Choosing between Telangana and Andhra

June 1, 2015

Author – Harika Bantupalli

Exactly a year ago, I remember the city of Hyderabad all adorned in Pink. It was the Telangana Formation Day and the ruling party wanted no stones unturned in making it the most spectacular event the city, or for that matter, the state had ever seen. Ever since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh took place, things have changed drastically for both the states.

Being born in Coastal Andhra and brought up in Telangana region, I am now latched to both the states in equally important ways. After a year of separation, I still feel uncomfortable answering to people who ask me if I was an Andhrite or Telanganite, because I can’t choose between the two of them. When I visit my native place in Andhra, I am considered a Telanganite because of my habits, while back home in Hyderabad, they consider me a blood-sucking parasite from Andhra. Does it really matter where I belong? Is state culture and division way beyond humanity?

It is a fact one can’t ignore that Telangana and Andhra, or for that matter, even Rayalaseema are diverse regions with one common thing binding them – Telugu. This language is said to be a derivative of the word ‘Trilinga’ as in ‘Trilinga Desham’, a place of three lingas, one in each region. But the language spoken has its own style, slang and dialect in each of these places, which turned into a major point for segregation even when it was the similarity that united them earlier.

The differences in Telugu language added to the cultural contrast of these regions like fuel to the fire. Especially, the peculiar culture of Telangana influenced by the Nizam’s rule in Hyderabad distinguished it from the other two. What actually started off as a peasant revolt turned into a clash of cultures, resulting in the separation of the state from Andhra Pradesh after a lengthy struggle.

In many ways, Telangana is not anything like Andhra Pradesh. The Telangana dialect is often considered too brash and primitive. Further, some words in the dialect are considered offensive by Andhrites. It happened with me a number of times when I was refrained from using certain words in my village. My mom used to give me a list of words I commonly use that must be replaced with something else, or better yet, don’t even speak those words at all!

The festivals and traditions of Telangana are also unlike the others. The state is well known for Bathukamma, a spring floral festival celebrated during Durga Navratri where women dance around decorated flowers, which represent Maha Gauri. Telangana is also famous for Bonalu, a festival dedicated to Goddess Kali and her local incarnations. The devotees offer meals to the deity while few men dressed up as Pothuraju hit themselves dancing to the beats of drums. The patterns of the festivals celebrated here show the region’s devotion to Shakti – the ultimate power, whereas the festivals in Andhra Pradesh mostly focus on natural occurrences like harvest or new eras.

In addition to the linguistic differences, varied traditions and cultures, food habits and the festivals, even the cinematic world divide the regions. The Telugu movie industry is dominated by Andhra Pradesh and people of Telangana are often belittled and ridiculed in most of the films. The bifurcation of the state also changed these derogatory practices to an extent.

The reasons for these drastic differences are the cultural, social and economic backgrounds as well as the historical influences on the places over the years. In short, one may say these two states are like brothers brought up in different conditions, who grew up to resent each other gradually due to the differences imbibed by those circumstances. However, at the end of the day, they are tied up with a bond called family, whether they accept it or not.

I am Andhrite by birth and Telanganite by life. Growing up as latter taught me to be tough, while the former showed me the virtue of patience. I speak my Telugu in a Telangana accent and I am not ashamed of it and at the same time, I write in the other kind of Telugu. My family might not celebrate Bathukamma or Bonalu, but I remember making those floral arrangements and dancing around them with a happy face. We had Telangana neighbours for 18 years and I have never had a tiff with them, because we didn’t see any difference among us.

When the Telangana agitation heated up and the bifurcation happened, gradually hostility developed between the people. They wanted us to identify ourselves as one among them. It didn’t matter before but suddenly it did. I couldn’t barely understand why. I wished they were together and work out somehow. But I never made a choice between Telangana and Andhra.

Image Courtasy – deccanchronicle.com

Ishani Sawant – A Young Mountaineer

Levine Lawrence

May 29, 2015

Author – Levine Lawrence

29 May 1953 – Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay become the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Coincidently, 29 May was also Tenzing Norgay’s birthday! So it was truly a great day for Nepal when a humble Sherpa conquered the highest mountain in the world and the whole world recognised his feat. This conquest opened the doors for mountaineering to become a well-established serious sport, earning a steady flow tourism revenue for an impoverished Nepal.

Just when I was wondering how mountaineering and other adventure activities have become serious business today, I happened to meet a veteran mountaineer here in Pune. Ishani Sawant is already a veteran rock climber and mountaineer at a young age of 23, since she began her first at a tender age of 13 years!

Yes, Ishani went to the Himalayas on her first visit along with her uncle Prasad when she was 13 years of age. That was when she fell in love with the snow-clad mountains and since then, she had participated in 11 Himalayan expeditions in Himachal, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Ladakh and Nepal. Here are the excerpts of my interview with Ishani Sawant –

Q: What are the major differences in mountaineering expeditions and rock climbing activities?

