Talk june 13 2013

talk Volume 1 | Issue 44 | June 13, 2013 | Rs 10

magazine

the intelligent bangalorean ’s must-read weekly

ROW Why Pai, Kiran can be ungracious 9 ENTERPRISE Microsoft’s new fund for Indian start-ups 10 MONSOON Steaming hot snack ideas 16

KOLAVERI CLUB

India’s biggest men’s rights group, based in Bangalore, has now become virulently anti-women.

Started 10 years ago to protect men facing trumped-up dowry charges, it now sees no worth even in laws against sexual harassment and rape. Why are these smart, highly educated men so furious, and why is their power spreading across the country? SAVIE KARNEL reports 12-15

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mail

Excellent cover story about how life imitates the movies, in surprising ways The latest edition of Talk, (Issue 43), like the others, offered so much to read. Of late, I have had to share my copy with everyone at home! I especially liked Basu Megalkeri ’s Life imitates cinema report on CS Mallayya being inspired

by V Shantaram ’s Do Aankhen Barah Haath, which in turn was inspired by the true story of the Swatantrapur Open jail in Maharashtra.

This rang a bell and prompted me to retrieve some dusty books I had put away for want of space. What did I find? A book published by Rinehart & Company Inc in 1951, My Six Convicts, by Donald Powell Wilson. This brilliant account by a psychologist, of three years spent behind the grey walls of the Federal Penitentiary at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, USA, brings to us knowledge about the lawbreaker.

The United States Public Health Service had

appointed him to study the relationship between criminality and drug addiction. Dr Wilson needed a team of assistants. He had 2,000 men to choose from —all criminals. Finally he selected six; and it is on their personalities that his book mainly turns.

He quotes George Bernard Shaw in the beginning, “The first prison I ever saw had inscribed on it ‘ Cease to do Evil: Learn to do Well ’; but as the inscription was on the outside, the prisoners could not read it. ” But for the Talk report, I wouldn ’t have read this excellent book. My thanks to Basu Megalkeri and the team.

Mala Sridhara by email Extend the cinema story Your cover story is excellent. It writes the preface for what could be a long discussion on cinema and real life. It would be good if someone could use the details to expand and

team talk EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVE TEAM

SR Ramakrishna Editor Prashanth GN Senior Editor Sajai Jose Chief Copy Editor Savie Karnel Principal Correspondent Basu Megalkeri Principal Correspondent Prachi Sibal Senior Features Writer Sandra Fernandes and Maria Laveena Reporters and Copy Editors Anand Kumar K Chief of Design Shridhar G Kulkarni Graphic Designer Ramesh Hunsur Senior Photographer Vivek Arun Graphics Artist

Sumith Kombra Founder, CEO and Publisher Kishore Kumar N Head - Circulation Vinayadathan KV Area Manager - Trade Yadhu Kalyani Sr Executive Corporate Sales Lokesh KN Sr Executive Subscriptions Prabhavathi Executive Circulation Sowmya Kombra Asst Process Manager

Printed and published

by Sumith Kombra on behalf of Shakthi Media Ventures India Pvt Ltd FF70, Gold Towers, Residency Road, Bangalore -560025 and printed at Lavanya Mudranalaya, Chamarajpet, Bangalore-560018.

Editor: SR Ramakrishna. Editorial Office: FF70, Gold Towers, Residency Road, Bangalore 560025 Email: info@talkmag.in Phone: 08040926658. © All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited.

write a thesis.

Shekharpoorna Bommasandra Loved the idea Lives changed by the power of cinema: I loved the idea behind

band formed with inspiration from your cover story.

Mahalakshmi Prabhakaran the film Rock On. Lokesh Madan by email by email Rock on Prachi!

Congratulations to Prachi Sibal, who wrote the story about Eka, the Write to letters@talkmag.in

around town

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editor talk

Say hello in Mandarin and keep snakes off your dinner plate As short business trips to China are becoming increasingly common in the IT industry, so are short-term courses in spoken Mandarin Chinese PRASHANTH GN

prashanth.gn@talkmag.in

P

olitical observers say that there’s no time like now to learn Chinese, though just five words—don’t mess with our border—should do.

Ask frequent flyers to China and they tell you all they really need to know to say is: ‘I’m vegetarian and would like to pass up the snakes and Virgin Boy Eggs’ (Relax, it’s only regular chicken eggs boiled and steeped in the urine of elementary school kids!).

Yes, Bangalore is waking up to the most widely spoken lan-

guage on the planet—Mandarin Chinese. From less than a hundred about five years ago, the city now has at least 1,000 speakers.

Bangalore University was the first to get into the act in 2008 and has been attracting a sizeable number of learners every year.

BSN Rao, a retired Intelligence Bureau official who teaches a certificate course at the university, explains: “The number of people applying may sometimes go up to 40, but the actual number who last the entire course is eight to 10.

Most people drop out after three months since they find the written part tough. Learning Mandarin is relatively tougher than learning languages like French, German

Bangalore ’s China connection Huawei Technologies India Pvt Ltd set up a research and development centre here in 1999. It ’s now located in Whitefield.

Air China has been flying from Bangalore to Cheng Du and Shanghai since 2010.

Software engineers are increasingly travelling to Chengdu, Shanghai, Ghanzhou, Dalian and Beijing. and Spanish. However, the consolation is that they would have learnt a bit of spoken Chinese, while the ones who survive can read and write Mandarin.”

Mandarin learners at Bangalore University drop out for several reasons. One, the higher

Savie Karnel has been tracking the Save Indian Family Federation, the men ’s rights group based in Bangalore, for at least eight years. When it was founded in 2003, its purpose was to help those harassed by the police and the law. Many husbands —and their siblings and elderly parents —are routinely shoved behind bars on dowry charges, and this informal organisation was arguing for a genderneutral law that protected those facing trumped-up charges. SIFF has now spread out, and boasts chapters in many Indian cities. When Savie returned to see how they were doing, she was startled by how big they had grown, and shocked by how negative they had become. Its chairman no longer talks of saving ‘family values ’; instead, he advises men to stay away from marriage altogether. A member describes the horrific gang-rape of a Delhi student as consensual sex, and the motley gathering rejoices when news arrives of the death of JS Verma, the distinguished judge who drafted the new law against rape. What explains this fury? Read our report, headlined ‘Why this kolaveri, da? ’ Kolaveri is a Tamil word meaning ‘murderous rage ’, and this group ’s ideology seems as laughable as the ideology of that kitschy hit song.

The crisis in the Gulf is a cause for worry in India. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are driving out workers of Indian origin.

Margot Cohen met two sisters in Bangalore trying to get their stranded mother back from Kuwait. Sajai Jose called up the terrified 48-year-old woman waiting to be rescued.

Girish Kasaravalli and Sramona Chakraborty pay personal tributes to Rituparno Ghosh, the Bengali auteur who died earlier this week. We received many congratulatory messages from readers who liked our ‘Reel to real ’ cover last week. Our heartfelt thanks.

SR Ramakrishna ram@talkmag.in

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diploma course in Chinese lasts eight survival kit in Chinese” which also includes months. “Working professionals can’t spare training in business meetings, office etiquette, office language and work-context eight months,” says Rao. “And learning the language to its logi- conversations. “It’s called Business cal end is not easy at all,” says Prof S Chinese,” he says.

For those who want just such a Swaminathan, who teaches Mandarin at course, but are not a part of IIM-B, IIM-B. Also, the course is academic, highly Swaminathan runs his own tutorial, the structured, and goes into reading and writ- Mandarin School of India, at Whitefield. ing, all of which are difficult, says software Then there’s Gorur who set up Ni Hao engineer Arun Gorur, who learnt Chinese Bangalore, a branch of the Chinese when he worked in China for three years Institute of Chennai, in Indiranagar and Vijayanagar in 2010. Rao also goes to the between 2002 and 2005.

When he returned to India, he esti- homes and companies of learners to teach mated the number of professionals travel- a spoken Chinese course that lasts between ling to China would increase because of 15 days and three months.

“I have been to HP and Acer to teach the high number of technology companies in Bangalore. “China is developing young engineers, and I’ve been to houses of Chengdu and Dalian as information tech- engineers who work at Oracle, IBM, nology and BPO hubs. In five years, the Amazon. I conduct the training on weekintensity of interaction between these two ends as that’s when most professionals are hubs and Bangalore will increase. There free,” says Rao. How Rao learnt Chinese is itself an will be greater demand to learn Chinese,” interesting story. “In 1964-66, when I was in says Gorur.

What professionals flying in and out the Intelligence Bureau, I was posted to Car Nicobar. Fishermen from of China need is a working Malaysia and Thailand would knowledge of Chinese.

Bangalore violate territorial waters and Keeping in mind the need of be arrested by Indian offithe industry, IIM-B started companies cials. Since many fishermen offering a course in Chinese work a lot were Chinese, the governin 2012 and roped in in China ment instructed me to learn Swaminathan, a PhD in texChinese to be able to interrotile engineering and a veteran Chinese teacher. Swaminathan says 44 gate them and send information to Delhi.”

Rao stayed at Car Nicobar for eight MBA students opted for the Chinese elecyears and was then posted to Delhi, where tive in the fifth semester in the first year.

“All of them sought a working knowl- he lived for 12 years till he retired in 1990. edge of Chinese, anticipating business and Between 1990 and 1995, he worked in a professional visits to China. So, I have set private company in Bangalore. “After my up an introductory course in which I teach job stint, I came across an advertisement by the basics of spoken Chinese—like what to Mico seeking a Chinese teacher for their say at the airport, to the immigration offi- engineers. I applied and they tested me, cer, how to ask for a hotel, how to ask for asking me to translate a few things. I did breakfast, coffee, lunch or dinner, how to that instantly and was taken aback at ask directions from a cabbie, seek informa- myself. I had learnt Chinese 30 years ago tion on landmarks, restaurants,” he but could still remember everything clearly. I then conducted a self-examination in explains.

He basically offers what he calls “a Chinese and passed it. I decided to drop CLASS IN PROGRESS Former IIM-B professor S Swaminathan at his Mandarin School of India

S Swaminathan

Arun Gorur

the Mico offer and start teaching Chinese privately as a full-time profession. I put out advertisements in newspapers. For many years, I got a moderate response. But in 2008, Bangalore University came to know of my abilities and hired me as part-time faculty. From then on, a number of youngsters have been coming to me to learn Chinese,” he says.

As for Swaminathan, he learnt Chinese when he was posted in Indonesia.

“My neighbour was a native Chinese.

Interacting with him for nearly eight years, I learnt how to speak the language. That was back in 1984. The 2008 Beijing Olympics spurred me to learn Chinese formally—China had arrived on the world stage with the Olympics and I reasoned it would open up massively and provide a grand opportunity for India’s companies.

Twenty-four years later, a little after my retirement, I decided to learn Chinese again and enrolled at Bangalore University in 2008,” says Swaminathan.

However, when Swaminathan started teaching Chinese, he kept his courses short and quick, with emphasis on the spoken language rather than reading and writing.

“Chinese is a highly tonal and contextual language. The meanings of words differ from context to context. We would struggle, grasping multiple words for multiple contexts,” he says.

Neeraj Sethi, an engineer with HP, recalls the time when a colleague wanted to say ‘I have a boyfriend,’ but used a word with a tone that made it sound like ‘I want

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a boyfriend.’ Everyone had a good laugh.

To makes things a little less complicated, Swaminathan teaches Chinese in a Romanised script which is internationally recognised and accepted. The basic course lasts 30 hours, while advanced courses take 40 hours to 80 hours.

Some of Swaminathan’s students are actually living in China and he teaches them on Skype. “I spend an hour-and-ahalf online to teach them, typically between 6.30 pm and 8 pm Indian time, when it is 10.30 pm in China,” says Swaminathan.

Swaminathan set up his school in January 2013, and gets students from companies like Infosys, Wipro, TCS, Intel and HCL. He also visits companies and homes when professionals can’t make it to his institute. He teaches mostly on weekends.

“The demand for Chinese has gone up because Bangalore’s technology companies have more work in China,” he says.

Ni Hao, which offers a one-month course in spoken Chinese. has seen an annual 20 per cent rise in learners over the last three years. In 2010, the institute saw 90 students, and the number went up to 140 in 2011, and 180 in 2012. It is already 80 (till May) this year.

Institutes teaching Mandarin Chinese in Bangalore say less than 20 per cent of learners go on to study, read and write Chinese. Eighty per cent seek to learn basic, spoken Chinese. Of 10 students who take long-term Chinese at Bangalore University, three or four score over 60 per cent in their exams, while the rest score below 50 per cent, indicating that a systematic study of Chinese has not yet taken root in Bangalore. Chinese teachers estimate that Bangalore may have 30 to 35 higher diplomas in Chinese.

After all, the purpose of learning Chinese in most cases is not to delve into treatises like Wujing Zongyao and Huolongjing, but just to steer clear of Virgin Boy eggs and suchlike while in China.

Learn Mandarin here Mandarin School of India Vibhay Edutech Services, Sai Kamala Trinity, opposite Cosmos Mall, Whitefield. (www.mandarinindia.com) 9900013672/9900151133 Ni Hao Bangalore opposite Domlur BDA Complex, Bangalore-560071. Ph: 9886542488 Branch: No 129, 8th Main, 19th Cross, CHBS Layout, Vijayanagar, Bangalore 9886542488 BSN Rao 9901482136

fun lines

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political diary

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Translated by RK Akarsha

RSS elders negotiating to get Yeddyurappa back into BJP That’s the talk in political circles, but party patriarch LK Advani could prove a major hurdle

T

In this context, last week ’s meeting between Janata Dal ’s HD Deve Gowda and KJP ’s Yeddyurappa has gained huge significance. Also, the visit of KJP ’s Shobha Karandlaje to Keshava Shilpa, the RSS office in Bangalore, has given rise to much speculation.

The Speaker is a referee and fairness is expected of him. Chief minister Siddaramaiah and opposition leaders HD Kumaraswamy, Jagadish

Sources say the RSS is seriously trying to get Yeddyurappa back into the BJP. RSS elders have realised Yeddyurappa ’s leadership is important to revive the party, and are talking to senior leaders and MLAs. “Yes, it ’s true, but party seniors will have to decide whether they want to take him back, ” an MLA told Talk.

Kagodu Thimmappa

Shettar and Yeddyurappa have welcomed his choice.

The question is, did he want the job?

Former speaker Ramesh Kumar has an answer: “When a new government is formed, MLAs vie to become ministers, and even perform rituals to get good portfolios. But there is no example in history of anyone trying to become speaker. If the position is so great, why doesn't anyone vie for it? ”

Five curious hit-wicket cases

Once things are clear in Bangalore, the RSS is planning to take the idea to BJP ’s national leaders. Yeddyurappa is keeping his options open. “I will see what happens in national politics, ” he said.

His close aide and MLC Lehar Singh, recently ousted from BJP, had this to say: “If Modi is declared the prime ministerial candidate, it won ’t be long before Yeddyurappa returns to the BJP. ”

Five Congress leaders were considered surefire ministerial candidates before the elections: BK Chandrashekhar, BL Shankar, CM Ibrahim, VR Sudarshan and Motamma.

They had the experience and the seniority.

But will patriarch LK Advani agree to have Yeddyurappa back? Will Yeddyurappa go back without any conditions? Won ’t the Congress unleash the CBI against Yeddyurappa if he goes back to the BJP? COMEBACK KID? The BJP’s assessment is that Yeddyurappa’s exit from the party cost it dearly in the assembly elections

Too much advice Chief minister Siddaramaiah is getting stronger by the day.

Although he denied tickets to party stalwarts like DK Shivakumar, Ramesh Kumar, Roshan Baig, Basavaraj Rayareddy and Anil Lad, he has faced no criticism or revolt.

The Congress has also won the Periyapatna by-election.

Siddaramaiah

At 82, Kagodu Thimmappa is set to be the 19th Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly. No MLA this time can match his seniority, experience and competence. As a member of the erstwhile Socialist Party, he has a record of campaigning against farm taxation and land-grab.

Thimmappa hails from the Idiga (toddy-tapper) community, and was the first graduate in his community. He joined the Socialist Party in 1960 and was elected MLA for the first time 12 years later. He joined the Congress in 1980 in Gundu Rao's presence.

he BJP is busy devising strategies to defeat the UPA in the 2014 parliamentary elections.

