iNDiA VOL 26 NO. 7 OCTOBER 2012
perspectives
I N S ID E
Culture Bonding over Durga Puja
Art Steely Wonders
PArtnershiPs India-Pakistan Ties
OCTOBER 2012
October 15-24
RAMLILA Episodes from the Ramayana are performed over 10 successive nights, culminating in Dussehra, when Lord Rama defeats Ravana. Symbolising the victory of good over evil, effigies of Ravana, his brother and son are set on fire. At the Ramlila held in the Ramlila Grounds, New Delhi, the effigies can be 60-feet-tall. Where: Across India
October 20
October 28
ROCK ‘N’ INDIA
INDIAN GRAND PRIX F1 RACE
The lineup this year includes American thrash metal band Slayer and English heavy metal band Saxon. Apart from 10 hours of non-stop music, fans can enjoy the sports and gaming zones, food and interactive stalls. Where: Bangalore
October 26-30
RAJASTHAN INTERNATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL
The second edition of the famous motor race is being held at the same Hermann Tilke-designed track — 24 km from Delhi — as last year. Where: Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida
Held to coincide with the brightest full moon night in North India, it is endorsed by UNESCO as a “Peoples’ Platform for Creativity and Sustainable Development”. Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones is a patron. Where: Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur
October 20-24
October 18-25
MUMBAI FILM FESTIVAL To celebrate 100 years of Indian cinema, a competition section, India Gold 2012, with a prize money of 1.5 million, has been made part of the festival. It will showcase Indian fiction films made in the past calendar year. Where: Cinemax, Versova, Mumbai
DURGA PUJA
November 8-10
One of the largest celebrated festivals in the world, it marks the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura, a demon in the guise of a buffalo. It is the most significant socio-cultural event for Bengalis, wherever in the world they may be. Where: Across India, especially West Bengal
HUNDRED DRUMS WANGALA
October 27-November 10
DELHI INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL The annual multi-arts, festival will feature Sufi singers from India, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey and jazz groups from Norway. Musicians and dancers from Italy, Germany, Russia, Korea and other counties are in the line up. Where: Multiple venues in New Delhi and Gurgaon, Haryana
A harvest festival of the Garos, it is dedicated to Misi Saljong (The Great Giver). On the last day of the festival, which is in its 35th year, hundred drummers and hundred women in traditional costumes and elaborate headgear will dance and sing. Where: Asanang, Meghalaya
W
hen the sun exits Virgo, the new moon of Ashwin, the seventh month of the Hindu calendar, makes an appearance. This marks the beginning of some of the most auspicious days in India. Festivity and faith subsume the country. In Gujarat, in the west, the celebrations, known as Navratri (nine nights) revolve round the famous garba and dandiya-raas dance. Women dress in chaniya choli — a three-piece costume comprising a blouse, a flared skirt, and a long scarf, all richly embellished with mirrors, beads, shells and embroideries. The men in kurta-pyjamas (a knee-length shirt over loose pants) and a turban usually made with brightly coloured tieand-dye cloth. Together, they perform high-energy dances to honour Goddess Durga. In the east, especially in West Bengal, the first ten days of the bright half of the month of Ashwin are the most significant of the year, both spiritually and socially. Known as Durga Puja, they are a celebration of the victory of the Goddess over a demon Mahishasura, who is in the guise of a buffalo. It is time to meet friends and family, a time for fasting and feasting. Huge, beautifully decorated idols of the goddess are installed in private homes as well as in public places, and worshipped before being submerged in water. Symbolically, the immersion marks the return of the Goddess to the home of her husband Lord Shiva on Mount Kailash. And in the north, not tens, not hundreds, but thousands of open-air stages spring up in villages, towns and cities. Over ten — sometimes more — successive nights the story of Lord Rama unfolds before an audience of millions. As evening falls people gather to see their favourite story, which at the basic level is a story of the victory of good over evil. Of a war between Lord Rama and Ravana, in which the demon is killed. On an other level, the stage becomes a place where religion and philosophy, ritual and theatre, converge. The spectator is a participant. This month we visit a popular but modern enactment of the Ramlila. Named ShreeRam, it is performed by a group of professional dancer-actors of the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra and is celebrating its diamond jubilee year. It is performed annually in Delhi but has toured many places nationally and internationally. A visit by officials to our neighbour, Pakistan, is always significant. The recent visit by Minister of External Affairs S.M. Krishna was no exception. Among the highlights was the signing of an agreement easing visa regulations. The new visa regime — the first major overhaul since 1974 — makes travel easier for businessmen and introduces a new category of group tourism. Moreover, people over 65 will be issued a visa on arrival.
Riva Ganguly Das
OCTOBER 2012
INDIA PERSPECTIVES
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iNDiA
perspectives October 2012 n VOL 26 No. 7/2012
OCTOBER 2012 Editor: Riva Ganguly Das Assistant Editor: Ashish Arya
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MEDIA TRANSASIA TEAM Editor-in-Chief: Maneesha Dube
LEAD STORY
Creative Director: Bipin Kumar
TRACING GANDHI’S FOOTSTEPS
Senior Assistant Editor: Urmila Marak
Dandi, Porbandar, Rajkot and Ahmedabad are milestones in Mohandas’ journey to become the Mahatma
Editorial Coordinator: Kanchan Rana Design: Ajay Kumar (Assistant Art Director), Sujit Singh (Visualiser) Production: Sunil Dubey (DGM), Ritesh Roy (Sr. Manager) Brijesh K. Juyal (Pre-Press Operator)
India This Month Chairman: J.S. Uberoi President: Xavier Collaco Financial Controller: Puneet Nanda
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Send editorial contributions and letters to Media Transasia India Ltd. 323, Udyog Vihar, Phase IV, Gurgaon 122016 Haryana, India E-mail: feedback.indiaperspectives@mtil.biz
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Partnerships: Productive Dialogue: EAM S.M. Krishna’s Visit to Pakistan
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Global Perspectives: In Step with the Changing World: Conference of the Heads of Missions
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Business: The Big Bite: India’s Food Services Industry 22
Telephone: 91-124-4759500 Fax: 91-124-4759550
India Perspectives is published every month in Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Bengali, English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Pashto, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Sinhala, Spanish, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese. Views expressed in the articles are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Ministry of External Affairs.
