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Note from the Chairman

The juxtaposition of tears and laughter, of being a super-achiever and feeling a failure, of having everything and still not wanting to live another day – this is the mindscape of thousands of people who walk beside us, among us. They struggle, some soundlessly and others grasping for straws to rescue themselves from the abyss of a mental health crisis. While the world has largely moved on from the torture chambers and the prison-like barred cells that passed for mental health care till as late as the mid-twentieth century, we are still not attuned to the needs of people with mental problems. We pity them, we make sympathetic noises but we really don’t want to engage with them and see if they need help.

That is why we need a designated day to remind us of our responsibility to our brothers and sisters who are vulnerable to a differently-abled mind: World Mental Health Day is on October 10 and we have time to assess how each one of us can contribute to supporting the cause of those grappling with mental health issues.

The first step is to recognise that there are as many different mental health conditions as there are physical illnesses and as many varying degrees of the same.

Secondly, in the 21st century, the approach to mental health care has changed dynamically and is today a combination of psychiatric therapy when needed and medication to balance the hormonal levels in the body and streamline the mind’s reaction to the world – and to itself.

But the most important thing is to extend a supporting attitude to the individual who needs it. Mental health crises can be very isolating and centuries of misunderstanding have given the subject a patina of shame that the sufferers struggle with. This is why so many mental health challenges go unreported – because the sufferer is trying to hide the problem instead of addressing it.

We live in a changed world today where knowledge has dismantled so many taboos and made us kinder to one another. Let us use this hard-won sense of oneness to help people with mental health challenges to face their demons and win.

Capt. Mahmood Al Mahmood

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Highlights September 2018

CUISINE 10 ways to bring up a sensible foodie

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47 COVER FOCUS The cause is PINK Bahrain joins the world in October in promoting awareness of breast cancer. There are many ways that we all can support the cause and also take steps to safeguard ourselves from the disease.

IN THE NEWS Bahrain reaches out to Kerala

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The outpouring of relief work and support for flood-hit Kerala once again proved how big the Kingdom’s heart is.

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CELEBRATION When dolls come out to pray

With the Bommai Kolu tradition of doll display, the best of Indian dollmaking heritage comes to fore.

Bahrain families too join the delightful festive practice.

MYTHOLOGY Kumbhakarna, deity of sleep

The habits of childhood stay on for a lifetime so let’s start a food revolution in the school snackbox! Office snack attacks are not exempt either!

44 GANDHI JAYANTI Gandhi, the movie star There are whole libraries of literature on the Mahatma and not surprisingly, he has inspired many movies and plays. We bring you a list of best Maha(tma) movies for the great man’s birth anniversary.

Legendary silk saree designer store RmKV recently showcased new and hip ways to wear the revered Kanjeevaram silk saree

FASHION Reimagining the Kanjeevaram

P, SHU GUP D O YWO OLL B X S I EP ..PLU CEN S Y T • 30 PAR

COLUMNS

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Shobhaa De • 51 Ayaz Memon

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An exotic and fearful character in the Ramayana, this demon manages to add dignity and common sense to his role.

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/SalaamBahrain SEPTEMBER

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in the news

Humanity – What the rains could not submerge Bahrain joined the world to help rebuild Kerala after its watery debacle.

By HINA ASAR

In August, we in Bahrain watched in disbelief as the full impact of the torrential rainfall in Kerala hit us like a badly made horror flick. What had started as a regular monsoon turned into a deluge, flooding complete districts and submerging all in its path. However, what the monsoon could not submerge was the human spirit, the instinct for survival and the selfless help and compassion which was showered on God’s Own Country from all over the world.

Bahrain, the tiny Kingdom with a big heart, was one of the first to express solidarity with the unfortunate people of Kerala.

Various clubs and organizations cancelled their Onam and Eid celebrations and channeled their efforts into organizing resources and relief material for the flood-affected.

Joint effort The ‘Kerala Flood Relief Committee’ headed by the Indian Club called a joint meeting of all Indian Associations and Communities. Generous donations were pledged both by organizations and individuals towards the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund. Students, parents and teachers of The Indian School Bahrain also got together to contribute towards relief operations. Around 1300 kg essentials were dispatched to the disaster struck state.

Thankachan Vithayathil, Acting President of the Indian Club, explained the role of geography on why things took such a turn for the worse. “Kerala is a strip of land with an area of 600 kms lengthwise from the North to the South, with a coastal border opening to the Arabian Sea. There are 44 rivers traversing through this strip, 41 of which flow from the Western Ghats to the Arabian Sea and the remaining 3 flow towards the Bay of Bengal. Many of these rivers have dams built over them to harness hydro-electricity. What happened was that the magnitude of the rains was so high that many of these dams started reaching the maximum permissible height and the water had to be released from them. My sister’s home, which is a two storey villa, was completely submerged. My home which was in the same area too bore the brunt. My accountant’s

“I visited many relief camps and saw how the youth were mobilizing resources. But the real heroes were the fishermen who mobilized their boats to reach and rescue stranded people.”

- Radhakrishnan Pillai 6 SALAAM BAHRAIN

The picture that moved a million hearts

Receiving a donation cheque from T.V. Suresh (left) by Indian Club's Acting President Thankachan Vithayathil along with Acting General Secretary Siby Varghese, Kerala Flood Relief Committee's Convener Mohamed Hussain Malim and Committee Member K.P. Vasudevan

Students, parents and teachers of the Indian School Bahrain contributed 1.3 ton of materials towards relief operations for flood hit Kerala.

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Former Bahraini resident Sreekutty did her best during the floods

aged parents who were alone in their home had to take shelter on the roof till they were rescued”.

Help from Bahrain was swiftly forthcoming. Thankachan’s business partner, Abdul Wahab Al Mansoor, who is also a Shura Council member, immediately donated BD 1000. Many of his company employees also contributed according to their capacity.

However, he recorded his disappointment that the Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) had not been proactive enough. “We invited them to attend the joint meeting, but they did not respond when they should have in fact taken the lead.” (On contacting the Chairman of ICRF, he revealed that he had informed the Club that they had already sent funds to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund even before the meeting was called.

Real heros Radhakrishnan Pillai, President of the Bahrain Kerala Samajam, was in Kerala when the floods struck. “The response from all the people was tremendous,

transcending all political and ideological differences. I was in Trivandrum, which was relatively unaffected. I visited many relief camps and saw how the youth were mobilizing resources. But the real heroes were the fishermen. Many areas which were inaccessible by road and they mobilized their boats to reach and rescue stranded people.”

At the BKS itself, which hosts one of the most colourful Onam celebrations each year, all festivities were suspended and the large Diamond Jubilee Hall was

“The flooded districts had the highest number of NRIs. Many banks were flooded and the storage areas where they kept important legal documents were damaged or destroyed.

- Suresh Vaidyanathan converted into a collection station for relief supplies. About 100 volunteer members took turns to receive and sort the donated goods and finally, 12 tons of material was sent by the BKS. Since this was done on an urgent emergency footing, it also meant that the supplies reached Kerala when help was most needed.

Indian Club member Suresh Vaidyanathan was supposed to travel on August 15 to attend three weddings.

But he could not leave as the airport was 7 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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closed. The big-hearted banker donated BD 1,000 towards the Club’s flood relief drive.

NRI laws “This was the first time that the whole state from North to South received continuous rainfall. When the dams reached critical levels, the authorities started releasing water, which contributed to flooding in the catchment areas,” Suresh said, explaining the extent of the crisis, “The major flood areas were also the districts with the highest number of NRIs. Many banks were flooded and the storage areas where they kept important legal documents were damaged or destroyed.

The banks could not open the lockers in the absence of the owners and things escalated very quickly. Now, as the waters have been drained out, the condition is worse. Dams which were full are at half levels. Kuttanad area, which is a tourist spot, doesn’t even have water for boat rides. There is no water in rivers and cracks have appeared in river beds and dams”.

“Home is a place where one assumes one will always be safe. It took people a while to realize the gravity of the situation.”

- Sreekutty Rupesh

At the BKS, members channeled their energies into mobilising relief aid and also organising a net-based news station where members could get information about relatives back home.

The rescue efforts were multi-faceted in which the efforts of creating awareness through social media platforms played a very important role.

Youth power Two young women who stepped up to the role were Bahraini Yoga expert Fatima Al Mansouri and former Bahrain (now Dubai) resident Sreekutty Rupesh.

Sreekutty revealed how she used social media to coordinate the relief efforts which otherwise might not have reached the really deserving. “I was in Kerala from July 4. Being a musician, my entire summer was planned around attending music classes and performing stage shows and concerts. Till the first week of August, the rains were on and off.

My relatives back home were fed up of the rains, but as an NRI I was enjoying this heart-warming weather as a welcome break from the harsh Gulf summer. By the second week of August, it started raining torrentially. I was in Thrissur, which is centrally located and is relatively safe – or so I thought. But by mid-August, things started getting

worse. Water started gushing as if from nowhere and entire farmlands and paddy fields around our house were under water. It was a scary situation and we packed our bags to go to relatives staying at a higher terrain.

Luckily for us things didn’t get worse, but the sentiment of staying back till the last minute was the reason why many people got stranded. Home is a place where one assumes one will always be safe. It took people a while to realize

“Keralites are present in all the Gulf countries and are a part of us. So if anything happens to them, it affects us as well.”

- Fatima Al Mansoori the gravity of the situation.

They thought they could tide over the events and the flood waters would eventually recede.”

Her safety being assured, Sreekutty turned her attention to how she could be of help to others. Many of her friends started procuring essentials and going

to flood-hit areas. Camps which could be accessed by road were provided help.

But there were many areas which needed to be reached either by boat or by helicopters.

There were many instances of the helicopters of the Indian Army rescuing stranded people from roof-tops, notably a heavily pregnant lady who gave birth soon after to a healthy child. Lots of youngsters, not connected to any government or political parties, started accessing them in small canoes. “There were many people like me who wanted to help but could not go to the sites. The only thing I could do was to collect the resources and send them to the right people. I personally sent money to my friends and also started posting messages on social media. As much as the camps needed volunteers, it was equally important to coordinate so much relief material that was coming in from the other states.”

Sreekutty narrated an incident wherein a wealthy businessman from a neighboring state contacted her via social media to supply medicines to the flood affected areas. “In this case, I

Malabar Group donates to Kerala relief fund In the aftermath of the Kerala floods, as the scale of disaster unfolded, the Malabar Group donated Two crore to the Kerala Chief Minister’s distress relief fund. Malabar Group Chairman M P Ahammed said that the Group will associate with district administrations at local levels in lending helping hands to the needy. The Group has already started distributing food and drinking water to the flood victims through Malabar Gold & Diamonds jewellery outlets across the state. Ahammed expressed grief and solidarity to the distressed suffering from the unprecedented flood and landslides.

Shamlal Ahamed, Managing Director - International Operations of Malabar Gold & Diamonds commented “We would like to express our deepest sympathy and offer our sincere help to those suffering from the impact of the flood. We are hoping the earliest possible recovery and praying to the almighty for the restoration of the affected areas”.

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in the news wanted to involve a doctor who could monitor the flow of medicines because self-administering them might do more harm than good. So I got in touch with two doctors in Thrissur and got a list of items they needed. They advised me that generic medicines were wellstocked, but items like inhalers, glucometers etc. were required. It was important to not just send stuff which you think might be needed, but to assess the needs of the area and then send accordingly. Secondly, it proved that one did not need to have the knowledge of a particular field to make a difference. Ironically, the person who initially offered to send the medicines backed out at the last minute. But the doctors and relief staff were waiting expectantly, so we procured the items from our personal funds and handed them over to the Indian Medical Association in Thrissur. I was just a small link in a large chain of kindness, generosity and gratitude. At every stage, I felt that whatever I did was not enough.”

God's help Bahraini Yoga Therapist Fatima Al Mansoori was in Mangalore to conduct a short course at Mangalore University before visiting a Keralite friend’s family, when things got from bad to worse in the state. Instead of staying in the safety on Mangalore, she decided to cancel her programs there and headed to Kerala. “Keralites are present in all the Gulf countries and are a part of us. So if anything happens to them, it affects us

as well” she said. Fatima said that many people think she has connection with some organizations or NGOs, but that is not the case. Her presence in Kerala was just by chance as a part of a preplanned trip. But when things started to escalate, she threw herself wholeheartedly into delivering whatever help she could.

“It would take us 3 - 4 hours to reach the affected areas. The roads were foggy and many a time we would return home as late as 2 AM. It was embarrassing to inconvenience my host family but they were incredibly understanding.” Fatima used her Twitter and Instagram accounts to post updates from the ground. Her followers in Bahrain then put her through to their contacts in Kerala who were involved in relief work. “If your intentions are clear, God facilitates everything for you” she noted. “A person named Noufal contacted me from an NGO. It was important to find the right team or I would not have been able to get to the affected areas. At that time, there was not much awareness internationally. So I used my social media platforms to throw light on the grim situation in the state. It was for a cause, not for self.” Many a time, she faced dangers from potential landslides and ground collapses. Her friends in Bahrain cautioned her that this was not something she could swim or struggle her way out of. “But I wanted to be with the people there to show solidarity.

The survivors needed emotional and moral support. There is a picture of me with an old lady which has gone viral.

When I was speaking to her, she shared with me that her husband had passed away a long time ago. Her children were not around and now she didn’t even have a house. I could not do anything to help her but just took her hand in mine to console her. At that time, the photographer left, and I just felt like hugging her to salute her strong spirit.

