Exotica october 2015

RNI NO. DELENG/2006/18084 POSTAL REGN. NO. DL (C)-01/1151/13-15 Posted at NDPSO on 10th, 11th & 12th of same month Published on 30th of Advance Month

VOL 9 NO 12

1 Acre =4046.825 sq. mts.

EXOTICA OCTOBER 2015

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EDITOR’S L E

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ou can trust our bored Babus to come up with scatter-brained schemes from time to time; schemes that are bound to boomerang after causing great inconvenience to the general public. The latest such fad to catch the fancy of babudom is the idea of a “car-free” day! After Gurgaon experimented with this recently, they plan to try it out in Delhi, ostensibly to help improve the quality of the air we breathe in the National Capital, possibly the most polluted major city in the world today.

While the intention behind the idea is laudable, its implementation is a far cry. Such experiments have not succeeded anywhere in the world, even in cities that boast enviably efficient public transport systems. Other cities have tried measures like disallowing cars with odd and even numbers on alternate days of the week. In Delhi many families, not necessarily the most affluent alone, own two or more vehicles and will happily end up swapping them were we to try such an experiment. Besides, given the fabled inefficiency of our traffic management system, indolence of the traffic police and congenital dishonesty of people, any such scheme is bound to be a dismal failure.

The Gurgaon experiment showed that instead of using public transport, people sneakily parked their cars in bylanes away from police gaze because vehicular movement was not banned as such but car owners were told not to park on major thoroughfares. As for Delhi, authorities have chosen an odd date — 22nd October which happens to be Dussehra and hence a public holiday. Obviously, most people would be home and cars on the road would be a fraction of a normal working day.

In the absence of an adequate public transport system, such ideas which rely essentially on people’s support and a large degree of voluntarism are

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Editor Chandan Mitra Editorial board Vice-chairman & joint managing director Amit Goel Chief Executive Officer Abhishek Saxena 09818600128 Editor-in-charge Rinku Ghosh Managing Editor Navneet Mendiratta Consulting Editor Ritu Pandey

Chief Designer Anand Singh Rawat Senior Designer Santosh Kumar Yadav Pre-press Manager Syed Nawab Raza Production Manager Dhiresh Gaur Staff photographer Pankaj Kumar

CAR NO BAR!

[CHANDAN MITRA]

Sales & Marketing [Group President] Aparna Sengupta 09958000128 General Manager Kumar Gurudutta Jha Deputy General Manager Ravi Khatri Manager Bharat Singh Sajwan, Prabhakar Pathak Assistant Manager Neeta Rai Media Coordinator Neelu Sharma Government & PSU General Manager Tapan Ghosh

bound to come a cropper. Besides, entire cities are not being designated “car-free” — only a few stretches on a selective basis. That can impact neither traffic congestion nor air pollution, but will end up as mere tokenism with only the police patting itself on the back claiming “phenomenal success.”

In Delhi, over 200 km of metro rail has already helped in controlling vehicular pollution to a significant extent. But it has not brought down the number of cars on the road. As economic prosperity grows, people are bound to buy more cars and you cannot have a family planning law saying “Hum Do, Hamari Ek (gaddi)!” Major metropolitan cities like Tokyo, Singapore, London and New York have many more cars than Delhi or Mumbai. But strict enforcement of emission norms and fast-moving traffic corridors ensure that vehicles don’t spew uncontrolled pollution into the air. In India, however, town planners end up making the problem worse through mad hatter ideas like the BRT in which traffic gets stuck for up to 30 minutes at intersections. With nobody switching off ignition so as to keep their car AC running, pollution levels rose three times more than normal on the corridor.

Is there no solution to the problem? Of course there is, but not some draconian impractical diktat.

During the years I spent in England, travelling regularly to London from Oxford, I never used my car as I didn’t need to. The Underground had stops every 500 metres in Central London, buses were frequent and never too crowded, and taxis roamed the streets at all times, affordable for short distances.

Even in Mumbai, many office-goers use commuter trains despite their overcrowding. Unless commuting to office by car becomes a disincentive, a nominal “car-free” day will have no impact at all.

Mumbai Office General Manager Devendra Adhikari 09867575933 Senior Manager Jaya Mokal Kolkata Office Vice President Suzanna Roy 09830197332 Chief Manager Arindam Gupta General Manager (Circulation) Rajeev Gautam

DISTRIBUTED BY: LIVING MEDIA INDIA LIMITED Printed and published by Chandan Mitra for and on behalf of CMYK Printech Ltd, printed at Lustra Print Process Pvt Ltd, Killa No. 51/21, Village: Rohad, District: Jhajjar, Bahadurgarh, Haryana and published at 2nd floor, Patriot House, 3, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110002. Editor: Chandan Mitra. Entire Contents Copyright (C) 2006 CMYK Printech Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation in any language in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Requests for permission should be directed to CMYK Printech Ltd. Opinions carried in Exotica are the writers’ and not necessarily endorsed by CMYK Printech Ltd. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited material or for material lost or damaged in transit. All correspondence should be addressed to CMYK Printech Ltd; 2nd Floor, Patriot House, 3, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002 Phone: 23718296/40754136 Fax: 23755275 Email: exotica.pioneer@gmail.com

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CONTENTS OCTOBER

Travel The mystic land p32

2015

VOLUME

9

NO

12

FASHION Festive haute p54 Mark of a man p84

FEATURES:

FEATURES:

Festivities Power of 10 p17

Theatre Play by the book p66

Wideangle Call of Kullu p18

Arts Pull the right strings p70

‘PLAY WITH Travel Goddess of all things p20 Moved by Mysore p24 Go, take a hike p28 Ladies only! p46 Culture Jumbo god in Japan p22 Eatout New about town p58 Youngtalent Dreams of glass p64

COLOURS ON LONG ANARKALI GOWNS OR GIVE CONTEMPORARY TWISTS TO TRADITIONAL LEHENGAS’ ANURADHA RAMAM, DESIGNER TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES 92 INCLUDING COVER

OUR PARTNER HOTELS

Wellness Scent of a home p72 Hotwheels Full throttle p76 Guruspeak Fast track p78 Diet Have milk, stay lean p80 Jewellery Get the glitter p88

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INSHORT

s it possible to stay unaffected from the festive frenzy that grips the country this time of the year? The season of festivals that kind of begins with Ganesh Chaturthi embarks on a roller coaster of rememberance (Shraddh), mourning (Muharram), fasting (Navratras), feasting (Durga Puja) and jubilation (Dussehra) till it hits the peak with Diwali.

Even the air smells different. Not really the cracker kind of different but cool, fragrant sort that indicates that the winter has set in, especially up north.

A well known sociologist had once remarked that festivities are a poor man’s panacea. He saves through the year so he can splurge and celebrate with his family during this time. Our festivals and their infectious energy are also a big tourism pull. Don’t believe us? Check

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GOODNESS TRIUMPHS ALL

NAVNEET MENDIRATTA navneetmendiratta@gmail.com

out the enthusiastic lot of foreign travellers grooving to the beats of garba and dandia during Navratri celebrations, especially in Gujarat.

Feminine forces rule.

The religious go about worshipping Devi in her various forms, while the rest energise their inner goddess through shringar and happiness. The bottom line is goodness and how it prevails all odds. The legends and their interpretations vary from place to place. From Kullu in the north to Mysore down South. West Bengal in the east to Gujarat in the west — the 10 days of Navratra unify the nation — in the celebration of that goodness.

This issue of Exotica is dedicated to the festive spirit — of celebration, indulgence and spirituality. Read our specially-curated stories to max the experience. But remember to keep your goodness intact.

O U R C O L U M N I S T S Staying away from food can surely help your body rest and rejuvenate.

But it can also help the seeker in you go deeper in meditation, says spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

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New research shows that regular consumption of Dairy products help burn fat without cutting back drastically on calories, shares nutritionist Kavita Devgan

Dermatologist Dr Kiran Lohia gives you a lowdown on how to handle beauty emergencies

THELITTLEBLACKBOOK F A V O U R I T E

H A U N T S

O F

S T Y L I S H

P E O P L E

JW Marriot Aerocity in Gurgaon is a preferred brunch hangout these days. The layout is good, with good artists performing.

Goumtesh aka Joy Singh is a restaurateur and the co-partner at Tarami and Raasta chain in Delhi

I am quite a watch person. A watch is a must accessory. I sport an Apple these days.

But Tag Heuer and Hublot are all-time favourites.

I have a large collection of H&M shirts and Marks n Spencers boxers.

My preferred haunt for holidays is Mcleodganj, which I call the food capital of India.

Amsterdam is my favourite vacation spot abroad.

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I am more of a sports shoe person since I spend my entire day in them. And Adidas Originals are an absolute favourite for comfort.

Celebrities with a casual yet classy style from Akshay Kumar to Bratt Pitt inspire me a lot.

FESTIVITIES

NAVARATRI he nine-day festival that celebrates the Mother Goddess in all her manifestations. Worship and fasting are daytime rituals and the nights are reserved for feasting and dancing. The festival culminates with Dussehra, the victory of good over evil, on the 10th day.

While Ramlilas are a North India feature, eastern India has Durga Puja or worship of Durga idols. South India marks the festival with display of dolls called Gollu.

WHEN: October 13-22 WHERE: All over India, particularly in Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Mysore.

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POWEROF10 October unites Hindus and Muslims in contrasting emotions of celebration and commemoration over nine-plus-one days of solemnity MUHARRAM he first month of the Islamic calendar commemorates the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Holy Prophet. On the 10th and last day of the festival, known as Ashura, Shia Muslims take taziyas (replicas of Imam Hussain’s shrine) out in procession during the evening.

WHEN: October 24 WHERE: The best places to witness Muharram processsions are Amroha, Lucknow, Srinagar, Hyderabad and Udaipur..

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WIDEANGLE

Vijayadashmi ushers in the week-long traditional Dussehra festivities of the Raghunathji Rathyatra in Himachal Pradesh

by AJAY MEHTA

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Vijayadashmi ushers in the week-long Dussehra festivities at Kullu’s Dhalpur Maidan where 365 deities are brought down from their hill abode in a procession to perform a yagna in Raghunathji's honour. The festival dates back to 1637 AD when Raja Jagat Singh recognised Raghunathji as the ruling deity of Kullu, installing him on his throne. Now Raja Maheshwar Singh, the scion of the erstwhile Kullu princely state, leads the procession as ‘chhadidar’ of the rathyatra pulling the chariot from his Rupi Palace in Ragunathpur.

The idols are worshipped and the villagers sing, dance and perform folk rituals to the rhythm and tunes of the Nagada and Narsigha. The celebration is a time for homecomings, get-togethers and reunions. On the seventh day, a piece of wood and grass are burnt on the banks of the river Beas symbolising the burning of Lanka and the triumph of good over evil.

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GODDESS OF ALL CHHATTISGARH

GUJARAT

n the tribal areas of Bastar, the Navratri celebrations span 75 days, starting around August and ending in October.

The locals use the occasion to worship Devi Maoli, the local deity, and her sisters.

The idols are bought using chariots in a holy procession between Bastar and Jagdalpur. Thousands gather to bring the local deities to Danteshwari Temple in Jagdalpur where for the last 10 days, the king works as the high priest, giving up his office and worshipping the goddess fulltime. Thousands of lamps light the entire route to celebrate the procession, which is a complete visual delight.

omen dressed in colourful chaniya cholis and kedias dancing to traditional tunes with dandiya sticks and to garba songs with a lamp in the hand. Navratri in Gujarat is about celebrating the feminine form of divinity as the womb of creation.

Cities and villages across Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and even Maharashtra with a substantial Gujarati population come alive with 24x7 music, dance, food and rituals surrounding the worship of Goddess Durga. With the changing times, the presentations may have got high-tech but the spirit is still old world.

