Brew Lifestyle July 2019 by Sameer Bharat Ram

VOL-3 ISSUE-11 `100 I JULY 2019

THINK. CREATE. LIVE

28 VADIVELU

THE COMEDIAN BIGGER THAN STARS

SUDHANSHU KAUSHIK IN

THE ORDINARY SERIES

22 KAPIL DEV The True Spirit of Cricket

CONTRIBUTORS

Dr. RAJESH JEGANATHAN

& ADVISORY BOARD

CONTRIBUTORS

A young and dynamic medico. He runs RAJESH JEGANATHAN the Dr. prestigious Billroth Hospitals based in Chennai.

CONTRIBUTORS & ADVISORY BOARD

& ADVISORY BOARD THOTA THARRANI

A young and dynamic medico. He runs the prestigious Billroth Hospitals based in Chennai.

This yearTHOTA we enterTHARRANI a bigger dimension, planning across a wider reader base with THOTA THARRANI a big step forward, this was ignited with a This by year weone enter a bigger dimension, planning logo designed and Thota This year the we enter a only bigger dimension, acrossLifestyle a across wider reader base with a big step forward, Tharrani. planning Brew extends a hearta wider reader base with this was ignited with a logo designed warming athank youforward, note to big step thisthe was legend ignited withbya the one and only Thotaby Tharrani. Lifestyle extends a himself forlogo his incessant contributions. designed the one Brew and only Thota Tharrani. Brew thank Lifestyle a heartheartwarming you extends role to the legend warming thank you note to the legend for his incessant contributions. himself for his incessant contributions.

VEEJAY VEEJAY SAI SAI

An award-winning writer, editor, and a culture critic. He has written and published extensively on Indian SAI writer,food An VEEJAY award-winning editor and a classical music, fashion, theatre, and art.

himself

culture critic. He has written and published extensively on Indian classical music, An award-winning writer, fashion, theatre, food and art. editor and a

ASHOK VERGHESE

culture critic. He has written and published extensively on Indian classical music, fashion, theatre, food and art.

ASHOK VERGHESE

He is the ASHOK directorVERGHESE of Hindustan group of institutions, the pioneering He is one the of director of Hindustan group of educational groups theofcountry. He is group He is the in director of institutions,one theHindustan pioneering educational a big supporter and cause ofgroups institutions, oneforofpromoting in the country. Hethe is a pioneering big supporter and young talent in art andgroups music.in the country. He is educational

VITA DANI

Passionate about grassroots development of sport in India. She co-owns VITA DANIChennayin FC, Chennai’s football team in the ISL and Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), VITA DANI India’s first-ever professional table tennis league. Passionate about grassroots development

cause for promoting young talent in art and music.

a big supporter and cause for promoting young talent in art and music.

of sport in India. She co-owns Chennayin grassroots development FC, Passionate Chennai’s about football team in the ISL and of sport in India. She(UTT), co-owns Chennayin Ultimate Table Tennis India’s firstG ever VENKET RAM football FC, Chennai’s teamleague. in the ISL and professional table tennis

ANIL JAIN ANIL JAIN

Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), India’s A leading Indian fashion photographer whofirsthas ever professional table tennis shot principle photography stills for league. several notable firms. He quit his engineering studies to work with cinematographers for a while, after which he joined G VENKET RAM a course in visual communication at Loyola College. He then with photographer Sharada Haskar G worked VENKET RAM A in leading Indian his fashion photographer who and 1993, started own studio.

An intensive design to succeed and redefine the

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has Ashot principle photography stills who for leading Indian fashion photographer several films. He quit his engineering has notable shot principle photography stills for studies to notable work with for several films.cinematographers He quit his engineering ARUNA SAIRAM studies to work with cinematographers a while, which hePadma joinedShri a course in A winner of after the prestigious award. for She a while, after which he a course in visual communications at joined Loyola College. is the vice-chairman of the Sangeet Natak College. Akademi visualworked communications at Loyola He then with photographer Sharad which is then India’s premier national institution for He with photographer Sharad Haskar and worked in 1993, started his own studio.

and Anil Jain Investments. NEERU NANDA

A graduate of Delhi university and a passionate a free-lanced feature writer for NEERU NANDA ten years before switching to publishing. Author of a collection of short stories titled ‘IF,’ she has also A graduate of Delhi University and a on novels and short stories for children . Aworked graduate of Delhi University and a

NEERU writer. NANDA She was

and in 1993, started hisof own studio. music Haskar and dance. Ms. Sairam is one India’s most renowned ambassdor’s for music successfully taking ARUNA Indian music to SAIRAM theSAIRAM International arena. ARUNA

passionate writer. She was a free-lanced passionate writer. She was a free-lanced feature writer for ten years before switching feature writer for ten years before switching to publishing. Author ofAuthor a collection of shortof short to publishing. of a collection stories titled “IF”, she “IF”, has she alsohas worked on stories titled also worked on novels andnovels shortand stories children. shortfor stories for children.

A winner of of thetheprestigious A winner prestigiousPadma Padma Shri Shri award. SheShe is isthethevice-chairman award. vice-chairman of of the the Sangeet Natak Akademi Sangeet Natak Akademiwhich which isis India’s India’s premier premiernational nationalinstitution institution for for music music dance. Ms.Ms. Sairam Dr.and RAJESH JEGANATHAN and dance. Sairamis isone one ofof India’s India’s most renowned ambassador’s for music, most renowned ambassador’s for music, A young and dynamic medico. He runs the prestigious successfully takingIndian Indianmusic music to to the the successfully Billroth Hospitals taking based in Chennai. international arena. international arena.

INTERNAL TEAM INTERNAL TEAM TEAM INTERNAL INTERNAL TEAM INTERNAL TEAM

EDITOR & CEO EDITOR & CEO EDITOR & CEO EDITOR & CEO

EDITORIAL TEAM EDITORIAL TEAM EDITORIAL TEAM EDITORIAL TEAM

Sameer Bharat Sameer Bharat RamRam Sameer Bharat Ram Sameer Bharat Ram Sameer Bharat Ram Sameer Bharat RamRam Sameer Bharat

Akshaya G Aishwarya Sridharan Akshaya G Aishwarya Sridharan Yoheswari Devaraj Akshaya G Aishwarya Sridharan Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Sheeba Grace Devaraj Akshaya G Aishwarya Sridharan Yoheswari Nanditha Sheeba GraceJackson Padma Vijayaraghavan Murughappun Enoch

PUBLISHER & CEO

SUB EDITOR

DESIGNERS

FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNER FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNER FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNERS FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

CIRCULATION CIRCULATIONCIRCULATION CIRCULATION CIRCULATION Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani SuriGanesh Aishwarya Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani Suri Vidhya Anand Sanjana NandithaKanchi Vijayaraghavan Dhinesh Babu S S Dhinesh Babu AkilaBabu Sridhar Debjeet Niranjana Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani SuriGanesh Aishwarya Kanchi Nagaraj D Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani Suri krishnakumar Vidhya Anand Sanjana Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Dhinesh Babu S S Dhinesh Elumalai V V Elumalai Sadakshi Kalyanraman Karthik Keramalu Akila Sridhar Aishwarya Kanchi Sadakshi Kalyanaraman Aishwarya Kanchi Aarathi Arun Veejay Sai Silambarasan Silambarasan Padma Murughappun Priyanka Venkataramani Roshan Siddharth Elumalai V John Elumalai VPaul Sadakshi Kalyanraman Karthik Keramalu Akila Sridhar Aishwarya Kanchi Sadakshi Aishwarya Kanchi Aarathi ArunKalyanaraman Veejay Sai Silambarasan Silambarasan Tanzeel Saiyed Arun Krishnamurthy John S S Paul Aarathi Arun Padma Murugahappun Pavithra Babu Akshay Ramesh Aarti Aney Aasha Sriram Vilani Senthamil

DESIGNER DESIGNER DESIGNERS

FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

John PaulPaul S S John

Aarathi Arun Pavithra Babu Aarti Aney

SS TT RR AA TT EE GG YY

&& DD EE SS I I GG NN

Padma Murugahappun Akshay Ramesh Aasha Sriram

Vilani Senthamil

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CONTENTS ISSUE-11

22 COVER 22

Kapil Dev - The True Spirit of Cricket

06 THINK 06 12

CREATE 14 32 38

People’s Participation - Key to Conservation in Chennai’s Waters Find Self, Look in Others

The Flute Guy A Cultural Conundrum The Ordinary Series

LIVE 18 44

#WHATSBREWING Phoenix from the Ashes

United by Biriyani Travel Diaries - Live, Learn and Rejoice

THINKLIVE CREATE FROM THE ARCHIVES WHATS BREWING

65 61

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JANUARY 2018

BREW BREW LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLEAUGUST JULY 2017 2017

THINK

REFLECTIONS

People’s Participation Key to Conservation in Chennai’s

Water

BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

Arun Krishnamurthy (Founder, EFI)

The origin and disintegration of any civilization has been determined by water. Chennai is a fine example to it in the modern age. A city of 3 rivers, 300+ lakes, a large marshland and a fine coastline, that which technically has in it to be the water capital of the world shuttles between flooding, inundation and drought year after year. The fact that Chennai got submerged in once in a hundred year rainfall in 2015 to ended up being bone dry in 2017 with once in a 140 year drought is mysterious to many. Conveniently blame it on Climate Change and ignore the fact that unplanned urban greed has landed us in this mess. Chennai, a city whose boundaries go beyond the administrative demarcations is anybodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s land of opportunities, exploitation and sufferings. Settling for mediocrity is an accepted social norm.

BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

The large water bodies established in the past are a testament to the fact that natives of this land understood their water and managed it efficiently. That they did not require deep plunging bore wells and high powering motors to pump it out, shows how surface water was well managed and conserved. Mechanical efforts to draw water from the dug wells ensured one realized the importance of every drop. The decentralized community based management of water ensured that people were responsible for their own water. The emotional connect with water bodies from worshipping it to celebrating it was key to making life revolve around these habitats that housed several other life forms too. Utilization value of a water body was high as its multiple purposes ranging from providing drinking water, feeding the crops & fields, transportation, recreation and most definitely the social binding. Modern day neglect of fresh water bodies has denied us of all the above-mentioned and the saddest truth is that most of us do not realize of what we are being denied.

Modern urban conglomerates have become dens of survival not neighborhoods where one lives. Our air, water, noise levels can be at any unhealthy parameter and it still does not bother us. Water at the end of an open tap has made lives simpler yet complicated. We do not understand where our water comes from and where are water goes to. We indiscriminately use freshwater for flushing down toilets, washing cars and at one point are left with no water to drink. This imbalanced situation is common to most modern Indian cities. The primary and only reason for this apathy is lack of peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation in knowing their water. We look to a provider for water and not to the planet. The provider we assume is the government and when they fail we look to a private mafia that is selling to us what basically is our right. Right to clean drinking water is not a choice.

BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

Emotional interaction with water was an interwoven practice in this culture; however, over the years our ambitious stride towards growth has partially blinded us to certain basic fundamentals. Large-scale migration to urban pockets translates into more demand than what is available. Citizens move into Chennai from Deep South or from anywhere in India and their attempts to know their new home city is minimal. They physically work in Chennai and are still emotionally living in their hometowns. This makes it hard to drive the message of water conservation to all citizens and evoke their participation. Chennai eventually becomes the place where one has come to take from and not to give in return. Chennaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water bodies are its identities; there is an urgent need for a concentrated effort to sensitize the residents of Chennai on the same. There definitely is a large social interest when it comes to natural habitats, however, that is yet to be rightly tapped into. If people know of the Madambakkam Lake, which is 200 acres plus in size and if they understand its importance as a storage unit for South Chennai they definitely would not pollute it. If the Keezhkattalai Lake and its birds were rightly publicized, there would be more conservationists than abusers of the lake. The Vilinjiambakkam Lake in the Northwestern suburb of Pattabiram if were to be spoken about as a critical habitat; construction debris will not get dumped into as it is today. The fine range of waterways crisscrossing the city such as the Mambalam Channel, Buckingham Canal and others need to be positively publicized as water drain structures. This will help revive them effectively, break the stigma that these are sewer lines and are off limits for the public.

BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

The native resident, incoming guest to the new inhabitant all need to be told about Chennaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water bodies. An effective public outreach that makes Chennai known for its water is the need of the hour. Without reaching every citizen and making him/her care, any effort to revive our water bodies will not be complete. We cannot continue to abuse our lake, ponds and rivers by either directly/indirectly dumping our trash, debris and sewage. The centralized and departmentalized approach to managing water bodies has to change. People need to be given charge of water bodies in their neighborhood with regulatory watchdogs from the government. Science, logic and futuristic value systems have to be prioritized over greed, politics and blunt sycophancy. The impact of surface water, ground water contamination needs to be effectively communicated. The dependent population needs to wake up to the fact that water pollution affects health. A flood or a drought isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t normalcy, those are calamities. An emotional reaction at times of distress is not going to help us any further. Proactive, collaborative, time bound, science-based approach to conserving our freshwater bodies is the way forward. From the student to the senior citizen every body has to participate. Money is the last requirement; social will to change is the most needed. The consumer in us needs to shut down; the human being in us needs to bounce back. If we wish to continue to walk on the face of the planet, we need to act now. By only criticizing, questioning and passing the buck we have created this mess. By participating and working together we can aim to conserve our water better. A lifestyle connected and concerned about the planet is no choice or compulsion, it is common sense.

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AD 31 LIFESTYLE 31 BREW - JULY 2019

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JANUARY 2018

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Look in Others

THINK

REFLECTIONS

Find self,

Akila Sridhar

“Look around you, how many people you think are settling? Probably a lot. People settle into okay jobs, okay relationships, okay houses and okay friends. Why? Cause ‘okay’ is comfortable. It pays the bills and keeps a roof over the head. Some people are fine with the ‘okay’ and guess what? That’s okay. But ‘okay’ isn’t thrilling. It isn’t passion, it isn’t life changing or memorable. It’s safe and cliche. Okay isn’t the reason you’d risk everything you’ve gotten for even the smallest chance that you might actually live. Something amazing might actually come out of it.” - Source- Internet

Photo Credits- Sriram Sabhapathy BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

Photo Credits- Sriram Sabhapathy

Who are we in this? Who are they? Thrill seekers or happiness dealers? Couch lovers or mountaineers? Sane or insane? Easily content or dreamers? We’re all tourists here on Mother Earth, living on borrowed time and breathing priced air. We share what’s left of the food and fight for the soil underneath. In simple, we’re temporarily inhabiting a place, we call ours. Tourists are those who are indigenous to another region but are temporarily visiting the newer abodes - every one is a tourist in a way- to this land or world. We are all travellers however one is a tourist when he travels for the purpose of venturing the town and acquainting himself with the locals. One is not just a tourist if he’s from the outside looking to taste the local lifestyle but is also a tourist when he lives there but is unaware of the happenings around him - is alien among his own kin, to his own tradition, culture , people and is looking to know them on a top view basis.Tourists usually adorn clothes they preferably wouldn’t choose in their home town either because they’re know back there or because they know a lot of people there. They can’t change their skin or their core. Either ways there are known and set inside a said boundary which is often erased in the places they visit. They can be any one they like, they can change their characters like clothes. They can be a new person every day. They can live a million times in the New city. This is why we often relate to travellers as free souls. Carefree and without weights of responsibilities on their shoulders. Traveling symbolises freedom to many. It symbolises the journey to find self and learn bravery. It is a lesson for the mind and a teacher for the soul. It symbolises openings and beginnings. It is seen as a gateway to a garden of love and untamed joy. It symbolises opportunities and literally, a breath of fresh air. There is a popular saying, ‘had traveling been free, you’d not see me again’. Why do you think that gained any momentous? Popularity? Or even any audience? Simple- it symbolised change. Symbolised relief and stress management. It symbolised whatever one perceived to find. Perception. More often than not, we all would agree to that statement. All of us look for a way out of our problems at least on a temporary basis. At times all you’d want to do is to be someone else and just laugh. Just let go. Just enjoy. Just breathe. For a while, until we really have to face reality and we can’t run farther away. Just be. Frequent travellers are also referred by the millennial as ‘hippies’ - one of the several terms to describe and envy people who move around. They are similar to the ‘nomad clan’ who travel in packs and groups. They visit and adapt to the local lifestyle, far too frequently. They choose a place close to source of water and opportunities to earn.v Once they settle in, they crave for more and travel again. Earlier they used to carve in such scenarios, now they feed into the wishes and create. Today, they are seen as the people who are in constant search of entertainment and challenges-something I’m sure ain’t constrained only to recent times. But what today’s generation must learn apart from traveling is that, one must not have the fear of destination. One must not always keep jumping hoping to find a better destination to settle. Yes, it is important to see it through to our full potential, but one must also answer- at what cost? It needn’t be money but relationships and people too. If you seek for happiness always in your next stop, you shall never find true happiness. One must learn to seek it from within and learn to be happy irrespective of where they are, which stage they are in and who they’re with. Always ask yourself- At what cost? BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

CREATE

SCLAES, NOTES AND BEYOND

THE FLUTE GUY Padma Murughappun “When I was 5 years old, my father handed me my first flute. It was in pitch G, I remember. It’s so small when I look at it now but when I held it the first time it felt huge. He told me how to hold the flute and asked me to play the first note – ‘Sa’. I blew and the note came. The fact that I was able to make the sound felt like a sign to my father. He thought I was a natural and I should carry on with playing the flute.”

BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

PALLAVI – THE BEGINNING Blessed with the ability to make music with his breathe, Praveen Prathapan is a British Indian flute protégé. Born to a Sri Lankan father and an Indian mother, Praveen was raised in the UK by a family of Bharatanatyam dancers. He was introduced to the music instrument by his father, has received training and advanced in it from the late Dr. N. Ramani, and has now spent over 18 years working extensively in so many genres including Blues, Bollywood, Carnatic, Hindustani, Indie, Jazz, pop, Qawalli, Tamil cinema and western classical music. “I was born in Sydney, Australia but I moved to London when I was very young. I got to know the Indian Classical Music scene in London very well and I got to perform in really cool places. I focused on Carnatic music, classical music throughout my entire career until I started University.”

ANU PALLAVI – THE FUSION PROJECT Having a panache for the classical arts since a very young age, one would be surprised to know that Praveen has a Master’s degree in Biochemistry from Oxford University. However, it never stopped him from keeping in touch with his artistic side. “I, along with my friends from university, started a band called ‘The Fusion Project’ and it still runs right now. The band fuses pop music, jazz music and Indian music together. We put out a few songs and that got me into the fusion world. It taught me a lot about how to work with other artists and genres.” The Fusion Project was doing such good shows and videos that they were picked up by Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan to be his official band. “We performed with him on tour in the UK, Malta and Switzerland multiple times. We were very close with him. We have performed alongside Ustad in songs like ‘Afreen’ and ‘Oh Rey Piya’. My style is inherently Carnatic and performing with a Qawalli singer is such a new experience and a blessing. I never thought that my Carnatic music will take me to such a place.” This was just the beginning. Praveen’s band were picked up by music producer Naughty Boy while they were at a performance with Ustad at Hotel Dorchester in London, “This is a man who has worked with Beyoncé. After we performed he came right up to me and said “Hi! You played with a lot of soul, I’m a producer and you should definitely come down to my studio sometime.” Performing with Naughty Boy has opened up many doors for Praveen as a flutist. As of 2018, Praveen has delivered hundreds of performances in multiple countries at prestigious venues including The Times Square, the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and the Buckingham Palace.

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CHARANAM – RISING SOCIAL MEDIA STAR Praveen Prathapan’s magical music is now available worldwide, literally. Thanks to the internet, his tantalising flute renditions of pop songs, classic compositions as well as his own improvisations of raagas are easily accessible anytime now. Praveen got to fame on the internet with his collaboration with the well-known YouTuber Mahesh Raghavan. “In my final year of college, I approached Mahesh and I showed him some of our work from our band and just like that ‘Despacito’ happened.”The Indian classical version of the famous Spanish pop song now has 6.5 Million views on YouTube. After the success of the collaboration, Praveen ventured out into social media under the stage name “The Flute Guy” and was an instant hit. “The whole time I just made music videos and now I decided to make different kind of videos. I made Acapella videos. People started liking them, so I started singing as well and did‘Konnakol’. I did as many different types of things as possible. I started a hashtag - #MusicMonday - where every Monday I upload something musical. Recently, I also joined the hashtag #TakadimiTuesdays. All of this happened within a span of a year since after ‘Despacito’ released.” Praveen graduated first class in Biochemistry from Oxford. He had a brief stint with Harvard University in Boston as well as at the NASA Research Centre in California. But music spoke to him louder, he realised it was his calling at a very young age. “I know it is quite cliché when people say this but music has helped me grow as a person. Through music, I’ve been able to meet incredible people. The thing I love most about music is just that. It’s allowed me to travel, explore new industries as well.” “Music is an escape from reality. And defnitely the best way that I have developed as a person. It’s been a teacher, music has taught me a lot.” More on his love for flute and what he loves the most about it: “In Carnatic music we’ve always been taught that the closer you are to reproducing a human voice the better you are as an instrumentalist. And I truly believe that the flute is the closest instrument in achieving that aim. When you hear the flute, you could hear it sing than any other instrument because you’ll utilise your breath. It’s a privilege to play such an old instrument. This is what inspired me to play - knowing that I’m trying to play the highest quality in Carnatic music. For my pop covers, like in Despacito, I could play Justin Bieber’s line and I think what inspires me - is how close it is to the human voice.”

Photo credits-Jananie Baskaran of 3D Media

GETTING CANDID: a.Can you describe yourself in three words? Persistent, risk-taker, foolish – well, I think one has to be foolish to be doing the risky job that I’m doing b.Your favourite raga – Sarasangi c.Your favourite Classical song ever composed – ChinnanchiruKiliye d.Your favourite Carnatic composer – Swadithirunal Maharaja e.Favourite Contemporary Carnatic singer – SemmangundiShrinivasaIyer – I listen to him everyday f.Favourite rendition of pop song in flute – Despacito g.Carnatic contemporary you’d like to collaborate with – Ganesh Kumaresh the Violin Duo Photo credits-Jananie Baskaran of 3D Media

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the_flute_guy/?hl=en YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsLecdrMpEhpF1snsEQ896w BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/praveenthefluteguy/ Website - https://www.praveenthefluteguy.com/ 17

LIVE

YOURS, PALATABLY

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UNITED BY

BIRIYANI

More than just a Sunday afternoon delicacy

Roshan Siddharth

Two years ago the nation was sent into a deep state of shock. The government has decided to announce the national dish and everyone just had one name on their mind. But to the nation, especially the youth, the final winner of the race to the national dish was shockingly disappointing. The committee decided to go with, keeping in mind that we are a nation with a good number of vegetarians, Khichdi. And everyone lost their minds. (Well, because its khichdi something that is detested universally across states, languages and ethnicities.) And partly we are responsible too for this decision. The dish that is loved, and relished, according to us is not allowed to have a vegetarian version. Rather, we claim onus that the vegetarian version (groans) doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t count as a cousin of our favorite. The savior of our stomachs we are talking of here is, (the mighty â&#x20AC;&#x201C; consider adding this?) biriyani.

BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

To any person born in a middle-class Indian family, atleast here in the south, Sunday was biriyani day. It began with waking up a little earlier than usual, accompanying mom or dad to the meat shop, asking the butcher to not sever the leg pieces of chicken, buying all the necessary spices and veggies and going back home. The aroma of mom preparing the dish would waltz around our nostrils, as our minds thought only of gorging down on the dish and (hunger arrives even before the clock strikes noon – consider changing to this?) we became hungry even before the clock struck 12. And then there is Eid, when even the staunchest of vegetarians secretly wish their Bhai will send them a small portion of their Ammi’s biriyani. This is what biriyani is to the nation. It’s just baffling that a dish could be so heavenly, so delicious that it has, almost, the entire nation rooting for it to be the National Dish. One can only wonder where it began. It’s very easy to trace it back to the Mughals and the Princes of Persia who bought it to India during their reign and so on and so forth. But Biriyani is much more interesting than a dish that Akbar ate while listening to shayaris. Biriyani can be traced back to Persia before the Mughalai era (as Berian – consider removing? Continuity remains either way).

Berianhad humble beginnings in the camps of soldiers as a hotchpotch of rice, spices and meat cooked in one pot to make a sumptuous and healthy meal. Later this transformed into art by marinating and cooking meat slowing with spices in to a simmered curry served with rice. From there it reached the Mughal kitchens of Delhi and trickled down to the sultanates across India. And as the trade of spices, vegetables and condiments intensified, Biriyani began to take new forms depending on who used what and served it how. And it continues to do so. India alone is home to over 15 variants of Biriyani. Across the country and owing to aregion’s food habits, each Biriyani has its own unique taste and blend. And we aren’t to forget the countless variations of mothers who make some lip smacking Biriyanis with their own twist. But the famous ones are a must, like a bucket list item, to taste before one dies. And mind you, it’s highly possible that in this journey you undertake, you would realize that India, is truly united by Biriyani. Just like the directional zones in India, there are also Biriyani Zones: North, South, West and East. And each zone has multiple variants of this great dish, each with its own combination of accompaniments. And let nothing stop you from picturing the delish.

