Culturama March 2015

culturama March 2015 Volume 6, Issue 01

your cultural gateway to india

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Inroads into India Two women, one idea: A look at the inspiring journey of Global Adjustments

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Dear Readers, March 4, 1995 was a Saturday – which may not be of great significance except that it marked the beginning of a weekend. The ‘significance’ is in the action of a few who make the concept of time ‘insignificant’! They beat time to set new records and trends.

On that day, athlete Michael Johnson set a world record of running 400 metres in 44.63 seconds in Atlanta, the United States.

A blind teenage boy received a ‘Bionic Eye’ at Washington Hospital, the United States, and was looking forward to a new lease of life.

That same Saturday, two women – an American and an Indian – set up a solution-oriented relocation and cross-cultural services company in India, where mobility was a lesser known concept. They did not realise that this journey would set in place a trend in India and the mobility industry at large. India’s GDP had grown from 1.3% in 1991–92 to 5.3% in 1994–95. The world’s attention had been drawn to India.

In a small apartment in Chennai (a metropolitan city in South India), the two women drew up a portfolio of services that would help thousands of expatriates who would soon set up home in India. Did we use the word ‘home’? It was deliberate. To make India a home for people from around the globe is no easy task. If Steve Jobs thought India was not easy, it may not have been easy for the rest.

Global Adjustments’ (the organisation they founded) mission was to make expatriates feel at home in India.

Starting with Ford Motor Company, which set up its first plant in Maraimalainagar, Chennai, we have come full circle in helping several automotive and telecom giants

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who have come to ‘make in India’. Today, headquartered in Chennai, Global Adjustments has a presence in Mumbai, Pune, Gurgaon-Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad…and more. Relocating to India would be incomplete without understanding the cultural nuances that are woven into the lives of Indians. The knowledge of India’s living culture has been presented in a succint form in Culturama, our magazine, for two decades now.

We dedicate this issue of Culturama (arguably India’s only cultural magazine for expatriates) to readers from over 76 nationalities, and Indians who believed in our skill and allowed us to partner with them for success.

An interesting feature about Global Adjustments is that women are in a majority in the organisation – a nod to International Women’s Day (March 8), which comes four days after our birthday. To mark Women’s Day, our ‘Feature’ this month delves into the myriad ways in which women are portrayed in mythology and history (Page 26).

Our company has helped expatriates from 1995.

However, did you know that ‘outsiders’ have been coming to our shores since time immemorial? We are delighted ro present a new series called ‘Passage to India’ to tell you about visitors who impacted our country (Page 40).

Global Adjustments as an organisation and as a team has grown exponentially in size and in quality of service.

We salute Ranjini Manian and Joanne Grady Huskey as trendsetters for women around the world, by setting a personal example in leadership and vision.

We thank all those who partnered with us on this journey. We do what we love to do – promote understanding of Indian culture. We try to do it as well as we can. And you help us raise the bar.

Danke. Merci. Nandri. Shukriya.

TEAM GA

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Editorial Team GA Associate Editor Yamini Vasudevan Business Head Sheeba Radhamohan Sub-Editor Shefali Ganesh Senior Designer Prem Kumar Finance Controller V Ramkumar

Letters to the editor

Circulation S Raghu

Dear Editor,

Advertising Bengaluru Meera Roy Chennai Amritha Suresh Delhi/NCR Neha Verma Mumbai/Pune Tasneem Sastry

“I recently read the February 2015 issue of Culturama on the Internet. It is an awesome magazine and your team is doing a great job!”

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

Saurabh Chatterjee, India

Dear Editor,

“I enjoyed reading the February 2015 issue of Culturama. The images of the artistes of Aikya 2015 made for a brilliant cover – the article was very well written as well. I am really looking forward to the Aikya concert now.”

Bengaluru 17/16, Ali Asker Road, Off. Cunningham Road, Bengaluru – 560 052 Mobile +91 99869 60316 Email culturamablr@globaladjustments.com

Shanti Puducheri, India

Delhi-NCR 1414, DLF Galleria Tower, DLF Phase IV, Gurgaon, Haryana – 122009 Mobile +91-124-4389488 Email del@globaladjustments.com

“I am a long-time subscriber to Culturama and look forward to each issue. The ‘SMS’ column in the magazine is a unique one, and I have learnt from each of the little snippets.”

Mumbai #1102, 11th floor, Peninsula Business Park, Tower B, SB Road, Lower Parel, Mumbai – 400013 Tel +91-22-66879366 Email mum@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,

Brinda Iyer, India

Dear Editor,

“I used to listen to ‘Mandolin’ Srinivas when I was in India, and it was shocking to learn that he died so young. The world has lost a gifted genius. It was only upon reading Culturama that I learnt of his demise.” (U. Srinivas, a renowned Indian musician, passed away in September 2014. He was featured in the SMS section of Culturama January 2015).

Suzy Mcallister, UK

culturama – Subscribe Now! Get your copy of Culturama as a hard copy or as an e-magazine visit www.culturama.in to subscribe For other enquiries, e-mail us at culturama@globaladjustments.com or call us on +91-44-2461 7902

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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 coffee table books.

02 Keval Singh is a broadcast journalist in Singapore.

You can read more about his works at http://kevut hemusafir. blogspot.com or find him on Instagram (@kevusingh).

03 Harini Sankaranarayanan is an ardent foodie and a professional chocolatier. She

has a degree in Hotel Management, English Literature and Theatre.

04 Prerna Uppal is a Londonbased freelance writer who also lends her prose to help raise funds for charity. A new mother, she is also taking a crash-course in learning to love and live each day as it comes.

05 Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999) was a spiritual teacher, an author, and a translator and interpreter of Indian literature. In 1961, he

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founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation and Nilgiri Press in northern California.

Easwaran developed a method of meditation – silent repetition of memorised inspirational passages – which came to be known as ‘Passage Meditation’.

06 Devdutt Pattanaik is the Chief Belief Officer of the Future Group, and a writer and illustrator of several books on Indian mythology. Visit www.devdutt.com

07 Pavithra Srinivasan is a writer, journalist, artist, translator and editor - not necessarily in that order. She's fascinated with history, and loves writing children's fiction for adults. Visit www.facebook.com/ pavithra.srinivasan 08 Anita Krishnaswamy is President of Global Adjustments and a relocation expert. She has several years of experience working with expat clients across the country.

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Advisory Board members 09 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.

10 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.

11 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.

12 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 13 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 14 Kathelijne van Eldik, from Holland, has been in Mumbai since 2004. Her employment with an airline is not a surprise, considering she has been raised in different countries and has it in her DNA to travel.

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Contents Regulars 14

India Now

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

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In Focus

Street art comes into its own in Indian metros – not as a means of rebellion, but as a channel to spread positive social messages.

26 Feature To mark International Women’s Day, we take a look at the ways in which women have been portrayed in Indian history and mythology.

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Ten for the Road

Trivia about an Indian state – featuring Karnataka this month.

India’s Culture 10

Short Message Service

Short, engaging snippets of Indian culture.

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In your Kitchen

Bananas are used in their raw and ripe form in Kerala cuisine.

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Festival of the Month

Douse yourself in colour for Holi, or join in the celebrations for Lord Rama’s birthday .

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Myth & Mythology

Stories from India’s mythology, reinterpreted for practical living.

Journeys Into India 54

Picture Story

In India, blue is the colour of Gods. There is also a ‛Blue City’. We spy with our little eye all that is blue in India.

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Look Who’s In Town

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

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Calendar of Events

See what’s going on in the main metros and suburbs.

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At Global Adjustments

We look at key milestones over our 20-year journey.

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The Lighter Side

Spring in India brings with it a sense of happiness and camaraderie – all the more reason to step out for a walk.

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Give to India

Featuring worthy NGOs and charitable organisations across the country.

Relocations and Property 69

Space and the City

Property listings across the metros.

NEW SEGMENTS 56

Seeing India

Take a walk through a city ‛dipped in gold’ – Jaisalmer awaits.

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Holistic Living

In a world racked by war and tension, we need to develop the ability to love one and all – starting now.

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Passage to India

Stories of visitors and conquerors who came to our shores and left a lasting mark on our society, culture and politics – an exclusive series starting this month.

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At Home

Tips to harmonise the energies in your home – the Indian way.

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by Suzanne McNeill Short cultural snippets for an easily digestible India

Art, Textile and Craft Rabari Embroidery

Photo: Bipin Khimasia, Canada

The Rabari are a nomadic people who have survived for centuries in the arid regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Rabari women are skilful embroiderers. They embellish textiles with mirrors of various shapes and sizes and bold, bright and colourful chain and accent stitches, in motifs and symbols traditional to the Rabari way of life. Garments such as blouses, skirts and veils are embroidered, along with household decorations and wedding garments, which form part of a woman’s dowry. The memory of their origins as camel herders is preserved in the stitching of decorative trappings for camels that are still kept for ceremonial use.

Words

Food and Drink

Lakdi is a Hindi word that translates as ‘timber’ or ‘wood’.

The word features in a much loved song called ‘Lakdi di kathi’ sung by three young children in the film Masoom – the phrase which translates as ‘wooden horse’ or ‘rocking horse’.

Ladki is a word in both Hindi and Urdu that means ‘girl’, and the expression ‘Lakdi jai si ladki’ means a ‘stick-thin girl’.

A Bollywood film of 1953 called ‘Ladki’ projected the Tamil film star Vyjayanthimala to national prominence. Watch her dance in one of the film’s big numbers: http://tinyurl.com/GA-FilmLadki

Sandesh is a popular sweet fudge made from paneer cheese.

No Bengali celebration is complete without sandesh and it is essential to the festival of Durga Puja. The paneer for this dish has to be home-made by boiling milk, which is then curdled by adding lemon juice, and strained through a muslin cloth. The whey is squeezed out, and the curds kneaded until smooth. Sugar and cardamom are added, then the mix is heated gently to a smooth, soft dough-like consistency to be shaped into round, flattened balls and decorated with fruit and nuts. Bengali home cook Manjula gives clear and easy-to-follow instructions in the following video: http:// tinyurl.com/GA-CookSandesh

Lakdi vs Ladki

Sandesh– Kolkata

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Photo: Emma Horne

Urban Adventure

Interpretations

Just south of the Hooghly Bridge is Kolkata’s most frenetic and labyrinthine market, the Burra Bazaar. This has expanded from a yarn and textile market into one of India’s largest wholesale markets. Historically, the area was home to Bengal’s wealthy merchant communities who traded jewels, spices, dried fruits and, predominantly, textiles such as silks, muslins, calicoes and chintzes from India and other countries. An Armenian church and a Jewish synagogue are silent witnesses to these trading communities. Burra Bazaar is divided into sub-markets or katras, each of which is known for a particular item such as spices, hardware, textiles and electronic goods. For Diwali, the market transforms itself into a major hub for festive and religious articles.

Nandi, the bull, is the vehicle of Lord Shiva. Of immense strength, Nandi served the Lord and was devoted to him.

Idols of Nandi bulls are found in many Shiva temples, acting as the gateway to the abode of the master. Devotees whisper their prayers into the ears of the idol, in the belief that they are communicated to Shiva, who listens to Nandi and fulfils their wishes. Gigantic stone Nandi statues are found at temples in Mysore and Thanjavur in southern India, where they are both objects of veneration and tourist attractions, and adorn the walls of the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram.

