India perspectives february 2012

VOL 25 NO. 11 FEBRUARY 2012

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INDIA THIS MONTH

FEBRUARY 2012

editorial note

February 3-9

MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

February 1-14

Showcases documentaries, short and animated films from around the world. Prizes are awarded in a variety of categories.

Where: National Centre for Performing Arts, Mumbai

SURAJKUND CRAFTS MELA In its 25th year, this fair showcases the finest handloom and handicrafts. On its sidelines are cultural programmes.

Where: Surajkund, Haryana

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February 11-17

KAZIRANGA ELEPHANT FESTIVAL A parade of elephants is the main attraction. The animals race, dance and play various games.

Where: Kaziranga National Park, Assam

February 4-12

KALA GHODA ARTS FESTIVAL

February 18-21

GOA CARNIVAL The streets of Goa come alive with processions, floats, dances and non-stop festivity.

Where: Panaji, Goa

Has become an important event on Mumbai’s cultural calendar. Highlights include workshops, literary events, heritage walks, theatre and music performances.

Where: Kala Ghoda Arts Precinct Fort, Mumbai

February 1-13

ISHARA INTERNATIONAL PUPPET FESTIVAL It brings together puppeteers from India and around the globe.

Shows will range from traditional rod and string puppets to visual stories and epics.

Where: India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

February 18-27

TAJ MAHOTSAV Craftsmen from across India showcase their arts and crafts. Folk music and classical dances are the highlights of the festival.

Where: Taj Mahal, Agra

ove — ephemeral and eternal, human and celestial, spiritual and erotic – abounds throughout India. In the lyrics of poets like Kalidasa, Amaru and Jayadeva. In the abhinaya of Kathak dancers. In the strokes of a Ragmala painting. In the white marble stones of the Taj Mahal. In the carved friezes of Khajuraho. In the verses of Punjabi poet Waris Shah. And in more recent times in the song and dance routine of Bollywood heroes and heroines. Of the nine rasas or emotions that are the life spring of the arts, shringara or love occupies prime place. It is a many splendored thing. It is sensual, spiritual and sublime.

Over the millennia, gods like Shiva and Parvati and Krishna and Radha have exulted in the joy of togetherness and experienced the pangs of separation. Kings and queens like Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal have fallen in love at first sight and suffered heartbreak.

Stars — Amitabh Bachchan-Rekha, Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol and numerous other heroheroine combinations — have set the silver screen alight. And mere mortals like HeerRanjha and Sohni-Mahiwal have romanced their way into folklore.

Against this backdrop it is no surprise that Valentine’s Day has also caught the fancy of affluent urban youth. It becomes an occasion to splurge on flowers and chocolates, cards and gifts, telephone calls and candlelight dinners, and much else. Bollywood also pulls out the boy-meets-girl theme to grab a slice of the love pie. The cover story in this issue celebrates the river of love that flows through the Indian art tradition. In the season of romance, it takes a look at lovers who have inspired some of the greatest works of art in the country.

We also look at the Jagriti Yatra, an unusual 7,500 kilometer train journey that takes 450 youngsters through the Indian heartland. In villages like Tilonia and cities like Madurai, they learn from some truly remarkable social entrepreneurs whose vision has had a transformational impact in areas as diverse as solar energy, healthcare and microfinance.

We were delighted to support ten participants from developing countries who not only made friends but also got motivated to go back to their countries and become agents of social and economic change.

Recently, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago visited India, the land of her forefathers. The trip was noteworthy not just on the diplomatic and economic fronts, but also on a more personal note for the Trinidadian PM. She made an emotional journey to her ancestral village in Bihar where she was accorded a traditional welcome. Her visit gives us the opportunity to look at India’s relations with a distant, Caribbean country as they enter a new age.

February 19-23

KONARK DANCE FESTIVAL Eminent classical dancers perform against the backdrop of the magnificent Sun Temple.

Where: Sun Temple, Konark

Navdeep Suri

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iNDiA

perspectives February 2012 n VOL 25 No. 11/2012

FEBRUARY 2012 Editor: Navdeep Suri Assistant Editor: Abhay Kumar MEDIA TRANSASIA TEAM Editor-in-Chief: Maneesha Dube Creative Director: Bipin Kumar Desk: Urmila Marak Editorial Coordinator: Kanchan Rana Design: Ajay Kumar (Sr. Designer), Sujit Singh Production: Sunil Dubey (DGM), Ritesh Roy (Sr. Manager) Brijesh K. Juyal (Pre-Press Operator) Chairman: J.S. Uberoi

Global Perspectives: Old Bonds, New Horizons

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Partnerships: Strengthening Skills

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Jagriti Yatra: Exploring The Unexplored

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Heritage: Charmed World of Fabrics

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Music: Brave New Sounds

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Culture: Turban Tales

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President: Xavier Collaco

REVIEWS:

Financial Controller: Puneet Nanda

Film: A Palatable Journey

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Exhibition: Two Diverse Worlds

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Verbatim: Amjad Ali Khan

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Send editorial contributions and letters to Media Transasia India Ltd.

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34 PHOTO: RAVI DHINGRA

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COVER STORY

RIVER OF LOVE

India Perspectives embarks on a journey to bring together some great Indian love stories that have warmed the hearts for centuries.

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COVER PHOTO: MINIATURE PAINTING OF RADHA AND KRISHNA COVER DESIGN: BIPIN KUMAR

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COVE R STO RY

RIVER OF LOVE TEXT: MANEESHA DUBE

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or thousands of years, Indians have celebrated love in all its diversity and exuberance. It has been etched on stone, enshrined in texts, painted in sensuous colours and dramatised in the performing arts.

Of the nine rasas or emotions that define the arts — shringara (love), hasya (laughter), raudra (fury), karuna (compassion), bibhatsa (disgust), bhayanak (horror), veer (heroic), adhbhuta (wonder) and shanta (peace) — it is shringara that is considered king. The two aspects of shringara are sambhog (union) and viyog (separation). In fact, some of the most evocative descriptions of the pain and sorrow of being separated from ones beloved are to be found in Indian literature.

