Blink issue 90 october17 2015 by Partha Pratim Sharma-Portfolio

CAPITAL CREATION Ploughs give way to bulldozers as the foundation stone for the dream capital of Andhra Pradesh is laid in Guntur district p2 saturday, october 17, 2015

ma sriram

Mysoreans, like author Mahesh Rao, might have watched the growth of Bengaluru with horriďŹ ed fascination. But the distinction between big cities and small towns, he writes, is no longer a meaningful division p10

Uprooting of the upcountry

WRITE TO PROTEST As authors return their awards, the State must stand up and take note p15

HOME BY THE BEACH Anees Salim on how the sleepy town of Varkala made him a writer p17

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Leopards in the city Nikit Surve’s study shows how the leopards of Sanjay Gandhi National Park have adapted to coexist with human beings

at the figure of 35? We used Mark Capture Recapture method (Spatially Explicit Capture Recapture model). We set two cameras facing each other, but at a slight angle. This got us both flank images of the leopard without the cameras triggering at the same time. Every leopard has a unique rosette pattern, the left flank is different from the right. We got 88 images, which were transformed into a statistical format and fed into a software, and that gave us the number 35 with a standard error of 0.5.

What were the valuable lessons learned from this project? The leopard is a master of camouflage. I never saw a leopard when I went looking for it, but they must have seen me on many occasions. Once while walking above Kanheri caves we spotted a leopard at quite a distance, a beautiful silhouette against the backdrop of the setting sun. I can never forget that sighting. One of my field assistants worked in the forest department nursery. Every day, he would arrive at 5 am and leave around 8 pm. I asked him why he worked so hard, and he said, “I love the jungle. I am so happy to have this opportunity, otherwise I would have remained at the nursery.” Though he was married with two children, the meagre earnings did not worry him. He worked with great passion and dediPeople’s capital Many workers are struggling to find employment, as farming activities have been halted by the workcation on the and new capital Here, inspire a farmer me. in he willcity. always Tallayapalem village, near Guntur ch vijaya bhaskar

All roads lead to Amaravati

What is the story behind your favourite image? During the project “Mumbaikars for SGNP” in 2012, I was responsible for a camera trap. I hoped to capture an iconic image of a leopard Out on a stroll This image of an SGNP big cat against the city skyline was what Nikit Surve (below) was long with the sprawling city as the backdrop. When waiting for courtesy nikit surve the time came to do my own project, I selected that location as I knew that path was used by a he Sanjay Gandhi National Park imity with humans and they have adapted leopard. It was summer, a fire had created an (SGNP) in Borivali, flanked by the well to survive with them. They know exactly opening in the grass. After two to three days, I metropolis of Mumbai, is home to a when is the right time to show up and do their got that dream image, and I was thrilled. This healthy number of leopards. For his job without being detected. So the answer is image of a big muscular male that we named postgraduate research a pretty n Guntur district,project, on theNikit banksSurve, of the simple: the comes into humanand Singapore, theleopard city-state on which the cap- “Big new Daddy”, capital. Rhas Venkateshwara Rao says he was become the iconic image for student of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Krishna river, dozens of maize and ba- dominated areas for ‘easy and abunital is modelled. happy to‘Leopards learn thatofthe city will come up close Mumbai’. Dehradun, ecology of leopards in dant’ nanastudied fields the wear a deserted look. In prey. Uddandarayunipalem, work is on at a to their village. His pressing concern, howevSGNP. The study and covered roughly 140insqsilence. km, inPloughs tractors idle frantic pace. This “vaastu-friendly” location for er, is finding How a job.was “We have hadreceived? no work, your report cluding the that Aareyonce Colony, and documented 35 How Trucks transported farm prodid you decide the will host the mega since cultivation stopped the seed (core) capital April. We used Very from positively. Earlier, leopards in — and around the park. The results, duce fruits, vegetables and flowers — camera trap locations? event. Farmers who have voluntarily given up to be busy round the leopards year, working farms,” wereon often debased on scat analysis, suggestSince that In areleopard conspicuous by their absence. twodevelopment will be fe- he says. He is now looking land the for thefirst capital’s for daily-wage work. scribed as ‘dangerous,’ the SGNP leopards dependent onceased, both months, April, when allare farming activity walked licitated. we Putta matti (anthill soil) collected “We made ₹350-500 per ‘man-eater,’ day, depending on‘dog the wild asthousands well as domestic prey. Here, the leopof tenant farmers have one twovillages forest will arrive in copper pots season. Now, I have to go slayer’, from or 16,000 to Vijayawada look and sotoon in ards share urbanout space with humanscouting beings beats moved of agriculture, daily the to foundation. find and make The government for work.” news reports. The reand they do for so as long as their prey populaconstruction and other jobs. indirect evidence crowd-funding, giving has also proposed The making of Amaravati its share of portshas would often be tion, both domestic and wild, remain Bulldozers and roadhealthy, rollers such as scat,bricks pug-engraved with the names controversy. While the Centre-appointed away digital exaccompanied by picand their habitat protected. No attacks on hu- marks have replaced agricultuand scrapes. of contributors. Banners propert committee by KC tures headed of a snarling mans were reported during the studyto period, ral machinery, pave Importantly, claiming ‘Mana local rajdhani AmaraSivaramakrishnan its animal. has But stated after this that spanned over fourthe months, despite leop- people way for Amaravati. knew themana-matti’ vati, mana-neeru, objectionsreport, to the location of the a number of ard visitations in the surrounding It appearsareas. that from paths leopards used, My land) (My capital, My water, capital, Naidu is pressing positive articles ahead, with In this interview, Surve talks about the leopVijayawada and and they drank will the dot place the place. neatly beautiful dividing the capital repictures of Forty per cent of the ards that thrive in the heart of densely pop- water Guntur, all roads Once we knew Thefrom. profile of the capital region leopards into commercial, adminiswere published. land acquired is ulated Mumbai. and fields now lead the we selected gion,trails, comprising aroundloca29 viltrative and residential This positive publicity iszones. good jareebu (wet) land, to the new capital of tions where acameras lages, isfrom set to undergo massive According to Naidu, the region for conservation. where over 100 How did the project evolve andPradesh. how was it Andhra would not be easily transformation. As stolen. agricultural varieties of crops are was chosen after careful considexecuted? The bifurcation of AP last lands make way for transport eration water and land availaHow willofthis study help improve cultivated We need to learn to This was ayear collaborative project with the WII What led to the creation of Telangana kind of cooperation networks and farming did is rebility, connectivity and the conservation at SGNP? share space with and the Forest I trained Hydebeat you having Department. 10 districts, including receive from the local nearly placed by construction, potential development. This studyfor serves as the baseline wildlife, as they are guards onrabad, conducting linethe transects andstate inpeople? leaving residual 3,000 acres of the 33,000 ac- already doing their bit data Since legislative ason the the state leopard and prey stalling and traps. We Local withoperating 13 districts.camera While Hyderabad people’s was absoquired under support land pooling will sembly passed a resolution on population in SGNP and will help would set up cameras at a time withfor one will10-15 remain a shared capital 10 lutely necessary.into Theythe would metamorphose core ofcapital. Vehicles the new capital last year, the project proin further monitoring of has leopard beat guard years, responsible for every camera loca- ten Andhra Pradesh, under Chief refer tosand, the animals “our laden with cement,asand concrete are al- gressed quickly. movement inside and outside tion. Lest the guardsChandrababu feel lonely, I would Minister Naidu,visit has leopards”. We named the leop-to Amaravati. ready speeding from Undavalli The assembly Capital Region Dethepassed park. Itthe also helped enhance each location every two-three proposed to build adays. newBelieve green- ards after discussion with the locals. A female the velopment Authority (CRDA) Act in December skill of the forest staff. me, there isfield a lotcapital. to learn from them, they leopard was captured on a new moon night Change is coming last year. By January, the government had anshared every bitOn of October information they had and 22, auspicious as it next to theout house an elderly woman. see- What We drive fromofVijayawada, towardsOn Prakanounced the Land Pooling scheme and by Febare your plans? accepted me as is part of their group. Vijaya Dasami, the state gov- ing image,past shebanana told meand thatvegetable the tribalfarms peo- Studying samthe barrage, ruary 28, received irrevocable consents from human-wildlife interactions and ernment will hold a founda- ple believed oneserpentine should notroads venture out on on the narrow, leading to working 20,510 farmers forresolving 32,469 acres. towards the negative ones. Leopards avoid human beings, but tion ceremony toventure begin the amavas (new moon) as leopards roamed WeSo Amaravati, a former Buddhist seat of learning. far, the government taken possession need to learn to sharehas space with wildlife, into human-dominated areas for Why? development of prey. Amaravati. around then. We named the leopard At Undavalli and Penumaka, a few‘Chandni’ farmers as of they 30,000 says Srikant the are acres, already doing theirNagulapalli, bit. The leopardPrime doesn’tMinister avoid coming into areas Narendra Modi (moonlight). continue to till land. In Krishnayapalem vil- CRDA commissioner. According to reports, 40 is a researcher, translator inhabited bywill human but avoids be inbeings, attendance, alongdetecwith lage, Mangalagiri mandal, we ask a group of parikshit per cent ofsuryavanshi the land acquired is jareebu (wet) writer basedhigh in Aurangabad tion. Leopards have been officials living infrom close Japan prox- How government do you indentify eachjunction leopard and arrive people seated at a road about the and land, with water tables at 15-20 feet,

Bulldozers and road rollers have replaced ploughs and tractors, as fertile lands are upturned to mould Amaravati, the dream capital of Andhra Pradesh

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Son of the soil Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu carries anthill soil and water, as part of the ‘Mana Matti — Mana Neeru — Mana Amaravati’ programme

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Perfect timing Work is on at a frenetic pace in Uddandarayunipalem village, the venue for Amaravati’s foundation stone laying ceremony on October 22, the auspicious day of Vijaya Dasami t vijaya kumar

End of the road Farmers pack maize into gunny bags for the market in Vijayawada. This will be their last crop before the construction of the new capital takes over their lives and farms v raju

now. There is also fear that the developers will that Naidu is keen to put it on the global map. not hire us, and instead bring their own work- Not only will Amaravati be a city of the future, ers. How will our families survive on ₹2,500,” it will also be a hub on the Buddhist tourist cirasks Sambaiah, a tenant farmer. cuit, attracting Japanese investment. Already, a number of cases have been filed What will this new-old city be like? If the by aggrieved farmers, some by political par- plans are anything to go by, the city will be ties and others by farmer organisations. How- centred on infrastructure and not her people. ever, in most of the cases, the courts have so far The capital is likely to come up on the riverruled in favour of the government front, along a 17km stretch. while directing the state against Twin towers will rise in the adany coercive action. Despite this, ministrative area, and skyscrapthe National Green Tribunal has ers will come up in other zones. It is a once-in-apassed an order extending a stay The city will have a central boulifetime opportunity on the construction of the new levard, commercial hubs, a wato construct a capital and ordered the state to terfront and a gateway. The new capital not destroy agricultural fields. region will be seamlessly connected by a 300-km road netCity of the future work, elevated metro tracks, The name Amaravati was chosen and waterways. Villages will coas it represents continuity in history. Dynas- exist with the steel-and-chrome of the new ties such as the Satavahanas, Pallavas, and Cha- capital. Everything will be smart and shiny, lukyas have ruled the ancient town. It has also blue and green (for water and trees). Welcome seen the confluence of religions like Hin- to Amaravati, the city of the future. duism, Buddhism and Jainism. By naming the capital city after the historical town, it appears v rishi kumar

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Occupy Chouru Take a hike

a hike whose after-effects left me wobblykneed for four days after. But I wanted more. With both Table Mountain and Lion’s Head — the canonical big guns — done, the following weekend was a short hike in Simon’s Town, a bucolic fishing village an hour’s drive out of the city. Then came Diagonal, a climb through one of the Twelve Apostles, part of the Table Mountain massif. Later there were the mountains around Chapman’s peak. And then Crystal Pools: a permit-only hike that you have to book weeks in advance. The hikeMeena, beginsa at theXmouth of a river inmanta Class student. side aAs nature reserve,administration and is flat for a while the district stood beby siforelently, transforming climb. the police,into led abyrocky Aligarh SHOThe Amar permit system to ensure there only a cerSingh Bhati,isconstables Ladu are Ram, Nandkishtainore, number of Kumar people and inside the Bhagirath reserve at atMahesh driver anytacked given the time. The reserve itself is only open students. for a part of the year. pot of gold at report the end by According to The a fact-finding of the relatively easy hike comes inPeople’s the formUnion of Shiksha ka Sawaal Abhiyan and notfor only views, but natural swimming Civil Liberties (PUCL), who visitedpools the site, near the policemen top. irate had molested several girls, Agrabbing group ofthem nine,by wethe slowly our Saini, way a hair.made Manisha through the student, reserve. When we reached the Class IX says “The police official summit after treacherous detour through grabbed mea by my neck and scratched me. I whitened edges, weback.” peeled off our clothes was hitcliff twice on my downNo to women our swimwear. I gingerly dipped my constables were present at the toes on Further, the far side of onesaid pool,they andhad expected site. students to jump to slide slowly. But the pool had off ain12-foot-high bridge to other avoidplans. getting Thegroped hike ended in freezing ecstasy. and beaten. OnStudents our way down, I stayedwho at the head oftothe and locals rushed help group, a good minuteswere ahead of the last claimed the 30 policemen inebriated. Says person. I called outKavita, periodically toClass the stragManisha’s sister who is in X, “They glers, to make sure they were okay. At one point the three of us at the head of the group sat down for 20 minutes by the side of the river’s mouth and shared the remnants of a sandwich while waiting for the others. R glugged the last dregs of the water. The whole hike, picnic and swimming included, had taken us only five hours. At the end of any hike, waves of exhaustion keep breaking inside you. The midday sun is a constant adversary. But hiking does have its moments. I had always relegated it to the list of boring and unnecessary sports. But Cape Town tossed out my old self from the very top of a mountain.

Last year’s student protest in Bhim sparked offa 450 That’s the best thing to do when in Cape Town, city similar demonstrations across Rajasthan. In Chouru however, lathis on on thethe students contained byvillage, mountains on one siderained and sea other who locked their schools and demanded teachers

Drawn out Hiking around Simon’s Town, a village near Cape Town kyle bailey; (right) a meadow with Table Mountain on the left and Lion Hills on the right bhavya dore; (below) a view from Table Mountain aryaman jal

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t the top of Devil’s Peak, which

utes behind. “Bhavyaaaaa,” called out R from

ﬂanks Table Mountain to one side, a girls, timewere to time, a sturdily enerSticks and stones Over 150 students, many of them lathicharged by localbuilt, policeendlessly when they sat on friendmissing surveyed the inlandscape getic 24-year-old, make serious sure I injuries was within protest against teachers their schooland in Chouru. (below) A few girlsto sustained

radhika ganesh mulled. “I wonder why we climb to earshot and safe. The sounds ricocheted off the top just tonlook around?” asked, asofwe September 29,hestudents Gov- the mountainsides, containing echoes of ungazed at Cape ernment Town unfolding below us. “Just Senior Secondary School spoken censure. “Right behind”, or “keep goan existential thought.” in Chouru village, Tonk district, Ra- ing”, I’d shout back, ruing the wasted energy I I only remember hearing words, not fuljasthan took his to the streets. Their could’ve used walking. ly absorbing them,for asteachers I lay slumped on a unheedrock, repeated pleas had gone The route began steeply, on loosely held vanquished bythousands the beastofofstudents a ed, and like elsewhere soil, followed by a gentle descent mountain during the courseto ofprotest. a in the state, they decided In a form through coniferous vegetation, tough, four-hour climb. sun to the state, of public action that The is unique and then a brutal zigzagging feltknown like alocally million wattsbandi,” on a around 150 stuas “tala path to the summit. Somewhere Here I was, shedding windless of what my secdents day locked theirwas school gates and sat on near the top, as the noon sun beat sweat, along with onddharna. weekend in Cape Soon, lathisTown. rained on the protesters, down, I stopped three times to my hard-held This wasincluded the city that topped which many girls. They were ask hikers coming down how prejudices, on a thegrabbed, Telegraph Traveland Awards. chased hit byItthe local police. much longer it would take to Sunday morning, in a wasEight the girls city anointed the world were severely injured. The students’ summit. “Twenty minutes,” I got way only a new place bhavya dore is a Mumbai-based journalist design capital in 2014. It the wasattention of the desperate attempt to get in response, all three times. can make you do among The Guardian’s top with holi-brute force. administration was met The Western Cape is a coastal day destinations. it lay 2, 700 young Over a year And ago,yet, on as October province containing Africa’s unfurled belowinme, my only reacgirls, clad government school uniforms, southernmost point as well as tion was a desire tostreets throw up. marched in the of Bhim, a small town the apocryphal meeting point of Up until I moved from Rajasthan. Mumbai toTheir Capecry, theteachers in Rajsamand district, Indian at and all. Atlantic Oceans. The Cape cameGetting drunk there to the spot. Our assumptions flieswhen fromwe Mumbai/ Delhi liquor Town, I had verychahte little hai, patience for wala hiking ‘Hum padhna padhane koior nahi TownOver city bowl is contained by the mountains the past year, the problem of teaching were Emirates confirmed saw empty to on Cape via Dubai, and Qatar running, individual pursuits bereft oftocom(We want to learn, but there’s no one teach)’ on staff one side and thein seagovernment on the other. Radiating shortage schools has bottles theTown roadside”. Doha plex rules, team play oracross competition. Give me ig- inland has since resonated the desert state, a province with both endless hiking been is raised several times, by civil society TheAirways police via have filed more than 150 FIRs theniting sea-level charms basketball, routes, more than of 450tennis such or demonstrations, biking trails and organisations and theadventure students. options. The adminis- against students and villagers under various Visa sections such as 147 (punishment anyincluding day. the one in Chouru. Why hadhas I adventurously suggested climbtration so far responded Indians to apply for a tourist AndThe still, here Ischool was, shedding sweat,from alongsec- ingwith Chouru was upgraded Devil’s Peak the weekend “mix andtomatch” efforts,hiking group forneed rioting), 149 (unlawful assembvisa through the South African with my hard-held on year. a Sunday ondary to senior prejudices, secondary last But the at work, blind to its reputation deputing teachers to protest-as one of the ly), 332 (deter public servant from consulates morning, a wayinonly a new staff placecontinues. can make In harder severe in deficit teaching climbs?and Perhaps in the time-worn ing schools, transferring his duty), the Prevention of Damage Students youall, do.just My three mates moved sevenhiking teachers handle 303rapidly students manner, because was there. Devil’s Peak jumped off them only shortly. Fourit teachers, to Public Property Act and the NaTip a bridge up from the mountain, Classes I toleaving XII. me a good 20 min- took us more than hours in total that day, to avoid appointed to thefive Bhim school tional Highways Act. However, after hiking options in and around getting groped Someinterventions The sanctioned number of posts is 22, after the protest last year, by civil society, all Cape Town: which means that two-thirds of the teaching have been reassigned. The charges have been withdrawn. 1. TableThe Mountain: routes positions are vacant. For the last five years, the school is back to a staff of Right tomultiple Education Act says to geteducation to the top, take as right of students haven’t had an English teacher. No three for 700 students. is acould fundamental asand six ensuring hours or just a and couple, teachers have been appointed for Social SciWhile schools in urban and semi-urban ar- everylong child, equal complete depending on which one you take ence, Sanskrit and Political Science in Class XI eas have surplus staff, in rural areas, schools access is the primary duty of all governments. 2. Lion’s Head: A relatively hike of and XII. With the board exams drawing near, tend to function with very few teachers. Ques- Should demands asking for the easy fulfilment of three hours, at the most. distraught students occupied the arterial Ali- tions over the lack of a proper transfer policy this right be disallowed? Can the government 3. Devil’s Peak:these On the tougher side. garh road in protest. for teaching staff and the lack of transparency use force to silence demands? routes the top.for our board Across Rajasthan in Rajsamand, Bhilwara, in the process have also been brought up. “AllDifferent we wanted weretoteachers 4. But Chapman’s Peak short Baran, Alwar, Tonk, and Bhanswara districts, On that day in Chouru, police arrived at the exams. what have wearea: got? AHow are we gostudent demonstrations are bringing to light protest site inside an hour. Without inquiry, ing todrive study? outWe ofare thepoor city.and, clearly, nobody the dismal condition of its schools. According five men in uniform lathicharged the stu- cares5. about us.”Pools: At Kogelberg Crystal to data released by the National University for dents. Senior girls, from Classes VIII to XI, who Will Class X student Priyanka Swami’s Biosphere Reserve, about an hour’squesEducational Planning and Administration in were at the forefront of the demonstration, tions drive go unanswered? outside Cape Town. Book in 2014-15, of the 1,06,792 (all categories) schools took the most blows. “The police did not even advance. in Rajasthan, 35,144 function with fewer than ask us what our demands were, or why we radhika ganesh is a democratic rights activist with three teachers. More than 13 per cent (14,388) were on the street protesting. They directly Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghthan (MKSS) and Shiksha Ka are single-teacher schools and 61 have no started assaulting us with lathis,” says Dhar- Sawaal Abhiyan

