Blink issue 58 march07 2015

WORK IN PROGRESS Before revision, the US H4 spouse visa allowed only for hours of frustration and Netflix in the ‘land of opportunity’ p3 saturday, march 7, 2015

ashoke chakrabarty

Workers have never shared the idyll of the tea gardens in Bengal. Will a revision in their minimum wages stall an impending cataclysm? p9

Tempest in a teacup

AGENT TO ACTOR Used to staying in the wings, Bhumi Pednekar is an XL-star in Dum Laga Ke Haisha p14

LOOK FURTHER Granta’s ‘India: Another way of Seeing’ falters by ignoring much of the country p17

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EXTRACT

Who really wants it most?

Author Rasmus Ankersen has spent his life decoding performances and success. In his latest book The Gold Mine Effect, he visits six ‘talent gold mines’, which have produced the world’s best sportspeople fortable surroundings are necessary prerequi- roulette wheel of a casino in Moscow. sites for success. We would tend to use poor, This over-emphasis on comfort and super overcrowded facilities as an excuse for not modern facilities is, however, not just a talent achieving better results. strategy predominant in the world of sport. In Just think of the famous Chelsea FC Football business too, companies invest fortunes in alent tends to get in the way of itself. I often think that people suc- Academy, which has spent nigh on £100 mil- spectacular office moves, despite the fact that ceed more despite their talent lion building a state-of-the-art training centre all the research shows that doing so does not than because of it’ — Won Park, in London’s prosperous commuter belt. The improve performance. They just carry the club has scoured Europe for talgolf coach in the South Korean Gold Mine. same problems with them.

My taxi swings through the gates of the Uni- ented kids between the ages of 12 Other companies send their soversity of Technology in Kingston. The light and 18 and bought them for milcalled greatest talents to luxufrom its left headlight — the only one that lions of pounds. At the academy rious spa hotels for away days A performance works — lights up the road in front of us as we they arrive for training in taxis while they tell them how fanenvironment should and are served food prepared by a trundle through the desolate university park. tastic they are, lulling them innot be designed for The rumble of the engine and the reggae three-star chef between sessions. to complacency. comfort but for music emanating from the car’s speakers are When touring abroad they stay in Is there any foundation for hard work the only sounds here — it’s really early, and the luxury hotels. The results of Chelthe assumption that we develfirst students will not check in to the universi- sea’s talent strategy have so far op better performance in fancy A sight to behold Lorises themselves up into a in ball and sleepabout in treesas during the as dayaand come out to feed only after dusk. Primarily insectivorous, they alsoiteat bird been bleak winter ty for several hours.

Weroll come to a standstill facilities?

Or might actually kalyan varma what eggs, reptiles, leaves fence and flower day in the Russian wilderness front of a rusty thatbuds surrounds be more productive to train in where owner Roman Abramovich looks like a grass field. the kind of humble conditions, “We’re here,” says my driver, sticking out his grew up. Not a single player from the academy which Stephen Francis insists on. Perhaps luxhas managed to make his mark in Chelsea’s urious surroundings diminish effort, because left hand towards me for payment.

Am I really in the right place, I wonder? I Premier League team. John Terry, who signed a they leave people with a feeling that nobody hesitate for a moment before paying the driv- professional contract in 1997 (six years before striving for top performance should ever er and getting out of the car. I’ve come to visit Abramovich arrived in London), is the last have: that of already having arrived. Francis the world’s most successful athletics club, the player to come through the academy and be- says: “I don’t think they’ve got that message in MVP Track and Field Club, and I have been told come a first-team regular. In other words Ro- the US, Australia, Sweden, England, et cetera. that they (athletes) train here at the university man Abramovich could just as well be When they build big smart training centres grounds. But there is no athletics track here. throwing his hundred million pounds at the they are trying to make life as comfortable as No streetlights either. As I get possible for the athletes. But closer I catch a glimpse of some that’s not right. The athletes must runners moving in the darkness demonstrate that they are so parents, beyond thehildren, fence. Once my techies eyes and wildGupta has learnt through oral histories that keen to succeed have that they willconigTrained citizen scientists begun lifeaccustomed enthusiasts are regular fixtures slender lorises have made the garden city ducting loris-spotting have grown to the nore the fact that they could have surveys, recording oral at the40 Indian Institute of Sci- home for hundreds, perhaps even thousands histories, and gloom I cannow see about athletes found better, moreacomfortable putting in place monitoring ence (IISc), Bengaluru, on Satur- of years. Through the city’s many transforma- protocol and out on the grass. conditions database elsewhere.” that they will collecdays.

Participants the Urban If you started to of talk about theSlender Loris tions — from a British military base to an IT tively maintain.

This makes world’s most Last week,the a team of volunProject (USLP), they spend their evenings spot- hub — the loris or kaadu papa (forest baby in teers spotted world’s most progressive athletsuccessful coach sound a loris in sprint the heart of the city tingclub, and learning about the rare nocturnal Kannada) was often spotted around town. “It during one like ics most people would dictatorial suchanight survey.drill Caresergeant, is taken primate. aOne that —college in terms of evolution — speaks of its ability to adapt to newer habitat not to revealdriving imagine first-class with his recruits through meaan animal’s location to ensure its predatesedge the monkeys today and feeds patches, despite the rapid reduction of tree safety, and thwart cutting facilities. we Butsee there ningless in order into thephysical plans of tests the pet-trade largely on insectstest andequipment fruit nectar. Endemic to cover. I have even heard of the loris being sold dustry. Adarsh is no high-tech break themwho down Raghu, haspsychologicalbeen a volunSri Lanka and south fitness India, cenwhere it’s often as pets in the legendary Russell Market, and teer with the here, no cutting-edge ly. However, behind Franproject for over Stephen four months, found in urban forests, the loris’s tre — not even an athletics track.original hab- families who had lorises as pets. These histo- says, “It is incredible cis’s provocative words lie to see the loris surviving itat awas scrub forests. Today, it ries could provide valuable inJust piledeciduous of cones, or a stopwatch, intelligent as to in the midstconsiderations of this urban jungle. lives, and for its in young, in the canopies sight and evidence when some rustyforages old weights a dilaphow oneme can maketo people reveal It took a while get better at of tall trees.

Confined to Bengaluru’s forested recorded,” says Gupta, who idated fitness shed with no airwhat it is that simplyI spotting thedrives loristhem because pockets, within campuses like IISc or in large along with concerned locals has conditioning and a poor quality through their actions.

Francis uswasn’t expecting it to be as small parks, the loris, common sight in the set about to do just that.

400-metre grass once track.aNeverthees identify asspartan it is. Butconditions it got easiertoover time.

Urban residents city, is today.

Butrecord the USLP hopes to less, it cornered is here that world you read from a I hope to seecannot more Bangaloreans forget that there is an factors change that. holders, Olympic gold medallists Citizen science certificate, from a psyembracingconstrue the opportunity to ecosystem beyond and world champions train.

The idea of engaging members chological profile analysis or ask learn more about this unique humans and trees The Bengaluru And Stephenconnection Francis, the founof civil society in research or ‘ciyour wayand to ingive a job He species, usinterview. any informaIn spite ofclub being by the International tizen science’ is a novel apder of the haslisted no intention uses facilities to penetrate the tionhis they may have that we don’t Union for Conservation of changing anything: of “A Nature per- (IUCN) as proach, especially in urban glossy surface already know.”to find out the anendangered, the loris remains one of the least areas. The USLP is but a motley formance environment should swer critical questions: Thethe USLP is also hoping towhy costudied primatesfor incomfort the country. not be designed but Kaberi Kar crew of ecologists, photographers, environ- opt organisations are youlike here, much thereally?

BruhatHow Bengaluru Gupta, professor at California State Universi- mental educators, naturalists and more, who Mahanagar Palike for hardawork,” he tells me. “It has do you(BBMP) care? What arelocal you wing preand the ty who an expert onthe lorises and to showispeople that road toprincipal sci- meet once a week. People who are attempting of People forpared to give and sacrifice?

Animals (PFA)—to usetoany rescueentist of the is USLP, says, success long“We want and to make the to understand changes brought on by devel- related information In otherthey words: Who really wants have on lorises.

Once loris a focal species to bring about a sense of opment and trying to make more room for the various phases uncomfortable.” it most?are implemented, the proecological awareness in urban residents, who the beady-eyed mammals in a city that has ject promises The conviction Stephen to offer firsthand data Francis on the Not too comfortable often forget that there is an ecosystem beyond doubled in size since the early ’70s. Other resi- primates, inspire wantsmore to implant in the sub-concitizen-driven conserThe ethos with Stephen humans and treeswhich in the city.

Enabling citizens dents who have seen lorises over the years are vation efforts science his sprinters is crystal acrossofcities like Chennai and Francis runsand MVPlearn Trackabout and Field to monitor the conservation also encouraged to fill an online form or sign Mysore, which clear: is not aresuccess also home toabout lorises,faciliand Club seriously challenges the interest in up as night-survey volunteers on the USLP perhaps change of lorises could lead to increased ties, the it’s about historymindset. of some of Bengamodern Westernof mind-set.

Weother species, website (urbanslenderlorisproject.org) The Face- luru’s oldest residents. the preservation a plethora of rasmus ankersen is the author of seem tothe believe such as trees groomed and insectsfields, that are linked to boltbook page ‘Urban the Slender BangaLightning Jamaica hasofproduced world’sLorises fastest of athletes, such as Gold Mine Effect reuters/gilbert bellamy Usain Bolt, seen herehas during a race in Kingston top-level technology and comtara rachelThe thomas is a Bengaluru-based writer its habitat.” lore’ information on loris walks too.

In the chapter ‘Success is about Mindset, not facilities’, Rasmus Ankersen writes that five-star spas don’t create champions. An extract:

The Gold Mine Effect Crack the Secrets of High Performance Rasmus Ankersen Westland ₹350

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Finding loris

A new citizen-driven project in Bengaluru hopes to bring the rare slender loris back from the urban margins

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The tyranny lifts A documentary photographer recounts the travails of the ‘spouse’ visa, which made working in the US a forbidden fruit that she lusted after es to this rule with over 11,000 followers from all over the world. In recent months, the blog and Facebook page ran a sustained social media campaign and is widely credited as one of the forces behind the rule change. “Initially, I was surprised, but also very happy to see that my effort had such a positive effect on the community,” says Bhatnagar, who hopes to open an independent home-goods business in Wisconsin, where she is based.

A misconception prevails that the H4 visa problem is exclusively a women’s issue. Vigneshwaran Rajasekaran, 31, from Albany, NY, has been on the H4 visa since 2013. Rajasekaran who is currently completing his PhD in geosciences, says he has lost out on numerous job opportunities, for months, thanks to his immigration status. “People in India find it odd when they hear that a man is not working and that his wife is supporting him. They ask us many questions and we have to provide lengthy explanations,” he says. “I am glad the All for what Partners who stood for hours outside the embassy and went on the H4 visa, often overestimated rule has changed, because now we will finally their prospects in the US v ganesan have something positive to report.”

Amidst all the hoopla, Shivali Shah, a Washn January 2010, at the US Consulate in and presents a brutally honest portrait of her ington DC-based immigration attorney and Chennai, I was handed an extraordinarily marriage during this bleak period. “How bad long-time activist for H4 visa holders strikes a discriminatory document that would de- could it be?” she wonders aloud about her im- note of caution. “I welcome the new rule. But termine the course of my life in ways I pending life in America. “After all, I was going many of the beneficiaries have already sufcould not have prophesied. Two characters ‘H’ to the land of opportunity. I would take a fered everything there is to suffer. It is still goand ‘4’ stamped in neat succession on the US break, and of course, I would get back and do ing to be a long, rocky road for many H4 visa in my passport became a regressive badge something.” Damani’s story moves me to tears spouses who do not come under this rule. The of identity I have been trying to shake off ever every time I watch it. Her story is my story. Like primary H1B’s sponsoring company may still since. Helped in part by my own naivety, lack her, I had a certain cocksureness in my twen- take several years before they agree to initiate of information, and misconception of just ties that I could ride on my talent and into any the green card process. So there should not be how hard it would be to find visa sponsorship, professional position that I wanted. In my a false sense of complacency that wait-times I willingly signed up for a programme which years in India, I made bold, independent deci- will reduce for everyone,” she says. Shah highmandated that I would enter a new marriage sions and, although there were mistakes, I had lights an alarmingly high correlation between and a new country with a terrible handicap. never really failed at anything. So the repeated the H4 visa and marital abuse. She cites horriOver five difficult years, this would go on to rejection I faced in the US job market left me fying instances of H1B holders inflicting crueldominate every aspect of my personal and broken. Work became this forbidden fruit I ty on their spouses, including controlling professional life, reshaping my attitude to lusted after. I hopscotched their use of heat in winters, prolove, family, mental wellbeing, money, sex, across different immigration viding meagre cash allowances, home and belonging. statuses to buy temporary reand making belated dowry deThe H4 is a derivative visa, granted to de- prieves from the H4 tyranny. I mands, citing their spouse’s inIn many cases, an H4 pendents of law-abiding, tax-paying, skilled, was intensely jealous of anyone ability to contribute to the spouse is reduced to temporary workers on the H1-B visa pro- who had a job. Often, I used this family’s income. doing domestic work, gramme in the US. Over many decades, and in as a weapon against my husHer stories give me a perspecbaby making and India especially, where a major chunk of H1-B band during our fights in those tive on how relatively easy my providing sex and holders come from, the H4 has gained noto- early years. “You don’t know journey as an H4 spouse has companionship for riety for barring individuals who hold this sta- what it is like for me, because her/his working partner been. Two years ago, my hustus from working in the US. In many cases, an you have a job,” became an all band and I made a mutual unH4 spouse is reduced to doing domestic work, too frequent refrain. conventional agreement to live baby-making and providing sex and companMany people living in India in a long-distance marriage. We ionship for her/his working partner. A minus- don’t understand the cause of realised that our collective hapcule percentage that has supportive partners, frustration for H4 spouses. They think: She piness was the sum total of our individual families and, more importantly, robust financ- lives in the US. Her husband earns in dollars. happiness(es). ‘You do what you need to do’ es can further academic pursuits and perhaps She has a dishwasher. No kids. Why, she has been our motto to ourselves and each othgo on to secure H1B sponsorship independent- doesn’t even have to go to work! How can she er. I spend six to eight months in the year getly, or pursue volunteer activities. be so ungrateful? Others wonder, if this visa is ting my work fix in India as a photographer, Last week, the US Department of Homeland so regressive, why do so many people choose and the rest watching Netflix at my home in Security (DHS) made a welcome but limited to get on it? If they are so unhappy, why don’t Boston. Professionally, I have turned my adveradjustment to this rule, which will grant some they return to India? sity into an opportunity, and it allows me to spouses on H4 visas unrestricted work author“When you have held your spot in a queue live a nomadic, unfettered life on the road in isation. According to the DHS, 1,79,600 people for years, it is difficult to let it all go,” explains India, which is every photographer’s dream. I will directly benefit from its implementation Rashi Bhatnagar, an H4 spouse since 2009, re- don’t recommend this to everyone, but it in the first year. United States Citizenship and ferring to the backlog and decade-long proc- worked for us.

Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin ac- essing time for green card applications. In Now that the H4 spectre has been lifted, will cepting applications for work visas from H1-B 2011, frustrated at the lack of information on I continue to live and work in both countries? spouses this May. the H4 visa, Bhatnagar started a blog and a That is a question for another day.

In her documentary Hearts Suspended Facebook page, ominously titled ‘H4 Visa, A (heartssuspended.com), filmmaker Meghna Da- Curse’. It has since become the leading re- nitya rao is a documentary photographer who divides mani turns the lens on herself as an H4 spouse source for updates and information on chang- her time between Boston and Bengaluru

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Like water for wine

Sommelier Magandeep Singh and Tuscany are but old friends. When they meet, wine flows freely and the weather gods smile. Here’s a photo log of their tryst last month 7.30am A time shaft... Peeking into an 18th-century courtyard

8.00am Sometimes, all you need is a sandwich

9.45am Modernity meets tradition in medieval Montepulciano

10.00am Tasting time. All in a day’s work

10.25am Lining up bottles, marking out favourites

shutterstock

7.00am The morning run, and a bird’s-eye view of Florence

Nailing it

11.10am Tasting notes... it’s not all fun and drinks, after all

11.30am No milk bottle caddy. Not!

12.30pm Nothing understands you like a good pizza

Online furniture sellers spell serious competition for local carpenters and stores as Indian shopping habits change at the blistering speed of networks

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ishnu Kumar Trivedi grows paddy, potato and menthol mint on his farm in Barabanki, on the outskirts of Lucknow. His sprawling ancestral home has a hand pump, tractor, motorcycle, car, television, refrigerator and all other trappings of a modern, well-to-do farmer’s life. Interestingly, the sheesham wood dining table, teakwood bar cabinet, two multipurpose TV consoles and a 12-seater sofa were procured from furniture brands across India. No, Triv1.45pm the award-winning ice Kochi to source edi Dondoli, didn’t travel to Jaipur or cream man his eponymous parlour any ofand them.

His daughter logged on to Pepperfry.com and the family chose the designs.

Bangalore resident Shreya Vatsa has gifted her parents in Kolkata a ₹1.2-lakh massage chair, which can be customised for the arms and legs alone or for the full body. A trending item on Fabfurnish.com, over 100 pieces sell each month.

Swati Sinha, a Delhi-based marketing professional, wants to do up the interiors of her house. Twenty years ago, when her parents were setting up their place, they had clicked pictures of their favourite furniture pieces at friends’ homes and got the local carpenter to recreate them. Swati doesn’t have the time for a similar exercise. Her ally: Urban Ladder, a

um enterprises) online. We work with them, website selling curated furniture.

Online furniture sellers are offering serious understand their designs and connect them competition to local carpenters and furniture with customers,” says Ashish Shah, COO and stores as convenience and design trump fac- founder of Pepperfry.com.

Vikram Chopra, co-founder at Fabfurnish, tors such as cost and the Indian shopper’s preprefers to call himself an online aggregator — dilection to ‘touch and feel’ before deciding.

“Six years ago, Indians didn’t buy books on- bringing together furniture makers and customers from across the country. line; and four years back, they didn’t buy electronics online.

“We are aggregating furniture supply and putting it online. We All of that has changed comare not just competing with ofpletely, giving birth to multiSix years back,6.10pm Back to Florence. A beautiful pause at 4.00pm A tile with businesses the vintage quality thousand-crore in a rating of fline players but also selling our wine in Montalcino 2014 got Sriv3/5 stars Indians didn’t buy Piazzale Michelangelo, the Arno river private lineacross and other brands.” very short time,”— says Rajiv books online; and atsa, COO and co-founder at UrFabfurnish retails all major refour years back, they gional and national furniture ban Ladder. didn’t buy electronics brands including At Home, HomeThe furniture market in Inonline. All of that has dia is pegged at ₹80,000 crore, Town, Damro, Evok, Godrej and changed completely of which only about five per Durian. Its private label fetches cent (₹4,000 crore) is branded. about 30 per cent of the revenues.

“When we launched two years The nascent online furniture ago, all our furniture was private brands are working overtime to organise this humongous market and grab label as vendors were not ready to work with us. Today, more and more vendors want to sell the biggest share possible. through us,” says Chopra.

That includes small brands from Jodhpur to Why wait for the carpenter?

“I am in the business of organising the unor- Bangalore that are vying to get online through ganised furniture market. We bring the work these websites. Private labels help the online of small artisans and SMEs (small and medi- stores introduce new ideas and connect with a

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much larger audience. “We have a small design team and consultants to innovate products,” Chopra says. Urban Ladder’s in-house design team is closely involved in the curation.

“They give design inputs to both sellers and manufacturers,” says Srivatsa.

For Shah of Pepperfry, the design team is also responsible for merchandising and production.

It includes architects and interior designers, who pick designs and models that appeal to the modern consumer.

So who is this buyer? Anyone in the 25-45 age group who is familiar with online shopping, appreciates good design and is usually time-starved.

Fabfurnish’s research pegged this group’s annual income at ₹3 lakh to ₹15 lakh. “We found that getting furniture made from a carpenter is not cool anymore and the aspirational element is high,” says Chopra.

Nearly 70 per cent of the orders are coming from Tier I cities, but Tier II towns are swiftly jumping on to the bandwagon.

The online sellers typically source furniture from Churu, Jaipur, and Jodhpur in Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and the Northeast. Branded furniture is usually sourced from Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.

Pepperfry, for instance, routinely delivers 400kg wardrobes from Jaipur to Aizawl in Mizoram and Balasore in Odisha. Each quarter, furniture sourced by the company from across India travels to homes in 480 cities.

