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Lets Jive !!
Have biscuit, win gold
Shooting on for Ranjit Singh
FILM & FASHION
TAROT TALK
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Khalas & Desi There is a method in the traditional food that we eat during the winters. It is designed to give us warmth, energy and nourishment.
Kanwaljeet Kaur tickles the taste buds by offering a desi Punjabi menu
If the yellow mustard fields along the highways in Punjab and Haryana are any indication, this winter season is the best time as an opportunity to nourish the traditional healthy food like Sarson da Saag, mooli te gobhi ke paranthe, gaajar da halwa, pinni and aawle da murabba. The reason is not only the taste, but also the nutritious value like calcium, vitamins, iron and minerals in this fibrous food that fills the bellies to fight out the chill as well. If one gives an argument that consuming a capsule of calcium or iron is enough to fill the deficiency, it is unfair to the body. The body cannot do without fibrous food. To begin with, the breakfast in winters should be heavy, especially for those who go out for work and burn out calories. Radish or cauliflower-stuffed paranthas (use of desi ghee always good for a healthy person), with curd and pickle is one of the best. Protein rich Paneer for vegetarians and mutton and chicken during the luncheon meals or at the dinner at least thrice a week are said to be always helpful to meet the demand of your stomach, which often demands more food during the winters— the simple reason that the body’s metabolism increases with the drop in temperature. Cheese (paneer), surely an alternative to non-veg curries, is also of a best quality in winters (ask your local dairy wala). It could also be stuffed in paranthas in the morning or it can be cooked as curries at dinner or as masala paneer during the cocktails. However, the pieces of fresh paneer, with salt and pepper to taste, are the most healthy way to take in protein in its purest form. Such a simple recipe, which takes two minutes to make, is popular at the cocktails. If one wants to get rid of curries, a dish (subzi) comprising green peas, carrot and potatoes is a healthy alternative in the afternoon, which could be easily carried in a hot box with chapatis. This recipe gives a complete balanced food with the nutritious value comprising, vitamin A, carbohydrates and iron. Eggs & olives Eggs are essential element, especially for the children, for the sources of rich protein. Besides egg curry in the meals, boiled eggs can be served in the evening along with tea or milk. If one is not fussy, an egg scrambled in hot milk saves you from the chill in sleep, so that you get up next morning with no sign of constipation. Another significant food element in winters is aawla, very rich in Vitamin C. It is available in many forms like murabba, chutney, pickle and even in dry form. The latter form is available in the form of candies, good for children. Aawla is considered the best natural alternative to the costly tonics like Chavanparash. Besides aawla candies, almonds are also good for the pockets of children. Winter is an occasion for the pickle lovers as well. If the mango pickle is the grace of summers, gaajar, gobhi aur shaljam ka achar, popularly known as meetha achaar is common in winters. Alert! If one has a good habit of taking hot milk before sleep, there should be a gap of at least an hour after the last meal. The winter is the best time to nourish fruits also, like kinnow and oranges, full of iron and vitamin C. Their juices can be especially given to children after they return from school, which enable them shed away their fatigue as they gain instant energy from these juices. Sweet tooth ‘An apple a day keeps a doctor away’ is an adage that can be followed religiously by those who ignore carrying heavy Tiffin boxes to work. It is often seen that we do not drink access of water in winters and this leads to dryness of skin. Water is essential for life. And keeping this idiom in mind, one should have eight to 10 glasses of water throughout the day, whether you are thirsty or not. This helps you in keeping your skin away from dryness in the dry weather in winters. Consumption of milk and juices of orange, kinnow and carrot also keeps your skin healthy. The use of costly moisturising lotions can be minimised with not only the consumption of juices, but also by applying mustard oil on your body before your bath in the morning or even during the nights before going to bed. If the family has a grandma at home to make pinnis with dry fruit as ingredients, better still. The city’s well-known eating haunts like ‘Sindhi Sweets’ is the place where the working class can get ready to eat pinnis of different varieties.
