Culturama January 2019 by Rohini Manian

INSPIRE - INNOVATE - IMPACT

Becoming More No hurdle can stop the determined

JANUARY 2019 - VOLUME 9, ISSUE 11

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January 2019

CEO'S

DESK William Shakespeare so aptly said, ‘There is a tide in the affairs of (wo)men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.’ The fortune in this case is the baton I am privileged to take on – CULTURAMA, India’s longest standing cultural magazine. On behalf of our growing readership of Indians and expats, we are proud to present a brand new and bold version of our two successful magazines Culturama and Living into one product – CULTURAMA – which will bring the best of India to the world and the best of the world to India. Our first-ever India LIVING awards showed us that there is a need for India and the world to meet in one place. I am excited and grateful. Excited, because it is a wonderful opportunity to connect both sides. And I am grateful to you, our amazing and steadfast readers. CULTURAMA will continue to inspire, innovate and create an impact, in print and online. With a readership of 100,000 and growing, it will continue to be available in print and digital versions and will be the go-to place for all global citizens.

Rohini Manian

rohini@globaladjustments.com

January 2019

INSIDE CULTURAMA 50 12

GA Foundation

Brand Me

A good leader leads by example and is open to feedback

The year that was: A look at #Championwoman activities in 2018

Parenting

Prepare your child for changes so that they can deal with them better

Thought Leader

No hurdle can stop one determined to make it happen – Michelle Obama’s story in Becoming

Holistic Living

Let go of the old as you enter the New Year

Big Picture

Couture

Divas enthral us with their fashion sense, fusing the traditional with the modern at their wedding

India’s power will be on display at Rajpath on Republic Day

Inside Out

Taste and sense make Hays’ home a treat to visit

Tripster

Take a snap tour of Chiang Mai in Thailand 4

January 2019

The Last Word

Handloom tales from Designer Sanjay Garg

January 2019

Rohini Manian Editor-in-Chief

INBOX

Meera Srikant Deputy Editor Shobana Sairaj Business Head Prem Kumar Creative Head

We are immensely pleased to share with the Culturama readers a letter we received from Vice President Venkaiah Naidu appreciating the magazine.

V. Kathiravan S. Rajthilak Graphic designer Contributors Susan Philip | Suzanne McNeill | Eknath Easwaran Dr Marshall Goldsmith | Antara Kothari | Shruthi Rajan Deepa Kalukuri | Anurima Das | Zainab Ali Khan Chennai (Headquarters) 5, 3rd Main Road, R A Puram, Chennai – 600028 Telefax +91-44-24617902 E-mail culturama@globaladjustments.com Bengaluru #333/1, 1st Floor, 9th Main, 14th Cross, 2nd Stage, Indira Nagar, Bangalore – 560038 Tel +91-80-41267152, E-mail culturamablr@globaladjustments.com Delhi-NCR Level 4, Augusta Point, Golf Course Road, Sector 53, Gurgaon – 122002, Haryana Mobile +91 124 435 4224 E-mail del@globaladjustments.com Mumbai #1102, 11th Floor, Peninsula Business Park, Tower B, SB Road, Lower Parel, Mumbai – 400013 Tel +91-22-66879366 E-mail mum@globaladjustments.com Hyderabad Suite-18, 3rd Floor, Rajapushpa Business Centre, Stone Ridge Centre, Opp. Google, Hitec City – Kondapur Main Road, Hyderabad – 500 084, Ph: +91 40 48687956 E-mail hyd@globaladjustments.com Printed by K Srinivasan and published and owned by Ranjini Manian. Printed at Srikals Graphics Pvt Ltd at #5, Balaji Nagar, 1st Street, Ekkattuthangal, Chennai – 600032 and published at Global Adjustments Services Pvt. Ltd., #5, 3rd Main Road, Raja Annamalai Puram, Chennai – 600028. Editor Ranjini Manian Disclaimer Views and opinions expressed by writers do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s or the magazine’s.

Share your views about the magazine with culturama@globaladjustments.com.

INSPIRE - INNOVATE - IMPACT

Becoming More No hurdle can stop the determined

January 2019

JANUARY 2019 - VOLUME 9, ISSUE 11

Rs. 40/-

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January 2019

SMS Short cultural snippets for an easily digestible India

Word: Moksha Moksha is a noun that originates from the Sanskrit word moksh or moksa, meaning ‘salvation’, ‘deliverance’ or ‘final liberation’. It signifies freedom from samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth to which all in the transient world are subject – an ancient philosophy shared by the religions of Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. Moksha is one of the four goals of human life (alongside Dharma, Artha and Kama), and delivers the soul into a state of bliss, united with the divine and free from joys and sorrows. In Buddhism this is better known as Nirvana, a word that is heard more often in everyday, informal conversation (such as when someone is talking about a holiday or a satisfying meal). In simple terms, moksha is complete freedom from emotional upsets while living right here on earth.

Food: Samosa Samosas are found everywhere in India from roadside tea shops to bakeries and restaurants. The North Indian version is the best known, a triangular-shaped, deep-fried pastry stuffed with a savoury filling of potatoes, peas and chillies. Spicy onion samosas are popular in southern India, whilst the eastern Indian version, called shinghara, is a smaller, crispier samosa, made with thin, flaky pastry and less spice. They may be filled with mutton or fish, potatoes and cauliflower. Eastern India also has a sweet version of the samosa, mishti shingara, which is filled with sweetened reduced milk (khoya) or coconut and sometimes dipped in sugar syrup. Served hot with spicy mint relish, sweet and sour tamarind chutney or plain tomato ketchup, this is a favourite snack to be had with tea. 8

January 2019

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We look back at GAF's achievements in 2018

Raising self-esteem of policewomen

Goal-setting for career and life with college girls

January 2019

Empowering workforce women with PROUD (Proactive and Positive, Respectful, Offering solutions, Understandable, Direct) communication

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Grooming potential schoolgirls to be all-rounders

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Managing stress and improving communication for teachers

Educating and mentoring underprivileged girls with Shakti scholarship

If you are a manager in a corporate organisation, college or high school, please invite us to hold a sample seminar to empower women at your institution. The seminars will be free of cost for the institution and trainees. Content can be tailor-made on request. Call Usha Ramakrishnan, Director, Global Adjustments Foundation at +91-9840520394 or e-mail usha@globaladjustments.com Follow us on:

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/GlobalAdjustmentsFoundation January 2019

January 2019

PARENTING

Forewarned is Forearmed Talking to children openly, addressing their fears and preparing them for challenges can help them cope with transitions and changes better. Antara Kothari shares her experiences in helping her younger child cope with changes

“Education is not preparation for life; it is life itself.” – John Dewey. Ever since I stumbled upon this quote by Dewey a few months ago while researching a topic, it has been engraved in my mind. The sheer bold declaration forced me to rethink my definition of education and the purpose behind it. In simple terms, education is not only the knowledge you gain in school from studying Mathematics, English, History, Biology, and so on; the best learning comes from what you do and experience in your daily life. It means constantly having to re-evaluate what you know about surviving in the real world. This is something I truly believe in when it comes to my two boys as well. As a parent, my duty lies in the continuous education I need to provide my children with, not only for them to succeed academically, but in life as well. This begins from the moment they can start communicating and expressing themselves.

