Culturama April 2018 by Rohini Manian

Beauty Beholden

What did an Iranian artist find in Goa?

April 2018 Volume 9, Issue 2

` 40

In the World of Global Nomads

What do our crop of cross-culturally proficient millennials actually want?

April 2018

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April 2018

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Dear Readers,

I wish to share a story I love and am attempting to live by. Once, a man was sleeping under a tree. Near the trunk of the tree were two holes in the ground. A snake came out of one and bit the sleeping man lightly. The man shouted out loud and opened his eyes. A mouse that was in the second hole came out on hearing the man shout. On seeing the mouse, the man thought it was the little rodent that had had bitten him, and did not take it seriously. He spoke in a harsh tone to the mouse and went back to sleep. The mouse’s feelings were hurt by the harsh tone, and he decided to teach the man a lesson for accusing him of something he had not done. He quickly ran out, bit the man and disappeared into his hole. The man screamed even more loudly this time. On hearing this scream, the snake popped his head out of the ground. As soon as the man saw the snake, he had a heart attack and died.

Now, here is a question for you to ponder on: Who killed t he man? Was it the mouse? The snake? Or the man’s own fear? Mind-boggling, isn’t it? Life, too, presents us with situations like this one. It is often not what someone does or says to us but our imagining and erroneous perception of things, and not being able to control our thoughts, which paralyses us, kills our decision making and prevents correct action. What if we committed to training our attention to be in control of our thoughts? So, no matter what happens in life, we go from saying ‘Wait, what?’ to ‘So what?’ – thus finding solutions to the problems on hand from an equanimous state of mind. I hope this parable inspires us to live mindfully, practising thought control by the daily practice of meditation. This is especially pertinent for leaders who are constantly faced with difficult decisions. Speaking of leaders, I hope you were part of AIKYA 2018, which was held last month. The concert’s theme, drawn from the Ramayana, dealt with the different aspects of what made Rama an ideal leader for all time. If you missed the concert, we have a surprise for you! The recording of AIKYA 2018 will be telecast on Zee Tamil on April 14 (Tamil New Year’s Day) from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Do tune in! Let us strive towards happy, mindful living.

Editor-in-Chief Ranjini Manian Managing Editor Yamini Vasudevan Creative Head Prem Kumar VP Finance V Ramkumar Circulation P Devaraj Advertising Chennai Shobana Sairaj Bengaluru Meera Roy Delhi/NCR Ruchika Srivastava Mumbai/Pune Ashish Chaulkar

To subscribe to this magazine, e-mail info@globaladjustments.com or access it online at www.globaladjustments.com Chennai (Headquarters) 5, 3rd Main Road, R A Puram, Chennai – 600028 Telefax +91-44-24617902 E-mail culturama@globaladjustments.com Bengaluru #333/1, 1st Floor, 9th Main, 14th Cross, 2nd Stage, Indira Nagar, Bangalore - 560038 Tel +91-80-41267152 E-mail culturamablr@globaladjustments.com Delhi-NCR Level 4, Augusta Point, Golf Course Road, Sector 53, Gurgaon 122002, Haryana Mobile +91 124 435 4224 E-mail del@globaladjustments.com Mumbai #1102, 11th floor, Peninsula Business Park, Tower B, SB Road, Lower Parel, Mumbai – 400013 Tel +91-22-66879366 E-mail mum@globaladjustments.com

Editor-in-Chief | globalindian@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,

A recording of the concert will be aired on Zee Tamil on April 14, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. as our gift on the occasion of Tamil New Year. View the trailer at http://globaladjustments.com/aikya-trailer/

Chennai – 600032 Disclaimer Views and opinions expressed by writers do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s or the magazine’s.

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Cover Image

Photo: Melissa FREITAS, Brazil

Advisory Board Members N. Ram is an award-winning journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu. He is Director of Kasturi & Sons Limited, publishers of The Hindu. Suzanne McNeill lived in India for seven years before returning to Scotland. She is a freelance writer and graphic designer. Liz Neisloss is a veteran journalist and writer who has worked for CNN based from Singapore, Chennai and at the United Nations in New York. She is now based in Mumbai. G. Venket Ram is an acclaimed photographer and the creative mind behind many a Culturama issue. www.gvenketram.com Annelize Booysen is a business consultant and social entrepreneur. She lived in Asia for more than a decade, which included three years in India. She is currently based in the United States. Namita Jain, founder of Jaldi Fit, is a leading fitness guru and a businesswoman who helms Kishco, a world-class cutlery brand.

Contributors Susan Philip is a freelance writer based in Chennai, and the editorial coordinator of Culturama’s various coffee table books. Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999) was a spiritual teacher, author and interpreter of Indian literature. In 1961, he founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation and Nilgiri Press in California. Devdutt Pattanaik is the Chief Belief Officer of the Future Group and a writer and illustrator of several books on Indian mythology. www.devdutt.com Preeti Verma Lal is a New Delhi-based writer/ photographer. If God asked her what she wanted, she’d tell Him to turn her into a farmer who also writes lyrically.

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor,

I thoroughly enjoyed your articles on ‘Wonder Women’. It was very informative and the visuals were stunning! Keep up the good work. - Zarin Mistry, Chennai

Dear Editor,

Loved the cover of the March issue of Culturama – what an amazing depiction of the Rani of Jhansi! Loved reading the feature article and other pieces in the magazine, too. - Kala Gopinath, Bangalore

Dear Editor,

The article on Mani Ratnam and Suhasini was a good read – a much-needed reminder that a good marriage needs both partners to work for it. I also enjoyed the article on the Ramayana’s influence in Southeast Asia. - Shubha Jagannath, United States

Dear Editor,

I loved the article on Madurai in your February issue. What a magical string of mesmerising words! Loved it all – the amorous love story of Parvati and Shiva, food and so on. - Anitha Natarajan, Bengaluru

culturama – Subscribe Now! Get your copy of Culturama as a hard copy or as an e-magazine - visit www.culturama.in to subscribe For other enquiries, e-mail us at culturama@globaladjustments.com or call us on +91-44-2461 7902

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Contents Regulars

40 Feature We take a look at how cricket came to India, and how it has grown over the years.

India’s Culture 8

Short Message Service

Short, engaging snippets of Indian culture.

India in Symbols

We delve into the symbolism behind commonly used symbols and markers.

India Impressions

Iranian Artist Saleh Kazemi came to India in search of the spiritual haven depicted in a novel. Instead, he found rich and iconic beauty when he travelled through Goa.

Festivals of India

Celebrating the dawn of a New Year as per the Indian calendar.

Spotlight

Music, fireworks and processions by grandly decorated elephants – the Thrissur Pooram festival of Kerala is a feast for the senses.

In Focus

Moving across the world and interacting with people from different cultures is now a normal part of many millennials’ lives. In such a scenario, what are some key pointers businesses should take note of?

India Diaries

As summer descends on the subcontinent, we give you a list of tips on how to stay cool and comfortable.

Look Who's In Town

Resident expats speak about their experience of living in India – and share a tip or two as well.

At Global Adjustments

We relive the highlights of AIKYA 2018.

Journeys Into India

Holistic Living

We may amass wealth and achieve great successes but there will come a time when we are forced to look deeper for the fount of lasting happiness.

Myth & Mythology

In an unusual tale, a Hindu God leaves his abode and comes down to earth – where he incurs a huge debt. Intersetingly, his devotees are still helping him to pay off his debt.

At GA Foundation

A look back at milestones in our journey to empower women.

Relocations and Property 62

Space and the City

Property listings in Chennai.

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SMS by Suzanne McNeill

Short cultural snippets for an easily digestible India

Art/textile/craft: Dabu printing on fabric Dabu is a hand-block, resist printing technique from Rajasthan that uses mud instead of paint to create pattern on textiles (dabu comes from the word dabana, meaning ‘to exert pressure’). It is highly labour intensive, requiring many stages of textile preparation, printing and dyeing. The pattern is marked out on the textile using the hand blocks, then the mud paste (a mix of soil, gum and lime) is applied to the parts of the pattern that are to resist the dye, either by hand if it is a large area or using the blocks if more detailed. Finely ground waste wheat chaff is sprinkled over the paste to help it set. The textile is dyed, left to dry in the sun, then washed to remove the mud and dried again. Several more stages of resist and dye may take place, depending on the complexity of the pattern and colour. Normally dabu is printed onto cotton, but silk, crepe and georgette are also used to produce saris and dress materials. Designs and motifs include mangos, peacocks, cornstalks and plants, and geometric shapes and dots.

