Devbagh – The Island I Call Home

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September 19, 2013

My memory of the little island of Devbagh and the inviting little huts that studded it, is still vivid. I remember being taken by complete surprise when I first set my eyes on it.

We had taken a sleeper bus to Karwar from Bangalore. Approaching Karwar, any lingering traces of our sleep were driven away when we were accosted suddenly by breathtaking views of the sea. Once in Karwar city, we found ourselves being motored away from a small jetty that grew smaller and smaller as we sailed farther away into the sea. I stuck my hand into the water and watched as a wall of water rose around it. The sea seemed like an enormous giant, its incongruous breathing forming little crests and troughs on the surface. Soon, Devbagh Beach Resort greeted us.

It was like an emerald pearl in the sea, with its many tall Casuarina and coconut trees and its long, empty beach. Our eyes eagerly spanned the width of the beautiful beach. I remember feeling like I was returning home. The ferry announced our arrival by bumping against the jetty and bobbing up and down.
Walking past the first line of Casuarina trees we found, cosy little tent houses and thatched-roof huts propped up on stilts. They seemed to be right out of a Hansel & Gretel story!

Our feet sank into the beach sand, which covered the island as we walked towards our hut tucked away amidst tall trees. There were very few other people on the island and this added to its charm. From our little thatched-roof abode, we could see the sea twinkling at us through the trees. Our three days there went faster than I desired. I would have liked to have known the island and its ways intimately.

Image – junglelodges

We indulged in some water sports on the first day. Jungle Lodge Resorts, which owns Devbagh, provides a range of adventure and water sports activities. There was a ‘banana boat’ that sped into the sea and toppled sideways at a thumbs-up signal, sending us all splashing into the water. I invariably missed this signal, being too intoxicated in the surroundings; I would always surface spluttering water which I swallowed by the mouthful, eyes stinging with salt, but with an elated smile on my face.

Devbagh Parasailing — Parasailing over emerald islands and the sea

Our excitement mounted when we were lead to another tiny neighbouring island for parasailing. And what an experience that was! Despite having a terrible case of vertigo, I decided to give it an attempt. I soared high up in the air like a kite, while tethered to a sailboat in the sea, the wind tugging me this way and that. Below me lay a vast expanse of blue-green sea dotted by lush green islands and hillocks.

Image – Kunal Mukherjee

The next two days were spent blissfully under the spell of the sea. I loved waking up to the crashes of the waves and would go out to catch a glimpse of the sea before I did anything else. One morning, we were taken for a nature walk around the island by a naturalist. Our trail winded along the coast and through the dense foliage and we were introduced to some of its smaller inhabitants. Come evening, once we had feasted on some freshly caught fish, we sat on an elevated mound of sand and watched the sea for what seemed like an eternity, lulled into a content silence as silver waves climbed towards us and receded. We would go back to our cottages much later, in a trance.

I would have much preferred to be the flame-backed woodpecker outside our cottage, hammering away at trees on the island with the sea just a glance away, but the day we had to leave had come and it was with a heavy heart that I watched as the little island went from being right in front of my eyes to a distant green speck in the sea.

Other Places to See

Kurumgad Island: another untouched neighbouring island where you can go canoeing, kayaking and snorkelling.
Sadashivgad Fort: Local buses go to this fort which is located 5km north of Karwar, near the Kali Bridge. The fort sits atop a hill, which affords soothing views of the Kali river and the hills in the distance.

Factfile –
When to Go: September to March
How to Get There
Fly: The nearest airport is the Dabolim Airport in Goa, 90 km away.
Chug: The Karwar Railway Station is 2 km away from the town. There are many trains on the scenic Konkan Railway route, which stop here.
Ride: Buses are regularly available from Karwar to Bangalore, Mysore and Mumbai
http://www.junglelodges.com
http://www.tripadvisor.in

Junagadh – Walk Into an Abandoned History

By

Aditi Patnaik

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September 15, 2013

5

My wanderings across Gujarat brought me to a small town in Saurashtra region, Junagadh. Entering the town, I got a feeling this is a place that somehow seems to dwell in its past. The name ‘Junagadh’ comes from the words ‘juna’ and ‘gadh’ (meaning old fort) and all that is old about Junagadh greets you, somehow undermining all efforts of modernization. A visitor is tempted to live off the history that every turn in every street offers in this town in south western Gujarat.

The history of Junagadh can be traced back to 250 BC, and when you drive into this sleepy town, it belies the turbulence of being through 16 sieges over 800 years. Before acceding to Indian rule, the last rulers of Junagadh were the Nawabs of Babi Dynasty (1749 – 1949 AD). Ruled by the Nawabs, Junagadh was a princely state during the time the British Raj and acceded to become a part of Pakistan during the early days of independence. However, given that the population of Junagadh province was 96% Hindu and owing to the state not being geographically contiguous to Pakistan, India intervened on the pretext of communal tension and cut off all economic and communication channels.

Mahabat-Maqbara,-Junagadh,-Gujarat — Mahabat Maqbara, Junagadh, Gujarat

In October 1947, the last ruler, Nawab Muhammed Mahabat Khanji III fled to Pakistan just before the Indian troops moved in the take over the state. In November 1947, the Dewan of Junagadh (chief minister), Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto invited the Indian government to accede. Coincidentally, the Dewan was the father of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who became the prime minister of Pakistan.

