Exotica Magazine April 2019

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FROM THE EDITOR

Editor-in-Chief CHANDAN MITRA EDITORIAL BOARD Vice-Chairman & Joint Managing Director Amit Goel Chief Executive Officer Abhishek Saxena 09818600128 EDITORIAL Editor-in-Charge Rinku Ghosh Assistant Editor Saimi Sattar Feature Writer Ankita Saxena Chief Designers Anand Singh Rawat & Satish Jakhmola Production Manager Syed Nawab Raza Staff Photographer Pankaj Kumar SALES & MARKETING Vice President Jetender Rawat 9810404096 General Managers Kumar Gurudutta Jha & Sweety Verma Senior Managers Madhukar Saxena & Divyesh Kothari Managers Bharat Singh Sajwan, Prabhakar Pathak & Barun Choudhary Media Coordinator Neelu Sharma MUMBAI OFFICE General Manager Devendra Adhikari KOLKATA OFFICE Vice President Suzanna Roy CHENNAI OFFICE Assitant General Manager Kripa Arvind HYDERABAD OFFICE V Sunil Kumar General Manager (Circulation) Rajeev Gautam Printed and published by Chandan Mitra for and on behalf of CMYK Printech Ltd, printed at JK Offset Graphics (P) Ltd, B-278, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi-110020 and published at No. 6, Behind Gulab Bhawan, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002.

Editor: Chandan Mitra. Entire Contents Copyright (C) 2006 CMYK Printech Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation in any language in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Requests for permission should be directed to CMYK Printech Ltd. Opinions carried in Exotica are the writers’ and not necessarily endorsed by CMYK Printech Ltd. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited material or for material lost or damaged in transit. All correspondence should be addressed to CMYK Printech Ltd; F-31, Sector-6, NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh-201301 Phone: 0120-4879800 & 4879900 Email: exoticapioneer2016@gmail.com

POLL FEST

PROBABLY

no country in the world revels in elections as much as India. Elections arouse excitement in all countries except in those where they are routinely stage-managed. In the age of Communist party rule in many European countries, elections were technically held in all, and casting the vote was mandatory, non-compliance being punishable by strict laws.

An apocryphal story about the way polls were held in those countries goes thus: Once in Albania, during the tenure of Red dictator Enver Hoxha, it was found that 99.99 per cent of the electorate had cast their vote in his favour. A nationwide search was launched to locate the dissenter who had the temerity of voting against Hoxha. After days of data-crunching and head-scratching, the security agencies came to a most embarrassing conclusion. The only voter in the whole country who dared to vote against the Great Leader was none other than the Leader himself!

The joke was severely frowned upon, but gained huge currency outside the tiny Balkan republic, birth place of Mother Teresa.

Over the decades, elections have fired the imagination of Indians in a big way. This is reflected not only in the increasing percentage of people who turn up to vote in every election — from Panchayats and municipalities, to State Assemblies and Parliament. From an average of less than 50 per cent in the first General Election of 1952, the percentage casting their vote nowadays has crossed the mid-sixties and in some States, even touches 80. The other manifestation of public interest in elections is the way all conversation and news coverage gets centred on polls, almost to the exclusion of everything else, months before polling day. In the US, the level of interest is sustained by the succession of primaries that start nearly a year before the two major parties there finalise their candidates, whether for the post of State Governor or President.

Britain, the world’s oldest democracy, too has its own system of primaries. The Labour Party, in particular, holds a poll in all its branch committees (every constituency has approximately 20 of these), whose opinion in tabulated and the candidate chosen. But unlike the US, there is no public fanfare over these inner-party primaries, although in local papers, considerable speculation precedes the voting and final tabulation. But the scale is almost insignificant by Indian standards. Having been a member of one such committee during my student days at Oxford, I never found more than a dozen party members of our branch regularly attending the weekly meeting; about double that number turned up to cast their opinion on the day of the primary — a meeting that would be preceded by speeches by two or more internal aspirants for the seat. A round of drinks was invariably ordered by the winner once the slips of paper were tabulated. It was all very civilised, much like the way we conducted Students’ Union Society elections in St. Stephen’s College in the 70s.

Initially, elections in India too were largely civil although prolonged. The first general election of 1952 spanned six months! Results took another month to tabulate. At the rate we are going, with a seven-phase poll set to happen this time, we seem to be going back in history rather than move forward. Early elections were not very costly either. I remember reading the memoirs of a Communist leader from West Bengal in which he claims to have spent just `500 on his election. Campaigning was usually on foot or bi-cycle; megaphones mounted on rickshaws peddled the candidate’s message. And this I am talking of the third general election in 1962. I was born after the first and merely an infant when the 1957 polls were held.

So much has changed since those halcyon days. Unfortunately, mostly for the worse.

[CHANDAN MITRA] Editor-in-Chief

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[p34] Little black book [p08] Soni Razdan: A quick peek into her style file Globe trotter [p20] The Badshah finds an oasis: Dubai Q&A [p26] Fifty shades of grey: Sobhita Dhulipala Globe trotter [p34] The road less travelled: Mudgee Photo gallery [p40] Earth hour

[p26]

I N S I D E APRIL 2019 VOLUME 13 NO 6

COVER: SRK IN EMIRATE PHOTO: DUBAI TOURISM

CONTRIBUTORS Sri Sri Ravi Shankar [p66] GURUSPEAK: Become a nobody Bharat Thakur [p68] FITNESS: A pain in the neck Kushan Mitra [p70] HOT WHEELS: More than ordinary Sanjay Jumaani [p73] NUMBER GAME: Count your fate TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES 76 INCLUDING COVER

[p42]

Follow us on:

@TheDailyPioneer

Festive food [p44] Weekend feast Fireside chat [p52] Paradise lost: Ashvin Kumar Fashion forward [p60] Summer sonata Expert talk [p62] Enhance your natural features: Bobbi Brown

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OUR PARTNER HOTELS Send us your feedback at exoticapioneer2016@gmail.com; Facebook: www.facebook.com/Exotica-394686670715776

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FAVOURITE HAUNTS OF STYLISH PEOPLE

I really like the vibrant and verdant smell of Jo Malone Blackberry and Bay perfume.

It is difficult to narrow down on a favourite film. One would be Life is Beautiful. Also, The End of the Affair.

I love potatoes in all forms as the vegetable can be prepared in a variety of ways.

Actor SONI RAZDAN has left her mark on both the big and small screens with her exceptional performances

I like to read a variety of books. At any given point I am reading one non-fiction and two fiction books.

Currently, I am hooked to David Devdas’, The Generation of Rage in Kashmir, which explains the problem of the region so well.

This book asks questions and answers them too.

I like to wear long necklaces.

They really do up an outfit as they look cool.

Masaba is my favourite. I like her colour sense and the tribal prints that she puts out.

Plus, she makes clothes which look good on women my age.

London. I studied there and was born there, so I have a connection.

London is a sister city of Mumbai. There are so many similarities like the red buses. Its charm to me is unique. It has character and history.

I love places like that.

EXOTICA [8] APRIL 2019

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SCALE THE ZENITH OF EXCELLENCE

Driven by its commitment to provide quality technical education, the AJAY KUMAR GARG ENGINEERING COLLEGE, has become one of the best engineering institutions in Uttar Pradesh

THE

Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering College (AKGEC), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh is approved by the AICTE, affiliated to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow and is accredited by NAAC. The college was established in 1998 and offers BTech courses in seven disciplines of engineering. The college also offers post-graduate courses in Computer Application (MCA) and MTech in five engineering disciplines.

The college has excellent infrastructure with state-ofthe-art laboratories, computing facilities, automated library with e-journals, modern, well-furnished hostels for 1,500 students and faculty residences on its Wi-Fi enabled 40 acres campus. The college also has highly qualified and experienced faculty lead by its Director, Dr RK Agarwal, who is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur, CIT, UK and IISc Bangalore, with vast teaching, research and administrative experience.

AKGEC has been consistently maintaining excellent results and has 18 students in the 2017-18 top ten AKTU merit lists with three Gold, one Silver and two Bronze medals. The college’s students have also received the Chancellor’s Gold Medal for best performance across all BTech branches for three consecutive years, since its inception. The college also conducts a number of industry relevant programmes to make its students globally competitive. During the year 2017-18, over 650 students have been placed in reputed companies like Infosys, Cognizant, Ashok Leyland, HCL, Hero Motocorp, HSBC Software, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, Samsung Research Institute and NIIT Technologies.

The college has established a number of Centres of Excellence in collaboration with eminent multinational industries. These include the Industrial Robotic Training Centre in collaboration with Kuka Robotics, the Centre of Competence in Automation Technologies with Bosch Rexroth, the LabVIEW Academy with National Instruments, the Product Life Cycle Management (PLM) Centre with

SIEMENS, the Industrial Pneumatic Knowledge Centre with Janatics India and a Competency Development Centre in Integrated Automation in collaboration with Automation Industries Association and industry partners like Pepperl and Fuchs, B&R, Festo and Siemens. The primary objective of these centres is to provide industry relevant training in inter-disciplinary technologies, to bridge the gap between academic curriculum and industry needs. These centres also promote research and industrial consultancies.

To expand the outreach of this facility and to align its objective with the ‘Skill India Mission’, the AKGEC Skills Foundation has been established as a funded training partner of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Under this programme, Advance Welding Technology and Advance Manufacturing Centre have been established.

The AKGEC Skills Foundation has also partnered with the National Small Scale Industry Corporation (NSIC) to establish a Technology Incubation Centre. The college has the unique distinction of receiving the Academic Excellence Award for ‘Best Engineering College’ in UPTU for two successive years from the Governor of Uttar Pradesh. The college is also the recipient of the ‘Best Industry Institute Interface’ from the Minister of Science and Technology, Government of Uttar Pradesh, as well as from NAFEMS, UK. The college has been honoured with the prestigious STEM awards for ‘Best Technology Infrastructure’ and ‘Best Vocational Robotics Education’ by the All India Council for Robotics and Automation.

AKGEC believes in setting audacious goals and infusing fresh ideas to achieve the same. The college plans to promote collaborative, industry relevant projects, research and development, and consultancy to raise the overall academic standard, as well as to bridge the gap between academic curriculum and industry requirements to make its students globally competitive.

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TRAVEL NEWS

GET BEDAZZLED IN SYDNEY

VIVID

Sydney, the largest festival of light, music and ideas in the southern hemisphere, will ignite the harbour city from May 24 to June 15.

The festival is in its 11th year and brings together light artists, music makers and brilliant minds to showcase the city as the creative industries hub of the Asia-Pacific.

This year’s Vivid Sydney programme is bold, exciting and diverse, offering something for everyone.

Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced

by Destination NSW, the New South Wales Government’s tourism and major events agency and in 2018 attracted 2.25 million attendees, delivering $172.9 million in visitor expenditure into the economy.

This saw 185,887 travel packages sold to

domestic and international visitors for Vivid 2018, an increase of 37 per cent over the previous year.

The Vivid Sydney 2019 programme offers inclusive and accessible installations, events and experiences that you can enjoy for one evening or over 23 nights.

The inaugural Vivid School for High School students was also announced this time. It will assist students in learning more about the creative processes involved in imagining, designing and delivering light-based artworks for this global event. This initiative will enable students and their teachers to meet the professionals behind Vivid Sydney’s building projections and light walk installations and to hear from artists, designers and technicians about their career paths and how they harnessed opportunities to build their skills for future projects and employment.

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KIDS HAVE ALL THE FUN AT ST. MORITZ

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ST.

Moritz offers children a special experience of the mountain summer as there’s a lot to discover and do here. Here’s a quick list of the to-do activities for children in St. Moritz.

Public barbecue: Go on a picnic by the lake, amidst beautiful scenery and with an attractive barbecue site. The little guests of St. Moritz can enjoy swimming in the lake, or play around the banks of the river Inn, while enjoying the delicious barbecue. https://www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/sommer/en/ sport/fireplace-lejin-rhodonit/

Chocoholic’s Paradise: Enter a world of chocolate with Hauser’s chocolate experience. Right from learning how chocolate is made in the kitchen, to tasting various types of chocolates and mixtures, children (and adults) can experience it all under one roof. The highlight is a free goodies bag full of goodies at the end. https://www.hotelhauser.ch/hauser-st-moritz/ Mountain and rock climbing: From climbing a rope, securing and climbing down the rope, the various mountains of the Engadin valley are ideal for the adventure of mountain climbing and hiking. St. Moritz offers special tailor-made packages for children in the numerous peaks of Upper Engadin. https://www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/sommer/en/ activities/sports/mountain-climbing-alpine/ Adventure trail: There are countless paths that make Engadin St. Moritz a paradise for interesting trails. Parents and children can explore the fascinating insights of the local history, traditional customs and the way of life in the Engadin valley.

