EXOTICA
RNI NO. DELENG/2006/18084 POSTAL REGN. NO. DL (C)-01/1151/2016-2018 Posted at NDPSO on 10th, 11th & 12th of same month Published on 30th of Advance Month
VOL 10 NO 10 AUGUST 2016
Editor-in-Chief CHANDAN MITRA EDITORIAL BOARD Vice-Chairman & Joint Managing Director Amit Goel Chief Executive Officer Abhishek Saxena EDITORIAL Editor-in-Charge Rinku Ghosh Feature Writers Priyanka Joshi & Devi Singh Chief Designer Anand Singh Rawat Senior Designer Santosh Kumar Yadav Pre-press Manager Syed Nawab Raza Staff Photographer Pankaj Kumar SALES & MARKETING Chief Consultant (Strategy & Corporate Excellence) Sanjay K Mendiratta Vice President (Business & Strategy Implementation) Anju Sharma Jalota General Manager Kumar Gurudutta Jha Managers Bharat Singh Sajwan & Prabhakar Pathak Senior Marketing Executive Komal Sharma Marketing Executive Srinija Chakraborty GOVERNMENT & PSU General Manager Tapan Ghosh Assistant Manager Neeta Rai Media Coordinator Neelu Sharma MUMBAI OFFICE General Manager Devendra Adhikari KOLKATA OFFICE Vice President Suzanna Roy General Manager (Circulation) Rajeev Gautam Printed and published by Chandan Mitra for and on behalf of CMYK Printech Ltd, printed at Lustra Print Process Pvt Ltd, Killa No. 51/21, Village: Rohad, District: Jhajjar, Bahadurgarh, Haryana and published at 2nd floor, Patriot House, 3, 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; 2nd Floor, Patriot House, 3, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002 Phone: 23718296/40754136 Fax: 23755275 Email: exoticapioneer2016@gmail.com
FROM THE EDITOR
HALLWAY TO THE PAST encapsulates all stages of urban evolution in India — ancient, medieval, modern and post-modern. And like everything else, cinema halls grew with the city; the newer the locality, the better the technology and viewer amenities. Indeed it is possible to capture the history and sociology of modern Delhi by studying its movie halls, at least till the early 21st century when standalone theatres went into decline, new ones losing their individual identity and cultural uniqueness within the consumerist anonymity of burgeoning shopping malls. There was a time when filmgoers were not choosy about the amenities that cinema halls offered. People would flock to the nearest theatre, irrespective of the facilities offered. This was true even till the later decades of the 20th century. Today’s generation would scarcely believe there were halls which did not even bother to have paper tickets! Instead of printed tickets, the authorities used to stamp a client’s lower arm with the hall’s rubber stamp. One such hall was Robin Talkies, located in a lane leading to a haveli diagonally opposite Amba cinema in Ghanta Ghar, between Old Subzi Mandi and Shakti Nagar in North Delhi. Amba was one of the best and spacious halls near Delhi University’s North Campus and thus frequented by students. An avid filmgoer, I proudly claim to have watched every new Hindi film for years, on the first day of its release, even if not the first day, first show. Many of them were in Amba from where we often walked back to our hostels past midnight jumping over the barbed wire fence that separated my hostel block in St Stephen’s College from the road. But for several years even I did not know there existed a hall called Robin tucked away in the innards of a gateway to a haveli right opposite Amba. My visit to this unique movie hall was rather accidental and happened towards the end of my university life. In 1980, just before I left for Oxford to pursue my doctoral degree, my students (I was then teaching in Hansraj College), decided to throw a farewell party. Hostellers of Hansraj, like many of their counterparts in other college hostels, were ferocious drinkers. Discreet or responsible drinking did not exist in their vocabulary. They poured about a dozen bottles of beer and several bottles of cheap Indian whisky into a big plastic bucket and then pushed a slab of ice into the concoction. Using mugs to pour out the lethal liquid into paper cups, they drank themselves silly. I can’t claim to have remained aloof from the merriment. In that inebriated state, somebody floated the idea of watching a movie. Since the film showing at Amba was sold out, they persuaded me to try Robin. I still recall, we were 18 of us and as I was perhaps the only person relatively sober, a bouncer sort of man held my left hand and proceeded to speedily use the rubber stamp, while pushing the students inside one by one. At the head of the stairs, men had to turn in one direction while women (mostly burqa-clad) turned in the other. The segregation was strict. The Majestic was quaint because it seemed to me to have been a haveli’s courtyard converted into a theatre. A narrow balcony ran on three sides and a multitude of pillars provided support to the roof from which hung a few dozen ceiling fans. The problem was that if you were unlucky to get a seat behind one such pillar, you invariably ended up with a pain in your neck caused by craning from side to side. But one movie hall that will never get erased from my memory is Chanakya, with its distinctive architecture and plush interiors. It was here that I hosted a film premiere. As secretary of my college students’ union society, I successfully persuaded Manoj Kumar to give us the premiere of Roti, Kapda Aur Makaan to help raise funds. I was the object of widespread envy in college for having sat next to the heartthrob of the times, Zeenat Aman. Amitabh Bachchan was still not a mega-superstar but was on the way to achieving cult status. I remember him coming in late and not finding a seat, sitting on the floor right till the end. All that will remain is nostalgia.
DELHI
[CHANDAN MITRA] Editor-in-Chief
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I N S I D E
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AUGUST 2016 VOLUME 10 NO 10
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Little Black Book [p8] Shipra Khanna: A quick peek into her style file Q&A [p16] No reservations: Zorawar Kalra Runway Diaries [p26] How haute is your couture? A round up of India Couture Week Foreign Shores [p36] Bali god’s vacation: A mosaic of experience that goes beyond tropical expectations Offtrack Trek [p60] Deep impact: Lonar crater Hot Spot [p64]
COVER PHOTO: PANKAJ KUMAR/ THE PERSIAN STORY BY MANISH MALHOTRA, INDIA COUTURE WEEK 2016
CONTRIBUTORS
Fun-O-lympics: The lowdown on Rio de Janeiro’s four zones Monsoon Magic [p66] Tea time tales: Chai tours across the country during monsoon Authorspeak [p82] Climate change is about survival at the most essential level: Amitav Ghosh
Kushan Mitra [p74] Hotwheels: The Swedish way Magandeep Singh [p98] Blithe spirit: The edge of season Sri Sri Ravi Shankar [p100] Guruspeak: Let’s call a truce Bharat Thakur [p102] Fitness: Take a breather Sanjay Jumaani [p104] Number game: Count your fate
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TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES 108 INCLUDING COVER
OUR
PARTNER
HOTELS
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COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIVES Has a friendly Rehabilitation
& Resettlement policy that is responsive to the needs of displaced persons. Pursues ‘mining with a
human face’ through socially sustainable inclusive model of growth. Makes Project Affected
Persons (PAPs) stakeholders in the decision making process for improved living standards. Provides skill development
to PAPs for livelihood creation and selfemployment opportunities. Strives for a better
understanding with PAPs through caring and reaching out to them.
COAL INDIA LIMITED (A Maharatna Company)
I think I would vouch for Pagani sunglasses. I love their ombre collection.
FAVOURITE HAUNTS OF STYLISH PEOPLE
I love flaunting an Omega on formal occassions.
You will mostly find me in Jimmy Choo stilettos for the evenings and for days I prefer Aldo ballerinas.
Currently I’m wearing Jadore by Dior.
SHIPRA KHANNA is a MasterChef winner, consultant, author and an anchor. She is known to be the youngest and one of the most glamorous chefs in the world
I usually listen to soft rock. Currently Yellow by Coldplay is on my endless loop.
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Lately I’ve developed a taste for Peruvian cuisine. I love digging into some of the delicacies.
I have a leather jacket by Gucci which I feel is the best piece in my wardrobe.
EVENT CALENDAR
AUGUSTRUSH Surprise yourself with what the month has to offer
5TH AUGUST [UNDERWEAR DAY]
8TH AUGUST [BOWLING DAY]
9TH AUGUST [BOOK LOVERS DAY]
Hundreds of people come together in New York City in just their underwear as a way of celebrating their confidence and individuality.
Thousands of centres are offering free sessions for Bowling Day; so the ideal way to celebrate is to go hit one of these centres and aim for one.
The day encourages you to kick back and relax with a great book. From shaded spots under arching trees to being tucked up in bed.
12TH AUGUST
17TH AUGUST
[VINYL RECORD DAY]
[BLACK CAT DAY]
25TH AUGUST [WHISKY SOUR DAY]
It is organised by the Vinyl Record Day Company — an organisation dedicated to recognising and preserving vinyl music and sound.
Because of superstitious beliefs in some cultures, black cats are sometimes associated with bad luck and, sadly, take more time to even get adopted.
For the uninitiated, the day is a classic cocktail that has an excellent history with its first mention in 1870 in a Wisconsin newspaper.
29TH AUGUST
30TH AUGUST [INTERNATIONAL SHARK DAY]
26TH AUGUST [LOVE THE LAWYERS DAY]
Started in 2012, International Shark Day celebrates the gentle giants in a grand way. Time to give some love.
For the contribution of lawyers for upholding a civilised society, no matter how unpopular we generally consider them to be.
[INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS DAY]
The day was initiated by the founder of the Objectivist Party, Dr Tom Stevens, who supported John Locke’s philosophies. Some serious dope there.
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TRAVEL NEWS
TRAVEL IN STYLE
DECCAN Odyssey, the award-winning luxury train operated by Cox & Kings — the outsourced partner of The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) — has announced its exclusive ‘Companion Offer’ for Indian citizens for the new set of journeys commencing October 2016. Book a cabin and avail 50 per cent discount for your companion. It’s time you let yourself immerse in opulence. Visit the iconic symbols, India’s architectural wonders, World Heritage sites and relish secret recipes of the royal kitchens. Deccan Odyssey will embark on its unique journey from October 1 covering some spectacular sites. The offer is applicable on bookings made from June 16 to September 30.
GLAMPING IN CALIFORNIA about an overnight safari trip to see African animals just a half-hour drive north of downtown San Diego? Experience all this just outside your tent at San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The remarkable “Roar and Snore Safari” facility has a sleepover adventure in one of 46 comfy, safari-style tents that border an expansive grazing area for giraffes, rhinos, gazelles, antelopes and other exotic animals. Look for special themes throughout the year, like kid-favourite ‘Creepy Camp’ during Halloween or Valentine’s Day overnights featuring a candle-lit dinner and wine. All overnights include special activities, an after-hours look at resident animals, a campfire programme, dinner and a park souvenir.
HOW
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NEW AVENUES Hotels Group recently acquired FRHI Hotels & Resorts and its three prestigious luxury hotel brands namely — Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel. It also appointed new directors on the board. This addition of three remarkable brands has positioned AccorHotels as a leading player in the global luxury hotel market — increasing its long-term growth potential and profitability — expanding the company’s footprint in North America, the world’s largest and most influential consumer market.
ACCOR
SKY HIGH Alliance — the way the earth connects, has claimed the Best Airline Alliance title at the Skytrax World Airline Awards. The Alliance also received the Best Airline Alliance Lounge Award for its prestigious Los Angeles Lounge. The customer survey ran from August 2015 until May 2016 with a total of 19.2 million eligible surveys being completed. People of more than 104 different nationalities participated in the survey which covered over 280 airlines from the largest international airlines to smaller domestic carriers. The surveys measured quality standards across 41 key performance indicators of front-line product and service. Complementing the alliance awards, 13 Star Alliance member carriers also received distinctions. Five Star Alliance member carriers were ranked in the overall top ten of the world’s best airline category — with Singapore Airlines taking the number three position, followed by ANA (fifth), Turkish Airlines (seventh), EVA Air (eighth) and Lufthansa (tenth).
STAR
REASONS TO SMILE survey by one of India’s leading online travel portals brought forth the enthusiasm of Indian travellers in the valuation of rupee due to the Brexit referendum. The finding showcased the changing paradigm of Indian travellers and how holidays and travel have become a priority among Indians. The unhindered spirit of the travellers was seen when almost 71 per cent people stayed firm on their international travel plans despite any apprehensions BREXIT brought to the global economy. Currency of a country remains a major deciding factor for over 68 per cent of the Indian travellers. Therefore, with the British pound and Euro falling, close to 75 per cent have expressed interest in travelling to UK and Europe over any other international destination.
A
BEER CHEER largest and most traditional breweries invite you to join Oktoberfest 2016, the world’s largest beer fest. With some six million people attending the jamboree every year, it is now an important part of the Bavarian culture. Drink beer by the litre, relish traditional Bavarian foods such as 15-inch wide pretzels or listen to live brass bands playing traditional Bavarian music and enjoy yourself with hundreds of people from all over the world.
MUNICH’S
THE LUXE DREAM travelling for pleasure or business, bringing to life the glamour, romance and allure of luxury travel is effortless with Club InterContinental — the end-to-end bespoke premium travel experience by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts tailored exclusively to individual guest preferences. The new ‘Insider Guide’ to the ultimate in luxury travel with Club InterContinental has been launched throughout the AMEA region. From planning your ultimate dream travel experience to fashion advice for any climate — the guide is the perfect companion when travelling with InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. The Club InterContinental team offers recommendations for planning the perfect trip and indulging at over 50 InterContinental hotels and resorts across AMEA and more than 70 around the world.
WHETHER A MOUTHFUL OF FLAVOURS York City’s official destination marketing organisation recently encouraged diners to book for NYC Restaurant Week 2016 at one of the 387 participating restaurants. In its 24th year, NYC Restaurant Week will be featuring 49 new restaurants. With over 40 neighbourhoods serving more than 30 cuisines, the diners have more options than ever. Supporting one of NYC’s most important industries, the Restaurant Week boosts business during a typically slower season while providing diners the perfect reason to experience new restaurants or return to their favourites at a fraction of the cost.
NEW
SMURFS EVERYWHERE Smurfs — the classic Belgian cartoon and comic-strip created by the Belgian comic artist Peyo in 1958 — construct a boundless harmony and paint the ideal world in miniature. And they are going to embark on an Asian Art Tour to convey their beliefs — in harmony without boundaries. Their first port of call will be Harbour City in Hong Kong starting mid July till August. Moreover, an exhibition featuring 36 precious original works of Peyo will also debut. Smurf fans can collect the Hong Kong special edition smurf figures and premiums from all over the world.
THE
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TERRIFIC TAIWAN has been rated as the best place to travel in 2016 with Taipei establishing itself as one of Asia’s most compelling cities. It has also been named the World Design Capital for 2016. The efficient public transportation system, thriving night culture, spectrum of culinary offerings or even the arts add to the wholesome travel experience that truly establishes the reputation of Taiwan as a country of diversity. You can visit the tallest skyscraper in Taipei with 101 floors or enjoy a meal at restaurants such as Ding Tai Fung. There’s been an increase in interesting hotels as well. The palatial Mandarin Oriental is the swankiest place to stay with clever boutiques, like the new Eslite Hotel — a design-centric property from a beloved local bookstore chain.
TAIWAN
DAY PASS FOR NYC the debut of New York C3 — a mobile pass concept that allows a more customised approach to vacation planning — New Yorkers can look forward to amazing new experiences. It allows users to select any three attractions from a curated list of 10 must-see New York sights which includes Empire State Building Experience, American Museum of Natural History, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum among others.
