Salaam Bahrain May 2019 issue

BD 1.500

May 2019 - VOLUME 12, ISSUE 2

we speak your language

Ramadan 2019 in Bahrain

TEMPLE HARMONY IN MANAMA

BAHRAIN MAYMOTORING 2018 1 SPECIAL RAMADANSALAAM CUISINE, FASHION, FOCUS

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Note from the Chairman

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the editorial team P.O. Box 50650, Arad, Kingdom of Bahrain Licensed by the Ministry of Information Publication Licence no : GASB 740

Chairman Mahmood Al Mahmood Chief Editor Ahdeya Ahmed Managing Director P.K. Ravi Editor Meera Ravi Contributing Agency • Maharaja Features Pvt. Ltd. Designer • Sumesh. C. Unni

When I was growing up – a long time ago! – my parents and elders gave us pretty simple rules to live by. Be honest, be polite and respectful to elders, be caring, don’t cheat or hurt others. They were not easy rules to follow, mind you, but served as a bedrock for good character as we grew older. The social rituals of good behavior came easily if one remembered the core values and rules.

These days, our children and grandchildren live in a socially fragmented world and even if parents teach them good values, the etiquette patterns are vastly different for every situation. You cannot write an email or text message the way you would speak to a person, for example. The written word, without the voice inflection and facial expression, for example, can completely change the tone of a message and lead to misunderstanding. So the core of the message should be couched with more courtesy than you would need in an oral communication.

When sitting in company, good manners dictate that one should never appear distracted or bored. But these days, we all – adults and children – tend to pull out our mobile phones or tablets and start to work or send messages on them, ignoring fellow-guests, even if we are at a family get-together or meeting with friends.

But these are small issues. The big picture remains the same despite the intrusion of technology in our everyday lives. Now that Ramadan is here, the need to exercise even more patience and good will is a must and also caring for others. Let’s make a covenant with humanity that we shall practice the sharing of goodwill with everybody – not just our equals. If we have domestic workers who fast and work alongside us, let us give them their share of the Iftar meal so that they too can break their fast with us instead of waiting for leftovers. Let us control our road rage and Let our sharing be framed by thoughtfulness - instead of just taking a dish to our well-off neighbours who have a full table, why not fill a casserole for those roadworkers in your street who sit down on the pavement after sunset for their meal?.

The opportunities to behave well actually exceed the chances to behave badly.

Ramadan Kareem to all.

Capt. Mahmood Al Mahmood

Photography • Jomon • Sajid Butt Marketing P.R.M. Marketing Consultancy w.l.l Advertising Sales Contact: +973 3668 4011/ 1772 0797 advts.sb@gmail.com Published by Al Ayam Publishing Promoted by Ajyal Consultations w.l.l Advertising / Editorial / Circulation Enquiries +973 3668 4011 +973 1772 0797 e-mail: salaam.bahrain@gmail.com advts.sb@gmail.com Copyright Reserved.

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher and Editor. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, the publisher & editor cannot accept legal responsibility for any error, content or omissions.

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Highlights May 2019

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17 • OUR SPECIAL RAMADAN FOCUS

Making the most of the Holy Month

To prepare you for a healthy, joyful and peaceful Ramadan, we bring you - An exciting extended cuisine section with recipes for your Ramadan table - How to do ‘healthy’ without foregoing forbidden food - Iftar and Ghabga deals in hotels, - Motoring promotions to get your dream car at best prices - Advise on managing road rage - Controlling Ramadan sleep disruptions - Retail deals from hypermarket giants Carrefour, Mega Mart and food supplier TRAFCO

• IN THE NEWS

Bahrain’s Shrinathji Temple marks 200 years

The Manama Shrinathji Temple is a symbol of the heritage of peace and harmony that Bahrain holds out to the world. Its 200th year was celebrated under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

39 • HEALTH

Busting eye care myths We use our eyes the most extensively, yet eye care is riddled with misunderstanding.

We decode the myths and bring you the correct tips.

44 • FASHION

Pakistan shows bring back textile traditions

High-street brands and young Pakistani designers are bringing inventive, artistic design with a smart focus on traditional design aesthetics to fashionistas.

P, SHU GUP D O YWO OLL B X S I EP ..PLU CEN S Y T N PAR STA NGI U O Y

COLUMNS • 48 Shobhaa De • 13 Ayaz Memo • 51 News Adda • 63 Celeb Chakker

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Bahrain dominates Asian Arab awards

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ine Bahrainis received recognition and awards at the annual ASIAN ARAB AWARDS 2019 organised by Indian Economic Trade Organization in Hyderabad, dominating the prestigious business awards ceremony. With 24 countries bringing over 500 delegates to the business meet, Bahrain was a Partner Country at the meet and a delegation of 40 investors and business delegates from the Kingdom were led by Ahlam Yousif Janahi, the president of the Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society.

“The leaders of Bahrain have always encouraged a ‘Look East’ policy and we also have a vibrant Indian business community in the Kingdom,” Ahlam said, “We are very keen that this forum should be a springboard for the success of business co-operation between Bahrain and Telengana, India.”

More than 800 nominees sent in their names for the prestigious awards and the 35 awardees were selected by an international jury with offices in GCC Countries and in the 21 other countries of the continent. The Bahraini award-winners were Ahlam Janahi, Hala Sulaiman,Vicky Mouwad, Khulood Al Qahtan, Nabeel Ajoor, Shanthini Raja, Fatma Delawar, SALAAM BAHRAIN

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Dr. Hanan Madan and Sonya Janahi.

Bahraini Amal Ramadan, who wowed the audience with a glamorous Arabic fashion show was also singled out for an appreciation award.

A total of 12 MOUs were signed between various organisations for business development and development of mutual bilateral relations. “The stable government

in Telangana is the main driving factor for these international investors to think of investment in this state and its progressive approach towards new businesses� said Dr. Asif Iqbal, the President of the Indian Economic Trade Organization.(IETO).

Headed by Dr. Asif Iqbal who is the president of the Board, IETO collaborates with many colleges, universities as a

knowledge partner and to support business intelligence inputs on Academia Industry Partnerships.

Other awardees at the event were from Japan, Indonesia, Morocco, Oman, Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Bangladesh, Nepal, Djibouti, Russia, Vietnam, China, and few more countries.

Bangladesh celebrates 48th National Day Diplomats, members of the Bangla community and a wide cross-section of businesspeople and guests attended a reception to celebrate the anniversary of the Independence and National Day of Bangladesh at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Cuisine is always a great cultural marker and on this occasion, the lavish buffet of Bangladeshi delicacies were a treat to connoisseurs with its authenticity and aroma.

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LOCAL HISTORY

Manama temple's 200th milestone

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et in a secluded courtyard dominated by its modest block and a larger-than-life picturesque painting of Lord Krishna, the Manama Shrinathji Temple is the centre of religious life among Bahrain’s expat Hindu community. It is also a symbol of the Kingdom’s harmony and inclusiveness, being the oldest Hindu temple in the Gulf. Having been established as a small place of prayer for the Bhatia trader community in 1819 during the era of late HH Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Al-

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Fateh, it was expanded in 1869, during the era of late HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa.

Since then, the temple has continued to grow, keeping pace with the rising number of devotees who come there to pray.

“It is a belief amongst Hindus that a temple that is the focus of devotees’ love for a period of 12 years, becomes a place of pilgrimage. By that measure, Bahrain’s Shrinathji Mandir, which has been revered for over 200 years is what we would call a ‘punya-sthal’, conse-crated and holy, ” said Vijay Mukhia, temple priest and spokesman whose family has served theis temple for 2019

five generations now.

In March this year, the temple commemorated its 200th year under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa. His Majesty had deputised HM the King’s Personal Representative, HH Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Kha-lifa to attend the ceremony which was also attended by HRH Prince Andrew, the Duke of York. The Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Shura Council Chairman, Ali bin Saleh AlSaleh, Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister, Shaikh Khalid bin Ali

Al Khalifa, ambassadors, senior state officials and religious heads of different faiths also attended the grand celebration, co-organised by the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence and the “This Is Bahrain” Society.

HH Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad conveyed HM the King’s greetings and appreciation to all the participants in the celebration, as well as HM’s pride in the great role they have played in the kingdom’s progress in various fields.

The ceremony was presided over by His Divine Holiness Tilkayat Aatmaj Goswami

broad-minded leadership has given us the spiritual space to worship our Shrinathji in Bahrain,” said Temple Committee Chairman, Sushil Muljimal, “Not only does it give us a place to gather in God’s name, but it is also a channel for us all to represent Bahrain’s beautiful spirit of harmony to the world.”

The beautifully decorated temple building is part of extensive plans to renew the space architecturally, said Vice Chairman Bhagwan Asarpota, but the committee is mindful of the smooth flow of worshippers who come everyday.

Shree Vishal Bawa Sahab from the original Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan and former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Vasundara Raje also attended the historic event.

“We are grateful that Bahrain’s liberal and

“Our Committee Member Ramesh Gajaria has harnessed the latest technology to renovate the temple building with minimum disturbance to daily worshippers,” he said, “Today this is a temple for all – devotees use the space to

celebrate every festival from Diwali to the South Indian Onam and Bengali Durga Pujo and I believe this enriches the atmosphere of devotion in the temple.”

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SALAAM SOCIETY

B.O.S celebrates Utkal Divas The Bahrain Odia Samaj (B.O.S.) celebrated Odisha’s Foundation Day - Utkal Divas and Odia New Year - Pana Sankranti at the Isa Bin Salman Cultural Hall, Alumni Club in Adliya. The event was a grand cultural fiesta with dances and music showcasing Odisha’s rich cultural heritage and history and glorifying its hidden natural beauty. The Bahrain Odia Samaj’s members put together a spectacular show along with the Aradhana Foundation. The Eastern state’s Foundation Day was graced by eminent Indian diplomat Shri Lalit Mansingh, Gajapati Maharaj Shri Dibyasingha Deb, the revered King of Puri and first servitor of Lord Jagannatha, the Director of Labour and vocational safety for the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, Ahmed Al Haiki, Chairman of Dadabhai Group of Companies, Mohammed Dadabhai, prominent entrepreneur, Batool Dadabhai and Ambassadors of India, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia , Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Founder of B.O.S., Arun Kumar Praharaj said, “We are proud that the event was so well-received and people now know so much about Odisha! This could not have been possible without the blessings of the Ruling Family and dedicated efforts of our Executive Committee and the Members.”

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F1

A song about speed!

F1 photo album by Premjith Narayan

Immediately after the Formula One when we posted some of our award-winning photographer Premjith Narayan’s photos of the race on our Facebook page with a post-race commentary by our Motoring Correspondent Anup S., the response was tremendous and quickly clocked over 1500 likes. We couldn’t resist sharing with readers some of the more unusual photographs that Premjith took which sing about the speed of these glorious machines on the track!

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Bahrain showcases unique 'melting-pot' culture

Bahrain’s warm heart and harmony was on full show at the Communities Carnival held at Water Garden City, Seef. Enthusiastic clubs, community groups and embassies came together and were joined by Bahraini groups who displayed their talent in crafts and art. Minister of Labour and Social Development Jameel Humaidan graced the event with his presence and the lovely outdoor setting rang to the joyful sounds of families having a great time.

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Pak visit of business group commended Pakistan Ambassador Afzaal Mahmood welcomed the business delegation that represented Bahrain's thriving Pakistani business ties at the recent TEXPO 2019 in Pakistan. The textile exhibition attracted delegates from the Kingdom, Bahraini and Pakistani, who explored new business ties with Pakistan's thriving textile industry. Ambassador Mahmood's dinner reception was held at Pakistan House, his residence.

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wishes you

A Special Ramadan 2019 Focus

RAMADAN

Ramadan Listing

stations, and a delightful array of mouthwatering desserts served daily at sunset priced at BD 12++. Children under 6 years can dine free, while those up to 14 years pay just half price. For bookings and more information, please call us on +97317531122, or email on info.cpbahrain@ihg.com

Four Seasons Hotel FOUR SEASONS The Four Seasons Ramadan Tent at Al Bahrain Ballroom has been redesigned and features a fresh theme. Guests can explore the buffet setup with a selection of items.

Entertainment will be provided by a fourpiece Arabic band with an opera singer from Cairo. Younger guests will be kept entertained by a range of fun activities at the special kids’ tent. Iftar, from sunset to 8:00 pm, is BD 32 net per person, BD 16 net per person for 6 to 12 year olds and BD 26 net per person for Groups of 30 persons and above. Ghabga, from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am, is BD 34.5 net per person, BD 17 net per person for 6 to 12 year olds and BD 28 net per person for Groups of 30 persons and above. For reservations or more information, call +973 1711 5500.