Today, Junagadh stands testimony to all its history preserved in architecture, which tries to blend in with the hustle of a small city trying to come into the fold of modern India. Most of the architecture you’ll see is from the last two centuries; the most notable are the tombs of the Babi Nawabs. While these aren’t very well maintained and you will often find dilapidated interiors, they still by no means have lost their grandeur. The sunset with the silhouette of the famous Mahabat Maqbara, built on the grave of the Nawab Mahabat Khan II is a splendid sight. Adjacent to the Maqbara is the Jammi Mosjid, which is a beautiful piece of architecture, but has seen much renovation in recent years and seems to have lost its old world charm. Then there is the Junagadh Palace, Durbar Hall Museum as well as other remnants of an illustrious past strewn about the town such as the clock tower.

Junagadh - Adi Kadi Vav (Step-well) in Junagadh — Adi Kadi Vav (Step-well) in Junagadh

However, the oldest part of Junagadh and possibly the chief contributor to its name is the Uperkot fort, or the upper citadel. Over 2300 years old, this is the most significant piece of Junagadh’s history. Chandragupta Maurya of the Mauryan dynasty originally built the fort in 319 BC, which remained in use until the 6th century. After being rediscovered, its subsequent rulers made several additions to the Uperkot Fort. In the 11th Century, the Solankis of the Chalukya dynasty commissioned two large step-wells: Adi Kadi Vav and Navghan Kuwo. Adi-Kadi Vav is a man made canyon carved out of rocks, is around 81 meter long, 4.75 meter wide and around 41 m deep. There were no ornamental designs, but the rock stratum along the side walls gave it stunning looks.

Uperkot is steeped with history, folklore and a confluence of diverse religions that existed in Junagadh. Hindu temples dedicated to Ganesh, Hanuman and Shakti mark the entrance to Uperkot. The most prominent structure is the Jama Masjid, which was originally the queen’s palace of Rani Ranakdevi. The palace was converted to a mosque when Sultan Muhammed Begada conquered Junagadh in 1473 AD.

In the same complex are the Buddhist caves, which date back to 2,000 years. These caves were carved during the reign of Emperor Ashok and are believed to be among the oldest monastic settlements in Gujarat. These caves seem to be monastic quarters mostly bare, with an earthy feel and some carvings in pillars, which still remain. There are interesting Ashokan rock edicts located on the way to Girnar hills dating back to 250 BC. The biggest edict is a huge rock with carvings in Brahmi script describing the rule of Emperor Ashok.

There is so much to explore in Uperkot. Besides the architecture, what really brings the monuments to life is the folklore associated with each of them. The large metal canons (Neelam and Manek) tell tales of battles fought against the Portuguese with Turkish help. The step-wells tell tales of sacrifice by two sisters, Adi and Kadi after whom the well is named, such that water would sprout from the earth. In Junagadh, there is a sense of time slowing down. Here, the folklores live on, well beyond the lips of the tourist guides, and somewhat in its centuries old buildings, the rocks seem to whisper to each travelling ear, if only you would stop and listen!

Factfile –
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://discoverindiabyroad.blogspot.in
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aditipatnaik/

Bali – Trip to the Honeymooner’s Paradise..!!!

By

Caleidoscope

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September 13, 2013

1

Where would you go for a memorable honeymoon… How will you choose the best location for your honeymoon to ensure that is the most romantic…

It goes without saying that each one of us newlyweds desire to celebrate our marriage in a special place that is both intimate and exotic. My husband tried his best to keep it all a surprise, making it a no-brainer holiday for me. But me being me, I had to know the details and get down with the planning, because that’s what I love doing. That’s where the journey begins.

Part 1: The Planning

Our travel was supposed to be in December, so we began looking out for possible options. It’s best to trust your instincts while planning your holidays. It was clear that we wanted to go to a beach destination and after a little research, we inclined towards Bali in Indonesia for a number of reasons:
1. There is more to Bali than just beautiful beaches
2. The tropical green ambience
3. The art and handicrafts (me being an art loving person)
4. The Balinese massage

In essence, Bali offered so much more than just a sun and sand retreat. So, the first part was done. Bali it is..!!

Tip no 1: Do not fall prey to standard itineraries that mix Bali with other countries. There is so much to do in Bali that you wouldn’t want to dilute its experience with any other place.

Tip no 2: Block your date and book your flight tickets at the earliest to get the best connectivity, least stopovers and the lowest fares.

How to get there: We took the Malaysian Airlines from India with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur. We asked our hotel, the Grand Hyatt, Nusa Dua to arrange for our pickup from Denpasar airport in the capital of Bali.

Part 2: The Holiday begins

There’s so much to do in Bali; you can go from the extremely relaxing to the extremely adventurous. Since it was our honeymoon, we decided to stick with the relaxing itinerary. We stayed at two parts of Bali: Nusa Dua and Sanur. We could not go to Ubud, which is one thing I still regret and I might plan another holiday to Bali just for a visit to Ubud.

The marble walkways and silent beach was our first glimpse into its pampering world. The Grand Hyatt in Nusa Dua has everything that honeymooners seek: standard marble touches, spacious grounds, separate lagoon pool inside the resort, quiet beach with smooth slope, no hawkers and great food. We enjoyed having food at the Italian restaurant facing the pool and the beach.