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CHANCE ENCOUNTERS This is a love story from the Mahabharata in which the lovers live happily ever after. King Nal, the emperor of Nishadha Kingdom, marries the princess of Vidarbha, Damayanti. Nal, an inveterate gambler, loses his kingdom and wealth to his brother in a game of chausar (a game of dice). After the loss, Nal and Damayanti are forced out of their palace and have to live a life of poverty. Unable to witness his wife’s plight, Nal leaves Damayanti when she is asleep. In a message he leaves behind, he exhorts her to go back and live in her father’s palace. A bereft Damayanti searches everywhere for Nal but cannot find him. Distraught, she returns to her father’s palace. Years pass, till one day a maid tells her about a man in the city who plays excellent chausar. On the suspicion that it is her husband, Damayanti confronts the man.

As it turns out it is, indeed, Nal. The couple get back together.

Later, Nal wins back his kingdom.

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A miniature painting of a couple in a garden DINODIA IMAGES

Love’s many moods — passion and romance, fervour and tenderness, devotion and rapture — are played out again and again in the tales that populate the ancient epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. According to Indian mythology, the first lovers in the world were Shiva (the destroyer in the Hindu Trinity) and Sati. On the death of Sati, crazed with grief, Shiva roams the world. The gods have to calm him else his sorrow will destroy the universe.

Sati is reincarnated as Parvati. Once again Shiva is her consort. At a philosophical level, Shiva and Parvati stand for the balance of the two ideals intrinsic to Hinduism — the householder and the ascetic.

The love, romance, and eroticism between Shiva and Parvati is recounted in Kumarasambhavam, a poem by ancient India’s greatest Sanskrit poet, Kalidasa. Legend has it that to break Shiva’s meditation the gods sought the help of Kamdev, the god of love in the Hindu pantheon, who like his counterpart in Roman mythology, Cupid, is depicted as a winged male figure armed with a bow and arrow. In iconography, Kamdev is shown as riding a parrot and holding a bow made of sugarcane, which has a string of honeybees, and the bows are tipped with five kinds of fragrant flowers. Like Cupid and the Greek Eros, his darts inspire love in unsuspecting victims. Kalidasa does not stop at narrating the story of Shiva and Parvati, in Rtusamhara, he narrates the experiences of lovers in each of the six seasons — vasant (spring), grishm (summer), varsha (monsoon), sharad (autumn), shishir (winter) and hemant (early spring) and in Meghaduta he recounts the attempts of a lover to send a message to his beloved with the help of a cloud.

Another Sanskrit literary gem is Jayadeva’s Geet Govinda, a lyrical celebration of love between Krishna and Radha. The romance between Radha, a gopi or cowherd and Krishna,

RING OF REMEMBRANCE

PHOTO: AVINASH PASRICHA

The legend from the epic Mahabharata, has been retold by Kalidasa in his immortal play Abhijnanashakuntalam.

While on a hunting trip, King Dushyant meets Shakuntala, the daughter of a sage who lives in the forest. They fall in love and get married. Dushyant returns to his palace, with the promise to send for Shakuntala. He presents her a signet ring before leaving.

One day, a hermit, Durvasa, comes to the ashram. Shakuntala, lost in thought, fails to hear the guest. The sage curses her saying that he whose thoughts she was immersed in would no longer remember her.

On the plea of her companions, he relents and adds a caveat: she would be recognised if she showed him the gift he had given her.

When nobody comes to get her, Shakuntala sets out for the palace. On the way she loses the ring. Under the spell, Dushyant fails to recognise her. The spell is broken when a fisherman finds the lost ring inside a fish he has caught and brings it to the palace. Shakuntala and Dushyant are reunited. It is after their son Bharat, that India is called Bharat.

Kuchipudi dancers Raja and Radha Reddy enacting a love ballad

a god — an avatar of Vishnu — has found its way into folklore, song, dance, painting and sculpture across India. Two of the country’s classical dances — Kathak and Manipuri — are said to have evolved from the duo’s dance of divine love or raslila. On a higher plane, the Gita Govinda is interpreted as being about the yearning of the soul (Radha) for God (Krishna).

Over the centuries it is Radha and Krishna’s romantic love that has captured the popular imagination. One legend has it that Radha and Krishna were the first to play Holi, the festival of colours. One day, a young Krishna asked Yashoda, his foster mother, why he was dark while Radha was fair. She jokingly suggested that he smear Radha’s face any colour he liked. Krishna lost no time in doing just that. Radha playfully reciprocated. To this day young couples across India joyfully smear each other with coloured powder to celebrate Holi. The Radha-Krishna motif is used in contemporary Indian cinema, often as a device to underscore the purity of the hero and heroine’s love. Pyaasa, Devdas, Lagaan, Mughal-e-Azam are just a few of the numerous movies that have turned to the Radha-Krishna romance for inspiration.

Like the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, too, uses the tale-within-a-tale structure to narrate many love stories. But the epic is primarily about Rama and Sita. These divine lovers — avatars of Vishnu and Lakshmi — are models of an ideal Hindu marriage. Their love is based on devotion, fidelity, and of course, caring. But it is to the Mahabharata one turns to when seeking tales of romance outside of marriage. Among the lovers who emerge from this epic are Nal-Damayanti, Shakuntala-Dushyanta and Shantanu-Satyavati.

A universal theme in romantic tales involves a young couple unable to get the sanction of society. This is the leitmotif of the qissa literature of Punjab. Star-crossed lovers Heer-Ranjha and Sohni-Mahiwal from this genre bear a strong resemblance to Romeo and Juliet and Hero

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CROSS CURRENTS A young trader from Bukhara in Central Asia, Izzat Baig spotted Sohni at her father’s pottery workshop near Delhi. He visited the shop everyday on the pretext of buying pottery. Soon, he told Sohni of his love and the two began to meet clandestinely. But by this time Baig has exhausted his money and had to take up odd jobs. One of them was to graze buffaloes, this is why he was nicknamed ‘Mahiwal’ or the buffalo-man.

