Culturama January 2013 by Rohini Manian

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India's Only Cultural Magazine for Global Citizens

VOLUME 3, iSSUE 11 january 2013

Brought to you by Global Adjustments

Thinker, Doer, Seer 8 Culturama presents an exclusive one-on-one with Dr Karan Singh, visionary Indian statesman, who has also guest edited this issue

culturama | january 2013

D e a r

R e a d e r s

D e a r

R e a d e r s

D e a r

R e a d e r s

WHEN a new year begins, we make many resolutions. Ours is to bring you a great Culturama guest-edited by one of India’s finest minds – Honourable Dr. Karan Singh. He was so casual yet intense about doing this job for us. During his visit to our Global Adjustments India Immersion Centre, where he interacted and quizzed us on our vision and purpose of bringing bite-sized portions of Indian culture to audiences via our magazine or our relocation work, his keen sense of interest in our work was stimulating and inspiring. Then, when we went to seal and finalise the issue in his Jawaharlal Nehru Fund office in Delhi, he spent time with great attention to detail, his green ink pen scoring out words and scribbling new ones, as he helped bring out this issue that focuses on India’s vibrant politics and stories of cultural bridge building. The setting for the first issue of the new year couldn’t have been better – a bright December afternoon, a cozy sun-filled office, and the walls adorned with wonderful images of his interactions with Nelson Mandela, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, or the first Prime Minister of free India, Jawaharlal Nehru. He laughed easily, chided us for changing

SOMEBODY once said, “The soul is healed by being with children.” And I couldn’t agree with that more. Their smile that SOMEBODY once said, “Theeyes soulis is like healed by being with always reaches their untouched a beacon of light children.” And I couldn’t agreeroutine, with thateffortlessly more. Theirbringing smile that in this quagmire of everyday us always theirIuntouched eyes is likethat a beacon of light back toreaches the present. have always believed independent in this quagmire everyday routine, effortlessly us India’s first PrimeofMinister, Jawaharlal Nehru (readbringing about him back theTens present. I haveprobably always believed that independent in ourto Past column), appreciated it the most, a India’s first Prime Minister, (read about him much-needed respite fromJawaharlal his difficultNehru political path, which is in our Past Tens column), probably appreciated it the most, a why children held a special place in his life. It is this sentiment much-needed respite from his difficultDay’ political path, which14, is that India celebrates as ‘Children’s on November why children a special place in his life. It is this sentiment Nehru’s birthheld anniversry. thatAsIndia celebrates ‘Children’s on November 14, we sat down to as plan this issueDay’ of Culturama, I asked Nehru’s birth anniversry. myself, “When does childhood end and adulthood begin?” appointment times, posed for photos and Aswriting we satthis down to from plan this girl’s issuehigh of Culturama, I asked I showed am note school reunion us how a manmy can in adulthood control of his in myself, does endbe begin?” Mumbai.“When We met lastchildhood as a group ofand giggling 16-year-olds, own schedules without anygirl’s gadget that blinks orin Iready am writing thisthe note from my high adults. school reunion to enter wide world as young Thirty-four beeps to tell him do and when tovia dothe it.power His Mumbai. Weby met last as atogroup of 16-year-olds, years went and wewhat rediscovered thegiggling “gang” ready to enterWhen the wide world as adults. Thirty-four pen, a little diary and a up, briefcase with him and of Facebook. we met we young were go "wise" women in our years went bytohad and we rediscovered the via the he is able carry the world with it. was 50s; so much changed and yet so “gang” much the power same. of Facebook. When we metourselves up, we were in We had reintroduce people we in our the It is a to great reminder for us to to"wise" makewomen ansat effort 50s; sobench muchwith hadfor changed and yet so much wasclassroom. the same. same 13 years in classroom after to outdo ourreintroduce ancestors. The thumb and forefinger had towere to people sat in the OurWe features vaguelyourselves familiar but hadwe withered don’t join with for for an ape, but do forage aafter man. Whenor same bench 13 years in classroom classroom. weathered us a bit… squeals of delight were heard as the they dogame join in vaguely India, it is a symbol of wisdom, Our features were familiar but ageled had or guessing with quizzical expressions us withered to discover weathered us a bit… squeals of delight werethen heard as the “chin mudra”. And it isback only wisdom that sets who each one was. Going tothis school and spending guessing game with quizzical ledour uswork to apart animals. Can we each on aus weekend infrom the hills nearby,expressions we exchanged lifediscover stories; who eachhappened one our was. knowledge Going back tointo school and then spending life had without us even knowing it –applying there had translating wisdom, abeen weekend in the we exchanged our lifeand stories; losshills of what anearby, child, parents, brain lung whatcancer, we know to weloss do,ofso that we focus on life had happened without us even knowing it – there had surgeries, wedding bells and divorce…but through all there the eternal along the ephemeral inbrain ouritand lives? been cancer, awith child, loss ofasparents, had been gritloss andofdetermination so many women lung had This becomes especially important in the wake of surgeries, wedding bells and divorce…but through it all there scaled great corporate ladders, set up businesses and run thebeen recent violence and children, had grithomes and determination as so many women had spectacular andagainst offices. women We cried, laughed, sang, scaled corporate setand up businesses run wheregreat all came sense of ladders, morality humanityand was danced and back relieved we still cared. spectacular homes and offices. laughed, AndPerhaps I came back with the feeling that the soullieissang, also lost. the solution toWe thiscried, does not on danced and came back relieved we still cared. healed by being childhood friends. So the outside, butwith really is inside each onethis of issue, us. And I came backinwith the feeling that the soul is also rediscover the child you through our Feature story that As we enter the New Year, the only resolution we healed by being childhood friends.our So Athis traces India’s folk with storytelling traditions; to Zissue, that can make for ourselves is to respect our fellow rediscover child inchildren’s you through our Feature storyseries that lists India’sthe popular literature, television human being, reach out toChild the divine incolumn them traces India’s folk storytelling traditions; our A to even Z and movies trand our popular Friendly bythat our lists India’s popular children’s literature, television series as we reach out to ours, and reawaken the light youngest writer. and moviesdo trand our Child Friendly column by and our ofFinally, darkness in the world. reach outpopular to a childhood friend this month youngest celebrate writer. India’s Children’s Day in your own way. Finally, do reach outour to areaders! childhood friend this month and Happy Diwali to all Ranjini Manian celebrate India’s Children’s Day in your own way. Editor-in-Chief HappyManian Diwali to all our readers! Ranjini

E-mail: globalindian@globaladjustments.com

Editor-in-Chief Ranjini Manian E-mail: globalindian@globaladjustments.com Editor-in-Chief E-mail: globalindian@globaladjustments.com Follow us on Follow us on

READERS SURVEY READERS SURVEY The Reader's view makes it all new! The Reader's view makes it all new!

The 15th Annual Beautiful India Expatriate Photo Competition DEAR We continue to aplan a and good magazine on itsinput wayand to ahelp perfect one. Thank DEAR READERS, theentries! year ends new one send to change a good is nowREADERS, waiting forAs your Win and exciting prizes joinus usyour valuable Thewe 15th Annual India Expatriate Photo Competition you very much for your time and revamp Culturama to suit your needs.toPlease begins to do Awards aBeautiful revamp of Culturama suit your magazine on it's way to a perfect one. thoughts! Thank you We very forof thehope stunning Ceremony! READERS, the year ends and a /1.2!5 new one send us and to change a good is/Ů (! /! now waiting forAs your entries! Win +*(%*! exciting prizes joincarried us *!!DEAR 0 '! Ŋto )%*10!/ 7(( %* +1. 0+ and much foryour yourvaluable time and thoughts! have some ofinput them onhelp page 6. take five minutes fill in 0+ our online survey to Visit www.globaladjustments.com/photocompetition begins to do Awards a revamp of Culturama to suit your magazine on it's way to a perfect one. Thank you very forwe thehope stunning send your valuable input Ceremony! and to change *!! us /Ů (! /! 0 '! Ŋ )%*10!/ 7(( www.globaladjustments.com/culturamasurvey %*help +1. +*(%*! /1.2!5a 0+ much for your time and thoughts! Please 0+ visit: Visit www.globaladjustments.com/photocompetition Please visit: www.globaladjustments.com/culturamasurvey culturama | |january 2013 CULTURAMA APRIL CULTURAMA | NOVEMBER 2012 2012 3

contents 26

8 Present tens

Thinker, Doer, Seer

12 Past Tens

THE Culturama team had the privilege of meeting with Dr.Karan Singh, cultural ambassador, champion of inter-faith dialogue, environmentalist, writer and former king. The added honour was his graceful acceptance to guest-edit this New Year issue. His precise knowledge, his dynamism, his passion to bring the vision of peace through culture to light was not just infectious but hugely inspiring. Read on to see his message to the readers of Culturama on page 8.

JRD Tata

14 Short message service

Snippets of Indian Culture

18 A-Z of INdia

First Things First

22 in your kitchen

Food for Thought

26 Feature

Politically Correct 32 Look who's in town

Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai

Consultant Editor praveena shivram

creative head J K Behera Editorial Coordinator Shefali Ganesh

46 give to india

10 Times as Special

Associate Designer Prem Kumar

Advertising

Chennai trishla jain

Bengaluru mukundan T

Delhi-NCR preeti bindra, ruchika srivastava Mumbai & Pune Farah bakshay E-Culturama Shezina Kallarakkal, Samyuktha Sunil

Advisory Committee N Ram, Camilla Skaremyr Krook, G Venket Ram, Marina Marangos, Suzanne Mcneill, Babette verbeek

DISCLAIMER: Views and opinions expressed by writers do not necessarily reflect the publisher's or the magazine's.

culturama | january 2013

Talking Point & Language Learners

54 global citizen

Nothing Personal

56 Holistic living

Levels of Personality

58 MYTH AND MYTHOLOGY

Yellow-Striped Canvas

48 thought leaders

In Good Spirits

Fever Pitch

59 POSTCARD FROM INDIA

Striking a Pose

60 FESTIVAL OF THE MONTH

Indian Thanksgiving

62 CHILD FRIENDLY

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Published and owned by Ranjini Manian at #5, 3rd Main Road, Raja Annamalai Puram, Chennai â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 600028 and printed by Vivek Sachdev at NPT Offset Press Pvt.Ltd., Royapettah, Chennai - 600014. Editor: Ranjini Manian

52 at global adjustments

47 art beat

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Know Where to Go

40 Calendars

Editor-in-Chief Ranjini Manian

50 seeing India

Destiny's Children

63 iseries

Indian Book, Movie and Music Review

64 Tell us your story

The House Whisperer

65 & 66 space and the city

Property Listings

culturama | january 2013

Team Culturama feedback gathering

READERS SURVEY

Thank you dear readers for responding to our Culturama survey! We received an overwhelming response and would like to share some of the them Why we read Culturama It gives us a good perspective on Indian culture, history, festivals, fables and we also like the nice advertisements. It’s our Bible for living in India. It feels good to read about India’s great culture and tradition and what expats think about them. I loved it when we lived in Delhi; now it is nostalgic to look back on this time last year through Culturama. I read Culturama since it showcases various cultures in a nutshell. The layout and prints are so excellent that one can’t keep it aside without going through it. I’m trying to learn as much as possible about India...the culture, the festivals, the people… Culturama really helps! I love the way that each topic is clearly summarised and written reasonably short (one to two pages). Thank you for the interesting information in every issue. Keep going.

culturama | january 2013

What we would like to see I would like to know more about places to visit and about Indian restaurants. I would like more stories on crafts of India. I would like to know more about the common people of India. More articles on the contemporary artists of India. Articles on heroes in day-to-day life. Other Suggestions Why don’t you make all copies soft to save the environment? Soft copy is great, because I now live in Israel and can follow you on the Internet. I only read the digital version and enjoy looking at it and finding it monthly in my inbox. Please ensure all the past Culturama copies are retained on your ISP’s servers for future reference. Thank you.

culturama | january 2013

Present Tens

10 questions for An Indian influencer

R an j i n i M an i an

Thinker, Doer, Seer “I CAN think of no other Indian who has come to represent the ethos of our great civilisation than Dr. Karan Singh”. When the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, said this in his speech at the launch of Dr Karan Singh’s ‘I Believe – Universal Values for a Global Society’, a 40-minute video on how we can shape and guide the world in the 21st century, I thought it was one dear friend, who only happened to be Prime Minister, complimenting another dear one. But when I met Dr. Karan Singh a year later, I truly believed because I experienced his contagious leadership of providing uniquely Indian solutions

culturama | january 2013

to the problems facing India and humanity on the whole. We had the honour of an exclusive interview with the handsome and regal 81-year-old (he looks like he is going on sixty), former Raja of Kashmir, veteran Congress leader, Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) MP, Champion of Inter-Faith Dialogue, President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Indian Ambassador to the UNESCO and a man who can reel off from ancient Sanskrit texts as easily as he can adapt to the modern language of today. A most engaging speaker, prolific writer and, most of all, an accessible human being!