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This edition is published for the Ministry of External Affairs by Riva Ganguly Das, Joint Secretary, Public Diplomacy Division, New Delhi, 0145, 'A' Wing, Jawahar Lal Nehru Bhawan, New Delhi-110011 Tel: 91-11-49015276 Fax: 91-11-49015277
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Tradition: From Mundane to Sublime: The Charm of Watching the Ramlila
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Culture: Unbridled Solidarity: The Annual Immersion in Ichchamati River
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Art: Steely Wonders: 100 years of Stainless Steel 40 Verbatim: Kulandei Francis, Winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award
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COVER PHOTO: GODDESS DURGA COVER DESIGN: BIPIN KUMAR
OCTOBER 2012 u INDIA PERSPECTIVES
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HISTORY
TRACING
GANDHI’S FOOTSTEPS
Dandi, Porbandar, Rajkot and Ahmedabad are milestones in Mohandas’ journey to become the Mahatma TEXT: SANDHYA MULCHANDANI
orn Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on October 2, 1869, Gandhi’s influence is so profound that his ideals have touched every life across the globe. Echoing this, US President Barack Obama during a visit to India wrote in the register kept at the Gandhi Museum, Mumbai: “Mahatma Gandhi is a hero not just to India but to the world.” More than anywhere else in the world, it is Gujarat — the land where Mohandas was born and brought up — that is suffused with Gandhi’s magic. The people of Porbandar, the town where he was born, take special pride in directing visitors to Mohandas’ house. The house, which stands on the shores of the Arabian Sea, is an inconspicuous structure maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. An old residence, Kirti Mandir, houses a fascinating record of the great leader’s early life. The three-storey building situated at one end of the town’s arterial road, near a square where a clean and well-maintained marble statue of the Mahatma stands, is now a museum that traces his life. Early in the morning, I see a man stop his scooter, reach up
B
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Mahatma Gandhi with his followers during Dandi March in Dandi, Gujarat, 1930
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it — always.
‘‘
INDIA PICTURE
Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”
His personal belongings at the ashram
Gandhi Hut at Sabarmati Ashram
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and put a fresh garland around the neck of the statue. This, I discover, is a daily ritual. In 1915, on his return from South Africa, Gandhiji, along with a small group of his relatives and associates who had supported him in South Africa, chose to settle down in Ahmedabad. The reasons were many. First, the language spoken in the city was Gujarati, Gandhiji’s mother tongue. The city was an important centre of the textile industry, and he hoped to use the charkha (spinning wheel) and popularise locally made cloth. Moreover, as Ahmedabad was Gujarat’s capital and home to the wealthy, Gandhi hoped that they would make large contributions in aid of his cause. The land and the people did not let him down on any of these counts.
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‘‘
The greatest symbol of Gandhiji’s struggle against British rule in India is the Dandi March. It started from an ashram on the banks of the Sabarmati with just 79 followers and culminated in Dandi, a small village on the coast of Gujarat on March 5, 1930, with thousands. The incident in history conjures up an image of a frail man bending to pick up a fistful of salt in defiance of the British Empire. Hundreds of thousands of people, by their symbolic gesture of picking up salt, started the civil disobedience movement that marked the death-knell for the British Empire and put Dandi on the world map. Apart from Porbandar, Ahmedabad and Dandi there were many milestones in Gandhi’s journey to become the Mahatma. Rajkot that was once the capital of the princely state of Saurashtra is now best known as the town where Gandhi spent his early years and began his education. The Rajkumar College, Alfred High School, the Memorial Institute and Gandhi Smriti pay proud homage to the town’s favourite son. But the one place that is at the heart of all things connected to the Mahatma is the Sabarmati Ashram. It occupies a pride of place not just in Gujarat but the entire country and continues to attract all those who want to experience the genesis of what made us a free nation. It is a spare structure on the banks of the River
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INDIA PICTURE
It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.
Gandhi’s statue at Dandi Beach
Kirti Mandir, his ancestral birthplace, in Porbandar
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‘‘
INDIA PICTURE
“The only difference between man and man all the world over is one of degree, and not of kind, even as there is between trees of the same species. Where in is the cause for anger, envy or discrimination?
