talk Volume 1 | Issue 46 | June 27, 2013 | Rs 10
magazine
the intelligent bangalorean’’s must-read weekly
TREND Candid wedding photography is all the rage 16 CASTE A high-voltage debate breaks out 18 FOOD Where famous chefs eat out 24
RAMESH HUNSUR
FARMVILLE OFFLINE
Once called Garden City because of its home gardens, Bangalore is increasingly turning into a maze of apartments with no space for greenery. But simultaneously, urban farmers are emerging, growing vegetables on terraces, balconies and vacant sites. Some are even renting micro-farms in the suburbs to spend green-thumb weekends. SAVIE KARNEL reports 10-13
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Richmond Fellowship Society is doing a good job of treating the mentally ill Your cover story on mental illness (The Mind Crisis, Issue 45) listed many shelters and homes in the city, but forgot to mention the Richmond Fellowship Society of India. This UKbased NGO not only helps mentally ill patients, but alsos provide psycho-social rehabilitation for the elderly. It has three centres In India: in Lucknow, Delhi and Bangalore. The centre in Bangalore offers day care for the mentally ill, and also runs a long stay home and a halfway home. It gets no financial support from the government, and is supported by contributions from the public. Its college offers a post-graduate course in social rehabilitation. M Sreedhara Murthy NMKRV College (Thanks for bringing this to our notice — Editor) Here are their contact details: Richmond
Fellowship Society of India, 406-A/10, 7th Main, II Block Jayanagar. Tel: 26575389. Website: www.rfsindia.org Speak responsibly, men Savie Karnel ’s article on India ’s biggest men's rights group (Kolaveri Club, Issue 44) was an unusual read. It is shocking that this group goes about saying nasty things about women, without realising the negative impact of its words. While I understand their campaign against misuse of the law, I am saddened by how they are taking their frustration out on all women. Just because some women misuse the Domestic Violence Act, the men ’s rights movement cannot argue that there should be no such law. They must learn to speak responsibly if they want to be heard with any respect. I also have a word of advice for the media: Don ’t let groups like this use your
team talk EDITORIAL
EXECUTIVE TEAM
SR Ramakrishna Editor Prashanth GN Senior Editor Sajai Jose Chief Copy Editor Savie Karnel Principal Correspondent Basu Megalkeri Principal Correspondent Prachi Sibal Senior Features Writer Sandra Fernandes and Maria Laveena Reporters and Copy Editors Anand Kumar K Chief of Design Shridhar G Kulkarni Graphic Designer Ramesh Hunsur Senior Photographer Vivek Arun Graphics Artist
Sumith Kombra Founder, CEO and Publisher Kishore Kumar N Head - Circulation Vinayadathan KV Area Manager - Trade Yadhu Kalyani Sr Executive Corporate Sales Lokesh KN Sr Executive Subscriptions Prabhavathi Executive Circulation Sowmya Kombra Asst Process Manager
Printed and published by Sumith Kombra on behalf of Shakthi Media Ventures India Pvt Ltd FF70, Gold Towers, Residency Road, Bangalore -560025 and printed at Lavanya Mudranalaya, Chamarajpet, Bangalore-560018. Editor: SR Ramakrishna. Editorial Office: FF70, Gold Towers, Residency Road, Bangalore 560025 Email: info@talkmag.in Phone: 08040926658. © All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited.
space to devalue women and democratic institutions. I ’m happy that Talk has critiqued them with fairness, and provided the big picture to readers. Dr Nataraj Huliyar Rajarajeshwari Nagar
A role model I read the Talk article on actor Vijay and how he has changed his fans' lives. 'Ilaya Thalapathy' is a great role model, not just for his fans but for everyone. Arun Raj, via Facebook
Movies that changed lives My congratulations to the team on the recent cover package Life imitates cinema, Issue 44). It was a well-researched set of articles. P Sheshadri, film director Write to letters@talkmag.in
land row
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Lone ranger’s health fails after 800+ days of fasting Till recently, Sukumaran Menon K (62) sat before the Mahatma Gandhi statue to demand the return of the 1.7 acres the government took away from him for the Bangalore-Mysore NICEexpressway. With no politician heeding his pleas, he is now weak and in bed, resting after a hospital stint
RAMESH HUNSUR
sandramarina.fernandes@talkmag.in
T
COSTLY Sukumaran Menon says he has spent all his savings from a 42-year career on the fight. In the picture, 6,725 refers to the number of days since his property was marked for acquisition
editor talk In pre-liberalisation India, when the government forcibly took away citizens ’ lands, it meant a dam, highway or factory was coming up. Land acquisition was done in the ‘public interest ’, and it was easy for the authorities to quell any protest. But today, government bodies like the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board snatch agricultural land from farmers, and hand over huge tracts to private entrepreneurs at ridiculously low prices. Take the case of the Bangalore-Mysore expressway. Not only has the project left thousands of farmers feeling angry and cheated, but it has also become a long-term rip-off, charging the highest toll for any road in India. It is a mystery how democratic institutions act so brazenly against citizens ’ interests. But not all is lost. In a week when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah bluntly told industry he wouldn ’t forcibly take away fertile land, we bring you the story of Sukumaran Menon, who has been fighting in the courts and elsewhere for the return of his farm, taken away seven years ago for the highway. Simultaneously, as farmers migrate to the cities in search of jobs, affluent Bangaloreans are discovering the joys of horticulture and agriculture. Just 30 years ago, before the advent of apartments, even small middle-class homes (now called villas!) boasted little strips of garden in their front yards. All that has changed. Gentlemen (and lady) farmers are emerging today, with a passion for gardening on balconies, terraces, and more recently, on vacant sites within the city and rented plots in the suburbs. Savie Karnel tracks this trend.
SANDRA M FERNANDES
he gardener tending the plants near the Mahatma Gandhi statue was used to a routine—the sun rising, day breaking, birds chirping, and an elderly man arriving to sit on a protest fast. Till about 10 days ago, Sukumaran Menon K, a retired Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) employee, commuted from Electronics City to MG Road every day, changing three buses. He arrived at the Gandhi statue at 8 am every morning, and left by 6 pleted building his house within pm. Little happened in between. two years. And then came the bolt But Menon (62) lived in hope—“to that left him and his family shatget his 1.7 acres illegally acquired tered. In 1996, the Karnataka by the rich blood-sucking mon- Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) marked his propersters in the state.” After protesting non-stop for ty for acquisition for an express812 days, Menon’s health has way project executed by Nandi Company taken a toll. Due to high blood Infrastructure pressure and hypertension, Enterprises (NICE). “This is not just my predicaMenon was hospitalised last week, bringing his protest to a pause. He ment but that of about two lakh has been advised complete bed people. Some tried to fight and get their land back, rest for a few days. but it was of no For the first time He alleges his use. People have in over two years, house was given up,” he Menon did not sit says. at the MG statue. flooded to force Though the His absence was him to move out KIADB was eyenoticed by ing the land since passersby and 1996, he got no notice till 2004. those regular at the junction. Menon bought the land near He says the money that was Electronics City in 1993 and com- offered as compensation was a
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very negligible amount compared to what he had actually invested in the land, which is why he refused to take it. Two years later, he, along with his family, was forced to move out. He alleges those associated with the project flooded his house by diverting water to his land. “We had to move our things out at 3 am because the water was knee-deep,” he recalls. Determined to get his land back, Menon then approached the courts. He also sent 150 registered letters to powerful politicians like AK Anthony, Sushma Swaraj, Sonia Gandhi, BS Yeddyurappa, and SM Krishna, but not one responded. Since his pleas have fallen on deaf ears, Menon began his daily fast in March 2011.
An exciting debate is raging in seminar halls, on the Net, and in the columns of the Kannada daily Prajavani over ideas propounded by SN Balagangadhara, a professor from Ghent University, Belgium. Read two compelling essays about it in this issue. SR Ramakrishna ram@talkmag.in
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Did help come after he began his satyagraha? “The only response I ever received was from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam when he was the President. He sent my letter to the Karnataka government’s chief secretary, but that’s when it hit a dead end,” he recalls. Menon has written to four chief ministers. “How many letters can I send, you tell me? Most of the money I got for my 42 years of service I’ve spent on this fight. My brother-in- law helped a bit financially but even that I’ve lost in the fight,” he says. Menon is angry not just with politicians, but also with the media, who ignore him because he is ‘just a common man’. “After one year of my satyagraha, some media people approached me and wanted to know my story. After that, no one has even looked at me,” he fumes. Menon now lives with his family in a rented house, and on a pension of Rs 1,500. His sons, 28 and 22, have been affected by his plight. His younger son’s academic performance deteriorated after these troubles began. People working in the park, who know him, are sceptical he will find help. “We had told him so many times not to spoil his health in this weather, but he would not listen,” said a gardener.
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victory will help others, too. “If I get my land back and if others also get theirs back because of me, I will be the happiest person,” he adds. He has filed three cases, but they aren’t moving forward. “The High Court says the Supreme Court should look into the matter and Supreme Court says the High Court should look into the matter. I have to beg my advocate and the judges for one hearing,” he says.
NICE response
LAND GRAB HD Deve Gowda leading a protest against land acquisition for the NICE project
His umbrella notwithstanding, the hot sun takes a toll. “When the day is hot, I take shelter under the trees for some time,” Menon says. But the weather is the least of his problems. It’s the cops who make it difficult for him. “Even though the bench where I sit is public property, they ask me to leave. With the IPL matches going on,
they just take down my poster. There is no space for a common man fighting for justice,” he says. But Menon is not giving up. He is hopeful his Gandhian ways will yield results. “God is giving me strength to fight. All I want is my land back in the same condition,” he says. Menon is going it alone, but hopes his
NICE, the company executing the Bangalore-Mysore expressway project, has a different story to tell. Manjunath Nayaker, spokesman, told Talk Menon’s land had been ‘legally acquired’ by the KIADB. “When the acquisition was going on, there two modes of compensation were offered. One, if anyone had lost an acre or more, they were eligible for Rs 20 lakh and a 60×40 site. Whoever lost less was eligible for a 30×40 site. These sites have already been provided,” he says. An expressway now passes next to Menon’s site. “My sympathies are with him, but legally the land cannot be given back to him. He’s welcome to go to the court for a higher compensation and we’ll respect the court’s decision,” Nayaker says.
fun lines
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around town
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RAMESH HUNSUR
MAY I HELP YOU? Bescom’s call centre at KR Circle has 30 lines, and plans to add 15 more
FB powers change in civic authorities Power-related grievances find quick redressal, thanks to a customer-friendly MD. The traffic police are using social media, too
BTP’s Facebook page, launched in September 2011, has got more than 75,000 ‘likes’. Commuters like Sharon Vincent, a teacher, are happy that the 24/7 online service keeps her updated about traffic snarls and diversions. The alerts for riders in the rain are sure to win more fans in the monMARIA LAVEENA soon! maria.laveena@talkmag.in MA Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Police, traffic, is a learly, it isn’t just cricketers happy man. “The FB page of the like Chris Gayle, movie stars Bangalore City Police has just 16,000 like Ramya, politicians like likes!” he says, gleefully. Attributing Krishna Byre Gowda and the growing presence of the traffic celebrity chefs like Manu Chandra police on Facebook to their quick who are using FaceBook to increase response, Saleem says a lot of thought their youth appeal and connect with has gone into the design and content of the page. the iPad generation. “We respond to every query and Policemen and bureaucrats in Bangalore have jumped on the social complaint; we track down traffic offenders with help media bandwagon. from the public. The Bangalore Traffic BTP’s FB page Besides, we update offPolice (BTP) has a has garnered beat pictures with witty Facebook page that is quotes like ‘The louder updated regularly and more than you honk, the faster the Bangalore 75,000 ‘likes’ your health will conk.’ Electricity Supply It’s no surprise we have Company (Bescom) has gone a step ahead and given its made the ‘connect’ with citizens. We Facebook page a face. P Manivannan, receive as many as 150 complaints Managing Director of Bescom, has every day on our Facebook page,” he explains. made his personal profile public. “They are not just being tech Civic and law enforcement agencies have woken up—at last—to savvy but are doing a commendable the way in which they must be per- job, too. When they say ‘Be safe, ride ceived by their tech savvy citizens. carefully’, it makes me happy. I feel And what better platform than social they are in touch with me every day,” networking sites when it comes to says Sharon. Comments and suggestions reputation management?
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from users play a big role in developing content on the page. “For instance, campaigns on seat belt safety, car pooling and mandatory use of helmets were first launched on Facebook after we got suggestions from readers,” says Saleem. Although Bescom’s Facebook page called ‘Namma Bescom’ has triggered curiosity and clicks, its Manivannan’s profile that has won a huge fan base. Ever since he made his personal profile public, in December 2011, he has won 4,984 friends. “Citizens tend to contact me directly when they face a problem,” says Manivannan. When a consumer posts a complaint on his wall, he tags his colleagues and the conversation is available in the public domain. To illustrate, he gives the example of a resident of Jeevan Bima Nagar who complained about a power cut. Manivannan says he tagged the area engineer who promised to set the problem right in 15 minutes. He also shared the Bescom’s helpline number with the resident and asked him to lodge an official complaint for the record. Busy he may be but Manivannan insists that he makes sure to operate his Facebook account regularly. He has also empowered his staff at the Helpline Centre to get net savvy. When this reporter walked into the centre at KR Circle, she found as many as 40 employees working the phones, talking to walk-in customers and updating the Facebook page. “We
work in three shifts,” said one of the employees. The responsibility of what appears on Bescom’s Facebook page rests with Jayanthi N, General Manager (Customer Relations), who says that she looks at every post. At present, Bescom has 30 lines, and hopes to add 15 more in a couple of months. Its social media initiative can trigger change in governance. Deepak Majipatil, an engineer who lives in Vidyaranyarapura, suggests, “Other government departments need to come on Facebook too.”
Help at hand Bescom
Namma Bescom official page: www.facebook.com/Nammabesc om1 MD Manivannan's profile www.facebook.com/md.bescom Bescom Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum www.bescom.org/en/about-us2/consumer-grievance-redressalforum/ Email: helplinebescom@gmail.com Helpline: 22873333 or SMS to 9243250000
Bangalore Traffic Police Official FB page www.facebook.com/BangaloreTr afficPolice Helpline: 22943030/131
political diary
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Siddu is easing out BJP supporters from high-profile government bodies The CM is quietly trying to cut grants for boards and academies governing books and culture, and seeking the resignation of chiefs appointed by the previous regime
Talk gathers Siddaramaiah is keen on cutting grants for the Kannada Development Authority, the Kannada Book Authority, Bhasha Bharati (a translation centre) and the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, and is asking scholars
HEADS ROLL Actress Tara has resigned from her position as head of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy following the government order
and writers for their opinion. These organisations enjoy subsidies. Their presidents and members, often political appointees, earn salaries and are granted travel and housing allowances. They usually resign when there is a change of regime at the Vidhana Soudha. That hasn ’t happened this time.
