WEEKLY MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 15, 2013 Free with your copy of Hindustan Times
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Ab Tak Aapne Dekha
Farewell to Jhalak
by Shreya Sethuraman
Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6 was the best show on Indian TV. Alas! It’s over We’re back with another issue of the Readers’ now (did you watch it Special! Earlier this year, we had asked our last night?) but we’re readers to write happy to watch reruns beabout one of nine cause we absolutely loved: UST SEND US: THINGS YOU M topics. The best Manish Paul and Kapil Y o le u tip ul c ould be otograph (m Sharma make us ROFL a n n o ■ ONE ph entries found a v d a ic se m ba e, a DS ateur, a rejected) Manish does a mean Benentries will be pictures LR-encyclopa smartphoneplace in Brunch ‘Sunday’. , th gali impression (he sang e B on the theme runch R edia... If you lo toting Specia ng lo v e l is for y (on February 3). Chikni Chameli in Bong. Go caption and a ou. Sen aders’ Photog e taking unpub ■ A short d us rap figure.) Kapil (whose broken li This time we’re the photograph theme shed photog ONE previo hy description of u shot it). English is the best!) once justi:S ra us yo doing it with photerpreta unday. The th ph based on th ly (how and why fied the sponsors, “Vaseline aap ed. tion. Ou e e us m a er e m ca is e open to r one-m of th tographs, which Times’ p tab lagate ho jab gir jaate ho ya ■ Details a in n ju h s, ry es oto edit me, age, addr chehre pe khushki hoti hai. Aur or Gurin , Hindustan could be published in w il l a ■ Your na s d e an lect th der O r, profession yeh sab cheezien tab hi hoti the Brunch Reader’s and we e six best photo san phone numbe . u) yo ’l of l publish e s hain jab aap bade hote ho. selfie (a pictur them! Photography Special. Aur bade tab hi hote ho jab rmation fo in is th t ou Bournvita khaate ho.” Email your entry *Entries with (a ed lo pt ng with the ad asked you for will not be acce ditional inform Karan Johar: And his – lo ation we have ok left) to hind or before Sept ustantimesbrun gay jokes. But even ember 24 (Tue ch@gmail.com sday) on more, his dancing! You can click th He’s got moves like e photograph with any devic your smartpho Jagger! e – a DSLR, an ne, a tablet, or old point-and-s any other sort hoot camera, The sportsmanship: Unlike othof camera. All good! er reality shows on TV, there is no senti nonsense here! If we see one more person crying on people will get their photographs published in the Brunch Readers’ some show about how miserable his life was... we’ll ship Photography Special. You could be one of them. Send your entry now! them off to Sudan... or just change the channel!
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On The Brunch Radar
Now Playing
SHOVE IT
Phablets Mrs Hall and other mummies across the world protecting their boys from improper girls ■ Bollywood receiving threats from the underworld. Although, there’s a great film waiting to be made here ■ “Sprinkling”. Taking a piss on the pitch isn’t all that funny ■ Mocking the vegetarian at KFC every single time ■
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Cover design: MONICA GUPTA Photo: CARMEN & INGO, VIA THE UNREAL BRIDE Bride: KISMET JEWELL NAKAI
by Shantanu Argal
THE GREAT OLD STORY
The Mahabharat is more than a religious text. It’s a mirror to our species – it teaches us valuable lessons
The characters from the epic can be found amongst people you know. Think about it: ARJUN, the champion. He’s your sports-quota jock, the disciplined but uber-desi CRPF personnel. YUDHISHTHIR, the principled Pandav is your righteous chacha and self-righteous mama, the buzurg
who thinks moral dilemmas are the cream of life. BHEEM, the mighty one is, well, most burly Punjabi guys! KRISHNA, the arbitrator. Think Union representatives and fixers who get you sarkari contracts. Also, worst mediator ever! DUSHASAN, who tries to strip
Draupadi in public is the creepy guy forever undressing women in his head. He is everywhere. SANJAY, who narrates the events to the blind king, Dhritarashtra. Every real journalist suffers from the Sanjay syndrome. It’s a gift AND a curse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LESSONS LEARNT Other than those on war, women and morality: 1. That we can rejoice in imperfection. After all these, demi-gods (and gods) indulge in as much deceit and decadence as any one of us mortals. White lies, gambling, polyamorous sexual relationships. Judge not lest ye be judged. 2. That there is such a thing as accountability. When Yudhishthir alias Dharmaputra decides to use a little white lie to gain strategic advantage, his chariot doesn’t float the righteous six inches above the ground. Suck
it, Dharmaputra. Now you are stained like the rest of us. It’s like when you first lied to your folks about that party all those years ago. Ashwathama Hathah Kunjarah, anyone? 3. Tough guys like Bheem can cook. And tough guys like Arjun can crossdress. And that gender exists way beyond the binary, viz Shikhandi. 4. Nothing good ever came out of a lifetime of celibacy. Here’s looking at you Bheeshma Pitama!
books at a time by Saudamini Jain
What to read, what not to read... what’s that book everyone is talking about? Don’t worry. We’ll clue you in
Everybody is reading: The Oath of the Vayuputras: Shiva Trilogy 3 by Amish Tripathi You’re either hooked to the bestselling trilogy or (like me) gave up halfway through the first one. It’s a fictionalised account of the Hindu God Shiva. But sometimes, it’s okay to wait for the film adaptation.
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The book by an Indian-American longlisted for the Man Booker: The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri It’s about two inseparable brothers growing up in Calcutta in the ’60s – Udayan finds himself drawn to the Naxal movement, Subhash leaves for America but is forced to come back when…
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The book most made fun of this year: Dan Brown’s Inferno Yes, Brown’s readers worship him... yada yada. But the critics had a field day when the book was released – Danny can’t write to save his life.
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The intellectual conversation starter: A Matter of Rats: A Short Biography Of Patna by Amitava Kumar A slim book full of interesting anecdotes – the eccentrities of Subodh Gupta; Deewan Bahadur RK Jalan who had a penchant for collecting European artifacts (including Napolean’s four-poster bed) and more. Read The Book Thief (2005) by Markus Zusak before the film adaption releases: It’s about a young girl living in Nazi Germany and her relationship with books. It’s about the Holocaust and a Jewish man that Liesel and her family are hiding in their home. It’s narrated by death. It’s a powerful mustread. The trailer looks amazing!
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SELECT READINGS
Abused Goddesses campaign ■ How Japanese women identify with Sridevi’s character in English Vinglish ■ “There are heroes. There are super heroes. But there is only one Rajinikanth”. Releasing this October: Kochadaiiyaan ■ Simon Cowell credits ginger tea for making him a dad (it increases sperm-count, just FYI) ■ If Murakami wins the Literature Nobel next month ■
LOVE IT
by Saudamini Jain
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The Book Club
Tales from the Mahabharata have been sung by the likes of Padma Sri Teejan Bai (Pandavani in Chattisgarh), adapted to contemporary settings by Shyam Benegal (the film, Kalyug); poeticised by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar (Krishna Ki Chetavani). It was televised by BR Chopra on Doordarshan (that’s where the pictures are from) and a generation grew up watching the epic every Sunday. A 100-crore Mahabharat starts on Star Plus starting tomorrow – we’ll be back with the verdict.
