Culturama March 2014

culturama your cultural gateway to india

March 2014 Volume 5, Issue 1

Rs 40

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Ladies First

Explore Indian communities that uphold their womenfolk as heads of the family.

58 A Colourful Affair

What is it like to be 'baptised by colour'? An expat shares her experiences of Holi.

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challenges we faced as women entrepreneurs, attempting to conquer a niche space for promoting cultural understanding, I smile triumphantly to myself. The idea of forming a relocation service for the mobility of expatriates into India seemed superfluous to most. Funnily, it was the women who said, “What do these women think, that they can actually charge money for something we have done as part of our very nature in India? I have always helped my husband’s joint venture partners discover their city. Who would pay for this service?”

Joanne Grady Huskey, a Harvard grad, had worked as an extended arm of the Kennedy family, promoting Very Special Arts. A Tamil Brahmin by birth and raised by a leading banker mother, I was armed with the unlikely skills of speaking French, Spanish and Japanese. But we had something crucial in common – a strong sense of self. We could speak up, provide solutions, empathise, and ask for what we wanted. Those traits helped Global Adjustments get off the ground, and today, our 50-member team, with 80% women, thrives.

We dedicate this issue of Culturama to the men(tors) who encouraged us. We present the strength of women in our Feature story on the matriarchal heritage of India.

Multitasking is the name of the game, a bit like the tasty South Indian dish aviyal (a coconut-based stew with vegetables) I made this morning before penning these words. Women, let us live our life aviyal-style – as we bring our many capabilities into play, we make life both When March 4 rolls around, it is always celebration time nourishing and enjoyable for others, and we realise we are for me, as it was on that day, 19 years ago, that two women, capable of doing more than we imagine. And even, that one American and one Indian, got together to form Global actually, we are capable of doing more than our men!

Adjustments – the company that brings Culturama to you Happy International Women’s Day and Happy Holi! month after month.

Thinking back, the name Global Adjustments was Ranjini Manian prophetic. Thinking forward, the journey to being a global Editor-in-Chief citizen is non-negotiable. And as I muse on days of yore, of globalindian@globaladjustments.com

Dear readers,

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Credits

Letters to the editor Cover image Vishal Sabharwal Editor-in-Chief Ranjini Manian Associate Editor Yamini Vasudevan Business Head Sheeba Radhamohan

Dear Editor,

Culturama is a great magazine, with a following across the world. Once a reader, always a reader.

– P. Senthil Kumar, India

Editorial Coordinator Shefali Ganesh Senior Designer Prem Kumar

Dear Editor,

Circulation Manager Annie Jacintha

The February issue of Culturama was great! I especially liked the Rumi quotes on love with the spectacular images (as featured in the Picture Story).

Advertising Bengaluru Subha Seetharam Chennai Amritha Suresh Delhi/NCR Ruchika Srivastava Mumbai/Pune Farah Bakshay 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,“Brown Nugget”, Ali Asker Road, Off. Cunningham Road, Bengaluru – 560 052 Mobile +91 99869 60316 Email culturamablr@globaladjustments.com Delhi-NCR Level 4, Augusta Point, DLF Golf Course Road, Sector-53, Gurgaon – 122002 Tel +91-124-4354236 Email del@globaladjustments.com Mumbai Rustom Court, 2nd Floor, Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai – 400030 Tel +91-22-66104191/92 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.

– Dr. T.T. Srinath, India

Dear Editor,

I loved the February issue of Culturama. The feature on the deserts of India made for a very interesting read. I also liked the In Your Kitchen section for its recipe.

– Subha Vasudevan, India

Dear Editor,

The Rumi quotes in the Picture Story section of the February issue of Culturama were excellent for the photographs on love.

– Sarah Manning, India

Look out for icons On our website and in our magazine we are now using the five icons below to help guide you through the contents. They are based on the five areas where Culturama can really help — giving you an insight into India, its life and culture; finding you great places to shop and fun things to do to enrich your Indian experience; helping you find a home; and connecting you to new friends.

1 Read 4 Locate

2 Shop 5 Connect

3 Do

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Culturama’s contributors 01 Susan Philip is a freelance writer based in Chennai, and the editorial coordinator of Culturama’s various coffee-table books.

02 Harini Sankaranarayanan is an ardent foodie and a professional chocolatier. She has a degree in Hotel Management, English Literature and Theatre.

03 Bindu Menon is a Country Head of Relocation Services at Global Adjustments. She is a reader of books, traveller of lands and an India enthusiast.

04 Anita Krishnaswamy is President of Global Adjustments and a relocation expert. She has several years of experience working with expat clients across the country.

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05 Devdutt Pattanaik is the Chief Belief Officer of the Future Group, and a writer and illustrator of several books on Indian mythology.

Visit www.devdutt.com 06 Shanti Puducheri, Lead Trainer at Global Adjustments, is an American citizen of Indian origin, who lived in three different cities within the United States, as well as in North and South India.

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07 Resham Gellatly and Zach Marks are journalists whose work has appeared in The New York Times and Time Out Magazine among others. Zach is a journalist and contributor to The New York Times.

Originally from the United States, they are now based in India.

08 Helen Taylor is a freelance writer and photographer. She is British and has been living in Chennai for a year and a half.

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Advisory Board members 09 N. Ram is an award-winning journalist and former Editorin-Chief of The Hindu. He is Director of Kasturi & Sons Limited, publishers of The Hindu.

10 Suzanne McNeill lived in India for seven years, first in Chennai and then in Delhi. She has now returned to Scotland, where she works as a freelance writer and graphic designer.

11 Babette Verbeek is a correspondent for BNR Nieuwsradio who previously worked in Amsterdam and Milan. Now she joyfully explores the beauty of South Indian culture.

12 Marina Marangos is a lawyer by profession but enjoys travel and writing. She lived in India for four years before moving to Australia. She blogs at www.mezzemoments.blogspot.com

13 G. Venket Ram is an acclaimed photographer and the creative mind behind many a Culturama issue. To know more about his work, log on to www.gvenketram.com 14 Beth Chapman is an American business management consultant living in Bengaluru.

Former President of the city’s Overseas Women’s Club, Beth is an Indian culture aficionado.

15 Diane Chatterjee is a Scottish insurance professional who has lived in Mumbai for the past seven years. Besides indulging her passion for Indian travel, craft and cuisine, she has been on the Board of Mumbai Connexions, a society for expats.

16 Marcel Van Mourik is a Dutch photographer living in New Delhi for the past three years. Together with his cameras, he is passionate about discovering Indian culture.

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Contents Regulars 14

In Focus

As we gear up for 30-strong musical ensemble to take the stage at AIKYA 2014, we talk to Sikkil Gurucharan, Shweta Mohan, Sai Shravanam and Priyadarshini Govind for their views on music and the cause behind the concert.

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India Now

A recap of events, people and places that made news in the past month.

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Read about the matriarchical systems of inheritance prevelant in the states of Meghalaya, Kerala and Karntaka.

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India’s Culture 10

Short Message Service

Short, engaging snippets of Indian culture.

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In your Kitchen

Flavours from the North and South come together in a delicious khorma made in Dakhini Muslim households.

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Myth & Mythology

Stories from India’s mythology reinterpreted for practical living.

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Festival of the Month

India Writes

A space for discussing the best from India’s world of literature.

Look Who’s In Town

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

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Picture Story

The many faces of the Indian woman, presented in a pictorial montage.

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Calendar of Events

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

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Give to India

Featuring worthy causes across the country.

Take a look at the North Indian festival of Holi, and the Maharashtrian tradition of Gudi Padwa.

NEWLY INTRODUCED

Journeys Into India

Trivia about an Indian state – featuring Andhra Pradesh this month.

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Ten for the Road Cultural Lens

FAQs from expats and Indian – about the other – answered.

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Daily Cuppa

Explore India’s chai culture through the eyes of its myriad chaiwallahs.

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The Lighter Side

An expatriate shares her experience of being ‛baptised by colour’.

Relocations and Property 42

Seeing India

Beat the heat in the cool climes of the Nilgiri Hills, or lose yourself amidst the sylvan wonders of Panchgani.

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Holistic Living

Look within for the fountainhead of all inspiration.

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Realty Bytes

Practical advice from Global Adjustments' relocation expert

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Space and the City

Property listings across the metros.

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by Suzanne McNeill Short cultural snippets for an easily digestible India

Art, Textile and Craft: Kaleen – Knotted Carpets from Kashmir Kaleen are intricately detailed silk or woollen carpets that are woven by hand in the Kashmir Valley. Their quality is marked by the high density of knots per square inch, which are tied around each of the warp threads strung on the weaver’s loom. It is time-consuming work – the finest Indian carpets achieve just over 300 knots per square inch, whilst a skilled weaver can tie about 10,000 knots a day. The craft came to the Valley from Persia during the Mughal invasions, and blended with Indian art to form a distinct local character, replete with hunting scenes, profusions of roses, blossoms and curling vines, and Hindu motifs such as the elephant-headed lion.

www.nilimahome.com

Words Chandi vs Chandni

Food and Drink Dhokla from Gujarat

Chandi is an Urdu word meaning ‘silver’, and is used to mean the metal itself, to describe brightness and lustre or something precious or costly. Silver jewellery is called chandi in India.

Chandni is from Hindi, and means ‘moonlight’. The word is found in the title of many Bollywood songs and films, and it is said that the old market of Chandni Chowk in Delhi is so named because of the way the moon’s light once shimmered off a pool at the heart of the bazaar. The moon or chand is conceptually important in India – Lord Shiva wears the moon as a head ornament to signify that He is the controller of time, while man’s role in life is merely contributory.

Gujarati cuisine is predominantly vegetarian and blends flavours that are sweet, tangy and sharp. A typical example is the flavourful snack, dhokla – a steamed lentil cake that is tempered with hot oil. The snack can be bought from kiosks and sweetshops. Dhokla is made from chana dal (chickpeas) and rice, which are soaked and then ground to a soft paste. The paste is left to ferment overnight, and this produces a batter that is cooked in a steamer. It is then cut into pieces, and seasoned with mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves fried in hot oil. Dhokla is usually served with chutney.

4 Enjoy the best dhokla at Ajnabi Mithai Ghar in Egmore, Chennai; Thackers at Chowpatty, Mumbai; Bikaneriwala in Gurgaon/Noida.

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He Lives On Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Urban Adventure Ritchie Street, Chennai

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1917–2008) was a Hindu religious teacher who founded a spiritual movement that influenced millions of adherents across India and the West. The Maharishi (an honorific that means ‘Great Seer’) studied physics before pursuing his calling to teach spiritual regeneration, developing a form of meditation based on yoga called Transcendental Meditation. The practice, which is observed 20 minutes twice a day, involves repeating a Sanskrit mantra to still the mind and thus liberate a deeper level of consciousness. The movement was popularised in the 1960s by the Beatles and other celebrities worldwide, and today operates a network of communities, teaching centres and products.

Located at the northern end of Anna Salai, within the curve of the Coouam River, is Ritchie Street – Chennai’s bustling electronics hub. The crowded, narrow streets were first home to a radio market, which moved with the times to sell televisions, then computers, mobile phones and laptops. The market now has over 500 shops, some no bigger than boxes, that sell all things from LCD screens to the latest tablets stacked like books. Products are imported from all over the world, particularly China and Korea, and sold at modest rates.

It is a mecca for students and gadget worshippers – but be prepared to be assailed by a cacophony of noise and people in search of the latest bargain!

3 Visit www.maharishi.org

4 Check out the spread of electronics stores at Gaffar Market in Karol Bagh, New Delhi; Chor Bazaar in Mumbai; and Sunday Market (near City Market) in Bengaluru.

PHOTO Tobias Schmidt, Germany

Interpretations A Blaze of Colours A shopkeeper has lined up a striking array of gulal – the coloured powders with which Indians shower each other to mark the spring festival of Holi.

A time of new beginnings, Holi is an exuberant celebration of life in all its vibrancy and colour. It is believed that if the eye perceives the colours of nature, the heart naturally bounds with joy and this is a reason why Indians wear clothes in many hues, why they decorate their homes in bright colours and why their festivals are so colourful. It is a complete contrast to the West, where sombre browns, blacks, greys and white denote sophistication and professionalism.