Autonomous organisations like Karnataka Sahitya Academy and Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Academy do not enjoy comparable perks.
The mining barons of Bellary, who formed the BSR Congress with B Sriramulu as its figurehead, were given a sound thrashing by voters in the assembly elections.
TB Jayachandra
Animal husbandry and law and parliamentary affairs have little in common, but minister TB Jayachandra holds those portfolios cheerfully. After he took charge, he visited his constituency Sira, where he was welcomed warmly by party workers. ironically, for someone trying to be a thorn in the government ’s flesh, Kumaraswamy has one of his own to deal with: his elder brother HD Revanna. Recently, when JD(S) members walked out of the assembly to protest against the
government ’s policies, Revanna alone refused to get up from his seat. When a JD(S) leader reminded him, “We are in the opposition now, ” Revanna shot back, “Why should I listen to him? He is younger to me! ”
bigger parties. Janardhana Reddy, now languishing in prison, has reportedly asked him to wait till the Andhra Pradesh election results are out next year. Jaganmohan Reddy, also in prison, is a dear friend, and if he wins, he might bring good tidings for the Bellary Reddys. With no mining money coming in, and his mentor cooling his heels in prison, Sriramulu is a frustrated man.
is the traditional mudde and naati koli saaru. ” Naati koli is native, free-range chicken, different from farm chicken.
BASU MEGALKERI
HD Kumaraswamy and HD Revanna
B Sriramulu
Koli ke peeche kya hain?
Much drama is expected in the next few days. Watch this space.
Kumara’s intimate enemy JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy does not believe in half measures. Bitter about his election loss, he is going all out to corner the government. He has put together a ‘think tank ’ of seven retired IAS officers, whom he regularly consults on issues that could potentially portray the Siddaramaiah government in a bad light. He dreams of making a name as the strongest opposition leader ever, with ‘constructive criticism ’ being his chief weapon. And the strategy is paying off. His provocative questions in the assembly are becoming a headache for the government, and have won him media attention. But
Sriramulu, wait until 2014
Sriramulu and his boss, the tainted Gali Janardhana Reddy, have been talking at length, but failed to arrive at any clear strategy. Having spent huge amounts of money and campaigned hard, it won ’t be easy for Sriramulu to let go of it. He is wondering if he should merge with one of the
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The rules say the tenures of these institutions can last “three years or until the next order. ” Had the BJP government left out the “until the next order ” clause, the current heads might have finished their terms irrespective of a change in government. But that was not to be.
Translated by MR Akarsha
It has taken a while for this humiliating defeat to sink in. About three weeks ago, Sriramulu dissolved the party ’s working committees, and has shown no interest in reconstituting them. Party workers are wondering about their political future.
t ’s not for nothing that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has a reputation for quick action. His government has lost no time in ordering a change of guard at a dozen institutions administering arts, books and culture.
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People were falling over each other to please him by serving him the choicest of dishes at a lunch in his honour, but to their surprise, Jayachandra declared, “I don ’t want anything special. All I want
This was a totally unexpected request, and posed a problem, since the hosts had laid out fancy mutton dishes. It had never occurred to them that he might like a humble local dish. His admirers were embarrassed, and Jayachandra did not hide his disappointment. He declared at a public gathering in Tumkur a little later, “This government will encourage the highest quality of naati koli rearing. Farmers who rear it will be given a subsidy of Rs 3,000. ” The crowd was pleased, and some in the audience said, “Now you know why the Congress should be in power. ”
fine arts
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FINER POINTS Well-known illustrator Prakashbabu interacts with CKP students
Corporate careers beckon artists Students from Chitrakala Parishath, the government-run fine arts college, have always excelled in film, theatre and advertising. Now, thanks to campus placements and new career opportunities, they are also sought after by IT companies such as Wipro and Infosys
BASU MEGALKERI basavaraju@talkmag.in
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jay LS and Pratap R run a hugely successful design company. Anand Sundaresha has become a much sought-after cinematographer, and Dhanush Kiran GP, who paints murals, is busy organising art camps and creating sculptures. They have one thing is common—they are products of Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, popularly called CKP. Says Ajay, who runs Creative
Geekz with Pratap, “The skills we “Today, every sector needs artists. learnt at CKP have helped us realise The education CKP provides is useful our dreams. Through our company, at all stages of an artist’s career.” we have been able to provide a plat- Many CKP students are well-known form to seven creative in the Kannada film indusCKP’s 2012 try: Suri who has directed artists like us .” campus While Anand mainstream hits like interviews Duniya and Kaddipudi, majored in art history, he is today a successful cineBopanna, who acted 50 attended Daisy matographer. He worked in Jogi and Gaalipata, 34 got jobs Shreekanth, who acted in as a cameraman on a short film titled Chakori, and recently Olave Mandara, and Niranjan Shetty, produced and directed a music album hero hero of Case 18/9. Then there is in Kannada called Coffee Huduga. RJ Pradeepa, who runs a talk show “Anybody with a camera can become called Nenapina Navika, and art direca cameraman today. But to under- tor Mansoor. stand light and shadow, you require a “There’s the award winning docknowledge of physics and mathemat- umentary maker Pradeep Verma, who ics. The vision of an artist becomes made Chakori, the street theatre important. CKP gave me clarity and expert Dhanush, Advithi ME and purpose.” Several film offers are now Aruna M who have been recognised coming his way. in theatre, and Mysore’s Deepti Dhanush, who did his MA in Jagannath, a civil engineer for eight sculpture, has made CKP his second years, who later completed her degree home. He guides juniors, paints from CKP to become a sculptor,” says murals, sculpts, organises film shows Anil Kumar. One of Deepti’s works is and talks, and conducts art camps. now on display on the new MG Road boulevard. A 61-year-old Iranian mother became a student after she Wide impact HA Anil Kumar, art critic and profes- moved to Bangalore to look after her sor at Chitrakala Parishath, says, dentist daughter. “The list goes on,”
says Anil Kumar.
Campus placements Traditionally, fine arts graduates sell their work through galleries. The other path is to work as art teachers or join in advertising agencies and design studios. But, today, their opportunities are wider. Thanks to a new campus recruitment programme, students now get job offers from corporate majors even before they receive their degrees. The programme is now accessible to those in
Courses at CKP
13-month animation course (for students who have passed SSLC) Bachelor in Visual Arts (for students who have passed 12th or PUC) Four-year courses in art, commercial arts, sculpture, graphic art and art history Two-year bachelor degree in any one of the specialisations Evening degree course (classes thrice a week)
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RAMESH HUNSUR
There is demand, but no supply
Proud legacy
Chitrakala Parishath —also called Chitrakala Bhavana, and more commonly CKP —is located on a sprawling campus near Kumara Park. It was constructed in 1960 under the guidance of artist MS Nanjunda Rao. Spread over two floors, the art school boasts a huge gallery showcasing the works of famous artists such as Henry Moore, Nikolas Roerich and his son Dr Svetaslav Roerich.
While students from art school are in great demand in all sectors, there are just three art schools in Bangalore: Chitrakala Parishath, Ken Art School and Srishti School of Design. There is the government institution CAVA in Mysore, but it doesn ’t offer campus placements. the final year of the Bachelor in Visual Arts (BVA) degree. Babu Jatkar, professor and Campus Placement Officer, says, “Companies such as Wipro, Infosys, Cognizant and Bally Technologies are now recruiting from our campus. The demand for our students is especially high in the animation, games and web designing sectors. This is a drastic change from 2006, when only three students got jobs.” Last year, 98 students were awarded BVA degrees. Of them, 50 participated in the campus recruitment process and 34 got jobs, says Supreet Adiga of CKP’s computer department. Talk spoke to Chandana, who majored in applied arts, and is now working with
VIRTUAL ART Web and 3D design is an increasingly popular career choice for CKP students
Wipro. “I was placed in Wipro even before I completed my degree. I’m part of the web page design and development team..” Chandana is proud to be part of the IT sector. “I am happy that Chitrakala Parishath gave me such a wonderful opportunity,” she says. What’s more, advertising companies like Lowe Lintas, art auctioneers like Bid
and Hammer, International architectural companies, designing companies, and many government and public institutions have recruited students through campus placement. Chitrakala Parishath sure is changing with the times. It is no longer a place just for the artistically inclined and non-career minded.
Chitrakala Parishath has also a research centre dedicated to art, sculpture, graphic art, art history and applied arts, to name a few, that cater to students from the primary to the graduate level. Contact: Chitrakala Parishat Kumara Krupa Road, Bangalore 560 001. Tel: 9945270601 Website: www.karanatakachitrakala parishath.com
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urban farmers
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SAVIE KARNEL
OFFLINE US-returned software professional Anand Maddur, with daughters Anushka and Priyanka at his farm off Sarjapur road. He rents out parts of the land to weekend farmers from Bangalore.
Bangalore is rediscovering its passion for gardening Affluent professionals are hiring micro-plots, growing vegetables in the kitchen garden and on the terrace, and even going out and buying land to reconnect with nature
SAVIE KARNEL
savie.karnel@talkmag.in
M
any Bangaloreans are now growing their own food. Well-heeled professionals, who earn top-bracket salaries in sectors as diverse as software and medicine, are not averse to tilling the land. Farming is now a rage. For the new gentlemen farmers, the options are many: terrace farming,
community farming, and micro farming on rented plots. Elderly residents say this is just a revival of an old Bangalore passion. “Bangalore was not called a garden city because of its parks, but because every family had a small garden with flowers in the front,” says 70-year old BN Vishwanath, founder of Garden City Farmers’ Trust. He is a pioneer of organic kitchen gardening in Bangalore. Since the 1980s, with the population increasing, every inch of land has
become precious real estate. The home gardens have disappeared. Things are changing again. But it is not ornamental flowers that are making a comeback. Instead, you have bitter gourds hanging at the entrance where mallige (jasmine) once bloomed. “Earlier people would grow vegetables in their backyards, and flowers in the front. Now, they want to use all the space to grow vegetables and do not mind growing them in the front as well,” says Vishwanath. Many like him feel growing flow-
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living in slums. “I know there isn’t much space there, but they can grow climbers. They can eat vegetables and sell the excess by the roadside,” he says. Pumpkins, bottle gourds, and bitter gourds grow on creepers, are organic, and can find a good market. Since organic produce is typically sold in large stores and priced high, these vegetables are sure to be in demand. He has also successfully implemented the idea of organic farming in two schools and intends to take it to more schools in the city. DM English School in Hennur Bande, and Loyola School, off Bannerghatta Road, grow their own vegetables and use them in their midday meals. In keeping with his plans of taking organic farming beyond the terrace, he wants to rebrand his trust. He wishes to begin with changing the name of his Facebook page from Organic Terrace Gardening to Organic Urban Farming. His idea is in tune with the changing interests of the members. Terrace gardening
The starting point Vishwanath feels his idea caught up instantly because of the name—terrace gardening. “The idea of growing one’s daily requirements on one’s roof sounded exotic,” he says. “And there was also the feeling of, ‘Is it possible to grow vegetables without having any extra land?’” There were initial apprehensions about water seepage. But Vishwanath brushes aside these concerns. “If the terrace is water proof you can grow greens, tomatoes and smaller vegetables in pots before moving on to the bigger variety. Those who do not have a waterproof terrace can opt for grow boxes, which can be made at home and have minimal contact with the terrace,” he says. (See box on how to make grow boxes) Though Vishwanath has popularised the idea of terrace farming, his heart lies in tilling the soil. The only reason he advocates terrace farming is the lack of space in urban TERRACE BOUNTY BN Vishwanath is one of the pioneers of organic terrace gardening in Bangalore
RAMESH HUNSUR
ers is a waste of space and effort. “The worst areas. He has been trying to find a solution are lawns, which do not give anything in to this problem as well. return. Many builders are now creating lawns on the terrace and calling their build- Vacant sites for farming ings green. It is a sham,” he says. He is now looking at using vacant sites to The new gardeners grow flowers like grow organic vegetables. Here, the main marigold for their ability to keep pests away. glitch is the approval of the land owner. When Sriram Aravamudan co-founded After posting this idea on a Facebook page My Sunny Balcony, a com(Organic Terrace Gardening), pany that helps set up gara woman has come forward ‘People don’t dens on balconies, patios to offer her site for commumind growing and terraces, he usually got nity farming. requests for ornamental “The site is in veggies in their plants. Banashankari. We haven’t front yards now’ Now, more and more started farming on it yet,” he people are asking him to says. help them grow vegetables. “Earlier someone BBMP parks also hold the potential for who grew button roses was considered posh. community farming. “We approached corNow, people want to be intellectually posh porators and asked them to give us a 30x40 and grow vegetables instead,” says Sriram. area in a corner. But nothing has materiBesides the usual vegetables, people alised. We hope the new government will have been demanding herbs like thyme and accept the proposal,” he says. oregano. Sriram advises them to grow herbs in pots and hang them on the wall, “the most Pumpkins in the slums neglected space in the house.” Vishwanath now wants to work with people It is not just individuals, but also companies that approach him to set up gardens on their campuses. “Offices like those of Google in Bangalore already have small patches allotted to employees, who grow vegetables there. They also barter vegetables among one another. It provides a kind of recreation for them,” he says. Driven by a desire to decrease their ‘carbon footprint’, more and more companies are encouraging gardening. “We have advised some companies. Things are yet to be finalised,” Sriram says. When Vishwanath started the Garden City Farmers’ Trust in 1995, most of its members were retired officials. Over the past three years, many young people are joining him and attending his workshops on terrace gardening. By his estimate, over 2,000 gardeners grow vegetables on their terraces. “Most are in the IT-BT sector,” he says.
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Where to find your farming needs For compost, plant nutrients, manure, gardening tools, and cans Varsha Enterprises, Brigade MM, KR Road. Tel: 2676 4471 Arun, Red Sanders, The Heritage, Ranga Rao Road, Shankarpuram. Tel: 26673409, 9448062909. VMSRF, 94/3 and 94/5, 23rd Cross, 29th Main, BTM 2nd Stage. Tel: 9986782276 The Nurserymen Cooperative Society, Lalbagh, KH Road. Tel: 26576733 Department of Horticulture, Bio Centre (near Meenakshi Temple), Hulimavu, Bannerghatta Road. Tel: 26582784, 26582775.
For red soil Gopi, opposite Lalbagh Gate, Siddapur. He sells a bag for Rs 30.
For neem cake, honge cake, bone meal, seeds, micro-nutrients Srinivasa Agro Corporation, Trinetra Market, 3rd Main, New Tharagupet (Near Minto Hospital), City Market. Tel: 26701823/26701167
For blue plastic carpet, UV shade net, composting sheet, garden fences Bhadra Tarpaulins, 104, Near RavindraKalakshetra, JC Road. Tel: 22231865 Neeligiri Tarpaulins, 105, Opp. Kanada Bhavana, JC Road. Tel: 41247909 Nandi Tarpaulins, JC Road. In Shivajinagar, go to Central Street. Supplies are also available near Russell market.