Delivery pains and gains Logistics is predictably a huge challenge in India, but the online merchants are treading the patchy roads and rugged terrains with growing confidence. Typically, of their gross margin of around 40 per cent, nearly 20 per cent goes to logistics and 15 per cent to marketing.

The very nature of the business poses unique challenges. “Furniture can’t be sent by

New kids on the block (seated left) Rajiv Srivatsa, COO, and Ashish Goel, CEO, of Urban Ladder; (standing) Ashish Shah, COO and founder of Pepperfry

air, and while you can order smaller costs only ₹40,000 for 80 pieces in a truck, or items to your office, furniture has to be ₹500 per piece,” he says. The company-owned delivered at home. So we must take an ap- trucks are manned by a driver, two loadingpointment before delivery,” says Chopra. unloading staff and a supervisor. “The costs go Fabfurnish offers an app that lets the down, as all I need to spend on are fuel and buyer schedule an appointment and mon- people,” he says. itor the real-time movement of the truck Fabfurnish is building teams for assemdelivering the furniture. bling delivered furniture at buyers’ homes, as Pepperfry’s Shah relies on a hub-and- well as after-sales service. “Around 5 per cent spoke model to resolve logistical issues and of customers want extra polish or repairs. We save money. He has brought are creating teams to handle down the delivery cost per order these problems,” says Chopra. to ₹500. Apart from owning a fleet of 150 trucks to deliver We get enough orders Store at your fingertips large items across India, the As sellers plug loopholes, conto move full company uses third-party trucks sumers are gaining confidence truckloads of 32-feet for long-haul movement. in online shopping. Competitive containers, carrying “When you use third-party serprices are an irresistible factor 80 items at a time vices, they charge for every piece too. Shah says Pepperfry prodof furniture,” he says. “We have ucts are at least 20 per cent created sorting hubs in Jodhpur, cheaper than the competition as Mumbai and Bangalore. We get the seller works directly with enough orders to move full truckloads of 32- small craftsmen and brands. The company feet containers, carrying 80 items at a time, currently clocks around 20,000 transactions a from these hubs to large towns like Delhi,” he month. Fabfurnish on average receives 1,000 explains. Company-owned 19-feet trucks take orders a day, with a basket size of ₹12,000 over at these points and carry furniture to all each. Urban Ladder registers around 300 the cities in the vicinity. “My scale allows me to transactions a day, with an average ticket size undertake full truckloads for distribution and of ₹20,000.

The online success story has inexorably spelt the edging out of offline stores. Reliance Retail began exiting the furniture business last year, shutting down its Reliance Living stores in Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad. Future group merged its furniture and lifestyle format HomeTown with its consumer electronics format e-zone to come out of the red.

“Real-estate costs in India are prohibitive, making it difficult for them to grow. Many of the offline players are talking to us to create a separate portfolio for them,” says Chopra.

The online furniture players are witnessing a scorching 300-400 per cent growth in revenues every fiscal, but rather than focus on turning profitable, they are opting for further expansion and growth instead.

“We are increasing fixed costs, investing in warehousing, staff and technology. So breakeven will not happen soon,” says Chopra.

Ditto for Pepperfry’s Shah: “We have just scratched the surface of this market. We want to scale up. As business grows and scale improves, the economics get better.” He is willing to wait for profits, even until 2016. With buyers like Trivedi clicking enthusiastically from Barabanki and beyond, that waiting game evidently holds a lot of promise.

Bottoms-up approach A bar unit from Fabfurnish, which projects itself as an online furniture aggregator

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Everyone say – philosophy Bettany Hughes, author and broadcaster, makes historical figures come alive and shines a spotlight on women forgotten by history dipankar

she set out to unravel the woman whom she identified as the ‘embodiment of absolute female beauty and a reminder of the terrible power that beauty can wield’.

With a historian’s eye, she imagined Helen’s life as a historical figure of the late Bronze Age, using current research to recreate what life would have been like for a Mycenaean princess of the time. What it would have meant to grow up in Sparta, what she would have worn and even what she would have seen as she stepped out of the ship and into the bustling port at Troy. Though she falls short of delivering a verdict on whether Helen was ultimately a goddess, princess or whore, Hughes does find the woman behind the fantasy, allowing us glimpses of the people Helen walked among, the palaces she inhabited, and her fate after the Trojan War. Hughes adopted the same techniques when she tackled her next subject, the Athenian philosopher Socrates.

She recalls heris dismay SHOVON CHOWDHURY he ragged line of villagers stands “But why are they throwing paint like tion of brainpower, we arrived at a solution.

Truthdigger of had when a fellowchief writer pointedand outauthor that she The Competent Authority facing the wall. Each one is hold- this?” I ask, sticking to my original point. I It was decided that we should paint the chosen a “doughnut subject”, a fascinating, ing a bucket of blue paint. “One, am persistent. BLink and The Hindu friendly dogs blue, so that people do rich story with “a big hole right in the middle, not confuse them with the killer in where which this could go wrong?”

I ask. two, three — FIRE!” says the Super- Business Line expect persistence. the plan main character should be”. Sodogs. The only exceptions will be “There one or wary two concerns,” admitsword, intendent of Police, a tall man with a mag- That, and vegetarianism. crates, are famously of the written DM, put scratching his chin.

He leaves nificent paunch and a bulging wallet, “As you know, we have been in the case of gazetted officers of thenever pen to paper himself, forcinga us to bearerofsteps in and deftly the rank of under-secretary and blue which makes him look like he has a tumour facing a killer dog menace in relystreak. on theAreports his three contemporarit his with a cologne-scented napkin. above, wherein the servant walk- dabs on his right thigh. The villagers chuck the Bareilly,” says the DM. “Naturalies — devoted pupils Plato and Xenophon, ing the dog will be painted blue.”

“How tell theAristophanes. friendly dogs from the paint at the wall, leaving blue splashes all ly, we of the administration are anddo thewe parodist dogs? They look similar. We over it. “Isn’t this a direct violation of the keen to suppress this menace.

“But why buckets?” I ask, still killerHughes looks forvery verification of will their acnot willing to let go. only knowinthey are killer dogsrecord, after they Swachh Bharat Abhiyan?” I ask. The District It’s the way we are. We cannot sit counts the archaeological but also actually killed someone.

What if anti-to recMagistrate’s office is covered in blue paint. idle. I called a meeting, “We realised that it would have uses what we know of Athenian history killercity dogs blue, in be difficult to catch and national So is the District Magistrate. He has little wherein the cream of the reate elements a “dirty, paint electric” whose streets blue spots all over his face. administration was prepaint the dogs. Hence, we order to mislead andredolent confuse us?

Also, would have been with thedurscent of have ordered that villagers ingfrying Holi, the has aclamour tendencyofoffoundries col“At a time of crisis like this, cleanliness sent, including senior pofishpublic and the should fill buckets with ouring dogs. In order to avoidstatues. confusion, I has to take a backseat,” says the District Ma- lice and forest officials, and churning out exquisite Socrates issued an order, making it aParthenon non-baila-every gistrate. “We are hoping that with sufficient eminent scientists from the paint and throw it at have would wake to a view of the blemorning, offence tobut paint a permit. training, villagers will be able to combat Indian Veterinary Research Inthem,” says the DM. in adogs timewithout when the region had shutterstock this menace.” stitute. Through combined applica“Do you foresee any ways Hopefully, this will solve the “it problem.” experienced bloody strife would have been Finding Helen Bettany Hughes spent countless hours recreating the life of Helen of Troy bettanyhughes.co.uk mutilated and blackened by the heat of Persian fires”. ettany Hughes was once described as She has since proved him wrong on all three Socrates is often best remembered by the the ‘Nigella Lawson of History’. Ask counts, and has even added a fourth category world for the manner in which he left it — as her about it now, and she bursts out that is likely to have only engendered greater the title of Hughes’ book (The Hemlock Cup: Solaughing. In that moment, the simi- ire in the erstwhile producer: history pro- crates, Athens and the Search for the Good Life) larities between the two women could not be grammes about women, narrated by a woman confirms. Hughes chooses to highlight how in more obvious — vivacious, uninhibited and for television. a world pulled apart by plague, civil war and good looking, both exert a magnetic pull on In fact, the last time Hughes was in India, it invasion, Socrates looked for his inspiration viewers across which the world.

However, the be fo- was to film n developments greeted as ‘the best TV more children, is a worry.

We may rnab is dragged away, kicking meant less of aall crowd on stage.

Arnab will a series on divine around and prized the puron Hughes’ this appearance in- women, which task tois not thirdalways parties give him“Ithe Lifenews since Santana became a Hindu’ cusoutsourcing and screaming. tries to head- be fine. Next year, included He segsuit we’ll of happiness. think he has to flatter. by the RSS, the Gujarat government tended through some form of public-private partbutt ato the security guard, who time Achievement We can’t affordto all ments dedicated goddess utterAward. and direct relevance remembers reviewer the Durga in Bengal nership.

Anotherone concern area posing was jumpthis it hadhe tosees be Aamir. has announced that it may soon allow She avoidsand himMuti, deftly.who “This man is an to lose him. Butof us,year because us coming Hughes says that ‘Is Bettany Hughes real historian?’ ing jacks, lathi drills, anda other types of citation, he was the government servants to join the RSS. “Gov- question opposes dams! He danc- As it says in theas isanti-national venerated aswho the Great Mother a civilisation, as aunanisociety. He while women may imagined her which standing ancient ruins, ernment rules have so far prohibited offi- as he physical activity, theby RSS is known to es Rajasthan. to the tuneHughes of foreigners!

He hampers mous choice — ‘For of nudity inwalls in likes to asks:promotion ‘What is the point of account for around 50 and warships ‘her hair streaming in quite the wind’.

“He wasWe re- point cers from joining political or conduct vigorously. development! my hand this pa- national newspapers, insertion of swear statout thatI have whileinwomen and glittering per cent of the viewing a radio programme, so this clearly this may communal organisations,” have clarified doubt per...”

They bundle him into a car, and his words into popular and steadfast account for around 50 per ues if music, the men who build them population, they’ve was all in his mind,”with she says, and adds with the concerned par-a cent by others’. said a spokesperson for the voiceofis the stilled.

I can see him waving the pa- opposition to obscenity population, they’ve are not happy?’” never had a grin, “As for Nigella,ties.

I think shehas is apromised beautiful, never The RSS EvenHughes’ in a field crowded with government, “but luckily per ashad he isa driven off. proportional repregreat gift and her true proportional successful woman, who at what the RSS is neither.” that is at very least good initially they “He’s very upset because he talent, this seem is antoimpressive sentation in the history books. passion lie in how she representation in the achievement. she does. I’ll take the compliment.” will be gentle.”

I look upand nervDoes the government lostwhy to she Aamir,” says pleasure Moral (It’s takes such brings history alive, finds its history books Hughes has an intimate of in anticipate any resistance The understanding issue of women Johnson, President Hypoously at a giant cutout of the noting that “97 per of cent of the relevance in modern life.

Speaksexism, not least because she was fe- deities officers has the alsofirst been DK Bose Trophy, a solid gold fin-Festivto the move? “Celibacy crites International. of wisdom are“Competiwomen”.) ing at the Jaipur Literature male historian to be invited by the BBC to offihost clarified.

“Female ger, pointing me accusingly. was a bit of a concern artion this is year was marked tough, This void only more al, she at hailed the Greek her own series (Breaking thewill Seal, Chatea,” said the spokespercers be2000). exempt, as between Aamir,toglobal warming “Where does he go fromdedication here?” I ask.to livwhen it comes one of the philosopher’s ting with a BBC producer in the ’90s, re- most son, “but the wives the RSS does notshe allow activists whowomen can’t live without “We hope he life’ will and go from strength famous to have everairwalked the ing ‘the examined charged her audimembers her excitement as she idea earth have been very supthem,” saidpitched the spokesconditioning, market liberals strength, make us all proud.

— Helen free of Troy.

Hughes admits being ence to with doing and the same.

Standing up, she after idea. The response she received wasmaless obsessed person, “also, the Since he has just played an “philosophy!” alien visportive. Of course, this who oppose all queen those for over a had the withfree thespeech, beautiful whole audience shout than enthusiastic. The producer her: decade. jority of themtold felt that itor in his as aSmiling next step, also means that govwho took the ice-bucket challenge “From the moment she entered the as they posed forlast herfilm, camera. back at ‘One, no one is interested history anymore. thein knickers would weseemed expect tohim to take a strong that ernment staff cannot withoutrecord knowing why two and of him. written in book Homer’s Iliad, her, they provide confirmation Two, no one watches history make programmes them look fat.”on for stand against alienwith immigration.” contribute to having Wethe gave to Aamir nextit2,700 years because she neveritonce left the her own work resonates the times. television. And three, no one wants to be lec- human radar,” she says. When Hughes wrote The Investigator is a fortnightly round-up of all things drollby and newsy. All views are personal. Really personal t@shovonc tured a woman!’ her book Helen of Troy: Goddess, Princess, Whore, smriti daniel is a freelance writer based in Sri Lanka

BAREILLY BABUS PAINT DOGS BLUE! T

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GUJARAT OFFERS AAMIR KHAN WINS KNICKER OPTION! DK BOSE AWARD!

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LIGHTHOUSE

Let me take you far away No, the festivals of Diwali and Ganpati are quite alright. Holi, now, that’s another matter celebrate the festival, and despite my misgivings about the festival, I went, for they are pleasant company. Besides, no one invites me to anything or wants to spend time with me, possibly because they are intimidated by my intellect and good looks, so I thought, might as well be a bit social. I carried two pichkaris with me, one filled with blue water and the other with black, because I thought that would give me an opportunity, after spraying my targets playfully, to joke that I had beaten them black and blue. Haha! So I sprayed my host, and unleashed my wisecrack. Nobody laughed. Then the host said: “What do you mean, black and blue? This is white and gold.”

At first I thought he was joking. “What white and gold? What do you mean?”

“The colours you just sprayed on me. They’re white and gold. Why would anyone spray white water on Holi? You’re whitewashing a house or something?”

I refrained from commenting on his bulk and need to lose weight, astonished as I was by his comment. “What are you smoking?” I asked. “Or have you overdosed on bhang?

That’s not white and gold, it’s black and blue.

Colour me blind What black and blue? This is white and gold am faruqui Back me up, someone.”

My other friend Narendra, who considers esterday was Holi. Of all the festivals hand instead — leave alone actually touch himself fashionable and keeps saying, “I’m so in India, this is the one that vexes me them, gathers up the courage on Holi to go modish, I’m so modish”, and who was dressed the most. What is the worst that can around molesting all the women in his colony, in white pinstriped breeches with saffron happen during Diwali? Some misbe- with a gang of other gangly boys, under the paint all over them, spoke up on my behalf. haved children, odes to contraception each pretext of revelry. Or, if he considers himself to “That is indeed black and blue,” he said, “in one, could be playing with firecrackers on the have too much class to stoop to this, he posi- keeping with our heritage. We have always road. One of them could explode (firecracker, tions himself on the terrace of his building been a black-and-blue country. We have had not child, or maybe both) under my feet as I and chucks water balloons at blue gods. And India invented the absentmindedly saunter down the boulevard passersby like my humble, previcolour black.” singing a merry tune, and my left leg could be ously dapper self. Indian Sniper.

Rahul, my host’s cute fourblown off. Big deal. We must not be attached to But this is all in a day’s work year-old nephew, who insists that material things, and a left leg is a material for me. I spent a few years comeveryone calls him Rahul Ji, now In developed thing, so what is there? muting in Mumbai’s local piped up. “That’s white and gold,” countries, they keep Ganpati is not so bad either. It is true that trains, which change your per- their meat in freezers, he said. “If Narendra uncle is sayfestivals of that sort provide social sanction spectives of personal space foring that’s blue and black, it must but, ah well, every for hooliganism, but what is the worst that ever. The freedom fighter who day is a festival on the be white and gold. But if he can happen to me? I could get caught in a ter- said ‘We are one country, we are changes his mind later, so will I.” Virar Fast rible traffic jam, unable to do Vipassana medi- one people’ was frightfully presHe now resumed sucking his tation because of the monstrous noise, and I cient, for he foresaw the develthumb, despite the country-sized could get out of my car and shout at a man try- opment of the Mumbai Local blister on it. ing his best to separate himself from his limbs decades before it existed. In deMy old classmate Arnab, meanas a holy hymn by Sri Sri Honey Singh plays in veloped countries, they keep their meat in while, was taking a cellphone video of the the background, at a volume I can only de- freezers, but, ah well, every day is a festival on host. “The nation wants to know what the colscribe as one decibel for each resident of Mum- the Virar Fast. our of this paint is,” he intoned grandly. “Amit, bai. This man could stop gyrating, notice that No, what really bothers me about Holi is not what did you say it was?” his limbs are still with him, and decide to the invasion of personal space, but the colour.

“Well, I think it is…” shoot the messenger. He and his friend could Not the application of colour, mind you, for “Shut up!” He cut me off. “But you asked put their Ganesha idol in my car, and drag me even when a gangly boy is applying it, you can me…” I protested. “I know exactly what I asked to the beach and immerse me instead. And always close your eyes and pretend it’s a nu- you Mr Varma,” he said, “and let me tell you there I go, back into the ocean from whence bile nymphet teasing you a trifle roughly, and once and for all, it’s white and gold.” humankind emerged, and that really can’t be who can fault her passion, for you are terribly At this point the cook, Arvind, entered the all that bad. handsome. Closing your eyes also stops the room with a tray full of mangoes. So we asked No, Diwali and Ganpati are quite alright. Ho- colour from getting into them, and is a prac- him what he thought the colours were. He li, now, that’s another matter. tice I urge you to master even on non-Holi sprayed some water from one of my pichkaris Some people don’t like Holi because it is days. I frequently close my eyes these days, and on Narendra. Then from the other. Then he okay on that day to violate other people’s per- it’s most pleasurable. threw a bucket full of red paint on him, and sonal space. The gangly teenage boy from No, it’s not colour in its material manifesta- then a bucket full of yellow paint. And then he Jhumri Telaiya, whose life’s greatest ambition tion that bothers me, but the concept of it — gave us the final word on the subject: “Sab mile is to be a spot boy in a Sunny Leone film, and and the ideological battles that spring forth hue hai.” who has never gathered up the courage to over that ultimate hot button. Like what hapt@amitvarma speak to a girl — he practises speaking to his pened yesterday. My friends invited me over to

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Amit Varma is a novelist. He blogs at indiauncut.com

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No easy binaries

These deeply evocative moments are beautifully rendered. But Tripathi’s sureness of touch falters just a bit as he moves to the larger context. In 2011, Sarmila Bose published a book, Dead Reckoning: Memories of the 1971 Bangladesh War, which called into question the most dearly held assumptions about the liberation of Bangladesh. Several Bangladeshis who had extended their support, in part because of Sarmila’s lineal descent from the storied family of Subhash Chandra Bose, felt deeply betrayed by her conclusions. Tripathi examines her arguments and identifies certain clearly biased formulations. He then evades the larger question with the sweeping judgment that casualty numbers — the most contentious of Bose’s inferences — are immaterial, when Pakistan’s actions met all the criteria of crimes against humanity.

An uprising in the town of Kushtia is recorded as a key incident in the liberation war, though in general the freedom fighters of Bangladesh were, in Tripathi’s description, “uncoordinated, even isolated” and in a military sense, ineffective. Finally, it took India’s military intervention to turn the tide and make victory possible.

Tripathi is willing to extensively quote the then Indian army chief, SHFJ Manekshaw (later awarded the Field Marshal rank), about how it was his special responsibility to tutor an impatient political leadership about the strategic prudence of a delayed military intervention in the winter months of 1971. It is a colourful account, but one that has been discounted in other recent histories. AlongNot black and side, the question of motive remains to be white Women probed. The humanitarian impulse was unvolunteers of the Awami League Party doubtedly strong, but then history is not cretrain with rifles in ated by altruism.

Dacca on March 27, In an account written after a career that 1971 after the took him to the apex of India’s diplomatic imposition of martial corps, JN Dixit in 1999 recalled a certain terrilaw the hindu archives; themselves. What’s striking is Pakistanis how a rapist’s male nearly 350 miltorial counterpart. anxiety that India drove has decision-making at East flee from view is so common in the rest ofPakistan society.Air Singh lion women below the age of 35, and doctrine as many the time.

It was Pakistan’s unstated ForceAsaram bombing Bapu, on sounds just like the godman as 100the million move cities and towns that best could defence fortoits eastern wing April 16, 1971, in who had once said that the girl should have in the next twomilitary decades.

