Exotica March 2017

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FROM THE EDITOR

Editor-in-Chief CHANDAN MITRA EDITORIAL BOARD Vice-Chairman & Joint Managing Director Amit Goel Chief Executive Officer Abhishek Saxena 09818600128 EDITORIAL Editor-in-Charge Rinku Ghosh Feature Writers Devi Singh Priyanka Joshi Chief Designer Anand Singh Rawat Senior Designer Santosh Kumar Yadav Pre-press Manager Syed Nawab Raza Staff Photographer Pankaj Kumar SALES & MARKETING General Manager Kumar Gurudutta Jha Senior Managers Madhukar Saxena & Sofiqul Islam Managers Bharat Singh Sajwan & Prabhakar Pathak Senior Marketing Executive Komal Sharma Media Coordinator Anil Kumar 09871379898 GOVERNMENT & PSU General Manager Tapan Ghosh Assistant General Manager Neeta Rai 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 JK Offset Graphics (P) Ltd, B-278, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi-110020 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

DO WE NEED WOMEN’S DAY?

I FIND

the growing practice of designating certain days of the year for promoting causes of various hues a meaningless and primarily commercial enterprise. Although I have nothing against celebrating Valentine’s Day and vehemently decry physical intimidation of young couples by Hindu extremist outfits, the fact is that media organisations promote its observance for pure commercial reasons. In the early 90s, The Times of India stumbled upon a novel route to make more money by enticing youngsters to place mushy classified advertisements declaiming their love. This in turn led to a huge spurt in the sale of demented gifts like heart-shaped balloons or pillows, squeaky stuffed toys belching out pre-programmed jingles and other such useless merchandise.

I am not sure in which category we ought to place International Women’s Day. It is largely an NGO-type occasion and since that sector is women-dominated, it is not surprising that the Day is observed on a big scale, at least ritually. Personally, I don’t believe there should be anything of the kind. If we have a Women’s Day (as also a Children’s Day in India) what wrong have men done not to have a Day dedicated to them? Putting the popular scooter ad upside down, I would say, “Why should women have all the fun?” Admittedly though, International Women’s Day is not a fun affair. In fact, it is almost a grim occasion. Ponderous seminars are held in which experts narrate in graphic detail all the injustices that have been heaped on women over the centuries, quasi-successful women rail against the glass ceiling and a huge crowd chants slogans demanding equality. I don’t doubt that Women’s Day once served a purpose. In the heady days of the sexual revolution of the 60s and the emergence of the women’s liberation movement in Europe, there was a symbolic need to demand opportunities and empowerment for the neglected half of humankind. Unfortunately, over time Women’s Day has degenerated into a ritual with markedly commercial overtones. This is not to suggest that women have achieved equality in society. A long battle lies ahead to change mindsets in those societies that still remain male-dominated. But the women who most need empowerment rarely find their cause represented at the highly publicised events to further women’s rights.

In terms of legislation, though, the Indian woman has come a long way.

Admittedly, Jawaharlal Nehru, the westernised intellectual he was, laid the basis for her political emancipation by insisting on universal adult franchise from the beginning. Whereas in the mother of democracies, Great Britain, women won the right to vote after a long struggle only in 1906, in India they got it just 46 years later.

In recent decades, panchayati raj has taken women’s empowerment down to the grassroots. Reservation of panchayat seats (up to 50 percent in states like Bihar) as well as the post of sarpanch in local bodies has helped raise political consciousness and participation of women in rural areas to an astonishing degree. Sadly, however, recent studies show that as much as 80 per cent of women panchayat members opt out of contesting a second time. It is at that level that women’s emancipation has to be fought for. If the cause of women is nowadays treated with growing irritation by urban men, it is because of the shrillness of their demand for stringent implementation of the draconian Anti-Dowry Act with its obnoxious Section 498a — a byword for harassment of men. Similarly, the Domestic Violence Act has not helped bestow more rights to women. Women’s activists in India have opted to go on a contentious and confrontationist path that can only lead to social disharmony when the need is to move jointly with men to end gender discrimination. I can only hope that sane voices begin to prevail over the discordant ones.

[CHANDAN MITRA] Editor-in-Chief

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[8]

Little Black Book [p8] Ramola Bachchan: A quick peek into her style file Record Book [p14] Flying is the best possible thing for women Heart Talk [p22] In the pink of faith: Taapsee Pannu Joy Ride [p28] Art on the move: Philippines Q&A [p34] Diamond in the cloud: William Dalrymple Dream Weavers [p44] In the realm of the senses: Artistic deconstruction of the Chivas 18 Alchemy Step Up [p50] Save the last dance: The Khajuraho Dance Festival

I N S I D E MARCH 2017 VOLUME 11 NO 5

COVER: KHAJURAHO DANCE FESTIVAL,

CONTRIBUTORS

Root Search [p54] Country Roads: Rongali Cultural Festival Wild Card [p62] Baby’s Day Out: See the Olive Ridley turtles hatch Nature’s Basket [p68] Finding Arcadia: Forest therapy in Purulia hills Day Trip [p72] Down Below: A glimpse into Abhaneri Art Form [79] A sip for peace: Experience the Japanese tea ceremony Beach Escape [82] Heaven on Earth: The best island getaways in Asia Style File [86] Swing the Spring: Hues of the month

Kushan Mitra [p94] HOTWHEELS: Redefined Luxury Magandeep Singh [p96] BLITHE SPIRIT: No Man’s Drink Bharat Thakur [p98] FITNESS: Bounce Back Sri Sri Ravi Shankar [p100] GURUSPEAK: The Born Leaders Sanjay Jumaani [p104] NUMBER GAME: Count your fate

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TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES 108 INCLUDING COVER

OUR

PARTNER

HOTELS

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

FAVOURITE HAUNTS OF STYLISH PEOPLE

I love wearing Jimmy Choo stilettos.

I love to flaunt a Cartier on my wrist.

My chosen brand for eyewear is Tom Ford.

Ramola Bachchan is an entrepreneur and socialite synonymous with fashion and luxury

The fragrance I wear is Michael Kors.

The most prized possession in my closet is a Birkin bag.

I love reading biographies and the current one is on Hillary Clinton.

I love vacationing in Europe. And I visited Rome more recently.

EXOTICA [8] MARCH 2017

IN TREND

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Scavin shades made with pure Italian acetate and hand-finished hardwood. Price on request.

Prada tortoise sunglasses. Price on request.

EXOTICA [10] MARCH 2017

TRAVEL NEWS

LEAVE SOON

REDEFINED ELEGANCE

The newly renovated suites at the Taj Palace, New Delhi are a befitting tribute to style and elegance. Keeping tradition intact, the lavish suites at the hotel are a fine combination of quintessential hospitality, contemporary service and modern amenities. Walking into these suites is like reading out a chapter from history while basking in the offerings that are a testimony to a vibrant present and a promising future.

Guests can take their pick from a range of beautifully designed and themed suites guaranteed to provide an unrivalled experience.

New goals

AccorHotels is all set to acquire Travel Keys, consolidating its leadership in the luxury private rental market. Travel Keys, one of the leading players in the private vacation rental market, is an elite travel broker representing a collection of over 5,000 highly curated luxurious villas in more than 100 destinations across the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Europe, Asia and Africa. The deal will provide AccorHotels 8,500 addresses in the luxury private rental market in both the vacation and urban segments.

Now get destinations and deals customised to your leave requirement with a click. Global travel search engine Skyscanner has launched a travel planning tool to aid wanderlust-hit Indians make the most of conveniently placed public holidays this year.

For the generously peppered 2017, with no less than 12 national holidays falling on or around weekends, has given us even more reasons to travel without eating into precious leave days.

Skyscanner’s Holiday Planner highlights the public holidays informing users about the leaves required for the trip.

RILLRIDE H T

TAKE-OFF With the “Lufthansa Companion App”, you can select your on-board entertainment in advance from the comfort of your own home. The A350-900 is Lufthansa’s state-of-theart newcomer and considered as the most advanced and environmentally-friendly long-haul aircraft in the world. The possibilities offered by the on-board entertainment system on the A350900 are cutting edge. Passengers will have the option of adding their favourite items to a customised playlist before boarding.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the first theme park in the world by the auto giant, has unveiled “Turbo Track” rollercoaster set to open at the end of the month. The three-stage experience will make the guests feel what it’s like to become a Ferrari test driver.

Adults and children alike will have their limits put to the test as they get a glimpse into the advanced world of the Ferrari Driver Academy, where they can get an extensive technical, athletic and cultural training to join the world’s best inclass driving talent.

CARNIVAL OF LIFE

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY Explore Kerala on an extended weekend with three nights and four days in Alleppey and Munnar.

Begin your tour from Cochin moving towards Munnar, driving alongside the vast stretches of tea plantations, colonial bungalows and frothy waterfalls with a cool breeze caressing your face.

En route, visit spice plantations and witness the untamed beauty of Valara and Cheeyappara falls.

The theme for this year’s St Patrick’s is “Ireland You Are”, celebrating the land as a culturally diverse, complex and brave society, its challenges, strengths and character. It will bring together 3,000 artists, musicians, dancers, poets and performers in a stunning programme with over 30 events spanning four days and nights.

From cathedrals to classrooms, the city will reverberate with an evocative programme of mesmerising music, powerful performances, intriguing walks and inspiring talk.

THE OSCAR EFFECT A recent travel survey has unveiled how the Oscar nominated movies have increased searches from across the globe to the destinations where the critically acclaimed movies like La La Land and Lion were shot. The trend is indeed interesting as to how Hollywood is influencing travel plans with fans seeking to relive movie scenes and step into the stars’ shoes.

EXOTICA [13] MARCH 2017

RECORD BOOK

Flying women IS THE BEST

POSSIBLE THING FOR

These were the words of Baroness Raymonde de Laroche of France, the first licensed woman pilot, who received it on March 8, 1910. Aviation today has become a space where women can work without prejudices. Air India has taken the lead back home.

Recently, a feisty group of women led and guided the world’s longest non-stop flight from Delhi to San Francisco and back, circumnavigating the globe in the process.

RINKU GHOSH gets on board with them to witness history in the making

IT

is 7.30 am on 333 Battery Avenue in the busy financial district of San Francisco. It is the usual grab-coffeeand-go hour, everybody moving with their own sense of intent and purpose in the hub of high-tech corporations, start-ups and innovations. Waiting in the porch of the Le Meridien, Sunita Narula and Kshamata Bajpayi, meanwhile, are making their own first moves. The two commanders of Air India’s allwoman commercial flight from Delhi to San Francisco and back are studying the route maps and talking air drifts for the return lap of their record circumnavigating feat of crossing the Pacific and Atlantic oceans on a single flight plan. They are interrupted by a walker. “Are you women pilots?” Stops another, “Do you fly commercial, like do you get the hot seat of a jet?” And then another, “Are you all women in charge of a regular flight?”

“Well, there are four of us in the flight deck.

Then there’s the cabin crew. Us you can see.

Our handlers, loaders, dispatchers, flight engineers, ATCs are women too,” Bajpai answers for the bystanders who have by now (Left to right) Capt Sunita Narula, Capt Kshamata Bajpai and Capt Gunjan Aggarwal

started taking pictures of the cabin crew, all in neatly pinned-up golden yellow saris, not a hairdo out of place and a bright red smile on their lips.

Both Narula and Bajpai are no strangers to attention in foreign lands, hats doffed to them at almost every station. They’ve even been subjected to curious finger touches to see if they are real flesh and blood women.

Fact is, Air India, which seldom gets positive appraisal from the media, has a lot in its women to talk about. This flight went down in aviation history books as the first and longest non-stop flight between Delhi and San Francisco (15,300 km) piloted, serviced, managed and guided by women all through. This may have been planned to commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8 but going around the world with women-led crews is going to be more the rule than the exception, feels Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani. Few know that women pilots make more than 11 per cent of the national carrier’s workforce

and that women commanders have long years of experience, being both sassy and efficient on the job at hand. Yes and they do get the command centre rather than being just co-pilots on profitable, long haul flights, having broken the glass ceiling and the metaphor of tokenism, much ahead of the West.

AS

Narula tells us, “In the end, the machine doesn’t understand whether you’re a man or a woman, it just responds to the right command and touch.” Bajpai asks first officer Indira Singh to check for oil streaks during inspections and goes over the Northern Lights scenario with first officer Gunjan Aggarwal, the youngest in the cockpit at 29 and who is picking up tips and tricks from her seniors at each step.

Bajpai tells us why this circumnavigation has a logic. “Flying east means getting strong tailwinds, which increases the speed of the aircraft, minimises flight time and by extension fuel

consumption,” she tells us. “With these winds we get a ground speed of 1,000 km per hour across 13 time zones,” chips in Narula. And the Delhi-San Francisco flight is going to remain the world’s longest non-stop flight for this reason alone till a competitor soars up over the horizon.

THE

SFO flight is significant in more ways than one. Ever since its inception, it has been overbooked many times over despite competition from other airlines and expansive terminals at San Jose and Oakland. It has been yielding `27 crore in revenue, accelerating the airline’s turnaround strategy. The idea to run this flight also came from a woman, Meenakshi Mallik, General Manager, Revenue Management. Asked by Lohani how the airline could make use of its B777200 LR instead of the easy path of leasing and selling, she suggested it fly to SFO daily instead.

“Finally, my suggestion was welcome and I do not know of start-ups but we got the service and base going in about two months,” she tells us. Air India has beaten both Etihad and Emirates in its operations at SFO. Harpreet Singh, herself a pilot, has a hawk’s eye on flight security as the chief of that department and is pioneering the airline’s green miles movement.

Narula, who began her training days when simulators didn’t even have women’s toilets, had a tough career liftoff when she wouldn’t be allowed to fly by male pilots who came mostly from a military background. That was the early half of the 90s but seven years into her job, she was in saddle. “Now there is not even one per cent of discrimination. And commercial aviation in India has been absolutely gender-neutral over the last 15 years. As women, we do not have to do any more or less,” she says.

But she admits that there were enough friendly men around to see her through the difficult days. “I remember how my male colleague on the simulator

(Clockwise) Capt Gunjan Aggarwal, Capt Kshamata Bajpai, Capt Sunita Narula and Capt Indira Singh with the entire cabin crew at a felicitation ceremony in San Francisco. The pilots and crew even sasahyed down the ramp in handloom saris with local models

(Above) The team on arrival at IGI; (below) fellow pilots are all smiles at this historic feat

would check the loo to see if it was empty for use and then wait outside while I was inside. I particularly remember my flight instructor who came by to pick me up as we would get a crazy time slot of 9 pm to 5 am for practice. The roster was for all 24 hours. Once I was unable to get off my nail paint because I had attended a family wedding the night before. They were clipped though. But my instructor was most worried that I would chip them. So there was a lot of affection too, all were not patronising.”

HOWEVER,

while both captains had earned scholarships from their institutes to pursue their dreams despite their middle-class

grooming, the lack of affordable infrastructure hasn’t made flying an easy career choice, more so for girls. “As a society, we feel obligated to design a map for our daughters. I speak to both aspirants and their mothers and they worry if the course fee is worth it if they have to discontinue midway for marriage, family and other considerations. I tell youngsters they have to be really passionate about flying and not take it up as a routine job. It cannot be just about the pay. Only then can they sustain and work out the rest of their lives and not be disgruntled. Women are nurturers, the only ones who can procreate…that’s why we were put on earth…having a child is what we are born for. It is normal but life cannot be put on hold. This shackled mindset must go. I try to weave in everything in the same cable that I am,” says Bajpai, who already had a two-and-a-half year old son while training for a commercial pilot’s licence.

Her son is a pilot now. “When he was younger, I always added another day to my schedule because he worked backwards. Then he would be happy to see me back on time. We devise our coping mechanisms.” A lover of every kind of aircraft there is, Bajpai says she had goosebumps when she got to announce that there were “450 souls” aboard a Boeing 747-400. “Without that high, it is pointless flying.”

Narula helped her 14-year-old son finish a mock test through a to-and-fro texting on her iPad

The team with Harpreet Singh, Chief of Flight Safety, Air India (centre) with representatives of Ninety-Nines, an international organisation of women pilots that promotes advancement of aviation through education, scholarships and mutual support

on landing after the first leg of this flight. And cabin crew member Shubdha Karkhanis toggles time for her 18-year-old son with the help of a supportive family structure. “I had a difficult marriage although my husband was a colleague.