BASU MEGALKERI

A job no one wants

Siddaramaiah is winning praise for

his many pro-people decisions. But the opposition and the media are keeping a close eye on all his actions, and making idealistic suggestions. Siddaramaiah ’s first job is to get the state ’s finances back on track. He has to clean up the mess created by the BJP. As if he didn ’t have enough, a Kannada daily is dedicating half a page every day to offer him advice.

Chandrashekar is a former IIM Professor and an intellectual who has worked closely with chief ministers Ramakrishna Hegde and SM Krishna.

But he was never the sort who could fight an election. Emboldened by the pro-Congress wave, he contested. But he lost because he had no support from grassroots party workers.

BL Shankar contested against the super-rich real estate developer Muniraju from Dasarahalli. When he lost, he said, “Elections are not for people like me ”.

The defiant CM Ibrahim contested from Bhadravati.

He did not enjoy the confidence of local leaders or the voters, and lost.

The story of Motamma and Sudarshan is different.

Sudarshan wanted to contest from Jayanagar constituency but was not given a ticket.

Disappointed, he stayed away from the campaign.

The Congress lost, and Sudarshan got the blame.

Likewise when Motamma asked for a ticket, the high command turned her down. She didn ’t campaign in Moodigere, her constituency. The Congress suffered a humiliating defeat there. She was held responsible.

All five leaders have been sidelined now, but then, they have no one but themselves to blame.

gulf crisis

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‘I’m waiting for amnesty’ Excerpts from Talk ’s interview with Sainaba in Kuwait: I came here on a visa arranged by an agent in Kerala, who sent me to work in many places without pay.

After I cried and made a fuss, and they could no longer send me to work, they sold me to a woman agent from Sri Lanka.

Along with other maids, I went to work at different places for five months, without any pay.

There was worse going on with the younger girls, but because I was older, I was spared.

Finally, I had to leave with nothing but the clothes I was wearing. My passport is with the agent. Now, thanks to some people I know, I got a place to stay with a Kuwaiti family.

Abused Indian woman stranded in tense Kuwait

MARGOT COHEN & SAJAI JOSE

T

SEARCHLIGHT: (Top) Kuwait aims to reduce its foreign worker population

his is the story of two sisters, an X-ray technician and a nursing student.

They sleep in the home of a family friend, a large tiled house in Nelamangala flanked by a kennel for Rottweilers and Labrador Retrievers. Each day, 22year-old Sajeena S commutes two hours each way to her new job at a diagnostic centre in Malleswaram.

Her elder sister, 24-year-old Rejeena S, tries to prepare for her August exams at Lakeside Nursing College.

But the two sisters never forget one thing: their main goal is to get their mother out of Kuwait. The tearful phone calls are difficult to bear.

“She is suffering so much over there.

As soon as possible, she has to come

back,” says Sajeena.

The name listed on the Domestic Servants Work Contract is Sainaba Beevi Abdul Majeeth. She was born in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, and worked in the cashew fields of Kerala. Separated from her husband, she earned a little extra money by helping mothers care for their newborn babies.

Sainaba’s daughters say she had all her papers in order when she left India in April 2011. She had already survived a stint as a housemaid in Saudi Arabia and completed a previous two-year contract in Kuwait.

Back then, she had left her children in the care of their grandmother in Kerala. Some people might think it was a long way to go for a promised monthly salary of just 60 dinars (Rs 11,885). Sainaba did not hesitate, even though the agent told her the real pay would just be Rs. 8,000.

But now, stranded without a passport and weakened by diabetes and hypertension, 46-year-old Sainaba is one of thousands of Indians terrified by an ongoing crackdown against foreign workers. Since late April, Kuwaiti police have been conducting spot searches on public transport, and combing migrantheavy neighbourhoods, ostensibly searching for illegal workers. Those netted in the raids are thrown into

crowded, fetid cells. Even some traffic violators have been jailed, according to news reports. Meanwhile, the Internet is swamped with comments deriding the indifference of Indian Embassy officials to these developments.

PASSPORT PROBLEMS Some Indians are outraged. On June 2, for example, a crowd of Rajasthani workers staged a protest in front of the Indian embassy in Kuwait, complaining that they had been handled roughly and unfairly targeted. In response, Kuwaiti diplomats have offered soothing statements that deported workers are welcome to return once they obtain proper docuMARGOT COHEN

Two sisters try to bring their ailing mother home after a gruesome Gulf experience, but help is elusive.

Thousands of Indian workers are panicking as the Arab country launches a drive to oust ‘illegal immigrants’

In January, someone called me on my mobile saying he is from the embassy. This happened after my daughters sent some petition to the authorities. I'm not sure if they were actually from the embassy, or from my agency.

They said, “Sister, you should hold on for a few more days. ” They have not called back since. I've tried calling them but they never pick up the phone.

LIVING IN HOPE Rejeena (green salwar) with sister Sajeena at Nelamangala

I've heard that the embassy is close by, but I don't want to even try going there because the police are picking up even those with valid papers. If I get caught, I don't know when they'll send me (back to India).

I've been a diabetic for 15 years. Now, my health has become so bad I am unable to do much physical work. In my present condition, I cannot risk going to jail.

I am waiting for the Kuwait authorities to declare amnesty for workers who want to leave. I will give myself up so that they can send me home. They had announced this would happen soon, but so far they have not made an announcement. I have no access to the news. I only know what people tell me.

(As told to Sajai Jose)

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ments. Approximately 6.7 lakh Indians are currently working in Kuwait, in a variety of jobs.

For housemaids like Sainaba, however, the line between ‘legal’ and ‘illegal’ can appear blurred—due to the Kuwaiti system of allowing the employer to take custody of the worker’s passport. This practice gives rise to recurring cases of exploitation and abuse of domestic workers, according to New York-based Human Rights Watch.

While Kuwait has promised to improve the treatment of its 6.6 lakh foreign housemaids—arriving mostly from Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Nepal, Indonesia, India and Ethiopia—and ratify the ILO convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, the country has not taken any steps in this direction, according to HRW. For its part, the Kuwait government insists maids do have the right to seek an official investigation if they encounter “ill treatment or physical cruelty.”

When Sainaba was recruited, she was told she would be assigned to one home and work eight hours a day. But her daughters say she was ordered to clean four separate homes in a family compound. Rejeena says that her mother was not permitted to sleep until 2 am, only to be roused from bed

again at 4 am. raids intensified, the two sisters But the story got much began trying to bring their worse. After she told her mother home. Last December, employer (listed in the contract Rejeena sent a petition to the as Sayyed Hussain Yousef) that Bangalore branch of Norkashe couldn’t keep up the pace, Roots, a field agency set up by she was dumped into the hands the Kerala government to help of a shady Sri Lankan agent. overseas workers. The petition Sainaba was allegedly locked up was forwarded to the agency for more than four months on headquarters in Trivandrum, the 10th floor of an office build- which in turn contacted the ing, confined with three other Indian Embassy in Kuwait.

The embassy did not housemaids. Each day they were sent to work. Complaints respond to Norka-Roots.

“This is one of the worst were met with beatings, and food was scarce. “They gave her cases that I have come across,” just a little roti and water,” says Anitha Damodharan, head Rejeena says. One day they of the Bangalore branch of managed to escape from the Norka-Roots. She, too, has building. Luckily, Sainaba and fielded a panicked phone call another maid found temporary from Sainaba in Kuwait. The agency is ready to safe haven provide Sainaba a with a The embassy’s plane ticket home Malayali coulong silence if the embassy ple. They, in turn, arranged weighs heavily resolves the situation. for her to stay on the sisters The embassy’s with another long silence weighs Arab family.

But with her passport still heavily on the two sisters. They out of her hands, and her health don’t know where to turn.

The ordeal has convinced deteriorating, Sainaba is in trouble. If she ventures outside Rejeena to stay in India after and tries to go to the Indian she passes her nursing exams. embassy, she fears that police It’s a different outlook from will swoop down on her before many other nursing students in she gets there. “She is afraid Bangalore who aim to find jobs that she won’t get proper treat- overseas. “Looking at my mother’s experience, I don’t want to ment in jail,” says Rejeena.

Even before the police work abroad,” she says.

Turmoil in Saudi Arabia Elsewhere in the Gulf, plenty of Indian workers are struggling to cope with changes in labour policy. Most attention has focused on Saudi Arabia (which hosts 28 lakh Indians), where a campaign against illegal workers has been paired with a localisation policy designed to create more jobs for Saudi youth. In the wake of the imposition of the ‘Nitaqat ’ policy, more than 75,000 Indians have applied for emergency certificates to leave the country.

As of late May, more than 5,000 returnees had descended on airports in Kerala, with many more expected to arrive soon.

So far, it is difficult to gauge the impact on the estimated 1.5 lakh labourers and professionals living in Saudi who hail from Karnataka. A delegation of Karnataka politicians dispatched in April for meetings in Riyadh remains concerned.

“Those already there should be allowed to continue, ” argues Jayaprakash Hegde, MP. “It has helped the economy in both countries. ” CoastalDigest.com, a news portal based in Mangalore, has set up a special email address for workers from Karnataka in distress:

DISTRESS About 75,000 Indians have applied for emergency certificates to leave Saudi Arabia

helpline@coastaldigest.com.

Naeem Siddeeq, Editor-in-Chief of the news portal, responded to questions from Talk: Do most of these workers come from the Mangalore and Udupi areas?

Approximately 70 per cent hail from three coastal districts of Karnataka —Dakshina Kannada (Mangalore), Udupi, and Uttara Kannada.

Do you think that some of the returning workers might migrate to Bangalore?

Of course! Since, Bangalore is a metropolitan city and capital of Karnataka, surely a considerable number of returning workers may migrate to Bangalore in search of fresh opportunities.

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talk it out

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Thus spake the corporate God The recent comments by Mohandas Pai and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw against IT-BT Minister SR Patil herald a new world in which elected leaders dance to the tune of corporate leaders

Assess ministers on performance, not bias

RAMESH HUNSUR

F

N Manu Chakravarthy

is a professor of English at NMKRV College and a literary critic

LIKE THAT Mohandas Pai and Kiran MazumdarShaw at a Bangalore Political Action Committee press conference

reedom of expression is a right enshrined in the Indian Constitution and guaranteed to every Indian citizen. No doubt this fundamental right has been seriously eroded in recent times, especially the last two decades.

Particularly, we have witnessed the manner in which the Right to Expression has been almost totally annihilated by the State in the name of national security. Since the 1980s, India as a nation-state has brutally attacked individuals and communities—particularly in Punjab, Kashmir and the North-East—often simply for asserting their Constitutional right to the Freedom of Expression. In recent times, even innocuous statements in the form of tweets have been converted into acts of sedition. What we are seeing is the emergence of an omnipotent fascist nation-state, paralleled by the collapse of Constitutional order and the disintegration of civil society.

As the State consolidates itself, we also see the monstrous growth of a new centre of power, one that has overtly and covertly diminished the strength of the Constitution to regulate our political and social life. This new power is the corporate empire, driven by the arrogance of economists and the insularity of technocrats, both of whom hold fundamental questions of justice and equality in utter contempt.

The techno-corporate world imperiously brushes aside sane voices from society as primitive and ignorant, and subdues elected leaders as malfunctioning, unqualified goons unfit to govern. The icons of the techno-corporate world see themselves as visionaries who will shape society for the benefit of all, and we

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Their comments are tasteless and inappropriate.

Comments questioning the minister's age and 'articulation abilities' are superficial. Our views must be based on a real assessment and not on living room characterisations and sound bytes. Governance is a serious job and must not be reduced to frivolous descriptions of age and style.

This is a new government. We must give them the opportunity to serve and deliver, but at same time be vigilant.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Independent MP

must consider it our good fortune that these new Gods have arrived to cleanse a decadent world and fill it with a new vitality.

It is against this background that we must locate and understand the derisive comments made by corporate leaders Mohandas Pai and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw against IT-BT Minister SR Patil. (The apologies that came later are empty salivations of mouths that chew success, power and authority at every moment).

Mohandas Pai, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Narendra Modi, Ratan Tata, Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji—and their cheerleading army of intellectuals, scholars, development economists and new historians show us how to build a future of infinite comfort and prosperity for all who hail these new Gods.

The epic-tragic dimension of this is to be understood by the fact that the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Finance Minister, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission (the primary forces of politics, governance and socio-economic regulation) dance at a furious pace to the tunes of the corporate world. The dance and the music are constructs to placate and appease these new Gods—unheard melodies are, actually, the sweetest.

The pillars of this emerging world are the techno-corporate visionaries, the non-political rulers (who take great pride in describing themselves as ‘CEOs’ of the State),

administrators who are errand boys to the two, and, most definitely, a grateful, opportunistic middle class that would surrender wholly to the new Gods.

The techno-corporate world is not just a new avatar of the old mythological Gods. In fact, it is the only mighty God left standing, one who will shape a glittering new world ruled by technocrats, economists and corporate leaders. It will admit only those political figures who are ruthless enough to absolutely eliminate sentimental nonsense that revolves around ideas like conviviality, cooperation and human welfare.

This brave new world will be inhabited by a middle class that laps up whatever is thrown at it by the techno-corporate machine, working in tandem with a depoliticised and dehistoricised State apparatus. The new order will, of course, be marketed as a great opportunity for a “good life” (good roads, gated communities, malls to do endless shopping, and so on and so forth). Those who reject these in the name of human welfare, ecology, environment, justice and equality are deemed prehistoric creatures unfit to exist in a modern world.

But the irony is: the same State that crushes the rights of individuals and communities prostrates at the feet of this new power. In doing so, it disgraces both the integrity of the Constitution and its own autonomy as a democratically sanctioned body.

They are free to say what they want

Mohandas Pai and Kiran MazumdarShaw are respected individuals who have made some comments in an individual capacity. Nasscom does not comment on individual opinions, or say who is good and who is not. If comments impact industry, then we come in.

Sangeeta Gupta, Vice-President, Nasscom

CM has the right to choose his ministers

In a democratic set-up, it is the prerogative of the chief minister to appoint ministers. Democratic norms require that we do not question his decisions. The two individuals, instead of going to the press, could have sought an appointment with the CM and expressed their concerns.

Shiva Shanmugam, FKCCI President

biz trend

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Microsoft’s new fund is good news for Bangalore start-ups The software giant is romancing Indian enterprises again. With Rs 28 crore waiting, tech entrepreneurs couldn’t have had it better

MILEAGE Vinny Lohan (black t-shirt) of WhiteShark, one of the first startups to be admitted, at an Accelerator ‘Demo Day’

Ayyo Rama IPL scandal:

Cricket fans suspect coverup as Jagmohan Dalmiya replaces N Srinivasan as BCCI chief.

- They ’re saying ‘Dalmiya mein kuchch kaala hain. ’

PRASHANTH GN

from the corpus.

M

Intensified support

“The India fund is part of Microsoft’s intensified drive to make prashanth.gn@talkmag.in the Accelerator in Bangalore a major Mukund Mohan, icrosoft will set up a incubator,” five million dollar Microsoft Accelerator for Windows (Rs 28 crore) India Azure CEO-in-Residence, told Talk. fund as part of its He is in charge of disbursing the global fund for start- fund.

The renaming will take place in ups.

The fund will be operated from about two months. “Azure is Bangalore, and that’s good news for Microsoft’s cloud computing platform. The Azure group had funded entrepreneurs of this city.

Earlier called the Microsoft the setting up of the Accelerator in Accelerator for Windows Azure, the Bangalore and had requested a brandfund is dropping Azure from its name ing. That name did not mean entreand just calling itself Microsoft preneurs would be forced to use the Azure cloud platform.”

Accelerator.

Microsoft Accelerator for Azure is a cloud computing platWindows Azure was set form that encourages up in Bangalore in May businesses to share Many Indian 2012 as part of the comresources. Cloud company’s global puting is a popular start-ups are Accelerator project, term for any network targeting the launched in April 2012 of computers connectglobal market to support early-stage ed by the Internet. start-ups.

With cloud computThe first Accelerator came up in ing, a program can be run on many connected computers at the same Tel Aviv, Israel, in April 2012, and a month later, Bangalore had one, too. time.