EDITORIAL: Poonam Saxena (Editor), Aasheesh Sharma, Rachel Lopez, Tavishi Paitandy Rastogi, Mignonne Dsouza, Veenu Singh, Parul Khanna, Yashica Dutt, Amrah Ashraf, Saudamini Jain, Shreya Sethuraman
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
DESIGN: Ashutosh Sapru (National Editor, Design), Monica Gupta, Swati Chakrabarti, Payal Dighe Karkhanis, Rakesh Kumar, Ajay Aggarwal
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SEPTEMBER 15
by Yashica Dutt
KISMET JEWE LL NAKAI VIA THE UNREAL BRIDE
unable to find a field with lush grass and flowers, got married in a khet. But not before having it tilled and sown with grass for the wedding. Even then her budget never exceeded `8 lakh for the big day “We had a photo booth for the guests, used steel kettles as vases and chai glasses for drinks. And we had old, painted buckets with tea from Conoor as wedding favours. There were no religious ceremonies, just a party for friends and family. I wore blue instead of the traditional red.” Marriages are arriving later than ever on the station, with brides deep in their twenties swatting away nagging relatives like so many flies. Many of them have led global lifestyles and have evolved tastes. They attend parties and know more than a thing or two about throwing them. So it’s impossible that the biggest party of their lives will not be the best party of their lives, especially when some of them contribute financially towards making it happen. Prospective bride Supriya Popli is 27 and runs a successful baking and wedding trousseau packing business. “I am making a contribution to the wed-
Photo Courtes y:
HEN AN Indian bride, buried under 20 kilograms of wedding finery squeals at the DJ for not having the song she’s supposed to walk in to, she isn’t just evoking an American pop-culture trope. (The one where the bride, face replaced with Godzilla’s, arms akimbo, is ready to flap the to-be groom to death with her bouquet. A veritable bridezilla who bullies her parents until they concede to her every whim, who demands that the bridesmaids never miss her calls and places herself squarely at the centre of her lilac-coloured wedding universe). Our desi bride is actually many steps ahead. She’s perhaps setting the tone of her future marraige, where unlike her predecessors, she is going to be heard, whether anyone likes it or not. Girls who are about to get married are not content with scouring the markets for the perfect costume or sitting through layers of makeup for the most natural, dewy skin. They make multiple trips to the decorator for the right shade of tulips, do umpteen tasting sessions with the caterer to get the food right and endless discussions with the photographer to make sure each picture is perfectly synchronised. (And if it’s not done right, no one gets paid). Most girls take about a year off to ‘plan’ their wedding, and almost all have a say in the final outcome. And grooms have no option but to go along. Like restaurateur Kama KM, who got married recently and didn’t want the bride to spend too much money on her wedding lehenga. “She was going to wear it just once in her life. But she got her way anyway.” A corporate executive, Srinjini Chawla, 26, took eight months off before her wedding last October, a sabbatical which also resulted in a popular wedding blog, The Delhi Bride, which she now manages full time. She chose the venue, screen-tested an ‘entertaining’ pandit – one who would not only decode the Sanskrit mantras, but also intersperse them with humour – kept a folder filled with wedding-related Excel sheets, fixed a weekend date for an evening wedding and ensured that the ceremony was wrapped up before midnight. “Even though my husband’s family was initially worried about getting the baraat in daylight, it worked out well,” she says. Wedding photographer, Kismet Jewell Nakai, 30, named her blog, The Unreal Bride, when she started it in 2010, long before she got married last year. But the nomenclature could have described her future self. Kismet was an unreal bride personified, who, when she was
ding and financial independence adds a lot of weight to your opinion. I want to know where my money is going,” she says. And whether that sum is big or modest, the wedding has to be personalised. Twenty-somethings in India have more in common with their global counterparts than their parents who experienced every world trend at least a decade later. (Here’s looking at you, late hippies). Accordingly, they are more aware of trends in the world market. Charu Kataria, who has been planning weddings for the past 11 years, says most girls come with their minds made up. “They already know who Preston Bailey is (a popular international wedding planner) and ask for his style. Their priority is recreating a popular concept.”
Even as the trolls chip away digital pieces of hate and abuse, in the meringue-soft, pastel galaxy of weddings, the Internet is a happy place. Brides who run around for clothes fittings all day, tap keys for their blogs at night, documenting which shops are best for which kind of fabric. Almost
Communicatio n designer Shali ni Sekhar, who Auroville, had lives in a simple Bang alore wedding friends to help and a team of put things toge ther. One of th stitched her ela em ev bo done at the las rate wedding ghagra. Her jew en t minute, was ellery, m ostly the silver her mother-inor law had gifted her and fresh flo naments wers
RIBBON IES AND VIA RUB Y H P A R PHOTOG BANGA ourtesy: Photo C
all brides we spoke to for the story ran their own blogs and those who didn’t spend a chunk of their pre-wedding year online, looking for makeup videos, information on resources, and gawking at wedding boards on Pinterest. What stood out, though, was the DIY aspect of the weddings, whether it is papier mâché lamps, origami cranes or candles in jars for decor or ubiquitous photo booths. Many brides even choose to create the quirky props, bright backgrounds and the booth spaces on their own. Budgets are important and expenses are strategic. Srinjini Chawla cut costs on her wedding lehenga to get an expensive wedding photographer (known for his ‘candid’ pictures), while another wedding blogger, Manushvi Chadha Gupta of the blog Vows and Beyond, who works as a pharmacist in Toronto and wed last year, didn’t give in when her parents demurred at spending a fair amount of money on a pre-wedding shoot. Sidra Ruby Ahmad, who is a lawyer in Canada and runs the blog Rubies and Ribbon, didn’t see the point in wasting time and money on extravagance: “I knew I’d be happy with something simple, as long as my closest family and friends were with me to share the day. I’d rather spend the money on our future home together.”
It never happened, until it happened on Facebook, they say. And there’s not a modern bride around who’d
Soon to be wed, Ridhim a Mangal, had detaile d conversa tions abou this engag t ement pictu re (the wed ding band fingers in fo cus with them kissin g in the ba ckground) with her p hotograph er. She’d thought of the concep t months in advance an d wanted it just right
disagree. So, she carefully orchestrates the ceremonies, exhibiting her best angles because she knows it’s The Hunger Games played online. And the bride with the best pictures, images that capture the couple looking most in love and the family most jubilant, wins. Likes on Facebook and Instagram are the currency that worth is measured with. “As we saw with the universal online appeal of the inter-racial lesbian wedding (an Indian style, LA wedding where the lesbian couple wed in a lehenga and a gown, and the pictures went viral), Internet users are now sharing wedding pictures of people they don’t even know. “Girls understand the power of a beautifully captured moment. So the photographs better look as beautiful as they can – which can’t happen without a picture-perfect wedding,” says Nandini Krishan, whose book Hitched: The
Bold declarations of love are getting more common. Like Shalini Sekhar who cut out her and her husband’s name in colourful paper (right) and Aman S, who created heart-shaped buntings for the decor (left)
Modern Woman and Arranged Marriage, was published recently. Perhaps that’s why bride-tobe and former PR professional, Ridhima Mangal, 26, who is shopping for her wedding in Australia even as you read this, threatened the photographer with no payment if he failed to get her engagement shot right (both bride and groom’s ring fingers in focus with their blurred, kissing faces in the background). She also made the bridal party dress in shades of orange and pink that matched her raspberrycoloured gown. Roli Gaur Vashisht who runs the blog Crazy Indian Wedding and recently launched her own designer label, even made her cousin shave his furry moustache, so he didn’t spoil the photograph.
Romantic literature and movies often chart and indelible map of a future love life, especially on young, impressionable minds. And for most post-liberalisation children, that would be the Hollywood romantic comedies of the ’90s (Runaway Bride, My Best Friend’s Wedding) which ran on TV ever so often through this generation’s early years. The romcoms were embellished with episodic wedding scenes – think Julia Roberts in a beautiful wedding gown – that formed early notions of beautiful white weddings. Thus, most Indian weddings today, aided by Bollywood (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara), are desi motifs of white, Western weddings. “At my own sister’s wedding, we had
S AND RIBBON RAPHY VIA RUBIE : BANGA PHOTOG IDE (RIGHT) BR AL RE UN Photos Courtesy VIA THE JEWELL NAKAI (LEFT); KISMET
Photo Courtesy: SUN IL
It never happened, until it happened on Facebook, they say. And there’s not a modern bride around who’d disagree. It’s The Hunger Games played online
VARMA
NRI bride, Am an S, from Cana da and managed a huge weddin is passionate about DIY g without a we Her intricately dding planner. plan folded paper cr ned wedding involved a cr azy anes, 700 tissu e paper flowers 1,000 made bouque ts for the brid e and bridemaid and handwith the help s. All done of friends and fam to design not just her own ou ily. She also managed tfi ts by old Bollywo od heroines, bu , which were inspired t those of the party as well! bridal
Kismet Jewell Nakai, who is a wedding phot runs a blog wi ogra th he effort for her ow r partner, April Sher Bhaik pher and a, spared no n wedding. Ap art from havin into a wheat kh g gr et blog in New Ze specially for the day, she co ass sown ala mmissioned a vintage poster nd to design her wedding ca – and got a ph rd – like a oto booth for memorable we the most dding pictures .