Words: Bindaas

Bindaas is a form of slang that originated in Mumbai and is now used in common parlance across India. It is a corrupted version of the word Marathi bindhaast, meaning ‘the one who has no fear’ or ‘fearless’ (bin means ‘without’ and dhaasti ‘fear’ or ‘worry’) and in this form is used in regularly in polite Marathi conversation. It indicates anyone who does things that he or she wishes to without any doubt or anxiety. The word was probably popularised by Hindi movies and is now used to mean ‘cool’, ‘unrestrained’ or ‘carefree’. Bindaas indicates there is nothing to worry about, and directs someone to feel free, to chill out. Depending on the speaker’s point of view, the same word is used in two different ways: ‘You will like him. He’s total bindaas!’ or ‘Bindaas movie. Leave your brains behind!’ It is a favourite for Bollywood film and song titles, where it refers to the ultimate cool dude.

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Name: Sabyasachi Mukherjee Sabyasachi Mukherjee is a celebrated Indian fashion designer. He sells his designs under his eponymous label, pioneering the use of indigenous textiles in a modern context. He won Femina British Council’s most outstanding Young Designer of India award just two years after graduating, and is an associate member of the Fashion Design Council of India. Sabyasachi has designed costumes for star-studded Bollywood films such as Baabul, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and Raavan, as well as all the clothes worn by the late Sridevi in English Vinglish. His celebrity clientele include stars from Bollywood and Hollywood. Sabyasachi was born in Kolkata in 1974. His parents wanted him to become an engineer, but from an early age Sabyasachi was in awe of fashion pioneer Rohit Khosla and knew he wanted to do fashion design. He studied at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, starting his own label just four months after graduating in 1999. The British Council award led to an internship in London, and he returned to produce collections that have been showcased in London, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore and New York. Credited with a vibrant imagination and an artistic sense of colour and graphic vision, Sabyasachi’s collections combine Indian ‘ethnic’ fashion with global influences. He is inspired by the antique textiles and indigenous methods of textile production of India, but also draws on influences from the West, using unusual fabrics, texturing and detailing to fuse styles. He calls his work ‘international styling with an Indian soul’. Recent couture collections have focused on bridal wear, but he is also known for influencing revivals of fabrics from cotton khadi to opulent Banarasi silk, and supporting traditional methods of weaving.

Food and Drink: Dhansak The Parsi Zoroastrian community, who migrated to India from Persia between the eighth and tenth centuries, brought to the west coast of their new country a fondness for mixtures of meat and vegetables or meat and fruit. This was influenced by the Gujarati love of sweet and sour and Indian spice mixtures. Dhansak is traditionally made with four different sorts of lentils and eaten with caramalised brown rice and fried onions. The lentils are soaked overnight, and then simmered with onions and turmeric. Chopped vegetables such as aubergine, potatoes, tomatoes and pumpkin, ginger, garlic and coriander are added, and when the pulses are soft the mixture is mashed to a puree and set aside. The spice mix – cumin, coriander, chilli, cardamom, cinnamon, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds – are fried with ginger and garlic. Tomatoes and green chillies are added, then the meat (lamb is traditional, but chicken can be used) until browned. The meat and spice mix is added to the lentil puree with stock, jaggery and some lime juice, and then simmered until the meat is cooked. Dhansak is a traditional Sunday dish in many Parsi homes.

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March April 2018

India in Symbols by Susan Philip

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Patriotic Pride

From the flag to its flora and fauna, Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national emblems represent the many facets of the country, and invoke a sense of unity and respect

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India, like every other nation, has invested much thought in designing its flag, choosing an emblem and designating flora and fauna to represent its highest ideals. These symbols evoke patriotism and a feeling of national identity in every Indian. The Indian flag, also referred to as the tiranga or tricolour, has three horizontal bands – saffron, white and green. The white band in the middle has a navy blue wheel in the centre, with 24 spokes on it. The saffron colour stands for courage and strength, the white for truth, and peace, and the green for fertility and growth. The wheel, known as the Dharma Chakra or Wheel of Law, is taken from the Sarnath Capital, a sculpture atop the Ashoka Column, so called because it was erected by Emperor Ashoka, the famed Mauryan king of the 3rd Century BCE, at Sarnath, an important Buddhist centre. When we, at Global Adjustments, look at the Indian flag, we associate saffron, called bhagwa in Hindi, with selfless leadership, and the white band with purity of thought, word and deed. The spokes of the chakra remind us of the hours in a day and the hard work we must all put in. We know that when all of this is present, the growth which the green band signifies will automatically happen. The Sarnath Capital is also the source of the National Emblem – four lions standing back-to-back, although only three can be seen in two-dimensional representations. The lions are featured standing on a circular abacus or slab, adorned by high-relief sculptures of a bull, an elephant, a galloping horse and a lion, each separated from the other by chariot wheel motifs. All the animals featured in the Capital have symbolic meaning in Buddhism. In the original, the image of the lions looking out in four different directions could be a reference to either the spread of Buddhism or the extent of the Mauryan Empire. As the emblem of the Union of India, the image of the lions on the abacus is followed by the words Satyameva Jayate, taken from an ancient Indian text, meaning ‘truth alone triumphs’. That is the national motto, and the emblem, including the motto is inscribed on currency and official documents. The emblem is symbolic of India’s commitment from ancient times to world peace and global goodwill. The Royal Bengal Tiger is the national animal of India, and the River Dolphin the national aquatic animal. The lotus and the mango are the national flower and fruit, respectively. The tiger is found in most parts of the country, while the

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River Ganga, which, incidentally, is India’s national river, is home to the River Dolphin, an endangered species. The peacock is the national bird and is found in many parts of the country. The Banyan is the national tree. It is a recurring motif in Indian myths and legends. India also has a national microbe, the Lactobacillus delbrueckii (subspecies. Bulgaricus), one of the starters for natural yoghurt, a pan-Indian favourite. The Stuff of Legend The Sarnath pillar is believed to mark the site of Lord Buddha’s first sermon. As Prince Gautama, he had lived a luxurious, but protected life in the palace, his father the king having decreed that he should not be exposed to sorrow and suffering. However, when he did come across suffering and death, it made him think. Renouncing the world, he set out to find enlightenment about the meaning of life and its struggles, and the possibility of liberation from them. And, ultimately, he achieved enlightenment. The next challenge was to convey what he had realised to the masses. At Sarnath he found the five people who had originally set out with him on his quest. He told them about the Middle Path, between self-indulgence and self-denial, which he found was the route to enlightenment. He then expounded the Four Noble Truths – very simplistically, that life is unsatisfying, it is so because it is driven by cravings or desires, there is a way out of the dissatisfaction and craving, and it can be found via the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path is the essence of Buddhist principles. The Buddha believed that by following it, each individual can attain enlightenment for himself. Scientific Substance Yoghurt or curd is an integral part of

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general Indian diet. Its medicinal properties are well known. According to ayurveda, curd aids digestion and stimulates the taste buds. The good bacteria found in it keep the colon healthy. Dahi, as curd is called in Hindi, is used to treat gastrointestinal disorders like dyspepsia. It is also a good source of calcium. Saying it in Verse Kalpa-Lataam-Iva Phala-Daam Loke Prannamati Yastvaam Na Patati Shoke Paaraavaara-Vihaarinni Gangge Vimukha-Yuvati-KrtaTarala-Apaangge “You bestow fruits to the world like the Kalpalata (wishfulfilling creeper); He who reverentially bows down to You does not fall into grief, Mother Ganga, You flow into the ocean with the sportiveness of a young maiden turning away with sidelong glances.” The Aikya factor Emperor Ashoka was a scion of the Gupta dynasty which carried the name of Maurya from its totem, the mor, or peacock. The bird has been a source of inspiration for artists

in various genres down the ages in the Indian subcontinent. The Moghuls were fascinated by it, and Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the fabulous Peacock Throne. The Chinese used peacock tail feathers as a mark of official rank during the reign of the Ming Dynasty, and the practice was continued by several successive dynasties. Lactobacillus delbrueckii was first identified by a Bulgarian named Stamen Grigorov. Later, a Russian scientist, Ilya Mechnikov, undertook a research project on the link between the importance of yoghurt in the diet of the people of Bulgaria and the Russia steppes, and their longevity. A Last Word “I think it is possible to be multi-rooted, rather like a banyan tree, without being deracinated.” – Vikram Seth

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India Impressions by Preeti Verma Lal

April 2018

Beauty Beholden

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It happened in Rome. On a balmy July afternoon. A lithe Iranian artist was at a luncheon, ignoring the wine and running through the list of countries he wants to visit. The countries neatly categorised into ‘easy’ and ‘difficult’ columns. India fell in Saleh Kazemi’s ‘difficult’ category. Long-haul travel. Expensive. That afternoon, an Indiamontage invaded Kazemi’s mind space. Vignettes gathered from the pages of Hermann Hesse, the German Nobel laureate whose father and grandfather lived in India as evangelists. The India-connection was not a consequence of catechism. It was Siddhartha, Hesse’s book that deals with the spiritual journey of self-discovery of a man named Siddhartha who lived during the Gautama Buddha. Of an unseen country, Kazemi knew of India only through Siddhartha.