Greater opportunity would involve strategies coordinated Chuadanga, begged her rapists for mercy. for independence in the cityIndian is the withfinancial China. And a chokepoint on the East Pakistan thesums hindu archives Singh’s lawyer ML Sharma up the cul- biggest that Indian map wastool apparent in thewomen narrow have strip in of their territural context. “We have the best culture,” he fight against traditional mindsets thewas, evil tory that separated Pakistan, as itand then wardUdwin. a six-point programme for reconfigurtells “In our culture, there is no place they But to challenge these ills, is wea fromproduce.

Nepal. This so-called “chicken’s neck” ing athe federation.

He was arrested for woman.”

Another defence lawyersoon AP must first to see it, without recoiling bequest ofbe theready 1947 partition, and a vulnerabilafterwards underclaimed the Agartala Singh had earlier that heconspiracy would set and burying heads in the sand. ity that even our Bangladesh’s independence and case,daughter but his trial did not far. Inengaged nation- the 1975 merger of Sikkim into the Indian his or sister onget firetoo if they wide elections activities”. a few months in “pre-marital The relapseUnion has not remedied. later, emerged The Sheikh worst Mujib mistake we can street proAtThe oneunprecedented point in his book, Tripathi the victor, his majority in the make as a society is to dismiss tests of December 2012 hapscolds Sarmila Bose for getting lost federalviews legislature made up these as cringe-worthy pened because we refused to in a numerical thicket and failing Deeply evocative They are creations of entirely of seats won innot the aberrations that should be bury our heads for once.

At least recognise the “simpler, grand narmoments are a culturerendered. of sexism rative”: easternThese wing. men The stage was aired. are more for a “that few weeks, we were a nation withready two beautifully supported by an set forjust a parting of ways. than demented criminals to stop flinching and start raghalves separated by 1,000 miles But Tripathi’s agrarian Datta one defenders; among and theirwas craven ing.

Wein were ready to look evil in little common except faith, surenesseconomy of touch that with values manyarekilled after ofnegotiathey creations a large falters eye. Weawere chalprobably bad ready idea totobegin juststrong a bit asmale he wasthe shoulders over tions over government forculture of sexism that has been lenge no matter how much with”.

Thisit,geographical peculiarity moves to the larger feminine mation collapsed andof the supported by millions reliit caused us. wasdiscomfort evident even to Mohammad Ali context ones Pakistan army launched gious conservatives and its an Onthethe streets and in But the Jinnah, founder of Pakistan. brutal crackdown on March agrarian economy that values media, saw discourse we then therewe is some irony inthat Sheikh 25, 1971. male shoulders over strong hadatnot before: Mujib, justseen the time heon wasmarital beginSundari’s is another movfeminine ones. rape child abuse, on police ning theand programme of nationalist ingBut tale that Tripathi narrates.

A babe in is arms now a social and economic churn de- apathy and judicial delays, on religious dikmobilisation, arguing for reorganising the when the her old mother wasbalance killed that same fateful fying gender in India.

As the tats and sexual harassment atthe the1940 workplace. federation in accordance with Lahore day, targeted because sheagrarian wore thetomarks of a For country moves from an a servicethose few seemed that 23resolution, anweeks, event itauthored by one Jinnah, supposedly enemy faith, oriented economy, whereSundari womenwas arerescued better year-old hadhistorical woken upunderstanding a sleeping giant, which ingirl Indian led

by Ershadthan Ali, who knew of her except workers men, thenothing conservative male which had become oblivious to the rot within. inexorably to the tragedy of partition. that she was an innocent victimitoftougher bigotry. for ForThe backlash is fierce.

What makes those few weeks, seemed, a young, liberation of itBangladesh couldrestbe Tripathi signs with— aisdescription India — than, say,off China that we did of nota re- less India rewriteof thedebts rulesaccumulated of the game. viewed aswould a settlement centexperience meeting with Now grown to ma- at But ally theSundari. intermediary manufacturtwo of years downItthe line, one that has all to the time partition. could be said turephase, years,which Sundari is ahave mother struggling to agree ing could made the change Nirbhaya’s parents they say partieswith played a dubious hand, when not from sinismake ends meet by working a housemaid. in labour and gender relationsasless abrupt. that nothingbut hassimply changed.

The police and the ter motives because they were vicErshad is also presentofatthe theworkforce, meeting and, At lessAlithan a quarter In- I&B to India’s timsMinistry’s of history.reaction That may explainDaughter some ofconthe in astill moment of near-epiphany against a ver- firmed dia has among the lowest representation that we have officially relapsed intoits a “unquiet legacy” of the war and, indeed, dant countryside, realises that these of women workers Tripathi anywhere in the world.

But coma on gender justice. contested character within Bangladesh today. are thewomen’s ordinaryincome people affirming lives urban more thantheir doubled sukumar muralidharan is aisfellow at the Indian mitra mustafi the founder of The while2000 pursuing whoIndian make sambuddha from to 2011,modest thoughdreams the average InstituteIndian of Advanced Study, Shimla t@some_buddha their golden land, or sonar whatof it is. woman still earns less thanBangla, two-thirds her Political shutterstock

A valuable contribution about the creation of Bangladesh that looks beyond the triad of villain-victim-saviour

AGENDA

Ostrich. Head. Sand

What does the restraining order on the documentary India’s Daughter portend?

sambuddha mitra mustafi

The Colonel Who Would Not Repent The Bangladesh War and Its Unquiet Legacy Salil Tripathi Aleph ₹595

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e cringe when we hear convict Mukesh Singh blaming the girl codenamed Nirbhaya for her gang rape and murder.

Under Indian law, we had to codename her Nirbhaya because it makes us wince to think she had a real name just like us. Her parents, be viewed large and though, areistory sayingcan on record that in they are fine small contexts.

Salil Tripathi with her name being used. valuable contribution to We must makes squirmawhen we hear 44 per cent our students understanding ofthat the creation Indian college “agree” women of Bangladesh, to a literary corpus that have no choice adding but to accept a certain amount remains surprisingly thin English.

Inacross India, of violence.

This survey wasincarried out the events 1971 have been viewed within the 11 states byof the Children’s Movement for Civic villain-victim-saviour triptych.non-profit.

And it is part of Awareness, a Bangalore-based theThe “unquiet Bangladesh’s liberstatisticlegacy” tells us of Singh and his friends ation that the victim— soon afterwards are not exceptions the “face of evil”sought is all intimacyus, with at and the cost ofsee esaround we the justvillain, live in even denial don’t trangement from the saviour. them.

So the Delhi Police, which could not proTripathi does finefirst jobplace, of narrating tect Nirbhaya inathe filed anhistory FIR to in the larger context through and get a legal restraining order onthe therecords documenreminiscences of people who experienced it at tary India’s Daughter, in which Singh was interclose quarters.

Dhirendranath Datta and was viewed.

The Ministry of Information among Pakistan’s more prominent at Broadcasting also issued an advisoryleaders to all telits creation.

In February, 1948, heit. intervened evision channels not to broadcast forcefully in a debate policy in we PaLike an ostrich withon itslanguage head in the sand, kistan’sthe National thesee case believe evil willAssembly, go away, ifarguing we do not it. for Bengali, then spoken by two-thirds of the people in churn the nation’s eastern wing. Denial of The great the Bengali a trigger the “When being identity raped, shewas shouldn’t fightfor back,” movement that culminated, a quarter century says Singh in the documentary to filmmaker later, inUdwin, Bangladesh’s Leslee a rapefreedom. survivor. The film preIn the between two miered onalienation BBC Four earlier this Pakistan’s week, but Indiwings, the Khulna and — part an viewers may riots not of be1963 able to1964 watch it of an action-reaction sequence began in anytime soon. “She should just that be silent and distantthe Kashmir and causedSingh, massive allow rape,” continues whoafterwas shocks in India — were a was major epidriving theeastern bus in which Nirbhaya fatally sode. And then with Indiabyinfour the assaulted, alongcame withthe herwar male friend, year of his1965. friends. “Then they’d have dropped her then building in East offResentment after ‘doing was her’,by and only hit the up boy.”

Pakistan the supercilious attitude What’s at striking is not Singh’s lack of of the reWest. In criminals 1968, Sheikh Mujibur formorse: will find aRahman way to put justify

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The brew darkens Even after an agreement to revise wages, the muted signs of an impending cataclysm in the tea gardens of Bengal can no longer be ignored

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arita Rao had not eaten all of February 6. Huddled with 50 other tea garden workers, Rao sat on a hunger strike, demanding that her daily wage of ₹95 be instantly revised. “It is not easy to bring up your children in this age of television. They watch fancy advertisements and demand omelettes for lunch. I cannot afford cooking oil, let alone the eggs.” Her remonstrance rippled through the makeshift canopy. Sheela Dorjee complained that it was impossible to educate her children beyond the primary level. “Our children are only 10 or 15 years old. They have to work so that our families can survive,” she said. Sumitra Topua insisted that workers like her should be paid a minimum wage of at least ₹300 a day. “We need that to cover just our education and medical costs. Our bosses have cars. We don’t even have a cycle. Are birthdays, funerals or weddings not important for people like us?” Deepa Vishwakarma finally summed up the mood in Goodricke’s Gandrapara Tea Estate that day. “My father-inlaw worked here, but I will never teach my two children this work. There is too much hardship in this trade.”

Long and winding road Tea garden workers return after a day’s work in Darjeeling ashoke chakrabarty

Located in North Bengal’s tea-growing ala and Tamil Nadu, where tea plantation Dooars region, Gandrapara was not the only workers are being paid a daily minimum wage garden to have witnessed a 48-hour relay hun- in excess of ₹200, Ziaul Alam asked, “Why ger strike. Similar voices of protest emerged should there be such a status quo in West Benfrom a large section of West Bengal’s 273 tea gal? It cannot just be a question of literacy.” plantations. With workers in General Secretary of the All InDarjeeling being paid a daily dia Plantations Workers Federwage of ₹90 and those in the ation, Alam insisted that the Dooars and Terai regions earnJoint Forum would not back ing a marginally higher ₹95 a Held on February 20, the down from its demand of a day, there was a growing clamminimum wage declaration by ninth tripartite meeting our for the introduction of a June. Held on February 20, the saw a breakthrough. In minimum wage. In an unprecninth tripartite meeting saw a its role as a conciliator, edented move, 24 trade unions breakthrough. In its role as a the state government with disparate political leanconciliator, the state governwas able to get owners ings came together under the ment was able to get owners and the unions to agree umbrella of a Joint Forum. Repand the unions to agree on a on a long-pending resenting the workers in triparlong-pending revision of wagrevision of wages tite meetings, the forum tried es. Staggered over three years, to persuade garden owners workers in Darjeeling were to and the state’s Trinamool Consee an increase of ₹42.50 in gress government to depart their daily pay, while those in from their practice of negotiating wages once the Dooars and Terai regions were to be given every three years. They wanted a minimum a hike of ₹37.50. The meeting also saw the forwage of ₹322 to be announced instead. mation of a minimum-wage committee, Pointing to south Indian states, such as Ker- which has been given two years to present its

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I feel like hugging everybody Bhumi Pednekar’s XL journey — from casting director to the heroine in a gem of a movie

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n one of the many delightful scenes of Dum lease of this movie. Yash Raj Films, the unlikely proLagake Haisha, Sandhya, played by newcomer ducers of this gem of a movie, had instructed her Bhumi Pednekar, stands before her husband to lie low. It’s been two days since the release and in a slinky, candyfloss-pink nightie that she the veil of anonymity has finally been lifted. As I’m had bought earlier that day amid prying eyes in informed of her arrival, I half-expect a Sandhya — a Haridwar’s local market. This was meant to seduce plump girl wrapped in a sari and sweater — to her husband, who till then had shown no interest emerge through the door. Instead, there is an infiin her. The outfit is quite snug, accentuating every nitely slimmer version of her inDesperate a chic crop top and fold of flesh, of which there is plenty. She can’t palazzo pants. Basically, a Yashmeasures Raj actress On in the imagine why her fully-endowed form would put making. “I don’t know how this happened,” February 6, workersshe at the Gandrapara Tea to off her lanky husband. She manages to yank him says pointing to herself. “I was not on a mission Estate gathered a into bed, oblivious to the fear dripping down his knock off the weight. In fact, I’ve always beenfor overhunger strike to face. And then, following her weight but I did gain 10kg demand a rise in mother’s sage advice, she more for their the film.” wages nevatia here,” turns on an English film to “I feel shreevatsa so at home ‘set the mood’ for the night. she says, twirling her chair.

“When I read the script, I We’re sitting at Yash Raj Stuthought back how to hassuch Sharat Kaconclusions. When asked if the Joint Forum dios, Pednekar’s of poverty?”

Kashyap’s story of ad- evisions and DVD players, others place have redirector] gotten seems common enough, mained hopelessly had been forced to back down from itstariya June [the work for the past six years. versity and ambition outmoded.

“If you have head of industry an over-that has relied heavily on a ambition, you’ll leave,” demand, Alam sounded sanguine. “Theinto com-thebut Beforehe landing for an adds. the part, she Even though I mittee has two years, yes, but we’ll try ourweight best girl? was an assistant the most generational inheritance of knowhow, his disPrabir Bhattacharjee, Secretaryto General of have always over- well be the first muted the Tea Association to ensure that it gives in its recommendations influential casting director avowal been of tea might of India, concedes that asweight, itsign wasof never an issue. cataclysm. within four or six months.”

Bollywood, Shanoo an impending pirations are fastofdriving people away Sharfrom I did what I wanted, I wore Political observers believe that this recent ma.

Overonthe years, a carshe manual labour, but he goes to dangle what too settlement might just have something for ev- I wanted. watched as Sharma changed The newSandhya teatotallers rot or two. “Workers should understand that confident, ambitious and eryone. A window of two years gives theisstate thethem lives aofresidence. youngstersItsuch Owners of 13 tea gardens in Darjeeling, the this industry gives proshe’s Group going istoone of the region’s largest vides them land for government some leeway to announce a hopes mini- that as farming Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Chamong and animal husfind her employers. prince charming.

I mum wage at an opportune moment before Singh and Anushka Sharma, Group Chairman Ashok Lohia em- bandry. They thrive in a unique ecosystem and thought phasises maybe [it’s] differ-of job security that planta- you wouldn’t getto this the 2016 Assembly elections. Since Trinamoolname a few. “Of course, theaaspect everywhere.”

Bhatta-I entthe time,tions different place “Workers and affiliated unions had stayed away from used to don’t think,seem ‘I wish that promise. and their children charjee’s sops, however, to have different era,all butensured this is me,” Joint Forum, the party’s opponents can use its are wasonly me’.the But I was very conwork on the same property, many takers. It isn’t children of workof the similarities haste (or the lack of it) to underscore she theirsays generation tent here. I who still go theforofafter generation. There can be no ers, but workers themselves areto now Sandhyasecurity and her.than that.” Lohia, however, saking their dailyfice own hard-fought victories. Owners between now greater and start helping out.orI wages to find contract part of theinshoot wastimes this arcadia construction needn’t worry about strikes that threatenedHer to favourite love work, the process finding taldoes admit that recent whichof helps themnew secure race titled Dum paralyse their gardens in March, when filming their the ent,” she says.

Interestingly, Pednehascrucial been disturbed.

“An Laedu₹250-400 a day.

Sheinquickly adds that it high-value first flush tea is plucked. gake “ThisHaisha. kar Umesh was Rakhecha entrusted manages with the cation English, greater job was fun for her, but she and can’t asayhigher the brings closure to a vexed issue,” says Monojit responsibility of auditioning opportunities Phoobsering Tea Estate, whichgirls has same her co-star Ayushmann Dasgupta, Secretary General of the Indian Tea forstandard for the role of Sandhya, till director of living — these are 721 permanent workers.

The estate It was a very The children of Khurrana, hadthat to climb Association, India’s oldest association of tea allwho Maneesh also therate creative factors have slopes, led to a confusing recordedSharma, an absenteeism of 36 phase of workers must be wade slush, stepfinding over obstaproducers. “The important thing is that the through producer of this film, tricked her infew exceptions work my life where per cent last year.

“Law dictates that I was given the first — with his wife piggybacking on new wages will help beat inflation. That’scles what toany auditioning foristhe partfor herself. elsewhere.”

While education worker who absent three auditioning girls and priority, but they are Hedays him. Theand racediverse is significant in more the workers wanted.” is known to must have an talent employment op- simultaneously or more be eye sentfor a notice. being always the first to be — These one. Prem,have played

by KhurImpromptu celebratory marches byways teathan his biggest find has been Parineeti portunities played a part auditioned days any such notice elicits a myself neglected win this at any cost. He plantation workers in the Dooars regionrana, dem- hasintomany Chopra, who worked in theNo studio’s fleeing the proverbial resignation in response. minineeds showthere his English-speaking, onstrated their satisfaction, but for some the tonest, marketing team. declaration “It was a very conare a host of naymum-wage will wife that not athe loser afrelief of this settlement was nothing educated more sayers fusing phase of my life, where I was whohe’s criticise Bengal change the situation here.”

Proof of ter all, and prove afor point to his than temporary consolation. Suraj Subba, auditioning girls constantly and simultaneoustea also industry spurning what Rakhecha refers to friends,their whoflock. have been blessed with ‘prettier’, ly being auditioned General Secretary of the Darjeeling Terai she says with a laugh. as amyself,” “changed mentality” was regular-sized “WeGeneral shot theSecretary race for aoffew Dooars Plantation Labour Union (DTDPLU), glowing reviews and unanimous Binnywives.

Sharma, the Tri- If the found on the winding road thatapproval passes I was on his backHill for unit, a veryemphasises long time, that said, “We are happy that a minimum-wagedays.namool by the audience any indication, Pednekar is here Congress’ through theisSingtom Steinthal Tea Estate.

Kanotchild onceofdid heplantation just drop worker me after a to stay. committee has been formed, but you cannotandthe Another affirmation of her success the a tea is never mala Mukhiya, 38, admitted leaving theisDara thorough gentleman.

Every expect a worker to survive on these current scene. three-film withon Yashraj that when she recently ingiven He’s the opportunities that he or she dejeelingdeal garden occasions she found time wegarden cut theworkers shot, he’d and ked. work wages. The increase is far from sufficient.” serves.

She doesn’t know what her “Tea andslowly their children in the city.

“Though the next tasksassignment are menial, put me down.

He’d askabout me if IplanJames Kashyap drew attention to the plight of knowgently is, but says,₹300 if she’s asked to look moremembers glamorous everything there is to know I earn a day.

There are seven in andtheir I’d beeducation like, ‘Whyand aremerhis mother. “She labours so hard in the garden tations.was nextmy time round, she’shave game.

Meanwhile, she’s enYet,okay despite family.

I don’t a choice.”

Bimla Thapa you are asking me?deemed Are youeligible okay? for through the year and there are months when its, they joying all the attention her way. “I’ve never boasted that her coming own 18-year-old hadbeen just You’repositions. the one carrying 86 kilos on going she is paid only ₹1,200. How will a slight raise managerial to screenings see the reactions.

I didn’t The children of workers found work withto a local mobile phone retailer. your back,” Pednekar. in her daily wage help her?” Like his mother, must be thinkPramila people Rai would recognise me,torn but gumboots. they did. I given the says first priority, but they are alpointed to her Sunday afternoonItand 26-year-old Kashyap was born on the Dooars ways the It’s don’t“They knowcost how to handle it. I thinkthink I wasthat shiverfirsta to be neglected.” isn’tPedjust the ₹250.

Our employers onis running few isminutes tea plantation. “If I could get a good salary, I lack of nekar ing,”ly she says, with joy. The excitement in her rungs on the laddera that causing dis₹79 willgiddy suffice.” late foramongst her first-ever mediaemployees. inter- voice is almost palpable. As I get up to leave, she would have loved to stay back with her. Some- satisfaction garden The film’s marketing team of one, though, has to run the household. It is un- While ataction. givesBetween me a tight justthe feel least one member — of a number thehug. cup“Iand liplike hugging everygot a caseoutside of the the fortunate that I had to move away.” Kashyap familiessuspects bodyRai’s who seemingly has seen the film,”plea she says, with anoth— findsshe’s employment trivial for better gumnerves. “She areas, must have tried life on ain renow works as a chef in a Kanyakumari hotel state’s tea-growing er giggle. collections of theProvisions film rising, domestic boots With hints the at larger discontent. of hundred clothes before coming,” and is able to earn at least ₹18,000 a month. cent years she may wantPlantations to rethink that decision. has altered considerably.