MÖVENPICK HOTEL Experience a sumptuous array of rich Ramadan meal and a traditional Iftar of the finest Arabic Hospitality in Mövenpick Hotel. In celebration of the Holy Month, 2 lucky winners will win a round trip ticket to any European destination within route, offered by Air France, KLM! Iftar Buffet will be offered throughout Ramadan, from Sunset to 09:00 pm at Al Murjan Ballroom for BHD 17.00 net, per person. Special price of BHD 14.50 net, per person, on Group Reservations of 30 persons or more. For

reservations or more information, call +973 17 4600 17 or e-mail hotel.bahrain. fb@movenpick.com GULF HOTEL BAHRAIN The Gulf Hotel Bahrain is back with its famous Khaimat Al Khaleej. This year we are bringing a timeless and elegant theme, featuring a wonderful ambiance, a lavish buffet, a lounge and a friendly kid’s play area with entertainment and games. Iftar will be open daily from sunset time to 8 pm priced at BD 20, per person and Gabgah from 10 pm until 2 am on weekdays priced at BD 18 and 3 am on weekends priced at BD 20. Children up to 5 years are free of charge and 6-12 years get a 50% discount. There is 50% discount on Gabgah only on Ladies Night every Tuesday. For bookings and enquiries, call +973 17 713 000 or email info@gulfhotelbahrain. com CROWNE PLAZA For the very first time Crowne Plaza has created a rich ambience to reflect a true taste of Arabia with secluded seating for families in the Conference Centre. In addition to this there will be daily and weekly rewards - from dinner vouchers to electronic goods. Enjoy the lavish Iftar buffet featuring Ramadan delicacies, live-cooking

INTERCONTINENTAL REGENCY For Ramadan, Intercontinental Regency will be setting up a spectacular tent by its poolside on the mezzanine floor. Lively entertainment, warm Arabian hospitality and a raffle draw, where KLM is generously giving away 3 roundtrip tickets, 2 to Kuwait and 1 to Europe will also be part this a Ramadan. Iftar buffet will be served from sunset until 8:30 pm priced at BD 12++ on weekdays and BD 14++ on weekends. For children from 4 to 12 years it is BD 6.500 ++ & below 4 years can dine for free. Daily Gabgha will be from 9.00 pm to 2.00 am with an a la carte menu or a set-menu for the offering. For booking or information, call +97336967749 or +9731722 7777 or e-mail at selections.icbahrain@ihg.com GOLDEN TULIP HOTEL Golden Tulip Hotel is offering delicious spread of hot and cold mezzeh, salads, soups, main course dishes, desserts, along with house specialties, this Ramadan. The guests can choose from multiple menus that vary from BD 9.500 net per person up to BD 18.000 net per person, to suit their tastes and requirements. For booking or information, call Tristan Tirona on +973 39995949 or +973 32164403or e-mail at sales4@goldentulipbahrain.com.

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RAMADAN LE MERIDIEN Baharat Restaurant located at Le Meridien City Centre Bahrain is offering Iftar Buffet at BD 20 net per person for Adult and BD 10 net per person for kids between 6 to 12 years. Furn Bistro located at The Westin City Centre Bahrain is offering Family Style Iftar menu for BD 15 net per person available from sunset to 9:00 pm. Furn Bakery is open from 10:00 am to sunset for takeway cake, coffee and snacks. Open for normal service from sunset to 1:00 am on weekdays and until 2:00am on weekends.

A la carte Sahoor menu is also available at Furn Bakery. For at any of the above call +973 3350 2121 or email devika.fernando@marriott.com.

Private Iftar or Ghabga with menu options are also available at BD 14, BD 16 or BD 18 net per son. For inquiries or booking, call +973 3888 5828 or email nishi. teeluck@marriott.com.

DOMAIN HOTEL Iftar at the Domain Hotel will begin from 6 pm t0 10 pm daily. A variety of bakery items, organic salads bar, cold mezzeh oriental kitchen, international salad bar, live cooking station, and much more are available in buffet style for BD13++ per person with a minimum of 35 pax group booking.

For inquiries or booking, call Chef Jahidur +973 3445 6808 or email Ghazi Habib at ghazi@thedomainhotels.com.

THE GROVE HOTEL & CONFERENCE CENTRE The Grove Hotel invites its guests to feast upon its delectable Iftar and Ghabga menu with special Bahraini cuisine and live cooking station. Iftar will be served from sunset till 8 pm followed by Ghabga at 9pm till late night. Both at priced at BD 12++ per person with special price for group bookings. For restaurant reservation call +973 16035640 and group bookings call +973 66752756.

WYNDHAM GARDEN Experience the spirit of the Holy Month with a sumptuous traditional Iftar buffet at

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Via Brasil in Wyndham Garden from sunset to 9:00pm for BD 10.900 net per person and BD 5.450 for children of 6 to 11 years.

The Ghabga buffet, with a feast of Middle Eastern cuisines and selection of traditional juices, sweets and savouries, from 9:30pm to 2:00 am for BD 10.900 net per person and BD 5.450 for children of 6 to 11 years.

Special discounts on group bookings and private corporate Ghabga gatherings are also available. For bookings, call +973 6631 6666 or +973 6639 8787.

REEF RESORT A lavish Iftar Buffet with traditional Arabic specialties, a live dessert counter and much more will be served daily at Pool Delight Restaurant in Reef Resort from sunset till 8pm. The Iftar Buffet is priced at BD 18+++ per person. For those who wish to enjoy a late evening get-together with friends and family, Reef Resort’s Ramadan tent, Reef Tent, will be open every night from 9 pm onwards. Priced at BD

22+++, guests may indulge in a delicious buffet against a background of traditional Arabic music, with a live Oud player performing nightly. Several options are available for Iftar and Ghabga packages with special rates for corporate groups. For bookings and enquiries, please call +973 13 110110 or email at info@reef-resort. com .

SOFITEL RESORT & SPA Unravel Ramadan enchantmentS at Layali Al Zallaq Ramadan Tent, with a lavish Iftar & Ghabga buffet by the sea. Savour a delectable traditional fare and live cooking stations from around the world, intertwined with local flavours for an unrivalled 2019

gastronomic experience. Iftar Buffet will begin sunset till 08:30 pm is priced at BD20 net per person. The Ghabga Buffet with live entertainment on weekdays is from 09:30pm to 01:00am and weekends till 02:00am and is priced at BD 23 net per person. A Kids’ Camp with various funfilled activities like designing Ramadan cards, pinwheels and others arts & crafts are also available. For reservations and more details, please call +973-1763 6363.

AL AREEN PALACE AND SPA Al Areen Palace and Spa opens its doors to their brand new luxurious Al Qasr Tent for the holy month of Ramadan for Iftar and Ghabga. Guests can enjoy an eclectic Arabian buffet while being serenaded by the Tarabeesh Band from Lebanon, live cooking stations, or get lucky in their special weekly raffle draws. Iftar and Ghabga are timings are from sunset to 9:00 pm and 9:30 pm to 2:00 am respectively and both priced at BD 18++ on weekdays and BD 20++ on weekends. For special corporate rates, call or Whatsapp +973 36057496 or +973 36057497.

RAMEE GRAND HOTEL & SPA Celebrate the holy month of Ramadan at Khaymat Al Antalya Ramadan Tent in Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa with traditional Arabic décor, traditional music and Oud player and a special Ramadan menu for Ghabga and Iftar. Timings for Iftar is from 6:15 pm to 8:00 pm priced at BD 11++ net per person and for Ghabga from 8:30pm to2:00 am Ghabga priced at BD 13++ net per person. For group of 40 and more the rates for Iftar BD 10++ net per person and Ghabga is BD 12++ net per person. For more information and bookings contact Aimee Shaji at +973 1711 1999 ext 3204 or +973 36897379 or email to gm.pa@rameegrandbahrain.com THE RITZ-CARLTON The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain, in partnership with VIVA, invites guests to embark on a month-long celebration at the luxurious VIVA Masaya Pavilion with nightly Iftar and Ghabga buffet feasts amidst elegant décor

and nightly entertainment. Guests are welcomed in to join for Iftar from sunset to 8 p.m. for BD 32 per person and Ghabga from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. for BD 35 per person. Enjoy silver service for up to eight guests by book one of the Pergola seating areas for BHD 360 and. For more information and bookings visit ritzcarlton.com/bahrain, contact +973 1758 6499, or email at rc.bahrz.restaurant.reservations@ritzcarlton.com.

NOVOTEL BAHRAIN AL DANA RESORT For the hoy month, NOVOTEL Bahrain is bringing its guests a special Levantine cuisine with live cooking stations for Shawarna, Manakish and Foul & Fatteh. The Iftar will begin at sunset till 8:30 pm and is priced at BD 10 per person and BD 8 for groups with minimum of 30 persons.

Ghabga is available only upon request for a minimum of 30 persons priced at BD 8 and timing is from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am. For more information and bookings contact +973 17298471.

dessert along with traditional Ramadan beverages. The doors are open from sunset until until 2:00 am for Iftar & Ghabga. Iftar & Ghabga package is available at BD 50 net per person with a 50% discount for ladies on every Tuesday. For more information and bookings contact +973 77707070.

DOWNTOWN ROTANA Enjoy a vibrant spread of extravagant Iftar buffet at Al Maha Tent in Downtown Rotana with your family, friends or colleagues during the Holy month of Ramadan. Priced at BD 15 net per person, the buffet includes Ramadan drinks and desserts while enjoying the soothing music of the live entertainment. The unique Ramadan decorations and the outdoor ballroom terrace will add some more magic to your lovely evenings and will open be at sunset till 9:00 pm. For more information and

bookings contact +973 13119999.

MERCURE GRAND HOTEL Embrace Ramadan delights in Mercure Grand Hotel Seef ’s lavish Arabian-inspired décor featuring specially curated, impressive buffet, infused with traditional and international fare, designed to be savoured.

Enjoy a grand Iftar buffet at Neyran Restaurant from BD 12 net or discover a sumptuous Ghabga experience with live entertainment at Al Bawadi Tent from BD 8 net. A special themed weekly Sultana Nights, every Tuesday, where ladies receive 50% discount and a gentry on Mondays, where gentlemen receive 50% discount adds extra delight to this Ramadan. For more information and bookings contact call: +973 3200 0621.

JUMEIRAH ROYAL SARAY Jumeirah Royal Saray invites the guests to enjoy authentic Arabian experience at the Al Saraya Tent that is ideally suited for everyone. The extensive Iftar and Ghabga buffet showcases a variety of Arabiab and International cuisines, special Bahraini delicacies, a sushi station and wide selection of

Wyndham’s pre-Ramadan media meet Wyndham Garden Manama in Juffair hosted a sumptuous pre-Ramadan dinner with the media. Attended by local media partners and social media influencers, Wyndham Garden Hotel management welcomed guests in a Middle Eastern setting at Via Brasil restaurant located on the 28th floor with breathtaking view of Bahrain skyline showcasing the best seasonal Ramadan flavors and local dishes.

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CUISINE

Carrefour promises great treats for families this Ramadan It’s Ramadan and therefore the season for reflection and sharing. With the Holy Month falling in the summer this year, everybody walks a tricky balance between wanting to eat healthy and nutritious but without spending too much time cooking in a hot kitchen.

Carrefour, which is operated by Majid Al Futtaim in Bahrain, already has its preparations for the Holy Month underway by putting together a range of promotions as part of its healthy convenience plan. “ We know our customers start panning for Ramadan ahead of time, so we began rolling out offers on a variety of items in mid-April that not only emphasize healthy eating but also reflects the traditional food culture that exists in the Kingdom. For example, our date section features over 40 types of the nutrition-packed fruit which can be used to break the fast or as a separate ingredient in your culinary spread,” said Jerome Akel, Country Manager of Carrefour Bahrain.

Keenly aware of the food trends, Carrefour has put together a selection of delicious organic ingredients for home-chefs.

“We have developed a healthy kitchen universe in our stores where we offer more than 5000 unique organic or gluten free products that are sourced from all over the world,” Jerome continued.

Given that most households will be looking for healthy, tasty food that is quick to

prepare, the Carrefour Hot Foods section and the bakery will be working hard to stock up on plenty of prepared food, specialty breads and baked goodies. Akel said that the hot delicatessen section will have roasted chicken, biryanis, specialty Filipino and Indian meals for customers to choose from.

Chef Ziad Ramadan, from the hot deli RAMADAN PROMOTIONS INCLUDE AL MATAHIN JEREESH (1 KG @0.325 FILS), QUAKER OATS (2 X 500GM @BD 1.350), KAZEROONI HAREES (2 KGS @ 0.895 FILS), MAJNOO LAILA BASMATI RICE (5 KGS @ BD 2.590), WHILE PULSES, MEAT, FRUIT AND VEG CAN ALSO BE HAD AT A GREAT VALUE. section brings a special understanding to his job, and understands that it can be challenging to combine the demands of a career with the extra duties of caring for the family during Ramadan. With this in mind, Chef Ziad and his team have created hot and cold meals that require little effort to prepare, such as breads that simply need to be placed in the oven, or packaged salad ingredients ready to be tossed, this way customers can have a quality meal that is also convenient.

