Society

equality-should-begin-at-home-manasi-chaudhari-founder-of-pink-legal

Fri Mar 08 16:02:45 IST 2024

Inequality at home is what bothers Advocate Manasi Chaudhari the most. Chaudhari, the founder of Pink Legal feels that, while, mostly, women are brought up with love and care by their parents, things change once they get married-- the responsibility of the house, caring for children and elders of the house, falls on the woman. “And a lot of times, this prevents women from furthering their career, putting in more time at work.”

Chaudhari started Pink Legal in 2020 to help women become more aware of their rights and make the right decisions for themselves. 31-year-old Chaudhari, the granddaughter of a high court judge (Bombay), knew she wanted to be a lawyer since the time she was in school. The Jindal Law School graduate was moved to start Pink Legal after an incident, which took place when she was returning from work one day. “I got into an accident. My car crashed into another car. This was night-time, I was alone and there was no one around. These boys got out of their vehicle, started banging on my car and were being very aggressive.”

Chaudhari said she was afraid and wasn't sure of what had to be done. But, she did take a picture of the number plate of their vehicle. “Usually in India, we tend to let these things go because we tend to worry about repercussions-- what if they retaliate? My parents were worried too. Being a lawyer, however, I thought I could not let it slide-- if I don't take a stand, there's no hope for someone who has no connection with the law. Also, if I let it slide, those guys would think it is okay to do these kinds of things and there won't be any consequences. So I filed a police complaint-- this was my first time to a police station, that too, alone. I was apprehensive as you hear stories of how the police tend not to take your complaint seriously. And even if a complaint is filed, nothing happens. But, because I know my rights and know what to do, I could get the police to take my complaint, register an FIR, could then track the complaint and follow it up. This experience made me realise that women don't know their rights, and so they aren't able to take any action, and therefore suffer in silence. I wanted to change that, and that's how Pink Legal came into being.”

The organisation, which has a database of lawyers across the country, match callers or women who approach them, as per their needs. And if the woman doesn't have enough means to pay the lawyer, they also have lawyers who consult for a lower fee or no fees. Pink Legal is also tied up with Project Naveli, which is run by Navya Nanda to run Project Nyayri, which makes legal awareness and mental health support accessible for women, pro bono. “Several women have come ahead and filed cases, and their divorces have gone through too,” Chaudhari says.

According to Chaudhari, they mostly get inquiries from women over domestic abuse at the hands of the husband or in-laws. “Then there are also cases of financial abuse, where women are forced to give their salary or a part of it to the in-laws, or she is asked to give her jewellery to the mother-in-law for 'safe-keeping'; or when her own family tries to oust her from the will or deny her inheritance.” The team have many times, also found themselves fighting child custody lawsuits.

Mostly, Chaudhari says, “Women aren't aware of their rights when it comes to instances of domestic violence, mental abuse or financial abuse. It is a husband's duty to give the wife a monthly allowance for her monthly maintenance, something women are often not aware of.” Pink Legal, she says, is in the process of reaching out at the grassroots level. “Currently, there are about 25-30 Pink Legal clubs across India-- these clubs conduct legal awareness workshops and awareness drives, distribute sanitary pads and make women aware of the importance of menstrual hygiene.”

While Pink Legal mainly operates online, they have also partnered with NGOs to reach underprivileged women. According to her, a major reason women in India are still hesitant to get a divorce is because they aren't financially independent. “There is no emotional support either. Parents often don't say that she can come home, but ask her to adjust and carry on, whatever the problem might be. Also, when a woman is financially dependent, she has nowhere to go-- how will she support herself and her child?” “The lower you go on the economic rung, the lesser the chances of a woman opting for a divorce,” she adds. “There is the fear of being ostracised. Before signing off she says, “It is great that we are celebrating Women's Day, and having conversations about women's rights, but it is important to have such conversations every day and think about change to be made as a society to be a constant process.”

women-s-day-can-men-claim-seats-reserved-for-ladies-in-kerala-ksrtc-buses-the-week-fact-checks

Thu Mar 07 22:07:28 IST 2024

On a moonlit Kochi night, this writer was sweating inside a KSRTC Swift awaiting departure at the Ernakulam stand. The Super Fast bus was destined to reach Thiruvananthapuram around 5 in the morning. It was not before several minutes that the crew entered through their designated doors. The conductor, in his ironed sandal-orange uniform and trimmed beard, was followed inside through the front by a bunch of passengers, all men, who quickly scrambled to find comfy seats for the long night journey.

''This is not the women's seat, is it?'' The bus was hardly half-full, yet one had to ask the million-dollar question from a few rows behind. The conductor, configuring the ticket machine, signalled he could stay put.

''Don't bother once the bus leaves here. They can only claim the seats from the originating depot. Once the journey starts, the women can't make you move. That's the law...,'' another fellow loudly declared from the front. He was confidently looking at the conductor, who stood beside me.

I, too, looked at him, waiting for my ignominious co-passenger to be tutored.

The conductor, too pleasant and lively for a tiry night, was still clicking on the ticket machine as he went, ''No point. You can't oppose them (women) even with laws. What they say is the rule these days...''

A double bell followed and the driver pressed the ignition switch.

**********

No doubt the man was wrong. On a six-hour-long journey across four districts of the state, the reserved seats cannot be just for the depot of origin. If a woman boards an occupied long-distance government bus midway, is she supposed to depend on the mercy of random men to get a seat that she has a lawful claim for? What's the point of reservation if a first-come first-serve system is in place?

The ladies' seats are marked the same way as other reserved seats. So, if a senior citizen or differently-abled person enters a packed KSRTC bus midway, don't they get to sit? More importantly, the conductor's seat is labelled the same way the women's seats are. If one were to take this seat as the conductor takes one of his routine trips to the other end of the vehicle to give tickets, is he supposed to complete the rest of the journey standing?

I didn't speak up that night. The reason was the same as that of a bunch of girls seen in a video that has gone viral on Malayalam social media circles recently. Originally published as an Instagram reel, the clip showed an exchange between a man behind the camera and the girls inside a moving KSRTC bus. He's lecturing the young women that they can't lay claim to the ladies' seats once the bus has started its journey. It is not mandatory that the reserved seats should be given to women when demanded, he claims. He goes on to challenge the girls to call the police or lawyers but he will still not give up the reserved seat he was occupying for any woman. Interestingly, the woman conductor of the bus, seen briefly in the video, refuses to interfere.

The girls in the video, like me the other night, couldn't react constructively due to the lack of information. To counter abysmally confident (though absurd) individuals, you need unerring data that denies them any chance at a comeback. Otherwise, it is just like wrestling a pig in the mud.

Here's a deep dive to uncover the misinformation behind the age-old sexist claim.

"Viral" claim tracked to Facebook

A Malayalam keyword search revealed that the claim is not new. It has been doing rounds for some years now. Over the years, it found takers across platforms in different layouts. It migrated from the lengthy textual formats of Facebook to brief videos on Instagram and YT Shorts.

We found a post from February 2019 that elaborated on the argument. This viral post was shared and reproduced by numerous users in early 2019, the search confirmed.

However, the search also revealed a post on the official Facebook page of Kerala Police from March 13, 2019. Evidently, it was an effort to put brakes on the viral post that was spreading like wildfire. The lengthy post debunked the bogus claim surrounding reservation seats and warned defaulters of consequences quoting the Motor Vehicle Department.

''It is being circulated in social media that there is a law that restrains the ouster of men occupying the reserved seats for women in buses. Some online media have also picked up this fake news after it went viral on social media. But the Department of Motor Vehicles warns that this argument has no legal backing.

''Men can use the women's seats if they are not occupied. But the law insists that they should get up when women board the bus. The KSRTC, in an order, has instructed that the conductor should ask men to vacate the priority seats if women demand during the journey,'' the post in Malayalam said.

Explaining the consequences of breaking the law, the post added, ''The Department of Motor Vehicles has informed that there will be punishments including fines for travelling in reserved seats in buses. Legal action will be taken against any passenger who refuses to vacate the seat and argues with the conductor.''

We also found a 2022 media report that claimed access to a 2016 Right To Information (RTI) response from the KSRTC. The Corporation's response dated January 29, 2016, said that as per government order, male occupants of the 25 per cent of seats reserved for women are liable to vacate them once women board the bus.

Conductors shouldn't be silent spectators

Passengers often raise their complaints and protest with bus conductors. But what can their tribe do in case an argument erupts inside a bus?

''Some time back, a group of ex-servicemen boarded the bus. One of them sat in a ladies seat. I reminded him right away that he would have to get up once women board but he paid no heed. A few stops later, I had to ask him to vacate and he was not pleased. Later, he told me I wronged him and we had a long chat. He said he had seen an order that proved me wrong. But, I had seen this viral post on Facebook and knew he was talking about the same. I dared him to show me the order. He's a regular at the depot but never mentioned the episode again. I think he learnt the truth,'' Sabari Nath, a state general council member of KSRTC's biggest employee union, said.

Conductors can ask non-deserving occupants of reserved seats to vacate and said if attempts to defuse the situation amicably fail and the perpetrators become a nuisance, the crew can inform the police of the development, he said. ''Halting the bus is not advisable as it affects every passenger. In worst-case scenarios, the crew can take the bus to the nearest police station,'' he said. ''Even educated people fall for such posts and create a scene,'' the KSRTEA leader added.

But what about private buses?

Anoop Nair, an Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector with the Kerala MVD, said that all state carriages fall under the same rules and regulations. The onus is always on the conductors to ensure rules are followed.

"There are no special provisions for the state transport corporation."

"No passenger is going to approach a driver with their concerns as there is not much he can do. Conductors are not just meant to collect money and give tickets. They are responsible for ensuring rules, including those concerning reservation, are followed," the MVD officer said.

"They should do their best to convince the person to vacate the seat. If he is not budging, the best thing to do is to contact the nearest police aid post. The driver and conductor will face the music if the Road Transport Officer receives a complaint claiming that they failed to do their duty," Nair said.

renowned-kannada-writer-k-t-gatti-dies-at-85

Mon Feb 19 17:05:26 IST 2024

Renowned Kannada novelist, playwright and poet Koodlu Thimmappa Gatti, died at his residence here on Monday. He was 85.

Winner of the Kendra Sahitya Academy and Rajyotsava awards, Gatti hailed from Koodlu in Kasaragod district of Kerala. He has published more than 50 novels and essays, two poems including one in English, and more than 50 plays. Among them, around 30 plays written for children were translated to different languages and broadcast in Akashavani.

His novels include Shabdagalu (1976), Saumya (1978), Mane, Ramayajnya, Nirantara, Abrahmana, Amuktha, Avibhaktaru, Karmanye Vadhikarasthe, Koopa, Poojary, Bisilugudure, Mrityorma Amritam Gamaya, Yugantara, Shilatapaswi, Swarna Mraga and Aragina Mane. After a stint as a college lecturer in Udupi, Gatti travelled to Ethiopia where he worked as professor. He also obtained diplomas in English from Trinity and Oxford colleges in England. After returning to India, he quit teaching and took up farming at Ujire near here in Dakshina Kannada district.

Gatti's literary contributions earned him widespread recognition.

the-fine-art-of-a-fake-laugh

Sat Feb 17 14:52:31 IST 2024

THEY say laughter is the best medicine, and it really is. When it is genuine – a deep belly rumble that leaves you feeling all fuzzy inside. The euphoria lasts for a few minutes, and you cannot help but feel that all is right with the world, even if King Charles has cancer and Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are headed for splitsville. A good laugh is as therapeutic as a salted caramel cone, and much cheaper than a session with your shrink.

But that’s a genuine chuckle. The fake kind? It just leaves you feeling a little drained. But there is no denying it: learning how to fake laughter is an essential life skill. Can you imagine the awkward silence every time your boss made a seriously unfunny joke and you did not laugh? The blasphemy. I mean, why place your promotion in jeopardy when the problem is easily solved with something as simple as a pretend-giggle?

As important as learning how to fake laugh is learning how to recognise it. Remember David Shore’s popular show House, where Dr Gregory House diagnoses seemingly impossible conditions by assuming the simple premise that ‘Everyone lies’? The same is true of fake laughter. EVERYONE fake laughs. And yet, we underestimate how common it is.

Most of us think we are funnier than we really are. And unless we can discern genuine laughter from fake, we will live in the deluded Disneyworld of our own fake greatness.

How do you discern between real and fake laughter? That’s a subtle and highly sophisticated art. You can, however, learn from the greats. For example, the way TV host David Letterman laughed at what some of his celebrity guests said? So fake. By the way, it is a truth universally acknowledged that celebrities have an all-access pass to the Hall of Humour. They even sound genuinely funny. I remember laughing at something actor Emily Blunt said about her husband, John Krasinski. But later I mulled it over and realised that it was not funny at all. If my mother had said it, I would have rolled my eyes. The truth is, celebs are so cool that everything they say becomes part of the Holy Grail of Comedy.

And then, there is the premature laughter before the punchline comes. Personally, I am a frequent victim of this. Move over, Murphy, I have a law of my own to propose. The more you want to please someone, the less likely you are to do so. I have experienced this several times. A good looking guy comes along and tells me a joke. I am so eager to please him that I hang on to his every word. But then I become anxious: What if I find the joke unfunny? Or what if I don’t get it? I try to focus so much that I lose all focus. There is only one remedy: Try to guess the timing of the punchline.

Law no.2 – if you try to anticipate the punchline, you will always get it wrong. He tells you about walking down a street and watching a goat cross the road, and you laugh like your life depends on it. He looks a little bewildered and you realise that your laughter was premature. But by then, it is too late. The joke – if it was a joke in the first place – is dead. And so are your chances with Mr Gorgeous.

So, to sum it up: Fake laughter can take you places. But only if you know when and how to wield it. And if you want to take lessons on Fake Laughter 101, just observe the exuberance with which our prime minister hugs the UAE president. Now that’s a master who has chiselled his craft to perfection. Watch and learn.

absorbing-the-myriad-experiences-of-listening-at-jaipur-literature-festival

Fri Feb 09 17:20:28 IST 2024

Jaipur Diary

Day One

I had been hearing about the famous Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) from friends in college for almost a decade and more but for some reason or the other, could never find the time to go for it. However, this year not only did I remember to register for the festival thanks to Facebook’s reminders but also asked one of my close friends if she would like to accompany me. She readily agreed and so did her husband. We booked our stay and train tickets early. My friend had been to JLF earlier but because it was my first time, I was truly excited about it.

By the time it was time to leave for Jaipur, Delhi had turned into a cold gloomy city with fog and pollution pervading the atmosphere; hence we were extra cheerful to get to Jaipur. As it happens so often in the winter, our train got delayed by almost an hour and a half. However, we checked into the hotel and reached the magnificent Clarks Amer which looked festive, the sun shone brightly and the JLF looked tempting to say the least.

The very first session that I attended at a venue called Durbar Hall was titled 'Treasures of Lakshmi: The Goddess Who Gives', edited by Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal. I had missed the beginning but Vidya Shah’s invocation to Lakshmi was spell-binding. Her voice is soulful and melodious. Malashri Lal and Namita Gokhale discussed their book and it was quite interesting and full of nuggets of information. For example, Lal explained the difference between Kuber and Lakshmi. Kuber is also known as the god of wealth but unfortunately stands for the hoarding of wealth and its negative energies whereas Lakshmi is the goddess who gives, and radiates positive energy.

I ended up buying an earlier book edited by the duo called Finding Radha and it was quite a pleasure to get it signed by Malashri Lal, who was my professor at the University of Delhi and taught us Feminism and Women’s Writing in the late eighties at the South Campus.

JLF is a communion of book lovers, serious readers and the joyful young generation for whom making an Instagram reel is definitely more important than listening to the spoken word. Between running around and finding my favourite sessions, I stopped to have Kesar chai at a small kiosk shaped like a tapri, which is the colloquial Hindi term for the inconsequential tea stand in the middle of nowhere. The young enterprising students managing it seemed cheerful. They offered me a small bench to sit, a couple of cookies and a lovely kulhad of chai which smelled of saffron or kesar. The surroundings seemed to remind me of the reason I was there at JLF: to absorb completely the myriad experiences of listening to voices who know, to be with my friends I could never find the time to meet in Delhi and spend time to rejuvenate myself.

Food was a challenge that day as I could not find my favourite kachoris anywhere and settled for golgappas and chaat, which are the staple street food items all over North India and especially Delhi-NCR. Spending time with my ex-student/friend/mentee Aishwarya Jha in the late afternoon sun at Chaar Bagh had its own charm. I could never have found this leisurely afternoon elsewhere. Neither would she.

Day Two

The second day I was all charged up and reached the venue at 10 am. The session I was heading for was called 'The Power of Myth' and was at the same venue as our afternoon leisure the day before, Chaar Bagh. The speaker was Anand Neelakantan, the writer of the prequel to Bahubali, the iconic film which broke all box-office records just a few years back. The writer was articulate and had an amazing voice which made him a good speaker as well. Talking about myths he recalled several epics like the Ramayana and how the different versions of the same epic told the stories differently in one way or another. Shakuntala of Kalidas, who was a court poet, does not have the same agency as the Shakuntala of Vyasa but Kalidas’s poetry is superior and steeped in Sanskrit literature. Vyasa does not make Shakuntala into a submissive woman, instead she has the courage to bring up the child alone in Vyasa’s ashram and not beg Dushyant to take her back. The contexts of the two poets were totally different and hence the difference in the portrayal of the heroine.

The one point that irked me about this session was the casual way the speaker spoke about some of the epics to elicit the applause of the younger crowd. In other words, he was playing to the gallery and a place like JLF demands a bit more sanctity about a subject as powerful as myth, which was ironically the title of his session.

The next session that caught my attention was titled 'Modern Love' and was held at Baithak. It began with the anchor Maria Goretti asking the panellists about what they thought was love. Being a fan of Seema Goswami’s column Spectator in Brunch magazine which I enjoyed a lot until the newspaper decided to switch it to the online version, I was looking forward to her take on Modern love.

Love in the present times, she said, had gone beyond the boundaries of a man-woman relationship. It could simply be the love between two friends, the love one has for parents or children or siblings, and even the love you have for a pet could come under the umbrella of modern love. The idea of love being only a romantic, physical and emotional bonding between young heterosexual couples is too limiting in today’s world. The other panellists, Anish Gawande and Shivani Sibal, and Maria Goretti continued the discussion in an interesting playful way. Gawande is a young scholar from Britain and is a representative of the queer community. (I came out in New York, no less, he told the audience almost as an aside.) I was pleased to note that he handled the questions masterfully, asking Maria Goretti as well to put forth her point of view. It is heartening to see bright young minds full of joy and laughter, ready to plunge into the conflicts and debates of the contemporary world.

The audience too was a curious, happy lot and the most applause came for a 76-year-old who said that the panellists’ idea of love was too intellectual and that even at his ripe age, he still fell in love every day—with nature, with his grandson and sometimes with young women too even though he has a wife at home!

Immediately after this session, I was drawn to the one titled 'Anatomy of Love' because the previous one had made me laugh, introspect and enjoy at the same time. However, this one couldn’t have been more of a contrast. The two young novelists from Britain, Diana Evans and Ivy Ngeow, seemed to be excited enough to talk about their works when they introduced themselves. But the anchor had a stroke of amnesia and completely forgot that the session was titled 'Anatomy of Love'. Instead, he began a detailed introduction of their respective novels. It was almost as if he took his job as an anchor too seriously as he was an academic. He forgot that this was not his classroom at the university but an audience who needed to know the writers’ idea of love and its representation in their novels. He went off on a tangent and persistently asked them about their roots, the thematic tones and their process of writing… he simply forgot the ‘love’ part of the session. Academics should stick to the classroom; they are bad as JLF moderators. I felt especially bad for the writers because they seemed to be wondering as to when he would get around to the topic of the session.

Listening to these writers of the Nigerian and Malaysian descent, making a mark as British writers after their masters in England, I felt that the contemporary British novelists’ profile is no longer limited to England and in fact by drawing upon the experiences of studying and being brought up in Asian, African or any other country and transitioning to Britain to pursue their dreams, their works are enriched with these diverse contexts and are interestingly eclectic.

'One fine Day: British Empire on the Brink' had Matthew Parker talking about the downfall of the British and was my natural choice of sessions after struggling through the previous one. Parker seemed to be mourning the loss of the empire with blazing honesty and candour. He thrashed the royalty, wondered why the British continue to suffer from a colonial hangover, praised the Indian space programme and the healthy economy of India all in one breath. Always a proud Indian at heart, I felt a strange sense of elation in the Q&A session when a sari-clad NRI woman declared that India had moved on ages ago but the British were still clinging to this colonial hangover and still suffered from it.

The session was a clear winner with the audience because it was being held at the JLF where India ruled supreme.

Lunch was next on my agenda but the food court looked more promising than it turned out to be and I ended up settling for a small plate of lemon rice and coconut chutney. When I looked around for a place to sit, apparently there seemed to be none. Perched on a small bench with a plate of lemon rice is trickier than it seems and definitely more difficult than carrying a tote-bagful of books. I felt that more thought could have gone into this and perhaps the organisers did not check to see if there was enough space to put some chairs for people to sit and eat in peace.

Later in the afternoon, attending a session titled 'Translation: An Equal Music' was an absolute pleasure as David Hahn’s sense of humour and the easy banter between him and Daisy Rockwell (translator of The Tomb of Sand) kept the audience entertained. Rockwell talked about her work being an integral part of her daily routine and said that she continued to translate as and when she could, at home, outside and sometimes even in the waiting halls of schools where she was picking up her child. Hahn’s hilarious anecdotes included his memories as a restless child and remembering his mother sitting in the playpen translating peacefully and the entire apartment at his disposal. Arunava Sinha’s task as the anchor became much easier because of the easy camaraderie between Hahn and Rockwell who got along like a house on fire.

Moving on to the next session that I went for, 'Steeped: Adventures of a Tea Entrepreneur' by Brook Eddy was about her struggles in her journey of becoming an entrepreneur. Gender dynamics are essential in business and according to Brook, no one took her seriously till she got a man to invest in her venture and have him as her business partner. Brook said that she had been coming to the JLF all these years and was inspired to write her story in the form of a book.

The day ended with a beautiful session titled 'Poetry Multiverse' which had Maria Goretti, Ibrahim Waheed, Sukrita Paul Kumar and a few other poets recite their poetry to a packed house.

A word about the food at JLF. It turned out to be quite a disappointment. No seating for older people, food choices centred around the younger palate. e.g. waffles, burgers and pizzas, no decent south Indian outlet or even a north Indian for that matter and overpriced kachoris and chana kulchas left a bad taste (literally) in the mouth.

There was a clear demarcation for the privileged. The authors lounge, the speaker lounge and the friends and family had their own array of cuisine which was not available to the ‘janta’. Settling for a kadhi kachori and lukewarm lemon rice was my only option.

Day Three

It was drizzling when we reached the venue the next day. Not deterred by a little rain, I headed to Durbar Hall for my first session titled 'Leonardo da Vinci: Painter in the Court of Milan'. Five minutes into the session and I found myself mesmerised by the slideshow which was put forth by Luke Syson, director of the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge, who began with the iconic Mona Lisa and went on to give the audience an enthralling session, talking about how Da Vinci, despite his reputation, was on a salary and produced an assembly line of paintings commissioned by the court and painted by him along with a bevy of budding painters most of whom worked with him or under his tutelage.

Syson went on to show us several prints of the original paintings and their copies made by his students, distinguishing the original from the copies. The drapery, the way the hands were painted, the way an arm appeared on the canvas and whether all the different parts of the painting were painted by several artists whom he mentored.

It was a learning experience for me as I knew very little about this famous artist although his context remains one of the most significant parts of our syllabus of BA Hons in English.

Mid-morning took me to Mughal tent where I attended a session called 'Food, Love and Laughter' featuring the vivacious Amrita Tripathi conversing with Karen Anand, Zack O’ Yeah and Maria Goretti. The panellists talked about their latest books and more importantly food.

Zack’s challenge to the audience—the promise of a refund if they didn’t like his book and no questions asked—came pretty early in the session. Karen Anand spoke about her journey as a food writer which began 20 years ago and also her love for simple home food which never has any alternative.

