Culturama January 2014

culturama your cultural gateway to india

January 2014 Volume 4, Issue 11

The champion's league

10 We at Culturama are honoured and

humbled to have five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand as our Guest Editor for the first issue of 2014

Rs 40

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Dear readers

Once, I remember we celebrated Mattu Pongal in Spain.

We took a crock pot of Sweet Pongal and tried to cajole the Toro-like cows into eating our humble offering. The cows enjoyed the feast.

Next day, when we kept a bowl of rice for the birds to celebrate Kanum Pongal, we found only the cows coming back for more.... Somewhere, food had also touched a global chord … even in the animal kingdom.

Our neighbours found it rather amusing that we never ate the cow but were happy to share our food with it. The world has become a smaller place and each person can access any part of the world in any form they please. A magazine like Culturama does that. It takes the culture you are born into and injects into it the culture you are trying to assimilate.

I wish the readers a happy Pongal and a very happy 2014.

For me, landing in Chennai airport means coming home. The familiar smell of morning coffee and the violet flowers of December make it a special time to be here. I enjoy the music festival and try to catch as many performances as possible. I particularly like the way the musician of today has taken his sound understanding of the art and added his or her interpretation to make a unique experience that can be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere in the world. In a way, that’s what cultural understanding is about – to be sensitive and understand the differences and similarities in cultures across the world. For me, a Spanish tablao of flamenco or a jugalbandhi should be equally appreciated and admired for the sheer energy the artiste imbibes into the performance.

January is also the time when we salute nature in the form of the harvest festival of Pongal in Tamil Nadu. Nature’s bounty of sugarcane, the animal of plenty — the cow — and the life of life — the Sun — are all worshiped.

Personally, I am mostly away during Pongal in a small, cold village in Holland called Wijk Aan Zee, so most of the emblematic treats of Pongal are missed.

Editor's Note: It was a pleasure and an honour indeed to have Viswanat han Anand as our Guest Editor for our first issue of 2014!

Over t he years, as a close family friend of t he Anands, I have seen him grow from strengt h to strengt h and from championship to championship. He remains t he jewel in India’s many-hued global cap, and his indelible stamp of humour and humility runs through our issue this month. Look out for the 'Anand signature' icon through out this issue. On behalf of the team at Culturama, a big thank you to Anand and Aruna for spending valuable time and interesting insights with us!

Ranjini Manian Editor-in-Chief globalindian@globaladjustments.com

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Credits

Letters to the editor Dear Editor,

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Business Head Sheeba Radhamohan

“Every time I receive Culturama online, I can’t wait to see what it contains. It’s like opening a gift. This November, I was delighted and pleased to see a short excerpt from Easwaran's ‘Strength in the Storm: Transform stress, live in balance and find peace of mind’.

Editorial Coordinator Shefali Ganesh

– Debbie McMurray, USA

Cover image G Venket Ram www.gvenketram.com Editor-in-Chief Ranjini Manian

Senior Designer Prem Kumar Circulation Manager Jaya Banala Advertising Bengaluru T Mukundan Chennai M Dhiviya Delhi/NCR Ruchika Srivastava Mumbai/Pune Farah Bakshay, Rachana Sinha To subscribe to this magazine, write to circulation@globaladjustments.com or access it online at www.culturama.in Chennai (Headquarters) 5, 3rd Main Road, R A Puram, Chennai – 600028 Telefax +91-44-24617902 Email culturama@globaladjustments.com Bengaluru Unit no 17/16,“Brown Nugget”, Ali Asker Road, Bangalore – 560 052 Mobile +91 99869 60316 Email culturamablr@globaladjustments.com Delhi-NCR Level 4, Augusta Point, DLF Golf Course Road, Sector-53, Gurgaon – 122002 Tel +91-124-4354236 Email del@globaladjustments.com Mumbai Rustom Court, 2nd Floor, Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai – 400030 Tel +91-22-66104191/92 Email mum@globaladjustments.com Pune CTS No. 37/1, Bund Garden Road, Next to Jehangir Hospital, Pune – 411001 Mobile +91-9545453023 Email pune@globaladjustments.com Published and owned by Ranjini Manian at #5, 3rd Main Road, Raja Annamalai Puram, Chennai – 600028, and printed by K Srinivasan of Srikals Graphics Pvt Ltd at #5, Balaji Nagar, 1st Street, Ekkattuthangal, Chennai – 600032 Editor-in-Chief Ranjini Manian Disclaimer Views and opinions expressed by writers do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s or the magazine’s.

Dear Editor,

“Another wonderful magazine! Thank you so much for sending the December issue of the magazine; I read it from beginning to end.”

– Fran Spencer, USA

Dear Editor,

“I am a traveller and filmmaker and I am really glad to see the quality and variety of content in Culturama going North!”

– Thommen Jose, India

Dear Editor,

“I enjoy reading your magazine every month; happy to be receiving it.”

– Andal Damodaran, India

Dear Editor,

“The note about Tarlaben is so apt in your December issue of Culturama. We all miss her lively and jovial company. Her culinary art and skills will always be cherished by millions with taste.”

– Kokilaben Dhirubai Ambani

Look out for icons On our website and our magazine we are now using the five icons below to help guide you through the contents. They are based on the five areas where Culturama can really help — giving you an insight into India, its life and culture; finding you great places to shop and fun things to do to enrich your Indian experience; helping you find a home; and connecting you to new friends.

1 Read 4 Locate

2 Shop 5 Connect

3 Do

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Culturama’s contributors 01 Susan Philip is a freelance writer based in Chennai, and the editorial coordinator of Culturama’s various coffeetable books.

02 Harini Sankaranarayanan is an ardent foodie and a professional chocolatier. She has a degree in Hotel Management, English literature and theatre.

05 Neil Miller is Content Strategist at Culturama.in. He is an American and has been living in Chennai for the past two years.

06 Helen Taylor is a freelance writer and photographer. She is British and has been living in Chennai for a year and a half.

03 Ian Watkinson is a wrestler of words, a cooker of curries, a dabbler with the tabla, a persistent photographer and haphazard historian.

04 Octoli Tuccu manages Global Adjustment's CrossCultural Services. She is a globetrotter, a foodie and a movie buff.

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07 Devdutt Pattanaik is the Chief Belief Officer of the Future Group, and a writer and illustrator of several books on Indian mythology. www.devdutt.com 08 Anita Krishnaswamy is President of Global Adjustments and a relocation expert. She has years of experience working with expat clients across the country.

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Advisory Board members 08 N Ram is an award-winning journalist and former Editorin-Chief of The Hindu. He is Director of Kasturi & Sons Limited, publishers of The Hindu.

09 Suzanne McNeill lived in India for seven years, first in Chennai and then in Delhi. She has now returned to Scotland, where she works as a freelance writer and graphic designer.

10 Babette Verbeek is a correspondent for BNR Nieuwsradio who previously worked in Amsterdam and Milan. Now she joyfully explores the beauty of South Indian culture.

11 Marina Marangos is a lawyer by profession but enjoys travel and writing. She lived in India for four years before moving to Australia. She blogs at www.mezzemoments.blogspot.com

12 G Venket Ram is an acclaimed photographer and the creative mind behind many a Culturama issue. To know more about his work, log on to www.gvenketram.com 13 Beth Chapman is an American business management consultant living in Bengaluru.

Former President of the city’s Overseas Women’s Club, Beth is an Indian culture aficionado.

14 Diane Chatterjee is a Scottish insurance professional who has lived in Mumbai for the past seven years. Besides indulging her passion for Indian travel, craft and cuisine, she has been on the Board of Mumbai Connexions, a society for expats.

15 Marcel Van Mourik is a Dutch photographer living in New Delhi for the past three years. Together with his cameras, he is passionate about discovering Indian culture.

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On the Cover

Contents Journeys Into India 52

Seeing India

Journey into the heartland of Kashmir and explore the hills of Nagaland.

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10 In Focus

Holistic living

Spiritual guru and teacher, Eknath Easwaran tells us how our minds need to be channels of positive change.

Five-time world chess champion, Viswanathan Anand's wife, Aruna, gives us an exclusive story of what it means to be an indelible part of the champion's league.

Regulars

India’s Culture

A recap of events, people and places that made the news in the past month.

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Short message service

Short, engaging snippets of Indian culture.

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In your kitchen

Grab a taste of the Maharashtrian Brahmin's comfort food — the sago vada!

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India now Look who’s in town

Expats in India share their stories on a practical theme for everyday survival in India.

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Calendars

See what’s going on in Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

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Picture story

An exclusive peek into ace photographer G.Venket Ram's new photo collection.

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At Global Adjustments

A programme that looked at the concept of wealth in India.

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Global citizen

A cross-cultural perspective to living and working in India.

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Give to India

Featuring worthy causes across the country.

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Feature

India writes

A space for India’s abounding world of literature.

Hop on board India's quintessential railway experience and discover its rhythm, its verve and its dynamism.

Relocations and Property

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Myth & mythology

Realty bytes

Stories from India’s mythology reinterpreted for practical living.

Practical advice from Global Adjustments' relocation expert

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Festival of the month

India's harvest festival down South and the Kite Festival in the North.

Space and the city

Property listings across the metros.

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In focus

by Aruna Anand

The champion’s league

Anand with his wife Aruna

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1 For the very first time, Aruna Anand, wife of India’s most beloved chess Grandmaster and five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand, gives us a rare and exclusive glimpse of the man behind the champion On December 24, 1995, as a young girl full of rebellious ideas, I was ushered into our drawing room to meet a man who could, if we pleased, become my prospective husband. As I mentioned I was rebellious, I refused to carry the customary coffee tumblers and sweets that make up the tradition of our girl-seeing* ceremony.

The boy was smart, no doubt, well travelled, extremely courteous and well mannered. We introduced ourselves and spoke about innocuous things like the weather and traffic. As we had nothing outwardly annoying to say about each other, we decided to be married. And that was how I came to be known as Mrs. Viswanathan Anand.

For me, he is just Anand, a simple person who loves Mexican food and has a trained sense of humour. To the world, he is Vishy, a celebrated five-time world chess champion.

As a newly minted bride, our honeymoon was in Dortmund at a chess tournament. I used to cuddle up in a corner of the theatre and sleep. Every time there was applause I would wake up to see Anand walk off the stage. I would be so afraid to meet anyone's gaze as I had no idea what had happened. I would hide in the restroom and wait for Anand to call out to me. That was my first ever experience with chess.

Anand as a player and person is very principled. He is very happy just sticking to his principles even if it means having to sacrifice short-term goals. For him, being part of the journey is as important as the destination.

And many a time he has been at the wrong end of the chess politics. He hates to complain or whine. He just likes to get on with it and not waste too much time on what is out of his grasp. In 2002, I remember when the chess world decided

to put aside its differences and unite in forging a unified title, the truce came at the cost of Anand being excluded from the championship. I remember a famous American Grandmaster who engineered this truce telling, Anand, “Vishy you are a gentleman and a nice guy, so you understand we had to keep you out for the betterment of chess”. It was the first time I saw Anand angry. Even then, he smiled and said, "Bon Appetite" and moved on. Later on, I remember, we decided not to be part of the whole unification process and just not attend the meeting. It was his way of saying my way or the highway. I told Anand not to worry as this truce would soon end up in

The chess champ in the making with mother Susheela and (far right ) with V. Kameswaran, one of his earlier chess gurus

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Anand, Aruna and their son Akhil

Photo G Venket Ram

a wastepaper basket. Sometimes a woman’s intuition holds when reason and ego are at stake .