Taking it one step further, Carrefour in City Centre Bahrain will

also have a “Food 2 Go” section with an assortment of salads, pastas and sandwiches, in addition to a special Iftar box for those who do not have the chance to attend a gathering.

Asked for his top tips for home chefs, Zaid said that during the Holy Month it’s important to keep the foods you eat after fasting as light and nutritious as possible.

Because it is summer, focus on salads – Carrefour has a wide range of ready-prepared salads that have vegetables high in water content and meats for your protein intake. You can even prepare your own salad and add dressing in-store to takeaway.

He also recommends that readers keep their tables laden with hydrating foods like soups, salads and fruits instead of fizzy drinks that contain added sugar. When possible, try to bake your foods as opposed to deep-frying them in oil, and balance your red and white meat consumption with more grains and vegetables.

Chef Ziad Ramadan shared with Salaam Bahrain readers, an easy and delicious recipe for dessert that you can make at home.

CHEF ZIAD RAMADAN'S

Baklawa

INGREDIENTS • 2 ¼ cups /300 grams shelled pistachio nuts • 4 sticks /2 cups/454 grams unsalted butter • 450 grams of phyllo dough, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator • 3 cups /600 grams sugar • Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste

Preparation

1. In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until coarsely ground (or you can chop them by hand until very finely chopped). Don’t overprocess the nuts.You want to maintain some texture.

2. Clarify the butter by melting it over low heat, then letting it cook until the foam rises to the top and the milk solids fall to the bottom of the pan. This will take about 5 to 15 minutes depending upon how high your heat is, but don’t rush it or the butter could burn. Skim foam off the top of the melted butter. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a piece of cheesecloth, place it over a bowl and pour the melted butter through.

3. Heat oven to 400 degrees and brush the inside of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a little of the clarified butter.

4. Prepare the phyllo dough by trimming the stack of it with scissors to fit the bottom of your baking dish. Packages of phyllo come in different sizes; some won't need any trimming, some may need an inch or two cut off a side, and some may need to be cut in half crosswise. Cover phyllo layers with a lightly damp kitchen towel, and keep covered. Place 1 piece of phyllo on the bottom of the baking pan; brush lightly with clarified butter. Layer phyllo sheets on top, brushing each sheet with butter as you go, until half the phyllo is used.

5. Spread pistachios on phyllo in an even layer, then layer with remaining phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter as you go (rewarm butter if necessary).

Cut the pastry into 36 pieces, using clean up-and-down strokes and rotating the pan if necessary. Make sure to cut all the way through to bottom of pan. Pour any remaining butter evenly over pan.

6. Bake baklava until the top is golden brown, and the lower phyllo layers beneath the pistachios are thoroughly baked through. To test this, use a knife to lift up a corner of one of the pastry rectangles from the center of the pan so you can peek at the bottom layers.

Start checking after 40 minutes, but it could take an hour or even 1 hour 10 minutes. If the top starts to get too brown before the pastry is cooked through, lay a piece of foil over the top.

7. Meanwhile, prepare sugar syrup: In a medium pot, combine sugar with 1 2/3 cups/400 milliliters water. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in lemon juice.

8. When the baklava is baked through, reheat the syrup until it comes to a simmer. Remove pan from oven and place in the sink or on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips of syrup. Slowly pour hot sugar syrup over the pastry; it will bubble up and some may overflow. When the syrup stops bubbling, move pan to wire rack to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

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CUISINE IFTAR SNACK (Chinese-style)

Crab balls with water chestnut A quick and tasty starter for your Iftar party table

Preparation

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • •

450 g crab meat, minced 100 g water chestnuts, chopped* 1 clove garlic, crushed ½ inch slice ginger root, minced 3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• • • • • •

1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 3 eggs, beaten 1 tsp white sesame seeds Oil for deep-frying Good-quality bottled sweet chili sauce

*You will get water chestnuts in the Ethnic Foods section of most stores or in Oriental supermarkets specializing in Chinese and Filipino foods

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1. Mix together all the ingredients except the oil and shape into small balls.

2. Spread the sesame seds on a small saucer or plate and quickly roll the balls over it so that the surface picks up some seeds.

Top up the saucer with more seeds, if needed.

3. Heat the oil and deep-fry the crab balls until golden brown. Drain well before serving.

4. Serve with sweet chili sauce.

HEALTH

How to do healthy without being a spoilsport One of the challenges of eating healthy is the belief that healthy=boring. Here are some tips on how to avoid the big pitfalls of indulging in junk food.

Are you full of good resolutions for Ramadan? To eat right, avoid junk food and cook fresh and nutritious food for the family – or at least eat at restaurants that will serve them?

Shh! Do the kids know your plan? Also, are you secretly bored of the plan already?

Before you answer this, what is junk food according to you? Before you think about the answers, ask yourself what you know about junk food. Many people think junk food is essentially fast food like burgers, french fries, pizza, nachos etc. What they are unaware of is the minefield of unhealthiness that Asian foods constitutes.

Take that all-time favourite, chhole bhaturey, for instance. The name itself is enough for our mouths to start watering.

Even cricketer Virat Kohli has said that what he misses most in his weight watching is Delhi’s chhole bhaturey. People think the chhole is protein so the deepfried bhaturey is okay to eat. Wrong! By eating just two bhaturey and a cup of chhole, you will easily pack in almost 50 grams of fat and 1200 calories. With its surfeit of calories and saturated fats, regular consumption of can lead to high blood pressure and diabetes.

By contrast, a fast-food burger is 465 calories. But wait… most fast food burgers are made with pre-packed frozen meat patties layered with preservatives, fillers and are usually high in sodium. The burgers are cooked in oil and placed between slices of bread made of refined flour. Then you layer it with mayonnaise, ketchup and cheese, and to get your preservative-laden burger ready. By now, the only thing healthy

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about it are the few shreds of lettuce.

If a burger is your thing, the best thing would be to have home-made meat patties. If your kids insist on fast food joints, try to get into the habit of a ‘protein burger’ – one without the bread but wrapped in lettuce instead. Drop the cheese slice – a spoonful of grated cheese is better. Try to have labneh flavoured with za’atar instead of the mayo.

Or go for chicken nuggets (about 200 calories) with non-creamy dipping sauces, like barbecue or sweet and sour, which add only 45 calories. Better yet, go ‘street’ and get a shawarma wrap – the meat is grilled, so the fat percentage is less.

When choosing fries, try to make it sweet potato fries and baked, if possible.

You save calories and get just as many carbs and calories, with a massive amount of fiber, potassium and vitamin A. Or go healthy with a bowl of tortilla chips – a bag of any regular brand has about 140 calories 2019

and 8 grams of fat per serving. Dip it into a tomato salsa for flavor – and to avoid that decadent cheese dip. You'll get a huge boost of lycopene, an antioxidant, from the tomatoes.

Did you know that store bought flavoured yogurt, even Greek yogurt, has lots of sugar and preservatives so it can stay edible and ‘fresh’ for so long? Similarly, those who start their day with a ‘low-cal’ bowl of cornflakes and fruit-loops are simply eating preservatives and sugar.

On the other hand, pav bhaji made at home using fresh vegetables and a little salt is a lot healthier.

When opting for vada pav, why not try to make this a tikki (cutlet) and shallow-fry it so that you can save nearly 60% of the oil side-effects? Again, you can eat it with a side of salad or wrapped in lettuce, with all the chutneys, for a healthier result. If you love samosa, try to buy pre-wrapped samosa that has been half-fried and store

in the freezer. A single fried samosa contains 25g of fat. Whenever you need a samosa break, just defrost a batch for 10 minutes, spritz with a bit of olive oil and bake in an oven.

Speaking of salads, Asian salads are usually very healthy since they don’t use creamy dressings. Arabic salads like tabbouleh and fattoush are also light, healthy and great for summer. Do you routinely order fat-free dressings? This compromise may cause you to ingest more sugar, which is added to replace the flavour from the missing fat. And thanks to those added sweeteners, even lowfat and fat-free versions can top 100 calories per serving. A bit of fat actually helps your body absorb the nutrients in veggies. So go ahead and grab some regular, full-fat salad dressing, and don’t worry—it’s low in unhealthy saturated fat.

Just desserts

Desserts are always a challenge and it’s a pity that fast-food restaurants do not offer good fresh fruit options. But this summer, get you kids to like lighter desserts. Instead of sugar and fatloaded ice-cream, try fruit popsicles or sorbets. They are mostly fat-free, easy to make and come in colourful and flavoursome pieces.

For a biscuit nibble, try oatmeal cookies. Whole grain oats contain lots of fiber and minerals like calcium and iron. When dried fruit or nuts are added, as they often are, the vitamin, fiber, and protein counts go up even more. Another option is fig or date Newtons. There are just 110 calories in two cookies, and because they're full of soft fruit, two cookies are quite filling.

Adults can indulge in dark chocolate desserts - it's got less sugar than milk chocolate, and it's high in iron and fiber. If you treat yourself to a fancy, high quality dark chocolate bar, you'll be more inclined to savour it slowly instead of eating it in one sitting.

MYSTERY OF JUNK FOOD SO WHAT ACTUALLY IS JUNK FOOD? HERE’S A THUMB RULE WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERSTANDING JUNK FOOD — THE LONGER THE FOOD TAKES TO ROT ON THE SHELF, THE FASTER IT WILL ROT IN YOUR STOMACH. WHICH MEANS THAT ANYTHING WITH PRESERVATIVES, TRANS FATS AND EXCESS SALT OR SUGAR IS JUNK FOOD. ACTUALLY, HEALTHY FOOD DOES NOT HAVE A SHELF LIFE OF MORE THAN A WEEK OR TWO, ANYTHING THAT CAN LAST LONGER IS LACED WITH COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF PRESERVATIVES. ALSO, FOODS WHICH ARE HIGH IN CALORIE, FAT AND WITHOUT ANY NUTRITIVE VALUE– ALL YOUR CORN PUFFS, CHEESE BALLS AND PACKAGED CHIPS. JUNK FOOD DESTROYS YOUR BODY, HERE’S HOW.

Top tips for delicious health 1. Stay away from packaged foods. Even biscuits. Even the seemingly healthy nosugar fruit juices that you get in tetrapacks is all preservatives.

2. Always check the food label. Most of the time, Class II preservatives are mentioned in fine print. Also, glucose and corn syrup are the same as sugar, just mentioned differently to make the product seem healthier.

3. When eating a salad from the salad bar, do not pat yourself on the back for making a healthy choice if your salad comes with a dressing of mayo or drizzled

in oil. Opt for lemon juice and yogurtbased dressing.

— think about all the oil and salt or sugar that goes into it and you will agree.

4. Sandwich is healthy – provided it is made with whole grain bread and without cheese, ketchup and butter. Try nut butters if needed.

7. Cheat meals are a breather if you eat healthy otherwise. But remember that the amount of junk you eat depends on your body weight. If you weigh between 50-60 kilos, you can indulge in half packet of french fries and a medium burger.

Eating healthy in no way implies that you eat bland or munch chana every time you are hungry. All you need is an understanding of what junk food actually is and what your healthy food options are.

Share this article with your friends to help them eat healthy too.

5. Speaking of whole grain bread, do not mistake brown bread for whole wheat/ grain bread. Most brown bread brands get their colour from caramelised sugar, which as you guessed, isn’t healthy. Here are healthy food options that are tastier than junk food.

6. Many Asian pickles are unhealthy too

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CUISINE KIDS SPECIAL

Potato Sausage Fans These easy-to-make baked potatoes are not greasy like fries and pack a nutritional punch with the cheese and sausage.

Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 400°F 2. Wash potatoes and pat dry. With a sharp knife, make cuts 1/2-inch apart in each potato, not all the way through, leaving slices attached at the bottom.

3. Drizzle oil over potatoes and wrap each in foil.

4. Bake for 40 minutes or until almost tender.

5. Remove potatoes from oven. Insert the sliced sausage, cheese and onions between potato slices.

Sprinkle with garam masala powder.

6. Close foil. Make sure the foil is loosely wrapped so that the cheese melt does not get wasted. Bake 10-20 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

7. Serve with additional toppings of sour cream or labnah, if desired.

TIP: Potatoes could be roasted on a grill over mediumhot heat instead of in an oven.