Goretti mentioned her beginning with a food blog and how her first book came out of it. She said that it was natural to go back to one’s roots if one wanted to cook authentically. Zack’s dig at his age and constantly heckling the anchor was an irritating one but fortunately Amrita handled him quite well. Goretti and Anand spoke from the heart and encouraged a young wife lamenting about her husband being a great cook and not wanting publicity.

Karen declared that it was high time Kentucky Fried Chicken was replaced by tandoori chicken all over the world, and was surprised that this brilliant idea had not yet occurred to a budding entrepreneur.

Limited food choices took me to the chhole kulche stall which was a sad option in terms of quality and quantity and did little to appease my hunger pangs. However, I was quite excited about my next session on 'How Prime Ministers Decide', where the author of the book Neerja Chowdhury was in conversation with Mandira Nayar of THE WEEK.

After an introduction to Chowdhury, it was clear why the venue Durbar Hall was almost packed by people. Here was a journalist who has quite literally walked in the corridors of power and who is quite close not only with the politicians but also their families. When Nayar asked about whether some prime ministers were vulnerable and superstitious, she talked about a specific incident in the life of Indira Gandhi who was an avid devotee of Chamunda Devi of Himachal. However, a trip to Chamunda Devi was cancelled by her on the advice of her staff. Two days later, Sanjay Gandhi’s plane crashed while he was flying it and he died. The priest said although the goddess did not mind the ordinary people cancelling a trip but when a prime minister did it, she deserved to be punished.

Chowdhury talked about the Congress’s alliance with the RSS as well. She said that she had included only those prime ministers who were fortunate enough to complete their terms. She also talked about why she had not included Prime Minister Modi in her book. It was because she did not have access to any kind of inside information about the PM and that was a major deterrent for her. She claimed to have inside information about all those PMs she has written about, and some of these are named sources.

The last session that I attended turned out to be the best as far as I am concerned. It was in the Mughal tent and was on 'Mrs Dalloway', one of my most favourite novels. In this session Merve Emre and Anish Gawande talked about the relevance and contemporaneity of the iconic 'Mrs Dalloway', a novel written by Virginia Woolf.

Emre spoke convincingly and with an enchanting confidence about the novel, instantly connecting with the audience with her easy approach and relatable manner. She expressed surprise at how great an audience we were, considering eighty per cent had already read the novel. She talked about working on the annotated edition during Covid with ample time on her hands and despite having her kids around her all the time. She spoke about her experiences as a teacher, her ideas on doing something collaborative like ‘Rap genius’ for Virginia Woolf and the other classics of the Modern era.

Gawande shone as an exceptional anchor, matching Emre’s wit, and the banter between them kept the audience suitably entertained.

Professor Harish Trivedi, who retired from the department of English at the University of Delhi, was a bit offended by Emre’s total indifference to the Indian reference in Woolf’s novel. His question began with “Where do you think you are sitting?” and very soon it was clear to the audience that Emre had stepped on his shoes. Professor Trivedi is a renowned critic and writer and well known among the Commonwealth nations. He is also an expert on Virginia Woolf and used to offer an entire M.Phil course on Woolf in the eighties. Soon enough, he went on to point out to Emre how the reference to India makes the novel more significant to the present audience.

Nevertheless, Emre handled both his questions and his ire with aplomb and clarified that the reference to India was perhaps in her subconscious all along. The loud applause which followed the Professor’s question was revealing though and it was quite clear that he had a fan following of his own in the audience.

Thus ended my third day at JLF and I left for my hotel soon after as we had to board our train later in the evening.

On my way back to Delhi, I was enraptured by memories of the wonderful sessions and speakers, the experiences of meeting long-lost friends and taking in the sheer joy of being a participant at JLF.

To conclude, I would like to put it out there that JLF has definitely enhanced India’s reputation and those of Indian writers to a great extent. It has slowly and steadily put our country on the map of the world and shown how things are done. Combining the cultural heritage of our country, various organisations dealing with climate sustainability, schoolchildren, college students, entrepreneurs looking for platforms, young adults grappling with what our intellectuals are writing, it has done what nobody else has for several years. Although, certain aspects were overlooked, the entire event instilled a sense of pride in one’s identity as an Indian.

Cricket does that and to a certain extent so does Indian cinema. But packed sessions on writers and books, long queues for purchasing books, lining up for book signings, these are definitely an optimistic sign for urban India. I was full of enthusiasm and hope for the young adults, who would benefit the most from this communion of getting together the best minds from across the globe.

Gauri Mishra is a professor at the Department of English at College of Vocational Studies, University of Delhi.

15th-edition-of-india-art-fair-sends-message-that-moment-for-art-and-design-has-arrived-for-india

Tue Feb 06 19:48:46 IST 2024

If there is one thing that stood out at the recently concluded 15th edition of the India Art Fair, it is the message that the moment for art and design has arrived for India! The fair showcased 108 exhibitors and featured 72 galleries alongside major regional and international art powerhouses. However, the real show stealer was embroidery and design arts.

India, known for its artisanal work, is on the cusp of witnessing the art and craft divide slowly disappearing.

The inaugural collectible design section saw the debut of seven design studios which included studios by the likes of Rooshad Shroff (Mumbai), Ashiesh Shah Atelier (Mumbai), and Gunjan. These studios showcased the fusion of furniture and objects as art, alongside highlighting embroidery as a serious art form, transforming the contemporary works into exquisitely woven pieces of art in collaborations like MASH x Milayaa (Mumbai), curated by me and Karishma Swali & Chanakya School of Craft (Mumbai), with artist Barthelemy Tonguo and and Venkanna (Gallery Maskara) who breathed new life into this medium.

"This edition of India Art Fair has been our most ambitious to date, with a record number of participants and brisk sales," said Jaya Asokan, the fair director.

What stood out for me was Mithu Sen’s 'A Prayer Unanswered, 2024' from Gallery Chemould, Ayesha Sultana’s 'Breath Counts, 2023' at Experimenta, Tyeb Metha’s iconic work from Vadehra Gallery, Chatterjee and Lal and Nikhil Chopra's fabulous drawing 'In the Line of Fire' and Dayanita Singh at Nature Morte.

Several international big names such as Anish Kapoor, Ai Weiwei, Olafur Eliasson and Ozioma Onuzulike were part of the fair at Galleria Continua, Carpenters workshop, Neugerriemschneider, Berlin, Marc Straus (New York), as local collectors looked to expand and include international names in their collection. In particular, the Ai Weiwei sculpture in the Gallery Continua booth was remarkable.

It was great to meet up with important collectors from India and overseas, especially Ms Kiran Nadar zipping around in her scooter, Kumar Mangalam Birla and Asha Jadeja Motwani who recently announced an important art prize for a commissioned work by a woman artist, through her foundation.

I enjoyed the talk series and panel discussions with international museum directors such Klaus Biesenbach, director of the Neue Nationalgalerie; Michael Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg director at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); Prof. Dr. Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung, director and chief curator at Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) and Shuddhabrata Sengupta (Raqs Media Collective). The conversation with the US-based collector Komal Shah and Nishad Avari from Christie’s was insightful as it addressed collecting feminist art in a global context.

The fair, however, would have been incomplete without the party circuit filled with previews from major auction houses and art galleries hosted by Shalini Passi, collector and founder of MASH. There was also an elegant luncheon hosted by Kiran Nadar (founder, the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art), well attended by international and local guests. The Raw Mango party was immensely popular with the young artists, curators and the IAF team.

Art fairs are more than exhibitions; they are spaces that provide a platform for the art community to get together, contemplate, collaborate, and celebrate new associations, push new boundaries, include voices that have been marginalised and create a marketplace for the art world to thrive.

So, until next year, may the conversations and connections keep growing, and the artistic spirit keep soaring!

priyanka-gandhis-son-raihan-vadras-third-solo-exhibition-upamana-is-all-about-nature-and-people

Tue Jan 30 22:35:37 IST 2024

As you step into the Living Traditions Centre (LTC) gallery of Bikaner House, you feel like you are walking above the clouds. The sky is laid out on the floor—illuminated life-size photographs of clouds, all captured from the top and on the floor as an installation. This is the entry to Raihan Vadra's exhibition of installations and photographs titled 'Upamana' (The comparison).

Raihan Vadra is the son of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. This is Vadra's third solo exhibition. His first solo exhibition was titled 'Dark Perception: An Exposition of Light, Space and Time'. It was held in 2021 at the same venue.

Vadra started taking photographs when he was eight years old. He prefers to be called a visual and installation artist instead of being called a photographer.

Like his grandfather Rajiv Gandhi who loved nature and wildlife, Vadra too has chosen to turn his lens to wildlife. In this installation, one of the rooms displays photographs of leopards clicked in the jungles of Rajasthan as an installation surrounded by trees, creating a natural habitat, to make it immersive. The other rooms have installations of photographs of expressions of people shot in studios with life-size mirrors—a very powerful trick. Yet another installation is the photographs shot with red backgrounds of people from all walks of life.

This exhibition is part of a series of five solo shows, spread over a decade based on the five schools of logic in Indian philosophy (five Pramanas). Vadra's photographic work with evocative mirrors suggests cognitive comprehension, demonstrating that knowledge emerges through comparing the unknown with the known.

Apart from the solo shows, Vadra has also participated in group shows in different parts of the country. He says now he will take time to do two more shows to complete his five-part series.

watch-kerala-viral-video-boy-confronts-worried-teacher-with-dope-kalapakkara-dance-moves-during-school-trip-then

Fri Jan 26 22:16:10 IST 2024

Who doesn't like school trips... A few days with your friends, away from home and academic dilemmas, excursions/Industry Visits/ tours are fun guaranteed. And most people are likely to place such trips among the most cherished memories of student life.

While one can't imagine a school/college trip sans classmates, there is another lot that is salient for such outings. We need teachers for the outings to happen (and the tour operators, of course)! While the students prefer the fun-loving, take-it-easy and "chill" teachers to accompany them, parents often hope one of those renowned tough and "strict" tutors to board the bus with their wards.

An Instagram video that has become an instant hit is likely to make you think about your relationship with the teachers who accompanied you on school/college trips. How relaxed were they? Did you make him/her lose cool at any point during the journey?

Because the reel, first uploaded earlier this month shows a teacher with a bunch of kids on a school trip. The nocturnal video shot outdoors shows a teacher watching from a distance as her students break into killer dance moves. Awestruck by the steps her girls had in store for the popular Malayalam song "Kalapakkaara', she had a finger on her nose.

"Jeeshma teacher realising she can only retire for the night after making sure the entire bunch is fast asleep," the video was captioned.

The undated video from somewhere in Kerala, then shows a lad slowly making his way towards his teacher. The moment he reaches her, the lad in a zebra-striped shirt quickly drops his polite posture and breaks into dance. Jeeshma Miss and the person behind the camera, presumably another teacher, can't help but laugh as the adolescent pulls out some silly yet firm steps right before them.

The viral video shows the boy hopping his hands and legs at made pace as he danced around his teacher for a few seconds before she said "Poda cherukka" (get going now, boy!) with a broad smile on her face.

The kid, responds to the command by pulling out a new step. He dances a few steps back with an arm pointed towards the teacher, before coming back towards her again.

The teacher was clearly not offended by his moves. Her face confirmed that she wanted her students to have a great time and loved being amidst the happy bunch.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

Many social media users commented that the video showed how teacher-student relationships have changed over the years. New-gen teachers are more receptive and frank compared to their predecessors.

If it was teachers who used to be around when they were kids in Jeeshma Miss's place, the boy would have had a "memorable night", some others said.

Yet others said the kid was sure his teacher would love it and nothing ill will come out of it. That's what made the video wholesome. One got no other choice but to agree the video was indeed wholesome.

chandra-dake-the-indian-innovator-who-turned-uae-deserts-into-farmlands

Thu Jan 25 18:47:41 IST 2024

Arabian folklore has an uncountable number of stories that combine the magical, mystical, and mythical with the real and the historical. Dubai, the epitome of contemporary Arabian opulence, is now witnessing one such fascinating story of sustainability powered by a “magic sand”. The man who brought this sand—that enables agriculture even in deserts and saline-alkali soils—to the Arabian land is a 44-year-old Indian, Chandra Dake. He leads Dake Rechsand, a company specialising in sustainability solutions for desert farming and water conservation.

Colloquially called the “magic sand”, Dake Rechsand’s revolutionary solution to transform deserts goes officially by the name ‘breathable sand’. And, Chandra asserts that his sand can indeed “breathe.” During a visit by THE WEEK to Dake Rechsand, the Indian entrepreneur provided a brief demonstration of his technology using a pot made of this breathable sand.

Dake filled the pot, which boasts high air permeability, with water and then blew air from outside the pot. Remarkably, bubbles emerged inside the pot. “The breathable sand is made from desert sand,” explains Dake. “We modify the sand particles to alter the way it behaves with the water and air, and this allows the sand to hold water for a longer period while allowing the aeration,” he said.

In scientific terms, the sand particles undergo 'surface tension modification' through a complex manufacturing process that involves adding specific minerals and applying heat. The resulting water-retentive and air-permeable medium ensures optimal crop yield with an 80% reduction in water input. In the UAE, where deserts cover nearly 80% of the total land and water scarcity is a critical issue, this unique technology provides a compelling solution

Utilising this technology, the company is currently engaged in establishing a forest of 11 million trees in Dubai's arid and desert lands. This massive afforestation and carbon sequestration programme, done in collaboration with the Dubai government, is the first such programme in a desert anywhere in the world, done with private investment

Interestingly, a scaled-down version of this cutting-edge desert land reclamation technology is on display at Dake's home garden in Dubai. Welcoming THE WEEK for an exclusive home tour, the entrepreneur showcased a diverse array of flora, ranging from coconut trees and mangoes to Chikoo, jamun, and tamarind—all cultivated using his breathable sand.

The lush landscape features a variety of plants that typically face challenges in surviving and producing fruit in arid climates, including moringa, grapes, papaya, grapefruit, and pomegranate. The garden's vibrant tapestry is further enhanced by the presence of roses, hibiscus, and jasmine in various hues, showcasing resilience even in the scorching summer months.

The concept of breathable sand originated in China, stemming from an idea proposed by the renowned Chinese scientist Qian Xuesen in the early 1980s. Qian's desert development theory aimed to transform deserts and Gobi deserts into oases through the application of advanced science and technology.

Inspired by Xuesen, Chinese scientist Qin Shengyi embarked on a journey to develop a method for transforming Gobi desert sand into a "special coated sand." The process involved conducting over 6,000 tests using more than 9,000 kg of sand before successfully creating the first high-temperature coated sand. Shengyi, currently the chairman of Beijing Renchuang Technology Group Co., dedicated over 35 years to studying, developing, and testing to create breathable sand suitable for farming in deserts.

In a significant trial, Shengyi's breathable sand demonstrated remarkable results by producing optimal rice yield across 1,500 acres of the Ulan Buh Desert on the western Inner Mongolia plateau. This desert is considered one of the seven driest deserts globally, with temperatures soaring as high as 57 degrees Celsius. The success of this experiment showcased the transformative potential of breathable sand in revolutionising agriculture.

Collaborating with Shengyi, Dake worked to enhance the sand's capabilities, adapting it for use in high-saline soils to make it more stable and suitable for desert farming and water conservation. Together, they co-founded Dake Rechsand, which has expanded globally with 15 manufacturing plants and multiple product lines in the US, South Africa, UAE, India, and China.

Growing up in a middle-class family, Dake’s interest in agriculture resilience sparked at an early age. His father Dake Visaradha Rao worked as an assistant executive engineer in the Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Department. “Because of my father’s job’s nature that involved frequent relocations across Andhra Pradesh, I had earned diverse experiences from Hyderabad to Kadapa and Vijayawada. Meanwhile, the farming background of both maternal and paternal families also sparked my interest. I witnessed how my paternal grandfather transformed an arid land into a lush farm in Rayalaseema. The challenges of drought-prone Rayalaseema created in me a deep respect for agricultural resilience.”

Following his graduation from Nagarjuna University, Vijayawada in 1999, Chandra's exposure to systems audit during his Chartered Accountancy (CA) audit articles influenced his transition into technology. This shift led him to attain an MCSD certification in 2000. Subsequently, he delved into Environmental Sciences, ultimately earning a Ph.D. in 2022 from Sorbon International for his significant contributions to soil improvement.

Presently, Dake's company boasts an impressive portfolio, holding over 600 original invention patents. Notably, this innovative firm has developed an alternative version of breathable sand, aiming to prevent floods and introduce a pioneering water harvesting concept known as 'sponge cities.'

Sponge cities encompass extensive areas where rainwater is absorbed by permeable pavers, directing it either to proper sewers or storing it in underground reservoirs. In contrast, breathable sand, utilised for planting, retains water while allowing for aeration. Meanwhile, a patented 'honeycomb' structure, employed in constructing sponge cities, possesses both air and water permeability.

“With that technology, we create surfaces to harvest the water and store the water sustainably for a long time,” said Dake. “The honeycomb storage in which water is collected allows the air to circulate within the storage without the need of electricity and chemicals and keeps water in constant motion 24 by 7, 365 days. So far, our longest record of keeping the water clean has been about 12 years.”

The passionate innovator asserts that his unique technology will play a crucial role in building a sustainable future while sounding the alarm about the rapid desertification occurring in various parts of the world. He states, "We are not only reclaiming deserts but also transforming desert sand, which is otherwise deemed unfit for any other purpose, into a material of significant utility." Now, that is undoubtedly akin to magic!

hoisting-or-unfurling-what-is-the-flag-protocol-for-republic-day

Thu Jan 25 16:48:25 IST 2024

India is all set to celebrate 75th Republic Day celebrations and ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Bharat - Loktantra ki Matruka’ are the main themes of the celebrations this year. The day marks the formal adoption of the Indian Constitution.

French President Emmanuel Macron is the chief guest this year. The Republic Day parade will start at 10.30am and run for a duration of approximately 90 minutes. However, unlike Independence Day, Indian President Droupadi Murmu would unfurl the National flag at Kartavya Path before the parade. While the national flag is hoisted during the Independence Day celebrations, it is unfurled during Republic Day.

On Republic Day, the President would unfurl the National Flag, tied as a bundle along with flowers on top of a flag pole. The flag is only unfurled on the day as India is already an independent nation.

However, during Independence Day, the prime minister would hoist the flag; the National Flag is tied to the lower part of the flagpole and then raised by the prime minister. It signifies India is free from the clutches of the British.

The celebration this year is said to be women-centric. Women marching contingents will form the major chunk of the parade, defence ministry had said. According to the ministry, the parade will be heralded by 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments. The parade would commence with the music of Sankh, Naadswaram, Nagada, etc. to be played by women artists. An all-women Tri-Service contingent will march down Kartavya Path this year.

A 95-member marching contingent and 33-member band contingent from France will also take part in the parade. Along with the aircraft of the Indian Air Force, one Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft and two Rafale aircraft of the French Air Force will participate in the Fly-past, the ministry said in a release.

The Ministry of Defence is planning to release commemorative coin and commemorative stamp during the event.

first-of-its-kind-gender-neutral-cricket-tournament-in-mp-s-tribal-dominated-harda-makes-history

Fri Jan 19 15:14:19 IST 2024

When 16-year-old Pinky Navre was asked to speak after receiving the ‘Player of the Series’ trophy, she could just say a few words before she broke down.

“I always wondered when will I be able to make it to the team, when will I finally hit the ground. But, the occasion did come,” the girl said amid tears and loud applause from her teammates, opponents and crowd.

Pinky’s heartfelt words echoed the sentiments of many other young girls gathered at the Nehru Stadium ground of tribal-dominated Harda in Madhya Pradesh, where the cold night of January 14 became witness to a unique sporting tournament that sought to break a major social barrier.

After week-long excitement and competition, the team from Undhaal village won the tournament, defeating the Nimacha team by nine runs in an entertaining final match. The captain of the winning team, 18-year-old Puja Karma, was unwell on the day her team played three matches at quarter, semi and final levels on January 14. At one point she felt like quitting due to her health. “But my father (Jagdish Karma) told me I have to finish what I have started.” So Puja not only stood solid as a captain to steer her team with well-judged decisions, but also took a scintillating catch at boundary line in the final match to contribute significantly to the win.

Puja has not had it easy to get to the level of becoming the winning captain. “I had to drop out of school after class 9 as my school was far from our village. But when the volunteers of Synergy Sansthan came to the village with the idea of involving girls in cricket three years ago, I managed to convince my parents to let me join. With my experience of participating in previous women’s cricket tournaments by the organization, I decided to get a team together this team and though it took a lot of convincing of families of the girls, we did it,” she says.

“I should mention that the girls from our team managed to lead us to wins by themselves the quarter-finals, semifinals and the final. The chance of the male members never came,” Puja adds with a chuckle.

The finals of the district-level ‘Samaveshi (Inclusivity) Cup 2024’ – a first of its kind mixed gender cricket tournament in the country – had just been played at the Nehru Stadium and all participants were resplendent in the glow of having become part of a powerful social message.

The sporting event, organised by NGO Synergy Sansthan, was unique in the sense that each of the participating teams had both female and male players in tone with the motto of ‘Haq hai Samaan; Sabhi ka hai maidaan’ (right is equal; the ground belongs to all).

The cricket competition saw 728 girls and boys from 60 villages in Harda split into 56 teams. The eight-overs-a-side league matches were played at tehsil levels on January 6 and 7, before the first-round quarter-finals were played on January 13. After second-level quarter-finals and semi-finals, the summit clash happened on January 14.

Each team had seven female and four male players. It was made mandatory that the captain and vice-captain of every team should be female players. The batting and bowling were both opened by girls and even one of the umpires in each match was a woman. While women aged between 14 to 26 years participated, only boys below 19 years of age were permitted.

More than providing a chance to showcase their sporting talent, the cricket tournament served to provide the girls and young women from the tribal-dominated villages of Harda to lay a claim on crucial social space.

Synergy Sansthan has been organizing women’s cricket tournaments in the district for the past four years in a bid to develop leadership qualities among girls and imbibe the value of gender parity in society.

Through the tournament, a lot of young girls got the opportunity to hone their cricketing ability, break the gender barriers and encourage other girls in their neighbourhood to follow suit.

“The tournament is more about the right of equality than about winning or losing. All the players lived the concept of equality on the ground. It was basically an attempt to give equal opportunity to the girls,” Vimal Jat, chief executive officer of Synergy Sansthan told The Week.

He said that the socio-cultural ideas about girls participating in sports are still quite restrictive and the tournament has made a big stride in changing this mindset.

Jat added that when the idea of girls' cricket was floated for the first time in the district, a lot of reluctance and opposition arose in the villages, but the young people with the support of Synergy volunteers managed to break down the rigidity. "We have managed the scenario to the point that the mixed-gender tournament could be successfully conducted," he said.

To encourage the players further, the winning team was given a trophy and a Rs 21,000 cash award. The runners-up got a cash prize of Rs 10,000. The teams that finished third and fourth got Rs 5000 each. Every other team that participated were handed Rs 500 cash and a cricket kit.

Crowds turn up in numbers

Despite the foggy and cold weather, the matches drew sizable crowds. The cricketing fields saw high enthusiasm, cheers and placards with gender parity slogans like ‘Jo tez gend ki daud hai; woh gender ka ek mod hai’ (the run of fast bowler is just another turn for issue of gender), ‘Hamare khel ki ek nai pehchan hai; gender samantaa hi uska samman hai’ (this is a new identity of our sports, gender equality is same as respect for gender), ‘cricket khelenge saath; jaanenge gender ki baat’ (will play cricket together and understand the issue of gender).

“I would watch my elder brother and his friends play cricket near our home and so developed an interest in the sport. The ‘bhaiyas’ (elder brothers) supported and encouraged me to practice and I always wanted to play at a big level. Synergy Sansthan’s initiative provided me and my sister (Priyanka) and a long-awaited chance to play at the district level and I am really happy and proud to have performed so well in my first big tournament,” Player of the Series Pinky, a student of class 11 and resident of village Chhidgaon, told The Week.

Pinky scored 189 runs and took four wickets in the tournament and though her team representing Nimacha village (including players from Chhidgaon) lost the final, she is happy to have made a big mark in the crucial initiative.

She is the youngest daughter of a family that sustains itself on manual labour by her parents Sunita and Kodar Navre and Pinky’s elder brother Vikas. Yet, the family is willing to support the sporting interests of their daughters while braving the social norms that frown upon girls playing sports like cricket.