The Accelerator in Bangalore is the only one in India. Other 10,000 dollars each Accelerators are located in Beijing, Typically, Microsoft plans to give a start-up up to Rs 56 lakh. This means Seattle, Rio Di Janeiro, and Paris.

Mohan says Microsoft will not at least 50 start-ups will benefit from seek a share in any company funds the Rs 28 crore fund.

Why is Microsoft taking such interest in start-ups? Mohan explains: “Microsoft has been involved with start-ups for over a decade. But in the last three years, we have intensified our support.”

For Mohan, start-ups are where new ideas and new technologies take shape. “They are already in the mainstream of Mukund Mohan the world economy and will define its contours in the immediate future. Microsoft has to be a part of that change,” he said.

The startup scene in India is getting exciting, says Mohan. “India has a five million-strong developer community, and Microsoft understands they are integral to technological development and change. We want to increase our footprint among the emerging technological hots,” Mohan explained.

India takes to new tech rapidly, and that is what brings funders here.

“You know when you deploy a technology in India, it is understood and absorbed very fast. So working with

Who is Accelerator likely to fund?

According to Mukund Mohan, the top three criteria Microsoft Accelerator looks for in a startup are:

1. Disruptive technology or product: Products that challenge the status quo. Jury is likely to ignore a product or business model that is a clone of a US start-up, and has no differentiation

2. Focus on a large market: If your start-up is targeting a market opportunity of less than 100 million dollars globally or Rs 100 crore in India, this programme is not for you.

3. Strong team and coachable entrepreneurs: If a start-up believes it has most or all of the answers and only needs money, this programme won ’t help. Accelerator likes a team, not individuals or singlefounder companies.

The funders also consider other factors: Is it a prototype or an actual product? What is the intensity of impact? What is industry saying abour a product, technology or service?

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such an intelligent community is not just tempting, but relevant. It is a market,” said Mohan.

The 42-year-old MS in Computer Science is impressed that many start-ups are targeting not just the Indian market, but also the global market. “That’s big thinking. It means you will make products not only India but a global market will absorb,” he said.

India is witnessing a rise in product companies. “Many people just don’t want to develop applications that help you sell T-shirts online. That’s not bad, but that’s not technology. Young people in India are beginning to see that and we have an interest in anyone developing technology,” he said.

A Microsoft study found that of 1,000 technology entities that emerge in the country every year, 350 go on to become companies and 150 get fullfledged funding. Forty one per cent of these are from Bangalore.

A free platform How exactly does Microsoft help startups? It hosts companies for four months at the Microsoft facility on Lavelle Road, and allows them the use all of its technologies and platforms. The start-ups

The third batch, still open, has seen a dramatic rise in the number of applicants to 1,026. Fifteen will be selected eventually. Startups from USA, Israel, Australia and Spain have been seeking admission to the Bangalore Accelerator.

Funding legacy

Where new tech start-ups are launched will be judged by a panel of experts, including those from outside Microsoft, from business, products/technology, investment, design and entrepreneurship.

Start-ups gain access to mentors, angel investors and venture capitalists from all over the world. Even start-ups working on Apple, Microsoft’s biggest rival, are working from Accelerator, which admits two batches a year.

The first batch in September 2012 saw over 200 applications, of which 11 start-ups were selected. The second batch, which began in March 2013, saw 350 applications, and 13 were selected.

Just after the launch of the Accelerator programme came the launch of the Bing Fund in July 2012. The Bing group, Microsoft’s search team, funds start-ups focused on mobile and Internet innovation.

Microsoft had launched BizSpark and BizSpark Plus in end-2008 and early 2009 to kick-start start-ups focused on software. The goal, the company says, was to develop local software ecosystems world-wide.

Today, the programme supports over 45,000 start-ups worldwide and boasts a partner network with 2,400 members. The Microsoft BizSpark Plus provides up to 60,000 dollars worth of Windows Azure services over two years.

In Mohan’s words, Microsoft aims to enhance its mindshare among startups in India. “That’s been fairly thin in the last few years and we want to change that,” he said.

11

Where angels tread

International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore: Funds start-ups through the IIIT-B Innovation Center Global SuperAngels Forum: Offers seed funds Kyron supports ultra early stage startups Harvard Buisness School Alumni Angels India 500 Startups Bangalore Angels, Mumbai Angels, Hyderabad Angels, Indian Angel Network, Pune Tech Angels, Business Angel Network of Kerala and East Angels Accel India Venture Fund, Sequoia Capital, Seedfund, Ncubate Capital, Nexus India Capital and Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ), are increasingly willing to provide seed stage funding

No more the circus act

Geek SAVIE KARNEL

savie.karnel@talkmag.in

W

hen we hear the term geek, our mind conjures up images of a person with thick rimmed glasses, his eyes glued to a computer screen. Whether the term geek has a positive or negative connotation is subjective. Someone who likes to project himself as tech savvy and studious may take geek as a compliment. Others who want to be seen as cool would reject the tag.

Originally, the term geek meant a fool, simpleton or someone who is easily deceived. It is a borrowing from the Low German geck, which had the same meaning. In English too it was spelt as geck. The term Geck was also used as a verb, meaning ‘to cheat.’ This usage can be seen in poet Alexander Barclay’s Certayne Eglogues of 1515: Aiijb, He is a foole, a sotte, and a geke also/ Which The Talk choseth...the column on worst [way] and

word origins

most of ieoperdie.

Shakespeare also used the term geck in Twelfth Night in 1601. In Cymbeline written in 1616, he spells the term as geeke. The modern spelling geek came in the 19th century in North England. It was a word used to mean foolish or worthless person.

By the beginning of the 20th century, geek had spread to America, where it became a slang word. It also gained a specialised meaning, that of a sideshow in a circus. That’s right.

Geeks were the men who would bite the heads off of live animals in American circus shows at that time.

William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel Nightmare Alley deals with the life in showbiz and carnivals. The book begins with the protagonist Stanton W Carlisle watching a geek show. By the middle of the 20th century, geek lost its specialised meaning and was used as a general slang term. It was used mostly for overly diligent students. It still continues to be used in the same sense.

In 1983, with the boom in computers, the word came to be used for those who were obsessed with technology, along with nerd, which is an extreme species of geek. It had the

negative connotation of people lacking in social graces and were introverted. With time, the connotation has changed more towards the positive. Perhaps the meaning has changed because of the incredible success achieved by geeks like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. With the IT and BPO boom in India, more and more people choose to be geeks. In campuses, engineering students are often called geeks. By the year 2000, looking geek became stylish and the fashion phrase geek chic was coined. As the geeks’ economic and cultural cachet rose, the popular media too started showing them in a brighter light.

Movies like The Social Network and TV series like The Big Bang Theory made geeks look likeable.

In Bollywood, Karan Johar’s film Pyar Impossible shows a geek (played by Uday Chopra) fall in love with the college hottie (Priyanka Chopra).

Though at first the pair seems impossible, the geek manages to get the girl.

In the Indian marriage market, geeks are in higher demand because of their fat paypackets and possibility of settling in the US. So, you’re no longer the fool if you’re a geek.

K E Y

O R D S

GEEK GOD Mister Spock from Star Trek, the hugely popular American science fiction television series ,was the original geek hero

men’s rights

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LOUD AND CLEAR SIFF members at a protest rally in Bangalore

Masculinist extremism India’s largest men’s rights group, with its headquarters in Bangalore, is carrying out a virulent campaign against women. What is driving its new, ultra-bitter ideology?

SAVIE KARNEL

savie.karnel@talkmag.in

S

aturday 3 pm. A group has gathered to discuss law and men’s rights. While their friends enjoy their day off, here they have had a long day. As members of the Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF), they have

walked from the Mahatma Gandhi statue to Freedom Park, a distance of two kms, in the hot sun.

They are now in Koramangala, sitting around in a small studio apartment they have turned into an office.

You find law books everywhere: on the table, on shelves, and even on the plastic chairs. Prominent in the collection are The Indian Penal Code, The Criminal Procedure Code, The Dowry

Act, and The Domestic Violence Act. “There are no books on men’s rights in India. So we decided to write our own,” says Virag Dhulia, pulling out a novel, Just Married: Have you applied for bail? written by SIFF member Suresh P, and brought out by Frog Publishers.

Dhulia is coming out with a nonfiction book, titled The Secrets of Manhood. Its theme, he says, is problems faced by men and the attitudes that men need to change.

Husbands’ Association. Stories of husbands being beaten up by their wives and bullied by their in-laws made it to the newspapers, but the stories were read with amusement rather than concern.

Things have changed. They now lobby for a say in the law-making process, and are heard seriously. They have become more aggressive. From being pro-men, they have turned antiwomen, objecting to every law tilting in favour of women.

“This year we managed to get the government to stop giving tax exempThe rise and change tion to women.

Both men and women In 2003, when this group came together, they were dubbed the Harassed will pay equal taxes,” says Pandurang

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Katti, (43) a software engineer who is a co- marital homes (or are driven out) can stay here. Located off Bannerghatta Road, the founder and chairman of the group.

Women may get the exemption next house provides shelter for a month. year, when parliamentary elections are Currently, it is vacant.

SIFF collects a membership fee to due.

SIFF has submitted recommendations fund its operations. Membership costs Rs to the Karnataka Law Commission on the 2,500 for six months, and Rs 4,500 for a changes required in Indian Penal Code 498 year. Only members are eligible to seek A, the section dealing with dowry. It has help from the group.

Katti was one of the founders of the drafted a law to protect men, which it has given to MPs to present in parliament. The movement, after he was accused of dowry group calls it SMITA—the Save Men from harassment by his wife (he managed to get anticipatory bail). Some of his co-founders Internal Terrorism Act. have left. He now calls the In the initial years, the shots. group met at members’ ‘We don’t care Talk asked one of the houses. When the numbers activists if fighting for men’s increased, the meetings if we are called rights meant necessarily happened outdoors, at misogynists,’ being anti-women. “No,” he Cubbon Park. Now they says Katti said. Katti interrupted, “It have an office and a regisshould be anti-women.” The tered private limited company. Called Confidare, it provides coun- activist changed his answer, “It should be selling to distressed men, and offers tips anti-women,” he echoed.

Katti believes men’s rights activists and tricks to help them evade arrest. “We have studied women-centric laws so much should advance their case unapologetically. we know more than any lawyer,” says Katti. “We were too soft. We needed to be aggresHis phone rings. “Do not pay the sive to make our voices heard. We don’t advance for the house. If you want to leave care if we are called misogynists,” he said. your wife, it will be easier. She is working, so let her pay the advance,” he counsels the The Google strategy caller.

The men’s activists have harnessed the The helplines, mostly mobile num- power of technology. bers of these self-appointed counsellors, “We started with just five people, but provide assistance to men. They receive now have 50,000 members. If we plan a about 10 calls a week. protest this evening, and spread the word The group is contemptuous of profes- through SMS, at least 100 people turn up,” sional counsellors. “Whenever a man talks Katti boasts. about the trouble his wife has caused, the He claims over 40 NGOs now work counsellor first asks, ‘What did you do to under the umbrella of SIFF. They have provoke it?’” Katti says. chapters in small towns in Uttar Pradesh, SIFF has set up a home for men in dis- Haryana, Maharashtra and other states. tress. Those who have walked out of their Uttar Pradesh is where they claim a

high rate of success. “In the past year, not a single man has been arrested in that state for dowry harassment. We have sensitised the police,” says techie-activist Ritwik Bisario. “But the worse places are Delhi and Mumbai, where men are regularly arrested in false dowry cases.”

The group knows how Internet search engines work, and is putting the knowledge to good use.

“When we used to google the Dowry Act, everything it threw up was for women.

There was nothing for men. That’s when we decided we should capture the Internet,” recalls Bisario.

One of their members was a Google employee. He explained the search algorithm. It was simple. They had to get the keywords right . “We blogged using words like dowry and divorce. Within a month we had 170 blogs and were on the front page of Google,” says Dhulia. From 50, the membership rose rapidly to 200.

The group is also aware of branding compulsions. “We hold a protest once in six months so that people don’t forget us.

We have representatives who can protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi,” says Dhulia.

War against TV A member enters the room. “Good news.

The IT guys have raided Ekta Kapoor’s house,” he announces, and the faces of other members light up with smiles.

The activists hold a grouse against TV shows, which they believe “show men in poor light.” They regularly file complaints with the Broadcasting Contents Complaints Council.

Given their philosophy, you would imagine the group would love the saasbahu serials where women treat their RAMESH HUNSUR

13

‘Feminism sleeps with patriarchy at night’ Interview with Pandurang Katti and Virag Dhulia of Save Indian Family Foundation Don ’t you think India is a patriarchal society?

PK: Patriachy is used by women for their convenience. In the garb of patriarchy they get to live comfortable lives without working.

VD: (Joining in furiously) Feminism sleeps with patriarchy at night and cries foul in the morning.

Women want men to work and take care of them, while they simply enjoy staying at home.

If both men and women work, who will do the household chores?

PK: What work is there in a household? These days everybody has a maid to clean the house, and the washing machine takes care of the clothes. Cooking takes just 45 minutes.

What about poor families with no maids? And shouldn ’t harassment cases be decided on individual merit?

PK: The women-centric laws are taken from the West. When the government is blindly applying laws from the West, we have to blindly say all laws should be gender neutral.

The present laws make no sense at all. They should be scrapped.

Why has your philosophy changed from ‘save Indian families ’ to no marriages at all?

VD: No marriage is a personal view, not that of the organisation. SIFF believes there are many dangers for men in marriage, so they must take an informed decision.

If men don ’t marry at all, what are they supposed to do for sex and progeny?

VD: Marriage is not all about sex. We don ’t think people should get married for sex. If they want sex, there are other avenues. When you get packet milk, why should you keep a cow at home?

SEEKING IMPACT SIFF members at their Koramangala office. They claim the new law requiring men and women to pay equal taxes as one of their successes

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LOOK WHO’S MARCHIN The ‘forgotten women’ here refers to women harassed by antidowry laws

what had happened to him,” says Ilyasi. hubands as gods. But no.

“Ekta Kapoor shows people living in “Since I was also a victim of the dowry law, palatial houses and enjoying all comforts. I thought I should make a film to educate When women marry, they expect that kind people.”

The TV crime show anchor has held a of a life, but that is not the reality,” says special screening of his film for men’s Dhulia.

The activists have made a list of rights organisations. Though not formally a member of any group, he Bollywood actors they calls himself a men’s rights hate, and that includes ‘Men’s problems activist campaigning for the Amitabh Bachchan, abolition of the dowry law.

Shahrukh Khan, Aamir are not taken “Women-centric laws have Khan. They also hate other seriously,’ says victimised men,” he says. celebrities who support Dhulia the women’s cause. “How can these men work Against the rape law against men? Anyway, Shahrukh is not a At first it was just the men. Later their man at all,” Katti hisses, hinting at rumours mothers and sisters too joined in. The fight that the actor is gay. is no longer just against dowry. In fact, it is virulently against women.

When Justice JS Verma died recently, The movie ‘truth ’ the group rejoiced: he was the man who Dhulia searches his laptop and runs a video clip for us. It is a minor scene from the film had formulated the recent law against rape.

A Wednesday. The scene shows While women and men were holding canNaseeruddin Shah standing at a police sta- dlelight marches in Delhi demanding justion waiting to file a complaint. Another tice for the 22-year-old physiotherapy stuman is telling the policeman his wife bat- dent who was brutally gang-raped in tered him with a pressure cooker. The cop December 2012, representatives of men’s laughs and dismisses him. “You see, this is groups were also out there, denouncing the what happens in police stations. No one women’s supporters.

One activist, called Yamudu (God of takes the problems of a man seriously. If this had been a woman crying, the policeThese are a few of their man would have immediately taken action,” says Dhulia. favourite grouses Not that the men’s activists are taking SIFF, India ’s biggest men ’s rights it lying down. A new film that contradicts group, hates: this ‘prejudice’ is soon to be released.

Marriage Directed by Suhaib Ilyasi of India’s Most Anti-dowry law Wanted fame, 498A The Wedding Gift deals Anti-rape law with the misuse of the dowry law.