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In focus

by Yamini Vasudevan

Hitting the High Notes 1 With vocals by Sikkil Gurucharan and Shweta Mohan, music ideation and concept direction by Sai Shravanam, a special Guest Appearance by Priyadarshini Govind and Rajkumar Bharati in a narrative and musical epilogue of love, Aikya 2014 promises to be a treat for the senses Ragas – a series of musical notes used to construct a melod y – are the building blocks of Indian classical music. There are ragas for very mood and season: to herald the monsoon, to depict the beaut y of the twilight sun, to expound on the delicate sensuousness that is woman, to gently serenade one’s lover, and to detail the magnificence of a deity.

And where there is music, its twin sister – dance – is bound to follow.

For rhythms are meant to awaken the beats hidden within our soul and bring together the body’s functions of hearing and move ment in one fluid motion. As danseuse Priyadarshini Govind says, “I believe it was Martha Graham who said that ‘dance is the hidden langu age of the soul’. In my opinion, this statement is true of both music and dance. They both transcend language and religion and directly address humanity and the spiritual in all of us.”

In India, music and dance have both received considerable patronage since time immemorial – and different branches of both art forms have blossomed in the various environments they have taken root in.

Chennai, the capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, is the fountainhead of Carnatic music. Despite the many generations that have come and gone, and the mushrooming of tall buildings that house IT

“Accompanying artists are definitely t he backbone of our concerts. In fact, if people notice you, it’s because of t hem.”

- Shweta Mohan Shweta Mohan

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companies and MNCs on the once flat skyline, the city continues to be a cradle for Carnatic music. So much so that the ‘music season’ held in November and December sees a surge in visitors who jostle the halls or sabhas to take in the concerts that feature a mix of old hands and upcoming new singers. The most prestigious of those halls is The Music Academy, now in its 86th year, where Aikya 2014 will be held.

Carnatic over contemporary?

However, as with every art form, there is always a fear that new influences might erode the form and influence of the pure. In specific, there are concerns among some that the growing popularity of ‘film music’ might erode the importance given to the Carnatic tradition.

However, there is no justification in that fear, says classical vocalist Sikkil Gurucharan. “Our music has preceded popular music, co-existed with it in movies and is living happily in today’s so-called onslaught too. It will be there forever and will be loved for its class and beauty.” Singer Shweta Mohan agrees with this view. “I don’t think Carnatic music is threatened. In fact, I think film music is heard less today when compared to past decades. Also, there are reality contest shows, based on classical music, coming up now. And I see Indians living abroad focusing more on classical music,” she says. Sai Shravanam, the sound designer famed for his work in the Oscar-winning track for Life of Pi, agrees: “Tradition can’t be broken. Artistes may fade out away or change, but tradition will sustain.” However, he adds, “people who sing in films get a lot more mileage than those singing classical music.

But it’s not as if people moving from one to the other means that one is losing out.”

Drawing inspiration As is the case with most art forms, music does not thrive in a vacuum. As artistes who have travelled and performed overseas will attest, there are no boundaries when it comes to the arts. Somehow, an invisible thread seems to bind them all – beyond language, race or culture.

Gurucharan recalls performing with cellist Thomas Marlin at the Esplanade Theatre, Singapore, in 2012.

“Our music has preceded popular music, co-existed wit h it in movies and is living happily in today's so-called onslaught too.

It will be t here forever and will be loved for its class and beauty.” - Sikkil Gurucharan Sikkil Gurucharan

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Rajkumar Bharati

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Sai Shravanam

“Tradition can’t be broken. Artists may wit her out or change, but tradition will sustain. It’s not as if people moving from classical to film music means one is losing out. Not hing will be lost.”

- Sai Shravanam “During the show, Thomas first played the notated script of Dikshitar’s* Western note and then he started following our improvisations with his own. It struck me hard that day that music is not bound by cultures, scripts, notations or grammar.” Shweta says she draws inspiration from observing “musicians abroad, especially street musicians. In London and Paris, I have seen musicians in underground subways standing in the corner and playing for no reason other than their own satisfaction. It is so beautiful to watch!” Sai says that it was an “amazing experience” to work with Fox Studios and composer Michael Danna for Life of Pi. It is this versatile nature of music that Aikya celebrates year upon year. The annual charity concert organised by Global Adjustments, to be held on March 28 this year, will see the coming together of vocals and string instruments in a unique format that celebrates the beauty of ‘Love’. “Probably for the first time, we are going to collaborate film music with classical – with both sharing a stage and performing together.

The Chennai String Orchestra – for the first time – is going be performing in full on stage alongside the vocalists. We also have lyricist Rajkumar Bharati, the grandson of legendary South Indian poet Subramanya Bharati. And bringing them together is the gifted Priyadarshini Govind, director of the famed Kalakshetra School of dance. My job is to be a binding force – to bring all these people together,” says Sai. What magic all four will weave on stage remains a closely guarded secret – to be unveiled on the day of the concert.

“Our country was a progressive one as revealed in t he rich arts and t he empowered women from our past history.

We need to find our way back to t hat progressive attitude.”

- Priyadarshini Govind

* Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775–1835) was a South Indian poet and composer, and is regarded as one of the ‘musical trinity’ of Carnatic music, along with Tyagaraja and Syama Sastri

Photo: G. Venket Ram

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The Cause behind the Concert Aikya is not defined by its theme or preparation alone – the funds raised through this event are channelled into a life-long pension for accompanying artistes and to fund higher education for girls from less privileged backgrounds. In a setting where the lead singer or performer is always centre stage, what is the role of an accompanying artiste? The very concept of an The Chennai Strings Orchestra ‘accompanying artiste’, says Sai Shravanam, is a feature of Indian music tradition. “In Western music, the names are stated next to the instruments the musicians play. In Indian music, sahityam or lyrics is the main way of communicating. The vocalist has the authority to sing the lyrics, so they take the stage and everybody else supports. Without a violin or a mridangam (drum), how long can an artiste do a proper concert in our traditional music scene?”

The sentiment is echoed across the board. “They Navneeth Sundar - Piano are definitely the backbone of our concerts,” says Shweta Mohan. “In fact, if people notice you, it’s because of them.” Sikkil Gurucharan concurs with that opinion and adds: “Many a time, a concert gets lifted to unexpected heights because of their support and cooperation. More so in our Carnatic music, where the dialogues between the artistes on stage is one of the main parameters that defines success.” Ensuring that these artistes are looked after, say all three, is of paramount importance to ensure that the rich Patri Sathish - Mridangam traditions of music are not lost because of the mere lack of economic support.

Priyadarshini Govind sums it up succinctly: “Artistes need support from both the government and from society at large. The health and progress of a society is reflected in both the climate of its arts scenario and in the treatment of its women. Our country was a progressive one as revealed in the rich arts and the empowered women from our past history. We need to find our way back to that Jaychaa - Special effects progressive attitude.” 1

Aikya 2014 will see 30 great musical minds sharing a stage for the first time, to create a magical experience.

Date and time: March 28 at 7.30p.m.

Venue: The Music Academy, Chennai.

For more details, visit www.aikyaindia.com or see the back cover of this magazine.

Embar Kannan - Violin

Murad Ali - Sarangi

Vishnu - Flute

1 Read about how the Life of Pi soundtrack was recorded across two continents: http://tinyurl.com/ohebmtn 1 Read the cover story on Priyadarshini Govind in Culturama, September 2013: http://tinyurl.com/py8kjbo 4 Watch Sikkil Gurucharan perform on-stage: http://tinyurl.com/prf6c5z 4 Watch Shweta Mohan perform: http://tinyurl.com/qhvbu9c

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India now

by Susan Philip

The month that was 1 A quick recap of events, people and places that made news in the past month

Scientifically Speaking One-way ticket to Mars A total of 62 Indians are on the list of 1,058 persons shortlisted for a one-way trip to Mars! The crowd-funded project of a Dutch non-profit organisation plans to send between 24 and 40 people on a no-return trip to build a settlement on the Red Planet in 2024. The trip, which is expected to take six months, will be feasible then because Mars and Earth will be closest to each other. Going by present technology, a no-return journey can be undertaken. The settlers can, however, be tracked round the clock from earth.

Palash Khan, a 28-year-old nuclear physicist from Kolkata; Amulya Nidhi Rastogi, a 20-year-old from Gurgaon; New Delhi’s Vinod Kotiya, the father of a toddler; and Namrata Ashok Gawai of Hyderabad are among the chosen ones from India. They will have to undergo several rounds of elimination, but none of them seem fazed by the thought of never being able to return to Earth.

Who was the first Indian citizen to travel into space?

Rakesh Sharma. In 1984, he was on the crew of the Soyuz T-11, part of the erstwhile Soviet Union’s Intercosmos mission.

Business Matters Nadella does India proud Hyderabad-born Satya Nadella has been named the new CEO of Microsoft. The announcement has sent India’s pride soaring. He is the third CEO of the company. And what is more, his closest rival was Sundar Pichai – another person of Indian origin.

While Nadella is a Microsoft man, Pichai is Senior Vice-President at Google.

Nadella has a Bachelor of Engineering degree Satya Nadella in Electronics and Communication from Manipal University, a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago.

People of Indian origin have made it big in business, administration, economics and science in developed countries, and many have brought their own, special ‘Indian’ touch to their spheres of work.

1 PepsiCo Chief Indra Nooyi shares about how she has been influenced by typically Indian views on parenting.

Visit http://tinyurl.com/q6xes4u

On the fast track It says a great deal about the status of the automobile industry in India when the country is used as an international launch pad by global car majors. The recent Indian motor show in Delhi saw a string of models being unveiled by the likes of Renault, Fiat, Honda, Nissan and General Motors, as well as indigenous leaders such as the Tatas, Hero Motocorp and Bajaj Auto.

The Kwid from Renault was showcased for the first time outside Europe, while General Motors’ Cheverolet Adra was developed by Indian designers at the company’s Bengaluru facility and is targeted at Indian buyers. Bajaj Auto’s ‘U Car’ concept – a passenger version of the RE 60 quadricycle – attracted quite a bit of attention.

Can you name the car which was voted the world’s best taxi in the popular Top Gear automotive show?

The Ambassador, from the Hindustan Motors stable, is considered the first definitive Indian car.

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Arty Happenings Filmdom bereaved South India’s celluloid world lost two stalwarts recently – Akkineni Nageshwara Rao and Balu Mahendra.

Nageshwara Rao, actor and producer, was a doyen of the Telugu film industry.

His debut movie was Dharmapatni, in which he played a female role, and his last one, Manam, saw him Akkineni Nageswara Rao acting alongside his son Nagarjuna and grandson Naga Chaitanya. Balu Mahendra was an acclaimed filmmaker and cinematographer who started out in the Malayalam film industry, and went on to make critically acclaimed films in Tamil cinema.

3 Moondram Pirai (Tamil) – regarded as one of Balu Mahendra’s finest works – is based on the relationship between a girl affected by amnesia and the man who ends up taking care of her. The movie was made in Hindi as Sadma.

Awards Night The 59th edition of the Filmfare Awards, presented each year by the Times Group, in recognition of excellence in Hindi cinematic achievements, saw Farhan Akthar and Deepika Padukone walk away with the Best Actor awards for their roles in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Ram Leela, respectively. The high-octane event was held in Mumbai on January 24.

There’s a sports angle to both winners. Do you know what it is?

Akthar played the legendary Indian athelete Milkha Singh on screen, while Deepika’s father, Prakash Padukone, is an Indian badminton star of yesteryear.

This and That Zip…Zap…Zoom!

India’s first monorail has been inaugurated at Mumbai. The air-conditioned comfort of the facility is a far cry from the suburban rail and bus services in the country’s financial capital, which are usually packed to capacity and beyond.

The first phase of the monorail service is available in southeast Mumbai. The inaugural 8.9 km route is between Wadala and Chembur.

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A Tigress named Fish She’s called ‘Machli’ – which means ‘fish’ in Hindi. The matriarch of Ranthambore National Park gets her name from the fish-shaped mark on her face. The 17-year-old tigress has lost almost all her canines now. Recently, she gave park authorities and her many fans around the world nearly a month of unease when she went missing.