The scenery through the way is enchanting, almost straight out of a picture book. https://www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/sommer/en/ activities/mountain-adventure/hiking/theme-trails/

Helicopter ride: If the views were not enough, do an aerial round up. Take off in a helicopter and enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Engadin valley. Along with the scenic beauty, a helicopter ride is a thrilling experience for children. The snow clad peaks of Piz Bernia seem close enough to touch. https://www.swisshelicopter.ch/en/ https://www.helibernina.ch/en.html

EXOTICA [12] APRIL 2019

NYC IN APRIL

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Soundtrack of America: Soundtrack of America opens The Shed with a five-night concert series celebrating the unrivalled impact of African American music on contemporary culture with performances by emerging musicians. Conceived and directed by Turner Prize-winning artist and Oscar-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen and developed with music visionaries and academic experts, Soundtrack traces a musical “family tree” of spirituals and blues, jazz and gospel, R&B, rock and roll, house, hip hop, and trap that has inspired a new generation of artists who continue to develop that legacy. Date: Till April 14

Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival: Each year on Easter, celebrants don festive finery and show off their very best bonnets along Fifth Avenue.

Immortalised by Irving Berlin (with some help from Judy Garland and Fred Astaire), the pageant is a New York City tradition that stretches back to the 1870s. Starting at about 10 am and continuing until 4pm, the parade marches north on Fifth Avenue, from 49th Street to 57th Street. The best place to watch is from the area around St. Patrick’s Cathedral; better yet, bring your bonnet and join the parade. Date: April 21 Hanami: Cherry Blossom Viewing: Cherry-blossom viewing, known as hanami, is a centuries-old Japanese custom, a springtime occasion for merriment and the contemplation of life’s beauty and transience. You can partake in this tradition at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, home to scores of

flowering varieties for public enjoyment. Guided tours focussing on the blooms are held on Wednesdays during the April viewing season, though the more-frequent garden tours touch on them as well. The month culminates in a celebration of the brilliant blooms with Sakura Matsuri (April 27–28), a festival of Japanese performances and cultural happenings.

Date: Till April 30

Tribeca Film Festival: The Tribeca Film Festival — launched after 9/11 to promote the cultural and economic revival of Lower Manhattan — provides a platform for innovative filmmakers to present their latest work alongside some major movie premieres too. The 2019 programme will feature films of all stripes: crowd-pleasing blockbusters-tobe, provocative documentaries, foreign films, shorts and a cornucopia of panel discussions and lectures. There are also sections of the festival devoted to TV and online programming and experiential works, including virtual reality and multimedia projects. Date: April 24-May 5 Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die: Punk Graphics, 1976–1986: Punk exploded onto the scene more than 40 years ago, changing the landscape of music and influencing other media. In this exhibit, the Museum of Arts and Design explores the history of graphic design and how the punk and post-punk movements helped reshape the art form. More than 400 graphics, album covers, flyers and zines—including handbills from CBGB and concert posters for Blondie and The Ramones — are on display to illustrate the story.

Date: April 9- August 18

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EVERY

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HISTORY MEETS MODERNITY

vantage point at Taj Cape Town incorporates either a mountain or ocean view and provides an endless list of incredible experiences to discover. From swimming with penguins to wine-tasting, or a simple meandering through the heritage rich cobblestone street the hotel offers an ideal base to explore the city.

Located in the heart of downtown and just a 20-minute drive from the airport, the hotel was originally home to the South African Reserve Bank and Temple Chambers. Effortlessly combining the legacy of the old with the new, the hotel is within walking distance to some of South Africa’s landmarks and attractions, eclectic shops, galleries and restaurants.

Named World Design Capital in 2014, Cape Town’s art and design scene has been greatly acclaimed. There are large-scale museums such as

Zeitz MOCCA that exist alongside smaller galleries like Southern Guild; whilst the juxtaposition of the old (Everard Read) with the new (SMITH Studio) offers something for everyone. Beyond the art, the city boasts a number of historic and cultural museums that the concierge at the hotel frequently directs guests to such as Nelson Mandela’s former cell, the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden, Iziko South African Museum, Stevenson Gallery and many more.

After exploring the city, return to one of the luxurious 176 rooms spread across two heritage buildings overlooking Table Mountain. Experience an array of dining experiences — from afternoon tea in the Lobby Lounge to Bombay Brasserie, a fine dining restaurant focussing on Indian specialties. The Twankey Bar specialises in handcrafted prohibition-era cocktails and delicious tapas-styled dishes.

THE ROYAL FEAST

EXOTICA [14] APRIL 2019

THE

Shangri-La Hotel, at the Shard, London, is celebrating the anticipated arrival of the baby of the Duchess and the Duke of Sussex with the royal high tea. This will feature treasured family recipes from the hotel’s pastry chefs.

The Royal High Tea is also perfect for those looking to celebrate their own forthcoming motherhood with a baby shower, as it features a variety of royal themed cocktails and mocktails such as The Little Prince and Rock-A-Bye Baby. There is also a special surprise gift for expectant mothers.

The offer is available till May 12.

RIDE THE WAVES OF NAZARÉ BEACH

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NAZARÉ

, the long sandy half-moon shaped beach, is known for its grandeur and the brightly-coloured awnings that decorate it contrasting with the blue of the water.

A typical fishing town, this is a busy summer resort, where alongside the tourists, one still sees the fish-sellers who lay out carapaus (horse mackerel) to dry. The Sítio district, at the town’s highest point (accessible by a funicular), is the best viewpoint in the area. But it is also associated with the cult of Our Lady of Nazaré who, according to the 12th century legend, was invoked by the alcaide (commander of a fortress or castle) Dom Fuas Roupinho who, while stalking a deer, was about to fall down into an abyss. He was saved and as a sign of gratitude for the mercy he ordered a small chapel to be built — the Ermida de Memória. Later, in the 18th century the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré was built, in whose honour festivals are held in September.

Facing the sea on the right is Sítio, an impressive headland, which provides one of the most famous views of the Portuguese coast. It is a 318-metre rock face with a sheer drop to the sea and is reached on foot by the bravest, or by going up the funicular.

Walk from Sítio across Pedralva Park, to Pederneira, a natural viewpoint with an unmissable view over the Nazaré coast.

Nazaré’s major attractions are the waves and surfing, thanks to the “Nazaré Canyon”, a submarine geomorphological phenomenon that

allows the formation of perfect giant waves. It is the largest underwater canyon in Europe, about 170 kilometres along the coast, reaching a depth of 5,000 metres.

The Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara received worldwide publicity when, in 2011, he rode the biggest beach-breaking wave in the world, about 30 metres high, at Praia do Norte.

He won the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Award and entered the Guinness Book of World Records.

Like him, surfers from around the world visit Nazaré every year to venture into the sea. The beach also attracts sunbathers, who provide a great audience to appreciate the stunts of the young surfers.

Take a casual stroll through the narrow streets perpendicular to the beach to get to know Nazaré better. Take a break in one of the restaurants to enjoy a plate of fresh seafood, grilled fish or an appetising bouillabaisse. And in the evening, there’s nothing like enjoying the setting sun on any terrace overlooking the sea, while the lights come on and night falls.

THE FAMILY-FRIENDLY ATLANTIS

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ATLANTIS,

The Palm, is an ideal resort for family trips, especially when you are looking for an all-inclusive hotel and entertainment destination. The oceanfront luxury resort is one of the most sought after five-star hotels in Dubai which offers families the perfect getaway to the city.

From kids’ and teens’ clubs to thrilling water park attractions, Atlantis Dubai offers entertainment while providing an unparalleled stay experience.

Check out the features especially if you’re travelling with toddlers and preteens:

Atlantis Kids Club: A full schedule of fun games and activities are available exclusively to younger guests at the Atlantis Kids Club, which offers a variety of fun activities for children aged three-12 under the supervision of a highly-trained team of hotel staff.

Activities include games, electronic entertainment and challenges in the Play Zone and Command Centre. There are several programmes in the Creation Zone, designed with a focus on adventure, creativity and exploration, encouraging kids to take part in several activities including arts & crafts, painting, origami, cookie decorating and more.

Evening brings a host of adventures, such as cultural experience of Arabian Nights, the eccentric experiments of the Mad Scientist and the wonderful world of Willy Wonka Wednesday, which can keep the kids occupied from 5.30 pm to 8.30pm. While children can spend their entire time at the Kids Club and choose the activities they would like to participate in, parents too can join in the fun.

Babysitting Services: What makes Atlantis Kids club even better? Apart from giving younger guests extra attention with age-appropriate and tailor-made activities in a fun, happy and safe environment, there is also a range of in-room and outdoor babysitting services to keep them engaged in exciting activities designed for them, while you enjoy some time to yourselves.

In-Room Babysitting Service is available for inhouse guests (staying at Atlantis) only, whereas Outdoor or In-Resort Babysitting Service is available for resort and non-resort guests that require a babysitter to accompany their child/children around the resort including; Aquaventure Water park, The Lost Chambers Aquarium or Dolphin Bay. A babysitter can be easily arranged if required for an hourly fee of AED 90.

EXOTICA [16] APRIL 2019

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The Zone – Teen-only Hangout: This one is for hard-to-please teens (13-18 years), offering them a dedicated space where they can chill out with the latest in digital gaming — PlayStation, Xbox and iPad games among other activities that are sure to liven up their day and night at Atlantis. Operating Hours: Day Session: 10:30 am–6:00 pm.

Night Session: 7:00 pm–11:00 pm Outdoor Entertainment: There are a wide variety of outdoor entertainment options and water-based activities at Aquaventure Water park, one of the largest ones in the Middle East. It has world record breaking water slides and rides and The Lost Chambers Aquarium and The Ambassador Lagoon— two of the most popular underwater attractions and educational marine habitats in Atlantis, The Palm — are designed to ensure moments of pure leisure and fun.

You can explore the outdoor spaces like Dolphin Bay and Sea Lion Point for some unique marine animal experiences; relax with children at one of the swimming pools; or just take in the beauty of the tropical paradise at Aquaventure beach while the kids play.

Check-in to Family-Friendly Accommodation: Atlantis rooms and suites are designed to ensure that families have the most comfortable experience possible. Ninety per cent of the rooms, such as the Club Suite, are interconnecting and it is possible to add an extra bed on request.

Whether the kids want to cool it off at the pool, have a blast at the water park, or hang out at the Kids’ Club, Atlantis, The Palm offers many activities and entertainment options.

THE LURE OF LISBON

LISBON

is Portugal’s capital and the hub of multi-faceted activities that appeal to different tastes and senses.

Lisbon’s temperate climate, sunny weather, green space, lifestyle pace, history, culture, architecture, culinary reputation, as well as its comparably low cost of living and its status as a relatively uncrowded tourist destination make it an attractive destination.

In a city that has been influenced by many different far-off cultures over time, there is still a village feel in each historic neighbourhood.

Stroll through the Pombaline grid of streets in the Baixa district that opens on to the Tagus in Praça do Comércio, and then follow the river to discover some of the city’s most beautiful parts: the monumental area of Belém with its World Heritage monuments, the medieval quarters and the latest contemporary leisure spaces, such as the Parque das Nações.

If you continue to the mouth of the river, you’ll understand why Lisbon is the centre of a vast resort. Along the coastal road there are beaches and resorts that combine villas and hotels from the beginning of the 20th century with marinas, terraces and excellent golf courses. Further along the coast, there are world-renowned surfing beaches and palaces scattered across the cultural landscape of Sintra, a world heritage site.

A wide variety of landscapes and heritage is always close by, whether to the north or south of the capital. With beaches, natural parks, cultural routes and accommodation for all tastes, it is hard to escape the Lisbon region on a visit to Portugal.

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LET’SHOLIDAYRESPONSIBLY With the ongoing global campaign, ‘Green is the New Glam’, the Principality of Monaco has gracefully combined luxury and sustainability to offer a glamorous seaside holiday destination in the French Riviera to the tourists

WITH

(Top): The Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort is Green Globe certified for its commitment to sustainable development. (Below): Elsa —The Bio Star, the first 100 per cent organic Michelin starred restaurant

an environment-friendly approach towards responsible luxury, each experience from hospitality, cuisine, major attractions to mobility, showcases a pro-active commitment towards minimising the traveller’s carbon footprint in the Principality of Monaco.

EAT GREEN: The gastronomy of this Principality amalgamates the local produce and seasonality. From urban gardens, organic restaurants, to a reasoned choice of produce and the objective to minimise food wastage, Monaco has internalised the environmental approach in each of its culinary creation.

If a healthy lifestyle satisfies your taste buds, then you can enjoy fresh, farm-to-table seasonal delights by Chef Paolo Sari at Elsa, The Bio Star at the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel, the first 100 per cent organic Michelin-starred restaurant. Cuisine is a quintessential part of any culture and to experience it, you can enjoy the perfect fusion of Caribbean and Mediterranean flavours by Marcel Ravin at The Blue Bay, Monte Carlo Bay Hotel, which grows much of

EXOTICA [18] APRIL 2019

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(Left to right): Travel with ease in an electric two-man car, E-Mobee; a potager practicing Terre de Monaco, cultivating ecological vegetable gardens on building rooftops and Green is the New Glam

its produce in its onsite kitchen garden and is run by the urban agriculturalist Terre de Monaco.

