November-December 2013

Indian the

Trumpet

a bi-monthly e-magazine for NRIs

An e-magazine that captures the colour, culture and chaos of India that NRIs crave and miss, once every two months

indian belly

the humble NRI: conversation with the sexy and talented Michelin starred Chef Vikas Khanna

trumpet teller

theindiantrumpet.com

ISSUE

welcome 2014: what do the stars have in store for you

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NOV- DEC 2013 idhar udhar

telegram full stop: tribute to the Twitter of the 20th century, the Indian telegram

The beginning. The end.

Bidding goodbye to the past. Saying hello to tomorrow.

I often find it difficult to choose between the two. While goodbyes come with a lot of experiences, lessons and memories; helloes bring with them a lot of hope, cheerfulness and excitement. When we started working on the last issue of 2013 we had a lot to look back and learn from. We were on an emotional roller-coaster ride as we experienced happiness, pride, shame, joy…

So, in this issue…

We look back. We celebrate Bollywood lives that left us. We pay tribute to the Indian telegram, which decided to give way to technology. We get tearyeyed, angry and hopeful as we recall the good, bad and ugly moments of 2013. We switch TV channels to watch the old wine served in a new bottle.

We get our satirical best as we summarise the political moments of 2013.

And more.

We look forward. We bring to you the trumpet teller of 2014, which tells you what the stars have in store for you.

We celebrate. We tempt you to jump on the New Year Resolutions wagon, yet again. We invite you to sing the Christmas carols.

We learn. Staying connected to one’s root is the best way to live, grow and succeed. And we learn this from none other than the Michelin starred Chef Vikas Khanna. We bring to you an interview with the humble and sexy NRI. We won’t blame you if you fall in love with his persona and cooking, all over again.

editor’s note

We pledge. We will keep the anger alive. We won’t let the screaming headlines on gang rapes in India fade off, till we smell change. Beginning with this issue, we would bring to you, our readers views on the topic of women safety and respect. Will you join us in this fight?

Rights: All rights reserved. The writing, artwork and photography contained herein may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of The Indian Trumpet. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of The Indian Trumpet. All efforts have been made while compiling the content of the magazine but we assume no responsibility for the effects arising there from. We take no responsibility of the availability of the products mentioned in the various sections of the magazine. Reprints as a whole or in part can be done only with written permission from The Indian Trumpet quoting “The Indian Trumpet magazine” for texts and pictorial material.

Signed articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor. No responsibility can be taken for the loss of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork.

Contacts: Purva Grover, founder & editor theindiantrumpet.com All queries to be addressed to theindiantrumpet@gmail.com The Indian Trumpet Magazine is released six times a year. It is available to the readers absolutely free of cost on the portal theindiantrumpet.com.

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And a lot more that will make you smile, hopeful and nostalgic.

I hope the diyas that you light up this Diwali bring in a lot of goodness to you and your loved ones.

Wishing you all a wonderful season of plum cakes and fairy lights!

Till we meet next year, happy tooting

Purva founder & editor editor@theindiantrumpet.com

theindiantrumpet.com

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2013, goodbye

Dear Editor, Reading ‘The Indian Trumpet’ has now become a habit with me. The second issue of the magazine, which was based on our rich Indian culture and festivals was a real delight. Every corner of India has its own story to tell about its festivals and traditions, and this was beautifully told in the pages. It was nice reading about the experiences and beliefs of various people. I love to travel and so I really enjoyed the piece on Hawaii. My best wishes to you & your team.

Shilpa Parmar, RIQA, Dubai Being an Indian residing in India I would always wonder how the NRIs bridged the distance between India and their place of residence (abroad).

It was heart-warming to see The Indian Trumpet doing this beautifully, beyond the parameters of being just a magazine. It has brought back ‘Indianism’ in the hearts of both resident and non-resident Indians. The small things that we as an Indians forget can be re-lived through this magazine. Keep blowing the trumpet.

Megha Sabharwal, Amritsar, India

16500 +

Dear Purva, It has been a pleasure reading the two issues of the magazine. ‘DAZZLING’ is my word for the magazine. It is indeed a cynosure of the eyes and food for the soul. The presentation is fabulous, not to mention the ultra impressive, non-clichéd content. I totally love the versatility & chirpiness that it portrays. The magazine actually seems to talk, seems ‘alive’ and enthusiastic! Kudos to you & the entire team on doing a wonderful job. You are dispensing much more to the world than you think you are! Way to go!

Ananya Dhawan, New Delhi, India

likes on Facebook, facebook.com/TheIndianTrumpet (Below: A few messages from our FB wall)

Dear Editor, I must commend you on the great work you have put in creating the magazine. I was fortunate to have been published in the inaugural issue.

Given the chance to reminisce my NRI experience I produced a beautiful poem. This is a great initiative to encourage writing amongst NRIs. It promotes literature & feeds the nostalgia of NRIs. I look forward to more issues and a variety of literary work. Kudos to you!

Michelle D’costa, Bengaluru, India

This is awesome... just checked out your debut issue..great job!

Kanika Rajdev

This is what I call a ‘magazine’!

Beautifully designed, nicely edited and captures the real essence of India. :) Shower some love people...

Anika Sharma Misra

The Indian Trumpet publishes my article on Dusshera in SepOct issue. Even if you do not read my article, do go through it, it is one of the most well crafted webmag I have seen in recent times.

Paromita Bardoloi

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Look n feel of the ‘The Indian Trumpet’ is awesome...Idea looks great and not just NRIs, but even “RIs” would love to see India from magazine’s vantage point...

Prerit Rana

The article on Diwali struck a very serene chord, “It is better to light one little candle, than to stumble in the dark”, Pallavi Singh has captured the ethos of the festival of lights very well.

Liane Barretto The Indian Trumpet has been launched by a very enterprising and talented young lady, Purva Grover. All your support and encouragement would be appreciated.

Swati Raval

trumpet followers

theindiantrumpet@gmail.com

The last two months have been exciting, colourful and busy! We loved celebrating the festive season with each one of you. In addition to that we enjoyed partnering with Fashionwalk and Diwali Bazaar, Dubai. And yes, the ‘Pinkalicious Morning’ hosted by us to spread awareness on Breast Cancer in the month of October was the highlight for all of us. We loved doing our tiny bit towards the cause.

We are happy to be coming closer to you not just through the magazine but also through meet-ups (We hosted our debut meet-up in DXB), events and yes coffee mornings! Read about what all we were upto inside!! And yes, keep the love coming.

Indian the

Trumpet

a bi-monthly e-magazine for Indians in Dubai

An e-magazine that captures the colour, culture and chaos of India that NRIs crave and miss, once every two months

70 MM

return to jewel thief: why re-visiting the classic film is a brilliant idea even after close to five decades

Just went thru your Magazine Purva Grover.....

Love the contents and the layout......

Will be reading it regularly from now on.

Supria Pillai

This is your space.

We’d love to know what you have to say about the magazine.

Drop a line along with your picture & contact details at

theindiantrumpet.com

ISSUE

horn OK please

the heritage wheels: the tram continues to trace & retrace its path on Kolkata roads

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SEPT-OCT 2013 idhar udhar

buniyaad: one of the first Indian mega soaps and our favourite

It’s our festival issue!!

Wishing the readers of The Indian Trumpet magazine a bright, colourful, delicious and musical festive season full of love!

Cakes ‘n’ Bakes is a licensed custom bake shop that specialises in designing unique and one of a kind creations in cakes, cupcakes, cookies and much more. Our products are baked from scratch to give you great flavour and decorated with passion to look fabulous.

We create cakes for all occasions from weddings, baby showers, 1st Birthdays and any occasion you than think off.

We work closely with our clients to ensure the end result of their cake exceeds their expectations in every way.

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Contact Details: 04-4542287 / 055-2682770 / 050-7700276

Aanandika Sood aspires to be the rolling stone that gathers a lot of moss. After 8 years of writing copies and columns, editing and scripting stories and honing her PR skills, she is now playing the part of a freelance writer and a mommie. She lives in Kolkata and can be found at aanandika.blogspot.in.

trumpet blowers

Anu M explains that the M in her name stands for Massakali, a nickname she has earned from her friends for her lively spirit. She writes with passion and every piece is her flight of fantasy. She loves food, music & fashion. She can be reached at anusehg@gmail.com.

Dr Archana R Singh has been teaching in the School of Communications Studies at Panjab University, Chandigarh for last 14 years. She is the immediate past Chairperson of the School, a job she took a break from for the sake of her research work, presently she is studying the new media. A gold medalist throughout her career she continues her academic endeavours as part of her career, having to her credit a book, 21 national and international publications and 47 presentations. She works actively to promote the culture of research in her subject of Mass Communication.

She is the member of the advisory board of the World Center for Academic Excellence and Research, Advisory board of the Global Media Journal (Indian Edition), Member of the Editorial Board of `Journal of Communication’ among others.

She is a regular invitee on All India Radio and conducts workshops on “Pronunciation and articulation” for news readers and anchors. And we are happy to inform that she is studying The Indian Trumpet

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Aanandika Sood

Anu M

Arushi Dutt

Dr Archana R Singh

Ashish Langade

Chetna Keer

magazine as a part of her course, Diploma in Internet journalism, London School of Journalism.

Arushi Dutt loves travelling and meeting new people. She has lived half of her life in India, and the other half growing up in North America. Through her diverse set of experiences she has gained a lot of exposure in life. She says, ‘I can’t say that I am a wise saint but immersing myself in various cultures has taught me quite a bit’. One day she hopes to anchor her own travel show.

Eating and dancing are another two of her hobbies. She can be found at arushiscorner1991.blogspot.in.

Ashish Langade fell in love with photography six years back and ever since has found it to be a passion with infinite opportunities to learn. This passion has led him to explore the world around him through the lens. Photography for him is a play of light, bringing out the dramatic effects and beauty. He can be reached at ashishlangade@ gmail.com.

Chetna Keer is a senior journalist,

Debasish Nandy

humorist, lifestyle & culture commentator and social media critic, specialising in critiquing trends in the fast-exploding new media space. Having cast her footprint in journalism 20 years back, she got further book-ed to writing with the publication of her work, “Veggies Go On a Beauty Parade” (Rupa & Co). In this age that belongs more to the “Pen Drive” than to the wielding of the pen, her tongue-in-cheek humour columns “Haywire” & “Tweak Speak” have been spelling out her pen-chant for living life Pun-ny Side Up! Debasish Nandy is a videojournalist/ photojournalist at CNBC TV18. Photography and travelling are his two biggest passions. He is based out of Kolkata

Dubai’s skyline. She can be found at mehimanddubai.wordpress.com

Farhana Ahmed

Inseeya K Nazir

and he loves observing people, society, culture and politics of India.

He can be reached at debasish. nandy1@gmail.com.

Farhana Ahmed is a crazy nature lover! She is passionate about the blue sky, the wild ducks, the little finch, the silent rivers, the reeds and the orchids. Celluloid is in her blood and the black-nwhite screen in her eyes. She is an eternal Dev Anand fan and loves to write about cinema. Besides having published two books on cinema, she is a fashionable interior designer who hates politics. She is presently working as a journalist in a prestigious daily from Assam.

Inseeya K Nazir, an engineer by qualification changed gears a couple of years back to become a Tarot & Fengshui analyst, Reiki grandmaster, Past Life regressor, numerologist and gemmologist.

She has been a Reiki practitioner for more than 13 years, holding workshops both in India and abroad. She is a person you’d love chatting up, irrespective of astrological predictions! She can be found at inseeya.com.

Jayanthi Somasundaram

country every year (all her savings go into that!) and loves visiting the local markets and interacting with the locals there. She nurtures a dream of running her own little coffee shop with a really nice library.

She grew up in tropical Malaysia and now lives in Chennai. Besides working on her book, she enjoys long walks and spending time with her pets, a dog called Simba and a cockatel called Paru.

Joanna Oommen is endowed with an eye for detail and a passion for all things creative. She is an engineer by qualification and writer by choice. Before moving to Dubai, she worked as a technology writer in Gurgaon. She also dabbled in scientific writing for the IEEE and business news writing for the Arabian Gazette. Most of all, she enjoys getting her views across, and sharing stories behind her creative pursuits and impromptu jaunts. When not buried in a book, she loves to craft, cook and meet people. During peaceful times, she likes to catch a movie or take a stroll with her partner with a good view of

Kamaini Mittal has been fascinated with arts and designs forever.

Bachelors in Fine Arts in Applied Arts she works with India’s leading English news channel besides undertaking assignments for various design firms. She observes her surroundings to expand her design vocabulary. She doesn’t sleep much, and that explains why she answers our e-mails at all odd and insane hours.

Liane Barretto is known as leebee to her friends and Ms.Sunshine amongst her coworkers. While being a flight attendant for seven years the best compliment she has received is “You can make a stranger melt with your smile”, and it’s true this sassy mother to two boys always carries her smile on her sleeves. She is currently employed with the Oil and Gas Industry in the Middle East and is a perfectionist when it comes to executing her work. A die hard romantic and a complete people’s person she firmly advocates that, “Love is not only an emotion, it is a verb. So get out and spread the love.”

Manish Madhav hails from Tamil Nadu and is currently doing his graduation in commerce. A football fanatic who supports Chelsea

Jayanthi Somasundaram loves eating, cooking and travelling. She ensures that she travels to a different

Kamaini Mittal

Liane Barretto

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Joanna Oommen

Manish Madhav

Manoj Nath

Prachi Goyal

Football Club and also plays a little of the game bit, he spends most of his time either playing FIFA or designing posters so much so that the latter has become a full-time hobby for him. Some of his posters can be found at postergully.com.

He is truly fascinated by the concept of ‘less is more’ and you can write to him for a glance at his minimal posters at manish.cfc@gmail.com.

trumpet blowers

Manoj Nath is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Bengaluru.

Currently, he is working with Hewlett Packard as a Marcomm Designer.

He is an avid reader and a big fan of R.D. Burman, and can play his best tunes with his harmonica. A pinch hitter in cricket, this Bong loves punning with words as much as he loves his sweets and fish curry!

Although he confesses that he is a die-hard fan of North Indian cuisine too! He can be found at manojnath. com.

Prachi Goyal is a homemaker and mother to two beautiful girls. An English (Honours) graduate and post graduate in Human Resource Development she believes in living a simple and clutter free life.

She is a columnist and art critic, and writes for various magazines.

She loves baking, writing poetry and gardening. Her other love is Madhubani art.

Ritu Dua

Prachi Grover is a food maniac (read: food blogger & consultant).

On days that she is not able to cook a lavish & large enough meal to feed friends and families she suffers from a migraine. Her other obsession is design. Her home turns a new leaf every few days making you want to re-visit her for inspiration. She can be found at orangekitchens. blogspot.com and purplehomes. blogspot.com.

Sanket B Jack is an engineer by

Ritu Dua has been a banker & a teacher, now she has let herself be drawn by the strong pull of what she loves to do the most, draw and paint. She uses micron pens, water colours & oil-paints in her works, and mixed media is her forte. She also makes murals and environment friendly art by recycling things.

In Dubai, she is a volunteer at Al Noor School and teaches art to special children. When not making art, she is celebrating all things delicious. She can be found at beneathmyheartart.blogspot.ae.

Shrilekha

Rosemary Fernandes is a banker by profession. Her first love is and has always been writing. She’s happiest surrounded by books, her family and a hot cuppa. Ever the optimist, this lover of musicals and doodler of cuboids can be found at countingsheepinmysleep. blogspot.com. Drop by, she promises bean bags and cookies.

success in business writing she

Rosemary Fernandes

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Prachi Grover

Sanket B Jack

degree, MBA by profession and a cartoonist by passion. He portrays the society’s nuisance, behaviour and ignorance through his cartoons.

