AXISÂ NRI
April 2012
A MaXposure Media Group Publication
rich & rare:
our museums The fabric of our culture: vintage, avant garde & futuristic
AXISÂ NRI
A MaXposure Media Group Publication
The fabric of our culture: vintage, avant garde & futuristic
APRIL 2012
crossroad AXISÂ NRI
A MaXposure Media Group Publication
Preserve
The indian soul
April 2012
Unw ind
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A little Sugar and some Spice Star anise cheesecake, cardamom jelly, hot pepper chocolate sticks & more – can spices tempt the sweet tooth? words prachi grover
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We are not just home to some of the most aromatic, mouthwatering and gorgeous spices of the world but also are firm believers of romancing these treats. So when we were offered a chilly chocolate cake recently we weren’t quite surprised. And interestingly, when the chef saw us take a rather big bite of it he remarked, “We’re just taking our love for spices to a different level.” Little did we know that this was no simple affair! Yes, the spices once known to add aroma and flavour to savory dishes are the dessert specials of today. Can we tempt you to explore the spicy world of cookies, cakes, rolls and pies? “Indian chefs have been experimenting with spices for a long time. It’s said that it was during the Mughal era that a royal
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cook added cardamom to the sweet rice dish, Zarda; the innovation was very well received and made popular by the nobles,” says Ayub Selem, Pastry Chef, The Grand, New Delhi, “It was some 500 years ago that the spices were used for the first time to prepare desserts.” We’ve surely come far today and are using cloves, allspice, nutmeg, star anise, pepper, et al to prepare sweet treats. “It is true that it is only recently that we have opened the doors for spices to be used in desserts, cookies, breakfast rolls, etc,” says Lawrence, Pastry Chef, Sahara Star, Mumbai. So what’s brought about this change? The chef fraternity feels it’s primarily because of the fact that today both cooks and foodies are open to experimentation. The classic dishes are now lent a twist and are appreciated
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SPICES ON THE DESSERT MENU IS THE LOVELY SWEET NEWS. HERE’S WHAT ALL YOU COULD BITE INTO:
Allspice: Allspice is so named because it offers a taste similar to cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Ideal for cakes and cookies. Also used in plum, peach and apple creations. Anise: The small seeds of anise add licorice flavouring to cookies, cakes and breads. Time for a anise biscotti or anise mousse? Cardamom: The options are too many like apple and pumpkin pies, rice pudding, rich carrot pudding, etc. Cinnamon: The spicy bark of the cassia tree offers a sweet & hot flavoured taste to cakes, cookies, custards and fruit pies. Cloves: With a pungent and sweet flavour, clove is a spice often used in apple butter tarts. Mace: Add to fruit desserts – especially those made with peaches, plums and apples. Nutmeg: Offers a sweet and nutty taste to cookies, cakes, pies, custard, and pastries.
too. And this is because of increased awareness, which has come in because of frequent international travel and interaction with the chefs there. As for those who have a sweet tooth the saccharine news is that we can now indulge in aromas and flavours of a different kind. “I usually use cinnamon, clove, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, mace, black pepper, white pepper, five spice powder, star anise, etc for preparing desserts, especially chocolate pralines, cakes and cookies,” says Santosh, Pastry Chef, JW Marriott, Chandigarh. “Spices add a whole new dimension to the desserts. We use it to add fresh aroma to a dish or create a new flavour,” says
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Ayub. He plays with cinnamon and cloves to add elegance to the dishes in terms of flavour, taste and presentation. Anise is another popular spice known for the licorice-like flavour it brings to sweet baked eats. Cayenne chocolate truffles and hot peppers dipped in chocolate is another favourite treat. “I often use ‘thandai’, which is made using crushed black pepper to prepare a cheese cake dessert in our coffee shop,” says Lawrence. Another of his cheesecake innovation is prepared using star anise and cardamom jelly. However, experimenting with spices is not an easy task. One needs to go slow. “Add a little at a time, taste alongside, keep adding till you reach the perfect
note,” says Gurleen Kaur, a foodie and excellent cook, “Sometimes the most unusual combinations make for the best dishes.” Adds Santosh, “Spices also give options to people who do not have a sweet tooth.” Interestingly, today herbs too have found their place in the sweet world. Imagine this, an ice cream infused with tarragon or strawberry shortcake served covered in basil syrup. Mint, lavender, lemon balm, geranium and rosemary add a nice flavour to sugar cookies, jellies and other sweet treats. Well, all we can say is that it is time to revise our definition of desserts. Yes, a little sugar and some spice is the new sweet.