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Eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside — Mark Twain It seems there was a bit of a Punjabi in Twain for that is the way Punjabis relate to food. Even the adages of this agrarian border state reflect a food fixation: Khada peeta laahe da, rehanda Ahmad Shahe da. In translation it would mean that what you have eaten or drunk is yours and invader Ahmad Shah may take the rest away. Many invasions seem to have made the belly the safest place for hoarding what you can even it means hard times for the belly. The celebrated fiction writer Nanak Singh best illustrates the Punjabi fetish for food in a classic story called Bhua. The protagonist of the story is a townsman who has fond memories of his aunt who used to bring him a bowl full of sugared cream. On a visit to a wedding in a village close by to his aunt’s, he decides to visit her. Full up with feasting, he decides to walk several miles musing, ”It is not an easy task for a city dweller to participate in a rural wedding and that too in summer. The food served is so rich that a whole bottle of digestive pills has to follow. In just two days I had had enough of puris and such other savouries. I was hoping that one meal should be plain roti and dal.” What he is given instead are two huge paranthas dripping with ghee and a heap of vermicilli sweet laid out in a thali. This is not the end of the narrator’s woes: “I had just about put a morsel or two in my mouth that my cousin’s wife brought a bowl full of sizzling ghee and poured it on the vermicilli. I kept saying no but no one was listening to me.” The hospitality continues and another ghee-dripping paratha is hurled onto his plate. He lies on the cot with the food playing havoc inside his stomach. He hopes for some digestive pills but is served instead a huge tumbler full of hot milk. The poor man has no choice but to spill the milk and the aunt bemoans: ““Poor child! Now you will have to sleep hungry. How weak you look! Why did the milk have to spill!” This may be written out as fiction but it portrays well the fetish for food in the North. If the Punjabi bonhomie is such, the Haryanvi hospitality is no less. Some years ago, the photographer of the newspaper that I was working for and I went to Hisar to bring back features from the villages around. Everywhere we would be served rich full-cream milk and the very second day our stomachs gave up for we were used to the toned urban milk. So next time at a rural home, we declined to take the milk. The hosts insisted on tea and we agreed. The first sip of the rich creamy tea stumped us. Some tealeaves had been added to rich sweetened milk. Twain had talked about eating what you like but when in Punjab and Haryana you have to eat and drink what you may not even like and one may quite perish with such hospitality!
— Nirupama Dutt
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Lets
Jive!!
Not for the tender-n-faint hearted chi-chi wallas — this scatological read. Sure, read if you must, at your own peril. All you loose is your mind is closed. Now, even standing and walking is not without peril. So lets jive. This is a hand piece, do it yourself, bed-pan Jiving!! My left leg is in plaster thanks to a ‘pyara- sa’ push by a white 800. My ‘graha’ must have been jiving too, otherwise a smashed pelvis or even jiving out in the orbit may have panned out. So here’s a 68-young jiving with a bed pan. Quite a skill this. It’s really a slow-motion act, believe you me. One false move and you’d be in diapers or worse sprawled on the floor. So you turn ’ahiste- ahiste’ on the POP side, recommended no less, by a US occupational therapist; slip in the instrument of MoU, under your butt, exactly centering. Useful tip: slip in, under the BP some layers of Sunday’s Shaadi.com, my very own (a mom of eligibles) invention! After action, turn back on the offending POP limb and again very very ‘ahiste-ahiste’ remove the pan. Warning, it may slosh. Empty out liquid contents in a bucket ( stored under the bed) : lime / orange scented by micro bytes of fruit peels: researched by an erudite female septuagenarian indigenous eco-architect of the hills. Empty in your gardens, a great compost. Note: both toilet papers and cotton balls, are eco un-friendly will clog your loo. So watch it. My life is jiving around’ sirf yeh pal’ encouraged, believe it or not by a Munna bhai ‘Jhappi’ of a PGI junior resident of the ortho OPD . More firsts at the Emergency OT. Three Tamilians are jiving with my left knee in a harness to some obscure Hindi- film songs !! In the OT !! Allah Qasam !! “Matajee” “ a small prick” no, people call me “Amma” I protest. They snigger, I realize there is only one Amma in Chennai that calls the tune. No sex please, we’re Indians. They forget the catheter, as another jiver, with a spinal is in the Q. In recovery, I puke and wet. Family jives around. Survival of the fittest they say. Bull!! Survival of the Jivers I say. It takes two to tango and even 2 + two jive, na yaar ?! A Russi researcher Kropotkin would not jive with Darvin ( social nor literary) his evolutionary insights threw up Mutual Aid (out of print see google) for survival. Flora- fauna, no jiving alone, fittest or not. Ask the birds and the bees, they jive love bytes food n sex of course, read survival. Monocultures, ask the Foresters, ask poor Dolly. So lets jive with Diversity, in all shades, especially the not so fair and not so lovely; especially the challenged physically, mentally and emotionally. Jivers don’t ask what is normal. IQ and beauty, skin deep are over valued anyways (sorry Ash et al); Aesthetics of kindness–n-concern are undervalued; the economics of “Anicca” (impermanence) understated-n–unrealised. So lets get jive intoxicated.
