Exotica Magazine May 2020

FROM THE EDITOR

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

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

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

SPREAD THE GOOD CHEER

THE

virus still has us in its vice-like grip, sucking life through its tentacles but it surely hasn’t been able to defeat humanity.

Rather has it come upon us to test our humanity and add the spark back in our lives? As the world goes through unprecedented lockdowns brought on by COVID-19, confining heaving populations to their homes, behind shut doors, there’s a window of hope. Those that have more than a window, a balcony, consider themselves even more blessed. For the window sill and the balcony have become the new social space for connecting not just with your neighbour but the community in general. Balcony performances, be it as concerts, songs and dance, have become the latest spectator delight, beginning with the Italians who first started singing songs from their balconies to cheer each other up amid the doom and gloom. Now it is a worldwide phenomenon, with bands in Delhi and Gurgaon asking their members to get out on their balconies for impromptu performances. Even aspiring musicians and dancers are getting out their boom boxes on rooftops and balconies to give some relief to the community.

In West Delhi, residents organised a balcony antakshari while in Paris, a neighbourhood organised a balcony quiz. An adorable video of two young children from Ohio, US, won the internet recently after they put up a cello performance for a 78-year-old neighbour under quarantine. Ideas keep multiplying as a fitness instructor in Sevilla, Spain, decided to give classes from his rooftop to his neighbours to follow from inside their homes. And a photographer has put together an online gallery of faces of the lockdown by asking inmates to pose on their balconies or windows. Of course, there is a whole breed of Samaritans, particularly the young, who are volunteering to run errands for senior citizens.

Shops, too, are working beyond normal hours to accommodate shoppers and have even set aside “senior citizens’” hours for their comfort. A quarantined apartment block in Lebanon peeped out of their apartment windows to celebrate the birthday of a woman who couldn’t leave her home.

There have been umpteen studies on how disasters and crisis bring out the best version of ourselves and project our compassionate side. Perhaps the surge in solidarity is global this time because the threat of the virus is the same for all, without regard for geography, religion, politics, race and creed. And there’s acceptance that nobody can claim victory over this mysterious virus unless everybody joins hands. This was summed up beautifully by a woman from Wuhan, who came out of lockdown after 76 days, saying the city had now learnt to accept help from others. “Because of quarantine, we have bonded with and supported each other in ways that I’ve never experienced in nine years of living here,” she wrote. Millions of Chinese, normally inscrutable and not given to emotion, are encouraging each other to stand strong, using the expression “jiayou” or “don’t give up”. Just when globalisation had fuelled a consumerist greed and a materialistic acquisition of good fortune, the virus has perhaps challenged our satiety value and testing if we can evolve. But when life seems uncertain by the bend, we have realised that no asset remotely has any value than that of the human bond, our primal need to herd together in solidarity and dependence. Only this awareness can get us through. As Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said, “Let’s distance ourselves from each other today so that we can embrace each other more warmly tomorrow.” History will tell us if we could indeed become our best or crash to our worst.

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I N S I D E MAY 2020 VOLUME 14 NO 7

Little black book [p8] Neil Bhoopalam: A quick peek into his style file Travel bug [p14] Woman on wheels Q&A [p22] Let them flutter, flap and float: Poorva Joshipura

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[p28] COVER: CYCLING THROUGH INDIA PHOTO: HANNAH KERN

CONTRIBUTORS Sri Sri Ravi Shankar [p38] GURUSPEAK: Honouring creation Bharat Thakur [p40] FITNESS: Gut feeling Sanjay Jumaani [p43] NUMBER GAME: Count your fate Kushan Mitra [p44] HOT WHEELS: The new normal, or just abnormal TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES 50 INCLUDING COVER

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H O T E L S

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

FAVOURITE HAUNTS OF STYLISH PEOPLE

A belt is what I like because... it holds my pants up!

Brut is old school and fool proof!

Most Jim Carrie movies are my favourites for their pure comedy and skill. One can never get bored of watching it again!

NEIL BHOOPALAM made his film debut in No One Killed Jessica. He went on to act in Shaitan, NH10 and the Indian TV series, 24. He was recently seen in Raikar Case on Voot Select

It'll have to be Clarks although it's only a shoe company. The brand has stood the test of time from1825 (or so) when it was established.

I find South Africa, especially Cape Town, to be the most beautiful place I've been to. I like Australia as well. I hope to travel much much more some day!

I prefer comfort food especially chicken curry and rice. The curry can be made in any style. Rice is my staple as my father is from Karnataka.

SCALING THE ZENITH OF EXCELLENCE

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

THE

Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering College (AKGEC), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh is approved by AICTE and affiliated to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow. The college was established in 1998 and offers BTech Courses in nine disciplines of engineering. It also offers postgraduate courses in Computer Application (MCA) and MTech in five engineering disciplines. The college is accredited by NAAC and five of its BTech programmes are accredited by NBA. AKGEC has excellent infrastructure with state-of-the-art laboratories, computing facilities, automated library with e-journals, modern well furnished hostels for 1,500 students and faculty residences on its wi-fi enabled 40 acres campus.

The college also has highly qualified and experienced faculty lead by its Director General, Dr RK Agarwal, who is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur, CIT, UK and IISc Bangalore with vast teaching, research and administrative experience.

The college has been consistently maintaining excellent results and has 16 students in the 2018-19 top 10 AKTU merit lists with two gold and two silver medals. The college students have also received the Chancellor’s Gold Medal for best performance across all B Tech branches for three consecutive years, since its inception. The college also conducts a number of industrially relevant programmes to make its students globally competitive. During the year 2018-19 over 919 students have been placed in reputed companies like Infosys, Cognizant, Ashok Leyland, HCL, Robert Bosch, Adobe Systems, HSBC Software, TCS, Wipro, Samsung Research Institute, NIIT Technologies.

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

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

To expand the outreach of this facility and to align its objective with “Skill India Mission”, AKGEC Skills Foundation has been established as a funded training partner of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), under Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.

Under this programme Advance Welding Technology and Advance Manufacturing Centre have been established. AKGEC Skills Foundation has also partnered with National Small Scale Industry Corporation (NSIC) to establish a Technology Incubation Centre.

The college has the unique distinction of being the only college to receive the Academic Excellence Award for Best Engineering College in UPTU for two successive years from the Governor of UP. The college is also the recipient of ‘Best Industry Institute Interface’ from the Minister of Science & Technology, UP Government, as well as award from Royal Academy of Engineering, UK. The college has been honoured with the prestigious STEM awards for ‘Best Technology Infrastructure’ and ‘Best Vocational Robotics Education’ by All India Council for Robotics & Automation.

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

TRAVEL NEWS WITH THE ENTIRE WORLD SHUT DOWN FOR TRAVEL, SPECTACULAR DESTINATIONS ARE NOW COMING HOME, ON A SCREEN

NEW SOUTH WALES VIRTUALLY

DESTINATION

NSW’s consumer travel website, VisitNSW.com, has a new suite of still and video Zoom-ready assets available for consumers to download to make their conferencing calls a little more fun.

The Zoom background collection was curated around three key themes — native animals, sunrise and sunset, and spectacular scenery.

The NSW destinations and experiences include

stargazing in the Southern Hemisphere’s first Dark Sky Park in the Warrumbungles, sea life frolicking underwater along the NSW Coast from Tweed Heads to Narooma, aerial shots of regional NSW including Stockton Beach and Broken Hill, breakfast with Coffs Harbour kangaroos, and a timelapse of the world-famous Sydney Harbour.

Pick your virtual wonderlands at www.visitnsw.com/ love-nsw/zoom.

TALK WITH THE ANIMALS o Wombats at Symbio Wildlife Park, Central Coast o Meerkats at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo o Kangaroos in Mungo National Park o Fur seals near Montague Island off the coast of Narooma o A mob of emus in Sturt National Park, Tibooburra

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SUNRISES & SUNSETS o Sydney Harbour featuring both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House o Broken Hill featuring the Living Desert Sculptures o Blue Mountains National Park featuring panoramic views of the Three Sisters o Bondi Beach featuring the very instagrammable Icebergs o Killcare Beach on NSW’s Central Coast o Warrumbungle National Park featuring the iconic Breadknife and Grand High Top Walks

SPECTACULAR SCENERY o Lord Howe Island o Walls of China, Mungo National Park o Stockton Sand Dunes, Port Stephens o Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly o Kosciuszko National Park o Jenolan Caves, Blue Mountains

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GET FAMILIAR WITH FRANKFURT SINCE

you can't got to theatres, museums, galleries or opera houses during confinement, they’ll come to you. Over the years, Frankfurt has gained fame as one of Germany’s leading museum locations due to its unique Museum Embankment. Ancient

sculptures, famous masterpieces, modern artworks and historical remnants of bygone times — you'll find them all in the metropolis on the River Main.