“I have confidence in my daughters and want them to stand on their own feet. They play and they study well too. So I am sure they will do something good with their life and not struggle like us. Opinion of others does not matter, we will support our daughters for their best future,” Sunita said.

Rampal Dhurve, a resident of Kadya village, who attended the league matches regularly, found the initiative unique and praiseworthy. “This is the first time that such matches where girls and boys are playing together has been organised in our region. It is very interesting to watch them play with such competitiveness and enjoyment. I wish the young people best for their future,” he said.

Deepak Rathore, 18 of Team Chirakhan, who got the best fielder award, said that it was a very interesting and learning experience to play in the same team as girls. “It was clear that girls and boys are equal in every aspect, at least on the field of cricket. We played under a female captain and most of the team members were girls, but that wasn’t any problem for us. Rather, in most cases girls outshined boys,” Deepak says.

The chief guest at the award ceremony, BJP Harda district president Rajesh Verma was all praise for the initiative. “This Samavesh Cup cricket tournament that has been organised with the basic concept of gender justice is indeed an appreciable effort. Such events play a very important role in ensuring equality at all levels in the society, especially at a time when the entire world is discussing gender justice,” he said.

Not been an easy journey

However, on the ground, it was not at all easy for the participating girls and women. The families of the selected players won’t allow the girls to go out for practice citing one reason or other.

Puja said that the team members, especially herself and another experienced player Shivani had to tolerate a lot of jeering and ridicule from the villagers when they practiced.

“Are you out to win the World Cup? They would ask us. And see, we did really win the cup,” the teenager says with a lot of pride.

Puja’s pride is reflective of the newfound confidence of the Harda girls who have scripted a new gender success story.

cricket-for-a-cause-sachin-yuvraj-to-make-t20-comeback-in-one-world-one-family-cup

Tue Jan 16 12:18:51 IST 2024

Come January 18, two teams of veteran cricketers led by Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh will play a friendly T20 match in the One World One Family Cup at the newly-constructed Sai Krishnan Cricket Stadium in Sathya Sai Grama, a 40-minute drive from the Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport. Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar will be present at the match.

As the name indicates, Sathya Sai Grama, a little hamlet in Muddenahalli, is named after Sri Sathya Sai Baba; remembered most for his humanitarian initiatives like providing free education, free healthcare and drinking water for the needy. His philosophy was simple: ‘Love all, serve all’. He also always declared that after his time, his students would carry forward his mission of selfless love and service; and that is coming true.

Sathya Sai Grama is today home to a bunch of Baba’s former students, mostly young professionals, who have banded together as a social-service organisation with spiritual moorings, under the leadership of Sri Madhusudan Sai, a 44-year-old ex-banker and a double gold medallist at Baba’s university.

Spirituality has been redefined. ‘Divinity’ is now defined simply as total selflessness; ‘culture’, as concern for others; and man’s fundamental nature, as spirit. We are spiritual beings undergoing a brief human experience is the understanding; and therefore, one learns to progressively detach from the material, and instead, realise one’s self by “loving all and serving all” as “One world, One Family”.

Utopian? Quixotic? The amazing fact is that human beings the world over, particularly the youth, seem to resonate with the idea; and the team numbers are growing exponentially. Amazing institutions of public service have come up in 33 plus countries in the verticals of right nutrition, healthcare and values-based education – for free, for all, without any discrimination.

In India alone, this translates as three million government schoolchildren getting morning nutrition, complete with a health supplement – ‘SaiSure’; nearly 30 residential values based rural school campuses (eventually to number 600 – one for every Indian district), which search out and admit the poorest of the poor complete with a University for higher education; and three healthcare streams – one for children, that has mended nearly 30,000 little hearts, through a hospital chain sans billing counters, secondly, a growing chain of small, rural mother and child hospitals to promote healthy maternity, and thirdly, taluk-level Swasthya Centres to stem India’s ‘non-communicable diseases’ epidemic; and all this is totally free for all beneficiaries with no discrimination whatsoever. The crowning glory is that 2023 saw the first batch of medical students walk into the world’s first rural medical college offering MBBS and PG training totally free of cost, to those ready to work in rural geographies, for as many years as they received free education- the Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (SMSIMS&TR)

Who picks up the tab for all this? Good Samaritans the world over, who subscribe to these same shared values; through a Sai Global Federation of Foundations. Where does cricket come in? Little Master Sunil Gavaskar has been a prime mover, in garnering support for the child heart care mission, for about a decade. In fact, he calls it the third and best innings of his life. All this while, the work was done silently; but now, spearheaded by him, the cause is going public, in a manner of speaking; and what better way to connect with the heart of India, than through cricket?!

Besides, since bettering the lives of children is at the centre of the mission, sports have always been given pride of place in the education mission launched from Sathya Sai Grama. Every campus has sprawling sports grounds and facilities for games and yoga. Gavaskar, Pullela Gopichand, Somdev Devvarman and others are part of an advisory team to design the sports curriculum at the schools and the university; and the Sai Krishnan Cricket Stadium, in Sathya Sai Grama is their brainchild. Eventually, the stadium is to also house tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, besides an indoor facility.

The medical college at the village is poised to have a bio-mechanical laboratory and courses in sports medicine and sports psychology, while bachelors and master’s programmes in sports and physical training are being rolled out by the university. The goal of the sports mission is to nurture the natural aptitude that rural children seem to have, for sport; and hopefully help India bring home more medals in international sporting events, through participation in the government's Khelo India programmes.

Sports can do more for character building than sermonising; through fostering goal setting, team work, determination, focus and discipline, and learning to accept wins and losses with grace, reckons the team.

The amalgamation of sports, yoga and meditation nurtures holistic development, shaping children into persons with strong character, compassion and a profound understanding of their inner selves; and therefore, at the mission’s schools, athletics, games and yoga are a daily affair; on par with academics. While all the schools have individual Sports Days, the best of the teams congregate at Sathya Sai Grama where finally, mixed teams play each other. This promotes cooperation and friendship rather than competition which is the essence of sportsmanship. This year, the Annual Sports Meet for the schoolchildren has been planned for the day after the cricket tourney; and hence the rural kids from 30-odd campuses are all starry eyed at this unbelievable opportunity to see many of their cricketing idols in flesh and blood.

Gavaskar’s ‘Seva Fever’ has proved more infectious than COVID; and cricket stars from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, putting aside everything else, have come forward to bat for the mission, in the true spirit of One World, One Family. They have all expressed solidarity and support for the global ‘hat-trick’ of right nutrition, right education and quality healthcare, for free, for all.

The star-studded list includes Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Danny Morrison, Muttiah Muralitharan, Irfan Pathan, Monty Panesar, Makhaya Ntini, Venkatesh Prasad, Yusuf Pathan, Jason Krejza, Chaminda Vaas, Mohammad Kaif, Darren Maddy and many more!

A grand procession and classical dance extravaganza will usher in the match, while the amazing, mind-blowing Sai Symphony Orchestra, one of the only two such orchestras in India, made up of our own rural students, will serenade one after the match. Devotees from many nations have already landed in Sathya Sai Grama to watch this unique, maiden cricket match; but millions more are waiting with bated breath to watch it live on YouTube! So save the date – January 18 – to watch ‘Cricket for a Cause’; the One World, One Family Cup.

dr.hiramalini.seshadri@gmail.com

this-humble-langar-e-aam-in-bhopal-is-dignified-means-of-survival-for-many

Thu Jan 11 16:55:32 IST 2024

There are evenings when Gajraj Choudhary, 48, is quite a dejected man. These are evenings when Gajraj hasn’t been able to find any manual labour job to do throughout the day and thus he has nothing to take home to feed his three motherless children.

Also, these are the evenings that Gajraj’s feet automatically turn to Nadra Bus Stand in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh. Here, in front of a humble kiosk selling special ‘Namak wali chay’ (salted tea) of Bhopal, is a modest metal table, and on it are packets of hot food. And most of the time, Gajraj can simply pick up packets as required and walk off, without having to ask or say anything. Of course, he doesn’t have to pay anything either.

The small table is the serving tray of the ‘Langar-e-Aam’ of ‘Maqbool Bhai’ – a small free food initiative for the needy, started a decade ago.

‘Maqbool Bhai’ is Maqbool Ahamed, the owner of the tea kiosk, who without fail puts up about 100-125 packets of hot food before his stall every evening at 8pm. Till midnight, poor, destitute, travellers and other needy people with little or no money pick up the food packets and go away with a smile and a blessing for Ahamed.

“I lost my son, lost interest in life, developed an infection in my foot, stopped working and have no choice but to stay on the footpath here. But if not for food provided by Maqbool Bhai, survival would have been tough as I don’t beg,” Jaswant Lodhi, 40, who is a regular at the Langar-e-Aam says.

Binno Bai and Tara Bai, two elderly destitute women were offered the food packets by Ahamed with great respect and affection. The women were reluctant to speak, but their smiles said a lot about their happiness at getting the fresh, hot food.

What made Ahamed start this small but significant initiative? “My tea kiosk was set up in 1990, and I have witnessed the travails of the homeless, destitute and poor who stayed or visited the bus stand. I saw people fall ill and die, often starved. This shook me up and though I did not have much budget to spare, I decided to start this Langar (community kitchen) for these needy people in 2013. And by the grace of almighty, I have been able to put out the food every day, for over the past 10 years. I feel that offering needy people the opportunity to survive with some dignity – where they do not have to beg at least for food – is the best service to humanity one can do,” Ahamed, 58, says.

He mentions that though he never sought any support for his initiative from anyone, some of his friends and associates who came to know about it, voluntarily contributed in the form of raw material – rice, flour, vegetables or oil. Some continue to do so even now.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, every evening almost 300-350 persons would come for the food. After the pandemic, however, the number has reduced to around 100-125,” Ahamed says.

Yet, he bears a cost of about Rs 1,000 per day to keep his modest initiative going. Normally, the Langar-e-Aam serves chapatis and seasonal vegetable curry thrice a week and on other days, items like daal and rice, matar (peas) pulao, sometimes khichdi (porridge) or similar simple vegetarian stuff.

The main focus is that the food should be fresh and hot. So during winters, packets are put up in batches so that food can be heated up for those coming later. This correspondent tasted a little of chapati and potato-brinjal-tomato curry served on the evening of her visit and found it very tasty.

Earlier in the evening, Devendra Singh, a conductor on an inter-district bus running from the Nadra Bus Stand, had escorted two poor families who had come to look for work in Bhopal to the Langar-e-Aam. “I heard their discussion on the bus about having no money to buy dinner for all of them. Since I am a regular at the bus stand, I remembered about Maqbool Bhai and when the bus reached here, I asked these persons to get the free food from the Langar. I too got blessings along with Maqbool Bhai,” Singh says with a smile.

These blessings are what have kept Ahamed’s resolve strong for the past decade. “I have faced some opposition from a few jealous people around my kiosk. They try to create hurdles. But like Hazrat Ali (Islamic religious leader) said – the work that does not face hurdles does not get accepted as good work. So I live by this principle and keep doing my work.”

Will the initiative keep running? “Till my death at least,” says Ahamed. He says that all his three children – two daughters and a son – have completed their education and are doing good jobs in Bengaluru. “My wife and the kids always supported me in this work and they will continue to support me, though they might not be able to continue the Langar physically after me. Maybe my brothers could carry on. But at least till I am alive, I will continue with this,” he says.

“I feel it is almighty who helps me on my tough days through Maqbool Bhai. So I do not thank him. I thank the almighty and I urge the almighty to keep Maqbool Bhai and his family happy and healthy always,” Gajraj Choudhary says as he starts to move away with the food packets.

Maqbool Ahamed smiles and nods – his eyes silently speaking of the satisfaction he gets out of helping out fellow human beings.

watch-too-good-to-be-real-little-girl-s-oo-antava-dance-from-kerala-stuns-internet-viral-video

Mon Jan 08 22:09:13 IST 2024

It is Samuel Beckett who said, “Dance first. Think later. It’s the natural order.” If you have seen the viral video of a little girl in Kerala dancing to the tunes of the "Oo Antava" song, the Irish literary great would make absolute sense.

The undated video shows a girl, not over 6 or 7 years of age, strutting her stuff as soon as her favourite song starts playing on the speakers. What's more interesting is the fact that the girl is amongst the audience of some stage show seated in an open area. She clearly does not have much space to dance due to the closely aligned chairs, but she makes most of the limited area as soon as the song begins.

The viral video was shot by a fellow audience who was seated alongside the little dancer. It showed she enthusiastically starting to flex and stretch herself to the tunes of the popular Telugu number -- eyes fixed towards the stage. Impressed by the little one's brilliance, women around her started applauding. While some turned towards her ignoring the stage on the other side, another woman was seen vacating her chair and occupying another so that the dancer got more space -- the video showed.

Towards the end of the video, the little girl calls it a day and decides to settle down on her mother's lap. However, she is dragged back to the space between the chairs for round two by a teen girl, possibly her elder sister. The video ends as the two girls then start dancing together to the joy of the spectators.

"We don't really need a stage, will rock in whatever little space there is..." a Facebook page that shared the awesome video rightly captioned it. Over 2.1 million people have so far seen the video.

The popular dance number sung by Indravathi Chauhan featuring Allu Arjun and Samantha Ruth Prabhu is from the 2021 Telugu blockbuster 'Pushpa: The Rise.' Ever since the song was released, "Oo Antava" has ruled Instagram reels and YouTube shorts.

WATCH THE VIRAL DANCE VIDEO HERE:

sabarimala-a-tale-of-flickering-light-in-the-woods

Tue Jan 09 11:19:30 IST 2024

Every year, multitudes of pilgrims at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in a Kerala forest go into raptures at the sight of a flickering flame far away at Ponnambalamedu grasslands. Their numbers have only increased even after the official revelation that the light, which they thought divine, was purely a manmade one.

According to tribal lore, Ponnambalamedu is the birthplace of the lord Ayyappa. It was here that the king of Panthala (or Pandalam) happened to see him as a baby lying on a rock. This spot is now known as moola-sthanam or ‘the origin’.

Legend goes that a demoness called Mahishi tormented the sages and subjects of Panthala. She was a chimera, with a buffalo head and a human body, and was invincible for anyone born of a natural male-female union. So, to kill her, Ayyappa was born the son of two male gods, Shiva and Vishnu who was disguised as an enchantress.

The flickering light at Ponnambalamedu marks the culmination of the annual rituals at Sabarimala. The light is known as ‘Makara Vilakku’. Until the late 1990s, very few people knew that it was lit by the local tribals, to signal that they had sighted a star rise on the horizon and so the temple could open for deepa-aradhana (evening puja). The star (Sirius) was called ‘Makara Jyoti’. Over time, the flame assumed a divine significance of its own which even surpassed the deepa-aradhana.

Eventually, as the tribals’ interest in performing the ritual waned, the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the temple, began managing the flame as well. Later, it built a concrete platform a few metres from the moola-sthanam so that the flame could be seen even from Pamba, about 8km from the temple.

But, a decade ago, the Devaswom Board admitted that there was nothing miraculous about the flickering light. The confession, however, had little effect on the fervour of the pilgrims.

The grasslands of Ponnambalamedu lie in the Pamba range of the Periyar tiger reserve (west). There is a 4km-long jeep road leading to Ponnambalamedu from the Kochu Pampa forest check-post. One would find the road blocked, with iron bars at two different places. Entry is strictly controlled by the forest department.

The road snakes through vast swathes of pristine and ecologically fragile grasslands marked by the presence of dense shola forest en route, which is unique in species composition.

Towards the end of the road there is an old fire watch tower for spotting incipient blazes in the grasslands during summer. It is a fact that annual fires in the grasslands prevent shola forests from ‘salami slicing' into the grasslands.

After the fire watch tower, there is a trek route that is less than a kilometre long to reach the moola-sthanam. Age-old engravings seen on this rock are believed to be the handiwork of tribals. There is a lone graceful tree called ‘irumbarakki’ (Filicium decipiens) abutting the new concrete platform and edging the cliff. A pond nearby, named after the lord Rama, is frequented by wild animals as is evident from the hoof prints and pug marks in the soil.

The flickering flame is no more a secret or a mystery. Pilgrims have accepted its human origin. But they still do not have sufficient amenities at the Sabarimala temple, or on the way to the temple, to watch the flame or the lord. There are hours-long traffic snarls and never-ending queues for darshan. As many as 104 lives were lost in a ghastly stampede during Makara Vilakku on January 14, 2011. Earnest efforts are needed to avert such incidents in the future.

The author is a divisional forest officer and wildlife warden.

on-world-introvert-day-a-look-at-5-famous-introverts

Wed Jan 03 10:42:21 IST 2024

Do you yearn for seclusion, and love to relax and recharge your batteries in your comfort zone without being disturbed by the outside world? Then, World Introvert Day is for you. Observed on January 2, the day celebrates the uniqueness and potentiality of introverts.

World Introvert Day was the brainchild of German psychologist and author Felicitas Heyne. It started in 2011 with her blog post "Here's Why We Need a World Introvert Day" on her website, "iPersonic". January 2 was chosen because it marks the end of the holiday season and allows introverts to take a breather from social gatherings.

There are several misconceptions about introverts—that they are shy, timid, have stage fright, among other things. But history has proven them wrong in several instances, through the lives of successful businessmen and political leaders, scientists, artists and sportspeople.

Here's a look at five popular introverts:

Albert Einstein

The world-renowned physicist and Nobel laureate was a known introvert. One of his famous quotes is: “The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulate the creative mind.” He embraced his introvertedness. The German-born physicist is famous for his special and general theories of relativity. He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.

Bill Gates

Bill Gates is the co-founder of Microsoft and one of the wealthiest people in the world. “Well, I think introverts can do quite well,” he said once. “If you're clever, you can learn to get the benefits of being an introvert, which might be, say, being willing to go off for a few days and think about a tough problem, read everything you can, and push yourself very hard to think out on the edge of that area. Then, if you come up with something, if you want to hire people, get them excited, and build a company around that idea, you better learn what extroverts do, you better hire some extroverts (like Steve Ballmer, whom I would claim is an extrovert), and tap into both sets of skills in order to have a company that thrives both in deep thinking and building teams and going out into the world to sell those ideas.”

Gates was an introvert but not shy.

Steven Spielberg

The legendary Hollywood filmmaker is famous for the Jurassic Park films, Schindler’s List, and Saving Private Ryan and more. Spielberg has admitted that he loves to work behind the camera and would prefer getting lost in films rather than attend social gatherings.

Barack Obama

He was the first African-American to be elected President of the United States. He was criticised for being an introvert. He once admitted in an interview with The New York Times that when he is alone and is surrounded by tranquility and calmness, he is most productive.

Meryl Streep

The three-time Academy Award winner is a known introvert. Some of her iconic roles came in films such as The Devil Wears Prada, Sophie's Choice, The Iron Lady and Mamma Mia. Though she was an introvert, she was a regular on the stage since her school days.

kochi-she-lodge-hit-or-a-miss

Sat Dec 30 13:57:56 IST 2023

Kochi, which is literally the heart of Kerala, is home to a dynamic population, especially youth in search of jobs and other creative opportunities. So, when the need for a safe place for lone women travellers arose, the idea of a 'She Lodge' was proposed by Cochin Corporation Mayor M. Anilkumar and Welfare Standing Committee Chairperson Sheeba Lal.

The idea is a reality today, and is one of the prime projects of the Cochin Corporation. Located near the Ernakulam Town Railway Station, the She Lodge provides safe and clean accommodation, and food to women travellers travelling to and through the city.

When the idea of a safe shelter for women was proposed, everyone agreed that it should be readily accessible. The inoperative Libra Hotel premises was chosen as the location. Though the renovation of the hotel started in 2017, the project gained momentum after the new council came to power in 2020. Sheeba Lal was given the responsibility to oversee the project.

“Initially, people said it would shut down in a few days. But, nine months later, here we are as a ray of hope for women travelling to Kochi,” Sheeba Lal said. “Even if rooms are not available, we accommodate women who feel unsafe at night and provide them with basic needs.”

Grand opening

Kerala Local Self Government Minister M.B. Rajesh inaugurated the She Lodge in 2022. It was opened to the public on March 8 - Women’s Day – this year. The staff were recruited from among Kudumbashree members, post interviews. All three matrons of the institution are graduates. The She Lodge provides employment to at least 20 women.

“While recruiting from among Kudumbashree volunteers, we appointed the ones who were passionate about this institution. We needed people who would care for this place as their own house,” said Sheeba Lal.

Facilities

The She Lodge has 48 single rooms, 32 double rooms (two-sharing) and a dormitory with 30 beds, all with attached bathrooms. The dormitory is in high demand, as it costs only Rs 100 a day. Single bedrooms cost Rs 200 and the double rooms for Rs 350. The inmates can avail food of their choice from Samridhi@Kochi hotel at subsidised rates. A library and a reading space are provided for its inmates. The institution is eco-friendly and the entire building works on solar energy.

Warm response

People, especially women, have welcomed the She Lodge. Amala, a Suchitwa Mission worker and a frequent inmate of She Lodge, said it “feels like home”.

“In the past, finding a secure place to stay in Kochi was challenging,” she said. “When I first heard about the She Lodge, I rushed to explore it. But, it was not open to the public then.

"She Lodge offers a peaceful environment for women like me who travel frequently,” Amala said.

Challenges galore

She Lodge had to face several challenges initially. Prime among them was the deserting of elderly women by relatives. The staff had to ensure their well-being. The increasing frequency of such instances forced the corporation not to admit women above 60 years of age.

Also, some inmates refused to vacate their rooms even after the proposed days of stay. So, the corporation had to cap the number of days at seven.

Some occupants would take away the pillow covers, bed sheets and blankets that were provided to them, while vacating.

Also, the She Lodge used to get several packages in the name of the inmates, following which the management asked the inmates to refrain from using the institution’s address.

At least 2,700 women have availed this facility since March 2023. Perhaps, the best indicator of the success of the She Lodge is the profit of Rs 24 lakh in less than a year.

Timing:

She Lodge is operational from 6am to 10pm. But the doors are never closed for women in need.

Location:

Paramara Road, near Ernakulam Town Railway Station,

Kacheripady, Ernakulam

Contact:

+91 95671 44489

unique-christmas-traditions-around-the-world

Wed Dec 20 17:46:09 IST 2023

December 25 is synonymous with Christmas trees, gifts, Santa Claus, cookies and cakes, and more. But, in some countries, Christmas celebrations go beyond the usual. Here's a look at some countries which celebrate the day in a unique manner.

IRELAND

The Irish keep a tall candle on the window sill overnight as a gesture to welcome the parents of Christ. The candle is a symbol of hospitality and hope. When the Catholics were being persecuted, the candle served as a signal for the priest - to let him know that it was safe for him to enter the home.

ICELAND

From December 12 to Christmas eve, the children place a pair of their shoes on the window sill. Icelandic Santas are called jólasveinar and each of them has his own role and name. The Santas begin to visit houses 13 days before Christmas. After placing the shoe on the window sill the night before, the children wake up to find a gift or a candy (if the kid has been good) or, at times, rotten potatoes and a note (if they did something wrong).

PHILIPPINES

The longest Christmas is celebrated by the Filipinos. Their festivities begin in September. Buildings are decorated with lights. Ligligan Parul, the Giant Lantern Festival in San Fernando city, features lanterns and it symbolises the star of Bethlehem. Children, teens or even adults go from door to door singing Christmas carols and put up an entire show with musical instruments in exchange for gifts or money. From December 16 to Christmas day, they attend mass at the church. According to their belief, if one attends all the nine masses, then their dream will come true. In the Philippines, giving Christmas gifts, especially to children, is considered important.

DENMARK

Before the advent of Christianity in Denmark, Christmas or ‘Jól’ was a celebration of the brighter days. During Christmas, Danish homes are decorated with mythical or supernatural characters. They believe that these supernatural beings provide them with protection. On Christmas eve, they dance around the Christmas tree placed in the centre of the room while singing carols. They also have the common practice of distributing gifts that are placed under the Christmas tree.

FINLAND

Traditionally, Finnish families on Christmas morning eat a porridge made of rice. The dish is topped with milk, cinnamon milk or butter. An almond is placed inside the dish. Whoever gets the almond in their share of food ‘wins’. But families tend to place more than one almond in the dish in order to make the kids happy, as every child might receive one almond each. At the end of the day, Christmas is all about happiness.

