TGS Life 15/10/2016

‘FITNESS GOES BEYOND JUST LOOKING GOOD’ PG 15

PUNE, OCT 15-21, 2016 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

A JOURNEY FROM THE SMALL TO THE BIG SCREEN PG 3

PG 14

A FESTIVE AFFAIR

OCT 15-21, 2016 PUNE

A LAVANI EDUCATION

2 PICS BY KUNAL VIJAYAKAR

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TGS LIFE

STAGE Come this weekend, the Kali Billi production house in collaboration with Natak-@Breakfast will stage Sangeet Baari, which might just change your perception about Lavani

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

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fter a decade of researching the Lavani tradition, its dancers and everything even remotely related to the folk dance form, Savitri Medhatul and Bhushan Korgavkar wanted to find a way to take their findings to a larger audience. A fi lmmaker and a writer by profession they both put their expertise to use and created not only a documentary, but also published a book titled Sangeet Baari. While this was a project in their individual capacities, the two set out to turn the book into a play with the same name, and is the fi rst under their production house Kali Billi to be staged in the city this weekend. TGS spoke to Savitri, who is the director of the play to find out what inspired them and the challenges they face.

A dancer herself, the folk dance form always caught her attention even when she was just a little girl. Constantly at the back of her mind, she decided to start researching it

to turn it into a documentary and this is where it all began. “There are a lot of misconceptions attached with the dance form today. But there is so much more to it than it just being an item song or performed to tempt the audience,” she shares. It was the innumerable stories that she heard about the performers that pushed her further to turn it into a play, she adds.

The performers in the play are all professionals who either perform Lavani on a daily basis or play at the performances.

Th is creates a huge problem when it comes to getting together for rehearsals, because the artists all have extremely erratic as well as busy schedules. “One other big challenge that we face is that of raising funds to take care of the production cost. Since the artists do not have a lot of time, we cannot run too many

shows and so can’t make it a commercial play.

Th is limits our marketing, because every day there is a new play taking stage,” she explains.

However, whenever the play has been performed, be it at the National School of Drama festival or the in the theatres in Pune, it has always been loved and appreciated.

Through dances, songs and narration, the play will not only give you more information about the dance form, but will also tell you some stories of the performers. The play is neither a musical nor a typical play and so initially, it was a challenge explaining to the producers what it was that Savitri and Gaurav were trying to achieve. The aim from this play is just one, they tell us. They only want to give the dance form its due by explaining to people its origin and journey. The play features veterans

SELFIE-INTROSPECTION

of the dance form like Shakuntala Nagarkar, who has won a Sangeet Natak award for her contribution to Lavani.

When: October 16, 9 am Where: Jyotsna Bhole Sabhagruha, Shukrawar Peth salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

Get set for a play that mirrors our need to be selfie-perfect

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

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he ‘selfie’ is this generation’s way of projecting their best individual selves. Or an outlet for blatant narcissism, depending on your personal level of cynicism. Of course, the selfie isn’t intended to refl ect reality. A thoughtprovoking new Marathi play — Selfie ruminates on just this. The play has fi ve central characters played by Sukanya Kulkarni, Rujuta Deshmukh, Poorva Gokhale, Shilpa Navalkar and Sonali Pandit. It revolves around these fi ve women who are seeking answers to questions on life, wellness and satisfaction.

The characters are a professor, a nurse, a marketing executive, a housewife and an actress. These fi ve middle-class, middleaged strangers open up to each other as they cross paths. “These fi ve women meet as strangers in a ladies waiting room at a railway station. There is a major disruption of the train service and they all vent their frustrations, and through conversations, end up revealing their problems ranging from adultery to timidity; and each one fi nds a solution after a sort of group counseling,” reveals Ajit Bhure, the director.

Vibha fi nds happiness in her husband’s desires, Swati strives for her family’s betterment, Shalmalee is an independent career-oriented women, Tanuja lives her own daily soap while Meenakshi is busy chasing an unrealistic dream. “In their quest for happiness, these women pause and take a deep look at themselves. They are all

looking for answers within themselves,” he says. The plot zooms into the inner lives of the fi ve women who are busy hiding their blemishes and fl aws. The live in a virtual world and the real hard truth has no place in their quest to being picture perfect. “Each of these ladies, strangers to each other, are running away, literally or fi guratively, from

some terrible situations in their lives. But they unexpectedly end up changing each other’s lives. They ask questions, examine motives and seek the truth,” he adds.

When: October 16 Where: Ramkrushna More Auditorium, Chinchwad zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

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ACTING LETS HIM LIVE DIFFERENT JOURNEYS Seen most recently in the much talked-about film Pink, actor Tushar Pandey speaks to TGS about why he took up the role, his future projects and why he loves being an actor

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry Consciously picking roles that challenge him, actor Tushar Pandey was most recently seen in the fi lm Pink as one of the main characters. His sole reason to take up this project — like so many others that he does — is that the character he plays had some relevance to the script, and was not written in just to contrast a more important one.

Currently working on a British project that looks at one of Shakespeare’s plays in a different light, he promises us that this role is different from any other than he has previously played. A part of theatre groups since his college days, he cannot think of another career that he would have opted for.

Apart from his British project, Tushar has three theatre productions which he is currently juggling. Constantly running from one rehearsal to another, it is the high of being on stage and doing what he loves that keeps this young man going. Ask him about his biggest challenge as an actor is and he says, “Staying true to the role that you are playing and keeping it authentic is essential, and so sometimes extremely difficult. As an actor, you cannot convey the emotions or paint the picture as close to the real one, you are probably doing something wrong.” The talented actor has also been seen in fi lms such as Phantom and Agli Baar.

A journey from the small to the big screen

Khusboo Grewal walks us through her journey from being a popular TV personality to becoming a singing sensation

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rom being a VJ on B4U to singing hits such as Pink Lips in the fi lm Hate Story 2, the multi-talented Khusboo Grewal has come a long way. It was only after she sang the scratch for Pink Lips did she actually start training to be a playback singer, and has sung quite a few numbers since.

Her journey as a singer started when she used to anchor live shows for celebrities like Mika Singh and the Meet Bros. Later, they asked her to come to their studio and sing a scratch for them which they had to submit immediately.

It was during all of this that she realised that music was actually her calling, and there was no stopping her. “My mother and sister always sang at home and were avid music lovers. I also used to sing as a child, simply cause I wanted to do what my elder sister was doing. It was, however, only limited to Karaoke Nights or singing at family gatherings. I could not believe my luck when people actually appreciated my voice as a playback singer,” she recollects. She has sung songs like Boss from the fi lm of the same name, Selfiyaan from the fi lm Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene and Girl I Need You from Baaghi, among others. Along with Bollywood, Khushboo has also worked a lot in the Punjabi fi lm industry

and tells us how the two are worlds apart, and yet similar in so many ways. While both industries have people that are supertalented and dedicated to the art, the Punjabi industry is much more laid back, she says. But she is glad to be a part of both worlds, and knows that her journey has just begun.

While she has quite a few interesting projects coming her way, the biggest challenge she feels is sustaining your market in the entertainment industry. “In today’s era where YouTube and the likes of it are the ones making the rules, with every project that you do, one has to raise the bar and excel, else you will easily be forgotten,” she says.

The entertainment industry has become supercompetitive and you must have the whole package in order to survive, she adds. Khushboo has an interesting project up her sleeve, different than what she has previously done. She has her fingers crossed for when it releases.

TGS LIFE OCT 15-21, 2016 PUNE

ENTERTAINMENT Tushar’s character Vishwajyoti in Pink was neither villainous nor heroic, and this unique quality drew him to the project. The entire cast did a lot of rehearsals before they actually began shooting, simply because of how sensitive the topic was. Having lived in Delhi most of his life, he was quite aware of the situation could relate to the script.

What helped all of them ease into their roles further were the discussions they had and how involved they were in the entire process of building their characters.

Tushar was introduced to theatre in school and really got hooked in college. He did much of his further education with the help of scholarships, which he got courtesy his acting skills. An alumnus of National School of Drama, he often visits the college even today, but as a guest lecturer.