Bali Beds at Majestic Elegance Hotel Image Via Flickr

For families with kids, I would suggest other places to stay that are central located with activities enjoyable for kids. Vacationers – do not stay in Nusa Dua, for you will surely miss out on loads of action strolling along the lazy long beach; other places like Ubud and Kuta have a lot more action packed fun for you! We were classic Honeymooners who wouldn’t leave the property, except when we went to Kuta or the little shopping complex across the resort during the day.

After 3-4 days, we moved to Sanur and were welcomed into the grand foyer of Bali Hyatt, Sanur. While the Grand Hyatt had an urban feel to it, the Bali Hyatt in Sanur is more into Bali culture. It’s more traditional than the Grand Hyatt but still offers the same Hyatt luxury to get pampered.

The Indian connection

One thing that you are bound to notice while moving around in Denpasar city is the influence of Hindu culture in Bali. Almost every major road crossing has gigantic stone statues of Hindu gods and some scene depictions from Hindu epics. Whether it is the scene from Mahabharata with Lord Krishna as Arjun’s charioteer or it is the statue depicting Ghatotakach or his father Bheem, each one is exquisitely done.

When I looked at these statues I wondered “How come Bali in Indonesia is a Hindu island in a Muslim nation?” After some research I learnt that Indonesia might have the largest Muslim population in the world, but its constitution acknowledges five different religions and diverse traditions in one nation. Way back in the 5th Century, Hinduism and Buddhism arrived in Indonesia, as trade with India intensified under the south Indian Pallava dynasty. Later immigration from India, China, Portugal, Arabia, and the Netherlands also contributed to the diversity of religion and culture. So it might not be correct to call Indonesia a Muslim nation!

Bali – Hindu Temple in Nugara Via Flickr

The Indian influence in this diverse nation is clearly evident in the national motto of Indonesia –“Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” (translated as “Unity in Diversity”), which is written in an old Javanese language with an exclusive Sanskrit influence on it. Some recognisable words that you will come across are: ‘Bahasa’ – a colloquial slang of Bhasha in Sanskrit; ‘Bhoomi’ (earth), ‘Putra’ (son), ‘Guna’ (quality). The word ‘Bali’ itself comes from ‘Vaali’, the feisty brother of Sugriva in Ramayana!

Feeling proud of our culture’s influence on a foreign land, we moved towards our resort in the evening. The Sanur area along the main street at the back of Bali Hyatt is a lovely and peaceful location just to wander around for a dinner at night. The street offers a choice of some really nice and good value restaurants. Shopping is brilliant here, particularly for the Balinese artwork, if you are an art appreciating person. The AAA art gallery in this area has some great paintings.

One evening, we took time off and headed for the famous “The Balinese massage”, which is something best had in Bali itself. All I remember about it is that it started with some pleasant calming music in the background and then I dozed off in relaxation.

We were in Bali for six days and trust me, I was not done yet! It is such beautiful place and there’s so much to enjoy from the experiences that every destination has to offer. This was the first destination that I travelled to, which made me realize that there’s so much to learn from every place you visit.

This is a guest post by Ayesha Mahajan, all the images in this post are by the author.

Factfile –

Bali Airport (Ngurah Rai) Denpasar – Indonesia

http://www.bali.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html
https://maps.google.co.in/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bali

Auspicious Mehendi and Funky Tattoos

By

Caleidoscope

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September 10, 2013

0

Author – Debjani Goswami

The world of fashion is in a constant state of evolution. The steady influx of new trends serves as a suitable replacement for older ones; but, some styles never go out of fashion and are termed as ‘classics’. The art of mehendi is one such tradition that has managed to establish itself firmly in the annals of fashion as a classic instead of a mere fad. The trend has garnered a huge fan following not just in the Asian countries but even in the West. Similarly, temporary tattooing has also gained tremendous popularity around the globe, among both men and women. The appeal of tattoos stems from their contemporary designs and characteristic of a free attitude.

History of Mehendi

Mehendi or Mehndi (Henna tattoo) is a traditional custom of temporary decoration for the skin, an art form that has evolved since ancient times. Commonly known in the West as ‘henna tattoo’, the word ‘henna’ refers to the dye extracted from the henna plant and the art of temporary tattooing based on those dyes. The origins of henna can be traced back to the Middle Eastern Asia, mostly Ancient Egypt. In Egypt, tattooing the mummies was common but mainly for the purpose of decoration. A group of historians believe that mehendi was brought to India by the Mughal dynasty, but others believe that the birthplace of this style was India itself. The traditional motifs may have been derived from the regions of Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan.

Different Compositions of Mehendi

Mehndi African tribal henna — African tribal style henna | Courtesy: spiritvisionhenna

Mehendi and tattoo styles tend to differ from one region to another depending on the usage, but the most popular designs originate from African, Pakistani, Arabic and Indian, while tattoos are mostly African or American. The subtle nuances of each technique impart a unique identity to them. The patterns of African mehendi with predominantly geometric points and shapes are sparsely used in contemporary design. Painting of Pakistani mehendi happens to be the most detailed art form. The popular Arabic style of mehendi painting boasts of a simple and uncomplicated design with dark colours. The mehendi motifs in India are large and are applied on the centre of the palm, which spreads across the rest of the hand.