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Cult ure Gully
wealth Our glorious
Be it the wealthy corporates, big organisations, young artistes or renowned maestros; everyone is working towards the preservation of Indian culture
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They are rich, famous and falling in love with India all over again. The new Indian crème-de-la-crème is moving away from their avant-garde Western ways to soak up the traditional, erstwhile glorious India. Not so long ago, the wealthy considered it fashionable to embrace the ways of the West; they invested their time and money in foreign travel, fine wines, Italian designer labels and overseas markets. In a refreshing breeze of ‘swadeshi’, new money has found its way back to where it belongs - to be indulged, preserved, polished and deployed for the upliftment of Indian heritage and everything quintessentially Indian. Where earlier, the holistic disciplines of yoga and Ayurveda were accessible to the world over to adapt as their own, it is now being branded and protected by the Indian government as irrefutably India’s very own legacy. Indians abroad are not far left behind; affluent patrons of Indian art are collaborating in an attempt to create the country’s most prestigious cultural society abroad that not only promotes the work of prolific Indian artists but also cashes in on the art investment boom in India. Truly, India is basking in its own glory.
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Festive spirits
The ripples of this determination to reawaken Indian culture and heritage can be seen across India and beyond its frontiers. Among major Indian festivals such as Diwali, Christmas, Eid and Pongal, minor festivals have also found their ground. Large corporate sponsorships by bigwigs like Infosys, IBM and Asian Paints express an ardent spending in music and theatre events in order to clamour the forgotten cultural and religious significance of these festivals. Indeed, the drama and dazzle surrounding the celebration of every Indian festival, major or minor, induce millions to revel in the surreal joy of being in attendance.
A slice of India
And here’s another food for thought – Indian cuisine now ranks fifth among world cuisines to entice and tantalise the global palate. Where a few decades ago, one had to hound the streets of New York and London to catch sight of an Indian eatery, Indian restaurants now dot the main streets of most important cities worldwide. Adding to this, the Times Foodie Awards instituted by The Times
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The ripples of the determination to reawaken Indian culture can be seen across India and beyond of India felicitates and honours cafes and restaurants all over India. This has not only unearthed diverse preferences of Indians across states and communities, but has also marked a place for remote cities and obscure cafes on the nationwide gastronomical map.
Feel the rhythm
While dum biryani and dal makhani gratify culinary senses internationally, Indian classical music enthralls the soul. From the age of Mughals to today’s metropolitan Indians, the effervescence of Indian music has, in an egalitarian way, enchanted and soothed music lovers. Even today, royal families in Rajasthan promote folk music in a big-hearted fashion by organising music festivals, such as the Rajasthani International Folk Festival where the old and new burgeoning music genres mingle in a ‘jugalbandhi’ to captivate audiences from all over the world, leaving them spellbound. Several other music festivals such as the Ladakh Confluence 2010 and Madras Music Season attract top musicians from the country to preserve the cultural identity of various states and the nation as a
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whole. What is also noteworthy that renowned organisations are stepping forward to demystify the overwhelming scope of Indian music by making it accessible to the public at large. The Sangeet Research Academy by ITC (Indian Tobacco Company) offers a residential learning centre for prospective students to learn from the maestros of Hindustani classical music. Ravi Mathur, an executive director at ITC, said, “ITC’s interest in Indian Classical Music goes back several decades. After our country’s Independence, the patronage, which musicians enjoyed in the courts of our landed gentry diminished; there was a real danger of losing the time-honoured ancient Guru Shishya Parampara. Armed with a mission to preserve and propagate the Hindustani classical music, ITC started the Sangeet Research Academy at Tollygunge, Kolkata.” There are several such efforts in bringing the sitars and sarods to the world, including Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan’s music campuses spread across the globe. Now, prospective students can also register themselves online to learn music, which makes diverse styles of Indian music available in a simplified, structured format.