Photos: Preeti Verma Lal

Iranian Artist Saleh Kazemi came to India in search of the spiritual haven depicted in a novel. He found rich and iconic beauty when he travelled through Goa – which he has captured in his drawings. Something else comes to the fore as well – a deep resonance with the ancient tenets of India’s spiritual tradition, which he has never heard of before

Suddenly, fate intervened. Jenepher Bramble, the host who calls London, Rome and Goa her home, uttered a one-liner: “Why don’t you come to India?” As if on cue, India jumped from Kazemi’s ‘difficult’ to the ‘easy’ list. Six months later, Kazemi flew into India, his eyes laden with the idea of a spiritual India borrowed from Hesse’s musings. It was his art that brought Iranian Saleh Kazemi to Goa where, for three months, he walked past mud houses, drove through narrow lanes, spent hours in marketplaces picking images for his sketchbook. That is what Kazemi does. Draws. Two months and nearly 70 drawings later, he exhibited his drawings in the Museum of Goa. Titled Mirror of Everyday Life, the two-week-long solo looks at Goa through the eyes of an Iranian artist who reads poetry, plays the harmonica, names Egon Schiele, the Austrian artist, as his favourite master, and confesses he has no imagination (he is purely ‘logical’). Saleh Kazemi (his given name translates into ‘peace’) knows not where his art comes from. Certainly, there are no traces of art in his DNA helix. Born in Tehran, he moved to Rome after high school because “it was the easiest, cheapest way to enter Europe”. He studied graphic design, took up photography assignments in Germany, Italy and Switzerland, but never thought of drawing as his final calling. On a fortuitous train journey, he read the last page of the last Persian book he had. When ennui crept, he pulled the sketchbook and a 0.05 black ink pen from his backpack and drew. His fellow-passengers, the window, the coffee mug on the table… Those deft strokes in black have a pattern. The eyebrows are striped, the hair wavy and the knuckles gnarled. A pattern repeated in his Goan drawings, too. Strangely, there are only Goan women in those square

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white handmade paper. Intrigued, I ask Kazemi why. “In my mind, I had an idea about Indians. Very iconic, very nuanced, very distinct characteristics. But I found none of them in the Goan men. In women, yes. The Goan women I saw at the marketplace had such iconic Indianness. That is why I ignored the men and drew only women.” And is there an unforgettable image? I ask again. “Yes, the colours. The pinks and the reds that the women wear. Such vibrant colours. Such warmth.” There is not a speck of colour in his sketchbooks, but the pinks and reds did get etched in Kazemi’s mind. During his three-month stay in India, Kazemi camped in Goa and ambled around Mumbai briefly. When he landed in India, his eyes were laden with images strung by Hesse in Siddhartha. Was that the India that he actually saw? I rake the artist’s mind. “No. I had thought of India as a spiritual

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place. I assumed I will find spirituality in the air, but, no, I did not. Instead, I found a Hawaii-Goa, cluttered with rich foreigners and reckless drivers.” There was a hint of disappointment in Kazemi’s soft voice and I harked back to Hesse’s confession that the idealised image of India as shaped by the stories told by his grandfather Hermann Gundert proved elusive. Hesse was appalled by the heat, the dirt, the colonialism, the social conditions in India. Kazemi, however, is not done with India yet. He wants to return, to hold another exhibition, to hire a car and drive through ‘village after village’ to see the real India. Not the Hawaii-Goa India but the real India. To find spirituality. To meet people. To understand a culture. And, of course, to travel; the last being Kazemi’s refrain. “All my personal belongings can fit in a bag. I have no concept of a permanent home. I like the lightness of Being. I wanted to play the piano, but it is too heavy. I play the harmonica because I can carry it along. I gave away my heavy DSLR cameras and bought the lightest/slimmest Fuji camera. I only want to travel, see the world. And learn. And understand.” Sitting cross-legged on the floor, I was listening to Kazemi and his concept of existence, ideas that are oft-repeated in the Vedic scriptures. Did he borrow from Persian philosophy? “I have not delved into Persian philosophy. My earliest recollection of detachment and spirituality is from W. Somerset Maugham’s final novel, The Razor’s Edge (1944). I was barely 12 when I read the story of Larry Darrell, an American pilot traumatised by his experiences in World War I, who sets off in search of some transcendent meaning in his life.” Kazemi did not mention it, but I know that the title of Maugham’s novel comes from a translation of a verse in the Katha Upanishad (Part 1, Chapter 3, Verse 14): उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत । क्शुरस्य धारा निशिता दुरत्यया दुर्गं पथस्तत्कवयो वदन्ति ॥ १४ ॥ Uttisthata jāgrata prāpya varānnibodhata | kśurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā durgam pathastat kavayo vadanti || “Arise, awake; having reached the great, learn; the edge of a razor is sharp and impassable; that path, the intelligent say, is hard to go by.” Saleh Kazemi has not read the Katha Upanishad, he knows not a word of Sanskrit; but somewhere in bold black strokes in the Mirror of Life drawings and his own life and art, the artist practises minimalism and seeks salvation. Not for him the ordinary, the mundane, the dreary. Saleh Kazemi exists in another world.

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Photo: Melissa FREITAS, Brazil

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In Focus by Rohini Manian

In the world of

Global Nomads Moving across the world and interacting with people from different cultures is no longer a novel experience – it is, in fact, a very normal part of many millennials’ lives. In such a scenario, what are some key pointers for businesses to take note of?

Change is the only constant. That’s what I acknowledge as I learn the ropes of steering the relocation firm that I recently took responsibility for. Change is what I’m in the process of ushering into this over-two-decade-old company – change in the business perceptions of the senior generation, to bring the organisation in sync with the goals, aspirations, working methods and ethics of millennials like myself – not only in India, where my firm is based, but the world over. Relocating families no longer need housing support and neighbourhood orientation. Business documentation processes are going online globally, and for the tech-savvy millennial, it’s a breeze. Paperwork facilitation is on its way out as a business. The good news is that new horizons are opening up, for both the millennial global nomad and the millennial relocations entrepreneur. Setting course As per the Pew Research Centre, millennials – born between 1981 and 1997– account for 27 per cent of the world’s population. They are young adults, and, as the senior generation steps down from positions of policy- and decisionmaking, they will be moving into those power positions. Millennials will make up around half the world’s workforce by 2020, according to statistics. That will automatically bring about a change in business compass settings. Technology, such as social media, instant communication facilities

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Photo: Melissa FREITAS, Brazil

and real-time data availability on tap, has brought about a paradigm shift in working methods. Research shows that as a group, millennials value international experience. A huge 71 perc ent say they would, at some stage in their career, like to work outside their home country. Work teams are now geographically distributed, but even more interconnected than they were when grouped together under one roof. But this brings with it a series of challenges not taken into account earlier. Work needs have changed. The criteria to keep millennial employees fruitfully engaged and satisfied are significantly different from those which kept the preceding generation happy and productive. Also, intercultural consciousness or the need to connect with diverse ethnicities for overall fulfillment is gaining importance. Although the whole process is taking place relatively gradually, wouldn’t it be wise to be mindful that the prevailing winds are changing direction, and trim our sails accordingly? Gathering data Thinking about my perceptions of what makes business sense, as different from those of my seniors, I decided to ask a cross-section of fellow millennials, scattered through the world, what motivates them at work, what keeps them

anchored, and what their lode star is. Here’s a synthesis of their answers. Everyone I talked to had some things in common – they were either willing to relocate or had already relocated to countries other than their native ones. All were confident of support from spouses (even those yet to join hands with them) and were open to raising families in environments different from their roots. Despite these commonalities, there were differences in motivation. Some came from backgrounds which involved moving from one place to another during their formative years, making international experience something to be actively sought and internalised. Others simply felt it important to widen their horizons. And while all of them felt equipped with modern technology to cope with new locales, languages and climate conditions, they flagged different needs yet to be adequately addressed. The lode stars Cara from the United States, Yamini from India and Youngmin from Korea hail from families that have moved around the world. “My dad was a diplomat and we lived in London, Pakistan, Russia and India,” said Youngmin. His goal is to work on his own, and he feels entrepreneurship has