WITH
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Q&A
PHOTOS: ALLWYN SINGH
No reservations
Restaurateur and superchef ZORAWAR KALRA is aggressively going international with nouvelle Indian cuisine and innovation. Having just launched Masala Library in Delhi, he is taking it to New York, London and Dubai. And he’s ensuring there is a fashionably long reservation list for savouring his ever-evolving experience. It’s three weeks in Mumbai. He’s hoping it to be three months in Delhi. By RINKU GHOSH
o Considering that Delhi has been the karmabhoomi of Jiggs Kalra, why has it taken so long for Masala Library to come here? That too so long after Mumbai? The location in Mumbai was far better then and the brand indeed is very location-sensitive to get the client it caters to. But when it comes to the menu, Delhi only shares 10 per cent of its DNA with Mumbai. We are trying to make a restaurant that is post-molecular and post-modern, a very unique concept which focusses on pushing the boundaries of gastronomy and flavour. o But isn’t molecular gastronomy the world over on its way out? Chefs are returning to the basics rather than
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focussing on the physical and chemical reactions of food components. I don’t think it’s on its way out but I do think the term has been abused by people who did not really know what they were or are still doing. The word “molecular” may sound research lab and “gastronomy” may sound a bit elitist but the fact of the matter is that the use of modern thickeners, substitutes, enzymes, liquid nitrogen, sous vide, dehydration and other non-traditional means do not define our cooking. We only employ them to enhance flavours, boost presentation, evolve a concept and heighten a dining experience. We use them as tools to make food better, not to destroy its grammar. A lot of people also confuse the term “molecular” with chemicals. Did you know that adrenaline or MSG are both chemicals which exist within our body? All ingredients have WHO-approved organic chemicals. There is a lot of research that goes into creating a dish that should talk to you from the word go. It is because of superior technique that we can reproduce the same flavour of a sinful, rich dish at a very small percentage of calories. For example, the raj kachori at our casual diner Farzi Café has a saunth chutney that is foamy instead of being watery. When you ingest it, your brain thinks you are having the good old saunth but with a miniscule per cent of the calories. Of course, the flavour and the experience are the same. It’s all about using science to make something that was 200 years old in a better way. Haven’t we employed science to fly and in our daily lives? So why should not we use science in our food? A dal with a dollop of cream has been happening for 30 years now. If you can satisfy yourself with just a plop of a ladle and not worry about heaviness, then why not? It’s time to evolve. Technology is a tool to make Indian food relevant in the 2020s on a global scale. o Why do you call Delhi’s Masala Library post-molecular? Because the technique we are using is way beyond the molecular era. That consisted of foam, spheres, gels and liquid nitrogen. Now we are using techniques like quantum levitation, rotary evaporation, centrifuge. We are even marrying 700-year-old techniques with the modern. We are using fermentation. There is a dish on our menu that takes six days to make, then there is a dal that takes three days to make. All so that you get a bouquet of flavours from the most homely stuff like no other. Our
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YOUNG chef Saurabh Udinia, is helming the Delhi edition of Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra. He believes in steeping ancient river bed stones in water inside his super kitchen and presenting them as a plating accessory to his nouvelle and post-molecular 19course menu. He went to Ramganga in search of the relics of time. Flavour tips? His mother.
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menu has been designed with a lot of techniques that do not exist anywhere in the world. o How much research have you put in to get a pan-India experience? This restaurant is sub-continental in nature, so there are elements and dishes from Pakistan, Burma, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, all of which we visited. In India, we painstakingly found out regional secrets. So my team went to the North-East to study the local food for five days and ate everything possible. I am glad that I have been able to rescue some tribal favourites for mainstream acceptance like the stew. o With 25 chefs on call, how soon will you be refreshing your menu? At Masala Library, we change the menu every few months. The tasting menu here consists of 19 courses which will change every two months. The chefs will be incorporating new techniques to push the boundaries further. We did that in Mumbai as well and in three years we must have changed the menu at least seven times. o Do you think India’s time has come to make a mark in uber, nouvelle cuisine? The patrons are very well evolved and travelled, they appreciate good food and like being adventurous with their palate; they like trying out unique flavours and cuisines. I agree Indian cuisine is a little risky but if you respect Indian food and techniques by playing around with in terms of presentation or incorporating some important elements, then people love it. And I’ve already seen it happening in Mumbai, seen it at Farzi Café in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Gurgaon. We are the crusaders of Indian cuisine. We will always focus on the authenticity of flavour and then play around with the setting. Delhi’s Masala Library looks like any fine-diner in any part of the world. There’s nothing Indian about the decor. We don’t want themes, we like to have themes in the food we serve. And we like to segregate different customers, demographics and palates. We have Farzi Café, Made in Punjab and Pa Pa Ya which are fine-casual. Our premium diners are Masala Bar and Masala Library. o Isn’t the fine-casual dining space getting overcrowded with a lot of me-too experiments?
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places a dehydrated and oven-roasted lotus shoot, lightly dusted with leaf powder, over an everyday raita relish of Kashmiri radish and walnut, ladled over the stone. I can almost get that wet, sondhi smell waft up my senses with the flavours. As I scoop up the relish, scraping it like a heathen, I ask, “Is the food reacting to the elements in the stone? Is something happening here or is it just an illusion?” The 26-year-old gives me a spiel on bringing the earthly elements in the heart of Delhi’s business district but leaves me wondering, real or illusion? Science or back-to-thebasics philosophy?
HE
nest of broken half-boiled eggs and filtered rasam, aptly an indicator of the early and homely breakfast hour. Only the broken egg shells are crafted ceramic shot glasses from Spain, the bulbous yellow yolk is a glutinous mango sphere seated on a bed of tender coconut pulp. There are the usual syringes of spiced water to go with cubist chaats and the deconstructed samosa, every ingredient dolloped on a cocktail cracker instead of a wrap.
A
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They are all going to shut down. And I sensed that after opening Farzi Café in Connaught Place around six months ago. So many neighbours hit a rough patch. Ultimately you have to put up a good product. You can’t just open a restaurant, call it xyz café, start serving cheap liquor and expect it to work. We must realise that we cannot fool people, who are discerning more than ever. They want a hook, a character, a unique experience. Diner attention spans have reduced drastically, they tend to get bored in two months. Impatient, customers are constantly on the lookout for something that gives them recall value, be it culinary, music, drinking or all of it and consistently at that. It’s a very competitive business and only the best restaurants will survive. o In these fickle times, how do you keep sailing? People want contemporisation in their clothing, music, movies and food. The youth are very adventurous which gives a restaurateur a broader canvas to play with. You can now choose more exciting colours metaphorically speaking. You can now take bigger risks and people are willing to reward those risks. If you are innovative enough and if it’s a risky proposition, chances are you will do well, only if it is properly executed. And we come from that school of thought where we don’t believe in resting on our laurels. We can’t say that alright we made some great curry in the 18th century and now we are good to go forever while the French keep changing their food. We have to evolve to sustain. Exactly why even the Japanese keep on changing their food. Back in the 90s, Japanese food got a huge makeover and suddenly became a global phenomena. I want to be the person who brings about that change, that renaissance. I want to make Indian the dominant cuisine all over the world; that’s my goal. o How much of your father’s research did you rely on? Does he appreciate the new trends and the techniques you have employed? All the fundamental and the base recipes are derived from his 30-year research. He has devoted his life to the food revolution in India and is still a walking, talking encyclopaedia, still knows more about Indian food than anybody else. His knowledge is unmatched and unparalleled and we use a lot of that in our dishes, ensuring accuracy and authenticity. He doesn’t have any
places curd rice foam on a curry leaf with pepper-fried prawn. The pulverised and aerated rice uses the same volume as would be required to serve one person but has just 10 per cent of the calories, the chef has me know. Nothing could be more delicious than a blast of comfort flavours without bothering about falling off to sleep.
HE
would ever think of bajre ki roti or ridge gourd as amuse bouche? Masala Library dares to present its Farmer’s Staple — onion slivers fried with chilli and salt in homechurned white butter, stuffed in a dough of bajra and served in a plate with broken edges. The chef works with ceramic specialists himself, working on the glaze and shape and apparently the farmer’s platter was finalised out of 21 samples! His roasted torai or ridge gourd is zested up with a grassy pea filling and topped with a floaty, gossamer and crispy sail with a dry ginger chutney. A humble waterretaining summer vegetable becomes a porous receptacle of fullness and flavour. “The poppadum-like crest is actually blanched and pulverised gourd, held up with a cellulose wall. It is dehydrated for 18 hours at least and never fried. That’s the time and thought that goes into each preparation,” he tells me.
WHO
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serves galouti kebab as a pate served over a sheermal melt. After cooking with traditional spices, the mince is beaten up over and over again to make it airy and creamy, such that it dissipates into your mouth even faster. “It does not require chickpea paste as a binding agent and it is a silky smooth ride of pure substance, subtlety and delicateness,� he tells us. This is one of the standout features of Masala Library; it does not use more spices than are necessary or overpowering.
HE
it is the Naga pork with fermented soy beans and Mizo stew with black rice that would want to make you just curl up in your lounge. Playing around with the dainty cress, the smoky chilli flavour from Khonoma gives quite a kick to the pork without the stir-fried hotness of the original. It is succulent, turgid with a sweet aftertaste and not fibrous at all, having been cooked in the oven for three hours at 180 degrees, skin-on-belly and rehydrated by letting it cool and sit in the same water released by the heat. Turns out the chef tried marinating the meat in a variety of fancy liquids to make his morsels melting-smooth and rid them of game odour till he tried dunking them in coconut milk! And he had his Eureka moment. Wild beans fermented for two days are a perfect accompaniment to the stew and chicken, taking away their blandness.
BUT
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reservations about new styles of cooking, is very forwardthinking and liberal and lets us innovate. He initially had some apprehensions but later he opened up to the idea. That’s the way of the future. You can’t fight technology or what the next generation wants. Otherwise you won’t have any customers left. o Where do you see the fine-dining space headed in this country? It’s reducing in size. There are not many restaurants around. From a scalability factor, fine- casual is better whereas fine-dining has limited scale. Delhiites love a good experience and they are ready to pay for it. If you keep delivering that experience, they will keep coming back, so we are very confident about the Delhi market. We expect even better results here than Mumbai. o What about emerging cities of India? We are opening in Pune. We are already in Mumbai and Bengaluru. We are going on a very quick expansion spree but only at the right locations. The north Indian flavours have always been loved down south and we have not gone wrong with dal makhni and butter chicken. They are universal flavours and not an acquired taste. Anybody tasting these items will like it. They make for a non-offensive flavour, very basic and comforting, not something like caviar. The flavour profile hits all the right buttons. o Are you going to set up a pan-India culinary academy? Maybe we will. Because we don’t really have anyone who is doing a good job at it. The Oberoi school is good but they only supply to Oberoi. We are not getting the trained manpower at the speed we would like, so better we do something about it. o Any dish that you created and loved? I created one for Masala Library, Mumbai, which is available here as well. It’s jalebi caviar which is now our top dish there and I’m sure people are going to love it here too. I still remember dropping a pen randomly on a piece of paper that made small blue marks. I asked my chefs to make jalebis that size. It melts caviar-like and explodes fulsome served on a bed of rabdi and saffron foam. All done with the help of equipment as strange as the ones you find in a research laboratory.
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are looking at an ashen kulfi, the traditional dessert sealed in by a darkened layer of burnt banana leaves, the best digestive there is, and the jalebi caviar, the sweet globules dissipating into the saffron foam and the trickling pistachio rabri presented in a sea shell. So where’s the quirk, you may ask? White chocolate spinning on a superconductor tray levitating on a magnet and digital art with chocolate ganache? But then that’s just the kid in him, I guess.
WE
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RUNWAY DIARIES
We break down the couture capsule, a round-up of what and how, the new and has-beens, the seen and unseen
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YOUR COUTURE? EXOTICA [27] AUGUST 2016
MANISH MALHOTRA A Manish Malhotra show will be starry, opulent, sheer, blingy, swishy and grand with the hype and hoopla of topline Bollywood presence. Expected. A dishy Fawad Khan will have women hooting for him with full gusto, overlooking his wearables and taken in by his bearded sobriety and gait. Expected. Deepika Padukone beating all the tiredness of her overseas shoots and becoming the showstopper in a red velvet lehenga, completely enmeshed in badla work across a never-ending trail and a cropped choli blouse, a cocktail bride look that has been around for a long time but looking scorching simply because it is on a different diva this time. With a 50-piece rollout of his line at the opening night of the FDCI India Couture Week, the ace designer was expected not to cross the predictable and familiar, no matter what a couture show implies. It is perhaps okay for a couturist of his standing to retain a few signature accents but does that mean one should overdo a template so that couture after couture season, the designs look assembly line? The Persian Story may have been a sales pitch but the warm colour palette, the royal gush, embellished excesses, architectural motifs, the indulgent hand-woven gold embroidery adorning sheer and velvet fabrics, the
EXPECTED.
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abundance of maroon and red are all what we have seen before. One may argue that in India couture rarely steps out of the bridal-festive zone but if our artistes are not going to break the mould, who will? We wish Manish, given his standing, could risk stepping out of the comfort zone. For there were indeed some smart innovations in his bouquet, tucked away between the folds of his largesse. And despite Fawad Khan making godspeed with his fluid palazzo pants and black achkan, it was the other men who had the better overlays. This understated Manish needed a little bit more nudge and a push. Richness, resplendence and detailing are always the designer’s forte. No doubt about that. But he must beat what we expect of him. Particularly on the ramp. We particularly liked the red and fawncoloured check combos the boys strutted out in, sometimes in throws and lapels. The double lapel, some of them contrasting, on short galabandhs was another smart flourish. The men’s solids were interesting with just the right dash of embellishment just as the tonal ruffled gown was worn by only one female model. The wine brocade jacket, cigarette pants teamed with a slanted Persian cap would make for a stylish evening statement by many contemporary women. Wish we had more interpretations of the sheer pastel combos. As for the showstopper, it was just a different diva, same theme.
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TARUN TAHILIANI resplendent notes of sarangi transported us to the grandeur of sybaritic nawabs with the ramp doubling up as a court bedecked with a giant crystal chandelier, purposely-done grimed mirrors and the quintessential hanging gajras. Add to this perfect frame, a splendid rendition of a stunning kathak dancer. Tarun Tahiliani managed to score high on Day 2 of India Couture Week by doing what he does best, painting charm on a canvas. The collection, besides holding a strong signature of his, had some new elements and a lot of drama, which is expected out of him. Majorly a bridal collection, the ace designer brought out what comes naturally to him. Not complaining, as bridal is what sells in India in the name of couture. Inspired by the custodians of beauty, glamour, art and fashion, the ‘Last dance of a Courtesan’ was a celebration of the women of the courts. Tahiliani did break ground by dreaming of a bride, taking a cue from the style and sensibilities of the nautch girls, poetesses and performers, fiery women of spirit. Fabrics of sheer like tulle, light chiffons, silks and mixed with fine thread work and crystals with stylised cuts made their presence felt on the ramp. There was the sleeveless anarkali as jump suit, the corsetted kurta drape, the shararas in tulle and gota. For the chic appeal,
THE
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Swarovski crystals were added, imparting modern character to the pieces. Encrusted opal on chikankari sarees, draped brocade lehengas, panelled jackets and voluminous skirts were high points of the collection. There were also men or the grooms so to speak. Dressed in fabrics such as brocades, velvet, silks and georgettes, in hues ranging from creams to blue, the men looked every inch the royalty. They strutted in sherwanis and kurtas embellished with chikankari and gota accented by French knots. The pearl highlights marked with embroidered cummerbunds and draped dhotis produced a sense of elegance and distinctive aura to the collection. The hues ranged from the signature Tahiliani whites and beige with a set of bright oranges, a few blacks, strong reds and maroons. The final walk had pastels, blush pinks accentuated with green, peaches and ivory.
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ANAMIKA KHANNA on “Time Stood Still,” Khanna played on with the likes of Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra crooning in the background as the models sashayed down in sequined jackets, palazzos, longtrailed anarkalis, oversized structured coats and skirts. She stuck to her trademark silhouettes and colours. The designer brought alive the youthfulness of romance and we loved it much. The asymmetrical shapes went well with the sensibilities of the modern Indian woman, rooted in tradition yet flying high with the courage to experiment. No restrictions or boundaries of what must be. It paid homage to the fact that every woman is an individual and her needs are not generic. Some innovation to the design vocabulary could be seen through 3D petals with the collection majorly borrowing a lot from Indian sensibilities. The structures, cuts, shapes were modern with traditional embroideries like zardosi, dori work and kalamkari. Pearl work dominated the entire range of sarees and the shararas were done in a new avatar. The palette was the usual ‘Anamika Khanna’ with pastels ruling the roost including ivory, beige, white and salmon pink, powder blue shifting to black with hints of red. Sonam Kapoor attended the show and even came dressed in one of the designer’s outfits looking spectacular in a champagnehued floral, embroidered half-saree with a loose blouse. Only if we could see her gracing the runway.
THEMED
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GAURAV GUPTA Gupta’s collection, “Scape Song”, as usual displayed his edgy side. Unlike everyone, he explored with unusual silhouettes, mixed it with a lot of drapes and intelligent construction. There were the multi-layered high waist skirts and classic silhouettes with a modern twist. A mood mix of modern amorphous architectural forms in vintage renditions of pearls and tassels, of multi-layered scaping skirts with sculpted corsetted blouses and swirls of organza that reminded you of water scales or a whirling rose. There was a sense of liberation in colours of the deep blue sea and azure skies and of a restrained romance in provincial lavenders, a hinting blush and a waiting green. The ramp had models walking or should we say flocking like birds which was hands down very impressive. It was beautiful and well-thought. The elongated eye lashes fluttering under the bright lights added a nice dose of drama. The stage had huge frozen waves which sure added to the theme and much needed drama. Actress Saiyami Kher who will soon be seen in filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s film Mirzya made her debut on the runway in a ruffled pastel blue gown by Gupta. Fancy stones in diverse shapes creatively complemented the denim blue, black diamond and clear crystal shades of the mesh. The shimmer of the crystals came alive in light amethyst, rosaline, provence lavender and vintage rose from the Swarovski palette.