Burra Bazaar in Kolkata

Nandi, the bull

He Lives On

Kalki Krishnamurthy Kalki Krishnamurthy was a social commentator and journalist who attained particular success writing historical novels. He was born in 1899 into an orthodox Brahmin family in the Tamil district of Thanjavur. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s call for non-cooperation in 1921, he began work as an editor at a periodical founded by freedom fighters. There he honed his writing skills with witty, incisive comments on politics and society, promoting the freedom struggle, social reform and women’s emancipation. It was as a storyteller, however, that he came to prominence, publishing historical novels set during the heroic eras of the Pallavas and Cholas that were immensely successful. Krishnamurthy’s work courted controversy, and he was imprisoned for short spells by the colonial authorities, whilst a film of one of his novels was banned for incitement. Krishnamurthy died in 1954 in Chennai.

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India now

by Susan Philip

The month that was

As we enter a new month, we take a quick recap of events, people and places that made news in the past month

in the South Asian region specified under the terms of the award. The Lowland is based on the Naxalite (far-left radical communist) uprisings of the 1960s.

To know more about Jhumpa Lahiri and her work, go to http://www. randomhouse.com/kvpa/jhumpalahiri/

On a song Two Indians won Grammys at the 57th edition of the awards. They were Ricky Kej and Neela Vasvani. While Kej won in the Best New Age Album category for Winds of

Samsara, his collaborative album with South African Flautist Wouter Kellerman, Vasvani’s audio book I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed The World (based on the book of the same name about MalalaYousafzai) was adjudged the Best Children’s Album.

Politics and Polity Massive mandate for AAP Exactly a year after his then newly formed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) resigned from power, having spent only 49 days governing Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal again took the oath of office as Chief Minister. The AAP won a massive 67 (of the 70) seats in the Delhi Assembly elections. The AAP, which competed against established political parties, has vowed to work for a corruption-free system. Kejriwal said he was confident that his government would be able to make Delhi a city where people of every religion and caste, feel safe.

Awards and Accolades A high-five for The Lowland Indian-American Jhumpa Lahiri has won the DSC Prize for Literature, which, at $50,000, is Asia’s biggest award of this type. Lahiri’s prize-winning work The Lowland was described by the panel of judges as ‛a superb novel written in restrained prose with moments of true lyricism’. The prize is given to the best novel (or translation) set in any of the nine countries

Sports Spots Will the cup cheer India again?

Talking of sports, cricket is a subject that will loosen most tongues in India. And right now, what is on cricket-loving India’s mind is Australia and the 11th World Cup in progress there. India defeated traditional arch rival Pakistan in an exciting opening match at Adelaide, and fans are eager to watch the team’s progress in the round robin and knockout formats. India is the defending champions of the event, held once in four years.

To find out more, visit the official website http://www.icc-cricket. com/cricket-world-cup

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Narendra Modi and President Obama. Tableaux showcased India’s strengths and its plans for the future. President Obama seemed particularly impressed by the daredevil display of stunt motorcycle driving by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel.

Did you know that the first copy was of the constitution was not printed, but handwritten in Hindi and English?

End of an Era Long live the Common Man!

This and That The tiger roars louder The results of the latest tiger census have brought cheer to environmentalists and conservationists. The population of the big cat, India’s national animal, has gone up from 1,706 in 2011 to 2,226 in 2014 – a 30 percent jump. In 2008, there were just 1,411 tigers in the country. Though some quarters have advised caution on the readings, saying that the extent of increase may not be absolutely realistic, even they agree that the data collected does imply improvement.

India accounts for 70 percent of the world tiger population.

After the number of tigers dipped to alarmingly low levels, the country launched Project Tiger in 1973 to save the magnificent beast.

The tigers are counted once every three years by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

The Sundarbans National Park is one of the largest reserves of the famed Bengal Tiger in India. The mangrove forests are home also to various other species of wildlife, some of them endangered. Take a boat safari down the rivers winding through the densely wooded area between November and February, and you could spot the striped predators basking on the banks.

Jai Ho! India celebrated its 66th Republic Day on January 26.

President Barack Obama was the first American President to be the Chief Guest at the annual event. The country’s military and cultural heritage was put on show at a parade, which lasted a little over two hours. ‘Women’s Empowerment’ was the theme, and all-woman contingents from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force marched past Prime Minister

India lost a reason to smile with the passing of cartoonist R.K. Laxman, whose ‘Common Man’ commented for about five decades on the whole gamut of life – from politics to potholes – without saying a word, from the front page of the

Times of India. The deft sketches lampooned Prime Ministers and Presidents, policies and projects, and caused the reader to think as much as it made him smile. Apart from his penchant for caricaturing life, Laxman had a lifelong fascination for crows. He captured the intelligence, the canniness and the courage of the ‘common bird’ in many delightful sketches.

A recipient of such honours as the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and the Ramon Magsaysay Award, he was 93 when he breathed his last. Though his creator may have passed on, as Laxman himself said, “You cannot do away with the Common Man…He represents the silent majority of India, who have no voice.”

Laxman was the youngest brother of R.K. Narayanan, well-known author in English. Narayan’s fictitious town of Malgudi is as familiar to his readers as any real town, as much because of his evocative prose as the charming illustrations by Laxman. For a feel of everyday life in small town India around the time of the Freedom Struggle, its concerns, its simple joys, read the ‘Swami’ trilogy.

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s ’ g n i t i r W e Th l l a W e h t n O

In Focus pal

by Prerna Up

Unlike the West, where street art is seen as an expression of subversion, artists in India take ‘street art’, quite literally, as art on the street. However, the medium is used as a social leveller and a means to create awareness about social issues

Mural in Shankar Market, Delhi.

Photo: Prerna Uppal

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1. Murals on the walls of Stella Maris College, Chennai, painted by the students. 2 and 3. work done by various artists on the boundary wall of Tihar Jail, Delhi, during the ST+Art Festival Delhi 2014. Pic by Prerna Uppal. Photos: Prerna Uppal

In a word association game, ‘street art’ would most likely elicit responses such as ‘graffiti’, ‘rebellion’, ‘vandalism’, ‘New York suburbs’...and so on. Most of us would rarely, if ever, include ‘India’ or any Indian city in that list.

Barring the works of a few individuals or groups, such as Daku in Delhi and “GuessWho” in Kochi, street art in India is collaborative, almost polite. Unlike the West, where street art is mostly unsanctioned, artists in India seek permission from wall owners (in the case of private houses, for example) before taking on a wall as their canvas.

“I think it is amazing! In my opinion it should actually be everywhere as it is in India,” opines Mattia Lullini, a street artist from Italy, whose work has adorned walls of Delhi and Chennai, and in Brazil, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, France and Italy. When he first started, Mattia felt street art in India would go the same way as the Western countries – as a subversive art form. With time, however, he changed his mind. “India is neither Europe nor the United States, and it has already an ancient history of wall painters and professionals. I think India is going to incorporate and bend street art and graffiti in its own

ways and it's a process I'm very curious to see! In fact, in my opinion, this is already happening,” adds Lullini.

In other words, artists and their audience in India take ‘street art’ quite literally – it is art on the street. There is nothing surreptitious about it. It is out in the open and it is art for for the sake of art. Unlike the canvases that are hung in a gallery, and available for a select audience, art on walls can be seen by all – even when it is just a work in progress.

Even as the artist is involved in painting the piece, he/she invites people to be a part of the process.

“Street art and traditional art work can be compared to watching a play or a movie. It makes the audience a part of the process instead of remaining a mere spectator,” says Yogesh Saini, who founded the Delhi Street Art. He started the Delhi Street Art initiative in 2013 to encourage young talent in street art, which made its debut by painting the garbage bins of Lodi Gardens in Delhi. Two years later, his team created murals that loom large amidst the chaos of Delhi’s Shankar Market and Nehru Place, and continue to find home on walls across Delhi. All their works have the blessing of the local civic authorities.

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(Clockwise from top left) Stencil Grafitti on one of the walls in the Hauz Khas village, Delhi; street astist Tone's work adds colour to the narrow bylanes of Shahpur Jat in Delhi Photos: Pallavi Gaur

At the St+Art Festival Delhi 2014, artists borrowed the boundary wall of Tihar Jail, and transformed them into works of art Saini feels that the powers-that-be have become more tolerant of public art. In fact, in his experience, government authorities seem to welcome it. How else would it have been possible to paint a life-size mural of Mahatma Gandhi on the walls of the Delhi Police headquarters? Part of the St+Art 2014 festival in Delhi, the piece was painted by German street artist Hendrik Beikirch, who uses the street name ECB, and Indian painter Anpu Varkey.

In its first outing as a festival in 2014, St+Art Delhi brought together more than 60 artists, both national and international, professional and amateur, who borrowed the walls of Shahpur Jat, Hauz Khas Village, Dwarka, even the boundary wall of Tihar Jail (India’s, and South Asia’s, largest prison) and transformed them into works of art. Started by the St+Art India Foundation, its aim is to make Indian streets more interactive through the medium of art.

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This mural in Shahpur Jat, Delhi, is the work of Anpu Varkey who, along with German street artists ECB, painted the Gandhi Mural on the Delhi Police Headquarters. Photos: Pallavi Gaur

Similar sentiments were in play when the Goethe-Institut Chennai, Max Mueller Bhavan and Chennai City Connect decided to bring the street art movement to Chennai earlier this year. Christened ‘Conquer the Concrete’, the city-wide project intended to make art accessible especially to those members of the public that don’t usually visit galleries or exhibitions.

Other than making art accessible, as Harsh Raman, street artist and a founding member of the St+Art Foundation, points out, “Street art is a form of expression and a great conversation starter”. And given its reach and accessiblity, it has a great potential as social messenger. “Art should always address issues relevant to the people of the time, otherwise art tends be living in its own bubble, without reaching out to its viewers," says Sahar Zaman, Founder of Hunar TV, India’s first arts web channel.

Pulling art out of this bubble means that, other than bringing it to the masses, a number of artists are using their talent and encouraging amateurs to use the paint brush to talk issues facing women in India – gender-based violence, sexual harassment, sexuality, the male gaze... The list is long.

Bengaluru-based Shilo Shiv Suleman, who has painted walls in various Indian cities – from Gujarat to Chennai,

started an artists’ collective, triggered by the brutal gang rape in Delhi on December 16, 2012. Named ‘Fearless’, it is a collaboration between various artists from different genres – filmmakers, street artists, photographers and activists, harnessing the power of art to create social change, with a focus on issues related to gender and sexuality.

Talking of similar issues is a new social art project, Walls of Women (WOW) that attempts to address the misrepresentation of women in a mostly male-dominated street art industry while addressing issues of gender equality, sexual assault and social suppression through the same medium. “As artists we have taken a tool of destruction into a means to empower people,” says Harsh Raman. And indeed he and his ilk have done that.

Be it to create awareness, to start a conversation or even for a bit of creative fun – whatever the reason, street art and its creators are doing a great deal to inject humanity back into our fast-paced lives. Even by itself, the art form is a great leveller – the beholder, be it a rickshaw puller or a man driving a Mercedes, is a spectator at the same level. It belongs to all and to none. Street art may not be high culture, but it is human.

