Blink issue 36 october04 2014

REVOLUTION IN THE AIR The recent upheavals at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, tell of rising anger amongst the youth against patriarchy p4 saturday, october 4, 2014

courtesy: cgnet swara

Farmers phone a ‘friend’ for advice. Women rely on apps for a better life. News that never made headlines, now grabs attention. Mobile phones are changing lives in rural India p10

Bharat on call

POLITICS OF GARBA Communal tensions mar the most festive days of the year in Gujarat p3

TELLER OF TALES In Stone Mattress, Margaret Atwood writes of others and of our selves p17

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London in what became known as the ‘calico riots’; calico being the term for all cotton goods derived from the entrepot of Calicut.

The selling and wearing of pure cotton goods was outlawed to protect indigenous industries. In Britain the ban lasted from 1721 until 1776...”

This event in England would find its amplified mirror-image almost a century later in the Swadeshi movement, and as the single most powerful symbol used by Gandhi — the cloth-spinning wheel (or cosmic charkha) against the British Raj. Gandhi was not just ren the morning of August 19, 70After a delay of 10 years, the sea link opened directing material to disrupt British The events leading up flows to Rathod’s death eeyear-old Mumbai businessman in June 2009 to celebrations marked by much rily commerce, used clothingon design to bemirror thosehethat transpired the eveLalchand Rathod had breakfast as fanfare, fireworks, lights and music. The ₹750- ningcome an embodied message, a butof August 1, 2012. Like Rathod,rather Lalithlike Seth, usual at his Parel home before crore bridge was meant to considerably re- the terfly wing asked patterns.

Susan toBean owner evolves of Raj Travels, his driver heading out to his import-export office in duce travel time between the island city and haltobserves in Gandhi Khadi: Fabricheof Inthe car midway on And the sea link,The saying Mazgaon. En route he instructed his driver to its western suburbs. dependence, communicative power wanted to answer“The an urgent call. A couple of of will Sea copyLink the ac- peacock, by way of symbolic communication,minutes make a detour to he themultitude Bandra-Worli costume the limitations of lanlatertranscended the driver realised Seth had vantions of of the enlightened,” and, in a clear violation rules, alighted mid- Design thatflaw? it was actually an elephant? It is well-ished. guage multilingual and illiterate His in body was recovered on the India. shore The rohit gupta wrote Mahatma Gandhi, whileThe known way for a walk. Moments later, Rathod, who that Gandhi was acrash greatbarriers semiotician, sea link’s four-foot-high on anearimage transcended cultural hunt. barriers Worli Fort after a three-hour Hisas su-well. laying down Swadeshi was battling depression, scaledthe the railingsdoc-the carriage master ofside symbolic communication.

His own His impact and railings on on the was on enhanced by his icide noteWest found the car’s allthe Indians to boycott thethe useAraof Brit-the end and trine leaptfor into muddy waters of attire mimicked, — the fakir’s resemblance, can be scaled simultaneously effortlessly in hisstated simplicity dress and his backseat thatofhe “could Unknowingly perhaps, as but bianish Sea.goods.

The driver watched helplessly hisas awithin poverty and“One thepossible saintly socotton shroud of saintly manner, seconds. to Christ the Cross.” not fulfil familyon commitments”. strategy Gandhi was invoking ‘mimicry’, employer disappeared underwater and franti- onelution Christ the king, encompasscould be thus raising the While in London, Gandhi met The 56-year-old businessman If someone suddenly the fundamental callyofcalled the fisher folkprocesses for help. that guide bio-height ingof every class in between. the social railings, making it JosephinMcCabe — had the Enwaswith reportedly debt and stops the car and logical evolution.

Post Rathod’s death, there have been two difficult His choice of cotton as aover stratefor people to climb glish translator of a book by defaulted on bank payments. jumps out, there is Charlescases Darwin’s theory of natural selec-so quickly,” more suicide reported on the BWSL, all gic tool against the Empire says Qaiser Khalid,was Ernst Haeckel, one of the most nothing can do if Onewe wonders tiona span (1859) involves several within of 10 days. On Augustphenomena 29, 33-year- byadditional itself a kind of mimicry.of Pocommissioner popular Extra eyes writers on Darwinian Gandhi saw the which certain specieshisprotect themselves old Chintan Shah stopped car on the Sea lice (East).

In the early officials 1700s, the MSRDC how-popsciencebyatthe thespate time.

Unnerved of Gandhi suicid- ofindependence of as camouflage and mimLinkfrom and predators, leapt to hissuch death.

Two days later, a everularity of Indian created disagree, sayingcotton the idea fered to render his book, es, the MSRDC has decided toThe in- RidIndia as a form of A flower take on theoff appearance BMCicry. official Vikaswill Jhore jumped the Worli of ahad serious problemsearlier, for the East been proposed but Inof The30 Universe (Die Welträtsel, stalldle around CCTV cameras on human evolution get apollinated, a frog willthe dia end female of the insect bridge to after heated argument Company back in the mothenvironment department and engineers both sides of the published 1895–1901) inthere Gujarati.

4km stretch.

Currently, warning withwear his wife, whocolours couldn’tdeclaring stop him.itself unpalat-wereerland.

Gavin Weightman writes sceptical about it.

Haeckelwhich was specifically known are only six cameras, don’t provide able, and can send misleading Earlier thistiger year,moths in March, 32-year-old Ravi au- Khalid in Thebelieves Industrial Revolutionaries heightened security won’t high-quality images for a either. controversial theorybecalled Yet, officials signals tothe echolocating Mimicryhelp(2009): Pillaiditory took his life in wee hours bats. following the woollen-weaving either. “In Currently, guards are stationed at lieve that while Recapitulation, whichmight roughly these improvements in behaviour is also our ances-bothand an altercation with his associated wife over with the phone. silk-producing of England, entry points to keepdistricts out pedestrians and cot-easesuggests that the stages inmay the evolution traffic management, they not neces- of a primates, like the three famous mysticalcontrol Andtor in June, the 28-year-old son of a diamond ton traffic. became dirty is word.

In Franceactivity and othersarily “Ifathere any criminal specie, playthe outissue again a smaller address of at suicides.

“If scale some-in its monkeys gifted todeath.

Gandhi bypolice an unknown merchant leapt to his The and of- Ori-or accident European countries too, the threat theseone embryo. they can easily attend to thethat situaotherthe words, thethe embryo is aofcomsuddenlyInstops car in middle ental ficials of traveller.

Maharashtra State Road Develop- tion,” wonderful Indian In goods to the es-the pressed explains Khalid. fact,presented in 2012, a traffic (or “recap”) of the organism’s sea link artefact and jumps out, there is nothing One wonders(MSRDC) then if Gandhi saw the inde-constable ment Corporation appear perplexed tablished textile aindustries brought a swift re-we can thwarted 23-year-old housewife’s entire history.

This is why, Haeckdo evolutionary about it. We can install many CCTV pendence of India a form of human evolu-suicide by these incidents.

“I’veas have no idea why peoaction. wearing cottoninto gownscameras bid Women in broadseen daylight by diving el argued — stages in the development of a huand increase security, but it will still the lionchosen of Empire being told by thethe water ple tion. haveWas suddenly this particular were after attacked in the Spitalfields her. Bike squads have alsodistrict been ofbe difficult man embryo resemble the gills of a fish. to curb such cases,” Deodhar says. stretch to end their lives,” says Arun Deodhar, deployed recently to keep an eye out for peoCoincidentally, the first avatar of Vishnu in mohini chaudhuri chief of MSRDC. ple who disembark on the sea link.

Hindu mythology is represented as Matsya, or a human torso attached to the rear half of a fish. Numerous Hindu gods are biologically mixed-up species, or chimeras. Some gods have four or more arms, like a spider or an ant.

Four-headed Brahma sits meditating on the top of a flower, (often lotus) like a bee pollinating the garden of Eden. All these themes of biological transmutation strongly resonated with the evolutionary trend in colonial science during the British Raj. If all of us descend from fish and apes, Gandhi seemed to whisper — no race is superior.

There were thinkers who went on to suggest that even societies behave and evolve like animals, notably Herbert Spencer (The Social Organism, 1870) — “Societies slowly augment in mass; they progress in complexity of structure; at the same time their parts become more mutually dependent; their living units are removed and replaced without destroying their integrity; and the extents to which they display these peculiarities are proportionate to their vital activities. These are traits that societies have in common with organic bodies.”

Is it then possible that societies, cultures and nations mimic each other — like butterflies, frogs and moths? Or perhaps they lose complexity at higher levels of order, mimicking a lower form of life — and behave on the surface like simple microorganisms.

The Partition and independence of India in 1947 would then begin to seem like a natural form of mitosis and cytokinesis, a far more violent and large unfolding of microbial cell diThe gills have it Vishnu vision, with a faint embryonic echo of the in an incarnation of origins of life.

THE COMPASS CHRONICLES

Darwinover andtroubled the Bridge waters mystical monkeys Mumbaikars watch bewildered as their favourite landmark gains notoriety as a suicide point

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If all of us descend from apes, perhaps we all are equal

Circle of life and death An aerial view of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in Mumbai vivek bendre

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Matsya, the fish by Olfert Dapper (Amsterdam, 1672) wellcome library, london

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rohit gupta explores the history of science as Compasswallah t@fadesingh

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Dare to garba Garba is traditionally celebrated by various communities in Gujarat, but this year the spirits are dampened

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Dance to the beat Garba is a time of high fashion and fever in Gujarat pti

n September 28, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was being feted by non-resident Gujarati garba revellers in Madison Square Garden, New York, back home in Gujarat, an uneasy calm prevailed. Last Thursday, photoshopped images of Maa Ambe superimposed on Mecca were circulated on WhatsApp in Vadodara. By the next day, images of people from a particular community being hacked to death made several rounds on social networking sites and mobile platforms. Communal tension, based on rumour, spread like wildfire in the city, setting off incidents of arson, stabbing and stone-pelting. For nearly four days, the Vadodara police suspended 2G and 3G services, and group SMSes and MMSes. This year, the Navratri festival in Gujarat, celebrated over nine days with night-long dandiya raas and colourful garbas, has taken a communal turn. Marred by talk of ‘love jihad’, parts of Vadodara, home to the biggest and most boisterous garbas in the country, have fallen silent.

Despite communal clashes, mostly in the old city areas, which have resulted in nearly 90 arrests, garba venues in other parts of Vadodara remained open, where the customary festive revelry carried on. Almost 30,000 people have turned up over the last week, at the biggest event in the city, organised every year

by United Way of Baroda, dressed in designer chaniya cholis, wielding flashy dandiya sticks and practicing complicated dance moves.

“At our garba, there is only one distinction maintained between a boy and girl, and that is because we charge different rates for both categories,” says Shivinder Singh Chawla, chairman, United Way of Baroda (UWB), which is organising the event for the 28th year. While entry fee for girls is priced ₹200, boys have to shell out a cool ₹2,500 to gain admission; perhaps to curtail the countless love affairs that march to the beats of dandiya raas. Chawla claims that the communal tension simmering in the city has not affected participation.

“There has been no impact. It has been as robust as ever,” he says. “People look at garba differently here. We raise funds that are used for healthcare and education in the poorer regions of Vadodara district.”

With over half-a-dozen garba events, Vadodara is usually buzzing at this time of the year.

All is not quiet Motorcycles burn after they were set on fire during a clash in Vadodara on September 25 reuters

Beauty salons are packed; tailors, with their backless choli designs, are in high demand; mehndi-and-tattoo artists are sought after.

Young men brush up on their dancing skills and pick-up lines, women come out in droves for nightouts, far removed from the parental gaze. “Navratri revelry has been the same for ages, it has not been affected by communal disturbances. Movement of revellers may have been hampered in some parts, but the sentiment of celebration has not dimmed,” says Sanjay Chavda, a media consultant in Vadodara and a regular garba visitor.

ted to follow directions from the city administration and the government. The mood was dull initially but later, revellers got into the spirit of garba. We have not let the festive gusto wane,” says PD Bariya, a garba organiser in Godhra. Despite right-wing arguments of Muslim youth causing trouble, it is a fact that the community has been long-associated with the Navratri festival.

In Godhra, nearly 500 people eke out livelihoods from fashioning dandiya sticks for the numerous garbas held in the city. Earning anywhere between ₹20,000 and ₹50,000 during the season, the families begin their work alThe year with a difference most six months in advance, meeting heavy Yet, things have changed this year. After a BJP demands even from Mumbai. The Pinjara and MLA from Indore called for a ban on men from Saiyed communities supply electrical equipminority communities from entering garba ment, tents and furniture for garba preparavenues, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has voiced tions. Almost Half of Godhra’s population is similar demands in Gujarat. Earinvolved in the festivities, providlier this month Sufi cleric Mehning artisans and decorations. “It’s di Hussain — whose skullcap the main hub of dandiya manuoffering was famously refused facturing. The Muslim ghanchi Even the famous

by Modi — said some unsavoury community has been engaged in garba event held at things about garba. Both comthis profession for ages. For MS University was munities have ‘exchanged fire’. them, it is a time of flourishing brought to an abrupt In Vadodara, security has been business. Religion doesn’t mathalt by the police beefed up at garba venues. Many ter,” says Dr Sujat Vali, a gynaecolevent organisers have installed ogist in the area, who for the last CCTV cameras to spot ‘romeo’ 12 years has been organising allparticipants. Even the famous community garba events. The garba event held at MS University was brought right-wing organisations, he claims, have to an abrupt halt by the police last Saturday. failed to dampen the Navratri spirit among While UWB had made online registration with Muslims of Godhra. “Only for a day did the garphoto-ID mandatory a few years ago, this year ba stop here, due to a tussle between organismost organisers are being particularly cau- ers and the police,” says Dr Vali. tious — men are subjected to rigorous scrutiHowever, even with the state government ny, there is no tolerance for fake IDs. If some order prohibiting discrimination on the basis organisers are surveying participant lists for of religion at these events, several organisers names from minority communities, others have refrained from issuing entry passes to have left them out altogether. those from non-Hindu communities. “They At Godhra, Ahmedabad, the epicentre of the feared trouble from external groups. They 2002 Gujarat riots, tensions have flared up couldn’t guarantee our safety,” says Dr Vali, since early September. An unregistered right- who also chose not to attend. Yet, he mainwing organisation Hindu Asmita Hitrakshak tains, that the communities continue to share Samiti distributed pamphlets, appealing to cordial relations, even if “nobody from the organisers to deny entry to Muslim youth at Muslim community dared to attend the garba garba venues in the area, citing the possibility this year”. of ‘love jihad’ rearing its head. “It’s tough this year, with all the tension. But we are commit- rutam vora

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Reclaiming the streets Now open!

I SPY

The anger and sorrow shown by the students of Jadavpur University over this ‘small’ and Bangalore-based chef, Manu Chandra, to Delhi for the launch of the capital’s second ‘unimportant’ matter reflect the waytravels the world has changed Monkey Bar and trains his lens at the calm and not-so-calm moments behind the scenes

rimi b chatterjee

Solidarity is a click away Protests outside Jadavpur University in Kolkata sushanta patronobish; and (inset) anger spills onto the streets of distant Delhi shanker chakravarty

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egarding the current events at Jadavpur University, since things are moving very fast and the situation will 4.15am: Biddingprobably goodbye tohave Roccochanged again between the time of my writing this and the time of its going to press, let me focus on some of the wider issues that have come to public notice in these last few days.

This protest is different from all the other protests I have seen on campus. It is the first protest in a long time that has cut across ideological, social and class boundaries to unite the overwhelming majority of the youth of this institution and indeed across the world. It is very closely focused on the original issue: the complaint of a girl student that she and her boyfriend were victimised on campus by a group of students who saw themselves as moral policemen, and that she was detained and sexually harassed. From the moment the complaint was authorities 10.30am: Stepping outmade, on thethe terrace of Monkeyof Jadavpur University offlag the vice chanBar in Connaught Placeintothe findperson a gigantic cellor have violated not only the legal and procedural norms for the handling of such cases, but every principle of decency, restraint and goodwill as well. This is not the first time a person in a position of authority has behaved like this when dealing with a matter relating to sexual harassment, and perhaps this was why the vice chancellor felt justified in acting in such a fashion. But the reaction he got was unprecedented, if not unexpected.

The anger and sorrow shown by the students of Jadavpur University over this ‘small’ and ‘unimportant’ matter reflect the way the world has changed. There is a war going on all over the world, in all sorts of places, but particularly in places where the youth learn to be adults. It is a revolt on the part of the young from Morning the norms andwith oppressions 11.30am: meeting the chefs of patriarchy. It is not a fight of young women against young men, it is a fight between those who up-

12.30pm: An unexpected friend pays its namesake a visit, promising to return soon

hold the equality of the sexes and fairness be- and more transparently than the government tween them in all matters including sex, and misinformation that then attempted to chase those who don’t. The sense of entitlement that them down and wipe out their story. There 6.00am: Flight men from Bangalore Delhiyoung womCapital colours... brightofday! some young feel, and to some were9.45am: so many of them, theAnd eyeswhat anda ears the en acquiesce in, to decide what a woman will virtual planet, that they were their own guardo with her body, is the source and cause of antors of truth: no one can lie convincingly the conflict we see here. Anyone about what they did if so many who teaches literature will at people can prove they saw them. some point have to state an Lies that in past ages would have opinion about that sense of enhad to be swallowed as the only There were so many titlement, because so many stotruths in town were exposed so of them, the eyes and ries in the literary canon are fast, they must have burned the ears of the virtual about the terrible tragedies that lips of those who spoke them. planet, that they were result from it. I would be doing a I think increasingly the sense their own guarantors disservice to my students if I did of entitlement that I spoke about of truth not discuss such matters with earlier will be seen by the young them, particularly as they live in for what it is: an attempt to rob a world where increasingly trathem of the freedom to decide dition will not help them when for themselves who they are gothey are attempting to have a relationship ing to be. Patriarchy wants to put both men with someone ofcuppa the opposite sex. Bhavan and 11.00am: women,Followed but particularly men, in strait10.30am: Morning from Saravana by a breakfast of champions What Starting with shaming boys who play next doorwill help them, what is helping them jackets.

— chole bhature now, is the fact that the young people of the with dolls, like the colour pink, or are kind to world are now a community. It doesn’t matter animals, it goes on stealing their sweetness where they are, as long as they have the inter- until by the time they are adults they are petrinet, abused youth can cry out for help, can fied of doing anything that hasn’t been triplefind and talk to friends, can get advice, admitt- endorsed by the fraternity of bullies. What is a edly not all of it good, and most importantly, pink doll to a baby? Something interesting can investigate things for themselves. They that looks kind of familiar. What is a boy baby can Google stuff, look it up on Wikipedia, who grabs his sister’s doll to his parents? The check news sites and post about it on Face- object of anxious scrutiny, as if he might have book and Twitter, where their friends and the a disease. Babies are very sensitive to emotion, occasional troll can comment on it. This is like and the sharp rise in tension that accompaa virtual planet at the ends of our fingertips, nies so called early indicators quickly teaches and it makes them the united kids of all boy babies to drop the toy. If they the world. When my students don’t let go, it will be taken away were attacked while peacefrom them. But dolls are the fully demonstrating, they most helpless things in were able to take videos the universe. They can’t and photos and post back, they accept 11.45am: A sudden change in decor 12.00pm: Work beginsfight in earnest them on social netall the violence done working sites, faster to them. Caring for a doll teaches a child to care for anything that’s weaker and smaller than he is.

Preventing boy babies from doing it probably damages them for life. Then they go through their teens watching women around them, whatever their role, being expected to serve men without argument and with a smile. Once that is done, it’s really difficult to get the bad habits out of boys once they’re grown, at least physically, and living a semi-independent life on campus. The 1.00pm: Making our own blend of mustard onout the of stove only1.30pm: way is toStaff talklunch them it. Some of them listen and some don’t, and in my experience it’s the boys who can be persuaded to shift from ‘why did she say that, do that, wear that, walk off with him instead of me?’ to ‘why do I feel angry about it?’ who can be shown what the sense of entitlement really is, and who end up recoiling from it. I have personally watched many students both male and female follow that line of thought and discover where it leads them. The real-world, macrolevel result of that thinking is what you see unfolding on your TV screens.

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rimi b chatterjee is a novelist and teacher of English at Jadavpur University

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Conviction and reflection TM Krishna believes art is a necessity and not a luxury ss kumar

“I know that when I had the most intense experience with compositions, I was not at all thinking about the meaning of the words,” says Krishna, controversially, and then launches into a fascinating exposition of the role of linguistics in Carnatic music. Take the word ‘vaggeyakara’, composer. “Vaggeyakara is a unique word,” he emphasises. “It’s a combination of vak and geya, the one who knows music and the one who knows words.” So in the context of Carnatic music, they were always seen together, he believes, suggesting that text, raga and tala were “framed together, created together as a magical being, not a literary being.” In fact, he says, “the whole nature of Carnatic music is beyond linguistics”.