Shift from Tradition to Fashion Statement

Mehendi is an integral part of Muslim and Hindu wedding celebrations in South Asia and the Middle East. The tradition holds cultural and religious significance as well. Indian brides must adorn their hands and feet with henna tattoos and the intensity of the colour is said to indicate the strength of the bond between the mother-in-law and the bride. For a married woman, mehendi is considered to be one of the most sacred ornaments. Even festivals such as Diwali warrant the application of mehendi.
Henna tattoos became a part of European pop cultures in the late 1990s. In recent times, these henna tattoos serve as a hip alternative to conventional tattoos, which in turn has gained popularity in the east these days. Various celebrities and actors in Hollywood such as Gwen Stefani and Demi Moore were among the first wave of celebs to show off this innovative and painless body painting art. They paved the way for the mehendi trend among stars such as Madonna, Naomi Campbell, Drew Barrymore, Laura Dem, and Daryl Hannah. International fashion magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan and Vanity Fair have helped spread the popularity of mehendi to a worldwide audience.

Temporary tattoos and Mehendi

Mehndi Temporary Tattoo Body Design | Courtesy: Celebof.info — Temporary Tattoo Body Design | Courtesy: Celebof.info

Temporary tattoos have become the current rage among the youth since they help make a style statement without causing a permanent damage to the skin. However, the art of temporary tattoos is not a modern development; tattoos were commonly used as cultural symbols among various tribal populations along with the caste Hindus in India.

The practice of temporary tattooing exists in different civilizations. It was not just used for distinction or ornamentation but in order to ward off evil spirits. They consist of complex patterns resembling woven reeds or some other natural form. Temporary tattoos adorned the bodies of both the men and women. In India, the monkey god Hanuman was a common symbol for strength and adorned the legs and arms. The mythical monk is a popular creation, indigenous to Myanmar and Thailand. In Africa, since the people have dark skin, permanent tattoo marks would not be visible and so temporary tattoos are created using white powder.

Fact file –
http://tribune.com.pk
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
http://spiritvisionhenna.com
http://en.wikipedia.org

Remembering our Teachers :)

By

Devangini

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September 4, 2013

0

Teacher and students | Courtesy: Openarchitecturenetwork

To be a teacher, is not to merely teach: it is to answer a challenge. The challenge of shaping nature’s little miracles into solutions for the future, into beacons of hope that will guide the way in the prospect of darkness. To be a teacher, is to mould an individual to do all this, on his or her own steam. To be a teacher is to be a friend, philosopher and guide through this journey.

These are my thoughts as I foray down memory lane in reminiscence on this special day: the 5th of September. When we were young, it was all about lengthy lectures on Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, the teacher who became the President of India, whose birthday is celebrated as Teacher’s Day. It was all about understanding what a teacher really meant and how this day was indeed a great day. And when we reached the senior status at school, it was about dressing up like a teacher and performing the teacher’s duties in junior classes.

Ah, those were the days! Making greeting cards for the teachers, arriving early to be able to wish each one and coyly hand over the card. Feeling all grown up, dressed up in formal wear, ready to glare at the juniors who would dare to cross our paths. Somehow, we only thought to imitate the stern nature that would come out only so rarely. All this would only serve to evoke amusement among our teachers that day. Everyone was busy having fun.

Courtesy – Little Millennium Shivamogga

Then there was the cultural show: The perfunctory song & dance that the student group would have painstakingly and secretly prepared that the teachers would invariably be aware of, but never acknowledge. This would be followed by the dramatics and mimicry of various teachers. Some rendered haltingly, and others rendered flawlessly to howls of laughter. Yes, school days were definitely the best times of our lives!

Teacher’s Day always reminds me of the fact that I was, like many students, blessed to have some of the best teachers who took pains to educate me; who made it their very business to give me a work ethic. I was lucky that my teachers punished me and gave me the gift of discipline; the gift that has enabled me to face life undeterred; a gift that has taught me that I am made of sterner stuff, especially when the going gets tough.

Courtesy – Little Millennium Shivamogga

If it weren’t for our teachers, we would not only fail to evolve as a society, but we would also forget our very roots and our very goal in life: that of learning and evolving; that of trusting and moving forward. Our teachers were the shining examples of what all we need to imbibe in life; and they will always occupy that position.

In a perfect world, it is easy to blame someone or the other for every little thing that goes wrong; but in that perfect world, perfection is seldom credited to the right source: the teachers who taught us well. I might have seen many teachers by the age of 23 or so, but they have each touched me in a way that is unique and hard for me to put down in words. I can easily say “Thank You” to my parents every day of my life, but I have only this one day and I proudly say it out loud: Thank You to all my Teachers for making me who I am today!

Parents dream a dream for each child; but a teacher dreams the same dream for so many children. If that is not selflessness, well, I do not know what is. Today, when I look back and compare our well-paid professions to our teachers, I feel they are certainly doing a voluntary service to the nation.

