CULTURAMA APRIL 2011

VOLUME 2, iSSUE 2 april 2011

`40

Previously known as At A Glance – Understanding India

a tribute to

women

Fair Game wisdom prosperity Batting for energy Wisdom

A look at India’s animal fairs and festivals

Catching On

Celebrating cricket with two new columns – Star Struck and Rising India

In conversation with spiritual master, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

D e a r

R e a d e r s

A quarter of knowledge is learned from a teacher, The second quarter the student learns by her own reflection, The third is learned from her fellow students in class, The final quarter of knowledge... she learns from life experience.

IT’S difficult not to be impacted by this Sanskrit saying because no matter how varied our learning is, it never departs from the wisdom of these simple verses.

We had the rare opportunity to rediscover our own sense of learning the past month on not one, but three occasions. The success of the first iLive2Lead India programme was as unexpected as it was gratifying. 21 young women of India worked with a cross-section of national and international leaders and shared their dreams for a better future. And in the four intensive days of interaction, the young girls showed us one thing loud and clear – the passion to excel is constantly evolving and therefore needs to be constantly nurtured.

The second instance was when we sat down to work on Culturama. Already a year had gone by and it surprised us, albeit pleasantly, to see the magazine’s revamped avatar take on a journey of its own, and we needed to catch up. So this issue, we are delighted to present a few new columns based on your valuable feedback and look forward to receiving your comments to culturama@ globaladjustments.com. Do take a look at our new A-Z of India that gives you an interesting overview in alphabetical order of a specific theme; Star Struck, that tells you why certain celebrities in India acquire the demi-God status; Rising India that introduces you to one of India’s upcoming achievers; Bursting the Bubble, a new column by Ian Watkinson that lets us see India through the expatriate perspective; a fresh perspective to the India Snapshot with Pascal Reynaud's delightful graphic designs; and much more. Exciting times ahead, as Culturama steps into its second year.

And finally, our education sort of came full circle with our second musi-cultural journey through India, Aikya 2011. We had the honour of hosting two renowned classical musicians, Sudha Ragunathan and T M Krishna in a unique concert on the theme of dualities, conceptualised by the Global Adjustments team. Among the several little things we learnt from both musicians, what I hold dear to my heart is their sense of humility and the ready acceptance of new ideas. I credit the stupendous success of the show to that rare quality.

So my dear readers, here’s to new beginnings, new learnings, new knowledge, for as the Sanskrit saying denotes, it is the true essence of life.

Ranjini Manian Editor-in-Chief

culturama | april 2011

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contents 24

14 Coffee & Conversation

In Good Spirits

16 A-Z of INdia

Monumental Effort

It is a known fact that cricket fever sweeps the country every year and even these young monks are not spared from its contagious spirit.

The image is symbolic of the common undying love and fanaticism that is shared by millions across India, for the sport that is often mimicked to be the country’s religion. As you will discover in the month of April, cricket is often just a way of life in India.

20 india on a platter

Hot Stuff 24 Feature

On Fair Ground 28 Look who's in town

Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai & Delhi

30 India immersion centre

Double Impact & Leading the Way

Ranjini Manian Praveena Shivram Poonam M Ganglani, Lakshmi Krupa Amreetha Janardhan JayaKrishna Behera Prem Kumar Anupama Raj, Yuvarani Peter Shubha Seetharaman, Divya Vasan Preeti Bindra, Ruchika Srivastava Farah Bakhshay, Viji subramaniam, Ashish Chaulkar Timeri N Murari, N Ram, Elaine Wood, James J Williams, G Venket Ram, Carmen HUTHOEFER-HEINRICH

Chennai 5, 3rd Main Road, R. A. Puram, Chennai 600028, India.

Telefax. +91-44-24617902 E-mail:

Straight Talk

44 Rising INdia

Pitch Perfect

46 Bursting the Bubble

34 Calendars Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Associate Editor Assistant editor creative head Associate Designer Advertising Chennai Bengaluru Delhi-NCR Mumbai & Pune

Advisory Committee

42 View from the top

Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai & Delhi

40 Photo feature

Art House Realities

Point of Contact 48 Wisdom trail

Still Lives

50 India & I

50

Reel Stories 52 Star Struck

Sachin Tendulkar

54 Inner Space

Corridors of Power 54 name sake

Grain of Truth

Bengaluru 216, Prestige Center Point, Off Cunningham Road, 7, Edward Road, Bengaluru 560052. Tel.+91-80-41267152/41148540.

E-mail: blr@globaladjustments.com

56 Holistic living

Delhi-NCR Level 4, Augusta Point, DLF Golf Course Road, Sector-53, Gurgaon - 122 002. Haryana. Tel.+91-124-435 4236.

E-mail: del@globaladjustments.com

58 iSeries

Mumbai/Pune Rustom Court, 2nd Floor, Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai 400030.

Tel.+91-22-66104191/2 E-mail: mum@globaladjustments.com

Published and owned by Ranjini Manian at #5, 3rd Main Road, Raja Annamalai Puram, Chennai – 600028 and printed by K Srinivasan of Srikals Graphics Pvt Ltd at #5, Balaji Nagar, 1st Street, Ekkattuthangal, Chennai – 600097.

Editor: Ranjini Manian

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Time Out

iRead, iSee, iHear, iLike & iAsk

64 PORTRAIT OF INDIA 66 INDIA SNAPSHOT 68 FESTIVALS OF INDIA 70 space & the city

N e w s w o r t h y

Pushing for Darkness

Letters to the Editor

ON MARCH 26th, between 8.30 p.m and 9.30 p.m, millions welcomed darkness into their homes, offices and countries, rendering support to WWF’s Earth Hour initiative. The website even launched a page with a virtual light switch – a cool online application that enables users to practice flicking a virtual switch, also acting as a reminder to participate in the initiative. In addition, this year, the “Beyond the Hour” project was launched helping people share their stories on actions they have taken to make the world a better place.

Source: www.earthhour.org

Dear Editor, “Culturama brings out the various facets of India in a colourful and pleasing manner. Every issue takes you through the length and breadth of the country exposing us to its people, landscape, architecture, history and culture.

The quality of the presentation is first class.

All the very best to the ‘Culturama Team’ and please keep up the good work.”

— M.N.Janardhan, Vice President – Operations, Primex Infrastructure Pvt.Ltd Dear Editor, “I enjoy reading Culturama and especially enjoyed the Women’s Day special issue. The Wonder Women series, along with India’s mythological stories, were a rare treat indeed.

Bravo!”

— Akila Srinivasan Dear Editor, “II have been a regular reader of Culturama.

Although it is essentially meant to orient and familiarise expatriates to the city and to Indian way of life - its culture, value systems, ethos, etc – I think its rich content makes for very interesting reading, even if you are not an expat. I particularly enjoy reading the features as well as the little nuggets on mythology and Indian culture. Keep up the good work!”

— Akhila Krishnamurthy

Send your reader feedback to culturama@globaladjustments.com

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culturama | april 2011

Time Cycle THE ‘Earth Hour 2011 Cyclothon’ held in Delhi saw over 100 enthusiastic cyclists demonstrating solidarity and support for Earth Hour 2011. The ceremonial flag off was done by fashion models Sonalika Sahay and Lakshmi Rana. The participants began at the BRT Corridor (near Ambedkar Nagar), cycling the streets of New Delhi, reinforcing their commitment to the cause. It was great to see that the cyclists were a diverse mix of demographics viz. executives from corporate houses, students from schools and colleges and even homemakers!

Source: www.earthhour.in

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in good spirits

THE presence of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has the power to bring a positive surge of energy to a room. With eyes that reflect wisdom and a smile that speaks of experience, the spiritual leader redefines existing notions of a ‘guru’ by blurring the boundaries between the ancient and the contemporary. The Isha Foundation, founded by the Sadhguru with the mission to ‘cultivate human potential’, has beautifully touched and transformed the lives of millions across the globe, through its many volunteers. In conversation with women from the Harvard Women’s Leadership board on the occasion of Global Adjustments’ 100th International Women’s Day celebrations last month, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev speaks of the qualities of the masculine and the feminine, changing social values and the meaning of spirituality.

How does one immerse oneself in spirituality, while at the same time remaining grounded in pragmatic life?

If you eat badly, dress badly, live badly, you must be spiritual. This is the image we have created in the world. This is a very wrong image. If you have to succeed in the material world, if you need a certain level of intelligence to succeed in another dimension of who you are, you need much more intelligence. A fool cannot succeed in that. It’s just that it’s a different dimension of intelligence. And feminine is very capable of that because the feminine itself is a different dimension of intelligence. The reason why this question comes is generally, if you say spirituality or the spiritual process, then immediately we mix it up with religion.

Now if we say religion, largely we are talking about devotional movements, we are not talking about actions. This is a

culture, this is a nation where the spiritual process and science and mathematics and cosmology and all these things have lived together. Every yogi is naturally a mathematician, naturally involved with various aspects of mathematics, naturally involved with music, naturally involved with the other dimensions of life. If you look back in history, there are several examples. So why this is so is because the fundamentals of yoga is to have the masculine and the feminine in equal proportions within you. Shiva as Ardhanari literally means he is half woman half man without this dimension he cannot be a yogi.

So, to be steeped in the spiritual process does not mean you lose all your senses. That image has come because you have generally seen devotees.

Devotion is a fabulous thing, but devotion is fostered only when you are a very simple, innocent human being. When you

have a doubting mind, trying to be devout will only make you dissatisfied. Right now, for most people, devotion means going to the temple and saying, Oh god, I am giving you a 100 rupees today, you must give me a million rupees tomorrow. Can you find any man or woman in this city or in this world who is willing to make a deal with you like this? You will never find such a fool. This is trying to route your survival process through heaven. This is not devotion. This is survival. To survive on this planet, you don’t need god. You don’t need anything. You just have to learn how to use these four limbs and a few brain cells; that’s all you need to survive on this planet.

How does one achieve a balance between the masculine and the feminine?

First thing is to not identify with body parts, because what makes a male or female is essentially their body systems.

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I would say, don’t go guru shopping, just intensify your longing.

So being so heavily identified with reproductive organs will definitely shackle our intelligence. If we look beyond our body, the balance will naturally happen.

In the social construct, what would you say is our biggest weakness and our biggest strength?

Our biggest weakness is our education system, which is trying to obliterate the feminine. In India, however, our biggest strength is that our culture is naturally and strongly feminine. If you retain the Indian culture, the feminine will live. If you slowly transform this into a Western country, because our idea of development is completely Western, our idea of modernity is completely Western, our idea of anything superior is Western.

If we pursue this thing like this, we will say that there is no feminine left. But if you look at our culture closely, you will see that it is extremely feminine.

So many Western cultures today are moving towards India’s wisdom and spirituality. How would you describe that? Would you call that a movement towards the feminine?

That means we are setting up an India museum in the West and showing it here (laughs). But certainly, there is a shift, compared to what it was like fifty years ago. Today there is a big shift in the West.

And also a big shift in the East. We are losing it very rapidly. What we did not give up when swords and guns were pointed at us, MTV is doing it (laughs).

With so many paths for spiritual enlightenment today, how does one choose what is personally right for him or her?

How to go guru shopping, you mean (laughs)? I would say, don’t go guru shop14

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ping, just intensify your longing. That’s all you have to do. You will invariably end up in the right place. So if you go to a place and you like everything about it, maybe that’s not the place for you. If you go sit with a guru, and if you find that his very presence is threatening for you and at the same time you want to be there, that’s a good place to be. Because he is only threatening all the limitations within you. So if you don’t feel threatened by him, you should not go, it’s no good.

We have read that you slip into a pair of jeans as easily as you slip into your robes, that you seamlessly combine the ancient and the modern….

I am neither ancient nor modern. I think I just conduct life as it comes and as it’s necessary to do in a situation. If you do any activity, it must be relevant to the situation, isn’t it? Otherwise it will become an irrelevant action. So people are giving it all sorts of names, that I am ancient, modern, this and that, it’s nothing; I am just being life.

Spirituality can get overwhelming. How do I make sure that I’m not getting carried away with it?

If the spiritual process does not overwhelm you, what the heck, it has to overwhelm! I mean, the very life process should overwhelm you. If the phenomena of life do not overwhelm you, then what are you here for? Do you want to go here sterile, untouched by life? This question arises only because we think that it’s going to cripple you from doing other things, which is not true. It will enable you; the spiritual process is an empowering process, not a crippling process. Another thing is that maybe there

are people recounting negative stories about their experience of how they were misused or exploited or whatever. That’s happening in all spheres of life, but when it happens in this sphere of life, people take it to their heart, which is naturally so, because this sphere of life runs on trust.