While I gave her a warm hug, the photographer came back and took that very candid picture. People asked me how I could communicate with them as I did not know their language. But the language of emotions is universal. Further, I was also helped by Noufal with the translations.”

Fatima explained that there is a difference between seeking publicity on social media and utilizing it for a cause.

She advises humanitarians to use it to encourage and influence people towards good causes. “There were many real life heroes who did more than me and they deserve our gratitude. I just used social media to show the situation live on the ground, and reached out to provide emotional support. Just as food and fashion influencers use their blogs to influence customer choice, we should also use these platforms to encourage people to participate in humanitarian activities.”

Today, the state is limping back to normalcy. Bahrain residents of Kerala are still counting the cost of the floods and while the immediate relief efforts have been stopped, there are still groups reaching out to neighbourhoods in the state.

BFC supports Kerala relief As part of BFC’s corporate social responsibility, 35 lakhs was donated to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund to support the state and people of Kerala. On Behalf of BFC, Pancily Varkey, General Manager, Leny Mathew, Head of Treasury, Somanathan Kulangareth, Head of Dealing, Deepak Nair, Head of Retail Sales and Roger Menezes, Head of Corporate Business spoke to media.

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in the news

Joyalukkas announces homes for flood affected As part of it's response to rebuilding flood devastated Kerala, the Joyalukkas Group has announced that it will construct 250 houses for those who have lost their homes in the greatest flood of the century. A sum of 15 crores has been earmarked for this project which is supported by all the employees of the Joyalukkas Group as well as a large number of well-wishers.

The Chairman of the Joyalukkas Group, Joy Alukkas as well as the Director of the Joyalukkas Foundation, Jolly Joy have stated that the Joyalukkas Foundation will see that houses costing Six lakhs each will be constructed. Each house will have a total area of 600 sq.ft. with two bedrooms, a living cum dining room, kitchen and sit out and will have a concrete roof. In addition the houses will be built in tune with the

environment only after proper consultation with expert architects and according to the plans submitted by them.

Those who have lost their homes in the floods and landslides may submit their applications in person at the sales outlet of the Joyalukkas Group nearest to them. These applications will be carefully studied by a committee constituted by the Joyalukkas Foundation and in consultation with the local self-governing bodies. A list of deserving candidates would be drawn up and construction will start as soon as all governmental formalities are met. It is hoped that the houses will be quickly completed and handed over to their owners.

The Joyalukkas Foundation continues to give compassionate leadership in several social and humanitarian

ventures. The services rendered by the Joyalukkas Foundation in activities like voluntary blood donation, protection of the environment, health care and many other causes, are indeed laudable.

Al Hilal's support for Kerala The Board of Director of Al Hilal Healthcare, PA Mohammed, Dr. VT Vinodan and Abdul Latheef, donated 1.38 crores to the Chief Ministers Disaster Relief Fund, Kerala. The cheque was handed over to the honourable Minister of Industries & Sports, EP Jayarajan.

This donation was a joint contribution from the employees, doctors and management of Al Hilal Healthcare towards the noble initiative to support rebuilt Kerala.

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salaam scoiety

Filipino artists pay tribute to Bahrain The Philippines Embassy hosted “Bahrain Through Our eyes� exhibition, at Harbour Gate of the Bahrain Financial Harbour.

The event was a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the Republic of the Philippines and the Kingdom of Bahrain. A total of 40 Filipino artists exhibited 180 artwork pieces that showcased their vision of Bahrain. The art pieces included paintings using oil, acrylic, water-based paint, charcoal and mixed media, as well as photography. The event was attended by the Philippine Ambassador Al Fonso A. Ver, members of the Diplomatic Corps, the business community, as well as leaders and members of the Filipino Community.

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salaam scoiety

Bharata Bhaagya Vidhaata The summer heat did not deter hundreds of Indian from coming to the Embassy grounds on August 15 to pay homage to their motherland on the 72nd Independence Day of India.

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salaam society

International community salutes Indian Independence Day Indian Ambassador Alok Kumar Sinha and his wife Mamta hosted a glamorous reception at the The Diplomat Radisson Blu to celebrate the country's Independence Day.

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UAE Exchange donates for Kerala cause Leading money transfer, foreign exchange and payment solutions brands, UAE Exchange and Unimoni, have waived service fee on remittances to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund in the wake of the catastrophic floods that has ravaged the Indian state of Kerala. The initiative which enables the global Indian diaspora to contribute to the relief efforts, follows a personal contribution of Two crore made by the Group Chairman and noted UAE-based businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty, to help

those affected by the floods.

Promoth Manghat, Executive Director, Finablr and Group CEO, said, “As a committed corporate citizen, who firmly believes in helping communities in times of need, it was our responsibility to do all that is in our power to aid the people of Kerala, who are facing this unprecedented natural calamity. Besides waiving off service fee on remittances to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund, we have also mobilised the India Unit of Unimoni to extend on-ground 15 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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support to the ongoing relief efforts.

With support pouring in from all quarters, we are confident that Kerala will soon recover from this disaster. We are also thankful to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan & his cabinet for allowing us to support the community in need.�

A total amount of 25 lakhs too has been provided by UAE Exchange and NMC to support the flood-affected victims with the help of select media houses.

salaam society

Former Ambassador’s book on WTO launched A scholarly and eminently engaging account of WTO negotiations, written by former Indian Ambassador to Bahrain, Dr. Mohan Kumar was recently released by Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri at the India International Centre in New Delhi. The book titled “Negotiation Dynamics of the WTO, An Insider’s Account”, published by Palgrave Macmillan, is written from Dr. Mohan Kumar’s perspective, representing India as a developing country negotiator through three rounds of the emerging WTO and the factors and debate that shaped it and also led to eventual deadlock.

Dr. Kumar is currently Professor and Vice Dean of the Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) and also Chairman of Research and Information System for Developing Countries. He has enormous expertise in the area of international trade- he was India's lead negotiator first at the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) and then at the WTO (World Trade Organization) in crucial areas such as Intellectual Property Rights, Services, Dispute Settlement, Rules and Technical Barriers to Trade. He was a leading member of India's delegation at the WTO Ministerial Conferences held in Marrakesh (1994), Seattle (1999) and Doha (2001).

Warm praise Speaking at the book launch, Minister Puri said, “This book helps to trace the history of our WTO negotiations. This is an extraordinary book and has the technical expertise and the view of an insider (Dr Mohan Kumar) who participated in the WTO negotiations. The book contains a great deal of learning for diplomats and trade policy officials of developing countries.”

He added, “Dr Mohan Kumar’ book should be read by both trade negotiators and those who have the desire to understand the multilateral trade system anchored in the WTO, its history, how GATT evolved into the WTO, and also by those who have an interest to know why the WTO is stalemated”.

The minister pointed v out that trade strategies of countries evolve as their economic structures change. He gave the example of an earlier era when the USA was pressing to include services trade in the WTO agenda while India negotiated along with Brazil, South Africa and others to dilute it. But the situation today is entirely different.

“India is a $2.7 trillion economy. At least 50 per cent of our GDP is in the external sector and that includes the value of goods and services. 57 percent of our GDP now is contributed by services. So, we have an interest in taking service sector trade reforms forward today”, he stated.

Dr Mohan Kumar explained that his book has been written as a historical 16 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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review of the WTO and also looked at three central takeaways in international trade negotiations from the Indian perspective.

“Firstly, I have come-up with the notion of ‘negotiation resentment’, which I believe has left an imprint on India’s negotiating stance even subsequently and that might explain the skepticism we had with regard to WTO,” Dr. Kumar said, “Second, India has done well actually in negotiations. I argue that it is better for India to stay within negotiations rather than out of them. When we have not participated in negotiations, we are forced to accept outcomes and invariably those outcomes are adversarial to India. My third takeaway in the book is that, with China having distanced itself from India, we are the only country which is sui generis. I would like to call India Ekla Chalo (going alone) country, if you like.’ he stated.

He added that “the demise of the WTO is widely exaggerated. The WTO will be redesigned fundamentally.”

Speaking at the book release event,

Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice-Chancellor, JGU, said, “One of the things which Universities don’t focus is on research, knowledge creation and publications. We are conscious of the need for academicians to engage in a culture of research. This is part of our initiative to be an institution of global excellence.”.

Panel issues The book launch event also featured a Panel issues discussion moderated by Dr. Sreeram Chaulia, Dean, Jindal School of International Affairs. Panelists includ-

ed Rajeev Kher, former Commerce Secretary, Jayant Dasgupta, former Indian Ambassador to WTO, Dr. Abhijit Das, Head of the Centre for WTO Studies at IIFT, and Professor Jayati Ghosh, Jawaharlal Nehru University.

The panel debated issues like power play and conflicts between major powers and developing countries in the WTO, India’s role as a spokesperson of poorer nations in trade negotiations, and the threats of protectionism and mercantilism coming from the US and other rich countries which are weakening the multilateral trading system and

perpetuating unfair outcomes The prestigious book launch was attended by many members of the diplomatic corps in New Delhi, think-tank intellectuals, journalists & Dr. Mohan Kumar and his vivacious wife Mala's friends. Salaam Bahrain's editor Meera Ravi was also present at the launch.

Ganesh Utsav at Praharaj residence The Odia Samaj Ganesh Chaturthi celebration at the residence of Arunkumar and Sunita Praharaj was filled with devotion and an opportunity for the community to come together. The occasion was marked with a lovely cultural performance by young girls trained by Arunita Praharaj and the presence of Indonesian Ambassador Nur Syahrir Rahardjo and his wife Retnani Rahardjo.

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celebrations

When dolls come out to pray

The Navaratri Kolu tradition is a great way to connect with India’s fascinating doll-making heritage

By MEERA RAVI

The realistic clay dolls of Krishnanagar, Bengal celebrate everyday occupations and incidents. They are collectors' items today

The names Kondapalli, Channapatna and Krishnanagar are revered by a group of people who know these places as the heartbeat of India’s indigenous doll-making industry – in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and West Bengal respectively.

Made of clay, wood, papier mache, plant material and cloth, traditional Indian dolls will be having their moment in the spotlight this October as the South Indian community celebrates Navaratri, the nine nights paying homage to Shakti, the Feminine Power, with a lovingly arranged doll display called Bommai Kolu.

Toys have existed in India since the Indus Valley Civilisation.

5000 years and these simple playthings evolved to what they are today. Contrary to popular belief, dolls and toys were not just casual playthings, but were related to the social and religious rites of a community. In northern India, Janmashtami is related in its entirety by means of clay dolls. The first wooden dolls are given to a girl from her parents during her marriage and are called Marapachi Bommai. As a custom, a married woman was supposed to add at least one doll to her collection every year and these make up the Bommai Kolu display.

Bahrain Kolu

Every year, about three weeks before Navaratri which usually falls in September-October, the Budaiya home of Padma and Shyam starts humming with activity. The huge boxes of 18 SALAAM BAHRAIN

The 4,000-doll collection of the Shyam family makes for a grand Bommai Kolu

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Navaratri dolls come out of storage and are reverently unwrapped, the large living room is cleared of furniture and the collapsible steps are set up after a thorough cleaning. Then begins the work of decorating the Bommai Kolu display. What started in 1997 as a three-step display has today evolved into a towering main display of 9 steps spanning half the room. This year, the Shyams will arrange two displays of nine and five steps respectively for their collection of about 4,000 dolls and the display will also be arranged in smaller platforms around the room.

During Navaratri,v the gated compound takes on a festive look, with fairy lights strung on the trees and the garden and visitors streaming in every evening in traditional finery.

Such is the fame of the Shyam Kolu, that visitors come uninvited to see the display and Indian cable TV channels come to film the celebration. A member of Bahrain’s royal family dropped in one year and was astounded by the wealth of tradition and heritage.

“Over the years, our Navaratri Kolu has been graced by many well-known personalities who have heard of it and visited us. We feel blessed to share the magic of the festival with our Bahrain friends,” said Padma Shyam, “More than the setting up, the dismantling is difficult. The feeling that we will not see the dolls for another year is heavy in our hearts and since there are no visitors after the festival, its lonesome work too!”

Round the corner in Saar, Nisha and Ranga also hold a lavish Bommai Kolu. Taking pride of place is Nisha’s collection of Ganesha idols but there is also something new to look forward to each year. Last year, Nisha had created a textile map of India, using swatches of textile that were matched to regions in an India map outline and also using pictorial depictions of the folk dances of the different regions. The project involved weeks of research and Nisha sourced the textiles from her own collection of sarees and shawls.

The delicate and light wooden dolls of Kondapalli are stylised and richly painted. They depict traditional and mythological scenes

“Every year, I begin the countdown with a thought that I will only use a small part of my collection because it represents so much work,” Nisha confesses, “But when I open the storage box and pick out the first few dolls, I feel as if the other dolls are asking me sadly, why they are not being chosen. So I end up taking them all out.”

Time-honoured

A traditional Bommai Kolu is arranged in steps that are oddnumbered – three, five, seven, nine and eleven. The top steps are dedicated to images of gods,, the middle steps to saints and images of great artists and art (musical instruments, dance forms, musicians) and the bottom steps to are devoted to celebrating the various aspects of human life – weddings, the representations of business – the 19 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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Chettiar and Aachi minding their kirana shop with its grains and metal vessels, all replicated in painstaking miniature form with clay or wood, a classroom or an army parade ground – the displays are only restricted by imagination!

