”, she says with a sparkle in Right: Gold ring with an her eyes. She does this with the help of two antique coral Ganesh goldsmiths from Nepal. This setup allows and sapphire, diamond her creativity to ﬂow freely. “I enjoy working engravings closely with my customers, giving birth to individual pieces. This is quite challenging, “I design something private in every piece, but it makes me happy.” something that is yours, that only you can Her jewellery is crafted beautifully. Most see,” she says. The Liquid Silver collection of the ornaments are engraved on both sides. of rings sports a golden heart on the inside,

reserved for the eyes of the owner. Every piece of jewellery and every collection have a name, for example the flower and butterfly collections or the bird rings. Ancient designs, organic influences and the traditional techniques of India and Nepal inspire Simona Bassi. She uses traditional ornaments and combines them with rare stones in an inimitable way. “I love to collect stones at Anjuna Beach, especially black lava which has been compacted and polished by the sea in thousands of years.” I adored a pendant of polished lava united with an antique gold flower ornament and inlaid with diamonds and rubies. For a well-crafted ornament worth identifying yourself with, Simona can be reached by her customers by appointment only. She can also be found during the tourist season at the Anjuna Flea Market or the Saturday Night Market.

KORNELIA SANOTORO IS AN AWARD WINNING COOK BOOK AUTHOR AND FREELANCE WRITER.

Left to Right: Gold emerald ring; Ganesh engraving on the reverse of the OM Ganesh pendant; Black banded agate faces, ring and pendant in silver 25

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A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Blast from the Past P H OTO S: R E ITA FAR IA P OW E LL

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India’s ﬁrst Miss World, REITA FARIA POWELL chats with us about her win back in 1966

n November 1966 a young final year Indian medical student flew alone to London to join 66 gorgeous women from across the globe in London. Twenty-three year old Reita Faria, who walked the ramp in a borrowed sari and swim suit then, went on to become India’s first Miss World. “Those were innocent times as there was no pressure or money made,” says Reita as she chats from her residence in Dublin, Ireland. “A lot of Indians were then coming to the United Kingdom as migrant workers and it was a big boost for them to have a Miss India as Miss World.” A beauty pageant was the last thing on her mind as she was focused on her studies. “I was determined to graduate in medicine,” recalls Reita, who grew up in a conservative Goan family in Mumbai. It was her sister Philomena who insisted that she sign up for the Miss Bombay pageant. “I took it as a joke and sent my photograph to the organisers,” she says. Once selected, she was soon adjudged Miss Bombay and went on to win the Eve’s Weekly Miss India competition, thus eligible for the Miss World event. The competitions happened within a short span, so there was no time for preparation. “After winning Miss India in October I attended medical college, as normal. There was a small write up in the papers the next day, which could have gone unnoticed amongst my colleagues. Soon Miss World followed in November. I travelled alone to London for the world event,” she recalls It was her first time outside her country. “The organisers met me at the airport,” she says. “I had no wardrobe. I borrowed a swimsuit from Persis Khambatta, (former Miss India), and a wedding sari from another friend, which I wore as my evening gown attire.”

Photo (above): Reita with her husband David Powell; Below: Reita Faria smiles as she wins Miss World The one and a half hour show was carefully choreographed as prior rehearsals were conducted. The girl who describes herself as someone who loved sports and one who never wore make up went on to win the crown. Time has not erased those fond memories from her mind or those who watched her live. “Recently at a function to felicitate UK Goans, I met many Goans who told me how proud they were of their Miss World,” says Reita. One of the main reasons for joining the Miss World pageant was her love for travel. As part of her one-year contract as Miss World, she travelled extensively, going to places like Vietnam, America, Africa and Europe. Films and modelling offer poured in, but nothing deterred her from pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. “I did not get into modelling or acting. In those days, medical school was much tougher. Doctors were not allowed ethically to do anything that attracted publicity, so there was no point. I made some personal appearances at events. And I looked pretty.” After her tenure as Miss World, she went on to complete her medical studies in the UK, where she met her future husband Professor David Powell while in college in London. After a few years postgraduate work at Harvard Medical School in Boston, they returned to Ireland where they continue to live. Today, more than four decades after she plunged into the world of glamour for fun, she is not missing anything as a 69-year-old proud grandmother. She goes skiing, loves gardening and plays golf regularly. “It’s been a good life,” she smiles. 27

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Designers Showcase

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%($87,)8//< What characterises Kim Pereiraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winter collection is her use of handwork, cutwork and stunning diamonds

M O D E L: Swapna Pujari MAK E U P: Blossom Pinto STYLI N G: Kim Pereira P H OTO G RAP HY: Abraxas Photography

Pre-stitched net sari with pallu, accessorised with a brooch on the shoulder

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Peach lehenga with a sari border embellished with diamonds and cutwork

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Black cocktail sari with twisted ribbon work

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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International stylist, makeover and grooming expert AAMER ZAKIR gives you advice on how to look and feel good

nternational stylist, makeover and grooming expert, Aamer Zakir gives you advice on how to look and feel good. Styling refers to combining clothing, accessories, hair, makeup and other elements to create the desired look. It is important to always look your best at your job interview/ party/ social gathering/ date/ work place. An unkempt look is noticed immediately, so here’s some advice for your styling and grooming which will help you gain confidence. STYLOMETER

Know what will work on you: If tweed suits are in, but if you are not a suit kind of girl, then its better to wear a jacket with jeans and a pair of nice shoes. Check length, ﬁt, colour, season and occasion: If you are short, then don’t wear trousers, especially long length as it will make your legs look shorter. Don’t mix too much: If your bag is silver metallic, then your jacket/belt/shoes should not be all gold or all silver. RULE OF TEN

1. Wear socks that match your trousers. 2. Ignore size, go with what ﬁts you and looks good. 3. If you have big feet, then wear shoes that are close in colour to your pants. 4. Just because it looks good on the hanger,

doesn’t mean it will look good on you. 5. When you don’t have time for a hairwash a nice and a neatly tied pony tail is the next best thing. 6. Buy quality not quantity. 7. Too tight is never right. 8. For a lady, it is a must to wear a good bra; it will make any outﬁt look better. 9. Always check your rear side in the mirror before you head out. 10. Remember people can tell a lot about you by the shoes you wear. STYLING FOR WORK PLACE

Appearance: Be prepared all the time; you never know when and where you will get a good job opportunity. Grooming: Your personal grooming starts with your personal hygiene. You should look neat and clean. Use good bodywash, deodorants, shampoo, hair/make-up products. Styling, colours and ﬁt: Always go for simplicity, wear the right colour according to your age and profession. Don’t wear bright colours and tight ﬁts if you are from the corporate world. Blue/ grey/white/black are always safe colours to choose from. Remember that even the most expensive suit/dress can look shabby if it is not the right size. No sweat: Some of the most embarrassing A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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styling issues are body odour or sweat stains when it comes to a meeting or job interview or an important presentation. Keep a deodorant handy or carry and use an anti-perspirant. A good antiperspirant gives 12 to 24 hours protection. Good styling: Your styling should appear effortless. If you want your friends/ people/ colleagues to notice you, then pay attention to small and simple styling details like a nice watch, a well ﬁtted suit/ dress, shoes, a scarf, a nice and neat hair do or some nice accessories. Keep you hair simple: Keep your hair neat, and clean. Over styled hair with lots of products in it will get noticed, but the wrong way. A safe bet is a nice, neat high/low pony tail or bun for girls or side parting for boys.

Know what will work on you. Ignore size, go with what ﬁts you and looks good Keep essentials ready For a lady, it is a must to wear a good bra; it will make any outﬁt look better Always go for simplicity, wear right colour according to your age and profession Your styling should appear effortless

Keep essentials ready: You can never know that by the end of a long day you may get a last minute call for an office party or dinner, so be prepared by keeping a drawer of essentials (deodorant/ fragrance/ compact powder/ lipstick/ kohl/ mascara etc) STYLING FOR SHOOTS

In photo shoots, the role of a stylist is very important. He/she combines clothes/ make-up/ hair/ accessories and other elements to create the desired look. Here is a stylist’s checklist: O Does the garment need ironing? O Are there stains anywhere on the garment? Check for makeup/ soil or perspiration stains especially on the neckline or collar. O Does the garment ﬁt properly? If not, then does it need to be sewn, pinned or taped? O Is the garment being worn correctly? Is there a requirement of a belt? O Will the shoes be visible in the picture? If so, are they well co-ordinated with the garment? O Are the shoes in good condition, shined and heeled? O What are the required accessories? O Has the hair and make-up been adjusted to coordinate with the garment? O Are there any speciﬁc instructions that come with the garment from the designer? O Have all the tags of the garment been removed?

AAMER ZAKIR IS A DELHI-BASED IRANIAN INTERNATIONAL STYLIST/ MAKEOVER/ GROOMING EXPERT FOR THE STARS AND HIGH FASHION PEOPLE. HE ALSO CHOREOGRAPHS FASHION SHOWS AND DESIGN GARMENTS FOR VERY SELECTED PEOPLE.

FAS H I O N

Beauty

1DWXUH·V EHDXW\ VHFUHWV Keep your skin ﬂawless this winter

very season our skin reacts differently. It is during winter that we complain of a number of problems, like cracked lips and heels, ﬂaky scalp, dry hair, lack of moisture, joint aches, etc. Each requires proper attention and treatment. A healthy intake of fruits, vegetables, meats, proteins, minerals and plenty of water will bring out that natural glow. Besides eating right, here are a few tips straight from your kitchen shelf that will help you get that ﬂawless skin. SKIN

APARNA PALYEKAR HAS BEEN A SKIN EXPERT FOR 25 YEARS. SHE SPECIALISES IN LECTROCAUTERY, WART AND SKINTAG REMOVAL FACE AND HAIR TREATMENT AMONG OTHER THINGS.

O Begin your day with a warm glass of water boiled with a few mint leaves. Mint will help clear your bowel system; it also reduces darkening of skin. After a week, you can add tulsi leaves instead of mint to your water. O Almonds not only provide natural oils to your skin but also help in hair growth. Pick ﬁve almonds, 1 tbsp of milk powder, a little milk cream and blend all this in a paste. After blending the ingredients well, apply it on your skin, face and neck. Leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing it off. O If you have been suffering from acne problems, take a few mint and neem leaves, a little turmeric, few coriander leaves, add a teaspoon of sandalwood powder and blend them all in a blender for a smooth paste. Apply the paste, three times a week to the affected area and wash after 10 minutes. O Use a neem base face wash to wash your face

regularly. Use a toner and apply lacto calamine every day. O Drink a minimum of 10 glasses of water per day and avoid alcohol, smoking, oily and fried foods for 15 days in order to get rid off pimples or marks on your face. HAIR

Boil coconut oil along with few curry leaves and hibiscus leaves, strain and preserve in a bottle. Apply the oil, one hour before you wash your hair. After washing your hair just add a little vinegar or plain tea water to your last rinse. You will notice that you have no hair fall and your hair will be smooth and have a shine. HANDS

For women who are constantly in touch with detergents and those who have rough hands and feet can try this remedy for smoother hands. To a bowl of warm of water, add few drops of glycerin, honey and lemon, soak your hands and feet for 15 minutes. Do this at least twice a week. EYES

To reduce crows’ feet (or black circles) around the eyes, apply drops of almond oil, 1 drop of lavender and 1 drop of mint oil. You can easily ﬁnd these aroma oils readily available in the market. Lavender helps in reducing inﬂamed or burn areas; mint reduces pigmentation, under eye circles.

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Through this series, body painter AARON FERNANDES takes us through an enchanting journey of Grimmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fairy tales

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DOLFH M O D E L: Dawn Mortimer MAK E U P AN D HAI R: Sephora Salon and Spa B O DY PAI NTI N G ARTI ST: Aeron Fernandes P H OTO G RAP HY AN D P O ST P R O C E S S I N G:

Abraxas Photography

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

FAS H I O N

he term ‘body art’ is an all-encompassing phrase and has everything to do with the modiﬁcation and beautiﬁcation of the human body. However ‘body painting’ would ideally mean the use of paint and makeup. Unlike the lifelessness of a fabric canvas, the human form is alive and the model a walking exhibition of an art piece. And creating living art is certainly a unique talent. While body art as a concept is relatively a child of the late 20th century, painting on the human form and the many practices it includes, is as old as time itself. The art has transcended today into a form of unbelievable possibilities, from the days of its inception. This unique art celebrates the human form in all its splendour and allows us to see the human body as a living canvas to be transformed in a way where light, shade and an artistic touch harmonise to create a truly remarkable magical illusion. Here in this fairytale fantasy theme, the magic of stories with the magic of art, make up and photography, combine to truly amaze and entertain the viewer and see the same story from a different artistic interpretation. Our twist to the tale so to say. “One day you will all be old enough for fairytales again”

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Aaron Fernandes erases the limits of art on a canvas. As a student of the arts, he has experimented with graffiti and design earlier having designed the interiors of several clubs in Goa and Gurgaon. For four years he worked as a tattoo artist in his own studio. But now he has chosen a larger canvas to express his creativity - the human body. Aaron finds the body to a more interesting canvas to work on as it has movement, fluidity, shape and more potential for striking art. Having showcased his walking displays of art at fashion shows in Goa as well as for a L’Oreal show in Mumbai, Aaron believes that body art still has a long way before it becomes popular in India as opposed to the West where this body art is widely used and appreciated. Through this series of Grimm’s fairytales, Aaron hopes to portray body art as an expression of not only the self but in pushing one’s artistic abilities to create something beautiful. In his first edition, the artist uses whimsical bright colours which have captured the essence of Grimm’s character of a playful, curious and strong-headed Alice in Wonderland.