A: Mountaineering expeditions and rock climbing expeditions require different kinds of fitness regime. While mountaineering require high endurance since you are on the mountains for an extended period of time, rock climbing expeditions require strength and mental toughness to hang onto the cliff, bevouc and do hard moves on the rock face. Mountaineering needs strong calves, leg muscles and shoulders while rock climbing needs additionally, strong forearms, finger strength, and flexibility. Further, mountaineering expeditions can accommodate bigger teams, kitchen staff, porters on the mountain itself, but it happens rarely in rock climbing.

Q: Which are the major mountain peaks you have attempted and what is the duration of a typical mountaineering expedition in the Himalayas?

A: I have done Mount Stok Kangri (Jammu & Kashmir), Draupadi-Ka-Danda-2 (Gharwal, Uttarakhand), Renok Peak (Sikkim), Mount Mera (Nepal) and 10 high altitude treks in Himachal, Sikkim, Ladakh and Nepal. An expedition ranges anywhere between 12days to a month on high altitude peaks and 1.5-3months on the 14 death-zone peaks, which are above 8,000m. The current trend is towards ‘Alpinism’, both in mountaineering and rock climbing, which is based on self-sufficiency and self-dependency. Alpine expeditions are of lesser duration however, since we hit the mountain hard and light. Like we did a record breaking climb to Stok Kangri (6,154m) in just 2days.

Q: While you promote safe riding on roads, why do take such risks in adventurous activities?

A: I conduct tours on extreme adventures for other people. Hence, safety is always my first priority. We give utmost importance to safety, in all kinds of events that I organise and go on, be it rock climbing, paragliding or bike rides. Adventure activities are not risky per say, it’s just getting out of your comfort zone and doing something that you have never done before, or exploring your capacities. It doesn’t at all make it life-threatening in any way.

Q: Do you fund your expeditions on your own? Do your parents pitch in?

A: Mountaineering and rock climbing athletes find it hard to fund themselves, since theirs’ is not a spectator sport. I have approached numerous people during my Everest expedition, but could not find sponsors. Hence, I had to stick to rock climbing since its less expensive. Currently I am ranked 6th in the National Climbing competition. I come from a middleclass family, so they also cannot afford to fund me. I arrange treks, adventure trips for groups in Pune to Sahyadri Mountains and save money to purchase the gear. It would be great if I could be sponsored. I am also into adventure photography.

Q: Have you observed any increase in interest among youngsters? If yes, what percentage?

A: Ohh… yes! There has been tremendous increase of adventurous activities among the youth, especially in Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi. Like earlier our camps would be of 24-30 people max, now we keep getting batches of 40, and have events almost every weekend.

Q: Heard that climbing Mt. Everest has become a commercial activity now. What are the dangers in it?

A: Yes it has no doubt become a commercial activity. People are disregarding their strengths, knowledge and commitment to the sport and are just being dragged up the mountain like sheep with Sherpas as shepherds. Once you are on an Everest expedition, you just have to shut down your brain and do whatever your agency tells and has made arrangement. Unlike other expeditions, where we have to fix our own ropes, take turns in leading the routes, find suitable spots for campsites, and decide our own schedules, here the agency does everything. If you pay more, you are given table and heaters in your own private tents at higher camps, which we can never do on any expeditions. All basic principles of mountaineering, which help your personal development like having empathy with team mates, helping, sharing etc., are disregarded for individual success. This has resulted in major casualties, low chances of summit rate, abandoning of expeditions mid-way and hence the sport also becomes infamous in Nepal.

Q: What do you feel about Nepal as a country? What cultural connections do we have with them?

A: I visited Nepal in 2012 for my expedition to Mount Mera. It is an extremely poor and underdeveloped country. Only Kathmandu and a few towns on the trekking trails like Lukla, Pokhara are prosperous ones. Kathmandu city felt like any other metro with hundreds of foreigners and I was surprised to see so many pubs and discos there. And yes, we Indians and Nepalis share the same culture. It’s like any Buddhist pilgrimage place in India. I felt like I am in Leh, the same culture, monasteries prayer flags, helpful peace loving and relaxed people.

Books and Children – A Special Kind of Connection

Gayatri Devulapalli

May 25, 2015

Author – Gayatri D

”Life being very short, and the quiet hours of it few, we ought to waste none of them in reading valueless books.” (John Ruskin, Sesame and Lilies (1865).

What Ruskin told us 150 years ago is still valid. Don’t you think? How many of us still remember and feel happy that some particular book has made so much of an impression that it is etched into our souls? A school textbook, an article from a magazine, an Enid Blyton’s story or even a grandma’s lullaby, anything that has taught us something and helped us understand the intricacies of life. We all acknowledge the value of books. Don’t we? We know how it contributed to our growth as a person. But before I move on further, I want to make sure I convey this message that when I talk about books adding value to our lives the value is to our soul alone and nothing monetary.