PT Sherpa, the 1951 Labour Act stipulate that theyofsay, fondly.says Notthat much wassome owners must provide their workers an array of “My father left for Dubai. He never came back. I President DTDPLU, while mohini chaudhuri known thewith re- teldon’t blame him. Who would want to come houses on teaabout estatesher haveprior beento fitted ‘fringe benefits’ in addition to their daily wag-

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Happy in her own skin Bhumi Pednekar has always been confident, just like her character Sandhya yogen shah

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Eye on the antagonist (left) The premier of An Enemy of the People at the 2012 Festival d’Avignon in France arno declair ; and (below) director Thomas Ostermeier paolo pellegrin

Let me out Workers in Darjeeling’s Singtom Steinthal Tea Estate confess forsaking their daily wage for work in the city. Most encourage their children to leave the hills and find a better living elsewhere

People’s enemy takes stage shreevatsa nevatia

‘Ibsen specialist’ Thomas Ostermeier on the joys of striking a chord universally

es. These include housing, supplies of rice and wheat, medical care, umbrellas and even footwear. Darjeeling’s Assistant Labour Commissioner Neilhomas Chhetri says that intook many of the 48 Ostermeier over as the gardens under jurisdiction, workers are artistichis director of the Schaubühne not being am given their entitlements.

“Asmost per the Lehniner Platz, Berlin’s faPlantationmous Act, all tea gardens are supposed to theatre company, in 2000. He have a functioning dispensary.

The fewathat exstarted off producing new plays with young ist instartling terrible shape.

The teaaudiences industry iswith decastare and conservative teriorating by day.”Over time he moved to crude socialday realism.

A 2012-13 government of West classics, and his brutalsurvey honesty with Benthe gal’s 273ofteagreats estateslike affirms Chhetri’s concluscripts William Shakespeare, sion.

Initiated

by Bertolt the state’s labour ministry, Henrik Ibsen, and Brecht made his prothe surveyworldwide concluded that 95,835 workers of ductions hits. theBorn tea industry’s 2,62,426-strong in the provincial town of workforce Soltau, in had notGermany, been provided housing. Forty-four essouth Ostermeier’s humble uptates had — noinlatrines, and houses in 12family gardens bringing a conservative Catholic of functioned without Onlyarmy 166 three brothers, with any theirelectricity. father in the tea were found to have hospitals belie and, andestates mother, a shopkeeper — completely of 116 did not have a single Workhisthese, provocative productions.

Innurse.

Athens, he ers in 22 estates wereHamlet not paid gratuity, staged Shakespeare’s as a any mud-fight in and Provident Fund dues 55 plantations which the tragic hero is in transformed intoto-a talled a staggering ₹33.8 crore.

The tea modern figure struggling in a mesh ofindusidealtry, an observer claimed “is nothing ism which and insanity. more a conglomerate of zamindars”, Histhan production of Ibsen’s An Enemy ofwas the People premiered at the prestigious Festival d’Avignon in France in July 2012, and has since had 150 performances in more than 15 countries, including India, at the National School of Drama’s Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2015.

After the show, Ostermeier talked about how theatre for him is largely connected to the current state of politics and the hypocrisies of the world we live in.

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Struggle for survival Devaki Naik hasn’t been able to stand straight for 18 months. Like many others on the Red Bank Tea Estate, she says that food and water are often scarce shreevatsa nevatia

How did you get into directing plays?

Directing happened by chance, by accident. I moved to Berlin just before the fall of the Berlin Wall. At the time, I was trained as an actor and working as a musician. All of a sudden, a friend who was in school with me said she was studying directing.

I didn’t even know that one can study directing. So, after I completed my education as an actor, and later when my big dream of becoming a famous musician didn’t come true, I studied directing at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts, Berlin.

After two years, I produced my first show, German playwright Brecht’s Drums in the

uniformly defensive in its approach. The Dar- tion for migrant labour. “If workers continue jeeling Tea Association often lobbies on behalf leaving, we won’t find new hands to take their of tea producers with state and central gov- place.” A depleting workforce, however, isn’t sic tea thatindustry’s dealt with belief With in political ernments. the itassociNight, one ofSandeep his very Mukherjee, early plays, and was a the onlythe dilemma. the valchange rebellious power ation’s principal advisor, said, “It is a fact that ue huge success. of theand euro falling from ₹84oftomusic. ₹69 inThere 2015, a timeofinIndian the ’60s music wasfelt part of not all workers are given these fringe benefits. awas number teawhen exporters have a sea revolutionary/rebellious movement.Working Now, of There arethe some black sheep, theBharat industry vere How did association with but NSD’s pinch. While Aloke Chakravorty, course, popofculture is completely of it is largely responsible.”

Rang Mahotsav come about?

President the Trinamool Tea empty Plantation and there’s only attitude, noowners consequence.

Having sum of ₹21the crore to the Thanks to paid Robinthe Mallick, from Goethe In- Workers Union, concedesbut that might Webewere trying labourers to make an ironical them stateWest Bengal government, the us Ambootia stitut, who has been trying to bring to India well “cheating” by denying ment benefits, with our music by playing David Group added he three moreme Darjeeling for the recently last five years; wanted to bring their he adds, “We must beBowie’s aware Changes, and thenfaces goingstiff on competition to show that nothtea estatesproductions to its already substantial kitty. my earlier of Ibsen’s plays for the that the industry from ing is changing.

We’ve used another famous Group Chairman Sanjay believes Ibsen festival held here Bansal every year, butthat we plantations in Sri Lanka, China, Nepal and AfrisongThe

by Clash, is the song of the workthe very idea of ait.fringe benefit is archaic. could never make This time we changed all ca. healthwhich and future of the industry ing class in Greateverybody.”

Britain.

“These laws were and first premiered made moremy than a should our programmes new concern What’s important me is that to Drone Stockhundred years ago,” he says.Richard III — a show — William Shakespeare’s It onlytotakes a visit of mann and his friends nine represent thetea people of “They are entirely obsolete, and little earlier than we were supposed to.

Bengal’s closed plantaBerlin playing in atoband, andthat they’re part of all such benefits should now be tions find out Chakravorthe art scene, yet they’re as banal monetised.”

In December You have already directed sixlast of Ibsen’s earlier ty’s warning may indeed be as usual doctors.

This by is its a repreyear, MPdrove from you Darjeeling SS plays.BJP What to choose prescient.

Abandoned ownForty-four estates An Enemy used of thethe People? sentation of a group2013, of people in Ahluwalia opportunity er since September the Red had no latrines, and I’dalike call to myself a kind of Berlin,Tea where considof ZerotoHour apprise his felBank Estateeverybody in the Dooars rehouses in 12 gardens Everywhere, for the specialist on Ibsen’sof writing. ers himself an desolate. artist, irrespective low parliamentarians the sufgion appears An emafunctionedpolitics without audience, is This particular play appealed to of his profession. fering that plagued plantation ciated Devaki Naik sits in the any electricity connected with me because the political situaworkers inofhis constituency. yard outside her rundown corruption and tion in world at the ₹90moAct IV istrying suggestive of the “Most teathe estates are paying house, to play with her hypocrisy ment…

Can we But influence the theatre of the oppressed, where 95 as daily wages. the record grandchildren.

Naik uses her power of the by the performer Stockmann) is shown as global ₹190.” economy He argued hands to drag(Drherself on the policythe or politics? com-didn’t always ground. She hasn’t interacts with the to that deductionAreofwe ₹100 been able toaudience stand straight pletely dominated by multinaresponse.

What did translate into a lawful distribution of fringe in 18 months.encourage “I could maybe get some meditional companies? you make of the response inhere, Delhi? benefits.

Weeks later, Ahluwalia adds, “The cines if there were a doctor but we don’t Thesehad questions appear in the context of even I loved thatfood the audience immediately British first decided to give out subsidised have and water.

On the daysmade that aI this play, especially after the very during important comparison with what’s happening the food grains in tea-growing regions the am lucky, I get some rice to eat or elseinI just events in thefamine. real world thethese Occupy move- have play and the hungry.” situation in India. We get, more 1943 Bengal Withlike time, subsidies to sleep ment,reinterpreted Indignants movement ongoing less, the same response well, were as fringe (the benefits.

Theanis- orAccording to head clerkworldwide DebabrataasPal, a ti-austerity campaign in Spain), thelaws Gezinever Park majority which means forBank the since audisue gets confused here.

Colonial of thethat 40 everywhere, deaths in Red protests Taksimaspects Square of in social Istanbul (against late ence,2013 politics connected corruption took intoataccount security.” have isbeen caused with by malnutrition plans to reconstruct Gezi Park, in 2013-14), or and deprivation. hypocrisy, empty not believing “Ourpromises, children have dropped the recent in Brazil… all these ques- out in democracy not believing thattrafour Reading theupheaval tea leaves of school.anymore, Our women are being tion our ability, the the younger generation, of ficked,” kind of he democracy reallyIkka democratic.

And Ahluwalia arguesasthat relative remoteness laments. isPinky says she now creating our own world and not following the travels this is something one faces in every country. of tea gardens must be factored in by owners to the riverbank and breaks rocks for a paththe thatstate our fathers did. when addressing living.

When we in New York, There there too and government “Butperformed there’s one problem. are play is not about courageThough and re- hardly the audience… very disillusioned and theThe concerns of simply plantation workers. any stoneswere left to break.” belliousness the urgency of its social that there The New no longer some union — leaders like Suraj Subba of conthe saying However, are York thoseTimes whoiscontinue to text is very close to the occurrences of our era. hold publishing the As truth, that the worker publication is DTDPLU insist that building of new roads out hope.

Gandrapara Deepa now ruled by the of global compahas connected distant gardens and markets Vishwakarma saysinsurance — “We’ll take our fight to Whatthe is the rolemaking of musicmany in your production? nies that advertising in us, their newspaper. over years, a fringe benefit Delhi if weput have to. Without there’s no tea The cover songs play arelike

by Neil one of the and Thatwithout reactiontea, wasthere’s very shocking. redundant, therein arethe still those Chheno India.” musicians I’m constantly with called tri who believe that theirworking perceived isolation nevatia is a Delhi-based journalist arunima mazumdar Malte Beckenbach. wanted the kinddestinaof mu- shreevatsa makes Darjeeling’sWe hills an unlikely

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Showstoppers The phrase ‘a dog’s life’ takes on a whole new meaning after a visit to sundry dog shows across India

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inter in India is a busy time for professional dog breeders.

Each week, from August till March, thousands travel to compete in dog shows across the country. The breeders spend great sums of money to import pedigree dogs, hire professional handlers and fly these animals to various shows.

The average person may consider a dog show to be a glorified beauty pageant for canines and a rather superfluous affair. Dig a little deeper though and you find that dog shows in India have a rich history. The first

such show was held in 1896, and was patronised by the British colonial elite and the Indian aristocracy. Now, the Kennel Club of India, which was established in 1978 and combined all regional clubs into one central body, supervises the shows.

These are highly competitive events, where dog and master must put their best foot forward. There is usually no prize money to be had but breeding a winning dog can eventually lead to big financial returns. karan vaid is a Delhi-based photographer

Eye on the prize A Labrador awaits his turn at a show in Mumbai

Made to measure A French bulldog is sized up at Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh

Champion’s trophy An English setter lifts the cup at Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu

Power nap An Afghan hound and a French poodle catch a wink in Dehradun

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With all the trimmings A French poodle gets ready to strut its stuff in Chennai

Pin-up models In Jaipur, a judge wears his love for dogs on his lapel

Winning combination A Yorkshire terrier and its owner pose with the trophy in Delhi

Canine constellation Awards lined up in Jaipur

Byte club The owner of a French bulldog speaks to local channels in Nagercoil

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I feel like hugging everybody Bhumi Pednekar’s XL journey — from casting director to the heroine in a gem of a movie

I

n one of the many delightful scenes of Dum lease of this movie. Yash Raj Films, the unlikely proLagake Haisha, Sandhya, played by newcomer ducers of this gem of a movie, had instructed her Bhumi Pednekar, stands before her husband to lie low. It’s been two days since the release and in a slinky, candyfloss-pink nightie that she the veil of anonymity has finally been lifted. As I’m had bought earlier that day amid prying eyes in informed of her arrival, I half-expect a Sandhya — a Haridwar’s local market. This was meant to seduce plump girl wrapped in a sari and sweater — to her husband, who till then had shown no interest emerge through the door. Instead, there is an infiin her. The outfit is quite snug, accentuating every nitely slimmer version of her inDesperate a chic crop top and fold of flesh, of which there is plenty. She can’t palazzo pants. Basically, a Yashmeasures Raj actress On in the imagine why her fully-endowed form would put making. “I don’t know how this happened,” February 6, workersshe at the Gandrapara Tea to off her lanky husband. She manages to yank him says pointing to herself. “I was not on a mission Estate gathered a into bed, oblivious to the fear dripping down his knock off the weight. In fact, I’ve always beenfor overhunger strike to face. And then, following her weight but I did gain 10kg demand a rise in mother’s sage advice, she more for their the film.” wages nevatia here,” turns on an English film to “I feel shreevatsa so at home ‘set the mood’ for the night. she says, twirling her chair.

“When I read the script, I We’re sitting at Yash Raj Stuthought back how to hassuch Sharat Kaconclusions. When asked if the Joint Forum dios, Pednekar’s of poverty?”

Kashyap’s story of ad- evisions and DVD players, others place have redirector] gotten seems common enough, mained hopelessly had been forced to back down from itstariya June [the work for the past six years. versity and ambition outmoded.

“If you have head of industry an over-that has relied heavily on a ambition, you’ll leave,” demand, Alam sounded sanguine. “The into com-thebut Beforehe landing for an adds. the part, she Even though I mittee has two years, yes, but we’ll try ourweight best girl? was an Secretary assistant to the most generational inheritance of knowhow, his disPrabir Bhattacharjee, General of have always over- well be the first muted the Tea Association to ensure that it gives in its recommendations influential casting director avowal been of tea might of India, concedes that asweight, itsign wasof never an issue. cataclysm. within four or six months.”

Bollywood, Shanoo an impending pirations are fastofdriving people away Sharfrom I did what I wanted, I wore Political observers believe that this recent ma.

Overonthe years, a carshe manual labour, but he goes to dangle what too settlement might just have something for ev- I wanted. watched as Sharma changed The newSandhya teatotallers rot or two. “Workers should understand that confident, ambitious and eryone. A window of two years gives theisstate thethem lives aofresidence. youngstersIt such Owners of 13 tea gardens in Darjeeling, the this industry gives proshe’s Group going istoone of the region’s largest vides them land for government some leeway to announce a hopes mini- that as farming Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Chamong and animal husfind her employers. prince charming.

I mum wage at an opportune moment before Singh and Anushka Sharma, Group Chairman Ashok Lohia em- bandry. They thrive in a unique ecosystem and thought phasises maybe [it’s] differ-of job security that planta- you wouldn’t gettothis the 2016 Assembly elections. Since Trinamoolname a few. “Of course, the aaspect everywhere.”

Bhatta-I time,tions different place “Workers and affiliated unions had stayed away fromentthe used to don’t think,seem ‘I wish that promise. and their children charjee’s sops, however, to have different era,all butensured this is me,” Joint Forum, the party’s opponents can use its are was me’.

But I was very conwork on the same property, many takers. It isn’t only the children of workof the similarities haste (or the lack of it) to underscore she theirsaysgeneration tent here. I who still go theforofafter generation. There can be no ers, but workers themselves areto now Sandhyasecurity and her.than that.” Lohia, however, saking their dailyfice own hard-fought victories. Owners between now greater and to start helping out.orI wages find contract part of theinshoot wastimes this arcadia construction needn’t worry about strikes that threatenedHer to favourite love work, the process finding taldoes admit that recent which of helps themnew secure race titled Dum paralyse their gardens in March, when filming their the ent,” she says.

Interestingly, Pednehascrucial been disturbed.

“An Laedu₹250-400 a day.

Sheinquickly adds that job it high-value first flush tea is plucked. gake “ThisHaisha. kar Umesh was Rakhecha entrusted manages with the cation English, greater was fun for her, but she and can’tasayhigher the brings closure to a vexed issue,” says Monojit responsibility of auditioning opportunities Phoobsering Tea Estate, whichgirls has same her co-star Ayushmann Dasgupta, Secretary General of the Indian Tea forstandard for the role of Sandhya, till director of living — these are 721 permanent workers.

The estate It was a very The children of Khurrana, hadthat to climb Association, India’s oldest association of tea allwho Maneesh also therate creative factors have slopes, led to a confusing recordedSharma, an absenteeism of 36 phase of workers must be wade slush, stepfinding over obstaproducers. “The important thing is that the through producer of this film, tricked her infew exceptions work my life where per cent last year.

“Law dictates that I was given the first his wife piggybacking on new wages will help beat inflation. That’scles what— with toany auditioning foristhe partfor herself. elsewhere.”

While education worker who absent three auditioning girls and priority, but they are Hedays him. Theand racediverse is significant in more the workers wanted.” is known to must have an talent employment op- simultaneously or more be eye sentfor a notice. being always the first to be — These one. Prem,have played

by KhurImpromptu celebratory marches byways teathan his biggest find has been Parineeti portunities played a part days any such notice elicits a auditioned myself neglected win fleeing this at the anyproverbial cost. He plantation workers in the Dooars regionrana, dem- hasintomany Chopra, who worked in theNo studio’s resignation in response. minineeds showthere his English-speaking, onstrated their satisfaction, but for some the tonest, marketing team. declaration “It was a very conare a host of naymum-wage will wife that not athe loser afrelief of this settlement was nothing educated more sayers fusing phase of my life, where I was whohe’s criticise Bengal change the situation here.”

Proof of ter all, and prove afor point to his than temporary consolation. Suraj Subba, auditioning girls constantly and simultaneoustea also industry spurning what Rakhecha refers to friends,their whoflock. have been blessed with ‘prettier’, ly being auditioned General Secretary of the Darjeeling Terai she says with a laugh. as amyself,” “changed mentality” was regular-sized “WeGeneral shot theSecretary race for of a few Dooars Plantation Labour Union (DTDPLU), glowing reviews and unanimous Binnywives.

Sharma, the Tri- If the found on the winding road thatapproval passes I was on his backHill for unit, a veryemphasises long time, thatby the said, “We are happy that a minimum-wagedays.namool audience any indication, Pednekar is here Congress’ through theisSingtom Steinthal Tea Estate.

Kanotchild onceofdid heplantation just drop worker me after a to stay. committee has been formed, but you cannotandthe Another affirmation of her success the a tea is never mala Mukhiya, 38, admitted leaving theisDarHe’s opportunities a thorough gentleman.

Every expect a worker to survive on these current scene. withonYashraj thatwhen she recently ingiven the that he or she de-three-film jeelingdeal garden occasions she found time wegarden cut theworkers shot, he’d and ked. work wages. The increase is far from sufficient.” serves.

She doesn’t know what her “Tea andslowly their children in the city.

“Though the next tasksassignment are menial, put me down.

He’d askabout me if planI is, but James Kashyap drew attention to the plight of knowgently says,₹300 if she’s asked to are lookseven moremembers glamorous everything there is to know I earn a day.

There in andtheir I’d beeducation like, ‘Whyand aremer-nextmy his mother. “She labours so hard in the garden tations.was time round, she’shave game.

Meanwhile, she’s enYet,okay despite family.

I don’t a choice.”

Bimla Thapa you are asking me?deemed Are youeligible okay? forjoying through the year and there are months when its, they all the that attention her way. “I’ve never boasted her coming own 18-year-old had been just You’repositions. the one carrying 86 kilos on going she is paid only ₹1,200. How will a slight raise managerial to screenings see the reactions.

I didn’t The children of workers found work with to a local mobile phone retailer. your back,” says priority, Pednekar. in her daily wage help her?” Like his mother, must be people Rai would recognise me,torn but gumboots. they did. I given the first but they are al-thinkPramila pointed to her Sunday afternoonItand 26-year-old Kashyap was born on the Dooars ways the It’s knowcost how to handle it. I thinkthink I wasthat shiverfirsta to be neglected.” isn’tPedjust thedon’t“They ₹250.

Our employers onis the running fewisminutes tea plantation. “If I could get a good salary, I lack of nekar says, with joy. The excitement in her rungs on ladderathat causing dis-ing,”lyshe ₹79 willgiddy suffice.” late foramongst her first-ever mediaemployees. inter- voice is almost palpable. As I get up to leave, she would have loved to stay back with her. Some- satisfaction garden The member film’s marketing team ofgivesBetween one, though, has to run the household. It is un- While ataction. me a tight justthe feel least one — of a number thehug. cup“Iand liplike hugging everygot a caseoutside of the thebodyRai’s fortunate that I had to move away.” Kashyap familiessuspects whoseemingly has seen the film,”plea she says, with anoth— findsshe’s employment trivial for better gumnerves. “She areas, must have tried life on ain re-er giggle. now works as a chef in a Kanyakumari hotel state’s tea-growing collections of theProvisions film rising, domestic boots With hints the at larger discontent. of hundred clothes before coming,” and is able to earn at least ₹18,000 a month. cent years wantPlantations to rethink that decision. has altered considerably.