Later we parted on amicable terms. I remember my mother-in-law asking me to give up the job because 25 years ago, families didn’t see working women as they do today. You either had to be a bread-winner or if your circumstances were very favourable, expected to take the back seat and become a home-maker. A flying job was considered more about fulfilling your fancy and wanderlust than a necessity. On the contrary, it was my fatherin-law who encouraged me not to give in but retain my sense of identity. Without this job, I would not have been able to look beyond Goa for a family vacation. Now I can afford to take my parents and sister out to foreign destinations.”

“With the breakdown of the family system, I think we need to work out a structure where children of flying staff can be looked after while they are out….this facet needs to be looked into to tackle dropouts and demolish tags that women want out because of a child,” adds Bajpai. Both pilots have been multi-tasking with efficacy. More

so with a national carrier that has been sensitive to their requirements, considering they have always been on call. So Narula has been given time to fly to San Francisco and back, coinciding with her kids’ week-long break before they begin their new school year. She intends spending time with them by the bay, a “bleisure” break for her.

BEING

born in an academic family, Bajpai was expected to tread the beaten path of the noble professions of the time — become a doctor, engineer or teacher.

But she was a tomboy and a rebel. “I realised it was easier to be bad than good because keeping up with goodness is the worst kind of pressure. My dad was not interested in my ways, considering me a bit of a black sheep, but my mom had wide boundaries and a perimeter within which we could pursue our dreams. I started out with sport but was set back by a bone injury. I joined the NCC army wing, became its best cadet, went out camping outdoors. All was fine till I wanted to do mountaineering. My dad refused money, so I thought I would do it from NCC. There were no slots in the NCC army wing, so I migrated to the NCC air wing. And took off from there at 18.”

EXOTICA [19] MARCH 2017

For Capt Indira Singh, there was no point to prove or an inspiration to draw from.

Flying, she believed, was the best she could ever be. Herself.

Bajpai gets back to briefing her cabin crew. “Keep passengers hydrated, it’s a really long flight and please keep a hawk’s eye on anybody who shows the slightest sign of discomfort. Be alert at all times. Attend to the ill on board and should we need to land for him/her, let traffic handle him/her.” Much has been written about Air India’s crew but on a long haul flight, their attention to detail is the best there can be, particularly on a route that sees a lot of senior citizens travelling to and forth on grandparent visitations and require heavy duty assistance for every little thing.

Combining fitness and grace, they have developed what cabin crew member Ashwin Kamble calls a “situational awareness and a positive spirit.” A mantra that has made it possible for Air India to handle health emergencies and divert to the nearest centre in case of medical intervention.

And for all the criticism about their weight, looks and behaviour department, the girls have learnt to handle trolls with grit and a strong gut. All of them subject themselves to fitness tests twice a year. “Actually other airline crews envy us,” says hostess Gracy Noronha.

THE

The team on a day out at Golden Gate and Napa Valley

entire crew, besides being experienced and having survived nails thrown in their way of meeting service expectations, are also living proof of an India in change. Cabin crew in-charge Nishrin Bandukwala has seen the transition from glamour to substance with poise. “Flying was a niche privilege when I started out. Being an airhostess then was a lot about glamour too. The inflight supervisor was always male, taking care of the rough and tumble of service. But that post has been abolished and for a decade now women are in charge of inflight supervision,” she says. Having grown up in Bandra, she recalls how her peers from other cities had it real tough in the early days. “Those days they would just get `700 as stipend, put up in PGs and even cram four to a room. We’ve performed under that pressure.

EXOTICA [20] MARCH 2017

THE PIONEERS

With flying becoming a more affordable option over the years and a multiplicity of carriers, the halo around the Air India hostess has dimmed somewhat. But we continue to be as humane and particular about details.”

Other hostesses have worked out their priorities beyond the service years. Tenzing Bhutia designs saris and hosts food pop-ups at Kala Ghoda festival. Dnyanada Joshi, once captain of the Maharashtra handball team, catches a game now and then, Surbhi Malik walks the ramp on her time-offs and Ashwini paints. Narula herself has been a four-time national yoga champion while Bajpai has been an athelete and is a great cook. And at 48, still reads love stories apart from travelogues.

AS

Noronha sums it up, “Ups and downs are there in everybody’s life. In the end we are professionals. But when it comes to an all-women crew, there is a coordinated discipline on-board and huge bonhomie on the ground. We are each other’s support system.” Bajpai backs her up with, “We are beads of a string, driven by the same passion.”

Meanwhile as Bajpai announces the significance of the flight in a rather clinical manner from the cockpit, the passengers clap in delight at a “wow” moment. The girls go about their work in a deadpan manner though, traversing another moment in history.

For the photo ops on terra firma, they respect the moment, the pilots lining up with a touch of lipstick, the girls not a pleat out of place. But once in the coach, they are the coolest gang you could hang out with, their energy so infectious that you willingly submit to it. And did we tell you that they make for the world’s dream antakshari team, an encyclopedia of every songbook since the 50s?

EXOTICA [21] MARCH 2017

o In 1956, Ms Durba Banerjee was inducted as the first woman pilot of Air India (erstwhile Indian Airlines). o In 1985, Captain Saudamini Deshmukh commanded the first all-women crew flight on an Air India Fokker friendship F-27 on the Kolkata-Silchar route. She also commanded the first Boeing all-women crew flight on September 1989 on the MumbaiGoa sector. o In 1990, Captain Nivedita Bhasin of Air India at 26 became the youngest pilot in civil aviation history to command a jet aircraft. o In 2016, Captain Kshamata Bajpai and Captain Shubhangi Singh along with First Officers Captain Ramya Kirti Gupta and captain Amrit Namdhari became the first women pilots to fly the world’s longest all women operated flight from Delhi-San Francisco. o In 2017, Captain Kshamata Bajpai and Captain Sunita Narula along with First Officers Captain Indira Singh and Captain Gunjan Aggarwal became the first women pilots to fly the all-women supported and operated flight around the world between Delhi and San Francisco.

H E A R T TA L K After winning hearts in the South and bagging awards for her brilliant performances, TAAPSEE PANNU has been a late bloomer in the mainstream film space with Pink. She is breezing back with the quirky romcom Running Shaadi while managing the heft of Naam Shabana and The Ghazi Attack. Yet for all her eyegrab value, the former software professional looks at a life beyond her starry moment. She would rather live fully than just survive, says UNNATI JOSHI

o What’s your idea of empowerment for women?

Taking charge of your life first hand and doing everything yourself independently, even if you slur and skid a bit. It’s high time; we have had enough blame games and pointed enough fingers. Women must internalise that every issue, from moulding our safety to our identities is in our hands. All of us should develop our own specific defensive mechanism.

As women, we must realise that nobody else but us will be at the receiving end and, therefore, we must take charge of our lives. o I am sure you must have met some amazing women during your work and travels, some of whom have inspired you enough to lend a sense of realism to your onscreen characters. Any story that has touched you the most?

I think I remotely remember one story which really made me cry. This was about an acid attack victim, who was, in fact, tortured and disfigured by her husband no less. She plodded on her own and nobody really helped her.

Those who did were around for only a few days. But she didn’t give up and treated herself with no help from anyone. She eventually got out of her scars and diffidence and started working, made her life out of scratch. o What’s the best thing about being a woman?

The best and the worst aspect of our lives is that we don’t know our potential. We are yet to realise what all we can do. One keeps us grounded, the other helps us take a leap of faith. o What is the one thing you are passionate about?

I am passionate about living and not surviving. I want to make sure that I live each and every second of my life in a wholesome manner, make it count. I am not going to do anything in my life for a second or a moment that I am not happy about. That is what I am very passionate about, living life to its fullest. My life is not entirely about films. It isn’t entirely about getting married. In fact, it isn’t entirely about any one thing in particular. It is rich and varied and I make sure to pay equal attention to all my selves.

PHOTOS: PANKAJ KUMAR

o After your heavy duty characters in Pink and Naam Shabana, Running Shaadi has not only been a breather but also let yourself be.

I got lucky because I got to portray myself on camera. I was chosen because of that reason. I didn’t give any audition. I was given the script and within five minutes, I knew I am flesh and blood Nimi (the character).

The film is a very cute love story based in Amritsar around a web portal called Runningshaadi.com which helps people elope and get married. I think wedding is a big social issue in India. It’s not just about two people, it’s about two families. There are bound to be problems with so many people involved. So to deal with these problems, the couple or the lovers usually give up or run away. In the film, we (Amit Sadh and I) come

EXOTICA [23] MARCH 2017

into play at this stage, facilitate the legal processes and get two consenting adults married. It’s a beautiful film about these two partners in business — the boy is Bihari and the girl is Punjabi. It’s kind of fire and ice; there is nothing common between them. One thinks a lot while the other doesn’t think at all.

A true blue Delhiite, I can see through onscreen stereotyping. I have seen a lot of girls portray a Punjabi or a Delhiite. And this dichotomy happened even during Pink. I would always be conflicted, thinking they are talking about an imagined Delhi for I grew up in a real one. In Pink I made sure I was going to be true to myself and to all Delhi girls. So I portrayed myself in the most realistic way possible.

The perception of Delhi girls I believe has changed a little bit after that. And the same thing I am going to do here. It helps that I am a sardarni. Agreed I am not from Amritsar but that difference got bridged when I went to Amritsar a couple of days before the shoot and met a few girls who also worked in our film as character artistes. This film is going to change your perception of Punjabi girls and sardarnis in particular. o You also intruded a wedding for the song, Dimpy De Naal Bhaage Bunty. Whose idea was it and how was the experience?

A lot of people just crash a wedding for food. So my team thought it would be an innovative way of announcing the film with a bang. And I played along. It was a typical Gujarati wedding and they were very warm and welcoming. It was their sangeet ceremony and I thought they might just get offended because I was intruding into their private space.

Instead they offered me food as I spoke to the wedding planner, the bride, the groom and the families. It was an adventure alright but a highly pleasant experience. o You are an established star in the southern film industry and in the Hindi film space, you have already worked with biggies like Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. How have you been handling your career in the mainstream space?

I don’t strategise too much because nothing has worked in my life according to plan. Had it worked, I wouldn’t have been here because I wanted to do something else totally. The only thing I do, and probably which works in my favour, is I learn from my mistakes and don’t repeat them. So once I have made a mistake of choosing a film which I didn’t really feel very strongly about, I train myself not to go there. That’s why the result has been pretty good in the last couple of years, be it in the South or in Hindi. For someone who never wanted to be in this field, every movie is a bonus. Being offered a variety of roles, I have nothing to complain. o You started your journey with the Hindi film industry in 2013. How do you think it has evolved?

Now it is no more lobby-driven but opening up; outsiders are welcome. Second, the portrayal of women is changing drastically. They are carrying a film on their shoulders and as protagonists, they are taking strong stands. With the audience accepting strong women, we do not need male

EXOTICA [24] MARCH 2017

What is your favourite brand of shoes?

What kind of shoes do you like to wear? I am a typical middle class girl. I like to wear converse and sneakers, anything with laces basically. My favourite label would be Steve Madden.

Your favourite cuisine? I love street food.

One fashion label you love the most in your wardrobe.

There are a few. I really like Ted Baker and Kate Spade.

What brand of watch do you wear? I’m not a watch person. I don’t wear any.

Which book are you reading right now? What genre of books do you read generally? I don’t read books because my entire life I was into textbooks being an engineering student.

What fragrance do you use? Keeps changing. Jimmy Choo’s Classic.

What kind of music do you listen to? What is running on your playlist right now? Depends on my mood. I can listen to some typical Punjabi songs to something very romantic.

Your prized possession. My apartment and car. Because I bought both with my own money. So, I am extremely proud of that.

Your favourite place to vacation. Any beach, one of my favourites would be Maldives. I like to explore new places. My last vacation was in Singapore.

I DON’T STRATEGISE TOO MUCH BECAUSE NOTHING HAS WORKED IN MY LIFE ACCORDING TO PLAN. HAD IT WORKED, I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN HERE BECAUSE I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ELSE

actors to solely take on the responsibility of business.

I am very happy I am in a time when immediately after Baby, I got a spinoff prequel in Naam Shabana that develops my character and story further. I don’t think I would have been able to get that kind of film if the times were different. o Who or what inspired you to join the industry?

Nothing. I am destiny’s child. I came here by chance and then realised this is good fun. I am still here. o How do you keep your feet on the ground in a fiercely competitive space?

I think there are plenty of good actors in the industry. I don’t really follow anyone’s journey because their journey and their path haven’t been similar to mine but I really believe and I am not saying this to be diplomatic, there are a lot of leading ladies today who are beautiful, good actors and are doing pretty well. I just look at their work and think that is the benchmark I need to pass or reach. And I do that my own way. o Coming to Pink, you have previously spoken about the challenges of portraying a woman who is sexually assaulted, especially because you have not been through such experiences. And yet, being a

woman from Delhi, you have said that you could empathise with Minal. What was the toughest bit?

The toughest was to portray a character who has gone through such a major life-altering incident that I haven’t in my personal life. That was the challenge.

I think I had to amplify the transgressions that had happened with me, be it of eve-teasing or being touched inappropriately. I had to just visualise my response to a situation where these episodes could have gone worse. o You recently cancelled attending an event because it was organised by a fairness cream brand…

I don’t have a problem with attending such events but the problem was when it came to posing or talking about it (that brand). It is not something I believe in and fairness is not something that I am going to endorse. I have a responsibility as an actor, as a person who my audience is going to look up to. I will always convey what I genuinely believe in. o How do you unwind?

I take a break and go for a holiday every few weeks or months. One of my favourites is Maldives but I don’t repeat my destinations because I think life is too short to be going to the same place. I like visiting a new place every time.

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Sylvie bag from Gucci with a nylon handle.

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Gold edition capsule collection from Fendi with studs and waves in gold and black.

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Insignia collection from Da Milano with quilted pattern is a stunner. Price: `15,999

Selleria peekaboo handbag in toffee from Fendi.

Price: `4,66,475

EXOTICA [27] MARCH 2017

JOY RIDE

EXOTICA [28] MARCH 2017

Jeepneys form a part of the congested traffic in Manila

A canvas of unimaginable colours and designs, it’s the most lucid manifestation of the good cheer of the Filipino lifestyle. When in Philippines, do get a taste of the Jeepney artistry. SUPRIYA SEHGAL hops on a souped up beauty for a spirited jaunt

EXOTICA [29] MARCH 2017

“DON’T

go by the surly expression of the commuters. They are bogged down by the harsh hand of daily life.

Enjoy the wind,” comes the advice from Juanito, whose bright but weathered shorts and a comfy vest are a perfect mirror to Filipino fashion.

Accompanying this affecting recommendation is a toothy grin and a tenor of wild abandon. I swing my head further away from the door, till my left arm strains from balancing my weight on the cold steel handle along the edge of the door and let the wind flutter my eyelashes into a frenzy.

We must have been doing a 70 km per hour, supersonic speed for a diesel chugging, smokespewing metal contraption. We snake past the clogged streets of Cagayan de Oro and are now on a smooth steel grey road, winding our way to a rafting spot just outside town. I deliberately choose the front seat to chat with the driver while a group of friends settles down at the back of Philippines’ most popular local transportation. Clinging onto the contours of the hills throughout the ride, I educate myself on these characterful beasts and the self proclaimed “kings of the roads” — Jeepneys.

Despite the deliberate march of development in the bigger cities of Philippines, the locals have not been able to stave off the Jeepneys and replace

EXOTICA [30] MARCH 2017

them with more eco-friendly wheels. One has to rewind back eight decades to understand the origin of these bright set of wheels. The US army had camped in the Philippines during the World War II and employed Hardy Willys and Ford jeeps to get around or carry goods. As the war ended and the US troops retreated, the jeeps were as good as scrap. They were sold to local Filipinos or left abandoned in garages. The set of circumstances matched perfectly as Philippines was struggling to create a public transportation network and the US army had no use of their erstwhile rides.

Unwittingly, the legacy of the Jeepneys was shaped and lived on in the form of a blend of van and Jeep.

It was christened a “Jeepney”, originating from the words “jeep” and “knee” because of the crammed seating arrangement which made passengers sit knee to knee. The US army would have never imagined leaving a vehicular imprint that would live on for nearly a century. Instead of having a jaded relationship with these pairs of wheels, the ever-smiling Filipinos stripped the jeeps from the back, added more seating to accommodate passengers with two parallel benches, gave it a metal roof and complemented this with their brand of art — the most distinct thing about the Jeepneys.