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Zone North : At the hinterland of the original Biriyani kitchens we have about 5 variants of biriyani that is a true foodie’s delight. They are Mughlai, Delhi, Lucknowi, Bohri and Achaari. Although each have their own variant, their method of preparation and serving is quite similar. Flavoured basmati rice with a mix of marinated meat curry slow cooked with a dum. The difference lies in the flavoring of the rice and the meats. The most popular amongst these is said to be the Lucknowi biriyani with the side of soft and well prepared kebabs and creamy raita.

Zone East: The eastern zone would consist of the infamous Kolkata biriyani, and the evergreen biriyani variants of Hyderabad. Kolkata biriyani is controversial because the Bengalis love potato, and hence their biriyani has potato. Not everyone may digest that, but the biriyani is a feast with its flavors of spice and rose water. The Hyderabad biriyani is a complete contrast to the others and the people there: its nowhere close to chill. But it’s an absolute riot and a must have. There are plenty versions, but Hyderabadi is synonym to dum. Another biriyani in Hyderabad is the Kalyani Biriyani which also has a royal descent and is made by cooking the gravy and the rice separately and then mixed for the dum.

Zone South: Closer home has the highest variants of biriyani that are contrasting to their Nawabi and Mughal roots, although they were crown dishes. In Tamil Nadu we have the Ambur, Dindigul, Chettinad and Rawther Biriyanis. All are cooked with ashort grain - theSeeraga Samba rice - that is lighter than andas flavorful as rice itself. While the Dindigul and Chettinad biriyanis are made with a more peppery spice mix, the Ambur Biriyani is made with a curd gravy base. The Rawther biriyani by contrast uses a combination of flavours like tomato and mint and is cooked like a one pot dish and is very popular in areas like Coimbatore, Palakkad and Munnar.

Zone West:

available in Gods own country - cashews, raisins, vegetables and is served with Khyma or Jeerakasala rice with reduced use of chilli. The dum is made with maida dough to shut the pot while cooking. The Navayathi and Goan biriyanis are children of the Thalasseri biriyani but different wherein the Navayathi biriyani is used with an onion and green chilli base without oil and the Goan biriyani will hold traces of the Vindaloo like gravy base. The Memoni and Sindhi biriyanis are sisters of a sort where they use a lot of ghee, spices and fragrant rice but the former is cooked with much less tomatoes, onions and has potatoes. It is impossible for a person to have all these varieties without one’s mouth, watering or feeling hungry by just the thought of it. But one thing is for sure - wherever you go in India and whatever may separate you from one and another, you have one word: biriyani. IF you are in a strange place where you don’t know where to go and what to eat, just say biriyani and you’ll never be hungry again. So sit back, chose your favorite version, make it if you can, or order from the best. Think of it, wait for it. And remember the leg piece is mine if you are ordering chicken!

Western biriyanis would include the Thalasseri, Goan, Navayathi, Memoni and Sindhi versions of the Biriyani. The Thalasseri Biriyani is the mother of most variants in the west of India. Prepared by the Moplah community, it takes in all the inspiration from the spices

BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

COVER

Kapil Dev

The True Spirit of Cricket Akila sridhar

A pioneer of his way, Kapil Dev RamlalNikhanj, born in January 1959 is an Indian cricketer and the greatest pace bowler in the history of Indian cricket. Kapil Dev is a name synonymous with Indian cricket. It was under Kapil that India took that huge step towards becoming a cricketing powerhouse by winning the 1983 World Cup, beating the odds against the mighty West Indies in the finals. Dev made his debut in first-class cricket playing for his state, Haryana. He joined the Indian national team for a 1978â&#x20AC;&#x201C;79 Test series against Pakistan. He ended his Test career with a record 434 wickets in 131 Test matches (a record that was broken in 2000 by Jamaicaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Courtney Walsh), including 23 five-wicket matches. In one-day internationals, he took 253 wickets over 225 games. For a generation which was fortunate to watch live coverage of cricket matches, Kapil was a match-winner, an all-rounder who strove to be in the thick of action, an icon who complemented the batting exploits of Sunil Gavaskar.

BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

His contribution to cricket is immense and unforgettable. It was a journey he took the entire country on and shared his victory with one and all. Hailing from a small town, he never forgot his roots and always held it with special regards. He doesn’t like to be contained within the label of “Dilliwala”. He repeatedly talks about how he has always been a proud Indian, as we all should be and loves every city, state and town. His high spirits being contagious, one cannot hold back but notice his patriotism and the pride with which he holds the sport. He charmingly corrects us that cricket in India, is not merely contained within the boundaries of a sport but is more of an emotion, a household spirit, a habit, pride of the country and love of the people. We might have not been the ones to invent the sport but we do play an important role in keeping its eternal flame upright. His smile never runs off from his face while he recollects fond memories from the field and with his family in action. Kapil is assisted at work by wife Romi, who says he’s as down to earth today as he was almost 40 years ago, when she met him. “He is a lovable father (to Amiya), a wonderful husband, and a reliable friend. He loves his cricket, his family, and his golf. If he has a crowded schedule for the day, his golf with friends will happen at 5 in the morning,” she says.

Excerpts from an exclusive interview: What were your qualities when you were a young boy? I, a shy boy, had no goals but only wanted to keep playing. I chose sports over studies. Chose Cricket over football since the latter would end rather quickly than the former. In my defence, I was a child. But I saw the stars align in my favour for I was led towards bowling. Events just fell in place and in less than one-year I was picked to play in the senior team in Delhi. The journey towards becoming one of the country’s fastest bowler, started there. There was always struggle but I always believed that when there is talent, there will be an opportunity knocking your door and it is up to you to optimise and utilise such instances. If you stand under a mountain and look up, you will get a bad pain in the neck. If you look at the ground and take one step, and then another step, then you come to a little bump. You think of how to climb over it; then you find a gap and you jump over it and you go on like that, one step at a time, and suddenly, you find yourself standing on top of the mountain. One of such memories I recollect from those days is, how I ran away from my first ever interview- in English. Being an introvert and learning the ropes, at that age, I would do anything but sit through an interview. As a child, once I excused myself and never got back to the arena. Little did I know, that fate would take me through thousands of talks, interviews and meets over the years.

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Can you tell us about any particular moment you had a lesson learnt? I remember this one time, when I was a young-captain and we were playing Barbodos. Balwinder Singh Sandhu and I had bowled. After the fast bowlers had their turn, I brought in Ravi Shashtri. By then 20-30 overs were done when Venkat walked up to me and in a stern voice asked about his turn to bowl. I was in awe yet mildly leaning towards intimated, and I would never forget that moment, for I was a junior, although captain, but he was a senior player in all ranks while certain epiphany hit me. At that moment, I knew I was being tested and I must be careful to not be seen as arrogant or ignorant. I shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let the position get to my head whilst I needed to make my stance clear and carry on the task required to lead the team with a sense of responsibility. I learnt humility and I learnt boundaries, in its real sense, no pun-intended. I knew that a wrong word at that moment would lead me to trouble and certain deliveries had to be made with caution.

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What has been your take away from the victorious world-cup journey? What was on your mind then? I have told this in several interviews, that there is no joy I can compare with the joy I felt winning that cup. It was so intense and so pure- the pride and sense of bringing home victory, to our country, our sport, our people and a boost of accomplishment for ourselves. We wanted to return and re-do, re-live the entire journey throughout our careers. It was a fight for the cup, for our lives and for what we love. We will always cherish every sweat broken on those grounds and every sacrifice that made us worthy.The joy of winning the World Cup cannot be compared with any amount of money.I feel that, if you want to do something, achieve something, you can’t be thinking all the time of what you don’t have, but learn to cope with what is being dealt with. A true winner is one, who makes his own road to success with whatever is at his disposal and not one who waits around for more comfortable routes. Whatever needs to be done, has to be done in order to reap the benefits from it. There can be no scope for regrets or for better efforts. We were ready for any result as long as everyone put in their best, their 100% and kept up the spirit of the game.I don’t look into negative things. Go past mistakes and look forward. That day, as players representing the nation, we had one chance to prove ourselves and bring back glory. What are the life lessons you would want to share? There is a small difference between need and greed- they take you to different places. I have always tried to learn that in life. I once heard that if I really wanted to learn then I must keep my eyes and ears open even while sleeping. That spoke a lot on determination and dedication. I have carried that life lesson with me since then. It spoke volumes on clarity in thought and to give whatever is needed to, for achieving the end goal- success. According to me, there is no end point to success and no full stop when it comes down to it- there is only a comma, for there is always something to be achieved at the next stop. Success will always happen but it is up to you from where you’d rather learn. As long as you want to learn and are ready to absorb. It is about our attitude and approach- that differentiates the places you will reach and the scales you’ll scope. “Spirituality lies in what you do and how you do it and not what result you get.”