The Rajkot High School, where Gandhi studied
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Sabarmati, the trees are populated by thousands of birds. The place offers a refuge from the noisy streets of Ahmedabad a mere six miles away. The Sabarmati Ashram replaced Gandhi’s earlier residence at Paldi, which was a bungalow that belonged to a lawyer friend. Abandoned in the wake of a plague epidemic, Gandhi then chose a land donated by an industrialist Ambalal Sarabhai. On it, he built a place that offered “training for national service which is not contrary to universal well-being. The constant endeavour for such national service is the aim of the ashram.” The non-violent freedom struggle and Gandhi’s own toil against untouchability were the guiding principles of the ashram. It was called Satyagraha Ashram when founded, but soon renamed the Harijan Ashram, as Gandhi entreated his followers to continue his battle against untouchability. The ashram was flanked by a forest on one side and a prison on the other. Thunder, lightning and heavy rains marked the day when Gandhi made his final decision: “This is the right place for our activities, to carry on the search for truth and develop fearlessness — for, one side are the iron bolts of the foreigners, and on the other, thunderbolts of Mother Nature.” Gandhi returned to the ashram in 1925 after he was released from the Yervada prison in Poona (now Pune), and wrote and published his autobiography, My Experiments with Truth. Today, the 36-acre ashram stands testimony to the will of this man who preached non-violence and introduced the concept of Satyagraha. The ashram is spartan like the man who lived here, and houses the few personal possessions of the Father of the Nation. His books, chappals (footwear), a spinning wheel, a bed made up on the floor, glasses and a few pamphlets are on view. The ashram is now known as the Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya (Gandhi memorial museum). A building designed by well-known architect Charles Correa on the premises has a lot of interesting historical material and hosts events to mark important dates connected to the Mahatma’s life. n
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PARTNERSHIPS
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna (right) with his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar during a meeting in Islamabad
Productive Dialogue External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna’s visit to Pakistan was ‘constructive’; the signing of the visa agreement changed the air for both the neighbours TEXT: JAIDEEP SARIN
n a recent three-day visit to Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna held talks with his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, which were described as “cordial, candid and constructive”. Preceded by a meeting of the foreign secretaries of both countries, they served as a platform to review the dialogue process and the status of bilateral relations. Ministers Krishna and Khar welcomed the new visa agreement which introduces a number of measures aimed at easing travel of businessmen, tourists, pilgrims, elderly and children. The agreement, inked by Minister Krishna and Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik, has further liberlised travel between the two countries. Minister Krishna set the tone for the visit with his arrival statement at the Chaklala air base near Islamabad: “I bring a message of goodwill from India. I wish to reiterate the desire of India to see a stable and prosperous Pakistan living in peace with itself and the world…The leadership of India and Pakistan have mandated building of trust and confidence between the two countries. We are committed to finding solutions of all issues that have beset our relationship through peaceful bilateral dialogue, while we look to the future where the two countries are able to live together in an atmosphere of friendliness and an allround cooperation, free from terror and violence.” A joint statement released at the end of the visit stated that issues discussed by the two ministers included counter-terrorism — including progress on the Mumbai terror attack trial — narcotics control, humanitarian issues, commercial and economic cooperation, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul navigation project, Sir Creek, Siachen, peace and security, including confidence building measures (CBMs), Jammu and Kashmir and promotion of friendly exchanges. The ministers noted, “The dialogue process is guided by the commitment of leadership of the two countries, expressed at the highest level, to find peaceful and mutually acceptable solutions to all outstanding issues and to build a relationship of trust and all round cooperation between Pakistan and India.” Regarding the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, the ministers said,
AFP
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S.M. Krishna with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in Islamabad
INDIA AND PAKISTAN WELCOMED THE NEW VISA AGREEMENT WHICH INTRODUCES A NUMBER OF MEASURES AIMED AT EASING TRAVEL OF BUSINESSMEN, TOURISTS, PILGRIMS, ELDERLY AND CHILDREN
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AFP
“Terrorism poses a continuing threat to peace and security” and both countries would fight it in an “effective and comprehensive manner so as to eliminate the scourge in all its forms and manifestations”. The Ministers noted the commitment given by Pakistan during the Interior/Home Secretary talks in May to bring all perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks to justice expeditiously and in accordance with due process of law. Minister Krishna agreed with Hina Rabbani Khar that “both sides should not let the relationship be held hostage to the past”, however, he made it clear that this did not mean that India was bypassing its stand on action against the Pakistan-based perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack. “Mumbai is very much on the table. India is not going back on that. They (Pakistan) will have to take follow-up action...There is no question of bypassing 26/11,” he said. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the increase in high-level bilateral exchanges. These included meetings between Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi and Tehran last April and August; a visit by Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar, to Pakistan at the invitation of Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Fahmida Mirza, and reciprocal visits of Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and his Pakistani counterpart Muhammad Ameen Faheem. The ministers reviewed the existing cross-LoC (Line of Control) CBMs and acknowledged that the ceasefire was holding since 2003. They reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken on travel and trade across the LoC in July 2011 and expressed satisfaction at the increasing number of people from Jammu and Kashmir traveling across the LoC and the growing cross-LoC trade. They welcomed the enhancement of the number of days for conducting trade across LoC from two to four per week and said cross-LoC travel would be expanded to include visits for tourism and religious pilgrimages. The re-activation of the Pakistan-India Joint Commission was welcomed. Both ministers co-chaired the plenary of the Joint Commission, which met for the first time since 2007. It was
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Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai (left) and his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani, signing an MoU in Islamabad
MINISTER KRISHNA AND HINA RABBANI KHAR AGREED THAT “BOTH SIDES SHOULD NOT LET THE RELATIONSHIP BE HELD HOSTAGE TO THE PAST”
THE TAKE-AWAY The visa agreement, which was signed after months of negotiations, will ease trade and travel between the two countries: l
Senior citizens, (65 years and above), in India and Pakistan, can now walk across the border without the hassles of getting a visa from embassies in New Delhi and Islamabad. They will be granted visas on arrival at the Attari and Wagah borders, valid for 45 days.
l
Single entry visitor visa for a maximum of six months and for five places (up from the current three places) will be issued. However, the stay cannot exceed three months at a time.
l
Group tourist visas (for 10-50 people), will be available to students provided they do not seek admission in the other country.
l
Business visa to be issued within five weeks and has been separated from visitor visa.
l
Senior citizens, children below 12 years and eminent businessmen, are exempt from police reporting.