It is a time-honoured tradition for women and children to be formally invited to see the Kolu – although in Bahrain, it’s a full-family affair with plenty of socialising thrown in. It is also a celebration of artistic talent as visitors are urged to sing classical songs and girls often perform folk dances in groups.

Across town in Manama, two families in Golden Sands are wellknown for the special displays that they put together. Jayashree and husband Balu usually pick a contemporary theme along with the traditional display and last year, wowed visitors with scenes from the

The Balu family's Kolu often includes meticulously detailed set pieces like the Baahubali depiction last year.

blockbuster Baahubali. A poster on the display asked the question that had generated a thousand memes: ‘Why did Katappa kill Baahubali?’

“We were planning the theme when we visited Ansar Gallery for tinsel decorations and found the two dolls in armour which became our centrepiece,” said Balu, “It was as if destiny had co-operated – because why else would we find such appropriate toys in such an unexpected setting?”

The family’s search for dolls that match their theme ideas extends across the seas and one year, they had an idol of Hanuman specially made in Chennai for a tableau.

Radhika and Bhaskar also use plenty of ingenuity in their displays, illustrating stories from Indian mythology with cleverly deployed dolls and props.

Some dolls are always part of the display: the beautifully carved teakwood Marapachi Bommai, male and female wooden dolls that are

presented to a bride on her wedding as symbols of fertility. These dolls are usually dressed up as Lord Krishna and his Consort Rukmini or Radha.

They may be dressed as Tirupati Venkatesa and His Consort Goddess Padmavathi and take pride of place.

The Chettiar couple and their shop and, in the upper display area the Dasavataram, the 10 Divine Incarnations of Lord Mahavishnu.

Craft traditions

This is also a time to celebrate the skill and imagination of India’s craftsmen who make the traditional dolls – in Karnataka’s Channapatna, which is known as Toy Town, more than 5,000 skilled crafts men and women produce wooden toys and jewellery made from cedar, teak or rubber wood. The products are coated with lacquer which is prepared from vegetable dyes. This is also the products' USP since they use organic colours as opposed

to those containing lead.

Channapatna's journey to becoming the “toy town of Karnataka” is believed to have begun nearly 200 years ago under the reign of Tipu Sultan. The then ruler of Mysuru is said to have been gifted a lacquered-wood toy from Persia in the 18th century. Impressed by the craft, he brought artisans from Persia to train local artists in the craft.

Recently, Channapatna was in the news for two reasons: in November 2017, the very cute son of Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuk, the one-and-a-half-yearold Prince Jigme Namgyal Wangchuk was tweeted playing with Channapatna toys, gifted to him by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Then in August 2018, Channapatna once again hit the headlines when present Karnataka CM H.D. Kumaraswamy contested from there. Sadly, the 200-year old craft legacy finds itself on shaky ground today when the markets are flooded with ‘Made in China’ products; low cost Chinese toys and plastic playthings are much cheaper and easy to use as mass-produced gifts for kids.

A major buyer of these handicrafts – since 40 years – is Cauvery The 10 earthly avatars of Mahavishnu are a must-have in a Bommai collection. More quirky is the cricketer Ganesha who seems to combine two Indian passions: cricket and religion!

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celebrations Emporium, the Karnataka State crafts retail outlet; the rest of the goods are either sold to local shops or are exported. An area of six acres, with more than 250 families working away at chiselling, making, designing and colouring the handicrafts, is set aside to meet the Cauvery Emporium order.

“NGOs are training us; we are learning new designs. We get orders on a regular basis and make about 500 a day,” said a Channapatna toymaker, Mujeeb, “But electricity supply is fitful and the cost of raw materials is increasing daily. That means we take longer to complete orders and are paid by piece. The hey day of Channapatna toys is behind us.”

Still, Channapatna toy-makers have a better deal than many craftsmen.

The registered members of the guild avail benefits from government schemes to encourage the cottage industry, which include the central government fund for training on new designs, and health scheme, apart from the loan recommendations for providing craftsmen with more facilities.

Kondapalli blues

Things are not as rosy for the toymakers of Kondapalli. I first came across these beautiful, delicately carved wooden figurines when we were presented with a traditional Kondapalli baraat procession by my daughter’s Telugu in-laws. Made of light balsa-like wood called tella puniki, every figurine is beautifully hand-painted with vegetable dyes.

When you hold a Kondapalli toy or doll in your hands, it feels light as gossamer but the colours are so rich that it look heavy.

The village of Kondapalli in Andhra’s Krishna district, has been associated with this distinctive style of dolls since the 16th century. In its heyday, the artists of this village received royal patronage from the Reddy kings who held the Kondapalli fort, standing at one end of the village. Their art came to Kondapalli in the 16th century, when some

Nisha Ranga says her large Bommai collection literally speaks to her

members of the Nakarshalu community from Rajasthan moved here. So impressed was Anavema Reddy, the ruler at the time, that he offered them lavish patronage and asked them to settle in Kondapalli permanently.

Despite a shrinking market, the toys still play a central role in many cultural traditions of the Telugu states.

“During Sankranti and Navaratri, the bommala koluvu is very important in some of the major temples such as the Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada and the Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple in Srisailam. Before the holy procession begins, Kondapalli toys are kept for puja,” explains Lalitha, a Kondapalli toymaker.

Though there have been attempts to modernise the Kondapalli toys with new designs, the heart of the craft has remained unchanged over years – capturing a graceful portrait of rural life, religion and mythology.

“Krishna preaching to Arjuna, the dancing dolls, the Buddha and all our village figurines are what sell best,” says Sathyanarayana, Lalitha’s husband.

He says that while every toymaker has his own style, one of the most important things about a Kondapalli is the correct expression for each figurine.

“For the faces I use people that I see regularly. But we have to know what we want to sculpt. Each figurine – whether a goddess, a soldier, or a child – has a particular expression of its own. If we miss them, we lose the Kondapalli mark,” he explains.

But the younger generation of artisans feel that their art has been ignored.

“We put a lot of labour into making the toys. It requires so much concentration and skill. But, unfortunately, we are not given as much attention as our toys are,” says a Kondapalli craftsman, Ashok, Though toymaking was a lucrative profession in the past, it barely pays a survival wage to many artisans these days, particularly to those who hire out their labour to larger concerns. Sailaja, who works as a painter, for instance, says, “I get 100 per a day, which is not at all enough. If any one of us doesn't work one day we might not be able to eat that day.” For women like Sailaja it's doubly disadvantageous, since the work that remains clearly gender-segregated (with men carving and women painting) always pays the men a little better.

In an attempt to modernise Kondapalli toys, the Andhra government has now hit on the idea of developing new designs that will make the toys movable.

Starting with the bullock cart, the government has opened up a call for new designs for the wooden toys, even offering a prize of 2 lakh for the winning design. The artisans, however, are sceptical. They feel such new-fangled ideas will destroy the soul of the beautiful Kondapalli dolls.

Clay magic

In Bengal’s Nadia district, Kaushik Biswas, who holds a postgraduate degree in arts from the Rabindra Bharati University, is working with the potters to 21 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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celebrations revive the clay doll-making sector with new concepts and ideas. These clay dolls of Krishnanagar are famed for their realistic depiction of everyday village life - fishing, farming, rag picking, basket making, cooking, cleaning and worshipping, among others - and subjects like fruits, vegetables, birds and animals. They have been a part of the legacy of the native potters for over five generations.

As with other traditional doll-making crafts, this dates back to the 18th century and flourished during the reign of 18th century king of Krishnanagar, Raja Krishna Chandra Ray, who was well known for his fondness of art and literature.

“During his reign, the figures were exported and the artists were even sent abroad to promote and teach the art,” Biswas said, “The dolls can be found in many international museums. But now, exports have totally stopped. No one knows about them.”

The realistic depiction of rural life - the calling card of the clay figures - is a painstaking and multi-layered process.

“Each figure takes a minimum of two days to make, since they are extensively detailed. Besides each and every part, from the limbs to the accessories, are separately sculpted from clay and then assembled to complete one piece,” Biswas explained.

Now Biswas is working with his artist and gallery friends to get the Krishnanagar artists fresh commissions and pump up the interest in this dying art form.

Here is a thought: as we celebrate Bommai Kolu, why can’t we reach out to these corners of India and commission dolls so that these artisans will find a livelihood worthy of their talent? That will be a reflection of our traditions and our contemporary concerns too!

A classic Karnataka Kinjal Mukha - a face representing a noble woman of yore

From top left: The dancing dolls of Tanjore; Traditional Maraipachi wooden dolls; The Chettiar & Aachi entrepreneurs; Channapatna's varnished Siva-Parvathi riding the bull Nandi; Musician dolls of Channapatna 22 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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'Maha' Ganpati Puja The Maharashtra Cultural Society always keeps Tilak's tradition of a community Ganesh Puja alive in bahrain and this year too, celebrated with exuberance and bhakti bhav

Joshi family puja Charulata and Vishal Joshi follow the tradition of Ganesh Puja with a lot of joy and their Mahooz home is always full of friends during the festival. Son Kavish too has friends over and the home-cooked prashad is an added attraction.

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BPS August 14 get-together The Chairman and board members of Bahrain Parent Society (BPS) celebrated the 72nd Independence Day of Pakistan at Islah Society, Muharraq. The chief guest was businessmen and well-known community personality Muhammad Usman (BFG) and the guest of honour was Dr. Muhammad Al Sanan. More than 400 prominent community members attended the celebration.

A melodious Eid On the auspicious occasion of Eid ul Adha, a grand musical event was held at Pakistan Club to entertain the community members. The event include renowned local singers who enthralled the audience with the popular melodies.

Photo shows Eng. Rehan Ahmed, Chairman Pakistan Club, Executive Board members and leading community members.

Al Hilal marks August 14 Al Hilal Hospital celebrated Pakistan's Independence Day on August 14 with free consultations. Prominent Pakistani community members were welcomed to Al Hilal's Riffa Medical Centre premises and a celebratory cake was cut. The guests included Sajid Ali Khan, Principal of City School, Mohammed Afsal Bhatti, Vice Chairman of Pakistan Club, Awais, Pakistan School, Ali, Rejaina Construction, Sajid Butt, Butt Social Media along with Pakistani doctors of Al Hilal Hospital.

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Pak Embassy leads August 14 function The Pakistan Embassy celebrated the 72nd Pakistan Independence Day with much pomp. National anthem and patriotic national songs were sung. The flag hoisting ceremony held in the morning at the Embassy was attended by over 300 residents and guests. HOC & Acting Ambassador of Pakistan Embassy, Murad Al Wazir, was the Chief Guest. Saad Bin Rafiq, CWA Pakistan Embassy, welcomed the guests and highlighted the importance of the day and the celebrations. The Acting Ambassador acknowledged the patronage of the Bahraini leadership in providing constant support to the Pakistani community in the Kingdom of Bahrain and reiterated on the role and responsibilities of the Pakistani community in Bahrain.

Afro branch opening

Eid Milan festivities

The third branch of car rental company Afro Rent A Car was inaugurated by well-known sports personality Sami Al Haddad. Seen in the photo are. Rija Barlas, Administrative Manager, Sami Al Haddad, Chief Guest, and Mujtaba Afroz Barlas, Chief Executive Officer.

An Eid Milian party hosted by noted businessmen Ashfaq Butt at his home in Juffair was attended by prominent business members from the community.

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Bahrain's IKEA offers affordable home style The 51st store of world-renowned Swedish home furnishing giant, IKEA, was officially inaugurated in Bahrain - at 37,000 square metres, it is the largest IKEA in the MENA region and dominated social media for days after opening.

Located in Salmabad, the impressive two-storey structure includes a showroom, market hall and self-serve section.

The store offers over 8,500 products, with 50 room settings showcasing inspiring home furnishing solutions, 3 model home interiors, a supervised children's play facility, a restaurant with a capacity of up to 650 seats and 1200

parking spaces.

The inauguration was held under the patronage of the Crown Prince, HRH Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain; the store was inaugurated by Shaikh Khalid Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, the Deputy Prime Minister.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghassan Ahmed Al Sulaiman Furniture Trading Co. Ltd., Saud Al-Sulaiman, said, “Our partner-

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ship with IKEA began in 1983 and we have worked closely to expand into new markets. Bahrain's business friendly nature and potential made the move an easy decision for us. IKEA Bahrain will have something for everyone, from home furnishing to food.�

IKEA Bahrain's store opening hours are from 9am to 10pm from Sunday Wednesday and 9am to 1 am from Thursday - Saturday. The restaurant opens 30 minutes before the store opens and closes 30 minutes before the store closes for the day.

salaam society

BWC’s Confluence, a creative triumph

How apt that a creative maestro like Akram Miknas should inaugurate Confluence

The BWC movers and shakers who made Confluence happen

Trying his hand at poetry, Angus Campbell CEO of BFH, the event venue

At the interactive poetry corner, Miknas pens the first line, inspired

by Sara's painting

Opening Day crowds

Nilanjana, Mobeena & Vaijayantee pose with Mobeena’s lace Mobaya and poem, Snowlake

Three generations - painter Thanu Creative photographer Herz AlBanki and Miknas Anil with daughter Natasha and examine his entries grand-daughter Miraaya

Confluence, an exhibition of prose, poetry and art that covers traditional paintings, abstract interpretations, photographs, and illustrations was beautifully curated by the Bahrain Writers’ Circle and ran for a successful five days at the Bahrain Financial Harbour, which is fast becoming a lovely setting for art shows.