Sexual harassment at Workplace Ilyasi was indicted when his wife Bill committed suicide and his in-laws filed a Alimony for divorced women dowry harassment case against him.

NGOs working for women and girls However, his film is based on the story of TV serials that show wealthy Bangalore techie Syed Makhdoom, who homes and ‘mislead ’ wives committed suicide and left a video message Stars like Shahrukh Khan who for his son on his mobile phone. espouse women ’s causes “Makhdoom was a friend. I knew him for many years, and was shocked when I learnt

Death) by a Telugu TV channel, spouts a conservative line against women. “The protesters were holding placards saying, ‘Teach your son not to rape’. I say they should teach their daughters to dress properly. She should not be out till 11 pm, but return home by 6 pm,” says Rukma Chary, known in the group as Yamadu, after a Telugu channel did a story on him with the headline, NRI Yamudu.

Katti is livid about the men who took up the cause of the rape victim, and prompted the government to form a committee and make the laws more stringent on its recommendations. “These candlelight marchers will learn a lesson. The Justice Verma Commission has brought in a law against stalking, and men can’t even look at women. They will pay for it,” he fumes.

Who are these women?

The women supporting this men’s group share its philosophy. Neena Dhulia heads the All India Mother-in-Law Protection Forum. She jumped into the movement with her son Virag after she was sent to jail by her daughter-in-law. Virag also spent two days in jail.

She has no sympathy for the Delhi rape victim. “It was not rape, but consensual sex,” she argues. The beautician goes on to say how men are gang raped in Delhi, but there is no uproar. “A few days after that incident, a Delhi University student was sodomised by a group on the orders of his girlfriend’s father. Why hasn’t that made news?” she demands to know.

Delhi-based Jyoti Tiwari, a radio news reader, heads the All India Forgotten Women’s Association. She calls rape a “psychological phenomenon” that no law can cure.

“There is no point in the new amendments. They only lead to more men being harassed,” she argues.

Jyoti’s sister-in-law had filed a dowry harassment case against her family. When

They rejoiced when Justice Verma, who framed laws against rape, died IT officials raided Ekta Kapoor, who ‘misleads ’ women her brother was driving to meet his wife for reconciliation, he met with an accident and died. “The case continued and my sister-inlaw took Rs 35 lakh from us,” she says, bitterly.

Jyoti believes the laws favour the daughter-in-law and discriminate against the husband’s mother and sisters. “We are also women. But we can’t go and file a domestic violence case against the daughter-in-law. The police won’t accept it,” she says. She believes society is now encouraged to hate men and forget their “sacrifices”.

The anti-women sentiment Besides Dowry and Domestic Violence Act, groups like SIFF are against the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill and reservation for women.

Katti wants a dress code for women at work. “When I can’t wear this to office,” says Katti, pointing to his tattered jeans, “why should women be allowed to wear skirts?”

He urges all schemes for women’s empowerment be stopped. He is also against alimony. “There are so many jobs available these days. Divorced women should not be given any maintenance,” he says. Predictably, he believes the justice system is fair in the villages since “there is no judicial interference. Village elders and panchayats give a fair trial and judgement,” he says.

SIFF has been in touch with khap panchayats in North India, which Katti claims support men’s rights groups. It has also instructed its members not to donate to any organisation working for women or girl children.

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Against marriage SIFF is against remarriage, and much to its disgust, some members have gone and married again.

“About 50 per cent of them come back to us with the same problem,” says Katti.

His case for singlehood could provoke mirth. “When I go on a holiday, I don’t have to worry if the hotel is fit for a family. I spend just on myself and don’t have to bother about others. By being single, I spend my money only on myself,” he says.

Dhulia agrees. “Marriage is a wrong institution,” he says.

Not all men’s rights activists agree with them, though. Kumar Jahgirdar, President of an NGO called Child Rights and Shared Parenting (CRISP), has been an ardent supporter of SIFF, but is all for remarriage.

He has been fighting for shared parenting after his wife left him to marry cricketer Anil Kumble. “I love women. I am a much married man,” laughs the activist, married for a second time. He prefers to call himself pro-family, not just pro-men.

“A family includes man, woman and child. I fight for all of them,” he says.

Kumar’s group has been supporting French diplomat Pascal Mazurier, accused of raping his three-year-old daughter. “He

BROTHERHOOD A candle-light vigil by SIFF’s Hyderabad chapter in honour of Manoj Kumar, a techie who committed suicide, allegedly following harassment by his wife and her family

approached us. The DNA result shows the semen found on the child was not his,” he says.

Though the court has not yet accepted these test results, Kumar believes Mazurier should be allowed to meet his children. “Accused people become minis-

ters in this country. Mazurier is just an accused. The allegations haven’t been proved. Until he is proven guilty, he should be allowed to meet his children,” he says.

The feminist take Women’s organisations are sceptical about

15

the popularity of groups like SIFF. “They are influential on the Internet and have the money. But we doubt their numbers,” says Shakun from Vimochana.

She calls SIFF a group of “really hurt men,” who have turned “fundamentalists.”

In her view, they are seeking revenge for the wrongs done to them by their wives.

In doing so, they are generalising and going ballistic against all women.

“Earlier feminist groups were like them. Now, we are open to discussion and take all points of views into consideration.

These men’s groups are not even open to dialogue,” she says.

Shakun, a full-time member of Vimochana, agrees the dowry law has been misused. “But it is the men who actually misuse it. Most women don’t know about it. When they go to the police, it is the police and the lawyers who file cases against their husbands and their in-laws under 498 A,” she says.

She agrees policemen extract money from the accused men and their families.

“But then, we shouldn’t forget there are so many genuine cases where women are the victims. We should find a solution to the men’s problems only through a sensible dialogue between the men’s and women’s groups,” she says.

food path

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Time to warm up

Peppy pakodas Easily the most typical monsoon craving, it ’s hard to pass on the chai-pakoda combination on a rainy day. So, where do you find those delicious batter-fried munchies that are worth wading your way through the puddles for? The Chaipatty chain of outlets offers Vegetable Pakodas that are a tad too steeply priced for the quantity (Rs 60 for 8 pieces and Rs 100 for 15), but these are as close as they get to homemade ones! Don ’t forget to give them a choice of veggies. Their kulhad chai, spiced generously with ginger and cardamom, is the perfect accompaniment to the crunchy pakodas.

If you are caught unawares in the rain in the Central Business District, fret not.

Head to Coconut Grove (not the open-air part where they play loud music, but the restaurant indoors) on Church Street and order yourself Onion Pakodas. Piping hot and fried to a crisp, these are just what the day calls for.

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Steaming soups, crisp pakodas, sugary sweet sulaimani chai… some things are just meant to be had during the rains. Prachi Sibal takes you on a trail of monsoon favourites, from the uplifting to the comforting Momo and me

Roadside rendezvous A roadside joint is hardly the most attractive place during a heavy downpour. We don ’t quite know why, but we often find ourselves in these places trying to balance an umbrella and a plate together, and not seeming to mind it at all. Egg lovers, especially, will know what we are talking about. If it can be said that there is something egg-ie for every season, then it has to be those fluffy omellettes for this wet one. Ditch the restaurants and drive up to one of these popular bread-omelette stalls that are assured to dish out a snack past the deadline. There

Momos, whether you like them with a shot of chilly or just plain, must always, always be taken hot.

Yes, they might be infused with herbal flavours and tenderly cooked, but it ’s crucial that they are taken hot. Once, the momo lover had to go a long away for these hot moon-shaped delights, but now a mom-stall seems to have sprouted at just about every corner (look out for the glistening steel steamers) in places like Koramangala. Or simply head to Taste of Tibet in Dubai Plaza or Momo Hut in Koramangala for the authentic stuff, and pick your choice of filling (meat or veggies) for the steamed treats.

is cheese, masala and plain varieties to choose from and you can also opt for your bread to be toasted or kept plain. Be prepared for the order to come to you prepared like a small sandwich and topped with tomato ketchup. You can also have one customised to your taste if you stand by your street chef while he does the job. The stalls we ’d recommend: the one near Cantonment railway station right where the underbridge breaks into a curve, the one bellow the Dell office on inner ring road and the one in the lane adjacent to Leela Palace Hotel.

Pancake love The monsoon does wonders for your appetite, so if a quick bite or sip on the way home isn ’t your way of dealing with it, a pancake might be just the right thing for you. The quaint but warm, partly open-air Ants Café at Indiranagar is one of the best places in town for comfort food in the rains. The balcony, done up heavily in bamboo and scattered high and low seating, allows you to look out at the

Sulaimani zindabad No list of rainy day delights would be complete without this one. Black tea infused with freshly squeezed lemon and topped with a few mint leaves, there ’s nothing quite like the sulaimani. The sugary sweetness works well this once, especially if you have taken a deliciously greasy meal. Bluebells in Shivaji Nagar and Taj Tea House on Mosque Road in Frazer Town are amongst our favourites.

They take the mint garnish seriously and even offer you paper cups, so you can sip away at a less-crowded spot. Makkah Café in Johnson Market and the unnamed but rather popular shop opposite Mughal Durbar on Tilaknagar Main Road are two other excellent choices.

The latter though, follows eccentric timings, and the taste varies with which of the two ‘chachas ’ are at hand.

rain while you sip on a warm beverage. There ’s an exhaustive allday breakfast menu, which is famous for its waffles and pancakes. The waffles are crumbly and often doused with Maple syrup; it is really the homemade pancakes that take us there on a rainy evening. The golden stacks are drizzled with Maple syrup and are aromatic as freshly baked cake. Soft and the kind that

melt in your mouth and pan cooked until uniformly golden brown, the café has got its basics right. What is missing though are the topping options. You can choose to have your pancakes with fresh mango, but we certainly wish they had other fruit varieties or chocolate ones at least!

The café also makes Cinnamon coffee that pairs well with the fluffy evening snack.

Soupy something Fried surprise If you hang out at Ranga Shankara long enough, it ’s inevitable that you overhear someone utter the magic words, ‘sabudana vada. ’ What they are talking about are the crispy-hot (enough to burn your tongue) little miracles from Anju ’s, the café at the theatre. Freshly fried at rapt speed before the evening bell signaling the start of a play goes off, these vadas

seem to have been adopted by the theatre crowd as their very own. Served in bowls made of dried leaf with prices that won ’t pinch your pocket, they sit perfectly at the top of our list of favourite monsoon food. Paired with a hot cuppa and the nofuss ambience of the café, it ’s all too easy to forget about the play you believed you had come for.

Just the thought of a steaming bowl of spiced broth can warm your soul in this weather. Rainy days are for soups, and that ’s something you do end up giving into, sometimes even replacing a meal with large helpings of your favourite variety. If a soupmeal is indeed what you ’re looking for, the Vietnamese Pho has little competition. And when it comes to Pho, none does it better in town than Phobidden Fruit, a small Vietnamese restaurant on 12th Main Road, Indiranagar. All done up in fairy lights, this is just the place to be for a

‘souped-up ’ lunch this time of the year. Choose your variety of vegetable or meat and feel the warmth seep into you. The rice noodle soup is mildly spiced and comes with a side of herbs, chillies and a selection of sauces. Add them according to your taste, and you have a hot meal that you ’ll want to return to.

For lovers of flavoured tea, try a mug of their Vietnamese Jasmine tea before or after the meal. The fragrant preparation is mild in flavor, yet the aroma of the infused bloom stays

with you long after you ’ve finished. If pocket-friendly and quick is what you are looking for, the Au Bon Pain outlets are a soup lovers ’ delight.

Choose from mini (Rs 45) and regular (Rs 80) cups in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian soups of the day. They usually have both mildly spiced and fiery versions. The steaming hot chicken soup reminds of the typical one prepared as a home remedy for minor colds and coughs during the monsoons. You can also choose to have your soup in a bread bowl.

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Maverick film-maker creates stark family drama with engineer-debutant as hero Director’s Special is a smart, lowbudget film from Guruprasad, whose earlier Matha is remembered for its blend of wit and philosophy

Dhananjay Actor

I quit Infosys and waited five years for this role

BASU MEGALKERI basavaraju@talkmag.in

How did you get into the movies?

Company drama came to our village, near Shimoga, every year. I was fascinated by them.

When I went to Mysore to study engineering, I was bitten by the acting bug. Some of us formed a troupe and went around.

Theatre taught me everything I know.

M

OOMPH Puja Gandhi does an item number in Director’s Special

averick director Guruprasad has set his third film, much awaited, in a lower middle class household. The title song Devare agaadha ninna mahime (God, you are all powerful) sets the mood for the film. An orphan, yearning to experience family life, creates a family by picking up random people.

He hires a father, mother, brother and sister, and brings them home. Greed and selfishness break this family. The hired members plot to kill him and get his wealth. The ‘ideal’ family can’t keep temptation at bay. They start abusing the director, who made them this way. Director Guruprasad then appears on screen, placates them, and says he will change their character. At this point, he also seems to be telling the film industry it needn’t thrive on negative themes.

The first half is well edited and the pace is fast. The second half drags with puranic stories of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and Ravana. Pooja Gandhi, heroine of the hit film Mungaaru Male, has performed to an item song.

The pranks, jokes, comedy take away from the serious theme.

How did you bag this role?

Director Guruprasad had come to Mysore looking for an actor to play the king in an animation he was making. He gave me the role. He said, “I will launch you.

Don ’t go asking anyone else for a role. ” I agreed. I quit my job with Infosys. I quit and waited for five years. He made me a hero, as promised.

STARE CAST Dhananjay pits his talents against seasoned Rangayana Raghu

With sharp dialogues, Guruprasad drives his message home. If Guruprasad had got his actors to emote well, we could have called him a Special Director.

Cineematographer Mahendra Singh uses a dull canvas and still creates artistry.

Anoop Seelin’s music is appealing. Debutant Dhananjay plays the orphan. His acting is so good it is hard to believe this is his first film.

Rangayana

Raghu, wearing a dhoti, beats even star-comedians like Jaggesh. Vatlasa Mohan Ram as the hero’s sister is exceptional.

Pooja Gandhi may end up being offered only item girl roles.

Compared to Guruprasad’s two earlier films, Eddelu Manjunatha and Matha, Director’s Special may fall short, but otherwise, it is enjoyable. Experiments such as this one can bring in fresh audiences to the movie halls.

Did you enjoy playing the orphan?

It was a challenging role that called for reaction rather than action, silence rather than dialogue. I was immersed in the role, and I enjoyed it.

Guruprasad has promised me a role in his next film as well. I now have three roles in hand. I will remain choosy about what I do.

Now showing Triveni Cinemas 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.30, 7.30 Veeresh Cinema - 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.30, 7.30 K a m a k y a Cinema - 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.30, 7.30

BASU MEGALKERI A software engineer, Dhananjay gave up his job at Infosys to become an actor. The 27year old also does theatre. Director’s Special is his debut film.

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tribute

talk|13 jun 2013|talkmag.in

BOLD STROKES (Left) In Chitrangada, his last released film, Rituparno played a choreographer confused about his gender identity

Girish Kasaravalli Filmmaker

‘Rituparno ’s films offer a lesson in balance ’

Adieu, masala dosa friend

Rituparno Ghosh would fly into a rage, only to make up at the Anand Bazar Patrika canteen in Kolkata, says Sramona Chakraborty, a close friend of the film-maker. The 49-year-old Bengali master died on May 30

I

knew Ritu from the early 1980s when he joined Response, a recording studio in Kolkata in my father’s office, as copy writer.

I was part of another advertising firm, Clarion. I recall him coming to Clarion ever so often to help us write ad copy. He was very sharp and very articulate. Much of my early interaction with Ritu was related to advertising copywriting, as he was rightly held in high esteem for his work.

Then he moved to Anand Bazar Patrika (ABP), where he worked as copy editor for one of their magazines. We kept in touch.

Sometime during his ABP stint, he got into film-making with Hirer Angti (Diamond Ring). The film was picked up by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). My father Arup Guha Thakurta, who was part of NFDC, declared Ritu had all the elements of a talented film-maker.

One day, Ritu, who continued to work at the ABP magazine, made me an offer to work with him.

He had risen to become the magazine’s editor. In the late ’90s, I got to work with him for about two-anda-half years. He would offer his team complete freedom to write copy, but if we didn’t do it well, he’d give us a firing. He simply would not tolerate shoddy work.