After eluding camera traps and teams of rangers combing the forest for her, she was finally spotted, and seen to be in fairly good health.

Machli is believed to be the world’s oldest tiger in the wild, and is also the most photographed tiger.

Ranthambore’s tiger population, which stood at 15 just a decade back, now stands at 50, thanks mostly to Machli and her progeny. The Government of India has been implementing Project Tiger since 1973 with a view to ensuring a viable population of the national animal.

3 This stunning National Geographic documentary captures the regal splendour of Machli: http://tinyurl.com/q8dk6w3

Sports Spots Going… Going… Gone!

Yuvraj Singh and Dinesh Karthik drew the highest bids at the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket auctions held this month. Yuvi was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for a record Rs. 14 crore, while Delhi Daredevils shelled out Rs. 12.5 crore for Dinesh Karthik. The annual IPL tournament generates huge excitement (and money) in India.

1 Brush up on the ABCs of IPL – read Culturama’s coverage of this mega event at http://tinyurl.com/ostlk8a

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Ten for the Road

by Susan Philip

Andhra Pradesh 1 Explore the 28 states of this fascinating subcontinent from your armchair. This new segment will set out a collection of interesting, bite-size facts from each state. Going by alphabetical order, we start with the southern state of Andhra Pradesh 1. How the Land Lies: Andhra Pradesh, one of the southern states of India, is bounded by Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Its capital is Hyderabad. The rivers Krishna and Godavari irrigate it; and the city of Vishakapatnam, also known as Vizag, is one of India’s major ports.

2. Political Pressures: The geographical boundaries of Andhra Pradesh are somewhat fluid because of efforts to carve out another state – Telangana – from it. The legislation at the Union Government level to formalise the creation of Telangana State, or the T-Bill, as it has been dubbed, has caused quite a bit of turmoil.

3. Past Glories: The Vijayanagar Empire, especially the reign of Krishna Deva Raya (1509–1529) was a golden age in the history of this region. Art, literature and economy flourished. The Vijayanagar kings were followed by the Nizams of Hyderabad. The Asaf Jhan dynasty, which traced its origins to Turkey, comprised seven Nizams and ruled over one of the largest and most wealthy of the princely states for two centuries till 1948.

4. Ethnic Fingerprint: There are several tribes that are native to the region. Many still retain their own special languages and culture. The Koyas, Chenchus, Gadabas and Konda Reddis are some of the groups whose customs and traditions fascinate anthropologists.

5. Culture Quotient: It was here that Kuchipudi, one of the classical dance forms of India, originated.

Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastri, three of the greatest composers in the Carnatic system of music, were of Telugu descent.

6. Personality Plus: Andhra Pradesh has a special place in the history of post-Independence India. The ethnic identity of the Telugu-speaking people was so strong that they demanded a state of their own. When the Centre was disinclined to agree, a man named Potti Sriramulu fasted to death in 1952. The Union Government gave in, and on October 1, 1953, the state of Andhra Pradesh, comprising the Telugu-speaking areas of the Madras state, was created – this set a precedent for the linguistic division of the states.

7. Sights to See: Make a trip to the Araku Hill Station, visit the Chandragiri Fort and enjoy the scenic beauty of the Kolleru Lake.

8. Tasty Treats: If there is one fruit this state is famous for, it is the mango – and the people of Andhra can do wonders with it! The deep-red avvakai pickle is as fiery as the amber-hued mango jelly is tart and sweet.

9. Crafted with Care: Kalamkari, a type of blockprinting, originated in the Machilipatnam area of Andhra Pradesh. The West Godavari district is famous for crocheted lace while the wooden toys from the town of Kondapalliare is GI-protected. (GI or Geographical Indications, given by the Government of India, convey an assurance of quality and distinctiveness that is attributable to its origin in that defined geographical locality, region or country.)

10. Worshipfully Yours: The temple to Lord Venkateshwara in the hill town of Tirumala near Tirupati is one of the richest places of worship in the world, and also the most-visited one.

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Cultural Lens

by Shanti Puducheri

1 FAQs from Indians and expats – about the other – answered by Global Adjustments’ CrossCultural Facilitator Photo: Benjamin Bowling, USA

Play Your Cards Right Expat-speak

Indian-speak

Is there anything (actions or gestures) that are common in the United States, which might be considered rude or offensive in India?

Yes, there are. In all cultures around the world, there are specific habits or practices that may be commonplace to the local but regarded as strange or even rude by someone from another culture. In India, pointing with your forefinger, beckoning with a curled forefinger, winking at the opposite sex or receiving with the left hand – all fall under the “don’t” category. A client of mine said that when his son went to intern in Disney World, one of the first things he was taught was not to point with his fingers, but to extend the palms of his hands. In India, beckoning with a curled forefinger is generally used for pets – and yes, while it sounds unfair, there is a distinction between the treatment of animals and humans here. Winking at the opposite sex – even in a friendly spirit, during a regular conversation – may mean that you are indicating an interest in the other person. In North India, people don’t generally seem to mind giving or receiving with the left hand so much, but the standard recommendation is to use the right hand for both actions across the country.

I work with expats on a regular basis, and I find them to be very touchy about working on weekends. Why is that?

You may wonder why they don’t work on weekends, when everyone in India seems to! It is because they have a clear divide between ‘personal’ and ‘business’. So, from Monday to Friday, during stipulated work hours, they will be at the office. It is best not to call them for work between Friday evening (after they have left work) and on Monday morning (till they come into work).

If you reach the office earlier than business hours some day and see your expat colleague working, it is best not to go and talk shop or approach him/her with some work-related issue. He/she is there to catch up on work – respect their space and wait till regular working hours before approaching them. Weekends are strictly reserved for family. However, the world is changing, so the expat you work with may decide to take some time out from family activities and send you an e-mail on a Saturday. You don’t have to feel obliged to respond before Monday morning, although everyone appreciates promptness in today’s ‛instant’ world.

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In your kitchen

by Harini Sankaranarayanan

Flavours of the Deccan 1 Meat, spice and all things nice come together in a special kofta khorma made in Dakhini Muslim households

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Kofta Khorma (Spiced Meat Balls in Curry) For the kofta: Minced lamb meat – 1/4 kg Onion (small) – 1 Green chilli (small) – 1 Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp Turmeric powder – A pinch Chilli powder – 1/4 tsp Cinnamon powder – A pinch Cloves powder – A pinch Fried gram powder – 1/2 cup Salt – To taste Water Grind all the ingredients together in a blender with three tablespoons of water so as to form a firm dough. Divide this into lemon-sized balls. In a pan, add three cups of water, bring to a boil, and boil the meat balls in it for 10 minutes or until soft.

For the gravy: Onions – 3 (chopped fine) Tomatoes, medium-sized – 4 (ground to a paste) Curd (not sour) – 1 cup Green chilli (chopped) – 1 Ginger paste – 1-1/2 tbsp Garlic paste – 1-1/2 tbsp Coriander leaves – 3 tbsp Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp Chilli powder – 1/4 tsp Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp Oil – 4 tbsp Garam masala powder – For this, grind 1 stick cinnamon, 2 cardamoms and 2 cloves to a fine powder Sugar – A pinch Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions; fry till light brown.

Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté, then add coriander leaves and pureed tomatoes.

Cook for a few minutes.

Add the spice powders – turmeric, chilli, coriander powder and garam masala – and sauté for a few minutes till the raw smell is gone.

Beat the curd well and add to the gravy. Cook for 5 minutes.

Now add the kofta (meat balls) to the gravy and cook on a low flame for 5 minutes until the gravy become thick. Garnish with mint leaves and serve hot with saffron rice.

When the Mughals ruled the northern half of the Indian Peninsula, many Muslims travelled down south to the courts of the Nizam of Hyderabad. The Deccan Plateau soon became their home. The pure Urdu of the Mughal courts, influenced by the local languages, became ‘Dakhini’. In the streets of Hyderabad, Dakhini soon became the preferred language, and the Muslims who spoke it were called Dakhini Muslims.

As they moved towards the Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu borders, the language changed a little but still maintained an overwhelming Urdu proclivity.

Siddiqua Hussain, a Dakhini Muslim, says that most of them learn to read and write Urdu even though they may be quite proficient with the local language. With her father hailing from Hyderabad and mother from Karnataka, and herself now living in Tamil Nadu, Siddiqua is in a perfect position to talk about Dakhini food and culture.

“Dakhini food is very much influenced by Awadhi cuisine, yet we have managed to forge our own identity,” she says.

The common thread is the ever famous biryani. Today, we find as many varieties as there are communities. However, the biryani from Hyderabad holds a very special position in the hierarchy. “This biryani is called the kachi biryani,” says Siddiqua. “Here, the marinated meat and the rice are cooked together as opposed to the Mughalai style where the meat and the rice are partially cooked separately and then combined and cooked again.” It is the dum cooking, in both styles, which imparts the special flavour. The vessel containing the rice, meat and spices are sealed with a lid and slow-cooked to make sure the flavours are well combined. The tight seal makes sure that the flavours do not escape until the lid is cracked open.

Biryani is not the only dish that makes Dakhini cuisine one that is sought after. The shammi kebab, which melts in the mouth, and the yogurt-based khorma are stuff of which

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legends are made. Alhough many spices are used, the balance remains delicate.

Breakfast at Siddiqua’s house begins typically with paratha and kheema. “Kheema or minced meat is very popular with most families,” she says. Sometimes, the meat is substituted with moong dhal or potatoes.

Lunch sees rice on the menu, accompanied by a khorma or a fish curry. Lest people think that there are no vegetables, there is always a vegetable dish to go with the rice. Methi or fenugreek leaves are very popular and added to most dishes. Dinner would be roti with dhal or a chicken curry.

It is during the festivals that the rich sweetmeats make their appearance. Double ka meetha – a dish where the bread is fried in ghee and soaked in sweetened condensed milk, competes for attention with the kheer – a milk pudding replete with dry fruits and nuts, and with badam halwa made using only the best almonds. Sheer khurma is another speciality – vermicelli is roasted in ghee and cooked in milk, then garnished with dates and nuts. This dish is specially made during the Ramzan festival. Saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and pepper all find their way into the Dhakini cuisine.

Like the language the Dhakini Muslims speak, the cuisine too adapts and borrows from local flavours. So it would not be surprising to find a bagara baingan – an aubergine dish made with tamarind and toasted coconut. But therein lies the beauty of any culture or cuisine: its ability to absorb local flavours and create, out of the amalgam, something unique – something to call their own.

Siddiqua’s kofta khorma is a typical Dakhini Muslim gravy that uses yogurt as the base. Lamb is the preferred meat but feel free to experiment. If you can, try to make some rice flavoured with saffron, cinnamon and cardamom. Served hot with the khorma, it is guaranteed to bring people back for seconds. 1

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What is it about?

India writes

iREAD

Oleander Girl

by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Reviewed by Babette Verbeek

The story opens with Korobi, a young girl who has been brought up by her maternal grandparents – a traditional couple who hail from a highly respected family – in Old Kolkata. Although the modern world is looming on the horizon of the grand old house, which is in decay, her grandfather strives to keep out external influences.

Korobi was raised with the notion that both her parents died in a tragic accident, and that her grandfather, who was still grief-stricken about the loss of his only daughter, is unable to talk about them.

When her grandfather dies on the eve of her engagement, Korobi learns from her grandmother that her father is still alive and that he lives in the United States. So, she sets off on an odyssey to find her one link to the past. The story is centred on her journey – both external and within.

Who is it by?

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (born in 1956) is originally from Kolkata. In her early 20s, she moved to the United States for her graduate studies. Currently, she lives in Houston, Texas, where she works as a writer, activist and is a Professor of Creative Writing. Her novels have been lauded with awards and translated into over 20 languages.

Why should I read it?

Oleander Girl opens up worlds usually inaccessible and incomprehensible for outsiders to India. Apart from the perspective and motives of a young girl on the brink of marriage, we also get to peek into the soul of Korobi’s grandmother Sarojini, her fiancé Rajat, her future mother-in-law Jayashree and their driver Asif.