What are some of the beliefs you hold, which we need to behave like global citizens? Take responsibility for all people and the planet, overcome our fears and insecurities, appreciate our culture and beauty, and discover the divinity that lies in the hearts of all and throughout the cosmos. You say life’s goal is raising the level of consciousness. How do you do it and who are the role models you admire? There are four paths or Yoga to doing this, which can help all humanity. Gyan Yoga, for which we need a discriminative mind; it is like Plato’s theory that we see only shadow. For this form of yoga, you don’t need a form to worship or meditate, but it is the hardest form to adapt. Ramana Maharishi, our own Indian saint, was a brilliant example of one who succeeded in this way. The second is Bhakti Yoga, which is the way of the heart. Develop love and devotion to some form of the divine, whether it is Jesus, a Goddess, Moses or Shiva. Indian Saint Ramakrishna was a devotee of the Goddess who succeeded in this path. The third is Karma Yoga, the way of action. In the Sanskrit chant, we say “yad yad karomi tad tad akhilam shambo tava aradhanam.” This is the way of the Gita. You can act yet, living in the midst of all, you can achieve spiritual growth as you offer your actions to the divine and accept results as Divine will. Indian philosopher Swami Vivekananda was a Karma Yogi par excellence. The fourth is called Raja Yoga, the royal road, which involves breathing practice. Hatha yoga as physical exercise is only a small part of it, but the Western world knows this mostly as yoga. Sri Aurobindo was a master following this path. One of the four paths and a combination of them is needed to do grow spiritually. What paths have you, a high profile public figure, followed in your own life? I have tried to combine all four paths and, let me be clear, I am far from successful, although I have sincerely attempted. I have studied and embraced the Upanishads, our own high watermark of world philosophy for Gyan Yoga. I was a devout Krishna devotee, and then for some unknown reason, became a Shiva devotee. In my 60 years of public life, I tried to place myself constantly at the feet of the divine attempting karma yoga. And I do some pranayama for raja yoga.

What is your take of India and the world? Ours is the oldest continuing civilisation in the world. It has been based on certain principles, which is the reason it has not just survived, but flourished. Whether it was the Prambanan Temple in Indonesia, Angkor Wat in Cambodia or Martin Luther King’s Civil Rights Movement, Indian philosophy, culture and architecture influenced the world. There is an extraordinary inclusiveness in Indian society. There was a time when the country’s top three posts were held by non-Hindus – the Presidency, Prime Ministership, and the head of the ruling party. We can be a model for democracies around the world.

According to me, one of the leitmotifs of Indian culture is “Ano bhadra kruthavo yantu vishwa da” that translates as “Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions”

Bharat Bala directs the cast of ‘Hari Om’ culturama culturama| |december january 2012 2013

Asking why politics is turbulent is like asking why the sun is hot. Holding on to the inner spirit, even when the young grow up and see corruption, will mean they become front and center on the stage of a global renaissance that is waiting to happen.

As President of the ICCR, it is a privilege for me to serve in your committee. What work of the ICCR, under the Ministry of External Affairs, would you like to share with our readers? Culture is the basic strength of a society and thus is an important bridge in developing understanding between countries. ICCR provides the vision by engaging in cultural collaborations and diplomacy with other nations. In that sense, it has provided the cement to strengthen bilateral and international relations in all areas. Its growing role is recognised in the increased number of cultural collaborations ICCR has launched in the recent past. We will celebrate and showcase India at Europalia 2013, starting off in Brussels, on the theme of “Encounters”, in a series of events from October, so Europe can insightfully understand India. Can we continue our conversation? Your leg seems to be troubling you…. Sometimes, it is life’s negative experiences which teach you more. I had a problem with my hip when I was 15years old, and had to be in bed, on my back, for 18 months till I was mobilised at 19. I learnt to be calm through this tough experience, it built my inner mettle. I am okay now, please go ahead. How can we improve our current turbulent times? Asking why politics is turbulent is like asking why the sun is hot. There must be some people in politics who are able to stick to certain ideals, and say no to questionable activities; to focus on the fundamental duties in our Constitution, develop civic awareness, interfaith values and family values, which transcend to embrace values for a global society. Holding on to the inner

spirit, even when the young grow up and see corruption, will mean they become front and centre on the stage of a global renaissance that is waiting to happen. If you could travel on a time machine into the past, who is the Westerner that you could learn most from and what would you ask him? I would go meet Plato, the greatest philosopher, and ask him about the meaning of life. We could discuss highest and finest Greek thought and parallels with Hinduism. As a former king of Kashmir, tell us about your love for the queen you married? I believe that what withstands the test of time is to develop a selfless and undemanding friendship or love between partners, spouses, friends, within or outside recognised barriers. My wife was Yasho Rajyalakshmi, fondly called Asha. We were married when she was 13 and I, 19, and we had love and companionship for 60 long years before she left the earth a couple of years ago. I got more votes because of her (laughs fondly), as all the women would come out to see the Maharani! What is your 2013 New Year message to readers of Culturama? Bahu jana hitaya, bahu jana sukhaya – work for the welfare of many, the happiness of many. Let’s each do our bit to eradicate poverty in this country and only then can we truly reach our potential. You have to fulfill your social responsibility before you can fulfill yourself. Love your country, but develop a responsibility for the planet. Rediscover reverence for the earth.

The film “I Believe” by Raja Choudhury is based on Dr. Karan Singh’s book “I Believe: A Philosophy for the Global Society” and retails at Rs. 499. For more details, visit www.ibelievethefilm.com

culturama | january 2013

Past Tens

An Indian's footsteps worth following

S u san P h i l i p

JRD TATA

He was known as the father of civil aviation in India, acknowledged as a giant in Indian business, and largely considered the architect of modern India

Citizen of the World: French, Indian, English and Japanese make for a heady mix. It produced Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata, who straddled the Indian industrial scene like a Colossus for over half a century. His father was a Parsi, his mother a Frenchwoman. He studied in France, India, Japan and at an English Grammar School. Family Ties: Jeh, as he was known to those close to him, was the scion of an illustrious family. His father was a first cousin of pioneering Indian industrialist Jamsetji Tata. He married Thelma Vicaji in 1930, but they did not have children of their own. Industrial Revolution: When JRD took over as Chairman of Tata and Sons, aged just 34, in 1938, there were 14 companies in the group. When he voluntarily stepped down some 50 years later, it had grown to 95. Spheres of activity ranged from steel to automobiles, software to watches. Scientific Interest: Industry wasn’t the only thrust area. The Sir Dorabji Trust, of which he was Chairman, set up the Tata Memorial Centre for Cancer Research and Treatment in 1941, the first such institution in Asia. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and the National Centre for Performing Arts, all in Mumbai, were others that came up under the aegis of the Trust. Employee Relations: He is probably everyone’s dream boss. He initiated many path-breaking measures to ensure employee welfare, which were later made statutory under Indian law.

culturama | january 2013

Photo courtesy from the cover of 'jeh - A life of JRD Tata' by Bakhtiar K Dadabhoy

Flying High: As a child, he watched the legendary Louis Blériot, the first person to fly across the English Channel, land and take off from the Normandy beach where the family took their annual vacation and fell in love with flying. He grew up to become the first Indian to hold a pilot’s licence, and proceeded to set up India’s first commercial airline, Air India International, which later became the national carrier, Air India. Trophies and Awards: His many achievements won him many awards and recognitions. A selection: Honorary Air Commodore of India, United Nations Population Award, and Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award. End of an Era: JRD Tata passed away in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 29, 1993, aged 89. The Man behind the Legend: He bowed to his father’s wishes and joined the Tatas as an unsalaried apprentice in 1925, but in doing so, had to give up his plans to go to Oxford. This remained a lifelong regret. Despite his drive and determination, his wealth and his achievements, he was a simple soul. He lived in a rented house, sported crisply starched clothes, used a small book-lined room as studycum-bedroom, and was generally unassuming. Quotable Quotes: On his success as the head of one of India’s largest business houses: “To lead men, you have to lead them with affection.” On being told he was to receive the Bharat Ratna award: “Oh my God! Why me?” .

culturama | january 2013

Short Message Service

easily digestible cultural snippets

S u z anne M cne i l l

Konkani g Showcasin aspects of re in Indian cultu tible easily diges snippets

Bastar Dhokra

Konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani

konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani konkani

KONKANI is the official language of the state of Goa, and is spoken along India’s western coast, particularly in Karnataka and northern Kerala. According to the Puranas, one of India’s ancient religious texts, the coast was threatened by tumultuous waves. Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Vishnu, shot his arrow into the sea and commanded Varuna, the god of the sea, recede up to the point where the arrow landed. The piece of land thus recovered came to be known as Konkan, meaning ‘corner of earth’ (kõna ‘corner’ + kana ‘piece’). During Portuguese rule, Konkani went into decline, as Portuguese became the official and social language amongst Christians in the region, while Hindus preferred to use Marathi. The language has a rich vocabulary that draws on Sanskrit, several Indian languages, Persian and Portuguese, and Konkanis are one of India’s most multilingual communities. According to the 2001 census, there are 2,489,015 speakers of Konkani. Try practicing ‘Tumka mell-nu khushi zalli’, which means ‘Nice to meet you’.

Lambani Embroidery Photo Vrksa Arts & Crafts www.vrksa.in

BASTAR DHOKRA is one of the oldest techniques of metal casting in India, and has been practised for over 4,000 years. Dhokra initially denoted the craftsmen themselves, who lived in nomadic tribes that have now settled mainly in West Bengal, but the name is now applied generically to the beautifully shaped and decorated brass objects they create. Primitive and simple in style, the pieces are decorated with folk motifs, many with distinctive and intricate wire-like spiral embellishment. Models of animals and birds predominate alongside figures of the gods, ritual vessels and lamp stands. The objects are formed using the lost-wax process of metal casting, by which a replica of the desired figure is made of bee’s wax, carved and shaped into a detailed model of the final image. The model is then covered in layers of clay, which takes the negative form of the wax on the inside and becomes the mould for the molten metal that will be poured inside it. Drain ducts are left for the wax, which melts away when the metal is poured in, taking the same shape as the wax. The outer layer of clay is then chipped off and the figure is polished and finished.

culturama | january 2013

Photo Yana Fetova, slovakia

LAMBANI is the distinctive, colourful embroidery of the seminomadic Lambani people, who dwell mostly in southern and central India, particularly around the vast rocky region that made up the 14th-century Vijayanagara Empire. The women decorate their traditional dress of skirts, blouses and veils with lambani embroidery, which combines mirror work, pattern darning (rows of varying length of running stitch, which create geometric designs), cross stitch and quilting stitches. The borders of the fabrics are decorated with patchwork appliqué, and embellished with cowrie shells, tassels and coins. Traditionally presented to daughters for their weddings, lambani embroidery has been adapted to create products such as heavily embroidered bags that are a favourite tourist buy. Lambani was recently granted a Registered Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Indian government.

culturama | january 2013

Short Message Service

Jantar Mantars THE words Jantar (‘instrument’) Mantar (‘formula’) translate literally as ‘calculation instrument’, and this is the name given to the five astronomical observatories built by Maharaja Jai Singh II in the 18th century. Of these, the most famous and well preserved are the Jantar Mantars at Delhi, built in 1725, and at Jaipur, built as an integral part of Jai Singh’s ambitious new city between 1727 and 1734, and the largest stone-built observatory in the world. The Jaipur Jantar Mantar consists of 18 massive stone structures – trapezoids, circles and giant-sized pillars – designed for the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye. As the earth orbits around the sun, shadows fall onto astronomical scales set into the surfaces of the stones, identifying the position and movement of the sun, the moon, the stars and planets. The impressive sundial, the Samrat Yantra, can calculate the time to within two seconds, whilst the Jaiprakash Yantra marks the zodiac symbols, and was vital to astrologers for calculating auspicious days for marriage. Photo Mike Eliseou, UK

Kho Kho

The Wish Tree TREE worship is a belief that is rooted in ancient Indian philosophy where trees are endowed with mystical powers. Holy trees like the Neem and Banyan are common not just in temples, but also in nooks and corners of bustling Indian metros. The tree is deified and worshipped with people often tying threads or annoiting the tree with turmeric and flowers while sending out their prayers and wishes to the other world.

Photo courtesy www.ishaoutreach.org

KHO KHO is one of the most popular games in India and demands speed, strength and stamina. Played on a rectangular pitch outdoors, it is essentially a game of tag, but has evolved into a tactical team game of nine players each. Eight players from the ‘chasing’ team kneel in a row across the centre of the pitch, each player facing the opposite direction from the player next to them. The ninth is the ‘chaser’, and they take position at the end of the row, ready to pursue the ‘defender’, who must last the seven-minute innings without being tagged. The defender can run anywhere around the pitch and through the central row of kneeling chasers. The chaser, though, can only run in one direction around the row, cannot change direction or cut through the row. Instead, the chaser changes position with a kneeling team-mate by touching them on the back and shouting ‘kho’ – the attack is built up through a relay of ‘khos’, the chasers changing position fast and furiously as they pursue the defender. The game is won by the team that tags all their opponents in the shortest possible time. Watch this game at http://tinyurl.com/clqtn2z

culturama | january 2013

Photo Douglas Vanherpe, Belgium

culturama | january 2013

A to Z of India

26 Things you might like to know about India

S u san P h i l i p

First Things First It’s the first month of a new year, always a time of excitement and anticipation. Taking off at a tangent from there, being the first, a trail-blazer, holds a special honour. India led the world on several counts. A look at people, institutions and entities that breached frontiers in myriad ways

lam Ara: Indian cinema broke its silence with this film on March 14, 1931. The country’s first full-length talkie, it was screened at the Majestic Cinema Theatre in Mumbai (then Bombay). The story revolves around palace intrigue and romance, and the dialogue is a mixture of Hindi and Urdu.

engal Gazette: This was India’s first English newspaper, and also the first to be printed in the whole subcontinent. Brought out by James Augustus Hickey, it was a weekly which started on January 29, 1780, first published in Kolkata (then Calcutta).

ornelia Sorabje: She has not one, but three firsts to her credit. She was the first Indian woman barrister, the first lady graduate from the Bombay University, and the first woman in the world to study Law at Oxford! This extraordinary lady was also a social worker, and often offered her legal services to poor women and orphan children free of charge.

