!e Cities Issue
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Welcome to the fifteenth issue of Udantya! ____________________________________________
This month on Udantya, we explore the world through its Cities! ____________________________________________ Backstage Pass The Essence of Udantya Megaphone A Word from the Editors Spotlight A (not so) Lonely Planet Darkroom Darjeeling Unfiltered - Aparna Vidyasagar Armchair Critic Life in a Day - Aparna Vidyasagar
©Aparna Vidyasagar
Jam Session The Works of Bill Bryson Poetry Jam
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BACKSTAGE PASS
The very essence of artistic expression is that, it is captured in many different ways.
A picture, a word or a tune. Your rebellion, your journey and your destination. Here, we aim to capture it all. Join us or explore with us. Welcome to Udantya. Welcome to our creative space!
Udantya aims to be a collaborative effort. If you have any articles, photos or music you would like to share, please email us at udantya@gmail.com. Future themed issues will be announced a month in advance.
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MEGAPHONE
From the Editors
____________________________________ Cities hold our lives, our adventures, our histories, our passions and our dreams. ____________________________________ In this issue, we once again celebrate the allure of cities all around the world.
Armchair Critic features the documentary film, Life in a Day.
This unique film collects snippets of life from
people all around the world, and from all walks of life. Is life across this globe really so different? In Jam Session, we encourage you to read the works of travel writer Bill Bryson and we return with Poetry Jam. Our Cameos this month are our Spotlight contributors.
Our Spotlight segment this month is glimpse of various
Talk about a cross-over appearance. Here they are!
cities around the world through the eyes of those who
Olga Atlholang
love them. We, at Udantya, asked our readers to tell us about their favorite cities and the top five activities that
Fatima Khawaja
they would recommend. The result a unique travel guide,
Apoorva Makarla
traversing surprising pockets of the world!
and Kirti Satish Manian
In Darkroom, Aparna showcases the small mountaincity of Darjeeling in West Bengal, India. The images are primarily in black and white - to be colored by our imaginations!
Fatima, Apoorva and Kirti are first time Cameo contributors and Apoorva is our youngest so far! Thank you all for participating and making this issue so wonderful!
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SPOTLIGHT
When I saw this topic for Udantya’s next issue, I was super excited to tell everyone, the reasons why I adore my city. Every city has its ups and downs, but what really
A (not so) Lonely Planet
makes it yours, are the vivid memories you share with the
Namita and Aparna asked Udantya readers to tell us
place. And most of all, why you call it home. I hope you
about a city (or two) that they love and the top five places
enjoy reading, and I hope this inspires you to visit
to visit when there.
Edmonton.
Between our four contributors we
traversed three continents, four countries and five cities! 1. Edmonton’s Skyline: Being the capital of our province,
Get ready to pack your bags!
Edmonton’s legislature is the highlight of the beautiful ***
skyline. The Skyline is at its best at night time, when the whole city lights up. A drive through the low level bridge
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
at night time is a great place to see the skyline closer.
by Apoorva Makarla
2. Going on the LRT over the North Saskatchewan River: Edmonton’s Light Rail Transit system definitely isn’t as
‘My city, My home, and My muse’
intricate as New York, Chicago, or San Francisco, but
Two summers ago, I went parasailing with my cousins in
there are a few stops along the route which make this
Lake Tahoe and the person in charge of the activity asked
journey worthwhile. Traveling towards Grandin Station
us where we were from. When I said Canada, his
(also known as Government Center) takes you over the
response was “You mean Vancouver”? At the time, I
beautiful North Saskatchewan River. It’s frozen most of
joked along with him and said, “Yep the land of the
the time due to our long, and at times harsh winter, but
igloos”; but later that same day... what really defines
looking at the scenic view of the arctic blue ice
Edmonton?
surrounded by a forest of spruce is a soul cleansing sight!