“The fact that I get to live the journey of so many people through what I do is what keeps me motivated and in love with what I do. Every fi lm I do gives me an insight into things I probably didn’t know about before and this is just like icing on the cake,” he tells us. “The waiting period — on the fl ip side — is a big challenge. As an actor, you are either waiting to get a good script or for the shooting to start. Even when you are at work, you wait for your scene to come up,” he hands. Tushar’s dream role is to play something like the character of Edmund from King Lear. salonee.mistry @goldensparrow.com

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TGS LIFE OCT 15-21, 2016 PUNE

STAGE

By Gulal Salil @gulalsalil

Progressive rock is a genre which is alternative even by indie standards in India. Rainburn is paving the path for it to Pune

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progressive music festival which goes by the name of Progworks on Wheels is coming to the city. It is a showcase of music which enjoys a rare but growing existence in India. Rainburn from Bangalore is one of the leading carriers of this upcoming genre, and its initiator, Vats Iyengar has a really hardcore story to tell.

Vats Iyengar is the guitarist and singer and Praveen Kumar is the drummer for the band, and these two people are the only ones who have been together since the beginning.

Rainburn has seen a lot of lineup changes since it was founded, probably because of the genre which they function in. It is a largely unexplored space and Rainburn is one of the very few explorers dabbling in it. As Vats puts it, “The indie scene is any way small in India. Over that, progressive rock which even the indie janta is not very aware of makes it a tough act.”

However, this is not the strangest part in the life of the vocalist. Hailing from Delhi, Vats was a Computer applications student in Pune University who signed up for a job at a fi rm in Bangalore. Day one, and he realised that he couldn’t do that for the rest of his life, “I was like, kya, yeh hi bas? (Is this it?)” So a year later, he quit whence his family had gotten out of their financial struggles. He went to England on his work visa on money saved up from his previously high-paying job, earned whatever he could through regular wage avenues like the Subways and McDs, and played music in bands. Th is one year in England was his touchdown into a lifetime of music.

“I was doing a lot of covers but i wanted to write my own music. At some point, I decided that i wish to go Rainburn direction”, he says describing what pushed him to form his

GOING THE RAINBURN DIRECTION own band. Rainburn was thus realised in the year 2011.

However, Vats didn’t consciously go and look for members. It had its flow in which people came and left as their progressive journey moved forward. Reflecting on the genre and how he has a different take on it, he says, “For me, it is not related to sound meters and beats, it is about exploring new forms of music.”

Rainburn’s fi rst gig was a corporate event after which they started getting into competitions. However, Vats never really liked the idea of music as a competition but only did it to get the name faster out there. The band gradually got more gigs and popularity, and they hit the bigger scene after the internationally reputed Classic Rock magazine selected Canvas of Silence, which was Rainburn’s fi rst EP, in their list

of top 5 progressive albums of 2015.

What’s more is that Progworks on Wheels is in fact a brainchild of Vats Iyengar with his friends and the intent of the platform is equally remarkable. Progworks got momentous reception when it began its journey in Bangalore last year with Coshish when it was a single-day festival. Th is year, it would be winding its way through 5 cities with the same band, but with more joining them on each stop. By the next year, Vats doesn’t even want Rainburn to play in the festival. He wants more progressive outfits to come onboard and fulfi ll themselves just like he did.

When: Thursday, October 20 at 8:30 PM - 11 PM Where: Hard Rock Café East Pune gulal.salil@goldensparrow.com

EVENTS AROUND THE TOWN Da High 4th Anniversary Cookout

This Sunday The High Spirits has a staggering treat set up with Anish Sood and Lost Stories mixing up a storm with their electro-infused dance music explosion to have you on your feet and raging! Anish Sood is one of the most prolific artists to break through the Indian dance music scene. His latest single Superfly featuring Anushka Manchanda and Nanok peaked at #3 on the iTunes India chart.

Lost Stories exploded onto the scene in 2009 with their hit track False Promises released on Tiesto’s Black Hole Recordings.

From that point on, Lost Stories established themselves as one of the leading dance music artists in India.

When: October 16 When: The High Spirits, Koregaon Park

Flea Market fun Learn the art of Tie & Dye

Tie and dye is not just a fashion statement, it’s a science experiment, art project and holiday activity, everything put together in one. This weekend, Nikita and Phalguni at Imagination Roof, will teach you this gorgeous form of art where you can learn the nuances. Bandhani, Shibori and Arashi are some of the basic techniques to begin with.

Indulge in a detailed and comprehensive tie and dye workshop, where experts help you learn various tie and dye techniques. All materials will be given at the workshop.

When: October 15 Where: Imagination Roof, Bhosle Nagar

Pune’s biggest and most unique shopping festival is back with loads of fun, food, shopping and entertainment at Phoenix Marketcity Pune. Punekars can enjoy the popular ‘#FUN Flea Market’ at Phoenix that will have various stalls displaying fashion jewellery, home and festive décor items and other unique accessories.

The two-day shopping carnival is from 11 am till 10 pm and will also witness other special attractions like live bands performances, street magic and other gigs.

When: October 15 and 16 Where: Phoenix Marketcity Pune, Nagar Road

Shankar Jaikishan – Midas of Melody

Pancham Smriti in association with Hemant kumar Musical Group has organised a 4 hours musical feast accompanied by an enormous fleet of 60 renowned musicians from film industry. Seven well known male and female singers from Mumbai and Pune along with chorus will be performing under music arranger, Arvind Hasabnis and Sachin Jambhekar. Use of rare musical instruments like, Vibraphone, Accordion, Saxophone, Trumpet, Mandolin and huge string section of Violin, Viola and Cello will be the added attraction of the musical night. The show will be hosted by Sandeep Panchwatkar.

When: October 15 Where: Yashvantrao Chavan Auditorium, Kothrud

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TGS LIFE OCT 15-21, 2016

Blood Eagle Vol-2, a two-day metal fest is kicking off on Oct 15

PUNE

FEATURES

By Ekta Katti @Ektaak

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o promote the heavymetal music scene all over the country, Blood Eagle Vol2 — a two day metal fest — will kick off on October 15. Top metal bands from all over the country will provide a chance to mosh. Pune’s very own metal band Abraxas will be headlining day 1, followed by The Cosmic Truth, The Abel Projekt, Amongst Denied Adamantium, Elemental and Ragnhild. Day 2 will be led by Sceptre, followed by Sephiroth, The Black Regiment, Reverie, Last Rituals, Albatross and Dark Helm.

The Golden Sparrow caught up with Ragnhild and The Back Regiment to know more about their band and what keeps their spirit of metal alive.

THE FLAGBEARERS OF PAGAN METAL Pune’s Ragnhild takes a lot of pride in being India’s first pagan/viking metal band. Formed in 2013, Ragnhild, which also has a hint of melodic death metal, is a fivepiece outfitwith Rahul Dhake and Shardul Kadam on guitars, Rohit Jalgoankar on vocals, Dev on drums and Ajinkya Bhingardive on bass.

The band is heavily influenced by viking metal bands like Ensiferum, Amon Amarth andmelodic death metal bands like In-Flames and At the Gates.

Categorising them as a ‘viking death metal’ band, Rohit, 25, tell us the story of they came up with their first single,Viking’s Mosh. “In the early stages, Rahul and Shardul came up with the idea of composing melodic riffs with heavy rhythms on a fast tempo. After trying out a few compositions, they came up with the first song. Soon after,we realised that the first song that was composed had a good touch of pagan music to it. So it was decided to name that song Viking’s Mosh and there onward, it was decided to continue with the genre-- viking death metal,” he explains. Their first album has a battle and ancient warfare theme.

Ragnhild approaches compositionquite methodically. To give it a proper beginning, Shardul and Rahul first jam together and come up with a skeleton of a song.

“They focus on melodies first so that the intro can be up to the mark.

Then they focus on the rhythm riffs for the vocals to fit in. Once the main rhythm for the vocals are decided, they start adding fillers on the second guitar to the song.

Later, they move on to the jamming sessions with Dev on drums and Ajinkya on bass, and finalise the

KEEPING THE SPIRIT OF METAL ALIVE

song. Finally, I joinin the jam sessions on the vocals. Based on my vocal patterns, Shardul writes the lyrics of the song and I work on them accordingly. Composing a song takes two to three days at the most,”explains Rohit.

Shardul writes the lyrics for the band, focusingmostly on ancient heroes of war. For example, their song Battle on My Grave, is about William Wallace, who died in the fight of Scotland’s independence.

The lyrics aren’t meant to be historically accurate, but imagine the emotions that might have

prevailed at the time, with fictitious characters and in the band’s words.

The band is currently working on their album Tavern Tales, which is in its finishing stages. Ragnhild is all geared up for the upcoming Blood Eagle Vol-2. “We expect more people to show up this time.