That’s why the way I conduct the thing is, we conduct it as a science. You grow into it. When your experience is strong enough, when you are really grounded in a certain way, only then the other dimensions are needed for you. Till then you grow logically, it’s fine. You must run long enough on the ground before you try to take off. But the first moment if you want to take off, then you have to go to a cliff. Then you will fly for some time and then you will hit the ground. So it is just that people are unwilling to go through the process. They want to just do this (snaps his fingers) and it should happen to you. They will come to me and say “Sadhguru, it doesn’t matter, just touch me and it must happen.” They have read in some book that somebody touched somebody and something happens. I said I am not going to touch you, go and work.

So even spirituality is something you need to work towards?

It’s not that, it can be instantaneous.

What I am saying is what needs to be worked at is not the spiritual process but the nature of your mind, your thoughts and emotions. You must be able to look beyond that and at the same time be grounded enough to understand what’s what. Otherwise, you don’t know if you are going forward or backward. So establishing a scientific process is very important.

A to Z of India

S u s a n P h i l ip

Monumental Effort Welcome aboard for a whistle-stop tour of Indian history through its monuments and sculptures!

Agra Fort (UP): This was one of Emperor Akbar’s big projects. He rebuilt and improved upon an existing edifice using red sandstone and is arguably India’s most important fort.

A

Brihadishwara Temple (TN): Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is the diadem on the crown of the Chola Empire. Architecturally a mega project, it is home to invaluable murals, statutes and idols. It was consecrated in AD 1009 – 10 and recently celebrated its millennium.

B

Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (Gujarat): Located at the foot of the Pavagadh Hill near Baroda, it is a treasure trove of archaeological relics, ranging from prehistoric times to the 15th Century AD.

C

Dholavira (Gujarat): An Indus Valley Civilisation site, this is reckoned to be the fifth largest Harappan site in the Indian subcontinent, and is still being excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India.

D

Elephanta Caves (Maharashtra): The sculptures in these ancient caves are truly awesome.

The caves are located on the erstwhile island capital of the Konkan Mauryas. The most famous statue here is the gigantic Maheshamurti. Others include various forms of Lord Shiva, like Ardhanarishwara and Nataraja.

E

Fathepur Sikhri (UP): This walled city was especially dear to Emperor Akbar. Look for the saint’s tomb here, and also the homes of Jodha Bai, Akbar’s great love, and Birbal, his quick-witted minister.

F

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Gateway of India (Maharashtra): This Basalt arch was built to commemorate King George Vand Queen Mary's visit Mumbai in 1911. The design of the arch incorporates elements of both Hindu and Islamic traditions. When the British finally left India in 1947, the final battalions passed through the Gateway.

G

Hampi (Karnataka): The seat of the once mighty Vijayanagar Empire, many of the monuments here came up between AD 1336 and 1570.

During this period, there was a renaissance of Hindu religion, art and architecture. The remnants are extensive and offer glimpses into the grandeur of the times.

H

India Gate (New Delhi): This imposing memorial to the Indian soldiers who laid down their lives for the cause of the Allied powers in World War I was designed by Lutyens, who was also the mastermind behind the capital city of New Delhi.

I

Jantar Mantar (Rajasthan): Built by Raja Jai Singh II, this observatory is located in Jaipur and is believed to be the world’s largest stone observatory. The sundial is accurate to within two seconds.

J

Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh): It is replete with temples, most of them in sandstone. These temples were built by the Chandella dynasty.

Only 25 of the original 85 temples remain standing. The most imposing is the one dedicated to Kandariya Mahadeva.

K

The Lotus Temple (New Delhi): This breathtaking structure is different from most others in this list because of its ‘modern’ origin. It was completed as recently as 1986. It belongs to the Baha’i faith and is built in the distinctive shape of a lotus.

L

Mahabalipuram (TN): Also known as Mamallapuram, it was famous as a sea port even as long ago as the 1st Century AD. Today, it is famous for its magnificent rock sculptures like the massive Arjuna’s Penance, the Shore Temple complex, and the intricately carved raths or chariots.

M

Nalanda (Bihar): Founded in the 5th Century AD by the Gupta Dynasty, this residential university enjoyed special repute as a hub of Buddhist knowledge.

The seeds of this centre of learning reportedly go even further back in time, and there is some evidence to show that it attracted students from across the world even then.

N

magnificent horses. The whole structure, temple, carvings, statues et al., reflect the glory of the reign of Narasimhadeva.

Tomb of Humayun: The final resting place of Humayun, father of the great Emperor Akbar, this was the first garden-tomb in the subcontient, and a trend-setter. A World Heritage site, this Delhi monument is spectacularly illuminated, and is the venue of an annual International Sufi festival. .

T

Udayagiri Sculptures (Orissa): These examples of early Jain art are valuable historical records. In the incisions cut into the rock walls we find mention of the Cheti dynasty, which was reputedly very powerful.

U

ld Fort (Delhi): Old Fort or, as it is known locally, Purana Qila was was built by Humayun in 1538 and is one of Delhi's oldest standing monuments. Sher Shah Suri, the Afghan ruler, defeated Humayun and annexed the region and also built a mosque in the the fort.

Vyas Chhatri (Rajasthan): The Cenotaph of Sage Vyas lies close to Jaisalmer Fort. Also known as Sunset Point, Vyas Chhatri offers breathtaking views of the sun going down on Jaisalmer. Sage Vyas is credited with having authored the great epic, the Mahabharata.

P

Pattadakal (Karnataka): This was where the Chalukya Kings were crowned. It is a beautiful illustration of sculptural art, and the nine planets carved on the ceiling, the Nataraja, and scenes from the epics as well as the Panchatantra, bear testimony to the artistes’ skill.

War Memorial (Arunachal Pradesh): Ringed by snow-capped peaks, this 40-foot structure in the Tawang Chu Valley commemorates the martyrs of the Indo-China War of 1962. The manycoloured structure is shaped like a stupa, the symbol of peace and nonviolence in Buddhist imagery.

Qutub Minar: Considered a victory symbol, marking the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu king, this soaring monument was begun

by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in the 12th century AD. It took over 150 years to complete. When you visit, look for the iron pillar, and find out why it's special.

X

O

Q

Red Fort (Delhi): Although a mark of the zenith of Emperor Shah Jahan’s might, the Red Fort can be termed a fusion of the Persian, Timurid and Hindu architectural styles. It was a trailblazer for later buildings.

R

Sun Temple (Orissa): This stupendous monument in Konarak, dedicated to the Sun God, is designed to represent the twelve-wheeled chariot of the Sun God, drawn by seven

S

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W

St.Xavier’s Chapel (Goa): Dedicated to St. Francis Xavier, the present structure, owing much to the Doric style, was built in 1884 on the site of a chapel constructed by St. Francis Xavier in the 1540s. The well here is said to have miraculous powers.

Yuksom (Sikkim): This Heritage village is home to Buddhist monasteries and monuments and is on the Buddhist pilgrimage circuit.

The name literally means ‘meeting of three learned monks’.

Y

Zafar Mahal (Delhi): This is perhaps the architectural swan song of the Moghul dynasty.

Originally built by Akbar Shah II in the 18th Century, the entrance gate was rebuilt by Bahadur Shah Zafar II in 19th century. The word Zafar means ‘victory’.

Z

India on a Platter

Poonam M ganglani

Hot Stuff The variegated cuisine of Andhra Pradesh has something for everyone, all flaming hot and delectable!

BRING together the wholesome qualities of South Indian cuisine and the full flavours of North India. Fire up the spice quotient by several notches and you will get the punchy cuisine of Andhra Pradesh. Between its three distinct regions, this south-eastern state of India comprises a veritable patchwork of food cultures.

Nature has been kind to Coastal Andhra Pradesh, giving it a rich reservoir of resources in the bordering Bay of Bengal. Sea food dishes and an eclectic mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delights from this region are all united by wickedly hot chillies, among the most notorious produced in the world. The Northern ‘Telengana’ region, ruled by Muslim dynasties for over four hundred years, reflects a conspicuous Mughal legacy on the plate. Its luscious ‘Hyderabadi biryani’, with alternating layers of rice and meat, is a prized jewel and the state capital’s claim to fame. The revolutionary history of the Southern Rayalaseema region has translated to a fiery cuisine, as much at home with tangy vegetable curries as with roasted meats.

There are, however, many elements of the state’s cuisine that cut across regional boundaries. The generous use of ginger, garlic, pulses and roasted groundnuts is a common feature in dishes, as is the prime spot held by curries, chutneys, and pickles. A model meal from Andhra Pradesh would open with a glass of ‘paanagam’, made with jaggery, ginger

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and raw mango. Following the healthy coolant is a serving of rice, doused in ‘ghee’ (clarified butter), a spicy seasoning ‘pappula podi’ and the legendary sorrel leaves chutney ‘gongura pachadi’. Relished along with these is the slick mango pickle or ‘avakaya ooragaya’, the culinary pride of Andhra Pradesh. Next on the dish list are ‘aaku koora pappu’, a lentil-based leaf vegetable curry and ‘mukkala pulusu’, a watery vegetable stew, paired with rice. Meaty treats like the spicy stir-fried chicken, ‘kodi iguru’ or the tamarind fish curry, ‘chepala pulusu’ also feature on the platter.

Conspicuous by their absence are the Indian breads that feature in most other Indian cuisines. While rice is the centrepiece of Andhra Pradesh’s diet, ‘jonna roti’ made from sorghum flour is a unique breadbased staple, popularly coupled with ‘gutti vankaya’ or stuffed eggplant stew.

Easing the system after the ambitious main course is ‘perugu’ or buttermilk and ‘majjiga’ or curd. Sweets are also welcome at this final stage and ‘bobbatlu’, a gleaming pancake stuffed with coconut and jaggery and cooked on a griddle, is a popular favourite.

Equally exquisite is ‘pootharekulu’, a wafer-thin rice roll enclosing powdered sugar and cardamom.

Assorted as they are, each dish is equally symbolic of Andhra Pradesh, ensuring that there is something to match all tastes. This, with its unrivalled spice content and distinctive flavours, has made it a surefire hit across the country.

Pesarattu Green Gram Pancake Ingredients For the ‘pesarattu’ (pancake): Whole green gram (‘moong’) with skin – 1 cup Green chillies – 2 Cumin seeds – ½ tsp Ginger – ½ tsp Salt to taste

For the topping Onions – 1, finely chopped Green chillies – 1, minced Ginger – ½ tsp, minced Oil – 1 tsp per pancake

Method 1. Wash and soak the green gram for six hours.

2. Grind it to a coarse paste with chillies, ginger, cumin and salt.

4. When the pan is hot, spread a ladlefull of batter thinly and evenly.

5. Drizzle oil along the edges and cook over medium heat until the ‘pesarattu’ begins to brown slightly.

Special thanks to Mohan C.C., General Manager and Meena T., R & D Head, Isha Life, Chennai, for their valuable inputs on the cuisine of Andhra Pradesh.

6. Mix together the ingredients for the topping and sprinkle thinly on the cooked ‘pesarattu’.

7. Fold over and serve with ‘allam pachadi’ or ginger chutney.

Quick Bytes ▪ For an authentic Andhra Pradesh meal, head to ‘Southern Spice’ in Hyderabad. You may have to queue outside for a table but it will be worth the wait!

▪ Guntur in Andhra Pradesh caters to the largest Asian market for red chillies. A newly initiated global ‘spice park’ is currently being established in the city.

▪ ‘Ghee’ (clarified butter) is a vital component of Andhra Pradesh’s cuisine. Apart from neutralising the effects of spices, ‘ghee’ aids in digestion, is lactose-free and is rich with antioxidants.

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In the Kitchen Before your extra mushrooms go bad, use your blender to puree them in water, pour into ice cube trays and freeze till solid.

Remove from trays and store in freezer in plastic bags.

They make a great addition to soups and sauces.

Broccoli stems can be cooked in the same length of time as the flowerettes if you make an ‘x’ incision from the top to bottom through stems.

In a hurry? Cut a thin slice from each end of the potato before baking it in the oven.

Seasonal Fruits Rose apple

Chaambakaa, Jambu

Photo & Recipe Courtesy: Isha Life, Chennai

3. Heat a non-stick ‘dosa’ pan (available in convenience stores).

Where Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Orissa, between March and July.

What It is a high source of calcium and phosphorus and improves brain and liver functions.

When Consumption should be within a few days of ripening as they rot quickly.

How The ripe fruit is pinkish-white in colour and is more popularly eaten after being soaked in a salt solution. The seeds are considered to be toxic upon regular consumption and must not be eaten.

Feature

Dr . C h it h r a M a d h a v a n

On Fair Ground 24

culturama | april 2011

An intrinsic part of India’s vibrant culture is her rich repertoire of animal festivals and fairs

Photo Emmanuel Mancion, france

INDIA’S unique culture not only sees its people revere a number of animals but also celebrate and showcase them through fairs and festivals. And these are not isolated to any one part of the subcontinent.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the popular, the unique and the lesser known animal fairs and festivals of India.