For organic manure Saikiran: bc.saikiran@gmail.com
talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
LOG OUT Sriram Aravamudan quit a corporate career to start My Sunny Balcony, a firm that helps people grow gardens on balconies and patios. (Left) Techie Mahesh Narayanan and his family are among the weekend ‘tenant farmers’ at Green Thumbs in Sarjapur
provides the impetus for a beginning. to satiate her desire of growing on land. Later, urban farmers yearn for a piece of She has rented 400 sq ft at Green the earth. Thumb mini farms. She goes there every weekend, while a caretaker waters and deweeds the farm on other days. “Terrace Towards agriculture Techie Lakshminarayan Srinivasaiah is gardening provided me with the vegetables perhaps one of the most successful terrace that I required, but I wanted to do more on gardeners in Bangalore. He learnt the ropes the ground,” says the freelance content from Vishwanath, and has been inter- writer. Aparna prefers the viewed by several publicamini-farm since it provides tions for his achievements ‘Eat what you space for experimentation. as a terrace farmer. “It’s a new experience. In He has now graduatgrow; you know ed to farming on land. where your food terrace gardening, you just put in the manure. Here, With nine friends, he comes from’ you have to plough even bought 10 acres near after putting in the Muttatti, about 80 km from Bangalore. “I started terrace garden- manure,” she says. Located in Kodathi, a village off ing to eat healthy food. It was also an experiment to learn about plants, before Sarjapur Road, Green Thumbs is based on doing what I always wanted to do—grow the concept of the micro eco-farm, popular on land,” he says. Having done terrace gar- in the United States. A similar system, dening for five years, he has not only called share-cropping, is prevalent in grown vegetables, but also sugarcane, Indian villages where farmers rent land, cultivate it, and pay the landlord. The paychickoo and pomegranate on his roof. With the land he bought six months WAY TO GO ago, he intends to be completely self-suffiShahnaz cient. “In 20 years, there will be scarcity of Kothawala, seen here with son food. So I have bought land. We will share Rishhad, runs a the yield among the ten families, and self-sustaining farm near among the villagers working at the farm,” Anekal he says. He has sowed grains, but intends to grow almost everything required for his family’s sustenance. The challenges of a farm are different from those of his terrace garden. “The other day, some elephants went on a rampage and destroyed the fodder we had kept for the cattle,” he says. The distance from Bangalore makes it difficult for Lakhshminarayan to be at the farm every day. He manages to go there on alternate weekends.
Rent a kitchen garden Another avid terrace farmer, Aparna George, found a temporary but easier way
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ment is either in a proportion of the yield, recognise all plants, including beetroot leaves at a quiz in school, and the teacher or cash. was impressed,” she says. Business consultant Shesha Shah The US experience began with growing flowers on a garbage When software professional Anand Maddur returned from the US, he thought dump near her apartment. This got her he would live in an independent house, like interested in farming and she rented a he did there. But in Bangalore, he had to mini-farm at Green Thumbs. “When I grew beans, I thought I had live in an apartment. “There we grew some vegetables in not got any yield. We later realised that the the backyard. Here, we couldn’t,” he says. It beans were hiding behind the leaves. Now I was then that he came up with the idea of know where I have to look for beans,” she leasing three acres and renting out patches says gleefully. The maximum produce she has had is of it. He started Green Thumbs in April last of spinach, which grows quickly. She had year. He has put up a banana plantation in so much she had to distribute it among one-and-a-half acres and has set aside the friends. Techie Mahesh Narayanan has been rest for renting out. “It is aimed to serve people living in apartments who have no farming at Green Thumbs for a year. “I am not very rigid on organic stuff. But when backyards,” he says. Anand takes care of the upkeep of the farm. His customers visit the farm on weekends and work for about an hour on their patch. People usually sow seeds or saplings. They deweed and harvest on weekends. Anand offers packages that include daily watering, weekly deweeding, crop alerts, and organic pest control and manure. He also provides seeds and saplings. Anand sends weekly pictures to customers who wish to follow the growth of Tips for terrace their farms. In some cases, he also delivers gardening the harvest. You can make pots out of big plastic The membership is for a minimum of cans (used to store water and six months. The cost varies for packages liquids) and milk crates that are and is less than Rs 5,000. About 20 people easily available at any junkyard. The have rented mini-farms and are actively cans cost about Rs 200 each while growing their own vegetables. crates are a little over Rs 300. Cut He calls his model a way to connect these cans horizontally and attach with nature. “My children work on the two blocks of wood underneath farm and see where the food they eat each container for support (that way comes from. They also eat vegetables like it is easy to clean beneath them). bitter gourd that they avoided earlier, Heat the tip of an iron nail and because the joy of eating what you have make a piercing in the centre of each cut container for the excess grown is different,” he says. water to flow. For a milk crate, you His wife Poornima also sees farming can make about four to five holes as a means to learning. “My daughter could for excess water to flow. Similarly, you can use two-litre soft drink bottles to grow your plants. Make a cut across the circumference and use it as a pot. You can also use your paint buckets for growing plants.
Preparing compost at home Dry leaves and waste from kitchen such as onion peels, carrot peels and cucumber peels act as natural manure for your terrace garden. On a layer of dry leaves, add a layer of mud and then the peels in a container without adding any water. Mix the contents every third day and your home made compost (also known as black gold) is ready in 2-3 weeks. Used tea leaves also act as manure. They keep away pests too.
talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
RAMESH HUNSUR
ALL THE WAY Lakshminarayan, one of the most successful terrace gardeners in the city, has now got a farm of his own
ens, ducks, pigeons, cats and a dog. The soil is poor and rocky, and the Kothawalas also have to fend off wild animals. Recently a wild deer ate up a lot of their produce. The couple’s lifestyle has attracted others to self-sustainable living. Though many people visit them and spend their weekends there, two or three couples have expressed their desire to buy land and start similar farms. “Many people enquire about how to buy land,” Navzer says.
Reverse migration
you eat what you grow, you get the satis- chaos of the city. My wife and I have had faction of knowing where the stuff on your this long-cherished dream of living in the countryside and appreciating what nature plate has come from,” he says. and serenity can do for the inner self,” says Navzer. Self-sustainable living The couple use solar power and bioBesides the weekend farmers, there are also those who buy a farm simply to lead a quiet gas, and harvest and conserve rainwater. and self-sufficient life. Retired Air Force They are also raising the subsoil water officer Navzer Kothawala and his wife level, using organic methods of cultivation, Shahnaz bought six acres on the edge of and reforesting barren land. The fruit and vegetable yield helps the Thally Reserve forest, near Anekal, in 2003, and have been living there for seven them be self-sufficient. They still need to buy grains and rice from the market. They years. “We wanted to be away from the also have a few native cows, country chick-
Some urban-origin farmers believe, perhaps naively, that living on a farm stops villagers from migrating to the cities. Lakshminarayana says one of the reasons he bought the farm in Muttati is this. “Villagers are increasingly abandoning agriculture to migrate to cities. When people like us return to our roots, the villagers may stay back,” he says. Anand of Green Thumbs points to the vacant lands around his farm and laments, “The locals do not want to be farmers any more. They are happy to sell off their lands to builders and go to the city looking for jobs.” Even he hopes when people from the high rises have farms in villages, the villagers might want to stay back. Anand’s driver Govindaraja is a local who has stopped farming. “Agriculture doesn’t bring in enough money. So our
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Plan for action? To know more on self-sustainable living, visit Navzer and Shahnaz. Email nfkothawala@gmail.com You can stay with the Kothawalas for Rs 150 per person per day. To rent a kitchen garden, contact Green Thumb mini-farms at 8105601928 or email greenthumbminifarms@gmail.com To attend BN Vishwanath ’s terrace gardening workshops mail gardencityfarmers@gmail.com family has stopped farming and taken up jobs like driving,” he says. He goes on to explain the economics. “Take Anand sir’s banana farm. We aren’t able to get good rates. The middlemen pay farmers less and make most of the money.” He does most of the running around in the mini-farm, and feels working here keeps him rooted. “It is also nice to see people like Anand sir take up farming, when people like us are abandoning it,” he says. Sriram of My Sunny Balcony has witnessed this trend of people going back. “In villages they ask their youth to get educated and migrate to the city. Those educated with good jobs are now going back to agriculture,” he says. (With inputs from Sandra M Fernandes)
A much-travelled fruit
lemon SAVIE KARNEL
savie.karnel@talkmag.in
T
he tussle between what plant is edible and what is plain ornamental has been always around. Tomatoes and lemons—which are common kitchen plants now—were once considered ornamental. In fact, lemon is native to India. It was (and still is) called by its Sanskrit name nimbu and has been cultivated for over 2,500 years. The Arab traders who visited ancient India were impressed with the round yellow fruits amidst symmetrical W dark green leaves. They took some plants home to the Middle East and Africa in around 100 CE. They grew them in their front yard as ornamental trees. We could say they treated lemons like flowers, and not as a food component. The Arabs were familiar with other citrus The Talk fruits like citron and column on word origins Persian apple. Since
lemons also belonged to the same family and looked similar, the called it limun. The root word was lim, which is a generic term for citrus fruits in Arabic and Persian. The fruit was then widely distributed in the Middle East, Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean regions. The Arabs took lemon to Southern Italy and Spain. Christian crusaders returning from Palestine took it to the rest of Europe. It was called limone in Italian and limon in Old French. The term entered English as limon. One of its earliest uses can be found in a Middle English customs document of 1420-21. Literature written in the 14th and 15th centuries has varying spellings: lymons, limmons, lemmonz and lemmons. The spelling lemon, as we use it now, was perhaps first written in the 17th century. British playwright William Congreve in his 1695 play Love for Love says, “Safer.. than Letters writ in Juice of Lemon, for no Fire can fetch it out.” Here he is referring to the technique of using lemon juice as invisible ink. If you write on paper with lemon juice, the writing disappears as soon as the juice dries up, but when the paper is held over a fire, the writing reappears. It is believed
K E Y
O R D S
ODD ONE OUT This Volkswagen ad famously described factory-rejected models as ‘lemons’
that lovers used it to send secret letters in ancient times. School kids continue to use it as a ‘magic trick.’ Sometime in the 19th century, lemon became a part of popular slang, but with multiple meanings. Perhaps its first slang meaning was ‘someone with a snappy dis-
position.’ It was later used by criminals to mean an easy victim. PG Wodehouse in his 1931 novel Big Money uses this slang: “I don’t know why it is, rich men’s sons are always the worst lemons in creation.” Around the same time, lemon was also used to mean head. In The Inimitable Jeeves, Wodehouse uses lemon to mean this: ‘What might you have missed?’ I asked, the old lemon being slightly clouded. In the United States, the slang meaning that gained popularity was of something that is bad or doesn’t meet expectations. The 1914 book Choice Slang uses lemon to mean disappointment. This meaning has survived through the years, thanks to the proverbial phrase to encourage optimism, If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. The phrase was first used in 1915 by American writer Elbert Hubbard in an obituary for dwarf actor Marshal P Wider. Praising Wilder’s attitude in using his disability to his advantage he wrote, “He picked up the lemons that Fate had sent him and started a lemonade-stand.” The phrase was later popularised by Dale Carnegie, that incorrigible optimist. We now have several versions of it. One of them is: When life gives you lemon, grab tequila and salt.
OOKtalk
talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
15
Ari Jayaprakash Graphic novelist
‘Graphic novels will have a larger cultural impact ’ What are your plans post The Kuru Chronicles? The first book I ’m planning is The Kuru Genesis, which is sort of a precursor to The Kuru Chronicles. Post-Kuru, we have something called The Art of Kuru, which features a lot of complex art work which I have done with 10 other artists.
Review
Pics meet fiction The Stopover, a product of a collaboration between a Bangalore-based author and a photographer, is a tolerable attempt in the old-yet-new genre of photo-fiction
B
ack in the days, Kannada weekly magazines used to have two pages of colour photographs with little clouds of conversations printed above their heads. Most often, these were awkwardly posed for pictures of women with puffed sleeves and bouffant hair, it was the 80s after all. My grandmother would cut them out and tie them together to make picture books. Those magazines still lie around at home, another of the reminders of those growing up years. Photo fiction as a genre has been lightly flitting about in the folds of magazines for a while now. But with The Stopover, it emerges, claiming an identity for itself. While the photo-romances of yore got characters to pose in a man-
Just out
When writers pick favourites When fifty well-known writers write about their favorite fictional work, the result is bound to be a treat, as this book is. Titled 50 Writers, 50 Books, this collection of essays edited by Pradeep Sebastian and Chandra Siddan, seeks to
ner of film stills, this book uses photos to illustrate short fiction stories. Former advertising professional Ram Prakash took the pictures, while Deepa Pinto, a teacher of German at the Goethe Institut, wrote the stories. The Stopover, in the manner of new market savvy book releases, comes with its own trailer film. Designed to resemble a coffee table book, there are four stories here, set in Ladakh, Channapatna, Ooty and Kolathur in Chennai. An advertising professional takes a break and lands in desolate Ladakh, attempting to get over a personal crisis. There he meets the gentle Tibetans and learns of patience, peace and hope. Then there are two brothers who bond over the colourful toys of Channapatna. In the third, the Toda tribe has to find a way to protect its young men from the temptations a girl from the city brings with her. The fourth has a young man, at the brink of his dream life, give it all up for ornamental fish breeding. The photos, while not extraordinary, are well chosen to illustrate the
stories. All four stories are designed to connect to urban reader, from the choice of the professions of the characters to their cultural references. But there is an inconsistency in the narratives that often grates. In some places, the conversation sounds overly formal,. Certain tall-sounding words sit awkwardly in places. Ironically for a fictional work, it’s the facts in the book that pack a punch; be it about the Tibetans’ struggle for their homeland or the Channapatna toy industry. The Stopover is supposedly the first of its kind to be published in the country and has to itself quite an online following. There is a simplicity to it that harks to those first books you picked up as a child because they had colour pictures. The words aren’t taxing on the mind, the plots are linear and the characters familiar. The reader in me wanted the stories to have been better crafted; but then it wouldn’t be the sort of book that would belong on the bestsellers list these days, would it? The Stopover, by Ram Prakash and Deepa Pinto. is published by Krab Media and priced at Rs 495
examine the entire corpus of Indian novels through the eyes of contemporary writers. Being writers themselves, it’s a pleasure to follow the essayists as they revel in their favourite fiction. The works examined range from classics like Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay’s Durgeshnandini—arguably the inspiration for all novel writing in India at one point of time—and Tagore’s The Home and the World to lesser known gems like GV Desani’s All About H Hatterr. While
DEEPA BHASTHI
How do you see the future of graphic novels in India? From an artistic point of view, I think a lot is going to happen in this genre. It ’s going to focus more on Indian themes. The genre will also have a larger impact on culture, be it music, cinema or painting. Any advice for the budding graphic novelist? Just be open. Whatever the content is, just do your thing. I ’m completely anti-censorship, so just do what feels right.