But at the end of the day, all that we really expect is our fans to come for the gig and sing along with us as we play. Blood Eagle Vol-2 is a huge step for these organisers in Pune. We expect the metalheads of Pune to support these organisers as much as possible,” Rohit signed off.

‘BLOOD EAGLE VOL 2 IS THE METAL KUMBH MELA’ The Black Regiment is a five-piece new wave thrash metal band from Bengaluru. Formed in 2014, the band was kicked off by Darshan Hegde (Dandy) and Amar. They were later joined by Abhi (The Beast) on vocals, Akshun (AK) on guitars. Gopal (Gopu) and Sharath (Sherry) later took up bass and drums.

Talking about the band, Darshan said, “We write music to shout out loud our retaliation.

We strongly stand against what’s

The Black Regiment

corrupt. Our music mainly conveys standing strong against injustice, and revolting with righteousness, with brutality against brutal order on a mass level, and also reflecting the same on an individual perspective on the fights against one’s own devils. Black being a symbol of revolt, in-acceptance and regiment being the battalion. Hence the name – The Black Regiment.”

That’s a lot to consider in one sentence. Their music includes brutal neo-styled heavy riffs often blended with a melodic touch and a fast tempo, with confrontational lyrics.

Over the couple of months, Darshan has seenthe band grow exponentially. He explained, “We have come a long way. Our music is getting more mature and has improved technically. Everyone in the band strivesto develop their skills. The band has become more popular and quite known over time.

We have also understood each other in terms of playing styles and supplementing each other.”

Darshan is hopeful that the metal scene will grow in the coming days. He believes that the Indian thrash metal scene is on the rise. The band is influenced

by Indian bands like Sceptre, Kryptos, Bhayanak Maut, Inner Sanctum, The Down Troddence, Chaos, Elemental, Threinnody among others. “There’s been a drastic upsurge in the number of talented bands that’ve come up lately. It is good to see them coming up with new material and better productions. I’m optimistic that metal will grow to be a stronger brotherhood in India,” he says.

“Thesebands introduced the world to a whole new perspective. The energy and the message provoked the crap out of generations. I was fascinated by this and always wanted to put up a message: loud, heavy and clear.”

With a hectic work schedule, the band jams on weekends and on days when everyone is free. It occasionally becomes challenging for them to keep the ball rolling.

However, their shared love for metaland a whole lot of patience keeps them going.

For The Black Regiment, it’s an honour playing in the prestigious gig. “We are excited to perform at the gig. It is a privilege for us to perform along with bands like Sceptre. Gigs like these keep the metal spirit alive and reunites the brotherhood. We really need more of these gigs. It’s like metal Kumbh Mela,” says Darshan. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

OCT 15-21, 2016 PUNE

INDULGE

CHOCOLATE SCULPTOR Chef Vikas Bagul shares his culinary journey and how he uses chocolate as a medium for his art

TEJAS GAIKWAD

TGS LIFE

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

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nter the lobby of the JW Marriott and at the corner of The Pune Baking Company is a sculpture that is entirely made of chocolate. It has an elephant’s head at the bottom signifying Lord Ganesha, and a lion’s head with a chakra on the top, all a part of a temple theme. Beside them are a couple of canvases painted in chocolate. Th is is part of the ‘Chocolate on Canvas’ collection made by the celebrated pastry chef Vikas Bagul.

He brings to Pune a unique exhibit of edible chocolate on a life-size canvas.

Inspired by Indian architecture, these canvases are a reflection of some of the popular monuments across the country. “Making chocolate sculptures is a new concept in India. I have taken inspiration from various monuments; the wheel is from the Konark temple in Bhubaneshwar, the Ganesha and flowers also symbolise a temple,” he says.

He has balance the structure strategically to avoid it breaking apart suddenly. “There is no support; it is just solid chocolate. So you have to be careful about what structure is placed where,” he adds.

A gold medalist in many culinary challenges, Chef Vikas has represented the country as a coach and mentor in several international skill competitions as well. He is also the fi rst chef to have represented the country at the World Chocolate Master’s Competition for the Asia Pacific region, Taiwan in 2011. “I have been participating in the competition for the last three years and I have stood third, fourth and sixth. All the participants are given a common theme and they have to make a six foot-tall structure, bonbons, praline, entree, cake and plated desserts. The fi rst year, the theme was Cacao, then it was Inspiration from nature, and this year, it was ‘Architecture of Taste’,” he shares.

He took inspiration from the sculpture he made at the competition and gave it a twist. It took him three days to finish the artwork on display at the hotel, with all the details and giving a hint of cocoa-soluble colours.

In his long and prolific 13-year career, Chef Vikas has earned himself numerous awards and his entry into Pune certainly promises a new high for the gourmet scene.

He is intensely passionate about his craft and also believes in encouraging and mentoring young talent within the business. “Being a chocolatier, I understand the uniqueness of

SALTED CARAMEL GANACHE Ingredients Sugar 150gm Glucose 50gm Cream 200gm Milk chocolate 175gm CHEF’S Butter (soft) 50gm SECRET Salt to taste Method RECIPES • Heat cream • Caramelise sugar and Glucose • Pour the cream over the caramel • Cool the above till 70C and pour over the chocolate and blend.

• Blend soft butter at 32C. • Add salt to taste.

• Fill the ganache in pre crystalized dark chocolate mould

every chocolate. The most important thing is to understand their distinct taste and to know how to pair them with food,” he says.

After being associated with many international brands, he now wishes to create ripples in Pune with his creations, and craft some unparalleled desserts. And when he’s short of motivation, he just gets into his car.

“My mind works faster when I am driving. So whenever I have to come up with a theme for my creation, I simply get out my car and go for a long drive,” he says. zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

ORANGE COGNAC PRALINE Ingredients Cream 100gm Orange zest 1no Honey 50gm Milk chocolate 300gm Cognac 20ml Butter (soft) 20gm Method • Boil cream and orange zest ( rest for a while) • Warm the cream and honey till 70C • Pour over chocolate and add cognac (warm) • Blend soft butter at 30C • Fill the ganache in the pre crystalised milk chocolate mould.

Remember when parents used to tell us how too much cheese is bad for health? Mansi’s story will break that notion down, one piece at a time

By Gulal Salil @gulalsalil

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he cheese-making community of the world easily has the most relaxed people, from what artisan cheesemaker and founder of The Cheese Collective, Mansi Jasani tells us. The Cheese Collective is an establishment which curates cheese from artisan makers across the country and also makes its own. Mansi currently metes out to different kinds of cheese spread across her hometown and first base – Mumbai, and to a few in Pune.

After working for financial firm Edelweiss and then going into public relations, Mansi felt that her deep-rooted interest lay in the chemistry of food. She did a baking course at Dadar Catering school (currently named Institute Of Hospitality Management, Catering Technology And Applied Nutrition) but realised that she had a savoury tooth, not a sweet one.

With this realisation, Mansi went on to do an MA in Food Studies from NYU Steinhardt. Being there, she started frequenting Murray’s Cheese, which is one of New York‘s most popular cheese shops. Recalling her initiation into the art of cheesemaking, she says, “I owe them my immersive start. They are my inspiration and love.”

She volunteered and started learning about the art, and eventually signed up for a cheesemaking bootcamp at the shop. The 3-day workshop was filled with learning of how to cut, pair and age 74 different cheeses. “After those three days, everyone around me was like, ‘we can’t do this anymore’, but i was still interested in having more of it!”, she mentions, about how she became committed to being a cheesemonger. Mansi’s course of food study at NYU was all about foods in different cultures, forms and chemistries, which had always intrigued her, but she felt that her course was too focused on Western cuisine. Thus, with a backpack full of food knowledge, she flew back to India.

Slow Food is a global organization which tries to prevent the waning of local food cultures and counteract people’s dwindling interest in their food choices, due to the rising pace of life. After coming back from the US, Mansi helped set up the Slow Food Mumbai chapter as an intern at Time Out. Channeling that concern, she formed her company in 2013 to promote conscious decision-making around cheese. “In effect, making cheese is actually preserving milk”, she remarks. She describes, “Pasteurisation of milk actually kills all the good bacteria too, in the process of killing the bad ones. Now,

The collective life of cheese

making cheese from that is equally woeful.”

Mansi is ready to break the Indian notion of how cheese is ‘bad for health’ and how ‘too much of it’ can result in high cholesterol and obesity levels. She says that the cause of worry gets real only when one eats processed cheese, which is just as harmful as any other processed food. The intention behind her establishment is to mould the Indian cheese lover into a healthier consumer.