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as a local and the competition would be more manageable. “Since people like to do business with like-minded people, I would go over to the new overseas location of a company from my own region and apply for a job. It helped me quickly get absorbed in the system,” he says with satisfaction. Natasha is a citizen of the United States who has visited many countries. “As the world becomes more global and interconnected, national identity gives way in importance to a commitment to global citizenship,” she notes. Both Yamini and Natasha feel that, given a choice, they would rather work in a developed country, where infrastructure is already well established and it is easy to ‘settle in’ and go about one’s business. “Having to sort out basic infrastructural needs would mean a lot of time and energy spent, which could be rather exhausting!” notes Yamini. For Yumiko from Japan, the United States is the dream destination, the land of equality and growth. After completing a stint there, given a chance, she’ll go back in a heartbeat. Unfamiliar currents

Photo: Jennifer Mullen, Australia

“The coping strategy that worked for me in new locales has always been to love the food. Try it out before you get there, then when you land the authentic stuff tastes so much better. Once you break bread with locals, business and friendship are both cemented.” so much more possibilities for a global citizen. Cara grew up living in India, Kenya, Taiwan and the United States. She has worked in San Francisco, Chennai and Shanghai. The number of countries she has visited? Seventy and counting! “I am primarily driven by an interest and curiosity for other cultures, especially a love of learning new languages,” she says, but adds, “certainly career growth and financial independence are something I naturally will pursue in any career change, at home or abroad.” Yamini grew up and worked in other countries before coming back to her native land. Unlike Cara, Yamini and Youngmin, Markus grew up in his own country – Germany. But when he was trying to make a career for himself, he found he was among a million applicants to a Fortune 100 company like BMW or Benz. That was when it occurred to him that if he moved to another location, especially an emerging economy, he could be hired

For Youngmin, the chief concern in a new place is how to connect and network for business success. “It’s always about who you know and not about what you know that adds to success in business networks,” he says. So, it is a challenge for him to work out which local organisations to belong to and how to gain entry to them. Karen is from Denmark, a culture ‘as flat as a piece of paper,’ as she puts it. Like many millennials, she was fascinated by other cultures and moved east to work. It was a whole new cup of tea. Finding her way around the hierarchical culture was a huge challenge. Cara finds reinventing her social life in a new place the hardest adjustment to make. And for Yumiko, having to deal with racism is the biggest hurdle. “Nobody really warns you about this, but you will really miss the staples from your hometown – and that will add to the homesickness,” rues Yamini. Navigation hacks for uncharted seas Although there are challenges, it is in the millennial mindset to meet them head-on, with innovation and inspiration. Chris from the United Kingdom has a satisfying feelgood plan to ease him into his new place of work. Yes, it’s all about food. “The coping strategy that worked for me in new locales has always been to love the food. Try it out before you get there; then when you land, the authentic stuff tastes so much better. Once you break bread with locals, business and friendship are both cemented,” is his advice.

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For Youngmin, it is important to make a difference locally. Community service is his chosen path. “In India,” he recollects, “I was one of the volunteers in a Clean the Beach group, and I feel that I made a real difference, contributing both effort and money.” “My best strategy in a new place is joining sports teams and getting involved in community organisations,” shares Cara. And, in a work environment, a sense of autonomy and the Photo: Melissa FREITAS, Brazil ability to learn are important to her. “Your team and manager are directly responsible for creating those opportunities in your work environment, so I am very focused on picking the right team when pursuing a new job,” she says. “This becomes much more important when you choose to relocate for a job because your team typically is who you first interact with when you arrive in the new place.” Also, as a general coping strategy, she finds learning the local language of prime importance. “It is an important way to learn about the people and places you are interacting with. Growing up, I spent many years studying Chinese (Mandarin) and that is a major reason I travel to China so often now. Being able to speak the language when I get off the plane there opens up a whole new world of value and enriches the interactions I have during my trip.”

Marcus doesn’t find it easy to keep up with changing laws in a new country. He would appreciate an advisory on taxation and maybe cost saving as a service which updates him regularly in the new environment. Transparent career planning is an unmet need for many a relocating millennial. “One thing that is missing is clarity on my career path in jobs I take on as an expatriate,” says Petya from Bulgaria. “I wish companies would give us clear roadmaps, so we don’t explore the option of jumping ship so much.” Her feedback corroborates what I had touched on in an earlier article for MOBILITY – the millennials’ need for transparency. “With the world as fragile as it is now, wouldn’t it be great to have a microchip in your handbag that connects you in an instant to a security person who protects you?” asks Yumiko wistfully. “It is so much easier now with the connectivity of the world to not be homesick. I feel closer to my family after I move overseas to work, as I stay in touch much more regularly than if I am at home. The appreciation for what I have has been doubled and I don’t take my own culture or family for granted,” adds Petya Up ahead: Winds both foul and fair The responses to my questions were an eye-opener for me. I learnt a lot from what my fellow millennials are looking for as they break down geographical barriers and become global nomads, heralding both disruption and fresh opportunities. With millennials to serve in future relocations, it is going to be necessary to reinvent our industry and services. Photo: Mikhail J. GORBATOV, Russia

Wish list Bitten by the wanderlust bug, Karen does not stay in any one country long enough to put down roots. But that means she has to make the best of the short time and budget in each work location. “A social media platform that connects us before we get there with like-minded nationals working in diverse fields would be a boon,” she says. Speaking from a business angle, she adds “I go from Denmark to, say, Vietnam to bring back amazing handicrafts and start a trade between our nations. But how do I find the bargaining power that is optimal? Those nuances would help.” This finds an echo in Youngmin’s wish for a locally available support system he could hire to show him how to work the system of ladder-climbing. The author is CEO of Global Adjustments Services Pvt Ltd. This article was first published in the March 2018 issue of MOBILITY magazine, published by Worldwide ERC.

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India Diaries by Team Culturama

Just Beat It!

with summer around the corner, the need of the hour is to keep cool. we give you list of tips to keep the heat at bay. Curd Rice: Well-

cooked rice mixed with yogurt and Aam Panna: A your choice of finely lightly spiced drink diced cucumber, made of green mangoes, carrots, ginger and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tasty way to combat pomegranate seeds, heat exhaustion. tempered with curry leaves, mustard and red chilies and garnished with chopped coriander leaves makes a heavenly summer lunch.

Photo: Catherine Rose G. Torres

Blinding Heat: Window blinds made of natural materials such as bamboo can work wonders in blocking out the bludgeoning rays of the sun. Blinds woven from vetiver (a native Indian grass species also known as khus) are especially good. Spray them with the plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essential oils and feel sweetscented coolness waft through your room. The aroma calms the mind and simultaneously repels bugs!

Dress Demands: Cotton, preferably khadi or homespun, is the textile to go for. Style-wise, opt for loose and flowing. The salwar kameez is most practical for women, and the dupatta or shawl that goes with it comes in handy as a face wrap to block the burning heat. For men, the kurta pyjama of the North and the adjustable dhoti of the South are the best summer wear.

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April 2018

kerala break for high tea

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April 2018

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Earthenware Pots:

Lassi: There’s nothing like a tall glass of frothy lassi to cool

These are a special blessing in summer. What truly refreshes you on a hot day is a cool drink, not a cold one, and that’s where the pot scores over the fridge. Earthenware is porous, and optimally cools water.

down an overheated body. Made of thick churned curd, it can be sweet or salty, lightly spiced or fruit-mixed.

Moravla: It’s a sweet dish made of amla or gooseberry. A short-cut method is to pressure cook the fruit, known to be a coolant, mix in an equal quantity of sugar, and simmer till thick. Store in a sterile container, and eat as often as you like!

Nannari: Better known as sarsaparilla, this herb, when Photo: Lee Webb

First Aid: Despite best efforts, heat strokes might occur.

made into a syrup, can be added to water or mixed with lime juice for a quick pick-me-up to combat heat-induced fatigue.

If they do, get the victim quickly into the shade, elevate the head, spoon in an electrolyte drink and get professional help ASAP.

Outings: Keep these to the minimum during the summer months. If you must go out, try to avoid doing so between noon and 4 p.m. at least.