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Animal story Devotees feed a cow on the banks of the Ganga in Allahabad, after performing puja for their ancestors ap/rajesh kumar singh

STATES OF MATTER

Bestial drama The cow takes centre stage once again, as the ruling party uses it as a strategy to polarise communities for electoral gains

sukumar muralidharan

ut it down as an irony of Indian politics. Every time a gentle, ruminant animal has wandered onto the political stage, she has triggered a storm of sectarian violence. In November 1966, a syndicate of saffronclad sadhus — now very mainstream, but then a fringe element — rampaged through the capital city, pillaging and burning all that came in the way. They were foiled in their goal of raiding India’s parliament building, but did serious havoc in all pathways leading there. A Prime Minister new to the office flatly rebuffed the demand for a ban on cow slaughter, while a Union home minister gazed on indulgently at the violence. The residence of the ruling party president was set ablaze. The government held firm and a home minister who had been asleep at the wheel resigned. Times were tough. India was coming out of successive years of drought and deprivation. Two Prime Ministers, more parents than politicians, had died within the space of less than two years. And a young woman was pitch-forked into the post by power-brokers, both as a compromise and as a convenient front for their rule by proxy. In the months that followed, violence against the religious minority escalated. In June 1968, a working paper circulated by the union home ministry spoke rather ruefully of having missed all cues. Conflict had broken out with Pakistan in 1965 and there were fears of violence against religious minorities. There had indeed been sporadic incidents, but mostly unrelated to the war. A sharp deterioration occurred the year after. In a state of alarm, the home ministry put down the number of ‘communal incidents’ as ‘relatively high’. The states of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra ‘suffered from persistent tension’. And ‘another disturbing development’ through 1967 was the ‘extension of communal tension to Kashmir’. In the months that followed, the holy cow faded away from centre stage, partly because the novice Prime Minister acquired sufficient

smarts by 1969 to turf out the powerbrokers through the following years, which held that within her party and establish another claim secularism in practice involved the denial of to legitimacy, in slaying the demon of poverty. India’s primordial cultural identity. Yet the demon proved more persistent than More well-intended critiques spoke of the the recently awakened Prime Minister imag- futility of isolating religion from the public ined. And in the desperation of her fight space in India, when it was so critical to an inagainst a recalcitrant enemy, she was led to dividual’s sense of identity. Those seeking a rebanish freedom itself, since the greater glory trieval of the principle argued that secularism of the nation, which she alone embodied, did not mean equal respect for all faiths, since would be a model to the world. that would involve an absurd seesaw between That variety of megalomania was banished competing denominational claims. in 1977. A government came to power with exSecularism in this construction was about plicit claims to undo the damage to democra- the enlightened separation between private cy, but soon afterwards had to cope with the and public spheres. In private life, the individreturn of the holy cow to the political arena. ual was free to observe any manner of faith, In April 1979, a Gandhian with a great sense even practise the most outlandish observancof self-righteousness, but little humour or es as far as these did not involve active possisubtlety, decided on starving bility of harm to others. In public himself in the cause of the cow. life, he or she was to observe the His suicidal intent set off a crisis civic proprieties which involved of sufficient gravity to compel respect for every other citizen’s the Prime Minister at the time, It visibly sunders when private space and beliefs. a private space is newly reincarnated from an old The civic compact obviously invaded and the death cannot withstand its unilateral power clique, to promise special penalty imposed for attention to the animal. abrogation, especially by a masuspected violation of jority community. It visibly sunAnd then began another cycle of violence. The annual report of an imagined majority’s ders when a private space is food taboo the union home ministry for the invaded and the death penalty year recorded sectarian affrays imposed for suspected violation involving loss of life across the of an imagined majority’s food length and breadth of the countaboo. And it completely shatters try. Some of these were sparked by the cow, when the state — the power that is supposed to others by disputes over space. But proximate punish every usurpation of its monopoly of vicauses were immaterial since the contagion of olence — defaults on its obligations and allows violence seemed the manifestation of deep- a culture of impunity to flourish. seated pathologies. The most salient, even sinister, aspect of the The cow soon lost its status as a symbol return of the holy cow to centre stage today, is around which sectarian mobilisation could that it is part of an evident strategy by the rulbe organised. In the mid-’80s, a new symbol ing party to polarise communities for electopresented itself in a piece of real estate in ral advantage. And the best that the Prime Ayodhya where a medieval mosque stood, al- Minister has to offer after days of unconscionlegedly in defilement of a revered god-king of able silence is to leave the choice to the comHindu mythology. munities: that they either fight each other or Back in the ’60s, debates on secularism were combine their efforts to banish poverty. confined to a certain hand-wringing assertion of its essential goodness as a political value. sukumar muralidharan is an independent writer, An active critique began to take shape researcher based in Gurgaon and Shimla

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A shot of reality

this market toasts Indian wines. But change is certainly in the air. As Sula’s Oldne explains, “Since ‘The 1976 Paris Tasting’ the perception of winemakers and wine inﬂuencers has changed. French consumers are more open to wines from other regions. We see this as an opportunity.”

A new translation of Manto’s stories and non-ﬁction rescues Manto the writer from Manto Handy French connection For Grover Vineyards, it was not easy breaking the ideologue

into the French market. This despite the fact that in 1996, leading French champagne house Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin took a minority stake in the Indian winery. Part of the LVMH Group, a world leader in luxury goods, the French vintner extended technical support to Grover Vineyards through its wineries in Australia and New Zealand. This helped Grover take its wines to France way back in 2001. That 14-year-old decision is bearing sweet fruit now. The renowned From here to Paris Sula Vineyards in Nashik, Maharashtra, exports to 30 countries including France; (inset) sparkling wine bottles arrayed at its cellar bloomberg/dhiraj singh three Michelin star restaurant L’Arpege currently serves Grover Zampa’s signature wines, making it the first Indian wine to appear at a three Michelin star facility. The brand’s Sauvignon Blanc and La Reserve Red, both winners at Decanter Asia 2014, were up next. “The restaurant agreed to serve two of our most delectable offerings. With this, we are the only Indian company to have a wineCharacters, list in anotFrench ideas When Manto restaurant,” says a proudwrote Grover. about a “France is a 12,000-13,000-cases-a-year prostitute, he was market for Indian wines. It is interested the wine in world’s the beaperson, not the con, so to say, and to get noticed inevil such a society that forced her place is a huge high for us,” he adds. it meeta ahlawat He was greatly helped into in this by Ravi Viswae do not have a history of vignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Zinfandel Rosé, nathan, “an investor, guide and mentor”. hat do you think of when wine-drinking in you this cue Manto the writer fromReserve MantoShiraz the same Red Zinfandel, Shiraz, Dindori life most the people would display an amazGrover recalls three to four months of inthinkcountry,” of Urdurues writer KapilSaadat Grov- ideologue. How often do you come across a lit- ing and Viognier. motley impulses. Sahae tense work of putcontradictory in by Viswanathan to get the Hasan Invariably, and erary er,Manto? the owner of Grover the preface or the fore“Webook workthat withcalls two different importers — Ri- will remain forever to conventional wines accepted at thesuspect French restaurant. never a pang of oldest social word Zampa Vineyards, onewithout of the country’s a ‘preamble’? has morality,” chard and Global Food Funnily, Trading —Memon for different he argues. and the largest private inWine connoisseur conscience, Argua- written winemakers.Partition The fact and that prostitutes. “India is a one-mil‘preamble’channels to his translation. And vestor wines ina different (hotels, restauMemon rightly says Manto’s fictionholds is tooa in wine in India, Viswanathan bly the best story India, whereManto not lion-cases (12short bottles to awriter case) of market, enough, for the pompous word rantsfunnily and catering companies)... in France we easy to bestake mistaken for ideology political minority in Grover ZampaorVineyards today is the god of delinquents, as China is anguished 200-million-cases” stares himpain seems to beatchosen to indicate Memon’s are already 1,000 cases, and Paris makesmaup commentary. That’s why thoseLast of the left-liberalong with Reliance Capital. year he acriahs, the oppressed, the abused, the morally gisterial the face. and intent — he sets al for 80 persweep cent of ourjuridical sales,” says Oldne. inclination in stake fact, all peoquired 30 perand, cent inprogressive Sula Vineyards derelict and assorted Mostly he is in-a outThe Grappling with the sinners. uphill task of growing to company take the kink out to of 30 thecountries, canon that ex- ple exports while like Anil to Ambani-owned consider Manto as a alongtoday with the Reliance voked the India-Pakistan peace corps, and alts marketbywhere annual per capita wine conideologue at the 65 expense of fellow-traveller. backManto home as in an India it commands per cent Now that explicit sexual Capital. Grover credits Viswanathan, whoreferalso often drafted forthan the cause Hindu-Muslim sumption is less 10ml, of in contrast to the Manto the writer. “Manto’s short fiction of the wine market and competes with offers more ences fictionequity no longer most peoruns ainprivate fundprovoke in Singapore, for harmony bylitres sundry conscience-keepers of the athan nearly four consumed per capita globalwealth of thematic diversity. However, he is ple, 90 winemakers. New entrant Good Drop many of us believe we won’t highlighting thewould synergy between Frenchhave cuination. The Manto we have to have 60 chiefly ly, and 60 litres in France andcome 70 litres in Italy, — perhaps evenbyexclusively Wine Cellars is owned Ashwin — remem- been offended by and Manto. But wasn’t sine Indian wine. it the proyears after his death is the a noble who presiGrover decided to do nextdeity best thing — ex- bered as a who writeris on Partition Rodrigues, more than gressive left of the who had Sula’s Oldne, too,day avers that in des over of the socially op- and portthe his salvation wines to France. prostitutes. Thisapresent seaware that Sula has huge lead castigated Manto for obscenity “an epicurean culture like pressed and the politically “We decided marginalised. to take the bull by lection to correct this reand itsseeks nearest competitors in his fiction? Manto respect comes France, there is aIfhealthy The real Manto, the flesh-and-blood-and-althe horns,” he chuckles, about ductionist impression command just 1/5th of itsofmar-a back as a writer today, will cuinot for Indian fusion and he Creole We are the only cohol Manto, would have refused to play the writer his decision to take Indian who is concerned more ket share. “Grover Zampa is be lynched onissocial by sine, and that wheremedia Sula has The realcompany Manto, the Indian to role of the deity wewines have fashioned for that him.isHea with to a country the unique substance of his flesh-and-blood-andneck-to-neck with Fratelli Wines right-wing trolls, astoittruly may shine seem found a platform have a wine list in a was a professional writer, good orwine bad characters bywordand for as wine and than with social proband Charosa Vineyards in the In- alcohol to us. takes far less to than It isItencouraging seeManto the rewould on. FrenchManto, restaurant as they come. It will be a gross injustice de- lems connoisseurs, andtorich and political events as the dian market,” he says. to offend Mostin certainly sponse tothem. our wines France.”he have refused to play scribe writers as justwith good fine-wine or bad. Like their mainstay regions of his creative He, however, blameswork,” unwould offend left-liberals She adds that the in keeping with the role of the deity characters, they comelike in various shades and Memon Bordeaux writes. healthy competition and underand thewine progressives. Memon arglobal consuming trends, we have fashioned often have little ideological or political coher- cutting Champagne. In his attempt to amend the for destabilising gues Manto does not belong to red wines make up 60 per cent of for him ence about them. Manto was icono- Manto But in not this the audacious clause in the constitution domestic wine industry. “We are going Sula’s exports. any politics, however progres“Our Rasa Shiraz has won a silclast that we now like to think he was. the of move, Grover hasIncomthe critics, Memon through bad times. Nohas onemore is making money ver medal in sive it is. Syrah du Monde twice — in 2011 way of Mirza Ghalib, Manto drank leader like a in his pany.too Market arsenal than just a ‘pream- of premium and 2014. Having India. There is an oversupply For all fine our argument and saidhisthat, Sauvignon fish but abstained fromSula pork.Vineyards He was petty, too ble’: apart from fictional wines here, andManto’s margins are almost slim or Blanc and Dindori mightyViognier attemptare at much bending the apprespiteful, grumpy, waspish a pompous hasand a presence in and non-fictional pieces, he has included non-existent. Supply has exceeded demand, canon, Memon settle issue once ciated in Francecannot and have alsothe won internabraggart — certainly not France. the person you can Although its three pieces by two Urduwineries critics too. leading to many Indian seeking for- and forawards.” all. The question will yet remain: Do tional trust with the cause of the downtrodden or eign wines are currently “Manto knew too well that most humans weGrover shores,” he says. read Manto to enjoy hismost literary workmanobserves that at restaurants it Hindu-Muslim unity. sold mainly to restau- liveAlthough and breathe in the haze of Fratelli hasobscuring been exporting toconfive ship as we read read him towine jolt has become deChekhov, rigueur or towe pair Indian When Manto wrote about prostitute, he tradictory rants in athe Paris area, impulses certainties... countries, chiefly theand UK that and the US, Franceare is us outFrench of the comfort we have come to developa with food. “France is predominantly was not writing to tell you about the evil socieFounder and CEO Rajeev Sa- the prerogative only of ideologues, a market it has not tapped yet, says itswhether market- with our unbearable red wine market. Rosérealities? is second, though white ty that forced hermant into itsays and “there now offers her no is keen in- religious political,” MemonAswrites in his wine ing head, or Abhishek Haryson. for Charosa, On isa picking lighter up. note, Memon could have a Viswanathan was the one escape. Committed only to his as a of writer terest from a craft couple the ‘preamble’. He citessays the the example of Sahae,comthe stronger COO Parag Kamat two-year-old caseatfor Manto’s lackthat of political to point out the L’Arpege our red comwine and to no ideology or retailers, politics, his biggest so aim it’s was onlytoa protagonist in the by theitself same Sa- mitment pany wants to firststory establish inname. the Indiif hewith hadgrilled appreciated histhat Punjabi goes very well fish or, for matportray the character truly and interesting- hae matter ofastime”. is a devout Hindu and a overseas. pimp who runs a roots. an market before venturing A good Punjabi, like Manto, is not true to ter, any European-style fish.” ly as he could. That’s why his fiction about brothel The company’s globalis brand in Bombay, and dreams ofbeverage making any According to the global alcoholic butred hiswine peg is(drink) andfrom his Theideology La Reserve produced characters andambassador not ideas. and head of inter- ₹30,000 so thatIWSR, he could return market to his native market tracker the French is the mouthful of gaahl (abuses). At theand end Shiraz of the Grover’s Cabernet Sauvignon Academic, critic and translator Muhammad national business Cecilia Oldne Benares openfor a fabric “In real life,at a day, second and largest wineshop. consumption, isn’tItthat all that matters? grapes. is made in the best French winemakUmar Memonlists has the published a new translaSula range launched in devout man million would not come a ing traditions of Bordeaux, and aged in French about 300 cases a anywhere year, withnear local kumar tion of Manto’sFrance storieslast and non-fiction to Saures- whorehouse, year, including much less run 0.005 it, though in the brands dominating. A mere per cent of dharminder oak barrels, he says. is a Delhi-based journalist

Vin-vin idea

With few takers in India for a range of ﬁnely-crafted local wines, manufacturers are turning marketing logic on its head by taking their products to the very fount of winemaking — France

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My Name is Radha The Essential Manto Saadat Hasan Manto Muhammad Umar Memon (Trans.) Penguin Books ₹599

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Rajeev Samant, founder and CEO of Sula Vineyards

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Apart from the presence at L’Arpege, the company has a gallery in Paris that exclusively serves its wines.

cases) to make our presence felt in each state,” says Grover. Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Maldives too have emerged as his key markets. “We do 700 cases in Australia. We sold one container, and now have a second container waiting to be shipped. This year, we will target new markets, especially since my daughter Karishma has decided to explore new territories,” he adds.

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Old wine, new battle (left) Kapil Grover, owner of legacy winery Grover Zampa Vineyards and (above) daughter Karishma, who is scouting for new territories to grow the business

Quality issues Sounding a cautionary note, Rodrigues says that unlike Charosa and Fratelli, which “make good quality wines as they have their own vineyards”, Grover is mostly dependent on farmer contracts, leading to less control over quality.” Fratelli’s Haryson says his company owns 240 acres and wants to expand further. Charosa Vineyards owns 230 acres, of which 81 acres are cultivated, and another 80 acres have been developed. Its vineyards are located 55km from Nasik, at Dindori. Says its COO Kamat, “The quality of grapes decides the wine. Grover only has contract farming, which affects the overall quality. Many European coun-

Ashwin Rodrigues, owner of Good Drop Wine Cellars

tries are finicky about traditional production. They would rather make wines in the vineyard, than in the winery, where chemicals can be added to the wine.” Grover Vineyards was established in 1988 on 40 acres at the foot of the Nandi Hills, on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Today, the company owns vineyards in Nashik, Maharashtra, too. “We have 350-400 farmlands under lease at Nandi. We have a five-acre winery in Bangalore, and a 150-acre winery in Nashik, where we also have seven acres of vineyard,” says Grover, adding that the firm’s iconic La Reserve red wine, launched in 1998 in India, came from its own vineyard. The natural protection of the Nandi Hills and the terraced slopes of Nashik offer a good climate, fertile soil and perfect conditions for vine growing. Bubbling market With wine consumption expected to reach 2.1 million cases in India by 2017, an increase of 73 per cent from 2013, according to wine festival organiser Vinexpo, hopes are riding high. In 2012, Grover Vineyards merged with Nashik-based Vallee de Vin to form Grover Zampa Vineyards. Vallee de Vin was floated in 2006 by liquor industry veterans Deepak Roy, executive vicechairman, Allied Blenders and Distillers; and Ravi Jain, a former managing director of Shaw Wallace and Company. Kapil Grover then decided to create a complete portfolio of wines: from sparkling and still wines to port wines. The idea was to offer quality at different price points. “We have grown by 100 per cent in the two years since the two companies merged. This financial year, we hope to have two lakh cases, including port wine. Of this, 25,000 cases would be exported,” says Grover. Outlining the value brought by the merger with Vallee de Vin, Rodrigues, says, “Earlier, with little marketing and a solo effort, sales had slumped badly. Now, though Grover does not have its own vineyards, sales and quality have improved. They have also got fresh investment.” Sula’s Oldne adds that “Grover is an Indian brand that has a strong French connection and has been doing some great work in promoting Indian wines in France.” Dwelling on his 23-year-old company, Grover says he invested ₹25 crore of his own money to bring the company to its current standing. “Three years ago, we brought in investors who doubled my personal investment,” he says, adding that his daughter will now carry the baton, given her marketing skills, while he would be more content to raise a toast to her success. amrita nair-ghaswalla

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APPROACHING EYE LEVEL

A cut too deep I am a granny-chaser… The friendships and struggles of men come to the fore in Because older women are still teaching me the serious stuff in life overwrought detail in the Booker-nominated A Little Life