GAURAV
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ROHIT BAL this was the much-needed “good story” from Kashmir at a time of gloom. Rohit Bal’s finale show for the India Couture Week, titled Kehkashaan, was a heart-felt tribute to the rich embroidery tradition and the intricate craftsmanship of people who might still rescue themselves by weaving their own story. For the cypress, almonds, birds and chinar were not just about nature in this collection but the human ability to wrap themselves with their inspiration. The offsite show at the Bikaner House was worth remembering in many respects. First, it was so not bridal/festive wear disguising itself as couture. It was pure couture — that summation of vision, imagination, grandeur, art, statement and originality. It took the finale to remind us what a bespoke collection should look like. Second, it was discerning and high-chair. Third, the collection was in sync with the international couture grammar of the season, high Empress lines, 40s’ style suiting, pleats and so on. The fact that the audience was rapturous only indicated that there can be no show-stopper bigger than design. The collection was a cinematic sweep of lush, embroidered and bejewelled ensembles, inspired by the luxurious fashion of Czarist Russia. Bal thoughtfully calls his collection Kehkashan (galaxy) and
PERHAPS
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writes, “It is deeply entrenched in the unmitigated philosophy of extreme luxury. I was overwhelmed by the incredible treasures and the immeasurable excesses of what was once, perhaps, the richest and most glamorous royal regimes the world has ever seen. My time spent at the incredible palaces and museums of St Petersburg, the Hermitage, the Winter Palace, St Isaac’s Cathedral, The Church of the Spilled Blood all left me spellbound. I travelled literally through time into a labyrinth of a bizarre reality of excess wealth and absolute power. It was plain to see that there had to be a revolution in a land so brutally divided between an insensitive aristocracy and the suffering peasantry. In Moscow, the Kremlin, the armoury, the Almazny Fond (the diamond fund) were bewildering and left me awestruck. This collection is my personal interpretation and understanding of this opulence and beauty. For me this is a contemporary collection of a bygone period of excess toned down by my understated philosophy of style and timeless chic. This story sees an amalgamation of two distinct cultures and thought processes, that of Russian grandeur and the almost austere craftsmanship of my absolute true love, Kashmir.” And perhaps this is his way of making the twain meet. Recasting tradition with drama and living it everyday. That’s Bal for you. Although Bal’s silhouettes were as flowing, be it in freeflowing crepe silk, quilted skirts and busts, the embellishments and the heavilycustomised, European-style jewellery never overpowered the anchorage of the monotones — rich black, wine-red, pearl-white and a royal blue. We caught certain flashes of detail, like the Czarist insignia of the double-headed eagle in between Indian foliage. Or the flouncy peplums and the capes, where the florals seemed to sway, as if nodding in the breeze. The boys looked resplendent, as did the designer, in their fitted jackets, coats and jodhpurs, each with just the right dash of brilliance courtesy a necklace, a slanted zardosi patch, the embroidered collar and cuffs, liberty tamed by a fine self-control. Yes there was the kaani, chain stitch, crewel, buttonhole and zardosi, all handy enough to translate the excess of the Czars in another time. But it was in the discipline and mind of the embroiderer in making it wearable that this collection shone through in contemporaneity.
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FOREIGN SHORES
GOD’S VACATION Be it an eclectic spirituality, velvet healing or a hedonistic rush, Bali is a mosaic of experience that goes beyond tropical expectations. By RINKU GHOSH
first, it seems a tad bit strange. The charioteer Krishna, pointing ahead with his far-sighted wisdom and Arjun firming up his resolve to do his karma, even if it means facing his unjust kin. For the sake of dharma. There’s no sudarshan chakra around this larger-than-life, carved rendition of the essence of Gita but a whirl of snazzy cars around the traffic island in a tony district of Denpasar, Bali’s capital. It is hard to imagine episodic sculptures of Ramayana and Mahabharata, Kinnauris, apsaras and Gandharvas in the middle of the southeast-Asian carousel, hectic modernity and the rush and gush of a global hotspot. You could easily be mistaken as taking a walk inside the recreated wonderland of Ramoji studio except the Aryan muscular heroes have slightly altered facial features and Ghatotkach is seen taming a dragon to tap into a water source. As for one of the world’s most active volcanoes, it spews venom when serpent god Basuki or Besakih raises his head in rage! For a moment, it seems that all the Gods of the Hindu pantheon have either set up a parallel universe or taken a vacation in Bali. And though the markers of religion may seem in-your-face, with even tuk tuk drivers having the epics at the tip of their fingers, it is in the practice of it that Bali shows why it is on higher ground. For here people genuinely
AT
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The Uluwatu Temple is spectacular with its cliff-top setting at the edge of a plateau 250 feet above the waves of the ocean; (left) Ganesha statue at the temple
believe in perpetuating karma as a harmony between thought, word and action. Pursuing faith is about practice and wisdom. Simple and precise. Perhaps, this explains the sylvan silence of the islands that appeals to the soul surfer. to think of it, Hinduism came to the islands in the fifth century as our mariners and seafarers set sail from the Bengal and Odisha coast in search of new lands to trade with and settle down in. They brought their priests with them, who were able to blend the local traditions of animism and ancestor worship. Little wonder then that we get to hear more Bengali words than we would use in our hometown. There’s achintya, the radiating sun, usana or warm and puri or town, liberally scattered in speech and the written word. Hinduism further absorbed Buddhist influences until it was displaced by Islam in the 14th century. However, Bali, by virtue of being an agrarian economy, did not encourage much of the Silk and Spice Route traffic until the Dutch and the Portuguese. Even then, the local kings acquiesced their independence to become their puppets. So Bali’s socio-cultural moorings were never shaken. It is this stability that makes for a unique eclecticism on the island today, one that allows easy absorption and accommodation of other ideas, particularly those of the minority. We land in Ramadan season but every restaurant and hotel bends backwards to take care of the fasting brigade, providing special in-room cards for sehri on call and planning tours according to one’s stamina. Historically, it is easy to rationalise Bali’s tryst with moksha but its real appeal lies in practical application. Take our guide, Mr Agung, who catches the Gayatri Mantra under his breath whenever he can, making me feel like a no-goner Hindu. But it is what he does that makes me come alive. “If there is order in the cosmos, or dharma, there is also a disordering force or adharma. We just have to balance ourselves in the middle with our actions and life is good to go. Why do we always think of high spirits? There are the lowly spirits too,
COME
(Left) Deep sea diving and (right) island-hopping are part of day cruises
condemned to misery. We pray for their salvation and make them the protector of our houses, honour them.” Every gateway in Bali is fronted by monstrous dwarfs and animals, who feel dignified by their utility in human society. Mr Agung calls them “Ho Hos” and explains why they wear the black and white checked cloth. “Our life is a weave of the positive and negative and we have to accept both.” Agung never fails to pay his obeisance to Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom. “Without her, there is no leading the right kind of life,” he tells us. All of Bali believes in the holy trinity of Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver) and Maheshwar (destroyer) in their nirguna avatars, which means they are perceived as formless columns of energy, stellar forces of the cosmos. They are represented by just a scroll or empty thrones (padmasanas) atop a pillar or in Buddhistlike shuttered shrines, crowned by multi-tiered
MR
thatch roofs. Like everybody else in Bali, Mr Agung places his floral offerings and incense on a banana leaf platter both inside and outside his home, on the street, under a tree. They are offerings to the Gods, spirits and the elements. Some offer food, cookies or candies, even cigarettes! It is this trait of humanising the world beyond the earthly dimension that sets the Balinese apart. Even today, a traditional Balinese house has an open quadrangle with a decorated bed, all bolstered with pillows, for the soul of the dead! The other rooms or units encircle it. Life and death are in continuity while souls remain together. The Balinese see their life as connected to their ancestors, to the masters of the universe and Nature. Which is why every inclusive islander keeps a garden and a pet, be it a dog, cat or rooster. No Balinese house can be higher than a coconut tree and circumventing that architectural philosophy attracts a 50 per cent tax of the total property value.
THE TEMPLE RUN as we wonder if Mr Agung has chosen the cliff temple at Uluwatu to pay obeisance at the beginning of our tour, we are stumped. Nay, overwhelmed. For at the edge of a limestone plateau, 250 ft above the waves of the Indian Ocean, it is like being at world’s end and staring at eternity. The limestone cliffs rising from the heart of the ocean and brought to life by tropical greens and bursts of wildflower…..the waters changing mood and colour, now azure, next aquamarine, then blue…..the horizon heaving its stillness….and the waves crashing into the dark rocks, churning up the whitest froth and foam. Perhaps the waves pay homage to the temple God, who presides over all existence. That is why the ocean swells put up a giant ballerina act,
JUST
gathering their might, tiptoeing to a crest and then falling in a gorgeous frill of surf. You could lose yourself in interlocked moments, without beginning and without end. Statistically speaking, this is a 10th century temple, complete with an elaborately sculpted Ganesha, intricately carved friezes, lattice work, pavilions and courtyard, seemingly straight out of the Kalinga and south Indian shore temples. But the deity and trinity are still austere and imagined. It is here that we see
what is to become a constant theme, the split gateway, two parallel half arches, taming the flow of energy or perhaps channelising life in between, preventing it from breaking banks. Apparently, a Hindu priest from Java, Mpu Kuturan, set this temple up to protect the islanders from the fury of the ocean. He believed Uluwatu to be the perfect liftoff to moksha. And he did find his absolution here. Story goes that a fisherman saw him vanish into the clouds as a great flash of light.
Besakih temple is known as the ‘Mother Temple’ of Hinduism in Bali
Today, of course, monkeys are believed to be the guardians of divinity and liberally scamper around the temple complex. Every evening, much in the tradition of natmandirs, the temple amphitheatre holds the ritual kecak dance, trance performers meant to communicate the word of god through chants and “chak” sounds, unusually close to screeching monkeys. Now they enact the battles of the Ramayana, mostly of Hanuman. You may not have proof whether humans ascended to their higher state or not but the mirror-still lake Bratan, filling up an old crater in the folds of the Bedugul mountains, seems to be a heavenly chalice that makes you drunk with its breath-taking sweep of Nature’s perfection and the possibility of nirvana. The clouds and mist trickle down the blue mountain tops that almost dissolve themselves in the water, a maestro’s painting in progress. The 16th century water temple, with its
(Top) Lake Bratan is one of the world’s 20th most beautiful lake; the lake temple
seven-tiered thatch crown, is dedicated to Uma, Shiva’s consort, who is also seen as a goddess of fertility as she nourishes farmlands with the water from the lake. The two dragons are the mithun couple, forever in love. However, we do not feel divine love till the heavens open up at the Holy Water temple at Tampak Siring. As we run for cover, ardent devotees walk the submerged stones in the purifying spring, waiting to drench themselves thrice under the gargoyles. Till the rain stops, Mr Agung regales us with stories under a pavilion. Turns out Lord Indra vanquished a demon king Mayadenawa during the tussle for the urn of immortality, what we know as samudra manthan. The demon poisoned the waters in rage which killed Indra’s soldiers. Enraged, he killed the demon, struck his arrow on earth to release an eternal spring that brought back the dead to life.
Holy spring temple and (below) the Kecak dance
Hence this is the pilgrim’s end of the road. The temple seems to push its ritualistic excesses — the priests make us wear a sash and sarong so that we do not expose any part of our limbs and strictly prohibit menstruating women, asking them if they have periods rather bluntly and matter-of-factly. But the prayers are very simple, seeking a life based on Tri Hita Karana or harmony between humans, between humans and the environment and humans and the Supreme One. We sprinkle grains of rice around us, on our head and swallow
two grains, making a vow that we would unite our thoughts, words and our actions. That’s it. We sure would need more than a dip to rid ourselves of mortality. However, we do manage to climb our way up the stairway to heaven or the Mother’s Temple at Besakih. Over a thousand years old, it sits on the southwestern slope of Mount Agung, overlooking a ring of mountains, streams and deep bowl valleys, done up with a tropical rug of the richest vegetation. The number of temples, 86, is merely
pleasing guests. The kids incidental. That it has surround you with intricate pavilions and frangipani, compliment your ancient rainwater looks and in return just management tunnels to expect candies. We bargain prevent rainwater runoff is a over the luscious purple fruit matter architectural. That it called mangosteen, sweetly looks almost like the terraced tangy and very high on antistone perches of Machu oxidants. A miracle cure. Picchu is purely mystical. Did Perhaps, there’s a reason the ancient civilisations why people are happy despite think alike? Did they perceive their simplicity here. Mt the universe the same way? Agung had erupted in 1963, Were these stairs, which destroying everything in its even exist in pyramids, their path except the temple perch for their transit to the complex, a warning, as locals afterlife? Another world? believe, against human Now that is a miracle. Story goes that the serpent god Balinese prayer and doorway at Holy Spring temple excess. Perhaps it is no coincidence that Mr Agung is Basuki lies coiled up beneath Mt Agung and flares up if the harmony around our guide. But he knows that food in your belly is him is disturbed. A monk revived a community of as important as the food for our soul. He treats us to giant coconuts, creamy and full of sweet water distressed people here once. So this temple is a in the village while our travel planner Lina gets us living one, with descendants still serving the needs of the tourist economy, selling wares, fruits and a hedonistic night out.
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NIGHT CRAWLERS many tourist hotspots, Bali sorts out its visitors quite naturally. So while Jimbaran Bay is upscale, Sanur is for the peace and quiet-seeking European couples and art residents, Kuta is for family fun and Seminayak is for Indians. From the Indian perspective, Seminayak works because of its easy hangout feel, Indian restaurants (many of us are still not experimental with southeast Asian cuisine), night-long shopping boutiques, cafes and walk-in jazz bars. A performer group actually waves at us and invites us in, asking us to join them in an impromptu performance and a couple of beers. But it is Jimbaran Bay, fronted by colonial style private mansions, high end resorts and an expat melange that the real cauldron stirs. It is lined with seafood restaurants, each stocked with live specimens in aquaria that are pulled out to create the most delectable seafood platters on call. All touched up with a hint of sambal sauce and local spices. The Balinese dancer puts up a show, the wandering minstrels halt at each table and we loll by the sea, with the fishermen’s boats bobbing up and down the tides. The evening glows with a comforting warmth, though the lighthouse blinks in the distance, showing us a sliver of the black waters and the terrifying vastness of the ocean all around. If land is not your thing, then the sunset cruises on Bali Hai are a must-do, if only to see the sun
UNLIKE
The marina at Benoa and the sunset cruises on Bali Hai are a must-do, if only to see the sun break up into its speckled avatar
(Clockwise) Enjoy a sunset dinner on the cruise; relax at Anika spa; end the day at Jimbaran Bay
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break up into its speckled avatar and trail the wispy clouds, dare yourself to tuck a frangipani behind your ear and skim the water basking in the afterglow of a day well-spent. These luxury cruises lay out the most lavish dinner buffets for guests in the floating restaurants accompanied by some live music bands and scintillating cabarets after-hours. You may have seen these in other cruise boats as well, particularly those near Bangkok or Singapore, but the Bali cruises are not sexed up deliberately. It is about a fashionable night out in the high seas, under a dome of stars, losing yourself without boundaries, clinking some tall glasses and the shimmering lights of the harbour guiding you home from the deep. If that’s still not it, get some deep pore relaxation at night-long Balinese spa and massage centres, for a quick detox and perk-up that set you on course for a new day. While the economy range is available all over the town, with the staff staying in a dorm a floor above in sweatshop discipline, the traditional expertise comes at the Anika spa. Now this is a courtyard sprawl of an old establishment, complete with old-style latched wooden doors and windows, sunken pools in treatment rooms, old mosaic floors, stone flats, plunge pools, rattan chairs and the most experienced masseurs kneading out your stress in long, elaborate pulls. The world swears by Balinese massage, which is again, like everything else the result of many inspirations — the healing ayurvedic techniques, along with oil and herb poultices from India, the acupressure philosophy from the Buddhists and the aromatic and beauty treatments of the royal palaces of Java, during the golden
years of the Majapahit era. Native Balinese massage was originally just meant for healing, males entrusted with the delicate job of being medicine men. Given this history, little wonder then that Anika gives us major feel of a rainwashed Kerala. More so because of stone nymphs pouring water from their pots. But it is the volcanic mask that sets you apart, the wet earth easing your pores and making you au naturel. Ideally, consider a spa a day before leaving Bali, the greatest takeaway there is.