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adabhai Naoroji: A Parsi from Bombay, Dadabhai went to England as a partner in the first Indian company to be established there. Though he subsequently resigned, he stayed on and his home became a meeting place for those connected with India. His influence on India’s freedom movement was considerable.

rnakulam District: Located in the southern Indian State of Kerala, it has the distinction of being the first to become fully literate. A pilot project that began in the late 1980s, involving thousands of volunteer workers and tutors, resulted in the state becoming 100 percent literate in 1990.

athima Beevi: Her appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court in October 1989 marked more than one first. It was the first time a woman was holding the post and the first time a Muslim woman was being appointed to the higher judiciary in India.

eneral Motors: was the first company to set up an assembly unit for cars in India. It began operations in 1928, using imported automobile parts. The first cars to roll out from the plant at Sewree were Chevrolet’s National Series AB Touring, and the features included wooden wheels!

age Raho Munna Bhai: was the first full-length Hindi feature film to be screened at the United Nations Auditorium. The screening was held on November 10, 2006, as part of the celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s first Satyagraha. The film is a modern-day take on the values propounded by Gandhiji.

um Log: Translating as ‘We People’, it was Indian television’s first soap opera. Aired on what was then the country’s national and only channel, Doordarshan, the story of the ordinary life of an ordinary middle class family held the nation riveted for 156 episodes.

uthamma Chonira: was India’s first woman diplomat, joining the Indian Foreign Service in 1949, after passing the Indian Civil Services examination the previous year. She became the country’s first woman ambassador when she was given the post in Hungary.

obel Prize: The first Indian to win this coveted honour was Rabindranath Tagore. His Gitanjali, literally meaning ‘An offering of Songs’, was considered by the judges to be “profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful”, and they awarded him the prize for literature in 1913.

ndira Gandhi: The daughter of India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, she became the first woman Prime Minister of the country. Her appointment was a huge inspiration for Indian woman who were till then, by and large, conditioned to subservience.

amshedji Tata: founder of the Tata Group, was the first Indian to own and drive a car, along with Rustom Cama and Kavasji Wadia, both Parsis like him. Three Oldsmobiles were imported for them in the year 1901.

iran Bedi: was the first woman to join the Indian Police Service (IPS). Her career began in 1972, and ended with voluntary retirement in 2007. She held many challenging and important posts while in the IPS, but perhaps her most outstanding stint was as Inspector General of Prisons, Tihar Jail, Delhi. She initiated reforms and welfare measures there, and was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award.

scar for Lifetime Achievement: Renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray was the first Indian to bring home the little golden statuette. He was given the award in 1992, for his body of films. The movies are in Bengali, but they have an evergreen, universal appeal.

ratibha Patil: was sworn in as President of India on July 25, 2007, becoming the first woman to hold the country’s highest constitutional office. Her term, as the 12th President, came to an end in July 2012. During her tenure, she took steps to further the causes of women’s empowerment and agrarian issues.

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utb Complex, Delhi: Here you will find India’s first true dome and arch built in the Islamic style of architecture. The original monument, the tower, envisaged as a commemoration of Mohammed Ghoni’s defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan, was constructed in 1192 CE, but subsequent rulers added their own touches and it grew into a complex.

ishwanathan Anand: He is India’s first grandmaster in Chess. He won the title in 1987. He has won the World Chess Championship five times since 2000, and is the reigning champion. His achievement is all the sweeter because it was in India that the game of chess originated.

akesh Sharma: made history when he boarded the Soyuz T-11 and was blasted into space on April 2, 1984. He became the India's first astronaut in space, and spent eight days aboard the Salyut 7 space station as part of the Indian Space Research Organization’s joint venture with the Soviet Intercosmos programme.

achin Tendulkar: The demigod of Indian cricket has breached a bewildering array of frontiers. His crowning glory came during the team’s Asia Cup encounter with Bangladesh in March 2012, when he became the world’s first batsman to score 100 centuries in International cricket.

axila or Takshashila: technically in Pakistan today, but it was a great and revered centre of learning in ancient India. It is considered the first University of the region and one of the first in the world. Famous students included Chanakya (strategist and administrator par excellence), Charaka (Ayurvedic doctor) and Pannini (Grammarian).

ddalaka Aruni: Arguably the first rationalist and scientific thinker in India, he finds a place in the Upanishads, a part of the Hindu scriptures, as a sage and teacher who tried to explain the nature of Man and the Universe.

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axworks, especially at Madame Tussaud’s in London, are numbered among the ultimate acknowledgements of a person’s impact on society in one way or another. The first Indian to be so honoured was none other than Mahatma Gandhi.

plorers: All through history, India has acted as a magnet for people from all over the world. Megasthenes the Greek explorer’s visit in the pre-Christian era is perhaps the first recorded. Fa-Hein, a Chinese monk, was the first visitor from that country, around 399—413 AD. Marco Polo came in 1292, and Vasco da Gama in 1498.

aadein: a movie directed and acted by Sunil Dutt, was the first Indian film to win a place in the Guinness Book of World Records under the category of ‘fewest actors in a narrative film’. The only other character is his wife, Nargis Dutt, who appears just once, as a silhouette in the final scene.

akhir Hussain: was the first Muslim to hold India’s highest constitutional office. He was sworn in as the President on May 13, 1967. Sadly, he has another first to his name – he became the country’s first President to die in office on May 3, 1969.

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In your Kitchen

understanding an indian community through their food

H ar i n i S ankaranara y an

Food for thought

The traditional Tamil Brahmin community boasts of a unique culture as old as the Vedas itself, and their food isn’t far behind

ACCORDING to legend, the Tamil Brahmins can trace their origin to Sage Agasthya, one of the seven sages of the Vedas, India’s oldest scriptures on spirituality. When the sage decided to cross the Vindhyas and settle in the southern part of the subcontinent, the first Brahmin settlement took root in the South. The Tamil Brahmins, usually divided into the Iyers, Iyengars and Gurukals, boast of a unique culture as old as the Vedas itself. As history would have it, the priestly Brahmin class who settled in Tamil Nadu eventually moved to the adjoining southern states adapting their customs and food to the local sensibilities. “The Tamil Brahmins traditionally always began their day with a cup of strong coffee. They never had breakfast. Instead, they would have what is today referred to, as brunch,” says Chitra Vishvanathan, all of 73 years, from an orthodox Tamil Brahmin family, yet refers to herself jokingly as a ‘Tam Bram’ with a twist. She blogs about food, has an app about food and answers all questions related to food on her Facebook account. Talk to her about food and you can hear the enthusiasm in her voice. “Tam Bram food is one of the most balanced meals that you can find; it’s pure vegetarian, with some really orthodox Brahmins even shunning onions and garlic,” she says. Brunch would consist of the ever present rice with dal, a couple of vegetables lightly sautéed with mustard flavoured with curry leaves and garnished with a sprinkling of fresh coconut, sambar and rasam (lentil-based gravies) and curd.

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The crunch factor is provided by the crispy appalam (rice or lentil crisps). With the first meal being heavy and fulfilling, the Brahmins were free to carry on with their duties. 2 p.m. called for the mandatory cup of filter coffee followed by tiffin at around 3 p.m. Fluffy idlis with chutney and sambar or crisp dosas and sometimes an upma is perfect for the hungry stomach. Dinner was again rice accompanied by something light. Festival days or special occasions meant a deviation in this pattern. Depending on the occasion, certain dishes were to be avoided or some others were compulsorily made a part of the meal. Since the original Tamil Brahmin’s life was dictated by the rituals he was to perform and follow, food followed a strict pattern. A celebratory meal is usually served on a banana leaf and is called ‘elai sapadu’, literally, ‘food on a leaf’. Often, on the menu, one would find unusual vegetables like the stem or the flower of the banana plant. While the daily meal might be simple to look at, there are at least 15 to 20 different spices that are blended together to make the balanced flavours sing. Even though the meal is completely vegetarian, the lack of protein is made up with the liberal use of dal and pulses. According to Chitra, even though the food, like the people, is rooted in tradition, it is not averse to be adapted. With the harvest festival of Pongal in Tamil Nadu just around the corner, she gives us her version of the Chakkara Pongal (sweet rice dish).

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Did you know?

Chakkara Pongal Ingredients

The word ‘Iyer’ is supposed to have originated from the Tamil word ‘Ayya’ meaning, “the respected one”. Traditionally, the food served to a Brahmin is eaten only after he performs a ritual called “annasuddhi”, which means “the purification of rice”. Three of India’s Nobel laureates, Sir C. V. Raman, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar and Venkatraman Ramakrishnan hail from the Tamil Brahmin community.

*It’s Not Going to Blow Up! The Pressure Cooker is the Indian version of a regular steamer. The lid of the cooker is lined with a rubber gasket on the inside and a “weight” attached to the top. This way, when the pressure builds, the weight moves up an inch to release the steam and sounds like a whistle, and settles back down to allow the pressure to build again. Indians measure cooking time with the number of times the whistle sounds, and will usually lower the flame after the first whistle, although this completely depends on what is being cooked. Remember to wait for the cooker to cool down before opening it and make sure water levels inside are higher than that of the ingredients. 24

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Rice – 2/3 cup Moong dal – 1/3 cup (roast dry lightly) Powdered jaggery – 2 ½ cups Cashew broken – 50 gm Raisins – 50 gm Milk – 2 cups Water – 3 cups Ghee – 3 tbsp (more is optional), Cardamom powder and nutmeg powder – each ½ tsp Edible camphor – one pinch (optional)

Method • Soak the rice and dal for 15 minutes, wash and strain. • In a big pressure pan or pressure cooker*, add water, milk, rice and dal. • When the mixture starts boiling, close the cooker and place the weight, but do not wait for the whistle. • At once, simmer the gas and cook for 15 minutes. • In the meanwhile, in another pan, take 1/2cup of water and add the powdered jaggery. • Stir continuously till the jaggery dissolves. Strain it and keep ready. • After the pressure drops, mash the mixture lightly with a potato masher and add the jaggery water to it. • Put it back on the flame and boil along with 2 tbsp ghee. • When everything is blended, add the cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and edible camphor and remove from the fire. • In a small pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee, lightly roast cashew and raisins, and garnish the rice before serving.

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Feature S u z anne M c N e i l

Politically correct Photo federiCo donega, italy

Photo marianne vanloo, the netherlands

‘How can one determine the future of an ageless civilisation that was the birthplace of four major religions, a dozen different traditions of classical dance, 85 major political parties and 300 ways of cooking the potato?’ Shashi Tharoor, politician and author1

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REPUBLIC day, one of India’s main national holidays, is celebrated each year on January 26 and marks the adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1950 following Independence. The Constitution established the structure and duties of India’s political institutions, providing a framework that to this day imposes order on the exuberant and energetic political life of the country – no small task, as Tharoor’s wry, tongue-in-cheek observation implies! In the years after Independence, the country’s political life was dominated by the Congress, the party that had led the freedom movement, but as regional politics matured and flourished local identities, ideologies and issues have changed the political landscape. The next general election is due in 2014 – here’s a short guide to India’s political system, parties and individuals to help readers demystify the political life of India.

What Kind of Political System Is This? The Government of India was established by the Constitution of India, which became law on January 26, 1950, with a universal franchise for all adults, thus creating the world’s largest democracy. Like the United States, India has had a federal form of government, which has authority over a union of 28 states and 7 territories. However, the central government in India has greater power in relation to these states, and is modelled after the British parliamentary system. How Does it Function? The Government is made up of three branches, executive, legislature and judiciary: • Foremost in the executive is the President of India, who is the head of state and is elected by a national electoral college for a five-year term. • The President appoints the Prime Minister of India as the head of Government • The Prime Minister’s party or political alliance holds the majority of seats in the Lok Sabha (‘house of the people’), the lower house of Parliament. • National executive power is centred in the Council of Ministers, or Cabinet, appointed by the Prime Minister, but all directly responsible to the Lok Sabha. • The legislature comprises the upper house or Rajya Sabha (‘state assembly’) and the lower house, the Lok Sabha. • Finally, a three-tier independent judiciary, including trial courts and High Courts, is led by the Supreme Court, which has the power to declare law, and to strike down union or state laws that contravene the Constitution.

Photo gerhard ritter, germany

Remember Members of the Lok Sabha are elected directly by the people of India. Each is formed for a five-year period, after which it is automatically dissolved. Up to a maximum of 552 members can be elected to the Lok Sabha, including up to 20 members representing people from the seven Union Territories (these are territories ruled directly by the government and include, for example, the Lakshadweep islands, and the NCR, the National Capital Region of Delhi) and two members appointed at the President’s discretion to represent the Anglo-Indian community. Following the 2009 elections, there are presently 545 members of the Lok Sabha representing numerous political parties.