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Nisha Susan is a writer and editor of the feminist website The Ladies Finger shutterstock

ou used to say that older women are your religion,” a friend reminded me recently. This was roughly around the time she, a significant member of my older women universe, had come to my place in a state of extreme stress. She had an ‘unclimbable’ mountain of work, she was unwell and she had to find her way to Bihar in the next couple of days. Fifteen minutes later I had hustled her into the nearest swimming pool. “I don’t think I remember how to swim,” she said protesting much less now that she was in a flowered swimsuit, checking whether her feet touched the bottom of the pool in the shallow end. The first 10 minutes she was happy to be towed about in the pool while complaining that her kick was not taking her anywhere. The next 10 minutes, she persuaded herself to paddle about, head above the water. In the last 15 minutes she cheerfully swam up and down the breadth of the pool, face down in the cold water. Out of the pool, she was pleased to return to my house and eat the figs she had found at one corner of Bengaluru while running errands for her older people universe. Very pleased to know that she could still swim. A little pleased to know that the 23-year-old employee she had once met in a dark corner of an NGO could now hustle her into a fleeting sense of well-being. A young academic I know has recently embraced what her best friend calls her grannychaser self — a deadpan riff on RuPaul’s brilliant Tranny Chaser. Her seduction of significantly older women are only half-plotted. Her grannies are just more likely to share her sangfroid and taste for Vita Sackville-West than the 20-somethings that her life has an obvious abundance of. Here’s the thing. Most of us have an abundance of older people in our lives we are fleeing from, not chasing. So why do some of us run at high-speed away from the ones we inherited just to seek out whole new ones? Older women taught me, are still teaching me, all the serious stuff. That poetry is necessary. To learn the names of plants. To cook a meal from what looks like a near-empty kitchen. To love your saris. To give them away. To negotiate pay for work. To work for free. To not take men seriously. To take love seriously. They taught me that it’s never too late to learn to swim. That you should learn something new every time you’re in the pool but that on some afternoons you just want to float on your back. The contracts that we have with the older people from our families may include a getout-of-jail-free card but there is a lingering sense of crime and punishment, often for years. Or we don't even know if we have a card because we snuck out of the window. Because A Little Life never taught us to the one thing our families Hanya No. Yanagihara say in an adult tenor: Doubleday For that you need ₹699 your older friends. They Fiction teach you that you might one day fight with the friends you adore, the ones you think are

s these things often work out these irritated and intrigued me in equal measure. days, I started reading A Little Life Though the book starts as a story of friendbased on a suggestion someone of- ship, and indeed friendship is an important fered someone else on Twitter. This part of it throughout, at its core, the novel is a is to say that I came to this meditation on suffering. Yanagihara’s ability tome of a novel much before to write lyrically and unflinchingly about sufit was short-listed for the fering is her ultimate triumph. In scene after Booker Prize and the accom- scene, when Jude steps into the bathroom and panying brouhaha ensued. picks up his razor, Yanagihara does not leave Therefore when I met Willem you with the tools to allow you to imagine and Jude house-hunting un- Jude’s suffering. Instead she describes his skin successfully in New York in and the way the razor tears through it, previthe first few paragraphs, I ous night’s scars and all, in detail that is distillwas ready to go on a 700-plus ed down to such a visceral level that there is page odyssey with them and nothing else for you to do but fling the book their two other friends — JB and away and catch your breath. Malcolm — with no prior judgeAnd when you return to it, it is to the realisaments at all. tion that Yanagihara has not cut you any slack Although A Little Life starts off as a and you must be a witness, closely closeted in story of all four of them, young men the tiny bathroom, with no way of escaping or who have recently graduated from looking away from Jude’s suffering. a prestigious college and are findAs the story progresses, and the narrative ing their feet in their careers — arc contains almost the entire life of the four acting, law, painting and archi- people, you are tossed from feeling sorry for tecture — as the book progress- Jude to wanting to meet him and shake him. es, its focus converges sharply But even in maintaining this oscillation, Yanaon the most segihara is unflinching. It would cretive of them seem that nothing good ever all, Jude St happened to Jude when he Francis. While was young. And for most of his everyone knows It is no mean feat when adult life, nothing bad really Jude has had a a work of fiction makes happens to him. Yet for Jude, troubled childthere is suffering even, or esthe reader want to hood, and that pecially, in goodness, as he physically accost a his limp and a struggles with finding himcharacter and shake persistent pain self worthy of it. him hard are the unmisIt is no mean feat when a takable signs of work of fiction makes the Age no bar You needit, older to know that it’s never too late to learn to swim afp/sergei chirikov nofriends one really reader want to physically acknows the details cost a character. Yet, A Little Life of his upbringing. Jude also al- is not without its flaws. For one, it is too long ways wears always right. These might havelong beensleeves, uninten-no ny-chase her. I just love her and want to be and unnecessarily stretches the narrative arc. matter howno, hot the weather, tional lessons. I learnt to say to disagree vi- around her.”would She would like tobetter accelerate The book have been if thetheir editor andabject evenstate before we underolently (and in an of terror), to relationship in respect the frequenthad seen itpartly fit to cut 200 or for so pages of it, and Jude’s journey, we know made it intoflier discover that Istand was sometimes lifestyle rockstar academa tight littleof coiled spring. My oththat Ihewas is awrong cutter,but a man who cannot er quibble ics. right. Or that Butthe thefact other of is with thatreason while aisgreat help that none ofhis thisnightly meansinstincts the end to take a razor deal of time course thaton themeaningless object of herdiverafis spent and slash at love. his own arms. of friendship, theaway end of is old.characters ‘The grave’sand a fine sions, somefection important relaAuthor Yanagihara, a 41-year-old You learn it Hanya in arguments and privatetwo-dimensional. place, but none, I are rendered That poetrytionships is The People in the Trees, To learn with whose them. first And novel, by watching think, do there embrace’ The book’s characters occasionally have is honecessary. acclaimed but commercially themwas say critically no and survive. It’s ofroughly what friend issome think-remosexual relations, andmy although the names of plants. unsuccessful, takesAnd her time in placing the set ten a sneaky lesson. someand it hasthe no great trouble called gaysaying novel, To cook a mealviews from haveing pieces book.revelation. Once the back-stories times it’sofa the floodlit is mydoes younger to herShe credit, not woman go down what looksoflikeYanagihara, a near- aloud. the athree men are told (mostly empty privileged, a the (Like bright moment decades friendpath but of with an enviablesexual acpredictable introspecting kitchen. To love perfect of racepool and class), Yanagihago for assortment my swimming ceptance of one truth I flinch identities. It is also, strangely, a timeless novel, your saris. To give ara slowly takestous through Jude’s life, year af-away friend. She went visit a slightfromnot — people youfor love, no externalaway events, even 9/11 a you book them year. ly ter older colleague and was deepmay grow towith love, characters die. that is set in New York using The criticality the other ly shocked to beofserved justthree characters the Internet Apparently, I am theintrude only one and smartphones, the is eventually reduced to My only the parts in plot. The real coffee and instant rava idlis. hiding under bed. success of Amy Little LifeAiscouple in the of fact which their lives touch Jude’s. swimming pool friend had been Their meetings, that it highlights monthsthe ago, my mother friendships and mensufferdinners, and mostly unstinting are tioned trained to cook huge meals for anyfriendship guest since more instance of death her ciring ofone men. Had this exact samein story been endearingBut initially and, in my view, childhood. her colleague was easy.exhaust“You cle. I said tentatively it must that be hard to that of four women, that it is unlikely the book ing us eventually. It is in the languid with grow want to spend time together, right?pace Not for older andfound have ayour friendsmuch disappear would have publisher, less a Yanagihara reveals right?”) Jude’s past that onBooker mewhich to be stuck in the kitchen, you. My mother saidmore blithely, “That’s why nod. But, that’s a reflection of the makes her aacademic masterfulfriend writer. is She divulges in just you My young currently needwe younger world live in,friends.” not one that Yanagihara can as much it will take for the reader plod“Ion be faulted for. pursuit of aaswell-known historian. Shetosaid, t@chasingiamb for several dozen waiting fortothe next don’t even have the pages, patience or time granrevelation. This made A Little Life the book that veena venugopal

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LIGHTHOUSE

The fatal conceit of the Indian politician Sixty-eight years after Independence, we are still enslaved by a failed philosophy World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index: it has since slipped to 142. He has not reformed the labour laws that, for decades, have prevented us from becoming a manufacturing superpower. The licence and inspector raj remains what it was under his predecessors. A litany of what he has not changed would be the same as that of what was wrong with our country before he took over. Friends in high places tell me that the system doesn’t allow him to act. But the truth is that Modi suffers from the same fatal conceit that Nehru displayed. He believes the economy needs a top-down manager. He would rather reform a public sector unit than sell it off. When he talks about ‘minimum government and maximum governance,’ as catchy as that slogan might be, he is speaking of making the government more efficient and not at eliminating it entirely from areas where it has no business existing. His conceit isn’t limited to his economic thinking, though. Look at how the man struts, as he travels the world meeting the high and mighty. I wonder if he realises, though, that Go whither? Narendra Modi embodies the worst of both the left and the right wings r ragu these global leaders give him importance because of the chair he occupies, and not the man he is. I suspect he has actually drunk his ’m not conceited. Conceit is a fault Economies, like languages, are products of Kool Aid, and believes the Modi Wave narrative and I have no faults.” Imagine this “human action but not human design,” in the of the last elections. He may be headed for a quote on an internet meme, along- words of Adam Ferguson. They function bril- fall if so. side a picture of Narendra Modi, liantly on their own, with millions of individuLook at the numbers from the 2014 general looking dapper in that famous pinstripe suit, als pursuing their self-interest, and thus elections again. The first-past-the-post system or maybe a trademark Modi kurta. It would increasing the value in the lives of others, for made it seem like a wipeout, as the BJP got 6.4 surely get thousands of shares on social that is the only path to profit. Planning is not times the seats that Congress did. But they got media, many from bhakts impressed by the only not required, it is an impediment. Nehru just 1.6 the vote share of the Congress. It was 31 Prime Minister’s modesty. Don’t rush to share and his successors ravaged the economy with per cent to 19 per cent, and a four per cent it, though: as one tends to do on the internet, I their well-intentioned intervenswing away from them next time just misattributed. Those words were not ut- tions. I won’t recite the litany, but could easily result in a hung partered by Modi, but by former Van Halen singer here’s the thing: 68 years after Inliament. They delivered outlier David Lee Roth. But Modi could have said them, dependence, 24 after the Soviet performances in states like Uttar could he not? Union collapsed, we are still enPradesh, Madhya Pradesh and His conceit isn’t Please don’t think I am picking on Naren- slaved by a failed philosophy. And Gujarat, which seem statistically limited to his drabhai alone. All politicians are vain. Indeed, we’re still suffering because of the impossible to repeat. And the foleconomic thinking, one could argue that in politics, vanity is a fea- fatal conceit of flawed individuals. though. Look at how lowing things are certain: Since ture and not a bug. Politicians come to power It amuses me sometimes that the election, they have not won the man struts by selling specific narratives about their excel- Modi is considered a right-wing more supporters than they have lence; and they can sell it most effectively if politician. He actually embodies lost; the turnout of their supportthey believe it themselves. Success in many the worst of both left and right. ers is bound to be less the next fields often begins, comically and ironically, Like his party, and the ecosystem time around; other parties, clear with self-delusion. But politicians have conse- of religious nutjobs that sustains it, he is right- about what they are up against, will make quences, and there’s nothing remotely comic wing on social issues; and left on economic smarter coalitions to consolidate the non-BJP about that. ones. Basically, he is against individual free- vote; anti-incumbency will be a factor now One reason that India is still a poor country dom in every domain possible. Wait, did I just that some of the Modi sheen is gone. is the ‘fatal conceit’ of our founding fathers, to call him an economic leftist? Well, if a man is Modi behaves like prime ministership was use Friedrich Hayek’s powerful phrase. Jawa- to be known by his actions and not his public his destiny and he will win again easily in 2019. harlal Nehru, and his minions and successors, image, what else can we call him? But if he doesn’t get his act together, reformbelieved that economies were best planned I know many economic liberals, bald being the economy and constraining the lunatic from the top down. An economy is a complex cause of six decades of tearing their hair out, fringe in his party, he could be in for a surprise. thing; the poor and ignorant masses of India who thought Modi would be a free-market India could choose another delusional politicneeded to be directed by wise and benevolent messiah. My ass. Tell me this: exactly what re- ian over him, and 2014-2019 could be rememplanners. Those who have studied economics forms has he carried out that increase our eco- bered as The Selfie Years. or paid attention to history know that this was nomic freedom? When Modi took over, India t@amitvarma foolish and wrong. was ranked 140 out of 189 countries in the

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

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Little joys We reassure ourselves in Mysore that, in spite of change, we remain compact and we have retained our character; (below) the city’s heritage clock tower ma sriram

Leagues of its own FN Souza’s oil painting ‘Birth’ was the toast of the auction christie’s images ltd. 2015

The of paintings Bigpassports city, small city A report from the frontlines of the record-breaking auction of South Asian art at Christie’s As cranes swing down and stanchions shoot up, our small cities are getting larger all the time

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947 is a significant year for India in more ways than one. Art created prior to that is labelled ‘modern,’ and work profyear you’re driving from Bangalore on SH17, duced after is ‘contemporary,’ explains as you approach Mysore, the hoardings Nishad Avari, associate specialist in South begin to flash past with increasing reguAsianlarity. Art atThe Christie’s. He is of standing the long stretch coconutintrees centre of Gallery which houses over by $5 miland paddy fieldsVI,are foregrounded the lion worth of art by Souza, SH Raza, Hupulsing glimmer of FN luxury hotels, goldMF jewelsain, Akbar Padamsee, Gaitonde and Ram lery, silk saris. If you’re VS paying attention, you Kumar, few. They are some of thebillartmight to seename one aespecially eye-catching ists featured in theof73four lots,gazing or pieces, up with for aucboard — a family down an tion. I attend rapture. the opening reception, so the otherworldly The man’s protective, atmosphere relaxed and it inviting, evenhe’s if thea outstretchedisarms make clear that air conditioning is unnecessarily Peo-a hunter-gatherer, the urbane kind,strong. one with ple walk side-parting. in to either admire or to decide perfect The woman restswhat her to buy. smiles a in greeting at the former head onAvari his shoulder wifely adoration and while escorting latter athrough theof exhibithe two childrenthe display cutesiness such tion and answering their intensity that you long to questions. cast them as demonWhat do they ask about? ic arsonists in the next Ram Gopal Varma film. The provenance, mostly. tableau: the winBehind them a shimmering Provenance? dows of a high-rise, light glancing off a pool, a “Assume painting has tag a passport,” glimpse of aeach silvery foyer. The line: ‘Big AvaCity ri says, who months going through old Living, Nowspends in Mysore.’ catalogues and exhibition histories to piece This, of course, should set off all kinds of one together. The provenance ofabout a work its grumbling and hand-wringing theisend back story: where it was who owned it of small-city urban life.created, The signs have been before it ended upSmall-city at Christie’s. It indicates a there for a while. dwellers can also work’s age,the reputation, and lineage. now enjoy viscid fumes that seep through ‘South Modern + Contemporary theThe vents of aAsian KFC before gazing at the giant Art’ collection in Gallery VI boasts advenimages of Caucasian models in thean windows turous and patriotic Most of Pantaloons. We tooprovenance. run the daily riskof ofthe bework was created in the and laden ’60s, “awith fering knocked down by a1950s courier tile period” for as Indian according to Flipkart goodies we tryartists, to get to the market. Avari. Many belonged tomalls. the Progressive ArtAnd, yes, we do have the After an amble ists’ Group of Bombay (formedon by any Souza), and through their chilly passages Sunday left India around independence to we spend afternoon, dear metropolitan India, can years in Europe the US,are which confirm that ourand teenagers just influenced as horny as

their understanding of art. Several then re- tonde” — went for almost $200,000, or five turned to India — a new country, and a new art- times the original price. That kicked off the istic armed with western techniques, yoursquest and —our middle-aged couples just as auction “with a bang,” andtothe rest of it as was no bestsellers. Mysore tried take notes Bancolours and mindsets, which they diligently less embittered. energised. galore went from being a garden city to a penapplied to their material. But it could all subject be so much worse,Gradually, we say to sioner’s ‘Birth’ paradise sold for $4.1 millionpub to a buyer Into India’s capital,ingay they adapted their craft to suit land- dia, ourselves, as we contemplate the Indian traffic snarls andoutsourcing became thecapital, most expensive South capital, start-up capital scapes, found ways to harmonise the aband realand estate prices of Mumbai and Delhi. Af- Asian modern painting sold. BidsMysore’s came in and traffic capital — andever now, finally, stract of the West with the indigenous ter all,shapes we are still lucky enough to live in a city person, online, nearly nervously. 20 active given up. All weand canon dothe is watch grace East. auto ride will get you al- phone whereofa the 15-minute lineshas in already the room. Privateup buyer and art Bangalore gobbled the satellite Theanywhere exhibition begins a narrow most you need in to go; where hallway, the trin- enthusiast Monica Upper East Side town of Kengeri andSaxena’s its environs and, smackwhere several pencilMohalla sketchesdisplay by Pakistani art- living ket sellers of Mandi the same is covered in ornate, ing itsroom chops, advanced towardsvibrant Bidadi,piecthe ist Rahman hang.they Tucked in es, sortAbdur of bangles andChughtai baubles that always sheintakes care to hang thebeen Chughtai nextbut town sight. Bidadi too has swalan themanufactured left is an untitled Gaitonde sketch didalcove (albeiton now in Guangdong she acquired in her wherefor it lowed whole. And now we bedroom, wait anxiously watercolour, its can trademark yellows province); andwarm whereinyou buy coffee in an makes a more intimate statement. the next the moment when Ramanagara, and The hallwayblended then opens alleyreds. off Shivrampet to perfinally cent ofsuccumbs, the works townOver on 75 SH17, into a wide gallery, other a family recipe that isatatthe least a were acquired — of a statistical the famed boulders Sholay beend of which a striking sight: a hundred yearsis old. And surely successthefor Avari — of because coming centrepiece a new long oil painting, ‘Birth’. there Souza is no large city in India IT“people park. are looking for early Mysoreans ‘Birth’ sold have for $4.1 The nude stretched where youwoman can open up the out clas-in modernism,” he says, explainIt’s development, we tell ourwatched million the to agrowth buyer in ‘Birth’ to deliver isand one sifieds and of a ready local newspaper ing the auction’sit’ssuccess. selves, it’s progress, linear. of Bangalore with a India, and became the of Souza’s iconicannounimages. thrill to themost following “There’s alsochapter a lot more confiThe opening of Booth horrified fascination most expensive South Avari pauses in frontKrishnaswaof this paintcement: ‘Dr Savithri dence in the Tarkington’s 1918modernist classic, The marMagAsian modern ing to leaving explain for its a“flawless provemy is month long ket, so Ambersons, people are not afraidpreto nificent charts painting ever sold nance” it isUSA one (covering of the “fivethe best sojourn— in bid, even is cisely this though notiontheofdollar urban works modern South Asianand art,” states of New Jersey, Arizona so high.” The But the year not yet ontogeny. book is ais layered and holds world auction record Texas). The astaff of SK Clinic wish her a bon voy- exploration of the over; the marquis auction will decline of a powerful family for The piece is acclaimed age Souza. and safe and speedy return.’ take placeofina Mumbai this city Deand the metamorphosis mid-Western forWe its reassure “sheer monumentality life sized ourselves that,and in spite of it figall, cember. a lotand of economic people outchange there at a time“There of rapidare social ures.” It wascompact last soldand in 2008 forretained $2.5 million we remain we have our who get what they wanted,” says, in thedidn’t US. Many will be familiar withAvari the monto Tina Ambani the confirmation same time that fa- which character. If we at need ofRaza’s this fact wellat forthe upcoming tage ofbodes changes start of sales. the novel bemous ‘Saurashtra’ sold for million. This cause we only have to crane our$2.5 necks and look Gallery VI scenes has gone quiet but Avari1942 andfilm his of the in Orson Welles’s was the yearinwhen global financial markets northwards, the direction of Bangalore. My- team areTarkington already preparing Mumbai. “We version. takes thefor reader through were crashing. Only theitsauctioneers — and the are soreans have watched growth with a horritravelling allinover, meetingfrom people, changing styles everything hatschasand portraits they wereover selling — did blink. of ing fied fascination the lastnotcouple things, getting leads,” says. And “It’s aaslitshoes to architecture and Avari furniture. ‘a This auction proves that the in tle decades, going from a sibling cityoptimism of warm fatreasure hunt-like.” mist of white whisker’ appears upon the the market several records miliarity to continues becomingas a watchword for awere cer- throat of a Senator, even small changes in is a New freelance writer broken. Theoffirst lot that sold in — “that little Gai- aditi tain kind globalisation international male sriram grooming are York-based seen as indicative of this

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inexorable movement down the line of advancement: ‘Surely no more is needed to prove that so short a time ago we were living in another age…’ But the scenes that we see in Indian urbanlife defy this notion of steady movement in one direction: a description that may be pure invention by a novelist for the purposes of a ﬂuid ﬁrst chapter. What should astonish us is that in our big cities it is still possible to locate their former selves. Instead of a glassy linearity, our urban growth is about fractures and dissonance — a splintered synchronicity where obscure memories recreate themselves on the streets of an unfamiliar neighbourhood, where a mottled snapshot comes to life under an arch or in a courtyard. There are neighbourhoods in Bangalore where people still queue up with pails and churns, as cows are milked in front of them. In Chennai there