When the chess world bowed to the demands of various governments to get their wards to have a shot at the chess title, it was always Anand who had to play. I remember the time before the acrimonious title defence in Sofia. We had to undertake this 40-hour trip to Sofia across four countries as the air space was closed. Anand said just one beautiful thing to me. “You are putting everything you got on the line here. Trust me. I will get on with the job.” I think that was the moment I really treasured despite having had to drive through the pot-holed roads of Romania without cell phone coverage. The outside world did not see a man with steely grit wanting the title defence badly because he never once used the 40-hour trip as an excuse. For me, personally, winning in Sofia was the most defining moment of his career. If the world championships were the crowns, this was clearly the diamond in it.

The toughest thing about Anand the person and the champion is that being a nice guy you can’t be anything but a nice guy! You have to be nice whether you like it or not.

Sometimes I have seen him angry and still patiently finish

replying to an irate journalist. I would often tell him to just tell the man to lump it. Anand would smile and say that if he considered the time taken to make the person understand he is angry, it would take half that to mumble the answer.

In 2011, Anand had a very different role to play — that of a father. We always joked that he was more exhausted after childbirth than I was. As a father, I have to say he is indulgent, although he does try hard to look stern. But Akhil is as smart as his dad and has figured who the bad cop in the family is. I would like Akhil to get Anand’s sense of humour and humility for a start.

As a wife and mother, the best time for me is when our family is together and we don’t have to connect to Skype to make our day seem normal. We enjoy doing the most normal things together. The most special moment is when a child of two-and-a-half and a chess legend can jump on a bed and throw pillows at each other while I watch my bedroom falling apart and pretend to be angry. For me, at that moment, I feel the Anands are at home and complete. *The girl-seeing ceremony is part and parcel of the arranged marriage system, where a prospective groom meets a prospective bride for the first time, with both families present. The ceremony typically has the girl serving coffee and sweets to the groom and family, which is followed by a performance of her talents in music or dance. Today, this has changed drastically, where the boy and girl meet on formal dates to get to know each other. 1

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They Said It! 1 India’s changemakers and global achievers on what Viswanathan Anand means to them

“Viswanathan Anand is our nation's pride. He is a true role model to young India. I am proud of him as my fellow Indian.”

— Union Minister Kumari Selja “Five-time world champion Anand is an extraordinary individual and a low profile, good mannered, soft spoken human being. A thoroughbred sportsman!”

— Deepak Parekh, Chairman, HDFC

“Anand epitomises the best in sport. A true gentleman, confident and competent. His achievements go beyond recognition.”

— Shashi Ruia, Essar Group Chairman “Anand is India’s pride and Chennai’s special jewel. His extraordinary accomplishments at a very young age are matched only by his grace and unassuming modesty.”

— Former Union Minister Jayanthi Natarajan "Anand is a national hero and a living legend."

— Kokilaben D Ambani, Reliance Group Matriarch “A fantastic role model for all of us, a truly warm and humble world champion whom we admire and love.”

— Nina & Shyam Kothari, HC Kothari Group “Anand is the epitome of single-minded focus, driven by a passion for the game of chess. We cannot get a better role model for the pursuit of excellence than Anand.”

— Lakshmi Narayanan, Vice Chairman, Cognizant “Even though our sports are poles apart, I’ve had a tremendous amount of respect for Viswanathan Anand for a long time; his achievements and contribution to our country’s sporting heritage is incredible.”

— Narain Karthikeyan, India's Formula 1 racing champ “I have always admired Anand from a distance; the humility and goodness he exudes is an unexpected quality of a five-time world champion.”

— Prema Srinivasan, TVS family matriarch

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India now

by Susan Philip

The month that was 1 A quick recap of events, people and places that made the news in the past month

Polity and Politics

The results of elections to five State Assemblies or Legislatures held in November—December, widely regarded as a run-up to the general elections due this year, produced at least one surprise — the unexpectedly good showing by the new party on the block, the Aam Admi Party (AAP), in New Delhi. The name translates as the ‘Common Man’s Party’, and its chief election plank was eradicating corruption. Appropriately enough, AAP’s symbol is a broom. Interestingly, no party won enough seats to comfortably form a government at the capital city. Do the New Delhi results foreshadow sweeping changes in the Indian polity? Watch this space.

The game-changers in 2014 are expected to be women and first-time voters. There are almost as many women voters in India (49%) as men, and if they can be persuaded to exercise their franchise, they could have a huge impact on the poll outcome. Equally powerful will be the youngsters who will be eligible to vote for the first time in the coming elections.

Young people and women — they’re India’s powerhouses in the waiting.

Track the India story on sites like www.ndtv.com. For an official overview, visit http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/index.aspx

Scientifically Speaking India successfully test-fired Prithvi II, its nuclear-capable surface-to-surface missile, from a test range in Odisha on December 3. The indigenously developed, sophisticated weapon is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads and uses liquid propulsion twin engines.

Other missiles in India’s arsenal include the Agni series and BrahMos. India traditionally showcases its military gems as well as its cultural heritage at the Republic Day Parade at New Delhi on January 26. There’s nothing like being on the magnificent Rajpath (meaning King’s Way) to watch the spectacle in person, but if you can’t manage that, tune in to a live telecast first thing in the morning on the 26th.

Sport Spots

December was a great month for Kabaddi in India.

Both the men’s and the women’s teams did the country proud, lifting the World Cups in their respective matches. The men’s team retained the Kabaddi World Cup title for the fourth consecutive time, defeating Pakistan by a

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margin of nine points at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana, while the women’s team beat New Zealand for the honour.

Kabaddi is a traditional game India has gifted to the world.

For more traditional games of India, look up Culturama’s October 2013 issue.

India has won the bid to host the 2017 Under-17 FIFA World Cup. The FIFA executive committee made the announcement after a meeting held in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. This marks a big boost for the game in India, as, for the first time, the country will be participating in the event in 2017. Of course, there’s a lot that needs to be done before India can be confident of smooth conduct of this prestigious event, but post the announcement, new life seems to have been injected into Football House in the capital.

For those who want to know more about foot ball and India, visit http://www.the-aiff.com/ is a good place to start.

Arty Happenings

Ravi Shankar, the man who made magic with his sitar, has received a posthumous nomination in the 56th Annual Grammy Awards for his album ‘The Living Room Sessions Part 2’. The maestro, who passed away in December 2012 at the age of 92, was awarded two Grammy honours earlier in 2013.

One of them was a Lifetime Achievement Award and the other was the World Music Album award for ‘The Living Room Sessions Part 1’.

Another nominee with an Indian connection is Ang Lee's ‘Life of Pi’. Composer Mychael Danna has been nominated for the best score soundtrack in the visual media category.

Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar, who set thousands of feminine hearts fluttering in his heyday, turned 91 in December. One of the most popular actors of Hindi cinema in the 1950s, he has been ailing for some time.

He had a quiet birthday with his wife, Saira Banu, also an actor, close friends and family and the doctors and medical staff who have been taking care of his health.

For a taste of Bollywood magic and vintage Dilip Kumar, watch ‘Devdas’, ‘Madhumati’, and ‘Mughal-E-Azam’.

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Business Matters

A wealth creation study by financial services company Motilal Oswal has named Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) as India’s biggest wealth creator over the past five years. The study covered 100 companies. TCS is a wing of the famous Tata Group of companies, which has interests in fields as vast and varied as steel, jewellery and automobiles, besides software. Over the years, the company metamorphosed from a conventional corporate group to a multinational conglomerate, with many significant international mergers and acquisitions under its belt, UK’s Tetly and Jaguar Land Rover.

This and That

The Supreme Court has declared unsustainable an earlier ruling by the Delhi High Court decriminalising homosexuality. The step brings back into force a 19th century law which considers “sex against the order of nature” as a criminal offence. The apex court reasoned that it is for Parliament to change laws, and not for courts to do so.

Traditionally, India has been very broadminded about sexual relationships. Visit the temples of Khajuraho and Konark in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha respectively. Apart from stunningly beautiful architecture, there are also exquisite and explicit carvings and sculptures detailing the many facets of physical love.

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by Suzanne McNeill Short cultural snippets for an easily digestible India

Crafts of India Soapstone carving from Karnataka Soapstone is relatively abundant throughout India, and the rich deposits in Karnataka, particularly around Mysore, have sustained the region’s stone carvers for centuries. It was used to create reliefs and sculptures on the medieval temples of the Vijayanagara Empire that depict the deities and stories from Hindu mythology. Soapstone is a soft mineral (it is largely composed of talc, which, in its loose form, is the substance talcum powder is made of), though once it has been quarried it hardens. It is smooth to the touch, with a good lustre and sheen, and comes in a range of natural colours from yellows and browns through pinks to black. White is highly prized. These qualities enable the craftsmen of Karnataka to produce intricate carvings using simple hand tools, creating traditional representations as well as decorative items and contemporary arts.

Art Pithora from Gujarat

Photo Aparna Bhandar

Pithora wall paintings represent a rich and sacred folk art form that is specifically associated with the Rathwa tribal community of Gujarat. Pithora Dev is the principal deity of the Rathwa, and the paintings depict the marriage procession of Pithora Dev. Horses, which are of special significance to the Rathwa, occupy much of the mural space, interspersed with other animals, elements drawn from tribal legend, and scenes from everyday life. They are simple in style, but energetic and colourful. The act of painting a Pithora is accompanied by a ritual of narration, singing and drumming, and thus the work unfolds gradually through oral, aural and pictorial means.

At its completion, a ceremony is held in which the deity is invited to descend into the painting and dwell therein, thereby ensuring divine protection for the household.

Language Sanskrit Sanskrit, 'the language of the gods' and one of the world’s great classical languages, is still the native language of 14,135 people. ‘Sanskrit’ translates as ‘refined speech’ and its pre-classical form, Vedic, dates back to 1,500 BCE. It is the language of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and has a rich literary tradition of poetry, drama, philosophical and scientific texts. Sanskrit is primarily the liturgical language of Hinduism, and to this day is used in worship in Hindu temples. As Sanskrit developed within an oral society, it has no native script of its own. Consequently the Devangari script, used since the 19th century to write Hindi, has become the standard writing system for this ancient language. Offer your friends a traditional Sanskrit greeting: ‘Shubhāste panthānah santu’ – ‘May your paths be auspicious.’

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Photo www.juliehall.net

Textile Thigma — Dyed wool from Nubra Valley The stark but breathtaking Nubra Valley of Ladakh sits at high altitude in the bitterly cold Tibetan Plateau. Much of the traditional clothing of the region is made from the wool of yaks, goats and sheep herded by farmers. The woollen fabric is dyed and decorated using a technique of the tie-and-dye process to create floral patterns, which goes by the local name of thigma (or thickme). The fabric is pinched and tightly bound with thread, then dyed in natural colours using vegetable dyes, indigo and turmeric. Thigma resist dyeing is usually reserved for narrow strips of fabric. The widest panels are used to create shawls and costumes, whilst the smaller widths are used for belts and particularly in pabu thigma, the distinctive, pointytoed shoe that is a common sight in the region.