Having turned the look of the vehicle around, it’s been easier to adapt it to their lives.

(Clockwise) The financial hub Makati in the Metro Manila region; different strokes of Jeepney artists

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STAND

at the corner of a street and you will see at least 10 vibrantly painted Jeepneys zip past you in a matter of minutes. Here, Donald Duck could meet Salma Hayek on the same metal body, or a message from Jesus could be paired with a scene from a beach, complete with bikini-clad sirens. The brush of Jeepney painters promises nothing short of bewildering art and is full of surprises. There seems to be a definitive stroke of Spanish or Mexican joie de vivre in the festive colours and emblems made on these ingenuinely hand-painted Jeepneys.

Whatever the inspiration might be, one thing is for sure; the designs resonate the constant hurrah of the Filipinos. Though no two Jeepneys look alike, there is one common aesthetic — the chromeplated ornaments on the hood. Expect an elegant silvery horse, glistening in the sun to lead the way from the top of the hood.

I strip myself from the deliriously windy ride and slump back into my chair for a more audible time with the driver. “So, are all the Jeepneys that old? How do they still run?” I’m curious about the fate of this iconic vehicle in the future. The driver tells me that not all the Jeepneys go back in time to the mid 40s. Many of them, like the one we are on, have a “Made in Philippines” stamp. Once the first generation of Jeepneys saw success, many locals started producing their own with alterations in engines, mostly imported from Japan.

They kept the aesthetics same by sourcing the bodies from scrap yards and garages but made them relatively more efficient. Sarao Motors, a 1953 established company, was at the helm of local production at a point of time and was able to spew some 18-20 Jeepneys a day from the Manila-based factory. Though the owner, Leonardo Salvador Sarao Sr, was not the first to alter the Jeepneys, he was certainly the one who saw potential in mass production of these odd vehicles. The company that started with a meagre 700 Peso metamorphosed into a multi-million dollar organisation with its business peaking in the 1970s. But the corporation came to a screeching halt in 2000 when the cost of production hit the roof. A watered-down

Jeepneys in Cagayan de Oro

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GET AROUND IN PHILIPPINES

TRICYCLE: It is essentially a small hooded sidecar that seats 4-6 people and is bolted to a bike. Sometimes, commuters can also ride pillion on the bike if there is no space inside the sidecar.

PEDICABS: They are push tricycles with no motorisation. These are good for short trips since the driver needs to pedal your weight.

Pedicabs also go by the name of put-put or padyak.

HABAL-HABAL: It’s a cheaper version of the tricycle with the same system of a sidecar attached to a bike.

KALESA: A tourist magnet, it’s a two-wheeled horse-pulled carriage that is found only in a few areas of cities; Manila and Cebu are two of them.

MOTORELA: Motorised tricycles where the driver may sit inside the hooded sidecar. The moniker was conceived by Raphael Floirendo, a mechanic from Cagayan de Oro in 1964.

version of Sarao Motors is still limping along till date. What lives with it is the legacy of the first formal public transportation in the country and the memory of notable occasions: Pope John Paul II hopped into one of its creations during his visit in 1981.

“But there are many other smaller companies that have come up since. You’ll find backyard factories with ample Jeepneys lined up for production, painting and repair,” the driver reassures me with an encouraging grin. My face must have fallen at the mention of the dipping fortunes of Sarao Motors and the bleak future of the Jeepneys.

Since these are privately run vehicles, there are no incentives from the government and the drivers and their assistants have a voracious appetite to cram as many people as possible for a minimum of an eight-peso ride. Naturally, maintaining traffic order and environment standards is not top priority for them. Given that the unprecedented growth of Jeepneys and their popularity has fuelled extreme traffic congestion, there has been a wide

push for electric vehicles to counter the toxic fumes and lethargic pace of the Jeepneys. “They are still being produced in large numbers and are never going to go out of fashion,” adds Juanito.

According to him no fleet of electronic Jeepneys held a candle to the classic, characterful ones. After all nothing can match the economics and convenience for 18 customers at a go for short spurts of journeys.

RAFTING

is fatiguing business and after a few hours in the water, I come back to our Jeepney and plonk on the seat. The ride back is punctuated with nodding off and occasionally looking at the other Jeepneys zipping by. When we are nearing the hotel, I look at Juanito and yell ‘para’ over the noisy engine. It’s the local word to let the driver know that you want to be let off.

With that I add a rap on the side of the door with a coin. Juanito laughs uproariously. I have been watching other Jeepneys and learning the etiquette diligently.

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Q&A

DIAMOND IN THE

CLOUD We meet historian author WILLIAM DALRYMPLE in his animal farm and piles of research under the warm glow of a spring afternoon.

The goats are free-ranging, occasionally nibbling the wayward tendril while the chickens are scampering away at no one direction in particular. The mongrel is keeping a close watch on comings and goings but it is the author in his outdoor study by the pool and the groves that makes for a timeless frame. He gets animated with each new mystery decoded, a new detail emerging and a new link made. It is here that he found the story of the Kohinoor.

By RINKU GHOSH

PHOTOS: PANKAJ KUMAR

o The infamous Kohinoor could have been differing diamonds as there are patches in the story of its origin. Have we lionised it more than its worth?

There is clear evidence that the Kohinoor is the same stone that Nadir Shah took with him. From Nadir Shah, the history is completely clear. And we know that he took it from the Peacock Throne and wore it as an armlet and that it was present with him in his campaigns in Central Asia. We know that it went to Ahmad Shah Abdali who wore it during the battle of Panipat. We know that it was passed down to three generations of Sikh warriors till Ranjit Singh, from whom it went to the British.

So that is very clear. Where was it before it ended up on the Peacock Throne, that’s the big question.

It probably wasn’t in the throne when it was made in 1638 by Shah Jahan. Before that we have no evidence whatsoever. And all the stuff that you read in Wikipedia and elsewhere, like it being smashed by the Khiljis, pinched by the Lodis, taken by Tughlaqs or captured by Babur, are total speculation. There are references to a large diamond that Babur had, which maybe the Kohinoor but equally could be two other stones, could be the Orlov diamond. And so yes, the early history of the Kohinoor is completely fabricated or only a speculation. o Considering there were more precious gems around at the time (and as you say that the Kohinoor currently ranks anywhere between 90 and 100), why did the Kohinoor grow as a diplomatic bargaining tool and why was there so much myth-making around it?

The myth-making begins with Ranjit Singh as he was the first person who wore it as an emblem of state. Up until then, it was worn as a large jewel by Ahmad Shah Abdali, Nadir Shah, but none of them seemed to regard it as a symbol of sovereignty or anything more than one of their other stones, ruby and emeralds being notable among them. The Timurid line of rulers were fonder of the ruby and usually set it in diamonds. So among these rulers, the diamond has always been worn as a pair with

RANJIT SINGH MADE KOHINOOR AN INSIGNIA OF SOVEREIGNTY AND WORE IT ONLY ON STATE OCCASIONS. THAT’S WHEN THE BRITISH FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT. AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO MADE A HUGE SONG AND DANCE ABOUT IT WHEN IT WENT TO THE GREAT EXHIBITION IN LONDON. AND FROM THAT MOMENT, IN 1851, IT WAS CONSIDERED A ROCKSTAR OF THE GEMS AND HAS REMAINED SO

an eye-catching ruby. Pictorial representations of Shah Jahan have him holding a ruby. Abu’l Fazl, the historian of Akbar, says the first treasury was of rubies, and the second had diamonds and emeralds. But Ranjit Singh began to change that, made it an insignia of sovereignty and wore it only on state occasions. That’s when the British first heard about it. And they are the ones who made a huge song and dance about it when it went to the great exhibition in London. And from that moment, in 1851, it was considered a rockstar of the gems and has remained so. It was the British who turned it into a symbol of imperial loot and that in a sense is coming back to haunt them now as the postcolonial countries fight to claim it back. o Given its rather cloudy early history, which country can genuinely lay a claim to it?

I think there is no reasonable doubt that the Kohinoor came from Indian alluvial soil. So India has a legitimate claim on it. However, there have been demands from Pakistan and Afghanistan (even the Taliban sought it at one time) where it stayed post-Humayun and returned to the Mughals via the Deccan route. There is so much misinformation and speculation that we haven’t taken any political position in the book. I have tried to present facts as they are, neutrally, so that other people can use that too. o What set you on this search for the origin of the Kohinoor?

Both Anita (co-author Anita Anand) and I had come across the Kohinoor in our previous books, she in Sophia and me in Return of the King. In both books, it glitters in the background while we had considerable research on our side. Both of us also did a session in Jaipur with diplomat Navtej Sarna.

We accelerated the project to tell the whole story and got down to it seriously when last April reports emerged that the British did not take the Kohinoor, it was gifted to them by Ranjit Singh. The Solicitor General of India submitted in the Supreme Court in 2016 that the Kohinoor was a “gift” by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to the East India Company.

The transfer happened 10 years after Ranjit Singh’s death, so unless he handed it over to them through some astral projection of sorts (laughs), it could not have been true.

It is documented how his young descendant was coerced into parting with the diamond. Then we realised that the history of Kohinoor was not only glittery but also a very important one. It was a very nice window to see of lot of Indian history through.

As a historian and author, there was much of research already available with me as I am in the middle of a five-year project to do a book on the East India Company, the world’s first mega corporation. It was quite nice to do a short and sexy thing in between and I’m very pleased that it has been well received. o Though a solid work of non-fiction, it still has a very cinematic feel.

The diamond has got this incredibly violent history and it almost feels like going through an episode of Game of Thrones (laughs).

We would get so excited by all the weird stories of naked

EXOTICA [38] MARCH 2017

THE DIAMOND HAS GOT THIS INCREDIBLY VIOLENT HISTORY AND IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE GOING THROUGH AN EPISODE OF GAME OF THRONES. WE WOULD GET SO EXCITED

BY ALL THE WEIRD STORIES OF NAKED GREED AND AMBITION THAT I WOULD RING UP ANITA IN LONDON AND TELL HER, ‘YOU KNOW WHAT I FOUND, THEY STRAP A MAN TO THE CHAIR, TORTURE HIM, SHAVE HIS HEAD AND PUT MOLTEN LEAD ON IT’

greed and ambition we found that I would ring up Anita in London and tell her, “You know what I found, they strap a man to the chair, torture him, shave his head and put molten lead on it.” (Shah Zaman Durrani was blinded with hot needles; Shah Rukh, the grandson of Nadir Shah, had molten lead poured onto his head as a ‘crown’).

And she would say she had a worst one, that a woman was boxed to death with bricks by her own family. It surely would look like a gory TV series. o When you talk of colonial heritage, do you agree that there has to be a token rectification of the past?

The Kohinoor has been hyped only because it has been associated with imperial splendour and loot...So there has got to be a post-colonial angst and an answer to the question, “How do you respond to looting?” Do we take the view that colonialism is just part of the rough and tumble of history along with Roman crucifixions and all the

horrors of history? Do we list it as a chapter of exploitation and injustice and scream about it? Or do we attempt to correct it wherever we can. I’m very sympathetic to the post-colonial view that stolen objects should be given back. I also see logic in the argument that if this happens, the British museum would be empty. But if all the Nazi acquisitions of European artefacts could be returned and restored, why can’t colonial loot?

What is most important is that there should be more education about British atrocities, gloominess and violence in the colonies. Till date, this does not figure in the British school curriculum at all. This is what is more important for me. And given the hefty price of the imperial sway, I’m totally in favour of the view that the stolen object should be returned. o Is this the reason why you are doing the book on the East India Company?

The East India Company was ruthless and made

EXOTICA [39] MARCH 2017

no claims of being benign. Unlike the Raj, which constantly claimed that it was working for the good of imperial subjects, the Company officials were quite clear that they were out to make profits. It is a perfect book in the age of Trump (laughs).

This one is a long project. I’m still halfway into the research and it would take at least 18 months more. All my history books are set in the time of the East India Company.

What I love is the period between the Mughals and the Raj, when the former are in decline and the latter is gradually running the show in alliance with local rulers. The new book will go back further to describe how the corporation took over India. It still beats modern multinationals in terms of violence and conspiracy. After this, I want to look into the history of Bengal. o Is the East India Company book going to be in volumes?

No, just one. The one thing that I have learnt from Kohinoor is that people like short books and while people are tolerant of a long masterpiece like A Suitable Boy, they prefer things to be as short as possible. Everybody is reading on their mobiles while travelling in a Metro these days and yeah, I like the digital format, too, as it encourages massive knowledge-sharing. o Having conducted the Jaipur Lit Fest for over a decade and having democratised the culture of dialogue and debate over literary works, where is the Indian book market headed?

This season, we had 4,00, 000 people attending JLF. It has become so popular that 190 festivals now copy it countrywide.

And unknown to many, India is one place where book sales are expanding, bucking international trends. I think there is a huge interested readership here. And I’m very lucky to be

I THINK PEOPLE SAW THE SUCCESS OF A GENERATION OF INDIAN NOVELISTS WHICH ACCELERATED WITH SALMAN RUSHDIE, AMITAV GHOSH, VIKRAM SETH AND ARUNADHATI ROY LATER. HISTORY-WRITING WAS CONSIDERED THE PRESERVE OF ACADEMICS. ALSO THERE WAS VERY LITTLE MOVEMENT ON INDIAN BIOGRAPHIES. NOW THAT GENRE IS BEGINNING TO EVOLVE AND WE ARE GETTING AUTHORS LIKE RAM GUHA, SANJEEV SANYAL, SRINATH RAGHAVAN

writing about a country I fell in love with and actually make a living doing so. There is a vast market and demand and I think not many people are writing non-fiction as I am, which is available to the general audience. There are so many nonfiction writers but they are way behind the fiction writers here. In the US and UK, the sale of fiction equals the sale of non-fiction writings. o How do you explain this clustering of interest around fiction?

I think people saw the success of a generation of Indian novelists in the 80s which accelerated with Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh, Vikram Seth and Arunadhati Roy later.

History-writing was considered the preserve of academics.

Also there is very little movement on Indian biographies. Now that genre is beginning to evolve and we are getting authors like Ram Guha, Sanjeev Sanyal, Srinath Raghavan and other good ones. It is the absence of non-fiction that gave me, a foreigner, a space to breathe. o In the context of JLF, what do you make of the changing climate of the freedom of expression and propaganda?

As I view it, writers and intellectuals have to fight at every stage for freedom of expression. It’s an ongoing battle. It wasn’t the BJP but the Congress-led UPA which banned the book on Shivaji, though it is the BJP-dominated NDA that is considered oppressive. You cannot cast anybody in black or white. As writers, we must be prepared to take on any colour or creed or political situation that tries to repress writers or censor and restrict their views. As a young correspondent, I have covered much of the communal riots in the 80s and 90s.

LAST YEAR, A MEMBER OF THE DIGGI FAMILY BROUGHT IN A PIL SAYING THERE WAS MUCH TOO OVER-CROWDING AT JLF. BUT WE COULD NOT HAVE HAD MORE SUPPORT THAN WE DID FROM THE VASUNDHARA RAJE GOVERNMENT AS THEY HAVE NOW REALISED THE KIND OF REVENUE WE BRING TO THE CITY THROUGH JLF

So I was extremely nervous when the present dispensation took over. But there has not been much to be concerned about till now as I thought there would be. There haven’t been any riots on the streets and polarisation hasn’t been nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

Vis-a-vis Jaipur, I have said that we could not have had more support than we have had from the Vasundhara Raje government as they have now realised the kind of revenue we bring to the city through JLF. Last year, a member of the Diggi family (Diggi Palace is the host venue) brought in a PIL saying there was much too over-crowding. Mrs Raje sent her own Attorney-General to defend us in court. o But after the fiasco over Salman Rushdie, do you deliberately avoid controversies or do you enable free and frank panel discussions?

We didn’t avoid nor court any controversy. There is no question that given we are in the old city of Jaipur, which is an extremely conservative place with a potential communal tinder box and triggerhappy writers, we cannot dwell on or celebrate a subject in a way that a literary festival in New York can. It is a pleasure to be in this city but its layers are complicated. As organisers, we have to be careful about the ethos and can’t be irresponsible about that. However, apart from the Rushdie episode, I can’t think of any other where we had to pull an author out of the panel. o This time you didn’t announce rebel Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen till the last moment?