The Cheese collective currently only supplies to Chef Abhishek at Tien in Model Colony. Mansi’s first live cheese pairing venture in Pune was with Chef Gayatri Desai’s pop-up kitchen on the 1st of October, 2016. She is setting up another base this month in Lonavla to properly fulfill Pune’s needs.

Thirteen fish, lamb and chicken patty burgers. Worth checking out?

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urgers and Cafe Toons go back a long way. The pub is a perennial Pune favouritefor alcohol, food and music, and a go-to for almost everyone interested in fun-filled evening. Here’s another reason to visit: Cafe Toons has come up with a Burger festival with thirteen burgers named after classic rock tracks, with flavours from all over the globe. The burgers are the brainchildren of Chef and caterer Brij Gangaramani, a close friend of Toons owner Ramesh Khole. I checked out three burgers from the thirteen to get an overview of the festival in their trial run.

The Sandman This pulled lamb burger prepared Japanese style, punched the spot hard with its Wasabi dosage. For those like me, who like their food adventurous, the burger has more than enough flavour to keep you interested. It was a delight to be overpowered by it. However, it

could be a turnoff for those preferring subtle flavours, as the wasabi could have been more evenly applied. The beer perfectly equalises everything though, and it goes brilliantly with the teriyaki-soaked lamb.The sides offered with this dish were prawn crackers and Asian slaw.

The pieces of lamb in my serving had probably suffered the constraints of time and a heavy crowd, as they were chewy and indicated inadequate marination. On the other hand, another gentleman trying the same item passionately complimented the meat. However, all criticism could’ve been ignored if the buns were kept as is instead of being crisped. The crunchiness of the bread could’ve been done away with to give way for the taste of the lamb.

Cee Tee Cee Tee was a house special. It is a carryforward of the classic Cafe Toons house burger made of chicken steak, cheese and fried eggs served with fries, mayonnaise and slaw. This classic is an evergreen, tried and tested burger, which needn’t be reviewed. It remains the melt-in-the-mouth chicken with

OCT 15-21, 2016 PUNE

INDULGE

In the pipeline is also the idea to prepare more sophisticated cheeses such as Feta, which require ‘affinage’ or aging in temperatures and humidity levels Mumbai does not support. gulal.salil@goldensparrow.com

VISHAL KALE

Burger festival by Cafe Toons

TGS LIFE

its rich but subtle flavouring of peppers, and a cheese coating.Soul food.

The Thriller Fries? Good. Buns? Good. Tartar dip? Pretty good. Patty? Just scrumptious. The thriller was a three-pepper grilled chicken which was marinated to subtle perfection, complimented decently with sides and eaten in mouthfuls.

Amongst the three, this one would take second position after Sandman because it was new, and Cee Tee takes third because while being delicious, it is a classic from before. The Thriller was far better than the Sandman in terms of the flavours that came

together. However, what lacked was experimentation.

Regardless, it was a solid dish with brilliant taste. The peppers were lip-smackingly on point.

This kind of a burger is the ideal pairing for a good mug of beer.

The festival is worth attending with a party of 13, so that everyone can order a burger. We just sampled three, so there may be some surprises yet.

When: 14th October to 23rd October Where: Cafe Toons, MG Road

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Finders keepers O

Are all the pigeons flocks we be a part of a ten-thousand-y growing urban decay of the 2

By Gulal Salil @gulalsalil

pigeon racers

THE GAME OF LADAT

Pigeon fancying is a culture which is older than the legend of Bajirao and Mastani. It became a commoner's activity as time did away with monarchy and colonial India brought major drive for it in the by-lanes of Pune.

Termed a sport in contemporary history, pigeon fancying is not just about domesticating birds. It has two forms. One is the local sport of ladat which is Indic for battle or competition.

TAKING OFF WITH VASUBHAU

Vasubhau is a sweet character who set up his dhabal near Baba Bhide Bridge about twenty years ago. A kachchi dabeli and egg bhurji seller by occupation, he takes a break from duty at 11 AM and 4 PM to take care of his 150 birds. He has lived around pigeon tamers all his life.

It is a challenging and expensive responsibility which goes beyond admiring them. “I have to. I developed this hobby and I can’t just domesticate them and leave them on their own now. Mera bachchalog jaisa hai,” he says with deep lines on his forehead as he examines them closely.

His expenditure on his dhabal can reach about two hundred rupees a day, which is a lot for his daily earnings. His shelter is also partly dilapidated, so it has to be kept exceptionally clean at all times, as pigeon droppings are potential breeding grounds for infection.

In fact, there is a specific disease eponymously named ‘Pigeon Fancier’s lungs.’ When asked about that, Vasubhau shrugs it off, “I have been a fancier for 20 years now, nothing has happened to me. I keep my dhabal clean.”

Vasubhau treats me to chai as his friends connect me with three other fanciers. I go and meet Safa Arjun Vandre at Paud Phata with Vinayak, who is an autorickshaw driver and an ace at the matches.

The other is the global sport of racing pigeons.

The former has found a great base in Pune, while the latter is relatively new.

Ladat is about catching pigeons of other shelters while they are in fl ight. Pigeons are released twice in the day from all dhabals or pigeon shelters -- once before noon and once in the early evening. The birds are fed and they rise in fl ight as their baazigars or players whistle and hoot in birdy tones.

Sometimes, pigeons of one flock from someone’s shelter enter another flock in fl ight, which is where the game begins. The sport is to attract such lost pigeons down to land which is done by seducing them. A female pigeon is put up in the sky and hushed to fly short every time the fl ight goes overhead. It is a long drawn out game, and ladat is this activity of ‘catching’ a pigeon once it lands. The estranged pigeon doesn’t necessarily come down with the entire

n a warm summer ev of pigeons, a young b let the younger ones a waste of time. Gro the rhythmic dance o other in the bustling heart of Pune c the sky. A pigeon had gone missing Half an hour later, as the fancie cups of chai. They took out money said, pointing to a man on a terrace. missing pigeon had landed there, a His dhabal had gotten its newest, a boy, Pratap Singh Rajput, would la

fl ight, even if the flock makes a landing.

Fanciers often spend hours on winning a match by hushing the fl ight again in order to get that one pigeon down. Th is is probably why the younger lot are dissuaded from indulging in the gamble. It is addictively fi lled with excitement.

It has seen passionate battles between ageold comrades, and it has also seen bitter feuds, sometimes even leading to murders.

SAFA ARJUN VANDRE AND COMMUNITY

Vandre is a 62-year-old retired construction worker.

Located on a rock under the flyover, he has about 200 pigeons in his dhabal and they have just caught one more. Vandre started his dhabal out of cartons. Back in the 80s, a standard pigeon would cost 2 to 4 rupees at the market near Corporation. He bought around twenty of them, he fed them, trained them, played them and lost some. Then he bought some 20 more in a cycle.

Admiring his birds, he says, “On an average, pigeons live for around 11 to 12 years. The oldest one I have is now 16.”

Vandre owns the dhabal, but it is taken care of by himself, his friends and curious youngsters alike. Pigeon fancying and especially ladat is a community effort. It is a space for social gathering. Ganesh Yadav, one of Vandre’s friends says, “Rather than fooling around doing silly things to pass time, it is better to come here and spend some time with friends catching pigeons.”

see in the sky necessarily wild? Could they year old culture, seemingly hidden under the 21st century?

vening in 1985, below a sky fi lled with uncountable fl ights boy of 11 stood watching from afar. The norm was to not get intimate with the game of ladat. It was addictive, and oups of pigeon fanciers hooted and whistled in sync with of the birds as they soared the skies from one chowk to the city. The boy stared as one of the lots impatiently searched g. A racer pigeon, perhaps. ers of the flock gave up hope, a tea-seller came holding five but the vendor refused. “Unn sahab ne de diye paise”, he . Th is was enough indication that the ladat had ended. The and it was now the man’s to own. He had won the match. and rather expensive addition. It was time to go home. The ater go on to become a popular baazigar.

Around fi fteen people suddenly look up as a black shiny-feathered pigeon is caught flying with Vandre’s flock.

Vinayak loudly meeps at them after they are hushed off land, for the fourth time, in an effort to catch it. However, it is time to meet Pratap Singh Rajput.