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L THINGS

Leaving religious contexts aside, the nine-day Navratri festivities are also your chance to experience the spirituality-linked rich cultural repertoire of Indian states

WEST BENGAL

TAMIL NADU

orship of life-sized clay idols of Durga that depict her slaying demon Mahishasur in pandals (tents) based on different themes is the biggest attraction in West Bengal during the nine days of Navratri. It’s a sea of people soaked in festivity — devouring an amazing spread of goodies and pandal-hopping — even during the wee hours. The streets are lit up, shops are stacked with sweets and the cultural calendar is full. On the ninth day, married women bid farewell to the goddess by splashing sindoor on each other. In processions, the idols are taken for immersion in local water bodies.

avratri celebrations in the infrastructure-starved coastal village of Kulasekharapattinam in Tuticorin attracts more than a million people. For nine days, the devotees visit the temple dressed in an avatar of their choice — king, goddess, monkey or demon. The temple premises is abuzz with folk plays, music and dances and mass meals. Celebrations reach a crescendo on the 10th day, when the crowd gathers on the beach to witness the Mahishasur Samharam by the Goddess. Samharam over, they sleep on the beach to leave at dawn after a holy dip.

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CULTURE

In a photo exhibition, art historian BENOY K BEHL unravels the ancient religious link between India and the Land of the Rising Sun

by RITU PANDEY

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CULTURE

id you know that “Sujata” a major brand of milk products in Japanese supermarkets, is inspired by the woman who offered kheer to Buddha before Enlightenment? Buddhism and its legends aren’t the only things that bind India with the land of the rising sun. Ancient Hindu deities, rituals and language too are an integral part of the country with a majority atheist population. There are hundreds of shrines to Saraswati alone and innumerable representations of Lakshmi, Indra, Brahma, Ganesha, Kubera and Garuda among other deities. In fact, deities such as Vayu and Varuna, which have practically been forgotten in India, too, are still worshipped in Japan.

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ilmmaker, art historian and photographer, Benoy K Behl presented these findings in a photographic exhibition at the Japan Foundation Gallery New Delhi recently. Behl said, “Japan has not had the breakdown of cultural norms which India suffered under repeated foreign invasions. It has, therefore, preserved ancient Indian traditions and their philosophic understanding better than the country of their origin. In Japan, goddess Saraswati is depicted and venerated not only with the Veena but also worshipped in pools due to her association with water. (One may recall that Saraswati is originally the personification of the river by that name.)”

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uddhism arrived in Japan through Korea and China in the 6th century. Explains why most deities have Chinese and Korean names and the 6th century Siddham script is still preserved, though it is not used in India anymore. Sanskrit Beejaksharas in this script are regarded as holy and each deity has one which is venerated by the people even though most can’t read it.

Many words in the Japanese language originate from Sanskrit and it is also the basis for the Japanese alphabet “Kana.” Behl said he was delighted to find the continuance of the tradition of “homa” in some of the most important Japanese Buddhist sects, who call it “goma.” This is unlike Himalayan Buddhism which has lost the tradition of “homa.” Sanskrit sutras are chanted on the occasion and it is much like the “havan” which Indians are familiar with.

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TRAVEL

n May, when my husband Harit set off on a work trip to Bengaluru, my son and I decided to tag along. It was a last minute plan to see the city while the hubby was busy with his meetings. But with Harit’s meetings showing no signs of ending, my seven-year-old and I decided to do a short two-day trip to Mysore. The idea was to spend some quality mommy and son time together.

Mysore is four hours away from Bengaluru and we set out early in the morning. As a child, I had a strange fascination for palm trees. I remember on a trip to the south as a kid in the 90s, I would exhaust camera rolls one after the other just clicking palm trees from the moving bus. This time too, the sight of palm groves kept me rapt till we hit Mysore and the wide, clean roads started impressing me.

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TRAVEL

Palm groves, sarees, palaces and desserts — designer CHHAYA MEHROTRA looks for creative inspiration in the cultural capital of Karnataka STREET STYLE nother image from my visit to Mysore in the 90s is that of women wearing silk skirts, cholis and gajra. I remember dressing up in a matching gajra every day during my Mysore stay as a kid. Returning now, as a designer, I was curious about street style and high fashion expressions in the city. Design inspirations, it is said, come along not just from destinations one visits but from the journey too. For me, the best of my ideas have come when I’m either on a flight or on a road trip. I find an element of eccentricity in the locals. And isn’t it so unique to India? Every city you travel, people could be wearing the same saree or dhoti in a different way. And I find myself deconstructing the modest drape as I watch people. But the day we visited, the city seemed so full of travellers from Sri Lanka and the Far East that it was very difficult to decode any distinct, native style. All simply, they may have all globalised.

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MONUMENTAL MOTIVATION esides that, palaces excite me a lot for the inspiration they can offer in terms of motifs and designs. I usually prefer reading about a place before visiting it and then I try my luck finding a good guide. In Mysore, fortunately we met this amazing guide who had been at the palace for 18 years.

And it was he who introduced us to the treasure trove that the Mysore palace really is — from the paintings on walls and ceilings, to the carved doors, tile work on the floor to inlay work. It is a marvel which must be seen during the day. But it shouldn’t be missed in the evening either. The palace was extremely crowded and everyone moved at snail speed.

So we just chucked the queue and took our time to admire the corners, paintings and sculptures that we liked. Our guide also had a lot of stories and my son enjoyed them thoroughly. The magnificent structure reaffirmed my faith in what we can do with the crafts and skills of our country.

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DASARADELIGHT

(Left to right): Lalitha Mahal Palace (below); St Bartholomew's Church and Jailakshmi Vilas museum

TRAVEL

TOGETTHERE

avratri or Nadahabba is the state festival of Karnataka and is celebrated as usual over 10 days to commemorate the killing of the demon Mahishasur by Goddess Chamundeshwari on Vijayadashami. Interestingly, Mysore derives its name from Mahishasur and the festival has been celebrated here for over 500 years, steered by the city’s royal family. During Navratri, special religious rituals are held at the Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hills along side music, dance, wrestling, painting, rangoli and sports competitions that are held elsewhere. The whole city is illuminated along with the Mysore palace, which is lit up with more than 1,00,000 lights, presenting a rare visual treat. On Dasara, a grand procession of the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari is also taken out on decorated elephants from the palace to the Bannimantap. The procession is followed by a torch light march and a stunning display of fireworks.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT urs was a last minute trip but the Carlton Country Inn and Suites made for a comfortable stay. Sudden showers made evenings by the poolside a pleasant experience.

During the day, however, we kept ourselves hydrated with coconut water, pineapples,

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The nearest airport is Bengaluru (140 km away) operates flights to all major Indian cities as well as a few Middle Eastern countries.

The ideal rail route to reach Mysore is via Bengaluru. There’s also Shatabdi Express that connects Mysore to Chennai.

Mysore has good bus and taxi connectivity with the rest of India.

watermelons, cucumbers and raw mango slices topped with chilli powder and salt. What you smell is what you get here. If you like the aroma of ghee combined with South Indian food, a multitude of South Indian restaurants like Kamat, Nalpak and Dasaprakash should be on your must-visit list. A meal of uppittu and bisi bele bhat with Mysore pak and kesari bhat as desserts is the most fulfilling comfort food in Mysore.

As for shopping, the sandalwood scented fans are a beautiful souvenir to bring back. I liked it more for its intricacy than anything else.

Beware of shoddily printed or synthetic woven sarees and fabrics available in most hotel shopping arcades. It’s better to buy these crafts from the state-run Cauvery Handicrafts. At least you are sure, it’s authentic.

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GO, TAKE A HIKE JIRISAN NATIONAL PARK: Jirisan is the

PUT ON YOUR WALKING SHOES AND HEAD OUT TO GET HIGH ON THE HUES OF THE FALL

MADEIRA LEVADA TRAILS: Famous for its mild climate, the midAtlantic island of Madeira is a great place for autumn walking. Originally volcanic, its mountains, fertile valleys and jagged coastline offer enjoyable hiking and scenic views. Many of the walking trails follow the old network of irrigation channels known as levadas which contour the slopes of the island, making the sometimes steep mountainous terrain easily accessible.

Walking with a certified guide is suggested for safety. For unguided hiking, try the WalkMe mobile app.

TO GET THERE: There are daily flights to and from major cities to Lisbon. From Lisbon, Madeira is a quick 90-minute TAP flight.

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grand-daddy of South Korea’s mainland mountains with the country largest national park (484 sq km) encompassing it. One of the best places to really get into the spirit of autumn is the spectacularly beautiful Piagol Valley. You can begin at Yeongok and walk the entire length (five hours) or linger in a place. The fall foliage peaks between October 11 and 25 but the valleys change colour later than the peaks. For details, log into english.knps.or.kr or contact Yeongok Hiking Support Centre.

TO GET THERE: Incheon International Airport has air links with major world cities and the A’REX rail route connects the airport to Seoul. Take the KTX line here to Yongsan, Gureyu-gun and then Jirisan.

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HAR KI DOON VALLEY TREK:

DZONGRI-GOECHA LA TREK: An extension of the Dzongri trek, the 10-day Goecha La trek in Sikkim gets you close to the Kanchenjunga amidst a splendid vista of the other lesser Himalayan giants within its range. No trail in India takes you so close to the big mountains. Trekking beyond the meadows of Dzongri is an aweinspiring raw adventure, taking you into the monarchy of towering peaks, haunting aquamarine colours of Samiti Lake and a camp set amid glaciers. Watching the sun rise from Dzongri Top can make even the toughest trekker cry.

TO GET THERE: The nearest airport is Bagdogra, five hours drive from Gangtok. Heli service is also available from Bagdogra to Gangtok. There on, take the road to Yuksom and begin trekking.

Foreigners need the Inner Line Permit (ILP) to visit Sikkim.

Accessible through Govind National Park — the pristine and untouched Har Ki Doon Valley in Uttarkashi — is one of the last places in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand and best suitable for firsttime trekkers in Himalayas. Laced with the amazing views of snow-clad peaks, alpine meadows, moraine ridges, glacier basins, ancient villages and chestnut, walnut, willow and chinar forests, the moderate trek in autumn also offers ample opportunities for bird watching and enjoying the charm of the Garhwal Himalayas. You can even pitch a tent and try your hand at night-long photography. Log in to www.euttaranchal.com/tourism/ har-ki-doon.php TO GET THERE: Regular flights from all major Indian cities take you to Dehradun. The city is also wellconnected by trains. From here, drive down to Sankri and start trekking.

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TRAVEL

Thrice as nice Playing host to the world is nothing new to the Philippines. It has been a cosmopolitan nation for centuries. But this month there are some added attractions for the travellers

Fame 2015 [October 15 – 18] SMX Convention Centre, Metro Manila n its 62nd edition, the premier bi-annual design and lifestyle showcase, unveils the modern Filipino’s design sensibility and brings together promising talents and seasoned artisans under one roof at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. With exhibitors from Asia and the Pacific, the international hall will showcase furniture, furnishings, home décor, gifts and fashion items from across the world. The participating countries include Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea and Taiwan.

One of the longest running trade shows in the AsiaPacific, Manila FAME features various programmes to position the Philippines as an ideal sourcing hub of finely crafted products for the local and global market.

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TRAVEL The Philippine Shopping Festival 2015 [October 23- November 8] he Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) together with the Department of Tourism (DOT) has once again teamed up to revive the Philippine Shopping Festival this October. The two weekslong sale will have shopping malls and retailers offering discounts, promotions and unique shopping experiences. The festival aims to make the Philippines a new shopping destination in the Asia Pacific region and hence targets not just locals but also international tourists.

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Masquerades [Third weekend of October or closest weekend to October 19] Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines fun-filled pageantry that will give you several days of sensory overload with exotic dining and street-dancing.