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Balinese dancer
RICE, RICE BABY economy is 50 per cent tourism and 50 per cent agriculture. And in a smart rural tourism move, farmers in the countryside have set up restaurants in the highlands overlooking the cascading rice terraces, green saucers holding the water and nourishing the crop. Predictably, they serve you rice staples and delicacies to promote food of the common man as an exotic experience. We drive into the Pacung restaurant at Baturiti, the best perch there is, sun decks hanging over the rice terraces falling below us in concentric layers at different elevations, each sporting a different shade of green in the play of sun, shadow and mists. Rice terraces are not new to an Indian but sitting on one, you wonder why we could not conceive of this simple idea of getting up close, holding the stalks and standing on the rim. Rice farming in Bali dates back to Neolithic times. Its steep mountains and deep gorges made wet farming difficult. So natives developed an intricate system of cutting recessed layers into slopes, following the contours of the escarpments, and formed a water-sharing and rationing community, locally called subak. Digging into a simpleton fare and some particularly delicious fish satay, we come to know that the
BALI’S
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The Batur volcano and lake. (Below) rice terraces, green saucers holding the water and nourishing the crop, are a scenic delight
Balinese believe that the goddess of fertility, Dewi Sri, dwells in every stalk of rice. So harvesting is left to the women, who use a small curved knife to delicately cut a few stalks at a time, hoping not to scare or anger her. Rice is more than just food, it is a blessing itself. Rice has three names for its varying stages of evolution — on the farm it is called padi, in the sack it is beras and on the plate it is nasi. The last we are familiar with because of the Indonesian biryani we know as Nasi Goreng. There’s nasi with babi (pork) and ayam (chicken) too. There’s actually a dish called Baby Babi! There’s a similar lookout experience at Lake Batur, a caldera lake next to a secondary active volcano, whose eruptions have been one of the most forceful across the earth. But there’s a hush that’s broken by bird calls and a lurking vapour that’s wafted away by the floating clouds. There’s a tongue of dark lava, congealed on one of the slopes, believed to be the reason for resplendent agriculture around these parts. Indonesian magmas are slow-moving and the reason why the trapped lava forces one vent after another. But adventurous humans still climb to the rim and settle around the slopes. Challenging it might be but they do not give up on the good earth.
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ANIMAL COFFEE AND OTHER TALES is too short to drink cheap coffee,” reads the welcome sign at the coffee plantation at Manukaya. And it embodies the thought of all Balinese, who trust their coffee over aspirin. Yes Mr Agung routinely takes his coffee black to rid himself of headaches. Balinese and Javanese coffee make for some of the finest varieties of the world but what we like are the stories as we enter the plantation buttressed by vanilla vines, fruit orchards, herb gardens and flower beds. We nose out only one kind of fruit — cherries —and one kind of flowers — the white blooms, streaming in their fragrance from the glossy, pan-shaped leaves entangled around the cobbled pathway. From a bamboo perch and sitting on a driftwood bench, it is tropical forest, clustering all around us. An entire hillside is cultivated with cocoa and coffee trees, orange and banana groves, spice trees and shrubs raising their heads in between, mostly canopied by the large-leaved cassava. The cloud’s greying, threatening rain above us, but young girls are busy cherry-picking and sorting the male and female coffee beans. Simply put, the male versions come in a singlechamber pod and are whole like a mini rugby ball. The female beans are halved, split as they are into two pod chambers. Because of the wholesomeness of the male bean, it is called a peaberry that has a more rounded finish, is less bitter and has less
“LIFE
caffeine. The trick is, they can only be hand-sorted; no mechanisation works. But the real boutique experience lies in tasting luwak kopi (animal coffee). This involves the civet cat, found aplenty in these parts. Nocturnal creatures, they have an innate ability to scent out the best cherries and ingest them. While the civet digests the fruit, the bean remains intact in its stomach, gets fermented and infused with secretions of the musk gland. Plantation workers then sort out the enriched bean from the animal poop on the forest floor. They are then washed over and over, resulting in a very fine flavour, and left to dry like the normal beans. A group of women huddle under a bamboo shed laying out cane trays in the sun, drying coffee beans alongside turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and star anise. The oldest among them dry roasts the beans, turning them over an earthen oven, never once taking her eyes off, lest they blacken a patch too dark. Another gets busy grinding them with a traditional mortar and pestle, a committed thud emanating from her frail body. In the end, we are presented a tray full of coffee cups to sample why we need the brew to lengthen your life span. Each cup has a coffee blend with ginseng, coconut, ginger, vanilla and chocolate, guaranteed to take care of every illness, from common cold to rheumatism. For us though, it is a sip of luxury, under the rains and the greenwood tree. Nothing beats a handcrafted experience. Be it a roadside shack selling kites or the open air
A watermelon carving is a must at food spreads. Coffee tasting cups at the plantation. Kopi Luwak is made from partly-digested coffee cherries eaten by (right) a civet
stone art galleries and wood carving studios, this is one drive that keeps you glued to the windows. For it is a telling picture of eclecticism that has Javanese totem poles clustered around the Buddha, Ganeshas sitting in between. Handicraft villages are spread across the island, each specialising in one type of craft, a collective hub of production to marketing. Celuk is known for its handcrafted silver and goldware, each house backended by the finest detailing of studio art, from the most delicately veined butterfly earrings to huge showpieces. At the Nadisuari workshop for example, we are encouraged to look at the batik or wax-resist dyeing technique at work. The women hardly raise their heads, covering designs with wax on both sides, dyeing, scraping some wax off to get a second colour, and then the third or fourth. The persistence of effort will surely make you want to pick up some items from the huge display counter behind the work shed. The first thing that strikes you is that how they have contemporised a traditional artform, with international cuts and styling in clothing and replicating a patch of it on all kinds of accessories, from shoes to keychains. After the Unesco recognition in 2009, it is mandatory for Indonesians to wear batik to work every Friday, something that has allowed its reinvention and innovation. A lesson to take back home.
...AND THE RAINFOREST looks straight out of Jungle Book. The monkey sanctuary at Ubud, where simian antics that we are so used to have been graduated to a fun tourist experience, and the forest has engulfed the mossy temple ruins from centuries ago. This is rainforest country but a monkey-themed enclave has been meticulously built around it. There are eco resorts, open-air lounges and restaurants, high-end boutiques selling organic products and the ubiquitous monkey sculptures, particularly those of the “see, hear and speak no evil” variety. By this logic, all of Delhi could become a saleable “natural” experience. We stand under the great split banyan tree, the vaunted arch from the old stump turning the sky into a rabbit hole and clambering its way up the forest floor on its mangled prop roots, like an old monster spreading its tentacles. The monkeys run
THIS
(Clockwise) The rainforest experience; the old banyan tree, a stone bridge across a chasm with rubber tree overgrowth and dragon pillars at Ubud; white water rafting adventures
along the strangler tree, clutching at vines and hotstepping over canopied branches of smaller trees. There are four monkey kingdoms at Ubud, each supposedly protecting the temples. Now the shrines, they are a wonder, testimony of our seafaring predecessors and their cultural sway over the region. For it’s not just one or two temples but an entire stone complex laid out in levels, elaborately sculpted and carved, complete with plunge pools, mythic gargoyles, curved banisters, Kali, Uma, Ganesha, avatars and angels. A heaven indeed hidden from mortal eyes. The monkeys keep the tourists busy, pillaging their camera bags to search for food themselves. Mr Agung tells us not to stare into their eyes and sit down gently and submissively should they decide to perch on our shoulders. As we go emptyhanded, they are particularly not interested in casting a second glance at us, focussing on berries
Sculpture of Ghatotkach; Ubud Monkey Forest; Kamandalu resort; rainforest retreat
instead and rubbing a flintstone on a cobbled pathway. There are lovers who are unmindfully in the act in the middle of a trail, a gaggle of families bickering over territoriality, mothers admonishing their young, friends back-slapping each other — the monkey colony is as remarkably human as it can get. The trail opens out to burial flats. Cremation is serious business to the Balinese, an elaborate ritual to send off a soul to the other world so that they can watch over their family more intently. They temporarily bury their dead till they have made lofty arrangements, then exhume them for cremation. Mr Agung picks up a biscuit wrapper from the trail and hands it over to womenfolk who are collecting every tourist trash from the tangle of bushes and grass. The foresters have been made stakeholders in the tourist economy, a part of the revenue allocated to them. However, it is not just the moolah….it is a vow to Mother Nature. It is only while rafting at Telaga Waja that we feel the womb of the forest around us. For here, the forest entangles and grows around, rather into you. The river is shallow but rocky, tossing and turning us into wild epiphytes as we bend low to avoid the low-hanging branches. At one instant, we ride the crest of a rapid, grating over a stubborn and craggy outcrop, the next we are in a peaceful trough, then the undertow suddenly pulls us to a scary dark rockface that turns the boat perpendicular and tilts us over. Spinning wildly, bounced off rocks, gasping for air and clumsily alternating between oaring and holding on to the rope, it is a race of an experience. Because you are slicing through the waters. And the forest. Like the first man perhaps. Is the tempting tendril an asp in disguise? Is the hidden cave home of a monster? Does the hairy nettle sting you as bad as the insects? But when you trailblaze your way under a waterfall, cascading hither thither from nowhere, your fears get drenched and you start looking around. There are the wild bananas, tamarind and clove in the highlands, shades of green ascending in layers, occasionally broken by a solitary flowering tree, as if deliberately put there. You see innocent village kids on a hunt for the freshest frangipani, sometimes jumping into a shallow pond, the waters sliding off their skin as it would from a lotus leaf, sun rays glinting off their bare backs. Mr Agung had explained his doublelayered sarong to us. “One is a macrocosm and the other microcosm.” Here two become one.
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TRAVEL TREND
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Forget clothes, update where you carry them
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[1] TORY BURCH: Travel nylon duffel bag. Price on request. [2] MOHAWK: Counsellor green & blue laptop bag. Price: `4,499 [3] GLOBE-TROTTER: Purple candy leathertrimmed vanity case. Price on request. [4] GUCCI: Diamante leather passport case. Price on request. [5] HIDESIGN: The ridgeway cabin luggage in black. Price: `16,560 [6] MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN: GloberTrotter gold travel spray case. Price: `7,020 [7] BOTTEGA VENETA: Intrecciato Eye Mask. Price on request. [8] SWISSGEAR: Ultralite inflatable neck pillow. Price: `1,100 [9] VICTORINOX: Swiss army knife with 33 functions in champ red. Price: `5,480 [10] VIOLET GREY: The first-class set. Price on request. [11] CORNELIANI: Calfskin wallet with credit card slots. Price: `28,000 [12] TOM FORD: Black buckle soft garment bag. Price on request.
ENERGY DRIVE
POWER
exchange Piyush Goel, Minister of New and Renewable Energy and Upendra Tripathy, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, share their views on energy generation Tell us something about UDAY? How will it change the scene in the power sector? Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) is the most comprehensive power sector reform ever and is a key pillar in realising the mission of 24x7 affordable power for all. Distribution sector is the weakest link in the entire power value chain. The sector is plagued by gross operational inefficiencies on one hand and financially distressed DISCOMs on the other. Just the total outstanding debt was around `4.3 lakh crore last year. The DISCOMs were unable to supply adequate power at affordable rates to consumers despite an excess of power capacity which is contrary to prevailing wisdom that there is a shortage of generation capacity.
Dr Upendra Tripathy, Secretary, MNRE
How can the growing economic dynamism of solar and wind energy compel a more balanced approach? The power from solar and wind will account for over 90 per cent of the total target set for renewable power. The cost installation and generation as well has been declining for the last three years and is approaching towards grid parity. In fact, at the consumer end, the cost of solar and wind power has already become economical for at least commercial and industrial consumers. Once the grid parity is achieved, the entire scenario of power sector will need a reform. However, one has to keep fiscal incentives and environmental benefits in view while analysing grid parity. What does the ‘Clean Power’ plan mean for states? The renewable power has gained tremendous momentum over the last three years due to the announcement of conducive policies by states and national tariff policy with provision of eight per cent for Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs) to come from
What is the government’s vision for renewable energy in India? What is the progress being made on that front? The government has set ambitious targets of having 175 GW of installed capacity of renewable sources of power by 2022. This includes 100 GW of solar, 60GW of wind, 10 GW of biomass, and 5GW of small hydroelectric projects. To put things into perspective, the total global solar power capacity in the world today as per various estimates is close to 200 GW. From 2014-16, solar capacity was increased by 4,132 MW which is the highest ever achieved. In wind energy capacity too, we achieved highest ever addition of 3,423 MW. More than 20,904 MW was tendered. Also solar parks of 20,000 MW in 20 states and a `38,000 crore Green Energy Corridor have facilitated transmission of renewable energy.
solar by March 2022. The states have to make their clean power plan accordingly to meet the targets of RPOs. How will the usage of renewable energy help a customer? The customer can feel like a proud user of clean electricity and contribute towards mitigation of environment degradation. Besides, the cost of renewable energy has become quite competitive as compared to the energy from conventional sources for industrial and commercial sectors. So it is also economical for the customer to use renewable power. What about large energy consumers in the private sector? The large electricity consumers in private sector have to pay higher tariffs almost in all the states. However, the DISCOMs at the same time should also encourage the renewable power for the commercial and industrial consumers in private sector considering the renewable power being clean and environment-friendly.
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Clean and
green mission energy is a key tool to augment energy security given that India is blessed with generous amount of ‘Renewable Natural Resources’ like sun, wind, biomass and hydro across its landmass. Renewable power is environmentally sustainable and contributes towards ‘energy access’ under decentralised mode. Setting up of projects in remote or rural regions develops local infrastructure and creates employment opportunities, leading to inclusive growth. IREDA — A dedicated FI for Renewables Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) is a specialised public sector financial institution dedicated for financing renewable energy (RE) projects in India and has been playing a pivotal role in developing renewable energy. It has been maintaining its leadership position in renewable energy space for the last 29 years and developing several innovative financial schemes for meeting the market requirement. It has an excellent track record of financing more than 2,200 clean energy projects in the country, supporting green capacity addition of more than 6,000 MW. It has been profit-making with successful business operations. The technologies financed by IREDA include solar, wind, hydro, biomass power and cogeneration, waste to energy and energy efficiency or conservation with loan schemes, including project and equipment financing, loan for manufacturing, loan against securitisation among others. Impact of IREDA’s efforts on Indian RE Sector The unstinted and pro-active efforts have been and are being made by IREDA for commercialisation of new technologiesin renewable energy sector in India resulting in active participation from domestic commercial banks, international funding agencies and FDI enabling the sector to attain a critical mass.
RENEWABLE
Apart from other domestic sources, IREDA has successfully raised `2,000 crores through issuance of bonds during 2015-16 helping in bringing down the cost of lending. The company is also planning for issuance of bonds upto `2,000 crore from the domestic and international market by way of private placement during 2016-17. Besides fulfilling its role as a financial institution, it has been acting as a “thought leader”. It is pro-actively disseminating information to stakeholders on various facets of the renewable technologies by way of awareness programs, best practices manuals, compendiums and trade journal (Energy Next). It received several coveted awards for its continuous services to the nation. IREDA shall continue in its endeavour to provide innovative financial instruments to accelerate the growth of the Indian Renewable Energy sector. Financing Schemes Additional finance through “Securitisation of future cash-flows” Short term loan assistance to RE developers/suppliers/contractors Take-over financing Refinancing Banks and FIs — Lines of Credit (LoC) IREDA loan/ SDF Scheme for IPP cogeneration in co-operative sugar mills Intermediary loan scheme — Financing farmers for SPV water pumps though an aggregator sugar mills. NCEF Loan for stressed assets in small hydro (upto 5MW) and biomass power projects.
We have been promoting development of renewable energy through our innovative financing products for nearly three decades. By taking up renewable energy mission, we are striving to create a green and sustainable environment.