ND VOWS AND BEYO OTOGRAPHY VIA : COOLBLUEZ PH esy urt Co s oto Ph
ellery that floral jew pta didn’t know big day. But once Gu ha ad Ch i r anushv fore he Pharmacist M a few weeks be went all out to have g tradition till and she e lov was a weddin t an st in mony. e, it was r mehendi cere she saw it onlin y created for he er ell jew l ra special flo Photos Courtesy: CAR MEN & INGO VIA THE
a sit-down dinner, the entire best-man-speech drill and a toast. Bachelor and bachelorette parties are common and gowns and tuxedos can be seen in many weddings today,” says author Ira Trivedi. Western blogs serve as easy inspiration, where the weddings are more centred on the bride. Although Manushvi Chadha Gupta got married in India, her bridal shower in Canada put a lot of focus on her as a bride. “A lot of desi and NRI brides already have bridesmaids and people easily comply with wearing whatever the bride asks them to. The wedding revolves completely around the bride and everyone understands that.” All this makes the heady toddy of individualism even harder to resist, especially for a generation called the ‘Millennials’ the world over, known for their extreme me-centric sensibilities.
The Indian bride is modern, she knows that marriage is about the man, at least in traditional aspects. But she also knows that the wedding day is the one day where the girl is free to call
Girls grow up dreaming of this one day, which is supposed to change their lives. There is a lot of pressure put on just one day, which has to turn out perfect
the shots without much interference. “It’s a day when an Indian girl doesn’t belong to her parents’ family or to the groom’s, she is completely free. And brides want to celebrate that,” says Jotica Sehgal, publisher of The Great Indian Wedding Book. “We grow up dreaming of this one day, which is supposed to change our lives. There is a lot of pressure put on a day, which has to turn out perfect,” she says. And like Hannah Seligson, journalist and author of A Little Bit Married, writes in The Daily Beast, “Perhaps the patina of selfishness that is seemingly justified in the moment by the feeling of “It’s my day” is really an excuse to insist on having it your way, a ...childhood last hurrah.”
Love marriages are gaining greater acceptability and so are grand declarations of love. “Marriage is a decision two people make together. Everyone else is just there to share the joy of that personal moment,” says Shalini
Wedding favours are as unique as handmade soaps (far left) while the decor – kettles as flower pots (top) and paper cranes (below left) – is inspired from several Western wedding boards on Pinterest Photos Courtesy: KISMET JEWELL NAKAI VIA THE UNREAL BRIDE (LEFT); CARMEN & INGO VIA THE UNREAL BRIDE (RIGHT); BANGA PHOTOGRAPHY VIA RUBIES AND RIBBONS
UNREAL BRIDE
Sekhar, who had a simple Bangalore wedding a few months ago with no religious ceremonies, in a cotton sari, with one friend singing Carnatic classical music, two others a song by Kabir and one reading a Jane Hirshfield poem. “We wanted the wedding to reflect us, our life together, and everything we loved. And it felt very personal,” she wrote in an e-mail. With inter-community marriages on the rise, children not only act like a link between families but also bridge the gap between diverse rituals. Like Supriya Popli, a Hindu who owns a baking business and will be marrying a Catholic boy. “We’ll ensure there’s no conflict since it’s a mixed wedding. I will arrange my mehendi ceremony in the afternoon only after the church wedding, so I don’t get married in a gown with mehendi on my hands.”
The biggest reason that girls are steering the wedding ship is to help with the mammoth preparations. In today’s nuclear families, parents can’t be expected to run around alone and the girls have to assume some of the responsibility. And while girls are increasingly financing part of their weddings, the parents still hold the purse strings. Intimate weddings are often followed by large receptions, for which the parents control the guest lists. And however micro the managing becomes, most brides prefer handing the operations to friends and family a few days before the wedding and save themselves from the stress that might ruin their big day. A far cry from the hair-pulling, sharply shrieking Bridezillas of the West! yashica.dutt@hindustantimes.com Follow @YashicaDutt on Twitter .
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SAMSUNG GALAXY GEAR
The SmartWatch war is truly on and this is the best showcase for it. Fantastic looking, a little big on the wrist, excellent add-on to your phone, runs its own apps too. But, it’s marred by the fact that you need to charge it every day and it has a high price tag.
THE IFA 2013 REPORT CARD
PANASONIC 4K 20-INCH TABLET
What was just a prototype has now become reality. This is the tablet that makes all other look decidedly old-school. At four times the resolution and with ergonomics that defy its size, this is the best professional and family tablet on the planet.
I
NTERNATIONALE FUNKAUSSTELLUNG may be a huge and guttural mouthful to pronounce, but IFA in Berlin is truly the mecca of technology and the 2013 version may well have been the best yet. New category wars got started, the next generation of TVs we can actually afford were showcased, mobile phones took a new leap forward and innovation oozed out from every pore of this gigantic event. Here’s a quick report card on all the goodness of IFA 2013.
SONY QX10 AND QX100 ADD-ON LENSES
SAMSUNG NOTE 3
The phone that gave birth to the term phablet and now owns it. Note 3 breaks from Samsung’s klunky plastickyness by bringing in leather, an array of colours and also takes big screen and stylus intelligence to a new level. It may well be the best Note to date. All other companies should be afraid, very afraid!
Sometimes, you see true genius reflected in the soul of a gadget. This is one of them. It attaches to your phone or tablet, its optical lens technology is better than most DSLR cameras, it has built in Wi-Fi, can be controlled with an app on your phone and gives spectacular images. It costs an arm and a leg, though.
ALCATEL HERO
If an award has to be given for the biggest superhero of IFA, then this phone gets it. It reinvents phones as well as accessories. A flip-on cover with an E Ink display, another with Qi charging, a little add-on bluetooth phone that comes in the box and a spec sheet that is as long as its accessory list. Truly a hero!
LG G2
The phone that LG thinks can outperform any topof-the-line phone in the world. Its optical stabilisation is so good that it can take a steady picture in a moving bus, while its screen and specs leave most other phones in the dust. Its only let down a little by its looks.
Rajiv Makhni
SAMSUNG CURVED TV
While many dismiss Curved TVs as technology for the sake of technology, this is one TV that seems to defy the trend. Images look bigger, razor sharp and seem to draw you in better. It also doesn’t hurt that this TV may well be the hottestlooking thing in your entire house.
SONY XPERIA Z1
techilicious
Sony’s comeback and resurgence in mobile phones is complete. The Z1 is by far its best yet. Top specs, great looks, waterproof and with optical technology that beats any standalone point-and-shoot camera.
ACER R7
If a hinge can do magic, then the R7 is its best example. This is one laptop that can be converted, shaped and molded into almost any thing you desire. Top-of-the-line hardware mated with a super-intelligent hinge make this the most flexible, angular and powerful laptop at IFA.
SONY SMARTWATCH 2
I have to admit, the first Sony SmartWatch was underwhelming and junky. This one corrects most of the faults but still doesn’t have enough to be a ‘must-have’. It’s priced better than the Galaxy Gear but has fewer than half the features.
SAMSUNG 4K UHD 65 INCH
What was just aspiration and fantasy will finally become reality. Samsung’s 4K UHD TV has four times the resolution of your normal TV and will finally hit Indian shores at a price of about `4 lakh. That’s a premium of just 20 per cent over a normal 65inch LED.
PANASONIC GX 7
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
Here’s a camera that makes sure that what really matters in image technology is executed for you in a simple manner. This small, solidly-made camera can shoot pictures almost in pitch dark, has great stabilisation and an array of add-ons that make most huge DSLR’s look very, very ancient.
Rajiv Makhni is managing editor, Technology, NDTV and the anchor of Gadget Guru, Cell Guru and Newsnet 3
MORE ON THE WEB
For previous columns by Rajiv Makhni, log on to hindustantimes.com/brunch. Follow Rajiv on Twitter at twitter.com/ RajivMakhni
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Vir Sanghvi
rude travel DOWN THE SAGES
Going by the legends, if there was a great Jain teacher in 877 BC, then Jainism is a much older religion than Buddhism. But is it also older than Hinduism itself?