But we had her. o How do you deal with corporate sponsorships and yet retain your free-spiritedness?

We’ve always had sponsors and have even junked some along the way that weren’t a right fit. See, there are two possible business models. One is that you sell tickets so that you don’t have to go to the corporates but that does restrict the festival to the rich. Or you make it free in which case you allow unlimited access to seekers. My heart warms up when I see youngsters pulling a night at even the Jaipur railway station to be part of the proceedings. I’m very happy about this Robinhood model where you take from the rich and give it to the poor. o Do you now intend to diversify and take this brand to international destinations?

We’ve always had international writers. So the flavour is set. We’ve already had mini JLFs in London. The last were in Colorado and Melbourne. Now we are planning to take it to Venice.

DREAM WEAVERS

realm In the

senses of the

PHOTOS: PANKAJ KUMAR

(Clockwise) The recreation of Scottish Highlands in Sussanne Khan’s concept area; deconstruction of Chivas 18 by Ashish N Soni; Kalyani Chawla’s illustration of morning after the night before

Chivas 18 Alchemy blends monoscenic narratives of the five savants, each with an idiosyncratic luxe expressionism.

By DEVI SINGH

THE

unfettered imagination, beyond any physical space or time, and a deepened interpretation usually comes with a thought mired in senses which the barriers of the eye can’t meet alone. We lose ourselves to such visual treats and spectacles as they play before us, bringing alive the chimerical fancies of the alchemists for the evening. Designer Ashish N Soni, luxurista and entrepreneur Kalyani Chawla, fashion and lifestyle connoisseur Sunil Sethi and curator and interior designer Sussanne Khan seem to tease with their signature illusions and transformations.

These different folks get the inspiration for their sublime strokes by the 85 notes of the Chivas 18 blend. Each maven plays with a sense, crafting a different sensorial experience for the gazers to appreciate. To add the splendid frill in the evening, each curator also creates a concoction mixed with the much in demand snifter marked with regular tinkling of the glasses to the lively chatter. We taste, sample, touch, hear and soak in these very sybaritic delights.

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GOURMAND’S DELIGHT Sense of sight curated by Kalyani Chawla

A

sumptuous banquet scoring high on the visual appeal as the concept for sight greets us as we admire with pleasure. The table is laid out with variety of bites and grub, morsels dropped from the mouth, bitten apples, impressive half-melted candles, fresh white lilies, glittering chandelier, cutlery placed in helter-skelter, lip-stained serviettes, a fork dug into crème brulee, torn-off gobbets of baguette scattered all over the place reminding of a hurried, half-left, half-eaten meal. “The idea behind the presentation is the morning after the night before. I feel we are truly blessed to have sight and enjoy the visual pleasures of the world. It’s God’s best gift to us,” she tells us.

THE TAKE PRESENTING a squandered night, Kalyani creates an imposing imagery through a lavish looking spread, inherently a sit-down in her line of silverware paired with whisky of course. The patterns on the decanter to the mobile bar or the glasses are all done on the Chivas 18 model. There are plenty of interesting tea pots, cigar boxes, ashtrays, vases from her vast range of home products. All eyes on her dinner table shenanigans.

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THE PERFUME STORY Sense of smell curated by Ashish N Soni

THE

otherwise muted midnight blue wall is adorned with the deconstruction of the Chivas 18 with 84 ingredients in dainty little jars from hazelnut to cinnamon to vanilla; the very smells and tastes which go in making of the whisky. The 85th note is the smoke which couldn’t be captured in a jar, or so we think. “I have loved perfumes for as long as I can remember. When you sniff a whisky, the smells you get is what the idea behind this very concept is,” he says.

THE TAKE THE three bespoke fragrances heightens our olfactory acuity and of the ones present.

Ashish even endorses the fragrances curated by him by wearing the smoky and woody 18/70 which he prefers over the three. We lose our heart to the more citrusy 18/60 though. He went to three different perfumers in the UK to create these unique fragrances. The first one is a bespoke perfumer, the second is the oldest perfumery in England called Floris which also is the official perfumery to the British monarchy and the third being Bloom, more avant-garde in approach with lesser rules and more radical notes.

IN HIGH SPIRITS Sense of taste curated by Sunil Sethi

THE

always and highly spirited Sunil decides to play with the sense of taste with but of course, spirits. Inspired by the notes and flavours in the Chivas 18, he turns his side of corner into a space for the night’s gaiety where the guests try the cocktails created by the connoisseurs. His sense of taste takes shape of a bar adorned with wood and directional metal panels with ingredients like ginger, cloves, cinnamon to name a few, adding a good cheer of hyggae to the otherwise spiffy bar. The multi-layered whisky indeed gets a multi-dimensional personality to bring out its character well.

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ON THE COUNTRY ROAD Sense of touch curated by Sussanne Khan

POPPING

up her concept area with herbage and greens, Sussanne is rather inspired by the sylvan charms of the Scottish countryside.

Pronounced hints of leather and stone add enough dose of antiquated glamour and character from an old-style wood cabinet, plush chesterfield in gold, a tub filled with bottles of Chivas and oak barrels, all marking up her idea of Chivas 18. “It was very educational for me for I never knew there were so many ingredients that go in the making of Chivas 18,” says she.

THE TAKE SUSSANNE explores the diversity of how a single product can disintegrate into palpable possibilities. For something with an illustrious history to boast about, she chooses objects with an old-fangled appeal bringing myriad of textures come to life. She recreates the landscape of Scottish highlands with a motley of mismatched props and knick-knacks including a reindeer in a crystal jar set atop a glass table, a closet for curios, like a curiosity locker hidden with unknown charms to a crystal skull, though we didn’t quite grasp its existence in a country-inspired terrain. Or maybe she wants to put together various things to make people high even without being inebriated.

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STEP UP

From Bharatanatyam to Manipuri, classical dance enthusiasts were in for a veritable treat at the Khajuraho Dance Festival. ANKITA JAIN captures the mood

A

couple of hours from Delhi to Jhansi, followed by another long day of rickety bus rides, that’s a total of 11 arduous hours spent so far on the road and here I am in Khajuraho. The sun’s rays are still strong on this hamlet and the day shows no signs of coming to an end but a chilly wind is a reminder of the travails of time.

I take a post-prandial walk around the village. With only a few hundred people living here, I stumble upon a huge wooden door, the main gate to the ongoing 43rd edition of the Khajuraho dance festival. As I walk towards the main stage, the curtains rise as the troupe leader of the Pung Cholom dance team blows the conch. Men in dhotis come on stage and bow to the audience. A pung, Manipuri name for drum, hangs around each dancer’s neck.

(Left) A kathak exponent, Rasmani Raghuwanshi, from Bhopal performing on the fifth day of the Khajuraho Dance Festival; (Above) Shadhona, a classical cultural organisation performs Manipuri dance

SUN OF THE EAST

THE

dance begins with a sway.

As the tempo of the drum beats rises, the performers jump and twirl high up in the air. I sit glued to my seat as Pung Cholom, a Manipuri classical dance, is performed under Lubna Marium. “This year, we invited Bangladesh to showcase their culture and to celebrate the spirit of dance in musical extravaganza of Khajuraho,” says Rahul Rastogi, assistant director of the festival. The dancers are acrobatic. A young dancer leaps high up in the air and twirls around effortlessly as the audience claps and whistles. Back in the green room after the performance, it is difficult to believe that the jeans and t-shirt clad youngsters had only moments ago delivered a traditional performance. Sipping her well deserved chai, Lubna says, “Many youngsters in Manipur are now choosing this as a career option. They come from villages and cities to learn

the art form at our institute.” Pung Cholom is derived from martial arts and also the traditional Maibi Jagoi dance. It is one of the eight classical dances of India. “It takes at least 10 years to conquer the art form and get the right body balance,” says Lubna, who started learning the dance at the age of 21. She feels the years of training in Pung Cholam have taught her life lessons such as discipline, respect and perseverance. “I had to stay with my guru till late night to learn from him. It involves not just learning the art but also cooking for him and taking care of his needs.” Pung Cholam is a tradition that was practised since the 17th century. The traditional costume consists of turbans, dhotis and a necklace made of tulsi seeds supposed to represent Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Pung Cholom is performed in Manipur during weddings, temple functions and even funerals.

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Vanashree Rao and her troupe perform Kuchipudi presenting various avatars of Shiva

MIXED STYLE

LATER

in the evening, smoke fills up the stage. And in the course of three hours, five distinct dance styles — Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Kuchipudi are performed sequentially. Generally, one would be wary of a mixed bag evening of this kind but the clean lines and firm footwork of Bharatanatyam dancer Rukmini Vijayakumar, who begins the evening with an enactment of Shiva and Parvati’s love story, calm even the possible dissenters. Dressed in a bright yellow and green costume, she offers petals to Shiva in her

pushpanjali. She then traverses the length and breadth of the stage maintaining fine lines along with her sound nritta. She is followed by Kathak exponent Rasmani from Bhopal who performs a narrative piece on Shiva.

After the clarity of technique showcased by Rukmini, Rasmani’s recital, which is her own choreography, borders on being theatrical. While expression is definitely her forte, one searches for a balance between abhinaya and footwork in the recital. The choice of music for the piece is also not compelling.

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AN ARTISTE’S TALE

RUKMINI

Rukmini Vijaykumar delivering Bharatanatayam performance full of vigour and grace

discloses that dance for her is a way of life, beyond her performances, choreography and teachings. She goes on, “My training in ballet has allowed me to physically connect with my body. My contemporary dance doesn’t intrude into my Bharatanatyam and my Bharatanatyam doesn’t enter my contemporary.” Her mother, the first woman pilot of Karnataka, was also a dancer, but didn’t take it up professionally. “My mother is my first inspiration,” says Rukmini.

Talking about the fusion scene, she affirms, “Every art form has to change without which it will get stagnant.

Like I modify my costumes but they are still traditional.

But I don’t see a reason to judge every little change you make. I don’t believe in fusing for the sake of fusion. It has to have a heartbeat of its own. If you want it to come together, it has to be a proper marriage. Like Akram Khan who brought contemporary dance and Kathak together; that fusion is stunning.” As contemporary dance (being a secular form) makes waves across India’s art circuit, foundations dedicated to the arts have taken it on board swiftly but mostly at the expense of the classical arts. I ask whether modern dance forms have impacted Bharatanatyam detrimentally. “I don’t think it has. I think classical Indian dance still has a stronger audience than contemporary dance. It is popular dance like Bollywood, which has overpowered all forms of performing arts and concert art forms. The media is such that it engages you in such a way. Classical dance forms have always been for a smaller population.”

About her performance on Shiva, she explains, “According to myth, Shiva is the cosmic dancer.

However, in order to explore whether Shiva has always been at the pinnacle of importance in dance, it is interesting to trace Nataraja’s history. He is seen in stone sculptures of Badami, and the beautiful bronze sculpture of Nataraja of the Chola era is famous today. I choreographed the Shiva dance three years ago and have performed several times in between. It’s easier to and reinterpret once you have mastered it.”

Just like the frozen postures in the temple backdrop, she knows how to keep to the grammar yet be fluid in the execution.

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ROOT SEARCH Very few know about the ancient boat-racing tradition of Assam.

As they do about its tribal communities and uniqueness.

ANUP SHARMA checks in at Rongali, the mega culture show by the mighty Brahmaputra, sips some home-made beer and watches a traditional theatre performance

THERE’S

a sprawling white beach lazing out into the mighty Brahmaputra and the cool breeze hugging a pristine moment, the boats bobbing up and down. The oarsmen take position, sniffing up the wetness, steadying themselves in the eddies and craning their necks up to the horizon to gauge the direction of the wind. Meanwhile, villagers have lined up along the banks to watch them slice through the choppy waters in unison, chasing a new season of harvest and surpassing each other while doing so. Unlike Kerala’s famed snake boat races, the country boat race in Assam is about retrieving lost traditions and continuing it alongside contemporary aqua sports.

The boat race is organised at the beginning of spring to commemorate the death anniversary of Assam’s scholar saint and religious reformer Srimanta Sankardev (1449-1568). In 1965, a rowing competition committee was formed not only to revive this age-old tradition but also to strengthen the harmony, unity and integrity among people belonging to different castes and communities. Both Hindus and Muslims participate in it with equal enthusiasm with regular hand-made as well as dragon boats.

This year, tourists gathered at the Dighalipukhuri tank in Guwahati to witness the rowing contest as part of the Rongali celebrations. As one of the participants, Kaushik Baruah, says, “Rowing boats has been pitched next to paragliding and ballooning. But people are taking to it because it is a matter of identity; boating races were once patronised by the Ahom

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kings and is seen as a royal sport that tests both the body and mind.”

“While boat racing is a very old and popular sport in the lower part of Assam, it has not been promoted and marketed well. It is only now that we are pivoting it as a pitch to promote Assam as a tourist destination,” Shyamkanu Mahanta, organiser-in-chief of the Rongali festival, tells us.

“Some of the traditional sports and events are gradually lapsing into oblivion. We recreated traditional huts and lives of the communities here so that visitors, particularly those who are not acquainted with the region, can get a wholesome and evolved idea,” he adds. Rongali will now become a calendar event.

BEER IS NATURE WORSHIP

WHILE

Rongali showcased the traditional way of life of different ethnic tribes of the northeastern states, it also gave an opportunity for hundreds of visitors to tickle their taste buds with different ethnic delicacies. Traditional brews and liquors like the judima of the Dima Hasao tribe and sai mod of the Mishing community drew a huge crowd.

So who are the Dima Hasao? They are considered as river people, one of the components of the once great Bodo race of Assam, who are of Sino-Tibetan origin among the Mongoloid group.

Generally they are of medium height and well-built stature. They have flat nose, small eyes, black-spiky

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hair and high cheekbones. Their skin is yellowish brown. By nature their behaviour is very amiable, ever ready to befriend even a stranger.

The Dimasa believe that they descended from Ghatotkacha, son of the second Pandava, Bhima, and the demon princess Hidimba mentioned in the Agyatbas Parva of the Mahabharata. The Dimasa society is a patriarchal one, father being the fountainhead, sole authority and the complete owner of the family property. However, the mother and the other female members of the family are not neglected. In fact, the patriarchal Dimasa society is intrinsically inter-woven with matriarchal traits in it. Sometimes, a man comes to live with the woman in her establishment. In other words, the Dimasa society is egalitarian in character so far as sharing of properties, access to

education and other developmental opportunities are concerned.

Judima is their traditional rice wine, which is used in every festive celebration and is made of Bora or waxy rice indigenous to the region. The Maiju variety of Bora rice is considered best for premium quality judima. The yeast is prepared from the bark of a plant called Thembra (acacia pennata) which is again mostly collected from forests surrounding the region. Undoubtedly, the taste of judima is a result of various ingredients used in a particular manner known only to tribesmen.

Sai mod is an exceptionally tasteful beer prepared by the Mishings lovingly and is an indispensable part of their social life. Its preparation is a long process which we are privy to

at the fair. It is an organic brew, involving a rounded cake, paddy straw, husk and rice.

The round cake is prepared with a mixture of rice flour and plant ingredients. Almost 50 varieties of medicated tree leaves, creepers or grass are first pounded into a fine powder. Rice grains are mixed with the leaf powder and then caked and sun-dried. Meanwhile, paddy husk and straw are burnt together and the resultant ash is kept in kopak anne (banana leaf) or a dhari (bamboo woven carpet). Mishing women are experts in this art of stuffing. The rice is then cooked and stored as well.

All the ingredients mentioned above are finally mixed in a kili’ng (earthen pot) or small pe’tum (bamboo container). The inner part of the pe’tum is covered by ta’ling or palm leaves. They are then sealed with dried leaves and straw and fermented for almost 15 days.

The tribesmen then show us how they take care of the infusion. They first make a cone-shaped bamboo basket called tasuk, coat its inner side with banana leaves and suspend it from a post. Beneath it, they place a sieve of paddy straw. The fermented mix is then released into the basket and water poured from above. After filtration, the infused brew, somewhat reddish, passes through the basket and sieve into a container below. The remaining sediments in the tasuk are recycled as fodder for domesticated pigs and cattle. The entire process seems so much like a ritualised nature worship that drinking this beer is not just about bonhomie but sharing a way of life and respecting a guest.