The honour Krishna was this year’s pick for the Indira Sivasailam endowment medal and concert (held on September 25). The award is named for a great connoisseur of Carnatic music and specifically recognises excellence in performance, audience appeal, adherence to classical traditions while innovating within its framework, depth of knowledge and demonstrated efforts to disseminate knowledge, and the ability to bring about a greater and deeper public appreciation of Carnatic music. You could even say it is a validation of Krishna’s own journey.

It’s been a journey fuelled by study, practice, experience and self-examination. “I am where I am in this journey only after I did what you could call the regular stuff. The reality of today is only there because the reality of the other day also existed,” he explains. But he is quick to add that he tells his students not to do what he has done. In fact, he has no hesitation admitting that a young man who gets stuck with him “is actually as problematic as a young man who is stuck in the system. I tell them, you just have to engage with every swara that you sing, every phrase that you sing. As you get deeper with that intense engagement, then magic starts happening.”

What’s the reality?

Krishna speaks the way he writes in his book and his columns — easily drawing from his own deep reflection and conviction. Calling Carnatic music as religious appears to be ex- attention to what he refers to as the “musical tremely superficial” is sheer gumption. Espe- moment”, Krishna says, “The reality of music cially about a system of music that’s seen is within a social construction. Accept both reprimarily as religious. alities: that art is a way of removing the conThe ‘bhakti’ tag, explains Krishna over tea structions that are there, and that art itself is and fresh lime soda at the Hyatt Regency in also within a social, political, cultural conChennai, gives historical, spiritual, intellec- struction. So the more you experience the art, tual and emotional legitimacy to the musi- the more you understand the construction of cian to place herself/himself at a higher level the art, which means you start understanding than the ‘normal’ person. The society, you start questioning somoment this happens, the idea ciety. The most important thing of hierarchy kicks in. “It gives for an artist is to be aware. To see, me the strength to say the audito listen, to feel, to touch. If you I’m not saying being ence is receiving something do that, how will you not rea performer is bad, from me which is some way conspond to social or political or culbut being an artist nected with divinity, which is intural narratives?” is special tangible. Now that is purely a It’s this lack of awareness that power equation. So it gives me makes India a nation of performcomfort to be in that situation. It ers, not artists, he believes, again also gives the composers whose qualifying that with: “I’m not saycompositions I sing the status of god. It gives ing being a performer is bad, but being an artthe music, especially in a country like India, a ist is special.” religious legitimacy. Now if I say throw out the Krishna is convinced that art has to become common understanding of bhakti, then what part of everyday conversation, it must be seen do I hold on to as a musician?” in public spaces. “In our society we think of art It’s a rhetorical question, of course. At this as a luxury, or some kind of pastime that hapmorning’s interaction, courtesy the Indira Si- pens once in a while. If it was true that art is a vasailam Foundation, Krishna is all ‘casual’, luxury,” he asks, “how come the poorest of dressed in comfortable black-and-white pjs people still sing songs?” and smart white tunic, a far visual cry from the sandhya rao stereotypical Carnatic musician.

Concert… disconcert

TM Krishna challenges and mesmerises his listeners by turns. A recent award resonates with his own journey fuelled by study, experience and self-examination

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M Krishna is among the busiest musicians today, but you won’t see him fiddling distractedly with his cell phone for the simple reason that he doesn’t carry one. Hasn’t for over a year now, it’s too intrusive, he says. “The funny thing is all this access has made us even less sensitive to everything. That’s the great irony of society today,” he says, with a laugh.

Some people would say that’s just like the man, extreme in whatever he does. Krishna, 38, is a bundle of energy, his thoughts spill into a clear stream of words, his antenna continually picks up sights, sounds, smells. Of late, he’s been ruffling rasika’s feathers with concerts that, in their view, subvert the traditional kutcheri (the Carnatic concert) format. By not giving them what they expect, he challenges rasikas to go on their own personal journeys, sometimes free-flying and often disconcerting. Yet, audiences throng to his concerts and leave mesmerised.

Clearly, Krishna is ‘different’. His recently published tome, The Southern Music: The Karnatik Story, is as frank as it is lucid. There are not many practising musicians who would put their professional lives on the line by talking about taboo topics such as caste and discrimination, gender inequality, or, that holy of holies, bhakti in Carnatic music. He does. To declare, in print: “To me, the understanding of

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Book my dorm Eight dead bodies READER’S DIE JEST

ELSEWHERE

More dead women have been found, more clichés discovered, and a don called Munna — Private India in a nutshell arunava sinha

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manjula padmanabhan

A start-up that is out to prove that, like in the West, clean and friendly hostels can be the accommodation of choice even in India

Afternoon drama

o many books, so little time. Why are the victims being garrotNow, we read the most im- ted? Because the murderer is obportant books on your be- serving Navratra and is vegetarian half so that you don’t have at this time, hence unable to eat his to. Just read our Reader’s Die Jest in- victims. Now the penny drops, and stead. It’ll take only a few minutes, Santosh realises that there will be arah, the new tenant upstairs is now already an ex-tenlonger if you’re sending WhatsApp nine murders in all, one for each ant. She didn’t even last a month. The circumstances of messages in between. avatar of Durga. her eviction were very dramatic. One afternoon, I heard We start with Private India by AshIt’s also evident that the last of heavy footsteps overhead, walking back and forth win Sanghi and James Patterson, these victims will be his colleague across the meagre width of the apartment. Evidently the large, which celebrates the festival season Nisha, whose sex appeal is obvious scruffy man, who was living upstairs while posing as Sarah’s without blood. but whose colleagues are rather brother, was pacing the floors and snarling into his cell phone.

The first body is found first. She’s well-bred. Especially, Jack Morgan, I heard the hall door open downstairs and more heavy foota doctor from Thailand, and she’s the global head of Private, who has steps, going up the stairs. These sounds had become commonbeen murdered in Mumbai, a city chased his client-turned-lover, the place ever since Sarah moved in, because there was always a where the police force prefers to actress-turned-director Lara Ompraparade of visitors in and out of her flat. But this was the middle hand over homicide investigations kash, to India, only to see her turnof the afternoon. Not typical party-time. to private investigators. Especially ing into one of the garrotte-artist’s Then I heard the upstairs door being thumped loudly. “Powhen they’re actually named Pri- victims. Overcome with grief, he lice! Open up!” vate. And when the head of the Indi- does not respond to Nisha’s seducThe next instant there was a loud scraping sound overhead an branch of the MNC tive charms and learns followed immediately by a crash right outside my back winis a genius and a to play golf instead. dow. The so-called brother had jumped out of the flat. He landdrunkard. And more Meanwhile, an opered on the narrow strip of grass behind the building and so when, as we’ll know ative of Pakistan’s ISI is But there are more scrambled over the neighbour’s fence. Shouts! Yells! Police later, the policeman shopping for 30 kilomurders to be thundering down the stairs and out of the building! Thudding taking the decision grams of the explosive performed. Why? footsteps faded into the distance, even as police sirens began to was sleeping with the RDX. Mumbai is full of Because, stupid, wail down the main street. dipso’s wife before the malls, though not as it’s Navratri The rest of the story came back to us in fragments. The fakemaniac ran his car into full as Delhi, but the Common to India, these clean hostels arethe finally filling a major gap in the brother was on run from the police forhospitality dealing industry drugs, but a tree, killing her rooms and With several backpackers and budget silly travellers terroristcoming decides he’d been on a watch list for months. “They tried to taser him,” their son. But not, cuninstead to approach said Pete, later. “They missed but ningly, himself, beMunna, the biggest n the movie Queen, when Rani (playeddon by ofhostel caught him,facilities anyway.”are Pete I Varanacause otherwise how at a property owned by Chauhan’s fam- they the city, who Zostel’s other in and Jaipur, were residents would his rivalKangana in love Ranaut) is rejected by her fiancé ily inwondering Jodhpur. “We constructed the dormito- si has been and the Agra.only Alsotwo in the offing iswho a property at barely were ininthe house theistime.

Everyalmost kill him at atwo days before the wedding, she washrooms when ries, he will play a and the common room, and Panaji Goa. “Theat plan to open a new Zostel Then I heard the thing happened fastNanda. neitherHis of us Parsi Tower of heads Silenceto Paris and Amsterdam by herself, it last year,” says Nanda. more opened prominent role every 20 days,” so says confidence upstairs door being her honeymoon. At a hostel in Amsterdam saw any action.

Pete got his a few yearsfor later?

The response in the book, because was encouraging from the stems from the funding theinformacompany recently thumped. “Police! she is aghast to been tion from—buddies theMalaysia-based street.

But first, more bod- when she finds out she hashe’s start,introduced and the 25-bed hostel broke even in the received ₹5 croreon from angel Open up!” share found. a room with three men of different but na- has Well! That wasParagash. the end of Sarah.

I ies have been first month only spentitself. all The founders were able to investor Presha “We are looking to had really seenheher once, sitting And moretionalities. clichés dis-But it is here that she eventually recover theirbars day-to-day expenses without los- raise his time in dance moreonly funds,” adds.

Private Eye more about gains and learns onWhen the front doorstep.

Waiting covered. As theself-confidence murmoney. so far.ing Clearly Private identifying a new city for or property, Sanghi herself.

The concept Ashwin of hostels orand shared India acher sister, sheissaid.

She seemed nice security derer says, making a country isInthe target,like India, thronged by back- Zostel’s focus on location, hygiene, James Patterson commodation might be an unfaenough, withlocals her latte-brown her “We hair expand straightened and circuits. cameo appearances in for travellers and budget travellers (both and and skin, which packers we perceptive culture. in tourist Random House miliar life oneisin India. ₹350 But seven friends have lightly streaked. She had a wide-mouthed a warm, several chapters, was an readersforeigners), can tell butclean the hostels Like,smile say, aand traveller who goes to together to popularise it, elevate the fanfare her arrival, simply thecome absence of idea waitingcanto happen.friendly Not sur-expression. For all the noise and brilliant Santosh Delhi andofJaipur will also go to backpacker her departure was quick and silent. None of us was the areas will death. Also, more dia- experience in India and, in the prisingly, the Zostel team has not. He’s not drinking Udaipur.

Sohome these at three process, new business — Zostel. time.plan She removed her name from the mailbox in the and logue ripped off build fromtheir Wikipedia won in all the 14 business enough Johnny Walker. be targeted.

In hall terms of sites, we The Zostel team has For Next starters, theyline picked — themurders that was the last we saw of her. comes to light. in the of Rajasthan competitions it has participated Finally, eight down and prefer properties within a kilowon 14 business plan land and “Shethe was a nice girl,” said Rebecca, when we radius talked from aboutthe it city cendead people areofa maharajas, journalist. Apalace sing- hotels tillwake date. include one to go,sprawSantosh &inCo. upThese to metre’s competitions lingprincipal. havelis — All to set up their the firstidentity three faciliover a cup of coffee. “Kept bad company, is all. er. A school women, India Forum of theWharton killer and nabEconomic tre,” he Can says.you believe Being backpackers the finale it, that guy the police he was naturally. ties.

Investigations proceed at themselves, (USA),ensues, Richard of wasn’t even her brother? She told him. A breathless in- Ivey School After identifying the location, friends — all graduates of IIT-Bombay her boyfriend!” Whereupon I revealed what I knewteam about their full pace, but not before the intrepid Businessbut(Canada), Stanford volving and not IIMthe murderer the the Zostel takes the help of Calcutta always knew that sorely nocturnal Rebecca.

“You could staff of Private India—pause to reflect E-Bootcamp (USA), IIM- activities. “Really?!” exclaimed RDXIndia (why buy 30 kg BASES otherwise, damproperty agents to finalise the lackedirony the reasonably priced mit?), clean accommohearIIT-Bombay them?” I said it was sodeal. loud Currently and clear I 65 could tick-guests are on the biggest of life — that Launchpad and Eureka the chapters Calcutta get shorter and perhave centsold of the dation thatcould was be so anothcommon shorter and plentiful ets to the show. We both giggled. one woman’s hobby others.to till theinlast among one is down foreigners. The number of Indian members is the US and Europe. ultimate beneficiary of the whole incident was Pete.

“She students, er woman’s hubby.

Thisa well-feted model is quite sim- rising just three sentences. It’s sad end- businessThe steadily and they include “Outside hotels are expensive andthe we murderer abandonedonalllease herand furniture,” said. “So when movers The body bags pile India, up. The police ple. It involves taking properties ing, as only and the youngheprofessionals andthe even couples. While hostels.

In India, thereperish, are ex- andconverting taking the bed I askedthe if Itarget could audience have it. Completely continue always to let stayed PrivateinIndia conair-conditioned dorms victims everyone them else into were is the 18-35new age — group, Zospensive or cheap and dirty and I got it free!

It’sWigreat!tel The mattress is made of some new duct autopsies on hotels the corpses.

They withand bunk rooms with lives. guesthousIncluding Munna thebeds, god- and common is open to all. nothing between where one can material really soft, you know?”

He stopped short of inviting only wantes. toThere take is the credit in when connectivity, and—play stations. man Nimboo Baba, Fi whom we couldboard games “We welcome everyone who is adventurous feel is homely or getThe to said know the Sointo we thisThe to try it out.bills That wouldand have been indelicate. the murderer discovered. major expenses go me to rent, utility and notlocals. squeeze story earlier. open-minded,” says Nanda. of trying out the says Paa-columns I said, smiling.

“Happyaround dreams.” murderer thought has already appeared in concept,” staffallows (25 soyou far) While you!” accommoda(This monthly to salaries. “Lucky Looking at the clean and colourful oneexcept of the co-founders.

The others the novel,van andNanda, everyone the talk about tion rates range a book, without having to from ₹400 to ₹500 a day, dorms, the common rooms enlivened with PADMANABHAN , author and bags, artist, writes her parallel life in and beautiful start-up AkhilbyMalik, Tarun charactersininthethe book are knows on for ₹70 more. read it.) Tiwari, breakfast can be addedMANJULA bean cane of moodas, carpets marginalien.blogspot.in US, in this fortnightly now who Chetan the killerSingh is. ButChauhan, there are Abhishek Bhutra, The Udaipur facilityElsewhere, has a full-fledged res- column lamps and lights, the last thing they remind arunava sinha classicfor andmembers. “We plan to have restau- you of is a budget accommodation.

Siddharth Janghu and Dharamveer Singhtranslates more murders to be performed. taurant Bengali fiction and Chauhan.

Using their savingscontemporary and with help Why? Because, stupid, it’s Navratri. rants atnonall our facilities,” says Nanda. That, in rashmi pratap fiction into English t @arunava their families, they opened their first Santoshfrom makes the breakthrough. turn, will generate additional revenue.

The tenant who departed all too hastily

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Bar food Idli Factory’s Madras Bars with milagai podi and 10 garlic-flavoured mini idlis in the Madras Roundtana packs bijoy ghosh

Fresh idlis, fair price Chennai’s new Idli Factory, with its low-cost central kitchen, is off to a flying start

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t was March 2013. RU Srinivas had ordered a plate of idlis at a leading Udipi chain in Chennai. For the two idlis he was served, he was presented with a bill of ₹77. It was at that moment that Srinivas decided, if, and when, he got into the food business, he won’t price his products unreasonably.

Walking out of the restaurant that day, he envisaged a model that would keep real estate costs low by using a central kitchen. Customers could also pick up food on-the-go; cutting costs of air-conditioning and on-table service.

Exactly a year later, Srinivas was ready to serve Chennai fresh idlis at a fair price. At his Idli Factory, a 1,000sqft central kitchen at Nandanam, steam from the idli-makers was now rising at 4:30am every day.

“The food we put out is what our grandmas used to make — fresh, without preservatives. If it’s not sold within 24 hours, we take it back from the retailers; we don’t want them to push stale food,” says Srinivas, whose travelheavy job as the CEO of Caliber Point (the BPO arm of Hexaware) had made him realise the importance of fresh home-cooked food. “If you are a traveller in India, it is difficult to get good food, whether you’re travelling by air or by train. And when you’re living out of a suitcase, it can get to you,” he says.

It was this glaring gap combined with the need to spend time with his family in Chennai — he was working out of Mumbai — that prompted Srinivas to quit his job and start Idli Factory. He runs the business with his operating partner Rajan Ramaswamy, who was also his colleague at Caliber Point. While the latter runs day-to-day operations, Srinivas takes care of product positioning and financing.

“Apart from the factory outlet, idlis are sold through 25 retailers across Chennai,” says Srinivas. Twenty-five other outlets are also keen to stock their idlis, but they have not yet found a way to reach them all by 10am. “The day we crack the logistics, we can swarm the city,” he says. They are also in talks with direct-selling agents and self-help groups for marketing.

Meanwhile, customers call the Idli Factory directly for bulk orders for offices and picnics.

Eureka on a plate CEO-turnedentrepreneur RU Srinivas handles marketing and financing bijoy ghosh

Cracking the low-cost code Operating partner Rajan Ramaswamy, who oversees day-to-day operations bijoy ghosh

Chennai’s cocktail circuit too has taken to pack of six bar-shaped idlis coated with milathese spicy vegetarian finger foods, which are gai podi (₹50). Kanjeevaram idlis are also barnot deep fried, to go with their drinks. Several shaped, but the batter is slightly sour and inexpats and diplomats are regular customers cludes pepper, butter, jeera, cashews and ghee as well. Idli Factory’s growth is faster than ex- (₹120). The third variant is a pack of 10 circular pected. But Srinivas ducks all questions on fi- mini idlis, Madras Roundtana, garlic-flanancial performance, merely revealing, “We voured (₹30) or curry leaf-flavoured (₹40). Alhope to break even within the first year.” And so on the menu is pannagam, a drink that’s perhaps, why angel investors and pri- traditionally made with elaichi, lemon, jagvate equity players are already gery and ginger, and served on showing interest in this fledgRam Navami (200ml/₹30). At Idli ling company.

Factory though, one can order it And while selling idlis to maall year round.

The recipe was mis in Chennai is like selling To start with, Srinivas and Rasnow cones to Eskimos, idlis perfected after nearly maswamy chose comfort food 300 trials from the Factory are flying off from South India, but the duo is the shelves. Mostly because of now experimenting with delicathe recipe — one that was percies from the North and the West fected after nearly 300 trials. Idli as well. “We are working with Factory now uses two types of other communities to develop rice along with urad dal, and steams idlis in Marwari, Gujarati and Maharashtrian items,” packaged water. The first set of hands to touch says Srinivas. But the criterion for the new the idlis is the customer’s. “We pack it in a products remains the same: healthy, authenmanner that it can be carried in a laptop bag tic recipes of food that need not be served hot or handbag without getting crushed.” More- (because of the variable travel time from the over, there’s no chutney or sambar, and there- central kitchen). fore, no spills. The idlis are smeared with podi Until they perfect other recipes though, (gunpowder) combined with unheated se- Chennai will have to make do with the Madras same oil, which is considered healthy.

Bars. And it’s certainly not complaining.

At the moment, there are four variants on offer. Idli Factory’s flagship Madras Bars are a rashmi pratap

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Manto ventriloquised Aunty, my return gift?

PRESENT IMPERFECT

S O Why I write Essays by Saadat Hasan Manto Edited and translated by Aakar Patel Tranquebar Non-fiction ₹350

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Veena Venugopal is editor BLink and author of The Mother-in-Law

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A translation of Manto’s non-fiction unveils more of his sharp wit, but takes too many liberties with his prose A birthday party is a parental competitive sport. And yet, I put my politics aside, get in the game, and call the balloonwallah and the baker

aadat Hasan Manto is one of those some sense of his style: ostensibly meander- Go to the Movies’. But Patel calls it ‘Why I Can’t writers you can read when you’re 18 ing, but in fact tightly coiled.

Stand Bollywood’, which makes no sense, givandthe feelterrible very clever.

And you parcan read f all things about Patel strives tothe recreate Manto’s raised to appreciate expensive overdeliberate the someone en that Manto’s objection is tosomeone the make-becries, someone fights, him again you’re 35 and feel very enting, the when birthday party is the but ends with such unidiomatcheapcasualness, and not much else —up probably pause for pushes, lieve someone common topukes all cinema.

Patel insists and But something stupid.worst.

You can him for sickening truths It isread pointless consumerism ic writing as the following: “That I don’t watch a second and consider their good fortune beon Just putting the word ‘Bollywood’ into Manto’s breaks. around the time I am so frazzled about masquerading subcontinentalas violence, for illumilove forand a child.