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Postcard from India also known ple of Konark, The Sun Tem edly is on Pagoda” deserv as “The Black list. ld Heritage Site or W O SC E N the U century er of this 13th et m ti n ce ry ve E ils, filled with deta stone temple is ically elve technolog including its tw curately t wheels that ac io ar ch d ce n adva Hindu e. Sculptures of m ti e th al ve re musicians, esses, dancers, gods and godd enes still s, and erotic sc mythical figure e time to those taking th r fo – s ie or st tell look. derle, USA

– Melissa En

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Ten for the Road

by Susan Philip

Kerala Explore the 29 states of this fascinating subcontinent. This segment will set out a collection of interesting, bite-size facts from each state – this month, we look at Kerala 1.

How the Land Lies: According to legend, Parasuram, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, threw his axe out into the sea, and the waters receded as far as it went, forming Kerala. Be that as it may, scientists say a sizeable part of this southern-most Indian state was at one time submerged.

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Political Pressures: Kerala was created in the post-

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Independence reorganisation in 1956. A year later, it put in power the world’s first elected Communist government.

Today, the Left Democratic Front is one of the two main groups of parties that have been alternating in power in the state (the other is the United Democratic Front). The capital is Thiruvananthapuram (or Trivandrum).

Past Glories: As the land of spices, Kerala was on the world trade map as long ago as 3000 BC. Traders from western Asia and southern Europe carried on thriving business through bustling ports on the Malabar coast. Centuries later, the same spices brought the Portuguese to the region, and European colonisation began.

4. Ethnic Fingerprint: Ancient Jewish and Arab traders

established settlements here, and some intermarried with local people. The apostle St. Thomas is believed to have come to Kerala to preach Christianity to the Jewish settlers, and converted some local people too. The present-day Syrian Christian community in Kerala traces its origins to the families converted by St. Thomas.

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Culture Quotient: Kathakali and Mohinattam, two of

India’s classical dance forms, are from Kerala. Its martial art, Kalaripayattu, is believed to be among the world’s oldest.

Many of its litterateurs and film makers have received international acclaim.

Personality Plus: ‘God’s Own Country’ was once ruled by a demon King! Mahabali, contrary to type, was as benevolent

as he was wise. His reign was marked by peace, plenty and social equality. It was brought to an end by Lord Vishnu, in the avatar of Vamana, the dwarf. Mahabali was tricked into retiring to the netherworld, but Vishnu granted him the boon of visiting his beloved subjects once each year. The Onam festival, celebrated by Keralites world over with feasts and much pomp, marks this annual visit by Mahabali.

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Sights to See: The National Geographic’s Traveller

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Tasty Treats: Puttu – dampened rice flour interspersed

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Crafted with Care: The Aranmula mirror, unique to Kerala, is made of an alloy – the composition of which is a closely guarded family secret. It is produced in a small village, and has been conferred the geographical indication (GI) tag. Handmade without glass or mercury, it gives a flawless reflection unmatched by many conventional mirrors.

Magazine lists Kerala among 50 must-visit places. Its calm backwaters, lush paddy fields, swaying coconut palms and sinuous rivers are a treat for the eye. It is also a stronghold of ayurveda, the indigenous system of medicine. with grated coconut, traditionally steamed in tubes of bamboo, is a popular breakfast dish, while aviyal, a medley of vegetables in creamy coconut sauce, makes a satisfying accompaniment to rice. Or try the Onam sadhya – an array of 24 items or more, served on banana leaves.

10. Worshipfully Yours: The Ayyappa Temple at

Sabarimala, perched amidst thick forests high in the Western Ghats, draws millions of devotees during the main November– January pilgrimage season. Pilgrims address each other as ‘swami’, an acknowledgement of the principle of Tat Tvam Asi – ‘That thou art’ or God is within you.

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In Your Kitchen

by Harini Sankaranarayan

Going Bananas!

If you thought the chief element of Kerala cuisine was coconut alone, think again. Bananas, as a vegetable and fruit, can be used in a variety of ways to create some mouth-watering dishes

Kerala, God’s own country is the land of endless coastlines and swaying coconut palms. Little wonder that the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks about Kerala cuisine is an abundance of coconut. However, take a closer look, and you will find something that holds a place of pride as a starter, snack, when combined with vegetables or meat, and served as a dessert. Used both as a fruit and a vegetable, the banana is known for its versatility. Ask visitors about a trip Kerala, and they will tell you that a visit to the state is never complete without bringing back a little plastic bag of the yellow, thin and crispy banana chips.

Ayesha, a true blue Malayalee and author of the book Cook with Love, says, “In Kerala, we love to use fresh produce.

With so many banana plants around, it is no wonder it finds its way in many of our dishes.”

Pazham Pori Ingredients 2 ripe bananas, cut into long slices ½ cup all purpose or wheat flour 1 tbsp rice flour 1 to 2 tbsp sugar (depending on the sweetness of the banana) A pinch of salt Water to form a thick batter Oil to deep fry

Directions

Photo: wellflavouredlife.blogspot.com The yellow banana that the Keralites love so much is a little different from the ones we normally find in the store. These are called ‛nendram pazham’, delicious eaten as it is or cooked. Try these ripe banana fritters, delicious served as a snack along with tea.

Form a batter with the flour, sugar, salt and water. Dip the slices of banana in the batter and drop in hot oil and fry till crisp and golden brown on both sides. Drain excess oil on kitchen paper. Serve hot.

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Photo: abowlofcurry.blogspot.com

Raw Plantain Kalan If you thought that it was only the ripe fruit which was used in the cuisine, even the raw plantain finds its place of pride. Cooked with coconut and local spices, this is a dish often found in a sadya or feast.

Ingredients 2 unripe Plantains (It is okay even if they are a little ripe – it will render a subtle sweetness to the dish) 1 tsp red chilli powder ½ tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder 3/4 cup grated coconut 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 cup plain yogurt + 1/2 cup sour cream Salt to taste For tempering: 1/2 tsp coconut oil 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds 4–5 curry leaves 2–3 dried red chillies

Directions Chop off the top and bottom of the plantains, clean the skin (do not peel it) and cut it into cubes. In a saucepan, add about 1 to 1½ cups of water, plantains, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder with the salt and bring to a boil. Lower the flame to medium and let the plantains cook for a while. Let some of the water evaporate as well.

Grind together the coconut, cumin seeds, yogurt and sour cream to a very smooth paste and add it to the saucepan once the plantains are soft. Give it one quick mix and, when it just comes to a boil, lower the flame to low and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Do not let it boil or else the yogurt will curdle.

In a smaller saucepan, heat the oil for tempering and add the mustard seeds to it. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the rest of the ingredients for tempering. Pour the mixture onto the prepared coconut-yogurt gravy. Serve hot with rice and pappadams

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Photo: wellflavouredlife.blogspot.com

Beef with Kaya Ularthiyathu Raw plantains are not restricted to vegetarian dishes alone – they also combine perfectly with meat. Here is one such dish, which is also a local favourite.

Ingredients ½ kg beef 3 raw bananas, chopped 1 onion, sliced 1 tbsp ginger (chopped) 1 tbsp garlic (chopped) 4 green chillies A few curry leaves 5 shallots Salt to taste Coconut oil, as required 1 tbsp coriander powder 2 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp garam masala 3 dry red chillies

Directions Marinate the beef pieces with coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, few curry leaves, 1 tsp coconut oil, sliced onion, garlic and salt for 30 minutes. Pressure-cook the beef and keep aside. Cook the raw banana with salt and turmeric powder. Keep aside. Roughly grind the shallots, ginger, green chillies and red chillies.

Heat coconut oil in a pan and cook the ground mixture. Add the beef and continue to cook till the mixture coats the beef. Add the cooked banana pieces and mix well and cook till semi-dry. Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot with rice.

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a woman for all time Feature

by Suzanne McNeill

While Indian epics and historical records often portray women in domestic settings, these women can be seen as strong characters in their own right, and open to a modern-day interpretation that re-assesses their seeming obedience and self-sacrifice

Indian’s mythology, legends and literature portray women in a variety of roles.The female aspect is revered as the dynamic force that moves through the universe, and is worshipped through the pantheon of female deities. The virtues displayed by the heroines of the Hindu epics are an integral part of the modern Indian woman’s psyche, whilst female saints provide inspiration to devotees of Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Christianity to this day. Then there are the heroines of history, the warrior queens who took to battle to defend the rights of their communities, whilst the nurturing figure of the wife and mother is a potent symbol within India’s cultural heritage, and still influences how women are regarded within society.

The Sacred Feminine Hindus believe that the one God, the Supreme Reality of the universe, is Brahman, who they worship in many

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Photo: Marlon Pieris, Canada

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different forms and, uniquely, in male and female states. The main deities, known as the trimurthi or triad, are Brahma (Creator), Vishnu (Preserver) and Shiva (Destroyer). Each has a counterpart or consort, who personifies aspects of the Supreme Reality in the female form. The highest principle of this is devi (‘goddess’), who is synonymous with the energy force shakti that brought the universe into being.

Devi has many manifestations. In her fierce form, she is Durga, slayer of the buffalo demon called Mahishasura.

She is wife to Brahma in the form of Saraswati, goddess of knowledge, learning and music, who represents the illumination of truth. As Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity, she is Vishnu’s consort and the source of his strength. And as Parvati, wife of Shiva, she is the goddess of love, fertility and devotion, and represents the gentle and nurturing aspect of shakti. Feminine divinity is life-affirming,

identified with beauty and fertility, the intellect and power over creation.

The Mythical Feminine Female figures are at the centre of India’s great epics, offering a wealth of images of womanhood. A Tamil epic called Silapathikaram, written between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE, tells the story of a woman called Kannagi, who took vengeance on the city of Madurai in return for the injustice meted out to her husband, Kovalan. A merchant who had fallen on bad times, Kovalan attempted to restore his finances by selling his wife’s anklets. However, these were mistaken for anklets that had been stolen from the queen of Madurai, and the king had Kovalan executed on the spot.

When Kannagi heard of this, she was furious, and confronted the king with the evidence of his mistake and her husband’s innocence. The king, upon realising his mistake, dies of shock,

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and Kannagi uttered a curse calling down fire on Madurai, which destroyed the city.

In contrast, the Mahabharata includes stories of trial and ordeal that highlight how the female protagonists are devoted to their lords. Savitri marries Satyavan, although she knows he is destined to die one year from that day. When Yama, Lord of Death, comes to claim Satyavan, Savitri pleads with him for her husband’s life, showing great wit and a strong will. Yama is so impressed by her courage and firmness that eventually he grants life to Satyavan and eternal happiness to Savitri.

The great female personality of the Mahabharata, however, is Draupadi, who, unprecedented amongst Hindu heroines, has not just one husband, but is married to the five Pandava brothers simultaneously. Like Savitri, Draupadi has been represented as being dedicated and devoted to her husbands, with a quick wit and a ready tongue. But unlike Savitri, Draupadi is forced to endure humiliation at the hands of her husbands’ enemies. She is outspoken and admonishes her husbands when they fail to avenge her.

Modern interpretations of Draupadi see a multifaceted personality – a woman who is fiery and angry when the situation demands it, but who visualises herself as a devoted wife. Draupadi’s refusal to be cowed may not make her the traditional ‘ideal’ wife, but offers a role model from ancient India of interesting complexity.

Savitri follows Yama, the God of death, to bring back her husband back to life.

Illustration: Vincent Moses Raja

The Goddess or devi in Hindu tradition is synonymous with the energy force shakti that brought the universe into being.