Camel Calling One of India’s most famous and colourful fairs needs little introduction. We are indeed talking about the one held in the small and holy town of Pushkar, in the north-western state of Rajasthan. The annual Pushkar Camel Fair (Pushkar ka mela) is one of the largest livestock fairs in the world. Held every year in November for five days, the most important of which is the day of the full moon, this spectacular and crowded festival attracts visitors from across the globe. Set on the banks of the Pushkar Lake, camels, sometimes estimated to be around 60,000 in number, and other livestock such as cows, goats, sheep and even ponies are traded. One of the biggest crowd-pullers at the fair is the camel race. Hundreds of families camp at the river’s bank during this fair. Hawkers peddling bangles, pottery, puppets, knickknacks and adornments for cattle alongside an array of local gastronomic offering add more colour to the festivities. There is also a lot of religious fervour attached to the camel festival in this town that has about 400 temples.

Taming the Bull Bull fights are a common feature in many festivals of India, especially in the southern part of the country. This is said to be a centuries-old tradition. It is believed that in times bygone, young men who tamed the ferocious bull were the most eligible grooms! A small bag of coins was tied to the horns of the bull to be claimed as prize money by the man who tamed it. Jalli kattu is a form of bull fight organised in Tiruchirapalli, Madurai and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. It generally coincides with the Pongal celebrations in January, but is now organised anytime between January and June. These festivities take place in open spaces where a large number of people can gather around to watch. The bulls are garlanded and have their horns sharpened and painted in bright colours. In the jalli kattu, the bulls are aggressive and the men who are to tame them do so using only their bare hands. The calves which are trained to become jalli kattu bulls are fed nutritious diets so they turn out to be healthy and strong. Specific training is not imparted to the animals, but they are often taken to the scene of fights so that they are used to being in the midst of large, noisy crowds. The man trying to tame the bull usually tries to hang on to its hump, while the animal tries to get rid of him by piercing him or tossing him aside with its horns. In the general milieu, many are wounded, sometimes sustaining serious injuries. The bull is usually not seriously wounded nor is it killed. The intention is not to kill the animal, but to tame it. There have been protests by animal rights activists to stop the practice of jalli kattu.

Assorted Fare In Kaurali, a town in the erstwhile princely state of Rajasthan, an animal fair is held annually for one week in February. This event coincides with Mahasivaratri (a festival held in honour of Lord Shiva, one of the most important deities of Hindus). Thousands of different types of animals are brought here for trading, making it one of the most important animal fairs in the world. As in many such rural fairs in India, Photo thomas valero, UK

culturama | april 2011

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other commodities including household goods and most importantly a selection of culinary assortments are also sold here.

Photo Jeniffer, USA

Trunk Talk Kerala, hailed as God’s own country, plays host to a large elephant populace. Almost every temple in Kerala has an elephant on its premises. A famous festival called the Trissur pooram festival is celebrated in the town of Trissur during the asterism (nakshatram) called Pooram every year in the month of Medam (mid-April to mid-May).

It is celebrated in the Vadakkunathan (Shiva) temple which is situated atop a charming hillock.

Elaborately caparisoned huge tuskers from

Photo bart bradley, USA

temples in the surrounding areas assemble in procession at the Vadakkunnathan temple, making this one of the most well-attended temple festivals, drawing thousands of people from India and around the globe. In the elephant pageant in the evening, two lines of huge elephants face each other in the vast grounds outside the temple, with the mahouts sitting atop the elephants holding erect colourful parasols made with great care. A fan, round in shape, made of peacock feathers as also a fly-whisk are held by two men who remain standing on the back of each pachyderm.

Nearby stand musicians playing on musical instruments; this festival is associated with the playing of the pancha vadyam, which means an orchestra of five musical instruments – four percussion and one wind instrument. The ‘kudamattam’, or the exchange of the colourful parasols or umbrellas, is a ritual undertaken with competitive spirit between two ‘rival’ temples that have been the chief promoters of the pooram festival and is its attraction.

Snake Charmers In several parts of India, there is a special festival called Nag Panchami, which takes place in August on the fifth day following the new moon. Nag in Sanskrit, the classical language of India, means snake and panchami is the fifth day following the full moon or new moon. In this festival, offerings are made to images of snakes or to ant-hills where snakes are believed to reside. A tiny town called Battis Shirala, approximately 50 km from Kohlapur in the state of Maharashtra, is specially known for this festival. The thick forests of this hilly region have many species of snakes.

Before the onset of the Nag Panchami, men go to the forests

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Photo Secondo Balducci, ITALY

and lure the snakes out. They are returned to their natural habitat after the festival of eight to ten days is over. This festival is believed to counter the possibility of snakebites that happen during the rainy season.

Fly Away Bhogali Bihu, also known as Magh Bihu, is an ancient festival of the state of Assam celebrated in January after farming and harvesting is completed and the agriculturists are free from the work load. Feasts, dances and buffalo fights mark the celebrations of this festival. Bird fights are also part of the festivities. Birds are caught prior to the festival, are well nourished and trained to fight and finally set free after the celebrations.

Monkey Business Perhaps the most interesting of all the festivals is the ‘monkey festival’ , called the langur ceremony, celebrated in Amritsar in the state of Punjab. It is a part of the famous tenday festival known as Dusshera. This ceremony takes place in a temple dedicated to Hanuman, the famous monkeygod. There are no monkeys participating in this festival, but only children! Children dressed up as langurs (a species of monkey) go bare-foot to the temple in the mornings and evenings for ten days. Devotees promise to send their child dressed as a monkey if their prayer to Hanuman for a child is fulfilled. Many childless adults also dress up as langurs seeking the blessings of Hanuman for an offspring. The l` angurs’ wear red outfits (including tails) with conical caps and carry gold- or silver-coloured staffs.

Look who’s in Town

France & Argentina

delhi

chennai

Japan

Sylvie Nicolas Nadia & Chiara Poulteney, Yumi Kato

Petroleum Geologist

Homemaker, Student

My India, My Country The people in India are kinder. In Japan, especially in a big city like Tokyo where I come from, people don’t want to connect.

A similarity I see is how both our countries share the love and respect for the family.

My Favourite Indian I can’t think of anyone specific right now; maybe given more time in India, I can answer this question better.

My Indian Cuisine Dosa! My servant maid prepares it very well and taught me how to cook the same, though I made mine too thick. I also tried and like biriyni and tandoori chicken! But experimenting with the various spices and tastes is difficult with my young daughter always around..

My India Insight What I like is that there are many women in India who still wear sarees and bindis on their forehead, and are unaffected by the influence of the West. What I dislike is how in India they don’t divide garbage. Maybe, I can help once I better understand India’s economic situation.

My Tip to India We do not understand the various nods of Indians. It is hard to comprehend when it means a yes or a no. It would be better to answer by saying it instead!

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My India, My Country The greenery, the monuments of Delhi, the palaces of old empires, the monsoon, the colours, the spices, the sarees, the turbans and the flowers are all about our sensations and emotional feelings. Similarly in Argentina, we also place a lot of emphasis on our emotions, family and beauty of Nature.

My Favourite Indian Rabindranath Tagore.

My Indian Cuisine Despite no meat, which is a bit difficult for someone coming from Argentina, I love Indian food: chicken tikka, naan, Gujarati thali, dal, chapatti, raita.

My India Insight The 21st century will be an amazingly exciting period for India. The new dynamics will push India to the very top of the table. Happily, this country has much to offer and teach the rest of the world.

My Tip to India People should look into the eyes and speak to us because in my culture when we don’t look in the eyes we are hiding something. We are warm and friendly so don’t hesitate to come up to us with a smile!

Germany

Matthias and Victoria Wlaka

Matthias is Senior Manager at Accenture and Victoria is a travel photographer

My India, My Country India and Germany are quite different in almost all aspects. Be it food, religion, importance of the family, relationships and marriage or music and movies. One thing that both countries definitely have in common is the enthusiasm for sports.

Indians are as crazy for cricket as Germans are for football.

My Favourite Indian I admire a couple of outstanding people of Indian nationality working at Accenture. Having the opportunity of working with them is a great experience.

My Indian Cuisine I love Indian food in general, but I am particularly fond of Kerala cuisine. Other than that I love masala dosa, vada with coconut chutney, Kashmiri naan and pulav and pineapple raita.

My India Insight I especially like the Indian hospitality that I’ve experienced wherever I have travelled. What I feel is lacking, especially in Bengaluru, are things like nature museums, classical concerts or more English theatre plays.

My Tip to India Germans use the word “no”. This should not offend anyone; it is just our way of saying “no”. I know that many Indians would say “no” in different ways.

Coughing or snorting while on the phone with a German could create a bad impression.

And finally, for many Germans, a meal without meat is not a proper meal!

mumbai

bengaluru

usa

Brooke Leinberger

Director of Admissions, Ascend International School

My India, My Country When I arrived in India, preparations were being made for the Diwali festival. People were outside everywhere, celebrating. This reminded me of Thanksgiving and Christmas, though they are not as widespread as Diwali in India. Mostly families are together, indoors. We string lights too but it is a quiet subtle beauty versus the explosive shower of playful colour.

My Favourite Indian I admire the literary community of India that has contributed commentary, compassion, humour and reflection on the diverse and complex society that is India.

My Indian Cuisine One of my favourite dishes is the South Indian “curd rice”!

My India Insight Tolerance and diversity are aspects of Indian society that I admire very much. While a universal condition of societies and cultures across the globe are a ruling majority and marginalised groups, in India, I have witnessed compassion, patience and thoughtfulness in each and every individual I have met.

My Tip to India Americans are overly concerned with privacy.

I recall reading an article a while back which described the “radius of personal body space comfort” of people from different nationalities.

Not surprisingly, Americans, had a radial comfort zone of 3 feet! In other countries where the population is more concentrated, people were far more comfortable in zones of 6–12 inches. I would say this is something to be aware of, but also, for Americans something to notice within themselves and adjust to when interacting with Indian people.

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Double Impact LAST year saw the success of Global Adjustments’ Aikya 2010, conceptualised and rendered by Padma Sri Aruna Sairam, with an inspiring musical journey through the heart of India.

This year Global Adjustments was set on further pushing the envelope and so we did! Bringing renowned Carnatic music vocalists, Sudha Ragunathan and T M Krishna together, Aikya 2011 lived up to its reputation of being not just a concert but an experience to cherish. Thanks to the presenting sponsor NAPC Properties, associate sponsor Europa, co-sponsor Grundfos, online partner Indian Stage, media partner The Hindu and several invaluable supporters, Global Adjustments’ Aikya 2011 was truly an event to remember.

The concert that took place at the legendary Music Academy on March 18 saw a packed auditorium, with music lovers of all ages coming together to experience this unique collaboration. Sudha Ragunathan, a powerhouse of talent and a diva in her own right, and TMK, a dynamic and charismatic performer, converged their diverse styles to perfectly complement each other. Together, they led the audience on a journey into the concept of duality, exploring its presence at various levels – the physical (man and woman), the natural (dark and light), the emotional (like and dislike) and the perceptual (truth and deceit) – that culminated into the understanding of the true essence of oneness.

“It was a splendid performance with brilliant conceptualisation and execution! We were sad that the experience had come to an end! Congratulations! What’s next?”

– C. S. Ananth, Team CSA

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“The programme was organised meticulously! I am an artist and singer myself and it was a pleasure to see the great care and attention to detail that went into the concert.”

– Champa Kumar

“We would like to thank you for the pleasant experience we had at the concert. Though we did not understand the words, we found ourselves enjoying the music, and the explanations were enough to get a good feel for what the show was about” – Ghislaine and Jean Paul Godon.

Eloquent passages through the evening, narrated by Ranjini Manian, the CEO and Founder of Global Adjustments, gave a deeper insight into the message behind the music, as did the unique booklet, ‘Telling Tales of India’ that interpreted the foundation of classical music through India’s rich mythological tradition.

Last but not least, the cause! For the last two years, the proceeds raised from Aikya have been aiding the Smrutha Dhvani fund, an initiative of The Interface and Global Adjustments, for retired accompanying artistes in the field of performing arts. This year’s beneficiaries were kanjira vidwan Mayavaram Somasundaram and odhuvar Balasubramanian. In addition, Aikya 2011 supported young women who are first-generation degree holders towards their higher education.

The works of Gautam Patole, a self-made artist from Mumbai were also featured on stage and his realistic paintings of legendary musicians played to the simple atnd elegant setting.

Post the show, his works were up for auction to further benefit the cause.

The evening was a celebration of music and art captivating the audience in an experience of oneness through music, and all that’s left to say is, “Until next year!”