A Real Book

What makes me feel sad today is that books have taken a backbench in a child’s life. The advent of technology has eased our life and robbed us of our books. Tablet games, PlayStations are really fun but how much value can they add in the long run? Children see gadgets as a toy rather than a learning tool, which is very natural considering their maturity level. The tablet may read out a book but it is never a real book! Place a real book in a child’s hand and see the magic work. A real book with real pages that can be smelt and turned, something which can be carried anywhere without electric charge. It can give your child the joy of doing naughty things like Dennis, to fly on a carpet like Aladdin, to see the beautiful Snow White, or even listen to Pied Piper’s addictive music .Has your child experienced all these? He will once he has a book in his hand.

So what can a book do to a child anyway? It will add dash of imagination to a child’s mind. He/she will be able visualise what the author writes in the book and enter the magical world of the book. This also helps them understand what’s real and what’s not. Reading a story to the child from a book and making him co-relate the pictures and words is a fruitful exercise. The child understands words in pictures. What a fantastic teaching that is! Today the same concept is used in presentations, White Papers etc. A picture is worth a thousand words indeed!

Children need our help

Can the child do all this alone? No! He needs our help. The parents and guardians of the child should make time for reading books. We need to sit with the child and assure him that we are also part of the wonderful book-reading journey. Once the child is secure, he will pay attention to us. When this becomes a habit, the child will automatically show interest towards reading. Put in an effort to select a book by the age group and what may add value to the child in future. Browse one book for your child at an online store and get it delivered as a gift. The child will love it when a book comes all the way to him!

In addition to it, you can read bedtime stories to your kids. And also inculcate a habit of reading the stories aloud. Tell them about famous kid lit writers like Ruskin Bond, R.K. Narayan, Enid Blyton, etc. and their famous works. This kind of activities often strengthen the parent-child relationship in a healthy way. Also, encourage them to participate in storytelling competitions organized by a few organizations. Recently, Landmark stores and Scholastic books conducted one such storytelling contest, giving the winning kid an opportunity to meet Ruskin Bond. These kind of contests rouse their interest in books and everything related to it.

Books Have No Boundaries

Sometimes parents tend to feel they are burdening the child by introducing high-level books to them. But don’t let this deter you. Every piece of information is worth sharing with your child. Nothing is too difficult or small for him. He/she sees the information as information only. His virtue of judgement is still raw hence the child absorbs whatever information we give him in its original form without attaching anything to it. For example, my son could tell all planets’ name and even their moons at the age of three. He enjoyed learning about the journey of “space” from a “3D planet book” and he still loves it. Here, you could just say that Books and children share a unique bond which is not confined to a specific area.

So go ahead, grab a book and let your child enter the world of “books” and watch how it adds value to his life. Happy Reading to all of you!

Big Fat Indian Weddings – Poking Fun at Arranged Marriages

Keerthana Muralidhar

May 22, 2015

“Arre mera beta toh foreign university se MBA kiya hai aur accha khaasa kama raha hai 26 ki umar mein, toh aap jobhi rishte laa rahe hai, isi standard se laadijiye”, says almost every mother to her relatives, friends, and neighbours who act like shaadi.com agents trying to tether two people together for life. Yes, it is the arranged marriages in India that I am referring to, which happens to be the most favorable way of deciding the fate of two humans in India.

When I turned 18, my grandmother asked my mom to go through my horoscope and know the destined time for my marriage, so that I would get married at that age, which must not exceed 26 years. If not, I would have to remain single throughout. That was downright hilarious. More than me deciding when I’m ready to get committed in a lifelong relationship and take up the responsibilities of a married life, it was believed that an astrologer was better in prophesying my right age to marry.

Parents of both bride and the groom boast about their respective children, their family statuses and what are their expectations from the marriage. In this entire meeting, the bride and groom are given about 10-15 minutes to converse with each other and give their consent for sharing a lifetime together.

Then comes the exchange of a mutual agreement, conveniently termed as the engagement. Here, the bride and groom are put into a period called courtship or the family-permitted dating. This gives them time to know things about one another, get comfortable as a couple. Both the families would have started their wedding preparations by now, among which, most part is done by the bride’s family, complying with the orders and demands of the groom’s family.

In most of the marriages down south, there is a ceremony at bride’s house one day prior to the wedding, wherein the neighbors, relatives and friends come to see the jewellery the bride would wear the next day. The new emerging trend that I have observed is that the bride’s parents want to give double the amount of gold than those given in the marriages of the neighborhood. It’s nothing but a way of boasting their status. Even the guests who come to see the bride’s jewellery compare it with the recent weddings they have attended. During this ceremony, the bride’s house almost becomes like a jewellery showroom with dozens of ladies who come to see and compare.