Photo: Ann Cambier, UK

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Sainted Women

Mother Teresa

Evidence from Vedic times (approximately 1500 to 600 BCE) that women composed hymns, were teachers and participated in temple rituals suggests that the status of women and men was considered equal in antiquity. Women wore the sacred thread of the priestly caste, revealed sacred truths and were among the sages who wrote the Rig Veda, the oldest collection of sacred hymns.

The Buddha actively promoted the interests of women.

He stated unequivocally that women had the same potential to attain enlightenment as men, and created an order of nuns called bhikkhuni within the monastic Sangha, or community.

An eminent bhikkhuni was Dhammadinna, who is found in the Suttas – the discourses attributed to the Buddha or one of his close disciples – offering instruction to Visakha on the foolishness of craving material things. The Buddha later affirmed Dhammadinna’s ‘great wisdom’: ‘If you had asked me, Visakha, about this matter, I too would have answered exactly as the nun Dhammadinna answered.’ The bhikkhuni Khema was held in equal regard, conversing with kings on the essential nature of the Buddha, whilst Uppalavann, another female disciple of the Buddha, gained renown by resisting the attempts of the demon Mara to disrupt her meditation, with her words, ‘I am the master of my own mind’.

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Within Jainism, the Svetambara sect (one of the faith’s two main sects) believes that women are able to obtain the liberation and infinite knowledge called moksha, and gives women a central role in its spiritual patterns. Marudevi, the mother of Rishabha, the first Jina – one of 24 saviours who attained liberation – is believed to be the first emancipated soul and is still worshipped by the Jains, as are the Yaksis, the female spiritual attendants of the Jinas. Svetambaras believe that Mallinatha, the 19th Jina, was a woman and led the same life as the other 23 masters.

The region in which Islamic women saints flourished most is probably Muslim India, where the mystical beliefs and practices of Sufism played an important role in the spread of Islam in the country. The veneration of saints is a characteristic of Sufism, offering devotees a closer contact with God. Saints are intermediaries, companions of God as well as friends to the devotees, and their shrines are a focus of comfort.

The best-known Sufi female saint is Princess Jahanara, the daughter of the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan. Jahanara was highly educated, and known for financing the building of mosques and looking after the poor. Bibi Gauhar Sahiba is worshipped for her bravery in defying an unjust king, as is the piety of Zuhra Bibi, whose devotion to Ghazi Miyan, a saint of an earlier age, cured her of her blindness. The behaviour of these women – pious, chaste and loyal to their creed – propelled them into objects of worship in their own right.

Perhaps the most famous religious sister in India is the Roman Catholic missionary known as Mother Teresa. To many she was one of the greatest humanitarians of the 20th century, serving the poor and the destitute in Kolkata, her work acclaimed by many within and beyond India.

Women Warriors India’s historical record includes examples of women who ruled in their own right, and sometimes took to battle

Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi

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India’s historical record of women rulers depicts their lives as heroic and traditional. heroic, because they placed loyalty to another person, family or community above all, and traditional because the victory that ensued usually came at the cost of selfsacrifice and death

Princess Razia Sultana. Illustration: Bernie/Deviant Art

to defend their inheritance. They are depicted in the legends, and stories recounted their lives as simultaneously heroic and traditional – heroic, because they placed loyalty to another person, family or community above all else, and traditional because the victory that ensued usually came at the cost of self-sacrifice and death.

Razia Sultana ruled as Sultan of Delhi from 1236 to 1240 upon the death of her unpopular brother. She was considered a shrewd politician, but (it is said) the favouritism she showed towards a former Abyssinian slave caused jealousy amongst her nobles, and an uprising that led to her death. Rudrama Devi, Razia’s near contemporary, was a prominent ruler of the Kakatiya dynasty from the Deccan Plateau, succeeding her father at only 14 years of age. She is reputed to have introduced welfare programmes to improve the lives of her subjects and built fine temples whilst repulsing successive invasions by the Cholas and the Yadavas during her 30-year reign. Contemporary figures see her as a symbol of women’s empowerment.

After her husband Ali Adil Shah II was killed in 1580, Chand Bibi became regent for her nephew, ruling the

kingdom of Bijapur until the young king came of age. She returned to her homeland, Ahmadnagar, but the death of that kingdom’s ruler left it vulnerable to the Mughals, so Chand mustered troops for Ahmadnagar’s defence. She became regent of the beleaguered kingdom, only succumbing when the Emperor Akbar himself took command of the attacking forces. She was killed in combat.

Mai Bhago was a celebrated Sikh woman who, in 1705, led a troop of soldiers to intercept the Mughal forces that were in pursuit of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru.

The Mughals were forced to retreat and Mai Bhago thereafter entered the service of the Guru as one of his bodyguards.

Rani Velu Nachiyar was one of India’s first warrior queens to resist the rule of the British. Wife to the king of the southern kingdom of Sivagangai, in modern-day Tamil Nadu, she was drawn into battle in 1780 with the British on the death of her husband. She famously blew up the British arsenal.

The most famous of India’s warrior queens was Rani Lakshmibai, known as the Rani of Jhansi. Lakshmibai was one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the British, and is regarded by nationalists as a symbol of resistance to colonial rule. When her husband died, the British refused to recognisethe claim to the throne of the child they had adopted and named as heir. This long-standing tradition had been undermined by the colonial Doctrine of Lapse, a policy of annexation under which a territory would automatically be annexed if the ruler died without a direct heir. The claim of Lakshmibai’s adopted child was rejected, coinciding with the outbreak of the Indian Rebellion, and within months the Rani found herself defending the city against British forces who demanded its surrender. Despite its resistance, Jhansi fell to the British and the Rani escaped to Gwalior, where the British made their next successful

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attack. Lakshmibai was killed, dressed as a sowar, fully armed and with her child strapped to her back. To this day she is commemorated as one of India’s national heroines in films, novels and songs, and the first women’s unit of the Indian National Army was named after her.

Devi in all Women

A statue of Kannagi, the protagonist of Silapathikaram, in Chennai; (top) Sita, depicted as being held captive by Ravana in a painting by artist Raja Ravi Varma

There is a tendency in the epics and historical records to portray women in domestic settings, or in relation to a male relative, yet these women may be seen as strong characters in their own right, and open to a modern-day interpretation that re-assesses their seeming obedience and self-sacrifice.

As the Jains revere Marudevi, the mother of the first Jina, Sikhism holds a special place for the mother and sister of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism and the first Guru of the faith. Mata Gujri Ji is honoured for giving birth to God’s messenger and for nurturing the young Nanak’s increasingly contemplative and meditative nature (whilst protecting the child from his father’s hostility). The Guru’s elder sister, Bibi Nanaki is also remembered for the support she gave her unworldly brother during his lifetime. Highly intelligent and pious, it is said that Bibi Nanaki was the first to recognise the divine light in her brother, and to envisage his life’s mission.

It is Sita, heroine of the Ramayana and consort of the god Rama, who, for many Indian women, portrays the perfect female. She was the embodiment of wifely devotion, obedience and self-surrender, despite enduring wretched trials and being constantly misunderstood by her husband.

Her abduction by the demon king Ravana and subsequent rescue are the central incidents in the Ramayana, but she was later abandoned by her husband, and rejected by him twice. Throughout these ordeals she remained chaste and pure, and later proved her innocence by undergoing ordeal by fire. Her conduct and character are deemed exemplary by many Indians, and the values she enshrined are held up as womanly virtues.

Modern audiences may perhaps respond differently to this idea of Sita as a subservient and helpless woman.

She shows great endurance and inner strength, and, unlike Draupadi, the heroine of the Mahabharata, she internalises her despair. Finally, she repudiates Rama’s suspicions, abandoning him at the very moment she declares for one final time her faithfulness to him by defiantly calling on Mother Earth to split open and receive her to a better world.

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Look Who’s In Town Mumbai

Bollywood Moves French-Swiss woman Lucille Perrier goes dancing in Mumbai – and we tag along to learn a few moves Lucille Perrier has visited India several times before, but her current visit to Bollywood, the massive film industry in Mumbai, is the most exciting one. Despite having been in the city for less than six months, she calls herself a ‘Mumbaikar’ already. “Mumbai is one of these cosmopolitan cities where you quickly get a sense of belonging, as almost nobody is actually ‘from’ Mumbai. We come from everywhere to follow our dreams, and make this city ours,” she says.

The sense of belonging is further deepened by people’s openness to people from other cultures. “When I was at a bharatanatyam recital, a lot of people were wondering which nationality I belonged to. But the pride they take to see foreigners admiring their culture so much is great.”

Dancing in Another Land In Europe, as I guess is the case in most of the Western world, many people have an interest for music and dance – which we enjoy in shows and pursue as something like a weekly hobby.

In India, the perspective is very different, especially if you go into classical dance. Many more people spend their life learning it (both physically and theoretically) and the gurus (teachers) expect students to be fully committed. However, once you ‘get’ it, it is a wonderful feeling – of diving into an ancestral culture.

Dancing in India will definitely help in feeling more integrated into a new country.

So, You Think You Can Dance?

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Don’t be scared to try many forms, many schools and many teachers. You do not have to be a dancer – just an interest will do. Have patience though, as you will sometimes end up in unexpected places, with a lot of people staring at you or with only kids in the class. However, after some time, there’s no doubt you’ll find something great.

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The classical dance forms of India are demanding and, sometimes, baffling for novice students. An easier option would be Bollywood or folk dance. It is also a fun way to learn the culture.

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I would recommend joining a school, as group classes are an opportunity to make great friends out of your usual expat circles.

When in France If you are in Paris, you should definitely go see the rich tradition of Opera (go to Opéra Garnier), listen to magnificent music and watch beautiful classical dance at the same time.

It is easy to find classes for many different international dance styles. Thus, if you are a dance enthusiast, I would recommend you to join a school offering several types, and try a few classes before making up your mind. Just like it is in India, it is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the culture and meet locals!

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Postcard from India at the odka is situated This village, H ann of t salt desert – R edge of the grea e rest at. Much like th Kutch in Gujar to me what appealed of the country, colour e suffusion of the most was th itional ought their trad all around. I th ty, and ellery very pret dresses and jew tire was work on the at ry de oi br em e th r friendly pled with thei beautiful. Cou it redefined g demeanour, and welcomin ndscape. the dry arid la of on ti ep rc pe my certainly a desert, but it be ht ig m it r Fo lour! doesn’t lack co ah, USA – Sanjita Sh

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Look Who’s In Town Chennai

The German Explorers Marlene Wiegreffe from Germany is our tour guide for exciting trips, which are designed for those ‘hot’ weekends in Chennai

Marlene Wiegreffewears many hats – she is a former marketing expert, is training to be a yoga teacher and currently is a resident of Chennai. Originally from Germany, and a resident of the southern Indian city for less than a year now, this explorer, along with her boyfriend Michael Stroband, has poked round in all the nooks and cranies of Chennai and its suburbs. The result? She is bursting with ideas for short trips in and around the area – some of which even long-time residents may find interesting. “To explore our new home, we did trips around Chennai and its suburbs with our cameras. The beautiful kolams on the doorsteps of houses, the majestic Sri Kapaleeshwar Temple in Mylapore, the fishing harbor of Royapuram, the bustling markets of George Town, festivals like Diwali, Pongal and Ganesh Charturthi – they all give a very sensual and rich experience of Indian culture and tradition. Not to forget, the mouth-watering food!”