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Will allow people to enter and exit from different check posts and change their mode of travel. This was not permitted earlier.
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A visitor visa for a maximum of five specified places may be issued for a longer period of up to two years with multiple entries to senior citizens, spouse of a national of one country married to person of another country and children below 12 accompanying parent(s).
l
Transit visa will be issued within 36 hours instead of 72 hours earlier.
suggested that eight technical level working groups be formed to explore cooperation in agriculture, education, environment, health, information and broadcasting, information technology and telecommunication, science and technology and tourism. Moreover, it was decided to facilitate media exchanges and sports tournaments as also work towards the cessation of hostile propaganda. In Islamabad, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna called on Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf, besides meeting leaders of leading political parties. —Jaideep Sarin is Associate Editor, IANS. He was part of the media delegation that accompanied External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna to Pakistan
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GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
IN STEP WITH THE CHANGING WORLD Issues were discussed, views aired, policies debated and future plans were drawn up at the Heads of Mission Conference TEXT: MEENAKSHI KUMAR Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressing the Heads of Mission Conference in New Delhi
M
inistry of External Affairs played host to the 117 Heads of Mission (HOM) at the fourth annual conference in September. The Heads of Mission Conference is a platform for India’s Ambassadors and High commissioners from across the world to interact with policy makers in India at the highest level and also use the opportunity to exchange notes with each other. Issues were discussed, views aired, policies debated and future plans were drawn up at the three-day meet at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh emphasised, “It is essential for senior foreign policy managers to regularly take stock of policies and evaluate their effectiveness on the ground”. Touching upon the issue of India’s neighbourhood, he said, “HOM in the region need to consider innovations that make the most effective and efficient use of our limited developmental resources.” Besides discussing India’s neighbourhood, the event had daily seminars on topics such as Arab Spring and its
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implications, Euro Zone crisis, multilateral engagements, National Manufacturing Policy to Overseas Indians and the three aspects of diplomacy — political, economic and cultural. Presentations were made on cyber security, passport seva kendras, Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project, Public Diplomacy, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) among others. Minister of External Affairs S.M. Krishna, said in his inaugural speech, “The emerging multipolar world and multiplicity of issues on the agenda of international relations require all to ensure that Missions are effective outposts of India abroad. Emphasis needs to be put on 4 Cs — commerce, connectivity, consular and community.” Realising its benefits, the MEA has been holding HOMs’ conference since December 2008, except for 2011. Other countries, too, hold HOM conferences, as such forums are believed to be the most effective tool of introspecting a country’s place in the global foreign policy. These informal sessions are very useful in analysing the
THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS HAS BEEN HOLDING THE HEADS OF MISSION CONFERENCE SINCE DECEMBER 2008
ever-growing intricacies of global foreign policy space and to suitably readjust priorities, methodologies and allocation of resources. “The conference serves as a platform for updating our HOM on government policies and receiving feedback from them on implementation of these policies. These interactions help in having a better understanding. Also, the conference is an occasion to annually take stock of the work of Missions and discuss future direction of the work of the ministry,” says Prabhat Kumar, Joint Secretary, Energy Security and Investment and Technology Promotion Divisions, MEA, who was the Coordinator for the 2012 HOM Conference. President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, Commerce and Industries Minister Anand Sharma, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon addressed the 117 Indian diplomats over three days. n
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BUSINESS
THE BIG BITE India’s food services industry is worth US$ 9 billion; by 2016 it is likely to reach US$ 16 billion TEXT: BINDU GOPAL RAO
burgeoning middle class, greater disposable incomes, working couples and increasing number of nuclear families, are just some of the reasons why eating out is gaining popularity in the country. Moreover, the customer has a wide variety of options to choose from, be it fast food or fine-dining. Ratings agency Crisil Limited’s report says that India’s expanding urban population is increasingly “dining out as a lifestyle choice” and that will “provide a great impetus to the restaurant business”. This is proof enough that the business of eating out in India is soaring. Pegged at US$ 9 billion in 2011, the Indian food services industry is expected to be worth US$ 16 billion by 2016. At present, India’s restaurant business is powered by unorganised players, with as much as 70 per cent revenue coming from this segment. This sector largely comprises dhabas (small roadside eateries). However, in recent times the organised retail market has witnessed
AFP
A
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double digit growth across formats. Valued at US$ 1.5 billion in 2011, it is likely to reach US$ 6 billion by 2016. “The key being quick service retail (QSR) dominated by international chains, coffee chains and casual and fine-dining outlets driven by Indian and private equity majors. The open market and liberalisation policies added to the 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) under automatic route is resulting in more and more international food service chains opening their branches across the country either directly, through franchisees, or in partnership with local majors,” says Pankaj Karna, managing director, Maple Capital Advisors, a firm that focuses on mergers and acquisitions, advisory services, private equity and leverage capital. Manu Chandra, executive chef and partner Olive Beach and Monkey Bar, both Bangalore-based venture capital funded business, and owned by restaurateur A.D. Singh, says: “The biggest drivers of this boom will no longer be from metros but from tier II cities which are growing.”