I fore moving films must particularly shock those who know on to finding faults and demandon aevery occasion: “Manto that mouth I sneak to quiet possible a place and sip somenating anhaving urban spent everyday, fromcouple the hellholes should know, the last of ing something me as a writer of Often, films. of What sort these of man, more. course, ₹1 they Bollywood”, “What Bollywood must thingloved strong, a kid sidles up, like a postman at do”, impoverished prostitutes to party Nargis’ weeksoftrying to figure out a birthday fordrawmustbirthday wonder,parties writes are them watch lakh-plus forbut kidsdoesn’t who are and so on. This of maddening the film industry’s Diwali, triggering theuse most part of speing room. which will communicate to turning a nine-year-old, them? he not also,’ theywail will or think, ‘act in one‘Did or two, who either sleep cific The post-liberalisation to itdesignate the party. return gifts. Kidsavatar demand like all but the this yearsis I’ve been reading him her thatDespite I love her, bullshit. a movie?’ he did.declarations Bugger hasof spent through these yes, generous theira decManto’s filmsets world the worst kind of it’s their right.1940s Nothing my is blood afire like my best intentions, almost all my reading Theand sheer number of things involved in parents’ ade affections. in the industry but he says... “I don’t watch anachronism.

There are several suchgift?” irritants: the question, “Aunty, where’s my return of Manto thus far hasnow beenisin English. This is Even throwing a birthday party astounding. movies.” to be anget eccenparentsMust whobe arepretending otherwise normal likehas changing theoff aforementioned ‘Hindi The kid to be paid for showing uptitle at the out of choice.

Manto, born in 1912 Fromnot theentirely vomit-worthy ‘decorations’ (balisn’tbirthday true either.

Let me tell you what Aur Urdu’ swepttric. upThat in this craze. into ‘Hindu Urdu’. party?

If ever or there is a sign that a village in Punjab, wrote in atolanguage loonsingender coded to blue and pink) the At least thefour dealkids is. It’s all make-believe.

That is what I know had two In hisweintroduction, acknowledges are setting upPatel our kids to be if someone reads cake,which whichI understand should haveentirely three-dimensional has put me off thingyear, entirely.” birthday parties thethe same that he may havethis “edited, corrupt, is it. clipped, trimmed it out to me, but which I cannot myself objects made of sugar and marzipan, all theread. just that, Patel seems to becauseNot it was more manageable and these rewritten” more and than he Despite misgivings Kids have come back Because Manto wrote in a script which way to the return gifts, the birthday party sig-most think it perfectly to chop to invite two lots of 25 alright kids than have, but that “Manto manyshould not-so-subtle attempts at with iPod shuffles as North Indians in his time nifiesliterate everything that is wrong with thewould world have off of chunks fromhave Manto’s one lot 50. Kids comeprose, will forgive me”.noWell, Manto instituting a ‘no gifts, return return gifts myare own maternal grandmother, today.used The — kids veterans of this exercise byborn sentences, even paraback shearing with iPod shuffles as return around to saybeen if hesucwill, but gifts’ isn’t policy, I haven’t Sentences that were about a decade Manto in aattended village inaUttar the time they are fiveafter or six, having at will.

Compare the exgifts.graphs Ten-year-olds have birthday might not. encessfulhis inreaders giving up the party idiomatic and quirky Pradesh, received hereither first lessons in Urdu parties — cerpt million of them, and are too competiabovesalons to where another in beauty these year, various tirely. I’dHaving resolvegot to every in Hindustani can feel but India it.

I grew up in had rejected. tive or toowhich jadedthe to enjoy of the to same section, they translation ‘treat’ themselves manibones contention but then I’dofdrop her offout at of a the laboured in English; happiest things about Aakar Patel’s Yet,One it isofathe parental competitive sport.

A reReeckParents and Aftab curesfrom and Matt pedicures. hire Ahvillas and friend’s party — and way, me saybythat Why I Write belet greeted a life-size brevity can appear selection ofarticle essaysquoted has been finding that Mancent newspaper a party planner mad’s Bombay StoriesThere (2012): farmhouses for the event. are“If wig mak- Powerpuff girl, or read provides accessinstructions to several piecelaborate as abruptness to — as saying I imagined but budget did notfor know — had in Gurgaon that the kids’ those people who know and me as ers and nail artists, jugglers DJs,a horses asking kids to bring esswimwear of commentary — many of and inflatable seen to holdisup the Hindu-Urdu parties shefithandles upwards of ₹1 lakh.issue If I for film writerAnd hearthe thatkids I nothemselves longer and elephants. are toys in the invitations them newspaper columns — and resign myself to — his at special brand ridicule.itIn the little gawked it, it was onlyofbecause seemed toopiece movies, be especialneverwatch kids; they are they’ll ‘rockstars’ or ‘princesses’. the fact that it is perhaps that did otherwise exist in notnot right to deny her calledthe ‘Hindi AurofUrdu’, he that abandoned low. Even apology a party I grudg- ‘serily surprised.

They’ll a ‘best the joy of a birthday It’s insane, this desire to wonder give thewhy kid the English translation.

Particularparty altogether.

And so I onfor theasubject favour of a fictiinglyous’ put debate together dozen in kids has cost man who writes screenplays, dialogue, of everything’, and the insanity iswrites spiralling ly valuable is the get sense gets ofand Manto’s put my politics aside, in one the game, call pobetween one Munshi abouttious a fifthconversation of that. Throw in a magician, a out ofand almost even acted in one film (moreover control. litical opinions endearing use of the balloonwallah and — thehis baker.

Narayan and one Mirza Mohammad bouncy castlePrasad or a swimming pool, a tattoo Iq- Clinging who has about 10 years film indus- After tospent my philosophy thatinathe birthday, “Gandhiji” even when he’s played makingand funall of the the last game has been about theand respective of a soda a try guy, abal puppeteer a pony,virtues and watch theandmore doing this and that), why thiscommon man no longthan anything else, is the most great man’s injunctions desexualised the guests have trooped out, Ifor sit adown and drink. tickerlemon rapidly climb to the six-figure mark.

Without doubt, they’ll thingerin watches the worldfilms.

— in fact it is thea only thing public or his quietly looklife, around thescathing place. It’scritiques a grand of pic-PakisI have tried toparents learn the Urdu script, Yet, year after year, engage in thisbut ex- nevthink I’m has lying. dear readers, that everyone — But, I managed to holdGod off forbid a ture of tanwaste. in registers from irony (‘God is Wastedthat food,range wasted paper, wastthe discipline.

So I came toreally this book erciseerofhad outdoing one another, which at all If I’m letfive. some actress comeI’ve on Judpartythat! till my kidlying, turned And this year, Gracious in rubber, Pakistan’) to return soul-searching ed plastic, wasted wasted gifts admiration for to Aakar Patel, has its core, has nothing do with thewho child at not all. just gement stated, Day to it’ll seekbeamends.

I’m telling you categorically the last ‘organised’ (‘News of Thecool essays also map abandoned fora Killing’). being not enough andManread Manto, has translated him. But It’s merely a farcebut about parents proving tothese truth. Itpart wasoflies only lies about that made event.the Perhaps, myand resentment to’sgifts transformation most revealing wasted piled into two—categories — boringis his dry and Some of othertranslations parents howfeel perfect theyunsatisfying. are. “Here’s me sick is ofbecause the movies.

If this a lie, with let me go theseme events I’m not veryisgood 1940s about and early already havesarcasm this. The stuffWesternised could (andinstidissatisfaction arises from the stiltedness — vicethis president of Something Incorporated, hell. Butabout it’s not I reallyare don’t watch them.toNothing my—parties perfect — motutions like andThere dancing and bars, eventually will) fill clubs a landfill. is no lesson that baked can plague translated prose.

Sentences who also this cake with sugar figurines therevies areany toomore.” few balloons or too many of to bewhich is transmuted in a party post-1947 learned from a birthday suchpiece as to that were idiomatic and quirky in Hindustani that actually look like Mowgli and Bagheera.”

Thus having robbed Manto’s proseand of most them, the cake melts, candles go missing the lack of them. In this, sarcasm except aabout shuddering realisation of sum, Chi- I’m feelI laboured roundabout English; Or “atcan work might be and the CEO and MD,in but I thererhetorical not to mention is always aflourish, last-minute scramble tofun findreferglad that this book exists, but I do hope the na’s manufacturing prowess. brevity can appear abruptness. am man enough to put as together a piñata for the camera ences like the ‘the actress on Judgement Day, Patel next time Aakar Patel translates something, he so that special day’ is recorded Thisbirthday.” is what seems to have happened my son’s The kids themselves — with goes further: changes the essay’s name! The will rein in his desire to t@veenavenugopal for posterity.

And he inevitably, at these parties, rewrite. some of Why I Write. I say this because I have excerpt is from ‘Main Film Kyon Nahi Dekhta’, read some Manto in Devanagari, and have translated in Bombay Stories as ‘Why I Don’t trisha gupta is a writer and critic based in Delhi

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UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY

The pastor and the Dalai Lama And then one Sunday Reverend Seefeldt found that the front rows of his church in Mussoorie were dominated by Buddhist monks in their ochre robes

Under a friendly ‘roof’ The Dalai Lama at Birla House in Mussoorie in May 1959 AFP

R Omair Ahmad is an author. His last book was on Bhutan

everend Arnold Ralph Seefeldt lives had taken us since then, when she menpassed away two years ago in his tioned her grandfather. hometown of Glenn Falls in New The conversation had turned to the Dalai LaYork. He had served as ma, or more correctly, His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, Tenzin a missionary in India from 1951 to 1979, and India did not leave him Gyatso. Amy was now the Acaeven if he did return to the coundemic Dean of the school in MusHe arrived in try of his birth. He was 90 years soorie that we had both old when he passed away, but re- Mussoorie, a 24-year- attended, and she was telling us old Monk King with portedly he used Hindi till the about the visit of the Dalai Lama. no kingdom last days of his life. I learned He had an affinity to Mussoorie. about him completely by chance, It was the town he had rested at while speaking to his grandafter fleeing China in 1959, after daughter, Amy Seefeldt, a year the March 30 uprising against ago. We used to be classmates, and were chat- Chinese rule that the Tibetans in exile still celeting about our old school days and where our brate as the start of their resistance. He had ar-

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rived in Mussoorie in April, a 24-year-old Monk King with no kingdom, and with little hope of justice for his people. That June, he spoke from Birla House about his hopes for reforms and peaceful coexistence stymied by Chinese officials. He spoke of the use of violence, the destruction of a culture and a people in words that are deeply sad and true even today.

I wondered what Mussoorie must have looked and felt like then. It was an isolated hill town built for the British soldiers to rest, where surreptitious assignations took place between holidaying soldiers and the wives of British civil servants. A town whose great claim to fame was that Dost Mohammed Khan, the deposed Amir of Afghanistan, was kept as a prisoner of war there in the 19th century. After independence, the new rulers of India, its politicians and business barons had moved in, but there had never been, or was likely to be, someone like the Dalai Lama, both revered and famous, holy, powerful and powerless.

The small, sleepy town must have been buzzing with excitement and gossip as foreign journalists arrived in droves with the small grey contingent of spies in their wake, or even amongst them, perhaps.

In all this great clamour, Reverend Seefeldt continued to carry out his duties as the pastor of the church where he served. And then one Sunday he found that the front rows of his church were dominated by Buddhist monks in their distinct ochre robes. He addressed the gathering as he often did, and the next week the ritual was re-enacted. Then one of the senior monks came to Reverend Seefeldt to ask him if the good pastor could come to Birla House and discuss the precepts of Christianity with the Dalai Lama.

Amy laughed as she told me the story: “He didn’t know what to wear, what the occasion was. So he put on his jacket and his collar, but after much thought he decided to go barefoot, as a sign of respect.” I laughed with her, but could not but wonder about that encounter.

The Dalai Lama is now one of the most recognised religious leaders in the world, deeply involved in inter-faith efforts and a household name easily recognised and referenced in formal articles and cheap Hollywood films, but at that time, he was very young man suddenly exiled from one of the most isolated places in the world, even if the Chinese Army had introduced some semblance of modernity to the Roof of the World. And Reverend Seefeldt? A man from a small town in New York State had become, through a quirk of circumstances, probably the first non-Buddhist religious scholar who the Dalai Lama had theological discussions with.

It seems impossible to imagine those times, or how conversations that happened long before Amy or I were born, could have affected the world in ways that we were still experiencing. The last time I was in the company of the Dalai Lama, taking notes on the sidelines of a meeting, he had unexpectedly turned to me and grabbed my arm, to say something along the lines of how he felt Muslims should be taking part more actively in peace-building. I was too stunned to do much more than agree with him. But in that moment, there was something of the person who — in what must have been the most difficult days of his life — decided to reach out to talk to someone. Reverend Seefeldt had answered that call. t@OmairTAhmad

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saturday, october 4, 2014

FILM FATALE

Friend or critic?

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Cut to Rajasthan’s Khinswar taluka, circa 2012: Farmer Bhanwar Das was battling ‘flower drop’ in his cotton crop — the flowers fell off before maturing into cotton bolls. After trying various remedies and failing, Das decided to call IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Ltd (IKSL) for a solution. He was directed to spray Planofix — 1ml in 4 litres of water. He spent ₹80 on the pesticide and watched his output increase from 12 to 18 quintals per hectare. Just one call saved his crop and his family.

In neighbouring Gujarat, the Rudibens — women entrepreneurs belonging to the Rural Distribution Network (RUDI) — have multiplied Critical reality their incomes through a simple A still from Kattey, called the RUA basic feature phone mobile applicationDesi a negative DI Sandesha Vyavhar. helped ensure review produce of which Rudibens buy farm a horrendous act of led to a falling directly from farmers and sell to violence didn’t go out with an rural households after cleaning, unreported ex-colleague grading and packaging it. Before the app was developed, Rudibens travelled long distances to place orders and collect the stock from central warehouses. Often, they arrived at the warehouse to find their orders were not ready.

With the app, they can order from the field and receive updates through automated text messaging, saving them time and money.

If you want a critic to be kind to your film because of a personal connection, you might want to consider not grumbling about corrupt netas, police and journalists

Q

anna mm vetticad

R

Heard from the hinterland Listeners dial in to CGNet Swara for local news rarely covered by mainstream media courtesy cgnet swara

Ring in the development Mobile phones have brought even remote villages and households into the communication network grid. A motley bunch of community groups, NGOs and cooperatives has made the simple feature phone a powerful platform for rural India to communicate, resolve problems and improve agricultural production and supply chain systems.

According to the World Bank, a 10 per cent increase in mobile and broadband penetraless we have positive things to say. It follows honest.

Not everyone tion increases per capitawho GDPmakes by 0.81different per cent then that if I publish a no-holds-barred cri- choices dishonest, but each one of us must and 1.38isper cent, respectively, in developing tique of her work for the world to see, I’m not draw our own rekha and to countries.

IndiaLakshman seems well on its wayrefuse to provbeing much of a friend. However, if my review cross it. right. The central government too ing them of a film by a ‘friend’ is less than honest or is in- has In recently time, the announced unjust accusations fade into inthe revival of the consistent with my usual approach to reviews, significance. time, you see the humour in a ₹5,000-croreIn plan to distribute basic handsets I’m not being much of a critic. To my mind, I fan otherwise describes you as “fiercely to 25who million rural households. can either be sensitive to a friend or fair to my fearless, funny and fair”, but changes thatvilto Jasuben Dipakbhai Rathod of Haripar readers. I cannot be both. “mean, nasty and if multiply you slam10her falage in Gujarat, sawbiased” her sales times There are important issues of journalistic vourite actor.to In her time, you laugh off “With stars who over, thanks mobile phone. the ethics involved here. The explosion in the tweet webI am links to positive reviews, but cast asRSV app, able to sell RUDI products, such media in the past 15 years has coincided with a persions on theand very sameworth critics₹25,000 when they as dals, grains spices, evdecline in the reputation of journalism as a have not-so-nice to This say. helps me meet ery month in mythings village. profession. If politicians must contend with theYears the American film basicback, needs of great my household,” says critic Raththe ‘all netas are corrupt’ accusaRoger Ebert gave reod, who earlier pawned her goldatoscathing make both tion, then for the media it is ‘all ends meet. view to Deuce Bigalow: European journalists are for sale’. The Gigolo starring Rob Schneider. charge has arisen partly be“Mr Schneider,” he wrote, “your cause, as in every field, this one movie sucks.” Yet when Ebert I can either be too has its bad eggs; partly bepassed away last year, Schneider sensitive to a friend cause some media houses have said in an interview to rogerebertor fair to my readers. set up departments that official.com: “…it (the review) made me I cannot be both ly sell space for coverage in cerreassess what pictures I really tain sections of their wanted to make and how I got to newspapers and magazines, make a movie in the first place thus leading to question marks that even I wasn’t happy with.” over the entire publication; and partly beBollywood producer-director Karan Johar cause blanket statements are so much easier once told me that in the week of a film’s reto make than balanced assessments. lease, he is too close to the project to be objecAnd so, through private conversations, pub- tive, and is wont to be angry with and lic statements and online fan clubs, many film dismissive of harsh reviews; but as he achieves personalities covertly or overtly encourage a distance from the film, he is able to separate view that tars every critic with the same brush. constructive, informed criticism from the This makes it simpler for them to be openly chaff and appreciate it. dismissive on occasions when they get unfaBeyond a point, even such heartening reacvourable reviews. More important, the film in- tions should not matter. For critics, there is dustry tries to discredit all film critics while just one thing to do: be fair to the film and tacitly wooing those critics who are open to honest to the reader. Even if it means being acundue favours, such as solo previews, exclu- cused of humiliating an ex-colleague’s brothsive screenings for the family and so on. er who made a bad film.

Ethical critics (who form the majority, I insist) can do little about these games beyond anna mm vetticad is the author of The Adventures being doggedly, irritatingly, exasperatingly of an Intrepid Film Critic t@annavetticad

Bharat on “A speed dial lmost all the so called elite critics rubbished Desi Kattey which I really don’t care but the way you have done it I am beyond shocked. You may criticise the movie but you are on and on humiliating it by posting reposting it I cannot believe. We might not be big friends just ex-colleagues but at least we know each other. Good luck to you, you are doing your job earnestly but thanks I cannot allow it on my timeline. Good bye. What you critics cannot appreciate is that how somebody singlehandedly tried and penetrated the industry amidst biggies of the trade. All you can do it pull a hardworking person down with all your might. Doesn’t a small scale movie maker have any right to earn his living but no you critics love to dissect everything intellectually.

I want to say even aday small n theAllearly hours of aisMarch in film2011, maker hasa all to co-exist, you don’t were have just fewright months after the Maoists rightdeclared to instigate public by imposing your the ‘greatest threat to India’s inopinions.” ternal(sic) security’, Tadmetla village in With this message, shezone unfollowed Chhattisgarh’s conflict awoke me to on its Twitter week. name matter. houses this set on fire.Her It was thedoes thirdnot such inciHer does.months.

She wasAnd notlike a friend, a dentreason in as many the twobut preformer colleaguewhen of whom I haveforces fond memovious episodes, security burnt ries. grievance?

That I had given a negative and Her rampaged the villages to ‘send the review a film directed by her and Maoiststoa message’, it received nobrother, coverage in then — as is my practice with every sinthe national or weekly state media. gleHowever, film I review — I posted the call linkwent on social this time a phone out, media than machinery once. not to more the state or to the mainSince newspapers I began reviewing for a promistream or TV films channels, but to nent TVSwara, channel some yearsportal ago and lateranyon CGNet a voice-based where my is my first experience of onepersonal can call blog, in tothis report grievances or share someone verbally expressing expectation three-minute stories that don’tan find a mention that because know each or video space“we anywhere else. other” I should treat a film differently.

It brought back to CGNet Swara posted Tadmetla’s story to its mind question I repeatedly ask myself: can Yahooagroup.

A week later, the international critics film personalities be friends? media and carried the report, which was then The answer formedia me, in so Delhi, far, has been to ‘no’. picked up by the leading inFriendly?

Sure.

Friends?

Afterphone all, in had our quests. One call from aNo.basic personal lives, the most of us don’tact airofour views helped ensure horrendous violence about work on public platforms undidn’t agofriend’s unreported.

Basic mobile phones are making all the difference between hardship and empowerment in rural India

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Press 1 for... On CGNet Swara, users can listen in or file their own stories courtesy cgnet swara; (below) Rudibens, rural women entrepreneurs in Gujarat, have multiplied their income with the help of a mobile app courtesy rudi

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saturday, october 4, 2014

Mix Datta, and match While most CGNet Swara has become a trendsetter in a sponse),” says Ritesh director-prowomen wear traditional new kind of citizen journalism, replicated in grammes at Gram Vaani.