Dawn Mortimer is certainly one of the most sought after models in the country today. She’s walked the ramp for some of India’s top fashion industry names like Felix Bendish, Krishna Dembla and Rohit Verma and worked with others like Manish Arora, James Ferreira, Senaka and Pamela Brusetti. She has been associated with a number of brands like Orra, Levi’s, Schwarzkopf, Timex, Lee, Arrow, and Incredible India to name a few. Dawn has made it to the front pages too, having appeared on the covers of reputed magazines like Outlook Traveller and Groove. Commercially, this fashion model has done some silver time shooting for music videos, documentaries, advertisements and movies, proving her versatility in any given assignment. On a more personal note, Dawn’s passion for modelling has furthered into a mission to help other aspiring models as a grooming instructor for Model Boot Camp in Goa. Being an animal lover, she refuses to use products tested on animals. This model considers herself self-made, independent, and determined, qualities which have helped her to be ‘the’ current face of modeling in Goa. 37

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Swimwear M O D E L: Poonam Pandey MAK E U P: Vineet HAI R: Munna LO CATI O N: Aldeia de Goa P H OTO G RAP HY: Abraxas Photography

Shot Exclusively for the 2010 Annual Abraxas Calendar

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Email your photographs to: models@abraxasphotography.com

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D E S I G N, MAK E U P AN D M O D E L

Dawn Mortimer P H OTO G RAP HY

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Pangong Tso , Ladakh A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Akshay Rajan MODEL

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“I want to empower women. I want the people to be afraid of the women I dress” — Remembering the words of the creator of Savage Beauty — Alexander McQueen, Paanch Tattava tries to unfold McQueen’s upending conventional, normative standards of beauty. When the codes of duties are challenged leading to rise of ambiguity, one needs to rediscover the strength in the belief in goodness, her vast source of power and eternity. Panch Tattava conglomerates the ﬁve elements of nature to give birth to a protector in the battle ﬁeld of real life. The metals, chains, rings, antique and earthly colours in the collection epitomise the forms of mother nature and the necessity of the rebirth of a power, a Saviour. So here I go…

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“Several years she grew in sun and shower; Then Nature said, “A purer ﬂower Our river had never owned” She becomes the queen of the blue ocean, collects the goodness from every water drop which ﬂoats around her, and the power of supernatural sea creatures. The Matsya has the strength of calming down the raging tides of ocean into soft gurgling waves.

AKSHAY RAJAN

Akshay is the award-wining designer of the NIFT-Delhi Graduation Fashion Show, 2012. He has specialised in Knitwear design 42

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

DESIGN

Interiors

KRPH $:$< )520 +20( Mathew and Kirti Abraham’s rustic escape gives them the feeling of being at home in Kerala, while enjoying the backwaters of Olaulim, Goa

he breathtaking landscape of Olaulim offers a quiet retreat to many. This tiny hamlet is nestled cosily between the lush green hills that separate it from Bastora and Porvorim in the West and the sleepy backwaters of the river Mandovi that meander inwards in the East. For miles all, you can hear is the sound of nature — the birds chirping, hidden somewhere in the trees and the soft gust of breeze blowing from the river, inland. It is against such a backdrop that the farmhouse for Mathew and Kirti Abraham in Olaulim ﬁnds its place. It is located on a pristine gently sloping orchard land overlooking a natural water body and the river beyond. The vast stretch of land (around 10,000 sq meters) is the perfect holiday escape for the couple who work in the Middle East. The brief was simple — a home they could visit, not only during their break, but one they could retire to when the time came. The house is accessible by road and river and the intention was to create a series of linear interconnected pavilions that stretched across the view and stepped up the slope. The dramatic roof on closer inspection is actually designed to draw from Mathew’s Kerala roots and besides its contemporised traditional looking ends has traditional roof details as well. The roof is the major guiding element with background stone ﬂooring.

Dining pavillion

DESIGN

Above: Cantilevered verandah; Right: Side view of the facade of the Abraham home

The home reflects the Abraham’s eco-friendly approach as it incorporates an inbuilt gutter that channelises the water into dramatic drops that can be harvested, and oriented to take an easy mounting of effective solar panels. The laterite walls help anchor the building to its Goan roots and stop at sill level allowing the roof to seemingly hover above the building. From it are balconies that bracket out freeing the otherwise contained space. Natural stone floors are creatively laid drawing lines from the shadows of openings. The space between the two edge pavilions forms a courtyard in which sits a dining pavilion, the real hub of the house. Built in three levels in a staggered manner, walking up the entrance will bring you to a small lobby and a staircase that connects you to the lower and upper ground floors. While the lower section connects the living, music and master bedrooms, the upper storey contains the main dining area apart from the other guest and living rooms. The interiors are kept minimalistic, simple with broad openings, where priority is to connect with the outside rather than focusing on itself. This also keeps the home well-ventilated and illuminated with enough of natural light. For a relaxed evening, the lounge area offers a soothing vista of the garden below and the river beyond as it glides inwards. The landscaping done merges the home with the surroundings perfectly, thereby giving it that feel of being in perfect company with nature. 46

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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The lounge area looking on to the garden and the river beyond Front view of the facade of the Abraham home

Living room with a contemporised traditional roof

Upper living and lower lounge level from the entrance lobby

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DEAN D’CRUZ, A GOA –BASED ARCHITECT SET UP MOZAIC DESIGN COMBINE IN 2002. HE IS A RECIPIENT OF NUMEROUS AWARDS LIKE DESIGNER OF ONE OF THE 10 BEST SPAS IN ASIA, ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR, STATE COMMENDATION AWARD AMONGST OTHERS

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

DESIGN

Focus

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Renowned product designer ALEX DAVIS talks to Abraxas Lifestyle about his design philosophy and the industry at large

One of the product designs, Ox Horizon

here lies a beauty in the simplicity of his designs. Being true to his design philosophy of keeping it simple, renowned product designer Alex Davis creates unique pieces that have found a prized place in private collections and galleries the world over. Though he began his career at a time when product design in India was almost non-existent, he went on to carve a niche for himself in a span of 20 years, making him a sought after designer. His collections have been showcased at the Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Mira Stainless Gallery and Palette in Mumbai, The Apparao Galleries in Chennai and some of his pieces have also been showcased as part of an international art event at the Salone del Mobile, Milano. Now, if all plans go through, Delhi will soon be witness to his unique creation in the form of a public installation. Below are excerpts from an interview:

ABOUT YOUR WORK

How did the journey begin? What made you choose this line? While doing mechanical engineering, I realized that I needed to be in a more creative field to be satisfied intellectually and intuitively. As a child, I was always dabbling in art especially sculptural things. I liked using my hands to create things. One option was to become an architect, but destiny made me an engineer. When I heard about the post graduate programme at the National Institute of Design, Amdavad, I applied and made it. There I realized I needed to be a part of world design. This took me to Domus Academy, Milano. When I finished I was one of the two students who got a job in a fabulous design studio. The studio was that of Steffano Giovononi. Unfortunately, due to some issues between India and Italy at the time, I couldn’t get a working visa. Since then I have been practising in India. A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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What made you choose to work with metal? Steel is the main metal that I work with as it is perceived to be a very hard industrial metal, I wanted to take something as industrial as steel to make something better. This metal is also extremely contemporary and hence ďŹ ts into our modern ethos, yet remains a classic. Three collections (My Lazy Garden, The Moonlit Safari and Hyper Blooms) are nature inspired. Are you mostly inspired by nature? Yes, nature is a huge inspiration for me. Growing up in a state like Kerala, nature has been an integral part of my sub conscience. I am inspired by everything around me. India has so much to draw from, like its people, its colours, its art and craft, its architecture and so much more.

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How far has the proposal for the Ashoka tree installation in Delhi progressed? Can you throw more light on it? 51

DESIGN

Above: The Champa ﬂower and tree from his collection titled ‘Hyperbloom’; Left: An installation ‘OK’ by Davis

The Dilli Bagh project is under consideration of the Government of Delhi. The idea is inspired from all the Mughal baghs that have been an integral part of Delhi through the centuries. I wanted to make a live sculpture that was very modern and hence I took the iconic Ashoka tree and made it large. Doing it in Delhi makes perfect sense as we are so proud of our gardens, parks and forests. Your design philosophy… Keep it simple, keep it emotional. How has your education and work abroad influenced your thinking and work? Any exposure in life broadens ones canvas. Studying and working abroad exposed me to the works great international designers and has definitely influenced my life.

INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED PRODUCT DESIGNER ALEX, KNOWN FOR HIS SLEEK AND AVANT-GARDE METAL DESIGNS, HAS SHOWCASED HIS WORKS AT INTERNATIONAL ART EVENTS AT THE SALONE DEL MOBILE - MILANO, MAISON & OBJET PARIS, VISUAL ARTS GALLERY AND INDIA HABITAT CENTRE, NEW DELHI TO MENTION A FEW.

Some difficulties you had to face. What kept you going? No difficulties really, except in the initial years where I pandered more to what the clients wanted and today my clients come to me because of the work I do. It is a natural progression…I like what I do and that’s what keeps me going. ABOUT THE INDUSTRY

How has the industry opened up today? How do Indian and foreign clientele differ? Yes, the industry has opened up much more than when

I had started out. The foreign clientele are more open to what I create and the response has been overwhelming while in India, the pieces have gone to a very select clientele. You once said in an interview that the Indian design industry required a ‘certain sensibility’. How would you define this? We don’t see so many products that we can call truly Indian. We are still making knock offs. Very few designers are attempting to do something different, something original. Maybe because our customers still want what they see. What has kept people away from this field, are there enough freelance designers today? Lack of understanding of the profession and the lack of sufficient good design schools could be one of the reasons. Also, in the main stream industry, the scope for design intervention is not high as most of the design works happen abroad. What needs to be done to boost this field? There has to be a job aspiration attached to the profession. Very few designers end up practising design as in most organisations, you are asked to do knock offs of some foreign brand, especially in product design. An exposure to people about what is the potential of a profession such as this, through media may help both the industry and parents get a clearer understanding of this profession. A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

DESIGN

Insight

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Architect RITA MODY JOSHI writes about the evolution of the concept of space in interiors

hey say that a designer is known for their creations. Creations that stem from a thought, an idea, its usage and most of the time-make a difference to the society and the World. Such creations are worthy of reverence in every sense of art. The created piece of art, whether it is a chair, a table or just a window, looks spectacular! Deep thought is attached to it. Common place requirements in any space may not catch the eye, but when placed correctly, they are treated with high regard too. Any Interior space is composed of several designed elements. These elements create a spatial dream suitable for its end user…an environment conducive for progress! It does not necessary need a designer to create elements that are ground-breaking in every sense. Comfort is the key-word for the user, and style is the key-word for an observer. Awe-inspiring interior spaces generally comprise of minimal furniture, that is, a well-charted-out ﬂoor plan allowing enough natural light and ventilation. The ambience should be just - right for the activity allotted to that space. In other words — Form should follow Function. In our day to day lives today we are racing with time! Time for laughter and play has been ignored. This leads to stress! How can mankind progress when we are under stress? Innovative interior spaces can distract our over-burdened lives and will refresh our minds. Use of bright colours is the spice in our daily-routine chores.

Gone are the days when a change was considered unsettling! The by-line for progress today is ‘change your attitude’! Issues like ‘Global Warming’ have hit us all, around the World. To preserve our Mother Nature, mankind is committed to protecting the environment. Energy efficient materials are being used. Our natural resources are being tapped — without depleting it. The principles of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle are used for all the material type in this construction industry. The missions to save our planet– make the designers responsible for all their actions and make the lives of all the end users simpler and uncomplicated — a life worth living! We have come a long way. Interior design today has reacted to climate change, tradition and to the economic recession. An awakening over the last decades has changed the mainstream consciousness that design has penetrated and the impact that it has made. Interior design is evolving in leaps and bounds, towards a promising future. A GRADUTAE FROM CEPT AHMEDABAD IN 1985, SHE WORKED WITH AR B V DOSHI (AHMEDABAD) AND AR JOSEPH ALLEN STEIN (DELHI), BEFORE MOVING TO GOA IN 1987.A VISITING FACULTY AT GOA COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, SHE TOOK ACTIVE PART IN THE IIA (4 YEARS AS VICE-CHAIRMAN). AS FOUNDER CHAIRMAN OF IIID GOA CENTRE, SHE ORGANISED FIVE MEGA EVENTS EVERY YEAR FOR FOUR YEARS AND WAS CONVENOR OF THE IIID NATIONAL CONVENTION IN 2005. RITA WAS REQUESTED TO HELP IN ORGANIZING THE EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL INTERNATIONAL ASIA PACIFIC SPACE DESIGNERS ASSOCIATION (APSDA) CONVENTION IN FEBRUARY 2012. SHE HAS HER ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE IN GOA SINCE 1994.SHE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE LIONS CLUB OF CALANGUTE.