He believes as much in the power of a smile as that of a satire. He believes in the saying, It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile but only 1 to criticise. He can be found at facebook.com/Jackartoons.

Venketeshwar

is

the founder of ‘The Wild Walk’ an organisation that focuses on spreading

wildlife

literacy

and

conservation. Her interest in wildlife conservancy led her to explore wildlife

photography

in

which

she has excelled and today is commissioned by several national and international organisation.

Surbhi Thukral

is a marketing

professional turned writer. She has worked with corporations in India and the UK. After gaining is determined to make a mark in the field of fiction writing. She has become a compulsive writer who dedicates many hours a day to fulfil her passion for creative writing. She holds a Masters degree in Business & Management from the University of Strathclyde, UK.

Shrilekha Venketeshwar

Surbhi Thukral

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In the last couple of months we bid goodbye to many legends of Indian cinema. We celebrate a few such lives. Respect.

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indian belly

trumpet lead

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THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY The year 2013 too had its share of the good, the bad and the ugly times. And while 2013 awoke to the ‘silence’ of screaming headlines of the gang rape of a young girl, it is nearing its end on a hopeful note of ‘change’.

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BOLLYWOOD FULL & BOLD ‘N’ BOOTY-FUL 2013 saw the small stage further consolidating its status as the “rerun” bhoomi not only for epic episodes but also family dramas. Reality shows continued to be old wine served in a new bottle.

follow the noise

I AM JUST A ckopÊ “My most sacred memories are those of working as a helper in my grandmother’s kitchen,” says Vikas Khanna, the Michelin starred Indian chef, restaurateur, filmmaker, humanitarian, host of the TV show Masterchef India and author.

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Mythology struggled to find its space. But TV found its conquerors in comedy & cine celebs.

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tax free entertainment

2013, THE YEAR THAT WAS Scandals, rapes, cricket, Bollywood, protests, unity, controversies, politics, floods...

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fashion fry

THE BINDI, THE GREAT INDIAN FOREHEAD ART The modest bindi is willing to cross the borders with you. Are you ready to wear a bindi in an alien land?

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idhar udhar

TELEGRAM FULL STOP On the 14th of July 2013 the telegraph was laid to rest amid a rising tide of nostalgic memories.

Our tribute to the twitter of the 20th century, the Indian telegram.

celebration toot

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AND WHEN CAME THE CHRISTMAS EVE...

Underneath the silvery sky, a city chortles in the warm embrace of festivity; it is the Christmas eve, when all evil is vanquished in a blink...

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AND, WE RESOLVE, YET AGAIN! It’s the oldest New Year tradition! Yes, it’s that time of the year again when we get tempted to jump on to the resolution wagon.

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horn OK please

gekjk ctkt ‘Buland Bharat Ki Buland Tasveer, Hamara Bajaj’.

Our tribute to this glorious symbol of the Indian automotive history. We will miss the humble Bajaj scooter.

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angry toot

The screaming headlines on gang rapes have got us fuming. Each issue, we bring to you, our readers views on the topic of women’s safety & respect. We pledge we will keep the anger alive till we smell change. bazaar

It’s time to sing Jingle Bells and welcome the New year! Drape your home in shades of celebration.

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Just a few of our favourite things for the adorable angels & brats

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Transform from a simpleton to showstopper with these fashionable buys

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once again why Dhanush is a star and Rahman a superstar. An artist pays tribute to the film with a minimal graphics poster.

the globe & the gully

ALL TOMBS RAIDED As much as you would appreciate Egypt for what it was, you would also sympathise with the country. But, despite its political unrest, it is still safe for tourists, says the traveller who visited the destination in August 2013.

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MADHUBANI, THE TRADITIONAL ART Tradition states that the women of the present town of Madhubani in Bihar made Madhubani paintings on the walls of their own homes.

Today, the art can be seen on canvas, cloth, paper and even on the runway.

trumpet trail

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FASHION FOOT FORWARD The Indian Trumpet loves all things fashion!

We took a glam step on 5th of October when we shook hands with Fashionwalk, a boutique experience exhibition in Dubai.

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SPARKLE FOR A CAUSE The Indian Trumpet was full of pride as it played Media Partners to Diwali Bazaar held on 19th of October at Dhow Palace Hotel, Dubai.

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diary of an Indian

IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA A Dubai resident gets carried away as she shares how much she misses home, India.

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dubai darshan

MADINAT JUMERIAH Embark on a magical abra journey with us as we transport you to the stunning world of meandering waterways, cheerful greens, gorgeous skies & splendid designs.

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trumpet fortune

Read what the stars have in store for you in 2014 88

desi lit

BISCOPE The heart that misses all things Indian 90

idhar udhar

follow the noise

MARYAN Maryan, a 2013 Tamil drama thriller that tells us

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our shabdkosh

cause toot

CAUSE WE CARE The Indian Trumpet’s Pinkalicious morning hosted to spread awareness on breast cancer in the month of October loud toot

THE INDIAN TRUMPET’S DUBAI MEET-UP Laughter, wishes and goodies...

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last word

SILENCE When there is no need for words

October is international Breast Cancer Month Feel for the signs Early detection is your protection For more information on where to get screened visit www.pinkcaravan.ae

At Orange Kitchens we believe that children who are more involved in preparing food are more likely to try out new flavours on their plates, respect their food, respect where the food that they eat comes from and in the process wipe their plates clean.

When we teach them “real� cooking we talk about where that dish came from (history & geography & learning about different food habits), we follow a certain method (science and following instructions), we are measuring (maths), we are trying to choose the right ingredients (lessons on nutrition and using fresh produce), we share how our elders would always make it or how each Diwali/Christmas/Eid our parents would eat this as a kid (getting to know their family and their traditions better) and of course each time we cook we encourage them to add their special little touch to it... replace that chive with basil, chocolate chips instead of vanilla, serve it differently (getting creative and adventurous)... now that is quite a lot of learning while putting together just one simple dish. While the kids think we are just here in for some fun!

For all this and more, send your kidlets to become a part of the food lessons at Orange Kitchens.

Call +971554193522, drop a line at orangekitchens.blogspot@gmail.com, or visit us at orangekitchens.blogspot.ae

t s mu on… go

w o sh The

E N TH O I .

E ET SAM THE GOODBY THEM E B VER MISS TO BID LL NE THS WE MA. WE I LE W OD INE IMPOSSIB ILVER ON O C M W F N Y S BOLL OUPLE O OF INDIA OULD BE ES. THE RK, C O O S LAST LEGEND THAT IT W THEIR SH THEIR W SPECT. Y E D ES. R MAN E KNOW O FILL IN HEM AN V I L T T H W AND OMEONE MEMBER FEW SUC E S A GET N WILL R EBRATE L E E E C SCR S. WE Y A W ED AL

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AHM ANA H R A NATH sF word k MANOJ r artwo

70mm

Itna sannata kyun hai bhai?

The dialogue coming from a trembling voice in Bollywood’s cult classic Sholay reminds us of the great thespian A.K. Hangal. His role of Imaam Sahab in Sholay became the symbol of secularism in Hindi cinema. He started his film career at the age of 50 from Basu Bhattacharya’s Teesri Kasam (1967). He acted in character roles in 200 films! Besides Sholay (1975) his roles in Guddi (1971), Namak Haraam (1973), Aaina (1977) and Shaukeen (1982) are also memorable. Before coming to the world of cinema in 1966, Hangal was a stage actor, an IPTA member (1935 to 1965). He was an active freedom fighter who was born in Peshawar in undivided India in 1914. After Partition, he was jailed in Pakistan for three years for being a Communist. He came to Bombay in 1949 and got actively associated with the stage.Though Hangal came to Bollywood at a very late age, his contribution was immense. Imaam Sahab in Sholay, Ram Shastri in Aaina, Masterji in Balika Badhu, Inder Sen in Shaukeen and Anokhelal in Manzil are few of his unforgettable roles. His last appearance on 70 MM was in Amol Palekar’s Paheli (2005). In 2012, he made an appearance in a TV soap, Madhubala - Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, as a tribute to 100 years of Indian cinema.

Hangal was an actor from his heart. In Sholay when he was asked to act the role of the blind Imaam of the village mosque, Hangal did it so consciously that no one could say that he was a man with sight. “Hangal”, writes Anupama Chopra (author, journalist and film critic), “had prepared extensively for his role as a blind man using what he calls psycho-technique.” In a very heartening scene of the movie, Imaam comes into the spot where the villagers are encircling the dead body of Ahmed, his son, killed by Gabbar. An eerie silence surrounds the whole atmosphere anticipating the tragedy of the old blind God-fearing man. At this the Imaam reacts, “Itna sannata kyun hai bhai?”

This performance made Hangal immortal in Indian cinema. With his death on 26th August, 2012, an era came to an end. Till his last breath, he had great love and respect towards the art of acting. This diehard Communist actor faced many political hostilities and financial problems in his life. This Padma Bhushan awardee faced serious financial problems too, in his later stage of life. This is the truth of the heartless Bollywood industry, it often forgets to give due respect to its elderly actors. He will be missed.

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Quintessential Bollywood cop The 1970 Dev Anand starrer Johny Mera Naam had a very popular song “O Meri Raja...” where a cop was found stalking the romantic couple. This is perhaps the only Bollywood movie where a cop is pictured along with a ‘singing’ couple! Sadly, the cop featured in the song, Jagdish Raj, left us unsung on 28th July 2013.

A dark unromantic face with a moustache, a normal body language, very different from any hero of Bollywood, and always in uniform with different ranks — mostly that of an inspector, Jagdish Raj continues to be remembered as the unrivalled and unmatched cop of the world of Indian cinema. For more than five decades, he was the familiar face of the police officer of Bollywood, who arrived in a jeep with a posse of constable, mostly at the climax of the movie and arrested the villain, dissuaded the hero from taking

law in his hands, or fired at the bad guys by his service revolver. He was also the uncorrupt and yet disciplined and duty bound inspector who was bound to chase the hero for his alleged crimes although knowing of his (hero’s) innocence. Sometimes, he became a jailor who took extra care for convict inmates and tried for their reformation and sometimes a police commissioner with colonial era fatigues who assured justice. Jagdish Raj dominated the Bollywood industry as a cop in as many as 144 films stretching from 1956 to 2004, becoming the only actor in the world to act as a cop in maximum movies and hence earning a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

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He was born as Jagdish Raj Khurana in Sargodha, Punjab (now in Pakistan) in 1928. He came to Bombay to try his luck and got a break in Mehboob Khan’s Ek Hi Raasta (1939) as a young boy. He first appeared as a cop in Raj Khosla’s Dev Anand starrer C.I.D

(1956) as inspector Jagdish. After that, there was no looking back. He appeared in virtually every film as a good cop, inspector Jagdish. In 1958 he appeared as a police captain in Bimal Roy’s Madhumati. He acted as inspector Jagdish in 12 O’Clock (1958), Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962), Jhuk Gaya Aasman (1968), Sachaa Jhutha (1970), Do Chor (1972), Majboor (1974), Chalte Chalte (1976), Maha Chor (1976), Kaala Patthar (1979) and Sawaal (1982). He co-starred with all the greats of Bollywood of the yesteryears and never got overshadowed and left his imprint with his acting marked by short dialogues. Unfortunately, he was largely left unsung by the film fraternity during the last years of his life. None of our present day superstars attended his funeral and only some of his co-stars of the 1980s turned up, which included Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Farooq Sheikh, Raveena Tandon, Shakti Kapoor and David Dhawan, the director.

70mm

Yaari hai iman mera!

During the 1960s there was a health advisory for patients with anxiety to not watch movies starring Pran! That was the credibility of Pran, the ‘good’ bad man of Bollywood, who left us recently on 12th July 2013, at the age of 93. Born in 1920 in Delhi, Pran was a successful hero in Punjabi cinema before Partition (from 1942 to 1946). After Partition he arrived in Bombay in 1948, and with the help from his writer friend Sadan Hasan Manto got a break in Bombay Talkies’ Ziddi. His two earlier movies But Taraash (1951) and Khanabadosh (1952) were released only in Pakistan, post-Partition. After Ziddi there was no looking back for Pran and he immortalised his roles in films like Madhumati (1958), Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai (1960), Upkar (1967), Shaheed (1965), Ram Aur Shyam (1967), Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool (1969), Johny Mera Naam (1970), Victoria No. 203 (1972), etc.

He will be remembered for songs like “Yaari hai Iman Mera” from Zanjeer, “Hum Bolega To Bologe Ke Bolta

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Hai” from Kasauti, “Micheal Daru Pi Ke Danga Karta Hai” from Majboor and more. His name was always at the end of the credits, “... and Pran” in almost all of his movies! He continues to live in our hearts.

Lover boy of 60s The 1960s marked the beginning of lyrical love and romance with the arrival of post-Independent heroes; westernised with ‘Brylcreamed’ wavy hair, Armani suits and pointed Italian shoes, falling love with desi beauties to start an ideal conjugal life. Joy was the trade mark hero of that genre - handsome, sleek and urbane carrying a heart full of love of red roses. The first chocolate hero, driving a convertible Impala or rolling on the slopes of the Alps, Joy Mukherjee was the ultimate lover boy of Bollywood who made an entry with the film Love in Simla (1960). Pairing with almost all the divas of his time — Sadhana, Asha Parekh, Saira Bano, etc., Joy went on acting on lyrical romances like Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962), Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963), Ziddi (1964), Aao Pyar Karen

(1964), Ishaara (1964), Love in Tokyo (1966) and Shagird (1967). All of them were super hits at the box office with equally hit music. Joy is still remembered for the numbers “Duniya pagal hai…”, “Le gayi dil gudiya Japan ki…”! The songs from Ek Musafir Ek Hasina, Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon, Love in Tokyo and Shagird are still popular! This lover boy of the yesteryears left us on 9th March, 2012 at the age of 73. The release of his film made in 1971, Love in Bombay, this year made Joy’s journey of love come full circle!

But Dev Sahab moved on with his life like his song Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya. Like a flowing river he never stopped, moving miles and miles, sprinkling joys. So his fans still sing: Abhi Na Jawo Chod Ke/ Ki Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin.

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Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya Dev Anand, the evergreen star, is a name synonymous with evergreen melodies of Bollywood. The Raju Guide, the Gambler, the Jewel Thief… who with his stylish hair, the scarf in the neck and typical “Dev Anand” style walk found his fans in every age, generation… Always romanticising with life, Dev Sahab had a long journey in Bollywood from Hum Ek Hain (1946) to Charge-sheet (2011). Living his life fully,

this ever romantic hero proved how beautiful life is!