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Inter v iew
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Let the numbers do the talking and try catching up with the pace of this young entrepreneur, this is what we tell ourselves minutes before our first meeting with Sameer Gaur. It’s obvious that our first few thoughts are such, after all we are in conversation with a man who is working insane hours to redefine speed for each one of us. Later of course, we learn that the man behind the Buddh International Circuit, India and the CEO and MD of Jaypee Sports International Limited can be more aptly described with rather the antonyms of all that one thinks can be associated with the adrenaline rushing and nerve wracking Formula 1. Yes, he is calm, even as he stands on the starting line of the world’s biggest sporting event, India’s first Grand Prix 2011. No wonder, the circuit, which was once called the Jaypee Circuit was rechristened Buddh International Circuit. He understands that all the eyes are on him but he doesn’t let the pressure shake his vision, passion and dedication. “This is India’s big fat wedding with 24 grooms and over a 1,00,000 baraatis,” he smiles. “And an unthinkable number of people will be watching the event
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Lights, camera and flag off Sameer Gaur, the man behind the Buddh International Circuit, is living the dream of hosting India’s first Grand Prix 2011. We talk to him when he get back from attending to the last minute closures at the circuit. words purva grover photos atul pratap chauha
on their TV screens,” we add. The smile doesn’t vanish, just gets wider. We get talking to the man who is serenely creating history from his workspace in Greater Noida, India. Just as we settle in his living room, he shares a piece of happy news with his team, “We’ve started the air conditioning at the circuit today.” Seconds later, all of them get busy looking at the pictures of the well-lit Buddh International Circuit that Sameer has returned with. The excitement rubs on us too, after all this is a moment of pride for any Indian! Grand, gigantic and glamorous are the words that come to our mind. A dream, which germinated in Sameer’s mind in 2007, is now going to be a reality. “I met Herman Tilke, the German architect and racetrack designer, in 2007. Three days later I was in London and we were on the track,” he recalls. In 2008-09, the land acquisitions happened and that’s when the work on the 5.14 km Formula 1 circuit began. Along with the work, came in some realisations for Sameer. “I understood that F1 was
all about logistics, it turned out to be a lot more than the civil engineering I’d thought of,” says the MBA from University of Wales, UK, “I had began by looking at the venture as a commercial project for Jaypee, it was only later I realised that it was a multi-dimensional project.” From playing the hospitable hosts to getting safety vehicles ready, Sameer has been multitasking ever since. Not to forget, the numbers just kept getting bigger with time be it the fleet of safety vehicles, buses to fetch the people, acres of grass at the circuit, sale of tickets, thousands of volunteers, et al. Not surprisingly, the sale figures of Formula 1 tickets sold within a week put that of the IPL 2011 sale to shame. Interestingly, Sameer has been previously associated with the construction and commissioning of hydroelectric projects in Dulhasti and Baglihar in J&K. He is also the man behind the Yamuna Expressway and Ganga Expressway Projects in UP. As we continue talking, Sameer walks us up to his Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, the vehicle is in fact playing the Official
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Formula 1 Safety Car. His two boys, Siddhanth and Shubankar, join us. “It’s tough to keep the boys away from the action,” smiles his wife, Nandita. So, does daddy let them indulge in speed? “No,” says a stern Sameer, and we understand that the entrepreneur is a very responsible parent too despite the work demands. “This car is a monster,” he smiles, which brings us to the association of Formula 1 with Mercedes-Benz as the Official Automotive Partner. “It was in 1970 that my father bought his first Mercedes and along with that he came up with a rule that all the top-end staff members of the company would be driving nothing else but a Mercedes-Benz. Today, decades later we still abide by the tradition and take pride in it,” says a nostalgic Sameer, “Whenever you have a partnership have it with the best this was one of the first business lessons that our father taught us, so naturally when we made a circuit and were to decide upon a safety partner, Mercedes-Benz was our first and only choice, especially in the light of Mercedes associated with F1 with their own team. For us, this is long term association, F1 being just a beginning.”