Photo Edson Silva, Brazil

Tribes of India Banjara The Banjara people number nearly 6 million across India today, and are thought to be the country’s largest gypsy group. They originated from Rajasthan, and it said that their name is derived from the words bajika meaning ‘trade’ and banji, a ‘peddler’s pack’. Others point to a derivation from Sanskrit, vana chara meaning ‘forest wanderers’. Historically nomadic, the Banjara traded and transported grain and salt.

They supplied goods to the Moghul, then the British armies, but now most have settled to farming. The majority are Hindu, overlaid with animistic beliefs and superstitions: their deities and sites of pilgrimage are related to their particular history and pattern of wandering. Banjara women wear intricately embroidered and colourful clothes, with mirror ornaments and beads, rows of white and silver bangles, nose rings and necklaces of silver coins.

Past Influencer R K Narayan Born in Madras in 1906 to an intellectual family of high culture, R K Narayan was determined to be a writer from a young age. Over his long life he wrote 15 novels, well over a hundred short stories and numerous articles, and was one of the first Indians writing in English to achieve international acclaim. R K Narayan’s novels offered a window into India, and many are set in an imagined small town called Malgudi. He wrote about the personal, about the individual’s emotional landscape, detailing the minutiae of his characters’ lives and the value of village traditions. He was elected an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and served a six-year term in the Upper House of the Indian Parliament. R K Narayan died in 2001.

The publishing company he founded, Indian Thought Publications, is now managed by his granddaughter.

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Words Kalam vs Kamal

Urban adventure Chikkapete Street, Bengaluru

The word qalam in Urdu and kalam in Hindi means ‘pen’, and must have derived from the Greek word for pen, kalamos. It may also have its roots in an Arabic phrase that associates qalam with scripture.

The Hindi word kamal means ‘lotus’. The lotus flower is a symbol of spiritual development and mental purity in India – although the roots of the lotus sit in the mud at the bottom of a pond, the immaculate and beautiful lotus flower rises above the surface of the water. Lakshmi, the Goddess of both material and spiritual wealth, is closely associated with the lotus, and is sometimes called Kamala, meaning ‘she of the lotus’. Kamal can be a male or female name in India.

Chikkapete Street, also locally known as Chickpet, is a commercial and wholesale hub, and one of a number of the city’s bustling petes or markets that are clustered together in the narrow, congested streets at the heart of the city. Chickpet specializes in gold and silver jewellery, electrical items and lighting, home linen and stationery, but is renowned for the numerous silk sari shops that line both sides of the lanes.

Bengaluru’s residents flock to Chickpet to buy saris and raw silks in bulk for weddings or during festivities from longestablished businesses such as Byrappa & Sons, Kuberan Silks and Sudarshan Silks. On Sundays, Chickpet is taken over by the weekly flea market selling a vast array of secondhand items at throwaway prices. There’s no room for vehicles, and visitors to Chickpet should be prepared to elbow through bustling crowds, as well as bargain for their purchases.

The fresh shoots of the new crops in this farmer’s field in Kerala need protection against birds and scavengers, and here the Indian genius for recycling and reusing old materials in new ways comes to the fore again. A dead sapling has been pressed into use as a scarecrow, hung with homemade figures that twist and turn in the breeze. The care and creativity that has gone into making these dolls are delightful – each figure is dressed individually in a different combination of skirt, bodice and sleeve fabric. To a Western eye, this quirky and playful device could be a Christmas tree, decorated with angels!

Photo Jean Denis Lenoir, France

Interpretations

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In your kitchen

by Harini Sankaranarayanan

Comfort food 1 The western state of Maharashtra is home to the sea, an infectious festive atmosphere and some great food!

We step into the home of a Maharashtrian Brahmin for a taste of simplicity in variety

On the western coast, bordering the Arabian Sea and extending far into the Deccan plateau, with boundaries extending up to Karnataka and Gujarat, lies Maharashtra. It is not unusual then to find culinary influences of these two states as we get closer to the border. However, to name Maharashtrian cuisine an amalgam of the flavours of these two states would be doing this unique cuisine a great disservice. Parimal Pandit, a Clinical Psychologist, points out that even within the state, each community has its own distinct style of flavouring food.

“The Brahmin community, for instance, to which I belong, has three different subcommunities. They are divided into the Brahmins from the coastal region, those from the hills and finally the Brahmins settled inland,” explains Parimal. “The Brahmins from the coast use a lot more coconut in their

food because of its abundance. As you go inland, the vegetables used differ slightly.

Up on the hills, the spices are adjusted to suit the cooler climes. Jaggery is used in most recipes as a sweetening agent, while kokum is used to add a sour touch to balance the dishes,” she adds.

One of the most unique aspects of Maharashtrian cuisine is the use of a special blend of masala, which they call ‘kala’ or ‘goda’ masala. Rich and fragrant, it is almost black in colour and hence the name.

Adding a dash of this spice mix gives most of the dishes a flavour that is essentially Maharashtrian.

As with most Brahmin communities across India, onions and garlic are not a usual part of the menu. The dishes are simple but flavourful. The day starts with a nutritious breakfast of Poha,

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Sago Vada Ingredients 1 cup soaked, soft sago*

flattened rice, stir-fried really quickly and garnished with peanuts and coriander. Though predominantly rice eaters, the Maharashtrians also have chappatis along with their meal.

The meal would start with varan, a very simple yellow dal, with rice.

Add a dash of ghee and it becomes the most sought after comfort food.

A salad made out of cucumber and tomatoes adds freshness to the plate.

A couple of vegetable dishes and yogurt complete the meal.

Beans of all varieties – flat, long, string and cluster – find their way into the menu as do pumpkins. The leaves of the colocasia plant are shredded and cooked with coconut and chickpea flour. On special occasions, Masala Baath or savoury spiced rice is a must, as are a special array of desserts like Modak and Puran Poli, filled with sweetened coconut, and Shrikhand, a whipped

yogurt, flavoured with saffron and pistachios.

“Maharashtrians are known to celebrate their festivals with gusto, and our biggest are, of course, Diwali and Ganesh Chathurti that just went by. What’s unique about us is that we have a mix of both the north and south in how we celebrate our festivals,” says Parimal, a direct result of the state’s geography, perhaps. A lot of the festivals include periods of fasting and special foods are cooked to break the fast. These have to be both easy to digest and nutritious. Parimal gives us one of the easy recipes which is often made not just to break a fast, but also as a quick evening snack; so one does not have to wait to undertake a fast to enjoy these crispy vadas.

Serve them hot paired with your favourite chutney! 1

½ cup boiled potatoes roughly mashed ½ cup roasted peanuts roughly powdered (The rough bits of peanuts add a wonderful textural element, so make sure that it does not become a fine powder.)

7-8 green chilies chopped 1 tsp cumin powder 2 tbs coriander leaves chopped A pinch of soda bicarb Salt to taste Oil to deep fry Method • Mix all the ingredients together except the oil.

• Add salt to taste and a pinch of soda bicarb.

• Shape into little round patties and deep fry until golden brown and crisp. (The potatoes will help bind the patty together.)

• Serve hot with a chutney of choice. *Sago pearls are available freely in department stores and are known locally as jevarisi in the South or sabudana in the North. The pearls differ in size. The fine, little ones require just a little more than a sprinkling of water and a 15-minute wait to make them soft. The larger ones may require a few hours of soaking in water. When properly soaked, the pearls will still be a little springy and will mash down with a little pressure. Too much soaking will turn it to mush. So do take time to experiment with a batch of sago before you start the recipe.

PHOTO COURTESY Chef Sashi Kumar, The Residency Towers, Chennai

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Feature

by Marina Marangos

All aboard the Indian Express!

From the Guest Editor’s Desk A large part of my childhood was actually spent in trains.

My father, a retired General Manager of Southern Railways with 25 years of experience behind him, would often tell me he could guess the speed of the train simply by listening to the tracks. It was quite fascinating for me as a child. I was able to actually appreciate how the tadak-tadak-tadak-tadak of the train would change at 60 km/hr, then 70 and then 80. That memory has stayed with me to this day.

Watch this fun advertisement for AMD India featuring Viswanathan Anand in a train: http://tinyurl.com/6cq9t3

Photo Ashok Vishwanathan, India

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Photo Linda Graeble, France

1 Trains in India can mean only one thing – an adventure to cherish for the rest of your life! Hop on board and take this journey through India’s massive railway network and listen to the sounds of history and experience reverberate

When I was a little girl growing up in the towns of Nicosia and Famagusta on the island of Cyprus, I remember going to see a small locomotive train displayed just outside the hospital in Famagusta. This was my first encounter with locomotives. It was no longer in use and to me it was a giant-sized toy. The railway system in Cyprus was set up by the British, who, at the time, colonised the island. It was active from 1905 to 1951 but always operated at a loss. It was eventually closed down. All that remains is this little loco. It is perhaps pertinent to point out that this network covered a total area of 76 miles (approximately 122 km) and that was all.

Train to the Past India acquired its own railway system around the same time and, like Cypress, under colonial masters, but this story could not be more different. The British had a thing about

railways and setting them up in their colonies and perhaps rightly so. The Indian railway was initially started up by the East India Company and steam engines and steam trains were part of the plans to ensure that trade between India and Britain flowed freely. The first passenger rail journey took place in 1853 and covered a distance of some 21 miles between Bombay and Thane.

From then to the present, the system has mushroomed to take in most of this huge subcontinent and it has changed to keep up with the times. It may surprise you to hear that the first toilets were introduced into first class compartments as late as 1891 and to other classes approximately 20 years later. The Partition saw the loss of hundreds of kilometres of railway and routes. Extensive planning and re-routing took place after Independence and in 1951 the Indian railway network was nationalised to the entity we know today. It has become one of the biggest employers in the world, with

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Photo Ashok Vishwanathan, India

approximately 1.4 million employees and a nationwide system which has its fervent and ever-lasting admirers.

Given that part of my love story was lost and found between carriages on an Indian train journey to the coastal town of Puri on which my husband was playing hide and seek, one of my earliest presents to him on returning to live in India was a seminal book written by R. R. Bhandari about the glorious 150 years of Indian Railways. While not everyone will be captivated by the detail and expansion of Indian railways, I must tell you that living in this country cannot ever be complete without an experience, whether short or long, on one of the railways, or dare I say several, as there is so much on offer. If there is one thing that you can be sure of travelling on any train anywhere in India is that it is not a lonely existence.

Train to the Station

Photo Marina Marangos, Greece

Photo Ashok Vishwanathan, India

You are well prepared for this intimacy with all the rest of India at the railway stations. The thousands of passengers who pass through them every day are probably far in excess of the population of my country!

Booking used to be at little kiosks and still is for a lot of places, with elaborate forms of queue jumping taking place.

Nowadays, there is an online booking facility. If you manage to get through the crowds in good time and fight your way through the people sleeping and eating, doing their washing, packing and unpacking, shaving and ear cleaning on the platform, the next big question is identifying how and where you need to stand to board your train. Sometimes, some kind soul stands you literally in front of where the train carriage is likely to stop.

What has amazed me and still does is that in this country of what we fondly say is organised chaos, this is one aspect that works like clockwork. The trains are usually very much on time and the computer printouts about who is on them are accurate right to the last Singh, Smith or Subramaniam. Astonishing efficiency that you can rely on because those lists are supported by the train controller who comes round to check your tickets and knows in a flash whether you are in the right place and paying the right money for it too!

