Culturama August 2015

culturama your cultural gateway to india

August 2015 Volume 6, Issue 06

Rs 40

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Police Story

in this special issue, based on india’s Independence day, top woman cop Kiran Bedi speaks about what it means to be ‘Indian’

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Dear Readers, In this issue we celebrate the theme of India’s independence – in line with our national celebrations for August 15. You most probably recognised the woman on the cover – Kiran Bedi, the first woman IPS officer in India, who has several laurels to her name. However, before I talk about her, I want to talk about another woman – someone you probably never heard of.

During my recent travels, I met a young woman named Saraswathy at a beach in South India. She has two daughters to educate, and her husband, who works as a watchman, cannot support the family on his own; so Saraswathy worked as a construction worker and earned Rs. 100 a day. One day, she decided to become an entrepreneur. She made fluffy white idlis (steamed rice-and-lentil cakes) and sambar (lentil gravy) and chutney to go with it. She asked a friend to share an auto ride with her, and left early one morning to a stretch frequented by tourists.

Every day, she pays Rs. 50 for her licence. She sells four idlis for Rs. 20 to

start with. An hour later, it drops to four idlis for Rs. 10. As the day goes by, she sells four idlis for Rs. 5 to small-time entrepreneurs like herself. She sells 200 idlis a day, and carries home a profit of (at least) Rs. 200. Her customer service is impeccable – she offers second helpings of sambar and chutney, along with a smile, to her customers from Gujarat. They don’t speak her lingo, but gesture ‘mast h’ (‘yummy’) in the Facebook ‘like’ format.

Saraswathy is not a famous woman – her name does not feature in newspaper interviews. However, she shares something with the woman on Culturama’s cover – both of them OWN the stage.

O – one step is all t hey take to build confidence W – working on t heir strengt hs is what t hey focus on N – never ceasing to learn new, or hone existing, skills in modern India Of course, the message is not restricted to women, but encompasses what should be the calling of our youth – who comprise about 70 percent of our population. This is one of the key messages that Kiran Bedi, India’s top woman cop and Magsaysay Award winner, talks about in Thought Leaders (Pg 12).

Pride in ourselves is the foundation for confidence – which will help us achieve all that we aspire to. This, in turn, will raise the bar for our community, our society and ultimately our nation.

Jai Hind Ranjini Manian Editor-in-Chief globalindian@globaladjustments.com

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Editor-in-Chief Ranjini Manian Managing Editor Yamini Vasudevan Sub-Editor Shefali Ganesh Creative Head Prem Kumar VP Finance V Ramkumar Circulation S Raghu Advertising Bengaluru Meera Roy Chennai Sindhuri Rajkumar Delhi/NCR Neha Verma Mumbai/Pune Arjun Bhat To subscribe to this magazine, write to circulation@globaladjustments.com or access it online at www.culturama.in Chennai (Headquarters) 5, 3rd Main Road, R A Puram, Chennai – 600028 Telefax +91-44-24617902 Email culturama@globaladjustments.com Bengaluru 17/16, Ali Asker Road, Off. Cunningham Road, Bengaluru – 560 052 Mobile +91 99869 60316 Email culturamablr@globaladjustments.com Delhi-NCR 1414, DLF Galleria Tower, DLF Phase IV, Gurgaon, Haryana – 122009 Mobile +91-124-4389488 Email del@globaladjustments.com Mumbai #1102, 11th floor, Peninsula Business Park, Tower B, SB Road, Lower Parel, Mumbai – 400013 Tel +91-22-66879366 Email 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 – 600032 Editor-in-Chief Ranjini Manian Disclaimer Views and opinions expressed by writers do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s or the magazine’s.

Commemorating 20 years of learning, sharing and promoting Indian culture at Global Adjustments With 10 hand-picked snippets about each of the 29 Indian states, this book is a collector's item. Visit www.globaladjustments.com to read the book for free. For bulk orders, write to info@globaladjustments.com.

This animated video is a guide to the unique cultural markers of all 29 states, as well as a mnemonic tool to help you remember them in alphabetic order.

View the 29 States video at www.globaladjustments.com

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Cover Image

Letters to the editor Dear Editor,

Kiran Bedi, the first woman officer in the Indian Police Service, known for her strong commitment to social reform, is Culturama's ‛Thought Leader’ for this month (Page 12).

Contributors Susan Philip is a freelance writer based in Chennai, and the editorial coordinator of Culturama’s various coffee table books.

Jen Mullen is a language graduate, who has lived in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and India.

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.

Sakshi Krish is an undergraduate student at the Foundation of Liberal and Management Education, majoring in psychology.

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.

Marina Marangos is a lawyer, but enjoys travel and writing. She lived in India for four years before moving to Australia. www.mezzemoments. blogspot.com G. Venket Ram is an acclaimed photographer and the creative mind behind many a Culturama issue. www.gvenketram.com

I found the article ‘Call of the Almighty’ in the July issue quite insightful. Although a Muslim myself, the concept of Eid celebrations in the various cities within India was well described and painted a vivid image.

The diversity of the traditions and cultures of communities harmonised within the framework of the same religion highlighted how India comes together for a common celebration.

Taahir Maula, South Africa

Dear Editor,

Reading Culturama is not only stimulating but very inspirational as well. The stories are real, the experiences are worth learning from and the pictures are of extremely high quality. The ‘Look Who’s in Town’ column is a special treat that I look forward to it eagerly every month!

Francesca Trudy, UK

Dear Editor,

I discovered Culturama by chance last month when I moved to Chennai and a friend of mine gave me the magazine with the promise that ‘it will help you understand and fall in love with India as it did for me’. I enjoyed reading it and can't wait for the next issue.

Giovanna Vivoli, Italy

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 64

Holistic Living

It is only putting others first that we can find what we really want.

rEgulars 18

India Diaries

An expat talks about the art of Zen – as learnt on India's roads.

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A Day in History

What did the papers say on August 15, 1947?

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India Writes

If you want to delve deep into India, these are some books you could start with.

12 Thought Leaders Kiran Bedi, India’s top woman cop speaks about what it means to be Indian, the best way to live our life, and the way forward for ‘Make In India’.

India’s Culture 08

Short Message Service

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Feature

We look at India’s economy (16th century to present) to see how the country has learnt from the past to create a bright future.

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Trivia

Did you know that the word for ‘shampoo’ came from India? So did the game of chess, the martial art of kung fu, and much more.

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Look Who’s In Town

Short, engaging snippets of Indian culture.

Expats in India share their stories on a practical theme for everyday survival in this country.

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In Focus

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Calendar of Events

Festival of the Month

Raksha bandhan is a time when sisters and brothers honour their special relationship.

Journeys Into India 24

India Impressions

United in diversity – from language to food to ideals, there are similarities across the length and breadth of the country.

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Picture Story

The message of independence was spread to an entire nation – through the medium of music, drama, and even chappatis.

See what’s going on in the main cities and suburbs.

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Give to India

Featuring worthy NGOs and charitable organisations across the country.

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At Global Adjustments

Explore Yuvashakti, a life skills programme for college students, and Poornashakti, a forum for senior citizens.

Relocations and Property 68

Space and the City

Property listings in Chennai.

See how visitors to India makes themselves right at home – side by side with the locals.

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In Black & White

The 18th Annual Beautiful India Expatriate Photo Competition is just around the corner.

Here is a peek at the special category for this year’s competition.

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by Suzanne McNeill Short cultural snippets for an easily digestible India

Art, Craft, Textile Kagzi Paper – Jaipur ‘Kagaz’ in Urdu is ‘paper’, and the Kagzi are a Muslim clan who have been making decorative batik, floral and embossed papers by hand in Rajasthan since (at least) the 14th century. They are believed to have come to India with the scholars, artists and craftsmen who followed in the wake of the Mughal invaders. The Kagzi established a role producing paper for the Mughal court, where the characteristics and variety of their paper were admired and used for official documents, traders’ account books, miniature paintings calligraphy and the reproduction of religious books, especially the Qur’an. Business declined during the colonial period as mill-made paper was imported from Europe, but the patronage of Mahatma Gandhi helped the revival of the craft.

Food Malpua from Rajasthan Malpua are rich, sweet mini pancakes, crisp on the edges but soft inside. The basic ingredients are flour, milk powder (called khoya) and curd. These are mixed with water to a smooth batter, left for an hour and then spooned into a pan of hot ghee to form a golden, bubbling pancake, which is immediately dipped in sugar syrup. There are many variations, including batters made with bananas, mango or pineapple. In Rajasthan, malpua are topped with rabri (sweet, thickened milk flavoured with cardamoms) and garnished with chopped almonds, pistachios and crushed saffron.

They are a special treat at festivals, and prepared as a sacred offering to the gods.

Photo: Ben Bowling, USA

Interpretations Turbans, or pagri, are a colourful and vibrant part of a man’s daily attire in Rajasthan. They are formed from a single piece of muslin or cotton cloth, anything from 2 to 10 metres in length, wound skilfully around the head. Used to keep the head cool (in rural areas, turbans would be soaked in water before being tied), pagri contribute to the dazzling array of colour and pattern that assaults the senses in Rajasthan. This image shows a panchramyapagri in saffron yellow, pink and red.

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Words Kal vs. Kaal

Urban Adventure Iew Duh, Shillong

Both kal and kaal present ambiguous meanings. Kal translates as both ‘yesterday’ and ‘tomorrow’ but the word actually means ‘one day away from today’. The context and the tense of the sentence identify which day is meant. This dual meaning indicates that yesterday and tomorrow are the same for they are not in the individual’s control. We can only influence ‘today’. Kaal is a word from Sanskrit that means ‘time’. Pradosh kaal is a period of time that begins at sunset and is considered auspicious for puja. However, kaal is also out of our control – it takes things away, so Indians are taught early to hold loosely the losable, including the body, the mind and relationships. Kaal is often symbolised by a crescent moon in statues of Shiva, the ‘Destroyer of Evil’.