AUSTRIA

In Austria, the legend of Krampus is famous. Krampus is a beast-like creature, a companion of St. Nicholas. People dress like Krampus. The children are asked about the good and bad deeds they have done. Children who have done more good deeds are rewarded with nuts, apples and sweets and the other children worry about what Krampus might bring with him when he comes to meet them on Christmas day.

five-famous-christmas-markets-around-the-world

Wed Dec 20 16:19:53 IST 2023

The holiday season is not only marked by Christmas trees, cakes and carols, but also Christmas markets in some parts of the world. Christmas markets are, often, open-air markets that sell Christmas trees and lights and have stalls selling food, handicrafts and gifts for the holiday season.

Here's a look at five of the most famous and happening Christmas markets of this year.

Tallinn Christmas Market (Tallinn, Estonia)

The Town Hall Square finds itself home to the annual Tallinn Christmas Market. The market is open from December 1, 2023 - January 7, 2024. The Christmas tree, which is the first-ever public one to be erected, has been standing tall and proud since 1441 and is, indeed, the star of the market. The market offers local handicrafts and a wide range of delicacies, ranging from mulled wine to Estonian Christmas dishes like Sour Cabbage and Black Pudding. Musical groups and dance troupes put on a show for the visitors.

Advent Feast at the Basilica (Budapest, Hungary)

This Christmas market - open from November 17, 2023 to January 1, 2024 - has been crowned the best Christmas market in Europe since 2019. It is located in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica and offers visitors a variety of Hungarian and international cuisines and local handicrafts. In the middle of the market, there is an ice rink that circles the Christmas tree. While the stalls, ice rink, and free concerts are enough reasons to visit the famed Christmas market, what usually seals the deal for visitors is the 3D light show, the biggest one in all of Europe.

Striezelmarkt Christmas Market (Dresden, Germany)

The biggest Christmas market in Germany is also its oldest. Located in Altmarkt, the market’s origin can be traced all the way back to 1434. This year, the market is open till December 24 and has attraction such as Elf Cottages, Puppet Theatre, and Santa Claus’s House. The market’s Christmas Pyramid, which is 45-foot-tall, and the Stollen, a German Christmas bread, often steal the show. Visitors can buy locally produced wood crafts and fabrics as well as enjoy the Christmas lights, food, and rides like the Ferris Wheel.

Viennese Dream Christmas Market (Vienna, Austria)

Vienna’s biggest Christmas market, also referred to as ‘Christmas World’, is located in Rathaus City Hall. It is open till December 26, 2023, and has around 150 stalls. Vanillekipferl, or vanilla crescent cookies, mulled wine and gingerbread man are some of the must-try items at this Christmas market. It has an area dedicated to children where they can experience Christmas in their own fun ways - by making Christmas cookies and candles. The ‘Tree of Hearts’ is another attraction at this Christmas market.

Prague Christmas markets (Prague, Czech Republic)

Prague’s two main Christmas markets are at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square with many smaller markets scattered around the city. Every year, a theme has to be followed and this year’s theme is ‘Cinderella’, paying homage to the Popelka, the Czech version of the fairytale and a Christmas tradition. A few things to try at the Prague Christmas markets are traditional Christmas fish soup (rybí polévka), smoked meat dumplings (sladké knedlíky), barbequed sausages (klobása), chimney cake, as well as Grog, a drink made of rum, water, lemon, and sugar. The plates, cups, and straws are 100 per cent biodegradable and whenever possible, the ingredients are sourced locally. They are open for visitors starting on December 2, 2023 to January 6, 2024.

smitha-m-babus-paintings-depict-simple-everyday-life

Sat Dec 16 19:12:03 IST 2023

Waking up to the sound of coir making near the shore of the Ashtamudi Lake was routine for Smitha M. Babu, a resident of the Kollam district. Manufacturing coir was the main occupation of the people in the vicinity. Smitha, a graduate of the College of Fine Arts, Thiruvananthapuram, paints her childhood experiences on canvases to share with the world the working-class life that she grew up seeing.

'Pakkalam', the space where coir is made, is also the name of the art exhibition. The coir is extracted from the husk of the coconut and soaked in freshwater or saltwater to make it soft. Unlike other fibres, the coir from the coconut does not break due to its relatively strong nature. The harvested coir then goes through the process of spinning and weaving. Smitha uses watercolour paints as her medium of artistic expression. She has been working on watercolour paintings since 2016.

She wishes to portray what she saw in her childhood in these frames, but more than that, present it through a performance. Smitha is more than just a painter. She is also a theatre artist. On the first day of the exhibition, she enacted a theatre performance of Pakkalam, the art of coir making.

There is a strong unforgettable sense of theatricality in her paintings. She exhibits a panoramic view of the culture through a theatre performance. The people in the paintings seem as though they are on-stage characters performing to an unseen audience. They are acting out their daily life – people gathered in the streets, the playing of music, children running around on the grounds, cleaning the house, fishing, praying and, of course, coir making. The abstraction in her paintings is seen through the unfamiliar movement of the village people, dancing in a way that has not been witnessed before. Her paintings use very subtle earth tones, green and brown for the landscape and sky, white and light pastel colours for the people, and even small pops of colour in certain areas in some of the canvases.

During the inauguration of the exhibition, the topic of curatorship was also brought up. Doubts on whether a solo exhibition could be put together had risen. An art curator’s job is to plan and organize an artist’s or a group of artists' work, to exhibit it in a way they deem the spectators may enjoy it, leaving the curator with a sort of artistic freedom. It is the job of the curators to identify and help the artists grow, a guiding hand of sorts.

Smitha can add one more skill to her very colourful resume; forensic artist. Smitha, along with her husband, Shajith Babu, were asked by the Kollam police to create a sketch of the suspected culprit in the recent kidnapping case of a six-year-old. She says that they were contacted the night of the kidnapping, November 27. “It was around the time that we were busy with the preparation of the solo exhibition. When the police came to us that night, we thought we might give it a shot”. They had never done anything like this before but were still determined for the sake of the little girl. That night they had to come up with a sketch of the suspect based on an eyewitness’s report. Although it did take some time, they were able to produce a sketch that was then released to the public. Thankfully, the child was found abandoned in a park, Asramam Maidanam, the next afternoon, ending a 20-hour statewide search. “We were all relieved when we heard the news that she was found”.

Pakkalam, a contemporary solo art exhibition project by Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, curated by Pavel, with over 30 watercolour paintings by Smitha M. Babu, is currently being exhibited in the Durbar Hall Art Gallery, Ernakulam, till December 22. Come and witness the theatrical paintings showcasing the art of simple living and coir making, a true gift for your senses.

indian-navy-day-2023-celebrated-with-fervour-and-gusto

Thu Dec 14 14:43:16 IST 2023

Tarkarli is a quaint coastal village in Maharashtra, and home to stunning white sand beaches and serene temples. This beautiful beach was witness to the supersonic speed and sound of MIG-29K and LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas on December 4, as the Indian Navy celebrated the Navy Day at Tarkarli in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The setting sun and the the magnificent Sindhudurg fort formed the perfect backdrop as Aces of the Indian naval aviation performed stunning stunts in the sky.

“जलमेव यस्य, बलमेव तस्य"—the one who controls the sea is all powerful. Indian Navy showcased its operational prowess, battle preparedness and other capabilities with several demonstrations. It was hosted by Admiral R. Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff. Modi unveiled the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Malvan at 4.15pm and attended the celebrations along with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan. Local populace had thronged to the beach at Tarkarli to witness Navy Day celebrations and parade.

The rehearsals went on from November 29 to December 3.

The demonstration began with the Marine Commandos of the Indian Navy. Six marine commandos jumped from the ALH helicopter from 8000ft. Around 10 minutes later, they landed on the podium in front of the chief guest, PM Modi. They were presented mementos. The commandos then demonstrated slithering operation on Gemini boats and beach assault and neutralising enemy post in the sea.

Twenty warships, along with INS Vikramaditya, participated. Around two nautical miles from the beach, INS Vinaash and INS Vipul demonstrated the surface-to-surface missile launch. Various helicopters drills were displayed by the Sea King 42, MH60 Romeo, Kamov 31, ALH (Advance Light Helicopter) and Chetak. As sun was about to set, five MIG-29K flew past, along with MIG-29K, LCA Tejas, Surveillance aircraft Dornier and Poseidon-8I.

During the closing ceremony, the naval band performed continuity drill, and the Sea Cadet Corps did the Hornpipe dance. The Beating Retreat Ceremony culminated in the lowering of the national flag. The warships, which are anchored in the Arabian Sea, were illuminated and laser show held on the Sidhudurg fort.

elephant-arjuna-known-for-leading-mysuru-dasara-procession-dies-in-wild-tusker-attack

Mon Dec 04 18:23:49 IST 2023

Elephant Arjuna, which became a darling of locals by carrying the howdah during the famous Mysuru Dasara procession eight times, died on Monday after being attacked by a wild tusker in Hassan district, reports said. Arjuna was 63.

Arjuna was being used by the Karnataka Forest Department for an operation to catch rogue wild elephants when the face-off reportedly happened. The wild tusker attacked Arjuna during an operation near Yeslur in Sakaleshpur, The Hindu said in a report.

The objective of the Forest Department was to capture the troublesome wild elephants roaming the Sakaleshpur, Alur, Belur and Yeslur ranges of Hassan. However, the operaton stands called off followung Arjuna's death, the daily said.

Arjuna suffered grievous injuries to the stomach in the clash that occurred in the morning and breathed his last in the afternoon, the daily added.

Arjuna carried the howdah a total of eight times until 2019. The jumbo was relieved of the duty that year considering his age. According to local media reports, it is the lead elephant that gets to carry the prestigious howdah (also called Amabari) during the processions.

Although it was in the second decade of the 21st century that Arjuna started carrying the howdah, the elephant became part of the Mysuru Dasara procession in the 1990s, Udayavani said in a report.

echoes-of-earth-indias-greenest-music-festival-is-back

Fri Dec 01 16:26:41 IST 2023

Last December, over 20,000 people flocked to India’s greenest music festival in Bengaluru—the Echoes of Earth. It was a two-day extravaganza of art, music, culture and conservation. The sound of music and merriment spilled from the 180-acre expanse of the Embassy International Riding School, as the audiences swayed to jazz, techno, blues, reggae and rock.

The festival is now back in its sixth edition, on December 2 and 3. If the theme last year was ‘Circle of Life’, this time it is ‘Ensemble of the Wild’—an ode to the Western Ghats. The mountain range has been recognised by the UNESCO as one of the world’s eight ‘hottest hotspots’. Environmentalists might have a role to play in conserving its beauty and biological diversity, but perhaps, so do the rockstars. The hills must be alive with the sound of their music.

The idea for the festival originated from Roshan Netalkar’s years in the event management industry, which included everything from house parties to exhibitions. By some estimates, the industry will be worth $7.6 trillion by 2030. That growth has resulted in an alarming amount of waste, from plastic bottles and unused food to decorative items and branding elements.

“The festival is woven around the larger message of responsible celebration,” says Netalkar. “While it would take a month to curate any other music festival, this is a year-long exercise. Last year we did an on-ground audit of the waste we generated. This year we will look into the larger carbon footprint.”

In the last edition, 80 per cent of all festival assets, most significantly art installations, were created using old, discarded, recycled, and upcycled material. Plastic water bottles were replaced with RO water filters onsite. Wet waste was composted, and dry recycled.

Around 10 per cent of the festival’s power needs this year will be met with solar energy. Workshops for children, brunch with performing artistes, and a carefully curated flea market with organic, natural, artisanal and handmade products are also part of the festival mix. And yes, there will be electric charging points for vehicles.

One could, of course, raise all those grey zone questions, like the carbon footprint of artistes flying in from across the world. There are no quick and easy answers. For now, there is a sapling planted for every ticket sold, but Netalkar is acutely aware of the festival’s slow march to becoming completely circular.

This year’s artiste lineup includes the likes of Carnatic musician and music producer Sid Sriram; desert blues band Tinariwen from the Sahara region of northern Mali; Turkish DJ Len Faki; Ukrainian sound producer Iryna Shvydka; New York-based multi-instrumentalist Jitwam; and Sri Rama Murthy, aka Murthovic, an electronic music composer, sound designer and DJ from Hyderabad.

There are both Western classical and Carnatic music influences in Murthovic’s work. He traces the ‘natural progression’ of his interest in the environment as a musical theme, from the childlike wonder of seeing a touch-me-not to the study of environmental sciences at university. “This connection goes beyond just plants to things like percussion instruments made from natural resources like wood. It is a holistic appreciation for the beauty of nature in various forms,” says Murthovic.

There is always a thin line between entertaining and sermonising that music of this kind must tread, especially with the youth who have short attention spans. But Murthovic does not find this a challenge “as long as the music has an interesting groove, rhythm, melodic motif and some kind of storytelling element”. According to him, you can only entertain when you can make the audience feel what you are feeling. “When it actually works, it goes beyond being a mere set,” he says. “It becomes a narrative that exudes core values and tells a unique story. Striking a balance between storytelling, quirkiness, an off-centre approach, relevance, and other artistic choices is where the magic happens.”

One of the most interesting bands to play at the festival is Matsumoto Zoku, of Japanese origin. The four-member group does human beat-making, and plays the wind instrument didgeridoo and the hand pan—a round bowl played with sharp taps.

Band members say that the earth has been a big concern in their musical journey, impacting their “inner core”. They say that they do not care who listens to their music, but only its potential to improve people’s lives. For them, the music and the message are inextricably linked. “The message is in our core [at the] unconscious and subconscious level,” says Reo Matsumoto, the group’s co-founder. “Entertaining [through music] exists at the conscious level. It comes through our live shows. We entrust it to the audience.”

For Netalkar, the music must always be centre-stage. “Between having a big name associated with us or putting music at the top, music will always be our choice,” he says. A green festival might not be the norm in a country famous for its excess; still, four state governments have approached the team to bring it to their regions. The next obvious destination is the country’s music capital, Goa. But, as the festival team envisages, its sounds of sustainability are destined to travel farther and wider.

watch-viral-video-schoolgirl-gets-filmed-while-showing-off-kaavaalaa-charm-to-friends-her-reaction-is-gold

Thu Nov 23 22:08:42 IST 2023

The 'Kaavaalaa' song from Rajinikanth-starred "Jailer" stands tall among this year's chartbusters. Sung by composer Anirudh Ravichander and Shilpa Rao, a dashing Tamannaah Bhatia's viral hook steps were also the reason for the song becoming an instant sensation.

The song remains a popular "reel material" on Instagram, with the hook being the highlight -- even months after the movie's release. Several celebrities, social media influencers and the public recreated the iconic dance moves that created ripples online.

Now, another 'Kaavaalaa' video has now become viral on the internet. The video, however, is not one shot for Instagram on a chosen platform after multiple rehearsals. Instead, this one is a "spy cam work" from inside a school classroom where a group of friends are enjoying a break.

The undated video shows a schoolgirl dancing to the 'Kaavaalaa' song surrounded by a small group of friends. She sings the popular song herself while recreating the hook steps delightfully and without a care for the world.

However, she is shocked when she finds out her dance moves are being recorded (by the unknown person behind the camera). She freezes for a moment with bulged eyes before falling playfully to a side. The changing emotions on her face, facing the camera, also alerts her friends of the cameraperson's presence behind them, who burst into laughter.

The viral video shared by a Facebook page has garnered over 1.6 million views during the time of compiling this article. "Kids these days are always vibing, are they not?" the caption in Malayalam read.

While it remains uncertain if the clip was from a school in Kerala or not. there is no doubt that the caption got it right. Keep having fun, little ones!

WATCH THE VIRAL VIDEO HERE:

iconography-of-deepam-author-indu-chintas-ode-to-the-unexplored-legacy-of-keralas-traditional-lamps

Wed Nov 15 16:29:57 IST 2023

A metalsmith once made a visit to the Sri Mahadeva Temple, an ancient Shiva Temple in Ettumanoor, a town situated in the central region of present-day Kerala. The artisan had crafted a suspension lamp as a gift for the temple, but the temple priests initially declined to accept it, expressing concerns about the substantial amount of oil it would consume to keep it lit. In response, the metalsmith confidently stated that the lamp could burn even without oil.

Unexpectedly, a stranger appeared and took the lamp, placing it inside the belikalpura (a structure that houses the main offering stone) of the shrine. Suddenly, the sky rumbled with thunder, and lightning struck, igniting the lamp. Remarkably, it has never ceased burning since that moment. This tale is just one of the many legends surrounding the famous Vada Vilakk of the Ettumanoor temple. “Valiya Keda Vilakku, with repeated use, took on the colloquial expression Vada Vilakku. However, both terms indicate a sense of eternity: 'valiya' means large and 'keda' means that which cannot be extinguished. Similarly, ‘vada’ refers to something that does not wilt,” explains author Indu Chinta.

It is the fascination for such legends and historical narratives that made Chinta to switch from pursuing a career in environmental engineering to be an explorer of culture. A recipient of the Kerala Folklore Academy Award in 2020, Chinta recently published a unique book, Iconography of Deepam, on the traditional lamps in Kerala.

“The project began with a request from the government of Madhya Pradesh,” the author recounts. “They approached me to write an article for a special publication by the Triveni Museum, which was scheduled for release on Republic Day earlier this year. The museum intended to establish a new section dedicated to showcasing various lamps from different regions of India. They sought my representation for the state of Kerala. That is how my journey into this subject began,” she adds.

She further says: “As I started working on the article, my exploration grew more profound. They also granted me the freedom to decide the direction in which I wanted to take this study. It became apparent that, despite their ubiquity in religious ceremonies and significant life events such as births, deaths, marriages, naming ceremonies, and housewarming rituals, there was surprisingly limited written or published material available on the topic. Consequently, I decided to delve into the lamp's cultural context, investigating its role within cultural and ritualistic systems.”

It was in 2017, during her time at IIT Madras, that Chinta’s profound passion for culture was kindled, much like the oil that fuels the traditional lamps she would later write about in her book. “Tamil Nadu is a state teeming with culture, and my heart has always been close to the preservation of culture and the art of writing. During my time at IIT Madras in mid-2017, I began to feel that the moment was ripe for me to make the leap from my current pursuits to a full-time exploration of writing and culture,” she says.

“I embarked on weekend journeys, even in and around Chennai, where Tamil Nadu's rich cultural tapestry never ceased to captivate me. The thought gradually formed in my mind that the time had come to transition into a full-time engagement with writing and culture,” she adds.

Chinta’s travels took her through the vibrant landscapes of southern Karnataka and brought her to the northern reaches of Kerala, to Kasargod and Kannur. “In Kannur, a chance encounter with an enthusiastic Italian couple who had recently witnessed a Theyyam performance left me curious and inspired. I decided to attend one of these performances myself, initially with the intention of writing an article for a newspaper. I watched Thee Chamundi or perhaps Putiya Bhagwati, one of my earliest experiences with Theyyam, and I was utterly awestruck,” she recalls.

The tradition of Theyyam encompasses the rituals, customs, and traditions linked to the temples and sacred groves of Malabar. In the eyes of the local population, Theyyam serves as a conduit to the divine, and they actively seek blessings from the Theyyam performers. “I returned to Kannur, drawn back by the irresistible allure of Theyyam, and this time, I decided to document my experiences through both words and photographs. It quickly became evident that the written word alone could not do justice to this incredible tradition. As my journey unfolded, I cancelled my return ticket to Hyderabad and spent the entire Theyyam season in Kannur,” she says.

“The culmination of my work during this transformative period was my first book, Theyyam: Merging with the Divine. It is hard to put into words the enchantment and revelation I experienced. 'Magical' would be an understatement – it was truly an epiphany.”

Chinta started the work for Iconography of Deepam also with trips to Kannur—to Kunhimangalam and Payyannur, two ancient centres of lamp-making in the southern state.

“The artisans I saw there are truly remarkable, not just for their craftsmanship but for the remarkable continuity of their traditions across many generations, especially in Kunhimangalam,” she recalls.

“They have upheld these practices for centuries, living in tight-knit communities tucked away from the main roads. I was profoundly impressed by the dedication of the younger generation, who consider their craft a cherished inheritance and take immense pride in it. Even young girls displayed a keen interest, closely watching their fathers, uncles, or brothers in the workshop, eager to learn. It is a tight-knit community, and knowledge is transferred through oral traditions.”

In Kunhimangalam, the lamp-making families possess something called Dhyana Slokas, which are essentially their trade secrets. These are closely guarded and not disclosed to outsiders. Over the years, this knowledge has been passed down orally. “These Dhyanaslokas play a vital role, particularly in the handcrafting process as opposed to machine production,” says Chinta. “They dictate the precise proportions of metal to use when creating specific types of lamps. In Kunhimangalam, 33 distinct types of lamps are made, each with its dedicated dhyana sloka outlining the exact measurements. The artisans begin their work with a prayer, infusing their craft with a sense of divinity and deep reverence for each lamp they create.”

Iconography of Deepam delves into the significance of lamps not only within religious rituals but also in the realm of performance arts, including Kutiyattam, Kathakali, Tholpavakoothu, and Mudiyettu. It uncovers the intriguing history behind why Kerala does not celebrate India's grand Diwali festival with much fanfare and instead observes its unique Festival of Lights.

While scholars began studying Kerala's oil lamps almost a century ago, cultural expert Carol Radcliffe Bolon of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., recognises Chinta as the first author to put the lamps of Kerala into their full cultural setting.

The author is currently in the process of preparing for the publication of another book dedicated to the art of Theyyam. She is also gearing up to explore and document the captivating stories that lie concealed within the culture that surrounds us.

kerala-literature-festival-to-feature-over-500-speakers

Thu Nov 09 18:36:23 IST 2023

The seventh edition of the Kerala Literature Festival, one of the most popular literary event of the subcontinent, is set to take place from January 11 to January 14 2023, at Kozhikode Beach. Each year, the festival sees Booker Prize winners, Nobel Laureates, literary luminaries, celebrities and media personalities.

Kozhikode was recently named the 'City of Literature' by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). The literary event has certainly contributed in its journey to this prestigious title. The central theme of 'City of Literature' was bestowed upon Kozhikode to acknowledge its substantial influence in the world of words and letters.

"We are immensely proud of Kozhikode's recognition as the 'City of Literature' by UNESCO. This achievement underlines the lively literary and artistic culture that thrives in our city. The Kerala Literature Festival has been instrumental to this journey, serving as a cultural beacon, bringing together acclaimed authors and passionate readers from around the world. Kozhikode truly embodies the essence of literature, and this recognition reflects the festival’s remarkable impact.” said Shri. P. A. Mohammed Riyas, Tourism Minister of Kerala said in a statement.

The event, organised by organised by DC Kizhakemuri Foundation and co-promoted by DC Books will have over 500 speakers. The annual literary event has gained international acclaim since inception in 2016. the event will be inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The festival, has previously featured the likes of Shashi Tharoor, Manu S Pillai, William Dalrymple and Gurucharan Das.

"Kozhikode's recognition as the 'City of Literature' by UNESCO is a testament to the power of literature to transcend boundaries and unite people. The Kerala Literature Festival has been a proud catalyst in this journey, providing a platform for stories to be told, heard, and cherished," Ravi Deecee, Chief Facilitator, Kerala Literature Festival.

gaza-war-why-publishers-community-remains-silent

Sat Oct 28 17:21:28 IST 2023

The first thought I had [when the bombardment of Gaza began] was to write to the writers I know, and whom I've been in touch with, and express enormous sorrow, very great sadness at what's happening. Of course, there is rage, there is moral outrage, there is a kind of ferocious despair at what’s going on. But I didn’t want to communicate that to them, what I wanted to communicate is great sorrow at what they are going through and have been going through.

Suad Amiry [Palestinian writer and architect] wrote back to me and said “I don't know which is greater, the pain or the sadness”. This is especially true of those Palestinians living outside Palestine. The majority of writers I know, live outside Palestine. The ones in Palestine are in the West Bank. I don't know anyone in Gaza.

In the West Bank, it's an existential reality every day, every moment of the day. How is one to communicate one’s feelings, both of solidarity and of empathy, as well as a great sadness? Because, honestly, there are very few words that you can find to communicate.