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The Comedian

who is bigger than

stars Roshan Siddharth

Everyone knows who the Superstar of Indian Cinema is without a doubt. I bet his iconic dialogues and signature mannerisms flashed before your eyes as you read that line. This could be defined as a charm beyond comprehension. Closer home, we have Thalapathy Vijay, Thala Ajith, Chiyaan Vikram and numerous other actors with such precursors. But the thing, about all of them, is that they all have critiques as much as they do fanatics. You have seen scores of Superstar Vs Bhai, Thala Vs Thalapathy wars online that has even bordered on mob violence offline. Despite this a storm from the south of Tamil Nadu has swept and united the state, and the globe with just him being alive on screen. And he is none other than -Vaigai Puyal Vadivelu.

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It maybe baffling as to why is there so much huff and puff about a comedian. And rightly so, because this man is no Buster Keaton who was a cinematic genius or Charlie Chaplin who had the audacity to haunt the most powerful and feared person on earth by mocking him. No, the puyal is not Chuck or Buster. But he is an important part of every Tamil speaking household across the world because he makes them laugh. And more importantly, gives them a wide vocabulary to address tough situations mildly,make a sacrosanct curse and just take life as it comes. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe me, just think of how many words, sentences and metaphors you use in office or elsewhere that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a line from one of his scenes or memes.

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However, this man’s journey into our homes and laughs wasn’t easy. It’s almost mildly shocking to note that this monster of a celebrity had his beginnings in humbling roles that supported veterans in the likes of Goundamani and Senthil in films like ‘ChinnaGounder’ or ‘Ilavarasan’. Take ‘Singaravelan’ for example, this man and his Mohawk was the butt of all jokes in the film and a strategic sidekick to make everyone else seem more intelligent or get beaten. And like all other occasions tides did change for him with ‘ThevarMagan’, where he played an important role of character and merit to the story. But yet people couldn’t see him becoming big or contributing to the economics of the films. Thankfully, growth for the better happened with ‘Kaadhalan’. Oh come one don’t tell me your belly didn’t ache at the scrawny figure that flew around the film with ease. Or the little code words that he used with Prabhu Deva. It wasn’t until ‘Friends’ and ‘Winner’ at the turn of the millennium that this man’s magic saw its turn. The characters that came after stand distinctly apart from the comic tropes played by so many actors over the years. His arc as a comic actor, a star and a great business tool grew exponentially over the years. It reached a cult status wherein the introductory scenes of Vadivelu would receive thunderous applause and laughter in theaters and in homes likewise. This man became the inevitable go to comic that outshone anyone that came in his way. Even veterans like Vivek and ChinniJayanth couldn’t keep up and stars like Rajnikanth rode on the glory that this mans’ presence bought to their films. With Vadivelu,it wasn’t just about comic sequences that played along as relief in a masala drama caper. In most movies he was part of the story, a character that brought meat and value to the script in a season where films and cinema was all about mad heroism and brainless action sequences. In fact, Vadivelu was not just a relief, he was the lifeline in an era of films that were losing the blood in them. You can count the number of movies wherein you know the name of the character but not the name of the movie or its plot. Infact people deliver lines from comic sequences verbatim, but don’t bother giving a second look to the film or its plot. Amidst all this, the great comic faded into an abyss due to his own misgivings which is quite common in the life of a star. The price they pay for it is that they get replaced. But it wasn’t so in the case of this man. When this man weaned away in a new era of Tamil cinema, there was no replacement for him as a comic or an actor. Most importantly, nobody could replace him in the hearts of the people. Many actors have risen up as comics only to earn the ire of audiences with repeated, crass and dull sequences in the name of comedy. Some comics have even become leads of movies but neverwith much fanfare or critical reception. With the void looming bigger, Vadivelu would have been an issue of the past. Fortunately, that is when memes happened. BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

The source for who started using Vadivelu for memes is still unknown, but boy was it a good idea! In fact nobody can say how the meme culture seeped in here. But in what seems to be an overnight miracle, every single meme inevitably ended up featuring this man’s face. There was not a single public that would go by not meme-ified by the creative brains of the web. Chennai floods, mocking a minister, responding to an actors comments – everything had Vadivelu in it. Vadivelu was featured in memes and videos that would describe the average life of the everyday man only to make it a 1000 times funnier. Even iron man wasn’t spared. This was the rage, so much so, that film makers of popular films release their own Vadivelu versions of first looks and posters before anyone else. To quote a popular director “anyway a vadivelu version will come out, so why not do it oneself and have fun in the process”. As time went by, everyone, like they did before, thought the prowess of the Vadivelu charm with memes will fade away until the summer of 2019. On a day of national importance, a small spark was set that lit a fire across the world. What was a sarcastic, stupid comment made in sheer complacency became the most trending hashtag of the day and week: #prayfronesamani. There were memes, videos, campaigns and even petitions to pray for him. It wouldn’t suffice to say that the whole world had a laugh, a good one. This obviously would not have been possible without the way Vadivelu had rendered that role. There was such efficacy and ease in the way he delivered, where all one has to do is picture him chasing his kidnappers or telling his “apprentices” there is no need to remove any nails (Aaniyaepudungavaendam) for a good laugh. He came as a mild rain and grew into a storm, a storm that we are happy is still brewing, the iconic‘Vaiagai Puyal’.

BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

CREATE

SCLAES, NOTES AND BEYOND

THE CULTURAL

CONUNDRUM Priyanka Venkataramani

You ask any white person what they associate India with and for centuries, they’ve whipped out the two big ‘C’s- Colour, and Culture. The country has been flamboyantly peacocking these very aspects as their USP, and yet why is it that an occupation that aims to uphold this culture is considered the ‘road not taken’? When every breathing individual finds solace in musicand serenity in staring at a painting, why is the arts considered a risky territory to pursue as a passion?

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Flashback to almost a decade ago, these were some of the questions buzzing through the young mind of the now celebrated mridangam prodigy and percussionist, Sumesh Narayanan. Today, henow has over 2000performances under his belt with veterans like Bombay Jayashri, the celebrated IndoSoul band, numerous carnatic concerts and even on the big screen in a Rajiv Menon masterpiece,SarvamThalamayam. However, it was not long ago that he had fallen into the rut of attaining a degree in B. Com, with his heart still yearning for a career in Music. It didn’t help matters that his college was practically a dead-end to any opportunity to express his talents through cultural events, as it was considered a deviation from the divinity of the academia. “A bunch of the most notorious of us went to the management and got it done. We said we’re not school kids anymore, I have a beard-I’m a man now, so hear us out. After much hue and cry, we finally had our own culturals, without any funding or support.”