A funny thing I noticed when I attended one of my cousin’s wedding in Kerala, there were two buses and five cars arranged from the groom’s house to the marriage hall located a few kilometers away. Their relatives occupied almost every bus and car, except the decorated car for the groom and parents. Those crowded buses left for the venue immediately and arrived even before the groom. As soon as the groom reached and the customary welcome for the groom and family was done by the bride’s folks, the immediate relatives accompanied the groom to the mandap. Later the bride was brought. Here, the next funny incident took place. Before even the bride and groom exchanged garlands and took the marital vows, the entire hall that was earlier filled to bless the new couple now vanished into the dining hall, as if they had been starving since ages. After dining, they ran out to occupy the seats in the buses to head back home. It was so ridiculous to see them occupying the buses which would leave only after the new couple and their families eat, and have a photo session.

After our lunch, we stepped out of the hall and posed for family snaps with the newlyweds. That very moment, the people in those buses, peeped out of the windows just like caged animals in the zoo would look at their visitors. Then comes ‘Bidaai’, where the bride weeps bidding a farewell to her family and becoming a part of a new family. After all the rona-dhona, we reached the groom’s house. The hilarious part here was the next munching session in the groom’s house. While the relatives were ready with the Aarti to welcome the new bahu at the entrance of the house, the invitees were busy having tea and snacks. And when the bride and groom finally arrived, they had to squeeze through the hungry crowd to enter the house.

Even though it was a strange yet humorous experience seeing a sequence of funny events, I must agree that the different customs in arranged marriages do have some logical reasoning. But being a youth of this generation, I can’t stop but ridicule a few practices of the society, despite being done unintentionally.

Ruptures of Separation – Being a Divorcee!

Caleidoscope

May 20, 2015

Author – Kavipriya Moorthy

Divorce – A simple legal step that helps in departing two married individuals who would like to break the bond for some legitimate reason. Seems simple, right? But is it really that easy? I’d like to give a blunt answer, No!

It doesn’t make one smile, nor brings a frown like any funeral would do; it would bring one into a straight, zip locked face called ‘The Gray Area’. Gone are the days when Divorce was a taboo. Now it turns out to be an “okay, cool, what next?” kind of talk. The only thing that ultimately remains is a deep feel that pricks, isn’t it?

A few are cool about the issue but for most of them, it is still some thing serious. They think of it as a bad omen to involve divorcees in their lives. And about the way they are perceived by such people? Well, here’s a sneak peek!

1. Being a divorcee, one would support separation

“In this great world of billions, why should I give free advice to any, to separate?” This is often the mindset of a divorcee. A person who lost something will know the real value of it. But in this case, it is otherwise. From what I’d observed here, a person can explain the cons, try and solve the issue if possible. Or even better, stay away from the business.

2. It feels awkward to hand over the wedding invitation

Yet another “Rolling the eyes” moment. Is a piece of greeting, with your wedding venue and date such an awkward thing to hand over? And why would any person feel that deep inside, the divorcee would think about the same thing would happen to him/her? Shame! Witnessed this, and feel utterly shameful. Why do some never grow?

3. What would I tell my parents when he/she drops by for the wedding?

Conservative families, Orthodox families, Freestyle families or whatsoever one happens to be a part of, divorce is definitely a painful journey for both the sides; and both did agree on a single point of no return, which eventually led to the case getting filed, isn’t it? So, why do you even feel the need to share the same with your parents about some divorcee, and especially on your wedding? How about telling them instead that friend values the importance of certain things in life, and took a decision which he/she felt aptly right?

4. She is easy. Approach her!

Yes, a Divorcee (woman) is not a virgin. Her hymen was torn by a person with whom she thought she would spend her whole life. But God disposed, and now she is back to the Single life. Now, even if she sleeps with another person or two or three, unless revealed, it wouldn’t mean a thing! but that doesn’t make her Easy or Approachable in any way. When will few understand this? What’s more pathetic is that fellow gender mates think the same, that she will end up sharing the bed with a few others. Isn’t it insanity? Does the status of your hymen declares you pious

5. Wealthy parents, easy divorce!

His/Her parents are wealthy enough to take care of them. Hence, he/she got an easy divorce! If your had a high bank balance, would you be filing for your divorce now? Your answer would be No! Then why is wealth even a matter of discussion here? Its heart, and the love two people share. Money has nothing to do with it. But yeah, it feels better to cry inside a BMW than while driving a bicycle.

6. Family knows better!

“Being a father, how did he agree for such an act? He is a father! so he agreed.” When two souls feel that they cannot live together anymore, what the family can do is to take it forward with a family talk consisting a few who are really concerned about the couple. If that doesn’t help much, a marriage or family counselor would do. If it’s way too beyond, medical help might cut in. No family readily agrees to a divorce, and if at all they decide to to take the legal path, it means a lot. So, passing a simple comment like “How did your family agree?” is of no use. What you see is the cherry on the cake. Remember that they struggled a lot before that!

A person divorced is an individual who withdrew from a bond that doesn’t let one grow vertically for various reasons, and walked further with his/her head held high targeting a better future. No one asks for support, but it would be great if’d one can just reduce the volume? Because they know,that some people can’t stop talking. For those seeking emotional support or guidance during or after a divorce, https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/counseling/ offers resources and counseling options to help navigate this challenging journey.