Photo Galina Zagumennova, russia

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The Lok Sabha

People to Watch in the News

The Numbers Game I The coalition that forms the majority in the current Lok Sabha is the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), members of which include • The Indian National Congress (INC, 206 seats) • Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK, 18 seats) • The National Congress Party (9 seats) • Eight other parties make up the rest of the 248 India has a multiseats held by the UPA party system and In opposition is an alliance political allegiances of 156 seats, headed by are based frequently • The Bharatiya Janata on linguistic, regional Party, or BJP (115 seats) and caste identities. • Janata Dal (20 seats) Consequently, it is • Shiv Sena (11 seats) and necessary for parties another five parties. to form political A ‘Third Front’ of 77 seats alliances to gain a is an alliance formed by majority in the lower • The Communist Party of house, and coalition India (Marxist) (15 seats) politics is the norm. • The Bahujan Samajwadi Party (21 seats) • Biju Janata Dal (14 seats) • The Communist Party of India (4 seats) plus a further six parties. • Nine more parties plus independents make up the rest of the 15th Lok Sabha.

The Prime Minister and his 35-strong Council of Ministers make up the Indian Cabinet, the country’s decision-making body, which is based in the grand Secretariat Building in New Delhi. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in parliament and the senior member of cabinet. Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. An economist, he is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term, and the first Sikh to hold the office. The Defence Minister is charged with supervising the agencies and functions of the government relating to national security and the armed forces, and has the largest budget of India’s federal departments. Arackaparambil Kurien Antony is the current incumbent, and previously served as the Chief Minister of the state of Kerala. Chidambaram Palaniappan is the Minister of Finance. He is a corporate lawyer and member of the last two Congress-led governments. He has previously served as Home Minister. The Minister of External Affairs represents India in the international community and determines foreign policy. The post is held by Salman Khurshid, a lawyer and writer who began his political career under the prime ministership of Indira Gandhi, and who is serving his second ministerial stint. The Home Minister, Sushilkumar Shinde, is responsible for the maintenance of internal security and domestic policy. He is also the Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha. The Minister of Law and Justice administers the country’s legal affairs, justice, and legislative affairs. The position is currently filled by Ashwani Kumar, who previously held the portfolio of Parliamentary Affairs.

• West Bengal 16 seats • Kerala 9 seats • Pondicherry 1 seat

The Rajya Sabha The Numbers Game II Seats are allotted in proportion to the population of each state so, for example: • Uttar Pradesh holds 31 seats • Maharashtra 19 seats • Tamil Nadu 18 seats

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The Rajya Sabha is limited to 250 Terms of office are six members, 12 of whom years, with one-third of the are nominated by the members retiring every two President for their years. The Rajya Sabha has contributions to society, equal footing in practically and the remainder of all areas of legislation with the body is elected Lok Sabha. In the case of by the states. conflicting legislation, a joint sitting of the two houses is held. However, since the Lok Sabha has twice as many members as the Rajya Sabha, it would normally hold the greater power in such sessions. Only three such joint sessions have been held, the latest one for the passage of the 2002 Prevention of Terrorism Act.

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Who Are All These Political Parties? The multi-party system consists of both national and regional parties. If a party is represented in more than four states it is labelled a national party. Here are the parties that currently dominate the Lok Sabha: Indian National Congress (INC) Founded in 1885 by members of the Theosophical Society, the INC became the leader of the Indian Independence movement in its struggle against British rule. After 1947, it became the nation’s dominant political party, led by the NehruGandhi family for the most part, and ruling the country for 52 of the 65 years since 1947. In 1998, Sonia Gandhi accepted the post of Congress President and winning a majority in elections in 2004, she backed Dr. Manmohan Singh for the post of Prime Minister. The INC is viewed as India’s most secular party, and campaigns on a liberal, left-of-centre agenda Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) The BJP has an image of being pro-Hindu and socially conservative. It was founded in 1951 to espouse the nationalist cause, and has its roots in the pre-Independence RSS, formed to uphold Hindu culture and traditions. By 1962 the BJP had become one of the most effective opposition parties in India, able seriously to challenge the power of the INC in various north Indian states, and so it entered mainstream politics, often in coalition with regional parties. In 1999, the BJP-led alliance NDA won 303 seats, lasting its full term of five years under the premiership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) DMK, meaning ‘Dravidian Progress Federation’, was founded in Madras in 1949 and was conceived initially as an independence movement in support of the Dravidian peoples of southern India. The party has long been associated with the Tamil film industry: its founder C.N. Annadurai was a script writer, and the party’s ideologies were popularised in the mid20th century by actor M.G. Ramachandran. ‘MGR’, as he was known, went on to form the AIADMK after a political tussle with M. Karunanidhi, another popular screenwriter, for the DMK leadership. The DMK-Congress alliance secured a majority in the 2009 parliamentary elections. The Communist Party of India (CPI) Although the British colonial authorities banned all communist activity, 1925 saw the founding of the CPI, 1

As quoted in an article in FT Weekend Magazine, 17/18 November 2012.

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India’s far-left political party. Post-Independence, the CPI led insurgencies against titled landowners who were reluctant to give up their power. These rebellions were crushed and the party abandoned this policy of armed struggle. Nonetheless, the CPI and its offshoot, the CPI (Marxist), are considered champions of the cause of the workers and the poor, and continue to advocate anti-capitalist, anti-globalisation and anti-imperialist principles. The parties have a strong presence in Kerala, West Bengal and the north-eastern state of Tripura. Janata Dal The original Janata Party (‘People’s Party’) was created to oppose the State of Emergency declared in India by Indira Gandhi between 1975 and 1977, and went on to form India’s first non-Congress government. The original organisation fragmented during the 1980s, leading to the Janata Dal, formed in Bangalore in 1988 as a merger of the first Janata Party with several smaller opposition parties. Further splits have seen Janata Dal re-branded as Janata Dal (Secular), while Janata Dal (United) has a strong presence in Bihar and Jharkhand. Shiv Sena ‘Shiva’s Army’ emerged in 1966 from a campaign in Mumbai demanding preferential treatment for Maharashtrians over migrants to the city, and became prominent in the city’s trade union movement. The modern-day party’s primary base is still in Maharashtra, but it has tried to expand across India by supporting a broader Hindu nationalist agenda, aligning itself with the BJP. Shiv Sena was a coalition partner in the NDA cabinet between 1998 and 2004. The party is led by Uddhav Thackeray, son of the founder Bal Thackeray, a political journalist. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) BSP is a centrist party that leans towards socialism. It was formed in 1984 by a charismatic Dalit leader Kanshi Ram to represent Bahujans, meaning ‘people in majority’, those from the country’s minority castes and tribes. Ram was succeeded in 2003 by Mayawati, four-time Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and an icon to millions, who call her Behen-ji, or ‘sister’. Uttar Pradesh remains BSP’s main base, and it is the fourth largest party in the present Lok Sabha.

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Look who's in Town ben g a l u r u

Peter & Anne Warner at the Grover vineyard, Bengaluru

Travel Gurus

Britisher Anne Warner talks to us about travelling in India and what to look out for HAVING clocked in more than a 1000 km in the three months she has been in Bengaluru, Anne Warner is definitely your go-to person for travel tips! Along with her husband, Peter, Anne has travelled to Mysore, Chennai, Kerala and Ooty and is full of unforgettable moments and anecdotes. “On the way from Ooty back to Bengaluru, we took a ‘short route’, via many hairpin bends on quite a hair-raising road. There were signs at every turn offering pearls of wisdom such as, ‘Don’t curse the darkness, light a candle’, my favourite was, ‘For Free Mortuary Van, Call 85!” The British Route Travelling in the UK is mostly done by road and we drive our own cars for reasonable distances. The train is also used frequently back home. Here, driving by ourselves is out of question in this traffic. As for airports, I find it amusing that men and women stand in different queues for security checks! The actual train journey itself is fsuch a colourful sensory experience, with bags, people and even sacks of produce travelling together. Tip Time While travelling by train, don’t open your wallet to pay porters. Instead, keep some change handy always. Do carry mosquito repellents, the local ones like Odomos are very effective. For women, the salwar-kameez is the best while travelling. Don’t forget your maps, bottled water and medicine for diarrhea!

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Laugh Lines In one of the hotels we stayed at, the shower mechanism was completely incomprehensible. The only instructions that were provided were inaccurate and in French. In the end, we had to call reception for help. A charming young lady arrived very promptly and, to our amazement, turned on a gushing stream of water from the shower with the flick of a wrist. Tip for travellers: check you can make the shower work when you first arrive in the room, and not when you are running late in the morning to meet your guide. Travel Notes We find the best way to book hotels is through a known travel agent. This way, the agent would also refer good guides to take you around places you want to see. It is good, however, to book your own tickets for air, trains. Also, ask your friends for suggestions on places to stay in and where to eat. Don’t hesitate to take trains or buses, it is a worthwhile experience! When in Britain In the UK, travelling is a little easier, as one can book air, bus or train tickets online. You don’t need guides either, as most places have an audio guide for tourists. A must-have when travelling in the UK is a raincoat or an umbrella; you never know when it rains! Good to also have a map handy.

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Look who's in Town de l h i

Belgian Douglas Vanherpe takes time out from behind his camera and shares with us his experience of Delhi’s best snapshots

Capital Shots AS A subject for photography, India isn’t new for Douglas Vanherpe, who arrived in Delhi last year from his hometown, Ghent, in Belgium. “I have been to India before on holidays and so far, I have been to Kolkata, Varanasi, Rishikesh, Mumbai, Lucknow, Rajasthan and Kerala, and I should be able to add Goa and Allahabad to this list in February,” he says, rattling off the names with the ease of someone who has comfortably settled into the capital city. “The last year has been quite hectic, I have to say – starting a new job, settling into a new house, making new friends, and generally getting acquainted with this bubbly city. Though, looking back, I think I coped well with Delhi,” he says. One of the winners of our 2012 Beautiful India Expatriate Photo Competition, Douglas talks to us about the sensitive side of taking pictures in India. The Belgian Picture The difference between taking pictures in Belgium (or almost any other country) and India is the many festivals and celebrations and the omnipresence of colours in India! I find it very easy to photograph people on the streets or in small villages, as long as one respects the culture and the place. It really comes to using your “common sense” while taking pictures. I once saw a tourist taking a picture of a legless beggar lying in front of a Mosque. Why would someone want to have that picture in your holiday album, unless you’re doing a reportage (which wasn’t the case!) In Belgium, we have a very good word for that – ‘ramptoerist’. The literal translation would be a “disaster tourist”. Delhi Framed The most beautiful places to be photographed in Delhi would be the Jama Masjid Mosque, the narrow streets of Old Delhi, Humayun’s Tomb, Lodi Gardens, Red Fort... there are too many to list, and every time you visit them it’s different, because of the time of the day and the light, the people who are there, and so on. Snap Tips My advice would be to always ask people around or friends to make sure you have the approval to shoot. In terms of photography, I usually focus on the details,

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which are often interesting and important! Finally, when you go somewhere, try to go there with “open eyes” as it was for the first time. When in Belgium In Belgium, people who don’t know you feel very awkward and don’t like it when you take their picture. I suggest you always ask before taking their picture and even explain why. The three best places to take pictures in Belgium are: Ghent, Ghent and let me think… Ghent! It’s truly one of the most beautiful places in Belgium and a well-kept secret! I’m sure everyone falls for the charm of the old facades, the castle in the middle of the town, the small canals, the flowers that are everywhere, the friendly people, the good food, the over 100 different beers, the famous chocolates, the waffles, …That’s it, I’m homesick now! I need to book a holiday and go back to Ghent very soon!

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Look who's in Town M u mba i

Fredrik & Camilla Krook with their children

Settled & Sorted

For the Krooks from Sweden settling into Mumbai has been an adventure unto itself and here’s why

THEY have been in Mumbai for just four months, but already Fredrik and Camilla Krook have come to terms with India’s unique dynamic. “Patience is a skill you really learn to practice in India. Things take time and sometimes, people promise but do not deliver,” says Camilla with quiet assurance, although she confesses that it can be overwhelming in the beginning. “I remember this SMS I received from Camilla on our fifth day in our new flat. I was in office for a meeting. ‘Fredrik, we have three guys claiming to be electricians, two cable TV guys, two Internet guys, five guys from the furniture store and two guys putting up curtains in our flat. Guess what? Our shipment of stuff from Sweden just happened to show up with an additional six people in the flat. So please come home soon!’ laughs Fredrik, before giving us the low-down on their settling-in process in the New York of India. Playing House Our family looked at a quite a few flats. Eventually, we choose a rather small apartment, but with great recreational areas. Our main concern was to make sure that the kids would have the opportunity to go out and have fun without having to take them somewhere on a daily basis. Obviously, Mumbai being Mumbai, distance to work and school played an important role in our decision-making as well.