Ground Realities: Water shortage is a given in summer.

Punkahs: Get the better of power cuts with punkahs or fans.

Do take care to conserve this precious commodity. Recycle all you can. Use the water that vegetables and cereals are washed in to water house plants, for instance.

Hill Stations: The officers of the British Raj high-tailed it to the hills with their families at the first hint of summer on the plains. Places such as Shimla, Darjeeling, Dehradun, Udhagamandalam (Ooty) and Kodaikanal are well frequented summer getaways. But if you seek silence so that you may hear the music of the hills, it’s best to try roads less travelled, leading to places like Yelagiri (Tamil Nadu), Kalimpong (West Bengal), Anantagiri (Andhra Pradesh) and Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh).

Indian Summer: The phrase has nothing to do with India! It means unseasonably warm weather, usually occurring after a spell of intense cold in autumn, and originates from North America, the early European settlers and the native Indians there. The jury is still out on what exactly the term refers to. Jigerthanda: It originated in the southern Indian city of Madurai, but the word is a portmanteau Hindi one. It means ‘cool the heart’, and that’s just what it does on a hot summer day. It’s made of milk, china grass, rose syrup, sugar syrup and various other ingredients.

Kokum Sherbet: The fruit of the kokum tree, indigenous to the Western coastal regions of India, looks something like a plum. It is dried and stored for use in various ways. The juice is used to make an extremely refreshing drink.

Photo: Damian Kelly, Australia

From simple woven palm leaf ones to elaborately ornamented contraptions that rotate on their support sticks, these handheld devices will raise a breeze any time.

Quick Fixes: Hold your wrists under a tap of cool running water, and feel the heat subside. If you’re out in the sun and feeling the heat despite your cap, turn it around backwards – you’ll not only look cool, but feel cooler too – the brim will protect the extra-sensitive back of your neck.

Ragi Koozh: It’s a kind of fermented porridge made from finger millet and buttermilk. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, besides being amazingly cooling and easy to digest.

Sattu: This unique drink is a summer favourite in some

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parts of North India. Made from roasted and powdered grams and barley, water, fresh lemon juice, rock salt and roasted cumin seeds, it is an effective thirst-quencher. A regular drink of Sattu is believed to increase tolerance to heat.

Visualising Coolness: Believe it or not, it works. When you’re sweltering even in the shade, dream up a picture of a cool, cool waterfall, or summon the sound of drumming raindrops, and you’ll definitely feel better.

Photo: Catherine Rose G. Torres

Photo: Rinske BLOEMENDAL, The Netherlands.jpg

Tender Coconut Water: It’s the coolest one! Perfectly safe, and beautifully balanced with essential salts and minerals, it’s nature’s best OR (oral rehydration) drink.

Photo: Patryk Kulczyk

Watermelons: They’re everywhere in summer. Slice

them up, juice them, freeze them. Any which way they’re satisfyingly refreshing.

Xtra Precautions: Don’t take summer lightly. Use sunblock products generously, and keep a supply with you. Also, liberally use traditional Indian remedies such as rose water and sandalwood paste on the face, particularly the forehead, and on pulse points, to keep cool.

Yoga: There are asanas specifically designed to reduce heat-induced stress and fatigue. Get a qualified instructor to teach these exercises and practice them regularly for longterm benefit. Photo: Michelle Klakulak, USA

Umbrellas: They’re your best friends in the summer months. Go for stylishly subdued or flamboyantly colourful hues, or just plain black – whatever suits you best.

Zinc: This mineral is particularly important in summer. Intake of zinc-rich food keeps unpleasant body odour under control. Peanuts, sprouts and wheat bran are some zinc-rich foods that are easily available and tasty too!

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March April 2018

Look Who's In Town by Team Culturama

Make Yourself at Home

We have put together some of our ‘local’ expats’ views on first impressions, the best foods to try and the most loveable aspects of the country

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India can be equally enchanting and overwhelming for newcomers – especially those who plan to work and live here for a couple of years or more. We have put together some of our expats’ opinions on the move to the subcontinent as well as a tip or two for those looking to make the move here. Finding Your Feet in India “We were seconded to India in 2016 to support a diplomatic mission. When our friends and contacts found out that we were coming to India they were delighted and more than will to provide tips and advice.” - Ralph and Sonia Hays, Mumbai “Although I have been to India many times before my move, it was very different to live in the country compared to the business trips I made before, which lasted only a few days only.” - Rudolf Walfort, Bengaluru “When I was a student at the University of Texas in Austin, I had some dear friends from India. That was my first point of contact in India. I didn’t do a lot of research or worry too much before moving to India. I just worked on having a positive attitude and optimism.” - Mick Purcell, Chennai India on a Platter “Indian food is very versatile. I taste everything that comes my way and the sweets are unbeatably good.” - Rudolf Walfort, Bengaluru “I love idli and sambar – it is a great way to start the day!” - Mick Purcell, Chennai

Ralph and Sonia Hays with their children

“I like biryani, of course, and all the wonderful breads that go with a meal. I’m also partial to Gobi Manchurian.” - Jonne Kolima, Bengaluru Incredible India “We believe it is the contrasting colours and the people of India that make it so special.” - Ralph and Sonia Hays, Mumbai

Rudolf Walfort (extreme right) with friends at the Taj Mahal

“Somehow, 1.3 billion people have figured out how to live together, in spite of enormously different languages, customs, cultures, religions, etc., through a lot of smiling, kindness, sharing of food, talking loudly, and headshaking!” - Mick Purcell, Chennai “I like the amiability and the good sense of humour – tinged with more than a hint of sarcasm when needed. This is accomplished with an undeniable ‘human touch’.” - Jonne Kolima, Bengaluru

Jonne Kolima (centre) with his colleagues

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The stage decor was inspired by the fact that the umbrella was a symbol of the king, and signified that he was to shelter his subjects – apt for the theme of AIKYA 2018, which was centred on the traits that made Rama a great king.

At Global Adjustments by Team Culturama

Musical Matters AIKYA 2018, inspired by and dedicated to Lord Rama, was an immersive musical treat The ninth edition of the AIKYA series of concerts, held on March 10 at the Music Academy, Chennai, was curated and presented by Sid Sriram. The theme of the 75-minute concert was drawn from the Ramayana with focus on the elements that made Rama a worthy example of righteous and benevolent rule for all time. The line-up of songs included well-known classics and lighter bhajans (religious songs), in order to provide a good mix of music and emotions. With the theme narrated in breaks through the concert, the audience was given a holistic, immersive experience. The packed auditorium resounded with thunderous applause at the end of the concert, and attendees were effusive in their praise for the memorable performance. The cause behind the concert – the education of girls from economically

disadvantaged backgrounds, especially those who are firstgeneration learners – was especially appreciated. Film director, screenwriter and film producer, Bharat Bala, praised the efforts of Global Adjustments Foundation, and added that he looks to Culturama for new ideas for his creative ventures. Two artistes were given the Outstanding Award for Promoting Culture for their invaluable contributions to the proliferation and advancement of Indian culture and fine arts. One was Mr. Chong Chiu Sen, a disciple and god grandson of the legend Padma Vibhushan D. K. Pattammal. Chong has also learnt Bharatanatyam. The other was Smt. Gayathri Sundararaman, the granddaughter of D. K. Pattammal. Gayathri Gayathri has sung in the Festival of India in Paris, France, and has conducted lecture demonstrations.

A recording of the concert will be aired on Zee Tamil on April 14, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. as our gift on the occasion of Tamil New Year.

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Two artistes were felicitated with the ‘Outstanding Award for Promoting Culture’ – Gayathri Sundararaman (seated) and Chong Chiu Sen. With them are Steve Borgia and Alarmel Valli.

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“The AIKYA concert was an enjoyable treat for the eyes and ears. And the cause of supporting women’s education and championing them is exactly what our nation needs.” Suhasini Maniratnam (actor, activist and diplomat)

Attendees at AIKYA 2018 received a collectible coffee table book called India Matters. The book was produced by Global Adjustments and launched by renowned film director, screenwriter and film producer, Bharat Bala. (L to R) Rohini Manian, Bharat Bala, Mariazeena Johnson, Aishwarya Gupta and R.S. Rajagopalan.

“I was impressed by the meticulously planned concert. Amazed at Global Adjustments’ brilliance and ingenuity in creating brand AIKYA.”

AIKYA 2018 was curated and presented by Sid Sriram.

Rahul Vellal rendered the title song, ‘Pibare Rama Rasam’, as a memorable finale.