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Photo Jean Michel Tammam, France

Train to an Experience The nature and length of your journey are key factors to what determines the rest of the experience. There are the so-called short trips, like Jaipur, Agra, and Amritsar, if you live in New Delhi, all on the nowelectrified new fast trains, known as the Shatabdi Express trains, which travel quickly and frequently between several well-known destinations. My annual trip to Jaipur costs some Rs. 1,200, which is approximately £10 and for that huge sum I receive lavish, indeed unwarranted, attention and service. Do not miss this. An early start to catch the Shatabdi from Delhi will have you sitting in airconditioned splendour in the first class for a few more rupees, or in second class with fans, or even if you prefer it that way, in third. The experience is quite magical, starting from your own newspaper of the day delivered with your thermos of tea and biscuits. After a reasonable interval, cornflakes are served but with that quintessential Indian touch of hot milk, which turns them into instant mush.

In case your stomach is still growling, you will then be offered a choice of vegetarian or non-vegetarian full-cooked breakfast with the necessary sides of butter, toast, jam and fresh fruit. All prepared in the “Pantry” at the end of the carriage. Fit for a Maharani is all I can say, and at this wonderfully affordable price.

Then there are those longer, interminable adventures that start in New

Delhi and finish at the far tip of India. My driver, who hails from Kerala, needs twoand-a-half days on the train to get back to his hometown. Overnighters are a totally different experience. Very often families travel together and with a lot of their worldly possessions. Women come ready to feed their families but also half the remaining people in the carriage and we were never on the train for very long before the first pakora was brought out, a little of the chevda or some lovely cumin rusks. On these occasions it is the street-wallahs who delight as they board the train in between stops to sell their hot omelettes, their vegetable cutlets or their steaming cups of chai. They sing their wares to let us know of their arrival and they are always efficient and fast in offering their services to as many as they can before the train starts on the next leg of the journey.

The sleepers usually offer three tiers and an elaborate system of curtains and ladders.

Great fun. I love being right at the top near the fan. The man will have already left a clean pillow, an ironed sheet and a blanket on the tier ready for nightfall. I make myself comfortable and then the lights are usually dimmed, though there is a facility to keep reading if you want to. You plug all your phones into the sockets to recharge and you let your thoughts ebb and flow with the rhythm of the train. With a bit of luck you are asleep in no time and only wake

• The first passenger rail journey took place in 1853 and covered a distance of some 21 miles between Bombay and Thane.

• In Rewari, Haryana, old steam trains are reconditioned and taken out for a ride. The adjoining museum is full of memorabilia from those early formative years of Indian trains and is fascinating for the insights they provide.

• The Simla–Kalka Railway, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, started up in colonial days to connect hill resorts to the plains, have all been declared Unesco World Heritage Sites.

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as the train is pulling into the station and the chai-wallah is climbing on board to offer you a fresh brew. This is the perfect scenario. There are some less perfect ones, which unfold as well, all part and parcel of the intimacy that is offered free of cost to travel on these wonderful beasts that may include cavorting couples, grumpy old men, snoring Sikhs and wailing wee ones. The curtains, lovely as they are, are but a flimsy fold between you and the rest of your lively berths.

Train to a Heritage Nowadays, apart from the purely practical side of enabling you to go from one place to another, Indian trains play a large role in affirming their wonderful heritage and are being looked after carefully. Being of the train aficionado persuasion we have explored this fully, starting with the most obvious, which is the train museum in New Delhi, where old locomotive trains are parked and you can wander around them happily. For those wanting something extra, a day trip to Rewari, the place where old steam trains are affectionately reconditioned and taken out for the day, is a train spotter’s paradise. The steam engines are fired up and choo choo their way out of the station, but are not allowed to wander very far. The adjoining museum is full of memorabilia from those early formative years of Indian trains and is fascinating for the insights they provide.

For my husband’s birthday I booked a journey to Alwar on the Fairy Queen, the oldest operating steam engine in the

Photo Marina Marangos, Greece

world dating back to 1855. It was a memorable weekend with the boys standing on footplates and helping the engine driver stoke his engine and drive his train.

There are also the Mountain Railways, which are splendid in their own right. The Simla–Kalka Railway, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway were all started up in colonial days to connect hill resorts to the plains. They have all been declared Unesco World Heritage Sites.

Perhaps, as a result of the fascination tourists have for the Indian rail system, a whole series of luxury trains have appeared and cater to exclusive tours that take in important tourist destinations while offering opulent surroundings and lavish meals on the trains. There are plenty to choose from and it may depend on which part of the country you might be thinking of touring. The Royal Rajasthan concentrates on Rajasthan, the Deccan Odyssey on Maharashtra and the most famous of all, Palace on Wheels, covers the areas known as the Golden Triangle.

However you choose to travel, the experience is both rewarding and enriching but none more so for me then when I travelled second class all those years ago and my olive skin and braided hair meant that I was considered a local, a girl of marriageable age, but with some Western touches, obviously going places. 1

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Over her long association with New Delhi – since her marriage in 1994 – Rebekkah Kumar has seen the city go from dowdy to dazzling. “The changes in the past two decades are tremendous!

Delhi went from basically three colours and models of cars (black, white, beige; Maruti sedan, Maruti van, Ambassador) and plenty of room on the road to a menagerie of colours and models of cars, and traffic jams 24/7!” says Rebekkah laughing. The owner of an online jewellery boutique, www.fourseven.in, she settled down in the capital city with her husband and two children in 2006. “To me, jewellery is an expression of our style and our passions. It can be fun and playful, spiritual, alluring, or even just simple and elegant. We are just getting started, but we are bringing together Indian craftsmanship, the rich tradition and culture, some Western ideas and a socialcommerce foundation into a business that is run by women and helps bring livelihood to many,” she adds. If all that glitters is not gold, then who better to tell you that than Rebekkah Kumar? So here goes!

Rebekkah strikes a pose with her favourite jewellery from www.fourseven.in

Look who’s in town New Delhi

Touch of Gold 1 American jewellery entrepreneur, RebeKkah Kumar, on where and how to pick your next must-have piece

Where to go Jaipur and Mumbai are jewellery hubs and offer a lot in terms of semi-precious stones, gold and a variety of styles. Tribal jewellery in pure silver or even cheaper “German silver” alloys can be found in many places, with each region offering different styles.

Major markets such as Dilli Haat in Delhi try to bring all of those styles into one place for you. I would suggest using word-of-mouth recommendations when you are buying fine jewellery. Also, look for things that are outside your ‘comfort zone’. There is so much on offer here, and the detail in the craftsmanship is so beautiful.

Lastly, if you have any metal allergies, be sure to ask for details when purchasing.

Touch of care India is humid and jewellery does not respond well to moisture, chemicals and prolonged exposure to air. My mantra is ‘Make your jewellery the last thing you put on before you leave the house and the first thing you take off when you get home’. For silver jewellery, please remember to keep it in airtight bags when not in use to reduce tarnishing and use a soft cloth to clean it before wearing when required.

When in the US Always look for local events, art fairs and the quirky local boutiques for jewellery that is hand-crafted by residents. For highend designer options, there’s nothing like Manhattan, Beverly Hills or San Francisco. We bought my Indian wedding set in simple gold with stunning intricate carving in Chicago on the famous Devon Street, which is like a little India with grocers and jewellers and saris/ suits. 1

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Look who’s in town Chennai

The Chennai Click 1 Britisher Adria Bannocks gives us lessons in photography and a guided tour of Chennai’s pictureworthy places

Adria (top) at a dinner and doing what she does best– Photography (below)

For Adria Bannocks and her husband, moving to Chennai from England was the stuff adventures were made of. “Chennai, where do I begin? I remember first arriving at Chennai airport – it was hot, humid, loud, and very busy for a 3 a.m. flight arrival and I was being eaten live by mosquitoes!” After that rather overwhelming whiff of adventure, Adria and her husband soon settled into the rhythm of the city. “Chennai, for me, means creativity, diversity; everywhere I look there is something to see. I can look at the same place ten times and see twenty different things,” she adds. Not surprising then that Adria quickly turned to her camera to unravel this city of adventures. The Chennai that she sees through her lens has taught her a lot. “It has taught me patience, acceptance and for want of a better word, ‘to just go with it’,” she explains. With her trusty camera always by her side, she helps other photo enthusiasts with her ‘International Photography Society’ (https://www.facebook.com/ groups/ernationalPhotographySocietyChennai/) Top Picture Places • The one place I absolutely love to visit for the day is Mylapore, The Soul of Chennai Experience; I would recommend combining a tour of the temple with a walking street tour. I did mine with Milesworth Travel and it was great to be able to put the history to the photographs I was taking.

• The hustle and bustle of the streets of T. Nagar makes for some great photo opportunities. Street life here is incredibly busy and there’s an abundance of photo opportunities.

Tips to Take - When photographing in the middle of a crowded busy street, be mindful that your camera equipment maybe worth quite a bit, so have it around your body and when not photographing have it under your jacket or shawl; this applies to any country.

- I have found most people do not mind and love the camera, but remember when in a place or authority, do not use your camera.

You always have to respect people's wishes if they say "no" to you photographing them, in a crowd or otherwise and you don’t want your camera confiscated by authorities.

- Always ask yourself what you want to get from a photograph. If your intention is to take certain types of photos whilst walking around, make it obvious.

When in the UK • Keep in mind that the English can be very reserved; always ask permission before snapping an individual and if asked not to, then don’t.

• Keep in mind the lighting will be different; we have a lot of cloudy days, but remember you will still rarely need flash outdoors.

• As with many places now, it is an offence to photograph an officer, police or otherwise, and you shouldn’t take photos within a court building. All other buildings usually have a sign up to say not to take photos; if in doubt, always ask. 1

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Moira at a cheery lunch with her sister

Look who’s in town Mumbai

Chow-time Mumbai 1 Moira Dickson from the UK is elated at having discovered the best places to eat out in Mumbai and shares these with us

If you asked Moira Dickson, Global Head of International Mobility for Standard Chartered, what the similarities between Mumbai and England are, she will admit there are none. Not even when the maximum city, which boasts of the best brands and eateries in the world, dishes up some comfort food from home.

“If you are trying home food in India, remember it will have a local twist to it.

A Shepherd’s Pie, for instance, will be like a bit of Indian curry with potato on top!” says Moira with a chuckle. Having been an on-and-off visitor to Mumbai for the past 15 years, Moira settled in Mumbai in 2010. “I love the place – every second here is a picture in your memory being created of something you have seen or tasted that can evoke so many emotions.”

Talking about food, she says, “Eat by the season, eat fresh and remember that if you say little spice, it can still be spicy for you.” We trail Moira as she shows us around her favourite eateries in Mumbai.

The UK-India Platter I do enjoy a good Sunday roast lunch or going for a pub lunch. I love to cook for others, so the pleasure for me is in the cooking. Indian cooking is quite time

consuming, even for the most simplest of dishes, so I do much less cooking here, but I have attempted to cook a few Indian dishes with good results. I am not a fan of buffet food so I prefer to go to restaurants and have freshly prepared food.

Mumbai’s Top Three • Britannia for the food and the character of the owner; if you are a Brit, he will show you his letters from Her Majesty the Queen.

• Suzette in either Bandra or Nariman Point for their crepes, salads and French macaroons – better than those you will eat in Paris.

• Gajalee in Lower Parel for great Indian fish and seafood. .

When in the UK In the UK there are more Indian restaurants than other types of cuisine!