When Sohni’s father discovered the affair he forcibly married his daughter to a young potter.

Mahiwal wanders from village to village in search of Sohni. He finds her, and the two once again begin seeing each other. Each night, Sohni crosses a river with the help of a large earthen pitcher to meet Mahiwal and returns home before dawn. One night her sister-in-law replaces the pitcher with a leaky one. It is a stormy night and Sohni is unable to stay afloat. Hearing her cries, Mahiwal jumps into the river to save her. But the current is too strong and both of them are washed away.

and Leander from English literature. A long Punjabi poem, Heer, written by Waris Ali Shah in 1766, has immortalised the love of Heer Ranjha and Punjabi poet Fazal Shah Sayyad has popularised the story of Sohni-Mahiwal in a work of the same name.

The one symbol of eternal love that is recognised the world over is the Taj Mahal. Not only is it a meeting point for lovers, it is an inspiration for poets, playwrights, filmmakers and artists.

The marble mausoleum, located in Agra in north India, was built in the 17th century by Shahjahan, the fifth Mughal emperor as a memorial to his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Wrote Shahjahan: ‘‘the sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs; And the sun and moon shed tears from their eyes.’’ Made entirely of white marble, the magnificent building has also been described as ‘a teardrop on the cheek of time.’ And Sir Edwin Arnold, an English poet, has described it as “the proud passion of an emperor’s love wrought in living stones’’.

Built a century before the Taj Mahal, the Roopmati pavilion in Mandu in Central India, stands testimony to the romance of another pair of lovers — a Hindu Rajput, Roopmati, and a Muslim sultan, Baz Bahadur. Out on a hunting expedition, Baz Bahadur, the ruler of Mandu, is enchanted by the beauty of a shepherdess and mesmerised by her mellifluous voice. The two are united in marriage according to both Hindu and Muslim rites. A contemporary, Ahmad-ul-Umri Turkoman has written the story of this love in Persian; in it are included 26 poems about Roopmati.

Contemporary India’s lovers are inspired by Radha-Krishna and Heer-Ranjha on the one hand and by Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal and Baz Bahadur and Roopmati on the other. The unbroken tradition of romantic love and its creative meandering across the centuries are like a stream that flows through the millennia-old Indian civilisation.

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A sculpture of Radha and Krishna

PASSION PLAY The tragic love story of Heer-Ranjha mimics Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Ranjha, the youngest of four brothers, flees his ancestral home and village because of his jealous sisters-in-law’s ill-treatment. Eventually, he arrives at Heer’s village by the river Chenab, and falls in love with her at first sight. Their love blossoms when mesmerised by his flute playing, Heer hires Ranjha as a cowherd on her father’s estate. They meet secretly for many years, but Heer’s uncle Kaido discovers them and the family forcibly marries Heer off to a wealthy old man.

Heartbroken Ranjha wanders the countryside until he reaches the village where Heer now lives. The two return to Heer’s ancestral home to seek Heer’s parents’ consent to marry. Kaido, angered at not being able to keep the lovers apart, poisons Heer on her wedding day. Heart broken, Ranjha, too, eats the poisoned food and dies by Heer’s side.

AFP

Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai in a still from Devdas

The Bengali novel, Devdas, written by Saratchandra Chattopadhyay, is testament to the vibrancy of India’s regional languages and their romantic traditions. It narrates the tragic love tale of Devdas and Paro. Not only has it been translated into many Indian languages, it has also inspired several remakes on celluloid — starting with P.C. Baruah’s Devdas in 1935 to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas in 2002. Devdas has famously been portrayed by legendary actor-singer K.L. Saigal, and great thespians Dilip Kumar and Akkineni Nageswara Rao (in the Telugu version). The most-recent remake stars are Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. Indian cinema, which is vibrant in both commercial and artistic terms, portrays romance with unending and tireless zest. The typical storyline of a film made in Bollywood (as the country’s Hindi film industry is called) goes like this: boy-meets-girl, many trials and tribulations later they are united and live happily after. To give the tried and tested formula a fresh flavour, Bollywood producers and directors work at finding lead pairs with “chemistry” to pull in the audience.

Some of these pairs are so successful that the on-screen roles subsume their real identities.

To keep the box office register ringing, the movie also relies on songs that will reverberate in cultural memory.

Realising that love is big business, retailers have tapped into the Valentine’s Day market. The day, celebrated all over the world on February 14, is a day when friends and lovers reaffirm their bonds of love and affection. Over the last decade, the day has gained popularity in India too. Now, it is common for well-to-do urban youth to exchange cards, gifts, flowers and confectionery on this day. This is just another manifestation of a culture which has its classical and romantic artistic currents rooted in love.

—With inputs from Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr. and Ambica Gulati

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GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

Old Bonds, New Horizons The visit of Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister to India marked a high point in the growing relationship between the two nations TEXT: MANISH CHAND

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Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar inspects a guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi

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ollywood and cricket blended with IT and gas diplomacy during the recent visit of Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar. It was a return to the roots for the first lady, who is of Indian origin. Her visit to the land her forefathers had left over a century ago was a mix of emotions and nostalgia.

In a sign of new age diplomacy, Persad-Bissessar was accompanied by star cricketers Brian Lara and Daren Ganga and a delegation of ministers and senior officials. The aim of the visit was to infuse a fresh burst of vigour and energy in a burgeoning relationship marked by fraternal ties and the shared values of democracy, pluralism and enterprise.

India and Trinidad and Tobago, a state in the Caribbean Islands, have been quietly but effectively expanding their relationship in every area, from trade and investment to energy, education and technologies. These multiple strands of their growing engagement were on the agenda during the wide-ranging talks Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had with his Trinidadian counterpart during her 10-day visit. ‘‘We have a complete meeting of minds on all issues, including on the future direction of our partnership,’’ said Manmohan Singh after the talks.

Seeking to push their bilateral ties into a new trajectory, the two countries signed five pacts, including a crucial air services agreement that seeks to bridge continental distances and encourage more travel and trade between the two countries. The two sides also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in traditional Indian medicine, one on setting up a chair of ayurveda in the University of West Indies, another MoU on cultural exchanges and another pact on technical cooperation in education.