The theatrical, and at times magical, story is contrasted by reality. In the backdrop of Korobi’s adventures, communal violence rages in the West Indian state of Gujarat, and the September 11 attacks in the United States have just taken place. Besides religious tensions, the characters are confronted with the friction between tradition and modernity, races, sex and class. 1

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Feature

by Suzanne McNeill

Ladies first

There is a saying amongst the Khasi people of the state of Meghalaya: long jaid na ka kyuthei — which means, ‘From the woman sprang the clan’. The Khasis, when discussing descent, consider only the mother’s line; they speak of a family that is the great-grandchildren of one great-grandmother as shikpoh, which literally translates to ‘the issue of one womb’. In this, the Khasi diverge completely from the patriarchal kinship systems that have prevailed across India for centuries.

The latter provided a foundation for a value system in which the male was considered the head of the family, male

children were preferred to females, and all laws and cultural norms regarding family, marriage, divorce and inheritance of property gave control to men. Modern India’s social reformers and equality laws have done much to reverse these attitudes.

However, the Khasi are one of few communities in India that are, or were, matriarchal in nature. This, and the twin practices of marumakkathayam (practised by the Nair community of Kerala) and aliyasantana (prevalent among the Bunt community of Karnataka) challenged the legalised patriarchal dominance that prevailed across the rest of the country.

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1 In a country that professes a preference for boys over girls, matrilineal communities in the states of Meghalaya, Kerala and karnataka have upheld a system where women hold the reins of the family Moreover, Hindu philosophy equates power with a principle that is exclusively feminine in the concept of Shakti, the manifestation of power itself. Shakti is the energy behind the power of nature, of the wind, the oceans, of fire and the sun, and of life itself. Shakti is synonymous with Devi, the Great Goddess, and is celebrated in Hinduism’s sacred texts in her various manifestations.

The influential Hindu code, Manu-smrti (Manu’s Law), written in the 1st century BCE, saw the status of women begin to diminish. The code prescribed the duties of women and domestic life. It praised the role of the mother in the home, but advised that women should never be without male supervision. Women were excluded from religious activities, and the only sacrament permitted was marriage. The Islamic custom of purdah was adopted by Hindus after the Muslim invasions, thus further controlling women’s freedom. Reform began in the 19th century with Hindu activists fighting for women’s rights, and Mahatma Gandhi included women as equal partners in the struggle for independence.

Women at the helm

The Khasi people of Meghalaya trace their family lines to mothers and grandmothers.

Photo VishalSabharwal.com

The best example of a matriarchal community in India is that of the Nairs of Kerala. The Nairs (a generic name that covers many families and castes) lived according to the marumakkathayam system, whereby family descent and kinship, inheritance of wealth and the succession to property were all traced through the female line. (As such, anthropologists prefer to use the term ‘matrilineal’ rather than ‘matriarchal’.) It is suggested that the practice arose 2,000 years ago during the long period of conflict between the ruling Chera dynasty and the neighbouring Cholas, when men would depart for war for extended periods. It was further cemented when, during the 13th century, the royal family adopted two princesses to continue their lineage. The practice spread from the warrior caste to other communities until, by the end of the 19th century, the matrilineal system of inheritance was believed to cover over half of the 530,000 families recorded as living in Kerala, according to a census taken in 1891. The customary law of marumakkathayam was

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for much jubilation, and it can be imagined that bustling nature of the joint-family atmosphere was a big attraction.

Mother of the Sun and the Moon

A family meal at a Nair household in Kerala. Photo: Wikipedia.com (Top) The Garo tribe of Meghalaya. Photo: VishalSabharwal.com

codified as a legal right by the British rulers in 1933. Thus, on succession, all the female members of the family – the female siblings and their children and grandchildren – would each receive a share of the property, but only the male members who were direct offspring of the family received a share.

The focus of the marumakkathayam system was the jointfamily home called the tharavad – an extensive residential complex. The tharavad house, built in Kerala’s unique architectural style, had several inner courtyards enclosed within the family’s living spaces, prayer rooms, kitchens and storage rooms. The grounds might contain gardens, orchards, a well and a granary. The undisputed head of the household was the senior female member of the family, who was the mother, or grandmother of the residents, who were her daughters and sons, nieces and nephews. The eldest brother or uncle of the mother had a specific role. He was called the karanavan and, in partnership with the mother, he looked after the affairs of the family. When a daughter got married, she did not move into her husband’s home as is common practice across India. Her husband came to live at her family’s tharavad, and played only a minimal role in the affairs of the household. Some spouses continued to live with their own families. The relationship was one of equality and respect, and it is suggested that as husbands were dependent on the hospitality of their wife’s tharavad, or that of their own mother, they showed little dissent and were in no position to neglect or mistreat the women. The birth of a girl was a cause

The Khasi and Garo tribal communities of the Northeast state of Meghalaya may be a world apart from the sophistication of the tharavad system, but their womenfolk are equally empowered by their matriarchal systems of kinship, and by their inheritance customs. A founding myth of the Khasi people tells of the Goddess Ka Blei – she is the earth and the mother of all celestial bodies, including the sun who is her daughter, and the moon who is her son. The moon was unruly and behaved badly towards the sun, his sister, and Ka Blei punished him by having his face smeared for eternity with soot. The mother of a Khasi clan, who trace their descent from their grandmothers, is regarded as Ka Blei, and holds high status as the community’s chief. As with the Kerala tharavad, a husband will live with his wife in his mother-inlaw’s house (social historians noted that a newly married man would be referred to as u thong kha, a ‘begetter’, and u khun ki briew, ‘someone else’s son’).

Traditionally, the boys of the Garo community lived in the communal bachelor nokpante from the age of five or six.

Whilst they ate their meals with their mother, they returned to the nokpante each evening. Marriage is expected for all, but it is the girls of the Garo community who are encouraged to select their own husbands — the boys are required to act demurely and resist! Moreover, incompatible marriages can be dissolved and new marriages are soon arranged.

In both communities, the greatest share of property inheritance passes to the youngest daughter, whose role is to continue the family’s ceremonial and spiritual duties, whilst her older female siblings are entitled to a share of their mother’s personal wealth. No man can possess landed property unless he has acquired it himself. Before marriage, such property is considered to belong to his mother, and after marriage, the rights of the youngest daughter take precedence. However, as with the Kerala karanavan, the role of the men is to manage the property as well as domestic affairs.

Similar to the marumakkathayam system of inheritance is the practice called aliyasantana, which is known amongst the Bunt community of Karnataka. It is understood to mean ‘sister’s son lineage’ and claims to be rooted in an ancient precedent. A first-century Bunt king, Bhutala Pandya had 12 wives and many sons. The demon Kundodara Bhuta demanded a sacrifice of one of the king’s sons in return for protecting a valuable cargo on board the king’s new ship, but none of the king’s wives would give up their children.

Then, the king’s sister stepped forward and offered her son.

Photo: Tineke Sysmans, Belgium

Impressed, the demon showed mercy by sparing the boy, and the king declared he would follow the rule of aliyasantana and make his nephew his heir.

Inheritance through the female line gave women the responsibility of running and managing their properties. They were the decision-makers of the family, and were vested with respect, social standing and economic independence. Within Bunt communities, women had the right to divorce and remarry. Aliyasantana was recognised by British law-makers in 1843.

A Vanishing System?

A century later, law-makers – in response to the social and cultural reforms of the 20th century – passed new acts that undermined the marumakkathayam system of inheritance, and, by extension, the tharavad. Jawaharlal Nehru’s modernising Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 included provisions for equal inheritance by both sons and daughters – a radical departure from the patriarchal codes that governed the lives of people across the rest of the country.

The Joint Family System (Abolition) Act of 1975, issued by the Kerala State Legislature, specifically addressed the unequal inheritance divisions of the tharavad matriarchy by removing the automatic right to inheritance on the basis that an individual was born to a particular family.

Instead, all members of the joint family living in a property would be deemed to own an equal share, regardless of gender.

Yet, Kerala’s matriarchal households were already becoming a thing of the past.

The rise of the nuclear family meant that husbands and wives were settling in their own homes, that fathers took charge of their sons and daughters, and the karanavan – the maternal uncles who managed the tharavad’s domestic affairs – also started caring for their own offspring rather than their nephews and nieces. Better education offered job opportunities away from the tharavad, and the households began to dwindle in size and wealth.

Commentators suggest that the unique matrilineal systems of the Khasi and Garo tribal communities may well resist contemporary pressures for equal rights, or at least retain a high level of female autonomy.

The region is one where most women live relatively freely, and is home to India’s female boxer, M.C. Mary Kom, who is a fivetime world champion in her sport, and who won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics.

It is not just that the region is considered liberal when it comes to allowing women to compete in sports (and, in Kom’s case, a male-dominated one at that!). Kom credits her parents and her husband for the sacrifices they have made to support her career.

Likewise, although the matriarchal home is nearly extinct in Kerala, it is apparent that the system still influences the culture and emotional character of the state. In many Nair families, children carry their mother’s last name rather than their father’s, and it is noted that the matrilineal family tradition has played a part in giving Kerala the highest female literacy rates, low infant mortality and a female life expectancy rate that is the highest of all the Indian states. 1

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1 The rise of the nuclear family meant that husbands and wives were settling in their own homes, that fathers took charge of their sons and daughters

Photo: Ann Cambier, UK

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Evidence from Vedic times, which shows that women composed hymns, taught and participated in temple rituals, suggest that the status of women and men was considered equal in ancient times.

Women of the priestly caste wore the sacred thread and were among the sages who wrote the Rig Veda.

Historical records name female philosophers, saints and leaders.

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Look who’s in town Delhi

Uptown Girl

1 Filipino entrepreneurturned-housewife tells us about the best ways to stay entertained in Gurgaon For Rose Mae Fujita, living the life of an expat is something she has been doing since the age of 19, when she moved to Japan from the Philippines. Moving to Gurgaon, Rose says, has “been a new adventure in life”. Looking back, two years after moving to this city, Rose tells us that “I was expecting the move to be easy, but to my surprise, I faced the same things most expats did in their first three months. Yet, India is really incredible – she will really pull you back and make you miss her. Japan was my second home, and now India is my third home.” She runs us through the many ways by which she keeps her family and herself entertained in Gurgaon.

Away from home Philippines and Japan have many festivals too but, unlike India, each festival is only celebrated in a particular city. Filipinos love shopping and eating out with the family; we love discounts, but we don’t have the bargaining system in our place. In Tokyo, we could have cocktails and night-till-dawn outings. It wasn’t hard for us during holidays as well – Disney World, Sanrio Land, Universal Studios, pools, parks and beaches, just a few hours’ drive from Tokyo, were our favourite spots.

In Gurgaon, we have most of our meals at home. During the kids’ holidays, we take them to amusement parks. From being an entrepreneur back in Japan, a sudden change to becoming a housewife is hard. Stress can also mount, so I need to keep myself as busy as I used to be.

Getting around Gurgaon • Join an expats group, such as Gurgaon Connection or Delhi Network, and be updated on their weekly coffee mornings and monthly social events. They also organise special events such as Saree Lunches, tours to the Sikh temples, shopping and market tours.

• When shopping in local markets, bargain, bargain and bargain!

They always quote expats almost double the original price.

• While having brunch or dinner at a hotel’s restaurant, first check if they have plenty of choices in continental foods as some will have a very limited range.

• If you are going to a party, get to the venue early. Music and liquor are not permitted beyond 11.30 p.m.

When in the Philippines or Japan The two countries I have considered as my home have very different religions or culture. Filipinos are mostly Catholic, Japanese are Buddhist. When I was in Japan, I participated in festivities they had, visited the temples, experienced the Kimono and Yukata festivals, the Sakura feast, the Season of Fireworks and the Beanthrowing feast. 1

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Look who’s in town Chennai

Art of the Matter 1 American art therapist–artist couple, Holly Wherry and Robert Caswell, tells us why Chennai is a ‘visual treat’

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Holly Wherry and Robert Caswell, both trained art therapists, use art as a form of communication. Having lived in Chennai for about a year, the couple feel that the city is “a visual treat with its intricate patterns and bright colours of clothing. Creativity is everywhere, if you pay careful attention.” After finding friends, navigating around the city and discovering its food, Holly and Robert are now in a position to give newcomers some insider tips.

interesting moment at a workshop there for Ganesha’s ‘birthday’ as well, where Holly made a Ganesha out of palm leaves – and the workshop was taught completely in Tamil!