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— K S Popli, CMD, IREDA
OFFTRACK TREK
many shades of green — from the bright of the leaves to the dull mixed with the brown of the mountains. Then there was the lake, the water a blue darker than indigo. As the setting sun cast its last light of the day on the water, the lake appeared to be a jewel, hidden away mysteriously in the low hills. We were at Lonar — India’s only meteoric crater lake. From my vantage point on the balcony of the MTDC resort, as I watched the green lose its way in the darkness, I wondered if I would be able to climb down the crater and discover some of the mysteries it held. It was hard to imagine the violence of it all, thousands and thousands of years ago. How an arrowhead from outer space pierced the earth and made a deep impact, throwing up clouds of debris, triggering a massive landslip and changing the contours of the earth forever. The impact, a six-megaton explosion (or 600 times the explosive force released by first atomic bombs), say scientists, generated enough heat to not just shatter the basalt rock, but to melt and vaporise it. It would have finished off any local flora and fauna. Eventually, rain accumulated in the crater and wildflowers, grass and shrubs recolonised surroundings. Then the has-beens came back, the wispy butterflies and the chirpy birds. Life revived itself after lying dormant for years. The talk over dinner revolved around the crater. We were the
SO
The only hypervelocity crater on the earth, Lonar is home to myths, ruins and peafowls. Anuradha Shankar digs out a few mysteries
M P I A P C E T E D
only guests at the resort, and the owner as well as staff hovered around, telling us about the life in this out of the way place. “Hardly any Indian tourists come here. Only foreigners, that too those studying the crater” said our server. The owner interrupted him, “We get many Indians during festivals, especially during the full moon when they come to
circumambulate the temples at the base,” trying to rescue some national pride. “But they aren’t tourists,” protested the server. “They are pilgrims, who come to worship. Besides, they don’t stay here.” The owner had to agree albeit grudgingly. I changed the topic, asking about how difficult it would be to climb down and do the parikrama of the crater. “It’s not at all difficult,” he assured me. “You can do it easily,” and he proceeded to arrange for a local to accompany us the next morning. Morning dawned and found us ready to clamber down a path which looked like the ones the mountain goats used. Our guide was swift and surefooted, and demonstrated just how easy it was. My son followed him, eager to go see the lake. My husband would have followed them, but I was still wary, and both, husband and guide hid smiles as they waited for me to gather courage and gingerly step on the path, and held out their hands, ready to help. The first step, as usual, was the toughest, and soon, my feet found grip on the rocky path. We spotted the tops of temples as we paused to rest, and the plantations and fields cultivated by the locals as well. The calls of peacocks and other birds were all the sounds we could hear. The rocky path led us to a winding one between the trees and plants, growing wild, fed by the hill springs. Our guide pointed out different flowers and fruits, some familiar, and others, not so familiar, such as the sivalingi plant, which had round, red fruits, with seeds shaped like the siva lingam. “It is a sacred plant, used for many
medicinal purposes. It grows here because this a sacred spot, a lake created by the gods,” he told us. The lake, in legend, was created when Vishnu pushed the demon Lavanasur deep inside the earth and his tears filled the space. The lake water is saline, as befits tears of the demon, and both, the demon, and the lake named after him, originate in the local Marathi word for salt, “lavan.” Scientifically however, we know that the lake was formed by the impact of a meteor, which fell on earth, over 52,000 years ago. This is the only hypervelocity meteoric crater in basaltic rock in the world, which brings loads of scientists here, year after year. Our guide was eager to demonstrate his scientific temper as well. He was all set with a bit of turmeric wrapped in newspaper and two plastic glasses. Filling one with water from our bottles and one from the lake, he showed us how the turmeric turned a bright red in the lake water, proving its alkaline nature. I wished I had learnt chemistry like this back in school.
experiment done, it was time to move on, and explore. There were plenty of water birds around, which went about their ways, unaffected by our presence. We were, however, more interested in the temples which dotted the shore. There are said to be 27 temples in the crater, of which only a few stand today. The first temple — Ramgaya — had a central shrine and a mandapa. Today, a Krishna statue stands in the shrine, a recent addition, and most of the temple is crumbling. The Kamalaja Devi temple is one of the few temples which has been maintained, and is still
THAT
HOWTOREACH RAIL: The nearest railway station is Jalna (86 km). There are regular trains to Jalna from Mumbai and Pune. AIR: The nearest airport is at Aurangabad (165 km). ROAD: Lonar is well connected by roads from Jalna, as well as Nanded and Aurangabad. Regular buses are available from Jalna. WHERE TO STAY: There are a few budget hotels and resorts at Lonar but the best option is to stay at the MTDC resort.
in worship. This one is dedicated to Padmavati, the consort of Lord Vishnu, who created this lake. A path ran along the shore of the lake, sometimes passing through the thick bushes and sometimes a dense wood. All along, there were temples, though most were dilapidated. There were carved stones lying around, which probably once graced the pillars and lintels of other shrines. rough path led us to even more temples in various states of ruin. Newly-built steps led us up the hill, to Gaumukh temple, from which a spring emerges and flows into the crater, watering all the plants and the creatures which live here. The Viraj Tirtha is a group of temples, built around the Gaumukh, which is a popular local pilgrim place. In sharp contrast to the lake and its temples, which were empty and ignored, this was a bustling place of pilgrimage, filled with people bathing and offering prayers. We had already walked for over three hours, and the sun was over our heads. My feet were killing me, and I couldn’t wait to get back to the room and rest. Yet, we had one more stop to make, to the most important temple here — the Daitya Sudan temple. The temple, built of black stone sometime around the 10th century, has intricate carvings but no spire. There is some doubt whether the temple
THE
was never completed, or if it was broken at some point. The temple has the garbagriha (the central shrine), a mandapa (pillared hall) and an antarala (passage) and there are profuse carvings on the pillars, lintels, ceilings and the outer walls. The sculptures represent deities as well as erotic scenes, leading to comparisons with Khajuraho. At the temple, we met Dr Bugdane, a resident of Lonar who has done extensive research on the crater lake as well as its temples. Pointing towards the brickwork, he spoke of early restoration when the idol was installed and prayers were resumed in the temple. Walking back to the resort, our guide told us about Ambar Lake which is a smaller crater lake, said to have been created by a splinter of the meteor. The lake is no more covered by fields and plantations but a small temple stands here, maintained by the family which owns the land. It is a temple dedicated to Hanuman in reclining pose. While the posture is uncommon, more interesting is that the idol is said to have been made from a piece of the meteor. It is believed to have magnetic properties though covered with sindoor, it seemed a pity that we couldn’t see the piece of meteorite. Heading back to the bus stand, we stopped at the edge of the hill once more, looking down at the lake. So this was where the meteor came hurtling from the east at an angle, hit the land and pushed it up on the west. I felt the shock and awe of a wave. A vibration from time-travelling 50,000 years ago.
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HOT SPOT BARRA: Famed for its beauty, this one boasts of beaches, hills, machair and moor, all in a small island. Even Barra airport is one of the most unusual in the world — flights land on the beach at Cockle Strand in between tides. At high tide, the runway disappears beneath the waves. Barra is also accessible by ferry which departs from Oban and arrives at the main settlement, Castlebay. WHAT TO SEE AND DO: Take a five-minute boat trip from Castlebay to the medieval Kisimul Castle — sitting dramatically on a rock islet. This threestorey tower house is the ancient seat of the Clan MacNeil and gives great views from the battlements. For an amazing sea kayaking experience, take to the water on a guided tour with Clearwater Paddling from Castlebay. WHAT TO EAT: There is an abundance of restaurants serving fresh seafood. Some places will even allow you to bring your own wine (BYOW) for a small corking fee. Most places only accept cash or pesos, no credit cards.
The lowdown on Rio de Janeiro’s four zones for Olympics 2016
Fun-O-lympics! Maracana Deodoro Copacabana Barra
DEODORO: A middle-class neighbourhood of Rio’s Zona Oeste (West Zone), this one is already being touted as the second Olympic Park (in addition to the main in Barra) as many different sports such as the recently proposed rugby sevens and hockey, will be played out here. Located northwest of the city, the Deodoro neighbourhood lies south of the Avenida Brasil arterial road and to the west of Madureira. The area is a busy suburb and is home to Brazil’s largest military barracks. WHAT TO SEE AND DO: You can buy tickets for local attractions at the Rio de Janeiro tourist information centre. There are many sights to see, including museums, markets, shops, restaurants and bars. You can explore Pajucara and Maracaipe beaches. WHAT TO EAT: Besides various food trucks, the place has many budget restaurants famous for seafood delicacies. Choose from Churascaria e Pousada Espetu’s Do Nordeste or Santa Mare for a lovely meal.
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MARACANA: Named after the famous Maracana soccer stadium, Estádio do Maracanã is an open-air stadium located in Rio de Janeiro. Even though worldwide it’s recognised as Estádio do Maracanã, its current name is Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, in honour of a well-known Brazilian journalist — Mário Filho — who played an important role in the decision of its construction. Built for the 1950 World Cup, it is now one of the main tourist attractions in Rio de Janeiro. It will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Olympics.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO: For a behind-the-scenes look at the stadium, take a tour. You’ll get to see the press box, the grand stand and the locker rooms. Stroll through the tunnel and out on to the field. You’ll also visit a room that pays tribute to Brazilian legends who made history here like Pelé and Garrincha. Tours take place from 9 am to 5 pm, though on game days, the last tour starts four hours before kick-off. WHAT TO EAT: The neighborhood of Tijuca has some nice food spots. Q Bar and Leviano are hot with the hipster crowd.
COPACABANA: Sun, sea and scantily-clad beach beauties all spring to mind when one thinks of Copacabana. While its golden age as the most glamorous destination in South America is now behind it, the arc of white sand and the backdrop of crashing waves and jungle-clad mountains remain an awe-inspiring sight. WHAT TO SEE AND DO: On the southern tip of Copacabana’s share of coastline is the Forte de Copacabana — a great place to learn some Brazilian history and to enjoy a breakfast. The Arpoador is one of the greatest places to surf and fish in Copacabana and also to view the sea and the coastline. Meaning “harpoon thrower” in Portuguese, this rock outcrop creates good-sized waves for surfers — anywhere within 12 ft on a regular basis. WHAT TO EAT: The beachfront is lined with smart glass kiosks housing everything from pizza joints to seafood restaurants and champagne bars, and you won’t even have to change out of your swimwear to drink and dine here. Adega Perola —the Iberian-style cafe — serves some of the best seafood tapas in the city. Don’t be scared of trying the octopus — it’s one of the best dishes on the menu.
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MONSOON MAGIC
Different parts of India celebrate the rains with a little glass of hot and brimming scented brew, blended with ginger, cinnamon and a number of indigenous herbs, binding people from various strata of the society. So get outside, soak in the rain, and swing by a vendor as we take a sneak peek into different chai tours
The nectar of Hyderabad
IT’S
8 am on the old clock. Just the right time for my morning cup of thick, hot Irani chai. Businesses around here are yet to open but the Nimrah Cafe and Bakery is buzzing. Tea is indispensable to Hyderabadi culture with people glugging it day and night. There are more than 15,000 chai kiosks (including wayside stalls) spread all across the city of 80 million which on an average dish out not less than two million cups of this beverage daily! Hyderabadis spend most on tea compared to any other city. The best brews are to be found around the Charminar. Some of them are quite old, some are tiny and smoggy but all have the same liqueur. “Just one sip down your gut and you will walk out with your spirits up”, says Muhammad, a server. Nimrah sells 3,000 cups daily, the figures doubling during Ramadan. Most Irani chai restaurants are owned by Shia Muslims and it was the Parsi influence, in fact, which led to milk being added to the decoction. Hyderabad is also known for its bandi chai (tea carts). Hawked along pavements, this variant is prepared by boiling all ingredients together, is lighter and tastes different from the traditional Irani. Walk down a little and you will come across Sharan Café where they serve steaming cups with soft, delicious Osmania biscuits and tasty lukmis. Walking into this restaurant is like taking a step back in time, its ambience still reminiscent of brokers, money changers and vendors, who sold goods imported from Dubai. The chai decoction, containing sugar, tea powder and some other secret ingredients, is boiled separately for long hours in special vessels of metal alloy and then poured into a drum-shaped steel container fixed with a tap. This steel container is kept on the burner and heated
continuously. When you order for tea, the kitchen crew turns on the tap and fills your cup to 3/4th of its size. Then they add hot milk to fill the cup. The milk is boiled on a slow burner till its colour turns creamy brown. The flavour will linger on your lips for hours. Other haunts are Shah’s, Shadab, Madina, Nayagara, Alfa, Garden and Blue Sea to name a few. — Ramchander Pentuker
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Monsoon potion in God’s own country
I
have always made it a point to get away to the hills of Kerala’s Idukki district when the southwestern monsoon is at its peak by the second week of July. I had my best tea experience around six years ago at Cheeyappara, a scenic waterfall by the side of the road between Neryamangalam and Adimali on the KochiMadurai National Highway 49, just at the start of the climb towards the mountains. The Neryamangalam forest was blanketed by fog. A lean man in his early 50s stood there all alone under the tarpaulin sheet that covered his four-wheel pushcart, both his hands held close to the samovar to keep his body warm in the cold rain. There was nobody around and I thought he was doing this as part of some penance. He extended the sheet to keep me comfortable. “People have stopped travelling to the hills,” he said as though to nobody. In less than three minutes, he handed over a cup of piping hot tea that smelled like heaven. With my experiences about the Idukki mountains, I could tell that the leaf tea had come from Kolukkumalai, home to the highest tea gardens in the world. A few years later, I’d agree with superstar Mohanlal who in a tea
advertisement said, “The taste of the tea gets greater with the heights.” I could taste traces of the ingredients that Lonachan, the solitary tea vendor of Cheeyappara, had added to the special tea — cardamom from Vandanmedu, ginger from Rajakkad, pepper from Kumily…but there was something else that gave that tea the superlative quality. He wouldn’t tell me. Monsoon is perhaps the time when small tea shops in Kerala villages become the liveliest. At least, I have had that feeling always. I still remember my childhood days when I accompanied my father to the tea stall of Pareeth, shaded by an umbrella made of palmyra fronds, some 50 metres away from my house. By the time we reached there, the three wooden benches would be full of people, discussing the morning papers over stimulating cups. Pareeth had never told anybody what his mix was. My other best monsoon tea experiences have been at the straw-thatched tea stalls on the sides of the AC road in Kuttanad, Kerala’s rice bowl in Alappuzha district. Their speciality, black tea often laced with a whiff of black pepper to make it extra hot in the moist rains. — VR Jayaraj
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Beat the chill with the hill cha
“IT
is always the same with the mountains. Once you have lived with them for any length of time, you belong to them. There is no escape,” muses Ruskin Bond on his love for Mussoorie in Rain in the Mountains: Notes from the Himalayas. Just as the leisure of sipping some steaming pahari chai with spectacular panoramas. In the conventions of the natives of this Himalayan belt, tea was not just a refreshing beverage but a herbal medicine brewed by a decoction of cured tea leaves and mixture of spices. In contemporary times, authentic pahari chai is prepared by boiling the ubiquitous pellet form chai patti — CTC tea in water — along with crushed ginger, green cardamom, black pepper, ground cloves and cinnamon powder or sticks. Add generous quantities of milk and sugar and voila! The resulting decoction is an amazingly reviving brew. Many families have their own version of masala chai too like those who brew the tea and spices directly in milk instead of adding it later to water. Many recipes add tulsi and a pinch of turmeric to the tea to increase its medicinal value. Some people blend all the ingredients together in the beginning, boil the mixture and strain immediately while many simmer the mixture for an extended amount of time. The base tea used is usually of the strong kind so that the added spices do not completely eliminate the flavour.