N
O RELIGION is subject to as many myths as Jainism. At school we were taught – in textbooks influenced by British historians – that Jainism and Buddhism were contemporaneous revolts against Brahmin-dominated Hinduism. The religions had largely disappeared from India after Hinduism reasserted itself and though Buddhism had flourished in East Asia, Jainism remained restricted to a small number of followers in north India. The religions were founded around the same time, we were taught, and the Buddha and Mahavir were contemporaries. But Buddhism had spread around the world because Emperor Ashoka, horrified by the slaughter that accompanied the battle of Kalinga, abandoned Hinduism to convert to Buddhism and sent monks abroad to seek converts. I was on my way to Shravanabelagola, near Bangalore, when I wondered: how did the history books we read at school explain
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
SET IN STONE
Photos: GETTY IMAGES
Shravanabelagola, a Jain pilgrimage site, is where the 57-feet-high giant monolithic statue of Bahubali stands on a hill. The statue is carved from a single slab of granite
away Bahubali? As you may know, Shravanabelagola is famous for the giant monolithic statue of Bahubali that is 57 feet high. Carved from a single slab of granite, the statue stands on a hill and is one of the most famous sites of Jain pilgrimage in the world. Some years ago, a survey conducted to identify India’s greatest wonders ranked the statue at number one. Such is its magnificence that people from all communities, not just Jains, come from far and wide to see it. But here’s the problem; according to Jain legend, Bahubali lived many centuries before Mahavir. So how can he be the subject of Jain veneration if Jainism was only founded by Mahavir over a thousand years later? And here’s another problem; if Jainism remained a small-time religion whose adherents were concentrated in the areas where we find the most Jains today (Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, etc.), then why was such an important Jain monument located in faraway Karnataka? And why were there more ancient Jain temples in Karnataka than there were ancient Hindu temples? At this stage, I must make a confession: I was born a Jain. Or, at the very least, a sort of Jain. My parents were agnostics so there were no religious texts or idols in our home. But my relatives were more pious and when I heard them discuss our religion I discovered that contrary to what the history books said, Jains did not regard Mahavir as the founder of Jainism but as the last of 24 Tirthankars. That meant there were 23 great Jain teachers before him. So how could he possibly have founded Jainism? As I grew older, I moved away from the agnostic beliefs of my parents and reclaimed my Hindu and Jain identities. But were the two identities the same? Was Jainism really no more than a non-Brahmanical form of Hinduism? Before I set off for Shravanabelagola, I read up on the sub-
ject. What I discovered surprised me. It turns out that the school history texts seriously misrepresented Jainism. Yes, Mahavir and the Buddha were contemporaries. The exact dates are the subject of some dispute and some Jains claim that Mahavir predated the Buddha by a century while others say he actually outlived the Buddha by seven years. But Buddhist texts refer to Jainism as a flourishing religion that already existed long before the Buddha began preaching. When it comes to the Tirthankars who preceded Mahavir, there is historical evidence of the existence of Parsvanath (or Purvasnath or Parsva – there are many variations on the name) around 877 BC, or much before the Buddha. But Parsvanath was only the 23rd Tirthankar. So there must have been 22 before him. This is where historical and religious figures differ. Historians say they cannot prove the historicity of any Tirthankar before Parsvanath. Jains say that this is because few records survive from that era. Indian historians have difficulty proving the existence of anybody who lived before 877 BC.
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ithout getting into the merits of this argument, what is clear is this: if there was a great Jain teacher in 877 BC, then all the stuff in the history text books about Jainism and Buddhism being simultaneous revolts against Brahmanism is rubbish. Jainism is a much older religion than Buddhism. But is it also older than Hinduism itself ? That’s where the debates get heated. The argument is complicated by the fact that the term ‘Hinduism’ itself is a largely colonial construct used to describe several religious traditions that flourished in India since Vedic times. There is no mention of the word ‘Hindu’ in the Rig Veda. And yet most of us would date the beginnings of Hinduism to the Vedas. On the other hand, some Hindus claim that the Indus Valley Civilisation also had Hindu elements. They point to the image of a god-like figure surrounded by animals who they say is Shiva in his Pashupati avatar. And indeed, the Jains make similar claims about the Indus Valley. They say that the reigning deity was Rishabh whose symbol, the bull, is closely associated with Indus Valley seals. I don’t want to enter into the controversy about the religion of the Indus Valley Civilisation, which existed several thousand years before the birth of Christ. But Jains believe that the real dispute is whether Jainism predated Hinduism. All the stuff in the text books that treats Jainism and Buddhism as contemporaneous religions is rubbish. Jains regard Rishabh (or Adinath) as the first Tirthankar and the founder of the religion, many many centuries before Mahavir was born. The importance of Shravanabelagola for Jains is that the monolithic statue of Bahubali pays tribute to Rishabh because Bahubali was his son. We know that Shravanabelagola was the centre of Jain pilgrimage long before the statue was built in the tenth century AD because over three centuries before Christ, the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta retired here and became a monk. There is a hill at the site with a temple dedicated to Chandragupta, and his footprints along with those of his guru Bhadrabahu, the monk who helped spread Jainism in south India, are still imprinted here. Which, of course leads to the question: if Chandragupta was a Jain then what was his grandson, Ashoka? Did Ashoka convert to Buddhism from Hinduism as we are told? Or was he a Jain who converted? There is still no clear answer to the question.
But anyone visiting Shravanabelagola may wonder about Jainism and south India. The text books treat Jainism as a north Indian religion. But the truth is that Jainism was one of the most popular religions in Karnataka and Andhra for many centuries. Eventually the Jains converted to Hinduism but thousands of Jain artefacts have been recovered by archeologists from digs in South India. I find the historical enigmas fascinating and so I went to Shravanabelagola as somebody who was curious about Indian history and not just as a Jain. (For the record, most Gujarati Jains like myself are Shvetambars while the Shravanabelagola tradition is Digambar – a sort of Catholic-Protestant divide within Jainism). And I wanted to admire the sheer beauty of the statue. It is a sobering thought that around 500 years before Michelangelo created his David, Indian craftsmen had created a statue that is much more beautiful and far more impressive.
IN HIS FOOTSTEPS
There is a hill at Shravanabelagola with a temple dedicated to Chandragupta Maurya, and his footprints (above) along with those of his guru Bhadrabahu
Photo: THINKSTOCK
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t is easy to get to Shravanabelagola. I took a car from my hotel, the ITC Windsor, and though they told me it would take three hours to get there, we did the journey in under two hours. The road is very good and the scenery is beautiful with paddy fields and palm trees. Shravanabelagola itself is clean and (at least when I went) not full of the thronging crowds, screaming children and obnoxious touts that characterise many Indian temples. You have to walk up the hill to get to the statue and though this sounds daunting at first because there are 650 stone steps, I found that even though I am hardly in peak physical condition, I could do the climb in 20 to 30 minutes. (It takes about 10 minutes on the way down). You can’t wear shoes so most people wear socks. And if you are very old or very lazy, they will carry you up the steps on a palanquin. Once you get to the top of the hill and the statue finally comes into view, the sight is quite unforgettable. There are small temples dedicated to various Tirthankars but the ambience is not overly religions. A priest will offer to do the aarti for you but many of the people who were up there were clearly not Jains (my guide told me that only 10 per cent of visitors are Jains). It is worth going just to see the statue for its amazing artistry and its attention to detail. Of course, if you are a Jain, it may hold a special significance for you. Though, in my view, the same should hold true for all most Indians. To my mind, just as the great religions that came out of the Middle East (Islam, Christianity and Judaism) share a tradition, the four great religions that came from our sub-continent (Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism) have much in common. Either way, you should go. Bangalore is a fun city, the drive is easy and wonderful and the statue reminds us of the artistic genius of our ancestors. Long before the European Renaissance and long before the great structures of the medieval era – such as the Taj Mahal – were created, India had a cultural heritage that was the envy of the world.
The Indus Valley seal with a godlike figure surrounded by animals has been likened to Pashupati
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WHO CAME FIRST?
Buddhist texts refer to Jainism as a flourishing religion that already existed long before the Buddha began preaching
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indulge
The woman who cooks is dismissed as downtrodden; the man who cooks is seen as liberated. Why?
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ROWING UP, I never once saw my father enter the kitchen. He did not know how to cook; in fact, I doubt if he even knew how to make a cup of coffee for himself. The kitchen was always the exclusive preserve of my grandmother, my mother, and the other ladies of the household. The men never ventured inside; no, not even to fetch themselves a glass of water. It may sound strange now, but this was pretty much the state of affairs in every home. Women did the ‘womanly’ things like cooking, cleaning, serving, fetching; yes, even the ones who held down jobs outside of the home. And men did ‘manly’ things like go out to work and bring back the daily bread (to be toasted and buttered and served up to them with a strong cup of tea). Men were very much the hunter-gatherers. And women remained nurturers and carers.