THE ADVENTURE OF SHANTIDOOT

Shantidoot Pakshi Mitra Association is a pigeon fanciers association presided by Vilas Ladkat with over 1200 members spread across Pune. It was founded by Pratap Singh Rajput in 2013. The occupational advocate grew up in Rajendranagar watching people sporting pigeons all around him. In what seemed like natural order, he adventurously bought his fi rst pigeons in the 7th standard, but he was beaten up black and blue by his father, who felt that his child would go astray. That didn’t stop him though. Pratap once challenged a bully who threatened him by saying that he’d catch all of his pigeons. Eventually, the 13-year-old won more pigeons than he had initially lost to the bully, solely by his hand at ladat.

The same spirit remained as he grew up and formed the association.

The fi rst member was a friend who told Pratap without hesitation, “Here’s Rs 500, sign me up”, handing over the application to him. He says, “The minimum fee was 200 rupees, but it was upto the people to give how much ever they wanted to. Some gave a thousand, some didn’t give anything, but it was all okay as long as there was support, which it had.”

Pratap is a proud baazigar who also makes his own ayurvedic treatments for sick birds. He has taught his 12-year old son all about them and historical baazigars like Dattoba Mankar, Jyotiba Shendkar and so on. He tells me how the other sport, pigeon racing is a new phenomenon in Pune and I am reminded of someone Baba More told me about.

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FANCYING AT 17

Swapnil Ramchandra More is young at 26, and works as a contractor. Yet, he seems to know a lot about the history of pigeon fancying in the city. Recalling how he started his dhabal near Vasubhau’s, he says, “I was sitting in class, idly looking out the window, when i saw a pigeon land on a window pane.

Me and my friends caught it after class and mated it. We got more pigeons from the eggs and then we bought a few from the market.”

Baba More tells me about how Pune has had a history of people getting very sentimental about ladat matches. There have been times when fanciers have assaulted each other. “Khoon bhi hue hain baba”, he says in a hushed tone, remarking how the game becomes an issue of prestige for some. Some people choose to trade off pigeons against their grain bills, or deny giving them back at all once caught, while some recognize the friendliness in the game and don’t haggle.

For More, it is an established fact that he proudly claims, “If a pigeon lands on my dhabal, I don’t return it.” However, it is his demeanour otherwise that helps. His connections are many, and all share a brotherly vibe. With a captivating introduction, he urges me to meet pigeon racer legend, Bhai Purohit.

PIGEON RACING LEGEND BHAI PUROHIT

Rumour has it that once, Bhai Purohit gave a flock of racer pigeons to the Queen of England as a gift and one of them came flying all the way flying back to India to his loft. By digging into the source, I am educated otherwise.

Bhai Purohit was a pigeon fancier who passed away long ago. Two of his sons took over the property after him at Dagdusheth Chowk, and as the younger one named Hemant Purohit reached college, he started learning about pigeons. His brother and

him eventually got into the sport of racing pigeons, where the dynamics of ladat don’t apply. Pigeon racing is an international sport which has its feathers in a lot of countries, and Pune is a relatively new spot.

The sport has pigeons which fly mammoth distances. Such birds are defi ned by their greater wingspans which makes them sprinters or distance runners. While there have been instances of ladat pigeons flying from Satara to Pune in search of their home, racer pigeons are known to cover distances as long as Delhi to Chennai. Races are held every year between January and May. Hemant’s interest in the sport was

fueled by his mentor and guide, R R Prasad from Chennai, who is an internationallyacclaimed figure. Impressed by his observations, Prasad rewarded him with a few racers after which Hemant became an educated racer going beyond local knowledge. Commenting on the lack of resources in the country, Hemant tells me, “India lacks literature on pigeons still because it is an unrecognized sport here.

While it is seen as a waste of time here, governments in countries like Belgium fund it!”

The complex diet on which these birds are sustained is also a lot more regimented and the challenges are expansive.

Medicines for racers are rare in India.

Poultry medication is often altered to treat illnesses. Then there is a natural hazard as there are much more ferocious predators such as shikras, birds which specifically hunt racers in fl ight.

As a sport, pigeon fancying is a terrific activity. However, the morality of the whole idea of taming birds and keeping them caged is a matter of great debate. Hemant says, “I get where the question comes from, however, these species have gotten created by humans over thousands of years of taming them. If I leave them out in the wild, they won’t survive for more than two days. In a way, i am doing a service to the species, and to the civil community because i also control their populations in this way.”

The moral question is perhaps better left for another time. For now, it is fascinating to keep looking up as the birds fly overhead and realise that they are not necessarily, a wild coincidence.

TGS LIFE OCT 15-21, 2016 PUNE

THRILL OF DRIVING

Renault launches Duster Adventure Edition at Rs 9.64 lac Fetching cosmetic tweaks freshen the SUV just in time for the festive season Renault’s Duster lineup continues to expand with the ‘Adventure Edition’, launched recently. The cosmetic makeover starts at Rs 9.64 lac for the base 85PS version, going all the way up to Rs 13.77 lac for the 110PS model (ex-showroom, Delhi). The automated manual variant is not available but all-wheel drive is on the top-end RxZ, essential for the truly adventurous.

In the cabin, the Adventure Edition gets denim-upholstered seats and yellow accents around the AC vents, instrument cluster and steering wheel stitching. This a signature Renault colour and looks rather fetching. The roof tails are also in yellow, with a blacked-out glossy

front grille. Gun-metal coloured alloy wheels and matte cladding along the sides add to a butch stance. Colours available are Pearl White, Moonlight Silver, Slate Grey and a new Outback Bronze.

Renault also offers ‘SmartApp’ with the Adventure Edition, which allows you to set target times and speeds before a trip, and records these along the way. The app is available for Android and iPhone. The Duster Adventure Edition is available in three variants; two 85PS and one 110PS

Variant

Prices (ex-Delhi)

Adventure Edition RXE 85PS

Rs 9.64 lac

Adventure Edition RXL 85PS

Rs 10.45 lac

Adventure Edition RXZ 110PS

Rs 13.77 lac

Triumph to launch Bonneville T100 on Oct 18 Based on the Street Twin, bike brings classic styling at a lower price point than T120

By all measures, the replacements for the original “modern classic” motorcycle — Triumph’s Bonneville — are very well-executed bikes. The base Street Twin, the larger T120 and the rangetopping Thruxton R are all cracking motorcycles designed to look like your mid-century mental picture of a motorcycle, and yet engineered to be thoroughly modern. We particularly like the execution of the Street Twin, which looks like a stripped-down basic brit bike of yore, but is liquid-cooled, emissions compliant, has traction control, is torquey and fun.

What the Street Twin does lack, despite it’s period-perfect execution, is some of the regalia one is used to on the Bonneville.

The two-tone colour schemes, the spoked wheels. This is available on the T120, but that’s a significant upgrade and a different price point. Triumph is expected to correct this gap by launching the Bonneville T100 on Oct 18. Effectively a Street Twin with the aforementioned paint job and wheels, it should complete the picture of what many believe to be a proper British bike.

No word on prices, but we’d expect a bump over the base Street Twin. Triumph has also recently announced the international availability of the Street Cup cafe racer, but we are unsure if it will make it to Indian shores.

Alan Gibbons is a UK-based children and teen novelist. He believes that even children’s literature should deal with contemporary problems of the world and not be escapist

We rehearse our humanity in stories

By Gulal Salil @gulalsalil

A

lan Gibbons was not always an award winning writer. He was a teacher before he started writing for children and teens alike in his mid-thirties. Beginning from his first book in 1988, ‘Whose Side are you on?’, Alan has more than 68 titles and more than 8 awards to his name today. A few of them are co-written between his three children and him too.

The Warrington based teacher is one of the most respected children’s literature writers. He is a Carnegie Medal nominee and a Blue Peter Book Award winner 2000 for his speculative fiction Shadow of the Minotaur. Also an educational consultant and a campaigner against library closures, the 63-year old was in Pune on the 9th of October. He was invited by the British Council, Pune for a one-to-one media interview.

While the cheery faced novelist writes for a young audience, he believes that it is supremely important for kids to be aware of the harshness of contemporary issues around them. Complimenting this belief, Alan’s latest book called ‘The Trap’ is about, as he describes, “a young man from England who gets attracted to the Islamic state and goes to fight in Syria but later realises the error of his ways.”

Dwelling further on his writing, he remarks, “I am dealing with dark issues. I write for young children as well, but the stuff i write for teenagers deals with good and evil, with oppression. And I think they need to know about these issues.”

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FEATURES

Cuing from folktales from various parts of the world, he says that children ought to know about challenges they may face in life. Defining the line between naivety and innocence, he says, “If they (kids) are totally innocent, they can’t manage the very real dangers that exist in the world. This should be managed in a safe environment. A book is a safe environment.” The Hardy Boys were acknowledged as having broken racial stereotypes, but as literature, it is not relevant anymore. “The literature you have in the 1950s was much safer than it is now”, he observes as to how teenage literature is still a new phenomenon.