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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DESIGN

Trends

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7,0( R KURUP on the use of digital tiles as a new home dĂŠcor trend

ow different are digital tiles from the standard ones available? Digital tiles are ceramic tiles whose design surface is printed using stateof-the-art digital printing technology. This technology allows us to print the design directly from the computer source onto the tileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glazed surface. The quality achieved in digital printing ensures that designs are captured with their complete detailing as well as depth. In standard printing, the depth of the design cannot be completely reproduced. Digital printing technology offers tremendous advantage in capturing real life-like 3D designs and images on the tile in high-resolution. It enables printing on uneven, curved or even textured surfaces

with a high degree of printing accuracy and consistency, which otherwise is not possible in standard printing. Can these be customised according to client needs? With a change in trends and consumer preferences, it becomes essential that we cater to the proliďŹ c and sometimes customised needs of the consumers. Using digital technology enables an ecosystem of customised services too. What led to this trend? Rising disposable incomes, affordability and vibrant aesthetics have driven awareness levels and demand for value added products like digital tiles. Moreover, our industry is A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

DESIGN

TIPS Digital tiles add great value when creating a featured wall with highlighting. These tiles can do wonders in a nursery or the children’s room due to its capability to capture depth of colour and tone to make the space exciting and vibrant in its look. Digital tiles are also becoming popular in bathrooms as they make a small spaces look bigger.

focusing on innovation in a very big way. This innovation focus is from all perspectives be it in design, technology, size, colour, etc. The ceramic industry as a whole has moved away from stereotypes and introduced innovative products and contemporary designs as part of their value added and innovative offerings to customers. How well is it doing in the market? Digital tiles are doing very well. The success of digital tiles enabled us to launch the Neo Digital collection. The collection draws heavy inﬂuence from international art décor and includes a series of intricate masterpieces inspired from in-lay art of carving. This collection combines unique designs like Wings Paciﬁc, Petalio Verne

which capture the finer intricacies and the 3D forms of these unique stone and art carvings. These intricate artworks are replicated on the tile using state-of-theart digital printing technology. Johnson Tiles is offering its Neo Digital collection in soothing shades, impeccable finishes and sparkling glows making this an ideal choice for homes by adding flaunting value to the overall ‘Neo’ experience. The Johnson Neo Digital collection is complimented by an exclusive Spanish décor series to create unique wall highlighters. What are the common colours, patterns and other specifics requested? Digital tiles with a natural finish are in

great demand. These tiles add instant glamour and panache to any space. Also, wood designs that replicate real wood, photographic images with vivid real-life pictures etc. are on high demand. How durable are they? Digital tiles are long lasting and can be easily cleaned up with a damp mop, sponge or common household cleaners. This makes them extremely easy to maintain.

R KURUP IS THE CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER H&R JOHNSON (INDIA)

DESIGN

Trends

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Break the monotony in your home with funky paintings and pieces of furniture says SANJANA SUD

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

DESIGN

emember Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe prints and Campbell’s POP ART DESIGN FURNITURE Soup cans? They are etched in most people’s conscience Pop art employs aspects of mass culture such as advertising, comic and are one of the most recognizable images of pop art. books and mundane cultural objects, as well as an expansion upon them. It is widely interpreted as a reaction to the ideas of abstract Pop art was one the most influential art movements of the expressionism. It is due to its utilisation of found ejects and images 20th century. Making its first appearance in London and New York which is similar to Dadaism. Most often, through the use of irony, over 50 years ago, it clicked with the masses and grew rapidly. Pop art played a role in the revival of printmaking particularly in the U.S. the pop art movement aimed to employ images of the popular as opposed to elitist culture in art, emphasising the banal or kitschy in the 1960’s. Andy Warhol is of course the most famous figure of pop elements of any given culture. art besides Roy Lichtenstein, Tom Wesselmann and others. As to the attitudes which led to it, the concept of the pop art refers Pop art interior design represents a style that uses everyday objects and consumerism culture to create artistic interior designs. not as much as to the art itself. The pop removes the material from its context and isolates the object or combines it with other objects. Retro and pop art interior design is a style featuring a beautiful Pop Art has taken many infamous forms over the years, with combination of colours and bold graphics. Mostly, images from a perhaps Andy Warhol’s colourful images of popular culture and advertising (of products Marilyn Monroe having really stood the test of and labels) are used to define this medium. A time. Comic book inspired interiors, whether combination of bright contrasting colours that TIPS overdone or understated, the pop art decor match the interior of the house would make a O Use bright and bold colours. is definitely influencing interiors of your perfect harmony. Pop art interior design style use O Invest in adventurous, asymmetric space. While some refer to this inspiration everyday objects and furniture to make the décor or even odd furniture. as ‘retro,’ others simply take clues from it to funky, using new manufacturing techniques and O Include lots of images from pop create contemporary applied interpretations. materials like plastic or acrylic. culture — you don’t have to buy an Hallmarks of the pop art style are bold, bright Pop art interior lighting can be done using original, in fact you’d create a truly modern space by interpreting what primary colours as well as dots and stripes, and LED lights installed, creating beautiful lighting sort of popular images could be the use of paradoxical imagery. effects which makes the atmosphere look more popular today. Everything from elegant traditional homes to stylish and modern in true pop art style. O Experiment with different graphics kitschy one room flops can be made more fun The exteriors can be done by giving it a and picture combinations; don’t be and fresh with a little “pop.” polished, stainless steel, or mosaic look. Interiors afraid to be a little adventurous. can get a pop art look by using pop art-inspired O Don’t be afraid to be funny with DRAWING FROM HER FAMILY BACKGROUND furniture and accessories. This can include OF DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART, SANJANA your accessories and your interiors SPECIALISES IN FASHION COMMUNICATION, cushions, bookcases, chairs, sofas, cabinets, as a whole. USING THE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE GATHERED AT THE PRESTIGIOUS wardrobes, TV stands and bed furniture etc. O Don’t take your décor too seriously! NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY This makes for eye-popping results. (N.I.F.T.) DELHI. 59

DESIGN

Trends

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Trend forecasting is a vital and inspiring part of our business, enabling AkzoNobel to be one step ahead of the next big thing

he journey to creating our annual trend forecasting book ‘Colour Futures’ starts in September each year, when the Aesthetic Center invites a group of independent experts in the ﬁelds of interior, industrial, product, fashion and architectural design to join us to discuss key trends for eighteen months ahead. The output from this session is a number of conceptual trend ideas or directions which the group have seen evidence of in the work of designers and artists and which the Aesthetic Center feels will have global resonance.

The main Colour Futures workshop then brings together many of our most senior internal colour experts from around the world, who spend three days distilling the broad trend concepts into a dominant trend idea, five trend stories, colour palettes and the colour of the year. After the workshop the process really starts for the core Colour Futures team lead by Heleen van Gent (Head of the Aesthetic Center). The first step is to create concept boards which develop a clear visual direction for each trend. “An image says a thousand words, so concept boards are a vital part in telling the story. We start with a huge pile of photos, magazine pages and books, and then distil them down to a handful of images that perfectly communicate the trend. This becomes our inspiration or jumping off point for the photography”, says Heleen van Gent. Next, locations are found where each of the trends can be brought to life and the plans for the photography meticulously story boarded. “We work with several photographers and stylists each year to keep the photography fresh and ensure the different trends look as diverse as possible”, shares Louise Smith, Senior Global Colour designer. Once the photographers, stylists and decorators have brought the trends to life we begin artwork of the Colour Futures book. This year’s trends (shown opposite) all link into the central idea of ‘Connections’ and how we can find joy and delight in small developments and human connection. For more information and ideas on the trends go to www. HELEEN VAN GENT Head of Akzonobel Aesthetic Center colourfutures.com. A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

DESIGN

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Fashion

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Diwali is a great time to shop for special outďŹ ts whether Di eth her y. it is a lehenga for the bride-to-be or a festive party. H Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our top desi looks straight from the runways at tthe Lakme Winter Fashion Week, Bangalore Fashion on Week and De Delhi Couture Week 2012 4

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1. Bhairavi Jaikishan LFW WINTER FESTIVE 2012

2. Neeta Lulla LFW WINTER FESTIVES 2012

3. Meera & Rohit Aggarwal LFW WINTER FESTIVE

4. JJ Valaya DELHI COUTURE WEEK

5. Babita Jain BFW 2012

6. Bhairavi Jaikishan 6 LFW WINTER FESTIVE 2012

7. Shyamal & Bhumika Shodhan 7 odhan LFW WINTER FESTIVE 2012

8. JJ Valaya 8 DELHI COUTURE WEEK K

9. Narendra Kumar 9 BFW 2012

10. Chaitali Giri & Biplab Giri 10 iri BFW 2012

11. Neha Khullar 1 12

BFW 2012

12. Reshma Kunhi 1 BFW 2012

13. JJ Valaya 1 DELHI COUTURE WEEK K 2012

14. Meera Muzaffar Ali 14 BFW 2012

15. Sumit Dasgupta 1 BFW 2012

16. Neha Khullar 16 BFW 2012

17. Nupur Arora 1 BFW 2012

18. Ritu Goyal & Ramnish Goyal 18 BFW 2012

19. Varun Bahl 1 DELHI COUTURE WEEK K 2012

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Recipes

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Janamastmi Kheer

SHAHI TUKDA

SAKORA PHIRNI

INGREDIENTS

bread slices (Remove the edges and cut diagonally) 4tbsp desi ghee 1½ cups milk 5tbsp sugar 1pinch cardamom powder 25 gm pista PREPARATION (SERVES 2) O

O O

Heat the milk and sugar in a saucepan and stir continuously on a reduced ﬂame. Put 1 tsp ghee to prevent the milk from ﬂowing over. Keep stirring the milk until it thickens and reduces to half of its original quantity. Add pista and cardamom powder to the milk mixture. In a separate pan, fry the bread slice in ghee till golden brown. Dip the fried bread in the milk for 2 minutes. Remove the bread slices and drown them in the milk piesh prepared. Garnish with chopped pista and silver paper (varak). Refrigerate and serve cold.

Shahi Tukda and Sakora Phirni

2 cups ½ cup 7 tbsp ½ tsp 2 pinches 1pinch

milk rice sugar pistachio (slice) cardamom powder kewra essence Silver (varak)

PREPARATION (SERVES 2) O O O

Soak rice in water for a few hours. Drain water and grind rice into a smooth paste. In a saucepan bring the milk to a boil on moderately low heat. Add rice, sugar, cardamom and saffron to the boiling milk. Stir constantly till milk thickens. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add pista. Put in an earthen bowl (sakora) and refrigerate. Cover the phirni with an edible silver layer (Varak) and garnish with saffron and pista. Serve cold.

JANAMASTMI KHEER INGREDIENTS

1 cup 1/3 cup 2 cups 2 tbsp ½ tsp 1 tsp 5-7

rice (boiled) condensed milk milk sugar cardamom powder ghee ﬁnely sliced almonds

PREPARATION O

C O-O R D I NATE D BY: Rinku Singh ; C O U RTE SY: Cafe Turtle 64

In a pan, preferably non stick, cook the rice, condensed milk and milk. Let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to keep stirring all the while. Add the sugar, ghee and cardamom powder into the rice mixture and cook for a few minutes more. Pour the kheer into serving bowls and top with the sliced almonds. For that extra touch, place a rose petal on each serving to impress! A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Gifting

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The perfect gift item for this season

Diwali is by far the most widely celebrated festival in India and is incomplete without exchanging gifts. And while shopping can sometimes be a daunting task, we’ve made it easier for you by securing interesting ﬁnds that’ll deﬁnitely be a hit with your friends and family. We’ve replaced the traditional and typical with newer takes and hope shopping is a more pleasurable experience this time around.

1. Amrapali Diya — Price on request 2. Magniﬁcence Diya turquoise — Price on request 3. Amrapali Diya — Price on request 4. Diya — C 3,500 5. Malini’s Dreamscape set of three candle stand Price on request 6. Renaissance Museum and Art, Deer Candle Stand —C 4,000 7. Wall mount set miniature pots Size: Wall mount— 17 x 11 inches and pots size - 2.5 x 3 inches — C 2,299

8. LeonidasThe Majesty Delight — C 6,500 9. Elvy Lifestyle, Crystal Black Vase Large — C 3,295 10. Renaissance Museum and Art — Price on request 11. Renovation Factory — Price on request 12. Elvy Lifestyle - Majestic 3 tier Pastry tray — C 2,095 13. Renaissance Museum and Art, Boat Fruit Bowl — C 4,000

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Releases

BOLLYWOOD MOVIES Jab tak hai jaan Directed by Yash Chopra after an 8-yeargap, Jab Tak hai Jaan (As Long as There’s Life) is touted as Chopra’s love story of the decade since his last film Veer Zaara in 2004 With Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif being paired together for the first time on screen along with Anushka Sharma, it is a treat for the Indian audience this Diwali. Chopra’s film with a passionate love story coupled with steamy scenes as seen in the trailer is expected to create ripples once it releases on November 13. Son of Sardaar Upcoming bollywood film Son of Sardar is up for release on November 13. Directed by Ashwni Dhir, this romance drama film is a remake Telugu film Maryada Ramanna directed by S.S Rajamouli, which in itself is a remake of the 1923 American silent film Our Hospitality. Starring some of the biggest names in Bollywood like Ajay Devgan, Juhi Chawla, Sanjay Datt and Sonakshi Sinha in the lead roles, Son of Sardar hopes to appeal the audiences.