But, of course, it’s Westernised. If you are in London and hankering after Indian food go to Brick Lane. If you like Chinese food go to the Joy King Chinese Restaurant just at the back of M&M World in Leicester Square, or for a good British pub experience, go to the Princess Louise in High Holborn. 1

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Desiree (top centre) at a wine tasting session at Alpine Winery

Look who’s in town Bengaluru

Drink Diwine 1 American attorney Desiree Giler Mann gives the where and the what to the perfect wine experience in Bengaluru

"When I first arrived, it was difficult to find anyone actually from Bengaluru because it seems everyone here is from somewhere else, even the Indians! This makes it a microcosm of India – you can find a wide variety of cuisines, hear just about every Indian language and learn about festivals and traditions from all over India. I love travelling around India, but I am always happy to come ‘home’ to Bengaluru,” says Desiree Giler Mann, a self-confessed India-trotter. And ‘home’ it is as Desiree soon found that she could even pursue her passion for good wine in India! “My best Indian wine experience by far has been visiting Alpine Wineries, southeast of Mysore. They make my favourite Indian wines, Vindiva. We learned about the history of the vineyard, toured the vines and had a fantastic wine tasting session, combined with a homestyle lunch.” Follow Desiree with us as she filters out the best wines from the pub capital of India.

The Bengaluru Best Bistro Café Noir in UB City has an impressive selection of wine and its staff is wine savvy. The champagne brunch at Mynt in the Taj West End is worth a special mention as it is the only one I know in Bengaluru that includes real French Champagne, Moët and Chandon.

Private wine clubs, like the Bangalore Wine Club, also host festive and tasty events open to members and their guests.

Wine Dine Tips • Be mindful that the Indian market taste skews toward sweeter wines.

• •

•

Hence, paying a little extra for a reserve or other similar offering from the same vineyard can help you avoid what may seem overly sweet to a Western palate.

Most local wines do not benefit from long-term cellaring, so drink them sooner rather than later.

Given the spice level of the food here, throw out the old school wine pairing rules, like white wine for fish dishes. I have had many spicy Indian fish dishes that pair terrifically with a medium-bodied red.

Improper storage kills even good wines here (imported or local), especially when temperatures soar or fluctuate greatly between hot and air-conditioned. Once you get your wine home, find a cool, dark place to store it; ideally, lying on its side instead of upright.

When in the US Sonoma California, north of San Francisco, has great wine with lots of varieties of both reds and white.

Willamette Valley Oregon, just outside of Portland, is terrific for red wine, specifically Pinot Noir. If you can set aside your inner wine snob and be open-minded, you can find surprisingly good wine (and good values!) just outside of some major cities that make for fun day trips – for example, the North Fork of Long Island outside of NYC and Northern Neck Virginia outside of Washington, D.C. 1

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January Calendar of events

Presenting the best of India’s events in different categories across the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and nearby suburbs

Art & Exhibitions

India Art Fair New Delhi

Art Exhibition Bengaluru

The India Art Fair is South Asia’s leading art fair for modern and contemporary art from across the world. The 6th edition of the annual fair will present a diverse selection of galleries and artists. Key collectors and museums from several Asian countries are visitors to this event each year. Visit www. indiaartfair.in for more details.

The National Gallery of Modern Art and the Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre present a selection of contemporary Hungarian art works by 40 artists. The exhibition, titled ‘From Organic Forms to Light Art’, is an amalgamation of organic art, non-figurative works, light art, graphics, sculptures and more. Call +91-80-22342338 for more details.

Date January 30 to February 2 Venue NSIC Exhibition Grounds, New Delhi

Date December 17 to January 12 Time 1100h onwards Venue National Gallery of Modern Art, Palace Road, Bengaluru

Mixed Art Exhibition Chennai An annual event organised by DakshinaChitra, ‘Idhu Chennai Da’ (This is Chennai) celebrates the vibrant aspects of Chennai’s culture, its art, music, language, religion, rituals, street art and its passion for politics and cinema. There will also be a mixed-media exposition of Tamil Cinema stars across ages using posters and life-size cut-outs. Contact +91-97910 40337 for more details.

Date Till January 18 Time 1000h to 1700h Venue DakshinaChitra, Mutthukadu, Chennai

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Workshops & Events

Dance Performance New Delhi

Kala Ghoda Festival Mumbai

Sarvam Foundation presents a unique dance performance by three doyens of dance – Madhavi Mudgal, Rama Vaidyanathan and Prerana Shrimali. Called ‘Parkaya’ or ‘body of another’, the concept collaboratively uses elements of each other’s forms, visualised by one and executed by another. Visit www. parkaya.in for more details.

Into its 16th year, the Kala Ghoda festival is a community celebration of the arts within one of the most historic parts of Mumbai. The festival is open to the public and offers programmes in visual art, music, theatre, dance, street acts, heritage walks and workshops for children and adults. The nerve centre of the festival is the Rampart Row Street alongside the Jehangir Art gallery.

Funds raised from the festival go towards restoration and upkeep of the heritage buildings in the area.

Date January 7 to 9 Time 1900h Venue India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

English Theatre Bengaluru ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ is a highly interactive physical comedy inspired by William Shakespeare's classic. A profound allegory that dissolves the space between observer and performer, the play is directed

by Maria Af Klintberg. The performance is a combination of slapstick, acrobatics, mime, songs and improvisations. Book your tickets on www.bookmyshow.com Date January 10 Time 1930h Venue Rangashankara, 8th Cross II Phase, JP Nagar, Bengaluru

Date February 1 to 9 Venue The Kala Ghoda Art District, Mumbai

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The Hindu Lit of Life Festival Chennai & New Delhi This is a unique platform to celebrate Indian literature and recognise emerging talents. In its fourth edition this year, the festival features distinguished authors and speakers across genres. Participate in panel discussions, lectures, workshops and book readings among other interesting events.

Visit www.thehindulfl.com for more details.

Date February 1 to 9 Venue Sir Mutha Venkatasubbarao Hall, Chetpet, Chennai; Siri Fort Auditorium, August Kranti Marg, New Delhi

Marathon Event Mumbai The popular Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon has had an eventful ten-year journey. It has become a movement and is now the country’s largest charity raising platform. Cheer the participants as they run this charity marathon. Visit http://www. procamrunning.in for more details.

Date January 19 Time 0600h Venue Bandra Fire Station, Mumbai

English Theatre Mumbai National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) will present Alan Bennett’s acclaimed play, ‘The Habit of Art’. Directed by Nicholas Hytner, the play looks at the concept of growing old, and of creativity and inspiration. Tickets can be brought on www. bookmyshow.com Date January 20 Time 1830h Venue NCPA, Nariman Point, NCPA Marg, Mumbai

English Lecture Chennai Professor of Finance from the Stern School of Business, Aswath Damodaran will present a lecture in aid of the Indian Council for Child Welfare, Tamil Nadu. The topic of the lecture is ‘Living with Noise: Investing in the Face of Uncertainty’. Uncertainty about the future is something that all investors and business people care about and the lecture elaborates on this. For donor passes for the lecture and dinner, call +91-9841077357.

Date January 10 Time 1830h Venue Taj Vivanta Connemara, Chennai

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Calendar spaces Know your city

New Delhi The Italian Cultural Centre

Bengaluru Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium Built in 1989, the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium is the place to visit for sky gazers and amateur astronomers. The planetarium has a 15-metre diameter dome with a seating capacity of over 200.

Apart from the sky theatre shows, there are paintings, sculptures of heavenly bodies, and a science park.

Website www.taralaya.org.

The Italian Cultural Centre is the official institution that represents Italy in India. It New Delhi promotes the understanding of Italian traditions National Gallery of and culture in India through varied cultural Modern Art events. The centre also has courses to teach A leading Indian art gallery, The National Italian language and culture. A library and Gallery of Modern Art was established in reading room are available for students and 1954 by the Government of India. It houses members. a collection of more than 14,000 works of Website www.iicnewdelhi.esteri.it famous artists like Raja Ravi Varma, Jamini Roy, Thomas Daniell and also sculptures.

It also has an auditorium, preview theatre, Chennai library and a shop as well.

Cholamandalam Artist’s Village

Located on the scenic East Coast Road of Chennai, the Cholamandalam Artist’s Village is India’s largest self supporting artists’ village. Equipped with an open-air theatre for conferences, and a gallery for art shows, it was set up by the visionary artist K.C.S Paniker, almost four decades ago. It is now a destination for tourists from across the globe.

Website www.cholamandalartistvillage.com

Website www.ngmaindia.gov

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Picture story

by G Venket Ram

Kitch Art 03

What sparked off as a casual observation of the play of light in the kitchen has blossomed into a full-fledged exhibition of fine art photography.

A year ago, Venket shot a few random images in his kitchen to capture the interesting patterns of light.

Slowly his interest grew and he became obsessed with transforming everyday kitchen objects into objects of art, using light and perspectives as his tools.

Add to it the riot of colours of various vegetables and fruits, combine them with lovely, earthy backgrounds‌. Red, red

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pomegranates, a sun-dappled gourd, a puffy cloud of flour, pickle jars, pans, ladles‌seen through the lens, all these and more, were transformed into objects of art.

The uniqueness of this series lies in the painting-like quality of the images. They are arresting, as they are printed on large canvasses that accentuate the various textures of the objects. 1

Venket Ram has been on Culturama's Advisory board and has created some stunning covers

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1. Top Angle Pot: A composite shot with a simple, stark metal pot seen from top against a rustic floor on one side. With a bunch of old, rusty iron ladles on the other side against the same background. The rust here, lends a bit if colour to the otherwise monochromic picture.

Both pictures are meant to be side by side.

2. Idiappam: A composition shot with the old metallic idiappam maker, along with a murukku maker contrasting with the soft white idiappam on one side. The rust lends a bit of color to the otherwise monochromic picture.

3. Glasses: Typical tea shop glasses on a metal stand, steam from the black tea creating the glasses and adding a lovely hue to the picture 4. Flour: A puffy cloud of flour catches the light‌ Black and white enhances the nostalgia in the picture.

5. Churners: Intricately carved antique wooden churners leaning against a wall, taking a well-deserved break.

The canvasses are available for sale, contact Venket at venketramg@gmail.com Website www.gvenketram.com

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At Global Adjustments

Wealth of information Sailing into Vizag!

Global Adjustments’ newest footprint is in Vishakapatanam, the ‘Jewel of the East Coast”. It is a port city in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Vizag, as it is popularly known, attracts foreign investors and business families who move in

Lucie, Luce and Caroline at the courtyard of India Immersion Centre, Global Adjustments

1 A group of French spouses got together for a cultural immersion programme that looked at the concept of wealth in India The French community is growing in leaps and bounds, with companies such as Michelin and Renault investing in India by setting up their operations in Chennai, where Global Adjustments is headquartered.

Recently, we ran a cultural immersion programme on the festivals of India for French spouses. Because many festivals celebrate the Goddess in India, we picked a theme of celebrating Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, as an example. One of our participants, Luce, was most interested to know that the riches one asked for stood for “material and spiritual wealth” that constituted total well-being in India. The facilitator then had the spouses chanting a Lakshmi Stotra, a short prayer in the pure Vedic metre. Other than the French accent, the participants got it almost perfectly!