“We rehearse our humanity in stories”, the fiction author says as he iterates on how fiction is as real as it can get. The presence of universal themes in fiction is what makes people go back to it time and again. It helps them relate with the real world.

Alan Gibbons has heavily campaigned against library closures in the UK and he fiercely opposes standardised examinations. He organised an Open Letter in December 2010 on library closures, with an abundant 1100 signatures which included many wellknown figures like Philip Pullman, Kate Mosse, Lee Child. He also organised the Authors against SATs campaign in 2010 to oppose SAT examinations which they believe, dampen children’s creative power.

Being an ardent nonfiction reader himself, his advice for readers is, “I don’t like reading lists or canons of literature, because every child is different.

But say you want to read ten books. From those ten, you should have at least one, that is out of your comfort zone. A genre which you don’t generally go for.” gulal.salil@goldensparrow.com

‘A run can change your life’ Zareen, 42, who won the TGS Move It Marathon this year, added another feather to her cap by clocking the best time at the Veterun Half Marathon

By Ekta Katti @Ektaak

O

vercoming new obstacles each year is Zareen Siddique’s driving force. Although she fell in love with running relatively recently, she has conquered several marathons since. Pune’s 42-year-old post-natal fitness coach recently added another feather to cap. Zareen won the Veterun Half Marathon for the age group 40-45, which was held on October 9.

Talking about the feat, Zareen said, “Owing to its path, this is the most difficult marathon of the city.

And having won it, I have checked off the list of overcoming new obstacles this year. I have been on the podium for several marathons, but this one is surely special. Also, the motive behind this marathon

is unique. It promotes a healthy lifestyle amongst the age group above 35.” Earlier this year, Zareen also won the half marathon at the TGS Move It Marathon. At 5 feet 4 and with a perfect weight of 54 kgs, Zareen is flexible enough to mould herself into any yoga asanas.

UNLIMITED MOTIVATION Zareen has been a fitness freak since her childhood, and she owes this to her parents. “Being an army kid, I was exposed to a lot of fitness regimes. Moreover, my mother, Shaeen, is a fitness guru herself.

Even at the age of 60, she can easily run a 10k marathon. So there was no lack of motivation,” said Zareen, who looks up to her mother for motivating her to become a seasoned runner.

Zareen took up running after the birth of her second child Humaid.

She was 38 then, and made sure to run every single day. That is when she found a runner’s group who motivated her to compete in marathons. Humaid, 5, certainly idolises his mother. “Although he is young, he makes sure to know about every marathon I run. I have to give him a detailed description of my marathon,” informs Zareen, who

clocked the third-best timing at the Satara Half Marathon last year. She hopes that Humaid follows in her footsteps in the near future.

‘DON’T MISS YOUR WORKOUT’ ​ Due to her hectic schedule, Zareen has altered her workouts to suit.

She’s back from her run before 7 am to serve breakfast to her children.

“I go for a run three times a week, but before that I make sure to keep everything ready for my kids. For the rest of the days, I do yoga, meditation and stretches,” she said.

She urges everyone to run at least half an hour a day. Lifestyle diseases are becoming increasingly common. However, according to her, a run can change your life.

“If one wishes to change, they can easily go in for an half an hour’s run or a walk. Do not miss your workout. That run would not only refresh the person but it would also change their outlook towards life,” she said. “That one run few years ago, changed my life too. I went with a problem in mind, by the time I came back I had the solution for it.

This is what running does to you,“ She adds. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE OCT 15-21, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

K

untal Joisher is a software engineer by profession, mountaineer by passion, and adrenaline junkie by choice. For a man who weighed 110 kgs, climbing Mount Everest may have seemed like a distant dream, but he made it happen. He was dedicated, and his only focus was to reach the zenith. With years of hard work, Kuntal not only managed to get fit, but also took up other healthy hobbies like cycling and running. He went from being a junk food lover to being a hardcore vegan.

A PASSION FOR HEIGHTS It all started in 2009, when Kuntal and his wife trekked up a small peak in Shimla. By the time they reached the summit, he had found his new mission in life. “The entire journey of climbing a snow-clad mountain was so dramatic for me that I brought that emotion back home with me, and was determined to follow up. I began my research into mountaineering, took weekend trips to the Himalayas, and each time I was mesmerised by their beauty,” he says.

Since then, Kuntal has undertaken several expeditions, including the Chadar trek in Ladakh. Next on his mind was the the ultimate climb: Everest. But fate had something else in store for him. His attempt in 2014 failed, as 16 Sherpas died at the Kumbhu Icefall section. “It’s an expensive affair. The expedition takes about Rs 60 lakhs, and I didn’t have that kind of money.

My only option was crowdfunding,” he shares. In October, 2014, Joisher became the first vegan and the second Indian to summit Mount Manaslu at 8163 metres, the eighth-highest mountain in the world.

He started to prepare for Everest again in 2015, but this time too his attempt failed due to an avalanche caused by the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

“I was disappointed but had not given up. I was determined to be back again next year,” he says.

His dream finally came true this year, when he completed the 45-day Everest expedition.

“The Everest ascent is a multi-staged climb. I was always prepared for the worst. Once a week, I would train with no food and water, for 12 hours

The Vegan Mountaineer Meet Kuntal Joisher, whose expedition to the top of the world’s highest mountain was powered by a vegan diet

straight. I did solid training, pushing myself beyond all levels,” he says.

EMBRACING VEGANISM Kuntal was born into a vegetarian Gujarati family. He became a vegan in 2002 after he shifted to Los Angeles. Soon, he wanted to convert the world, and what better way to do it than from the top of the world, he thought. “In a quest to debunk every single myth around veganism and send a message across the world that vegans too can do everything, I took up mission Everest.

A typical mountaineer’s diet is considered to be cheese, beef, dried meat, but I wanted to prove just the opposite. I changed not only the food I ate while climbing, but also the mountaineer’s gear,” he says.

During training, he has a low- to zerooil vegan diet. He makes his milk from nuts and grains like cashews, ground nuts, rice and rajma using a milk maker. He makes curd from groundnuts and rajma, from which he makes lassi and chaas. His breakfast includes a green smoothie made from mint, spinach, coriander, bananas and dates chilled with ice. “There are four camps above the base camp. At Camp 2, we had a small kitchen that is stocked with some basic food items. So we were able to get basic lentils, rice and Indian bread along with some oatmeal here. You have no water available beyond base camp. You have to boil snow and ice to get water. And above Camp 3, I primarily survived on flavoured water and a few Oreo cookies. That’s it. During my summit push from Camp 4 to the summit and back -- a total trip of 18 hours in the death zone -- I did not eat any solid food, and drank 0.5 liters of water,” he shares.

THE TRAINING The journey from a 110 kg junk-food lover to a fitness enthusiast and cyclist spurred Kuntal to take up mountaineering to fulfill his passion for

The Real Green Cafe will host the first Indian vegan mountaineer Kuntal Joisher, sharing his entire experience of summiting Mt Everest.

The event will comprise a talk, video and be followed by a Q & A session.

When: October 16 Where: The Real Green Cafe, Lane 6, Koregaon Park adventure.

He trained for years and reached the summits of several of the world’s highest peaks in his quest to conquer Everest. “I understand that climbing the tallest mountains in the world such as Mt. Everest is one of the toughest physical challenges, and that I need to be in the best mental and physical shape of my life. And so I train hard for 6 days a week,” he adds.

His training includes a mix of cardio-vascular training, strength and functional training, and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). His cardio workouts comprised stair climbing 300 floors up and down, running some 20-odd kms, hiking for 18 hours so on.

Kuntal believes that to achieve mental toughness one must put oneself in difficult situations and overcome one’s fears. He’s spent a lot of time climbing mountains in the Himalayas, but stresses the importance of mental and emotional fitness as well. “I continue doing mental training. I go on long and hard treks

without drinking any water or eating any food.

The idea being that things can go wrong when climbing a mountain such as Everest. I may get lost, run out of food and water, all sorts of scenarios. And so it’s smart to train for these situations,” he shares.

He even stayed away from family and friends months before the final trek to avoid feeling homesick. “Since my training only got tougher, I don’t remember having a serious relationship with anyone in my family. And now that I have climbed my dream mountain, I realise the cost that I have paid. I didn’t die. I didn’t lose fingers or didn’t even have a burn on my face like others.