He had a great love for life that gets reflected in his kind of cinema. Almost all the beautiful divas of the century had worked with Dev Sahab. Dev Sahab’s life was not so different from the celluloid hero. Coming to Bombay from Lahore to try his luck without anything valuable except a great optimism and self-confidence he became Dev Anand. With cars, cigarettes, dancing girls and counterfeiters, Dev Sahab created a new genre in Hindi cinema. Dev Sahab also went through with the twist and turns of reel life love affair in his real life. He was in love with Suraiya, the star of late 1940s but their destiny played the role of the villain of Hindi cinema disallowing them to live happily thereafter.

just a indian belly

am

“MY MOST SACRED MEMORIES ARE THOSE OF WORKING AS A HELPER IN MY GRANDMOTHER KITCHEN. WE USED TO VISIT THE GOLDEN TEMPLE AND ROLL BREADS,” SAYS VIKAS KHANNA, THE MICHELIN STARRED INDIAN CHEF, RESTAURATEUR, FILMMAKER, HUMANITARIAN, HOST OF THE TV SHOW MASTERCHEF INDIA AND AUTHOR. THERE’S A LOT ONE CAN LEARN FROM THIS HUMBLE MAN FROM AMRITSAR, INDIA, BUT THE BIGGEST LESSON WOULD BE THAT OF STAYIN GROUNDED AND REMEMBERING ONE’S ROOTS. IN CONVERSATION ABOUT HIS INSPIRATIONS MEMORIES OF INDIA, HIS NEW BOOK ‘EVERYONE CAN COOK’ & MORE. words PRACHI GROVER

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“Geography has got nothing to do with where one lives but is all about where one’s heart is,” says Chef Vikas Khanna. What say, all you NRIs?

R’S , F S NG S,

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indian belly

Just a few treats from his new book, Everyone Can Cook. (Left, top to bottom) Smoked kippers with scrambled eggs, Barbecued luncheon meat with peaches & Mustard vegetable curry (Below) Roast Peaches with coconut walnut sauce

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The other day, my four-year-old daughter said, “Mamma, we are very hardworking people because we are always travelling from one country to another.”

Of course she just meant that the flights that we had been recently taking were getting tiring for her and she equated hard work with being tired but for me the meaning was far deeper. And a lot of you will identify with it. Leaving one’s country, its colour, chaos, comfort and of course the loved ones and making another country your new home, all in search for a better life & growth prospects is what we all share and talk about time and again here at The Indian Trumpet. And one such Indian who has been away from India and has worked hard and has

successfully put India on the food map of the world is Chef Vikas Khanna. In this issue we talk to him about his fondest food memories of India, his new book, ‘Everyone Can Cook’ and a lot more.

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An award winning Michelin Starred Indian chef, restaurateur, filmmaker, humanitarian, host of the TV Show MasterChef India and of course an author, he believes, ‘that geography has got nothing to do with where one lives but is all about where one’s heart is.’ He tells us, “My most sacred memories are those of working as a helper in my grandmother’s kitchen. We used to visit the Golden Temple and roll breads.” Another lesson in humility and always remembering where your roots are, I think. About

a year back, I happened to attend the launch of his book, Khanna Sutra and came back wondering how does he handle his fame with such grace and I get a chance to ask him that, today. “I am just a fortunate bawarchi who is getting to do what he loves to, for which I always remember to be thankful and that keeps me grounded. In the process I get to share my inspiration and journey with the rest of the world - the books happen to be that bridge to share, preserve and reflect my culture with my loving audience. What also helps is that I am living in two great nations (India and the US) and I can draw upon that experience and share that with my readers as well.” And that brings

Everyone Can Cook has received the Innovation Award for Design from the International Packaging Association, Paris, France in 2013

Barbecued canned ham & peaches The combination of meat and fruits has always intrigued me. The natural sweetness of fruits when combined with spices and meats is a match made in heaven...

Ingredients 2 tins canned ham (thickly sliced). 2 tablespoons brown sugar (powdered). 4 tablespoons red chilli sauce. 3 teaspoons lemon juice. 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce. 1 teaspoon red chilli powder.

1½ teaspoons ginger juice. Salt to taste (if required).

4 tablespoons oil. 1 large can peach slices in syrup (drained well)

Method

indian belly

In a mixing bowl, combine sliced ham with brown sugar, chilli sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, chilli powder, ginger juice and salt (if required). Mix well taking care not to break the ham. Cover and keep aside to marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Brush a large griddle liberally with oil and heat over medium high flame. Arrange half the marinated ham slices on the griddle and roast, turning regularly to brown evenly on all sides. Drizzle with oil at regular intervals if necessary. When done, remove onto a plate and keep aside. Repeat with remaining ham.

Reduce the flame to medium low and add marinade and peaches onto the griddle. Toss gently till the peaches are coated with the marinade and just warm.

Remove and serve the ham with peaches hot.

(Recipe from the book, Everyone Can Cook)

us to his latest offering, Everyone Can Cook. “A collaboration between Hindustan Tin Works Ltd. and Om Books International, the book is my ode to those visionaries who took the first step towards preserving the goodness of nature in a can so that it can reach the kitchens and tables across the world (even during emergencies) and nurture appetites and souls,” he tells. “Hindustan Tin works Ltd. that conceptualised and sponsored this project to promote canned food and recycling of used cans has committed to contribute INR 50 per book sold to Chintan NGO, to make the lives of rag pickers (who collect cans from the waste) better. And that thought also inspired me to pen this book down.”

But do you think a book like this will work with an Indian audience who prefers fresh over canned each time? I ask. “I think we are a part of transition of a global kitchen. Convenience of ingredients is an important requisite for home cooks and I have

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focused exactly on that. Easier and accessible recipes that will serve as an ideal guide not only for those who wish to quickly put together a sumptuous meal but also for beginners who wish to experiment bravely in the kitchen. When I write my books, the real honour each time is when it gets spice marks and oil stains. It gets richer and becomes a part of readers’ lives and I am hoping that this one too will achieve that. In my kitchen too, there are five must-have items - cans, tuna, crushed tomatoes, beans, beets and pineapple. They really save a lot of time and ensure that a healthy meal at the end of a hard day is just a cupboard away.” I find myself nodding in agreement.

Before we end our short chat, I ask him what I am sure many of you want to know, ‘When are we seeing you in Dubai? We adore you!’ “I love UAE and am very inspired by the new wave of genius chefs and warm hospitality. I will be there,” he says.

We would be waiting, eagerly!

Remember! The most easiest thing to do is : CRITICIZE!

Suggestions , Ideas and

Criticism is most welcome!!!

Visit us on : www.facebook.com/Jackartoons or mail us : game4764@gmail.com

Powered by: Sanket Jack & Priyanka Asher

the good, the bad, and the ugly

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INDIA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A COUNTRY OF CONTRADICTIONS. THESE CONTRADICTIONS ARE A PART OF OUR LIFE AND WE HAVE ADAPTED TO THEM. INDIA AND BHARAT LIVE TOGETHER, SOMETIMES AS PARTNERS, SOMETIMES AS OPPONENTS. THIS INCONGRUITY MAKES US WHAT WE ARE, GOOD, BAD AND UGLY ALL ROLLED IN ONE. THE YEAR 2013 TOO HAD ITS SHARE OF THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY TIMES. AND WHILE 2013 AWOKE TO THE ‘SILENCE’ OF SCREAMING HEADLINES OF THE GANG RAPE OF A YOUNG GIRL, IT IS NEARING ITS END ON A HOPEFUL NOTE OF ‘CHANGE’.

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words DR ARCHANA R SINGH

The year 2013 awoke to the ‘silence’ of screaming headlines, raging crowds on Delhi streets, frenzied agitation, a young girl dying in a foreign hospital, loud wails of the crying mother, a shameful nation unable to celebrate, cancelled parties, prayer meetings, a long, very long wait for justice. The rage and desperation was palpable. People, a vast swath of our population were angry, the angst borne out of a sense of helplessness, of impotence, of being part of a system where they could not bring about any change.

The predictions of doomsday on 12.12.12 had failed but doom did descend upon us. On a chilly December evening a young girl was raped in a moving bus in New Delhi. Looking back, I find the year did not gush or rush; the ‘silence’ continued, as if it were contemplating the state of things. It was only interrupted by screams. The year 2013 seemed to be carrying the rising burden of shame, a physiotherapist, a photojournalist, a little girl in her own neighbourhood, a mute girl in a hospital ward! We were all perplexed at the extent of depravity! It left us scared, horrified, angry and at a total loss about what WE could do about it.

It led to more ‘silence’.

It was the thirteenth year, a year not favourable to the superstitious.

To the realist, it offered an opportunity to look within and for an optimist, like me, it was the beginning of a pleasant

2013 seemed to be carrying the rising burden of shame, a physiotherapist, a photojournalist, a little girl in her own neighborhood, a mute girl in a hospital ward! It left us scared, horrified, angry and at total loss about what WE could do about it. It led to more ‘silence’.

realisation. It was with a sense of wonder I watched the pessimists take a beating in the face of the revolt by the masses, mostly the young people. It was with a new found faith we saw them come together, in all forms, from the pages of Facebook, in their own neighbourhood, on the streets of small and big cities. Then to witness them revolt against injustice, fight for the cause of a girl they did not know, take on the authorities fearlessly and selflessly was like rays of hope filtering through the dark clouds of anger, despair and frustration. Social media was a platform where they came together like no place else.

Internet connected them to the communities of interest and it did not take too long for flash mobs to be created or for youngsters to move from home pages to city centers. They did it and have done it, many times over. Each incident raised the outcry. Change is inevitable. The ‘silence’ is breached. There is hope.

In the backdrop, life goes on.

There is a kaleidoscope of images,

the craze caused by the Kumbh Mela on one end, the scandal related to a renowned ‘baba’ on the other. On one extreme of religious belief were the Naga Sadhus. The images showed them running towards the waters in their flowing beards sans clothes, and the media embarrassed at their abandon, added blurs in the right places. The other extreme are the ‘babas’ that enjoy the blind faith of millions of people while denouncing nothing. One of them chooses a fifteen year old girl to play out his depravity. India remains embarrassed, the world remains embarrassed!

There have been several such embarrassments this year.

The CAG reports for instance, highlighting the coal block scams, gaps in India’s defence and the surprise finding of the missing condom vending machines. In a country that is moving towards record population, 90% of condom vending machines installed in public places go missing. We appear to be in desperate need of the condoms but do not seem theindiantrumpet.com

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to be using it and are ready to overtake China to be world leaders in this area.

Population growth has been visible in all areas. Be it people, cars, television sets or mobile phones! In most cities the ‘parks’ have been converted to ‘parkings’ and where children used to play, we find the behemoths resting.

Mobile phones have democratised the Indian population like never before. For instance, my maid gives me a call whenever she needs a leave and it’s the most natural thing to do. Mobile phones have bridged the class divide. Our growing population makes us an excellent market for all goods and services and we are only too happy to oblige. So, we are a good market as well as a bad economy, rich as well as poor, developed as well as developing!

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India has always been a country of contradictions. These contradictions are a part of our life and we have adapted to them.

India and Bharat live together, sometimes as partners, sometimes as opponents. This incongruity makes us what we are, good, bad and ugly all rolled in one.

In 2013 the good came in ‘Olive Green’. Nature’s fury in Uttarakhand , the worst calamity to befall this beautiful part of India, thousands lost their lives.

The Army and the Air Force were the saviours. We felt reassured in the presence of the armed force.

Images of jawans carrying old pilgrims on their backs to safety as they crossed slippery riverbeds,

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helicopters braving bad weather to transport stranded people, are images that are stamped on our minds not to be forgotten in a hurry. This time our hearts swell in pride and lumps are formed in our throats. There is a lot of good in us and our armed force show this to us every time. Sometimes I wonder – Would it be a good idea if we provide compulsory army training to all youngsters? With our limited coffers we cannot afford this extravagant conscription, but, I look at the brave Army jawans in stark contrast with the juvenile offenders being arrested lately.

They fall under the category of Indian youth, one is full of dedication and service towards his country and its people, and the other is directionless, deprived of any training and dominated by his animal instincts. If every youth could be enrolled for a year, or two, of compulsory training, either while he is in high school or in college, we would have a nation full of officers and gentlemen. All it needs is a thought to begin and grow exponentially. One of these

The rupee continued its nose dive, coal scam files got lost, inflation was everywhere from onions to petrol to gold & economy continued to hang in balance.

days, from one laptop a revolution will be born that will change the face and fate of this country! In the meantime we continue to lead our dual lives, virtual and real!

While the virtual world made all net savvy Indians participate in social media, the real world was busy with serious matters such as the juvenile sentence and later the life sentence for the rape victims. The law, its amendment, its purpose continued to be discussed on public fora. For the first time the citizens, now alerted by the media, participated in the debate, coming out of their habitual ‘chalta hai’ attitude. The ‘chalta hai’ syndrome is unique to India. We are able to manage our affairs with very little support from the system and sometimes with a little tweaking of the system as long as it works for us. At a larger level, we are very good at ignoring major events unless they affect us directly. Where in the world would you find a vociferous political atmosphere around a silent, stoic prime minister? The rupee continued its nose dive, coal scam files got lost, inflation was everywhere from onions to petrol to gold, economy continued to hang in balance, and we got the golden silence treatment.

This silence competed with the silence of the screams because it affected millions. In contrast to this silence, we witnessed the hue and cry of the cricket field where the games were as devious and decisive as any battle ground. We love cricket. We love it in all its avatars. We loved it when India

defeated England to win the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. We love it so much that we are shattered when we hear about corruption in cricket. No sooner than the 2012 spot fixing scandal died down, 2013 brought its own spot fixing stars. Three players were suspended by BCCI and to think that a towel did them in giving a new meaning to the expression, ‘throwing the towel’.

it is business as usual with new releases coming up every Friday.

Multiplexes have changed the filmgoer just as the radio has changed its audience. Community radios have mushroomed all over the country and private channels increased their reach and access.

Radio resurgence has created new audiences amongst both, the masses and the classes.

Newspapers continued to sell making India one of the rare growing markets for the medium while online publications were introduced side by side. Media as the fourth estate gained new power and continues to expand its horizons. All media have come under the umbrella of consolidation and many of our Indian film stars found work and respect in Hollywood films.

Meanwhile we are being treated to foreign publications, television programmes are being dubbed in Hindi, and we watch American TV serials with America just as they watch ours along with us! When it comes to technology we may not be the innovators but have proved to be early adapters. No wonder we are in such demand whenever

there is an innovation.

2013 is ready to bid us goodbye and making its way to history.

India now awaits the next general elections. This India is different from previous years because this is a youthful India. Today’s India is alert; it has its own mind. The Indian political scenario is looking at new trends in electioneering.

Political parties are in a race to woo the younger audience through social networks but as the political competition increases, victory margins decrease. Indian electorate is as contradictory in its voting pattern as the country he lives in. Yet, there is a certain visible alertness being shown by the usually reticent Indian.

This awakening has been the contribution of the year gone by and it is bigger than any one event. The year 2014 will be a deciding factor in many ways, 49% women voters may matter more than it is believed, and the first time voters may transform the rates of participation in the electoral exercise. The old order may change, yielding place to new!

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The other big entertainment area for us is the films. In its 100th year, Indian film industry gave us some interesting cinema. New films that celebrated older versions, such as Zanjeer, Once upon a time in Mumbai Dobara, films that came up with brand new themes, such as, Madras Café, John Day, Shudhh Desi Romance, films that reflected the states of mind of the people such as Satyagraha, big budget grosser such as Chennai Express, small wonders such as The Lunchbox were all presented to the audience in multitude of multiplexes across the nation.

All had their takers, all had their niche audience. Whether big or small, films made money, the bar was raised beyond 100 crores!

We gained monetarily but the industry that had lost many of its stalwarts in 2012 such as Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, lost some well-loved personalities this year too. Death of the gentleman villain Pran and the intriguing film maker Rituparno Ghosh left a deep void in the industry. But the show, as they say, goes on and in show biz

2013 is ready to bid us goodbye and making its way to history. This India is different from previous years because this is a youthful India. Today’s India is alert; it has its own mind. The old order may change, yielding place to new!