Adapting to Changes Before the start of a new term in school, I make it a point to prepare my now four-and-a-half-year-old son for the months ahead. He takes some time to settle down in a new environment and this preparation helps him adapt to new 16

January 2019

situations much better. This could be a new classroom, new teachers, new and unfamiliar students (along with the familiar ones), and so on. At the start of a new academic year last year, I saw his anxiety and fear of the unknown emerge in ways I never would have imagined – continuous water breaks to excuse himself from the classroom, frequent bathroom breaks, accidents and much more. It took me some time, along with some incredible cooperation from his teachers in the school, to understand the issue and realise that it was the new routine and unfamiliar surroundings that were causing the anxiety. Although school has always been a second home to him, the minute new teachers and a few new students entered the picture, his fear kicked in. At that point I realised that I had not prepared him for what to expect as much as I should have. Sometimes with children who have slightly heightened levels of maturity, you tend to forget that they are still just children. With my son, I had assumed that he had grown out of the fear of the unknown and that he would settle down in a new class without any problems. I had anticipated he would cry for

January 2019

a few days and that would be it. Little did I know what was to follow. It took two to three weeks for him to settle down, but what surprised me during this period was the subtleness with which he showed his panic and anxiety. It is not always through outright outbursts, crying, kicking and screaming, but sometimes it can be in the quietest of ways. This was when I started to spend time talking to my son about what changes to expect and how he can adapt to them. It may not prevent him from experiencing some uncomfortable situations completely, but it can help him ease into those situations a little easier.

Safety – A Perennial Concern One other important topic I make it a point to discuss with my son is safety. It is natural for parents to assume that the responsibility of the safety of the children lies entirely with the school. While this may be true for the most part, I believe that parents have an equally important role to play, and this involves educating and creating awareness in children from the time they are in pre-school. Simple things like never leaving school with a stranger or walking outside the gate without a parent or trusted individual by the side can go a long way. In some of my previous articles, I have briefly mentioned a list of ‘trusted people’ that a child should have, consisting of four to five individuals from home and school. This has been reinforced constantly in some of the child abuse and awareness workshops that I have attended. This list can prove extremely important even when children want to use the rest room in the school. They may not be comfortable with just anyone accompanying them to the rest room. For example, my son is comfortable with only two teachers and one assistant in school for making rest-room runs with him. At home, it is one of his parents or nanny whom he trusts to take him to the rest room. This vigilance is extremely crucial, and if these guidelines are explained to children in a friendly manner, before the school starts, we as parents can breathe a little easier as well.

Armed Against Bullying I often discuss bullying with my son, and not only at the start of a new term. Bullying is perceived by each child and each parent very differently. A comment or an action may be perceived as bullying by one child but not by the other, which often leads to a hostile environment and results in a child making excuses to avoid going to school. One of the reasons I enrolled my children in a school with a global perspective 18

January 2019

is because they are not only taught but also made to practice kindness, empathy, respect, team work, love and so much more every single day. The odds of a child really ‘bullying’ another is slim to none. But again, the responsibility of educating children about bullying and discouraging them from disrespecting others starts at home. What they see and are taught at home is supplemented in school, and not the other way around. The school, in fact, had a session on respecting not only elders and staff but also peers and younger children. Age is not the only factor that commands respect; everyone deserves it. We try to reinforce this at home every step of the way as well so that it automatically maps onto their behaviour at school. There is nothing like too much preparation, especially when

Photo: JF VIAL, France

it comes to educating our little ones not only academically but also with life lessons, to help them adapt to changes and transitions smoothly. Talking to them about their feelings – their joys and concerns – helps. During the summer holidays last year, I took my son to the school once to meet his new teacher and see his new classroom. Having a conversation with your children while doing something together works best. Very often, I narrate stories from my schooldays to my son to make him feel more at ease about the upcoming school term. Thus, there are various ways to help prepare children for a new term or year at school. Talking to them makes them feel more connected. Nothing is more important than loving them and keeping them safe, and this can be done by talking to them as much as possible.

January 2019

MICHELLE OBAMA

THOUGHT LEADER

BECOMING MORE by Susan Philip

A woman of substance, Michelle Obama tells the world through her book Becoming that no hurdle is big enough to stop one determined enough to make it happen

January 2019

dark-skinned woman who walked in step with her husband… A VIP who didn’t hesitate to take off her shoes and play hopscotch with street children... An American who grooved to Bollywood tunes... A proud mother of two daughters... A highly qualified lady who gave up her career for her husband’s sake, but did not give up her identity... Michelle Obama was a revelation to India–to Indian women in particular. She caught the imagination of the country, as no other American First Lady has yet done, when she accompanied her husband on his two visits to India in his capacity as President of the United States of America. And now it is being emphatically brought home that it is not just with Indians that she struck a chord.

The former First Lady’s book tours are sold out, not only in the United States but also in London and other places. She has been interviewed by news channels and media persons who are celebrities themselves. So why does the world want to know all about Michelle Obama? The answer, perhaps, lies in the title of the book – Becoming. That’s what it’s all about – Becoming – Becoming something we had never thought we could become. And it’s in the present continuous. Isn’t that what we all – men, women, Indians, Americans, Africans, Europeans, Asians, Australians, people everywhere – dream of, aspire to? Michelle Obama’s story is the quintessential success story. She had a lot of cards stacked up against her. She was a black girl from a working-class family, both disadvantages in the country of her birth, despite that The Written Word country flaunting equality and fraternity as its buzzwords. After eight years in the White House in the full glare She was the daughter of a man struggling with debilitating of the limelight, her book Becoming has become, in the multiple sclerosis and a woman who was a homemaker, last few weeks of 2018, the best-selling book of the year! both of them working hard to give their two children

January 2019

a decent upbringing. But this man and woman were unconventional in that they believed in their daughter as a human being, with no reference to her gender. Michelle has gone on record that she was feisty and confident from the start, and her parents had the wisdom not to try and tamp that down or out of her simply because she was a girl and would be perceived as ‘bossy’. Instead, they guided this feistiness and confidence so that she understood how it was possible to be brave and bold but still be beautiful, loving, kind and, well, feminine. Michelle Obama’s mother Marian Robinson expected her daughter and her son to be responsible, and trained them to be so right from the start. Her reasoning – ‘I’m not raising children, I’m raising adults.’ Hers is a very human story, one that most of us can identify with. It is a story of persistent doubting of oneself, and answering that doubt with a categoric ‘Yes, I can!’ It’s the story of the girl who came from the blue-

collar South Side of Chicago to study at the uptown Whitney Young High School, and realised for the first time that black people could become doctors and lawyers; the story of the girl who went to Princeton despite being told by some of her school teachers that she was ‘setting her sights too high’. A law degree from Harvard was a natural progression because she had realised by then that she could be ‘both brilliant and black’. It is the story of a career-oriented woman who went on to decide that her first priority was to be ‘mom-in-chief’, realising that only then would she be able to give her best to her ‘job’ – that of being First Lady of the United States. Michelle says one of her aims was to reach out through Becoming to those people, particularly young girls and women everywhere, who looked at her with awe and said, ‘Michelle Obama – I can’t ever be that’; to tell them, ‘No, no, I’m you. At the core, I’m what you are. If I can do it, anyone can.’

January 2019

Becoming an Inspiration As India transitions from assigning stereotypical roles to women as homemakers and caregivers, to an appreciation of talented, ambitious women who have so much to give the world, there are still glass ceilings to be broken. Women are shrouded in guilt, wondering if they are doing enough in either or both of the two worlds they straddle – their homes and their workplaces. To these women, Michelle Obama stands out as someone who has walked the trail, and has valuable tips to offer on negotiating the potholes and the roadblocks along the way. It is a question of balance. And, ultimately, ‘we find a way to do it all,’ she says. She also realised how essential it is for a woman to ask for what she needs. When she was approached to resume her job as a lawyer, she found the courage to negotiate for herself not only remuneration commensurate with her capabilities but flexible hours so that she could take care of her little daughters. 'I want them to understand what it feels like to do something you don’t like and to improve,' she explains why she got her daughters to take up two sports – one they 24

January 2019

chose and one she chose for them. As she walked with a group of schoolgirls through a crafts museum in Delhi during one of her visits, the little girls took turns to hold her hand. And she took the opportunity to underline the importance of education and exercise. ‘Because women have to stay strong.’ That was the same message she gave children at an orphanage in Mumbai. She hadn’t ever imagined she would one day be First Lady of the United States, but because she had an education, when that day did come, she was ready for it, she told the children. Michelle Obama became – a daughter, a sister, a gifted student, a lawyer, a wife, a mother, a First Lady of the United States. And she’s still becoming – as we all are. As we walk into another year, let’s celebrate the process of becoming – better at who we are.