Another ecological initiative is carried out by the L’Orangerie, which produces a delicious orange liqueur from the hand-picked orange rinds of local restaurants and hotels. The first premium orange liqueur made in Monaco, offers an authentic taste of the terroir. To explore further, head to the Stars‘N’Bars for a healthy, sumptuous meal. You can experience the unique ‘Meatless Mondays’ where the dish of the day is replaced by a new vegan one. For those who are fighters against food wastage, Monaco practices a concept of ‘Too Good To Go’, where you can choose to rescue your favourite food and eliminate wastage of all the resources that went into making it.

STAY GREEN: Accommodation forms a part of the experience at any destination. A trend that is catching on fast among travellers is to reduce their carbon footprint while they travel or stay, and Monaco is just the right destination for the same. It personifies responsible luxury like no other where you can treat yourself to a relaxing getaway in one of the luxurious hotels of the Principality, which also propagate sustainability. An eco-friendly hotel, Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo, takes sustainability to a whole new level, with ‘Green Attitude’ as its strength. The property practices selective sorting, recycles water and energy, has banned usage of plastic straws and actively preserves the biodiversity.

The hotels in Monaco have signed the National Energy Transition Pact as part of the government-funded ‘Smart+’

programme which urges to offer responsible accommodation to travellers. The Hotel Fairmont Monte-Carlo works on a daily basis to conserve resources, optimises energy, minimises water consumption and lays emphasis on recycling. Since environment conservation has taken a lead in the Principality, you can elevate the Monte-Carlo experience by choosing to stay in a Green Globe certified hotel — Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort, which has been awarded with the EHMA Sustainability Award by Diversey 2019 for its commitment to sustainability.

MOVE GREEN: The transport sector has been deemed as one of the major contributors to environment pollution and destinations which have committed to offer responsible tourism, have taken it upon themselves to reduce the same. A new trend has caught up with the travellers where ‘slow travel’ is becoming popular to allow the travellers spend more time at a single destination, connect with the local people and take time to discover the heritage. All this can be done in an eco-friendly manner in Monaco. You can travel around the Principality with ease in an electric two-man car, E-Mobee, which is not only environment-friendly but also a more immersive way to explore the heritage and local way of life. One can also explore the destination on an eco-friendly bike ride. The Monaco Bike Tours offers to take you on a tour of the city by an electric bicycle to experience various attractions like the Monaco-Ville, Port, F1 Circuit, the casino and so on. Following a fight against deforestation is totally worth it with the Heritage Tree Trail which is an elaborate walking tour through the Principality to discover the most beautiful heritage trees.

CONSERVATION TO THE FORE IN MONACO Luxury is not only about hi-life and having best of the things but is also about giving back to the nature and caring for the existing. The Principality of Monaco has taken several initiatives in sustaining the beautiful world and a visit shall further enhance the desire of travelling green. Here are some of the initiatives that you can be a part of when you travel to this beautiful part of the world.

EXPLORE TO PROTECT: The responsible travellers can choose to get inspired by a new experience at the Oceanographic Museum. The ‘Monaco & the Ocean’ at the Oceanographic

Museum is a space dedicated to the commitment of the Princes of Monaco to protect the marine world. With its modern, immersive and interactive staging, this new space aims to raise awareness, engaging as many people as possible in efforts to protect the oceans.

NO PLASTIC STRAWS: From January 1 this year, plastic drinking straws and stirrers have been banned in Monaco. In January 2020, the ban will be extended to cover single-use plastic plates, cups and cutlery. A number of establishments in the Principality committed to the move have replaced plastic straws with

biodegradable alternatives and the travellers can be a part of the same by spreading awareness in their home countries.

THE OCEAN WEEK: Every year, the Principality of Monaco holds an event to support ocean conservation. The Oceans Week aims to enable marine experts to come together and share their analysis on the issues of the preservation of the marine environment and to work together to find concrete solutions. The Monaco Ocean Week programme focusses on innovation, research and the development of a blue economy.

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GLOBE TROTTER

THE BADSHAH FINDS AN OASIS

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Superstar SHAHRUKH KHAN shares a special relationship with Dubai. He uncovers some of the must-visit places of the Emirate

DUBAI

and Shahrukh Khan. The two names need no introduction.

While the first conjures up images of a crafted consumerist dream with luxury shopping, ultra-modern architecture and an engrossing nightlife, the second embodies timeless romance and an empire of possibilities. So what happens when the two meet? Embark on a journey with SRK through the Emirate as he uncovers five hidden gems of Dubai.

THE SANDY BEACHES OF LA MER: The first stop on Khan’s quest was Dubai’ s newest beachside destination La Mer. He headed here as the place offers exceptional restaurants and cafes, standout boutiques to shop at and an outdoor trampoline park for the little ones.

It’ s easy to spend the entire day here spreading your likes across various activities.

But if one prefers to frolic at the seaside, you are still spoilt for choice. Head to the North or South Beach, each of which has colourful shower cabins adding to the sea-fresh theme of the precinct.

The adrenaline junkies would not be disappointed as there are plenty of watersports, including wakeboarding, flyboarding and kayaking.

It’s a place for family and friends as the Laguna Waterpark offers thrilling rides in its four distinctive zones – Surf, Relax, Slide and Splash. It features five main rides, two of which are a first for the Middle East, as well as a pool lounge, children’s zone, lazy river, food kiosks and a store.

Unique attractions include the only WaveOz 180 FloRider in the GCC, also known as ‘The Ultimate Surf Machine’; an exciting slide tower including the region’s first Manta family raft ride and Aqualoop; and a comprehensive children’s zone with Splash Pad and AquaPlay Rainfortress.

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THE THRILLING SPECTACLE OF LA PERLE: Away from the hectic activity, Khan’s next stop was the award-winning theatre spectacle – La Perle. What makes it special is that it is the region’s first permanent live show located in the heart of Dubai. The show was created by legendary artistic director, Franco Dragone, who is known for his work including Le

‘I HAVE BEEN TRAVELLING REGULARLY TO THIS WONDERFUL CITY FOR YEARS AND EACH TIME I VISIT, I’M JUST AMAZED BY SO MUCH THAT’S NEW, EXCITING AND THE BEST-OF-ITS-KIND IN THE WORLD. BUT BEYOND THE FRESH AND EXCITING THINGS TO EXPLORE, WHAT I FIND TRULY MEMORABLE IS THE SOUL OF THE CITY — ITS PEOPLE AND HOSPITALITY — THAT MAKES EVERY VISIT EVEN MORE REMARKABLE. DUBAI IS A TRULY FANTASTIC DESTINATION WITH SO MUCH TO DISCOVER, WHETHER IT’S FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT, CULTURE, ADVENTURE, OR FOOD, AND ITS SUPERLATIVE SERVICE THAT MAKES IT THE MUST-VISIT DESTINATION FOR EVERYONE’ — SHAH RUKH KHAN

Rêve in Las Vegas and The House of Dancing Water in Macau. La Perle features a fusion of immersive artistic performances, imagery and technology and is influenced by Dubai’s rich culture, vibrant present and aspirational future.

This is brought to life by awe-inspiring stunts and special effects that often leave the viewers speechless.

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The actor felt embedded with the artists as the 270-degree seating provided him with a different perspective of the action unfolding in the tailor-made aqua theatre. The audience too can witness the stage flood with water and drain in a matter of seconds as the artists perform surreal aqua and aerial feats, such as diving from a height of 25 metres.

ALLOW YOUR IMAGINATION TO RUN WILD AT IMG WORLD OF ADVENTURE: Shah Rukh, who has played a superhero in Ra.One, decided to unfurl his cape at the IMG World of Adventure.

He bumped into the Avengers on this quest. The wild world of IMG Worlds of Adventure is Dubai’s first mega themed entertainment destination and beckons visitors from around the world with the four adventure zones in one location. With the capacity to hold more than 20,000 guests a day, the destination has an array of adrenaline-pumping roller coasters, thrill rides, and spine-tingling attractions based on popular Cartoon Network characters, Marvel super heroes and dinosaurs. Additionally, this is home to several world-firsts, a variety of themed retail stores, exclusive dining venues and a 12-screen state-ofthe-art cinema. Situated within City of Arabia, along the Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road, IMG Worlds of Adventure has added to the numerous family entertainment options available in Dubai’s growing leisure industry.

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A STROLL TO REMEMBER AT DUBAI’S CITY WALK: Khan looked for the final destination on his quest of new experiences and headed to a promenade, the City Walk, which is frequented by locals and tourists alike for several reasons. From fine dining to family-friendly activities, there is a lot to do in this ever-expanding neighbourhood. The pedestrianised eating and shopping district first opened in 2013, but the area really came to life in 2015. Meraas, the brains behind the two malls, BoxPark and The Beach, which cover a combined area of more than ten million square feet, has spurred the interest in the area. There are dozens of places to eat catering to your particular fancy whether it fine dining by a Michelin-starred chef like Vineet Bhatia and Social by Heinz Beck or an ice cream sundae by a local brand like M’OISHÎ or the more universal Baskin Robbins. City Walk basically has got you covered.

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A JOURNEY TO THE PAST AT THE DUBAI MUSEUM: Having traversed through all things modern and contemporary, the final location for Shah Rukh was appropriately the old but familiar Al Fahidi. This prominent district has an eponymous fort which houses the Dubai Museum.

This is the oldest existing building in the city and is a must-visit for anyone who wants to get a glimpse of old Dubai. Built in 1787, this fort was

once a monarch base, a strategic hideout, a weapons arsenal and prison, before being renovated during the reign of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. In 1971 — the same year the United Arab Emirates was formed — the fort reopened as Dubai Museum.

Showcasing the Emirate’s history and its heritage, it takes you back to the time before the discovery of oil. The galleries recreate historic local houses, mosques, souks, date farms, desert and marine life. You can also explore the rich history of pearl-diving in the region, including actual weights and scales used at the time. In fact, items dating as far back as 3,000 BC are on show, carefully preserved and cared for to ensure longevity. A great way to compare the vast difference between the old and modern Dubai – which developed in just a few years. Pretty much like SRK’s self-made story.

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Q&A

A former Miss India, she is sensitive and has layers to her personality. Which is why she opted out of the beauty business and acted in niche films but it is in her latest outing in Made in Heaven where she plays Tara Khanna, one of the partners in a wedding planning firm, that SOBHITA DHULIPALA has grabbed eyeballs. In a conversation with SAIMI SATTAR, she talks about the way characters in the visual story-telling space are no longer just black or white, why marginalised communities too should now have a voice and the way she approaches a flesh-and-blood role

Even though you've acted in films like Raman Raghav and Kaalakaandi, it is the web series Made in Heaven that has suddenly catapulted you into the limelight. How are you dealing with your changed circumstance?

I am so jumpy because it has been so successful. But now expectations are more. I am somebody who loves to punch above her weight and chew into a role like hell.

Unlike the limited bandwidth of a film, this series allows me the amplitude to explore every facet of human dynamics. So yes, that’s new. The success of Made in Heaven really motivates me. The acceptance and appreciation of a content-driven project validates and encourages film makers to tell relevant stories in a changing India.

As an outsider in the industry, I have always got my breakthrough moments through a patient process of auditions. So I responded to a call by Excel’s casting director Nandini Shrikent. And I was stunned to find a flawed protagonist, unabashedly unapologetic and yet honest enough to admit to her frailties. Yet she has this cool demeanour and holds a sea of emotions within. I was very curious and a month-and-a-half later I was called for the look test. I was naturally excited because I would be working with big filmmakers like Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Alankrita Srivastava and Nitya Mehra. All of them have independent voices. During the

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look test, it was clear that they wanted me to crack it. A week later, I was locked for the role. They sent the script and I finished it overnight, it was so riveting.

a window to experiment. I had to do it to their liking but at the same time also knew that my loyalty lay with the spine of the script. It was a creative jugalbandi.

Tara’s character has many shades and is unlike the linear characters that have been assigned to women in the past in either films or television. This is different. How was your prep?

When you audition for something, whether you get it or not, you know what’s working and what isn’t. Then you face your shortcomings and learn from them. Once I was on board, it was not that complicated therefore. Besides everyone who had been hired — the cast and crew — was so good that not much discussion or training was required.

We just had to be sincere about what we were doing and be honest to the world we created, which was a mirror of reality.

At one level Tara is a go-getter and trying to fit in with the upper crust South Delhi gentry. Yet when she gets what she wants, she also feels guilty, as if she had cheated her way into it.

How difficult was it to get into the skin of the character?

Actually it was not very difficult but very liberating, to admit that you are imperfect and can still go on. So she is courageous and strong. And she is passionate.

There were different directors for different episodes. Did that make it difficult for you as an actor? Or would you say it was a learning process?

All four directors had different perceptions of the same character. Of course, they worked in the same zone set by the script and they had discussions but there was a slight difference in the way they saw the character. Each had their own reason for shaping Tara the way they did and I think that enriched her character. We were not shooting it in a linear fashion either, so it required me to be very present in the moment as an actor. I had to be very aware of what each of the directors wanted while at the same time give myself

IT WAS NOT VERY DIFFICULT BUT VERY LIBERATING, TO ADMIT THAT YOU ARE IMPERFECT AND CAN STILL GO ON. SO TARA IS COURAGEOUS AND STRONG. AND SHE IS PASSIONATE.