TANISHA DAS Ari Jayaprakash is an artist, photographer and graphic novelist. The Kuru Chronicles, his first graphic novel, released earlier this year in the city, will be released in the US at the prestigious New York Comic Con festival later this year.
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Reactions, statements, accusations, complaints, or just straight talk—this is where you get them all
Questions
they are amply represented some essays are scholarly and through works such as UR complex, others are simple and Ananthamurthy’s Sooryana endearing. Varied themes of Kudure, Gopinath Mohanty’s caste oppression, gender disOriya novel Paraja and crimination, colonialism and Mahabaleshwar Sail’s Konkani the paranormal are examined in historical novel Yug Sanawar, the essays. Modernity and the among others. Whether or not issues relating to it are discussed you are a serious reader of literin detail. ature, this book offers you a Bhasha writers needn’t worry HarperCollins glimpse of the sheer variety and about being ignored—a con- Rs 499 stant concern with such anthologies—as richness of Indian fiction.
up close
talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
NISHANT RATNAKAR
NISHANT RATNAKAR
IKYATHA YERASALA
A
STARRING US Pre-and postwedding shoots are as much in demand as those of the ceremony itself. (Top) This shoot was done keeping the traditonal nikah custom intact. The bride and groom could not see each other during the shoot.
couple romances in an exotic palace in Rajasthan and another takes a dreamy walk on a picturesque beach, while a professional photographer captures these moments on his camera. Such vivid scenes are straight out of a pre-wedding or post-wedding shoot that numerous young couples are opting for as part of their ‘wedding photography collection’. It’s not just about being captured on the big day anymore. From pre-wedding shoots at quaint destinations to intimate snaps, couples are increasingly going in for a candid take on what used to be a stiff and staid affair, and the new breed of wedding photographer is more than happy to oblige. Most of them have been engineers, photojournalists and even filmmakers before they shifted to professional wedding photography, a career choice that would have been unthinkable a few years ago. For 31-year-old Bagavathi Adithya, filmmaking was her life before she took to the camera. “One fine day, I realised the older generation’s wedding videos were not so nice. So, I started making videos of my own—that’s when I took up photography, after doing a short course at Light and Life Academy, Ooty, and also a few workshops in Singapore.” An engineer, photojournalist and now an independent photographer, 31-year-old Nishant Ratnakar specialises in candid wedding photography. “What drove me towards becoming independent was my desire for freedom to pick my own work,” says Nishant, who calls himself a ‘visual storyteller.’ Neeta Shankar, a former R&D engineer, is now a professional photographer with over one lakh followers on her Facebook profile. “I’m a self-taught artiste whose passion lies in capturing moments. I also love travelling,” says Neeta, who got into wedding photography when a classmate approached her for a shoot. Auditya Venkatesh had done his chartered accountancy articleship for three-and-a-half years, but the 24-year-old decided to chuck it all up to become an independent photographer specialising in weddings. His Facebook page Audi Photography today has over two lakh fans.
The big fat candid wedding
Destination exotica
The photographers testify to the growing demand from Gen Y for shoots, not only at exotic or luxurious locations, but even at places they grew up in, and places that reflect their upbringing and culture. Bagavathi gives an account of the changes she has witnessed in wedding photography. “Pre-wedding shoots are given a lot of importance now. They’re also more intimate, fun and theme-based. People who can afford it prefer out-of-town locations like resorts and palaces. I’ve shot couples in places like Wayanad, and recently, in a beautiful palace in Jammu. Sometimes, they ask us to find the appropriate location. These photos are often used for invites on Facebook.” Neeta, known for her imaginative shots, throws light on her destinations. “Couples want locations that are beautiful and unique as
Another memorable shoot for Nishant was opposed to conventional halls. I’ve shot a few destination weddings in Jaipur at the Raj Mahal a traditional style nikah but one where the Palace. I have also shot an intimate wedding bride was an Indian Muslim and the groom, a ceremony at the Bhoganandeeshwara temple foreigner. “According to custom, they’re not located at the foothills of Nandibetta in supposed to see each other until the wedding Bangalore.” Five-star hotels too make for gor- day. So when the girl was standing in the room geous locations, says Neeta, who has shot at the and the guy was outside, I took a picture, in Taj Westend, ITC Windsor, Leela Palace and which both were captured, but they were not seeing each other.” Marriot. Auditya, who has shot about Nishant recollects an uncon‘Couples are 80 weddings, has travelled extenventional wedding shoot where sively for his shoots. “I’ve gone to the bride was a Bangalorean who open to more places like Shimla, Pondichhery grew up in Malleswaram, and the intimate and Goa,” he says. groom an American. “I did a porshoots’ Such packages do not come trait shoot of the couple in the cheap. A candid photographer Malleswaram market. We went on an early morning walk, so that I could shoot might cost you anywhere between Rs 15,000 to them amidst the flower market. It may seem a startling one lakh a day, depending on the like a bizarre idea but it was a beautiful setting location and the details of the shoot. to make photos,” he says. One of Nishant’s exotic wedding assign- Collaborative effort ments included shooting at a breathtakingly Couples are actively involved in the process, say gorgeous villa in Goa. “It was restored by a cou- the photographers. “I always meet them in perple and it had a Portuguese feel with hues like son or if they’re abroad, I have a Skype chat with yellow, purple and blue. It provided the perfect them. When I’m shooting someone, they need setting to showcase a couple’s intimacy.” to be comfortable with me, so I make sure I
BAGAVATHI ADITHYA
Meet the snappers
Bagavathi Adithya Equipment: Canon -5D MK II camera, 50 mm, 70200mm and 100 mm macro lenses www.facebook.com/ candidphotosbybagavathi adithya
Candid wedding photography is all the rage with the trendy and the well-heeled. A look at the changing nature of the Indian wedding, through the lens of a new breed of wedding photographers
“My first wedding assignment was my cousin’s and later I shot a friend’s sister’s wedding. They had even hired a traditional photographer, but when the bride’s parents saw my photos, they were thrilled.”
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Auditya Venkatesh Equipment: Canon5D Mark III camera, a whole range of lenses including a wide angle lens, prime lens, macro lens and a telephoto lens, flashlight www.facebook.com/ AudiPhotography
meet them,” says Nishant. Knowing the couple’s story makes a huge difference and leads to wacky ideas. “For instance, I spoke to a pair that met 10 years ago in college and the boy had proposed to her when he was riding pillion behind her. So, for the shoot, we got a two-wheeler and he sat behind her and proposed to her cheekily—we recreated the whole proposal scene.” Neeta too ensures that the clients play a more important role in the photography decisions. “Most often, I involve the couple in planning the theme, costumes and location for the pre-wedding and post-wedding shoots. I also get involved in some of the decor decisions for their wedding.”
Tradition holds
Irrespective of their educational background and modern grooming, most young couples still respect traditions, find the photographers. “The ceremonies have definitely shortened over time but I feel the importance given to customs still remains the same,” says Neeta. While couples opt for contemporary photography, parents and elders still want to hire
traditional photographers. Bagavathi says, “They want to see who has attended the wedding and who has not! Many times, the couples ask me to convince their parents to opt for contemporary or candid photography.” Auditya and Nishant have also shot at weddings alongside traditional photographers. “Couples have Nishant Ratnakar to please not just themselves, but even the parEquipment: Canon EOS 5D ents,” says Nishant. Mark II camera and Canon Also, at contemporary weddings, friends 24-70 zoom lens play a big role, says Bagavathi. “Sometimes, they www.nishantratnakar.com do a lot of work—they help out with the bride’s Neeta Shankar attire, they suggest the kind of photos to be Equipment: Canon 5D Mark shot, and so on. Sometimes, they are so III camera, Canon EF series involved they even take more time than the lenses and Canon 580 Ex II bride to deck up,” she quips. This contemporary flash shutterbug also makes montages using the picwww.neetashankar.com tures she has shot, and then sets them to music. “We play it on their reception or mehendi day. It’s a great way for people to share their memo- making love! I’ve got such requests from couries with the guests,” she explains. ples in live-in relationships as well.” She has heard morning-after stories from others: “I know people who’ve shot such intimate A bit too personal Abroad, it’s becoming a trend for couples to pictures in Singapore and the US.” Nishant agrees. “Couples are opening up capture intimate morning-after pictures of themselves, and it may only be a matter of time to a more intimate kind of photography. I’ve before it catches on here. Bagavathi says she has done shoots at locations like parks and houses received requests from couples who have asked where I have captured pictures where they kiss her to shoot them in the bedroom. “But I’m not each other.” However, he would go that far and no furcomfortable doing that. It’s a breach of privacy. It’s their moment. I find it very awkward to ther. “I don’t fancy morning-after shoots. What shoot such stuff. Bedroom photography is very works in the West may not work here. It’s intimate and it’s like capturing photos of people absurd to copy a style,” he says.
war of ideas
talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
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Is Hinduism a religion and other questions Talk brings you two high-voltage essays from a debate raging in Kannada literary circles over the many fundamental questions raised by SN Balagangadhara of Ghent University, Belgium
A
big battle is raging in Kannada literary circles over the nature of caste, Hinduism and the colonial experience. Is Hinduism a religion? Does a caste system exist in India? Do the vachanas, the intense poems of the 12th century mystics, really attack caste hierarchy? Were Indian thinkers like Ambedkar and Lohia misled by British and Western constructs of Indian religion and society? The fire was lit by SN Balagangadhara, professor at Ghent University,
Belgium, who also heads the research centre Comparative Science of Cultures in that country. His book The Heathen in His Blindness... (1994) has inspired work at the Centre for the Study of Local Cultures in Kuvempu University, Shimoga, which he has helped set up. The provocation for current debate is an idea propounded by Dunkin Jalki, who argues the vachanas are not obsessed with caste questions. Here are two wellknown names sparring it out in the columns of Talk.
GRIM REALITY A scene after the 2010 attacks in Mirchpur, Haryana, where a mob burned to death a physically challenged Dalit girl and her elderly father, and set fire to 18 Dalit houses. (Right ) Dr BR Ambedkar
Why is scholarship divorced from love, and why does it become evil? Balagangadhara’s team seeks to fling into the dustbin all progressive movements, including those inspired by Jyotiba Phule, BR Ambedkar and Rammanohar Lohia
Rajendra Chenni
Professor of English at Kuvempu University, Shimoga, and a well-known literary critic
I
read the book Bharatadalli Jaati Vyvasthe Ideye? (Is there a caste system in India?) with curiosity. It features a subtitle, Thoughts of SN Balagangadhara and his research team, and its editing and commentary is attributed to Dunkin Jalki. Some thoughts sprang to my
mind as I read it. Why do humans use their studies, brains, logic and language for anti-human intellectuality? Should what is called scholarship be divorced from compassion, love, and good feelings about others? Why do intelligence and scholarship become evil? Many will be surprised I say this
of a research team that comprises international scholars attached to the study centre of a university. I say this because, in my opinion, this is the vilest book in Kannada. I had seen such vileness only on blogs, websites, and in the writings of NRIs. Sanjay Subrahmanyam, the famous historian, calls them NRKDs (Non-resident
knicker-dharis). They are a minority, but they are articulate, and use the digital media well. Interestingly, the world’s best-known researchers, scholars, and even human rights artivists, are NRIs. That is the reason NRKDs are intolerant of ‘progressive intellectuals’ in India. The title of the book is a war cry against Kannada progressive activists. Balagangadhara’s jacket note says: “We have discussed this enough with Kannada progressive activists. They have no clarity on the nature of the caste structure.”
So you say Kambalapalli was not a caste atrocity? In the foreword, Jalki refers to the Kambalapalli massacre (P 9-11). (On March 11, 2000, seven Dalits were burnt alive in a village in Kolar district. The Reddys accused in the case were acquitted six years later as the witnesses turned hostile). He blames progressive intellectuals for the failure of the victims’ families to get justice. He says: “Think for a moment. If
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it had remained a crime, the govern- gerated way to caste incidents. The kept them away, preferring to interact ment could have taken action. Or citi- team quotes from a booklet titled The with the other castes. They observed zens could have pressed the govern- Dalit Human Rights Monitor 1999- the hierarchy among the nonment to take action. But our intellec- 2000, published by an NGO called Brahmins and arrived at their conclusions on caste discrimination tual class portrayed it as an example of Sakshi. The booklet lists 226 of atrocities and hierarchy. Those hailing ‘untouchability’ and ‘caste exploita- incidents from these castes (for examtion’. The state government, instead of against Dalits between April ple, Ambedkar), were influinitiating steps for punishment and 1999 and March 2000. It enced by the colonialists, and rehabilitation, sat wondering how to questions myths about how wrongly grasped the caste banish untouchability and caste the Constitution and the law system as an unethical hierexploitation. Because of such a mis- are protecting the Dalits, and archy. These ideas linger placed ideology about the caste sys- have succeeded in curbing among today’s progressive tem, a crime becomes a complex ‘cul- caste violence and banishing Dunkin Jalki activists and intellectuals. In tural issue’ with no clear explanation.” untouchability. As far as I Believe me. Judges have acquit- know, no group other than Hitler’s Balu’s view, the lower castes and classted those accused of Dalit murders could have written the kind of foot- es, and not Brahmins, are responsible for such a wrong understanding. because the Kannada intelligentsia note this research team does. Let me quote from the book: espoused a misguided ideology! “The Europeans thought the inner Otherwise, the courts would have A statistical fallacy about hierarchy among the Madigas, and awarded the right punishment. We atrocities on Dalits may now look forward to Balu’s It says: “When 24 per cent of India are their relationship with the Holeyas, research centre proving this with Dalit… how can we conclude from just represented the nature of Indian socimore fieldwork! Untouchability, caste 38 murders that caste discrimination ety, and looked for an ideological discrimination, denial of work… all exists in India?” A footnote then says, structure to fit this ‘truth’. They saw it these must be recognised as crimes. “Justifying such a sweeping statement in (texts like) the Purushasookta and The moment you dial the police sta- calls for an extended ideological Manusmriti. They then looked for the ‘criminals’ who had imposed such a tion, these problems will be solved. debate, and an ideology.” By their reckoning, modern How is this logic? To prove that structure on everyone. They found Indian thinkers have been making the atrocities were indeed committed ‘Brahmin priests’.” (P 233). same mistake. ‘Hinduism’ and ‘caste’ against Dalits, we have only two are not responsible options. One: We An attempt to put guilt for any of this, commit additional into Dalit writers ’ hearts To them, the because, according to murders proportion- Balu believes the Europeans were able the book, these don’t ate to the Dalit popu- to build a structure of caste from what Dalit movement exist at all. These are lation. Two: We for- they saw of the Dalit societies of the only reinforced structures created by mulate a theory that Madigas and the Holeyas. All writers caste hatred Western civilisais free of Christian and activists from such castes must tion—to define theology and colonial develop a sense of guilt, then. He says: itself—under the influence of influence to explain how so few Dalits “This much can be said! Their obsesChristian theology. Progressive are killed. sion with the caste system comes from thinkers, who couldn’t see through Extend this argument and look their daily experience of hierarchy. It this, accepted these structures as true. what we get. A five-year-old must be noted that those For Ambedkar and Jyotiba Phule, caste girl is raped in Delhi. A 22responsible for this experiexperience might have been bitter, but year-old woman is gangence are not Brahmins but they relied on Christian theology— raped. Until these rapes are people of their own caste.” (P and the fiction of the colonisers—for proportionate to half our 233-234). their understanding. Movements population, we cannot conYou can already guess inspired by them thus became largely sider them atrocities against what the research team will negative, Balu’s team maintains. He women. We should not say about reservation. But I concludes that Ambedkar’s move- argue that aspects of our give them the last word: “By Balagangadhara in ments were ideologically wrong, and society are provoking such translation allowing one to pass with only reinforced caste hatred. crimes. Feminists should not inadequate marks and to talk. The structures they use are bor- find a job easily, reservation encourrowed from the West, aren’t they? ages people to experience benefits Swami Vivekananda ’s without putting in much effort.” (P anti-caste remark in Kerala 177). It is clear, all through the book, that it Did Protestantism colour And again: “There is no doubt tries to throw into the dustbin move- the British perspective? ments in which Ambedkar, Dalits and We find such twisted arguments all that castes that get reservation will progressive thinkers participated. In through the book. I mention two gradually decline. In a word, if you its view, even the Malabar episode in before I close. Balu proposes a theory want to completely destroy a caste, which Vivekananda denounces the that thrills the research team. In his give it reservation. The reason for the practice of not allowing the Parayas view, there is no division among lack of progress among ‘Dalits’ in on the streets in the presence of Nairs, Brahmins and their sub-castes. They post-Independence India is not the is not true. Balu argues it is an imag- may have fights, but they have no caste system, but reservation, the ined narrative based on stories of hierarchy. But among Muslims, medicine given to eliminate it.” (Page caste discrimination. Lingayats and Dalits, not just discrim- 178-179). Should we shout ‘Down, down!’ According to Balu’s research ination, but also a strong sense of team, our NGOs and media are influ- hierarchy, prevails. The British, to Dr Ambedkar, who sought reservaenced by Chrisitan theology and our because of their Protestantism, saw tion for the Dalits and destroyed colonial rulers, and react in an exag- the Brahmins as a priestly class, and them?