At Cholamandal, we were invited to join an art installation that involved hanging small mirrors from a tree in the courtyard. The artist was present and spoke to us about the meaning of her work, and we enjoyed adding our participation to the outcome.

The New Orleans Scene Before coming to India, we lived in New Orleans. The two cultures are unique in their own ways. New Orleans has a lot of city-wide festivals, such as Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest. We appreciated seeing the whole of Chennai participate in recent holidays such as Diwali and Pongal. It reminded us of our home – the celebrations were so exuberant and widespread!

Art-y Tips • Art events aren’t always advertised ahead of time, so our best advice is to talk to people, explore outside your comfort zone – and open your eyes!

• Enjoying art is not just about looking at something on the wall, it is also about participation. Art is all around, from the rangoli and kolam to the painted cows on Pongal.

• We have also learnt a lot about the use of materials for making art – simple materials can be used to make beautiful images, many materials can be recycled or re-purposed and nothing goes to waste.

Chennai Art Spots We would recommend visits to DakshinaChitra, Cholamandal Artists’ Village, and the ceramic sellers of the Kodambakkam area for interesting art experiences. DakshinaChitra has many fascinating events, workshops and traditional puppet shows on the weekend. We had a puppeteer friend from the United States visit us, and she was able to meet several local puppeteers and ventriloquists to discuss their art form, which has a long history in India and is often passed down from generation to generation. We had an

When in the United States We would encourage people visiting the United States to attend festivals in New Orleans to get a sense of the creativity and vibrancy of the people.

Also, many neighborhoods there have monthly art walks, and they are a good opportunity to interact with the community and artists while seeing some interesting art work. 1

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Look who’s in town Mumbai

The Mumbai Samurai 1 Parisienne Emilie.M, who works in the pet food industry, maps out her must-do spots in Mumbai

Emilie. M looks at life in Mumbai as a lively experience. Thinking back to a day at the Victoria Gardens brings a smile to her face. “We didn’t know what to expect after seeing the elephant statue from the Elephanta caves. I spotted a very big queue and just joined in, only to realise we were at the zoo on a crowded Sunday. We were out in 15 minutes!” Five years, and many humid taxi rides later, Emilie’s apprehension about Mumbai has transformed into appreciation. Her blog, www.indiansamourai.com, sets out her perspective of an expat’s life in Mumbai. We tag along with Emilie as she fills her little black book with unique to-dos in India’s financial capital.

The Paris Diary Whenever I plan a visit back to Paris, my parents offer to book a play, an exhibition, a museum, or a concert. In France, sport facilities are also easily available, whereas in India, unless you are a member of a club – a British legacy – or willing to sweat it out by running on the busy roads, being sportive can be a challenge.

Mumbai Hotspots After visiting the 10 spots every guidebook recommends, forget your map, hop onto a local train – and get lost! Walking is not easy, the pavement is uneven (when there is a pavement) and the traffic insane.

• You may stumble upon a heritage ‘village’ – quiet lanes with exquisite old bungalows. Try Chor Bazaar, Banganga tank (Malabar Hill), Ranwar village (Bandra), Khotachiwadi (Girgaon).

• Once your face is red, your shirt wet, your feet killing, take a deep breath and rise above it all by visiting a rooftop bar (Four

•

Seasons Hotel). Relaxing experiences like brunches by the beach, afternoons at the spa, and five-star dinners (Peshawri) may help to make the working days easier.

Mumbai is famous for her street foods. Try bhel puri, pani puri, vada pav, dosa, goat brain (Bademiya). As you turn into a Mumbaikar, eating is likely to become your favourite pasttime and will make you a restaurant-hunter. You will then hunt down the best Italian pizza (Metro Pizza), French crêpe (Suzette, Bandra), Belgian bread (LePainQuotidien, Bandra), Japanese sushis (Aoi, Bandra), Mexican fajitas (Sancho’s, Bandra) and American hamburgers (Hard Rock Café) to forget you are living in India!

Tips to follow • Mumbai is quite safe, so don’t be paranoid about your handbag.

• Drink a lot of water – the city can drain your energy very fast!

• Ask locals for help. If possible, learn some Hindi, people will really appreciate it.

When in France The French are shy and may react rudely when accosted in the street. If you learn a few words to break the ice, they may actually be helpful!

French food is amazing. If there are not many veg dishes on the menu, ask the waiter and he will know what you should order.

Discovering France requires a lot of walking, so bring good shoes and energy! 1

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Fat Free

1 A new non-invasive technique of reducing body fat is now available in Chennai at Satin Skin Laser Clinics A breakthrough in non-invasive fat reduction, CoolSculpting® is an innovative technology that freezes away unwanted body fat. It is available for the first time at Satin Skin Laser Clinics.

How it works Cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CoolSculpting is based on science developed by the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Mass., in the United States, this breakthrough is based on a vast

Unlike many other methods of fat reduction, CoolSculpting involves no needles, surgery or downtime.

During the procedure, a non-invasive applicator delivers precisely controlled cooling to the treatment area thereby specifically targeting fat. Treatments last between one to two hours.

Patients can have additional procedures for more pronounced effects if they desire.

Endorsements “CoolSculpting is an exciting new approach that is non-invasive and has shown significant results in clinical studies for removing fat without the potential risks and downtime of invasive procedures.

CoolSculpting is extremely comfortable and our patients are highly satisfied.” says Dr Layda Elizabeth Bowes.

According to singer, Chinmayi, “I’m very impressed with my results – particularly for a non-invasive treatment. Within several weeks of my first treatment, I noticed the fat around the treated area lessened considerably and my clothes fit so much better. I highly recommend CoolSculpting, especially for people who have stubborn body fat that diet and exercise alone do not seem to help.” 1

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Look who’s in town Bengaluru

Burrito in Bengaluru 1 American Restaurateur Elizabeth Bowden-David leads us on a food trail in this bustling metro ‘Happy’ and ‘comfortable’ are the words that would describe Elizabeth Bowden-David’s and her husband’s life in Bengaluru. A business opportunity caused them to move here from California, and they have been in Bengaluru – their ‘second home’ – for the past nine years.

Elizabeth says that “we saw a burrito-shaped hole in the culinary landscape of the city, so we started a chain of Tex-Mex restaurants, Habanero, to fill it”. The business has been a labour of love for the couple – from creating the menu to serving guests at her restaurant. “Seeing a guest trying Mexican food for the first time or serving expats who crave our food – witnessing those moments mean a lot to me!” she says. It is not surprising that we found her tips spot-on for expats looking to sink their teeth into the best food Bengaluru has to offer.

Food trails Wherever I am, I go out to enjoy something different from what I fix at home – and, of course, it must also be delicious. A cozy, welcoming atmosphere is also important. Right now, I am blessed with the help of someone who prepares Indian food at home, so when outside I love to try cuisines from other parts of the world.

Naturally, I would have to name all three locations of Habanero!

That said, I do try out other restaurants.

• For chicken biryani and jackfruit papad, there’s no beating Kanua in Sarjapur.

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For refreshing ice cream flavoured with Indian fruits such as chickoo and custard apple, I adore Naturals.

I would also advise newbies to savour all the vegetarian options available. India has changed me; at least one meal a day is vegetarian for me now.

Eating-out • When I go to a new restaurant, I ask the server for recommendations. Sometimes that has helped me try incredible dishes I would never have ordered otherwise.

• Besides dining out, try and visit the markets to get to know fantastic seasonal produce – such as red carrots and sugarcane in winter, and guava and mango in summer.

• During the hot summer months, I stop by the coconut vendors on the side of the road and relish a dose of coconut water.

• Figuring out your favourite Indian sweet is lots of fun – mine is milk peda from Anand’s.

When in the United States Ask the restaurant staff what they personally enjoy the most, and you’ll probably have a great dining experience. For Indians – especially vegetarians – travelling in the United States, I would suggest that you ask around for the city’s or neighbourhood’s best burritos, best salads and best cakes. 1

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Seeing India

by Helen Taylor

Into the Blue 1 Enjoy a cup of tea as you savour the cool air of Ooty, or ‘little Switzerland’ — a summer getaway favoured since colonial times Feeling the cool, crisp air of Kotagiri on my skin, with songbirds chirping in the trees and green hills rolling out in every direction, I can imagine what the British must have felt when they first laid eyes on the Nilgiri hills – and found in them a sense of home.

Located at the meeting point of two of India’s mighty mountain ranges – the Western and Eastern Ghats – these hills rose some 40 million years ago from the primeval jungle. Their name comes from the Sanskrit word for ‘blue mountains’.

Steam Power No visit to this hill station would be complete without a ride on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, which carried Miss Quested and Dr Aziz to the fabled Marabar Caves in A Passage to India – the literary masterpiece by E.M. Forster, penned in 1924. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Railway boasts the only surviving rack-and-pinion system in India, and is one of the steepest narrow-gauge tracks anywhere. Designed by the Swiss, built by the British and lovingly maintained by Indian Railways, it is a feat of early 20th-century engineering that snakes its way up jungled escarpments and over deep gorges, 26 miles to the Nilgiri Plateau.

This is where my journey begins, one bleary-eyed morning – after a sleepless night aboard the Nilgiri Express from Chennai. As the trusty steam engine shunts us away from Mettupalayam, the hazy hills rise proudly on the horizon in a patina of distant grey-blue. We stop along the way at quaint little stations with nostalgic names such as Runnymede, Lovedale and Hillgrove, where we are greeted by monkeys in search of tid-bits. At the end of the line is the sprawling hill station of Udhagamandalam – Ooty for short, or ‘Little Switzerland’ as the British called it. Once the sedate summer capital of the Madras Presidency, it has a reputation

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for crass commercialism these days with hordes of tourists descending in May and June. The trappings of tourism are all too evident in parts of the town and along the lake shore, but there is more to Ooty than cheap hats and home-made chocolate. Out of season, it is surprisingly unassuming.

I begin by visiting the pretty Botanical Gardens and the Government Rose Garden, nestled amongst fragrant eucalyptus trees on the slopes of Elk Hill. A short drive takes me to the breezy summit of Doddabetta, the highest peak in South India, where I savour the stunning view and sip from a cup of steaming lemon tea. Back in town, I gorge myself on the history and reminders of home in the United Kingdom.

Stone House was the original bungalow built by British Collector John Sullivan on land he acquired from the Toda tribe. Plenty of other colonial relics, such as St. Stephen’s Church or the Higginbotham’s bookshop, dot the place.

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Visit to Old Ooty Old Ooty makes a welcome distraction from the hustle and bustle. Tucked away behind Stone House, it is a rabbit warren of dirt tracks and alleyways. Young mothers beat their laundry against stone slabs and grandmothers in woolly cardigans comfort newborns in shaded doorways. Goats and dogs doze in the shade, while cats prowl across low, red-tiled rooftops where a rainbow of saris and salwars are draped out to dry.

One afternoon I find myself standing in one of the colourful, two-roomed houses, bouncing a wide-eyed baby who is wearing her best party frock. As my host squats over a simmering milk pan and asks me about my travels, I take in the scene around me. Garlanded family portraits hang on the wall beside a giant laminated print of a waterfall. A threadbare sofa is covered in rugs, and a fish tank is perched above a mountain of old clothes and a sewing machine. What emerges from the stove is the best coffee I’ve had in the hills.

Amidst Nature A day trip takes me to Pykara Falls and the panoramic splendour of Needle Point, before descending via deathdefying hairpin bends to reach the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve on the Karnataka border. There, we stalk the elusive Bengal tiger, sloth bears and leopards from the back of a jeep, bouncing through dusty savanna and scrub. On our return to the hills, a fierce storm blinds us with dense fog and driving rain. Trucks hurtle towards us on blind bends, vertical drops flicker in our faded headlights and we pray for our lives.