Here is a list of great teachers who are acknowledged as influential thinkers who nurtured many leading lights:

Well known Teachers in India
Person	Description
Anand Kumar	A mathematician who is best known for his ‘Super 30’ programme in Patna, Bihar, which coaches economically backward students for IIT-JEE
Chandra Mohan Jain (Osho Rajneesh)	As a professor in philosophy at Jabalpur University during 1960s, he was a popular lecturer, he was acknowledged by his peers as an exceptionally-intelligent man who influenced students.
C K Prahalad	A brilliant management professor at the University of Michigan, who is considered as the most influential thinker on business strategy
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar	A famous Sanskrit scholar and social reformer who taught at the Calcutta Sanskrit College and fought for widow remarriage and caste eradication
H Narasimhaiah	Famous educationist and the Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore University who worked for popularisation of science and investigated claims of miracles and black magic
Dr Manmohan Singh	A soft-spoken economics professor who taught at the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi and the Jawaharlal Nehru University
Rabindranath Tagore	A towering figure among philosophers and educators in India who established the VisvaBharati University at Santiniketan
Savitribai Phule	As the first female teacher of the first girl’s school in India in 1948, she caused outrage in the Brahmin dominated city of Pune

Factfile –
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-teachers-day-special-indias-most-famous-teachers/20110905.htm#1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Indian_educationists
http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/competitions/challenge/2009

Rare Bollywood Movies on Sports Theme – Part II

By

Levine Lawrence

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September 4, 2013

1

Rare Bollywood Movies on Sports Theme – Part I

Sportspersons are all about passion; the performer in them shines only when they are on field, but they have little to do with exaggerated drama. Couple this attitude with the fact that sports-themed movies don’t really bring in a lot of cash. Most of the classic sports-themed movies didn’t fare very well commercially. It was only when successful movies like Lagaan and Chak De! India emerged that filmmakers took notice of this unexplored genre of film-making.

Here is a list of sports themed movies that have earned their spot in the classics; these movies inspire and entertain us, while sending out a strong message to the society:

Lagaan

This movie ranks among the all-time classics due to its impeccable execution and storytelling ability, which even got an Oscar nomination! Lagaan, which literally means Tax in Hindi, is about a story of bold villagers who defy officers of the British Raj in a game of cricket. Set in 1893, peasants from a barren village of Champaner in Gujarat are oppressed by high taxes imposed by their rulers. They attempt to persuade the British officers to reduce the taxes because of poor harvest, but they end up challenging the British team in a game of cricket.
After depicting the villagers learning an alien game in the first half, the second half of the three-hour film focuses on the three-day cricket match, where Bhuvan and his ramshackle team of 11 players fight against the well equipped British team and win. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, this Aamir Khan starrer was the first Indian block buster inspired by sports. Mostly, it’s cricket that did the magic!

Chak De! India

Chak De! India is a timeless classic about a dejected hockey player and a bunch of rebellious young girls who come together to create history. It is based on the real life story about the Indian women’s field hockey team that won the gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Kabir Khan, an ex-captain of the Indian men’s hockey team makes a comeback as a coach years after he gets wrongly accused of match fixing and is ostracized from the game. He soon finds himself coaching a team of rebellious women’s hockey players who come from different states of India.
His perseverance and tactful way of handling situations enable him bring the team together. With an ultimate goal to win the woman’s hockey world cup for his country and clear his name, he sets out to wipe out the preconceived notion about women players. Shimit Amin directed this wonderful movie with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead. Released in 2007, the movie was a block buster hit.

Paan Singh Tomar

It is a surprise why it took such a long time for Bollywood to notice this classic thriller story. The movie narrates the interesting tale of Paan Singh Tomar, a soldier who discovered his talent for athletics while serving in the Indian Army. After series of fortunate events and fierce determination led him to become a national steeplechase champion, this fascinating tale takes an unexpected turn when Tomar returns to his village after his retirement. A family feud leads him to murder and soon he becomes one of the most feared dacoits in the region.
Directed by Tigmanshu Dhuli, this movie has Irrfan Khan in the lead role. Released in 2012, this movie gathered the masses to the theatres in bulk.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

A story based on the life of Milkha Singh, India’s most heralded Olympic athlete should not have taken this long to be picturised. But it is hard to create an exact biopic of a sportsman who loses his greatest opportunity of his lifetime despite doing his best to break the world record. However, director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra chose to do Milkha’s story, who endured the massacre of his family during the India-Pakistan partition and battled life’s cruel ordeals. His fight against his troubles with awe-inspiring determination begins with humble needs to get noticed in the Indian Army, where athletes get far better diet consisting of milk and eggs.
Released in 2013, Milkha Singh’s role is played by Farhan Akhtar. The movie saw tremendous commercial success and was an instant hit with masses.

Mary Kom

This yet to be released movie is based on Mary Kom, an Indian boxer who is the five time world champion and is the only woman boxer to win a medal in each of the six world championships. The movie is generating high curiosity as it is probably the first sports themed Bollywood movie where the main protagonist is a lady.
Leading actress Priyanka Chopra has been signed to play Mary Kom’s character. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the movie is slated to be released in 2014.

Factfile –
http://theladiesfinger.com
http://spicyboyz.wordpress.com
http://beta.dawn.com
http://www.indiatimes.com
http://www.indianexpress.com

Rare Bollywood Movies on Sports Theme – Part I

By

Priyanka Rele

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September 2, 2013

3

India is a nation known for its culture, cricket and Bollywood. Despite being a nation that is obsessed with cricket, we have very few movies made on sports themes. While a few feature films have been made on cricket such as Lagaan, Jannat, Ferrari Ki Sawaari, there are hardly any movies on athletics, football, tennis, swimming, hockey, or on traditional sports such as Kabaddi, Kho-kho, Mallakhamb, and others.