Communication is extremely tricky. A few emails now and then is the exchange we have. Adania Shibli [the writer who was to receive the prestigious LiBeraturpreis award for her novel, Minor Detail, but the ceremony was postponed, to be held in a “less politically charged atmosphere", and her talk cancelled in the wake of the Hamas attacks on Israel], for example, I sent her a protest statement signed by many, many independent publishers across the world, about the cancellation of her award. I congratulated her and then said, “I'm so sorry about the cancellation”. She wrote a perceptive mail back in which she said, “In the middle of all this, the cancellation of the award felt like a distraction to me. Distraction from the tragedy that is unfolding on the ground”.

I thought, how quickly that was lost sight of with the protest, and yet look at the kind of protests that Frankfurt Bookfair elicited—everyone from the Arab world withdrew, Malaysia, Indonesia, the UAE, many of the Arab speaking nations,withdrew either en masse or individually.

I don't know of a single publisher in the West who withdrew. None of the corporates, none of the publishers’ federations, none of the institutions, have sent a letter of protest, or even raised their voices in protest. What does that tell us? What does that mean, say for me as a publisher? The individual independent publishers across the world here and there may have said something. But I'm talking about us as a community that works with writers. They are our stock in trade. They are the reason we exist.

Why are we not able to rise up together against something like this? Why was everyone so silent that they did not object when Adania’s award ceremony was postponed and the talk she was supposed to give was cancelled? Why? Would this have happened if the writer had been an Israeli? Would they have cancelled it because of what was happening on the ground?

In my view, there is a very major faultline here and that line is something we need to think about if we are speaking on behalf of writers, if our goal is to be the via media between the writer and the reader; the writer and the public; the writer and what is happening in the world.

The writer is someone who intervenes—not just someone drawing pretty pictures or writing romances, but, as in the case of every single Palestinian writer I know, for whom their writing is their intervention, their medium is of resistance and hope. A silenced voice is a voice you cannot hear any longer.

I remember Raja Shehadeh [a Palestinian human rights lawyer and writer], who had come here for the Jaipur literature festival. We were just talking and he said, “What else is left except to protest?” And he's right. Their writing is a form of protest, not just of resistance, but of protest, and also an expression of hope, that not all is lost.

(As told to Mandira Nayar)

Ritu Menon is a writer, feminists and publisher. She the founder director of Women's Unlimited, which is an associate of Kali for Women.

architect-bijoy-jain-heads-to-paris-for-a-major-exhibition-at-the-fondation-cartier

Tue Sep 26 16:11:34 IST 2023

Celebrated architect Bijoy Jain is gearing up toward a major exhibition this year. The to-be-announced showcase takes place at the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain in Paris. Jain’s Studio Mumbai Architects will present the large-scale show from December 2023 to May 2024.

Only last week, the Cartier Foundation had invited several international journalists to Mumbai to see first-hand Jain’s studio as well as some of his stellar works in and around the city. The group was also taken to Ganga Maki Textile Studio, a weaving facility run by Japanese textile designer Chiaki Maki and designed by the brilliant Jain and his team, at the foothills of the Himalayas, near Rishikesh.

Jain, 58, is among India’s most revered architects for his sustainable architectural practices, and equally for being a famous recluse. Jain is said to take on work that pleases him, regardless of commercial implications. Jain grew up in Mumbai and studied architecture at Washington University in the USA. He then worked in Los Angeles and London with Richar Meier. He returned to India and founded his office, Studio Mumbai, in 2005.

The Cartier Foundation describes it as “Studio Mumbai’s work explores the boundaries between art, architecture and material. The studio operates as an interdisciplinary group that shares an environment created from an iterative process, where ideas are explored using process and time as an integral part of its expression; water, air and light being the basis of all materiality in the synthesis of the work.”

Bijoy currently teaches at the Academia of Architecture in Mendrisio, Switzerland. He has also taught as a visiting Professor at Yale University in the USA and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Jain’s works have been exhibited in numerous galleries around the world and have been acquired in the permanent collections of the Canadian Centre for Architecture, MOMA San Francisco and The Pompidou Centre in Paris. His studio has also exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London in 2010, Sharjah Biennial in 2013, and the Venice Architecture Biennial in 2010 and 2016.

Some of the awards Jain’s studio has received include the Dean’s Medal, Washington University, St. Louis (2021), Grande Medaille d’Or from L’Académie d’architecture, Paris, France (2014), the BSI Swiss Architecture Award (2012), the Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award: Finland (2012) and was a finalist at the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (2009).

Studio Mumbai has designed a cluster of houses in Mumbai’s Saat Rasta area with an inner courtyard, in an effort to promote community living in the city. Some of the studio’s other works in Maharashtra include Belavali House in Badlapur, Copper House in Alibaug, Tara House in Kashid, Palmyra House in Nandgaon as well as a private residence in Pali Hill, Mumbai. Jain has also designed the MPavilion in the Victoria Gardens, in Melbourne, Australia.

farewell-to-the-fanciful-figurative-fernando-botero

Tue Sep 19 14:18:00 IST 2023

The man who created the fanciful rotundity that has graced the art realm with the exaggerated "gordas" and relaunched the neo-figurative movement, Colombian-born global artist Fernando Botero died last week at 91 leaving a prolific body of work and an indelible mark on the world of art.

Born in 1932, Botero sparked controversy and critical debate throughout his decades-long career with his distinctive approach to the human form. Rendered in oils or as sculptures, his subjects were frequently depicted with inflated, almost balloon-like proportions.

The peculiar rotondité of his art, his voluptuous figures, played a pivotal role in a new thrust of the Neo-Figuration movement that originated in Argentina and Brazil in the late 1950s and early ‘60s as a reaction against abstract art and non-representational styles, particularly abstract expressionism.

Botero reintroduced recognisable and representational imagery into contemporary art. His reinterpretation of the human form and return to figurative art challenged the dominance of abstraction in the art world.

The surge of his work reignited interest in human themes and representations influencing the art world and allowing artists to explore social and political themes in new ways, reaching across Latin America and Spain in the '60s and '70s, redefining beauty and art.

His influence extended beyond borders, inspiring Latin American artists and contributing to a global resurgence of figurative art. His social commentary through satirical depictions reinforced Neo-Figuration's narrative-driven ethos. Botero's unique style and themes solidified his significance within the movement, revitalising the power of figurative art in contemporary contexts. While he exaggerated and distorted the human form like the French neo-figurative artist Jean Dufuffet, Botero's art is a smoother, much more polished aesthetic compared to the often simpler, raw work of Dubuffet.

Likewise, while another French neo-figurative artist, the impactful Jean Fautrier, distorted his figures through mutilated and featured faces obscured by thick impasto, Botero's works express a wider range of emotions in smooth strokes.

His exaggerated realism was distinctively away from the influence of Picasso's Cubism and Surrealism that characterised the British neo-figurative artist Francis Bacon. In clear contrast to another neo-figurative artist, the Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti whose human figures seemed ravaged by existential angst, Botero's fuller, rounder figures expressed a contrasting sense of indulgence and sensuality.

The Medellin native created an instantly recognisable aesthetic that made the human figure alluring and accessible in a unique way among modern artists.

As his paintings increased in scale in the ‘70s, Boteros's sensuous figures took on monumental, imposing proportions. Yet they retained a surprising lightness and accessibility. His voluptuous forms celebrating the fullness of life struck a chord with audiences across the globe.

By the time museums dedicated shows to his work in the ‘90s. Botero had cemented his reputation as one of the most internationally recognised living artists. He continued creating into his final years, prolific and unrelenting.

The sheer breadth of Botero’s work, encompassing painting, sculpture, drawing and printmaking across more than six decades, tells the story of Botero’s passion for his country, earning him the title of "the most Colombian of Colombian artists."

His unconventional notions of beauty and proportion persist long after his exaggerated style ceased to shock; his art continues today to reveal emotion and humanity in even the most unlikely subjects.

Botero's art was accepted worldwide and was exhibited in prestigious museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Musée Maillol in Paris, and the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

His most famous paintings and sculptures include: "The Mona Lisa, Age Twelve," This painting is a parody of Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting, and it features a young girl with exaggerated features and a whimsical expression. The painting challenges the traditional notion of beauty and proportion, and it highlights Botero's unique style.

The sculpture, "The Bird," a large bronze bird that is located in the center of his natal city of Medellin. It is a symbol of the city and its people, and Colombians say it represents Botero's passion for his country and its culture.

In Spain, the city of Málaga has an entire museum dedicated to his art. It has 84 paintings, sculptures, and drawings by Botero in its permanent collection. Botero also has prominent public sculptures in Madrid and other Spanish cities.

Around the world, his work is in public art in cities like New York, where his sculpture "Man on Horseback" can be seen at Park Avenue and 72nd Street in Manhattan.

In Paris, the prominent Jardin des Tuileries features Botero's "The Roman Soldier" sculpture, among others. In la Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy visitors can see his bronze statue of "The Rape of Europa".

In Singapore Botanic Gardens his sculpture "The Bird," is also displayed and in Jerusalem, "Woman with a Mirror," can be found at the Israel Museum.

The Nusretiye Clock Tower Square in Istanbul features Botero's sculpture titled "Circus," and in Abu Dhabi his "Horse" sculpture is part of the public art collection on Saadiyat Island.

Botero's impact on the art world was profound, and his contributions to the development of Neo-Figuration in Colombia were significant.

"He was and will be one of the most representative artists of Colombia in the 20th century," said Colombian art aficionado Carlos Strella, speaking with THE WEEK from the northern coast city of Barranquilla.

"His art will continue to inspire and challenge the world, and his legacy will be remembered for generations to come. He leaves an impression on all of us."

india-love-project-is-among-10-finalists-for-2023-global-pluralism-award

Thu Sep 14 17:32:15 IST 2023

India Love Project, a social media initiative that celebrates real-life love stories outside the “shackles of faith, caste, ethnicity and gender”, has been recognised as one of the 10 finalists for the 2023 Global Pluralism Award.

It has been shortlisted from among 200 submissions from 60 countries by an independent jury, the India Love Project has been spotlighted for sharing stories of unions that “defy traditional boundaries” and for 'countering prejudice'.

The initiative was launched in 2020 by Niloufer Venkatraman, Samar Halarnkar and Priya Ramani. The initiative connects couples with pro bono lawyers and counsellors to support their unions.

“We have to remind ourselves of this pluralism…If there is anything that can address the threats to pluralism, it is the simple act of love,” Halarnkar.

“Next year is a big one for us. We hope to publish a book, and our series produced by Dharmatic Entertainment for Amazon Prime should be out in early 2024. It will have six episodes, each telling the story of a couple featured on India Love Project,” Ramani said.

“The creativity, courage, and commitment shown by this year's finalists is so important at this moment,” said Meredith Preston McGhie, Secretary General of the Global Centre for Pluralism. Each winner will receive a prize of $50,000 (Canadian dollars).

united-earth-amazonian-award-taking-the-nobel-legacy-forward

Wed Sep 13 15:30:19 IST 2023

Alfred Nobel did not have any direct descendants. The man who created the most prestigious award in the world and dedicated his legacy to recognising those who make outstanding achievements for the betterment of humanity, never married and did not have any children. His closest family descendants were always his nephews.

One of them lives in our time - Marcus Nobel.

He is now catalysing the environmental movement with a new iteration of a Nobel-inspired Amazonian Award, boldly presented to the world from the epicentre of the world's climate, Manaus, Brazil, along the banks of the mighty river in the capital of the state of Amazonia, a.k.a. The Lungs of the World.

It is a whole new level of ecological laurel—the United Earth Amazonian Award, a Nobel Memorial Prize.

Deep in Brazilian Amazonia, this award aims to shine a light on Earth's largest rainforest, and those tirelessly working to protect it, honouring the memory and inspiration of Alfred Nobel.

It has been a long journey for Marcus to this point. He was a celebrity before he understood it, just as the world was in climate trouble before it knew it. Heir to a noble legacy, he grew up an immigrant in the United States, his family's origins stretching back to Sweden from where his ancestral name and influence loom large upon the world.

Just as Marcus was discovering the world's gaze upon him, the world itself was unassumingly slipping into the tempests of climate turmoil, its troubles deepening in silence.

In the '60s and '70s, he was just Marcus Nobel in Wisconsin. Only a few inquired about his famous last name. Back then, his father Claus Nobel, a smart pitchman and entrepreneur was living the American dream, penning a story of his own, venturing through the labyrinth of a successful carwash empire.

Something deep resonated with the Nobels of Wisconsin, however, whispering to Claus of responsibility and a duty to shape the world for the better. The bright supernova in their lineage was the backdrop for Marcus's journey as well. Alfred Nobel's spirit became his moral guidepost.

Speaking exclusively to THE WEEK, Marcus Nobel recalls how as a child and young man time and again, whispers would find their way to his ears, labelling him a "celebrity". Something that he did not quite begin to understand until the day when Martin Luther King won the Nobel Peace Prize and his grade school class teacher invited to comment, or when his university newspaper suddenly wanted to interview him.

His connection to the honoured lineage made of him something of an enigma to friends and classmates. He was their flesh-and-blood connection to the the very architect of the Nobel Prizes for human achievement.

Recognising the good fortune inherent in their legacy, Claus Nobel began to sow the seeds of change, embarking on a mission that would resonate across time. He founded United Earth as a non-profit, NGO, in 1974 with the aim of "uniting the people of Earth in building a collective, sustainable future".

With the tutelage, sponsorship, and underwriting procured by renowned environmental champion and diplomat Dr Noel Brown of Jamaica, the United Earth Prize was born in the annals of the United Nations; conceived in 1991, it fused the ideals and responsible ethic of Alfred Nobel with the urgency of environmental stewardship.

Brown was the director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), a man instrumental in promoting sustainable development and environmental protection. He played a key role in organising the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, yielding a comprehensive plan of action to promote sustainable development worldwide. He also established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), responsible for assessing the science related to climate change.

The first United Earth Prize event was held that year in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations in New York, with storied journalist Bill Moyers as emcee and country singer-songwriter and environmental activist John Denver.

The '92 award ceremony was held in the grand space of New York City's famed Bradley Center. Echoes of applause still ring in Marcus's ears; as does the memory of the legendary Maestro Quincy Jones as emcee.

Marcus was there by his father's side, immersed in the earliest iterations, building the lowest rungs of the the United Earth Amazonian Award structure that blossoms in 2023.

Along the way, Marcus met the Dalai Lama, CNN Founder Ted Turner and many of the people who run the world.

It has been a formidable journey, but it was no easy task.

In parallel to his life, marched the planet's gathering environmental crisis. In the early 1990s climate change was still a peripheral concern for people and governments, barely lurking at the edges of the world's collective consciousness, not fully awakened to the magnitude of the threat.

But, accelerating CO2 levels, melting glaciers and dire scientific projections made louder the warnings of coming catastrophes.

A sense of urgency mounted in the 2000s as Green political parties swelled across Europe. Preserving the crucial rainforest of the Amazon and other wilderness areas went from radical causes to ethical imperatives.

With these dual revelations—of his own Nobel legacy and the quickening climate disaster—Marcus grew convinced that Alfred Nobel's model was the vehicle the times needed to raise consciousness and compel the people of the Earth to unite in order to save it.

Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite who saw its power of destruction and then imagined he could impact the world by leaving a positive and enduring legacy, once said, "If I have a thousand ideas and only one turns out to be good, I am satisfied." Marcus Nobel has tried a thousand times to use United Earth's voice as an instrument of change, to awaken the world's ecological conscience, before the Amazonian Award was conceived.

We all understand, rationally anyway, that the damage to the environment can be slowed down, stopped maybe, that the process does not have to move only in one direction, that it is possible to make more of what has been lost, and that doing it secures the future of our planet.

But Marcus Nobel knows the power of incentive and recognition, of celebrating the human spirit and its highest potential, especially when the future of our home planet is at stake.

He sees the United Earth Amazonian Award as a beacon of hope, encouraging innovative approaches and sustainable practices that can be replicated worldwide. By honouring those who have shown exceptional dedication to the preservation of the Earth's resources, the prize is out to inspire a new wave of environmental consciousness and to build solidarity in the planet, transcending geographic and cultural boundaries.

Joining forces with the celebrated Brazilian-born former VP of EMI Music Latin America and Senior VP of Capitol Latin, Sergio Lopes, Nobel has added a dash of Hollywood, showbiz, and glitter in a stately recognition that incorporates the power and the beauty of music in a role to move people and to inspire with work at the heart of what is valuable to humanity and human existence.

Lopes, a veteran of Sony Music and Oglivy Advertising is a showbiz powerhouse with a global perspective. And that is just the direction Marcus Nobel wants for the prize. With their joint vision. Manaus, the city that was once graced by the voice of the great tenor Caruso becomes the setting for the global environmental prize, the United Earth Amazonian Award.

Picture Caruso's triumphant notes, hear his majestic voice echoing through the very rainforest that Manaus cradles, with the strains of Verdi's "Ernani".

"We are evolving as we look at the Amazon," says Marcus Nobel. "There are many, many issues such as illegal goldmining, deforestation, the treatment of indigenous peoples, those are very difficult issues which cannot be easily solved and there are groups working on that,” he said. "What we are doing that is absolutely different, we are raising consciousness and, creating community."

Using music and adjunct festivals, says Marcus Nobel, “we want to be a constant pressure for the positive, focusing on global planetary issues”. And so, he has merged a unique platform of environmentalism, social justice and moral urgency in a battle for the life of the planet.

The United Earth Amazonian Award is explicit that it is based on the same values as the Nobel Peace Prize and that is aligned with the Nobel family's mission to "unite the people and nations of the earth in building our collective and sustainable future".

Marcus Nobel explains that the award takes the form of a series of prizes to elevate exceptional contributions in the various realms of environmentalism.

The transition from thought to action, however, was not immediate. It has taken nearly 50 years since the founding of United Earth and 32 years since the first prize. Throughout, Marcus's path was illuminated by the inspiration of Alfred Nobel.

The new incarnation as the United Earth Amazonian Award is thus a tale of personal transformation as it is of the evolution of the prize into a global marker, a narrative where Alfred Nobel's legacy has redirected the course of Marcus Nobel's life, and he and the prize emerge as modern-day stewards of the planet through his own passions and the Nobel lineage.

The Award

Laureates receive a symbolic masterpiece by famed Brazilian sculptor Darlan Rosa made from recycled stainless steel that consists of a sphere with six sides, an extraordinary sculpture representing the Earth itself as a symbol of our planet's beauty and fragility. Divided into six sides connected by the figure of a man with outstretched hands it evokes the interconnectedness of humanity with the natural world.

A symbol for Manaus

Like the statue of Helios that stood at the harbour of Rhodes, beaconing the world to environmental consciousness like the Statue of Liberty beckoned immigrants, a 5-metres in diameter statue of the award will stand on the banks of Manaus’s Rio Negro, one of the major tributaries to the Amazon River with breathtaking views of the river and the Amazon rainforest.

The six sides of the sphere, internally illuminated by solar panels, represent the interconnectedness of man with the flora, fauna, water, air and natural resources. The man’s outstretched arms embody humanity reaching out and striving for a better world.

Because of its imposing size, the sculpture will serve as a powerful symbol of Manaus as the central point of the UE Amazonian Award, celebrating the values of environmental stewardship, cooperation, and global unity.

“With the visibility, we want to show the Amazon from the inside out, from those who know how to preserve it, from those who are the greatest preservers of the largest tropical forest in the world,” said Manaus Mayor David Almeida about the project.

“And that is what we want to do,” added Almeida. “to take a front seat in a discussion in which we are protagonists so that we can say to the world, ‘This is where the greatest biodiversity is, this is where we have to preserve. And we have a lot to show the world’.”

The expectation is that with global broadcasts of the Award ceremonies, the statue will become a globally recognised icon of Manaus and a united Earth protected by its people.

A vision unveiled

Visions of a future where lush rainforests thrive untouched, where oceans are pristine havens, and where every species finds sanctuary may seem unattainable today, but United Earth sees the Amazonian Award as a way to inspire and recognise not just the champions of conservation, but those who aspire to be the guardians of a world where those visions are not just a dream but a reachable gift to leave for generations to come.

A legacy for generations

The Award’s selection process follows the methodology of the Nobel Peace Prize, says United Earth. The laureates are not mere recipients; they are catalysts. Their work is chosen to reverberate, inspiring others, igniting a passion for change.

The Nobel connection

While the Amazonian Award is not part of the Nobel constellation of prizes awarded by the Nobel Foundation. It is of note that although the Nobel Prize in Economics was originally formed outside of the foundation’s structure by Sweden’s Central Bank as the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, it was eventually embraced by the foundation, was integrated into the Nobel family, and is now awarded alongside the original Nobel Prizes.

Seeing the Amazonian Award so recognised in time is Marcus Nobel's grand vision for the Earth because it will mean that the world has collectively embraced the imperative of environmental stewardship. And that his famous ancestor will be smiling.

The 2024 Amazonian Award Ceremony will be held on April 2 at the famed Manaus Opera House celebrating the collective commitment to safeguarding the planet—a fitting tribute to the legacy of Alfred Nobel.

six-years-in-india-how-anna-bychkova-discovered-the-country-through-music

Tue Sep 12 13:08:23 IST 2023

Similar to how a familiar scent can transport us to distant times and places, music holds the remarkable capability to unlock a treasure trove of personal memories. This enchanting relationship between music and memory forms the foundation for Six Years in India, a distinctive and personal musical project of Anna Bychkova Nair, a Western classical singer and voice-over artist who was born in Odessa, Ukraine (while it was part of USSR), who grew up in St Petersburg, Russia, and now resides in Thiruvananthapuram.

A student of the renowned Bulgarian opera singer Alexandrina Milcheva, Anna skilfully interprets six carefully selected Indian songs in Six Years in India. These renditions, infused with a touch of her Western classical style, serve as vessels to unveil chapters from her remarkable journey—a journey of falling in love with India and an Indian, and subsequently, residing in four different cities across three Indian states, all within six transformative years.

Anna was born into a family deeply rooted in music. Her great-grandmother, amidst picturesque landscapes near their home, would sing gentle lullabies to her while cradling her in her arms. Her mother's education in a music school further cemented this familial connection. This musical heritage extended beyond Anna's immediate family, as many of her relatives continued the tradition, working as professional musicians in orchestras across Europe.

Anna's early years were marked by watching her mother play the piano, and she recalls, "I used to sing a lot, and to keep me quiet during our walks, my parents would offer me snacks." Her mother, however, was concerned about whether she should pursue a professional career in music.

Nevertheless, by the age of seven, Anna's fingers delicately danced across piano keys, and her voice began weaving its melodies. This deep connection between Anna and music flourished as her family relocated from the port city of Novorossiysk to St Petersburg. Her formal musical education thrived in St Petersburg, where she enrolled in St Petersburg Children's Music School No. 11, affiliated to the Philharmonic Society of St Petersburg. Her parents ensured she received a comprehensive musical education, and she excelled in piano playing while her voice evolved under the guidance of dedicated instructors.

The school introduced Anna to a diverse musical world, where she sang with a choir, travelled across Europe, and embraced various languages and cultures. This exposure broadened her horizons, fueling her passion to share her voice with the world. A significant turning point came when she participated in the international youth music competition 'Hopes, Talents, Masters' in Bulgaria at the age of 15. It was there that she crossed paths with her teacher, Alexandrina Milcheva, an encounter that would profoundly change her life.

Anna's musical journey took a significant turn when she became a student under Milcheva's guidance. However, instead of enrolling in a music conservatory, Milcheva encouraged her to pursue an alternative academic path while continuing her musical education. Anna chose to study language at St Petersburg State University, located near her music school. Her academic focus shifted to English language and literature, delving into phonetics, literature, and culture. This choice unexpectedly unveiled India's historical ties with Britain, sparking Anna's fascination with the country.

Indian culture continued to intersect with Anna's life through interactions with Indian exchange students, her work as an interpreter for Indian-origin doctors from the UK, and her father's admiration for Indian cuisine from his time in London. In 2012, Anna's life took a romantic turn when she met Nair (full name withheld on request), an Indian, in St Petersburg during his assignment as part of an Indian delegation of engineers. Being a linguist, Anna worked with his as an interpreter. Love blossomed in St Petersburg, as Nair introduced Anna to various aspects of Indian culture, including milk tea, Shah Rukh Khan, and the iconic song Chaiyya Chaiyya from the film Dil Se. The memories from those beautiful days in St Petersburg are vividly reflected in her rendition of Chaiyya Chaiyya, the first song in her Six Years in India series.