On the east of the plateau, amidst manicured tea plantations, the quiet town of Kotagiri makes an ideal base for exploring the forest trails of Longwood Shola or the

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1. A ride on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway. 2. Taking a pause from picking tea leaves. 3. Coffee beans being crushed before they are dried in the sun

sweeping vistas of Kodanad. It was the first place in the hills to be inhabited by Europeans, and its name means ‘Mountain of the Kotas’ after its original settlers.

An hour-long bus ride from Kotagiri takes me through the Kil Kotagiri estate to the plantation settlement of Sholar Mattam. From there it is a 5-km trek to Rangaswamy Peak, one of the most sacred sites of the hills. Along the way, hardworking families tend to livestock, chop wood and crush coffee beans before drying them in the sun. The trail ends with a punishing series of steep stone steps leading to the bluewashed temple on the summit. The site is visited by thousands of pilgrims at festival time but for most of the year it stands deserted. Legend has it that the Hindu Lord Rangaswamy moved here alone from the plains after quarrelling with his wife.

Away from the tacky tourist traps, the raw beauty of the Nilgiris are a world apart from the plains below – a place to retreat to, time and time again. 1

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Advertiser's feature

1 Dr.S Palaniappan, Senior Gastroenterologist of Global Health City, Chennai talks about the importance of dietary habits in prevention of Gastro-intestinal infections.

What it is Gastro-intestinal problems are caused by H-pylori, Cholera and Typhoid infections that are common during season change. These infections and a variety of other gastrointestinal /liver pathogens (Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E) are usually spread by contaminated food and water. Therefore it is important to have healthy dietary habits to prevent these infections.

The G Bug

Precautions Precautions that can be taken include drinking only boiled water, avoiding un-boiled tap water even for brushing teeth, avoiding fruits and vegetables that have been peeled earlier, avoiding unpasteurized raw milk and raw meat/fish. Tap water that looks clean can harbor infectious organisms and thus boiling it for three minutes is an important safety measure. Following a specific hand washing protocol for a thorough cleansing is a significant health measure is important. Also it is prudent to avoid walking barefoot on soil that may be contaminated with hookworm larvae.

These can cause hookworm infestation resulting in a condition that causes severe anemia. Thyphoid vaccines are helpful in preventing Salmonellatyphi infection and severe typhoid disease. Any diarrhea must be thoroughly investigated and effective hydration measures sought in addition to microbial killing with specific drugs. 1

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Seeing India

by Bindu Menon

The Road Less Travelled

1 Just a few hours away from Mumbai is a haven that offers a perfect mix of nature and a touch of rural culture

Let me take you down Cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields Nothing is real And nothing to get hung about Strawberry Fields forever — The Beatles With this song on my lips, some friends and I set out last December to discover a slice of Maharashtra that is beyond the busy city of Mumbai. I never imagined that just a few hours away from the busiest metropolis in India was a serene, scenic and sylvan setting.

On the way to Panchgani, our first stop, we passed a few hamlets. The air was chilly although the sun was out; the day had just begun for the villagers. Men were gathered in small tea shops, the steam from their cups merging with the fog; the women cleaned their houses and led the cattle out to the fields.

It was the season for sugarcane. I could see the crop standing tall, strong and ready to be harvested. I had a glass of fresh sugarcane juice made on a hand-cranked machine, in which stalks of sugarcane are crushed by pushing them through two intersecting wheels. Out poured the sweet juice,

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Driving through the breahtaking Tahmini Ghats. (Left) View from the Forest Valley Resort.

which was collected in glass tumbler, and the dash of lemon and crushed ginger mixed in served to awaken my taste buds.

As we drove along, I was intrigued by the eco-friendly kiosks that dotted the roads on either side. Neatly dressed women were selling home-made pickles, dry chutney, powders and papad that are unique to Maharashtra. The foodstuff was made out of gooseberry, mango, tamarind, jaggery, garlic and spices. We bought a sample of each; the women beamed as we handed over the money as they believed that if the first sale of the day was good the rest would only get better.

Tiny shops that called themselves ‛restaurants’ served the ubiquitous vada pav and misal pav. Vada pav, a spicy vegetarian fast-food native to Maharashtra, consists of a potato patty or vada sandwiched between two slices of a thick bun called pav.

Misal pav is a spicy curry made with sprouts and served with bread. We succumbed to temptation and the growls of our tummies. Hot tea or fresh lime juice goes best with this spicy brunch.

So we were well fed and watered by the time we reached Panchgani, which is said to be named after the surrounding five hills in the Sahyadri mountain range. This was yet another summer resort in India discovered by the British during their days in West India. The Forest Valley Resort in Panchgani is run by a family. Rustic yet charming and modern, it had views of the stunning valley of Bhilar from every cottage. A walk along a muddy path took us to fields

where farmers were at work. They were amused by the excitement on the faces of our city-bred kids and patiently explained about the various crops they grew – beans, pumpkin, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and brinjals (aubergines).

I plucked a bean as a souvenir, posed near a pumpkin patch and picked some juicy, ripe cherry tomatoes.

We walked further until we stopped to see vast green patches with bright red fruits popping out. Strawberry fields!

The farmer allowed us to pick a few ripe fruit, and, with a proud smile on his face, wrapped it in a huge leaf so that we could take it to our room. Incredibly beautiful strawberries — tasty too! We decided to skip lunch at the resort and gatecrash one of the houses in the village. We convinced a woman who looked like the matriarch of the house to cook us a simple, traditional meal, promising to pay her for it. She was shy and bewildered, but obliged and asked us to come back in a couple of hours. It was almost evening before we returned after a long trek, a hot shower and a hungry stomach. She laid out a thali or platter and placed tiny steel cups on it. Roti (bread); varan baath or lentils cooked in a gravy with garlic and dry coconut garnish and served with hot rice; fried lady’s finger (okra); eggs scrambled with onions, curry leaves and spices; skimmed yoghurt; hot and sweet lime pickle; and pepper papad. A meal unmatched in taste and variety. We returned to the resort in a bullock cart – the best ride ever.

It was a pleasant surprise to know that Mahabaleshwar, our next stop, is also a paradise for women’s footwear!

Strawberry Festival Held in March/April, during the Easter weekend, the Mapro Strawberry Festival at Mapro Garden is a much-awaited annual event. Started four years ago, when strawberry production far exceeded market demand, Mapro conceptualised this unique four-day festival to promote strawberries, encourage fruit consumption and boost tourism in Mahableshwar and Panchgani. The highlights of this festival are fresh, hand-picked strawberries set out for visitors to devour, and traditional folk performances.

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You can grab artistically designed sandals adorned with colourful stones, beads and pearls at throwaway prices. We had to buy a bag just to pack our collection – one for every dress!

The drive from Mahabaleshwar to Valane took longer as we passed through the breathtakingly beautiful Tamhini Ghats. This place is at its best after the monsoons. With winding roads, plunging deep valleys and steep cliffs at every turn, gushing waterfalls every step of the way and lush green forests all around, we realised that the drive was a destination in itself. At one point, we stopped to simply stand and stare at the captivating, panoramic view. No soul in sight to rob us of the tranquility.

Set against the Sahyadri Mountains and the Mulshi dam, Malhar Machi, a mountain resort in Valane, is ideal for honeymooners.

The residents-only private stretch of about 2 km leading up to the resort gives a feeling of absolute privacy.

Luxurious cottages with elements of rustic and traditional architecture, modern amenities like a swimming pool and spa, and ample opportunities for outdoor activities and adventure make it an ideal weekend getaway option. We set out on a walk at 6 a.m. with no guide and no directions to

Artists at the Adivasi Warli Kala Kendra. (Top) Sylvan surrounds on the connecting highways.

follow. A vast no-man’s land, rocky hills, bushy trees that formed a canopy and wild flowers in bright colours were all we could see.

It was intimidating, but we plugged on to see where it led. It felt as if we were almost at one end of the earth as we looked at the deep valley ahead. We lay on the dried grass and stared at the sky. The kids came running to us with their ‘rare’ finds – a cow’s jaw bone, a huge bird’s feather.

The return journey was quieter and sadder as we knew we were heading towards the city. Back to life, back to reality. But there was one last stop on our agenda.

My fascination for the tribal arts of India drove me to seek out the Warli tribe of Maharashtra. While advice on the Internet provides names of villages where the artists can be found, the best way was to ask the local villagers. They pointed us to a man named ‛Raju painter’. Only when we knocked at his door did we realise that he painted banners and posters for Bollywood movies!

With more fingers pointing us in the right direction, we finally reached Wakdupada, where the Adivasi Warli Kala Kendra is situated. Sunil, who claims to be the last of the surviving artists from the original Warli tribe, welcomed us even though he and his fellow artisans were packing up their wares.

We marvelled at their work and the skill with which they patiently paint scenes from tribal life on cloth with white rice powder.

We were disappointed to know that almost all their work – clocks, key holders, stationery holders and paintings – were sold. We grabbed what was left and promised to return another day to watch them at work.

A modern, young lady from the same village was there to pick up her order – large numbers of wooden boxes with Warli art to pack herbal tea grown in her gardens and sold in boutiques in the cities. She’s keen to increase awareness of the Warli art and artisans — a much-needed move to keep the art form alive. 1

Warli Art Warli is the name of a tribe that lives in the Thane district of Maharashtra on the northern outskirts of Mumbai and extends up to the Gujarat border. The origin of the Warli is yet unknown and no records of this art are found, but many scholars and folklorists believe that it can be traced to as early as 10th century AD when man learnt to build the walls of a house. This art was eventually discovered inthe early 1970s.

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Photo Ricky Wong

Picture Story

by Team Culturama

A Thing of BEAUTY

Photo Ricky Wong

“Among women I am fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience.” – Bhagavad Gita (10:34) As the world marks the 103rd International Women’s Day on March 8, Culturama pays tribute to the many faces of the Indian woman. As a Goddess, she bestows favours. As a wife, she holds a hand and makes a new family her own. As a sister or friend, she lends a shoulder and speaks a soft word.

As a leader, she blazes a new trail. She is the embodiment of every emotion that shapes the human experience. It is difficult to define her multi-faceted nature, but we have tried to capture her essence through this montage.

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Photo Ricky Wong

Photo Tineke Sysmans, Belgium

Photo Magali Reynaud

“One of the most enduring clichés about India is that it is the country of contradictions. … At the heart of the contradiction stand Indian women: for it is true to say that they are among the most oppressed in the world, and it is equally true to say that they are among the most liberated, the most articulate and perhaps even the most free. Can these two realities be simultaneously true?”

Urvashi Butalia, feminist, historian and co-founder of Kali for Women — India's first feminist publishing house.

Photo Christèle GAUTHIER

Photo Benjamin Bowling, USA

Photo Paul Burger, UK

Photo Deepak Raval

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Daily Cuppa

by Zach Marks and Resham Gellatly

A pinch of Bollywood masala

1 The biggest star in Mumbai’s Film City is Bahadur – a chai wallah who keeps the motley film crowd going with his magic brew Zach Marks and Resham Gellatly have been writing about India’s roadside tea vendors, known as chai wallahs, for the past year at chaiwallahsofindia.com.

This is the first in a series of articles about the chai wallahs they have met – written exclusively for Culturama.

As we entered the gates of Mumbai’s massive Film City, security guards descended upon us demanding to know what business we had there. Just a few yards in front of us was Kareena Kapoor Khan, one of Bollywood’s biggest names, make-up artists fussing over her face. But we weren’t there to see Kareena. We had come to meet another legend of India’s booming entertainment industry – Balwan Singh Negi, who has worked as a spot boy for the past 40 years, serving chai on the sets of more than 200 films.

From behind the scenes, Bollywood’s spot boys keep the industry going.

They move equipment on set, keep gawking crowds out of shots, perform odd jobs as needed and, of course, make and serve the chai that gives actors the boost they need to film the same scenes over and over.

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When we told the security guards that we had come to see Mr. Negi, known affectionately as ‘Bahadur’, a guard replied, “Oh, that is a very senior man you have come to see!” We were whisked past Kareena’s entourage and beyond a table with a thermos labeled ‘VIP Tea’, to the side of a film prop warehouse where Bahadur was stirring a pot of boiling milk.