Eco-friendly Eating out at Lodhi Gardens

Devangini

May 18, 2015

Author – Devangini Mahapatra Chauhan

Ladies and Gentlemen, the latest from the world of everything Eco is here; and it’s here to stay! With more and more people getting conscious of what they put in their mouths, and consequently into their tummies, it comes as no surprise that Eco-friendly eating has become a hugely popular trend.

To begin with, let us look at what eggs people on to “eat right”. Eating right is a concept that has plagued us all in the past few decades. With organically grown vegetables and fruit going out of fashion in the seventies and eighties, the nineties brought on an onslaught of various lifestyle related diseases induced primarily by processed and packaged food.

The need of the hour is healthy organic eating. Forget mere dieting or “watching what you eat”; this concept is in a realm of its own. With the rise of pesticides and fertilizers, taste is not the only thing that most veggies and fruit are lacking; nutrition is a big factor that’s amiss in production through mass farming. With profits to look after, many supermarket chains forget about flushing out those toxins; and vendors like farmers and small-time vegetable growers are only too happy to fuel this growth. Additionally, the urbanite who is always hard pressed for time (and often patience too), rushes to the nearest air conditioned mall on the way back home to pick up this toxin ridden ware. The result? Well, look around, obesity and diabetes are on everyone’s menu, as well as side serving of heart disease and low attention spans.

As an exit route, organic food and ingredients have taken the market by storm. Today, almost every nook and cranny have an organic kiosk specializing in providing you with organically grown (that is, minus pesticides and other toxins) vegetables, fruit and other items. Though priced at a premium, these products are gaining popularity and much needed ground. Economics could very well shift for a more complimentary swing towards these products in times to come. But more on that bit later.

Apart from cooking right, eating out, and eating right seem to have become the latest buzz word. In today’s busy times, most people look forward to catching up with friends outside the home, on a quiet weekend, rather than staying in and slaving it out in the kitchen.

So eating out is not just a socially appropriate statement anymore; it is now a cultural necessity as well. The perils of eating out often include stuffing yourself with toxins. This can now be avoided by frequenting joints that have more of a conscience. An example of this is The Garden Restaurant, situated in New Delhi. To begin with, the site of this high end restaurant is the lush and tree-lined Lodhi Gardens of Delhi. With a charming façade of watering cans lining its walls, you walk in passing palm trees on the side to reach an open verandah, done up with very on trend, and in the moment, wicker furniture and white upholstery. Canopies and shady umbrellas are enough to beckon even in the peak of summer as this verdant area will demonstrate during your very first visit. Their popular dishes include Kebabs and typically delicious European fare, with the Lebanese and Moroccan Mezze billed as their most ordered and most recommended items.

Once you move indoors, you are instantly greeted by a pickle counter. Intrigued, I asked my host to explain. And was I pleasantly surprised? To begin with, he told me the restaurant runs various resorts where it also organically grows all of its ingredients. These are the very ingredients used in the dishes that customers can enjoy here at the restaurant. Therefore minimizing the risk of pulling vegetables or fruit out of cold storage for public consumption.
This counter, he went on to explain is their effort to make use of whatever is left over after use at the restaurant. This struck me as an extremely eco-friendly idea. You use what you need and you distribute whatever is left over. The pickles are made from various ingredients sourced from their resorts. Also, they hold a weekly fair every Sunday at 1, Jor Bagh (New Delhi) to sell organic vegetables, fruit and spices, so that they can distribute and educate people about eating and cooking right. Even as we speak, this group is in the act of organizing a Mango Festival in July so that people can all reap the benefits of organically grown mangoes.

With such wonderful ethics at play, it is no surprise that the restaurant and the Lodhi Group are garnering popularity and success in heavy doses. But the actual winner is the concept: cook, eat and distribute. Taking a cue from how well and how efficiently they have managed to instill eco eating into their core business philosophy, we can all work to make a difference to what we put on our plates. If we all invest our time and energy in a community patch where each of us has a small portion, then at the end of the week, there will be a crateful of goodies to distribute among all the homes in the neighbourhood or community where we live! Community farming might well emerge to be the next big thing to strike our lives.

Now that’s what we call a real idea, Sir Ji!

Image Courtesy –
verseguru

Lodhi Garden Restaurant on Google Map

Bangles and Jeans – Indian Fashion Fusion

Shabia Fazal

May 15, 2015

It was the October of 2010 when I had my first visit to the Delhi School of Social Work. There is nothing more intriguing for a ‘would-be college girl’ than to visit the campus of Delhi University! Though my mind was up high, there was something the atmosphere in DSSW made me wonder about. A place known for its extreme fashion sense wasn’t as dramatic as I’d imagined. Hold on! Not in a gloomy manner, but in a quite refreshing way, which now becomes a topic for discussion.