As authors return their awards, the State must take responsibility and not respond with indifference, let alone hostility

well-heeled parents feel in the face of a public swimming pool, a fetid stew of disease and contamination caused by children whose English pronunciation is far from ideal. And the demonisation of the word and the sense that a genuinely shared urban space is of any value looks likely to continue. The current buzzword when it comes to urban planning is ‘smart’. The Modi government has announced its plans to invest heavily in smart cities, both by building new cities and upgrading existing ones. Certainly, investment in urban infrastructure ought to be welcomed but these plans remain high on gloss and low on many particulars. Never mind, we can say to ourselves: we’re sure all will be made clear in good time. In the interim, we can entertain ourselves with the promotional materials, the dazzling facades, the whirl of and fibre optic circuitry and Stand tall Nayantara Sahgal, Ashok Vajpeyi and Krishna Sobti have surrendered their awards as a symbol of protest r bullet ravindran; trains rv moorthy; v sudershan smart cards. There it is again, that word: ‘smart’. There is an implication that the city itself will be quick-witted and intelligent, a Baubles forever glitters with have ashe’s comfortable sameness overagain the years; in t last Mandi countMohalla the number wasdisplays 24 andthat now place sensors and panels gleam, a returning it. Once this(top) is odd. them where has referred toblink the growing intolerance Mysore one climbing. is still lucky enough to live in a city where auto will get you almostor anywhere you It’s interesting that thea 15-minute domain capable of independent its inThe likes ofride Nayantara Sahgal Ashok Vajpeyi in the country, and the fear ofaction, lawlessness need to go ma sriram writers who are returning their or Krishna Sobti and all the others who have habitants almost tacit beingsanction incidental the data with the almost of to extra-legal seen asdo a place of construction notthem just that awards as thick andsmall fast are a varied itsprotest. networks. Discussion at are roads where, in any town, a sha- city protested, not need the award to — give and surges violentaround forms of And this is why high-rises, bridges flyovers, but of idenlot — old, women — who have of city conferences miana willyoung, sproutmen, up for a family function, legitimacy. Rather, byand accepting it, they are the smart the protest is spreading.have already touched And, surely, so many thousands ar- upon written intraffic Hindiin and Urdu, Kannadaas and Kon- tities. the policing that took will blocking both directions, uncles ones who legitimise the award. Thewho award Perhaps it’s timeand the surveillance State sat up and in Bhayander Dwarka or Nayandahalli kani, Punjabi, Gujarati Theychilhail rive required to preserve from discuss property pricesand andEnglish. gluttonous comes to them asorrecognition, as apprecia- be notice: sometimes thingsthese beginenclaves in small ways, same: a for kind of psychic unclenching. fromare Delhi and and seek considered not meritorious enough to dren sick in theDehradun, gutter. WalkKarnataka up a few floors tion, the as honour what they have done, not those sometimes simmering anger and resentment and bazaars, colonies layouts, Kashmir, and Goa, Punjab and else- Chowks enjoy them. The shiny brochures make locked in dozensGujarat of buildings in Mumbai or Delhi as encouragement for what they and might do. find articulation because of one incident. For maidans, all become potential locawhere. nothing else, is something a verywho natural extension their of locked parks. and youIfwill still find thethis fourth generationwe of bastis But and it matters to writers precisely because it cities the writers are returning awards it’s aspiration and They all, the most technologically efacannot familyignore. of tailors, seated at an ancient Singer tions is a peer of award,fantasy, and because it is an Indian been are, twoafter unfortunate deaths — those of KalBut wait a minute. Perhaps there out is someway of keeping theAkhlaq public at sewing machine, copying patterns of a transformation. award. What better thing for a creative person ficient burgi and Mohammed — bay. that have Our big are here and,by as one’s own served as catalysts. thing thereAcross we are not seeing or understandBut This thenmay we seem returnlike from the magazine. India’s megacities, when the than to cities be recognised a small swing down and staning. Let’s turn to after our Culture Minister Mahesh of the these splendid visions, dust has settled all the razing and sand- cranes constituency? initiative, butdaze it has potential of turning still raises his shoot up, our small cities Sharma. He has words of wisdom too:old thebrass Sah- chions brought to the real world by blasting, a raddiwallah There’s another question doing the rounds. into something muchback bigger. scales. larger have all the itya Akademi award, he says, has nothing to do are theA sound of responsive water suddenly Willgetting this protest anytime. imsensitive, State There it is again, that Andthe while the exponential growth urban the experience with government (of course, theofhead of Taken drumming into plastic bucket, pact attogether, the ground level? I’m not takes note of thea democratic, leword: ‘smart’. There India will continue, whether we likeotherwise it or not, of these disparate the Akademi would have us believe agalreminder thecitizens absence ofrea entirely sure how urban we cancentres define protests of its and is an implication that we needanother large, red-blooded don’t we? is that oflevel a hall mirrors, some butdo that’s story). It’s cities, an award given regular waterresponsibility supply, basic ground — of but the unfortusponds clean to it, takes the city itself will be The award comes to There are, attoa writers. conservative 12 mil- broken, some squares by writers “It isestimate, their personal sewerage services, reliable garnate deaths of intact, Dabholkar and for its failures that have led peoquick-witted and them as recognition, lion young people who the shardsand that infinitely choice to return it… weenter accept it.”Indian work- and bage the there things Pansare Kalburgi,reflect the ple tocollection, this protestall— for is intelligent as as appreciation, force year. jobswriter’s they seek are their images at each other. Oddevery though, if itThe is the personal that so many threats to theback Mumbai launch of no other word would for it —gratefully these are honour for what they unlikely be created by aand bunch of adiletthey provide a shifting choice toto return the award, it isn’t gov- Together settle for inBut our existing Neither a Hawk, Nor a Dove by forfailures. that commuis not have done, not as tantes idling awaywhy thewould hours at house kaleidoscope every aspect of ernment award, thea coffee government nities — even if they don’t mer Pakistanofforeign minister happening. encouragement for in a Malgudi-esque idyll. the minister said, “If what it means to live in urbanthe Inneed to accept it? Further amount sharpmany thrillyears of a Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, There to wasthe a time what they might do Beyond that, our hope to escape today. The city/small city they say they aresurely unable tobest write, let them stop dia blackening ofbig Sudheendra Kul- distinction is bullet train. ago when, as activists in the the conservatism that feeds many chau- no longer division in our writing, we will then see.” Thisour defiant back-toLet’s see. Let’s not bemovement, negative. Perhaps the karni’s face,aallmeaningful of these show women’s we protestvinisms — caste, isn’t linguistic, religious, the-wall response uncommon. Whengenyou cityscapes. mirage of these smart many cities will come to pass. that there is a very real worry at ed about things, including dered — is have in ournolarge cities. There’s still real division is that between know you rational response, yousuch take theThe video voiceovers will be vindiground level, a very real wor- public and The breathless discriminatory laws, terrible imarecourse long way to go ofofcourse: we’ve seen marked by the shifting boundaries of cated to this kind statement. None of the private, as the scale modelsState rise through the ry that free thinking people, questioning peoplementation, indifferent systems and atrocities that erupt theto metros. But weor can of a citypeople, that commit repeated acts of smog writers has said theyin want stop writing is the andhostility. grime toWe fillwere the horizon. One day in ple,parts protesting rational people will outright not always listened at least to hope that urban willminister provide secession. Locked of park gates, vanishedthat lakes, unable write. Why thencentres should the future might to sitAnd in derail the process homogenisation we the to, but wewe were notindeed scoffedbeatable either. the freedom anonymity en- private lanes and roads that are front issuecrucial that warning to and them? What willthat the govof athe screen our steel box our on the 25th are nowgreen seeingspaces; in India. whether Statein listened or not, protests able theirseeinhabitants experiment with commandeered religious trustswith for lengthy ernment or do if the to writers stop writing? sealed back with I don’t need tobymake the links the en- floor, were not met and withsecure, insults, looking or with defiance. Is their sense of self and push pavements that are used for everyPerhaps they’ll celebrate the beyond death ofconstrictfree voic- functions; at the days when anyrespect of us, allfor ofour us, tire agitation on the question of eating beef, nostalgia it too much to hope for such Soft City, Jonath- thing ing roles and expectations. walking. land mystees. Fortunately that will notInhappen. down today? the street, any much street,towith or thebut murder and Municipal near-murder inthat Dadri (and could writer walk protestors Is it too ask anThe Raban’s 1974 classic ofresponse urban life, maps riously intothat private hands; after) walls the Sahitya Akademi’s washe similar, our faces wind in our hair. the lamedisappears explanations were offered thatsun theon State, even and our the silent-on-such-issues out as a place that is moulded the and barriers segregate open spaces with Head of State, express some concern? andLondon also similarly back-to-the-wall: inby referor indeed thethat attacks on NGOs, or on individudifferent versions ofSahgal, a person, the something city’s plas- no of accountability. ‘Public’ has always ence to Nayantara it was als.trace The writers’ protest may have begun with mahesh rao is the author of The Smoke is Rising. One Point Two ticity awaiting the connections made by an in- been collection of shortis stories, urvashi butalia an editor, publisher and Billion directoris a bitmurder, of a dirty in upper middlegraceless like she’s taken all the advantages the Dadri andword Kalburgi’s killing, but His dividual’s andbenefited yearnings.from This itis and the class published in October 2015 of Zubaan India, encapsulated by the terror many the awardaffinities carries, and it’s rapidly growing much bigger. Each of being

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Dances with gods Pang Lhabsol, an annual festival, is a colourful amalgamation of Sikkim’s history and faith

riendship, harmony, a lofty mountain and a wrathful deity — these are the four things that Pang Lhabsol, an annual festival in Sikkim, is about. The peaceful hill-state was once torn apart by strife and enmity between the Lepchas and the Bhutias (of Tibetan origin). Locals believe that Pang Lhabsol was ﬁrst celebrated sometime in the 13th century to mark the beginning of peaceful relations between the warring groups. Lepcha chief Thekongtek and Tibetan crown prince Khya Bumsa erected nine slabs at Kabilunchok (near Gangtok, the current capital), tied animal intestines around those, and took a blood oath of friendship under the gaze of the mighty Khangchendzonga (considered a guardian deity of Sikkim by the Lep-

chas). Mahakala, a deity revered by the followers of Vajrayana Buddhism as the enforcer of dharma, is also associated with this historic occasion. Held in several monasteries across Sikkim in the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar (August-September) every year, the festival is becoming popular among tourists, photographers and documentary ﬁlmmakers. The highlight of the day-long festivities is the mask dance — an ancient Bon Tibetan ritual — by the lamas. Locals turn up in big numbers to seek the blessings of the deities and the monks, while visitors eagerly await the parade of the dancers in colourful masks and drapes.

Ready for the show Pemayangtse, one of the mostt

dhruba dutta is a Guwahati-based photographer

Colour me wild Monks — old and young — perform the warrior dance. The dance is a tribute to Mahakala, the protector of dharma who is often portrayed as an all-black deity with a frightening expression

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t prominent monasteries in Sikkim, dressed up for Pang Lhabsol

Pipe up The gyaling (trumpet) is an integral part of the Tibetan ritual orchestra

All in it together Young monks dance around a sacred pole at Pemayangtse

Call of the divine Locals from villages near and far come to the monastery to seek the blessings of the deities and the monks.

Let there be music A monk plays giant cymbals at the parade

Little steps A student of the monastic school at Pemayangtse runs to join the festivities

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Little joys We reassure ourselves in Mysore that, in spite of change, we remain compact and we have retained our character; (below) the city’s heritage clock tower ma sriram

Leagues of its own FN Souza’s oil painting ‘Birth’ was the toast of the auction christie’s images ltd. 2015

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947 is a significant year for India in more ways than one. Art created prior to that is labelled ‘modern,’ and work profyear you’re driving from Bangalore on SH17, duced after is ‘contemporary,’ explains as you approach Mysore, the hoardings Nishad Avari, associate specialist in South begin to flash past with increasing reguAsianlarity. Art atThe Christie’s. He is of standing the long stretch coconutintrees centre of Gallery which houses over by $5 miland paddy fieldsVI,are foregrounded the lion worth of art by Souza, SH Raza, Hupulsing glimmer of FN luxury hotels, goldMF jewelsain, Akbar Padamsee, Gaitonde and Ram lery, silk saris. If you’re VS paying attention, you Kumar, to name few. They are some of thebillartmight see one aespecially eye-catching ists featured in the lots,gazing or pieces, upwith for aucboard — a family of73four down an tion. I attend rapture. the opening reception, so the otherworldly The man’s protective, atmosphere relaxed and it inviting, evenhe’s if thea outstretchedisarms make clear that air conditioning is Peo-a hunter-gatherer, theunnecessarily urbane kind,strong. one with ple walkside-parting. in to either admire or to decide perfect The woman restswhat her to buy. smiles a in greeting at the former head onAvari his shoulder wifely adoration and while escorting latterathrough theof exhibithe two childrenthe display cutesiness such tion and answering their intensity that you long to questions. cast them as demonWhat do they ask about? ic arsonists in the next Ram Gopal Varma film. The provenance, mostly. tableau: the winBehind them a shimmering Provenance? dows of a high-rise, light glancing off a pool, a “Assume painting has tag a passport,” glimpse of aeach silvery foyer. The line: ‘Big AvaCity ri says, who months going through old Living, Nowspends in Mysore.’ catalogues and exhibition histories to piece This, of course, should set off all kinds of one together. The provenance ofabout a work its grumbling and hand-wringing theisend back story: where it was who owned it of small-city urban life.created, The signs have been before it ended at Christie’s. It indicates there for a while.upSmall-city dwellers can alsoa work’s age,the reputation, and lineage. now enjoy viscid fumes that seep through ‘South Modern + Contemporary theThe vents of aAsian KFC before gazing at the giant Art’ collection in Gallery VI boasts advenimages of Caucasian models in thean windows turous and patriotic Most of Pantaloons. We tooprovenance. run the daily riskof of the bework was created in the and laden ’60s, “awith fering knocked down by a1950s courier tile period” for as Indian according to Flipkart goodies we tryartists, to get to the market. Avari. Many belonged the Progressive ArtAnd, yes, we do have thetomalls. After an amble ists’ Group of Bombay (formedon by any Souza), and through their chilly passages Sunday left India around independence to we spend afternoon, dear metropolitan India, can years in Europe the US,are which influenced confirm that ourand teenagers just as horny as

their understanding of art. Several then re- tonde” — went for almost $200,000, or five turned to India — a new country, and a new art- times the original price. That kicked off the istic armed with western techniques, yoursquest and —our middle-aged couples just as auction “with a bang,” and rest of it as was no bestsellers. Mysore tried tothe take notes Bancolours and mindsets, which they diligently less embittered. energised. galore went from being a garden city to a penapplied to their material. But it could all subject be so much worse,Gradually, we say to sioner’s ‘Birth’ paradise sold for $4.1 millionpub to a capital, buyer ingay Into India’s they adapted their craft to suit land- dia, ourselves, as we contemplate the Indian traffic snarls andoutsourcing became thecapital, most expensive South capital, start-up capital scapes, found ways to harmonise the aband realand estate prices of Mumbai and Delhi. Af- Asian modern painting sold. BidsMysore’s came in and traffic capital — andever now, finally, stract of the West with the indigenous ter all,shapes we are still lucky enough to live in a city person, online, nearly nervously. 20 active given up. All weand canon dothe is watch grace East. auto ride will get you al- phone whereofa the 15-minute lineshas in already the room. Privateup buyer and art Bangalore gobbled the satellite Theanywhere exhibition begins a narrow most you need in to go; where hallway, the trin- enthusiast Monica Upper East Side town of Kengeri andSaxena’s its environs and, smackwhere several pencilMohalla sketchesdisplay by Pakistani art- living ket sellers of Mandi the same is covered in towards ornate, vibrant ing itsroom chops, advanced Bidadi,piecthe ist Rahman hang. Tucked in es, sortAbdur of bangles andChughtai baubles that they always sheintakes to hang thebeen Chughtai nextbut town sight.care Bidadi too has swalan themanufactured left is an untitled Gaitonde sketch didalcove (albeiton now in Guangdong she acquired in her wherefor it lowed whole. And now we bedroom, wait anxiously watercolour, its can trademark yellows province); andwarm whereinyou buy coffee in an makes a more intimate statement. the next the moment when Ramanagara, and The hallwayblended then opens alleyreds. off Shivrampet to perfinally cent ofsuccumbs, the works townOver on 75 SH17, into a wide gallery, other a family recipe that isatatthe least a were acquired — of a Sholay statistical the famed boulders beend of which a striking sight: a hundred yearsis old. And surely successthefor Avari — of because coming centrepiece a new long oil painting, ‘Birth’. there Souza is no large city in India IT“people park. are looking for early Mysoreans ‘Birth’ sold have for $4.1 The nude stretched out in where youwoman can open up the clasmodernism,” he says, explainIt’s development, we tell ourwatched million the to agrowth buyer in ‘Birth’ to deliver is one sifieds and of a ready local newspaper and ing the auction’sit’ssuccess. selves, it’s progress, linear. of Bangalore with a India, and became the of Souza’s iconic images. thrill to themost following announ“There’s alsochapter a lot more confiThe opening of Booth horrified fascination most expensive South Avari pauses in frontKrishnaswaof this paintcement: ‘Dr Savithri dence in the marTarkington’s 1918modernist classic, The MagAsian modern ing to leaving explainfor its a“flawless provemy is month long ket, so Ambersons, people are not afraid to nificent charts prepainting ever sold nance” it isUSA one (covering of the “fivethe best sojourn— in bid, even is cisely this though notiontheofdollar urban works of New modern South Asianand art,” states of Jersey, Arizona so high.”The But the year not yet ontogeny. book is ais layered and holds world auction record Texas). The astaff of SK Clinic wish her a bon voy- exploration of the over; the marquis auction will decline of a powerful family for The piece is acclaimed age Souza. and safe and speedy return.’ take placeofina Mumbai this city Deand the metamorphosis mid-Western forWe its reassure “sheer monumentality life sized ourselves that,and in spite of it figall, cember. a lotand of economic people out there at a time“There of rapidare social change ures.” It was last soldand in 2008 forretained $2.5 million we remain compact we have our who get what they wanted,” says, in thedidn’t US. Many will be familiar withAvari the monto Tina Ambani theconfirmation same time that fa- which character. If we at need ofRaza’s this fact wellat forthe upcoming tage ofbodes changes start of sales. the novel bemous ‘Saurashtra’ sold for million. This cause we only have to crane our$2.5 necks and look Gallery VI scenes has gone quiet but Avari1942 andfilm his of the in Orson Welles’s was the yearinwhen global financial markets northwards, the direction of Bangalore. My- team areTarkington already preparing Mumbai. “We version. takes thefor reader through were crashing. Only theitsauctioneers — and the are soreans have watched growth with a horritravelling allinover, meetingfrom people, changing styles everything hatschasand portraits they wereover selling — did blink. of ing fied fascination the lastnotcouple things, getting leads,” says. And “It’s aaslitshoes to architecture and Avari furniture. ‘a This auction proves that the in tle decades, going from a sibling cityoptimism of warm fatreasure hunt-like.” mist of white whisker’ appears upon the the market several records miliarity to continues becomingas a watchword for awere cer- throat of a Senator, even small changes in is a New freelance writer broken. Theoffirst lot that sold in — “that little Gai- aditi tain kind globalisation international male sriram grooming are York-based seen as indicative of this