The old hill station of Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya, the small, mountainous state bounded to the north and east

by Assam. The indigenous peoples of the region, particularly those of the Khasi tribe, come to trade at the traditional open air market called Iew Duh, or Bara Bazaar. The narrow by-lanes and alleyways form a network packed with stalls selling everything from clothes and spices to edible frogs, handwoven baskets and fish traps, yet the market is deceptively large and has at its centre an open plaza that serves as a bustling vegetable market. Allow two to three hours, prepare to get lost and don’t miss the opportunity to eat at a Khasi food stall.

He/She Lives On Manna Dey Manna Dey was the golden voice of Indian cinema – a playback and recording artist who recorded more than 3,500 songs during his career and was one of the singers who dominated the Hindi music industry from the 1950s to the 1970s. Born in Calcutta in 1919, Dey participated in school stage shows and singing competitions from an early age. He had an instant hit with his first song, recorded for the film Tamanna in 1942. Dey went on to sing for some of the biggest names in Bollywood. He sang in many Indian languages and was called ‘a classical pop singer’, at ease singing everything from raaga-based melodies and devotional qawwali music to the lighter, frivolous songs associated with Hindi cinema. Adored by his fans, Dey won several awards for his contribution to music, including state honours. When he died in 2013, one admirer commented: “Oh no…less melody in the world.”

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Dr. Kiran Bedi, India's top woman cop.

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Thought Leaders

by Ranjini Manian

Kiran Bedi, India’s top woman cop, speaks about what it means to be Indian, the best way to live our life, and the way forward for ‘Make In India’

Sharing a taxi ride with Kiran Bedi from Warwick University (where we had both gone to participate in a conference) to the airport was like being with an old friend.

She animatedly discusses all issues, from the banal to the sublime. I was fascinated with the down-to-earth power woman, who was telling me she had to pick up Churchill’s toffees for her niece – just hours after she had shared some spectacular events from her life at the university.

Born on June 9, 1949, as Kiran Peshawaria in Amritsar, Punjab, Bedi was the second of four daughters. From young, her desire to make her mark was evident. An avid tennis player, she became the national junior tennis champion in 1966, and won several titles at national and state-level championships between 1965 and 1978.

Her goal was to join the Indian Police Service (IPS) – and, on July 16, 1972, Bedi started her police training at the National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie.

She was the only woman in a batch of 80 men, and became the first woman IPS officer.

Among her several laurels was the launch of a campaign against drug abuse in North Delhi, which evolved into the Navjyoti Delhi Police Foundation (renamed as Navjyoti India Foundation in 2007).

Her commitment to law and order is legendary. In October 1981, Bedi was made Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in Delhi, ahead of the 1982 Asian Games. Kiran clamped down on errant motorists and even towed away a car that belonged to the Prime Minister’s Office as it was wrongly parked.

She says humourously that she did not canvas properly during her recent campaign for the post of Delhi’s Chief Minister: “When I would be going out to campaign in open trucks with lots of vehicles and supporters, I was busy apologising for the traffic I was holding up, instead of asking for votes!”

Bedi is best known for the reforms she introduced in Tihar Jail, after she was posted to the Delhi Prisons as Inspector General (IG) In May 1993. She set up vocational certificate courses for inmates, and introduced yoga and Vipassana meditation classes, as well as sports, prayer and festival celebrations. She involved NGOs, schools, civilians and former inmates in these initiatives.

Bedi’s reforms at Tihar Jail won her the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1994. In 2003, she became the first woman to be appointed as the United Nations civilian police adviser.

She resigned in 2007 to focus on social activism and writing. She was one of the key leaders of the 2011 Indian anti-corruption

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movement. She joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in January 2015.

So, ‘stand tall in the world’ should be our motto. How do we leave a lasting impact on our world?

When I went to Delhi to interview her as our ‘Thought Leader’ for this issue, she arrived on the dot at the appointed hour and greeted me warmly. From the word ‘go’, she was bubbling with enthusiasm. While bringing her views to readers of Culturama, I wondered how I would transport her huge reserves of energy and purpose – so, I decided to ignore grammar and leave some of her replies verbatim. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

I think there is a large section of India’s population that has access to opportunities and resources. Which is healthy.

Which says the world is to be sought. They have high-quality education, the right parenting...that section of society must grow up to give. Grow up to love the country and value the world around it. Grow up to give means make abundance for yourself, live in abundance – and share the abundance. A life that is not only defined in financial terms. Happiness should be measured in the quality of life we lead – and such quality cannot be found without sharing. The more you share, the more you generate – because, at the end of the day, you will go back home happy. And a happy mind is a healthy mind – and a healthy mind is the asset of the country.

RM: We celebrating 68 years of independence. What does it mean to be an ‘Indian’ in today’s context?

To be a proud Indian. To be a happy Indian. To be a selfreliant Indian. To be a character-driven Indian. And to be an Indian who stands tall in any part of the world. To be an Indian, but one who is a strong human being, who grows up to give. So, he is Indian to the world, but he begins with his village. An Indian who is proud of the best of his/her culture and history – and we have got such rich history, such rich culture. The Indian today is proud of all this, but is willing to adopt and learn the best of what the outer world has to offer.

How can women take centre stage?

Mobility and visibility. Mobility means growth – constant challenge, constant learning and networking.

Networking means the right kind of associations, the right kind of partnerships. Automatically, that is strength for you.

That is visibility for you.

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Clockwise from top left: Kiran Bedi with his Holiness the Dalai Lama; practising yoga; with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi; on duty; Dr. Bedi receives the Ramon Magsaysay Award.

“Grow up to love the country and value the world around it. Grow up to give means make abundance for yourself, live in abundance – and share the abundance. A life that is not only defined in financial terms” You introduced yoga in Tihar Jail for the prisoners.

Now, it is coming to centre stage internationally.

Can you tell us more about the benefits of yoga?

Yoga means mind, body, soul. Yoga doesn’t mean just physical fitness. Yoga begins by using your mind for larger growth. You don’t ‘do’ yoga. You live yoga. Yoga is heightened awareness. After you start doing yoga, your awareness becomes a habit. When you start to live yoga, how can you hurt anybody? How will you harm anybody? You will only look for ways to create an environment in which you are at peace and somebody else is also at peace. You will be very watchful of every word you utter, every action you take, every

morsel of food you eat. You will only seek what you deserve, and not only what you desire.

What about the launch of ‘Make in India’? What do you see as the future there?

‘Make in India’ will come to first Making India(n).

Why won’t you design in India, assemble in India, manufacture in India? This basically needs a creative mind – entrepreneurship. But you also need the government to facilitate to make it easy. When entrepreneurs and people in the government team up, we will truly ‘Make in India’ – because we were ‘Made in India’ and we ‘Made India’.

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Let’s talk about your vision for Navjyoti and India Vision Foundation– the two NGOs you run. Is it to grow in numbers and quality at the same time?

No, it is quality that is growing the numbers. Quality adds quantity, and then quantity becomes quality. But, yes, if you want to make an impact, don’t restrict yourself to small things. That is why we take on so many villages. We say to miners and builders, ‘Adopt a village. In that village, involve all youth, women and school children. Involve the panchayat’.

So, it is the quality and idea that is needed, which then brings in cooption and cooperation. (For more on the Navjyoti Foundation, turn to Give to India on Page 66.)

You have received bouquets and brickbats throughout your political life, but you have always lived beyond that. Can you teach us how to handle both equally in daily life?

Bouquets and brickbats are simply a part of the world – they don’t define us. The trick is to not internalise them.

Watch them come and go, as though you are a mere witness.

After that life is a breeze.

Any book that has inspired you?

I just finished reading one yesterday. I even tweeted about it and asked people to read it. It is called The Journey Home, and it made me cry and feel happy as well. It is the autobiography of an American swami called Radhanath Swami. He lives in Mumbai. He travelled to India when he was 19 – hitchhiked his way from Chicago through Europe, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan and then finally made it to Brindavan in India. He had not a penny in his pocket.

He then went to the Himalayas, and went from teacher to teacher. He came looking for an anchor, for himself. I am looking forward to meeting him!

Kiran Bedi is credited with introducing the practice of yoga in Tihar Jail.

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India Diaries

by Jennifer Mullen

Driving the Point Home Photo: Martin, USA

You can always spot a new expat to India by the way he or she sits in a car.

Obscured behind the tinted windows of identical silver Toyota Innovas, the pallid faces peep out like curious meerkats, limbs dramatically flinching at junctions. I think my driver initially wondered if I was practising yoga in the back seat, given the way I would contort myself into a foetal-like ball, every time we pulled out onto a main road.

One of the biggest differences between life in the West and in India is getting used to the traffic in Indian cities. According to Numbeo, a website that collects data to compile statistics on global urban life, three Indian cities (Mumbai, Pune and Kolkata) rank in the top ten of worst traffic conditions in the world. With India’s emerging middle class now drawn increasingly towards car ownership, one can only speculate the impact on commuting times and carbon dioxide emissions in years to come. In the meantime, one of the iconic sights on any Indian street is four, five or even more people squeezed onto one motorcycle. When talking to friends back home, the two questions I have been asked most frequently are: “Have you had Delhi belly yet?” and “Does your whole family now travel around on one motorcycle?”

Indian roads may initially appear like a disarray of fumes and horns, but gradually you comprehend that in urban areas there are relatively few accidents and there is virtually no road rage

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Photo: David S. Nevill, USA

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Photo: Jennifer Mullen, UK

During my first month in India, I used to enthusiastically photograph all of the weird and wonderful spectacles I would see on motorcycles – ranging from enormous wobbling Tetris towers of chicken coops to huge haystacks. Once I saw a man with pigs under each arm, although I am relieved to say he was riding pillion. My jaw often dropped at the sight of Indian housewives in glittering saris, elegantly perched side saddle, bottle feeding an infant and simultaneously carrying a week’s worth of groceries. Whilst this is a rather astonishing display to foreigners arriving in India, it gradually becomes a normal part of life in India. Although observing a goat being carried on a Royal Enfield may still make me smile, I came to understand that with petrol being a global commodity, the commercial reality of owning a car is unrealistic for most families; therefore, the motorcycle is how they get to their employer or education institute.