INGREDIENTS The Dolma • 350 gms sausage - about 12 whole (cut into 24 slices) • 8 baking potatoes (large) • 8 teaspoons olive oil • 12 slices sharp cheddar cheese (halved) • 1 onion (medium, thinly sliced) • Generous pinch of garam masala powder • Aluminium foil for wrapping potatoes

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FROM MIDDLE EAST

Iraqi-Style Stuffed Dolma Iraqi cooking has greatly influenced Bahraini cuisine and this recipe further augments the culinary style with familiar Asian touches.

INGREDIENTS The Dolma

For the stuffing

• 2 medium onions or 300 g, cut into thin slices • 4 small eggplants - 300 g • 4 small zucchini - 400 g • 4 small potatoes -400 g • 4 small green bell peppers - 300 g

• • • • • • •

250 g lean minced lamb 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1 small onion, finely chopped ½ cup Egyptian rice 1½ teaspoons ground cumin ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 cube low sodium chicken stock bouillon cube • crumbled For the sauce • 1 tablespoon tamarind • 1 cube low sodium chicken stock bouillon cube • 1½ cups boiling water

Preparation 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Spread the sliced onions in the base of a large pot.

Wash and hollow eggplants, zucchinis, potatoes and bell peppers. Place them in a bowl with water to prevent changing their color.

Combine minced lamb, garlic, onion, rice, cumin, black pepper, parsley and low sodium Chicken Stock cube.

Drain hollowed vegetables from water then stuff them with meat mixture. Arrange them over onion slices in the pot.

Dissolve tamarind and chicken Stock cube in hot water. Pour stock over the vegetables.

Bring to boil, cover and cook over low heat for 35 minutes or until the vegetables and rice are cooked.

Place the vegetables on a large serving dish, add sauce and serve.

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CUISINE FROM KASHMIR

FROM VIETNAM

Mutton Yakhni Soup

Exotic and filling, this soup is at the same time delicate in flavor. It is an ideal dinnertime starter during Ramadan, packed with protein.

Bún Chá Cá – Fishballs Noodle Soup

Light and piquant, this soup consists of mostly only two main ingredients; fish balls and noodles.

It is a little acidic but usually not very fishy. One can even small chunks of sliced pineapple inside the bowl, giving the soup the more distinct flavour.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g snapper fillets, pin-boned, skinned • 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced • 1cm piece ginger, finely grated • 1 egg • 1/2 cup mint leaves, finely chopped • 450g packet fresh rice noodles • 2 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths • Thinly sliced long red chilli (optional), to serve

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • •

500 gms lamb meat with bones 4 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) 5 green cardamoms 5 cloves 1 inch cinnamon stick 1 bay leaf 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp red chilli powder • 4 tsp milk • 1 cup yogurt • 2 pinches saffron • ½ cup of coriander leaves, finely chopped

Preparation 1. Thoroughly clean the mutton and set aside. Dissolve saffron with milk and set aside too.

2. Heat ghee (clarified butter) in a large and deep bottomed pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cook on low heat till the spices begin to crackle.

3. Now add mutton, salt (as per your taste) and saute for 5-7 minutes on medium flame.

Cook until all the water is dried up and the meat changes color.

4. Add 10 glasses of water. Now reduce the heat and cook covered on low heat till the mutton softens and is fully cooked. The water would have reduced to half by now. Add in more water if necessary.

5. Whip the yogurt and gently add it to the broth. Cook on low flame while stirring continuously to avoid curdling.

6. Add red chilli powder and cook till the ghee starts separating on top.

7. Now add saffron milk and coriander leaves to the Yakhni soup and cook on low flame for a further couple of minutes.

8. Remove from heat and rest for 5 more minutes before serving hot.

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TROPICAL TIMES

Chilled Mango & Ginger Soup By the time we enter Ramadan, it will also be the mango season, so here’s a spicy mango soup as all of the ingredients are fresh and it is just so healthy! And the iced temperature – just right for summer.

INGREDIENTS • 1 large mango (peeled and destoned) • 1/2 onion (chopped) • 1/2 cup cold water • 1-2 small chilli peppers (minced) • Juice from 1 lime • 1/2 tsp ginger (grated or minced)

BROTH • • • • • • • • • •

2 tablespoons peanut oil 1 red onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2cm piece ginger, finely grated 2 cinnamon quills 5 star anise 100g shiitake mushrooms, halved 2 tablespoons caster sugar 125ml (1/2 cup) soy sauce 1 litre chicken stock

Preparation 1. To make broth, heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger and spices, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Add remaining ingredients and bring to the boil.

Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, to make fish balls, process fish, garlic, ginger and egg in a food processor until combined.

Transfer to a large bowl and add mint. Season, then stir to combine. Roll heaped tablespoons of mixture into 20 balls.

3. Carefully lower fish balls into broth. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 4 minutes. Add rice noodles and cook for a further 3 minutes or until fish balls and noodles are cooked.

4. Divide soup among bowls. Scatter with spring onions and sliced chilli, if using and serve.

Preparation 1. Process all ingredients together in a blender until smooth and creamy, adding a bit more or less water as needed.

2. Chill before serving. Makes two servings.

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CUISINE THAI-STYLE

Beef & cabbage stir-fry A quick and tasty starter for your Iftar party table

INGREDIENTS Stir fry sauce • • • •

2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 1 tbsp sriracha 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

Stir fry • • • • • • • •

1/2 head green cabbage 2 carrots 3 green onions 1/2 tbsp neutral cooking oil 250 gms lean ground beef 2 cloves garlic 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger Pinch of salt and pepper

Garnish (Optional) • 1 tbsp sesame seeds • 1 tbsp Sriracha * 1tbsp Sriracha makes a medium-spicy stir fry. If you don't like spicy, start with 1 tsp. The Sriracha adds flavor as well as heat, so don't skip it all together.

Preparation 1. Prepare the stir fry sauce first. In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, Sriracha, and brown sugar. Set the sauce aside.

2. Shred the vegetables so they are ready to go when you need them. Cut one small cabbage in half, remove the core, and then finely shred the leaves of one half the cabbage (4-6 cups once shredded, save the other half for another recipe). Peel two carrots, then use a cheese grater to shred them (1 cup shredded). Slice three green onions. Mince two cloves of garlic. Peel a knob of ginger using either a vegetable peeler or by scraping with the side of a spoon, then grate it using a small-holed cheese grater.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the cooking oil, ground beef, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the beef until browned (about five minutes).

4. Add the cabbage and carrots to the skillet and continue to stir and cook until the cabbage is slightly wilted (or fully wilted, if you prefer). Stir in the prepared sauce and the green onions. Top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a drizzle of sriracha, then serve.

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RAMADAN

Mega Mart takes the heat out of Ramadan preps Summertime is always a period when everybody wants to stay away from too much cooking. In addition, with the fasting and low energy of the Holy Month, homemakers are always looking for healthy shortcuts to set up their Iftar and Ramadan meal tables.

Luckily, you don’t have to go far. There’s only one place you can find all your needs and shop in the confidence that the quality is top class, the pricing just right – and that’s the Mega Mart chain which consists of Mega Mart, Macro Mart and Babasons.

With 12 branches around the Kingdom, Mega Mart offers plenty of delicious deals for you to choose from. Whether it is ready-prepared food from its Hot Foods section, its wide range of Asian food brands such as masala, food grains and its TESCO range of juices, honey, drinks and chips to frozen meals and baking goods, Mega Mart and Macro Mart makes planning nutritious Ramadan meals uncomplicated and enjoyable. Having completed 25 years in Bahrain, Mega Mart will soon be opening its next branch in Sanad, taking its warm customer service to yet another part of the Kingdom. The chain is wellknown across all communities – Indian, Arab, Pakistani and Western.

“Ramadan is a season when families break their fast and meal times after sunset are

sacred and cherished. At the same time, home-makers have to find innovative ways to keep their tables well-stocked with tasty treats withour spending time in the kitchen in the hot weather,’ observed General Manager R.V. Waghnani, “This is where we can help – our excellent in-house chefs and our range of Asian, British and international food labels can take the effort away and put in the enjoyment into family times this Ramadan.”

The delicious Indian sweets counter makes it easy to pick up portions of authentic and freshly-prepared sweets such as Ras Malai, Gajar Halwa and traditional Milk Cake which are frozen for enhancing the taste – these are popular with Mega Mart’s Asian clientele as well as the Bahrainis. Cool off for dessert with rich and creamy Vadilal Ice Cream brand in amazing Indian flavours like Anjeer (fig), Raj Bhog and Tender Coconut as well as classics such as Vanilla and Chocolate.

In addition to branded foods, Mega Mart Group also offers fresh premium meat from India and vegetables and fruits from Pakistan, India and specialty fresh produce from all over the world. To complement the ingredients, the retail chain’s freshbaked bread from their in-store bakery, all golden crust and soft on the inside comes in a range of healthy ways – multi-grain,

bran, brown, soya and the all-time favourite, white bread also. This Ramadan, add value and great taste to your Ramadan table with Mega Mart’s line of Indian snacks that are proving popular as starters – samosa and pakora with a range of fillings from chicken to potato and the flavourful potato-mung dal combo.

The Segaya, Muharraq, Amwaj Lagoon branch and Riffa branches of Macro Mart have a food-to-go counter that serves up tasty and fresh-made Arabic Indian and Chinese food. There are also chaat counters for a summertime snack that you can take home, assemble and serve. The stores also undertake catering orders by taking advance bookings from customers. ““We are proud of our service to our loyal multinational customers,” said Retail Operations Manager Lalit Bhojwani, “Over the years we have built up a range of excellent and reputed food brands and our range of fresh-prepared foods is very popular. Affordability, convenience and good health are Ramadan buzzwords and you will find them at all Mega Mart, Macro mart and Babasons outlets.”

With Ramadan discounts, promotion and deals on products, every day is a new and productive shopping experience at Mega Mart, Macro Mart and Babasons.

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CUISINE THIRST-QUENCHERS

4 water-based drinks to stay hydrated & healthy Between sunset and Suhour, try to drink plenty of water-based thirst-quenchers and fruits and veg that are high in water content like melons, lettuce and leafy greens, cucumber, zucchini, strawberries etc. Keep cooling jugs of infused water handy so all can reach for a healthy drink instead of sugary fizz or juices.

1. Iced Tea Zinger INGREDIENTS • 30 ml tropical Iced Tea, brewed and brought to room temperature (or chilled) • 60ml ounces ginger beer (non-alcoholic) • 30 ml fresh-squeezed orange juice • Orange wedge for garnish (optional) Preparation 1. Pour all ingredients into a tall glass filled with ice. Stir gently to combine.

2. Garnish with an orange wedge if desired.

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2. Hibiscus Tea A Middle Eastern favourite, just buy loose karkade hibiscus petals in your hypermarket. Hibiscus tea has a tart, cranberry-like flavor, and it contains vitamin C and minerals; it is used traditionally as a mild medicine as it is believed to be a blood-purifier.

Simply add 2-3 tablespoons of dried hibiscus flowers to 4 cups of hot water.

Leave it to cool, strain and chill for a couple of hours or overnight. Hibiscus tea keeps for a few days in your fridge.

PS: Avoid sweetening your teas; this will help you get used to drinking unsweetened beverages. But if you really need a sweet touch, vuse Stevia or honey instead of sugar.

3. Iced Tahini Mocha This truly fusion drink is a great way to introduce Mid East flavours to your friends.

The creamy tahini and the strong coffee taste is an unusual combination.

INGREDIENTS • 11/2 tbsp tahini • 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder • 2 ml brewed espresso, hot • 1 ml water, hot • 1 tbsp Splenda • Pinch sea-salt • Ice as needed • 6 oz whole milk • ½ tsp sesame seeds, toasted • Sesame seeds – white and black – for rimming glass Preparation 1. In a small measuring cup, whisk tahini with cocoa powder. Whisk in espresso, water, Splenda and salt until smooth. Rim a glass with sesame seeds, fill it with ill ice and add milk. Pour tahini-espresso mixture over top and garnish with sesame seeds.

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CUISINE

4. Coconut Melon Refresher INGREDIENTS • • •

3 cups of seeded and cubed watermelon flesh, chilled 2 tsp fresh ginger juice 60ml ounces ginger beer 3 cups coconut water – you can buy ‘drinking coconut’ and extract water or just buy canned coconut water

Preparation 1. Make a slush of the watermelon cubes and strain.

2. In a jug, add ice cubes and mix all the ingredients. Combine.

3. Serve cold.

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MALAYSIAN-STYLE

Chicken Rendang An amazing Malaysian-Indonesian chicken stew with spices and coconut milk. Deeply flavourful. The best rendang recipe ever!

