Get touchy
Hugging is therapeutic, says a research. A 20-second hug can work wonders. And how!
Remember Munnabhai’s antidote to all ailments? Jadu ki jhappi. Indeed, it has magical powers, say experts. It eases pain, lessens anxiety, softens the blows of life, generates hope and has the power to heal. A research in the University of North Carolina showed that one extra 20-second hug can make a huge difference in how happy or relaxed you feel. Lifestyle determines the ‘touch quotient’ of tricity denizens.

Har taraf ab yehi afsane hain
As he turns 90, singing legend Manna Dey talks of melody, then and now
As he turns 90, singer Manna Dey is fit as a fiddle, recording a few Bengali songs and practising classical ragas at home for three consecutive hours daily. After a musical odyssey spanning nearly 70 years, he is still active as a singer and no one dare write him off even today.

Hello TUNEZ
Song for soul
Yaad Piya Ki (Times Music): When Padma Shri Ustad Puran Chand Wadali and Pyarelal Wadali sing sufiana, it is time to close your eyes and keep saying "wah wah". Their voices are ideally suited for delineating the inner meanings of the immortal poetry of masters like Baba Bulleh Shah, Swami Ramtirath and Hitshri Asudaranji. Here they have chosen an eclectic mix of Hindi and Punjabi lyrics and have presented them in gilded frames, suffused with varied emotions like pain, joy, love and devotion. J S R Madhukar's music appeals to the mind as well as the soul. The main instruments are flute, the tabla and the sarangee but western instruments have also been used.

Hair we come
Dabur unveils its new fragrant hair oil
For sure, it qualifies for a tongue twister—Dabur Amla Flower Magic Hair Oil! Well, the latest offering from the house of Dabur India Ltd. has its Unique Selling Proposition, quite a mouthful too. The oil was unveiled at a press conference at a city hotel on Thursday. At a cursory glance, the hair oil, like any other, promises healthy nourished hair sans stickiness. What? Haven’t we seen umpteen prime time commercials? Anirudh Pandharkar, senior product manager, cuts the clutter and makes it tangentially stand apart, "The unique factor of this oil lies in its innovative fragrance. It’s a never seen before fine fragrance, and by fine we mean exotic." He adds, "It’s like you are walking in a garden."

Designer deal
Contrasts and confusion are no more fashionable
Launch in the times to recession? Yeah, you got it, that’s right. Launch in the times of recession. Tatva-17, boutique for women’s wear, on Thursday, opened doors for one and all. And announced its arrival through summer suits, tunics, saris and kurtis.

Foot note

These young dancers match steps on World Dance Day on Wednesday at Varun Dance Studio at Panchkula Lifestyle photo: S. Chandan

Side Lanes
Passage from India
Whenever one leaves the shores of the Motherland, we look for success stories amongst our own ilk. Obviously we visit our children who are proof of those stories. They have taken the hard route, gone into unfamiliar communities and started from scratch in a new country, which is often hostile but accepts them because of the singular lack of manpower, something India has an abundance of. When our children start being successful, their hosts accept them and often display the same emotions as any human being would- hostility towards intruders and their strange customs.

Hum honge kamyab…ek din
I will go to South Africa only if KKR wins, says SRK
After a string of defeats suffered by Kolkata Knight Riders, team owner and Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan has decided not to go back to South Africa unless KKR starts winning. The actor, who flew down to the city to cast his vote in the general elections, said that he will stay put in Mumbai as he doesn't want to be a part of the "sadness" which follows every defeat.

Jo jeete wohi sikander
Aamir, SRK lead IIFA nominations
Two of Bollywood's biggest names, Shahrukh and Aamir Khan are leading this year's International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards nominations. The 10th IIFA festival, which begins from May 11 to 13, will be held in Macau, in China. "2009 celebrates a decade of IIFA magic and promises to be yet another enthralling experience to be held at the Venetian Macao," said Amitabh Bachchan, the IIFA brand ambassador while announcing the nominees here.

International Indian Film Academy Awards(IIFA) Brand Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan watches a performer in Mumbai. Photo: PTI

Not arm candy
Sonam Kapoor is all for getting into the commercial groove after doing off-beat films and says she won't mind playing Lara Dutta's role in No Entry or Priyanka Chopra's character in Dostana. But she is clear that she doesn't want to be seen as just "arm candy" in song and dance sequences.