When a filmmaker decides to combine the nation’s two most loved topics – films and sports, he knows he is going to get it right. Yet, we do not find many Bollywood movies that are inspired by sports. A major reason could be the notion that filmmakers do not want to portray their central character as a regular chap. Protagonists in Bollywood formula films are larger-than-life characters who want to be showcased as dancers, singers, romantics and fighters all in one movie.

Here is a list of sports themed movies that have earned their spot in the classics; these movies inspire and entertain us, while sending out a strong message to the society:

Hip Hip Hurray

Hip Hip Hurray can be considered the pioneer in sports themed movies in India. It is a tale of a computer engineer who takes up a temporary job as a sports instructor in a school in Ranchi. This engaging movie explores his journey as he coaches and motivates his school football team to victory. Released in 1984, this movie starred Raj Kiran and was directed by Prakash Jha, which was the debut film for the renowned socio-political filmmaker. The movie didn’t become much of a commercial success, but is considered one of the finest Indian movies based on sports.
http://en.wikipedia.org

Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar

This Hindi movie needs no introduction. Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar has everything a standard Bollywood movie needs – romance, intense relationships, drama, humour, action and a nail-biting climax. Set in Dehradun in north India, the movie is about teenage angst, rich-poor disparity, college romance and a sports contest. The story revolves around an inter-collegiate cycling competition in a small town; undisputed cycling champions of Rajput College face some real tough completion from the often despised Model College boys, who are determined to give their competitors a taste of their own medicine.

Starring Aamir Khan and directed by Mansoor Khan, this movie was released in 1992. Similar to Hip Hip Hurray, this movie did averagely at the box office. However, the popularity of the movie increased by word of mouth; and today, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar is considered as a benchmark for sport-themed movies.
http://www.indiatimes.com

Saaheb

This story of a struggling football player is an adaptation of Bengali movie named “Saheb”. Isn’t that obvious?! Saaheb is the youngest son of Badriprasad´s family. Saaheb doesn´t do well in college academically, yet he excels in soccer. Due to his passion for football, everyone in the family constantly mock him about his bleak career. However when circumstances demand, he gives up his kidney to fund his sister’s marriage, at the cost of his football career.

Released in 1985, this movie starred Anil Kapoor as Saaheb and was directed by Anil Ganguly. While the movie didn’t earn much at the box office, the music score by the inimitable Bappi Lahiri is quite memorable.
http://www.planetbollywood.com

Bend It Like Beckham

Actually this movie is not made in Bollywood! It is a British-Asian film produced and directed by Gurinder Chadda. The theme juxtaposes the clash between traditional values and the modern world along with fantastic feel-good story about passion for sports. This humorous piece of work tells the story of Jesminder Bhamra, who rebels against her orthodox Sikh parents to go on and play for the women’s football team in England. Set in Hounslow, London, the film narrates the story of two 18-year old girls whose hearts are set on a career in professional soccer.

Starring Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley in the lead roles, this movie was released in 2002. The movie saw considerable success both in India and abroad thanks to its instant connection with the youth.
http://www.bbc.co.uk
http://nemehill.blogspot.in

Rare Bollywood movies on sports theme – Part 2

Ever Heard of National Sports Day?

By

Levine Lawrence

-

August 29, 2013

0

National Sports Day - Indian women's hockey team — Indian women’s hockey team

Are you surprised that we do have a day dedicated for sports?! Various sporting events are being organised across the country as part of the National Sports Day celebration to commemorate the birth anniversary of Indian hockey legend Dhyan Chand. This is a welcome change as compared to our favourite blame game that we begin every time India fares sadly in a major sporting event – government is not doing its job, sports officials are corrupt, athletes don’t have killer instincts, parents don’t care about sports in schools, etc, etc. However, we forget to ask the key question behind all these problems: Do we have a sporting culture?

Devangini M, well known art & luxury consultant and an army wife says, “In a cricket crazy country, I was born to a Ranji Trophy cricketer who also toured across Europe for the Kuwaiti Cricket Team and retired as the Secretary of the Veteran’s Cricket Association of Orissa. My father, Dev Mahapatra, remained high on sports, which ensured that my family was well exposed to sports early on. In fact, growing up, I found it strange that many of my classmates in school had absolutely no interest in sports! Sports, while an integral part of a school curriculum, has failed to show up in actual interest among children.”

That brings up the question: Why does our country lack such a sporting culture?

Sunny Bond from the Sports Coaching Foundation aptly put it this way, “The problem is deep rooted in the Indian psyche. Education and Sports are usually seen as two different entities working at cross purposes than as a part of growing up. It is preposterous to think all kids who play will turn out to be Olympians. Almost everything that is wrong with Independent India is blamed as a legacy of the British, but would it be wrong to suggest along with them we got rid of their sports culture? India, is said to be a melting pot of cultures and we have a rich tradition of accepting all that is best. Why can’t we, for a change accept recreational sport for our children as a part of their growing up?”