MORALITY PLAYS

ASSAM

has civilisational history of the performing arts. There’s the Ankia Bhaona (a drama form created by the 15th century saint-scholar Srimanta Sankardeva to spread socio-religious messages) and the Mukha Bhaona or masked theatre (another art form performed while wearing artificial masks to enact characters like demons and gods).

The history of Assamese theatre revolves

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around Vaishnavism and the institution of Sattras (monasteries). Guru Shankardeva, who pioneered a cultural renaissance, became a monk, travelled extensively all over the country, imbibed the teachings and cultures of other regions and finally returned to Assam to give a new message of Vaishnavism. This was a singular protest against the superstitious and dogma-riddled sects engaged in Shakti worship. One of his most noteworthy artistic contributions is the dance-drama known as Ankiya-naat, its actual performance being called Bhaona, taking the tradition of classical Sanskrit theatre as his inspiration. His reasoning was very simple — there could and should be a dramatic presentation that would please the common people but

at the same time could become a skillful medium for the propagation of his new Vaishnava faithbased on bhakti.

The stage is made of bamboo props with earthen lamps placed on branches of trees for lighting and flaming torches for dramatic sequences. Ringed by musicians, the spectacle begins with the narrator or sutradhar. The presentation is an amalgam of prose passages, recited verse, sung poetry and dramatic reveals. There’s quite a bit of dancing too, in circular movements to be precise, as a metaphor of the universe revolving around the axis of Krishna.

Assamese music has a special flavour and incorporates certain relevant features of the Hindustani musical system. At the same time, there exists a distinct Assamese tradition which blends beautifully to result in a very distinct musical effect — the bargeetas. Now these are set to

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specified ragas and talas. The musical instruments comprise drum (khol) and, most importantly, the little cymbals (manjeera). There is also the mridanga (clay drum). Other percussion instruments are the dundubhi, bheri, gomukha, pataaha and ektara.

The dance technique has an affinity with some styles from outside Assam, temple dances and folk rhythms. The costume, the models and stage props are used as dĂŠcor and are typically Assamese with similarities to Manipur, Vraj and some other parts of India. The most typical and elegant costume is that of the sutradhar who is dressed in immaculate white. He wears a long full skirt coming down to the ankles, a full-sleeved jacket which comes down to the waist. A broad band is tied to the waist over the lower and upper garments.

Different sattras use different types of pagaris (turbans). The costumes for Krishna and Balarama are very impressive and also suggestive in colour. The costumes of men enacting women’s roles are carefully planned so as to create an acceptable illusion.

Mukha Bhaona or the mask theatre was introduced in the later Shankarian era.

Shankardeva himself used masks in case of some particular characters of his plays. But in the later period, all characters were presented with masks, perhaps to heighten their boldness and bigness among simple country folk.

PEOPLE TREE

THE

mega festival of colour and fun also specially highlighted one particular community of Assam, which is about to lose its tribal status due to its religious affiliation.

The Rajbongshis converted to Islam, commonly known as Deshis, and are one of the oldest inhabitants of Assam. They trace their existence in Assam since the 13th century, are basically a tribal community but are not included in the category as they follow Islam as their religion. While the Muslim Rajbongshis are categorised as Other Backward Classes (OBC) by the West Bengal government in the neighbouring state, the Assam government had not done anything to ensure their tribal status in Assam.

The Rongali festival gave the Deshi community an opportunity to display their culture and

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tradition on a major platform for the first time along with all the tribes and communities of the state. The Deshis have kept to their Hindu rituals, wearing vermillion during marriages, observing amaati during the Ambubachi mela of Kamakhya Temple and observing beshoma, which is a harvest ritual.

“Women play a major social role during marriage ceremonies. When the wedding negotiations begin between the two families, it’s always the women who take the final call. There are six stages of marriage and at every step, women play a major role,” says Mujibur Rahman. “Not many people in Assam are aware about us. We are thankful to the organisers,” says Anisur Rahman, an advocate.

It may be mentioned here that the Deshis speak the Goalpariya dialect, which has some similarity with Bengali. However, as the religion is Islam, many a time the members of the community are identified as migrants from Bangladesh. At present, there are close to 25 lakh Deshis scattered across Goalpara, Dhubri, Kokrajhar and Kamrup districts.

The river people, they always go with the flow.

— Inputs by Jupi Gogoi, Bridging the Gap, Oneindiaonepeople and Shivasagar Natya Vidyalaya

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WILD CARD

NISHA JHA travels to Velas village in Ratnagiri to see Olive Ridley turtles hatch, lovingly supervised by conservators. A perfect family weekend out of Mumbai

Baby’s

day out

WE

were at an unknown village to see some new-borns take their first baby steps and swim out

to the sea. And boy, they plopped out and glistened with the lustre of the sun, shiny and skidding, unsteady in their hobble. They did not hold hands but headed to the sea, en masse, orienting themselves with the horizon and daylight. The sea

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PHOTO: DA TRAVELOGRAPHY

currents got stronger, our heart jumped as some of them got tousled and thrashed around. Could we save them? But then these were hatchlings of the Olive Ridley turtle, who don’t give up even if one in a 1,000 survives.

Beating the bigger fish, ghost crabs and seagulls, they descended into the marine world, unchaperoned yet united, untrained yet skilled, the little crawling wonders.

This ritual happens during the months of February, March and April in this otherwise sleepy village of Velas in Ratnagiri district, south of Mumbai.

A few years back a friend mentioned to us about turtle conservation in this district on the western coast of India. We would have

pooh-poohed the information as rumour had it not been for the stature of our friend. He was a wildlife enthusiast, a naturalist and would definitely know about these things. We had been reading for sometime about the dwindling population of sea turtles and one February evening, we decided to go to Velas Village on the spur of the moment and experience what is now known as the Kasav Mahotsav meaning Turtle Festival.

Velas is a small eco-friendly village in Ratnagiri.

A few years ago, an NGO named Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra, who were involved in conservation of

PHOTO: DNA INDIA

dwindling population of various animals, found out that its beach was one of the many locations where female turtles washed up to lay their eggs in flaskshaped cavities and covered them up with sand, laying it thick with their flippers. They also found that while there was evidence of a large number of nests, they could not find any eggs intact. They were perhaps poached by villagers or animals. Also, most of the hatchlings did not make it to the sea as

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BEACHCOMBING OF ANOTHER KIND

WE

reached the village just in time for breakfast. Most locals open their doors to tourists for a nominal fee that includes all meals. Though the homestay was rudimentary in nature — there were mattresses for sleeping, separate rooms for men and women and a couple of common bathrooms — the warmth and cleanliness turned simplicity into luxury. For breakfast, we were served poha, the best beaten rice we had had till then.

The chief conservationist told us how initially the villagers did not listen or care about the newage hullaballoo about conservation and protection, which they thought were just propaganda to encroach on their daily lives. It took persistent awareness drives and education to convince the fishermen that there was more money to be made in preserving the rare creatures and multiplying their numbers than catching them for human consumption. Now the same fishermen release the

PHOTO: SAHIL'S NATURE BLOG

they fell to predators and villagers. The villagers were educated on the importance of saving these marine reptiles and thus was born the Kasav Mitra Mandal. This was a win-win for them. They were able to help conservationists and simultaneously create a tourism opportunity to boost the economy of this village.

turtles if they are inadvertently caught in their net.

They are also trained to inform the NGO if they spot any injured turtle which are then nursed back to health and returned to the sea.

On the beach, we learnt a lesson in survival.

The female Olive Ridley turtles travel thousands of kilometres every year to lay their eggs at a massive nesting ground on the beach in a synchronised manner. They believe there’s safety in numbers.

The turtles scoop the soft sand to a depth of 45 cm with the help of their flippers and release 100 to 180 eggs. Before scampering on to the beach, they survey the nesting ground from the sea and in case they smell danger, they search for a safer breeding ground. The urge to release the egg is so intense

GETTING THERE Several touring companies conduct a three-day trip to Velas from Mumbai and Pune. One can go in a private vehicle as well.

ACCOMMODATION Almost every house is a homestay. One can walk in and negotiate. Weekends are always crowded.

PHOTO: AURABH THAKEKAR

covered each hole with a basket and a card mentioning the nest number. This exercise is done for each of the nests found till the nesting season is over. After that, is the long wait for incubation.

We returned in the evening to a site which had long been in incubation. We waited for the temperature to drop so that it was cool enough for the young ones to come out. For tourists, the turtle festival begins when the incubation period of 45 to

that they spawn at night, breathing in the southernly wind with a loud hiss to ramp up their oxygen and energy levels. The period of emergence and retreat into the sea after nesting takes 45 to 55 minutes. The most incredible part? Each female turtle always returns to the same beach at which it had hatched. It has a mystic memory! On the contrary, male turtles almost always never return to the beach at all.

SAFE IN THE INCUBATOR

PHOTO: JAYESH PARANJAPE

EVERY

morning during nesting season, volunteers from Kasav Mitra Mandal comb the beach for signs of turtle movement on the sand. Generally, you can’t miss the tracks as the turtles are almost 70 cm in length and weigh about 25 to 50 kg and leave deep trails. Quite heavy we thought but our conservationist laughed, “By the way they are some of the smallest turtles.� The volunteers followed the tracks to their end and started digging with great care so as not to break any eggs. Sometimes the tracks are false indicators. Some turtles are known to return without laying eggs or move to another spot on the beach. If eggs are found, then details are recorded with date, nest number and number of eggs. Our team found some eggs, collected them in baskets and took them to a fenced off burrow in the beach to prevent predators. After depositing the eggs in a series of holes dug for the purpose, they filled them with sand just like the mother turtle and

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PHOTOS: VASUDEVAN R

60 days is over. Each day the volunteers uncover the baskets to see if any hatchling has surfaced. It is yet another nature’s wonder that buried deep into the ground, when the turtle babies hatch they know instinctively to claw their way up overcoming the weight of the sand above. The walls of the pit gradually collapse, thereby allowing the eggs on the lower strata to rise upwards.

THE DESCENT INTO SEA

TURTLE

experts were dutifully making sure the viewers would be safe and not scramble over each other. We were glad to see a sizeable number of children in the crowd waiting to see the babies.

This was a great family outing too, away from the bustle of the city.

They uncovered the first basket...no response or movement...there was an audible sound of disappointment in the crowd. Perhaps the time had not come for the eggs of this nest to hatch.

They covered the nest and opened the second. No response. By now we were sure the organisers were playing to the gallery and building up a dramatic pitch and that the last basket would have the babies.

And there they were, a clatter of shells, writhing

and jostling for freedom. We soft-padded to the seashore as the volunteers carried the unsteady hatchlings to about 70 metres from the breakers, sat them down and left them to fend for themselves.

The hatchlings were delicately tiny, just 10 cm or so, but knew exactly what they should do. And in a collective uprising of genetic memory, they intuitively used their flippers, ploppy flaps really, to propel them towards the gigantic sea. For us even the thought how these babies would survive in the vast sea brought goose pimples. We could see them getting tired once in a while as they slopped on the sand and got caught in the tangle of weeds and surf.

But then they had to honour the motherly spirit of determination. And so they started once again, uncurling and stretching but bobbing bravely on into the sea. The water engulfed them eventually.

The females would definitely come around sometime and the whole lifecycle continues.

On our return journey, we asked our guide why these gentle beings were called the stately Olive Ridleys? “The carapace (shell) of an adult turtle is olive green in colour. Even the plastron (the underside of the turtle) is green-yellow. But nobody really knows why it’s called a Ridley,” he told us smiling. We liked his honesty and forthrightness. That’s a riddle for another day.

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IN FOCUS

B-schools must focus on soft skills development Professor J P Sharma, Director, Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad talks about the changing scenario of management studies in the country What have been the achievements of your B-school in the academic year 2015-16?

Since 1990, IMS Ghaziabad has been nurturing budding talent with acumen and skills required to face the competitive corporate world. It’s a 27-yearold B-School accredited with ‘A’ Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) which is an autonomous institution of UGC. It comes under the Top 10 B-Schools in North India as per latest MBA and B-School rankings and has been ranked as eighth in the North Zone and 26th in across India by a survey. Our consistent 100 per cent placement records are adequate testimony of the fact.

Which entrance exams do you plan to accept this year? How much weightage do you give to CAT or other MBA entrance exam scores for the merit list?

IMS follows a robust admission process which judges an aspirant not only on the basis of a test but considers his/her overall performance based on the proportionate weightage criteria comprising entrance exam scores along with group discussion, personal interview, past academic performance and work experience. The admission criterion assigns 25 per cent weightage to CAT, XAT, CMAT, MAT/ATMA scores.

What are the trends observed in management education in the past few years and how have you integrated evolving trends (like advanced technology, booming social media) into your curriculum and pedagogy?

Over the past few years, there has been a drastic change in management education and business models have become disrupted with radical technological revolution. Apart from technical skill, another grey area is soft skills of the students. As

businesses grow in diverse cultures and different geographies, it is imperative for B-schools to focus on soft skills development.

Concepts like digital marketing, data analytics and social media marketing have been increasingly gaining ground in the last few years. Have you introduced special courses related to digital marketing, data or analytics?

Looking at the growing demand for entrepreneurship or start-ups and CSR, we have introduced “Entrepreneurship and New Venture Planning” and “Corporate Social Responsibility of business” courses.

There have been a number of problem areas in CAT in terms of transparency. How can IIMs bring more transparency in CAT and further strengthen credibility of its testing system?

After initial hiccups, when CAT went online, I think it has regained confidence. The swelling number of CAT registrations is a testimony to it and shows the trust which aspirants have in the system. They must try to avoid technical glitches and have a serious discussion over the disclosure of evaluation methodology, scoring process and raw scores.

After many start-ups/e-commerce firms breached their placement commitments, IITs have banned some of the e-commerce companies to participate in the placement process. Has your institute faced any such deferment?

Just like any other top institution of the country, IMS too moulds its students so that they receive best offers from some of the finest global organisations. IMS is untouched by these shortterm measures and we feel, any institution reserves the right to deal with a firm in case commitments are not fulfilled.

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N AT U R E ’ S B A S K E T

FINDING

ARCADIA If you want to reconnect with Mother Earth and rekindle your five senses, the Purulia hills of Bengal may just lull you into the deepest slumber.

And peace. SAUGAR SENGUPTA sets out on his own kind of forest therapy

“WAIT.

Decelerate. Inhale... retain... breathe out. Vacate your mind, disengage your senses. Lo behold! You are in the middle of a forest. And you will be healed.” That was my first lesson in shinrin-yoku which means “taking in the forest atmosphere” or “forest bathing.”

Simpy put, just cocoon yourself under the canopy of the sal and the creepers and be born again. It was developed in Japan during the 1980s and has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine.

That’s why I am doing this weekend drive to Murguma in Bengal’s Purulia district, a classic sanctuary sought out by the British collectors of the Raj. As we drive past the idyllic countryside, leaving behind rolling hillocks, undulating moors and occasional tribal hamlets breaking through the dense sal trees and the flaming palash clusters of spring, I feel like sailing in the wind and vapourising into nothingness. “But then there was no dam and the Saharior river swiftly flowed down the hills,” says our nature-lover driver Amit. The hills show up as we take a right turn from Joypur on the Purulia-Ranchi

highway to follow a quiet dirt track. In tribal dialect, Murguma means “the home of the peacocks.” The majestic bird population may have fallen but you can still run into elephants, wild boars, bear, deer, wolf, jackal, porcupine, even an occasional leopard.

The mornings here are still misty, the days balmy and nights dark and starry. Sonamoni Soren, a home-bound Santhal woman who lugs back a huge load of firewood on her head, however, would tell you to come back on a full moon night, when the hills are awash with a silver glow and the trees sway darker, silhouetted against them, the road a pale ribbon, losing its track in the wilderness. But for now, it’s the last lap of a climb through the grove of the flame of the forest, blazing like a summer sun.