Khiladi 786 - Made In Punjab Bollywood action hero Akshay Kumar and singer/actor Himesh Reshammiya have joined forces to tickle the audience’s funny bone this Diwali with their comedy film titled Khiladi 786 - Made In Punjab directed by debutant Ashish Mohan. The film will have Akshay in the lead role and Himesh playing a Gujrati. HOLLYWOOD MOVIES Skyfall After a hilarious stunt with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth at the 2012 London Olympic Games, Daniel Craig returns back to the big screen in the latest James Bond endorsement, Skyfall directed by Sam Mendes. In the twenty-third spy film, the hero is torn between his loyalty to the agency he works for and his superior M (Judi Dench) as every M16’s identity gets leaked following an operation failure in Istanbul and rumours of him being dead. Subject to a government probe and her plan to seek out Raoul Silva, a dangerous villain, Bond’s belief in M is challenged as he makes a sudden reappearance following a trail from London to South China Sea. It is upto Bond to uncover the truth and resurrect MI6, but can he? The film will hit theatres across India in the first week of November.

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Twilight – Breaking Dawn Part 2 The Cullens face a threat to their existence on account of a false allegation made by vampire Irina to the Volturi that, Renesmee, Bella’s daughter, is an “immortal child.” As creating such children have been outlawed by the Volturi, the Cullens gather other vampire clans from around the world to help save them. But can the Cullens prove to the Volturi that Bella’s child is not an immortal one and more importantly can they stay alive? The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 directed by Bill Condon, hits theatres this November 16 with its fifth and final installment in The Twilight Saga series. DVD RELEASES Brave What will it take you to bring about change in your kingdom or country, will you defy all those who oppose you? Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom of an arranged marriage, which eventually brings the royal family under a curse and her kingdom on the brink of war after consulting a witch for help. Relying on her bravery and archery skills Merida’s is posed with a tough challenge to save her family and kingdom. Brave, is a 2012 American Computer animated fantasy dventure film produced by Pixar animation studios. Brave was released on June 22 and will be released on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD, and digital download on November 13. The Queen of Versailles When all the money you have earned and the business empire you built over the years goes up in smoke, just what will you do?

A character-driven documentary based on billionaire Florida couple David and Jackie Siegel’s experiences amidst the financial challenges during the 2008 economic crisis in America, The Queen of Versailles, leaves the audience to ponder about how fraught the “all American dream” really is. Released in select theatres on July 20, 2012, the film is set for a DVD release come November 13. MUSIC RELEASES GRRR! – The Rolling Stones For all Rolling Stone fans, here is something that will cheer you up. The band is coming out with two new studio recordings Gloom and Doom and One More Shot, which will feature in their music collection GRRR! to be released on November 12 world-wide.These brand new recordings feature Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Woo. GRRR! tracks the band’s history from its first single version of Chuck Berry’s Come On, released in June 1963 to the modern day songs belted out by them. The collection includes hit songs like Satisfaction, Brown Sugar, Miss You, and Start Me Up hopes to appeal the audiences. Street King Immortal - 50 Cent American rapper 50 Cent is all set to release his 5th studio album Street King Immortal on November 13 this year through Eminem’s Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Apart from featuring Eminem, the album also stars Adam Levine, Alicia Keys Busta Rhymes, Chris Brown, Dr. Dre, Akon, Llyod Banks, Ne-Yo, Wiz Khalifa, Young Jeezy as well other artists. Take me Home – One Direction British-Irish boy band One Direction, is back on track with their second studio album Take Me Home which is scheduled for a global release on November 12. The album’s

production features work by Carl Falk, Rami Yacoub, Savan Kotecha, Max Martin, and Dr. Luke. One thing is sure, the bands latest album as promised apart from great songwriting will have a heavy mix of guitar and drum. BOOK RELEASES The Last Man: A Novel (Mitch Rapp) by Vince Flynn Due for release on November 13, The Last Man by Vince Flynn promises the reader with a plot much akin to oneof the James Bond movies about saving the day. As the storyline goes, CIA agent Joe Rickman, head of CIA operations in Afghanistan has been kidnapped - and his four bodyguards executed in cold blood. Mitch Rapp is put on the task of finding him at all costs. With the FBI also looking for Rickman, and CIA operations in a crisis, Rapp’s pre sure on the job is about to get tough. With certain forces in his governement working against both him and his country, will Rapp be able to succeed in finding Rickman in time? Published by Atria/Emily Bestler Books, Vince Flynn’s The Last Man runs into a good 448 pages promising the reader an action packed journey. Poseidon’s Arrow (Dirk Pitt Adventure) by Clive and dirk cussler According to the plot, United States has build an advanced attack submarine called Rapier capable of incredible underwater speeds, however there is just one problem – a key element of the prototype goes missing and the man who developed it, dead. With ships reportedly disappearing in mid-ocean, NUMA director Dark Pitt and his team go on a world wind chase to find the missing links. And if they did not succeed in finding the element on time, they know that the world would never be the same again. This is one thriller you don’t want to miss. 67

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Down Memory Lane

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3UDEXGGKD Tribute to a Genius

Revealing personal information to the world for the ﬁrst time, in a series of interviews, famous Fashion Photographer Akash Das talks about his close friend & colleague - the person the world knew as the king of Fashion / Glamour / Fine Art Nude Photography - Prabuddha Dasgupta. This series is an intimate and personal account that traces the life of two close friends Akash Das & Prabuddha Dasgupta – especially during a period of 10 years (1981-1990) when they worked together as an almost inseparable team - on their journey from being an visualiser & a copywriter respectively - to both becoming legends in the fashion photography world.

Akash - in 1985 S H OT BY

Prabuddha

placed him in the ranks of major photographic rabuddha Dasgupta was a self-taught talent in the country. photographer who grew up in the cultural Prabuddha’s work has been exhibited chaos of post-colonial India. internationally, both in solo and group shows, and In 1996, Prabuddha broke a taboo by published in Indian, French, English, Italian and publishing ‘Women’, a controversial collection of American magazines. His second book ‘Ladakh’, a portraits and nudes of urban Indian women. With personal exploration of India’s frontier wilderness that gesture, he reinstated the nude to its rightful was published in 2000 and his work is included place in the Indian cultural discourse - after in many books publications including ‘Nudi’ and 200 years of Victorian morality imposed by the ‘India Now - New Photographic Visions’. British colonialists had almost erased sexuality He is also the recipient of many grants and from artistic expression... in the very home of PRABUDDHA DASGUPTA awards, including the Yves Saint Laurent grant the Kamasutra. 1956 - 2012 for photography in1991, and his work is in the In the decade that followed, Prabuddha collections of many individuals and institutions, like the Museo pursued a variety of photographic projects, while unapologetically straddling the two worlds of commissioned and artistic work, Ken Damy, Brescia, Italy, and Galleria Carla Sozzani, Milan, Italy. Prabuddha’s third book “Edge of Faith” was published in 2009. bringing to both, a bold, individualistic sensibility that very quickly

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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This series of interviews is our tribute to the memory of a genius who passed away recently (Sunday 12th August, 2012). His work lives on ... Akash Das was interviewed by HEMANT SUD in Delhi for Abraxas Lifestyle.

Hemant: When did you first met Prabuddha Dasgupta ? Akash: Prabuddha and I first met in the year 1981 - in Clarion, the advertising agency, where I joined as a visualizer (later became the Art Director) and he was already working there as the Copywriter. We did a lot of creative work together - and in the process became close friends too. We worked together with two advertising agencies – initially Clarion and then I moved to Everest where Prabuddha joined me soon after (Everest later became Everest Satchi & Satchi Worldwide). And finally, we both quit our jobs and started freelancing – a big taboo at that time, which we broke - and thereafter set a trend for the industry. We did freelance projects for Enterprise & Redifussion. Hemant: This means that you both were not photographers - to start with? Akash: No - I was an artist – a visualizer - an art director and Prabuddha was a copywriter. During our initial time together, we would attend a lot of photoshoots - but we were more-often-than-not very dissatisfied with the final results of the photographers most results were not what we had initially conceptualised. So, almost as a last resort, we both took up photography - so that atleast the final results would be what we had planned. Initially, since we had one camera between us, Prabuddha would shoot and I would organise and plan the shoot. And it was a very free-flowing relationship – we would interchangeably be the visualizer, the copywriter, the coordinator or the photographer – depending on the requirement and our mood. 69

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Akash’s initial sketch as the proposed concept for the “Blue Lagoon Jeans” campaign

Prabuddha’s ﬁnal shoot which was used in the campaign

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Hemant: What was your first project together ? Akash: There are many projects and campaigns that Prabuddha and I worked on together - but our first and really memorable one was the award-winning campaign, sometime in end 1985 for “Blue Lagoon Jeans” - a collaboration that won him his second CAG Award. Hemant: Can you share some personal details about this campaign with us - the one which shot Prabuddha to fame ? Akash: It was sometime in end-1983 that this campaign came to me. After some thought, one fine evening when I was sitting with Prabuddha, I quickly sketched my concept - one of a pretty girl with curly wind-blown hair standing next to a Volkswagen Beetle - ofcourse wearing Blue Lagoon Jeans. I have still retained many of the sketches and scribbles of that period with me as a memory. A couple of days later, we borrowed the car (in those days, we didn’t have enough money to rent one) from a common friend and decided to do the shoot. As the model, we always had our preferences – and we chose none other than Shreela - my then girlfriend, now wife - who we had used in the past as well as for many famous shoots after that also.

And there we all were, on a foggy winter morning at Rajpath at New Delhi - when in a matter of a few minutes, it all came together and the pieces fell into place. Hemant: And the rest, as they say, is history. Akash: Yes - this time, the execution was as good as the planning and the result was just what we wanted. The campaign went on to win the CAG award in 1986 – that of the “Best Black & White Campaign of the Year” which launched him onto the national stage. Hemant: Yes - the similarity between the initial concept and the photography is clear from your sketch and Prabuddha’s photograph. Any ﬁnal words about this path-breaking campaign ? Akash: Well, it’s not that we hadn’t done great work together before – we had even won a CAG award earlier in 1983 for the MCD campaign for the 1982 Asian Games. It’s just that this was a big commercial campaign with a national reach – and Prabuddha’s career really took off thanks to this one shoot - not just as a copywriter - but also as a photographer. We subsequently went on to do many more projects together.

to be continued ....................

AKASH IS AN AWARD WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER AND A PIONEER IN THE FIELD OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION AND PHOTOGRAPHY. A SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS PERSON, HE HAS ALSO BEEN PART OF SOCIAL AWARENESS AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CAMPAIGNS IN INDIA. AKASH EXHIBITS INTERNATIONALLY AND CURRENTLY HAS 3 INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS ONGOING – 2 IN PARIS AND 1 IN HAMBURG.

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True Story

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3$66(6 $:$< The life of a pure soul

TE XT AN D P H OTO G RAP H S: Remo Fernandes

t was 1963. I was 10 years old. To the happy house which we rented from Eugénio de Melo on Rua Heliodóro Salgado, one morning came a humble elderly lady [who would then be described as a mulher de pano] accompanied by what looked like a young boy a few years older to me; he was slightly built, wore short pants, and had a friendly toothy smile. The lady asked for my mother, and the two women huddled together in serious discussion for a very long while. Then the elderly lady hugged the boy, left him behind with us, and walked away. That’s how João came into our lives, and stayed for precisely half a century. Years later, my mother narrated the gist of the lady’s talk that day. It turned out she lived not too far from our house, and was often in need of charity. She had said “Bai, this is my son, and he is a bit of a simpleton. He was being looked after by the priests in Don Bosco, but they are not in a position to keep him there any longer. He is not very strong mentally or physically, so he can’t get a job anywhere. I am advancing in age and not keeping well. When I pass away there will be no one to look after him. He will be out in the streets with the only option of a life in the market place or near the ferry boat. He will not last long there. Would you please take him in and look after him for me? He may not be of much 72

João Bosco Pires

practical use to you, but he is a good boy.” I realize now that the ‘young boy’ who was brought to our home that day was a grown man of 35. Who didn’t look a day over 15, though in a slightly curious way. When we moved to Miramar a few years later, I remember that João had two chores. To fetch milk from the milk booth down the footpath in the morning. And to walk the dogs on the beach at the other end of the footpath in the evening. Both chores which he loved and couldn’t be talked out of doing, as they provided what he prized most in life: human contact and gozalio [talk, chit-chat,

shooting the breeze], both in the milk booth queue, and on the beach. And they satisﬁed his unconditional love for animals, whom he adored. My mother always defended him against all criticism and funny comments. She always said “João may be simple. But can you ﬁnd such honesty, loyalty and commitment today? Even at your high fancy modern salaries? I would trust him with un-weighed gold powder. João is priceless.” He lived a happy, care-free, healthy life in spite of being a bachelor, or perhaps because he was a bachelor. He had countless friends and well-wishers from every walk of life [my friends and my parents’ friends, doctors, lawyers, chartered accountants, musicians, actors, all ask ‘How is João?’ when they see me, usually before asking how I am], and he had not a single enemy. There was no one he ever did or wished ill. All this is much more than I can say for myself. When younger he never missed a temple or church or mosque feast in distant corners of Goa, from where he always returned with pockets full of food - for the dogs. He never missed a matka number, his countless day trips to the gaddo for biddies, and of course his happy evening trips to his favourite Miramar bar, on whose terrace he graced a table of A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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a dozen or so old cronies who missed him badly on the rare occasions when João couldn’t make it. He returned from these excursions often in the mood to sing jolly songs, and sometimes in the mood to ﬁght with the maid. After both my parents passed away, he did not wish to be uprooted from Miramar. The action was all here: his friends, the never ending stream of people he greeted and talked to - they had been a part of his life for 33 years. So I hired a maid to look after him, cook for him, and clean the house and garden. All seemed to go perfectly, until I made an unannounced trip there one evening, and discovered that the maid was an alcoholic. She was lying in a stupor in her room which was strewn with empty bottles. She had been cooking extremely pungent food to her own liking, which delicate João could not take. She had forced him to withdraw all the money from the bank account my mother had built up for him, and had taken it all. And she had threatened and frightened him into silence. I took a few quick decisions on the spot: within an hour I ﬁred the maid, hired pick-up trucks to clear out all the furniture, locked up the house, and brought João to my home in Siolim. XXX In the beginning, village life was too quiet