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Road Rules We have been fortunate to find a fantastic driver. Life would have been a lot more complicated if it wasn’t for Afroz. He gives us tips, he takes us to places and he corrects us when we are wrong, as well as supports us with a lot of everyday shopping. Food for All Finding food has been quite a bit of an adventure for us. Luckily, we have had lots of new friends who have been helping us out with tips. Coming from Europe, we are very spoiled with hypermarkets solving all our grocery needs. ‘Allo ‘Allo It took us quite a bit of time to get local phones. I think our controller fainted when he got my phone bill after our first month in India, with only a Swedish SIM-card! Domestic Help We have been relying on recommendations from other expats living in Mumbai. We are very lucky to have found Rukshana who has helped us a lot. Not only with the flat but also to make sure handymen come when promised and that they actually do the work properly. Applying for a maid who is used to working with expat families is a great advantage.

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Look who's in Town chenna i

Going Local

Tineke outside the Mylapore Temple

Belgian Tineke Sysmans takes us on a guided tour of Chennai’s must-see places, so hop on! TINEKE SYSMANS takes a while to think of her first impressions of Chennai. With a laugh, she says, “Chennai was hot and humid and not to mention dirty, but all that seems so long ago.” Four years ago, Tineka arrived in Chennai with her husband, Dirk, and fell in love with the friendly people in the city and the fact that “everyone knows English”. “At times, I think I know the city better than even my driver!” she says with obvious pride. She recalls many incidents from the four years in the city that make her smile, “At one temple car festival, the devotees pushing the car suddenly realized the overhead cables were blocking the way. The cables just got cut to make way!” Here’s Tineke’s version of the cultural capital of India. Belgian Leisure The Ardennes is where most of us in Belgium go to relax; it is a hilly region where we hunt for game and enjoy nature in peace. A lot of the coast back home is also developed for leisure activities, so people go for a swim, there are shops built around the beach or you could just take a walk or jog. Here, in Chennai, the kind of leisure in the open is missing. Though we have beautiful beaches like the Marina here, it is not clean enough and there are hardly places where we can go for a swim. Top Three List Top of my list would be Mylapore, especially during the Mylapore Festival held in January. You will find hundreds of

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kolams drawn on the roads around the Kapaleeswarar temple. And make sure you catch the chariot procession of the gods. Next on the list would be the Koyambedu Flower Market, best when visited at 4 a.m. This market holds a special place in my heart for the beautiful spectacle of huge quantities of the most colourful flowers being traded. And finally, Parry’s Corner, although very crowded, is a must visit. There are separate streets selling everything, from bangles to utensils. Tips, On the Go Don’t go to these places when it rains, or you may need rain boots! If you want to really see the places, you need to walk, so wear comfy shoes. Autos are most useful where you can’t walk. If you want to buy something specific, take someone along with you who knows the place. And at the flower bazaar, do have a bag handy for all the flower samples you will be given for free! When in Belgium Remember not to bargain when shopping in Belgium. And do not litter, as it invites a fine. Do visit Brugge; the city has a lot of history. Antwerp is a must see for its beautiful buildings from the middle ages. And the Ardennes, which is the best place to chill out with its game and good food. .

culturama | january 2013

events CALENDAR MUMBAI

English Play

Workshop for Children

National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), NCPA Marg, Nariman Point, Mumbai ‘All in the Timing’ is a collection of short plays by David Ives. Each of the adapted comedies will deal with perspectives on life and relationships between people. The plays are being presented in association with Josef Weinberger Limited, London. Call 022-22824567 for more details.

P L Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy, Sayani Road, Prabhadevi, Mumbai Calling children aged between 9 and 12 years for the ‘Magic Reading Room’ workshop on story writing and more. Learn to act out stories, be part of an online writer’s gallery, and create your own journal and many such creative activities. Call 022-24365990 for more details.

Exhibition of Egyptian History

Exhibition of Photographs

January 12|1900h

Till March 24|1100h to 1900h Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, 159/160, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Fort, Mumbai. This unique exhibition uses scanning and projection technology and takes visitors through a 3D experience of Egyptian history that focuses on funeral beliefs and making of mummies. Travel back in time to see the coffin of Nesperennub, an Egyptian priest of 3000 years ago! Call 02222844484 for more details.

Till March 16|1030h to 1530h

Till February 1| 1100h The Loft, New Mahalaxmi Silk Mills, Mathuradas Mills Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai London-based Turkish artist Guler Ates is displaying her photographs that are based on stunning contemporary visuals. The exhibition is titled ‘Trace of the Traceless’ and is inspired by historical and architectural sites in Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Call 022-30400166 for more details.

The Indian Derby

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival

An annual horse racing event held on the first Sunday of February, it is one of the premier sporting activities in the city. First established in 1943, the event is also known as the ‘Crown Jewel of the Triple Crown’. The race is restricted to four-year-old horses and is an important event in the city’s social calendar. Book your tickets on www.in.bookmyshow.com.

Kala Ghoda Area, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Mumbai Kala Ghoda Arts Festival is Mumbai’s festival extravaganza that offers a kaleidoscope of music, dance, theatre, literature, handicrafts and more. Take part in the many workshops for adults and children, participate in heritage walks, enjoy Indian folk performances and shop till you drop at the many roadside stalls. The festival is called Kala Ghoda, literally meaning “black horse” after a statue of King Edward VIII astride a black horse. Visit www.kalaghodaassociation. com for more details.

February 3 Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Mumbai

For a slice of culture in Mumbai through Culturama’s pick of events this month

culturama | january 2013

February 4 to 12

events CALENDAR DELHI

Music Festival

January 12|1900h Siri Fort Auditorium, Asiad Village Complex, August Kranti Marg, New Delhi The NCPA ‘Aadi Anant – From Here to Eternity’ travelling music festival is back. This year, the festival celebrates the Indian tradition ‘Guru—Shishya’ (Master to Disciple) tradition of learning music. The event will showcase gurus of vocal and instrumental music including Zakir Hussain, Ajoy Chakrabarty, Shivkumar Sharma. Call 01126493370 for more details.

Oz Fest – Art Exhibition Till January 19 Seven Art Limited Gallery, M 44/2, M Block Market, GK II, New Delhi

Part of a cultural exchange project, the Oz Fest brings together the works of three contemporary Australian artists, Kate Daw, Emily Floyd and John Meade. All three artists have spent time in India and their paintings are influenced by their experiences and their people interactions in the country. Call 011-64640884 for more details.

International Rock Art Festival

Till January 21 | 1100h onwards Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), C.V Mess, Janpath, New Delhi Presented by the IGNCA, the festival will explore solutions for preservation of rock art. See works of art on rocks by artists from the Indian states of Odisha, Maharashtra and Gujarat, along with international rock art forms. You can also attend workshops by international experts. Call 01123389675 for more details.

For a slice of culture in Delhi through Culturama’s pick of events this month

Snoop Dogg Live in Concert January 13 Leisure Valley Ground, Sector 29, Gurgaon

Popular American rapper Snoop Dogg will perform in Delhi in an all-day concert. Music enthusiasts can catch the rapper sing his biggest hits and the latest tracks of his new albums. The gates will open at noon for the audiences. Enjoy the party atmosphere with leading Indian DJ’s, Hip Hop artists, gaming zones, interactive photo booths, food zones and more. Log on to in.bookmyshow.com for tickets.

Photography Exhibition

Till January 21 | 1100h to 1900h Vadehra Art Gallery, D-53, Defence Colony, New Delhi Explore the relationship between textile and dance in the photography exhibition titled ‘Dance of the Weave’. American photographer, Briana Blasko has been living in India and researching dance and textiles for many years. Call 011-46103550 for more details.

Workshop for Children

Till February 3, in batches | 1000h Jabberwocky, M- block, Greater Kailash II, New Delhi Jabberwocky and Trinity Guildhall London are conducting workshops on Speech and Drama for children between 3 and 14 years. The workshop will guide children in skills like poetry recitation, miming techniques and more. Participants will be awarded an international certificate from Trinity Guildhall. Call +91-9810577893 for more details.

culturama | january 2013

events

CALENDAR BENGALURU

Foundation Cartoon Workshop

Art Exhibition

Till January 12|1100h to 1900h

Indian Cartoon Gallery, # 1, Midford House, Off M.G Road, Bengaluru The Indian Institute of Cartoonists is conducting a twoday foundation workshop on the subject. The workshop is open to all interested in the art of cartooning with no age limit. For registrations, call 080-41758540.

Galleryske, #2, Berlie Street, Langford Town, Bengaluru Artists Aparna Rao and Soren Pors from Denmark are holding their collaborative exhibition titled ‘Applied Fiction (Reworked)’. The works of both the artists originate from their impressions and nature of interactions and relationships. Call 080-41120873 for more details.

Bicycle Safari

Filmmaking Workshop

January 5 and 6|1100h to 1900h

January 12, 19 and 26 Art of Bicycle Trips, #14, Keshavraj Layout 8, 3rd Cross, Cambridge Road, Ulsoor, Bengaluru The Art of Bicycle trips organises weekend day trips on bicycles inside Nritygram, the dance village. The leisurely bicycle safari combines the experiences of classical dance, idyllic village gardens, lakes, dairy farms and more. To register for this trip or to know about more, log on to www. artofbicycletrips.com or call 09538973506 for more details.

English Play

January 19 and 20 Ranga Shankara, 2nd Phase, JP Nagar, Bengaluru ‘Robinson and Crusoe’ is an English comedy about two soldiers from different camps who are stuck in the middle of an ocean during war. Wary of each other in the beginning, the play shows them slowly building a bond. Directed by Gracias Devaraj, actor-director from Germany, this play brings out a message that says friendship breaks barriers. Book your tickets at www.indianstage.in

For a slice of culture in Bengaluru through Culturama’s pick of events this month

culturama | january 2013

Till February 3| 1100h onwards Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy, #36, 9th Main, B V Karanth Road, Near-Post Office, Banashankari, 2nd Stage, Bengaluru. Enroll in a workshop that gives you hands-on training in filmmaking. The workshop will talk about converting a script into a screenplay with award winning filmmakers like Prakash Belawadi and more. Classes are held over 15 weekends. Call 09449465780 or 080-26711785 for more details.

Dance Show

January 12| 1830h Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Vyalikaval, Malleshwaram, Bengaluru ‘Ojas’, a dance show by the Abinaya Dance Company will have dancer-couple Nirupama and Rajendra presenting creative dance styles. The dance will be accompanied by Indian classical and world music. Book your tickets at www. indianstage.in or call 080-42064969.

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culturama | january 2013

events CALENDAR CHENNAI

Village Heritage Festival

Music and Dance Festival

DakshinaChitra, Muthukadu, ECR, Chennai DakshinaChitra, the centre for folk performing arts, crafts and architecture of India, is celebrating the Village Heritage Festival. Throughout January, see the ceremonial dance of Andhra Pradesh, folk dances of Tamil Nadu like Mayilattam and Karagam, Kerala’s folk dance, Theyyam, and more. There will be three performances a day between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. For more details, call 044-24462435.

Taj Coromandel, #37, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Brakathambal Street, Nungambakkam, Chennai. Taj Coromandel presents a special programme, ‘Margazhi in Madras’, a customised music experience with wellknown Carnatic singers on an exclusive stage. Avail exclusive passes to a music concert or dance recital, enjoy a lavish meal at Southern Spice and take part in enriching conversations with the artistes. Call 044-66002827 for more details.

Photography Exhibition

Made by Hand – An Exhibition

January 2 to 31

Till January 12|1100h to 2000h Amethyst Cafe, Whites Road, Royapettah, Chennai Photographer Sebastian Cortes is exhibiting his photo-essay on his visual interpretation of Pondicherry. The photographer ventures into homes, spaces and routines of people in the French town. Several French and Indian writers have expressed their views on Pondicherry, complementing the artistic perception of Pondicherry. Contact 09840438608 for more details.

Photography Exhibition

Till January 10 | 1730h Aurodhan Art Gallery, #33, Rue Francois Martin, Kuruchikuppam, Pondicherry

The Alkazi Foundation for the Arts is exhibiting exclusive photographs from the Alkazi collection of photography. The pictures are drawn from the un-published album of Cartier Bresson, founder of Magnum photos, who clicked the last pictures of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. Call 0413-2222795 for details.

For a slice of culture in Chennai through Culturama’s pick of events this month

culturama | january 2013

Till January 15

Till March 2 | 1830h to 2000h Tara Books, #9, CGE Colony, Off Kuppam Beach Road, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai Take part in an exclusive exhibition that reveals Tara Books’ hand crafted bookmaking process. Live demonstration of their speciality, silkscreen printing, will also be held. Contact 044-42601033 for details.