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SEGMENTS OF THE FOOD SERVICES SECTOR 20%
“There are new concepts such as, wine bars, beer cafes and other themed restaurants. Foreign brands have realised the potential of the Indian market and that is why we see brands such as Hakkasan already in India and Starbucks and Wagamama slated to open in India soon”
80%
Organised
Unorganised
RAVI SHARMA, owner, Saffron Bay (Florista Hospitality)
SEGMENTS OF THE ORGANISED FOOD SERVICES SECTOR 15%
16%
9% 17%
3%
“The restaurant industry employs almost 5 million people — five times more than IT and 10 times more than the hotel industry. Currently, we are seeing a phase of consolidation where the unorganised segment is being taken over by organised formats.”
40%
Restaurants
Hotels & Lodgings
Pubs, Clubs & Bars
Cafes
Takeaways
Others AFP
No longer is Indian food the norm, cuisines from all over the world are becoming popular as people are travelling and are willing to try out new cuisines. “There are new concepts such as, wine bars, beer cafes and other themed restaurants. Foreign brands have realised the potential of the Indian market and that is why we see brands such as Hakkasan, the internationally renowned, high-end Chinese food network, already in India and Starbucks, the global coffee company and coffeehouse chain, which has a presence in 60 countries, and Wagamama, which serves Japanese inspired food, slated to open in India soon,” says Ravi Sharma, owner, Saffron Bay (Florista Hospitality). Franchisees are lining up to open outlets of chains like Pizza Hut, Subway, New Zealand Natural, Sagar Ratna, Berco’s in tier II and tier III cities. In fact, brands like Pizza Hut and KFC are looking at opening 1,500 to 2,000 restaurants by 2015. “A lot of big brands are eyeing the Indian market. Michelin star restaurants are coming to India, Hakkasan being an example. Hard Rock Café, the USbased restaurant chain, which has 175 outlets in over 50 countries, and Nando’s, a South African casual dining restaurant group, have expansion plans here. Also, many Indian restaurateurs are investing in upscale restaurants,” says Jayant Singh, CEO and founder, International Hospitality Partners, a business consulting and search firm specialising in the service Industry. Fuelling the growth of the industry are chef-led restaurants, fusion cuisine and the growing popularity of international food and styles. “Restaurants are continuously trying to offer something different because the
A.K. SRIKANTH, CEO, Alchemist Foods Limited
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TRENDS IN QUICK SERVICE RETAIL INDUSTRY
“Restaurants are continuously trying to offer something different because the customer is becoming more discerning. Be it innovative recipes, organic ingredients, food festivals, restaurants are striving to deliver an experience.”
QSRs
Number of Outlets
Expansion Plans
Cafe Coffee Day
1,400
20-25 cafes every month
Domino’s Pizza
378
500 outlets 2012
Barista
225
300 outlets by 2012
McDonalds
200
300 outlets by 2012
Pizza Hut
170
200 outlets by 2012
KFC
107
1000 outlets by 2014
Yo-China
43
200 outlets by 2012
Source: National Commission of Population, India Urbanisation Econometric Model; McKinsey Global Institute analysis, MDI India Consumer Demand Model
INTERNATIONAL BRANDS PLANNING ENTRY l l
SUHANI MEHTA, director,
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Orange Tomato that runs F&B brands — Shitakke, Twenty.21, Oval Bar and Binge in Bengaluru
l l l
The Pizza Company Cafe Jubilee Sunshine Kebabs (India) Pvt Ltd Dunkin Donuts (In talks with Jubilant Foodworks Ltd) Dairy Queen (In talks with Reliance Retail) Starbucks Coffee (Tied-up with Tata Coffee Ltd)
Others like Denny’s Corp, Wendy’s, Arby’s International, CKE Restaurants with Carl’s Jr and Focus Brands with Schlotzsky’s Deli, BannaStrow’s Crepes and Coffee, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Carvel Ice Cream are also in line to enter India. Source: Franchise India, Franchise Business India, Franchise Plus, Info Franchise
“With the government’s market liberalisation policies, India has also become a consumer market with a massive customer base. This has facilitated a tremendous impetus to the overall growth of the industry.” ASHISH BHAYANA, Bengaluru-based restaurateur
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AT PRESENT, INDIA’S RESTAURANT BUSINESS IS POWERED BY UNORGANISED PLAYERS, WITH AS MUCH AS 70 PER CENT REVENUE COMING FROM THIS SEGMENT. HOWEVER, IN RECENT TIMES THE ORGANISED RETAIL MARKET HAS WITNESSED DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH ACROSS FORMATS.