So basically, a woman who loves to cook for her family is a sell-out. But for a man, cooking for his family is a unique selling point
CAUTION: MEN AT WORK
He who cooks is seen as a New Age man, confident of his masculinity
being. We even have a name for him. He is called the New Age Man. He is confident of his masculinity and not afraid of being in touch with his feminine side. He does not buy into any kind of sexual stereotyping. He is equally at ease in the boardroom as he is dexterous at the chopping board. We should all be so lucky as to end up with someone like him! So basically, a woman who loves to cook for her family is a sell-out. But for a man, cooking for his family is a unique selling point. Can you figure this one out? No, me neither. Why should the same impulse – to nurture and feed your loved ones – be seen through two such different prisms depending on the gender of the person? Why should a woman be mocked for doing what a man is congratulated for? Clearly, as we enter into the second decade of the Seema Goswami 21st century, gender stereotyping has come full circle. But while men are admired for stepping out of their gender-defined roles, women are pilloried for staying within them. I can still hear the jeers that greeted Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor when she admitted on national television that she enjoyed being a housewife and cooking dinner every night for her husband. How could she posThere were some men of our acquainsibly say something like that, her critics tuttance who knew how to make a decent muttutted. Didn’t she know that women were ton biryani or a chingri malai curry, but expected to be emancipated from housework their excursions into the kitchen were treatnow? Being a woman of substance meant ed as momentous events that were marked having a career outside the home. Admitting down in the calendar months in advance. to being a homebody, and worse, confessing And even then, they were assisted by a flock to cooking for your husband (and actually WHO’S THE BACKWARD ONE? of women who did all the dirty work – peelPublic outcry greeted Mrs Shashi Tharoor’s enjoying it!), was a complete no-no. ing, chopping, cleaning – for them. Once the admission that she liked cooking at home And yet, I am sure if the tables had been mise en place was set, the men would sweep turned, the public reaction would have been in to do the frying, sautéing, roasting or whatever else. And quite different. If Shashi Tharoor had said that he loved going then, they would sweep out, leaving the kitchen in an absolute back home after a hard day at the office and rustling up a nice shambles, to take their place at the dining table to be served meal for his wife, he would have been hailed as the epitome of like the kings they were. the New Man, an ideal that every male should aspire to. I am glad to say that things have changed since then. Men no What is going on here? Why is Sunanda’s goshtaba or tabak longer treat the kitchen as alien territory. Nearly all of them maas bad while Shashi’s meen moily or avial is good? Why this know enough cooking to be able to feed themselves in the absence double standard when it comes to appraising a primal desire: of a mother or a wife. And many of them actually enjoy cookthe impulse to cook for those we love? ing, and take pride in their achievements behind the stove. But The truth is that all of us are good at some things and rubeven so, based on purely empirical evidence, the bulk of the bish at others. Some women enjoy the prospect of cooking for cooking in most households is still done by the women (either their families while others wouldn’t be caught dead before a the lady of the house or the hired help). stove. Similarly, some men love the idea of cooking while othWhat intrigues me, though, is how cooking has become anothers steer well clear of the kitchen. er battleground of sexual politics. New-age feminism seems to So, here’s a novel idea. Why not allow each one of them to do think that a working woman who still cooks (or is expected to as they please – and what pleases them – without any value cook) at home is downtrodden, the victim of an age-old patrijudgement? That’s not asking for much, is it? archal system that decrees that the kitchen is a woman’s preserve. She is buying into sexual stereotypes and letting the sisMORE ON THE WEB For more SPECTATOR columns by Seema Goswami, log on terhood down with every perfect chapati she rolls out. to hindustantimes.com/ brunch. Follow @SeemaGoswami On the other hand, a man who works outside the home and on Twitter. Write to her at seema_ht@rediffmail.com comes back to cook for his family is seen as an enlightened
spectator
DOUBLE STANDARDS!
Photos: IMAGESBAZAAR
KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
18
WELLNESS
MIND BODY SOUL For any worries related to unplanned pregnancy: Write to us at consumercare@piramal.com or call us at 1800-22-0502 (toll free) or sms ICAN to 56070 Website: www.i-canhelp.in
1. I was expecting my periods this week, but it is delayed for over 5 days. My husband does not prefer using condoms and instead ensures that he removes himself from inside in time. He says that he had not ejaculated inside at all. What could be the reason for the delay? Many men do not prefer using condoms however, withdrawal method (method of preventing pregnancy by removing the penis in time before ejaculation) is not a foolproof method of contraception. I advise you to conduct a pregnancy test after 2 more days. Do visit a gynaecologist post that to understand the reason for this delay in case you get a negative result. Unprotected sex is always risky and it is strongly advised that you adopt some form of regular contraception such as contraceptive pills, condoms or IUDs. A gynaecologist will be able to suggest to you method of contraception best suited to you. 2. My wife has missed her periods by 2 days. She is also suffering from fever since the last 3-4 days and taking medication for fever. Can we do pregnancy test now? Will it give the correct result? There are several reasons apart from pregnancy that can result in periods being missed or delayed. Stress and ill health are two reasons amongst them. Do not worry right now if she has
missed her periods as it may be due to the fever or the medicines for fever. Wait for at least 6-7 days till the fever subsides or is under control. If she still does not get her periods even then; conduct a pregnancy test. You should then get accurate results to know whether she has conceived or not. 3. Dear Doctor, my friends say that taking emergency contraceptive pills damages the uterus and reduces chances of pregnancy in future. Is this true? I have taken atleast 4-5 pills in the last year and now I am worried. It is a myth that emergency contraceptive pills damage the uterus. Emergency contraceptive pills are not known to have any effect on future pregnancies or a woman's ability to get pregnant in future. These pills contain synthetic versions of a hormone that is naturally present in the female body in high dose. Hence, they may cause temporary menstrual disturbance for a few days (or 2-3 cycles) after consumption, though not necessarily in all cases. However, emergency contraceptive pills should be used only in case of emergencies like condom failure and not as a regular contraceptive pill.
Queries answered by Dr Nirmala Rao MBBS, MD, DPM; a well known psychiatrist who heads Mumbai based Aavishkar - a multifaceted team of expert doctors and health professionals. Aavishkar has a comprehensive approach to mental and physical health, with an emphasis scan this QR code to visit website on counselling and psychotherapy. Supported by:
SHIKHA SHARMA
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
PART ONE
Much of what you prefer to eat (or what’s good for you) is determined by your personality
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ASTE AND food preferences are ingrained in our DNA. In some ways, they reflect who we are. It is not uncommon to find that the son or daughter inherits the same flavour preferences as their parents. Recognising that tastes are linked to our DNA and ultimately personality type, many
FANS OF SALTY FOODS
If a person craves salty food, he or she is the type that goes with the flow. Psychologists say such people may be ambitious and hardworking, yet they believe that external factors, not their own actions, determine their fate.
researchers are now trying to understand the link between genes and taste. These academic pursuits have been loosely labelled Food-ology. Our internal make-up and genetic inheritance surpasses cultural norms. Could they be the key to our personalities? Let’s find out...
THOSE WHO LIKE IT SPICY
They tend to be perfectionists, prioritise attention to detail and hate wasting time.
THE SWEET TOOTH
This kind of person tends to be emotional and hedonistic and likes to stand out from a crowd.
Some of the other eating patterns and personality links researched by psychologist are: tific and nutritional framework. They may also choose foods depending upon what they label as good or bad. The red-meat lover: Perceived as aggressive, volatile, macho, possibly workaholic and definitely in touch with their latent carnal desires. Such types are pitta body classification kind, according to ayurveda. This category may have a predominance of males, as it has FRESH TAKE People who been seen that men consume meat prefer fresh much more than women. In today’s foods are times, the person is likely to be a likely to be Type-A personality, a middle-aged, sensitive apple-shaped male with a highstress job, sedentary lifestyle and Those who like fresh and wholean increased risk of lifestyle dissome foods: They grow their own eases. ask@drherbs and wear comfortable shoes. shikha.com Can be labelled as sympathetic environmentalists. Many of these personality types are semi-vegeFOR MEAT’S SAKE Meat lovers are usually tarians by choice. Such people may in a high-stress and be sensitive, with intense feelings sedentary job and are likely to eat within a scien-
TEXTURE CLASSIFICATIONS Those who like foods with soft texture: They are supposed to be great organisers, friendly, the life of the party and diplomatic. Those who like their food crunchy: They are supposed to be ambitious, organised, with fixed opinions and great drive.