What were your reference points to develop a complex character?

I am someone who believes that acting is not lying. It is revealing the different kinds of emotions and experiences that we have and want to have. I just believe that being vulnerable and sensitive is human even though we know that to be guarded is more secure. As people, we have become a little cynical. I choose to stay fragile and vulnerable even though I know that I have to deal with a disappointment, betrayal or heartbreak later. I am open to all kinds of experiences like a child. The most difficult part of acting for me would be to retain that innocence and child-like enthusiasm about situations within me. This approach has so far enabled me to adjust to any character.

Most gay relationships have so far been caricatured in films with a few arthouse exceptions. Here it has been depicted as

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a dynamic between two people. Also the male and the female protagonists are true friends without the sexual equation. How refreshing was this for you as an artiste?

Art of any kind — whether it be literature, painting or music — has reflected the conflicts and the dilemmas of the particular time that it was made in. It is high time that cinema reflects the dilemmas of our times. It is so important to be inclusive, to represent the voices of different groups of people. You can’t marginalise communities because they are not a majority or choose to be quiet about their circumstance. So I felt very fortunate to be a part of this project. They’ve handled homosexuality so delicately and sensitively. At the end of the day, we are all human beings.

It also shows the inner turmoil and the ups and downs in a marriage. The institution has been all about pretence in regular films.

Truth is both partners change, evolve, go through disappointments. We all feel jealous one moment, excited the next. Depending on our sense of security and self-confidence, we go up and down in our graphs as we are all shades of grey. These characters are a reflection of ourselves.

ART OF ANY KIND — WHETHER IT BE LITERATURE, PAINTING OR MUSIC — HAS REFLECTED THE CONFLICTS AND THE DILEMMAS OF THE PARTICULAR TIME THAT IT WAS MADE IN. IT IS HIGH TIME THAT CINEMA REFLECTS THE DILEMMAS OF OUR TIMES. IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO BE INCLUSIVE, TO REPRESENT THE VOICES OF DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE

Did you realise that the show would become so big?

I had done Raman Raghav and Kaalakaandi before this and both were niche films. Because of that, I somehow learnt to detach myself from the commercial outcome. I have developed this habit of getting completely involved during the process of film-making, which is a

creative journey, and enjoy that instead. I was never attached too much to the perks and the benefits of a hit.

So I feel grateful and motivated but it has not rocked my boat because I know I am a story-teller in the truest sense. I tell a story and attaching money to it is trade. I don’t want to involve myself there. If my film is not doing well and I say I do not involve myself then, I should also say that when it does well.

Having said that, I was hoping for Made in Heaven to be successful. We were honest in the way it was done and gave it a year of our lives. And it is such a relevant subject, so I was hoping that it would reach a large number of people. But I don’t have the kind of experience to know which project will crack and which won’t. I was just hoping.

Before the web series released, Zoya said you were ideal for the role as you have many layers.

(Laughs) It is so nice of her to say that. That is such a huge compliment for anyone who considers himself/herself to be a creative person. I do feel there are so many facets to my personality. I am not a super-enthusiastic, bubbly person. I am very sensitive and emotional. I am going to channel my moods and my different personalities into a variety of projects.

You were a model and a self-confessed nerd. Many people would see the two as mutually exclusive.

When I was in college, I took part in Miss India because I was very curious and excited about it. There was not

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much thought to it. It was just a 20-year-old kid trying something new. Then I did some modelling. But I felt very disconnected soon enough and I am glad that I went through the trial and error method to find myself.

When I started out, I gave a lot of auditions. I really enjoyed my first audition and said to myself, ‘Man, this is what I really want to do.’ Then Raman Raghav happened. My whole experience has been about going out every single day and trying, no matter how many ups and downs or rejections I face or whether something works out or doesn’t. I am glad that I did it.

What is your take on Indian weddings?

I don’t know. I think I am very very far away from that. I think when I do have one, it will be a very very simple affair because I have had a simple upbringing and that is the person that I am. I cannot relate to show sha.

There’s a sequence where the couple wants a simple wedding and then the groom’s family asks for dowry at the last moment. Tara decides to inform the girl. But a real wedding planner would perhaps be looking at her financial bottomlines.

She has started the company and she is fairly new. She is in such a turmoil.

She is edgy and getting affected by the weddings in her personal life.

And her personal life is getting affected by the decision she takes at work. At the end of the day, she is also a young woman trying to make a career and at the same time is married in a home dealing with conflicts, with ups and downs. At some level, what she does is not

calculated. She is sometimes driven by her head and at other times by her heart. This makes it so interesting because in one moment she is so in control and at other times she is so fragile. But that is what makes her human. That’s something I found very interesting.

I BELIEVE THAT ACTING IS NOT LYING. IT IS REVEALING DIFFERENT KINDS OF EMOTIONS AND EXPERIENCES THAT WE HAVE AND WANT TO HAVE. BEING VULNERABLE AND SENSITIVE IS HUMAN EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THAT TO BE GUARDED IS MORE SECURE. AS PEOPLE, WE HAVE BECOME A LITTLE CYNICAL. I CHOOSE TO STAY FRAGILE AND VULNERABLE

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Have you consciously picked up content-driven projects?

I was more stubborn about doing films which were content-driven earlier but now I have enough assurance that even if I was a part of completely commercial film, I would still be able to hold my own. I am assured of that.

What are your future projects?

There are three more releases. I have one more project with Netflix called Bard of Blood which will come out in August-September produced by Red Chillies. There is another one called Body by Jeethu Joseph who made the original Drishyam in Malayalam. It is a project with Rishi Kapoor and Emraan Hashmi which will release at the end of the year. There is a small film that I did last year called Moothon

by Geetu Mohandas. It is her second film after Liar’s Diary which was India’s entry at the Oscars a couple of years ago. It is an extraordinary film.

The writing, screenplay and truly everything is brilliant. I feel lucky to be a part of it. It will be out in June. It has Nivin Paully who is a superstar in Kerala. So, three very different projects from everything that I have done so far are up for release. I have my hands full at the moment. Of course, there’s the second season of Made in Heaven.

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GLOBE TROTTER

road The

less travelled For those who wish to experience Australia beyond the usual run, there is Mudgee with its combination of heritage, culture, food and, of course, the finest New World wines

THIS

little town, about three-and-a-half hours northwest of Sydney, is everything that the big city is not. It’s not really on the road to anywhere and nothing’s really on the road to it either. It doesn’t need to be. About 10,000 people call this place their home and the nearest city — Dubbo — is over an hour and a half away. So why would you visit Mudgee?

For starters, the views are incredible. Rolling hills and escarpments, farmland and grape vines make for a picture-book terrain, where you could while away time sitting on a hilltop. Or just watch the luscious fruits turn to heavenly manna. Pair idyllic wineries and epicurean delights with heritage streets and boutique shops, and you have the charming town of Mudgee, that sits cosily on the bank of the

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Cudgegong river. There are many things to do in and around Mudgee, from wine-tasting at cellar doors to exploring the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Wollemi National Park. Explore wineries in the region, seep into its the abundant heritage, experience the raw feel of the wilderness or go hot-air ballooning for a bird’s eye view of the picturesque countryside. For those who prefer to take life at an easy pace, there is the option of strolling along the pretty tree-lined streets and admiring colonial buildings like the Mudgee Post Office. This symmetrical, single-storey

stuccoed brick composition in the Victorian Free Classical style, was designed by architect Alexander Dawson and built in 1862. Parts of the sandstone St Mary’s Catholic Church date back to 1857 when Fr Callaghan McCarthy, the first priest to reside in Mudgee, built a church, sanctuary and sacristy. The sanctuary and sacristy (vestry) are part of the original sandstone structure. The body of the Church was added in 1873-76 and the steeple in 1911.

Fine food and wine are a big drawcard for Mudgee but its night skies are a treat for

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stargazers. A short drive from the town centre is the Mudgee Observatory, where you can marvel at the Milky Way galaxy through a range of telescopes. There are night and day tours, as well as a theatre and flat screen planetarium.

Turn a farm hand for a day, sampling its fresh produce, with cherries, figs, olives, stone fruit, lemons and free-range pork grown year round. Follow the Farm Gate Trail to visit the producers or pick up some goodies at the farmers’ market, held on the third Saturday of the month. You can even take a short and picturesque drive from Mudgee town and find out what is in season, how it is grown and best of all, how to enjoy it. The Mudgee Farm Gate Trail encourages you to come and meet farmers.

As a discerning home cook, chef, foodie or just a lover of tasty, natural and fresh produce, you

GETTINGTHERE The nearest airport is Dubbo City Airport. Air India flies to Sydney and shares onward links with Qantas

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will not be disappointed. There are plenty of choices. Set on the edge of a dam in the grounds of the Robert Stein winery, Pipeclay Pumphouse specialises in paddock-to-plate dining that uses simple techniques to highlight the ingredients. The majority of produce is sourced locally and much of it is from the on-site farm, including Angus beef, Dorper lamb and free-range Berkshire pork.

Hidden away down an alley in the centre of Mudgee, Alby & Esthers is a café during the week and a chic wine bar on weekends. The menu focusses on local ingredients and the wines are all drawn from surrounding vineyards. The tiny 29 Nine 99 Yum Cha & Tea House in Rylstone, about 45 minutes outside of Mudgee, has hand-made dumplings and six types of tea. Owner Na Lan is an artist from Xian in China, who began making food for friends before opening a restaurant. There are more than 30 dumplings, steamed buns and desserts as well as a gallery and shop. It’s so popular that you’ll need to book in advance on weekends.

The Mudgee region is the third-largest

producer of wine grapes in New South Wales and there are more than 35 cellar doors around the area. Red wine varietals dominate, with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot being the most popular. Chardonnay is the most popular white wine, with Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdelho and Traminer trailing it. Logan Wines has a striking and modern glass tasting-room that looks out over the vineyards. Settle in by the window with a glass of Ridge of Tears Shiraz and a tasting plate of local cheeses.

At Lowe Wines, tastings take place on the lawn under the shade of wisteria trees. The vineyard and winery are fully organic and specialise in small-batch winemaking. If you prefer beer, sample some of the brews on offer at the Mudgee Brewing Company inside a 100-year-old red brick wool store in the centre of town.

The pretty streets of Mudgee are dotted with one-off boutiques selling handpicked homeware, clothing, jewellery, accessories and toys. The tourism board has recently launched the Shop Like A Local Trail that provides visitors with an

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easy-to-use map that takes them around the best stores. Close to a dozen shops make the list, including Whatever Mudgee, Edited & Co, Cherry Red and Cedar Cicada.

The Mudgee region is perfect for outdoor adventures. The ancient Wollemi National Park is just over an hour southwest of the town and is home to Dunns Swamp (or Ganguddy), a tranquil waterway surrounded by green bushland and sandstone rock formations. It’s a popular spot for camping, fishing, canoeing and swimming and is surrounded by a network of walking trails. Keep an eye out for long-necked turtles and elusive platypus.

To the north, in the Goulburn River National Park, is The Drip walking track. The walk takes about one to one-and-a-half hours and brings visitors to The Drip Gorge where a 35 m sandstone wall drips clear spring water into shady pools below. The area is always lush and cool, even in the middle of summer, with native apple gums, tree violets, orchids and moss.

Built within the 1862 Mechanics Institute, the

Perry Street Hotel has 13 self-contained suites with kitchenettes and king-sized beds. The décor is inspired by the architecture of Berlin and guests can wrap up in the custom-designed kimono-style bathrobes. A couple of blocks away is The Parkview Hotel is set inside another historic building dating back to around 1870. The seven suites have period features, including restored fireplaces, intricate chandeliers and a large open verandah.

Deep in Mudgee wine country, Sierra Escape has three five-star tents to escape from the world for a while. The glamping huts are luxurious and spacious with wooden floors, king or queen beds and deep free-standing outdoor bathtubs overlooking the property. If you want to get the most out of your trip, plan a wine-filled sojourn for September to line it up with the annual Mudgee Food and Wine Festival. You will be able to experience everything that the town has to offer in one go. Just don’t walk sideways with a surfeit of highs though.

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PHOTO GALLERY

EARTHHOUR SHYAMAL DATTA has captured nature in its pristine glory, says UMA NAIR To see a world in a grain of sand And heaven in a wild flower Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in an hour — William Blake (Auguries of Innocence)

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EARTH

Day, which falls on 22nd of this month, evokes within us a love and concern for all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small. The poet, William Blake, who wrote these words, was among humanity’s deepest and farthest seers — of truth, of beauty, of the universe in a grain of sand and of the human condition. This Earth Day, the message is to protect our species.

Shillong dweller Shyamal Datta is an archivist of rare proportions. He has been capturing wildlife within the frames of his art since 1995, from Alaska to the hills of Assam and the North East as well as Rajasthan.