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year of bollywood full and bold ‘n’ booty-ful

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2013 SAW THE SMALL STAGE FURTHER CONSOLIDATING ITS STATUS AS THE “RERUN” BHOOMI NOT ONLY FOR EPIC EPISODES BUT ALSO FAMILY DRAMAS. REALITY SHOWS CONTINUED TO BE OLD WINE SERVED IN A NEW BOTTLE. MYTHOLOGY ALSO STRUGGLED TO FIND ITS SPACE. BUT TV DID FIND ITS CONQUERORS IN COMEDY AND CINE CELEBS. YES, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR COMEDY OVERTAKING THE PRIME SLOT AND BOLLYWOOD CELEBS DESCENDING ON THE TUBE THE TELLY WORLD OF 2013 WOULD HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN AS JUST ANOTHER YEAR. A RE-CAP. words CHETNA KEER

Season 2013 of Indian TV would have belonged to the talent template, making much song and dance of reality shows, or to the staple of sob operas from the Ekta stable and elsewhere. It would have meant just another average season on the electronic media’s entertainment calendar, driven by TRP wars, by Bollywood biggies engaged in a smaller version of Khan-led Star Wars, and by TV award nites trying to topple each other with their own clones of the Oscars. Indeed, it would just have been another year of mixed bag of entertainment, with its share of hits, misses and even eyeball-ensnaring celeb kisses. That is, if it hadn’t been for comedy and celluloid that completely conquered the 2013 primetime, mock, shock and parallel.

First, here’s touching on trends from the staple smallscreen diet of the tear-jerkers, the family raga and the historical saga. The year saw the small stage further consolidating its status as the “run” bhoomi or “rerun” bhoomi not only for epic episodes but also family dramas that ran from one season to another. In that

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(Left to Right) Star Verdict with Anupama Chopra, Junior Masterchef Swaad Ke Ustaad and Bigg Boss 7. (Top to bottom) C.I.D., Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, Pavitra Rishta, Comedy Nights with Kapil and Star.

sense, 2013 was a leap year for the czarina driving the couch potato’s big fat tear shedding, Ekta Kapoor.

For, her much popular serial Bade Achhe Lagte Hain (Sony) took a nine-year leap. Serials also became the stage that showcased a trend that got bigger this year: Bollywood using TV shows as a platform for promos. It had none other than Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara lead actor Akshay Kumar playing the serial Khiladi when he came to promote his flick. To name a few, front running serials Diya Aur Baati Hum (Star Plus), Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma, Qubool Hai, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Sapne Suhane Ladakpan ke, Pavitra Rishta, Balika Vadhu and Madhubala were among the staples in the serial space, while some serials like Hum Aapke Hain In-Laws (Sab TV) spelt some refreshing news. In a season of re-runs, adaptations like Amita ka Amit (Sony), adapted from The Beauty and the Beast or Ekta Kapoor’s Tere Liye (Star Plus), based on Manju Kapur’s novel Custody, tried to give original scripts a “run” for their money.

But for the queen of the K-serials, it was more a year of courting controversies than of memorable

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(Left to Right) Bollywood used TV shows as a platform to promote their films, Mahabharat and Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke

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characters courting screen romance. Ekta’s epic moment, the big switch from her signature genre of the hysterical raga to the historical saga was marred when her magnum-opus Jodhaa Akbar (Zee TV) ran into trouble with the Sri Rajput Karni Sena (SRKS).

Other epics too put up a show, with Mahabharat, Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap, etc. going on air, but mythology was more an also-ran in a year conquered by comedy, cine celebs and the talent template.

Coming to the reality shows, it was a season of old wine in new bottle as much as innovations being experimented with full throttle. This year the talent template literally looked a lot like child’s play! For, the new “kids” on the reality bloc were many a reality show for young ones, be it India’s Best Draamebaaz (Zee), Indian Idol Junior (Sony) or Junior MasterChef Swaad Ke Ustaad (Star Plus).

Another debut cookery-based show was Welcome: Baazi Mehmaan-Nawaazi Ki (Life OK) that came studded with celebrities. An Indian adaptation of British show Come Dine With Me, this added spice to the cookery format, that thankfully was not cluttered

like the dance ‘n’ music show space where you can’t tell one clone from another. It saw Ram Kapoor, the actor who became the romantic heartthrob of calorie advantaged, middle-aged India with Bade Achhe…, reinventing himself as a cookery show host.

The “old wine in new bottle” format saw staples like Kaun Banega Crorepati, Bigg Boss, Nach Baliye, Jhalak Dikhla Jaa etc., tweaking their templates a tad to trick viewers into thinking they were getting something bigger, better and bolder. Kaun Banega Crorepati (Sony), with Amitabh Bachchan taking center stage as host yet again, upped the prize money to `7 crore, changed its signature tune and made other cosmetic changes in the race to be the Bold & Booty-ful of reality shows. Bigg Boss 7 (Colors) went mega ‘n’ madder with host Salman Khan’s “Jannat ka WOW aur Jahannum ka AWOW”. Essentially, it was like being dished out the Lays’ chips same old tomato flavour, but in tweaked tastes like “Garden Tomato & Basil” or “Baked Sunkissed Tomato”!

If 2013 belonged to bigger ‘n’ bolder reality shows, it was also a season of comic timing. For, the comic genre did for Indian television this year what the reality template had done some seasons back: It took over the post-dinner hour and turned it into the new primetime. So, if weekend laughathon Comedy Nights with Kapil (Colors) not only made the 10 pm slot the new primetime but also comedian Kapil Sharma the new Hero of Humour not-sosublime, even non-comedy shows made “heavyweights” like Bharti Singh the new celeb quotient on reality shows like Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. Consolidating on a trend that had already been witnessed in the reality TV format in previous season, 2013 saw more bigscreen biggies descending on the tube, making it Bollywood’s day out on the box. That Bollywood got bigger on a screen that is small now only in size, not in the names it draws, was evident from the advent of ace director-producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali on Indian television with the much-hyped magnum opus Saraswatichandra (Star Plus). Anil Kapoor of the Oscar fame, too, makes a smallscreen debut this season with 24 (Colors).

Perhaps, the most telling pointer of how much bigger and bolder Bollywood got came from non-cinema driven shows like Aap Ki Adalat, which too tweaked its regular political personality-based format to make its guest list more and more Bollywood-studded, hosting Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha team and many others.

So, if there was one stage where Bollywood got Bigger, Bolder and (perhaps) Better, it was the small one.

Happy viewing!

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tax free entertainment 36 theindiantrumpet.com

2013,the year that was... artwork SANKET B JACK

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bindi The

the great Indian forehead art THE MODEST BINDI IS WILLING TO CROSS THE BORDERS WITH YOU. ARE YOU READY TO WEAR A BINDI IN AN ALIEN LAND?

fashion fry

words ANU M image MYRIAD HUES (FACEBOOK.COM/MYRIADHUESPHOTOGRAPHY)

Fashionistas all across the world refer to the humble bindi as the great Indian forehead art.

International actresses and singers often adorn the simple bindi to add the oomph factor to their look. The bindi is also a big hit on the international runway. So, if you have recently landed in Dubai and are wondering if you can sport the bindi in an alien and foreign land, we’d say, absolutely yes!

For the bindi is as Indian, as international today. So why not cast the spell of the bindi in DXB?

Bindi gets its name from the Sanskrit word bindu, which means a drop, small particle or dot. It is worn between the eyebrows, the area which traditionally was referred to as the sixth chakra or the seat of concealed wisdom. Interestingly, once upon a time the bindi was worn only by the married women and was said to symbolise their love for the spouse. And we’re talking of the days when sindhoor (vermilion powder) was skillfully

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applied with the fingertip on the forehead and sticker bindis were not as easily available. Till date, in many families a woman’s face without a bindi is considered inauspicious. Of course with changing times the bindi has crossed the realm of customs and simplicity and gotten modernised and glamourised. Look around and you will spot it in its many avatars, Usha Uthup’s artistic Bengali style big circular teep, Selena Gomez’s Bollywood inspired dot, Indian telly characters Komolika and Romola Sikand’s vamp-kind bindi and many more.

A beauty expert from Chandigarh, Sonia Ahuja says, “A bindi on the forehead is the cynosure and considering the market these days is full of options one can complement the bindi with an outfit or vice versa.” Ahuja frequently travels to Dubai and other destinations in the Middle East to offer beauty consultation. “I know that a lot of Indians in Dubai and even back home wear Western outfits

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fashion fry

too, I’d like to encourage all these women to wear the bindi even with skirts, jeans, jump suits, etc. Yes, such is the beauty of bindi that it looks as gorgeous when worn with a pair of denims as with a saree or salwar kameez,” she adds. Here’s what she suggests, a long liquid bindi in black with a long skirt and a small studded bindi with an Indo-Western outfit. And for more inspiration Ahuja says follow Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor, “She carries the bindi with western outfits really well.” During a recent interview Sonam was quoted as being in awe with the bindi, ‘The one thing I like about Chennai girls is their bindis. I have noticed a lot of colourful and different types of bindis.’

ne at anyo ould sh a feel th Chanan wear a bindi the a it y ja A n one of cides to who de it bcause it is nts of an India respecteautiful eleme ar most b ’s solah shring woman

Priyanka Kundra, an NRI loves to flaunt the Indianess at all times, “A bindi gives me a sense of completeness. I remember the first time I wore a bindi with a cigarette skirt to a party Richa Arora Nijhaw the non-Indians went absolutely crazy! They Indian with a pair ofan goes full on jhumkis and a red dot! loved the look and many even wanted to imitate it.’’ Her favourite is the kumkum-style bindi, round and red. Remember, to sport a bindi what you foremost need is the right attitude - the outfit, shape of the face, colour Priyanka Kund kumkum-style ra loves the of the bindi, length of the bindi, etc. are all red; and she bindi, round and Indianess withloves to flaunt the Western outfi secondary. Dr Ajayita Chanana, a globe-trotter ts doctor says, “You got to be a Madonna to be able to carry a bindi with a Western outfit. Yes, when Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Alicia Keys wear it they make headlines but not everyone can sport it with equal élan.” She adds, “Also, I feel that anyone who decides to wear a bindi ng ls there is nothi one en Prianca Bora fee should respect it. It is one of the most beautiful aring a bindi wh better than we the Indian beauty & wants to flaunt elements of an Indian woman’s solah shringar culture that enhances one’s look in both a traditional and glamorous way.” Indeed, a bindi adds to the days but the idea is to practice restraint and make wearer’s persona, a kumkum bindi adds grace, a impact.” Chiffon and georgette are two fabrics that liquid bindi spells enigma, a studded bindi looks go extremely well with the bindi. chic and a glow-in-dark bindi can up your hip-hop quotient. Richa Sharma, the owner of Cleopatra, a So go ahead and sport the bindi. If you can handle chain of beauty salons in India, shares a few tips, the delicate kumkum, master the act. If not, go in “Match the pattern of the dress with your bindi. If for sticker bindis or liquid bindis. And yes, don’t be you are wearing a solid colour dress then go in for a afraid to experiment with the shapes – vertical lines, plain black or plain red liquid or powder bindi. And round, oval, triangle or a mix of all, create a bindi that remember never to overdo it. Sequins, mirrors, shells, defines you. As for the outfit be it Indian, Western or stones and even pearls are used to make bindis these Indo-Western, we’d say wear your smile along!

A bindi is known by various names in different languages. Phot in Assamese, Teep in Bengali, Chandlo in Gujarati, Kunkuma in Kannda, Tilo in Konkani, Pottu in Malayalam and Tamil and Bottu or Tilakam in Telugu.

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telegram

idhar udhar

FULL STOP ON THE 14TH OF JULY 2013, THE TELEGRAPH WAS LAID TO REST AMID A RISING TIDE OF NOSTALGIC MEMORIES; MEMORIES OF AN ERA GONE BY AND MEMORIES OF JOY, SORROW & HOPE THAT TOUCHED THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS INDIANS. OUR TRIBUTE TO THE TWITTER OF THE 20TH CENTURY, THE INDIAN TELEGRAM. words JOANNA OOMMEN

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The endless clacking of telegraph machines.

Telegraph operators chatter as they take a break from the monotonous routine of sending and receiving telegrams. Long queues of people waiting to send urgent news to family and friends in another town. Messages shortened to the fewest words possible, with number codes for specific message categories. Fast forward a few decades; the telegraph machine has been replaced by an electronic printer, and the Internet is used to transmit messages between telegraph offices as opposed to telegraph cables.

In its original form, the Indian telegram or taar

is one of the legacies of pre-Independent India, a legacy that will now unfortunately, fade into oblivion, with the Indian government’s decision to scrap the service that has lost its popularity to technologically-superior counterparts.

Nonetheless, there is something incredibly charming about this small piece of technology that represents much of India’s tumultuous colonial past and its post-Independence surge into economic and political dominance. It is therefore, only fitting to reflect on the life of the telegram and to pay tribute to the Twitter of the 20th century.

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idhar udhar

In 1833, an inquisitive Irishman, Dr. William Brooke O’Shaughnessy, was appointed to Calcutta (now Kolkata) as an assistant surgeon by the East India Company, which, as most of us recognise, was a British establishment for handling of trade activities with the Indian subcontinent. A few years later, he developed his own system of telegraphy in contrast to the American pioneer, Samuel Morse (who gave the Morse code used in telegraphy), and British pioneers, William Cooke and Charles Wheatstone.

Dr. O’Shaughnessy’s experimental line was 21 miles long and was a success. It was, however, not until 1850, that he was officially appointed by the East India Company to erect test cables from Calcutta to Diamond Harbour. From there, India’s telegraph network grew almost exponentially, reaching nearly 4,000 miles of cable by 1853, and around 1, 00,000 miles by 1939.

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THE LAST TELEGRAM The telegram counter closed at 11.45 pm on July 14, 2013. The last message was booked at the counter of Central Telegraph Office (CTO) Janpath, New Delhi by Ashwani Mishra, who sent messages to Rahul Gandhi and director general of DD news, SM Khan.

In retrospect, it is easy to imagine how the telegram gained prominence as a means of communication during the British Raj (before Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone). Up until then, any messages relating to trade or those of political significance, would take days or even weeks to arrive. With the launch of a telegraph network, such messages could be relayed within a day’s time, speeding up communication between cities. In fact, the Empire used it to their strategic advantage, consolidating their colonial rule and gaining an upper-hand over revolting parties. A case in point would be the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, which historians speculate, was quashed by British forces primarily due to forewarnings received by telegram.

Despite the notoriety it garnered during the colonial period, the telegram was quick to enter the mainstream of middle class India, soon after Independence. During its hey-days, telegrams were sent to deliver urgent news or wishes relating to marriage, birth, death, sickness, or official matters, when telephones were scarce and snail-mail, albeit inexpensive, would take weeks to reach. Some would also carry political news, as this famous message sent

by Dr. Jawaharlal Nehru in October 1947 informing his British counterpart, Clement Attlee, about Pakistan’s invasion of Kashmir and requesting for help, “We have received urgent appeal for assistance from Kashmir government. We would be disposed to give favourable consideration to such request from any friendly state.”

As fate would have it, the golden era of Indian telegram was not meant to last. The once highly sought after means of communication would hold

its numero-uno position only so far as it was the cheapest and fastest. The commercialisation of digital communication and the Internet spelt doom for telegraph services beginning 1990s. In America, for instance, the Western Union Company, which started out in the business of telegram exchange, shut down this service as of 2006 and re-focused their infrastructure on financial services, a process that had begun as early as 1988.

In the face of mounting losses, numerous attempts were carried out to revive the service. Hoping for a turnaround, the Indian Postal services handed over the reins of the telegraph network to the Indian telecom company, BSNL. In 2011, BSNL implemented a long overdue price hike from a meagre 3-4 rupees to a more reasonable 27 rupees for 50 words. Even that could not keep the numbers from dwindling.