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‘They are producing research at the bidding of their foreign masters’ Balagangadhara and Dunkin Jalki’s arguments about caste and the vachanas look authentic, but they hide an RSS agenda, says Dr K Marulasiddappa
They argue there was no caste discrimination, and that the vachanas don ’t oppose caste. If we look at the inter-caste marriage between the families of Haralayya and Madhuvayya, we understand how deeprooted caste feelings were in the 12th century. King Bijjala opposes the match and hangs the couple, after which his Veerashaiva citizens spill out on to the streets and denounce the killing. They are so outraged they go and murder him. This is the only incident in all of India where a king was killed for reasons of caste. Do you need a bigger example of caste atrocity? What is the point in saying there was no caste in those days? Balagangadhara and Jalki are suggesting Gandhi, Ambedkar and Lohia are not relevant; they say we only have divisions of rich and poor. In saying this, they are opposing reservation. Who is Balagangadhara? Where in Belguim does he get the money from? Why has he chosen Kuvempu University for his research? These questions should be investigated. Our universities have enough money, and they can approach the University Grants Commission if they want additional funds. Why should they take money from outside and produce research at the donors ’ bidding? Poet Kuvempu is a symbol of Kannada pride. He fought all his life against Brahminism. If research is being conducted against local culture, I believe it is a conspiracy to defame Kuvempu. And Shimoga has become an RSS hub, like Nagpur. I oppose this. It is a right step to close down any centre that rejects local cultures. (As told to Basu Megalkeri) K Marulasiddappa is a theatre expert who has taught at the post-graduate Centre for Kannada Studies in Bangalore University
war of ideas
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The intellectual excitement is palpable and unprecedented in recent memory SN Balagangadhara’s The Heathen in His Blindness… has inspired a new research milieu that is unafraid to explore why legal and political institutions shaped by one culture acquire completely different meanings in another
H
ow does one interpret the vicious attack on Dunkin Jalki’s thesis about the vachanas and the caste system? His thesis is compelling: ‘Hinduism’ does not exist, and Europeans went about experiencing Indian culture by assuming there is such an entity. Jalki draws from Balagangadhara’s book The Heathen in His Blindness... (1994), which produced a theory of religion: it told us what religion is and why it couldn’t have existed in India. These are mind-boggling arguments, and those of us who followed them were not only exhilarated but also inspired by the demonstration that theory building is possible in the social sciences. We can indeed acquire knowledge of the social world, and the knowledge is different from, but comparable to, the knowledge produced by the natural sciences.
Why aren ’t the attackers reading Dunkin Jalki ’s thesis?
Vivek Dhareshwar
Heads the Bangalore Human Sciences Initiative (BHSI) at Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology
COLONIAL GAZE From an 1837 book Seventy-two Specimens of Castes in India, which depicts men and women of various castes and ethnic groups. It was compiled by an Indian schoolmaster at an English school established by American missionaries. (Facing page) A similar depiciton of ‘castes’ from colonial era Mexico.
Let us not forget that no one except Prof HS Shivaprakash, the Kannada writer now heading the Tagore Centre in Germany, has read the thesis. In fact, the attackers are targeting the larger research milieu that came into being through a research programme initiated by Balu’s Heathen. I use the term milieu rather than group or collective to indicate that the researchers are heterogeneous, if we take their national, political, institutional and social affilia-
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and Europe. The refusal to acknowledge the stagnation may have something to do with there being no cultural resources for rethinking and renewing the process of social understanding.
India holds the resources for a genuine regeneration
tions. And it is research that is the focus of Our Marxist and liberal this milieu, not this or that political agenda inheritances are dead-ends or social issue. It is important to note these The investigations have already opened up two things right at the outset before we new horizons while helping us see why begin to analyse the scale and the vitupera- intellectual inheritances such as Marxism tive nature of the attack. and liberalism have been dead-ends. What The work undertaken by this milieu is is helping the new intellectual milieu to diverse but interlinked. The task of study- expand in a vibrant way is the mutual illuing cultural difference involves investigat- mination that these diverse studies are able ing how some institutions and conceptual to achieve. The intellectual excitement has domains in the West—for exambeen palpable and unprecedented ple, law and politics—spring from in recent memory. deep theological roots. Their In stark contrast, the acatransformation over time, demic world has been stagnating through a process called secularifor a while. Of course, this condisation, follows a logic that helps tion is not specific to India or us explain why these institutions Karnataka; it prevails unrecogtake on a different character in nised in the US and Europe as another cultural setting. This Balagangadhara well. There seems little awareness process of comparative investigaof it in the US, which has exertion helps us specify how cultures are dif- cised the most baleful influence on ferent configurations of learning. Some of research in the last three or four decades, these studies will have to break new mainly because its universities are insulatground, some will involve reconceptualis- ed from the social fabric, with academic ing the insights available in, say, Marx. debates remaining just ‘academic’. In To give some examples: serious work Europe, the alarming decline of philosophis underway to (a) characterise the nature ical and social scientific thinking is evident of law and legal institutions in a religious in the desperate attempt to embrace culture (that is, Europe); (b) reformulate Americanism not only in its academic Marx’s theory of fetishism; (c) elaborate the structures but also in its content. difference between Indian ethics and Because the metropolitan intelliWestern normative structures; (d) recon- gentsia in India is now integrated into the struct Indian intellectual traditions; and (e) circuits of American academia, it is deludexplain the nature of conceptual distor- ing itself into thinking of this as a dynamic tions in inter-cultural understanding and period of intellectual production! This is understand its role in cognitive enslave- not to blame the big bad wolf but to simply ment. These questions concern our cultur- acknowledge the enormously powerful al and political life. influence of the US on academics in India
Such a refusal could spell disaster for India, since we not only have the resources for a genuine re-creation of the human sciences, but also require such a re-creation for our own survival as a culture. Mainstream intellectuals (who in Karnataka comprise writers and literary critics) have been either unwilling or unable to engage with this new research. Is it because they think it is, like their own writing perhaps, pure verbiage? That it is a verbal matter whether ‘Hinduism’ exists, what makes something a religion, and what the ‘caste-system’ must be in order to be a social structure? Maybe they think that it’s all discourse anyway (their deep knowledge of Western theories must have told them that). Consider the analogy: we know what economy is, that is, we have heard the word, and we know capitalism is an economy, so what’s so great about Marx’s demonstration that in capitalism the economy is a ‘fetish phenomenon’ where commodities mediate human relationships? Why should we try to understand why economy has become quasi-autonomous ? Let us instead focus on its implications for secularism and reservation: Is Marx’s theory not for secularism? Is it against reservation? Then banish it! Who is interested in a theory that shows what we see and experience may not be what we confidently believe it to be? The result is the deep antiintellectualism of our intelligentsia, both left and right. Since their understanding is vicarious and derived, they attack any inquiry that threatens to deprive them of their crutches. Why have intellectuals become so intellectually incurious? From where have they received the canonical understanding of our social world, which enables them to ignore any intellectual inquiry, whether undertaken by Marx or Balagangadhara, Allama Prabhu or Shankara, Aristotle or Nagarjuna? Posing the question this way allows us to understand why the mainstream intelligentsia is resorting to abuse and threats instead of reasoning and argument. These intellectuals did not have to work hard to become intellectuals, much like our politicians who, without caring to understand politics, have turned it into a lucrative profession. To be an intellectual meant taking a ready-made stance handed down by colonialism or contemporary intellectual fashion, and harangue about the caste-system, discrimination, superstition, abuse of rights. And lo and behold!
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You put yourself on a pedestal for being an intellectual (if you also manage to write borrowing wholesale from existentialist writers or Marxist critics or post-structuralist guide-books from Europe, then you are a great writer and critic, too!).
Copycats feel threatened by fresh, rigorous research This model of the intellectual spawned by colonialism did not require that we understood either the West or India: we simply had to reproduce the frame that the colonisers had put in place. It is this intellectual who is feeling threatened by the new intellectual milieu and the rigorous and fresh inquiry that it is producing. So, this kind of intellectual is complaining. That is a complaint that not only Marx encountered, but before him, Galileo, too. They did indeed deny what their contemporaries thought they knew: the earth was the centre of the universe, land produces ground-rent, capital produces profit, commodity has exchange value, money intrinsically has the power to establish equivalence between commodities, and so on. The group denies that there exists something called ‘Hinduism,’ that it is a religion, and that it governs something called the caste-system. Like with Galileo or Marx, our cognitive interest is in the theorisation of a phenomenon that is not understood. So, undeniably, there is a stirring among those who have begun obliquely to realise the hollowness of their claim to be intellectuals—they are being challenged about their understanding of the Western intellectual tradition which they claim to represent. They are realising that they have no comprehension even of the social and cultural world they inhabit.
Gandhi and Tagore idealised intellectual independence A movement that is purely intellectual in character is rather rare. But we need to realise that even the national movement had strands that were purely intellectual. The two giants of modern Indian thought, Gandhi and Tagore, sought intellectual independence as the highest goal. That they had to compromise on that goal in order to accommodate the exigency of fighting the colonial power is surely understandable. Today we are no longer constrained by that exigency, but only by the mentality that colonial institutions have bequeathed to us. It is time we freed ourselves from enslavement to the excrement that Europe has bequeathed. The intellectual milieu that has come into existence holds out the promise that we can finally begin to say how the world looks to us.
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Rewind The week that was Á G8 flip flop: G-8 leaders took a united stance seeking a negotiated Syrian peace settlement to forge a “united, inclusive and democratic ” government — but couldn ’t agree on whether this means President Bashar Assad must go. Á Pakistan attack: A suicide bomber killed 30 people, including a provincial legislator, gathered for the funeral of a businessman in northern Pakistan. Á North India floods: The famous Kedarnath shrine was virtually submerged in mud and slush in flash floods that claimed more than 150 lives in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and left over 70,000 pilgrims for Himalayan shrines stranded. Authorities have evacuated around 1,500 people from low-lying areas in Delhi after the Yamuna river crossed danger mark.
A literary festival in Bhutan Literary agency Siyahi has announced the 2013 edition of Mountains Echoes, a festival of literature and the arts that is now into its fourth year. It will be held in Bhutan from August 9 to 11. Conceived as a celebration of Bhutanese and Indian culture, it brings together some of the leading writers and artists of our time to present stories, memories and legends. There will also be several panel discussions on the many forms of storytelling (short stories, ghost stories, stand-up comedy and folktales), plays, popular fiction, travel writing, creative
non-fiction and graphic art. Topics for discussion include fiction, sports, democracy, women ’s issues, civil society, digital rights, environment and wildlife. Some big names attending this year ’s festival are writers Amish Tripathi, Jerry Pinto and Namita Gokhale, playwright Mahesh Dattani, graphic novelist Amruta Patil, wildlife writer Saad Bin Jung, filmmaker Aparna Sen, and actor Rahul Bose, apart from a host of well-known Bhutanese writers. For more information, log on to www.mountainechoes.org.
Play, the offbeat way platform, they have invited all enthusiasts to share their ideas, and insights into these unique art forms. If you ’re an artist practicing any of these forms, they will co-ordinate the stage for you to showcase your performance. Or you could simply visit, and they recommend you carry your own mats, supplies and, of course, toys: pois, staffs, diablos, kites, tops, balls, sticks, all are welcome. Some of the performances slated for the event are: Poi, staff and devil sticks, juggling and hooping, capoeira and parkour. The event will be held at Ganga Farm near Sadahalli Gate, 20 kms further from the Hebbal flyover, towards the airport. Entry is free. For more information, call Sweekar on 9886216437 or visit www.facebook.com/ events/467231036705162/
Á Nitish trust vote: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar won the confidence motion at a special session of Bihar Assembly to prove his majority with support of Independents and Congress MLAs.
FLUID, which calls itself “a tribe of performers and dancers of the various flow and fire arts, ” is holding a get together in the outskirts of Bangalore on June 23. The event will have workshops, jams and performances of offbeat urban arts like poi, capoeira and parkour. As a noholds-barred, do-it-yourself, open source
Á Pak firing: Pakistani troops on Wednesday violated ceasefire and opened indiscriminate firing along Line of Control (LOC) in Poonch sector after an infiltration bid was foiled by Indian troops.
International traineeship programme for young journos
Á Bangalore funds: Bangalore will get more funds in the new budget for this fiscal (2013-14) to meet its infrastructure needs, chief minister Siddaramaiah has said. Á Land encroachment: Encroachment of huge tracts of government land approximately to the tune of 965 acres worth crores of rupees - has been unearthed in Anekal taluk, Bangalore Urban district.