Could anything be more beautiful than watching a swoop of cranes soar into the sky? Or the plumes of an egret as it dances to attract its mate? Or the sight of a golden langur in the green forests of Assam, its ink blue visage glinting as it

faces rays of the sun? Only God can make a sunset and we must admire it with reverence as it creates a tangerine cluster in the wetlands of a river.

The egrets in their mating foreplay of plumes are as magical as the elephants walking against the background of a grassland fire. Subliminal is the image of a moment when lightning strikes the grasslands in Manas National Park on a monsoon evening. Manas is a UNESCO Heritage Site famous for elephants and rhinos. It is India’s only trans-border National Park bordering Bhutan. The image of burnished gold light, falling on the face of the golden langur, an endangered species, is a masterpiece that has won many awards. The Sikkim landscape talks to us about earth’s bounties.

Indeed protecting, conserving and restoring habitats to wildlife and bringing back species to abundant numbers is the clarion call because nature can’t live without the goodness and graciousness of mankind.

Every year February is the time for controlled burning of dry grasslands of Manas National Park, Assam. Famous for its elephant corridors, this family of elephants led by their matriarch encounters a grassland fire. I was driving past in my 4 wheel drive just as the small herd walked into it presenting a surreal scene. March 2010. (Inset) A family of Asian elephants foraging and feeding. A remote trigger was used to trip the shutter here and as a result a rare close up could be got of these beautiful mammals. Assam, March 2012

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(1) (1) Demoiselle Crane (Grus virgo) frozen in flight. After days of shooting these magnificent birds, this picture, captured in flight, reveal their grace and elegance even as they fly long distances. Wings outspread, its scarlet-eyed concentration a lesson for lesser beings like us.

The cranes in flight create their own solitary conversations. Rajasthan, India. November 2013. (2) Sandhill cranes migrate from their roosting sites in Canada to their wintering sites in the Gulf of Mexico, migrating thousands of kilometres in the process. This male was one of them and was shot in flight exposing the grace and elegance of these magnificent birds. October 2014. (3) Courtship amidst evergreen environs. A female intermediate egret responds to a display of feathers by a male nearby for mating. Prior to the onset of monsoon months, egrets in the Brahmaputra plains go through this ritual.

This feathered beauty will give birth to a few furry chicks and raise them until they can fly and hunt for themselves. Once hunted out for their beautiful feathers by royalty, egrets have now made a comeback and add to an abundant habitat. Kamrup District, Assam.

2010 (4) The Golden Langur (Trachipithicus geei) is a rare species of primates, endemic only to Assam and Bhutan and consequently found nowhere else the planet. Its charcoal black visage glistens like midnight blue ink when it stares right back at my camera. This primate is Assam’s pride. Manas National Park, Bodoland Territorial Districts, Assam. (5) The road is a ribbon of light along lanes of lavender. As morning rays of sunlight suffuse snow-capped peaks of North Sikkim, soft pastel shades are wreathed in mystic mists presenting an almost surreal scene. It is like looking at a purple moor in all its majesty. Near Lachung Village, North Sikkim District, Sikkim.

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(2) (3) (5) (4)

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FESTIVE FOOD

WEEKEND FEAST

N U T T YC H O C O L AT E E G G S INGREDIENTS: White chocolate 500 gm; Chocolate colour (varied) one drop; Choco chips 100 gm; Sugar 50 gm; Peanut butter 100 gm; Raisins (chopped) 10 gm; Walnuts (crushed) 10 gm METHOD: o Break white chocolate into small pieces. o Melt in a double boiler and strain. Divide into three. o Mix peanut butter, sugar, raisins, walnuts and choco chips. o To every batch of melted chocolate add a drop of colour and mix thoroughly. o Now add melted chocolate to egg mould halves. o Cool and demould. o Take two halves and stuff with peanut butter mix. Join both halves using white chocolate as adhesive.

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Easter follows a 40-day period of abstinence called Lent. The spread that is laid out on the day that Christ is believed to have been resurrected goes beyond the colourful eggs that carry the festival’s name. Here are some dishes which cover the entire gamut from sweet to savoury and bakery products to those which are roasted and grilled

ALMONDROCKS INGREDIENTS: Dark chocolate 250 gm; Almonds toasted 200 gm METHOD: o Break dark chocolate into small pieces and melt in a double boiler. o Strain and cool a bit (just warm). o Add toasted almonds and mix. o Now put small heaps of the mix on silpat baking sheet/or butter paper. o Let it cool. Now set top with white chocolate drizzle. — Rajesh Khanna, F&B Head, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa, New Delhi

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CARROTCAKE INGREDIENTS: Carrot 100 gm; Flour 68 gm; Castor sugar 68 gm; Egg 1 no; Oil 68 gm; Baking soda 2 gm; Baking powder 2 gm; Salt 2 gm; Walnut 48 gm; Cinnamon 2 gm METHOD: o Grate carrot and squeeze out excess water. o Mix egg, oil and sugar together. o Separately, in a large mixing bowl take all dry ingredients and mix with the wet ones. o Pour the mix into a lined mould and bake at 180°c for 25-30 minutes. o Decorate with Easter theme garnish.

HOTCROSSBUN INGREDIENTS: Butter 80 gm; Egg 2 no; Sugar 48 gm; Salt 8 gm; Yeast 16 gm; Milk 80 ml; Water 40 ml; Rum 20 ml; Flour 480 gm; Clove powder 4 gm; Spice mix 4 gm (Cinnamon, ginger, mace, cardamom powder); Raisin 40 gm JULIPAN: Milk 40 ml; Breakfast sugar 40 gm; Flour 40 gm METHOD: o Mix flour and spices together. o In a separate pan, mix the rest of the ingredients except raisins and salt. o Fold flour mix in the mix and then add salt.

Finally add the raisins and make a dough. o Prove dough for 30 minutes. o Roll buns on a lined tray. o Mix milk, breakfast sugar and flour together to make julipan and fill in a piping bag. o Pipe julipan cross over the buns. o Egg wash and sprinkle grain sugar over them. o Bake for 20 minutes at 180°C. — Chef Saurabh Singh Chandel, executive sous chef, The Imperial New Delhi

E A S T E R B U N S INGREDIENTS: Flour 500 gm; Sugar 50 gm; Salt 10 gm; Yeast 15 gm; Butter 70 gm; Eggs 1 nos; Cinnamon 5 gm; Tutti fruity 100 gm; Raisins 50 gm; Cashewnut 50 gm; Milk 250 ml METHOD o Mix all ingredients together and make a dough. Divide it into 50 gm each and roll them into round shapes. Put them into baking tray and

keep inside the proving chamber for 45 minutes. o Separately, mix 100 gm flour with 70 ml water and make dough. o Apply egg wash on top of proved buns and make a cross with thin flour dough strips. Bake at 190°C for 15 minutes, cool them at room temperature and serve.

— Shivanand Kain, Executive Chef, Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida

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SCOTCHEGGS INGREDIENTS: Eggs 8; Lamb mince 300 gm; Chopped coriander 1 tsp; Chopped coriander leaves 1 tsp; Chopped parsley 1 tsp; Salt to taste; Milk 80 ml; Flour 50 gm; Bread crumbs 100 gm; Oil 200 ml; Black pepper METHOD: o Boil eggs for five minutes. Put them in ice cold water for a few minutes and peel. o Now, prepare the mixture for coating the eggs. Take a large bowl and mix together the minced chicken, coriander leaves, parsley and rosemary. o Season the mixture with salt and pepper according to your taste. Knead it like dough, until everything mixes well. o In three separate plates put a handful of flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs. o Roll the eggs in the flour, followed by beaten egg and then bread crumbs. o Deep fry the eggs till they become golden brown.

BRAISEDLAMBSHANKS INGREDIENTS: Olive oil 2 tbsp; Lamb shanks 8; Chopped large onions 2; Peeled and chopped carrot 1; Chopped celery 1; Chopped garlic cloves 2; White wine 350 ml; Lamb stock 500 ml; Chopped rosemary 1 tsp; Tomato puree 2 cups METHOD: o Heat oven to 200°c. o Pour the oil in a roasting pan large enough to fit the shanks. o With the pan set over a high heat, place the lamb shanks till they are browned. o Remove the lamb, add chopped onion, celery and carrot and cook it for 10 minutes. o Add herbs and garlic and cook for sometime. o Season it with rosemary followed by tomato puree. o Pour the wine over it and then return the brown lamb shank to the pan. o Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and leave undisturbed, for 1½-2 hours until lamb is tender. o Remove the lamb from the sauce and set aside. o Boil juices in a pot until rich and glossy. Spoon over shanks.

— Sumit Sethi, Crowne Plaza Today, New Delhi Okhla

SIMNELCAKE

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INGREDIENTS: CAKE: Butter 2 Tbsp; Brown Sugar o Place the ½ mixture into a greased, butter paper ½ cup; Eggs 2 no; Rum 5 ml; Almond powder 1 tsp; lined ring/pan. Place one roll of almond filling on Flour 3 tbsp; Black currant 1 cup; Sultana ½ cup; top of the cake mixture, repeat the process for the Orange/lemon peel 1 tbsp; Sweet spice 1 gm; second layer.

ALMOND FILLING: Almond powder 3 tbsp; Icing o Bake in the preheated oven for an hour. Set aside sugar 2 tbsp; Egg yolk 2 no; to cool.

ALMOND PASTE TOPPING: Almond powder o Make almond filling with almond powder or almond 1½ cup; Castor sugar 1½ cup; Egg white 1 no; meal. Alternately you may make it yourself by Rose water 1 tsp blanching, peeling, drying and then grinding almonds.

METHOD: o In a food processor place the almond powder, start o Preheat the oven to 170°c on low speed and add the sugar till mixed well. Add the rose water. Add the egg white to get a soft pliable o Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl using dough consistency that’s easy to work with. wooden spoon until the mixture is fluffy. o Add Rum. Introduce eggs one by one into the bowl o Decorate the cooled cake with almond topping. while constantly mixing. o Traditionally it is always topped with small eggs made from the same almond topping. o Fold in the flour and rest of the ingredients. o Mix all the ingredients of the almond filling and o Flash bake the finished cake under the grill or hot divide into two. Roll each out according to the size of oven at 230°c to get little browning on top for the the cake pan/ring classic Simnel cake — Chef Anuj Kapoor, the Executive Chef at The Grand New Delhi

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B L AC K B E R RYC H O C O L AT E CA K E INGREDIENTS: Chopped butter 250 gm; Good quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped 250 gm; Milk 1/3 cup; Caster sugar 1 cup; Eggs separated 4 no; Flour 1/3 cup; Frozen blackberries 150 gm; GARNISH: Solid chocolate, Easter eggs, blackberries, cocoa powder METHOD: o Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line a 23 cm (base) spring form pan with baking paper. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Set aside. o Combine chocolate and milk in

a large heatproof bowl. Place over a saucepan of simmering water (don't let base of bowl touch water). Heat, stirring with a metal spoon, until melted and smooth.

Using an electric hand mixer beat in sugar. Remove bowl from heat. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly. o Add egg yolks, one at a time, to the chocolate mixture, beating well after each addition. Add melted butter. Stir until combined. o Sift flour over chocolate mixture.

Gently fold in. Whisk egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks

form. Gently fold into chocolate mixture. Sprinkle over blackberries.

Gently fold in until combined. o Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until it rises. Reduce oven to 160°C. Bake for a further 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in pan. o Place cake onto a serving plate. Decorate with chocolate, Easter eggs and blackberries.

Dust with cocoa. Serve slices with mascarpone or thick cream, if desired.

WINEPOACHEDPEARS INGREDIENTS: Medium sized beets 3; Firm pear 1; Dry red wine ½ cup; Walnuts, candied ¼ cup; Feta cheese, crumbled ¼ cup; A few handfuls of salad greens; Olive oil 1-2 tbsp; A drizzle of balsamic vinegar; A drizzle of honey; Sea salt and fresh black pepper METHOD: o Peel beets and pear. Boil them together with half cup of red wine and water. o Cool the cooked beet and poached pears and cut into wedges. o Make a dressing from olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, sea salt and black pepper. o Take a deep plate and arrange all the ingredients including beets, pears and lettuce together. Garnish with feta crumble and candied walnuts. o Drizzle the balsamic dressing and serve chilled.

— Lokesh Jarodia, Deltin, Daman

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EGGBENEDICT INGREDIENTS: HOLLAINDAISE SAUCE: Butter (clarified) 250 gm; Egg yolks 2 no; Vinegar 10 ml; Poached Eggs; Eggs 5 no; Vinegar 30 ml; Salt to taste; Water 2 litre; SALAD: Balsamic 1,250 ml; Aragula lettuce 300 gm; Cherry tomato 200 gm; Breakfast sugar 20 gm; asparagus 10 gm; English muffin 4 no; Parma ham slice 50 gm METHOD: o Mix all the ingredients of the hollaindaise and whip. o Boil the water in a double boiler and add egg yolk , vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk in melted butter drop by drop till it is thick. o Boil the water with salt and vinegar, simmer and bring down the temperature, make a swirl of water put egg in between. Cook for three minutes. Strain and pull it out. o Remove the top of english muffin and toast it. Apply hollaindaise sauce. Sear parma ham and slide on top of the muffin. Slide poached eggs on top of muffin coat with hollandaise and gratin. Serve with salads.