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Inter v iew
The ripples of the determination to reawaken Indian culture can be seen across India and beyond
We gather that responsibility is his foremost ethic, at work or home. So, we almost assume that he was never a college brat who’d speed away on a bike or a car! He smiles. The children nod as we talk, they’ve been taught the lesson of indulging in the right things at the right age. They lead us to dad’s favourite part of the home, the basement. Just like every corner of the home, the basement too is cosy. Sameer takes pride as he tells us that each piece in the home has been handpicked and placed by Nandita. “We’ve been married for 19 years,” he adds. And perhaps more than the décor it’s the love they share that brings alive their home. The family spends a lot of time in their home theatre section in the basement, which is lovingly adorned with film posters of each of their choice from a Lion King to a Gone With The Wind to a Chak De! India. It’s not hard to guess, Chak De! India is Sameer’s favourite. “SRK is my favourite,” he says. As we walk to the other room, we come across a picture capturing the World Cup 2011 winning moments of the Indian cricket team. “We hope the Formula 1 is India’s next biggest moment,” says Nandita, as Sameer crosses his fingers. We say our little prayer too. The family may not be at the circuit interacting with the labour or officials, but they’re together in making it perfect. As we take their leave, we realise that what was once a business project for Sameer has now been draped in patriotic colours. “We’re doing this for India. This is India’s story, we as a country are shining and we’re doing our bit to add the dazzle to it,” says Sameer. With another four-five sporting events more in the pipeline, including proposals from MotoGP, this is just the start. But all that can wait; right now the Jaypee team is working hard to make the India’s debut Grand Prix a success story. Hence, there is no time to relax. “Now, I’ll breathe only when we are on the finishing line,” Sameer signs off.
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O f f t he shelves
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use of the useums
Mediums of social change, keepers of rich textiles, promoters of alternate ways of education and more. We explore the new definition of museums by paying visit to a selected few destinations words sara kapoor
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The inspiring rise of civilization, brave tales from battlegrounds, motif highlights from magnificent architecture; most history lessons are made up of such nuggets. But then history can’t be defined by boundaries, right? What if we were to invite you to a history class that revolved around rich textiles, lovely music, colourful aquatic life, traditional art techniques, wax statues and even toilet habits? Yes, we are about to change your perception of yawn-through-history lessons and museums. We’re familiar with museums that transport us to a glorious era of the past and narrate rich tales, however very few of us have been to museums that serve as keepers of Indian textiles, folk music, aquatic life, alternate and fun ways of education, etc. Investing in the values, lessons and things from the past is as important as looking ahead; a couple of charitable organisations and NGOs are doing just that. The Sarabhai Foundation, Ahmedabad has been working towards the promotion of science, art and literature since 1959. The Sulabh International Museum of Toilets is run by the founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, an NGO in the field of sanitation in India. Karnataka Janapada Parishath is safeguarding the folk arts and culture of Karnataka. We make a stopover at a few such keepers to learn more.
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Restoring rhythm
How does one keep safe the melodies that live in our hearts for the younger generation? One of the simplest ways would be to drop by at the Karnataka Folk Museum, Bengaluru and learn about their traditional folk culture. The museum plays an elegant host to 6,500 folk items like instruments, costumes, masks, puppets, etc, which take one on a melodious journey. You’d also find folk music collections and folk dance videotapes here. The people behind the museum, which is divided into three buildings, feel that the true spirit of a place can be found in its song and folklore, hence the emphasis on preserving the same. However, they’re keeping safe other aspects of the folk life too. Lokamatha Mandira exhibits an assortment of utensils, baskets and earthen jars used to store food. Chitrakuteera, the third building displays photographs that cover various aspects of folk life. Where? Sheshadripuram, Bengaluru Timings Open from Wednesday to Monday from 9 am- 5:30 pm
Marine mysteries
