Blink issue 06 march01 2014

GONE SKIING For a motherdaughter duo, Gulmarg’s powdery slopes trump the Swiss Alps this season p19 saturday, march 1, 2014

BK RAMESH

On a ‘land caravan’ through Telangana, missing and incomplete land records tell of lives spent in waiting p10

Ground realities

ACROSS PALK STRAIT Celebrating 100 years of the Pamban Rail Bridge p2

THE RAZA GHARANA The Master’s legacy extends far beyond his canvas p14

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Striking through the bamboo curtain Minchol Son reveals what it’s like to be the only professional North Korean footballer in India

T Infinite loop A train runs along the Pamban Rail Bridge and above the dark waters of Palk Strait bijoy bharathan

he cold, heavy rain does little to dampen the excitement of the 21,500 fans inside the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong. The high turnout, in spite of the most expensive tickets in the I-league, is a regular affair for Shillong Lajong. As the players of Lajong and Pune FC come out — delayed by an hour because an ambulance meant for emergencies was stuck in traffic — Minchol Son, 27, the home team’s captain and the face of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in India, eggs his teammates on.

While most players have lost their pre-game momentum thanks to the late start, Son is constantly moving, never holding the ball for longer than two touches, playing it to the midfield, getting it back, trying to get an offensive move or running back to cut out an attack from the away team. He’s by far Lajong’s most dynamic player this evening.

It’s because of this evident commitment to Lat is 3.50am and the Sethu Express headed jong’s cause that Son was from Chennai Egmore Rameswaram is votedtothe Most Valuachugging along, barely 10 minutes ble Player by theaway fans from its destination. in Then begin to hisyouinaugural hear it, a metallic rumble asseason the train in slows 2012. down to about a tenth of its intended speed.

The doorways soon fill with a motley crew of half-asleep passengers comprising men and women, both young and old, who align themselves near the exits for the best view. Outside the train, the pitch darkness of early dawn offers mere silhouettes of the bridge. As the train treads the dark waters of the Palk Strait atop the Pamban Rail Bridge, the travellers are united in wide-eyed surrender, to an all-encompassing sense of awe.

It’s a sight that’s been playing in an infinite loop for about 100 years now, since the Pamban Rail Bridge opened in 1914. The bridge, which until 2010 was India’s longest sea bridge — the Bandra Worli Sea Link in Mumbai having now bagged that title — connects the island of Rameswaram to the Indian mainland. Often referred to as the economic and spiritual lifeline of this region, the bridge celebrated its centenary early this week. In the midst of the revelries, questions concerning the future of the bridge against its maintenance as a heritage site came to the fore. While the two sides objectively argue their cases, a subjective detour back in time might be just what the doctor ordered.

In the annals of the Indian Railways, one

Head coach Thangboi Singto, says, “He’s the best foreign player in Lajong’s 30-year history.

Which is also why he was awarded the captaincy a year after he arrived.”

Heading back to the tunnel after the final whistle, Son’s autograph is much sought after.

Fans stick pens and notebooks through the railing, even as the rest of this football-crazy city returns to discuss the game in its drawing rooms and tea stalls.

is a businessman in Kyoto and his two sisters are still studying. The Zainichi are Koreans who took refuge in Japan after World War II. They are the second largest ethnic group in the country and maintain a strong link with the Korean peninsula, thanks to organisations like Chongryon, with members who have chosen to retain their de facto North Korean nationality. Son’s Zainichi identity plays a strong role in his career — the previous club he represented was FC Korea, where all his teammates Settling down had Korean roots. While he could have easily Son was spotted by scouts of the Gurgaon- chosen to play for Japan, Son chose to reprebased sports management agency, Libero sent DPR Korea, playing at the under-19 and Sports. In a rare instance in professional foot- under-23 levels internationally. ball, Lajong’s management signed him up in “I want to play for DPR Korea’s senior na2012 without ever watching him in action — it tional team,” says Son. In the last few years, proved to be impossible to get him a visa just North Korea has grown rapidly in football. to come down for trials. “Our scouts saw Min- While they couldn’t manage a repeat of their chol playing in Tokyo for a local club of North 2010 success and qualify for the World Cup Korean-origin players. Given his strengths on this year, they have booked a berth in the 2015 the field, they felt he could put in AFC Asian Cup (similar to UEFA’s a solid shift in the game in India European championships). In the or Southeast Asia,” says Arvind under-17 World Cup held in 2005, Narayan of Libero Sports. they had managed to make it to Son has already Son, for one, is happy to have the last eight as well. Many of clocked more than moved here. “In Japan, I had a day those players represent the na2,000 hours of play job after which I went for traintional team today. for Shillong Lajong ing, so I was glad when a profes“It’s not like before, and unlike man’s name is synonymous with bridgeAsian connecting Rameswaram sional contract was offered to the Pamban struct a roadother countries, we’re Rail Bridge. knownLajong, as the Metro Man of to the mainland.

SK Patil, then me,” he says.Fondly Since joining strongHowever, and use our the physical India, Sreedharan, the near-impos- union railway minister, knew the game,” importance he hasEplayed almostachieved every game, strength well in the says of Rameswaram as ateam. pilgrimage centre and sible taskinofmore restoring Pamban to a Son clocking than the 2,000 hoursBridge of playing about the Korean “The youth league fully already. operational state in a mere days, after in decided to repair thein bridge.” time For the Lajong team,46 who usually Pyongyang is also good form. And while it wasindevastated by a cyclone on December 23, it’sElaborating on those months backbreakplay a 4-4-2 offensive formation, he is the disappointing not to qualifyoffor Brazil, I 1964. Reminiscing aboutas that time Sreedharan think ing work, Sreedharan says,at “Of the 146 spans in backbone of the attacks their centre-back. we have a good shot World Cup 2018.” says, damage an to integral the rail bridge so se- the bridge,his 124strong had been damaged or washed Son“The has become part ofwas the team Despite affiliation with the navereone thatfrom it wasn’t considered worthlearn restoring. away.Son We has urgently metre only gauge girand whom Indian players a lot. tion, visitedneeded North Korea a few TheIndia’s government was already planning to conders (support beams) As under-21 international Ongnam Mi- times.

On his last visittoinbuild 2007,the hebridge. stayed We in lan Singh from Manipur says, “Players from Pyongyang for a month to train for the untheir side of the world are quick and der-23 team. “I couldn’t see much because we think on their feet. Minchol is aggres- were training,” he recalls, “But apart from sive on the field and a good captain.” problems caused by my accent, the trip was Off the pitch, Son has found his great. Hopefully, I’ll visit the country again.” comfort zone in the hill city. MOT Café For Son, his time at Shillong Lajong is a step and Café Shillong are his favourite han- towards getting called up for the North Kogouts. “They have free wi-fi; crucial for a rean team as well as getting a deal with one of player living far away from home... and from the bigger Japanese clubs. He says, “After Laclose friends” he adds with a smirk. jong, I want to play in Europe or go back to the J-League. My dream is to play for the North KoThe Zainichi rean national team.” Until then, the studs of “North Korea is my country and I’d love to play Son’s boots are firmly embedded in the footfor them at the senior level, but home for me is ball fields of Shillong.

Kyoto in Japan,” says Son, of his life before Shillong. A third-generation Zainichi, Son’s father sibi arasu

A bridge runs over it

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On the centenary of the Pamban Rail Bridge, which connects Rameswaram to the Indian mainland, a look at its history and significance

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Ninja moves Shillong Lajong’s centre-back Minchol Son RITU RAJ KONWAR

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Nature’s fury Pamban Bridge in ruins after a cyclone battered it on December 23, 1964 the hindu archives

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sourced them from states as far as Assam and menting the bridge. Many new members Rajasthan, but there was still a shortage. (structural elements used to brace bridges Thankfully, the fishermen in Pamban came to and buildings) were added to it and it was our rescue. They had spotted many girders strengthened at the bottom as well. that had been swept away in the cyclone and Recounting his memories of the bridge, Dr were lying 40 feet below, on the seabed. We sal- S Arul Jayachandran, from the Structural Engivaged those and worked at breakneck speed to neering Laboratory at the Department of Civil complete the restoration. It used to take us Engineering, IIT Madras says, “I was about four three days to launch one girder. Soon we were years old when the cyclone struck. My homelaunching a girder a day. On the last two days, town, Madurai, was bathed in a pall of gloom. we launched eight girders.” And the results A few months later, I undertook the first rail were there for all to see. The project was esti- journey of my life. It took me across the Pammated to be completed in six months, Sreedh- ban Rail Bridge. I remember how everybody aran and his team accomplished peeped out of their windows in it in 46 days. the train when it crossed the But there’s an altogether perbridge on a particularly low-tide sonal history of sacrifice that is day. We were stunned and delightintertwined with Sreedharan’s ased to know that this was the same The restoration of sociation with the bridge. He bridge that had once been ravthe bridge took 46 says, “My wife was pregnant with days, instead of the aged by the cyclone.” our daughter when I was inFor Jayachandran, it was mereestimated six formed about the cyclonic damly the beginning of a lifelong love months age to the Pamban Bridge. I was affair. In 1983, for his undergraduon Christmas leave at my homeate thesis, he presented the contown in Pattambi, while my wife cept of an alternate bridge was at her maternal home in Ponconnecting Rameswaram to the nali. I didn’t have the time to meet her before mainland. He is now finalising a technical reheading to Pamban and commencing work port based on a study that he had carried out on the bridge. A few weeks later, I came to on the Pamban Rail Bridge in December 2013. know that we had been blessed with a baby He says, “The 100-year-old bridge has a place of girl. However, I was unable to go see her as my pride in the hearts of many generations of Inpresence was needed at the bridge at all times dians. We consider it a part of our historical during the ongoing restoration work. Finally, identity. From a purely conservationist point after we had put the bridge back in operation, of view, it is a thing of beauty and must be proI was able to go home and see my daughter for tected. From a scientific viewpoint, the safety the first time.” of the passengers is paramount. The bridge The legacy of the Pamban Bridge and the has withstood the test of time for more than a need for its continued service is fully under- century. I am optimistic that it will remain so stood by engineers today. In 2006, a contin- for another century.” gent from IIT Madras led by professor Kalyanaraman was entrusted with instru- bijoy bharathan

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Shiva’s abode The Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy temple is an important pilgrimage site bijoy bharathan

All the city’s a stage ‘Remote Bangalore,’ a sound project, blurs the lines between the audience, performers and the stage, creating a rich theatrical experience in the metropolis

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emote Bangalore’ begins at a rickety ironing cart stationed by a park in the residential area of Indira Nagar. The 50 participants at the event — curated by Rimini Protokoll and supported by the Goethe-Institut — receive headphones, a radio receiver and a Namma Metro card. Next to us, a young man irons his way through a small mountain of clothes. I ask him what he knows about the event, which has been kicking off next to his cart since the end of January. “Something is said in English and some music plays, that’s about all,” he shrugs.

As I ponder about the inclusiveness of the project, the group is instructed to move into the park. Here we ‘meet’ Deepa, a synthetic voice created using multiple samples of the female voice. Her accent is somewhat Indian, and she makes our acquaintance unconventionally, “Most of you weigh between 40 and 120 kilos. I have no weight. I am faceless, mouth-less,” says she.

What follows is two hours of listening, walking, observing and climbing, all guided by Deepa. Initially, she directs us to spaces. A school, a hospital, a metro station. While walking up the stairs to the station, Deepa talks about how man has climbed the ladder of evolution, from learning how to walk to creating the wheel, the telegram and the age of information we live in today. The sound design is so well-executed, it makes us feel as though the sounds are emanating from the spaces we inhabit. On leaving the hospital, for instance, we hear dogs barking and simultaneously, see a

Listen in A ‘horde’ takes part in the Remote Bangalore soundscape project selvaprakash

dog running towards us. Is this a ploy? A choreographed ‘coincidence’? Some in the group even take off the headphones to check if the origins of the sounds we hear are within or without.

Not a flat drone, Deepa pauses to ask us questions. In a shrub-filled path en route to an abandoned children’s hospital, she asks, “Would you be comfortable walking here alone at night?” “Would you be comfortable walking here alone… as a woman at night?”

Slowly, the group, which began as a disconnected set of urban dwellers, becomes — as christened by our guiding voice — the ‘horde’.

Soon, we are not afraid to break into a dance on the metro when Deepa plays Jump by Van Halen. Or walk down Church Street pumping our fists in the air like at a demonstration. The foley effects of a heated protest on the headphones, makes us comfortable in our roles. At one point, we are told to walk backwards on

the pavement near a busy road. Almost as if it was planned, cars pile up in a jam, while the voice points out how the richer we get, the more vehicles we own and the more stuck we are in traffic. As though, as a civilisation, we are moving backwards.

Onlookers are curious, but few make eye contact or ask what we are doing. Only children look on, inquisitive and unconditioned.

The themes of the individual versus the horde, evolution, conditioning, public and private spaces as well as remarkable sound design, research and planning all merge together in the experience that is ‘Remote Bangalore’. The horde goes home happy, introspective and a tad tired; glad that it was far more thoughtprovoking than the man at the ironing cart had surmised, even if a little sorry that he couldn’t be a part of it. tara rachel thomas is a Bangalore-based writer

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THE BUCKET LIST FUNNY BUSINESS

Beyond city limits Working the room

Rural tourism comes full circle in India — from idyllic to clichéd, and back again to its humble roots

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ndia lives in its villages. But if the words rural tourism stir up visions of windblown mustard fields and buxom village belles, preferably Rajasthani, you’re about as close to the real deal as the golddiggers at Unnao. Not all dusty roads must lead to disappointment, however. Here are a few great initiatives that make tourism in the country look good.

uthra ganesan

Komic, Spiti Trips don’t start before May. But if you want Komic, the highest inhabited village in Asia, to be your midsummer dream, you might want to reach for that phone about now (homestays in the area are few and takers, many).

Spiti Ecosphere, a trusted local operator, runs a hiking trail here that strings a rosary of villages along the 4,000m to 4,800m gradient. Expect the usual Spiti spectacles — stark landscapes, grazing yaks, ancient monasteries — and a charming post office (the world’s highest) at Hikkim to send a postcard home.

Travel log 5N/6D; from ₹15,000, all-inclusive, ex-Manali; medium levels of fitness required; you can also opt for day-trips to Komic and Demul; spitiecosphere.com kk mustafah

A fitting ensemble A Sketch comedy show at Canvas Seijosa, Arunachal Pradesh

Humour is serious business for the Canvas Laugh Factory, which draws big crowds and bigger talent in Mumbai leon mahoney

Komic, Spiti

Bamboo Village, Wayanad

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very evening, the third floor of Mum- auditioned and then trained, and this process a group of actors. Yet another format is the imbai’s upmarket Palladium Mall in continues even today,” he says. provised comedy, where the performance Lower Parel reverberates with laughThose receiving training get to perform for takes shape on the spur of the moment, based ter and whistles. College students 10 minutes at the Monday night show, and on what the audience wants. “People need to and young professionals, including many ex- from this year, they have to pay ₹300 to do so. yell and we make comedy-on-the-fly based on pats, can be found clutching their stomachs their requests,” he says. and rolling with laughter. Among the audi- Rib-tickling revenues Another way to tackle the saturation point, ence are those who think they can tickle the Comedy collective All India Bakchod (AIB), he says, is to expand the market. While Course funny bone equally well, and they get a chance which boasts of the country’s most widely sees immense potential for comedy shows every Monday to stand up and perform before heard comedy podcast, had its beginnings at across India, after Mumbai it anticipates the the Maximum city’s comedy-loving audience.

Canvas and so did many others. biggest demand from Delhi and Bangalore.

The Canvas Laugh Factory is that rare kind Course thinks that over the years, Mumbai “The Delhi scene is active, but fragmented. It is of venue in the country that’s dedicated en- has improved its comedy quotient considera- the second-biggest market for comedy. And tirely to all things funny and satirical. The acts bly. More people are lining up to Bangalore too has an appetite for range from plays and musicals to monologues watch stand-up and other comeit. So we have decided to open and stand-ups. dy shows. Canvas is on the verge venues in these cities,” he says.

“Every stand-up comedian in India except of breaking even. This despite the The company expects to open its Pradesh Chandoori Sai, Koraput, Odisha three (Vir Das, Russell Seijosa, PetersArunachal and Ash Chan- fact that on an average the 300Gurgaon venue this year.

“We are hovering dler) started here. And all well-known comedi- seater venue is only half-full and around the profit Sai, Odisha ans have performed for Canvas,” claims Tom roughly, the revenue per person isChandoori Yuppie with a funny bone line,” says Tom tribal belt comesWhile with its its ownaudience bagCourse, the British CEO of Canvas Laugh Facto- ₹750, including ₹200 for foodTourism in the spans ages Course house with the it specifically tarry. Arriving in India in 2010, he decided to stay and beverages. Ticket rates varygage. But Chandoori Sai (or thethree to 50-plus, Koraput back in a country that was still warming up to from ₹250 for Monday nights tomango tree) at Goudaguda in thegets 25- todistrict, 35-year-old professionheart in the the concept of stand-up comedy. ₹750 for professional shows onnear the Andhra-Orissa border, has als,its who have money to spend. right place. Set in the middle of anItadivasi “When we started, all our comedians were the weekends. has a village, monthly college-based potters come— to sell their wares at Backbenchers weekly haats — but the audiforeign artistes. There were no Indian standThe expenses include fees for comedians comedy show — around even ence as strangers from thecome city are in- campuses alone. up comedians in the formats we were doing,” anywhere from ₹20,000 to ₹45,000 per here, show, for it doesn’t from vited to operbecome impromptu wedding when guests.someone does not says Course. leasing charges for the venue, and other And what happens Friendly Gadaba settlements further The company was initially set up as a part- ating expenses. “But people come backBonda on a andlike a show?

“Eitherliethey don’t come back or in a countryside rustic back and remote as one nership between UK’s The Comedy Store and regular basis and we are bookedafield two months theyascome for something different. But expects it to be. invariably, you will find something to suit Amar Aggarwal’s Horseshoe Entertainment in advance. We are hovering around the profit The guesthouseyour — built using local labour and and Hospitality in July 2010. Three years later, line,” says Course. taste in the comedy genre,” Course says. materials — however, makes a few concessions, the partners decided to part ways, and the reThe shows are mainly in English and a smatKalap, Upper Garhwal such as modern bathrooms air-conditioning, christened Canvas Laugh Factory came under Keep it fresh tering of and Hindi, and the company is deterKalap, Upper Garhwal the tetchy Winter and it spring of as “otherwise, it the control of the Indian partners. The Come- Though in its fourth year, Canvasfor continues to townies. mined to keep thatare, way Here milk doesn’t come in a packet and in 70mm. the Supin river, draining course, best time to visit.

Butour owner Leonvalue”.

Madysnow-capped Store travelsmountains to different partsGirdled of the by coungrapple with multiple challenges.

“Just the about might dilute brand into the Tons, and watched over by the range, Kalap is where the lines between myth and reality have been operating honey sayscirhe loves the monsoon best.are on the radar too. “We are tryBandarpunch with its shows.

30 comedians on the Overseas shows blur. Believed to be the home of brothers andthe arch-enemies, andhunt Kauravas, locals stillthree years now. OurTravel log ₹5,000 doubles, canand Singapore…”

“From start, our Pandavas job was to downit’s where cuit for over dedicated talking toall-inclusive; people in they Dubai claim to be their descendants. That isIndian when they are notcomics growingand wheat, millet, beansfor and potatoes onisteralsohe arrange stand-up ready them audience getting bored of them,” says. for taxis; Thechandoorisai.com intrepid home-grown joke appears all set raced fields or rearing sheep in high-altitude grasslandsCourse in shortrecalls. summer months.

Season our audience,” This they did by beginsTomid-March. counter this, the company is adding new- to brave laughter in newer lands. soity banerjee Travel log from 3N/4D; ₹7,500 perattending person, inclusive of meals, one-day activities; kalap.in comedy shows heldtrek, in cultural colleges, er show formats. Sketch comedy shows, for incafes and restaurants in the city. “People were stance, are short comedy scenes performed by rashmi pratap

No matter how many bikers, naturalists and WWII ‘bounty’ hunters find their way to Arunachal, it will still be as middle-of-nowhere as it gets in this country. So if you have the grit (and paid leaves), consider going to Seijosa in East Kameng district, a fringe village by the Pakke Tiger Reserve, known as much for its big cats as its hornbills. A Nyishi outpost, this is where the Ghora Aabhe Society, started by 16 village headmen — along with the forest department, Bangalore-based Nature Conservation Foundation and Help Tourism — make room for guests in cottages on stilts.

Travel log ₹3,500 doubles, all-inclusive; heltourism.net

courtesy: kalap

Bamboo Village, Wayanad You could spend a week in Wayanad’s Thrikkaipetta or Bamboo Village without ever sleeping under the same roof twice. In the shadow of the Western Ghats, seven families here have taken upon themselves the task of sharing the pleasures of a simple life. Overrun by plantations of coconut, coffee, rubber and banana, this corner of north Kerala is where you could be ankle-deep in a paddy field one day and immersed in bucolic splendour at all times. Get there before summer does.

Travel log from ₹3,250 for doubles, inclusive of all meals; indiauntravelled.com

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Full house A comic works the room; and (below) Papa CJ sachin raju

FUNNY BUSINESS

Laughing to the bank For stand-up comics, there’s nothing better than the sound of laughter and ringing tills

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hat do you expect from someone with an MBA from Oxford? Make a million dollar bonus in a corporate job? Or make a million dollar profit from his management consultancy?

Papa CJ did neither.

He decided to be a stand-up comedian and make others laugh.

Today, Papa CJ is the international face of Indian comedy, clocking over 1,500 shows across 20 countries in 10 years for an audience anywhere between two and 90 years of age.

But this wasn’t always the plan.