Around Town We ventured further and discovered the surroundings of rural Tamil Nadu. There are many interesting places – just a few hours away. Mamalapuram, Auroville in the Union Territory of Puducherry, and Puducherry are great for a short getaway.

Enjoy the beautiful stonework at Mammalapuram, then visit the Mathrimandir in Auroville. Stay in Puducherry in a beautiful heritage or boutique hotel (Hotel L’Orient, La Closerie) or at a hotel beach for a more relaxed feeling (The Dune) and stroll along the promenade and through the streets of the beautiful French quarter.

Kanchipuram town is the silk sari town; it is also one of the oldest cities in Tamil Nadu and an important spot for pilgrims.

Visit the Ekambareswara and Kailasanathar temple and meet the families of the silk weavers and take a look at the saris woven at their home. Tour recommendation: RIDE India (www.rideindia.org) – this organisation has a goal of reducing child labour in the sari industry.

Visit one of the oldest temples of Tamil Nadu at Thiruvannamalai and get a blessing from the temple elephant (don’t forget to give him some change!). Take a walk around Mount Arunachala or venture to the top if you’re fit and meet some meditating sadhus. On the way back to Chennai, visit the scenic Gingee Fort and climb up the steps for a beautiful view of the area.

Tip: Go to Thiruvannamalai during the Karthigai Deepam (Oct–Nov) festival, when the mountain is lit up every night like a torch!

Travel Tips To get a good first impression of the city life, I would recommend exploring Chennai with a local walking guide. Most of the tour operators offer different themes (temple tour, bazaar trail, and so on).

While out-of-Chennai trips can be covered within a (long) weekend, do consider the travel time, which is much more than in Europe. Try to avoid travelling after dark as road trips tend to be more dangerous at night time.

When in Germany Berlin is best explored on a bicycle – a great way to discover the different neighborhoods or ‘Kieze’ as Berlin people say. Every Kiez is almost like a city of its own. Walk over the markets and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the city in one its parks.

Must-see places: The Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag (seat of the German parliament) and the Berlin Wall. See the Mitte’s Scheunenviertel and discover the nice designer shops and artist’s galleries. If you can, take a boat tour on the Spree river. Here’s an unbelievable but true trivia – Berlin has more bridges than Venice!

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Look Who’s In Town Bengaluru

Home Truths How do we separate the myths from the reality of moving to India? American Summer Schubert gives us some pointers based on her experience of moving to Bengaluru

Summer Schubert and her family – husband Robert and five-year-old son Thomas – moved to Bengaluru recently. Prior to their arrival, they were confronted with many myths and stereotypes about India. During their initial look-see visit to Bengaluru, they were able to experience what the city and culture was all about. They took pictures of their new apartment complex. They asked around about the weather and food. “We showed our son pictures of his new home and explained he could swim the year round.

From then on, he woke up every day and begged to move to India! His enthusiasm was contagious.” So, what was it like when they first landed in Bengaluru? “We landed early in the morning. However, even in the dark, you could tell the city was exploding with growth.” A few months down the road, the Schuberts are settled in their new home – and ready to give us the ‘real’ picture.

Myth Vs Reality •

Weather: I was told it would be warm – and, thankfully, it is! Nothing is better than trading in boots and coats for sandals and sunglasses.

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Food: Not all Indian dishes are made of curry! Also, there are several Western food options available.

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People: Everyone speaks English in addition to their local dialect. You don’t have to struggle too hard to understand or make yourself be understood.

Relocation Tips •

Be patient. Then, learn to be more patient.

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Be adaptable. Don’t expect your experiences in India to mirror those of your home country or any other place you’ve lived in.

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Be appreciative. Moving to a new country can be frustrating, emotionally draining and, overall, difficult at times – but remember, very few people are given the opportunity to live abroad. Make the most of it.

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Illustrations: Lalithaa Thyagarajan

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This is the first in an exclusive series of stories that will bring to life the accounts of people from different countries who came to Indian shores over the centuries. From China to Europe, these individuals were touched by, and impacted the history of this amazing country in some tangible way.

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Passage to India

by Pavithra Srinivasan

The Lord of the Waves

If anything could be held as a landmark event in India’s history, it was the coming of Europeans to the country’s shores. Portugal laid claim to being the first European power to reach India. And it all began with the capture of a sailor…Here is the story of how it all happened

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Day 3, June, CE 1498, the port city of Kozhikode, Kerala, India Paulo, beloved irmaozao, older brother, read the letter, which was written in Portuguese. I’m now an honoured “guest” of His Majesty, the Great Zamorin. You know what that means, don’t you?

Paulo did. His enterprising, zealous, arrogant, enthusiastic, young brother was a prisoner.

Standing upon the deck of the Sao Rafael, a bulky ship that tossed gently on the choppy sea with its square sails boldly emblazoned with a red cross, Paulo, of House Gama, read the message again. It was hastily scratched upon the surface of the palm-leaf, and had been delivered by a stonyfaced local guard. Paulo had felt his heart skip several beats.

Long years of training took over, and his heartbeat slowed down. He crushed the leaf and flung it overboard, where it bobbed for a while on the waves before crumbling away.

The sun set in a brilliant wash of colours beyond bustling Calicut. Paulo’s dazed eyes stared across the water, towards the alien port, bursting at the seams with local Nair men who strode around, naked to the waist, sharp swords dangling across their white cloths, their women draped with gold – so much gold that his heart seized with envy and admiration.

Despite the worry gnawing him, his thoughts drifted to the last few months.

More than 300 days. 170 men.

4 ships. Thousands of miles on open sea, braving hostile African kings, unfriendly coasts, and a crew that swung from outright mutiny to horrible diseases that practically rotted their guts. Facing the worst obstacle of all: fear. Fear, that they were on a wild goose chase. Fear that they were on uncharted waters, with dangers unknown. Fear that they would not return from this journey alive, that they would never see home again.

But Paulo’s brother had led them, through all odds… unflinching, unwavering. They would find the land of spices

– the paradise that had given birth to such strange stories that one could hardly credit them. Of a land far east where gold, silver, spices and precious gems littered the ground, there for the taking. A land that would finally let them have exotic goods which would, in turn, crown Portugal – small, insignificant, until then – the ‘Queen’ of Europe.

Pipe dreams, all of it, as long as they were on their boats.

Then, suddenly, they’d sighted land. Blessed Virgin Mary!

Land! Praise be to God. And they’d fallen on shore, kissing the earth. They’d succeeded in their impossible quest. Found their paradise.

India.

Calicut’s huge bazaar overflowed with pearls, musk, aguila, gilded coffers, gold, amber, wax, ivory, cloth of gold, scarlet robes, copper, quicksilver, vermilion, coral and, of

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course, any amount of pepper, ginger and cinnamon, as these were grown in huge quantities. Cinnamon, which the wily Arab traders insisted, could be found only in the nests of giant birds! Paulo’s eyes almost fell out of his head – as did those of his crew men, who’d wandered around the brightly lit marketplace in tattered clothes hurriedly put together, straggly beards lining pasty faces.

Paulo had felt a yawning pit in his stomach almost right away.

“I’m worried, Vaesho.” He’d whispered into his younger brother’s ears – a stalwart 28-year-old, whose sharp eyes were raking the area. Only he was allowed to use the nickname ‘Vaesho’. “We have nothing to equal these wares. Nothing.”

“Bile’s churning in your gut, eh? Don’t heed it. We’ve accomplished the impossible. We’ve won.” Vaesho’s eyes glinted in the evening light, and Paulo felt excitement thrum through him in response. This was what had bonded them – this love for adventure. The thrill of never knowing what would come next.

He felt Vaesho’s fingers twine through his own, and let his younger brother dispel his fears about this strange land with mysterious treasures. “It will all be well,” Vaesho whispered, their steps matching, just as they had along the narrow alleys of Lisbon. “I’m no Christopher Columbus, running after fool’s good and returning to Spain empty-handed!”

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Brave words. Paulo knew that his brother believed in them. So, he did too. Out of their five siblings, he and Vaesho had always been close; theirs was a bond formed in childhood, in the tiny town of Sines, tightened in the mine-field that was the intrigue-ridden royal court of Portugal. He’d stood by his Vaesho through them all: petty quarrels, complicated plots, back-stabbings, pitched battles. When King Manuel’s gaze had alighted on a trustworthy man for the Carreira da India – the very first, perilous India Run, Vaesho had shared this signal honour by choosing his beloved brother as one of his two ship captains.

And now, here they were. Discoverers of the sea route to India – a route jealously guarded by Arab traders, who controlled the spice trade and made fortunes out of European gold…and Paulo’s heart had swelled with pride and relief.

Until he’d taken a look at the list of valuables meant to be Portugal’s ‘gift’ to the Zamorin, Great Lord of Calicut who, Vaesho’s men were convinced, was a Christian king.

Striped cloth – 12 pieces.

Scarlet hoods – 4.

Hats – 6.

Coral strings – 4.

Brass basins – 6.

Sugar – 1 case.

Oil and honey – 2 casks each.

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“This is too little, Vaesho,” he’d warned. “Hats and sugar for a man who swims in a welter of gold, emerald, rubies and sapphires, and collects taxes from Hormuz, Mecca and Aden?”

“We don’t have anything else,” Vaesho snapped. “We never even expected to make it this far, remember?” He paused. “Besides, this should do…for these people.”

Small wonder that the Zamorin had been furious.

Day 8 “I’m glad you haven’t said, I told you so.”

Days of negotiation, soothing ruffled tempers, much diplomatic talk and bartering had passed by, before Calicut’s ruler released Paulo’s brother to his ships. And that, only after producing an official letter from Portugal’s King Manuel.

Paulo smiled briefly, as they sat within their ‘warehouse’ – a hastily assembled structure that had been set up with the grudging approval of the Zamorin, more to keep rival Arab traders in check, Paulo suspected, rather than willingness to trade with Portugal – a kingdom he’d never even heard of.

“We’re not going to sell anything here, Vaesho.”

“I know. Our goods are practically worthless.”

An understatement of the millennium. Portuguese wares were below par; they found, much to their embarrassment, that their so-called ‘fine cloth’ found no buyers.

Paulo’s face clouded over. “We’ll likely leave without a trade agreement. There’s nothing we can offer that they

need.”

“They need us, all right. We’re a force that will keep Arab traders in check. No king worth his title would relinquish that. And I intend to press our advantage. If force must be used – then so be it.”

“You’re too harsh, Vasco,” Paulo gave up on his brother’s cherished nickname, at last. “History will not remember you kindly.”

Vasco da Gama laughed – a crack that echoed off the flimsy walls. “I rode a sea that wouldn’t part for even Christopher Columbus, or Bartholomew Dias, brother. I tore through ports that have never seen European sailors. I set foot on a land men swore was a myth. I opened a world for Portugal that will bring other, greater nations to our feet.” His eyes glittered. “History may not remember me kindly, mano – but history will remember me.”

Vasco da Gama (CE 1469 – 1524) was right. Although his first attempt at establishing trade relations with India were a failure, he returned with enough spices (that were sold at 60 times their purchase-price!) to merit repeated expeditions and, eventually, set up a trading post. Vasco da Gama had broken centuries of Arab control over the spice-trade, and Portugal reaped the benefit – it was the first European power to set foot in India since Roman times.