The couple believed they were destined for each other, yet the path to marriage wasn't straightforward. By the end of 2014, both families agreed to their union, but because of certain professional commitments of Nair, the marriage happened only in November 2016.

During these three years leading to the marriage, Anna immersed herself in Indian culture at St Petersburg. She started learning Hindi, explored the basics of Bharatanatyam, and mastered the art of chanting the Gayatri mantra. She attended lectures on Indian culture at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg and was drawn to the philosophical ideas of Buddhism and Jainism. Anna also extensively explored Indian cuisine by visiting almost every Indian restaurant in her city and learning to cook Indian food.

Anna's desire to understand India deeply is reflected in her rendition of the profound song O Ri Chiraiya from the Satyamev Jayate TV series hosted by Aamir Khan, which she chose as the second song in her project. This song, with its confessional tone addressing injustices against girls and women, became one of Anna's favourites. “I really admired that a star like Aamir Khan decided to talk about social issues openly,” says Anna. “I felt like instead of reading what others are saying about India, at least it has more value and credibility because an Indian talks about the issues openly.”

The third song in the series is Anuragathin Velayil, a Malayalam romantic song featured in the 2012 movie Thattathin Marayathu. Its significance lies in the fact that it's in Nair's mother tongue, making it a personal favourite, and it was released the same year the couple met. Meanwhile, the fourth song, Lag Ja Gale, marks Anna's first performance of a Hindi song. She deeply connected with the song's theme of longing, reflecting on her own experiences. Lyrics like Shayad Phir Iss Janam Mein, Mulaqat Ho Na Ho (In this life, we may or may never meet again) resonated with her, but destiny brought her together with Nair.

Post-marriage, when Anna and Nair started living in India, a realisation hit her as the couple shifted from one city to another: there exist many different versions of India. Mumbai was the couple’s first city of dwelling. In Mumbai, Anna found a lot of connections via music, especially through the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that promotes Western classical music. However, a shift to Kochi presented a distinct culture that left her questioning her sense of belonging. She says: “When you move to a place, first you have euphoria and then there will be a second stage where you feel like, do I belong here? So that was a big question mark. I couldn't find the many opportunities that I had in Mumbai. And I started blogging more. I started writing more. But I got slightly confused at that point of time [thinking whether she could continue with opera singing].”

Anna initially struggled to adapt to Kochi, feeling she wasn't making enough effort to adjust to the new environment. However, an India-born friend who had moved from Mumbai to Kochi shared similar challenges, which prompted Anna to be more forgiving of herself. In Six Years in India, Anna acknowledges her journey of learning and adapting to the diverse cultures in India. This acceptance of the different cultures can be seen in her fifth song of choice, Mere Rashke Qamar, a Nusrat and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan song featured in the 2017 film, Baadshaho, set in Rajasthan. It became their preferred song during long drives in Kerala.

Their third city of residence was Ahmedabad, offering a lifestyle distinct from Mumbai and Kochi. But it was the pandemic era, and life was stuck in the apartment. Anna explored the complexity and charm of silence in an otherwise talkative nation, which is reflected in her rendition of the final cover song of the series, Khamoshiyan.

“We dive into new circumstances keeping our feelings at bay, but what if there is a way to give ourselves a chance to take our time to connect both to a new place and the place you left, with your new self on a deeper level?” This contemplation has been the driving force behind Anna's entire endeavour. Today, Anna and Nair are based in Thiruvananthapuram. Anna continues her quest to understand the evolving landscape of 'new India' while nurturing their two beautiful children. She collaborates with local artists in the city to channel her musical talents, and aspires to be a professional playback singer. For her project, she collaborated with recording, mixing and mastering professional Deepak S.R. and guitarist Advaith Sreekumar. Through her songs, she wishes to inspire generations to come in the same way those six songs in her project Six Years in India connected with her story and her memories,

Furthermore, she raises a significant question, both to herself and the world at large: “Can art and music serve as companions through life's highs and lows, illuminating the pivotal memories that shape us as individuals?”

dc-books-celebrates-50th-anniversary-a-testament-to-keralas-literary-heritage

Fri Sep 08 16:41:11 IST 2023

DC Books, a trailblazer in the Indian publishing industry, is set to mark its Golden Jubilee with a grand celebration on September 9th, 2023. In this remarkable journey of 49 years, DC Books has achieved numerous milestones, pioneering efforts to promote literature and education, and a legacy that has shaped the literary landscape of Kerala. At the heart of this jubilant occasion will be the 25th annual DC Kizhakemuri Commemorative lecture, which will be delivered by none other than the illustrious actor, theatre personality, and activist, Prakash Raj. His address, themed "Re-Imagining the Future," promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of the power of belief, imagination, history, and life.

"As DC Books embarks on its Golden Jubilee year, it reaffirms its commitment to fostering a love of reading and learning among its audience. With a remarkable history, significant contributions to literature, and a promising future ahead, the celebration of DC Books' 50th year promises to be an event of cultural and literary significance not only for Kerala but for the entire nation. The legacy of DC Kizhakemuri lives on, inspiring future generations to embrace the power of belief, imagination, history, and life through the world of literature." said Ravi DC, Managing Partner, DC Books.

The inauguration ceremony will feature distinguished guests such as MLA Shri Thrivanchoor Radhakrishnan, Author VJ James, novelist, and translator TD Ramakrishnan, and Indian writer, critic, orator, and professor Sunil P Ilayidom. Sunil P. Ilayidom will deliver a lecture on 'Belief: Imagination, History, and Life,' followed by the participation of renowned writers, including Short story Writer, Novelist, and essayist Paul Zacharia, author and journalist KR Meera, poet and lyricist Manoj Kuroor, writer, translator, and screenwriter S Hareesh, and short-story writer and screenwriter Unni R.

The event will witness the unveiling of the DC Publishing Museum logo by Honorable Minister Shri. VN Vasavan presided over by Kerala Sahitya Akademi President, Prof. K Satchidanandan, and K Sethuraman IPS. New books commemorating the 50th year will also be launched. The celebrations will culminate with a musical concert by the talented Shahabaz Aman, promising an unforgettable evening for all attendees.

Founded in 1974 by the visionary Dominic Chacko Kizhakemuri, DC Books has a rich heritage rooted in making literature accessible to the masses. In 1956, DC Kizhakemuri ignited a paperback revolution by selling 10,000 copies of Thakazhi's Chemmeen. He also spearheaded the campaign to abolish taxes on books, a legislative effort supported by Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. DC Books continued to lead in innovation, introducing India's first e-book ecosystem with 'WINK' tablets in 2008 and becoming the nation's largest producer of 'Audio Books.' The company has received prestigious awards for excellence in publishing and boasts the largest bookstore chain in South India through its sister concern, Current Books.

opinion-we-need-new-ethics-and-emotions-appropriate-to-our-new-destructive-powers

Wed Sep 06 10:57:23 IST 2023

For its G20 presidency, India has chosen a theme drawn from the Maha Upanishad, a phrase that is engraved in the entrance hall of Parliament: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

For the purposes of the G20 presidency, the phrase has been translated thus: “One Earth, One Family, One Future”. The G20 website says this theme “affirms the value of all life–human, animal, plant, and microorganisms–and their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe.”

Now, on the one hand, these words are platitudes, nice-sounding bits of fluff that PR people seem contractually obligated to produce. But on the other, these words, and the sentiments behind them, have never felt more urgent or necessary.

For even as I write these words, the world burns.

Temperatures are at all-time highs in the Mediterranean. Flames are spreading—like wildfire, because they are wildfire—across Europe. India faces recurring heatwaves, of an intensity and regularity hitherto unknown.

And while the world burns, it also drowns. Rivers overflowing, sea level rising, uncontrollable floods, dams breaking, mountains collapsing. The icebergs are melting, the jungles are disappearing. Soon enough, the polar bears will disappear and the birds will stop singing.

To the extent that one can know such things, I know all this. I accept the overwhelming scientific consensus. I accept that we are on the road to disaster and that catastrophe is imminent. I accept that we have a very small window left in which to act. I accept that we must act.

And yet, I do nothing.

This fact interests me. I suspect it is true of many people: on the one hand we accept the scientific consensus regarding climate change and its effects, and on the other we continue living exactly as we had before. Why?

One explanation I want to dismiss immediately: we are not bad people. Taking me as an example: I am (mostly) nice to my wife. I care about my family. I care about my neighbours. I am not a saint, but neither am I a psychopath. It is too convenient to say, “we are weak or bad, that is why we don’t do anything”. Let us see if we can do better than that.

As soon as human beings began living together, they were forced to ask: how should we treat each other?

The first records we have of people asking and answering these questions are many millennia old. The answers that human beings gave ended up becoming what we nowadays call ethics and morality.

Those original answers are one of the most astonishing achievements of humanity. And they have proven remarkably functional and adaptable. For even as society evolved, as forms of organisation and ways of life changed, as human beings and human possibilities were transformed, through all of this, the old concepts and frameworks retained their relevance and their usefulness.

As any historian of morality will tell you, the ethical precepts, the moral concepts, the systems and frameworks that we use today to understand moral questions and solve moral problems—all of these are modified versions of the original answers that human beings first gave millennia ago.

Consider a human being living any time before, say, 1750 AD. He lived in his village, perhaps once in a while travelling a few kilometres for special occasions. His impact was restricted to this circumference. Perhaps he could burn the local market down, perhaps he could cut a few more trees from the jungle than other men. If he was especially evil, perhaps he could kill a handful of men.

Just as important as what he could do, was what he couldn’t. Our pre-1750 man could not, as a rule, do anything to harm someone living thousands of kilometres today. The blacksmith in the shires of Nottingham could do nothing to affect the life of the jeweller in Surat. Still less could either of them do anything that would harm someone living centuries later.

That was the background against which our concepts and codes of ethics and morality were developed. Human beings were relatively limited in their power, in the range of their impact across space and time. Correspondingly, we developed ethical prescriptions appropriate for creatures with that range of power.

And as the German philosopher Hans Jonas pointed out in the 1970s, that background no longer holds. The problem of climate change makes this very clear. Through our actions, we are now able to affect people far away from us in space and time.

Our ways of thinking and feeling morally were developed in a context where what mattered was local action and local impact. Is it any surprise that they are not adequate for a situation where what matters is cosmic action and cosmic impact? We are trying to repair iPhones with axes, which helps neither the phone nor the axe.

There are three important dimensions to the inadequacy of our traditional ways of thinking.

First, as an illustrative example, consider a standard ethical precept like “Do no harm”. These precepts made sense when humankind lived in villages, when the only people a person could harm or love were those that she encountered in her daily life. Under those circumstances, these ethical principles gave us solid, actionable advice.

But today, when our actions can harm people living far away in space and time, people we cannot even imagine, let alone meet, it is difficult to understand what the precept means for us. What is it to do no harm in a world where going for a drive in Hamburg may mean floods in the Sunderbans? Or where not turning the lights off may mean thousands of people dying thousands of years later?

Second, the traditional moralities were set up to deal with individual action that had individual consequences. I steal my neighbour’s axe, the neighbour is harmed, I get punished. But the problems of climate change (and, incidentally, most of the big global problems we face) are classic collective action problems. A vast number of people act together, with each action contributing to the system and helping to generate the consequences we want to avoid. But what is the contribution that each individual action makes to the bad consequences? What is the individual responsibility that each of us has for the collective consequences?

We may sum up the first two dimensions thus: our moral concepts and theories are broken. They have collapsed under the strain of trying to accommodate circumstances for which they were never made.

The third dimension of the problem is not conceptual. Rather, it is emotional. For most of human history, our moral emotions have functioned in lockstep with our circumstances. When we were told to love our neighbour, well, it was our actual neighbours we were loving. There they were, in their flesh and blood, and we could respond to them on a visceral, physical level, the level below rational thought, the level where most of our emotions live. When we murdered someone with our stone axes, we could hear the victim’s cries, we could see the terror in his eyes, we could smell the sweat and taste the blood. So when we were told not to murder, we could understand with our emotions why murder was bad, and our emotions agreed with morality.

Climate change is a very different kind of problem. We are told that we are one earth, one family, and perhaps with our thinking minds we agree, but (unless perhaps we are saints) it has no pull on our emotions. The entire world is not my family—my family is my family. I want to put food on their table, I want my wife to be happy, I want my son to flourish. Of course, in a general, abstract kind of way I wish the entire world well, but I do not feel anything towards them, certainly nothing even close to comparable to what I feel for my family.

In the context of climate change, this is a problem because the human being is an emotional animal. As the Scottish philosopher David Hume pointed out 300 years ago, in order for us to act, our emotions need to be engaged. The traditional ethics limited its principles to the sphere where our emotions were already engaged—our families, our neighbours, our tribe members. The new ethics, the kind of ethics we need for global problems like climate change, demands action in spheres where our emotions do not follow. Is it then any wonder that we do not act?

On July 16, 1945, the world saw the first ever detonation of a nuclear weapon. It was carried out in the deserts of New Mexico under the aegis of the Manhattan Project. Specifically, it was the fruit of work done at the Los Alamos Laboratory, a secret lab whose mission was to build the first atomic bombs.

The Los Alamos Laboratory was run by the American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. He was present at the detonation. According to legend, when he saw the explosion, when the mushroom cloud rose into the sky of the desert, he alluded to the Bhagavad Gita and said: “I am become death, destroyer of worlds.”

Well, we are all become death now. With our actions we have the power to destroy worlds. We need ethics and emotions that are appropriate to our new powers. Will we get them in time to stop the world going up in flames?

I am not optimistic. But I hope nonetheless.

The writer is a former professor of philosophy, who lives in Austria.

seema-kohli-and-her-tryst-with-the-golden-womb

Tue Aug 15 16:45:24 IST 2023

Artist Seema Kohli’s recent work ‘Heartbeat of Universe’ is an ode to pulsating darkness giving birth to the glitter of sand, sky or water, to our shrouded thoughts, she says. Created using acrylics and inks on canvas with 24-carat gold and silver leaf, the artwork was displayed at the recently concluded Bihar Museum Biennale.

She explains, “The overarching theme of this painting is a commentary on the Karmic Cycle and Vasudhevya Kutumbakam. We are all like the branches, leaves, and roots of one Universal Consciousness which surpasses all biases. We are all unique, different, and at the same time existing because of each other. Our interdependence is also unique. I put forward a different version of the universal understanding of the Karmic cycle. The idea that the end of the Karmic cycle will put an end to all the suffering is not the central point. But, by going through this life cycle, living life to its fullest with conviction will help us achieve eternity and salvation.”

Kohli, who follows the concept of the ‘golden womb’ in her art, believes that humans or any other form of beings have all emerged from the female energy, the same element that guides all of us. Before being invited to the Bihar Biennale, Kohli presented an exhibition ‘Vut from the Same Cloth’ at Delhi’s Bikaner House where she brought out embroidered artworks, paintings, drawings and performances – based on the concept of the feminine, the golden womb, on which she had been working for 6.5-7 years.

Kohli’s work stands out not only because she presents nature and the woman as one creator but also because it strikes the viewer at once – the use of bright colours and patterns, the feminine element, and the amalgamation of nature and beings. She says that the idea behind using bright colours is the fact that life is full of inspiration and celebrations. “Everywhere I look I see colour in spite of the fact that there are some low moments in life. But I feel that celebrations take them over and create more compassion and joy in our lives.”

Recipient of the Lalit Kala Academi Lifetime Achievement Award for Women in 2008, Kohli agrees that she draws a lot of inspiration from mythology and not only the mythology of a certain sect but different mythologies from different spaces and faiths. In this show (Cut from the Same Cloth), it is not mythology that was instrumental, it was poets and the teachings of sufi and bhakti saints which are in the knowledge of people.”

Seema’s solo exhibitions have been shown in Brussels, Melbourne, London, New York, Dubai, Singapore, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. She is currently working on her upcoming solo show and says she will soon go back to her ‘womb’ that is, her studio to delve into her art.

a-quest-for-equality-and-shackles-of-identity-indian-artists-exhibit-at-the-american-center

Mon Aug 14 10:57:21 IST 2023

On stage, dressed modestly in plain black clothes, professor Kaushal Kumar began his performance art. As a curious audience observed, he took out at least a dozen red threads or kalava from a bag and placed them on a table. The act was a part of the ‘Interrogations and Ideologies: A Quest for Equality’ exhibition hosted by The American Center that brought together a group of artists who used different installations as a powerful expression of social equality and justice. It was curated by professor Y.S. Alone.

As professor Kumar picked up the first and began wrapping it around his body, the audience wondered what was in store next. ‘Can anyone help me?’ he asked the audience and a few went up the stage, picking up the thread bundles and wrapping them around his body. In about 15 minutes, professor Kumar was an embodiment of the tree that stands clenched in red religious threads, tied in hopes and prayers. Wrapped tightly from head to toe in about a dozen bundles of kalavas, he hopped around the stage and struggled but managed to climb down and exit as the startled audience wondered what to expect next.

But he had made his point. And the conclusion of the performance art was one’s own to draw. “The expression of our identities differs from person to person and from community to community. In the case of the majority, it becomes a power symbol,” he says, explaining his act.

It is rather true – the whole purpose of the performance was to show the society how our dominant beliefs and ideologies sometimes hold us down hard and restrict us like the bark of the ‘holy’ tree that has been tied around with layers of threads.

As a part of the exhibition, artists showcased ‘Ambedkarian aesthetics,’ a world untethered from prejudices, inhibitions, and the metanarratives of hegemonic modernity through their paintings. Artist Jaya Daronde’s art from the series titled ‘Relationship’ represented the oppressed women’s relationship in the hierarchical social structure of the Indian social System – with a socially affluent male, Shukla Sawant’s ‘First Flight’ was all about representing the issues of women’s labour rights from taking care of the baby to the freedom to fly high, the narrative of the everyday life of the Indian women caught in the domesticity.

United States’ deputy chief of mission Patricia Lacina, who attended the exhibition said that every nation struggles with notions of equality and that artists have a special role to play here. “In this context, the US and India have a long-standing history of cultural collaboration where art professionals from both nations have thrived and collaborated to promote social justice. These art expressions not only ignite minds but also reiterate the commitment of the US and India in envisioning an equitable world,” she said.

Professor Alone says that he has been in touch with the artists who present an Ambedkarian approach through his previous exhibitions and wanted to bring them all together under one exhibition and that is why he calls it ‘Ambedkarian Aesthetics’. “All these artists come from diverse backgrounds but have a common thread of democratic equality,” he says.

honouring-indias-first-feminist-mirabai-and-her-legacy

Sun Jul 30 11:59:46 IST 2023

Feminism as a concept began in the West in the 19^th century but women in this part of the world were already confronting society centuries before the movement formally spread roots. Among such women, 16^th century Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna stands tall. In fact, Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Vidushi Sumitra Guha, who is an Indian classical vocalist, goes on to call Mirabai ‘India’s first feminist’.

“Mirabai was the first feminist and a visionary who voiced against the wrongdoings of the society. Despite being from the royal family, she questioned the norms of animal slaughter as an offering for gods. She stood up to all established norms of honour, and to the authority of every mortal man around her,” said Guha.

To honour her spirit, the musical ‘Veer Meera – A musical on Empowering Women’ celebrated the awakening and liberation of women by paying homage to Mirabai’s ideology her warrior spirit. Conceptualised and composed by Vidushi Sumitra Guha and her senior disciple Dr Samia Mahbub Ahmad, a Hindustani classical vocal musician in the Kirana Gharana, the show brought together an amalgamation of songs celebrating Mirabai and her bhajans. The compositions spoke about how the mystic stood against caste, creed, gender, inequality while the show also had bhajans written by the mystic herself.

The songs sung by Guha were enacted through a dance recital by Kathak exponent Shinjini Kulkarni, the granddaughter of the Kathak Maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj.

Kulkarni explains that the script is written in such a way that it highlights how Mirabai was decades ahead of her time and provides lessons for all of us. The script of the show was written by Pandit Vijay Shankar Mishra.

Reflecting on her journey, Guha says that she’s had her own shares of trials and tribulations but her love for music never died. Hailing from Tirupati, Guha’s mother was her first guru. She trained in Carnatic music and later went to Shantiniketan to pursue Philosophy Honours and married a Bengali.

“I first wanted to become a doctor because all my friends were pursuing medicine but life had other plans. I had children early in my life but I treated music as my third child. I learned Hindustani classical to hone my accent and have closely followed and been inspired by Mirabai’s journey,” she said.

“I started from scratch because I didn’t belong to any gharana family nor had any godfather but if you work with dedication, results show up one day,” says Guha who has also sung a track for the second season of The Family Man series.

The program also honoured three women achievers who reflect Meera Bai’s spirit – 95-year-old Bhagwani Devi Dagar who is an athlete, Dr Patil Pranjal Lahensingh, the first visually impaired IAS officer in the country who is currently the district magistrate of Shahdara, New Delhi and Shivpreet Pannu, professional speed climber who is also an Asian Youth Champion and national record holder.

The musical was organised by Sumadhur Hansadhwani Trust, a non-profit organisation founded by Vidushi Sumitra Guha promoting Indian music and art form on July 26^th in Delhi. It was sponsored by the Ministry of Culture to celebrate independent and powerful women in 75^th year celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

20-yr-old-lensman-who-captured-albino-deer-plans-to-set-up-eco-friendly-resorts-in-national-parks

Tue Jul 11 16:52:08 IST 2023

For 20-year-old Dhruv Patil, forests and national parks are a second home. The youngster, who is pursuing a hotel management and tourism degree from New York University, made headlines last month when he spotted and clicked a rare leucistic fawn in the forests of Kabini during a safari. However, this was not the first photography high for him; he had clicked a black panther in Kabini forest in 2020, after spending about 9,000 minutes in search of the panther in the forest area.

“The leucistic or albino deer is a very rare genetic mutation. I was in Kabini for a three-day safari when I spotted it with a herd of deer. It looked different from all of them. I immediately clicked a picture and shared it with my mother. She was quite excited to see the rare animal. It was an incredible moment for me,” he says.

Once he finishes his degree, he plans to not only continue wildlife photography but make documentaries on rare sightings that he captures for creating awareness. “This will also help boost tourism. I also would keenly explore national parks in India to establish luxury but eco-friendly resorts which will be a treat for nature lovers and help tourism,” he says.

He visits his hometown Karnataka every vacation and goes on wildlife photography excursions. He plans to go deeper into the jungles of Bandipur and Dandeli.

Patil is the son of Karnataka cabinet minister for large and medium industries and infrastructure development M.B. Patil. He first started exploring his passion for wildlife photography about 11 years ago and considers Shaaz Jung, a wildlife photographer whose unique style is ‘environmental surrealism’, his mentor and calls him his brother. “I follow all his work and he has been a teacher and a brother to me,” he says. Patil adds that it is his love for animals that made him take up wildlife photography.

The youngster, who founded the NGO Society for Protection of Plants and Animals (SPPA) that takes up conservation and plantation projects, says the most important rule of wildlife photography is respecting the boundaries of animals and clicking from a distance, never disturbing them and always being on a jeep, never on foot. Patil plans to now click another black panther, a black jaguar in Brazil, and a spirit bear soon.

merge-indigenous-knowledge-systems-with-modern-technology-for-a-better-planet

Mon Jul 10 16:31:35 IST 2023

“It would be a sad day for India if it has to inherit the English scale and the English tastes so utterly unsuitable to the Indian environment.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Colonial influences have diluted the potency of a culturally bio-diverse nation such as India to the extent that people today credit Western technologies and knowledge systems as the reason for any manner of progressive development in India. It is therefore not surprising to note an excessive glorification of high-tech infrastructure and technologies in the name of modernisation when the reality, however, is the exact opposite. Recent studies render the global north responsible for 92 per cent of the prevailing climate breakdown since historical times while the contribution of the global south is a meagre 8 per cent. As per this, India alone (of the rest of the global south nations) harbours 34 per cent of the climate credit.

The concept of modernity is a construct of the human mind. There are several examples of self-sufficiency, resilience, and capacity building embedded within the social infrastructure of any nation; known to have withstood the trials of time. Ancient Indian societies were known to be far more advanced for their times; even prior to colonial infiltration. India is renowned globally for its array of diverse, regenerative, and restorative approaches to living and management of the local environment via local and contextualised native solutions. The biggest challenge associated with the utilisation of Western solutions in the global south context lies in their reduced efficiencies which stem from their biases towards the problems of the global north.