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(Left) Receives the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from President Pratibha Devisingh Patil at the Pravasi Bharati Diwas 2012 in Jaipur; (below) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with Persad-Bissessar’s delegation of cricketers Daren Ganga (left) and Brian Lara in New Delhi

AFP

AFP

The two leaders discussed a host of global issues, including terrorism, climate change and UN reforms, with the Trinidad leader reiterating support for India’s candidature for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council.

Intensifying energy collaboration topped the Indian wish list. Rich in oil and gas resources, Trinidad and Tobago is the largest and most vibrant economy in the Caribbean and it is fitting that India, with ` 94 trillion economy, look to it to supply a part of its ever-growing need for oil and gas. Trinidad and Tobago has successfully made a transition from an oil-based economy to becoming the fifth-largest exporter of liquefied natural gas in the world. Against this backdrop, the two sides agreed to collaborate in the energy sector to forge ‘a mutually beneficial partnership’. An Indian delegation led by Petroleum Minister S. Jaipal Reddy will visit Trinidad and Tobago later this year to explore investments in the hydrocarbons sector.

With their economies growing despite recession afflicting the developed world, economic ties are headed for an upswing between India and Trinidad and Tobago, a gateway to the 200 million-strong market of the Caribbean and the Americas.

The discussions in New Delhi helped firm up an ambitious agenda to diversify trade and investment across a wide swathe, including conventional and renewable energy, small and medium enterprises, information and communications technology, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, health, wellness tourism, ayurveda, entertainment and shipping. Currently, bilateral trade is estimated to be around ` 5.14 billion.

What stood out at the summit talks was a striking synergy and the enormous potential for variegated collaboration to create what Persad-Bissesar termed as ‘knowledge-driven, people-centric societies’. She sought to leverage a new age partnership with India in the areas of IT, fashion, films and creative industries.

India, on its part, has offered its expertise to help the Caribbean nation develop an Information Technology Park, which will drive innovation, conception and design of efficient technologies. India also agreed to help Trinidad and Tobago develop as the hub of medical and healthcare tourism in the region.

The Trinidad leader made a special pitch to project the Caribbean island as an ideal location for Bollywood films. ‘‘We are looking at Bollywood to come to Trinidad and Tobago in a big way,’’ she said. The island nation not only has exotic locales, but also modern pre- and post-production facilities and offers myriad incentives to attract film companies. Getting high-profile Indian fashion designers to come to Trinidad also figured on her wish list. ‘‘I have met some reputed fashion designers from India and they promised to participate in the fashion week in October,’’ she said.

The people-to-people contacts, therefore, are set for a major acceleration, especially in the aftermath of the landmark decision by the Trinidad government to waive visa requirement for Indians visiting the country for tourism and business

The two nations signed five pacts, including a crucial air services agreement that seeks to bridge continental distances and encourage more travel and trade between the two countries.

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The Trinidad leader made a special pitch to promote Trinidad and Tobago as an ideal location for Bollywood films. The island nation not only has exotic locales, but also modern pre- and post-production facilities.

(Right) A tableau of the first ship Fatel Razack that carried 225 indentured workers from India to Trinidad in 1845; (below) an exotic Maracas beach

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for up to 90 days. Trinidad and Tobago has sought to step up cooperation with India in the education sector and leverage its proven expertise in e-education.

Besides inking a technical cooperation agreement, India also decided to increase the number of ITEC scholarships from 30 to 50, beginning this year.

In Jaipur, the Trinidad Prime Minister attended the convocation ceremony at the Shankara Group of Institutions and firmed up a technical collaboration programme for training women, especially in the agriculture and health sectors. ‘‘Economic empowerment of women is critical for sustainable development and women’s participation in agriculture and home industries has gone up. We want to create a knowledge-driven, people-centric society,’’ said Persad-Bissessar, who was in Jaipur to attend the Pravasi Bharati Diwas (PBD). She was also conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the top honour given to Persons of Indian Origin at the annual diaspora conclave.

Persad-Bissessar’s visit to India marked a high point in the blossoming of the relationship which began on May 30, 1845, when the first ship Fatel Razack carrying 225 indentured workers from India reached the shores of Trinidad, then a British colony. Now, Indians constitute 42 per cent of the 1.3 million people in the island state and are established in pre-eminent positions.

Persad-Bissessar is the second Trinidadian Prime Minister of Indian origin.

Basdeo Panday was Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 1995-2001. It was fitting that her visit to India ended with an emotion-laden trip to her ancestral village in Bihar. When Persad-Bissessar landed in Bhelupur, nearly the entire village had descended to get a glimpse of the ‘daughter PM’.

Amid loud cheering and applause, she was welcomed by villagers in traditional style, with women singing folk songs and conducting rituals that are associated with the visit of a daughter to her village. ‘‘An emotional Persad-Bissessar, her eyes welling up and voice choked, told the jubilant crowd that she was lucky to visit the land of her roots and the village of her ancestors,’’ said a district official.

She also visited The Kolkata Memorial in Kolkata — created on January 11 last year at Kidderpore dock, in memory of the Indian labourers taken to distant lands by the British from 1834 through the 1920s. She said: ‘‘Trinidad and Tobago will always remain our mother but India is our grandmother. It was from here that people travelled to, worked and settled down in Trinidad and Tobago.’’

With such intense emotive bonds and a new synergy of shared interests, the relationship between India and Trinidad and Tobago is set to scale new horizons.

As Persad-Bissessar sums up: ‘‘The theme of the visit is ‘partnering for diversification, innovation and investment’ and that’s exactly what we have achieved from this trip.’’