Thisthe technology outfitwith in Manipur, a few are countries as far away as Indonesia and Soma- allows people to interact computers ustaking to Korean styles as lia. Similarly, Mobile Vaani, an initiative by the ing a combination of their voice and numbers well ritu raj konwar; (below) Delhi-headquartered Gram Vaani, has become pressed on their keypad.

Korean film titles jostle with the ‘Facebook’ of rural India.

Each caller gets anHindi automated ones at a voice shop inmessharwin Imphal kerry The primary school at Sadokhar village in age and a few simple options.

For instance, on Rohtas district, Bihar, got a teacher only after CGNet, the caller can choose between listenvillagers took up the issue on Mobile Vaani ing to stories or filing her own. Importantly, and an enquiry was ordered. “Nothing about all of this is free of charge for the caller, with what happens here used to come on TV or even the service agencies bearing the cost so far. the local papers. After Mobile Vaani, we got “In terms of infrastructure, our requireteachers in our area after a gap ments are very basic… a few comof two years,” says 19-year-old puters and a laptop that also acts Amarjeet Kumar, a regular user. as a server. We create backups of After the incident at Tadmetla, every call we receive,” says SubThey share bazaar CGNet Swara has become a stahranshu Choudhary, the founder bhaav (prices) and ple source for news from the inof CGNet Swara. tell us what to do in famous ‘red corridor’. Mobile IKSL sends out five free mobile case of poor rains Vaani, on the other hand, has messages every day with inforbeen credited with spurring dismation related to crop, soil, marcussions on issues ranging from ket rates and the weather. “I ways to improve the public dislisten to it carefully as they share tribution system to raising awareness against bazaar bhaav (prices) and tell us what to do in case of poor rains or how to improve soil fertildomestic violence.

Since it went live in 2010, CGNet has re- ity,” says Das, the cotton farmer.

Over 30 lakh farmers are now a part of the ceived more than three lakh callers, who either listen in or file their own stories; more IKSL network. They have to subscribe to the than 6,000 reports have been translated into Airtel Green SIM card marketed by IKSL’s sales English and posted on its website and online team. Apart from getting the free alerts, subgroups. Mobile Vaani, which enjoys a reach of scribers can also dial a short code to get remore than 40,000 people in Jharkhand alone, sponses to specific queries without they any inicharge. On average, 100 farmers call every receives an average of 3,000 calls every day. tially list month seeking solutions to their their problems, influensays Srinivasan.

The tech behind it ces as alternative, IKSL has tie-ups withmetal Indianand Meteorological “All of us are using IVR (Interactive Voice Repunk. But Department other institutions its inwhen asked and about Korean music, for Gravity’s formation universities lead singer,services.

Sanjay, Local almost sheepishlydevelop admits the based onlistening data related to temthatadvisories much of his music is devoted to perature, rainfallthe and otherisfactors.

K-Pop. Forhumidity, many though, music beside its Mangka coverageMayanglambam, of 19 states, IKSL ahas dividtheWith point.

Manipued the country into 108 ri folk singer based inagro-climatic Imphal, says,zones.

“My “We know theeven cropping calendar friends don’t listenpattern to localand music.

They for cropmusic in every zone — pre-sowing loveeach Korean because offrom the style.”

When to post-harvesting.

We know thethey farmer I ask, “What’s the name of thewhat song,” say, will be doing at a certain pointI admire of timethe in the “I don’t care about the music, acyear send advisories accordingly,” adds tress.”and Ramhoi, a local rapper who primarily So, if itspits is likely to rain, IKSL will admore difficult to come by in rural areas. Ac- Srinivasan. works in English, out half a dozen Korean farmers againstthat harvesting the interestcrop to cording to the 2011 census, only 2.1 per cent of vise words before saying he’s not that spoilage. households in the state possess internet ac- prevent ed in Korean films and music, but that the two cess. This means that a large amount of pirat- are unavoidable in the city, and even at home, ed media flows into Manipur through its Social thanksvs. to commercial his Korea-obsessed sister.

Observing that initiatives like Mobile Vaani highly porous border with Burma.

The country’s media saturation in Manipur CGNet Swara give people a voice and proAn official crossing at Moreh, at a distance and has pushed the influence beyond dramas and development economist of about 100km from Imphal, allows Indian mote music;accountability, traces of Korean popular fashion can Dreze there is potential to do more. and Burmese citizens to cross freely as long as Jean also be seensays on the streets of Imphal, a city in would have continue even moretowide-ranging they return to their home country by evening. “Mobiles which many women wear the traif creative more focused on But locals say that there is little monitoring uses ditional dress.energies Indeed, were the customary skirt, applications as opposed to commercial along much of the border outside of the offi- social the phanek, is mandatory for women in most cial crossing. This has led to thriving off-the- applications,” schools thankshe tosays. yet another restrictive insurWhile ruralgent Indiadecree. is not Outside exactly priority for books cross-border trade, too ofof school, application developers, NGOsyoung and cooperaten in small arms and heroin, however, some women tives are not change about tointo give up either.

SEWA is but less threateningly in pirated styles more at home looking at spreading the Rudiben network to media and smuggled Chinese on the streets of Seoul.

DoubleManipuris identify more areas. CGNet Adivasi electronics and sportswear. layeredrecently dresseslaunched are common, in with the plots found Swara, the first Gondi language service.

A stroll through Imphal’s which a short mini radio is covered by in Korean dramas It plans to reach out totransparent more Adivasi commumarkets reveal a mix of local a longer layer flownities such asing thetoSanthals and They Bhils,navigate besides films, Bollywood, Hollywood, the ankles. setting up separate stations such of as Imphal Swasthya and Korean films, with a smatthe potholed streets in Swara for health and Kanoon lawtering of Chinese martial arts six-inch stiletto Swara heels, for patent issues. and toes pointy enough to movies. Nearly every young person I ask in the and-order leather gleaming, Mobile Vaani, meanwhile, city tells me that they watch Korean television impale a would-be attacker. is readying for regions and States. series at least occasionally. There seems to be a more Butissues, for all partners, the hold that Korea has over “Althe it is a great marketing whosethat pogeneral consensus among these viewers that so, Manipuri imagination, it platform, seems unlikely is only or beginning toManipuri be noticed,” says there are many aspects of Manipuri culture tential it — or English even local media — of Gram Vaani. overtake the role that and social systems that help Manipuris identi- Datta will ever completely Meanwhile, thosecontinue at the receiving of fy with the plots found in Korean dramas, Hindi film andfor music to play end in the revolution, the dreams such as Winter Sonata, which, typically for the this state.mobile-enabled Doren, a Manipuri documentary filmonlyexplained getting bigger.

Gokaran Verma, a genre, features love stories, overwrought pa- are maker, that noAs matter what restricuser from groups Bemetara district in Chhatthos and family feuds. Often, the films come CGNet tions insurgent make, some things says, “The poor here now have a strong with English subtitles, but style obsessed lo- tisgarh just don’t change: “We grew up on Hindi films.

It won’t betolong cals say they’re usually able to follow the plot voice.

We’re not going justbefore stop.” talented Adivasi journalists emerge from our region.” lines even when no translation is provided.

The Korean influence isn’t limited to film. kerry harwin is a Delhi-based journalist,development arasuand and consultant DJ rashmi pratap Members of Gravity, a local pop-rock band, sibi

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The app, developed jointly by Vodafone Foundation, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and SEWA (Self-Employed Women’s Association), also helps RUDI members save on time, conveyance costs and allied expenses.

“Their incomes have increased. Rudibens are literate and trained in using the app. It can be operated by anyone with basic education,” says Umadevi Swaminathan, MD, RUDI.

Winter Sonata in Manipur

Help, a two-way street Broadcast media does not allow for two-way interaction, says Hemant Joshi, Partner, Deloitte Haskins & Sells. He sees the answer in ICT, or information and communications technology. “Through ICT you can create interactive platforms, and people can access the best of content, communicate, interact and improve lives,” he says. His views are echoed

by S Srinivasan, CEO of IKSL, which is a joint venture between farmers’ cooperative IFFCO and Bharti Airtel. “Educating farmers across India was tough. With the improvement in ICT lipping through we cable television in and mobile penetration, decided to use Manipur, something seems different. this medium to reach out to the farmers.”

Yes, iffarmer you keep clicking longinenough, Sugarcane Mangat Singh Muzafinto Colors, Bindass, farnagar,you’ll Uttarrun Pradesh, noticed dark Star, red and the other mainstream desi channels to spots on the leaves of his crop.

While this funwhich Indian television are accusgal disease is best avoidedwatchers by cultivating only tomed. You’ll even find a smattering regionresistant sugarcane varieties, he wasofadvised al channels.

But themix firstof channels you’re likely to spray a chemical Captan and Hexacoto encounter — local stations — nazole.

This cost ₹1,050and perEnglish acre, but his yield are often filled with Korean films and serials, improved to ₹4,350 per acre.

“I would have which spacecrop with English and lost myshare standing otherwise,” heManipuri says. programming. There’s even a Korean news channel onaccountability offer. Hindi programming is conSpeed-dial spicuously sparse.people to raise their voice By empowering The recent prevalence Korean media in against injustice through of a single phone call, Manipur — and relative dearth of Hindi — can likely be attributed to two factors, the first related to the availability of Hindi films and the second to the particular geographical positioning of the state. In 2000, insurgent groups fighting for independence or autonomy from the Indian State enacted a de facto ban on cinema halls showing Hindi films, enforced by the threat of violence. With no access to Bollywood fare, four of the eight cinema halls in Imphal, the state capital, were forced to close.

This media shortage opened the door to an influx of new influences. Most Imphalites date the explosion in Korean media to this ban.

That said, both Korean and Hindi media are available on the black market; the rise of the former has failed to entirely wipe out the love for Bollywood, which seems to find a market across the developing world.

While pirated content in Indian metros is readily made available mainly via the internet, both internet connectivity and electricity are in short supply in Manipur’s capital, and even

Korean culture finds a foothold in this north-eastern state

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Roads less travelled Early morning at Kole

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Time to till Hard at work, a farmer ploughs his paddy ďŹ eld

Fly past Migratory birds are a common sight

Field duty Farmers transplant saplings of paddy

Days of gold Fishermen in the wetlands head home at dusk

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saturday, october 4, 2014

Tangled Fishermen mend their traditional nets

Land of plenty One of Asia’s largest wetlands is struggling to survive

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n Malayalam, Kole roughly translates to ‘bumper yield’. The Kole wetlands located in Kerala’s Thrissur and Mallapuram districts spans about 13, 500 hectares, merging with Vembanand, India’s largest lake, thus nurturing one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in South Asia.

Certified as a Ramsar Site — an international convention that mandates the protection of wetlands across the world — the Kole ecosystem supports the third largest population of waterfowl in India during winter. It is also an important stopover in the Central Asian-Indian Flyway, which is the migratory route of birds that fly south from Siberia in the winter months.

In Kole, rice cultivation and fishing are the traditional economic activities, both of which are under threat due to the increasing population.

Spreading out from cities like Thrissur, the pressure of population has resulted in vast swathes

being converted into housing sites here.

The fields have also been subdivided and fragmented umpteen times, hence hindering rice cultivation. Fishing too has suffered, with a nexus of a profit-driven, capital-intensive system that is driving away the traditional fishing communities in the area. Current models of fishing pollute the wetlands, making it even more difficult for farmers who cultivate crops, such as paddy, on the banks.

Some positives though are that after decades of rampant pollution, there is awareness now among the locals about the slow demise of the wetlands. The state government offers incentives for organic farming and other eco-friendly systems too, in the hope that this most beautiful part of the state does not get destroyed due to human apathy. kk mustafah

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saturday, october 4, 2014

FILM FATALE

Friend or critic?

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14 10

Cut to Rajasthan’s Khinswar taluka, circa 2012: Farmer Bhanwar Das was battling ‘flower drop’ in his cotton crop — the flowers fell off before maturing into cotton bolls. After trying various remedies and failing, Das decided to call IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Ltd (IKSL) for a solution. He was directed to spray Planofix — 1ml in 4 litres of water. He spent ₹80 on the pesticide and watched his output increase from 12 to 18 quintals per hectare. Just one call saved his crop and his family.

In neighbouring Gujarat, the Rudibens — women entrepreneurs belonging to the Rural Distribution Network (RUDI) — have multiplied Critical reality their incomes through a simple A still from Kattey, called the RUA basic feature phone mobile applicationDesi a negative DI Sandesha Vyavhar. helped ensure reviewproduce of which Rudibens buy farm a horrendous act of led to a falling directly from farmers and sell to violence didn’t go out with an rural households after cleaning, unreported ex-colleague grading and packaging it. Before the app was developed, Rudibens travelled long distances to place orders and collect the stock from central warehouses. Often, they arrived at the warehouse to find their orders were not ready.

With the app, they can order from the field and receive updates through automated text messaging, saving them time and money.

If you want a critic to be kind to your film because of a personal connection, you might want to consider not grumbling about corrupt netas, police and journalists

Q

anna mm vetticad

R

Heard from the hinterland Listeners dial in to CGNet Swara for local news rarely covered by mainstream media courtesy cgnet swara

Ring in the development Mobile phones have brought even remote villages and households into the communication network grid. A motley bunch of community groups, NGOs and cooperatives has made the simple feature phone a powerful platform for rural India to communicate, resolve problems and improve agricultural production and supply chain systems.

According to the World Bank, a 10 per cent increase in mobile and broadband penetraless we have positive things to say. It follows honest.

Not everyone tion increases per capitawho GDPmakes by 0.81different per cent then that if I publish a no-holds-barred cri- choices dishonest, but each one of us must and 1.38isper cent, respectively, in developing tique of her work for the world to see, I’m not draw our own rekha to countries.

IndiaLakshman seems well on itsand wayrefuse to provbeing much of a friend. However, if my review cross it. right. The central government too ing them of a film by a ‘friend’ is less than honest or is in- hasIn recently time, the announced unjust accusations fade into inthe revival of the consistent with my usual approach to reviews, significance. time, you see the humour in a ₹5,000-croreIn plan to distribute basic handsets I’m not being much of a critic. To my mind, I fan otherwise describes you as “fiercely to 25who million rural households. can either be sensitive to a friend or fair to my fearless, funny and fair”, but changes thatvilto Jasuben Dipakbhai Rathod of Haripar readers. I cannot be both. “mean, nasty and if multiply you slam10her falage in Gujarat, sawbiased” her sales times There are important issues of journalistic vourite actor.to Inher time, you laugh off “With stars who over, thanks mobile phone. the ethics involved here. The explosion in the tweet webI am links to positive reviews, but cast asRSV app, able to sell RUDI products, such media in the past 15 years has coincided with a persions on theand very sameworth critics₹25,000 when they as dals, grains spices, evdecline in the reputation of journalism as a have not-so-nice to This say. helps me meet ery month in mythings village. profession. If politicians must contend with theYears American film critic basicback, needsthe of great my household,” says Raththe ‘all netas are corrupt’ accusaRoger Ebert reod, who earlier pawned hergave goldatoscathing make both tion, then for the media it is ‘all ends meet. view to Deuce Bigalow: European journalists are for sale’. The Gigolo starring Rob Schneider. charge has arisen partly be“Mr Schneider,” he wrote, “your cause, as in every field, this one movie sucks.” Yet when Ebert I can either be too has its bad eggs; partly bepassed away last year, Schneider sensitive to a friend cause some media houses have said in an interview to rogerebertor fair to my readers. set up departments that official.com: “…it (the review) made me I cannot be both ly sell space for coverage in cerreassess what pictures I really tain sections of their wanted to make and how I got to newspapers and magazines, make a movie in the first place thus leading to question marks that even I wasn’t happy with.” over the entire publication; and partly beBollywood producer-director Karan Johar cause blanket statements are so much easier once told me that in the week of a film’s reto make than balanced assessments. lease, he is too close to the project to be objecAnd so, through private conversations, pub- tive, and is wont to be angry with and lic statements and online fan clubs, many film dismissive of harsh reviews; but as he achieves personalities covertly or overtly encourage a distance from the film, he is able to separate view that tars every critic with the same brush. constructive, informed criticism from the This makes it simpler for them to be openly chaff and appreciate it. dismissive on occasions when they get unfaBeyond a point, even such heartening reacvourable reviews. More important, the film in- tions should not matter. For critics, there is dustry tries to discredit all film critics while just one thing to do: be fair to the film and tacitly wooing those critics who are open to honest to the reader. Even if it means being acundue favours, such as solo previews, exclu- cused of humiliating an ex-colleague’s brothsive screenings for the family and so on. er who made a bad film.

Ethical critics (who form the majority, I insist) can do little about these games beyond anna mm vetticad is the author of The Adventures being doggedly, irritatingly, exasperatingly of an Intrepid Film Critic t@annavetticad

Bharat on “A speed dial lmost all the so called elite critics rubbished Desi Kattey which I really don’t care but the way you have done it I am beyond shocked. You may criticise the movie but you are on and on humiliating it by posting reposting it I cannot believe. We might not be big friends just ex-colleagues but at least we know each other. Good luck to you, you are doing your job earnestly but thanks I cannot allow it on my timeline. Good bye. What you critics cannot appreciate is that how somebody singlehandedly tried and penetrated the industry amidst biggies of the trade. All you can do it pull a hardworking person down with all your might. Doesn’t a small scale movie maker have any right to earn his living but no you critics love to dissect everything intellectually.

I want to say even aday small n theAll early hours of aisMarch in film2011, maker hasa few all right to co-exist, you don’t were have just months after the Maoists rightdeclared to instigate public by imposing your the ‘greatest threat to India’s inopinions.” ternal(sic) security’, Tadmetla village in With this message, shezone unfollowed Chhattisgarh’s conflict awoke me to on its Twitter week. name matter. houses this set on fire.Her It was thedoes thirdnot such inciHer does.months.

She wasAnd notlike a friend, dentreason in as many the twobut pre-a former colleaguewhen of whom I haveforces fond memovious episodes, security burnt ries. grievance?

That I had given a negative and Her rampaged the villages to ‘send the review a film directed by her and Maoiststo a message’, it received nobrother, coverage in then — as is my practice with every sinthe national or weekly state media. gleHowever, film I review — I posted the call linkwent on social this time a phone out, media than machinery once. not to more the state or to the mainSince newspapers I began reviewing for a promistream or TV films channels, but to nent channel some yearsportal ago and lateranyon CGNetTVSwara, a voice-based where my is my first experience of onepersonal can call blog, in to this report grievances or share someone verbally expressing expectation three-minute stories that don’tan find a mention that because know each or video space“we anywhere else. other” I should treat a film differently.

It brought back to CGNet Swara posted Tadmetla’s story to its mind question I repeatedly ask myself: can Yahooagroup.

A week later, the international critics film personalities be friends? media and carried the report, which was then The answer for me, in so Delhi, far, has beento‘no’. picked up by the media leading inFriendly?

Sure.

Friends?

Afterphone all, in had our quests. One call from aNo. basic personal lives, the most of us don’tact airofour views helped ensure horrendous violence about work on public platforms undidn’t agofriend’s unreported.

Basic mobile phones are making all the difference between hardship and empowerment in rural India

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Press 1 for... On CGNet Swara, users can listen in or file their own stories courtesy cgnet swara; (below) Rudibens, rural women entrepreneurs in Gujarat, have multiplied their income with the help of a mobile app courtesy rudi

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Mix Datta, and match While most CGNet Swara has become a trendsetter in a sponse),” says Ritesh director-prowomen wear traditional new kind of citizen journalism, replicated in grammes at Gram Vaani.

Thisthe technology outfitwith in Manipur, a few areuscountries as far away as Indonesia and Soma- allows people to interact computers taking to Korean styles as lia. Similarly, Mobile Vaani, an initiative by the ing a combination of their voice and numbers raj konwar; (below) well ritu Delhi-headquartered Gram Vaani, has become pressed on their keypad.

Korean film titles jostle with the ‘Facebook’ of rural India.

Each caller gets anHindi automated ones at a voice shop inmessharwin Imphal kerry The primary school at Sadokhar village in age and a few simple options.

For instance, on Rohtas district, Bihar, got a teacher only after CGNet, the caller can choose between listenvillagers took up the issue on Mobile Vaani ing to stories or filing her own. Importantly, and an enquiry was ordered. “Nothing about all of this is free of charge for the caller, with what happens here used to come on TV or even the service agencies bearing the cost so far. the local papers. After Mobile Vaani, we got “In terms of infrastructure, our requireteachers in our area after a gap ments are very basic… a few comof two years,” says 19-year-old puters and a laptop that also acts Amarjeet Kumar, a regular user. as a server. We create backups of After the incident at Tadmetla, every call we receive,” says SubThey share bazaar CGNet Swara has become a stahranshu Choudhary, the founder bhaav (prices) and ple source for news from the inof CGNet Swara. tell us what to do in famous ‘red corridor’. Mobile IKSL sends out five free mobile case of poor rains Vaani, on the other hand, has messages every day with inforbeen credited with spurring dismation related to crop, soil, marcussions on issues ranging from ket rates and the weather. “I ways to improve the public dislisten to it carefully as they share tribution system to raising awareness against bazaar bhaav (prices) and tell us what to do in case of poor rains or how to improve soil fertildomestic violence.