Indian Fashion has always been in a steady relation with Fusion! An individual always tries to fuse things in different ways possible. Sometimes, it’s a bit hit while at other times, a pure fashion disaster! During the period when short skirts, shorts, dresses were in high demand, a beautiful side of fashion had emerged. There was an amalgam of Indian and American clothes with an add-on of a favourite junk jewelry. This concept of fusion grew by the day, becoming a part of our lives.

Source Flickr

In everything that’s fused in the name of fashion, students especially admired the blend of their ethnic jewelry, particularly the most favourite ‘Bangles’ along with the western wear. Also, some people have always loved adding an Indian touch to their fashion statement, be a Bollywood star or an ordinary girl. They get a sense of satisfaction in carrying their traditional manners along!

Back to the Delhi University story, where girls happily flaunt their jumpsuits or low cut kurti and jeans, I also saw women equally cheerful showing off their colourful bangles that perfectly coordinate with their dresses. I often wondered how bangles have been adopted to spice up the fashion aura, along with a kurti and a pair of jeans. Though it’s a common view now, at that time it seemed like a reboot of an old idea that defined fashion as the exact opposite of comfort and pleasure.

“Bangles and jeans have had a constant relation of being best of companions, like the legendary Jai and Veeru or even better, Thelma and Louise, the favourite of all. It is just that every generation brings in ideas according to their own comfort in fashion.” Says Insha Riaz, an ex-DSSW student in regard to the continuous fusion in the fashion world. Now working for a firm in Delhi, she says that she has always taken pleasure in presenting herself in her own way, cherishing the friendship of her bangles with a favourite old pair of Levi’s jeans.

Source Flickr

Even to this day, girls love the fusion play, specially created by and for the Indian mind-set. If personally questioned, I’d say that I love this touch of ‘Traditionalism’ to the set of western blocks. They say, bangles make a girl look more feminine. I neither support nor deny it. It is a personal choice as to what must be one’s attire or the wardrobe, comfort being the first priority. Some women opt for a complete traditional look, whereas some go for the exact opposite look. Then there are a few others who prefer to sail on both the boats. And I happen to be one of them who tries a bit of both. This opens the gateway for experimenting styles and trying different things through varied methods. In better words, this creates a lot of scope for the fusion of styles. Though not ignoring the first two, I proudly say I enjoy being someone who practices fusion.

Indians have invariably had the opportunity of turning and moulding the state of fashion according to their own preferences. With the recent example of Bangles and Jeans, we can now interpret what fashion actually demands. In the mad run of painting for ourselves the exact similar portrait of what has been advertised on the television, we sometimes forget our own comfort level. From Audrey Hepburn to Madhubala, many fashion icons have enjoyed their stylish lives in comfort zones. The characters of Geet (Jab we Met) and Shruti (Band Baja Baraat) made us understand that it is okay to be ‘the way you want to be’, to carry the touch of tradition along with the westernized styles.

It is quite precise for one to breathe in fashion, as it helps in enhancing one’s status; but one important thing to be remembered is that, if there is no add on from your end to the spicy culture, this so called ‘fashion’ might end up as ‘suffocation’.

Image Courtesy – prairiegirlinthecity.com

5 Best Offbeat Places to Visit in Jaipur

Cscope Staff

May 14, 2015

Jaipur or the ‘Pink City, is a land of great historical significance. Home to palaces and mahals, Jaipur resonates in intelligent architecture, desert landscapes, cultural handicrafts and some stunning natural beauty. Besides, its grandeur is visible in its resorts and wedding destinations. All of this makes Jaipur an attractive and busy tourist destination. However, in spite of its popularity there are many offbeat places in and around Jaipur that are comparatively less crowded and unexplored.

Here is taking a look at the top 5 off beat places in Jaipur.

Chandlai Lake

At a distance of 30 km from the city is 140 year old inland water body called Chandlai Lake. The tranquil lake is home to a number of migratory birds and shelters over 10000 different bird species throughout the year. Most hotels in Jaipur can arrange for transport to this wonderfully blissful lake that calms the nerves with its peaceful and serene atmosphere. As for the company, there are enough birds to keep you busy unlike other popular destinations within the city that are crowded by tourists. A perfect day spent for honeymooners, loners or nature lovers, Chandlai Lake is for those looking for some time spent fruitfully in the lap of nature.

Galta Temple

A religious site, the Galta Temple also abounds in natural ethereal beauty. The temple is known for its seven natural springs or tanks that are called ‘kunds’. Pilgrims come from across the state to take a dip in its holy waters. The temple itself resembles a palatial complex constructed in pink sandstone and surrounded by hills all around. Built in the honor of Saint Galav the temple was built in the 18^th century by Diwan Rao Kriparam. During sunset hordes of monkeys come to take a dip in the kunds and hence it is best to leave your hotels in Jaipur early in the morning to explore the temple and the surrounding area.