INGREDIENTS • 600 gms boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into cubes • 1/3 cup cooking oil • 1 cinnamon stick • 3 cloves • 3 star anise • 3 cardamom pods • 1 lemongrass white part only, pounded and cut into strips

• 1 cup coconut milk • 1 cup water • 5 kaffir lime leaves bruised • 5 tablespoons toasted grated coconut – dessicated is even better than fresh • Sugar to taste • Salt to taste

Spice paste: • • •

6 shallots 1- inch piece galangal 3 stalks of lemongrass white part only

• • •

4 cloves garlic 1- inch piece ginger peeled 10 dried chilies chili arbol, seeded

Preparation 1. Put all the ingredients of the Spice Paste in a food processor. Blend well.

2. Heat the oil in a skillet, add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom pods and stir-fry them until aromatic. Add the chicken and lemongrass, stir to combine well with the spices. Add the coconut milk, sugar, salt, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring

frequently until the chicken is almost cooked.

3. Add the kaffir lime leaves, toasted coconut, stir to blend well with the chicken. Lower the heat to low, cover with lid, and slowly simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the liquid has dried up. Add more sugar and salt to taste.

Serve immediately with paratha or steamed rice.

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CUISINE KIDS SPECIAL

No Bake Nutella Cheesecake This dessert requires no baking and is a great way to get kids into the kitchen to help prepare for Iftar. After all, who can resist a Nutella and Oreo combo?

INGREDIENTS

Preparation

Crust

Decoration

1. Crush cookies and mix with melted butter.

2. Spread mixture over pie pan.

3. Refrigerate crust while making filling.

4. Mix Nutella, cream cheese, and whipped topping until smooth.

5. Spread mixture over pie crust.

6. Decorate the pie with a layer of whipped cream (optional) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. The pie can also be served frozen.

7. Just before serving, place some Ferrero Rocher chocs strategically on the cake. Enjoy!

• Whipped cream(optional) • Ferrero Rocher chocolates

Tip: The colder you keep the whipped cream (not frozen), the better it will fluff up

• •

24 oreo cookies cup butter, melted - about 115 g

Filling • 1 jar of Nutella or any chocolate hazelnut spread – about 370 gms • 225 gms cream cheese • 225 gms whipped topping, or whipped cream

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MID EAST MODERN

Kunafa Cheesecake Parfait With Date-Cardamom Layer INGREDIENTS For the crust and topping • 500 gms kunafa dough, cut into small pieces • 250 gms unsalted butter, melted • ½ cup pistachio kernels, chopped • A few strands of saffron (optional) Preparation

For the cheesecake layer • 500 gms cream cheese, softened • ½ cup icing sugar • ½ cup double cream

For the sugar syrup • 2 cups sugar • 1 cup water • 1½ tsp rosewater • 1 tsp lemon juice

1. Begin by making the sugar syrup. Place all the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and then allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before using.

2. Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the kunafa dough into a bowl and mix with the melted butter with your hands until thoroughly coated.

Take half the coated dough and divide it equally to press into the bottoms of two 12-cup muffin pans. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until deep golden brown.

3. While the bases are still hot, pour in a little of the sugar syrup to coat them. Reserve the rest and allow the bases to cool.

4. Next, make the topping. Spread the remaining coated kunafa dough onto a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, checking and mixing at five minute intervals to ensure the dough is golden brown and evenly toasted. Place the baked kunafa dough into a bowl, leaving any butter residue in the pan. While it is still hot, drizzle in the sugar syrup and mix to combine until thoroughly coated. Set aside.

5. Chill your parfait glasses in the refrigerator.

6. Meanwhile prepare the date layer. Place the dates and the water in a saucepan and then add the cardamom and let the mixture simmer until the dates are very soft. This takes about 5-10 minutes. Add the cinnamon right before you turn down the heat and then let it cool slightly before placing it in a blender or food processor. In a minute or

For the date layer • • • • •

12 dates (pitted and soaked for an hour in half a cup of hot water) ¼ tsp of ground cinnamon 2 pods of cardamom A pinch of salt

so it’ll form a delicious date paste.

7. Next make the cheesecake layer. Place the cream cheese and icing sugar into a bowl. Using an electric hand mixer set to a medium speed, beat until smooth.

8. In a separate bowl, whip the double cream until you achieve soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until just combined.

9. Take out the chilled parfait glasses and assemble the Kunafa Date Parfait. Layer the bottom of the glass with kunafa dough – about a good tablespoonful of shredded and baked dough. Next, divide the cheesecake mixture equally into the glasses. The third layer will be the date paste. Transfer the parfait glasses once again to the refrigerator and allow to set, uncovered, for a minimum of two hours.

10. Top off with more shredded kunafa when you remove from fridge – if you do this before, the kunafa topping will lose the crispness.

11. Now pipe a dollop of whipped cream onto the final kunafa layer.

12. Sprinkle over the chopped pistachios and a couple of strands of saffron (optional) and serve.

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CUISINE KIDS SPECIAL

Ramadan Punch Popsicles Why should adults get to corner the glam factor? Here’s a quick and festive cooler that will help hydrate the kids while looking party-perfect.

Pss-st! Adults too will like the taste.

INGREDIENTS • 1 can peach halves (drained and diced) • 1 can fruit cocktail juice (chilled) • ½ litre kiwi-lime juice (chilled) • 1 litre unsweetened orange juice, preferably with segments (chilled)* • 500ml passion fruit juice (chilled) • 2 cups of assorted fruit - kiwi, strawberry, mango - cut into rings or thin wedges • ½ cup blueberries, uncut • 2 tablespoons sprinkles (hundreds & thousands)

Preparation 1. In a large bowl, place the peaches and the rest of the fruit.

2. Mix in the fruit cocktail juice, the kiwilime juice, orange juice and passion fruit juice.

3. Fill into popsicle moulds and stick in a popsicle stick. Freeze for at least 4 hours.

4. Before serving, unmould the popsicles and roll in the sprinkles.

5. For adults, you can add a touch of unexpected spice and serve the popsicles rolled in very little fine chilli flakes and a merest sprinkling of fine sea-salt. *Tip: When choosing fruits for popsicles, go for varieties that will hold their shape and texture.

No banana, papaya or pineapple. The idea is for the fruits to add taste and also a visual appeal to the popsicles

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HEALTH

How to get enough sleep while fasting for Ramadan With the arrival of the Islamic Holy Month, do consider the best ways to fit quality sleeping hours around meal times while fasting.

With the start of Ramadan, many of those who fast during the Islamic Holy Month will also change their sleeping hours to accommodate meal times. However, if this is done without thinking about how important a good night’s sleep is to our bodies, it can make fasting more difficult.

According to Vaishal Shah, MD, of Cleveland Clinic’s Sleep Disorders Center in the United States, this is not just because lack of sleep affects our ability to function, but also because sleep regulates the hormones that control our appetites. He says there are three important factors underlying quality sleep: a consistent sleep schedule, a sufficient period of uninterrupted sleep, and good ‘sleep hygiene’ habits such as turning off screens, having a dark and quiet sleeping space, and allowing adequate time to relax before bedtime.

“Some people will change their habits drastically during Ramadan, and how they do this will depend on their lifestyle and commitments – such as work or family,” says Dr. Shah. “It is impossible to say that one pattern is better than another.

However, no matter which approach they adopt, there are steps people can take to help themselves get enough sleep during the month and to readjust more easily to their regular schedule afterwards.”

Dr. Shah gives the following advice for three common sleep patterns for Ramadan:

1. Sticking to the normal daily routine, but interrupting sleep for Suhoor and Fajr “This person will find it easiest to readjust after Ramadan,” says Dr. Shah. “Depending

on the daylight hours where they live, they will probably get seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep and supplement this with a quick nap after Fajr. It is also good in establishing a routine, as the person will consistently wake up at almost the same time every day, as opposed to sleeping in on weekends.”

2. Using reduced working hours to nap before Iftar

“In many Islamic countries, working hours are reduced during Ramadan, so people will leave work early and nap until it is time to break their fast. As Ramadan is a contained time period, there is no need to worry about the long-term effects of this sleep pattern, however, it is essential to be consistent and adopt the same pattern throughout Ramadan. It is important to have a continuous period of five or six hours of sleep if you can’t get a longer time. So even though you might nap in the

afternoon, ensure you go to bed early enough to get a sufficient block of solid sleep. After Ramadan, gradually reduce nap time and stop after a few days. Increase the amount of time in bed at night to get back to the normal one-solid-block-of-sleep schedule.”

3. ‘Turning night into day’

“For people who don’t work or are able to work at night instead of the daytime, this might be the preferred option. However, it will make the adjustment period after Ramadan difficult for about two weeks.

They can ease the process by adjusting their sleeping hours back to normal by a little each day, rather than a drastic change.

In addition, during Ramadan, they should simulate a nighttime environment through keeping the bedroom dark and practice good sleep hygiene including no screen, no noise, and a comfortable ambient temperature.”

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MOTORING

RAMADAN MOTORING DEALS

Ramadan is a traditionally a great time to make a serious purchase – we mean a dream car. Every car agency is offering a slew of special deals ranging from deep price cuts than make coveted marques affordable to discounted servicing arrangements, raffle prizes of cars, airline tickets and even year-long free petrol! We worked with the industry to bring you news of the best deals this Ramadan. Most car showrooms are open in the evening after Iftar, so take a dekko at the beauties, talk to the team and drive away in your dream car.

• At Behbehani Brothers, buy any Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge or Ram this Ramadan (between 15thApril – 30th June 2019) and enter a raffle draw that promises 4 lucky buyers a cash prize of BD 4,000 each! For its popular Volkswagen marque, the dealer’s Ramadan offer includes great pricing and free 5 year servicing, free 5 year extended warranty and free roadside assistance for 5 years.

Showroom (Sanad and Sitra) timing: 7am to 4:15pm and 8:30pm to 11:30pm, Saturdays to Thursdays(Fridays closed).

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Ebrahim K. Kanoo, the sole distributor of Lexus vehicles in the Kingdom of Bahrain, announced the start of its annual Ramadan service campaign, which offers great discounts on service and body works for all Lexus models. The ongoing promotion runs throughout the holy month, giving Lexus owners a 25% discount on labour and parts charges, 25% discount on Michelin tyres, and up to 25% discount on LLumar and Ziebart car care services.

The same offers also extend to other Toyota car brands.

Service Centre (Arad, Tubli, Riffa) timing: 7 am to 4 pm and 8 pm to 11 pm, Saturdays to Thursdays (Fridays closed).

• The campaign at Motorcity will run until the 10th of June and entitles customers to a wide range of benefits passenger vehicles from the high-end Volvo to the affordable Subaru, SsangYong, Chery and BAIC. The deals include discounted prices, exceptional financing schemes.

Each brand at Motorcity has exclusive sales offers for Ramadan, ranging from free registration, insurance, window tinting, rust 2019

protection, nano-ceramic paint protection and from one to five year free service packages on their range of vehicles. Service offers apply on commercial and passenger vehicles and include free inspection and up to 25% discount on labour and parts.

For commercial vehicles, the customers can either choose between discount directly on vehicle pricing or avail service package worth up to BD 5,000.

Showroom (Sanad and Sitra) timing: 8:30am to 1:30pm and 8pm to 11pm, Saturdays to Thursdays, and 8pm to 11pm on Fridays.

Commercial showroom in Nuwaidrat: 8:30am to 5:30pm.

• The Audi Centre has packed its Ramadan with specials such as 5 Years FREE Fuel, 5 Years’ Service package, 5 Years Maintenance package, 5 Years Manufacturer’s Warranty, 5 Years Roadside Assistance for Audi cars purchased during Ramadan. A special attraction is the first fully electric car Audi e-tron in the showroom.

Showroom timing: 8 am to 2 pm and 8 pm to 11 pm, Saturdays to Thursdays (Fridays closed).

• The Japanese Mazda has really sweetened its Ramadan deal this year with best-ever prices on all 2019 models.

Furthermore, there will be a free 5 years or 100,000km service package, free insurance, free registration, free window tinting and free rust proofing. In addition to this various finance benefits are available like – 90 days deferred payment, Special interest rate 1.99% & customer will also have a chance to win a raffle draw. Trade-in facility is also made available from IMTA for any make any model. There will be free evaluation for the cars These offers are valid until the end of Ramadan. Terms & conditions apply.

Showroom timing: 8 am to 1pm and 8pm to midnight, Saturdays to Thursdays (Fridays closed).

• It’s all the rage these days – the MG car which Zayani Motors is showcasing.

The thrilling design and the sleek lines of the 2019 MG ZS makes it the top youthful compact SUV this year, combining luxury, style and performance to meet your aspirations in a stylish vehicle. What’s more, the MG and Mitsubishi marques are tagged with special Ramadan prices, so do visit the

showroom for more info. There is a Ramadan raffle also for buyers until June and you could drive away with a prize car or travel tickets, BD 1000 cash, free petrol, Sony LED TV’s and more.