In 2004, Papa CJ was working with the tech-giant IBM and happened to visit the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

He saw the stand-up acts there and “it looked like a fun job”. Papa CJ landed his first show in London, on the Wibbley Wobbly Boat on the Thames, in October that year. Though life was not easy — he survived on just about one meal a day, shared taxis and skipped dinner be-

cause of frayed nerves ahead of his shows — he duration of the performance and the experiwaited it out. Within a year, he performed at ence of the comics. Mittal is also busy writing over 250 venues across UK and then there was scripts, mostly for corporates. “The market is no looking back. evolving rapidly,” she says, “Comedians are For aspiring comics in India, however, it’s a regularly consulted on social media camlot simpler today. “It’s the easiest place on the paigns as well.” planet to start doing stand-up comedy. When I And there’s room for more. Papa CJ, for instarted in London, you had to compete against stance, says he has conducted laughter yoga at 500 other new comics and wait for 6 months hospitals, performed at a police station in Lonto get a 5-minute spot at a comedy club. And it don, at baby showers, corporate events and was ages before you saw any money. That’s not even at gun point to a full house, when the the case here,” he says. event’s promoter didn’t want to pay him. “The Evidently, Aditi Mittal is riding this new only occasion I’ve not performed at is the suwave of popularity. “Four years hag raat,” he quips. ago, this market didn’t even exist.

This is also what makes it such a Now I’m travelling across the lucrative career option. Sorabh country for comedy shows. In the Pant, rated among India’s top 10 “Perhaps, the only last three months, I have been comics, says there is enough monoccasion I have not home for nine days!” says Mittal, ey to be earned in the profession. performed at is the who has performed across India, “About two or three years into it, I suhag raat,” quips from Chandigarh to Kochi and was making a little over what an Papa CJ Shillong and Gandhinagar.

MBA from an IIM makes.” He

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“People have no patience today; they want instant gratification. And stand-up comedy gives you just that. You get punchlines every 15 seconds. No wonder then that it is catching on,” says Papa CJ. What makes the career of a comic exciting right now, besides the increasing awareness about it as a medium of entertainment, is the small pool of comedians. “For the second generation of comedians, it will be a lot easier because of the lack of competition. The audience is looking for great new stuff,” says Tom Course of the Canvas Laugh Factory.

While the initial years require hard work and grit, a good artist should be able to make a mark within two or three years. Once established, they get paid anywhere between ₹20,000 and ₹45,000 per show, each about 20 minutes in length.

Corporates too are making a beeline for comedians to entertain their employees at events and off-sites. They pay upwards of ₹30,000 and up to ₹1.5 lakh, depending on the

doesn’t give away exact numbers, but a good comic can easily make upwards of ₹1 lakh a month. For making that kind of money though, a comedian ought to be in the top rung. “Probably 5 per cent of the people who try it, end up making it big. Of the 32 professional comedians in India, only 12 or so live off comedy alone. Others have day jobs or have other sources of income,” points out Pant.

Papa CJ, Aditi and Pant are also doing shows abroad, which require an entirely different skill set. “I have headlined shows in eight countries, and it took a long time to even come up with 30 minutes of international material that could work from Dubai to New York to Colombo! Now, I have about 45 minutes, but it takes quite an effort,” says Pant.

While making people laugh seems like the toughest thing to do, it surely has its own rewards. If you master the art, you can laugh all the way to the bank. rashmi pratap

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ditya Sharma’s Champs of Devgarh proves to be a quick and effortless read.

Set in a small town called Devgarh, the book tells of the asChamps of Devgarh pirations, struggles Aditya Sharma and shenanigans of Puffin the Star Eleven Boys ₹199 who study at Holy Mission School. Cricket occupies much of their time and minds and the book charts their various highs and lows on and off the field. In typical high school-style, the highs tend to be ecstatic highs, where they thump their chests and punch the air, and the lows tend to be the “I-don’twant-to-live-anymore” kind of lows, which seem to plague particularly those teenage years. They must deal with adult injustices, for instance, when nepotism trumps merit. And more importantly must realise that these setbacks are obstacles and not apocalypses.

At first, they must struggle to buy a cricket kit. They try all the tricks in the book, from the crooked to the clever. They win some matches and lose others. They find a good coach and then life takes a turn for the better. Exams must be dealt with summarily and efficiently. Sharma deals with all this with a light touch and few rough insights.

Of course, love makes a fleeting appearance as well. But we wouldn’t want to give all away just yet. Read the book yourself to find out more. et in medieval India, when circuses performed for emperors and courts were flush with treasures and secrets, Michaela Clarke’s Tiger Thief is Tiger Thief Michaela Clarke the tale of a highPuffin born circus boy and ₹250 his equally highborn white tiger. Clarke may have borrowed bits from almost every tome of fantasy fiction, but she still manages to give us an energetic plot bursting with demons, men, jinnis, sorcerers, children and magical creatures of good and evil.

Sharat and his majestic white tiger Emira are the star attractions of his father’s circus. But when they come to the City of Jinnis, a broken promise returns to haunt them. Emira disappears leaving Sharat distraught. Uma, the witch, and Aya, the new friend, agree to help Sharat find his tiger. Things get complicated surprisingly quickly when Sharat leaves the circus in search for Emira. The tiger is revealed to be of noble blood and is key to restoring the city to its former glory. Access also seems easy in this mysterious place — Sharat figures out the lay of the land in one night. Friends and relations, once longlost, find each other as soon as he arrives on the scene and everyone joins in to find Emira and their own place in the city of Shergarh. And of course, there is no dearth of magical devices — swords, amulets, pendants, flutes.

While the plot races along predictable lines at a breathless pace, the ride is, nevertheless, entertaining.

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For $45 Students try out the Aakash tablet, when it released with much fanfare in 2011 afp / prakash singh

ON THE SHELF

anita roy

The self-hinder author Finding inspiration in the most unlikely places and people

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Not app-heavy Datawind CEO and co-founder, Suneet Tuli, says the company has managed to keep the product cheap by focusing on individual costs kamal narang

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eeting writers in the flesh is sioned by his publisher to write a book truthfully. a risky business. The author about tennis, he ended up delivering inLike a polite houseguest attempting to that you had admired for stead a book about Andrei Tarkovsky’s escape the attentions of his host’s enthuyears for his crystal prose cult classic film Stalker, a book that he siastic Labrador, Dyer’s attempts to wrigand searing insights can turn out to be a cheerfully admitted no one would buy gle out of the question served only to mumbling bore on stage. Another, whose on a film that no one had seen. I felt for make Dalrymple more eager. sensitive soul you have long cherished in his poor publisher.

“But you have worked in both genres,” the pages of her book comes across as a But Dyer has more or less made a ca- he insisted, “you’d be the best person to supercilious prig. They answer.” seem smaller in real life, the Finally, with a shrug of apotheosis being the towerhis narrow shoulders so exing literary giant, Vikram pressive that it bordered on Seth, who in person could the existential, Dyer gave in. fit in your pocket.

“Well, ah, the proportion of On the other hand, there documentary stuff to are those moments when a made-up stuff in my fiction writer who you assumed and my non-fiction is... you would not like, or never about the same. Yes, about read, inadvertently charms the same. I think.” the socks off you and sends At the festival bookstore I you scurrying barefoot to picked up Dyer’s 2003 book, the nearest bookstore to Yoga for People Who Can’t Be buy up his or her entire Bothered To Do It. If I worked back catalogue and retreat in a bookstore, I would have to nearest corner with waves a t’sthe a company that made after in- feature while making a decision is affordabili- significant to shelve the from onpart ofthis ourbook sales in comes box of chocolates and cheapest your troducing the world’s tablets in ty. Designing products as per the price is a line andself-help, literthroughmotivational call centres, we are expandphone off. Which India inswitched 2011 — a time when tabs were just good enough disruption,” he says. aturechannels,” section, and ing to other says yet, Tuli.as I is more noticed. or less what hapgetting It introduced a better Vishal Tripathi, principal analyst at Gartner soonisdiscovered on reading Datawind now reaching out to customers me at thisthe year’s one pened a year tolater, after first series was India, agrees that affordability is a big consid- throughit,tele-shopping. it belongs to “We a different have started sellJaipur Festival, panned.

AndLiterature before anyone could anticipate eration. “The crux is that India is a price con- ing our genre entirely.

It is200 a selfproducts through mobile retailwhen I happened its next move, it rolled to outcatch an ultra low-cost scious market. That’s why you don’t see ers in Delhi hinder a piece de-In the next andbook, Mumbai,” Tuliof says.

Geoff Dyer on stage in the ilfive-inch-screen smartphone.

For its disrup- premium tabs resonating well here,” he says. motivational literature, six months, that number should go up to lustrious company of has Antotive technology, Datawind now made it to Around 80 per cent of tab users are consum- 2,000 across that India. celebrates (though ny50Beevor, Reza Aslan and 2014’s Smartest Companies in MIT Technolo- ers while 20 per cent are enterprises, which upbeatisa selling word for India that’s apart,too Datawind tablets in 15 William Dalrymple, gy Review’s annual list ofostensithe world’s most in- prefer top-end features in tablets. Due to the countries it) including failure, Mexico, pointlessness Zambia, Tanzably discussing the knotty isnovative technology companies. sheer size of the consumer segment, low-cost nia, Uruguay, and being “This Sri Lanka Nepal,stoned.

Bangladesh, writing non-fiction.

Sosue far,of the biggest strength of the Canada- tablets will always find buyers. book “Latin is a ripped, and Canada.

America by andno Africa are a Despite the enthusiastic based Datawind, almost synonymous with AaHowever, Alok Shende, principal analyst at big focus means reliable mapareofdeveloping area for us as these kashaccolades tablets, hasfrom been readers its abilityI to keep costs Ascentius Consulting has a word of caution: economies somewhere of the affordability landscapes that is a key retrust, I had it avoidlow. generally And that has helped take the number “Low price is certainly an advanmake up a particular quirement.

The phase response has reading fortablet years.market I threeedslot in theDyer Indian behind tage in a market like India. But as of my life,” he explains in been overwhelming,” he adds. had always offLenovo by Samsung (15 perbeen cent)put and (13.3 per consumers educate themselves, the introduction, about in place, With these“It’s strategies in-jokeyness of the title cent),the according to research firm IDC. Data- they will realise the trade-offs on places where things Datawind turned happrofitable in Tuli believes that be bothered Geoff Dyer’s between stools and the12.4 bookper he’s best-known windofhad cent of the marketCan’t (in the the usability that work comeoften withfalls a low pened or“We didn’t FY13. are happen... not heavily profitcustomers should sometimes for (in this of the world September 2013part quarter) excluding sales to topples price off arethem not altogether worth it.”geoffdyer.com/gallery/marzena pogorzaly places I’d but wanted or able we to aresee definitely not not be burdened at least), Jeff as in part Venice, Death the government of the Aakash project.

For now, Tuli continues to beplaces I passed through or As Datamaking losses,” Tuli says. with profit in Varanasi. even supposed to reer Datawind CEOHe andwasn’t co-founder, Suneet Tuli, of defying convention and ignor- just ended up... Everything lieveout that customers should not bookbeyond Inwind looksintothis expand expectations at the this panel, Rana Dasgupta says be theon company hasbut managed to keep aand tab ing such piffling as ‘genre’. really happened, dia, be burdened with categories profit expectabut some of the things the country’s share in its time of purchase Katherine Boo on had dropped out,—and on cost by focusing every cost head hard-I Yes, some oftime his books sit on the tions at the of purchase.

“We‘fiction’ that happened only happened overall revenuesinis my reducing anhe wasmarketing a last-minute ware,guess software, andreplacement. distribution. shelf, and that yes, others are classified as head; by the same realised a significant token, all the things nually.

From 90 per cent of reveWhile Beevor, Dalrymple Aslan “Because we manufacture our own and screens (in ‘non-fiction’ but most muddle around in that didn’t happen amount of revenue comes in after didn’t there nues fromhappen India in 2012, it went wrestled the able big intellecAmritsar and manfully Montreal),with we are to cut a the grey area in between, falling between too.” customers have bought the proddown to 70 per cent in 2013. “In tual questions of the day — the substantial part of hardware costs,” heethical says. A stools and sometimes offnetwork them altouct. We— realised that apps, services It’sthe notcurrent what heyear, intended, I’m sure, only about half at of our revestance ofisa about biography touch screen 25 towriter 30 pertowards cent of his the gether. and advertising create significant sources of the end of the I found there’s nues willday, come fromit, India,” hereally says. how(tablet much ‘story’ there is in ‘hiscost subject, of a device or smartphone) and revenues.”

As the session a member of thelower So he ended, is relying on offsetting no other wordTuli for isit:happy inspirational.

PerWhile with increasing sales, tory’ and so on —manufacturers Dyer sat looselycharge foldeda audience due to high demand, upbytohigher ask a recurring question revehardware stood margins haps Shende it should be in that section ofstrategy the believes the low-cost might into his chair with the air of the a bloke premium.

Datawind has eliminated sup- about difference writing fic- partnues. the Datawind has between relationships with bookstore after that in your pipe,time, Datachange in all. thePut near future.

“Over who’s accidentally wandered into a philpliers’ margin, cutting costs to one-fourth of tion non-fiction, what proportion of and ners,and who provide content for devices Geoff,wind and smoke it. up its ultra low-cost proposiwill give osophical debating cluba mistaking for fact the market price.

“We have number ofitpatand fiction thethat. writer feltsells went customers pay for It also adinto space on tion and move to devices that deliver a good tea shop, and is looking around genially each. ents aaround this technology,” Tuli adds. pre-loaded apps on its tabs, where it splits the says of Shende. Tuli, for now, anitauser roy isexperience,” a writer and director for a spare waitress.

Another reason behind high prices is what revenue “Geoff,with perhaps you’d like to answer Young disagrees. app developers.

He says he net wants to take this lowZubaan anita@anitaroy. one point, he launched to a users ram- that,” he callsAt“features overkill”.

Sincein most Dalrymple.

Forprompted long, Datawind managed to keep distri- cost “India revolution global”. Only time will story of how, having been don’tbling end up using all the features incommisa smart- bution “Er... no, really,” expenses Dyer responded, and not marketing negligible by tell who is right. phone, Datawind is focusing on specific needs only selling online. It has now partnered with for a customer segment. “The most important Flipkart and Snapdeal as well. “Even though a rashmi pratap

Tab on costs How Datawind leveraged its disruptive technology to enter the hall of fame

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own chair with my name written on it. In a multi-starrer, you have to match your schedule with the hero and he will decide when the shoot kicks off. And there’s definitely no chair,” she says with a laugh.

Filmmaker Vikas Bahl, who previously directed the acclaimed Chillar Party, says he zeroed in on Ranaut halfway through fleshing out the character of Rani. Once he was done, he prayed she wouldn’t turn him down and even threatened not to make the film without her. “I don’t take such things seriously,” says Ranaut dismissively. “If I had said no, I’m sure this story would have come along with someone else,” she adds. There’s nothing extraordinary about Rani. She’s timid, awkward and usually the butt of jokes. After her big fat Punjabi wedding is called off, she ends up alone on an European sojourn, which was meant to be her honeymoon. As she I’d like to do a makes her way through Paris and baking course in Amsterdam in a frumpy kurti and Paris. This is also jeans ensemble, she finds the conwhat I’d like to tell fidence she was lacking earlier. “I young girls — they wanted someone who came from should make their the same world as Rani, or there own life was a high chance of the character becoming a caricature,” explains Bahl.

Bahl’s fixation with Ranaut makes one wonder if the actress’s own transformation from a Himachali girl who spoke broken English to her current chic self served as inspiration for the plot. Ranaut’s not convinced of this theory. “It’s the last role that I thought would be offered to me. People consider me a style icon. In my last film (Krrish 3), I played a superwoman. I don’t know how to be a girl who is ignored by society and has no self respect. I’ve always been quite popular in school as well,” she says. Despite the disconnect, she ended up writing most of her own lines in the movie, an experience which triggered the writer in her. Earlier this year she enrolled for a scriptwriting course in New York.

She left it halfway to promote Queen but is intent on completing it in June. “I felt that if I learnt the technicalities of the craft, I’d be able to convey my thoughts better. I think this is one of the best things I’ve done for myself. I’ve been working for seven to eight years. So going back to school, sitting with students and taking lectures was so refreshing,” she says.

By the end of this year Ranaut will have anLamhe, a schizophrenic dumped in a mental other release, Revolver Rani where she plays asylum. So when the trailer of her latest film the title role of a bandit.

Queen opens with the line “Mera sense of huIt’s safe to say Ranaut has stepped into the mour bahut achha hai, aapko dheere dheere pa- best phase of her career. She seems thrilled by ta chalega,” you’re immediately drawn to this the development and yet equally detached. In new Ranaut. She confesses that the monotony the past too she’s been very vocal about actors of playing a woman on the verge of a break- and filmmakers being “self-obsessed”. To prodown got to her too. “For the longest time I felt tect herself from falling into the same trap, like I’m not going beyond what I had done in she’s consciously built a life beyond films.

Gangster. Even though Fashion won me a Na- “How else can you evolve as a human being? I tional Award, I stayed within my limits. With like to stay in different countries, learn differQueen I have broken that barrier,” she says. ent languages. I’d also like to do a baking It’s been a long day for the 26-year-old ac- course in Paris. Maybe I’ll go to Germany to tress. She’s been seated behind a wooden desk learn something else. This is also what I’d like at the Phantom office (Queen’s Production to tell young girls. They should sponsor their Company) for close to five hours giving press own vacations and education, and make their interviews, occasionally stepping out to touch own life,” she says. up her make-up for a photo. Dressed in a pale Within cinema, Ranaut’s world seems to be pink dress and with her curly locks left un- growing as well. She’s recently written a peritamed she feebly announces, “I feel a bit tired. od film, an assignment for her course, and You know how hectic promotions can be.” Her tried her hand at directing a nine-minute PR team is in a flutter because she’s already short film. Next on her agenda is directing a running late for another appointment. Ironi- full-fledged feature film. “It took seven years cally, Ranaut has been famously ignored in the to get a film like Queen. I don’t want to wait past during the promotions of some multi- seven more years before I land a similar prostarrers she’s acted in. But the fate of Queen ject. As an actor I have pretty much satisfied rests solely on her and she’s happy to shoulder my own creativity. I’d like to do different the burden. “It’s great when you’re the protag- things now,” she says. onist. You are the hero on set and the story follows you. What else do you want? I also get my mohini chaudhuri

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Lady with a chair

No more just the co-star on the verge of a breakdown, Kangna Ranaut is now happy to play the protagonist

Glam to not-so-glam Kangna Ranaut plays a woman who goes on her honeymoon alone in Queen

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n her debut film Gangster in 2006, she was a mother, a murderess and an alcoholic all rolled into one. At the time, Kangna Ranaut was all of 18. In her subsequent films her characters got darker, crazier and more disturbed. In Fashion, she’s a failing model who dies of a drug overdose and in Woh

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A long shot on Delhi trisha gupta

The Householder and Tere Ghar ke Saamne from 1963 tell us different stories of home

MP FIRES STINGER G MISSILE IN PARLIAMENT, TAKES OUT ROOF

dipankar

PICTURE THIS

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BUY THE COAL MINISTRY COMPUTERS!

IS THIS THE FUTURE OF POLICING?

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rowing up, I often wondered what it was like to see Hindi films as a Bombay person. To have roads and landmarks you knew be part of an on-screen iconography seemed immeasurably glamorous. So I’ve enjoyed watching my own city, Delhi, begin to find its place in the cinematic sun. Sure, the road to filmi fashionableness has been paved with the tediously same-old Old Delhis and distressingly prettified college campuses. But there have also been gems like Do Dooni Char, Vicky Donor and Band Baaja Baraat, and at the top of the heap, Dibakar Banerjee’s Khosla ka Ghosla and Oye Shovon Chowdhury is chief Lucky Lucky Oye. Thruthdigger and author of Delhi in film is a subject for a much longer The Competent Authority piece. Recently, though, I watched two Delhi films from long before they became a vogue — and was his makes us vulnerable tostruck a recent ordinance passed by athe away carefully, until one the job of televising parliament is now beby how their Delhis of half century ago paratrooper attacks,” says astill government, authorising electedThe Houseof them diverted his at- ing handed over to the private sector. resonate today.

Merchant-Ivory’s tention by pointing up at Papers fly as a helicopter appears overrepresentative of the people,holder representatives to carryTere shoulderand Vijay Anand’s Ghar ke Saamne, looking up at the gapingbothmounted missiles in parthe ceiling, saying, “Look! head, and hovers. Arnab Goswami shimreleased ballistic in 1963, and are preoccupied with Look! Hema Malini;” at mies down a rope ladder into the chamber, hole where the Lok Sabha roof used to be.homes. liament anddifferently! to watch moderate But how His face is illuminated in a shaft of sunlight. The amounts of porn iPads, alwhich point the armed clutching a microphone. He floats above us.

Householder opensonwith a glorious long member looked up, his fin- His eyes are like laser beams. His tie is Little flakes of ceiling plaster are stuck inshot:though not bothterrace, at the same time. an Old Delhi smoke rising from his hair. “Up to grenade launchers I wassomewhere, I catchthe onesound of the of marshals, who ger slipped, and he inad- askew. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have three the azaan emanating okay, but when they mentioned stingerfromisthe leaning against wall, vertently took out the questions,” he says. “The first question has striped domeaof the trembling.

Ghata Masjid. Cut to roof, injuring six.” two parts. The second and third questions missiles I knew this was going to happen.” a close-up He displays symptoms of of theall twothe figures: Prem (Shashi KaA group of parliamentarians are huddledpoor), post-traumatic stress disorder, I by his The missile has also have three parts. This is the first part. Of the asleep on a charpai, is gently but woken together in a corner, trembling in the win-pert-nosed am relentless myIndu quest for truth. destroyed several Lok first question.” He glares down at me meyoung in wife (Leela Naidu). This is ter chill. Victims of falling debris are beinga world“What happened, exactly?”

I ask.

Sabha TV cameras, as a nacingly. I inch towards the door. “Is this a in which the prospect of attending a wedresult of which it has been plot to expose the inner working of India’s carried out on stretchers by grim-faced at-ding in“He perceived a threat to life,” says Mehrauli makes Indu sit up. “We will sit in shut down indefinitely. In parliament to spy satellites of enemies?” he tendants. A team of doctors is trying to re-a bus the marshal, when he loaded and go,” she“That’s says with childlike joy, before vive the Speaker, who has lapsed into aher his missile.