Q Q R R

read cover

saturday, october 17, 2015

Domino effect

As authors return their awards, the State must take responsibility and not respond with indifference, let alone hostility

well-heeled parents feel in the face of a public swimming pool, a fetid stew of disease and contamination caused by children whose English pronunciation is far from ideal. And the demonisation of the word and the sense that a genuinely shared urban space is of any value looks likely to continue. The current buzzword when it comes to urban planning is ‘smart’. The Modi government has announced its plans to invest heavily in smart cities, both by building new cities and upgrading existing ones. Certainly, investment in urban infrastructure ought to be welcomed but these plans remain high on gloss and low on many particulars. Never mind, we can say to ourselves: we’re sure all will be made clear in good time. In the interim, we can entertain ourselves with the promotional materials, the dazzling facades, the whirl of and fibre optic circuitry and Stand tall Nayantara Sahgal, Ashok Vajpeyi and Krishna Sobti have surrendered their awards as a symbol of protest r bullet ravindran; trains rv moorthy; v sudershan smart cards. There it is again, that word: ‘smart’. There is an implication that the city itself will be quick-witted and intelligent, a Baubles forever glitters with have ashe’s comfortable sameness overagain the years; in t last Mandi countMohalla the number wasdisplays 24 andthat now place sensors and panels gleam, a returning it. Once this(top) is odd. them where has referred toblink the growing intolerance Mysore one climbing. is still lucky enough to live in a city where auto will get you almostor anywhere you It’s interesting that thea 15-minute domain capable of independent its inThe likes ofride Nayantara Sahgal Ashok Vajpeyi in the country, and the fear ofaction, lawlessness need to go ma sriram writers who are returning their or Krishna Sobti and all the others who have habitants almost tacit beingsanction incidental the data with the almost of to extra-legal seen asdo a not place of construction notthem just that awards as thick andsmall fast are a varied surges around itsprotest. networks. Discussion at are roads where, in any town, a sha- city protested, need the award to — give and violent forms of And this is why high-rises, bridges flyovers, but of idenlot — old, women — who have of city conferences miana willyoung, sproutmen, up for a family function, legitimacy. Rather, by and accepting it, they are the smart the protest is spreading.have already touched And, surely, so many thousands ar- upon written intraffic Hindiin and Urdu, Kannadaas and Kon- tities. the policing surveillance thattook will blocking both directions, uncles ones who legitimise the award. Thewho award Perhaps it’s timeand the State sat up and in Bhayander Dwarka or Nayandahalli kani, Punjabi, Gujarati They chilhail rive required to preserve from discuss property pricesand andEnglish. gluttonous comes to them asorrecognition, as apprecia- be notice: sometimes thingsthese beginenclaves in small ways, same: a for kind of psychic unclenching. from are Delhi and and seek considered not meritorious enough to dren sick in theDehradun, gutter. WalkKarnataka up a few floors tion, the as honour what they have done, not those sometimes simmering anger and resentment and bazaars, colonies and layouts, Kashmir, and Goa, Punjab and else- Chowks enjoy them. The shiny brochures make locked in dozensGujarat of buildings in Mumbai or Delhi as encouragement for what they might do. find articulation because of one incident. For maidans, all become potential locawhere. nothing else, is something a verywho natural extension their of locked parks. and youIfwill still find thethis fourth generationwe of bastis But and it matters to writers precisely because it cities the writers are returning awards it’s aspiration and They all, the most technologically efacannot familyignore. of tailors, seated at an ancient Singer tions is a peer of award,fantasy, and because it is an Indian been are, twoafter unfortunate deaths — those of KalBut wait a minute. Perhaps there out is someway of keeping theAkhlaq public at sewing machine, copying patterns of a transformation. award. What better thing for a creative person ficient burgi and Mohammed — bay. that have Our big are here and,by as one’s own served as catalysts. thing thereAcross we are not seeing or understandBut This thenmay we seem return from the magazine. India’s megacities, when the than to cities be recognised like a small swing down and staning. Let’s turn to after our Culture Minister Mahesh of the these splendid visions, dust has settled all the razing and sand- cranes constituency? initiative, butdaze it has potential of turning still raises his shoot up, our small cities Sharma. He has words of wisdom too:old thebrass Sah- chions brought to the real world by blasting, a raddiwallah There’s another question doing the rounds. into something muchback bigger. scales. largerhave all the itya Akademi award, he says, has nothing to do are theA sound of responsive water suddenly Willgetting this protest anytime. imsensitive, State There it is again, that Andthe while the exponential growth urban the experience with government (of course, theofhead of Taken drumming into plastic bucket, pact at together, the ground level? I’m not takes note of thea democratic, leword: ‘smart’. There India will continue, whether we likeotherwise it or not, of these disparate the Akademi would have us believe agalreminder of its thecitizens absence entirely sure how urban we cancentres define protests of andofre-a is an implication that we needanother large, red-blooded cities, don’t we? is that oflevel a hall mirrors, some butdo that’s story). It’s an award given regular clean waterresponsibility supply, basic ground — of but the unfortusponds to it, takes the city itself will be The award comes to There are, attoa writers. conservative 12 mil- broken, some squares by writers “It isestimate, their personal sewerage services, reliable garnate deaths of intact, Dabholkar and for its failures that have led peoquick-witted and them as recognition, lion young people who the shardsand that infinitely choice to return it… weenter accept it.”Indian work- and bage the there things Pansare Kalburgi,reflect the ple to collection, this protestall — for is intelligent as as appreciation, force year. jobswriter’s they seek are their images at each other. Oddevery though, if itThe is the personal that so many threats to theback Mumbai launch of no other word would for it — gratefully these are honour for what they unlikely be created by aand bunch of adiletthey provide a shifting choice toto return the award, it isn’t gov- Together settle for inBut our existing Neither a Hawk, Nor a Dove by forfailures. that commuis not have done, not as tantes idling away thewould hours at house kaleidoscope every aspect of ernment award, why thea coffee government nities — even if they don’t mer Pakistan offoreign minister happening. encouragement for in a Malgudi-esque idyll. the minister said, “If what it means to live in urbanthe Inneed to accept it? Further amount to the sharpmany thrillyears of a Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, There was a time what they might do Beyond that, our hope to escape today. The city/small Kulcity distinction is bullet train. ago when, as activists in the they say they aresurely unable to best write, let them stop dia blackening of big Sudheendra the conservatism that feeds many chau- no longer division in our writing, we will then see.” Thisour defiant back-toLet’s see. Let’s not bemovement, negative. Perhaps the karni’s face, aallmeaningful of these show women’s we protestvinisms — caste, isn’t linguistic, religious, the-wall response uncommon. Whengenyou cityscapes. mirage of these smart many cities will come to pass. that there is a very real worry at ed about things, including dered — is have in our cities. There’s still real division is that between know you nolarge rational response, yousuch take theThe video voiceovers be vindiground level, a very real wor- public and The breathless discriminatory laws,will terrible imarecourse long way to go ofofcourse: we’ve seen marked by the shifting boundaries of cated to this kind statement. None of the private, as the scale modelsState rise through the ry that free thinking people, questioning peoplementation, indifferent systems and atrocities theto metros. But weor can of a citypeople, that commit repeated acts of smog writers hasthat saiderupt they in want stop writing is the andhostility. grime toWe fillwere the horizon. One day in ple,parts protesting rational people will outright not always listened at least to hope that urban willminister provide secession. Locked of park gates, vanished lakes, unable write. Why thencentres should the future might to sit in derail the process homogenisation that we the to, but wewe were notindeed scoffedbeatable either. And the freedom anonymity en- private lanes and roads that are front issuecrucial that warning to and them? What will that the govof athe screen our steel box our on the 25th are nowgreen seeingspaces; in India. whether Statein listened or not, protests able theirseeinhabitants to experiment with commandeered religious trustswith for lengthy ernment or do if the writers stop writing? sealed back with I don’t need tobymake the links the en- floor, were not met and withsecure, insults, looking or with defiance. Is their sense of self and push pavements that are used for everyPerhaps they’ll celebrate the beyond death ofconstrictfree voic- functions; at the days when anyrespect of us, all us, tire agitation on the question of eating beef, nostalgia it too much to hope for such forofour Soft City, Jonath- thing ing roles and expectations. walking. land mystees. Fortunately that will notIn happen. downtoday? the street, anymuch street,towith or thebut murder and Municipal near-murder inthat Dadri (and could writer walk protestors Is it too ask anThe Raban’s 1974 classic ofresponse urban life, maps riously into private hands; after) walls the Sahitya Akademi’s washe similar, our faces wind in our hair. the lamedisappears explanations that were offered thatsun theon State, even and our the silent-on-such-issues out as a place that is moulded the and barriers segregate open spaces with Head of State, express some concern? and London also similarly back-to-the-wall: inby referor indeed thethat attacks on NGOs, or on individudifferent versions ofSahgal, a person, the something city’s plas- no of accountability. ‘Public’ has always ence to Nayantara it was als.trace The writers’ protest may have begun with mahesh rao is the author of The Smoke is Rising. One Point Two Billion is ticity awaiting the connections made by an in- been collection of short urvashi butalia is stories, an editor, publisher and director a bitmurder, of a dirty in upper middlegraceless like she’s taken all the advantages the Dadri andword Kalburgi’s killing, but His dividual’s andbenefited yearnings.from Thisitisand the class published in October 2015 of Zubaan India, encapsulated by the terror many the award affinities carries, and it’s rapidly growing much bigger. Each of being

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APPROACHING EYE LEVEL

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Nisha Susan is a writer and editor of the feminist website The Ladies Finger shutterstock

s these things often work out these irritated and intrigued me in equal measure. days, I started reading A Little Life Though the book starts as a story of friendbased on a suggestion someone of- ship, and indeed friendship is an important fered someone else on Twitter. This part of it throughout, at its core, the novel is a is to say that I came to this meditation on suffering. Yanagihara’s ability tome of a novel much before to write lyrically and unflinchingly about sufit was short-listed for the fering is her ultimate triumph. In scene after Booker Prize and the accom- scene, when Jude steps into the bathroom and panying brouhaha ensued. picks up his razor, Yanagihara does not leave Therefore when I met Willem you with the tools to allow you to imagine and Jude house-hunting un- Jude’s suffering. Instead she describes his skin successfully in New York in and the way the razor tears through it, previthe first few paragraphs, I ous night’s scars and all, in detail that is distillwas ready to go on a 700-plus ed down to such a visceral level that there is page odyssey with them and nothing else for you to do but fling the book their two other friends — JB and away and catch your breath. Malcolm — with no prior judgeAnd when you return to it, it is to the realisaments at all. tion that Yanagihara has not cut you any slack Although A Little Life starts off as a and you must be a witness, closely closeted in story of all four of them, young men the tiny bathroom, with no way of escaping or who have recently graduated from looking away from Jude’s suffering. a prestigious college and are findAs the story progresses, and the narrative ing their feet in their careers — arc contains almost the entire life of the four acting, law, painting and archi- people, you are tossed from feeling sorry for tecture — as the book progress- Jude to wanting to meet him and shake him. es, its focus converges sharply But even in maintaining this oscillation, Yanaon the most segihara is unflinching. It would cretive of them seem that nothing good ever all, Jude St happened to Jude when he Francis. While was young. And for most of his everyone knows It is no mean feat when adult life, nothing bad really Jude has had a a work of fiction makes happens to him. Yet for Jude, troubled childthere is suffering even, or esthe reader want to hood, and that pecially, in goodness, as he physically accost a his limp and a struggles with finding himcharacter and shake persistent pain self worthy of it. him hard are the unmisIt is no mean feat when a takable signs of work of fiction makes the Age no bar You needit,older to know that it’s never too late to learn to swim afp/sergei chirikov no friends one really reader want to physically acknows the details cost a character. Yet, A Little Life of his upbringing. Jude also al- is not without its flaws. For one, it is too long ways wears always right. These might havelong beensleeves, uninten-no ny-chase her. I just love her and want to be and unnecessarily stretches the narrative arc. matter howno, hot the weather, tional lessons. I learnt to say to disagree vi- around her.”would She would like tobetter accelerate The book have been if thetheir editor andabject evenstate before we underolently (and in an of terror), to relationship in respect the frequenthad seen itpartly fit to cut 200 or for so pages of it, and Jude’s journey, we know made it intoflier discover that Istand was sometimes lifestyle rockstar academa tight little of coiled spring. My othis awrong cutter, but a man who cannot er quibble ics. right. Or that he I was Butthe thefact other of is with thatreason while aisgreat help that none ofhis thisnightly meansinstincts the end to take a razor deal of time course thaton themeaningless object of herdiverafis spent and slash at his own arms. of friendship, theaway end of love. is old.characters ‘The grave’s a fine sions, somefection important and relaAuthor Yanagihara, a 41-year-old You learn it Hanya in arguments and privatetwo-dimensional. place, but none, I tionships are rendered That poetry is The People innecessary. the Trees, To learn with whose them. first And novel, by watching think, do there embrace’ The book’s characters occasionally have is hoacclaimed but commercially themwas say critically no and survive. It’s ofroughly what friend issome think-remosexual relations, and my although the names of plants. unsuccessful, takesAnd her time in placing the set ten a sneaky lesson. someand it hasthe no great trouble called gaysaying novel, To cook a mealviews from haveing pieces book.revelation. Once the back-stories times it’sofa the floodlit is mydoes younger to herShe credit, not woman go down what looksoflikeYanagihara, a near- aloud. the athree men are told (mostly empty privileged, a the (Like bright moment decades friendpath butofwith an enviablesexual acpredictable introspecting kitchen. To love perfect of racepool and class), Yanagihago for assortment my swimming ceptance of one truth I flinch identities. It is also, strangely, a timeless novel, your saris. To give ara slowly takestous through Jude’s life, year af-away friend. She went visit a slightfromnot — people youfor love, no externalaway events, even 9/11 a you book them year. ly ter older colleague and was deepmay grow towith love,characters die. that is set in New York using The criticality the other ly shocked to beofserved justthree characters the Internet Apparently, I am theintrude only one and smartphones, the is eventually reduced to My only the parts in plot. The real coffee and instant rava idlis. hiding under bed. of success of A my Little LifeAiscouple in the fact which their lives touch Jude’s. swimming pool friend had been Their meetings, that it highlights monthsthe ago, my mother friendships and mensufferdinners, and mostly unstinting are tioned trained to cook huge meals for anyfriendship guest since more instance of death her been ciring ofone men. Had this exact samein story endearingBut initially and, in my view, childhood. her colleague was easy.exhaust“You cle. I said tentatively it mustthat be hard to that of four women, that it is unlikely the book ing us eventually. It is in the languid with grow want to spend time together, right?pace Not for older and have ayour friendsmuch disappear would have found publisher, less a which Yanagihara reveals right?”) Jude’s past that onBooker me to be stuck in the kitchen, you. My mother saidmore blithely, “That’s why nod. But, that’s a reflection of the makes her aacademic masterfulfriend writer. is She divulges in just you My young currently needwe younger world live in,friends.” not one that Yanagihara can as much it will take for the reader plod“Ion be faulted for. pursuit of as a well-known historian. Shetosaid, t@chasingiamb for several dozen waiting fortothe next don’t even have the pages, patience or time granrevelation. This made A Little Life the book that veena venugopal

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HOME SPUN

A town by the beach The fatal conceit of the Indian politician LIGHTHOUSE

Varkala in Kerala might be known for its sea and tourists, but to me it is a quieter place where boredom drove me to read and write stories

anees salim

Sixty-eight years after Independence, we are still enslaved by a failed philosophy World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index: it has since slipped to 142. He has not reformed the labour laws that, for decades, have prevented us from becoming a manufacturing superpower. The licence and inspector raj remains what it was under his predecessors. A litany of what he has not changed would be the same as that of what was wrong with our country before he took over. Friends in high places tell me that the system doesn’t allow him to act. But the truth is that Modi suffers from the same fatal conceit Rainbow sands As a that Nehru displayed. He believes the econochild, I was instantly my needs a top-down manager. He would rathfascinated by the er reform a public sector unitcolours than of sell itthese off. hair When he talks about ‘minimum government visitors had — blond, red,catchy ashen, brown and maximum governance,’ as as that c ratheesh kumar slogan might be, he is speaking of making the government more efficient and not at elimihe west end of my hometown is ed and the tourists were gone, I would find nating it entirely from where has nocarry tourists crowd theareas beaches, andit many nothing like the rest of it. It is frilled myself imagining the places they went back to business existing. surfboards as effortlessly as we carry a file. The with cliffs that overlook a beach, — the size of their cities, the shape of their Hisbookstore conceit isn’t limited to his economic where I met my father’s acquaintwhich invariably crops up on every homes, the nature of their livelihood. Oddly thinking, Look at how the man struts, ance though. is no longer there. A money exchange list of the best Indian beaches. enough, all the places I thought up had a disas hecounter travels the world highare andmany stands in meeting its place.the There I should be proud of calling this beach- tant view of either Big Ben or the Eiffel Tower.mighty. I wonder bookstores if he realises, though, thatsome second-hand along the path, Go whither? Narendra Modi embodies the worst boththe the left and the right wings r ragu town my home. And I am. But as a of boy, It was to escape the boredom the town imtheseon global leaders give himinside importance bethe sidewalk, some restaurants. I small town of Varkala filled me with the kind posed that I decided to read and write stories causelook of the occupies,faintly and not the to up chair their he collections, hoping of boredom the advent of the internet has — I believed reading would make the town less man spot he is.one I suspect has actually drunkNo hissuch of my he books among them. ’munimaginable. not conceited. Conceit is a fault made Economies, like languages, are products of me unbearable and writing would finally help Kool luck Aid, and believes the Modi Wave narrative so far. and I have no faults.” this very The small, leafy railway Imagine station was “human action human design,” the 20 escape intobut thenot bigger world. I wasinabout of the last elections. He may be headed a the To get to the beach I have to drivefor past an internet closequote to theon house I grew upmeme, in, andalongduring the words of Adam Ferguson. They function when I could finally escape from thebriltown by fall ifschool so. I went to. And every time I go past its side every a picture Narendra summer train of that stopped Modi, at the staliantly on theiraway own,from withit. millions of individurunning Look at thegateway numbersI from the 2014angeneral arched remember afternoon looking in that tiondapper dropped off a famous flock of pinstripe Europeansuit, or Amerals pursuing their self-interest, and cities thus my After attempting to make many elections The first-past-the-post fromagain. my childhood. Proximity to system the sea has or maybe a trademark kurta. Itwere would ican tourists. TheseModi backpackers a sight increasing the value in the lives of others, for made it seem likealways ‘hometown’, I returned to Kerala a wipeout, BJP got 6.4 beenasathe cause of concern surelyto behold. get thousands shares on social As a child,ofI was instantly fascinated that is the found only path to profit. Planning is not times the seats that and a job in Cochin, did. But theyI got forCongress school authorities. rememmedia, from bhakts impressed by the by many the different coloured hair these visitors only where not required, it is settled an impediment. I finally down. Nehru just 1.6 the vote share thethe Congress. 31 ber of how boldestItofwas us would Primehad Minister’s Don’t rush toSome sharewore — blond,modesty. red, ashen, brown… and his successors economy with per cent to 19 persneak During one of ravaged my visitsthe to Varkacent, out andata four cent and lunchper recess it, though: as one tendshad to do on the internet, ponytails, some tonsured scalps, aI few theirlawell-intentioned intervenmore than a decade ago, I awaydown from them timefor a to thenext beach The beach hasn’t swingpedal just misattributed. Those words werethey notchanged ut- tions.stayed even had tattooed heads. When I won’t the litany, but inrecite a beachside hotel for a easilyadventure. result in a One hungafternoon parchanged much sincecouldquick teredinto by Modi, but bythe former Van Halen singer bikinis, female tourists seemed here’snight. the thing: yearsmany after InI was68still years my childhood, but the liament. They delivered outlierburst a group of students Davidstraight Lee Roth. ButofModi could have them, out the posters of said x-rated movies dependence, 24my after Soviet away from firstthe book deal. A in states Uttar through the schoollike gates just becliffs have, almost performances couldthat he not? played almost clandestinely at one of the Union collapsed, we my are hotel still enfew yards from was a His Pradesh, Madhya Pradeshthe and fore the bell marking end of beyond conceitrecognition isn’t Please think Icinemas am picking on Naren- slaved fourdon’t ramshackle in town. by a bookstore failed philosophy. And small full of secondGujarat, statistically the which lunchseem recess tolled. They limited to his drabhaiIfalone. All politicians are vain. Indeed, the beach lured tourists to our town, the we’rehand still suffering thethe economic thinking, books. I because chatted of with impossible repeat. And theof fol-some lookedtolike messengers one could argue that intownsfolk politics, vanity is beach. a fea- We tourists lured the to the fatal conceit of flawed shopkeeper and individuals. found out hethough. Look at how lowing things certain: Sinceabanreally badare news as they ture and a bug. Politicians to power wentnot and watched them come sunbathe, swim in It loved amuses me sometimes that reading books more than the man struts the election, theybicycles have notinwon doned their the garby selling specific narratives excelthe sea almost naked, about smoketheir what was ruModiselling is considered right-wingmy roots in the den andmore them. I amentioned supporters than Athey ran down a corridor. fewhave minutes lence;moured and they canganja sell and it most if long to be lockeffectively their lips in politician. He itactually embodies town and turned out that he knew my father later, thelost; turnout their supportbellthe tolled again,ofordering the school they French believekisses. it themselves. Success in many Some of these tourists spent the the worst of both lefthighly and right. well and thought of the library we had to disperse: ers isthe bound to betaken less the next sea had away one of fieldswhole often day begins, comically and ironically, on the beach, some retired to the Like his party, Deep and the at home. intoecosystem the conversation he told their classmates. time around; parties, clear Theother sea returned him the with adjacent self-delusion. have consecliffs But andpoliticians lazed in hammocks strung of religious nutjobs that sustains it, he is over right-a son me how distraught my father was about what are up against, will make next day.they I don’t remember his name, but I still quences, and there’s nothing remotely between coconut trees. The narrowcomic path that wingwho on social issues; and on economic had dropped out left of college, left home smarter coalitions to consolidate non-BJP remember standing in a longthe queue to have a aboutran that. along the rim of these cliffs was lined with ones.and Basically, free- evwantedhe to is beagainst a writer.individual Unsure if I would vote;glimpse anti-incumbency of his face. will be a factor now One reason that India still a and poorshops country small lodgings, tinyis cafes selling dom er in every domain possible. Wait,not did Itojust get published, I pretended be the that some of the Modi Sometimes I asksheen myselfisifgone. I would ever come is theoverpriced ‘fatal conceit’ of our founding fathers, tofrom curios. The view of the beach call him an economic a man is wayward son wholeftist? let his Well, fatherifdown. Modi likefor prime was Bebackbehaves to Varkala good.ministership ‘Yes’ is my answer. use Friedrich Hayek’s powerfuland phrase. Jawa-trails the cliff was magnificent, the steep to be known his Iactions and notwhenever his publicI can, These by days visit Varkala his destiny he will win again easily in 2019. cause and almost everyone goes back to their harlaltrickling Nehru, and his minions successors, down through and thickets connected image, what else canhow we call him? and no matter short my visit I don’t leave But ifhometown he doesn’twhen get his actdie. together, reformthey But then it will not believed economies were best thesethat cliffs to the beach. Thereplanned were infre- I know many economic bald and be- the the town without goingliberals, to the beach ing the constraining be economy the beachand I will be headedthe to. lunatic It will be a fromquent the topstories down.ofAndrunken economytourists is a complex falling off causecliff. of six of tearing hair out, Mydecades new book is set in their this town, and any fringe in hisquieter party, heand could be in for a surprise. much emptier place, shaded by thing;the theedge poorand andcrashing ignoranttomasses of India their deaths on the who story thought Modi a free-market set in thiswould town isbeincomplete without Indiacashew could choose another delusional politictrees and far away from the sound of needed to be directed by wise and benevolent messiah. rocks below. My ass. Tellthe me this: exactly what re- ian over the beach and cliffs. him, and 2014-2019 could be rememthe sea. planners. Those whothese have studied economics Watching backpackers parade forms has carried out that increase oursince eco- my Thehebeach hasn’t changed much bered as Years. (InThe thisSelfie monthly column, authors chronicle the or paid attention history know that wasworld through theto town, I realised thatthis a big nomic freedom?but When took over, India childhood, the Modi cliffs have, almost beyond cities they call home.) t@amitvarma foolish and wrong. existed outside this sleepy little town, a world was ranked 140 out of are 189more countries theeaterrecognition. There hotelsinand probably too sophisticated for small-town ies, and many of them have menus in Russian, anees salim is a novelist and the author of The Blind boys to have a place in. When the season end- German and French, besides English. More Lady’s Descendants