Inaugurated by Akram Miknas, the , President of Promoseven Holdings and a creative powerhouse himself, the show brought together artists whose paint-

Sara and Melissa with their collaborative painting-poem 'Waves'

ings were the inspiration for the poets in the group and the show was simply buzzing with energy.

Angus Campbell, CEO of Financial Centre Development Company, said that it was part of the vision of Harbour Gate to include art exhibitions and to encourage visitors to discover the wonderful artistic space in the heart of the downtown.

The BWC was founded in 2011 by Robin Barratt, a writer and author who has written hundreds of articles for 31 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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magazines and newspapers worldwide.

Today it serves as a source of learning, support and inspiration for the Kingdom’s writers and artists too and is powered by the tireless efforts of Rohini Sunderam and Claudia Hardt. The BWC holds regular meetings focussing on the craft of writing prose, poetry, fiction and non-fiction. It counts writers, bloggers, journalists and publishers among its members and has launched quite a few writers onto the published page. To become a member, contact the group on bahrainwriterscirclebwc@yahoo.com

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Human towers thrill temple guests Shri Krishna Janmashtami, the birth festival of one of Hinduism's most loved Gods, was celebrated with a “Makhan Matki Phod� celebration in which teams of young men form human towers to reach a high-hanging pot of butter and break it. Two earthen pots (Makhan Matkis) were hanged; one for children and the other for adults. The event was organised on Friday, 7 September 2018 from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon by The Thattai (Bhatia) Hindu Community (THC) at Shri Krishna Hindu Temple premises, Manama, Bahrain.

The celebrations were attended by the British Ambassador to Bahrain, Simon Martin CMG amongst a crowd of over 1,500 devotees who played and danced to the tunes of traditional music. Guests were served light snacks, beverages and the event was a grand success.

Peace laureate visits Manama temple Nobel Laureate and Children's Rights Activist Kailash Satyarthi visited the Shri Krishna Temple Manama during his recent visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain with a high profile delegation of Nobel Peace Prize winners. Satyarthi was received by the Honorary Vice-Chairman of the Thattai (Bhatia) Hindu Community (which manages the temple) Bhagwan Asarpota and other Executive Committee members. Asarpota briefed him on the religious, cultural, philanthropic and social activities conducted by the temple and emphasised the religious tolerance prevalent in Bahrain which facilitated freedom to all communities to practice their religion freely.

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fashion

RmKV REDESIGNS THE KANJEEVARAM

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When two great names in fashion come together, the result is a magnificent showcase on the runway. The -94year old Chennai brand RmKV Silks and Delhi-based textile expert and creative designer Sunita Shanker took centre-stage at the Lakme Winter/Fashion 2018 revitalising the Kanjeevaram with a revivalist palette of contemporary cuts and new ways to drape the world-famous weave.

Sunita’s design ideas were crowned by showstopper former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen’s elegant and effortlessly on-trend presence in a jumpsuit-saree that broke all sorts of rules and wowed with its reversible pattern.

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Established in 1924, RmKV works with 10,000 weavers to showcase the finest handloom silks in the best traditions from all over India. Sunita Shanker is one of the most respected names in the fashion business. Her experiments with Ikat, Bandhani as well as prints on Chanderi, Tussar, Khadi and Mangalgiri have earned her rave reviews from fashion connoisseurs.

This time around she is your guide to revamping traditional silk sarees with a modern twist. She says, ““RmKV has a heritage of its own in the weaving world, and my intervention was more in terms of colour, placement and style.

Kanjeevaram silk fabric is such that it’s not possible to make something frivolous with it, but we wanted to create contemporary formal pieces that defy the typical look — pieces that sit in your wardrobe for years, but are worn more often than a traditional piece.”

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fashion

Besides innovative drapes where the heavy silks are worn over crushed trousers and skirts or with cape jackets, the design palette also included reversible saris draped differently to show both sides, geometric motifs and happy shades like orange, and subdued ones like rose clay.

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fashion

IT'S A GUY THING

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fashion This time for its Winter/Festive 2018 edition of Lakme Fashion Week, there was a healthy dose of menswear added to the mix. Rajesh Pratap Singh’s sophomore collaboration with Tencel fabric - textiles that's produced by environmentally friendly processes derived from natural raw materials. -further highlighted his long-standing commitment to sustainable high fashion. Amit Aggarwal debuted his menswear line full of metallics and shine. Kunal Rawal put out a progressive collection that defined modern Indianwear, while Antar-Agni by Ujjawal Dubey brought dark asymmetrical silhouettes to menswear. Whichever way you look, there’s plenty to choose from, whatever kind of guy you are.

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salaam society

ILA meet-up after summer

With a relaxing summer break under their belt, the Indian Ladies Association is all set for a busy second half of the year. The Association’s monthly meeting at the Al-Safir Hotel was replete with gaana-shaana and khaana…Arati Phadke presented a professional story-telling session and there was Antakshari, a membership draw and birthday celebrations for September-born members. Former President Supriya Sundararaman, who was in Bahrain on a brief visit, delighted friends by making an impromptu appearance.

Next up is the Megamart Great ILA Dandiya on October 11 – check the ad in this issue for more deets.

ILA Dandiya tickets launched

With the first batch of tickets for the popular ILA, tickets being bought by generous Mrs. Inayadullah, the Kingdom's most happening festive do is all set for an October 11 rocking night.

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financial planning

LIC’s handy Healthee plan offers medical protection With medical costs spiralling, it is mandatory to ensure that you are prepared for health-related emergencies.

The usual route is through medical insurance which is available at corporate, group and individual levels. Many countries are also making health insurance compulsory for visas and residence permits.

Life Insurance Corp. International in Bahrain and GCC have now launched an exclusive Term Assurance plan called ‘Healthee’. This is a non-profit pure term plan with an option to choose medical coverage and premium rates that differ depending on the life assured’s health and habit choices. This plan provides protection to the Life Assured’s family through its base policy by allowing high Sum Assured at a very low price and also provides protection to the Life Assured by giving option to choose from one of the riders which are health related.

The minimum Sum Assured allowed under this plan is USD 300,000.

A few attractive features of this plan are: 1. It provides protection to the Life Assured’s family through high Sum Assured, for a low premium payment.

2. Accelerated Critical Illness (CI) Rider can be opted for, which gives coverage of 37 critical illnesses, a lump sum benefit is paid to Life Assured on the diagnosis of any of the defined critical illnesses. These include Cancer, Stroke, Heart Attack, Coronary Artery by-pass Surgery, End-Stage Renal Disease (Kidney Failure), Major Organ Transplant, Heart Valve Surgery, Paralysis of Limbs, Loss of Limbs, Profound Vision Loss – Irreversible (Blindness), Coma, Third-Degree Burns (Severe Burns), Major Head Trauma, etc.

3. Hospital Cash Benefit (HCB) Rider, provides daily cash benefit to the Life

Assured on continuous hospitalization of more than 48 hours. Minimum Hospital Cash Benefit under this rider is USD 100 per day.

4. Accelerated Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Rider provides a lump sum benefit to the Life Assured on the occurrence of total and permanent disability due to accident or sickness.

5. You can tailor the plan to suit your lifestyle. For example, if the Life Assured is a non-smoker then the premium rate charged is less than that charged from a smoker.

6. In the unfortunate event of Life Assured becoming critically ill or needing hospitalization, rider benefit amount will be payable. It also provides a safety net for the family in the unfortunate case of death of the life assured.

7. In the event of unfortunate death of the life assured during the term of the policy, basic Sum Assured will be paid to the beneficiary.

In the event of unfortunate death of the life assured due to an accident during the term of the policy, the basic sum assured plus an additional amount of USD 100,000 will be payable to the beneficiary.

8. A grace period of 30 days will be allowed for payment of yearly and half yearly premium, whereas a grace period of 15 days will be allowed for payment of monthly (SSS Mode) premium.

For further details on this particular product please contact our branch office on +973 17210610 or email us on bah.lici@licinternational.com

BASIC PRODUCT ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS Attribute Sum Assured

Minimum Limit USD 300,000

Entry Age Maturity Age Term Mode of Premium Payment

18 Years 23 Years 5 Years Yearly, Half Yearly and through Salary Saving Scheme (SSS)

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Maximum Limit No Limit (Subject to Underwriting) 65 Years 70 Years 35 Years

motoring

Euro Motors JLR summer special saves upto BD 4000 Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has launched the exceptional ‘Back to Bahrain’ campaign that presents discounts on selected Jaguar models throughout September 2018.

Under the features of the end-ofsummer campaign, customers will be able to benefit from an excellent offer, made to comprehensively ease the process of purchasing a Jaguar. The Jaguar models included in this campaign are the sporty XE, the luxurious XF, the compact E-PACE and the award winning F-PACE. Prospective customers can purchase these amazing vehicles at incredibly low finance rates and benefit from discounts of up to BHD 4,000. Through the offer, customers will be able to get their vehicle registered and insured for absolutely no cost hence making it road ready. Customers are also provided with complimentary window tints. These complimentary benefits are exclusive to customers purchasing the vehicle through this campaign and are offered to allow buyers to drive their brand new Jaguar directly out of the showroom with absolute peace of mind.

To complement the sensational offer, Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover will also be providing complimentary service, warranty and roadside assistance that is valid for 5 years from the date of purchase.

The General Manager of Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover, Stephen Lay commented on the offer by saying: “With the summer season coming to an end, we at Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover are delighted to present our loyal customers with an exhilarating ‘Back to Bahrain’ campaign that eases the process of purchasing the masterpieces on offer. In order to provide

exceptional finance rates we have collaborated with one Bahrain’s leading banking institutions, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait. With the introduction of such an incredible campaign, it is evident that this is the perfect time for our customers to acquire an amazing Jaguar “Furthermore, the availability of the financing offer in the campaign also stands as a move towards catering to prospective clients who are on a more cost-effective budget. By consistently introducing such offers we intend to strengthen the bond we have with our customers while justifying our customers’ goodwill and confidence in us. We invite our loyal customers to our showroom throughout the month of September to benefit from this unique campaign,” he added.

In addition, Jaguar Land Rover has also 43 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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announced the introduction of an unbelievable offer on Land Rover’s most versatile SUV, the All-New Discovery.

Customers can now purchase the AllNew Discovery through exceptionally low monthly payments starting from BHD 333 at an interest rate of 0% over 5 years. The offer also provide customers with benefits such as 5 years free warranty, a free 5 year service package and free 24/7 road assistance services for 5 years.

To know more, call the Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover showroom on 17460460 or follow the latest posts about Jaguar on Facebook at Euro Motors – Jaguar Bahrain or on Instagram at @emjaguarbahrain. Additionally, to get further information, follow up to date Jaguar tweets on Twitter at emjaguarBahrain.

gandhi jayanti

Gandhi, the movie star Gandhi Jayanti this year is the start of the Indian government’s two-year celebration of the Mahatma’s 150th birth anniversary, culminating in 2020. We bring you a lighter look at Gandhi’s influence on the world of cinema and the movies

By ADITI NAGAPPA he inspired.

President Ram Nath Kovind has launched the logo and the web portal for the commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, at Rashtrapati Bhawan in the national capital.

The logo branding will be done in trains, Air India aircraft, state roadways buses, government websites, government advertisements besides public sector undertakings. The salient features of the new web portal are to identify visitors from different geography and serve them personalised information.

Besides, information related to Gandhian literature, philosophy, audios, videos, rare photos are available in the portal. According to an official release, the two-year-long celebrations from October 2, 2018, to October 2, 2020, will be held across the country and all over the globe to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The Indian Embassy in Bahrain has also announced a series of events through the two year period, details of which shall be announced shortly.

A Gandhi film fest The impressive figure that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was, he has been a part of several films. Every film has something new to depict - shades of him as a father, a leader, a discriminatedagainst barrister. Let’s take a look at the best films on the Mahatma.

Gandhi This 1982 film depicts Ben Kingsley as Gandhi. The film describes the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi who freed India from the British rule using peaceful means and thus giving hope and

inspiration for generations to come.

Gandhi took on an Empire with nothing but truth, non-violence and indomitable will as weapons and won. The film won eight Oscars and 26 other film awards, including BAFTA, Grammy, Golden Globe and Golden Guild awards.

Many earlier attempts to film the Mahatma’s life had come to nought, from DW Griffiths to David Lean and Emeric Pressburger. Attenborough’s Gandhi epic took 20 years in the planning, as Attenborough recounts in his book about the making of the film, which also appeared in 1982.

“Don’t deify him” Attenborough was introduced to Nehru in 1963 by their mutual friend Earl Mountbatten. Nehru shared photographs and made further introductions.

The last time Attenborough saw him, Nehru said: ‘Whatever you do, do not deify him – that is what we have done in India – and he was too great a man to be deified.’

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Indira Gandhi gave her formal approval: ‘The film has captured the spirit of Gandhiji’, as well as enabling 400,000 Indians to act as extras in the recreation of the funeral procession and authorising $6.5 million from the National Film Development Corporation towards the $22 million production. Not all politicians showed such support: Morarji Desai threatened to kill himself if the film went ahead and questions about the making of the film were asked in parliament.

The film follows a classic Hollywood biopic structure and contributed to the British “Raj Revival” that was part of Thatcherite Britain’s reassessment of history in the 1980s, although Attenborough film’s is critical of the imperial venture. As one would expect, the film was aimed squarely at a global audience rather than a specifically Indian one, with much prominence given to several non-Indian figures, including Mountbatten, Mirabehn (Madeleine Slade) and the photojournalist, Margaret Bourke-White. Key protagonists such as

Annie Besant, Rabindranath Tagore, Aurobindo and Ambedkar are absent.