Bacolod is the capital city of the Philippines’ sugar-producing province of Bocalenos. Masskara (a combination of the English word “mass” and the Spanish “kara,” meaning “face”) was started in the early 1980s when it was hit by a major crisis following a fall in the world sugar prices. To lift people’s spirits, the city administration and artists decided to throw a massive party.

People dressed in elegant and ingenious costumes, dance on the streets. Their masks are reflective of the jovial Negrense spirit and symbolise what the people of the City of Smiles do best: put on a happy face when confronted with challenges. Throughout the week, people

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from all over the Visayas, gather at the town plaza and join Bacalenos in non-stop celebration. Don’t feel like dancing and singing? There’s loads to try your hand at from pig-catching and pole climbing to mask-making and coconut-milk drinking.

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In front of the Ashoka stupa, somewhere near the border of Tibet, and the Amitabha Buddha towering over you, is a moment of revelation. His Holiness, the Gyalwang Drukpa, who consecrated the shrine to the world, takes us on a metaphorical and historical journey

by RINKU GHOSH

The panoramic view of the inauguration of the Ashoka stupa at Nangchen, Qinghai province, China

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ou are meant to feel great on top of the world. But I feel very little on the rooftop of the world, the Tibetan plateau. Definitely not so great. Rather all too inconsequential.

Simply because I am swirling in a sea of vastness, trying to find my axis in the universe, spinning out of limit and losing my moorings. For as the flight from Beijing touches down at Yushu airport, you realise that no matter how high humans may reimagine their future, they can never be a patch on the immensity of Creation around them.

Mind you, the low oxygen levels at 15,000 ft could make you a bit light-headed and hallucinogenic. But I feel drunk, soaking in the vistas of the most beautiful part of the Tibetan highlands, by lungfuls, gulpfuls, earfuls and eyefuls. The rippling and grassy mountains encircle the airstrip, like wise men looking down at a matador battling the elements. They change

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The Yushu airport

colour as I turn my head, the drifting clouds spotting them with daubs of purple, the white sun determined to shine through a torn puff of the cottony cumulus, scorching the grassland into a golden yellow. The contrasts and combinations are almost Roerichian. We hit the well-paved road, leaving the rebuilt town of Yushu far behind, an example of the gargantuan Chinese development machine that has transformed landscapes and histories in this part of the world but has fallen short of stealing its heart and soul. For the Buddhist culture survives here as an absolution and remission of all human sins. And greed.

We are headed to Nangchen county in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture which is part of China’s Qinghai province bordering Tibet. This was once a part of Kham, the old Tibetan kingdom.

Though Nangchen is remote and underdeveloped, it has one of the highest percentages of Tibetan people, who survive the odds, driven by faith and

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karma, and hope for some dignity, even if it happens beyond their lifetimes.

Nangchen was one of the five independent kingdoms of eastern Tibet and expanded over all of modern day Yushu. The king of Nangchen ruled this region until the early 1960s. During the Kham rebellion from 1956 to 1959, he sent out several platoons of soldiers on horseback to defend his people against the Cultural Revolution. The king may have died but the spirit has not. So all over Nangchen, monasteries, chortens, prayer flags and monks continue to hold a torch to enlightenment and have remained apolitical about their other concerns. With scanty resources — grasslands yield precious little other than root vegetables, barley and some fruits — scratchy power and water supplies, grazing the yak (the proverbial ship of the snow desert in winter) and baking bread, the Tibetans here have made peace with their reality and short lifespans. Yet they are

not fatalistic, lighting the incense to The Great One. We are following the trail of the Ashokan stupa, restored and revived by followers of the Drukpa lineage of Buddhism, led by His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa. It had made news in 2012 for being a milestone of the Maurya emperor’s propagation and spread of Buddhism and emerging as a cultural frontier of his peace mission beyond borders. Today, the Drukpas have ensured that Ashoka is seen as the first ambassador and propagator of Buddhism around the world, including China, a doer Indian first. China has, of late, used the propagation and the pan-Asian spread of Buddhism as a tool of its soft diplomacy.

The Drukpas, with their emphasis on transHimalayan Buddhism, seva and a mission to transform lives and environment, have rescued and reinstated the Ashokan legacy. Of harmonising the world. And that we still have it in us to walk in the Buddha’s footsteps.

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THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED ynn Dipam is one of the many Drukpa volunteers who take off from their regular work lives and pursue the Drukpa mission with dedication and a warm smile with no expectation of reward or blessings. She puts us through a five-minute crash course on high altitude behaviour (this is higher than Ladakh, so), even advising us to sip and not gulp water. And then we streak down the terrain, the breathtaking

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variety of which stuns us by the bend. At first the road ravells out, flattening out on either side, meadows and grasslands stretching out on all sides like a magic carpet, the wind roaring into hungry nothingness, the mountains tapering out in the horizon, their barber-trimmed greens a distant haze. The long-haired yaks, foraging in the wild, who a moment ago seemed like friendly coexistants in the earthly plane, disappear suddenly.

We could have leapt off the edge of the earth but

The drive across the Tibetan highlands to Nangchen

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the mountains, they close in from both sides again, this time craggy and sinuous, sandstone and limestone ridges taking on a snakeskin effect. This is where the rains are silent, prayer flags and the Padmasambhava’s eyes painted on ancient rockfaces reminding us of the grace that’s needed in this hostile terrain. And then, almost miraculously, the road opens up to a wide, pleasant valley, again ringed by the cresting highlands, snow-tipped in the distance, faraway

clouds portending menace of a rain and hail. But it is sunny here, across the mountain stream that snakes its way along the valley floor, sparse human settlements making an appearance and wild flowers nodding their heads in sudden bursts of happiness. That’s the essence of mystic life here, surrender to the forces that be and transcend ephemerality with the true light of consciousness.

Even the lone raven soaring above knows that, with nobody for company. Nangchen is often

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considered as the home of the yogi, having metaphorically ascended the terrestrial and spiritually at home with the divine.

We arrive at the guest house closest to the stupa, just outside Nangchen town, eager hands and volunteers ready to enevelope us with their warmth. We get a hearty meal and hot water and are promptly told to acclimatise ourselves in our rooms. The local Tibetans, some of whom are returnees from Delhi’s Majnu Ka Tila, tell us to lie down and forget bathing. A sponge bath is ideal in these rarefied conditions; you conserve oxygen. A bath in divine dew, sunshine, herbal soup, jossstick smoke or incense (in short, nothing to do with a shower) is a Tibetan tradition for health and longevity. According to the Tibetan medical code, there are a myriad ways to cleanse, build physique and improve fitness. The most popular A lake on way to Nangchen

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cleansing rituals include river baths, dips in medicated water and exposing the body to steam, sunshine or scents. During the bathing festival, people rush to rivers, especially at night, when the deity is believed to descend on earth to collect precious herbs. The five-taste dew is a soup prepared with cypress and azalea leaves and three kinds of medicinal herbs. The soup is boiled and the steam produced provides the smoke for bathers. Tibetans believe this helps blood circulation and the kidney. Then there is the saviour called hot yak milk and butter tea. Despite privations, these people manage to find meaning in even the simplest of actions. The men go about sorting our luggage as the women warm up pots of tea, a song on their lips. Tibetans are excellent singers and dancers, which has got them the moniker of a “Sea of Dances and Songs.�

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The stupa

THE UNVEILING OF THE STUPA t is a sunny and windy day as we drive up to the stupa, a milk-white hemisphere dotted with gold-plated mini stupas and flanked by a huge statue of Amitabha Buddha on its left. Amid chanting of mantras, the wisps of incense, fluttering flags, the guru emerges a bright spot of yellow sun from the maroon swathe of devotees.

Surrounded by a huge international congregation and local officials, His Holiness formally inaugurates the stupa, believed to have been more than 2,000 years old and containing a relic of the

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Buddha. Significantly the stupa is fronted by the remains of an original rock edict which elaborates its features. The stupa itself houses many excavated sculpted stones that establish its archaeological veracity.

An Ashokan pillar also looms large against a blue sky, a transcreated one, which brings the Indian link to the fore, seen by many as an exception and a cultural coup of sorts in mainland China, particularly in the highlands of the Tibetan plateau.

Speaking on the occasion, His Holiness says,

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“The meaning of the stupa is to represent Buddha dharma. Ashoka was the biggest Indian Buddhist emperor and the key contributor to the spread of Buddhism internationally.” He even promises to preserve and forward Ashoka’s legacy.

“If any significant and symbolic legacy of Ashoka is found anywhere, I will be glad to restore it.

The time has come to forward his work.”

Disconnecting himself from any politics of religion — a question that is bound to come up in any Indo-China discussion — the Gyalwang Drukpa reasons, “Religions are always misunderstood, misinterpreted and defended in a sectarian way. Buddhists should not be fanatic about religiosity.”

This stupa is important in the context of historicity. Ashoka’s emissaries, his own son and daughter included, travelled far and wide to spread Buddhism, and had erected 19 such Ashokan stupas in China, all of which are recorded in Tang dynasty history. A temple in Ashoka’s name in Ningbo indicates that he was an influential character in the history of China as a disseminator of Buddhism. China has used the cultural contiguity of the historical Silk Route countries to extend its soft diplomacy, emerge crusader of the dissemination of neo-Buddhism and couch its economic and political overlordship of the region. The fact that Nangchen was a prosperous centre of trading and learning of the Ashokan empire and the Chinese endorsement of this legacy shows that perhaps accommodation is now a keystone of diplomacy.

The stupa is protected by Mahakala, who also figures in Hinduism as a protector deity. It houses five million mini stupas made by local villagers over three years, 150,000 Mani stones and 160,000 engraved stone tripitakas. It has a mandala of Avalokiteswara or Shiva. The five levels of the stupas embody the five eras of Buddhism. Each of the 500 mini stupas adorning the exterior hemisphere has a story to tell. The topmost one is the first ever stupa you will ever find anywhere. The second layer stupa is from

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The Ashokan pillar

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India. In short, the structure documents the stupamaking history of the Buddhist world by incorporating all its key architectural elements.

Valued at over $20 million, the gold-encrusted stupa is a shell which hides the original stupa in a glass chamber inside it. And in the Indian tradition of calendar art, the life of the Buddha is represented in murals encircling the glass.

Most of the Ashokan edicts and stupas in China were denuded during the Cultural Revolution or collapsed due to human negligence.

The Nangchen stupa was also a casualty as locals used foundation rocks to make their homes. Some old-timers recalled a spherical earth mould while the process of piecing together the structure revealed a stone pillar recording the history of the

stupa. It disappeared later though. The devout saved whatever little they could of the stupa by covering it up with small Buddha statuettes.

The Drukpa followers, who have held on to their identity in eastern Tibet as pursuants of a philosophy of philanthropy rather than religion and have resisted Tibetan Buddhism fearing political takeovers, took up the task of restoring the stupa. They asked their spiritual master, the late Trulshik Adeu Rinpoche, to fulfil their wish.

He compiled a brief history of the stupa after studying relics and ruins and even drew up a draft design. However, he could not finish the project which Gwalyang Drukpa took up with help from his Asian devotees, such as the Lim family of the Genting group of Malaysia.

A view from the top of the stupa

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A FAITH INTACT t’s a sea of teary-eyed people, waiting for the blessings of the Gyalwang Drukpa. He sprinkles water as his blessings. Visually, this area seems to be dominated by the Karmapa of the Karma Kagyu sect, though if you go into homes, you will find Dalai Lama locked away in chests and rosaries hidden beneath the folds. Oppressive times call for desperate measures. Yet the Gyalwang Drukpa, whose hair was cut by the Dalai Lama himself, draws in crowds from near and far, the sick, the elderly, women and children.