Mahalakshmi Cha Vidmahe, Vishnu patni cha dhimahi, Tanno Lakshmi Prachodayaat Oh Goddess of (inner and outer) wealth, light up my mind, as you do of your husband, Vishnu, preserver of the universe.

The participants then practised drawing a rangoli (geometric patterns on the floor using colour powder) of the sign ‘Shri’, which stands for wealth. They were most fascinated to learn that this good luck sign was also the oft-used title for names in India. Lucie, a third participant, exclaimed, “So wealth is actually encouraged as long as it is got by legitimate means; I like that”. Eating traditional sweets and snacks is always part of any festival. “We like that!” chorused the French salon gang as they nibbled away.

Welcome to India, spouses, you are the true wealth of the working partner! 1

for iron and steel, shipping or pharma industries. The drive from the airport is impressive as the roads are neat and well landscaped. However, the culture and amenities for expatriation make it necessary to run our immersion programmes, so expectations can be set and managed appropriately for relocating global citizens.

“Very useful session that has given valuable insight into how to be successful in the Indian environment,” says Nick Page, Vice President, Hospira, a participant at our recent Vizag programme.

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Aikya 2014 A journey of Love Presenting Cultural Connections each year through AIKYA – unique concerts by stalwarts Be part of this movement and Partner with us for the historic performance of a packed house of 1400 Chennaiites

Support the twin causes of Retiring Musicians and Womens Empowerment Contact: anupama@globaladjustments.com, +91 9841654816 www.aikyaindia.com

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Global citizen

by Neil Miller

Photo Ralf Lange, Germany

Outside In

I was recently invited to speak at a technology company to address a mix of young people who had never travelled and senior leaders who had lived abroad for several years. The theme of the speech was Outside In. Is it possible to look at your own culture and someone else’s with one foot out and one foot in?

I shared three tips that can be helpful for all of us in crosscultural situations: 1. Don’t be too sensitive, but don’t be too critical. Narayana Murthy said “[Indians] are perhaps the most thinskinned nation in the world. We see insults where none is meant. We get upset very easily. We think somebody is out to make India look bad.”

Indians do tend to be sensitive about their culture, but we all are to some extent. Being too sensitive about differences leads to strained conversations and relationships. The key here is to accept that all cultures are weird. If we look from the outside in, dressing up in costumes and getting candy from strangers is weird (US), having a Battle of the Oranges using actual oranges is weird (Italy), and having a festival called Pancake Day is weird (UK). If we start with this attitude, the sensitive/ critical tension tends to drop away.

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1 Living in a new culture brings inherent tension.

But when you look at a culture from the outside in, be it your own or someone else’s, you start to understand how wonderfully unique each of us is

Ask why, but don’t go too far. Asking ‘why’ can be a helpful exercise. It can help you understand the meaning behind your own traditions. However, asking why can also lead you down a rabbit trail. I used the example of the Christmas tree. Why do Westerners use it? The historical answer is that it relates to ancient Europeans being tree worshippers. The real answer is because we like it, it’s pretty, and that’s what we’ve always done.

Sometimes the answer “That’s just the way we do it” is good enough and you should be satisfied with it, both as a foreigner and with your own culture.

Let yourself change, but don’t lose your roots. To have a foot firmly in a new culture means that for a time you allow yourself to believe everything that culture assumes to be true. This changes you and you will never be the same. You will find things you love that stay with you forever.

At the same time, you shouldn’t lose your roots in the process. Just enjoying parathas and speaking Gujarati doesn’t make you Indian. We all have a place we need to call home, even if we don’t live there now. 1

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Seeing India

by Octoli Tuccu

1 Unravel the mystery of Nagaland through this soulful account of what growing up in Nagaland was like and why home is always where the heart is

East side story

Photo Praveen Emmanuel, India

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Living on a hilltop has its advantages. When dusk is settling in for the day and your father tells you to find your brother – the Hilltop Explorer off on his latest adventure with slingshot in hand – all you have to do is yell from the top of the hill that he better be at the dinner table “itehi!” (now!) Your voice echoing through the hills is acknowledgement enough that he got the message! I remember calling out over the hills to get many different types of messages across. Whether it was to locate my adventurous brother or to call the local doctor when my mother’s gastritis was acting up again, the message always got through.

The only disadvantage is for the introvert. Unless you want to be seen as disrespectful, you are obligated to greet and offer rest and refreshment to every passerby, welcoming them into your 'Akhache' (an elevated shed made with bamboo and hay) to cool off from the heat in the summer time.

However, today, hollering from hilltops and spontaneous visits to each other’s homes have been replaced by phone calls and computer clicks, and life in the hills I left is not the same as it was.

I grew up on a tiny hilltop in a village in the northeastern state of Nagaland. There were eighty-odd families in the village I knew by name. Every festival (Christmas, New Year's, and Easter) and every milestone (wedding, birthday and funeral) was celebrated together as a community. This, thankfully, has not changed. Although I have lived away for a decade now, I am still expected to know every face and name and I am welcomed home for every shindig.

Nagaland is intriguing, fascinating, and mysterious; so much so that mainlanders often confuse the geography and think that we hail from China, Nepal or Tibet! If you are familiar with India, you know it is a diverse country where travellling to your neighbouring state is cause for a severe bout of culture-shock. Nagaland is no exception. Except, when in Nagaland, prepare yourself for culture-shock everytime you visit even neighbouring districts (equivalent to a city) within Nagaland alone! Nagas (as we call ourselves) comprise 17 major tribes and numerous sub-tribes. Each tribe speaks a different dialect, has distinct traditional attires and food.

On a typical day in the village, the sun rises at 5 a.m. and sets at 4 p.m. I recall that the village was a abuzz with activity long before sunrise, when the rooster crowed. Clocks were uncommon, so the local time keeper was the rooster and

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believe it or not, the position of the sun. We would wake up at 1 a.m. to build a wood fire in the kitchen and we would start our day with a cup of tea. Lunches were cooked and packed.

Children leave for school and parents start their long journeys to work in the fields. Most of the food we ate was grown out in the fields and our parents would set out early on foot to reach the fields that were a few hours away.

Taking care of large acres of fields was no easy task and most days a few families would come together and work in each other’s fields. At dusk, they would head home bearing gifts of pumpkins, spring onions, beans, corn and such. The journey home would be longer, with frequent stops in between as the produce was shared with family and friends along the way.

Children would cook dinner as they waited for their parents to return home from the fields and the entire family would gather around the fireplace for dinner. Children would be tucked into their beds at 5 p.m. and everyone (parents included) would be fast asleep by 6 p.m.!

Nagaland is a deeply spiritual community. The Christian missionary, Edwin W. Clark and his wife, sailed from Boston in 1868 and sent an evangelist to go to the Naga Hills. By December 23, 1872, Rev. Clark, as we call him, started the first Baptist church in Nagaland. Over a century later, almost every village has a Baptist church. Most of the educational institutions are founded on biblical principles. Christianity is openly professed and practised in the whole state as more than 90 percent of Nagaland's 2 million residents are Christians.

At the recent Hornbill Festival*, our Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, paralleled the story of the Israelites (from the Old Testament) coming out of darkness, into the light, to the Nagas’ development as a people group and Nagaland as a state.

Despite cell phone calls replacing hill shouting, I am proud to see that little has changed when I go home. Life is still simple. We are still a community who loves and cares for each other. We still appreciate and respect nature, make the best of the natural resources surrounding us. We are still grateful for everything that we have. Growing up, Nagaland was the only world I knew. Having travelled several countries, Nagaland has become a speck in the world I know now. Nonetheless, it remains the most significant speck in my world. 1 * Popularly known as the Woodstock of the East, the Hornbill Festival is a celebration of the most revered bird of Nagaland through week-long performances showcasing the ethnic diversity of the region.

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Seeing India

by Helen Taylor

Valley of dreams

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We lounged on burgundy velvet cushions on our first day in Srinagar, shaded from the intense sun, while the smiling Khadir, with kind eyes and a far-away expression, rowed us lethargically across Dal Lake in his shikara, letting our minds drift and our souls breathe deeply.

Returning to our houseboat later, as the wispy clouds of dusk sailed in from the hills and the heavens glowed rusty red, the romantic cacophony of the call to prayer rang out from mosques along the shore. An evening of lantern-lit conversations beckoned, followed by platefuls of steaming, freshly cooked curries and chapattis to ready us for a crack-of-dawn rise the next day, to see the hustle and bustle of the floating vegetable market.

This was my first taste of the beguiling land of Kashmir – a world away from the heat and dust of Chennai, where I live, and a world away from media reports of shoot-outs and curfews. From our lavishly furnished boat, just five minutes from the busy lake shore, we looked out at tree-filled islands, a distant hill fort and drifting gardens full of bird life.

Over a century ago, Sir Walter Lawrence wrote in ‘The Valley of Kashmir’: “The water of the Dal is clear and soft as silk...

Perhaps in the whole world there is no corner so pleasant...” I read those lines when I was at school, and I saw enticing photos of the intricately carved, cedar-wood houseboats, designed to meet the needs of the British Raj, escaping the heat of the plains.

But, despite several trips to India and alluring tales spun

by Kashmiri touts with sky-blue eyes in the crowded streets of Delhi’s Paharganj, I was always put off by the ongoing crossborder violence. Of course, most of that is played out a long way from the tourist hot-spots, but it is enough to make you wary. For a couple of years though, the situation has been generally calmer, and a healthy flow of tourists has ventured in.

Having finally taken the plunge to visit with some friends, I learnt that the imperative for Kashmiris is to keep their guests safe and happy. So many rely on the industry for their livelihood and their hospitality is second to none. True, there are armed soldiers patrolling the city streets and the strategic points along the National Highway, and you do need to allow some extra time for airport security, but I felt as safe as I have anywhere else in India and Kashmir is clearly ready to welcome visitors with open arms.

On several occasions, people spontaneously invited us into their homes. Each dwelling was different – from the dark, cramped and smoky shepherd’s hut, or dhoka, high up in a mountain valley, to the comfortable white-washed cottage in Pahalgam, with its thick carpets, large windows and ornaments displayed in glass cabinets. Yet each was as warm and homely as the next and sparsely furnished, in the traditional way.

We sat on the floor while women with their heads draped in brightly patterned fabrics served us freshly baked roti and

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1 Sliding across the clear, still water, past wild lilies and lotuses, with hazy-blue mountains rising up all around and not a soul in sight, I could see at once how Kashmir earned the tagline ‘Paradise on Earth’. Or, as Led Zeppelin proclaimed, in their famous song: ‘My Shangri-La beneath the summer moon’... exquisite saffron tea, or kahwa, fondly known as ‘Kashmiri wine’. Children played peek-a-boo with us and wizened old men squatted in thick, woollen ponchos, puffing away at hookahs.

They were as intrigued by our lives as we were by theirs.

After a few days in Srinagar, marvelling at the ornate Mughal Gardens – their colourful terraces, manicured lawns and breathtaking lake vistas – and discovering the laid-back street life and quaint architecture of Hazratbal, on the far side of the lake, we set off into the mountains.

Our first stop was Gulmarg, where we took Asia’s longest and highest cable car ride, past pine-clad, mountainsides and up through the clouds to the thin-aired summit, with its stunning views and tantalising glimpses of left-over snow.

Then we journeyed on to Lidder Valley, following the path of a meandering white-water river to Lari Pura, near Pahalgam. We picnicked there by grey-blue glacial streams and explored the narrow alleyways, picking our way past pecking hens, gossiping old women and curious children and observing the daily round of village life.