Sunny asks another crucial question “Why the government agencies entrusted with managing sports in our country, the Sports Authority of India, Indian Olympic Association are all run by politicians and bureaucrats, and not by technocrats or sportspersons? The technocrats serving under the stifling dominance of politicians cannot work up to their full potential, and at times become party to the corrupt ways. Vast funds are swindled regularly. The recent 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi is a classic example of the rot that has set in.”

C S Thapa, a retired brigadier feels the recent International Olympic Committee’s decision to ban Indian Olympic Association for untoward practices is a step in the right direction, but this is not the only issue that ails Indian sports. There are a host of problems that can be summarised in one short word: lack of sporting culture. India favours rote learning which is repeated memorisation of written text where sports has no value. Although rote learning has made India into a knowledge hub, it has cut down our critical thinking and value for sports.

Thankfully, things are changing both on the institutional front as well as performance front. The Marks for Sports Campaign by NDTV India is playing a great role in ensuring sports becomes a part of school curriculum. The splendid feat achieved by our athletes at 2012 London Olympics seems to have turned the tide. Similarly, a series of outstanding performances have aroused public interest in sports other than cricket.

2011 FIBA Asia Championship – Indian women’s basketball team led by Geethu Anna Jose earn their best result, finishing at the 6th position
2012 Olympic Games – most successful Olympics with a total medal tally of 6 medals
2013 Junior Women Hockey World Cup – Indian women’s team wins first ever bronze medal powered by Rani Rampal’s splendid goals
2013 World Badminton Championships – Rising shuttler PV Sindhu becomes the first Indian woman singles player to win a bronze medal, while Parupalli Kashyap reach the quarterfinals and rises to No.7 on the BWF men’s singles ranking
2013 Archery World Cup – Indian team wins back-to-back World Cup titles in the women’s recurve team event

National Sports Day - New Badminton star - P V Sindhu — New Badminton star – P V Sindhu

Numerous sports marketing companies are entering the Indian market to nurture talent and promote sports. However, despite these achievements, the immense focus on cricket overshadows all other sports. The overwhelming attention cricket gets among sports marketing companies makes it even tougher for emerging talents of non-cricket sports to grab eyeballs.

Suhrid Barua, a respected sports columnist says “The year 2013 is expected to be the turning point for sports marketing in other sports. The Hockey India League was a smashing hit with two-wheeler giant Hero Motors Corp solidly backing the league. The sight of hockey players having sponsorship logos embossed on their shirts and shorts was a never-before-seen kind of thing for hockey buffs in the country. Clearly, the sporting heroes of non-cricket sports have a lot to look forward to. The Badminton Association of India has already launched the inaugural Indian Badminton League, while the Wrestling Federation of India will be holding the Indian Wrestling League later this year.”

Hopefully, we will see sports marketing in India scale a new high in the coming years, given the phenomenal performances of athletes from various sports.

Factfile –

http://www.thehindu.com
http://www.firstpost.com
http://www.millenniumpost.in
http://kammelasitasunilnaidu.blogspot.in/
http://newschoupal.com
http://www.topnews.in

Let children celebrate Kitchen Garden Day

By

Levine Lawrence

-

August 25, 2013

2

Flowering plants and vegetables

For any idea to get implemented in our mind, we need to start young. I have observed many of my friends who are extremely concerned about environmental degradation, but they do nothing about it. They claim to be helpless individuals who can’t set the entire system right. However, have they at least educated their children about environment?

Children do not have any patience to listen to our bhashan (preaching) on environmental problems. They would rather watch TV, play games or do some activity. Talking about activity, there is one activity that children will be interested – kitchen garden!

Why kitchen garden for kids?

Tweego and Fangchu plant a sapling

Kids have a natural affinity to flowers and butterflies. Having a tiny kitchen garden can ensure that they get to see flowers and butterflies occasionally. Another fun element for children is playing with water and mud. However, parents have to be careful otherwise things can get really messy! The biggest advantage of growing vegetables in your kitchen garden is that you get organic food free of any pesticides and rich in nutrients. How exciting would it be if you ask your daughter to go pluck some fresh tomatoes from your own garden!

Organic farming can greatly reduce the harm caused by large-scale agriculture to insects and birds. Although organic farming at home does not help alter the equation in a big way, we can at least get clean chemical-free homegrown vegetables at home. With the prices of vegetables skyrocketing, we could save a few rupees spent on curry leaves, chillies, tomatoes, mint, etc.

Ek Titli, a Pune-based environmental awareness organisation has created a cute cartoon character named ‘Tweego’. Vaibhav Dugar, co-founder of Ek Titli says “it is our earnest effort to create awareness amongst children of today to care for the environment by providing information through entertainment.

Space and time constraint?

Not having enough space in your apartment can be a constraining factor, but you can somehow squeeze in a few pots on window ledges and balconies. Urban Leaves, a group of concerned individuals in Mumbai came together in 2009 to create a community-based farming group to grow vegetables on terraces. If a bunch of Mumbaikars can become best practitioners in kitchen gardening, people in rest of India can’t have a reason to complain about space, right?

Are you too busy with work and struggling to maintain a work-life balance? Don’t worry, all you need is a day’s work during a weekend and just a few minutes of watering and weeding every alternate day. Did you know, the White House has a kitchen garden of its own? The First Lady Michelle Obama herself tends the plants!