Officers who dealt with over 10,000 telegrams daily saw no more than a few hundred a day in recent years.

And thus, on the 14th of July 2013, the telegraph was laid to rest amid a rising tide of nostalgic memories; memories of an era gone by, memories of joy, sorrow, and hope that have touched the lives of countless Indians. The Indian Express poignantly portrays our collective emotion in these words, “For long, the telegraph was eyed with suspicion as an emblem of imperial rule, yet it brought various parts of the country together and eventually entered the traffic of everyday life. When the telegraph winds up, one of the oldest markers of a modern India will be lost.

Stop”

Actor Riteish Deshmukh sent a telegram to his wife & actress Genelia d’Souza on the day the 163-year-old service came to an end.

“Received my 1st telegram on the last day of its service from my Navra. Thank u Riteish #happy me,” Genelia posted on her Twitter page. She even posted a part image of the special telegram sent by her ‘Navra’, which means husband in Marathi.

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We’ll miss the telegram. Stop.

FIRST TELEGRAM, LAST DAY

Image: Paperchase

celebration toot

And when came the

christmas eve It’s the oldest New Year tradition! words SURBHI THUKRAL

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it is the Christmas eve, when all evil is vanquished in a blink; all — young and old, rich and poor — enkindled with joy and peace; behold, tiny hands closed together in every alley, sweet heads bowed to the Christmas angel in a miniature sleigh led by eight reindeers, Santa Claus! I tell children fondly about him: he dresses in a red garb with white fur, whirls of snow wobble head to toe; his rosy cheeks, little round belly imitate his famous joviality; he crosses miles and showers smiles with a sack of treasures.

The watches of past rewind, bring to life memories of the time when under my cushioned pillow was a list for the generous giver of gifts; when silent appeals for mercy were made by many innocent hearts repeatedly warned not to be impish to be counted amongst the lucky; when a long, cotton stocking — it belonged to my mother—

MERRY CHRISTMAS’

Underneath the silvery sky, a city chortles in the warm embrace of festivity;

was hung at the end of my wooden bed and when came the Christmas Eve, the birth date of a true king, little Christmas trees dazzled in every window of the street where I’d lived; every heart stuffed with delicate scent of harmony; the aroma of coffee, chocolate, strawberry, etc.

— those Christmas cakes took long to bake — over streets clad in red, gold, silver and green; every decoration wrapped in an innocent ecstasy and when came the Christmas Eve, the birth date of a true king, all sang and danced on the old, familiar carols with their families; church bells rang out from the chapel nearby — they still resonate with me; the wind waltzed with every tree, the sky winked once or twice, maybe; appeared a vision that glistened in all wonder filled eyes; I remember the pace with which I snuggled up in the bed before murmuring my wishes a final time and when the sunlight raised the curtain of my eyes,

crowned my heart with harmless pride.

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the welcome sight of delight at my bedside

celebration toot

Janus, the Roman God of beginnings and transitions, was said to have two faces, one that allowed him to look back into the past and the other to look forward into the future. And it’s believed that this fact led to January 1st being celebrated as the New Year’s Day. Taking a cue from the same, a six-year-old recites his favourite lines for the readers of The Indian Trumpet, to look forward to the first day of 2014. “I can see clearly now, the rain is gone, I can see all obstacles in my way, gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun-shiny day. I think I can make it now, the pain is gone, all of the bad feelings have disappeared, here is the rainbow I’ve been praying for. It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun-shiny day.” Yes people, 2014 is almost here and soon many of us will get busy making a dozen resolutions.

All of us look forward to the clock striking 23.59 on New Year’s Eve where cheers roar, kisses are galore, whistles soar and the smiles are a ton more, but somewhere between all the merry making we hear that little birdy tweeting in the back of our heads saying, “C’mon it’s the New Year, it’s time to let go off the past, bury the hatchet, look forward to the new and most importantly let Mr. and Ms. Fix It take charge.” And yes while some take on the tradition of making resolutions seriously there are others who bid it farewell soon after the clock strikes 12.00 but then no one can deny having at least once made some kind of a New Year resolution. Right?

The concept of New Year resolutions if coined simply reflects “self-improvement”. Most of us want to and strive to making our

New Year resolutions work but the question is how many of us stick to choosing the right resolution and have that goal chart staring us in the face telling us “Hey, you’re only half way there, don’t keep living on a prayer.” No wonder, it is said that New Year resolutions have an uncanny way of commemorating commitments that invariably equate to Murphy’s Law of Averages. I am sure a lot of you would agree on this one.

But then despite it, the charm of making a resolution is such that we all voluntarily fall for it, each year! So, we thought just before we bid goodbye to 2013 why not chat up with some ‘resolvers’ for some resolution lessons. And on our journey we stumbled on motivational, satirical and funny tips and resolves. Perhaps, these will help you get started.

And, we res It’s the oldest New Year tradition!

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Yes, it’s that time of the year again when we get tempted to jump on to the resolution wagon SOME OF US KEEP UP TO THE RESOLVES, MANY FAIL, SOME RESOLVE TO RE-VISIT IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR BUT NO ONE RINGS INTO THE NEW YEAR WITHOUT A HAPPY SONG ON THEIR LIPS AND A RESOLUTION IN THEIR HEAD. WE HELP YOU GET STARTED. words LIANE BARRETTO

Unleash your motivation scale There’s no better feeling than capsizing a challenge at hand.

For a Tell Tale that few can Tell, I couldn’t help but share my resolution experience of 2013.

Deciding to be a good wife I agreed to grant my hubby one wish for 2013. Well my better half couldn’t have found a better bitter opportunity, he looked me in the eye and then glared at my left hand saying, “Darling, how about you try and get that wedding ring of 2004 to fit right where it belongs rather than letting it adorn your jewellery box, I would like to see you back as a fit 56 chick or I’ll soon be chasing 50 chicks.” Being someone who always tunes into taking up a challenge and beating the odds, I set out on my regime to a task which Mr. Moniz stamped as unattainable. The journey of

Zumba moves and walking grooves witnessed the melting moments of over 10 kg to date! Well, in my case the joy of seeing Mr.Moniz’ jaw drop when the scales struck in my favour has been the biggest motivation in taming the bulge. But then, that was me! Meet Sheraine Araujo, a young lady who grew in Goa, she too recalls the resolution of weight loss, which she faithfully held up to at the start of every New Year and it stayed on the top of her list for over six years. She would engage in every single diet and exercise trend available, follow it for three-months and then was back to the bulge bauble. So what changed after six years? “Well, while on this path I was the one on the healthier and prosperous end of the weight margin in comparison to the rest of my femme fatale click, finally they caught up to the same size as me so I no longer

needed to compel myself to lose weight cause the scales had tipped in my favour.” She highlights an interesting point, “Just as people’s aspirations change with time so do their resolutions take over an appeal of maturity.”

Remember to have fun Ajoy Kane an adventurous soul and a resident of the infamous Dubai Arabian Ranches tickles the funny bone. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder but a well-mixed spirit makes thy thinking go yonder!”

He feels New Year resolutions are meant to be fun, his New Year typically starts soulfully sober and by the time its 11.59 if he had to walk across the dance floor to get another glass he could well end up winning the dance competition for the night. To Ajoy’s credit of being an absolute fitness freak he does give us our next best resolution

solve, yet again! theindiantrumpet.com

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tip, take to being healthy for there is nothing more appealing than kicking off the year with a well carved frame both in mind and body. Yes, a mind that knows when to shut off will result in a healthy body too. And most importantly as Ajoy says have fun all the way.

With a New Year on the horizon many do decide the time is right to treat themselves nicer and have more fun.

Transform the resolution into a habit

celebration toot

Just like good wine, resolutions mature with age. Ringing in the New Year often comes with a thirst for starting fresh and accomplishing things of importance. Manchandas, who have been married for over 43 years, render that a resolution succeeds only if you inculcate it as a habit. They reminisce how way back at the start of 1987, what started as a resolution with a very meager monetary investment, after 18 months of deliberation materialised into a sprawling five-storey apartment building in the quiet suburb of Bandra, Mumbai. Yes, this is a perfect example for many youngsters who often complain how they find it impossible to save!

A de-cluttering exercise ‘Organising’ is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions.

When January 1 makes its appearance many individuals feel the need to reduce clutter and become more efficient. In fact,

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some find that this resolution is necessary to help them accomplish many of the other resolutions on their lists. Perhaps that’s why as the final seconds of the year tick away we become introspective.

We decide to not just clean our work desks, wardrobes, hard disks but also our lives. Many look at this time of the year to de-clutter in terms of unhappiness, negativities and more. This comes in from a granny who is way past being ninety, and she definitely gets us reeling. We ask her, “Nani, what would be your first chant for 2014?” Someone known for giving Aunty Acid a run for her money she replies, “God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones that I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.”

from Mumbai but having settled

Family, first

revelry among the skyscrapers of

The aspect of family always coming first is one resolution that struck a chord between all of the people we spoke to. Captain Leslie Manchanda says nothing feels better than knowing that your presence means the world to someone. Even though he has been a pilot for over 43 years he has ensured he always makes time for his family on the first day of the year. He strongly advocates young couples to cut out the virtual life and spend more quality time with loved ones. Who knows what the second day of the New Year may bring to you? So, make sure the first day is spent with people who matter the most to you. Hailing

in Dubai for over fifteen years Tina Kalpesh resolved that 2013 would be the year for family bonding. She spent a very fruitful summer with her entire family in Mumbai. And even though in between 2013 she did miss on a few hugs and kisses exchanged between them all, she did manage to do a pretty good job at living the resolve. “In 2014 too, I’d like to resolve for another holiday with my family,” she says.

I am not sure if the words penned above would have made you wiser when it comes to resolving but I am confident that I would have got you in the mood of making resolutions if for nothing but for old times’ sake! So, on 31st December 2013 between the the UAE, the amazing fireworks at Sydney Harbor Bridge, the clamour at Times Square NYE or the traditional family gathering in your own humble abode let’s all jump on to the resolution wagon.

And yes, I’m going to leave you with wise words from someone else, not me, this time. Eric Zorn said, “Making resolutions is a cleansing ritual of self-assessment and repentance that demands personal honesty and, ultimately, reinforces humility. Ironically, breaking them is part of the cycle.”

I am smitten by the charm of resolving-breaking-resolving, yet again. And I hope you are too.

horn OK please

‘BULAND BHARAT KI BULAND TASVEER, HAMARA BAJAJ’. WHEN A BAJAJ ARRIVED AT HOME, THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WOULD CELEBRATE ITS ARRIVAL! A SYMBOL OF GROWING INDIA, WE ALL HAVE MEMORIES OF THE HUMBLE SCOOTER. OUR TRIBUTE TO THIS GLORIOUS SYMBOL OF THE INDIAN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY. words AANANDIKA SOOD images ASHISH LANGADE & DEBASISH NANDY

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Image: Ashish Langade

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If you are the child of the 80s and if you can hum Doordarshan’s signature tune and recall the colours of the montage; if you remember the ‘Ek chidiya’ song and sing it too (to probably your kids now!); if you can recall the yellow saree of the Maggi mummy and Lalita ji of Surf fame then you most definitely remember the ‘Buland Bharat ki Buland Tasveer’.

Yes! Hamara Bajaj. Bajaj Chetak, the two-wheeler that was a defining characteristic of our childhood and an imminent part of our teen years. Many of us have fond memories of riding the scooter to markets and may be to tuitions. Unfortunately, out of production for a while and not a frequent sight on the Indian roads the sight of the beloved two-wheeler on the set of ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil Sharma’ on Colors TV brought back the nostalgia and got me thinking.

Bajaj has been a household name in

Images: Debasish Nandy

Vespa, a product of Piaggio, an Italian company. It was in 1959 that the company obtained a license from the Government of India to manufacture two and three wheelers.

The year 1960 was of marked importance as the company went public. Under the license from Piaggio, Bajaj launched Vespa 150, in the same year. In 1971 the company started to manufacture the three-wheeler good carrier.

Chetak was next on the list of production. The reliable and economically priced scooter fulfilled

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I have very clear memories of roaming about the town on the grey Bajaj Chetak that my father owned. The grey scooter was recently sold off but I can still recall the ‘vrooooommmmm’ sound of the scooter as Papa put it in gear to take my mother to the school where she taught. When we were kids the same sound in the evenings signalled Papa’s homecoming. We would rush out of doors to see what treats he had for us in the basket of the scooter. As we moved out of the house for further studies the same sound came to signal a particular hour on the clock as we lay there in the bed lounging during the holidays and our parents made way to their respective workplaces. My daughter, when she was three, was taken on her first scooter ride and since that time, she insists on taking a round of the town on the scooter, standing in front, letting the air blow her hair in all directions. The incomparable thrill of a scooter ride!

India for about 75 years. Bajaj Auto, the company that produced the twowheeler and came to be associated with dreams and prosperity in the 80s, started out in the year 1945 as Bachraj Trading Corporation Private Limited.

Chetak was the first scooter model to come out of the factories in 1972. It remained a star throughout the decade of its launch and hogged much limelight in the 80s as well after the launch of two other models, Super and M-50.

Chetak, got its name after the brave horse of legendary warrior from Mewar, Maharana Pratap. Messers Bachraj started out by selling the imported

Moniz family children on the Bajaj Chetak: Mr.Ernesto Moniz bought this priced possession in 1984 and it was with the family for over two decades. It was the family’s first owned transport when they resettled in Goa. The picture has Ryle Moniz and his little sister. Like they say old is gold, the family grew to the ranks of owning many 4 wheel vehicles during the years but the memories of their first owned 2 wheeler will always be in the realms of their fondest memories. (Ryle Moniz is one of our lovely readers, and this picture was shared with us by his wife, Liane Barretto)

horn OK please

the desire in many households to own a vehicle. Rahul Kumar Bajaj was the force behind the Chetak scooter.

At one point of time, the scooter had a ten-year waiting period! Rahul Bajaj, in the capacity of the Managing Director of Bajaj Auto in 1972, invested a lot of time and money in the research and development of the scooter that went on to garner a place for itself in the auto history of the country. The 4-stroke Chetak remained a flagship model till the late 80s and the Hamara Bajaj television commercial did much to ensure that it held on to that spot of glory.

The monopoly that Bajaj enjoyed at a certain point in the two-wheeler segment soon began to see competition from the likes of Honda and Vespa, which came out with products that challenged the beloved scooter directly. The license agreement with Vespa had ended by 1977 and Bajaj launched the Super.

Revered as a dowry item, the Super was quite identical to the Vespa. A three gear scooter, Bajaj Priya was also launched in 1977.

The times were challenging and the company decided to enter the moped segment with the launch of M50 and M80. Out of these M50 turned out to be a failure but the sturdy M80 found many takers especially in the rural

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segment. Next in line was a technical tie up with Japan’s Kawasaki. This proved to be game changer. Soon Indian roads began to see the bulky motorcycle speeding ahead of the scooter. Change was knocking on the door.

In 1986, Bajaj had sold 5, 00,000 vehicles in a financial year. In 1995, the figure touched the ten millionth mark and the company sold one million vehicles in the year.

From those figures the production of scooter had come down to a mere 1,000 mark. And in 2009 the company took the decision to exit the scooter market. And even though the days of the scooter might be over but Bajaj Auto Limited is going from strength to strength.