customer is becoming more discerning. Be it innovative recipes, organic ingredients, food festivals, restaurants are striving to deliver an experience,” says Suhani Mehta, director, Orange Tomato that runs F&B brands — Shitakke, which specialises in oriental cuisine from Bangkok to Tokyo; Twenty.21, which focuses on European cuisine; Oval Bar, a ubersleek lounge bar; and Binge, a lounge hotspots that offers a collection of signature cocktails and plush VIP services. Social media and online websites are the next big marketing tool. A.K. Srikanth, CEO, Alchemist Foods Limited, one of India’s fastest growing publicly traded conglomerates currently valued at ` 100 billion with over 8,000 employees across India, says, “The growth in the organised sector is almost 15-20 per cent and foreign players are making their presence felt in previously untapped markets.” The industry, however, is not free from challenges. The high real estate costs, time taken to perfect back-end operations, lack of cold storage facilities and supply-chain infrastructure are some of the bottlenecks. “With the government’s market liberalisation policies, India has also become a consumer market with a massive customer base. This has facilitated a tremendous impetus to the overall growth of the industry,” says Ashish Bhayana, a Bengaluru-based restaurateur. The high rental cost of real estate poses the biggest challenge. In India, rent forms about 20-25 per cent of the top line, which gives about 1520 per cent operating profit. Despite the bottlenecks, the organised restaurant industry is growing and is expected to soar higher fuelled by the entry of newer players and expansion of existing ones. n
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TRADITION
FROM MUNDANE TO SUBLIME The charm of watching an enactment of the Ramayana never wears off no matter how many times you watch the oft-told tale of love, longing, and the victory of good over evil, says Shobha Deepak Singh Ramayana is the greatest living tradition of our times: imparting universal and timeless values. Ram’s life consists of a multitude of episodes where his divinity and compassion come forth. It is a medley of allegories which provide the foundation of a metaphysical way of life. Whether it is Ram’s obedience of his father, his unflinching denial in the face of adversity, the mirage of the golden deer, his ability to transcend barriers of caste and creed by accepting Shabri’s fruits or Hanuman’s determination to make a gigantic focused leap; these are all emblematic of the way of life which form a part of the viewers subconscious. Ram and Sita; (right) Ram snapping Shiva’s bow
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I SHRIRAM BHARATIYA KALA KENDRA’S RAMLILA
Founded by Sumitra Charat Ram in 1952, it is a premier event on India’s cultural calendar. This popular annual Ramlila production, in its 55th year, is performed around the country’s two major festivals, Dussehra and Diwali. The dance-drama has been performed for over 2,000 nights in India and abroad. It has been enacted in the US, Japan, Russia, Hong Kong, Nepal, Canada, Singapore, Sri Lanka, among other countries. To help those not familiar with the story of the epic, the Ramayana, on which it is based, a slide in English is run alongside.
have been closely involved in one capacity or the other with the making of Ramlila since its initial days in 1957. It was my mother Sumitra Charat Ram who, keen to present a ‘complete Ramayana’, approached Jawaharlal Nehru, then Prime Minister, with the idea. He gave her the finances for the presentation. And, the Ramlila came to be. Over the years, the aesthetics of the show have maintained the highest standards. When television first came to India, Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra’s Ramlila was the first programme to be telecast to satellite villages. Subsequently, it has been rerecorded and telecast all over India and the world. During the making of Ramlila, I would rush down to the basement of our home where the ornaments, masks and costumes were being made. Gradually, I became involved in a serious manner. I realised that it was great in choreography and costumes but it lacked production values. Costumes, ornaments, crowns — I reworked all these until our show reached international standards. Over the years, I have transformed the costumes too, to compete with international standards. To uphold the best in aesthetic tradition, every year the Kendra works on every department. The music stands like a rock, unshakable, forming the backbone of the production. Other related areas such as sets, lighting and costumes are researched and upgraded continuously. The inspiration of rasa (aesthetics) that the spectator derives from the Ramlila is something that has defied the vision of spectator for four generations. The divine vision of Ram as delineated in this production is not an instamatic creation. It is the evolution of 55 years of the best creative minds. The spectator is so transported from the mundane to the sublime both in terms of space and time that (Left) Hanuman; (above) the demon king, Ravana
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he is spellbound and time becomes encapsulated for him. His visit to the sacred theatre yearly reaffirms his faith in the values of the Ramayana that would form the substratum for the future generations. In the presentation of Ram there is a play of an irreproachable and ill-starred prince and his faithful princess, of magically flying monkey companions and their enemy, the demon king, Ravana. These continue to haunt us long after we have witnessed the performance. It is the Kendra’s efforts to convey something of this enchantment; this haunting sense of a distant yet familiar world that we try to make presentable each successive year. The plots of Ramayana are ripe with the emotions of life. For elders, as well as children, the fascination with the characters of Ram and Sita is unavoidable. Here lies the epic’s extraordinary eternal appeal. From the recess of the cave in Kishkindha, Ram found direction of an illuminating beam. This beam helps him to decipher and comprehend the dual nature of time — with a still centre, and a moving circle. The concept of cyclic time, kaal, is central to Indian belief. Here lies the key to the contemporary relevance of this epic that would otherwise be reduced to a quasihistoric mythological linear narrative. As the producer, I have attempted to lift the presentation from its groove of blind faith and present something profound. Along with it, we run a power point presentation. We flow it scene-wise that unravels the action. I had the choice of being complacent about the show. But I do want to pose a challenge to myself and thereby present something novel every year to the spectators, yet maintaining the essence of the timeless tradition.
VALMIKI’S RAMAYANA On a basic level, the Ramayana is about the struggle between good and evil. When king Dasharath resolves to appoint Ram, his eldest son, as heir to the throne of Ayodhya, one of his queens, Kaikeyi, demands that her son Bharat be made the king and Ram be exiled. A duty-bound Ram follows his stepmother’s orders and departs for the forest, along with wife Sita and brother Lakshman. Shurpanakha, sister of Ravana, the king of Lanka, comes to the forest and is enamoured of Ram. Rebuffed, she approaches Lakshman, who is so enraged by the advances that he cuts off her nose. She asks Ravana to avenge the insult. With the help of Maarich, magically transformed into a golden deer, Ravana draws Ram away from Sita. Meanwhile, disguised as a mendicant, Ravana abducts Sita and takes her to Lanka. After a fierce battle Ram kills Ravana and goes back to his kingdom, Ayodhya, along with Sita.