“Special thanks to you for providing us with a rich cultural extravaganza. It was an evening I will remember and cherish for many days to come. The theme was unique, the presentation, innovative and the rendition of the songs, slokas and bhajans was captivating. I enjoyed every bit of it.”

– Jayashree Lakshmanan, Faculty, American International School, Chennai.

One word that flashes upon my inward eye about AIKYA 2011 is 'Synergy'. Everybody was hungry for something new and exciting, to create something that was truly meaningful.

And the resultant AIKYA 2011 was indeed "an idea whose time had come"!

– Geetha Chander

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Leading the Way

Actor-director Suhasini Maniratnam inspires young leaders with her success story

Two young leaders in an interaction with the Harvard Women's Leadership Board members: Lois, Maha and Donna (L to R)

Forthcoming Event

Friday

29 April, 2011

10.30 am – 12.00 noon

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“I LIVE 2 LEAD” (IL2L) is an internationally recognised leadership training programme that takes place annually in Washington DC. From March 4 to 8, the India Immersion Centre in Chennai successfully hosted the first-ever Indian “I Live 2 Lead” summit., supported by Saint Gobain, IBM and Fidelity. The programme provides 15 to 19 year old girls with invaluable leadership training, offering them a chance to meet and interview successful leaders from around the globe.

On day one, the 21 seemingly timid young women arrived at the India Immersion Centre. The programme continued with an inspirational speech by Ranjini Manian (founder and CEO of Global adjustments) focussing on helping the ladies to believe in themselves and compose a vision of their ultimate goals. The girls were then taken to the Raj Bhavan where the Governor gave them his best wishes in their endeavour to become future leaders.

The participants were delighted to hear from guest speaker, Asha Mathen, Vice President of Deutsche Bank, who spoke on a wide range of relevant topics such as handling personal finances, maintaining financial independence, gender equity in the workplace and balancing work with family. She left the girls with the message, “If you can excel at your passion, then life becomes a joy.”

The leaders-in-training enjoyed an interactive talk by director, Usha Rajeshwari who helped them practice and improve their on-camera appearance. They were also given tips on personal appearance and general etiquette.

Amrithavarshini, 16 from Chennai, said, “I have now learned how to carry myself in public.”

The business round table was a marvelous opportunity for the young women to listen and pose questions to the five speakers; Kate Sweetman, Mita Banker, Gayarat Sriram and Poongothai Balaji. Kate Sweetman, former Harvard Business Review Editor, said, “Don’t think of yourself as someone who can only do one thing in life.” She also discouraged the women from limiting themselves to one single career path.

Other highlights include dance training to the hit song, ‘Jai Ho’, listening to Kollywood star Suhasini Maniratnam’s life advice and participating in a round table discussion with US diplomats and US Consul General, Andrew Simkin.

The most promising leader, Anuradha Rao, was selected to attend the Washington DC summit in July.

Please join us for an interactive session over coffee, with an entrepreneur of designer garments, on the different kinds of Indian fabrics and creation of Western styles using them.

Venue: India Immersion Centre, #5, 3rd Main Road, R A Puram, Chennai - 600028.

RSVP: Lakshmi Menon at 9710947713 or contactiic@globaladjustments.com

CALENDAR MUMBAI music & dance

WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

21 Tata Theatre, 1900h

16 Prithvi House, 1500h to 1730h onwards

film Italian Film Catch Fellini’s autobiographical masterpiece, ‘8 ½’ (B&W, 138 min) with English subtitles. Marcello Mastroianni plays Guido Anselmi, a famed film maker, whose new film is collapsing around him while he battles an ‘inspirational void’ in his professional life and several crises in his personal life. Admission on a first-come-first-served basis (NCPA and Taj Enlighten Film Society members will get preferential seating).

theatre

Percussion Performance

Pick of the month

22 Dance Theatre Godrej, 1830h

* Event details are correct at the time of printing. However, we encourage readers to call and reconfirm at the venues concerned. Numbers beside each event indicate the date. Events are divided into categories like film, music, etc. Addresses and phone numbers of venues and places mentioned are listed under Venues.

In collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, NCPA presents Tzong-Ching Ju, one of the best percussionists from the Asian subcontinent. Watch this master percussionist perform along with his 12 assistants, collectively called the Ju Percussion Group (JPG). By invitation only.

25 Tata Theatre, 1900h Mudra Dance Week

The NCPA celebrates the beauty, grace and variety of Indian classical dance with Mudra Dance Week. This celebration will feature upcoming young talents and established senior artistes, in a wide variety of performances. On till the 30th.

10 Tata Theatre, 1930h

English Play An Ace Production, ‘Broken Images’ is a psychological thriller on how fame and a celebrity status can be bestowed – and snatched away – with equal alacrity.

Tickets are priced at Rs. 750, Rs. 570, Rs. 435, Rs. 300 and Rs.150 for members and Rs.1,000, Rs. 760, Rs. 1 Art Musings, 1100h to 1900h 580, Rs. 400 and Rs. 200 for the public. Solo Exhibition Paris-based artist Maya Burman will showcase her paintings in an exhibition 17 Experimental Theatre, 1900h titled, ‘Dreamer’s Labyrinth’. On till Monologue in English the 9th.

An Ace Production in association with Orange Dinghy Theatre Company, this 1 Zenzi, 2030h onwards play is about Katya’s journey of self The Art Exposure discovery. For adults only. Tickets are priced at Rs.270, Rs. 225 & Rs. 200 for This weekly event showcases a range of talent, be it music, poetry, photography members and Rs.300, Rs. 250 and Rs. or paintings. On till the 10th.

200 for the public.

25 Prithvi House, 1000h to 1300h

Juggling Circus From three-ball juggling to three-pin juggling to juggling sticks and spinning poi – pick what you like, toss them in the air and keep them up there! All this and more at this unique workshop! For those aged 10 years to 15 years. Fees: Rs. 1,800. On till the 30th.

FOOD & SHOPPING

art & exhibition

24 Tata Theatre, 1900h

English Play

‘Dinner with Friends’ is a Pulitzer Prize winning play about two married couples, both at different stages of their lives.

For adults only. Tickets are priced at Rs. 1,000, Rs. 750, Rs. 500, Rs. 300 and Rs. 200.

music & dance 11 & 12 Experimental Theatre

Beethoven String Quartet The Kodaly Quartet is one of today’s leading string quartets, having performed all over the world and recorded the complete quartets of Haydn, Schubert and Beethoven.

17 Tata Theatre, 1900h

1 Sakshi Art Gallery, 1000h to 1800h

Solo Exhibition Artist Manjunath Kamath’s artworks will be on display till the 24th. In collaboration with Gallery Space.

workshop & events

10 The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, 1200h onwards

The ELLE Carnival

This carnival for a cause is where fashion joins hands against breast cancer. The Carnival features several fun activities like tarot-reading, massages, innovative games, and more, while guest DJs set the beat to the fundraiser with a heart.

Piano Concert 14 Piramal Art Gallery, 1400h The Mehli Mehta Music Foundation presents the sensational 23-yearonwards old Chinese pianist, Yuja Wang, in Photography Workshop collaboration with the NCPA and Dr. Pillai will help participants supported by Furtados. Yuja Wang is one understand the controls and intricacies of the brightest and most talked about of digital and other cameras, and offer names on the Western classical music practical guidance on their use to make firmament. Tickets are priced at Rs. 500 prize-winning pictures. Open to those to Rs. 1,000. above 15 years of age. Fees: Rs. 9,000 per participant (includes two outings on Sunday mornings).

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World Mythology This workshop, conducted by Anita Salim, an acting alumnus from the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, will explore stories through drama, using the body, makeup, costumes, masks, puppets and movement. Participants aged 12 to 16 years are welcome. Fees: Rs. 2,500.

1 Out of Blue

Salad Summer

Check out the all-new, ‘The Italian Summer Menu’ with garden fresh vegetables tossed in fresh herbs and summer fruit dressing. On till the 10th.

1 Torrp It Up, 1100h to 2300h

Health Food Sample the restaurant’s low cal, healthy option with a variety of breads, garden fresh vegetables, grilled chicken and oatmeal desserts! On till the 20th.

1 Lotus Blossom, 1100h to 2000h

Thai Catering Service

Enjoy gastronomic evenings in the intimate setting of your own home with authentic Thai food prepared by Thai chefs from Bangkok. Starting with groups of eight persons and above, the food is delivered from Colaba to Juhu, all through the month.

1 Pure Sin Chocolates, 1030h to 1800h

Irish Chocolate Fest Indulge in some luscious, mouthwatering chocolates with a new variety of delicious Irish flavors for St. Patrick’s Day. Gift boxes are priced from Rs. 250 onwards. On till the 25th.

FOOD & SHOPPING 18 Renaissance Hotel

Afghani Food Festival On till the 30th, this festival will predominantly focus on authentic regional dishes like kebob (kebab), qoorma (curries) and pulao (Rice). Call the hotel for reservations.

venues Tata Theatre, Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, Experimental Theatre, Little Theatre, Godrej Dance Theatre, Piramal Art Gallery, NCPA Marg & Dorabji Tata Road, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 Tel: 6622 3737 Prithvi Theatre 20, Janki Kutir, Juhu Church Road, Mumbai 400 049 Tel: 2614 9546 Sakshi Art Gallery A-11, Tanna House, Ground Floor, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Colaba, Mumbai 400 001 Tel: 6724 7605.

Zenzi 183, Waterfield Road, Bandra West, Mumbai 400 050 Tel: 6643 0670 / 6643 0671 Art Musings 1, Admiralty Building, Colaba Cross Lane, Colaba, Mumbai 400 005 Tel: 2216 3339 The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Apollo Bunder, Colaba, Mumbai 400 005 Tel: 6665 3366 Out of Blue Le Sutra, the Indian Art Hotel, Khar West, Mumbai 400 051 Tel: 2600 3000/2600 3001/2605 8227 Torrp It Up Shop No. 2 &3, Solace Building, Plot No.345, City Survey, Khar West, Mumbai 400 052 Tel: 2648 3368 Lotus Blossom Gandhi Nagar, Worli, Mumbai 400 045 Tel: 99676 24034 Pure Sin Chocolates G-5, Pil Court, 111, M. Karve Road, Behind Korean Air, Churchgate, Mumbai 400 020 Tel: 2200 0267

CALENDAR DELHI film

* Event details are correct at the time of printing. However, we encourage readers to call and reconfirm at the venues concerned. Numbers beside each event indicate the date. Events are divided into categories like film, music, etc. Addresses and phone numbers of venues and places mentioned are listed under Venues.

workshops & events

music & dance

FOOD AND SHOPPING 2 Hyatt Regency, 1000h

Pick of the month

Shopping Festival Delhi Network presents ‘Shop Till You Drop’ with over 60 vendors selling clothes, gifts, jewellery, chocolates, designer handbags, beauty products and much more!

Must Eat At 1 India Habitat Centre, 1900h

Documentary Film ‘A Place For Rage’, directed by Pratibha Parmar, is an exuberant celebration of African American women and their achievements. It features interviews with Angela Davis, June Jordan and Alice Walker, highlighted by music from Prince, Janet Jackson, the Neville Brothers and the Staple Singers.

8 India Habitat Centre, 1900h

Indian Classical Performance

The ‘Golden Greats of Indian Music’ festival continues. This month, immerse yourself in a Hindustani vocal recital by Pt. Madup Mudgal and a Kathak (classical dance) recital

by Vidushi Saswati Sen with Mohd.

Akram Khan on the tabla.

1 India Habitat Centre

2 India Habitat Centre, 1830h

Spanish Film ‘La Peridida’ or ‘The Loss’ will be screened by the Embassy of Spain, in collaboration with Instituto Cervantes in New Delhi and India House in Spain.

2 India Habitat Centre

9 India Habitat Centre, 1830h

NeoVeda Spa NeoVeda welcomes you to a new dimension in the world of health, well-being and fitness. NeoVeda Spa, based on the concept of new Ayurveda, showcases the modern translation of the ancient Indian knowledge of life and well-being and takes you on a journey of selfdiscovery. Open all days.

Hungarian Film ‘The Last Report on Anna’ is being screened in collaboration with Hungarian 11 India Habitat Centre, 1800h Classical Dance Performance Information and Cultural Centre. This As part of ‘Pehchaan’, a monthly film, directed by Márta Mészáros, traces performance series, Ayona Bhaduri will the journey of a literary critic, Péter, perform the classical dance form of who is asked by the secret police to Odissi, followed by a Kathak recital by persuade Social Democratic politician, Jayant Kastuar.

Anna Kéthly, living in exile for decades, to return home.

29 Hungarian Cultural and Information Centre, 1900h English Spring Concert Listen to a collection of European folk songs and romantic songs that capture the spirit of spring by the Capital City Minstrels.