And soon after, the days when we could spot a Bajaj on the road become a rarity. But the one thing that remained was the fact that Bajaj was now a glorious part of our history. A lot of us drove the vehicle and many more enjoyed a ride on it. It was an icon of the prosperous India and was seen everywhere from garages to weddings and Bollywood to narrow Indian roads. Till date, my heart warms up when I think of the times when the arrival of a Bajaj at home was no less than a celebration, a scooter that everyone in the neighbourhood dropped by to take a look at. A popular tag line for Bajaj was ‘You just can’t beat a Bajaj’. And I for one can’t help but agree more.

angry toot

WE’RE ANGRY AND WE DON’T WANT THIS ANGER TO DIE. WRITE TO US AT THEINDIANTRUMPET@GMAIL.COM. WE PLEDGE THAT WE WILL KEEP THE ANGER ALIVE IN EACH AND EVERY ISSUE OF THE INDIAN TRUMPET MAGAZINE.

LET’S NOT MOVE ON. DON’T LET THIS PHASE PASS.

#angry toot

Arpita Bansal New Delhi, India Rapists without any second thought should be hanged till death. There should be strict laws as there is no fear in criminals’ mind these days. People are fearlessly committing crimes and wandering freely. India is a nation where a girl is worshipped as a deity in form of Durga and Kali and in this very country such types of crimes are happening daily. It’s a matter of immense shame to the nation. The corrupt politicians are not at all worried about the country’s welfare or women’s safety. All they do is misuse their powers and fulfil their selfish motives.

I am highly saddened by such incidents. I am a positive, motivational speaker myself, always guiding children to follow the right path. One should be an inspirer and not a person who brings his nation’s head down.

“The purpose of government is to enable the people to live in safety & happiness.”

I finally figured out that not every crisis can be managed. As much as we want to keep ourselves safe, we can’t protect ourselves from everything. If we want to embrace life, we also have to embrace chaos. Also “I have come to discover that “being safe” is an illusion, a pretence that adults wrapped around their children and sometimes themselves - to make the world seem comfortable. I discovered that under that thin cover of let’s-pretend lay the monsters and nightmares, and that not all of them came from places like the moon roads. Some of the monsters were people we knew. People we thought we

could trust.” The political response has been appalling. Sonia Gandhi’s address to the nation is totally inadequate. Some female politicians blame rape victims for their “adventurous spirit”. The president’s son spoke of women protesters as “highly dented” and “painted”. The statements of the political class have been slammed as inane. What some politicians fear most is that this young, educated population reminds them of the Arab spring and they are demanding change. They fear what they call “the pink revolution”. When people say, as they so often do, that feminism is the preoccupation of a few white middle-class women in the West agonising over whether to wear lipstick or not, I wish they could see these angry men and women out at night demanding that women be safe, who say rape is always a weapon used to keep women in fear. For something is happening here, anger is overtaking fear. The debate the politicians want is one of law and order, but the radical one is about how to change the culture itself. And because this is India, we are taking about a myriad of cultures.

Somehow, though, through the shock and the trauma, this country is examining itself and its much-vaunted modernity does not look so modern. The new India can only be ‘birthed’ through the rights of women to be free, safe and equal. It disgusts those who sit at night holding vigils. It disgusts me. It cannot be airlifted out, hushed up, burned to ashes. It is alight. And it will keep burning.

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(Please note: The views expressed by people in this section are solely theirs and don’t reflect that of the editor or the publication.

These are original pieces/words sent by the readers, and are being ‘printed’ as ‘submitted, without any editing’.)

angry toot

There are seasons. If you are a natureholic then you would know of summer, autumn, spring and winter. If you are a fashionholic then you would know of Winter, Spring/ Summer and Fall/Pre-Fall.

And if you are an Indian then you would know of the scam season, rape season, incest season, dowry season, bomb season, murder season… This ‘season’ too shall pass? Once upon a time we got obsessed with kids falling in pits. The whole nation prayed for a child who was in a pit and troops of men tried to save his life.

Did no one fall in a pit postthat? Were all the manholes covered after that? We don’t remember. We moved on.

Once upon a time we got obsessed with incest victims?

Our newspaper splashed gruesome tales. Did no hand reach a place where it should have not, after that? We don’t remember. We moved on.

Once upon a time we got obsessed with a 23-year-old who was gang raped? Then a six-year-old, then a 45-yearold, now again a 22-year-old…

We will soon not remember.

We will move on. This is the rape season. This phase shall too pass?

IT’S TIME TO SING JINGLE BELLS AND WELCOME THE NEW YEAR! DRAPE YOUR HOME IN SHADES OF CELEBRATION.

bazaar

Pick your favourite corner in the home and transform it into a magical space with a bell jar, pearl baubles, glittery crown tree decorations, bird mercury tea light holder, birdcage tea light holder, glittery berry wreath and mistletoe garland.

Available at House of Fraser, houseoffraser.co.uk

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This gorgeous frosty blue reindeer table decoration will add a touch of Scandinavian style to any festive table. Crafted out of birch plywood it serves as an ideal decoration on shelves, book racks, etc. too.

Available at Hunkydory Home, hunkydoryhome.co.uk

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, Your leaves are so unchanging‌ Play the carols and sing along while you decorate your Christmas tree. A home with a Christmas tree is a happy home!

Available at Marks & Spencer, marksandspencer.com

What better way to add some natural elements to your kitchen than by adorning it with beautiful and rustic items made from water hyacinth, and plaited together to form chunky and hard wearing patterns? There are coasters, cutlery holder, napkin ring and more to choose from.

Available at Creative Tops, creative-tops.com

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On the East bank of Luxor lies the famous Karnak Temple, which is the largest Temple in the World! An array of sphinx line either sides of the walkway, greeting visitors.

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All tombs raided AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD APPRECIATE EGYPT FOR WHAT IT WAS, YOU WOULD ALSO SYMPATHISE WITH THE COUNTRY. BUT, DESPITE ITS POLITICAL UNREST, IT IS STILL SAFE FOR TOURISTS, SAYS THE TRAVELLER WHO VISITED THE DESTINATION IN AUGUST 2013. ALSO, SHE INSISTS THAT THERE IS A LOT MORE TO SEE IN THIS DRY HUMID COUNTRY OTHER THAN PYRAMIDS, TOMBS, BELLY DANCERS, PAPYRUS STORES, LOCAL MARKETS AND HORSE CARRIAGES! words JAYANTHI SOMASUNDARAM images SHRILEKHA VENKATESWAR

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It is difficult to see a smile on the face of an Egyptian, at least these days. In the last two years, due to the political unrest, tourism in their country has been affected to an appalling extent. Imagine having only a handful of tourists stand before the famous Pyramid of Giza or a dining hall meant for 100, hosting only two diners.

“Tourism is our major income in Egypt and due to the current situation, it has been hit,” explains our tour guide. “But, it is good for you because you can see the pyramid without any disruption,” she quickly adds. So true, because there are only five tourists, two guides, a camel and a few vendors selling cheap souvenirs, on a Thursday morning in front of this pyramid. Today, close to 451 feet tall (originally the pyramid was 480 feet tall) this pyramid is the only one, among the Seven Wonders of the World to remain intact, at least most part of it. Believed to have been built during the rule of the Egyptian Pharaoh Khufus, it took over 20 years to complete and Egyptologists are still excavating more ruins to learn more about it. Though there are over 200 pyramids spread across Northern Egypt, this pyramid is the most famous. The structure is made up of more than 2.3 million limestone blocks and what is particularly interesting is that these blocks had to be transported from the Southern part of Egypt from a region called Aswan. “Remember that this was over 4,500 years ago and each block weighed close to 5,500 pounds,” says our guide.

Just as you wonder how your name would look like in Egyptian hieroglyphic language you would encounter a person who would be willing to write it down for you either on a papyrus, a ring, a pendant or a bracelet.

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When in Egypt, you don’t have to see all the 200 pyramids; because the making of a pyramid

Temple walls were covered with relief carvings depicting scenes of historical and religious significance. On some walls it is possible to read hieroglyphic texts.

is almost the same, only for which King and in which era they were built varies. In the olden days Egyptians considered the Kings to be messengers of Gods, and hence felt that they required a special burial space and ought to be mummified. So, whether you are in Cairo visiting the pyramids or in Luxor, Southern Egypt visiting the tombs of the ‘Valley of the Kings’, all of them will narrate similar stories. I’m informed that the minute the King takes charge, a team is set up to create his tomb, which continues building his tomb, adding more elements and stories till he dies. For example, for King Ramesses the Great who ruled for 67 years, it’s said they kept adding elements to his tomb till his last breath. Around these tombs you get to see hieroglyphic engravings, some narrating stories of what he has done, his deeds, poems about him and more. The process is labour intensive and once the King had deceased the mummification process took another 60 days. In this process all the vital organs of the body are taken out except the heart. There are many myths revolving around this, most popular being that when the King reaches ‘another world’, his heart is weighed against a feather. If his heart is lighter, then he reaches heaven.

In the background is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Pyramid of Giza.The foreground has the mysterious Great sphinx and though they look really close to each other, they are over a kilometre apart.

Excavation, analysis and reconstruction of historic sites and temples are ongoing projects.

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(ABOVE) A man blows a conch shell. Image: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson (RIGHT) Kii of Hale O Keawe Heiau. Image: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson

The Pyramids of Giza (in the middle) standing tall amidst smaller pyramids built for other kings from the Royal family

THE EGYPT ITINERARY • Visit the first Capital of Egypt, Memphis.

Memphis founded around 3,100 BC is the legendary city of Menes, the King who united Upper and Lower Egypt.

• Drive to the Pyramids of Giza. Just around the corner from the pyramids, you will find the mysterious great sphinx and the valley temple of Khephren.

the globe & the gully

The river Nile was divided typically in the Egyptian manner: the living city on the east bank, with its royal residence, government offices and great temples. On the west bank was the city of the dead, the Necropolis and mortuary temples of kings, queens and nobles. This is one such temple.

• Go to the Egyptian Museum, Mohamed Ali Alabaster Mosque and Khan El Khalili Bazaars. You have to check the working days and hours of operation for all these places.

• Take the cruise from Aswan upto Luxor.

During this journey you can stop by and visit the Philae Temple and High Dam. The temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, is in a beautiful setting which has been landscaped to match its original site. This ought to be followed by a visit to the Kom Ombo Temple, the building is unique because its ‘double’ design meant that there were courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated for two sets of Gods. The cruise will continue sail to Edfu where is the site of the Ptolemaic.

Here, you can get off to visit the Horus Temple which is an ancient settlement.

Finally in Luxor you can visit the ‘world’s greatest open air museum’ and the ruins of the Karnak temple. The final, and must see spot is a visit to the West bank of Luxor to the Valley of the Kings. This is the royal cemetery of 62 kings which also has a ‘secret cemetery’.

(Direct flights can be found from both Dubai & India to Cairo)

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“The movie ‘Mummy’ is nothing close to the truth,” says my guide.

She is one of the many certified tour guides in Egypt, yet one of the few who speaks English well.

After completing a four-year course to become a professional tour guide, she now hopes for more tourists to flock in. She takes me through the lanes and by lanes, ticket counters to museums and souvenir shops, and all along our journey is interrupted by vendors shoving products across my face. She gets into a gwaff with them, and explains, “They’re upset because they think we are telling tourists not to buy from them.

We only warn tourists so that they don’t caught.” The situation in Egypt is serious at the moment, but it is not unsafe for tourists; they just need to be careful. After a day in Cairo, I’d suggest taking a cruise on the Nile, which could be spread over three nights or seven nights or longer depending on where you want to hop on and hop off. The cruise liners are aplenty, most of them anchored in their ports, waiting for rooms to be filled up. A good cruise liner with meals on board would cost anywhere from 367 AED (6300 INR approx.) and upwards. There may be cheaper options and seven star options, but at this point, you would find really good deals.

I could go on and on about Egypt because as much as you would appreciate it for what it was, you would also sympathise with the country.

There is something very mystical about this country that keeps us walking across desserts, tombs and smelling perfumes called ‘Cleopatra’s Secret’. Universally,

all tourists will be drawn towards Egyptian hieroglyphics and tour guides enjoy and take pride in deciphering it for them. This ancient language still remains difficult to learn. There are over 700 symbols and sometimes the meaning of a symbol changes according to context. For a tourist, I think it is fun to learn the 26 symbols for the English alphabet.

These symbols also indicate a person’s characteristics. I’m sure that after visiting so many tombs and listening to stories of great pharaohs, you would wonder how your name would look like in Egyptian hieroglyphic language. At that precise point you’d encounter someone who’d be willing to write it down for you either on a papyrus, a ring, a pendant or a bracelet made in gold, silver or bronze. It’s just something that happens in Egypt and when you have decoded it, you are often left happy and surprised, just like every other episode that takes place in this country.

Tourists (and that’s me in the picture!) can often be seen trying to decipher the inscriptions on the walls of temples

(The writer of this piece visited Egypt in August 2013. The views expressed by the writer are hers/his & don’t reflect that of the editor or the publication.)

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Besides the pyramids, tombs, Egyptian food, belly dancers, perfume sellers, papyrus stores, local market and horse carriages there is so much more to see in this dry country. But, what really took me by surprise is the master salesmanship that the Egyptian men naturally possess.

Top business schools in the world could learn a thing or two from

them. A welcome drink always initiates any trade, which is often followed by a cultural association (for Indians it is Amitabh Bachchan or Shah Rukh Khan), then there is a massive information exchange about the product with names of Kings and Queens cropping up, beyond which is the test of the five senses where you are allowed to admire and experience the product placed before you and finally it is the ‘special price’ just for you. It always begins with unimaginable numbers and often boils down to 50% less. At every store, though it’s not a rule, this is what happens. And believe me, there will be a purchase made.

JUST A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS FOR THE ADORABLE ANGELS & BRATS

bazaar

A little lady needs a purse, right? Get your sweetling the Matilda Owl purse from Accessorize. This cutesy purse is likely to bring a smile to her face & also make her feel all grown up.

Available at Accessorize boutiques in Dubai (The Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates & more) and India (Ambience Mall, Select City Walk – New Delhi, Palladium- Mumbai & more)

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Are you worried about your kids fussing over eating meals? Get them this adorable Chunky Knits Cat plate and watch them enjoy & finish their meals! Our hearts are beating for this adorable piece.

Available at Paperchase, paperchase.co.uk

Is there anything better than giving a bath to your cupcake and then holding him/her in your arms?

Get your hands on Mothercare’s Baby K Cuddle ‘n’ Dry With Mitt now.

Available at Mothercare stores in Dubai (The Dubai Mall, Oasis Centre & more) and India (DLF Promenade, New Delhi & more), mothercare.ae

Schylling creates exceptional toys. Their traditional creation Jack in the Box plays ‘Pop Goes the Weasel’ with every turn of the handle. You’ll surely want this one for your little one!

Available at House of Bath, houseofbath. co.uk/shop

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THE INDIAN TRUMPET LOVES ALL THINGS FASHION! WE TOOK A GLAM STEP ON 5TH OF OCTOBER WHEN WE SHOOK HANDS WITH FASHIONWALK, A BOUTIQUE EXPERIENCE EXHIBITION OF ALL THINGS GORGEOUS, HELD AT JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS HOTEL, DUBAI. A PEEK-A-BOO! images VISHAL KHULLAR

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OUR LIVES ARE FILLED WITH ‘LARGE’ EXPERIENCES AND EVENTS BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IT IS THE ‘SMALL’ MOMENTS AND MEMORIES THAT DEFINE US, MAKE US SMILE AND HELP US BELIEVE IN A BETTER TOMORROW. A DUBAI RESIDENT GETS CARRIED AWAY AS SHE SHARES HOW MUCH SHE MISSES HOME, INDIA. words ROSEMARY FERNANDES

I miss home. But not in that sad, moping by the window, kind of way.

diary of an indian

I miss home because it makes me smile. Remembering moments, places, people, times – when things are so good, that your mind can’t help but make your heart go all warm and fuzzy. That’s what memories of home should do.