The Deutsche Welle International Traineeship is specially designed for young journalists from the regions covered by this Germany-based international broadcaster. Deutsche Welle trains its own young journalists for its programming in 30 languages, and every year, a decision is reached on which programmes need new young journalists. Applicants must have at least one of following as their native language: Bengali, English, Hindi and Urdu (only languages relevant to India included here). The training programme lasts 18 months, and will be conducted in Bonn, Germany. It starts in May 2014. The broadcaster began accepting applications from May
1 (the last date to apply is June 30). For more details and to apply, visit www.dw.de/dw-akademie/ international-traineeship.
New book on major filmmakers
Director ’s Cut: 50 Major Film-makers of the Modern Era, a new book by MK Raghavendra, national award-winning film scholar and a regular contributor to Talk, was released this week as part of the India Non-Fiction Festival held in Mumbai. The book features critical assessments of legendary filmmakers such as Andre Tarkovsky, Luis Bunuel, Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak, as well as contemporary ones like Lars von Trier and Aki Kaurusmaki. As the author says in his Introduction, “The purpose of this book is to assist the film buff to get a grasp of the most influential cinema in the world and also provide useful evaluations of some of the best-known film directors. ” However, Raghavendra is clear that by ‘major directors, ’ he does not mean those that are his favourites but those regarded as important by general opinion. “I have been very critical of the work of a large number of celebrated figures. Readers should therefore be prepared for my views not corresponding with their own. They should be prepared for a well-articulated provocation, ” he told DearCinema.com.
Fleet Street’s first Indian editor Amol Rajan, a 29-yearold Indian-origin journalist, has just been appointed editor of The Independent in the UK. He is the first non-white editorial head of a national paper in England, the birthplace of modern journalism. Rajan was born in Kolkata and moved to London as a child. He studied English literature at Cambridge University. After his graduation, he worked for The Evening Standard and Channel 5, and later joined The Independent as a news reporter.
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Forward
City team to scale Europe’s highest peak A team of mountaineers from Bangalore have organised a first-of-its kind expedition to scale Mount Elbrus, one of the highest mountains in Europe at 5,642 metres (18,510 feet). The 12member team leaves Bangalore on June 20 to conquer what is often described as a “beautiful, but treacherous ” mountain, located in the Caucasus ranges in Russia. The team consists of seven male and five female members, some of whom have been part of successful expeditions to Mount Everest. The team has accomplished mountaineers like Susmita Maskey, who has conquered Mount Everest twice, Suchithra Acharya, who has been to the Everest base camp, and Satyarup Siddhanta, who has scaled climbed Kilimanjaro, Africa ’s highest mountain. Kittane Ramdas Manmohan, the oldest member of the team, is 56, while Manning Christopher James is the youngest at 28 years. Neeraj Malve, founder of the Bangalore Mountaineering Club, says this is the first time an expedition to Mt Elbrus has been organised by a majority Indian team.
Most hated online abbreviations friend of mine reports her children using this out loud. This has to end. IYKWIM: If You Know What I Mean. Ironic, that, because the first time someone used that acronym to me I had to look it up on Urban Dictionary. NIDKWYM. TBH: To Be Honest. We expect you to be honest, not to make some weary threefingered gesture of reluctance at having to pony up an uncomfortable truth for an audience who probably can ’t really take it. It ’s out of the same drawer as “frankly ” and “with respect ”, and it should be returned to that drawer forthwith. From LOL to NSFW, they connote one thing, which is ‘I am a douchebag ’, writes columnist Sam Leith in the Guardian. Clearly, the piece resonated with readers, given that it acquired nearly 700 comments on the newspaper ’s website. Sample some of his most disliked online abbreviations to see if they match your own:
IMHO: In My Humble Opinion. The H in this acronym is always redundant, and the M is usually redundant too: it ’s generally an opinion taken off-the-peg from people you follow on Twitter and by whom you hope to be retweeted.
TMI: Too Much Information. There ’s something annoying about this tonally. In LOL: This is the daddy of them all. In the the first place it makes everyone who uses last decade it has effortlessly overtaken it sound like a spoilt teenage girl who ’ll say “The cheque ’s in the post ” and “I love you ” “OM Actual G ” out loud and do “whatever ” as the most-often-told lie in human history. signs with her hands. In the second it ’s a Out loud? Really? And, to complicate things, bloody cheek. You ’re on a social networking people are now saying LOL out loud, which site. The whole point of social networking is is especially banjaxing since you can ’t overshare. simultaneously say “LOL ” and laugh aloud AFAIR: As Far As I Recall. Rather like IMHO, unless you can laugh through your arse. this is pseudo self-effacement; with the YOLO: You Only Live Once. But not for very background implication that your time is much longer if you use this abbreviation too precious to actually check, and that we anywhere near me when I ’m holding a claw- should simply be grateful for this spark hammer. This, as the distinguished internet flickering from your vast mind. Like scholar Matt Muir puts it, is “carpe diem for newspaper columnists who ask: “Was it people with an IQ in double figures ”. A Voltaire, who said …? ”
The week ahead  Americans ’ worry: As many as 20 American industry associations have written to US President Barack Obama seeking action against India ’s go-local policy, which gives preferential market access to electronic and telecom products made in the country, in a move which is likely to have an impact on bilateral trade.  PRISM impact: Yahoo, Apple, Microsoft and Facebook are among companies that are publishing details of data requests from law enforcement agencies following the PRISM snooping scandal. Other service providers are expected to follow suit.
Bangalore number two in crime The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report for 2012 puts Bangalore second only to the national capital in the number of crimes registered. The city reported 266 murders, whereas Delhi had 408. In the number of robberies (670), the city beats Delhi (522). It also tops other metros with 37 dacoity cases. The number of kidnappings stood at 532, and may have been a small figure in comparison to Delhi ’s 3,274, but is still the second highest in the country. Bangalore also recorded second highest number of cases against women at 2,263, up by 373 compared to the previous year. But the figure is less than half of the number of such crimes registered in Delhi, which remains the most unsafe city for women with 5,194 cases. In cybercrime, Bangalore accounts for nearly one fourth of all cases in the country, its 342 cases booked under the IT Act amounting to 24.4 per cent of the total number reported in the country. Visakhapatnam is next, at 153. Statewise, Kerala registered the highest crime rate in the country, with 455.8 cases for every 1,00,000 persons. Madhya Pradesh, with a rate of 298.8, came second, and Tamil Nadu, with a rate of 294.8, third.
 Brazil protests: After Turkey, it ’s Brazil's turn to deal with protestors. Their government is deploying a national security force to five major cities after a wave of protests which has seen almost a quarter of a million people demand better public services.  Ishrat case: The Gujarat High Court has directed CBI to streamline its investigation in the 2004 Ishrat Jahan fake encounter killing case and file a charge sheet by July 4. The agency has been under fire for delay in the investigation resulting in the accused being released on bail.  Women at IIMB: The intake of women for Indian Institute of ManagementBangalore ’s (IIM-B) flagship postgraduate programme (PGP) has crossed last year ’s mark with 108 women admitted this year. Last year, 100 women were admitted to the programme.  Bar deadline: The High Court is expected to take up the Bangalore Ladies Working Bar and Restaurant Owners ’ Association ’s petition challenging the city ’s police ’s recent action in forcing many bar and restaurants with women employees to down their shutters without issuing any notice.
food path
talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
RAMESH HUSNUR
Abhijit Saha
Chef and director, Caperberry and Fava Specialises in European and regional Indian cuisine For me, dining out is about favourites, and sometimes, variety. I also go out to places where I can sit down and relax. For those in the business, it is
Brahmins’ Coffee Bar, Basavangudi
often a matter of time and convenience. Whenever I have the opportunity, I eat at home. I also look forward to being invited to other people’s homes for meals. That too is almost like eating out.
Places he likes Ente Keralam, Ulsoor, for its proximity to my restaurant and also because I love regional Indian cuisine. What they serve is commercial yet homestyle food, and the flavours are
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thick. I recently went there for the Moplah Food festival. Brahmin’s and MTR are the classic favourites. Karavalli for the crabs and also their tiffin lunch. Mainland China for the dimsums, I really like them. When in the mood for Japanese food, I usually go to Harima. I went to Likethatonly in Whitfield some months ago and was sold over their small treats.
Arzooman Irani Chef at Vivanta by Taj, ITPL Specialises in Mediterranean cuisine
Where the
chefs eat out
My wife and I travel a lot and we are quite experimental when it comes to dining out. For instance, we went to dine at Bow Barracks in Indiranagar when it opened up. Sometimes, I also dine out to check out the competition; for instance, I went for the first Sunday Brunch at Marriott. When I eat out, I choose to go not so much by the cuisine, but the place. I go to fine-dining stand alone restaurants and those in hotels too, but I also like to eat at small establishments, some that don’t even have names. On most days though, I like home-cooked food and go back home to have dinner even if it is as late as 3 am. Being Parsi, I love dhansak, dal and patra ni machchi at home.
Places he likes
We go to them for their prized culinary creations, but where do they go when out for a meal? Leading chefs and restaurateurs in the city let Prachi Sibal in on their favourite eat-out joints Shashi Halai
Chef and owner, Chez Mariannick, Whitefield Specialises in French cuisine When you cook fancy food yourself, you don’t care too much about going out to eat it. I have no reason to explore many new places as often my choice is one in the vicinity of Chez.
Places he likes This small bar and restaurant in Whitefield called Surabhi. The location is quite convenient, considering restaurateurs get to step out to eat only after restaurant hours. We have nurtured
Sunny’s, for their extremely consistent and good food. The steak I ate at their Lavelle Road outlet was very much like the one I had at the Indiranagar outlet. That is something hard to maintain, even for big hotels. iTalia at The Park Hotel and Via
the staff there to cook food the way we want it. I love the Methi Chicken there. Sue’s Kitchen in Indiranagar that serves Caribbean food is another lovely place. The style and flavours are nice. A small biryani place is Varthur is one that I frequent. I don’t think it has a name and they must be the oldest biryani makers in the area. The food is absolutely fresh and light with the masalas. They are open only for about two to three hours. There’s a little café called Refresh in Brookfield, nothing too fancy. Their masala oats porridge and the oats and sprouts dosa (not thin like a dosa but more like an omlette) are quite good.
Sue’s Kitchen, Indiranagar
Mynt at Taj Westend
Milano in Koramangala are places we visit often, especially when we don’t have the time to plan for a new place. Other places I go to are Mynt and Blue Ginger at Taj West End and Karavalli at Taj Gateway. Bow Barracks for its Anglo-Indian cuisine. I also remember a small place on Brigade Road, where they serve great idlis, of different kinds. There is a small vendor on Yelahanka Road that I go to for some great bisi bele bhat.
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Places he likes
Gaurav Sikka Secret Garden Cafe, off Cunningham Road
Manjit Singh
Chef and owner, Herbs and Spices Specialises in European cuisine I like to go to off-beat places and check out new offerings whenever I get the time.
Managing director Arbor Brewing Company I haven’t been out too much since I got into the business myself, which would be the past six months. Personally, I love Asian food and eat at places that specialise in it, especially Japanese.
Harima, Residency Road
favourite whenever I need a seafood fix. For Indian food, nothing beats a meal at the Royal Afghan at ITC Gardenia.
Satish Thomas
Places he likes The Royal Afghan at ITC Gardenia is an old favourite. I enjoy the Dal Bukhara there. I like Phobidden Fruit in Indiranagar for the Pho they serve. Secret Garden Café off Cunningham Road is a place I like for its simplicity. They have a simple menu and everything that they do is quite honest. Among the newer outlets, I like La Tagliatella for their pizzas.
Phobidden Fruit has to be my favourite. That’s the one place I go to for a good time off work. I go to Harima for their maki and unagi rolls. They have a lot of variety in maki. Their sashimi is good too. If I am looking for an upbeat place and pub food, I go to Monkey Bar. Their drinks are great and the food too is quite good. To de-stress and take an evening off work, Tuscano is the easy choice. Karavalli is an all-time
Owner, Windsor Pub and I& Monkey
Toit, Indiranagar
I went to the newly opened The Humming Tree last week, the place and the food seemed quite interesting.
If I do step out to eat at a restaurant, I usually like to get away from Indiranagar, where my pub is located.
Places he likes
For a quick drink, I could end up in Toit, the brewpub. Maybe because I’m part of I like Under the Mango the industry, most often, I Tree in Richmond Town for end up having food at home. the pastas they serve.
L I S T I NGS
talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
retail therapy
music Mad Orange Fireworks
 Experiments on stage: Get your dose of indie-rock this weekend as you watch Emergence, featuring Krishna Mckenzie on guitar and vocals, Mishko M'ba on bass, Karthick Iyer on bass and Soundar Rajan on drums. bFlat, 100 Feet Road, Above ING Bank, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, June 22, 8.30 pm 25278361  Triple the fun: Watch Jeff Richman perform along with Wayne Fernandez on bass and Pranoy Praveen on drums this weekend. Jeff Richman is a known name in the US musical scene and his music ranges from jazz, rock
and fusion. bFlat, 100 Feet Road, Above ING Bank, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, June 23, 8.30 pm 25278361 Â Fireworks time: Mad Orange Fireworks, known for the self-created genre ‘orange rock,’ will be performing this week. Watch Michael Dias and Ramanan Chandramouli on vocals and guitars, Kaushik Kumar on bass and vocals and Sharavan Bendapudi on drums and vocals. CounterCulture, 2D2, 4th cross, Dyavasandra Industrial Area, Whitefield, June 21, 9 pm 41400793
 Soulful melodies: Watch singer Zila Khan perform some Sufi melodies this weekend. She will be performing along with Agam, a city-
based fusion band, well-known flautist Ajay Prassanna, Ishtiaq on tabla/dholak and Jarvis on keyboards. Expect popular Sufi songs like Khwaja Mera Khwaja and Ishq Sufiana. DPS Whitefield School Grounds, Survey No 123/124 Mallasandra Village, Hoskote Taluq, June 22, 7 pm  Celebrate the classics: Join the band Girish and The Chronicles as they pay tribute to the gods of music like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, UFO and Pink Floyd. The line-up consists Girish Pradhan on vocals and guitars, Suraz Karki on lead guitars, Yogesh Pradhan on bass and Nagen Mongranti on drums. Phoenix Market City, Mahadevpura, Whitefield Road, June 22, 6 pm  The blues are here:
Krishna McKenzie Watch the Sarjapur Blues
 Stainless surprise: Give your old utensils a break as you replace them with stainless steel kitchenware from Krome. Choose from a range of dinner set, tumblers, canisters and trays. Prices start at Rs 400. Available at all Krome outlets  Go seamless: Embarrassed with seams showing from under your t shirt? Choose from a range of comfortable innerwear in different colours and save yourself and enjoy freedom in your tees. Available at www.zivame.com  Rainy day gear: Say hello to the rains this season with the comfortable range of footwear from Bata. These shoes are comfortable and stylish even when there is
a heavy downpour. Prices starting at Rs 199. Available at all Bata outlets  Colour blast: Add a dash of colour to your wardrobe this monsoon as you shop at Pepe Jeans. The brand offers its latest monsoon collection that has printed tops, colourful shorts, capris and more. Available at all Pepe Jeans outlets
Band perform this weekend at Atta Galatta book store. The band is an underground, eclectic, workingman's, original, rhythm and blues band. It has Shekhar Seshadri on vocals, Saumitra Mukherjee on vocals and classical nylon string guitar, and Vinoo Matthew on electric guitar. Atta Galatta, #134, KHB Colony, 5th Block, Koramangala, June 21, 7 pm 9632510126
theatre
food Mallika Prasad
 Hidden in Plain Sight: This is a solo performance by Mallika Prasad. She portrays the life of four women in the urban set up. From a kitty party going wrong to a cabaret number featuring a diva, the play has it all. It is written, designed and directed by Mallika Prasad and Ram Naresh Kamatham.