The highlight of the mountains, for me, was picture-perfect Aru, a couple of hours further on. We camped just outside the village and all we could see for miles around were towering green hills and lush meadows, which are strewn with flowers in springtime.

We hiked 6 km up the valley to the little grass-roofed shepherd dwellings of Arampatri, weaving our way along grassy hillsides and forest tracks. We passed stony-faced Bakarwal nomads with their sheep and goats in tow and negotiated thin log bridges over sparkling riverlets, awed into silence by our majestic surroundings. I vowed then and there that this would not be my last trip to Kashmir.

With only a few days in such a vast and varied land, we only touched the surface of what Jammu and Kashmir has to offer. We missed out on jewels like Sonamarg, Nagin Lake and Ladakh.

But it is fair to say that the Kashmir of my childhood dreams stole my heart when I saw it for real and I’m already planning to return. 1

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Holistic living

by Eknath Easwaran

Tuning in to change

Photo Juan Pablo, Mexico

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1 In this world of increasing anger, turbulence, and violence, Sri Easwaran tells us that it is just a question of tuning our mind to a more positive channel to light the lamp of positive change in the world For most people, I imagine, radio has lost its magic. But I remember vividly the awe I felt as a boy in my remote Indian village when I first heard, as if by magic, a box with knobs and dials pull out of the air a thin voice from thousands of miles away: “Good evening. This is the BBC . . .” Today, of course, the air around us is awash with messages at different frequencies. Music, news, chatter, advertisements – we can tune into whatever we like.

It is very much the same with the mind. All of us know how sensitive we can be to feelings around us. We sense tension when we walk into a room, register the hostility in a meeting, vibrate with the emotions of a football crowd. And in times of crisis, when the very air seems full of fear and anger, everybody’s internal radio picks up the mood – and, all too often, passes it on.

This is a useful illustration, because it reminds us that the mind can be tuned. We do not have to accept the fear or anger around us; we can tune into a more positive channel.

And when we do this, we are not the only ones who benefit.

Just as everyone in a café relaxes when loud music is turned off, not tuning into anger creates a zone of calm that helps those nearby calm down too.

The mind, then, is not only a receiver. It is also a repeater, passing on what it receives. Most of us have only a few watts to broadcast with, while someone like Gandhi could send his message around the world. But each of us is on the air. When Gandhi said “My life is my message,” he was speaking for us all.

The last hundred years have seen incessant turbulence, change, and danger. Around the world, people are living with a deep anxiety about the future. Desperate times are a sign of a more desperate need. To make our full contribution, we need to train the mind to be at peace and then radiate that peace to those around us. In order to have peace of mind, thinking should be under control rather than at the mercy of fear and anger.

I was never a very angry person, but as a boy I was known for my fear. So I took heart from the example of another fearful boy who had made himself fearless and showed all India how to throw off fear. By the time I went to college, Mahatma Gandhi had taken centre stage in India, and he made his life an open book. Everyone in India knew that as a child he had been subject to all kinds of fears. Even as a young man, he confessed, he was afraid to go out at night without his wife. And he was terrified of public speaking!

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5 Join Us Every Saturday India Immersion Centre in Chennai facilitates a weekly spiritual fellowship group following Easwaran’s Eight Point Programme of Meditation. E-mail us for more information at globalindian@globaladjustments.com.

If you are in other cities, visit www.easwaran.org for e-satsangs.

That is the man who went to South Africa as a timid, untrained clerk and got drawn into selfless service. By the time he returned to India, twenty years later, all that fear had vanished. That transformation is the reason I consider Gandhi a beacon for our times. In the depths of consciousness, even the bravest among us lives in a world of fear – the result of deep evolutionary conditioning that tells us we are separate and alone in a hostile world.

With the mantram, this sense of being separate and threatened by those around you gradually falls away. You will feel at home wherever you are, whoever you are with.

In Indian mythology, the times we live in are called Kali Yuga, the “age of darkness.” I call it the age of anger. With the world torn asunder by war and violence invading our cities and even our homes and schools, uncontrolled anger has become the hallmark of daily life. It saturates our media, our entertainment, our personal relationships, even our speech.

In the Truman Museum in Independence, Missouri, I saw an ancient clay lamp that had an inscription from Proverbs that is well known in English: “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord.”

Clay lamps like these are still common in village India.

People pour in a little coconut oil, insert a wick, light it, and keep the lamp in the window on festival days. When the lamp is placed outside, the flame flickers wildly and may even go out if a breeze blows.

But when the lamp is inside the home, in an alcove or shrine, the tongue of flame is absolutely still; it does not flicker at all. That is how the mind should be: like the flame of a lamp in a windless place. It should not even flicker. All negative emotions are wild movements in the mind that vanish when the mind is still. A calm mind releases the most precious capacity a human being can have: the capacity to turn anger into compassion, fear into fearlessness, and hatred into love. Ordinary people like you and me may not be a Gandhi or Saint Francis, but to the extent we can quiet our minds and light the lamp of wisdom within, we too can add a little light to the world around us instead of feeling helpless in the dark. 1 Reprinted with permission from Strength in the Storm: Transform stress, live in balance & find peace of mind by Eknath Easwaran. Copyright The Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, P.O. Box 256, Tomales, CA 94971. www.easwaran.org

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Myth & Mythology

by Devdutt Pattanaik

Uniquely individual 1 Celebrating uniqueness is what nature and spirituality is constantly teaching us, but are we listening and learning?

Photo Marlon Pieris, Canada

In prakriti (nature), everything matters. Every living creature is unique and this is celebrated. Depending on an animal’s physical characteristic, hierarchies come into being. The strong matters as it will survive; the weak matters because it enables others to survive. That being so, no animal is nature’s favourite. If the predator runs fast it catches the prey; if the prey runs fast it survives to live another day. There is a constant flux where nothing is ever guaranteed.

The human eye qualifies the dominant alpha as privileged. It is a cultural qualification, not a natural one.

The human gaze sees nature as unfair as it favours the strong over the weak. Culture seeks to create a fairer world where the weak are favoured too. But sanskriti (cultural/social reality) cannot control brahmanda (individual imagined reality).

Every individual is a Brahma who wants to feel special.

Even if he does not wish to dominate anyone else, he wishes to be recognised for his difference. He may be qualitatively different from another or simply quantitatively; the difference may be objectively measurable or existing only in his imagination. But these differences matter.

That is why in Hinduism there are many deities: each with different characteristics. One is constantly told that all gods are the same, that they are different manifestations of the same truth, yet each deity has very specific offerings: a particular kind of leaf and a specific kind of food: Shiva is offered bilva leaves, raw milk and uncooked food, while Krishna is offered tulsi leaves, butter and food prepared with jaggery and ghee. It is not efficient but it is very effective as the deity’s uniqueness is acknowledged.

That no deity can exist without an ecosystem of consorts, children, servants, assistants, friends, plants, animals and minerals is a reminder that nothing exists in isolation. We are part of a web, and depending on the context, one deity becomes more important than the other, more significant than others, but only until the context lasts. Eventually, all gods have to go away, thrown into the water at the end of the puja, a ritual known as visarjan, until they are needed once again.

While the idea of being acknowledged for who we are appeals to us, the idea of being valued only as long as a context lasts disturbs us. We Brahmas want to feel more significant than others, at all times, forever. That is why we establish society and culture. That is why we do business, or refuse to retire finding fabulous rational reasons to defend our decisions, or work hard at films that ensure we are superstar number 1, who can still, despite geriatric progression, rake in much more than 100 crores over one weekend. 1

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Festival of the month Makara Sankranti/ International Kite Festival January 14 The state of Gujarat celebrates the festival of Makara Sankranti to mark the beginning of summer in the Hindu calendar.

This period, called ‘Uttarayan’, usually sees sunny days with a good breeze, ideal for kite flying. And so, you will find roads, rooftops and every open space taken up by kite flyers and the sky bursting open in a riot of colour. Intense kite battles take place with each kite trying to cut the neighbouring kite’s strings. The city of Ahmedabad becomes a haven for kite lovers, with global kite enthusiasts flying in (pun unintended!).

Must Do: Sample the special Gujarati foods of Undhiyu and Surati jamuns prepared on this day.

Must Read: Our Seeing India piece on Ahmedabad here: http:// culturama.in/flying-high/

Pongal January 14

A harvest festival celebrated in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, Pongal is also the name of the dish that is prepared on this day. The festival essentially is an agricultural one symbolising abundant harvest and dedicated to the sun God. Colourful kolams or geometric designs of rice flour on the doorstep, sugar canes, pots of milk boiling over and people dressed in their newest best are all pictures of Pongal celebrations. The day before is celebrated as Bhogi Pongal, where families get rid of old household items to welcome the new, and the day after Pongal is celebrated as Mattu Pongal, where the cow is worshipped.

Must Do: Sample sweet dish of Pongal, made with rice and jaggery and the savoury Pongal made with rice and lentils.

Waistline Watch

1 Bigger the waistline, shorter the lifespan – especially in children – says Dr.Meena Raj, consultant paediatric endocrinologist at Global Health City, Chennai.

Childhood obesity is one of the biggest public health challenges of the 21st century, especially in developed and developing countries undergoing economic and nutrition transition. This issue, which was common in the high-income group, now affects middle-class families in urban settings as well.

Factors causing obesity

The terms ‘overweight’ and ‘obesity’ can be defined as ‘abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health’. Factors leading to childhood obesity are as below:

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GLOBAL WELLNESS SERIES Diet: Regular consumption of high-calorie foods, soft drinks containing too much sugar and calories. Also, eating out frequently – which results in a larger portion of food being consumed.

Lack of exercise: Sedentary leisure options like watching television or playing video games; burdening children with academic activities, and leaving no room for physical activities.

Family history: Children from a family of overweight people are more likely to put on excess weight, especially in an environment where high-calorie food is readily available and physical activity isn’t encouraged.

Psychological factors: Some children overeat to cope with problems or negative emotions (such as stress), or to fight boredom.

Cultural factor: Misconception that a fat child is a healthy child.

Prevention

Overweight children are likely to become obese in adulthood, and more likely to develop diseases like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol at a young age. Also, an obese child is at risk of social and emotional problems like low self esteem, depression and behavioral problems. Treating obesity in children and adolescents differs from treatment for adults – treatment should involve the entire family and not be aimed at the child alone.

Diet Therapy: Educate children on picking healthy food, cutting back on portions; understand the food pyramid and eat smaller meals at a slower pace.

Physical Activity: Increasing physical activity can reduce, or at least slow the rise in fatty tissue in children. It is recommended that children get at least one hour of physical activity every day.

Behavior Modification: It is important for parents and children to be educated about, and remain focused on, making long-term healthy lifestyle choices. 1

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Give to India

by Shefali Ganesh

The Rural Revolution 1 When actor Matt Damon recently visited Kanchipuram in South India, what made headlines was the revolutionary work of an organisation changing lives in rural India for the Past eight years. Read on about Hand in Hand’s incredible journey!