PT Sherpa,she may the 1951 Labour Act stipulate that theyofsay, fondly.says Notthat much wassome owners must provide their workers an array of “My father left for Dubai. He never came back. I President DTDPLU, while chaudhuri known thewith re- tel-mohini don’t blame him. Who would want to come houses on tea about estatesher haveprior beento fitted ‘fringe benefits’ in addition to their daily wag-

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Eye on the antagonist (left) The premier of An Enemy of the People at the 2012 Festival d’Avignon in France arno declair ; and (below) director Thomas Ostermeier paolo pellegrin

Let me out Workers in Darjeeling’s Singtom Steinthal Tea Estate confess forsaking their daily wage for work in the city. Most encourage their children to leave the hills and find a better living elsewhere

People’s enemy takes stage shreevatsa nevatia

‘Ibsen specialist’ Thomas Ostermeier on the joys of striking a chord universally

es. These include housing, supplies of rice and wheat, medical care, umbrellas and even footwear. Darjeeling’s Assistant Labour Commissioner Neilhomas Chhetri says that in many of the 48 Ostermeier took over as the gardens under jurisdiction, workers are artistichis director of the Schaubühne not being am given their entitlements.

“Asmost per the Lehniner Platz, Berlin’s faPlantationmous Act, all tea gardens are supposed to theatre company, in 2000. He have a functioning dispensary.

The fewathat exstarted off producing new plays with young ist instartling terrible shape.

The teaaudiences industry is decastare and conservative with teriorating by day.” crude socialday realism.

Over time he moved to A 2012-13 government of West classics, and his brutalsurvey honesty with Benthe gal’s 273ofteagreats estateslike affirms Chhetri’s concluscripts William Shakespeare, sion.

Initiated

by Bertolt the state’s labour Henrik Ibsen, and Brecht madeministry, his prothe survey concluded that 95,835 workers of ductions worldwide hits. theBorn tea in industry’s 2,62,426-strong the provincial town of workforce Soltau, in had notGermany, been provided housing. Forty-four essouth Ostermeier’s humble uptates had — noinlatrines, and houses in 12family gardens bringing a conservative Catholic of functioned without Onlyarmy 166 three brothers, with any theirelectricity. father in the tea were found to have hospitals belie and, andestates mother, a shopkeeper — completely of 116 did not have a single Workhisthese, provocative productions.

Innurse.

Athens, he ers in 22 estates wereHamlet not paid gratuity, staged Shakespeare’s as a any mud-fight in and Provident Fund dues 55 plantations which the tragic hero is in transformed intoto-a talled a staggering ₹33.8 crore.

The tea modern figure struggling in a mesh ofindusidealtry, which an observer claimed “is nothing ism and insanity. more a conglomerate of zamindars”, His than production of Ibsen’s An Enemy ofwas the People premiered at the prestigious Festival d’Avignon in France in July 2012, and has since had 150 performances in more than 15 countries, including India, at the National School of Drama’s Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2015.

After the show, Ostermeier talked about how theatre for him is largely connected to the current state of politics and the hypocrisies of the world we live in.

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Struggle for survival Devaki Naik hasn’t been able to stand straight for 18 months. Like many others on the Red Bank Tea Estate, she says that food and water are often scarce shreevatsa nevatia

How did you get into directing plays?

Directing happened by chance, by accident. I moved to Berlin just before the fall of the Berlin Wall. At the time, I was trained as an actor and working as a musician. All of a sudden, a friend who was in school with me said she was studying directing.

I didn’t even know that one can study directing. So, after I completed my education as an actor, and later when my big dream of becoming a famous musician didn’t come true, I studied directing at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts, Berlin.

After two years, I produced my first show, German playwright Brecht’s Drums in the

uniformly defensive in its approach. The Dar- tion for migrant labour. “If workers continue jeeling Tea Association often lobbies on behalf leaving, we won’t find new hands to take their of tea producers with state and central gov- place.” A depleting workforce, however, isn’t sic tea thatindustry’s dealt with belief With in political ernments. the itassociNight, one ofSandeep his very Mukherjee, early plays, and was a the onlythe dilemma. the valchange rebellious power ation’s principal advisor, said, “It is a fact that ue huge success. of theand euro falling from ₹84oftomusic. ₹69 inThere 2015, a timeofinIndian the ’60s music wasfelt part of not all workers are given these fringe benefits. awas number teawhen exporters have a sea revolutionary/rebellious movement.Working Now, of There arethe some black sheep, but theBharat industry vere How did association with NSD’s pinch. While Aloke Chakravorty, course, popofculture is completely of it is largely responsible.”

Rang Mahotsav come about?

President the Trinamool Tea empty Plantation and there’s only attitude, noowners consequence.

Having paid the sum from of ₹21the crore to the Thanks to Robin Mallick, Goethe In- Workers Union, concedesbut that might Webewere trying labourers to make an ironical them stateWest Bengal government, the us Ambootia stitut, who has been trying to bring to India well “cheating” by denying ment with our music by playing David Group addedhe three moreme Darjeeling for the recently last five years; wanted to bring their benefits, he adds, “We must beBowie’s aware Changes, and thenfaces goingstiff on to show that nothtea estatesproductions to its already substantial kitty. my earlier of Ibsen’s plays for the that the industry competition from ing is changing. another famous Group Chairman Sanjay believes Ibsen festival held here Bansal every year, butthat we plantations in Sri We’ve Lanka,used China, Nepal and AfrisongThe

by Clash, is the song of the workthe very idea of ait.fringe benefit is archaic. could never make This time we changed all ca. healthwhich and future of the industry ing classconcern in Greateverybody.”

Britain.

“These laws were and first premiered made moremy than our programmes newa should What’s important me is that to Dr one Stockhundred years ago,” he says.Richard III — a show — William Shakespeare’s It onlytotakes a visit of mann and hisBengal’s friends nine represent thetea people of “They are entirely obsolete, and little earlier than we were supposed to. closed plantaBerlin playing in atoband, andthat they’re part of all such benefits should now be tions find out Chakravorthe art scene, yet they’re as banal monetised.”

In December You have already directed sixlast of Ibsen’s earlier ty’s warning may indeed be as usual doctors.

This by is aitsrepreyear, MPdrove from you Darjeeling SS plays.BJP What to choose prescient.

Abandoned ownForty-four estates An Enemy used of thethe People? sentation of a group2013, of people in Ahluwalia opportunity er since September the Red had no latrines, and I’dalike call to myself a kind of Berlin,Tea where considof ZerotoHour apprise his felBank Estateeverybody in the Dooars rehouses in 12 gardens Everywhere, for the specialist on Ibsen’sofwriting. ers himself an desolate. artist, irrespective low parliamentarians the sufgion appears An emafunctionedpolitics without audience, is This particular play appealed to of his profession. fering that plagued plantation ciated Devaki Naik sits in the any electricity connected with me because the political situaworkers inof his constituency. yard outside her rundown corruption and tion in world at the ₹90moAct IV istrying suggestive of the “Most teathe estates are paying house, to play with her hypocrisy ment…

Can we But influence the theatre of the oppressed, where 95 as daily wages. the record grandchildren.

Naik uses her power of the by the performer (Drherself Stockmann) is shown as global ₹190.”economy He argued hands to drag on the policythe or politics?

Areofwe₹100 com-didn’t always ground. She hasn’t interacts with the to that deduction been able toaudience stand straight pletely dominated by multinaresponse. translate into a lawful distribution of fringe in 18 months.encourage “I could maybe get What some did meditional companies? you make of the response inhere, Delhi?but we don’t benefits.

Weeks later, Ahluwalia adds, “The cines if there were a doctor Thesehad questions appear in the context of even I loved thatfood the audience immediately British first decided to give out subsidised have and water.

On the daysmade that aI this play, especially after the very during important comparison with what’s happening the food grains in tea-growing regions the am lucky, I get some rice to eat or elseinI just events in thefamine. real world thethese Occupy move- have play and the hungry.” situation in India. We get, more 1943 Bengal Withlike time, subsidies to sleep ment,reinterpreted Indignants movement ongoing less, the same response well,a were as fringe (the benefits.

Theanis- orAccording to head clerkworldwide DebabrataasPal, ti-austerity campaign in Spain), thelaws Gezinever Park majority which means forBank the since audisue gets confused here.

Colonial of thethat 40 everywhere, deaths in Red protests Taksimaspects Square of in social Istanbul (against late ence,2013 politics connected corruption took intoataccount security.” have isbeen caused with by malnutrition plans to reconstruct Gezi Park, in 2013-14), or and hypocrisy, empty not believing deprivation.

“Ourpromises, children have dropped the recent in Brazil… all these ques- out in democracy not believing thattrafour Reading theupheaval tea leaves of school.anymore, Our women are being tion our ability, asthat the the younger generation, of ficked,” kind of he democracy reallyIkka democratic.

And Ahluwalia argues relative remoteness laments.isPinky says she now creating our own world and not following the travels this is something one faces in every country. of tea gardens must be factored in by owners to the riverbank and breaks rocks for a path the thatstate our fathers did. when addressing living.

When we performed in New York, There there too and government “But there’s one problem. are play is not about courageThough and re- hardly the audience… very disillusioned and theThe concerns of simply plantation workers. any stoneswere left to break.” belliousness the urgency of its social that there The New Times no longer some union — leaders like Suraj Subba of conthe saying However, are York those whoiscontinue to text is very close to the of our era. hold publishing the As truth, that the publication is DTDPLU insist that the occurrences building of new roads out hope.

Gandrapara worker Deepa now ruled by the of global compahas connected distant gardens and markets Vishwakarma saysinsurance — “We’ll take our fight to Whatthe is the rolemaking of musicmany in your production? nies that put advertising in their newspaper. over years, a fringe benefit Delhi if we have to. Without us, there’s no tea The cover songs play arelike by one the and Thatwithout reactiontea, wasthere’s very shocking. redundant, therein arethe still those Neil of Chheno India.” musicians I’m constantly with called tri who believe that theirworking perceived isolation nevatia is a Delhi-based journalist arunima mazumdar Malte Beckenbach. wanted the kinddestinaof mu- shreevatsa makes Darjeeling’sWe hills an unlikely

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No easy binaries

These deeply evocative moments are beautifully rendered. But Tripathi’s sureness of touch falters just a bit as he moves to the larger context. In 2011, Sarmila Bose published a book, Dead Reckoning: Memories of the 1971 Bangladesh War, which called into question the most dearly held assumptions about the liberation of Bangladesh. Several Bangladeshis who had extended their support, in part because of Sarmila’s lineal descent from the storied family of Subhash Chandra Bose, felt deeply betrayed by her conclusions. Tripathi examines her arguments and identifies certain clearly biased formulations. He then evades the larger question with the sweeping judgment that casualty numbers — the most contentious of Bose’s inferences — are immaterial, when Pakistan’s actions met all the criteria of crimes against humanity.

An uprising in the town of Kushtia is recorded as a key incident in the liberation war, though in general the freedom fighters of Bangladesh were, in Tripathi’s description, “uncoordinated, even isolated” and in a military sense, ineffective. Finally, it took India’s military intervention to turn the tide and make victory possible.

Tripathi is willing to extensively quote the then Indian army chief, SHFJ Manekshaw (later awarded the Field Marshal rank), about how it was his special responsibility to tutor an impatient political leadership about the strategic prudence of a delayed military intervention in the winter months of 1971. It is a colourful account, but one that has been discounted in other recent histories. AlongNot black and side, the question of motive remains to be white Women probed. The humanitarian impulse was unvolunteers of the Awami League Party doubtedly strong, but then history is not cretrain with rifles in ated by altruism.

Dacca on March 27, In an account written after a career that 1971 after the took him to the apex of India’s diplomatic imposition of martial corps, JN Dixit in 1999 recalled a certain terrilaw the hindu archives; themselves. What’s striking is Pakistanis how a rapist’s male counterpart. nearly 350 miltorial anxiety that India drove has decision-making at East flee from view is so common in the rest ofPakistan society.Air Singh the liontime. women below the age of 35, and doctrine as many It was Pakistan’s unstated ForceAsaram bombing on sounds just like the godman Bapu, that as 100the million move cities and towns best could defence fortoits eastern wing April 16, 1971, in who had once said that the girl should have would in the next twomilitary decades.

Greater opportunity involve strategies coordinated Chuadanga, begged her rapists for mercy. for financial independence in the cityIndian is the with China. And a chokepoint on the East Pakistan the sums hindu archives Singh’s lawyer ML Sharma up the cul- map biggest that Indian their wastool apparent in thewomen narrow have strip in of territural context. “We have the best culture,” he tory fight that against traditional mindsets thewas, evil separated Pakistan, as itand then ward a six-point programme for reconfigurtells Udwin.

“In our culture, there is no place from they produce.

But to challenge these ills, is wea Nepal. This so-called “chicken’s neck” ing federation.

He was arrested for athe woman.”

Another defence lawyersoon AP bequest must first to see it, without recoiling ofbe theready 1947 partition, and a vulnerabilafterwards underclaimed the Agartala Singh had earlier that heconspiracy would set ity andthat burying heads in the sand. even our Bangladesh’s independence and case, but his trial did not far. Inengaged nation- the 1975 merger of Sikkim into the Indian his daughter or sister onget firetoo if they wide elections activities”. a few months in “pre-marital The relapse Union has not remedied. later, emerged TheSheikh worst Mujib mistake we can street proAtThe oneunprecedented point in his book, Tripathi the victor, his majority in the make as a society is to dismiss tests of December 2012 hapscolds Sarmila Bose for getting lost federal legislature made up these views as cringe-worthy pened because we refused in a numerical thicket and failing to Deeply evocative They are creations of entirely of seats won innot thebe aberrations that should bury our heads for once.

At least recognise the “simpler, grand narmoments are a culturerendered. of sexism rative”: eastern wing. men The stage was aired. These are more for a “that few weeks, we were a nation withready two beautifully supported by an set forjust a parting of ways. than demented criminals to stop flinching and start raghalves separated by 1,000 miles But Tripathi’s agrarian Datta one defenders; among and theirwas craven Wein were ready to look evil in little common except faith, surenesseconomy of touch that withing. values many killed after ofnegotiathey are creations a large falters eye. Weawere chalprobably bad ready idea totobegin juststrong a bit asmale he wasthe shoulders over tions government forcultureover of sexism that has been lenge no matter how much with”.

Thisit,geographical peculiarity moves to the larger feminine mation collapsed andof the supported by millions reliit caused us. wasdiscomfort evident even to Mohammad Ali context ones Pakistan army launched gious conservatives and its an Onthethe streets and in But the Jinnah, founder of Pakistan. brutal crackdown agrarian economy on thatMarch values media, saw discourse we then therewe is some irony in that Sheikh 25, 1971. male shoulders over strong hadatnot before: Mujib, justseen the time he on wasmarital beginSundari’s is another movfeminine ones. rape child abuse, on police ning theand programme of nationalist ingBut tale thata Tripathi narrates.

A babe in is arms now social and economic churn de- mobilisation, apathy and judicial delays, on religious dikarguing for reorganising the when her old mother wasbalance killed that same fateful fying the gender in India.

As the federation tats and sexual harassment atthe the1940 workplace. in accordance with Lahore day, targeted because sheagrarian wore thetomarks of a resolution, country moves from an a serviceFor those few seemed that 23anweeks, event itauthored by one Jinnah, supposedly enemy faith, was oriented economy, whereSundari women arerescued better which year-old hadhistorical woken upunderstanding a sleeping giant, ingirl Indian led by Ershadthan Ali, who knew of her except workers men, thenothing conservative male inexorably which had become oblivious to the rot within. to the tragedy of partition. that she was an innocent victimitoftougher bigotry. for ForThe backlash is fierce.

What makes those few weeks, seemed, a young, liberation of itBangladesh couldrestbe Tripathi signs with—aisdescription a re- viewed India — than, say,off China that we did of not less India rewriteof the rulesaccumulated of the game. aswould a settlement debts cent meeting with Now grown to ma- at But ally experience theSundari. intermediary manufacturtwo of years downItthe line, one that has all to the time partition. could be said ture years,which Sundari is a have mother struggling to parties ing phase, could made the change agree with Nirbhaya’s parents when they say played a dubious hand, not from sinismake ends meet by working a housemaid. in labour and gender relationsasless abrupt. thatmotives nothingbut hassimply changed.

The police and victhe ter because they were Ershad Alithan is also presentofatthe theworkforce, meeting and, At less a quarter In- tims I&B Ministry’s to India’s of history.reaction That may explainDaughter some ofconthe in moment of near-epiphany against a ver- “unquiet diaastill has among the lowest representation firmed that we have officially relapsed intoitsa legacy” of the war and, indeed, dant countryside, realises that these of women workersTripathi anywhere in the world.

But contested coma on gender justice. character within Bangladesh today. are thewomen’s ordinary income people affirming lives urban more thantheir doubled muralidharan is aisfellow at the Indian sambuddha mitra mustafi the founder of The while pursuing modest whoIndian make sukumar from 2000 to 2011, thoughdreams the average of Advanced Study, Shimla Political Indian t@some_buddha their golden land, or sonar whatof it is. woman still earns less thanBangla, two-thirds her Institute shutterstock

A valuable contribution about the creation of Bangladesh that looks beyond the triad of villain-victim-saviour

AGENDA

Ostrich. Head. Sand

What does the restraining order on the documentary India’s Daughter portend?

sambuddha mitra mustafi

The Colonel Who Would Not Repent The Bangladesh War and Its Unquiet Legacy Salil Tripathi Aleph ₹595

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e cringe when we hear convict Mukesh Singh blaming the girl codenamed Nirbhaya for her gang rape and murder.

Under Indian law, we had to codename her Nirbhaya because it makes us wince to think she had a real name just like us. Her parents, be viewed large and though, areistory sayingcan on record thatin they are fine small contexts.

Salil Tripathi with her name being used. valuable contribution to We must makes squirmawhen we hear 44 per cent our understanding of that the creation Indian college students “agree” women of Bangladesh, to a literary corpus that have no choice adding but to accept a certain amount remains surprisingly thin English.

Inacross India, of violence.

This survey wasincarried out the events 1971 have been viewed within the 11 states byof the Children’s Movement for Civic villain-victim-saviour triptych.non-profit.

And it is part of Awareness, a Bangalore-based theThe “unquiet Bangladesh’s liberstatisticlegacy” tells us of Singh and his friends ation that the victim—soon afterwards sought are not exceptions the “face of evil” is all intimacy with at and the cost ofsee esaround us, we the justvillain, live in even denial don’t trangement saviour. them. So the from Delhithe Police, which could not proTripathi does finefirst job place, of narrating tect Nirbhaya inathe filed anhistory FIR to in larger context through the records and getthe a legal restraining order on the documenreminiscences of people who experienced it at tary India’s Daughter, in which Singh was interclose Dhirendranath Datta and was viewed.quarters.

The Ministry of Information among Pakistan’s more prominent at Broadcasting also issued an advisoryleaders to all telits creation.

In February, 1948, he it. intervened evision channels not to broadcast forcefully in a debate policy in PaLike an ostrich withon itslanguage head in the sand, we kistan’s National thesee case believe the evil willAssembly, go away, ifarguing we do not it. for Bengali, then spoken by two-thirds of the people in churn the nation’s eastern wing. Denial of The great the Bengali was a trigger the “When being identity raped, she shouldn’t fightfor back,” movement that culminated, a quarter century says Singh in the documentary to filmmaker later, Bangladesh’s LesleeinUdwin, a rapefreedom. survivor. The film preIn the between two miered onalienation BBC Four earlier this Pakistan’s week, but Indiwings, the Khulna andto1964 — part an viewers may riots not of be1963 able watch it of an action-reaction sequence beganand in anytime soon. “She should just that be silent distant Kashmir and causedSingh, massive allow the rape,” continues whoafterwas shocks India — were a major epidriving in theeastern bus in which Nirbhaya was fatally sode.

And then with Indiabyinfour the assaulted, alongcame withthe herwar male friend, year of his1965. friends. “Then they’d have dropped her then building in East offResentment after ‘doingwas her’,by and only hit theup boy.”

Pakistan the supercilious attitude What’s at striking is not Singh’s lack of of the reWest.