We arrive at the dyke that harnesses a sprawling dam bordered on three sides by an arc of hills and deep dense forest. The quiet lake, that cups the waters of both Saharior and Giriri, anchors the calmness of the universe. It is here that we meet Jambu Soren, who shares his catch of the day — paabda, kawai and sourhi fishes. So happy is he that he invites us into his hut. And I do not know if there’s

PHOTOS: RAJIB ACHARYYA

(Clockwise) Murguma dam; a day in the life of Murguma villagers; Ayodhya falls

magic in the woods or his mystic touch but we have some of the freshest and sweetest fish that we’ve ever had in our lives. And what’s a heartening meal without stories? Jambu is a good raconteur. “One night I was walking down that forest track,” he begins, pointing to a meandering dirt road that has coiled up the hills and vanished on the other side into the thick forests. It was almost dark and he paced up, hoping to clear the woods before the elephants came out. Just then an old, furrowed man sought his help, saying he was lost. Jambu readily agreed, considering himself to be an expert trekker but just two full hours later realised he was circling the same spot. He had been bewitched by the spirits, panicked and fainted. Only to be rescued by villagers the next morning.

Spooked by Jambu’s dramatic rendition, we bypass the forest trek and go around the dam to reach the only resort in Murguma that offers forest camps and cottages. And it is here that I have my moment of primal embrace. In a clearing, with the sun sliding down beyond the hills, spraying the lake

for one last time with golden dust that looks surreal in the twilight hour. I look up at the crown of the tallest sal tree, the golden glare filtering down the leaves and circling around me in a comforting halo.

The birds are joyous in the cacophony of a day well spent, the forest floor crackles with the dry leaves, the creepers lunge out to get to the rays one last time and hidden in this nature’s basket is the dull red sal flower, blooming all too rare and brief. Lord Buddha was born and died under the canopy of a sal tree and I remember a sutra that says, “the colour of the sal flowers reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline.” And I surrender to the universe at large.

Driving back to Purulia through Begun Kodar village, Amit shares bizarre stories about its folk.

“They are infamous for their stubbornness and often find it difficult to fetch a groom for their daughters,” he tells us. Turns out that the villagers decide their lives on their terms. “If somebody decides to sleep in his cot in the middle of a road in the high days of summer, he will not remove

Panchratna temple

it for passing vehicles, no matter what the urgency.

They do not hesitate to draw their swords if need be.”

Fortunately it is still pleasant out there and we do not run into any stumbling sleeper on the road.

The drive to Ayodhya hills is one of the best panoramas that I have ever seen from a driver’s seat.

Yes, Amit has handed over the wheels to me.

Geographically this is an extension of the Chhota Nagpur plateau, called the crown of Purulia. Visually, it seems you are on an infinite loop, the road rising and falling in ripples to the horizon.

At a roadside dhaba, we bump into historian Aniruddha Moira, who tells us how Purulia had influenced Australian architect William Hardy Wilson, so much so that he named his own home after the district. Subsequently a heritage-listed home, Purulia became a major influence on home designs in Sydney!

The Ayodhya hills have their own myths, one of them being about how it was a refuge for Lord Rama and Sita who were journeying back after their 14year exile. Sita was thirsty, so Rama shot an arrow through the earth’s crust and water gushed out. The Sita Kund flows perennially but it is the waterfalls at Bagmundi and the hidden ones that gurgle, rustle, whisper and suddenly tumble down unexpectedly from a crevice here and a cranny there that stop you in your tracks. And make you wish you were a forest dweller having a snooze in the boughs of the old banyan tree.

Garh Panchkot, a ruined fortress of a medieval kingdom, peeps out through the palash trees on

Panchkot hills. “A few days hence these areas will go completely red,” informs Amit. On the way, we make a brief stopover at Joy Chandi Hills, which are actually three green-fed hummocks, the tallest one being a single 700 feet rockface that has no trees on the shadow side. There are the Durga and Hanuman temples for the devout but for us, it is the meadows unravelling below and lacing up along the railway tracks, the only intruders of civilisation. There’s the Purulia-Asansol railway line that connects Jamshedpur and Chhattisgarh on one side and Asansol-Durgapur on the other.

Even as we strut up 450 steps, we stumble upon a dilapidated, double-storeyed structure that according to the locals served as gallows during the days of the Raj. But for the temple a few feet up, you would definitely get the eerie feeling of being watched by the unseen. Having been mentioned in the Puranas, this place is older than history itself and has been witness to many existences. Recorded history begins with the Kushanas, who were ruling northern India when Damodar Sekhar founded the Singh Deo dynasty at Panchkot in 90 AD with the help of the Sardars of Jhalda before expanding the kingdom.

Panchkot is named after five (panch) local tribes, namely Khunda, Munda, Santhal, Bede and Singh Deo. Also called Rajchakla Panchkot or Panchet, it was probably a part of the ancient Tilakampa kingdom with its capital being Telkupi, which now lies submerged under the Panchet dam.

The ruins of fort and a few temples bear silent

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testimony to the rise and fall of the Singh Deo dynasty, each announcing its historicity with its distinct architectural style. Some are cast in stone while others are made of terracotta bricks.

The Panchratna temple still carries some intensely worked on reliefs from the pre-Muslim period in its terracotta arches and pillars. And lest you wonder how evolved town planning was then, you just have to trot 500 metres uphill to see how a perennial spring was channelised through a “cow mouth.” Purulia hills are ideal for trekking. So even as we saunter around to absorb an unbroken history of about 2,000 years, a schoolboy walks up and offers to be our guide. Nothing unusual about that. But it’s when he reveals how he spends his hard-earned money on education so that he can write the history of the Singh Deos of Panchkot that my heart wells up. “Perhaps it is the only dynasty in the country that has an unbroken and recorded history of about 2,000 years,” he tells us, face gleaming with pride.

And self-belief.

Identifying himself as Raju Kaibartya, he goes on, “The fort was once surrounded by a semi-circular moat and a network of temples, watch towers and a huge palace which were all destroyed in a Bargi (Maratha) attack, perhaps in the 1750s.” That was the time when Alivardi Khan, the grandfather of Sirajud-Daullah, was the Nawab of Bengal.

But Raju has other interests too. He introduces us to the local delicacy called Alu Kata, a mixture of boiled potato, baked peas, tamarind juice and green chilli. Somehow the history lessons turn cinematic.

Ayodhya hills

Alivardi ascended the throne in 1740 by defeating and killing a strong contender in Sarfiraz Khan whose brother-in-law then solicited the help of the Bargis and struck an alliance with Raghuji Bhonsle of Nagpur. The Bargis then sent a huge contingent that entered through Panchet and attacked Garh Panchkot.

They ravaged the kingdom, pulled down the fort and defeated Shankari Prasad Singh Deo. “His seven queens, for whom he had built the splendid Rani Mahal, plunged into the palace well to save their honour,” says our child guide. The king, however, managed to escape through a hidden tunnel and took shelter at Kashipur some 30 miles away where he set up the present capital of the Singh Deo dynasty.

The sleepy village of Baranti is our final stop, spread lazily by a lake and ringed by hills. This is a virgin valley between the Panchet and Biharinath hills. Waking among a cluster of tribal homesteads, you almost feel guilty of trampling on the lush spread beneath your feet, the grass as green as it should be, the wildflowers halting your steps and caressing your feet. You could walk endlessly here and not feel tired.

Back at Ankhaibari village, the tribals, who I must say are great hosts, treat us to home-fed country chicken and fresh fish. And amid the fading bird calls, we sip the mahua, the ultimate in forest therapy. Our host Biren Majhi philosophises, “They (birds) have been creating pandemonium here for eternity. We’ve only noticed the music now.”

DAY TRIP

ANURADHA SHANKAR travels to one of the oldest stepwells in Rajasthan, a flight of 3,500 steps that aren’t joined without any mortar or iron clips but are perfectly cut and fitted into each other. A find of an architectural marvel

DOWN BELOW

FROM

the outside, the structure looked unimpressive. A couple of old men were seated on a table, there was no ticket counter, and above all, no visitors. “Are we in the right place?” was the question foremost on our mind. Our hesitation must have been obvious, for one of the old men walked up to us. “Come in, Come in!” he exclaimed. “Would you like a guided tour?” That was reassuring and we were quick to accept.

Following him through a pillared pavilion, we entered into what appeared to be another world.

The distinctive steps, descending into the earth, told us we were where we wanted to be — at the Chand Baori, Abhaneri. Historically aeons ago, but symmetrically, the most complex weave of geometry ever seen.

This is among the oldest stepwells in Rajasthan, built somewhere around 825 AD, by Raja Chand, who was one of the Nikumbha rulers of the region, under the Pratiharas. It is 20 m deep, and is built in 13 levels, making it also one of the deepest in the region. There are said to be 3,500 steps here, and they are joined without any mortar or iron clips, but are perfectly cut and fitted into each other. And so they have stood, intact, for over a thousand years!

View of Chand Baori, Abhaneri

Standing at the edge of the steps, protected by railings, we looked down at the water far below, and listened to what little our guide knew about the stepwell and its story.

Abhaneri was once Abha-Nagari, which means city of radiance. The name of the city is said to originate from the well itself, which was built around a freshwater spring. On full moon nights, the moon and its reflection in the water, would together radiate their glow all over, washing the town a milky white. Right next to this stepwell was a grand temple to Vishnu, which must once have reached for the skies, the perfect counterpart to the well, which descends into the bowels of the earth.

Mahishasuramardini, goddess Durga killing the buffalo-demon, Mahisha; (below) Harshad mata temple

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Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu; (below) dancing Ganesha

We have no idea why the stepwell was built but we do know, from inscriptions and descriptions, that it was originally bounded on three sides by the steps we see today, and on the fourth side, by a ramp. This dual use of steps and ramp allowed people of all ages, as well as animals, to approach the water.

Just as we don’t know why the stepwell was built, we also don’t know exactly when and why it fell into disrepair. It has been speculated (and in fact is popularly believed) that it was Mahmud Ghazni, who, on one of his many incursions, destroyed the temple and looted the city. Whatever the cause, the city was abandoned, and the stepwell was forgotten.

Centuries passed and it was only in the 18th century that the stepwell and temple were rediscovered. Local lore speaks of a Brahmin minister of the Jaipur king, who was exiled, for some petty reason. Desperate, he left Jaipur and came here. That night, he had a dream, where the lord appeared and told him to seek out the buried well here. It would help him get back into the good books of the king. The Brahmin followed his dream, started digging and found this gorgeous stepwell buried under the earth.

When the king came to know of this, he forgave the Brahmin and ensured that the well would be restored to its former glory. Further, he decided to build himself a summer palace here, which he did by covering up the ramp.

THE

palace, though a much recent structure as compared to the well, was just as interesting. It was built with the intent of pleasure, especially for use in the harsh summer months. Though we weren’t allowed inside, our guide told us about an old water wheel, which would have been used for raising water from the well to the level of the palace, for use as a fountain!

The king also rebuilt the temple with remnants of the pillars lying around and installed an idol of Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu, and the goddess of wealth. He called

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(Above) Details from a pillar in the Harshad Mata Temple; Surya

her “Harshat Mata”, the mother who bestows happiness. In due course, even this idol disappeared, and has since been replaced by a shiny marble idol of the goddess. Remnants of the original temple are all over the place, pillars lying around the present temple, and the more beautiful sculptures placed in the space around the stepwell.

WE MUST-KNOWS o Abhaneri is about 95 km from Jaipur. The drive takes around two hours. o The Chand Baori and Harshad Mata Temple are right next to each other. They are both open from sunrise to sunset every day. There are no entry tickets. o Abhaneri has a few options to stay, so it is best to stay at Jaipur and plan a day trip.

had many questions as we listened to the stories. Our guide, an employee of the ASI which maintains the site, had answers to all of them. He described ancient techniques of drawing out water so that steps could be built far below the water level; he showed us the sculptures and their many details we might otherwise not have noticed and he spoke of the tragic accidents which had induced the building of railings all around the well. Walking around, listening to the stories, we watched the play of light on the steps, fascinated by the way the patterns changed as we moved around.

However, even more fascinating were the sculptures from the temple, placed here for safety. The sheer variety and detail had us enthralled, trying to identify the different deities from their iconography — a dancing Ganesha, Surya sitting on his chariot drawn by

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Skanda or Kartikeya; (below) Agni on the outer wall of the Harshad Mata Temple

seven horses, Krishna lifting the Govardhan mountain, Balarama with his plough, Chamunda in her terrible form, Skanda or Kartikeya with his peacock, a gorgeous panel depicting Mahishasuramardini (Durga slaying the demon Mahisha), and the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva on a single panel, among many others. There were other figures too, such as a beautiful panel depicting a queen being bathed, and a king riding his horse.

Moving on to the temple, it was a staggering sight to see the number of pillar fragments piled all over. Considering that these were the pieces left over after building the current temple, I couldn’t even begin to imagine how huge the original temple must have been. Even among the pillars, the wealth of detail was amazing. Our guide pointed out intricate details on the pillars, which ensured that every single one was a unique statement piece.

ALSO

on the temple walls were sculptures of couples, sometimes in amorous postures. These are considered auspicious images and are filled with symbols of fertility, such as fruits, plants and overhanging creepers, along with wellendowed women. On the outer walls of the shrine were deities, such as Agni, identified by the flames around him, Vishnu on Garuda and Indra with his elephant.

A herd of goats wandered into the temple, overturning a bag of grain and our guide rushed to shoo them away. While my son busied himself ringing the temple bell, I just stood and wondered about this huge edifice.

It must have been a grand structure once, and certainly a royal one, going by the intricacy of the work and the recessed terraces, ascending like a pyramid. Recent archaeological excavations have suggested the presence of a city here, probably the capital of the kingdom. It must have been an

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important place then. But I wished I knew more.

About those who had built the temple and the stepwell, of those who came here for water, of those who had patronised it. There must be more stories lurking all around, and I wished I could hear more of them.

Walking out from the temple, we stopped for a cup of chai at a stall just outside the gate. A young boy sat nearby, making lac bangles. Sipping our chai, we chatted with him, watching him work, and listened to him talk about the foreigners, who were his main clients. Our guide, who had joined us, concurred. “It is only recently that home tourists have begun coming here. And among those who do, most aren’t really interested about

history as such. Yet this is such a visual documentary, a stone library if you call it, of its times,” he insisted.

EVEN

as I rued over the thought that we don’t appreciate our heritage enough, the young boy wrapped up the bangles I had selected in a newspaper and brought out a hand-made cloth bag. “I have made these,” he said and handed one of them to me with a smile. It was a simple gesture that spoke volumes. As I sit today, writing this article, the pink cloth bag is firmly entwined with my memories of the gorgeous sculptures, and the perfectly cut steps of the Chand Baori. Thus are memories made.

Pillars and stones piled atop each other at Harshad mata temple; (below) Vishnu seated on Garuda

ART FORM

A SIP FOR PEACE PRIYANKA JOSHI tells you how a Japanese tea ceremony is intended to create a relaxed communication between the host and her guests

BORN

of the hills, I thought drinking tea is in my DNA but spending time at the Institute for Traditional Art of Japan for Tea ceremony, I realised the brew is much more than steaming yourself up in steel tumblers and readying yourself for the day. The Japanese tea ceremony is a way of life, art, science and philosophy. Our host Sancha tells us that the ceremony uses the best of nature’s produce.

“We only use green matcha tea, a fine ground powder made from baby leaves of Japanese green tea. The matcha powder comes directly from the tea gardens of Japan, where the finest green tea leaves are ground to a soft powder at the peak of their freshness,” she adds.

The inner aspect of tea ceremony emphasises simplicity and naturalness. These two qualities give the outer form of the ceremony its unadorned, quiet, simple appearance. The outer portion of tea ceremony emphasises the Japanese concept of “sabi,” or the material life. One notices this characteristic when viewing the weathered, aged materials that surround the tea room. They are a reminder that our exterior, physical life is but a temporary thing that will decay and eventually depart. By understanding the inevitability of impermanence (sabi) and the simplicity of our inner being (wabi), one can grow toward a state of consciousness even in this life. True aficionados of tea ceremony tend to view it as an esoteric religious exercise, and nothing less.

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TEA ROOMS AND LAYOUTS

THE

Japanese have beautifully designed traditional teahouses for many social, family and business relationships. Sancha tells us, “For us, tea-hosting is a very important part or you can say culture in our life. That time we only want to give our love, trust and humility to our guest.” The Japanese believe that peace can be achieved over a cup of tea. There is a set pattern for a guest tea room. The space is decorated with a scroll of focal importance, along with a flower arrangement in the middle, to give it spiritual anchorage. A ceramic brazier holds the coals to heat the water. On the right side, there is one more ceramic pot which has clean water. Laid out are the tools — a wooden tea box, bamboo spoon, cup, silk cloth and whisks. All the items are placed in front of the guest. The host cleans all tools with a silken cloth. Then she takes some warm water from the brazier and mixes it with normal water so that the temperature of the tea remains normal, which is not so hot or cold. After that she puts pure green matcha and mixes it with the whisk. Now the tea

is ready but before serving, she offers the guest traditional sweet to balance the bitterness of the tea.