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3. Churchill Square on Run for the Cure Day: Churchill
distinct stores are all an attribution of Edmonton’s
Square is one of the best places to be at any time.
diverse culture and its people. My most fond memory of
Whether it’s a hot summer day when staying inside the
Whyte Ave is walking along one of these streets and
house is just unbearable, or a cold crisp fall evening,
coming across this beautiful little store called Wee Book
Churchill Square is the place to be. The reason, I chose
Inn. It is a lovely little bookstore with an overwhelming
the Run for the Cure is because this is one of those days
collection of distinct books that once belonged in
that makes living in Edmonton so worthwhile. A whole
someone’s collection. If you’re a fan of antiques and
bunch of people gather together to show their support for
vintage items, then Whyte Avenue is the signature spot
those fighting cancer, surviving, or celebrating life, and to
for all your needs.
create a world free of breast cancer. When I run for these survivors and with them, it’s
an inspiration.
It’s
moments like this that add an aspect of love, respect, and care in that small little square which stands right in front of City Hall. My personal connection with Churchill square is the liveliness it promotes and how beautiful it
5. A run in one of our beautiful River Valley trails: A few weeks ago, I was watching one of those commercials for Travel Alberta Tourism and I saw all of these luscious Spruce and Pine trees and I thought, “I’m pretty sure they shot that scene in Edmonton’s River Valley”. The
looks in every season.
independence and serenity one gets here, is definitely
4. Whyte Avenue: Located in the heart of Edmonton,
this is definitely one of my favorite places to spend time
Whyte Avenue is a great area for a wide variety of
in the outdoors. My mom and I used to walk and run
cuisines and a great local hangout spot. A friend of mine
these trails and it’s honestly quite the workout with the
and I were taking a walk there after a lovely meal one fine
unpredictable hills and the most special part is being able
day in the summer and I mentioned to her, how much
to watch the sunset in the evening time.
unique to Edmonton. Summer, Spring, Fall or Winter,
Whyte Avenue reminded me of New York. As weird as that sounds, the freedom and the ability to be able to walk from street corner to street corner and the tiny
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Thanks for reading and enjoy your city and I wish you all the best in finding all those things which make your city even more worthwhile for you! * Francistown and Gaborone, Botswana by Olga Atlholang
Francistown One sentence to describe it - One day you will call my heart your home and my home your heart. Things to do there: 1. Go and visit the Supa Ngwao Museum - The Francistown National Museum. 2. Enjoy a restaurant meal at Marang Hotel, while also enjoying the gardens. 3. Shop at Galo Mall. 4. Read a good book! I recommend Alexander McCall Smith's 'No.1 Ladies Detective' series (all set in Botswana) and Steve 'Bantu' Biko's, 'I Write What I Like' 5. Go to the market on Sundays (also at Galo Mall). Many small businesses come and showcase their products. They cater mainly to tourists and sell a lot of souvenirs. You
ŠAzad Family and Udantya
will find a lot of bead jewellery, paintings and wood work. Gaborone One sentence to describe it - A diamond in the rough.
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Things to do there:
and there is something about the city which is quite unique.
1. Poetry nights every weekend at Khwest Cafe.
Top 5 things to do:
2. Go to Mokolodi Game Reserve.
1. Visit a good old fashioned Izakaya (Japanese pub) for
3. Go to Gaborone National Museum.
really getting into the drinking spirit in the city
4. Go for food and wine tastings at the various
2. Visit Ginza, Tokyo's notoriously fashionable and ultra-
restaurants around the city; especially the Europa
expensive shopping district on a Saturday to catch the
Restaurant. They have lovely meaty and non meaty
vibes and hit Itoya, a lovely paper store.
dishes!
3. Tsukiji Fish Market: everyone says do this, so do this!
5. Go watch for a nice long walk and enjoy the most
Make sure you are not averse to fishy smells and sights
beautiful of sunsets!
4. Eat okonomiyaki: a fantastic savoury concoction of
*
egg, meat and BBQ sauce, amongst other ingredients. This takes ‘pancake’ to a whole different level.
Tokyo, Japan and Hong Kong
5. Shibuya Junction needs to be experienced - the crazy
by Kirti Satish Manian
crossing where it seems like people are milling about yet walking purposefully in a particular direction.