Mamallapuram Dance Festival Till January 25

Shore Temple Complex, Mahabalipuram An annual event organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu, the festival will highlight the classical and folk dance forms of India. Classical dances like Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Odissi will share space with folk dances like Thappattam, Bommalattam, Therukoothu, Dangi and more. Visitors to the festival can soak in the rich dance forms in a pleasant seaside ambience of Mahabalipuram’s Shore Temple. Visit www. tamilnadutourism.org for more details.

culturama | january 2013

Give to India P ra v eena S h i v ram

10 Times As Special

The V-Excel Educational Trust, a not-for-profit centre for special education, celebrates 10 years of advocacy for persons with special needs

WALK into the V-Excel Educational Trust’s premises in Chennai and the energy is palpable. Regular classes are interspersed with children, teachers and volunteers painting make-believe train coaches and kites, cutting out large thermacol leaves for the spice tree in the spice garden, sorting reams of cloth for the saris of India display, carefully creating beautiful pieces of art with paper, and practising for a parade. It is 10 years of V-Excel’s tryst with special education and the burst of colour and enthusiasm for their cultural extravaganza, titled ‘Portraits of India’, is proof enough of what the journey has been like. “One of the most challenging aspects of teaching a child with special needs is the realisation that this child has come to our centre with a mission which we will be a part of. It is for us to discover this and serve the child in our journey together, and understand that education can be healing,” says Dr Vasudha Prakash, Founder and Director. The programmes, therefore, at the centre are designed to address this. The Kaleidoscope Learning Centre (KLC; a special school), the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (a rural outreach programme helping over 5,000 children), the Academy of Teacher Excellence (a year-long diploma in special education), V-Excel Remedial Centre (to help students in regular schools cope with the curriculum), Vocational Training Unit (for differently-abled young adults), Counselling and Assessments (for physical and emotional health of

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children and parents), Early Intervention (for 0—7 year olds), are some of the programmes offered by this nonprofit educational trust. “Our megafest is primarily an advocacy and awareness initiative that also celebrates the diversity of India’s culture and traditions. Every year, we host an Annual Day that showcases our children’s growth and development through a staged theatre production, but this year, we wanted it to be bigger,” explains Gita Bhalla, Principal, KLC. “This day-long event will exhibit products created by our children, hand-crafted articles by artisans, traditional games and street food of India, performances by our children and classical musicians in the city, interaction with experts in the field, and a unique poster exhibition that gives you a glimpse of our special world,” she adds. Date: January 10 Time: 9am to 9pm Venue: YMCA Grounds, Nandanam, Chennai. The event is ticketed at Rs 20 per person and tickets are available at the centre or at the venue on the day of the event. All are welcome. Contact Shenbagavalli at V-Excel Educational Trust, #1, Norton 2nd Street, Mandaveli, Chennai – 600028 or call her at 24956373/24620243 for further details.

Art Beat

Yellow Striped Canvas Aishwarya’s paintings of India’s national animal are brimming with compelling strokes, artistic realism and the arresting spirit of the animal itself

THE soul of humanity lies in its expression of the arts and no one understands that better than Aishwarya Ramachandran. Having completed her Master’s in BioMedical Engineering from the Arizona State University, Aishwarya returned to India two years ago to pursue her passion for art. “I come from a family where someone was either drawing or sketching, and art has been a complete stress buster for me starting from college. It brings out the emotions in you and you learn to handle yourself better. I would just say to be able to paint means to be calm and happy. And staying happy all the time is the hardest challenge people face all over,” she says with her characteristic smile. Tigers are Aishwarya’s pet project and she loves painting them in their natural environment through soft pastels. A student of artist A.V Ilango, tigers came into her life when she saw a painting of the magnificent animal in her mentor’s studio. “As a student in the US, a lot of my friends thought that the elephant was the national animal of India!” she says. It was then

that a serious reflection on the subject took place and eventually found expression through charcoal and oil pastels. “I love the tigers’ eyes; they look so calm yet have these killer looks.” Along with their artistic implications, these works of art are also aimed at increasing awareness on tigers and the peril they are facing in being one of the most endangered species in India. “Honestly, I have nothing against the elephant, but hardly anyone glorifies the beautiful tiger,” she says. The World Wildlife Fund, New Delhi, recently exhibited Aishwarya’s black and white works titled ‘Tigris’, and her oil pastel work in colour on tigers were also showcased as part of a group exhibition, ‘Down South’, at Artworld (Sarala’s Art Centre), Chennai. For those in Bengaluru, do catch Aishwarya’s “tigers” on display at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath Art Complex at Kumara Park East, Seshadripuram, between January 2 and 7. Call 080-22263424 for more details.

culturama | january 2013

Thought Leaders P ra v eena S h i v ram

In Good Spirits Dr Michaela at a lecture

A rare conversation with Dr Michaela Glöckler, Head of the Medical Section of the Goetheanum, School of Spiritual Science A 100 YEARS ago, a charismatic Austrian scientist and philosopher, Dr Rudolf Steiner, laid the foundation for what is today a living, breathing, global impulse. He called it Anthroposophy, a modern path of knowledge and spiritual science that has touched and transformed medicine, mathematics, astronomy, education, agriculture, the performing arts, the social sciences and architecture. “From its word, Anthroposophy is understanding the wisdom of the human being. ‘Sophia’ means wisdom or knowledge and ‘Anthro’ is for human, and that is what it is all about. Steiner called this a spiritual science because science is always about thinking – clear hypothesis, observation, experiment, evaluation. We can only know what we can think,” explains Dr Michaela Glöckler, Head of the Medical Section of the Goetheanum, School of Spiritual Science since 1988. In Chennai for the International Postgraduate Medical Training (IPMT) programme, a week-long residential course on the holistic understanding of health and education based on Anthroposophy, we caught up with Dr Michaela in a rare chat about what Anthroposophy means to India and her own journey.

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“My grandmother listened to Rudolf Steiner’s lectures in Berlin and decided to move to Stuttgart, so that her two daughters could go to the first Waldorf School (or Steiner School) in Germany. When my mother, who was at a university in Berlin, met my father, they decided to move back to Stuttgart after the Second World War. My father became a Waldorf teacher and co-founded the first German Anthroposophic publishing house, ‘Verlag Freies Geistesleben’. So I grew up with Rudolf Steiner’s photo in our home. Personally, I started with Anthroposophy when I was 16 years old,” she says. Trained as a paediatrician at the community hospital in Herdecke and at the Bochum University Paediatric Clinic in Germany, Dr Michaela has written extensively and lectures regularly in conferences and workshops across the world. She is also the founder of the IPMT initiative that was first conducted in Poland in 2002. “Steiner named ‘thinking as the unobserved competence in our consciousness’, because we think without considering what it means to have thoughts. Therefore, we are often not aware that it is definitely the light of thinking, which brings us all

material and spiritual insights to our understanding. And the depths of understanding depend on the clarity and quality of our thoughts, which can be developed further. At the Goetheanum, the only institution established by Steiner, he inaugurated an interdisciplinary esoteric school for thought-based science and spiritual learning to inspire the different fields of academic learning and everyday practice. The philosophical foundation of Anthroposophy is given in Steiner's book, ‘Philosophy of Freedom’ that leads one through a thought-based process of self-knowledge towards an understanding of the spiritual world. It is naturally based on everyone's individual thinking and leads to the inner evidence of how spirit lives in the everyday life events, as well as in academic understanding of man and matter. Therefore, in all the different sections at the Goetheanum, we encourage students to rethink, to re-evaluate what they have already learnt. According to this, for instance, Anthroposophic Medicine is an integrative medical system, not an alternate system,” she says. As in Europe, in India too, the impact of Anthroposophy is evident in the number of institutions and schools that have been established. Steiner’s India connection, in fact, dates back to his days as the member of Annie Besant’s Theosophical Society – Adyar as the secretary in its section in Germany. However, Steiner’s ideas of spiritual activity as a result of independent thought differed from those of Besant’s oriental leanings. “Actually, if you Google what Steiner said about India, there are endless quotations. Historically, India is the source of all spirituality in today’s global community. Steiner’s first lecture series in 1912 in the newly-formed Anthroposophic Society, was upon the Bhagwad Gita and St Paul. He connected ancient Indian oriental wisdom with the wisdom of Christianity. If the ancient method of initiation was through the yoga of breathing, rhythm and repetition, then Steiner’s was by conscious thought. He is in agreement with all teachers, the truth we find is always the same, but the access to it is different. Anthroposophy just serves as a tool to understand one’s beliefs, attitudes, values or religion better,” clarifies Dr Michaela. In a world wheretherearesomanypathstoenlightenment, what seems to set Anthroposophy apart is the quality of responsibility it places on the individual and on individual effort. “To believe in something without understanding it, I find spiritually un-aesthetic. It undermines the dignity of the human being. The one who produces miracles and wonders furthers dependency, whereas the Anthroposophic path is strictly furthering individual freedom of personality,” says Dr Michaela. “I do not talk about Anthroposophy in order to convince others, or because I think it is "the best". I love to share about it if others ask me to do so. I try to help others to find their own way towards truth – because they need to learn to think about it. Anthroposophy is as complicated as the thought life. Therefore, it helps only those people who are looking for a spiritual pathway, on which they learn to awake the inner teacher in themselves: the will for self-directed thinking, self-knowledge, self-education and service "on the altar of mankind", she concludes.

Leadership Lessons Leadership is service How can I achieve this service? By helping people as much as possible to be self-active, self-managing, self-exploring Realise my ideal of leadership: I have nothing to do but to coordinate with others who are selfactive. Then I have time to do further research, in order to serve better and then I am back to point number one.

To know more about this philosophy, log on to http://www.goetheanum.org or to http://www.anthroposophyindia.org culturama | january 2013

Seeing India P o o nam M Gan g l an i

culturama | january 2013

Know Where to Go A visit to one of India’s premier institutions, the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, brings out deeper questions of modern India as it grapples with the ideal of socialism and the reality of capitalism LAST year, I visited New Delhi for the first time in over a decade. It was practically my first visit since my only earlier memory of the place was a visit to the Qutb Minar and an ice cream binge at Nirula’s with some giggly girlfriends during a school excursion. This time, the thirsty traveller in me was ready to meet Delhi head-on. The moment I stepped into the city, I gauged its personality: a survival-of-the-fittest kind of city, yet dynamic and strangely liberating in its brashness. I’ve always believed that cities have distinct personalities, and a city’s character influences the people who spend time in its company. Having grown up and lived in seven different places, I’ve evolved into many different personas. Chennai, which is home for me, is a no-nonsense kind of character; when I am there, I morph automatically into the focussed, systematic version of myself. Dubai, where I have lived and worked for the past two years now, is ambitious and constantly pushing its limits; hence my Dubai persona has to be more alert, more willing to experiment. I was curious to see what version of myself would surface in Delhi. Whatever the outcome, I was ready to fall in love with the place. In retrospect, however, I realise that I didn’t stay in Delhi for the entire visit. I instead alternated between Delhi and a mini-city within the capital – famously (or infamously) known as Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). I refer to it as a city on its own because of its distinct personality. It took me just a few moments to realise that Delhi within and beyond the walls of the massive University were two entirely different places. JNU existed as a fascinating figment in my mind for a long time. When I was a Master’s student in France, I would spend hours with a classmate from Delhi who would tell me about his student days at JNU over some sula wine. It all sounded so intriguing, so different from the conservative student life I’d had in Chennai… a carefree, yet revolutionary and passionate place where everything was open to question and debate. The same friend, now an assistant professor at the University, along with another former JNU-ite friend from Europe, now teaching in Dehradun, hosted me during my visit. Finally, I was about to experience JNU for myself! The next few days passed quickly, like multiple images flashing through the shutter of a camera: evening chai at the legendary Ganga Dhaba, meeting students of different political tendencies; debates over French toastbreakfasts about the increasing mammonist private

universities in India; midnight discussions about India’s capitalist traits, epitomised by the likes of Connaught Place; powerful slogans by the political parties on campus plastered across the walls of the university campus…. there was no fear, no paranoia; nothing was forbidden. It was socialism and democracy like I’d never seen them before… and it was all so refreshing! For the few days I was there, I soaked up the political vibrancy of the place – something one tends to miss when they are away from India. But I couldn’t help the constant, nagging feeling that I was in some sort of a utopia. It occurred to me that the main reason I enjoyed JNU so much was that it was cut off from regular reality; it allowed me to enjoy some kind of parallel existence for a few days. The truth was that life outside the University was starkly… well, normal. Perhaps, the local markets like Janpath Lane and Chandi Chowk were crowded, but so were the glitzy malls in Delhi and Gurgaon. There was a sneaking guilt in knowing that after my French toastbreakfast, I planned to step out to Connaught Place to revel in that same foreign-brand invasion; then head to good ol’ McDo for a quintessential American meal of burger and fries; and maybe even head to Barista for evening coffee after that. It was as good as sleeping with the enemy. So, was I being a hypocrite, the evil Indian capitalist that we had debated about? Or was I just being a plain tourist experiencing some of the small, yet good things in life that I’ve worked hard to enjoy? At this juncture, my Dubai persona gave me the benefit of a double perspective. Materialism is tangible in Dubai; the city is like an entrepreneur – it is hungry for success and pursues it relentlessly. The question I asked myself then was – is this necessarily a bad thing? Should there be such a thing as wealth guilt? Is socialism feasible as a way of life or can it only exist in theory? Is it fighting the inevitable process of globalisation? In antagonising a certain way of life, is one going against the very foundations of democracy? Democracy is, after all, all about choices. Perhaps, the ideal solution would be to make more choices available to the all the different levels of society. A simplistic-sounding idea, but a point for discussion nevertheless. In retrospect, my experience at JNU may have been a tad idealistic. But it created an impression nonetheless – it stirred me out of political passiveness, sparked many debates with friends from Delhi and later, Dubai… and even helped discover a few more personas within me.