Since it went live in 2010, CGNet has re- ity,” says Das, the cotton farmer.

Over 30 lakh farmers are now a part of the ceived more than three lakh callers, who either listen in or file their own stories; more IKSL network. They have to subscribe to the than 6,000 reports have been translated into Airtel Green SIM card marketed by IKSL’s sales English and posted on its website and online team. Apart from getting the free alerts, subgroups. Mobile Vaani, which enjoys a reach of scribers can also dial a short code to get remore than 40,000 people in Jharkhand alone, sponses to specific queries without they any inicharge. On average, 100 farmers call every receives an average of 3,000 calls every day. tially list month seeking solutions to their their problems, influensays Srinivasan.

The tech behind it ces as alternative, IKSL has tie-ups withmetal Indianand Meteorological “All of us are using IVR (Interactive Voice Repunk. But Department other institutions its inwhen asked and about Korean music, for Gravity’s formation Local universities lead singer,services.

Sanjay, almost sheepishlydevelop admits the based onlistening data related to temthatadvisories much of his music is devoted to perature, rainfall and otherisfactors.

K-Pop. Forhumidity, many though, the music beside itsMangka coverageMayanglambam, of 19 states, IKSL ahas dividtheWith point.

Manipued the country into 108 ri folk singer based inagro-climatic Imphal, says,zones.

“My “We know theeven cropping calendar friends don’t listenpattern to localand music.

They for cropmusic in every zone — pre-sowing loveeach Korean because offrom the style.”

When to post-harvesting.

We know thethey farmer I ask, “What’s the name of thewhat song,” say, will be doing at a certain pointI admire of timethe in the “I don’t care about the music, acyear send advisories accordingly,” adds tress.”and Ramhoi, a local rapper who primarily So, if itspits is likely to rain, IKSL will admore difficult to come by in rural areas. Ac- Srinivasan. works in English, out half a dozen Korean farmers againstthat harvesting the interestcrop to cording to the 2011 census, only 2.1 per cent of vise words before saying he’s not that spoilage. households in the state possess internet ac- prevent ed in Korean films and music, but that the two cess. This means that a large amount of pirat- are unavoidable in the city, and even at home, ed media flows into Manipur through its Social thanksvs. to commercial his Korea-obsessed sister.

Observing that media initiatives like Mobile Vaani highly porous border with Burma.

The country’s saturation in Manipur CGNet Swara give people a voice and proAn official crossing at Moreh, at a distance and has pushed the influence beyond dramas and development economist of about 100km from Imphal, allows Indian mote music;accountability, traces of Korean popular fashion can Dreze there is potential to do more. and Burmese citizens to cross freely as long as Jean also be seensays on the streets of Imphal, a city in would have continue even more they return to their home country by evening. “Mobiles which many women towide-ranging wear the traif creative more focused on But locals say that there is little monitoring uses ditional dress. energies Indeed, were the customary skirt, applications as opposed to commercial along much of the border outside of the offi- social the phanek, is mandatory for women in most cial crossing. This has led to thriving off-the- applications,” schools thankshe tosays. yet another restrictive insurWhile ruralgent India is not Outside exactly priority for books cross-border trade, too ofdecree. of school, application developers, NGOsyoung and cooperaten in small arms and heroin, however, some women tives are not change about to give up either.

SEWA is but less threateningly in pirated into styles more at home looking at spreading the Rudiben network to media and smuggled Chinese on the streets of Seoul.

DoubleManipuris identify more areas. CGNet Adivasi electronics and sportswear. layeredrecently dresseslaunched are common, in with the plots found Swara, the first Gondi language service.

A stroll through Imphal’s which a short mini radio is covered by in Korean dramas It plans to reach out totransparent more Adivasi commumarkets reveal a mix of local a longer layer flownities such asing thetoSanthals and They Bhils,navigate besides films, Bollywood, Hollywood, the ankles. setting up separate stations such of asImphal Swasthya and Korean films, with a smatthe potholed streets in Swara for health and Kanoon lawtering of Chinese martial arts six-inch stiletto Swara heels, for patent issues. and toes pointy enough to movies. Nearly every young person I ask in the and-order leather gleaming, Mobile Vaani, meanwhile, city tells me that they watch Korean television impale a would-be attacker. is readying for partners, regions and States. series at least occasionally. There seems to be a more But issues, for all the hold that Korea has over “Althe it is a great marketing whosethat pogeneral consensus among these viewers that so, Manipuri imagination, it platform, seems unlikely is only or beginning be noticed,” says there are many aspects of Manipuri culture tential it — or English even localtoManipuri media — of Gram Vaani. overtake the role that and social systems that help Manipuris identi- Datta will ever completely Meanwhile, thosecontinue at the receiving of fy with the plots found in Korean dramas, Hindi film andfor music to play end in the revolution, the dreams such as Winter Sonata, which, typically for the this state.mobile-enabled Doren, a Manipuri documentary filmonlyexplained getting bigger.

Gokaran Verma, genre, features love stories, overwrought pa- are maker, that noAs matter what restric-a user fromgroups Bemetara district in Chhatthos and family feuds. Often, the films come CGNet tions insurgent make, some things says, “The poor here now a strong with English subtitles, but style obsessed lo- tisgarh just don’t change: “We grew up onhave Hindi films.

It won’t betolong cals say they’re usually able to follow the plot voice.

We’re not going justbefore stop.” talented Adivasi journalists emerge from our region.” lines even when no translation is provided.

The Korean influence isn’t limited to film. kerry harwin is a Delhi-based journalist,development arasu and consultant and DJ rashmi pratap Members of Gravity, a local pop-rock band, sibi

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The app, developed jointly by Vodafone Foundation, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and SEWA (Self-Employed Women’s Association), also helps RUDI members save on time, conveyance costs and allied expenses.

“Their incomes have increased. Rudibens are literate and trained in using the app. It can be operated by anyone with basic education,” says Umadevi Swaminathan, MD, RUDI.

Winter Sonata in Manipur

Help, a two-way street Broadcast media does not allow for two-way interaction, says Hemant Joshi, Partner, Deloitte Haskins & Sells. He sees the answer in ICT, or information and communications technology. “Through ICT you can create interactive platforms, and people can access the best of content, communicate, interact and improve lives,” he says. His views are echoed

by S Srinivasan, CEO of IKSL, which is a joint venture between farmers’ cooperative IFFCO and Bharti Airtel. “Educating farmers across India was tough. With the improvement in ICT lipping through cable television in and mobile penetration, we decided to use Manipur, something seems different. this medium to reach out to the farmers.”

Yes, iffarmer you keep clicking longinenough, Sugarcane Mangat Singh Muzafinto Colors, Bindass, farnagar,you’ll Uttarrun Pradesh, noticed dark Star, red and the other mainstream desi channels to spots on the leaves of his crop.

While this funwhich Indian television are accusgal disease is best avoidedwatchers by cultivating only tomed. You’ll even find a smattering ofadvised regionresistant sugarcane varieties, he was al channels.

But themix firstof channels you’re likely to spray a chemical Captan and Hexacoto encounter — local and stations — nazole.

This cost ₹1,050 perEnglish acre, but his yield are often filled with Korean films and serials, improved to ₹4,350 per acre.

“I would have which spacecrop withotherwise,” English and lost myshare standing heManipuri says. programming. There’s even a Korean news channel onaccountability offer. Hindi programming is conSpeed-dial spicuously sparse.people to raise their voice By empowering The recent prevalence Koreanphone media in against injustice throughof a single call, Manipur — and relative dearth of Hindi — can likely be attributed to two factors, the first related to the availability of Hindi films and the second to the particular geographical positioning of the state. In 2000, insurgent groups fighting for independence or autonomy from the Indian State enacted a de facto ban on cinema halls showing Hindi films, enforced by the threat of violence. With no access to Bollywood fare, four of the eight cinema halls in Imphal, the state capital, were forced to close.

This media shortage opened the door to an influx of new influences. Most Imphalites date the explosion in Korean media to this ban.

That said, both Korean and Hindi media are available on the black market; the rise of the former has failed to entirely wipe out the love for Bollywood, which seems to find a market across the developing world.

While pirated content in Indian metros is readily made available mainly via the internet, both internet connectivity and electricity are in short supply in Manipur’s capital, and even

Korean culture finds a foothold in this north-eastern state

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Manto ventriloquised Aunty, my return gift?

PRESENT IMPERFECT

S O Why I write Essays by Saadat Hasan Manto Edited and translated by Aakar Patel Tranquebar Non-fiction ₹350

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A translation of Manto’s non-fiction unveils more of his sharp wit, but takes too many liberties with his prose A birthday party is a parental competitive sport. And yet, I put my politics aside, get in the game, and call the balloonwallah and the baker

aadat Hasan Manto is one of those some sense of his style: ostensibly meander- Go to the Movies’. But Patel calls it ‘Why I Can’t writers you can read when you’re 18 ing, but in fact tightly coiled.

Stand Bollywood’, which makes no sense, givandthe feelterrible very clever.

And you parcan read f all things about Patel strives tothe recreate Manto’s deliberate raised to appreciate expensive over the someone en that Manto’s objection is to someone the make-becries, someone fights, him again you’re 35 and enting, the when birthday party is feel the very casualness, but ends with such unidiomatcheap and not much else —up probably pause for pushes, lieve someone common topukes all cinema.

Patel insists and But something stupid.worst.

You can him for sickening truths It isread pointless consumerism ic writing as the following: “That I don’tbewatch a second and consider their good fortune on Just putting the word ‘Bollywood’ Manto’s breaks. around the time I am so into frazzled about subcontinental violence, for illumimasquerading as love forand a child.

I fore moving films must shock those who know on particularly to finding faults and demandoccasion: “Manto that mouth I sneak on to aevery quiet possible a place and sip somenating anhaving urban spent everyday, the hellholes should know, the from last couple of ing something me as a writer of Often, films. What sort these of man, more. of course, ₹1 they Bollywood”, “What Bollywood must thingloved strong, a kid sidles up, like a postman at do”, impoverished prostitutes to party Nargis’ weeksoftrying to figure out a birthday fordrawmustbirthday wonder,parties writes them watch lakh-plus are forbut kidsdoesn’t who are and so on. This of the film industry’s Diwali, triggering theuse most maddening part of speing room. which will communicate to turning a nine-year-old, them? he not also,’ theywail will or think, ‘act in one‘Did or two, who either sleep cific The post-liberalisation to itdesignate the party. return gifts. Kidsavatar demand like all but the this yearsisI’ve been reading him her thatDespite I love her, bullshit. a movie?’ he did.declarations Bugger has of spent through these yes, generous theira decManto’s filmsets world the worst kind of it’s their right.1940s Nothing my is blood afire like my best intentions, almost all my reading Theand sheer number of things involved in parents’ ade affections. in the industry but he says... “I don’t watch anachronism.

There are several suchgift?” irritants: the question, “Aunty, where’s my return of Manto thus far hasnow beenisin English. This is Even throwing a birthday party astounding. movies.” to be anget eccenparentsMust whobe arepretending otherwise normal likehas changing theoff aforementioned ‘Hindi The kid to be paid for showing uptitle at the entirely out of choice.

Manto, born in 1912 Fromnot the vomit-worthy ‘decorations’ (balisn’tbirthday true either.

Let me tell you what Aur Urdu’party? swepttric. upThat in this craze. into ‘Hindu Urdu’.

If ever or there is a sign that a village in Punjab, wrote in atolanguage loonsingender coded to blue and pink) the At least thefour dealkids is. It’s all make-believe.

That is what I know had two In hisweintroduction, acknowledges are setting upPatel our kids to be if someone reads cake,which whichI understand should haveentirely three-dimensional has put me off thesame thingyear, entirely.” birthday parties the that he may havethis “edited, corrupt, is it. clipped, trimmed it out to me, but which I cannot myself objects made of sugar and marzipan, all theread. just that, Patel seems to becauseNot it was more manageable and rewritten” more and than he Despite these misgivings Kids have come back Because Manto wrote in a script which way to the return gifts, the birthday party sig-most think it perfectly to chop to invite two lots of 25 alright kids than have, but that “Manto manyshould not-so-subtle attempts at with iPod shuffles as North Indians in his time nifiesliterate everything that is wrong with thewould world have fromhave Manto’s one off lot chunks of 50. Kids comeprose, will forgive me”.noWell, Manto instituting a ‘no gifts, return return gifts myare own maternal grandmother, today.used The — kids veterans of this exercise byborn even paraback shearing with iPod sentences, shuffles as return around to saybeen if he sucwill, but gifts’ isn’t policy, I haven’t Sentences that were about a decade Manto in aattended village inaUttar the time they are fiveafter or six, having at will.have Compare the exgifts.graphs Ten-year-olds birthday his might not. encessful inreaders giving up the party idiomatic and quirky Pradesh, received hereither first lessons in Urdu parties — cerpt million of them, and are too competiabovesalons to where another in beauty Having these year, various tirely. I’d resolvegot to every in Hindustani can feel but which India it.

I grew up in had rejected. tive or too jadedthe to enjoy of the to same section, they translation ‘treat’ themselves manibones contention but then I’dofdrop her offout at of a the laboured in English; happiest things about Aakar Patel’s Yet,One it isofathe parental competitive sport.

A reReeckParents and Aftab curesfrom and Matt pedicures. hire Ahvillas and friend’s party — and way, me saybythat Why I Write belet greeted a life-size brevity can appear selection ofarticle essaysquoted has been finding that Mancent newspaper a party planner mad’s Bombay StoriesThere (2012): farmhouses for the event. are“If wig mak- Powerpuff girl, or read provides accessinstructions to several piecelaborate as abruptness to — as saying I imagined but budget did not for know — had in Gurgaon that the kids’ those people who know and me as a horses asking kids to bring ers and nail artists, jugglers DJs, esswimwear of commentary — many of and inflatable seen to holdisup the Hindu-Urdu parties shefithandles upwards of ₹1 lakh.issue If I for film writer And hearthe thatkids I nothemselves longer and elephants. are toys in the invitations them newspaper columns — and resign myself to — his at special brand ridicule.itIn the little gawked it, it was onlyofbecause seemed toopiece movies, be especialneverwatch kids; they are they’ll ‘rockstars’ or ‘princesses’. the fact that it is perhaps that did otherwise exist in notnot right to deny her calledthe ‘Hindi Aur of Urdu’, he that abandoned low. Even apology a party I grudg- ‘serily surprised.

They’ll It’s insane, this desire towonder give thewhy kid athe ‘best the joy of a birthday English translation.And Particularparty altogether. so I on for theasubject favour of a fictiinglyous’ put debate together dozen in kids has cost man who writes screenplays, dialogue, of everything’, and the insanity iswrites spiralling ly valuable is the get sense gets ofand Manto’s put my politics aside, in one the game, call pobetween one Munshi abouttious a fifthconversation of that. Throw in a magician, a out ofand almost even acted in one film (moreover control. litical opinions endearing use of the balloonwallah and — thehis baker.

Narayan and one Mirza Mohammad bouncy castlePrasad or a swimming pool, a tattoo Iq- Clinging who has about 10 years film indus- After tospent my philosophy thatinathe birthday, “Gandhiji” he’s played makingand funall of the the last even gamewhen has been about theand respective of a soda a try guy, abal puppeteer a pony,virtues and watch theandmore doing this and that), why thiscommon man no longthan anything else, is the most great man’s injunctions desexualised the guests have trooped out, Ifor sit adown and drink. tickerlemon rapidly climb to the six-figure mark.

Without doubt, they’ll thingerinwatches the worldfilms.

— in fact it is thea only thing public or his critiques quietly looklife, around thescathing place. It’s a grand of pic-PakisI have tried toparents learn the Urdu script, Yet, year after year, engage in thisbut ex- nevI’m has lying. dear readers, that think everyone — But, I managed to holdGod off forbid a ture of tanwaste. in registers range from irony (‘God is Wastedthat food, wasted paper, wastthe discipline.

So I came toreally this book erciseerofhad outdoing one another, which at all If I’m letfive. some actress comeI’ve on Judpartythat! till my kidlying, turned And this year, Gracious in rubber, Pakistan’) to return soul-searching ed plastic, wasted wasted gifts admiration for to Aakar Patel, has its core, has nothing do with thewho child at not all. just gement stated, Day to it’ll seekbeamends.

I’m telling you categorically the last ‘organised’ (‘News of Thecool essays also map abandoned fora Killing’). being not enough andManread Manto, but has translated him. Buttothese It’s merely a farce about parents proving the truth. Itpart wasoflies only lies about that made event.

Perhaps, myand resentment to’sgifts transformation most revealing wasted piled into two—categories — boringis his dry and unsatisfying.

Some of othertranslations parents howfeel perfect they are. “Here’s me sick is ofbecause the movies.

If this isgood a lie, let me go theseme events I’m not very with 1940s sarcasm about and early already have this. The stuffWesternised could (andinstithis dissatisfaction arises from the stiltedness — vice president of Something Incorporated, hell. Butabout it’s not I reallyare don’t watch them.toNothing my—parties perfect — motutions like andThere dancing and bars, eventually will) fillclubs a landfill. is no lesson that baked can plague translated prose.

Sentences who also this cake with sugar figurines therevies areany toomore.” few balloons or too many of to bewhich is transmuted in a party post-1947 learned from a birthday suchpiece as to that were idiomatic and quirky in Hindustani that actually look like Mowgli and Bagheera.”

Thus having robbed Manto’s proseand of most them, the cake melts, candles go missing the lack of them. In this, sarcasm except aabout shuddering realisation of sum, Chi- I’m feelI laboured English; Or “atcan work might beand the roundabout CEO and MD,inbut I thererhetorical not to mention is always aflourish, last-minute scramble tofun findreferglad that this book exists, but I do hope the na’s manufacturing prowess. brevity can appear abruptness. am man enough to putas together a piñata for the camera ences like the ‘the actress on Judgement Day, Patel next time Aakar Patel translates something, he so that special day’ is recorded Thisbirthday.” is what seems to have happened— with my son’s The kids themselves goes further: changes the essay’s name! The will rein in his desire to t@veenavenugopal for posterity.

And he inevitably, at these parties, rewrite. some of Why I Write. I say this because I have excerpt is from ‘Main Film Kyon Nahi Dekhta’, read some Manto in Devanagari, and have translated in Bombay Stories as ‘Why I Don’t trisha gupta is a writer and critic based in Delhi

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What lies within The pastor and the Dalai Lama “Y UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY

rived in Mussoorie in April, a 24-year-old Monk King with no kingdom, and with little hope of justice for his people. That June, he spoke from Birla House about his hopes for reforms and peaceful coexistence stymied by Chinese officials.right He spoke thejust usewhen of violence, deThis thread runs through these nine tales as ou could not be a real writer and man. of And you are the wondering struction a culture andgone, a people iniswords a Canadian too”, Margaret At- well. The first three tales are linked through whereofhas the magic there ‘Torching that are true even today. wood says in an essay, speaking the characters, something that works very the deeply Dusties’sad setand in an Assisted Living Home for what Mussoorie mustand have of her early writing days. Ironi- well in short fiction. (Trollope did it excellent- I wondered the wealthy, which is attacked finally looked andby felt like then.

It was an isolated cally, it is Atwood who has made the world ly in his Barsetshire novels.) The three stories burnt mobs of young people, askinghill the old towntobuilt forover’. the “That Britishmeans soldiers rest, aware of Canadian writing, more so than Alice are, in a way, about literary genres, literary ‘move die,to I suppose,” where surreptitious assignations took place Munro, in spite of her Nobel Prize in Litera- trends, literary people, about the female reversays Wilma, the main character, who is going between soldiersbeautiful and the wives ture. Atwood has a formidable reputation; her ence for the male writer and the male writer blindholidaying and sees strange, visionsofof litBritish servants. town whose great literary output is astounding, the quality of exploiting this to the full. Atwood is delicioustle civil people.

There isA something frighteningly claimprophetic to fame was thatthis Dost Mohammed Khan, her writing brilliant and her novels acclaimed ly wickedly funny about the literary world and about story, a pessimistic vision the deposed Amir of Afghanistan, wasofkept as in through the world, four of her books having there’s much that sounds familiar — of the future a world a prisoner of war there in the 19th century.

Af- is been short listed for the Booker. She was ex- like, Constance, a writer of fantasy stowhich human longevity ter independence, the new rulers of India, its pected to get it for The Handmaid’s Tale, her ries, achieving great success through rapidly increasing.