Travel to the villages of Uttarakhand and the hill people will welcome you with hot masala chai accompanied by local Garhwali and Kumaoni snacks. Among the most common nibbles are bhat, a type of black soya bean found locally, pakodas and pahari style chiwda that is made with a generous addition of indigenous seeds. Hill people prefer their tea in tall steel tumblers so that they can warm their hands around it. Such is their loyalty that they even sing odes to “chai ki sudki” or slurping hot tea. In 1835, the British introduced tea cultivation on the slopes of Dehradun, Berinag and Kausani. The tea grown in these plantations, especially the one at Kausani, was valued as the finest in aroma, tone and taste. And today though cultivation has shrunk and local growers are compelled to sell it in domestic auction markets as generic variety due to lack of marketing support, Uttarakhand’s tea is still among the best produced in India and is being sold by big brands under their label. Interestingly, while masala chai has gained popularity in the West now, during the Raj, the British-owned Indian Tea Association objected to the addition of spices as it reduced the usage of tea leaves per liquid volume. Notwithstanding, masala chai continued to remain the most popular drink in these provinces. — Anupma Khanna
Mumbai cutting edge
IT
was a wake-up call for NRI Mohan Bharghav in Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Swades, when a little boy walked up to him at a railway platform in rural India, attempting to sell a glass of water for a quarter of a rupee. The `4 cutting chai does serve a similar purpose for many in Mumbai. Life in the city hardly jumpstarts without this tiny glass of hot and brimming scented brew. The cutting chai, accompanied by the rush on platforms, adds purpose to a noisy morning at Mumbai stations. Blended with ginger, cinnamon and a number of indigenous herbs, the humble tea binds people from various strata of society and cuts across every social and cultural boundary. From the dreadfully crowded lanes of Dadar to the cleaner and greener streets leading to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the tea stalls outside are a must-stop. “Ek cutting chai dena, (give me a cutting chai)” echoes the surrounds. “Everybody comes here. Rich and poor, small and big, Mumbaikars and non-Mumbaikars. My chai is the same for everyone; something that provides them with a little dose of energy and freshness when required,” says a tired, yet hard-working Dinesh as he pours a fifth cup of tea for a regular customer. “This man travels from CST to Powai everyday and drinks five to six cups every morning and evening,”
he shares with a sense of pride. Like Dinesh, hundreds of tea stall owners begin their day, trying to kickstart the morning for thousands. On an average day, every tea stall owner earns anywhere between `1,000-3,000 and even more in the monsoon, clearly explaining the demand for their business. But though the oldest chaiwala (tea vendor) can hardly recollect how the concept of cutting chai was born, there are a few famous stories about the birth of this famous half-aglass of goodness. Some say cutting originated in the 1980s during the mill-workers’ revolution in Mumbai. Many workers in the wake of losing their jobs and daily earnings invented the concept, in order to be able to afford a glass of tea. Remembers Sarjubhai, 74, one of Mumbai’s oldest tea stall owners at the station, “Chai stimulates conversations, ideas and perhaps even solutions to problems. People discuss various issues over a cup of tea but an entire glass would be a bit too much to drink. So the cutting was perfect for such occasions.” Some say it is easier for chaiwalas to take the cutting around than full cups of tea, while others feel dividing a glass of tea into two is the best way to share. Whatever the reason, like vada-pav or even bhelpuri, the very affordable cutting chai is an integral part of Mumbai’s socio-cultural identity. Adds Manohar Paly of the famous Maharashtra food stall outside CST, “I have been serving tea for over 32 years now. These days you don’t get anything under `5 but a glass of tea can keep you going at least for a while.” Interestingly, the cutting chai is so popular that even foreigners ask for it. “We have customers from all over the world. Some think we only serve cutting and ask for two cutting chais instead of a full glass,” says he. Interestingly if you land in the city post midnight, you’ll find cyclewalas serving cutting chai in little plastic cups. — Mini U
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Behind clay cups
IN
the eastern part of the country, chai means a surplus of everything — you have extra milk, spoonfuls of sugar, over boiled tea (dust), flavoured with ample cardamom. Honestly speaking, it’s not truly my cup of tea. But the enthusiasm of the maker, his plea and the hot serving give it an added taste which truly makes it “ispecial.” The sing-song voices of chai change as the train chugs into the east India region. They become more crisp and sonorous. The options are plenty — milk, black or lemon tea. Black tea is popular because
everybody in these parts is a lal cha drinker, delighting in the delicate milk white curls diffusing in the strong brew, reddening it. Vendors use milk powder instead of fresh milk. The black tea is great with less sugar, more flavour and never over-boiled. After a belly full of Kolkata street food, the best thing is to sit in a chaotic street corner and sip an overflowing cup of chai from a clay cup. Bengal’s chaiwalas hop in and out of trains with their huge paraphernalia — a huge aluminium kettle, a stove and a bucketful of plastic white cups. — Sutapa Mukerjee
RUBY ROSE TEA RECIPE INGREDIENTS 1 to 2 teaspoons of ruby rose tea (Oolong tea 1 pot of water in a teapot with strainer leaves infused with dried rose petals) Honey (optional)
METHOD 4 Use 2 teaspoons of the ruby rose tea in the strainer of the teapot. 4 Bring water to boil to about 100 degrees and pour in a slow steady motion over the infused tea in the strainer so that the water extracts most of the flavour of the tea. 4 Once the pot is 3/4th filled, make sure the strainer is simultaneously immersed with the leaves inside so that the leaves can brew along with the water in the pot to bring out the best flavours from the
dried petals. 4 Brew for about 5 minutes, pour into a transparent cup so that the salmon pink colour becomes prominent enough. 4 Add honey or any other flavourless sweetener to your taste. 4 The perfect cup of ruby rose tea is ready to be savoured. 4 Can be paired best with scones, medallions or any delicate cake.
— Lakshmi Poovaiah, Manager, Emperor Lounge, The Taj Mahal Hotel, Delhi
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BLUEBERRY SILVER DIAMOND TEA INGREDIENTS Tea leaves Blueberry concentrate Silver leaf Hot water Sugar
1 tsp 1/2 tsp 2-3 no. 1 cup optional
METHOD 4 Put tea leaves in a pot, pour hot water and brew for a few seconds. 4 Pour water in a tea cup and put the blueberry concentrate on top. 4 Cut the silver leaf in diamond shape and add it in the tea cup. 4 Add sugar if required. — Rajesh Khanna, F&B Head, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa
LONG TEA COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS Tanquery gin 45ml Campari 5 ml Cointreau 10 ml Lemon juice 10 ml Jasmine tea
METHOD 4 Make a jasmine tea decoction. 4 Take a shaker and put some ice cubes, tanquery, campari and cointreau with lemon juice. 4 Shake it well, then pour it in a high ball glass topping it up with jasmine tea. 4 Garnish it with lime slice. — Niraj Ved, Mixologist, Hyatt Regency Gurgaon
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T R I N K E T T R E AT ERICKSON BEAMON: Grapes of wrath collar necklace in gold and pearl. Price on request
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HOTWHEELS
GOTHENBURG Kushan Mitra Auto & tech expert
is not a culinary hub by any stretch of imagination; unlike the Danish capital Copenhagen not so far away from the Swedish city. But it is a city where I possibly had one of the best meals I have eaten. Travelling to the city three months after SK Mat & Manniskor won a Michelin and I had an utterly surprising meal, mainly because you expect Swedish food to really be meatballs and more meatballs. And some fish on the side. But Sweden is a surprising place, and much like the food surprised me, the cars at Volvo
The
Swedish
way Volvo’s cars have made little headway in India so far. Which is odd, because they are really nice
did too. Volvo has been in the car-making business for around 90 years. The company started out because its founders felt that cars from continental Europe and America were not tough enough for Scandinavia’s country roads and extreme winters. Volvos were always built tough; they acquired a reputation for being world leaders in safety. The old Volvo 240 was not only the epitome of angular design but also had a well-deserved reputation for safety. It was a Volvo employee, Nils Bohlin, who had in 1959 invented the modern three-point
seatbelt, an invention that has saved possibly millions of lives in the past half-century. This is a carmaker whose headquarters houses a “crash lab”; a state-of-the-art facility which allows the carmaker to replicate real-world crashes. Because, believe this or not, Volvo actually studies every single Swedish accident its vehicles are involved in. There is almost a fanatical devotion to safety and the company stated to me during my visit last year that they wanted to eliminate deaths of any occupant of a Volvo car by 2020. New
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sensors on their latest cars can even figure out if the car is headed towards an accident and actually activate protection systems. And the fanaticism moves towards pedestrians as well, car hoods with airbags for example. But all this does not come cheap and Volvo Cars is currently owned by Chinese carmaker Zhejiang Geely, who bought the company from Ford in 2010 who themselves had acquired the carmaker in 1999. Volvo executives today feel Ford’s confused strategy at Volvo because they also owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). This was despite the success of the first-generation Volvo XC90 manufactured in that period. Ford, in fact, sold Volvo for a loss of two-thirds of the amount they invested, if depreciation is accounted for. Ford lost close to 90 per cent of what they had invested. The new management has been able to script a turnaround, which albeit much less dramatic than that of JLR, has been rather successful. One reason for the success is a more coherent model plan. Volvo’s new model plan is going to be based around a small car, the 40-series; a medium car, the 60-series and a large car, the 90-series. The small car is being developed alongside Geely, and the bigger cars are a Swedish project. Yet, in a very Swedish sort of way, Volvo has played around with the S60 sedan, and raised it off the ground. In
effect, they have created the sedan version of an SUV, and they call it the S60 Cross-Country. On the back roads, where the road surface is questionable, it is a very nice car. It is a luxury sedan, is spacious and has all the features one would expect in a car of that class. The interior, particularly the infotainment system, does feel a bit dated, but the S60CC is currently priced very attractively around `40 lakh. The S60CC does turn heads but the Volvo car that really commands attention is the new XC90. The previous XC90 was known as a practical threerow car and the new one keeps up the trend but with an attractive look and amazing interiors. The old Volvo console as seen on the S60CC has a very attractive “waterfall” look to it but has too many controls. So Volvo has installed an iPad sort of controller in the central console. Everything can be done from this console, from air-conditioning controls to music and maps. Only Audi’s excellent MMI system with the virtual cockpit is in the same league. The XC90 also has another aspect of Volvo’s rather comprehensive new philosophy, they have moved to two simple engine types, one in petrol and one in diesel. And these simple engines they
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feel do not have to be huge behemoths, Volvo is ceding the performance car market to the likes of Mercedes AMG but this also means that the XC90’s turbo-charged diesel is under two litres in capacity allowing the car to be legally sold in the NCR. It is, therefore, the only large diesel-powered SUV that can be sold
here. And it is large. In terms of space, it matches up to the new Audi Q7 easily because it does go head-to-head with that vehicle. And the two cars are also fairly evenly matched on the price-front with the XC90 costing between `75-85 lakh depending on the variant (we tested the premium ‘Inscription’ version). The XC90 is unbelievably practical. Yes, you do feel that it could do with more power — and Volvo India does eventually plan to bring the petrol-electric hybrid T8. But Volvos are not about absolute performance. The XC90 scores in so many areas. For example, it has a superb audio system where the sound can be made to sound like the Gothenburg Concert Hall. The rear-seat comfort and the practicality of the controls are fabulous. This car has been thought out with users other than the driver in mind. I’m actually waiting for subsequent Volvos in the Indian market. They may not have the brand equity of their rivals but the cars are really nice, unexpectedly so. Much like Gothenburg actually.
FRONT DESK
a smile as sincere as his commitment towards the needs of his guests, he brings with him an enviable experience spanning over 30 years in the hospitality industry. Having a string of awards to his credit, Wright is an ever humbling influence on his team. He talks about his professional journey, various Hyatt experiences and his second home, India.
WITH
You’ve had a long association with Hyatt, serving at various properties. Your first Hyatt experience was at Fiji. From Fiji to Gurgaon, how has the journey been? I was already a GM at a hotel in Fiji when the management at Hyatt asked me to join their new property as executive assistant manager. It was a demotion for me but then the lure of a big,
THE
With over 30 years of international hotel experience in the Asia and Pacific region, ROGER WRIGHT at Hyatt Regency Gurgaon hopes to be part of the second phase of the satellite city’s revolution. By DEVI SINGH
HUMANTOUCH
The principles don’t change. The international brand pulled me in. integrity and the commitment After a year, they put me on a fast remain the same. The difference lies track GM programme and learning in marketing and revenue on the job, experiencing a wide arc of generation. The USP of Hyatt clientele and being exposed to a Gurgaon is the ballroom, the biggest range of hospitality services, I found in NCR. In fact, we won the 2015 myself managing three major hotels Indian Hospitality award for the in Australia. I was also on board I feel privileged to best five-star convention hotel in Australia Tourism’s Indian marketing be a general India. Our rooms at 44 sq m are board, so I was in and out of India at manager at a huge and easy. The focus is on least once every year. The Indian five-star hotel in developing a product which plays posting was a natural progression. any part of the around the USP of the hotel. I feel privileged to be a general world. You have manager at a five-star hotel in any such a positive You have won a lot of accolades over part of the world. You have such a influence on the the years for your work. How is the positive influence on the career of career of your staff recognition coming through? your staff as well. The number of as well There are plenty of Indian hoteliers people you become friends with is who could have won all those amazing. But above all you get the awards. Of course, I appreciate the recognition but opportunity to manage such a complex business. I also feel there are many hoteliers here who have The combination of guests, owners and staff and created a legacy of sorts. the integrity of the brand, which we never compromise on, make for an outstanding How are you creating new experiences for leadership role in an environment like this. your clientele? The most fundamental responsibility of hoteliers is This is the second Hyatt property in India you are to develop a culture at all levels where we can serving after Mumbai. What makes Hyatt different consciously anticipate the requirements of our from the other names in the hospitality sector?
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guests. Though you will be able to do anything with your credit card or smartphone in the coming years, being available to your guests in person is really significant. I believe in old school management practices like walking around, which is a good way of gauging situations and interacting with guests. This basic principle should never change. Do you think Gurgaon needs to revamp its brand as a city it once used to be? Do you think as a satellite city, it is been-there-done-that? I think there’s going to be an increasing relocation of major corporate entities from Delhi to Gurgaon in a phase II revolution. India is in the middle of a massive infrastructure overhaul. There are so many projects and people from Korea, Japan and China particularly are investing massive amounts of money in this part of the world. I think the need for expansion of India’s middle class and the aspiration of upward mobility will only rise. I think the need for Gurgaon already has a template, it just needs to expansion of India’s build on it afresh. middle class and
the aspiration of upward mobility will only rise. Gurgaon already has a template, it just needs to build on it afresh
What are you doing for your corporate clientele? The corporate market is huge. We have Chinese, Koreans, Japanese and Scandinavians as well. A lot of them are doing special projects in Manesar and neighbouring areas. So in that sense this is their home away from home.
With many hotels coming up in Gurgaon, do you feel the competition heating up? Yes, the competition is there but when you have gained the trust and loyalty of your client, it doesn’t matter. The level of connectedness with your guests has the potential for a hotel to create a competitive advantage. What is next for the hospitality industry? What trends or services can we look for? Technology is going to make room check-in passé in the coming years. It will make things convenient for guests but eventually as hospitality professionals, we should be able to anticipate the needs of our guests, almost psycho-profile them. And that is a human ability.
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H IG H
5
People
Diversity
Culture
Integrity
Cuisine
What are the special packages you are offering to your guests? Are you noticing any change in traveller behaviour? Of late, we have been observing a surge in weekenders. Be it families or couples, they are checking in. That’s the reason why we have our poolside ready with trampolines which kids love. I think people don’t want to spend their weekends at home anymore. If they can’t plan a vacation, they simply spend two days with us to feel pampered and reinvigorated. And that is what everybody wants the world over. They are paying for a high-end hotel for a reason. As my daughter once said, “Never make assumptions based on people’s skin, ethnicity and the clothes they are wearing.” How has the Indian experience been for you? India has been an interesting place for me. I’m intrigued by the kind of people I have met here. Also, not to forget the friends I made here for life. Be it Mumbai or Gurgaon, I have found the same Indian ethos playing around everywhere. What according to you are the five highs of India? I would say it’s the people, their warmth and integrity, food, especially South Indian cuisine, and the overall culture. Both Mumbai and Gurgaon are known as the melting pots of India. The most exceptional thing which you’ll only get to see in India is its diversity which I love.
People don’t want to spend their weekends at home anymore. If they can’t plan a vacation, they simply spend two days with us to feel pampered and reinvigorated
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AUTHORSPEAK
CLIMATE CHANGE IS ABOUT SURVIVAL AT THE MOST ESSENTIAL LEVEL
AMITAV GHOSH’S latest non-fiction work, The Great Derangement, gives us a sense that our gross oversight and denial of the environment impacting our lives is not only costly but dangerously close. Worse it is already changing geo-politics. In conversation with RINKU GHOSH
n Your description of the tornado in Delhi’s Maurice Nagar is very vivid and palpable. What do you think stays better in the mind...the written word or the visual images, the glut of which is affecting us everyday? I don’t necessarily privilege one over the other. I think both play a very important part in ways which we think and imagine. What is important is capturing the enormity of the destruction with efficacy. And I remember the Delhi tornado absolutely vividly even though it was 38 years ago. The horror of seeing those scooters flying through the air and looking at people covered in blood. All the walls had come off in Maurice Nagar...you could see the interior of the library and fans twisted... a bus had landed in a tree... it was completely surreal. And it made a powerful impact because nothing like that had ever happened in Delhi before and I happened to be there. Now, almost 40 years later, nobody knows what else might happen in the city. Man-made agents are only accelerating the pace of climate degeneration, such as air pollution, filling up of wetlands and spontaneous fires spewing noxious fumes at landfill sites. Delhi’s water supply is dwindling and heaven help it if there is a cloudburst. n So when did this interest in climatology and its effects inspire you to write? You wove in the Nature’s fury angle in the Hungry Tide. So why didn’t you attempt fiction? May be you could have woven a generational story around a cataclysmic event brought on by climate change? This has been at the forefront of my mind for a long time now. And whenever I mentioned it to my writer friends, they would say ‘how boring.’ On a serious note I thought of non-
fiction because I first wanted to write a book of questions rather than a book of answers. I really wanted to share my questions with others because in a sense it’s not about writing fiction, it’s a question of practising journalism in the right investigative spirit with regard to an advanced stage of climate change. Let’s talk about the incredible heat wave in Delhi... what did the media write about it? Except reportage and a meteorological department explanation, there’s nothing else being written. Reporters typically don’t want to analyse anything, they have started steering away from what to them is an amorphous issue. The reporters can’t even find a way to tell a story. I was in a room full of young journalists the other day and they were telling me climate change is so far away. That is the level of perception. I asked them about the unusual heat wave in north India and surprisingly none of them had written about it.