Here is a list of the Top five virtual museum tours and exhibits you simply cannot miss.

SENCKENBERG NATURE MUSEUM: The Senckenberg Nature Museum is one of the largest natural history museums in Germany and shows the variety of life today and the evolution of creatures and transformation of our earth over millions of years.

The museum has unique online exhibits. Learn and explore about the evolution of flight and the fascinating discovery of diversity.

STÄDEL MUSEUM: The multimedia Digitorials (digital online publications) collection, developed by the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, offer each of the major exhibitions of the museum since 2015, including Titian and the Renaissance, Matisse/Bonnard, Making Van Gogh, each of which is richly documented.

The most successful? According to Beaux Arts, it’s Monet and the Birth of Impressionism. The museum also offers its excellent digital collection divided by themes such as “Climate Change,” “Europe,” and “Arcadia.”

FILMMUSEUM: The Deutsches Filmmuseum in Frankfurt dedicated to the medium of film, showcasing its history and present, its aesthetics and influence in a multitude of ways through exhibitions and screenings in its own cinema. You can view some of the unique film screenings in the comfort of your home with the European Film Gatewaywhich gives users access to hundreds of film historical documents as preserved in European film archives.

GERMAN MUSEUM OF BOOKS AND WRITING: The German Museum of Books and Writing at the German National Library collects, exhibits and scientifically processes testimonies to the history of books, writing and media.

Founded in Leipzig in 1884 as the German Book Trade Museum, it is the world’s oldest museum of book culture. It has many virtual exhibitions that can be viewed from anywhere in the world including 100 years of the First World War and exploring 5,000 years of media history.

SCHIRN MUSEUM: The Schirn museum has digitally opened its current exhibition, called Fantastic Women (till May 24). It highlights the works of 34 women artists and their contributions to Surrealism including Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington, Leonor Fini, Dorothea Tanning and Dora Maar.

There is also a video tour, podcasts as Art for the Ears and knowledge-rich Schirn Shortcuts, in which works are served as three-minute snacks (schirn.de/besuch/).

BIRD’S EYEVIEW FROM EMPIRE THE

Empire State Building has been one of the most iconic spots in New York, since its inception, in 1930. Today, it is the very heartbeat of the city. Being at the centre of everything that the city stands for, get the complete package with a digital

experience of these popular places around the Empire State Building that are sure to fulfill your New York City dreams.

These are the five things to experience within a five km radius of the Empire State Building: destination for routine workouts. With the global lockdown, you can now catch the experience of a high octane workout with some of their upbeat online classes.

Break sweat with the same intensity and experience the energy Live at - https://bryantpark.org/things-todo#calendar

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN: The World’s most famous Arena, the mecca of boxing and the home to all sports stars, the Madison Square Garden is situated almost 1km from the Empire State Building. With Google Map’s street view, you can enter the arena and experience the world of sports, music and much more.

Get the full experience here - https://bit.ly/34yWnrP MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM: Standing strong for a 114 years, the Morgan Library & Museum is located at 225 Madison Avenue, 0.5 km from the Empire State Building. What started as a private library, has now turned into one of New York’s finest historic sites with everything from fine art, literature, music, and shops. Through their audio tour, you not only get a complete experience of the current collectibles at the museum, but also get the chance to view all the exhibitions held at the Morgan Library & Museum since 1999. Get your very personal audio tour at - https://www.themorgan.org/online-exhibitions BRYANT PARK: Bryant Park, also known as Manhattan’s Town Square is popular for its luscious greenery, free activities and world-famous workout classes. Just one km away from the Empire State Building, this park has been the perfect

MADAME TUSSAUDS: The World famous Madame Tussauds, located just one km away from Empire State Building, is popular for its uncanny wax figure replicas of the celebrities of the United States. You can get a chance to experience everything, from King Kong’s Skull Island to Jimmy Fallon’s interview desk, at https://www.madametussauds.com/new-york/en/ whats-inside/ THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART: Popularly known as “The Met”, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the United States. Just three km up north from the Empire State Building, this museum is famous for its unique and edgy collection and exhibitions.

You can catch their current and future exhibitions at – https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/currentexhibitions.

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WOMAN ON WHEELS

TRAVEL BUG Riding her bicycle has allowed HANNAH KERN to surpass her comfort zone and master the art of letting go while making peace with unpredictability, trusting the process and embracing every single moment

AFTER

pedalling more than 9,000 km, it has now become normal to be stared at, photographed, questioned and even touched. People are fascinated; curious how I’ve reached them and how I’ve managed to arrive alone armed with only my good spirits and my bicycle. It’s certainly been an interesting journey, both physically and emotionally, and one that’s been so significant, I am compelled to share the lessons I’ve learned.

Cycling really has changed my life; my perspective of myself and the world around me. By travelling this way I’ve managed to slow down time

Cycling can shift the mindset from waiting to arrive at a place to the journey becoming the actual destination

enough to become part of the present moment yet move at a good enough speed to cover significant ground. My mindset has shifted from being in a constant state of anticipation, waiting to arrive at my destination, to the actual journey becoming the destination; now I cannot imagine travelling any other way.

It’s kind of crazy to think back to where this all began… initially inspired by electric bicycles when I was living in Vietnam, I decided to adopt a more

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Cycling through unique, untouched and remote places can spark a powerful and world-changing international happiness movement

eco-friendly travel and lifestyle. Committed to not flying by any means possible, I thought I could ride a bicycle all the way home raising money for wonderful organisations (Crisis, Friends of the Earth, MSF and War Child UK) and awareness for topics I valued including environmentalism, veganism and female empowerment. In addition to that, I knew I had this innate ability to make people happy and since as a person who suffered deeply with depression as a child, I wanted to change the world by spreading smiles, love and laughter. Cycling such a long distance through so

many unique, untouched and remote places would give me the opportunity to spark a powerful and world-changing international happiness movement; encouraging others to respect themselves, each other, all beings and the planet.

When I say that I had little to no experience riding bicycles, this would not be an overexaggeration. In fact, I hadn’t owned a bicycle since I was 10 and truly had no idea what I was doing; how to plan a route or change a tyre…I didn’t even know how to use gears…I wasn’t very good at riding a bike but that didn’t matter — the

One can study and discover different concepts, faiths and lifestyles while travelling

challenge was huge and that was the point. The toughest parts have brought me the greatest pride as I’ve realised my strength, my resilience and most of all, my ability to overcome adversity. By cycling as a vegan, zero waste, solo female, I demonstrate that anyone can cycle, anyone can be vegan and anyone can live environmentally aware.

Through my emotional teenage years, I slowly realised that fighting back with anger was not the way to bring about change. If I wanted to pioneer progress I had to inspire it.

When people discover that I’m cycling round the world, they already think I’m crazy and brave, but when they find out I’m cycling through India as a woman alone, they don’t hold back on sharing concerns of harassment, bad roads, robbery and even rape. But this journey was not about being comfortable and it was never meant to be easy… the mammoth task was set to facilitate growth in both myself and the world around me.

As I’ve travelled through India before and my grandfather was originally from Kolkata, I already had some experience of what to expect from this overwhelming and vibrant country, so none of what people said fazed me. Yes, there are definitely issues with poorly constructed roads, bad hygiene,

petty crime and most significantly unwanted attention from men, but if I never challenge them, how can I hope for anything to ever change? And actually, men see you differently as a woman cycling alone — they respect your strength and perhaps perceive you as less vulnerable as they would a woman travelling without a bicycle. Not once have I felt at risk of being raped or murdered or something else extreme, the wider community is always overly keen to protect you and celebrate that you’re open-minded enough to come and discover its country despite what people may say to discourage you.