Casting Gandhi was always going to be a major problem, but in India, casting anyone as Gandhi was controversial. A female journalist objected to Gandhi being portrayed at all, but if he must be, said he should appear on screen “as a moving light”. In a rare loss of temper, Attenborough snapped back, ‘Madam, I am not making a film about bloody Tinkerbell!’

A foreign Gandhi The final choice was Ben Kingsley (Krishna Pandit Bhanji), an actor in the Royal Shakespeare Company, who was partly Gujarati. Although Kingsley was not Indian, Gandhi himself was, to all purposes, a diasporic Indian when he returned to India in 1915, after 21 years in South Africa and 3 years in London.

Gandhi himself is eager to find himself on his arrival to India, and like many other such foreign seekers, he adopts Indian dress, tours the country by third class train, is shocked by poverty, people travelling on the train roof, and even rides an elephant.

Kingsley was clearly more plausible than other actors considered from Richard Burton to Dirk Bogarde to Anthony Hopkins. It seems no Indian actor was ever considered for the role.

Even Nehru supported the choice of a non-Indian, according to Attenborough: “I paid Nehru a second visit months later, and he made two observations.

The first concerned the problem of finding an actor to play Gandhi. I needed a trained professional, not just a lookalike. The prime minister’s own surprising choice was Alec Guinness, which took me aback because Alec was English.

deal.”

Kingsley’s portrayal of Gandhi was extraordinary as he came across as human, warm and funny, even though his saintliness overcomes strange features of personality. Kingsley’s superb performance made him the embodiment of the freedom movement, the Indian nation, and in this western film, the idea of Indianness, who dominates the entire film which despite its clear inaccuracies is a great biopic with magnificent setpieces such as the Salt March.

However, the version of Indian history created by Attenborough’s film has become part of the way in which India knows Gandhi and the film adds to the mythology of this extraordinary person.

Despite a mixed critical reception from historians and nationalists, the film’s epic and great qualities were recognised and reinforced by eight Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture.

return to India. Rajat Kapoor, who played the title role, won the Silver Lotus Award for Best Actor for the film.

Hey Ram When Saketh Ram's (Kamal Hassan's) wife is raped and killed by rioters, his life changes dramatically and he vows to personally to kill as many Muslims as he can find. He joins a group of Hindu extremists and becomes temporarily taken with the cause himself. When he is persuaded to marry a second time, Saketh Ram begins to settle down but

The Making of Mahatma The story is a journey of the life of Mahatma Gandhi - his first run in with the British and racial discrimination in Britain, his journey to South Africa and his struggle against Apartheid and his

meets a Maharajah (Vikram Gokhale) who manipulates him into committing himself to renouncing his family in the interests of the cause - the assassination of Mahatama Gandhi (played by Naseeruddin Shah).

Lage Raho Munnabhai It is the second film in the popular Munnabhai series. Sanjay Dutt stars as an underworld don, who begins to see the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi(Dilip Prabhavalkar). Through his interactions with the image of Gandhi, Munnabhai begins to practice what he calls Gandhigiri (Satyagraha, non-violence,

Englishman Gandhi “The nationality is un important,” Nehru declared. “All that matters is that the should be very good. Besides, the idea of being portrayed by an Englishman would have made Bapu laugh a great 45 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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gandhi jayanti Harilal (played by Akshaye Khanna), didn't inherit his father's brilliance and July / August 2018

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

and truth) to help ordinary people solve their problems. The film had a strong cultural impact in India, popularising Gandhigiri and stirring popular imagination leading to a number of Gandhigiri style protests in India and the US. It was the first Hindi film to be shown in the United Nations. The film won seven awards including Filmfare, Screen and Zee Cine awards and was nominated for many more.

Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara Urmila Matondkar plays Trisha Chaudhury, whose Alzheimers-stricken

Chairman and Managing Editor Mahmood Al Mahmood Managing Director P.K. Ravi Editor Meera Ravi Contributor • Maharaja Features Pvt. Ltd.

strayed towards cheating and embezzlement. The story is about the failure of Gandhi as a father to his own son. Shefali Shetty won Best Actress Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival for the film.

Nine hours to Rama The film depicts the life of Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi's assassin.

How Godse planned the assassination is shown in the film. The film reveals in a series of flashbacks how Godse became a Hindu activist who, in his mind, blamed the Mahatma for the killings of thousands of Hindus by Muslims. It is based on a book of the same name by author Stanley Wolpert

Designer • Sumesh. C. Unni Photography • Jomon • Noor Mohammed 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.

father (Anupam Kher) starts getting hallucinations that he is the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhi My Father The film is a depiction of a strained relationship between Gandhi and his son. It portrays how Gandhi's first-born, 46 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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cover story

Going PINK for a cause There are many things you can do to support breast cancer awareness in Bahrain The first thing to remember as we get ready for October’s global Breast Cancer Awareness Month is that the disease is not confined to any particular race, community or class and is certainly not bound by the religious practice of the sufferer. The weapons against this condition that is said to affect one in eight women around the world, can be summarised with the acronym REEP – Research, Education, Early Intervention and Public Awareness.

Earlier this year, Think Pink, a leading breast cancer awareness charity presented the National Breast Cancer Guidelines to Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Health. These robust breast cancer clinical guidelines have been completed after an external peer review with some big internationally names from the world of Evidence Base, Methodology, Patient Advocacy.

The National Health Regulatory Authority has approved it will support dissemination to all registered first line healthcare professionals- both private and public. The pathways and algorithms will be available on the Charity website, hard copies available as a resource in the libraries of the medical university's and also given to the public library.

Inasmuch as the month of October raises awareness about breast cancer detection and treatment, it is also a time to applaud and congratulate all the stakeholders fighting this disease: the survivors who have fought back and won, the doctors and researchers around the world and here in Bahrain who empower all those who are fighting breast cancer, the fund-raisers and supporters who raise and donate money to continue the valuable breast cancer awareness initiatives.

Here are some ways in which we all

can contribute to the fight against breast cancer: ILA’s FIGHT LIKE A GIRL @ Dandiya At: Bahrain Crowne Plaza Hotel Date: October 11 from 8 p.m. onwards This year, the Indian Ladies Association is dedicating its festive Dandiya event to raising awareness about breast cancer. How? The ILA is encouraging all guests – women and men – to come wearing something in pink to connect with the global Pin Ribbon symbol of Breast Cancer Awareness. “It could be a festive turban or kurta for the men or even just a flower

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or bangles for the ladies but it’s the thought that counts” says ILA President Thanuja Anil. The Association will also sell FIGHT LIKE A GIRL buttons in honour of all stakeholders and supporters and

donate the proceeds to the breast cancer awareness cause in Bahrain.

The ILA Dandiya, is of course the most popular festive event celebrating Navratri and tickets are priced at BD 4/- There will be a DJ spinning festive Garba and Dandiya music and food and crafts stalls.

RITZ-CARLTON BAHRAIN PINK ISLAND PARTY At: the Ritz-Carlton private Island Date: Oct11 from 8 pm to 1 a.m.

Enjoy a sumptuous buffet and beverages at a fantasy island party and raise the skies for a great cause. Tickets are priced at BD 25 for the hotel health club and spa members and BD 35 for walk-in guests.

Muharraq Horse-Riding School’s 3rd Annual Ride4Pink For details, see the event poster bellow.

Pink October at Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay The stylish hotel in Bahrain Bay has earmarked donations for the third consecutive year, from the revenue earned on a variety of culinary and spa experiences. The Hotel will donate to the local breast cancer organization Think Pink Bahrain to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research. Participating outlets: Bay View Lounge, Asian Cuisine by Wolfgang Puck, The Spa. Call the hotel for their pink offers on17115000

Five tips to keep your heart healthy for World Heart Day Heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide, with an estimated 17.3 million (source: American Heart Association) lives being claimed due to the disease, every year. However, most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing behavioural risk factors such as an unhealthy diet, obesity, physical inactivity and excessive tobacco and alcohol use.

Banin Shanine, Nutrition Manager at Fitness First, has a few tips to help keep your heart healthy: 1. Portion control is the easiest way to change your diet and lead a healthier lifestyle. Excess food on your plate leads

to excess calories and eventually to unhealthy weight gain (stored as fat).

2. Keep your saturated and trans fats (unhealthy fats) intake to a minimum, e.g. animal fat, dairy and unhealthy snacks.

3. Stay away from simple carbs which tend to contain refined sugar such as candy and soft drinks.

4. Also avoid foods that are high in sodium, as sodium is known for its effect on blood pressure and it increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases.

5. Here is a list of foods which can be consumed to help promote a healthy 48 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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health

heart: Vegetables and leafy greens Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (healthy fats) such as fish, plant oils, avocados, nuts and seeds Complex carbs that are high in fibre such as vegetables, wholegrain rice and rolled oats - these food items will help with your digestive system and help your body to avoid sugar spikes Regular exercise is also important for preventing heart disease – exercise can help make your heart muscle stronger and also helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol

health

Take the Pink Test – save lives Come October, the skies turn pink with breast cancer awareness campaigns and such is the power of this global movement that countries have recorded a significant jump in mammograms during October and also better detection of early stage breast cancer that can be treated without harsh intervention. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a chance to raise awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.

“Breast cancer is the second most common kind of cancer in women and thanks to the breast cancer awareness campaigns throughout the world we are seeing more women taking mammogram tests,” observed Dr. Sai Giridhar, Executive Director of the Middle East Hospital, “The knowledge is extending even beyond October with women following self-examination procedures to search for lumps and other signs that help early detection.”

Founded in 1991 by breast cancer survivor Janelle Hail, Breast Cancer Awareness Month has also today led to outreach programmes by hospitals which

are making checks for breast cancer affordable.

Easy detection “Today technology makes it easier to involve a greater number of women in the process of screening for breast cancer and that is what medical establishments are doing,” Dr. Giridhar said, “This year, the Middle East Hospital is offering a very affordable screening package – BD 15 for a consultation and ultrasound and if a mammogram is needed, the package will be BD 25. It is part of our community service, and one that our Chairman Dr. Varghese Kurian of VKL & Al Namal Group believes strongly in.”

The Middle East Hospital and its satellite Middle East Medical Centres are part of the VKL & Al Namal Group and Chairman Dr. Kurian has always asserted that the medical operations were designed to offer the best healthcare at affordable cost, thus upholding the Kingdom’s fine reputation for excellent, world-class healthcare.

So who should consider a mammo-

Risk Factors for Breast Cancer Age: Women who are over the age of 50 are at greater risk.

Personal History of Breast Cancer: Patients who have previously been diag nosed with breast cancer in one breast are more likely to develop the cancer in the other breast.

Personal History of Ovarian Cancer: Because ovarian cancer is associated with hormone use, a history of ovarian cancer increases the risk of breast cancer.

Family History of Breast Cancer: The risk of developing breast cancer is higher if there is a family history of breast cancer.

BRCA1 or BRCA2 Mutation: Mutations of these genes are associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Exposure to the Hormone Estrogen: The female sex hormone estrogen induces female characteristics. Extended exposure to estrogen can increase the risk of breast cancer.

Lifestyle Factors, such as obesity, lack of exercise, drinking alcohol, exposure to high radiation 49 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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reasons

you mammogram should get a

1 in 69 ................

The ten-year risk for breast cancer in a 40 year old woman is 1 in 69

1 in 6 ..................

1 in 6 breast cancer occur in women aged 40-49.

40% ...............

Mammography has helped reduce breast cancer mortality in the U.S. by nearly 40% since 1990.

3/4 ........

3/4 of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease and are not considered high risk

30%............

Even for women 50+, skipping a mammogram every other year would miss up to 30% of cancers.

Examine yourself

Women are often the first to discover lumps in their breasts, even before doctors. Experts recommend that women begin monthly self-examinations at age 20, the best time to do it is a couple of days after your period, when your brests are least likely to be swollen or tender.

Breast self-examination

squeeze each 4 Gently nipple and look for

discharge.

on arm. Using 5 Raise one or more of the

in front 1 Stand of a mirror with

your arms relaxed at your sides. Look for changes in the breasts such as swelling. dimpling or puckering of the skin.

hands 2 Clasp behind your

head, press hands forward and look for any changes in the shape or contour of the breasts.

3 Continue checking as

methods below, press firmly with your fingers and feel around the entire breast area for lumps or thickening.

this step 7 Repeat while lying on

your back. The hand of the side you press your you want to examin hands firmly on Repeat this step in behind your head.

6 your hips, hunch the shower; it’s Flatten the breast your shoulders and often easier to find lumps by placing a folded when your skin is slice lean forward towel underneath and soapy. slightly. the same shoulder.

Choose a Method

Follow one or more of these patterns when conducting a brest self-examination. Pay attention to the area between the breast and underarm, and to the underarm itself. Check above breast. up to collarbone and all the way over to shoulder.

Lines

Start in underarm area. Slowly move fingers downward until they are below the breast, move slightly toward the middle and move back up.

Repeat over whole breast.

gram? Dr. Giridhar says cancer occurs most often in body parts that have the capacity to grow. Breast tissue grows after puberty and also for the production of milk during lactation.

About 90% of all breast cancer cases start in the tissue of the milk ducts or in the lobules that supply milk to the ducts.

While a mammogram is usually recommended at least once in two years, it also depends on an individual’s risk profile.