It was self-defence. Others keeping withDev theAnand Public-Prifaint cries the biggest wounded brow furrows in contemplation of which of Of manners and melodies and Nutandemands. in Tere GharThe ke Saamne, one ofof 1963’s hits coma. This mishap was the consequence ofher two whogood weresaris rushing atwear. himPrem backed vate Partnership approach, are his only answer. she will is a lecturer at a small college, and much of the film — The level of irrationality is as high as the (here). It would be economical for us.” Meanbased on Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s novel — revolves stakes. When Dev Anand (playing the foreign- while, when Rakesh and Sulekha in Tere Ghar around his anxieties about making a living. returned architect Rakesh) asks about the ad- ke Saamne whiz past the same Mehrauli ruins The dialogue dwells continually on money, the joining plot, Nutan (playing Karamchand’s in a car, they arrive in a village home. Rakesh naming of sums echoing the way Prem must daughter Sulekha) wrinkles her nose in dis- offers to pay for the home-cooked meal, the count every rupee. His monthly salary is ₹180, his gust. “Don’t talk about that.” “But why?” “Be- old woman refuses. It’s a cue for him to aprent ₹60 and repairing the ceiling fan will cost a cause it’s cheaper than ours. Theirs is two lakh, plaud the non-money-mindedness of the poor princely ₹10. Eventually Prem gathers the cour- and ours two lakh one thousand!” as against the unprincipled avarice of the rich age to appeal for a raise, but he is shooed away by Yet Tere Ghar ke Saamne was — before leaving money “for the his principal’s shrewish wife. When he begs his one of 1963’s biggest hits, its efoil that burns in the diya she landlord (Pinchoo Kapoor) to reduce his rent, the fervescent comedy of manners lights for God”. The possibility alcoholic Sehgal reads his petition, only to break and still memorable songs makof cloyingness is averted a minThe film about elite into a bizarre drunken soliloquy. “The cost of liv- ing it the year’s sixth highest ute later, when Sulekha rejects houseowners us will capture information reysterious fires and misplace- in computerisation, but due to jealousy, n a move which analysts have de- Alert tells System ing has gone up terribly. Sixty rupees for a bottle grossing Hindi film. And The his proposal and a miffed Ramore things about ment are causing loss of files they are not sharing this expertise. In addiscribed as ‘a giant leap into the 19th garding crimes in progress that will be reof whiskey!” And as poor baffled Prem looks on, Householder, despite its affecting kesh declares he will be waiting ourselves than the oneCycle Squad Chief, after which to the in many government depart- tion, due to free distribution of coal, the century’, UP Police will issue 800 bicy- layed Sehgal continues as if in a trance: “Sugar one ru- subject, flawless photography for the ₹5 he’s just spent on her aboutbicycles the sadwith flashing sirens will shoot out ments. As a result, progress is Coal Ministry has limited funds. cles to policemen in Lucknow, Kanpur, pee a seer, rice one for a seer, oranges three ru- by Subrata Mitra (Satyajit Ray’s roti — the money-mindedness householder being hampered. We’re starting our Citizens, donate lavishly to our Allahabad and Ghaziabad. The bicycles will in hot pursuit of the criminals. In cases pees a dozen, apples four rupees a pound...” longtime collaborator) and a fiof the rich has just been brilrelief efforts with the Coal Minis‘Help Your Gorment’ scheme, be equipped with sirens, flashers, and small where criminals lose control of their vehiTere Ghar ke Saamne talks money, too. And if nal cut apparently by Ray himliantly, ever-so-lightly underand we will purchase computcles due to uncontrollable laughter, the offitry, which has been hit particbut tasteful man-purses.

Sehgal’s spending the whole of Prem’s rent on a self, never transcends its stilted lined. ers with advanced Pentium ularly hard. The magic of “In an era of drones and stealth weapons, cer is authorised to take a 15-minute hiatus bottle of Vat 69 seemed ironic, TGKS evokes a characters and caricatured subThe song-less film whose computers could make processors for the Ministry. we wanted a force that was simpler, cleaner to recover his breath, after which he is to apworld even farther from the lowly lecturer’s. The plots. And it doesn’t help that everyone speaks characters reminisce about watching Hindi such losses a thing of the Send your name, address and closer to the soil,” said a spokesman. prehend the culprits, or provide them medfilm opens at a government auction for “Dehli ki in English, with no attention to inflections of films is the one that got reviewed in the New past, as files will then have and bank account details “On field tests, in nine cases out of 10, sub- ical help, as the case may be. Most officers behtereen locality ka behtareen plot”. Lala Jagan- class.

York Times. The mainstream hit was seen as to helpyourgorment@gmail. multiple copies, easily dujects were able to overtake and apprehend have been supportive. “Obviously we’d have nath (Om Prakash) outbids Seth Karamchand The Householder, even at its best, has a stod- mere fluff. But somehow the film about elite com. Please note: Donation plicated without running absconding buffaloes. In one case, the buf- preferred it if the election symbol of the Sa(Harindranath Chattopadhyay) on a highly val- gy, one-note quality. TGKS seems to invite mul- houseowners tells us more things about ourthem through the fax mato this fund will not entitle falo knocked over the bicycle.” majwadi Party was a motorbike or a Merued front-wala plot. But the pugnacious Karam- tiple readings. When Prem and Indu get off selves than the one about the sad chine. The Income Tax Departthe donor any preference in fuEach of the cities will now have state-of- cedes,” said one, “But at least, Mayawati is chand, not to be outdone, returns to bid the same their bus amidst the ruins of Mehrauli, Prem householder. ment has made significant strides ture coal block allocation. the-art Police Control Rooms too. A Rapid not in charge. Her symbol is an elephant.” amount on the lesser-valued back plot. As he an- remarks with pleasure on how quiet it is. But it nounces to his appalled wife, “Shaan bhi koi cheez is only an instant before his brain begins to trisha gupta is a writer and critic based in Delhi The Investigator is a fortnightly round-up of all thingshoti drollhai and(there newsy. Views are personal. personal t@shovonccount paisas again: “I’m sure rents are low t@chhotahazri is such a thingReally as grandeur).”

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THE CRITICAL ISSUE

Fight the good fight It is becoming all the more important that we protect our freedom of speech

Fanning the fire Banning books is tantamount to banning ideas file

photo nissar ahmad

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URVASHI BUTALIA is an editor, publisher and the director of Zubaan

year ago, a constable from the local police station arrived at our office with a complaint about one of our books. A newspaper had carried a story that was to be included in the book, and two months after the story appeared, someone filed a complaint in a police station in Mumbai claiming that the story, which was based on a religious text, offended and hurt his sentiments and those of his community.

The Mumbai police sent the complaint on to our local thana, and a constable was dispatched to carry out an enquiry.

As someone who runs an office that employs a good number of women, I was both surprised and worried. Who was the complainant and what community did he represent?

He claimed that thousands of others like him were offended, but we had only his word for it.

Why should we believe him? Had those thousands complained to him? Why would they do that? They had certainly not complained to us.

I was worried because the self-appointed guardians of our morality are often violent and intimidatory, and the tone of the complaint was both righteous and threatening, almost as if he knew the message would be passed on. I did not know what I should be doing or what should be done.

As it happened, the book in question had not been contracted yet, and without knowing its full contents, the complainant could clearly not file a case to stop its publication, so the issue sort of fizzled out. But had the courts admitted the case, would we have fought it or capitulated and agreed not to include the story?

It’s difficult to say.

And yet, why should it be difficult? As a publisher, and more specifically as a feminist publisher, freedom of speech and expression is a right that we passionately defend and believe in. But was it just our call? The author, for ex-

ample, felt extremely vulnerable and was also pression had this to say: why, he asked, must frightened of the possible consequences. How westerners who do not know much about our would we have reacted had she chosen to civilisation and religion, have the right to withdraw her story? The complaint to the po- speak about it? In his case, it wasn’t religious lice specifically named individuals — this is sentiment that was ‘hurt’ but a sense of nawhat the law allows you to do, to target specif- tionalism. So here’s another layer that we have ic people — and two of them had nothing to deal with. whatsoever to do with the book in question.

But more than anything else, the DonigerCould we allow them to be thus targeted? Penguin case has reminded us of the immiMore, had the police enquiry found substance nent danger of losing even the relatively reto justify the complaint, would we, as small stricted freedom of expression that we do publishers, have had the resources to pursue have in India — earlier largely restricted by the the case?

State, and now increasingly reThese are questions that are stricted by non-State actors with becoming increasingly importhe State remaining a passive tant for those in the world of onlooker. There is no doubt that The Doniger-Penguin writing and publishing today. As the fear of violence and disrupcase has reminded us story after story unfolds — and tion is real, but in many ways, it of the imminent the Wendy Doniger case is only is no more real than the random danger of losing even the most recent of these — it beviolence we face every day on the relatively comes clear that publishers will the streets, in homes, in workrestricted freedom of start to exercise more and more places. If we can deal with that, expression that we do caution when choosing what to and on occasion even hope to have in India publish, and self censorship get positive judgments that may become common practice. strengthen our struggle, why What’s less clearly understood can’t we deal with this? are the dangers of such practice.

As long ago as 1957, the editor Book publishers are not alone in this: the of a magazine called Gaurakshak challenged media do it routinely. This is why, with elec- the constitutional validity of article 295A — tions looming, and the prospect of a right one of the articles that has been invoked in the wing government on the horizon, virtually all Doniger case — claiming that it infringed his media channels and newspapers — even those right to freedom of expression, guaranteed by who prided themselves on being aligned with the Indian Constitution. While we may or may the Left — have adopted a soft line on the fun- not agree with the ideas expressed in Gaudamentalist right-wing. The swing is all too rakshak, it is both necessary and important obvious, but not surprisingly, it does not come that all publishers put their weight behind dein for much criticism — how can the media fending the right to freedom of expression. No criticise itself? doubt there will be obstacles along the way It’s also interesting to see how deep the sus- but such battles have never been easy. What’s picion goes. At the World Book Fair recently, in important is they have to be fought. a panel on freedom of expression, an audience member who was on the side of freedom of ex- blink@thehindu.co.in

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A legacy Raza has always been known for his bold, geometric artwork

Missing reports Clockwise from left: paying respects at Indravelli Martyr’s statue can invite police attention even now priyanka kotamraju; most surveyor positions in Adilabad lie vacant; and tribals evicted from their forest lands turn to tenancy bk ramesh

Lie of the land The new State of Telangana inherits a tattered mess of land records and violated land rights

Creating an open circle O

n a scorching morning in July last He didn’t have one. She pulled out the revenue barked on a ‘land caravan’ across Telangana to year, Malliah woke up early. The department’s big book of names, the pahani, find out whose land it was. They marched cropping season was nearing its to check government records. Malliah’s name through 10 districts — from the semi-urban arend and his two-acre field stub- was missing. Since his father’s death a few eas of Sangareddy and tribal lands of Adilabled with paddy was ready for a fertiliser years ago, Malliah had sought a change in bad, to the red corridors of Khammam and boost. Armed with his title deed, he made his ownership on paper without any success. He Pochampally in Nalgonda, where the Bhooway to the urea bank set up at the Kowdipally had also lost the whole day in a line at the end dan movement once took wing. mandal in Medak district. It was his first time of which there was no urea for him. Now, he According to the Koneru Ranga Rao Land here. He joined a long, snaking line at the rear. would have to return to the open market to Committee Report (2006), since its formation Hours later, in the late afternoon, Malliah was buy it, but at a much higher price.

AP, especially Telangana, has seen strong prostill waiting for his turn. When it finally arAt the end of the season, when Malliah har- poor land legislations — land reform acts, tenprotégés with that muchvested care,” his saysplot, Sujatathe Ba-yield of fell his income towards theacts, promotion and of land grabs acts etc. ith SH Raza 92 last rived,turning he produced his papers; the heavily subshort bygofour ancy prohibition of younger in India andon-ground this ge- implementation has week, Vadehra an abstract and print-maker cur- support The application of fertiliser hadn’tartists sidisedArt bagGallery of ureacelwithinjaj, reach now. Thepainter lady quintals.

Despite that, dividing between and of the nerosity resulted in the Raza Foundation, ebrated at the occasion theoverrently the counterwith pored his details.

Then,her shetime been timelyParis because missing records. been weak. While thea AP government has offiprivate non-profit trust founded in 2005. release of two books Raza: A Pass Stockholm. work evokes spirituality of with asked for his—Pattadar Book for Her the land.

Now,the multiply his loss 10 lakh other farmcially assigned over 40 lakh acres, far less is in the lastthe living painters fromand under cultivation. of in Devnagri text,who vi- incur Raza is Journey of the Master, which holds 100 large, India through collages ers Telangana, losses one everyofcrop hands of farmers Go-betweens Community surveyors in Medak districtof the artist’s important brant colours and sweeping brushstrokes. Rathe PAG formed 1947. The group gave in direchigh-quality prints season due to poorly maintained records,in and Interestingly, his first Chai pe Charcha, Naworks and Raza: A Journey of the Master and Gey- za persuaded Bajaj to come toofParis, after he tion the lie the land becomes anto in- the Indian modern art movement rendra Modi spoke of the urgent through its manifesto need that for de-re-surveys of land across 1980, to truth. sers — a collection of correspondence between saw her solo exhibition in escapable cried revival and nostalgia the Ecole on seeds and fertilisRaza and fellow artists and friends such as Ak- study at his alma- mater the Subsidies theforcountry.

Earlier, in 2008, past and looked insteadunion to interbar Padamsee, Bal Chhabda, E Schlesinger, FN nationale superieure des ersBeauxand crop loans are difficult to minister for rural develop‘influennationallost Modernism, Souza, Gaintonde, Laxman Pai, MF Husain, Arts. “I was never directlyobtain, if farmers cannot produce Malliah mentstayJairam Ramesh launched a day in while Raza promotes ing true to Indian the crore National Land Ram Kumar, RV Leyden, Tyeb Mehta and Wal- ced’ by Raza but we both search copies of any of the 11 records theOf₹1,000 a queue atits the end roots. young artists Indian in PAG, Raza is unique. is known Modernisation Proter Langhammar. Raza stands out from these for the quintessentially needed to stake their claim to the of which there was He Records through his forno making cash registers ring — Although nine states contemporaries and those who were part of our art, even while living abroad lands they till. Vulnerable to land gramme. bag of urea Foundation his painting Saurashtra sold for implemented it, AP is the Progressive Artists’ Group (PAG), because for a good part of our lives,” grab, says criminal cases in revenuehave fully ₹16 crore at Christie’s in from but he was a guru to many artists, when they were Bajaj, whose work drawscourts and falling yields, land inyet2010 to —begin work for nearly and for nurturing many emergyoung and struggling. His contemporaries doesn’t copy from her mentors. security is rampant here.

30,000 of its villages. “The first She, along with Indore-based ing painters. have left behind their art, but Raza will leave On February 20, when Parliathing Telangana’s new governThough his beginnings were in have a small vil-is a land re-survey,” says behind a following. artist Akhilesh Verma and MP-born artist ment passed the ManAndhra Pradesh Re-organisament will to do lage in MP, Raza settled Paris after marrying closest “I was a wide-eyed student, making my way ish Pushkale, are Raza’s tion Billprotégés. The (2014), India’s 29th state was born. in Suneel Kumar, the State director of Landesa.

French painter Janine But has he reRafique Shah, to Paris for the first time in 1988, and (Syed work of others like Sanju TheJain, 60-year-old Telangana movement had Mongillat.

Land, he adds, to be resurveyed every 30 turned to in hisanmotherland inby 2002, when Jathe R- into Haider) Raza came to meet me at the train sta- Saba Hassan and Bani Pershad grownalso legsbear and walked reality elec- years the government.

The last land survey love for Three abstraction nine away. Now large photograph of a tion. He need not have, because he was such a aza stamp through theirtion year. weeks prior topassed that, Landesa, a a in Telangana was conducted from 1936 to 1942; younger Raza next to Janine smiles at guests famous painter by then, but he mentored his and spirituality. Raza always desired that part non-profit network dealing in land rights, emand in the Andhra region, before 1900!

While his contemporaries left behind artwork, nonagenarian SH Raza has nurtured a following

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no government assigned here,” ments B Venkatiah is, by all accounts, a model “There’s in his Delhi house. It is one of theland few things taken over, evicting tribals circle. Ithave is not a pedagogical institute butfrom a ghThorapukla Anand.

“Most oflife us in live on lands farmer. In Gummadavelli village, Gurram- says he says. currently overseehe brought back to remind him of Paris. arana,” they have Pushkale occupiedisfor decades”.

If the and kabza of mother, plots occur pode mandal, Nalgonda district, that is a rare rent. ing the production of athese portfolio of he limited “OneBenami must return to the theroutinesoil on new State doesn’t solve issues, says, (landlords drivennext out There’s no was land even burypunaraagman, a dead man!” there’s achievement. The NS left canal that runs from ly. editionaprints thatdoras will accompany Raza’s which one born,tomy fear that Telangana will return.Gallery, “There many villagesispopulated

by SC households Nagarjuna Sagar dam, the only source of wa- In (homecoming) made complete by the pres- by bigthe exhibition at rebellion) London’s Grosvenor even be another peasant uprising.” finding land for graveyards could ter in these parts, kisses the borders of Gum- across ence ofNalgonda, old friends,” he says. later this year. a majorhome problem. madavelli and rushes on to water the oasis of is also Coming for Raza has meant that Sanju Jain reiterates that Raza knows how and revolution Thirty-year-old Kavitha a commuHyderabad, leaving behind thousands of many of his ‘disciples’ can has rallybeen around the art- Blood to identify and nurture talent. She found diroadinto Indravelli shuts down oncein a year this Pushkale, mandal, since 2005. Her The acres of parched lands in Nalgonda. Despite nity ist insurveyor times ofin need. who continues rection her work, after meeting Raza 1997 na-a NoBhavan. vehicles“He are allowed police of 35 surveyors and assistants, this, Venkatiah’s fields have prospered. In a vil- team to uphold the Raza legacy, livesfield a stone’s throw in at April.

Bharat told meand that I had stands strong. Part the red corriashome. part of Indira Kranthi Patham lage overrun by Indiramma (a State govern- recruited of creativity that of would flower infrom Raza’s “I live away from my par- kabandi ‘beej’ (seed) one of the the Telangana launched 2000, act as the ment housing scheme) structures, he owns a (IKP) a fine treesites if it of had the right enents who are ininmy hometown ingo-betweens dor, it’s also to 33 years ago, April 20, villagers revenue “We rebellion. Nearly pukka house. He also drives his own Hero mo- for couragement,” Jain on says.

Raza’s Bhopal.

But and I amthe glad that Idepartment. live tribalsduplex, were gunned down from collect all the com- hundreds of Delhi torcycle. According to the sarpanch, Raghava go consisting of by histhe arnear myvillage guru to ,” village, says Pushkale visitorsand at ahome, martyr’s and tell them to fill the paper- police. Even today, Reddy, he is their poster boy. However, Venka- plaints chive, studio is astatue beauwho met Raza in 1998,how although Raza teaches you to risk police attention. get little support from the just outside Indravelli, tiah is a worried man. “I have a Pattadar Pass work. tiful combination of air and light; he firstBut saw we his work as a 10-yearbe a true rasik, says At RatnamTwo Celinamma’s, the women of Indepartment that makes our job Book. I have the title deed to my lands. But my revenue helpers lift him onto a brown old at Bharat Bhavan,and Bhopal, in Pushkale sadravelli have chair gathered an imshedifferent says. At the last name is missing from the pahani. Without difficult,” upholstered thatfor is placed 1983. “Raza is from other (villagenot revenue court), that I’m not eligible for any of the govern- dassalu promptu meeting.

Celinamma’s before a large canvas.

His mobiliartists because only does he issues were brought to theand dement’s schemes,” he says. “The Village Reve- 185 twin yelp atbyher rabbits ty has dogs been affected a nasty fall paint with depth, dignity notice.

“About 160 nue Officer (VRO) comes, but he can’t write partment’s sleeping close by.

Broods of (in 2011) that damaged hischickhipdedication, but he inspires others and That records. Even his visits are irregular. Every were en scurry about the quiver twins His sight is failing, hisand hands to dorejected so as well.

Hedismissed. teaches you to be “There a true ra-maybone. even be solve any art problems.

Now, says time I try to get the records corrected, I shell didn’t raise their pitch.for Cups chai arin its totality,” Push- peasant sik, appreciating with the effort and he stops longofintervals another people find itsubdued hard to trust us.” subtle shapes out ₹5,000. But it never gets done.” everyone closer kale whose palette, just to catchrive his and breath after a huddles violent coughuprising” tehsildar CLB Shastrigentle is a deputy The incompetence of tehsildars and VROs is and to listen Celinamma, faccalming strokes are completely dif- ing fit, however everytoday he uncapsthe thede tubes Nalgonda. has palette spent 27 so high, we’re told, that 150 acres of land in in spokesperson served as ferent from theHe vibrant and geometri- of paints andtoguides the brush who over the canvas in the service and Gummadavelli has been allotted to 86 fam- years the president the Zilla cal forms ofrevenue his guru.

For Pushkale, Raza’s — even if it is just for a fewofhours.

“It’sSamakwhat I as secretary ilies under one survey number. Which of the served hya twice.and Celinamma, who came influence lies not of in the hisunion. work but in his know... like breathing eating,” he says.

His asked“Iabout theplace deep-seated of to 86 can claim it as their own? In a village of When Parikrama: Around Gandhi, Indravelli as a young bride in 1981 says, “Dothoughts. would him inmistrust the same solo exhibition ranatthe andArt the girijans the department, he minces no words.

“In their ras 3,000 most are landless, says the sarpanch. runs(landlords) till March 26 theplace Vadehra Gallery, in league as Rabindranath Tagore, who founded legal rights to their lands.” shape,inland records thanwho 30 had The same story echoes across villages of Nal- current Newno Delhi.

Santiniketan Kolkata and are NS less Bendre in tatters,” he Soon after Celinamma’s arrival, Indravelli cent accurate.stone The pahani gonda district — in Palwai, Thanedar, Koppole, per set the inaugural in MSUisBaroda.

The dif“But how overworked we are. on was scarred by the isincident thatart propelled the Parvatagiri, Even the tandas, says, georgina maddox a Delhi-based writer Gurukul SH Raza with his disciple Manish Pushkale at his Delhi studio rameshKathalguda. sharma ference is look that the Raza Foundation is anPut open sandwiched between villages and inhabited election duty, disaster relief, and made to han- Telangana revolt. “It was on April 17, a Friday, by the Lambada communities, are beset by dle the public distribution system. Where’s when hundreds of girijans had gathered in similar problems, despite the special govern- the manpower? Look at the quality of recruits the village square. They were demanding patment pattas for STs. for the posts of VROs and tehsildars. They don’t tas to their lands. Three days had passed but In Parvatagiri village, Elamma’s family have know a PPB from a title deed. We want a man- the protests showed no signs of winding up. been waiting for the settlement of their lands dal reorganisation. And land re-surveys.”