Indian roads may initially appear like a disarray of fumes and horns, but gradually you comprehend that in urban areas there are relatively few accidents and there is virtually no road rage. Of course, there is an unwritten pecking order of size, which determines which vehicle has the right of way. At the top are the mighty express buses, bouncing precariously over potholes, with commuters clinging from every door.

Water trucks trump cars, which in turn trump motorcycles, and then come autorickshaws. Cyclists brave life and limb at the bottom, and, of course, everyone seems genetically

programmed to avoid hitting slow-moving cows. In fact, Indian city traffic is a model of human cooperation – else, how can so many people keep moving without throttling each other?

Driving in India, particularly in the countryside, is considered dangerous – so, most expats employ a professional driver. Aside from simply taking you around, your driver plays a fundamental role in your Indian experience. If you had to write a job description for a good driver, not only would ‘motoring skills’ and ‘appropriate use of the horn’ be deemed as essential criteria but the list would also include ‘interpreter; fixer; porter; valet; cultural guide; sourcing vital items consultant; children’s entertainer;’ and, if you are lucky, ‘honorary part of the family’. Drivers are frequently our lifeline and I often wonder how they view us, we strange and slightly aloof creatures glued to our phone screens, who on the way home from social events may chatter loudly and even spontaneously burst into song!

Sometimes, I try to anticipate how it will feel to sit behind the wheel of a car again, when we return to the West. I suspect I shall be fighting the urge to contort myself back into yoga knots, at how terrifying it feels to suddenly be in a car moving at more than 30 kmph. And, when I see grown adults getting into ugly screaming matches in shopping centre carparks, I will smile and shake my head, grateful that India of all places has given me greater road sense.

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A Day in History

by Team Culturama

A Nation is Born

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On August 15, 1947, the independent nation of India came into being. The previous day saw the birth of Pakistan. This was one of the biggest political developments in the world – it marked an important stage in the disintegration of the British colonial empire, and the drawing of important political lines that would influence world politics decades hence. As we mark India’s independence on August 15 this year, we look back on the reports of this event in prominent newspapers the world over – 68 years ago.

“Entire Delhi kept awake to witness the historic event of ushering in the freedom of India at the hour of midnight.”

– The Times of India, India

“Colourful ceremony marks birth of nation” – Hindustan Times, India

“Two dominions are born: Freedom For One-fifth of Human Race” – The Statesman, India

“A scant 12 hours after the last viceroy Viscount Mountbatten, formally handed over power to the new nation of Pakistan, the great new Hindu state of India took rank beside its Moslem neighbor as dominions in the British commonwealth.”

– New York World Telegram, America

“Industrialists are preparing for the distribution of bonuses, and the authorities are getting kitchens ready to feed the poor and orphans, issue [...] lengths of cotton cloth and distribute sweets and medals.”

– Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

“Most of India’s 350,000,000 people dropped the Moslem-Hindu religious war in favour of fireworks, elephant parades and stirring flag-raising rituals to inaugurate the independence that India received last night.”

– The Bethlehem Globe Times, America

“Sovereign India and Pakistan Born; Minorities in India Will Receive Fair Treatment” – The Morning News, America

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India Impressions

by Team Culturama

Distant Echoes The boundaries of 29 states may be drawn across the Indian map, but Communities across the land share common elements in social structure, food, language and even street names.

Read on – and be amazed!

Mommy Dearest Indian society is primarily a patriarchal one, with inheritance and family affiliations being traced through male heirs. But in two pockets of the country, separated by thousands of kilometers, with practically no shared history, women come into their own. The Nairs of Kerala and tribes like the Khasisof Meghalaya in the North-east follow a matrilineal system.

How Come, Kokum? ‘Kokum’ is a plant that grows primarily on the Western coast of India. The fruit and its rind are rich in medicinal properties. It’s a great coolant. Kokum is a trademark ingredient of cooking in Kerala, the Konkan area and Goa too. The plant also finds favour on the opposite side of the country, in some northeastern states.

Second-guessing It Tamil as a language has some vociferous champions – but even they may not have dreamt that it would achieve the elevated status of ‘second language’ in the state of Haryana, way up in the North. But that’s what it was, for whatever political reason, till as recently as 2010.

Wrapped Up Momos are ubiquitous in the Northeast. The savoury dumplings, usually stuffed with meat, are served with a spicy sauce that chases away the soul-deadening cold. Down south, the wraps are rice-flour-based, the filling sweet, but the concept is the same. They’re known as kozhukottais. Elsewhere in the country, they’re commonly called modaks.

Call of Duty Dharma, or duty, is an important concept of Hinduism.

It is central to the Bhagavad Gita, which encapsulates the advice Lord Krishna gave Arjuna on the eve of the pivotal battle of Kurukshetra.

Little wonder, then, that Dharmapuri, or ‘town of Dharma’, seems to be high on the popularity list for place names in India. The best known is the one in Tamil Nadu. But there are other Dharmapuris – there’s one in

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West Bengal, one in Telangana, another in Maharashtra. See how many more you can find.

Gandhi in Every Town The nation owes a great debt to Mahatma Gandhi, the guiding force behind the Freedom Struggle. Every major town and city has paid homage to his memory by naming one of its roads after him. So, next time you walk down M.G. Road, think of the thousands of others walking down other M.G. Roads, and the man who made it possible to say with pride: “We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic…”

Colour Me Blue The Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu translates literally to ‘Blue Mountain’, probably a reference to the kurinji flower that blooms once in twelve years and clothes the slopes in a beautiful bluish-purple. Miles and miles away, in Mizoram, there’s another ‘Blue Mountain’.

Buck Up! The black buck is a protected animal. Apart from select areas in Rajasthan and Haryana, it is found in the Guindy National park and IIT-M campus in Chennai, Point Calimere and Vellanadu Sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu and Rollapadu (Andhra Pradesh), Velavadar (Gujarat) and Chilka (Odisha).

Games People Play Ezhu Kallu is a traditional game of rural India.

Basically, it involves breaking a tower of piled-up stones by throwing a ball at it and building it again before your opponents hit you with the ball and get you out. Many versions of this game are played in villages across India. It is also called satoliya, pitthu and lagori. Hopscotch is known in parts of India as Pandi, ekkadokka and tokkudubilla.

Going against the Grain The biryani has many avatars. The saffroninfused Lucknowi version is usually made by layering partially pre-cooked rice and meat, and slow-cooking in a sealed vessel. The Hyderabadi incarnation is spicier, while, in the Mumbai variety, kewra water (made from pandanus flowers) brings another dimension of taste. Kolkata’s twist is to add potatoes to the meat; all along the Malabar coast, the rice used is not the customary basmati but a short-grained variety. Then there’s the Sindhi biryani, the vegetarian tehri, and many more.

Pattern Power Muggulu, kolam, rangoli, pookalam – the concept is the same, whatever they may be called in the various states. They are patterns, simple or elaborate, geometric or floral, drawn at the thresholds of homes, with white rice powder, coloured powders, sometimes even flowers, to welcome guests, feed the ants and ward off evil.

Divine Greeting Namaste in the North, vanakkam in the South – broadly speaking. The words may be different, but they are both respectful greetings.

The accompanying gesture of joint palms held at chest level is understood by Indians everywhere: ‘I bow to the divine in you’.

Photo: India Tourism Board, Chennai

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India writes

iREAD

by Team Culturama

culturama

India has seen several political, economic and social changes since independence in 1947 – all compounded by the sheer diversity of its people in terms of language, religion and culture.

To understand the ‘progress’ of this country, thus, requires a reading of – and into – several different aspects. Keeping this in mind, we have put together a list of books – fiction and nonfiction – that will act as primers for those who wish to better understand the socio-political fabric of this country. This list is by no means exhaustive, but we hope it will kindle your curiosity and give you a literary ‘aha’ moment or two.

Freedom at Midnight

by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins While this book was first published in 1975, it is still regarded as a useful guide for those who wish to get a bird’s eye view of India’s independence and partition. It gives a detailed account of the last year of the British Raj, and explores the the princely states’ reactions to independence, partition, and the events leading to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

With an emphasis on personal accounts and anecdotal evidence, it brings to light the deeper complexities that surrounded India’s independence in a manner that is easy to comprehend.

Train to Pakistan

by Khushwant Singh A historical novel by Khushwant Singh published in 1956, this book is centred on the horrors of the partition of India in 1947. Singh provides a human dimension to the event through the characters that reside in Mano Majra, a fictional village on the border of Pakistan and India. The village is comprised predominantly of Muslim and Sikh residents, and the politics of the nation affects them despite years of having lived together peacefully – a micro perspective to what is referred to as one of the biggest migrations in world history.

White Tiger

by Aravind Adiga Indian author Aravind Adiga shot to fame when this novel (his first) won the 40th Man Booker Prize in 2008. The novel provides a darkly humorous perspective of India’s class struggle in a globalised world as told through a retrospective narration from Balram Halwai, a village boy. In detailing Balram's journey first to Delhi, where he works as a chauffeur to a rich landlord, and then to Bangalore, where he flees after killing his master and stealing his money, the novel examines issues of religion, caste, loyalty, corruption and poverty in India.

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India Unbound Gurcharan Das This book deals with the transformation of India from the year of the author’s birth (1942) to the year 1999. Speaking primarily about Indian politics and economy, Gurcharan categorises the timeline in three major sections: Spring of Hope (1942–1965); The Lost Generation (1966–1991); and Rebirth of Dream (1991–1999). A mixture of memoirs, economic analysis, social investigation, political scrutiny and managerial outlook, the book is a good guide to understanding the deeper forces driving the country and its people.

City of Djinns William Dalrymple A travelogue by William Dalrymple about Delhi, India’s capital, this book explores the historic character of the city through the eyes of some of its residents: Dalrymple’s Sikh landlady, taxi drivers, customs officials, and British survivors of the Raj, whirling dervishes and eunuch dancers. From physical evidence of the epic Mahabharata to the riots after the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984, the book brings together history and contemporary politics within its pages.