It is a politicians and businessstory barons had moved in, dark futuristic picture of a post-feminism her Alphinland series. The other charof inevitability rather Most of the stories but there had never been, orone wascreated likely totobe, backlash, or the equally brilliant Cat’s Eye and acters are her dead husband who talks than shock. are about the old, someone like the DalaiBut Lama, both also revered Alias Grace. But she finally got it for The Blind to her, an ex-lover, an egoistical poet the story gives an about what the old do and famous, holy, powerful and powerless.

Assassin (TBA). After TBA, Atwood moved into who scorned Constance’s work, the exquisitely detailed picwith their pasts, with The small, sleepy town ture mustofhave beenitsbuzzwhat she calls ‘speculative fiction’ with the woman who nudged Constance out of old age, helplesstheir baggage of ing with excitement and the poet’s life, the poet’s third wife and MaddAddam trilogy. ness,gossip theas foreign façade of memories journalists arrived in droves with theand smallfears Now we have these Nine Tales. Calling them a young researcher, who the poet sprightliness grey contingent of spiesabout in their tales, Atwood explains, removes the stories “at thinks is working on him, when she is thewake, bodyor — even “it’s rustamongst them, perhaps.ing, creaking vengeful, least slightly from the realm of mundane actually working, to his chagrin, on In all this great clamour, Reverend Seefeldt works and days”. But Atwood’s fiction has of- Constance. ‘The Dead Hand Loves You’, brute machinery”.

In fact, continued to carry out hisare duties as the pastor ten had this quality. “All stories are about also a ‘literary story’, is about a writer who bemost of the stories about old, about of the church served. then onetheir wolves,” a character says in TBA. Many of At- comes successful because, “pulp and genre what the where old dohe with theirAnd pasts, with Sunday he found that the front rows as of Atwood his wood’s stories are about predators and vic- had established a toehold… on the shores of baggage of memories.

Perhaps, church were dominated monks tims, though who is the predator and who the writerly legitimacy”, something close to what once said, speaking by of Buddhist why she has written in their distinct Hecharacter’s addressed point the of victim often remains in doubt. Like the mur- is now happening in the literary world. ‘Stone more pagesochre from arobes. female gathering as hethat often and“itthe next week Mattress’ is about a date-rape victim, who later derer Grace in Alias Grace. view than of adid, male, is easier to throw the ritual re-enacted.

Then onewho of the turns serial murderer and who, decades later, your was mind into a character hasse-a few nior things monksin came to Reverend Seefeldt to ask meeting the man who had raped her, plans common with you.” him if In theangood come to Birla his murder. But somehow the deadliness of essaypastor on the could writing of Alias Grace, AtHouse and discuss precepts Christianity the revenge gets lost in the icy vastness of wood says: “…the stories areofnot about this or the Dalai the Arctic where the story happens. with that slice Lama. of the past, or this or that political laughed told the story: They “He are In fact, the macabre and fabulist Amy event, or thisasorshe that cityme or country… didn’t knowhuman what tonature.” wear, what the occasion elements notwithstanding, most about As these stories are. was. Calling So he put on his jacket andno hisdifference collar, but of the tales seem to be about the them ‘tales’ makes to the afterreader much thought decided to she go barefoot, man-woman relationship — or who willhe read them as reads all else. as a sign of respect.” laughed with her, but rather, Atwood’s take on it.

For the fairy tale,I or the supernatural, or the couldGothic not but wondercannot about that Which is perhaps why none of element makeencounter. these stories The Dalai Lamabut is now of the recogthe stories has a happy ending, anything whatone they are most — stories about nisedpeople religious leaders in thetelling world, us deeply inexcept ‘I Dream of Zenia with and therefore something volved in inter-faith a household the Bright Red Teeth’, in about us, even if efforts it is theand darkness within us. name easily recognised and referenced in forwhich there is a promise that shashi deshpande is an author and criticbut at mal articles and cheap Hollywood films, the woman will finally get the that time, he was very young man suddenly exiled from one of the most isolated places in the world, even if the Chinese Army had introduced some semblance of modernity to the Roof of the World. And Reverend Seefeldt? A man from a small town in New York State had become, through a quirk of circumstances, probably the first non-Buddhist religious scholar who the Dalai Lama had theological Under a friendly ‘roof’ The Dalai Lama at Birla House in Mussoorie in May 1959 AFP discussions with.

It seems impossible to imagine those times, or how conversations that happened long beeverend Arnold Ralph Seefeldt lives had taken us since then, when she men- fore Amy or I were born, could have affected passed away two years ago in his tioned her grandfather. the world in ways that we were still experienchometown of Glenn Falls in New The conversation had turned to the Dalai La- ing. The last time I was in the company of the York. He had served as ma, or more correctly, His Holi- Dalai Lama, taking notes on the sidelines of a ness the XIV Dalai Lama, Tenzin meeting, he had unexpectedly turned to me a missionary in India from 1951 to 1979, and India did not leave him Gyatso. Amy was now the Aca- and grabbed my arm, to say something along even if he did return to the coundemic Dean of the school in Mus- the lines of how he felt Muslims should be takHe arrived in try of his birth. He was 90 years soorie that we had both ing part more actively in peace-building. I was old when he passed away, but re- Mussoorie, a 24-year- attended, and she was telling us too stunned to do much more than agree with old Monk King with portedly he used Hindi till the about the visit of the Dalai Lama. him. But in that moment, there was someno kingdom last days of his life. I learned He had an affinity to Mussoorie. thing of the person who — in what must have about him completely by chance, It was the town he had rested at been the most difficult days of his life — decidwhile speaking to his grandafter fleeing China in 1959, after ed to reach out to talk to someone. Reverend daughter, Amy Seefeldt, a year the March 30 uprising against Seefeldt had answered that call. ago. We used to be classmates, and were chat- Chinese rule that the Tibetans in exile still celet@OmairTAhmad ting about our old school days and where our brate as the start of their resistance. He had ar-

Margaret Atwood tells of human relationships and tales which seldom have happy endings

And then one Sunday Reverend Seefeldt found that the front rows of his church in Mussoorie were dominated by Buddhist monks in their ochre robes Stone Mattress Nine Tales Margaret Atwood Bloomsbury Fiction ₹599

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Bookdead my dorm Eight bodies READER’S DIE JEST

ELSEWHERE

More dead women have been found, more clichés discovered, and a don called Munna — Private India in a nutshell arunava sinha

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manjula padmanabhan

A start-up that is out to prove that, like in the West, clean and friendly hostels can be the accommodation of choice even in India

Afternoon drama

o many books, so little time. Why are the victims being garrotNow, we read the most im- ted? Because the murderer is obportant books on your be- serving Navratra and is vegetarian half so that you don’t have at this time, hence unable to eat his to. Just read our Reader’s Die Jest in- victims. Now the penny drops, and stead. It’ll take only a few minutes, Santosh realises that there will be arah, the new tenant upstairs is now already an ex-tenlonger if you’re sending WhatsApp nine murders in all, one for each ant. She didn’t even last a month. The circumstances of messages in between. avatar of Durga. her eviction were very dramatic. One afternoon, I heard We start with Private India by AshIt’s also evident that the last of heavy footsteps overhead, walking back and forth win Sanghi and James Patterson, these victims will be his colleague across the meagre width of the apartment. Evidently the large, which celebrates the festival season Nisha, whose sex appeal is obvious scruffy man, who was living upstairs while posing as Sarah’s without blood. but whose colleagues are rather brother, was pacing the floors and snarling into his cell phone.

The first body is found first. She’s well-bred. Especially, Jack Morgan, I heard the hall door open downstairs and more heavy foota doctor from Thailand, and she’s the global head of Private, who has steps, going up the stairs. These sounds had become commonbeen murdered in Mumbai, a city chased his client-turned-lover, the place ever since Sarah moved in, because there was always a where the police force prefers to actress-turned-director Lara Ompraparade of visitors in and out of her flat. But this was the middle hand over homicide investigations kash, to India, only to see her turnof the afternoon. Not typical party-time. to private investigators. Especially ing into one of the garrotte-artist’s Then I heard the upstairs door being thumped loudly. “Powhen they’re actually named Pri- victims. Overcome with grief, he lice! Open up!” vate. And when the head of the Indi- does not respond to Nisha’s seducThe next instant there was a loud scraping sound overhead an branch of the MNC tive charms and learns followed immediately by a crash right outside my back winis a genius and a to play golf instead. dow. The so-called brother had jumped out of the flat. He landdrunkard. And more Meanwhile, an opered on the narrow strip of grass behind the building and so when, as we’ll know ative of Pakistan’s ISI is But there are more scrambled over the neighbour’s fence. Shouts! Yells! Police later, the policeman shopping for 30 kilomurders to be thundering down the stairs and out of the building! Thudding taking the decision grams of the explosive performed. Why? footsteps faded into the distance, even as police sirens began to was sleeping with the RDX. Mumbai is full of Because, stupid, wail down the main street. dipso’s wife before the malls, though not as it’s Navratri The rest of the story came back to us in fragments. The fakemaniac ran his car into full as Delhi, but the Common to India, these clean hostels arethe finally filling a major gap in the brother was on run from the police forhospitality dealing industry drugs, but a tree, killing her rooms and With several backpackers and budget silly travellers terroristcoming decides he’d been on a watch list for months. “They tried to taser him,” their son. But not, cuninstead to approach said Pete, later. “They missed but ningly, himself, beMunna, the biggest n the movie Queen, when Rani (playeddon by ofhostel they caught him,facilities anyway.”are Pete I Varanacause otherwise how a property owned by Chauhan’s famthe at city, who Zostel’s other in and Jaipur, were residents would his rivalKangana in love Ranaut) is rejected by her fiancé ily inwondering Jodhpur. “We constructed the dormito- si has been and the Agra.only Alsotwo in the offing iswho a property at barely were in house theistime.

Everyalmost kill him at atwo days before the wedding, she washrooms when ries, he will play a and the common room, and Panaji inthe Goa. “The at plan to open a new Zostel Then I heard the thing happened so fastNanda. neitherHis of us Parsi Tower of heads Silenceto Paris and Amsterdam by herself, it last year,” says Nanda. more opened prominent role every 20 days,” says confidence upstairs door being her honeymoon. At a hostel in Amsterdam saw any action.

Pete got the his informaa few yearsfor later?

The response in the book, because was encouraging from the stems from the funding company recently thumped. “Police! she is aghast to been tion from theMalaysia-based street.

But first, more bod- when she finds out she hashe’s start,introduced and the 25-bed hostel broke even in the received — buddies ₹5 crore on from angel Open up!” share found. a room with three men of different but na- has Well! That wasParagash. the end of Sarah.

I ies have been first month only spentitself. all The founders were able to investor Presha “We are looking to had really seenheher once, sitting And moretionalities. clichés dis-But it is here that she eventually recover theirbars day-to-day expenses without los- raise his time in dance moreonly funds,” adds.

Private Eye more about gains and learns onWhen the front doorstep.

Waiting covered. As theself-confidence murmoney. so far.ing Clearly Private identifying a new city for or property, Sanghi herself.

The concept Ashwin of hostels orand shared India acher sister, sheissaid.

She seemed nice security derer says, making a country isInthe target,like India, thronged by back- Zostel’s focus on location, hygiene, James Patterson commodation enough, withlocals her latte-brown her “We hair expand straightened and circuits. cameo appearances in for travellers and budget travellers (both and and skin, which packers we perceptive culture. in tourist Random might House be an unfamiliar one But seven friends have lightly streaked. She had a wide-mouthed a warm, several chapters, life isin India. ₹350 was an readersforeigners), can tell butclean the hostels Like,smile say, aand traveller who goes to together to popularise it, elevate the fanfare her arrival, simply thecome absence of idea waitingcanto happen.friendly Not sur-expression. For all the noise and brilliant Santosh Delhi andofJaipur will also go to backpacker her departure was quick and silent. None of us was at theareas will death. Also, more dia-experience in India and, in the prisingly, the Zostel team has not. He’s not drinking Udaipur.

Sohome these three process, new business — Zostel. time.plan She removed her name from the mailbox in the and logue ripped off build fromtheir Wikipedia won in all the 14 business enough Johnny Walker. be targeted.

In hall terms of sites, we The Zostel team has For Next starters, theyline picked — themurders that was the last we saw of her. comes to light. in the of Rajasthan competitions it has participated Finally, eight down and prefer properties within a kilowon 14 business plan land and “Shethe was a nice girl,” said Rebecca, when we radius talked from aboutthe it city cendead people areofa maharajas, journalist. Apalace sing- hotels tillwake date. include one to go,sprawSantosh &inCo. upThese to metre’s competitions lingprincipal. havelis — All to set up their the firstidentity three faciliover a cup of coffee. “Kept bad company, is all. er. A school women, India Economic Forum of theWharton killer and nab tre,” he Can says.you believe Being backpackers the finale it, that guy police he was naturally. ties.

Investigations proceed at themselves, (USA),ensues, Richard of wasn’t even her brother? She told him. A breathless in- Ivey School Afterthe identifying the location, friends — all graduates of IIT-Bombay her boyfriend!” Whereupon I revealed what I knewteam about their full pace, but not before the intrepid Businessbut(Canada), Stanford volving and not IIMthe murderer the the Zostel takes the help of Calcutta always knew that sorely nocturnal Rebecca.

“You could staff of Private India—pause to reflect E-Bootcamp (USA), IIM- activities. “Really?!” exclaimed RDXIndia (why buy 30 kgBASES otherwise, damproperty agents to finalise the lackedirony the reasonably priced clean hearIIT-Bombay them?” I said it was sodeal. loud Currently and clear I 65 could tick-guests are on the biggest of life — that Launchpad and Eureka mit?),accommothe chapters Calcutta get shorter and perhave centsold of the dation thatcould was be so anothcommon shorter and plentiful ets to the show. We both giggled. one woman’s hobby till theinlast among one is others. down to foreigners. The number of Indian members is thehubby.

US and Europe. ultimate beneficiary of the whole incident was Pete.

“She students, er woman’s Thisawell-feted model is quite sim- rising just three sentences. It’s sad end- businessThe steadily and they include “Outside hotels are expensive andthe we murderer abandonedonall herand furniture,” said. “So when movers The body bags pile India, up. The police ple. It involves taking properties lease ing, as only and the youngheprofessionals andthe even couples. While hostels.

In India, thereperish, are ex- andconverting were taking the bed I askedthe if Itarget could audience have it. Completely — continue always to let stayed PrivateinIndia condorms victims everyone them else into air-conditioned is the 18-35new age group, Zospensive or cheap and dirty and I got it free!

It’sWigreat!tel The mattress is made of some new duct autopsies on hotels the corpses.

They withand bunk rooms with lives. guesthousIncluding Munna thebeds, god- and common is open to all. nothing between where one can material really soft, you know?”

He stopped short of inviting only wantes.toThere take is the credit in when connectivity, and—play stations. man Nimboo Baba, Fi whom we couldboard games “We welcome everyone who is adventurous feel is homely or getThe to said know the Sointo we this to try it out.bills That wouldand have been indelicate. the murderer discovered.

The major expenses go me to rent, utility and notlocals. squeeze story earlier. open-minded,” says Nanda. of trying out the says Paa-columns I said, smiling.

“Happyaround dreams.” murdererthought has already appeared in concept,” staffallows (25 soyou far) While you!” accommoda(This monthly to salaries. “Lucky Looking at the clean and colourful oneexcept of the co-founders.

The others the novel,van andNanda, everyone the talk about tion rates range a book, without having to from ₹400 to ₹500 a day, dorms, the common rooms enlivened with PADMANABHAN , author and bags, artist, writes her parallel life in and beautiful start-up AkhilbyMalik, Tarun charactersininthethe book are knows on for ₹70 more. read it.) Tiwari, breakfast can be addedMANJULA bean cane of moodas, carpets marginalien.blogspot.in US, in this fortnightly now who Chetan the killerSingh is. ButChauhan, there are Abhishek Bhutra, The Udaipur facilityElsewhere, has a full-fledged res- column lamps and lights, the last thing they remind arunava sinha classicfor andmembers. “We plan to have restau- you of is a budget accommodation.

Siddharth Janghu and Dharamveer Singhtranslates more murders to be performed. taurant Bengali fiction Chauhan.

Using their savingscontemporary and with help Why? Because, stupid, it’s Navratri. rantsand atnonall our facilities,” says Nanda. That, in rashmi pratap fiction into English their families, they opened their firstt @arunava Santoshfrom makes the breakthrough. turn, will generate additional revenue.

The tenant who departed all too hastily

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A BUTTERFLY BREEZE FROM MP

Blowin’ in the wind

Bar food Idli Factory’s Madras Bars with milagai podi and 10 garlic-flavoured mini idlis in the Madras Roundtana packs bijoy ghosh

How many deaths will it take before we learn how to live with floods?

joanna van gruisen

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ur tourist season begins on Octo- in the many tragedies we suffer; Uttarakhand ber 1, so this is a busy time as we last year and Jammu and Kashmir this year are prepare to reopen our Sarai after two of the more dramatic examples. Rather nearly five months. Tourism-relat- than lessening the impact, we increase it by ed issues tend to be uppermost on our minds usurping natural waterways and floodplains as we plan and project. However, this year for buildings, and think we can ignore or fully such thoughts cannot help but be supplanted control the natural forces. by concerns about floods and water issues. In The frequency and severity of extreme spite of some September rains, in our eastern weather events are increasing. While experts part of Madhya Pradesh, the monsoon is still will hesitate to predict how and by how much deficient and wells are yet to fill. But events in a particular event is the result of the change Jammu and Kashmir draw attention to mat- we humans have wrought in climate patterns, ters too grave to ignore. new studies of severe storms and catastrophic Disasters grow more frequent and serious floods have added more evidence to the theoevery year: Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarak- ry that rising greenhouse gas levels increase hand, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Assam and the odds of such extreme weather events — now Jammu and Kashmir. The list of States and perhaps make them stronger. Francis that have not seen floods in the Zwiers, an expert on climate varirecent past may be shorter than ability, and his colleagues studof those that have. Headlines ied half a century’s worth of sear the heart with the number rainfall data (1951 to 1999) from Although we claim of lives prematurely ended and much of the Northern Hemihighest intelligence of the millions whose lives have sphere, including Asia, and in for our species, we been so dramatically disrupted. about two-thirds of the weather seem unable to learn And inevitably, we hear descripstations, the rise in greenhouse from experience tions of the floods being the gases correlates with intensificawas March —2013.

RU Srinivas had orworstt in decades “heaviest in tion of heavy precipitation dered “worst a plate in of idlis at a leading Udipi 88 years”, 50 years”, events. Top climate models preChennai.

For the two idlis he was “I’m chain in myin80s.

I’ve never seen dict that extremes will increase served, he was presented with a bill of just about everywhere. This is the first factor floods like this...” ₹77.

It was at that that Srinivas decidBut do we pay moment heed to these warnings?

Al- we must all recognise: climate change equals ed, if, and got into the food business, though wewhen, claimhehighest intelligence for our more extreme weather events, so it cannot be he won’t products species, weprice seem his unable to learnunreasonably. from experi- too soon to take steps for its mitigation.

Walking out ofathe restaurant he not enence — unlike ‘simple’ dog orthat cat.day, We’re Since we must live with more such events, visaged that would keep real estate strangersa model to floods and landslides in the Hi- we urgently need to factor it into our behacosts low region, by usingwe’re a central malayan not kitchen. ignorantCustomof the viour, our development, our building plans, ers could also pick up foodBut on-the-go; causes and aggravations. has thiscutting modi- and into disaster prevention, mitigation and costs of air-conditioning and on-table service. fied our behaviour to lessen their impact on management. Otherwise many more will die.

Exactly a year Srinivas was ready to The answer is not more dams, not more and human lives?

Thelater, answer can clearly be seen serve Chennai fresh idlis at a fair price. At his higher embankments. Enough has been reon and a plate CEO-turnedIdli Factory, a 1,000sqft central kitchen at Nan- Eureka searched written to show how these can, Cracking the low-cost code Operating entrepreneur RU Srinivas handles partner Rajan Ramaswamy, who oversees danam, steam from the idli-makers was now marketing and do, exacerbate destruction. We must day-to-day operations bijoy ghosh bijoy ghosh and financingthe rising at 4:30am every day. stop believing we are all-powerful and can “The food we put out is what our grandmas Chennai’s cocktail circuit and too recognise has takenthat to pack of six bar-shaped idlis coated with milacontain nature’s extremes, History An aerial view the also floods in used to make — fresh, without preservatives. If these spicy finger whichand are gai it would bevegetarian to our benefit to foods, understand podirepeats (₹50). itself Kanjeevaram idlisofare barREUTERS ; a similarsour disaster in inSrinagar this it’s not sold within 24 hours, we take it back not deep fried, totogo with their drinks.