JNU is at DLF Promenade Mall Back Entry Road, Vasant Kunj II, Masudpur, New Delhi. Ph: 011-26742575. JNU has shortterm courses in contemporary studies, environmental studies or foreign languages. The tallest building on campus, the JNU library, is known for its collection of books and journals. It is open to all students. culturama | january 2013

At Global Adjustments

Talking Point

14-minute speeches of ideas worth spreading by women of substance in India at the TEDxISB Women in Business Conference

Language Learners

From left to right: Jasmeet Kaur Srivastava - Managing Director, Third Eye; Ranjini Manian - CEO - Global Adjustments; Priya Anand - Supreme Court Lawyer; Gitanjali Ghate - Managing Director, Third Eye; Shalini Sarin - Head of HR,Schneider; Lakshmi Tripathi - trained classical dancer & choreographer, activist who runs NGO Astitva

“THOUGHT provoking”, “inspiring” and “life changing” were some of the adjectives used to describe the speeches by nine successful women at the TedxWomen Seminar, held at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. The theme was ‘The Space Between’. Anu Vaidyanathan was the topnotch athlete who also runs a patent firm; Pinky Anand spoke about her perspectives of right and wrong based on her experience as a supreme court lawyer; G. Sree Vidhya gave her spirited rags-to-riches life story; Jasmeet Kaur and Gitanjali Ghate shared their story of running an almost attrition-free women’s market research firm; and Ranjini Manian, Founder and CEO of Global Adjustments, India’s premier relocation company, laid bare the space between estrogen and testosterone. Her talk on brain differences, which impact behavioural differences between both genders, had the audience enthralled. “Give yourself permission to be imperfect, make the most of your core skill and simply take the plunge to confidently say ‘yes’ were the three tips she left audiences with, using real-life stories from her own experience. “A true inspiration, it was great to meet and hear you at TedxISB. I was completely mesmerised by the energy you spread and the way you brought the issues concerning women to light.” Deepak Khurana, Financial Analyst at D. E. Shaw & Co., To engage an excellent keynote speaker for your women workforce, write to courses@globaladjustments.com

culturama | january 2013

LANGUAGE classes at Global Adjustments have a lot of takers from the expatriate community. The classes help expats learn conversational English, held over a period of three months, with lessons that guide them in their everyday life. It also deals with culturally understanding India and relating to the people here. Here’s what some of our students have to say: “Most of the people I know are from America or are colleagues of my husband, and they only speak English. Global Adjustments’ English classes helped me get closer to them and since my English has improved, I meet them more often. Personally, I find it is easier for me to understand people than to speak the language. In my English classes, I improved my vocabulary and grammar. Moreover, my teacher told me a lot about her culture. That helped me to understand Indians better. My new friends told me that my English is getting better and better. It was a good decision to take the English classes.” Monika Lange, Germany “I have been learning English to relate to people outside better. I feel more confident to speak to people now. The classes have helped a lot!” Hyun Soo Lee, Korea To learn the language and live the culture, write to courses@globaladjustments.com

Where will you be on March 31, 2013?

Aikya 2013, our annual fundraiser charity concert is back in Chennai on March 31, 2013. Be part of this movement and Partner with us for the historic performance, to a packed house of 1400 Chennaiites.

Sponsorships now Open Support the Twin Causes of: Retiring Musicians and Women's Empowerment Contact: anupama@globaladjustments.com, +91 9841654816 www.globaladjustments.com/aikya.html culturama | january 2013

Global Citizen N e i l M i l l er

nothing personal What are the right questions to ask during an interview, especially within a cultural context? Our writer explores this phenomenon in “pre-politically correct” India

I RECENTLY finished a training session for an Indian company that is operating in the US. The focus of this particular session was on HR practices in the US – discrimination, harassment, retaliation, etc. Of particular interest was the list of 30 questions that are considered illegal to ask during interviews, and ways to get around those questions. This comes as a shock to most Indians, where within the first few minutes of an interview, the candidate's family status, potential marriages, health concerns, and full genealogy are made clear. We looked at the difference between ‘universalist cultures’ (those which make rules that apply to all people), and ‘particularist cultures’ (those that depend more on context and relationship). While this distinction was helpful for these Indian managers to understand the “why” behind all of these regulations, they were still baffled at the extent to which American interviewers essentially shackled themselves when trying to identify new talent. Later I was in a session with some French managers in India who were trying to develop a strategy for hiring and retaining talented young women, knowing that a majority of them would be leaving the job soon after marriage. They were trying to solve the tension of not applying a discriminatory policy while at the same time recognising the realities that existed. Soon they realised they were operating in a different world with different rules, but still needed to respect their corporate policies. The blend of India and the West often produces interesting mixes, one of which is when extremely “politically correct” cultures that are highly regulated in terms of discrimination practices try to operate in a world where knowing how old someone is and their medical background is seen as intelligent information that needs to be considered. When I sat in on my first interview in India, I was quite shocked at the kind of information that

was directly asked (“Any plans for marriage?”), and which ultimately impacted the decision to bring them on or find a new candidate. Can India be considered “pre-politically correct”? Will the tide of lawsuits and thick HR policies inevitably roll into India in the same way that burgers and pizzas have become part of the urban diet? Or perhaps as India gains influence in the world, they will provide multinationals with a compromise to this difficult cultural issue? As companies continue to expand both from and into India, these questions will come to the forefront. India has always managed these tensions with their “temporary adaptation”, understanding the pressing needs, but refusing to change its core beliefs and values. This effect on the world of HR and the idea of being “politically correct” will be one to watch closely in the coming years, and one that the Global Leader will see coming and prepare for. Until an equilibrium is found, Global Adjustments will continue to stand in the gap and help build cultural understanding and strategy.

Ask Us! Questions Expatriates asked us about India this month: 1. What would be the best way to greet Indian colleagues? 2. What is the impact of Hinduism on business practices? 3. How do I read body language? I see that everyone in India is adept at it. If you have a question or an answer write to us at courses@globaladjustments.com

The writer is Head of Business Strategy for Global Adjustments (GA). He is American and has been living in India for the past two years. For a copy of GA’s New Training Catalogue featuring all of our courses and modules, contact courses@globaladjustments.com. 54

culturama | january 2013

kerala backwater bliss

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 culturama | january 2013

Holistic Living EEknath knath EEaswaran aswaran

Levels of Personality If Chapter 3 that concluded last issue was about finding happiness in the experience of togetherness, then Chapter 4 that begins this issue, takes us deep inside, beyond the physical, to our real Self KRISHNA has given a lofty glimpse of what it means to reach our full human potential, but there is a great deal hiding our real Self – covering it up, if you like, in dense layers of mistaken identity. Here again there are levels of reality. Most of us, when asked who we are, answer in physical terms: “I’m an engineer, five foot seven, black hair, live in California.” But, of course, that is on-ly part of the answer: we are describing the body, where it is, what it does. There is an inner self – or selves! – as well. I came across a perfect illustration of these levels of personality when a friend showed me a Rus-sian doll shaped

culturama | january 2013

like an egg, apparently made from one piece of wood. I had never seen a doll like this, so I turned it around in my hands admiring its artistry. Then, anticipating my surprise, my friend took the doll back, held it up before my eyes, and twisted it open. What had seemed solid was only a shell; inside was another doll exactly like it but smaller, fitted to the outer one as nicely as a hand inside a glove. This is the Gita’s idea of body and mind: one hidden inside the other and possessing the same form, because there is a direct correspondence between the two. Teresa of Avila has a nice turn on this image: she invites us to think of ourselves as a castle with concentric chambers

made of pure crystal. Imagine a Russian doll made of crystal; wouldn’t it be beautiful? In the Gita’s version, the outermost shell, the body, would be opaque, but the one in-side would be a bit translucent. And at the very centre would be the Atman, which shines as pure intelligence. The mind, being closer to the light of the Atman, reveals some of that light; the body, material and furthest from the Atman, reveals very little. In a highly creative person – a scientist like Einstein, a poet like Milton, an artist like Michelangelo – some of this light does shine through. The more we identify with the Self, the Gita would say, the brighter our whole life will be. Conversely, if we think we are no more than the body, very little of what Browning calls the “imprisoned splendor” within us can shine forth. In fact, this idea that we are the body is the most monstrous superstition that humanity is subject to. No case of mistaken identity could cause greater grief. At the very least, as William James put it, this is so limiting a view that it leads us to think and act as if we had no more resources than our little finger. I don’t think there has been any time during the last few centuries when the image of the human being has been so obsessively physical. Everywhere we go, we find this superstition repeated, and each exposure conditions us a bit more. On the one hand, the brilliant progress in the neuros-ciences seems to have reduced the mind to electrical epiphenomena of the brain, while in popular culture the emphasis on physical appearance couldn’t be more obsessive. In one recent magazine, for example, I saw a lush advertisement maintaining that my real self is blonde; another advised me I could project a more appealing personality with a different cut of jacket. When we go on seeing this kind of thing over and over again in the media, hearing it over and over in popular songs, it sinks into deeper consciousness until finally there is no intellectual way of getting it out. One of the problems with seeking satisfaction in physical ways is that the more we try, the less we get. There is pleasure for a limited period; nobody denies that. But sensations are short-lived, and it is the nature of the physical body to get surfeited. Physical sensations are like eating a meal; after a while the body has had enough. But the desire for satisfaction remains, so the mind goes on seeking, and the longer it tries, the less satisfaction we get and the more frustrated we become. That is why the Gita keeps repeating that there is no satisfaction in anything finite. Our need is not for five minutes of pleasure, nor even five hundred years; our need is for something that lasts forever.

The main problem with identifying ourselves with the body is that we spend our lives trying to satisfy nonphysical needs in physical ways. It is as if there is a hole in our consciousness that has no bottom, and day after day we pour into this fathomless pit all the things we think will fill it: bank checks, stock certificates, material possessions, tokens of power and prestige, every fleeting satisfaction of the day. We find a little pleasure or profit and toss it in; we never even hear it hit the bottom, so we try again. This goes on and on and on; we just don’t know what else to try. Sri Krishna would object, “This is a bottomless hole. How can you fill it up? That which is infinite can be filled only with something infinite.” The deepest driving need in our consciousness is not for any finite pleasure or object or experience, but for something without limits: the direct, per-sonal, experiential knowledge of the eternal reality that is within. In Sanskrit, this mistaken identification with the body is called avidya, which simply means ig-norance: mistaking the perishable for the permanent, the finite for the infinite, the separate for the whole. This is ignorance on a truly colossal scale. It’s a good term. No judgment is implied, no wickedness, no stupidity; we simply have something to learn – not intellectually, but through personal experience.

Classes every saturday Time: 3.30 pm Venue: India Immersion Centre, # 5, Third Main Road, R A Puram, Chennai 28.

Introductory Presentation on Passage Meditation – Learn how to develop greater patience with yourself and with others. A longtime passage meditator, Ranjini Manian, will run a one-hour introductory presentation on this practical method of meditation, originated by Sri Eknath Easwaran. Email Ranjini at easwaransindia@gmail. com for more information.

Reprinted with permission from Essence of the Bhagavad Gita: A Contemporary Guide to Yoga, Meditation & Indian Philosophy by Eknath Easwaran (Nilgiri Press, 2011). Copyright 2011 by The Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, P.O. Box 256, Tomales, CA 94971, www.easwaran.org culturama | january 2013

Myth and Mythology D e v d u tt P attana i k

Fever Pitch What causes illness and disease in the world? Are they rooted in science or spirituality? Devdutt believes it’s a social outcome and here’s why IN BENGAL, when people fell ill, women of the family prayed to the twins, Jvara-Jvari, a brother and sister who caused fevers. Not much is known about these fevercausing deities or the rituals involved. However, according to one story in the Puranas, when Daksha, son of Brahma, conducted a yagna, he invited all the gods except Shiva. This angered many sages who complained to Shiva. But Shiva was indifferent to Daksha’s ritual and so did not attach any significance to it. When the sages insisted, a drop of sweat fell from his forehead. From this sweat was born Jvara (maybe along with Jvari, but that is not stated). Jvara went to the sacrificial hall and spread disease. The priests had to stop chanting as they began coughing and sneezing incessantly. Voices turned hoarse, unsuitable for the hymns. “This is the price you pay for keeping Shiva out,” said the sages. So Daksha prayed to Shiva, begged for forgiveness. Shiva, who is easy to annoy and easy to please, cured all with his grace. Across India, there are shrines associated with seven mothers or seven virgins, known as Sapta-matrika, usually symbolised by seven vermilion smeared rocks next to ponds and river banks, near tamarind and neem trees. They are said to cause pregnant women to miscarry and young babies to develop a rash. No one is sure who these goddesses are. Their origin is shrouded in mystery, yet they are found in villages across the Indian subcontinent. Some stories link them to the wives of the Seven Sages

who make up the Great Bear constellation. One day, they went before the sacred fire, or took a dip in a pond, without wearing any symbols indicating they were married. As a result, the heat of the fire, or the wetness of the water, made them pregnant. They were accused of infidelity and thrown out of the house and now they wander the earth, angry and determined to destroy the lives of women who do not acknowledge them as chaste goddesses. In the South, the goddess who brings fever if ignored and takes away the fever when acknowledged is the much feared and revered Mariamman. These temples are popular even today across India. Not many people today see disease as the wrath of a god or goddess who demands appeasement or as the work of a demon that has to be destroyed. And yet, these stories persist. It reveals our faith in how disease has traditionally been seen: not the presence of something unnatural but as the imbalance of nature’s forces. In every story mentioned in this article, disease has its roots in pain and suffering: Daksha’s rejection of Shiva, sages doubting and rejecting their wives, women ill-treated for being unmarried or barren. Disease of the flesh was then seen as an outcome of social disease, our inability to be kinder, more welcoming and more compassionate of the world around us. These deities frightened us because we refused to acknowledge some fundamental truths about life and living.