On Monday, April 20, the weekly mandi was to for 45 years. They received 15 acres as inam in be set up. Amid the market’s chaos, policemen 1969 from the then Nizam. According to the AP Out of line walked up to the protesters. Poking Drupati (Telangana area) Inams Abolition Act, 1955 (re- The National Highway 44, the longest high- bai in the ribs, one of them teased her, saying inforced by the State government in 1973), in- way in the country, connects Varanasi to Ka- ‘How long do I have to fast, get going now’. In a am lands need regularisation to transfer nyakumari, touching Bangalore and flash, Drupati, who was chopping onions, occupancy rights. While more than nine lakh Hyderabad. It has also brought the Agency dis- drew out her knife and stabbed him.” acres of such land has been settled, thousands trict of Adilabad, AP’s second-most backward What followed forms one of the bloodiest acres are yet to beperformed transfered.by “For the last district, closer Hyderabad.

Ichodaprotests is one episodes in the Telangana Drupati metro ride, a shared-auto ride and a of from Bundelkhand, Gangaram the working class, anotherrebellion. set, sang original ny version of atosong that’s rocked officials determine if it’s inmany villages that fall byMovement, its side. Locawas killed. Hundreds more the powalk through a lane with fluttering two and years, Party), songscouldn’t of birha (performed by among from the American Civil Right’s to bai compositions on Hashmi’s life.died For in instance, or Wakf board land,” sheSangeeta says, clutching all tion notwithstanding, it doesn’tpost-Godhra: seem to de- lice firing.

Official records, however, claim 13 red flags away, this was a world am Shambhunath Yadav and Sargam); the Iraq War to Delhi University the birha composition

by Shambhunath Yadav documents in herand possession.

SuneelKathKu- rive any of Blowin’ the thein benefits a major died. “They Celinamma.

“The where children of factory workers the acrobatics (Shekhar Mukesh from fit Hashmi’s earthy,lied,” livedsays reality, into a poetic, Bob Dylan’s the Wind.that The band fol- people inam alright. them and says it’s popular ought to bring with it. At thepoet Mandal justformat. piled up.

We tooktogether them to the bounced along to the music of Pete Seeger, mar putliexamines Colony) and magic (by the Isha- highway lowed this up with songs of Turkish Na- bodies epic-hero Stringing thenearfacts why are they taking so long?” asks Praja Parishadand office, people gathersong fromJohn vil- by jungles. There nolife, place totheatre bury them. and anti-imperialist songs played through the “Then muddin, Kathputli Colony). of Hashmi’s beingwas — his jobs, — Yazim Hikmet Paul Robeson’s Terra Elamma. lages nearby.

Since the implementation of Dogs followed the it stench the forests, nightfirma? on a shaky harmonium.

Minutes into the first day of the Halla Bol Henry — an old American ballad about a raildav embellished with into imagined talesfed of About 150 acres The land caravan the Forests Right Act (FRA) began in on the flesh of the dead, coming back in Much before words like ‘art’, or ‘curate’ befestival, women and children, in their best way worker John Henry who, in an attempt to what might have been.

Alha, the martial balwere allotted to 86 intotentatively Kathalgu- crowded into Ambedkar save his job, 2008, herebuthave been hordes, biting our cattle.” Since then, the State came elite punctuating conversa- rolls clothes, defeatstribals a machine, dies therelad form, had performers composing original families underpreserves, one next. the opening act — Ashok after. The nextcaught in theallforest and voice reve- has, arguably, over-compensated STs while tions number in inwine-and-cheese soirees of da Park.village Announcing performer, piercing songs in Hashmi’s memory, and the reimagining survey Gurrampode mandal; India, the revolutionary Plots allotted nue department crossfire. declaring communities — SCs and OBCs post-liberalisation Band from Ghaziabad — CITU’s KM Tiwari de- and gut-wrenching lyrics, was Ratan Gambhir, his life as aother martial hero. and (right) RatnamSafdar Hashmi had dreamt of a for IndiramShakuntala, a Gond tribal, girijans are protected by the theatre activist clared how art is a great vehicle for spreading whose songs lament against capitalism, Amer- — non-tribals.

Perhaps theSo most incongruous act of the enCelinamma as houses of the revolution. A few minutes ican Imperialism, and is from village. Forests Rights likeImperiel Celinamma janotsav; acame cultural festival that would bring ma the message rallyChincholi for the working tire event wasAct, thenon-tribals French band Kira young bride to vacant.

Her six acres, planted become of discrimination.

“It is togetherinthe working class. The idea was to see lie later, a cluster of children found themselves class. While one category kistan, which targets had invited itself to the festival of performers kept have Indravelli 1981, the with Nilgiri trees, were the law that discriminates between the comthe working class as the true progenitors of swaying to a mesmerising, albeit slightly tinto progressive songs, attempting to inspire and didn’t have quite the working class roots year of the massacre bk ramesh taken over by the forest munities here,” says Sastry. apologetically The assignationdeof art and art as born from human labour. Hashas the others.

IK which department along with land is asitself muchasabout pedigree, as itband is about mi, along with his troupe Jana Natya Manch scribes a “lesser-known in the land of three other paperwork.

(Janam), was performing a play Halla Bol in France” stormed the Pete Seeger Manch (as the families. The revenue stage In Indravelli the ratio of STs to SCs is Jhandapur village in Sahibabad, on the outhad beenvillage, named) with their horn-playdepartment was of no 70 30.gibberish “Only 16 people of our community skirts of Delhi, on January 1, 1989 when he was ingtoand lyrics. The park was soon help. “I sat outside the possess lands.

Thepeople rest are landless and jobattacked mid-performance; he died three days jam-packed with from the area, and forest department till less,” Celinamma Nirmala, later. After the incident, the play, indeed the the band deliveredsays. the final punch:25-year-old a jam sesthey returned my land. The mother of Ashok two daughters, has aone degree in words halla bol, became the war cry for protest sion with Band, where of the other families were scared. nursing but no job or land.

“I’m repeatedly reand resistance for workers’ groups across the French gibberish singers, suddenly broke into Now I have my fields, while jected.

What do I do with my degree,” country. In a fitting tribute to Hashmi and his Hindi lyrics.

This was followed up byshe thesays two. they have to work as coolies and “I wantjamming to educatetomy kids but willWind, it help?” legacy, 25 years after his death, his dream was bands Blowin’ in the which roll beedis,” says Shakuntala.

Yet it’s in berserk.

Indravelli, that theup hope in realised, and his life relived in song, over the drove thehere, crowd Wrapping three Land alienation and poor-to-poor dis- the Stateand of Telangana brightest. three-day Halla Bol festival in Delhi, concepdaysnew of music late-nights,shines Radhika, wife of crimination are other problems peculiar to “This landworker is our weighed mother,”insays She tualised, curated, and performed by workers, a factory on Nirmala. her favourite Andhra’s Agency districts. Despite the regula- has no land, we“Iremind but shebecause insists this and organised by Centre of Indian Trade performance. shouldher, say Ragini it’s tions that prohibit the transfer of tribal land will “Telangana is Ragini our land and I’m goUnions (CITU). The overarching theme was fromchange, my region, but this performance to non-tribals, nearly 48 per cent of the prop- ing be a by VRO.” “not folk art, or dying art or traditional art, it wastodone Haryanvi farmers, so I couldn’t erties have passed into non-tribal hands. understand Last year, Telangana Samithi Presiwas any art performed by worker-performthe lyrics. Rashtra We’re from Ayodhya,” VNVK Sastry, former director of India’s Tribal dent K Chandrasekhar promised three ers,” says Sudhanva Deshpande, from Janam, she says.

“But I loved the Rao bands.

Especially the Research and Training Institute and former acres to the each Dalitshe family which provided logistical support to CITU. The song at end,” says.in the new State. But advisor to the government on tribal develop- without re-survey new rethree days were filled with progressive and Take aabow Dylan,and thisreform, answer,only my afriend, is ment, says, “Around 25 lakh acres of land is bellion can carve land out of Telangana. protest music, qawwali, local forms like Raginot blowin’ in thethis wind. still under Section 4 notification (not yet deni (a folk form from Haryana, performed by festival janam kotamraju reserved forests). But the forest depart- priyanka shreya ray is a writer and musician based in Delhi Suresh Pal and Party), Alha (a martial ballad Workers’ unite Acrobats perform at the recent Halla Bol clared

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Pete Seeger meets qawwali

Tamasha to Turkish poetry, songs of birha to Bob Dylan, the Halla Bol festival was a fitting tribute to Safdar Hashmi

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Gold quest A contestant looks on expectantly between rounds

Wonder years Young aspirants and their sinewy dreams?

Peer pressure A former bodybuilder, now judge, peeks through a window before the championship begins

Bob the builder Parsi musclemen strike a pose

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Batman Returns A younger organiser admires 72-year-old Adi Patel’s acrobatic feat

“Flex, Feroze!”

A Parsi tradition is back in the spotlight

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little-known fact about the Parsi community is that they are also great connoisseurs of the body. One winter’s evening every year, hundreds of them throng a dusty mid-town baug in Mumbai to celebrate the community’s most able, muscular bodies at the Annual Zoroastrian Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Championship. In 2010, I stumbled upon this curious scene, only to find a vibrant, unselfconscious and very alive celebration of the Parsi life-force.

While the Championship is a fun-filled spectacle, it is underpinned by the dark irony of the community’s supposed decline. “Bodybuilding within the Parsi community is dying a natural death. And it is not considered to be a competitive sport in India. The community is small, making it that much more difficult to find young boys enthusiastic about the sport,” says Mickey Mehta, a Parsi fitness guru. The organisers have had to cancel the event in the last three years because there were too few entries. But in February this year, Parsi brawn trumped all odds and flexed its muscles again at the Dadar Parsee Colony Gymkhana.

aparna jayakumar is a Mumbai-based photographer

Eye candy A Parsi lady looks on admiringly at the brawny dikras

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A legacy Raza has always been known for his bold, geometric artwork

Missing reports Clockwise from left: paying respects at Indravelli Martyr’s statue can invite police attention even now priyanka kotamraju; most surveyor positions in Adilabad lie vacant; and tribals evicted from their forest lands turn to tenancy bk ramesh

Lie of the land The new State of Telangana inherits a tattered mess of land records and violated land rights

Creating an open circle O

n a scorching morning in July last He didn’t have one. She pulled out the revenue barked on a ‘land caravan’ across Telangana to year, Malliah woke up early. The department’s big book of names, the pahani, find out whose land it was. They marched cropping season was nearing its to check government records. Malliah’s name through 10 districts — from the semi-urban arend and his two-acre field stub- was missing. Since his father’s death a few eas of Sangareddy and tribal lands of Adilabled with paddy was ready for a fertiliser years ago, Malliah had sought a change in bad, to the red corridors of Khammam and boost. Armed with his title deed, he made his ownership on paper without any success. He Pochampally in Nalgonda, where the Bhooway to the urea bank set up at the Kowdipally had also lost the whole day in a line at the end dan movement once took wing. mandal in Medak district. It was his first time of which there was no urea for him. Now, he According to the Koneru Ranga Rao Land here. He joined a long, snaking line at the rear. would have to return to the open market to Committee Report (2006), since its formation Hours later, in the late afternoon, Malliah was buy it, but at a much higher price.

AP, especially Telangana, has seen strong prostill waiting for his turn. When it finally arAt the end of the season, when Malliah har- poor land legislations — land reform acts, tenprotégés with that muchvested care,” his saysplot, Sujata Ba-yield of fell his income towards theacts, promotion and of land grabs acts etc. ith SH Raza 92 last rived,turning he produced his papers; the heavily subthe short bygofour ancy prohibition of younger in India andon-ground this ge- implementation has week, Vadehra an abstract and print-maker cur- support The application of fertiliser hadn’tartists sidisedArt bagGallery of ureacelwithinjaj, reach now. Thepainter lady quintals.

Despite that, dividing between andof the nerosity resulted in the Raza Foundation, ebrated at the occasion theoverrently the counterwith pored his details.

Then,her she time been timelyParis because missing records. been weak. While theaAP government has offiprivate non-profit trust founded in 2005. release of two books Raza: A Pass Stockholm.

Her land. work evokes spirituality of with asked for his—Pattadar Book for the Now,the multiply his loss 10 lakh other farmcially assigned over 40 lakh acres, far less is in one ofcrop the lastthe living painters fromand under cultivation. of in Devnagri text,who vi- incur Raza is Journey of the Master, which holds 100 large, India through collages ers Telangana, losses every hands of farmers Go-betweens Community surveyors in Medak districtof the artist’s important brant colours and sweeping brushstrokes. Rathe PAG records, formed in 1947. The group gave in direchigh-quality prints season due to poorly maintained and Interestingly, his first Chai pe Charcha, Naworks and Raza: A Journey of the Master and Gey- za persuaded Bajaj to come he tion the lietoofParis, after the land becomes an to in- the Indian modern art movement rendra Modi spoke of the urgent through its manifesto need that for de-re-surveys of land across 1980, to truth. sers — a collection of correspondence between saw her solo exhibition in escapable cried revival and nostalgia the Ecole on seeds and fertilisRaza and fellow artists and friends such as Ak- study at his alma- mater the Subsidies theforcountry.

Earlier, in 2008, past and looked insteadunion to interbar Padamsee, Bal Chhabda, E Schlesinger, FN nationale superieure des ersBeauxand crop loans are difficult to minister for rural develop‘influennationallost Modernism, Souza, Gaintonde, Laxman Pai, MF Husain, Arts. “I was never directlyobtain, if farmers cannot produce Malliah mentstayJairam Ramesh launched a day in while Raza promotes ing true to Indian the crore National Land Ram Kumar, RV Leyden, Tyeb Mehta and Wal- ced’ by Raza but we both search copies of any of the 11 records theOf ₹1,000 a queue atits the end roots. young artists Indian in PAG, Raza is unique. is known Modernisation Proter Langhammar. Raza stands out from these for the quintessentially needed to stake their claim to the of which there was He Records through his forno making cash registers ring — Although nine states contemporaries and those who were part of our art, even while living abroad lands they till. Vulnerable to land gramme. bag of urea Foundation his painting Saurashtra sold for implemented it, AP is the Progressive Artists’ Group (PAG), because for a good part of our lives,” grab, says criminal cases in revenuehave fully ₹16 crore at Christie’s in from but he was a guru to many artists, when they were Bajaj, whose work drawscourts and falling yields, land inyet2010 to —begin work for nearly and for nurturing many emergyoung and struggling. His contemporaries doesn’t copy from her mentors. security is rampant here.

30,000 of its villages. “The first She, along with Indore-based ing painters. have left behind their art, but Raza will leave On February 20, when Parliathing Telangana’s new governThough his beginnings were in have a small vil-is a land re-survey,” says behind a following. artist Akhilesh Verma and MP-born artist ment passed the ManAndhra Pradesh Re-organisament will to do lage in MP, Raza settled Paris after marrying closest “I was a wide-eyed student, making my way ish Pushkale, are Raza’stion Bill protégés. The (2014), India’s 29th state was born. in Suneel Kumar, the State director of Landesa.

French painter Janine But has he reRafique Shah, to Paris for the first time in 1988, and (Syed work of others like Sanju TheJain, 60-year-old Telangana movement had Mongillat.

Land, he adds, to be resurveyed every 30 turned to in hisanmotherland inby 2002, when Jathe R- into Haider) Raza came to meet me at the train sta- Saba Hassan and Bani Pershad grown also legs bear and walked reality elec- years the government.

The last land survey love forThree abstraction nine away. Now large photograph of a tion. He need not have, because he was such a aza stamp through theirtion year. weeks prior topassed that, Landesa, a ain Telangana was conducted from 1936 to 1942; younger Raza next to Janine at guests famous painter by then, but he mentored his and spirituality. Raza always desired that part non-profit network dealing in land rights, emand insmiles the Andhra region, before 1900!

While his contemporaries left behind artwork, nonagenarian SH Raza has nurtured a following

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no government assigned here,” ments B Venkatiah is, by all accounts, a model “There’s in his Delhi house. It is one of the land few things over, evicting tribals circle. Ithave is nottaken a pedagogical institute butfrom a ghThorapukla Anand.

“Most oflife us in live on lands farmer. In Gummadavelli village, Gurram- says he says. currently overseehe brought back to remind him of Paris. arana,”they havePushkale occupiedisfor decades”.

If the and kabza of mother, plots occur pode mandal, Nalgonda district, that is a rare rent. ing the production of athese portfolio of he limited “One Benami must return to the theroutinesoil on new State doesn’t solve issues, says, (landlords drivennext out There’s no was land even burypunaraagman, a dead man!” there’s achievement. The NS left canal that runs from ly. editionaprints thatdoras will accompany Raza’s which one born,tomy fear that Telangana will return.Gallery, “There many villagesispopulated

by SC households Nagarjuna Sagar dam, the only source of wa- In (homecoming) made complete by the pres- by bigthe exhibition at rebellion) London’s Grosvenor even be another peasant uprising.” finding land for graveyards could ter in these parts, kisses the borders of Gum- across ence ofNalgonda, old friends,” he says. later this year. a majorhome problem. madavelli and rushes on to water the oasis of is also Coming for Raza has meant that Sanju Jain reiterates that Raza knows how and revolution Thirty-year-old Kavitha a commuHyderabad, leaving behind thousands of many of his ‘disciples’ can has rallybeen around the art- Blood to identify and nurture talent. She found diroad Indravelli shuts down oncein a year this Pushkale, mandal, since 2005. Her The acres of parched lands in Nalgonda. Despite nity ist insurveyor times ofin need. who continues rection into her work, after meeting Raza 1997 NoBhavan. vehicles“He are allowed police of 35 surveyors and assistants, this, Venkatiah’s fields have prospered. In a vil- team to uphold the Raza legacy, livesfield a stone’s throw in at April.

Bharat told meand that I hadna-a stands strong. Part the red corripart of Indira Kranthi Patham lage overrun by Indiramma (a State govern- recruited of creativity that of would flower infrom Raza’sashome.

“I live away from my par- kabandi ‘beej’ (seed) one of the the launched 2000, act as the ment housing scheme) structures, he owns a (IKP) a fine treesites if it of had theTelangana right enents who are ininmy hometown ingo-betweens dor, it’s also to 33 years ago, April 20, villagers revenue “We rebellion. Nearly pukka house. He also drives his own Hero mo- for couragement,” Jain on says.

Raza’s Bhopal.

But and I amthe glad that Idepartment. live tribals were gunned down from collect all the com- hundreds ofDelhi torcycle. According to the sarpanch, Raghava go duplex, consisting of by histhe arnear myvillage guru to ,” village, says Pushkale today, studio visitorsand at ahome, martyr’s and tell them to fill the paper- police. Even chive, Reddy, he is their poster boy. However, Venka- plaints is astatue beauwho met Raza in 1998,how although Raza teaches you to risk police attention. get little support from the just outside Indravelli, tiah is a worried man. “I have a Pattadar Pass work. tiful combination of air and light; he firstBut saw we his work as a 10-yearbe a true rasik, says At RatnamTwo Celinamma’s, the women of Indepartment that makes our job Book. I have the title deed to my lands. But my revenue helpers lift him onto a brown old at Bharat Bhavan,and Bhopal, in Pushkale sadravelli have chair gathered an imshedifferent says. At the name is missing from the pahani. Without difficult,” upholstered thatfor is placed 1983. “Raza is fromlast other (villagenot revenue court), that I’m not eligible for any of the govern- dassalu promptu meeting.

Celinamma’s before a large canvas.

His mobiliartists because only does he issues were brought to theand dement’s schemes,” he says. “The Village Reve- 185 twin yelp atbyher rabbits ty has dogs been affected a nasty fall paint with depth, dignity notice.

“About 160 nue Officer (VRO) comes, but he can’t write partment’s sleeping close by.

Broods of (in 2011) that damaged hischickhipdedication, but he inspires others and That records. Even his visits are irregular. Every were en scurry about the quiver twins His sight is failing, hisand hands to do rejected so as well.

Hedismissed. teaches you to be “There a true ra-maybone. even be solve any art problems.

Now, saysanother time I try to get the records corrected, I shell didn’t raise their pitch.for Cups chai arin its totality,” Push- peasant sik, appreciating with the effort and he stops longofintervals people find itsubdued hard to trust us.” subtle shapes out ₹5,000. But it never gets done.” everyone closer kale whose palette, just to catchrive his and breath after a huddles violent coughuprising” tehsildar CLB Shastrigentle is a deputy The incompetence of tehsildars and VROs is and to listen Celinamma, faccalming strokes are completely dif- ing fit, however everytoday he uncapsthe thede tubes Nalgonda. has palette spent 27 so high, we’re told, that 150 acres of land in in spokesperson served as ferent from theHe vibrant and geometri- of paints andtoguides the brush who over the canvas in the service and Gummadavelli has been allotted to 86 fam- years president the Zilla cal forms of revenue his guru.

For Pushkale, Raza’s — even if it isthe just for a fewofhours.

“It’sSamakwhat I as secretary ilies under one survey number. Which of the served hya twice.and Celinamma, who came influence lies not of in the his union. work but in his know... like breathing eating,” he says.

His asked theplace deep-seated of to 86 can claim it as their own? In a village of When Parikrama: Gandhi, Indravelli as a young bride Around in 1981 says, “Dothoughts.

“Iabout would him inmistrust the same solo exhibition ran andArt the girijans the department, he minces no words.

“In their ras 3,000 most are landless, says the sarpanch. runs(landlords) till March 26 atthe the place Vadehra Gallery, in league as Rabindranath Tagore, who founded legal rights to their lands.” shape,inland records thanwho 30 had The same story echoes across villages of Nal- current Newno Delhi.

Santiniketan Kolkata and are NS less Bendre in tatters,” he Soon after Celinamma’s arrival, Indravelli cent accurate.stone The pahani gonda district — in Palwai, Thanedar, Koppole, per set the inaugural in MSUis Baroda.