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M U S H R O O M L E E K S A N D PA R M E S A N TA RT o Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a round about 5 cm larger than a 25 cm tin. Use your rolling pin to lift it up, then drape over the tart case so there is an overhang of pastry on the sides. Using a small ball of pastry scraps, push the pastry into the corners of the tin. Chill in the fridge or freezer for 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 200°C. o While the pastry is chilling, heat the butter in a pan and cook the leeks for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften.

Then turn up the heat and add the mushrooms. Cook for five minutes more and then turn off the heat. o Lightly prick the base of the tart

with a fork, line the tart case with a large circle of greaseproof paper or foil, then fill with baking beans. Bake the tart for 20 minutes, remove the paper and beans, then continue to cook for five-10 minutes until biscuit brown. o While the tart case cooks, beat the eggs in a bowl and then gradually add the cream. Stir in the leeks, mushrooms and half the cheese. Season and then tip the filling into the tart case.

Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, then bake for 20-25 minutes until set and golden brown. Leave to cool in the case, trim the edges of the pastry, then remove and serve in slices.

HERBROASTCHICKEN

INGREDIENTS: Butter 25 gm; Leeks, sliced and washed 4 no; Button fresh mushroom, sliced 250 gm; Leeks 2 no; Double cream 284 ml; Parmesan grated 140 gm PASTRY: Plain flour 280 gm; Cold butter, cut into pieces 140g; Eggs 2 no METHOD: o To make the pastry, tip the flour and butter into a bowl, then rub together with your fingertips until completely mixed and crumbly.

Add eight tablespoon of cold water and mix everything well with your hands. Roll into a ball and use straight away or chill for up to two days. The pastry can also be frozen for up to a month.

INGREDIENTS: HERB MARINATION: Salted METHOD: o Clean the chicken and rub it with garlic. butter 800 gm; Rosemary, fresh 15 gm; o Make the marination with trimmed Fresh parsley 15 gm; Fresh thyme 15 gm; Crushed fennel seeds 15 gm; Roast chicken herbs and soft butter by blending them together.

5 kg; SALADS: Red wine 1250 ml; Aragula lettuce 300 gm; Mustard vinaigrette 200 gm; o Push the soft butter under chicken skin and tress the chicken with thread. Roast Breakfast sugar 20 gm; Cinnamon stick chicken in a preheated oven at 220°C for 40 10 gm; William pears 1 kg; SAUCE: Red minutes. Add the sauce and put the wine lamb jus 600 gm; Chopped parsley potatoes to be roasted.

20 gm; Salt 15 gm; Crushed black pepper o Serve the chicken with with salads 8 gm; Potatoes; Baby potatoes 600 gm; and potatoes.

Salt and pepper — Diwas Wadhera, Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida

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F I R E S I D E C H AT

Paradise lost IF

ASHVIN KUMAR’S film No Fathers in Kashmir delves into the issue of half-widows in the Valley through the prism of two teenagers. But the director is way more deeply connected with the place than just by the way of the film, discovers SAIMI SATTAR

I hadn’t been nominated for an Oscar or won a few national awards, you would not have been in this car interviewing me,” says Ashvin Kumar emphatically.

He is on his way to the airport after a whirlwind visit of Delhi where his latest film No Fathers in Kashmir was screened for a select audience. The director, whose previous offerings Inshallah Kashmir, Inshallah Football and Little Terrorist — all of which touched upon different aspects of human tragedy that afflict the northernmost state of India — does not believe in mincing words. Whether he is talking of the situation in Kashmir, the government of the day, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) or even the apathy of the educated and the well-heeled

towards everything that doesn’t affect them directly, says it like it is.

It has been a little tough nailing him down for the interview as Ashvin, who is the elder son of fashion designer Ritu Kumar, has been busy with studio visits, interviews and screening his latest film based on the half-widows of Kashmir. With a mix of cast starring Soni Razdan and Kulbhushan Kharbanda as well as newcomers Zara Webb and Shivam Raina, the film has been praised by the likes of Mira Nair, Kalki Koechlin and Rasika Dugal.

No Fathers... has been delayed for several months as it was submitted to the censor board on July 15 last year and finally got the U/A certification on March 28. “I would say the censors have run into trouble with me. I had gone to Kashmir, seen

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‘THE SOUL OF THE FILM LIES IN THE THREE GENERATIONS OF GRANDMOTHER, MOTHER AND DAUGHTER, AND THROUGH THEIR EYES AND DILEMMAS, ONE CAN SEE INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER AND PEOPLE AROUND. IT HELPS YOU TO APPRECIATE WHAT IMPACT A CONFLICT CAN HAVE ON A FAMILY. HOW A SIMPLE AND INNOCUOUS QUESTION — ‘WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT MY FATHER WAS PICKED UP?’ — HAS SOME VERY COMPLICATED ANSWERS. HOW DO YOU TELL THAT TO A CHILD? AND WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? IT MAKES ADULTS AND CHILDREN CONFRONT ISSUES’

something and expressed myself as an artist. The Censor Board needs to introspect as to what they find so objectionable about it,” he says and points out that initially, the board did not view the film and later appointed a committee that raised a whole lot of concerns and suggested cuts.

“We took this to the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) which sent it back. Instead of getting the same people to watch, they constituted a fresh board, which meant that all the objections which kept the film on hold for five months were okayed and a completely new set of concerns were raised. It was nothing but vindictiveness because we dared to go back,” he says, matter-of-factly without a trace of rancour in his voice.

However, going back to the film, he says, “It is actually a light-hearted romp which portrays the irreverence and mischief of youth. Two kids, Noor and Majid, fall in love and have their first heartbreak. It is a universal experience and we all have been through it. It makes you nostalgic of the time in youth when you are told not to do something but you go ahead and do it nevertheless because you think you are an adult as you are 16. In Kashmir, it is very difficult to dream or be innocent.”

The children in his film are searching for their fathers which brings back the problem of half-widows in the state. “The soul of the film lies in the three generations of grandmother, mother and daughter, and through their eyes and

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dilemmas, one can see individual relationships with each other and people around. It helps you to appreciate what impact a conflict can have on a family. How a simple and innocuous question — ‘Why didn't you tell me that my father was picked up?’ — has some very complicated answers. How do you tell that to a child? And what does that even mean? It makes adults and children confront issues that should not be a part of the lexicon.

These should be expunged from our books as they do not have a place in modern democracy,” says the youngest Oscar nominee.

Ashvin has used Chol Homa Roshay, a song written by the 16th century poetess Habba Khatoon, to deepen the narrative in many ways. “It is a folk anthem in Kashmir just like Padharo Mhare Desh for Rajasthan. It has been interpreted and re-interpreted over the years. The poetess was the wife of the last king of Kashmir, Yusuf Shah Chak.

He was called by Emperor Akbar for parleys in Allahabad but was never sent back as he was imprisoned. So the song is about her looking for her lost love wandering in the hills, valleys and streams of Kashmir. It is a kind of anthem for halfwidows,” he says.

‘CHOL HOMA ROSHAY IS A FOLK ANTHEM IN KASHMIR JUST LIKE PADHARO MHARE DESH FOR RAJASTHAN. IT HAS BEEN INTERPRETED AND RE-INTERPRETED OVER THE YEARS. HABBA KHATOON, THE POETESS, WAS THE WIFE OF THE LAST KING OF KASHMIR, YUSUF SHAH CHAK. HE WAS CALLED BY EMPEROR AKBAR FOR PARLEYS IN ALLAHABAD BUT WAS NEVER SENT BACK AS HE WAS IMPRISONED. SO THE SONG IS ABOUT HER LOOKING FOR HER LOST LOVE WANDERING IN THE HILLS, VALLEYS AND STREAMS OF KASHMIR. IT IS A KIND OF ANTHEM FOR HALF-WIDOWS’

Ashvin is not new to controversy. His earlier films too had been in the news. Inshallah Football faced trouble when Sharmila Tagore was the censor board chief. “Both the Inshallah films had taught me how to write so that they would find this one hard to ban. The cuts in this film were

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of school and constitution. Some entirely cosmetic. Other than issues were raised about bullying, mutilating and compromising the ragging and hazing in the film film artistically, they made no which do happen in the school and qualitative difference to its were not outrageous. I had spent message nor did these dilute the six months making this film in the critique of the armed forces, school that I went to. It is the most militants or any other agency. touching, sweetest film I have After all, it was difficult to figure made,” he says, adding that he has out what to ban in the story of a ‘AS A TEENAGER, I moved on...

16-year-old looking for her father,” SPENT A LOT OF However, it is not just in says Ashvin.

TIME IN KASHMIR. cinema that the director feels that After his run-in, yet again, he IT WAS IN GULMARG THAT I censoring anything or banning is a reiterates a demand that has HELD A GIRL’S cause for concern. The same, he found resonance among many HAND FOR THE feels, holds true for Kashmir, the filmmakers and actors that the FIRST TIME. I HAD place with which the director has a censor board should only certify SOME ENDURING the watchability of the film for MEMORIES THERE. special relationship. “As a teenager, I spent a lot of time children. “It is not the guardian WHEN I WENT BACK AFTER 20 in Kashmir. It was in Gulmarg that angel of sovereignty or of YEARS IN 2009, I I held a girl’s hand for the first contemporary morality or armed WAS HORRIFIED TO time. I had some of the most forces. These institutions are SEE THE DEATHS, long-lasting and enduring robust and can look after DEVASTATIONS themselves. If you give the AND DESTRUCTION’ memories there. After the armed insurgency broke out in 1989, we chowkidar a lathi, he is bound to use stopped visiting the Valley. When I it. They do not have any idea of went back after 20 years in 2009, I was horrified to artistic integrity or cinema,” he says and to prove see the deaths, devastations and destruction of the his point further, adds that he finds a lot of things warm and beautiful people. One’s heart really went in mainstream cinema that “typify, objectify and out to the Kashmiris,” he says. However, more than vilify women and other communities, and are that, he feels what is more objectionable is the unpalatable gross and vulgar.” However, he argues Valley’s one-sided narrative. “What was more that he was no one to stop these filmmakers from outrageous was the why and how of the level of making what they want. “I will simply exercise my atrocities that were being perpetrated was not choice not to watch it,” he shrugs and goes on to communicated with as much gusto and fervour as say, “We are a mature, sensible democracy and I the dastardly acts of terror. The narrative is cannot believe that this audience is not ready to purposefully structured, monitored and moulded see a nuanced and complex narrative.” to present a one-sided picture to create a sense of However, it is not just the censor board’s suspicion and hostility. The resolution of conflict displeasure that Ashvin has had to bear. Dazed in does not happen when you hide the truth. It the Doon, a film that he made on his alma mater, happens when you are able to tell it and create a was objected to by some of the alumna and its nuanced vision among the public,” says the DVDs were destroyed. “The most educated, 46-year-old. He says this kind of information has well-travelled, well-heeled bunch of people who inevitably resulted in caricatures on both sides. form the most privileged part of society are not “The vision of an Indian in Kashmir is a man able to tolerate dissent. What is the point of such wearing camouflage and boots, carrying a gun, an education? It is completely contrary to the spirit

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PHOTOS: PANKAJ KUMAR

frisking you and looking at your mother or sister in an unflattering way and is responsible for all the inconveniences that you have to face, whether it is a curfew or a crackdown. While the vision of the average Kashmiri in the eyes of the average Indian is a kid who is throwing stones wearing a mask. Or an even more sinister figure in a mask, carrying a gun and engaging the armed forces in a match to the quickest route to martyrdom and jihad,” says the Doon-school alumni.

It is in order to fight against these stereotypes that his films have tried to look at the existing humanity. “Kashmir is a crisis of compassion and not so much of politics or social issues. Once

we become compassionate, put ourselves in their shoes and understand their choices rather than doing it from armchairs of Delhi, we will realise that living that kind of life isn’t as easy,” he says.

And it is not just the institutions that he blames, but media too comes in for its share of flak. He says that while the contours of both sides of the stories of strife — from places like Nagaland, Chhattisgarh, Assam and more, or of adivasis lands being taken away or farmers committing suicide — have been reported, in case of Kashmir, it is absent. He says, “It is the only place where media and the government act in total

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the conjugate to talk to ordinary collusion as the former is afraid to people. A more rational view is toe anything but the government needed,” he says. line.” He says that without dissent, However, the director is not which is the safety valve of completely negative about the way democracy, a pressure cooker-like to get out of this morass. “To get situation emerges. out of this nexus, the youth of On the other hand, Ashvin feels India should demand information that Kashmir is being used to from the MPs of their area divert attention from a lot of other ‘KASHMIR IS A whether they have a Kashmir issues. “I am no longer surprised CRISIS OF that whenever something happens COMPASSION AND policy. And if not, why?” In his film, he has tried to address the in the country, a major encounter NOT OF POLITICS takes place in the Valley. There are OR SOCIAL ISSUES. solution through the millenials, ONCE WE BECOME who, he believes, hold the key in enough people in the payroll COMPASSIONATE, real life as well. “They are not whose job descriptions also PUT OURSELVES IN encumbered with the baggage of include fomenting trouble in the THEIR SHOES AND Partition and religious divides Valley and I also play one such UNDERSTAND which have been whipped up in character in the film.”