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Photo Credits : Jananie Baskaran 3D Media GOING OFF-BEAT Upon graduation, at the end of arabbit holeof thoughts about a 9-5 job, ironically, Sumesh began freefalling into the field of music. Although a corporate placement seemed to be more promising of stability and approving nods of his well-wishers, Sumesh decided to follow the piper into music anyway. “Sure, if I’d taken that road, I might have made much more than how much I make now, but I know that I would never be able to sleep. I would have been the man with everything yet nothing at all. Music is all I know, that’s all I ever knew. I can lie to anyone in this world, but not to myself. It’s not a walk in the park, but whenever I asked myself questions- music is my passion but how did I plan on making it sustainable? Am I ready to take the leap? The answer always brought me to simply knowing that the amount of passion I had for mridangam is enough to fuel my vehicle.” FINDING THE FORTE Along with the conflicting voices in the contemplating mind, there will always be those who question the viability of an artist’s life choices. For some who are not in the industry, the sight of a musician not vigorously playing their fingers off every hour of the day is ghastly, and can come off as lethargy and defeat on the part of the musician. It’s exactly at this time that they’d chime in some unsolicited opinion on “stability” and taking up a more ‘serious job’. “I’ve had someone tell me- you have, what, ten performances a month? You have twenty days of being idle, why don’t you take up some corporate or bank job? I asked him- you have the weekends off, why don’t you use the eight days to take up a secondary job? But no matter what I tell the others, even I’ve thought about the other options especially when I’m feeling low, but the moment you have a plan B, you’ve accepted plan A is a failure.” What some people fail to understand is that on the days that musicians and artists are seemingly idle, they are reflecting on the nuances of their previous performances and frantically working towards their next one. Appreciation, admiration and the travelling are only glamorous veils to an artists’ sacrifices. Considering the pressure to outdo their previous performances, and to live worthy of their fame, stagnation is cancerous to a performer.It induces severe anxiety which often onsets depression. “There’s no ‘on’ and ‘off’ button for creativity. When I’m not feeling my best, I’m not performing my best and it shows. My dad would be the first to tell me that I played like a damp firecracker, just not up to my mark. It’s easy to see others do well and wonder if you’re not good enough. I got this mark in my eye from a nerve bursting because of the stress. I’ve had days where I had to decide between having dinner or saving money for breakfast so I have one extra day to create opportunities for myself.” BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

From struggling to make ends meet to touring the world, Sumesh has come a long way that has been both turbulent and exhilarating. Reflecting on performing abroad in comparison to performing for the home crowd, he said,“When I’m touring, I’m opening myself up to new cultures and exploring new frontiers. At home, I’m embracing and propagating my culture as an artist. For some reason I feel that when I’m performing at home, there are a lot more inhibitions than when I perform abroad. This might be because abroad, I’m a representative of the music, and for those new to it, my music would be their precedence. This is elating and pushes me to be true to my performance. At home, most of my audience are well-versed in Carnatic music, which sometimes drives me to be perfect, but other times, it’s nerve-racking. At the same time, only through criticism, an artist can grow.” Artists by theory express through their art, and for this to be honest, their emotions are often at the surface. As taxing as productively channelizing these emotions can be, the members of their family often walk on eggshells around them. On dealing with Sumesh’s off-days, his sister, Snehaasays “I miss him when he’s travelling for his concerts, especially when he’s gone months on end, and he misses out on my special moments, but I couldn’t be prouder of him. When he’s anxious, he tells me and I can’t preach to him that this is how life could be sometimes and that it could get better- he’s seen it all, so it’s in the little unsaid things like giving him a hug, or making him my murukku sandwich that I try to help.”

Photo Credits : Jananie Baskaran 3D Media BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

Photo Credits : Jananie Baskaran 3D Media HITTING THE HIGH NOTES Fortunate are those who have experienced Sumesh Narayanan live on stage with his band IndoSoul, led by Karthik Iyer. More electrifying than the atmosphere their soul-raking music creates, is the unspoken conversations Sumesh shares with his band members on stage. “Karthik Iyer asked me if we could perform at his sister’s wedding and gathered a few other instrumentalists temporarily. IndoSoul began there. Although a few band members have changed, as a band we now tour and travel together. I get high on that life, the practicing, soundchecks and performing.” 2014 hit Whiplash produced one of Sumesh’s favourite quote of all time- “Being the greatest musician of the 20th century is anybody’s idea of success.” When asked how far along the idea of success he is, Sumesh said,“To answer that, you must first understand what success is- it’s a journey. But in my perception, the answer to this could be as simple as saying that I succeeded the moment I chose to becoming a musician, to as complex as success being continuing to do anything that doesn’t go against my conscience, and still pursuing my passion. You might not have yardsticks for success because when music is your life, you surrender to it, and realise that no artist is greater than the art. You don’t question, “what is this art doing for me”, but start experimenting on what you can do with it, for it, and go where the art takes you.”

NOTE-WORTHY WISDOM For anybody looking to turn their music passion into profession, the disciplines to sustain in the field are - open mindedness and acceptance. “You can’t afford to be narrow-minded. You’re here to express and be expressed to. It is common culture to find one type of music superior to the other, but as a musician, you’re here to appreciate the depths of all the other forms. If I were to rephrase the dominant thought that ‘Carnatic music is the most beautiful and divine form of music in the world’, I’d say that Carnatic music is one of the most nuanced and accommodative because of the intricacy of it. It opens the doors to understand all the other forms of music on the far end of the spectrum in real time.” For any individual with the conviction and the raging passion, success begins the moment they decide to pursue it. “Any artist that has chosen to pursue their passion without a safety net know that you’ll be tested and held over the edge, but your passion will never let you fall, and you have to trust that.You need to believe in yourself more than anyone can, and more than you would in anyone else.”

Instagram - https://instagram.com/rudranym?igshid=1rva7trrqreu3 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/5yqkmM3Sj24YNqTtqDxkzB?si= RxTgMv_jRauwyDK629aF8Q BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/rhythmislife18

BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

LIVE

THE ORDINARY SERIES

A VOICE FOR THE YOUTH, BY THE YOUTH, OF THE YOUTH

BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

A VOICE FOR THE YOUTH, BY THE YOUTH, OF THE YOUTH Padma Murughappun

India is home to 600+ million people under the age of 25 and 70% of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population is aged below 29. And one is taken by surprise to see that the representation for this majority in the Parliament is extremely disproportionate, marginal would be a more fitting description of it. In a country where youth wings of political parties are headed by 40+ year old politicians, it is not surprising that this huge chunk of the population is conveniently overlooked. To break these stereotypes and voice out for the youth, Sudhanshu Kaushik has taken the baton leading the youth of India towards a more inclusive political scenario.

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How Does YIF Work? Creating a space for oneself in a closed and crowded realm is a task nothing short of Herculean. It requires determination and focus but most of all it needs grit and the belief in one’s own ideals. Talking more about how it all started, “There are so many transformative parts that instigated it because YIF in itself is so large. So for me to say that I started all this would be a shame to all the people that put their effort into this.” It is not an unknown fact that one can’t talk about inter-generational justice from a middle-aged point of view for the basic reason that the topic is irrelevant to that population. “Right now, if we have to bring in inter-generational justice, then we have to start the talks from the same playing field. I’m trying to do that through the Young India Foundation (YIF). It is India’s first youth rights advocacy group and youth political action committee.” Having its roots in advocacy and creating awareness about youth representation, YIF also ventured into full-fledged electoral politics recently. An interesting incident kick started the organisation’s new phase. “We started out by conducting workshops in rural and urban India to get people aware about this. One time in rural Haryana, this young person came up to me and said, ‘How can you help me if I want to run for elections.’ That’s where the idea popped up. I give credit to those people who told us their need and the need is that young people do want to participate. The existing avenues are so difficult to actually do something with because the system and the society is against them. It was at that meeting that it seemed like we could become a political action committee in the smallest way possible and give people support. From then on it’s been a journey of trials and errors, moulding and adoption.” YIF’s primary motive at the moment is to bring about young people’s representatives into politics. “Most of the young people that we’ve helped are independent candidates. We help with their campaign on a holistic level front-end, back end, nomination paper work, analysis for social media , even how they should dress. We do it all for free, we’re a 100% non-profit.” In India, there is a lot of conversation about representation for gender, caste and economic status but young people are never really a group that was given due attention. “People don’t always understand when we talk about it. But I think we’re mediating those barriers and trying to break the youth glass ceiling as you’d say”, says Sudhanshu.