—Shobha Deepak Singh is the director and vice-chairperson of Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra Ram and Lakshman; (right) Jatayu, a demi-god who has the form of a vulture
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CULTURE
Unbridled Solidarity The annual immersion in Ichchamati river, flowing along the border of India and Bangladesh, provides a unique opportunity for people of both countries to jointly commemorate a tradition
THE BORDERS OF BOTH THE COUNTRIES ARE THROWN OPEN FOR A FEW HOURS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO CELEBRATE THE DAY TOGETHER
TEXT: UTTARA GANGOPADHYAY
ying to the east of Kolkata, the River Ichchamati — a gurgling, silver stream loved by Rabindranath Tagore — is now the international boundary between India and Bangladesh. We reach Taki, a small town (about 100 km from Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal) situated on the banks of the Ichchamati around noon. Although the river is broad, one can easily see the activities on the other side. It is the final day of the popular Bengali festival, Durga Puja. On this day, the idols of Goddess Durga and her family are immersed in the water to mark her return to her own home on Mount Kailash. The people living on the two sides of the river have added a special flavour to the festive mood. On this occasion, the borders of both the countries are thrown open for a few hours and people throng here in large numbers to take part in the celebrations. They have come to see the idols, which are taken on a cruise before the immersion. Boats laden with people from both countries mingle freely. Although nobody is sure when and how this event started, most people guess it began soon after the Partition. In Taki, the river bank is like an assembly of gods. The idols worshipped in the various areas are brought to the river front
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and placed in boats. Across the river, we can see the people of Bangladesh gathering, one of the Durga idols is already perched on the high bank. The Indian side is slowly taking on the looks of a fair ground — vendors have arrived with tea and snacks, balloons and ice creams. Families, especially those with children, are settling down along the promenade with picnic hampers. Photographers are busy looking for vantage points. Quite a few people are bargaining with boatmen about the price of a boat ride down the river. Once upon a time, Taki was inhabited by prosperous zamindar (landlord) and merchant families. Although they have moved away, their members still come here to observe Durga Puja in their ancestral homes. “The traditional rites and rituals offer a great photo opportunity,” says my photographer, who had been to Taki a few times during the festival. After a quick lunch, we board the row boat hired for the day. As it travels upstream, we can see more idols being put on boats or being rowed across. Passenger-laden boats of all sizes are milling on the water. Except for the boats laden with idols, it is difficult to tell Indian boats from Bangladeshi boats unless, of course, you notice the flags. It is customary for each boat to
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INDIA PICTURE
THE IDOLS ARE TAKEN ON A CRUISE BEFORE THEIR IMMERSION. PEOPLE FROM BOTH COUNTRIES ARRIVE IN LARGE NUMBERS AS WITNESSES
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INDIA PICTURE
IT IS DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN INDIAN BOATS AND BANGLADESHI ONES, UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU LOOK CLOSELY AND NOTICE THE FLAGS
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have the flag of its country. The water is abuzz with voices calling out to each other, and sharing pleasantries and songs. As the boat of a country approaches the opposite bank, loud cheers emanate from the crowd. In their eagerness to meet people from across the border, many young boys jump into the water and swim up to the boats. Religion has taken a backseat and the immersion has become a time to bond. Suddenly, a small stick comes flying out of the crowd from the Bangladeshi side and lands in our boat. More follow and fall in the other boats around us. Much to my surprise, the people in the boats next to us pick up the sticks and thank the people who had thrown them. Only then do I realise that they are not sticks, but small pieces of sugarcane and throwing them is part of the ritual. As boats pass each other, people exchange snacks, fruits and sweets. As darkness falls, the boats begin to turn landward. A few of the idol-laden boats send up fireworks, dazzling the night sky with a myriad of star showers. Our boat, too, turns its nose towards Taki. People bid each other farewell and cries of “ashchhe bochhor abar hobe” (see you again, next year) float down the river. n
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ART
STEELY WONDERS CREDIT: THE STAINLESS GALLERY
After 100 years of its discovery, steel as a medium of art takes pride of place in automobiles, railways, aircraft and architecture TEXT: CHITRA BALASUBRAMANIAM
eronautics, automobiles, industrial installations, engineering equipment, construction sites, and even in the kitchen, stainless steel is everywhere. Now, this aesthetically pleasing material, with natural lustre and an unblemished glitter, is turning up in the most unexpected of places, the world of art. Says Architect Vishal K. Dar: “Stainless steel is a refined seductive looking steel alloy, an industrial invention and a challenging medium which comes out of research and engineering science, but when you understand its potential, the boundaries are unlimited.” After 100 years of its discovery in 1912 by Harry Brearly, the material is being increasingly used by artists and sculptors in sculptures and installations. In India, it was born as a medium of
CREDIT: THE STAINLESS GALLERY
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Steel
has been a part of India’s vocabulary since 300 BCE Seema Kohli’s Lotus; (facing page) Shanthi Swaroopini’s Display V
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India is
ranked 10th in the production of stainless steel in the world
CREDIT: THE STAINLESS GALLERY
Kanchan Chander’s Fertility and (facing page) Subodh Gupta’s Sunflower