Non-Stop India

by Mark Tully Even as India promises to become one of the major economies of the twenty-first century, there are several questions about the sustainability of its growth and its effect on the stability of the nation. Veteran journalist Mark Tully travels the length and breadth of the country to find the answers – and reports his findings in this book. He interviews captains of industry, subsistence farmers, politicians and Dalits, spiritual leaders and bandits in order to put his pulse on the finger of the nation – thereby giving the reader an intimate look into the nation.

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7.50%

5.12%

3.54%

0.97% 0.19%

0.38%

On August 15, 2014, Narendra Damodardas Modi, the Prime Minister of India, addressed the nation from the Red Fort in New Delhi. The Prime Minister’s Independence Day message is an annual feature; however, this speech had several elements that made people across the country, and abroad, sit up and take notice.

Among the many powerful messages conveyed, one stood out: “I want to appeal to all the people world over...‘Come, make in India’, ‘Come, manufacture in India’. Sell in any country of the world but manufacture here. We have got skill, talent, discipline, and determination to do something. We want to give the world a favourable opportunity...Come, I am giving you an invitation.”

0.23%

countries, and its decision to be a willing player in the world market – a stark departure from the sheltered approach of the post-Independence nation. Third, they seem to have stemmed from an idea that powered the Independence Movement – Swadeshi. While the earlier concept of Swadeshi was for Indians to make their own goods for personal consumption, and thereby avoiding foreign goods, India is now looking to make and export to the rest of the world.

The Prime Minister’s words were more than just a clarion call: they mark three significant aspects of India’s development as a country.

Trade and manufacturing are not new to the subcontinent. India was once one of the biggest economies on the global scene. However, policy changes – influenced by changes in the political landscape – meant a shift in gear for a few decades. During that time, a sense of unease with regard to opening up the economy and collaborating with multi-national corporations persisted.

One, they are testimony to India’s optimism and confidence in its own ability to create a bright future. Second, they convey the country’s openness to collaborate with other

That all changed with the economic crisis of the 1990s, and made way for a shift in the country’s psyche. To provide a holistic understanding of just how far India has come,

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Feature

by Suzanne McNeill

coming a full circle

A country’s economy and politics are closely linked – and a greater understanding of these is necessary to truly comprehend its character. To celebrate Independence Day, Culturama traces the journey of India’s economy since the 16th century – and shows how the country has come full circle, learning from the past to create a positive future Culturama traces the subcontinent’s journey from the 16th century to the present day.

IMAGEs: All images from ImagesofAsia.com

1500–1820 The World’s Market India’s annual average rate of growth of GDP : 0.19% In 1700, India’s economy represented roughly a quarter of the world’s trade. A trading society since the Bronze Age civilisation of the Indus Valley, India is estimated to have had the largest economy of the ancient and medieval world until the 17th century. By the time the Mughal Empire was coming to an end, India was far more prosperous than any of the European countries whose merchants came to trade for textiles and spices. The country’s mercantile and banking institutions were sophisticated for the time, and such business ventures were formed and run by long-established trading families from India’s many castes and communities. The West Coast Parsis and Gujaratis were experienced navigators, shipbuilders and foreign traders. The Jains and Marwaris were moneylenders and bankers, whilst the southern Chettiars

were a famous merchant community. To this day, members of these old trading families dominate the business activity of the country.

European merchants had been trading with the coastal communities of India for centuries, and by the 17th century had begun to establish permanent footholds along the peninsula seaboard. The Mughal Emperor Jahangir (1605– 1627) enthusiastically agreed to a commercial treaty with the British East India Company, which gave them exclusive rights to build warehouses to hold the goods they collected before

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shipping to Europe in return for goods and rarities from the European markets. The Company invested in textiles, particularly calico and muslin – all the rage in Europe – and by the 18th century had expanded into cotton, silk, dyes, saltpetre for gunpowder, and tea.

From humble beginnings the Jagat Seth family, part of the Marwari community, had risen to become powerful businessmen and moneylenders, controlling the revenues

importer of the manufactured goods made possible by the onset of the Industrial Revolution in Britain and beyond.

This exploitation of India’s resources devastated the economy, and delayed the country’s industrialisation.

The indigo plantations of Bengal and Bihar were an important economic aspect to emerging British power in India. This valuable dye called ‘blue gold’ was one of the most profitable commodities traded by the East India Company, which controlled production. Farmers who leased land from local zamindars (the aristocratic landowners) were compelled to grow indigo or pay a fine, and received a miserly payment for their crops. In 1859, the farmers’ resentment led to a nonviolent uprising against the oppression of the planters. This was suppressed, but influenced public opinion significantly (a British official noted that ‘not a chest of indigo reached England without being stained with human blood’).

Championed by Gandhi a hundred years later, non-violent resistance aimed at undermining the colonial economy was to become the route to India’s independence.

1870–1913 India’s Entrepreneurs paid by the Nawab of Bengal into the Imperial mint. Such was their status at the Mughal court that the Emperor conferred the title ‘banker of the world’ on the family’s charismatic head. They engaged with the European powers as money brokers, monopolising the exchange of bullion and lending money to foreign merchants, British, French, Armenian alike, and eventually conspired with the British to depose the Nawab of Bengal at the Battle of Plassey in 1757 in favour of a rival. This was to give the East India Company its first decisive victory in India and helped establish its principal trading colony.

India’s annual average rate of growth of GDP : 0.97% By the final quarter of the 19th century, the Indian economy had changed fundamentally. The fine cottons and

1820–1870 Colonial Dominance India’s annual average rate of growth of GDP : 0.38% The political power of the East India Company gradually expanded throughout India from 1757 onwards. It gained the right to collect revenue in Bengal in 1765, and soon stopped importing the money it had used to pay for goods shipped back to Britain. Instead, the Company used the revenue collected from the provinces under its rule to purchase Indian raw materials, goods and spices, as well as to finance the wars it waged to gain more territory. India changed from being an exporter of processed goods for which it received payment in bullion, to being an exporter of raw materials, and an

silks once exported to markets in Europe, Asia and Africa were replaced by raw materials – cotton to English factories in Lancashire, opium and indigo, sugarcane and tea – and India now imported manufactured goods, often the same finished cotton fabric now returned to its origin. Yet the well-known business communities – the Jains, Chettiars and Marwaris, the Parsis and the West Coast Muslims – continued to thrive, through partnerships and trading groups that evolved into managing agency houses. These gradually bought into and replaced many British businesses, particularly in the jute and tea plantations.

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Local attempts to found cotton factories in India – after all, India was providing both raw material and markets – naturally followed. Parsi businessman C.N. Davar (1814– 1873) built on the family business as brokers for English commercial firms engaged in trade with India and China to participate in a number of new and successful ventures in banking, shipping and engineering, and ultimately a textile mill to spin yarn. Davar’s contemporaries soon followed, and by 1862 British officials were warning that Indian competitors would inevitably undermine their Lancashire counterparts. Eighty-six textile mills had been built by 1900.

India’s greatest industrialist, J.N. Tata (1839–1904; also from the Parsi community) began his career in 1877 in the textile trade. His vision was bold from the start – importing a finer quality of cotton yarn from Egypt than available locally and, importantly, investing in sophisticated machinery from the United States, whose output could compete with British imports and would make the products globally competitive.

His vision was pioneering, and he identified three key areas for India: steel, electricity and scientific research. J.N. Tata laid the foundations for Tata Steel (formerly Tata Iron & Steel Company, now the world’s fifth largest steel company), Tata Power Company Ltd. (currently India’s largest private electricity company), and the Indian Institute of Science (the pre-eminent Indian institution for research and education in science and engineering).

1913–1950 The Swadeshi Movement India’s annual average rate of growth of GDP : 0.23% Demands for independence were growing by the early years of the 20th century. Alongside the call for independence, there was also a call for Swadeshi, a strategy that aimed at improving economic conditions in India by following the Hindu principles of self-sufficiency.

By boycotting British products, reviving indigenous manufacturing and buying locally made goods, Indians would ensure their resources did not leave the country’s shores.

G. D. Birla (1894–1983) was born into the Marwari community. Although his family were traditionally moneylenders, G. D. Birla began his career in the jute business

in Calcutta, and saw his business soar as the outbreak of war caused supply problems throughout the British Empire. Birla Mills was established in 1919 in Gwalior, and Birla soon ventured into other enterprises, building up a huge empire scattered throughout the country that encompassed sugar and paper mills, tea and textiles, cement, chemicals, rayon, The Hindustan Times newspaper, Hindustan Motors and the aluminium producer Hindalco. Birla was a close associate and supporter of Mahatma Gandhi, and his empire encompassed almost all the sectors that independent India would need.

The endeavours of pioneers such as Birla ensured that India would have the indigenous industries she needed to support meaningful independence.

1950–1973 Independence and the Five-Year Plans India’s annual average rate of growth of GDP : 3.54% Whilst Gandhi advocated the empowerment of village communities as the basis for the new nation, others believed that modern technology and industry would transform the economy. Congress leaders formulated a new model that combined a centrally planned controlled economy with social justice and would balance the market and the state. Private enterprise was to subordinate its interests to the requirements of the overall plan and be content with the limited profits that were in accord with the objectives of a welfare state.

Conglomerates such as those of the Tata and Birla families would continue to operate throughout the economy and were required to meet the demand for consumer goods. The government assumed direct control of heavy industry, and employment in the state sector exploded.

In the spirit of Swadeshi and to protect domestic industry, the government blocked foreign investment and set very high import tariffs. It thwarted private competition by instituting a convoluted system of elaborate licenses, regulations and accompanying red tape that earned it the nickname ‘License Raj’; up to 80 government agencies had to be satisfied before

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private businesses could be set up, and their production was to come under government regulation.

The result was decline and economic slowdown as aspiring businessmen were put off by the regimen of approvals. By 1973, India’s economy had declined to a 3.1% share of world income.

Not everyone capitulated, however. Dhirubhai Ambani (1932–2002) was an ambitious business tycoon who founded Reliance Industries, now one of the world’s biggest conglomerates and the first Indian company to feature in the Forbes 500 list.