The dif“But how overworked we are. on was scarred by the isincident thatart propelled the Parvatagiri, Even the tandas, says, georgina maddox a Delhi-based writer Gurukul SH Raza with his disciple Manish Pushkale at his Delhi studio rameshKathalguda. sharma ference is look that the Raza Foundation is anPut open sandwiched between villages and inhabited election duty, disaster relief, and made to han- Telangana revolt. “It was on April 17, a Friday, by the Lambada communities, are beset by dle the public distribution system. Where’s when hundreds of girijans had gathered in similar problems, despite the special govern- the manpower? Look at the quality of recruits the village square. They were demanding patment pattas for STs. for the posts of VROs and tehsildars. They don’t tas to their lands. Three days had passed but In Parvatagiri village, Elamma’s family have know a PPB from a title deed. We want a man- the protests showed no signs of winding up. been waiting for the settlement of their lands dal reorganisation. And land re-surveys.”

On Monday, April 20, the weekly mandi was to for 45 years. They received 15 acres as inam in be set up. Amid the market’s chaos, policemen 1969 from the then Nizam. According to the AP Out of line walked up to the protesters. Poking Drupati (Telangana area) Inams Abolition Act, 1955 (re- The National Highway 44, the longest high- bai in the ribs, one of them teased her, saying inforced by the State government in 1973), in- way in the country, connects Varanasi to Ka- ‘How long do I have to fast, get going now’. In a am lands need regularisation to transfer nyakumari, touching Bangalore and flash, Drupati, who was chopping onions, occupancy rights. While more than nine lakh Hyderabad. It has also brought the Agency dis- drew out her knife and stabbed him.” acres of such land has been settled, thousands trict of Adilabad, AP’s second-most backward What followed forms one of the bloodiest acres are yet to beperformed transfered.by“For the last district, closer Hyderabad.

Ichodaprotests is one episodes in the Telangana Drupati metro ride, a shared-auto ride and a of from Bundelkhand, Gangaram the working class, anotherrebellion. set, sang original ny version of atosong that’s rocked officials determine if it’s inmany villages that fall byMovement, its side. Locawas killed. on Hundreds more the powalk through a lane with fluttering two and years, Party), songscouldn’t of birha (performed by among from the American Civil Right’s to bai compositions Hashmi’s life.died For in instance, or Wakf board land,” sheSangeeta says, clutching all tion notwithstanding, it doesn’tpost-Godhra: seem to de- lice firing.

Official records, however, claim 13 red flags away, this was a world am Shambhunath Yadav and Sargam); the Iraq War to Delhi University the birha composition

by Shambhunath Yadav documents in her possession.

Suneel Ku- rive any of Blowin’ the thein benefits a major died. “They Celinamma.

“The where children of factory workers the acrobatics (Shekhar and Mukesh from Kathfit Hashmi’s earthy,lied,” livedsays reality, into a poetic, Bob Dylan’s the Wind. that The band fol- people inam alright. them and says it’s popular ought to bring with it. At thepoet Mandal justformat. piled up.

We tooktogether them to the bounced along to the music of Pete Seeger, mar putliexamines Colony) and magic (by the Isha- highway lowed this up with songs of Turkish Na- bodies epic-hero Stringing the nearfacts why are they taking so long?” asks Praja Parishadand office, gathersong fromJohn vil- by jungles. There nolife, place totheatre bury them. and anti-imperialist songs played through the “Then muddin, Kathputli Colony). of Hashmi’s beingwas — his jobs, — Yazim Hikmet Paulpeople Robeson’s Terra Elamma. lages nearby.

Since the ballad implementation of Dogs followed the itstench the forests, night firma? on a shaky harmonium.

Minutes into the first day of the Halla Bol Henry — an old American about a raildav embellished with into imagined talesfed of About 150 acres The land caravan the Forests Right Act (FRA) began in on the flesh of the dead, coming back in Much before words like ‘art’, or ‘curate’ befestival, women and children, in their best way worker John Henry who, in an attempt to what might have been.

Alha, the martial balwere allotted to 86 intotentatively Kathalgu- crowded into Ambedkar save his job, 2008, herebuthave been hordes, biting our cattle.” Since then, the State came elite punctuating conversa- rolls clothes, defeatstribals a machine, dies therelad form, had performers composing original families underpreserves, one next. the opening act — Ashok after. The nextcaught in the and voice reve- has, arguably, over-compensated STs while tions number in inwine-and-cheese soirees of da Park.village Announcing performer, allforest piercing songs in Hashmi’s memory, and the reimagining survey Gurrampode mandal; India, the revolutionary Plots allotted nue department crossfire. declaring communities — SCs and OBCs post-liberalisation Band from Ghaziabad — CITU’s KM Tiwari de- and gut-wrenching lyrics, was Ratan Gambhir, his life as aother martial hero. and (right) RatnamSafdar Hashmi had dreamt of a for IndiramShakuntala, a Gond tribal, girijans are protected by the theatre activist clared how art is a great vehicle for spreading whose songs lament against capitalism, Amer- — non-tribals.

Perhaps the So most incongruous act of the enCelinamma as houses of the revolution. A few minutes ican Imperialism, and is from village. Forests Rights likeImperiel Celinamma janotsav; acame cultural festival that would bring ma the message rallyChincholi for the working tire event wasAct, thenon-tribals French band Kira young bride to vacant.

Her six acres, planted become of discrimination.

“It is togetherinthe working class. The idea was to see lie later, a cluster of children found themselves class. While one category kistan, which targets had invited itself to the festival of performers kept have Indravelli 1981, the with Nilgiri trees, were the law that discriminates between the comthe working class as the true progenitors of swaying to a mesmerising, albeit slightly tinto progressive songs, attempting to inspire and didn’t have quite the working class roots year of the massacre bk taken over by the forest munities here,” says Sastry. apologetically The assignationdeof artramesh and art as born from human labour. Hashas the others.

IK which department along with land is asitself muchasabout pedigree, as itband is about mi, along with his troupe Jana Natya Manch scribes a “lesser-known in the land of three other paperwork.

(Janam), was performing a play Halla Bol in France” stormed the Pete Seeger Manch (as the families. The revenue stage In Indravelli the ratio of STs to SCs is Jhandapur village in Sahibabad, on the outhad beenvillage, named) with their horn-playdepartment was of no 70 30.gibberish “Only 16 people of our community skirts of Delhi, on January 1, 1989 when he was ingtoand lyrics. The park was soon help. “I sat outside the possess lands.

Thepeople rest are landless and and jobattacked mid-performance; he died three days jam-packed with from the area, forest department till less,” Celinamma Nirmala, later. After the incident, the play, indeed the the band delivered says. the final punch:25-year-old a jam sesthey returned my land. The mother of Ashok two daughters, has aone degree in words halla bol, became the war cry for protest sion with Band, where of the other families were scared. nursing but no job or land.

“I’m repeatedly reand resistance for workers’ groups across the French gibberish singers, suddenly broke into Now I have my fields, while jected.

What do I do with my degree,” country. In a fitting tribute to Hashmi and his Hindi lyrics.

This was followed up byshe thesays two. they have to work as coolies and “I wantjamming to educate kids but will it help?” legacy, 25 years after his death, his dream was bands tomy Blowin’ in the Wind, which roll beedis,” says Shakuntala.

Yet it’s inberserk.

Indravelli, that theup hope in realised, and his life relived in song, over the drove thehere, crowd Wrapping three Land alienation and poor-to-poor dis- the Stateand of Telangana brightest. three-day Halla Bol festival in Delhi, concepdaysnew of music late-nights,shines Radhika, wife of crimination are other problems peculiar to “This landworker is ourweighed mother,”insays Nirmala.

She tualised, curated, and performed by workers, a factory on her favourite Andhra’s Agency districts. Despite the regula- has no land, we“Iremind but shebecause insists this and organised by Centre of Indian Trade performance. should her, say Ragini it’s tions that prohibit the transfer of tribal land will “Telangana is Ragini our land and I’m goUnions (CITU). The overarching theme was fromchange, my region, but this performance to non-tribals, nearly 48 per cent of the prop- ing be a by VRO.” “not folk art, or dying art or traditional art, it wasto done Haryanvi farmers, so I couldn’t erties have passed into non-tribal hands. understand Last year, Telangana Samithi Presiwas any art performed by worker-performthe lyrics. Rashtra We’re from Ayodhya,” VNVK Sastry, former director of India’s Tribal dent K Chandrasekhar promised three ers,” says Sudhanva Deshpande, from Janam, she says.

“But I loved the Rao bands.

Especially the Research and Training Institute and former acres tothe each Dalitshe family which provided logistical support to CITU. The song at end,” says.in the new State. But advisor to the government on tribal develop- without re-survey new rethree days were filled with progressive and Take aabow Dylan,and thisreform, answer,only my afriend, is ment, says, “Around 25 lakh acres of land is bellion can carve land out of Telangana. protest music, qawwali, local forms like Raginot blowin’ in thethis wind. still under Section 4 notification (not yet deni (a folk form from Haryana, performed by festival janam kotamraju reserved forests). But the forest depart- priyanka shreya ray is a writer and musician based in Delhi Suresh Pal and Party), Alha (a martial ballad Workers’ unite Acrobats perform at the recent Halla Bol clared

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Pete Seeger meets qawwali

Tamasha to Turkish poetry, songs of birha to Bob Dylan, the Halla Bol festival was a fitting tribute to Safdar Hashmi

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A long shot on Delhi trisha gupta

The Householder and Tere Ghar ke Saamne from 1963 tell us different stories of home

MP FIRES STINGER G MISSILE IN PARLIAMENT, TAKES OUT ROOF

dipankar

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BUY THE COAL MINISTRY COMPUTERS!

IS THIS THE FUTURE OF POLICING?

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rowing up, I often wondered what it was like to see Hindi films as a Bombay person. To have roads and landmarks you knew be part of an on-screen iconography seemed immeasurably glamorous. So I’ve enjoyed watching my own city, Delhi, begin to find its place in the cinematic sun. Sure, the road to filmi fashionableness has been paved with the tediously same-old Old Delhis and distressingly prettified college campuses. But there have also been gems like Do Dooni Char, Vicky Donor and Band Baaja Baraat, and at the top of the heap, Dibakar Banerjee’s Khosla ka Ghosla and Oye Shovon Chowdhury is chief Lucky Lucky Oye. Thruthdigger and author of Delhi in film is a subject for a much longer The Competent Authority piece. Recently, though, I watched two Delhi films from long before they became a vogue — and was his makes us vulnerable tostruck a recent ordinance passed by athe away carefully, until one the job of televising parliament is now beby how their Delhis of half century ago paratrooper attacks,” says astill government, authorising electedThe Houseof them diverted his at- ing handed over to the private sector. resonate today.

Merchant-Ivory’s tention by pointing up at Papers fly as a helicopter appears overrepresentative of the people,holder representatives to carry shoulderand Vijay Anand’s Tere Ghar ke Saamne, looking up at the gapingbothmounted missiles in parthe ceiling, saying, “Look! head, and hovers. Arnab Goswami shimreleased ballistic in 1963, and are preoccupied with Look! Hema Malini;” at mies down a rope ladder into the chamber, hole where the Lok Sabha roof used to be.homes. liament anddifferently! to watch moderate But how His face is illuminated in a shaft of sunlight. The amounts of porn iPads, alwhich point the armed clutching a microphone. He floats above us.

Householder opensonwith a glorious long member looked up, his fin- His eyes are like laser beams. His tie is Little flakes of ceiling plaster are stuck inshot:though bothterrace, at the same time. an Oldnot Delhi smoke rising from his hair. “Up to grenade launchers I wassomewhere, I catchthe onesound of the of marshals, who ger slipped, and he inad- askew. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have three the azaan emanating okay, but when they mentioned stingerfromisthe leaning against vertently took out the questions,” he says. “The first question has striped domeaofwall, the trembling.

Ghata Masjid. Cut to roof, injuring six.” two parts. The second and third questions missiles I knew this was going to happen.”a close-up He displays symptoms of of the all twothe figures: Prem (Shashi KaA group of parliamentarians are huddledpoor), post-traumatic stress disorder, I by his The missile has also have three parts. This is the first part. Of the asleep on a charpai, is gently but woken together in a corner, trembling in the win-pert-nosed am relentless myIndu quest for truth. destroyed several Lok first question.” He glares down at me meyoung in wife (Leela Naidu). This is ter chill. Victims of falling debris are beinga world“What happened, exactly?”

I ask.

Sabha TV cameras, as a nacingly. I inch towards the door. “Is this a in which the prospect of attending a wedresult of which it has been plot to expose the inner working of India’s carried out on stretchers by grim-faced at-ding in“He perceived a threat to up. life,”“We says Mehrauli makes Indu sit will sit in shut down indefinitely. In parliament to spy satellites of enemies?” he tendants. A team of doctors is trying to re-a bus the marshal, when he loaded and go,” she“That’s says with childlike joy, before vive the Speaker, who has lapsed into aher his missile.

It was self-defence. Others keeping withDev theAnand Public-Prifaint cries the biggest wounded brow furrows in contemplation of which of Of manners and melodies and Nutandemands. in Tere GharThe ke Saamne, one ofof 1963’s hits coma. This mishap was the consequence ofher two whogood weresaris rushing himPrem backed vate Partnership approach, are his only answer. she willatwear. is a lecturer at a small college, and much of the film — The level of irrationality is as high as the (here). It would be economical for us.” Meanbased on Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s novel — revolves stakes. When Dev Anand (playing the foreign- while, when Rakesh and Sulekha in Tere Ghar around his anxieties about making a living. returned architect Rakesh) asks about the ad- ke Saamne whiz past the same Mehrauli ruins The dialogue dwells continually on money, the joining plot, Nutan (playing Karamchand’s in a car, they arrive in a village home. Rakesh naming of sums echoing the way Prem must daughter Sulekha) wrinkles her nose in dis- offers to pay for the home-cooked meal, the count every rupee. His monthly salary is ₹180, his gust. “Don’t talk about that.” “But why?” “Be- old woman refuses. It’s a cue for him to aprent ₹60 and repairing the ceiling fan will cost a cause it’s cheaper than ours. Theirs is two lakh, plaud the non-money-mindedness of the poor princely ₹10. Eventually Prem gathers the cour- and ours two lakh one thousand!” as against the unprincipled avarice of the rich age to appeal for a raise, but he is shooed away by Yet Tere Ghar ke Saamne was — before leaving money “for the his principal’s shrewish wife. When he begs his one of 1963’s biggest hits, its efoil that burns in the diya she landlord (Pinchoo Kapoor) to reduce his rent, the fervescent comedy of manners lights for God”. The possibility alcoholic Sehgal reads his petition, only to break and still memorable songs makof cloyingness is averted a minThe film about elite into a bizarre drunken soliloquy. “The cost of liv- ing it the year’s sixth highest ute later, when Sulekha rejects houseowners us will capture information reysterious fires and misplace- in computerisation, but due to jealousy, n a move which analysts have de- Alert tells System ing has gone up terribly. Sixty rupees for a bottle grossing Hindi film. And The his proposal and a miffed Ramore things about ment are causing loss of files they are not sharing this expertise. In addiscribed as ‘a giant leap into the 19th garding crimes in progress that will be reof whiskey!” And as poor baffled Prem looks on, Householder, despite its affecting kesh declares he will be waiting ourselves than the oneCycle Squad Chief, after which to the in many government depart- tion, due to free distribution of coal, the century’, UP Police will issue 800 bicy- layed Sehgal continues as if in a trance: “Sugar one ru- subject, flawless photography for the ₹5 he’s just spent on her aboutbicycles the sadwith flashing sirens will shoot out ments. As a result, progress is Coal Ministry has limited funds. cles to policemen in Lucknow, Kanpur, pee a seer, rice one for a seer, oranges three ru- by Subrata Mitra (Satyajit Ray’s roti — the money-mindedness householder being hampered. We’re starting our Citizens, donate lavishly to our Allahabad and Ghaziabad. The bicycles will in hot pursuit of the criminals. In cases pees a dozen, apples four rupees a pound...” longtime collaborator) and a fiof the rich has just been brilrelief efforts with the Coal Minis‘Help Your Gorment’ scheme, be equipped with sirens, flashers, and small where criminals lose control of their vehiTere Ghar ke Saamne talks money, too. And if nal cut apparently by Ray himliantly, ever-so-lightly underand we will purchase computcles due to uncontrollable laughter, the offitry, which has been hit particbut tasteful man-purses.

Sehgal’s spending the whole of Prem’s rent on a self, never transcends its stilted lined. ers with advanced Pentium ularly hard. The magic of “In an era of drones and stealth weapons, cer is authorised to take a 15-minute hiatus bottle of Vat 69 seemed ironic, TGKS evokes a characters and caricatured subThe song-less film whose computers could make processors for the Ministry. we wanted a force that was simpler, cleaner to recover his breath, after which he is to apworld even farther from the lowly lecturer’s. The plots. And it doesn’t help that everyone speaks characters reminisce about watching Hindi such losses a thing of the Send your name, address and closer to the soil,” said a spokesman. prehend the culprits, or provide them medfilm opens at a government auction for “Dehli ki in English, with no attention to inflections of films is the one that got reviewed in the New past, as files will then have and bank account details “On field tests, in nine cases out of 10, sub- ical help, as the case may be. Most officers behtereen locality ka behtareen plot”. Lala Jagan- class.

York Times. The mainstream hit was seen as to helpyourgorment@gmail. multiple copies, easily dujects were able to overtake and apprehend have been supportive. “Obviously we’d have nath (Om Prakash) outbids Seth Karamchand The Householder, even at its best, has a stod- mere fluff. But somehow the film about elite com. Please note: Donation plicated without running absconding buffaloes. In one case, the buf- preferred it if the election symbol of the Sa(Harindranath Chattopadhyay) on a highly val- gy, one-note quality. TGKS seems to invite mul- houseowners tells us more things about ourthem through the fax mato this fund will not entitle falo knocked over the bicycle.” majwadi Party was a motorbike or a Merued front-wala plot. But the pugnacious Karam- tiple readings. When Prem and Indu get off selves than the one about the sad chine. The Income Tax Departthe donor any preference in fuEach of the cities will now have state-of- cedes,” said one, “But at least, Mayawati is chand, not to be outdone, returns to bid the same their bus amidst the ruins of Mehrauli, Prem householder. ment has made significant strides ture coal block allocation. the-art Police Control Rooms too. A Rapid not in charge. Her symbol is an elephant.” amount on the lesser-valued back plot. As he an- remarks with pleasure on how quiet it is. But it nounces to his appalled wife, “Shaan bhi koi cheez is only an instant before his brain begins to trisha gupta is a writer and critic based in Delhi The Investigator is a fortnightly round-up of all thingshoti drollhai and(there newsy. Views are personal. personal t@shovonc is such a thing Really as grandeur).” count paisas again: “I’m sure rents are low t@chhotahazri

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THE CRITICAL ISSUE

Fight the good fight It is becoming all the more important that we protect our freedom of speech

All in one Sam Miller writes how Tranquebar, a former colonial settlement, was built by five nations: the British, the French, the Portuguese, the Dutch and the Danes the hindu archives

Through the looking glass

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Fanning the fire Banning books is tantamount to banning ideas file

photo nissar ahmad

SamyearMiller’s rollicking thevulnerable notionand ofwas a ‘real hopelessly incoherent ago, a constable from thebook local shows ample, feltthat extremely also India’ pressionis had this to say: why, he asked, must

A Strange Kind of Paradise India through Foreign Eyes Author Sam Miller Non-fiction Hamish Hamilton (Penguin) ₹599

URVASHI BUTALIA is an editor, publisher and the director of Zubaan

police station arrived at our office frightened of the possible consequences. How westerners who do not know much about our with a complaint about one of our would we have reacted had she chosen to civilisation and religion, have the right to books. A newspaper had carried a withdraw her story? The complaint to the po- speak about it? In his case, it wasn’t religious he complicated plot of Shakes- companions, the memsahibs of legend. bemused at his love for Delhi’s medieval ruins story that was to be included in the book, and lice specifically named individuals — this is sentiment that was ‘hurt’ but a sense of napeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is Like in his popular 2010 book Delhi: Adven- and can feel some of the exasperation of the two months after the story appeared, some- what the law allows you to do, to target specif- tionalism. So here’s another layer that we have set in motion by a lover’s tiff. tures in a Megacity, there are short sections of hotel manager in rural Maharashtra who one filed a complaint in a police station in ic people — and two of them had nothing to deal with.

Titania, queen of the fairies, won’t winsome memoir about his own relationship must service his demands for toilet paper. He Mumbai claiming that the story, which was whatsoever to do with the book in question.

But more than anything else, the Donigerlet her husband have the “Indian boy” she with India. This relation is sustained both by declares himself a man of the left and is desbased on a religious text, offended and hurt Could we allow them to be thus targeted? Penguin case has reminded us of the immiwants to adopt. The boy’s mother had been a the nature of his work — Miller is a BBC jour- perate to avoid any suggestion that he might his sentiments and those of his community. More, had the police enquiry found substance nent danger of losing even the relatively redevotee of hers, she says. “In the spiced Indian nalist — and by the fact of his marriage to an be an “orientalist” of the bad sort. He even The Mumbai police sent the complaint on to to justify the complaint, would we, as small stricted freedom of expression that we do air, by night, / Full often hath she gossip’d by Indian. All of this is done in a smooth, pacey name-drops Edward Said for good measure. our local thana, and a constable was dis- publishers, have had the resources to pursue have in India — earlier largely restricted by the my side / And sat with me on Neptune’s yellow prose sprinkled with wry footnotes that make But he knows that his pure heart won’t change patched to carry out an enquiry. the case?