Abnormalities In some cases, women with breast cancer may have no symptoms, while some abnormalities they experience may not be cancerous. However, it is important to seek medical attention when the following symptoms appear: • Lump or thickening in the breast or armpit • Nipple becoming dimpled, discharge from the nipple, or an ulcer on the nipple

Circles

Begin at outer edge of breast. Move fingers slowly around whole breast in a circle. Work in increasingly smaller circles until reaching nipple.

• Red rash on the breast, with the appearance of orange peel • Breast pain The following methods can be performed to screen for breast cancer: • Self-examination • Mammogram: A mammogram is recommended for women aged 40 and older every 1-2 years.

• Ultrasound and MRI: If a mammogram examination shows an abnormality, ultrasound or MRI may be used to confirm the diagnosis.

Diagnosis of breast cancer is performed when an abnormal lump is found (from self-examination or x-ray) or a tiny speck of calcium is seen (on an x-ray). After a suspicious lump is found, the doctor will conduct a diagnosis to determine whether it is cancerous and, if so, whether it has spread to other parts of the body. The most accurate method of diagnosis is a biopsy. However, if a biopsy is not possible, the doc50 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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Wedges

Start at outer edge of breast.

Move fingers toward nipple, then back to edge. Check whole breast, covering one small wedge-shaped section at a time.

tor will use an alternative test method.

The method of cancer diagnosis varies depending on several factors, such as age, current medications, type of cancer, severity of symptoms and earlier test results.

Treatment of breast cancer requires a multidisciplinary team of physicians such as surgeons, radiologists and cancer specialists, who together will make the most suitable treatment plan for each individual patient.

“Although rare I would like to also point out that men can also develop breast cancer and men must also be aware of similar symptoms and wach for them,” Dr. Giridhar warned.

He concluded, “There are many ways to treat cancer – unfortunately they can end up compromising immunity in the long term and the best way to avoid that is through early detection.

To book your screening, contact the Middle East Hospital on 17362233 or call the hotline 66997778

restaurant review

Jashan – A celebration of Indian cuisine

By ANUP SURENDRAN & BHAGIRATHI PANIA

Non-vegetarian Thali

Beautifully decorated, Jashan is the Indian restaurant at the Wyndham Garden in Juffair and a much-needed fine dining spot in a space crowded with casual restaurants - however good the casual dining menu, the palate and senses crave some pampering at times and a touch of luxury, which Jashan offers. Showcasing the culinary spirit of Lucknowi, Awadhi and Hydrabadi cuisine, the restaurant also specialises in regional desserts and chaats.

The glass enclosed show kitchen allows you to watch your meals being prepared by specialty chefs led by Chef Narendra. Evenings will also find the live music group presenting a melodious hit list of ghazals, and old Hindi film songs.

You can request your favourite songs and even, if the spirit moves you, take the mike yourself, with the band providing a soothing karaoke accompaniment. (Make sure you are a really good singer before you do this, though!)

As restaurant reviewers, we carefully graded the delicious meal that we were served on different values. Of course, taste was the most important factor and we also checked presentation, food

Vegetarian Thali

texture, service, ambience and variety.

We opted for the Thali service – a variety of curries, breads and rice is served and finished with a sumptuous dessert. We were also served an excellent appetizer platter of kebabs and tikka grilled to perfection. The Thali comes in vegetarian and non-vegetarian options and we tried out both. Here’s how the meal worked for us:

Taste (8.5 out of 10) Both the thali meals were made up of beautifully presented dishes that balanced taste and variety. You can ask for a refill but the combination of appetizers and thali plus dessert can be quite filling for a lunchtime meal.

To the appetizers first - We were presented with Non-Veg and Veg platters separate. The veg platter consisted of Veg Seekh Kebab, Sahi Ke Kebab, Paneer Tikka, Aloo Moti Tikka.

The Non-Veg platter consisted of Fish Tikka, Chicken Tikka, Tandoori Prawns and Lamb Seekh Kebab. The highlight of the platters were the kebabs and 51 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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Tandoori Prawns respectively. The appetizer platter is highly recommended and absolutely delicious.

We also ordered a fresh Pineapple Juice which was very good as it tasted fresh and sweet without any added sugar.

The thali was a well-balanced mix of dishes, served in bowl-sized portions. At first glance, the portions looked a tad small but by the time we finished, we saw that the kitchen team knew we would be full with just this tasting.

We finished with a Khubani Ka Meetha, a Hyderabadi dessert made of stewed apricot and cream.

Presentation (4 out of 5) The presentation was excellent and we couldn’t ask for more. The table was well arranged, and the food was presented on the plate very well for both the main course and the appetizers.

Texture (4 out of 5) When eating a thali meal, it is

important to have different textures to provide a contrast and augment the meal’s variety. Here, the meal at Jashan lived up to its promise. The appetizer platter had grilled items that were cooked to perfection and stayed juicy and tender. In the main meals, the dal was velvety without being over-creamy and the rice was well-done without being too soft. The vegetables and meat curries were moist and tender without being mushy.

Service (4 out of 4) Service is one of the highlights at Jashan. Chef Narendra Singh saw to our experience personally and ensured we

had the best food from their menu and recommended some amazing dishes.

The table waiters were exquisite in their personality, appearance, command of English and service.

Overall the service was one of the most satisfying experiences we had in Bahrain.

Ambience (2 out of 3) The décor of Jashan is delightful and luxurious without being ‘swag’. The music, though good can be better but that’s up to different tastes of course.

We would have liked brighter lighting but, like the music, this is such an individual thing!

Variety (2 out of 3) The variety of the thalis was very good, and we had no complaints there.

The appetizer platter also had various selections that would satisfy anyone.

The Executive Thali at Jashan is served between 12 noon and 3 p.m. daily. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarial meals cost BD 3.5 ++ for adults and BD 1.750++ for children in the 6 to 12 years age group. Children below age 6 eat free. Fresh juices cost extra.

Rating: Excellent value for money and great taste!

Cosmopolitan Ganesh Puja In one of Manama's busy apartment blocks, Prem and Peehu Chaudhry and brothers Ram and Hari with their spouses Deepa and Susan thrilled friends and neighbours with their lovely Ganesh Puja. The celebrations brought together all the communities in the neighbourhood and the cosmopolitan nature of Bahrain and the reaching out across religious lines was very evident. The beautiful bullock cart cut-out in the Chaudhry household left everybody amazed.

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restaurant review

Chef Narendra manages the Jashan kitchen and hails from Uttarakhand, India. Building on his unique talent for cooking, Narendra was working at The Lalit in Mumbai before he came to Bahrain.Here is a quick round of 5 questions with him: • The most important thing when cooking?

Chef Narendra: You have to infuse the food with your sense of hospitality and genuine interest for the guests. A chef’s bad mood or disinterest will show up in the food in subtle ways.

• What would you say are you most prized kitchen tools?

Chef Narendra: My collection of pots, pans and woks. The shape and depth of every cooking utensil adds a different layer to the taste – deep pots are great for thickening curries, woks are ideal for flash-cooking, shallow pans help to mix in masala with the meats or veg.

• What is the best thing about a chef’s life in Bahrain?

Chef Narendra: The availability of all ingredients from every corner of the world. It makes cooking more of an adventure and we can experiment with new variations.

• And the challenge..?

Chef Narendra: Well, Bahrain has a cosmopolitan and sophisticated dining client and we have to live up to pretty exacting standards. Moreover, even in the Indian cuisine scene, we get more diners from all over India here – in India, even in big cities, we would get mainly one type of diner..

North Indians in the North and West, mainly Southerners in the South etc. But in Bahrain we have to prepare a menu that balances the food requests of people from Kerala, Punjab, Gujarat – every region.

• Finally, what is your big ambition as chef?

Chef Narendra: My big wish is to helm a full Kashmiri Wazwan – a food festival that will bring the best delicacies of Kashmir to Bahrain. I have learnt Kashmiri cooking from experts and it is unusual in taste and rarely exposed to diners.

One day soon..watch the Jashan space!

salaam society

Suha Galleria’s designer Stosa kitchens Stosa exclusive italian designer kitchens with well-respected Suha Galleria, an interiors and trading company which is part of the Aref Sadeq Design Group, recently inaugurated an exclusive 4th showroom for the modular Stosa Kitchen range of designs.

Aref Sadeq, Chairman of the group inaugurated the stylish showroom.

“We are expanding our range and activities under our Chairman’s vision and leadership and are confident about the bright future of Bahrain’s business environment,” said the Group General Manager, Syed Naushad Hashmi, “Stosa is a luxury Italian kitchen brand that combines utility with pleasing good looks and already has a following among discerning interior designers in Bahrain.

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cuisine

Ten ways to bring up a sensible foodie

And it goes through your child’s school snack-box

Time for school and those rushed mornings of preparing BLD (breakfast, lunch and dinner) everyday? Luckily in the Gulf, children and most adults return home for lunch. So essentially, what we need to do is bend our minds to seek a nutritious and energizing mid-day snack that will keep us charged in the hours leading to lunch.

With so much talk of obesity in children and adults, the time to start shaping sensible and delicious food habits is NOW! And revolution begins in

By SUSAN THANKAM

our snack boxes! Whether you are packing a school snack pack or your office elevenses, here are some rules and recipes to revamp not just your approach to food but also take into account some of the other promises that you made to yourself and to Mother Earth along the way. (Remember your #noplastic vow? Thought so) Rule #1 is to Ditch the Plastic. If you are shopping right now for the Back To School essentials, replace plastic tiffin boxes and cutlery with good stainless

steel snack boxes and water bottles. All plastic contains toxic compounds and plastic containers will release chemicals into the food placed inside them. Plastic containers are usually made from petrochemicals; lots of pollution and toxic discharge is released into the environment during their production, and the majority of plastic cannot be recycled, meaning it ends up in landfill.

So don’t use it to hold your child’s food or yours! Stainless steel is a robust and chemical-free alternative, and ‘bento’ style boxes with sections for different foods mean there’s no need for any additional wrapping or waste.

These days, snack boxes and metal water bottles come with good insulation wraps so that food stays at the right temperature and fresh for longer.

No plastic also means avoiding cling film, so try and develop snacks that are not liquid and can sit neatly without messy spills.

If your kid insists on a branded or cartoon animated box, why not decorate the stainless steel with stickers or paint it with poster paints?

Rule #2 may not fit school schedules but is a healthy one – Six Small Meals.

Instead of three big meals, build your food plan around 6 small meals. Or two main meals – breakfast and lunch – and four small ones. Have a hearty breakfast that is protein-rich and fibre-dense such as oats or traditional complex carbs like idli and upma. Pack a filling fruit such as an apple or pear and a handful of almonds or pistachio (no cheating, just a

We bring you all your ingredients for a healthy life

Our Cuisine Section is brought to you by 54 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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Fried Rice Arancini Balls

Ingredients • Vegetable oil, for frying • ½ cup toasted breadcrumbs • Salt • 1 ½ cups leftover refrigerated cooked rice • 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon red chilli sauce, such as Sriracha • 1 teaspoon soy sauce • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Mix the breadcrumbs and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

In a wok, heat the sesame oil till smoking and toss in the vegetables straight from the freezer. Season with salt, pepper, sesame seeds and chili sauce and dash of soy sauce.

Add the cooked rice and mix thoroughly. Cool before the next step.

Mix together the cooled fried rice, flour, chilli sauce, soy sauce and egg in a large bowl until creamy and very well combined.

With damp hands, form the mixture into eight 1 1/2-inch balls.

Roll each ball in the breadcrumb mixture and transfer to a plate.

Fill a large pot halfway with oil and heat over medium high flame. Line a plate with paper towels.

Working in batches, carefully fry the balls until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate to drain. Sprinkle with salt and serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping, if desired. #Snack box Hack: You can prepare ahead till Step 5 the previous night and refrigerate the Arancini Balls for frying the next day.

handful!) for mid-day.* School kids will need something a little more hearty but nutritionally similar, like a paneer paratha for the protein hit or an egg sandwich.

Make lunch your mail meal with plenty

of vegetables and meat.

Around 6 p.m. have a really light snack like a hummus or yogurt dip with a cup of vegetable strips or a Bhel Puri. This is a red-alert time of day when the tongue craves fried stuff so be aware of what you eat.

Try to have a moderate and protein-rich supper around 8 p.m. and finish the day with a glass of semi-skimmed milk before bed-time. *This is where the school snack box plays a big role.

Rule #3 would be Go for Colours.

Arrange the snack box so that it is visually and nutritionally appealing.

School box sandwiches could be made with brown as well as white bread slices for a stripey effect; add a cup of sweetcorn or bright black grapes for a pop of contrasting colour; multi-hued bell peppers are always a great way to pep up a noodle or fried rice snack; think fruit and veg strips along with crackers with a sweet chili sauce dip for a touch of exotic..the potential is limitless.

In Rule #4, Textures Beckon. If you want to sneak in a filling meal, try our Fried Rice Arancini Balls in which regular fried rice is coated and fried. On a hot summer day, try a cold pasta salad or a classic Tamil Nadu Sevai with lemon dressing. There are many ways to max the fun quotient in a snack box by just twisting an original recipe slightly. Do

Foods to put in a lunch box Fresh fruit or even canned fruit. If using canned fruit, gently rinse away the sugar syrup in which it is usually packed or go for fruit that is packed in water or light syrup.

Avoid dried and candied fruit as they are high in sugars – especially for adults.