Showroom timing: 9 am to 2pm and 8.15 pm to 11.15 pm, Saturdays to Thursdays (Fridays closed).

• Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons, the sole distributor of Nissan vehicles is offering

some sensational deals on all 2019 Nissan vehicles. As an icing on the cake, this unique and first-ever offer comes with a FREE LIFETIME SERVICE on all models! All 2019 Nissan models will be available on easy loans with extremely affordable monthly installments. Nissan Kicks will be available from BD 93 onwards while Nissan X-Trail and Nissan Patrol can be purchased for as low as BD 126 and BD 246 monthly respectively. Besides these, Nissan Altima will be available at BD 128 monthly while Nissan Sunny can be purchased from BD 65 onwards.

What’s more, this exclusive Ramadan offer includes zero down payment, special interest rates, 25% off on window tinting, rustproofing and nanotech.

Showroom timing: 9 am to 1 pm and 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm, Saturdays to Thursdays and Fridays 7:30pm to 11:30pm.

• Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover has announced an exciting Ramadan campaign where customers are presented with exceptionally low finance rates starting from as low as 0.99% over a period of 5 years, coupled with minimal down payment amounts as well as registration and window tinting for vehicles purchased during the period will be covered by Jaguar Bahrain.

Taking it a step further this year, in an unprecedented initiative, customers who

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MOTORING

purchase a luxurious Jaguar during the campaign will be presented with an incredible gift of free fuel for an entire year.

The Jaguar models included in the offer are Jaguar’s refined sports saloon the XE, its luxury business saloon, the XF, the high performance SUV, F-PACE, and the marque’s first compact SUV, the E-PACE. Land Rover Bahrain’s premium SUVs are

now available at finance rates starting from as low as an incredible 0% over a period of 3 years, and are covered by free 5 years’ service and warranty, as well as with complimentary registration and window tinting included on all models.

And for the first time ever, Land Rover Bahrain offers fuel for an entire year on selected models.

YOUNGISTAN

The Land Rover models that the features of the campaign extend to are the Range Rover, the Range Rover Evoque, the Range Rover Velar, the Range Rover Sport, the Discovery Sport and the Discovery APPROVED. Showroom timing: 9 am to 3 pm and 8:15 pm to 11:15 pm, Saturdays to Thursdays (Fridays closed).

Al Noor celebrates Kingdom’s education century

The Arabic Senior Section of Al Noor International School celebrated the centenary of formal education in Bahrain and its 26th Annual Day in the school multipurpose Hall. The celebration witnessed a performance in love of Bahrain and His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of Bahrain and was graced by the presence of the Chairman of the school Ali Hasan. And the school Director Dr. Muhammad Mashood.The day was a great success with colorful and inspiring programmes which were greatly admired and welcomed by the audience.

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Bringing Zen to Your Daily Commute Traffic congestion can be stressful. In a world where we’ve become used to highspeed information, streaming media and online services, any time lost in heavy traffic can send stress levels soaring. And, with roads likely to get extremely busy at peak times during the Holy Month of Ramadan, drivers will face even more stress on the roads.

Bahrain recently announced that it will initiate measures such as automobile-free roads in congested city spaces to cut the traffic jams. It’s estimated that drivers in Dubai, the most congested city in the GCC, spend an average of 80 hours or two full working weeks stuck in traffic every year. Drivers in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, spend 77 hours in traffic jams annually while drivers in Riyadh (53) and Abu Dhabi (50) struggle with the daily commute. It’s no wonder we feel glum at the prospect of heading into work.

While there’s not a lot you can do to avoid a traffic jam once you’re in it, you can try some of these tips to help make the dreaded daily commute a less tense, more positive experience.

Listen before you freak

Part of the reason traffic jams are so stressful is the time wasted. Listen to an audiobook or podcast to alleviate boredom and feel more productive. Some titles are so engaging, in fact, that you might just find yourself wishing for bad traffic so you’ll have time for “one more chapter.”

Pulling up a playlist of your favorite, feelgood songs can do equal wonders.

Downbeat music has been proven to have a mellowing effect on drivers, with positive results recorded regardless of whether the driver’s switch to calming music was abrupt or gradual. Drivers who made a quick switch to downbeat music showed measurable physiological improvements, showing they calmed down much sooner and made fewer driving mistakes. So, turn up the volume the next time you feel your

inner Hulk emerging.

“As we spend more and more time commuting, it’s crucial that our cars are being designed to accommodate the longer periods that we’re spending behind the wheel,” says Jamie Rae, marketing director, Ford Middle East. “Ford uses human-centric design to deliver vehicles that are inviting, accommodating and intuitive. For example, our SYNC™ connectivity and infotainment system offers nifty, hands-free functions like allowing drivers to listen to their texts, change music or climate settings and make phone calls easily with voice control. Our range of driver-assist technologies, like Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection and Semi-Auto Active Park Assist, are also designed to take some of the stress off city driving.”

‘Caromatherapy’ de-stresser

There are numerous studies on aromas and their impact on human emotion, behavior and performance. Researchers found that peppermint can enhance mental and athletic performance and cognitive functioning, while cinnamon may improve participants’ scores on tasks related to attentional processes and visual-motor response speed. A study from Kyoto University, Japan revealed thatparticipants reported significantly lower hostility and depression scores and felt more relaxed after a walk through a pine forest.

Many car companies invest in odour lab research and conduct intensive tests on materials and components that go into their vehicles. “Out of our five senses, the sense of smell is the most powerful and most tied to our memories and emotions,” says Rae. “We want to make sure that we’re delivering the best experience, in all aspects, to drivers and passengers.”

It makes sense then, to think about incorporating some “caromatherapy” into our lives. There are plenty of car diffusers available or consider adding a few drops of

essential oils to DIY felt air fresheners. A citrusy scent like orange or lemon can provide a boost of energy, while rosemary has been said to relieve stress and anxiety.

Take care not to hang anything that might obstruct your field of vision though, and always make sure to test out essential oils at home first incase a scent makes you dizzy, overly relaxed which could affect driving focus, or causes an adverse reaction.

Ommmm and slow down

The mind is a powerful thing, and simply willing yourself to relax might be the most effective method of all. For this, breathing exercises can help you stay focused and feeling calm.

One useful practice is the one-to-one technique – breathing in and out for the same count with the same intensity. Deep, measured breaths facilitate full oxygen exchange, helping to slow down the heartbeat and stabilise blood pressure, as opposed to shallow breathing, which doesn’t send enough air to the lowest part of your lungs, causing you to feel anxious and short of breath.

Not all exercises are appropriate when behind the wheel. Avoid complicated breathing routines, always keep your eyes on the road and take care to ensure you’re not so busy counting breaths that your concentration is compromised.

“If our lifestyle means that we might be spending more time in our cars than we do on holiday, then we should make the most of it and try to create a more positive and enjoyable experience,” concluded Rae.

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A Pakistani summer look

FASHION

FASHION

The summer fashion catwalk in Pakistan was energized by a motley crew of young labels. There were major high-street brands, voile contenders, young designers who had already carved a clientele for themselves and others, that were only just dabbling into fashion’s clustered waters.

Ruling the roost were high-street brands. Khaadi Khaas, Generation and Sapphire presented three of the best, most memorable collections at PSFW this year. While all three brands can now be considered market heavyweights, they refreshingly chose to veer away from the generic kurtas that sell so well in their retail stores. Instead, inventive, artistic design took center stage, with a smart focus on traditional design aesthetics indicating that perhaps there is hope for our lawn-strewn, kurta-inundated high street.

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Blend of North & South for Vishu The Samast Parivar Milan Group brought a glimpse of the famous North Indian cultural tradition of Ramleela to the Bal Bharti Vishu Festival at the Indian School. Nearly 500 guests, celebrating the South Indian New Year festival of Vishu, applauded the short traditional drama titled 'Ramleela- Ravan Angad Samvad'.

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NEWS ADDA

Human disability - from charity to partnership

As you know, an adda is a communal space to showcase our passionate opinions.

Every month, this space will be available for Salaam Bahrain readers to discuss red-button topics and offer solutions and points of view.

In this month’s News Adda, guest writer Nivedita Dhadpale, a passionate advocate of rights for the differently abled, talks about really , truly engaging with championing disability rights and going beyond chequebook CSR. Have a subject you are passionate about?

Drop us a proposal of 150 words to salaam.bahrain@gmail.com. With News Adda Topic in the subject line. You may be our next guest writer!

S

ince my teenage, I have had the privilege and passion to work with differently-abled men, women and children. It all began when my father encouraged me to engage as a volunteer and work in a mental hospital during my school holidays. Over the years I gained an insight into a distinctive world of the disabled. Outwardly this ‘world’ seems almost perfect. But it is also a world of boredom, utmost rejection and torment, this is a world of social isolation, incomprehensible cruelty and also

Nivedita Dhadpale with two students from the Hidd Rehabilitation Centre for Special Needs. a world which many of us fail to understand. Across the globe, deeply entrenched cultural attitudes and definitions serve to assign a negative connotation to disability, thus reinforcing in society, a sense of alarm, utter helplessness, stigma and despondency.

Having worked closely with the differently abled and in particular with the Intellectually Disabled (ID), for almost four decades, I have gained the ability to ascertain the fundamental challenges and requirements of this vulnerable and voiceless community. Estimates of the prevalence of Intellectual Disabilities range from 1% to 3% of the population, depending on whether persons with mild forms of Intellectual Disabilities are included. Some studies suggest that 40% of adults with Intellectual Disabilities are not even known to the service system! People with Intellectual Disability require more care, particularly as their condition will deteriorate with age. In fact, research shows that most people with Down Syndrome (a sub group of ID) will show signs of Alzheimer’s in their 30s. The confounding factor is that ID is often grouped with those with a physical handicap. Despite policies and goodwill in the society, people with any Disability are often unknowingly get ignored or overlooked.

Sensitise Bahrain

Since 2002 I have worked on flagging up issues faced by disabled members of the society in Bahrain. Under the banner of BHR4All, we have organized over 50 events with the aim to sensitise the general public to this special community. During our public and inclusive events, queries are often raised about long-term care for people with the full spectrum of Special Needs, indicating a lacuna in the knowledge of disability. By working closely with families and teachers, I have gained more insight into the struggles and needs of the parents and other siblings.

The agonizing stigma of having a child with different abilities stills stands. Cultures place much gravity on the role of families; as a result, a great deal of support is offered to families to manage less able members who require care, education and health. However, recent reports suggest that the full support from the extended family can no longer be counted upon as the family structure is rapidly changing. This implies that long-term care and deeper understanding of more disabled members will require a diverse approach of care.

It is evident that the Government of Bahrain has an effective and visionary policy for the special community to thrive.

Special needs centres are managed by qualified and devoted personnel who

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COLUMN comprehend the challenges families face in the long-term. Highly qualified experts have also emphasized the plight of the disabled community. However, the arduous process is that the private sector still requires more encouragement and commitment to share some burden by shifting its mindset of offering a short-term “charity based donation” to one of enduring partnership, equality and collaboration.

Inclusive tolerance

Compliance of the Strategy with the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities was ratified by Bahrain, on

August 22, 2011 and strengthened the rights of persons living with disabilities. The Kingdom’s commitment to the physical, moral and mental development of youth as well as the values of inclusivity, tolerance, peace and social solidarity are referenced in the National Action Charter. These values clearly concur with the goals of BHR4All’s vision to encourage youth empowerment, health through sports, intellectual development and inclusive social cohesion for All which are the foundation of the SDGs. In the immediate future, our resolve is to inspire optimization of Corporate Social

Responsibility (CSR) budgets with a genuine long-term impact on society through; alignment of thinking, integration of activities, active engagement of key stakeholders and the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“In this future scenario, every citizen needs to play a role in the newly developing society, and for very practical reasons, anyone who can make any kind of contribution, even if it is limited because of an innate or environmental restraint on ability, must be encouraged, trained, and embraced by the culture” Professor Eman Gaad.

Spirit of Odia diaspora finds voice

Bahrain Odia Samaj celebrated the Utkal Divas Bahrain with pomp and splendour at the beautifully decorated BKS auditorium.

Eminent Odia industrialist, philanthropist and founder chairman of ASMACS Group Dr. Dev Mohanty delivered his speech as Chief Guest. Bahrain dignitaries included Dr. Saj A.Mendis, Sri Lankan Ambassador, Padam Sundas, Nepalese Ambassador, Om Prakash, the indian embassy second secretary who representative of Indian Ambassador and Batool Mohammed Dadabhai, BCCI Member. Other dignitaries included Dr. Swarup Ranjan Mishra, sitting MP from the Republic of Kenya and chairman of Mediheal Group of Hospitals.