State, and now increasingly resands / Marking the embarked traders on the it clear just how much reading has gone into the fact that he is a white man and a Briton in a As someone who runs an office that emThese are questions that are stricted by non-State actors with flood... ” Miller’s selections. His footnotes are full of country his compatriots once ruled. ploys a good number of women, I was both becoming increasingly importhe State remaining a passive Sam Miller’s compendious history of for- temptations to look up this or that zany sight Miller’s self-awareness appears the more surprised and worried. Who was the complai- tant for those in the world of onlooker. There is no doubt that The Doniger-Penguin eign travellers to India, A Strange Kind of Para- on YouTube, and the wisest commendable given how seldom nant and what community did he represent? writing and publishing today. As the fear of violence and disrupcase has reminded us dise: India through Foreign Eyes, gets it wrong course is to give in. travellers to India have bothered He claimed that thousands of others like him story after story unfolds — and tion is real, but in many ways, it when it claims that “Shakespeare ... has no InMiller is skilled at keeping of the imminent wondering how Indians saw were offended, but we had only his word for it. the Wendy Doniger case is only is no more real than the random danger of losing even dian characters, or any characters who ever track of the shifting clichés of them. His book builds a fascinatWhy should we believe him? Had those thou- the most recent of these — it beviolence we face every day on relatively travel there”. It is a shame, because the “Indian history — India as a land of riches the ing parallel narrative of the many Miller is skilled at sands complained to him? Why would they do comes clear that publishers will the streets, in homes, in workrestricted freedom ofthe ways in which Indians have seen boy” is a perfect illustration of so many of Mill- to India as a land of poverty, Indikeeping track of that? They had certainly not complained to us. start to exercise more and more places. If we can deal with that, expression that we doof er’s themes, namely the ignorance and cliché ans as violent and barbaric to Intheir foreign visitors: with curiosishifting clichés I was worried because the self-appointed caution when choosing what to and on occasion even hope to in India that typify numerous European accounts of dians as timorous and servile. He have respect, contempt, and more history — India as a getty, positive guardians of our morality are often violent publish, and self censorship judgments that India. It is also telling that the Indian boy, notes how in the memoirs of Edoften than not, indifference. land of riches to and intimidatory, and the tone of the com- may become common practice. strengthen our struggle, why much fought over by the fairies, seems to have ward Terry, a clergyman who visgently rebukes fellow EuIndia as a land of can’t He plaint was both righteous and threatening, al- What’s less clearly understood we deal with this? no say in the matter. Miller’s book is, he says, ited India in the time of Jahangir, ropean travellers who talk to him poverty most as if he knew the message would be are the dangers of such practice.

As long ago as 1957, the editor “an attempt to understand how the Greeks, “There is not a word of complaint about the distress of seeing Inpassed on. I did not know what I should be doBook publishers are not alone in this: the of a magazine called Gaurakshak challenged the Romans, the Chinese, the Arabs, Africans, against a single item of food he dia’s poverty, their emphasis being or what should be done. media do it routinely. This is why, with elec- the constitutional validity of article 295A — Europeans and Americans — everyone really, eats in India, and not a note of ing on the word “seeing”. “I As it happened, the book in question had tions looming, and the prospect of a right one of the articles that has been invoked in the except for Indians themselves, came to con- nostalgia for English cuisine,” worry,” he writes, “that this shows not been contracted yet, and without knowing wing government on the horizon, virtually all Doniger case — claiming that it infringed his struct their ideas of India,” often without any and lets us draw our own conclusions about a failure of both sympathy and imagination — its full contents, the complainant could clear- media channels and newspapers — even those right to freedom of expression, guaranteed by attempt to ask the Indians. the Italian filmmaker Roberto Rossellini who as if people don’t exist when you can’t see ly not file a case to stop its publication, so the who prided themselves on being aligned with the Indian Constitution. While we may or may We hear from Miller of Alexander’s inva- travelled around India carrying a hundred them... I remember the words of my former issue sort of fizzled out. But had the courts ad- the Left — have adopted a soft line on the fun- not agree with the ideas expressed in Gausion, St Thomas in Kerala, the Chinese pilgrim kilograms of spaghetti, and Ringo Starr, the BBC colleague Mark Tully, who when asked mitted the case, would we have fought it or ca- damentalist right-wing. The swing is all too rakshak, it is both necessary and important monks, the Arab scholar travellers, all the way least Indophile of the Beatles, who brought how he copes with poverty in India, replied pitulated and agreed not to include the story? obvious, but not surprisingly, it does not come that all publishers put their weight behind deup to Vasco da Gama’s great voyage and Ba- with him a suitcase of Heinz baked beans. that he doesn’t — the poor do.” It is a humane It’s difficult to say. in for much criticism — how can the media fending the right to freedom of expression. No bur’s invasion from central Asia. In the coloniThis book is amusingly opinionated, dis- remark, and a humble one. In a history of how And yet, why should it be difficult? As a pub- criticise itself? doubt there will be obstacles along the way al era, Miller is spoilt for choice and his missing the Alfonso mango in half a sentence, visitors have looked at India, he does not forlisher, and more specifically as a feminist pubIt’s also interesting to see how deep the sus- but such battles have never been easy. What’s narrative here is a dazzling selection of reveal- and arguing on another that the notion of get that most Indians have to live there. lisher, freedom of speech and expression is a picion goes. At the World Book Fair recently, in important is they have to be fought. ing quotations from accounts of India left be- “the real India” is hopelessly incoherent. But right that we passionately defend and believe a panel on freedom of expression, an audience hind by commercial mercenaries, soldiers, its chief virtue is its author’s hard-won self- nakul krishna is doing a doctorate in philosophy at in. But was it just our call? The author, for ex- member who was on the side of freedom of ex- blink@thehindu.co.in administrators and their redoubtable female awareness. He is able to see why his friends are the university of Oxford

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ditya Sharma’s Champs of Devgarh proves to be a quick and effortless read.

Set in a small town called Devgarh, the book tells of the asChamps of Devgarh pirations, struggles Aditya Sharma and shenanigans of Puffin the Star Eleven Boys ₹199 who study at Holy Mission School. Cricket occupies much of their time and minds and the book charts their various highs and lows on and off the field. In typical high school-style, the highs tend to be ecstatic highs, where they thump their chests and punch the air, and the lows tend to be the “I-don’twant-to-live-anymore” kind of lows, which seem to plague particularly those teenage years. They must deal with adult injustices, for instance, when nepotism trumps merit. And more importantly must realise that these setbacks are obstacles and not apocalypses.

At first, they must struggle to buy a cricket kit. They try all the tricks in the book, from the crooked to the clever. They win some matches and lose others. They find a good coach and then life takes a turn for the better. Exams must be dealt with summarily and efficiently. Sharma deals with all this with a light touch and few rough insights.

Of course, love makes a fleeting appearance as well. But we wouldn’t want to give all away just yet. Read the book yourself to find out more. et in medieval India, when circuses performed for emperors and courts were flush with treasures and secrets, Michaela Clarke’s Tiger Thief is Tiger Thief Michaela Clarke the tale of a highPuffin born circus boy and ₹250 his equally highborn white tiger. Clarke may have borrowed bits from almost every tome of fantasy fiction, but she still manages to give us an energetic plot bursting with demons, men, jinnis, sorcerers, children and magical creatures of good and evil.

Sharat and his majestic white tiger Emira are the star attractions of his father’s circus. But when they come to the City of Jinnis, a broken promise returns to haunt them. Emira disappears leaving Sharat distraught. Uma, the witch, and Aya, the new friend, agree to help Sharat find his tiger. Things get complicated surprisingly quickly when Sharat leaves the circus in search for Emira. The tiger is revealed to be of noble blood and is key to restoring the city to its former glory. Access also seems easy in this mysterious place — Sharat figures out the lay of the land in one night. Friends and relations, once longlost, find each other as soon as he arrives on the scene and everyone joins in to find Emira and their own place in the city of Shergarh. And of course, there is no dearth of magical devices — swords, amulets, pendants, flutes.

While the plot races along predictable lines at a breathless pace, the ride is, nevertheless, entertaining.

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For $45 Students try out the Aakash tablet, when it released with much fanfare in 2011 afp / prakash singh

ON THE SHELF

anita roy

The self-hinder author Finding inspiration in the most unlikely places and people

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Not app-heavy Datawind CEO and co-founder, Suneet Tuli, says the company has managed to keep the product cheap by focusing on individual costs kamal narang

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eeting writers in the flesh is sioned by his publisher to write a book truthfully. a risky business. The author about tennis, he ended up delivering inLike a polite houseguest attempting to that you had admired for stead a book about Andrei Tarkovsky’s escape the attentions of his host’s enthuyears for his crystal prose cult classic film Stalker, a book that he siastic Labrador, Dyer’s attempts to wrigand searing insights can turn out to be a cheerfully admitted no one would buy gle out of the question served only to mumbling bore on stage. Another, whose on a film that no one had seen. I felt for make Dalrymple more eager. sensitive soul you have long cherished in his poor publisher.

“But you have worked in both genres,” the pages of her book comes across as a But Dyer has more or less made a ca- he insisted, “you’d be the best person to supercilious prig. They answer.” seem smaller in real life, the Finally, with a shrug of apotheosis being the towerhis narrow shoulders so exing literary giant, Vikram pressive that it bordered on Seth, who in person could the existential, Dyer gave in. fit in your pocket.

“Well, ah, the proportion of On the other hand, there documentary stuff to are those moments when a made-up stuff in my fiction writer who you assumed and my non-fiction is... you would not like, or never about the same. Yes, about read, inadvertently charms the same. I think.” the socks off you and sends At the festival bookstore I you scurrying barefoot to picked up Dyer’s 2003 book, the nearest bookstore to Yoga for People Who Can’t Be buy up his or her entire Bothered To Do It. If I worked back catalogue and retreat in a bookstore, I would have to nearest corner with waves a t’s the a company that made after in- feature while making a decision is affordabili- significant to shelve the from onpart ofthis our book sales in comes box of chocolates andcheapest your troducing the world’s tablets in ty. Designing products as per the price is a line andself-help, literthroughmotivational call centres, we are expandphone off. Which India inswitched 2011 — a time when tabs were just good enough disruption,” he says. aturechannels,” section, and ing to other says yet, Tuli.as I is more noticed. or less what hapgetting It introduced a better Vishal Tripathi, principal analyst at Gartner soonisdiscovered on reading Datawind now reaching out to customers me at thisthe year’s one pened a year tolater, after first series was India, agrees that affordability is a big consid- throughit,tele-shopping. it belongs to “We a different have started sellJaipur Festival, panned.

AndLiterature before anyone could anticipate eration. “The crux is that India is a price con- ing our genre entirely.

It is200 a selfproducts through mobile retailwhen I happened its next move, it rolled to outcatch an ultra low-cost scious market. That’s why you don’t see ers in Delhi hinder a piece de-In the next and book, Mumbai,” Tuliof says.

Geoff Dyer on stage in the ilfive-inch-screen smartphone.

For its disrup- premium tabs resonating well here,” he says. motivational literature, six months, that number should go up to lustrious company of has Antotive technology, Datawind now made it to Around 80 per cent of tab users are consum- 2,000 across that India. celebrates (though ny50Beevor, Reza Aslan and 2014’s Smartest Companies in MIT Technolo- ers while 20 per cent are enterprises, which upbeatisa selling word for India that’s apart,too Datawind tablets in 15 William Dalrymple, gy Review’s annual list ofostensithe world’s most in- prefer top-end features in tablets. Due to the countries it) including failure, Mexico, pointlessness Zambia, Tanzably discussing knotty isnovative technologythe companies. sheer size of the consumer segment, low-cost nia, Uruguay, and being “This Sri Lanka Nepal,stoned.

Bangladesh, writing non-fiction.

Sosue far,of the biggest strength of the Canada- tablets will always find buyers. book “Latin is a America ripped, by and Canada. andno Africa are a Despite the enthusiastic based Datawind, almost synonymous with AaHowever, Alok Shende, principal analyst at big focus means mapareofdeveloping area forreliable us as these kashaccolades tablets, hasfrom been readers its abilityI to keep costs Ascentius Consulting has a word of caution: economies some of theaffordability landscapes that where is a key regenerally trust, I had it avoidlow. And that has helped take the number “Low price is certainly an advanmake up a particular quirement.

The phase response has reading fortablet years.market I threeed slot in the Dyer Indian behind tage in a market like India. But as of my life,” he explains in been overwhelming,” he adds. had always offLenovo by Samsung (15 perbeen cent)put and (13.3 per consumers educate themselves, the introduction, about in place, With these“It’s strategies in-jokeyness of the title cent),the according to research firm IDC. Data- they will realise the trade-offs on places where things Datawind turned happrofitable in Tuli believes that be bothered Geoff Dyer’s between stools and the12.4 book he’s best-known windofhad per cent of the marketCan’t (in the the usability that work comeoften withfalls a low pened didn’t FY13.or“We are happen... not heavily profitcustomers should sometimes for (in this of the world September 2013part quarter) excluding sales to topples price off arethem not altogether worth it.”geoffdyer.com/gallery/marzena pogorzaly places I’d but wanted or able we to aresee definitely not not be burdened at least), Jeffas in part Venice, Death the government of the Aakash project.

For now, Tuli continues to beplaces I passed through or As Datamaking losses,” Tuli says. with profit in Varanasi. even supposed to reer Datawind CEOHe andwasn’t co-founder, Suneet Tuli, of defying convention and ignor- just ended up... Everything lieveout that customers should not bookbeyond Inwind looksin tothis expand expectations at the be on this panel, Rana Dasgupta says the company hasbut managed to keep aand tab ing such piffling as ‘genre’. really happened, dia, be burdened with categories profit expectabut some of the things the country’s share in its time of purchase Katherine Boo on had dropped out,—and on cost by focusing every cost head hard-I Yes, some oftime his books sit on the tions at the of purchase.

“We‘fiction’ that happened only happened overall revenuesinis my reducing anhe wasmarketing a last-minute ware,guess software, andreplacement. distribution. shelf, and that yes, others are classified as head; by the same realised a significant token, all the things nually.

From 90 per cent of reveWhile Beevor, Dalrymple Aslan “Because we manufacture our own and screens (in ‘non-fiction’ but most muddle around in that didn’t happen amount of revenue comes in after didn’t there nues fromhappen India in 2012, it went wrestled the able big intellecAmritsar and manfully Montreal),with we are to cut a the grey area in between, falling between too.” customers have bought the proddown to 70 per cent in 2013. “In tual questions of the day — the substantial part of hardware costs,” heethical says. A stools and sometimes offnetwork them altouct. We— realised that apps, services It’sthe notcurrent what heyear, intended, I’m sure, only about half at of our revestance ofisa about biography his gether. touch screen 25 towriter 30 pertowards cent of the and advertising create significant sources of the end of the I found there’s nues willday, come fromit, India,” hereally says. how(tablet much ‘story’ there is in ‘hiscost subject, of a device or smartphone) and revenues.”

As the session a member of thelower So he ended, is relying on offsetting no other wordTuli forisit:happy inspirational.

PerWhile with increasing sales, tory’ and so on —manufacturers Dyer sat loosely foldeda audience due to high demand, charge upbytohigher ask a recurring question revehardware stood margins haps Shende it should be in that section ofstrategy the believes the low-cost might into his chair with the air of the a bloke premium.

Datawind has eliminated sup- about difference writing fic- partnues. the Datawind has between relationships with bookstore after that in your pipe,time, Datachange in all. thePut near future.

“Over who’s accidentally wandered into a philpliers’ margin, cutting costs to one-fourth of tion non-fiction, what proportion of and ners,and who provide content for devices Geoff,wind and smoke it. up its ultra low-cost proposiwill give osophical debating cluba mistaking for fact the market price.

“We have number ofitpatand fiction thethat. writer feltsells went customers pay for It also adinto space on tion and move to devices that deliver a good tea shop, is looking around genially each. ents aaround thisand technology,” Tuli adds. pre-loaded apps on its tabs, where it splits the says Shende.

Tuli, for now, anitauser roy isexperience,” a writer and director of for a spare waitress.

Another reason behind high prices is what revenue “Geoff,with perhaps you’d like to answer Young disagrees. app developers.

He says he net wants to take this lowZubaan anita@anitaroy. one point, he launched to a users ram- that,” he callsAt“features overkill”.

Since in most Dalrymple.

For prompted long, Datawind managed to keep distri- cost “India revolution global”. Only time will story of how, having been don’tbling end up using all the features incommisa smart- bution “Er... no, really,” expenses Dyer responded, and not marketing negligible by tell who is right. phone, Datawind is focusing on specific needs only selling online. It has now partnered with for a customer segment. “The most important Flipkart and Snapdeal as well. “Even though a rashmi pratap

Tab on costs How Datawind leveraged its disruptive technology to enter the hall of fame

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own chairlog with my name written on it. In a Travel multi-starrer, you have to match your schedGet there ule with the hero and he will decide when the Delhi kicks has several daily there’s direct flights to no shoot off. And definitely Srinagar.

Fromwith Mumbai there’s one direct chair,” she says a laugh.

Filmmaker Vikas day.

Bahl,From who other previously Indigo flight every metrosdirected Chillar Party, says he zeflightsthe go acclaimed via Delhi. Our hotel arranged roed in on from Ranaut fleshing transport thehalfway airport through to Gulmarg. out the character of Rani.

Once he was done, Check in he prayed she wouldn’t turn him down and For quaint charm and the best views, stay even threatened not to make the film without at Hotel Highlands Park. A recent, ome February, every year for at least metres, or to the second phase of the gondola her. “I don’t take such things seriously,” says thorough renovation means you can the past four, we have talked of ski- at almost 4,000m, at the top of the Apharwat. Ranaut dismissively. “If I had said no, I’m sure expect contemporary comfort too (from ing in Gulmarg. Nerves held us To ski from this point is not for the layperson this story would have come along with some₹14,000 includes breakfast; back — was it really the place to go or faint of heart. one else,” for shedoubles, adds. There’s nothing extraor09419413355; highlandspark@gmail.com, when I hadn’t skied for 20 years? My husband about Rani.

She’s timid, awkward and Out of our gondola window, we could see dinary they are working newofwebsite). had last snowboarded 10 years ago and our tracks woven through the pines beneath us. It usuallyon theabutt jokes. After her If up-to-the-minute luxury wedding is your thing, try children didn’t know a ski from a chopstick! It looked steep and we panicked. Help! Is this big fat Punjabi is called the Khyberoff, Himalayan and Spa turns out we needn’t have worried. But to pre- the only way down? But it was just one of the she endsResort up alone on an Euwhich opened in December 2012.was There pare ourselves, we sneaked in a few days of ski- ways down. The piste is a long trail that meanropean sojourn, which meant are four restaurants, conference facilities, ing — and cheese and chocolate eating — in ders through the immense trees with pleasing to be her honeymoon.

As she I’d like to do a gyminand amakes L’Occitane-run spa. Friends Switzerland this January. her way through Paris and variations in gradient — alternating between baking course It was with confidence then that we board- short, steep sections and long, gentleParis.

Amsterdam a frumpy slopesThis isstaying said that itinwas super kurti and also here ed our early flight from Delhi to Srinagar. In and flats. Once you have skied far what jeans ensemble, she not finds the conenough but the service was yet I’d like luxurious, to tell Tangmarg, we negotiated a car change into a from the gondola, it is deeply silent asyoung fidence she was lacking earlier. “I well. girls — 5-star includes breakfast; they(₹17,000-23,000, jeep equipped with snow chains — as we skidwanted someone who came from Several times, I found myself pausing on mymake01954-254666; khyberhotels.com). should their ded our way up the icy road we were thankful own in a whitened glade, listening to thisown the same world as Rani, or there si- life Hire for these. If a little nerve-racking, was a high chance of the characlence and gazing in wonder at For skis and guides, contact Yasin Khan at the journey was also beautiful, ter becoming a caricature,” exthe glints of sunlight on snow.

Kashmir Alpine Adventure, near Hotel like driving through the warplains Bahl.

Not only were the skiing condiHighlands Park (01954-254638, drobe door into Narnia. Snow lay Bahl’s fixation with Ranaut tions ideal — there were no patchGoshtaba is a pretty 09419525606; kashmiralpine.com).

We transdeep by the sides of the road and es where the snow had worn makes one wonder if the actress’s own good substitute for paid ₹500 per day for our equipment and all around a forest of pines, laden through to the ground (as you formation from a Himachali girl who spoke fondue, I guess ₹2,500English per daytoper with so much fresh snow, it was herguide. current chic self served tend to get on easier lower slopes broken can also for try the Snow Daddy, the new more white than green. inspiration plot.

Ranaut’s not ski conat the European resorts), and ve- asYou outfit in town (about ₹2,000 per person By the following morning we ry few icy bits where skis skid vinced of this theory. “It’s the last role that I per day;would snowdaddy.org) were skiing through such a forest. thought be offered to me. People conrather than glide.

We had hired skis, boots, poles, helmets and The next day my daughter and I decided to sider me a style icon. In my last film (Krrish 3), I snowboard from Yasin Khan, the pink- venture further up the mountain. As the chair- played a superwoman. I don’t know how to be cheeked and twinkly eyed proprietor of Kash- lift carried us skywards, we admired perfect afelt girl who is ignored by society andwith has no self like a speck on a vast whiteness a very mir Alpine Adventure, possibly the world’s figures of eight carved out of fresh powder by respect. always quite popular in long wayI’ve to ski to thebeen middle gondola station smallest ski shop. We had also hired guides skiers far more expert than us. (Gulmarg has school as well,” she My says.daughter’s Despite the discon— not visible as yet. nerve was and, inadvertently, a porter. (My daughter was become something of a Mecca for off-piste or nect, sheso ended writing most her own holding; I had up to hold mine.

Theof first part of thrilled; there are no porters in Switzerland.) powder skiing — we had noted a kind of yearn- lines in is the movie, ansteep, experience trigthe run narrow and and wewhich kept close After a first afternoon on the crowded nursery ing in the eyes of our Swiss guides when we gered writer in her.

Earlier thisityear sheinto ento the the guide’s tracks.

Lower down opens slopes, where we were almost flattened by a mentioned our plan to come here and our ho- rolled for awide scriptwriting course in New York. a glorious piste — with remarkably few middle-aged beginner in an out-of-control tel was full of foreign experts with weathered, She lefton it halfway to promote inpeople it — inviting greaterQueen speedbut andislavschuss, we decided to head up the mountain. on completing June. “I felt if I worn faces returning each evening with sto- tent ish turns.

Just as it wein reached thisthat point The Gulmarg gondola, a “Master Piece of ries of boarding all day on “untracked learnt the technicalities thewith craft,only I’d be able though, clouds closed in,ofand inches French Technology,” would take us to the mid- powder.”) to convey my better.

I think this is of visibility, wethoughts were forced to slow down. dle station at about 3,100m. From here, you of theturned best things I’ve done foras myself.

I’ve The top of the chairlift seemed alarmingly one Cloud into falling snow we skied can take a chairlift up a further 500 odd close to the peak of Apharwat. As we set off, I been working sevenreunited to eightnow years.

So the goon through thefor forest, with ing tofamily. school,At sitting with students rest back of the the bottom, a little and girl taking lectures was so refreshing,” says.for was making mini-snowmen usingshe icicles By the of this will“One havelast annoses andend arms.

Soonyear myRanaut husband’s n her debut film Gangster in 2006, she Lamhe, a schizophrenic dumped in a mental other release, Revolver where she“Yeah!” plays run?” was greeted withRani a unanimous was a mother, a murderess and an alco- asylum. So when the trailer of her latest film the title role ofgondola a bandit.back to the middle staso we took the holic all rolled into one. At the time, Queen opens with the line “Mera sense of hu- tion.