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

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A shot of reality

A new translation of Manto’s stories and non-ﬁction rescues Manto the writer from Manto Handy French connection For Grover Vineyards, it was not easy breaking the ideologue

into the French market. This despite the fact that in 1996, leading French champagne house Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin took a minority stake in the Indian winery. Part of the LVMH Group, a world leader in luxury goods, the French vintner extended technical support to Grover Vineyards through its wineries in Australia and New Zealand. This helped Grover take its wines to France way back in 2001. That 14-year-old decision is bearing sweet fruit now. The renowned From here to Paris Sula Vineyards in Nashik, Maharashtra, exports to 30 countries including France; (inset) sparkling wine bottles arrayed at its cellar bloomberg/dhiraj singh three Michelin star restaurant L’Arpege currently serves Grover Zampa’s signature wines, making it the first Indian wine to appear at a three Michelin star facility. The brand’s Sauvignon Blanc and La Reserve Red, both winners at Decanter Asia 2014, were up next. “The restaurant agreed to serve two of our most delectable offerings. With this, we are the only Indian company to have a wineCharacters, list in anotFrench ideas When Manto restaurant,” says a proudwrote Grover. about a “France is a 12,000-13,000-cases-a-year prostitute, he was market for Indian wines. It is interested the wine in world’s the beaperson, not the con, so to say, and to get noticed inevil such a society that forced her place is a huge high for us,” he adds. it meeta ahlawat He was greatly helped into in this by Ravi Viswae do not have a history of vignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Zinfandel Rosé, nathan, “an investor, guide and mentor”. hat do you think of when you cue wine-drinking in this Manto the writer fromReserve MantoShiraz the same Red Zinfandel, Shiraz, Dindori mostthe people would display an amazGroverlife recalls three to four months of inthinkcountry,” of Urdurues writer KapilSaadat Grov- ideologue. How often do you come across a lit- ing and Viognier. motley of contradictory impulses. Sahae tense work put in by Viswanathan to get the Hasan Invariably, and erary er,Manto? the owner of Grover the preface or the fore“Webook workthat withcalls two different importers — Ri- will remain forever to conventional wines accepted at thesuspect French restaurant. never a pang of oldest social word Zampa Vineyards, onewithout of the country’s a ‘preamble’? has morality,” chard and Global Food Funnily, Trading —Memon for different he argues.and the largest private inWine connoisseur conscience, and “India prostitutes. Argua- written winemakers.Partition The fact that is a one-mil‘preamble’channels to his translation. And vestor wines ina different (hotels, restauMemon rightly says Manto’s fictionholds is tooa in wine in India, Viswanathan bly the best story India, whereManto not lion-cases (12short bottles to awriter case) of market, enough, for the pompous word rantsfunnily and catering companies)... in France we easy to bestake mistaken for ideology political minority in Grover ZampaorVineyards today is the god of delinquents, as China is anguished 200-million-cases” stares himpain seems to beatchosen to indicate Memon’s are already 1,000 cases, and Paris makesmaup commentary. That’s why thoseLast of the left-liberalong with Reliance Capital. year he acriahs, the oppressed, the abused, the morally gisterial the face. and intent — he sets al for 80 persweep cent of ourjuridical sales,” says Oldne. inclination in stake fact, all peoquired 30 perand, cent inprogressive Sula Vineyards derelict and assorted Mostly he is in-a outThe Grappling with the sinners. uphill task of growing to company take the kink out to of30 thecountries, canon that ex- ple exports while likeAnil to Ambani-owned consider Manto as a alongtoday with the Reliance voked the India-Pakistan peace corps, and alts marketbywhere annual per capita wine conideologue at the 65 expense of fellow-traveller. backManto home as in an India it commands per cent Now that explicit sexual Capital. Grover credits Viswanathan, whoreferalso often drafted forthan the cause Hindu-Muslim sumption is less 10ml, of in contrast to the Manto the writer. “Manto’s short fiction of the wine market and competes with offers more ences fictionequity no longer most peoruns ainprivate fundprovoke in Singapore, for harmony bylitres sundry conscience-keepers of the athan nearly four consumed per capita globalwealth of thematic diversity. However, he is ple, 90 winemakers. New entrant Good Drop many of the us would believe we won’t highlighting synergy between Frenchhave cuination. The Manto we have to have 60 chiefly ly, and 60 litres in France andcome 70 litres in Italy, — perhaps even Wine Cellars is owned byexclusively Ashwin — remem- been offended by and Manto. But wine. wasn’t it the prosine Indian years after his death isthe a noble who presiGrover decided to do nextdeity best thing — ex- bered as a who writeris on Partition Rodrigues, more than gressive left of the who had Sula’s Oldne, too,day avers that in des over of the socially op- and portthe his salvation wines to France. prostitutes. Thisapresent seaware that Sula has huge lead castigated Manto culture for obscenity “an epicurean like pressed and the politically “We decided marginalised. to take the bull by lection to correct this reand itsseeks nearest competitors in his fiction? Manto respect comes France, there is aIfhealthy The real Manto, the flesh-and-blood-and-althe horns,” he chuckles, about ductionist impression command just 1/5th of itsofmar-a back as a writer today, he will cuinot for Indian fusion and Creole We are the only cohol Manto, would have refused to play the writer his decision to take Indian who “Grover is concerned more ket share. Zampa is be lynched onissocial by sine, and that wheremedia Sula has The realcompany Manto, the Indian to role of the deity wewines have fashioned forthat him.isHea with to a country the unique substance of his flesh-and-blood-andneck-to-neck with Fratelli Wines right-wing trolls, as may shine seem found a platform toittruly have a wine list in a was a professional writer, good bad characters bywordand for as wine andorwine than with social proband Charosa Vineyards in the Into us. takes far lessto than It isItencouraging seeManto the realcohol would on. FrenchManto, restaurant as they come. It will be a gross injustice de- lems connoisseurs, andtorich and political events as the dian market,” he says. to offend Mostin certainly sponse tothem. our wines France.”he have refused to play scribe writers as justwith goodfine-wine or bad. Like their mainstay regions of his creative He, however, blameswork,” unwould offend left-liberals She adds that the in keeping with the role of the deity characters, they come in various shades and Memon like Bordeaux writes. healthy competition and underand thewine progressives. Memon arglobal consuming trends, we have fashioned often have little ideological or political coher- cutting Champagne. In his attempt to amend the for destabilising gues Manto does not belong to red wines make up 60 per cent of for him ence about them. Manto was not the icono- Manto But in this audacious clause in the constitution domestic wine industry. “We are going Sula’s exports. any politics, however progres“Our Rasa Shiraz has won a silclast that we now like move, to think he was. the of Grover hasIncomthe critics, Memon through bad times. Nohas onemore is making money ver medal in sive it is. Syrah du Monde twice — in 2011 way of Mirza Ghalib, Manto drankleader like a in his pany. too Market arsenal than just a ‘pream- of premium and 2014. Having India. There is an oversupply For said all histhat, fine our argument and Sauvignon fish but abstained fromSula pork.Vineyards He was petty, too ble’: apart from fictional wines here, andManto’s margins are almost slim or Blanc and Dindori mightyViognier attemptare at much bending the apprespiteful, grumpy, waspish a pompous hasand a presence in and non-fictional pieces, he has included non-existent. Supply has exceeded demand, canon, Memon settle issue once ciated in Francecannot and have alsothe won internabraggart — certainly not France. the person you can Although its three pieces by two Urduwineries critics too. leading to many Indian seeking for- and forawards.” all. The question will yet remain: Do tional trust with the cause of wines the downtrodden or eign are currently “Manto knew too well that most humans weGrover shores,” he says. read Manto to enjoy hismost literary workmanobserves that at restaurants it Hindu-Muslim unity. sold mainly to restau- liveAlthough and breathe in the haze of Fratelli hasobscuring been exporting toconfive ship as we read read him towine jolt has become deChekhov, rigueur or towe pair Indian When Manto wrote about prostitute, he tradictory rants in athe Paris area, impulses certainties... countries, chiefly theand UK that and the US, Franceare is us outFrench of the comfort we have come to developa with food. “France is predominantly was not writing to tell you about the evil socieFounder and CEO Rajeev Sa- the prerogative only of ideologues, a market it has not tapped yet, says itswhether market- with our market. unbearable red wine Rosérealities? is second, though white ty that forced hermant into itsays and “there now offers her no is keen in- religious political,” Memon in his wine ing head, or Abhishek Haryson. Aswrites for Charosa, On isa picking lighter up. note, Memon could have Viswanathan was the onea escape. Committed only to his as aof writer terest from a craft couple the ‘preamble’. He citessays the the example of Sahae,comthe stronger COO Parag Kamat two-year-old caseatfor Manto’s lackthat of political to point out the L’Arpege our red comwine and to no ideology or retailers, politics, his biggest so aim it’s was onlytoa protagonist in first the story by the same Sa- mitment pany wants to establish itself inname. the Indiif hewith hadgrilled appreciated histhat Punjabi goes very well fish or, for matportray the character truly and interesting- hae matter ofastime”. is a devout Hindu and a overseas. pimp who runs a roots. an market before venturing A good Punjabi, like Manto, is not true to ter, any European-style fish.” ly as he could. That’s why his fiction about brothel The company’s globalis brand in Bombay, and dreams ofbeverage making any According to the global alcoholic butred hiswine pegis(drink) andfrom his Theideology La Reserve produced characters and not ideas. and head of inter- ₹30,000 ambassador so thatIWSR, he could returnmarket to his native market tracker the French is the mouthful of gaahl (abuses). At theand end Shiraz of the Grover’s Cabernet Sauvignon Academic, critic and translator Muhammad national business Cecilia Oldne Benares openfor a fabric “In real life,ata day, second and largest wineshop. consumption, isn’tItthat all that matters? grapes. is made in the best French winemakUmar Memonlists hasthe published a new translaSula range launched in devout manmillion would not come about 300 cases a anywhere year, withnear locala ing traditions of Bordeaux, and aged in French kumar tion of Manto’sFrance storieslast and non-fiction toSaures- whorehouse, year, including much less run 0.005 it, though in the brands dominating. A mere per cent of dharminder oak barrels, he says. is a Delhi-based journalist

Vin-vin idea

With few takers in India for a range of ﬁnely-crafted local wines, manufacturers are turning marketing logic on its head by taking their products to the very fount of winemaking — France

“W W

My Name is Radha The Essential Manto Saadat Hasan Manto Muhammad Umar Memon (Trans.) Penguin Books ₹599

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Rajeev Samant, founder and CEO of Sula Vineyards

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Apart TICKET from the presence at L’Arpege, the MEAL company has a gallery in Paris that exclusively serves its wines.

Grape expectations

British thirst Sula’s Oldne sees the rising profile of Indian wines as an extension of the country’s growing influence on the global stage, whether it’s “Indian cuisine, culture, yoga, tourism, spirituality and so on”. CEO Samant, a Stanford University graduate who worked briefly for Maturing GeNext Oracle in Silicon Valley, says, “Ours are the only Kapil Grover’s eldest daughter, Karishma has Indian wines currently listed with Marks & graduated in viticulture and enology from the Spencer, a prestigious food retailer in the UK.” University of California. She was among the Across the channel from France, Grover first to champion the Viognier, a white wine Zampa too began marketing its premium grape in India, owing to its ‘fruit expressivewines in Britain last year, in colness’. She was also instrumental laboration with yesteryear Indiin introducing art collections an tennis star Vijay Amritraj. with designer labels for Grover Ashwin Rodrigues, owner of Good Drop Wine The Vijay Amritraj Reserve ColWine. Incidentally, Viognier is Cellars It’s easy to export to lection of white and red wines the only permitted grape for the the UK as Indian was launched at Wimbledon. French wine Condrieu in the tries are finicky about traditional production. wines tend to go well Amritraj is a good friend, says Rhone Valley, in Southern They would rather make wines in the vinewith British food Grover, and he had been in disFrance. It is now grown in India. yard, than in the winery, where chemicals can cussion with the firm for over Karishma is proud of the fact be added to the wine.” five years “before deciding to be that the grapes for the compaGrover Vineyards was established in 1988 on its brand ambassador. The ny’s Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz 40 acres at the foot of the Nandi Hills, on the ₹1,400 (a bottle) wine has received rave re- wines are grown at Nandi Hills in Karnataka. outskirts of Bengaluru. Today, the company views from wine critics.” “Our philosophy is rather old-world. We make owns vineyards in Nashik, Maharashtra, too. Fratelli’s Haryson says it’s easy to export to wine the old way, rather than the new-age way. “We have 350-400 farmlands under lease at the UK market as Indian wines tend to go well This is one of the chief reasons for our accept- Nandi. We have a five-acre winery in Bangawith British food. ance in the French market,” she adds. lore, and a 150-acre winery in Nashik, where Grover Zampa Vineyards currently exports Good Drop Wine Cellars’ Rodrigues says we also have seven acres of vineyard,” says to 18de countries, Japan and the UKdu Goût, thatthe under Karishma’s leadership for during nearlythe Fête Grover, adding that the Joie vivre Twowith of theFrance, many stalls at the Parcours food market that comes up every year des Vendanges naintara mayafirm’s oberoi iconic La Reat the top three. “In Japan, we do 6,000 cases. three years now, and aided by a wine consult- serve red wine, launched in 1998 in India, In the UK, we are currently at just 4,000 cases, ant from France, Michel Rolland, Grover Zam- came from its own vineyard. ast year I moved to theatParisian neigh- pa though we should be doing least 30,000, Each region has of grown Francetremendously. contributed to the non-demande Vineyards The naturalenprotection thenon-proposal Nandi Hills mariage, orofthe Montmartre, given thebourhood immensely of beautiful pairing ofbest our planting, explains diversity for of the Rollandwhich has been theirthe consultant 20 and the terraced slopes of Nashik offer a good of marriage. It’s no parody, though. “We welknown as food,” the beguiling setting of the years, wines with Indian says Grover. grapes:says 75 perKarishma, cent are gamay, 20 per cent pi- climate, crediting him with soil andthreesomes, perfect conditions for come all fertile couples — and even fourfilm Amélie. The butte, ormarket hill, with its bringing The company entered the US four not noir, and the rest are seibel, merlot,tradisau- vine the best French winemaking growing. somes, why not?” said ex-district mayor Daniel winding stairs, and bu- tions. years ago.streets, “The USknee-twisting market, where we do 3,000 vignon“He blanc, gewürztraminer, and riesling. brings in a style and balance to the Vaillant, who was presiding, as two girls colic nooks, full of charm, buthas frequently cases, is very is different. Each state a differ- wines,” But allshe thesays. grapes were gone, to the cellar of Bubbling market dressed as elves blew squeakers into his ear. overrun by souvenir sellers, pickpockets and the town hall of the 18th arrondissement (city With ent rule and its own tax and reguwine expected “That’s loveconsumption — when you don’t needtoareach piece 2.1 of tour groups search lations. This in also addsoftothe the“Amélie café”. district), where the wine is processed. Clos million cases in India by 2017, an increase of 73 paper, non?” Still, Montmartre has character. And it’s al- Montmartre vintages are infamously bad (and perThe end-price for the consumcent from 2013, according wine festival non-fiancées had come to with their chilwaysPlus, had wine. Like most er. we need a of the Seine valley in diuretic, rumour says), but the bottles are auc- organiser Vinexpo, hopes are riding dren, witnesses and friends, with high. top hats, the Gallo-Roman era, it was planted with vine- tioned off at over €50 each — profits go to the bouquets, whole container (apIn 2012, rings Grover with andVineyards poems, tomerged declare their yards; later, the800 nuns of the medieval Benedic- district’s social services — so we had small Nashik-based proximately Vallee de Vin to form Grover love and fidelity (and their non-marriage). The tine abbey produced and sold wine here. In chance of tasting anyway. Zampa Vineyards.hairstylist gave them extravatown-appointed the 19th century, the vineyards and its location We wandered off to watch the parade, a gant Vallee de Vin was in 2006butterflies, by liquor coiffures, withfloated fascinators, just beyond the city limits made the village a motley, possibly tipsy string of delegations industry veterans Roy, viceleaves and ribbons;Deepak some of theexecutive men sported byword for cabarets, bars, dancing, and tax- from the Commanderie du Clos Montmartre, chairman, Allied and Distillers; and ladybirds on theirBlenders noses. The crowd cheered as free revelry. Degas, Renoir, Apollinaire, Monet confréries bachiques (wine brothRavi Jain, a former managing(and director the couples oneof Shaw trio) and Modigliani all made their homes here. erhoods), chevaleries du tastevin Wallace and Company. mounted the dais. One person But by the 20th century, war and the phyl- (wine-tasting knighthoods), and Kapil Grover decided tothe create a comwasthen to say, “I have honour to loxera epidemic had destroyed Montmartre’s agricultural guilds. They filed plete portfolio wines: from sparkling notofask you for your hand,” and vines. In the 1930s, to counter urbanisation past in traditional velvet robes, wines to the portother wines.would The idea was to offer complete the There werestill tents proposals, a group of artists led by Francisque with silver tasting cups slung quality at different price points. Brassens couplet: “Let’s not enselling everything Poulbot, calling itself the République of Mont- around their necks. The straw“We have grown by 100 perat cent the two grave our names thein bottom of one might need for martre, petitioned to recreate the old vine- berry-growers’ guild — adorable years since the merged. This fiantwo oldcompanies parchment.” a very fancy, very yards. And so the Clos Montmartre was septuagenarians dressed as velnancial year, weVaillant hope toribbed have two lakh about cases, them fatty picnic founded in 1933. vet strawberries — marched including port wine. Of this, 25,000 their hairdos, asked how cases they More enthusiastic than experienced, Poul- along with steel bands, baton would be exported,” saysmade Grover. met, and mock-patriotic bot & co. invited everyone to the next year’s girls, and the local kids’ capoeira Outlining the value brought by the statements about the 18thmerger arronharvest, unaware that grapes need four years Old club. The Commune of owner of with Vallee de Vin, Rodrigues, “Earlier, dissement. To two says, women from wine, newFree battle (left) Kapil Grover, to mature. The next time round, vignerons legacy Montmartre distributed their and yearly little marketing a solo effort, the 3rd district, he said,and gravely, “You havesales won winery Grover Zampa Vineyards (above)pro- with from across France came to help the townies, daughter gramme, dated according to the French revo- had slumped badly.but Now, though Grover the right to marry, in Montmartre, wedoes also Karishma, who is scouting for new territories grow the business accompanied by their village fanfare bands. lutionarytocalendar (we’re in the Vendémiaire not its right own vineyards, sales and givehave you the to not marry,” and toquality an ItalThe Fête des Vendanges commemorates or Grape Harvest month of the year 224), while have improved. Theytheir havenon-vows also gotforfresh ian couple renewing the this story every autumn with fireworks, con- other delegations handed out grapes, flowers, investment.” third time, he declared, “Montmartre is alcerts, parades, a street fair and vineyard tours, Quality issues lollipops and thimble cups of wine. Sula’s Oldne adds that “Grover is an Indian ways yours.” all culminating in a grand concert-ball. As an Sounding a cautionary Rodrigues says brand Under the Sacré-Cœur note, cathedral, there were a strong French connection Therethat washas much dancing afterwards, but official Montmartre citizen now, I was deter- that and one Fratelli, which “make tentsunlike sellingCharosa everything might need for a and has beensome doingofsome great non-weds work in prowe followed the newly up mined to go. good quality as theywine, havechampagne, their own moting very fancy, verywines fatty picnic: Indian inEveryone France.” was toasting to the food fair wines instead. “The real terroir of Montmartre,” I said, gaz- vineyards”, mostlysnails. dependent on with charcuterie, Grover cheese,isoysters, We tried Dwelling his or 23-year-old company, Grovmulledon wine chilled champagne, eating at the steep slopes. farmer contracts, leading to less controlchamover er some crisp, citrusy Gaston Revolté he invested ₹25crêpes, crore of his own money ingsays Cancale oysters, truffle omelettes “The real terroir at the bottom of our boule- quality.” Fratelli’s Haryson says hisatcompany pagne and watched the servers the Ar- to bring the company to its current standing. and Corsican ham, paper boats of cheesy tartivard is mostly pee and French fries,” someone owns 240stall acres and wants expand dennes stir and singtoto their further. pans of “Three yearsmergeuz ago, we sausages. brought inPeople investors who flette, and queued pointed out. Charosa Vineyards owns 230 acres,salad. of which warm dandelion-and-ham potato The doubled my personal investment,” hechestsays, for Guadeloupe rum punch and warm “All the more Parisian,” I said staunchly. 81 acres are cultivated, another acres adding stand opposite offered and us some figs80stuffed thatbounced his daughter willballoons. now carry the nuts; kids by with MontAt the corner of rue des Saules and rue Saint- have developed. Its ended vineyards areluscious located baton, with been foie gras, and we with skills,towhile he martre’sgiven own her winemarketing was nowhere be seen, Vincent, the improbable little vineyard 55km from Nasik, at Dindori. Sayssandwiches. its COO Ka- would duck rillettes and melted raclette content to raise a toast to her but no be onemore minded. beamed sunnily down on us, its leaves turning mat, “The quality of saw grapes the wine. Sunday morning thedecides ‘Cérémonie des success. red and gold among the old houses. The Clos is Grover only hasen contract farming, which af- naintara maya oberoi is a food writer based in non-demandes mariage’. This event pays nair-ghaswalla Paris t@naintaramaya a toy-sized 1,556 sq m, with 1,700-odd vines. fects the overall quality. Many European counhomage to the Georges Brassens love song La amrita