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Calendar of events

March

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

Art & Exhibitions

Exhibition of Photographs Mumbai Artist Jyoti Bhatt’s exhibition of photographs, which document life in rural India, have captured the changing traditions of folk and tribal communities across the nation. Over the past 40 years, Bhatt has explored life in the depths of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal and Bihar. The expressive black and white photographs capture Bhatt’s unique vision of the history of India. Call +91 22 2673040 for more details.

Date: March 12 to 26 Venue: Artisans Gallery, 52-56, Dr. V.B. Gandhi Marg, Kala Ghoda district Time: 1800h to 2100h

Art Lectures Chennai Apparao Galleries have been associated with bringing out the best of art to from emerging and established artists, for the last three decades. As part of its outreach programme, Apparao Galleries will host a formal series of lectures by eminent speakers/lecturers to give an overview of Indian art, classical and contemporary. The course is designed to act as a form of continued education.

Call +91 9941012385 Date: March 5 to 7 and March 12 to 14 Venue: Apparao Galleries, 7 Wallace Garden, Nungambakkam Time: 1830h to 2030h

Art Exhibition Delhi The National Museum is hosting a temporary exhibition titled Nauras – the many Arts of the Deccan. The exhibition will showcase more than 120 rare objects, art and crafts of Deccan sultanates, representing the cosmopolitanism of India. The objects include Bijapur’s marbled al-Buraq painting, Ragamala leaves from Ahmednagar, Bijapur’s Kalamkari coverlet and more. The show is curated by Dr. Preeti Bahadur and Dr. Kavita Singh.

Date: January 28 to March 20 Venue: National Museum, Janpath Time: 1000h to 1700h

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Events

Natural Dye Bazaar Chennai

Stand-up Comedy Mumbai

A ‘Natural Dye’ Bazaar celebrating the exuberance of nature’s colours is being organised by the Crafts Council of India.

A unique display of textiles, made-ups, fashion garments, natural dyed fibre and wooden products will be put up. Forty participants from Andhra Pradesh, Bagru, Rajasthan, Kutch, Gujarat, the Northeast, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and West Bengal will be participating. The event aims to create a gentle, non-toxic textile and product experience in a range of colours that are made from roots, bark, leaf, flowers and fruits.

Stage 42 is a new festival showcasing celebrated artistes from across the world in comedy, music and theatre that will host shows across the country. Among other handpicked performance, in Mumbai, the festival brings the Jerry Seinfeld show live.

Seinfeld, well-known American comedian and actor will bring his brand of stand-up comedy to Mumbai city.

Date: March 11 to 15 Venue: Co-optex Grounds, Pantheon Road, Egmore

Date: March 14 ad 15 Venue and Tickets: Visit www.insider.in/stage42/

Musical Extravaganza Chennai Aikya 2015, organised by Global Adjustments, will take the audience on a spiritual journey with the theme of Violins, Voices and Values. Renowned violinists Ganesh and Kumaresh will bring to life a set of thought-provoking extracts from the Mahabharat. Famed vocalists Sudha Ragunathan and Bombay Jayashri will make a guest appearance to add create a truly magical experience. For donor passes, call +91-98416 33181 or visit www.aikyaindia.com.

Date: March 7 Venue: The Music Academy, TTK Road Time: 1830h

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Folk Music Festival Mumbai The National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) will present its annual series, Living Traditions – an ongoing series showcasing folk traditions of different regions of India.

This year, the focus is on Maharashtra. The ensemble, led by musician Vijay Chavan, will showcase myriad folk drums of Maharashtra such as dholki, dimdi, sambal and dhol, along with folk art forms such as lavni, jagran, gondhal, bhajan, bharud and others.

Date: March 13 and 14 Venue: NCPA Auditorium, Nariman Point Time: 1830h

Flute techniques workshop Bengaluru The Call of the Singing Reed is a three-day intensive workshop on playing the flute.

Hosted by Himanshu Nanda, the workshop will teach blowing techniques and finger positions; study of raagas, introduction to rhythm and its application. Call +91 9901400885 or +91 8747928403 for registration.

Date: March 13 to 15 Venue: Art of Living Ashram, Kanakapura Time: 0930h to 1230h and 0400 to 1830h

Dance Theatre Production Bengaluru/Delhi Bharatanatyam artiste Savitha Sastry will present her production, Chains: Love stories of shadows. Based on an original story, Savitha enacts the life of a woman caught on the thin line between personal choice and societal expectations. An ode to women, and the story will connect women across the globe.

Date: March 7 (Bengaluru) and April 19 (Delhi) Venue: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bengaluru / Kamani Auditorium, Delhi Time: 1900h

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Spotlight

by Team Culturama

The International Yoga Festival

March 1 to 7

Photo: Jesper Ankarfeldt, Denmark

In the first week of March, yoga enthusiasts from all over the world will descend in Rishikesh, India – on the banks of the holy Ganges, with a stunning view of the Himalayas, the Parmarth Niketan Ashram will host the International Yoga Festival. In its 16th year, the festival will bring together practitioners of the different styles of yoga under one roof.

At the festival, enthusiasts can learn from masters of traditional yoga schools from across India and from international yoga schools. The one-week festival will bring in over 60 hours of yoga classes, in multiple styles including Kundalini Yoga, Power Vinyasa Yoga, Iyengar Yoga and Kriya Yoga.

The festival will also give participants an opportunity to witness cultural and folk performances of local artists. Cultural walks conducted part of the week-long festival takes one along the local bazaars and temples.

For more information, please visit http://www.internationalyogafestival.com/

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At Global Adjustments

by Team Culturama

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The first logo

Celebrating the ‘10 years’ milestone

Inroads into India Some stories have a fairytale ending – this one, in contrast, has a beginning that only seems possible in a work of fiction.

Two decades ago, Joanne Grady Huskey, an American, landed in Madras (as Chennai was known back then). At that time, expatriates living in India did not have too many options for a social life. It was at this point, in 1995, that Joanne met Ranjini Manian, an Indian. Their friendship gave rise to a partnership that was based on a mutual journey of cross-cultural discovery. That year, they founded Global Adjustments, ‘a consulting firm to help business people and their families relocate to Madras’. This was the fairytale beginning to the story of two young women who went on to establish a unique organisation in Chennai, India.

Global Adjustments has come a long way since then.

Today, it is a company with over 50 members, with women forming the majority of the team. Headquartered in Chennai, the company has spread its roots across India. Join us on this 20-year journey as we look back at key milestones along the way.

1995: Eureka! Ranjini Manian from Chennai meets Joanne Grady Huskey and they have an ‘Aha’ moment. They mull on the names for their new venture and hit upon a logo idea.

Culture Vulture: Global Adjustments is just six months old when a twopage listing of events called At a Glance is launched. The founders First version of Culturama even find a company to sponsor the printing of this handout – RPG cellular.

1996: Blue Beginnings: Global Adjustments gets its first client in Ford Motor Company. The prestigious Blue Oval logo graces the client list for the next two decades.

Welcome Home: One of the first in the industry to offer cross cultural services, Global Adjustments unique offering was called ‘City Orientation’ or ‘Advice sessions’ for clients.

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1997:

2008:

Global Footing: Global Adjustments becomes a member of the ERC (Employee Relocation Council), an association of global relocation providers.

Expanded Vision: Offices opened in tier II cities of Vishakapatnam, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh.

Beautiful India in a frame

India in a Frame: The Annual expatriate Photo Competition, hosted by Global Adjustments is launched. After 17 years (as of 2014), the competition is a much awaited, exclusive one for the expatriate community across India.

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Human touch: Indian Immersion Centre is started as a Corporate Social Responsibility of Global Adjustments. The center pays tribute to Indian culture, heritage and tradition.

2009: 1999:

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Ranjini with Cherie Blair at Harvard

On Board: Ranjini Manian joins the Harvard Women’s Leadership Board.

2005: Going Pan India: The first regional offices of Global Adjustments open in Delhi (2005) and in Bengaluru and Mumbai (2007).

2010: Panoramic Glance: At a Glance becomes a pan Indian magazine, taking Indian culture to expats in India. The first cover of the magazine in its new avatar as Culturama was painted live by artist Thota Tharani Social Causes: Aikya, an annual series of concerts that raises funds to support retired accompanying artistes and the education of girls, is launched.

2015: Prime Partners: Ranjini Manian and Joanne Grady Huskey launch their book, Make It in India: Global CEOs, Indo-US Insights.

2007: Inking it: Founder Ranjini Manian launches her books Doing Business in India for Dummies (2007) and Upworldly Mobile in 2012.

With Kiran Bedi at University of Warwick

New Trails: Ranjini Manian speaks on ‘Building Cultural Intelligence – Indian Roots, Global Wings’ at the Warwick India Forum at University of Warwick.

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The Lighter Side

by Marina Marangos

Spring In between the biting cold and blazing heat is a window of pleasant weather – one in which you can see the best of nature, and people

in my Step

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Throw open those windows – if you can, that is. When I first looked for a property to rent in Delhi, I came across newly built apartment blocks, which had windows that did not open. I could not quite believe why the contractor would have thought this sound advice. While I know keeping the dust and dirt out is a consideration, we have already established it has its own insidious ways of getting into everything. If it was to maintain the cool temperatures when the air-conditioners were all blasting, need I remind them that, often, they don’t blast but bleet.

give thanks, children lined up for their free fruit and women sat by their humble abodes rubbing their cooking pots shiny clean.

And, to be subject to closed windows in the steaming heat is just not right at all. So, let us celebrate the coming of that very short wonderful season in Delhi when you can throw open your windows, sleep without air-conditioning and head out into the neighbourhood without breaking into a sweat.

Sihks are quite famous for their size. One day, we set out and, as we were walking along, a great big Sikh riding on his motorcycle collided with Tara. It happened in a flash, a bit like spring, and before we knew it the man was on the ground, his turban a little askew and Tara, tail between her legs, a little shaken but perhaps less than the Sikh. I was at pains to be caring and sympathetic but he dusted himself off, righted his turban and carried on his with journey. We were shaken but not stirred, as Bond would say.

Be warned, however – this is short, and if you blink you might miss it. You will know when it is well and truly over as you watch the temperatures going up, almost on a daily basis and, yes you have guessed it, that familiar but never welcome buzz of the mossie (read mosquito) brigade.

The flowers are all coming into bloom and the fields are ripening, the vegetables are a little plentiful – and, basically, this calls for walks in the neighbourhood and getting acquainted with nature all over again.

In India, these adventures are never straightforward. My neighbourhood in South Delhi was fairly rural – if you can call farmhouses ‘rural’ – and I was lucky enough to live near a beautiful Sikh gurdwara, and an inter-denominational seminary. Europeans come here for reflection and meditation, Sikh families often arrived in cars to pray and PhotoS: Marina Marangos, Greece

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Most afternoons, I headed out with Tara, my dog – a beautiful Labrador, normally sandy coloured but rendered a little grey in the Delhi dust. She became a celebrity in her own right and we wandered the paths and fields, stopping to talk to the women, enjoy a cup of chai with them, allow the children to pet her and generally greet the many familiar faces who became so much a part of our walk.