We thank our partners for their generous support.

A.K. Viswanathan (Police Commissioner, Chennai)

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Feature by Susan Philip

Bowled

Over

You could take an Indian out of India, but you may not be able to take cricket out of him or her. The sport is literally ingrained in the country’s psyche – with young and old alike engaging with it in their own ways. Here, we take a brief look at the sport’s history and milestones in the subcontinent

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A cricket match in progress in the 18th century. (Below) British sailors at the Calcutta Cricket & Football Club, which was founded in 1792.

History has it that cricket was first played on Indian soil by British sailors whose ship had dropped anchor off the coast of Kutch sometime in 1721. The local people must have gathered to watch the antics of the foreigners. Were they impressed? Amused? We can only speculate. Whatever the reactions of those first Indian witnesses to cricket may have been, the game has now sunk into the country’s consciousness. The sport, which is believed to have started as a children’s pastime in England, spread along with the British Empire, and the subcontinent took to it like the proverbial duck to water. Cricket, in all the forms it has evolved into, has become an integral part of the Indian ethos. You would be hard pressed to find people in this country who don’t know at least the basics of the game, or have at least one hero among the men in blue or white who stepped out into the ‘middle’ for team and country. Here’s a mosaic of cricketing memories and milestones.

The opening years The first official body associated with cricket in India, the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club, was set up in 1792,

at the site of the present Eden Gardens. Membership was restricted to Europeans.

Eden

It was in Bombay, now Mumbai, that Indians first officially played cricket. The Bombay Gymkhana was again exclusive to Europeans, but the Parsees set up their own Orient Club, and played the Europeans. The Hindus soon followed suit, with the Hindu Gymkhana, and the competition became a triangular

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The Calcutta Cricket & Football Club. (Right) Bombay Gymkhana

The Eves Have It Mention must be made of the Women in Blue. Currently captained by Mithali Raj, the Indian women’s team had its first Test outing in 1976. The team made it to the World Cup Finals on two occasions, the latest being in 2017, when it lost to England by just nine runs.

tournament in the early 1900s. With the formation of the Muslim Gymkhana, it became a four-way contest, and a fifth dimension was added when a team known simply as ‘The Rest’ was constituted, comprising Christians, Anglo-Indians and other groups. In other words, cricket in India was initially played along ethnic lines. This did not match the ideals of the Swadeshi (loosely, Freedom) Movement, which envisaged a composite, secular India. Over time the ethnic lines blurred and disappeared altogether.

The middle order India as a team quickly began playing serious cricket, nationally and internationally. The first time India played

The God of Cricket Sachin Tendulkar has no equal in Indian cricket. The ‘Little Master’ has innumerable records in his name, including most runs in Test cricket (15,921), the first to score 100 centuries in international matches and the first to cross the 30,000 run mark in all forms of international cricket. Wisden ranked him the second greatest cricketer of all time, after Sir Don Bradman. No wonder he’s considered a demi-God – literally. There’s a temple dedicated to him in Bihar, where his fans offer worship.

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Prince Ranjitsinhji

Princes and Commoners

Cricket was initially a game for the elite in India. Young men from the upper crust in India went to study in England and took up the game in right earnest. Prince Ranjitsinhji and his cousin Duleepsinhji played county cricket in England, and excelled at the game. (Although the former never played in India, the foremost domestic tournament carries his name – the Ranji Trophy.) The Nawabs of Patiala and Pataudi (two generations) were among the most ardent and talented cricketers. But cricketing talent wasn’t restricted to blue-blooded Indians. Palwankar Baloo, who was born to a family belonging to what was then considered an untouchable caste, started playing with equipment discarded by British soldiers in Poona (now Pune) and was spotted by J.G. Grieg, a cricketer of some repute. He developed into a formidable bowler on the Hindu squad in Bombay, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi

overcoming opposition to his presence from upper caste Hindu players. In course of time, his four brothers too found places on the team. Baloo and

his brother Shivram were responsible for the Hindu side notching up a landmark win at the

Duleepsinhji

Bombay Gymkhana in 1906.

a test match was against England at Lords in 1932. It had to wait almost two decades for its first Test victory at Madras (now Chennai) in 1951–1952. The team defeated England. The first series win was especially sweet because it was against arch rival Pakistan in 1952. Cricket steadily gained popularity in the 20th century, and the men who represented the country were regarded as no less than superheroes. Names like Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath, both diminutive men who possessed towering skills with the bat, and the fearsome spin-bowling quartet of E.A.S. Prasanna, R. Venkataraghavan, S. Chandrasekhar and Bishen Singh Bedi have gone down in the annals of world cricket. Come the 1980s, new ‘superheroes’ emerged, responding to new challenges as the game evolved. Kapil Dev, known as the ‘Haryana Hurricane’, made a name for himself as an all-rounder – as different from specialised batsmen and bowlers – and achieved the impossible by

Sunil Gavaskar

captaining the country’s One-Day International team to lift the Prudential World Cup in 1983, defeating favourites, the formidable West Indies, after starting as underdogs. In 1985, the country won the Benson & Hedges World Cricket Championship, defeating Pakistan in Australia. Since then, Team India has gone from strength to strength.

Ringside View Kapil Dev

The cricketing venues of India are iconic. Each has a distinct ambience and crowd-feel and claim to fame. Eden Gardens in Kolkata is India’s oldest cricket stadium and seats

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Caught! There are some vignettes that will forever be etched in the minds of Indian cricket fans. One such is the catch taken by S. Sreesanth at Johannesburg to dismiss Misbah-ul-Haq and defeat Pakistan by five runs to lift the ICC T-20 Championship in 2007. A recounting of the fortunes of the team and the exploits of all the men who have guided the country to its present position of eminence would fill a couple of volumes. Here, in no particular order, are a few of the names that immediately come to mind – Polly Umrigar, Vijay Hazare, Vinoo Mankad, the Amarnath father and sons, Virender Sehwag, Mohammad Azharuddin, Vinod Kambli, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman, K. Srikkanth, Roger Binny, L. Sivaramakrishnan, Syed Kirmani, Chetan Sharma, Irfan and Yusuf Pathan, Ashish Nehra, Dilip Vengsarkar, Ishant Sharma, Zaheer Khan, Subhash Gupte, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma.

around 66,000. The spectators there have been known to be partisan on occasion. Chennai’s M A Chidambaram Stadium is known for its sportive crowd. Witness the India-Pakistan ding-dong test match in 1999, which the visitors won by a whisker. Chennai’s cricket lovers, although badly disappointed, literally rose to the occasion – they gave a standing ovation to the Pakistan side captained by an appreciative Wasim Akram. Located at a height of 1,317 metres above sea level, the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium is among the most scenic in the world. Dharamshala is the seat of the Tibetan Government in Exile, and it is a tradition for the Dalai Lama

Captain Cool MS, Mahi – Mahendra Singh Dhoni is known by many names. He is considered one of the best wicket keepers in the world, and his finishing skills in limited overs cricket are legendary. But it is as skipper of the Indian team that he has achieved the most renown. He captained India to the most wins in Tests, ODIs and T-20s, but he himself remains unflappable at all times, a trait that earned him the moniker Captain Cool.

Formats, Rules and Rankings Test matches (played over five days) ODIs or One-day Internationals, as the name implies, are restricted to one day encounters. T-20s: The name refers to the 20 overs each team is mandated to bowl. Day-night matches: Earlier, the light was a factor in deciding when to call a halt to play. Floodlights now enable matches to begin in the afternoons, and segue into the night. IPL or the Indian Premier League is the latest development in the country’s cricketing scene. Teams, including players from across the world, owned by various persons or entities compete for the trophy. Team owners bid for the players, paying sky-high sums. The 11th season of the tournament is round the corner. Taking the excitement up several notches is the fact that 2018 marks the comeback of the hugely popular Chennai Super Kings, after a twoyear ban. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the national governing body for cricket in the country. Its headquarters, Mumbai, is where all the decisions relevant to the game are made. Currently, the International Cricket Council (ICC) ranks Team India first in both the Test and ODI segments and third in T-20 matches.

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The Celluloid Connection There seems to be a powerful attraction between the heroes of the cricket field and the heroines of Bollywood. In some cases, this attraction culminated in marriage. The most celebrated of such couples are perhaps Mansoor The Indian cricket team that won the 1983 World Cup

to come to the grounds and bless the players at important matches. The Wankhade Stadium in Mumbai was the setting for Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Cup victory in 2011. It was here that Sachin Tendulkar ended an era by announcing his retirement after his team lifted the Cup. The Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi is the second oldest in India and the site of some incredible feats with ball and bat, both by Indians and by visiting teams. It was here that Anil Kumble took 10 wickets against Pakistan in 1999 and here that the West Indies scored their highest runs in ODI in 2011.