It’s actually these controversial factors that attract me the most to countries like India. I’m most interested in studying and discovering concepts, faiths and lifestyles that differ drastically from mine because that’s where I have the most to learn. If we look objectively, every country, culture or even tribe is doing something right, so instead of fighting over our differences, imagine if we shared all of our knowledge and united as a more educated and enlightened humanity… We would thrive and utilise the best in all of us.

My real life experience shatters so many assumptions and fears that we all believe so

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The most testing times make for the best stories and become the experiences you learn the most from

readily. India and its people have embraced me with love, compassion and outstanding hospitality.

I travel for little to no money as I am smothered with generosity, spectacular food and offers to be hosted in people’s homes with no expectation for anything at all in return. I am frequently told “guest is our God” and am not only welcomed but showered with gifts, blessings and always endless outstanding local delicacies.

Of course, you encounter difficult or misguided people along the way but that is something that can happen anywhere and is out of your control.

What you are able to do is control your reaction to those things. As a privileged individual who has received an outstanding education, it’s my responsibility to think critically and dynamically in difficult situations, it’s up to me to apply empathy to those who try to scam or overcharge me… or to have patience when 100 men surround me demanding selfies because they are fascinated and curious and don’t know any better way to behave.

As someone born, at random, in better living conditions and economic stability, it is up to me to

pay forward all I am blessed enough to have received in my life through community outreach, social projects and personal interactions so we can bridge the gap between cultures, share ideas and take inspiration from each other.

Every day I am presented with a new challenge and that becomes part of the thrill. The most testing times make up your best stories and become the experiences you learn the most from.

Like the time that I was aggressively groped in Varanasi at Holi Festival or when I was run over by a drunk driver in Assam or how I was stuck in Dimapur because of riots. Sometimes things just don’t go according to plan and daylight runs out before you anticipate so that you find yourself trying to look for a safe place to sleep before it’s too dark. That takes me back to a freezing cold night in Meghalaya; the temperatures dropped to almost freezing and I was forced to make a decision to sleep in a bone-crushing factory. It was literally an old, cobwebbed barn with a machine that turned animal bones to dust. As a vegan, I don’t think you could have picked a less appealing place to sleep,

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but survival instincts took over and enduring the smell of death and general grossness was a small price to pay for warmth, safety and security.

Travelling this way tests you and puts things into perspective — how fortunate I am to have such a privileged life and also how to be grateful for the basics needed for survival. Life can change in an instant, so you have to be thankful for your now.

All in all, the extreme lows balance out the extreme highs as I have first-hand experienced some of the most astonishing places and events in India. Trekking in Dzukou Valley was incredible, experiencing the undiscovered jungle world in Nongriat, Cherrapunji and giving a TEDx Talk in Ranchi, Jharkhand were highlights, to name a few.

The Hornbill Festival in Nagaland was definitely one of my favourite parts of my trip. The North East, as a whole, is up there with the most stunning regions of the world, blessed with astonishing natural beauty, and rich and authentic tribal culture. Hornbill gives you a great insight into the local language, food, souvenirs, dances, songs and costumes of the 17 traditional Naga tribes. I’m not usually one to return to a place simply because there’s so much of the world to see, but Nagaland is definitely one I would love to visit again. Hopefully by the next time, the horrific and dug up roads would have disappeared making exploring a little easier.

Riding my bicycle and pouring my heart into

Expect to be smothered with generosity, spectacular food and offers to be hosted in people’s homes while cycling alone

this project has allowed me to surpass my comfort zone and challenge the status quo. I’ve surrendered to the flow and mastered the art of letting go; making peace with unpredictability, trusting the process and embracing every single moment because even the worst situations gift us with the most precious lessons. Minimalist living has made me value what’s important and take the time to channel gratitude for the smaller things. I might live with and rely on less, but the truth is I’ve never had more — a plethora of experiences, memories, lessons and valuable relationships; all of greater worth than any materialistic possession.

What was anticipated to be a two-and-a-bityear trip through 24 countries is constantly evolving. My mission to shine light on important issues and spread happiness to others has initiated unparalleled joy within me and that’s all because I opened my heart to the world, contextualised the ‘dangers’ and travelled with a willingness to share and learn. I’m now 13 months in, have cycled through six countries and am currently half way round the world from home whilst we’re facing a global crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic.

I guess I’ve realised that the key to getting the most out of your life is through empowering your mind. It’s what will get you to the top of the highest mountain no matter how slowly you progress, it will help you to think innovatively and create a solution to fix a problem you never knew

could exist and it’s what will either connect you with the world around you or make you distance yourself from it. Your surroundings become a projection of yourself; if you channel peace, this is what you will see, if you embody fear, the world will present you with the same.

India is eclectic, challenging, spiritual, hectic, powerful and full of love. It has everything to offer from both ends of the spectrum but it is up to you what you take from it. It’s a place where you can either come and choose to be a foreigner or you can choose to be family. I’ve visited this special place multiple times before but on this trip I’ve connected with this blessed country on a far deeper level. Rolling through the towns with names I can’t pronounce, staying in temporary shacks that are people’s homes and living in the mind blowing and beautiful nature have all added to my incredible impression of this outstanding country. And that’s why there’s no other place in the world like it. There are almost one and a half billion people existing, vibrating, living alongside one another; so much diversity and difference yet endless happiness. It’s been nothing but an honour and the most exciting part is that there’s still so much left for me to come back to.

— The author is cycling alone from Vietnam to England fundraising for Crisis, Friends of the Earth, Doctors Without Borders and War Child UK to develop an international happiness movement

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Q&A

EVER

wondered what brutal processes an animal goes through before finally being consumed by humans? And how, later, bit by bit, they go on to disrupt nature in various ways? Or how your one ‘spicy hamburger’ makes its way to your plate after using enough fossil fuel to drive a small vehicle up to 20 miles? What about that piece of pork you ate for dinner, producing which generated the same amount of raw waste as a city of 12,000 people? A 2019 report in the British medical journal, The Lancet, pointed out how consuming meat can have “dire” consequences on the planet. It can wreck such devastation on the environment that the Union of Concerned Scientists has even listed eating meat as one of the biggest environmental hazards facing the earth.

Well, in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, this has made the world’s worst nightmare become more immediate. Many are now giving a thought to how meat, its markets and both its production and consumption can adversely impact the whole ecosystem. As per People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), when lands are used to raise animals instead of crops, a huge amount of water and soil is lost, trees are cut down to make land for grazing or factory-farm sheds, and untreated animal waste pollutes rivers and streams.

Poorva Joshipura, Vice President of International Affairs, PETA, (and former CEO of PETA India), through her book, For a Moment of Taste, presents stories of animal slaughter and exposes the role of meat, egg and dairy industries in the health crises. She warns about how it is “a ripe time for a deadly pandemic.” Well, that warning has already come to pass.

She hopes that the one who is at all curious about the origin of one’s food and the impact of its production on animals, human health and the planet, will find value in this book, published by Harper Collins, which presents a first-of-its-kind in-depth investigation of India’s food industry.

Excerpts of interview:

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From mother cows and buffaloes, whose calves are torn away, to the goats, whose throats are slit while they’re still conscious, and hens, which are crammed in small spaces — all these animals killed for human consumption deserve to have their stories told. Through her book, For a Moment of Taste, POORVA JOSHIPURA, Vice President of International Affairs, PETA, presents such stories of animal slaughter and exposes the role of meat, egg and dairy industries in the health crises while warning about ‘a ripe time’ for a deadly pandemic. By CHAHAK MITTAL

Why did you name it as For a Moment of Taste?

Taste lasts in our mouths for just a moment, a few seconds at best with every bite. For those few seconds of joy, pandemics are caused, up to trillions of animals are killed each year, pollution and climate worsen and, eventually, we put our own health at risk. Those few seconds are simply not worth all this.

How did you research for the book? How long did it take for you to complete writing it?

I’ve been studying meat, egg and dairy production systems in India for the last 20 years.

This includes personally conducting investigation of animal transport and slaughterhouses and overseeing numerous investigations of live animal markets, factory farms and more. I have also met pioneering medical doctors who help reverse conditions like heart diseases and diabetes through plant-based foods, and I keep up with the impact of the production of meat, eggs and dairy on the planet.

How does this subject have to be discussed now given that there is a global health crisis at hand?