Tokyo, Japan
Hong Kong
Tokyo is a different world and a very different culture. In fact, I would say the city is a must visit for everyone at least once in their lifetime. It's crowded and quiet; the people are polite ( sometimes excessively so),
Hong Kong is fast and frenetic, and is a somewhat cleaner version of Mumbai. Public transport is fantastic!
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It’s a small city, so you can get from Point A to B in no
5. Catch the Symphony of Lights show at the Harbour at
time at all. It’s cosmopolitan, friendly, and some would
8 pm. Ignore the music and get mesmerised by the lights
even say with that fantastic skyline - glamorous.
and you will go home with some fantastic memories.
Top 5 things to do:
*
1. Catch the superb skyline action from the Peak, which is
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the number one attraction in Hong Kong. Make sure you by Fatima Khawaja
take the tram up and down to get the full experience. 2. Visit the Chi Lin Nunnery on the Kowloon side: It’s a
1. Calgary Stampede: In July, the whole city shuts down
perfect amalgamation of peace and quiet right in the
and becomes a huge 10-day party, with rodeos, parades,
middle of housing estates.
carnival rides and the spirit of the Wild West.
3. Dimsum: What would the city be without it? Get a
2. Heritage Park: Step back into the 1800s when you visit
Canto speaker to take you to the local dimsum diners. I
old houses and city landmarks preserved in their former
promise, you won't regret it!
glory. Ask the tour guides for amazing ghost stories about the different properties in the Park.
4. Wander around SoHo using the Central Mid-Levels escalators, which used to be the longest escalator system
3. Food Trucks: There are over 30 meals on wheels
in the world. SoHo is a lovely area with boutiques,
scattered across the city, offering diverse flavors such as
restaurants, cafes and enough character to make you
Indian, Mexican, Japanese and German. The trucks
weep.
announce their locations for the day on Twitter. Try Fiasco Gelato, for their insanely innovative flavors. Come winter or summer, you can't beat their creamy goodness!
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4. Banff: Revered for its picturesque mountains, Banff is a 1-hour getaway from Calgary, offering natural hot springs, skiing and sightseeing galore. It is also home to the magnificent Banff Springs Fairmont Hotel. 5. Telus Spark: Not your average science centre, the newly-renovated Telus Spark offers over 120 interactive exhibits to fuel your brain. It’s a great way to spend a day (or two) indoors, especially when temperatures go down.
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DARKROOM
Darjeeling Unfiltered by Aparna Vidyasagar Timeless and romantic. Darjeeling evokes images of colonial British charm and mountain hospitality, tranquil cool air and greenery. I have been conditioned by years of Indian cinema in to buying into this imagery. But this summer when I finally made it to Darjeeling for a visit, I was rather disappointed to find none of this; at first. The drive to the town of Darjeeling was an ascent into the clouds, on narrow winding roads, climbing to 6000 feet above sea level. Each little town that we passed was charming. Clustered houses and shops hugged the roads, sitting high atop pole foundations. But as we entered the town of Darjeeling, I was saddened to see white clouds give way to brown smog. A veil of grey descended upon all the buildings; and there were so many! The roads were crowded with vehicles and people. It was big city traffic but without the big city infrastructure. I looked around for the colonial buildings and saw a few, with peeling paint, sandwiched between newer buildings. Was this it? There were some highlights to our trip. We spent the day walking through Darjeeling. We made small purchases in shops, visited the zoo and the mountaineering museum, and rode the steam engine ‘toy train’. At the zoo, I finally found the pure cool air and greenery that I was so eager to see. Riding the toy train brought a sense of the new and old, all at the same time. As I looked out the window, ducking hot bits of coal, I tried to look past all the signs of modernity and imagine a time before anything that I could remember. It was a surreal experience. At the end of the day, when I looked at the photos on my camera, I noticed something wonderful. Some of the pictures I had taken, captured something distinct from what I could see. Even a picture that I had taken of the crowded town and its grey buildings seemed beautiful.
It was as if my camera could see something that my eyes had missed or
simply could not see. It had filtered out my expectations captured the essence of what I saw around me.
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ARMCHAIR CRITIC
ones, all lends to a sense of oneness. This is who we are; we are all the same.