A few weeks later we came across the same Sikh on his motorbike. As soon as he saw us, he slowed down and, pointing to the dog, asked, “Tara?” I nodded a little sheepishly, thinking of the incident, wondering if he might be ready to scold us now. He reached into his plastic bag in the front of his motorbike and pulled out three steaming fresh chapatis and offered them to my dog. Well, I was gobsmacked but she was already licking her lips and thinking what else she could get if she had similar encounters with Sikhs in the brief spell of spring.

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Picture Story

by Team Culturama

A Picture in Blue India’s association with the colour blue is manifold. Indigofera tinctoria, the plant that yields the indigo blue dye, is believed to have been cultivated primarily in India. We bring you a celebration of this colour, with stories thrown in – of Gods, of people, of places and just about anything in blue from across India.

Man in Blue: Specialisation seems to be this trader’s key – he sells only tobacco and matches! However, this nondescript store can be tough competition to a retail chain, thanks the owner’s personal touch. Photo: Isaa Sayegh Sandrine

Baby’s Day Out: Warm and cosy, wrapped in its mother’s

blue shawl, this baby has a ringside view of the world passing by. In cold Ladakh (and other parts of India), women go about their work with their babies tied to their backs – beats the modern baby bag any day! Photo: Christine Valade, France

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Kipling Gardens Mumbai

The Blue City: Seen from the ramparts of the mighty

Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur appears to be a carpet of blue houses.

These are the older parts of the city and belong to the Brahmins, the priestly caste of India. The reason for the name ‘Blue city’ is said to be that the colour demarcates the properties belonging to this caste. The topic is, however, still open to debate!

Prayerful Silence: Head covered with the pallu of her blue sari, this woman is deep in prayers. Women (and sometimes, men) cover their head, especially in places of worship, as a mark of respect and humility towards the divine. The sari’s extended end, called pallu only helps! Photo: Louisa Castro, UK

Bottled wonder: Come summer and these blue opaque

bottles called Goli Soda are all around the street corners in India.

The most indigenous of thirst quenchers, they contain carbonated water, best served with a twist of lemon and a dash of salt. The bottle, with its unique marble in its neck to hold the gas, is on its way to extinction.

Holy Blue: Blue is the colour of many of India’s favourite Gods; Krishna, Vishnu, Rama and Shiva are all depicted in blue, like this artist who is dressed like Shiva. While Hinduism has myths galore, the simpler theory is that blue represents the infinite or immeasurable. Photo: Monica Bradley, USA

Blue Yonder: This picture shows a stretch of the 13-kilometre Marina Beach in Chennai (the longest in the country), as seen from the lighthouse. The brilliant hur of the evening sky frames the busy scene of fish stalls along the sands. Photo: J.F. Vial, France

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Seeing India

by Keval Singh

Dipped in Gold While the moniker of ‘Golden City’ might explain the beauty of Jaisalmer’s sandstone buildings, there is an underlying sense of tranquillity that ultimately bewitches the visitor Photos: Keval Singh

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Our train tickets from New Delhi were confirmed just days before my departure from Singapore. The weeks leading up to my vacation passed with trepidation. If Jaisalmer didn’t happen, the whole trip would be ruined. Okay, that’s probably a bit dramatic – but it would certainly have been a dent in my plans, no matter how much I tried to convince myself otherwise. You see, Jaisalmer had been a work in progress for at least three years. It kept getting postponed for various reasons. And the 16- to 18-hour train ride from Delhi did nothing to excite, especially with the prospect of delays.

As we drove into the city from the train station, all those concerns were neutralised – the life sucked out of them by the sheer golden landscape around us. Then there was the fort, sitting majestically above the city, as if a giant’s child had mixed sand and water and moulded it into the structure before us. In the mid-day sun, it blended into its

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surroundings; but, as the sun retired for the day, it cast a magical glow on the fort, making it worthy of a few landscape photographs. The fort’s size and position on a mound of sand and stone also means you can see it from kilometres away – as I was to discover later when we drove out of the city towards the desert.

Jaisalmer is the western-most city in India, and only about 60 kilometres from the border with Pakistan. It is one of Rajasthan’s major tourist attractions, though its story could have taken a completely different trajectory. At one point, it played a major role in trade with Africa, Persia and the Arab world. The arrival of the British and an emphasis on maritime trade stifled Jaisalmer’s growth. The city’s fate was

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sealed after Independence and Partition, when the ancient trade routes were cut off, but it rose again in importance during the 1965 and 1971 wars between India and Pakistan.

Today, the city’s lifelines are tourism and the military installations surrounding it.

Jaisalmer is often referred to as the ‘Golden City’ because a lot of its buildings are made of sandstone. The overall impression this creates is a city plucked out of the sand. The main attraction here is the fort. Unlike most forts that have been turned into luxury hotels or museums, the 12th century Sonar Quila (Golden Fort) is a living one – there are houses, cafes, shops, the royal palace and hotels within its premises.

The fort was the focus of several battles during medieval times. It counts an attack by Mughal emperor Humayun in 1541 among its battle scars.

As you walk into the fort, you’ll pass shops selling a variety of souvenirs, complete with cheeky owners who offer to “help you spend your money”. The fort also houses beautiful Jain temples that date from the 15th and 16th centuries – these include the Chandraprabhu, which was built without the use of mortar.

Squeezing into the narrow alleys of the fort might just lead you to its walls, from where you can feast your eyes on stunning views of the city. We walked much of these walls and, a couple of times, passed areas where restoration

work was under way. The fort was previously in danger of self-destruction due to material degradation, exacerbated in part due to the rise in tourism to the area, as catering to visitors meant building hotels and hostels within the fort – sometimes illegally. The best thing you can do as a tourist is to book accommodation outside the fort. It’s a really significant move that could extend the lifespan of the fort.

Besides, most of the city is navigable on foot.

Of course, the fort isn’t all there is to this city. Walking through the winding alleys outside the fort revealed little treasures too, such as the 19th century Patwa-ki-Haveli.

Considered the granddaddy of havelis in Jaisalmer, this palace, dipped in a shade of gold, was built by five Jain brothers over a period of 60 years and is a collection of five suites. There are beautifully decorated rooms here (one of the apartments is painted with stunning murals) and exhibits tracing the history of the building. You could easily spend an hour or so admiring the intricacy of its architecture, which include beautiful jharokas (balconies), archways and gateways.

I have to say, though, that the highlight of the trip was a night out in the desert. Virtually every hotel/hostel worth its salt offers trips out into the dunes of the Thar Desert for a seemingly “unforgettable experience under the Milky Way” – at least that’s how it is sold. We booked our safari with the hotel after overhearing a conversation a couple were

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having with a group at the rooftop restaurant. They claimed they were taken to a quite “non-touristy stretch of dunes” (whatever that meant) in the desert.

The tour started with a visit to an abandoned village (one of 84) whose inhabitants upped and disappeared one night about 200 years ago. Several stories explain why they did this – what we were told is that a village belle was demanded as a bride for a dodgy character linked to the king. Since the villagers’ complaints would have fallen on deaf ears, the village leaders of 84 villagers met and decided to up and leave to save their honour.

The next village we went to was where we got our camels for the one-and-a-half hour ride to the dunes with our minders, who made the journey on foot. The desert here isn’t quite like the Sahara with endless mounds of soft sand; you would instead find shrubs and a sprinkling of trees.

The dunes line the desert every few kilometres – collected, I suppose, over years or centuries of landscaping. When we descended from our camels and sank our feet into the sand, I realised the couple at the hotel were not exaggerating – there was no one else around us for kilometres!

As the pink hues of the evening sky gradually made way for a full moon night, some of our minders prepared a fire and set mattresses around it while others started cooking a simple dinner of rice, rotis and dhal. Dinner done, we got ready for our entertainment for the night – a group of Rajasthani folk singers. Let me quickly add that this was organised by a group of Canadian tourists who were travelling with us. To say it was magical does not necessarily do justice to our group of 13, huddled around the fire, mesmerised by the singers’ voices and traditional instruments. They were followed by our minders who sang a mix of folk songs and their own renditions of popular Western tracks (I’m a camel man, in the bloody sand – to the tune of Aqua’s Barbie Girl).

With sand between our toes, we woke up with the sun right in front of us. I sat there watching our group stir to a gorgeous morning. At the back of my mind I thought of Delhi, and the chaos we had left there just two days earlier.

People in a constant hurry, honking, shouting – then there was this. Tranquillity...and the sweet surrender to nature.

We returned to the hotel just around 11 a.m. While waiting for lunch (after a shower, of course), I gingerly sank into one of two hammocks at the rooftop restaurant and watched the fort, which was bathed in generous light. There was an entire afternoon to fill with things to do. Maybe we

would walk to the fort again, head to Gadisar Lake (at one time the city’s vital source of water) for sunset later in the evening or simply lie in the hammock with a book. I was in no hurry to decide. Indeed, Jaisalmer doesn’t want you to be in a rush.

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The painting depicts Lord Ram, who is beleived to be the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. The images in the background are depictions of the nine emotions or ‘navarasa’ (love, laughter, fury, compassion, disgust, horror, valour, wonder and tranquility). Painting by artist S. Rajam.

Picture courtesy ‘Art Heritage of India: A Collector’s Special’, published by L&T – ECC & ECC Recreation Club.

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Festival of the month Holi March 6

Photo: Alan Dougans, Australia

The festival of Holi is when the country, especially the northern parts, is bathed in colour. This vibrant festival heralds the approach of spring – a sign of new beginnings. Holi celebrates the destruction of the demoness Holika, which symbolises the victory of good over evil. People use the occasion to bond with friends and relatives, and dab coloured powders or pour coloured water over each other in the spirit of fun. Bonfires are lit to indicate the burning of evil spirits.

Joy is in the air as people gather around the fire to dance and make merry.

To Do: Organic colour powders are now available – and they help make the festival a lot safer. Old clothes are, however, advisable – as the colours may not wash off easily! Don’t forget to try out Bhang – a mild intoxicating drink made from the cannabis plant.

Rama Navami March 28 Ram Navami is a Hindu festival that commemorates the birth of Lord Ram, whose tales of valour and virtue are spoken of in the Ramayana. The festival is celebrated across India for nine days (‘na-va-mi’ is Sanskrit for ‘nine’). Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh is regarded as the birthplace of Lord Ram, and this is where the grandest celebrations take place. Devotees come in droves to take a dip in Sarayu, a holy river, and chariot processions of Ram, his consort Sita, brother Lakshman, and the loyal monkey god Hanuman are organised. Southern festivities include a ceremonial wedding of Lord Ram being reenacted in temples, and the traditional jaggery drink called panagam being served.

To Do: Join in the annual celebration in Ayodhya, or head to Bhadrachalam in Andhra Pradesh or Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu for an authentic experience of Ram Navami. If you are in Mumbai, participate in ISKCON temple’s annual Ram Navami celebrations.

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Give to India

by Shefali Ganesh

Telling Tales

Who doesn’t like a good story? More so, when a funny looking elephant tells you rollicking tales of animals and children that leaves you in smiles. In fact, this elephant has captured the imagination of children of Delhi for more than a quarter of a century – he is featured in a children’s magazine called Tamasha (‘fun’ in Hindi) and is the mascot of an organisation called Katha (‘story’). The magazine contains stories that aim to uplift the lives of children who don’t have the privilege of quality education.