Unpoliced and unhindered. They line up the steps of the monastic quarters, braving cold and wind, only for a chance to look at his eyes. The guru is revered as a reincarnation of the 12th century Indian saint Naropa, who in turn was believed to be a reincarnation of Avalokiteswara or Shiva himself. The sentient spiritual leader can see himself through life cycles. And makes transit look easy. One of his disciples tells us how he even remembers being in his mother’s womb and calming the elemental forces from announcing his birth. A great soul comes to earth with protectors

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Little lamas and his Holiness at the consecration of the Amitabha Buddha

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The original stupa containing the Buddha relic

and heralds and whatever the story may be, we are taken aback by the grey clouds menacing across the horizon, speed-chasing the sun out of their way and drenching us with sleet by late evening.

In the middle of nowehere, trapped in a sudden turn of weather, we feel the sharp pinch of the extraordinary and the power of divinity.

Although His Holiness visited Nangchen in his present life as a pilgrim, people got drawn to him. Many followers believe that he was a profound teacher in many of his previous lives, and preached among Nangchen royals and their subjects.

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Most Buddhist masters usually leave a letter of their reincarnated selves with an inner circle to be read out after his death. The great Adeu Rinpoche, who single-handedly passed on the Drukpa teachings orally, left one such note, saying he would be reborn as the youngest son of his most illustrious disciple and nephew, the Trulshik Satrul Rinpoche. Pema Chogyal, whom the Gyalwang Drukpa recognised and enthroned as the reborn Adeu, also brought the elements with him. The hospital where he was born caught fire while the delivery room was untouched, as if the fiery Mahakal was girding him with his power.

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The main stupa built by villages and (below) a self arising rock or norbu

Mysteriously, the light goes out when we meet the guru in his small room but his warmth and smile enlighten us in the dark. “Only good action rather than prayer can lead to your growth and deliverance.� Simple, short yet the brutal truth that slaps us as hard as the hail on our backs. Away from the diverting demands of maya, in this remote land, atop an elemental theatre of the universe, the reason for being is not dramatic but basic.

I bow down to the norbu, a self-arising rock with Om Mani Padme Hum inscribed on it. I have been blessed to know what I needed to know.

Nothing before. Or after.

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Ladies only!

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ingle women travellers to Delhi can now plan their stay without fretting about the city’s ill-repute for crimes and their pocket.

Budget hotel Oyo Rooms last month launched the country’s first women-only property, Oyo WE (Women’s Exclusive) Rooms, in Gurgaon. With amenities such as unlimited free wi-fi and an in-house cab facility, Oyo WE is easily accessible by public transport and is close to Gurgaon’s major shopping, entertainment and business hubs.

The start-up plans to have 15 properties under the brand in 10 cities by the end of this year. “We are also looking at converting existing properties into the Oyo WE brand, apart from signing new properties. These properties will undergo transformation in terms of design and features,” says Kavikrut, head of expansions at Oyo Rooms.

S The launch of India’s first exclusively for women hotel in Gurgaon takes feminine hospitality to the next level.

But looks like only a half of its prospective users may be aware of it

by RITU PANDEY

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SOLO & SAFE he budget start-up’s aggressive chase of the women traveller is indicative of its rising clout. In fact, women-only travel is being pegged as one of the fastest growing segments in the Indian travel industry despite equally deepening perceptions about the country being unsafe for women. A recent survey by global travel search engine Skyscanner revealed that 70 per cent of Indian women travellers have either gone on a solo trip or are planning one. The survey, which studied the travel habits of Indian travellers, highlighted that 37 per cent of Indian women travellers have done a solo trip while 33 per cent are open to the idea of travelling solo. However, it also revealed that 31 per cent of women travellers avoid taking solo trips due to security concerns.

“It is encouraging to see that Indian women are increasingly breaking stereotypes and travelling alone. The results reveal that Indian women solo travellers prefer domestic destinations as much as overseas ones, and there is a huge potential for the travel and hospitality industry to tap into this growing segment,” says Kavitha Gnanamurthy, senior marketing manager, Skyscanner India.

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BUSINESS VS LEISURE he increasing scope of the segment was realised way back in 2006 when the ITC Hotels pioneered Eva rooms at ITC Maurya in New Delhi.

Gradually the concept evolved from being just a room category to a dedicated wing and floor in ITC hotels across the country.

And luxury chains have since followed suit reserving spaces like rooms, bars, wings and lounges for women with amenities like

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RESERVED FOR YOU o THE IMPERIAL HOTEL, NEW DELHI HAS ELIZA ROOMS IN A LADIES-ONLY CORRIDOR o THE OBEROI HOTELS HAS LADIES ROOMS o ITC GROUP HAS EVA FLOORS ACROSS HOTELS o LEELA PALACE NEW DELHI HAS A KAMAL FLOOR FOR WOMEN o LEMON TREE HAS WOMEN’S WING AT ALL HOTELS

styling accessories, female butlers, chefs and make-up artists. But a complete hotel exclusively for the fairer sex, that too in the budget category, is a first in the country. It definitely makes travel in Indian cities a lot less stressful for women amid their growing notoriety for sex-related crimes.

But are women travellers even aware of the existence of these gender exclusive spaces? “An Analysis of Women-only Hotel Accommodation in India,” a 2012 study by the International University of Applied Sciences, Bad Honnef-Bonn, revealed that though the possibility of staying at womenonly accommodation in India makes India more attractive for solo female travellers, few actually get to know about them.

While luxury hotels inform their guests about these before they check in, Kavikrut explains that his chain was forced to look into the women-only space following queries from corporate houses looking for group bookings for women and long-stay female business travellers. Clearly, it’s not the solo leisure traveller who is looking for a women-only hotel because she is not even sure if there exists one. So while the hotel chains rolling out the red carpet for solo women is great news for business as well as leisure travellers, more important is keeping them both equally informed and welcome, about it.

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WILDLIFE

In

search of the

man-eater The gradual degradation of forest cover in the Pauri Garhwal region of Uttarakhand has led to leopards losing the fear of humans

by NAVIN M RAHEJA

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WILDLIFE

t was the chilly afternoon, of December 17, 1997 to be exact, when my car broke down while crossing the nondescript hamlet of Duggada on my way to Haldupurao Forest Rest House, one of the most beautiful and undisturbed spots in Uttarakhand’s Jim Corbett National Park. Little did I know then that the forced halt would open an altogether new chapter in my wildlife career bringing me closer to one of the least understood phenomena of Uttarakhand — that of the man-eating leopard.

To come back to the story which sparked my interest in man-eating leopards, I somehow located the PWD Rest House in Duggada while a local mechanic towed away my car for repairs. As I entered the rest house, the sun was rolling down to my left. A closer look at the surrounds revealed that the building was quite strategically located on a hilltop at the edge of a valley. The huge lawn outside my room beckoned me and this is where I decided to have my drink in the dying evening light, under the shadow of an old tree.

As I sat down on a protruding rock at the edge of the forest, the caretaker’s scream from the kitchen made me jump in shock. “Sahib,” the caretaker exclaimed rushing towards me.

“What are you doing? Don’t you know this is the time when the man-eater bagh ventures out? Please come inside immediately and don’t forget to bolt the door,” he screamed.

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ver the next few hours, behind the closed doors of the bungalow, the caretaker and other staff had filled me with enough stories on two man-eating leopards called Poojari — this one who had killed 30 people in and around Duggada so far — and another from the early 70s who stalked and killed humans in areas around Kotdwar, not far from Duggada. The “original” Poojari, was so named as he lived in a cave near the Sidhbali temple. He too had 30 human killings to its name untill he was captured and sent to the Lucknow zoo in 1972. However, all efforts so far to capture his namesake alive or dead, had failed.

I left Duggada for Haldupurao the next morning but a few questions refused to leave my mind: how come a maneating animal had not been captured or killed despite so many killings? What could have been the reasons which made him a man-eater and what traits kept him alive despite the best efforts of the forest authorities and local hunters? Has the leopard

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NAVIN M RAHEJA, Chairman & Managing Director, Raheja Developers Ltd, is a wildlife enthusiast and an avid photographer.

In the past 35 years, he has made several contributions in the field of conservation of wildlife and environment at various levels — be it the fight to rehabilitate Gujjars of Rajajji National Park in Uttarakhand or picking up vital issues in other parts of India. A former member of Project Tiger’s Steering Committee, under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, he has worked tirelessly to ensure that the big cats survive in India.

One of the leading developers in the country, Raheja believes in inclusive development and protection of flora and fauna in the country.

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started killing humans — which is not his normal diet — because we have ravaged its natural habitat? Who is at fault here — the animal or we? he questions remained unanswered, for I learnt that the leopard was shot dead a few months later by a local hunter. Strangely, though I never came face-to-face with Poojari, the leopard refused to leave my consciousness. My future visits to Pauri to research for a film on the man-eating leopards of the region, made me realise that his terror was not confined to Duggada alone.

It was very palpable in large areas of Uttarakhand, where wild animals exist and operate in afflicting damage to humans at regular intervals. These are the areas where I came across several horror stories: of a school-going girl getting snatched from her mother’s arms by a leopard; a man seeing a leopard drag and disappear with his wife in a thicket; and a drunk man celebrating on the main road only to become a leopard’s victim.

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The cries of men, women and children, who fall victims to the man-eating leopards of Uttarakhand, hardly reach the cities down in the plains. The mainstream media, perhaps, is too busy with politicians and celebrities to take note of these tragedies which, over the years, have grown to Himalayan proportions. If you think I am overstating the facts, please read on. More than 70 people in Uttarakhand get killed by man-eating leopards every year. Compared to this, only a handful of people die in tiger or elephant attacks all over the country. Jim Corbett, the legendary hunter-turned-conservationist, shot his famous man-eating leopard of Rudraprayag in 1926.

However, many more man-eaters have appeared on the scene since and I’ve been trying hard to find out why the phenomenon continues unabated in the state for over eight decades. Why are people living in certain belts of Kumaon and Garhwal more prone to leopard attacks than those living along the same stretch but outside these belts?

This winter, while on my way to the Nauri FRH, I visited the PWD Rest House at Duggada again. I was told by the caretaker that a leopard still frequents it. “But it is not a man-eater and is on the lookout only for stray dogs,” he added. line by Jim Corbett in the concluding chapter of his classic bestseller The ManEating Leopard of Rudraprayag stands relevant even today, “Here was an old leopard, the best-hated and the most-feared animal in all of India, whose only crime — not against the laws of nature but against the laws of man — was he had shed human blood, with no objective of terrorising man, but only in order that he might live…”

Corbett is long gone from the scene. But

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leopard, the handsome prince of Indian jungles, is still holding on to its dear life in Uttarakhand. That it has turned into a man-eater should not come as a surprise to us. Fact is, all of us have contributed in some way to this unfortunate phenomenon.

Meanwhile a heartening piece of news is that the first ever leopard census has just been concluded in the country. The count, as per the census, stands at 7,910, excluding West Bengal and the Northeast India. Experts believe that there are leopards outside the area that has been covered under this census and so the estimate of India’s total leopard population is to be in the range of 12,000 to 14,000. The number should be monitored every year to self-assess and conserve this beautiful feline for our future generations.

(For already published stories and films on wildlife which have run on National Geographic channel, Doordarshan National channel and Doordarshan (India), please log on to www.rahejagroup.org)

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FASHION

Festival wear today is all about timelessness and understated elegance. Indian designers help you put together the look

by NAVNEET MENDIRATTA

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| S A N YA D H I R , D I VA’ N I | THE LOOK: Sindoori. Part of our Bridal Couture ’15, Sindoori suggests the festive look be about flowing silhouettes and fabrics that accentuate your figure and are comfortable to carry like regal velvets, shimmering nets, tissues and silks combined with weaves and brocades.

STYLING: Keep it sophisticated, elegant yet define a statement.