Abhaneri

Home to the largest and deepest step-well in India the Chand Baori, the quaint town of Abhaneri is still far from the most happening and crowded tourist attractions of Jaipur. A drive of about two hours from Jaipur city, the Chand Baori consists of 3500 steps over 13 stories. It is almost 100 feet into the ground and in spite of the heat the bottom of the step well is well aired with temperatures ranging between 5-6 degrees. The oldest parts of the well date back to the 8^th century, whereas, the newer upper stories were built during the Mughal era.

Royal hotels in Jaipur

offbeat-Places-in-Jaipur-Umaid Bhawan Hotel — Image – Kayashi via Flickr

There are a number of hotels in Jaipur that are heritage palaces converted to luxury resorts. Samode Palace with its intricate glass works and carvings and Mughal gardens is beautiful. The hotel organizes horse and camel rides that take one through the surrounding handicraft and desert villages. Neemrana Fort atop a hill is a sprawling heritage destination, whereas, the Dundlod Fort Heritage Hotel is steeped in rich history and intricate architecture. For those looking to spend a royal vacation in authentic luxury and top class amenities surrounded by the opulence of kings, a visit to any of the heritage hotels in Jaipur is worth an experience.

Jawahar Kala Kendra

For those interested in the arts the Jawahar Kala Kendra is a perfect destination. The center was designed by Charles Correa based on Jaipur city’s plan with 9 squares and the central square left open. The blocks spread across the campus are home to museums, library, amphitheater and various arts and crafts displays. There is always usually something related to the arts or theatre that is being presented or performed here. The museums hold treasures of Rajasthan’s cultures and artistry.

Jaipur’s has a strong tourism circuit and its easy accessibility also makes it a favorite amongst travellers. Hotels in Jaipur are a plenty and range from affordable to luxury, catering to a wide range of the tourist audience. Similarly, its attractions too are varied giving the tourist plenty of options to choose and pick from. Watch elephant polo match at Dera Amer, indulge in daring adventure activities at Neemrana, catch a movie at the iconic Rajmandir Cinema or visit the tranquility of Ramgarh Lake. Enjoy a puppet show at any regular restaurant or visit Bagru famous block printing and dyeing works. The possibilities to explore the less explored in Jaipur is limitless.

Urdu – The Decline of Romantic Language

Shabia Fazal

May 13, 2015

‘Dil-e-nadaan tujhe hua kya hai, aakhir iss dard ki dawa kya hai?”

This beautiful ghazal by Ghalib fits perfectly with the situation of every Urdu lover in India. And what brings up this topic, is the current plight of Urdu language. As the title suggests, this language has been known for respect, manner, and obviously Love.

Urdu is a language of love, and a language that taught us the importance of respecting someone while conversing. It was believed that only a talented and sophisticated group of men/women could handle the weight of the language. Apparently, it was not just handled by the great Indian poets but also half of the population of India! Surprised? Well, yeah this is an Indian language.

Most of the time, we end up associating Urdu language with Arabic and Persian, but it is totally inappropriate. Urdu, which has a little touch of Arabic and Persian words, is a native to India. Being more specific, this language had its forefathers from Persia but when it came to existence, the Indians decided to give it their name.

According to the facts, Urdu was the gift of Mughals to India. However, there are a few arguments about the same. Due to the lack of fool-proof information, one has always been skeptical about its origin. This language was made by the urban India for personal benefit. It has also been termed as Khariboli, which again relates it to the other originated languages of India.

There are two myths infused with the language. First, Urdu belongs to a foreign base and second, that Urdu is only for Muslims. Many know that it’s not true, yet turn their blind eye towards it. Bringing in the first accusation, Urdu has always felt betrayed when people of the same origin shoot up questions doubting its identity. The second has a different dimension to display. Here, the only people whom to blame are the leaders who took our nation under the ‘Divide and rule’ policy. According to the stated facts, Urdu was spoken by not just Muslims but also Hindus, Sikhs and even Christians. This was the language of an educated individual, which had no influence of religion or caste.

Talking about the romantic side of Urdu, one can say this language has been fantasized by ever possible poet and writer of India. Whether it was the ghazal of Ghalib blended for classic movies or the verses by famous lyricists like Gulzar, Irshad Kamil and Prasoon Joshi, Urdu has been nothing but the favourite of all.

Urdu is a language that profoundly showcased love in all desirable levels. It succeeded in making its readers and audience believe in the true meaning and essence of love. Be it short romantic phrases or long emotional poems, Urdu had its charm with a unique tone and style of the. Many regarded the language as their all time favourite; it gave them the chance to look sophisticated while helping them in confessing love.

They say, when actions don’t work, play the word game. This was what Urdu lovers followed. They knew the value of the language and took pride in it! But the question strikes, even after being used on a continuous note, why has the language vanished from the textbooks and why is the magic fading away? Who should be blamed?