Meanwhile, Kitchen Gardeners International, a global voluntary organization coordinates with other NGOs to celebrate the World Kitchen Garden Day. Celebrated every year on the 4th Sunday of August, this is an opportunity for people around the world to gather in their gardens with friends, family, and members of their local community to enjoy the benefits of home-grown organic food. So, let’s go outside in the sun today and play with soil, water, and plants!

Factfile –

www.kgi.org
www.ektitli.org
www.urbanleaves.org
www.pinterest.com

Bangalore By-two Coffee!

By

Priyanka Rele

-

August 22, 2013

7

There is no one way to explain the city of Bangalore, now referred to as Bengaluru; right from the time it was christened, it has been a multi-cultured, multi-ethnic and migrant city. Beginning from those Arab horse traders and barefoot citizens in a chariot procession during the British Raj to the present millions landing to find an IT/BPO job, this city has been an amalgamation of cultures and geographic diversities. This diversity has invariably left Bangaloreans in a constant state of evolution; if you look hard enough it is easy to find a typical Bangalorean; all you need is a little skill and lots of humour.

India Infographics - About Bangalore — Bird’s eye view of Bangalore – Prakash Shelke

Bangaloreans are proud people; they love talking about the awesome weather of their city and the horrific tales about the traffic jams. That would be your first clue. If your neighbour’s chest inflates and become breasts while talking about the weather, then, you can be 100% sure that you have found “THE ONE”. Once you’ve spotted them and know that you have to interact with them then, remember that a Bangalorean doesn’t find ‘Bommasandra’, ‘Dickenson Road’, ‘Lingarajpuram’ and ‘Cox Town’ funny! These are real places in the city, which you will visit them quite often.

“Uuuuuuuu” is their favorite suffix; Bangalore has just become Bengaluru and almost every word in every language find itself followed by the famous uuuuu… for example: busu, caru, trainu, orderu, etc. Try asking someone for directions, the reply would be something like: “strrraaaighhttt hogi, aamale lefftttuuuuuu matthe rightuuu”. The length of the uuuuuuuuu should help you determine how far ahead you need to travel.

A typical conversation with your ever friendly Bangalore neighbour would like this:

You: Hi Aunty
Aunty: Hello, how are you? Where are you from? What do you do?

You: I am fine aunty; I am from ‘blah blah’ and am a software engineer in ABC.
Aunty: Aaaaaa, software engineeraaa? My son is also a software engineeru; he is working in a MNC company.

You: Oh is it? What does he work on?
Aunty: That and all I don’t know ma… Something he works and comes home verrrrryyyyy late at night… It is a big company you know…

You: where is his company?
Aunty: How do I know… he keeps jumping jobs every six months!

I can guarantee that out of your 5 neighbours, at least 3 would have the same questions and same replies.

Bangalore is probably one of those few places in India where you’d find the bar crowded at 7:30 pm and empty at 11:30pm. Yes, Bangaloreans got tired of everyone cribbing about the dreaded 11:30pm deadline for pubs, so they just decided to drag everyone along and hit the pub at 7:00pm instead.

If you’ve been in Bangalore for a while, then you would have given up on predicting the auto rikshaw fares or the weather. Auto Rajas have unanimously decided to surprise us with their fares; it’s almost like playing housie, you can never guess which magic number they will come up with. But never try to act smart by insisting on paying by the meter; Auto Raja will take you for a ride across the town and you will empty your wallet to pay the meter bill! But you can act smart and take the BMTC Volvo AC bus instead.
And yes, it is official, the weather gods in Bangalore are ever scheming; they love playing mind games with you, so always carry an umbrella, some warm clothes and a sun tan lotion in your bag. If you are really lucky, you will use all three the same day.
Just because you weren’t born in this city doesn’t mean you are not a Bangalorean. Samosapedia finds that most Bangaloreans dont seem to come from Karnataka at all! These days, anyone who isn’t from Bangalore is actually a Bangalorean, and as long as you can coolly say “Kannada Gotilla” (I do not know Kannada), “Swalpa adjust maadi” (please don’t mind), you classify to be in this category. It’s almost a style statement in the city, although the locals will just use this to rip you off, the ‘high-society’ thinks “you’re in, maccha”.
How can we talk about Bangalore and not talk about the IT revolution in the city? Every other person in the city is an IT professional. It’s easy to find them, they do not know how to drive, they not know where they are, and they stare at a menu card for 15 minutes before they figure out what’s on it. Of course not all of them are Bangaloreans but if you do find a Bangalorean in this ever increasing population of techies then just ask them how many languages they can program in and how many they can converse in. On an average the answer would be 4 in each category.

Can't miss the idlis, vadas, dosas & coffees — Can’t miss the idlis, vadas, dosas & coffees

You will find people from almost every place on earth in Bangalore, most of them constantly complain, but the rest are more optimistic. However it’s interesting to note that all those people who complain about this city would never leave it. They’d brave the Auto Rajas, gulp down those hot idlis, sip by-two coffees, and add to the traffic woes instead of packing their bags and going home. Maybe that’s because even they know that as long as you are a Bangalorean, you’re part of the coolest crowd and everybody else on this earth is super jealous of you.

Factfile –
http://speebee.blogspot.in
http://vadakkus.com
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com