—Manish Chand is Senior Editor, IANS

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PARTNERSHIPS

Strengthening Skills The ITEC programmes give hands-on experience to participants from developing countries TEXT: MEENAKSHI KUMAR

(Facing page) Participants of the Women and Enterprise Development course; (above) facade of the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development

PHOTOS: RAJEEV RASTOGI

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ati Celestine, a 50-something woman from Ghana, has come all the way to India to find a business solution for the women of her community. As Queen Mother (a traditional ruler), she need not have bothered, but it was the poor financial state of the women in her country that forced her to take up the scholarship provided by the Ministry of External Affairs’ Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. She chose to enroll for the Women and Enterprise Development course conducted by the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD). Two weeks into the course, she knows she made the right decision. ‘‘I have learned quite a bit so far. It’s an eye-opener for me to learn about the various ways to start a business. In Ghana, other than fishing and weaving, women have no other option to earn money. Now I will be able to organise and help them in setting up businesses. At least they can earn a decent living,’’ says Celestine.

That’s a sentiment that all participants share. Instituted in 1964 as a bilateral assistance programme to share India’s technological achievements with other developing countries, it is totally demand-driven and responseoriented. At NIESBUD, the programme started in 1989 with two courses, which have now gone up to eight.

Says Dr Rishi Raj Singh, Director and Training Officer of the ITEC courses, at NIESBUD: ‘‘The demand is growing every year. This year, with 38 participants we have the highest number for the Women and Enterprise Development course.’’ A young girl from Afghanistan, Irina

Ahadi, who works in the Kabul government, is here to learn skills that can be used to help women back home.

Carolina, a businesswoman from Colombia, chose to come here so that she could take lessons from India and apply them back home to help single mothers. ‘‘There are many single mothers in Colombia who have no way to earn a living. Hopefully, I’ll be able to guide them,’’ she says.

The other ongoing ITEC course, Trainers’ Training on Entrepreneurship and Promotion of Income Generation Activities, is equally popular. The course that was started in 1995 has so far conducted nearly 26 programmes. Rita Sengupta, Director, Behavioural Science, NIESBUD, says: ‘‘When people go back, they implement their knowledge and see the results. Then they recommend it to others.’’

In addition, it’s the kind of experience that India provides that makes the programmes popular. Many developing countries find a similarity in India’s experiences and believe that the solutions are practical and relevant.

Africa, SAARC nations, CIS countries and Latin America have been sending students. But in the last three years, the courses are attracting participants from Poland, Argentina and Colombia as well. Sengupta believes that it is India’s image as a country undergoing transition that is drawing people.

Afnan Albalooshi from the Kingdom of Bahrain exemplifies this. Head of the Centre of Excellence for Micro Enterprises in Bahrain, she chose to train in income generation to avail of the best here. ‘‘The programme empowers and motivates a person. I would not have got this experience anywhere else,’’ she says. n

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PARTNERSHIPS

Exploring the Unexplored The Jagriti Yatra was an opportunity for young change makers to witness live examples of successful models that have benefited society

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s the 450 young change makers from across India and abroad boarded the train from Mumbai on December 24 to traverse India’s heartland, the mood among the yatris (travelers) was euphoric. The sheer energy, expectations and excitement built up as they participated in debates and interacted with like-minded yatris during the 15-day odyssey.

Jagriti Yatra 2011 was an opportunity for the youngsters to feel the pulse of every state, each with its own vibrant culture, food, and language and witness live examples of successful models that have benefited society.

The inspiring and rewarding journey took the yatris, both men and women from towns and small cities, to

eleven role model destinations — these included Selco at Hubli, Infosys at Bengaluru, Aravind Eye Care at Madurai, Travel Another India at Chennai, Naandi at Vishakapatanam, Gram Vikas at Bhubaneshwar, Nidan at Patna, Goonj at Delhi, Tiloniya in Rajasthan and Sewa at Ahmedabad.

The on-site meetings offered participants a wealth of wisdom on entrepreneurship, team leadership, and the essentials of business development. Practical exercises, such as group work and presentations, demonstrated the importance of connectivity and creativity. Day-to-day challenges of bucket baths, broken taxis, and the sheer logistics of coordinating 450 people on extremely tight deadlines, kept everyone on their toes.

(Facing Page) Yatris pose for photographs; (above from left) a panel discussion with Selco’s Managing Director Harish Hande (extreme right); and on board the train

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(Clockwise from left) A session with former chairman of Infosys Narayana Murthy; with Anshul Gupta, founder of Goonj; the entire team; and a yatri gets a feel of culture

Jagriti Yatra’s vision is to teach global citizens how to fish and become job-creators instead of giving them the fish and making them job-seekers.

As a yatri put it: ‘‘The days were so intense, every place we landed, from the bus ride to breakfast, lunch, dinner, train ride, I found myself in such intelligent discussions in every possible field: life, India, cultures, religions, role models, jobs, philosophies and theories.

It was absolutely unbelievable.’’

The journey also offered a vision of India as selfsustainable, with solutions for change. It also encouraged key elements of meaningful entrepreneurship: passion, humility, modesty and honesty. The four panel discussions, held during the various on-site meetings, instilled professionalism, led to self realisation and saw a growth of self-esteem among them.

Enriched with the numerous lessons, the yatris took a step forward and implemented the concepts at Barpar Village, Deoria, UP. They interacted with the villagers and made some sharp and tactful business plans to help improve the various sectors in that village. Breathing the essence of such ways of living

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was an eye-opener for them. ‘‘It showed us the ‘real’ India and opened our eyes to the numerous possibilities for using our skills and knowledge not just for oneself, but also to create opportunities for others,’’ said a participant.

Jagriti Yatra’s vision is to teach global citizens how to fish and become job-creators instead of giving them the fish and making them job-seekers. It inspires and motivates the young change makers to act with a sense of responsibly in this evolution. Tremendous effort was invested in this concept, and the success was evident during the journey.