I FIRST WANTED TO WRITE A BOOK OF QUESTIONS RATHER THAN A BOOK OF ANSWERS. I REALLY WANTED TO SHARE MY QUESTIONS WITH OTHERS BECAUSE IN A SENSE IT’S NOT ABOUT WRITING FICTION, IT’S A QUESTION OF PRACTISING JOURNALISM
conservative, their figures are always on the lowest estimates) on melting glaciers was just an error of some kind. But as you say, the denial lobbies seized upon the discrepancy and made a big deal out of it. So part of the denial lobby is funded by business interests and a part is the result of our natural tendencies to not think the worst. We want to be optimistic. What is puzzling though is we can see the impact all around us. Take the rainfall in Chennai or the deluge in Mumbai in 2005, this year’s unprecedented flooding in Assam and every metro. We see them all around us, yet somehow we don’t want to join the dots. We don’t want a larger story. And this is something a lot of research has already been done on. n Even your book refers to many research papers. The threat of tornadoes in the Arabian Sea is a new revelation I thought. We are accustomed to the vagaries of Bay of Bengal which is very tempestuous and now the same thing is going to start here as well. In fact, it already has. Last year there were more cyclones in the Arabian Sea than in the Bay of Bengal for the first time. Cyclonic activity in the Arabian Sea is likely to increase by 46 per cent by the next century. Even with a disaster response mechanism in
n Is it because we have accepted climate change as an ongoing news story or is it because of some counter propaganda? Are we deluding ourselves? All of these things play a part in it. It’s true that there are many uncertainties and it was very unfortunate that the IPCC report (usually their studies are very
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place, can you imagine a storm with 240 kmph or higher wind speed hitting Mumbai? With 40 ft high waves, glass-fronted tall buildings and slum settlements with corrugated iron sheets as roofs, it would be a churn of debris. We need cyclone tracking and alert mechanisms and a super-efficient evacuation plan. I’ve seen what Hurricane Sandy did to New York.
WE ARE ALSO GOING TO SEE A HUGE SPIKE IN FOOD PRICES BECAUSE THIS DROUGHT WOULD HAVE AFFECTED THE PRODUCTION OF VARIOUS COMMODITIES. AND THIS IS HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD. THE GLOBAL FOOD PRODUCTION HAS ALREADY BEGUN TO DECLINE
n Living in Goa, you must have sensed the fury of it. You know in Goa, the rains are very intense but they are not used to storms or cyclones and if a cyclone hits Goa or anywhere in the west coast, people will be largely unprepared because they are not accustomed to dealing with it. And this is one of the things I’ve addressed in the book. The east coast has cyclone shelters, early warning
mechanisms and evacuation measures. The west coast doesn’t have any historic experience of cyclones, so no measures have been taken ever. We are living in an age of freakish weather; it’s changing in ways we can’t predict. And if we don’t recognise these dangers, then we won’t be able to respond to them. Just like this government was caught completely flat-footed by this drought. There were thousands of people leaving Bundelkhand everyday and moving to other cities. Look at Latur, they had to send water trains. We are also going to see a huge spike in food prices because this drought would have affected the production of various commodities. And this is happening around the world. The global food production has already begun to decline. n Why are we not treating it
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seriously in our public discourses? In this digital age, we have informed citizens or activists who can help evolve an awareness. Social media is very good at alerting about things which are happening but there are two points I would like to make. One, social media may in fact lead to an information overload, so they basically skim over the key points. Second, it’s good for eliciting immediate response — such and such event has happened and there will be a huge outcry for two days. But for long-term solutions, we simply have to devote ourselves to the cause. Both our political and information systems have become really unsuited to long-term problems. The political system in the US and India are now geared towards a five-year election cycle and they are just looking at things within that time horizon whereas these issues require long-term planning, which is something we have become really bad at. There is no long-term perspective unfortunately. n But there are groups which are working on it and are actually facing persecution? Exactly, this is another problem. Over the last few years environmentalists, environmental journalists and activists have really become targets of attack around the world. And it’s happening more and more. South America is one of the worst places where many environmental activists have
been targeted, especially at a time when rain forests are under tremendous stress.
THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN THE US AND INDIA ARE NOW GEARED TOWARDS A FIVE-YEAR ELECTION CYCLE. THEY ARE JUST LOOKING AT THINGS WITHIN THAT TIME HORIZON
n Which are the climatic or geopolitical zones likely to be affected by climate change? Well the hotspots are well known. The eastern Mediterranean was predicted to be the hotspot, it is disintegrating. The Sahel in Africa is another band reaching Darfur, which again is very badly affected. And all the studies say that South Asia is one of the most threatened parts of the world. The Syrian crisis was precipitated by mass migration to cities because of crop failure. There is a study commissioned by the Pentagon which confidently says that state structures across South Asia will be near collapse by 2030. Bangladesh is already reeling under a lot of climatic change, millions of people have already been displaced and as we can see it’s increasingly leading to destabilisation. When those textile buildings collapsed, many people wrote about people dying but very few people pointed out that people who were working in those buildings were mainly climate refugees. They all came from Barisal, a seafront district where a lot of land is going under water. Similarly, the Kolkata sex trade is now apparently largely staffed by people escaping from Sundarbans. After cyclone Aila many people lost their land and villages, and they started migrating.
n So what is the structure to look at a solution that will last for a long time? I don’t feel really equipped to suggest solutions but there are many people who are. There is CSE, I must say Sunita Narain is very brave and persistent. But she’s not heard. How do you make yourself heard in a political climate where everyone is only interested in Bollywood or cricket?
ONE THING I DO NOTICE IS THAT AMONG YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THE US OR EUROPE, THERE IS CERTAINLY AWARENESS ABOUT THE SEVERITY OF CLIMATE CHANGE. IN INDIA, I DON’T SEE THAT. I DON’T THINK YOUNG PEOPLE IN INDIA ARE EVEN THINKING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
n How do we impact thinking minds? I’m simply not equipped to answer this. I can only raise such questions. Because that is certainly at least the beginning. One thing I do notice is that among younger people in the US or Europe, there is certainly awareness about the severity of climate change. In India, I don’t see that. I don’t think young people in India are even thinking about climate change.
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They are only interested in survival and what they don’t know is climate change is about survival. It’s about survival at the most essential level. n I like the fact that you talk about folk literature reflecting environmental issues. How can we revive that trend of nature as the unseen character or backdrop impacting lives? If you have read Chand Saudagar, those stories are filled with storms, famines, droughts and of course snakes and Manasa sending storms against them. Even now in Bangladesh, Muslim peasants still honour such stories and rituals around it. Chand Saudagar, people say, is a preBrahmanic folktale and it’s completely absorbed by the landscape of Bengal. In so many ways, these folk traditions actually connect to the world in a much more powerful way than contemporary fiction.
F LY H I G H
Inside view of airport
Lucknow on the go
‘THE
city of Nawabs’ in Uttar
aims to deliver software solutions to countries like
Pradesh has begun to
the US, UK, Canada, Singapore and South Africa.
walk and is raring to
Geographically too Lucknow is positioned as a
roar and leap. And today it is one of the most
hub, surrounded by cities rich in industries
prominent attractions on the world tourism map.
like Varanasi and Kanpur, and adjoining
The city is known for art, crafts and most
tourist cities of Ayodhya and Varanasi. It is an
importantly its culture. Lucknow derives its name
important link on the Buddhist tourist circuit
from the legendary hero Laxman, younger brother
involving Lumbini, Shravasti, Sarnath (Varanasi)
of Lord Ram, also known as Lakhan. On the orders
and Bodh Gaya.
of his elder brother, Laxman set up his capital at the present site of Laxman Tilla. Thus the city was
Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport
named Laxmanpur or Lakhanpur and the British
Lucknow airport is all geared up to spread its
anglicised it as Lucknow.
wings in a big way. Named after visionary leader and former Prime Minister, Chaudhary Charan
Hub of activities
Singh, the international airport has two passenger
Lucknow has gradually turned as the only large
terminal buildings. The Terminal 1 was built in
urban centre amidst a number of small towns in
1996 for international flight operations and
the surrounding districts, making it one of the most
represents Lucknow architecture of domes while
sought after destinations in North India. Today it
Terminal 2 is meant for domestic operations.
continues as an important centre of education,
Commissioned in 2012, the terminal is a glass and
commerce, aerospace, finance, pharmaceuticals,
steel structure providing the best facilities to
technology, design, culture, tourism, music and
passengers. There is also a separate facility for
poetry. In terms of job opportunities, the city is
cargo operations.
ranked sixth among Indian cities. Lucknow has been a major trading hub in northern India and is
Achievement
now also emerging as a centre for producers of
The ASQ Awards have become the world’s leading
goods and services.
airport passenger benchmark with over 275 airports being considered for it. The awards
One among potential cities
recognise and reward the best airports in the
Lucknow has also been ranked as challenger
world based on ACI’s ASQ passenger satisfaction
city by NASSCOM among 50 potential cities across India for IT/BPO operations. Built over three acres, Avadh park in Lucknow is the first IT park of UP. Built by TATA consultancy services, it seeks to absorb 15,000 employees and
survey done on uniform format worldwide. The award also recognises the commitment of airports worldwide to constantly improve their passenger service. Lucknow airport scored 4.69 out of 5 on the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) scale in the category of handling 2-5 million passengers per annum (MPPA) in the year 2015 and has bagged second place in world in the same category.
Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow
Airport lab at Lucknow Airport
Airport labs
Airport Management Professional Accreditation
CCSI airport in Lucknow hosted the first-ever
Programme (AMPAP), a joint programme of Airport
domestic airport lab as the first trendsetter for the
Council International (ACI) and International Civil
future domestic labs. The theme of this Airport Lab
Aviation Organisation (ICAO). This is a one-year
event was ‘Improving customer satisfaction by
programme and has been completed by senior
optimising resources.’ This was a problem-solving
airport executives over four years.
session attended by 30 IAPs belonging to AAI from different airports, regional headquarters and
Types of airport labs
corporate headquarters as participants and
Show and tell labs: When an airport has been
organisers of the event. The main purpose was to
recognised as being best-in-class in an area, it
provide workable solutions on implementing plans
can be useful for others to see first hand how
within the available resources for problems being
things are done. In this scenario, the host will be
faced by CCSI airport.
sharing a lot of its knowledge, hoping that it
The primary purpose of these labs is to bring
will get some feedback that will be useful for
International Airport Professionals (IAPs) of AAI
them as well.
together to share expertise on best practices in
Problem Solving Labs: When an airport
various areas of customer satisfaction in a face-to-
experiences an ongoing issue which would benefit
face setting.
from the analysis and input of other community
AAI has trained around 100 executives in
peers, it can host an airport lab to troubleshoot the
airport management to match expectations of the
issue. This, in part, serves the airport which
global aviation industry. These executives are
benefits from the perspective of a diverse team of
designated as IAPs after successfully completing
airport professionals. It also serves the participants
EXOTICA [90] AUGUST 2016
Satkhanda
Takeaway from the domestic airport lab at CCSI Airport
in allowing them to solve an issue that they may otherwise have not been able to tackle. Event-driven Labs: Another option is that of a commercial sponsor interested in talking about
In today’s world, customer is the king. The customer influences business models and increases the competitiveness globally. Therefore it becomes important for the airports to continuously innovate to enhance customer experience. Every airport is making efforts to provide world-class facilities but the airport with the wow factor stands on the top. Recently, several airports have revamped their brand image and made themselves customer-centric.
issues regarding a technology or a product. It would be important in this case that very clear guidelines be worked out with the sponsor to ensure that the lab follows the activity format and focusses on developing best practices.
Airport lab — an Indian experience The objectives of holding airport labs in India are as follows: To create a platform for finding in-house solutions to the problems in various functional areas of airport management across the country. A unique opportunity for presentations and discussions on customer satisfaction, best practices and innovations. An exclusive opportunity to mix with fellow IAPs having diverse experience in the area of airport management for knowledge sharing.
Rumi Darwaza
ON EDGE
MY LIFE TUNE do you manage to do so many things together? This is an almost inevitable question when people read my bio. As a growth expert, CEO coach, author of four books in three years and the lead vocalist of a Western classic rock band, I understand why people wonder. Well, the truth is that the concept of work-life balance is a myth. Let me explain. I love my work — getting into the details of how to make a client’s business grow faster or coaching a business leader to achieve greater heights of success brings an amazing sense of satisfaction and achievement. So does writing a bestseller and engaging with readers. And then, there’s music. How can anything match the adrenaline rush of being on stage, under the lights, belting out rock hits to a cheering crowd? So how do I manage? Even if I were, somehow, magically able to to do justice to all three pursuits, I would still have no time for my wife and daughter. I have a very simple secret comprising three components — choice, prioritisation and focus. The word “balance” is deceptive. It implies an ability to do things simultaneously rather balancing on a tightrope. The concept of balance is the possibility of imbalance whereas once a choice is made I am committed to it. Prioritisation
HOW
determines how my time is allocated. Whenever there is a conflict between the three pursuits, my professional commitments get first priority. The second priority is time with the family — that is very important for me. I write only when I get the time — late at night on some weekends, on flights, in hotels and even in cars between meetings. Here too, there is always a choice involved. Rather than sleeping or socialising on a weekend, I prefer to write until the wee hours of the morning. I could watch a movie or read a book on a flight or in my hotel but I choose to write. And music is reserved for Sundays when the band gets together. The third component is focus. Whatever I choose as a priority, I ensure that my full attention is given to that. I won’t claim it is perfect but it certainly helps me keep stress away since I have creative outlets apart from regular work. Family time does suffer on occasion when I have to travel extensively for work and go on book tours. But I guess having a wife and daughter who are extremely supportive and understanding makes all the difference. — Christopher C Doyle is the author of three best-selling books, a growth catalyst, and a CEO coach. His firm helps companies grow profitably and sustainably. His latest novel The Secret of the Druids was released last month by Westland Ltd
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SACRED HAVENS
DAKSHINESWAR KALI TEMPLE: Situated
BELUR MATH: Sprawling over acres of land on
on the eastern bank of the River Hooghly, the presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini, an aspect of Kali. The temple was built by Rani Rashmoni — a philanthropist and a devotee of Kali in 1855. It has a courtyard with twelve shrines dedicated to Shiva and one dedicated to Rani Rashmoni.
the Western bank of the Hooghly in Howrah district, it’s a place of pilgrimage for people coming from different religious faiths. Swami Vivekananda lived the last years of his life here. He consecrated the grounds in 1898 by worshipping the urn containing the sacred relics of Sri Ramakrishna.
IGNITE THE FAITH A home to several races and religions — West Bengal boasts of some of the most remarkable places of religious interest in terms of architecture and tourist footfall. Embark on a spiritual journey across the state with these celebrated places
GHOOM MONASTERY: This monastery is situated just opposite to the War Memorial nearly 8km from Darjeeling. The Monastery has also preserved some of the rare handwritten Buddhist manuscripts. There are three other Gumpas like Samdenchoeling, Sakyachoeling and the Phin Sotholing. Midway between Ghoom and Darjeeling is the Thupten Sangachoeling.
BANDEL BASILICA CHURCH: The Basilica of the Holy Rosary commonly known as Bandel Church is one of the oldest in the state. Situated in Hooghly, it was declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1988. Bandel coming from the Bengali word ‘bandar’ appears to have been the port of Hooghly during the rule of Portuguese. The church is said to be built in 1660 by Gomez de Soto.
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KATRA MOSQUE: The Katra Mosque is located in Murshidabad — a historical city located 200 km from Kolkata. The mosque built by Nawab Murshid Quli Khan between 1723 to 1724 was an important centre for Islamic learning. The word ‘katra’ means a market and the name was given to the mosque owing to the fact that the place had a bustling market during that time.
MUSIC
some reunions take much coaxing and convincing, the reconciliation of Bombay Black did not require much effort. The group members had not been in the same room since 2003, until a get-together at guitarist Randolph Corriea’s place around a year ago. That was when Tyrone Fernandes, one of the ex members of the band, made the suggestion of getting back together and making another album over a couple of beers. And most members were eager to get down to creating some brand new music. “By the end of the night, Bombay Black got back to action. Over the next week, we hooked ourselves up and jammed at Randolph’s, again, and this new album is the result of those jam sessions,” discloses Paresh Kamath. To understand why an old group’s reunion has many new people buzzing with interest, one needs to start from the beginning. Bombay Black came into existence in the year 1999 when the indie music scene in India was still young. “1999 was a time of transition for rock bands,” says Kamath. It was a time when recording technology was becoming more accessible and bands no longer needed a massive amount of cash to produce a record. Small venues and smaller crowds allowed them to experiment with various sounds and not stick to a genre. “As a band we love digging into staccato riffs playing tightly. You can play any old thing
WHILE
In conversation with EXOTICA, Bombay Black’s guitarist PARESH KAMATH speaks about the band’s reunion after a hiatus of over 15 years and changes in the independent music scene
MY INDIE TUNE
funkily and it sounds better suddenly... you could incorporate jazz, blues, or whatever in it and it seems to blend in just nicely,” he adds. But it can be easily understood that the band knew how to go about things before they became the standard. Long before playing at an international music festival had become a routine thing for Indian musicians, Bombay Black performed at the Inland Invasion Festival in 2001. The story of their existence, over three brief years, remains largely untold but their impact can be seen in the genredefying music that defines Indian indie today. In February, Bombay Black reunited for a tour in support of their new single, Boing Boing. And in March-end, they released Snow White And The Seven Bungalows (seven bungalows being a residential area in Mumbai), their first album in 14 years. Much has changed in the intervening time. While Kamath asserts that very little has changed in terms of the creative energy of Bombay Black, he admitted that the technology has transformed much. From studio sessions, access to state-ofthe-art gear and making DIY videos for the internet — boasting of some major clout in today’s times — technological advancements have changed the game. Kamath also believes that with so many facilities at our disposal, we can’t gauge the growth of the music industry. “With what’s happening at iTunes and Apple Music, streaming is the new thing now, downloads are passé. We have so much music at our disposal now, so much so that we don’t even value it anymore.” And in spite of being an alternativerock band, Kamath tells us that the band recommends hip-hop and neo-soul to other music aficionados. Now, that’s more like the antics befitting a punk-rock group.