Photos: THINKSTOCK,
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REEL TO REAL
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Photo: JASJEET PLAHA
In this four-part series, four young professionals tell us how their life is a just a little bit like life on television shows PART 4 THE GRIND BEHIND THE GLAMOUR
Jatin Sapru says starting salaries in TV news are only good enough for a recurring account with the paanwalla an upcoming news channel. My motive was to observe, contribute and perhaps crack some assignments. I did indeed. I observed the photocopier throughout the million copies I was asked to make, contributed by running the teleprompter for the anchors who wouldn’t know the full form of NCR if the prompter got stuck (yes, I got yelled at) and I cracked assignments of ordering chai and occasionally accompanying a producer to a shoot. For a junior to dictate content was not even a far-fetched dream. Perhaps I should’ve robbed all my family money and headed to ACN News to work under Will McAvoy and Mackenzie (that’s in the TV show, The Newsroom). They clearly let interns/IT guys and just about everyone contribute to the show. Amazing as it may seem (so did All the Prez’s Men) – I doubt it happens for real, anywhere!
The Newsroom has the makings of a cult show. But on TV
Breaking The News
TV news certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted. But is there a high that can match delivering a perfect show? by Jatin Sapru
A
AP TV PAR aate ho? Waah yaar, mast life hogi”, “Whaddda jaawwwb duuuude”, “So you like, only like, work for like, an hour a day? Sweeeeet.” To all my friends, acquaintances, haters, appreciators, those who go through the pain of watching me on TV or those who might risk doing so after reading this – the life of a broadcaster is not what some of you might think. It’s not all that easy. It is however, rewarding, depending on what this term means to you. I remember watching the film
All the President’s Men sometime right after school. It didn’t take long to fall in love Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) and Woodward’s (Robert Redford) oh-what-a-cool job! Unearthing scams, the secret source who calls you at midnight from an undisclosed location, phone calls from those who matter in the power corridors, malts and cigarettes at the work station, and of course the gorgeous ladies with a motive to deceive you (nope, not just the one that you think). Fast forward to reality. My first internship in a newsroom was with
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
with colleagues tasted better than fine malts in a membershiponly club.
THE HIGH
The media industry is not for the faint-hearted. It cannot be a career option if you wish to go to bed happy. It has its own pace, sacraments, thrills and snags. But there isn’t a better high than delivering a perfect show. The principal emotion of The Newsroom team is what captivates me. A stupendous line of dialogue that’s stuck with me is when Mackenzie tells her team: “Conquering the Fourth Estate is only possible after the death of voyeurism and gossip. We’ll serve news with integrity and not for numbers.” There’s a sarcastic reference to news by an American journalist, Charles Dana: ‘When a dog bites a man, that is not news, when a man bites a dog, that is news.’ It’s unfortunately taught to journalism aspirants and has become almost biblical. Some sections quietly wait for a man to bite the dog, while others force that man to bite the dog for the sake of Breaking News. brunchletters@hindustantimes.com (THE SERIES IS CONCLUDED)
TRUTH, AS IT IS
Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom, has all the makings of a cult show. But only on the TV screen. I’m not saying they never come, but those opportunities never come riding a stallion, especially in your first season. Office romances – that’s at your own talent and peril. The show simulates the tension and energy of a newsroom: The sources, the content meetings and the wrestling between content and ratings. Don’t, however, expect your boss to tell the CFO that he’ll knock his teeth out if he tries to coerce the tonality of the shows. Everyone would want to be Will McAvoy. But if you’re eyeing his million-dollar salary, you’ll have to wait longer than that shade of grey and a receding hairline. Starting level packages in our TV news industry are usually only good enough for a recurring account with the paanwaala around the corner. But those days have an unmatched charm. Even cheap whisky and rum in the parking lot
HIS LIFE ON SCREEN ■ The Newsroom is a drama that
chronicles the behind-the-scenes events at a fictional TV news channel. ■ The show is controversial; many claim that it is an incorrect representation of what it’s like to work in a newsroom. The show is often accused of taking fantastic liberties. ■ It is also known to make the show attractive to a new generation of youngsters. ■ The show is written by Academy award winning screenwriter, producer, and playwright Aaron Sorkin. SOURCE: Wikipedia and Buzzfeed
Jatin Sapru is a sports presenter with ESPN-Star Sports
S PA C E S
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House Rules Doing up your home? Here are ten basic tips to keep in mind by Aishwarya Pathy
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NDIAN DESIGN has changed tremendously in the last 10 years. People are paying attention to their homes down to the smallest detail. Indian houses
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IT CAN BE DONE
DON’T MIMIC Your house is like your wardrobe. You wear what you wear because you like it. Your home is a reflection of you! Don’t try and mimic somebody else when you’re doing it up.
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IT’S NOT A HOTEL
Steer away from the impersonal. Buy art if you like art, not because of the value attached to it. Generic, cold and sterile things belong in the lobby of a hotel. Don’t bring them home.
DESIGN = UTILITY
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There will always be obstacles. But now, different products are available to work out solutions. For people who want big lawns but complain about mosquitoes, there’s help in the form of a German mesh almost invisible to the naked eye. You don’t have to cover all windows with grilles for safety, now there’s toughened glass.
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BREAK WALLS
The big trend is to break walls. Have more open spaces, use a lot of glass, let sunlight stream in. Use partitions instead of walls, combining the living and dining spaces. Don’t live boxed in.
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Good design is about functionality. It’s supposed to make something easier to do. A teapot is a teapot but design makes it better – it makes sure the lid doesn’t fall every time you pour yourself some tea.
4
TAILORMADE HOME
Your house should cater to your lifestyle. If you entertain, the spaces should lend themselves to entertaining. If you have kids, it must be child-friendly. If you bring work home, your house has to adjust to it.
Good names
have so much character, they are a wonderful mix of the traditional and the modern. We now have several brands and designers only for décor. So what should you do?
COLLECT THINGS Don’t buy everything from one store – it will make your house look like a showroom! Collect things over time instead of a one-time spree.
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Put it all together Designer boutiques now have Indian and Western contemporary elements. The modern Indian house looks more ‘international’ now. Pick up things when you travel – something from Rajasthan, something from Africa, something from wherever you go. Mix it all up!
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Brands/designers you can depend on: Ajay Shah (Everyday Project), Ashish Shah, Rajeev Saini, Obataimu and Good Earth.
GET ON IT
It’s your living space, there’s no excuse for not putting an effort!
Graphic designer and artist Aishwarya Pathy is a director at Coimbatore Centre for Contemporary Arts and co-founder of India Design Forum, one of India’s foremost design platforms. When it comes to design, she likes it very, very esoteric – as told to Saudamini Jain
ILLUSTRATIONS: SHUTTERSTOCK
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
T R AV E L
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A Hindostani In Istanbul
Turkey probably makes for the best maiden international voyage. And its stunning caves are not the only reason by Yashica Dutt
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RAVEL HEALS relationships. After sharing an especially strained, albeit virginal, one with my passport, I finally realised this in Turkey, where – after missing trips to Greece, Los Angeles and South Africa – I earned my first official stamp. Making an international trip today is as commonplace as finding fans of Honey Singh, but comes with more unsolicited advice. “Photograph every moment”, “Don’t lose moments in photography, live them”, “Do as all tourists do”, “Be a local in the foreign land”, “Be prepared, plan everything”, “Just let yourself go.” I came back from Turkey with all boxes checked and a 16GB memory card. I was a wide-eyed tourist at the church, mosque and museum of Hagia Sophia, where Islamic symbolism coexists with a stunning cen-
turies-old fresco of Jesus Christ. I turned into a local, coursing through Istiklal Street, bargaining for small treasures even as the shopkeepers asked, “Hindostan?” I immersed myself for hours in the Museum of Innocence, based on Orhan Pamuk’s eponymous book. I ran all over Istanbul in buses, on foot, on ferries, so as to finish all the sight-seeing packed into our punishing schedule. And rued missing the famous Turkish Hamam and the hotair balloon ride over the cave mansions of Cappadocia. Initial apprehensions about leg space were dispelled on the horizontal business class beds of Turkish Airlines. The accented announcements became inaugural introductions to Turkey and the unremitting flow of the local aniseed flavoured drink, raki, was a virile indication
I also immersed myself for hours in the Museum of Innocence
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NEITHER HERE NOR THERE
Istanbul, with one end in Asia and the other in Europe, is a mix of both worlds
of what waited on the other side of the two-and-a-half hour time difference. Instead of landing feet first into Istanbul like most tourists, we (a group of journalists) took the connecting flight to Kayseri airport, to the cave region of Cappadocia.