February 2013 was a special month for 3,000 people whose labour of love it has been to touch the lives of millions of children across India. This was the month when Hand in Hand, the NGO that they worked for, turned a triumphant 10 years old. For this dedicated and enthusiastic group of people, their journey with Hand in Hand started in Kanchipuram, the silk weaving district of South India. Observing that the silk looms used a lot of child labour, the NGO dedicated itself to the task of getting these children back to school, where they belonged. This they did successfully, but realised in the process, that the real evil was poverty that drove families to send their children to work, rather than school. They now shifted the focus of their work to alleviate poverty. Ten years from that momentous day, Hand in Hand is a pioneer in developing a most efficient path to systematic growth in the rural pockets of not just India, but also other developing countries.

The model that Hand in Hand works with, and what they set up in Kanchipuram, is one that looks at complete development of the district itself.

Rural India is governed by bodies called ‘Panchayats’ and it is through these that ‘Hand in Hand’ made a concrete programme for villages. A two-year cycle with the Panchayats helped them gain negotiation skills with the government

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and understand how to use funds that were provided for construction of amenities such as toilets.

The NGO has set up 10 residential schools for impoverished children in Tamil Nadu and helps deserving candidates till they graduate. They set up self-help groups to train women to become entrepreneurs, and aid income generation. They also set up 100 micro-enterprises in the villages to create jobs within and stem the flow of villagers migrating to the cities for better opportunities.

Government-aided Anganwadi’s or healthcare centres were set up with a child-friendly environment that took care of the health and nutritional needs of the mother and child.

Chairperson of Hand in Hand, Dr. Kalpana Sankar, says, “Our job here was basically bridging the gap between the government funds and the needs of the people.” The model worked so effectively that the villages became their own key to successful development!

Hand in Hand’s connect with rural India did not stop there. Villages in India are primarily an agrarian society, which makes water an essential part of their livelihoods.

The lack of water, therefore, was a major hindrance, one that Hand in Hand took on next. In conjunction with US-based water conservation NGO, ‘Water.Org’, they tried to bring about a scientific approach to water conservation.

Starting with Kanchipuram, which ‘Water.Org’ co-founder and actor Matt Damon recently visited, the NGO brought about a systematic way of treating land and multi-crop cultivation techniques and increased access to various waterways through liaisons with the required government agencies.

With a philosophy that revolves firmly around the pillars of microfinance, education, health, citizen’s centres, and clean environment, Hand in Hand have moved mountains to become a succour to rural India. It is no wonder that their models have been customised to large-scale operations in seven countries including South Africa, Afghanistan and Brazil, not to forget a major Indian presence across eight Indian states. Creating 1.3 million jobs in eight years is no easy task, but Hand in Hand has achieved this, and more importantly, they have planted the seeds of hope for a better tomorrow in countless hearts. 1

5 Visit Hand in Hand’s website www.hihindia.org for more details or contact the Chennai office at +91-44-43413200.

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India writes

iREAD

Master of Arts A Life in Dance by Tulsi Badrinath

reviewed by Babette Verbeek What is it about?

‘Master of Arts’ is an ode to one of India’s first and few male Bharatanatyam dancers, V. P. Dhananjayan. The account of his struggles to pursue this relatively new form of dance, rooted in age-old traditional dances of the Devadasis, are combined with the author’s personal accounts of her experience with Dhananjayan as her teacher.

At times, some terms mentioned in the book will cause a blank for non-Indian readers. Nevertheless, with a bit of help from an Indian friend, Google or just plain interpretation from the context, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Who is it by?

Tulsi Badrinath is a writer and dancer. She was born in 1967 in Chennai, the heartland of Bharatanatyam. From the age of eight she started her dance training with V. P. Dhananjayan and his wife, Shanta. After writing poems, articles and publishing two novels, ‘Master of Arts’ is her first nonfictional book.

Why should I read it?

Read it because for those of us, myself included, who are barely familiar or completely uninitiated in the art of Bharatanatyam, the upcoming festival season is about to ignite a passion and curiosity for this classical Indian dance.

Although the author mainly focuses on the achievements of V.P. Dhananjayan and his career as a dancer, which spans 60 years - and began when Bharatanatyam was barely in its first decade, the development of the art form and the dancer coincide. This leaves lots of room for stories and interpretations about the history and development of Bharatanatyam. Besides the story of Dhananjayan and his art, the book is also an illustration of the devotion of a student – or more correctly, a sishya to her guru. The admiration of the author for her subject splashes off the pages. 1

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January 2014

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19.1.2014 Sunday

18.1.2014 Saturday

17.1.2014 Friday

Folk Arts Odissi Dance

Bharathanatyam

Bharathanatyam

Bharathanatyam

Bharathanatyam

Bharathanatyam

Thiru Sundaramoorthi.G, Sukraa, Chennai.

Ms. Purnashree Raut, Raipur, Chhattisgarh

Thiru Madusudhanan, Athma Academy of Dance, Chennai

Kalaimamani D. Shilpasri, Kanchipuram

Pallava Natya Palli, Mamallapuram.

Ms. Kalaivani Rajmohan, New Delhi

Selvi Thejaswini vijayakkumar, Chennai.

5.00 – 5.45 pm

5.45 – 6.30 pm

6.30 – 7.15 pm

7.15 – 8.00 pm

8.00 – 8.45 pm

5.00 – 5.45 pm

5.45 – 6.30 pm

8.15 – 9.00 pm

7.30 – 8.15 pm

6.30 – 7.30 pm

5.30 – 6.30 pm

7.30 – 8.30 pm

6.30 – 7.30 pm

5.30 – 6.30 pm

7.30 – 8.30 pm

Bharathanatyam

Bharathanatyam

Kuchipudi

Folk Arts

Bharathanatyam

Bharathanatyam

Folk Arts

Bharathanatyam

Bharathanatyam

Bharathanatyam

Ms. Anubama, Natyanjali, Mamallapuram.

8.00 – 8.45 pm

Thiru R.Swaminathan, Cheras, Chennai.

Ms. Nrithya Pillai, Rajarathnalaya Arts Foundation, Chennai.

Kalai Kaveri College Fine Arts, Trichy.

Ms.Sarayu Sai, Natya Kala Jothi, Chennai.

Tmt H.N.Nandhini, Sri Sai Nrithyalaya, Chennai.

Thiru M. Thangapandi, Minnal Kalai Kuzhu, Theni.

Padmasri Ananda Shankar Jayanth, Hyderabad Tmt. Amirtha Varshini, Kattumannar Kovil.

Smt. Deepthi Vinod, Maya Mayuram Natya Kalalayam, Chennai.

Puppet show

Sir Gananathar Bommai Nataga Sabha, Mayiladuthurai.

7.15 – 8.00 pm

6.30 – 7.30 pm

Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi

Bharathanatyam

Folk Arts

Performance

Smt. Rajeswari Fine Arts, Hyderabad.

Tmt A. Selvi, Selvi Folk Arts Troupe, Thiruvannamalai Selvi K.Mugil Suga & other students of Kalaimamai Subashini Chandrasekaran, Chennai.

Name of the Artists

6.30 - 7.15 pm

5.45 – 6.30 pm

5.00 – 5.45 pm

Time

25.1.2014 Saturday

24.1.2014 Friday

23.1.2014 Thursday

22.1.2014 Wednesday

21.1.2014 Tuesday

20.1.2014 Monday

Date

7.30 – 8.30 pm

6.30 – 7.30 pm

5.30 – 6.30 pm

7.30 – 8.30 pm

6.30 – 7.30 pm

5.30 – 6.30 pm

7.30 – 8.30 pm

5.30 – 6.30 pm 6.30 – 7.30 pm

7.30 – 8.30 pm

6.30 – 7.30 pm

5.30 – 6.30 pm

7.30 – 8.30 pm

6.30 – 7.30 pm

5.30 – 6.30 pm

7.30 – 8.30 pm

6.30 – 7.30 pm

5.30 – 6.30 pm

4.45 – 5.30 pm

Time

Name of the Artists

Folk Dances of Tamil Nadu by Tamil Nadu Rural Arts Development Centre, Madurai

South Zone Culture Centre, Thanjavur.

Thanjavur Sisters Ms.V.Anusha and Ms.Sowmiya, Chennai.

Smt. Natya Rathna T.Chanthirika, Leelalaya Academy of Dance, Chennai.

Kalaimamani Madhavapeddi Murthy, Chennai.

Maharastra Tourism Maharastra Tourism Ms. A. Kalyani and Ms. A. Nandhini, Chennai.

Jarkhand Tourism Ms. Shruthi Shoby, Srishti School of Classical Dance, Chennai

Mrs.Shama Bhate, New Delhi Thiru K.S. Surendaran, Navayuga Kalai Kuzhu, Vellore Nrutya Jyoti & Nrutya Bhusana, Mrinalini Biswas, Kolkatta Dr.Ganna Smirnova, Ukraine South Zone Culture Center, Thanjavur Kalaimamani Suria Santhanam, Bharatha Kalalayam, Chennai.

South Zone Culture center, Thanjavur South Zone Culture center, Thanjavur Ms. Meenashi Ragavan, Vinayaga Natyalaya, Kancheepuram

Folk Arts

Bharathanatyam

Folk Arts

Bharathanatyam

Bharathanatyam

Folk Arts

Bharathanatyam

Folk Arts Bharathanatyam

Bharathanatyam

Bharathanatyam

Folk Arts

Bharathanatyam

Odissi & Bharathanatyam

Folk Arts

Kathak

Bharathanatyam

Folk Arts

Folk Arts

Performance

January 2014

16.1.2014 Thursday

15.1.2014 Wednesday

Date

64 culturama

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Realty bytes

No rule binds him

For all those niggling questions you might have on housing and realty in India, write to anita@globaladjustments.com Why do landlords quote different rents to different realtors? How does a landlord go about setting the rent for the property?

India as a country does not publish any guidelines exclusively towards rentals for residential purposes that are sacrosanct in the real estate industry. The governing body publishes guideline values for the sale of land and rental of commercial space. Based on the market value of every property (most important varying parameters being area of the land, size of the property, amenities in the property, neighbourhood location), the rental value is derived.

However, landlords/property owners take into consideration the market value of the property and their personal investment before quoting a rental value. Investing in real estate is the most lucrative/appreciating form of investment model in India. Therefore, they will quote a rental value that gives them return of investment within the shortest period possible. Having given the background information, landlords/property owners are influenced by brokers, friends, family and market values. Therefore, the rent that they quote will fall within a range and not an absolute value. They would go with the realtor who gives them the best deal and continue to list their property with them. Another trend among property owners is that they do not follow an

exclusive model to list their properties. The property will be listed with multiple realtors starting from individuals to large organisations.

Property owners tend to negotiate on the price of the rental value based on the following factors: • A company lease is preferred over a personal lease.

Property owners feel that executing a lease agreement with a company is safe and secure when compared to a lease agreement with an individual.

• The duration of the tenancy – the longer the tenancy, the better the deal.

• Lock-in period – during the negotiations, a longer lock-in period and a high refundable security deposit works in favour of the tenant.

• There are instances when a property lies vacant for a long period, which may also contribute to the rental value being reduced.

Residential rentals do not follow any benchmarking standards. These rentals also vary from city to city within India. For example, rentals are high in cities like Mumbai and New Delhi; it is moderately high in cities like Bengaluru and Chennai; and very affordable in cities like Hyderabad, Vizag and Pune. 1

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For more properties, call Global Adjustments at 91 44 24617902/91 72999 12605 (Chennai), or e-mail: realty@globaladjustments.com Please note that any changes to the information above are done at the property owner’s sole discretion. Global Adjustments assumes no responsibility for such changes.

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