There is everything but Montmartre’s own wine at the Fête des Vendanges, the carnival that celebrates the neighbourhood’s love affair with the beverage

naintara maya oberoi

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Occupy Chouru Take a hike

a hike whose after-effects left me wobblykneed for four days after. But I wanted more. With both Table Mountain and Lion’s Head — the canonical big guns — done, the following weekend was a short hike in Simon’s Town, a bucolic fishing village an hour’s drive out of the city. Then came Diagonal, a climb through one of the Twelve Apostles, part of the Table Mountain massif. Later there were the mountains around Chapman’s peak. And then Crystal Pools: a permit-only hike that you have to book weeks in advance. The hikeMeena, beginsa at theXmouth of a river inmanta Class student. side aAs nature reserve,administration and is flat for a stood while bethe district by sifore transforming climb. lently, the police,into led abyrocky Aligarh SHOThe Amar permit system to ensure there only a cerSingh Bhati,isconstables Ladu are Ram, Nandkishtain number of Kumar peopleand inside the Bhagirath reserve at atore, Mahesh driver anytacked given the time. The reserve itself is only open students. for a part of the year. pot of gold atreport the end by According to The a fact-finding of the relatively easy hike comes inPeople’s the formUnion of Shiksha ka Sawaal Abhiyan and notfor only views, but natural swimming Civil Liberties (PUCL), who visited pools the site, near the policemen top. irate had molested several girls, Agrabbing group ofthem nine,by wethe slowly our Saini, way a hair.made Manisha through thestudent, reserve. When we reached the Class IX says “The police official summit after treacherous detour through grabbed mea by my neck and scratched me. I whitened edges, weback.” peeled off our clothes was hitcliff twice on my downNo to women our swimwear. I gingerly dipped my constables were present at the toes on Further, the far side of onesaid pool, andhad expected site. students they to jump to slide slowly. But the pool had off ain12-foot-high bridge to other avoidplans. getting Thegroped hike ended in freezing ecstasy. and beaten. OnStudents our way down, I stayedwho at the head of and locals rushed tothe help group, a good minuteswere ahead of the last claimed the 30 policemen inebriated. Says person. I called outKavita, periodically toClass the stragManisha’s sister who is in X, “They glers, to make sure they were okay. At one point the three of us at the head of the group sat down for 20 minutes by the side of the river’s mouth and shared the remnants of a sandwich while waiting for the others. R glugged the last dregs of the water. The whole hike, picnic and swimming included, had taken us only five hours. At the end of any hike, waves of exhaustion keep breaking inside you. The midday sun is a constant adversary. But hiking does have its moments. I had always relegated it to the list of boring and unnecessary sports. But Cape Town tossed out my old self from the very top of a mountain.

Last year’s student protest in Bhim sparked offa 450 That’s the best thing to do when in Cape Town, city similar demonstrations across Rajasthan. In Chourubyvillage, however, lathis rained on on thethe students contained mountains on one side and sea other who locked their schools and demanded teachers

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t the top of Devil’s Peak, which

utes behind. “Bhavyaaaaa,” called out R from

ﬂanks Table Mountain to one side, a girls, time to lathicharged time, a sturdily enerSticks and stones Over 150 students, many of them were by localbuilt, policeendlessly when they sat on friendmissing surveyed the inlandscape getic 24-year-old, make serious sure I injuries was within protest against teachers their schooland in Chouru. (below) A few girlsto sustained

radhika ganesh mulled. “I wonder why we climb to earshot and safe. The sounds ricocheted off the top just tonlook around?” asked, asofwe September 29,hestudents Gov- the mountainsides, containing echoes of ungazed at Cape ernment Town unfolding below us. “Just Senior Secondary School spoken censure. “Right behind”, or “keep goan existential thought.” in Chouru village, Tonk district, Ra- ing”, I’d shout back, ruing the wasted energy I I only remember hearing words, not fuljasthan took his to the streets. Their could’ve used walking. ly absorbing them,for asteachers I lay slumped on aunheedrock, repeated pleas had gone The route began steeply, on loosely held vanquished bythousands the beastofof a ed, and like students elsewhere soil, followed by a gentle descent mountain during the courseto ofprotest. a in the state, they decided In a form through coniferous vegetation, tough, four-hour climb. sun to the state, of public action that The is unique and then a brutal zigzagging feltknown like alocally million wattsbandi,” on aaround 150 stuas “tala path to the summit. Somewhere Here I was, shedding windless of what my secdents day locked theirwas school gates and sat on near the top, as the noon sun beat sweat, along with ond weekend in Cape dharna. Soon, lathisTown. rained on the protesters, down, I stopped three times to my hard-held This wasincluded the city that topped which many girls. They were ask hikers coming down how prejudices, on a thegrabbed, Telegraph Traveland Awards. chased hit by Itthe local police. much longer it would take to Sunday morning, in a wasEight the girls city anointed the world were severely injured. The students’ summit. “Twenty minutes,” I got way only a new place bhavya dore is a Mumbai-based journalist design capital in 2014. It the wasattention of the desperate attempt to get in response, all three times. can make you do among The Guardian’s topwith holi-brute force. administration was met The Western Cape is a coastal day destinations. it lay 2, 700 young Over a year And ago,yet, on as October province containing Africa’s unfurled below my only reacgirls, clad inme, government school uniforms, southernmost point as well as tion was a desire tostreets throw up. marched in the of Bhim, a small town the apocryphal meeting point of Up until I moved from Rajasthan. Mumbai toTheir Capecry, theteachers in Rajsamand district, Indian at and all. Atlantic Oceans. The Cape cameGetting drunk there to the spot. Our assumptions flies fromwe Mumbai/ Delhi liquor Town, I had verychahte little hai, patience for wala hiking ‘Hum padhna padhane koior nahi TownOver city bowl is contained by the mountains the past year, the problem of teaching were Emirates confirmed when saw empty toon Cape via Dubai, and Qatar running, individual pursuits oftocom(We want to learn, but there’sbereft no one teach)’ on staff one side and thein seagovernment on the other. Radiating shortage schools has bottles the Town roadside”. Doha plex rules, play oracross competition. Give me ig- inland has sinceteam resonated the desert state, a province with both endless hiking been is raised several times, by civil society TheAirways police via have filed more than 150 FIRs theniting sea-level charms of tennis basketball, routes, more than 450 such or demonstrations, biking trails organisations andand theadventure students. options. The adminis- against students and villagers under various Visa sections such as 147 (punishment anyincluding day. the one in Chouru. Why hadhas I adventurously suggested climbtration so far responded Indians to apply for a tourist And still, here Ischool was, shedding sweat,from alongsec- ingwith The Chouru was upgraded Devil’s Peak the weekend “mix andtomatch” efforts,hiking group forneed rioting), 149 (unlawful assembvisa through the South African with my hard-held prejudices,last on year. a Sunday ondary to senior secondary But the at work, blind to its reputation deputing teachers to protest-as one of the ly), 332 (deter public servant from consulates morning, in a wayinonly a new staff placecontinues. can make In harder severe deficit teaching climbs?and Perhaps in the time-worn ing schools, transferring his duty), the Prevention of Damage Students youall, do.just My three mates moved seven hiking teachers handle 303rapidly students manner, because was there. Devil’s Peak jumped off them only shortly. Fouritteachers, to Public Property Act and the NaTip a bridge up from the mountain, me a good 20 min- took Classes I toleaving XII. us more to than hours in total that day, to avoid appointed thefive Bhim school tional Highways Act. However, after hiking options in and around getting groped Someinterventions The sanctioned number of posts is 22, after the protest last year, by civil society, all Cape Town: which means that two-thirds of the teaching have been reassigned. The charges have been withdrawn. 1. TableThe Mountain: routes positions are vacant. For the last five years, the school is back to a staff of Right tomultiple Education Act says to geteducation to the top, take as right of students haven’t had an English teacher. No three for 700 students. is acould fundamental six ensuring hours or equal just a and couple, teachers have been appointed for Social SciWhile schools in urban and semi-urban ar- everylong child,asand complete depending on which one you take ence, Sanskrit and Political Science in Class XI eas have surplus staff, in rural areas, schools access is the primary duty of all governments. 2. demands Lion’s Head: A relatively hike of and XII. With the board exams drawing near, tend to function with very few teachers. Ques- Should asking for the easy fulfilment of three hours, at the distraught students occupied the arterial Ali- tions over the lack of a proper transfer policy this right be disallowed? Canmost. the government 3. Devil’s Peak:these On the tougher side. garh road in protest. for teaching staff and the lack of transparency use force to silence demands? routes the top.for our board Across Rajasthan in Rajsamand, Bhilwara, in the process have also been brought up. “AllDifferent we wanted weretoteachers 4. But Chapman’s Peak short Baran, Alwar, Tonk, and Bhanswara districts, On that day in Chouru, police arrived at the exams. what have wearea: got? AHow are we gostudent demonstrations are bringing to light protest site inside an hour. Without inquiry, ing todrive study? outWe ofare thepoor city.and, clearly, nobody the dismal condition of its schools. According five men in uniform lathicharged the stu- cares 5. about us.”Pools: At Kogelberg Crystal to data released by the National University for dents. Senior girls, from Classes VIII to XI, who WillBiosphere Class X student Priyanka Swami’s Reserve, about an hour’squesEducational Planning and Administration in were at the forefront of the demonstration, tions drive go unanswered? outside Cape Town. Book in 2014-15, of the 1,06,792 (all categories) schools took the most blows. “The police did not even advance. in Rajasthan, 35,144 function with fewer than ask us what our demands were, or why we radhika ganesh is a democratic rights activist with three teachers. More than 13 per cent (14,388) were on the street protesting. They directly Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghthan (MKSS) and Shiksha Ka are single-teacher schools and 61 have no started assaulting us with lathis,” says Dhar- Sawaal Abhiyan

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Plum jam Makes 1 litre (4 cups) 1 2 3 2

kg ripe plums cups water cups granulated sugar tbsp lime juice

1 Wash and cut the plums into quarters, removing the stones. 2 In a large pot, bring the plums and water to a boil. 3 Reduce heat and allow the mixture to simmer for an hour with the lid on. 4 Add the sugar and lime juice and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil without covering and stir for 15 minutes. 5 Turn off heat and do the jam test mentioned in the text. If it hasn’t jelled, let the mixture boil for a few more minutes and then repeat. 6 Pour the jam into bottles that have been sterilised*. Animal story

*To sterilise bottles, place them in a saucepan ﬁlled with and Devotees feedwater a cow bring to a boil. Let it boil for 20 minutes, remove from the pan and on the banks of the let it air dry.

Ganga in Allahabad, after performing puja for their ancestors ap/rajesh kumar singh

STATES OF MATTER

Bestial drama A soft spot

tent. Apples, oranges and certain varieties of plums are high in pectin and are generally favoured by home cooks. Commercial pectin is easily available these days, so if you do find a fruit that you’re tempted to make jam out of, there is no reason to hold back. To test the pectin content, stir together one teaspoon of cooked fruit juice with two teaspoons of rubbing alcohol. If it solidifies, the fruit is high in pectin content; if it forms large flakes, the pectin level is considered to be medium; and if ut it down as an irony of Indian poli- smarts by 1969 to turf out the powerbrokers you see small flakes, it isyears, low-pectin. through the following which held that tics. Every time a gentle, ruminant within her party and establish another claim secularism Jam-making has a involved reputation being in practice thefor denial of animal has wandered onto the politi- to legitimacy, in slaying the demon of poverty. fussy requiring fancy identity. gadgets like therIndia’sand primordial cultural cal stage, she has triggered a storm of Although itcritiques helps to spoke have aoftherYet the demon proved more persistent than mometers. More well-intended the sectarian violence. is by no religion means a from necessity. To test the recently awakened Prime Minister imag- mometer, futility of itisolating the public In November 1966, a syndicate of saffron- ined. And in the desperation of her fight for doneness, the so potcritical from to theanfire, space in India, remove when it was inclad sadhus — now very mainstream, but then against a recalcitrant enemy, she was led to and pour sense a dropofofidentity. the mixture a plate dividual’s Those onto seeking a rea fringe element — rampaged through the cap- banish freedom itself, since the greater glory that has chilled in the freezer for a few trieval of been the principle argued that secularism ital city, pillaging and burning all that came in of the nation, which she alone embodied, minutes. Afterequal a minute, gently push thesince mixdid not mean respect for all faiths, the way. They were foiled in their goal of raid- would be a model to the world. ture starting from an theabsurd edge of the drop. If it that would involve seesaw between ing India’s parliament building, but did serieasily,denominational forming a wrinkled skin on top, That variety of megalomania was banished slides competing claims. ous havoc in all pathways leading there. jam is ready. If not, cook it for awas fewabout more in 1977. A government came to power with ex- your Secularism in this construction A Prime Minister new to the office flatly re- plicit claims to undo the damage to democra- minutes and repeat the process. the enlightened separation between private buffed the demand for a ban on cow slaughter, cy, but soon afterwards had to cope with the and Now, youspheres. may askInyourself, why goindividto the public private life, the while a Union home minister gazed on indul- return of the holy cow to the political arena. trouble making jam when there is an ual was of free to observe any manner ofentire faith, gently at the violence. The residence of the ruldedicated to it. observancIf, like my In April 1979, a Gandhian with a great sense supermarket even practise aisle the most outlandish ing party president was set ablaze. happen in a house of self-righteousness, but little humour or mother, es as far you as these did to notlive involve activewhere possiThe government held firm and a home min- subtlety, decided on starving you wake up bility in theofsummer find In thepublic mulharm to to others. ister who had been asleep at the wheel re- himself in the cause of the cow. berry tree in your backyard studded with ripe life, he or she was to observe the signed. Times were tough. India was coming His suicidal intent set off a crisis fruit, it may be that you are tired ofinvolved making civic proprieties which out of successive years of drought and depri- of sufficient gravity to compel mulberry mousse, compote and respect mulberry for every other citizen’s vation. Two Prime Ministers, more parents the Prime Minister at the time, It visibly sunders evenwhen mulberry bread pudding. If this is the private space and beliefs. a private space is than politicians, had died within the space of newly reincarnated from an old case, making jam is acivic goodcompact way to put the surThe obviously invaded and the death less than two years. And a young woman was power clique, to promise special plus fruit to use. And withstand now that I have tried my cannot its unilateral penalty forjam-making, Pulpinto logicthe Fruits highby in pectin content — plums, apples and for instance — help you get imposed pitch-forked post power-brokers, hand at I am convinced attention tooranges, the animal. abrogation, especially that by aeven masuspected violation of jority all images by aysha tanya the right consistency both as a compromise and as a convenient if the promise of thecommunity. most intense, flaAnd then began another cycle It brightly visibly sunfront for their rule by proxy. voured jam you evera tasted isn’t a lure, of violence. The annual report of an imagined majority’s dershave when private space is food step into theministry kitchen armed of taboo things are as iconic in India as the and In theewmonths that followed, violence the process ofinvaded makingand it will draw youpenalty in. the union home for thewith a kilo the death Amul butter and Kissanescalated. Mixed Fruit plums, some sugar affrays and an armful of against the religious minority In juicy To put it simply, it isfor kitchen therapy at its year recorded sectarian imposed suspected violation jam sandwich. A favourite withbyboth June 1968, a working paper circulated the cookbooks. most soothing. falls in the same rank of cominvolving loss of life across the of Itan imagined majority’s food children and spoke nostalgic adults alike, For the it’s helpunion home ministry rather ruefully of length forting activities as bread-makanduninitiated, breadth of the countaboo. And it completely shatters knowofwhat really no picnic basket complete without a few ful having missed alliscues. Conflict had broken ing orpower soup-drinking. From try.to Some these wereconstitusparked by the cow, when the state — the that is supposed to a jam opposed to aspace. jelly orBut proximate punish everycutting generously buttered slicesand of there breadwere slathered out with Pakistan in 1965 fears tes up the fruit, to watching others byas disputes over usurpation of its monopoly of viwith the bright pink jam. Myminorities. own attachment Jelly is made from of violence against religious There marmalade. it boil thicken, and causes were immaterial since the contagion of olence — defaults onand its obligations andbreathallows No picnic basket is juiceseemed that hasthe been strained to this childhood staple runs deep and if not fruit had indeed been sporadic incidents, but mosting in thetoheavenly violence manifestation of deep- a culture of impunity flourish. aromas that complete without a give pathologies. a clear liquid that is then for a certaintoessay that exalts the virtues of to ly unrelated the war. start to fillsinister, your kitchen, seated The most salient, even aspect of the few generously homemade jam by renowned foodthe writer withsoon sugarlost until holds as a symbol return of thewhole A sharp deterioration occurred yearLauaf- cooked affair provides The cow itsitstatus holy cow to centre stage reprieve today, is buttered slices of shape. Jams,sectarian on the mobilisation other rie I would have been more than conter.Colwin, In a state of alarm, the home ministry put its the mundane. Although around which could that it is partfrom of an evident strategy by the rulbread slathered with tent have my toast with store-bought jam are made from fruita new symbol ing party to polarise downtothe number of ‘communal incidents’ as hand, there is communities no denying that it is a be organised. In not the mid-’80s, for electothe bright pink jam for the rest of my However, evenPradesh to the juice, but crushed chopped ‘relatively high’. Thelife. states of Andhra lengthy process, I’ve discovered presented itself in or a piece of real estate in ral advantage. And the best that the Prime most stubborn mixed fruit jam lover,persistent Colwin’s fruits cooked with sugar. A mosque jelly and Maharashtra ‘suffered from an hour or two to Ayodhya where a medieval stood, al- Minister has that to offer after days of dedicated unconscionhasinsuspended description of ‘another homemade plum jamdevelopis irre- that tension’. And disturbing standing the stove, and oclegedly defilementfruit of a pieces revered god-king of able silence is to leave over the choice to the comcitrus peel is called sistible — “deep,1967 intense, not‘extension too sweet,ofwith ment’ through was the com-a or casionally stirring the contents Hindu mythology. munities: that they either fight each other or beautiful silky to consistency munal tension Kashmir’. and a clean pro- marmalade. a sweet-smelling, pot can be a Back in the ’60s, debates on secularism were of combine their effortssimmering to banish poverty. found taste of plums”. Newly inspired andcow en- confined Although is possible to make jam from meditative process. In the months that followed, the holy to aitcertain hand-wringing assertion couraged a battalion of well-wishers, the ease with which it sets into the sukumar muralidharan is an independent writer, faded awaybyfrom centre stage, partly becauseI most of its fruits, essential goodness as a political value. researcher basedisina Kannur-based Gurgaon and Shimla tanya food writer consistency depends pectinshape con- aysha decided to Prime take on the role of intrepid cook right the novice Minister acquired sufficient An active critique beganontoits take