It’sBy safe to say hasstopped, steppedleaving into thea now the Ranaut snow had Kangna Ranaut was all of 18. In her subse- mour bahut achha hai, aapko dheere dheere pa- best of her career.and Shethe seems thrilledsun by layerphase of fresh powder, lowering quent films her characters got darker, crazier ta chalega,” you’re immediately drawn to this the and the yet equally detached.

In wasdevelopment piercing through smoky clouds.

It was and more disturbed. In Fashion, she’s a failing new Ranaut. She confesses that the monotony the past she’s been mosttoo beautiful yet. very vocal about actors model who dies of a drug overdose and in Woh of playing a woman on the verge of a break- and filmmakers being To proWithin an hour, we “self-obsessed”. were nursing cups of down got to her too. “For the longest time I felt tect herself from falling into same trap, kahwa and hot chocolate andthe munching on like I’m not going beyond what I had done in she’s consciously built a lifecontentment beyond films. pakoras with a feeling of deep in Gangster. Even though Fashion won me a Na- “How else evolvePark as a human being? the bar of can the you Highland Hotel. It’s a bas-I tional Award, I stayed within my limits. With like in different differtionto of stay stately, old-worldcountries, charm: anlearn expanse of Queen I have broken that barrier,” she says. ent languages.

I’d also like to do a baking warm carpets and comfortable sofas, tradiIt’s been a long day for the 26-year-old ac- course in Paris.

Maybe I’ll go toand Germany to tional carved rosewood ceilings panelled tress. She’s been seated behind a wooden desk learn This and is also what I’d like walls,something wood-firedelse. bukharis faded prints of at the Phantom office (Queen’s Production to tell young TheyThe should sponsor their Scottish golf girls. courses. children watched Company) for close to five hours giving press own vacations makehung their Chhota Bheem and witheducation, friends inand a room interviews, occasionally stepping out to touch own she says.trophies.

with life,” old hunting up her make-up for a photo. Dressed in a pale Within cinema, Ranaut’s world to be There were a few things we seems liked more pink dress and with her curly locks left un- growing as well. She’s written a periabout Switzerland likerecently the ice-free roads and tamed she feebly announces, “I feel a bit tired. od film, anskiassignment heryou’re course, electronic passes. Butfor once on and the You know how hectic promotions can be.” Her tried her in hand at directing a nine-minute mountain Gulmarg, the quality of the snow, PR team is in a flutter because she’s already short film.ofNext herfreedom, agenda and is directing the sense spaceonand the sheera running late for another appointment. Ironi- full-fledged film. “ItAnd took sevengoshtayears beauty of it, feature is exceptional.

I guess cally, Ranaut has been famously ignored in the to film good like Queen.

I don’t to wait ba get is a apretty substitute forwant fondue.

And past during the promotions of some multi- seven morecertainly years before I landto a similar proGulmarg’s a lot closer Delhi not to starrers she’s acted in. But the fate of Queen ject.

As ana actor havecheaper. pretty much satisfied mention great Ideal This might be rests solely on her and she’s happy to shoulder my own creativity.

I’d like tradition. to do different the beginning of a beautiful the burden. “It’s great when you’re the protag- things now,” she says. onist. You are the hero on set and the story fol- charty dugdale is based in Delhi for most of the lows you. What else do you want? I also get my mohini year. Shechaudhuri writes on travel, art and social issues

Powder puff girls

A mother-daughter duo hit their stride on skis in Gulmarg

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White winters Skiers and gondolas descend from the Apharwat anastasia

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Glam to not-so-glam Kangna Ranaut plays a woman who goes on her honeymoon alone in Queen

No more just the co-star on the verge of a breakdown, Kangna Ranaut is now happy to play the protagonist

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THE BUCKET LIST FUNNY BUSINESS

Beyond city limits Working the room

Rural tourism comes full circle in India — from idyllic to clichéd, and back again to its humble roots

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ndia lives in its villages. But if the words rural tourism stir up visions of windblown mustard fields and buxom village belles, preferably Rajasthani, you’re about as close to the real deal as the golddiggers at Unnao. Not all dusty roads must lead to disappointment, however. Here are a few great initiatives that make tourism in the country look good.

uthra ganesan

Komic, Spiti Trips don’t start before May. But if you want Komic, the highest inhabited village in Asia, to be your midsummer dream, you might want to reach for that phone about now (homestays in the area are few and takers, many).

Spiti Ecosphere, a trusted local operator, runs a hiking trail here that strings a rosary of villages along the 4,000m to 4,800m gradient. Expect the usual Spiti spectacles — stark landscapes, grazing yaks, ancient monasteries — and a charming post office (the world’s highest) at Hikkim to send a postcard home.

Travel log 5N/6D; from ₹15,000, all-inclusive, ex-Manali; medium levels of fitness required; you can also opt for day-trips to Komic and Demul; spitiecosphere.com kk mustafah

A fitting ensemble A Sketch comedy show at Canvas Seijosa, Arunachal Pradesh

Humour is serious business for the Canvas Laugh Factory, which draws big crowds and bigger talent in Mumbai leon mahoney

Komic, Spiti

Bamboo Village, Wayanad

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very evening, the third floor of Mum- auditioned and then trained, and this process a group of actors. Yet another format is the imbai’s upmarket Palladium Mall in continues even today,” he says. provised comedy, where the performance Lower Parel reverberates with laughThose receiving training get to perform for takes shape on the spur of the moment, based ter and whistles. College students 10 minutes at the Monday night show, and on what the audience wants. “People need to and young professionals, including many ex- from this year, they have to pay ₹300 to do so. yell and we make comedy-on-the-fly based on pats, can be found clutching their stomachs their requests,” he says. and rolling with laughter. Among the audi- Rib-tickling revenues Another way to tackle the saturation point, ence are those who think they can tickle the Comedy collective All India Bakchod (AIB), he says, is to expand the market. While Course funny bone equally well, and they get a chance which boasts of the country’s most widely sees immense potential for comedy shows every Monday to stand up and perform before heard comedy podcast, had its beginnings at across India, after Mumbai it anticipates the the Maximum city’s comedy-loving audience.

Canvas and so did many others. biggest demand from Delhi and Bangalore.

The Canvas Laugh Factory is that rare kind Course thinks that over the years, Mumbai “The Delhi scene is active, but fragmented. It is of venue in the country that’s dedicated en- has improved its comedy quotient considera- the second-biggest market for comedy. And tirely to all things funny and satirical. The acts bly. More people are lining up to Bangalore too has an appetite for range from plays and musicals to monologues watch stand-up and other comeit. So we have decided to open and stand-ups. dy shows. Canvas is on the verge venues in these cities,” he says.

“Every stand-up comedian in India except of breaking even. This despite the The company expects to open its Pradesh Chandoori Sai, Koraput, Odisha three (Vir Das, Russell Seijosa, PetersArunachal and Ash Chan- fact that on an average the 300Gurgaon venue this year.

“We are hovering dler) started here. And all well-known comedi- seater venue is only half-full and around the profit Sai, Odisha ans have performed for Canvas,” claims Tom roughly, the revenue per person isChandoori Yuppie with a funny bone line,” says Tom tribal belt comesWhile with its its ownaudience bagCourse, the British CEO of Canvas Laugh Facto- ₹750, including ₹200 for foodTourism in the spans ages Course house with the it specifically tarry. Arriving in India in 2010, he decided to stay and beverages. Ticket rates varygage. But Chandoori Sai (or thethree to 50-plus, Koraput back in a country that was still warming up to from ₹250 for Monday nights tomango tree) at Goudaguda in the gets 25- todistrict, 35-year-old professionheart in the the concept of stand-up comedy. ₹750 for professional shows onnear the Andhra-Orissa border, has als,its who have money to spend. right place. Set in the middle of anItadivasi “When we started, all our comedians were the weekends. has a village, monthly college-based potters come— to sell their show wares — at Backbenchers weekly haats — but the audiforeign artistes. There were no Indian standThe expenses include fees for comedians comedy around even ence as strangers from thecome city are in- campuses alone. up comedians in the formats we were doing,” anywhere from ₹20,000 to ₹45,000 per here, show, for it doesn’t from vited tooperbecome impromptu wedding when guests.someone does not says Course. leasing charges for the venue, and other And what happens Friendly Gadaba settlements further The company was initially set up as a part- ating expenses. “But people come backBonda on a andlike a show?

“Eitherliethey don’t come back or in a countryside rustic back and remote as one nership between UK’s The Comedy Store and regular basis and we are bookedafield two months theyascome for something different. But expects it to be. invariably, you will find something to suit Amar Aggarwal’s Horseshoe Entertainment in advance. We are hovering around the profit The guesthouseyour — built using local labour genre,” and and Hospitality in July 2010. Three years later, line,” says Course. taste in the comedy Course says. materials — however, makes a are few mainly concessions, the partners decided to part ways, and the reThe shows in English and a smatKalap, Upper Garhwal such as modern bathrooms air-conditioning, christened Canvas Laugh Factory came under Keep it fresh tering of and Hindi, and the company is deterKalap, Upper Garhwal the tetchy Winter and it spring of as “otherwise, it the control of the Indian partners. The Come- Though in its fourth year, Canvas for continues to townies. mined to keep thatare, way Here milk doesn’t come in a packet and in 70mm. the Supin river, draining course, the best time to visit.

Butour owner Leonvalue”.

Madysnow-capped Store travelsmountains to different partsGirdled of the by coungrapple with multiple challenges.

“Just about might dilute brand into the Tons, and watched over by the range, Kalap is where the lines between myth and reality have been operating honey sayscirhe loves the monsoon best.are on the radar too. “We are tryBandarpunch with its shows.

30 comedians on the Overseas shows blur. Believed to be the home of brothers andthe arch-enemies, and Kauravas, locals stillthree years now. OurTravel log ₹5,000 doubles, canand Singapore…”

“From start, our Pandavas job was to hunt downit’s where cuit for over dedicated talking to all-inclusive; people in they Dubai claim to be their descendants. That isIndian when they are notcomics growingand wheat, millet, beansfor and potatoes onisteralsohe arrange stand-up ready them audience getting bored of them,” says. for taxis; Thechandoorisai.com intrepid home-grown joke appears all set raced fields or rearing sheep in high-altitude grasslands in shortrecalls. summer months.

Season our audience,” Course This they did by beginsTomid-March. counter this, the company is adding new- to brave laughter in newer lands. soity banerjee Travel log from 3N/4D; ₹7,500 perattending person, inclusive of meals, one-day activities; kalap.in comedy shows heldtrek, in cultural colleges, er show formats. Sketch comedy shows, for incafes and restaurants in the city. “People were stance, are short comedy scenes performed by rashmi pratap

No matter how many bikers, naturalists and WWII ‘bounty’ hunters find their way to Arunachal, it will still be as middle-of-nowhere as it gets in this country. So if you have the grit (and paid leaves), consider going to Seijosa in East Kameng district, a fringe village by the Pakke Tiger Reserve, known as much for its big cats as its hornbills. A Nyishi outpost, this is where the Ghora Aabhe Society, started by 16 village headmen — along with the forest department, Bangalore-based Nature Conservation Foundation and Help Tourism — make room for guests in cottages on stilts.

Travel log ₹3,500 doubles, all-inclusive; heltourism.net

courtesy: kalap

Bamboo Village, Wayanad You could spend a week in Wayanad’s Thrikkaipetta or Bamboo Village without ever sleeping under the same roof twice. In the shadow of the Western Ghats, seven families here have taken upon themselves the task of sharing the pleasures of a simple life. Overrun by plantations of coconut, coffee, rubber and banana, this corner of north Kerala is where you could be ankle-deep in a paddy field one day and immersed in bucolic splendour at all times. Get there before summer does.

Travel log from ₹3,250 for doubles, inclusive of all meals; indiauntravelled.com

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Full house A comic works the room; and (below) Papa CJ sachin raju

THE HUNGRY READER

Mystery in the pantry Not all detectives are first-rate gourmets. But they do get hungry and curious about sandwiches and cakes, takeaways and tacos ting it on top and pressing the sandwich closed, encouraging some of the oil to seep down before he sliced the whole thing in two.”

Or an order he places at a deli for, “a chicken breast and Jarlsberg cheese with French mustard and tomato on rye with caraway.”

But readers cannot live on sandwiches alone. So it’s a relief that — even if detectives and bounty hunters are too preoccupied with exploding cars — they have kind neighbours and anxious mothers to occasionally cook for them. Stephanie Plum, a bounty hunter based in New Jersey (by Janet Evanovich), subsists on Tastykakes, doughnuts and fried chicken. But ever so often she goes home for meatloaf, mashed potato and lectures about marriage FUNNY BUSINESS and respectability. “My mother didn’t mind playing dirty if she thought the cause worthy,” Stephanie remarks. “She knew she had me locked in with the pineapple cake. A Plum would suffer a lot of abuse for a good dessert.”

And Mrs Plum’s Pineapple upside-down cake shutterstock tops the dessert charts. t was a battle between common sense (by Henning Mankell) lurches along on endOf course, not all detectives are casual and curiosity — and for the longest time less cups of coffee, cellophane-flavoured sand- about food. There is a whole tribe of gourmet common sense won. But after years spent wiches and waves of depression. gumshoes out there — who slice and dice with dodging bullets alongside Kinsey MillThank God, then, for LA cop Harry Bosch. Al- the best and are even the subject of dedicated hat doher you expect fromthe somehone as she worked way through al- though cause ofhe frayed nerves ahead of his shows — he cookbooks. is the quintessential lonely, hauntduration of But the we’ll performance and experiget down to the them next with an MBA from And Ox- ed phabet, my one resolve crumbled. waited it out.heWithin year, performed at time. detective, knowsahis cityhe and is an expert ence of Mittal busy writing Forthe thecomics. moment, takeisaalso deep breath and ford?R Make a million somewhere around for Ricochet or S dollar for Si- on over24-hour 250 venues across and thenatthere was reach diners, theUK pancakes Du-Par’s scripts, mostly corporates. market is out for thefor peanut butter “The and dill pickle. bonus in a corporate job? Or lence, I gave in to that imprudent emotion so and no looking back. wonderful Mexican food trucks. Which ex- evolving rapidly,” she says, “Comedians are (This is part of a monthly series that follows a million dollar prof- plains notoriously bad formake cats.aAnd boldly brought For aspiring comics in India, however, it’s a food why these evocative novels

by Michael regularly consulted on social media camtrail through the realm of fiction.) it from out the bread, peanut butter andhis dill managepickle. lot simpleralways today.make “It’s the place on the paigns as well.”

Connelly, meeasiest hungry for guacament minwalla a journalist author of inFor all of you who haven’t yet consultancy? encountered mole, planet carne to startasada doing(grilled, stand-upsliced comedy.

When beef) andI shabnam And there’s roomisfor more. and Papa CJ, for Papa CJ did neither.

Six Spellmakers Dorabji Street Sue Grafton’s delightful alphabet mystery se- shrimp started intacos.

London, you Black had toIce, compete against The In The for example, stance, says he hasofconducted laughter yoga at He fictional decided to be a Bosch ries, Kinsey Millhone is a tough detec500 other new comics and wait forparked 6 months “stopped at a mariscos truck on hospitals, performed at a police station in Lonstand-up cometive based in smoggy, greedy California.

She Alvorado to get a 5-minute spot at a comedy it don, at baby showers, corporate events and and ordered two shrimp club. tacos.And They Pineapple dian aand make has a wisecrack for every occasion, single in- were was ages before any money.

That’sand not even served on you cornsaw tortillas, Baja-style, at gun upside-down point to a fullcake house, when the 1/2 cuppromoter or 8 tbspdidn’t butter want to pay him. “The others laugh. Bosch destructible black dress that sees her through the case here,” the he says. savored heavy cilantro in the salsa”. event’s 1 cup brown sugar Papa CJ is funerals and formal dinners,Today, a small gun — Evidently, Nottingham Aditi Mittal is riding this new only Similarly, policeman Charlie occasion I’ve not performed at is the su1 can or about 600gm sliced pineapple the internationand a grand passion for peanut butter and Resnick, wave of the popularity.

“Four years protagonist in the famous police hag raat,” he quips.

6 maraschino cherries face of Indian pickle sandwiches. Early in thealseries you real- procedural ago, this market didn’t evenHarvey, exist. is a sandseries

by John This is or also what makes it such a A few whole pecans comedy, clockise that — barring the occasional Big Mac or wich Now aficionado.

I’m travelling across that the every sandHe believes lucrative career option. Sorabh walnuts 1 cup flour,Pant, siftedrated among India’s top 10 ing bossy over Rosie 1,500 wich meal at the local tavern, where country comedy shows.

In the is afor work of creative improvisation — like “Perhaps, 1 only tsp bakingcomics, powdersays there is enough mon20 alast serves up dishes involving ashows calf’sacross thymus three snatch months,of Ijazz. haveAnd been dazzling in Rough Treat- the occasion I have 1/8 not tsp salt ey to be earned in the profession. countries in 10 home for nine gland — Kinsey survives on peanut days!” says Mittal, ment, he explains that sandwich3 eggs, performed the separated butter and pickle sandwiches.years for an au- who has performed across India, es are much more than “neat at1iscup “About two or three years into it, I suhag raat,” quipssugarwas making a little over what an dience The problem is that I like my anywhere from Chandigarh and slices toofKochi wholemeal bread 5 tbsp pineapple juice Papa CJ between two and Shillong andpressed peanut butter with strawberry Gandhinagar. around cheese rectanfrom an IIM makes.” He 1 tsp vanillaMBA extract They come home to 90 years of age. jam and my pickles with cheese.

“People have patience to- augmentagles no or turkey breast, doesn’t away exact numbers, 1 Preheat the ovengive to 180°C/350°F. bare fridges — this wasn’t al- day; they want But if Kinsey can head-buttBut psyinstant gratifica-salad and a tions of tasteless easily make Add butterbut to a good 9-inchcomic roundcan baking pan which is tough for and place inside the of warm ovena until it For ways the plan. chos, the least I can do is experition. And stand-up comedy givesmayonnaise. smear of low-calorie upwards ₹1 lakh month. both them and their melts. Remove from that oven and In So 2004, Papa CJ you just that.For ment with sandwich fillings.

You get punchlines Resnick, they were more satismaking kindsprinkle of money foodie readers brown sugar evenly over thetobutter. was working with every 15 seconds. with some trepidation, I slather Noevery wonder that itinis though, fying on level:then two major a comedian ought be in Add the 6top pineapple slices and place a cherry inside the tech-giant catching on,”gredients peanut butter onto white bread, says Papa whose CJ. flavours were rung. “Probably 5 per cent of the people who each one. Fill in the nooks and crannies IBM and hapthen place the sliced dill pickle, What makes the careerbut of acomplementary, comic exciting try it, end up making it big. Of the 32 profescontrasting with whole pecans or walnuts. pened to visit right now, besides top it with another slice of bread the soft, increasing awareness sharp and sweet and sour, a sional in India, only flour, 12 or so live off 2 In acomedians medium bowl, combine baking the Edinburgh — and after the slightest of hesitation, bite… mustard about it asora chutney medium to of bind entertainment, the comedy them, butiswith Others day jobs inorahave powderalone. and salt.

Usinghave a handmixer, Fringe Festival. and then shrug. The PB and P sandwich is not the small pool theunforced second gentaste allof itscomedians. own, finally“For a fruit, to- other income,” out Pant. metalsources or glassofbowl, beatpoints egg whites at saw the vile, but it’s not an experimentHe I’ll repeat, ex- mato, erationthin of comedians, will be a lot easier beslices of Coxitor Granny Smith.”

Papaspeed CJ, Aditi and PantSet areaside. also doing shows high until fluffy.

3 In a separate bowl, beat yolks different with stand-up actsa cause cept if I’m very hungry and being chased by of theHearts, lack of the competition.

Thebook, audience In Lonely first Resnick the abroad, which require an egg entirely sugar speed until shows creamy.inAdd there and “it policeman tattooed villain with squinty eyes. is looking puts for together great new stuff,” says a sandwich withTom “tu- skill set.at “Imedium have headlined eight pineapple and juiceitand vanilla extract, andtobeat looked Clearly, Kinsey belongs firmly to thatlike groupa na Course of the Canvas Laugh Factory. fish and egg mayonnaise with some small countries, took a long time even well. up Add the30 flour mix toofthe yolk mixture, job”. Papa CJ slices of sleuths who are too busy fun tackling nasties While the initial years and require hard work of pickled gherkin a crumbling of come with minutes international maand that beat could well. Fold the egg whites withYork landed first blue and weirdoes to potter around the his kitchen. and grit, a good artist able toof make cheese”.

And thisshould is justbe the first a pa-a terial workinfrom Dubai to New a rubber spatula. Pour cake mix over the London, These fictional charactersshow skip in meals and rade markofwithin two or three Once estabcreations that haveyears. transformed my tofruit, Colombo!

Now, I have about 45 minutes, and smoothen with the spatula. on the Wibbley Wob- approach come home to bare fridges — which is tough lished, they get paid anywhere between to the sandwich.

For example: “Four but it takes quite an effort,” says Pant.

4 Bake for 40 minutes or until cake is blyfoodie Boat on Edinthe slices both for them and their readers. ₹20,000 and ₹45,000 per show, each about 20 of fresh garlic salami overlapping across While making people laugh seems golden and a toothpick inserted into like the the Thames, October that rye burgh policeman John Rebusin (from Ian Ranminutes bread,inalength. pickled cucumber sliced narrowly toughest thing to it surely own recentre comes outdo, clean.

Cool has on aitswire Though not along kin’s Inspector Rebusyear. series) barely life getswas around Corporates too goat’s are making co- wards. its length, cheesea beeline that he for crumIf you you can laugh all rack for 10 master minutes.the Runart, a blunt knife around easyso—it’s hehardly survived on just bled to brushing his teeth, surprising medians to entertain employees at the between his fingers,their a single, thinly cut way tothe theedges bank.of the pan to loosen the cake. Invert carefully onto a plate. about meal a day, shared that he lives on cans of one Irn Bru and greasy sau- shallot; events and off-sites.