Life In A Day
In chronicling life, the filmmakers do an
by Aparna Vidyasagar
exemplary job; snippet after snippet, hour by hour.
Life in a Day is a documentary produced by
However, the film can be a difficult one to watch. For me,
unlikely partners; Ridley Scott (of Alien and Blade
there was a dichotomy of feelings. I began to grow weary
Runner fame) and YouTube films; distributed by
of the hour by hour chronicling of the day; weary of the
National Geographic Films.
scenes showing folks from all over the world waking up,
It is ambitious, and a The filmmakers
stretching, looking bleary eyed at the camera. While a
attempt to chronicle one single day in all its
part of me appreciated the artistic technique, the rest of
mundaneness and profundity, through the lives of diverse
me grew tired of the unequivocal message of sameness
people from all parts of the globe. How do they manage
and oneness; hammered in to you, scene after scene with
to do this? By soliciting thousands and thousands of clips
an overbearing monotony despite all the variety on the
from folks all around the world. Yes, the film stars us.
screen.
creative departure from the norm.
The only respite are the little vignettes that
provide an interesting peek into the lives of others - a The film is an editing marvel and it remains
wedding proposal, personal sorrow, religious zeal. In a
cohesive despite the immense variety of vignettes
way, film licenses voyeurism in the name of
presented.
anthropology.
It is both compelling and comforting in its
simplicity. We watch an Indian slum dweller wake up and perform his daily ablutions in the wee hours of the
All in all, I have to say that the film is worth a
morning; a single father in Japan who wakes up his little
watch, if anything for the sheer magnitude of it all, not to
boy to offer incense to his deceased mother. These scenes
mention, simple human curiosity. But be forewarned; be
draws you in. Watching people all over the world brush
patient!
their teeth or cook their meals, or take care of their loved
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JAM SESSION
The Works of Bill Bryson
Poetry Jam
by Aparna Vidyasagar
A Place To Be
Bill Bryson is a prolific writer whose non-fiction work spans multiple sub-genres. He is most famous for his travel writing, though he has written books on science, history, language, and his own memoirs. He is the UK's highest selling non-fiction author. An American by birth, Mr. Bryson has lived in both America and the UK for many years (and his well balanced Anglo-American accent is a testament to the fact!).
Both continents feature heavily in his travel
writings.
His work takes you off the beaten path;
journeying through small town America in a beat up Chevy, or traveling the length and breadth of the UK using only public transportation. His work is marked by his unique voice - his musings and his humor - and also by the vast depth of information and insight he provides. A biography of Mr. Bryson and a list of all his works can be seen on his official website.
by Aparna Vidyasagar There is a place that is, yet cannot be. A place of comfort, where I am free. This is the place, for me to be, as I wrest away from misery. But this place, is, yet cannot be. This is a place, of memory.
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FAQ
Yes, of course! We will try to find a place for it. You may even give us ideas for more themes!
We’ve had a few questions over the past few months, so we thought it would be a good idea to chart out our very own FAQ page.
Might I make a suggestion? Yes! Questions, comments, suggestions and ideas are all welcome. Just email us at udantya@gmail.com
Do you have specific requirements to submit to Udantya? Absolutely not! We love it all; the quirky, the unexpected and the conventional. Share your ideas with us. We want to highlight creativity and artistic expression in all forms. Since we are a web-magazine, we have not yet felt the need to set any page limits or length restrictions. If that changes, we will let you know! How much time do I get to submit a piece? We usually announce the following month’s theme when we release an issue. Our rough editing scheme is as follows. (When you email us to contribute to a particular issue, you will get a set dates for that month). -We usually ask for a short summary of your idea for the intended piece by the end of the first week of the month. -The first draft follows roughly a week to ten days later. You can submit a first draft even if you didn’t tell us your overall summary. Partial drafts are also accepted, so that we get an idea of the direction of your piece. -We like to work closely with you and reserve a week thereafter to finalize a draft. Our goal is to facilitate your vision for your piece and we view this portion of the process as a team effort. Can I send you stuff even if it doesn’t fit a theme?
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