In For a Moment of Taste, written before the COVID-19 crisis, I warned that the time is ripe for a deadly pandemic, say experts. That dire event has come to pass. And sadly, it’s a matter of when — not if — the next pandemic will occur as long as live animal markets, factory farms and filthy slaughters are permitted to continue endangering both humans and animals.

The last few decades have seen a rise in infectious diseases in humans, of which 75 per cent originate from animals. This coincides with our increased interference in nature, including the official establishment of China’s wildlife trade since the late 1970s and our global intensification of farmed animals.

COVID-19 and SARS are both believed to have first infected humans through wildlife. The spread of these two and various other deadly bird flus — like the H5N1 and the H7N9 — have

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been linked back to the live animal meat markets in China. Many of the animals who end up there, like chicken, come from factory farms. The H5N1 bird flu kills 60 per cent of people who catch it, while the H7N9 bird flu killed about 39 per cent of people who caught the virus then.

In such markets, which abound in India too, animals are soaking wet from bodily fluids and crammed together in cages. Such conditions provide ample opportunity for disease to spread from one animal to another, including humans.

Butchering animals also poses a risk to humans. The Ebola virus and HIV in humans have both been traced back to killing wild animals for food. About Ebola, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said, “In Africa, human infections have been associated with hunting, butchering, and processing meat from infected animals.” HIV, on the other hand, is largely believed to have first infected humans through killing and eating or hunting chimpanzees.

Allegedly, the novel Coronavirus is said to have been originated in China due to its wet markets. As per the year 2016, USA topped the list of most meatconsuming countries in the world. How do you think such meat markets in India and across the world can be dismissed to ensure lesser meat consumption and health pandemics in future? How is PETA ensuring the same?

Indeed, but zoonotic, i.e. of animal origin, diseases in humans don’t just start in China. The US CDC estimates that up to over 5,75,400 people worldwide died from H1N1 swine flu just during its first year of circulation. Its roots have been traced to a strain that existed in North

IN SUCH MARKETS, WHICH ABOUND IN INDIA TOO, ANIMALS ARE SOAKING WET FROM BODILY FLUIDS AND CRAMMED TOGETHER IN CAGES. SUCH CONDITIONS PROVIDE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR DISEASE TO SPREAD FROM ONE ANIMAL TO ANOTHER, INCLUDING HUMANS

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Carolina pig farms in the US in 1998.

In the decade before that, North Carolina’s pig population jumped from two million to 10 million, and the animals were crowded onto fewer farms.

According to Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return (FAIRR), over 70 per cent of the world’s farmed animals are now factory-farmed, and in the US, that figure is 99 per cent. Factory farms house pigs, chicken, cows, fish and other animals by the hundreds, thousands, or even millions — confining them to cages, crates, or stalls hardly any larger than their own bodies or in severely crowded tanks or sheds — to meet the demand for meat, eggs, and milk.

Bob Martin, former executive director of the Pew Commission on Industrial Animal Farm Production, calls these farms “super-incubators for viruses.”

Antibiotics help factory farms, including fish ones exist.

Deliberately keeping genetically identical and stressed animals in jam-packed, filthy conditions means that diseases can spread quickly.

Globally, antibiotics are used more heavily in animal agriculture than in human health. This antibiotic overuse makes factory farms perfect breeding grounds for superbugs and simultaneously risks rendering important drugs ineffective in humans who need them. It’s estimated that resistant infections kill more than 58,000 babies in India every year.

However, thanks to vegan advocates, according to GlobalData, the number of American consumers

THE LAST FEW DECADES HAVE SEEN A RISE IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN HUMANS, OF WHICH 75 PER CENT ORIGINATE FROM ANIMALS. THIS COINCIDES WITH OUR INCREASED INTERFERENCE IN NATURE, INCLUDING THE OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENT OF CHINA’S WILDLIFE TRADE SINCE THE LATE 1970S AND OUR GLOBAL INTENSIFICATION OF FARMED ANIMALS

identifying as vegan grew between 2014 and 2017 by 600 per cent.

Not only the consumption, but how do you think the ‘production’ of animal-based products impacts the environment?

Chapter 12 of For a Moment of Taste details the environmental toll of meat, egg and dairy production.

To accommodate and rear 77 billion land animals alone for meat, eggs and dairy, farmers need to provide crops and water for the animals, land and water to grow the crops, farms to keep the animals, and so on. In contrast, humans eating plants directly instead of channelling them through animals is far more efficient and kinder to the planet.

A report released in 2010 by the UN Environment Programme’s International Panel of Sustainable Resource Management points out that as the global population swells towards an anticipated 9.1 billion people by 2050, diets based on meat, eggs and dairy will be unsustainable.

It further stated that a global shift towards vegan-eating is necessary to protect the world from hunger and the worst impacts of climate change.

And while India has over 190 million hungry people and 163 million without access to safe water, a study published by National Academy of Sciences reveals raising animals for meat, eggs and dairy uses a staggering one-third of the world’s fresh water resources as well as one-third of the world’s global cropland as feed for animals.

In metros, people are waking up to the

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benefits of having vegan food and a plant-based diet. How do you think the change has come about?

Most people are kind but simply don’t know how animals are manipulated, mutilated, severely confined or killed for meat, eggs or dairy. Once they learn this and how consuming animal-derived foods can harm the planet and their health, they will choose to eat vegan (wholly plant-based) food. They are learning about animals through books like mine or AnimalKind, documentaries like Earthlings and Forks Over Knives, PETA India’s social media pages and other means.

Why are more and more chefs insisting on keeping their menus green?

They know what’s good for business!

A recent article on a website run by Franchise India Holdings Limited, reads the number of vegans in India has risen by 360 per cent in the past decade.

Animals like fish are a good source of protein, eggs are high on vitamin B, etc. Given this fact, how can a global shift towards a vegan diet be ensured? Are the consumers and food production industries ready for their substitutes? How does the book address such contradictions about the idea of veganism?

You don’t need substitutes for cigarettes because they’re bad for you and you don’t need substitutes for meat, eggs and dairy in your diet for the same reason. Chapter 13 in For a Moment of Taste covers what doctors and nutritionists are warning us about animal-derived foods.

ANTIBIOTICS HELP FACTORY FARMS, INCLUDING FISH ONES EXIST. DELIBERATELY KEEPING GENETICALLY IDENTICAL AND STRESSED ANIMALS IN JAM-PACKED, FILTHY CONDITIONS MEANS THAT DISEASES CAN SPREAD QUICKLY. GLOBALLY, ANTIBIOTICS ARE USED MORE HEAVILY IN ANIMAL AGRICULTURE THAN IN HUMAN HEALTH. THIS ANTIBIOTIC OVERUSE MAKES FACTORY FARMS PERFECT BREEDING GROUNDS FOR SUPERBUGS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY RISKS RENDERING IMPORTANT DRUGS INEFFECTIVE IN HUMANS WHO NEED THEM

Fish contains significant levels of mercury, which is toxic and can be especially problematic for children in the womb and is a possible carcinogen. Studies published in various reputed journals have found that eggs are in fact so unhealthy that consumers who ate the most eggs increased their risk of cardiovascular disease by 19 per cent and their risk of diabetes by 68 per cent. Diabetics who ate the most eggs increased their risk for developing heart disease by an incredible 83 per cent. Egg consumption has also been associated with colon, rectal, bladder and prostate cancers.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics said, “Vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. These diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood and for athletes.

Vegetarians and vegans are at reduced risk of certain health conditions, including ischemic heart disease, type-2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer and obesity.”

The meat market employs a considerable number of people in India, how do you think its reduction or a complete ban will impact the economy?

As per a recent report by GlobalData, 70 per cent of the world’s population is going meatfree — both in consumption and production. Globally, farmers and

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chicken sales in India recently plummeted, PETA India sent chicken-meat chain KFC a letter suggesting that it can add a vegan chicken option to its menu as other KFC restaurants abroad have done the same. In India, GoodDot is among the companies offering meat-free chicken and other vegan meats.

As the demand changes, so does the supply.

food industries are responding to this change by transitioning to plant-based food production altogether or by getting involved in the vegan food business.

For example, in the US, big meat companies like Tyson, Smithfield, Perdue and Hormel are now selling plant-based burgers or other such products. Dairy companies abroad are also starting to invest in plantbased milk.