Give the traditional craftsmanship a contemporary twist by matching up your lehenga with crop tops, shrugs, boleros and jackets adorned with embellishments, to give it a very rich and classic look.

COLOURS: Go for colours that make you happy like the authentic shades of vermillion, which has always been a revered shade for Indian brides and celebrations.

ACCESSORISE: Statement jewellery all styled and perfectly blended with the outfit is what you need. An overdose of jewellery should be avoided.

‘Weddings make for India’s biggest festivals. Choose an outfit that celebrates love, emotions and traditions, wrapped up in the cinematic experience of celebrating the finest craftsmanship with contemporary twists to traditional silhouettes.’

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|DEEPIKA GOVIND| LOOK: Opt for woven splendour — rich Benaras weaves or Kota zari bootis. Go for a long tunic with ankle-length pants or flowing silk crushed skirt.

STYLING: Team your outfit with long drop earrings, heavy kohl-lined eyes and unique footwear.

COLOURS: Soft feminine colours in pale pink, coral, blush, mint, olive and mint.

ACCESSORISE: Traditional jewellery complements the outfit. Just make sure you do not overdo the look.

‘KEEP ONE ITEM IN THE OVERALL LOOK OPULENT AND LET THAT BE A MAGNIFICENT STATEMENT PIECE OF JEWELLERY’

|DEBARUN MUKHERJEE| THE LOOK: With festivities in the air, it’s time to look and feel glamorous. Opt for flowing anarkalis and shadow saris, which can be worn for the perfect day look.

COLOURS: Champagne pink, fuchsia, faded red, mint green, black and baby blue are the colours that will stand out this season. Team them up with light breathable fabrics.

STYLING: Transparent sheer and opaque silk ornate with vintage floral patterns, appliqued or embroidered, make for superb festive outfits.

ACCESSORIES: No festive look is ever complete without bling. On-trend details such as tassels, rhinestones or patchwork make a fab impression, no matter where you are headed. Oversize clutch bags are a must-have festival accessory.

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FASHION

|ANURADHA RAMAM| THE LOOK: For the festive season, one can play with colours on long anarkali gowns. And look stunning in contemporary lehengas with a traditional twist.

STYLING: Lacework and gotapatti on breathable fabrics like georgettes and chiffons lend an edge to the festive look. Transparent sheer and opaque silk ornate with vintage

floral patterns, appliqued or embroidered, make for superb evening festive wear.

COLOUR: The colour palette is a mix of cheerful vibrant hues like rani pink, peacock blue and lime green.

ACCESSORISE: Accessorise with chunky statement jewellery. Go for a single piece instead of creating clutter.

| P O O N A M B H AG AT | THE LOOK: Flowing kurtas in Chanderi silks, appliquĂŠd with gold tissue and paired with palazzos for a more contemporary feel or with shararas or crinkled skirts, create a vintage look.

STYLING: Wear mininmal jewellery if the ensemble is heavily embellished. A nice long pair of danglers for the ears and a big ring would complement an outfit with high collars. If the neckline is deep, wear a choker or a neck piece with studs in the ears. For those who love drama, ear cuffs would lend an edge.

COLOUR: Jewel tones of ruby, sapphire, emerald and amber along with vermilion, scarlet, burgundy, Bordeaux, cobalt and black look resplendent at night, when burnished with gold. Bright pastels and fruity colours, delicately embroidered with silver, look stunning for day time celebrations.

ACCESSORISE: Juttis go beautifully with most Indian ensembles. If you’re short, wear strappy stilettos with palazzos. A nice small silk bag or a jewelled clutch should complete the look.

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EATOUT

This has been one interesting season for Delhi’s foodies who have been spoilt for choice given the number of new spaces that have opened up in the city within the last couple of months. We do a quick check on what these have to offer

by NAVNEET MENDIRATTA

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EATOUT

BAR BAR DEKHO [EK BAR, DEFENCE COLONY]

rust restaurateur AD Singh to pull out another ace from up his sleeve. After giving the city gems like Olive Bar & Kitchen, Guppy by Ai, Sodabottleopnerwala, Monkey Bar, he has come up with a brand new watering hole — Ek Bar — in partnership with a very talented chef, Sujan Sarkar, in Delhi’s tony Defence Colony.

Modelled along the lines of a maikhana (with a modern twist), Ek Bar is just that kind of place where you’d want to head to after work and regale your drinking buddies with stories that start with “ek bar…”. As of now it opens only in the evenings.

In sync with the moniker of the store below, the décor is desi kitsch with retro effects. The drinks menu plays heavily with Indian spices without taking the attention away from the spirit and the food menu sticks to being contemporary with small bites and proportions. And yes, while you are there, you must ask the bartender to tell you the story behind each drink. They really have some interesting ones at the bar. For instance, according to mixologist Nitin Tewari, the punch is actually an Indian concoction, the name being derived from the Hindi word paanch referring to the five spice mix or panch phoran. And so Ek Bar creates one for you and serves it in a tea cup for effects.

MUST TRY: Queen Victoria (a whiskey-based cocktail) is sure to be a hit with those who love their drinks hard. Murabba mule with a strong ginger flavour is served in a military-style bronze mug. Mogito 6 (yes, they’ve spelt it the way many Indians do) with a mix of star fruit, mace and turmeric. And City of Nizams (Ek Bar’s version of gin and tonic) are two other drinks that we loved.

In food, an absolute must try is Ek Bar’s granola bar with jhalmuri and tamarind gel served with dahi bhalla ice cream on the side! Other than that, you could go for a “thali” or the snacks platter with bite-size portions or choice of slider. We loved their crab burger.

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EATOUT

THE PIANO MAN RETURNS [THE PIANO MAN JAZZ CLUB, SAFDARJUNG ENCLAVE]

VIVA L’ITALIA [ESTABLISHMENT RISTORANTE, MEHARCHAND MARKET] ooking for a hearty Italian meal at pocket-friendly pricing in the heart of Delhi, this is your go-to place.

Minimalist interiors, comfortable seating and hearty portions, Establishment makes for a great lunching space with a beautiful wall art view across.

Set up by restaurateur Pushkar Sharma, who is the third generation running the famed Metropolis in Paharganj, and Seeraj Johar, a trained baker and entrepreneur, the restaurant offers authentic Italian fare. The duo had

L ou can call this part two of the famous jazz bar that unfortunately could not take off in Vasant Vihar. The brainchild of Arjun Sagar Gupta, a pianist of 15 years, The Piano Man is set to be Delhi’s first supper theatre and gastronomy space.

Spread across three levels, it houses the jazz bar at the ground and mezzanine levels, a bakery called Cake Away on the first and a yet-to-come-up fine dining space on the second.

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BEER AND BURGER, ANYONE? [CARL JR, SELECT CITYWALK MALL, SAKET] ow this one’s an interesting launch.

The famous American chain, Carl Jr, known for its juicy beef burgers and beer, is here in India with chicken replacing beef in the menu. In fact, to make sure that the brand maintains its authenticity and quality, the Indian version has a whole new menu customised for its client base with signature sauces pulled in from the original.

So what you have here is a menu comprising as many as 15 varieties of burgers

N Warm wooden floors, brick walls and a stage set with piano, the jazz bar draws its inspiration from the Prohibition-style bars in the West with speakeasy culture.

Incidentally, it is the first club in Delhi that boasts a green room for the musicians!

MUST TRY: Zuccini fries and BBQ chicken wings.

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PRONTO CANTONESE [YAUATCHA, AMBIENCE MALL, VASANT KUNJ]

flown in a homestyle chef from Italy to perfect the recipes and train their chefs. While the first floor space is dedicated to dining, the patisserie at the ground floor ensures that Seerat’s loyal clientele remains hooked to her popular baking and chocolates.

MUST TRY: We absolutely loved their Gnocchi Pomodoro (homemade Gnocchi with tomato sauce), the signature vegetarian pizza called Establishment with olives, jalapeno, rocket and feta and Lasagne Al Montone (comprising tomato sauce, bechamel, mutton mince and cheese).

Smoothie addicts will love their Baileys Irish Cream version. We were hooked.

with chargrilled patties replacing the deep fried ones, so you don’t feel guilty after binging on them. Targetted at the young adults, the combos offer beer (which is available on tap here) and free soft drink refills to go with the burgers.

“We are trying to fill the lack of spaces that offer you a quick beer for lunch or before you head back home,” says Sam Chopra, group chairman, Cybiz Corp. “Of course you are more than welcome to hang out here for dinner as well,” he smiles. This is the first Carl Jr QSR in Delhi NCR and more would be coming up in the vicinity before heading to other territories. A 100 more are being planned in India in the next decade.

MUST TRY: Chicken Fillets with Mango Jalapeno Pepper, Mile High burger with their signature Santa Fe sauce, Tikka Masala, chargrilled Tandoori Paneer Burger and Santa Fe fenugreek burger. Ah and the onion rings on the side other than chicken wings, thighs or fillets. If not having beer, do order their hand-scooped ice cream shakes. Tiramisu and Pina Colada have our vote.

ometimes a lot of choice can play spoiler. Especially if it happens to be at a famous restaurant with thumbs up for a max in the menu. Those are the times when it is best to leave to the chef or opt for a sampling menu.

The Delhi offshoot of the Michelin-starred fine dining is now offering a special four-course menu titled Taste of Yauatcha (TOY), featuring some of its signature favourites like vegetable hot and sour soup, mixed salad with lotus root, fried turnip cake with vegetables, Szechuan mabo tofu, hofan noodle and macroons among others for those who don’t want to waste time trying to figure what to order.

MUST TRY: The menu is largely pre-set. So if you are going for a meal with friends, we suggest you max the choices by placing a different order for each of you.

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BREAKFAST HAUNT AND MORE [UZZURI DELI & BAR, CONNAUGHT PLACE] ow we’d love to go back to this place for breakfast. Given that Delhi has very few breakfast spaces, when you come across a sign at a deli that opens at 9 am with egg, waffles and soup menu (apart from cereal, freshly baked croissants, panini and sandwiches), you are tempted.

The deli during the day offers a choice of skewers, shorties, bruschetta, tempura and patties other than rissoto, sandwiches, pizzas and pastas.

With the mains that would please most of the nonvegetarians, given there is choice aplenty for those who are looking at a rather unhurried quick bite.

MUST TRY: We loved the Chipotle chicken drumsticks, Prawn skewers, Chargrilled cottage cheese and Harissa Chicken burger in the starters.

In mains, Creole salmon, Bangers and mash and Roasted garlic polenta would make for good picks.

Ah yes, and you must not miss the desserts. They have a great collection of freshly baked treats.

Choose from the bakes of the day.

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ROYAL PLATTER [INDYAKI, RADISSON BLU HOTEL, NEW DELHI] he Indian kitchen is said to be a great healing box. The spices and other foods that we consume in our everyday thali are all about a balanced diet and keeping us healthy. A Unani medicine practitioner and a chef, can of course, take these benefits to another level and that is just what Dr Izzat Hussain Ali does in his kitchen. A descendant of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, Hussain, displayed his repertoire of classic Awadhi cusine using medicinal herbs at Radisson Blue Indyaki recently.

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From melt-in-the-mouth gravy-based Malai Boti kebab to Qorma with a tangy Kasuri methi tomato gravy to the mutton chops and fish fry, the spread was lavish and delicious. Hussain’s secret is that he does not use water in any of his dishes.

Logic: The taste of water varies from place to place. The special Izzat ki Roti, a multi-herb and multigrain bread, and the kathal biryani in which the jackfruit replaced the meat, were interesting twists to routine items.

— Ritu Pandey

TRAVEL

FITNESSJAUNT Kairali organises health-awareness road trip from Delhi to Leh

yurverdic group Kairali organised a road trip of journalists, businessmen, social workers and its employees between Delhi and Leh to spread the message of good health through ancient Indian sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda. Eight bikes and a car were flagged off on August 4 from Indrasprastha Park in Delhi.