After travelling for 7,500 km across the length and breadth of India, when the specially chartered train came to a halt at Ahmedabad and the yatris bid goodbye to each other, they were all enriched with a sense of responsibility to carry forward the message of youth-led development and establish institutions that will lead to much needed change. n

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HERITAGE

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Charmed World of Fabrics The Calico Museum, Ahmedabad, is a treasure trove of Indian textiles TEXT: BRINDA GILL

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(Above) The Kathiawad gallery that displays the embroidery and applique work of Gujarat; and (top right) the court textile gallery that showcases a royal Mughal encampment

o step through the carved wooden gateway of The Retreat complex – that houses the Calico Museum of Textiles, managed by the Sarabhai Foundation, Ahmedabad, Gujarat — is to enter a charmed world. The calls of peacocks, babblers and cuckoos fill the air as one espies parakeets and squirrels feeding on grain spread for them in the shade of the trees. After admiring the reconstructed carved wooden facades of the 18th and 19th centuries, visitors enter the building and give themselves up to the pleasure of viewing exquisite textiles within the ambience of a traditional Indian residence.

Among the first to delight the senses is a large hand-painted wall hanging, a tent panel, from the mid-17th century depicting a series of charming court scenes. A quiet off-white trade textile from Bengal comes alive with its elaborate embroidery filled with motifs of men, animals, birds and flora. Two large textiles, filled with fluid flowering motifs, reflect the skill of textile artists in their flowing lines; on closer viewing one is hand-painted and the other is composed of the most exquisitely tiny chain stitch.

If this is an exciting prelude, the spaces and textiles to follow are a treasure trove. The textiles seem perfectly selected for each space: across a large room, the understated elegance of a royal Mughal encampment spreads out as a deep red canopy gently stretches across the ceiling, textiles line the walls, a netted textile screen shields the place the queen would have been seated and carpets cover the floor. While an adjoining space displays garments worn by Mughal royalty — rich, sumptuous yet

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never overwhelming, gallery notes provide information on the history and textiles of the time.

Exquisitely embroidered and woven pashmina shawls, turbans and sashes, stretching across walls offer an insight into the dimensions of the textiles as much as their beauty. Chamba rumals, from Himachal Pradesh, delicately embroidered square textiles once offered as gifts are precious mementoes of the individual expression and expertise of embroiderers.

Beautiful saris, speak of the sophisticated colour palette that graced these unstitched lengths, with complex yet delicate motifs filling the field, border, end-panel and corners speaking of the skill and patience of weavers for whom the creation was a labour of love.

If the weaves convey skill, so do the textiles in the tie-dye gallery. The ikat saris reveal the skill of craftspersons who dyed yarn so perfectly that it yielded neat motifs. An array of garments offer an idea of stitched textiles of which the embroidered skirts and blouses from Gujarat, sparkle with mirrors and colour.

Intricate beadwork from Gujarat, forming a fabric of its own, is seen in a variety of articles, from decorative and sacred squares to hand fans and friezes. At the Kathiawad gallery, colourful applique, including ox covers and an embellished cart under a colourful canopy convey the flavour of the region. Another burst of colour fills the room with applique from Orissa on horses and on the ceiling canopy with three dimensional applique. Kantha from Bengal and sujni from Mithila are quilting styles that could be

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(Above) The tie-dye gallery; and (top left) a hand-painted wall hanging of the mid-17th century

Everyone from scholar to designer, and craftsperson to curious visitor, will find the museum inspiring and informative.

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Exquisitely embroidered and woven pashmina shawls, turbans and sashes, offer an insight into the dimensions of the textiles.

(Above) Sacred textiles called pichhwais grace the walls of the erstwhile Sarabhai family residence; and (top right) profusely carved lintels and side-panels that enhance the charm of the museum

geometrical or figurative. They are fine examples of the embroiderers’ skills at recycling fabric and thread, as much as their sentiments and expertise.

Phulkari, an embroidery done with silken yarns, speaks of the textile heritage of Punjab and the bright hues that define this part of the country.

Another wonderland comprises two spectacular galleries of the Sarabhai Foundation that displays South Indian bronzes, miniature paintings and other artefacts. The tour takes visitors through part of the erstwhile residence of the Sarabhai family. The Vaishnava gallery presents prized pichhwais — large painted, printed and embroidered religious textiles painted for festivals and seasons, steeped in devotion, to be hung behind the idol of Shrinathji in temples.

The collection of textiles, sculptures, ceremonial objects, wood work and manuscripts at the Jain gallery convey the simple and sublime beauty of Jain art. The tour ends with a visit to the Gallery of Textile Techniques that has displays of printed information, textiles and objects related to the making of thread, decoration and finishing of fabrics as well as a loom set for weaving with resist-dyed yarns.

The beautiful textiles and artefacts as well as the physical layout of the galleries are truly inspiring. A visit is informative for scholar to designer, and craftsperson to curious visitor. Here, they can soak in the beauty of Indian textiles of the highest craftsmanship — that were much sought after throughout history.

For details log on to: www.calicomuseum.com

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MUSIC

Euphoria all hail hind rock They are set to celebrate 14 years of rocking and rolling and it might not be too much of an overstatement to describe Euphoria as the sub-continent’s biggest band. Euphoria are a genre unto themselves inasmuch that they are probably one of the first musical outfits to fuse the sonic stylings of rock music with Hindi lyrics to come up with a genre which has, since then, been described as Hind Rock.

Led from the front by the ever ebullient Dr Palash Sen, Euphoria stormed its way into mainstream consciousness with their debut effort Dhoom, which spawned a monster hit in the shape of Dhoom Pichuk.

They followed it up with the somewhat repetitively titled Phir Dhoom and Maeri, a song from that album became a staple of radio airwaves literally overnight. Currently traversing the country in support of their latest offering, Item, Euphoria are an indigenous rock juggernaut that shows no signs of stopping any time soon.

BRAVENEWsounds TEXT: ISHAN TRIPATHI

ock music in India has paralleled the international growth and trends of the genre with applauseworthy interpretations of its own. From the beat generation and counter culture ethos of the 1960s to the flashy, glam rock that typified the 1980s, bands in India have displayed a level of inspiration and talent that have seen them build significant fan followings.