And now that Everest is no longer in my life, there’s huge amount of emotional emptiness,” he says. What’s next on his mind is even tougher.

He now aspires to trek 14 mountains in the Himalayas that are 8000 metres high. “The challenge is climb them all and stay alive. No Indian has ever attempted this,” he claims. zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE OCT 15-21, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

AN OUTPOURING ON CANVAS

City artist Kumari Martha Meagher aims to bring inner peace to those viewing her paintings

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

W

hat would you do if you were told at age 26 that you would never see again? One might go into depression, lose faith in life. But for artist Kumari Martha Meagher, it’s all about fighting back and never giving up. She recovered her sight, attended an art school, and become an award-winning artist. What would you do if your beloved toddler died in your arms? If you were Martha, you would go to a mountain with your easel and wait to see what answers move through your brush. She ended up creating a collection titled Love letters to Impermanence. “Sure, there is sadness and violence all around us. But I would advise an artist to really meditate before putting that sadness up on canvas,” she says.

Martha, born and bred in Michigan, found her home in Pune. Just like all artists, she finds inspiration in the world around her. Her world, however, is psychedelic, ever-changing, full of positivity and set against a background of perfect stillness. “I am inspired by Indian colours. They are like a riot. All my paintings are multi­layered both in the making of the artwork

and in meaning,” she says. She uses mixed media including oil, acrylic and ink on canvas.

Her paintings are alive, carefree, and bold they project a message of celebration, freedom, and positivity. “It’s a thoughtless process for me. I simply look at the sky and allow my hands to do their work. After it’s done, it seems like an emotion coming out on the canvas,” she says.

Martha has been a painter since age three, and academically trained as an artist in the US, Europe and Taiwan. “My parents are both into software, but I was a natural-born artist. As a child, I painted on the walls and refused to go to kindergarten. I thought I didn’t belong there, where there are rules and controlled thought process,” she shares.

She believes that a real masterpiece needs a holistic understanding of life and the elements.

“It was during my assignment in West Africa when I suffered from an eye infection and lost my sight. After a few years, I got a transplant.

It was during this period when I suffered from blindness that I had to shift from my trained medium of landscape painting to abstract work.

And all my other senses came into play,” she adds. zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

The invisible truth of Flavius Pisapia This Italian artist and art therapist moved to Pune recently

By Gulal Salil @gulalsalil

F

lavius is trying to find answers through his spiritual ‘Soul Journey’.

An exhibition of the same name was held at Gyaan Adab between the 30th of September and the 6th of this month. The exhibition had seven metal sculptures as a part of his series, which is about exploring “the seven stages of the evolution of consciousness through planetary and bodily metamorphosis.”

The seven sculptures “are all shaped like a leaf, a bud or an egg, as that essentially is the aura of the soul”, as he puts it. While definitive to the layman’s eye, the shapes also have a lot of meaning to them.

They are complete and symmetrical

forms found in nature and life, and are the basic structure on which life evolves.

The artworks show how the soul and consciousness undergoes metamorphosis step-by-step from one evolutionary cycle to another, to eventually achieve eternal truth.

His sculptures also imbibe the concept of three-foldness or Trinity,

like Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva -the creator, preserver and destroyer in Hindu texts, and likewise, in almost all cultures of the world.

The first sculpture in his series is called ‘Soul Transparency’, which is made of metal rods painted bronze. It looks like a skeletal structure, exploring the qualities of ‘Old Saturn’, a planetary evolution

stage. The first three sculptures are past soul reflections; at the centre is the present, with the metalwork showing the greatest tumult with its sharp cuts as the ‘present’ is filled with endeavor, and the last three are the future souls closing at the Vulcan or ‘Spirit Man’ stage where the soul has found harmony.

Flavius has a tangential basis in the physical sciences as well, which compliments his art. He believes that it is not the individual who will find eternal truth alone, but the whole of humanity. Reflecting in his work is the idea of reincarnation, not of the physical body, but of the soul.

“Energy can never be destroyed, it can only transform, right?”, he says visiting the physical sciences. He implores that biological research has shown that when a human embryo is created, it shows signs of animal bodies, but grows on to become a human at the end. From the perspective of anthroposophical philosophy of the West and the theosophical from the East, he says, “These signs in the human embryos show that human evolution

has rejected staying an animal and evolved to a higher conscious state.”

Although he was born in Italy, he lived in Romania for the greater part of his life and then educated himself in the UK. The art therapist-teacher was a film student earlier in London, who went on to teach filmmaking at FAD International academy in Pune. His interests shifted to art therapy and he then pursued an MA in Transpersonal Arts & Therapy from Tobias School of Art & Therapy, City & Guilds of London, UK. He feels that India fuels his inspiration as it is so multicultural and deep-rooted. His choice to live in India is also helped by the fact he recently got married to his friend while he was studying filmmaking in London, who happens to be an Indian Eurythmy performer, and a co-exhibitor in Soul Journey.

Flavius says that there is actually an eighth stage, which he did not materialise into a sculpture, or as he likes to put it, “it is invisible”. This is because the eighth stage is the final cycle. It is the eternal, invisible truth.

SP

A FESTIVE AFFAIR

TGS LIFE OCT 15-21, 2016 PUNE

SHOPPING

Class Apart

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Embellished Saree

Charles & Keith brings to you their latest collection for Winter fall 2016. A trendy new range of shoes, bags, belt, eye-wear and much more await this season.

Where: Charles & Keith, Phoenix Marketcity

Ace your style game with this sumptuous saree. Available in a vibrant shade, it sports heavy embellishments at the border. The soft faux georgette and chiffon material is its notable feature.

Price: Rs 5999 Where: Ishin

Printed Skirt Kurta Dupatta Set

Distinguish your look by opting for this graceful ensemble of skirt and kurta set.

Set against a pleasant background, it sports floral print and a vibrant-shaded skirt. The deep side slits and mandarin neckline are its design elements.

Price: Rs 3499 Where: KASHISH

Diamond Studded Kada

Crystal Stone Hanging Earrings

Crafted beautifully to suit the sophisticated fashion taste of contemporary women, this pair of gold tone hanging earrings studded with stones is a visual delight. These earrings will look brilliant with both Indian and western wear.

Price: Rs 299 Where: Jazz, Shoppers Stop

This innovative kada satisfies both your aesthetic and convenience requirements. It is lightweight and will go with any plain or multi-coloured attire.

Price: Rs 710 Where: Giftease, Koregaon Park

Silk Embroidered Potli Bag

Metallic crossbody bag

The best way to make your outfit look complete is by accessorising it the right way. A stack of colourful potli bag is a perfect way to bring you under the limelight.

Where: fabIndia Price: Rs 350

This uber-cool and chic bag can make any outfit come alive.

This wonder bag is sure to fetch you many compliments by the onlookers.

Price: Rs 2,290 Where: Zara

Loop Closure Sling Clutch

Printed Palazzo Kurta Dupatta

Be a class apart with the elegant style of this set. Sporting a kurta with mandarin neck and cropped sleeves, it comes with matching pants and a dupatta.

The lovely print and enticing pastel shades elevate its charm.

Price: Rs 3299 Where: Shoppers Stop

Add an extra dose of style to your look by carrying this splendidly designed sling clutch from Rocky Star. The precise corsage detailing along with the stone embellishment gives it an opulent look, while the use of fine quality synthetic material lends it a classy finish.

Where: RS BY ROCKY STAR Price: Rs 1574

RAHUL RAUT

TGS LIFE OCT 15-21, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

‘Fitness goes beyond just looking good’

A sports enthusiast, an avid traveller, an animal lover and a fitness freak is what best describes Annavi Khot. Working as a trainer at Multi-fit Gym, she shares with us her secret to being fit

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

F

rom being over-weight herself to helping other’s achieve their fitness goals, 25-year old Annavi Khot is a great example of what you can achieve if only you set your heart to it. After she achieved her own weight-loss goal, she decided to start training to become stronger, and now trains many others too. Her sole inspiration for the longest time has been her friend Dhruv Chaudhari, who has always motivated her to push her limits and boundaries.

“I genuinely feel that if people follow a workout that suits their body, then achieving the desired goal is easier. A certain amount of

trial and error when it comes to fi nding the right workout routine, never hurt anyone,” she says.

FITNESS MANTRA The fact that Annavi used to be on the ‘healthier’ side growing up never stopped her from being good at sports, but eventually, she decided to get fit.