We had our disagreements but we made up over masala dosa at ABP’s South Indian canteen.

Masala dosa offered us a delightful break from everything that had happened the previous day. In fact, I also have fond memories of lunches and din-

ners at Chung Wah, a very old Chinese restaurant.

Ritu made the transition from boss to friend and friend to boss with ease. He would put in a word about you if he found you good at your work. For instance, he suggested my name as anchor for a TV channel in Kolkata. That was the first Sramona Chakraborty time I worked in television.

He had the uncanny knack of spotting people’s abilities and pushing them to do better. When a music label asked me to sing Kishore Kumar’s songs (I was a professional singer), Ritu wrote a lovely sleeve note about me and Kishore Kumar, who was my mother’s first husband.

Ritu nurtured a special love for books and antiques. He was house-proud—he always said his house had character. And he loved to dress up. If he sported curly hair one day, his locks would be oiled to shining sleekness the next! He exhibited flair and finesse in all that he pursued. As a person, he could be incredibly blunt. That’s why he provoked intense feelings—one either loved him to bits or hated his guts. But when he inadvertently caused hurt, he would be the first to apologise.

Because you ask me, I’ll tell you. He was never once apologetic about his sexuality or his sexual preferences. All his friends, including me, never once asked him about gayness. What right did I have to judge his sexuality? It was his freedom; his right.

He didn’t ever seek pity. I maintained respect for his space, his privacy and his freedoms.

I have seen most of his movies. I like his work.

I will miss his sensibility. Most importantly, I will miss a very dear friend. Masala dosa may never taste the same again.

(Sramona Chakraborty teaches music at Delhi Public School, Bangalore South)

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Did you know Rituparno Ghosh personally?

Yes, he had won 12 national awards, and so had I. We would meet in Delhi when we were there to receive the awards. We became friends that way. I first saw him when he came to receive the Golden Lotus for Unishe April. His Dahan and my Thaayi Saheba were contending for the top honours. (Thaayi Saheba was eventually adjudged the best film of 1997). He admired the way I portrayed my women characters. Our film-making styles are different, but we respected each other. I did not know about his pancreatic cancer, and neither did his friends. In any case, 49 is no age to die.

What in your view is his achievement?

He belongs to the third generation of film makers after Satyajit Ray. He started with a children ’s film, which I hear was very unconventional. He then made films with women as central characters. He was different from the other Bengali masters. He wasn ’t political like Mrinal Sen. Nor did he create images with metaphorical significance, like Buddhadev Dasgupta. He followed the conventional classical construct, where subtle drama forms the basis of his plot. After Dahan, he started getting Bollywood stars to act in his films. This got him a wider audience but diluted his artistry. Aiswharya Rai couldn ’t portray the role of Binodini in Chokher Bali. Many film makers lose themselves when they try to reach out to a larger audience by casting stars, but the soul of Ghosh ’s films remained intact. He managed to take his profundity to a bigger audience. This is a big achievement.

How do you react to the themes in his last few films?

His last three films — Arekti Premar Golapo, Memories in March (which he scripted and acted in), and Chitrangada —deal with homosexuality. He played those roles himself. He handled the subjects in a sensitive way, without embarrassing his audience, but still creating awareness. I think this is significant. As film critic Samik Bandopadhyay said, “Ghosh gave new life to an old sensibility. ” His films a lesson in balance for students of cinema.

BASU MEGALKERI The only Indian filmmaker to win the National Award for best film four times, Girish Kasaravalli is one of the most acclaimed directors in India today. A gold medallist from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, he is best known for such works as Ghatashraddha, Mane and Thaayi Saheba.

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Rewind The week that was Á Nerve gas: France said it had performed tests that proved President Bashar alAssad ’s forces had used nerve gas in Syria ’s civil war, a “red line ” that the United States and other countries have repeatedly said would demand a response. Á Pak PM: Some 13 years after he was deposed in a coup, Nawaz Sharif was endorsed as Pakistan ’s new prime minister, beginning an unprecedented third term with the country facing a daunting array of problems ranging from crippling power cuts to Taliban militancy. Á Spot fixing: Declaring that the "command" for the IPL spot-fixing originated from Dawood Ibrahim's outfit, Delhi police told a trial court on Tuesday it has invoked the stringent organised-crime law (MCOCA) against cricketer Sreesanth and 22 others.

Rajasthan Royals owner Raj Kundra is among those being currently questioned. Á BJP sweep: The BJP in Gujarat has swept five of the six seats —two Lok Sabha and three assembly seats — to which bypolls were held last Sunday, while the JD(U) in Bihar is all set to suffer a setback in Maharajganj Lok Sabha seat. Á Starlet suicide: Bollywood actress Jiah Khan, best remembered for her debut opposite Amitabh Bachchan in Nishabd, was found hanging at her apartment in Mumbai. She was said to have been suffering from depression. Á Punjab militancy: Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde has said that the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI was trying to revive Sikh militancy in Punjab. Á Mayoral poll: The Karnataka government informed the high court that it will abide by the April 19 order of the single bench on conduct of elections to the posts of mayor and deputy mayor of the BBMP.

Teach children in Ladakh

Avalokitesvara Trust, an initiative to educate children in isolated villages of Ladakh, have called for individuals who would like to volunteer their skills, creativity and time to work with their

project. If you consider yourself a selfless nurturer, love children ’s books or are a natural story-teller, this is the right opportunity for you.

They are looking for educators, particularly those who have experience with young learners, as well as maths, physical education and arts teachers. In addition, they also welcome filmmakers, photographers, visual and performing artists, designers, puppeteers and musicians on board.

They offer stipends,

lodging or travel incentives to volunteers who are willing to work with the Trust for 1- 6 months or are suited to work with us long-term.

Volunteers are expected to commit to a minimum of 3 weeks for intensive workshops and modules in schools. However, they are open to considering particular volunteers with specific skills or workshops for a shorter duration.

For more information, log on to avalokitesvaratrust.org.

Awards for Kannada books Bharatisutha Endowment Award: The Kannada Sahitya Parishat has invited entries for its Bharatisutha Endowment Award for short story collections. Books published during 2010, 2011, and 2012 are eligible for the award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 5,000 and a certificate. Writers/publishers should send three copies of the book, before June 30 to: Honorary Secretary, Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Pampa Mahakavi Road, Chamarajpet, Bangalore 560018. For more details, call 26623584.

Best Translated Book Award: Kuvempu Bhasha Bharati Pradhikara has invited entries from translators and publishers for the best translated books of 2012.

The categories are: Translation from Kannada to any foreign language Translation from any foreign language to Kannada

Translation from Kannada to any

Indian language

Bangalore ’s bestknown film society, Suchitra has announced its annual Short Film Festival.

Filmmakers are invited to submit their works across five categories, from June 15 onwards. The categories are: Theme 1: One Incident One Emotion: Pack a thought, a relationship, a philosophy, a bit of obvious fact or multiple ones, into a fiction film not more than 15 minutes, based on a single incident.

Theme 2: A story of Inanimate Object: Tell the story of an inanimate object, or build one around such an object. Not more than 15 minutes.

Student Films: Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of 15 minutes, will qualify as Student Short Film in the competition section.

Non-Competition Films: Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of 30 minutes or less will qualify as an International Short Film in the non-competition section.

Films with running times of less than 30 minutes are classified as Shorts, while those that exceed this limit are classified Features.

You can submit your entry by paying a fee of Rs 500. For more information, log on to www.suchitra.org

Translation from any Indian language

to Kannada According to the notification, “translated books on science, engineering, technology and commerce are eligible. ” Entries can be sent to: Registrar, Kuvempu Bhasha Bharati Pradhikara, Kalagrama, Jnanabharathi, Mallattahalli, Bangalore 560056

A news map of the world Washington, DC ’s Newseum, the world ’s biggest museum dedicated to the press, has now come up with useful and interesting map on their website that news junkies are bound to get hooked to. You can click anywhere on the easyto-use map to get a display of front

Suchitra Short Film Festival

pages of leading newspapers from that part of the world.

Click again and an enlarged version opens up that allows you to read the page. The daily updated site (it is also archived) has already proven to be a big hit with the Newseum.org ’s news-hungry visitors.

‘Make your bookmark’ contest Crossword Bookstore has invited entries from kids for its Bookmark Making Contest. Not only will the top three winning bookmarks be recognised as the official Crossword bookmark for six months, winners also get some exciting prizes. All you have to do is design a book mark to the size of 5×21 cm using pencil colours, crayons or felt pens and send it to them or drop it at select Crossword stores. Only children between the age of six to 12 yrs are allowed, and can send in multiple entries. The first prize winner gets Crossword Gift vouchers worth Rs 50,000 plus a special gift hamper. For more information, log on to www.crossword.in

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Forward

A career in urban development

Child marriages in IT city

By 2050, India will add nearly 300 million new people to its cities, a transition that will place enormous strain on urban resources, posing both a challenge and opportunity to urban development professionals. The city-based Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) is accepting applications for its Programme for Working Professionals in Urban Development (PWP-UD), scheduled to run from September 2013 to August 2014. The course is an interdisciplinary, practice-based programme that allows participants to build upon their existing academic qualifications and work experience to specialise in urban practice.

The course will be taught by leading academics and practitioners in areas ranging from governance, land and housing, management, development, poverty, employment, water, environmental services and mobility. It is focused on applied learning and skill development necessary for finding effective and sustainable solutions to problems facing Indian cities. For more information, log on to www.pwp.iihs.co.in.

According to a recent Times of India report, child marriages are not uncommon in Bangalore.

It quoted women and child welfare department officials as saying they get at least four complaints about cases of child marriage every week in the city. What ’s worse, they also say the numbers are going up every month. Cases were reported recently in places like Moodalayapalya, Konanakunte Cross, Rajgopalnagar and Avalahalli. The officials say poverty is the biggest

reason cited by parents who attempt to marry their children off, but also superstitions like the belief in getting girl children married off within a year of a death in the family.

The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, recommends that anyone who conducts or abets a child marriage be punished with two years

of rigorous imprisonment or Rs 1 lakh fine or both.

A male above 18 years marrying a child as well as any person who is in charge of the child can be punished under the law. Those who come across such cases can alert the nearest police station or call the government ’s child helpline 1098 which takes complaints 24/7.

A guide for start-ups Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur or one who runs your own start-up, here's a guide that can help you get past roadblocks and take your idea to the next level. Business mentors The Second Gear (TSG) launch their Business Development Tool Kit at the Peenya Industrial Expo this weekend.

The kit consists of a 'self-starter guide' which offers step-wise guidance for any new start-up, a business guru CD that features success stories of many entrepreneurs and a complimentary three-day workshop where you can have face-to-face discussions with experts

about your business.

According to TSG's GK Pramod, the kit is aimed at micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), startups and aspiring entrepreneurs. The kit will soon be available for purchase online as well. For more information, log on to www.tothesecondgear.com

Understand junk food jargon New York Times reporter Michael Moss, in his new book Salt Sugar Fat writes about jargon used by the junk food industry.

Here ’s a list of “manufactured words for manufactured food ” weaned from his book, by columnist Paul McFedries: Increasing stomach share: Food companies don ’t want their customers to be obese, of course, but what they are dedicated to is increasing the market share within a food category.

Up-and-down-the-street marketing: Where they get their product prominently displayed in every mom-and-pop shop and convenience store on a street.

Pillar ingredients: Salt, sugar, and fat —it is by varying the levels of these three that

food scientists at processed-food companies produce foods that we can ’t resist.

Bliss point: Why not just crank these ingredients up to 11 if we crave them so much? It turns out that although we generally do like more of them, when you go past a certain amount, we like the result less. That optimum amount of salt, sugar, or fat is called the bliss point.

Mouthfeel: Scientists also adjust these ingredients as well as factors such as crunchiness to make the food inside a person ’s mouth feel such a way that causes consumers to crave more of it.

Flavour burst: By altering the size and shape of the salt crystals, technologists can induce one, which basically assault the

taste buds into submission.

Vanishing caloric density: The holy grail of junk-food science, it is the point where the food melts in your mouth so quickly that the brain is fooled into thinking it ’s hardly consuming any calories at all, so it just keeps snacking.

Sensory-specific satiety: What packagedfood scientists want to avoid triggering, this is the brain mechanism that tells you to stop eating when it has become overwhelmed by big, bold flavours.

Cookie aisle problem: Sometimes these junk-food machinations backfire and companies end up battling this problem: ie, when consumers shun a particular aisle in the store, such as the one containing the cookies.

Buy-and-binge: There ’s no more ideal situation for the junk food makers than this one. This is when you purchase a bag of Oreos and then eat all or most of them once you get home.

The week ahead  Turkey violence: The country is expected to remain tense in coming days after fresh violence erupted as protesters defied a government plea to end days of unrest, the biggest challenge yet to Turkey Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ’s decade-long rule.  Iran protests: Prodemocracy protests are expected to intensify in Iran, after the country witnessed a rare show of political dissent at the mass funeral of a dissident cleric Ayatollah Jalaluddin Taheri.  Bansal call: CBI is planning to call Pawan Bansal for another round of questioning. CBI investigators were stumped when former railway minister Pawan Bansal claimed his nephew Vijay Singla was acting independently in an alleged case of cash-for-appointment scandal.  Naxal offensive: The Centre will ratchet up the offensive against Naxalites in Central India, backed by a ‘development campaign, ’ Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the chief ministers' Conference on internal security.  BJP meet: The BJP, which is holding its two-day national executive meeting in Goa, is likely to decide on the thorny questions of declaring the party ’s PM candidate and also that of bringing former Karnataka chief minister and BS Yeddyurappa back into the fold.  Airport bus: The KSRTC is all set to launch a MysoreBangalore international airport (BIA) direct bus service from August that will eliminate the need for at least two local commutes that flyers from Mysore are forced to take.  Rain harvest: Each of the six stations on the Metro stretch between MG Road and Byappanahalli have been supplied with water tanks of one lakh litre capacity each, to store rain water.

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SPY STORY Operation Diamond Racket was shot in Nepal, and featured music by GK Venkatesh, guru of the legendary Ilaiyaraja. Right: Padmapriya acted alongside Rajkumar

Operation Diamond Racket, the James Bond-style Kannada flick made in the late 1970s, is back, and teenagers are thronging Kapali cinema to catch it

Rajkumar adventure returns to impress young fans K PUTTASWAMY

He was CID 888, and played a role that had no parallel in the British peration Diamond Racket Bond films.

Jedara Bale was nowhere in the has returned.

Astonishingly, excited league of the British originals. Yet, it teenagers, who weren't charmed the audiences. Heroine even born when it was Jayanti was taught to swim and first released, are watching it. There Shailashree was glamorous. As a is something abiding about detective, Rajkumar was flamboyant.

The cabaret dances, too, made a Rajkumar's appeal.

Directors Dorai-Bhagwan mark.

Later films like Goadalli CID 999 acknowledged their inspiration for the series: James Bond. In those days, (CID 999 in Goa) and Operation Bond was a famous spy known for his Jackpot did well. The former saw Lakshmi (who later Chesterfield cigaacted in Julie) in the rettes, well-cut suits Considered a lead, while the latter and witty one-liners. introduced a dusky He flirted with the disappointment most beautiful then, it is doing Rekha, who went on to become Hindi women and well now filmdom's dream girl. smashed crime netBy the 1970s, Dr works across the Rajkumar's second innings in the world, like he does to this day.

Thanks to exotic locales, fancy Kannada film world had begun. gadgets, slickly shot sex, and breath- Almost every film was doing well. taking action, Bond films were all the The 1978 flick Shankar Guru was a rage in the 1970s. Dorai-Bhagwan runaway box office hit. That was were keen to conjure up a Kannada when Dorai-Bhagwan mounted version. They created the role of CID Operation Diamond Racket.

In 1976, Bruce Lee was introducPrakash, also known as Secret Agent 999, and made Jedara Bale (Spider ing a whole new action narrative. The Web) in 1966. The renowned comedi- detective had to be different this time an, Narasimharaju, landed the role of around. Four Bond-style films had a sidekick in the Kannada Bond flicks. been released in the meantime, and

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the original James Bond had changed, too.

Operation Diamond Racket evoked enormous curiosity.