3 India Habitat Centre, 0700h

14 India Habitat Centre, 1900h

Heritage Walk Activist and historian, Sohail Hashmi, takes you on an exploration of the ruins of Bijay Mandal (part of the ruins of the 4th Delhi, also known as “Jahanpanah”), a walk to the Begumpur Mosque, drive to Khirki Mosque and conclusion at the Satpula of Mohammad Bin Tughlaq.

Please check with the programme desk for details and registration.

7 India Habitat Centre, 1830h

21 India Habitat Centre

Gallery Retrospective Nitanjali Art Gallery marks its 10th anniversary celebrations with an art exhibition titled, ‘Looking Back to Look Forward’ that features the changes in the art domain over the last decade. On till the 25th.

The Yum Yum Tree Chinese Restaurant & Grill, 1st Floor, Community Centre, New Friends Colony, New Delhi Tel: 42602020 Meal for 2: Rs. 1,200 Chi Kitchen Asian Food, C – 1, SDA Market, New Delhi Tel: 46508753 Meal for 2: Rs. 1,200

ART & EXHIBITIONS New Cinema Catch the premiere of ‘Tripping on a Bicycle’, directed by S.Nallamuthu.

Set in the midst of Goa’s sprawling rain-drenched landscapes, the film is an endearing story about the trials and errors of a bunch of unlikely friends and how a cycling expedition transforms their lives.

Collage Workshop Titled ‘Cut & Paste’ by Harpreet Singh, this workshop will include drawing, painting and collage-making with new materials. On every Saturday, through the month.

Kayalan Malaysian Food Delivery Service, 56, Main Road, Neb Sarai, New Delhi Tel: 9310219192 Meal for 2: Rs. 1,500

Lecture Series ‘Word & Image: Ramayana and Visual Imagination in India’ is a series of eight inter-disciplinary lectures, conceptualised

by Alok Bhalla. Check with the Visual Arts Gallery for registration and details.

The Monk Chinese/Japanese, Galaxy Towers, Sector 15, Part II, Gurgaon Tel: 95124-4032222 Meal for 2: Rs. 1,000

VENUES Neoveda Spa, Craft House, The Metropolitan Hotel Bangla Sahib Road, New Delhi Tel.: 42500200 Hungarian Cultural and Information Centre 1/A, Janpath, New Delhi India Habitat World Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003 Tel: 24682001 –09, Extn 2037, 2038 Hyatt Regency Bhikaiji Cama Place, Ring Road, New Delhi – 110607 Tel: 2679 1234. Fax: 2679 1122 Email: delhi.regency@hyatt.com

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CALENDAR BENGALURU FILM & theatre

* Event details are correct at the time of printing. However, we encourage readers to call and reconfirm at the venues concerned. Numbers beside each event indicate the date. Events are divided into categories like film, music, etc. Addresses and phone numbers of venues and places mentioned are listed under Venues.

WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

ART & EXHIBITION

1 National Gallery of Modern Art

with songs and stories, dance and drama, movies and much more. On till the 21st.

Travelling Film South Asia Festival This festival will showcase an array of films with English subtitles. It is being organised in collaboration with Maraa and Vikalp, Bengaluru. On till the 10th.

30 Palace Grounds

5 RangaShankara, 1930h

English Comedy Evam’s first play and a classic “Serious Comedy”, this play traces the story of three very close friends and the change in the dynamics of their relationship over a large, expensive and almost blank white painting! On till the 7th.

1 The Bat and Ball Inn

Solo Exhibition

Cricketopia presents paintings by Firose PK, who is renowned for paintings of cricketers during the World Cup. Apart from his paintings, the exhibition will also feature the artist’s paintings on cricket memorabilia, autographed by the players themselves. On till the 2nd.

Solo Exhibition

Artist Susanta Mandal will be displaying her works, interestingly titled, ‘How long does it take to complete a circle?’ On till the 16th.

8 RangaShankara, 1930h

The 39 Steps The 39 Steps has four actors playing 140 roles over one-and-a-half hours!

In an absolute masterpiece of visual humour and comic timing, the play sees the entire film ‘The 39 Steps’ performed nearly verbatim onstage, with allusions to other Hitchcock films, including Rear Window and Psycho. Also on at 1530h and 1930h on the 9th and 10th.

WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

1 Indijoe RMZ Infinity

2 Nrityagram Dance Village

Pick of the month Live Concert

Catch the international band, Coldplay, live in concert in Bengaluru.

Log on to www.indianstage.in for ticket details.

1 The Oberoi

4 Bangalore School of Speech and Drama

culturama | april 2011

Pitchers & Platters Enjoy an eclectic selection of global platters at the Polo Club, along with an array of classic cocktail pitchers like Kiwi Margarita or a Kafir lime Mojito.

Gentlemen’s Game at Tease Tease, the high energy lounge bar features the World Cup games live, along with unlimited whisky-based cocktails.

Bicycle Safari At Nrityagram, dance is a way of life, a matter of faith and belief, nurtured and 1 Ping enriched by the souls of its own people. Vietnamese Food Festival It is a community of dancers in a remote For those of you who are familiar with place amidst nature. This leisurely the delicate and fresh tastes of Vietnam, bicycle safari combines the delightful this is a must visit. Savour the everclassical dance experience with the popular Vietnamese Pho and the summer charms of an idyllic village through rice paper rolls, along with other vegetable gardens, lake, dairy farms favourites like the steamed Vietnamese and open grass-land. On every Saturday, basa and the Ccaramelised prawns. On through the month. till the 15th.

Theatre Workshop The Bangalore School of Speech and Drama presents, ‘That’s My Cue!’, a two-week intensive theatre course for all ages culminating in an on-stage performance on April 16. The workshop is from 0900h to 1100h for those aged 5 to 14 years and from 1400h to 1600 for 15 years and above.

4 Max Mueller Bhavan, 1030h

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Happy Hours with Cricket Catch all the World Cup 2011 action live on the big screen with Happy Hours on beer and wine.

1 Vivanta by Taj

3 UB City, 1800h

Lunch Buffet Enjoy an exciting lunch buffet at the restaurant, on till the 10th.

1 Olio Restaurant & Pub

music

This trade fair aims at creating a meeting place between students and career counselors, leading national/ international educational institutes, banks and training institutes so that they can take full advantage of this opportunity. Call 09833942529 for details.

FOOD

1 Galleryskye

Times Education Boutique 2011

Language Course

Learning a language can be exciting, as you will discover at the Bhavan,

venues The Bat and Ball Inn No.3, Laurel Lane, Richmond Town, Bengaluru – 560025 Tel: 9902034904 Galleryske 8th Cross, Sampige Road, Malleshwaram, Bengaluru – 560003 National Gallery of Modern Art No.49, Manikyavel Mansion, Palace Road, Bengaluru – 560052 Tel: 22342338 Email: ngma.bengaluru@gmail.com Indijoe RMZ Infinity RMZ Infinity, Old Madras Road, Bengaluru – 560045 Olio Restaurant & Pub 150, 60 Feet Road, 5th Block, Koramangala, Bengaluru – 560095 The Oberoi No.39, M.G. Road Bengaluru – 560001 Tel: 25585858 Vivanta by Taj ITPL, White Field, Bengaluru – 560066 Tel: 66933333 Nrityagram Village Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru – 560088 Tel: 9538973506 pankaj.mangal@artofbicycletrips.com Palace Grounds Jayamahal Road, Bengaluru – 560046 Ping Restaurant 130, 1st Cross, KHB Colony, opposite E Zone, 5th Block, Koramangala, Bengaluru – 560095 Max Mueller Bhavan Indiranagar 1st Stage, 716, CMH Road, Bengaluru – 560038 Tel: 25205305 Email: german@bangalore.goethe.org UB City Vittal Mallya Road, Bengaluru Bangalore School of Speech and Drama 529, 16th A Cross, 3rd Main, Sector 6, HSR Layout, Bengaluru RangaShankara JP Nagar, Bengaluru

CALENDAR CHENNAI Museum & Theatre

WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

FOOD & SHOPPING 1 Peek-a-Boo Patterns

1 Museum Theatre, 1900h

Gharana – Indian Music festival Prakriti Foundation presents the Gharana Indian Music Festival. Come experience a sarangi recital by Yuji Nakagawa from Japan accompanied by Aditya. Tickets are priced at Rs.300 to Rs.500.

* Event details are correct at the time of printing. However, we encourage readers to call and reconfirm at the venues concerned. Numbers beside each event indicate the date. Events are divided into categories like film, music, etc. Addresses and phone numbers of venues and places mentioned are listed under Venues.

Pick of the month

11 South Indian Film Chamber Theatre

16th European Union Film Festival (EUFF) Titled ‘Laugh like a Europen’, this festival will feature a collection of European cinema from the comic genre. This year’s selection includes 19 films from the EU Member States. On till the 20th.

ART & EXHIBITION

1 PlayCoop, 0900h-1200h

Summer Camps Summer camp with lots of fun-filled activities for children in the months of April and May for children aged 4 to 12 years. For registrations, please contact 42054989, 9940514873. On through the month.

1 Wired Dance Studio

Kiddie Accessories Peek-a-Boo Patterns multiplies its range of kiddie accessories. The New Doodle display backpack doubles as a drawing table with a slide in frame to display your child’s artwork. The Travel friend is the ultimate travel cushion for safe child dozing and comes in a variety of sizes and colours. Also, come catch the World Cup Fever at Peek-a-boo with the custom made Cricket game.

1 Pavers England

Spring Summer 2011 Collection Pavers England is launching its new Spring Summer 2011 footwear and accessories collection for men and women. The Ladies collection has a range of platforms, wedges, ballerinas and flats (Rs.1199 to 2499), eyecatching handbags ( Rs.3499 to 9999) and belts (<Rs. 999). The Men’s collection has a vast range of footwear from elegant moccasins and brogues to open sandals, deckshoes and flip flops, priced from Rs. 1,599 to Rs. 7,499.

This offer is on through this month.

Bollywood and Zumba Classes Join Ashley Shillong and learn a variety of dance styles like Bollywood, Jive, Jazz, Pandemonium, Contemporary, Hip-hop and Freestyle or opt for the fitness Dancercise or Zumba classes. Registration at Rs. 250 (one time fee); classes for students are priced at Rs. 1500 per month, and for 4 Asiana Hotels Andhra Food Festival working professionals and others at Rs. Experience the enriched tradition of 1750 per month. Contact 9841373663 Andhra delights at Caramel, the 24 / 9884206080 / 42060030 for more hours coffee shop. Savour hot culinary details.

1 Gallery Sri Parvati treats like the Royalu veppudu, Guntur Group Show kodi koora, Gongura pappu , Guthu Catch ‘Mysticism and Modernity 2 Residency Towers, 1930h vengaya koora, Gubani ka meeta and in Landscape Art’, an art exhibition Easter Hash Ball much more! On till the 9th. Buffet lunch featuring works of a group of renowned You are cordially invited to the Chennai is priced at Rs.750 + taxes per person. artists. On till April 19.

Hash House Harriers’ Easter Hash Ball with the live band ‘5th Avenue’ perform7 Shilpi, 1100h-1900h ing and DJ Vivek on the turn tables.

1 Dakshina Chitra Kiran and Dipi’s Collection Tickets are priced at Rs.1000, and the Solo Exhibition Check out Kiran and Dipi’s collection of theme for the evening is ‘Flower Power’.

A Balasubramaniam’s exhibition at fun cotton knitwear, stylish georgette Dakshina Chitra will take your precontunics and beautiful pin-tucked ready-to10 Chennai Hash House Harriers ceptions of modern art to new levels. wear and unstitched sets. On till the 10th.

1645h The exhibition, on till April 18, includes Runs Apollo pieces from across Bala’s 15-year ca24 Asiana Hotels, 1200h-1530h Take part in a family hash run every reer. Some of these works incorporate Easter Sunday Buffet Brunch fortnight for an hour, followed by an unusual materials and concepts, with Step into Asiana Atrium for an elaborate evening of beer and relaxation.

Run the artist going to astounding ends to Easter brunch buffet, with live music #277, the Easter Run will take place realise his artistic vision. and entertainment for children. on April 10 followed by Run #278 on Menu includes honey glazed pork leg, April 24th. The group meets at 4:15pm 1 Forum Art Gallery traditional beef wellington, live BBQ for a 4.45pm start. For details contact Sculpture Show with lamb chops, etc., and an equally Michael Long 9789842220, Sidharth Forum Art Gallery presents ‘Heart of elaborate Easter dessert buffet with a 9840389839 or Sashi Varma at Sculpture’, a collection of contemporary live waffle station. Priced at Rs.999 + 9840866083.

Indian sculptural idioms that tap a cirtaxes per person (with a complimentary cuit of boundless creativity. Man, animal glass of sparkling wine or Easter 14 Hansel & Gretel, 1000h-1300h and nature are presented in bronze, fibre bunny cocktail). For reservations, call Summer Camps glass, granite, stainless steel and cast 67411000 or email spa@asianahotels.