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Talking further about the work they do, “Every day is an interesting experience. I think the ability of young people is phenomenal. The structure of YIF would speak loud for that remark. No one’s full time, no one’s paid and we barely cover the expenses that we get into, but its young people from a wide variety of communities coming in with the end goal of getting more young people to participate. It’s amazing how people have gathered around, people you would never expect, people that aren’t supposed to be part of the system but are trying to mark their influence. And really the idea of that I think is phenomenal. Every day we devolve the political experience as an Indian through this.” From Local Citizen to Local Representative The Young India Foundation has run several successful campaigns majority of which are focused on Panchayat and ward level representation. The candidate is chosen keeping in mind the end goal. “We have two systems - One is where people apply to us which we normally don’t end up picking. Instead, what we do is we get young people to participate and go out.” The team at YIF reaches out to such individuals and gets them to run in elections. Of course, this task involves a variety of equations given they are set in the current political scenario. “Some of it might seem regressive, but that’s the reality of politics.” One of the first few parts of the equation to be checked is how much the candidate can spend. YIF tries to keep it within the limits specified by the Election Commission of India. “We look at how big the village or how big the ward is, who else is running and such things. The number one priority will be who the candidate is. At the end of the day when we’re thinking about representation, it’s about what people think of the candidates. and thats exactly what we are concerned about as well.” Currently, the focus is more on local level leadership for a few reasons – the resources and the money involved is lesser compared to bigger areas and there wouldn’t be other bigger players involved for them to compete with. This is the case especially in Panchayat elections. Apart from such practical reasons, Sudhanshu goes on to explain why start with the local leadership, “When you think about it, everything is derived from local level leadership. Whether its things like the money off MGNREGA. The building of roads and other important things that affect our day to day life are supposed to be under the mandate of the local leakdership. And yet, we give no attention. That’s why we try to focus on bringing about independent young candidates into the local level leadership.” On Youth and Politics Speaking of electoral politics and youth representation is its own kind of responsibility and requires complete attention of the youth involved in the process. When asked if the youth of today are equipped to take this on, Sudhanshu says, “At the end of the day, I believe in representation. People told me that politics is so confusing. It’s a weird arguing course of representation. What we’re saying is that there are concerns of a majority demographic. We’re doing quite badly when it comes to applying and prescribing and giving to young people as a country. Noticing that, we have to understand that the needs aren’t being met. Who better to represent and understand the concerns and fix them other than people from that demographic. The 60 year old political stalwart doesn’t understand what it means for a young person to try to catch a bus that has a faulty public transport system, going through a messed up road that ends in front of a college and the college gates are closed because of construction taking place. These are the issues that a young person understands and can really emphasize the importance of. It’s not about the responsibility, it’s about the empathy that one can understand and not just get sympathy towards.” On a concluding note, the Indian political system needs to change itself in a way where it is more inclusive of the young people. “It has to change for not only the success of young people but also for the success of India. It’s up to the system to make sure that they participate in it, by making it more inclusive and accessible. That is the need of the moment at this point.”

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#Unfiltered 1. How do you describe yourself? Audacious, Dumb and curious. Dumb because I’m audacious to take on these things that sometimes scare people. Curious, because there is no specific in depth calling, it’s literally because I’m curious I do these things. I would also add to that - privileged - because I’ve had the ability to see what life can be on the opposite side and I want to help get there. 2. How are you feeling these days? I’m a bit tired. it can get incredibly hot while campaigning in Haryana, especially in June. 3. If you could have dinner with someone (DOA), who would it be and why? I’m going to be really stereotypical and be like Jawaharlal Nehru. I think it’s about the kind of worlds that he worked, kind of country that he matched in the world that he lived in. 4. What’s the one thing you are most grateful for? I think the opportunities that I’ve been given. And obviously that comes from my parents. So grateful for the parents that I have. So many young people have dreams. I’m one of the very lucky few that could actually chase them. I think that’s what I’m thankful for, the ability to chase my dreams. 5. What in your opinion is the biggest cliché? Instagrammers and they’re wokeness. I mean everyone wants to be woke individual. Also, being a liberal I think is a cliché and people don’t understand that. 6. What is your idea of happiness? Happiness is where hopefully in a country like India, where young people are actually able to vocalize their concerns and then chase their dreams without any systemic barriers. And hopefully, you know, I can be part of that movement that allows that.

7. What is your greatest fear? Failing. The fear of being a disappointment. 8. Do you live by a motto? I try to live by day by day. There are things that I stand for, but I do know that sometimes you have to take a U-turn. Sometimes you have to swivel to the left, to the right to get to the end goal. Can’t be too stringent on your ways. 9. What guides your everyday actions in life? I think day to day experiences you learn, and then you go on to hopefully work on those issues or change your ideals and then you learn more. 10. Why would you lie? I think at times I have to lie to make people feel more impacted and bring them across the movement because it’s like an exaggeration that you have to give to them for them to understand. Once you give that, you can get them the facts for sure. But I think if your heart’s in a good place, if you’re trying to convince someone, you need to exaggerate. I don’t even know if that’s a lie or not. I think there’s exaggeration for sure. 11. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Well, making sure that YIF is sustainable. I take pride in YIF and what we’re doing.

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Live, Learn

and Rejoice Tanzeel Saiyed

Come, walk with me through my memory palace and let us together re-live, re-learn and re-visit, times changing and unraveling mysteries called Life. The year of 2016 brought with it a mirage of emotions and changes in my life. A bad start might have hampered my hopes, however fate had a different plan for me. ‘Turn your wounds into wisdom’ said Oprah Winfrey and so I did. While I was in therapy, I discovered that to bring about a change, I may have to change my environment for a bit. Keeping that in mind, I started looking for things, or rather opportunities, that would help me accomplish that. Then, a friend suggested that I go through it and little did I know that, that decision would change everything that I thought defined me- for the better.It helped me in ways I did not phantom. Through a non-profit organization, I applied for a volunteering internship for 6 weeks in Bologna, Italy. The job entailed me working as a language assistant in a school, helping children of all ages starting from 10 to 19 to speak in English. Unlike the popular opinion, English is not the common language in European countries and people there Do need help with it- lucky for us, we are well versed in meeting demand with optimal supply. Taken by the opportunity it presented, I applied, gave all the required interviews and got in. By the end of October, I had quit my job and was all ready to embark on my new journey. I took a flight to Paris and then another connecting one to Bologna where I was greeted at the airport by the woman who I was going to be living with and her dog. She had 3 daughters who were studying in the same school I’d be teaching in. Come first day at the school, it was not what I expected. Standing there in front of 15 students, I did not handle the limelight well. Suddenly I was beginning to reconsider the whole thing. Somehow, I got through the day, rambling through my introductions, having to repeat them several times over because they couldn’t comprehend them the first time around. My first weekend took me to Milan where I was starstruck by the giant Milan Cathedral aka Duomo Di Milano right in the middle of the city. As soon as I started ascending the steps of the underground metro, the cathedral began coming into sight with each step. It was a grand, strikingly large structure standing proudly, boasting its powerful allure. The sheer largeness of it blew me away. It rained that day and I was drenched on my way back to Bologna, but it was such a great start to my time there. Every weekend, I visited two cities and discovered all they had to offer. After Milan came Rome and Pisa. In Rome, I decided to take the ‘Hop On Hop Off’ bus tours that would take me around the city , I had often dreamed of. I kept chanting the cliché lines of how I should be a Roman in Rome and that unexpectedly gave me the push I was looking for.I can genuinely tell you, that I lived- I did not merely see time fly but enjoyed every minute of every day there and made them count. I lived. My first stop was obviously the Colosseum which was all that I’ve read about and much more. It was as grand and as beautiful as it’s Google images. Walking around the whole thing took me about 45 mins, during which I saw a museum preserving a lot of rock BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

formations and documents and other things historical. Just beside the structure were the ruins of the city where ancient Romans lived. After spending the day walking around, I made it to Vatican City, for St Peter’s Basilica. And let me tell you, it is so much more than what one would have imagined- it brings life to the words on every tourism website and every wall there, tells you stories. A moment of silence and you will hear the years of life and journeys it has witnessed- it will demand the silence out of you, and I stand by this. That night, I took the bus to Pisa and spent the entire Sunday going around the city. I had lunch sitting on a river bank, in the ruins of a castle. I also went up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which legend says is tilting more and more as the years pass by. After I returned from my trip to Bologna, the rest of the week was spent deciding which destination I would cover the next weekend and also what topics I would discuss with the students at school. The next weekend took me to Venice where I saw a cruise ship up close for the first time in my life. I was on a Hop On Hop Off tour boat and we were about to reach a stop when I looked to my left and almost freaked out at the sheer size of the ship! I walked around the city aimlessly (exactly how a trip should be) going inside churches that I had marked on the map I picked up from a tourist store, went over countless bridges over small and big canals, clicked thousands of pictures and also got some of the ‘Venice water’ for my friend back home. ‘Souvenir’ said a few, ‘Memories’ said I. Verona after that was calm. With a history very similar to Rome, my first stop was the ancient amphitheatre called Verona Arena. As I walked around the small city, I saw many small cafés littering the narrow roads and churches around every corner. I also made it a point to visit a few cathedrals that I came across on the map. Visiting Juliet’s home was exhilarating. Then came the castle, the last stop on my BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