They slice pay of upwards of finally, the second bread he taxispoliceman and skipped be- drizzled sage rolls. Swedish Kurtdinner Wallander ₹30,000 with and up to ₹1.5 lakh, depending on setthe rashmi pratap extra-virgin olive oil before

Laughing to the bank

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Striking through the bamboo curtain Minchol Son reveals what it’s like to be the only professional North Korean footballer in India

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Infinite loop A train runs along the Pamban Rail Bridge and above the dark waters of Palk Strait bijoy bharathan

he cold, heavy rain does little to dampen the excitement of the 21,500 fans inside the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong. The high turnout, in spite of the most expensive tickets in the I-league, is a regular affair for Shillong Lajong. As the players of Lajong and Pune FC come out — delayed by an hour because an ambulance meant for emergencies was stuck in traffic — Minchol Son, 27, the home team’s captain and the face of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in India, eggs his teammates on.

While most players have lost their pre-game momentum thanks to the late start, Son is constantly moving, never holding the ball for longer than two touches, playing it to the midfield, getting it back, trying to get an offensive move or running back to cut out an attack from the away team. He’s by far Lajong’s most dynamic player this evening.

It’s because of this evident commitment to Lat is 3.50am and the Sethu Express headed jong’s cause that Son was from Chennai Egmore Rameswaram is votedtothe Most Valuachugging along, barely 10 minutes ble Player by theaway fans from its destination. Then youinaugural begin to in his hear it, a metallic rumble asseason the train in slows 2012. down to about a tenth of its intended speed.

The doorways soon fill with a motley crew of half-asleep passengers comprising men and women, both young and old, who align themselves near the exits for the best view. Outside the train, the pitch darkness of early dawn offers mere silhouettes of the bridge. As the train treads the dark waters of the Palk Strait atop the Pamban Rail Bridge, the travellers are united in wide-eyed surrender, to an all-encompassing sense of awe.

It’s a sight that’s been playing in an infinite loop for about 100 years now, since the Pamban Rail Bridge opened in 1914. The bridge, which until 2010 was India’s longest sea bridge — the Bandra Worli Sea Link in Mumbai having now bagged that title — connects the island of Rameswaram to the Indian mainland. Often referred to as the economic and spiritual lifeline of this region, the bridge celebrated its centenary early this week. In the midst of the revelries, questions concerning the future of the bridge against its maintenance as a heritage site came to the fore. While the two sides objectively argue their cases, a subjective detour back in time might be just what the doctor ordered.

In the annals of the Indian Railways, one

Head coach Thangboi Singto, says, “He’s the best foreign player in Lajong’s 30-year history.

Which is also why he was awarded the captaincy a year after he arrived.”

Heading back to the tunnel after the final whistle, Son’s autograph is much sought after.

Fans stick pens and notebooks through the railing, even as the rest of this football-crazy city returns to discuss the game in its drawing rooms and tea stalls.

is a businessman in Kyoto and his two sisters are still studying. The Zainichi are Koreans who took refuge in Japan after World War II. They are the second largest ethnic group in the country and maintain a strong link with the Korean peninsula, thanks to organisations like Chongryon, with members who have chosen to retain their de facto North Korean nationality. Son’s Zainichi identity plays a strong role in his career — the previous club he represented was FC Korea, where all his teammates Settling down had Korean roots. While he could have easily Son was spotted by scouts of the Gurgaon- chosen to play for Japan, Son chose to reprebased sports management agency, Libero sent DPR Korea, playing at the under-19 and Sports. In a rare instance in professional foot- under-23 levels internationally. ball, Lajong’s management signed him up in “I want to play for DPR Korea’s senior na2012 without ever watching him in action — it tional team,” says Son. In the last few years, proved to be impossible to get him a visa just North Korea has grown rapidly in football. to come down for trials. “Our scouts saw Min- While they couldn’t manage a repeat of their chol playing in Tokyo for a local club of North 2010 success and qualify for the World Cup Korean-origin players. Given his strengths on this year, they have booked a berth in the 2015 the field, they felt he could put in AFC Asian Cup (similar to UEFA’s a solid shift in the game in India European championships). In the or Southeast Asia,” says Arvind under-17 World Cup held in 2005, Narayan of Libero Sports. they had managed to make it to Son has already Son, for one, is happy to have the last eight as well. Many of clocked more than moved here. “In Japan, I had a day those players represent the na2,000 hours of play job after which I went for traintional team today. for Shillong Lajong ing, so I was glad when a profes“It’s not like before, and unlike man’s is synonymous with bridge Asian connecting Rameswaram sional name contract was offered to the Pamban struct a roadother countries, we’re Rail known Lajong, as the Metro Man of to the mainland.

SK Patil, then me,”Bridge. he says.Fondly Since joining strongHowever, and use our the physical India, Sreedharan, the near-impos- union railway minister, knew the game,” importance he hasEplayed almostachieved every game, strength well in the says of Rameswaram as a team. pilgrimage centre and sible taskin ofmore restoring Pamban to a Son clocking thanthe 2,000 hoursBridge of playing about the Korean “The youth league fully state in a mere days, after in decided to repair the in bridge.” time operational already. For the Lajong team,46 who usually Pyongyang is also good form. And while it wasin devastated by a cyclone on December 23, it’sElaborating on those months backbreakplay a 4-4-2 offensive formation, he is the disappointing not to qualifyoffor Brazil, I 1964.

Reminiscing aboutas that time Sreedharan think ing work, Sreedharan says, at “OfWorld the 146 spans in backbone of the attacks their centre-back. we have a good shot Cup 2018.” says, to the rail bridge se- theDespite bridge,his 124strong had been damaged or washed Son“The has damage become an integral part ofwas the so team affiliation with the navere thatfrom it wasn’t considered worthlearn restoring. away. Son We has urgently gaugea few girand one whom Indian players a lot. tion, visitedneeded North metre Korea only The government was already planning to conders (support the As India’s under-21 international Ongnam Mi- times.

On his beams) last visittoinbuild 2007, hebridge. stayedWe in lan Singh from Manipur says, “Players from Pyongyang for a month to train for the untheir side of the world are quick and der-23 team. “I couldn’t see much because we think on their feet. Minchol is aggres- were training,” he recalls, “But apart from sive on the field and a good captain.” problems caused by my accent, the trip was Off the pitch, Son has found his great. Hopefully, I’ll visit the country again.” comfort zone in the hill city. MOT Café For Son, his time at Shillong Lajong is a step and Café Shillong are his favourite han- towards getting called up for the North Kogouts. “They have free wi-fi; crucial for a rean team as well as getting a deal with one of player living far away from home... and from the bigger Japanese clubs. He says, “After Laclose friends” he adds with a smirk. jong, I want to play in Europe or go back to the J-League. My dream is to play for the North KoThe Zainichi rean national team.” Until then, the studs of “North Korea is my country and I’d love to play Son’s boots are firmly embedded in the footfor them at the senior level, but home for me is ball fields of Shillong.

Kyoto in Japan,” says Son, of his life before Shillong. A third-generation Zainichi, Son’s father sibi arasu

A bridge runs over it

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On the centenary of the Pamban Rail Bridge, which connects Rameswaram to the Indian mainland, a look at its history and significance

I

Ninja moves Shillong Lajong’s centre-back Minchol Son RITU RAJ KONWAR

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Nature’s fury Pamban Bridge in ruins after a cyclone battered it on December 23, 1964 the hindu archives

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saturday, march 1, 2014 saturday, march 1, 2014

sourced them from states as far as Assam and menting the bridge. Many new members Rajasthan, but there was still a shortage. (structural elements used to brace bridges Thankfully, the fishermen in Pamban came to and buildings) were added to it and it was our rescue. They had spotted many girders strengthened at the bottom as well. that had annibals’ been swept in the cyclone and Recounting his memories of the bridge, Dr of away Hanniwere lying 40 feet below, on the seabed. We sal- S Arul Jayachandran, from the Structural Engibal are in for a treat, vaged those what and worked breakneck speed to neering Laboratory at the Department of Civil if that’s you canatcall complete thehas restoration.

It used to take us Engineering, IIT Madras says, “I was about four it. NBC decided to threelaunch days toalaunch one girder. wide range of Soon we were years old when the cyclone struck. My homelaunching a girderfor a day. merchandise theirOn TVthe last two days, town, Madurai, was bathed in a pall of gloom. we launched eight girders.” show. Besides clothes, ac- And the results A few months later, I undertook the first rail werecessories there forand all to see. usuThe project was esti- journey of my life. It took me across the Pamother mated to be completed six months, Sreedh- ban Rail Bridge. I remember how everybody al knick-knacks, thein suits aranin-charge and his team accomplished peeped out of their windows in are also set to it in bring 46 days.out fragrances the train when it crossed the But there’s anthe altogether bridge on a particularly low-tide that capture quintes- personal history of sacrifice that is day. We were stunned and delightsential serial killer smell. intertwined withhoncho Sreedharan’s ed to know that this was the same The restoration of A marketing was association with the bridge.

He bridge that had once been ravthe bridge took 46 quoted saying, “Part of says,the “My Hannibal wife was pregnant with aged by the cyclone.” days, instead of the allure is our thanks daughter when I was inFor Jayachandran, it was mereestimated six to the haunting formed about the cyclonic damly the beginning of a lifelong love months yet beautiful universe age created to the Pamban affair. In 1983, for his undergraduby the Bridge. directorI was on Christmas homeate thesis, he presented the conand his leave team.”at my While townsight in Pattambi, while my wife cept of an alternate bridge and sound is part was at her maternal home in Ponconnecting Rameswaram to the and parcel of any TV serinali.al, I didn’t have the time to meet her before mainland.

He is now finalising a technical reguess the good men of heading to Pamban and commencing work port based on a study that he had carried out the Hannibal marketing on the bridge.

A few weeks team are bringing in the later, I came to on the Pamban Rail Bridge in December 2013. know that too. we had been blessed with a baby He says, “The 100-year-old bridge has a place of smells girl. However, I was unable to go see her as my pride in the hearts of many generations of Inpresence was needed at the bridge at all times dians. We consider it a part of our historical during the ongoing restoration work. Finally, identity. From a purely conservationist point after we had put the bridge back in operation, of view, it is a thing of beauty and must be proI was able to go home and see my daughter for tected. From a scientific viewpoint, the safety the first time.” of the passengers is paramount. The bridge The legacy of the Pamban Bridge and the has withstood the test of time for more than a need for its continued service is fully under- century. I am optimistic that it will remain so stood by engineers today. In 2006, a contin- for another century.” gent from IIT Madras led by professor Kalyanaraman was entrusted with instru- bijoy bharathan

‘F

Don’t bank on it After weather wreaked havoc on Haryana’s fields, farmers get shortchanged by their government

Q

Scent of a serial killer Marketing campaigns now have you smelling like your favourite murderer

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ollowing a two-year-long survey carried out across Haryana, the State government decided to hand out a grand total of 3,000 cheques. These were for farmers who had lost all their crops due to heavy hailstorm and rains in 2011. Some of these beneficiaries had to spend more than ₹500 just to claim the abode reimbursement amount, since temple is an important pilgrimage site bijoy bharathan Shiva’s The Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy they had to open an account in Syndicate Bank, which is the only way to encash the government cheques. The catch you ask? Some of these cheques were for ₹ 1, 2 or 3! To add insult to injury, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s office was overheard stating that ₹1.14 crore has been distributed to farmers owning 3,365 acres in the Jhajemote Bangalore’ begins at a rickjar District. Where is the missing lucre? ety ironing cart stationed by a The nation wants to know. he next time you lean in close and park in the residential area of Insmoosh your head together for a dira Nagar. The 50 participants at cute selfie with your BFFs, beware! Acthe event — curated by Rimini Protokoll and cording to lice expert Marcy McQuillan, supported by the Goethe-Institut — receive though lice are usually found in eleheadphones, a radio receiver and a Namma mentary schoolkids, she’s seen a “huge Metro card. Next to us, a young man irons his increase” in lice cases in teens this year. way through a small mountain of clothes. I And who’s to blame? The evil selfie. “Evask him what he knows about the event, ery teen I’ve treated, I ask about selfies, ccording to the California-based Wine which has been kicking off next to his cart and they admit that they are taking Institute, Vatican City’s populace consince the end of January. “Something is said in them every day...I think parents need to sumed an average of 74 litres of wine each English and some music plays, that’s about be aware. Selfies are fun, but the consein 2012, i.e., around 98 bottles per head! all,” he shrugs.

Listen in A ‘horde’ takesdarkly. part in the Remote Bangalore soundscape project selvaprakash quences are real,” she says The study has prompted the question — As I ponder about the inclusiveness of the why does the Vatican drink so much — and project, the group is instructed to move into dog running towards us. Is this a ploy? A cho- the pavement near a busy road. Almost as if it received scarcely credible explanations. the park. Here we ‘meet’ Deepa, a synthetic reographed ‘coincidence’? Some in the group was planned, cars pile up in a jam, while the One hopeful suggestion is that communivoice created using multiple samples of the fe- even take off the headphones to check if the voice points out how the richer we get, the on wine must account for some — not posmale voice. Her accent is somewhat Indian, origins of the sounds we hear are within or more vehicles we own and the more stuck we sible, say many, since the Code of Canon and she makes our acquaintance unconven- without. are in traffic. As though, as a civilisation, we Law forbids off-the-shelf purchases. The The best thing about this tionally, “Most of you weigh between 40 and Not a flat drone, Deepa pauses to ask us are moving backwards.

Italian press has, instead, alluded to a su120 kilos. may I havebe no its weight.

I am faceless, questions. In a shrub-filled path en route to an Onlookers are curious, but few make eye year’s Oscars host permarket in the Holy See that acts like a mouth-less,” says she. abandoned children’s hospital, she asks, contact or ask what we are doing. Only chilgiant duty-free shop. But believers say the What follows is two hours of listening, walk- “Would you be comfortable walking here dren look on, inquisitive and unconditioned. he hardest-working person at this year’s Osshop is tiny and hardly stocks any wine. ing, observing and climbing, all guided by alone at night?” “Would you be comfortable The themes of the individual versus the horde, cars is host Ellen DeGeneres. Even as the AcadeNever mind the explanations, it just seems Deepa. Initially, she directs us to spaces. A walking here alone… as a woman at night?” evolution, conditioning, public and private my awards drew closer (to be telecast on March 2), the that the Vatican had a really bad year! school, a hospital, a metro station. While walk- Slowly, the group, which began as a discon- spaces as well as remarkable sound design, relovable host of The Ellen DeGeneres Show made time to bank ing up the stairs to the station, Deepa talks nected set of urban dwellers, becomes — as search and planning all merge together in the eight episodes before heading to Hollywood. On March 3, she will about how man has climbed the ladder of evo- christened by our guiding voice — the ‘horde’. experience that is ‘Remote Bangalore’. The host a rare live episode of her show, tape two more and then take the lution, from learning how to walk to creating Soon, we are not afraid to break into a dance horde goes home happy, introspective and a week off. This will be DeGeneres’ second turn as Oscar host. In 2007, the the wheel, the telegram and the age of infor- on the metro when Deepa plays Jump by Van tad tired; glad that it was far more thoughtfunny woman had famously quipped, “Most people dream of actually winmation we live in today. The sound design is so Halen. Or walk down Church Street pumping provoking than the man at the ironing cart ning an Oscar. I had a dream about actually hosting them. So let that be a lesson well-executed, it makes us feel as though the our fists in the air like at a demonstration. The had surmised, even if a little sorry that he to you kids out there. Aim lower.” We also love her for having eight-year-old Akshat sounds are emanating from the spaces we in- foley effects of a heated protest on the head- couldn’t be a part of it.

Sharma, whom she spotted on India’s Got Talent. More power to Ellen! habit. On leaving the hospital, for instance, we phones, makes us comfortable in our roles. At hear dogs barking and simultaneously, see a one point, we are told to walk backwards on tara rachel thomas is a Bangalore-based writer

All the city’s a stage ‘Remote Bangalore,’ a sound project, blurs the lines between the audience, performers and the stage, creating a rich theatrical experience in the metropolis

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Are group selfies to blame for lice infestation in teens?

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A vino State of mind

Vatican City consumes more wine per head than any other country

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Loving Ellen

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All those lice

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cornerstone in-faq by joy bhattacharjya

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t’s David Niven’s birthday. And while he did win an Academy Award in 1958, he will probably, be best remembered for his excellent autobiography, The Moon is a Balloon. Recently, when I read its preface more carefully, I realised it was from an e. e. cummings poem. So this week’s quiz is all about interesting titles and their origins.

Names

1

Starters. What connect the books, Huxley’s Brave New World, Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past, Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury and Frederick Forsyth’s The Dogs of War? The list is by no means exhaustive.

2

Which fascinating book’s title is a corruption

by British soldiers of the cry “Ya Hasan! Ya Hosain!” repeated by Shias during a Muharram procession?

3 4 5

Which ’80s Oscar-winning film gets its title from the way a certain Raymond Babbit was remembered by his younger brother?

Which bestselling novel of 2003 derives its title from a quote from the Sherlock Holmes story Silver Blaze?

Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 is an all-time classic.

However, its original name was changed just a few weeks before production. What was the original title and why was it changed?

the new york times crossword-0112

clued in

6 7

Which classic rock album was originally titled Eclipse?

This super group of the late ’80s and early ’90s, which featured the likes of Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Jeff Lynne, released an eponymous first album. Their second album was titled ________ III. Part II was cancelled after one of their iconic members passed away. Name the group. And whose unfortunate death caused them to skip to part II?

8 9

In the US, why was the title of the film The Madness of King George III changed to The Madness of King George?

Which critically acclaimed and commercially successful film released in 2006 was named after a contest where the voters had to chose between 3 names — the other two suggestions were Issak and O Saathi Re?

10

The Last Man in Europe was strongly recommended as a title by the author.

Thankfully, the editors went with a different name. The book and the author’s name?

Answers 1. Titles from Shakespeare: Brave New World (The Tempest); Remembrance of Things Past (The Sonnets); The Sound and the Fury (Macbeth); The Dogs of War (Julius Caesar) 2. Hobson Jobson, the iconic book of Indian and Anglo-Indian words and phrases 3. Rain Man, which won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman 4. Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the dog in the Night Time 5. It was originally titled Catch-18, but Heller’s agent was worried that it would be confused with another World War II novel, Leon Uris’s Mila-18 6. Dark Side of the Moon 7. Traveling Wilburies, Roy Orbison 8. The studio was worried that audiences wouldn’t come in to watch as they had not seen part I and II 9. Omkara 10. 1984, George Orwell

joy bhattacharjya is, in this age of televisions pundits and Facebook gurus, simply grateful that facts are not opinions. t@joybhattacharj

ACROSS 1The “who” of a Clue accusation, whose identity is hinted at by the three shaded answers in this quadrant 8“Most ___” (“For sure”) 11The “where” of a Clue accusation, whose identity is hinted at by the three shaded answers in this quadrant 15Not skilled in 21What you can bring up, in a phrase 22Photo lab abbr.

23“M*A*S*H” star 24Midwest capital 25George’s mother on “Seinfeld” 26Luau dish 27Part of Caesar’s boast 28Thrown out of the country 29Got logged off, in a way 31Textile tool 33“The Lion King” queen

34Blows one’s mind 37Ain’t right?

38Southern terminus of I-35 40Pyrexia 41Unfrost 42Old Tokyo 43Go pfft 44Varsity award 45Early Coleco hand-held game 53The Palins, e.g.

55Musical notation 56___ bleu 57Tad 58Motor coach 62To boot 64Lay off 65MGM symbol 66Orbit competitor 67Bloody Mary stirrer 68Others, to Ovid 69Make a boner 70Colorful bird 71“Bam!” man 72Advance 73The “what” of a Clue accusation, whose identity is hinted at by the three shaded answers in this quadrant 79Saturnalia 83Thing in doubt?

90Conned

93Wrestling star Lou 94Opening for a dermatologist?

95Running wild 96Jungian complex 97Bordeaux wine 98Some Ivy Leaguers 99Start of the accusation 101Untouched?

102___ girl 104Firm group: Abbr.

105Tennis’s Petrova 106Like some football teams 108Fringe 109___-Cat 111Makeshift ballot box 112Classic gaming inits.

113Middle of the accusation 118Expressing 121Feature of a baseball shutout 122Sainted archbishop of Canterbury who founded Scholasticism 123Phone abbr.

126Friend of Franco 127What Lou Gehrig

played 1321939 Garland co-star 133Home-body?

135End of the accusation 137Author Kingsley or Martin 138Actor Richard 139“So that’s ___?”

1401990s-2000s Volkswagen vehicle 1412010 film “___ Men” 142Greeted the villain 143Want 144Director Mack of early slapstick

DOWN 1Chateau ___ Michelle 2Hesitant sounds 3Fixed 4Ballpark fare 5More elusive 6Appeases 7Coat rack 8A.T.M. offering 9Formally declare 10Move like a butterfly 11Become entwined 12Tony the Twin 13More anomalous 14Its seal has

an anchor and a moose 15Prehistoric menace 16Noughts-and-crosses loser 17Have a thought 18“Cool it!”

19Cub Scouts leader 20Cries of pride 30It may contain aspartame 32Starting point?

34Genial 35Not so smooth, maybe 36An ace is a good one 39Completely, after “in” 41Major part of a tooth 44Bush who wrote “Spoken From the Heart” 45___ to the finish 46“I don’t care what they do” 47Basket fiber 48It’s a knockout 49Ordeal 50Confound 51Farrell or Firth 52Work, as clay 54Actor William 59Entreat 60French article

61Bering ___: Abbr.

63Mr. Onassis 73W.W. II group 74“___ Enchanted” 75Captain’s last order 76“Gay” city 77Pepsi brand 78Hardly at all 79Some German cars 80Cartoony clubs 81React to a loss 82“Uh-huh, definitely” 83“Brave New World” drug 84Part of U.S.: Abbr.

85Endure 86E-commerce site 87Crime buster Eliot 88Tic ___ (candy) 89Antony’s player in “Julius Caesar,” 1953 90Repressed 91Inevitability of life 92Result of 91-Down, maybe 100Sauce brand 103Years abroad

107Coke, for one 108High rails 109Having no direction, in math 110Generic 113Sort of 114In ___ Patris (prayer words) 115King in “The Little Mermaid” 116Grant for filmmaking?

117Cybermemos 119Recto’s flip side 120Slangy denials 124Coastal raptor 125Scanned 127Bit of office greenery 128Unyielding 129Go all over 130Tiff 131Backpack item 134Dr.’s order 136 Cry’s partner

By Alan DerKazarian/ Edited by Will Shortz

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