THEIR CHOICES such a callous and dangerous way.

Ashvin believes that a lot of RATHER THAN DOING IT FROM They are interested in upward blame does lie with the ARMCHAIRS OF mobility and have had the luxury governments over the years that DELHI, WE WILL of choices and opportunities that have created the Kashmir REALISE THAT their Kashmiri counterparts conundrum. “I am not a violent LIVING THAT LIFE haven’t. It’s up to these Indians to person and do not advocate gun ISN’T EASY’ appreciate what is happening violence or blood on the street. But there,” says he. at the same time, contrary to the And there is a reason that he insists the move current narrative, I believe that it’s a deeply should come from the ordinary people. “It is not patriotic act to call out the institutions if they the Army, government or institutions that end are found wanting so that they can self-correct. civilisations, it is the apathy of the educated, We have an abominable law called the AFSPA, well-travelled, upwardly mobile people that which was put into place to control violence for does. If they do not take a stand, and speak up, few years. It has been there for 30 years and who else will? We should look at ourselves and ask needs to be reviewed as does the Public Safety Act,” what have you done today for enlightening the rest he explains. of the world. If you can see through the Ashvin believes that the armed forces should be propaganda, the hate and the polemics, then it pulled back from civilian areas and sent back to the becomes your business to take a stand. But the border where they belong as they have become problem is that not many of us are doing it. We are deeply compromised. “I want my country to work easily cowed down by various forces,” says the in a fair manner for all citizens and if people are director who is of slight build but clearly does not feeling alienated, then we need to listen to their lack when it comes to standing by the conviction of grievances, no matter how fractious. If the people his beliefs. of Kashmir say that all they are going to do is stand Strong words those. But then, maybe after the around and shout slogans, then we should strong-arm tactics, that is what we need, the balm certainly listen to their voices. If we imprison of compassion. selective people, we do not have the buffer or even

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F A S H I O N F O R WA R D

SUMMER Gone are the days of layering your self up. For the warm days are upon us. The sun is out in its full splendour. Time to make sure that you are cool while the temperature goes through the roof. Here are some ideas from designers

Poojasingh In this floral long dress cinched at the waist, the belt adds an element of bling. This one is done up in layers, where the plain fabric below highlights the sheer one with flowers on top.

Rituberi The designer has worked with her favourite fabric, khadi, to create a line for both men and women.

This short kurta in bright red with a black piping can really perk things up.

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RSONATA Ridhimehra

The designer has a fresh contemporary take on the sharara. The small print as well as the sheer fabric give the entire ensemble a light, airy feel. The coloured beads in the front panel add an interesting detail.

Mansisinghal She takes the classic bright pink and orange combination and tones it down to almost pastel colours. With just the dupatta in a slightly brighter shade, the entire lehnga ensemble is just right for the season.

PayalsinghalSangat The Aztec prints with bead detailing make for an exotic beige dress which is ideal for both day and night wear.

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‘ENHANCE YOUR NATURAL FEATURES, DON’T HIDE THEM’

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E X P E R T TA L K

Mention BOBBI BROWN and you know you have the mantra to look the best version of yourself. It is to the credit of the iconic make-up artist, author and former editor that the brand she launched at Bergdorf Goodman, the luxury department store based on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City in 1991, has become much bigger than the person. While the brand was sold to to Estee Lauder in 1995, the products made by Bobbi, which suited a wide variety of skin tones and seemed to become a part of your own skin, lip colour and cheeks, have proved to be game changers.

She has authored nine books about make-up and beauty that made it to the New York Times bestseller list.

Along the way, she has worked her magic at international fashion weeks for over three decades.

Considered as one of the top 10 make-up artists and beauty experts in the world, she has worked with some of the biggest names from the industry including Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Katie Holmes, the Sex And The City cast, Jessica Alba, Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell. Bobbi is visiting the country to be a part of the first India Make Up Show hosted in Mumbai on April 12 and 13 and in New Delhi on April 20. She talks to SAIMI SATTAR about her journey

How different is it to work with faces and skin tones that are Indian? What do you modify in your techniques?

I always start my work in the same way — looking for the right tone and texture for the skin. That will never change. You want to utilise products that work for the skin type and always start with a moisturiser. Hydrated skin is the key to your make-up looking its best.

What are the lip colours as well as blushes that work best with Indian skin tones?

The right lip colour for you is based on three things: your style, your natural lip colour and your skin tone. In general, the most flattering natural hue will either match or be slightly darker than your lips. Avoid shades lighter than your lips, especially those with gray or beige undertones, as they will make you look washed out. For blush, women with tan, warm skin tones should choose an almost plum shade that looks like a rich pink when applied. For deeper skin tones, redder shades that have bluish tones like cranberry leave a beautiful finish.

Earlier, Indians were looking towards the West in terms of skin colour and features but now they are more comfortable in their skin. What would you attribute it to?

I think it is a combination of positive voices on social media and the beauty industry working to become more inclusive. There are more products, colour options, positive role models and unique voices with large

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concerns with one of the largest retailers in platforms that are changing the conversations America. We have an effervescent tablet made with around beauty. Realism is in. hyaluronic acid to boost your skin’s moisture.

What does it take to be ranked among the top 10 beauty There’s a collagen and protein powder that benefits artists in the world? hair, skin, and nails and gives you energy. It’s all A lot of hard work and determination. The advice I about supporting beauty from the inside out. I am always give is to be open. Be a sponge and absorb back in the studio creating and curating content for everything. Work hard — and for free if you have to my online magazine www.justbobbi.com as a — when following your dreams. Keep at it, don’t let working make-up artist. I am also creating content failure stop you. around my podcast Long Story Short. And I’m You've worked with some of the biggest names. What designing new experiences for our guest at our were some of the professional and personal lessons that hotel, The George, in Montclair, New Jersey. you learnt along the way?

What do you keep in mind while doing the look for My biggest takeaway is to be nice to everyone. It’s as any person? simple as that. You never know who you are going I always look at make-up as something that will to meet or who knows who. Be kind, be respectful enhance your natural features, not hide them. and treat others how you want to be treated.

Looking back at your journey, when What is it that attracts you about you started out, did you have any India?

I HAVE WANTED TO COME idea that the brand would grow as big Everything. I have wanted to come TO INDIA FOR A LONG TIME. as it has? to India for a long time. The people, THE PEOPLE, THE HISTORY, I don’t think I could have predicted the history, the culture, and of THE CULTURE, AND OF the career that I’ve had. If you course, the food is something I’m COURSE THE FOOD IS had told me all of this when I looking forward to experiment SOMETHING I’M LOOKING was a little girl growing up in with. I am open to experiencing all FORWARD TO EXPERIMENT Chicago, I wouldn’t have believed that India has to offer. Visually, the WITH. I AM OPEN TO you. I’m proud of the work I did make-up worn by women in the EXPERIENCING ALL THAT in building my brand and the country scales from over the top, to INDIA HAS TO OFFER. impact my work had on the traditional, to a cleaner, more VISUALLY, THE MAKE-UP beauty industry. modern look. Most importantly, WORN BY WOMEN IN THE A lookback at some of the more iconic everyone looks so beautiful.

COUNTRY SCALES FROM moments, in your opinion?

Priyanka Chopra is someone I OVER THE TOP TO A few moments that always would definitely like to work with TRADITIONAL stand out for me are working with when in India. She is one of the Naomi Campbell and Patrick most beautiful women on the Demarchelier on Naomi’s first Vogue cover in 1989. planet and seems very down to earth and cool.

It happened to be my first Vogue cover too! I did Why did you decide to collaborate with India Make-up a lot of beauty spreads with Vogue over the years Show? that I am really proud of. There were also moments It’s such a unique opportunity to interact with like doing make-up for L’Wren Scott’s show at artists and consumers in this type of setting. I am London Fashion Week to doing Dr Jill Biden’s really excited to share my make-up techniques and (former Vice President Joe Biden’s wife) makeup more about my career. during the (Presidential) inauguration in 2009 Any more books on the anvil? and celebrating my 20 year anniversary at Bobbi No new books right now but I just launched a Brown with a film by Bruce Weber. I’ll always new line of supplements. It’s a collagen-based cherish these moments. collection, all designed to target your beauty

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GURUSPEAK

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Spiritual Guru

If words create more noise, then they have not reached their goal. Silence is the source of life and the cure for diseases

BECOME A NOBODY WHEN

the Buddha got enlightened on a full moon day in May, it is said that he maintained silence for the whole week.

He didn’t say a word. Mythology says that all the angels in heaven were frightened. They knew that it was only once in a millennium that someone blossoms like the Buddha. Now he was silent.

The angels then requested him to say something. He said, “Those who know, they know

even without me saying it and those who do not know, will not know even if I say it. Any description of light to a blind man is of no use.

There is no point in talking to those who have not tasted the ambrosia of life, and therefore, I am silent. How can you convey something so intimate and personal? Words cannot convey it. And, as many scriptures in the past have revealed, words end where truth begins.”

The angels said, “What you say is right. But

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consider those who are on the borderline, who are neither fully enlightened nor totally ignorant.

For them, a few words will give a push; for their sake, you speak and every word of yours will create that silence.”

The purpose of words is to create silence. If words create more noise, then they have not reached their goal. The Buddha’s words would definitely create silence, because he is the manifestation of calm. Silence is the source of life and the cure for diseases. When people are angry, they maintain silence. First they shout and then tranquility dawns. When one is sad, they ask to be left alone and retreat into quiet. Silence is the recourse one takes to, if one is ashamed. If one is wise too, there’s a hush.

Look at the noise in your mind. What is it about? Money, fame, recognition, fulfillment or relationships? The noise is about something; silence is about nothing. Calm is depth; noise is surface.

From the beginning, the Buddha lived a very luxurious life. Any kind of pleasure that he wanted was made available to him, the moment he wanted it. One day he expressed a desire see the world. He set out in quest of truth, by himself, leaving his palace, wife and son. He knew that the stronger the silence, the more powerful would be the questions that arise from it. Nothing could stop him. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to get away

during the day, so he escaped at night and his search continued for years. He did everything that people told him to do — going to different places, fasting, walking many paths. In the process, he discovered four truths.

The first truth is, there is misery in the world.

In life, there are only two possibilities one is to observe the world around us and know from others’ sufferings, the second is to experience it and find that it is misery. The second truth is there is a cause for misery. You can be happy without a reason, but misery has a cause. The third is that it is possible to eliminate misery. The fourth is there is a path out of misery.

He asked people to go and beg. He made kings take off their royal robes and take a bowl in their hand. It wasn’t as if they were in need of food. It was just that he wanted to teach them the lesson of becoming ‘nobody’ from being ‘somebody’. The idea was that you are nobody; you are insignificant in this Universe. When kings and geniuses were asked to beg, they became embodiments of compassion.

Observe your true nature. What is your true nature? It is peace, compassion, love, friendliness and joy and it is silence that gives birth to all of this. Silence swallows the sadness, guilt and misery and gives birth to joy, compassion and love.

In this way, everyone can enjoy and cross the ocean of misery.

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FITNESS

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Bharat Thakur is a yoga guru and founder of Artistic Yoga

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PAIN NECK?

A IN THE

Looking at your mobile or computer screen or driving for prolonged periods might not seem risky but can cause muscle stiffness and soreness

OUR

neck is quite a remarkable construct of interconnecting vertebrae, joints ligaments, muscles and tendons.

These work together to both allow and restrict a wide range of movements. Any of these can get strained, run down or injured and the result is neck pain.

This is a fairly common complaint and some of our daily habits are the cause. Any activity where you look down or hold your head in one position or any repetitive movement for long time periods can cause neck pain. Looking at your mobile or at your computer screen or driving for prolonged periods might not seem risky but can cause muscle stiffness and soreness. Poor posture — where you slouch at your desk or hunch over your laptop — strain the neck and shoulder muscles. Sleeping on your stomach with your head turned to one side, can also cause neck pain as the natural alignment of the spine is altered.

Yoga is an excellent way to ease neck pain. It doesn’t occur in isolation as the entire body is interconnected as shoulders and upper back are also affected. Yoga has a range of asanas (postures) that will gently stretch the back, the shoulders and the neck and help bring some relief and ease the pain.

Standing asanas like Virbhadrasana (warrior) and Trikonasana (triangle) stretch and strengthen the shoulders and upper back to support the neck.