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Have biscuit, win gold
If you ask me what is the common link between a TV channel and a biscuit factory, then I have to quote Mukesh Gautam, Executive Producer of Zee Networks Ltd, “We, ETC Channel Punjabi and Sunfest, both put smiles to consumers.” They did that all right. At least their antics of presenting a man in a huge bright sunny costume, which is the logo of the biscuit company, amused the mediapersons present at the venue. The occasion was the formal launching of ‘Sunfest Golden Bakes ETC Channel Punjabi Gold Pao’ contest. The announcement, which came with adjectives like ‘aggressive marketing promotion scheme’ and ‘innovative’, told us that Sunfest, along with ETC Channel Punjabi, offers on-the-spot gifts for consumers and also entitles them to win gold coins as bonanza prizes during the promotional period which will last till January 15. Before we get enough time to ponder what is so innovative about offering gold coins with biscuits, which every company seems to be doing these days, we are fed with some expert comments from Satish Kumar, Branch Manager, ITC Ltd, which is the parent company of Sunfest, “Such focused product promotions are not only beneficial to our brand and consumers but also create additional value for our partners –the retailers, the partnering channel as well as its viewers.” More biscuits, I mean food, for thought! During the promotional period consumers get a scratch card with every pack of Golden Bakes that entitles them to attractive prizes, including varying discounts on the purchases or also free Sunfest Glucose biscuit packets. Consumers can also enter the Sunfest Golden Bakes ETC Punjabi Gold Pao contest by answering three simple questions. Three lucky winners will get a 100 gm gold coin each while 100 other correct entries will be eligible for 3 gm gold coins each. Carrying out their part of commitment, ETC Channel too has come up with an ad, featuring two women at the backdrop of a marriage scene waiting for gold to win. Now that evokes some smile or should we say laughter.
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Shooting on for Ranjit Singh
For the next two months, shooting for the serial will be carried out in and around Chandigarh and in Patiala.
The serial is being directed by Chitrarth Singh and Sikandar
Bharti. It is scheduled for telecast in April next year.
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Who’s the fairest of them all?
Snow White or her stepmother does not ask this question from the mirror on the wall. This question is now being asked by Prince Charming, says
Tahira Kashyap
We have seen it in advertisements and we have already read enough but trust me it still gives some girls the creeps to know that their scrubs or fairness tubes have actually run out much before they could acquire the feel of their new possession. Well here is for the fathers, brothers, husbands and guy friends…Shahrukh Khan! No, don’t get me wrong here. I am just talking about him being the latest brand ambassador of a 75 -year old-beauty soap. With this advertisement and Shahrukh’s statement, “It’s something I always wanted to do for many years, and had mentioned to the ***(LUX) people many times. The benchmark of a true star in the film industry is, when you are selected as a *** star”, a whole new market has been opened for the beauty conscious men today. It’s totally ‘fair’ enough for the guys to know when Shahrukh says, “Aaj main aapko batanewala hoon meri khoobsurti ka raaz” and even ‘fairer’ when it makes sense to them and the ‘fairest’ when they actually use it. It’s just not the beauty soaps, the creams are doing good rounds as well. I am sure many of us being witness to the ad where a forcibly darkened boy runs to the girls’ hostel and steals their fairness cream. Then comes his fair looking saviour who is handsome at the same time and tells him in embarrassment, “Marad hokar ladkiyon waali fariness cream?” And voila he pops out a fairness cream for guys (as if it saves on the embarrassment!). Well this is for the guys if you are still running in the hostels its time you checked out this ad again. So gals if you come across a friend of yours whose just turned fair and good looking from an ugly, crooked frog, you’ll know whom to blame, oops sorry you’ll know what’s their’ khoobsoorti ka raaz”. kyon koi shak? With Kiran Bedi’s cropping up one side and the metrosexuals on the other, I just can’t help thinking about this hypothetical situation, which is true to become a reality. With the guys needing a strong female shoulder to cry on, with them waiting in the cars and the stronger sex fighting in queues to buy the first day first show tickets, with them waiting for the women to open the door and to pull the chair, the day is not far when a Gupta girl marries a Singh boy and he’ll be addressed as Mr Gupta. The matrimonials would also sound something like this, ‘wanted well-settled and fair, tall and fair, well-educated and fair groom. Incase all conditions apply except being fair please don’t reply for we don’t care’! Sounds funny but there is something today which makes me want to believe that it is to happen tomorrow. Certainly I have a question to ask every one …please somebody tell me after all ‘WHO IS THE FAIRER SEX?’