Junior and senior campers, it’s time to glass. On till April 22nd. Please call com. gear up for the summer! Hansel & Gretel +91 44 42115596 for further details. is organising story time, sing-along, drama and puzzles for 3 to 7 year-olds; 1 Ashvita, 1100h-1900h and creative writing, chess and arts Here’s an exhibition featuring works and crafts for 8-year-olds and above. of artists Douglas, Benita Perciyal, Camps will include snacks, certificates C Krishnaswamy, Raghava KK, and gifts. Pick any two weeks between Yuvaraj, R Magesh, Abraham George March 14 and August 31 and register and Yuvaraj Vivek. On till the 19th with the venue. Call 98404 31549 for details.

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venues Ashvita 11, 2nd Street, Dr. Radha Krishnan Salai, Mylapore, Chennai Asiana Hotels 1/238, Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), Semmencherry, Chennai 600119 Tel: 67411000 DakshinaChitra East Coast Road, Muttukadu, Chingleput district, Pin : 600 118 Tel: 044 – 27472603 mcfdak@md3.vsnl.net.in Forum Art Gallery 57, 5th Street, Padmanabha Nagar, Adyar, Chennai 600020 Tel: 42115596 www.forumartgallery.com Gallery Sri Parvati #28/160, Eldams Road, Chennai - 600 018.

Phone : +91-44-24353341 Mobile : +91-98840 75453 E-mail : gallerysriparvati@gmail.com Museum Theatre Government Museum, Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai 8 South Indian Film Chamber Theatre 605, Thousand Lights, Anna Road, Chennai Shilpi 29, C.P. Ramaswamy Road, Alwarpet, Chennai 600018 Tel: 24997526 Pavers England Level –GF, Shop# 015 Express Avenue Mall Whites Road, Express Estate, Thousand Lights, Chennai Ph: 044-28464091 Peekaboo Patterns 1st Floor, Express Avenue Mall, Whites Road, Express Estate, Thousand Lights, Chennai.

Ph:044-28464091 PlayCoop, Gandhi Nagar, 4th Main Road, Adyar, Chennai - 20 Residency Towers The Residency Towers 115, Thyagaraya Road TNagar, Chennai 600017 Phone : + 91 44 2815 6363 Fax : + 91 44 2815 6969 Email : restowers@vsnl.net Wired Dance Studio #8/20 Rutland Gate, 4th Street, Nungambakkam, Tel: 9884206080

Photo Feature

Hema Narayanan

Art House Realities THE land of the Great Rann of Kutch is known for its mesmerising white salt desert, but one must see the handicrafts and artists of the villages of Bhuj – they are even more magical! Bhuj, a small town in Kutch, was torn apart by the massive earthquake of 2000 – today it has not only come back to life but also produces some of the best Indian handicrafts. Each village is a treasure in itself with its interlinked, colourfully diverse craftspeople.

One such village is Nirona – a quaint dusty village that one can reach by heading into the interiors off the road linking Bhuj to Khawda. Nirona’s communities are engaged in different types of art forms – noted ones include Rogan art, copper bell art and lacquer.

Having visited each of their work areas and watching the artists show their work, one thing was evident – while each of their art form was a marvel, they were unforgiving as well.

Artists had very little scope for making a mistake!

Rogan art is about Rogan, a local name for castor globs. Artists deftly control a small glob of boiled castor oil jelly mixed with mineral pigments on the tip of a metal applicator on one hand, and the cloth on which the design needs to be made on the other. This glob is then carefully laid out on the cloth with precision. The designs have to be preconceived as it is done instantaneously with the castor glob falling freely on the cloth. Once done, the cloth is stretched and folded to stunningly vivid symmetrical images of floral and Islamic motifs.

Copper bell art includes the traditional cow bells, door hangings, masks, sun signs to name a few – but everything in copper. As I entered their homes, I saw the completed bells hung for drying creating soothing sounds of ‘Om’. The process here involves applying copper and bronze slivers mixed in mud paste on the metal cast of the objects, which is then baked in the furnace to give it the shine. It seemed a phoenix-like birth of a new bell emerging from mud and fire in many shapes, sizes and forms.

From there, I moved to the homes of the lacquer artists. They belonged to a community named the Vadhas, whose skill was in coating wooden implements and toys with lacquer in a rather interesting variation of hues. They used the lac resin from the trees, mixed it with different kinds of minerals and pigments to generate a vast array of colourful shades.

These were then meticulously applied to a mixed batch of kitchen implements, toys and small utility items.

Their art and craftsmanship was a truly humbling experience. As a salutation, I ‘created’ pictures of some of the best Indian artists that reside in the simple homes of Nirona – an example of an ideal crafts village of Bhuj!

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Biswajit Balasubramanian â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Maiden Humour

culturama | april 2011

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View From The Top

straight talk

After 24 years with McKinsey in the United States, this management stalwart and Harvard Business School graduate returned to the city of his childhood, Mumbai, six years ago. Ranjini Manian Meets Adil Zainulbhai, Managing Director, India, McKinsey & Company, in an exclusive interview for Culturama in his express towers office in mumbai.

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AD I L Z A I NUL B A I

What are some of the things that must be done to be able to work inter-culturally in India?

The first thing to do is to stop comparing. When you are in India, you just have to say that it is what it is and I am going to enjoy it the way it is. This is an unusual place, it’s an unusual time, so take maximum advantage of it and stop comparing. The second thing is to live in India long enough to understand it. I have now been here six-and-a-half years, and I can see that years three onwards have been the most useful and productive because it takes you that much time just to learn the basics.

Hiring people in India seems to be one of the biggest challenges that foreign companies coming in to set up have. Do you have any advice on how to go about that?

I think they have a difficulty because of their global standards and mindset. Therefore, they have a difficult time fitting people into that. It’s not about lowering your standard, it’s figuring out how to judge who the right kind of people are. Every day, Indian companies are hiring thousands of people, so at some level, it can’t be that difficult. They are available. You have to just learn how to do it and have a different mindset about hiring.

Do you think it is important to look at an individual’s familial background when hiring?

I don’t think that is as necessary anymore as it used to be because of the democratisation of white collar jobs. With the large number of Indians being hired every year, especially in the IT and Telecom industries, nobody looks at families anymore. The vast majority of hiring is done on the individual’s capability.

For foreign companies setting up in India, what would you say is the right approach?

Well, if you have a company that is run primarily by expats who don’t understand India, that is a mistake.

On the other hand, if you have a company that is run primarily by Indians who have no connections to headquarters, that’s also a mistake. So you need a good mix of a few people who understand how the corporate headquarters and the company work. Actually, there are very few companies that are not yet in India. Most of them are here and most of them are ramping up in a very big way. So by the end of 2011, there will be almost 40 MNCs with over a billion dollars in revenue.

So I think lots of companies have figured it out, the right approach is no longer such a mystery.

What are the two things you would tell companies looking to do business in India?

First is that it is impossible to judge India or to understand India sitting in your country. If you want to understand India then come here. It’s very simple.

Spend time on the ground and get a good feel for it.

Second, whatever you do in any other country will have to change if you want to be successful in India. The important question is whether or not there is enough commitment from CEOs and others to change the way they do business, otherwise it won’t work.

Rising India

a n ir u d h a sri k k a n t h

pitchperfect

Promising cricketer Anirudha Srikkanth tells us about the high and low points of his career, all straight from the heart

I’VE ALWAYS been most happy when I’m on the field. Nothing compares to that — and that’s the truth.

It was around the time of my Board exams that my career kicked off. I was first picked for an ‘Under-19’ tournament, which went reasonably well. Then I went on to play the ‘Under-17s’ but at the end of the tournament, I was dropped from the squad. I had a poor mentality then and was blaming luck too much for my failure. I decided to shut that year out, concentrate on my Board exams and reevaluate what I had to do after that. It so happened that the selectors looked at my ‘Under-19’ performance and put me back on the ‘Under-19’ One-Day squad. Things fell into place from there and I started scoring in every game. That’s when I realised that it’s all about the mind. After that, I started taking the game seriously.

The National Cricket Academy helped a lot at this stage, teaching me how to stay on a programme and persevere.

Just before the 2007 World Cup, we had the first domestic T20 tournament. I was in the ‘probables’ for the World Cup that year, but I didn’t get picked. Then the IPL came up, and because of my earlier T20 performance, I was selected.

I had mixed feelings because I knew that the IPL was big, but I also knew that I was playing bad cricket then. It wasn’t an ideal situation and I struggled a lot after that. I didn’t have any cricket for the next five months because I was dropped from every side. I didn’t want to pick up my bat for the next three months, because I didn’t know whether I’d ever pick up a bat again. But deep inside, something told me that I’d make a comeback. It was the most painful, but at the same time, the best times of my life in terms of learning.

I was disappointed when I wasn’t picked for last year’s IPL squad during the initial selections, but I was happy with what I was doing with the Tamil Nadu state side. To this day, I rate that as the

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turning point in my career, because I enjoy playing for Tamil Nadu more than anything. Eventually I got a call-up and played the second match against the ‘Rajasthan Royals’. My first two games were home games and the atmosphere in Chennai was simply electrifying.

Of course, my ultimate goal is to play for India. I do set other goals for myself, but every month, I re-evaluate where I stand. I’ve learned that the most important thing is to find your balance again and again. It’s very easy to get carried away with success but it’s also

easy to think about the axe during failure — you can’t do either. There’s a fine line between respecting and disrespecting cricket, but in the end, whatever you do, you do it for the game.

Throughout my life, I know that I will be compared to my dad and I can’t consciously create a separate identity.

Once my dad told me, “The day you play 147 one-dayers and captain India, people will start looking at you as S. Anirudha rather than as Anirudha Srikkanth.” Till then, I’ve just got to go out there and keep performing.

Bursting the Bubble

I a n W at k i n s o n

Point of Contact

YOU feel it as soon as you inhale that first breath of Indian air and your feet touch Indian soil … that first rush of joy, of being here, whether for the first, or the fiftieth time. The scented air tinged with smoke and spice, the long light of an Indian evening, the myriad vibrant colours like a kaleidoscope splintered in vision, the orchestra of a thousand sounds.…

Breathing that same air more than 30 years ago on a dark and cool winter evening in Trichy, stepping off a plane to start my third India trip, the feeling that I had returned home again rose up into my throat. And ever since, every time I return, that same feeling – I am home.

But where is home? A UK citizen born and bred, travelled and lived in these lands of India for 35 years who finds there are two parallel lives. One in the UK and one in India.

Culture shock, short circuited sensory overload, overcomes many people the first time they step into the bustle of India – first time on the busy street, into the bazaar – wallop, it hits you in the central cortex like landing on a different planet, which it is not of course, it’s just India, and it’s so different from any other place on earth.

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No guide book with pictures of the Taj Mahal, plates of channa masala, silk saris and smiling sadhus will prepare you for India face to face. It will disassemble everything you thought you knew about life, and indeed yourself. And somehow you have to reassemble that core framework.

The throng of India’s streets, an apparent chaos of haphazard traffic, strewn with flowers and vegetables, persistent beggars, gateways to temples, archways to mosques and pews in churches, of meandering cows, hints of agarbathi, and the symphony of rickshaw bells. Add a dynamic multitude of people effortlessly yet constantly swirling through as if individually lubricated and fluid, and it becomes a sensory input which is often confusing, overwhelming, and shocking, especially on the first visit.

Nothing here is hidden, all life is bared in raw, ever present reality, and death also, carried on byres strewn with marigolds through the streets, and accepted as it is, as a part of life. Westerners do not face these darker aspects of reality so easily – sure there is life, there is death but we shuffle the latter away and hide it in corners, an unwanted part of life which none the less is part of us all.

We are not used to seeing the poor, to being asked for alms by small children with grimy faces and ragged clothes, cripples with withered limbs, or lepers with festering bandages.

Around the disadvantaged we are surrounded by sensations of overwhelming beauty, a riot of colours, smells of exotic perfumes, soft light, a plethora of tastes, friendly faces, temple puja bells or the muezzins’ cry – another day in the dance of the world, its choreography laden with sensory delights.

Our psychological mechanisms are unused to such a see-saw of emotional juxtaposition, and

unable to rationalise conclusions. How can so much poignant beauty be intertwined in so much pain and grief? Our filters are tuned to seeing much of the former, and little of the latter. And they don’t work too well here.

Barriers often are made at this point, the deep down need to preserve our own ideals to cling to our preconceived ideas of what we regard as acceptable, our paradigms somehow fixed, immutable. Our own cultural frameworks seem wired into us, subtly fine tuned through years of exposure to our own cultural behaviour and concepts, and it becomes our protection, our survival kit. Our defence, in our zone, behind our barrier.