In India, many people are opting for jackfruit instead of meat during the Coronavirus crisis. And when

AS PER A RECENT REPORT BY GLOBALDATA, 70 PER CENT OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION IS GOING MEAT-FREE — BOTH IN CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION. GLOBALLY, FARMERS AND FOOD INDUSTRIES ARE RESPONDING TO THIS CHANGE BY TRANSITIONING TO PLANT-BASED FOOD PRODUCTION

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In India, many religious activities and beliefs are linked to animal killing and consuming. What’s your take on this?

How do you think the issue can be tackled in a society as complex and rigid as India?

No religion requires meat-eating and all religions call for compassion.

Chapter 2 of my book examines why people eat animals while generally caring for them. We are often told since childhood that certain animals are our friends and others are food.

But in some places, animals we commonly call friends, like dogs, could also be considered food. When we recognise the labelling of animals as food as merely a belief, rather than a truth, we can choose a different path.

Any anecdote or personal experience that you would like to share...

I would like to share a quote by Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, who said, “When the suffering of another creature causes you to feel pain, do not submit to the initial desire to flee from the suffering one but on the contrary, come closer, as close as you can to him who suffers and try to help.”

CULINARY DELIGHTS As eating out becomes a no-no, hotels tap into food delivery to reach their patrons while ensuring their safety, says SAIMI SATTAR

DIAL FOR FINE DINING

FOR

all of us who are experiencing this moment, it is certainly a watershed time. From now on, we would always talk about life before and after the pandemic as nothing will ever be the same. Eating out was one of those things that we did without giving it a second thought as we took it for granted.

Birthdays, anniversaries, catching up with friends, not in a mood to cook — all were good enough reasons to head to a restaurant. But with the lockdown and social distancing in place, dining out is certainly not an option, at least for sometime.

But that does not have to mean that you miss out on dishes that you savour. Most of the five star hotels in the city have tapped the delivery route to dish out the favourites of their patrons. Many have seen a spike in delivery which earlier formed almost a negligible part of the services that they offered.

Executive Chef Vikram Ganpule at Andaz, Delhi says that a definite rise can be seen, “On a daily basis, at Annamaya restaurant there were threefour deliveries earlier. The number has now jumped

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to 10-12 orders per day.� But what has really surprised him is the rise in the demand for artisanal breads which, he says, they are making in larger quantities than was done during pre-lockdown.

According to Vivek Shukla, general manager, The LaLiT New Delhi and corporate affairs, deliveries have climbed up by 50 per cent at the hotel.

When it is about food, there are bound to be some dishes which are preferred more than the others.

Biryani, in its multifarious variations, certainly makes the cut for most hotels and restaurants. Rohit Arora, area general manager, THE Park New Delhi says that it is this rice dish along with pizzas and pastries from Flurys that diners want to dig into most. The hotel can send it directly to its and has also enrolled the services of different delivery platforms for the same.

Ganpule lists something more specific. With the outbreak of the virus, there is certainly an increased focus on health and eating more wholesome food. “Our millet biryani, both with chicken and vegetables, has been ordered quite a few times. Then there are the

good old favourites like butter chicken, kebabs and tikkas that have found favour. Our regular customers also specially request for our Lamb chops and Home style chicken curry which were popular on our regular menu but weren’t included on the delivery one. Even though people are a little wary of salads, Nutrition bomb which we make with in-house grown microgreens is also popular,” says Ganpule. The hotel has tied up with delivery services for the transport of the 30 odd selected items which is done in two slots, one at lunchtime and the other for dinner.

At LaLit too, it is the signature dishes that rule the menu.

“Biryani, Dal Baluchi and chicken are the ones that are the ordered the most. There is a definite spike in bakery products — cakes, breads and other desserts also,” says Shukla. The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group’s outdoor catering vertical, The Lalit Food Truck Company looks after larger orders and more elaborate customised and bulk menu for families. This operates from eight in the morning to six in the evening while a special midnight menu can be delivered from 11 at night to four in the morning.

Smaller orders are delivered through Swiggy and Zomato from 11 in the morning to 11 at night. The menu for this has snacks, grills, sandwiches biryani, main course dishes and desserts.

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A new player on the delivery scene, Roseate Hotels & Resorts which started the service as recently as April 10, has seen the maximum interest in its bakery products like cakes, breads and more. These are delivered from seven in the morning to 10 at night. Interestingly, the delivery menu has a spread which includes macaroons for those with a sweet tooth as well as snacks like sandwiches, burgers and more. There are Indian restaurant specialities like Tandoori paneer tikka, Silbatte ki shammi, Murgh Kolhapuri, Chukundar chilgoze ki tikki, Malabar fish and more.

The selections are done and the idea that it can land on your table any moment does not necessarily mean that we can eat it without any apprehensions in the new world that has established its hold on our minds and hearts. Food delivery needs to be safe as became apparent when a pizza delivery boy infected with COVID-19 visited 72 households before being detected with the virus. So even though it can lead to a little more time, safety is paramount in days of the Coronavirus.

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The checks at Andaz are at two levels — in the kitchen and also for the delivery service boys.

Ganpule says, “We ensure in-house hygiene, temperature checks, social distancing and mask wearing without a single deviation. Since the lockdown, the team is staying in the hotel and when they come from their rooms, there is a specific path that they follow. Their temperatures are checked thrice everyday while entering, exiting the kitchen and once in between. There is a hygiene manager, who ensures that all the protocols are followed and that everyone is wearing gloves, masks while working.” Moreover, the hygiene standards are extended to the delivery services too as the temperatures of people who come to collect the food are checked as is the fact that they wear gloves and masks.

The LaLit is ensuring safety on its part by following all suggested sanitisation processes by WHO. The teams have been given intensive training, the property is regularly fumigated and kitchen surfaces cleaned. “All staff working in the kitchens and hotel premises are wearing face masks and hand gloves. All products — groceries and vegetables — are first collected at the landing bay, where they are washed and sanitised, before going to the kitchens for use. Our delivery channels ensure that the delivery men have gone through proper hygiene training. The food also has double layer of packing, so guests can easily discard the outside layer to avoid surface contact,” says Shukla.

Roseate too is doing its bit. Dr Ankur Bhatia, executive director, Roseate Hotels & Resorts points out, “We have contact less delivery and ensure safe packaging (double outer layer), multiple frequent sanitation of our kitchen utensils, regular temperature checks of all involved personnel to ensure safe food delivery.”

Neeraj Tyagi, Director of Culinary, Pullman & Novotel New Delhi Aerocity says that they are adhering to international standards as the food is prepared with the best in class safety measures and hygiene standards. “The delivery organisations too are using strict safety and hygiene protocols,”

he says. The hotel does not deliver on its own but has tapped into the two food delivery services like the others.

Shukla says that the reason for the spike in delivery is because people are looking for a change.

Arora points out the reason why hotels score when it comes to deliveries. He says, “Guests are slightly more comfortable to order directly from the hotel considering hygiene factors as compared to their neighbourhood restaurants. Moreover, the team is in constant touch with regular guests and at times goes out of its way to deliver favourites even if they are not a part of our customised menu.”

So the next time that you are craving for a meal from your favourite hotel, all you need to do is place that phone call or simply log in to your favourite ordering platform.

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LOOK AHEAD

TOUCHMENOT

A visit to your beauty therapist is unlikely to remain the same as social distancing norms become a habit. SAIMI SATTAR speaks to experts to understand what it would entail

THE

lips of the therapist are pursed as she holds one end of the thread in between her teeth and expertly shapes the eyebrows. Did that seem to read like a short horror story and make you shudder? Welcome to a world, where close proximity of even the professional kind will be looked upon with suspicion.

The normalcy of monthly salon visits, which rely on touch and proximity, is certainly a thing of the past that is not making a comeback any time soon, bushy eyebrows and zit-filled skin be damned.

A report by the Indian Beauty & Hygiene Association (IBHA) had pegged the beauty and wellness market in India at `901.07 billion in 2018

and had forecast that it would reach `2,463.49 billion by 2024, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.40 per cent during the 2019-2024 period. But a virus has put not just a break on the growth but had brought the industry to a virtual grinding halt.

The Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council (B&WSSC) has prepared guidelines on health, safety and hygiene norms meant to be followed by the salons, therapists and clientele once beauty services are back in business. The long list includes, among other measures, frequent sanitisation, wearing of PPE by therapists and N95 masks by the clients.

Shahnaz Husain, founder, chairperson and

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managing director of The Shahnaz Husain Group, couldn’t be more correct when she says, “Nobody knows how long the COVID-19 crisis will last but when the lockdown is relaxed and we resume ‘normal’ life again, we will have to follow new systems and methods of working and interacting. A protocol, to wash hands or using hand sanitisers before and after any service, would have to be mandatory. We will have to achieve and maintain total hygiene in beauty services. Disposables like cotton wool and tissues might replace towels. The service sector would have to follow clinical sterilisation of tools like files, nail cutters, tweezers and also have waste baskets or dustbins with lids.”

A change in the way the therapists and the salons function is certainly the order of the day. Dr Blossom Kochhar, founder and chairperson, Blossom Kochhar Group Of Companies, has already swung into action to prepare for the time when first faint trickle of people would start coming in for beauty treatments.

“We have ensured that all salons are fumigated. We constantly motivate our employees and make sure

they are safe and healthy. Once the lockdown is lifted, we will impose hygiene practices and train our staff along with ourselves. We will have to re-programme ourselves into creating an all-time hygienic work environment. For our safety and for that of our clients.”

Bharti Taneja, founder and chairperson, Alps Beauty Group, believes that the emphasis on hygiene would have to start not just from the time of the treatment but even before entering the salon. “While earlier, hand sanitisers were placed on every trolley of the therapists so that they could use it frequently, but now some bottles would also be placed on the reception. I am planning to keep one outside my gate so that even before you touch the handle of the door, you have to sanitise hands. Sanitising the room three or four times a day would become the new normal.”

Of course, the procedures, which often see one or more therapists being in close contact, will have to undergo a change. Kochhar feels that they might suspend services like threading as these can put both the therapist and the client at risk. Taneja, on the

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other hand, says that it can be done while wearing gloves and masks. “Rather than clenching the thread between teeth, one can loop it around the fingers the way it is done when threading oneself,” she says. The other changes that she foresees is full sleeves and high-neck clothes becoming the norm, especially for therapists.

Husain feels that the normal method of threading would naturally pose a real challenge and “beauty services may involve the use of tweezers for shaping eyebrows or some other methods might be developed for the same.”

While people displaying their hair cutting skills on Instagram has almost caught on as a trend, what would the scenario be like once the lockdown opens?

A video from China which emerged recently shows barbers fixing scissors at the end of long poles to chop hair. Taneja feels that this is more gimmicky.

“As long as you are well-protected with masks and gloves, while the equipment is sanitised by putting it in the UV chamber, which we do even now, there shouldn’t be anything to worry,” she says.

Another development would, of course, be people switching to do-it-at-home beauty procedures.

Kochhar says that a big boost to home kits is likely.

She adds, “A majority of people will be doing their services at home as they would be nervous to go to the salons.” Already people are switching to home facial kits, waxing strips and epilators to avoid a visit to the salon.

An emphasis on hygiene will be seen among both customers and providers. “They will have to follow strict personal hygiene and maintain their surroundings where they not only wash hands often but also clean surfaces with alcohol-based cleaning agents and sanitisers,” says Husain.

The nature of beauty business is such that salons are places where customers often sit in close proximity, whether it is while awaiting their turn or during their treatments. To ensure that there are not too many people at one time, most places will have to switch to a system of appointments, even for shorter treatments, which has to be observed and followed strictly.

Moreover, the awareness among the customers would work to the advantage of the salons. Husain says, “Customers would be much more aware of the chances of infection and would help to maintain strict appointments and timing, so that social distancing is easier to maintain. There can be online bookings and no waiting, as people may not want to wait in crowded rooms or lounges. Beauty salons may start keeping longer working hours and for all days in the week to accommodate this change.”

Even when customers adhere to appointments, there will have to be social distancing between them. Taneja says, “Maybe the way to go about it is leave one chair empty in between two people which naturally reduces the number of customers coming in while pushing up the costs. Both,

customers and salon owners, would have to shoulder the rising overheads.”

There has to be a switch towards using disposable sponges, brushes, frequent sanitisation of equipment, in addition to extras like wearing masks and gloves which are discarded frequently, maybe after servicing each customer. All these would have a combined effect of spiralling costs further.

Moreover, in treatments like waxing, the therapists dip into a common heating equipment to service clients. The same goes for procedures like facial where professional-sized kits are used. Taneja says, “For waxing, it makes sense to take out a small quantity, adequate for one person, and use it. For facials, we already have a practice in place where we give each customer an entire single-use set in a purse.

Whatever is left after the treatment can be carried back by them.”

So one thing, which is obvious, is that the changes needed require deeper pockets on the part of both the customers as well as the salons. While this might be easier for the bigger players, the smaller neighbourhood salons might not be able to transform themselves. Husain points out, “Accommodating

customers and yet observing social distancing will prove challenging for those beauty salons, where there are space constraints.”

And even now it is these smaller players that have taken the hit more than the bigger ones. Kochhar says, “Already small salons have been adversely affected. They have large amounts of rents to pay and they have limitations in looking after their staff members. It is also going to hamper the skills industry. People would not want to be skilled, they would be desperate for jobs, but there will be no jobs if everything is shut down.”

Husain, on the other hand is upbeat. “The world, post COVID-19, is bound to adopt new methods and systems to protect customers and employees and prevent infections. According to an expert, ‘What we will have after the COVID-19 crisis is probably a stronger and fitter beauty and wellness industry; that uses cutting-edge technology to meet the new expectations of people and communities, while retaining its core of empathy and caring.’”

One thing is sure, a visit to your therapist will no longer look the same.

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GURUSPEAK

ACCORDING Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Spiritual Guru

Our scriptures teach us to respect the five elements rather than following rituals blindly.

This idea forms the basis of sustainable development as well

to the ancient scriptures, human beings have five sheaths: the environment, physical body, mind, intuitive sheath and the blissful sheath. The environment is our first body. Historically, nature — mountains, rivers, sun, moon, trees, animals — has always been honoured. It’s only when we start moving away from nature that we start polluting it. We need to revive the ancient practice of honouring and conserving the balance of nature. Just observe nature. Its five elements are opposed to each other. Water destroys fire, which destroys air.

Then there are so many species in nature — the birds, reptiles, mammals — which are hostile towards each other and yet nature balances them out. We need to learn from nature.

It is unfortunate that we don’t understand the depth of scriptures but just follow empty and meaningless practices blindly. Your ritual has meaning if it is kind and environment-friendly. A wise and meaningful ritual is offering flowers, lighting a candle, creating love, planting a tree and distributing sweets. Killing animals isn’t a good ritual. I won’t approve of inhuman rituals like going to temples and giving bali (animal sacrifice). We don’t have any right to transgress others’ life. Our ancestors have studied our environment deeply and included all the animals — dogs, donkeys, elephants and more — in divinity. Each animal is associated with or corresponds to a devi/devta. Each one has a specific energy field. Human beings have a specific energy field called bio–energy. The cosmic energy is absorbed by various species and transformed into this bio-energy field. The ecological balance is lost when any one species and its corresponding energy field is affected or depleted. So

HONOURING CREATION

TO HONOUR, RESPECT AND TAKE UTMOST CARE OF OUR PLANET ARE THE WAYS WHICH CAN BE COUNTED AS THE GREATEST FORMS OF WORSHIP. WE HAVE TO STOP POLLUTING THE EARTH

anything that pollutes the environment cannot be a ritual.

Ritual should be something that uplifts and elevates your spirit. Pooja does not mean just lighting a lamp and revolving around a tree; or dumping things into the river. Worshipping cows does not mean garlanding them or performing their aarti. Real pooja is honouring the tree, the river, and the animal, feeling a sense of responsibility and belonging towards nature and creation. The entire universe and our body are made up of five elements — air, water, fire, earth and ether. The elements provide us with all our needs and how we use them depends on our understanding. To honour, respect and take utmost care of our planet are the ways which can be counted as the greatest forms of worship. We have to discontinue polluting the earth with plastic, poisonous fertilisers and chemicals. There could also be many dangers in genetically modified food.