After a formative spell working in Yemen, Ambani began his entrepreneurial career in Mumbai in 1958, exporting spices to the Gulf States and importing polyester yarns. Soon Reliance began producing nylon textiles at a mill in Ahmedabad under the brand name ‘Vimal’. By 1972, the textiles business was a household brand across India. During the 1980s, Reliance expanded into petrochemicals, and oil and gas exploration, then diversified into telecommunications, IT and logistics.

1973–2001 Economic Liberalisation India’s annual average rate of growth of GDP : 5.12% Jawaharlal Nehru’s vision of a new India was created for the best of purposes – to build a proud new nation based on democracy and socialism – but it led to an over-regulation that, instead of lifting the country out of poverty, burdened it with bureaucratic hurdles and stifled its innovators. In 1991, a balance of payment crisis brought India close to default, and intervention by the International Monetary Fund began the processes of liberalising the economy and opening it up to foreign investment.

2001–2015 Doing Business in India India’s annual average rate of growth of GDP : 7.5% The changes made by the Indian government from 1991 onwards focused on creating export-led capabilities and

building economic stability. These efforts at liberalisation have made for a consistently high economic growth rate and more opportunity for companies to do business in India.

Under the new open-door policy, foreign direct investment

is now possible in Indian ventures in many fields, and successful partnerships have been launched in a wide variety of sectors from construction, energy and automobiles to insurance and waste disposal!

Success in the service sector – communications, IT and the ‘back office’ projects established by so many international corporations – is the fuel for much of the country’s dizzying growth, an average of 7% annually since 1994. Bengaluru in southern India is now a global IT centre. In 2007, it boasted of 150,000 IT professionals compared to 120,000 in California’s Silicon Valley, and the city’s growth has continued into this decade, with the number of new residents with technical talent outstripping that of the San Francisco area (recorded at 44% compared to 31% for California). Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune also outstripped their US counterpart as global destinations for technical talent. Many of the world’s major IT corporations – including Microsoft, Google and IBM – have a major presence in Bengaluru, whilst the number of high calibre start-ups is also on the rise.

Today, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised the call of ‘Make in India’ by which he invites multinational companies from around the world to set up their businesses in the country. It shows a clear return to the roots of the Swadeshi idea – the country utilising its strengths and resources for the common good. This self-assurance also demonstrates that India has lost its fear of being dominated by other external forces, and has instead become confident that it can work hand in hand with external partners for mutual benefit. In many ways, India has come full circle, learning from the past to create a positive future.

Historical GDP figures from the work of historian and economist Angus Maddison. 2001–2015 GDP figures from http://www. tradingeconomics.com/india/gdp-growth-annual, accessed on 9 July 2015.

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Expert Speak

by Team Culturama

Thoughts from Far and Near Business Leaders from around the world give us their opinion of why the time is ripe to ‘Make in India’ Reconnecting with the Past Charles Savage, President, Knowledge Era Enterprises International, Germany, believes that India needs to revive its ancient traditions to succeed in ‘making it’ big.

Could the phrase ‘Make It’ have two distinct meanings?

First, it might suggest we need to ‘produce more stuff’ as a way to get the economy going so people have jobs and income.

Second, ‘Make It’ could also mean putting things together and understanding them at a deeper level.

In the first sense, India needs to dramatically extend industrial production – most likely double coal production by 2020 to generate more electricity. In the second sense, India needs to reconnect with the richness of the wisdom of its past. This means taking not just the ‘objective’ things that we can see or touch, but also the ‘subjective’ side that moves us beyond our physical senses to our inner senses.

One of my biggest learnings from India is that we move from thinking in ‘either/or’ terms and welcome ‘both/and’ thought. Embracing the thoughts of others with a friendly ‘and’ will see a better flow of insights.

If we bring the two distinct meanings together, might we bring the richness of life back into focus? Yet, to accomplish

this, it will likely be necessary to reconnect today’s India with the richness of the rishis’ wisdom.

If those of us in the West could import the understanding of Ram Nidumolu’s book, Two Birds in a Tree: Timeless Indian Wisdom for Business Leaders, we would realise that we can let go our blind and shallow quest for ‘convenience and comfort’, and instead bring our active and reflective sides together in a deeper and richer dialogue within, and between one another.

Second to None Neeraj Wadhera, former Head of Fidelity in India, tells us about the rich rewards of working in the fluid Indian work environment.

The quality of resources in India was par excellence, not just in terms of technical skills but flexibility and eagerness to learn as well. This made it a pleasure to execute projects from India.

Organisations are very fluid, business imperatives and key priorities keep changing – to have a full understanding of the key priorities of the parent organisation and to stay fully conversant with the changing environment was the biggest challenge. Interestingly, that is the reward as well!

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Enabled with technology and periodic (two-way) travel, regular and well planned engagement with partners from the United States kept us focused on the ‘hot’ priorities. Equally important was the continuous engagement with the India teams. The result was a strong and committed India team, who worked in harmony with their American counterparts.

Knowing your partner Gavin Young, Private Secretary (New Zealand Trade and Enterprise) to Hon Tim Groser, Minister of Trade | Minister for Climate Change Issues, tells us how important it is to know your Indian partner to succeed.

During my four-and-a-half years in India as New Zealand Consul General and Trade Commissioner, based in Mumbai, one of the things Indians would tell me they liked about New Zealand was that it was consistently one of the least corrupt countries in the Transparency International Index.

So too, when finding business partners, one of the critical success factors for New Zealand businesses was trying to ensure that values fit right. My experience was that, when you got an alignment of values, it often led to some amazingly successful business partnerships based on trust.

Along with common values, matching the cultural fit was another lesson I learnt. We were very fortunate to have a group of Indian businesspeople as advisors to help New Zealand companies navigate the cultural and business matching process. I found that the Indian way of knowing your business partner, including background, caste, family

“when finding business partners, one of the critical factors was trying to ensure that values fit right...when you got an alignment of values, it led to amazingly successful business partnerships” and other connections is very similar to the New Zealand Maori culture. The original inhabitants of New Zealand, the Maori place strong emphasis on who you are, where you come from and your family connections.

During the past five years, there has been greater interest from New Zealand companies in manufacturing in India. In some cases, they see Indian partners as having technical skills and capability; in others, lower costs and in others a desire to spread risk by not just manufacturing in one country. In some cases, the products were destined for the Indian market but, in most cases, they were manufactured for global supply chains, where components from all around the world come together in, say, the United States or Europe to be assembled into the finished product.

As this becomes a bigger part of ‘Made in India’, there may be growing pressure for India to conclude more comprehensive Free Trade Agreements in order for these components or finished products to enter othercountries at the most favourable tariffs and thus continuing to ensure India’s overall competitiveness as a place to manufacture.

MAKE IT IN INDIA As India invites global businesses to its shores, it is imperative that managers – Indians and expats – understand how to work with people from other cultures so to as create and maintain harmonious and productive working relationships. Make it In India, a book authored

by Ranjini Manian and Joanne Grady Huskey, founders of Global Adjustments, addresses this need. The authors spoke to 11 global CEO’s about their experiences in India, and put together their responses to several issues that impact the business scene. From networking tips to human relations issues, negotiations and gender augmentation to increased efficiency in meetings, this book is a perfect guide for all global citizens.

Scan the QR code below to buy the book Buy the book from Amazon Paperback, US

Buy the book from Amazon Paperback, India

Buy the book on Kindle

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Sneak Peek culturama YOUR CULTURAL GATEWAY TO INDIA

Write to culturama@globaladjustments.com to subscribe for your copy.

September 2015 With Chennai as the host for the Global Investors Meet (September 9 and 10), Culturama takes you on a tour of this amazing South Indian state.

Business as Usual: Entrepreneurship in imprinted in the DNA of Tamils – we illustrate the many trades that are part of peoples’ daily lives.

Of Capital and Commerce: Sivakasi is known as ‘Little Japan’ for its industrial progress – explore the industries and specialities of each district in Tamil Nadu.

Conoisseurs of Culture: Despite modernisation, Tamil Nadu maintained its cultural roots – learn more about the arts that are unique to this state.

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Trivia

by Sakshi Krish

Made in India

Many Things that are part of our daily lives – in technology, medicine and even language – come from India. they were adopted by people from other countries and became an integral part of popular culture

Cut Above the Rest

A Share of the Pi The value of pi and the concept of the Pythagoras Theorem was calculated

by Baudhayana in his . He discusses the sequences associated with the more primitive Pythagorean triples, which have been termed ‘Baudhayana sequences’. In 1999, British scholars dated his work to the 6th century, which dates long before European mathematicians. Apart from this, his texts include other important geometrical concepts, such as the diagonals of a rectangle bisecting each other.

Mother of languages Sanskrit is considered as the mother of most European languages – most words can be traced to having roots in this ancient Indian language.

For example, the word ‘navigate’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘navgatih’, while ‘navy’ is derived from ‘nou’. In July 1987, Forbes magazine reported that Sanskrit was the most suitable language for computer software.

Photo: Romana Klee / Creative Commons

Surgery is said to have originated in India, and a physician named Sushruta is known as the ‘father of surgery’. Sushruta and other health scientists of his time practised surgical operations such as artificial limb replacements, caesarean deliveries and even plastic and brain surgeries. Apart from the wide range of surgical equipments (over 125 types) that they used, the use of anaesthesia was also prevalent in ancient India. Knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, embryology, genetics and immunity can be found in great detail in many of Sushruta’s writings.

Fit for a King In the 1780s, Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore, and his father, Hyder Ali, made and used the first iron-cased rockets. The weapons were deployed against the British East India Company’s forces, during the Anglo-Mysore War. The rockets were so impressive, the British sent back several Mysore rockets to England to develop their own designs.

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Go Indi-go

Small Indulgence

India is considered the oldest centre of indigo production and was the principle supplier to several European nations since the GrecoRoman era. A variation of indigo that was cultivated in India was exported to Greece and Rome, where it was valued as a luxury product. After the 15th century, the dye came to be regarded an essential product in the Western world. Vasco da Gama discovered a direct sea route to India from Portugal, which helped speed up the production and export of indigo.

The word ‘shampoo’ entered the English language around 1762, during the colonial era in India. It comes from the Hindi word ‘champo’, which means head massage. During the Mughal rule, the Nawabs of Bengal used various oils for massaging the head.