UNDERGROUND ACT
We met blunt rocks that resembled tidy slices of cake, extending beyond the horizon into clear blue skies. Several volcanoes erupted many millions of years ago and their ash billowed up to create a stunning landscape that niftily adjusted itself into a series of plateaus. In between the plateaus were rocks that have managed to stand for thousands of years. Made from volcanic deposits called tuff, they looked like giant bobs on an old sweater, or like uneven icing left to freeze over. These rocks, called Fairy Chimneys or Hoodoos, are mostly found in the Göreme valley, in the Nevsehir province of Cappadocia. We stayed in a lovely cave hotel called the Anatolian Houses, in rooms carved out of soft tuff rock,
Photos: THINKSTOCK AND SHUTTERSTOCK
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POTTERED ALL OVER
The Blue Mosque in Istanbul with its stunning ceilings is a jaw-dropper with low-level arches and roofs so low you could touch them. Perfectly cool without air-conditioning, the tuff rock created a mild chill in the room during what was a pretty intense summer outside. It is also known to remain warm in winter.
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OUT OF THIS WORLD
The cave houses of Cappadocia give it a surreal, other-world appearance Some of the caves have been converted into boutique hotels or private residences, but most are preserved as museums in which the Byzantine monks sought refuge in the Medieval Ages (these sanctuaries are referred to as ‘religious troglodytes’). They established settlements and cut churches out of rocks, many of which have amazing frescoes. Most of these churches lie in the Göreme Open-Air Museum and have biblical scenes depicting Mary, Jesus, Christian saints and other religious symbolism. But what really set me wondering about the monks chipping away at the rocks were the underground cities. Used as hiding places through the ages, first from the Romans and then Muslims, the Christian monks built entire cities underground, some of which could house 10,000 people. Wellplanned tunnels lead from wine cellars (Cappadocia is famous for its wine) to living rooms, soot-covered kitchens to churches, mortuaries and stables.
PARTY LIKE A TURK
For many visitors to Turkey, one of the must-dos is watching a bit of belly dancing. That is often the last act for tourists at Fasil night (a kind of cultural night, with
FROM UP ABOVE
The frescoes in the cave churches of Cappadocia have lasted for centuries
FACT FILE
CIRCLES OF SILENCE
Watching the dervishes can often turn into a serene, meditative experience music and dance performances) at local mayherns (taverns). The show begins with whirling dervishes and moves on to a series of local dances that include a great deal of hooting, clapping, excited shouting and pulling of guests to become part of the act. Guests are encouraged to eat the cold mezze platters with Turkish dips and local cheeses and drink copiously. At least enough to participate in the revelry! The night finishes with a stellar show of coordinated movements that is the belly dance. Every muscle in the belly, the breasts, the hip and the neck is in play.
HOW TO TURK IT UP ■ Turkish pottery is a find, but keep a small budget aside if you want the best quality fare. And don’t carry it back, instead try to get it shipped directly. Most vendors provide the service at an extra price. ■ If you choose to buy Turkish coffee and spices, ensure you don’t pick them off the display on the racks, since they tend to lose some of their freshness. ■ If you go for a performance of the whirling dervishes, keep your touristy instincts in check and don’t take photos, since the camera flash could disturb them.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
IN PAMUK COUNTRY
Istanbul is a heady city, whose dual-coach buses reminded me of the BRT corridor in Delhi. Crossing the city’s busy streets can be equally intimidating! If the street art scene is alive with government-approved graffiti, the music scene is even better. Popartist Ke$ha’s performance at a stadium, right next to the Hilton (our hosts), made us green with envy, while the posters announcing the concert date for a popular electronic outfit The xx sent some of us straight into fan-girl/boy mode. The first major hotel to be built in the city, the Hilton also gave us a direct view of the Strait of Bosphorus. Istanbul is a tourist’s paradise, with beautiful monuments, museums and markets. There is the Topkapi Palace, the Sultan’s residence during the 400-yearold Ottoman Empire. It houses Prophet Mohammed’s
■ Turkish Airlines runs direct non-stop flights from New Delhi and Mumbai to Istanbul. ■ April-May and SeptemberOctober are the best months to visit Turkey, and offer pleasant weather. ■ 1 Turkish Lira = approx 32INR. But it’s best to carry American dollars or euros with you ■ Check goturkey.com or visit viamichelin.com to plan your trip ■ Getting around is easy, with a good network of buses, trams, taxis especially in cities like Istanbul
beard hair and his robes. Also not to be missed is the famous Nadir Shah throne from Iran. The Blue Mosque, known to have been built by the same masons who helped construct the Taj Mahal, is a resplendent monument with cascading domes and intricate blue pottery that took decades to finish. The Grand Bazaar, a completely covered market that runs for a few kilometres, is a masterclass in bargaining. The Spice Market will amaze even the most jaded shopper: there are olives for sale in enormous jars, cheese by the kilo, hazelnuts in big containers. End note: The epochal Taksim Square showed no signs of the citizen-police clashes that had occurred a few days ago – except for the hordes of well-dressed policemen patrolling the area. This trip was sponsored by Turkish Airlines. Accommodation courtesy: The Hilton, Istanbul and Anatolian Houses, Cappadocia yashica.dutt@hindustantimes.com
VA R I E T Y
PIERCINGS
Heels
You have to be out of your mind to pierce your pet’s ear or any other body part. They don’t care for earrings and it hurts them. Do you really believe that your cat looks good in a pair of heels? She may be cute but she’s still not Carrie Bradshaw!
WIGS
Don’t Make It A Pet Project You can pamper your four legged friends but there are some things you should never do
Remember, it’s a dog, not a doll. It doesn’t need a mullet, dreads or any other monstrosity on its head. And never install a weave into your dog’s fur. That is just inhuman.
at a m premiu
Dog bandanna
Forget about your butt! Insure your mutt instead
Your loyal pooch’s life is always at risk the moment he’s off the leash. But when it comes to pet insurance Indian pet owners are laggards. Here’s what they need to know: Many insurance companies do offer pet insurance. An insurance policy pays the veterinary costs if your pet is ill, injured in an accident, has died, or is lost or stolen. Get your pet insured. Now! Make some enquiries from your insurance company and just do it.
Photos: GETTY IMAGES, THINKSTOCK
As cool as an accessory can get, you can buy one at a pet store or lend your pup one of your own. Chic for dogs of all sizes.
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OUTLANDISH OUTFITS
Having your pet dressed like it is modelling for Galliano can be fun. Make sure the outfit is comfy.
Cap/ hat Most hats have elastic bands or loops that go around the ears and are fastened under the chin with velcro. Try this on a calm dog.
12.5
$
million
The world’s wealthiest cat’s fortune
JACKET Try velvet, fleece, military style or plaid jackets. A brocade jacket for dressy occasions would be cool.
SKIRT
Must you? Available in light fabrics like net and cotton for dogs and cats. If you have to, keep them short to make loo breaks easy. brunchletters@ hindustantimes.com
H E A LT H
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hindustantimes.com/brunch
The Fitness Drive Driving long distances can aggravate back pain. Isometric exercises that can be done at the wheel may help alleviate it
by Aasheesh Sharma
F
IVE DAYS A week, even as his neck and lower back protest, Varun Puri, 31, who works with a leading international bank, drives 35 kilometres from north Delhi’s Civil Lines to his Gurgaon office. “After having done 350 kilometres during the week, on the weekend I just feel like lying down simply to recover from the commute. The pain is aggravated on days I need to go for sales meetings. My doctor has recommended I don’t drive for more than an hour at a stretch, but that isn’t realistic,” he says. Communications manager Mehak Chawla, 26, also drastically cut down on her driving when an orthopaedic specialist advised her to rest for at least eight weeks to alleviate debilitating backaches that began since she started driving to her office, 20 kilometres away from her east Delhi home. Chawla’s and Puri’s are not isolated examples. Dr Rajesh Bawari, senior orthopaedic consultant with Max Hospital Saket, says the number of patients in the age group of 25 years to 40 years (mostly business executives) who complain of lower back pain, leg pain and sciatica owing to hours spent driving to work, is on the rise. “As far as possible, they should avoid rush-hour traffic. In severe cases, they could even explore working from home,” suggests Dr Bawari.
often lowered and tipped back which causes the legs to be straighter, placing strain on the hamstrings. This, in turn results in the pelvis rolling backwards. Pressure is also placed on the spine since the driver has to flex the neck by up to 20 degrees in an attempt to look straight ahead,” explains Dr Vaishya. “In certain cases, because of keeping the legs suspended, people can develop deep vein thrombosis and varicose veins. If the ankles swell further, the person can try wearing compression stockings. In milder cases, simply moving their ankle while waiting at traffic lights might be enough to enhance circulation,” he adds.