Discover the deep blue secrets at the Taraporewla Aquarium, Mumbai. This museum was built in 1951 and is home to 100 species of marine and freshwater fish including seven different types of coral fish from Lakshadweep Islands. Get up, close and personal with marine creatures like the octopus, shark, turtle, sea horse and more here. Three large rooms play home to the fish and aquatic plants, in addition to the rare shells and fish preserved in bottles. Also on display are jewels carved from pearls, complete with information on the various stages of growth in a pearl. The authorities are planning to upgrade the aquarium to an underwater oceanarium that will allow people to walk and observe under the water. Where? Marine Drive, Mumbai Timings Open all days (except Monday) from 11 am-8 pm and 10 am-8 pm on Sunday
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Fabric fortune
Threads from all across the country make for interesting, beautiful and colourful history at the Calico Museum of Textiles, Ahmedabad that invites you to witness the fabric history of the past five centuries. Now at the Sarabhai House, this museum was originally housed in the Calico Mills. The 63-year-old museum was the brainchild of Gira Sarabhai and today serves as an insight into the history of Indian textiles. The different galleries in the museum like the religious, historical and trade familiarise one with the designs and artworks in kalamkaris, silks, pichhwais, patolas, bandhnis, brocades, et al. Learn about the influence of Hindu or Islamic designs, Mughal splendour, block-printing and tie-dye techniques, etc here. Also, on display are carved wooden facades, motifis, frescoes, icons of sandstone and bronze and more. Where? Shahibaugh Palace, Ahmedabad Timings Open all days (except Wednesday) from 10:30 am-12:30 pm
Sanitation crusade
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, the man behind, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets, New Delhi calls his unusual museum a sanitation crusade. The museum that is home to a rare collection of facts, pictures and objects highlighting the evolution of toilets seeks to serve as an instrument of social change. The idea of walking into a museum displaying water closets, chamber pots, toilet furniture, etc may not be your idea of an outing but the destination is helping sanitation experts learn from the past, toilet equipment manufacturers improve their products and the people spread awareness on hygienic sanitation. We suggest you add this unusual outing to your itinerary. Where? Palam Dabri Marg, New Delhi Timings Open on all days (except Sunday) from 10 am-5 pm
The knowledge bridge
The Nehru Children’s Museum, Kolkata is committed towards making a qualitative difference in your child’s life. Late Jugal Srimal, who believed in the philosophy of ‘Play Way’ education over classroom studies, set up this museum in 1972. The museum is a project of the Natural Cultural Association and is instrumental in promoting novel ways of educating children including the under-privileged ones. Puppets depicting the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, make for a fun lesson here, so do the 88 dolls wearing national costumes from different countries. Basic science lessons are imparted through miniature working models of railway crossings, etc. Let your child explore, imagine and dream some more here. Where? Chowringhee Road, Kolkata Timings Open on all days (except Monday-Tuesday) from 11am-7pm
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Textiles treasure
A 2005 entrant on the museum map is The Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing, Jaipur. The museum, supported by a charitable foundation, The Anokhi Foundation, seeks to revive the old rich tradition of hand block printing of the artisans in Jaipur. The museum has once again generated interest in the traditional art of block printing amidst the overdose of machine printed fabrics. It serves as a repository of information on all facets of the craft. Interestingly, it also allows the practitioners to enjoy the craft with their counterparts. The brand, Anokhi, is known for conservation and development of tradition and skills through design, marketing and project funding. The permanent collection on display focuses on ‘contemporary cloth with textiles’ collected from the Anokhi Archives as well as traditional fabric still worn in the local communities. It’s a colourful tutorial on the various styles and techniques relevant in Ajrakh, Bagru, Balotra, Jaipur and Sanganer. Where? Kheri Gate, Jaipur Timings Open all days (except Monday) from 10:30 am-5 pm and 11 am-4.30 pm on Sunday
Waxed to perfection
Did you know that we have our own version of Madame Tussauds? We’re home to two wax museums, in Goa and Ooty. Goa’s Wax World Museum has on display over 30 life-size figurines including that of Osho, Radha-Krishna, Shankaracharya and Ramkrishna Paramahansa carved out of paraffin wax. Shreeji Bhaskaran, the owner of this museum, has sculpted these figurines. Bhaskaran is the man behind India its first wax museum in Ooty. One of the main attractions in Goa is the sculpture of the ‘Last Supper’ and a statue called ‘say no to drugs’. A walk through the museum acquaints one on our art and history. Where? Mahatma Gandhi Circle, North Goa Timings All days (except Saturday-Sunday) from 9.30am-6pm.
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