Cleansing their hair and massaging their bodies was an indulgence of early colonial traders in India.

They introduced this method of hair treatment to Europe when they went back home.

Photo: Adam Cohn / Creative Commons

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Religion Sans Borders

Buddhism originated around 2,500 years ago from the teachings of Siddharta Gautama (who was later known as the Buddha) in the eastern part of India. The religion was strengthened by King Ashoka, who practised and popularised the religion, and sent missionaries to places as far as Sri Lanka and Syria. Buddhism entered Tibet and then China along trade routes from Central Asia, starting off a four-centuries-long period of gradual assimilation.

Photo: Lovell D'souza / Creative Commons

Indian Shaolin illustration: Lalithaa Thyagarajan

Checkmate

Bodhidharma, an Indian monk, was the founder of Dhyana Buddhism. Dhyana dealt with a series of cultivated states of mind, on the path to enlightenment. By using the principles of dhyana, Bodhidharma helped combine martial arts and spirituality.

Although Bodhidharma was not a martial artist per se, he is praised as the founder of Shaolin Kung Fu due to his efforts.

Candy Country Sugarcane was originally cultivated in South Asia and Southeast Asia, and different variations of the plant originated in different places within India. The process of producing crystallised sugar from sugarcane was discovered during the time of the Guptas (320 to 550 CE), and the earliest reference to candied sugar comes from India.

The method was later introduced to China by travelling Buddhist monks.

Chinese texts report at least two expeditions to India around 647 CE, for obtaining the technology to refine sugar.

Chess owes it origins to a popular game in 6th century India. Popularised during the Gupta Empire, chaturanga, which means the ‘four divisions (of the military)’, involved the use of forms that are now labelled as the pawn, knight, bishop and rook. The game was later introduced to Persia, where it became a part of the princely or courtly education of Persian nobility. It then spread from the Middle East to Russia.

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Picture Story

by Team Culturama

From The

Other Side

They say familiarity breeds contempt; it can also breed boredom and indifference. Oftentimes, Indians overlook the beautiful, the unusual and the quirky in their daily lives – not because they do not want to acknowledge it, but because they are so used to it! Thus, when a visitor comes in and ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ at the little things that make life different, we sit up and take notice too. As we celebrate India’s independence on August 15, Culturama celebrates the unique aspects of Indian life – as seen from the eyes of others.

An old-fashioned lather-and-shave ritual, followed by a massage – for a fraction of what you might pay in barber shops in the Western world. And, if you ask him, the barber will even play a cheerful movie song in the background!

Photo Ingrid de Saint-Ours, Germany

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Postcards from Fort Kochi always feature a line of Chinese fishing nets. The nets are operated by ropes attached to weights, and a few able-bodied people. Photo J.F. Vial

As the snake charmer plays a haunting tune, the snake actually moves to the swaying of the man’s hands. And it is so tame that you can even have a tête-à-tête! Photo Juan Pablo, Mexico

Coloured powder + water guns + old clothes = the true spirit of Holi! The festival of colours has fascinated many a visitor; even those who claim they dare not risk having pink faces or purple Dosas (savoury crepes) are versatile enough to be part of hands the next day end up taking part in the festivities with vim breakfast or lunch. They are served with sambar (a vegetable and and vigour. Photo Diana Grieger, Germany lentil gravy) and chutney. Photo Jennifer Mullen, Australia

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Look Who’s In Town Chennai

Just Kidding(?)

Britisher Kaye Heasman recently moved from New Zealand to Chennai to take on the role of Centre Director at KiwiLearners – an early childhood centre.

She talks about her first impressions of the country and what she likes best about this part of the world After a two-year stint in New Zealand with a large early childhood organisation, a wonderful opportunity came up – to run KiwiLearners, a centre implementing New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum, in Chennai. I was very keen to get involved – and am enjoying my new role immensely.

Once I knew that I was going to live in India, finding out more about the place became a priority. Jocelyn Wright,

the previous Centre Director, provided me with a lot of information about what it is like to live and work in Chennai – from where to shop, to the weather, and the great team I would be working with. I read books and browsed websites as well, so I was prepared for the move. On arrival, the Overseas Women’s Club of Chennai connected me with other expats.

First impressions I spent two years in Pakistan earlier, so I knew what to expect in terms of living and working in this part of the world. I have been strongly impressed by the general wellbeing and happiness of people in India. I have a strong sense that India is moving ahead and is looking to the future with confidence. I enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of Chennai. I am also looking forward to participating in the local festivals.

In New Zealand, we celebrated Diwali, as we had many Indian children attending the early childhood centres. To experience such festivals here would be a privilege.

India on a plate South Indian food is delicious! I especially enjoy dal and rice dishes. Chappati, naan and paratha are also favourites. It is wonderful to choose from a wide range of vegetarian food, and I feel I may even have some meals without meat – which is saying a lot!

Wanderlust The cultural aspects, buildings and temples – many of which I am yet to fully explore – are of particular interest to me. I have friends and family who plan to visit me in India, so I intend to make the most of this and travel to other parts of the country when I can. It is much more fun to share the experience with people you care about.

What I would like in India I cannot imagine wishing India to be different in any way. It would not be ‘Incredible India’ if it was changed in any way!

I am taking home At the end of my stay, I hope to take home with me an authentic understanding of the long, colourful history of India.

Take

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Best Indian friend: I haven’t found one yet…

Favourite Indian food: Dal and rice Favourite hang-out spot in India: Vegetarian restaurants Intolerable India: The heat Loveable India: The people

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Look Who’s In Town Delhi

Delhi Belly To me, India is where I read many historical Persian books that have been saved by the Parsi community. The fact that these books have been protected in India shows the welcoming nature of Indians and how the great cosmopolitan culture of the country was built.

First impressions I have found a lot more about India through my Indian colleagues. I did hear about the spices used in India and the love for cricket, but what I saw was much more than I expected!

India on a plate Indian food is not very different from Iranian food. We seem to have similar ingredients and cooking processes, but Indian food is far spicier. I should add that we have a lesser range of vegetarian foods.

Wanderlust: I like visiting historical places, and have been to Agra, Jaipur and different parts of Delhi. Jaipur was a beautiful city and we enjoyed the trip. I have seen the Taj Mahal around five times – and I love the monument! It reminds me of the

Iranian Shahriar Hamzehpour explores the new and the old, the traditional and the modern in India

beautiful buildings of Naghshe Jahan Square in Isfahan. The similarity to my home country doesn’t end there. Diwali here is very much like the Chaharshanbe Suri festival of Iran. I also enjoyed the colourful festival of Holi.

What I would like in India Better driving culture.

I am taking home The Indian culture of enjoying life despite being in the middle of problems.

Take

Best Indian friend: Mrs. Nakhat Naqvi (my colleague) Favourite Indian food: Masala dosa, gulab jamun, dhokla, samosas Favourite hang-out spot: Cyber Hub, Ambience Malls, PVR Cinemas and all historical buildings Intolerable India: Driving habits Loveable India: India’s democracy and the Indian approach to life

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Photo: Hiroto Kawamura

In Focus

by Susan Philip

Symbols of Unity

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At a time when there was no technology or telecommunications, how did an entire nation come together for a common cause? Learn more about the ingenious social and cultural tools that leaders from all parts of the country used to bind a disparate people to a common cause

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Chappatis, salt, bonfires, spinning wheels, films, marching songs, caps, fairs, poetry, pamphlets, processions, theatre.

Seems like a particularly confusing ‘Find the Odd One Out’ puzzle, doesn’t it? Actually, these disparate elements came together to make perfect sense seven or eight decades ago.

They were the Twitter, the Facebook, the Whatsapp and the Instagram of the Indian Independence Movement.

Here’s a partly fictionalised account of how the leaders of the freedom struggle made innovative, inventive use of the meagre resources at their command to forge one of the most remarkable mass movements in human history.

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Trail of Chappati Crumbs

Making a Song and Dance of It

In the deepening dusk, the dust rose in little puffs as a man with a turban wound around his head and a shawl covering the lower half of his face jogged up the rutted track to a village in the heart of the subcontinent.

Years later, in the half light of dawn, women stood ankledeep in water in the rice belt of what the British designated as the Madras Presidency, as they patiently replanted paddy seedlings. Their voices rose in song. They sang, not of the seasons or of the Gods but of a man named Gandhi, the promise of lands of their own, and the vision of freedom.

As he neared, another man stepped out of the shadows to meet him. He handed over a loosely wrapped package, turned and jogged away. The other man opened the package to find five thin chappatis. He added two freshly made ones of his own to the batch, and slipped away into the darkness, to hand it to another man in another village.

What did it mean? Only those involved in the elaborate relay knew. The year was 1857. The British colonial rulers understood that the mysterious chappati chain was only one part of a complex code in a potent movement to mobilise support against them. However, they were powerless to stop it – thousands of people from all walks of life poured out against them in the first war of Independence.

It was put down, and it would be decades before the country regrouped for a second wave of resistance. But regroup it surely did.

images: All images from ImagesofAsia.com

On a muggy evening, excited children ran after two men carrying unwieldy pieces of equipment. Adults, young and old, joined the children, and the chatter died away into an intense silence as the magic lantern show began. The simple story was from Hindu mythology, but through it ran a strong thread of nationalism. The message was clear – let us unite to win freedom from the British.

Elsewhere, firebrands of the Indian National Army led by Subhas Chandra Bose marched day after day under the fiery sun to the song Kadam kadam badhaye Ja / Khushi ke geeth gaaye ja / Yeh Zindagi he quam ke / Tu quam pe lootaye ja (March, march forward / singing songs of happiness as you go / this life belongs to our motherland / lay it down for the motherland).

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In yet another corner of India, on yet another day, a rapt crowd watched a folk theatre performance under the sputtering light of hurricane lamps. The story was a familiar one from the Hindu scriptures. But no one thought it strange when Sage Narada, always a popular character, suddenly shifted from the celestial to the terrestrial, and broke into a eulogy about Gandhiji, Jawaharlal Nehru, Tilak, and other stalwarts of the freedom movement.