“Yes, you have come to see me, so let me tell you everything,” 62-year-old Bahadur said, bubbling with energy.

“I make tea for all the isstars (‘stars’ said in a typical Punjabi accent). Some want black tea. Some want ginger. But, my dear, most want my masala chai. The VIPs come here and say, ‘We need our special chai’, so I put some in this ‘VIP’ flask, but I will tell you a secret – it is the same chai, just with a little less sugar. You know, my dear, everyone is on a diet today. All the high-class artists want green tea these days.”

We had heard as much. At a recent movie shoot in Dharavi, reportedly Asia’s largest slum, Chhotu, the set chai wallah, told us that masala chai was going out of fashion in Bollywood. The shift is being led by the largest legend in the industry, Amitabh Bachchan. “I just bring Amitabhji hot water, then he makes green tea in his trailer,” Chhotu said.

The green tea trend is evident the morning we visit Bahadur in Film City. The advertisement being filmed with Kareena is for Tata Tetley’s Green Tea brand.

Bahadur’s story may sound familiar to aspiring American actors who come to make it in Hollywood – only to find themselves waiting tables. He left his village in Uttaranchal in 1971 at the age of 20 and came to Mumbai with dreams of silver screen success. “I loved films for the art,” he said. “I didn’t want to be a hero. I just wanted to act.”

A spot boy taking a break next to Bahadur suggests he could try out for a role as a mama, an elderly uncle figure. “He can do it. He’s a rock star!” shouts another.

But Bahadur says the passion is gone. “Junoonkatam ho gaya. I love the job I have.”

After three years without landing any roles on screen, Bahadur found work as a spot boy on Jai Santoshi Maa, a low-budget film that became one of Bollywood’s biggest blockbusters. In 1980, he met a young director named Subhash Ghai and worked on one of his first films, Karz, about an unjustly murdered man who is reincarnated and wreaks vengeance. The film became a hit and Ghai’s career took off. Bahadur has been with him every step of the way, working on Ghai’s sets throughout India and around the world. “I have worked on films in Africa, London, New Zealand, Bangkok, Indonesia, Singapore, everywhere,” he says, showing off the stamps in his passport. “But everywhere I go I make Indian isstyle tea.”

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After the Kareena Kapoor Khan ad shoot ends, Bahadur sets up for the afternoon. Subhash Ghai is filming a few final scenes for his forthcoming Kaanchi, starring Rishi Kapoor, Kartik Tiwari and up-and-coming Bengali actress Mishti.

We trailed Bahadur as he kept the crew caffeinated between shots. At one point, Ghai stood on the set, scratching his head. Something was missing. Apparently it was us. He called us over and asked if we would like to be in a scene. Of course we would! A line producer handed Zach a guitar and instructed him to play. Rishi Kapoor put his arm around Resham, said a few words on a cell phone as he stroked her hair, then put his face close to hers as Ghai’s voice boomed, “And scene!” It all had the makings of movie magic.

Bahadur says he is content to work behind the scenes.

But he clearly still has a love for the camera. When we ask to film him serving chai, he perks up and snaps into action. He rushes to a spot boy taking a break and theatrically thrusts a cup of tea and a biscuit at him. The spot boy protests that he has already eaten and does not want the biscuit. “Just take it!”

Bahadur yells, drawing laughs from the crowd that has gathered.

A few yards away, Kareena Kapoor Khan stands alone, waiting for filming to resume. In the meantime, Bahadur has stolen the show. 1

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March 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 Paintings Bengaluru

Exhibition of Paintings Mumbai

An exhibitions of paintings, titled ‘Remembrances of Voices Past’ by artist V. Ramesh will be on display as a solo show.

The artist paints primarily with oils on large-scale canvas format and explores the relationship between states of transcendence.

For more details, call +91 99720 27514.

‘Art of Bengal’ is an exhibition of paintings that documents the unique cultural art of Bengal from over two centuries. The exhibits begin with the 19th century, when local and folk artists began painting on cloth and called it kalighat pats. The century-long presence of European painters in Bengal began to influence local art and this school was called the ‘Bengal school’. For more details, call +91 22 49222700.

Date February 5–March 30 Time 1500h–1900h Venue National Gallery of Modern Art, Manikyavelu Mansion, Palace Road, Bengaluru

Date January 8–March 15 Time 1030h–1900h Venue Delhi Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai

Exhibition of Sufi Art Mumbai Cosmic Heart Gallery and Chishty Foundation – Ajmer Sharif present ‘Divine Ecstasy’, a soulful collection of Sufi art, for the first time. The paintings feature the beautiful ‘Whirling Dervishes’ and the Khwaja Garib Nawaz Dargah in Ajmer and Medina. Call +91 22 2208 5926 for more details.

Date February 6–April 2 Time 1100h–1900h Venue Cosmic Heart Gallery, G-2a, Court Chambers, 35-New Marine Line, Mumbai

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Workshops & Events

Art Quotient Quiz Chennai

Performing Arts Festival Delhi

In its second year, Aalaap’s Arts Quotient quiz is an exclusive performing arts’ quiz for followers of music, dance and theatre.

Musicians Rithvik Raja and Akshay Ananathapadmanabhan will conduct the quiz. For more details, email payal.aalaap@gmail.com

India World Cultural Forum presents the 5th Annual Sangeeth Nritya Utsav. The event features the best in music and dance from across the world. This year, the festival promises eye-catching events that showcase the true essence of India with legendary artistes from across the globe. Every year the event also supports special causes, this year it will be dedicated to ‘Preventing Child Abuse’.

Book your tickets at www.buzzintown.com

Date March 2 Time 1600h Venue 136.1 Yoga Studio, 329 TTK Road, Chennai

Women’s Day Event Chennai On the occasion of International Women’s Day, a series of concerts titled ‘Stree – Myths, Moments and Music’ will be held. Starting with a concert by vocalist Rithvik Raja on songs praising the female, the evening will have a series of musical performances by musicians Lakshmi Sreeram, Aishwarya Srinivas and Shriram Kumar. The concerts will be interspersed with short audio clips, anecdotes, stories and insights into the world of Carnatic music, as seen by legendary women poets. All are welcome.

Date March 8 Time 1730h–2045h Venue #1, Elliots Beach Road, Besant Nagar, Chennai

Date March 19–25 Venue India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi

Sufi Music Concert Delhi Listen to the beautiful traditions of Sufism in the Indian subcontinent through the performance of the Sabri Brothers. Referred to as the ‘Roving Ambassadors for Pakistan’, they have been inspiring cross-cultural audiences for over three decades now. Their musical lineage stretches back to the times of the Mughal emperors, and they are well known for their qawwali (a form of Sufi devotional music). Book your tickets at www.buzzintown.com Date March 15 Time 1900h Venue Siri Fort Auditorium, Asiad Village Complex, August Kranti Marg, Delhi

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International Music Festival Mumbai The Arties Festival, now in its 13th year is a bi-annual event brought together by the NCPA and Gauthier Herrmann. It brings to Mumbai the finest Chamber Music played by young musicians who have played on the most prestigious stages world-wide. Gauthier Hermann has been at the helm of the Arties festival for the past four years, and has brought several Chamber music artistes to India in eight editions of the festival. He is also the cellist of the prize-winning Trio con Fuoco. For more details, call +91 22 2282 4567.

Date March 19–20 Venue National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), Nariman Point, Mumbai

The New Writing Festival Bengaluru Jagriti Theatre presents its New Writing Festival, a biennial, two-month long celebration of new writing for the stage. The festival has a mix of performances, training and educative sessions. Some of the plays featuring in March include White Rabbit Red Rabbit by Nassim Soleimanpour, Ali J

by Shekinah Jacob and Evam. Audiences will have a chance to meet playwrights, dramatists and actors through a series of seminars and workshops to ensure best practices for new writing. For more details, call +91 80 4124 8298.

Date Feb 16–March 23 Time 1100h Venue Jagriti Theatre, Ramagondanahalli, Varthur Road, Whitefield, Bengaluru

English Theatre Bengaluru A play directed by Satyadev Dubey, starring actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, Dear Liar is based on the relationship between George Bernard Shaw and Stella Campbell. The play chronicles the deep mutual admiration and love between the famous playwright and actress, covering a time-span of almost 40 years. Book your tickets at www.indianstage.in Date March 9 Time 1830h Venue Chowdiah Memorial Hall, 16th Cross Street, Kodandarampura, Bengaluru

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Photo Alan Dougan, Australia

The Lighter Side

by Marina Marangos

A colourful affair To most Westerners, the word ‘holi’ – if not spelt out – conjures up images of churches, saints and ceremonies. Well, the truth could not be more different about this rather special Hindi word, the meaning of which is derived from Holika – an evil witch that Krishna did very well to burn and destroy. You have not lived properly in India until you have received the baptism of Holi, and it comes in all sorts of forms and colours.

The festival of Holi is celebrated mostly in northern India on the day after the first full moon in March. This year, it falls on the 17th, and it is partly based on the legend of Holika, but also on the celebration of spring – the end of those never-ending grey and foggy days, the joy of colours and fertility, the giving of thanks after a good harvest.

There are cautionary words given to most Westerners about Holi. They are told to stay indoors especially in the morning hours because, otherwise, they may be pelted with paint and assailed by merry young men.

Well my attitude was that if the men can behave badly, so perhaps can the women – and, apparently, there is a small village near Mathura in Uttat Pradesh where women celebrate

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Photo Alan Dougans, Australia

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Photo Alan Dougans, Australia

Photo Diana Grieger, Germany

Photo Joanne Frogbrook, UK

1 An expat shares her experience of being baptised by colour during this Indian festival

Photo Ben Bowling

Holi by beating men from the nearby village with sticks.

What relevance this has to Holi and the arrival of spring I am really not quite sure. Suffice to say the women are empowered for the day and that is good enough for me.

So there was some timidity in my early years – I wanted to celebrate, but perhaps was not quite sure how. I now know much better and the choice is really only one: wet or dry.

Confused? All will be revealed.

Paints – which used to be manufactured from natural pigments, sadly no longer so – are produced in all colours under the rainbow and they can be ‘painted’ on you in one of two ways. I am not sure many are given a choice.

You may have the paint sprinkled on you. Think purple puffs, pink boudoirs, crimson red all over your head and you will get the idea. Occasionally it is exploded, a bit bomb-like, in a flurry of fine dust over your head.

If it is a hot day, the action can be aided by the use of water – so sloshed might be more accurate a term to describe how you are anointed.

My gardener who is from Bihar, and is a hard working man who wouldn’t say ‘boo’ to a goose, pulled a fast one

on me. He rang the doorbell early on Holi morning. I answered the door – he stooped reverentially to touch my toes and then proceeded to pour a whole bag of bright pink paint all over me!

From that moment on, it was game on! Off I went, closely followed by a very excited dog and was ‘holied’ left, right and centre by everyone on the compound – but I gave as good as I got.

The end result: paint everywhere. In my nostrils, my ears my hair, the clothes. And then, clearly – like in every culture that celebrates life – an excuse for a drink and some merriment.

Here it is called bhang and it is considered to be the main reason why young men in particular seem to let their hair down so spectacularly on this day. This is one day when you can do as you please and to whomever you choose – and, in this strictly structured society, this – in my eyes – is most welcome.

It’s a letting go like no other and one that you need to get stuck into. Remember to put on an old T-shirt and shorts and head out with your head high – well, at least for a while. 1

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Myth & Mythology

by Devdutt Pattanaik

Photo Gerhard Ritter

A Question of Gender 1 What does Indian mythology have to say about the larger role of women in society?

There is increasing talk of diversity in workforce. The logic being that women are important for business as customers and as workers. And, even in a lot of boards of Indian companies, women are getting board seats. What does mythology have to say about gender diversity? Did the seers have something to say about gender diversity?

In the forest there is diversity. In the field there is order, man-made order, where we decide what is crop and what is weed. But the fact remains that diversity and order will always be at odds with each other. We have to trade one for the other constantly, asking ourselves how much diversity we want and how much order do we seek.

Until very recently, women were not seen as equal to men. They were seen as inferior beings. The assumption was that the workplace does not need them; their place is only inside the home.

Today, the world has changed. Women establish and lead workplaces.