There is an urgent need to turn to organic farming.

In India, there is a great tradition of honouring rivers — the water element.

However, today, no river is fit for drinking, even 100 km away from its source. We have to stop pouring industrial waste, sewage and

garbage into the rivers. The river does not want you to offer flowers or fruits.

The fire element symbolises knowledge and desires. From the fire of desire, the element gets transformed into the fire of knowledge which is the whole aim or purpose of human life.

To protect the air element we need to have clean energy that will sustain this beautiful creation.

The space element is abstract. You cannot catch space. When you save your mind from negativity, you fill the space with joy, fun, confidence and coherence. Protect the space, save the mind at any cost. Ravaging natural resources and animal species without a long-term vision will destroy the ecology, which is the very source of life. Sustainable development keeps in mind the long-term effects and benefits of any programme.

We need to work out ways and means of protecting our beautiful planet. For this to happen, human consciousness must rise above greed and exploitation. Exploitation has two phases: first, when you exploit others; second, when you exploit the earth. Both need to be checked and for that, man must develop a broad vision and understanding of life and of himself.

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FITNESS

THE

the body and brain while forming a pandemic and the protective layer that protects the subsequent stomach lining and the walls of the lockdown is a perfect intestine. Food rich in good fibre time to reflect on ways to strengthen includes whole grains, lentils and our immunity. Vital to a strong pulses. Fruits with the highest fibre are immune system is our gut health. A mangoes, persimmon, pomegranates, healthy gut is where the acid-alkaline avocados, papayas, raspberries, apples balance is perfect, the cells are not and pears. Vegetables contain about inflamed, digestion is strong, Bharat Thakur two-three grams of fibre for every 100 absorption good, bowels are emptied is a yoga guru and founder of gm. We need about 25-30 gm of fibre in regularly and the gut flora are happy Artistic Yoga a day. For this we need to have about and thriving. two-three cups of vegetables, one or Most diseases are impacted by or two cups of fruits, a cup of whole start from the gut. Our busy daily grains, a cup of lentils and a routines demand fast and handful of nuts and seeds every day. interesting food cooked with You can offset the effects of age, shortcuts. These do not give the overeating, binging, eating fast body the sustenance that it needs to food and refined flours by including thrive while overwhelming and probiotics in your diet. Examples slowing down the detox system (the are yoghurt, buttermilk, aged liver, kidneys). Our cells produce fermented cheese, fermented more free radicals and toxins that vegetables, fermented rice, impact us negatively leading to vegetables and soybean. disease and ageing.

Lifestyles today invariably We can undo the damage done include refined food that is by modifying our diets and eating Effective functioning high on sugar and low gut nurturing food. Good food is an in fibre. Digesting incredibly powerful medicine. of the digestive these By eating healing food we can not system is essential for only strengthen and heal our gut good health but change our genetic makeup and pass on healthy genes to future generations.

To keep our gut healthy a diet rich in fibre is essential as it helps in digestion and the absorption of nutrients. Insoluble fibre bulks up waste material and helps the intestines empty the bowels regularly. Soluble fibre nurtures gut bacteria that regulates hormones in

releases a load of metabolic waste that can cause the lining or our stomachs and intestines to become inflamed. The result can be frequent diarrhoea, bloating, gas and weakness. To stop this we need to include anti-inflammatory and antioxidant food ie herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, cumin, asafoetida, nutmeg, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds. We also need to up our intake of Omega 3 fatty acids. Ghee, which is rich in butyric acid, has many gut medicinal benefits.

There are three nutrients that play a big role in keeping the gut healthy. Vitamin A destroys free radicals and toxins in the intestinal walls. It can be found in orange-coloured fruits and vegetables.

Magnesium, needed for digestion, is found in pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, black beans, whole wheat and coconut water. Zinc, critical for the vagus nerve, which controls digestion is found in pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, yoghurt and spinach.

You can further strengthen your immune cells by including food rich in Vitamin C and E. Some good sources of Vitamin C are citrus fruits, strawberries, pineapples, guavas, cantaloupe melon, leafy green vegetables, cauliflower and capsicum. Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils, nuts (almonds, peanuts) and seeds (sunflower).

The ideal system to support these dietary changes is yoga. Many postures bend the body forward, backward or twist it. These improve circulation and compress, massage, tone and strengthen the abdominal area and digestive organs so that they function effectively.

Good oxygen levels are also essential for digestion and good gut health. Pranayama calms nerves, increase oxygen levels and counters the acidic effects of stress and anxiety. Kapalbhatti detoxes and increases oxygen levels.

Yoga helps your organs to function more efficiently and ensures that the food you eat builds your immunity. So you can fight external viruses.

PAVANMUKTASANA [WIND RELEASING POSTURE] o Lie on back, arms by side, legs together o Inhale and raise right leg o Bend right leg, interlock hands below knee and exhale as you bring head to knee o Breathe normally and hold 10-30 seconds o Breathe in, exhale as you lower head and straighten leg o Repeat with left leg

o Repeat with both legs o Do two more rounds, relax BENEFITS: o Massages and stimulates the abdomen and digestive organs o Helps to release wind and removes constipation o Strengthens the lower back muscles

USHTRASANA [CAMEL]

PARIVRTTA TRIKONASANA

o Stand straight with feet approximately three feet apart (wider than hips) o Inhale as you raise both arms sideways to shoulder level o Slowly exhale as you bend forward, twisting body to the left, bringing right hand to the left foot o Left arm should be stretched vertically so both arms are in a straight line. Look up at the left fingertips o Hold five-10 seconds, breathing normally o Inhale as you straighten and reverse movements to start position o Repeat on the other side BENEFITS: o Stimulates abdominal organs, liver, digestive system o Improves absorption, digestion and strengthens immune system o Opens the chest and lungs to improve breathing and oxygen levels o Relieves mild back pain o Stretches the spine, hips and hamstrings o Strengthens and stretches the legs

o Sit back on your heels o Come up on knees o Bend backwards, drop hands on to ankles, lower head backwards o Bend your back further down and gently push your hips out o Hold as long as comfortable o Release one hand at a time, straighten back, sit back on your heels BENEFITS: o Stimulates digestive system and alleviates constipation o Regulates the thyroid gland o Helps backache, drooping shoulders and rounded back conditions

YOGA NIDRA [AVOID FALLING ASLEEP]

o Lie on back with feet apart, arms a little away from your sides. o Relax arms by your sides, a little away from the body, palms facing up o Close your eyes, breathe in, feel the stomach rise and chest expand o Breathe out, letting chest fall, stomach fall and relaxing the body o There are 16 vital points in the

body that can relax you if you concentrate on them. o Relax your toes, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, abdomen, chest, shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingertips, neck, chin, lips, nostrils and the forehead o From the forehead, reverse the cycle. o Breathe in, feel the oxygen flow through your body and breathing

EXOTICA [42] MAY 2019

out feel your whole body relaxed o Gently open your eyes, stretch and sit up BENEFITS: o Relaxes the entire body and mind, removing physical and mental tension o Helps the abdominal and digestive system function better o Develops awareness of the body and mind

NUMBERGAME Sanjay Jumaani Numerologist

COUNT YOUR FATE

NUMBER 1 (Those born on the 1st, 10th, 19th and 28th of any month) Being too aggressive while putting forth your point of view could make you sound dictatorial. If you want others to not only hear you out, but to also implement your ideas, you need to win them over first. A dash of diplomacy could help you accomplish more, taking you way ahead of your competition.

NUMBER 4 (Those born on the 4th, 13th, 22nd and 31st of any month) Being sentimental and having over-expectations in matters of the heart could influence practical thinking adversely.

Much to your chagrin, the response couldn’t be that encouraging. The secret is to avoid keeping tall expectations from others. Wait for the tide to change in your favour.

NUMBER 7 (Those born on the 7th, 16th and 25th of any month) Owing to laid-back effort due to your ruler, Neptune, which is known for its restlessness, you may be considered lazy and lethargic. But being overly sensitive to unhappy surroundings, you need more breathing space, even if some may consider you selfish. A short trip would do you good.

NUMBER 2 (Those born on the 2nd, 11th, 20th and 29th of any month) Some of your plans and ideas could fall in place, as your efforts are indeed laudable.