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Disasters — natural or man-made — are becoming more and more frequent. While it may not be possible to prevent or escape all of them, there is certainly a possibility of lessening their destructive impact through rescue and rehabilitation. Professional as well as voluntary organisations can make positive contributions towards this end. In the West, youth are given technical training that enables them to help in post-disaster search and rescue efforts. There are any number of government and private websites that provide information on how to acquire relevant skills like www.keel.ac.uk and www.rescurtrain.com. In India, however, disaster management facilities are woefully inadequate. Be it floods, tsunami, earthquakes or train accidents, our armed forces appear to have the sole responsibility for launching rescue and relief operations. The civilian youth does not feel obliged to be useful to the community in such situations. Perhaps, it has something to do with either our inherent cultural drawbacks or the info-famine on disaster-management. While surfing the net one comes across some useful Indian websites that provide detailed information on the nature of disasters that take place here, and how to mitigate their after-effects. For example, www.gisdevelopment.net has an article listing out the essential functions that need to be performed in the aftermath of a calamity like provision of shelter, food, communications, clearance of blocked pathways and access to the victims, water and power supplies, temporary subsistence supplies, health and sanitation, public information, security and reconstruction requirements. Similarly, www.rebuildindia.org tells us of various disaster-management techniques. While it’s been easy for our youngsters to ape the less desirable traits of their occidental counterparts, let’s hope they will imbibe this positive community-oriented aspect of the western culture too.
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FILM & FASHION
Charlotte protective of Henson Welsh singer Charlotte Church is one jealous kitten when it comes to protecting her handsome lover Gavin Henson from the admiring glances of young ladies who drape themselves all over the rugby ace.
The singer, who recently confessed that she would rather quit singing forever than lose Henson, has reportedly admitted that she gets really annoyed when girls flirt with her boyfriend, and has also insisted that she is prepared to come to blows for her man if other women take their flirting too far.
“I’m quite a jealous person. You see these kiss ‘n’ tell girls in the paper and Gavin’s a prime target. When we come to London, all these wannabe glamour models throw themselves at him”, Femalefirst quoted her, as telling Britain’s Now magazine.
— ANI Brosnan approves of new ‘Bond’
Kate Winslet was never offered drugs Kate Winslet has reportedly revealed that being a “misfit” in her group kept her away from entering the world of drugs.
The 30-year-old actress has further insisted that perhaps her dislike of living in the fast lane has saved her from the temptations of illegal drugs when she was younger.
“I missed out on the whole clubbing thing. I truly, truly, truly have never been offered cocaine in my life. I’ve never taken coke,” Femalefirst quoted her, as saying.
“I wasn’t in those environments. I just accepted that I was a misfit and thought, ‘Oh well, that’s the way I am then,’” she said.
— ANI Victoria Beckham may join ‘X Factor’
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Pschycological illnesses: These illnesses are treatable so do not hesitate to see a psychiatrist. Timely detection and early treatment will improve the quality of your life. — Dr Rashmi Garg is senior consultant, Fortis, Mohali.
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TAROT TALK
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aan-aan-aun
aun!
Bollywood actor and producer, Raj Babbar is in the city and is busy in shooting the 200 episode serial “Lord of Five Rivers— Maharaja Ranjit Singh”.
Along with Raj Babbar, Shahbaz Khan, Jaspal Singh, Davinder Dardee, Gurpreet Singh and Kuljit Singh star in the serial.
Pink shoes, saloned look, prim and propah, flashy ties…no it just doesn’t finish here! Today’s metrosexual man wants it all. From beauty soaps (the icon been Shahrukh Khan) to fairness creams, our man has no qualms about looking good and ‘feeling beautiful’. 