The winds of economic liberalisation that swept the Indian landscape during the early 1990s witnessed an increasingly confident nation and the sharp growth trajectory charted by the country also percolated to musical sentiments. Suddenly, originality was the new mantra and Indian rock bands no longer prefaced their compositions with something that was tantamount to an apology. A paradigm shift occurred in the mindset of both musicians and audiences alike with gold standards no longer being about the level of perfection with which an Indian act could replicate an international hit track but the sense of unique identity that informed a band’s music.

It was the beginning of a heady period which, has carried on uninterrupted. Indian rock music today is confident, it is emphatic and it is alive with the boundless joy of creation. Poised on the crest of an evolutionary curve, Indian rock bands are all set to explode into global consciousness — not as a novelty but with a legitimacy that’s forged through sheer force of talent.

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parikrama Classic rock Stomp Taking their cues from arguably the most fertile periods in rock & roll, Parikrama take in the swagger of classic rock & roll and channel it through their Indian sensibilities to come up with a sonic brew that’s potent enough to energise entire stadiums and yet is so finely nuanced that it works brilliantly in the intimate confines of a small pub. The band is all set to enter its twenty-first year of rock & roll dominance and their momentum displays no signs of flagging. Their concert orbit in 2011 spanned the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC and the Canadian Music Fest, Toronto, and you can be sure that wherever the mandate is maximum rock & roll, you will find Parikrama in the thick of action.

pEntagram redefining indian rock

raghu Dixit the global indian Given the fact that he is touring the world and garnering immense acclaim wherever he lays down his patented brand of contemporary folk, it seems unimaginable that Raghu Dixit never wanted to be a musician. Starting out as a Bharatnatyam dancer, the Mysoreborn Raghu didn’t touch a guitar till he turned 19. However, what started out as a bet — Raghu had to learn a rock song in two months — became a life transforming moment and Dixit hasn’t really thought about anything else apart from music ever since.

Moving to Bangalore, Raghu honed his skills further and his music got its first real exposure when he moved to Belgium to work. His landlord gave a CD of his songs to a radio station and within hours of his music playing on the radio, Raghu was inundated with calls from listeners who were enraptured by his blend of folksy grooves juxtaposed within an urban milieu.

Coming back to India, Dixit recorded his eponymous debut, a cult classic that cuts across genre preferences. The future is brimming with promise.

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Fronted by the charismatic Vishal Dadlani, Pentagram created history when their debut album titled, ironically, We Are Not Listening, went on to become India’s fastest selling rock album. The fans clearly were listening.

Intently. Bloodywood, the band’s latest opus has already been certified as the Indie Album of the Year in 2011 and their creative oeuvre has seen them starting out as an alternative rock band to being a highly experimental entity that has factored in a significant electronic edge to their sound.

Pentagram became the first Indian band to headline the Sundance Festival in Estonia and struck a huge blow for Indian rock when they were invited to play in the Glastonbury Music Festival in 2005 which saw them sharing the stage with musical titans like Coldplay, the White Stripes and Chemical Brothers.

inDian oCEan a genre unto their own Although some aspects of their music would evoke the word fusion, Indian Ocean’s vast repertoire of sounds makes genre classification an exercise in futility. Indian Ocean is the sound of a contemporary Indian band and they have taken it to levels that make them a genre unto their own. Kandisa, their album released in 2000, made them one of the most loved bands across the world and Indian Ocean are constantly gigging in the US, the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Indonesia and many other countries on the global map in addition to maintaining a heavily stocked domestic concert calendar.

They have soldiered on despite near crippling tragedy when they lost founding member Asheem Chakravarty in 2009 who succumbed to a heart attack and 16/330 Khajoor Road, their new album continues to chart new musical frontiers.

aDvaita non-Dual plurality It had all the potential to degenerate into a disparate mish-mash, instead the Advaita experience is a fine distillation of eight unique musical sensibilities all of whom bring in a different colour that paints the vast Advaita sonic collage.

It is a tough task describing Advaita’s musical underpinnings because the classical coexists seamlessly with the contemporary, each of them interpreted in settings that sound fresh, rich and exhilaratingly original.

The band’s name may well be about experiencing every nuance of music as one — the ‘A’ denoting ‘non’ and ‘dvaita’ meaning dual — but their sound follows various paths that run parallel to each other before meeting at a common compositional point.

It is precisely this diversity of sounds that finds Advaita playing at classical celebrations like the Gwalior Heritage Festival with the same ease with which they recorded songs for acclaimed rock producer John Leckie for a compilation album released by the British Council. In Advaita’s universe, these are not two separate worlds — it’s all just non-dual.

CULTURE TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHS: JUHI SINHA

Turban Tales

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Headgear signifies a man’s honour and position in Indian society. The colour and style differ from region to region, and community to community The cloth is placed on the head in a circle, to get the balance right

First, pleat the twin lengths of mustard and maroon

In Rajasthan, a man without his turban is not considered to be formally dressed

It is then wrapped around the base in a multitude of overlapping circles

The layers of cloth are wound in patterns that differ according to communities and regions

The use of two-coloured cloths gives the turban a dramatic and vibrant effect

Finally, it is gently, but firmly, positioned to sit well on the head

With his headgear in place, the Rajasthani man is now formally attired

he pagdi, safa or turban in India has always been associated with the honour, prestige and status of the wearer. It is in many ways the crowning glory of the Indian man. The pagdi is symbolic of a man’s stature and the respect he enjoys in society.

The turban is an important aspect of a man’s dress code, particularly in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan and it continues to be a colourful and vibrant part of daily wear.

Rajasthan, earlier divided into small fiefdoms and principalities, is by and large, an arid region.

Its spectacular, but stark topography, bleached of colour, is compensated by the women’s colourful attire, and the splendid hues of turbans. In Rajasthan it probably started off as a means of protecting the wearer from the elements and injury, before becoming a status symbol. But the 82-feet long and eight-inches wide piece of cloth also serves as a pillow or a cover during a nap. On occasions, it was also used by thirsty travellers as a rope to draw water from the well.