That it was filmed in Nepal, a first for a S K Bhagavan Kannada film, heightened the curiosity.

I was a student then. Kalpana theatre in Majestic had commenced bookings a day before the film's release. I couldn't get a ticket for the first day. I managed to watch the Saturday noon show. The film looked like it would flop.

Having seen Rajkumar in sterling roles, people had huge expectations, but the film proved a disappointment. This film had more stunts than its predecessor CID 999 and was made in colour. While CID 999 had no songs, but Operation Diamond Racket had three—a solo and two duets—and one song was in English.

Two duets were melodious. And the film had extravagant sets. Yet the film didn't floundered. Did it lack the cleverness of the earlier 999 films?

Perhaps.

However, the film is still consid-

ered a trendsetter—and thus the rerelease. Last week, audiences streaming out of Kapali theatre in Majestic seemed to appreciate it so much you wonder if it had to do with something other than the film. The enthusiasm seems to spring from the audience's fatigue with gangster films, and the English-mixed Kannada of today's films. They may also be acknowledging that Rajkumar symbolised true Kannada culture, even while donning the very un-Kannada role of James Bond.

Many Kannada re-releases have clicked at the box office. Rajkumar's first film Bedara Kannappa has been re-released several times. Veerakesari had a re-run of 50 days. Satya Harishchandra was received as though it was released for the first time.

Bangaarada Manushya did well, too.

Bangaarada Panjara and Kasturi Nivaasa did better when they hit the screen decades after their first release. Operation Diamond Racket seems ordinary when compared to these films. But if it strikes a chord with the audiences, why not release the other classics too?

(The author is a well-known cinema historian. His book Cinema Yaana has won a national award)

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Bits and bites, the old way From Gujarati farsan to Tirunelveli palkova, these new websites are making sure just about every traditional goodie is a click away PRACHI SIBAL

takes you to the online store, sparing you the usual spiel about the idea or prachi.sibal@talkmag.in sentiment behind its creation. You can view products filtered by brand or hile foodies in town price. The site offers a select but iconcan easily access ic range of brands from Vadodara and ‘cuisine’ from all Ahmedabad, likely to induce a bout of over the country, nostalgia in any Gujarati across the it’s a different story planet. There are also brands like when it comes to snacks. But region Ujjam Masalas which sells spice conspecific goodies like Gujarati coctions like kadi masala and dabeli nankhatai (butter biscuit), Tuticorin masala that help recreate traditional macaroons and Ooty chocolates are Gujarati preparations at home. There now finding new customers and reas- is also JJ Mukhwa’s that lets you choose from a range suring old ones, of after-meal digesthanks to suppliers Ooty chocolates tive aids served diliwho allow you to gently in Gujarati order them online. and Tutucorin homes. For the sweet Talk sampled two macaroons find tooth, find some such websites new customers products under Mr (anonymously) for Puff, a brand by the their products, popular Vadodara-based Gandhi promises and overall experience.

Bakery. There’s nankhatai (butter bisSnack away, the Gujarati way cuit), Shrewsbury biscuit and other varieties to pick from. www.farsankart.com The ‘About us’ section is much Given the famed Gujarati entrepreneurial gene, you wonder why this like the rest of the site: functional. It one took so long to materialise. No keeps from telling the founder’s story self-respecting Gujarati takes a long and after just a few lines of talking (or even short) trip without a farsan about Gujarati snacking, jumps to its (snack) bag attached, and it must have focus of prompt delivery. I put it to been all those snacks making their test and wasn’t disappointed by the way out of the state rapidly that claim; the goodies came knocking at prompted Vadodara-based Darshan my door within three days of placing Dhruv to start the functionally the order. All items, including named Farsankart masalas, came bubble-wrapped, with (www.farsankart.com). Gujaratis in the freshness intact.

Verdict: The website is useful the country and abroad can be rest assured that their farsan stock can and effective with quick service and now be replenished without a trip to delightful packaging, but the prices Ahmedabad. Farsankart offers free- are on the steeper side (between Rs delivery in India and paid delivery to 100-200 for a 200 gm pack of savoury snack). The FAQs section could do UK, USA and Canada.

You know the website means with some work as it currently has no business when the very first click details of delivery time, returns and

W

Ayyo Rama MS Dhoni refuses to answer questions about IPL match-fixing.

- He's called the Raunchy Express, but that doesn't mean he'll tell you all the hot stuff.

PIECE OF HOME Farsankart offers a range of Gujarati snacks (top). Delights of India offers southernTamil Nadu delicacies like palkova and adhirasam (right)

quality assurance. No cash on delivThe handicrafts section is extenery option. sive with Rajasthani idols, traditional Pattamadai mats, khus and vetiver products and coconut shell utility South Tamil Nadu delights items. There is also a section titled www.delightsofindia.com Bangalore-based Delights of India ‘Other Delights’ where you can find primarily offers sweets, snacks and uncategorised products like Nilgiris handicrafts from South Tamil Nadu, eucalyptus oil, Uppu Kandam (dried focusing on towns like Tirunelveli, mutton) and Udangudi Karupatti Nagercoil and Tuticorin. There is in (palm jaggery).

Details of the product also addition, an inventory of popular sweets by the local favourite Anand include individual delivery time and Sweets as well as Rajasthani handi- its shelf-life. The delivery time for most products, as specified in the crafts.

The website allows you to pick FAQs, is three to five days. But for by both category (sweets, savouries some, like the Pattamadai mats, it and handicrafts) and brand. Easy to goes up to 20-25 days.

Awed by the expansive inventory navigate, the picture display is interof products, we placed an order esting and taps into nostalgia.

The ‘sweets’ section is large and restricting it to products that promdivided into combo packs, traditional ised a delivery time of three to five sweets and popular sweets. While the days. We were delivered a package traditional sweets section has the with the wrong contents, 10 days Tirunelveli halwa, palkova, adhirasam after the order. Two days later, a parand Kovilpatti kadalai mittai (peanut cel with a part of our order was delivcandy) among others, the popular ered, the rest of our goodies are cursweets section has packaged varieties rently lost in transit. The FAQs seclike Muscoth halwa and dates halwa. tion is extensive and provides payOoty homemade chocolates and ment and return details.

Verdict: The range on offer and Tuticorin cashew macaroons have sections of their own. The savouries the use of traditional names can easisection is categorised in a similar ly take you back on a nostalgia trip. fashion but has limited items on Prices are on the higher side, starting offer: mainly a few versions of with Rs 250 for 500 gm packs of murukku and Nagercoil banana sweets and savouries. The product shipment time is a disappointment. chips.

weekenders

talk|13 jun 2013|talkmag.in

MANY WORLDS Drepung Loseling Monastery at Mundgod. (Below) The new Taj Gateway at Hubli.

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Beaches

Gokarna: Known for its sparkling beaches, Gokarna is located 168 kms away from Hubli. Both a pilgrimage centred on the Mahabaleshwar temple and a beach destiantion, Gokarna is easy and serene. Kudle Beach and Om Beach are amongst the most popular here, and both are home to several restaurant shacks and huts.

Northern getaways For those who want to make the best of the cooler weather, convenient and picturesque weekend options in North Karnataka are a good bet PRACHI SIBAL

prachi.sibal@talkmag.in

W

hile weekend destinations are plentiful around Bangalore, travel is about to change with newer hubs around the state becoming facilitators to shorter getaways. Luxury hotels were scarce in North Karnataka, but the gap is filling fast and hospitality giants are firmly placing their feet in the region to service travellers.

While the Hyatt Place was launched in Hampi in the month of April, the Taj Group launched its newest Gateway five-star property in Hubli last month. In 2010, Royal Orchid Hotels became one of the first luxury chains to make a foray into the region with a property in Hospet.

With these hotels in place, it is now possible for the luxury-loving tourist to access destinations all over North Karnataka with Hubli and Hampi as a base. A whole range of destinations that hitherto did not figure in the luxury travel map are

now close and convenient enough for a day trip. For instance, it is now possible for you to spend a day unwinding on a clean beach at Gokarna and the next one walking through ruins of the Vijayanagar Empire in Hampi.

Quiet charm

part of the experience of Mundgod.

Once you enter the town, the hustle of the neighbouring city almost instantly disappears.

Narrow paths and colourful architecture take you into a different world of sorts. Monks in traditional attire performing daily activities add to the peace and calm of the place.

Spend a moment of quiet admiring gilded Buddha statues at in the central meditation hall of the main monastery.

It is possible to spend time there without getting all touristy. A small market situated across two blocks, run by residents, provides for both local needs and collectibles.

Located at a convenient distance of 50 kms from Hubli, Mundgod is one of the quieter destinations awaiting the tourist venturing into North Karnataka. Home to the Deoguling Tibetian settlement, also called Tibet in Exile, Mundgod has seven Tibetian monastries located in close proximity of each other over three villages. In all, Deoguling is spread over a cluster of 11 villages, (The writer was hosted by Taj and three of its monasteries are open Gateway Hotel and Resorts, Hubli for to visitors.

The monasteries form only a the piece)

Goa: With its world famous beaches, clubs and its unique hybrid culture, Goa hardly needs introduction. The popular tourist destination is located at a distance of 169 kms from Hubli. A mere threehour drive means you could even make it there for a day trip in the middle of your North Karnataka vacation.

Historical sites

Aihole: The first Chalukya capital is home to as many as 125 ancient Hindu temples.

At a distance of 130 kms from Hubli, the town is divided into 22 groups with clusters of temples. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the most noted temples here are the Durga Temple Complex and the Lad Khan temple.

Badami: Another former capital of the Chalukya Empire, Badami, located at a distance of 110 kms from Hubli is famous for its rockcut cave temples. The four caves offer an insight into the architecture of the 6th and 7th century AD. Other attractions here are the Badami fort and the Archaeological museum.

Hampi: One of the most popular weekend destinations for Bangalore travellers, Hampi is located at a distance of 150 kms from Hubli. The seat of the Vijayanagar Empire and a UNESCO world heritage site, the temple town is situated at the banks of the Tungabhadra river.

Bijapur: Home to the famous Gol Gumbaz, and with a history that spanned both the Chalukya empire and the 13th century Khilji Sultanate, Bijapur is located at a distance of 178 kms from Hubli. Chand Bawdi and Gagan Mahal are among the must-see monuments in town.

OOKtalk

talk|13 jun 2013|talkmag.in

Interview

Review

Ghana has arrived Evoking memories of the flight of Ghanaians from Nigeria in the 1980s, Ghana Must Go is a touchingly told story of an immigrant family

‘Chicklit’s ok as long as there’s dudelit’ Taiye Selasi

G

What according to you are the necessary ingredients of a typical rom com?

I think comedy is essential. I have never liked just romance in books, the Mills & Boons kind. In fact, romance can be on the back burner as long as there is comedy.

Second, the writing has to have insight. And third, it has to have a Westland strong central character, the kind Rs 250 whose voice you begin hearing in your head before you start writing. she struggles throughout the book in an attempt to measure up to her family in stature.

However, many parts of the book are also overwritten. When every chance character is described in excessive detail, it can strain the reader’s patience. The narrative also shifts back and forth too many times; distracting the reader from the present. It is certainly not a simple or fast read, even though the plot does quicken in the second half. The ending is well-crafted and completes a full circle, from the first line to the last.

Just out

A theatre legend rememebers Penguin Books India has announced the publication of a translation of Memoirs by theatre stalwart Habib Tanvir. The book touches upon both public and private moments from the life of the playwright, actor and director. It will take the reader through the author’s journey—of his childhood in Raipur, his move to the Bombay film world in the 1940s and subsequently to the Indian People’s Theatre Association.

Tanvir’s

Judy Balan, author of the recently launched Sophie Says: Memoirs of a Breakup Coach, speaks about relationships and labels Your first book was on relationships and now your second one too? What makes you stick to writing about relationships?

I spent a whole decade in and out of relationships. I keep writing about them on my blog. Also, there has been a lot of fodder accumulating on the subject in my ‘drafts’ folder. After my first book, I realised I had more to write! But, this is it for now. I’m not going to write about relationships again, I’d have to be in some more to do that.

ANUSHA S RAO hana Must Go is the muchtalked about debut novel of Taiye Selasi, best known for her 2011 short story The Sex Lives of African Girls. The name comes from a phrase coined during the exodus of Ghanaians from Nigeria, when that country expelled foreigners in the 1980s. Ghana Must Go is the touching story of an immigrant family, their fears, failure and hopes.

Kweku Sai, a Ghanian immigrant and successful doctor, has been betrayed by his profession. Unable to withstand his humiliation, he abandons his wife Fola and their children.

This desertion has far reaching consequences on all of them—Olu, who grows up to be a diligent orthopedic, book are written simply, almost genthe gifted and mysterious twins tly. As Kweku watches his new-born Taiwo and Kehinde, and baby Sadie. Sadie struggling for life, he thinks“She was his. And she was Anchored around the death perfect. And she was tiny. of Kweku, the book tells the And she was dying.” story of the Sai family as a The author’s talent for whole and of the individuals poetic observation is effortwho make it. less.

Sample this Layered with meaning, “Dewdrops on grass blades it would not be an exaggeralike diamonds flung freely tion to say the book is poetry from the pouch of some in prose. It introduces sprite-god who’d just hapAfrican culture with all its Rs 500 pened by...” The symbolism nuances and handles the sub- Penguin India tleties of family relationships with is poignant. For instance, just as ease. The most touching parts of the Sadie struggled for life as a new-born,

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its central character. descriptions are described The memoir has been as both observant and translated by Mahmood insightful. Popular for his Farooqui who has earlier work as an Urdu and Hindi authored Besieged: Voices playwright, a director and from Delhi 185. He has also an actor, Tanvir’s most popbeen recognised for his perular works include Agra formances reviving Bazaar and Charandas Chor.

Dastangoi, the Urdu art of Charandas Chor created storytelling. He co-directed news for being banned in Penguin India the Bollywood film Peepli Chhattisgarh in the year 2009 on account of having a dacoit as Live along with his wife Anusha Rizvi.

How do you react to labels like ‘chicklit’ and ‘rom com’ being attached to your writing?

Those like ‘rom com’ are gender neutral and I have no problems with them. I know I have male readers on my blog despite the extremely feminine header and I know a lot of men who read rom com. My problem is with the label ‘chicklit,’ which restricts my audience.

It often gets stereotyped with pink covers and stiletto images on them. This discourages men from picking up the book and being spotted with it. Also, nobody classifies the likes of Nick Hornby as ‘dudelit.’ His writing is about relationships and guys’ stuff just as ours is about girls’ stuff. I am ok with chicklit as long as there’s something called dudelit.

PRACHI SIBAL

L I S T I NGS

talk|13 jun 2013|talkmag.in

music

food Jayanthi

studio to create music live based on your choice! At this upcoming gig in the city, the Indian composer, producer and performer, will allow a few lucky members from the audience a chance to create an impromptu track by using beer bottles, forks and knives as percussion instruments.

ICE bar, Vivanta by Taj, Lobby Level, MG Road June 8 66604444 Â Time for fireworks: Lend your ears to some original tunes to the Mad Orange Fireworks, who will perform this weekend. They have just completed their first album The Lifeline Cast. The band, apart from original tunes, will also play some covers by The Beatles, Police, Michael Jackson and more. bFlat, 100 Feet Road, Above ING Bank, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, June 8, 8.30 pm 25278361

 Strings for kids: Musicians Jayanthi and Kumaresh have put together a programme especially for children where you can expect play of notes, conversations, arguments and a subtle introduction to what ragas have got to do with moods.

Jagriti Theatre, Ramagondanahalli, Varthur Road, Whitefield, June 7, 8 pm

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41248298 Â A night of jugalbandhi: This weekend will begin with a jugalbandhi by Pandit Rajendra Prasanna on the shehnai and Ustad Sarwar Hussain. In the second part of the evening, the city will witness for the first time, a jugalbandi by Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan on the sitar with Mandolin U Srinivas. The

concluding programme is a solo by the santoor maestro Padma Vibhushan Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma.

Christ auditorium, Christ University, Hosur Road,June 8, 5.30 pm  Make your own party music: Be prepared as Akshai transforms the entire nightclub into a recording

nightlife

theatre

 Desi drama: Groove to your favourite tunes this weekend as DJ Jasmeet churns out some peppy desi hits from behind the console. Accompanying Jasmeet will be MJ Rakesh to spice up your night. Ladies get free shooters too.