Hollywood actress Kirsten Dunst, who is playing Marie Antoinette in Sophia Coppola’s new biopic, has got so impressed with the tragic French Queen that she has started justifying her ostentatious behaviour.
The ‘Spiderman’ beauty said that she could relate herself to Antoinette, as she was also put under intense pressure from a very young age. She empathised with the young royal’s escapist behaviour, saying it was her only way of dealing with life.
“Everyone was judging her. I can definitely relate to that — starting so young in this industry as I did —growing up in not a very normal way. I can understand why her behaviour was ostentatious. When you’re a girl all alone, fashion and parties become an escape. And she was so isolated. She was in a pretty prison,” Contactmusic quoted Dunst as saying.
— ANI
Despite being bitter about the way he was dropped from playing the suave British secret agent ‘James Bond’, actor Pierce Brosnan has given his support to Daniel Craig, the man who has stepped into his shoes.
Brosnan said that movie bosses now had the opportunity with the new Bond flick for a closer portrayal of author Sir Ian Fleming’s work, by making ‘Casino Royale’ darker than previous films.
“It’s there on the page. The martinis, the drugs, the cigarettes, the casino, the blood on the hands. But they never went there.
Hopefully they will go there with Daniel. They have the product, they have the man, and I’m sure they will,” Contactmusic quoted him, as saying.
— ANI
Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham is being lined up to replace Louis Walsh as a judge on ITV’s hit music show ‘X Factor’, as the show bosses believe that Posh’s participation could help attract a new audience.
Walsh recently revealed that he was quitting the TV show at the end of the current season following a string of rows, and if the sources are to be believed, the brunette beauty has been offered a lucrative amount to appear on the show.
“It would be a dream come true for Victoria. She’s still keen to forge a telly career and shows don’t come much bigger than this,” Femalefirst quoted a source as telling Britain’s Daily Star newspaper.
According to the report, Simon Cowell has also hinted that Victoria is his choice to be on the panel, as she is very witty.
“I’d love to work with Victoria. She is very witty and can poke fun at herself,” said Cowell.
“I think the ‘X Factor’ is the best opportunity for the public to see the real side of her. She’s interesting and good TV,” he added.
Meanwhile, the singer-turned-model is reportedly desperate
ARIES: You are awakened and energised by fiery "Knight of Wands". Friends and colleagues are revving up your social life and today is a good work day.
Lucky Number: 19. Lucky colour: White. 
LIBRA: Don't let individuals with wild schemes talk you into a financial deal. Hassles with in-laws could put a damper on your day. Make changes around your home. Lucky number: 6. Lucky Colour: Purple.
TAURUS: Today you'll feel that somebody is taking you for a ride. Something seems amiss, but the strangeness is temporary. Don’t give it much thought.
Lucky Number: 1. Lucky colour: Jade.
SCORPIO:
"The Five of Pentacles" brings many opportunities in your life today. A romantic infatuation from your past may surface.
Lucky number:18. Lucky Colour: Burgundy.
GEMINI: You gain what you want through diplomacy or charm. You are willing to make concessions in order to maintain harmony in your environment.
Lucky Number: 4. Lucky colour: Orange.
SAGITTARIUS:
Don't reveal anything about your personal life to anybody. Your persuasive nature will win the heart of someone you've had your eye on. Lucky colour: red. Lucky number: 14.
CANCER: There could be delays in shipments. Major moves will be emotional and not necessarily to your benefit. If romantic plans are afoot then please act soon.
Lucky Number: 5. Lucky colour: Burgundy.
CAPRICORN:
Your card " The Hermit" provides harmony, friendship and understanding. Your outgoing nature might work against you. A new friend enters your life.
Lucky number: 9. Lucky Colour: Crimson.
LEO:
Knowledge can be acquired if you listen. You can look into new jobs but don't count on getting help from someone who may have promised you assistance.
Lucky Number: 5. Lucky colour: Cherry.
AQUARIUS:
Travel will be favourable. You have the stamina and determination to succeed. Changes regarding your image will bring you greater confidence.
Lucky number: 14. Lucky colour: White.
VIRGO: You take a short trip or indulge in a sporting activity. You will find your personal partner taxing today. Be prudent and don't become disappointed. Lucky Number: 12. Lucky colour: White.
PISCES:
Today you require presence of mind and real patience, in order to avoid a flare-up. Romantic relationships blossom with the promise of exciting moments. Lucky number: 3. Lucky colour: Royal blue.