After riding all day, the team reached picturesque Manali where yoga workshops were conducted for local villagers over the next two days.

The workshops were well received. From Manali, the group set out for Leh with halts in Keylong and Sarchu. Manali to Leh is an unforgettable landscape of about 475 km full of enthralling valleys, craggy terrains and striking mountains. Navigating winding roads and high mountain passes, the group arrived in Leh greeted by magnificent Shey and Thiksey monasteries. After rest at Leh, the members

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proceeded to the Nubra Valley through a snowbound Khardung La, the highest motorable road in the world at 18,380 feet.

Nubra Valley is a cold desert area with crisscrossing rivers, Nubra and Shyok and the twohumped Bactrian camels. Staying at Nubra, the group conducted the first of its kind yoga session in the picturesque Hunder Desert and a day-long health awareness camp at Diskit. The next day, it travelled to the mesmerising Pangong Lake — spread over 134 km and falling under both India and Tibet — for Yoga workshops. Thereafter, the group started its journey back towards Srinagar via Kargil, with a halt at the Drass War Memorial where the members paid homage to the war heroes of the Indian Army. Close to the LOC, the Srinagar-Leh highway holds strategic importance for India and sees heavy army presence. From Srinagar to Jammu and back to Delhi, it was a truly memorable trip.

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YOUNGTALENT

Dreams of glass t’s not everyday you chance upon a really young artist who has been able to creatively turn her passion into a fast-selling edgy business idea after chucking a well-paying job in a media house.

Ikroop Dhillon is a glass artist who creates works of wearable art with high street aesthetics.

“I wanted to do more than just stained glass. Fused glass gives me that freedom to feel the raw material and have the creation process under my control.

It’s a canvas I can play with and within a grammar,” she said, showing me her beautiful fused glass works.

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Meet IKROOP DHILLON, a young glass artist, who has creatively turned her passion into a fast-selling and edgy business idea by NAVNEET MENDIRATTA

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teve Jobs said that you cannot see how the dots will connect in the future. So you have to trust the dots and just wait for them to connect in the future. That’s exactly what happened with Dhillon.

“Since long I’ve had a list of things to do before I turned 30. So when I turned 29, it suddenly hit me that there were a lot of things that I still had to do.

Trekking to Mount Everest and learning glass art were only two of those,” laughed this Army kid, who has an MBA degree from Symbiosis. She made it to the Everest base camp two years ago.

“I was in Europe for a bit and I was impressed by the glasswork I saw there. Over time, I got so obsessed

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with the art, that I would watch videos all night to figure how it was done,” she said.

In India though, it was difficult to find a teacher. “We don’t have many glass artists here. I would surf the internet to find out about artists working with the medium,” she shared. It was during this phase that she chanced upon Atul Bakshi, a well-known glass artist who works with molten glass. he thing about art is that you can learn the technicalities but creativity is something that has to come from

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within,” she went on philosophically, “So I started hanging around in a factory, trying to make myself useful or just watching karigars there toil over molten glass at 1050 degrees, blowing the most beautiful glass forms and making it look so effortless,” she said. Around this time Bakshi showed her pictures of Murano jewellery, egging her to experiment with her own designs. “Which I dismissed as a 70s fad,” she laughed. Instead, she chose to experiment with recycled glass and flattened beer bottles to create frames and wall decorations for children’s rooms. ust then, I connected with Pooja Yadav, my old roommate from hostel. She, too, had quit her successful job in the communications sector to learn jewellery design in London and was itching to create her own pieces,” she said. Together, the two girls launched their own label — Bangdar Sarali (anagram of Bengali and Sardar) — under which Yadav designs and Dhillon feeds those designs with her glass art.

“Glass has a character of its own and fused glass even more. Once it goes into the kiln, you don’t know what’s going to come out — which also means that no two pieces are ever the same.

There’s an element of surprise at the end. Which makes her artworks, piece de resistance.

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THEATRE

Delhi’s National School of Drama gets VIDUSHI RITA GANGULY to revive the classical Sanskrit theatre technique of Vikrishtamadhyam. But can it become India’s Globe?

by RITU PANDEY

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heatre, that ultimate destitute of performing arts perpetually struggling for patrons. Imagine it becoming a cog in the wheels of the tourism industry? “It’s no outlandish idea. There is a growing awareness the world over, to preserve ancient traditions. Britain has revived Globe Theatre — the original theatre company of Shakespeare; Noh and Kabuki theatres are zealously preserved in Japan as is the classical Greek theatre in Greece. Hundreds of tourists come to see these and they are great revenue generators. In this backdrop, it becomes imperative for us to look at our own heritage and attempt to revive our classical theatre which goes back at least 4,000 years,” says thespian Vidushi Rita Ganguly.

It was with this thought that Ganguly got together with her former organisation, the National School of Drama, a few months ago to revive Vikrishtamadhyam, a classical theatre technique mentioned in Bharat Muni’s Natya

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Shastra. Last month, second year NSD students presented an interpretation of Kalidas’ Abhigyan Shakuntalam in the Vikrishtamadhyam style. “All Indian classical performing arts emerge from the Natya Shastra. But could there have been a shastra, had there been no natya?” asks Ganguly, elaborating how Sanskrit natya was a highly developed art and Vikrishtamadhyam, one of its extremely evolved techniques, featured all-night performances. “The four varnas contributed equally to this theatre, so the structure of Vikrishtamadhyam stood on 36 main pillars. The Natya Shastra gives a detailed description of its construction inside a shail guha (rock cave) setting and performance, but it doesn’t exist anywhere in India now. However, there are small auditoria that meet the Natya Shastra description in almost all the temples down south.”

Ganguly says the NSD, since its inception, planned to revive classical theatre. But it only managed to make it a part of the curriculum, where students interpret contemporary theatre

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through classical practices. In 1995, she tried a revival with an ensemble performance of Abhigyan Shakuntalam, Bhagwadajjukiyam and Mudrarakshas — all in Sanskrit. All those efforts went down the drain due to no follow-up. his time though the NSD invited her to revive Vikrishtamadhyam in Hindi for a better reach, incorporating within Kalidas’ immortal verses great contemporary poetry. Says Ganguly, “The basic component of a Vikrishtamadhyam is mudrabhinaya or mime, where the actor needs no dialogues; there is no set either and the actors themselves create the effect of a set; and all action is frontal. We’ve tried to implement these basics so that in future any play can be performed in this technique.”

It helped that Ganguly was involved with everything from music, set design, direction, costumes to even the basic plot of the play.

“Women’s emancipation is a big issue nowadays.

So in my intrepretation, Shakuntala liberates herself from the need for abhigyan or identity and the mundane values of life. Like Sita in Ramayana, she sends Bharat with his father Dushyant but herself chooses to stay on in the wild,” she says.

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While the public response to the efforts has been satisfactory, it is the government that the collaborators are looking at with more expectation.

“I hope the government comes forward to set up a Vikrishtamadhyam where there is a regular repertory working on classical theatre just like the restored theatre of Epidaurus, which tourists to Greece gather to watch classical plays. It can be a great source of tourism revenue,” she signs off.

FASHION

With over 100 designers, Medusa by SONAL JINDAL holds sixth show in New Delhi fter five successful editions, fashion and accessories lifestyle exhibition — Medusa

by Sonal Jindal — held its sixth show in New Delhi on August 26. With over 100 fashion designers exhibiting their latest collections, there was plenty to feast the eyes on — from the latest in accessories, and footwear to apparel.

Showcasing the designs were established and budding designers like Nikhita-Mynah Designs, Closet Affair Priyanka Ahuja, Golden Apple by Sonam Sahni, Nandita Dhingra, Ridhi Arora, Balmain Paris Hair Couture and many more.

Speaking on the occasion, Jindal said, “We bring the best of contemporary arts, aesthetics and designs from chosen artisans and craftsmen under a common roof. The exhibition has an extensive and diverse range of exhibitors showcasing and offering the very best of the fashion style.”

Fashion is one of the fastest emerging industries of India. And Medusa, with its exhaustive repertoire is regarded among buyers as the platform for existing and emerging trends and artistes.

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ARTS

Puppeteer and founder of Delhi’s Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust, DADI PUDUMJEE, elaborates on the future of his art form

by RITU PANDEY

Pulling the right strings 70 EXOTICA / OCTOBER 2015

CONTEMPORARY PUPPETRY: In the last few years, the puppet scene has become more like a narrative — more poetry and music-based with less words — that experiments with techniques, mixing small and big puppets with actors and dancers. It’s a combination of art, theatre and design content, which needn’t always have a cultural base.

ISHARA PUPPET THEATRE: I use puppets to tell stories, combined with other media of shadow and visual theatre, actors, dance, masks and so on.

Puppets are used as a “means” and not as an end in themselves. At times, I use the whole stage as in live theatre. For instance, our recent production, Heer ke Waris, is based on love tale of Heer and Ranjha. It is scripted by Maheep Singh and has music, actors and puppets playing at three levels.

The archetypes from the original story are puppets and masks that coordinate with actors for the contemporary take.

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CHANGING TRADITIONAL PUPPET THEATRE: Traditional puppetry — string, rod, glove and shadow — reflected the nuances of the language and the society milieu. Of course puppetry isn’t the same as it was 20 years ago. Yet there are some excellent traditional groups that are still active. They just need a platform. Because more performances would mean the quality of the shows would improve.

TRAINING ARTISTES: The techniques are strong with the traditional puppeteers. But the medium and the message are changing at a slow pace. They need training to dramatise new stories.

It needs the leader of the group to have some exposure to new ideas, issues and training to put them to use in their own tradition. That is where the modern puppeteers have the benefit of exposure. Training and education are an ongoing process. We have been doing workshops with teenage puppeteers from families in Delhi and Rajasthan, who have left their art and with small groups of Pavakuthu artists in Kerala. But traditional artistes need to be more proactive. They can’t just sit back waiting for help.

FUTURE OF PUPPETRY: People call puppetry a dying art. I don’t call it that despite the fact that some groups are giving up and things are going out of practice. That’s because things were never easy for puppeteers. Yes, contemporary groups have a larger urban audience base. But it’s always a struggle, to make things, do things. It’s tougher for traditional artistes from remote areas.

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Scent of a home

ragrances are known to be very personal. “Every person has his own signature style and special preference when it comes to fragrances,” says Rupal Tyagi, a certified aromatherapist and perfumer. Personality is the key to choosing the right fragrance. “And therefore, the personality of the home-owner is an important fact that needs to be taken into consideration while purchasing the right home fragrance,” she says.

For someone, who got married into an (erstwhile) royal family from UP which was into agriculture and distillation of oils, working with them came naturally. “This was a good 12 years ago when aromatherapy had not caught up with

F Ever wondered what fragrance would define your home the best? Aromatherapist and perfumer RUPAL TYAGI tells you how to pick up the right one

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fragrances for people after studying their skin type, persona and preferences. “I have also created fragrances for the environment and places — for a coffee shop, clothes stores, a jewellery brand to give you an idea,” she says.

One of her earlier assignments has been to develop aroma oils for Amatraa Spa as their corporate head.

people and it was limited to Ayurveda and alternate healing,” she says. She went on to study perfumery and aromatherapy in London before turning her passion into profession.

Back in India, she started working on developing her own aromas and customising

o ahead of the festive season, when you want your home to smell different and bear your signature, how does one get a fragrance to match? “First you must understand the basics,” she says. Aromatherapy essential oil blends are a pure and natural way to add fragrances to your home. They are naturally

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occurring substances found in different parts of plants — the blossom, fruit, leaf, stem, bark, wood or resin. Pure essential oils are used in a way to positively affect physical, emotional and mental health. They also help enhance mood, relieve symptoms such as pain, fatigue or inflammation, or kill germs.