Common Denominators The Indian National Congress, which spearheaded the Independence struggle under the able leadership of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, accomplished what the British must have believed was impossible. While the strategy of the Raj was to divide and rule, the leaders of the freedom movement focused on unity.

Govind Vallabh Pant, Maulana Azad, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, Vallathol, Rani Chennamma – the leaders are too many to name. They each played a vital role in building public opinion, arousing a feeling of determined oneness and creating a willingness to fight for a cause, whatever the cost.

Theirs was no easy task. They had to first cobble together a nation from a clutch of widely different, and often widely differing principalities, kingdoms, fiefdoms, ethnic and linguistic groups, with more diversity than similarities.

They had to educate most of these segments on the basics

of political thought and practice. To top it all, they had to then demand from these disparate groups complete and unquestioning loyalty, a readiness to give up their comforts, their wealth, their personal freedom and even their lives, for the sake of an ideal – a free, secular, socialist, democratic republic.

They had to showcase this work-in-progress nation to the world, and win support for it - a colossal task even in this age of connectivity in the palm of one’s hand. But they did it without Internet, without smart phones, e-mails and texting, for the most part, without even telephones and snail mail.

The leaders of the Independence movement made a conscious decision to keep the focus away from potentially divisive matters such as religion, class and caste. Instead, they made masterly use of symbols and slogans to create a sense

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Global Wellness Series

Cut the Fat Dr.V. Vaithiswaran, Head of the Dept. of Minimally invasive, bariatric and GI surgery tells us about the dangers of being obese The most important risk factor for diabetes and high blood pressure is obesity. Other problems arising from obesity include heart attacks, strokes, hypercholesterolemia and some types of cancer. Obesity also affects reproductive health by causing irregular menstrual cycles and decrease chance of conception.

Though there is a genetic predisposition to obesity, the most important factors that determine our weight are what we eat and what we do. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a good indicator to assess the severity of obesity. It is calculated by the formula: weight in kg / square of the height in meter. A BMI that is less than 24 is a good sign for Asians, however one that is greater than 32.5 is not a good sign, especially if you have diabetes or hypertension or hypercholesterolemia.

Bariatric Surgery has been scientifically proved to be safe, effective and improves life expectancy in obese people.

Not only that, it has the potential of curing diabetes, a high blood pressure and hypercholesterolemia for many. Unlike liposuction which is a cosmetic procedure, Bariatric surgery causes sustained weight loss. Patient should study the pro’s and cons of such a surgery.

The best solution to obesity however remains eating healthy food from childhood and having adequate physical activity.

Weight Loss Tips: Low carbohydrate diet, exercise smart, regular hormone checks, eat only when hungry, stress less and sleep more, eat less dairy products and nuts.

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of common identity. The Gandhi cap (which, incidentally, Gandhiji never wore) and the spinning wheel were akin to what today we might call a ‘social media group’. They united users under a common cause. The soothing whirr of the spinning wheel or the charkha did more – it was a coded thumbing of the nose at the colonial authorities, telling them India could, and would, be self-sufficient.

And then there was salt. Like the Biblical parables which drew examples from ordinary, everyday life to convey messages of deep spirituality, Mohandas Gandhi chose something as ubiquitous as salt to take an immensely important stand. The British had imposed a paralysing tax on salt. His response was, ‘All right, we’ll make our own’. While he himself led the historic march to the saltpans at Dandi in Gujarat, similar processions of people from all segments, all across the land, marched to the sea in defiance of the British.

Even as hundreds were dragged away to jail, others kept coming, in wave after wave.

How was public opinion and participation mobilised?

Mostly through delegation. Samithis or small local outfits were set up all over the country, in villages, towns and cities. These worked at the grassroots level, helping people with day-to-day problems, easing the pain of famine and epidemics, facilitating education and employment. And they also beamed messages of unity and commitment, much like today’s telecom towers. Local leaders were helped in their task

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by the indefatigable national leaders who toured the length and breadth of the country, inspiring the masses through fiery oratory. And where they could not go, the radio went in their stead.

Slogans such as ‘Swaraj (self-rule) is my birth right and I will have it!’ and ‘Inquilab Zindabad!’ (Long live revolution) had such a nice ring to them that they ‘went viral’. People everywhere, regardless of linguistic identity, took them up easily, and chanted them ceaselessly.

Mightier Than the Sword For the well educated, there were erudite newspaper articles in English and vernacular languages, inspiring and inciting the thinkers to stand up and be counted. For the less educated, there were rousing pamphlets circulated often at considerable risk. Even the illiterate masses were drawn into the drama and action by means of patriotic songs and poems.

In the South, Subramania Bharati penned verses which made the blood gallop through the veins. In Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and others poured out their hearts through music and verse, and captured the imagination of people across the subcontinent.

And then there was the mesmerising silver screen. Films were an ideal medium to convey the message of patriotism and spread news about the freedom movement. Bhakt Vidhur in Hindi and Tyaga Bhoomi in Tamil were two of the most inspiring movies of the time, which fostered the spirit of nationalism. The British tried censorship. They banned films that they thought dangerous in some way – but the message continued to spread.

When the situation became too volatile for comfort, the colonial rulers banned public meetings. However, the everresourceful Bal Gangadhar Tilak found a way out. He simply turned once minor religious occasions like the birthday of Lord Ganesh into long-drawn-out mass celebrations, and used them to transmit messages of political significance.

The leaders’ families led by example – thousands of women left the shelter of their homes to come out into the streets and stand shoulder to shoulder with men, and even take over the struggle from where the men left off when they were dragged into jails.

The children were not to be left behind either. A young girl in Allahabad, taking inspiration from the monkey army in the epic Ramayana, organised troupes of children who went in and out of homes and government offices, carrying messages and unobtrusively soaking up important information which they reported to their elders. The initiative came to be named ‘Vanar Sena’ or ‘Monkey Brigade’, and soon spread to other parts of the land. The girl’s name was Indira Priyadarshini Nehru. The world knows her as Indira Gandhi.

The connectivity, without benefit of fibee-optic cables and clouds, was universal, and stunningly effective. Tribals, factory workers, peasants, students, women, villagers and city dwellers, rich and poor, literate and illiterate, old and young, and people of different religions, ethnicity and castes, came together, stood together, and won together.

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August Calendar of events

Presenting the best of India’s events in different categories across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and nearby suburbs

Art & Exhibitions

Exhibition of Art Chennai ‘Kindred Nations: The United States and India, 1783–1947’, curated by the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy, demonstrates the rich relationship between the United States and India. The images that will be on display include that of leaders, merchants, immigrants, artists, educators and students.

There will also be film screenings, panel discussions and a music concert.

Date: Till August 6 Venue: Lalit Kala Akademi, Greams Road

Exhibition of Wall Art Delhi Episode art gallery presents a unique wall art exhibition, showcasing abstract creations.

The show will have a design-led collection of assorted abstract metal sculptures.

The collection will have a dramatic range of contemporary metallic art pieces with complementary home décor and floor art pieces.

Date: July 10 to August 16 Venue: Episode, Terminal 3, IGI Airport Time: 1100h to 2100h

Exhibition of Sketches Bengaluru Art Blend Café presents a series of charcoal sketches by artist Saikat Choudhury. The artist’s works explore the depth and contrast of light and darkness. He uses the expressions of human hands as well as elements of nature in his works.

Date: July 10 to August 30 Venue: Art Blend Café, HSR Layout Time: 1100h to 2200h

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Events

Artisans and Farmers Market Chennai ‘By the hand from the heart’, a forum of curated goods held periodically in Chennai, features artisans’ works, crafts and a ‘farmer’s market’ as well. The August event will present a wide range of crafts, jewellery, clothing, bags, footwear, body care, garden décor, farm products and fresh produce.

Date: August 7 and 8 Venue: Hanu Reddy Residences, No 41/19, Poes Garden, Teynampet Time: 1000h to 2000h

Dance Performance Chennai Artists of dance school Nrithodaya, run by famed danseuse Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam, will present their dance show Natyasastram Vishwamargam. The show will be in aid of the Bharata Ilango Foundation for Asian Culture.

The dancer, along with 18 of her students, will present the Natyasastra technique of Bharatanatyam accompanied by varied music. All are welcome.

Date: August 7 Venue: Sadguru Gnanananda Hall, Narada Gana Sabha, 314, TTK Road Time: 1830h

Contemporary Jewellery Display Mumbai

Theatre Workshop Mumbai

Artist Smriti Dixit is a fibre sculpture specialist, whose work reflects the abstract and experimental. In the past, her sculptures have dealt with issues of rebirth and recycling. She is now experimenting with different materials to create stunning jewellery, so as to create versatile works of wearable art.

The Monsoon theatre workshop will explore humour and innocence – and their relationship – on stage. It will delve deep into the idea of living in the moment and the role of the audience in theatre. As part of its Monsoon project, workshops on poetry and writing will also be held. For more details, call +91 22 22035993

Date: August 27 to 29 Venue: Artisans Gallery, 52—56, Dr.V B Gandhi Marg, Kala Ghoda Time: 1100h to 1900h

Date: August 8 Venue: Alliance Francaise, Theosophy Hall, Churchgate Time: 1300h

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Theatre Festival Mumbai

Healthy Baking Classes Chennai

The National Centre for Performing Arts will present the sixth edition of its annual Marathi theatre festival, Pratibimb. The fiveday festival will present new and celebrated works of renowned names of the Marathi theatre and film industry. Along with showcasing some of the celebrated works of Marathi theatre, Pratibimb will also engage the audiences in post-event talks, so as to gain a better understanding of these works.

Hablife, the wellness division of hotel Hablis, will hold a healthy baking class, led by its Wellness Chef, Sathya. The workshop will reveal the secrets to delicious and healthy baked bread, such as multigrain baguettes, rye buns and more. The techniques covered will include kneading, proving and baking – ideal for novices who want to bake. The class will be followed by a tasting session of healthy sandwiches and a dessert tasting session. Participants also get to take home the baked goodies. To register, call +91 44 40235555 / +91 8939884059.