F Bar and Kitchen, 18, Ali Askar Road, Cunningham Road, June 7, 8 pm

 Maari Kaadu: The play is performed by Sanket, a popular Kannada theatre group. It is based on Shakespeare's Macbeth and tells on-stage the story of deceit, treason, murder, and power hungry people. It is directed by Surendranath.

Ranga Shankara, No.36/2, 8th Cross,2nd Phase, JP Nagar, June 7 and 8, 7.30 pm and June 9, 3.30 pm and 7.30 pm 26493982

 Calling trance lovers: This weekend, put on your dancing shoes as you groove to Bizzare Contact live in town.

Bizzare Contact has Didy Ezra and Gady Ezra, who together produce psychedelic music and have done various shows across the globe.

Pebble, Princess Academy No. 3, Ramanamaharishi Road, Near Palace Grounds, June 9, 2 pm onwards 9916925767

 Lights Out: The play is set in 1984 Mumbai and revolves around a rape incident. It delves into the minds of a few upper middle class individuals, who deal with the consequences of this incident right in their neighborhood, every night and every day. Directed by Siddhanth KS, it has Sam Kevin Roy, Surabhi Herur, Kafeel Jaffery, Vaishali Deepak and Punya Arora in the cast.

Alliance Francaise de Bangalore, Thimmaiah Road, Opposite UNI Building, Vasanthnagar, June 8, 5.30 pm and 7.30 pm 41231345 Â Photocopy Love: Performed by the

 Old World Magic: For all fans of the genre of blues, Ministry of Blues will perform some classics in an exclusive blues' night. Their music is inspired by the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Moore, Robben Ford, Buddy Guy and more. bFlat, 100 Feet Road, Above ING Bank, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, June 7, 8.30 pm 25278361

 Taste of the backwaters: Indulge in a regional fare at the Sheraton Bangalore hotel and be a part of this Kerala food festival where you can enjoy authentic cuisine prepared to tease your taste buds.

Feast, Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Getaway, 26/1 Dr Rajkumar road, Rajajinagar, Malleshwaram, ongoing 42521000 Â Moplah food festival: Ente Keralam is hosting the yearly Moplah Food Festival.

Moplah refers to the Malayalam speaking Muslim community in Kerala and the word is derived from 'Mappilai' meaning 'bridegroom' or 'Maha Pillai', a person held in high esteem. The festival will feature some of the typical dishes like arikadukka, pathiri, meen mulakittathu and more. Prices start at 150 onwards.

Ente Keralam, old no 12, new no 1 road, Bangalore, Ulsoor Road, ongoing 2421002 Â Med feast: Choose from a Mediterranean spread where you can indulge

in a dinner buffet that features shawarmas, freshly baked pita breads, Lebanese style grills, a lavish mezze counter, Arabic delicacies and traditional desserts. Priced at Rs 1,100 plus taxes.

Café Mosaic, Vivanta by Taj, Lobby level , MG Road, June 7 66604444 Â Authentic Chinese: Craving for Chinese? Then be a part of this ten-day Chinese food festival. The restaurant will be presenting some authentic Chinese dishes like dimsums, cha choy lung keen, mud thoang si chaap ha, u-tou kai tank, holaan choy, pak choy chow tung koo, Shaan tung mein and park faan and an assortment of Chinese desserts.

Oko the restaurant, the Lalit Ashok, 6th floor, Kumara Park, till June 10 9342577748 Â Learn to make risotto: This weekend, put your cooking skills to test as you learn to prepare the perfect risotto.

Learn to make the dish using pumpkin, rosemary, beetroot, gorgonzola, prosecco or risotto alla milanese and more.

Toscano, 2nd Floor, Vittal Mallaya Road, June 12 41738800

Bogey Systems Road, Ramagondanahalli, Whitefield, June 8, 8 pm and June 9, 3.30 pm and 6.30 pm 41248298 Â Krishna: Watch actor and dancer Shobhana perform Krishna, a dance drama along with her troupe. The musical will showcase events from Vrindavan, through Mathura and Kurukshetra.

She and her disciples intend to portray the life of Krishna, his philosophy and everything related to his teachings using the medium of dance.

Chowdaiah Memorial Hall, 16th Cross, 2nd Main Road, Malleswaram, June 9, 6 pm

Dramanon troupe, this is a set of three plays that attempts to explore and reflect our every day interactions in a different way. The plays lend a new dimension to a discussion, a new perspective to a conversation and a new angle to an argument. The stories range from the funny to the melancholic and the utterly absurd.

The Lalit Ashok Grand Ball Room, The Lalit Ashok, Kumara Krupa High Grounds, June 8, 8 pm 30527777 Â City Bang Bang: This is a collection of short stories by playwright Gautam Raja that offer a relevant but fun look at city life. The evening will feature classics by the writer such as Damini The

Damager and Pub Crawl.

The production and the theatre foyer will also showcase illustrations by Paul Fernandes, the famous cartoonist who chronicles life in Bangalore especially from the 70s and 80s. Directed by Arundhati Raja, It has Vivek Madan, Rebecca Spurgeon, Lekha Naidu and Anirudh Acharya in the cast.

Jagriti Theatre, Varthur

 Bogey Systems: The play is about a mother who refuses to bury her child. Instead she wants to send her child to the sea.

The play uses props like tubelights, garden sets, tiny bonfires, balloons, soil and more. Directed by Swar Thounaojam, the play uses Manipuri bogeyman stories and wraps them in Kannada and Tamil ditties to present the story of a mother.

Ranga Shankara, # 36/2, 8th Cross,2nd Phase, JP Nagar, June 11 and 12, 7.30 26493982

L I S T I NGS

talk|13 jun 2013|talkmag.in

retail therapy

world environment day lets, till June 10 Â Love the movies?

French connection launches an exclusive menswear capsule collection of t-shirt to celebrate the 2013 release of the new Superman film, Man of Steel. Priced at Rs 1,699 Available at all French connection stores Bangalore, till June 15 Â Happy feet: The original hand-woven Mexican sandal has been restyled once again for this light, colourful, translucent collection. Crocs TM Huarache is made using an innovative, fully-moulded technique which gives the shoes a comfortable feel.

Available at all Crocs outlets

 Extended summer: Mother earth presents a spring summer collection exhibition showcasing an elegant range of fashion block printed indigos, whites, cool cotton halters, strap tops, skirts, and more.

Prices start at Rs 299.

Available at Mother Earth outlets  Be a superhero: Dress you little one in cos-

tumes of Superman, Scooby Doo, Dora the Explorer, Tweety, Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes and Hot Wheels among others . As part of the promotion, if you buy products from the Portico Kid's collection worth Rs 3,000 or more, you get a fun gift worth Rs 500, which contains a lunch box, a sipper bottle and a kid's activity bag.

Available at all lifestyle out-

theatre

 Nobody Sleeps Alone The play presented by the Lost Post Initiative is about three gangsters Godfrey Singh Joseph, Sarayu and Wazir Abdullah. It shows the side of Mumbai that is the breeding ground for all sorts of gangsters; big and small, girls and boys. Written and directed by Deepika Arwind, the play has Prashanth Nair, Pritham Kumar and Shiva Pathak in the cast.

Ranga Shankara, No.36/2, 8th Cross,2nd Phase, JP Nagar, June 7 and 8, 7.30 pm and June 13, 7.30 pm 26493982

To get your event listed, write to us at listings@talkmag.in

 Run for a cause: In connection with World Environment Day, Mother Earth is organising its annual run this weekend. Participate in this five km run and create awareness about the environmental conservation. There is no registration fee for the run.

Mother Earth store, Domlur, June 9, 6 am 65397958 log onto www.motherearth.co.in  All things eco: Be a part of the monthlong World Environment Day celebrations this

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celebrating blues

month and that too at a mall, where you can participate in various workshops and shop at an Eco Bazaar that will showcase a variety of eco-friendly lifestyle products like home décor items made from natural fiber, organic food, organic fragrances and body care products, jute bags and accessories and other energy saving products.

Ascendas Park Square Mall, Whitefield Road, Pattandur Agrahara, Whitefield, all month long  Celebrating the blues: This weekend be a part of this celebration of the genre at the An Ode to the Blues music festival. The grand finale will feature artists international artists like Monica Hedgal from Norway and artists from across the country like Overdrive Trio and Warren Mendosa from Mumbai, Hoodoo Gas and Chronic Blues Circus from Bangalore. The evening will come to an end with an all star jam paying an ode to artist Robert Johnson.

CounterCulture, 2D2 , 4th cross, Dyavasandra Industrial Area, Whitefield, June 8, 8.30 pm 41400793

 Flea market is back: This weekend spend some quality time with your falimy and friends at the Sunday Soul Sante. The sante will have lots of stalls where you can shop for jewellery, clothes, footwear, home decor and more. There will also be live performances and a fashion show.

Soul Sante, Manpho Convention Centre, Outer Ring Road, June 9, 11 am

film Yamla Pagla Deewana 2

 Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 Hindi This comedy is a sequel to the Yamla Pagla Deewana released in 2011. The movie packs a lot of comedy, action and romance and is about the lives of the Deols’ who travel from Scotland, Varanasi and finally end up in the UK. Directed by Sangeet Sivan, it has Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Neha Sharma and Anupam Kher in the lead.

Q Cinemas, Whitefield- 10.10 am, 1.10 pm, 4.10 , 7.10, 9.55 Innovative Multiplex, Marathahalli- 11 am, 2 pm, 4.45, 10 Urvashi Digital 4K Cinemas- 2.30 pm, 6 Everest Theatre, Frazer Town- 11.30

am, 2.30 pm, 6.30, 9.30 Â After Earth 3D English The movie is about the survival of Kitai Raige and his father Cypher who are left on the earth 1000 years after some cataclysmic events took place and forced humans to escape.

Cypher is injured and now Kitai must embark on a journey to seek help and realises that an evolved animal species rules the planet, and there is an unstoppable alien creature that escaped during the crash. Directed by M Night Shyamalan, it has Will Smith and Jaden Smith in the lead role.

Innovative Multiplex, Marathahalli- 11.30 am, 3.30

pm, 8, 10 Urvashi Digital 4K Cinemas- 11.30 am Lakshmi Theatre- 8 pm Tribhuvan Cinema- 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.30, 7.30 Â Now You See Me English The film is about an elite FBI squad that is pitted against The Four Horsemen, a team of the world’s greatest illusionist, in a game of cat and mouse. The Four Horsemen pull off daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances that stun the squad.

Urvashi Digital 4K Cinemas9.45 pm  The Internship English The movie is about two sales

persons Billy and Nick whose professional life has taken a hit because of the digital world. Trying to prove a point, they defy the odds by talking their way into a coveted internship at

Google, along with a bunch of college students. But this is just the beginning. Â Kaddipudi Kannada The Kannada action movie is directed by Duniya Soori and produced by M Chandru. It stars Shivrajkumar and Radhika Pandit in the lead.

The music in the film is composed by V Harikrishna with lyrics written by Yogaraj Bhat and Jayant Kaikini.

Santosh- 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.30, 7.30 Veeresh- 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.30, 7.30 Siddalingeshwara- 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.30, 7.30 Venkateshwara- 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.30, 7.30 Eshwari- 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.30, 7.30 Mukunda Theatre10.30 am, 1.30 pm Sri Krishna Theatre- 11.30 am, 2.30 pm, 6.15, 9.30

Kaddipudi

talk|13 jun 2013|talkmag.in

28

Thought holds the power to heal Extraordinary faith allows you to recover even from grave illness and injury—and the first step is to believe you can, says Sensei Avinash Subramanyam

I

nternal healing requires the application of mind, and it is far more effective than external healing through medicines. Illnesses are a result of the depletion of a person’s qi (lifeforce), when it is defeated by the negative energy within. Negative energy can be caused by a range of factors— but it is primarily a result of excess (food, drink, even work) and aggressive emotions (such as lust, greed, anger). Negative energy burns qi at a fast pace. Positive energy is built up slowly by positive thought, a helpful nature, and action-training in budo; it also grows with love, happiness, and gratitude.

With a continual onslaught of negativity, the body succumbs to illness. We resort to medicines and surgeries as cure, but they have their limitations. For, a body that collapses is like a shattered mirror that cannot be made whole again.

A greater and lasting form of healing is the ability to exercise mind over matter. Faith that you will not be perturbed by sickness and injury can help you tide over any difficulty.

Mind you, this is no easy task. You really have to believe, and that comes only from training body-mind-spirit.

The most important thing to give up in this form of training is fear of life and death.

There are many examples of people who show amazing resilience—nature lovers who face grave danger in following animals, desert inhabitants who survive without water for days, soldiers who walk miles with a bullet wound. Such people heal themselves by thought. They believe they are fine. Know that thought is a form of energy that can be transferred and can heal the point of injury or boost overall health.

Medicines can reach the body but only thought can reach the spirit.

Here are some experiences from my life: When I was 18, I trained with a makiwara (padded striking post to practice punches, kicks and strikes).

The skin on my hands had torn so badly that my bones were visible and

SACRED CHANT Thought is a form of energy which can be harnessed through chanting

people couldn’t bear to see it. A doctor had warned me an open wound was poisonous, and I must take pencillin. But my teacher told me, “If you will it, no harm will come to you”. I believed him. I applied a combination of hot water, salt and Dettol to the wound and went about my life—riding bikes and fighting in tournaments; I was fine.

Once, my left leg was badly injured in a bike accident and had swollen to three times its size. I put the leg on the bike handle and went to the hospital by myself. The doctor warned me it would take at least three weeks for the deep cut to heal. But I had to participate in a tournament within three days. I didn’t regret or cry at my situation. Instead, I did 18 hours of leg exercises every day, rather than the five hours recommended. The swelling reduced in two days. I fought in the tournament with one leg and won all rounds. The pain didn’t matter. I used my pride to uplift myself. Of course it was only possible with the grace of God. In pain, you should perform better than your best. And you will emerge from your pain only stronger. When I come down with a high temperature touching 104 degrees, I take five cold showers a day, train, eat normal food and have a drink. I always recover fighting fit.

Similarly, on the occasions when I suffered a high voltage electric shock and scalded my chest with boil-

ing water, I drove to hospital myself, spent less time there than the doctors recommended, smiled my way through the surgery, and partied soon after. The will to recover, the belief in self inculcated by my senseis, and the grace of God have always helped me recover fast.

Of course, each of us has to see what works. I am able to recover because of years of internal training that brings together mind, body and spirit. And it is only when all three are in sync that your belief is real. This harmony of mind, body and spirit can be attained through different arts— tai chi, yoga, pranic healing or just prayer. But you need to train or perform with extraordinary faith.

Extraordinary faith is when you are on your deathbed and your teacher tells you jogging two kilometres will make you recover, and you follow it.

That faith can heal.

When my students sustained injuries, I have given them water saying it will wash away their pain. And it has. I have read about Christian nuns healing the sick by singing hymns. Hymns and mantras or even chants like ‘Om’ cause vibrations that can cleanse a person. But faith is not about ritualistic chanting. You should feel the power of the chant.

Laughter when genuine can also cleanse; that’s why it makes you feel lighter and happier. But artificial or forced laughter doesn’t work. I once saw a man who was part of a ‘laughter

Way of Budo 36

session’ soon after abusing someone over the phone. Being able to laugh without inhibition is a sign of a free person who will not get angry easily.

How to exercise mind over matter and overcome fear when you feel ill? First, you should avoid immediately checking the symptoms online.

Once you read something, you expect certain things to follow. Avoid creating that mental path. Instead, don’t let any illness bring you down. Drink a glass of water and wash the feeling away. This is different from brusquely saying “Nothing’s wrong!” with apathy or fear.

One way to help a person who is ill: Don’t acknowledge that he or she is ill. Speak and behave like the person is fine. Let them feed themselves and do their work. Be kind but genuinely believe the person is fine. And the person will recover. Whenever my father was hospitalised, I would say, “See you tomorrow.” If everyone around is positive, such combined energy can be truly powerful.