Don't miss an excerpt from Michelle Obama's Becoming, reproduced in this issue with special permission and arrangement with Penguin Random House

January 2019

Wife & Independence Excerpt, page 171 – 173, 1124 words:

IT SOUNDS A little like a bad joke, doesn’t it? What happens when a solitude- loving individualist marries an outgoing family woman who does not love solitude one bit? The answer, I’m guessing, is probably the best and most sustaining answer to nearly every question arising inside a marriage, no matter who you are or what the issue is: You find ways to adapt. If you’re in it forever, there’s really no choice. Which is to say that at the start of 1993, Barack flew to Bali and spent about five weeks living alone with his thoughts while working on a draft of his book Dreams from My Father, filling yellow legal pads with his fastidious handwriting, distilling his ideas during languid daily walks amid the coconut palms and lapping tide. I, meanwhile, stayed home on Euclid Avenue, living upstairs from my mother as another leaden Chicago winter descended, shellacking the trees and sidewalks with ice. I kept myself busy, seeing friends and hitting workout classes in the evenings. In my regular interactions at work or around town, I’d find myself casually uttering this strange new term— “my husband.” My husband and I are hoping to buy a home. My husband is a writer finishing a book. It was foreign and delightful and conjured memories of a man who simply wasn’t there. I missed Barack terribly, but I rationalized our situation as I could, understanding that even if we were newlyweds, this interlude was probably for the best. He had taken the chaos of his unfinished book and shipped himself out to do battle with it. Possibly this was out of kindness to me, a bid to keep the chaos out of my view. I’d married an outside- the- box thinker, I had to remind myself. He was handling his business in what struck him as the most sensible and efficient manner, even if outwardly it appeared to be a beach vacation— a honeymoon with himself (I couldn’t help but think in my lonelier moments) to follow his honeymoon with me. You and I, you and I, you and I. We were learning to adapt, to knit ourselves into a solid and forever form of us. Even if we were the same two people we’d always been, the same couple we’d been for years, we now had new labels, a second set of identities to wrangle. He was my husband. I was his wife. We’d stood up at church and said it out loud, to each other and to the world. It did feel as if we owed each other new things. For many women, including myself, “wife” can feel like a loaded word. It carries a history. If you grew up in the 1960s and 1970s as I did, wives seemed to be a genus of white women who lived inside television sitcoms— cheery, coiffed, corseted. They stayed at home, fussed over the children, and had dinner ready on the stove. They sometimes got into the sherry or flirted with the vacuum- cleaner salesman, but the excitement seemed to end there. The irony, of course, was that I used to watch those shows in our living room on Euclid Avenue while my own stay- at-home mom fixed dinner without complaint and my own

January 2019

Becoming Michelle Obama

clean- cut dad recovered from a day at work. My parents’ arrangement was as traditional as anything we saw on TV. Barack sometimes jokes, in fact, that my upbringing was like a black version of Leave It to Beaver, with the South Shore Robinsons as steady and fresh- faced as the Cleaver family of Mayfield, U.S.A., though of course we were a poorer version of the Cleavers, with my dad’s blue city worker’s uniform subbing for Mr. Cleaver’s uit. Barack makes this comparison with a touch of envy, because his own childhood was so different, but also as a way to push back on the entrenched stereotype that African Americans primarily live in broken homes, that our families are somehow incapable of living out the same stable, middle- class dream as our white neighbors. Personally, as a kid, I preferred The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which I absorbed with fascination. Mary had a job, a snappy wardrobe, and really great hair. She was independent and funny, and unlike those of the other ladies on TV, her problems were interesting. She had conversations that weren’t about children or homemaking. She didn’t let Lou Grant boss her around, and she wasn’t fixated on finding a husband. She was youthful and at the same time grown- up. In the pre- pre- pre- internet landscape, when the world came packaged almost exclusively through three channels of network TV, this stuff mattered. If you were a girl with a brain and a dawning sense that you wanted to grow into something more than a wife, Mary Tyler Moore was your goddess. And here I was now, twenty- nine years old, sitting in the very same apartment where I’d watched all that TV and consumed all those meals dished up by the patient and selfless Marian Robinson. I had so much— an education, a healthy sense of self, a deep arsenal of ambition— and I was wise enough to credit my mother, in particular, with instilling it in me. She’d taught me how to read before I started kindergarten, helping me sound out words as I sat curled like a kitten in her lap, studying a library copy of Dick and Jane. She’d cooked for us with care, putting broccoli and Brussels sprouts on our plates and requiring that we eat them. She’d hand sewn my prom dress, for God’s sake. The point was, she’d given diligently and she’d given everything. She’d let our family define her. I was old enough now to realize that all the hours she gave to me and Craig were hours she didn’t spend on herself. My considerable blessings in life were now causing a kind of psychic whiplash. I’d been raised to be confident and see no limits, to believe I could go after and get absolutely anything I wanted. And I wanted everything. Because, as Suzanne would say, why not? I wanted to live with the hat- tossing, independent-career- woman zest of Mary Tyler Moore, and at the same time I gravitated toward the stabilizing, self- sacrificing, seemingly bland normalcy of being a wife and mother. I wanted to have a work life and a home life, but with some promise that one would never fully squelch the other. I hoped to be exactly like my own mother and at the same time nothing like her at all. It was an odd and confounding thing to ponder. Could I have everything? Would I have everything? I had no idea.

January 2019

HOLISTIC LIVING

A New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Resolution by Eknath Easwaran

Strong

memories

are

time

bombs. Whether the incidents took place five years ago or fifty, the emotional charge remains intact and the bomb is down there ticking

Photo: Megan BOND, Canada

We must learn how to tear out all the pages in our mental notebook where memory has recorded in gruesome detail everything unpleasant that was said or done to us. Tear out all the old resentful episodes from the past and never bother dwelling on any of them again. Otherwise they are going to cause a lot of pain in the year to come. Then go into the New Year with a fresh resolve to keep that kind of episode from causing further anguish. This is the most pressing New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolution there can be. Spiritual psychology and secular psychology agree that if we are able to trace some of our personal resentments and personal conflicts, we shall often find their seeds buried in the distant past. Our early traumas at home and at school play a formative role in our later emotional life. But here is where the two psychologies diverge. Great spiritual psychologists like the Compassionate Buddha all give us the same specific method for dealing with resentments and conflicts. If by constantly pulling attention away to the present you can persuade your mind not to dwell on the past, there can be no resentment, no ill will of any kind. As the Buddha puts it so beautifully in the Dhammapada, 'Give up what is before, what is behind, and cross the stream. Then will your mind be free.'