BRAIN SCIENCE

THERE

is science at play behind the practice of ritualised tea service and consumption. Modern experts point out that both sides of the brain are stimulated by the Japanese tea ceremony. This balanced activity helps to bring a deep calm and even a spiritual consciousness to those who take part in the activity, according to a website dedicated to matcha leaves. “Consider that tea ceremony works directly on all five senses. This is by design. Buddhist monks in ancient times apparently structured the ritual so that it would wake people up, both physically and spiritually. At the same time (and this is part of the dichotomy of the affair, or better said, the complementarity of its double nature) tea ceremony works to bring a deep inner peace and tranquility to those involved by bringing mind and body together. Smell, touch,

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THE UTENSILS o The host whisks or blends tea with hot water in a teabowl and passes it to the guest. In the case of koicha, thick tea, the guests drink from the same bowl. o The mizusashi, or water jar, contains fresh water to replenish the kettle. o The kettle is brought to a boil over a charcoal fire. o From left to right: a linen cloth for wiping the bowl, a scoop for the powdered tea, and a whisk. o A bamboo ladle is used to pour fresh or boiling water into the teabowl; it rests on a stand made of bamboo. o The tea powder container for usucha is wooden whereas for koicha it’s lacquerware.

right hemisphere is attending to the beauty of the flowers and scrolls, the atmosphere of the entire room, the feelings between the guests and host.

This experience, with both sides of the brain involved equally in the process, is exactly where many people see the face of Zen in modern tea ceremony. For Zen Buddhism often works along the same lines of thought with both the left and right brain areas stimulated equally, in order to deliver a chance for insight to the practitioner. taste, hearing and sight are, respectively, met with the aroma of the tea and the straw in the floor matting, the feel of the pottery’s glaze, the tea itself, the sound of the water as it boils in the teapot, and the visual images of the wall scrolls and flowers in the room,” writes a tea master.

With all five senses awakened and in tune, the left brain hemisphere has plenty of material for thought, including the ritual itself, the implements, the process and “facts” of the ceremony. These are the topics that the left hemisphere of the brain enjoys analysing. On the other hand, or other side of the brain rather, the

RITUALS

TEA

-making is not only a task. Sancha elaborates on the behaviour of serving tea, rituals and about the cups. “We choose tea bowls according to the season and ceremony.

We prefer glass bowls in summer as they cool down the tea quickly. Another interesting ritual is letting the guest admire the design of the cup.

You may take back the bowl from the guest but the design is imprinted in his mind forever.”

And by extension the thoughts and impressions of the host.

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BEACH ESCAPE PHUKET [THAILAND]: A spectacular holiday spot filled with vibrant sights and sounds, Phuket’s incredible natural attractions offer plenty of reasons to visit and revisit the island. Beachgoers will be able to enjoy panoramic beaches boasting clear blue waters like Kata Noi and Nai Harn beach. Honeymooners looking for an intimate setting can book the awardwinning property The Shore at Katathani, offering private villas and a luxurious spa.

Heaven on earth Pack your bags for the best dream island getaways in Asia

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KOH SAMUI [THAILAND]: Head to the idyllic Koh Samui to unwind and rejuvenate at its picturesque beaches and award-winning resorts, offering incredible spas and amenities. Nature lovers will be able to easily spend a day exploring the Angthong National Marine Park with a breath-taking view of the lagoon and marine life.

To complete the experience, you can book a night’s stay at the Bo Phut Resort & Spa renowned for its amazing layabouts and exceptional service.

KOH TAO [THAILAND]: Nestled on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand, palm-lined Koh Tao takes its name from the abundant sea turtles that can be found on its shores. With plenty of stunning beaches offering soft sand and crystal waters such as AoTanot beach — you can look forward to a vacation lounging under the sun. Book your accommodation at the award-winning The Place Luxury Boutique Villas — a luxury property boasting nine villas with private infinity pools — perfect for those seeking privacy and serenity.

BORACAY [PHILIPPINES]: Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and head to Yapak beach that provides intimacy and seclusion — complete with food outlets and spectacular view — perfect for soaking up some glorious sunshine. After a day of frolicking under the sun, you can unwind at the award-winning Discovery Shores Boracay, famed for its beautiful property and Filipino hospitality.

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LOMBOK [INDONESIA]: Lombok is a gem with tranquil diving spots, picture-perfect waterfalls and even rugged hiking trails leading up to volcanoes with crater lakes. One of the highly recommended activities is to follow the trekking trail towards the magnificent Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfall where you can enjoy a refreshing dip. For an intimate property, book a stay at Lombok Lodge.

HAVELOCK ISLAND [INDIA]: The picturesque paradise is dotted with beautiful white sand beaches. It’s famous for scuba-diving and snorkelling with jungle treks and camping being other popular activities. Those not interested in adventure can relax and soak in the mangrove forests, breaking into a gorgeous arc of the horizon at Barefoot resort.

GILITRAWANGAN [INDONESIA]: The largest of the three Gili islands, Gili Trawanganis is ideal for snorkelling or diving. The island not only offers luxury hotels and fancy restaurants but also trendy guesthouses and local ‘warungs’ (food stalls selling local delicacies).

You can hit one of the many dive schools, including the award-winning Manta Dive.

After spending the day in the sea, head to Desa Dunia Beda and choose one of the Javanese-style villas to spend the night.

IRIOMOTEJIMA TAKETOMI-CHO [JAPAN]: Located off the coast of Ishigaki, the quaint island has beautiful rows of traditional houses and shops reminiscent of ancient Japan. Travellers can rent a bicycle to get to the island’s natural wonders such as the stunning Pinaisara Falls and spend the night at Nirakanai Iriomotejima, boasting a panoramic beach access.

LANGKAWI [MALAYSIA]: Home to sunkissed beaches and lush, forested hills, Langkawi is an ideal destination for nature lovers. Get a view of the island’s forest cover by taking a ride in the Langkawi cable car. Book a stay at The Danna Langkawi, strategically located with easy access to numerous attractions and outdoor activities.

STYLE FILE

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Bring in a riot of colours to your wardrobe inspired by the spirit of Holi

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Blue BLOOM ò Clutch with motif and bead work by Once Upon a Trunk ù Red-tasseled slip-ons by SARTOJIVA ä Sequinned summer tunic by AM:PM ë Crepe sari by Sailesh Singhania ¤ Abstract-print blazer by Surbhi Pansari

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Yellow SUNSHINE ò Crossbody bag by Salvatore Ferragamo ù High-slit dress by Aashima Behl ä Kalamkari summer dress by Latha Puttanna ë Mid-slit print kurta by Surbhi Pansari

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Mean GREEN ò Tasseled slip-ons by Sunil Mehra ù Fruit bag charm by Fendi ä Gillet jacket with skirt by Kavita Bhartia

Red SHOT òEmilio Pucci capeline dress ùThe frill top by PostFold äSling-back heels by WOODS ëBoat bag by WOODS

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ù ò Think PINK ò Bracelet from Aurelle by Leshna Shah ù Peep toe slip-ons by VAPH ä Satin pleated skirt by Amit Aggarwal ë Sheer balloon-sleeved blouse with sari by Sailesh Singhania ¤ Peplum dress by Teri Jon

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SMART GOALS

value Create

The Airports Authority of India strives to achieve excellence in customer service

INDIA

is one of the five top aviation markets, growing at a rate of over 11 per cent CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) with the domestic air traffic expected to cross 100 million passengers this year. At this rate, currently the ninth largest civil aviation market in the world, India is aiming to become the third largest by 2020 and the largest by 2030. The development and upgradation of over 60 airports by the Airports Authority of India in the last decade has helped to improve air connectivity across the country. And now with the launch of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) one can expect an era of shorter regional air travel.

With its focus on improving connectivity and developing infrastructure to support accelerated

growth, AAI has achieved a milestone, having completed various key projects in the last year.

The frequent travel and higher customer expectations have led to a dramatic change in the perception of an airport. It has evolved into a complex, customer-focussed hub. To manage the increasing expectations of passengers and to expose them to the various services at the airports, AAI has launched an ambitious project “DISHA” (Driving Improvement in Service and Hospitality at Airports) in partnership with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the world’s leading consulting firm to provide exclusive facilities based on strategic and holistic approach to customer service excellence.

The concentration has gone into these key areas: o Improve queuing times and convenience at all customer touch points.

o Improve airport facilities such as toilets, trolleys, seating and overall terminal upkeep. o Simplify customer flow and improve airport navigation. o Best in-class and affordable retail, F&B and other engagement avenues. o Strengthen performance monitoring and customer feedback systems.

The initial review conducted at the airports found that there was a significant gap between even the basic customer expectations like minimum time to check-in, go through security and clean facilities. As many as 403 initiatives have been identified under the Project DISHA to improve service standards. For this, the performance data is collected by an independent research agency and reported through an app, to track improvement at airports and enhance transparency in operations. The teams at the airport are actively working to complete the initiatives in the stipulated time frame to ensure immediate results. Project DISHA has resulted in changes at the following airports: CHENNAI: Reduced the check-in and frisking time by over 25 per cent compared to the earlier high queuing at check-in and security.

GUWAHATI: An additional entrance

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gate has been built to ease the rush and queuing times at peak hours. The check-in area is also undergoing multiple modifications with the aim to decongest it. Airlines have been asked to share the X-ray baggage machines. Double queuing at boarding gates has also been implemented.

KOLKATA: Dynamic allocation of counters have been implemented with a view to reduce time taken by passengers to check-in. New retail and F&B options have come up which include a food

court, satellite F&B kiosks near the aerobridges and a retail concessionaire.

GOA: Improvement in signages have made it easy to find ways. A standard operating procedure has also been established to reduce unnecessary announcements. Multiple civil works have been launched to decongest the terminal during the rush hours.

COIMBATORE: As a result of implementation of multiple initiatives, the queuing time has gone down by as much as 47 per cent.

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GREET WITH A SMILE For a better customer service orientation across all the airports, Project “SMILE” has been implemented where all stakeholders are asked to wear SMILE badges and greet passengers with roses and chocolates. This is something that encourages the AAI staff to become more customer-focussed and friendly. The airports are planning similar “delightful customer” initiatives. For instance, the cultural performances at Guwahati, Coimbatore and Bhubaneswar airports are a big hit.

The airports are akin to a complex ecosystem requiring engagement of different stakeholders to ensure high quality delivery service to the customer. AAI has had a long history and deep experience of building and managing airports and is very well prepared to meet future challenges too. It is committed to enhance both connectivity and travel experience for its passengers. With Project DISHA, AAI is confident that passengers will very soon experience improved services.

EXOTICA [93] MARCH 2017

HOTWHEELS

FOR

Kushan Mitra Auto & tech expert

The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class doesn’t change the game in the executive sedan market, rather it enters a class of its own

eight generations this sedan has been redefining its segment. The bread and butter for the Stuttgart-based carmaker, this has been the choice for both taxi drivers as well as business executives across Europe: bullet-proof, economical engines and plush interiors. It made a statement but not at the cost of reliability and expense.

Probably this is why the Government of India buys the Mercedes E-Class for its senior diplomats across the world.

The emergence of its German rivals — the Audi A6 and BMW 5 series — did skew the pitch a bit for Mercedes. Mercs were seen as old-fashioned and well, there was no doubt that the BMW was great fun to drive and the Audi came loaded with a zillion technology features, and if you wanted to be different, there was always the Jaguar XF. As much as the W212, the last generation E-Class looked impressive, particularly after the refresh which saw it acquire its distinctive “double line” front headlights; for the kind of money you were paying, the A6 35TDI and BMW 520d made so much more sense.

And then there was the new Mercedes C-Class; particularly the C220CDI, which was a tad cheaper than the E version, more modern with the latest features and much more fun to drive. Of course, all this while Mercedes-Benz India knew that the new E-Class was scheduled to come to India. And they did something that was a bit unexpected and as a result, the ninth-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 that has been kitted out for India is a unique car.

It is a long-wheelbase variant of the standard car, in fact it has a specific model designator for India, the V213. No other right-hand drive country (UK, Australia, Japan) will get this variant, which at 5,063 mm long with a wheelbase of 3,079 mm, is 140 mm longer than the standard W213. You might not think of five and a half inches as much (and I will avoid the obvious joke here) when it comes to a car but when you sit at the back of this new E-Class, you feel the additional space.

Sitting at the back of the E-Class always felt like Business Class on a plane but

REDEFINED LUXURY EXOTICA [94] MARCH 2017

a “domestic” Business Class. Now this feels like something from one of the Middle-Eastern Airlines.

Coupled with the outstanding Burmeister audio system, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and the panoramic rear sunroof, you could fall asleep very comfortably at the back. This seriously looks like a baby S-Class. You can make out the elongated rear door and the full-size rear windows. It has also retained the “twin-line” feature on the front LED headlights, making it stand out from the rest of the Merc family.

Of course, the additional length has to have some impact on the drivability of the car. Frankly, on the roads of Goa, I preferred to sit at the back. This car is long and you should remember that in tight situations, the five and a half inches do matter on

some of North Goa’s narrow roads. Make no mistake, it’s still a good car to drive but designed better for the rear passenger seat, not the driver’s.

But Mercedes-Benz India has taken a conscious call by engineering the car for the country. Much like China, a major “long wheelbase” market — even smaller cars such as the BMW 3 series and C-Class get a size upgrade. Mercedes-Benz has figured that most Indian E-Class owners will want to be driven around. And it is mostly for that purpose only. But it is still an E-Class and Mercedes has been careful that it shouldn’t cannibalise the S-Class. After all, the EClass might be akin to a modern ultra-comfortable Business Class seat but the S-Class is First Class. The E-Class might be the car of diplomats and ministers but the S-Class is the car of presidents and dictators.

BLITHESPIRIT Magandeep Singh Sommelier

NO MAN’S DRINK

Enough of hawking syrupy pink drinks to the ladies while reserving the good lot of brown spirits exclusively for men. Time to break the norms

WE

all give in to gender stereotypes, from labelling certain things macho to classifying others as feminine. I, for one, don’t wish to fall into the mansplaining trap by ranting about various other ways of how we mentally organise and group things based on prior conditioning. But sometimes such behaviour can be a good thing. It gives us a chance to see things as they are and turn them on their heads. The fashion industry does it most often, putting floral prints on men’s shirts or churning out stark grey suits for women. But what about fields that don’t really stop marketing gender-based demarcations like the spirits industry? So to commemorate this Women’s Day, I draw up a list of a few drinks for women:

cocktail material. A snifter with ice and VX, that’s the way to go.

PIO CESARE BARBARESCO: The big and powerful wines from the Piedmont region of NW Italy are famous for their rich flavours and longevity. Barolo is touted as the wine of kings and the king of wines, Barbaresco is the queen. To me though, Barbaresco makes more elegant wines with a better range of flavours. It is also more enjoyable when still young as opposed to having to wait decades to open it up. And it’s precisely for these reasons that I recommend a good Barbaresco from a reputed house like Pio Cesare.

GLENMORANGIE BACALTA: Dive in fast into the deep end of the flavour pool with this one; the latest malt offering from the house of Glenmorangie. Bacalta is Gaelic for baked and the Madeira-wood ageing imbues this spirit with some delicious notes of crême brulée, roasted nuts and gentle spices. Definitely one for the home shelf; it is a limited edition so act fast. Ideally enjoyed with a splash of water or maybe over a small ice cube.

RIESLING AND GRUVEE: There are a few white grapes that I enjoy as much as Riesling and Grüner Veltliner or simply GruVee. Crisp, aromatic, gentle, pleasant...one just can’t go wrong with a bottle. Germany does some fantastic Rieslings and if not Mosel (Heymann-Löwenstein is my producer of choice), Rheinhessen remains a popular area to go for (Weingut Kühling-Gillot). In Austria, the home of GruVee, the range is endless; try the versions from Emmerich Knoll, Markus Huber and Schloss Gobelsburg for variety.