A Delhi-based not-for-profit organisation, Katha is on a mission to transform lives of children through a world of stories

The story behind Katha is an interesting one – starting with its founder Geeta Dharmarajan. When Geeta first arrived in Delhi, she was moved by the sight of four-year-olds working alongside their parents to make a living. She started a magazine called Tamasha, which included simple, easy-toread stories, to encourage the reading habit amongst children from illiterate families, and to educate them about health and environment issues. Tamasha and its lovable elephant went places, literally, in India and abroad. It also won pride of place in America’s ‘Who’s Who of Children’s Magazine’.

From the portals of Tamasha, Katha went onto to launch Katha Books – which has now published more than 300 titles for adults and children in 21 Indian languages. The Magic Raindrop recounts the journey of magical raindrops and unbelievable kites, while Dadoo’s Day Out narrates the

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delightful tale of a frog stepping out of her world. For over two decades now, Katha has expanded beyond their initial vision of providing the joy of reading to spreading grassroots education to underprivileged children. Its books are now part of the syllabus not just in India but also in the United States and Cyprus.

The Katha Lab School programme is a pioneering model that provides education to children from nursery school upwards and vocational training for needy women. Through their reading programme (I Love Reading), the Katha Lab School supports Government schools, thus establishing a perfect public-private partnership model. The scheme has helped solve attendance issues that most of these schools face. More than 50,000 children in around 85 government schools have benefited from the ‘I Love Reading’ scheme. Katha also runs libraries and reading centres in the downmarket areas of Delhi.

Children apart, Katha also has a teachers training programme to help pedagogues create an interactive environment in their classrooms. Their unique, patented ‘Story Pedagogy’ system, which was developed by Geeta, teaches them to use stories, music and dance to connect with their pupils. Given that she herself is an author of many children’s books, Geetha’s strong belief is that “stories are the best way to understand ourselves and the world around us”. In recognition of her efforts, Geeta was awarded the Padma Shri (one of India’s highest civilian honours) in the field of Education and Literature by the Indian Government in 2012.

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Through a journey of words and pictures, Katha has helped more than six lakh happy children travel to imaginary lands, and experience the joy of the written word.

Katha is at Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi. Visit www.katha.org / www.kathabooks.com or call +91 11 41416600 for more details. visit: www.milesworth.com Milesworth Travels & Tours Pvt. Ltd., 39 R M Towers, 108 Chamiers Road, Chennai. Tel: +91-44-24320522 / 24359554 Fax: +91-44-24342668 E-mail: holidays@milesworth.com

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Myth and Mythology

by Devdutt Pattanaik

No Fairytale Endings Indian epics do not talk how the good defeated the bad or how a hero succeeded on his quest, but about how life and death goes on uninterrupted, irrespective of the intervention of the gods

Current storytelling yearns for happy endings. Traditional storytelling ends with sukhant. Sukhant is not happy ending, but a good ending – one in which the audience leaves the theatre wiser. Indian epics are not about telling how the good defeated the bad, how a hero succeeds on his quest, but about how life, and death, goes on uninterrupted, irrespective of the intervention of the gods. Eventually Ram and Krishna have to die. Eventually Dwarka has to fall. Eventually the Pandavas have to retire and renounce. And then new ideas come — germinating saplings that look at the same world again, anew, afresh, often repeating the same mistakes and grappling with the same issues as Kaikeyi and Kunti. The world changes, yet remains the same. Technology transforms but nature stays static.

I made a philosophical comment to my friend about how when Nature shrugs, she does not care who she kills — Kauravas and Pandavas or Krishna or Ram. She is indifferent to human ethical dilemmas. Her intervention ends all conflicts. He then told me about the Aceh. Aceh? What was that?

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Photo: Danièle François, France

And then I learned about this province in Indonesia to the North of the island of Sumatra. It is the first place in South East Asia where Islam arrived as early as the 7th century. Aceh is an ethnic group that is fiercely independent and have fought outsiders: the Dutch in the colonial period and the Indonesian state in the post-colonial period. The reasons for the conflict range from the ethnic (anti-Javanese sentiment) to the religions (Aceh are more conservative Muslims) to economic (Aceh have massive oil and gas reserves) and political (right to self-determination). It has been a long fight, and like conflicts around the world, there is no clearly defined villain or victim. The armed conflict has resulted in little or no Western tourism. It is easy to attack the ‘state’. It is easy to reduce the conflict to ‘anti-nationalism’ or ‘Islamic radicalism’. The fact is, we in India, are completely oblivious of this battle as it does not involve us. I am sure the Aceh people, and Indonesians, would get offended if we displayed our ignorance and indifference, as Indians got upset when Maria Sharapova declared she had never heard of Sachin Tendulkar.

But then came a tsunami in 2004. The entire province was wiped out. Most of the 200,000 people killed came from this province. Some, rather cruelly, declared the event on Boxing Day (one day after Christmas) as the wrath of Allah against Muslims for fighting Muslims. Shaken up badly, the natural disaster paved the way for peace in 2005. There seemed nothing to fight for.

This is called Shamshan Vairagya, in Hinduism, the feeling of letting go of all rage and possessiveness and desire after attending a funeral ceremony. Sadly, it does not last long. And there are rumours that the conflict is on the cusp of restarting now a decade of peace later. Ram and Krishna may come and go, but dharma will never be permanent and war will always be an option.

Published on 18th January, 2015 in Mid-Day. Reprinted with permission from www.devdutt.com

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5 Join Us Every Saturday

Holistic living

by Eknath Easwaran

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.

Learning to Love

Love is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity – especially, when the whole world, threatened with violence, is starving for love and unity.

And the best way to learn is to start with the choices we make on a daily basis

Most wrong desires, I admit, are not easily resisted. We have to draw on every militant instinct we have to take on the desire face-to-face. We don’t even know we have this choice.

When a big desire comes, we think we have to yield. There is some pleasure in yielding; but if I may say so, there is much more lasting satisfaction in resisting, even if at first we do not win. The very attitude of resisting wrong desires is the beginning of good health, vitality, and love.

Not only that, resisting wrong desires actually generates energy. Whenever we can defy a strong selfish desire, immense power is released into our hands. I do not think this is even suspected outside the major religions of the world, yet it is the secret of all spiritual work and transformation.

Our desires are not our business alone; they are everybody’s business. Whenever we resist a selfish desire, even if we do so for no one in particular, that is an act of love – just as every time we yield to a selfish desire, it shows want of love. The reason is simple: everything we do affects others, whether directly, through the environment, or by the force of our example. To me, for instance, smoking shows lack of love. First, the capacity for love is actually caught in that compulsion. But more than that, the smoke is harmful for everyone, and the example tells even casual passers-by, “Don’t worry about the surgeon general. Don’t worry about consequences; don’t even think about the future. If it feels good, do it!”

Photo: Carlo Sem, Italy

An essential condition for love is the capacity to discriminate between right and wrong desires. The criteria are simple.

Right desires benefit everyone – including, of course, ourselves. Wrong desires may be very pleasing, but they benefit no one – again, not even ourselves. The problem that arises is that wrong desires can be very skilful impersonators.

They put on a three-piece suit and a false moustache and present themselves suavely as Mr. Right, the benefactor of all; if they happen to be just what we like, that is only a happy coincidence. To love, we need to be able to recognise right desires and yield to them, which is a pleasant but rare state of affairs. But much more importantly, we need to be able to recognise wrong desires and resist them, which is very, very difficult.

Pelé, the great Brazilian soccer player, has long been in a position to command a king’s ransom for endorsing commercial products. He has never given his endorsement to any brand of cigarettes, and I was very pleased to hear

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Photo: Maayan Gutgold, Israel

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him give the reason in simple English: “I love kids.” That is a perfect choice of words. He does love kids. He knows that in most of the world they will buy anything with his name on it. Therefore, though he came from a very poor family, no amount of money can tempt him to do something that will mislead young people or injure their health. To love is to be responsible like this in everything: the work we do, the things we buy, the food we eat, the people we look up to, the movies we see, the words we use, every choice we make from morning till night. That is the real measure of love. It is a wonderfully demanding responsibility.

Awareness of unity Discrimination, then, leads us naturally to another condition for love: the awareness that life is one indivisible whole. This is the very basis of love. Any violation of the unity of life, whether it is between individuals, between nations, between us and the environment, or between us and our fellow creatures, is a failure of love. Everything that separates diminishes love; everything that unifies increases it. Lack of love divides; wealth of love heals.

To take just one aspect of this, you may recall Mother Teresa’s brilliant truism: “It is always people you meet everywhere.” Beneath the thinnest shell of differences, every one of us is very much the same, whether we live in Asia, Africa, Antarctica, or America.

Learning to love is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity – especially, perhaps, today, when the whole world, threatened with violence on every side, is starving for love and unity.

“In the home,” Mother Teresa says, “begins the disruption of the peace of the world.” Similarly, it is in the home that the peace of the world is preserved. In nourishing our family, our community, and finally our world with love, turning our backs on ourselves when necessary to give what the world so desperately needs, we become, in the words of St. Francis, instruments of peace.

Reprinted with permission from ‘Spiritual Revolution’, an article by Eknath Easwaran from The Blue Mountain Journal. Copyright The Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, P.O. Box 256, Tomales, CA 94971, www.easwaran.org. (Extract from http://www.easwaran.org/learning-to-love-blue-mountain.html)

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At Home

by Anita Krishnaswamy

A Place for Everything There is a god for almost every aspect of life in Hindu tradition – and architecture is no exception!

Vishwakarma, the son of Brahma (the Creator)is said to be the presiding deity of craftsmen and architects, and is regarded as the ‘divine draftsman’ of the universe. He is said to have four hands, in which he holds a water-pot, a book, a Photo: Ingrid de Saint-Ours, Germany

Vaastu Shastra or the Indian science of architecture takes into account the environmental and cosmic energies of a place, and prescribes tips for the physical structure to be built in that space Vaastu Shastra is the ancient Indian science of architecture. The word ‘vaastu’ means ‘dwelling’ in Sanskrit. Vaastu Shastra (or vaastu in short) provides guidelines for the building of physical structures (homes, temples, hospitals and so on), keeping in view that the form should be in accordance with environmental and cosmic energies. It is said to have developed around 6000 BC and 3000 BC and handed down through word of mouth or scriptures.

Similar in some ways to the principles of Feng Shui, which originated in China, vaastu focuses on aligning the structure to the energies of a place. The force of gravity and the five elements of nature – earth, fire, water, air and sky (space) – are said to exert their influence on a space. Also, the earth is said to be influenced by the sun and other planets – each of which is said to guard a direction. If the structure is designed such that the positive forces override the negative forces, it is beneficial for those living within. In some texts, Vaastu Shastra is said to compare the physical structure to man’s body and the chakras (energy points) within – and the building is designed so as to align the energies in a harmonious balance.

noose and the craftsman’s tools. To his credit are the awe-inspiring palaces of gods and kings – including the ‘Golden’ Lanka for Ravana (in the Ramayana), Dwaraka for Krishna, Hastinapur and Indraprasth (both mentioned in the Mahabharat). To invoke his blessings, Vishwakarma Puja is performed in several Indian cities (such as Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Tripur). The festival is observed primarily in factories and industrial areas, often on the shop floor. In some parts of the country,

This is the first in a series of articles on Vaastu Shastra. Each month, we will address one aspect of vaastu, and

the Puja is performed a day

provide tips on how to beneficially align the energies of your home.

after Diwali.

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