And this is where traditional and indigenous knowledge systems hold an edge.

As Christopher Alexander discusses in his book A Pattern Language, each society has its own distinct pattern language which although uniquely symbolises the essence of a potential solution to a recurrent problem within our environment; that may be utilised elsewhere without ever repeating the same way twice. Traditional and indigenous practices have been doing just that. These centuries-old practices have been evolving with time, in tune to the changing climate scenario. They symbolise a time when anthropogenic development was a perfect marriage of advancement and an innate empathy for nature.

The acknowledgment of the five elements of nature (a.k.a. Pancha bhutas) namely earth, water, fire, air, and space/ether in the cultural, economic, or spiritual wheel of life is proof of the intricate, holistic connection that Indian people share with nature. This clearly amplifies the need for a shift towards an indigenous developmental approach that coexists with nature rather than total dependence on foreign solutions to attain the same. Traditional and indigenous practices originated at a time in history when we were still deeply connected with nature. This is perhaps the biggest USP that sets them apart from Nature Based Solutions (Nbs) as the efficiency of the latter is on the efficiency with which biotic elements deliver ecosystem services. In fact, these practices are also viewed as a component of EbA (Ecosystem-Based Adaptation) like Nbs. Just like EbA and Nbs, traditional and indigenous knowledge systems too account for a cohort of benefits that are otherwise not observed in mainstream foreign technologies or conventional Nbs. Some of them include:

Fosters harmony within the community

The efficient working of practices such as Kuhls of Himachal Pradesh (gravity-based ingenious irrigation system) and Dong Bundhs of Assam (gravity-based seasonal river channelisation) can be credited to the presence of strong communal linkages and functioning in the region of implementation of these practices. Mutual understanding among the local community and a give-and-take policy ensured a successful conservation of the shared resource commons i.e. water in this scenario without compromising on anyone’s needs.

Encourage gender equality

This is mirrored in indigenous practices such as 'Akkadi Saalu' of Karnataka (rainfed intercropping system with a focus on biodiversity conservation and ecological pest management) and Sedentary Pastoralism across Kangayam grasslands. These practices not only promote gender equality and female leadership but also highlight the efficiency and productivity that may be attained when genders work in unison like a cog in the wheel.

Incorporate sustainable and localised infrastructure

The most remarkable advantage of indigenous practices is their increased dependence on native yet eco-friendly raw materials. This can be observed in the case of Meghalaya's bamboo drip irrigation system. The practice leverages the local potential of the ecosystem such as utilisation of abundantly available bamboo species, natural terrain, and gravity in order to successfully accommodate both domestic and agricultural demands. A significant outcome of this initiative includes the sustained conservation of the bamboo forests of India.

Increase in carbon sequestration and lowering of ecological footprints

One primary reason why wastewater bheris of east Kolkata wetlands offer ecological subsidies to the city of Kolkata is their ability to act as carbon sinks— locking over 60 per cent of carbon from the input wastewater. Likewise, the design of the surangams of Western Ghats (groundwater harvesting tunnels) is such that it is always low on carbon emissions for its lifetime. This is an outcome of the native vegetation with increased carbon sequestration abilities that grow overhead these tunnels.

Encourage capacity building

Collaboration and brainstorming among people have always led to the strengthening of existing approaches and the evolution of new practices. The ancient tradition of Halma, practiced by the Bhil tribes of Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh, is an example of that. Systems like these become critical in the attempts to develop efficient and hybridised solutions with modern-day innovation. Likewise, they also enable people to take ownership of local issues and subsequently contribute to the process of planning and nation-building at their own level.

However, with rampant urbanisation and modern influence, these practices are on the verge of turning redundant while some are already redundant. This calls for an imperative need to promote and mainstream the knowledge associated with these practices to the general public. As India is set to celebrate its 77^th year of Independence, indigenous and traditional practices can help steer the way towards a self-reliant or “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” as quoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Efforts, therefore, need to be undertaken to equip our changemakers with resources, manpower, and information essential for mainstreaming these practices into the urban fabric of India.

The efficiency of modern-day westernised grey infrastructure is only up to the point of resolving the issue for which they were constituted. Indigenous and traditional knowledge systems, however, offer a cohort of holistic benefits; the most important of all being resilience which was clearly observed during the Covid-19 pandemic; amongst indigenous communities that still imbibe these practices. Climate change is an inevitable global phenomenon that does not harbour biases of any kind towards anyone individual or country. Collective efforts supported by cross-sectoral linkages, therefore, become extremely crucial to formulate sustainable and long-term solutions. Institutionally backed strategies, policies, and missions such as LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment), etc.; capable of imbibing these practices into the national framework formally need to be devised for strengthening and mainstreaming this knowledge.

Most importantly, understanding and deciphering the pattern established by these practices and their subsequent adaptation/replication in a different context is what we need to be looking at. One can only be enamoured by the wonders that may be achieved by the fusion of indigenous knowledge systems with modern technological advancements that are empathetic to the planet. Together we are not only moving towards (em)powering nature ecosystems to take their course but also conserving our tangible anthropogenic heritage for generations to come. Let us all, therefore, join hands towards reconnecting with our present by collaborating with our past in order to create a better future as a nation and planet.

Hitesh Vaidya is Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). Vishnupriya Gaur is Young Professional and Manju Rajeev Kanchan is Research Associate at NIUA.

namboothiri-an-artist-par-excellence-in-the-world-of-line-art

Fri Jul 07 15:04:39 IST 2023

'Varayude Paramashivan (Lord Shiva of line drawing)'.

It was a fitting tribute from one stalwart to another – from eminent Malayalam author V.K.N. (Vadakke Koottala Narayanankutty Nair) to noted artist Namboothiri.

One of the legendary figures of line drawing, Karuvattu Mana Vasudevan Namboothiri, 97, passed away at 12.21am today, leaving behind a rich legacy and his unique style. The eldest son of Parameshwaran Namboothiri and Sreedevi Antharjanam of Karuvattu Mana in Ponnani, Kerala, Namboothiri entered the world of art, inspired by the scriptures at a temple near his house. He was fond of making clay figures. After finishing high school, he worked as a priest at a temple in Thrissur for some time, during which he learnt Sanskrit and traditional medicinal practices. But, Namboothiri soon realised his destiny lay elsewhere.

With financial help from Krishnan Namboodiri of Varikkasseri Mana, a renowned aristocratic family in Malabar, Namboothiri got enrolled at the Madras School of Fine Arts (now, Government College of Fine Arts). It was there he met the two towering figures who would profoundly influence his art. The first was Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury, a student of Abanindranath Tagore and the founding principal of the institution. Under Chowdhury's guidance, the college provided comprehensive training in fine arts, fostering an environment conducive to exploring indigenous art forms. This exposure gave Namboothiri invaluable insights into depicting the human form and deepened his appreciation for artistic expression rooted in Indian traditions.

The second influential figure was his teacher, K.C.S. Paniker. His inspiration and unwavering support motivated Namboothiri and his peers to embark on a path of exploration, experimentation, and self-expression. Encouraging them to showcase their individual talents and challenge the limits of artistic conventions, Paniker instilled in them a sense of curiosity and a quest to define an Indian identity. After completing diplomas in fine arts and applied arts, Namboothiri lived at the Cholamandal Artists' Village under Paniker's guidance.

In 1960, Namboothiri joined Mathrubhumi, a prominent daily in Kerala, and four years later, he became a staff artist at Mathrubhumi Weekly. During this period, Namboothiri gained fame thanks to his distinctive style of raw and irreverent drawings. His pocket cartoon series, Naniyammayum Lokavum, in Mathrubhumi, got widespread acclaim and became a significant milestone in the publication's history.

Line drawing came naturally to him, and his unique perspective on human anatomy breathed life into many literary characters, making them immortal. The period from 1970s to 1990s is often hailed as Namboothiri's golden era, when he created some of his most celebrated literary illustrations. One notable example is the character of Bhima from M.T. Vasudevan Nair's famous novel Randamoozham (1984). Namboothiri skillfully portrayed Bhima with a robust physique and a relatively smaller head, effectively capturing the intricate emotions of Nair's Bhima.

Namboothiri's artistic prowess extended beyond Bhima, as he breathed visual form and shape into numerous characters in Malayalam literature. His illustrations graced the works of esteemed authors like Uroob, V.KN., S.K. Pottekkat, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, and Madhavi Kutty (Kamala Surayya), among others. Each of these artistic renderings showcased Namboothiri's ability to capture the essence of the characters and contribute to the rich tapestry of Malayalam literature.

His male characters possessed a sturdy and robust appearance, while his female characters were depicted as beautiful. It was Surayya's father, V.M. Nair, who worked alongside Namboothiri at Mathrubhumi, who suggested that the artist should envision all his characters as visually appealing, even if the writers were exploring themes of agony, distress, or sadness. This approach aimed to convey the inherent beauty within each character, regardless of their circumstances.

Namboothiri possessed a remarkable ability to translate the intricate realm of emotions experienced by a three-dimensional character into the confined space of his two-dimensional drawing sheets. His profound understanding of literature, Kathakali, and classical music played a significant role in shaping his artistic vision. These diverse influences greatly enhanced his drawings. Furthermore, Namboothiri regarded music as the pinnacle or the "best form” of art, considering it the only artistic medium capable of deeply touching and stirring the human heart.

In the 1970s, Namboothiri's artistic talents expanded into the realm of cinema. When G. Aravindan, who would later establish himself as one of the greatest filmmakers in Malayalam cinema, directed his debut film Uttarayanam, Namboothiri served as the art director. In 1974, the film garnered five state awards, including the prestigious Best Art Director award for Namboothiri. Subsequently, the artist collaborated with acclaimed filmmakers such as Shaji N. Karun and Padmarajan, further showcasing his versatility.

Namboothiri also ventured into other artistic mediums, such as oil on canvas and copper relief works, to express his artistry. He even embraced finger painting as a form of artistic expression. His copper relief works on the epics Mahabharat and Ramayan, as well as his fibre-glass works on Kathakali, garnered international recognition and acclaim.

Namboothiri's autobiography, first serialised in Bhashaposhini, Malayala Manorama's literary magazine, was subsequently published as a book titled Rekhakal by Manorama Books. This publication provided readers with insights into his life and journey, further solidifying his prominent position in the artistic landscape.

Despite the numerous honours Namboothiri received, including the Raja Ravi Varma Award, one wonders if the nation truly recognised and honoured his exceptional contributions to the world of art and culture. Surprisingly, he never got a Padma award, which many believe he truly deserved.

meet-mithil-dedhia-the-boy-who-summited-the-everest-at-17

Thu Jul 06 17:09:39 IST 2023

Last year, 16-year-old Mithil Dedhia trekked to the Everest base camp with his uncle, Keval Kakka, a mountaineer who scaled the world's highest peak, also known as Chomolongma, 'the Goddess mother of the world' way back in 2019. That was the first time he saw a small glimpse of the world's tallest mountain peak. It piqued his interest in conquering it and experiencing the summit, first-hand. How would that feel? What must it be like to reach there and how do people actually go about it? His mind was swarming with questions and his heart was beating harder with excitement. Kakka, who's been there, done that-- he's scaled five eight-thousanders one after the other in a short span of time, encouraged his nephew to pursue his heart and go all out to scale Everest.

Everest, he told the teen, was as much about the mind as it was about strength and agility. Once he decided he'd scale the peak, there should be no looking back. Dedhia followed the advice to the T and was resolute about his decision to scale Everest. The very first step was to convince the parents, which to his surprise, turned out to be the easiest one. "Initially they dismissed me, saying it was the excitement that follows a trip to the Basecamp. They were hoping I'd forget all about it in a few days. But I was so determined that they had to give in," says Dedhia. In January this year, the plan was final: Mithil, a student of St Gregory High School in Mumbai's Chembur was going to be the first 17-year-old from the city to scale the world's highest mountain above sea level.

The first and foremost part of the preparation strategy was to achieve a certain level of fitness. That came from two to three hours of Calisthenics. Dedhia has been undergoing training for a year and it helped in building his endurance levels. To that, he added, running marathons, climbing staircases with weights tied to the ankles, and more. This went on from January through March. On April 2, he left for Kathmandu and from there to Lukla, a small and sleepy town in north-eastern Nepal popular among trekkers, who're geared up for the Everest Trek.

Thereafter, a nine-day trek took him to the Basecamp. Acclimatization at such altitudes is crucial because the body needs to adapt to thin layers of oxygen at higher altitudes given the scarcity of the element further up. Proper acclimatization makes the trip safe as well as more enjoyable. But despite resting for a few days, Dedhia found himself falling prey to morning sickness. "I was dizzy, at a point in time on a small two-day trek to Lobuche, a peak at 6119 metres I almost fainted and that kind of made me super nervous about the upcoming trek the following night from basecamp to Camp One. I was hopeless and disheartened but then pulled myself up sooner," he says, recalling the moments, in an interview with THE WEEK. "I was super nervous. But my uncle was with me the whole time during these rotations and so it took us eleven hours for us to reach Camp 1 and then we went to Camp 2 the next day at 6800 metres. That took us five hours. The weather was getting inhospitable and unpredictable by the day. On the night of May 12, at 11.30 pm in the face of harsh winds, we left for Camp 2. I was very slow and the daytime heat was killing me. I was able to reach Camp 2 at 5 in the evening," says Dedhia.

There he and other mountaineers stayed for two days and thereafter moved on further with their oxygen masks on. It took them another six hours to reach Camp 3. "There, I was super exhausted. Also because I was wearing the oxygen mask for the first time and it was physically draining to hike with the mask on, especially in the face of heavy snow. Our tent, which was placed on a vertical slope, was fully covered with snow. Somehow, we spent the night there before leaving for Camp 4. After an unforgettable and highly eventful ten hours, we found ourselves at Camp 4. Surprisingly, I wasn't exhausted at all; rather, I was energetic and very excited for what lay ahead," recalls Dedhia, animatedly. The team ate theplas and basic homemade food they were carrying along, and soon after left for the Summit at 8 am. At this point, Dedhia was by himself, along with his Sherpa and fellow mountaineers, who were more than a hundred at any point in time. His uncle, Kakka had accompanied him till Camp 3. Just after an hour of leaving for the summit, Dedhia's Sherpa fell sick with diarrhoea. That was at 8100 metres. And it meant that Dedhia had to wait for his Sherpa's replacement to come over. The wait on the way to the summit is actually what causes the most anxiety in climbers, says Dedhia. "My toes had begun to get numb in the snow, while I was waiting for more than an hour at one place."

He finally reached the Ridge Walk at 5380 metres. Despite wearing sunglasses, Dedhia had only 50 per cent visibility, because of the frost on the glasses that made it nearly impossible to see clearly. So here he was on 80-degree steep slopes at a height of close to 8450 metres, all of which he negotiated without being able to see anything clearly. He reached the "South Pole." Until then for a long time he had been on juices completely and preferred to not stuff himself with food. Then came the famous Hillary Step at 8600 metres, where Dedhia's oxygen mask went kaput, making it difficult for him to breathe. He had to remove it and gasp harder to be able to take in oxygen at a height where the element is less than or equal to only about 30 per cent of that at sea level. So here was this 17-year-old at close to 8500 metres, where he could barely see clearly, could barely breathe well in the absence of a functioning mask and was walking with a numb toe. Dedhia recalls the moment as one that drove him to panic, anxiety and nervousness such as he had never experienced before.

He decided against proceeding further. All he had to do was cross the remaining 200 metres before he could reach the top of the world. But that short distance seemed like an eternity. "My Sherpa was confident, encouraging and warm and was the sole person to convince me that I could do it. He changed my oxygen mask and I sat there for five minutes before moving ahead with small, calculated steps." The universe conspired to make it all happen for him, says Dedhia. just when he felt at his lowest, and coldest, the sun shone brightly as if taking the boy in a warm embrace. The frost on his glasses disappeared, he could breathe well and walk well. At 9 am that morning he finally reached the summit and soaked in the beauty around for a full 30 minutes. "I made it. It was a wonderful and a very powerful feeling," says Dedhia from the comfort of his home, a month and a half after he returned from Everest. He is presently nursing a frostbitten foot, but the wound he says, is hardly any price to pay in the face of the momentous accomplishment of having scaled Everest and fulfilled his long-cherished dream.

While the ascent was difficult and challenging, the descent from Everest, says Dedhia, is equally challenging if not more. First of all, he had to wait on the Hillary Step for a good 45 minutes only to allow those climbing up, to pass. "On my way, I encountered dead bodies, injured and deeply wounded fellow trekkers, and those who went tumbling down into danger right in front of my eyes. The descent is such that we all need to form a single line and move slowly one after the other. If you try to overtake, you'd slip, fall, tumble and die. We were all moving extremely cautiously; it took me five hours to reach Camp 4. We were there at 2 pm." From there he was to go to Lhotse, the fourth-highest mountain in the world, but frostbites on the finger and a blister on the toe, kept him from pursuing it. A few minutes into the descent, with the rope slipping from his numb hands, Dedhia had a "deep fall" that led him to further injure his hands and legs. Somehow having managed to reach Camp 2 where he saw his feet were completely frostbitten, he was rescued in a helicopter to Kathmandu.

More than the happiness that comes with summiting Everest, it was that on his first 8000'er, he was able to make the right decisions and return from the peak safe and sound. "The injuries I brought back with me, feel sweet in the face of the hardships I endured up there," he says. One can sense the enthusiasm and energy in his voice as he recalls his first-ever summit, and is already in preparation for his next one.

Dedhia had just appeared for his Class 12 exams before setting out for the trek. It was a much-needed break, he says, laughing. He's currently pursuing a program in graphic design and visual communications. "It took me seven to eight months of rigorous preparation to make my body fit for the trek. this despite the fact that I have an agile and fit body, that has been trained into calisthenics for a couple of years now," he says. Dedhia weighed 57 when he set off for the trek; he lost six kilos during the trek. He now weighs a healthy 53 kilos. His initiation into trekking happened way back at the age of seven, courtesy of Kakka who took him along on weekend monsoon treks and camping trips in the Sahayadris. Ever since he's been a regular at snow treks. From 2018 through 2022, Dedhia spent his Decembers' on some or other snow trek. In December of 2022, he successfully accomplished five long treks in the snow within India including an expedition to a 6200-metre peak in Leh Ladakh. The mantra remains: "Mountains are calling, and I must go."

malcolm-forests-documentary-unveils-brazils-storied-past-and-unique-path-to-independence

Sat Jul 01 08:30:33 IST 2023

Brazil has a history of independence unlike that of any other country. While fiery libertadores like Bolivar, O’Higgins and San Martin led the epic wars of independence against Spain in bloody South American battles, Brazil's independence emerges from elements of loyalty, philosophical struggle, enchantment, and romanticism depicting a journey that brought about its transformation from a colony to an independent empire before it became a republic.

In a cinematic revelation, world avant-premiere of director Malcolm Forest's documentary film, Jornada dos Principes - The Journey of the Princes, unveils the storied tale of Brazil’s path to independence with intimate detail, recreating the grandeur of the time.

The film, honouring Brazil's bicentennial cycle that celebrates a series of pivotal events that shaped the destiny of the country, brought voices, history and music across the centuries to the screen in Brasilia this June.

The avant-premiere was held at Austria's embassy in Brazil, in deference to the role and history of Austrian princess Maria Leopoldina Carolina Josefa de Habsburgo-Lorena, whose influence on the development and independence of Brazil reverberates strongly to this day.

The noble efforts of Austrian ambassador Stephan Scholz in preserving the historical connections between Austria and Brazil also serve to champion and uphold the legacy of the young Austrian woman whom most Brazilians know simply as Dona Leopoldina, Empress of Brazil; and director Forest resurrects the persona of Empress Leopoldina, eloquently revealing her significant contribution in shaping the trajectory of Brazilian independence.

“They had music in common... they had the Fatherland in common... together, they made Brazil's independence,” begins the documentary which depicts the people, colour, music, and the story with important dates and events that form the intangible patrimony of the creation of Brazil.

The documentary retraces the journey of Dom Pedro, the Prince Regent of Brazil and son of King Dom João VI of Portugal, Brazil’s colonial power, from the capital Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo where he declared independence, giving birth to the Empire of Brazil and becoming its first emperor.

At the intersection of cinema and history, the documentary film emerges as a portal to the past, guiding audiences through a journey that intertwines personal narratives and grand historical events, revealing the intricate tapestry of bygone era.

With Forest's signature blend of reverence for history and philosophical introspection, the film revisits the visually stunning locations where significant events took place, delving into rich descriptions of familiar narratives.

Director Forest uses breathtaking cinematography and a meticulous attention to historical accuracy in showing the soul behind the story of Brazil's birth. The documentary manages to do this with a level of intimacy that captivates and enlightens in providing a profound understanding of the rich cultural heritage that shaped Brazil.

The portrayal of Dom Pedro and Dona Leopoldina's relationship serves as a window into the broader narrative of Brazil's birth as an independent state. Their bond becomes a metaphor for the strong ties that held Brazil together during its formative years, and their love story humanises the grand historical events, making them relatable and emotionally resonant.

"My dearest Dom Pedro,

"In this momentous hour, I find myself compelled to pour out my heart to you, my beloved husband and the leader of our cherished Brazil. The time has come for us to seize our destiny and carve a path towards independence.

"Oh, Pedro, the spirit of freedom resonates within me, and I believe it stirs within the hearts of our people as well. The yoke of colonial rule has become too heavy to bear, and the longing for autonomy echoes through our vibrant land."

The letter, in Dona Leopoldina's handwriting appearing on the screen, captures the unique path of Brazilian independence, adding a personal and emotional dimension which was contextualised in a combination of intellectual analysis by Forest and historical context by Brazil's preeminent historian Dr Jose Theodoro Mascarenhas Menck and others.

Scholz, Austria's ambassador to Brazil, said the film contributes "hugely to renew the understanding of the history... and the early days of independence."

"Brazil last year celebrated its bicentennial," said Ambassador Scholtz. "We all lived through 1976 when the US celebrated 200 years, and [19]89, when France celebrated. Both these countries set up huge commissions that reviewed history teachings, history curricula and tried to bring new perspectives new findings of the early days of independence, and the struggle for independence."

Noting that the film catalyses a similar process in Brazil, Scholtz said the educational aspect is powerful in projecting how Brazil in early years was perceived in Europe. "How this young, young country became a matter of discussion in the saloons of Vienna because people were fascinated with flora, with fauna, with anthropology, and on the other side they were also fascinated with your liberal constitution of 1824 which gave many rights to the people which central Europeans did not enjoy during that time."

Emperatriz Leopoldina was known for her deep appreciation of botany, art, and music, and left an indelible cultural imprint on the country. Her father, Francis I of Austria, Emperor of Austria and the last ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, sent to her extensive scholarly works and scientific instruments that facilitated her in-depth study of botany, science, and culture, ultimately contributing to Brazil's intellectual and scientific development.

She supported scientific expeditions and corresponded with renowned botanists of the time, contributing the foundational understanding and documentation of Brazil's rich botanical diversity.

The preview screening before diplomats, government officials, and an audience or notables received a standing ovation on its second night of showing before the Brasilia Women's Club.

Jornada dos Principes presents a powerful portrayal of a slice of history that shaped Brazil as a nation, said pioneer Brasilian, historian, and longtime civic and arts patron Cosete Ramos, speaking after the screening.

Through a personal and intimate portrayal of Dom Pedro and Dona Leopoldina, the documentary showcases the challenges faced, from political tensions and external pressures to internal conflicts in the country's journey towards independence.

Director Forest is also a noted composer, singer, actor and cultural producer whose international career spans several decades in which he has garnered international acclaim.

The film's soundtrack fills the air with music authored by Dom Pedro I, and original compositions by the film director, Malcolm Forest. In the sum, the narrative evokes a range of emotions as it takes viewers along a historic ride that pays homage to the unique history of Brazil.

The documentary is headed for screenings across Brazil as well as major cities and world capitals as a prelude for worldwide broadcast.

dad-and-me-a-tale-of-laughter-love-and-unbreakable-bond

Sun Jun 18 12:44:36 IST 2023

My father has been enjoying his retired life for the past three decades. As I lean back and reflect on my career, I can’t help but compare it to my father's carefree and enjoyable journey, realising I can never quite measure up.