Their contribution to the world has been recognised as equal to men. And so there is need for the presence in the boardroom and the Parliament. But as this is not happening naturally, regulatory measures are being taken to force the change.

The seers did not care much for gender.

What mattered to them was the formless beyond the form, the thought behind the thing, the mind behind matter. The biology of the flesh was but a vehicle of whatreally mattered.

Unfortunately, what is true in ideology does not always find expression in reality.

We find in the epics a genuine discomfort with female ascetics and even female leaders such as Gargi, Maitreyi, Arundhati, Anasuya and Sulabha. As humans, we struggle to realise our full potential, of seeing humans as humans, beyond their gendered selves, but we do not always succeed.

A man cannot conduct a yagna (a Vedic ritual) unless a woman accompanies him.

A temple is not complete unless images of men and women together occupy both the inner shrine and the outer wall. A God without a Goddess or a Goddess without a God are visualised as ‘hot’ and ‘fiery’, lacking the grace and generosity of those who are engaged with the opposite gender. Implicit in these ideas is to include gender diversity.

But gender diversity based on rules can be cosmetic. It needs to be the outpouring of genuine faith in the value of diversity. No woman, or man, likes to be valued because of the biology they are born with. In the business world we would rather be valued on merit. Value placed on the body over merit is at one level rather disconcerting. But at another level, it is necessary especially since one gender has traditionally been sidelined in favour of the other. 1 Published in Corporate Dossier, ET, Feb. 08, 2013.

Reprinted with permission from www.devdutt.com

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Holistic living

by Eknath Easwaran

Seek the Light Within 1 It is only because we do not know how to look to the shining Being inside us that we try to light up our dim lives from outside in any way we can During my days as a professor of English literature, one writer with whom I felt a special kinship was Gilbert Keith Chesterton. Not only did he do keen studies of favorites of mine such as Robert Browning and Charles Dickens, but he wrote a fascinating portrait of Saint Francis of Assisi which shows that Chesterton had some personal grounding in matters of the spirit.

You can see this even in those rattling good detective stories he gave us.

On one occasion, it seems, friends of Chesterton’s were complaining that people today have nothing to believe in. “The real problem,” Chesterton replied, “is that when you don’t have something to believe in, you will believe in anything at all.”

This is our great contemporary tragedy.

If something is presented seductively, if it appeals to our society’s carefully cultivated taste for profit or pleasure, most of us will

Photo Alan Dougans, Australia

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5 Join Us Every Saturday 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.

believe in anything that comes along. Millions of people of all ages and occupations, out of intentions which for the most part could not be called wrong, are entangled in activities that in the long run will injure their health, impair their peace of mind, inflict suffering on their families, darken their prospects, and eventually threaten the very life of our society – all because, in the depths of their hearts, they lack something to believe in that is loftier and more meaningful than personal pleasure and profit.

Contrast this picture with the scene five thousand years ago on the banks of the Ganges. The sages of ancient India used to pray every morning as the tropical sun rose in glory: “To that radiant Being, who gives life and strength, I offer all my desires, all that I am.”

This shining Being within is what gives meaning to life. Nothing in the world of change outside us can provide the abiding purpose that we seek. “He is the source of my strength, my very self,” this prayer implies, “so I owe my life to him. Everything I do, everything I desire, everything I am, should go to serve him in the rest of his creation.

Understanding this gives purpose to life; practicing this brings fulfillment.”

Sanskrit describes this core of divinity as satyam, shivam, sundaram: the source of truth, of goodness, and of beauty. The seas surge with the flow of his love; the mountains reflect his glory. All the loveliness we see in nature is his. Yet although we may admire the beauties of his garden, the mystics say, very, very few of us actually seek to discover the Gardener, who dwells in the heart of every creature.

Different religions use different names for this aspect of divinity which is the very core of our being: Krishna, Christ, the Buddha, Allah, the Divine Mother. But the reality referred to is one and the same. In Sanskrit the term is simple and universal: Atman, the Self, radiant, loving, immortal, infinite, who is the

same in all beings, in all creatures, in all of life. “The soul has two eyes,” says Meister Eckhart: “one looking inwards and the other looking outwards. It is the inner eye of the soul that looks into essence and takes being directly from God.” It is because we do not know how to look to this shining Being inside us that we try to light up our dim lives from outside in any way we can. Not knowing how to turn inward, we look for meaning and fulfillment in the fickle realm of sensory experience.

Those who are sensitive to what goes on inside them know how much of this effort is generated by a nagging sense of desperation, of emptiness within. Such is the nature of the human being, such is our very constitution, that we have to have a purpose greater than the endless struggle to satisfy personal desires. We have to believe in something more lasting than creature comforts. Otherwise we will eventually feel driven to do anything, try anything, to find fulfillment — as Chesterton implies, to do anything at all.

We need, in short, a central force to hold us together; otherwise we fly apart, pursuing our separate goals. The Sanskrit word for this force is one of the oldest and most meaningful in the Upanishads: dharma, “law,” — the law of unity, that life is one indivisible whole. The Buddha did not talk about God; he said simply, “Esa dhammo sanatano: the fact that all of us are one and indivisible is an eternal law.” Unity is the very law of life. In that law lies our growth; in it lies our future; in it lies our fulfillment. And today, in the world of medicine, we are discovering that in unity also lies our health, our longevity, our vitality. When we live just for ourselves, we are stunting our own growth and courting illness. It is in living for all that we rise to our full potential of vibrant, vital, creative action. 1 Reprinted with permission from ‘Every Moment, A Choice’ by Eknath Easwaran.

Copyright The Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, P.O. Box 256, Tomales, CA 94971. Visit http://www.easwaran.org/blue-mountain-journal.html

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Festival of the month Gudi Padwa March 31 Holi March 17

Photo Diana Grieger, Germany

The festival of Holi celebrates the victory of good over evil, and welcomes the arrival of spring and abundant harvest.

Observed mainly across North India, Holi is also regarded as a time to end conflicts and renew relationships. Celebrations start with a bonfire that people gather around and sing and dance. The bonfire signifies the burning of evil spirits and is followed by people throwing coloured powder on each other.

3 Take part in playing with colours, but try to stick to organic colour powders.

1 Marina Marangos, an expat, shares her experience of being doused with colour in The Lighter Side (Page 58)

The state of Maharashtra welcomes New Year on Gudi Padwa or Kalash Sthapana. On this day, Maharashtrian households hoist a saffron- or green-coloured piece of cloth, which is tied in a knot atop a bamboo pole. Bunches of neem and mango leaves and red flowers, along with gathi (a traditional sweet) are tied to the pole and an inverted pot made of silver or copper is placed on top. A rangoli (pattern made with coloured powder) is drawn around the pole. This set-up is worshipped by the ladies of the household. Offerings on this day include jaggery, soaked lentils, cumin seeds, honey and asafoetida – which signifies a life filled with equal parts joy and sorrow.

3 Join in the celebrations and try homemade goodies like shrikhand, puran poli and kanangachi kheer.

3 Greet people with “Tilgul ghya, goad goad bola”, which means “Take tilgul (a sweetmeat) and talk sweetly”.

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Give to India

by Shefali Ganesh

The Can-do Spirit 1 Trash to Cash, a Delhi-based organisation, uses the talent of specially abled people to turn recycled products into handicrafts When most of India celebrates Holi, the festival of colours, some choose to go the safe way and use organic colours. At a Delhi-based organisation, a group of people work hard to get these coloured powders in the market in time for the festival.

They sort out dried flowers that come in from neighbouring temples and cut out the petals to prepare the base for the natural powders. Some others in the organisation are involved in making bags, keys chains and stationery products – all of them, again, from things that have been discarded by the neighbourhood.

Meet the tireless hands that work to convert trash to cash, and creatively at that. Named exactly after what they do, Trash to Cash is not an NGO – it is a profitable initiative that strives to provide employment and, therefore, dignity of labour to the specially abled. The work is time consuming, but they are rewarded with more than just a salary – the pride and

dignity that comes from making a living. Trash to Cash was founded as a vocational venture for training and employing specially abled children and young adults from the poorer sections of society. Its founder, Dr. Madhumita Puri, started an NGO, Society for Child Development (SFCD), in the early 1990s to provide education to specially abled children. At a time when parents of special children had to be pushed to even send their children to school, Dr. Puri set up the SFCD to address this basic need. The children who graduated from this school faced the challenge of finding gainful employment.

Turning pitfalls to stepping stones for success was something that came naturally to Dr. Puri.

“When most people would appreciate the work we did at SFCD, finding monetary support was very hard. So, we linked the need for income generation to the needs of the market. Trash to Cash began with a complete lack of monetary resources but plenty of enthusiastic parents, trainers and students.” She hit upon the idea of recycling

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kerala break for high tea

waste products sourced from homes and offices in the neighbourhood, and using them to create hand-crafted items. The timing was serendipitous, as the year of launch – 2001 – was when ‘Going Green’ was in vogue.

Trash to Cash put together a process that combined the twin objectives of recycling and self-sustenance – and, in the process, provided a platform for those who were disadvantaged. The organisation collects old clothes, tapes and e-waste, and refashions them into hand-made paper or objects of art.

In the process of creating a sustainable model for employing the specially abled, Dr. Puri also kept in mind the need to work towards an inclusive society. While SFCD educates the disabled, Trash to Cash employs a mix of specially abled and normal adults from the poorer sections of society. To further this initiative, she has also embarked on a venture named ‘Remake Technology’. This recent venture aims to design and create machinery that is sensitive to the needs of the specially-abled section – be it a customised table and chair or a simple machine that helps in pressing paper.

Recognition for this work has not been long in coming.

Trash to Cash received the UN ESCAP Sasakawa Award in 2013 for the best disability-inclusive entrepreneurial business in the Asia and Pacific region. Fittingly, the award was given on December 3 – World Disability Day. Through her work, Dr. Madhumita Puri has proved that profits, environmental consciousness and social advancement can all be accommodated within the same model. In her own words: “Trash-cans can provide employment!” 1 3 Celebrate Holi with Trash to Cash organic holi powder 2 Buy products ranging from recycled stationery, bags and more from Trash to Cash. Visit www.trashtocashindia.com for more details.

3 Become a whole sale or retail stockist of products made at Trash to Cash. Call +91 9810003512 for partnerships and collaborations.

milesworth holidays india • srilanka • maldives • and beyond

visit: www.milesworth.com Milesworth Travels & Tours Pvt. Ltd., 39 R M Towers, 108 Chamiers Road, Chennai. Tel: +91-44-24320522 / 24359554 Fax: +91-44-24342668 E-mail: holidays@milesworth.com

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Realty Bytes

by Anita Krishnaswamy and Sathya Ananthanarayanan

Trash busters For all those niggling questions you might have on housing and realty in India, write to anita@globaladjustments.com

Photo Meredith Chipperton, Australia

I recently moved to India. I have looked everywhere for the garbage disposal chute in my apartment but I can’t find one! Where do I throw my trash? Or does someone come to collect it?

Apartment complexes in India do not come equipped with garbage disposal chutes or common trash bins. The residents will usually tie up the ends of the garbage bag and leave it outside their door. The housekeeping staff appointed to clean the common areas of the complex will take care of it.

Some apartments have bins provided within the complex for disposal; in others, the garbage is thrown into the public bins on the roads. If there are no housekeeping staff, or if they don’t dispose of the garbage, you can request your domestic help to take out the trash.

The latter is more the case when you are living in an independent/detached house. If you are living in an area

that predominantly comprises of independent houses, the city corporation’s garbage truck might come once or twice a week to collect the trash. When the truck arrives, you or your domestic help will have to take out the trash and hand it over to the workers. There is a helpline you can call if the truck has not come by for a week; ask your landlord or caretaker for the number. If there are bins provided for this purpose, you or your domestic help can dump the trash in there.

Take note that there is no segregation of garbage into wet/dry in most cities. Bengaluru is an exception to this, and residents there tend to put the wet or dry wastes into different bags. Also, in Bengaluru, the garbage man will come to your doorstep and pick up the trash bag. There are no special bins for recyclable items either, but you can ask around your neighbourhood for any local organisations that are performing this service. 1

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