Dancing at my birthday

for the Miramar boy. “Inga zaddam chodd!” was his verdict [‘Too many trees here!’]. But he eventually settled in, enjoyed the peace and quiet, made friends with everyone who came over and the immediate neighbours, and soon got used to the affectionate attention, motherly care and wonderful food cooked by Sandhya and Vonita, my maids. In the years he spent here, I religiously poured him a small caju in the evenings. He didn’t want a large peg anymore, he said it made his legs unsteady. Sometimes we shared a drink together, listening to old Konkani cantaram and talking about the old days. He

had an uncanny memory for people and incidents I myself couldn’t remember. He wasn’t a good one for recalling names, but had his own for everyone: foddó dotor [bald doctor], motteli bai [fat madam], haddió bab [bearded sir], dantró padri [big toothed priest, even though his own were much bigger], and so forth. These were not names he gave in mockery or in malice. They were innocent descriptions, like a child describes people. However, I shall mercifully refrain from disclosing the ‘innocent descriptions’ he had for each of you. On some of those bonding evenings of ours he would sing, and invariably start with 73

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‘Heróis do Mar’, the Portuguese national anthem, followed by the hymns he had learned at Don Bosco during the Portuguese days. In the last two years, of his own volition, he totally stopped drinking. And curiously, a few months later, so did I. João loved music, and had a fabulous ear and taste for it. After I auditioned a new musician for my band, he would come up in the evening and tell me what he thought of him. And his opinion invariably coincided with mine. He had a weakness for good drummers and percussionists. He couldn’t walk very steadily of late, but during our rehearsals he would dance where he thought we could not see him, to the great amusement of my maids. João had no concept of time or age. He would sometimes ask me “Baba, how old do you think I am, about 150?”. I would say ”Na re João, you must be 125 only.” And then I’d say he was actually 18, to which he’d laugh; and end the conversation by telling him he was a few years older to me - which I really believed he was. Old age didn’t creep up on him. In November 2011 it suddenly ambushed him. And overnight he was old. Really old. Sometimes when he sat down he couldn’t get up again without help. Sometimes while standing he would lean like the Tower of Pisa, sideways or backwards, giving us all a fright. That’s when I ﬁrst started suspecting he wasn’t just a few years older to me. He started keeping me up nights, calling out and wanting to be picked up from bed, walked around, and laid back in bed, which he wet. And after a while he wanted to be picked up again. So I hired him a full time professional nurse. He kept her up the same way, and after 3 nights she disappeared. So I got him another; this one survived 2 nights. When I ﬁnally timidly asked whether he would like to go to a home for the aged, I thought he would protest vehemently. But to my great surprise, he smiled and said “Yes, when can I go, today?”. He spent the last 8 months at the Candolim Home for the Aged, where he miraculously stopped his night74

time demands overnight. I guess he had become a bit of a spoilt brat here at home, pampered by my two maids whom he quite often bullied, throwing his seniority around: “Hanv adló tempachó! Portuguez tempachó!” [I am from the Good Old Days! From the Portuguese Days!]. At home he was the only senior citizen, the only old man, and he tended to overplay that role. I think being with other men of his age and above embarrassed him into behaving like them, and into being more self-sufficient. Wonder of wonders, he even stopped wetting his bed. In the Home he found companions who had all the time in the world to indulge in his favourite activity: gozalio. They also played cards, watched TV and listened to music. They were given a glass of Port wine in the evenings, and - to João’s great delight - biddies. There were a few who read the Herald front to back every day, and then narrated the news to the others. Their favourite characters, whose exploits they followed avidly, were of course Babush and Churchill [maverick ministers in the Government of Goa]. Whenever we [my sister, my sons, their girlfriends, my friends, my maids, etc] visited we were always happy to ﬁnd him, and the other inmates, spotlessly clean and smiling at any time of day - which is much more than one can say for many other homes for the aged out here. And fussy though he was here at our home, he always complimented the food in his new Home to me, even in private, out of the warden’s hearing. The other inmates grew fond of him, and the more able ones were protective when his walk was unsteady. In the last few weeks he turned too weak and stiff to get out of bed. The nurses strolled him around on a wheel chair a couple of times a day. The in-house doctor, as well as my own who examined him, said he had absolutely no illness which they could treat him for. No diabetes, no blood pressure, no nothing. Perfect health. It was plain old age, which had so suddenly pounced on him a few months earlier, which was now slowly hugging him

closer and closer. All they could prescribe were tonics with supplementary vitamins, but these couldn’t help João much. I knew conversation didn’t mean much to him anymore, so the last time I went I just took my guitar and softly sang him his favourite songs at his bedside. He murmured along to ‘Heróis do Mar’, and his feet moved in time under the bed sheet to all the rest. One way to describe him may be as ‘a simpleton’. But another way would be to see a pure soul. Someone who, perhaps thanks to that very ‘simplicity’, was naturally incapable of pretense, jealousy, arrogance, vanity, intrigue, greed, hatred, and maybe even lust - though he had an inﬁnite capacity for love. I think that just about eliminates most of the mortal sins. A soul free of all that has to be in Heaven, there’s no doubt about it. It is souls like mine that I’m worried about. João was even incapable of lying. All one had to do was repeat the question a little louder the second time, and the truth would come tumbling out. “João, kitleo biddio vodlai re aiz?” “Donuch bab.””Kitleo? Sarkó saang!” “Hé hé... dhá vodlom dhá...”. [“João, how many biddies did you smoke today?” “Only two, sir.” “I beg your pardon? Tell me the truth!” “Well... well... I smoked ten.”] He would ﬁnish a bundle of 20 biddis in two days, but I never denied him his little pleasure. After all, like President Clinton of the USA, João too didn’t inhale. And I took a cue from Mother Teresa, who went out of her way to buy biddis for her old inmates. I know João is doing much more than resting in peace. João is partying up there. Yes, I am certain he is already busy making a whole lot of new friends, and meeting all the old ones. And making St Peter’s eyes water with biddi smoke. Siolim, 15th August 2012 PADMASHRI AWARD RECIPIENT SINGER/ SONGWRITER REMO IS ONE OF INDIA’S RENOWNED POP/ROCK/INDIAN FUSION MUSIC ICONS. HIS NOTED COMPOSITIONS LIKE O MERI MUNNI, FLUTE SONG, MARIA PITA CHE ARE SOME OF HIS ALL TIME HITS. HE IS ALSO A SOCIAL ACTIVIST.

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Motorsports

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Pro rally driver AMUL SATOSKAR shifts gears between champion off roader to handling his business with equal ease. He shares with Abraxas Lifestyle all the exciting details about his life on the road

ny professional rally driver will tell you that snow is one of the most unforgiving terrains to drive in. Poor weather conditions like extreme temperatures, poor visibility and high altitude are something you prepare for and a flat tyre at approximately 19000 feet above sea level is something no driver would wish happened to them. However, it did to Amul Satoskar who was at the Baralacha Pass, one of the highest points in the Himalayas, at his first Raid de Himalaya. The official driver for Team Mahindra says, that a long cherished dream came through that day in 2010 at his first championship and it’s been no looking back since then. He was back to conqueror the mountains this year for the third time. He along with co driver Raja G Natranjan maneuvered through tough snow terrain in the four wheel drive Scorpio Hyrbid. Besides the climatic conditions and high altitudes (they drove through the world’s highest motorable road, Khardung La at 21,000 feet), challenges continued with engine problems. “At Day 2 we were without the four wheel drive because of some electronic failure. We couldn’t go very fast as the car used to drift from behind. In addition, in Leg 4 we had turbo failure. We managed to curtail it but couldn’t completely fix it,” he shares. Despite the odds, Amul came third in the expert category and the crew won the overall team trophy. According to him it’s the challenge that keeps him going back every year. In 2010 his experience was quiet a tough one. He says, “I drove as a privateer and didn’t carry enough oxygen with me. Luckily, Musa Sheriff, ace navigator happened to be behind me. He came to my rescue and gave me the oxygen and coaxed me to just finish the race.” Back on track, the team had already lost their overall placing. They continued the remaining leg of the journey on the last spare tyre and as they made their way down the Baralacha pass, they reached about 23kms of flat land. Slowly and steadily, they crossed the cars from behind and came up to car No 4. With renewed hope they went on finish second in their category and came in fourth in the overall championship.

“I’ve had a liking for motorsport right from my childhood. I started with drag racing and moved higher,” shares Amul. He has fuelled his passion for speed by participating in rallies from the desert terrains of Jaipur, Udaipur, Thar Desert, to the snowy points in the Himalayas to mention a few. Amul has gone on to race at the Dakshin Dare rally and Nestor Rally amongst others. In the 2010 Nestor Rally, he stood first in the overall championship. In the same year, at the Dakshin Dare he finished first in Leg 3 and overall fourth. When not behind the wheel, Amul is back to being businessman in Vasco-da-Gama, his hometown in Goa. How does he manage the fast life? “I delegate the work so it’s easy to balance.” But clearly, his passion lies behind the wheel. “It’s become an addiction now. I keep telling myself, that it would be my last but once you’re into it you just keep going.” A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Travel 3RWWHULQJ $URXQG 7KH

3ODQHW TE XT AN D P H OTO S: FishEye

Travelling in China is often frustrating, but never dull

A Chinese signboard 78

View of Canton Fair

ome six years ago, the Chinese Gov- to endless frustration or entertainment. A few months before the Olympics, I visernment decided, nay decreed, okay ited Guangzhou, erstwhile Canton, the home let’s say simply commanded, that in two years, before the Beijing Olym- of the largest and most visited trade fair in the world. pics got underway, every citizen had to learn “’GulMolning,” said my taxi driver “Which English in order to converse with, and welcountly you ﬂom?” I was impressed! From come, the several thousand guests who were past experience, I carried a slip with my hocoming to witness the grand event. tel address written in Chinese to give to taxi Those familiar with the country know that drivers, as they invariably spoke no English, when the Chinese Government decides, the citizens comply. No squeaks, not squawks- but this time was different. “India” like the company that sells footwear to the “Aaaah, Indu......vely good! Whele you go Olympics athletes, they just do it. That, comto?” bined with the Chinese desire to not only I gave the name of the hotel-another excel, but to smother, decimate and utterly annihilate any form of competition, has now “aaaah, another “vely good” and we were off. I was now warming up—”When do the resulted in a vast population of Chinese who games start?” Are all the hotels full?” speak passable English. The progress in the Endgame —His reply was a stream of Canlast six years has been staggering. However, there is still a long way to go-most Chinese, tonese—my taxi driver had crammed a few standard phrases, and once I had diverted apart from the urban few who work in front from the track, he simply ran out of English, end services, are woefully inadequate in any and was back to his comfort zone. We passed language apart from their own, and this leads A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Night view of Shanghai’s tallest building Shanghai World Financial Centre

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I LLU STRATI O N BY KAR I S H MA ALVAR E S

the rest of the journey in silence, punctu- along around Surat. The skyline in any major ated only with the occasional “Indu.........vely Chinese city rivals that of Manhattan or Hong Kong (which of course, ironically, is as Chigood!” from my newest acquaintance. At the hotel, my colleague and I had an- nese as as Chow Mien), and a walk through other frustrating half hour wait while the re- the downtown area of any major Chinese city ceptionist juggled our passports, suspiciously is like sitting through a fashion parade-the eyed our dollars, and attempted to communi- citizens were deprived of western influences cate with us in broken English. We were hun- and fashion for the longest time, and once let gry, tired and jet lagged, and the only conso- loose, they have adapted to western fashion lation was that we could feast our eyes on a with a vengeance! Their desire to own the latpair of leggy Russian bombshells who were est cars, cellphones, clothing and accessories also checking in (think of Anna Kournikova puts even our turbaned folk from the land of and MariaSharapova together, and you get the five rivers to shame! The Chinese have their own superstitionsthe general idea). After some more shuffling of papers, the the number 8 is considered lucky, and tagged receptionist handed over two sets of room on before pretty much anything, so, as I, and keys to both groups—room 8203 to my col- no doubt the Kournikova/Sharapova duo league and Kournikova, and 8205 to me and learned, being in room number 8205 of a hotel, or in apartment number 8205, doesn’t Sharapova. Delighted with this arrangement, no mean that you’re high up in the skies on the doubt an ancient Chinese tradition of hos- 82nd floor-it means are on a lowly second pitality, my colleague and I sauntered along, floor, with the 8 tagged on for good luck (and only to find that Kournikova and Sharapova, since the Chinese count floors in the Ameriapparently finding some flaw in the scheme, can way, with the ground floor being called arguing vociferously with the receptionist for “first” floor,” you, are, in fact, only one floor above ground zero.) a change of sleeping arrangements! While the country has earned the rather A lot has been said and written on the progress the Chinese have made in the last unflattering reputation for producing dupli10 to 15 years in infrastructure, but one really cates and cheap imitation products, China is, has to visit their cities-Shanghai, Guangzhou, in fact the factory of the world. Every top end Shenzen, Hungzhou, Beijing and a host of brand that you would care to name, in comothers, to really understand how many light puters, automobiles, cameras, hi-fi systems years ahead of us they are. Each of these cities and just about everything else is manufacis absolutely world class in terms of amenities tured in this nation; you pay the price, and and infrastructure, and each one is spotlessly you get the quality-from cheap junk to top of clean and incredibly organised. The hun- the line. Yes, they do eat ANYTHING, dogs includdreds of thousands of visitors to the Olympics, the Asian Games and the Canton fair are fer- ed. Sometimes one does get the feeling that ried around with clockwork precision-in a the streets are so clean because anything that country where there is a language barrier for flies, crawls or swims is simply gobbled up! .......and I love their names—Chinese who visitors, and most therefore can not use pubwork in customer service jobs, always have a lic transport, that is saying a lot! The one of its kind magnetic levitation western first name to make it easier for fortrain from Shanghai city to Shanghai airport eigners to address them—I asked my Chitravels at well over 300 kmph, as do the inter- nese colleague Cindy what her Chinese name city trains. By the time you rocket through was—”it’s Chu,” she said, “Chu Sio Ling.” Five years on, she still asks me why I burst a distance from Mumbai to Delhi in one of these, our desichoogadi would be trundling out laughing that day!