WILD SIDE
COLOUR ME Get your quirk on by trying these daring shades
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[1] KA’OIR: You could mix it with red and make a fun orange colour. Price: `1,276 [2] KYLIE JENNER: Dead Of The Knight Black Kylie Lipkit Lipstick is food and water-proof with minerals. Price: `1,956 [3] DOLCE & GABBANA: This lip colour is incredibly feminine and striking at the same time. Price on request. [4] NYX: Create lips that look full and glossy without feeling sticky. Price on request. [5] COCO CHANEL: Give a fun twist to the traditional codes of elegance. Price on request. [6] MAC: A deep hue that won’t look gothic. Price: `2,344
C AT C U T
HYGIENE CUT: This trims the cat’s fur to help keep its coat clear of waste that can stick after using the litter box. This cut is generally given to long-haired and overweight cats.
LION CUT: This is the most popular haircut around. It involves trimming all of your cat’s fur except on its head, neck, feet and tail. Not only will it look more lion-esque but help keep cool in the hotter environs.
FELINE FETISH Primp your tabby with these chic hair-dos BELLY SHAVE: This one removes most of the fur underneath and is given to longer-haired cats to prevent matting.
COMB CUT: It’s a simple haircut that removes an inch of your cat’s fur. It’s great for shedding hairballs, making it easier to inspect your cat for skin-related issues.
TEDDY BEAR CUT: Keeps the fur the same length throughout the body. It remains long enough to prevent sun damage.
EXOTICA [97] AUGUST 2016
BLITHESPIRIT
world of beverages, like the world of food, is often governed by seasonality. Just like oranges and lychees have their respective seasons, cocktails too have a cycle of when they are made. And seasonality is a great thing. Sure we can get mangoes all through the year and we can drink every possible fruit and vegetable juice under the sun anytime but I feel that it somewhat detracts from the exclusivity. The privilege that nature affords us stands annulled with the idea of having them available all year round. And that in turn makes us appreciate them lesser. I know how much I crave the first mango sometime April every year. I would hate to be robbed of that longing by
THE
Magandeep Singh Sommelier
THE EDGE OF
SEASON Concocting drinks in a particular season boils down to two factors — what nature has given us at that moment and how best we can utilise it. A rundown of some monsoon basics
EXOTICA [98] AUGUST 2016
having mangoes staring back at me on supermarket shelves all year round. Summers are great for drinks that cool from within just like winters are the ideal season for sips to warm the cockles of your heart. And spring, the fleeting moment that we have it for, could elevate any drink no matter how mundane. But what about monsoon? That balmy muggy stretch of months between an extended excruciating summer and the brief wintery respite, what for that? What drinks would be ideal while we wait indoors, cooped up inside on account of torrential rains or torturous humidity? Here are a few ingredients that work during these months: ROCK SALT: I’ve always preferred that funky sour-meets-savoury taste of rock (mineral) salt from the mountains to the somewhat linear taste of common salt. Nothing like some sodiumchloride to spruce up the flavour of drinks bringing more complexity. And of course the restocking of lost salts is much more effective with this salt.
SHERBET: This entire category is not for everybody, especially if you didn’t grow up in the north where it’s more common a drink than say in the south. From rose to khus, saffron or kewra, these are strong flavours and take some getting used to. Many find them overwhelmingly (sickeningly) sweet and clawing. For those who don’t, there’s nothing more refreshing. ALCOHOL: Now comes the important part, the most pertinent one. And here’s the problem with alcohol — if applied to the skin it’s endothermic — your hands may feel cool if you rubbed some between your palms. But that’s an expensive trick for an aged single malt, one would much rather drink it. And consuming alcohol will only lead to more sweating. So best to tone the strength of the drink. Long drinks are preferable over the shorter stiffer ones. Ditch the martini for a mai tai or any other tiki style (long) drink. As long as the drink is watered (or soda-ed) down, it will be lighter on all the senses.
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GURUSPEAK Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Spiritual Guru
Often we grow older physically and not so emotionally. Fighting too much with yourself won’t do good. It’s as if you are a victim of your own emotions. Try steering the emotional ship to better shores
LET’S CALL A TRUCE I feel like this! I feel like that! What to do?” Bundle all your emotions up and throw them into the ocean. Start identifying with your patterns before you get trapped. Sometimes you see dark clouds in the sky but the space does not own them. It just allows them to come and pass away. Similarly, these emotions — pleasant or unpleasant — let them come and go. Just disown them. That is the first step. All emotions are linked with people, objects or events. Catching on to these hinders freedom. Just examine why your spirits go down? More often than not — it’s because somebody said something nasty to you. They had some garbage that they needed to throw out and you were there, ready to catch it. And once you have caught it, you hold on to it so passionately. Wake up! Don’t let your smile be snatched away by anybody. This emotional garbage is useless. Your emotions can make you very weak and the same can also make you very strong. When your emotions are positive, they make you sensitive to the truth, subtle, delicate things and take you into a deep meditation. But the same emotions, when they are rough, ruin your mind and body. Emotion is your enemy and your friend too. That emotion which makes you soft inside is your friend and the one which makes you rough is your enemy. Every emotion has a definite sensation in the body. Many a time, we get carried away by thoughts or feelings and we do not observe the sensations. We make many affirmations but when the storm of emotion rises in us — we find ourselves lost. There is a strange relationship between thoughts and feelings.
“OH!
EXOTICA [100] AUGUST 2016
Thoughts provoke feelings, and feelings in turn, can bring about some thoughts. There are no problems when we feel high. The problems arise only when we are low. When one feels low, then the more one tries to feel high, the lower feelings persist. And when that happens — jump into the lowest. Be like water. nature of water is humility. It always flows down. The problem is stiffness and ego. Water can take any shape, whichever glass you put it in. Water means acceptance of the present moment. It is not simply acceptance with fatalism — it is acceptance with motion, with dynamism. The fluidity will heal you through. You need to cut away your rigidity and be more flexible. If you agree to go low when you don’t feel good, you are the richest person on earth. Have you ever loved your low feelings? You have always fought with them. Haven’t you? Just close your eyes and go into that low. You will find the ocean there and start rising up in no time. Stop the inner fight. Time out. (www.artofliving.org)
THE
EXOTICA [101] AUGUST 2016
FITNESS
is a chronic condition. We don’t really know what causes it but research shows that it’s a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The airways get inflamed and the passages carrying air to and from the lungs become narrow, sensitive and react to a variety of external triggers. These include airborne allergens (pollen, dust, animal dander), respiratory Bharat Thakur infections such as cough, cold, strong emotions and stress. Coming into is a yoga guru contact with these triggers causes asthma attacks — the airways tighten and and founder of become more inflamed, mucus blocks the airways and results in difficulty in Artistic Yoga breathing, chest tightness and wheezing. Research has shown that yoga can play a vital role in countering the effects of asthma and The World Health Organisation strengthening the body’s system to reduce the (WHO) estimates there are frequency of attacks. Yogic practices like surya 150 million asthma sufferers namaskar can stretch, strengthen and revitalise the body and restore depleted energy levels. Asanas like worldwide, approximately 20 million sarpasana, ushtrasana, adhomukhasyanasana relieve the of whom are in India and the tightness asthmatics generally have in the chest, numbers seem to be rising. shoulder and neck. Pranayama practices like kapalbhatti and anuloma viloma cleanse the nasal tract, Time to step up with these yoga steps strengthen the lungs, improve lung capacity and clear up accumulated toxins in the system. Yoga is a holistic science that impacts every level of our being. Its regular practice can help asthmatics become physically fitter and stronger, mentally more able to handle their emotions and stay calmer to manage their condition. Try the following exercises and see how they help you.
ASTHMA
EXOTICA [102] AUGUST 2016
KAPALBHATTI o Sit in padmasana (lotus position) or cross-legged with back straight, eyes closed, palms on knees. o Exhale forcefully through the nose, pulling stomach in. o Relax and inhale. o Practise 50 exhalations at a stretch. Over time, increase to 100. BENEFITS: o Improves cardio-respiratory capacity and endurance. o Cleanses and opens up the lungs.
SARPASANA o Lie flat on your stomach, legs straight, feet together, arms by your side. o Place chin on the floor, interlock the fingers. o Inhale deeply, use lower back muscles to raise the chest. o Pull the hands back and raise arms as high as you can, stretching backwards. BENEFITS: o Improves the intake of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide. o Tones and strengthens the heart.
ARDHACHAKRASANA o Stand with your feet together and breathe in as you raise your arm to shoulder level. Turn palm up, raise your right arm and stretch upwards. o Exhale as you bend your body to the left. o Hold for 20 seconds. o Inhale as you come up and exhale as you bring the arm down. o Repeat with the other side. BENEFITS: o Shifts the load from both the lungs to one, helping clear blockages in both of them. o Improves the functional capacity of the respiratory system.
YOGA NIDRA o Lie flat on your back with your legs slightly apart. o Close your eyes, breathe in, feeling the stomach rise and the chest expand. o Breathe out, letting the chest and stomach fall. o There are 16 vital points in the body that can relax you if you concentrate on them. o Breathe in, feel the oxygen flow through your body and breathe out. BENEFITS: Relaxes the body and mind, removing physical and mental tension.
NUMBERGAME Sanjay Jumaani Numerologist
COUNT YOUR FATE
NUMBER 1 (Ruled by Sun, people born on the 1st, 10th, 19th and 28th) By now you should realise that ‘reputation’ is only what you are supposed to be and ‘character’ is what you are. Spirituality could claim your attention, showing you the importance of good karma but you also need to keep in mind that we are living in a materialistic world, so don’t ignore your needs.
NUMBER 4 (Ruled by Uranus, people born on the 4th, 13th, 22nd and 31st) You need to wind down a bit from the gruelling work schedule, whenever you may afford to do so. Being out of touch with some old acquaintance, you will very well get in touch with them again. A true friend is not blind to faults but chooses to overlook them. And you too will do the same.
NUMBER 7 (Ruled by Neptune, people born on the 7th, 16th and 25th) Those who are self-employed must try to buck up the pace if they are to reach their deadlines. For others, you could get inundated with work and commitments — there will be hardly much scope to shift priorities or loyalties. Work is indeed worship and you better stick to the policy.
NUMBER 2 (Ruled by Moon, people born on the 2nd, 11th, 20th and 29th) An associate could make you feel important. Back home, the atmosphere could be more calm and relaxed. Loved ones could reciprocate well if you allow them to. There could be a slight grey area at work and with caution, it can be tackled efficiently which will resolve most of the mess.
NUMBER 5 (Ruled by Mercury, people born on the 5th, 14th and 23rd) Being a good listener is not something you can take pride in but at least the plus point is that you do not make this part known. Communication has been your forte but hardly when you are at the receiving end. But remember if you want to be happy and successful in life, never stop learning.
NUMBER 8 (Ruled by Saturn, people born on the 8th, 17th and 26th) If you have been feeling a little restless and impatient, now is the time to strike the iron rod. Hey, it’s just a figure of speech. Swinging back in action will help fulfill your creative desires, though material success is not as important to you as is recognition for your efforts and sometimes not even that.
NUMBER 3 (Ruled by Jupiter, people born on the 3rd, 12th, 21st and 30th) You could make a few more admirers than you usually do and in the process, may end up causing a few jealousies. But when you are in a position to receive bouquets, be ready for brickbats too. Financially, it appears to be a little expensive month, so try to round the edges wherever possible.
NUMBER 6 (Ruled by Venus, people born on the 6th, 15th and 24th) There is a possibility of some light but it may not be the right time to offer commitments. People do expect a lot from you. But you can’t deliver all the time, nobody can. There needs to be a line drawn somewhere. You need to learn how to say ‘no’ without feeling embarrassed.
NUMBER 9 (Ruled by Mars, people born on the 9th, 18th and 27th) With your sheer hard work, and self-belief, there is so much you can achieve. On the personal front, try not to be too critical, and if you must voice your opinion, do so like a surgeon’s knife. A kind word spoken can make the other’s day. A kind word not spoken leaves an empty hole.
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AT L E I S U R E
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appreciation workshop at IHC by Dr P Cooper, California State University, Los Angeles on New American Cinema. It will explore various facets of independent filmmaking in the US since the late 70s, including aesthetics, context, script and production. August 7.
FILM
best time to tie rakhi on Raksha Bandhan is during Aparahna, which is late afternoon according to the Hindu calendar. If aparahna is not suitable, then pradosh is the next best slot for performing rituals related to Raksha Bandhan. On August 18.
THE
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festival of Krishna Janmashtami commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna. In Mumbai, on the second day, an extremely fun part of the festival involves people climbing on each other and forming a human pyramid to reach and break open clay pots filled with curd, which have been strung up high from buildings. August 25 and 26.
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Gogamedi Fair is a traditional Rajasthani cattle and handicraft fair. It’s held to pay tribute to regional hero ‘Gogaji’, believed to be a snake God. One of the big attractions of the fair is the rustic singing and dancing. It starts on Goga Navami, the ninth day of the Krishna Paksha (waning phase of the moon) in the Hindu month Bhadrapad and goes on for three days. August 26 to 28.
THE
Earth’s ‘Monsoon Festival’ in Delhi aims to celebrate the magic of the Indian monsoon, reviving forgotten traditional cultural practices and pioneering contemporary creative expressions. Enjoy visual art, fashion, theatre, walks, workshops and markets. The theme for this year will be ‘Lord Krishna.’
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SIGN-OFF By RINKU GHOSH
THE ‘BEING INDIAN’ LINE
P
op patriotism has been around for probably a decade but it is only now that our young people have internalised it in spirit. So national symbolism is no longer a matter of hoisting flags or wearing desi wear, like a badge of honour or uniform; it is about the sensibility and confidence of being comfortable with their identity and being a global Indian than an Indian global citizen. Understandably, the market has risen to the challenge. And be it the hashtag campaigns for sari or handloom or the elite involvement in the promotion of Indianness, the consumers have never had it better. The most significant impact has been on fashion and design. With our top designers advising and training even the most basic weaver and craftsmen’s clusters in styling and urban adaptability, folk fashion has finally become contemporary, comfortable and chic. From scarf knots to ikat jootis, jewellery to funk. Even online portals are in a rush to sell geo-specific products. In fact, the handloom sari boom has happened online much before Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani posed in Bhagalpuri silk. Online sales have significantly revived the gossamer Chanderi and Phulia sari industry. Meanwhile, khadi is into its second wave, venturing from the studentactivist to the corporate workwear space. It is expected to take over our collective fascination with linen.
There is an ethno-classic revolution in the home interior space as well. Not in the 80s’ sort of way, when it was about building collections from cottage emporia, but in the uber cool way of lighting up even a bachelor’s pad. Now the kitsch art surrounding an auto, rickshaw, trucks, trunks and tin kettles make for a cool statement piece in our homes just as elephants and florals are back in popular design, from motifs, to furnishings and crockery. However, it is in the food and beverage space that the ethnorevolution is most palpable. Be it the spurt in home-grown organic companies (which adroitly package themselves as priced cheaper than MNCs and ploughing back benefits to the country), ayurvedic and herbal wellness concepts or the fusion platters of tony diners, food has been the most powerful expression of how we have redefined ourselves. If it was about pursuing authentic French, Italian, Mexican and Japanese flavours some time ago, this year’s Independence day specials feature tricoloured parmesan gnocchi with vine cherry tomatoes and fresh basil with home-grown spices and even tricoloured macaroons. Why, there are even cakes shaped like the Parliament building! Finally, we are having our cake and eating it too.
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EXOTICA
RNI NO. DELENG/2006/18084 POSTAL REGN. NO. DL (C)-01/1151/2016-2018 Posted at NDPSO on 10th, 11th & 12th of same month Published on 30th of Advance Month
VOL 10 NO 10 AUGUST 2016