Roadmap To Recovery
To minimise pains, try out these simple exercises – but only when you are stuck in a traffic jam!
SHOULDER STRETCH Step 1: Lift your left arm and extend it forward towards the windshield. Step 2: Take the left arm towards the right shoulder and stretch it with the other hand. Support the arm by holding it below the elbow. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds,
and then repeat it with the other hand. Impact: It reduces stiffness of the shoulder and neck and enhances blood circulation, particularly in the shoulder and neck regions.
■
(Courtesy: Neeraj Mehta, GFFI Fitness Academy)
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1
THE SOLUTIONS
A set of simple isoOn the metric exercises city’s potholed (where one creates without roads, every tension changing the length can driver’s spine ofhelptheyoumuscles) limber up is subjected and strengthen your core areas, even as to jolts you go on long drives.
THE PROBLEM
Driving aggravates lower back pain, especially as the spine is subjected to jolts on the city’s potholed roads, says Dr Raju Tandon, senior orthopedic surgeon with Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. Often, the cause can be traced back to bad automobile design. “These days many cars have a lower roofline and so, reduced interior space. To offset this, the seat is
Fitness and wellness expert Vesna Jacob, whose book Work It Out Without A Workout is targeted at urban professionals strapped for time, says safety is paramount while driving. “Never divert your attention from the road. But there are still plenty of traffic signals and congested jams that allow for exercises that can be carried out at the wheel.” Jacob suggests a prudent mix of posture correction and isometric exercises (see box) to make long drives less painful. “Bad driving posture can cause problems in the neck, shoulders, lower back and knee areas. Research by the British Chiropractic Association says that more than 32,000 people visit a chiropractor every month with injuries that are aggravated or caused by a bad driving posture,” adds Jacob. Biomechanics and Pilates specialist Neeraj Mehta of Delhi’s
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
BACK EXTENSION
1 Step 1: Push your back into the seat, place the hands on the wheel and gently push until you feel tension in your muscles. Step 2: Arch your back and tuck in the navel. Then push the backrest with your shoulders. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds. ■ Impact: It improves flexibility and helps
2 relieve back pain caused by sitting on the driver’s seat for long intervals. It also helps tone your lower back muscles and gets the blood circulation going. (Courtesy: Vesna Jacob, fitness expert and author of Work It Out Without A Workout)
Photos: AJAY AGGARWAL; MODEL: YOGA AND FITNESS INSTRUCTOR SHEETAL DHILLON
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1
2
TORSO TWIST Step 1: Keep your hands on the steering and take a deep breath. Step 2: Twist your torso towards the left and turn towards the backseat.
■ Impact: Helps cure stiffness in the shoulders caused by driving under stress.
(Courtesy: Yoga teacher and fitness expert Sheetal Dhillon )
KNEE BEND Step 1: Holding the steering wheel with both hands, keep the spine straight and bend the right knee. Step 2:Remove your right hand from the steering and bring the knee closer towards your chest. ■ Impact: It reduces stiffness of the core area (the abdomen, back and pelvis), that take the brunt of driving for long hours. (Courtesy: Biomechanics specialist Neeraj Mehta of GFFI Fitness Academy )
1
2
GFFI Fitness Academy recommends a back-extension to help tone your lower back muscles and get the blood circulation going. “Arch your back and tuck in the navel. Then push the backrest with your shoulders. Breathe normally, hold the stretch for 10 seconds. A back extension improves flexibility and helps relieve back pain caused by sitting on the driver’s seat for a long time,” adds Mehta. Yoga and fitness instructor Sheetal Dhillon says even easy-toimplement yogic asanas such as shoulder socket rotation or Skandha Chakra, can go a long way in reducing stiffness in the cervical region.
TIPS FOR REJUVENATION
Fitness expert Vesna Jacob recommends that drivers adjust the seat belt so that it lies across the top of the shoulder. Ideally, it should not rub against the neck or upper arm. “Move the seat so the steering wheel is at a comfortable distance
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
where your elbows are only slightly bent. However make sure you are at least 10 inches away from the airbag cover as advised by the safety recommendations,” adds Jacob. To enhance blood circulation in the core areas (abdomen, back and pelvis), fitness expert Neeraj Mehta says the driver must sit on the hip bones with the upper body upright and the back arched. “Women should avoid wearing high heels and men thick-soled shoes as they exert additional stress on the ankle,” says Jacob. “Gently push into the back of the seat and then lengthen through your spine. Remember to retain the contact of your upper back and the seat throughout the drive,” she adds. The objective of core exercises, says Jacob, is to turn the lower back and abdomen (usually the weakest portions of our bodies) into a fortress. Now that you have a recovery road-map, brace up to hit top gear. aasheesh.sharma@hindustantimes.com
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PERSONAL AGENDA
twitter.com/HTBrunch
Actress
Aditi Rao Hydari BIRTHDAY SUN SIGN PLACE OF BIRTH HOMETOWN October 28 Scorpio
Hyderabad
Delhi
SCHOOL/COLLEGE
HIGH POINT OF LOW POINT OF
YOUR LIFE YOUR LIFE Rishi Valley School Just knowing that I lost my dad to cancer early this (Andhra Pradesh) and Lady Shri Ram College for my mum is there for year and a month later, my six-year me, always -old boxer died of a heart attack. Women (Delhi) FIRST BREAK
Sringaram, a 2007 Tamil film about a dancer, in which I had a double role If you weren’t an actress you would have been... A dancer, a singer or a doctor. But it would have all led me to acting as it did in reality. Which Hindi film would you have loved to be your debut? Band Baja Baaraat or Ishaqzaade. The sexiest people in Bollywood. Farhaan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal and John Abraham. Whose style have you admired over the years? Audrey Hepburn, forever; Deepika Padukone for her versatility; Kangna Ranaut for her edginess; and Dia Mirza for her elegance. The best thing about Akshay Kumar as a co-star is… That he creates a happy work environment by being really disciplined. He also is a lot of fun.
my movies THE FILM YOU HAVE WATCHED MORE THAN FIVE TIMES?
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayange, Andaz Apna Apna
THE MOST PAISAVASOOL FILM?
Andaz Apna Apna
A MOVIE YOU GREW UP WITH
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayange THE FIRST MOVIE YOU SAW ON THE BIG SCREEN
Home Alone
CURRENTLY I AM...
Waiting for the release of Boss. The trailers are on air now and it releases on October 16 How did you prepare to get into a bikini on screen? I followed everything my trainer Rahul Kalra said for five weeks! I wanted to maintain a natural feminine body so we did a lot of athletic training to tone up and strengthen my core. I ate healthy and did not starve. Directors you want to work with. Abhishek Kapoor, Dibakar Banerjee, Vishal Bharadwaj, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Shoojit Sircar. A classic that you would have loved to be a part of. Guide, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Umrao Jaan. Bollywood’s most romantic pairings. Guru Dutt-Waheeda Rehman; Amitabh Bachchan-Jaya Bhaduri; Shah Rukh KhanKajol. Three skincare products you can’t do without. A stick of sandalwood, powdered almonds and raw milk. Is knowing a dance form an asset in the film business? Yes! I’ve been dancing since I was five. It makes you comfortable with your body. An item number you’d love to do. Kajra re. The gadget you love to flaunt. I’m not finicky about my devices but I love Apple products. Five musts in your wardrobe. A great pair of skinny jeans, a little black dress, stilettos, Aviator glasses and an oversized tote. If you could ask for any talent/skill what would it be? Reading minds to protect myself from crooked minds. The last line of your autobiography would read… “I did it my way. And lived happily ever after!” — Interviewed by Veenu Singh
SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
YOUR IDEA OF A GREAT WEEKEND…
At home in Kihim, music, friends, fresh coconut water and prawn curry
Photo: THINKSTOCK