contemporary sculpture in the 1990s when artist Subodh Gupta and London-based sculptor Anish Kapoor used it to create futuristic installations. Since then artists have found a myriad ways to use the medium. Deepikaa Jindal, MD, JSL Lifestyle Ltd, and founder-director, Delhi’s Stainless Gallery, has managed to put steel on the art map of India. Deepikaa and her husband Ratan Jindal, MD and vice-chairman of Jindal Stainless Ltd., are working together to explore the potential of steel, expand the market and its boundaries. As Deepikaa puts it, “It is a highly engineered product, a harder material, which is not easy to work with. There has to be a growth in the use of material.” The Jindals have provided artists with a platform and necessary infrastructure to work. They help artists transform abstract concepts into reality with steel. The result: a beautiful tandem between engineering and artistic abilities. Ranjani Shettar uses steel in combination with muslin and tamarind kernel paste with lacquer to create a series resplendent of the forest. Steel casters came to her aid in interpreting her designs. What is astounding in her creations is the manner in which steel has been used be it in linear installations or in pictures. Her inclination to use everyday objects and yet create tangibly beautiful and labour intensive objects have earned her comparisons to internationally acclaimed artists like Anish Kapoor and Tom Friedman. Vivek Vilasani takes his cue from stories, fables and dreams. Wood, steel, fibreglass, photography,
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Cycle Man by Kanchan Chander
IRON PILLAR AT QUTAB MINAR
CREDIT: KANCHAN CHANDER
One of the finest of Indian metallurgy is the Iron Pillar at Qutab Minar built in the Gupta period (400-420 AD). The fact that the iron structure continues to stand facing the vagaries of nature without corrosion or rust is a testament to the creation of non-corrosive iron object centuries ago. It uses phosphorous as opposed to chromium, which show India’s knowledge in iron and metallurgy centuries ago. Steel in its numerous avtaars can be seen in the entire southern states. The steel from India is popularly called wootz. It is said to be an anglicised version of the word – urukku – meaning to melt in Tamil and Malayalam. There are those who say it comes from the Kannada word ukku meaning steel.
video, paint, even dust are part of his composite language. One of his creations is inspired by kuthambalam or dance arenas of Kerala. Another one aptly titled Too Many Fables on the Ground in which 1,107 kg of steel has been exquisitely crafted to give a dream like theme. Kanchan Chander, who had worked first with the medium for a show at Jindal’s Stainless Gallery, says: “It is quite a challenge to work with stainless steel as it has its limitations. But I love challenges, so I thoroughly enjoy it.” Most of her art is a celebration of iconic feminine energy, the fertile, the erotic and the sensuousness of the female form. Speaking of his work Dar says, “I am not fascinated with sheet metal as a flat surface. Therefore, I chop it into small pieces and skin
them on bulbous surfaces, akin to the scales on a snake or feathers of a bird to give it an organic/ornamental dimension. Both matte and mirror finishes bring in a distinct surface quality and visual texture, adding to the aura of the sculpture or installation.” The potential for stainless steel is huge for India, which is ranked 10th in the production of stainless steel in the world. Artists and sculptors have blended their work in tradition and modernity that is so quintessentially Indian. However, the high cost of the product limits the dream for experimentation. Dar sums it up: “A dream material for artists who have big ambition. One can push the material to unimaginable scale and height. Steel is an invention of pure human ambition.” n
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VERBATIM
“I’m happy that my hard work has finally been recognised” inner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award — often referred to as Asia’s Nobel Prize, Kulandei Francis (65), has only one purpose in life: To serve the less privileged. Based in Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu, the Catholic priest-turned-social worker started the Integrated Village Development Project (IVDP) and brought about a positive difference in the lives of many living in the rural areas. He spoke to Bindu Gopal Rao. Excerpts.
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Why did you start IVDP? My parents were coolies and their earnings were insufficient to meet the needs of my family. Lack of funds resulted in my siblings discontinuing their education. As I showed keen interest in education, my mother mortgaged our only piece of land to a moneylender to help me continue my studies. Later, this moneylender cheated us. This incident left a deep mark on my mind. So I started the IVDP.
micro enterprises and self employment. We also have housing and toilet projects. The IVDP runs a middle school at Kottaiyur in Tamil Nadu for tribal children and a computer training center in Hanumanthapuram. Tell us more about your watershed programme? When I went to Natrampalayam village, a hillock in Thally block, water scarcity was the prime issue. Hardly anything could be cultivated and there was mass death of livestock. People were under the trap of moneylenders and in utter poverty. To address this issue, I first took up watershed programme and around 331 small and medium check dams were built with funding from Oxfam-UK and National Centre for Development Cooperation-Belgium. I am proud that these check dams store water throughout the year and people can benefit from them.
How many people have you helped and in what ways? I have helped about 150,000 women through SelfHelp Groups. Thousands of people have benefitted from my check dam programmes. Besides, tens of thousands of students have reaped the advantages of our educational services.
How is this different from micro financing? Ours is a linkage model, which helps people to come out of poverty. The bank interest is passed on to the members and nothing is charged extra from the group. Whereas in microfinance, there is exorbitant interest rate for loan and members find it difficult to repay. In the linkage model, we take care of the holistic development of members and their families and the loan repayment is assured.
What kind of work is IVDP involved in? We do multifarious activities for holistic development of women. Some of them include SelfHelp Groups, which involve savings and credit activities, training in skill and entrepreneurship development, facilitating external loan facilities for
How did you react to the Ramon Magsaysay award? When it was announced I was unmoved and carried on with my work as usual, as I was quite unaware of the importance and worthiness of this award. Later, I realised how big it was. I am happy that my hard work has been recognised by people abroad. n
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Thousands of people have benefitted out of my check dam programmes. Many students have reaped harvest from our educational services”