One of the famous shayari from the basket of Ghalib’s work –

Sarayy raah jo unsaay nazarr mili,

To naksh dil kay ubharr gayay,

Hum nazarr mila kar jhijhag gayay,

Woh nazarr jhukaa kar chalay gayay…

These lines have their own charm; they need not be compared with anything else. These mellifluous lines only made the emotions look deeper and fascinating. Back in the days of Mohammed Rafi or Kishore Kumar, the songs were always appreciated by the audiences. The reason being their soulful voices, and the beautiful language used by the composers to make it more appealing. The emotion of love no more acquires the value which it actually deserves, especially if we look at our current playlists.

Just like Sanskrit, Urdu is treated as an ancient language – meant to be viewed as a historical artifact with only poetic value! Its usage in the present day has dwindled, as its elaborate grammar and superior aesthetics have not been appreciated by the present generation!

The Badshah of romantic languages is getting weaker by the day; the spotlight has been shifted on to the topics which hold no place in its comparison. This language had a major contribution under its name; it made the status of love that of a divine nature. It’s time to pay back our dues to the language that stood as the epitome of respect and style!

It is not a happy confession that even after being born in a semi Urdu speaking family, I’m not well versed with its usage. So now, I take the responsibility of initiating, at least begin with the basics hoping that someday it will help me finding my soul (Urdu) mate!!

Let’s Talk About Ragging!

Amit Singh Negi

May 11, 2015

Author: Amit Singh Negi

The recent suicide of SAI’s athlete following alleged harassment by seniors once again ignited the big debate of ragging in educational institutes. Even though a number of laws have been formed by the government and the respective institute, we haven’t been able to put a full stop to it.

It’s a big question as to why students get involved into activities like ragging despite heavy punishments and penalties being imposed when found guilty. What drives them so much to jeopardize their career and life?

Ragging is a conduct which can be understood only at an elemental level. It’s an intrinsic characteristic of the institute body. As an individual, I’ve always hated ragging. When I joined the college, I loathed the whole concept of being subjugated by a bunch of guys who joined the same place just a few years before and call themselves “SENIORS”.

I spent almost the whole first year under the so-called Recreation known as ‘Ragging’. But surprisingly, when I look back at it today, I enjoyed it although I have to accept that there were times I despised it. Like everything else in life, ragging also has its pros and cons, and I was fortunate enough to incur more of the former ones in my experience. The problem lies in the fact that whenever we use the word ragging, we are highly cynical, prejudicial and negative about it. In the light of the gruesome and unfortunate incidents that frequently take place, ragging has thrust itself into darkness.

The literal meaning of the word Ragging is ‘teasing’. Many students like me went through some harmless teasing. Somewhere in all those hilarious sessions when we danced, or debated on a topic given by seniors, I learnt how to up to the world, or face a large audience staring at me. During the ragging sessions, seniors made sure we expressed ourselves. You could be asked to dance on a random song in front of a large audience or you could be asked to act according to some given situation; of course, there were debates, singing competitions and poetic sessions too.

One of my roommates in junior year was from a village in Bihar. Initially, he was a very simple and shy guy who couldn’t express himself in front of others. But after all those sessions, he gradually evolved into a vivacious personality. Today, he is one of the most creative personalities of our college. Apart from these things, ragging made us think fast and answer smart. It also helped us a great deal in our placements and scholarship interviews, not to forget interacting with the female companions.

The most significant and beautiful gifts of ragging are the strong bonds formed with your seniors that last for life. It brings out vulnerability which in turn brings closeness. Your senior turns into big brother who pampers you always. Whenever you go to a new place, he/she wiill be the first person you will call for help, because of the closeness you developed during the ragging sessions. The relationship you create here is not bound by the society or genes but by the strong connection of our hearts. This beautiful bonding is only possible when you have a healthy interaction with your senior. This is what the ragging should be all about.

But when someone tries to take advantage of this and torments the junior by physically or mentally abusing him, it must be punishable by law. It’s a crime to force someone into doing something which he’s not comfortable with, be it a girl or boy. Unfortunately, our selfishness and desire for sadistic pleasure has turned this healthy interaction into cruel exploitation.

There is actually no method to stop this cruel exploitation and promote the healthy interaction at the same time. Only human conscience can draw a line between the two. The method used by institutes where the juniors are not even allowed to mix with the seniors is purely an abstinence. It might ensure that there will be no exploitation of juniors, but also that there will be no future bonding. If we remember that Ragging is just ‘harmless teasing’ and not ‘torture’, juniors could still make strong friendship with the seniors without any hesitation.

Now, I am in the last days of my college life. I have a lot of friends who pull my leg every time they see me with a girl, rush to my room on my birthday or celebrate a placement; and majority of them are my juniors. I’ve never ragged anyone in my three year tenure as a senior, but healthy interactions were developed. I did see my contemporaries exploiting their juniors, and intervened wherever I could. But once they became seniors, I saw them exploiting their juniors too. Somewhere down the line, this unethical cycle needs to be stopped, and the true meaning and the higher goal of ragging, i.e. bonding with no strings of selfishness needs to be realized and followed. Only then, a better world for students can exist.

Image Courtesy – thehindu.com

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