Cultural performances for the evening were showcased by Madhulita Mahapatra, an acclaimed professional Odissi dancer and Founder of Nrityantar Academy of Performing Arts with her disciples and Geeta Dash, veteran singer from Odia Film

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industry.

BOS ladies and children also put together a cultural show. A skit based on the 2019

theme of ‘Joys of Giving’, titled De Mote De was enacted, written and directed by Mahesh Dash, President of BOS.

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Thai tourism showcase The myriad attractions of Thailand were colourfully showcased by the Thailand Tourism Board which brought together fashion, food and culture to give Bahrain residents a glimpse of the exotic charms of their country.

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Colours of

HOLI

Holi at Manama Temple

Holi at LPOD

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The air was filled with the colours of Holi in Bahrain as more than four mega Holi events took place simultaneously. Despite the magical messiness of the colours smeared on faces and clothing, there was also dancing, glamour with visiting entertainers like DJ Rink from India in the Coral Bay beach event or singer Nikita Gandhi and dancers from Bollywood Steps racking up the sizzle at the Radio Mirchi Holi at the LPOD. The Shree Gujarati Samaj Holi was a cheery family affair with members and guests having a great time. The Indian Ladies Association organised a delightful ladies-only Holi at a Barbar swimming pool location with organic colours, fun, games and classic Holi food!

But of course, the Big Holi was the Rangotsav at the Shri Krishna Temple in Manama where people from all walks of life and all nationalities mingled in the Holi Rangotsav celebrations. This is the community Holi and for many years, the ‘face’ of the inter-faith harmony that everybody enjoys in Bahrain.

This festive occasion was attended by many dignitaries, distinguished guests, VIPs from the Bahrain government guthorities such as Dr. Shaikha Rana bint Isa Al Khalifa, the undersecretary at Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ambassadors of India, United Kingdom, Germany, Nepal and many people from the business community. It was particularly good to see so many young Bahrainis taking part in the festivities. The guests played with dry colours, were served sumptuous Indian cuisines and the event was a grand success.

HOLI

Holi at Adhari Park

Holi at Coral Bay

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Holi by ILA

Holi by SGS SALAAM BAHRAIN

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HEALTH

Fact-checking a dozen eye care myths

Benny Valdens busts some of Mommy’s myths about what makes your eyes see sharper When summertime comes, the same people who have a summer skin care routine down to the last drop of sun protection lotion, just pop on the nearest available designer eyeshades and think their eye care routine is done. Taking care of your eyes and vision is a daily series of habits that must be ingrained in us. It is especially true when we are all spending more time on computers, watching mobile and tablet screens and TV shows much more than we did before.

But, let’s not assume that eyes are ruined by these habits. Here is some serious myth-busting on what really hurst our eyes and how we can care better for our vision.

not cause permanent damage.

6. Myth: Wearing someone else’s glasses can weaken your eyes.

3. Myth: Reading from a screen is hard work for the eyes and can damage vision Fact: No, this does not make the eyes work harder because the concept of ‘working harder’ is not applicable when it comes to vision and the eyes The eyes do not get tired or overused as with any other organ in the body. Issues arise when we are too concentrated on reading, including from a screen, and we don’t blink adequately, which brings about the symptoms of irritated and dry eyes

4. Myth: Sitting too close to the TV will hurt your eyes.

Fact: There goes mom again! It is not uncommon for kids to sit too close to the TV simply to become more engaged in it, not really to see it better. There is no truth to the myth that our eyes will weaken as a result.

2. Myth: Reading in the dark will damage your eyes.

5. Myth: Using the computer a lot can weaken your eyes.

Fact: Our moms told us this over and over. While reading in low light may cause eye fatigue and, possibly, a headache, it can-

Fact: Similar to sitting too close to the TV, using a computer for a long period of time will certainly cause eye fatigue, but not cre-

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Fact: Wearing a prescription that is not the correct one for you can cause eye strain and fatigue, but will not cause any eye damage. You could wear the wrong glasses upside down and not suffer one bit from it!

7. Myth: Using wetting drops cures dry eyes.

1. Myth: Eating carrots will improve your eyes Fact: Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which is important for a healthy diet. But eating carrots, even by the bushel, will not improve your eyesight.

ate nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. For every 20 minutes spent focused on a screen or book at a short distance, look away at something 20 feet or so away for 20 seconds

2019

Fact: Dry eyes are a chronic condition in which the tear gland does not make enough tears. Using wetting drops will certainly make the eyes feel better for a few minutes, but will not solve the problem.

There are drops available to stimulate more tear production, but they are only available by prescription.

That said, use lubricating drops prescribed by an ophthalmologist when reading for long periods

8. Myth: Not everyone gets cataracts.

Fact: A cataract is the clouding of the natural human lens. Believe it or not, the first symptom of the aging of our eyes that will ultimately lead to cataract formation is the need for reading glasses in our 40’s. So, if we are blessed to live long enough, we will all get cataracts.

because of the quality of the reading glasses we are wearing.

10. Myth: Eye exams are not necessary unless you are having an eye problem.

Fact: This couldn’t be more false. There are many silent enemies of the eyes – glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes and hypertension to name but a few – that only a routine eye examination can pick up.

Eye specialists recommend an eye exam every 2 years for people under 65 and yearly when over 65.

nearsightedness) will worsen with time, but that has nothing to do with glasses. What glasses can do, though, is “spoil” our vision, so the next time you forget them it feels like your eyes are much worse, but it is really that you are just missing the glasses.

12. Myth: Lens tints are adequate for UV protection.

Fact: Lens tints exist for aiding visibility, not UV protection. In fact, shaded sunglasses without UV protection can do more harm than no sunglasses at all because they dilate the pupil and open it up for more ex-

11. Myth: Wearing glasses all of the time will weaken your eyes.

9. Myth: Wearing over the counter reading glasses will weaken your eyes.

Fact: Wearing eye glasses does not make our eyes worse. Some eye conditions (like

Fact: While OTC reading glasses are not the most stylish or well made glasses, the price is certainly right. Also, the plastic of the lens may not be the best quality. None of these things, however, will hurt our eyes as we use them. The sad fact is that our reading worsens because we are aging, not

posure to harmful UV light. Fortunately, the vast majority of today’s lenses are made of some form of polycarbonate, which naturally blocks 99.9% of UV light. So, even glasses made with clear polycarbonate lenses will provide excellent UV protection.

Culture patron Najeeb Abadi remembered The 11th International Urdu Poetry symposium (Aalami Mushaira) of the Anjuman Farogh-e-Adab, Bahrain, was held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Manama. It was organized to pay tribute to the late Najeeb Abadi, a famous Urdu poet and patron of literary activities in Bahrain for almost 50 years. Renowned poets from Pakistan, India and Bahrain presented their poetry in this symposium. They were Dr. Peerzada Qasim,

Farhat Abbass Shah, Dr. Kabeer Ather, Nasim Nazish and Imran Shamshad from Pakistan, Aslam Bader, Mansoor Usmani and Joher Kanpuri from India, Ahmad Adil, Rukhsar Nazimabadi, Ahmad Amir Pasha, Tahir Azeem and Adnan Afzal from the Kingdom of Bahrain.

A beautiful magazine comprising a rich review of Shahid Najeeb Abadi’s life, poetry and literary serviceswas also released

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on this occasion. This magazine also includes the poetic master pieces of the participating poets.

Famous Urdu poet and critic, Dr. Peerzada Qasim presided over the mushaira.

Chief Guest was the Ambassador of Pakistan, Afzal Mahmood and the guest of honour was Najeeb Abadi’s son Nasir Ali Khan.

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All the belles at the Bahrain runway

Yasmeen Jamal, a young Bahraini entrepreneur and events and fairs organizer turned up the oomph with Bahrain Runway, a fashion show for local designers and collections curators.

Held under the patronage of Shaikha Marwa bint Rashid Al Khalifa, it attracted designers from Bahrain, Dubai, Ethiopia, Africa and Morocco.

Sponsored by Maserati, the attendees of the Fashion show kicked up their heels at a fun-filled evening of shopping, food, entertainment. “It was a great show for Bahrain fashionistas,� said Shipra Dhir Passi, who runs the Belle Royale label of collections from India, the subcontinent and selected pieces from all over the world.

Belle Royale is an online boutique with successful client network in the Middle East, India, Pakistan and USA.

125 students explore Carnatic music

One hundred and twenty-five students of the Carnatic classical music paid homage to composers dating back to the 10th century CE in an enjoyable concert. They were joined by their teachers and older amateur musicians.

Organisers Samarpan is a group of classical music enthusiasts. Mementoes were distributed by Chief Guest Meera Ravi and by Dr. E. Krishnan, community stalwart and former President of the Indian Fine Arts Society.

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ISB kids share Arabian adventure Celebrating the academic excellence, the Indian School Bahrain (ISB) Riffa Campus held its annual Awards Ceremony with the grand theme “All the Charms of Arabia”.

Chief Guest Ahmed J. Al-Haiki, Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Social Development graciously honoured more than 600 little scholars with Certificates of Merit. ISB Hon. Chairman Prince S. Natarajan, Principal V.R. Palaniswamy, Riffa Campus Principal Pamela Xavier, other committee members, parents, staff and students attended. Lively and vivacious cultural performances were showcased by the students. The Arabic theme was vivid in the ambience, the catchy announcements and came alive through the effervescent performances by around 200 students.

ILA MayDay med camp The Indian Ladies Association conducted its annual Medical Camp with the support of the Al Hilal Hospital and volunteer medical corps.

The camp was organised by ILA’s worker’s welfare sub committee ( WWC) on May 1 at Adhari Park Hall No 3, in partnership with Al Hilal Hospital & Modern Exchange. Two doctors from Al Hilal Hospital were supported by Dr. D.C.Patil, Dr. Krishanan and Dr. Padmaja.

Workers were served breakfast and lunch. During the raffle draw maximum essential gifts were distributed to workers with an hour of entertainment including a skit and dance performances by children.

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IFAS presents grand dance and music show The Indian Fine Arts Society recently presented two grand classical shows of music and dance, the beginning of a series of concerts for its 45th anniversary. Featuring great visiting artists like the flautists Shashank and Rakesh Chaurasia and Bharatanatyam artist Arupa Lahiry and her dance company, it also showcased the first solo recital of Bahraini Kathak dancer Khalil Al Ashar with a live orchestra from India. Local Kathak artist Yamini also presented an opening piece.

Labour Day celebration at NMS-DPS

To appreciate and thank the selfless service of all who work with full dedication and ensure the hygiene and security of the school, the students of NMS-DPS Bahrain celebrated Labour Day. A special assembly was conducted on this occasion emphasizing the need, importance and significance of the role of workers in our life. Activities like making thanks giving card, fancy show of community helpers, street plays on expressing gratitude to the service providers, were the highlights of the day. The Principal, Arun Kuumar Sharma addressed the students and emphasized upon the values of ‘Dignity of Labour’ which helps a person to become more humane and responsible towards their fellow beings. The Chairman, Dr. Ravi Pillai and the Managing Director, Geetha Pillai appreciated the efforts of the students.

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BOSCO BREAKS SILENCE ABOUT DANCE Ask a film dance choreographer to publicly grade movie stars and chances are they’ll get coy and diplomatic, insisting every star has gossamer wings for feet. Bosco Martis, one half of the award-winning Bosco-Caesar duo (‘Senorita’ in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, ‘Tumhi Ho Bandhu’ in Cocktail and the stylish, swinging ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ on Zoya Akhtar’s cruiseship saga among others), though, have a lot to say about Bollywood-style dancing. Although the duo work together only occasionally, they helped to shape the hip-hop and jazz influence on Bollywood dances.

“In our Bollywood films, not many of our actors know how to dance.They have to be trained in a specific manner,” Bosco says, “But of course, that trend is fast changing as the actors of this new generation are all ace dancers.”

The latest is that Bosco is all set to try his luck at direction, with a debut billed as a ‘dance-horror film’ in 3D with Zee Studios. Bollywood has already seen some of most successful choreographer turned direction transitions, such as Farah Khan, Remo D'Souza, Ahemd Khan and now Bosco is all set

to follow in their footsteps.

Warming to his theme about actors and their moves, Bosco says, “We have taught our dance moves to so many actors and sometimes, we have to teach them to relax and not be so rigid and inflexible while dancing.The best dancers in Bollywood, I feel, are Shahid Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor and Hritik Roshan.They learn the moves very fast and have the grace of a dancer.They belong to this new breed of actors which realises that in order to be an effective artist one has to be the complete package.

“But Salman Khan, though a veteran in Bollywood, has a lot style and attitude.You give him any move, he makes it his own. He is a true rock star.”