“Fitness goes beyond just looking good, especially for women. You must feel strong and this can be achieved through weighttraining, which women are too scared to take up,” she shares. Having a sweet tooth herself and being a baker, she found a way to make healthy sweet treats, which she even sells under the name Raw Treats at the gym

that she works at. They are always made to order to ensure freshness, and are healthy, she adds. The young girl feels that nutrition plays a very important role in whatever one’s fitness regime is, and should never be neglected. Never skipping a meal and eating right is the key to achieving whatever your goal is.

MY DAILY LOG “I start my day around 5 am and head to the gym, which is where I work by 6:30. After, a bowl of oats and a cup of black coffee is my fi rst meal of the day. Since peanut butter is one of my favourites, I have a scoop of this in the morning too. From 6:30 onwards, I have backto-back training sessions. At about 10–10:30 I have a glass of soy or almond milk with a few dry fruits.”

“Then at 1 pm, I have a bowl of salad, which consists of paneer or tofu. Since I am a vegetarian, meat and eggs do not feature in my diet. From about 3 pm to 5 pm is my workout time. I generally do a high-intensity workout with a lot of circuits and weight training. I do both of these things on alternate days. While someone might feel that weight-training is not for women, it in fact helps increase strength and must be a part of the workout. After my workout, I have a glass of protein shake.”

“My dinner is around 8 pm, and once again is a bowl of salad with tofu or paneer, and lots of vegetables. Since I am a foodie, I love trying out new things on and off, and so Sunday has been reserved as a cheat day. The fact that I have a sweet-tooth makes it quite challenging to stay away from calories, but its all about having what you like in moderation.” salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

EXPERT SPEAK Omkar Singh Seema ACSM & SNC Certified Trainer Golds Gym, Aundh

“I Love the fact that weight training is combined with circuit training on alternate days, one thing that I would suggest is to add up a cardio session in the form of skipping or swimming or rowing. A yoga session would help a great deal as well. Coming to the diet part, I suggest you add up about 40gram of carbohydrates at your lunch meal as the only obvious source is from the first meal of the day.”

Expert rating: 8.5/10

ANNAVI KHOT Age: 25 Weight: 60 kg Height: 5’6

Break the ice with your natural tones

K

eeping it nude is itself a fashion statement. Nude is simple, versatile by nature and gives a classic feel, to your overall look. You can either choose to accent your look with nude colour pallete by being on the softer side with colours like brown, beige, taupe, caramel, blush, tan, cream, camel, and peach or you can use actual shades of nude for a more sophisticated look.

Make up professional Mikita Mikita Bijlani Bijlani gives us some expert tips to use nude shades to incorporate in our everyday looks. · Moisturise- Moisturise your skin for not to look oily and prevent from becoming dry. · Conceal- Use a concealer to hide blemishes and dark circles under the eye. · Forget Foundation- Replace your foundation with lighter product or powder, use BB Cream. · Blush- Create a blush on the apples of your cheeks. · Eyes- Use a skin toned eyeliner to give a nude effect to your beautiful eyes. · Lashes- Give a defi nition to your lashes by using a coat of mascara on upper and lower lashes, try a brown shade for a more natural effect. · Brows- Brush them with a clear, fl ake- proof brow gel to give them a youthful look. · Lips- Lips should have a light flush that is similar in colour to your blush, top your lips with a tinted lip balm or a clear gloss. The lips should just have a shade brighter than your natural colour to give great effects.

(As told to Salonee Mistry)

TGS LIFE OCT 15-21, 2016 PUNE

BUZZ

A

Parineeti and I share similar influences

ctor-singer Ayushmann Khurrana says he and his Meri Pyaari Bindu co-star Parineeti Chopra share quite similar influences as they both come from Punjabi families.

The 32-year-old Bollywood star opened up about his bond with the actress, saying they have lot of things in common which is why they were very comfortable with each other on sets. "Parineeti and I share similar influences may be because both of us are Punjabi. We like similar kind of food. We listen to similar kind of music. We also used to exchange lot of songs on the sets. I have a great bond with her," Ayushmann said.

Parineeti, who will mark her singing debut with Meri Pyaari Bindu is a trained classical singer in real life and her co-star Ayushmann is all praise for her voice.

"She is a trained singer and nobody knows that. People will be blown away once her song from Meri Pyaari Bindu will come out. She is just amazing," he said.

When asked if he would like to collaborate with the actress on his independent albums, Ayushmann said, "To begin with, let's do the movie first and keep this surprise for the movie. Later we can do or think about collaborating on a song. Because I want this element to come for the movie first."

Ayushmann will also be seen sharing screen space with Kriti Sanon and Raj Kumar Rao in Bareilly ki Barfi and he said he is all prepared for the comparisons with the national award-winning actor.

The Vicky Donor star believes that there is nothing to be scared about working with good artistes as they always raise the bar of the films. "Stronger actors and artistes only make stronger films.

They give you positive energy. They can only lift the film up and each and every actor gets benefited out of it. I think it's a very selfish reason but one should always work with strong actors because only those people can make successful films," he said.

Ayushmann has completed his four years in Bollywood as an actor but he still enjoys performing live more than acting. "The kind of butterflies, nervousness and anxiety you get while going onstage it's unmatched. It's totally unparalleled. When you record a song it comes out after three months down the line or may be after a month.

"Even if you shoot for a film it takes at least six months to release. You don't receive the live reaction. But if you perform live onstage the instant gratification and appreciation you get is amazing. That's a different high altogether and that is why Ayushmann as a live performer is closest to me," he said.

I want to work with Nolan A

fter working with Bollywood's ace directors actor Sushant Singh Rajput says he would now like to team up with Oscar-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan. The star, who is currently enjoying the success of MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, says he feels the constant need to prove himself by taking up new challenges and one such is working with the Hollywood director, who has helmed hit films like The Dark Knight, Inception, The Prestige, and Memento.

"There are things that you would want at a particular point of time in your life, just like right now I would really

I WILL NEVER DO

BIGG BOSS

want to work with Christopher Nolan," Sushant said.

"The way Nolan looks at things is just amazing. It can be easily seen in all his films. I was just watching his videos on how he came up with the screenplay of Memento and it's just extraordinary. It just opens up your mind. After watching that clip all I got to know was that I know 'nothing'."

The actor also wishes to collaborate with big names in Hollywood, Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen. "I also really want to have the opportunities somehow to get to work with Scorsese and Woody Allen."

B

KAJOL'S EQUATION WITH KARAN NOT AS WARM

B

ollywood actor Ajay Devgn has said his actress wife Kajol, who was once a close friend of filmmaker Karan Johar, doesn't share the same equation on Sunday due to some personal issues.

Karan has often said that he considers Kajol as his lucky mascot and the two share a great camaraderie. The filmmaker and Ajay have never been friends. Ajay and Karan are set for a festive clash at the box office this year with the former's directorial venture Shivaay and the latter's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil releasing on the same day on October 28. "I am not friends with Karan.

Even Kajol's equation is not as warm as it was. It

is a personal issue...not due to any professional thing. It's a personal hurtful feeling. It has nothing to do with the clash," Ajay said.

When asked about the reason, Ajay said, "I would not like to talk about it." Kajol's friendship with Karan, with whom she has worked in multiple projects including hits Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, My Name is Khan had gone through a rough patch in 2012, while the same is being speculated now.

On the work front, Ajay is busy juggling between promotions and finishing the film, while the 42-yearold actress has been handling some marketing responsibilities of their home production."I am occupied finishing the film. She is handling other things. She is helping me in letting my pressure down," he said.

igg Boss may have worked as a career move for many Indian TV artistes but actress Jennifer Winget says it is not her cup of tea. Bigg Boss is coming with its 10th season soon on TV from October 16, when asked if given a chance would she ever like to enter the house, Jennifer told PTI, "No. Never. I won't do that ever. I think it's not my cup of tea." The 31-year-old star is currently looking forward to the the telecast of her new show Beyhadh on Sony. "I have never been so excited in my life because it's such a different show and I'm playing a character like this for the first time.

I hope this show also adds another feather to my cap."

Jennifer may be popular among her fans for her sweet and subtle roles on TV, but the actress now would like to try her hands at performing action.

"I would now like to venture into action. I have not done action so far. I would really like to give it a try," she said. The actress, known for hit fiction dramas on the small screen including Dill Mill Gayye, Saraswatichandra and Kasautii Zindagii Kay, however, does not watch daily soaps. "I don't watch daily soap. I've never seen my shows as well except for the scenes in which I really want to improve something or correct something. I like watching comedy shows. I only watch comedy or action," she said.