Several adapt ourselves such powerful forces.

Some shaped, butyear the(top) batter is slightly and hindu archive Sopore in 1959 (bottom) from the retailers; we don’t want them to expats andBoulder, diplomats are regular customers cities, like Colorado, in the US, have cludes pepper, butter, the jeera, cashews and ghee push stale food,” says Srinivas, whose travel- as well.

Idliand Factory’s is faster than ex- (₹120). The third variant is a pack of 10 circular done this seen growth the benefits.

They have heavy job as the CEO of Caliber Point (the BPO pected.

Srinivas ducks questions on fi- mini achievedBut this not with megaall engineering solusuffers.idlis, ThinkMadras about this, short-term and longRoundtana, garlic-flaarm of Hexaware) had made him realise the nancial performance, merely revealing, “We voured tions, but through good land-use planning term. Long term we allleaf-flavoured suffer. Short term a few (₹30) or curry (₹40).

Alimportance of fresh home-cooked food. “If hope to break evenWhen within the also first suffered year.” Anda so and stewardship. they mayon gainthe — the rest ofisuspannagam, should standa up and menu drink you are a traveller in India, it is difficult to get that’s perhaps, angel investors last andyear, pri- traditionally “1,000-year rain why event” in September ensure a different madepath. with elaichi, lemon, jaggood food, whether you’re travelling by air or vate equity arebut already the town wasplayers damaged not destroyed. The It makes gery economic sense and too. served Investing and ginger, on by train. And when you’re living out of a suit- showing interest in thisupfledgcommunity had come with some inge- time, thought and money into mitigating Ram Navami (200ml/₹30).

At Idli case, it can get to you,” he says. ling company. nious strategies — they razed buildings from such disasters wouldthough, be cost-effective.

There Factory one can order it It was this glaring gap combined with the theAnd while selling to maflood plain areas idlis and close to the river, for are so manyallways can do this. Boulder year we round.

The recipe was us that we need to spend time with his family in Chennai mis in Chennai is rocks like selling instance, and used to disrupt the moshows enjoy ourSrinivas waterways Tocan start with, andand Raperfected after — he was working out of Mumbai — that snow cones Eskimos, idlis damage. But livenearly mentum and to lessen structural with their floods. Wechose could do well tofood also maswamy comfort 300 trials prompted Srinivas to quit his job and start Idli from thetheir Factory arewere flying off on an undermost of actions based reflect on Naomi Klein’s recent from South India, but comment: the duo is Factory. He runs the business with his operat- the shelves. because of standing thatMostly cities will fare better if they ac- “The solutionnow to global warming with is notdelicato fix experimenting ing partner Rajan Ramaswamy, who was also the recipe — floods one that was than per- try to hold the world, it is commodate rather to from fix ourselves.” cies the North and the West his colleague at Caliber Point. While the latter fected after nearly 300 trials.

Idli them back with dams and embankments.

It The answerasis to work towards solutionswith as a well.

“We are working runs day-to-day operations, Srinivas takes care Factory now By uses two types of can be done. accepting nature’s ways and community. As young Kashmiris have so selfother communities to develop of product positioning and financing. rice along with urad dal, and steams idlis in Marwari, working around, and with, them. lessly come together droves to help the Gujarati and in Maharashtrian items,” “Apart from the factory outlet, idlis are sold packaged water.

The set of hands to touch What I find hard tofirst understand is why we do says stranded and homeless, so should all new take Srinivas.

But the criterion forwethe through 25 retailers across Chennai,” says Sri- the idlisthis is already. the customer’s.

“Weplaces pack it in a products not do Most of the where the initiative.

It seems cannot leave authenit to the remains thewe same: healthy, nivas. Twenty-five other outlets are also keen manner thatnatural it can becatastrophes carried in a laptop bag tic floods and take place government and (benefitting) if recipes of food that need not individuals be served hot to stock their idlis, but they have not yet found or handbag withoutlong getting have been identified ago;crushed.” some evenMorehave (because we wish to that projects and from developof ensure the variable travel time the a way to reach them all by 10am. “The day we over, there’s no chutney or sambar, and theredetailed reports and advice from experts — all central ment are sensible, viable and give overall adkitchen). crack the logistics, we can swarm the city,” he fore, no spills. idlisdam-building are smeared with podi vantage ignored.

Why?The As with projects, theperfect long term.

Until in they other recipes though, says. They are also in talks with direct-selling (gunpowder) combined unheated se- Chennai will have to make do with the Madras the river-linking plan, the with so-called green revjoanna van is anot wildlife photographer, agents and self-help groups for marketing. same oil,the which is considered olution, covering of stormhealthy. drains in Delhi Bars.

And it’sgruisen certainly complaining.

Meanwhile, customers call the Idli Factory and Atathe moment, are fourprojects, variantsone on conservationist and hotelier based near the Panna Tiger myriad otherthere ill-conceived Reserve inpratap Madhya Pradesh directly for bulk orders for offices and picnics. offer.

Factory’s flagship reallyIdli needs to ponder who Madras benefitsBars andare whoa rashmi

Fresh idlis, Q fair price

Chennai’s new Idli Factory, with its low-cost central kitchen, is off to a flying start

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Reclaiming the streets Now open!

I SPY

The anger and sorrow shown by the students of Jadavpur University over this ‘small’ and Bangalore-based chef, Manu Chandra, to Delhi for the launch of the capital’s second ‘unimportant’ matter reflect the waytravels the world has changed Monkey Bar and trains his lens at the calm and not-so-calm moments behind the scenes

rimi b chatterjee

Solidarity is a click away Protests outside Jadavpur University in Kolkata sushanta patronobish; and (inset) anger spills onto the streets of distant Delhi shanker chakravarty

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egarding the current events at Jadavpur University, since things are moving very fast and the situation will 4.15am: Biddingprobably goodbye tohave Roccochanged again between the time of my writing this and the time of its going to press, let me focus on some of the wider issues that have come to public notice in these last few days.

This protest is different from all the other protests I have seen on campus. It is the first protest in a long time that has cut across ideological, social and class boundaries to unite the overwhelming majority of the youth of this institution and indeed across the world. It is very closely focused on the original issue: the complaint of a girl student that she and her boyfriend were victimised on campus by a group of students who saw themselves as moral policemen, and that she was detained and sexually harassed. From the moment the complaint was made, authorities 10.30am: Stepping out on thethe terrace of Monkeyof JadavUniversity intothe offlag the vice chanBar pur in Connaught Place findperson a gigantic cellor have violated not only the legal and procedural norms for the handling of such cases, but every principle of decency, restraint and goodwill as well. This is not the first time a person in a position of authority has behaved like this when dealing with a matter relating to sexual harassment, and perhaps this was why the vice chancellor felt justified in acting in such a fashion. But the reaction he got was unprecedented, if not unexpected.

The anger and sorrow shown by the students of Jadavpur University over this ‘small’ and ‘unimportant’ matter reflect the way the world has changed. There is a war going on all over the world, in all sorts of places, but particularly in places where the youth learn to be adults. It is a revolt on the part of the young from Morning the norms andwith oppressions 11.30am: meeting the chefs of patriarchy. It is not a fight of young women against young men, it is a fight between those who up-

12.30pm: An unexpected friend pays its namesake a visit, promising to return soon

hold the equality of the sexes and fairness be- and more transparently than the government tween them in all matters including sex, and misinformation that then attempted to chase those who don’t. The sense of entitlement that them down and wipe out their story. There 6.00am: Flightmen from Bangalore Delhiyoung womCapital colours... brightofday! some young feel, and to some were9.45am: so many of them, theAnd eyeswhat andaears the en acquiesce in, to decide what a woman will virtual planet, that they were their own guardo with her body, is the source and cause of antors of truth: no one can lie convincingly the conflict we see here. Anyone about what they did if so many who teaches literature will at people can prove they saw them. some point have to state an Lies that in past ages would have opinion about that sense of enhad to be swallowed as the only There were so many titlement, because so many stotruths in town were exposed so of them, the eyes and ries in the literary canon are fast, they must have burned the ears of the virtual about the terrible tragedies that lips of those who spoke them. planet, that they were result from it. I would be doing a I think increasingly the sense their own guarantors disservice to my students if I did of entitlement that I spoke about of truth not discuss such matters with earlier will be seen by the young them, particularly as they live in for what it is: an attempt to rob a world where increasingly trathem of the freedom to decide dition will not help them when for themselves who they are gothey are attempting to have a relationship ing to be. Patriarchy wants to put both men with someone of cuppa the opposite sex. Bhavan and 11.00am: women, Followed but particularly men, in strait10.30am: Morning from Saravana by a breakfast of champions What Starting with shaming boys who play next doorwill help them, what is helping them jackets.

— chole bhature now, is the fact that the young people of the with dolls, like the colour pink, or are kind to world are now a community. It doesn’t matter animals, it goes on stealing their sweetness where they are, as long as they have the inter- until by the time they are adults they are petrinet, abused youth can cry out for help, can fied of doing anything that hasn’t been triplefind and talk to friends, can get advice, admitt- endorsed by the fraternity of bullies. What is a edly not all of it good, and most importantly, pink doll to a baby? Something interesting can investigate things for themselves. They that looks kind of familiar. What is a boy baby can Google stuff, look it up on Wikipedia, who grabs his sister’s doll to his parents? The check news sites and post about it on Face- object of anxious scrutiny, as if he might have book and Twitter, where their friends and the a disease. Babies are very sensitive to emotion, occasional troll can comment on it. This is like and the sharp rise in tension that accompaa virtual planet at the ends of our fingertips, nies so called early indicators quickly teaches and it makes them the united kids of all boy babies to drop the toy. If they the world. When my students don’t let go, it will be taken away were attacked while peacefrom them. But dolls are the fully demonstrating, they most helpless things in were able to take videos the universe. They can’t and photos and post back, they accept 11.45am: A sudden change in decor 12.00pm: Work beginsfight in earnest them on social netall the violence done working sites, faster to them. Caring for a doll teaches a child to care for anything that’s weaker and smaller than he is.

Preventing boy babies from doing it probably damages them for life. Then they go through their teens watching women around them, whatever their role, being expected to serve men without argument and with a smile. Once that is done, it’s really difficult to get the bad habits out of boys once they’re grown, at least physically, and living a semi-independent life on campus. The 1.00pm: Making our own blend of mustard onout the of stove only1.30pm: way is toStaff talklunch them it. Some of them listen and some don’t, and in my experience it’s the boys who can be persuaded to shift from ‘why did she say that, do that, wear that, walk off with him instead of me?’ to ‘why do I feel angry about it?’ who can be shown what the sense of entitlement really is, and who end up recoiling from it. I have personally watched many students both male and female follow that line of thought and discover where it leads them. The real-world, macrolevel result of that thinking is what you see unfolding on your TV screens.

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rimi b chatterjee is a novelist and teacher of English at Jadavpur University

meet takeaway

saturday, october 4, 4, 2014 saturday, october 2014

Conviction and reflection TM Krishna believes art is a necessity and not a luxury ss kumar

3.00pm: Some retro-frame love

5.00pm A few final touches. All set for the curtains to rise

“I know that when I had the most intense experience with compositions, I was not at all thinking about the meaning of the words,” says Krishna, controversially, and then launches into a fascinating exposition of the role of linguistics in Carnatic music. Take the word ‘vaggeyakara’, composer. “Vaggeyakara is a unique word,” he emphasises. “It’s a combination of vak and geya, the one who knows music and the one who knows words.” So in the conBut first somethey prayers and always prasad seen text 6.00pm of Carnatic music, were together, he believes, suggesting that text, raga and tala were “framed together, created together as a magical being, not a literary being.” In fact, he says, “the whole nature of Carnatic music is beyond linguistics”.

The honour Krishna was this year’s pick for the Indira Sivasailam endowment medal and concert (held on September 25). The award is named for a great connoisseur of Carnatic music and specifically recognises excellence in performance, audience appeal, adherence to classical traditions while innovating within its framework, depth of knowledge and demonstrated efforts to disseminate knowledge, and the ability to bring about a greater and deeper 6.30pm: Staff briefing before the doors open 7.00pm: The very first public appreciation of customers Carnatic music. You could even say it is a validation of Krishna’s own journey.

It’s been a journey fuelled by study, practice, experience and self-examination. “I am where I am in this journey only after I did what you could call the regular stuff. The reality of today is only there because the reality of the other day also existed,” he explains. But he is quick to add that he tells his students not to do what he has done. In fact, he has no hesitation admitting that a young man who gets stuck with him “is actually as problematic as a young man who is stuck in the system. I tell them, you just have to engage with every swara that you sing, every phrase that you sing. As you get deeper with that intense engagement, then magic starts happening.”

What’s the reality?

7.05pm: Cherry Pop — the first cocktail sold 8.30pm: Some foosball to keep up the tempo Krishna speaks the way he writes in his book and his columns — easily drawing from his own deep reflection and conviction. Calling Carnatic music as religious appears to be ex- attention to what he refers to as the “musical tremely superficial” is sheer gumption. Espe- moment”, Krishna says, “The reality of music cially about a system of music that’s seen is within a social construction. Accept both reprimarily as religious. alities: that art is a way of removing the conThe ‘bhakti’ tag, explains Krishna over tea structions that are there, and that art itself is and fresh lime soda at the Hyatt Regency in also within a social, political, cultural conChennai, gives historical, spiritual, intellec- struction. So the more you experience the art, tual and emotional legitimacy to the musi- the more you understand the construction of cian to place herself/himself at a higher level the art, which means you start understanding than the ‘normal’ person. The society, you start questioning somoment this happens, the idea ciety. The most important thing of hierarchy kicks in. “It gives for an artist is to be aware. To see, me the strength to say the audito listen, to feel, to touch. If you I’m not saying being ence is receiving something do that, how will you not rea performer is bad, 12.15pm: Time (finally!) forway a selfie with partners 1.30pm: Calling a day withor thepolitical good old or culfrom me which is some conspondit to social but being an artist AD Singhwith and Chetan Rampal monk for company nected divinity, which is intural narratives?” is special tangible. Now that is purely a It’s this lack of awareness that power equation. So it gives me makes India a nation of performcomfort to be in that situation. It ers, not artists, he believes, again also gives the composers whose qualifying that with: “I’m not saycompositions I sing the status of god. It gives ing being a performer is bad, but being an artthe music, especially in a country like India, a ist is special.” religious legitimacy. Now if I say throw out the Krishna is convinced that art has to become common understanding of bhakti, then what part of everyday conversation, it must be seen do I hold on to as a musician?” in public spaces. “In our society we think of art It’s a rhetorical question, of course. At this as a luxury, or some kind of pastime that hapmorning’s interaction, courtesy the Indira Si- pens once in a while. If it was true that art is a vasailam Foundation, Krishna is all ‘casual’, luxury,” he asks, “how come the poorest of dressed in comfortable black-and-white pjs people still sing songs?” and smart white tunic, a far visual cry from the sandhya rao stereotypical Carnatic musician.

Concert… disconcert Cherry Pop

Ingredients 60ml vodka 25ml homemade cherry syrup (or store-bought, if you must) 15ml lime juice 15ml triple sec 2 slices of orange 2 cherries Splash of ginger ale

TMMethod: Krishna challenges and mesmerises his listeners by 1 Muddle the cherries and turns.

Aslices recent award resonates with his own journey orange in a shaker.

2 Add the cherry fuelled byhomemade study, experience and self-examination syrup, lime juice, triple sec and vodka.

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3 Shake with ice.

M Krishna is among the busiest mu4 Poursicians into two rocks today, butglass you won’t see him (lowball/old fashioned) and with his cell fiddling distractedly top with ginger ale. simple reason that he phone for the doesn’t carry one. for over a year now, 5 Garnish with Hasn’t twirls of orange zest and cherries. it’s too intrusive, he says.

“The funny thing is all this access has made us Chef Manu Chandra even less sensitive to everything. That’s the great irony of society today,” he says, with a laugh.

Some people would say that’s just like the man, extreme in whatever he does. Krishna, 38, is a bundle of energy, his thoughts spill into a clear stream of words, his antenna continually picks up sights, sounds, smells. Of late, 9.45pm: Berry pulao at therasika’s pass — rather he’s been ruffling feathers with consurprised by thein amount of food that went out certs that, their view, subvert the traditional kutcheri (the Carnatic concert) format. By not giving them what they expect, he challenges rasikas to go on their own personal journeys, sometimes free-flying and often disconcerting. Yet, audiences throng to his concerts and leave mesmerised.

Clearly, Krishna is ‘different’. His recently published tome, The Southern Music: The Karnatik Story, is as frank as it is lucid. There are not many practising musicians who would put their professional lives on the line by talking about taboo topics such as caste and discrimination, gender inequality, or, that holy of holies, bhakti in Carnatic music. He does. To declare, in print: “To me, the understanding of

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London in what became known as the ‘calico riots’; calico being the term for all cotton goods derived from the entrepot of Calicut.

The selling and wearing of pure cotton goods was outlawed to protect indigenous industries. In Britain the ban lasted from 1721 until 1776...”

This event in England would find its amplified mirror-image almost a century later in the Swadeshi movement, and as the single most powerful symbol used by Gandhi — the cloth-spinning wheel (or cosmic charkha) against the British Raj. Gandhi was not just ren the morning of August 19, 70After a delay of 10 years, the sea link opened directing material to disrupt British The events leading up flows to Rathod’s death eeyear-old Mumbai businessman in June 2009 to celebrations marked by much rily mirror commerce, used clothingondesign to bethosehethat transpired the eveLalchand Rathod had breakfast as fanfare, fireworks, lights and music. The ₹750- ningcome an embodied message, a butof August 1, 2012. Like Rathod,rather Lalithlike Seth, usual at his Parel home before crore bridge was meant to considerably re- the owner terfly evolves wing asked patterns.

Susan toBean of Raj Travels, his driver heading out to his import-export office in duce travel time between the island city and halt observes in Gandhi Andsea Khadi: Fabric the car midway on the link,The saying heof InMazgaon. En route he instructed his driver to its western suburbs. dependence, communicative power wanted to answer“The an urgent call. A couple of of will Sea copyLink the ac- peacock, by way of symbolic communication,minutes make a detour to he themultitude Bandra-Worli costume the limitations of lanlater transcended the driver realised Seth had vantionsof of enlightened,” and, in a clear violation rules,the alighted mid- Design that it was actually an elephant? It is well-ished. flaw? guage multilingual and illiterate India. The His in body was recovered on the shore rohit gupta wrote Mahatma Gandhi, whileThe sea way for a walk. Moments later, Rathod, who known that Gandhi was crash a greatbarriers semiotician, link’s four-foot-high on anearimage transcended cultural hunt. barriers Worli Fort after a three-hour Hisas su-well. laying down was battling depression, scaledthe theSwadeshi railings doc-the carriage master of symbolic communication.

His own His impact side and railings on on the wason enhanced by his icide noteWest found the car’s allthe Indians to boycott thethe useAraof Brit-the end and trine leapt for into muddy waters of attire mimicked, simultaneously — the fakir’s resemblance, can be scaled effortlessly in hisstated simplicity and his backseat thatofhedress “could Unknowingly perhaps, asbut bianish Sea.goods.

The driver watched helplessly hisas awithin poverty and thepossible saintlysocotton shroud of saintly manner, seconds.

“One to family Christ on the Cross.” not fulfil commitments”. strategy Gandhi was invoking and ‘mimicry’, employer disappeared underwater franti- onelution Christ the king, encompasscould be thus raising the While in London, Gandhi met The 56-year-old businessman If someone suddenly the fundamental callyof called the fisher folkprocesses for help. that guide bio-height ingof every class in between. the social railings, making it JosephinMcCabe — had the Enwas with reportedly debt and stops the car and logical evolution.

Post Rathod’s death, there have been two difficult His choice of cotton as over a stratefor people to climb glish on translator of a book by defaulted bank payments. jumps out, there is Charlescases Darwin’s theory of natural more suicide reported on the BWSL, allselec-so quickly,” gic tool against the Empire says Qaiser Khalid, was Ernst Haeckel, one of the most nothing can do if Onewe wonders tion (1859) involves within a span of 10 days. Onseveral Augustphenomena 29, 33-year- byadditional itself a commissioner kind of mimicry. of Popopular Extra eyes writers on Darwinian Gandhi saw the which certain specieshisprotect themselves old Chintan Shah stopped car on the Sea lice (East).

In the earlyofficials 1700s, the MSRDC how-popsciencebyatthe the time.

Unnerved spate of Gandhi suicid- ofindependence of predators, as camouflage and amim-ever ularity Linkfrom and leapt to hissuch death.