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Having been born in the Emirates, I’ve heard the term ‘Gulfie’, one too many times. Rubbish word, that. No such thing. Home is still the desi disco we call India - Goa, Bombay, Kerala, Bengaluru and all the rest. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been anywhere else, everyone’s got a bit of a patriot on the inside.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Dubai. You get everything and more here and I recently heard it being called ‘another India’…but I somehow can’t bring myself to agree with that. Yes – tons of Indians here, the shopping is great, life is good and all the rest.

But, but, BUT. You know the bhutta you get back home? The one that’s sold on the roads, roasted on a little cart by the bhaiya who asks whether you want just salt or some chili powder as well? And how fantastic it tastes, especially during the monsoons when you’ve rolled up your jeans and it’s pouring, but you simply have to stop under a nearby shop’s shutters, just to eat it – nice and hot? Ahh. You don’t get that feeling anywhere else.

Home is still the desi disco we call India Goa, Bombay, Kerala, Bengaluru and all the rest. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been anywhere else, everyone’s got a bit of a patriot on the inside.

Reading the morning paper, with a steaming hot cup of coffee or chai.

A hot chapatti with Amul butter dripping off the sides. Drool.

When you’re walking back home on a Sunday. After church, a trip to the market, or just visiting friends and family. That familiar smell of fish frying, that floats on the breeze from so many homes, right down to the people on the streets.

And it makes you walk just that little bit faster, to get home to a joyously large Sunday lunch.

The joy of a rickshaw ride.

Watching a Bollywood movie. In a cinema where people whistle during an item song, laugh out loud at the lamest of jokes and boo when a scene is in poor taste.

Where they play the National Anthem before the show and everyone stands and frowns at the youngsters who in their ultimate coolness, choose to still be seated.

The sight of the doodhwalla at the door to your home, pouring fresh milk into a steel utensil, carefully held by your mum.

them to stop them from doing the unimaginable.

When India plays cricket and it’s showing on the telly. If you aren’t in front of a screen yourself, you’ll walk past cafes and open windows. And you’ll hear either hear collective cheering or, on occasion, random cuss words.

And you’ll find yourself wondering what the score is.

The advertisements. Cadbury’s, Hutch, Lux, Pepsi, the ‘Yeh hai IPL Boss’ campaign. Such crazy good campaigns that you don’t mind watching over and over again.

While there are a few dreadfully annoying ones, admit it – you often watch those too, simply because they make you laugh.

How everything just tastes better in India. Monginis. White rice and fish curry. Dominos. Frankies.

Parathas. Everything.

The monsoons. Gloriously wet, messy, hairstyle ruining, romantic, gloomy monsoons.

No place holds a candle to them.

Standing at the window and watching kids in their perfectly ironed blue and white school uniforms, hair plaited and tied with red ribbon, water bottles dangling from their shoulders.

Then they suddenly see a puddle and run towards it joyfully, with frantic mommies racing behind

The 40 winks you catch when you’re travelling in a BST bus, or a black and yellow taxi, with the windows down. That nap? The best kind.

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If you’ve ever walked down a village road, you’ll smell leaves burning. It’s what people do with the all the leaves they sweep up during the daily yard cleaning.

That warm, nose tickling scent.

That’s home, all right.

I miss home. But not in that sad, moping by the window, kind of way.I miss home because it makes me smile.

Power cuts. Where you open windows and fan yourself and wait to hear the familiar whirr of the current coming back on. Where a blackout becomes a reason to chat by candlelight and laugh in the darkness.

diary of an indian

I can go on and on. These are only a few of the moments that come rushing to the front of my mind yelling “Pick me, pick me!” when I think of what I love best or miss most about home. The rest are carefully placed in my little treasure chest of memories, safe till the next bout of desi home sickness hits.

I know it’s only the little things. I know there’s loads more – our heritage, our future, our achievements, our ambitions as a country. I know there’s the gray side too. The injustice, crimes against women, corruption.

That is the India that will change. I have no doubt. It is in our history to make things better and do it we will.

But I usually choose to focus on the little things. As clichéd as it may sound…they are what make life better, hugs longer and smiles more believable. The little things allow you to appreciate the life you live.

They allow you to believe in a better tomorrow.

So yes.

In a world where it’s impossible to miss the news headlines and not get mad at the injust routine of things, I choose to remember the little things. They allow me to believe that there is hope.

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The

Indian Trumpet Loud, louder, loudest... Let's make some noise! We'd love to hear from you.

Write in to us with your suggestions at

theindiantrumpet@gmail.com

dubai darshan

MADINAT JUMERIAH

DUBAI

The Arabian Resort of

EMBARK ON A MAGICAL ABRA JOURNEY WITH US AS WE TRANSPORT YOU TO THE STUNNING WORLD OF MEANDERING WATERWAYS, CHEERFUL GREENS, GORGEOUS SKIES & SPLENDID DESIGNS. MADINAT JUMERIAH, THE LUXURIOUS ARABIAN RESORT - THE JEWEL OF DUBAI THROUGH OUR LENS. words & images VISHAL KHULLAR

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A tinge of fantasy and a slice of history. The resort casts a spell on the soul of a tired cosmopolitan mind. It instantly raises one’s spirits with its mystical beauty!

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MADIN

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NAT

Set across its own private beach, Madinat Jumeirah resort is an authentic recreation of ancient Arabia, capturing the natural beauty of the region. It features two grand boutique hotels, Al Qasr and Mina A’ Salam, 29 traditional summer houses in Dar Al Masyaf, 7 Malakiya Villas, over 40 restaurants and bars and more... interconnected by three kilometres of waterways and landscaped gardens...

The amphitheatre (left, top) at Souk Madinat Jumeirah (right, top & bottom) is the heart of the resort. It overlooks the lagoon and Fort Island and is embraced on three sides by the busy splendour of the retail and dining facilities of the Souk (right, top & bottom).

And yes, if there is anything more beautiful than watching a sunset in the desert then it is watching the lanterns cast their spell on the resort & the visitors (left, bottom).

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MADINAT

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A medieval time like magical charm, few humble hand-coloured pieces of glass, stunning delicate filigree, gorgeous subtle glow and light scattering through exquisite patterns. It’s easy to fall in love with the Arabic lantern! You can buy one of these at the Souk Madinat Jumeirah.

TRANSFORM FROM A SIMPLETON TO SHOWSTOPPER WITH THESE FASHIONABLE BUYS

bazaar

Trishuli shoes present ‘Bridal Elegance’, an exquisite collection of contemporary bridal footwear for the modern brides.

Check out their mesmerising collection of breathtaking shoes in pure silk and satin with intricate embroideries and handwork.

Available at trishulicreations.com

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If green is what’s on your mind then this is what you need to grab! Bringing to you Herbline Essentials, the caring all-natural, home grown beauty brand that claims to have become one of UAE’s top selling pharmacy, skin and hair care brand.

Available at leading pharmacies in the UAE, including Boots, Bin Sina, Health First and United Pharmacies, and Dubai Duty Free pharmacies, Dubai International Airport. They have recently started retailing in Kuwait and Pakistan. Also, place your orders at herbline-essentials.com.

Colorbar brings back Colorbar Shimmer Bar, a hot favourite & award-winning product. This multi-functional Shimmer Bar has pearlescent shimmer across five varying tones of vivid pink and craving coral.

Available at Colorbar, Arabian Centre Al Mizhar First; Lamcy Plaza; Oasis Centre; Exquisite Al Barsha, Al Barsha Mall and Exquisite Al Foah, Al Foah Mall and colorbarcosmetics.com

An exquisite brooch from Jewels by Annu Chadha is sure to make heads turn. This elegant piece effortlessly combines classical and contemporary influences to make it a stunner.

More treasures await you at their boutiques.

Available at Jewels by Annu Chadha at South Extension, New Delhi & The Taj, Chandigarh and jewelsbyannu.com. Annu Chadha recently exhibited our creations at Araaish 2013, The Al Murooj Rotana, Dubai. theindiantrumpet.com

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THE INDIAN TRUMPET WAS FULL OF PRIDE AS IT PLAYED MEDIA PARTNERS TO DIWALI BAZAAR HELD ON 19TH OF OCTOBER AT DHOW PALACE HOTEL, DUBAI. WE LOVED SHOPPING TILL WE DROPPED ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE EXHIBITION WAS IN AID OF THE LUPUS AWARENESS GROUP. A PEEK-A-BOO!

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MEET PAMELA MULANI, THE HEART BEHIND THE LUPUS AWARENESS GROUP & DIWALI BAZAAR. INTERESTINGLY, HER DAUGHTER NITTASHA MULAANII HAS BEEN HOSTING THE DIWALI BAZAAR FOR LAST FIVE YEARS. LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER!

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‘Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine,’ these are the words of Anthony J.D’Angelo. And these words ring in my head as I meet up with a lady who is spreading her sunshine for a beautiful cause. Yes, not many possess the ability to inspire people, to reach out to them and most importantly to educate them, and Pamela Mulani of the Lupus Awareness Group is doing exactly this! She initiated The Lupus Awareness Group first on Facebook and then decided to use the Ennigma Diwali Bazaar, an annual shopping and festive event that happens in Dubai, as a platform to bring about awareness to the public. How many of us are even aware of the word lupus? Sadly, not many.

“Lupus is a disease in which the immune system does not function properly and attacks the normal and healthy tissues.

This can result in inflammation and symptoms that effect different parts of the body like skin, joints, blood, kidneys and heart. Lupus is not contagious and is not a form of cancer nor is it like AIDS. It is an auto-immune disease just like diabetes, psoriasis, thyroiditis and rheumatoid arthritis. We don’t yet fully understand lupus because it wanes and waxes, and most people have days when they feel fine and when their disease is more pronounced they have ‘flares’,” shared Pamela.

However, if one takes proper care, right medication and leads a healthy lifestyle one can lead a normal life. “Proper treatment can minimise the symptoms, reduce the inflammation and pain, and even stop the development of serious organ damage. One can achieve all this with the help of a dedicated rheumatologist,” she added.

Pamela decided to start the Lupus Awareness Group when she was diagnosed with lupus, quite by chance. When she found out about the same she had to travel to London for proper treatment as not many doctors in India had proper understanding of the disease. “A lot of doctors still don’t understand the disease and merely put the patients on steroids. When I moved to Dubai I noticed that a lot of woman never bothered to visit a doctor in case of arthritic pain, and even when they did they were simply advised to pop in painkillers,” she recalls. According to her the urgent need of the hour is to spread awareness amongst one and all, “The way to fight any disease is to catch on it the earliest.” We learn that more women than men suffer from this disease.

Just before our conversation draws to an end and I thank Pamela on behalf of all of us, men and women, she says, “I’d say the credit of this whole awareness movement should go to my husband and daughter, Nittasha. It is with their support that I have come so far. As for me, I am just performing a duty – If one has gone through a disease like this or any other problem, and has gained some knowledge about how to deal with it better one should spread the awareness and ease the pain.”

Well said.

Write to us, if you wish to get in touch with her or know more about her work.

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TAROT 2014 words INSEEYA K NAZIR

ARIES

For you, life is an impulsive joyride and you refuse to be tamed. You enjoy the thrill of the chase and rush around from one exciting adventure to another. 2014 is going to be another joyride, a year when you’d be on a great roll of luck! You will be able to wheel and deal with others now just as smoothly as a race car driver can weave through heavy traffic on a highway. Since there is very little that can hold you back feel free to push ahead. If you are craving more adventure you’ll find plenty of opportunity by joining other risk takers. Since your desire is strong now you may even begin to explore new territories or more personal interests. February is going to bring in some amazing business opportunities. Around May, you will be in a big dilemma. Fortunately June to October you would have a breather and things will run as smoothly as before. Work will give you options, which you will have difficulty choosing from. You would be also considering starting your own team or own work. In love and romance, even though you are rebellious and independent you need a lot of love.

You crave someone you can trust because loyalty is very important and you need emotional support.

Love is going to be showered and you could meet an interesting person around May. Lucky colour: Red and orange Lucky months: January, June and October Angel message:

GEMINI Effervescent, bright and witty, you are the life and soul of your social circle. You are also a creative genius with a real writing ability. Your excellent one-liners have your friends in splits. Occasionally, you do tell white lies or exaggerate in your enthusiasm to communicate. King of Cups in your tarot tells you to keep a check on your feelings and trust your own mind. Look below the surface in order to understand more deeply what people say and also to ensure that your plans reach fulfillment. This year is going to bring a superb break, which is going to put you on the list of the rich and famous. Apart from winning the lotto, a surprising promotion or award, happiness takes some time to manifest.

Building relationships, learning new things and changing habits are certain ways to find fulfillment. Work patiently now and you’ll be able to create some wonderful things. Look forward to the new financial year. The start is on a very high note and the cash registers will start ringing day one. March, August and September are going to be a bit disappointing.

In March, a family member could suffer from serious health issues.

Lucky colour: Light khakhi green Lucky months: January, September and October

CANCER

trumpet teller

Cancerians are outgoing, cheerful and bright but then they become secretive, silent and emotional. Meditating and tuning in to the rhythms of the moon will greatly support you and give you a more thorough understanding of yourself. You love the traditional home with family and home-cooked food. You know that exercise, hobbies and time spent with your loved ones make you feel better. This New Year you are going to reminiscent and miss the times gone by.

The beginning of 2014 is not going to be too good. It’s going to be a rough start. In mid-year you will reap benefits and happy opportunities are going to come towards you. You may feel drained of joy by fear of the future or regrets of the past but if you don’t get motivated soon enough you would risk getting stuck. You have to learn to live in the moment and create your own destiny. You could have a ‘rags to riches’ story or feature in an unlikely love story but remember you write the script, so think big. Romance would a sad affair and you would miss your sweetheart. Stay cautious during February, May and August.

Lucky colour: Peach Lucky months: June, November and December Angel message: Invoke the Angel Mihr to heal relationships. Lucky number: 9

LEO The Leo magnetism is enormous. You are a born entertainer, dress immaculately and always look fantastic. 2014 is going to be enormously lucky and would have a strong aura of protection around you. This period has come back after nine years so live it to the fullest. You will find that uncanny coincidences will save you from disaster. Don’t take this divine intervention for granted though and try to think a little before you leap into your next unmanageable situation. The Midas touch will be prominent after June onwards with chances of you hitting the jackpot. Love comes and goes but you always have a ball with your lovers. You make your lover feel so special and loved. It’s the Leo personality that is all about caring and doting over their loved ones. Work will give you plenty of opportunities if you can muster the strength to push ahead. Don’t allow anyone to second guess you or fill you with doubt, you need the courage of personal conviction.

September would be a bit on the depressive side. Violets and purples are going to give more peace of mind.

Lucky colour: Purple Lucky months: May, October and December Angel message: Invoke the

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TAURUS

Majestic and noble, you inspire others with your hardworking attitude and stamina. Others feel you are lucky but you have achieved your goals with sheer hard work. You inspire trust and so people like to help you professionally because they know you will do a good job.