GREY GOOSE VX: To make vodka in the land of cognac is pioneering and maverick enough and to make vodka using Cognac as part of the mix is too anti-establishmentarianism for one spirit. The masterstroke of Grey Goose’s Maître de Chai Francois Thibault, this white spirit delivers freshness and fruitiness aplenty. From notes of apricots and white flowers to zesty citrus and some floral honey too, this is not your average

COCKTAIL: This is where things remain murkiest. All those pink saccharine drinks should be collectively banned in the general interest of health and good taste. Everybody likes balanced drinks: from Ramos Gin Fizz to something more new-fangled like…I don’t know, I am pure oldfashioned. But if the bartender uses the words “pink”, “fruity”, “sweet”, “love” and “ladies” in one sentence, shoot him and nonchalantly move on.

EXOTICA [97] MARCH 2017

FITNESS

OSTEOPOROSIS Bharat Thakur is a yoga guru and founder of Artistic Yoga

is a progressive skeletal disease in which the bones become porous, weak and brittle and tend to fracture very easily. Some symptoms can be sudden back pain, losing height due to vertebrae getting compressed or a stooped posture. It affects older men and women but women account for 70 per cent of cases.

Women are particularly at risk as after menopause, the ovaries stop directly producing estrogen. Estrogen works with calcium, vitamin D and other hormones and minerals to build bones and slow down bone loss. You are also at risk if you are over 65 and have low body weight or a small frame. Other lifestyle factors are a diet low in dairy products or calcium and vitamin D, not getting enough exercise and drinking or smoking too much.

Yoga can not only slow down osteoporosis but significantly increase density in the spine and hip bone. When bone cells get stimulated by being compressed or twisted or elongated, they produce more bone mass.

Yoga is the perfect discipline as its low-impact, weight-bearing poses help to build stronger bones. It’s ideal for women with lower bonedensity as it can slow down its progression and increase the absorption of calcium in the bones.

Women need to recognise they are vulnerable and make sure their diet is rich in calcium, are getting enough vitamin D and doing enough weightbearing exercise. Here are a few asanas to cut down the risk of osteoporosis:

Bones are made of living tissue, constantly breaking down and being formed again. When the breaking down is faster than the formation, osteoporosis hits. Here’s how yoga can help

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VRIKSHASANA

o Stand straight, feet together. o Fold one leg, place it close to the groin. Focus on a point in front of you to keep balance. o Straighten arms horizontally to your side and raise them bringing palms together. o Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with other leg.

BENEFITS: o Develops balance, helps prevent falls. o Straightens the spine.

PARVATASANA

o Lie on stomach, feet together, elbows bent, palms flat beside shoulders. o Breathing in, press on palms, arch head and shoulders up. o Breathe out, lifting hips as high as possible. o Return to start position and relax.

BENEFITS: o Provides relief to joint and back pain. o Helps to decompress the vertebrae and build spinal strength.

SETUBANDHASANA

o Lie on your back, arms by sides. Bend knees with feet flat and a foot apart. o Gently raise hips off the floor till your body is in a straight line from knee to neck. o Hold for 30 seconds.

Gently come down, straighten legs, relax.

BENEFITS: o Strengthens the hips. o Removes stiffness from the spine.

VIRABHADRASANA

o Stand straight, feet together, arms by side.

Spread your feet 3-4 feet apart. o Turn to the left, stretch both arms up and palms together. o Bend the left knee so that the thigh is parallel to the ground. o Hold for 30 seconds.

Repeat other side.

BENEFITS: o Stretches the legs and upper body. o Strengthens the feet, legs, hips and core muscles.

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GURUSPEAK Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Spiritual Guru

The

born leaders

A woman has the capacity to be an excellent peacemaker as she can relate to the heart better. If a woman is determined, she can do wonders

A

mother is our first guru, our first teacher.

She teaches us our first behaviour, our first step in life. Women indeed have a great role to play in society. She can be a strong peacemaker: at home, in the community and in the world. Women can glue differences and bring people of diverse nature together — she does it in her home all the time. In this pacey life, we need to balance our inner peace, beauty and ethical values with the external challenges we face, and women have it in them to do it.

The biggest strengths a woman possesses are emotions, feelings, motivation and inspiration. Men inspire to fight but women inspire to unite. The world is at war today due to a lack of feminine leadership to unite people, overcome differences and bring home to us the purpose we are all born for. In today’s war-torn world, we need women to come to the forefront and take more responsibility, without getting stressed.

We need to ensure that women in our country are literate. When women are well-educated and well-informed they can take more responsibility, bring about that positive change and can make any project successful. A woman by nature is multitalented and multi-faceted. Usually people think women are emotional but the fact is, women are also great intellectual geniuses and excel in planning and

execution. You see any department headed by a woman; chances are that department is much ahead of others.

Women are the backbone of any society. Their role in the development of a society is of utmost importance. In fact, it is the only criterion that determines whether a society is strong and harmonious or not. Also, a corruption-free society can only emerge where women are given due regard, respect and importance. In building character and integrity, women can do a better job. Given the wealth that is inherent in them, it is very important for women all around the world to sit together and see what they can do to make this world stress and violence free. You are that spirit. You are the one who can instill love, compassion, spirituality in people around you and the society.

DO

not wait to be given power. Just assume it. Unfortunately most of the feminine movements today are demanding rights. What are you demanding? From whom are you demanding?

You are asking from an empty bowl! You have equal rights. Simply own it. You simply have to assert your rights! Don’t have to go and ask somebody, it is all there for you. You are a born leader. You have the potential with you to bring prosperity, happiness and joy to this world. Just make it happen.

EXOTICA [101] MARCH 2017

HIGH LIFT

DEFINE YOUR LOOK

WHY GO FOR IT?

MICRO

Upgrade your brow know-how with 3D microblading for that dream shape

ARCHED,

bold eyebrows are inarguably the most important feature on your face. If you are dissatisfied with your thin or unshaped brows, there are various ways in which you can upgrade them. This includes tattooing, applying brow gel, or pencils. But, the latest among all the innovations is 3D microblading. Imported from the US, this method will give you a natural look like no other. Microblading involves applying strokes on hair and embedding a coat of hair on a superficial layer of skin that looks like real hair — a revolution in beauty treatments.

WHAT IS IT?

3D

microblading is an American technology that is miles ahead of micropigmentation and permanent makeup as it provides a patented technique that can approximate the delicate and precise strokes of hair. It ensures a result that can be customised according to the aesthetic needs of your face. As opposed to the traditional unnatural looking methods, microblading gives you smooth, semipermanent and natural looking brows. During the process, a special microblading pen is used to draw individual strokes one after the other.

-pigmentation is currently popular in India and involves using tiny dots to approximate the look of hair. Unfortunately, it does not provide a natural appearance and runs the danger of looking artificial. Another common technique is permanent makeup tattooing which fills in the blocks of area with colour to create thicker brows.

This definitely looks strange.

But with Deluxe 3D, a patented instrument can create delicate stroke of a hair designed for a completely natural appearance. Also, the amount of pigment going into the superficial layers of the skin is comparatively less which helps in achieving a softer and feathered finish. The final result and look is au naturel obtained with no tinges of orange or green formed on the skin as found in traditional tattooing techniques.

IS IT SAFE?

AFTER

a thorough analysis of your face and deciding on the the shape of eyebrows for you, the process of rejuvenating your brows starts, which lasts for around two years. The results are semi-permanent, so there is no need to worry about changing brow trends. In the first year, you can get your eyebrows microbladed to look fuller and thicker and go for a thinner and sleeker version two years later. There is no downtime involved in this technique. Your new set of brows will be ready for a selfie few minutes after the process.

After healing, you can rub them and even enjoy swimming. No special care is required, except for a brief touch-up once a year. Microblading is perfect for those who want to fully reconstruct, define and cover gaps or fill in over-plucked brows. It is also great for those who just want to add a slight arch in their eyebrow line. — Dr Kiran Lohia, Medical Director, Lumiere Dermatology

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NUMBERGAME Sanjay Jumaani Numerologist

COUNT YOUR FATE

NUMBER 1 (Ruled by Sun, people born on the 1st, 10th, 19th and 28th) You might struggle with your emotions in taking decisions requiring discernment. Try to be a little less sensitive to the unfair demands of your colleagues.

Give a patient ear to them but don’t pay much heed. If one wants to be successful in the professional world, then emotions should be kept at bay.

NUMBER 4 (Ruled by Uranus, people born on the 4th, 13th, 22nd and 31st) Your toil and hard work will be noticed. There might be instances where you will connect with like-minded people in a social gathering, leading to fruitful partnerships in the long run. Be circumspect about your approach to negative comments made by individuals around you.

Don’t let them get to you.

NUMBER 7 (Ruled by Neptune, people born on the 7th, 16th and 25th) Teamwork and affability might resolve issues at work. Share the appreciation you receive for your accomplishments with your colleagues and they might go out of the way to do things for you. People into relationships will experience a sense of calm and much-longed solidity. Be a little sensible while spending.

NUMBER 2 (Ruled by Moon, people born on the 2nd, 11th, 20th and 29th) The month will be full of twists and turns. Try and keep your patience and enjoy the ride. The universe might have better plans for you, so keep the faith.

Remember that time is the best healer. On the domestic front things might get resolved and sorted out. You will enjoy quality time with loved ones.

NUMBER 5 (Ruled by Mercury, people born on the 5th, 14th and 23rd) Loose ends will tie up, making way for new horizons to come up. You might be able to focus more on your career now.

Opportunities offering you changes and creative satisfaction might appear on the scene. Try and control your finances and save a little for times to come.

NUMBER 8 (Ruled by Saturn, people born on the 8th, 17th and 26th) Professionally you will see a steady phase which might continue throughout the month.

Some imagination will be beneficial in personal matters.

Try to envision things weighing their negative aspect to get a more appropriate perspective.

Financially, things are looking bright and good.

NUMBER 3 (Ruled by Jupiter, people born on the 3rd, 12th, 21st and 30th) Those wishing to travel will see their plans getting materialised.

Loved ones will lend their support and enthusiasm to your endeavours, making things easier. On the professional front, things will shape up the way you wanted. Old friends might get in touch adding cherry to the cake.

Take care of finances though.

NUMBER 6 (Ruled by Venus, people born on the 6th, 15th and 24th) Unexpected circumstances might spring up and you will be better prepared than others like always. This can be credited to your strong prudence. People in the field of research and analysis will see their findings see the light of the day. Health will improve provided you continue putting in the efforts.

NUMBER 9 (Ruled by Mars, people born on the 9th, 18th and 27th) The past few days might have been hectic but it’s time to relax now. The restlessness which you experienced in the past will disappear giving you clarity of thought. Try to interact more with people to gain an insight into their thoughts. You might also receive appreciation for your efforts.

EXOTICA [104] MARCH 2017

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Into the

wild

Nandankanan Zoological Park calls out to wildlife enthusiasts exhibiting the rich biodiversity of Odisha

NANDANKANAN

means “garden of pleasure”, and this combination of zoo, botanical garden and sanctuary 20 km from Bhubaneswar, in the splendid environs of the Chandaka forest along the rippling waters of the Kanjia lake, fits the description just right.

The park has also given a new lease of life to one of the rarest creatures of the world — the white tiger. This regal animal first came to Nandankanan in 1980 when the first litter of white tigers were born to the tawny tigers, Deepak and Ganga. Currently Nandankanan has one of the largest collections in the world with over 34 white tigers.

It is also home to endangered species such as the lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, Indian pangolin, mouse deer and countless birds, reptiles and fish. Over 67 kinds of mammals, 18 varieties of reptiles and 81 species of birds co-exist in

GETTING THERE

RAIL: The nearest railway station is Barang.

AIR: The nearest airport is Bhubaneswar.

BEST TIME TO VISIT: October to March. Open on all days except Monday.

the forested boundaries of Nandankanan.

The 34 aquaria, which breed a large variety of fish, and the reptile park comprising numerous species of crocodiles, lizards, turtles and snakes is guarded by a life-sized Tyrannosaurus Rex. The park offers safaris in specially designed buses. The ropeway connecting the zoo with the botanical garden over the lake, the boating facility, the lion safari and the toy train have made the place a family favourite.

Nandankanan with its zoo, the beautiful botanical garden, the lake, nature trails and facilities for amusement is a must for anybody visiting Odisha.

SIGN-OFF

By RINKU GHOSH

N

BY THE BAY

ot for nothing is San Francisco considered the citadel of liberalism, a hard tag to live by in the Trump era. But then it has been historically progressive, what with settler activists welding the community in a spirit of oneness, campaigning to put “people first”, wrestling with growth lobbies and keeping things on an even keel. Which is why you like the vibe of the city the moment you land there, be it the hotel receptionist, who is not androidishly dour but rather warmly helpful, or the most nerdy man on the street taking great pains to physically guide you on the shortcuts through the street grids. At least, I have not felt so accepted in other US cities. Of course, New York is more a global concept than a city. So that is best left out from this comparison.

THE TRUCK REVOLUTION

IT

may be North versus South back home but on the streets of San Francisco I found the perfect confluence there could ever be. During a busy lunch hour on Market Street, I chanced upon a burly Sikh gentleman, caking and serving dosas straight off the hot griddle from his food trolley. The noble sardar had not only bridged the culture divide but had also convinced many vegetarians among our team to trust him beyond the tandoori. While we gulped salads and burritos, the done thing here, I noticed how Singhji had also devised something called the kitchdi, a Tex Mex innovation of our traditional comfort food, the khichdi. Of course, when you are near Silicon Valley, every odd originality is considered an achievement or a benchmark in the least.

The other welcome aspect was that in a city that is wired to delivery service startups, denizens of the financial district actually prefer a grub fest at the cheerful food trucks that dot the corners and sidewalks. There are Japanese, Italian, Mexican, Korean or a mish-mash of all flavours that has now acquired the tag of “San Franciscan cuisine” in guidebooks. Since people walk out to break from their poddish existence and catch a sunbeam, food is usually of the comfort variety. It is sushi, Japanese pancakes, tacos and pizzas. Even the Indian trucks end up selling the samosa aloo in dribbling sauces the most.

FUSION LOUNGES

BUT

Indians have managed to break through the swanky restaurant lounge scene in the upscale downtown area of the more prosperous San Jose.

Brainchild of young Ashwini Kumar, who quit his Silicon Valley job to pursue his passion, it proudly calls itself an experiment in South Asian fusion, a euphemism for a mix

of Malaysian, Thai, Singaporean, Myanmarese and Indian. M comes from his Madhuban chain of restaurants in the area. But in the cavernous flow of his warehouse like set-up, adorned with wall art from around the globe, great cocktails, a to-die-for dance floor where SRK is believed to have partied, crazy Bollywood and hip hop mixes churned out by a DJ over a watch tower, it embodies multi-culturalism at its best and draws in good crowds. You can be just about anybody and everybody at M Lounge.

HOMELESS WOES

FOR

all its liberalism, San Francisco is finding it hard to take care of its homeless. Recent surveys point out that the city’s income inequality index is at an all-time high, the top 20 per cent getting richer and the bottom 20 per cent being forced to migrate or return to the shacks. Try walking the business district after 9 pm and you will find night sleepers taking up the porch and stairwells of corporate offices and retail majors. But because it is San Francisco, some people like Cynthia Pinkett are saviours. She is taking it upon herself to organise what she calls “The Huddle,” a weekly neighbourhood dialogue to understand community problems and stop the alienation. Needless to say, she doesn’t want Trump back.

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Website: odishatourism.gov.in/www.visitodisha.org• E-mail: oritour@gmail.com • Toll Free : 1800 208 1414, OTDC Central Reservation Counter (10 am - 6 pm): Tel. : +91674 2430764

For pure nature lovers, the diversity of Odisha’s flora and fauna will come as a pleasant surprise. With Wild Life Sanctuaries such as Bhitarkanika, Similipal and Chilika home to some of the rare plants and animals like tigers, leopards, hyenas, elephants, wolves, deer, mangrove forests, among others, you can be one with nature.

Similipal – A UNESCO National Park awaits for your wild amazement.

Bhitarkanika wild life sanctuary– The best place to sight the giant Salt Water Crocodile and other rare species

EXPLORE THE EXOTIC WILD LIFE OF ODISHA IN ITS PRISTINE WILD LIFE BIOSPHERES AND ESTUARINE SANCTURIES

sanket odisha tourism 2016