“Choosing the right fragrance for your home is a daunting task especially when there is a multitude of options to choose from. It is useful to spend time considering which perfume will be ideal for your home,” she says, handing down tips that should make your task easier: o Floral and woody notes if used individually can give you a more serene and positive environment in your house. o Citrus notes like lemon grass, green apple, lime and orange will give you a feeling of happiness and contentment around. o Large houses with a lot of greenery around should have fragrance blends with a strong note of citronella in them to keep insects and mosquitoes at bay. o Houses with infants, toddlers and small children can have a house fragrance that is pre dominant with Chamomile essential oil. This specific oil soothes and calms the mind of the child and is gentle on their skin as well. o Rooms of the elderly people should have prominent notes of rosemary and eucalyptus, which are rejuvenating, keeping their minds alert ESSENTIAL OILS ARE BROADLY CATEGORISED INTO SCENT GROUPS: FLORAL: LAVENDER, GERANIUM, JASMINE AND ROSE CITRUS: LEMON, GRAPEFRUIT, ORANGE AND BERGAMOT SPICY: CINNAMON, GINGER, NUTMEG, CLOVE AND PEPPER WOODY: CEDARWOOD,

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and acting as disinfectants. Elderly people could use more of sandalwood blends at night for a calming and undisturbed sleep. o For rooms of young couples, it is always beneficial to have citrus notes for the day and woody notes for night. Citrus notes would keep them invigorated throughout the day for work while the floral woody blend would de-stress them after a long tiring day. It helps in grounding the mind, giving you a nice sleep. o For hosting an engaging and a successful party, one could use a fragrance blend that comprises lavender, juniper berry, lemon and some green notes to keep the party tempo alive for long. o For meditation rooms, one can use a blend which has frankincense and myrrh as their dominant notes. o Woody notes can be used around wedding time in your family when everybody is anxious with the preparations as it helps to calm down the nerves and prepare for the occasion better. o Houses with atriums should use exotic notes that add on to the feeling of luxury. o Houses done up in a traditional Indian way could use spicy and woody notes blended well to give that authentic traditional feel. o People who love to keep antique furniture, murals and figurines in their houses could use a lot of cedarwood, cypress and patchouli notes.

A dash of intuition is all you need to have an aroma that defines your home as well.

ROSEWOOD, PATCHOULI AND SANDALWOOD HERBACEOUS: TEA LEAVES, FRESHLY CUT GRASS, PEPPERMINT, CHAMOMILE, EUCALYPTUS AND ROSEMARY AROMATIC BLENDS CAN BE SPREAD EASILY THROUGH YOUR HOME THROUGH A DIFFUSER.

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HOTWHEELS

DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 ong-distance rider, this one can tackle both the tarmac and rough terrains in a comfortable upright position. The new Ducati Multistrada is a 1198.4cc Testastretta DVT with Desmodromic Variable Timing, LTwin cylinder, 4 valve per cylinder, Dual Spark, liquid cooled engine that pumps out 160bhp of maximum power at 9500rpm and 136Nm of high torque at 7500rpm. The bike has four riding modes — Touring, Sport, Enduro and Urban — which adjust the power delivery by the engine and activation of features like ABS, Traction and wheelie control and panel graphics. To be launched in November, Multistrada 1200 bookings have commenced.

PRICE: Between `17 and `18 lakh

L Up for a road trip? The fantastic new superbike line-up could be just the excuse to grab your dresser and dome and go vrrrrrrrooooooooo......mmmmm... .

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HARLEY HERITAGE SOFTAIL CLASSIC ne of Harley Davidson’s most popular touring machines in the premium segment gets a makeover. The Heritage Softail Classic model gets a refreshed styling and enhanced performance with new saddlebag support structure, standard electronic cruise control and a High Output Twin Cam 103 engine.

PRICE: `16.60 lakh

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TRIUMPH TIGER 800 XCA he best of the Tiger XC family features a 650W alternator that powers the heated rider and pillion seats, heated grips and LED fog lamps that come as standard on this variant. It can also be used to power other auxiliary devices such as a GPS system or heated clothing. The Tiger 800 XCA runs a 95PS/79Nm liquid-cooled 800cc in-line three cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission which gives the motorcycle faster shifts. It also has switchable ABS, cruise control, four traction modes and a ride-by-wire throttle.

PRICE: `13.75 lakh

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LIMITED EDITION BENELLI TNT 600i n a limited production run, during which just 60 golden motorcycles will be produced, DSK-Benelli’s new gold TNT 600i will be available across India from October 3. The special edition golden beauty is powered by a first-in-segment 600cc, in-line four-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that produces 85.07bhp of maximum power at 11,500rpm, while peak torque of 54.6nm is generated at 10,500rpm. Power and torque figures for the inline, four-cylinder motor are 85PS and 54.6Nm respectively.

PRICE: `5.86 lakh

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GURUSPEAK

SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

Spiritual guru

Fasting in Navratra or Karva Chauth?

Staying away from food can surely help your body rest and rejuvenate. But it can also help the seeker in you go deeper in meditation

asting is often believed to be a practice to please God. Ancient societies linked each day to a deity and used it to get people to fast. But unlike starvation, where too the body is deprived of food, fasting is voluntary. This is what makes fasting an uplifting experience that enhances health and attitude. It is an important exercise to get the best out of meditation.

Reason why virtually every religious and healing tradition recommends fasting for therapeutic or spiritual advantages. Fasting during the festive season of any religion doesn’t mean refraining from food but to be in a pure state of being. It is recommended to take little food, which is easily digestible, to allow the body to stay light, making it easier for the mind to meditate.

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EAT WITH YOUR MIND yurveda believes that fasting can greatly benefit the way you feel. For an over-burdened body and an over-indulged mind, it helps break old patterns and find new direction. Light fasting

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stimulates the digestive system, which in turn burns body fuel more efficiently, thereby producing less toxic waste.

Fast essentially refers to reducing food consumption to one meal and consuming a healthy, low-carb diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes — what is known as a Satvik diet in Ayurveda. Potatoes and fried stuff must be replaced with alkaline fruits like cucumber and watermelon and about eight glasses of sugar-free fluids (water, fruit or vegetable juice) to eliminate toxins, ease the liver and kidneys and prevent constipation and dehydration. A cardinal rule to absorb all the prana (life-force energy) is to drink the fluids slowly. The amount of salt consumed by us is usually more than our body’s requirement and it leads to high water retention in the body. Fasting helps desalt the body.

The cycle has its own set of norms. The young, old, pregnant and nursing mothers should be cautious before choosing to fast. Going without food for long hours can impact the pitta of the body. So long-term and frequent fasting is a strict no-no despite all benefits. Regular and short-term fasts are preferable but varying from person to person. Fasting, if done properly, helps develop qualities of detachment and equanimity. The body

and soul connect becomes harmonious, if the rules are adhered to strictly.

BREAKING THE FAST asting not only helps in inner cleansing but combined with Pranayama, it turns the senses towards the mind, restraining speech and keeping the intellect engaged.

This keeps the body and mind at rest, allowing the seekers to go deeper in meditation.

But a slowed down body and mind also necessitates mild exercise like yoga which can spur the process of detoxification. Through deep breathing and relaxation, the stressed out nervous system shifts to a state of calm and restorative healing.

Breaking an extensive fast can be harder than fasting itself and requires caution since the energy is diverted away from the digestive to the metabolic and immune systems. You should take as long to reintroduce solid foods to your diet as you spent on the fast. Start by slowly introducing nutritious foods back into your diet and eating reasonably small portions. Fasting helps to eliminate unnecessary toxins in the body, thus purifying the mind and body, giving rest to the digestive system and making one feel lighter, refreshed and energised.

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DIET KAVITA DEVGAN

Nutritionist

Aside from the other benefits of milk products, new research shows that their regular consumption helps burn fat without cutting back drastically on calories

e have been hearing a lot about alternate milks like rice, almond and soy lately. While I have nothing against them and they all have something going for them, I’d rather everyone (who can digest it) definitely include dairy in their diet simply because there’s a lot going for it, particularly in terms of the calcium content. And we all know how important calcium is for us.

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Benefits you already know about ow-fat dairy products are a terrific low-calorie source of calcium, which you need for a lot of health reasons — it is critical to cell functions throughout the body, helps keep bones strong, reins in blood pressure and recent studies suggest that it even

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lowers colon cancer risk. Milk is a good sleeping aid (helps you sleep) too as it contains amino acid tryptophan, which helps in the production of the sleep-inducing brain chemicals: serotonin and melatonin. Yes, that’s the reason behind a warm cup of milk at bed-time.

But there’s more! ou probably already know most of the above. What you probably don’t know is that research shows that regular consumption of milk, cheese, and yoghurt can make it easier to lose those extra pounds and burn fat without cutting back drastically on calories.

You read it right. Researchers have culled out an interesting finding that calcium has a surprising weight-loss benefit too. In fact, the US National Dairy Council’s website lists eight pages of research along those lines, which

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o Yoghurt or cottage cheese as on-the-go snacks. Containers of yoghurt are easily packed in lunches or stashed in backpacks (with a plastic spoon, of course) for a healthy quick snack. o Cottage cheese can be stowed in bags and lunches too. Both offer high protein and low fat to keep you going until mealtime. o Use skimmed milk to make sugar-free pudding. For a sweet treat that’s low in fat and calories, keep single servings of sugar-free instant pudding made with skimmed milk ready in the fridge.

Even kids can eat them as an after-school snack. o Blend a healthy popsicle. Blend fruit and low-fat yoghurt, then freeze, or blend with ice for a smoothie. This pop will taste cold, sweet and creamy like ice cream, but without all the calories, fat and sugar. Plus, it has vitamins and minerals from the fruit and protein from the yoghurt, both of which give you added energy to get you through the day. o Try these substitution tricks: Make a low-calorie pudding with low-fat milk or whip up tomato soup for lunch using 8-ounces of fat-free milk rather than water.

NEED MORE HELP? TRY THESE o Add a glass of milk to your breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Eat cereal with milk for breakfast, have yoghurt as a snack, and drink a glass of milk at lunch and dinner. o Or add a container of yoghurt to your breakfast, a scoop of cottage cheese at lunch, then have a glass of milk with your snack and with dinner.

suggest that calcium products, specifically dairy foods, could help people lose weight.

The idea that dietary calcium could trigger weight loss started way back in the early 1990s when researchers found that prescribing two cups of low-fat yoghurt a day to a small group of hypertensive men led to lower blood pressure and an average weight loss of 11 pounds in one year. The study author, Michael Zemel, kept the work up and eventually put forth a plausible explanation — getting too little calcium triggers the release of a hormone called calcitriol, which tells the body to store fat instead of burning it. Similarly when calcium levels are sufficiently high, calcitriol levels remain low and the body burns fat instead of storing it.

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o Or snack on cottage cheese or yoghurt and drink milk at two meals.

DIET

What does this mean in practical terms? et’s say, you are trying to lose weight on a calorie-reduced diet.

If you eat fewer calories than your body needs to maintain your current weight, you will lose weight. However, Dr Zemel’s research suggests that you may lose the weight faster and actually burn more fat in your abdomen if you include the recommended amount of calcium from dairy each day in your balanced calorie-reduced diet.

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How to get the dairy advantage hile all dairy foods are a good source of calcium and protein, not all products contribute as well to weight loss as others. Dairy foods with higher fat content may be counter-productive when you are watching your weight. So stick with low-fat and fat-free dairy. Also, some dairy foods are higher in calcium than others. Calcium is the key nutrient, along with protein, in creating the fat-burning process in your body that research indicates is the trigger to losing weight.