But this does not provide a solution; instead it creates a separated cultural mindset, spawns future confusion and hardens into inflexibility and an inability to understand another culture’s mechanisms. Because that is all we are really seeing, two vastly differing cultures poured together, and the two are not easy to integrate, they seem immiscible. Of course the reverse would also be true, if the mirror was turned by going East to West – inevitably it happens both ways.

Many foreigners in a land such as India build a ‘bubble’, an invisible but subtly impenetrable containment for their own culture, a barrier to hold their survival kit intact. They inhabit this bubble as a separate space and India inhabits everything outside of this space. I think we all need to find a way to burst this bubble, to embrace our host culture with open arms, and assimilate it, because that is the only way we will really feel this land, the only way we will really smell the air, really see the colours and really hear the voice of India. So over the next few months let us see how we can “burst the bubble”, and in doing so realise we are ‘at home’ in this wonderful country.

The writer is British and lives in Chennai. culturama | april 2011

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Photo lucia nodari, ITALY

Wisdom Trail

Y o g a c h a ri n i M a itre y i De v i

still lives

introducing a new column on the wisdom trail of india's ancient philosophies with the first one on the science of yoga

IS MEDITATION part of yoga? I get asked this question many times in the West. Yoga is meditation and meditation is yoga. It is not separate from the other.

However, in modern usage, yoga has been reduced to a fitness routine, a more holistic one maybe, yet a fitness routine.

Meditation may seem like a different entity in that context.

Yoga is a comprehensive science and art of self discovery. It takes us to that space where we can ‘Be and Belong’.

I often see people feeling fragmented and split. There are sides of them which are aware and other unresolved sides.

Some may be very good at articulating the patterns they need to shift or change. However, that may not translate behaviourally.

This alignment of thought and behaviour and creating an integrated system where we can act in alignment with higher principles and healthier ways of being is a step by step process that requires

patience and consistent practice. Thus yoga is both the awareness and the set of practices that allows for this alignment to happen The more one works on refining and aligning the system, the more readily one moves into meditative states.

One can learn “dharana” or concentration, but “dhyana” or meditation just is. So what one is learning is “dharana” or concentration techniques. Now “dharana” or concentration becomes much easier when one is calm. It’s not easy to focus when you have had an emotionally turbulent situation. Hence one of the important aspects of yoga is emotional catharsis.

So it is good to start step by step where unresolved locked emotions are released from our systems. Breathing techniques in yoga provide us with the necessary tools to regulate emotions as well as release suppressed emotions. Our emotions are also intimately connected to our body. Pain in the body can be due

The writer is a yoga teacher and lives in Chennai.

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to a lot of unresolved emotions, which could be the result of either unresolved situations or distorted perceptions. Thus, conscious body work, works not only on physical fitness but also on releasing suppressed emotions and pain.

What is important is the approach. The practice needs to be non- competitive, relaxed and awareness oriented to facilitate the emotional release. Thus the jathis, kriyas and asanas in the yogic repertoire are there to facilitate the release of suppressed emotions that could contribute to one being agitated and misaligned.

So, if one looks at the entire yogic system one sees how this goal of wholeness and inner stillness is achieved through the application of yogic tools.

Meditation is allowed and a space created for it rather than forced. This is the stepby-step approach in yoga to become more self-aware and meditative.

India and I

J essic a M a y berr y

reel stories It’s amazing how well rural communities have taken to the concept of ‘Video Volunteers’. We screen videos in villages where people have never been to a movie theatre in their lives and so their first cinema experience is watching their own people blown up on cinemascope.

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I STARTED Video Volunteers in 2003 after spending a year as a volunteer in India. I had been training rural women then and saw that so many NGOs had developed an interest in media, since the costs of technology had come down so drastically. That’s when I decided to set up a volunteer program,me where filmmakers from the United States would volunteer to train NGOs in making films – and ‘Video Volunteers’ was born. We managed to do about twenty projects across six countries in three years at an extremely low cost, because NGOs and volunteers paid the expenses. After a few years of doing that, we realised that a lot more was possible – that rather than NGOs controlling the media, we could have communities controlling it themselves. So we came up with the idea of ‘Community Video Units’, which has been our main programme since then.

It’s amazing how well rural communities have taken to the concept of ‘Video Volunteers’. People love to see themselves on camera. We screen videos in villages where people have never been to a movie theatre in their lives and so their first cinema experience is watching their own people blown up on cinemascope. People learn better when they learn from their peers. People love to talk about themselves and put themselves at the centre of a media experience.

But we do encounter some difficulties too. We work with people with very low education levels, so training is challenging. We want our community producers to be able to perform in the mainstream media market, but the challenges they face in their lives are so intense that it is difficult to have a smooth production process. For instance, a professional journalist wakes up, turns on the TV and watches the news with his morning coffee. He gets in the car and listens to the radio on the way to work, all the while checking his Blackberry for news updates. Once at work, he has a phone, makes his calls and gets his quotes.

Our producers – the women at least – wake up at 5 a.m,. cook breakfast, clean the house and fetch water until 10 a.m. They have no way to do research except travel to government offices and demand information. They have no phones to schedule interviews. They take public transportation and spend the day waiting for an interview and sometimes get sent back. It is easy to forget how bad the flow of information is in rural areas. How do we handle these challenges?

By really motivating the community producers to keep working, to believe in themselves and to take on the extra challenges.

The right amount of motivation goes a long way in transforming producers who learn incredible leadership skills. Last month, we gave an award to Rohini as the ‘Most Entrepreneurial Community Producer.’ This woman is, as she says, “the only woman who ever leaves the village.” She took out a loan from her micro credit group to buy a computer and is teaching computer skills to her husband and other villagers. She has learnt a huge amount from stories she has done on the ‘devadasis’ or temple slaves in her village. Recently, when I was with her, she got a phone call from a group of women in her village. “Rohini,” they said, “what you told us to do worked! Our employers have doubled our wage!” Rohini had made a video about how women are paid far less for agricultural work than men are, and she had advised them to go on strike, which worked.

So it’s not about sweeping changes in policies at a national or international level – other important organisations are doing that. It is rather about empowering people in the most forgotten parts of the country to take small steps, small actions, that can have profound effects on the psyche in those areas.

I used to think that Indian women faced far greater challenges than Western women and on the face of it, it is true. But Western women face problems of discrimination too: gender biases, glass ceilings, age-ism and pay differentials.

The difference is, at least as I have found amongst American women of my generation, is that Indian women talk about gender and Western women don’t.

We prefer to pretend these things are over, that there is no need for feminism in the West. I’ve learned from Indian women to confront the reality that discrimination does still exist in the West. But my work with ‘Video Volunteers’ has impacted my life in much bigger ways too – I am married to an Indian, who is my partner in ‘Video Volunteers’ and have a half-Indian one-year-old son!

The writer is American and lives in Delhi. culturama | april 2011

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Star Struck

s a rit h a r a o

sachin TENDULKAR YOU would be excused for not knowing who Sachin Tendulkar is, if: • You've lived all your life in a non-cricket-playing country with little exposure to the game and are now faced with the daunting prospect of living in a country where cricket is religion.

• You've just been released after being held hostage with no

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contact with the outside world for the last two decades.

• You've arrived in the present on a time machine from a time when few Indians broke international cricketing records.

Arguably one of the most talented cricketers of all time, everybody, it seems, knows about the legendary Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. And in a country that thrives on cricket, it is little wonder that he enjoys a demi-god status. Making his Test debut in 1989, the Little Master, as he is called, was the second youngest debutant in the world and went on to break record after record with his batting prowess. To fathom why Tendulkar is considered the most-worshipped

cricketer in India, one must simply look at the numbers – in his career, the man has notched up a whopping 14,692 runs from 177 Test matches with 51 centuries and 59 half-centuries! And in 448 One Day Internationals he has scored 18,000 runs with 47 centuries and 94 half centuries. He has been the man of the match 75 times and is also the first batsman in history to score over 50 centuries in international cricket. Let's not forget that his first Test hundred was made when he was a mere lad of 17 and by the time he was 25, he had 16 of them.

Not so Trivial!

• Ramakant Achrekar, Tendulkar's coach, is said to have famously created a reward of a coin for any bowler who would get him out, failing which, Tendulkar could keep the coin. The champ apparently went on to collect 13 of them!

• Tendulkar originally wanted to be a fast bowler, but Dennis Lillee at the MRF Pace Academy persuaded him to focus on batting instead!

• Sir Donald Bradman is said to have compared Tendulkar's batting to his own and one of the highpoints of Tendulkar's life was meeting Sir Bradman.

• Peter Roebuck, a former cricketer and now a newspaper columnist and commentator is presumed to have said, "On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt in one of the stations.

The train stopped by for a few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing his century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century.

• In 1987, 14-year-old Sachin Tendulkar was chosen as a ball boy for the India vs. Zimbabwe World Cup match at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Tendulkar, keen on watching Indian cricketer Manoj Prabhakar bowl, opted to man the North Stand despite the unavailability of food and water.

Name Sake

S N a ir

Inner Space

Grain of Truth photo seshu

AKSHATA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where 'a' means 'not' and 'kshata' stands for 'unbroken'. The whole grain of unbroken rice, mixed with a dash of turmeric powder, was used as an offering to the deity, as a blessing and it also served to keep diseases at bay. Symbolically representing prosperity, fertility and bounty, akshata is thrown on the bride and groom as a blessing or a harbinger of good luck.

Akshata offered to a deity is believed to be the best offering a devotee can make, equalling gifts of clothes, food or jewellery. Always used dry, akshata is thrown over the heads of devotees during pujas and other auspicious events. It is believed that every grain of the akshata has the capacity to attract the 'chaitanya' (consciousness) and 'shakti' (energy) of the deity. Therefore, once the puja or event is over, the akshata is gathered from the floor and deposited in the garden of the house or a place where no one is likely to step on it.

The custom of throwing confetti in Western weddings, and its association with happiness, is similar to this practice.

Rice symbolised fruitfulness, even to the ancient Assyrians, Hebrews and Egyptians, and it was natural that it was thrown at the newly wedded couple as a symbol of good wishes.

From there to paper confetti was a natural progression.

And with the respect paid in India to traditional practices, it goes without saying that the rice used for the akshata is chosen with care, making sure it is without any blemish.

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culturama | april 2011

Corridors of Power

ON THE run from a life in the modern day concrete jungle, people began the search for a getaway, a safe zone far from the madding crowd. The resultant revival of interest in traditional architecture led to an attempt to preserve our heritage. The structural designs of yore, a revelation in the field of construction whether in the materials used or the inherent eco-friendly techniques adopted, are now being flaunted in architectural styles with a hitherto unseen passion. In this attempt to trace the architectural features of bygone days, our first pit stop is the thinnai.

The long narrow platform attached to the front portion of a traditional South Indian home, the thinnai or verandah overlooks the road. Shaded by a sloping roof which is an extension of the interior roof, the thinnai served as a resting place for visitors. The space, which leads on to the entrance door of the house, is a characteristic feature of courtyard type houses consisting of rooms and open halls arranged around an open space.

Architecturally, the olden day affairs varied from simple, small-sized versions with smooth stone surfaces, to longer, elaborate editions replete with teak wood pillars, some of them raised stilt-like. An artistic delight, these pillars had intricate work on the bases. Irrespective of economic status, the watchword was hospitality and these spaces were used to seat weary travellers and entertain strangers.

Others had entry into the house. Being semi-open, the wellventilated thinnai served as a venue for the discussions of the men folk, a cozy spot for card playing and a hang-out for children and their board games.

Modern day life could do with a recreation of the bonding and personal touch that were intrinsic to those days.

Holistic Living

e k n a t h esw a r a n

time Out WHEN our nieces Geetha and Meera were young, they lived with their grandmother, my mother, in a cottage that my wife Christine and I shared. Even at seven, Geetha was a force to be reckoned with. She used to storm around like a small tornado as she got ready for school. That upset my mother, so one morning I decided to say something. “Geetha, dear,” I urged her, “why don’t you slow down? Take your time. You don’t need to hurry.”

“You can say that, Uncle,” she shot back without breaking stride. “You don’t have to go to school.”

She had a point. All of us have to go to school one way or another, but rushing for the bus is no time to consider that we might actually get there just as well by slowing down – not just slowing down our physical movements, but especially a mind that is racing in overdrive trying to get things done.

It may sound paradoxical, but however tight our schedule, however many things clamour to be done, we don’t need to hurry. If we can keep our mind calm and go about our business with undivided attention, we will not only accomplish more but we’ll do a better job – and find ourselves more patient, more at peace.

Our whole way of life militates against this today. Our civilisation has developed a mania for speed, careening out of control in the fast lane of life – a race with no prize and no way of winning.

One sure sign is that no one has enough time.