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Tickets are priced at Rs 150 and Rs 250. Jagriti Theatre, Ramagondanahalli, Varthur Road, Whitefield, June 22, 7.55 pm and June 23, 3 pm and 6.30 pm 41248298
take mousse in Szechwan sauce and more. The Schezwan Court, The Oberoi, 37-39, MG Road, till June 22 25585858
 Tuesdays With Morrie: The play is the autobiographical story of Mitch Albom, a successful journalist driven by his career, and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor. Both of them are reunited after 16 years when Albom watches his professor Morrie on a TV show and learns that the professor is battling Lou Gehrig's disease. Jagriti Theatre, Ramagondanahalli, Varthur Road, Whitefield, June 27, 8 pm 41248298  Sahebara Sarkeetu: Based on MR Srinivasa Murthy's book Rangannana Kanasina Dinagalu, the play is about Ranganna, a schoolteacher who is promoted to the post of inspector. After visiting a number of schools, he realises that an inspector's job is not easy. His mission is to educate the teachers and to improve the condition of schools. This however earns him the love of teachers and the wrath of local politicians. Ranga Shankara, 36/2 8th Cross II Phase, JP Nagar, June 23, 3. 30 pm and 7.30 pm 26493982
 Learning cooking, the Thai way: If you love Thai food and want to cook some in the comfort of your house, then this master class is for you. Chef Attachai will teach you how to cook Thai delicacies like chicken satay, massaman curry with chicken, stir fried tofu with red curry paste and more. Followed by an exclusive Thai lunch for participants. Rim Naam, The Oberoi, 37-39, MG Road, June 22, 10.30 am 25585858  Steamed delights: Who says steamed food is boring and bland? At this chef's special you can choose from dishes like Hong Kong style radish, broccoli and asparagus with ginger, chicken and shi-
 Flavours of Tuscany: Enjoy the flavours of Tuscany as you try out dishes like handmade ribbon pasta with duck and orange bolognaise, Tuscan bread sautéed with olive oil and chilly, risotto, crostini fiorentini and more. Spaghetti Kitchen, #2006, 1st Floor, HAL 2nd Stage 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar, till June 22 41113500 and No. 1, SJR Primus, 1st Floor Adjacent to Raheja Arcade , Koramangala  Oriental flavours: Choose from a wide range of appetisers, soups and main course comprising of non-vegetarian options like lobster,
duck, and seafood. Memories of China, Vivanta By Taj, 41/3, MG Road, till June 23  Master class: This weekend pick up a few gastronomic tricks from Chef Ram Kumar as he demonstrates how to cook dishes like som tam, kaeng keow wahan gai, tub tim grob and more. Fee for the class is Rs 1,000. Food Hall, Level 4, 1 MG Mall, MG Road, June 22, 2 pm  Doughnut surprise: Try out Donut Baker's latest offering, the mango filled doughnut. This doughnut is filled with mango jelly in the centre and with every bite you get a taste of the season's special fruit. Available at all Donut Baker outlets
L I S T I NGS
talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
weekend planner
world music day  Celebrating world music: Alliance Française de Bangalore will host the 32nd edition of World Music Day this weekend. This year, the festival will be celebrating the completion of hundred years of Indian cinema and will also see the likes of Jean Yves Leloup, the DJ from RadioMentale, who will be performing an original ‘cinemix’ concert.  Saturday 22nd June 12 pm: Little Wing - The band plays a fusion of retro and blues music. 12.20 pm: Acoustic rebels A blend of classic rock and pop songs. 12.40 pm: Acoustic Project Acapella and acoustic music is their thing. 1 pm: Octafolk - Fusion of fluid rock and jazz. 1.30 pm: Renegade - They will do a fusion of primitive style with heavy metal and clean vocals. 2 pm: Did I Just Say That An acoustic duo that makes use of vocal harmonies and various percussion instruments to produce music that they like to describe as "crispy." 2.20 pm: Neil Braganza Music Project - Plays soul indie rock.
group songs. 8 pm: Aghor - World fusion music with a blend of jazz, blues, Hindustani classical and Flamenco music.
2.40 pm: Pockets of Whim This quartet will play songs influenced by Sting and Ennio Morricone. 3.05 pm: Epiphany - Their music is inspired by blues, classic rock and jazz. 3.30 pm: Pinch - Indie music for fans of the genre. 3.55 pm: Pralay - This Hindi rock n’ roll band will play all original music. 4.20 pm: 4ore Shadow - This band plays progressive rock. 4.45 pm: Blues from Sunrise They play good old blues with a blend of rock. 5.10 pm: Prakash Sonttake -
performances
He will play a mix of world sounds and a fusion of voices and strings. 5.35 pm: Altered Scales A regular, always loved classic rock band. 6pm: Machine Era - Modern rock music with a blend of contemporary metal. 6.30 pm: Esperanto - Desi, classic and urban kitsch. 7 pm: The Chronic Blues Circle - They perform Indian and not Chicago blues! 7.30 pm: Bangalore School of Music Choir Conducted by Victor Abraham, they will perform solo, duet and
 Sunday, 23rd June 12 pm: Redempsure - This band will play their original Progressive metal. 12.30 pm: Babu Melodies Popular Hindi songs, including evergreen hits. 12.50 pm: Work in Progress Alternative rock. 1.20 pm: Towards Eternity Blend of rough metal and soothing melodies. 1.40 pm: Master Vinayak Classical veena recital in Vijayanagaram style. 2 pm: Mohsin Khan Belongs to the 8th generation of the Beenkar Gharana. 2.20 pm: Orchid - Not entirely metal, this band draws influences from a variety of cultures, people and stories. 2.50 pm: Azuric - A blend of blues and funk! 3.20 pm: Manu Rao - Good old rock music. 3.30 pm: Life and BeyondThey will give a progressive rock performance. 4 pm: Soular Flare - A wicked mix of pop,classical tabala and jazzy Hindustani.
4.20 pm: Chai on the RocksRock brewed with soulful Hindi lyrics and a sprinkle of English covers. 4.50 pm: Clown with a Frown-This nine member band will play brass rock with funk. 5.20 pm: Transit Point The audience will get an energetic performance with a twist. 5.50 pm: Hoodoo Gas - A mix of straight ahead blues and blues rock. 6.20 pm: Prodigal Return Expect a classic rock, symphonic metal, power metal and alternate rock in the concert. 6.50 pm: Swara - Carnatic classical violin duet with Indian percussion instruments like mridangam, ghatam and Cajun. 7.20 pm: Divine Raaga Indian music blended with rock. 7.50 pm: Low Rhyderz - The band will be performing from their debut album titled Ride With Us. 8.20 pm: Ministry of Blues A Blues-Rock band whose musical roots go back to the early 1900s. Alliance Française de Bangalore, # 108, Thimmaiah Road, Vasanthanagar, June 22 and 23
 Stunning performances: This weekend be a part of Extra Terrestrial, a show of performances that will surely leave you stunned. Watch Roman Muller and his famous Sanddornbalance, an act where he balances unwieldy sticks followed by White Gothic, an act with four men pushing the limits of strength and endurance, as each acts as a counterbalance to the other. Then there are the triple Guinness World Record holders, Donovan and Rebecca, whose acrobatics and aerial show make the viewers gasp and finally Pavel Yeusiukevich, the world champion in juggling, will put on a show that you would not want to miss. Phoenix Market City, Mahadevapura, Whitefield Road, June 25 to June 30, 5 pm, 7 pm and 9 pm
 Mango madness: Drawing inspiration from the King of fruits will be The Mango Collective - a range of handcrafted products and homemade goodies that is inspired by the mango season. Here you will find artists with products like mango balms, mango artwork, mango inspired clothes, jewellery, accessories and more. You can also try out some mango chutneys, pickles and more. Jagriti Theatre, Ramagondanahalli, Varthur Road, Whitefield, June 21 to 23, 11 am to 7 pm 41248298  Capturing life: At this six-day photography workshop, you will learn the art of light, aesthetics and optics and also chiaroscuro, the art of using strong contrasts between light and dark. The mentor for photography and Cinematography will be Anand Sundaresha, while Pradeep Kumar Varma will be the mentor for cinema and direction. Atta Galata, #134, KHB Colony, 5th Block, Koramangala, June 21 96325 10126
film Raanjhanaa
To get your event listed, write to us at listings@talkmag.in
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 Raanjhanaa Hindi The movie is about Kundan and the love of his life, Zoya. Kundan is a typical god fearing Benaras boy, a Shiva devotee who falls for Zoya, the girl of his dreams. Zoya is a simple girl whom Kundan first spots sitting in a tonga. He follows her everyday to the bazaar till he gathers the courage to tell her about his feelings. A few years later, when Zoya returns to the village after college, things have changed. She is in love with her college friend. Kundan tries to set her up with her college friend, but will he succeed? Directed by Aanand L Rai, the movie has Abhay Deol, Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor in the lead. Eshwari Cinemas, Banashankari- 11.15 am, 2.15 pm, 6.15, 9.15 Urvashi Digital 4K Cinemas- 11 am, 9.45 pm Rex Theatre- 12.05 pm, 10 Cauvery Theatre, Sankey Road- 11.30 am, 2.30 pm, 6 Everest Theatre, Frazer Town- 11.30 am, 2.30 pm, 6.30, 9.30 Innovative Multiplex, Marathahalli- 11 am, 1.40 pm, 7.20, 10  World War Z English The movie is about a UN employee’s fight against a deadly zombie outbreak. He is trying to prevent the outbreak which is toppling armies, nations and threatening to wipe out humanity as its spreads globally.
Directed by Marc Forster, it has Brad Pitt and David Morse in the lead. Rex Theatre- 10.05 am, 5.25 pm Cauvery Theatre, Sankey Road- 9.30 pm Cinepolis, Bannerghatta Road- 9.25 pm Fame Forum Value Mall, Whitefield- 9.50 pm PVR, Koramangala- 9.35 pm PVR, Orion Mall- 9.45 pm  Shortcut Romeo Hindi The movie is a remake of the Tamil film, Thiruttu Payale. This romantic thriller will see actress Ameesha Patel in a negative role. The movie is directed by Susi Ganesan and has Neil Nitin Mukesh, Puja Gupta and Ameesha Patel in the lead. Innovative Multiplex, Marathahalli- 11.15 am, 7 pm  Auto Raja Kannada This romantic drama is written and directed by Uday Prakash and stars Ganesh, Bhama and Deepika Kamaiah in the lead roles. The title is inspired by the popular Kannada film of the same name released in 1980, starring Shankar Nag and Gayatri in the lead roles. The music is composed by Arjun Janya. Kapali- 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.30, 7.30 Kamakya Cinema11.15 am, 2.15 pm, 6.15, 9.15 Veerabhadhreshwara Theatre- 10.30 am, 1.30 pm, 4.30, 7.30 Sri Krishna Theatre- 11.30 am, 2.30 pm, 6.15, 9.30
talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
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EGO-FRIENDLY Critics think the Lamborghini Egoista prototype has gone overboard with its celebration of the ego. Wired magazine said “it’s proof that the company has lost its mind.”