THE AUTHOR IS AN AGEING HIPPIE IN THE GUISE OF A BUSINESS EXECUTIVE. CURRENTLY BASED IN MUMBAI, HE TAKES EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SLIP HIS LEASH AND DESCEND UPON UNWARY NATIVES IN FOREIGN LANDS. HIS WRITINGS ARE IMMENSELY POPULAR WITH A SELECT ELITE THAT INCLUDE HIS WIFE, CHILDREN, AND HIS TWO PET MYNAHS.

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Yoga

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ON TARGET

Coordinated muscle power enables the shooter to hold on to the position to keep the equipment intact. A healthy and regular practice of breathing techniques like prayanam and other breathing technique keeps the lungs well-equipped with the body and mind. Great coordination with the muscles and clarity can be achieved with yoga trainings and observing a calm state of mind with various meditation methods.

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Very few would apply the art yoga to shooting - ZUBIN ATRE tells you how

hooting is a sport at a microscopic, almost quantum level. With such small distances involved, the slightest twitch or sway can send the 4.5mm pellet disastrously off course. A lot of it is about trying to relax your muscles as much as possible. There are certain muscles that you have to keep activated just to keep upright. A well aligned body with a co-ordinated mind is what is required for a highly technical sport like air riﬂe shooting. Surprisingly, a well-designed yoga training gives all what you may need to hit the bull’s eye. Starting from the target, go back towards the riﬂe’s eyepiece and then to the shooters eye, passing through the nerves and entering the brain, which is cocooned by a well aligned body and is kept calm with special breathing techniques. An aligned body, breath, stable grip and technique are the basic key points one needs to keep in mind. PHYSICAL LEVEL

Every person’s body is different depending on their level of strength, flexibility, breathing patterns and any medical conditions. This could also deteriorate the body-mind connection. Yoga can help combat these prevailing conditions according to a person’s specific needs. When yoga training is performed with bio-mechanic approach, it can again help the bio-mechanics of the shooter’s body when he is in action. It also helps in putting the least effect on from the shooter’s point of view when he is taking a shot. A customized asana practice can help in better conditioning of the nerves, which is very crucial for sending the message and its response to the stimulus. Regularity in the practice of these asanas can help the shooter to co-ordinate well with the muscles, which are responsible to help the shooter in maintaining a stable body position as well as position the rifle well. Co-ordinated muscle power also enables the shooter to hold on to the position to keep the equipment intact. BREATH AWARENESS

Excellent shooting or marksmanship skills require the ability of the shooter to remain as relaxed and still as possible when actively taking a shot. Learning breath control techniques and shooting within the conﬁnes and rhythms of your natural breathing patterns can ensure the ability to take a reliable, consistent and accurate shot. Breathing, bridges the connection between the body and the mind. A healthy and regular practice of breathing tech-

niques like prayanam keeps the lungs well equipped with the body and mind. This would help in the smooth ﬂow of the breath and in turn activate the brain cells and yet connect to avoid any lag in understanding the stimulus and responding to it. MENTAL LEVEL

Familiarity with the place, gripped by the comfort zone of their surroundings often helps the shooters to perform well during practice sessions. However, nervousness can overwhelm us and leave us feeling out of control. It feels as though we are driven to act like this, strengthened with every ‘attack’ and this leads to constant searching for reasons and answers. Involving in self-doubt, insecurity and fear can appear too powerful to deal with. Many kinds of breathing techniques can stabalise the body which in turn results in keeping the mind calm, allowing the shooter to manage the pressure of the audience. It is important to train to ignore these things like they don’t exist. By practicing yoga, such strong connections between the body and mind are recognized as meditative states. Great co-ordination with the muscles and clarity can be achieved with various meditation methods. The nervous system is a network of nerves that control, all the organs and illicit responses from the body. It is the nerves that allow the senses to work and the brain to coordinate the mechanisms of the entire body. With so many functions, it is easy for the nerves to get fatigued or diseased and if there is an injury or trauma. It can really damage the functioning of the body in many ways for the shooters as well. Shooter Abhinav Bindra who failed to defend his gold medal in the 10 meters air riﬂe event at Olympic 2012 said ‘Time was running out and I had to take some risks. Needed a little luck for some shots and I didn’t get it’. Often this can happen in today times, owing to our lifestyle our nerves have to undergo a lot of pressures and stress just to keep the body functional. There are times though; when the amount of stress becomes so much that the nerves begin to malfunction. It is therefore necessary to maintain the health of the nerves. In order to do so we must ensure that we de-stress regularly so that the body machinery keeps functioning without a glitch. Owing to these circumstances, many have recommended yoga postures for the treatment. It has proved to be effective in mitigating 81

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the harmful effects of stress. Not only does yoga help in relieving stress, it also helps in keeping the mind calm and sharp which is a pre-requisite for any shooter while aiming and taking a shot. It also incorporates many different breathing exercises and mediation techniques. The deep breathing practiced during these exercises helps to calm the nerves. The process of meditation helps to drown out all extraneous worries and allows a person to calm and center his or her thoughts. Even the yogic postures incorporate steady and deep breathing and help to reduce anxiety and calm the nerves, which is essential for any shooter to keep their body aligned with

their mind and help them attain the postures they require while shooting with stability and consistency. Some of the popular yoga postures and techniques that can be used to treat nervous disorders are: O Shava Asana or the Corpse Pose O Padma Asana or the Lotus Pose O Sukha Asana or the Easy Pose O Anuloma Viloma or Alternate Nostril Breathing O Kapalbhati All these asanas and the variation of the same can help the shooters becoming aware of your natural breathing patterns. To take notice of their day-to-day breathing patterns and any changes that occur to those patterns when you are shooting are important points one has to keep in mind. Schedule practice sessions at an indoor or outdoor range to increase the awareness of natural breathing patterns. You might discover that you naturally breathe in rapid short breaths or that you tend to breathe slowly. It is also wise to note how you breathe in the seconds prior to pulling the trigger. If you tend to hunt at altitudes higher or lower than those where you live, get acquainted to altitude breathing techniques. You may have to force yourself during practice to focus on the breath instead of the shot. All these practices, followed in a regular consistent way can deďŹ nitely help you get the target right. These similar forms of yogic practices can also help with sports like archery, clay pigeon shooting, trap shooting, skeet shooting etc. ZUBIN ATRE IS A RENOWNED YOGA INSTRUCTOR AND PRACTITIONER. HE IS ALSO THE FOUNDER OF TAYS (THE ATRE YOGA STUDIO), A SPECIALTY YOGA STUDIO IN SHAHPUR JAT, NEW DELHI. HE PROVIDES CONSULTATIONS TO INDIVIDUALS, NEWSPAPERS, JOURNALS AND AT RADIO STATIONS REGULARLY AND PROVIDES CUSTOM DESIGNED PERSONALIZED YOGA TRAINING TO SEVERAL WELL-KNOWN SPORTSPERSONS.

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Spa

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DERYH WKH 5HVW Escape to the serene Sohum Spa for a rejuvenating experience 84

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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M O D E L: Rajana Mishra P H OTO G RAP HY: Abraxas Photography LO CATI O N C O U RTE SY: Sohum Spa, Royal Orchid

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s you drive to South Goa the landscape opens up into sprawling open spaces. The narrow lanes meander through the sleepy hamlets with colourful homes sitting on either side. Follow this beautiful road to Uttorda to the luxurious Royal Orchid Beach Resort and Spa for the ultimate pampering therapy at its new addition Sohum Spa. A sense of calm sets in the minute you walk in the Sohum Spa and you know that for the next hour or so you can leave all the worries behind. The spacious 5,000 sq ft area has been tastefully designed to create a relaxing atmosphere, being equipped with four spacious treatment rooms with an individual steam room, rain shower, restroom and a locker. Once inside, get ready to slip into a deep state of relaxation with specially trained therapists catering to your need for relaxing and beautifying spa treatments. You can begin by choosing from a wide range of pure and natural treatments, to the more sophisticated scientiﬁc therapies. You could decide whether to go in for pure and natural treatments like an aromatic silky skin body scrub, vanilla and coco body envelopment or perhaps the spa’s vitamin c concentrate skin pevonia facial treatment. If scientiﬁc therapies are what you are looking out for, then the spa’s oxygen therapy, ozone therapy or simply the bowen therapy should do you good. For simple beauty treatments, the spa also offers a sensational

skin reﬁnement also known as body polishes, body wraps and facials customised as per the type of your skin. For a quick ﬁx, you can opt for one of the spa’s salon services like the hair trim, hair wash, deep conditioning, blow dry, bleaching, manicures and pedicures or even waxing if you need one. Whatever your choice, Sohum spa will just about provide you with a whole new enriching experience of wellness and rejuvenation. As Goa is also a most sought after wedding destination, for the bride-to-be the spa also has specially designed bridal packages with a dedicated suite to the bride and her entourage. Packages range from C 2,250 to C 5,500. Although Sohum Spa caters to a very niche clientele, it nonetheless gives you a reason to splurge on yourself once in a way with wellness and healing assured. Give yourself an excuse and head to Sohum Spa for an experience worth the indulgence. 85

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Food

/LYH 7R (DW Join our resident foodie as he takes you to Goa’s well-known Italian joint Café Mangii, for a wholesome dining experience

am lucky to be a regular visitor to Goa, since the company I slave for has very kindly chosen to open an office there — but, since I live in a concrete jungle called Delhi (not as bad as Mumbai though — Delhi vs Mumbai — now that’s a very emotional and controversial issue), you can understand why I stick to the beaches and steer clear of all the towns. Cursing my Editor for having ﬁxed a business lunch meeting in Panjim (in my view, Palolem would have done just as well), I made my way through the quaint streets of Panjim, looking for an Indian restaurant I had never heard of before (and after eating there, I really wish I hadn’t). During my search for this un-named restaurant, I spotted an interesting sounding café serving Italian food (still somewhat rare in Goa) and decided to return that night to try it out with some friends and family. The approach to Café Mangii is from the side road, with a steep, not-so-well-lit staircase which somehow reminded me of the submarines one saw in war movies of the black and white era. Not because I was in any way athletic but actually, just hungry (the greasy Indian lunch had ﬁnished over 5 hours ago), I somehow navigated the stairs to a courteous welcome from a smiling Manager — and things started to change from that time on.

teriors, with it’s high ceiling and brightly painted walls, had a very friendly, cosy and welcoming feel and the design and décor is reasonably like a Mediterranean café one would see in many parts of Verona. The comfortable lounge and segregated bar area is a good idea — just in case you want to have your wine and starters, before settling down to a heavy meal in the main dining area.

tic wines, liquers, single malts and cocktails. For the high-on-life types, there were some great smoothies, coolers and punches. We tried “On The Bed” — strawberry, coconut and cream smoothie, “Currant Affair” — black currant, cranberry and lime juice cooler and “Caribbean Cooler” — apple, pineapple, currant and cream punch, all with some amazing results. A deﬁnite yes from me.