Crunchy vegetables in sandwiches, salads, upma or a tossed stir-fry A meat or protein food such as slices of lean meat, hardboiled egg, peanut butter or nut paste (although some schools have strict no nuts policy to avoid allergy crisis) Dairy food such as a cheese stick or slice, grated cheese, milk or yoghurt Starchy food such as bread, a roll, pita or flat bread, fruit bread or crackers Milk, yoghurt and custard – include a small drink of milk (freeze overnight) wrapped in a cloth in the lunch box. Fruit yoghurts should be kept cool in an insulated lunch box.

Avoid ‘dairy desserts’ and flavoured milks, which are high in sugar.

For dips, cheese and biscuits – pre-packaged or your own homemade versions of cheese and crackers are fine. Children enjoy mini packaged cheeses. Avoid sweet dips such as chocolate spreads.

Avoid ‘oven-baked’ savoury biscuits which are just as high in salt and fat as chips.

Different breads add interest – include a variety of bread, especially if children begin to lose interest in sandwiches. Try coloured puri – green with peas puree, pink with beetroot puree etc. Or parathas with different stuffing.

Avoid chocolate spreads, jams and honey, and fatty meats.

Muffins and cakes – try making your own muffins and cakes as a great way to include more fruit and vegetables.

Examples include sultana, carrot, zucchini, banana or pumpkin.

Avoid sugary donuts and creamy cakes. They are just empty calories and in Bahrain’s weather, they can quickly go bad.

Avoid muesli and ‘breakfast’ bars – almost all ‘bars’ are too high in sugar to include regularly, but cereal bars may be better for teeth than chewy sticky muesli bars. Try to avoid muesli bars and chocolate bars in lunch boxes. These are expensive and usually stuck together with fats and sugars.

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cuisine

avoid liquid meals like sambar and chutney that is runny. That gooey brownie recipe may sound appealing but can be messy to gobble up in 10 minutes.

Rule #5 says Go Fresh But Don’t Diss All Shortcuts. For sure, a readymade meat patty is not as nutritive as a homemade burger. Do avoid those packages of factory sausages which, if you read the label, would seem to have been manufactured in a chemical warehouse.

However, there are some shortcuts that you can take which will cut you slack during morning rush-hour.

Frozen vegetables are very handy and the technology for freezing them means their nutrition is locked in. Similarly, keep canned garbanzo and kidney beans handy. Read the label. If the process includes just the beans in salt water, you can always wash off the salt and use the beans for a quick chhole or a burrito filling.

Rule #6 warns you to Avoid Strong Smells. Fish pickle or a gamey meat sandwich can overwhelm an office room or classroom. Remember even eggy smells can put others off when a snack box is opened. Avoid embarrassing your child, yourself or your spouse – there are many ways to get the taste right without ingredients that can wrinkle up the nose.

Rule #7 shares the Participation Tip. Encourage children to help choose, shop for and prepare their own school snacks – err…same goes for spouses.

Kids might like to make a list of the foods they enjoy. Praise your child when they choose healthy foods for their snack box. Preparing ahead can be simple tasks like cleaing fruits, removing grapes from stalks and storing cleaned fruit in small boxed portions to pick up and eat on-the-go.

Rule #8 calls for Watching The Clock. There are limited times for children to eat during the day, especially at school. Children may prefer to play with friends instead of eating. Talk to your school about making sure all children get a chance to eat enough before play starts. Believe it or not, this holds true for adults too. Munchies that can be nibbled on easily at the desk are the best choice. Moreover, if you believe in hand-washing, pack a hand-sanitizer squeeze bottle for a quick and effective hand-cleaning. No kid’s going to line up at a crowded school tap to wash hands.

Rule #9 is All About Water. The

Still not eating?

Many schoolchildren bring their lunch home with them at the end of the day, which can be frustrating. There may be a variety of reasons why your child does not eat all the food in their lunch box. The following suggestions may be helpful: • The lunch box style – your child may have an issue with their lunch container.

They might prefer a brown paper bag or want the latest fashion in lunch boxes to be like the other kids. It may be difficult for them to open.

• Boredom – try to pack a different lunch every day. For younger children, cut the sandwiches in different ways to add interest: for example triangles, squares or strips.

• Too dry – if they say the filling is too dry, try leaving a sandwich uncut. Some fillings like dips or peanut butter may stay fresher this way. If your child's appetite seems small, offer smaller servings. For example, half a sandwich might be more appropriate than a whole one.

• Fiddly and sticky – make sure the foods are manageable and easy to eat. Some children are put off by fiddly packaging or don’t like getting sticky hands. Fruit can be made easier to eat. For example, remove orange peel or cut a kiwifruit in half and include a spoon in the lunch box.

• Make other meals count – if your child hardly eats anything from their lunch box despite your best efforts, try to at least ensure they have a nutritious breakfast and dinner. Trust that your child will eat when hungry.

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Pizza Mini Quiches

These mini quiches can be prepared in batches and freeze well. So pop a couple into the snackbox on No Sandwich Day and it will be ready to eat in four hours. The ingredients here will yield 24.

Ingredients • 6 eggs • 3 tablespoons milk • 1 cup of your choice of pizza toppings, finely chopped (sun-dried tomato, bell peppers, a jalapeno chilli, shredded spinach) • 1 cup shredded cheese

Preparation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 24-count mini muffin pan.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk.

Add in chopped pizza toppings and shredded cheese.

Mix to combine all ingredients.

Distribute egg mixture evenly into muffin pan cups.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Allow mini quiches to cool in pan before carefully removing with a small knife or spatula.

# Snack box Hack What if your child is more used to an Indian touch to the food? Then instead of the quiche, use the same toppings on an uthappam base made of dosa batter, sprinkle the top with some chilli flakes or milagaipodi (traditional South Indian dal and chilli powder for idli and dosa), if Junior likes it hot. Grill (or microwave) till golden and pack. This will not freeze well, though, and needs to be made fresh. earlier you get kids into the habit of drinking water, the better it will be.

Fizzies are of course the top of the sin chart but sugary juices are not far behind – they cause tooth decay. Even juices with no sugar added should be had in moderation because active children need water to replenish their energy and keep moving the chemicals out of the body. Water and milk are the best drinks for children. They can be frozen to help keep foods in the lunch box cool.

And finally, the most obvious Rule #10 - Follow Hygienic Methods. This 58 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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is especially important when food will be stored in the lunch box for many hours before eating. Don’t use a meat cutting board or knife for salad veg. If preparing food for the snack box the night before, store in the fridge or freezer. Perishable foods such as dairy products, eggs and sliced meats should be kept cool and eaten within about four hours of preparation. Don’t pack these foods if just cooked. First cool in the refrigerator overnight.

cuisine

Fruit Squares Shobha Ravishankar's lunchbox snack is a sweet full of nutritious energy-giving dry fruits.

Ingredients 1 cup flour 1/2 cup butter 1/3 cup powdered sugar 1/2 tin condensed milk 1/2 desiccated coconut (flaked coconut) 1 tsp vanilla essence 50 gms each of the following (finely chopped) figs dates raisins almonds cashewnuts walnuts apricots

Preparation 1 2 3 4 5

Mix together flour, butter, sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla essence to make a soft dough.

Line a 7 inch square tray with butter paper and grease it. Spread the dough evenly on the butter paper and bake blind for 15 mins at 180 degree celsius or till golden brown.

Mix the chopped dry fruits with desiccated coconut, condensed milk and the remaining 1/2 tsp vanilla essence.

Spread the mixture evenly over the base and bake till golden brown. Cut into squares.

This makes approximately into 10-15 pieces, 59 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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mythologhy

Kumbhakarna ..

The deity of sleep!

An exotic and powerful character in the Ramayana, Kumbhakarna represents the tamasic aspect of human nature.

By K.R.N. SWAMY Maharaja Features

Kumbhakarna is the brother of Ravana, the arch-villain of the Ramayana.

Although he has only what would be called a walk-on role, it is a decisive one which explores many complex aspects of human nature. In addition, not many know that despite being granted a boon to sleep most of the year and waking up for one day in the year and ravenously devouring everything in sight, including humans, Kumbhakarna was considered so pure of soul that the Devarishi Narada himself taught him the finer points of statecraft.

end up sleeping through the greatest epic? This itself is a tale of ego and suspicion between Devas (Heavenly beings) and Asuras (demons). Along with his brothers, Ravana and Vibhishana, Kumbhkarna performed a major yajna (prayer ceremony) and penance to please Lord Brahma, the Creator. When the time came for asking a boon from Brahma, Lord Three guna Indra, the King of Devas, Mahatma Gandhi in one of his prayer feared that the powerful discourses on the Gita states “There are demon would usurp his three brothers in the Ramayana: Ravana, throne. Upon his request, Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana. KumKumbhakarna’s tongue bhakarna is the embodiment of tamas, was tied by Goddess Ravana that of rajas and Vibhishana that Saraswati, and instead of of saatva. The drama of the Ramayana asking Indraasana (seat with these three characters is being of Indra), he asked for continuously enacted inside our body. In Nidraasana (bed for Kumbhakarna in a rare painting, depicted as a warrior sleeping). It is also said he intended to he ate everything in the vicinity, this drama, Ravana and Kumbhakarna ask for Nirdevatvam (annihil-ation of including humans and was invincible on ought to be killed. Only the VibhishanaDevas) and instead asked for that day. principle, provides that it takes refuge at Nidravatvam (sleep).

His request was The Gods added a caveat that if the feet of the Lord, may be nurtured, as granted. However, his brother Ravana Kumbhakarna was woken up in midit can help our progress. Cut down the asked Brahma to undo this boon as it sleep, it would be to meet his death. samsara tree full of saatva-rajas-tamas was in reality a curse. Thus, Kumbhakarna And so, Kumbhakarna had nothing to with the axe of detachment”. slept for six months and when he awoke, do with sin and charity, religion or How did the mighty Kumbhakarna atheism, he simply spent his time sleeping in a cave.

There is also a back-story to the birth of Ravana and Kumbhakarna. The Bhagavata Purana states that the two brothers were earthly incarnations of the Heavenly gatekeepers Jaya and Vijaya who were punished by the Four Puramas for impiety while they guarded the sacred realm of Vishnu. The brothers Cambodian sculpture showing Kumbakarna(large figure) battling Lord Rama' s prayed to Lord Vishnu and were given a monkey army 60 SALAAM BAHRAIN

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choice: a hundred births on Earth as good men or just three births as demons, with deliverance at the hands of none other than Lord Vishnu himself. They chose to be born for a shorter time in three births. While his brother Jaya became Ravana, Vijaya became the good demon Kumbhakarna during their second incarnation of three on Earth (of course ‘good’ is a very relative term!)

Colourful term The name Kumbhakarna has become a colourful reference for deep sleep or inaction. No less a person than that the Great Ramana Maharishi, the Saint of Tiruvannamalai (1879-1950) in South India confesses in his writings that as a boy, one interesting thing about himself was his own deep slumber. He used to

Kumbhakarna yawns as he is roused from sleep

when he got this strange boon and secondly when he was asked by Ravana to fight against Rama. In the Ramayana, Kumbhakarna doubts Ravana's motives with Sita, but he still ends up helping Ravana because he is from The Family .

Kumbhakarna had no hand in the misdeeds of Ravana. He is portrayed as a man of clean, pure heart and a gigantic body. Whereas most characters perfectly embody either virtue or vice, Kumbhakarna is a more complex figure.

Able to realize the mistakes and wrongdoings of Ravana, even trying to intervene and moderate at certain times, he is unable to openly oppose him, feeling bound by his warrior ethics.

Fighting on what he knows is the wrong side, he is ultimately killed in combat.

This is also a picturesque and easy-to-

Statue of Kumbakarna in Penukonda Gardens (Andhra Pradesh)

sleep so soundly, that he would not be awakened even by anything his friends did to him – even if they beat him or carried him to some other place and left him there. He was fittingly nicknamed 'Kumbhakarna'!

Even India’s Supreme Court has used this reference. On October 10, 2014. the Narendra Modi government, which believes itself to be efficient and hard working, got a slap on the wrist from India’s highest court, which said that the Government behaved like 'Kumbhakarna' for not meeting its two-month deadline to submit a report on the biodiversity impact of 24 hydro-electric projects on the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river basins in Uttarakhand.

Kumbhakarna only has two short appearances in the Ramayana: once

understand representation of the tamasic guna which is not stirred to action against wrongs or moved to seek higher knowledge but is content to ‘sleep’ through one’s earthly life.

S.E. Asian stories In India, we have only one statue of Kumbhakarna in the Kumbhakarna Gardens of Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, whereas representations of this brother of Ravana are much more common. The Halebid temple of Karnataka has a complete panel of the battle between Kumbhakarna and Lord Rama. Miniature paintings in north India has many representations of the Mighty Sleeper.

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Statue of Kumbarana in Bali, Indonesia

The Indian Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism once published a medical explanation for Kumbhakarna’s condition, saying: According the legend, Kumbhakarna had an insatiable appetite and thirst and used to sleep for great lengths of time. He also had an uncontrollable temper, which was feared by many. It is our assessment that Kumbhakarna possibly suffered from hypothalamic obesity. Hypothalamic obesity can be defined as significant polyphagia and weight gain that occurs because of structural or function involvement of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus bilaterally. The characteristic features are obesity associated with polyphagia. Somnolence is present in 40% of cases. Sham rage is a characteristic behavioral abnormality seen in these patients. All these symptoms are described in the mythological text while describing Kumbhakarna.