January 2019

To grasp this takes some thought and a certain amount of experience. But now, when people confide in me regarding their personal difficulties – some of which seem to go on and on – I have no hesitation in concluding that it is those whose attention is caught in the past who are most often subject to unreasonable agitation. In such people, the most minute stimulus can bring into action a hostile response that has been building up over a long, long period. There is no sense in blaming them. Most of their mind is not here; it is back there. There are people, for example, who let their mind dwell on some little phrase a parent or teacher may have aimed at them in a moment of frustration. Eventually they will not be able to refrain from dwelling on it, for it gives them an odd kind of satisfaction. This little hostile seed, which would die a natural death if left to itself, they keep watering with their tears and fertilising with their attention until it grows into a giant poison oak bush. Even more tragic, instead of just dwelling on one particular outburst of anger or criticism, some of us develop a tendency to dwell on all our negative emotions. When we do this for a long period of time, we are in for a lot of trouble in our personal relations. Strong memories are time bombs. Whether the incidents took place five years ago or fifty, the emotional charge remains intact and the bomb is down there ticking. We have many of these time bombs ticking away in the depths of our consciousness, and some innocent little remark has only to brush that bomb by indirect association to make us flare up at people without rhyme or reason. It is not so much that the person who made the remark did anything intentional; it is just that we have these emotional charges there waiting to be set off. In that quiet statement about setting the mind free, the Buddha is asking a very pertinent question. If you can only turn your attention away from the past – not only five or fifty years ago but even yesterday – and bring it into today, how will you be able to hold on to resentment? To be hostile you have to be caught up in the past; that is the stuff of which this phantom is made. Without the past, what cause could you possibly have for anger? Realising this, the great sages of all religions have been able to make an astounding statement: 'We don’t even understand any more what resentment is.' This 30

January 2019

unburdening of memory is the greatest relief in life. To reach this blessed state, I would suggest first of all that whenever you find yourself getting resentful, remind yourself that it is not just one particular person who is responsible for your resentment, it is also the many years you have put into brooding on resentment. Even this realisation is of some help.

Photo: Deberoi, USA

This was published by Eknat h Easwaran in t he Spring 2015 edition of t he Blue Mountain Journal. The article can be accessed at https://www.bmcm.org/documents/15/2015Spring.pdf

Champion a woman. She will build a nation

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

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January 2019

BIG PICTURE

OF FLOATS AND JETS The Indian Republic Day Parade is a culmination of an entire year of planning, practice, key decisions and logistics on a scale only India can pull off. Let’s look at what sets this celebration apart from anything else you’ll ever see By Shruthi Rajan

January 2019

January 26 is a seminal day in the history of independent India. The country celebrates this day as Republic Day, the day it officially adapted its Constitution after forgoing the Government of India Act (1935). One of the highlights of the Republic Day celebrations is the Republic Day Parade, a microcosmic representation of all that is great about India – right from its military capability to the daredevilry of the Indian Air Force as they display a heart-warming air show; of tableaux from various states displaying a glimpse of their industry, art and culture; songs and dances from different parts of the country; as well as the investiture ceremony for the highest gallantry awards of the armed forces – Shaurya Chakra, Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, Ashok Chakra and Param Vir Chakra. Apart from the military, logistics and televising might on display at Rajpath in Delhi where this fantastic display happens, India plays host to the leaders of friendly foreign countries. It is one of the most anticipated events of the new calendar year. As we usher in 2019, let’s take a closer look at India’s most awaited event.

The Chief Guest Visiting foreign dignitaries often signify friendly ties between two nations. For an event such as a parade where our military might is on display, the presence of a foreign leader has a huge significance. This year we are hosting the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, which is significant because 2019 marks the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji’s career as a barrister in South Africa and his encounters with the apartheid there were formative in his practice of non-violent civil disobedience as a form of protest.

January 2019

Other than being the recipient of India’s Atithi Devo Bhava (guest is like god) style of hospitality, the Chief Guest of the Republic Day Parade is also India’s friend and ally. An invitation to the Republic Day parade is proof positive of existing ties or strengthening ties. In 2018, Rajpath was graced by the leaders and respective spouses of not one but ten countries, all of whom are part of the ASEAN coalition. It was a hallmark moment for the country to host so many dignitaries on a single platform and showcase to them the country’s diverse and spectacular traditions and cultures.

Producing the Show If you are in India, you can turn on DD1 (Doordarshan) channel at 9 a.m. on January 26 and watch the parade go past. Doordarshan, India’s public broadcaster, has the exclusive rights to broadcast the parade. The logistics that go into giving us a glimpse of Rajpath are immense. Interestingly, Doordarshan was the first-ever channel to broadcast a real-time telecast (an international cricket match) without a time lapse. This means that we watch the parade as it happens, and that’s something! The entire venue, from Rashtrapati Bhavan to Raisina Hill to India Gate, is studded with on-ground as well as aerial cameras. The commentators give us a full rundown, in various languages, of the events as they take place, the overarching theme of the parade itself, what each float represents, and known trivia or facts about the parade.

National Pride India is a nation of indigenous diversity. Each region has its own unique identity, culture and language, and it is impossible to

peg ‘Indianness’ down to one single thing. The quintessence of what it is to be Indian can be witnessed at the Republic Day parade as each marching band, contingent, float and dance group tells a different story, and each is as Indian as the other. The parade is a showcase to the world of how much we can achieve in such a short time. As a young country (we are talking of a united, independent India that came into being on August 15, 1947), India has come a long way. It is an important player on the global platform and a voice to be considered at all major trade and economic summits. A showcase of all of its achievements as well as its rich cultural heritage is a testament to the immense pride we have in our nation and what it stands for.

That's Logistics! The Ministry of Defence is in charge of producing the parade. Preparations for the parade start as early as June when NCC cadets are chosen and spend the rest of the year training. The marching contingents are in New Delhi from the beginning of January practising and selecting the perfect contingent to salute the President and visiting dignitaries.

On the morning of January 26, everyone gets dressed and assembles at Rajpath, as traffic diversions are enforced and crowds are seated, and the show begins after paying tribute to Amar Javan Jyothi, the eternal flame to commemorate the martyred soldier. The parade is commanded by the General Officer Commanding, Headquarters Delhi Area. One of the highlights of the marching contingents is the march past of the ex-servicemen gallantry award winners. The bravery award winners, all children, ride on elephant backs and receive the cheers of a grateful crowd. Premier military equipment of the country’s defence services are chosen keeping in mind the theme for the showcase (in 2018, it was to show India’s indigenous weapons). The fly past, which is one of the highlights of the parade, features an exciting display of aerial acrobatics by some of the best pilots of the nation. The air acrobatics are coordinated, timed and executed to perfection and is a fitting climax to the 90-minute parade.

January 2019

Beating Retreat The concluding event of this mammoth spectacle is the Beating Retreat ceremony held on January 29 at Vijay Chowk. The bands play ‘Abide with Me’, Gandhiji’s favourite hymn. The sounding of the bugle to mark the end takes its cue from the call to end war. The event ends with the lowering of the national flag and the singing of the national anthem in musical harmony. The spectacle that is the Republic Day Parade in India is not just about showcasing our culture and heritage to our fellow countrymen but to also inform visiting world leaders that we are a nation in progress and staking a claim on the world stage is our goal.

ABOUT OUR CHIEF GUEST THIS YEAR President Ramaphosa is a known anti-apartheid activist and enjoys great popularity. He was elected unopposed, after the resignation of the previous president Jacob Zuma. The day he was elected there was a huge jump in stocks and an overall bullish market (South African). He gives 50 percent of his salary to former President Nelson Mandela’s charity, a move to urge other wealthy citizens to contribute towards nation building. He has also removed from his personal portfolio all investments that could cause a potential conflict of interest while he is in power.

TRIVIA ABOUT R-DAY Purna Swaraj Day, or the day of complete self-rule, is also observed on January 26; the day was created in 1930 and marked a turning point in our freedom struggle. The parade, as we see it today, was first conducted in 1955. The entire celebration is three days long, and ends with the Beating Retreat ceremony on Vijay Chowk.