BEVERAGE

FOOD

The beverage menu was quite detailed with a fair selection of international and domes-

We started with a couple of salads, the unique-sounding vegetarian “Watermelon

AMBIENCE

The ﬁrst impression of the cafe was warm not physically but metaphorically. The in86

Stuffed chicken breast with ricotta, spinach and olives, served with garlic mash and mushroom pepper sauce A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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CAFE MANGII RATING: 9/10 ADDRESS

1st Floor, Madhav Ashram, Near Azad Maidan, M.G. Road, Panjim, Goa. TEL NO.: +91.832.2230771/73 TIMINGS

Daily 1.30 – 3.30pm and 7.30 pm – 11.00 am. PRICE (MEAL FOR TWO) Chocolate Fondue rich Belgian chocolate and cream, served with marshmallows or fresh seasonal fruits

rooms flambéed with champagne, nice — but somewhat bland for my taste, Lamb & Feta” — with fresh basil, arugula drizzled Chops — with red wine jus, well cooked and with honey and feta and the “Crab Shrimp & tender and the stand-out dish of the evening, Avocado” — stir-fried calamari, shrimp and “Stuffed Chicken Breast” —with ricotta and sun-dried tomatoes in a Thousand Island olives with a thick mushroom pepper sauce. Despite having little space left in my notdressing. Both the salads were just wonderso-little stomach, for dessert we ordered ful, light and full of exotic flavours. Then came the starters, a wonderful the safe and sinful “Warm Fudge Brownie” Stuffed Mushrooms with a lip-smacking —with vanilla ice cream and the to-die-for homemade barbeque sauce, Cajun Chicken “Chocolate Fondue” - fresh fruit, cakes and with guacamole and sour cream, though the marshmallows to dip is melted rich Belgian chicken could have been just a little more chocolate and cream. To end the wonderful evening, there was tender and Calamari Fritti, pan seared in a a good selection of Italian coffees as well as hot chilli-garlic sauce. For the main course, we first ordered teas, including “Cutting Chai”. their much-publicized authentic Italian thin-crust wood-fired pizzas. Quattro For- SERVICE maggi with mozzarella, gorgonzola, gruyere The service was very pleasant and courteous. and parmesan, each having great individual We were given very prompt attention and flavor and Pepperoni with black olives, sim- a lot of sensible suggestions by the knowlply outstanding, specially when drizzled edgeable staff — both for the food and the with virgin olive oil and roasted chilli flakes wines that complement each food type. to taste. Next to come in the main course was the RECOMMENDATION Spaghetti Bolognaise with minced meat in Nice friendly ambience, prompt service, a tangy sauce, which worked well with the good drinks, and excellent food — what spaghetti (a change from my usual prefer- more can you ask for.A little on the steeper ence of lasagne), side — but well worth the experience — go Risotto Champagne — porcini mush- for it.

O I am un-known, un-named and unphotographed — so no restaurant staff (or even a reader of this Magazine) recognizes me. O I do not identify myself to any Restaurant staff at any time — thereby ensuring no special service, treatment or food. O I also absolutely insist on paying for my entire meal — thereby removing any bias in my review and allowing me to blast the restaurant, when I feel it is warranted. O I am somewhere between a gourmet and a gourmand – so my reviews would tend to reﬂect that.

I LLU STRATI O N: KAR I S H MA ALVAR E S

C 1,800 with drinks, and C 1,300 without drinks

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Music

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A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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The video, song and album turned Shaan’s professional career on its head

verybody loves a good anecdote, so here’s something about the making of the music video ‘Tanha Dil’ for Shaan. Can’t believe it’s been 12 years! I was working with Virgin Records at the time and we had signed a three year contract with Shaan in 1998. Shaan’s close buddy and producer of his first solo album (Loveology on Magnasound), Ram Sampath, was handed the task of composing and producing the eight songs for the Tanha Dil album. Ram, as everyone knows today, is a genius. At the time, only Shaan and I knew. Apart from the fact that he is a really nice guy who can’t say ‘No’ to anyone. Which in music parlance meant that he was working on more things (read ‘urgent ad jingles’) than is humanly possible…at least for men. Stories about multi-tasking would have me believe that women could have created those jingles, finished the Tanha Dil album, opened the door, fed the baby, cooked a delicacy….you know how the story goes. Anyway, the upshot of that was tremendous benefit to all involved….the advertisers got their jingles, Virgin got to sort out its sales and marketing in the two years the album took in producing, Shaan got to compose a few songs (remember ‘Gumsum Ho Kyon? ’) in an effort to expedite completion of the album, write all the lyrics and I got to create a few flop albums in the interim, which put my career on the line. So by the time the album was ready, we were pretty much ready to scratch each others’ eyes out. Then came the herculean task of making a video for the Tanha Dil song, which we were all in agreement would be the lead song from the album. The relief over that unanimity could possibly best be understood by parliamentarians today. This meant the hunt for a video director. Ram chipped in. “There’s a friend of mine called Sabal Shekhawat. He’s good. Meet him. He’ll be perfect for this video.” I had no clue who Sabal was but when Ram made a suggestion, you knew it was bound to be a sound one, pun unintended. And then came the meeting with Sabal, possibly the tallest man to direct anything. Meeting him was a regular pain in the neck…. the blighter was so tall. Most meetings I would make him sit while I stood. Sabal, bless his soul, was attempting to make his first video and his company called The Big Picture Company was into making ad commercials. “Great.” I thought, “ Now comes the fight over the budget”. To get round this, I declared the budget of the video to Sabal at one of our first meetings. He came back with a concept for the video within the budget but wanted to shoot it abroad…Bangkok, I think it was, so he would get a look to the film that was different from the

regular. I shot that down, saying that about 40 per cent of the budget would go in travel and stay of the cast and crew, so he’d end up shooting with 60 per cent of the budget, which would make both of us unhappy. He agreed and said he’d shoot in Bombay. The real issue was that no matter how many times he explained it to me, I couldn’t ‘see’ the visual for the video. Since this was literally a make or break album for Shaan, maybe I was being overtly careful but all I succeeded in doing was exasperating Mr Shekhawat. “It will end up looking very regular, Sabal,” was my standard refrain, without realizing that was exactly why he wanted to shoot in Bangkok! Mercifully, he never took umbrage and kept his cool, though I suspect he may have told Ram and Shaan that I didn’t want him to make the video and was jerking him around. There was no such intention because I wasn’t discussing the video with any other director! After one of our umpteen meetings, he smiled and asked me if I knew of his other work. I was forthright, “I just know you’re Ram’s friend and extremely tall”. Within minutes of leaving the Virgin office, his company sent me a showreel. The earth could have opened up and swallowed me whole. Almost every single big commercial on air then had been directed by Sabal and produced by The Big Picture Company! However, that didn’t alleviate my concern over the ‘regular look’ of Tanha Dil so finally I called Ram and asked him what to do. “Do you remember Mausam?” he asked. “The Sanjeev Kumar – Sharmila Tagore film, Ram?” “Yes”, he relied. “Remember the old Sanjeev Kumar looking back at the young Sanjeev – Sharmila story?”. The penny dropped! I finally got it! To this day I don’t know if it was Sabal’s idea or Ram’s or whether Shaan’s lyrics obviously told the story in that fashion but what Sabal did with the video was sheer genius and it’s without doubt a landmark video in the history of Indian pop music. Sabal never made a video after that. He said he did it only because he loved the song and of course because Ram and Shaan were friends. The video, song and album turned Shaan’s professional career on its head. Ram Sampath is recognized today as one of our finest musical talents. And I get to take credit for the success of Tanha Dil and spin stories like this!

HAVING SPENT 24 YEARS IN THE INDIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY, ATUL HAS BEEN A KEY PLAYER, CREDITED WITH MANY FIRSTS INCLUDING LAUNCHING THE CAREERS OF MANY OF TODAY’S STARS. TODAY, HE IS THE HEAD OF CONTENT FOR ONMOBILE GLOBAL LIMITED, INDIA’S LARGEST VAS COMPANY.

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Music Expresses playback singer GAYATRI GANJAWALA about her love for song and shares details about her upcoming album

GAYATR I GANJAWALA

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usic has been her constant companion throughout her life. In tune with singing right from a young age, Gayatri Iyer (now Ganjawalla) like many Indian kids was sent for music lessons followed by daily practice. Years later these early influences would pave the way for her successful career in music. Today, she has an impressive kitty of movies and has not only confined herself to playback singing, but was part of West End London’s production The Far Pavilion.

How did it all begin for you? I’ve been singing since I was a little girl. I began with carnatic training, then moved on to Hindustani training, albeit intermittently. Being from a Tamil Brahmin household and growing up in Chembur and in an area that had predominantly South Indians and Catholics, my ears were open to music right from my childhood days. All the kids sang, either at music class, in the temple or in the choir! My mum and dad were particular about my practice. Their approach to music was more as an art form and less something one learnt so that one could become a professional in the future. You have an MBA but you chose singing... I had an excellent academic record and was unsure if I wanted to do music as a profession. I am still not sure if in India it is such a great choice unless one is ﬁnancially secure. Bollywood 90

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

P H OTO S: P RAD E E P BAN D E KAR

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music is often the only avenue which I find and found extremely limiting. There has never been an independent music scene aside of film music in India and unless one is absorbed within the film music industry, one cannot really have a career easily and pay ones bills. I have never wanted to be answerable to anyone in my life. Music to me is freedom. The expression of music is to me an expression of the inner peace and freedom that actually resides within all of us and is a way to unite us within our true inner selves. For me, film music is not an avenue in which I thought I would ever be able to find any artistic expression of freedom or creativity. The entire world of Bollywood and the movies to me seems dark and gloomy and saps my energy which is why it was a natural choice for me to choose to continue with my professional studies until I passed out of IIM Lucknow. I needed to do this so that psychologically I’d feel like I could always do what I want and I need never have the feeling that a career in music is “forcing me to do things I did not want to do”. I always knew that an excellent professional qualification will enable and empower me to retain my freedom of spirit. However, essentially music is my first love, and I definitely wanted to spend most of my life devoted to the arts and learning. How has the journey been so far? The journey so far has been chequered, I have worked with all the leading music directors in the film music scene. I have sung exten-

) ) ) ) ) ) sively for years in advertising. But the most exciting journey was my experience at the West End of London. Can you tell us about the West End experience? Being on the West End as a leading lady of a huge show was incredible! The show had some of the ﬁnest actors of the UK come together and was directed by the same director who put on stage Andrew Lloyyd Weber’s Jesus Christ Super star! It was a huge learning experience for me. I did eight shows a week for a year and the duration of which was three hours each. Our show was even watched by Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla and a host of Indian and western Film personalities including, SRK, Juhi Chawla, Ismail Merchant, Gurinder Chaddha, Shekhar Kapur, Javed Akhtar and many others. You are now coming out with an album, can you tell us a little more about that? I have always wanted to work on my own material right from the very beginning. I feel I interpret my material much better than I do someone else’s. I am currently working on my own material which I have yearned to do for years an am composing and writing it myself. This for me is the most exciting part. I have never yearned for fame and fortune, those I just see as by products of having fun, but I yearn to be ﬁrmly on the journey for which I have made so many varied choices. 91

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Travel

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He created beautiful Kerala with its breath-taking landscapes, rich culture and tradition TE XT AN D P H OTO G RAP HY: Abraxas Photography

The terraced hills of Munnar rise high into the sky as though touching the heavens

KERALA IS not known as God’s own country for nothing. One of the country’s most sought after holiday destinations, the tiny State sits comfortably in the lap of nature. The thick forests of the highlands form a beautiful canopy of rich ﬂora and fauna, while the midlands are ﬁlled with the intoxicating aroma of the spices grown extensively in this region and the lowlands provide the sunny beach lined shores. If that is not enough to entice the senses, you can admire the local arts and crafts that are found in abundance. Be captivated by the beauty of Munnar or relax in a cosy houseboat as it glides through the backwaters of Kumarakom and Alleppey, our lensman takes you on a journey of God’s own country. 92

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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P H OTO: Amit Singh

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Travel Facilitation

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2 7 2 $ , Outbound Travel Made Easy

Commissioning of the India-Zimbabwe Travel Council - with OTOAI EC Members

he recently launched Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) could prove to be a real boon for the increasing number of Indian tourists planning to travel abroad in the future. OTOAI is a non-profit association formed to facilitate the interaction of outbound tour operators and is a combination of travel agencies, tour operators, airlines, hotels and destination management companies. It is built on the belief that the travel industry should be equitable, free and efficient and ensure that customers take precedence over other industry participants. It is this “Customer First” policy that could pave the way for better tours, lesser problems, more transparent pricing and finally, more pleasant memories for me ant you. OTOAI is also working towards promoting green and sustainable tourism - the need of the hour and what could finally prove to be the saviour of our planet. What makes this association effective is that almost all the lead94

ing tour operators and hotel chains are a part of OTOAI. The ﬁrst Executive Committee has G.S. Sahni (Weldon) as President, Riaz Munshi (N. Chirag) as Vice President and Rajeev Sabharwal (Gaurav) as Treasurer along with Shravan Bhalla, Vineet Gopal, Sidharth Khanna and Gurdeep Gujral as the other office bearers. Arif Patel (Starwood Hotels) is also on the EC, representing the international hotel chains. Many other renowned tour operators are members of OTOAI like Kuoni, Le Passage to India, TUI India, D. Paul’s, Candid India, Kesri Tours, Vayu Seva and Dewan Travels. Several National Tour Operators (NTO’s) like Macau Government Tourist Office, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Canadian Tourism Commission and Philippines Tourism Marketing Office are associated with OTOAI. OTOAI is based in New Delhi and has 3 other chapters – Kolkata, Mumbai & Chennai, thereby representing all parts of the country. A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Products )8-,),/0 ODXQFKHV

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&RPSDFW &DPHUD “Compact, premium and trendy camera available in three stunning colours”

EW DELHI, OCTOBER 16, 2012: Fujiﬁlm Corporation, the world’s leading photographic and imaging company, today announced the premium compact XF1 – targeting the youth and the style conscious buyers at various levels. The camera was unveiled by Minisha Lamba, their Brand Ambassador and was followed by a passionate interaction and presentation on the Art of Photography by noted fashion photographer Hemant Sud. Highly praised for their superior image quality and ease of use, Fujiﬁlm’s X series cameras are aimed at those “passionate about photography” and currently features the award-winning X-Pro1, X100, X10, X-S1 and the recently launched X-E1. The XF1 makes a fashion statement with its stylish design and compact body - resilient aluminium body parts and synthetic leather covering in three colours - Red, Black and Brown. The camera is armed with the new f/1.8 Fujinon lens, that features a manual 4x optical zoom (25mm-100mm*) operated simply

by twisting the zoom ring. Its stunning stylish body includes a 2/3inch EXR-CMOS sensor and EXR Processor for superior image quality, feel, and ease-of-use that people have come to expect from Fujifilm’s X series. The XF1 has been designed as the weapon of choice for the young and vivacious and is priced at INR 33989/Announcing the launch, K. Tanaka, MD, Fujifilm India, said, “Fujifilm is dedicated to create ‘out of the box’ features and new technology packed into our digital cameras. We are proud to launch XF1 that delivers on Fujifilm’s rich optical heritage and are confident that the meticulous combination of style and technical features in the XF1 will be appreciated by the connoisseurs of photography. Speaking on the occasion, Rohit Pandit, EVP, Fujifilm India, added, “Our aim is to create new propositions that will help us in expanding rapidly. With the launch of FUJIFILM XF1 we are confident of connecting with our target audience – the youth.”