Ali Khan, Nawab of Pataudi, one-time captain of the Indian team, and the charming Sharmila Tagore, and most recently, Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current captain Virat Kohli and the lovely Anushka Sharma (pictured below). Other Indian cricketers whose brides have graced the silver screen include Harbhajan Singh, who married Geeta Basra, Yuvraj Singh, whose wife is Hazel Keech, and Zahir Khan, who tied the knot with Sagarika Ghatge.

At draw of stumps The names of those who currently represent India in various avatars of the game are fresh in the minds of aficionados of cricket. Virat Kohli, a veritable virtuoso and captain across formats, the swashbuckling Shikhar Dhawan and the mercurial Harbhajan Singh have been long-standing favourites. Pujara, Rehane, Bumrah and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar are some of the relatively new superheroes. Every IPL edition throws up more talent. Enjoy the upcoming cricketing season, and watch out for new stars on the firmament. The Indian cricket team that won the 2011 World Cup

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At GA Foundation by Team Culturama

Vision 2020

Twenty students from the Jaigopal Garodia School, Chennai, being awarded scholarships at AIKYA 2018. With them (L to R): Ranjini Manian, Udeep B., A.K. Viswanathan (IPS), Rohini Manian, Suhasini Maniratnam and Usha Ramakrishnan.

“To all the little girls who are watching, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams.” – so said Hillary Clinton in her 2016 concession speech. It is indeed crucial to ensure that not just girls but women, too, are given not just opportunities but the tools to succeed at them as well. Here is a look at some of Global Adjustments Foundation’s milestones in the journey towards achieving this goal.

Empowering 1,000 Women Participants at the Speak Up programme working on exercises to improve their public speaking skills.

The Global Adjustments Foundation has empowered 40,000 women and girls through its programmes. While efforts are under way to touch 1 million, we take a look at some significant milestones to date

One thousand police women of Chennai celebrated International Women’s Day, which also marked the culmination of a series of full-day workshops conducted by GA Foundation. Chennai Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan and Additional Deputy General of Police Seema Agarwal presided over the function. The workshops focused on stress management, work-life balance, and the ability to communicate effectively – all of which is essential in their line of work. Several senior police officials told us that they found the sessions useful, and that their workplace was now filled with happier, balanced and productive women.

Enabling Education for Aspiring Young Girls Twenty best students from the Jaigopal Garodia School, Chennai, were awarded scholarships that covered the full cost of their college education. The awards were enabled by the proceeds from AIKYA 2018, Global Adjustments’ annual concert. Qualifying aspects for the scholarship include a score

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April 2018

Chennai Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan and Additional Deputy General of Police Seema Agarwal at the International Women’s Day celebration. Usha Ramakrishnan received a trophy for completion of training for 1,000 police women.

Central Government women employees and officers of the GST Department, Chennai, at the end of a productive two-hour stress management program.

of over 90 per cent in the Standard X Board Examinations and the aspiration to make it big in life. In addition to financial assistance, mentoring, and classes in spoken English, goal setting and meditation classes will be provided to the recipients.

Motivating Women Employees at the Central Government GST Women employees and officers of the Goods and Service Tax Department, Chennai, participated in a two-hour stress management program conducted by Ranjini Manian, Founder of GA Foundation, and her team. This was part of the celebrations for International Women’s Day. The session included practice in breathing techniques to control stress,

and meditation. The emphasis was on giving them the right tools to handle work and external pressures alongside their household duties.

Public Speaking Training for Future Leaders Students of MOP Vaishnav College, Chennai, enrolled for a full-day Public Speaking Program by GA Foundation. The programme was an endeavour to initiate and enable effective, expressive and empowering communication. Students were given practical tools and taught to use them – the result of which was seen when each of them delivered a confident, powerful speech at the close of the session. The participants had been chosen from the A2A workshop that was conducted in their college in August and September 2017.

Our programs are run completely free of cost for participants; we depend on corporates and individuals to champion the movement. To book a program or support us,

call +91-98405 20394 or email foundation@globaladjustments.com

April 2018

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Festivals of India by Team Culturama

Welcoming a

New Year Communities across India celebrate the beginning of a New Year this month â&#x20AC;&#x201C; while the manner of celebrations may vary, their essence is the hope for the coming months to be a time of prosperity and happiness

Tamil New Year

April 14

The Tamil New Year is celebrated in the state of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry, as well as by Tamils who live in large numbers in countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and beyond. It is celebrated in the Tamil month of Chithirai. It is called puthandu in Tamil. It falls on the vernal equinox and is declared a public holiday in the state. A special array of foods, including a dish made with raw mango, jaggery and neem flowers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the variety of flavours are said to mark the varied experiences we go through in our lives.

Baisakhi

April 14 Baisakhi is the Punjabi New Year, celebrated in the state of Punjab and by Punjabis the world over. On this day, people thank the Almighty for the good harvest of the previous year and celebrate by eating a feast, listening to folk music, dancing, attending fairs and visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

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Vishu

April 14 For people in Kerala, Vishu is the first day of the Malayalam calendar. The highlight of this occasion is being led blindfolded at the crack of dawn to gaze into a mirror. Cereals, rice, fruits, vegetables and coins are placed in front of the decorated mirror. Seeing images of wealth and prosperity first thing is believed to be lucky. This ritual is called vishukkani or the auspicious view. If you are in Kerala or are visiting a Malayali home, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the sadya or the feast. The star dish is vishu kanji, made with rice and coconut.

Bohag Bihu

April 15 to 21 Considered the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Festival of Merrimentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Bohag Bihu is celebrated in Assam to mark the beginning of the New Year, which is also the time for sowing seeds. On the first day of the festival, bulls and cows are bathed with turmeric, fed gourds and brinjals and provided with new attaching ropes. On the second day, men, women and children put on new clothes, and special dishes are prepared for the family to feast on. Family and friends visit each other and exchange gifts. The celebrations go on for a week; the special Bihu dance is one of the much-awaited events of this festival.

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April 2018

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Spotlight by Swetha Suresh

Thrissur Pooram April 26 onwards

With music, fireworks and processions of grandly decorated elephants, the Thrissur Pooram festival of Kerala is a veritable feast for the senses Thrissur Pooram, known to be one of the most colourful festivals in South India, is eagerly awaited. Held in Thrissur in Kerala, it is celebrated at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in the month of Medam (April) according to the Malayalam calendar. People from all over India and even the world come down to Thrissur for this festival. The seven-day festival begins with kodiyettam (flag hoisting). There is a sense of celebration through the week, with people coming in for specific days as well. Some days, such as the fourth, are noted for the vedikettu (bursting of crackers). The main part of the festival takes place on the day marked by the star named Pooram, according to the Indian astrological calendar. On this day, the priests of two

other temples, Paramekkavu Bhagavathi Temple and the Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple, come to pay obeisance to Shiva at the Vadakkunnathan Temple. Their processions stand opposite each other and celebrate Lord Shiva, whose idol is placed in the centre. The two temples â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;opposeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; each other during the celebrations and teams of elephants compete with each other on the sixth day. A grand display of a row of elephants is one of the most anticipated aspects of the festival. The elephants are grandly decorated in caparison, accoutrements, ornamental fans made of peacock feathers, sacred bells and decorative umbrellas. The men seated on the elephants change the umbrellas in line with the rhythm of the drum beats.