The cow takes centre stage once again, as the ruling party uses it as a strategy to polarise The simple butforpoetic mixture communities electoral gainsof fruit and sugar can give you the perfect jam

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Leopards in the city Nikit Surve’s study shows how the leopards of Sanjay Gandhi National Park have adapted to coexist with human beings

What were the valuable lessons learned from this project? The leopard is a master of camouflage. I never saw a leopard when I went looking for it, but they must have seen me on many occasions. Once while walking above Kanheri caves we spotted a leopard at quite a distance, a beautiful silhouette against the backdrop of the setting sun. I can never forget that sighting. One of my field assistants worked in the forest department nursery. Every day, he would arrive at 5 am and leave around 8 pm. I asked him why he worked so hard, and he said, “I love the jungle. I am so happy to have this opportunity, otherwise I would have remained at the nursery.” Though he was married with two children, the meagre earnings did not worry him. He worked with great passion and dediPeople’s capital Many workers are struggling to find employment, as farming activities have been halted by the workcation on the new city. Here, ainspire farmer in andcapital he will always me. Tallayapalem village, near Guntur ch vijaya bhaskar

All roads lead to Amaravati

What is the story behind your favourite image? During the project “Mumbaikars for SGNP” in 2012, I was responsible for a camera trap. I hoped to capture an iconic image of a leopard Out on a stroll This image of an SGNP big cat against the city skyline was what Nikit Surve (below) was long with the sprawling city as the backdrop. When waiting for courtesy nikit surve the time came to do my own project, I selected that location as I knew that path was used by a he Sanjay Gandhi National Park imity with humans and they have adapted leopard. It was summer, a fire had created an (SGNP) in Borivali, flanked by the well to survive with them. They know exactly opening in the grass. After two to three days, I metropolis of Mumbai, is home to a when is the right time to show up and do their got that dream image, and I was thrilled. This healthy number of leopards. For his job without being detected. So the answer is image of a big muscular male that we named postgraduate research n Guntur district,project, on the Nikit banksSurve, of thea and pretty simple: the comes into humanSingapore, theleopard city-state on which the cap- new Venkateshwara Rao says he was “Big capital. Daddy”,Rhas become the iconic image for student of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Krishna river, dozens of maize and ba- ital dominated areas for ‘easy and abunis modelled. happy to‘Leopards learn thatofthe city will come up close Mumbai’. Dehradun, ecology of leopards in dant’ nana studied fields the wear a deserted look. prey. In Uddandarayunipalem, work is on at a to their village. His pressing concern, howevSGNP. Ploughs The studyand covered roughly km, in- frantic pace. This “vaastu-friendly” location for er, is finding How tractors idle140insqsilence. a job.was “We have hadreceived? no work, your report cluding thethat Aareyonce Colony, and documented 35 the Trucks transported farm proHowseed did you decide the will host the mega since cultivation stopped (core) capital April. We used Very from positively. Earlier, leopards in—and around the park. The results, duce fruits, vegetables and flowers — event. cameraFarmers trap locations? who have voluntarily given up to be busy round the year, working farms,” leopards wereon often debased are on leopard scat by analysis, suggestSince that land conspicuous their absence. In the twodevelopment will be fe- he says. He is now looking for thefirst capital’s for daily-wage work. scribed as ‘dangerous,’ the SGNP leopards dependent both licitated. April, when allare farming activityon ceased, months, we Puttawalked matti (anthill soil) collected “We made ₹350-500 per day, depending on‘dog the ‘man-eater,’ wild asthousands well as domestic prey. Here, the leopof tenant farmers have from one or twovillages forestwill arrive in copper pots season. Now, I have to go to 16,000 Vijayawada look slayer’, and sotoon in ards share urban space with human beings and moved out of agriculture, scouting beatsmake dailythe to foundation. find The government for work.” news reports. The reand they dofor so construction as long as their populaandprey other jobs. has indirect evidence crowd-funding, giving also proposed The making of Amaravati its share of portshas would often be tion, both domestic and wild, remain Bulldozers and roadhealthy, rollers away such digital as scat, pug-engraved with the names controversy. While the Centre-appointed bricks exaccompanied by picand their habitat protected. No attacks on hu- of have replaced agricultumarks and scrapes. contributors. Banners propert committee by KC tures headed of a snarling mans were reported during the studyto period, ral machinery, pave claiming Importantly, ‘Mana local rajdhani AmaraSivaramakrishnan its animal. has But stated after this that spanned over fourthe months, despite leop- vati, way for Amaravati. peoplemana-neeru, knew the mana-matti’ objectionsreport, to the location of the a number of ard visitations in the surrounding It appearsareas. that from (My pathscapital, leopards used,My land) My water, capital, Naidu is pressing positive articlesahead, with In this interview, Surve talks about the leopVijayawada and will and dot the the place they drank place. neatly beautiful dividing thepictures capital reof Forty per cent of the ards that thrive in the heart of densely pop- water Guntur, all roads we knew The from. profileOnce of the capital region leopards into commercial, adminiswere published. land acquired is ulated Mumbai. and fields now lead gion, the trails, we selected comprising aroundloca29 viltrative and residential This positive publicity iszones. good jareebu (wet) land, to the new capital of lages, tions isfrom where a cameras set to undergo massive According to Naidu, the region for conservation. where over 100 How did the project evolve andPradesh. how was it Andhra would not be easily transformation. As stolen. agricultural varieties of crops are was chosen after careful considexecuted? The bifurcation of AP last lands make way for transport eration water and land availaHow willofthis study help improve cultivated We need to learn to This was ayear collaborative project with the WII networks led to the creation of Telangana What kind of cooperation and farming did is rebility, connectivity and the conservation at SGNP? share space with and the having Forest Department. I trainedHydebeat placed 10 districts, including you receive from the local nearly by construction, potential development. This studyfor serves as the baseline wildlife, as they are guards onrabad, conducting transects in- 3,000 leavingline the residualand state people?acres of the 33,000 ac- already doing their bit data Since legislative asonthe thestate leopard and prey stalling and traps. We quired withoperating 13 districts.camera While Hyderabad Local people’s was absounder support land pooling will sembly passed a resolution on population in SGNP and will help would set up cameras at a time with will10-15 remain a shared capital forone 10 metamorphose lutely necessary.into They would ofthe core capital. Vehicles the new capital last year, the project proin further monitoring ofhas leopard beat guardyears, responsible every camera loca- laden Andhrafor Pradesh, under Chief ten refer tosand, the animals “our with cement,as and concrete are al- gressed quickly. movement inside and outside tion. Lest the guardsChandrababu feel lonely, I would Minister Naidu,visit has ready leopards”. We named the leopspeeding from Undavalli to Amaravati. The assembly Capital Region Dethepassed park. Itthe also helped enhance each location every two-three proposed to build adays. new Believe green- ards after discussion with the locals. A female velopment Authority (CRDA) Act in December the skill of the forest staff. me, there isfield a lotcapital. to learn from them, they Change leopardiswas captured on a new moon night last year. By January, the government had ancoming shared every bitOn of October information they had as and 22, auspicious it We nextdrive to the house an elderly woman. see- nounced out fromofVijayawada, towardsOn PrakaPooling scheme and by FebWhat are the yourLand plans? accepted me asispart of their group. Vijaya Dasami, the state gov- sam ing the image, shebanana told meand that the tribalfarms peo- ruary barrage, past vegetable 28, received irrevocable consents from Studying human-wildlife interactions and ernment will hold a founda- on ple the believed oneserpentine should notroads venture out on narrow, leading to 20,510 farmers forresolving 32,469 acres. working towards the negative ones. Leopards avoid tion human beings, but ceremony toventure begin the Amaravati, amavas (new moon) as leopards roamed WeSoneed a former Buddhist seat of learning. far, the government taken possession to learn to sharehas space with wildlife, into human-dominated areas for Why? development of prey. Amaravati. around then. We the leopard At Undavalli andnamed Penumaka, a few‘Chandni’ farmers of 30,000 says Srikant the as they areacres, already doing theirNagulapalli, bit. The leopardPrime doesn’tMinister avoid coming into areas Narendra Modi continue (moonlight). to till land. In Krishnayapalem vil- CRDA commissioner. According to reports, 40 parikshit is a researcher, translator inhabited bywill human but avoids be inbeings, attendance, alongdetecwith lage, Mangalagiri mandal, we ask a group of per cent ofsuryavanshi the land acquired is jareebu (wet) and writer based in Aurangabad tion. Leopards have beenofficials living infrom close Japan prox- people government How do seated you indentify eachjunction leopard and arrive at a road about the land, with high water tables at 15-20 feet,

Bulldozers and road rollers have replaced ploughs and tractors, as fertile lands are upturned to mould Amaravati, the dream capital of Andhra Pradesh

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Son of the soil Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu carries anthill soil and water, as part of the ‘Mana Matti — Mana Neeru — Mana Amaravati’ programme

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Ra.Ten Heads will turn this Dussehra

ussehra in Meerut is always a big affair. Who will set off the longest ladi? Who will play Sita in the Ramlila? How tall will the Ravana effigy be? Artists, scrambling to add new features to the celebration, have hit upon something truly novel. This time, the 10-headed, 70-foot tall demon king will not just spew fire, but also turn heads. In some ingenious craftsmanship, the 10 heads will be fitted with iron rods and springs to allow 360-degree rotation. At the end of the festival, as flames lick the effigy, the new Ravana will drop his 10 jaws in agony and turn all his heads. There will be a twist in the Ramlila.

Baking bad Making bread is never easy

lmost a decade ago, Hrithik Roshan showed us how not to make chocolate chip biscuits in an ad. Set in 19th-century Italy, the actor meets a mysterious woman in a baking room. Flour ﬂies everywhere, honey drips and chocolate melts. The oven heats up, and the air crackles with chemistry. Hours later, we have perfectly baked squares of biscuits. Is this how one makes biscuits? Romance, maybe. Now, an Iceland ad is facing a similar problem. An online campaign, set outside a windmill and against a gorgeous orange sky, depicts the recipe for making bread. The wind howls, clouds shift, somehow wheat, water, salt and yeast come together and aha! bread is made. Miffed bread-lovers across the continent have complained that the ad makes light of an arduous, time-consuming process. This dough will not rest in peace.

Keep calm and cook… Which only men seem to do at Aligarh jail

oo many cooks spoil the broth. In Aligarh jail, too many women cooks were wreaking havoc. Severe catﬁghts — some resulting in hair being pulled out and utensils being kicked — forced the authorities to shunt the women inmates out of the kitchen. A hundred men are in charge of what the 3,000 inmates (including 121 women and 10 children) of Aligarh jail eat. We’re told the kitchen is much quieter and more civilised now. According to the jail employees, the ﬁghts among women get worse during festive periods like Ramzan and Navratra.

where more than 100 varieties of crop are currently cultivated. By May, S Iswaran, the second minister of Singapore government (with which the Andhra Pradesh government had inked a memorandum) had submitted the Capital City Master Plan. The master plan spans a 217-sqkm area and guides the development of Amaravati till 2050. The city will be designed to accommodate around four million people. While the Centre released ₹1,500 crore last year, the state government has further issues of funding. In a recent exclusive interaction with Business Line, Naidu said, “It will be hard to find a place like Amaravati where the city has potential for a riverfront of 32 km. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to nusual constructhappenings a often new capital.” transpire at shopping malls, robbery, arson to name a few. But Master plan recently in the eastern Russian Recognising the inherent difficulties in land the cash-keepcity of Khabarovsk acquisition, the state government thea brown bear galer at a chose mall saw End of thepoor, road Farmers pack maize into gunny bags for the market in Vijayawada. This will be their last crop land pooling system, which seeks to convince loping right past her. The the construction of the new capital takes over their lives and farms v raju people to part with their land fordiscombobulated develop- before creature furry, ment and annuity payments. made a desperate bid for the back Under land pooling, which is a voluntary office, before itexsucceeded in opennow. There is also fear that the developers will that Naidu is keen to put it on the global map. ercise, farmers with lands on ingthe theriverbank glass doors ofnot thehire complex. us, and instead bring their own work- Not only will Amaravati be a city of the future, will receive 1,000 sq yards But of commercial like all man vsers. beast stories, How will our families survive on ₹2,500,” it will also be a hub on the Buddhist tourist cirspace and 400 sq yards for residential use.has In an asks this one too unhappy end- a tenant farmer. Sambaiah, cuit, attracting Japanese investment. addition, they will get an annuity payment ing. Poor Bear of who had wandered Already, a number of cases have been filed What will this new-old city be like? If the ₹30,000-50,000 per acre overinto 10 years. the mall to browse throughfarmers, some by political par- plans are anything to go by, the city will be by aggrieved In the case of farm labour and the tenant fish andfarmfruit sections, its by farmer organisations. How- centred on infrastructure and not her people. ties andmet others ers, the family will receive a monthly end withpension a soldier’s ever, bullet. in most of the cases, the courts have so far The capital is likely to come up on the riverof ₹2,500. They will also be allotted work un- ruled in favour of the government front, along a 17km stretch. der MGNREGA. “No person will be displaced while directing the state against Twin towers will rise in the adfrom their homes. What is a city without peo- any coercive action. Despite this, ministrative area, and skyscrapple? The villages will retain their habitations the National Green Tribunal has ers will come up in other zones. It is a once-in-aand the infrastructure will be gradually up- passed an order extending a stay The city will have a central boulifetime opportunity graded,” says Nagulapalli. on the construction of the new levard, commercial hubs, a wato construct a Peddi Venkateswara Rao, a farmer with 2.3 capital and ordered the state to terfront and a gateway. The new capital acres, is among the thousands who have sur- not destroy agricultural fields. region will be seamlessly conrendered agricultural land. Until April, he culnected by a 300-km road nethis love story, rather two, began, grew and died —maize, ratheronion, nastily,banana in the zoo. llama handler tivated andAgherkins. City of the future work, elevated metro tracks, and a monkey handler were in a relationship. they broke1,400 up, the started Now,When he will receive sqllama yardshandler from the The name Amaravati was chosen and waterways. Villages will codating the meerkat handler. At a Christmas party, the monkey handler and the meerkat handler government. A few kilometres away, 55-yearas it represents continuity in history. Dynas- exist with the steel-and-chrome of the new got into a spat. A furious meerkat handler threw a wine glass at the monkey handler. The court old worker Venkatamma is among the 200ties such as the Satavahanas, Pallavas, and Cha- capital. Everything will be smart and shiny, has now asked the meerkat handler, who lostodd her job afterwho the have brawl, to pay $1,250 to the monkey people gathered at Mandadam lukyas have ruled the ancient town. It has also blue and green (for water and trees). Welcome handler. Last heard, the meerkat handler andvillage. the llama handler were more anpension item. Here seen is As she awaits thenomonthly the confluence of religions like Hin- to Amaravati, the city of the future. hoping at least the animals had some fun amidst this. fromall the government, many in the group ex- duism, Buddhism and Jainism. By naming the press concerns. “We have few options for work capital city after the historical town, it appears v rishi kumar

Man vs bear

Like always, the animal loses the war

Zoo story

When three animal handlers fell in love

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here,there & elsewhere

Powerless!

eter and Grace met and married because of their shared belief that our planet is in crisis and can only be saved by rejecting wasteful urban lifestyles. Their decision to become farmers involved many sacrifices, sure. But 15 years later, they have 40 acres of farmland and three bright, apple-cheeked children; a cow that produces two gallons of milk a day; three pigs; a dozen free-range chickens; five goats; two horses; electricity from the sun and water from their own underground spring. The list of things they DON’T have includes a TV, cellphones and school fees: the children are home-schooled. And there’s no time for boredom, believe me. A case in point is our second night here. We’ve all spent the day outdoors, me drawing the animals, Bins learning to herd goats and Birk up in the woods, hauling down trees for firewood. It’s

been a cloudy day, with very little sunlight. No one’s paying attention however. So at some time during the night, the solar accumulator loses its charge. There’s a backup battery but it’s not automatic. All of us humans are tucked up in bed and don’t notice a thing. But Aurora, the feisty and temperamental cow, SHE notices. How? Well. There’s an electric fence. It consists of one very thin orange wire strung along a series of slender white poles. It delivers a slight jolt when touched. If Aurora or either of the horses wanted to, they could easily walk through it. But they don’t. When the power goes down, however, Aurora notices something is different. Perhaps there’s normally a faint buzz that only she can hear, but it’s gone off now. Whatever the reason, she realises this is her chance to break out and trample on

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Grace’s ﬂowerbeds. Meanwhile, inside the house, the two dogs, Beano and Deli, hear Aurora tramping about outside, disturbing the natural order of things. So they begin to whine. Soon Birk, who is sleeping downstairs on the couch, is awakened by the whining. Thinking that the dogs want to pee, he opens the door. Whereupon Beano and Deli rocket out, barking wildly at Aurora. Whereupon Aurora begins to gallop up and down the driveway. Whereupon Grace and Peter wake up and realise the power is off. Which means Aurora is loose and the fence has to be ﬁxed. Whereupon the children wake up and begin bouncing around in the dark... In short, pandemonium! I can sleep through a

hurricane, but Bins is up the moment the dogs start barking. He leaps out of bed, realises the power is off and dashes downstairs, dragging me with him. “It’s a tsunami!” he cries, forgetting that we’re high above sea level and hundreds of miles inland. “Come on! We must collect the children and run for high ground!” An hour later all is calm once more. We are seated around a lit candle, at the dining table, drinking coffee in our nightclothes. The children are asleep. Aurora is secured in the barn. “Exciting lives!” says Bins, raising a toast with his coffee mug. “You have no idea,” says Peter, with a tired chuckle. manjula padmanabhan, author and artist, writes of her life in the ﬁctional town of Elsewhere, US, in this weekly column