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%ODFN%HUU\ &XUYH The Cheapest 3G BlackBerry Yet Bottomline: Almost a clone of Curve 9220, this device is a must have for those who want a low range BlackBerry phone with 3G, GPS and the latest OS7.

Price: C 13,000 Pros: 3G, battery life, GPS, camera, slim, LED ďŹ&#x201A;ash Cons: None SpeciďŹ cations: BlackBerry OS 7.1, 512 MB RAM, 109x60x12.7mm, 103 gms, QWERTY, 320x240p screen resolution, 2.44 inches display, touch optical track pad, storage up to 32 GB, 3G with HSDPA, GPRS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, micro USB, 3 MP camera with LED ďŹ&#x201A;ash, GPS, email, Push email, IM, HTML, Stereo FM radio.

6RQ\ %UDYLD .'/ +; A 3D TV with Latest Videos, Music and Apps from Sony Price: C 1,23,000 Pros: Monolithic design, 3D, gorilla screen, Skype, SEN, wide viewing angle, power consumption, Cons: Price, 3D glasses SpeciďŹ cations: Display size 46-inches 16:9 aspect ratio, Full HD 1080 (1920 x 1080) screen resolution, X-Reality PRO picture engine, 178 degrees wide viewing angle, 3D, simulated 3D, Dolby 3D surround sound, 3x10w speakers, 4 HDMI, 2 USB 2.0, Ethernet port, Wi-Fi, Bravia Sync, DLNA, remote keyboard, Skype, SEN, track ID, Power consumption 120W, Dimensions (wxhxd): 1077x640x35mm, Weight 16.6 Kg

Bottom-line: A stunning 3D TV with low power consumption and wireless connectivity along with the unique feature of SEN, which lets you stream TV serials from Sony TV that can be watched in 3D.

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Feature-Rich 3G Tablet for Just Rs 15,000 Bottomline: At Rs 15,000, HCL Me Y2 is cheaper than Samsung’s latest 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2 by 3000, which has more or less the same conﬁguration. If you can live without the Android apps, it is worth a buy.

Price: C 14,999 Pros: 3G, calling supported, Android 4.0, rich connectivity, display Cons: No Google play, ordinary cameras Speciﬁcations: Android 4.0 OS, 1GHz processor, 7-inch capacitive display 1024x600p, 0.3MP front camera, 2MP back camera, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory; 32GB expandable, 3G with HSDPA, full HD 1080p playback, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, micro SD, mini USB, Me App store, 4000mAH battery

0LFURPD[ $ 1LQMD The Smartphone with Voice Recognition Tool Aisha Bottomline: Micromax A50 Ninja is more than just a pocket-friendly smartphone. Thanks to its smart voice recognition tool, this smartphone can truly be an addition to your list of loyal friends.

Price: C 4,990 Pros: AISHA, price, looks, Google play, dual SIM, 3G support Cons: Ordinary display, poor camera Speciﬁcations: Android 2.3; Dimensions: 113x61x13 mm; Weight: 110g; Display: 3 inches capacitive colour display; Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, GPRS, 3G; Multimedia: FM Radio, 3.5 mm jack, MP3, 2MP camera, AISHA; Memory: expandable upto 32GB with an SD card; Battery: 1200 mAh Li-ion

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A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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Fine Art 1XGLW\ LV D

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Nude Art is all about “keeping it simple - yet being narrative” - in different layers of moods

have always loved to be picturised in the nude - be it in capturing my moods in a cinematic moment or for a ﬁne-art photography shoot or for a painting canvas. It’s a beautiful art performed in trance, emoting the 9 different emotions (Nav Rasa) and portraying different characters. Nude Art does not belong to oneself, it belongs to the Audience. That’s the beauty of Nude Art - what makes it different from Nakedness. Nakedness belongs to oneself and it is without any disguise. In Nude Art, the mystery is always there - through the moods and emotions we portray in silence. Lighting plays a important role in Nude Art - creating shadows and moods. Black and white creates an additional kind of mystery aura around the character which creates a space for the audience - to guess what and where the actual truth lies beneath the surface. It makes the story more interesting when you let the viewer guess and explore.

I am what I am - but you never know who I am The moment you feel you have got me, There will be a twist to your knowingness That there is more to me which is yet to be known - a realm unexplored . The more you gaze at me and want to explore deeper, I take you deeper within me, And you will have a path Which is yet untravelled and unexplored within me A deeper route which takes you To have a look at my soul. In a way, it’s the ultimate Art of Seduction. KRISTNA SAIKIA IS AN ACTRESS, MODEL, NUDE ART MODEL, WRITER, TAROT AND ANGEL CARD READER AND HOLISTIC THERAPIST BASED IN MUMBAI.

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Art

$UWLVW ZDWFK Jitendra Sutar

JITENDRA SUTAR, PUNE BELIEVES IN VERSATILITY WHILE CHOOSING MEDIUMS AND HIS WORK HAS A REALIST BASE. HE HAS PARTICIPATED IN A NUMBER OF SHOWS IN MAHARASHTRA.

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I was 10 years old when I discovered that sculpting was my passion. I would help my father in making Ganesh idols. It’s been 25 years and I’m still sculpting and loving it. When I enrolled into JJ School of Arts to study sculpting, I experimented with various mediums such as ﬁber, stone, wood, mixed media, metal casting and copper sheets. I was happy at that time to receive commercial assignments from across Maharashtra, but knew that to become ﬁnancially independent I’d have to struggle. Even after leaving art school with a gold medal, I barely had any work at hand but, I didn’t give in to settling for a full-time job. I continued sculpting and now there’s no looking back. The process involves observing simple things around me, people with interesting habits or expressions which elevate my mind allowing me to be free from my own biases and depict the world the way it is, through sculpture. In this sculpture of the ‘Singer’ I have tried to portray a girl, who is not exceptionally beautiful but sings from her heart. She doesn’t care about the way she looks or the world around her but discovers that singing is her passion and she is living for it.

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

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November 2012

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C O U RTE SY: Mills and Boon

DADHICHI TOTH

One of the world’s leading astrologers has the ability to draw from complex astrological theory to provide clear, easily understandable advice and insights for people who want to know what their future might hold

(APPY÷"IRTHDAY

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SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

OCTOBER 23 – NOVEMBER 21

NOVEMBER 22 – DECEMBER 21

You mustn’t shrink back from the challenges that are offered to you by life now. You may ﬁnd yourself having to be secretive or could be left in the dark by someone. Issues of taboo surrounding relationships are also indicated, so be careful with the types of friends you choose. You are quick off the mark, both verbally and physically.

Undercurrents that you may not have been able to ﬁgure out might throw you in turmoil this month. The underhanded and manipulative methods of people you thought were friends or supportive coworkers could leave you dazed and confused as to others’ motivations. However, you must not let this affect you too much, and should continue to work on your own terms.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

DECEMBER 22 – JANUARY 19

JANUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 18

Your decisions about friends begin to surface this month, and the solar eclipse on the 14th will trigger social adjustments. Financial issues after the 17th take the form of disputes, or at least varieties of opinions between you and a close loved one. Issues on the home front also create confusion because you may want to change your residence or do something dramatic to mix things up.

You are lucky this month and you will feel the effects of the Sun and Jupiter around the 9th and 26th. Be receptive to all these lucky vibrations. You may be tired from having too much placed in your in-tray. Burning the candle at both ends socially is not going to do your professional activities any favours. Prioritise your work this month.

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PISCES

ARIES

FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 20

MARCH 21-APRIL 19

This is an excellent time to communicate your needs to your employer, or to venture forth and start a new job. Between the 12th and the 16th, you’ll be ferreting out information that can help your cause in a professional sense.

Venus makes its presence felt in your zone of personal and marital relationships. This is a great omen for your love life, and means things are much smoother, especially after the 10th. Jupiter’s inﬂuence affects your relationships in a positive way and things are back on track.

TAURUS

GEMINI

APRIL 20 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 20

Figuring out a strategy for your shared money and resources is a great idea this month. Additional responsibilities on your partner’s shoulders may require you to step up to the plate and lend a hand. Don’t argue about money, and try to ﬁnd some practical solutions that are agreeable to both of you.

You are feeling particularly charming, graceful and generous this month, but be careful you don’t miss the surprise coming after the 8th. New and unusual friends will most likely spice up your life. You need to live your life on your own terms. Heavy responsibilities may weigh you down. You may be obstructed in performing your duties, and will simply need to be.

CANCER

LEO

JUNE 21 – JULY 22

JULY 23 - AUGUST 22

You may be separated from a friend this month, or a child if you are a parent. You mustn’t see this as a negative thing. If you focus too much on the downside, it could be a hard month for you. Mercury and Mars prompt you to reassess your diet and exercise regimes this month. Workplace practices also need a rethink.

Speculation is not advised this month, but if you must take a gamble, do so before the 12th. From the 13th, you may be misled or not in possession of all the facts and ﬁgures. Disputes with co-workers after the 18th put a damper on your work prospects. However, improvements can be expected after the 22nd.

VIRGO

LIBRA

AUGUST 23 - SEPTEMBER 22

SEPTEMBER 23-OCTOBER 22

Relationships are on the up and up, and a new romance could appear out of nowhere after the 11th. If you are a parent, conﬂicts with children can be avoided, but only if you dedicate a lot more time to the cause. Try to connect with your inner child during this month.

This is a lucky month, but don’t assume that everything is going to be handed to you on a silver platter. Mars and Jupiter promote your daredevil spirit, but might also make you somewhat inattentive to the ﬁner details. Be humble, and measure your generosity before offering help and money to others.

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Fusion Access Dias House House No 13/32 Rua de Ormuz Opp Ferry Wharf-Goa Giorgio Armani DLF Emporio Mall Nelson Mandela Road Vasant Kunj New Delhi Gucci The Galleria Trident Nariman Point Mumbai 21 Guess Ambience Mall, NH-8 Gurgaon 01 Jimmy Choo 3,The Galleria Trident Nariman Point Mumbai 21 Kim Pereira www.kim-pereira.com Mobile: 9967825599 Email: fkimpereira@ gmail.com Leonidas Belgian Chocolates 1 Cornelain Building 104, A. K. Marg Kemps Corner Mumbai - 400036 Tel: (022) 2388 3432 (022) 2388 3433 www.leonidasindia.com Magniﬁcence 101, Bharat Nagar New friends Colony New Delhi Tel: 4162-7221 93502-22333

Mango G40, Select Citywalk Mall, Saket, New Delhi Sacha Shop e526 Casa Mendes Opposite Old Passport Office, Next to ICICI Bank, SV Road Panaji Saﬁlo All the Saﬁlo eyewear (Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Boss Orange Boss Black , Bottega Veneta, Carrera, Dior Gucci, Jimmy Choo Marc by Marc Jacobs YSL) is available in all the leading eyewear stores across India Simona Bassi Jewellery H No 258 Socolvaddo Assagao 403507 Sunglass Hut G05B, Palladium Mall High Street Phoenix Lower Parel (W) Mumbai or at

DLF Palace Saket New Delhi Tarun Tahiliani Shop No 357, Emporio Mall, Vasant Kunj New Delhi Toniq Toniq Accessories are available at Lifestyle stores across the coutry, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store Select Citywalk Mall G07-B Ground Flr, Saket New Delhi 110017 Ph: 011 4059753 A - 298 New Friends Colony New Delhi - 110065 Ph. 011-41627049 Westside 39, NS Patkar Marg Grant Road, Mumbai 07 Zara Select Citywalk Mall Saket New Delhi

A Cybermedia Publication | November 2012

SIGN OFF

It’s great being in a band where every member is a master of his instrument. Like its great being part of a magazine where every advisor and contributor is a master in his or her ﬁeld. Having said that, I’m not going to hold forth exclusively on music every month. I’m just going to have fun writing, which is one of the three things I most enjoy doing in this world. The third? Drawing. Happy to be in the Abraxas family!

Remo Fernandes

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