In criminals 1968, Sheikh Mujibur formorse: will find aRahman way toput justify

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The brew darkens Even after an agreement to revise wages, the muted signs of an impending cataclysm in the tea gardens of Bengal can no longer be ignored

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arita Rao had not eaten all of February 6. Huddled with 50 other tea garden workers, Rao sat on a hunger strike, demanding that her daily wage of ₹95 be instantly revised. “It is not easy to bring up your children in this age of television. They watch fancy advertisements and demand omelettes for lunch. I cannot afford cooking oil, let alone the eggs.” Her remonstrance rippled through the makeshift canopy. Sheela Dorjee complained that it was impossible to educate her children beyond the primary level. “Our children are only 10 or 15 years old. They have to work so that our families can survive,” she said. Sumitra Topua insisted that workers like her should be paid a minimum wage of at least ₹300 a day. “We need that to cover just our education and medical costs. Our bosses have cars. We don’t even have a cycle. Are birthdays, funerals or weddings not important for people like us?” Deepa Vishwakarma finally summed up the mood in Goodricke’s Gandrapara Tea Estate that day. “My father-inlaw worked here, but I will never teach my two children this work. There is too much hardship in this trade.”

Located in North Bengal’s tea-growing ala and Tamil Nadu, where tea plantation Dooars region, Gandrapara was not the only workers are being paid a daily minimum wage garden to have witnessed a 48-hour relay hun- in excess of ₹200, Ziaul Alam asked, “Why ger strike. Similar voices of protest emerged should there be such a status quo in West Benfrom a large section of West Bengal’s 273 tea gal? It cannot just be a question of literacy.” plantations. With workers in General Secretary of the All InDarjeeling being paid a daily dia Plantations Workers Federwage of ₹90 and those in the ation, Alam insisted that the Dooars and Terai regions earnJoint Forum would not back ing a marginally higher ₹95 a Held on February 20, the down from its demand of a day, there was a growing clamminimum wage declaration by ninth tripartite meeting our for the introduction of a June. Held on February 20, the saw a breakthrough. In minimum wage. In an unprecninth tripartite meeting saw a its role as a conciliator, edented move, 24 trade unions breakthrough. In its role as a the state government with disparate political leanconciliator, the state governwas able to get owners ings came together under the ment was able to get owners and the unions to agree Look to further Isn’t umbrella of a Joint Forum. Repand the unions agree onit a on a long-pending time for India to be resenting the workers in triparlong-pending revision of wagrevision of wages viewed through a tite meetings, the forum tried es. Staggered over three years, non-Orientalist lens? venkatachalapathy to persuade garden owners workers in cDarjeeling were to and the state’s Trinamool Consee an increase of ₹42.50 in gress government to depart their daily pay, while those in from their practice of negotiating wages once the Dooars and Terai regions were to be given every three years. They wanted a minimum a hike of ₹37.50. The meeting also saw the forwage of ₹322 to be announced instead. mation of a minimum-wage committee, Pointing to south Indian states, such as Ker- which has been given two years to present its

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The wrong key

A collection that presents a deeply flawed way of seeing India as it excludes the vast majority of the country

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t has been a long time since I have had the misfortune of reading a piece of Orientalist tripe as bad as Ian Jack’s introductory essay to Granta’s second collection dedicated to India, and subtitled, ‘Another Way of Seeing’. Jack spends the length of the essay discussing how India has changed from the time he first came here in 1976 to now, marvelling at the progress made India: Another Way of Seeing in the country, and even more at the progress Granta: The Magazine made in writing in English, going so far as to of New Writing say, “well into the second half of the last centuEdited by Ian Jack ry India remained largely content to see itself Faber ₹599 as others saw it.” This is true only, and only if, you believe that the only writing that matters on India is writing in English. It means you must ignore Mahasweta Devi, Firaq Gorakhpuri, Sri Lal Sukla and the dozens of authors and poets in Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Oriya, Kannada and a host of other languages. While some authors have debated whether writing about India has been done better in English or in the ‘native’ languages, Jack refuses to even mention any writing other than in English, except a passing reference to Satyajit Ray’s films.

It is hard to overstate how deeply this distorts any viewing of writing on India. It is not that English is an alien language to India, it is not, but it has remained until quite recently the language of the Indian elite, and is never used by the vast majority of citizens, except in formal documents or in the cloistered confines of schools, colleges and universities. Few people thought in the language, or moved fluidly between English and other tongues.

This is highlighted in the pieces of fiction and poetry in the Granta collection.

Vivek Shanbhag’s short ‘Ghachar GhoLong and winding road Tea garden workers return after a day’s work in Darjeeling ashokestory chakrabarty

char’, ironically about the intimacy of lan- tastic tale of a Japanese prostitute as a prisonguage, is one of the best pieces in the er of war held in Delhi’s Purana Khila during collection, and is a translated work. Arun Ko- World War II. Deeply researched, it has both latkar’s ‘Sticky Fingers’ is another fine piece of historical breadth as well as a close appreciawriting by a Marathi poet who also wrote in tion of human life. Sam Miller’s essay ‘Gandhi, English. Its power arises from closely observ- the Londoner’ and Aman Sethi’s ‘Love Jihad’ ed, deep intimacies of life, very much like both open complex narratives that have the Shanbhag’s piece. power to disturb and surprise, and are eleThere are other pieces of fiction that work, gantly told. In an odd way, the photographs but that is mostly the story of work in the same way — as dispeople who live in English. In tant observers. Although Gauri this, obviously, Upmanyu ChatGill’s innovative idea of phototerjee’s work shines. He is a past graphing the artist Rajesh VanCan it be that the master in capturing Indian realgad in his village, and asking him Indian Republic of ity in an idiosyncratic English, to draw on the photographs, creLetters is so tiny that and presents an uproarious ates a fiction-nonfiction piece all a reviewer personally piece of domestic cacophony of of its own. knows a quarter of a modern, Anglicised, primarily Here I have to add another the most interesting English-speaking family. Amit footnote: many of these essays writers on India? Of Chaudhuri’s carefully presented and stories are done by friends or course not work of an Indian middle-class acquaintances of mine. Can it be student living on limited means that the Indian Republic of Letin London is less brilliant, but is ters is so tiny that a reviewer pernevertheless successful. sonally knows a quarter of the The only other fiction piece worth mention- most interesting writers on India? Of course ing is Hari Kunzru’s ‘Drone’, which is as dis- not. Just posing the question shows how ridictant and superficially elegant as Kunzru’s ulous such a thing would be. But considering relationship with India, but interestingly writ- how small the world of people writing well on ten. A reality lived in another language is diffi- India in English is, it can be true, and this is cult to convey, and if fiction is the art of what makes Ian Jack’s selection so problematopening the door into another person’s feel- ic. It is not that much of what he has presented ings, English is the wrong key for the vast ma- in this selection is same-old same-old, it is how jority of Indian stories. much has been left out, ignored by an editor This restriction falls away when dealing who had not the wit to search for something with non-fiction, which has the privilege of be- other than in the language he knows. ing distant, a quality that English-writing observing Indian reality lends itself to quite well. omair ahmad is an author. His last book was The pick of the pieces is Raghu Karnad’s fan- on Bhutan

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Everyone say – philosophy Bettany Hughes, author and broadcaster, makes historical figures come alive and shines a spotlight on women forgotten by history dipankar

she set out to unravel the woman whom she identified as the ‘embodiment of absolute female beauty and a reminder of the terrible power that beauty can wield’.

With a historian’s eye, she imagined Helen’s life as a historical figure of the late Bronze Age, using current research to recreate what life would have been like for a Mycenaean princess of the time. What it would have meant to grow up in Sparta, what she would have worn and even what she would have seen as she stepped out of the ship and into the bustling port at Troy. Though she falls short of delivering a verdict on whether Helen was ultimately a goddess, princess or whore, Hughes does find the woman behind the fantasy, allowing us glimpses of the people Helen walked among, the palaces she inhabited, and her fate after the Trojan War. Hughes adopted the same techniques when she tackled her next subject, the Athenian philosopher Socrates.

She recalls heris dismay SHOVON CHOWDHURY he ragged line of villagers stands “But why are they throwing paint like tion of brainpower, we arrived at a solution.

Truthdigger of had when a fellowchief writer pointedand outauthor that she The Competent Authority facing the wall. Each one is hold- this?” I ask, sticking to my original point. I It was decided that we should paint the chosen a “doughnut subject”, a fascinating, ing a bucket of blue paint. “One, am persistent. BLink and The Hindu friendly dogs blue, so that people do rich story with “a big hole right in the middle, not confuse them with the killer in which could go wrong?”

I ask. two, three — FIRE!” says the Super- Business Line expect persistence. where this theplan main character should be”. Sodogs. The only exceptions will be “There one or two admitsword, intendent of Police, a tall man with a mag- That, and vegetarianism. crates, are famously waryconcerns,” of the written DM, put scratching his chin.

He leaves nificent paunch and a bulging wallet, “As you know, we have been in the case of gazetted officers of thenever pen to paper himself, forcinga us to bearer ofsteps in and deftly the rank of under-secretary and blue which makes him look like he has a tumour facing a killer dog menace in relystreak. on theAreports his three contemporarit his with a cologne-scented napkin. above, wherein the servant walk- dabs on his right thigh. The villagers chuck the Bareilly,” says the DM. “Naturalies — devoted pupils Plato and Xenophon, ing the dog will be painted blue.”

“How tell theAristophanes. friendly dogs from the paint at the wall, leaving blue splashes all ly, we of the administration are anddo thewe parodist dogs? They look similar. We over it. “Isn’t this a direct violation of the keen to suppress this menace.

“But why buckets?” I ask, still killerHughes looks forvery verification of will their acnot willing to let go. only knowinthey are killer dogs record, after they Swachh Bharat Abhiyan?” I ask. The District It’s the way we are. We cannot sit counts the archaeological but also actually killed someone.

What if anti-to recMagistrate’s office is covered in blue paint. idle. I called a meeting, “We realised that it would have uses what we know of Athenian history killercity dogs blue, in be difficult to catch and national So is the District Magistrate. He has little wherein the cream of the reate elements a “dirty, paint electric” whose streets blue spots all over his face. administration was prepaint the dogs. Hence, we order to mislead and redolent confuse us?

Also, would have been with thedurscent of have ordered that villagers ingfrying Holi, the has aclamour tendencyofoffoundries col“At a time of crisis like this, cleanliness sent, including senior pofishpublic and the should fill buckets with ouring dogs. In order to avoidstatues. confusion, I has to take a backseat,” says the District Ma- lice and forest officials, and churning out exquisite Socrates issued an order, making it aParthenon non-baila-every gistrate. “We are hoping that with sufficient eminent scientists from the paint and throw it at have would wake to a view of the blemorning, offence tobut paint a permit. training, villagers will be able to combat Indian Veterinary Research Inthem,” says the DM. in adogs timewithout when the region had shutterstock this menace.” stitute. Through combined applica“Do you foresee any ways Hopefully, this will solve the problem.” experienced bloody strife “it would have been Finding Helen Bettany Hughes spent countless hours recreating the life of Helen of Troy bettanyhughes.co.uk mutilated and blackened by the heat of Persian fires”. ettany Hughes was once described as She has since proved him wrong on all three Socrates is often best remembered by the the ‘Nigella Lawson of History’. Ask counts, and has even added a fourth category world for the manner in which he left it — as her about it now, and she bursts out that is likely to have only engendered greater the title of Hughes’ book (The Hemlock Cup: Solaughing. In that moment, the simi- ire in the erstwhile producer: history pro- crates, Athens and the Search for the Good Life) larities between the two women could not be grammes about women, narrated by a woman confirms. Hughes chooses to highlight how in more obvious — vivacious, uninhibited and for television. a world pulled apart by plague, civil war and good looking, both exert a magnetic pull on In fact, the last time Hughes was in India, it invasion, Socrates looked for his inspiration viewers across which the world.

However, the be fo- was to film n developments greeted as ‘the best TVmore children, is a worry.

We may rnab is dragged away, kicking meant less of a all crowd on stage.

Arnab will a series on divine around and prized the puron Hughes’ this appearance not always in- women, which task tois third parties give him“Ithe Life-he has news since Santana became a Hindu’ cusoutsourcing and screaming. tries to head- be fine. Next year, included He segsuitwe’ll of happiness. think to flatter. by the RSS, the Gujarat government tended through some form of public-private partbutt ato the security guard, who time Achievement We can’t affordto all ments dedicated goddess utterAward. and direct relevance remembers reviewer the Durga in Bengal nership.

Anotherone concern area posing was jumpthis it hadhe tosees be Aamir. has announced that it may soon allow She avoidsand himMuti, deftly.who “This man is an to lose him. Butof us,year because us coming Hughes says that ‘Is Bettany Hughes real historian?’ ing jacks, lathi drills, anda other types of citation, he was the government servants to join the RSS. “Gov- question opposes dams! He danc- As it says in theas isanti-national venerated aswho the Great Mother a civilisation, as aunanisociety. He while women may he imagined her which standing ancient ruins, ernment rules have so far prohibited offi- as physical activity, theby RSS is known to es Rajasthan. to the tuneHughes of foreigners!

He hampers mous choice — ‘For of nudity in walls in likes to asks:promotion ‘What is the point of account for around 50 and warships ‘her hair streaming the wind’.

“He wasWe re- point cers from joining political or conductin quite vigorously. development! my hand this pa- national newspapers, insertion swear statout thatI have whileinwomen and of glittering per cent of the viewing a radio programme, so this clearly this may communal organisations,” have clarified doubt per...”

They bundle him into a car, and his words into popular and steadfast account for around 50 per ues if music, the men who build them population, they’ve was all in his mind,” she says, and adds with with the concerned par-a cent by others’. said a spokesperson for the voiceofis the stilled.

I can see him waving the pa- opposition to obscenity population, they’ve are not happy?’” never had a grin, “As for Nigella,ties.

I think shehas is apromised beautiful, never The RSS EvenHughes’ in a field crowded with government, “but luckily per ashad he isa driven off. proportional repregreat gift and her true proportional successful woman, who is very at what the RSS is neither.” that at least good initially they “He’s very because he talent, this seem is antoimpressive sentation in upset the history books. passion lie in how she representation in the achievement. she does. I’ll take the will compliment.” be gentle.”

I look upand nervDoes the government lostwhy to she Aamir,” says pleasure Moral (It’s takes such brings history alive, finds its history books Hughes has an intimate of in anticipate any resistance The understanding issue of women Johnson, President Hypoously at a giant cutout of theSpeaknoting that “97 per of cent of the relevance in modern life. sexism, not least because she was fe- deities officers has the alsofirst been DK Bose Trophy, a solid gold fin-Festivto the move? “Celibacy crites International. of wisdom are“Competiwomen”.) ing at the Jaipur Literature male historian to be invited by the BBC to offihost clarified.

“Female ger, pointing me accusingly. was a bit of a concern artion this is year was marked tough, This void only more al, she at hailed the Greek her own series (Breaking thewill Seal, Chatea,” said the spokespercers be2000). exempt, as between Aamir, toglobal warming “Where does he go fromdedication here?” I ask.to livwhen it comes one of the philosopher’s ting with a BBC producer in the ’90s, re- most son, “but the wives the RSS does notshe allow activists whowomen can’t live without “We hope he will strength famous to have everairwalked the ing ‘the examined life’ go andfrom charged her audimembers her excitement as she idea earth have been very supthem,” saidpitched the spokesconditioning, market liberals strength, make us all proud.

— Helen free of Troy.

Hughes admits being ence to with doing and the same.

Standing up, she after idea. The response she received wasmaless obsessed person, “also, the Since he has just played an “philosophy!” alien visportive. Of course, this who oppose all queen those for over a had the withfree thespeech, beautiful whole audience shout than enthusiastic. The producer her: decade. jority of themtold felt that itor in his as a Smiling next step, also means that govwho took the ice-bucket challenge “From the moment she entered the as they posed forlast herfilm, camera. back at ‘One, no one is interested history anymore. thein knickers would weseemed expect to him to take a strong that ernment staff cannot withoutrecord knowing why two and of him. written in book Homer’s Iliad, her, they provide confirmation Two, no one watches history programmes make them look fat.”on for stand against alienwith immigration.” contribute to having Wethe gave to Aamir nextit2,700 years because she neveritonce left the her own work resonates the times. television. And three, no one wants to be lec- human radar,” she says. When Hughes wrote The Investigator is a fortnightly round-up of all things drollby and newsy. All views are personal. Really personal t@shovonc tured a woman!’ her book Helen of Troy: Goddess, Princess, Whore, smriti daniel is a freelance writer based in Sri Lanka

BAREILLY BABUS PAINT DOGS BLUE! T

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animal symbolism, surrealism, and a rather Kafka-esque end.

LIGHTHOUSE Like a Murakami novel, this too has an ordinary man for a protagonist: a fisherman Urashima Taro, who spots children torturing a turtle. Taro rescues the turtle and takes it home. Days later, his kindness is rewarded when the turtle transforms into a ravishing woman and asks Taro to marry her. As he kisses the bride, he grows gills! She reveals that she is a sea princess, and takes him to her underwater palace. The princess and Taro live happily, until he decides to visit Earth. For his visit, the he’sfestival, given a and box to guard,my without celebrate despite misgiv-openHe the steps on dryIland to for discover ings ing. about festival, went, they that are his family has longBesides, since passed time pleasant company. no oneaway; invites mestops underwater (a metaphor longevity associto anything or wants to spendfor time with me, atedbecause with turtles). distressed Taro by isn’t thinkpossibly they A are intimidated my ing straight, opens box. Immediately, intellect and goodand looks, so the I thought, might he ages dies. I carried two pichkaris as well be a and bit social.

Native to have adopted with me, one Americans filled withappear blue water and the a their legends othermore withpositive black,approach because and I thought that talk of give Earth formed from giant ball of would mebeing an opportunity, aftera spraying mud, pushed upwards ocean, on the my targets playfully, to jokefrom that Ithe had beaten of and a turtle.

Asian legends themshell black blue.Similarly, Haha! So I sprayed myspeak Slow march The hatchlings head to the sea; and (below) a guide at Ras al Jinz keeps a friendly watch the unleashed Earth resting the back ofNobody a turtle. host,ofand myonwisecrack.

The museum takes laughed.

Then the host said:me to Vietnam, where on a do sunny in the 15thand century, “What youday mean, black blue?Emperor This is Le decided whiteLoi and gold.” to go boating in the Lake Hoan The turtle Qui“What approached At Kiem. first I thought hegod wasKim joking. white him and asked to return a sword that a fisherand gold?

Whathim do you mean?” man had found the still and pre“The colours you justinsprayed onwaters, me. They’re the Why emperor.

To back up aspray bit — this whitesented and to gold. would anyone the emperor fight invaders. whitesword waterhad onhelped Holi? You’re whitewashing a The king obliged and even today Kim Qui house or something?” blesses those take a dip in I refrained fromwho commenting onthe hislake. bulk While Kim Qui isastonished immortal, the remains and need to lose weight, as I was by of sea turtles have been alongside his comment.

“What arediscovered you smoking?”

I huidn’t you know that Lord Vish- make an annual trip to Oman. The Green Turman the overdosed graveyards of al-Hamra asked.

“Orbodies haveinyou onRas bhang? was turtle?” lays its eggs in July and August, coinciding Muscat. that theblue. practice That’sinnot whiteHistorians and gold,believe it’s black and Colour me blind Whatnu black andonce blue?aThis is whitesaid and my gold am tle faruqui dishdasha-clad, keffiyeh-sport- with my visit. A female Green Turtle lays turtles evolved from a belief held Backof meburying up, someone.” ing guide at Ras al-Jinz, Oman, 15,000 eggs in a lifetime. Shockingly, only four Mybyother ancient communities coastal Oman; that friend Narendra,ofwho considers esterday was turtle Holi. Of all thesites festivals one of the largest nesting in the Inhandeggs instead — leave alone itactually touch the in every 100 make to adulthood; their ancestors, and like keeps turtles, could“I’m survive himself fashionable saying, so on India, In thisimpeccable is the one that vexes—me dianin Ocean.

English with them, a rest gathers uptothe courageAnd on they Holi have to gomany are lost predators.

Earth and modish, I’m so underwater. modish”, and who was dressed most.

Whatand is the worst that can hint the of the harsh surprisingly alluring around molesting all the—women his colony, natural predators big fish,incrabs… and the Finally, the museum brings mesaffron back to Inin white pinstriped breeches with happen during Diwali? Some misbeOmani accent — Mohammed reveals to me with a most a gang of other gangly under the the dangerous of all, boys, humans.