It is estimated that there are approximately 1,000 styles and types of turbans in Rajasthan, so much so that the style of tying it can change every 15 km in the countryside. Earlier, specialists, known as pagribands, were employed in the royal courts to help tie the turban. It is an art that requires considerable practice, and Rajasthani men take great pride in it. The turban indicates where its wearer comes from and what he does for a living. The colour, pattern and style of tying varies according to community and region. Some colours and patterns are seasonal, others may indicate a marriage or the birth of a child.

Today norms in Indian society are being transformed at a frenetic pace, yet there are some cultural traditions that have survived the onslaught of change. And one of them is the Rajasthani turban — a colourful symbol of a proud heritage. n

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REVIEWS

FILM

EXHIBITION

On a Gastronomic Journey

Two Diverse Worlds

The images open up a world of gastronomic delight

Pablo Picasso and Francis Newton Souza’s works were highlighted together at a show

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PHOTO: DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY

A LA CART!

FOOD IN THE FAST LANE Genre: Documentary Director: Priya Ahluwalia Producer: Public Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs

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ndia’s multitudinous cuisine, with its assortment of spices and aromas, is best seen on the bustling streets of its cities. From the traditional to the mixand-match modern, from the saucy to the royal, street food is affordable and fast, satiate the belly and entice the senses. Director Priya Ahluwalia’s film walks you through the sidewalks, shores and alleyways of Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Lucknow, demonstrating how these varied dishes mirror the pace, face, atmosphere and history of each of these cities.

Take Mumbai, with its hallmark of constant reinvention, where “nothing is sacred: the rapid-fire editing of shots, the music and loud colours synchronise with the chutzpah of its food – Manchurian biryani, sushi noodles with masala. Here, street food is a story of happy accidents and seized opportunities.”

In Kolkata, change comes slowly, allowing those who come here to retain their identity. All social

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classes eat on the streets without any qualms. Zesty puffed rice for as little as ` 5 and in the words of its proud consumers, beats Mumbai’s behl-puri any day.

Ahluwalia’s commentary is what unveils the cities’ traditions. The weight of history can be felt in the dhabas of Old Delhi where mutton korma and stew jostle with kulcha chole and laddoos in bylanes named after food: Gali Anar, Gali Parathewali, Gali Samosa.

As for Lucknow, its street food still smacks of royal lineage. The chefs of the erstwhile nawabs came to the streets for survival and rustled up the wahid biryani with its fifty-five spices, its many kababs and its sinful sweets.

The reactions of the food aficionados Ahluwalia spoke to can be seen in the joy in their eyes. As for their comments, they rarely go beyond “awesome”, “deadly”, “very good”, “delicious”.

—Latika Padgaonkar YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEUF9bjhrA&feature=channel_video_title

early 100 works of two very gifted artists – Pablo Picasso and Francis Newton Souza – from two very diverse cultures – western and eastern – were on display recently at the exhibition ‘Picasso Souza’ at the Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi.

Picasso died in 1973, while Souza died in 2002.

The show highlighted more than just similarities between the two men known to have torn up the rule books of art in their pursuit to create something outstanding, and new. While Souza, through the Progressive Artists’ Group movement, unshackled Indian art of its conservative and colonial imagery, Picasso created one of art world’s biggest movement – Cubism.

Goa-born Souza’s works often had Picasso’s raw appeal – strong, bold colours and a striking use of fractured geometric shapes. Picasso, once famously said: “Bad artists copy. Good artists steal.”

While the drawings, oil paintings, etchings and linocuts on display revealed a Souza who was open to outside influences, they also indicated his urge to create a visual language of his own. His images offered a bold blend of Indian erotica and occidental art.

The show also had some of Souza’s famous heads – images that shock you and force you to believe that the artist had a knack of capturing on canvas the inner turbulence of a human mind.

It is Picasso’s etchings and aquatint on paper that establish his genius as a creative force. Unlike the distorted images on oil canvases, the etchings and ink drawings create a visual world that is beautifully classic, sometimes modern and always serene.

Each artist had a lot to say through their dynamic pictorial languages.

—Malvika Kaul

(Top) Souza’s oil painting of Picasso’s head; (above) Still life by Souza

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VERBATIM

“There are no shortcuts in the life of a classical musician”

Tell us about your journey with the sarod.

For me the sarod is a divine instrument and a passion.

There are no shortcuts in the life of a classical musician.

It is a slow and steady journey. Classical music demands surrender to the guru (teacher), the art and the divine.

Like every child, I also used to be willful and full of energy and wanted to play with other children. But my father was very strict and I had to practice very hard.

When I look back, it all seems worth it. Now sarod is my atman (soul) and I play the way it wants me to.

How would you describe this legacy in a sentence?

It is what we are and everything has been given by God. Are you as strict with your sons as your father was with you? How do you balance being a father

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and a guru when dealing with your children?

With my father, the legendary Ustad Haafiz Ali Khan, it was a relationship of a guru. I just followed him the way he wanted me to. But with my sons, it is friendship.

Youngsters today balance tradition and westernisation.

My sons do a lot — fusion music, walking the ramp and TV programmes. But they have always maintained the classical base. It is now a smooth flow.

Do you like playing solo or with your sons?

We follow a pattern in our concerts. We begin with their duet, my solo and end with a combined performance.

Amaan and Ayaan also perform solo in some concerts.

They team up for corporates, but the best response we get is when we are together on stage.

What is music to you?

I have heard many classical musicians — Beethoven, Mozart — lekin yeh to sab saat suron ka khel hai (this is all a play of seven notes). For me swar hi Ishwar hai (sound is God).

Do you see the young generation connecting to classical music?

We have always got a good response. Classical music needs stability. When Amaan and Ayaan perform together they get a very good response and the younger people in the audience connect with them. n

AFP

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he world of 66-year-old musical legend Ustad Amjad Ali Khan is a headspinner. With many awards to his credit, including the Padma Vibhushan (one of India’s highest civilian honours), the avant-garde sixth-generation musician of the Bangash lineage, believes that classical music is a slow and steady journey and a legacy that lives on for many centuries. Khan spends most of his time in riyaaz (practicing) and teaching his sons Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan. The maestro spoke to Ambica Gulati about his passion, the sarod.