itinerary. The red-bricked Gothic structure, called Castelvecchio, stands on the bank of Adige. The week that followed was the same as before; researching about new things to talk about at school and deciding where to go next. When I visited Florence the next weekend, the weather was on my side and I could walk around without being too cold, even if it was mid-December. My first stop in the city was the Cathedral of the Santa Maria del Fiore. The majestic cathedral with the red tomb on top was certainly a sight to see. Then came the Palazzo Veccio, a 13th century palace that had courtyards to die for. As I roamed around the lush greens in the yards, I walked to the top and saw the entire city right in front of me. It was a humbling experience. The rest of the day was spent walking around the city, taking in its beauty and contrast to the city I am from. The last destination in Italy that I visited was Turin. Hearing about the Shroud of Turin and the tram system made me want to visit the place more than anything. On Monday morning of the week of Christmas, I left from Bologna for Turin. As soon as I got there, it started snowing. And because I came from India, snowfall was not something I was used to. The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist has a chamber where the shroud in which Jesus was wrapped after being taken down from the cross is kept. It’s not available to see for visitors but people come to the church and pray in front of the chamber. It’s not something you see and leave unaffected. Schools had gone on vacation and as my six weeks were up- I had 5 days to cover 5 cities around Europe and this was just the tip of the iceberg. First one was Turin. But, now that I had rambled on for quite a long time, let’s pick this up in the next issue of Brew, shall we? “Nothing ever becomes real ‘til it is experienced.” John Keats

A Gynecologist scripts a thriller movie Debjeet

A doctor by profession, versatile screenwriter and co-writer of the movie Game Over, Kaavya Ramkumar has evolved as a role model moving out of the stereotype and following her passion which is story writing.Films wouldn’t have happened had Kaavya not been rebellious as a teenager. What started out as diary entries, mostly about crushes, vivid and lucid in its description, grew into a penchant for compiling short stories. Because words, she adds, were her “only escape” as a student training to be a doctor in a restrictive college atmosphere. Was dropping out not an option? “I don’t think my parents would have taken me back,” she said. It took some time for her to come to terms with it, “One day I thought I shouldn’t regret passing over the opportunity. So, I took my parents out to dinner and told them what’s happening. It was little hard for them to accept at first, but they were never the type to clip my wings,” she says.

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Her parents, Prof S Ramkumar, who is Dean, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research, and Vidyaa Ramkumar, who is chairperson of the District Local Complaints Committee, Puducherry are her cheerleaders. “My grandmother took some time to be convinced. She likes that I’m getting paid for writing,” she says, smiling. After the positive reviews the movie has received and a successful stint at the box office, Kaavya has no regrets of leaving her job after working for one and half years. Game Over is the story of an avid gamer suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who is afraid of the dark and more specifically experiences “anniversary reaction” or the anniversary effect as it is referred to in the study of psychology. Played by Taapsee Pannu (Swapna), as a wheel chair bound woman, struggling to survive an attack, the film is a subgenre of thriller and based on home invasion theory. Directed by Ashwin Saravanan, Game Over is a novel attempt to create an unprecedented aura which is generally seen in Hollywood movies only.The director meticulously uses maze arcade game Pac-man to carry forward his story. The story begins with a woman being brutally murdered and news reports showing how this is just the beginning of a serial of serial murders. We are then introduced to Swapna, an avid gamer. Her nyctophobia is first triggered by a personal tragedy that happened just a year ago, and unable to come to terms with it, she shuts herself to the world, to her parents, and stays with her caretaker, Kalamma. The only thing that keeps her going is her love for gaming, and the one thing she wants to do is beat her own score in Pac-Man. But her life changes after she finds out that the ink that was used to make the tattoo on her wrist contains a stranger girl’s ash, and that her dark past has come back to haunt her. Things only worsens when she become the target of the serial killer. In a candid chat, co-writer of movie Kaavya Ramkumar avers, “I studied in Kanyakumari district, Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Science. I practiced in St. Joseph’s of Cluny hospital. I was in Obstetrics and Gynecology. I worked as a duty doctor for one and half years. I have written around 18 short stories and mostly all stories have women lead.”The process of co-creating a thriller film can be draining and cumbersome, as Kaavya discovered during the course of it. Her stories caught Ashwin’s attention through mutual friends on Facebook and the idea to collaborate on a film unfolded. “Director Ashwin had a clear vision and he knew what he wanted and the way the scenes should come out. Who the director is, is very important because I give my heart and soul to write a scene. When it comes on screen, and if I feel that it doesn’t do justice to what I have written, I would be devastated. So I think, I’m going to be incredibly choosy on who I will work with because I want to establish a connect with the person, similar to what I have with Ashwin. They must know and be okay with the fact that I’d like to be involved in every aspect of developing the film, and that I ask a lot of questions and that can be annoying,” she laughs, concluding that there is no other way she would do it. BREW LIFESTYLE - JULY 2019

The ardent writer also shared her fond memory with actor Taapsee Pannu while making of the film.â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was there every day during shooting and after the scene was over we used to play Ludo and she (Taapsee) always used to win. It was a great way to get relief from stress after an intense scene.â&#x20AC;?About her future projects Kaavya Ramkumar says that she is in discussion with few directors but nothing has been finalized yet.

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WHATS BREWING

Phoenix from

the ashes Niranjana Krishnakumar

Zarook Shah left Madras in the 1990s and reunited with the city twenty years later after it had become Chennai. Not able to make peace with the transitions that he saw after all those years, he set out on an incredible vista to revive his favorite hangout spot as a child, the Moore Market. For everyone wondering about what this iconic place isâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; Moore Market was built in the 1900s and was tragically lost to a smoldering fire accident in 1985

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Zarook Shah is the owner of the Grand Square Mall in Velachery who has completed the construction and inaugurated the Moore Market inside the mall, which is not just a namesake of the then existed popular flea market of the city that was a go-to place for literally everything— clothes, electronics, books, artifacts,footwear, street food etc. but a thriving attempt to solidly rekindle all the nostalgia associated with the burnt building full of memories. This new store, in the middle of the city, is facing growing popularity— thanks to the great ideation and the instant appeal of its exquisite interior design built predominantly of books. From a doorway etched with books of myriad types to books hanging down from the ceiling, they exactly know how to captivate their niche audience consisting of Bibliophiles, antique and art lovers. While the mall itself aims at burgeoning as a kid-friendly space, the store fosters activities like book releases, auctions, and pen pal sessions for kids along with special movie screenings via their vintage projectors.

Moore Market is set to bring you back to the old Madras - they sell things that easily take you down your memory lane and remind you of all times idyllic. From old books, old coins, gramophones, armchairs to records, walking sticks and wall clocks, all of them together create a synergy that makes the space conducive for yearning and nostalgia. “I want this mall to be different than the other ones in the city, definitely focus on children’s needs and cultivate consistent reading habits. When I was thinking about a book-themed cafe, I wanted it to be special. It was in a really short span of time that I combined this requirement of opening a book-themed cafe with my passion towards reviving the old Moore Market and I’m glad it worked out.” says Shah. He believes that Chennai is a city full of hidden treasures and if we fail to appreciate and preserve them enough, we might end up losing them. Inaugurated by Sir George Moore, the old Moore Market was a product of Indo-Arsenic Architecture, was one of the pioneers of the modern mall culture in the city and attracted a huge number of families that sought leisure and bargained their way into an ideal weekend. Today, entertainment, especially to the kids has been taken over by smartphones and video games, whereas books lie in the corner of the house with looming neglect and disinterest. Gone are the days, where playing a small game of galli cricket, attending Book fairs, writing letters were done to spend evenings. The newly constructed Moore Mall is definitely a huge step to harvest meaningful habits in today’s generation.

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Chennai is definitely much more than just its Metropolitan features. Its colonial precincts, stately homes and blanched white forts make it a hub of religious/architectural pluralism and rich cultural lore. The ravages caused to the Moore Market due to fire did leave back a permanent mark on the livelihood of the people living in and around the railway station and as well as on people like Zarook whose childhood was comprised of regular visits to the place. Zarook Shah identifies himself as a Bibliophile and holds the books that he purchased at the Moore Market in his teens responsible for that. This, he says, is a motivation good enough to spend much of his time in building a community-based space like he did at his mall. He sounds hopeful of expanding and multiplying further branches of Moore Market at different parts of the city in the future, taking his message to a larger audience, accommodating ideas of youngsters and change makers.

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