I vividly remember my childhood days, watching in awe as my father briskly walked up to the door every morning, with my mother following closely to see him off. On a few occasions, he would return at the same pace, declaring he did not feel like going to the office! Oh, how I wish I could do the same.

My clients eagerly await my arrival, and I find myself rushing out of my home at the crack of dawn, desperate not to miss my flights and face the wrath of both my colleagues and clients. The airlines have become less generous these days and I can't afford any setbacks.

Yet, despite his seemingly effortless career, I remember two occasions when my father's enthusiasm waned. The first was when he received a transfer order to the Mumbai office. At that time, our house in Madurai was nearing completion, and I was in class 10. The other instance was when he lost a court case representing his office. However, in his unique style, he managed to turn both situations around.

I cherish the moments spent with my father as we share laughter and crack wild jokes that one would never expect between a father and son. I recall my grandmother, his mother, cautioning my father that he wasn't raising me properly and that he should maintain some distance. But we were inseparable, like mischievous brothers, strolling down the road, giggling, and poking fun at the people passing by.

One of the funniest moments we shared was when he had to be admitted to a clinic for his frozen shoulder. The neurosurgeon's routine visit happened to be at an odd hour, so he had to stay overnight. After the surgeon left our room, we couldn't contain our laughter. I imitated the surgeon's mannerisms, only to have a nurse walk in, completely shocked by our unexpected camaraderie. She quickly retreated, probably questioning whether we were really father and son.

One of our regular sources of amusement involved my father telling me that he would ask a question (only we knew what it was) to someone, be it my mom, sister, or even a visitor. He would then predict their responses. I would watch his conversation unfold, and more often than not, their replies matched his expectations. We would burst into fits of laughter, much to the annoyance of my sister, who often ended up getting angry and yelling at me. My mother would comment that our household was an exception, as most sons tend to side with their mothers.

During my school vacations, I walked alongside my father every day up to the main road where his office was located. The representative from the roadside medical shop and the stationery store owner would often ask me how I managed to maintain such a close relationship with my father, while their own sons seemed distant. I guess the secret lies in our shared laughter and deep connection.

For the majority of my education, I never had to leave home. Most of my studenthood was fortunately from the comforts of my own house. However, when it came time for my postgraduate studies, I had to venture beyond Madurai. Those initial days in the hostel weren't easy and I fell ill. The housekeeper noticed my condition and asked about my health. In my vulnerable state, I confessed that I wanted to see my father. Suddenly, his expression changed. Little did I know that he would go on to make a lighthearted comment to his colleagues, wondering whether it was my mother or my father who had breastfed me. Both of them had a good laugh at my expense, and I couldn't help but chuckle too without taking offence.

My father will forever be my hero. Our close bond sustains me, especially since I lost my mom in 2017. These days, I cherish our shared moments at the dining table, where I playfully coerce him into eating vegetable dishes—something my mom could never make him do. It's the only time he seems slightly uncomfortable with me. As he clutches my hand for balance during our walks, I feel a deep sense of love and gratitude that words can't fully express.

My father's presence has always brought joy, humour, and unwavering emotion. I'm forever grateful for the countless laughs, the shared jokes, and the profound connection we share. Through the ups and downs, my father remains an anchor of love and support, reminding me that the greatest gift one can have is a father who is not only a parent but also a best friend.

(The author is the director, global key accounts, LRQA)

reimagining-the-himalayas-on-canvas

Thu Jun 15 15:07:34 IST 2023

They say the best inspiration for any artist comes from nature. When artist Vinod Sharma looked to nature for ideas, he ended up bringing to life the mystical landscape of the Himalayas on canvas. His month-long solo online exhibition that concludes on Thursday depicts the ageless Himalayas, the abode of Lord Shiva, according to Hindu scriptures.

The exhibition celebrates the simplistic use of colour, aligning it with a minimalistic philosophy. Sharma's colour palette ranges from black and white to primary hues of reds and blues.

Talking about his collection, Sharma says, “The legends say that Shiva had wisely chosen the Himalayas as his home amid the snow-capped mountains away from the maddening world in the lap of nature, where his mind controlled the world. This is my tribute to that level of self-restraint and control over one’s senses which empowered Shiva to take over the entire universe. Silent, yet powerful. Deep within yet holding the physical world in his fist.”

Sharma has 35-five solo exhibitions to his credit, and his works are celebrated internationally. Sharma was also behind organising the art camps and seminars for the NCERT, Dissertation on 20th Century Printmakers, Technique & Vision and designed Murals & Interiors at Trade Fair Society, Delhi. Some of his collections are a part of the Modern Art museum, New Delhi and Museum of Art, Chandigarh as well.

Curator Manisha Gawade calls Sharma’s understanding of the mountainous terrains ‘uncanny and intense.’ “The presence of the artist’s meditative state melts into the hearts and minds of the onlooker,” she says.

The show was curated by Gawade and supported by Arthouse by AV, Dubai. It was presented by Ehsaas, which was founded by Dr Alka Raghuvanshi and Manisha Gawade in 2012 to bring all the combined arts on a single platform.

guerrillero-heroico-the-story-behind-che-guevaras-iconic-photo

Wed Jun 14 17:19:51 IST 2023

Who would have thought that a picture taken on March 5, 1960, with a Leica M2 90 mm lens of a man who had been photographed by many, and in numerous poses, would go on to become one of the world's most famous photographs, and be reproduced on every imaginable medium more than any other picture, perhaps, in history.

On that day in March, former fashion photographer Alberto Díaz Gutiérrez, who later changed his name to Korda, immortalised Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, popularly known as Che Guevara.

Revolutionary leader. Physician. Marxist. Guerrilla leader. Author. And later, pop culture icon. Ernesto “Che” Guevara was all these, and more. But even those who do not know much about Che's life or exploits, would probably know him from Korda's iconic photo.

On that day, in downtown Havana, a funeral march was held in memory of all the sailors and stevedores who were killed when the La Coubre, a French vessel carrying tons of grenades and munitions, exploded. The march was attended by the likes of philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Also present was Korda - a staff photographer for the Revolución, a newspaper first published by the Revolutionary Union.

Korda, when asked about the picture by The Times of London, said "I decided to watch from the crowd and used my Leica with its medium telephoto lens. I panned the podium, and suddenly Che moved forward into my camera. I took a picture, and immediately thought of a cover of our newspaper, turned the camera vertically, made another - and the moment had gone."

Korda later said that Che’s facial expression at that moment showed his characteristic stoicism and “absolute implacability”.

Though the picture – later titled 'Guerrillero Heroico' - did not go to print, it ended up in Korda's private collection and would not see the light of the day till 1967, when an Italian publisher and businessman Giangiacomo Feltrinelli came to Korda looking for a portrait of Che Guevara. He gifted Feltrinelli two copies of the print; the same print that Feltrinelli mass printed as promotional posters to promote Guevara's book after his execution by the Bolivian army on October 8, 1967. The picture first appeared as the cover of Feltrinelli’s publication of Guevara's Bolivian Diaries in 1968.

Interestingly, eight years after Korda's click, and a year after Che died, Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick did a stylised red-black-and-white rendering of 'Guerrillero Heroico', which, to borrow from modern vocabulary, went viral.

Che Guevara had, by then, become the face of the revolution and his image a symbol of rebellion and anti-imperialism. As a result, Feltrinelli prospered while Korda never got any royalties despite being the man behind the lens. His daughter Diana Díaz told CGTN America that her father did not receive a cent out of the photograph's popularity and he did not care about making profits either. The only thing, she said, that mattered to him was the fact that the image helped make Che famous.

The year before he died, in an interview for a documentary, Korda is quoted as saying, “I had the luck to take this photo and leave something for humanity. I didn’t leave great palaces, yachts, money in the bank, none of that. I left an example of my work during my time in this world.”

no-mountain-too-tall-indian-soldiers-record-making-trek-to-mt-everest-base-camp

Mon Jun 12 16:52:53 IST 2023

The weather was as harsh as it could ever be. He was bleeding profusely from the nose. He did not have auxiliary oxygen support. He had a medical condition, which made it difficult to breathe, forget running in an unforgiving terrain with all the gear on. But, Armyman Muhsin V.A. battled all these odds, and more, to finally reach the Mount Everest Base Camp (MEBC) after an arduous 22-hour trek to etch his name in the record books.

The 29-year old from Aluva, Kerala, who started the trek from Lukla, a small town in northeast Nepal, entered the Asia Book of Records as the fastest to reach the MEBC.

“It usually takes days, and sometimes even weeks, to complete this stretch. I had to run most of the way with all the gear strapped on, to reach the camp in the shortest possible time. I didn't carry any auxiliary oxygen support, too,” Muhsin told THE WEEK.

For Muhsin, a tech soldier now posted in Ladakh, overcoming his medical condition was one of the biggest challenges. “I was first posted in Himachal Pradesh. My medical condition was an issue, which I overcame with breathing exercises and yoga. This gave me confidence.”

It was not the first trek to the MEBC for the mountaineering enthusiast. “My first time, back in 2016, I took 15 days and the second time, a week, to complete this trek. The climate then was not that harsh,” Muhsin, who joined the Army in 2015, said.

“This time, it was snowing heavily, making it difficult to take each step. The wind was blowing so hard that it kept pushing me backwards.” Muhsin even lost his way once.

He started the trek from the Gateway of the Everest – Lukla – at 4am on May 1. It took only three hours to reach Phakding. The real challenge, however, started from there. By around 10:30am, Muhsin reached Namche Bazar but was drained of all his energy. “Since I hadn't had any food, each step was getting harder. No shops were open,” he said.

With heavy rains ruling out further movement, Muhsin decided to rest. “By around 11am, I started again. My next stop was Deboche, and by the time I reached, heavy snowfall had covered the village in a blanket of white. The chilling wind was making it extremely difficult to trek.

“From Deboche, I reached Thukla by around 6pm but lost my way after that due to the thick fog. Even my phone was about to die and I knew that if my GPS tracker lost its signal, then there was no point continuing the trek. Thankfully, I heard the sound of cattle bells, which I followed to find a trail. I met a villager who showed me the track to follow. Following the cattle tracks, I reached a tea shop, charged my phone and set out for the Base Camp, and reached by 2am on May 2,” Muhsin said.

On the way up, there were constant reminders of how deadly each step could be. “There were posters of missing persons. They are a chilling reminder that there are so many people who have been lost here, to these mountains,” he said.

The aim was to reach the Base Camp in 16 hours but adverse weather delayed his plans, he said.

Muhsin had trekked with a message '#SaveLakshadweep', to raise awareness on the threat of global warming. At 5am, he started trekking down, and reached Lukla at 10pm.

Muhsin trained in mountaineering at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, and the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS), Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh. He has his sights set on advanced training at the High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg in August, in preparation for his trek to Mount Everest next year.

“My target is to reach Mount Everest in 24 hours. On this trek, when people would advise me to go slow, I would tell them that I was in a hurry to complete the trek in record time. ‘Are you kidding’, they would ask. I made that possible and I am confident that I will be able to achieve my next target as well,” he said.

Muhsin has conquered other peaks, too, including Island Peak, Mera Peak and Kala Patthar in Nepal.

“There is no easy way to get used to the high altitude. Your body has to adapt to the conditions. Correct diet and exercise help you adapt.”

His feat was acknowledged by the International Book of Records, too, when they named him one of the fastest individuals to have trekked to the MEBC.

diplomats-artists-come-together-to-bring-smiles-to-children-battling-critical-illnesses

Sat Jun 10 12:23:15 IST 2023

Battery-operated cars and bikes, a doll house, phones and tablets for online studies were some of the wishes of children battling critical illnesses. As their wishes were fulfilled by Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon, along with Records Manya and Make-A-Wish Foundation, the children could not stop smiling.

The 12 children who were invited to the Ambassador's residence, hail from different parts of the country and are being treated in Delhi for their severe illnesses. Once they received their gifts, they were indulged in activities and interactive experiences to lift their spirits.

The initiative was funded by a portion of the proceeds generated from the successful art exhibition held last month in which artists sold their art painted on old vinyl records to raise funds. It was a joint initiative of the Speaking Art Foundation and Records Manya, the brainchild of Maya Katz, an Israeli artist working with the Embassy of Israel in India. Around 125 hand-painted artworks on scratched records, created by more than 100 artists from all over India were showcased and sold.

Maya, who shared she recently lost someone close to cancer, said it became her drive to do something for the children. “I had received these vinyl records from one of my family members during the lockdown and I was wondering what to do with them. That is when I started painting them. It gave me the idea of bringing together artists to do the same for a good cause,” she said. While the amount raised has not been disclosed, Maya says it is good enough to fulfill the wishes of the children.

Ambassador Gilon, who played host along with his wife, said: "I am honoured to host such a noble event and make a small difference in the lives of the children undergoing challenging medical treatment. Witnessing the joy and hope emanating from these incredible kids is a profound reminder of the power of unity, compassion, and the ability to create an impact. It is even more special as the proceeds were generated by the sustainable art exhibition that reused scratched vinyl to create new artefacts.”

He further said: “It was inspiring to see Israelis and Indians coming together to make a positive contribution and bring happiness and hope to these children. Together, we can inspire and uplift, creating a world where wishes do come true.”

Ambassador Gilon who has actively advocated for water conservation techniques and initiatives often finds himself getting back at trolls on Twitter. When asked about some of the recent incidents, he said he is a Twitter person and loves to engage and communicate with people on Twitter. “I am very active on Twitter and feel it is a god way to share thoughts. At times, I feel the need to speak my part as well and that is why I do and clarify things,” he said.

italian-national-day-indian-italian-artists-come-together-for-a-musical-evening

Tue Jun 06 16:47:07 IST 2023

When Italian folk musician and songwriter Eugenio Bennato recently played his music at the Italian Embassy in Delhi, the charmed audiences, both Indians and Italians, were transported to Italy by his performance. The founder of a musical movement called Taranta Power that began in 1998 to promote south-Italian folk culture through music, cinema and theater, Bennato's passion for Italian culture and heritage reflects in his love for music.

Bennato collaborated with artist Sonia Totaro, who sang along with him, clad in all red, on the occasion of National Day of Italy on June 2. The day marks Italy’s Republic Day commemorating the anniversary of the 1946 referendum through which Italians abandoned monarchy and became a republic.

In a first, the Italian maestro could also be seen having a jugalbandi with Rajasthani folk musicians Yar Mohammad and group who set the night in motion. Bennato was also heard praising the musical heritage of Indian musicians.

Earlier this year, Italy had extended full support to the Indian Presidency of G20. Later, the two countries announced elevating the bilateral relationship to the level of the strategic partnership while concluding a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation.

During the event, Italian Ambassador to India Vincenzo De Luca hailed India-Italy relationship and said it holds a special place as both the countries received Independence almost at the same time.

It was a feast at the Embassy of Italy in Delhi as Italian delicacies and wine flowed through the night. As the event flagged off, Indian and Italian national anthems were played and the Italian and Indian crowds participated to mark respect to both nations.

The guests in attendance also included Ambassador of Denmark Freddy Svane, Ambassador of Lithuania Diana Mickeviciene, Ambassador of Chile Juan Angulo, French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain, among others.

Also in attendance was Meenakshi Lekhi, minister of state for external affairs and culture who congratulated Italy on their National Day celebrations.

deepa-madans-therapeutic-paintings-brings-emotions-to-life

Mon May 29 12:49:50 IST 2023

A short walk from the Pathadipalam metro station in Kochi leads you to a rather quiet place, the blossoming artist that lies inside though is not as inconspicuous. The Museum of Kerala History is hosting Deepa Madan, an English literature professor, a homemaker, and a brilliant self-taught artist. It is the maiden solo exhibit of the Kerala-born Singapore-based professor cum artist who has won quite a few hearts with her acrylic on canvas exhibits in the lion city.

The exhibition titled (un)focused: Then Now Beyond is a collection of Madan’s works ranging from nature stills – in her signature impressionistic style, and cultural paintings – a result of her very intimate travel experiences and childhood to abstract artworks that play with the concept of malleable emotions. Each section of the surrounding walls is segmented to classify the artworks in the aforementioned categories. The experience a space is able to compose lies very much in the way it is curated and Madan's exhibition surely does a great job at that.

As soon as one enters the room one is given a green card to a feast of colours. Every painting either plays with the binary, has an overarching shade, or is an alluring but complex mix of everything. When asked about it Madan had a very simple answer. She talked about how sometimes after a long exhausting day at work she would be brimming with a restless energy of sorts. She might have seen a colour that got suck in her head the whole day or a rather interesting shade or object. Till the creative juices are let free she would have no peace of mind. Hence, most feelings of hers get translated into tangible scapes as colours on canvas.

Madan is also known for making ‘happy’ paintings. In a press meeting on Thursday, the artist talked about how no matter what unpleasant mood she was in before painting, the end result would be positive. The process of dipping her fingers (or on the rare occasion, a brush) in paint and communicating with the canvas is ‘cathartic’ and ‘therapeutic’, she said.

Madan’s stylistic approach is rather interesting. Her fingers to her are her guide, just as a tether is to a kite. She prefers dipping her fingers in paint and letting them do the talking for her. She has not completely forsaken the brush of course but she finds the freedom that the brush gives her is nothing compared to what her five fingers give.

There is something absolutely enthralling about a piece of work that bleeds. It is not simply the morbid obsession with the blood but the idea that something as irreplaceably replaceable as that is capable of being proof of life. Two paintings namely ‘Transience’, an acrylic on canvas artwork depicting the beautiful sakura flowers, and ‘Pop into Town’, an acrylic on canvas painting with a monochrome background save for a bright red double-decker bus, are intriguing. There is something unique that the colour red is capable of triggering; it is the automatic response to stare and to watch. As the blossoms of the sakura tree progressively grow darker and darker towards the bottom of the rectangular vertical canvas and the scarlet bus breathes life into that painting, it becomes a testament to the vermilion's brilliance.

Just like that, every painting of hers seems interwoven with the next. Madan says she finds it impossible to pick a favourite of all her works as they are all equally painstakingly crafted brainchildren of hers. But out of all of Madan’s work there is one that has been a crowd favourite which the artist herself has acknowledged. It is a green and red painted face that displays half of a Kathakali performer's face and a Beijing opera performer. While the Kathakali player's section was dominated by the colour green, the opera performer was drenched in red. Green in Kerala signifies good while red was used for positive characters as it signifies courage and loyalty in China. The contrasting colours from two cultures that had so much in common was used by Madan as a device to comment on the language of colours, as it was reflected by the cultures that use them.

Madan is known to experiment with mediums too. The door to the gallery even features a tiny canvas art made with textured fabric. Taking centre stage in one of the walls is a mixed media artwork titled 'Motif Mystery'—it highlights a varied array of textiles cut out to form the body of Lord Ganesh. The green acrylic backdrop is majestic; it seems like a field or a land sectioned to act like a functional town. After all, it is the huge room of interpretation that art offers which makes it more appealing. And Madan’s artworks surely encourage room for thought.

The cheerful artist, when asked about what her future plans were, slowly and steadily explained how she wanted to explore the areas of Art Therapy. She recalled an incident back in her school where an artist was invited to lead a class and help the teachers break free by assisting them in challenging the limits of the canvas. That particular event had left quite an impression that she wishes to recreate the same but with a more purpose-oriented approach by treating art as a form of therapy. She wants children to get into this as well as their parents. But for now Madan is satisfied with the pace she has built for herself. With steady improvements and learning curves it seems like the sky is the limit to Madan’s untapped potential.

some-of-the-most-impressive-parliament-buildings-in-the-world

Sat May 27 14:41:36 IST 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to inaugurate the new Parliament building on May 28. This project has been in the works since 2019 as part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project by the Government of India. The current colonial era Parliament building is over a hundred years old and with the increase in Parliamentary activities the building is in dire need of renovations and modifications. As the nation and its needs change, so must its infrastructure. While we wait for the inauguration and for the new to take over the old let's take a look at five incredible Parliamentary Buildings:

The Palace of the Parliament/The People's House, Bucharest, Romania:

Deemed the largest and heaviest administrative building in the world used for civilian purposes and the most expensive administrative building–The Romanian Parliament building is a colossal and controversial structure built under the dictatorial regime of Nicolae Ceausescu. With a towering height of 84m and weighing about 4,098,500 kilograms, the building is famous for its ornate interior design and craftsmanship. The post-modern neoclassical palace was part of the systematisation program by Nicolae Caeusecus who was in turn inspired by the Juche ideology in North Korea. Despite starting its construction in 1984 the building remains incomplete even today. Just 30% of the building's capacity has been used, the other 70% remains empty. Only two large meeting rooms and 400 other rooms have been completed out of the designed 1,100. The building houses the two chambers of the Parliament of Romania, three entire museums, and a massive international conference centre. The enormous and intricate 12-story palace also hosts a spacious nuclear bunker as a direct result of the late dictator's fear of a possible nuclear war.

The National Congress, Federal District, Brazil:

Oscar Nemyer's Iconic structure houses the previously separate bicameral legislature of the state and is lovingly called the face of Brazilian architecture. The Congressional Palace is a composition of five parts: twin administrative towers flanked by a large, white concrete dome (the meeting place of the Senate) and by an equally massive concrete bowl (the Chamber of Deputies), which is joined to the dome by an underlying, flat-roofed building. Located in Praça dos Três Poderes (Square of the Three Powers) the power centre of the state. Where the Planalto Palace (presidential office) and the Federal Supreme Court building (seat of the highest authority of the judicial power) are, the National congress enjoys its position as one of the most impressive buildings in the square, fully embodying Brazilian modernist architecture. In 1960, after its completion, it soon formally became the seat of the legislative body of the Brazilian government as the Federal Capital was transferred from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia.

The Sri Lankan Parliament Complex, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka:

About 16 kilometres east of Colombo in an artificially created island called Duwa the current parliament building of Sri Lanka designed by Deshamanya Geoffrey Bawa is located. Bawa believed that man and nature were inseparable and that belief of his translated into most of his works as well.This is a project that cost over $25.4 million and was built by a partnership between two Japanese Mitsui groups, it was officially completed in 1982. The design of the Parliament Complex is purposefully built to imitate the style of a floating palace. The central pavilion flanked by five others alludes to an artificial sense of asymmetry which contrasts with the organic structure of the lake. The building, though an example of modernism, is designed in a style that accommodates and highlights Sri Lanka's vernacular architecture. The complex is associated with being the leader of a subgenre of modernism namely tropical modernism, one whose notable features is the building of structures to go with the elements rather than against them.

The Hungarian Parliament Building, Budapest, Hungary:

Since its completion in 1902 it The Hungarian Parliament Building has been the largest building in the country. With a symmetrical façade and a central dome, the structure which took 17 years to build was designed by Hungarian architect Imre Steindl in a neo-Gothic style. It is also the third-largest parliament building in the world complete with 691 interior rooms, 10 courtyards, 88 statues of Hungarian rulers on its facade, and 12.5 miles of 29 staircases–spanning over an area of 18,000sq.m with 28 entrances. The building has 242 sculptures on the walls alone. The intricately designed Parliament building is filled with displays like that of King Stevens crown jewels. Inspired by the British Parliament the Hungarian Parliament building is not just an important governmental headquarter but also an Iconic landmark. Other than the six metre tall marble monoliths along the main stairs every material used to build the Parliament building was homegrown.

Parliament House, Canberra, Australia:

Opened in 1988 by Queen Elizabeth II of Australia, the Parliament house also known as capital hill, is the legislative seat of the Australian government. Designed by Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp the building is a striking piece of architecture. The site covers around 18 acres and when seen from a distance is four metres higher than the original height of the hill. Its highlights are two curved walls, both 460m in length, that divide the Parliament house into four: the House of Representatives and offices for members on the eastern side. To follow the tradition of the colour scheme of the British House of Commons, the House of Representatives is decorated in green and the Senate red. However, the colour is muted to suggest the colour of the Australian eucalyptus. The Chamber itself is designed to seat up to 172 members, with room to accommodate a total of 240 temporarily. The new building was designed to encourage public access and involvement while responding to the Australian climate, landscape, vegetation, and even the quality of the light. It was designed to be both a functional building and a major national symbol all the while imitating the structure of a boomerang. The old building is now being preserved as a historic site. The forecourt is adorned by a 196sq.m mosaic, which was designed by an Indigenous Australian artist Michael Nelson Jagamarra In 1983. The height of the major flag mast on top of the building is 81 metres and weighs 220 tonnes.