The many-layered ego When you peel away the layers of your ego, you don’t risk losing yourself; instead, you become aware of the universe—and your own true self—with clarity, says Sensei Avinash Subramanyam
A
reader of this column asked me: The ego gives us a sense of self and binds the fabric of our life. How can we function in this world if we give it up? What would we become? I don’t know what it means to entirely give up the ego. That is the calling of saints. We who tread this world can only talk about giving up the tiers of a multi-layered ego. The ego starts building from the time we become an ‘I’ and start layering it with likes, dislikes, desires, ambitions and so on. But our true self is without these layers. Shedding the ego is a process of internal refinement. It’s about becoming aware of your negativities and the need to cleanse yourself, so as to mitigate the effects of past karma and avoid adding to future karma. Your mind, body, spirit and soul become sensitive and minimise causing negativity to self or others. It’s like the physical awareness that makes you wipe away dirt that has sullied a just-washed surface. As you go through the process, you continue to say and use ‘I,’ but cautiously and without damaging your inner self. Shedding the ego lets
you experience true joy, which is not dependent on external factors like success or fulfillment of desires. It is a joy that arises from being free and infuses you and all that surrounds you. I think knowing the extremes of negativity and unlearning them in my life has taught me to experience joy far more intensely than if otherwise. It’s like when travelling in an airplane, the fog clears and reveals to you a beautiful landscape. The ego does not manifest itself only in what is explicitly negative— hatred, jealously. It can blow its trumpet when you feel generous. Or when you feel righteous, because you give to charity. In fact, when you think you are ‘ego-less’, it could be your ego speaking. Know that the ego is very subtle and elusive. Even when you think you are performing a pure action, your ego might be hovering around, invisible to you. Only with the grace of God can you glimpse and understand when it is you and when it is the ego speaking. Once you embark on the path of cleansing, you will begin to see life in a new perspective. You give more, want less, possess clarity on all matters; you are non-judgmental and not perturbed by others’ judgments. You still have a sense of self. This self, unlike the ego, will only bring you closer to God or nature. In my teens, I had a strong sense of the ‘I’. I had strong likes and dislikes and believed my way was right. Now, though I like certain things, I am not rigid. I am open to change. I accept
others having their likes and dislikes. The journey of giving up the ego involves walking in everybody’s shoes and understanding why people are what they are. By peeling away the multi-layered ego, I am constantly discovering my true self. A core aspect of this self is my love for animals. I have been crazy about animals since childhood. Over the years, other likes and beliefs developed, but my training altered these; because they were fashioned by the ego. My love for animals, however, has remained unchanged. I realise today that if there is a core to me, it is my love for animals. This love was not built by my ego because then my response to animals would be determined by the situation. If I am with a VIP, I might ignore someone hitting a dog. When very tired, I will sleep through a dog barking for food. I can’t do either. My love is true. This I realised one day when I found myself unable to watch a TV show which showed two sibling leopard cubs being separated from each other. If I see any animal in pain, I feel misery for weeks and months. Even the pain of animals shown in animation films causes me great discomfort. How to shed the ego? Dwelling on, finding and accepting the truths of the real you is the first stage of shedding your ego. Accept your negativity. Strive to overcome it at every instance. Don’t get affected by people’s opinions. Don’t be judgmental. Understand what you get is what you
Way of Budo 38
deserve. It is your ego that expects more. It is your ego that thinks you know it all. The only way to understand yourself better is to constantly empty and cleanse yourself . Reducing your ego is to see things for what they are; don’t build on it. If a friend visiting you has dirtied your carpet, let it be. Don’t carry hard feelings; after all, he’s a friend. If you carry negativity, your mind gets clogged. Negative energy leaves you more and more negative. It can ultimately destroy your soul. Initially in life, we build a sense of self through our ego. However, know that you need to shed it for true happiness. It’s useful when you don’t know better. But ultimately, it’s an impediment to growth. The ego might give you a false sense of security; you might in truth have no grounding. You will not lose your ‘self’ by stripping away the layers of the ego. You will see things with complete clarity and in relation to the truth. For instance, if you’re a martial arts student, you will understand a fight for what it is. You will not shy away from one because the opponent is bigger than you. Nor will you aim to win at the cost of hurting your opponent. It is possible that with an ego you can push yourself beyond your limits. However, the truth you discover by peeling away its layers help you push yourself even further. And that truth is nothing but an internal realisation through which you you connect with and become aware of the whole universe. Transcribed by Radhika P You can write to Sensei at: seefarwellnessorg@yahoo.com
memoir
Travel agent kills his most trusted driver Prabhaiah is livid to know one of his employees has eloped with his sister. He kills him in a rage, but is let off, thanks to a careless mistake by the very police inspector who arrested and tortured him
P
VIVEK ARUN
rabhaiah didn’t have any ancestral property, and having come up on his own, he had earned the respect of his relatives. He had two sisters, and the older of the two was married to a contractor, and Prabhaiah had spared no expense in conducting a grand wedding ceremony. He doted on his younger sister Madamma, and was looking for a match for her. A watchful brother, he did not even send his sister to college fearing she would be spoilt. Prabhaiah owned a successful travel agency that rented out cars and jeeps, and employed many drivers. He treated his staff like family, and they reciprocated the affection. Four of them, especially, became very close to
him, and among them, Suggaiah was his favourite. Being the most trusted of the lot, Suggaiah was given household responsibilities, apart from business duties that included transacting with the bank. The women of the family were comfortable with him and did not even bother to involve Prabhaiah in their daily affairs when Suggaiah was around. Foreign tourists patronised Prabhaiah’s travel agency in a big way. They would insist that Prabhaiah accompany them when they visited historic places because he could speak English and act as a guide. This meant most of the time Prabhaiah was travelling, leaving his business and domestic affairs to Suggaiah. In due course, Suggaiah and Madamma fell in love. As he was excited about having won over the owner’s sister, Suggaiah went around blabbering about his affair. He used to describe to fellow drivers and friends how Madamma was drawn to him. He used to fondly exhibit gold chains and other valuables she had gifted him. Oblivious to all this, Prabhaiah continued his search for a match for
his sister. Many proposals came, some from well-off families. But Madamma kept rejecting them under one pretext or the other. Prabhaiah took it in his stride, as he thought Madamma was still young and not interested in marrying early. Once, when he was away on a tour for a week, Madamma eloped with Suggaiah. Prabhaiah was shaken by the news. “I would not have felt so bad if anyone else had done this. I treated Suggaiah as my own son. He betrayed me, and I will not spare him,” he fumed. Some drivers informed him that Suggaiah was close to two of his colleagues, Rangaiah and Krishnappa, who were sure to know the whereabouts of the couple. Prabhaiah invited Rangaiah and Krishnappa over for drinks, and once they had got high, asked them about Suggaiah. Hiding his real intentions, he said, “Let bygones be bygones. After all, Suggaiah is like family. I will gift him a travel agency of his own. I would have arranged the marriage if he had told me about their relationship. It’s okay. Please tell me where they are now. Let us go and bring them back,” he said. Rangaiah and Krishnappa fell for the trick. They believed Prabhaiah had forgiven Suggaiah and even praised the older man for his magnanimity. “Suggaiah and Madamma are in Malur. We were the ones who arranged their marriage at the Chikka Tirupathi temple, and rented a house for them,” they admitted to him.
crime folio
talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
29
Fabled ranconteur and Bangalore ’s top-notch criminal lawyer brings you moving, sensational and bizarre stories from 40 years of his practice
CH HANUMANTHARAYA
Taking the address, Prabhaiah set out for the town, an hour’s drive from Bangalore. Madamma was stunned to see her brother at her doorstep. She broke out in a sweat. Not showing any sign of anger, Prabhaiah reassured his sister, “If you had told me you loved Suggaiah, I would have said yes. Can I ever go against your wishes? But you should not have done this. Now our relatives are all deriding us. It’s all right, but I want to make this marriage official. I will arrange for a grand wedding.” Suggaiah, who walked in on the scene, shivered at the sight of Prabhaiah. He fell at his feet and begged his forgiveness. Consoling him, Prabhaiah said, “Don’t worry, I will not go against my sister’s wish. The two of you come with me.” Suggaiah and Madamma were still nervous and sceptical when they got into Prabhaiah’s car. It was past 10 pm when they reached Bangalore.
memoir Leaving Madamma at home, Prabhaiah took Prabhaiah to Victoria Hospital, where he Suggaiah out for a drink. While drinking, made the doctors certify that Prabhiah had Suggaiah turned confessional: “You are my broken his hand four days earlier. Fearing that Prabhaiah’s relatives would God. No owner would prefer his driver to be his brother-in-law. The fault is not mine. I give an adverse testimony, Veerakanthaiah told Madamma I was no match for her, but did not produce him in court. Instead, he she would not listen. She insisted that we do took him to the magistrate’s residence late at this…” he mumbled, before dozing off on the night and got permission to send him to judicial custody. Since it was late, the magistrate table. The next day, Suggaiah’s body was found did not inspect the accused and did not even near Bal Bhavan in Cubbon Park. His penis record his statement. Prabhaiah’s relatives handed his case to had been cut and stuffed in his mouth. Prabhaiah had got into a rage after a drunk me. Placing a pile of currency notes on my Suggaiah blamed his sister for what had hap- table as my fee, they asked me to obtain bail for Prabhaiah, and more importantly, have pened, and killed him. Madamma had waited up for her hus- the police inspector who had broken his hand band and brother. When Prabhaiah came in punished. After going through the details, I alone, she asked about Suggaiah, and that’s when she saw her brother’s blood-stained thought the doctors’ report, which said he had broken his hand four days before the clothes, and realised what had happened. Prabhaiah burst out in anger, “Did you murder took place, would be a strong point in his favour. call that bastard your husband? I I told his relatives we have eliminated him!” Saying Suggaiah’s would not take revenge this, he went to the bathroom to body was against the inspector. clean up. Instead, we would prove A shocked Madamma went found in him right and save to her room and hanged herself. Cubbon Park Prabhaiah. I even insisted When they learned about we would not ask for his what had happened, Rangaiah and Krishnappa telephoned the Cubbon Park bail. The relatives were puzzled and unconpolice station and informed Inspector vinced, but Prabhaiah’s brother-in-law had Veerakanthaiah about it. They told him confidence in me. I strictly instructed them not to discuss Prabhaiah was the murderer. When the inspector went to arrest him, the case in public. When the case came up in Prabhaiah was rude. The enraged the court, I argued that Prabhaiah could not Veerakanthaiah put him in the lock-up and have committed the murder as his right hand thrashed him severely. The assault was so was broken four days earlier. I won the case brutal that Prabhaiah’s right hand was broken easily. and a bone had come out of the skin. The Translated by BV Shivashankar inspector then got edgy, and admitted
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Aman Mahajan Musician
Aman Mahajan is a well-known keyboardist and pianist based in Bangalore. He is performing with the band Temple Rock, featuring Krishna Kumar on vocals and kanjira, Matt Littlewood on the saxophone, Mishko M’ba on the bass guitar, J Sowri Rajan on the thavil, and Jay Sithar on the guitar.
‘It ’s Carnatic with a twist ’ How is this collaboration different from what you have done in the past? It is very different actually. The band, Temple Rock, led by Krishna Kumar, sings lyrics in Sanskrit and Tamil. A band usually has a drummer but here we are performing with Sowri Rajan, who is a thavil player. The thavil is mostly played in the temples and, hence the performance will have a South Indian feel.
way, Krishna is a character, and is fun to work with. Mishko, on the other hand, was my role model. I used to watch him perform when I was young, and always wanted to perform with him. I cherish each moment working with the members of the band.
What numbers have you lined up for the show? The whole performance is raw and Indian. The music goes back to the roots of Carnatic music. It is not your typical Carnatic How is it working with artistes music but with a twist. It will be a groovy Indian musical like Krishna Kumar, Mathew performance. Littlewood and Mishko M ’Ba? It is fantastic and exciting. In a Temple Rock performs on June 21 at bFlat, 100 Feet ? Reactions, statements, Road, Indiranagar. accusations, complaints, or just straight talk—this is where you get them all SANDRA M FERNANDES
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Questions
T I M E P A SS
talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
31 Prof Good Sense
I am a 33-year-old married woman . Ours was an arranged marriage. My husband is nice but has too many female friends. I get a little unnerved by his 'friendly' nature. He gets calls at ungodly hours from his female colleagues and friends. I have seen him messaging them continuously even on holidays. I have spoken to him about my apprehensions, but he has not changed at all and makes fun of me. How do I make him understand my fears? Sumithra, Bangalore Try not to over-react. Has he been mean to you? Isn’t he treating you with respect and love? You say he is nice and affable. Being friendly with other women doesn't automatically make him a Casanova, but he should understand texting them all night isn’t such a great idea either. In any case, learn to trust and relax. Good luck! Prof M Sreedhara Murthy teaches psychology at NMKRV First Grade College. He is also a well-known photographer. Mail queries to prof@talkmag.in
18 Government body in a soup for allegedly selling land to housing society for under Rs 7 a square foot (3) 19 Former MTV VJ and comedian who will be performing in the city on June 30th (5,7) DOWN 2 Commercial complex which caught fire in 2010 and is set to re-open its doors soon (7,6) 3 The Government wants World Heritage Site status for this statue in Bijapur (3,6) 4 Actor who plays the role of Vijay in Bulbul (7) 5 Trance musician who will be performing at the Chancery Pavilion on June 23rd (6,7)
Last week ’s solution Across: 1 Kaddipudi, 5 CM grant, 8 Madhusudhan, 11 KPSC, 12 Farmers, 14 Kaggadasapura, 15 NIMHANS, 18 Devanahalli, 19 Jayadeva. ACROSS 1 The High Court has directed the State Government to implement ____ reform (6) 9 The State Government hopes that this project will help ease its drinking water woes (11) 10 Tourist destination which used to be the capital of the Vijayanagar
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1st Cross
Talk ’s weekly crossword for Bangaloreans who know their way about town
Empire (5) The ____ Room used to be one of Bangalore's upmarket continental restaurants (6) 13 Pub with a Goan touch at Chakravarthy Layout (4) 16 Krishna Byregowda's portfolio (11) 17 Bank whose ATM off Bellary Road was robbed recently (6) 11
Down: 2 PWD, 3 Devasandra, 4 Arsenic, 6 Gregori Klosman, 7 Traffic safety, 9 Kengeri, 10 Gudavi, 13 Dress code, 16 Madira, 17 Irani.
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You might land up paying a fine if you are sitting on a seat reserved for ___ on a BMTC bus (5) 7 Area in the news when the son of a senior IAS officer attacked a sub-inspector (8) 8 A major fire broke out at an Ape showroom in this area recently (6) 12 In September the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal will be shifted to ____ Bhavan (7) 14 Three people died recently in a bus accident near this town in Kolar district (8) 15 Government agency rapped by the High Court for supplying contaminated water (5)
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talk|27 jun 2013|talkmag.in
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From the Annals of Pointless Research #12
All they wanna have is … celebrity bling Starting in late 2008, a bunch of teenagers—four girls and a boy—went about stealing stuff worth more than 3 million dollars (approx Rs 1.75 crore) from the Hollywood homes of celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. Entry was often easy—for eg, they found Hilton’s key under the doormat. Once inside, they would try on the celebrities’ perfume, footwear and clothes, and leave with however much they could carry. Having too much of the stuff, the celebs didn’t notice the loss, but after the gang posted photos of themselves
wearing the loot, they eventually got the attention of the local police. Ultimately, it was not even about the thrill of theft, but all about possessing their favourite celebs’ stuff. Sofia Coppola’s new film Bling Ring (in pic) is based on their story, and takes its title from the name given to them by the local press. As one reviewer put it, theirs is “a new kind of narcissism, where you only get to feel fully realised, successful and self-loving when you look at your reflection in the pool and see your idol.” Sounds right. Shrinks, please take note.
Luddites that some of us are, science and scientists rarely catch our interest. Alcohol, on the other hand, has much to recommend it, though space constraints prevent us from listing it all here. Recently, we were told about a research project that boggled our minds by its sheer obviousness. Two studies, conducted in the United States and United Kingdom, discovered that smarter people tend to drink “more frequently and in greater
quantities” than their duller, drier peers. The studies measured and categorised kids’ intelligence in five groups ranging from “very dull” to “very bright.” When the participants were assessed later in life, it was revealed that the “brighter” kids were the ones that liked a tipple far more than their
counterparts. It has left the researchers thoroughly puzzled. We wonder why. On any list of fun/worthwhile things human beings can do, there would be very few things to beat a night out at the pub, and a PhD in Pointless Research is certainly not one of them. Someone ought to tell the poor sods.
The folks who brought you PRISM, now in Bangalore
The US National Security Agency, their massive PRISM project that snoops on phone and email conversations of ordinary Americans, and Edward Snowden (in pic), the
whistleblower who opened the can of worms and splattered it all over the shiny face of ‘liberal’ Obama’s America; by now you’ve heard all about it. What you didn’t know is that the same shady folks who ran PRISM are now in your neighbourhood, right here in Bangalore. A little birdie tells us that Carlyle Group, the global asset management firm which owns Booz Allen Hamilton, the company which ran PRISM and for whom Bowden worked, is scouting for offices in namma
city. Snooping capabilities on a planetary scale is not the only thing that makes Carlyle worthy of special attention; they also hold the unique distinction of having the extended families of both George W Bush and Osama bin Laden as stakeholders. Now, that’s what we call ‘unity in diversity.’ And it has worked wonders for them; the group now manages assets worth a staggering 170 billion dollars (approx Rs 9.5 lakh crores) worldwide. Move over, Aadhar Nilekani; the big boys are here.