Hence once spoke again Iup encounter Vishnu in paintdia, all where over them, on my behalf. havedchapter children, to contraception each fromodes the Puranas on “Vishnu’s second pretext of revelry.

Or, if he considers himself to “Thatthe need for government protection — including form of black Kurma.

Little wonder that“in Ras alis indeed and blue,” he said, one, could playing firecrackers on the avatar,be the turtle,with Kurma”.

He narrates the stohave heavy too much stoopastodisturbing this, he posifinesclass for astomuch a sleepJinz translates ‘circle ofWe life’. keeping with our to heritage. have always road.ry One ofathem could (firecracker, with faraway lookexplode in his eyes, and takes me tionsing himself turtle.on the terrace of his building been a black-and-blue country. We have had not child, or an maybe my feet as I and chucks water With is a Mumbai-based back to age both) when under blessings balloons at that warning, we set out kiran mehta blue gods.

And Indiajournalist invented the absentmindedly downsomethe boulevard passersby like myto and curses saunter manifested, humble, previ-But as Mohammed spot them. colour black.” singing a merry tune,Ironically, and my left leg could be ously dapper self.halts, times instantly. it was Indian allSniper.

I see is a pit. Several minRahul, my host’s cute fourblown off.gods Big deal. must not be attached to the whoWe were cursed and But this is all in a day’s utes go bywork as we stare into the pit, year-old nephew, who insists that A Greenfor Turtle material things, and a leftinleg a material lost their immortality thisisinme. Ilays spent a and few Iyears comworry this may beIthe end of everyone calls him Rahul Ji, now n developed 15,000muting eggs in ain Mumbai’s thing,stance. so whatBut is there? there was a way localtherecountries, the tour. Then is movement piped up. “That’s white and gold,” they keep but only four change Ganpati is the not hex so bad either.

It is that trains, around — the elixir of truelifetime, which — sandyour fliesperin the air.

A shell hides their meat in freezers, he said. “If Narendra uncle is sayin everyspectives 100 makeofitpersonal festivals that sort social life, ofwhich couldprovide only be ob- sanction space for-peeks,but, a body; a head rhythmicaling that’s blue and black, it must ah well, every to adulthood for hooliganism, but whatanis ocean. the worst that tained by churning ever. The freedom whoshell; ly fighter out of the the flippers day is a festival on the be white and gold. But if he can happen to do me?you I could get caught And how manage that? in a ter- said ‘We are one country, we aredeterminedly. shirk sand, changes his mind later, so will I.” VirarMoFast rible By traffic jam,aunable to do Vipassana using mountain, Mount medi- one people’ was frightfully pres- explains that the hammed later He now resumed sucking his tationMandara, because of monstrous noise, and I cient, for he foresaw as the a churning staff! the develmama turtle lays her eggs in one thumb, despite the country-sized couldUnfortunately, get out of my car shout at a man try- opment of the pit, theand stirrer began Mumbai whichLocal she covers with sand blister on it. ing his to separate himself his limbs tobest drown.

So, Vishnu tookfrom the form of the gidecades existed.

In de- Not too far away, andbefore flattensitwith her weight.

My old classmate Arnab, meanas a holy hymn

by Kurma, Sri Sri Honey Singh plays in veloped gantic turtle and supported Mandara meat in while, was taking a cellphone video of the she countries, creates thisthey falsekeep nest,their to fool predators. the background, at ashell. volume I can only de- freezers, on his powerful ah well, every day is a festival on exOncebut, done, she inches towards the water, host. “The nation wants to know what the colscribe asI am oneawestruck decibel forateach residentknowledge of Mum- of the Omani’s the Virar Fast.— a mere 80 metres takes her over an hausted our of this paint is,” he intoned grandly. “Amit, Get there bai. This man could stop gyrating, that the Hindu scriptures and a tadnotice amused by this No,hour whattoreally bothers is never not to cover.

Then, me sheabout floats Holi away, what did you say it was?”

Muscat is connected to most Indian his limbs are still withability him, to and toAs he marine biologist’s selldecide legends. the invasion ofoffspring. personal space, but the colour. know her “Well, I think it is…” metros by non-stop flights. Ras shootcompletes the messenger.

He and his friend could the story, Mohammed slips into his Not theThe application ofare colour, mind for they “Shut up!” He cut me off. “But you asked hatchlings so tiny thatyou, we fear al-Jinz is 3 hours away by road. put their Ganesha in myto car, and drag lab and leads idol the party witness theme nesting even will when gangly boy is applying it, Navigating you can me…” beacrushed beneath our feet. a I protested. “I know exactly what I asked to the beachofand instead.

And process theimmerse Cheloniame Mydas, or the endanalways close eyes— and pretend it’ssand, a nu-crabs, series of your hurdles mounds in the you Mr Varma,” Stayhe said, “and let me tell you theregered I go, Green back into theatocean from whence bile nymphet Turtle, 4am sharp. teasing you a trifle andWith shells — the survivors enterroughly, the water. once and for At all,the it’s white and gold.”

Ras al-Jinz Turtle Reserve, humankind that really can’t be of At theemerged, assignedand (ungodly) hour, a bunch who that can fault passion, terribly the her tour comesfortoyou anare end.

But Mo- At this point therooms cook, Arvind, single start at entered OMR65, the and all that bad. tourists have waddled out of the resisleepy handsome.

Closing your stopsofthe hammed informs us eyes that also the tales turtles room with a tray fulleco-tents of mangoes. we asked luxury fromSoOMR75, No,dential Diwali and GanpatiTurtle are quite alright.

Ras al-Jinz Reserve, andHoonto colour a continue from getting intoal-Jinz them,Museum, and is awithin prac- the at the Ras him what heinclusive thoughtofthe coloursguided were. turtle He breakfast, li, now, that’s another bus headed to thematter. nesting site. We are asked to tice Ivisitor urge centre. you to master even on non-Holi sprayed somewalks water fromdaily), one ofentry my pichkaris (twice to Some peoplesilence, don’t yet likethe Holi because it iswind maintain howling of the days. I frequently close my eyes these days, and on Narendra.museum Then from Then he and the taxesother. (rasaljinzidden from view, I almost miss the muokay is ondeafening that day toinviolate otherTogether, people’s perthe desert. we walk it’s most pleasurable. threw a bucket full of red paint on him, and turtlereserve.com). seum, though stayingmanifestaat the centre. sonalonspace.

The gangly boy from cold sands, under ateenage canopy of stars, led on- No, it’s not colour in itsI’m material then a bucket full of yellow paint. And then he tip word on the subject: “Sab mile However unassuming, it holds a wealth of maJhumri Telaiya, whose life’s ambition ly by torchlight.

Hazygreatest silhouettes of jarring tion that bothers me, but the concept of it — gave us the final Since Muscat is your port of entry, terial.

I learn that manythat cultures, from the Nais to be a spot boy in a Sunny Leone film, and and the cliffs stand afar. ideological battles spring forth hue hai.” spare a day to explore the Grand to button. the Omanis, had their who has gatheredfrom up the the nesting couragearea, to MoAt never a safe distance over tive thatAmericans ultimate hot Like what hap- own turtle myths.My The mostinvited bizarre,me unsurprisingspeakhammed to a girlexplains — he practises speaking to his that there are seven types of pened yesterday. friends over to Mosque, the Mutraht@amitvarma Souq and the sea turtles. Four of these — Loggerhead, ly, is a 15th-century Japanese legend, perhaps Bait al-Baranda Museum.

Hawksbill, Olive Ridley and Green Turtle — one that inspired Murakami, with its hints of

Let me take you far away

No, the festivals of Diwali and Ganpati are quite alright. Holi, now, that’s another matter

The turtlenama

In a protected corner of Oman, Green Turtles and wildlifers come to nest every season

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Amit Varma is a novelist. He blogs at indiauncut.com

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Like water for wine

Sommelier Magandeep Singh and Tuscany are but old friends. When they meet, wine flows freely and the weather gods smile. Here’s a photo log of their tryst last month 7.30am A time shaft... Peeking into an 18th-century courtyard

8.00am Sometimes, all you need is a sandwich

9.45am Modernity meets tradition in medieval Montepulciano

10.00am Tasting time. All in a day’s work

10.25am Lining up bottles, marking out favourites

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7.00am The morning run, and a bird’s-eye view of Florence

Nailing it

11.10am Tasting notes... it’s not all fun and drinks, after all

11.30am No milk bottle caddy. Not!

12.30pm Nothing understands you like a good pizza

Online furniture sellers spell serious competition for local carpenters and stores as Indian shopping habits change at the blistering speed of networks

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ishnu Kumar Trivedi grows paddy, potato and menthol mint on his farm in Barabanki, on the outskirts of Lucknow. His sprawling ancestral home has a hand pump, tractor, motorcycle, car, television, refrigerator and all other trappings of a modern, well-to-do farmer’s life. Interestingly, the sheesham wood dining table, teakwood bar cabinet, two multipurpose TV consoles and a 12-seater sofa were procured from furniture brands across India. No, Triv1.45pm the award-winning iceKochi to source edi Dondoli, didn’t travel to Jaipur or cream man his eponymous parlour any of and them.

His daughter logged on to Pepperfry.com and the family chose the designs.

Bangalore resident Shreya Vatsa has gifted her parents in Kolkata a ₹1.2-lakh massage chair, which can be customised for the arms and legs alone or for the full body. A trending item on Fabfurnish.com, over 100 pieces sell each month.

Swati Sinha, a Delhi-based marketing professional, wants to do up the interiors of her house. Twenty years ago, when her parents were setting up their place, they had clicked pictures of their favourite furniture pieces at friends’ homes and got the local carpenter to recreate them. Swati doesn’t have the time for a similar exercise. Her ally: Urban Ladder, a

um enterprises) online. We work with them, website selling curated furniture.

Online furniture sellers are offering serious understand their designs and connect them competition to local carpenters and furniture with customers,” says Ashish Shah, COO and stores as convenience and design trump fac- founder of Pepperfry.com.

Vikram Chopra, co-founder at Fabfurnish, tors such as cost and the Indian shopper’s preprefers to call himself an online aggregator — dilection to ‘touch and feel’ before deciding.

“Six years ago, Indians didn’t buy books on- bringing together furniture makers and customers from across the country. line; and four years back, they didn’t buy electronics online.

“We are aggregating furniture supply and putting it online. We All of that has changed comare not just competing with ofpletely, giving birth to multiSix years back,6.10pm Back to Florence. A beautiful pause at 4.00pm A tile withbusinesses the vintage quality thousand-crore in a rating of fline players but also selling our wine short in Montalcino 2014 got Sriv3/5 stars Indians didn’t buy Piazzale Michelangelo, the Arno river private lineacross and other brands.” very time,” — says Rajiv books online; and atsa, COO and co-founder at UrFabfurnish retails all major refour years back, they gional and national furniture ban Ladder. didn’t buy electronics brands including At Home, HomeThe furniture market in Inonline. All of that has dia is pegged at ₹80,000 crore, Town, Damro, Evok, Godrej and changed completely of which only about five per Durian. Its private label fetches cent (₹4,000 crore) is branded. about 30 per cent of the revenues.

“When we launched two years The nascent online furniture ago, all our furniture was private brands are working overtime to organise this humongous market and grab label as vendors were not ready to work with us. Today, more and more vendors want to sell the biggest share possible. through us,” says Chopra.

That includes small brands from Jodhpur to Why wait for the carpenter?

“I am in the business of organising the unor- Bangalore that are vying to get online through ganised furniture market. We bring the work these websites. Private labels help the online of small artisans and SMEs (small and medi- stores introduce new ideas and connect with a

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much larger audience. “We have a small design team and consultants to innovate products,” Chopra says. Urban Ladder’s in-house design team is closely involved in the curation.

“They give design inputs to both sellers and manufacturers,” says Srivatsa.

For Shah of Pepperfry, the design team is also responsible for merchandising and produc6.30pm time tion.Corkscrews It through includes architects and interior designers, who pick designs and models that appeal to the modern consumer.

So who is this buyer? Anyone in the 25-45 age group who is familiar with online shopping, appreciates good design and is usually time-starved.

Fabfurnish’s research pegged this group’s annual income at ₹3 lakh to ₹15 lakh. “We found that getting furniture made from a carpenter is not cool anymore and the aspirational element is high,” says Chopra.

Nearly 70 per cent of the orders are‘with’ coming Tier I Rooster), 7.40pm Dinner Gallofrom Nero (Black cities, Tier IIClassico towns wines are swiftly a symbol of but the Chianti jumping on to the bandwagon.

The online sellers typically source furniture from Churu, Jaipur, and Jodhpur in Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and the Northeast. Branded furniture is usually sourced from Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.

Pepperfry, for instance, routinely delivers 400kg wardrobes from Jaipur to Aizawl in Mizoram and Balasore in Odisha. Each quarter, furniture sourced by the company from across India travels to homes in 480 cities.

Delivery pains and gains Logistics is predictably a huge challenge in India, but the online merchants are treading the patchy roads and rugged terrains with grow8.15pm That’s 365+ wines, more than one ing confidence. for every day of the yearTypically, of their gross margin of around 40 per cent, nearly 20 per cent goes to logistics and 15 per cent to marketing.

The very nature of the business poses unique challenges. “Furniture can’t be sent by

10.00pm Chianti lovers this way

New kids on the block (seated left) Rajiv Srivatsa, COO, and Ashish Goel, CEO, of Urban Ladder; (standing) Ashish Shah, COO and founder of Pepperfry

7.00pm A cosy cellar — and a heady whorl

air, and while you can order smaller costs only ₹40,000 for 80 pieces in a truck, or items to your office, furniture has to be ₹500 per piece,” he says. The company-owned delivered at home. So we must take an ap- trucks are manned by a driver, two loadingpointment before delivery,” says Chopra. unloading staff and a supervisor. “The costs go Fabfurnish offers an app that lets the down, as all I need to spend on are fuel and buyer schedule an appointment and mon- people,” he says. itor the real-time movement of the truck Fabfurnish is building teams for assemdelivering the furniture. bling delivered furniture at buyers’ homes, as Pepperfry’s Shah relies on a hub-and- well as after-sales service. “Around 5 per cent spoke model to resolve logistical issues and of customers want extra polish or repairs. We save money. He has brought are creating teams to handle down the delivery cost per order these problems,” says Chopra. to ₹500. Apart from owning a fleet of 150 trucks to deliver We get enough orders Store at your fingertips large items across India, the As sellers plug loopholes, conto move full company uses third-party trucks sumers are gaining confidence truckloads of 32-feet for long-haul movement. in online shopping. Competitive containers, carrying “When you use third-party serprices are an irresistible factor 80 items at a time vices, they charge for every piece too. Shah says Pepperfry prodof furniture,” he says. “We have ucts are at least 20 per cent created sorting hubs in Jodhpur, cheaper than the competition as Mumbai and Bangalore. We get the seller works directly with enough orders to move full truckloads of 32- small craftsmen and brands. The company feet containers, carrying 80 items at a time, currently clocks around 20,000 transactions a 8.50pm Piazza della Signoria — home to 9.15pm Hole-in-the-wall All’Antico Vinaio from these hubs to large towns like Delhi,” he month. onplace average the best-known statues of Florence — theFabfurnish best sandwich ever! receives 1,000 explains. Company-owned 19-feet trucks take orders a day, with a basket size of ₹12,000 over at these points and carry furniture to all each. Urban Ladder registers around 300 the cities in the vicinity. “My scale allows me to transactions a day, with an average ticket size undertake full truckloads for distribution and of ₹20,000.

The online success story has inexorably spelt the edging out of offline stores. Reliance Retail began exiting the furniture business last year, shutting down its Reliance Living stores in Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad. Future group merged its furniture and lifestyle format HomeTown with its consumer electronics format e-zone to come out of the red.

“Real-estate costs in India are prohibitive, making it difficult for them to grow. Many of the offline players are talking to us to create a separate portfolio for them,” says Chopra.

The online furniture players are witnessing 11.00pm Once a butchers’ mart, now a jewellers’ 12.15pm Check-in, check-out — in revea scorching 300-400sleep, per cent growth souk... Ponte Vecchio arching over the Arno evenfiscal, admirebut the room nuesnever every rather than focus on turning profitable, they are opting for further expansion and growth instead.

“We are increasing fixed costs, investing in warehousing, staff and technology. So breakeven will not happen soon,” says Chopra.

Ditto for Pepperfry’s Shah: “We have just scratched the surface of this market. We want to scale up. As business grows and scale improves, the economics get better.” He is willing to wait for profits, even until 2016. With buyers like Trivedi clicking enthusiastically from Barabanki and beyond, that waiting game evidently holds a lot of promise.

Bottoms-up approach A bar unit from Fabfurnish, which projects itself as an online furniture aggregator

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EXTRACT

Who really wants it most?

Author Rasmus Ankersen has spent his life decoding performances and success. In his latest book The Gold Mine Effect, he visits six ‘talent gold mines’, which have produced the world’s best sportspeople fortable surroundings are necessary prerequi- roulette wheel of a casino in Moscow. sites for success. We would tend to use poor, This over-emphasis on comfort and super overcrowded facilities as an excuse for not modern facilities is, however, not just a talent achieving better results. strategy predominant in the world of sport. In Just think of the famous Chelsea FC Football business too, companies invest fortunes in alent tends to get in the way of itself. I often think that people suc- Academy, which has spent nigh on £100 mil- spectacular office moves, despite the fact that ceed more despite their talent lion building a state-of-the-art training centre all the research shows that doing so does not than because of it’ — Won Park, in London’s prosperous commuter belt. The improve performance. They just carry the club has scoured Europe for talgolf coach in the South Korean Gold Mine. same problems with them.

My taxi swings through the gates of the Uni- ented kids between the ages of 12 Other companies send their soversity of Technology in Kingston. The light and 18 and bought them for milcalled greatest talents to luxufrom its left headlight — the only one that lions of pounds. At the academy rious spa hotels for away days A performance works — lights up the road in front of us as we they arrive for training in taxis while they tell them how fanenvironment should and are served food prepared by a trundle through the desolate university park. tastic they are, lulling them innot be designed for The rumble of the engine and the reggae three-star chef between sessions. to complacency. comfort but for music emanating from the car’s speakers are When touring abroad they stay in Is there any foundation for hard work the only sounds here — it’s really early, and the luxury hotels. The results of Chelthe assumption that we develfirst students will not check in to the universi- sea’s talent strategy have so far op better performance in fancy A sight to behold Lorises themselves up into a in ball and sleepabout in trees as during the day come out to feed only after dusk. Primarily insectivorous, they alsoiteat bird been bleak as aand winter ty for several hours.

Weroll come to a standstill facilities?

Or might actually kalyan varma what eggs, reptiles, leaves and flower buds day in the Russian wilderness front of a rusty fence that surrounds be more productive to train in where owner Roman Abramovich looks like a grass field. the kind of humble conditions, “We’re here,” says my driver, sticking out his grew up. Not a single player from the academy which Stephen Francis insists on. Perhaps luxhas managed to make his mark in Chelsea’s urious surroundings diminish effort, because left hand towards me for payment.

Am I really in the right place, I wonder? I Premier League team. John Terry, who signed a they leave people with a feeling that nobody hesitate for a moment before paying the driv- professional contract in 1997 (six years before striving for top performance should ever er and getting out of the car. I’ve come to visit Abramovich arrived in London), is the last have: that of already having arrived. Francis the world’s most successful athletics club, the player to come through the academy and be- says: “I don’t think they’ve got that message in MVP Track and Field Club, and I have been told come a first-team regular. In other words Ro- the US, Australia, Sweden, England, et cetera. that they (athletes) train here at the university man Abramovich could just as well be When they build big smart training centres grounds. But there is no athletics track here. throwing his hundred million pounds at the they are trying to make life as comfortable as No streetlights either. As I get possible for the athletes. But closer I catch a glimpse of some that’s not right. The athletes must runners moving in the darkness demonstrate that they are so parents, beyond thehildren, fence. Once mytechies eyes and wildGupta has learnt through oral histories that keen to succeed have that they will igTrained citizen scientists begun conlifeaccustomed enthusiasts are regular fixtures slender lorises have made the garden city ducting loris-spotting have grown to the nore the fact that they could have surveys, recording oral at the 40 Indian Institute of Sci- home for hundreds, perhaps even thousands histories, and gloom I cannow see about athletes found better, morea comfortable putting in place monitoring out on the ence grass. (IISc), Bengaluru, on Satur- of years. Through the city’s many transforma- protocol andconditions database elsewhere.” that they will collecdays.

Participants the Urban If you started toof talk about theSlender Loris tions — from a British military base to an IT tively maintain.