Marjariasana (cat) is great for warming up the neck, shoulders and back and flexing and extending the neck. It also helps in releasing the tension in this area. Ardha Matsyendrasana (seated twist) helps stretch the spine and side-to-side flexion of the neck. When you have neck pain, the whole body is tense. Restorative postures like Sarnagat Mudra (Child pose) and Shavasana (corpse) help the body and neck to relax.

Yoga eases neck pain and keeps your neck, shoulders and upper back flexible and in good working order. It also helps to correct your posture and the natural alignment of the body. Along with this, it is important to change the habits that caused this in the first place ie set your desks and computer screens at the right ergonomic heights, sleep on your side or back, take breaks from repetitive movements or static positions.

If the problem lasts longer than six weeks or if you feel tingling, shooting pains, numbness in the hands, arms and upper body, you should see a doctor. This can signal a more serious problem than simple neck pain and may need medical attention.

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VIRBHADRASANA [WARRIOR POSE] o Stand straight, feet together, arms by side BENEFITS: o Spread your feet three-four feet apart o Opens and strengthens chest and o Turn to the left, so left foot is facing forward shoulders to support neck o Stretch both arms up and bring palms together o Stretches the legs, abdomen and o Bend the left knee so the thigh is parallel upper body to ground o Strengthens the feet, legs, hips and o Relax, breathe normally and hold for core muscles 10-30 seconds o Improves focus, balance and stability o Repeat on the other side o Energises the whole body MARJARIASANA o Come down on hands and knees as BENEFITS: shown, hands below shoulders with o Improves flexibility in back straight neck, shoulders and spine o Inhale as you gently dip the back, o Relaxes and massages relaxing the stomach the stomach muscles and o Exhale as you gently pull in stomach spine that protect the liver muscles and arch back o Return to the start position and straighten back o Do five rounds

PRANAMASANA BENEFITS: o Sit back on heels, grasp lower o Decompresses the calves above ankles, keeping thumbs uppermost lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae o Holding calves, slowly bend forward and lightly rest the crown o Opens the air passages and can help of head on the floor in front of asthma knees o Raise hips high so chin presses o Increases blood supply to the brain against chest and thighs are o Stimulates digestion vertical o Hold for 10-20 seconds or as long as you are comfortable o Gently lower hips back on heels, hold for 10 seconds, then come back to the start position o If knees are sensitive, use a folded blanket underneath them

MATSYASANA [FISH] o Lie on your back, legs and feet together, arms by your side. o Press down on your elbows, o Slowly lift the head, arch the chest and upper body o Bend your head backwards, resting the top of the head on the floor. o Place your hands on your thighs o Hold for 30-60 seconds, breathing deeply o Slowly relax the head, use your elbows to return to start position o Relax the body BENEFITS: o Decompresses the lower and upper thoracic vertebrae and nerve roots o Stretches and strengthens neck, shoulder muscles and respiratory system o Increases blood flow to the neck, face and head, revitalises them, leaving a healthy glow o Regulates the thyroid and thymus glands, improves the immune system

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HOTWHEELS

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Kushan Mitra Auto & tech expert

The mid-life refresh on the BMW 7-series does make it stand out from the crowd. But it also makes it a very good car

MORE THAN

ORDINARY LAST

week we found ourselves in the Algarve, a region on Portugal’s southern coast. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world, with hills flush with an abundance of citrus trees bearing lemons and oranges and every ridgeline topped with a windturbine. One can understand why BMW loves Portugal so much for their media drives. But we were driving the BMW 7-series, not the sort of car which you would imagine that is designed to handle either the sharp corners of the mountain roads or the long sweeping high-speed turns of the Portuguese highways. The 7-series is after all a limousine, it’s a car meant for VIP’s extremely comfortable drive from his or her home to office and back with an occasional trip to the airport.

But as I drove the 750Li through the occasionally worryingly narrow mountain roads of Algarve, I began to realise why the company was making us drive this car through these roads. It is because, while the 7-series remains an extremely comfortable cruiser, the subtle changes to the car’s chassis are quite obvious. The 750Li had BMW’s active all-wheel drive and steering XDrive technology, but when you take a corner hard, the adaptive roll stabilisation on this iteration of the car seems to defy the axioms of physics. Seriously, you would think something as large as a cruiseliner on the roads would roll grotesquely if you threw it into a corner at anything above 50 kilometres an hour, but as I gained confidence while driving, there were corners I took at a scarcely believable 80-90 kilometres an hour, which by the way, was the speed limit on Portugal’s smaller roads. I had to keep on

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reminding myself that I was not driving a 3-series or a 5-series, the handling almost did not compute in my head.

Of course, no matter what BMW’s engineers do to the roll characteristics of the car by defying the laws of physics, the human body can’t be reengineered by the boffins in Munich. So if I was driving the 7-series for a living and I drove like that, I would probably lose my job. After all, you do not want the big man at the back spilling his lunch over all that expensive leather and touchscreens. But it is good to know that you can escape from a kidnapping attempt or a terrorist attack at a considerable rate of knots and this car will not let you down. And if you are the rare sort of person who does drive a 7-series occasionally, the adaptive suspension is fabulous.

This feels like a smaller BMW to drive, and I mean that as the greatest compliment.

But chances are that when you buy this series, it

will not be for its exhilarating driving experience.

You would want to buy something like this because you want to be seen, and the refresh of the 7-series is all about being seen. Now, I learnt during the drive from BMW executives that 44 per cent of all 7-series sold in the world are in China. BMW sells more 7-series in China annually than they do in India for their entire product line. That is how important China is for the Bavarian manufacturer. And if there is one thing that marketers and manufacturers should know about rich Chinese, it is that they love showing off their brands, not that we’re different but the big ‘LV’ logo of Louis Vuitton was created for China. Ditto for the interlocked Gs of Gucci.

The Chinese love major brands, so the big visible change on the refreshed 7-series is the new kidney grille, which is 40 per cent larger and milled from a single piece of aluminum. And that is coupled with a new BMW logo on the nose that is 12 mm larger in

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diameter, which is quite clearly obvious to the naked eye. The strange thing is that BMW has gradually moved away from the iconic ‘corona’ headlights in the recent cars. They have become three-dimensional elements, while the big grille and logo will definitely announce your arrival. And it is not just Chinese who will like these elements, because I feel Indian buyers will appreciate them as well. There are some minor changes to the air breathers down the side, but major changes are to the rear, particularly the taillight unit which also gets a three-dimensional design and the exhausts, making the car look very attractive from its back portion.

But most importantly for VIPs on the seat diagonally behind the driver, it is more comfortable and quieter than before, thanks to new acoustic shielding and and window-panes. The seat options and massage functions remain and with quilting on the Napa Leather on the door handles, it feels a lot more luxurious than before. So all in all, this is a limousine that is actually good to drive, comfortable at the back and something you should consider

buying if you are looking for a car in this class.

Now, BMW India has a loaded year coming up.

The new X4 has just come onto the market as has the new (and brilliant) M2, and the X5 and X7 are on their way shortly, the new 3-series is also on its way and the refreshed 7-series is still a few months away.

It will be worth the wait though. While I drove the 750Li, which has a 4.4-litre V8 that produces 530 horsepower, India will likely get fewer options. There will be the veritable favourite, the 730Ld with its three-litre diesel motor producing 265 horsepower.

There will also be the 745Le, which is BMW’s plug-in hybrid variant, more of which in a later column and the top-of-the-range, 6.5 litre V12 engined, 585 horsepower 760Li, which is used by billionaires and politicians alike (the Prime Minister’s fleet has this car). There is a minute possibility that BMW India might bring more powerful variants of the diesels as well as the M750Li that I drove, the 7-series is sold in 740Ld and 750Ld specifications in Europe, but that depends on the market although prices will not change dramatically from the current model.

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NUMBERGAME

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Sanjay Jumaani Numerologist

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COUNT YOUR FATE

NUMBER 1 (Those born on the 1st, 10th, 19th and 28th of any month) When you like something, it is satisfying to do it. You might come across someone who can give you career-related advice which appears ‘sound’.

However, implement it only after considering the pros and cons.

Take stock of your situation properly and then only go ahead with any plans.

NUMBER 4 (Those born on the 4th, 13th, 22nd and 31st of any month) Your sensibility might aid you in taking appropriate decisions in emotional matters. This will be advantageous in intimate relationships. Be careful with the way you express your feelings.

Being diplomatic might not really be your cup of tea and land you in trouble instead of saving you from it.

NUMBER 7 (Those born on the 7th, 16th and 25th of any month) Independence is essential for you to take up any project at work. But sometimes it is necessary to have a different perspective. This might ensure that things which were overlooked by you can be pointed out by someone else.

Take out time for loved ones and surprise them with a little outing.

NUMBER 2 (Those born on the 2nd, 11th, 20th and 29th of any month) You might not feel the need to change your current state of life and its pace but try to influence your future positively. Remember that you can turn around your circumstances only if you start early. People going through a financial crisis might be able to find a way out.

NUMBER 5 (Those born on the 5th, 14th and 23rd of any month) Your ability to adapt to any circumstance might make you more successful than your colleagues. There might also be movement in money matters.

This might aid you in learning new tactics and challenging your current limitations. Be open to patching up with old friends and starting afresh.

NUMBER 8 (Those born on the 8th, 17th and 26th of any month) You might have been able to learn the art of balancing work and personal life well which boosted your confidence and helped you achieve difficult feats. Your will power and determination will make you take everything in your stride.

Be tough while dealing with tricky conditions.

NUMBER 3 (Those born on the 3rd, 12th, 21st and 30th of any month) Being tactful is better than being realistic. Professionally, things might progress at a good speed and you might be a part of many new projects. There might also be times when your suggestions would be valued.

But the trick is to believe in yourself, instead of looking for motivation around you.

NUMBER 6 (Those born on the 6th, 15th and 24th of any month) Accept people the way they are and don’t try to change them according to your preference.

People in the creative field can meet new associates, which will give a new lease of life to their ideas. In the latter part of the month, there is a possibility of romantic relationships. Singles might meet someone special.

NUMBER 9 (Those born on the 9th, 18th and 27th of any month) Colleagues and juniors at work might look up to you as a role model for planning and execution projects. The first fortnight might be good to take pending decisions. Be aware of your surroundings and keep your eyes and ears open for false information that people might spread against you.

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SIGN-OFF

By RINKU GHOSH

T

THE YOUNG INDIANS

his was a piece of feel-good news amid the political slugfest of the general election, that of the results of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations. For it embodied not only excellence but a plural idea of India at a time of toxic segmentation. It represented hope and possibilities.

The topper Kanishk Kataria, a Dalit and a graduate from IIT Bombay, coming as he does after Tina Dabi attained the feat in 2015, settled the angst that meritorious effort and perseverance was undoable without quotas. Ten women broke into the top 25 club, closing the gender gap in what is seen as one of the country’s most intensely fought examinations. Most of the top picks came from middle India in an assertion of aspiration.

The third topper Junaid Ahmad from Bijnore, an alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), added to the diverse mix of a young India that is looking to shape the administrative matrix and respond to common people. This batch is truly inclusive as there are 36 selectees with benchmark incapacity (11 orthopedically handicapped; 12 visually challenged, 11 hearing impaired and two with multiple incapacities).

But underlying their individual feats is their idealistic dream of staking their abilities at home. And doing so realistically. Kataria, who has cracked the number one position in his maiden attempt, has had an enviable professional graph in the private sector, having worked in Bengaluru and with Samsung in South Korea. But he resigned in 2017 and started his preparations because he simply wanted to apply the depth of his experience with digitisation within the executive of his home country. He chose challenge over easy comfort. And in a rare candid admission, he not only credited his family but girlfriend, too, for providing moral support during his

15-hour study cycles. That made him almost a social media hero overnight for normalising an issue previously considered taboo, that of acknowledging the worth of girlfriends with core family on an open forum. In that one stroke, he also shattered the myth of the austere life of a UPSC topper, that he could be a normal person with normal pursuits and relationships and still aim for the top slot. At a time when career graphs are ridden with performance anxieties, this sent out a right message for students and more so to their parents, who usually proscribe romantic relationships in their child’s formative years as something distractive, not to be considered before marriage and a waste of time that could be better spent studying. In fact, Tina Dabi, the topper of 2015, broke some rules too by marrying second rank holder the same year, Athar Aamir Khan, normalising marriage, that too an inter-faith one, as a part and parcel of a career woman’s life.

Both Junaid and fifth rank holder Srushti Jayant Deshmukh embodied the success of a digital India as they relied on the information available on the internet for their success. Srushti could have moved to Delhi for coaching but stayed put in Bhopal, mostly depending on online lessons.

Ahmad, the boy from Nagina town in Bijnore district of Uttar Pradesh, made “productive” use of the internet and was an IRS trainee but wanted to be an IAS officer so that he could solve people’s problems directly. This youthful brigade is not only fired by idealism and a can-do spirit but has the unique ability to innovate with existing resources. Let’s hope that they can depoliticise the system enough and do not get disillusioned along the way that other topper Shah Faesal did. They have broken the rules, here’s hoping they can make their own ones.

EXOTICA [74] APRIL 2019

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