The episodic nature of Kumbhakarna's symptoms can also be explained by another hypothalamic syndrome called Klein-Levine syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by with periodic episodes of somnolence, hyperphagia and hypersexuality along with other behavioral and cognitive difficulties.

mythology East Asia much more importance is given to Kumbhakarna than in India. He is known as Kumbakarna (Indonesia) Kumbhikanna(Myanmar), Kumbhakar (Kamboja), Mah Babu Kenung (Malaysia) Kumphakan (Thailand) and many Hindu temples in these countries have representations of this warrior demon.

To quote the Indonesian version: “Vibhisana saw Kumphakarna in the battlefield and approached with folded hands hoping to dissuade his brother from fighting. Kumbhakarna seeing his brother approach from the enemies side, became very angry. While righteous, he was also very fond of Ravana and did not approve of Vibhisana deserting them and rebuked him.

Vibhisana embarrassed, explained that Rama was not an ordinary human, he was Lord Narayana himself, who had descended on earth. Kumbhakarna laughed at Vibhisana and said that he would believe that, if Rama could answer a few questions.

He wanted to know, 'Who is a foolish ascetic, which is the elephant with the straight tusks, who is the most deceitful woman and who is the most wicked person?' Vibhisana went to Rama to get the answers, but Rama and the other monkey heroes thought for a long time and could not find the answers.

Then the very clever Angada went to Kumbhakarna and said, ‘O sir, our lord knows the answers. So first of all, you give the answers, so that he can verity that he has thought correctly and there

is no waste of time.’

Kumbhakarna, upon hearing these childish words, laughed at Rama's inability to find answers and gave the answers. ‘The foolish ascetic is Rama himself, who left his dear wife alone and ran after a golden deer. The elephant with the straight tusks is Ravana, who dissatisfied with his own wife, went after another's wife. (This refers to the belief that a sick or weakened elephant’s tusks will fall out or break, thus appearing straight) Surpanaka is the deceitful woman, not having control over herself, approached Rama and Lakshmana like a harlot. Vibhisana is the wicked person, who perpetrated treachery towards the king and the land.’ Having uttered these words marched towards the armies of Rama with a desire to kill him.’

In the Balinese Kecak dance, the battle between Kumbhakarna and Rama is prominently featured as a sombre event.

While Hindu scholars the world over have recognized Kumbakarna's role in Hindu mythology, it is in the literature of Bali that Kumbakarna has been given a face and an identity. Kumbakarna is a true knight. He knew that his brother was done the wrong thing but he said “I am not fighting for you but for the State – my beloved country Lanka.” He further tells Ravana to give up Sita if he (Kumbhakarna) were to die in battle.

In Cambodia the Ramayana is frequently brought alive on stage, in Lakhon Khaol, the dance drama of

Alcina drives her Dream

Cambodia, and “Kumpheakka's Battle” (Kumbhakarna's battle), is one of the important enactments. .

Unheeded In its own way the Ramayana tells a tale of Kumbhakarna’s wisdom, despite being cursed with sleep.

On two different occasions, he berated Ravana for “‘neglecting good counsel” and told him bluntly “You have soon to reap the consequences of your wicked deed of abducting another’s wife.” Indeed, his speech to Ravana before embarking on his doomed mission is an enlightened treatise on statecraft. At the same time, Kumbhakarna was unwavering in his commitment “..to do what an affectionate friend is ready to do for his friend in distress.” Torn between his intellect and his sense of loyalty, he chose the latter.

To him, loyalty was paramount. He told the “pious renegade” Vibhishana: “Friendship, pride in birth, feeling of brotherhood and religious sentiments do not govern thy conduct… If a stranger be accomplished, and one’s own people be without any accomplishments whatsoever, still a stranger is always a stranger and one’s own people always continue to be his own. He who abandons his own party and joins another, is doomed to ruin…”

Kumbhakarna might be the Deity for Sleep. But when it comes to what he considered as Dharma, he was widely awake.

salaam society

Alcina Carvalho, hailing from India, was the winner of Dream Gold & Diamonds promotion Dream & Drive. The winner, who was rewarded a BMW, was chosen through a lucky draw by Shafi Al Baloochi, a representative from Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism, in the presence of Abdul Latheef, Chairman of Dream Gold & Diamonds, Asif Muhammed, Business Development Manager, Ratheesh Rajan, Sales & Operation Head and other Dream Gold & Diamonds officials and customers.

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celeb chakker

Will PeeCee be October bride?

Although the rumour mills are going into overdrive about an October wedding for Priyanka and Nick Jonas, mother Madhu Chopra has brushed aside the goss as baseless.

“It’s too soon. These are just baseless rumours. Both of them have work commitments right now which they need to finish.

They will take some time to decide where they want it and when they want it,” she said.

She, however, added that she wanted a “traditional Indian” wedding as “at heart, I’m quite conservative.” That’s a curious remark to make for the mother of a star who has daringly pushed the envelope in her choice of roles (the negative sizzle in Aitbaar, the muscular Mary Kom, the superbly crafted performance in

Barfi), career (actress, singer, TV star-in-America, producer and HollyBolly presence) as well as her fashion quotient (remember those nearly bare-breasted red carpet appearances?). Still it makes sense. Why choose a staid church wedding when an Indian wedding offers so much costume drama?

Talking about her wouldbe son-in-law, she said, “Nick is calm and mature. He’s a wonderful person and everyone in the family just loves him. He’s so polite and respectful towards elders. What more can a mother want?”

After celebrating their romance with a picture perfect engagement party in Mumbai.

Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra spread the love to some of the less fortunate.

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The couple paid a visit to St. Catherine’s Home for Orphans on Sunday, where they put on an impromptu performance for dozens of children who had gathered. Priyanka shared the spotlight with a young girl, and together they danced to 'Tu Ne Maari Entry' a song from her 2014 Bollywood film Gunday. Jonas, in turn, wowed the audience with a cappella rendition of “Lovebug,” the 2008 Jonas Brothers classic.

“Twelve years of knowing these girls and they get all love struck by the #lovebug… thank you @nickjonas and our families,” Chopra, 36, captioned the video. “Thank you to the sisters and all the girls at St. Catherine’s orphanage for opening your hearts to us again. I’ll see you next time.”

Samantha scores for married heroines Talking about women superstars, actress Samantha Akkineni is well set to create a record when she becomes the first movie star (no male or female star has had this distinction!) to have three releases on the same day: on September 13, the actress will have a bilingual film (Tamil and Telugu) U Turn, a mystery thriller releasing, a Tamil film Seemaraja opposite hit star Sivakarthikeyan and a Tamil dubbed movie which had originally been made in Telugu, Nenjamellam Pala Vannam.

What makes this particularly interesting is that with this hattrick, Samantha has thumbed her nose at people who speculated tha t she would quit cinema for motherhood immediately after she married actor Naga Chaitanya last year.

But a string of releases is not without conflict – expecially in a family of superstars! The Kerala floods have delayed the post-production work of hubby Naga Chaitanya’s August 31 release, as the editing studio was in Kochi. So it looks like the couple will be competing at the B.O. Meanwhile, Samantha’s father-in-law Nagarjuna’s multistarrer with Nani Devadas is releasing towards the end of September. If she postpones her film, she will have to compete with Nagarjuna.

So Samantha has opted to stay with her original 13th date. Way to go, Sam girl!

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celeb chakker

Shameful Marketing Move

Making money from floods

Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma found himself at the receiving end on Twitter.

Sharma shared a screenshot of Rs 10,000 donation he made to help the people of flood-hit Kerala and urged others to do

the same. However, many users on Twitter felt Sharma's contribution was way too less given his wealth.

To make it even worse, Paytm in another tweet announced that it had received contributions of Rs 10 crore in less than 48 hours from more than

Sallu in Twitter storm When Salman Khan tweeted his sorrow over the death of former Indian PM A.B. Vajpayee, he ignited a Twitter storm for posting five days after the news broke. Tweeple irreverently posted responses, some with references to his recent films.

One person asked cheekily “Sir 'Tubelight' movie ki promotion ab kyu kar rahe?” while another observed scathingly “Tiger so raha tha!”

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4 lakh Paytm users across India. The announcement irked the people who called Sharma's donation a marketing gimmick. A twitter user by the name of Prem Babel said: “So you have earned more than what you have donated. Good business tactics.”

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan's welfare organisation Meer Foundation has contributed Rs 21 lakhs towards relief work.

Oscar winner Resul Pookutty has been channelling aid to Kerala relief operations and took to Twitter to especially thank Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and A.R. Rahman for being the first to offer donations.

“Manglish” ruins cinema experience Malayalam writer Balachandran Chullikkad recently rued the fact that today’s Malayalam superstars are not even familiar with their mothertongue and have to get scripts written out in “Manglish” – a bastardised version of the Malayalam language that not only uses many English words and phrases but also sometimes the English script!

“What a pity that the present crop of reigning stars in Malayalam cinema don’t know the beauty of the language!” Chullikkad exclaimed.

Radha’s ‘electric’ performance Increasingly, Indian TV talent and reality shows are being used by contestants from obscure villages to leapfrog into fame and limelight. It is an exciting journey that has uncovered some true gems and enabled some inspiring development stories for their villages and small towns. Take the case of Radha Srivastava, a talented Bhojpuri singer from the tiny village of Sravasti, U.P. The hamlet consists of fields and mud huts and mud pathways and it was amazing to even think about how Radha plucked the courage to believe in her voice and come perform on a global TV channel before formidable judges such as music director Pritam, singer Sunidhi Chauhan and rapper Badshah.

Now comes news that Radha’s music has literally lit up the lives of her villagers. During a recent episode of the talent show ‘Dil Hai Hindustani’, the show organizers screened a short film in which the state electricity department was shown setting up an electricity supply network in “Radha Srivastava’s village” after hearing her music on the show.

“I am proud of my daughter. For years we have been requesting authorities for electricity because our lives stop at sunset because of lack of light. Now, thanks to Radha’s TV appearance, the electricity department has come themselves and given us connections,’ said her father.

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celeb chakker

RK Studios bid adieu to Ganeshji The Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at the iconic RK studios — an annual tradition that was established 70 years ago — attracted more crowds than usual this year as nostalgic fans reacted to news that this will be the last here since the historic studio will soon be sold.

Randhir Kapoor, who has been at the forefront of the ritual with brothers Rishi and Rajeev, and their families, confirmed the news. “Yes, this will be the last celebrations in the studio but everything will be conducted exactly as it has been for the last 70 years. No matter where we go, Ganeshji will always be with us,” he asserted

A theme song for Durga Maa West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has composed the theme song for a Durga puja function this year.

Banerjee said on Monday at a function with organisers of Durga puja committees that the lyrics aimed to bring back the spirit of 'agomoni' (traditional Bengali songs invoking the goddess) songs in theme music once again.

“I had been asked by Arup (Banerjee's cabinet minister Arup Biswas) to compose the theme song for his Durga puja (Suruchi Sangha) and I decided to retain the spirit of Agomoni songs like 'Ja Devi Sarbabhuteshu' in my lyrics. Hope it will be liked by everyone,” she said.

Popular singer and West Bengal Minister of State for Culture Indranil Sen has lent voice to the lyrics.

Sen, who regaled the audience at Netaji Indoor Stadium with the song during the function said, “There is a devotional side in the lines Jai Maa Jai Durga...” The lyrics have been penned by Didi(Mamata) and it is the theme song of a prominent puja committee. I am happy to be associated with it.

Even last year also the CM had composed the theme song of Suruchi Sangha puja -”Boichitrer muktoy gantha ekotar monihar” (the jewel of unity is stitched with a string of pearls of diversity) and Shreya Ghosal had lent her voice to the theme song.

Patronised by Arup Biswas, Suruchi Sangha is one of the most popular Durga puja celebrations of the city.

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editor's view

I often feel that we trivialise serious issues by corralling them into a day, a week or a month of the year – World Mental Health Day on October 10th, for example, or Breast Cancer Awareness Month throughout October. However, a few instances in the recent past have changed my mind. Not just one but three very good friends found that they were suffering from early stage breast cancer just by taking a mammogram test in the nick of time. The early detection was a game-changer in their fight to live a full and healthy life and would probably not have been possible without the drum-beating of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Similarly with International Women’s Day or even Bahrain Women’s Day in December: they provide us an opportunity to celebrate our victories and reflect on what more needs to be done. So I have changed my mind to some extent. Only, now that I am convinced of the greater purpose of these days and months for life-saving awareness, I get mad at those trivial, commercial promotions – Hotdog Day, Popcorn Day and those frankly sappy greetingcard days – Siblings Day, Friendship Day..

You may ask why I don’t whine about Mother’s/Father’s/Teacher’s Day(s).

Well, it feels apt to celebrate a precious relationship that these individuals represent in our lives. The great spiritual teacher Goenkaji has said that the debt we owe to our parents for being the vehicle for this life can never be repaid. Acknowledging their role in our lives with a day when you set things aside and take the time to tell them you care is an act of love and respect.

That is not to say, of course, that just being nice for one day of the year lets us off the hook for the remaining days. Rather, it is the culmination of the feelings that bind us to each other.

But I digress – October is, in one way, ‘sicker’ than other months – there are eight designated health days starting with World Mental Health Day, the World Anti-Obesity Day, days to take action and spread awareness on arthritis, vision care, infection prevention and osteoporosis as well as Global Handwashing Day. All this nestled into the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when it is said the number of mammograms taken actually go up and as I said earlier, many precious lives are saved.

To paraphrase Mary Poppins, “A spoonful of awareness, makes the illness go away!”

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