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Holistic Living by Eknath Easwaran

Finding a Path Home

April 2018

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What is the true purpose of life? Is it to make money, indulge in material pursuits or go in search of fame? Or, as the scriptures say, is it about finding the way that leads to our true purpose? Most of us start adult life under the impression that if we can make a lot of money, own a nice house, do things we like, and enjoy a reasonable measure of prestige in our chosen field, we are going to be satisfied. Yet when we talk to people who have done these things, they often confide that what they wanted has slipped through their fingers. Christine and I had a friend in India who was given to building beautiful homes. She had money, good taste, and plenty of imagination, and when we met her she had just finished a new home, decorated it beautifully, and moved in expecting to be happy the rest of her life. After a year or two, she reached the realisation that this wasn’t going to happen after all. She moved out, went to another locality, and built another beautiful home in a different style, again under the honest impression that she could live there happily forever. This too turned out to be not quite what she was looking for; when we last saw her, she had moved on again to someplace new. All of us do this, one way or another, and the Gita asks simply, “For how long? When will you tire of playing this game of seeking happiness outside? Don’t you want to know who you are and what life is for?” In every country, there are a few people who have gone through the smorgasbord of life and are fed up. Making money, they decide, is child’s play. Enjoying pleasure – where is the challenge? And as for fame, who wants “a food that dead men eat”? They have tried these things and found no meaning in them; now they want to know why they are here and whether life has any overriding purpose. Most important, they see that death is walking behind them, closer every day, and they have no idea what to do. For those who are sensitive and have some capacity to learn from their experience, it takes only a little playing with pleasure and profit to conclude that such things cannot bring fulfilment. These are life’s fast learners, and they save themselves a great deal of suffering. The rest of us go on playing the same game over and over and over without learning from it. We get caught in this search for happiness outside and cannot change.

The Upanishads have a haunting story about finding a way out of this maze. We are, they say, like a man from a far-off country who has been kidnapped and left tied and blindfolded miles and miles from home. He blunders here and there, bumping into trees and stumbling over roots and fallen branches, crying desperately for help, but no one responds. Finally a stranger passing by hears his cries and comes to remove his blindfold and untie his hands. “There lies the way,” he tells him, pointing. “Follow that path. Ask for directions as you go, and you will surely smake your way home.” Sooner or later, that is just what happens with each of us, except that what makes the blindfold fall from our eyes varies from person to person. For some it may be suffering. For others, it is a thirst for meaning in a world that seems to make no sense, or the deep, driving desire for answers to age-old questions: Why am I here? What is life for? What happens when I die? Whatever the reason, the need to change direction builds up deep in the unconscious until finally it breaks through into conscious awareness. We go along for twenty or thirty years playing games at school, travelling about, going surfing, making money, learning all kinds of skills without a thought of meditation. Then one day we go to the bookstore and see the Bhagavad Gita or hear a talk on the Imitation of Christ and something clicks. Some words from the book or talk get in and we go home dazed. We think about them, ponder over them, and a little window in consciousness opens; we say to ourselves, “Maybe I should give this meditation a try…” Article courtesy Blue Mountain Journal (https://www.bmcm.org/ inspiration/journals/) Extracted from ‘Life is a Trust’, Spring 2012.

Join Us Every Saturday! Global Adjustments, Chennai, facilitates a free weekly spiritual fellowship group following Easwaran’s Eight– Point Programme of Meditation. E-mail us for more information at globalindian@globaladjustments.com. If you are in other cities, visit www.bmcm.org for e-satsangs.

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Playing dice with a god in debt Myth & Mythology by Devdutt Pattanaik In an unusual twist to the tale, Vishnu leaves his abode and comes down to earth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where he incurs a huge debt that his devotees are still helping to pay off. But what does an ascetic named Hathiram Baba have to do with all of this?

Tirupati is both the name of a pilgrim spot and the name of the deity who resides there. Tiru is Tamil for what is referred to as Shri in Sanskrit: affluence, abundance and auspiciousness. In the Rig Veda, Shri is a goddess, who in the Puranas is identified as Lakshmi. This makes Tirupati, or Shripati, the lord of Lakshmi, who is identified as Vishnu. Vishnu descended from his celestial abode of Vaikuntha and made his residence on the seventh hill of the range of seven hills known as Seshachalam in the Chitoor district of Andhra Pradesh. The seventh hill is called Venkatachalam. The resident Vishnu is therefore Venkateshwara. Tirupati is located at the entrance of the seventh hill. While temple lore states that Vishnu descended on earth eons ago, historically the temple is traced to around 300 AD, and has been patronised by most major rulers of South India including the Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, Vijayanagara kings, and later even the Marathas. It is managed by Vaishnava Brahmins of the orthodox Vaikhanasa order. Copper and stone inscriptions in and around the temple are in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. They include songs of praise composed by poet-saints including the great Annamacharya. Why did Vishnu leave Vaikuntha? He was following his beloved Lakshmi, who left Vaikuntha, in a huff, following a disagreement. She was

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upset because a sage called Bhrigu kicked Vishnu on his chest, right on his heart, which Vishnu claimed is the residence of his beloved Lakshmi. Instead of punishing him, Vishnu had fallen at the sage’s feet, apologising for not welcoming him to Vaikuntha as the sage had expected. Bhrigu was impressed by Vishnu’s humility; Lakshmi was not. She left Vaikuntha, descended to earth, and took residence in Karavirapura (Kolhapur, in Maharashtra) where Vishnu found her smarting, refusing to return. Vishnu decided to stay on earth until Lakshmi calmed down. He chose the seven hills of Seshachalam as they reminded him of the hoods of Adi-Sesha, the celestial serpent on whose coils he loved to rest. He took permission to stay here from Varaha (the boar), one of his own avatars, who is also husband of Bhu-devi, the earth-goddess. The story goes that while Vishnu took residence on the seven hills, he had nothing to eat. So Brahma and Shiva decided to take the form of a calf and a cow in order to provide him with milk. A cowherd noticed the cow discharging milk on a termite hill. Angry that the milk was being wasted, he struck the cow with a stick. The cow was wounded, and drops of her blood fell on Vishnu, who was meditating under the termite hill. Vishnu chastised the cowherd and his master, the local king, who apologised. In some versions of the tale, the king accused Vishnu of being a trespasser and a thief, and the only way Vishnu could stay there was by marrying the king’s daughter, whose name was Padmavati. In other versions, Padmavati was the adopted daughter of another king, born of a lotus flower. She looked just like Lakshmi and so naturally Vishnu fell in love with her and sought her hand in marriage. But the father demanded a hefty bridal price and a huge wedding. Without Lakshmi, Vishnu had no money. He had to turn to Kubera, Lakshmi’s brother, and treasurer of the gods, for the money. Kubera offered to pay for the marriage provided Vishnu promised to stay on earth until the debt was fully repaid, with interest. Vishnu had no choice but to agree. The marriage took place, but as it happens in most Vishnu temples, husband and wife have separate residences, with Vishnu living on top of the hill and the princess-bride, locally known as Alamelu Manga, having her own temple at the bottom of the hill at Tiruchanur. Devotees who visit the shrine make huge offerings of wealth to the deity to help him repay his debt. In exchange, he gives them his grace — grace that can be used by devotees

April 2018

to generate more wealth, or break free from the attachment to wealth. Guess what devotees prefer? So the cycle continues, the devotees give Vishnu wealth and he makes them rich and so more obliged to give their benefactor more wealth making Tirupati the richest Hindu temple, with a sanctum sanctorum whose roof is entirely covered in gold. Despite all the wealth offered to him by willing devotees, the debt remains and Vishnu remains trapped on earth. Debt or rinn is a key concept in Hinduism. We are born on earth to repay debts to our ancestors, nature, to the gods, to the sages and to fellow humans. So life is about ‘giving’, not about ‘taking’. Giving reduces debt and liberates us. Taking binds us to the world. At the temple of Tirupati, known for its wealth, its orderliness, its cleanliness, its organisation and its brilliant deployment of technology to make life comfortable for the millions of devotees, one image often goes unnoticed: that of Venkateshwara playing dice with an ascetic called Hathiram Baba. Hathiram Baba came to Tirumalai some 400 years ago and would spend hours adoring the deity. This made the temple priests suspicious and they had the ascetic kicked out. The poor ascetic decided to stay outside the temple in a hut, hoping that one day he would be let in. But the priests were adamant. Feeling sorry for his devotee, Venkateshwara himself decided to step out of the temple and meet his devotee. They spent time playing dice. One day, the temple priests noticed that a jewelled necklace of the deity was missing. Soldiers searched the vicinity and found it in Hathiram Baba’s house. “Oh, my dice game partner must have left it the last time he came,” he said innocently. No one believed him and he was thrown in jail. Since he called himself hathi, or elephant, they put a pile of rice and sugarcane in his cell, stating that as an elephant he was expected to eat all that was served in one night, or face death the next morning. A few hours later, the guards heard a trumpeting sound and an elephant broke open the jail door from within after having consumed all the rice and sugarcane. The elephant then disappeared, but the soldiers and the priest were in no doubt that the elephant was Venkateshwara himself who had come to the rescue of his friend, the ascetic who had no money to offer the indebted god, but offered him something far more valuable — love.

Published on May 15, 2016, in Mumbai Mirror. Reprinted with permission from www.devdutt.com

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