Date: August 1 to 5 Venue: National Centre for Performing Arts, NCPA Marg, Nariman Point

First Documentary on Blind Chess Players Chennai An award-winning documentary film, Algorithms will be screened across major Indian metro cities. It is the first ever documentary on blind chess players, directed by sociologist and documentary film maker Ian McDonald. Algorithms is a documentary on the thriving but little known world of blind chess in India. Filmed over three years, the documentary travels with three young blind chess players and reveals their daily life struggles and hopes.

Date: August 21 Venue: Across theatres in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi theatres.

Date: August 22 Venue: Hablis, No.19, Grand Southern Trunk Road, Guindy Time: 1530h to 1800h

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Festival of the month Raksha Bandhan August 18 Raksha bandhan is a festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. ‘Raksha bandhan’ means ‘the bond of protection’. Sisters tie a rakhi (a coloured thread that is sometimes embellished with a medal) around their brother’s wrist to signify their love for their sibling. While she prays for his well-being, the brother promises to protect his sister. Brothers also give gifts to their sisters as a token of their love and appreciation.

Photo: Ben Bowling, USA

Raksha bandan is not limited to biological siblings alone.

Some girls tie a rakhi on the wrists of boys whom they regard to be close as a brother. While many people buy the rakhis from shops, some prefer to make them by hand at home.

To do: Want to make your own rakhi? Visit http://tinyurl.com/ lb9b2m4 for instructions.

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h Holistic living

by Eknath Easwaran

Photo: Manfred Zink, Germany

lose the self, find

appiness

I t is only by giving up this attempt to put ourselves first that we can find what we really want – peace of mind, lasting relationships, love. Eradicating self-will is the means by which we realise the supreme goal of the spiritual life

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5 Join Us Every Saturday

One day, I came home after school with something deeply disturbing on my mind: I had seen, for the first time, a child with elephantiasis. It is a terrifying disease, one that we are fortunately free of in this country. This little boy’s legs had swollen badly. He walked only with great effort and, of course, he was unable to join in our games. I told my grandmother about him. “Granny, it must be awful for that boy to have elephantiasis and not to play.” Her face became very compassionate. She said, “Yes, everything in life will be hard for him.” Then she added, “But only one in a million suffers from elephantiasis of the leg. There is a much more dreadful disease that can afflict every one of us if we don’t guard ourselves against it all the time.” “What’s that, Granny?”

“Elephantiasis of the ego.”

The more I have pondered that remark down the years, the more perceptive it seems. Our swollen concern for ourselves, she was saying, constitutes the worst threat in life.

And the teachings of every religion bear her out. Repeatedly we are told that ego or self-will, our drive to be separate from the wholeness of creation, is the source of all our suffering.

It keeps us from accepting others, from sympathy and quick understanding. More than that, it alienates us from the supreme reality we call God. Puffed up by our self-will, we look out at the world through the distorting medium of our likes and dislikes, hopes and fears, opinions and judgements. We want everyone to behave as we think they should – the right way. When, naturally enough, they not only behave their own way but expect us to do as they do, we get agitated. And what we see through this agitation makes up our everyday reality.

The word ego, as you may know, comes from the Latin for ‘I’. Sanskrit too has a precise term for self-will: ahamkara, from aham, ‘I’, and kara, ‘maker’. Ahamkara is the force that continuously creates our sense of I-ness and its close companions ‘me’, ‘my’, and ‘mine’.

The search for happiness Ironically, this drive for self-aggrandisement has never led to happiness and never will. We cannot always have

India Immersion Centre in Chennai facilitates a 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.easwaran.org for e-satsangs.

what we want; it is childish to think so. No one has the power to regulate this changing world so that he or she can continuously sing, “Everything’s going my way” – if we could do so, it would only stunt our growth. “For those whom ego overcomes,” the Buddha says, “sufferings spread like wild grass.”

You must have seen crabgrass or dandelions take over a lawn. In the countryside where I live, our fields have an even fiercer threat: thistles. The first spring only a few appear.

You can walk through the grass without any trouble from them, and if you don’t know their ways, you may not bother to remove them. After all, the flowers are a lovely colour, and who doesn’t like thistle honey? But the next year, the “stickers” have spread. Big patches stand here and there, small clusters are everywhere; you cannot cross the field without feeling their sting. And after a year or two, the whole field becomes a tangle of tall, strong thistles; it is agony to walk through.

Similarly, the Buddha tells us, self-will inevitably leads to increasing frustration and pain. What a strange situation!

We desire, naturally enough, to be happy. But if we put our personal happiness at the top of the list, we only succeed in making ourselves miserable.

Putting others first It is only by giving up this attempt to put ourselves first that we can find what we really want – peace of mind, lasting relationships, love. Do you remember the children’s game ‘King of the Mountain’ – scrambling up the sand pile, pulling and pushing each other to get on top? That may be all right when we are seven years old, but when we are 27 – or 57?

By the time we become adults, we should begin to think of leaving these scrambling games behind. Eradicating self-will is the means by which we realise the supreme goal of the spiritual life.

Reprinted with permission from ‘A Love Worthy of Us’, an article by Eknath Easwaran from The Blue Mountain Journal. Copyright The Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, P.O. Box 256, Tomales, CA 94971, www.easwaran.org. (Extract from http://bmcmwebsite.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/bm-journal/2008/2008Autumn.pdf)

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Give to India

by Shefali Ganesh

Lighting up the Streets Navjyoti India Foundation, an NGO based in the Delhi/NCR region, works to bring about a change in the lives of those affected by crime and drugs

It is a busy day for 13-year-old Kulsum, a grade nine student in a school in downtown Delhi. She has finished her studies for the day and is now seated in the centre of a group of younger children. Kulsum is teaching the younger children some rhymes. The transformation from student to teacher is obvious – she takes her role very seriously. This gutsy young girl belongs to the underprivileged sections of Delhi, where crime and drugs are rampant. She has come out of the web of illiteracy, drug addiction and gender discrimination to become a self-reliant individual. Kulsum credits this change to the Navjyoti India Foundation, which has nurtured her since she was a toddler.

It all started in the late 1980s when Kiran Bedi, a policewoman (seen in the centre in the top photograph), was on her night beat in the streets near the river Yamuna in Delhi. She noticed the unchecked drug peddling and prostitution that was rife in these areas – children were also part of the drug trade. They were exposed to this harsh environment day after day, and were not afforded education. Bedi’s attempt to help these people initially met with resistance. She joined hands with 12 other police officers and started ‘gali’ or street schools for the children of the locality. This was the beginning of the Navjyoti India Foundation, which now operates across Delhi and Haryana.

The Foundation gathers together children who drop out from mainstream schools and provides them with a Remedial Education Program. While government-run schools might not have a comfortable

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student—teacher ratio that holds the attention of these children, Navjyoti’s schools ensure a better ratio. Children in the age group of 5 to 16 years are given medical attention and nutrition and engaged in extracurricular activities such as theatre and dance. Shobha Mehta, Manager – Collaborations at Navjyoti, explains the model they follow: “We promote the ‘3S’ – Shiksha (education), Sanskar (values) and Skills. From here, the children progress to the next stage – yuva gurukul or youth movements. These value-based community initiatives encourage the young to become self-reliant and impart their skills to others as well.” Navjyoti offers vocational training in language skills, IT, graphic designing and more to the young adults who finish their formal education. They are also encouraged to be role models for their community.

While children and youth were being guided in the right direction, the families needed help too. The Foundation’s Family and Community Counselling Programme works to resolve marital issues, domestic violence, harassment and other disputes. In rural areas, Navjyoti’s Rural Training Institute coaches villagers on government schemes, natural resource management, and crime prevention. What started as an effort to save children from a street in Delhi is now a growing movement that helps individuals to contribute to a self-reliant society. Today, the Navjyoti India Foundation is celebrating 25 years of relentless work in uplifting the lives of more than three lakh people – and counting.

india • srilanka • maldives • and beyond

Visit www.navjyoti.org.in or email info@navjyoti.org.in for more details.

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At Global Adjustments

by Team IIC

Silver Linings ‘Play’book

Building Blocks for Life

An evening of fun, laughter and music – Poornashakti’s recent event was a delight in more ways than one

The Yuvashakti programme aims to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn necessary life skills

The India Immersion Centre (IIC) conducted the sixth instalment of its social forum for senior citizens, ‘Poornashakti’, on July 10. Each of these programmes is centred on creating a fun and lively environment with friendly competition for senior citizens to meet new people and expand their circle of friends.

The latest event featured three guests – a fitness trainer who showed the participants some simple exercises to increase blood circulation and relax the tension in the wrists and elbows; Mr. Arandhai Manian, a film and advertisement director, as well as an author of 35 books in Tamil, conducted a competition in which the participants were asked to sing classical songs; a well-known humorist, Mr. Shekaran livened up the gathering and made everyone chuckle with delight at his jokes. Winners of the competition received eco-friendly jute bags as prizes for their wonderful singing.

The next Poornashakti meeting will be held on August 14, and will feature a special ‘Independence Day’ event.

Youth have tremendous potential to learn, excel, learn and ultimately leave a legacy. If we tap into this potential and kindle the spark of learning, we can create an extraordinary generation of youngsters. Educational institutions provide academic knowledge, thus paving the way for a good career.

The India Immersion Centre’s ‘Yuvashakti’ programme conducts workshops in colleges to help young students to dream big, and work to achieve those dreams.

The ‘Get set, ready, go! And go on!’ workshop was conducted recently at the Professor Dhanapal College of Arts and Science in Kelambakkam. Around 430 undergraduate students in their final year participated in the programme.

Because the majority of students were the first in their families to go to a college, it was imperative that the programme to help build their confidence, emphasise the need to be happy, and give tips on effective communication, developing the ability to face challenges and a positive attitude. The students enthusiastically participated in the workshop, and expressed interest to be groomed in specific areas that would help them in their career.

The India Immersion Centre, the NGO wing of Global Adjustments, conducts several programmes, such as Poornashakti and Yuvashakti.

If you would like to participate in the programmes, or have the IIC conduct workshops in your school or college, please email Usha Ramakrishnan, Centre Director of IIC, at contactiic@globaladjustments.com

culturama

August 2015

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