Ace of Cups for 2014 indicates positive and new beginnings are being heralded. January and February is going to simply terrific. May onwards there will be lots of travel related work. This will take you places and you will have to be highly efficient to meet your work requirements. You will have a feel of pure love and a profound understanding of yourself. July is going to be the turning moment and you could have a fresh outlook on life. Lady luck is going to smile on you and this may mean steps towards your new venture or falling in love. You are faithful and hold high moral values, anybody would be lucky to have a partner like you. Romance is there on the cards in the last half of 2014.

Lucky colour: Lavender Lucky months: January, February, July and September Angel message: Invoke the Angel Nathaniel to attain your goal. To cleanse and purify your chakras for a more vibrant you. Lucky number: 4

VIRGO You are the epitome of self-discipline. Virgos like to be in total control of the situation. Being structured in thought and approach is like a meditation for a perfectionist like you, which makes you feel secure. You are about to discover more about yourself. Something about your family or your early childhood experience is likely to surface now. Inheritance is very much on the cards.

The good thing is that no matter how awful or painful family matters have been for you in the past you now have a wonderful opportunity to make things right. This is a time in which you are able to heal yourself and to put your past into perspective.

A sincere conversation with elders or a talented professional can bring clarity and enlightened understanding. Your dreams and ambitions are going to be realised this year. You are going to own that dream house and also that dream car

by August 2014.The good news is that you will find yourself in the right place at the right time.

Be careful during March, April and June. August onwards there will be love and happiness. In love, you are led by r emotions and can sometimes be totally carried away by your desire. There is a possibility of a love affair. The moon tarot rules you completely this year and that’s why your emotions will be at a high pitch.

Lucky colour: Pearl white Lucky months: January, February and September Angel message:

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Aquarians are very liberal minded and forward thinking. Your friends will be from all different cultures and backgrounds. While this is a favourable time for investing, it’s also a wonderful time to find sudden bargains. The Three of Pentacles indicates a payback period, when you receive dividends on the investment you have made. This could be in finance as well as in relationships.

After overcoming major challenges you will find contentment and happiness. You may decide to treat yourself to an item of luxury; a piece of jewellery, a new watch or expensive wardrobe purchase. Don’t hold yourself back from impulsive shopping now as it can be very therapeutic.

Gold is going to be lucky for you throughout this year. An incomplete project is also going to be completed. Children are going to bring more happiness. In October and November take care of health.

Lucky colour: Golden yellow Lucky months: January, March and December Angel message: Invoke the Angel Phanuel to empower you with hope through this new journey. Lucky number: 10 CAPRICORN Practical, hardworking and earthy, Capricorns are the salt of the earth. Stern but fair would be a good way of describing you .Solid as a rock you are probably built like one as well. You have the potential of becoming very wealthy now. You will reach a point where you will feel you have attained great wisdom and can learn to step out of the way of danger. In January conditions at work will be more favourable.

The tarot is shining in your favour. Self-confident and more self-assured you know what lies ahead and how to make the maximum of life. There will be minor ups and downs in March and April. Keep walking on the path that you have chosen and you will achieve your goals. You will have to put in lot of effort and actually wait for luck to give you a relief. The Hermit card in your Tarot suggests lots of peace and solitude. It’s not your nature to be competitive with others, as your secret to success lies in your ability to work hard. But then again, you’re the last to let anyone take advantage of your good nature. Your future success depends on correcting a current situation, so don’t be shy to take charge over others false moves now! You may not feel like socialising for some time. A rather solitary existence would be preferred. The tarot signals a period of withdrawal from the material world in order to focus on your inner life or spiritual path. Let go off an attachment.

Lucky colour: Brick red Lucky months: January and February Angel message: Invoke the Angel Israfel to hear the music of the spheres and become aware of your

Soft, kind hearted and romantic, you are caught in a nebulous state where you want everything to be like a fairy tale. You are powerfully psychic and intuitive. You know just what you want and what you need to do to attain it. You may also find others play a key role in your decision making. Just remember that the best way to become successful is to keep track of your progress. It doesn’t matter if you are counting calories or cash; you need to be checking the facts and numbers.

So don’t hedge your bets, rely on your track record now. February indicates a new project or job that you would feel passionately about. This undertaking may spark your creativity or offer you a chance to actualise a long held dream. Open your heart to love, since 2014 heralds the start of a new relationship. It describes the early stages of a romance. Nurture this budding affection if you want it to blossom. In September you may experience fear, negativity or sadness. Take this as an indication and avoid unpleasant moments from August onwards.

Lucky colour: Ochre yellow Lucky month: February and March Angel message: Invoke the Angel Chamuel to bring in lots more love and adoration. Lucky number: 10

SAGITTARIUS Wild and loving freedom, you are the most intellectual of the fire signs. You like to study philosophy and are fascinated by life and different cultures. Extremely broad minded, you believe in the right of expression and freedom. Sure you’re feeling restless and ambitious but could you imagine just how much more you could accomplish if you were simply more organised. Sometimes life has a way of spiralling out of control, especially when it comes to communication and paperwork. Misplaced numbers, lost cards and stacks of bills, may have you wondering just where to begin from. If you feel like giving up here’s a trick to try; pretend that you are a CEO and that your life is a large company you run. A new filing system or even an assistant could help right now. February would make you thirsty for recognition. In June, the Tarot of Wheel of fortune indicates unexpected windfalls and lots of wealth coming in from all sides. August would make you have vivid dreams to rise and shine above all. Keep a dream journal to record your dreams because they can be superb and would need working on.

Lucky colour: Orange Lucky months: June, July and August Angel message: Invoke the Angel Lofiel to aspire you to create a beautiful working environment. Lucky number: 21

LIBRA

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The Four of Cups in your tarot suggests every reason to believe that you will be foolish with your money or your relationships. If you would like to avoid unfortunate outcomes in the near future you must struggle against your impulses. Whatever you are feeling or in search of may not be in your best interest. It’s possible that your current desirable nature may be re-running a tape of past disasters. Habits take a life time to build and may be hard to break; good things on the other hand can begin to happen the minute you summon your will to change. You have an oldfashioned approach to love no matter how young and trendy you maybe. You will expect and demand commitment. A Capricorn, whose ruling planet is also the same as yours i.e. Saturn is bound to fall in love. In the months of February and April please ensure safety of your things and possessions. Rust brown is going to be your grounding colour, so try enhancing good luck with it.

Lucky colour: Rust brown Lucky months: October, November and December Angel message: Invoke the Angel Sandalphon to find more power and use it wisely.

Lucky number: 4

SCORPIO Friendly, charming and hospitable, you have a great way with people. You have a kind heart and a delicate laugh, which seems to captivate others. 2014 would make you unpredictable and prone to mood swings. It doesn’t matter how right you are or how smart you are; in fact if you were really smart you won’t be in this mood in the first place. What matters is how fast can you snap back and get into a better space. Call a friend, book a massage or ring up your favourite psychic; otherwise pick up a self-help book. You need to recalibrate your aura with a positive spin now. January is going to bring changes in your life. This will continue till May. You tend to submerge your emotions or not know how to connect with them. Take courage by the hand and express yourself freely. August says you will have to let go off something. It could be an old habit. You will build firm foundations not only for yourself but for the people you love. Around June, you could meet someone in life who shakes those cast iron foundations and is intent on leading you.

Lucky colour: Emerald green Lucky months: September and October Angel message: Invoke the Angel Kaeylarae to make inner peace with yourself.

…ALL REMIND ME OF YOU,

desi lit

MY LOVE!

BISCOPE words & artwork RITU DUA

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The oranges and the yellows Of the sunshine The melodies of the cuckoo and The parrots on the line…

Walking barefoot On the green grass …

Anklets kissing The dew drops Chasing butterflies In the garden Collecting match boxes Just for fun … all remind me of you, my love!

Falling soft upon the fields The rain…sparkling… tinkling Jewelled mango leaves…

Quivering The endless flights On the tree swings The paper boats In the puddles Those doodles And the riddles … all remind me of you, my love!

The happy colours Of a saree The mysterious folds Of a pagri The ringing bells

From the temples The stories and The fables The joys Of the festivals The memories made on travels …all remind me of you, my love!

Paradise …

In your skies Rustic smell Of your soil The warmth in your cool, Whispering breeze The embrace of the morning mist, Oh ! …eternal bliss The spectacular seasons The beauty that beckons … all remind me of you, my love!

Although you belong To the entire world I can truly sense Your divine presence In my little heart!

I sit here…miles away My breath inhales…there Your light…my love…

My India Shines…

Through my eyes!!!

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maryan

MARYAN, A 2013 TAMIL DRAMA THRILLER THAT TELLS US ONCE AGAIN WHY DHANUSH IS A STAR AND A.R.RAHMAN A SUPERSTAR. AN ARTIST PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE FILM WITH A MINIMAL GRAPHICS POSTER THAT REFLECTS THE STRUGGLE OF THE PROTAGONIST. words & artwork MANISH MADHAV

idhar udhar

…the movie Maryan is a visually stunning tale about survival against adversities, and a story that instills the power of hope, faith and most importantly love in the viewers’ mind.

The movie is directed

by Bharath Bala and AR Rahman’s exquisite composition enhances the beauty of the movie by tenfolds. The story is about a fisherman Maryan (Dhanush) who is chased by Panimalar (Parvathy Menon) to love her. He resists at first but eventually gives in. After a turn of events, Maryan takes up a job in Sudan for two years

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where he is kidnapped

by Sudanese mercenaries and the rest of the movie tells us of his struggle and whether he reunites with his love or not. ...the poster In the movie, Maryan keeps mentioning the ocean as ‘maadha/aatha’, which translates to ‘mother’. This tells us that he belongs to the ocean and in the latter part of the movie when he is dumped in the desert we see that he struggles very much like a fish out of its bowl. And that is what we see in the poster, a fish struggling to get back where it belongs. The movie is a must watch.

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madhubani, the traditional art

TRADITION STATES THAT THE WOMEN OF THE PRESENT TOWN OF MADHUBANI IN BIHAR MADE MADHUBANI PAINTINGS ON THE WALLS OF THEIR OWN HOMES. TODAY, THE ART CAN BE SEEN ON CANVAS, CLOTH, PAPER AND EVEN ON THE RUNWAY.

our shabdkosh

words ARUSHI DUTT artwork SUNANDA SAHAY

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Traditionally created by the women of rural Bihar, Madhubani art is a rare form of art dating back to the Aryan civilisation. It exists in three different styles Brahmin, Kayasthas and Dusadhs. Each style tends to differ based on the caste hierarchy. For example, the Brahmin style, the highest caste, is more aristocratic than others, as it uses vibrant colours depicting the stories of Hindu Gods. The Kayasthas style tends to use the colours black and red, depicting acts of nature and the ‘kobhar ghar’, symbols of sexual pleasure. The Dusadhs style that depicts the lowest caste focuses on paintings of flora and fauna.

Madhubani art primarily portrays Hindu Gods like Ram, Shiva, and Durga, and seeks to narrate their stories. It can also depict paintings of royal courts, marriages, social events, and natural objects like the sun, moon, and the Indian holy plant tulsi. Generally, the subjects take up most of the space in paintings.

The remaining spaces are filled with brush strokes or other objects such as flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric designs. No white space is left.

This form of art has evolved to be a tradition in the villages of Bihar, as paintings have been passed down for generations from mothers to daughters.

Tradition states that the women of the present town of Madhubani in Bihar made these paintings on the

walls of their own homes. It is said that the paintings originated during the time of Ramayana. During that time, King Janak requested paintings to be made for the marriage of his daughter Sita to Rama. These paintings are most significant during auspicious occasions such as the birth, or Upanayanam, and marriage of a person.

Over the years, Madhubani art has gained worldwide recognition. William and Mildred Archer were two of the first Westerners to notice Madhubani art. They requested the village women to draw a few of their paintings on paper, which they then carried back to London. Madhubani art began gaining recognition all over India as well in the 1960s. After an economic crisis, these women were forced to transform the canvas of their paintings from mud walls to cloth and then eventually paper. During this time, paintings became a primary source of non-agricultural income for families. Women were then encouraged to create their hand-made paintings on paper for commercial purposes. The slow evolution from walls to cloth to paper illustrates the transformation of Madhubani art. Other elements remained to be quite simple.

Generally, Madhubani artists use slightly frayed bamboo twigs to paint the main subjects of a painting. A thinner twig covered with a small cloth

can also be used to paint the remaining spaces and minute details of a painting. The hand-made paper, which is covered in cow dung, is used in the Harijan style. Most of the colours for these paintings are obtained from natural products such as heena leaves, flowers, bougainvillea and neem. Nowadays, synthetic colours are commonly used but natural colours tend to give the most authentic effect. The colours most commonly used include red from the Kusuma flower, black from burnt Jowar, green from Bel trees, orange from Palasa flower, and light yellow from turmeric mixed with Banyan leaf milk.

Madhubani paintings are most traditionally used to bless the married couple, as the main theme tends to revolve around love and fertility. The natural colours are used respectively according to the traditional festival or occasion, such as a birth, marriage, Holi, puja, or others. Lately, Madhubani art has begun to emerge in the present Indian scenario in its different avatars. It is being used to adorn walls, cutlery and outfits. By bringing a traditional edge to modern attire, Madhubani art continues to leave its mark through fashion as well. There have been a few fashion shows such as the Signature Premiere Fashion Week, Kolkata that have brought this art to the runway. To know more, visit colorofindia.com

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Cause cause toot

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THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT LEAVE YOU OVERWHELMED. THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL BLESSED. THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT WARM YOUR HEART. THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT GIVE YOU COURAGE. THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT MAKE YOU SMILE. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT MAKE YOU REALISE THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE, EVER. AND THE INDIAN TRUMPET’S PINKALICIOUS MORNING THAT WAS HOSTED TO SPREAD AWARENESS ON BREAST CANCER WAS ALL ABOUT SUCH MOMENTS. STAY PINK, STAY HEALTHY. SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE & THE SMILES!

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! SPILL THE BEAN FOR THE WARM VENUE. PINK CARAVAN, FOR EDUCATING US ON THINGS THAT EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW. ORANGE KITCHENS FOR TEACHING US HOW TO TOSS SALADS USING INGREDIENTS THAT COULD KEEP BREAST CANCER AT BAY. LA CREATIVIDAD FOR TEACHING US HOW TO MAKE ADORABLE PINK CLIPS. ITZYBIZ FOR THE HANDMADE BOOKMARKS. SUGAR-RUSH FOR THE YUMMILICIOUS MARZIPANS. CAKES ‘N’ BAKES FOR THE PRETTY AND LIP SMACKING CUPCAKES. AND YES, ALL YOU WONDERFUL LADIES WHO ADORNED PINK & JOINED US FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL CAUSE.

images VISHAL KHULLAR

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OCTOBER IS THE MONTH OF BREAST CANCER AWARENESS. THE INDIAN TRUMPET’S PINKALICIOUS MORNING HOSTED ON OCTOBER 11, 2013 IN DUBAI WAS A MORNING HOSTED IN AID OF THE CAUSE.

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silence Amidst the clang of glasses, The swish of heavy Kanjivarams, The heady, cheesy number from an SRK flick, The muffled sound of a suppressed giggle, The hearty laugh of the filmy, paan chewing guy next door The faraway cries of a colicky infant, The frenzied shouts of children playing hopscotch on the street, And the animated chatter of a newlywed pair Sit the two of us, Sipping adrak chai , In the bliss of perfect silence.

The comfort of being able to take you for granted, Of the ease of not having to say that I care, The unsaid pact that no matter what; We’re always there for each other.

I bask in the warmth of that silence, In the lethargy of the moment;

last word

In the sheer beauty of the encounter, For there is no need for words‌.

words PRACHI GOYAL

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