The writer is the Chief Belief Officer of the Future Group, and a writer and illustrator of several books on Indian mythology. 58

culturama | january 2013

Postcard from India

Striking a Pose

an groups of Indi ure photos of k a as ill w I I LIKE to capt s casion on many oc if they people and pose for me; to le op pe of p Often ou . gr er random even bett d in uniform, an to be s ng ki em or se w are five, which of ps ou gr In by the dian they are in I am fascinated r. n be m nu ic otograph take the mag having their ph es of im ve et lo m â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so le â&#x20AC;&#x201C; peop n I ask r say no whe . This and they neve se with them po to e m k as tside so ou al they will tendants t parking at rla, le va Ku in of l p al grou opping m sh ity C t d ke r jobs an is Phoenix Mar proud of thei ly ib s ed cr in is with big smile Mumbai, ate uniforms ul d ac ke m as I im n g he wearin Indian. W ald, s. So typically on ce D fa r ac ei M th ld on na photo with Ro nd a to take their y to pose (a pp ha an th e or ack bl m r e ei er th they w rast of I love the cont of !). w ed llo er ye tt fla ht ig little nst the br ai ag e tir at and white Ronald. ds, UK

Julia Edwar

culturama | january 2013

Festival of the Month

January

Indian Thanksgiving

INDIA takes on a colourful look during January, the season of harvesting across the country. Each region has a different way of saying thanks to the Sun God for a bountiful harvest, so here’s a look at some of them: LOHRI, popularly known as the harvest festival of Punjab, takes place typically in the months of March and April. The legendry Dulha Bhatti, who is often synonymous with the legend of Robin Hood in the West, is remembered. Children continue the tradition of going door-to-door singing his songs of chivalry, and are given gifts in return. The highlight of this festival is the bonfire that is lit at sundown, and the God of fire, Agni, is worshipped for continued prosperity. BHOGALI BIHU, one of the biggest festivals of Assam, comes from the word “Bhoga”, which means “to eat” or “to enjoy”. This two-day festival begins with the creation of the Meiji or Bhelaghar, makeshift thatch and bamboo enclosures, under which

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the entire community comes together for a feast. The next day, these shacks are set ablaze to signify obeisance to Agni, and to ward off evils for the next harvest season. MAKARA SANKRANTHI/ SANKRANTHI literally meaning “transition”, traces the Sun’s journey as it moves northwards, thus ushering in spring. Celebrated as Sankranthi in West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, this festival symbolises new hope, when families discard the old as a sign to welcome the new in the coming year. Food plays a central role, especially the distribution of sweets made of sesame seeds. UTTARAYANA like Sankranthi, signifies the movement of the Sun, as “uttar” means north, while “ayan” means movement. If you happen to be in Gujarat or Rajasthan during this harvest season, then don’t be surprised to find the sky dotted with the most magnificent array of kites, from the spectacular to the ordinary. For this is their homage

to the Sun God. Parts of Maharashtra too follow this tradition. PONGAL, the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, is a tribute to the God of rain and sun and a time to worship cattle, which are an intrinsic part of the agricultural scenario in India. The first day called “Bhogi” is when the rain god is worshipped, with a huge bonfire built to burn old things, like clothes and other material possessions. The second day, called “Surya Pongal” or “Thai Pongal” is when the Sun God is worshipped, with milk in a pot that is allowed to boil over, to symbolise prosperity in the coming year. The third day, called “Maatu Pongal”, is when farmers pay their respects to their cattle, by decorating them in colourful pieces of cloth and parading them around the village. The last day is known as “Kaanum Pongal”, which literally means “to view” – in rural parts of India, this is the day communities come together and acknowledge each other’s support in the successful harvest. If sugarcane and sweets are an innate part of the festival, then so is the dish “pongal”, made with freshly harvested rice. Turn to our ‘In Your Kitchen’ section on page 22 for the recipe. ONAM is the traditional ten-day harvest festival of Kerala. This festival is connected to the mythological story of King Mahabali, who was known to be one of the wisest and generous kings of his time. As his popularity grew, he began to rule not just the earth, but the heavens too. The Gods, displeased with this, had Lord Vishnu in the guise of a dwarf trick Mahabali into sending him to the underworld. Lord Vishnu grants him a boon of visiting his country once a year. Onam is when Kerala opens its arms to welcome their king. Pookolams (flower designs), dances and a sadhya (feast) welcome Mahabali to Kerala.

culturama | january 2013

Child Friendly Yasmeena Khan

Destiny’s Children

A tribute by our youngest writer on the tragedy that happened in Newtown, Connecticut in December.

They are Destiny’s children. We had no say in the matter. Children of Destiny are called for at birth To die, before their time And move on to a better place. So say we. But they were not our children Twenty of them did not belong to this Earth They were not ours. They were God’s, if you believe in God Or they were Fate’s. But they were not ours. Sometimes, our lives are long And we work hard for a death in peace But sometimes, we are called on before our time.

Sometimes, we are Destiny’s children. We live fast, and die young Before our first breath is taken, we are already claimed by Destiny. We are Destiny’s children. Destiny is in our blood; she is our mother and our savior. And we leave with her, because we are Destiny’s children. Twenty, they were, claimed by Destiny Killed by rage And mourned by all. Except Destiny. Because they are Destiny’s children. Destiny’s. Not ours. Destiny’s children.

The writer is 12 years old, half-Indian, quarter-Pakistani and quarter-Dutch and lives in the United States. 62

culturama | january 2013

What is it about? Rukhsana, a young journalist working undercover during the Taliban regime in Kabul, Afghanistan, is looking for ways to get her brother, Jahan, to safety, when the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice announces its application to the International Cricket Council for membership and that the best cricket team would be sent to Pakistan for training. The only one in the family who knows the game, Rukhsana trains Jahan and her cousins, hoping to flee the country and the clutches of the Minister who wants to marry Rukhsana, and reunite with her true love in Delhi, Veer. Who is it by? Timeri N Murari is an award-winning writer and playwright, and has 18 books to his credit, including the best-seller, ‘Taj’. Why should I read it? It’s an immensely readable feel-good story of the underdog triumphing against all odds. It’s also about a woman’s struggle under the Taliban regime, and reads like a blockbuster movie with racy plot, till we reach the inevitable happy ending.

Album Kadal Soundtrack by A R Rahman

i see

Book, film & Music Review

Book The Taliban Cricket Club by Timeri N Murari

What is it about? After Raavan(an) in 2010, A R Rahman has composed music for his mentor, Mani Ratnam’s next film titled, Kadal (Ocean). The first single from the movie, ‘Nenjukkule’ (In my Heart), was performed live in the first episode of MTV Unplugged: Season 2 and, within hours, went viral on the Internet. The rest of the soundtrack, released December 17, with seven songs in Tamil, is already a sell-out. The movie is slated for a February 1 release. Who is it by? A R Rahman is India’s Mozart, winning twin Oscars for Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire in 2009. Why should I listen to it? Kadal brings back the rustic brilliance of Rahman, with the songs invoking the smell of the sea and earth. According to reports, Mani Ratnam took Rahman on a boat ride to discuss the feel of the songs. The result is all but evident. Listen to ‘Nenjukkule’ for the vocals and violin, ‘Elay Keechaan’, a celebratory cry for the sea goddess’s bounty, and ‘Moongil Thottam’ (Bamboo Garden), for its melodic resonance.

What is it about? An eight-year-old boy, Parshuraam or Paarsha, is diagnosed with a rare retinal cancer, and the only option to save him is to render him blind. The doctors tell his grandfather that they can conduct this surgery only with Paarsha’s understanding and knowledge. The grandfather, along with a medical social worker, tries to explain this to Paarsha, even as they grapple with the consequences of what is to come. Who is it by? This Marathi film is by debutant director, Sandeep Sawant, who shot this film in 30 days with a shoe-string budget of 30 lakh rupees. Why should I watch it? At its heart, this is a story of relationships and how they stand the test of time – whether they are relationships we are born with or those we make along the way. It’s a story of hope, of innocence, of positive energy, and of love that transcends all. This was India’s official entry to the Oscars in 2004. It was ranked sixth and missed making it to the five shortlisted for the Best Foreign Language Film.

i hear

i read

iseries

Film Shwaas (Marathi)

culturama | january 2013

Tell us your Story

The ouse Whisperer Anita Krishnaswamy, President of Global Adjustments and relocation expert, will answer all those niggling questions you might have on housing and realty in India. Anita comes with many years of experience of working with expat clients across the major metros in India to help them find their perfect home. She can be reached at anita@globaladjustments.com

Is it easy for a foreigner to buy a car in Chennai? Or is it better to have a long-term lease? (German tenant in Chennai) Buying or renting a car pretty much involves the same amount of effort. There are advantages and challenges in both. The advantage of buying a car is that it is available for you or your family to drive if you hold a license, whereas a rented car may be available only for a limited period in a day. Buying a car would mean that you will have to engage a chauffeur, which would mean one more employee in your household. Fixing his compensation and taking care of him as your employee is an added responsibility. Renting a car would relieve you of employee management. The car leasing company will take responsibility of the car, its maintenance and the driver. If your tenure in India is more than six months, it is advisable to purchase a car as it would make economic sense, as renting a car may be an expensive proposition in the long run. Finally, the hassle of disposing of the car at the time of repatriation does not exist when you rent a car. Do we need to set up accounts for household utilities or are they generally included in the monthly rental and paid by the owner? (Dutch tenant in Bengaluru) Utilities like electricity consumption, telephone and Internet charges, liquid gas connection, cooking gas consumption, water consumption and entertainment packages are all paid by the tenant. This is in addition to the rent payable to the landlord. This is not included in the rent as the consumption varies every month. However, in very rare cases, this is accommodated as part of the rent (a cap amount is fixed which may be slightly higher than the actual consumption). The electricity connection and a meter to clock in the number of units consumed are given to the owner of the property by the State Electricity Board and are not transferable to a tenant, unless it is a sale or inheritance. Telephone and Internet, gas, water, entertainment packages are options the landlord may sometimes provide or it may be procured in the name of the tenant. This is decided during the time of lease negotiation of the property. Is Mumbai always this dusty? I am not used to daily cleaning back home; we used to do it once a week? (American tenant in Mumbai) To put â&#x20AC;&#x153;spaceâ&#x20AC;? in perspective, India is ten times more densely populated than the United States. People and vehicles are as many in a limited space. Greenery and trees are rare in densely populated areas such as Mumbai. Daily cleaning and dusting, at least once, if not twice, makes the home feel fresh and clean.

culturama | january 2013

home search - listings by global adjustments Chennai

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culturama | january 2013

home search - listings by global adjustments Bengaluru

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Napean Sea Road Spacious Apartment • 1800 sq.ft, 3 Bedrooms and study • Furnished, Modular kitchen • Marble flooring, Car parking • Servants quarters

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For the above sample and many more such properties call 91 124 435 4236/ 981551070 or email: del@globaladjustments.com Please note that any changes to the information above are done at the property owner’s sole discretion. Global Adjustments assumes no responsibility for such changes.

culturama | january 2013

Advertiser's Feature

Sweet Somethings COME January and the city comes alive. For with the birth of the New Year, comes the first festival of the year as well. Pongal, the Tamilian harvest festival, falls between the 13th and 16th of January every year. This four-day festival is important to farmers and is observed with grandeur in villages and cities alike, each day implying a special connotation. The first day known as Bhogi, honours Lord Indira, the God of Rain. People clean out their houses getting rid of old belongings and light bonfires to burn them, signifying the beginning of a new year. Early in the morning on the second day, Surya Pongal, women cook rice with fresh milk and jaggery. As this sweet concoction boils over, everyone cries “Pongal-o-Pongal” and then it is offered to Lord Surya, the Sun God. It is this tradition that gives Pongal, which means “boiling over”, its name. Maatu Pongal, on the third day, is celebrated to honour cattle, by praying to them, painting their bodies and garlanding them with bells and flowers. On the fourth day, Kaanum Pongal, meaning “to view”, people go to visit their relatives and friends.

But apart from that, what makes Pongal special is undoubtedly the rice dish, also called Pongal. There are two varieties of Pongal – Venn Pongal, a savoury, white dish and Sarkkarai Pongal, which is sweet (see recipe on the ‘In your Kitchen, page _). Sarkkarai in Tamil means sugar, but it is traditionally sweetened with jaggery. These two varieties of Pongal are cooked in a large clay pot known as Pongal Paanai, decorated with turmeric leaves. Once it is ready, the Pongal (both the sweet and the savoury) is served on banana leaf plates, with the quintessential medhu wada (see recipe) that acts as the perfect foil to the sweet pongal. After the Pongal offering, the Sun God is offered sticks of sugarcane, symbolising sweetness and happiness in life. According to one of the legends of Pongal, depicted in a carving at the Meenakshi temple in Madurai, Lord Sundareshwar miraculously brought a stone elephant to life, which could eat sugarcane. Celebrate the dawn of the New Year with Pongal and all we have left to say is: “Pongal-oPongal!”

Brought to you by Tamil Nadu TourisM 68

culturama | january 2013

RNI NO.TNENG/2010/32752

culturama | january 2013

REGISTERED No. TN/CC(S) Dn./396/13-15