January 2019

English transliteration: Jana-Gana-Mana-Adhinayaka Jaya Hey Bharata-Bhagya-Vidhata Punjab-Sindhu-Gujarata-Maratha Dravida-Utkala-Banga Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga Uchchhala-Jaladhi-Taranga Tava Subha Namey Jage Tava Subha Asisha Mange Gahe Tava Jaya Gatha. Jana-Gana-Mangala Dayaka Jaya Hey Bharata-Bhagya-Vidhata. Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey, Jaya, Jaya, Jaya, Jaya Hey.

Meaning: The ruler of the minds of people, victory be to you, Dispenser of the destiny of India! Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Dravida (South India), Orissa and Bengal, The Vindhya, the Himalayas, the Yamuna, the Ganges, And the oceans with foaming waves all around. Wake up listening to your auspicious name, Ask for your auspicious blessings, And sing to your glorious victory. You who impart well being to the people, Dispenser of the destiny of India, Victory be to you, Victory, victory, victory to you! â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Jana Gana Mana...â&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the national anthem of India, was written in Bengali by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. It was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the Indian national anthem on January 24, 1950. The original poem written by Rabindranath Tagore was translated into Hindi-Urdu by Abid Ali. January 2019

TRIPSTER

Chiang Mai Saying Hello to

Thailand It was a brief but promising visit to Chiang Mai in Thailand. Suzanne McNeill promises to return to explore more

January 2019

Thailand in two days? This ancient kingdom demands far greater attention, but on this, our first trip, two days is all we have and we are determined to embrace as much as we can of the country’s cuisine, wildlife, temples and nightlife. As it turns out, our destination, the calm and laidback city of Chiang Mai, is a terrific introduction to Thailand. We are booked into the X2 Riverside Resort, a tranquil boutique hotel that sits on the bank of the Mae Ping River, minutes from the city centre. The hotel has an understated elegance. Its red-brick exterior is almost austere, but inside paths wind through green lawns and lush plantings of ferns and palms canopied by mature tamarind trees. We are welcomed with grace and warmth, garlanded with jasmine and taken to rooms that blend an understated, modern elegance with elements of traditional northern Thai Lanna design.

Pleasing the Palate Our first stop is Woo Café, an art gallery and lifestyle shop that also serves mouth-watering Thai dishes. We select seafood soup, rich with coconut milk and lemongrass, before browsing the displays. Back at the hotel, we are booked into the gorgeous spa for an aromatherapy massage. Alarmed by stories of painful deep-tissue massage, I opt for ‘medium pressure’ and the masseur moderates the muscle kneading and rolling with long, sweeping strokes. Ninety minutes later, I am in a lavender-oil trance and promptly fall asleep back in the room. Evening dinner is booked at David’s Kitchen. David, a Brit who moved to Thailand 18 years ago, introduces himself and we discover he once worked in my hometown of Edinburgh. The restaurant, which he runs with his wife, specialises in French cuisine (fused, of course, with Thai flavours). For a moment we are anxious – one of our party is French – but he pronounces that his Boeuf bourguignon with Paris mash is delicious, and we relax.

January 2019

Through the Winding Lanes Now it’s time to investigate the old town. The city was founded by King Mangrai in the 13th century as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom. It was surrounded by a moat and a defensive wall as fortification against the neighbouring Taungoo people as well as the Mongol armies. The Lanna Kingdom lasted for 300 years, but in 1556, was occupied by the Taungoo, and went into a 200-year period of decline. The city was temporarily abandoned, but cultural and economic prosperity returned in the 19th century. The ancient walls and gates still remain, as does the moat, and the town is dotted with temples that have stood for 500 years or more. We wander through the spotless, labyrinthine streets. Western-style organic coffee shops abound, but we stop for a Thai omelette and stir-fried greens at a simple outdoor restaurant before entering, quite at random, the Wat Chiang Man Temple, the first temple built by King Mangrai in the city.

With the Gentle Giants We are up early in the morning. We are booked into a halfday visit to the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary, and are picked up at 7.00 a.m. by our tour leader in a minivan packed with holiday-makers and backpackers from Italy, Germany and the United States. It’s an hour-long drive that takes us well beyond the urban outskirts into the countryside. The Sanctuary describes itself as an ethical and sustainable ecotourism project offering a home for elephants that have been rescued from tourist resorts or the logging industry. We all change into a practical cotton uniform (the reason becomes apparent when we start feeding the elephants – they can drool on you!), and after an introductory talk by the group leader, we meet the animals. These are females and babies – the male, with his impressive tusks, is homed on the other side of the pasture. There are three stages to the morning. The first eases the group into contact with the elephants by feeding them sugarcane and bananas. We are all intimidated at first, especially when two or more of the elephants converge on us at the same time, eager to collect their share of the rations with their extraordinary, mobile trunks. But they are very gentle and everyone soon relaxes. We then all join in to mix with our bare hands a ‘herbal’ nutritious mix of banana, tamarind, dry pellets and green leaves, which we form into balls and pop into the elephants’ mouths, bringing us even closer to these extraordinary beasts. Finally, the elephants are encouraged (they don’t need much persuading!) to walk into a small river, and we follow them in to scrub them and pour water over their hides. The baby rolls in the shallows like a puppy, almost squirming with pleasure. It’s a delightful and affirmative experience, and we return to the hotel on a high. 40

January 2019

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January 2019

A Place of Worship Given our morning’s activities we have arrived at the most appropriate place, for the Chedi, the oldest and most sacred structure in the complex (it is also called the Stupa or Pagoda), is known as the Elephant Chedi for the 15 carved elephants that appear to emerge from the structure’s stone base. The large Viharn, or assembly hall, is beautiful. The white exterior is embellished with decoration in gold and red, whilst the interior is adorned with wall paintings and a golden figure of the Buddha holding an alms bowl. We take a tuk tuk back to the hotel, and it’s time for dinner, this time at X2’s Oxygen Restaurant. It’s a gorgeous airy space, lined with glass walls that look out to the grounds and which serves high-end, fine cuisine. We eat Thai-inspired crab and salmon dishes, interspersed with complimentary amuse-bouche delicacies. The day concludes with a visit to one of Chiang Mai’s celebrated cabaret shows, and we depart the next morning after a breakfast eaten al fresco, gazing across the lawns to the river. We have barely scratched the surface of this enchanting country, but are delighted nonetheless with all we have seen and done.

January 2019

Photo: Mary Kay Fallbeck

Off to School

Education doesn’t come easy, but when you are with friends, what’s a few hurdles? From rickshaws to boats, children in India commute any which way to reach their schools.

Photo: CARLOS,

Photo: Matthew KUHN, Australia

January 2019

Photo: Elmarie Blignaut, S Africa

Photo: Tineke Sysmans

Photo: Naomi Sonnenberg Irish

Photo: MONTANARO , Italy

Photo: Alex

January 2019

Around the world in

January 1 is one day that is commonly celebrated across the globe as the New Year, even if different cultures following the lunar calendar may have a different day as per that. The tradition began in 45 BC, when the day was celebrated as the beginning of a new year when the Julian calendar came into effect. This fell out of practice during the Middle Ages, due to a miscalculation that led to 11-minute-a-year error adding seven days by the year 1000, and 10 days by mid15th century. Commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII in the 1570s, Jesuit astronomer Christopher Clavius revised the calendar which came into effect in 1582. Called the Gregorian calendar, it omitted 10 days that year and established one of every four centennial years as a leap year. Since then, people around the world have gathered en masse on January 1 to celebrate the precise arrival of the New Year in different ways. Fireworks and partying form the bulk of the celebrations, but there are some unique traditions that different countries follow in addition.