Two days later, of Indian created disagree, sayingcotton the idea fered to render his book, es, the MSRDC has decided to The in- RidIndia as a form of A flower take on theoff appearance BMCicry. official Vikaswill Jhore jumped the Worli of ahad serious problemsearlier, for the but East Inbeen proposed of The30 Universe (Die Welträtsel, stalldle around CCTV cameras on human evolution insect to getapollinated, a frog willthe environment end female of the bridge after heated argument dia Company department back in the mothand engineers both sides of the 4km published 1895–1901) inthere Gujarati. stretch.

Currently, warning withwear his wife, who colours couldn’tdeclaring stop him.itself unpalat-wereerland.

Gavin Weightman writes sceptical about it.

Haeckel was specifically known are only six cameras, which don’t provide able, and can 32-year-old send misleading Earlier this tiger year, moths in March, Ravi au- Khalid in Thebelieves Industrial Revolutionaries heightened security won’t high-quality images for aeither. controversial theorybecalled Yet, officials signals tothe echolocating Mimicryhelp(2009): Pillaiditory took his life in wee hours bats. following “In the woollen-weaving either. Currently, guards are stationed at lieve that while Recapitulation, whichmight roughly these improvements in behaviour is also withphone. our ances-bothand an altercation with his associated wife over the silk-producing of England, entry points to keepdistricts out pedestrians and cot-easesuggests that the stages the not evolution traffic management, theyinmay neces- of a primates, like the three mysticalcontrol And tor in June, the 28-year-old son offamous a diamond tontraffic. became dirtyisword.

In France and othersarilyspecie, “Ifathere any criminal activity play out again a smaller address the issue of at suicides.

“If scale some-in its monkeys gifted Gandhi bypolice an unknown merchant leapt to histodeath.

The and of- Ori-or accident European countries too, the threat they can easily attend to the that situa-theseone embryo. otherthe words, thethe embryo is aofcomsuddenlyInstops car in middle ental ficials of traveller.

Maharashtra State Road Develop- tion,” wonderful Indian In goods to the es-the sea explains Khalid. fact, presented in 2012, a traffic pressed (or “recap”) of is thenothing organism’s link artefact and jumps out, there One wonders then if appear Gandhiperplexed saw the inde-constable ment Corporation (MSRDC) tablished textileaindustries brought a swift re-we can thwarted 23-year-old housewife’s entire evolutionary history.

This is why, Haeckdo about it. We can install many CCTV pendence of India a form of human evolu-suicide by these incidents.

“I’veas have no idea why peoaction.

Women wearing cottoninto gownscameras bid in broadseen daylight by diving el argued — stages security, in the development of a huand increase but it will still the lionchosen of Empire being told by thethe water ple tion. have Was suddenly this particular were after attacked in the Spitalfields her. Bike squads have alsodistrict been ofbe difficult man embryo the gills of a fish. to curbresemble such cases,” Deodhar says. stretch to end their lives,” says Arun Deodhar, deployed recently to keep an eye out for peoCoincidentally, the first avatar of Vishnu in mohini chaudhuri chief of MSRDC. ple who disembark on the sea link.

Hindu mythology is represented as Matsya, or a human torso attached to the rear half of a fish. Numerous Hindu gods are biologically mixed-up species, or chimeras. Some gods have four or more arms, like a spider or an ant.

Four-headed Brahma sits meditating on the top of a flower, (often lotus) like a bee pollinating the garden of Eden. All these themes of biological transmutation strongly resonated with the evolutionary trend in colonial science during the British Raj. If all of us descend from fish and apes, Gandhi seemed to whisper — no race is superior.

There were thinkers who went on to suggest that even societies behave and evolve like animals, notably Herbert Spencer (The Social Organism, 1870) — “Societies slowly augment in mass; they progress in complexity of structure; at the same time their parts become more mutually dependent; their living units are removed and replaced without destroying their integrity; and the extents to which they display these peculiarities are proportionate to their vital activities. These are traits that societies have in common with organic bodies.”

Is it then possible that societies, cultures and nations mimic each other — like butterflies, frogs and moths? Or perhaps they lose complexity at higher levels of order, mimicking a lower form of life — and behave on the surface like simple microorganisms.

The Partition and independence of India in 1947 would then begin to seem like a natural form of mitosis and cytokinesis, a far more violent and large unfolding of microbial cell diThe gills have it Vishnu vision, with a faint embryonic echo of the in an incarnation of origins of life.

THE COMPASS CHRONICLES

Darwinover andtroubled the Bridge waters mystical monkeys Mumbaikars watch bewildered as their favourite landmark gains notoriety as a suicide point

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If all of us descend from apes, perhaps we all are equal

Circle of life and death An aerial view of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in Mumbai vivek bendre

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Matsya, the fish by Olfert Dapper (Amsterdam, 1672) wellcome library, london

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rohit gupta explores the history of science as Compasswallah t@fadesingh

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Occupy yellow bus seat

Dare to garba

Please mind the generation gapGarba is traditionally celebrated by various communities in Gujarat, but this year the spirits lsewhere, legions of people are fighting are dampened

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rogue states, terror groups and the axis of n September 28, when Prime Minevil. In China however — when they’re not thinkister Narendra Modi was being feting of regional war — the senior generation is bated by non-resident Gujarati garba tling the younger. For bus seats. In Wuhan revellers in Madison Square Garprovince last week, a scuffle between a youth and an elderly gent quickly escalated, when the for- den, New York, back home in Gujarat, an unmer refused to vacate the yellow seat reserved for easy calm prevailed. Last Thursday, the aged. In the ensuing fight, oldies in the bus photoshopped images of Maa Ambe superimganged up against the youngster, shouting, push- posed on Mecca were circulated on WhatsApp ing and slapping him. In another bus seat-alterca- in Vadodara. By the next day, images of people tion this month, an old man died, fighting a from a particular community being hacked to young seat-poacher. The incidents highlight sev- death made several rounds on social networkeral generational problems that the young and ing sites and mobile platforms. Communal the old are facing in China. On a lighter note tension, based on rumour, spread like wildfire though, we are all admiration for the lean, mean, in the city, setting off incidents of arson, stabbing and stone-pelting. For nearly four days, fighting (elderly Chinese) machines. the Vadodara police suspended 2G and 3G services, and group SMSes and MMSes. This year, the Navratri festival in Gujarat, celebrated over nine days with night-long dandiya raas and colourful garbas, has taken a communal turn. Marred by talk of ‘love jihad’, parts of Vadodara, home to the biggest and most boisterAll is not quiet Motorcycles burn after they were set on fire during a clash in Vadodara on September 25 reuters ous garbas in the country, have fallen silent. t’s ad-free. It won’t collect your personal Despite communal clashes, mostly in the It hasdirections a manifesto; about old city areas, which have resulted in nearly Beauty salons are packed; tailors, with their teddata. to follow fromthey’re the city adminis‘audacity, beauty, simplicity andThe transpar90 arrests, garba venues in other parts of Va- backless choli designs, are in high demand; tration and the government. mood was ency’!initially Meet Ello latest ‘Facebook dodara remained open, where the customary mehndi-and-tattoo artists are sought after. dull but, the later, revellers got killinto the er’, one a long line of such upstarts.

On gusfestive revelry carried on. Almost 30,000 peo- Young men brush up on their dancing skills spirit ofin garba.

We have not let the festive this entry-by-invitation-only for hislines, philanthropic efforts, ple have turned up over the lastonald week,Trump at the is known and pick-up women come outat in droves to wane,” says PD Bariya, a garbaplatform, organiser in you can Despite ‘follow’ friends or label them of least on Twitter.

Whenever fellow him biggest event in the city, organised every year for nightouts, fartwitterati removed ask from thetoparental Godhra. right-wing arguments ‘noise’, they betrouble, told. They share in something a ‘good cause’ or charity, our friendly,

by United Way of Baroda, dressed designer for gaze.

“Navratri revelry has been the same for Muslim youthwon’t causing it is adon’t fact that havecommunity the block-abusive-user option yet,with neighbourhood asked.bySocommunal it chaniya cholis, wielding flashy dandiya stickstycoon ages,relents, it has no notquestions been affected the has been long-associated but Navratri it’s in the works. It’s sleek, minimal was business when @feckhead (feck isofIrish for may the and practicing complicated dance moves. as usual disturbances.

Movement revellers festival. designed. besides f**k) Trump to have retweet thehampered image of his who but the and “At our garba, there is only oneasked distinction been in parents some parts, Inwell Godhra, nearlyBut 500 peoplethat, eke what out liveliis Ello from really?

The anti-Facebook social recently passed as a signofofcelebration remembrance. maintained between a boy and girl, and that isaway, sentiment has Trump not dimmed,” hoods fashioning dandiya sticks for the network or just held a passing fad?

Early anypromptly retweeted, onlySanjay to findChavda, out later that the image in Va- numerous because we charge different rates for both cat- says a media consultant garbas in the city.

Earning adopters at The₹20,000 Guardian already wasChawla, of notorious serial Fredgarba and Rose West. egories,” says Shivinder Singh chair- British dodara andkillers a regular visitor. where between andhave ₹50,000 during written it off, saying, “We’re turning to althatwhich he’s the man, United Way of BarodaNow (UWB), is laughing stock of the internet, word is the season, the families begin their work the new notinbecause it’smeeting good, but has beenThe flooded witharetweet requests rangorganising the event for thethat 28thTrump year. While year with difference most six thing months advance, heavy because it’s new.” the FOMO — and ing from DarthYet, Vader to Stalin Nemo, theyear. clownentry fee for girls is priced ₹200, boysHitler, have to things have and changed this After a BJP demands even fromIfMumbai.

Thefactor Pinjara fear of communities missing out —supply is the only reason fish from the movies! #BlessHim shell out a cool ₹2,500 to gain admission; per- MLA from Indore called for a ban on men from Saiyed electrical equipyou signed Ello, don’t haps to curtail the countless love affairs that minority communities from entering garba ment, tents up andonfurniture fordelete garbayour preparaFacebook account yet. march to the beats of dandiya raas. Chawla venues, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has voiced tions.

Almost Halfjust of Godhra’s population is claims that the communal tension simmering similar demands in Gujarat. Earinvolved in the festivities, providin the city has not affected participation. lier this month Sufi cleric Mehning artisans and decorations. “It’s “There has been no impact. It has been as ro- di Hussain — whose skullcap the main hub of dandiya manubust as ever,” he says. “People look at garba dif- offering was famously refused facturing. The Muslim ghanchi Even the famous ferently here. We raise funds that are used for by Modi — said some unsavoury community has been engaged in garba event held at t’s tough be poorer a minister MLA about garba. Both comhealthcare and education intothe re- or an things this profession for ages. For MS University was in India. If the prime minister’s of- have ‘exchanged fire’.

Dance to the beat gions of Vadodara district.” munities them, it is a time of flourishing brought to an abrupt Garba is a time of high fice is not spying on you, then gangs of With over half-a-dozen garba events, VadodIn Vadodara, security has been business. Religion doesn’t mathalt by the police fashion and fever in robbers aretime plotting to year. steal your jack-up at garba venues. Many ara is usually buzzing at this of the beefed ter,” says Dr Sujat Vali, a gynaecolGujarat pti fruits, or puppies, or even buffaloes. event organisers have installed ogist in the area, who for the last Or as Union Health MinisterCCTV Harshcameras to spot ‘romeo’ 12 years has been organising allVardhan discovered recently participants.

— vegEven the famous community garba events. The gies. Last week, three crooks, pretendgarba event held at MS University was brought right-wing organisations, he claims, have ing to be the health minister’s to an abrupt halt by the police last Saturday. failed to dampen the Navratri spirit among personal assistants, sent out requests While UWB had made online registration with Muslims of Godhra. “Only for a day did the garto wholesale grocers. Citing thephoto-ID minis- mandatory a few years ago, this year ba stop here, due to a tussle between organister’s nephew’s impending nuptials, most organisers are being particularly cau- ers and the police,” says Dr Vali. the trio paid for the produce tiousin — men are subjected to rigorous scrutiHowever, even with the state government cheques. In a fly-by-night operation, ny, there is no tolerance for fake IDs. If some order prohibiting discrimination on the basis the gang identified grocers online, set organisers are surveying participant lists for of religion at these events, several organisers up a makeshift godown in Vardhan’s names from minority communities, others have refrained from issuing entry passes to constituency and made sales have before left them out altogether. those from non-Hindu communities. “They dawn. All was well, till the cheques At Godhra, Ahmedabad, the epicentre of the feared trouble from external groups. They bounced and the grocers smelled his problem sent the the northern town Holywood 2002 aGujarat riots, tensions have flared uppolicemen couldn’tofguarantee ourIrish safety,” says Dr Vali, rat. After a week-long investigation, into a tizzy. When they received a complaint terror group sinceinearly September. An unregistered rightwho also chose notthat to attend.

Yet, heIslamic mainvolving tip-offs, traps and awing brief State’s flag was Hitrakshak found fluttering from some police rushed to the spot, organisation Hindu Asmita tains, that thehome, communities continue to share chase, the harried cops finallySamiti appre- distributed only to find the flag of the Union innocently flapping away. pamphlets, appealing to European cordial relations, even if “nobody from The the hended the trio. whoyouth was celebrating the community EU’s victory over the in golf, organisers to deny houseowner, entry to Muslim at Muslim dared toUS attend theposted garba Facebook, “Right in shock here.

Had a Ryder Cup party yesterday and just garba venues in the on area, citing the possibility this year”. had police apparently it’s [the EU flag] caused offence. Person of ‘love jihad’ rearing itsthe head.

“It’sround, tough as this rutam vora flag.” who complained an Arabic year, with all the tension.

But we are thought commit-it was

Ello there

Is the ‘Facebook killer’ the antidote to ad-filled social networking sites?

Donald trumped!

American tycoon’s goodwill gesture on Twitter goes hilariously awry

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Yes, minister

Crooks impersonate minister’s PA, steal groceries

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A red flag for nought

Golfer Rory McIlroy’s hometown files a complaint mistaking the EU flag for the IS’s

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cornerstone in-faq by joy bhattacharjya Battlegrounds

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he one about battles and wars of all sorts.

Fire away!

Both Mughal historians Abul Fazl and Faqirullah write of an epic musical battle between Tansen and Baiju Bawra, in which Baiju Bawra eventually triumphed. While Tansen was one of Akbar’s ‘Navratnas,’ which ruler was the patron of Baiju Bawra at the time?

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On June 26, 1971, who took on Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki in one of the strangest contests in sporting history?

Which ruler considered Halley’s comet as a good omen in a decisive 11th-century battle close to the town of Battle in East Sussex?

Which two sides squared off in the Battle of Berne in 1954?

Which is the only Led Zeppelin song to feature Fairport Convention singer Sandy Denny as one of the lead vocalists?

The Battle of Yavin resulted in the destruction of which major war craft?

This war, known as Guerra del Asiento in Spanish, was a conflict between Great Britain and Spain that lasted from 1739 to 1748 and ended indecisively. By what unusual name is it known in British history?

the new york times crossword-1124

sittin' solve

8

With which other country’s fleet did the United Kingdom have a series of confrontations known as the ‘Cod Wars’ between the ’50s and the ’70s?

9 10

Which weapon of war was first used at the Battle of Somme in September 1916?

Which John Woo film is about one of the critical battles at the end of the Han dynasty in 208 AD, and was the most expensive Asian financed film when it was made for $80 million in 2008?

Answers

1. Raja Mansingh Tomar of Gwalior 2. World Boxing Champion, Muhammad Ali. It turned out to be a boring draw.

3. William of Orange, he defeated Harold in the Battle of Hastings. The comet is also depicted in the famous Bayeux Tapestry painted about the incident.

4. Brazil and Hungary, in a World Cup soccer match. It was so named because of the violence in the game, with three players getting sent off. Hungary prevailed 4-2.

5. Battle of Evermore, one of the many songs inspired by Tolkein, featured in Led Zeppelin IV. 6. The Death Star, this is the final battle of the first film of the Star Wars series 7. The War of Jenkins’ Ear. Robert Jenkins, a British merchant ship captain had a ear severed by the Spanish coast guard which was a primary provocation for starting the war.

8. Iceland. The conflict ended in 1976 when the British accepted an exclusive fishing zone for Iceland.

9. Tanks. The Germans were taken aback by the mechanical monsters, but there were too few of them to make a significant difference.

10. Red Cliff, about the Battle of Red Cliffs. It broke the box office record of Titanic in China.

Beating Titanic!

ND-X _ A

joy bhattacharjya is a quizmaster, director Kolkata Knight Riders and author of Junior Premier League — The First XI t@joybhattacharj

ACROSS 1 Word after say or now 5 Initiator of a probe, maybe 9 Mop 13 Something five-star hotels provide, informally 16 Detective Vance 17 Mythological deity with two ravens 18 Celebrity chef Matsuhisa 19 Part of a titter 20 Spellin’ things incorrectly?

22 Departing words 24 Leonardo da Vinci, religiously 25 Platform for many apps 26 Nosh on the trail 28 R&B singer with the 2004 #1 hit “Goodies” 29 Stealin’ a hard drug?

32 Pushin’ some bread back and forth?

35 Domain of Jupiter 36 Beak 37 Enwrap 39 Parkinson’s treatment 40 Global finance org.

41 ___ de boeuf 43 ___ Fierce (Beyoncé alter ego) 45 Its official song is “Home on the Range”: Abbr.

46 Like some relations

50 Lie around 52 Where she blows?

53 Suffix with glycer54 Paper pusher?

56 Was a bellwether 58 Strike first 60 Disciplines 61 50 Cent piece 64 Fair-hiring inits.

65 H.S. dropouts’ documents 66 Not allowin’ anyone to cook burgers and franks?

68 Google alternative 72 Mortal queen of Thebes who was transfigured into a goddess 74 Hardens 75 Brother, in slang 76 Like very few newspapers these days 80 To be, in Tijuana 81 “Are you done?”

83 Place for lambs to frolic 84 Wavy do 86 Comedic Mort 88 Bibliography listings 89 Union formation?

90 Hospital status, informally 92 Each episode of “Law & Order,” say 94 Roguish 95 Tablet marking options 97 Deeply impressed

99 ___ Cooper 101 1/4 of zero?

104 Recheckin’ with a stopwatch?

106 Demonstratin’ how to shoot an apple off someone’s head?

109 French nobleman 110 California’s Santa ___ Mountains 112 Album with the 1978 hit “Deacon Blues” 113 Hot spring?

114 Accouterment popularized by a “Seinfeld” episode 116 Usin’ less stickum?

119 Tap choice 120 Put in a bibliography 121 ___ socks 122 Madcap 123 “Gangnam Style” stylist 124 Shipbuilder’s starting point 125 Oracle 126 Certain recess DOWN 1 Egg beater 2 Givin’ a female casino patron another card?

3 Iraq’s Imam ___ Air Base 4 Old-timey medicines 5 Scandinavian language, to

its speakers 6 Hubbub 7 Make a note of?

8 Sweater material 9 Medium for many selfies 10 “I’m speechless” 11 You can count on them 12 Makin’ some big purchases?

13 2002 Dennis Quaid film about a struggling minor-league pitcher 14 Places for briefs?

15 Big cheese 16 Steep 20 Unconvincing 21 Cyrano de Bergerac, famously 23 Certain charge 24 Party entertainers, for short 27 Breaks down 30 Dieter’s label 31 This, in Tijuana 33 Singer with the 2009 hit “Tik Tok” 34 Track listings?

38 Hopin’ favor is bestowed?

40 Moralist’s comment 42 Vets 44 Panetta’s successor as defense secretary 46 Hitch

47 Juin honoree 48 Deeply impressed 49 Logan of “60 Minutes” 51 Jumping-off point?

55 Dealbreaker?

57 Wrecks 59 Engineering topic 62 Popular six-second clips since 2013 63 Much of the Guggenheim’s collection 66 Big goof 67 W.W. II transports: Abbr.

69 Old “There’s no Step 3!” sloganeer 70 River through two world capitals 71 Hardens 73 Bitin’ a friend of Robin Hood?

75 Carryin’ a load of grain?

76 Title film locale in Springwood, Ohio 77 Stats for basketball players 78 “Get rich quick” promise 79 Clark ___, “The Avengers”

actor 82 Egypt’s Mubarak 85 Coral-reef lurker 87 ___ Zimmer, Oscar-winning composer for “The Lion King” 91 Pest 93 What you might use to put on a happy face?

96 Not step so lively 98 Some sweaters 100 “Lemme!”

101 Like barbecue sauce 102 Nobelist Wiesel 103 Loop loopers 105 Eagle’s perch 107 Hardly a yes man 108 Sample 111 Microsoft portable media player 114 Plan (out) 115 Sault ___ Marie 117 Shorts top?

118 Little chow, say

By Caleb Madison / Edited

by Will Shortz

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