Sometime when my students approach me with ailments, I suggest they have a steak, a drink, a shower, wear fresh clothes and watch a fun film. Nine out of 10 have felt great afterwards. We should live life believing nothing is wrong. If you are divorced, feel happily single. If your periods cause cramps, take a walk, do things that make you happy. Healing occurs through happiness, not pity.

Tips to train your mind

Reduce your sense of self-impor-

tance.

End the constant fear about money,

job and success. Fear and anxiety are the greatest diseases that open the doors for other diseases to enter your body and mind.

If you suffer serious pain, attend to it, and do whatever it calls for in the present. Don’t speculate: ‘What can it be?’ Don’t rush to a doctor or check on the Internet. Haste is often a waste of energy.

Train to keep the mind calm. Being hasty can cause blockages in the body pathways. It also makes you take the wrong decisions. Be slow, watch, feel and understand.

Training the mind is not about the ability to take pain or recover from an illness. It is deep and rigorous training that will show up in different facets of your life—job performance, relationships, health. It changes the way you live.

Transcribed by Radhika P You can write to Sensei at: seefarwellnessorg@yahoo.com

memoir

talk|13 jun 2013|talkmag.in

29

crime folio

VIVEK ARUN

Fabled ranconteur and Bangalore ’s top-notch criminal lawyer brings you moving, sensational and bizarre stories from 40 years of his practice

CH HANUMANTHARAYA

How to ruin a good case A land dispute near Bannerghatta assumes caste colour, and results in an 80-year-old landlord shooting at a mob. His rivals try to frame his son, but their litigious eagerness works against their interests

I

n the 1990s, Bangalore’s growth was unbridled and dangerous. Farmers were losing their land and livelihood to real estate sharks. Money from land deals did not bring modernity into their lives; instead it stoked caste hatred and triggered clashes.

Invariably, caste groups clashed over land ownership.

Take the case of Sampigehalli, a village near Bannerghatta National Park. A majority of the villagers there were Lingayats. Vokkaligas, Dalits and people from other communities comprised the rest of the population.

Munilinge Gowda, a Vokkaliga, was the most powerful landlord in the village. He had a licensed double barrel gun, ostensibly to keep elephants and bears from straying into his fields. As the only man to own a firearm, he inspired fear. The villagers feared him, but did not respect him.

Munilinge Gowda owned vast tracts of land but had no direct access to his fields. He had to pass through neighbouring fields, owned by Lingayats who were less affluent than

him. Conscious of their power, the Gurappa and his friends were being Lingayat farmers began asserting tortured in police custody, while themselves. They demanded priority Venkatappa was being treated well.

Eighty-year-old Munilinge when it came to water sharing: they wanted their fields to be irrigated Gowda heard that the Lingayats and before Munilinge Gowda’s. Tension Dalits were heading his way. He tried mounted in the summer months to contact Venkatappa’s youth brigade, but in vain. He was alone at when water was in short supply.

Munilinge Gowda fretted and home. Gurappa’s supporters, led by fumed—in silence. But his son Ayyanna who had just been released Venkatappa decided to take matters from police custody, were on their into his hands. He organised a group way to his house. Along the way, they of Vokkaliga youth and challenged set fire to a grocery shop owned by the Lingayat farmers. He also divert- one of Munilinge Gowda’s friends. ed water to his father’s farm, embold- They also smashed the tile roof of another house. ened by the presence of his friends.

Hearing this news and seeing Gurappa, a local leader of the Lingayats, decided to give them marching resolutely towards his Venkatappa a taste of his own medi- house, Munilinge Gowda brought out his double barrel gun cine. He rallied the and fired at the crowd.

Lingayat youth and The police said He aimed at the boys’ attacked Venkatappa Munilinge legs. They fled in when he was walking panic, and the bullets to his farm all alone.

Gowda was too injured them in the But not only did old to shoot groin and on the Venkatappa fight the thighs. Many were boys, but he also overhurt in the stampede. powered them.

As the boys were fleeing, Some Dalit boys—Ayyanna, Chikkanna, Nandishaiah and Venkatappa arrived in the village. The Madappa—were with Gurappa, and police had just released him.

Ayyanna and the Lingayats went were seriously injured in the melee.

Smarting from the insult, right back to the police station and Gurapppa and his Dalit friends registered a fresh complaint against lodged a police complaint accusing Venkatappa, saying he had fired at Venkatappa of assaulting them. The them. The police arrested Venkatappa police found no signs of injury on and seized the gun. When the police Venkatappa while Gurappa and his were taking his son away, Munilinge friends had bruises. In any case, they Gowda pleaded that he was the one who had fired at the boys and asked booked cases against both parties.

Rumours began to make the the policemen to arrest him instead.

“Leave my son alone. I am the rounds that Munilinge Gowda had bribed the police as a result of which guilty. Take me into custody,” he

begged. The policemen brushed him aside, saying he was so old it was impossible for him to shoot at anyone, least of all at an angry mob!

Munilinge Gowda arrived at my doorstep early the next morning.

Even before I could open my mouth, he fell at my feet. “You are an elder.

Please don’t do that,” I said. He recounted the events and requested me to take up his son’s case.

I had Venkatappa released on bail. I also made Munilinge Gowda surrender the gun.

When the case reached the evidence stage, a supporter of Gurappa lodged a complaint with the police, accusing Munilinge Gowda of firing at his cow. The cow had been injured when Munilinge Gowda was trying to shoot a wild boar. But the incident had taken place before he had surrendered the gun. The complainant didn’t know the gun was with the police, and had mentioned a later date. His idea was to strengthen the case against Venkatappa with a fresh complaint.

The prosecution argued 80-yearold Munilinge Gowda could not lift a gun, and it was Venkatappa who had fired at the mob. The owner of the cow, who had filed a case against Munilinge Gowda, turned up as one of the witnesses in this case!

The contradictions in the testimonies helped me prove the case against Venkatappa was frivolous.

The court acquitted him.

This story shows how risky it can be to file multiple cases against your foe!

(Translated by BV Shivashankar)

T I M E P A SS

talk|13 jun 2013|talkmag.in

30 Prof Good Sense

My 14-year-old son is in a residential school. He is not studying well at all. He blabbers a lot in his sleep, the warden has told us, and sometimes even sleeps in class. He is a good boy, though.

Does he need any treatment?

Ashrayi, Kolar Talk to him and let him know that you care for him. Talk to his teachers and hostel warden for more inputs to understand him better. Find out why your son dozes off in class and talks in his sleep.

(Post-lunch, the class room is the best place to sleep!) How long has he been like this? Do you notice any major changes in his behaviour? From what you say, I would guess his school gives little importance to co-curricular activities.

Many upmarket schools consider getting cent per cent marks the only way to sell their school better. Please see a good psychologist who can put things in perspective, and help your son.

Prof M Sreedhara Murthy teaches psychology at NMKRV First Grade College. He is also a well-known photographer.

Mail queries to prof@talkmag.in

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1st Cross

Talk ’s weekly crossword for Bangaloreans who know their way about town DOWN 1 A teenager was run down by an Audi Q7 at this junction on MG Road (4,4) 2 1st June 2013 was the ____ day in Bangalore's history (7) 3 Eight suspected cases of ____ have been reported in four villages of Hukkeri Taluk (11) 4 Area home to the Government Flying Training School (6) 5 The State Government recently banned the sale of this harmful product (5) 6 Government body pulled up by the Chief Minister for not clearing encroachments in the city (4)

Last week ’s solution Across: 1 Byappanahalli, 3 MVJ, 6 Garden, 7 Plumber, 8 S R Patil, 10 Twentyfive, 11 Tipu, 15 VKJOY, 16 Sixtythree, 17 Aadhaar, 18 Vani Vilas.

ACROSS 8 He recently took charge as BBMP commissioner (1,15) 11 The police recently seized ____ worth Rs 57 lakhs near Russell Market (9) 13 Founder of Touring Talkies (1,7) 16 Bangalore-based engineering college which was declared the win-

ner at Blaze 2013 (5) 17 The State Government has requested the Centre to give it one month's time to decide it's stand on the ____ issue (7) 18 Hospital on Bannerghatta Road (6) 19 Theatre in Frazer town (7)

Down: 1 Bookies, 2 K J George, 4 Realty, 5 Dublin, 7 Punitive laws, 9 Arkavathy, 12 N Devaraj, 13 BESCOM, 14 Eshwari.

7 9 10 12 14 15 16

State on our north-west border (3) In an effort to combat malnutrition the State Government plans to distribute free ___ to children once a week (4) City whose Krishna Mutt has been in the news (5) Bangalore recently held its second ___ __ (5,3) Road in the news when three school kids drowned in a quarry (5) Organisation which has earmarked Rs 2,000 crores for the second phase of the Bangalore Metro rail (5) Beach near Udupi (5)

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short fiction

talk|13 jun 2013|talkmag.in

Highway to hope A rude stranger at a supermarket line sets Meera thinking: why had she let the important years of her life slip away for no real grief?

A short story by Nivetha Gunasekaran How many loved your moments of glad grace Loved your beauty with love false or true But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you And loved the sorrows of your changing face ~ WB Yeats Somewhere from the middle of the line at a supermarket a man shouted, “You should not be buying shit like this,” at a woman piling up food items on the check-out counter.

She looked at him alarmingly surprised and slightly embarrassed now that everyone was turning away from their busy shopping to look at her first and then at the man who was

Nivetha Gunasekaran

is a Research Neuroscientist at Queensland Brain Institute, Australia

still staring at her. Finally he said, ‘Fat people should not be eating shit like this.” Everyone in the line and close to the counter looked horrified and sighed in unison at his insensitive remark. The lady at the counter smiled sheepishly and apologised for his behaviour. She smiled and thanked her.

The man’s shopping basket contained few tins of tuna, a bottle of cranberry juice and a bunch of celery.

He stood there staring at her with an uncompromising expression.

She struggled a little when she slung one of her recyclable shopping bags onto her shoulder; the handles were not wide enough for her arms to fit through. Trying not to look back, she took in a deep breath, swallowed her embarrassment and walked away slowly with the rest of her bags in small delicate steps.

The line moved on and people continued with their shopping unperturbed.

Meera, stacked her bags into the boot and turned on the ignition. She

31

Meera’s misery started a week after her amorous relationship with Arjun ended at a coffee shop in London. They had already planned a weekend in Spain but when they knew it was over; she left for New York and he continued with his unidid not wear a seat belt, it made her versity program. Both had not spoken breathing uncomfortable. The drive to each since, except for once when home was eerily quiet as she did not he called to ask if her family was safe play her favourite Walking on from the bomb blast in Hyderabad.

The last phone call was 4 years ago.

Sunshine in loop.

Back home, she stood and faced She last heard that he is now a marthe mirror’s truth, she realised that ried wealthy man in London and that she had for too long ignored the he bought a palatial mansion in tightness of her clothes, the rubbing Oxshott where he owns sport clubs for archery, tennis of her inner thighs, and golf. She imagthe softer and rounder parts of her She was fat. The ined that this is the kind of lifestyle he that wobbled and stranger at the had always wanted. shook when she supermarket His life was blossommoved. She was Fat. ing into a wondrous She said the was right. future whereas her word “Fat” slowly, life was crumbling that it took time to funnel its way into her body and soul. and disintegrating into pieces.

She had a fellowship at Oxford She was not curvy or big-boned. She was fat. The only word that felt true. and a relationship with Darren. “You The stranger at the supermarket was are the true love of my life,” he had written in her birthday card- and yet indeed right in calling her fat.

Everything seemed to crumble there was discontent in her soul. It in front her. Meera felt amorphous had been there for a while like an early morning sickness, bleakness and and vulnerable.

Why hadn’t she done anything a sense of borderlessness. It brought with it amorphous longings, shapefor so long?

talk|13 jun 2013|talkmag.in

less desires and brief imaginary glints of other lives she could be living.

There was Arjun. Her first love, her first lover, the only person with whom she had never felt the need to explain herself.

Somehow he took that away with him and she never got it back.

That evening she scoured through her Facebook photos from 7 years ago. So much had changed; the girl in those photos had sparkling eyes that mirrored her soul and an oozing sex appeal that everyone seemed to envy. Now all that is hidden in the shadows under her eye and the rolls of fat around her waist, thighs and arms. She felt rage that manifested into nothing but tears.

Meera knew that the discontent she felt and the discipline she lacked in her life had nothing to do with Arjun or the life she had once dreamed of having. Somewhere along the way she stopped caring for herself and let herself be. She realised that she let important years of her life slip away for no real grief. She allowed herself to get wobbly and fat. The stranger was right when he said; she should not be eating shit

like that and hence should not be treating herself like crap.

She began to plan and to dream, to apply for jobs in Europe after her fellowship at Cornell expired. She did not tell Darren at first because she wanted to finish her fellowship, and then after her fellowship ended, she did not tell him because she wanted to give herself enough time to be sure. But as weeks passed, she

knew she would never be sure. So she told him that she was moving to Europe, and she added, “I have to,” knowing he would hear in her words the sound of an ending.

“Why suddenly,” Darren asked, almost stunned by her announcement. She felt the day take on a sad epic quality. They were in his living room, standing flooded in soft beautiful New York daylight. They lived together for two years, two years free of

crease, like a smoothly ironed sheet, with no remnants of her past. She remembered her first kiss with him; it was on the day his book got accepted by a renowned publisher, his face wet with tears as he held her tightly.

“Why,” he asked again.

But she had no bold epiphany and there was no cause. It was simply that she had layer after layer of discontent settled in her, and now formed a mass that propelled her. She did not tell him this as it would it hurt to know that she had felt that way for a while, that her relationship with him was like being content in a house but always sitting by the window and looking out.

Darren needed what she was unable to give and she needed what he was unable to give. They grieved the loss of what could have been.

Her life was changing, for better or worse.

Music softly played in the background.

Walking on sunshine. Walking on sunshine. I feel the love, I feel the love, I feel the love that’s really real.

Now, over to our Mars correspondent …

A fake boomtown, for fake leaders

Chilean journalist Lino Solis de Ovando has been selected to be part of The Mars One project, an attempt to seed the first extraterrestrial human civilisation (or ‘protoculture’ as they call it) on the red planet. The brainchild of Dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp, the project will send its first four ‘Marslings’ on a one-way ticket to their destination in 2023. Writing on www.worldcrunch.com, Lino says he hasn’t told his family yet, although his boss has found out and tried to explain to him what a one-way mission means. Others suggested that he may not be, er, okay in the head. But Lino says he’s looking forward to his eight-month rocket journey to become the first news correspondent from Mars. He knows he cannot come back even if he wants to: lower gravity on Mars means you lose bone density and muscle mass and your circulatory systems decrease in capacity, making it nearly impossible to adjust to life on

Heard the one about North Korea’s fake juntaoperated supermarkets purely meant to trick foreign journalists?

These are filled with regime stooges posing as ‘shoppers’ every time a delegation of the foreign press passes through Pyongyang, just so that things look a bit, well, lively. In Delhi too, during the last Commonwealth Games, the organisers hid some slums (the ones they couldn’t evict) from the streets by using giant

Lino Solis de Ovando

earth later. Bravo Lino, that’s a gutsy choice you made. But why do we get the suspicious feeling that it’s also a really smart one?

A treasure trove of trashy quotes If such a thing was possible, this would be it. The fearless souls who run this Tumblr page have put together just about every nauseatingly sentimental, smug, or plain wtf piece of inspirational Facebook post for your perusal.

Among the usual

suspects dishing out spiel to their unsuspecting fans, we spotted our own favourite go-toguru for antiseptic advice: the shaggydude ex-prez APJ Abdul Kalam.

More at: vomitinducing. tumblr.com.

Enter at your own risk.

32

screens, lest they offended a visiting dignitary. Such stunts were always done by ragged Third World folks to impress rich white people visiting from abroad. But now it seems the latter have taken to it themselves; the difference being that they are trying to fool themselves. Folks at Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, were rather surprised to find local shops, closed long ago, suddenly ‘dressed up’ to look like thriving

businesses. The idea behind the makeover, a brainchild of the British Foreign Office, is to get the town to look cheerful enough for depressed world leaders who will arrive here next month for the G8 summit, where they’ll brood over how to fix the broken global economy. Nice touch, fellas. Just the right thing for a bunch of clowns still pretending to be in control of a runaway global economic system in perpetual crisis.