Why South superheroes are doing better

Here’s an interesting observation on why Southern heroes like Ajith,Vijay, Sivakarthikeyan from Tamil cinema and Mahesh Babu, Allu Arjun and Pawan Kalyan from Telugu cine-world are doing better that the much-touted Bollywood superstars like SRK and Hrithik Roshan.

Anand Shankar, director of films like Iru Mugam and NOTA, “South Indian heroes owe first allegiance to the cinema screen.

This exclusivity works in their favour.”

“They don’t appear in ads – well, not too many.They don’t do that many shows or market their movies.You don’t see much of them. Even if they are on Twitter or Instagram, they don’t post often,” Shankar said. “It’s hard for the fans because they don’t have a presence anywhere except their movies. So, every year, when a Vijay or an Ajith film is released, every fan, whether the film is average or above average, wants to see it. It’s that one chance we get in a year to see them on screen.”

Of course for Malayalam cine-stars this is not quite the case: Mohanlal lends his name to everything from masala powders to tea, from rice varieties and LED bulbs.Younger actor Dulqer Salman is brand ambassador for OTTO shirts.Yet it has not affected their popularity because the Malayalam cinema-goer is also focused on story-driven scripts which is the strongpoint of this state.

Tamil stars are slowly changing their stance these days – actor Vishal has started endorsing a dhoti brand and actor Prabhu is the Southern brand ambassador for Kalyan Jewellers, which has roped in almost the entire Bachchan family as well as hand-picked Southern actors for its campaigns. We need to see how this will impact the box office of Southern stars now.

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QUOTE OF THE

MONTH

“I respect Kangana’s work a lot and I respect her opinion.

If she feels a particular way she must have reason to feel that way. I would rather remember how much she had praised me after watching Raazi. And I’d just like to focus on my work. Maybe she will appreciate me again if I work hard enough.”

While Kangana Ranaut stooped really low to insult Alia Bhatt, Alia was grace personified in her reply (see quote above). Kangana, responding to a poll of best 2019 performances in which her Manikarnika performance beat Alia’s Gully Boy to first place, had said: “I am embarrassed...What is there to beat in Gully Boy performance .... same snappy muh phat girl...

Bollywood’s idea of a fiery girl, woman empowerment and good acting, spare me this embarrassment, please. Media has taken filmy kids love too far...stop pampering mediocre work or else bar will never be raised.”

This is not the first time that Kangana has baited Alia. What’s more, Kangana’s sister Rangoli too has taken to Twitter to taunt the popular star.

Earlier, Alia had said that she too has some things to say to Kangana but she will not because her father, Mahesh Bhatt said that a lot of people have opinions but that doesn’t mean they have to say it all the time. Her response came after Kangana told her to grow some spine and support films about women empowerment and nationalism because it is her responsibility as an actor to take a stand.

OOH! BUUURN!

With daughter Athiya trying her luck in B’town after her dud debut, protective Papa Suniel Shetty is obviously anxious that this second movie Motichoor Chaknachoor should be a hit. She plays heroine to Nawazuddin Siddique in a story that travels the arc from smalltown Bhopal to glamorous Dubai.

Such was Papa Shetty’s interference, that the film’s producers. Rajesh and Kiran Bhatia are “the only final authority and decision-making authority on every aspect and or/every project of M/s Woodpecker Movies Pvt Ltd.” Further, it went on record that “Mr Suniel Shetty has no right, title and/or interest in the said film and has no capacity or any authority to either directly or indirectly discuss or take any decisions, negotiate, strategise or overlook the edit or in any manner interfere or be involved with the film Motichoor Chaknachoor or with its cast, crews, technical teams or coordinate with the studio involved with the film or its creative and marketing teams or post productions or any person connected or with the trade”.

The notice closed with a word of caution, adding, “If done so, it shall be considered as trespassing and breach of confidentiality at its own risk, cost and consequences.”

Ishhh! That burns!

Did you read that telling off Suniel Shetty got?

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INSTAPOPULARITY!

CELEB CHAKKER

Priyanka Chopra: (38.9 Million Instagram Followers) People she follows: 429

Deepika Padukone: (34.3 Million Instagram Followers) People she follows: 98

Virat Kohli: (32.1 Million Instagram Followers) People he follows: 98 (including some popular automobile brands)

Do you know how popular Instagram has become in India? You would not believe, as of January 2019, more than 72 million active users were on the photo-video sharing application. India comes on number 2 after the United States of America when it comes to most Instagram followers.

Seeing its rising popularity, celebrities in India do not leave any stone unturned to engage their fans and update their whereabouts on Instagram.

After Facebook and Twitter, it is Instagram which is widely loved by people across the world.There are several people in India who have the maximum number of followers on Instagram such as Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone,Virat Kohli, Alia Bhatt, Shraddha Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Akshay Kumar, Anushka Sharma and Salman Khan.

1200

The number of takes it took for music superstar Arijit Singh to sing the Kalank title track

“(Music director) Pritam is a genius. In the age of remixes, he came up with an original tune. When you listen to the entire number, you are lost in Arijit Singh’s melodious voice. He has such a powerful voice,” said Kalank hero Varun Dhawan on whom the song is picturised.

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Akshay - ‘People’s Champion’ with a big heart Akshay Kumar is known as a dare-devil hero who uses his training in martial arts and his extreme physical fitness to execute his own movie stunts. But he is a hero for the 550 members of the Movie Stunt Artistes Association for quite a different reason! Akshay has pulled strings and tapped his goodwill among corporates to arrange for group personal accident insurance policies and group mediclaim insurance policies for all artistes and duplicates in Bollywood doing stunt and action work in films. What’s more, he personally pays the premium for this service.

Thanks to this insurance, the Association general secretary Aejaz Gulab says one stuntman who died in 2017 was recently given a payout of Rs. 20 lakh – an unheard of figure for a stuntman’s death.

“I was the stunt director on Akshay Sir’s film Once Upon A Time In Mumbai in 2010 and we got talking on the work we did and dangerous lives we led,” Aejaz said, “He asked me if our stuntmen were covered by insurance. I said we were not. We had tried. But the insurance companies turned us down because we were high risk individuals. Or to discourage us they quoted high premiums that we could not manage.”

Akshay reportedly assured Aejaz that he would look into this. The actor was as good as his word. He organised the group accident and mediclaim insurance policies for all the members and has been paying their premiums for years. “I don’t know how he did it, what strings he pulled, how much of goodwill he exercised, but all 550 of our members working in Bollywood are covered by insurance now,” Aejaz said. “For us, Akshay Sir is Superman! Nobody else in Bollywood does this.”

Thanks to this group insurance, stuntmen who suffered injury or sickness and were out of work got good treatment in reputable hospitals and this was all cashless.

Aejaz also revealed a truly touching aspect of Akshay’s stunt daring.

“Everybody calls Akshay Sir the Khiladi because he performs his own stunts. But do you know that for such death-defying stunts, duplicate artistes are paid about Rs. 75,000 extra by the producer? What Akshay Sir does after pulling off such a stunt himself is to collect that extra money and hand it over to the duplicate who ought to have been taking his place.”

Now the Movie Stunt Artistes Association is trying to get Akshay to see if he can get the insurance companies to cover critical illnesses of old and senior members in their policies as well.

“He has got a big heart, nothing is impossible for him,” Aejaz said fervently about his personal superstar.

“Even an ounce of fear can upset a stunt” Tiger Shroff

A recent accident on sets left the current darling of the fans, Vicky Kaushal, injured and turned the spotlight on safety of actors who enact their own stunts. Let’s hear from the hottest stunt and action hero, Tiger Shroff: “Accidents like that are unpredictable. No matter how much precaution is taken, something can go wrong. So the choice is between doing them (the stunts) and not doing them – and as far as I am concerned, there’s really no choice. The audience today is too smart to be taken in by a body double. They can easily make out when one is faking it.”

Tiger is fatalistic about the stunts. “The smallest or biggest things can happen in your daily life which can cause big damage, so there’s nobody to blame except destiny. When a stunt has to go wrong, it will go wrong.

The least we can do is make sure that the environment in which we perform stunts is as safe as possible so that the artist performing is mentally at ease.”

How does he handle the stress and fear factor in doing his own stunts?

“I don’t know if this makes sense but I tend to shut all thoughts out.

Because the moment I start thinking, even an ounce of fear can make something go wrong. Like I said, we must perform in as safe environments as possible with correct safety measures,” he says.

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SALMAN’S KISSA KISSEE KA In the three decades plus that his super successful movie career spans, Salman Khan has never once shot a scene where he actually kissed his lead co-star. However romantic the story, however hot his off-screen relationship with the heroine (think Aishwarya in Hum Dil De Chuke..or Katrina at the height of their affair in Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya), Salman Khan has never given an on-screen kissing scene.

However, the actor has recently revealed a reason behind his 'No Kissing Policy' in the film. Apparently, Salman can't associate himself with overt physical affection for the camera. He further added that his USP and connection with his audience is through naughtiness, action, humour and romance. And the biggest clincher: he stays away from on-screen kissing and nudity because his fans can watch the film with their families.

Salman’s most constant companion and co-star, Katrina Kaif adds “Beyond a point, I don't think Salman can handle the romantic scenes. He gets very (bored) by it. So I think it is good there is a break and he does an action film. That's what he is like as a person -- he needs everything in moderation.”

Assamese mobile theatre wows Silicon City Bengaluru theatre enthusiasts thoroughly enjoyed their encounter with North-eastern drama when Assam’s leading mobile theatre companies, Awahun visited the southern silicon city with a repertoire of three plays and 150 members. “In Assam theatre is a big wave, particularly mobile theatre, which is locally referred to as ‘ bhramyamaan’,” said film and theatre star Prastuti Porasor, who heads the troupe, “ We travel for days together from one corner of the state to the other, catering to nearly 3,500 people from different age groups in each stop. From the elite to a commoner, mobile theatre fosters a cultural connect for the people of the state. With regional cinema becoming increasingly niche and most often in financial doldrums, mobile theatre is a significant source of entertainment in the state.”

She added, “There are times when we have as many as four plays in a day, with shows running from 2 pm to 2 am. Unlike in other parts of the country, a mobile theatre artist typically gets to do a role multiple times on stage, meaning there is tremendous growth for both the cast and crew of these plays, including the musicians and technicians. It’s an opportunity to rediscover a character every time you are on stage.”

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EDITOR'S VIEW

Nearly four weeks of lower back pain has made me a great ice-breaker at parties. People who don’t know me or each other (admittedly there are few in Bahrain because we are such a village!) unite to discuss my condition and offer advise ranging from New Age to traditional to genuinely held quack beliefs. It makes for lively conversations but leaves me feeling no better, although my hosts are usually grateful that I got the party chatter going.

One stranger accosted me, darkly announcing that as a journalist I probably sat around too much and did I know that sitting was the new smoking? Put that way, it terrified me. What a waste of my good intentions to stay away from the killer weed! All that I had to hold now was a reputation as a lazy, sedentary person.

I was also advised to walk around my office for 10 minutes after every halfhour of sitting. Add to this, my doctor’s advise to lie down for 15 minutes for every one hour spent sitting and you can see a pattern emerging where hardly any work gets done! I believe in many countries offices now give employees the option of a ‘standing chair’ which allows one to stand with their knees slightly bent and rest their butt on a padded seat, approximating a standing crouch. Would that be considered the equivalent of smoking without inhaling, I wonder?

Having exhausted my allopathic options, I turned desperately to ayurvedic care, a system of traditional Indian medicine based on herbal remedies and over 4,000 years of recorded research. With guidance on yoga stretches and a series of medicinal massages, there has been improvement – but that is not why I am writing this. I want to point out how fortunate we are in Bahrain that an enlightened Ministry of Health has allowed alternative medical centres to flourish, at the same time ensuring quality and genuine care through a series of strict ‘best practice’ rules. You can now get quality ayurvedic and homeopathic care as well as acupressure, Chinese acupuncture and cupping in Bahrain along with world-class specialist care.

During my treatment, I was also surprised to find that most of the patients were from Saudi Arabia and drove for hours from districts and towns ‘across the bridge’ to keep their appointments. That’s a snapshot of medical tourism in Bahrain and how it is thriving. Often it is not the big announcements and deals that do the trick. The real work gets done through game-changers who bring knowledge and a real effort to add value without tom-tomming it and the government has been an enabler of such enterprise.

When I once interviewed an Ayurvedic doctor who was an authority on this system, he bemoaned the use of Ayurveda as a spa treatment, saying this publicity meant the ancient and highly effective system had been dumbed down and its serious medical benefits reduced to fighting hair loss and acne.

Having benefitted so much from the system, I agree. Those pretty soft-focus pictures of blissed-out people being massaged tell only part of the story. Its time we took our ancient alternative therapies more seriously, be it yoga or Ayurveda or acupuncture.

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