Bonfire to Drive Away Bad Luck In Scotland, people organise bonfire celebrations. Men walk through the streets of the villages swinging giant blazing fireballs over their heads, representing the sun. This is meant to clean the coming year. In Panama too, bonfires are used to burn effigies of popular celebrities and political figures who stand for the old year. In Ecuador, people burn scarecrows filled with paper or sawdust and in the image of an offending public figure. This tradition began in Guayaquil in 1895 following a yellow fever epidemic when coffins were packed with the deceasedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothes and burnt for purification. Ecuadorians also burn old photographs, to start afresh. 46

January 2019

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Dropping the Ball In 1904, New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve was celebrated for the first time in Times Square in New York City, ending in a fireworks display. But by 1906, fireworks were banned and event organisers instead lowered a 700pound iron and wood ball down a pole. Since then, Americans gather to watch the ball start dropping at 11:59 p.m. and to count down the final seconds before the New Year begins.

Jumping into the New Year

Future with Molten Tin

In Denmark, people climb up to the highest surface and jump literally into the New Year as the clock strikes 12. This way, they hope to escape from the clutches of bad spirits and bad luck and enter a promising year ahead.

In Finland, some drop molten tin into cold water and observe the shape it takes to decipher the future. From travel to finding romance, they believe they will know whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in store for them.

Food for Abundance Eat 12 grapes, the Spanish believe, one for each month, to have a year filled with good luck. In Philippines, they eat 12 of any round fruits with the same intention. In Japan, soba noodles is consumed with care taken to not break the long noodles as it represents longevity. In Estonia, people eat 7, 9, or 12 meals a day with to ensure abundance in the rest of the year. Make it your cheat day if you are on diet, and leave some food on the plate for ancestral spirits so as to get their blessings.

January 2019

BRAND ME

To Help Others Develop, Start With Yourself

Great leaders encourage leadership development by openly developing themselves. Dr Marshall Goldsmith believes that one of the best ways top executives can get their leaders to improve is to work on improving themselves

January 2019

Listen to what General Mills CEO Steve Sanger recently told 90 of his colleagues: ‘As you all know, last year my team told me that I needed to do a better job of coaching my direct reports. I just reviewed my 360-degree feedback. I have been working on becoming a better coach for the past year or so. I’m still not doing quite as well as I want, but I’m getting a lot better. My co-workers have been helping me improve. Another thing that I feel good about is the fact that my scores on “effectively responds to feedback” are so high this year.’ While listening to Steve speak so openly to co-workers about his efforts to develop himself as a leader, I realised how much the world has changed. Twenty years ago, few CEOs received feedback from their colleagues. Even fewer candidly discussed that feedback and their personal developmental

January 2019

plans. Today, many of the world’s most respected chief executives are setting a positive example by opening up, striving continually to develop themselves as leaders. In fact, organisations that do the best job of cranking out leaders tend to have CEOs like Steve Sanger who are directly and actively involved in leadership development. That has certainly been my experience. This has also been confirmed by a recently completed research project led by Marc Effron at Hewitt Associates, one of the largest HR consulting firms. Hewitt and Chief Executive magazine put General Mills on their latest list of the top-20 companies for leaders, among such familiar names as IBM and General Electric. Hewitt found thata these organisations tend to more actively manage their talent. They put lots of focus on identifying high-potential people, better differentiate compensation, serve up the right kinds of development opportunities and closely watch turnover. But crucial to all these efforts were CEO support and involvement. No question, one of the best ways top executives can get their leaders to improve is to work on improving themselves. Leading by example can mean a lot more than leading by public relations hype. Michael Dell, whose company made the Hewitt list, is a perfect example. As one of the most successful leaders in business history, he could easily have an attitude that says, ‘I am Michael Dell and you aren’t! I don’t really need to work on developing myself.’ Michael, however, has the opposite approach. He has done an amazing job of sincerely discussing his personal challenges with leaders across the company. He is a living case study from whom everyone at Dell is learning. His leadership example makes it hard for any leader to act arrogant or to communicate that he or she has nothing to improve upon. Johnson & Johnson, tied for first on the top-20 list, has successfully involved its executives in leadership development. Its CEOs, formerly Ralph Larsen and now Bill Weldon, and top executive team regularly participate in a variety of leadership-building activities. Having a dialogue with the CEO about his business challenges and developmental needs makes it a lot easier for employees to discuss their own business challenges and developmental needs. Executive candour can even help turn around a troubled company. Consider Northrop Grumman, the aerospace defense contractor. CEO Kent Kresa inherited a company 52

January 2019

that had a poor reputation for integrity, a battered stock price and an unfortunate reputation as one of the leastadmired companies in its industry. His leadership team reversed the company’s poor image and engineered an amazing turnaround – ultimately becoming the Forbes’ most-admired company. From the beginning of the process, Kent led by example. He communicated clear expectations for ethics, values and behaviour. He made sure that he was evaluated by the same standards that he set for everyone else. He consistently reached out to co-workers. He didn’t just work to develop his leaders – he created an environment in which the company’s leaders were working to develop him. Unfortunately, in the same way that CEO support and involvement can help companies nurture leaders, CEO arrogance can have the opposite effect. When the boss acts like a little god and tells everyone else they need to improve, that behaviour can be copied at every level of management. Every level then points out how the level below it needs to change. The end result: No one gets much better. The principle of leadership development by personal example does not apply just to CEOs. It applies to all levels of management. All good leaders want their people to grow and develop on the job. Who knows? If we work hard to improve ourselves, we might even encourage the people around us to do the same thing. Marshall Goldsmith is corporate America’s preeminent executive coach and founder of Marshall Goldsmith Partners. Article courtesy (https://www.marshallgoldsmith.com)

Timeless Tradition. Timeless Design.

January 2019

COUTURE

January 2019

A billionaire princess and two Bollywood divas took the world by storm with their choice of bridal trousseau. From Isha Ambani’s white and gold sari, Deepika Padukone’s Kanjeevaram drapes and Priyanka Chopra’s neo-fusion red lehenga, Deepa Kalukuri writes about the new bridal trends taking over 2019!

he year 2018 was all about celebrating love, erasing borders and bringing families together for some of India’s most popular celebrities. Fashion lovers and brides-to-be got a chance to experience the extravagance of Indian bridal couture and the revival of many forgotten Indian weaves. Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone chose multiple designers to bring together their pre-wedding and ceremonial wardrobes. Isha Ambani chose to honour her Gujarati roots by adding a dash of tie-and-dye prints to her wedding looks. Here is a closer look at the stories behind these pieces of art that will continue to trend and inspire the brides this New Year. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas - Elegance epitomised

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Priyanka Chopra

ceremony. It was a special collaboration, keeping in mind that he designed their first joint appearance at the Met Gala. Priyanka’s 75-feet-long veil is one the world has seldom witnessed. The strapless gown was embellished with mother of pearl sequins and was embroidered with words such as ‘Family’, ‘Hope’ and ‘Compassion’. To add to the wow factor, on Nick Jonas’ double-breasted tuxedo was embroidered the words, ‘My Jaan’ (Jaan, in Urdu, is life). Now that’s going to go down as one of the most beautiful memories for the couple. Take a cue from the personalised embroidery and add a touch of individuality to your bridal outfit.