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Calories still important airy products may play a role in weight loss but cutting calories is essential. This means that you can’t arbitrarily order a large coffee with “extra cream” and two sugars. The sugars will add extra 50 calories only but the cream will load down enough fat and calories to equal a colossal breakfast. Dairy is just like alcohol and fat: You can make healthy or unhealthy choices.

Dairy is not a magic pill. The fact remains that dieters must track their calories and fat grams while adding more dairy products.

— The author is a nutritionist and weight management consultant

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MENSTYLE It takes about 30 seconds for a person to form an impression about you. A well-styled wardrobe, therefore, can make or break your image in the world. Pezalli creative director ANUPAMA SACHDEVA lists some key trends for the season

MARK OF A MAN AUTUMN-WINTER 2015

KEY PRINT: CHECKS

KEY COLOUR: PINK

The best way to work checks into your daily wardrobe is through tailoring.

Be it the blazer, trousers or full suit, checks will be the key print for formal wear.

Salmon pink will be a hot colour for formal wear. A hot pink tie would look great set against a navy suit and light blue combination.

Pink comes in a variety of shades.

Opt for the tone best suiting your skin tone and build up from there.

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TROUSER STYLE: WIDE CUT

HEAD-TO-TOE NUETRALS: BLACK, GREY AND WHITE

Wide cut trousers will be in trend instead of the traditional slim cut styles. Just bear in mind your overall silhouette.

Head-to-toe tonal dressing is a hit.

Most men already own a wide variety of neutral pieces, so this trend can be experimented with what you have already.

OVERSIZED SCARFS AND SHAWLS Chunky scarves and oversized shawls will do the talking this season. Make it your statement accessory.

DOCTALK DR KIRAN LOHIA

Quick fix FOR YOUR Dermatologist

A lowdown on how to handle beauty emergencies

ave you noticed, whenever we absolutely need to look our best — be it for a party, an event or our own wedding — a pesky skin issue is bound to pop up? As a dermatologist, I see patients on a daily basis who need quick fixes for their dermatological crises. Here’s how to rescue you from those beauty emergencies.

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DOCTALK

EMERGENCY #1 PIMPLES AND BREAKOUTS ou wake up in the morning and there is a huge pimple on your forehead that was not there last night. What can you do?

AT HOME: Apply a product containing a combination of salicylic acid and sulphur or biosulphur (a gentler version of sulphur) to the lesion immediately. Sulphur is a miracle ingredient — it is highly effective because it is anti-bacterial, anti-oil and anti-inflammatory, thereby rapidly acting to reduce the size of the pimple. Also, it is 100 per cent natural and is present in every cell in the human body, making it very safe for use. Salicylic acid is also naturally derived from willow bark and it acts by targeting the oil-producing glands within the pores and exfoliating to help get rid of pimples, blackheads and whiteheads.

AT A DERMATOLOGIST’S OFFICE: Dermatologists can offer a few remedies for quick

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treatment of that pesky zit. First of all, in certain cases, we can give a cortisone injection to rapidly reduce the size your pimple. Also, we can give something called a spot peel, where we use a chemical peel with a higher percentage of salicylic acid and apply it only to the lesion.

Both these methods are available only at a dermatologist’s clinic as they should be done under a doctor’s guidance.

EMERGENCY #2 DARK CIRCLES AND PUFFY EYES ou slept poorly last night and have woken up with dark circles and puffy eyes. What is the best way to get rid of them?

AT HOME: There are many natural ways to help deal with that puffiness. For example, you can apply cooled cucumber slices to your eyelids for 10 minutes for a natural quick-fix. You should also immediately apply an under-eye product that contains ingredients such as peptides, bio-

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stabilised vitamin C and vegetarian hyaluronic acid analogues to both treat and prevent those racoon eyes.

AT A DERMATOLOGIST’S OFFICE: Most people with dark circles have a hereditary predisposition to them because their eyes are a bit more deep-set than others, creating a natural dark shadow. Dermatologists can offer fillers to camouflage up that deep area, thereby getting rid of that dark appearance. At Lumiere Dermatology, we offer a non-invasive option for under-eye circles called Under-Eye Rescue, which uses radiofrequency combined with brightening therapies for an instant and long-lasting result, without the risk or side effects.

EMERGENCY #3 ALLERGIC REACTION nfortunately, you used a new hair or skin product and you woke up with a rash on your face. What to do?

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AT HOME: Stop all products for hair, skin and fragrance. You could have developed an allergy to nearly anything and it is important to remove those allergic items from your skin care regime. Use only products that are paraben, sulfate, lanolin, artificial fragrance and artificial colour-free with soothing actives like oat to help reduce the inflammation.

AT A DERMATOLOGIST’S OFFICE: A dermatologist should see any allergic reaction.

The dermatologist will prescribe a specific treatment regimen to reduce the allergy and will monitor you and make sure it resolves quickly.

Hopefully, this gives you an idea of some options that are available to rapidly fix your beauty emergencies. Remember, always consult your dermatologist for any concerns that are serious and are not resolving.

— The author is MD and Medical Director of Lumiere Dermatology, New Delhi

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JEWELLERY

Diamond and emerald studded danglers and gold choker from JINDAL JEWELLERS. PRICE: On request AVAILABLE AT: Jindal Jewellers, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi

HERE’S MORE TO YOUR TO-DO LIST THIS FESTIVE SEASON, SOME JEWELLERY SHOPPING

Armlet studded with uncut diamonds, polki emeralds and pearls from SHIMMER’S Raasleela collection.

PRICE: On request AVAILABLE AT: Shimmer Bespoke Jewellery Ph: 9370065553

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MIRARI handcrafted choodas, kalichadis and eternity bands set in ruby, diamonds and sapphires crafted in 18K white gold.

PRICE: On request AVAILABLE AT: www.mirari.com/shop/ Mirari Boutique, 2nd Floor, DLF Emporio, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi

ATLEISURE

CULTURE CONNECT [CALENDER OF EVENTS]

LITERARY FESTS 2015

BOOKWORM [WHAT A TRAVELLER IS READING]

THE 3 U-TURNS OF MY LIFE: JITENDRA GIANCHANDANI hetan Bhagat’s success has spawned a wave of a techie-bankerturned-writer me-toos in the country. Here comes another one, so inspired by Bhagat and his writing debut that he didn’t even make the effort to pick a title that didn’t sound identical. The story isn’t much different from Bhagat’s boyhood capers. Here friends — an introvert CA Manav Modi and flamboyant MBA Deepak Mehra, fight over Urvashi, an ambitious PR woman, inspired by Nira Radia, and then get tested over their friendship and professional skills. Needless to say, good wins over bad. The story is predictable, the language — like Bhagat’s — very everyday, and the editing, terrible. The book is full of grammatical errors and typos. Avoidable.

— Ritu Pandey

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TRADITIONS OF THE WORLD [WHAT TO EXPERIENCE] amnagar ki Ramlila of Varanasi, the nearly 200-year-old traditional rendition of the Ram Charit Manas, the story of Lord Ram written by Tulsi Das, and one of the biggest living theatres of the world that uses no artificial sound or light, is now on television. DD Bharati, the national broadcaster, is airing it daily at 8.30 pm till October 27 — coinciding with the actual lila at Ramnagar which is also on — after the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) filmed it for archival purposes.

The Ramlila, which was recognised as an intangible world cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2005, has been a closed affair so far. No channel has never been allowed to record it. A special case has been made for the Government of India. Organised under the patronage of the king of Varanasi, who resides in the Ramnagar Fort, the Ramlila is performed over 31 days, during which the audience moves from one place to other to watch different acts.

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ttarakhand hosts two literary events — the seven-yearold original Mussoorie Writers’ Mountain Festival and its newest copy, the Kumaon Literary Festival.

The first is a celebration of Himalayan culture and natural history by the hill writers at the Woodstock School in Mussoorie. The event is planned between Oct 22 and 25, and will see performances, lectures, film screenings and exhibitions on “Women and Mountains.” The second is being hailed as India’s first travelling literary festival, which will take attendees to the village of Dhanachuli for three days and then to Abbotsford, a heritage property in Nainital, for the last two days with noted writers in attendance from Oct 23 to 27. There will be discussions and readings, interactions with authors but with enough leisure for you to make friends, go for walks, bird watching and spend time with the locals.

For details log on to www.mussooriewriters.com & www.kumaonliterary festival.org.

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WANDERLUST [FESTIVALS & HAPPENINGS] o SAARC Sufi Festival The 3rd edition features Sufi readings, interactions and music performances. In attendance will be over 200 Sufi scholars, poets and artistes from the SAARC nations. When: Oct 10-12 Where: Diggi Palace, Jaipur

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SIGNOFF

FESTIVECAPERS fervour, we happily spread the cheer with swift DP ou can take the puja out of Bengal but you changes, texts, quotes and motifs of Agomoni (heralds of cannot take it out of the Bengali. So on a the goddess’ arrival). bright October day, I am guilty of feeling Women and girls crowd salons and are perpetually like the rest of the community. An old disgusted with their tailors for not getting the right fit emigre far away, a young native at soul. of the trendy blouses that they intend teaming up with For what else is celebration but to bring out the best their swishy saris, lovingly bought over many Sundays that we can ever be, revisit the familiar with a touch of before. You see that is the time they want to look like fun and reconnect with the same people without the selfie-ready goddesses themselves, totally oblivious of the boredom of deja vu. fact that they are that most of the time. But the sari So what is a Bong guilty of during the season of empowers and liberates them from uniformity. Men are Durga puja and Navratris, both an invocation to the happy if they can get their most wanted gizmo under kernel of femininity as a source of power and continuity the happy umbrella head of “puja expense.” And though of Creation? Falling at the feet of the goddess and boys will be boys, eyeing pretty young things, what they making her the very axis of our daily existence. We really like doing is fraternising, talking about everything Delhi Bongs claim to catch the nip in the air first, the under the sun, from ideology to economy. The allsight of kaash flowers swaying wildly on the marshy nighter, genderless routine is sanctioned by everybody at islands of the Yamuna or the smell of the clumpy shiuli home, provided you show up in time for among many of the city’s patchy groves the morning anjali and are volunteering enough to merit as hallmarks of the by to ladle out afternoon bhog. And should Indian Fall. The heart jumps a little at Ma RINKU GHOSH you be member of an organising and Maati’s motifs playing out in the committee, then you are on a 24X7 alertness to find backyard. Given that Mahalaya is hardly felt in the out about rivals and get your puja featured in the local Capital — though Bengali TV channels religiously TV channel! Nothing is more sacred than a badge of beam a dance drama of Mahishashurmardini — we do Sharad Shamman. Bong migrants have successfully make sure that we have the authentic AIR version of wangled Kolkata sponsors to create a category called Birendra Krishna Bhadra, the best chanter of shlokas, Probashi Pujas. play at some point during the day.

Then there is the food or bhog. Much as you We become super-efficient these days and switch would detest khichdi and chochori as an unremarkable over to project countdown mode, ticking off every to-do home staple, you would just wipe off khichdi and labra list before the puja break, which may stretch to all four days like you’ve had manna from heaven. While Mahashasthi at a clutch (having applied for this leave at honouring the vegetarian routine of the rituals, we least six to eight months ago, so as not to clash with satisfy our more carnivorous desires by simply other applicants). By chance that big project drops in outsourcing this job to outsiders. Away from the sacred from somewhere, necessitating emergency presence, we contours, we delegate a corner to accommodate every grin and bear it because the fun quotient, like pandalcuisine of the world. As they say, no celebration is hopping or watching some great cultural shows, complete without the mandatory pet pooja. happens only at night. If still wanting in mood and

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VOL 9 NO 12

1 Acre =4046.825 sq. mts.

EXOTICA

RNI NO. DELENG/2006/18084 POSTAL REGN. NO. DL (C)-01/1151/13-15 Posted at NDPSO on 10th, 11th & 12th of same month Published on 30th of Advance Month

OCTOBER 2015