This world’s most Lastmakes week,the a team of volunProject (USLP), they spend their evenings spot- hub — the loris or kaadu papa (forest baby in teers spottedsuccessful world’s most progressive athletcoach sound a loris in sprint the heart of the city ting club, and learning about the rare nocturnal Kannada) was often spotted around town. “It during one like ics most people would dictatorial suchanight survey.drill Caresergeant, is taken primate. aOne that — college in terms of evolution — speaks of its ability to adapt to newer habitat not to revealdriving imagine first-class with his recruits meaan animal’s locationthrough to ensure its predatesedge the monkeys today and feeds patches, despite the rapid reduction of tree safety, and thwart cutting facilities.we Butsee there ningless testspet-trade in orderinto thephysical plans of the largely on insectstest and equipment fruit nectar. Endemic to cover. I have even heard of the loris being sold dustry. Adarsh is no high-tech break them down Raghu, who haspsychologicalbeen a volunSri Lanka and south fitness India, where here, no cutting-edge cen- it’s often as pets in the legendary Russell Market, and teer with the ly. project However, behind Stephen Franfor over four months, found in urban forests, the loris’s tre — not even an athletics track.original hab- families who had lorises as pets. These histo- says, “It is incredible cis’s provocative words lie to see the loris surviving itat was deciduous scrub forests. Today, it ries could provide valuable inJust a pile of cones, or a stopwatch, intelligent as to in the midstconsiderations of this urban jungle. lives, and forages for its young, in the canopies sight and evidence when some rusty old weights in a dilaphow one can maketopeople reveal It took me a while get better at of tall trees.

Confined to Bengaluru’s forested recorded,” says Gupta, who idated fitness shed with no airwhat it is that simplyI spotting thedrives loristhem because pockets, within campuses like IISc or in large along with concerned locals has conditioning and a poor quality through their actions.

Francis uswasn’t expecting it to be as small parks, the loris, common sight in the set about to do just that.

400-metre grassonce track.a Neverthees identify as spartan it is. But conditions it got easierto over time.

Urban residents city, is today.

Butrecord the USLP hopes to less, it cornered is here that world you read from a I hope to seecannot more Bangaloreans forget that there is an factors change that. holders, Olympic gold medallists Citizen science certificate, from a psyembracingconstrue the opportunity to ecosystem beyond and world champions train.

The idea of engaging members chological profile or ask learn more aboutanalysis this unique humans and trees The Bengaluru And Stephenconnection Francis, the founof civil society in research or ‘ciyour wayand to in a job He species, give us interview. any informaIn spite of club being listed by the International tizen science’ is a novel apder of the has no intention uses facilities to penetrate the tion his they may have that we don’t Union for Conservation of changing anything: of “A Nature per- (IUCN) as proach, especially in urban glossy alreadysurface know.”to find out the anendangered, the loris remains one of the least areas. The USLP is but a motley formance environment should swer critical Thethe USLP is alsoquestions: hoping towhy costudied primatesfor in comfort the country. not be designed but Kaberi Kar crew of ecologists, photographers, environ- opt organisations are you here, much like the really?

BruhatHow Bengaluru Gupta, professor at California State Universi- mental educators, naturalists and more, who Mahanagar Palike for harda work,” he tells me. “It has do you(BBMP) care? and Whatthe arelocal youwing prety who is people an expert on the lorises and to show that road toprincipal sci- meet once a week. People who are attempting of People forpared to give sacrifice?

Animals (PFA)—toand useto any rescueentist of the is USLP, says, success long“We want and to make the to understand changes brought on by devel- related information In otherthey words: Who really wants have on lorises.

Once loris a focal species to bring about a sense of opment and trying to make more room for the various phases uncomfortable.” it most? are implemented, the proecological awareness in urban residents, who the beady-eyed mammals in a city that has ject promises The conviction Stephen to offer firsthand data Francis on the Not comfortable oftentoo forget that there is an ecosystem beyond doubled in size since the early ’70s. Other resi- primates, inspire wantsmore to implant in the sub-concitizen-driven conserThe ethos Stephen humans andwith treeswhich in the city.

Enabling citizens dents who have seen lorises over the years are vation efforts science his sprinters is crystal acrossofcities like Chennai and Francis runsand MVPlearn Track and Field to monitor about the conservation also encouraged to fill an online form or sign Mysore, which clear: is not aresuccess also home to about lorises,faciliand Club seriously challenges the interest in up as night-survey volunteers on the USLP perhaps change of lorises could lead to increased ties,the it’s history about mindset. of some of Bengamodern Westernof amind-set.

Weother species, website (urbanslenderlorisproject.org) The Face- luru’s oldest residents. the preservation plethora of rasmus ankersen is the author of seem believe groomed such astothe trees and insectsfields, that are linked to bolt book page ‘Urban Slender Lorises BangaLightning Jamaica hasofproduced the world’s fastest of athletes, such as Gold Mine Effect reuters/gilbert bellamy Usain Bolt, seen herehas during a race in Kingston top-level technology and comtara rachel The thomas is a Bengaluru-based writer its habitat.” lore’ information on loris walks too.

In the chapter ‘Success is about Mindset, not facilities’, Rasmus Ankersen writes that five-star spas don’t create champions. An extract:

The Gold Mine Effect Crack the Secrets of High Performance Rasmus Ankersen Westland ₹350

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A new citizen-driven project in Bengaluru hopes to bring the rare slender loris back from the urban margins

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Not allowed!

The tyranny lifts

Badlapur redux

A two-part film to clean up If you want to appreciate art, Azamgarh’s image leave the selfie stick behind his town with a population of 5,000working is A documentary photographer recounts the travails of the ‘spouse’ visa, which made hen did the selfie make it to the Oxford known for supplying contract killers to dictionary? When did it go from a the Mumbai mafia in the 80s. More recently, afin the US a forbidden fruit that she lusted after

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harmless Facebook update to the cause of head lice in teenagers? When did the selfie stick, one of the top 25 innovations of 2014, become ‘Narcisstick’, unwanted by places where art and music live? The Smithsonian Institution, which includes 19 museums and galleries, has joined the growing list of public spaces banning the ubiquitous selfie stick. To protect visitors and objects, especially during peak hours, the institution has asked visitors to stuff the monopods into their bags before entering. The Smithsonian ban follows recent bans by New York’s The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Sex and the Museum of Modern Art. Even in the UK, music venues have announced that only drumsticks or walking sticks are permitted. What now of the newly introduced #MuseumSelfieDay? Take the selfie, but keep the stick away.

ter the Batla House encounter, it hit the headlines again as the “nursery of terror”. Anxious to lose the now has a es terror to this tag, rule Azamgarh with over 11,000 followers from plan. A two-part Directed

by Azamgarhall overfilm. the world.

In recent months, the blog native and andBollywood-newbie Facebook page ranChandrapal a sustained social Singh, themedia films will seek toand dispel “wrong no- as one campaign is widely credited tions on Azamgarh”.

Singh is keen to show the “Initially, of the forces behind the rule change. town’s positive side — thebut birthplace Kaifito see that I was surprised, also very of happy Azmi, home leading my of effort had Hindi such aauthor positiveRahul effect on the Sankritiyayan.

The film, which will be released community,” says Bhatnagar, who hopes to next April,open will also show how politicians have an independent home-goods business in used the town for their personal IronicalWisconsin, where she isgain. based. ly, part of thisAimage-building Azammisconceptionexercise prevailsisthat the H4 visa garh-native and seasoned politician Amarissue. Vigproblem is exclusively a women’s Singh, whose portraits are said to 31, adorn neshwaran Rajasekaran, fromthe Albany, NY, walls of the institute producing thesince film. 2013. Rajasekahas been on the H4 visa ran who is currently completing his PhD in geosciences, says he has lost out on numerous job opportunities, for months, thanks to his immigration status. “People in India find it odd when they hear that a man is not working and that his wife is supporting him. They ask us many questions and we have to provide lengthy explanations,” he says. “I am glad the All for what Partners who stood for hours outside the embassy and went on the H4 visa, often overestimated rule has changed, because now we will finally their prospects in the US v ganesan have something positive to report.”

Amidst all the hoopla, Shivali Shah, a Washn January 2010, at the US Consulate in and presents a brutally honest portrait of her ington DC-based immigration attorney and Chennai, I was handed an extraordinarily marriage during this bleak period. “How bad long-time activist for H4 visa holders strikes a discriminatory document thatthe would de-state’ t’s called ‘Tiger for aitreason. could be?” sheHome wonders aloud about her im- note of caution. “I welcome the new rule. But termine the course oftomy in country’s ways I pending six life of the 47 tiger reserves and “After all, I was going many of the beneficiaries have already suflife in America. could not have prophesied.

Twocent characters ‘H’tiger 20 per of India’s topopulation, the land ofHindusopportunity. I would take a fered everything there is to suffer. It is still goand ‘4’ stamped in neat tan succession on the US ka dil certainly deserves that title.

To add I would get back and do ing to be a long, rocky road for many H4 break, and of course, visa in my passport became a regressive badge Pradesh’s further glory, Madhya Animal Hus- story moves me to tears spouses who do not come under this rule. The something.”

Damani’s of identity I have been trying to shake off has evercalled bandry minister fortime a new law that every I watch it. Her story is my story. Like primary H1B’s sponsoring company may still since. Helped in part by allows my own naivety, lackbigher, people to keep cats Iashad domestic pets. a certain cocksureness in my twen- take several years before they agree to initiate of information, and misconception of other just countries, “In Thailand and legal ties that Ithere couldisride on my talent and into any the green card process. So there should not be how hard it would be to find visa sponsorship, recognition for people keeping them position as pets, that I wanted. In my a false sense of complacency that wait-times professional I willingly signed up forand a programme which this has led to an increase theirI made num- bold, independent deci- will reduce for everyone,” she says. Shah highyears inin India, mandated that I would enter newMinister marriage bers,”asaid Kusum Mehdele.

India’s tisions and, although there were mistakes, I had lights an alarmingly high correlation between and a new country withger a terrible handicap. population has jumped byreally 30 per centattoanything. So the repeated the H4 visa and marital abuse. She cites horrinever failed Over five difficult years,2,226, this would go ontoto2014 according census,I faced indicating rejection in the US job market left me fying instances of H1B holders inflicting crueldominate every aspect that of my personal and conservation effortsbroken. have seen some suc- this forbidden fruit I ty on their spouses, including controlling Work became professional life, reshaping my attitude to lusted ransport Minister Nitin Gadkari’s ridingprocess. How domestication will help conservaafter.

I hopscotched their usefondness of heat infor winters, love, family, mental wellbeing, money, two-wheelers, sans helmet, is wellmeagre known.cash On the Caption needs more sex, debate.across Even ifdifferent raising wild immigration viding allowances, home and belonging. cats in captivity is allowed, whizzing is a familiar who will statuses to earn buy their temporary re- ital’s roads, Gadkari’s scootyand makingbybelated dowry deThe H4 is a derivativestripes visa, granted to deBut even he can’t seem to escapeciting Delhi’stheir traffic jams. infirst? Modi’s Gujarat or Yadav’s prieves fromEtawah? the H4 tyranny. I sight. mands, spouse’s In many cases, an H4 pendents of law-abiding, tax-paying, skilled, was intensely jealous of anyone “I bang my head, as I get stuck quite often,” the BJP leader ability to contribute to the spouse is reduced to temporary workers on the H1-B visa pro- who had a job. Often, I used this told the Lok Sabha during a debate.

It seems that on his family’s income. doing domestic work, gramme in the US. Over many decades, and in as a weapon against my hus- way to the making aiport, the subjected to 45-minute Her stories give me a perspecbaby andminister is India especially, where a major chunk of H1-B band during our fights in those long providing jams far toosex often. however, have turntivewoes on how relatively easy my andGadkari’s holders come from, the H4 has gained noto- early years. “You don’t know ed into a blessing forfor the aam journey aadmi. Initiating an spouse inquiry has as an H4 companionship ₹10husriety for barring individuals who hold this sta- what it is like for me, because toher/his find out why things are so been. bad, he hasyears sanctioned Two ago, my working partner Only time will tell. tus from working in the US. In many cases, an you have a job,” became an all crore. But will it go the distance? band and I made a mutual unH4 spouse is reduced to doing domestic work, too frequent refrain. conventional agreement to live baby-making and providing sex and companMany people living in India in a long-distance marriage. We ionship for her/his working partner. A minus- don’t understand the cause of realised that our collective hapcule percentage that has supportive partners, frustration for H4 spouses. They think: She piness was the sum total of our individual families and, more importantly, robust financ- lives in the US. Her husband earns in dollars. happiness(es). ‘You do what you need to do’ es can further academic pursuits and perhaps She has a dishwasher. No kids. Why, she has been our motto to ourselves and each othgo on to secure H1B sponsorship independent- doesn’t even have to go to work! How can she er. I spend six to eight months in the year getly, or pursue volunteer activities. be so ungrateful? Others wonder, if this visa is ting my work fix in India as a photographer, Last week, the US Department of Homeland so regressive, why do so many people choose and the rest watching Netflix at my home in Security (DHS) made a welcome but limited to get on it? If they are so unhappy, why don’t Boston. Professionally, I have turned my adveradjustment to this rule, which will grant some they return to India? sity into an opportunity, and it allows me to hen ornithologists in Sweden compiled 10,709 bird — and four names that included the held your spot in a queue live a nomadic, unfettered life on the road in spouses on H4gypsy visas unrestricted workbird author“When you have names of birds — the first such list of bird Swedish word meaning Quietly, isation.

According to the DHS,neger, 1,79,600 people“negro”. for years, it isSweddifficult to let it all go,” explains India, which is every photographer’s dream. I names in Swedish — they found 10 racist species.

That benefit ish birders have updated these unfortunate names: will directly from its implementation Rashi Bhatnagar, an H4 spouse since 2009, re- don’t recommend this to everyone, but it is bird species that had xenophobic names. in The majesneger birds are simply svart and (black),ferring the gypsy is gone the first year.

United States Citizenship to the backlog and decade-long proc- worked for us. tic swift was called kafferseglaren — the kaffir sailor — and the swift is nowill longer racist.

Swedish Immigration Services (USCIS) begin ac-While essing timebirders for green card applications. In Now that the H4 spectre has been lifted, will from the racist South African term. The highly vocal seem tofor have cleaned their list, English birders have cepting applications work visasup from H1-B 2011, frustrated at the lack of information on I continue to live and work in both countries? dabbling ducks were dubbed hottentott teals, from the found that boobies, tits and shagsthe areH4 stillvisa, common spouses this May. Bhatnagar started a blog and a That is a question for another day. derogatory name for the Khoikhoi people (a bird names inHearts the UK.Suspended The most unfortunate one: The Innative her documentary Facebook page, ominously titled ‘H4 Visa, A African tribe). Then there were the zigenarfågel — the Morus Bassanus, Moron of the Rock! It has since become the leading re- nitya rao is a documentary photographer who divides (heartssuspended.com), filmmaker Meghna Da-BassCurse’. mani turns the lens on herself as an H4 spouse source for updates and information on chang- her time between Boston and Bengaluru

Adopt a tiger

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First, adopt a village, then the surrounding wildlife

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Just jammin’

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What’s in a name?

Uncomfortable histories, racist pasts, even if they are just names of birds

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in-faq by joy bhattacharjya Phone calls

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n March 7, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for an invention, which he called the ‘telephone’. This week’s quiz is about famous phone calls and assorted phone trivia.

here,there & elsewhere

Blue bottles B

ins comes in all excited. “Guess what!

I’m going to be a beach comber!” I frown at him. I’ve been staring at a blank canvas all morning, feeling dull and uninspired. And anxious: in order to live in the US, Bins and I need to earn money. A lot of money. But I’m a painter with no skills at self-promotion and he’s a middle-aged hippie whose parents convinced him that money is something that only losers worry about.

“No, no — you don’t understand! This is going to be big.” He puts his backpack down and pulls out a small, square glass bottle. It looks like an oldfashioned pickle jar that’s been squashed down vertically. Twoinches high, two-inches wide, it has a rubber stopper with metal clips to keep the glass lid clamped down. Inside the bottle is an assortment of coloured glass fragments and tiny sea-shells, mostly broken. “See this? It’s called ‘Beach in a Bottle’!”

I shrug. Did he steal it, I ask.

“Not today,” says Bins, puffing up his scraggly yellow moustache. “I should have though! It cost FIVE DOLLARS. Can you believe it?”

He’s looking at me expectantly. I continue to look blank. He sighs heavily and reaches into his backpack again. Pulls out a small

cornerstone

carton containing a dozen little bottles identical to the one with seashells in it.

“Each bottle costs 46 cents!” Now he pulls out a zip-lock bag filled with seashell fragments. “This I got for free, after spending one hour at the beach, using a kitchen strainer.”

So it cost one hour of your life and three dollars, I say. “What three dollars?”

The cost of the strainer, I say, with a prim expression on my face, because of course we’ll need a new one now for the kitchen. “Tcheh,” says Bins, “you are

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Whose call to a certain Mark Felt on June 19, 1972, is believed to have changed the course of 20th-century history?

really in a dirty mood!” So what are you going to do now, I ask. “I’ll fill the bottles with sea-shells, seal the cork, go stand near the shop where I bought that bottle and sell MY bottle for four dollars! Clear profit of three dollars and 54 cents.” You’ll be arrested at once, I tell him. Pavement stalls are not allowed without a permit. And it’s too cold. And there are no tourists in winter.

“Fine! I’ll put a peacock feather inside, call it ‘India in a Bottle’ and sell it to that same shop!” The bottle’s not big enough for a peacock feather, I tell him. “I’ll use chicken feathers and dye them blue,” he says, striding up and down, waving his arms about. “I’ll fart in the bottle and call it ‘L’Aire de L’Inde’!” Those bottles aren’t big enough for one of your farts, I say. Whereupon he grabs his down jacket and heads for the door. Where are you going, I ask. “To sell my body!” he yells over his shoulder. “I’ll call myself ‘Frenchman outside a Bottle’!”

Good luck, I call after him, and remember to buy a new strainer.

But the door slams before he can hear me. manjula padmanabhan, author and artist, writes about her fictional life in Elsewhere, US, in this weekly column

A measles epidemic in Lowell, Massachusetts, caused Dr Moses Greeley to make which suggestion to Graham Bell that helped make the telephone far more accessible?

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For which specific purpose is the Klondike or KL phone exchange used in America?

In corporate jargon, what name, inspired from the world of fiction, is given to a private telephone number that is handled at a higher priority than a normal number? This number is only given to a select few.

5 6

In Love Actually (2003), which real-life person makes a phone call to rock star Bill Mack after his single tops the charts at Christmas?

Though the telephone was invented in the US, the UK created the first emergency helpline in 1937. Which three-digit number did they use? It is still used in Great Britain and at least 20 other countries.

7

To whom did President Nixon make a historic phone call at exactly 11.49pm on July 20, 1969? It was described as the most historical call ever made from the White House.

8

On May 21, 1971, in one of the strangest incidents in modern Indian history, Rustom Sohrab Nagarwala called Ved Prakash Malhotra, the head cashier at the State Bank of India, and asked him to withdraw six million rupees. Why did Malhotra agree to withdraw the money and hand it over to Nagarwala, who picked up the money in a taxi later that day?

9

The first call to a mobile phone in India was made on July 31, 1995. Union Communications Minister Sukh Ram made the call. Who received it?

10

This is the second-last dialogue of which Oscar-winning movie, and was made on the phone — “I do wish we could chat longer, but … I’m having an old friend for dinner”?

Answers 1. Bob Woodward, who along with fellow Washington Post reporter Carl Bernstein, revealed the Watergate scandal 2. Original callers asked operators for people by name. Dr Greeley was concerned about how the phone system would cope if the experienced operators fell ill, and advised that phone lines be assigned numbers instead of names 3. It generates fictional numbers for television and films. These numbers dial into an error code. Before this, real numbers shown on screen resulted in a spate of nuisance calls 4. ‘Bat Phones’, from the Bat Phone in Commissioner Gordon’s office in the television and comic book series, Batman 5. Elton John. The only real-life reference in the film 6. 999 7. Neil Armstrong and the other Apollo XI astronauts on the moon 8. Nagarwala imitated Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s voice and said that it was for a secret mission to Bangladesh. The complete story will never be known as Nagarwala was arrested a couple of days later with most of the cash and mysteriously died in police custody 9. Jyoti Basu, West Bengal’s chief minister, as Kolkata became the first city to get a mobile service in India 10. The Silence of the Lambs. The last line was “Dr Lecter… Dr Lecter... Dr Lecter”

joy bhattacharjya is a quizmaster and Project Director, FIFA U-17 World Cup t@joybhattacharj

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