If there’s someone who was born to shatter stereotypes, it’s Priyanka Chopra! From winning the Miss World title at the tender age of 18 to wooing the audience with her performance in many box office hits, PC has proved she’s here to stay. Her arrival in Hollywood not only brought her international fame but also introduced her to the man she fell head over heels in love with. Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s appearance at the Met Gala in 2017 paved the way for one of the most talked about relationships in Hollywood and Bollywood tabloids. The couple took no time in telling the world how much they were in love and celebrated their Paying an ode to the city of colours, Priyanka Chopra’s union in a three-day ceremony in Jodhpur from November Mehendi outfit was quintessentially Jodhpuri. The multi30 to December 2. coloured organdie ‘leheriya’ pattern lehenga was designed by duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla. The addition of florals by Having got engaged just four months before their nuptials, Havovi enhanced her look. One trend that’s not going out planning such a big fat wedding wouldn’t have been an easy of bridal fashion this year is floral jewellery and floral hair task. Ralph Lauren, the living legend, made an exception and accessories. designed the couple’s wedding trousseau for the Christian The designer duo also created the ‘desi girl’ sequins sari that

January 2019

Priyanka wore on her Sangeet night. Reports suggest that she performed for the popular Dostana song that inspired her look. Having chosen different designers for her ceremonies, Priyanka reached out to the man who is most loved for his bridal wear, Sabyasachi Mukherjee. The fusion lehenga was designed to celebrate the diversity of the couple. Hand-embroidered organza flowers, Siam red crystals and French silk floss knots were added in layers across the clothing. According to the celebrated designer, it took 100 embroiderers from Calcutta and 3,720 hours to create the masterpiece. Priyanka also chose custom-made uncut diamond and emerald jewellery from the Sabyasachi Heritage collection. Her Western red veil was a tribute to the unique love story of the couple.

Deepika Padukone We’ve seen her rock some heavyduty bridal wear in her last release Padmaavat. Deepika Padukone looked royal in her many looks from the movie, and it’s safe to say that in real life she went a step ahead and chose different styles and patterns for her bridal trousseau. Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone tied the knot on November 15 in Lake Como, Italy. The couple gave a generous glimpse into their nuptials and we got a better look at the bridal couture.

Resplendant Deepika Padukone and a royal-looking Ranveer Singh 58

January 2019

For her Konkan wedding ceremony, Deepika wore a Kanjeevaram brocade sari gifted by her mother Ujwala Padukone. The sari was designed by Angadi Galleria, Bengaluru. It featured ‘Gandaberunda’, a two-headed

January 2019

In real life, Deepika chose different styles and patterns for her bridal trousseau

mythological bird representative of the bride’s state of Karnataka. Deepika wore South Indian temple jewellery and a head stole designed by Sabyasachi Mukherjee. For her reception in Bengaluru, she chose another Kanjeevaram sari from the house of Angadi Galleria and teamed it with Zambian emerald jewellery set custom-made by Sabyasachi. Like we said earlier, florals are not going out of bridal fashion anytime soon, as Deepika chose to adorn some fresh Jasmine flowers for her South Indian ceremonies. Deepika chose to wear a pink Anarkali dress by Sabyasachi for her Mehendi and a traditional red lehenga for her Anand Karaj ceremony. A part of Sabyasachi’s India Revival Project, Deepika Padukone’s red lehenga was hand embroidered with gold zari into peacock patterns. The heavy zari border was embroidered with wedding mantras in Sanskrit. You can never go wrong when relying on traditional Indian weaves and customs. The couple threw not one but two wedding receptions in Mumbai, and Deepika showcased her bold choice by sporting the Dil-Guldastha Sabyasachi lehenga inspired by Frida Kahlo. She wore a stunning red sequined gown by Zuhair Murad for her Bollywood reception and coupled it with a breath-

January 2019

taking, sleek sheer veil and smoky eyes! If you’re looking for a mix of traditional and red carpet–fused bridal look, DP’s bridal trousseau is your go-to guide!

Isha Ambani When India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani’s only daughter, Isha Ambani, tied the knot with businessman Anand Piramal, the world turned to India in awe. From Beyonce’s private concert at the Sangeet to Hillary Clinton’s moves at the wedding, this was the biggest celebration in recent times. Isha Ambani took inspiration from her mother Nita Ambani’s choice of designer, Manish Malhotra, for most of her bridal looks. However, for her wedding, she wore her mother’s wedding sari from 35 years ago. The Bandini sari was revived by Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla for the phera ceremony. With many choice designers at her disposal, she opted for sentiment over trend for her bridal outfit. Isha Ambani wore a sequined pink and silver lehenga for her Mehendi ceremony and a gold-embroidered lehenga for her Sangeet ceremony, both designed by the family’s go-to designer, Manish Malhotra. No matter what these celebrity brides chose to wear, they kept alive their family’s heirloom and traditions, blending them in with modern trends and weaves. Add a touch of individuality to your bridal trousseau and get set to celebrate the most glamorous day of your life!

Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal flanked by a loving family

January 2019

INSIDE OUT

January 2019

TheRoom with a View Globetrotting Sonia and Ralph Hays love their home in Bandra, Mumbai, for its spaciousness and a gorgeous sea view. A tour by Team Culturama

January 2019

As you walk down the road along the peninsula in Bandra, into a quiet dead end, there stands an apartment complex with large spaces for outdoor activities and spacious houses with large windows that take advantage of the sea view. Take the lift to the fifth floor to the house of Ralph Hays, Consul General and Trade Commissioner, New Zealand, and his Spanish wife Sonia. To reach the drawing room, you walk down a long corridor that is aesthetically decorated with art pieces. ‘My husband calls this my “art gallery” because it holds quite a few important pieces of my art collection,’ Sonia chuckles. The couple moved to Mumbai in 2017, and they saw around eleven properties during their first visit to Mumbai. This house took their breath away. It had the practical advantage of being close to Hays’ workplace and the children’s school.

January 2019

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January 2019

design touches of the architect and their interior designer. This is an advantage in many cases, but not for us,’ reminisces Sonia. Since the family has moved around a lot, it has its own furniture and precious possessions that help create the feeling of home, whichever the country. In the end, and for a level of convenience, they decided to keep some of the furniture pieces already in the apartment. ‘For instance, my son’s bedroom was kept exactly as it was as he had outgrown his previous bedroom furniture and he felt this room and its decoration were more age-appropriate,’ she admits. The dining table and sideboard stayed, and so did the bed and side tables in the guest room as well as a few more bits and pieces. ‘By adding our things into the mix, the result is an eclectic combination, which very well describes the way our family is.’

Personal Touch Sonia loves interior design and enjoys the challenge of fitting their furniture in a new place. She takes enormous pride in allocating a space for every painting, photograph and art piece, as well as adding new objects to the mix.

But it was also a happening place, with restaurants, cafes, supermarkets and all kinds of stores in the vicinity. The apartment opens into a large dining/living that leads up to a balcony with a fabulous sea view that makes the place ideal for entertaining. It has four large en suite bedrooms and a family room. In addition to a large space around the apartment, it also has indoor facilities for the children, space for them to run around, a beautiful heated swimming pool and a well-equipped gym. The building has a deserved reputation in Mumbai, with 24-hour security and an on-call maintenance team amongst other advantages. Quiet for most part of the year, it gets a little hectic around the Mount Mary Festival in September. But this only lasts for a week, and it is worth seeing and living it.

Sprucing It Up ‘The apartment was fully furnished when we arrived, with

January 2019

They own furniture and decorative objects from Asia and other parts of the world – art pieces and artefacts from Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, Spain and, now, India. Every piece has a fascinating story, almost like a personality of its own. So much so that they have more interesting art than furniture. One piece of furniture that is the centre of attention in their home is a beautiful, antique, hand-painted Chinese wardrobe, which serves as a liquor cabinet in the living room. The other interesting feature that always stops visitors and guests is their ‘Wall of Fame’, which is a representation of their family tree through old photographs. ‘Nothing after the 1950s is allowed to be part of this wall, the oldest being from the mid-1800, not long after photography was invented,’ she says. What makes it fascinating for guests is to identify Sonia’s ancestors from those on her husband’s side. One of Sonia’s first moves was to change the window curtains. ‘That cost us a small fortune as the apartment has many large windows. And, of course, having worked in the fashion industry for many years, one tends to have an eye for expensive fabrics,’ she says with a smile.