Jumping over hurdles rather than running around in circles, does make your legs stronger.

Relations could also get better if you make an effort. There is also the possibility of you growing spiritually as well.

NUMBER 5 (Those born on the 5th, 14th and 23rd of any month) Your sense of humour may not be the best but your repartees make the most of your communication skills. You don’t need others to tell you that you can deliver; self-belief is a huge motivator. Finance could trickle in, so don’t worry even if Mercury does make you overanxious over insignificant issues.

NUMBER 8 (Those born on the 8th, 17th and 26th of any month) Liberalisation may have created more opportunities for you and all you have to do is to look beyond the obvious, and try something different, if you want to get noticed. Your ability to accomplish anything is unquestionable; perhaps you have to beat only yourself to do better than most people.

NUMBER 3 (Those born on the 3rd, 12th, 21st and 30th of any month) Your rulers, Neptune and Moon could make you passionate just like old times. It could also play Cupid, in case your shyness gets the better of you. In more practical matters, your focus ought to be on finances; all you need to perhaps do is to prioritise the most important expenses.

NUMBER 6 (Those born on the 6th, 15th and 24th of any month) An overabundance of opportunities confuses the best; when there are 100 dishes, you can’t decide what to order. It’s best to take a decision without repenting, as chess master, Vishwanathan Anand once, said, ‘Sometimes when you don’t know the exact destination, you find the most exciting road.’

NUMBER 9 (Those born on the 9th, 18th and 27th of any month) Classy, creative and daringly original, you have a knack of being noticed in a crowd. This could be due to your unusual outlook of life. Despite some people being obnoxious towards your views, you should roll on with your brilliance. Advanced inventions weren’t possible without such eccentricities.

EXOTICA [43] MAY 2020

HOTWHEELS Kushan Mitra Auto & tech expert

THE NEW NORMAL OR JUST ABNORMAL Is going online a solution for selling and servicing cars?

THE

Coronavirus might have changed life for the entire planet but one thing has not changed, our penchant for catchphrases. The latest one made popular by political leaders, scientists and media columnists is ‘the new normal’; as in we will all have to adjust to it once we have dealt with the viral scourge. Or whether we go back to work with social distancing as a norm even as the virus continues, something will be the new normal. The

problem is that neither you or I have any clue about what this ‘new normal’ will be. However, the Indian automotive industry, days removed from a month of zero sales, believes that it will involve a lot more digital activity.

Of course, this brings up the question about how on earth you can buy an expensive product, which requires registration and licenses, possibly even paperwork for loan sanctioning online? After all, it is one thing to buy a phone, yet another thing

to buy, even select a car online. I spoke to Mercedes-Benz India’s Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Santosh Iyer, to get some perspective.

Mercedes-Benz India has launched a very comprehensive online campaign called #MercFromHome during the lockdown. “First thing you need to understand is that there is still a major physical element as the car has to be registered by a dealer but we are trying to do a few things quite differently online. One of them is understanding that many people search online for cars after work hours, and it is important to engage with them and not just give them the information. So our online concierge is operational till midnight. The second is that we have to give full transparency with regard to deals and stock levels. So if you want a silver E220, you will know which dealer in your area has one and also the best deals. Earlier, buyers used to call up multiple dealers to see what sort of deals they could get. Now they can just go online.”

Iyer admits that while Mercedes-Benz’ solution, developed by Roadster Technologies is a start, it will take some time to finally do the entire process online, which will need some regulatory

‘FIRST THING YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THERE IS STILL A MAJOR PHYSICAL ELEMENT AS THE CAR HAS TO BE REGISTERED BY A DEALER BUT WE ARE TRYING TO DO A FEW THINGS QUITE DIFFERENTLY ONLINE. ONE OF THEM IS UNDERSTANDING THAT MANY PEOPLE SEARCH ONLINE FOR CARS AFTER WORK HOURS, AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENGAGE WITH THEM AND NOT JUST GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION. SO OUR ONLINE CONCIERGE IS OPERATIONAL TILL MIDNIGHT. THE SECOND IS THAT WE HAVE TO GIVE FULL TRANSPARENCY WITH REGARD TO DEALS AND STOCK LEVELS. SO IF YOU WANT A SILVER E220, YOU WILL KNOW WHICH DEALER IN YOUR AREA HAS ONE AND ALSO THE BEST DEALS. EARLIER, BUYERS USED TO CALL UP MULTIPLE DEALERS TO SEE WHAT SORT OF DEALS THEY COULD GET. NOW THEY CAN JUST GO ONLINE’ — SANTOSH IYER, MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA’S VICE-PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKETING

changes. “But why won’t someone buy a product that he or she is fully aware of online? It may not be the case with a new product but something like the C-Class or E-Class that has been around for a year, you might have tested your friend’s car or driven one abroad. And while you have some customisation options, most of our mainline assembled products are fairly standard,” Iyer told this columnist.

In an earlier chat Hyundai India’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Tarun Garg expressed the opinion that while some customers would go in for online purchases, for mass market brands at least, online platforms will play a critical role in service and customer retention. “There will be a lot more transparency in service. You will be able to

see the prices of components and consumables as well as labour online. You will also be able to see the position at the service centre and make all your bookings through the website or app.” In addition, with Hyundai India’s latest service promise, which plans a pick up and drop facility, you may not need to meet anyone from the showroom at all.

Working from home and online tests have become a reality for many of us during the past six weeks, a surreal world which we never thought would exist. Computers have enabled social distancing for those of us who can afford them as well as stable high-speed data. Things will not be the same again, as Iyer admits, “We don’t know how we will recover. Will it be a ‘V’ curve like the government wants or a ‘W’ curve or even a ‘L’ shaped flatline. I do know that different parts of the country will respond differently and the adoption of online buying will be dissimilar

in divergent markets in India. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to the country but this is the direction that we were headed in before the lockdown and the past few weeks have only reaffirmed that belief.”

On that front, it is hard to disagree with Iyer, the world was going online. A few years ago, one questioned why anyone would buy a two-lakh rupee computer or television online but over the past few days, online purchases are the only way one can ensure social distancing. And car companies had already started to ramp up their online portals, moving beyond information to offering second-hand certified cars as well as testdrive booking engines. In many other major automotive markets, the entire process from booking a car to getting loan sanctions and applying for registration can be done online, India is actually slightly behind the curve. One expects government policy, particularly with regards to loan sanctioning and registration to also evolve in India. The pandemic has not changed the direction that the automotive industry was moving towards, it has just accelerated it.

LOCKDOWN DIARIES

FLASHBACK FUN JANHVI KAPOOR: This one needed nothing more than heart emoji. The picture of Sridevi has her taking on the role of a hands-on mum in real life. And who says she can’t be a a diva at the same time? Chandni turns the belief on its head KARISMA KAPOOR: She believes that “family matters” as she posted a picture with her grandparents, Raj and Krishna Kapoor as well as sister, Kareena Kapoor Khan, cousins, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni and Ranbir Kapoor

Celebrities have taken the time at home to look back at some of their memorable times. The nostalgic pictures date to a time when they were not as well-known and can be seen enjoying their time with family

KRITI SANON: The actor reminisced about the time that her mother could take her on a piggyback ride. Even though it wasn’t possible any more, but her mother’s “warm cuddles” and “smile” make her heart equally happy.

DEEPIKA PADUKONE: Winning came to the actor much before joining films. She excelled at badminton and won medals all the way there too.

This throwback from school is “basic” for Deepika but then it sure is, for conquering everyone and Ranveer’s heart was as easy as that.

KIARAALIA ADVANI: Siblings are meant to have fun with, outdoors. Posing with sister Mishaal Advani, Kiara sure knows that this picture is for the keeps. Posted on Sibling Day, she points out that she is “squishy for mishy forever”.

SARA ALI KHAN: If both your parents are actors, you are bound to be filmi. The Love Aaj Kal 2 star, even as a child, believed that Mere sapnon ki rani... hamesha main hi thi...(She was always the woman of her own dreams).

RANVEER SINGH: The Khilji star knows how to send the mercury soaring with his performances but here he is chilling at home with his sister. We are witness to the fact that the impish grin has not changed one bit.

Dal Lake

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Enjoy dreamy boat ride in shimmering Dal Lake and royal hospitality in houseboats

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