Another is how many of us are always hurrying to be late. Everyone seems to be trying to fit more and more into the same fixed twenty-four hours.

That is the paradox: we hurry faster and faster only to find we have less and less time. We have forgotten that it is possible to go through the

day without hurry, tending to each matter as it comes up without coming under pressure.

Living without hurry like this is not a gift; it is a skill. And that means it can be learned. I began to learn it through the example of Mahatma Gandhi, in whose India I grew up – and I might add that I learned it when I did have to go to school, teaching a full load of classes, managing a department, attending endless committee meetings, and keeping open hours for students long into the evening, in addition to writing and lecturing over All India Radio and a dozen other activities I enjoyed.

At that point in my career, I was a busy young man with a packed schedule and quite a few irons in the fire. I had a job I loved – teaching English literature – and was making a name for myself in other fields. In graduate school I had even taken an extra degree, in law as well as literature, because India had just achieved independence and I was contemplating a career in the foreign service. My generation was eagerly involved in building a new nation. It was an exciting time, full of promise, and everything seemed to be falling into my hands.

Yet for some reason it wasn’t enough. I was busy, but there was an emptiness in my heart that no success could fill. Something essential was slipping through my fingers. Meaning, perhaps. A sense of purpose, a reason for living. Certainly peace of mind.

“Wake up!” the Buddha says. “It is time to wake up. Why do you go on sleeping?” I was almost forty; my alarm was ringing. It was time to step back, take a long view of my life, and reevaluate my priorities. What did I really want?

What was life for?

When I thought further, I realized that the people I knew who seemed happiest were

Join us every Saturday

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culturama | april 2011

India Immersion Centre facilitates a weekly spiritual fellowship group following Easwaran’s Eight Point Programme of Meditation in Chennai.

E-mail us for more information at easwaranindia@gmail.com or call Reema Duseja at 9884127304.

often uneducated and unknown. I had grown up with them. They belonged to a way of life I had left behind and had no desire to return to, but their example told me that happiness had nothing to do with possessions, position, wealth, social status, or anything else outside.

I thought back to my childhood. My home state of Kerala is a green staircase on the southwest coast of India with a culture thousands of years old. By modern standards, the village where I was born was backward: we had no electricity, no cinema, no radio, no police, no court of law. But the air was clean, the water pure; rainfall was abundant and the soil fertile. But despite the lack of telephones and automobiles, despite having to tell time by the sun instead of marching to efficient schedules by the clock, they were happy – happier, it seemed to me, than anyone I knew at my university. It was a precious clue. If a village teacher could be as happy as a cosmopolitan professor, fulfilment did not come from any particular activity, place, or circumstance. Perhaps it really could only be found within. Scarcely an original thought, but I had considered it only intellectually. Now it seized my heart. For I now realised that fulfillment doesn’t come from outside, we must look within ourselves.

Reprinted with permission from “The Goal of Meditation” (Blue Mountain, Spring 2009). Copyright 2009 by the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, PO Box 256, Tomales, CA 94971, http://www.easwaran.org.

Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999) founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation in 1961. The Center offers books and retreats based on the eightpoint program of passage meditation that Easwaran developed, taught, and practiced. To learn more, visit http://www.easwaran.org

culturama | april 2011

57

Photo Christopher Wheeler, UK

iseries

i read

Book Jaya – An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata Author Devdutt Pattanaik

i see

Film Natarang Director Ravi Jadhav Language Marathi

Price ` 499

THE Mahabharata by Veda Vyasa is a sprawling epic that has spawned many an interpretation and philosophical debate. It is centred on the concept of Dharma – interpreted variously as ethic, duty, the path of righteousness and natural law.

At the heart of the story is the futile rivalry between the Pandavas and their cousins, the Kauravas, which leads to a great war that the Pandavas win. It begins with the recounting of the ancestry of the two warring factions and ends with Yudhishtira, the eldest Pandava ascending to heaven, only to find his arch rival Duryodhana already there.

Devdutt Pattanaik, a renowned name in the field of Indian mythology, takes on the onus of demystifying the grand epic, delving into its intricate plots and sub-plots. Pattanaik titles his book Jaya – the original name of the epic that we now know as Mahabharata. He narrates the story succinctly and dwells on the fascinating interconnectedness of events and characters, the layers, paradoxes and symbolisms. Pattanaik’s enthusiasm is infectious – he includes folklore, interpretations and crossreferences in other texts – and his accompanying illustrations are exquisite.

While Pattanaik’s Jaya loosely follows the chronology of the original epic, the author invests time in dwelling on significances. There are stories within stories, curses and blessings that change destinies, and repercussions across timelines and beyond lifetimes. In this retelling, Pattanaik chooses to reiterate that the theme of the Mahabharata is conveyed in the character arc of Yudhishtira who first chases Vijaya (victory over others) but finally realises Jaya (mastery over self).

— By Saritha Rao

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‘NATARANG’ is set in the world of tamasha, a popular style of theatre in Maharashtra with large doses of ribaldry, suggestive songs and dances.

Guna Kagalkar (Atul Kulkarni) is a patron of the form, although he is barely making ends meet to support his family. When he decides to start his own tamasha group, Guna begins rehearsing his dream role of a king.

Guna gradually realises that the group needs a woman performer. Nayana (Sonalee Kulkarni) is willing to perform with the group provided they find her a nachya. A nachya plays the effete transgender sidekick to the leading lady in the tamasha and brings in the laughs. With nobody else willing, Guna reluctantly agrees to play the nachya. In a poignant scene, Guna sheds tears of helplessness in the pouring rain as he wears the king’'s garb for the last time. His training begins in earnest and the man who was built like a bull becomes a slender waif.

Once the group is finally off the ground and begins to tour villages, Guna faces fresh challenges.

As he plays a nachya, his perceived indeterminate sexual orientation is cause for much mean humour and sexual advances. Guna then decides to use tamasha as a medium of change. He picks the role of the legendary warrior, Arjuna, who took on the form of a transgender Brihannala to avoid being recognised during exile. But Guna is raped, ironically when he is dressed to play the virile Arjuna. When all his ties, including the familial, unravel, Guna realises that he now has nothing to lose, and begins anew pushing the boundaries of the art form. Natarang won the National Award for Best Marathi film in the year 2010.

— By Saritha Rao

iseries

i like

i hear

Album Ustad Rashid Khan (Vocal) Price ` 325 Released by RPG

Joanne Grady Huskey I AM very interested in women's empowerment and leadership. So, my top ten women role models are:

Hillary Clinton Secretary of State, U.S. 2. Michelle Obama First Lady, U.S. 3. Meryl Streep Actress, U.S. 4. Diane Keaton Actress, U.S. 5. Christine Grady Head of BioEthics at National Institutes of Health, U.S. (and my sister!)

6. Mother Theresa Saint, India 7. Aung San Suu Kyi Opposition leader in Burma (Myanmar) 8. Judith Jamison Dancer and Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey Dance Company, U.S. 9. Marianne Williamson Inspirational writer and philosopher, U.S. 10. Nancy Pelosi U.S. Congresswoman, and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Thinking of these women inspires me to be 'awesome' in all that I endeavour and hold my head up high.

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culturama | april 2011

USTAD Rashid Khan is India’s foremost singer in the Hindustani classical tradition. He has an amazing range and resonant voice that easily traverses three octaves.

In the CD, Ustad Rashid Khan sings three Ragas (tunes). The first is a piece rendered slowly in 12 beats in Malkons. The amazing feature of this tradition that he displays is a strict adherence to the structure of the composition as he elaborates. The mood builds into a climax and then recedes into the denouement. The monosyllabic renditions in this tradition are meant to highlight and accentuate the natural voice.

The second song is in Raga Saraswati (named after the Goddess of Learning in Indian mythology).

An evening Raga, it flaunts an arresting combination of notes; Ustad Rashid Khan rapidly renders notes in high speed, covering a large range, and yet invariably ends on the 'sa', the first note in the musical scale. Beautifully rendered, it still maintains the old-world charm.

The third piece is a Tarana that has syllables that have no meaning but are most appealing in melody and rhythm – a tour de force of his repertoire. Ustad Rashid Khan presents it in Raga Hameer (Tarana was conceived by the 12th century philosopher and Sufi Saint Hazrat Amir Khusro who came to India from Persia). His variegated rendition in electrifying speed is marked by variations of patterns in executing the scintillating tans that are sometimes intricate, sometimes guttural and all time best in the Hindustani classical format.

Belonging to the Rampur Sahaswan gharana (an offshoot of the Gwalior gharana), Ustad Rashid Khan evinces in his music all the eclectic trends of his distinctive musical lineage.

— By Jyoti Nair

iseries

The Big League What is the IPL? The Indian Premier League or the ‘IPL’ is an inter-state professional league for Twenty20 cricket in India, similar to the Barclays Premier League for football in the United Kingdom. Started by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in April 2008, the IPL is now in its fourth season running and generates collective hype, excitement and a fair share of controversy every year. The IPL fever begins with an auction held a few months prior to the game, in which players are chosen from a pool of Indian and international talent. This year’s game will give fans an opportunity to watch cricket greats like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Adam Gilchrist and AB de Villers battle it out on the same field.

What teams does the IPL comprise?

This year, the IPL will see ten franchise teams vie for the number one spot. The teams include Mumbai Indians owned

by Mukesh Ambani (Reliance Industries); Delhi Daredevils owned by the GMR Group; last year’s winning team, Chennai Super Kings owned by India Cements; Deccan Chargers owned by Deccan Chronicle; Kings XI Punjab owned by Ness Wadia, Preity Zinta and Apeejay Surendra Group; Rajasthan Royals owned by Shilpa Shetty,

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i ask

Photo Liz Tunnel, UK

Raj Kundra and Emerging Media; Royal Challengers Bangalore owned by Vijay Mallya (UB Group); Kolkata Knight Riders owned by Red Chillies Entertainment; and two new franchises, Kochi Tuskers Kerala owned by Kochi Cricket Pvt Ltd; and Pune Warriors owned by Sahara.

What makes the IPL so popular?

It is no secret that India is a cricketcrazy nation and the IPL, being a shortened, three-hour version of the game, guarantees that spectators get their daily dose of action-packed cricket continuously over two months. The inter-state format also brings out the best of the country’s competitive spirit and unites fans across the nation in mass frenzy that is palpable throughout the season.

How do I get tickets to watch a game?

The 74 IPL matches this year will be held at various venues, so be sure to catch the games when they’re at your city! You could buy tickets online from the IPL’s official partner site, kyazoonga.com, where you could select tickets based on the venue or the team. Also check out www.ipl-schedule. com for the complete schedule and www. ipltickets.net for some general information.

Portrait of India

Lord Rama is believed to be the seventh ‘avatar’ of Lord Vishnu on earth, the latter being the God of Preservation in Hindu mythology. This image portrays Lord Rama’s Navarasas or nine emotions (love, laughter, fury, compassion, disgust, horror, valour, wonder and tranquility). ‘Rama Navami’ celebrates the birth of Lord Rama and takes place in March or April every year.

Courtesy: ‘Art Heritage of India: A Collector’s Special’, published by ‘L&T - ECC & ECC Recreation Club’.

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India Snapshot

QA t h r o u g h P a sc a l Reynaud's lens

in india, Do we drive on the left or right of the road?

we drive on whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s left of the road!

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5

8

22

Your Festive Calendar

13

April

Festival of the Month

24

Easter The festival of Easter is celebrated to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ after crucifixion. It is one of the holiest Christian festivals. The Easter Day also traditionally heralds the advent of the spring season after the gloomy months of winter. As such, Easter is associated with joyous merriment and gaiety.

Also this month

May

14 Vishu

17 Buddha Purnima

The New Year festival celebrated in the state of Kerala.

Celebrates birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha.

14 Vaisakhi/Baisakhi

August

The New Year festival celebrated in the state of Punjab, also an ancient harvest festival.

16 Mahaveer Jayanthi Mahaveer Jayanathi celebrates the birth of Lord Mahaveer, the founder of Jainism.

22 Good Friday A day that marks Jesus Christâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crucifixion.

13 Rakshna Bandhan A festival that celebrates the bond shared by a brother with his sister.

15 Independence Day India celebrates its 64th Independence Day.

19 Nowruz The Parsi New Year.

22 Janmashtami Celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna.

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culturama | april 2011

31 ldu'l Fitr or Eid The Muslim festival that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.

August

1 Ganesh Chathurthi Happy birthday to the elephant-headed Lord Ganesh!

9 Onam (Kerala) A harvest festival celebrated in the Malayalam month of Chingam (AugustSeptember) and represents the grand welcome to the demon king Mahabali.

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Space & The City

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RNI NO.TNENG/2010/32752

REGISTERED No. TN/CC(S) Dn./396/10-12