January 2019

The Favourite Corner The family room is Sonia’s favourite for many reasons. ‘Firstly, our tribute to our ancestors and the best views,’ she explains. Set high on a hill, it seems much higher than it is. The family enjoys sitting on the sofa with the curtains wide open, taking in the view. The children love to run around and drive their bikes or scooters in the concrete area around the building. It’s very safe as cars are not allowed to access this part of the property, and it’s beautifully arranged with plants and tall coconut trees.

Shopping in India Recently they got a beautiful brass and glass custom-made coffee table. ‘I saw it at the manufacturer before taking delivery of it. It was fine, and looked gorgeous and stunning as I had imagined it to be,’ she says with a gleam in her eye. However, the disappointment came when it was delivered and she got the chance to admire it from a distance. The table sat uneven; of course, this could have happened during transportation. It took a lot of time going back and forth with the manufacturer, who finally took the table away, and the family decided to do without it.

Dream Home ‘My ideal home will be an independent house located in a city, that is, close to the action but in a residential area, possibly on a small hill or slope, so we can enjoy a view, preferably a sea view,’ says Sonia. She likes houses with a bit of character, not ultramodern concrete square walls but more of a combination of the old and new. ‘A house with large windows, high ceilings, a lot of space for entertaining, and a garden with tall plants, trees and a swimming pool would be welcome,’ she says with a winning smile.

January 2019

TECHIELA

New Year Resolution Apps As we step into 2019, it is time for us to break our old habits and create better ones. Zainab Ali Khan tells us about five of the best New Year Resolution apps that can help us achieve the desired goal with the help of advanced tracking options

RunKeeper – GPS Track Run Walk – Android/iOS Track, measure and improve your fitness routine – the RunKeeper app has over 10 million downloads and a star rating of 4.5. This app keeps a tab on all your fitness activities with high accuracy and in real time. It has a variety of tracking options with the most advanced features such as creating your own training plan workout with audio coaching. Not just that, this app automatically integrates with your phone’s music app. Get this app and get ready to be guided and motivated to achieve your dream.

January 2019

iCan – New Year Resolution – iOS The new kid on the block, but surely a show stealer, is the new iCan – New Year Resolution app. With a star rating of over 4.2 and over 1,000-plus downloads, this app helps organise the goals that are set. iCan guarantees to be your mate to help achieve the targets that you set for yourself for the coming year. Sometimes, it is nothing but the lack of motivation that stops us from getting to where we desire to be. With the help of this app, you can stay on track and not get demotivated because it constantly shows you the progress that you are making. It has over a 100 predefined goals that you can choose from and also helps you make your own resolutions. With iCan, you ‘can’ for sure! Monefy – Money Manager – Android/iOS The Monefy – Money Manager app has a rating of 4.6 and over a million downloads. It is an easy and efficient personal finance manager. Not just that, it also tracks expenses. All you need to do is just add your expenses to it and that’s it! This app helps organise all the financial transactions in one place. It also helps monitor expenses. This app offers attractive options such as handling multiple accounts, data synchronisation, a built-in calculator, adding new categories and a lot more. Download this app and be sure to be Monefy-ied! Lose It! – Calorie Counter – Android/iOS With over 10 million downloads and a star rating of over 4.5, the Lose It! – Calorie Counter app is a mega hit. It is a fun weight loss programme that uses the principle of calorie tracking to help shed those extra pounds. You can start using this app in easy steps – download it, make a profile and enter the desired weight you wish to be. The app will automatically calculate the daily calorie budget best for your body. All you have to do is track your food, weight and activity and prepare yourself to achieve the desired target. In short – ‘You use it, you lose it!’ Hitlist – iOS, Android For the wanderlust in you, this app helps you expand your dream destination list and get flight deals that suit your pocket. By connecting the app to Facebook, destination recommendations are created on the basis of where your friends have been to and categorised by interest. The flight plans are filtered depending on price so that the moment a deal fitting your pocket comes up, you can plan and make the trip. 74

January 2019

THE LAST WORD

Weaving Handloom Tales 76

January 2019

Designer Sanjay Garg, who hails from a small village called Mubarikpur in Rajasthan, found his calling in traditional aesthetics.

Unlike

many

his

contemporaries,

draws

inspiration from India and identifies visual references from Indian artistic traditions. Raw Mango, his designer brand, is unique and rightfully represents India in her true glory and magnificence. Every garment is stitched to perfection so that it reminds you of your roots, bringing you closer to the country’s rich traditional past. Here are excerpts from his conversation with Anurima Das, as he shares his belief that fresh aesthetic is both indigenous and modern. Take us back to when you started out in the industry. When and how did your love affair with the handlooms begin? The Indian Institute of Crafts and Design (IICD) in Jaipur laid the foundation for my exposure to the intricacies of design. However, it was at NIFT that I developed an eye for textile design. I then started working for Shades of India, regarded as one of India’s most creative organisation – Shades is the brainchild of Mandeep Nagi (Design Director) and David Housego (former UK journalist). Soon after that, I felt the urge to study abroad and started taking up small projects to fund my way. One such project was the government-funded Chanderi Cluster Development Programme, through which I came in contact with the weavers. This development ended my plan of going to the West. In 2008 Raw Mango was born, with the aim of adding value to and innovating on the loom. It began its journey exploring the Chanderi textile followed by the rich and intricate Varanasi brocades and Mashru. Fashion trends keep changing. How do you keep the handloom current and exciting? Trends come and go – it is important to not fall into such trends but maintain an organic growth. Handloom is not something that should be made out to be ‘exciting’, but should be projected as a reflection of the preservation of craftsmanship and promotion of a successful socioeconomic and sustainable environment for all.

Gandhiji believed that the future of India is in its villages. On his 150th birth anniversary year, what are your thoughts on how the handloom industry fares and how it can grow further? Do policies favour the industry's growth? Do you find a revival of interest in handloom in India? Gandhiji’s idea of textile and handloom encompassed the human condition and socioeconomic realities, thereby recognising the value of incorporating it in our daily lives. I believe that our handloom industry is growing in the right direction and the policies that we have in place today need to be implemented the right way and followed by all – which is something we are missing out on. How have you catered to the varying tastes of your audiences? I’m less interested in defining my audience at the moment and more interested in further exploring and articulating my design language that can cater to different audiences that transcend borders and seasons. Let's thread your journey from the weavers to the final product through your timeless collections. As with everything, there isn’t a specific path or process that leads to a collection. The inspiration that forms my designs comes from everywhere – whether that is a painting, cuisine or the day-to-day lives in our eventful country.

January 2019

If I were to break it down into a set of processes, then this would be how we approach developing a collection: Step 1: Realisation Step 2: Vocabulary – colour palette, motifs, art, mythology, archives Step 3: Implementation Step 4: Sampling Step 5: Construction Photo: Ashish Shah

How do you see your innovations shaping the Indian textile and fashion spheres in the time to come? Innovations come in many forms – on the loom we have worked with the Mashru fabric that has involved major interventions to make the textile relevant again. We also brought the skill back to Varanasi and reinstated an interest for it in the weaving community. What are your design classics that have transcended boundaries of time and place? All of our collections are design classics that we revisit from time to time. They are not seasonal or trend-based. You have designed for many power women of India, including leading actresses and stalwart personalities. Give us a glimpse into your experience? The idea of one woman or a muse is an unrealistic ideal. I would hope that our designs cater to every type of woman, whether she is a celebrity or not. Give us a sneak peek into your upcoming collection? We are working on our summer collection that features ‘thousands of flowers’. Your collections are both 'ramp ready' and 'everyday ready'. How do you sum up your journey? A journey that I’m still on – learning and loving. Does handloom have the potential to become a designer's best friend? I do think it has the potential to be, but there are certain limitations including the lead times on handloom and the industry’s changing fashion calendar, which presents its own challenges.

January 2019