|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
City women are renegotiating the dynamics of relationships and learning to rework rules at work and home, reports Aruti Nayar Reeta, (name changed), is an HR manager in Chandigarh firm that pays her fabulously but also makes demands, some of them very exacting, on her time and resources. Forced to juggle demands of home and work, made more intolerable if you throw in a spouse who does not understand the limitations of her dual role and the stress it produces and adds a couple of his own to the list. Just when she thought she had had enough and wanted to opt out, either out of the job or marriage (the latter being more difficult) she drifted closer to a co-worker. And soon enough she not only got a hanky, a shoulder but also loads of guts and grit. Most important, says she, “I got a fresh perspective on my woes just by offloading them on a ‘neutral’ listener. Now I am no longer hyper about many of the things that made me fly off the handle before. Even if this is labelled as being unfaithful, I give a damn.” Key shiftAs more and more young women rewrite the script of their lives and negotiate their way through relationships with determination and dexterity, the grammar of relationships is being redefined. The key shift of focus has been in self-perception. There is also a newfound confidence in how relationships at home and work both are being perceived and tackled. If earlier women were content “not being unhappy,” now they are voraciously seeking and ensuring happiness, as if to make up for all the lost time at being passive spectators and not participants or active agents of change as far as their own lives are concerned. Work ties
What begins as a natural sharing of mutual problems, graduates to an easy camaraderie before settling down to a bond fostered by mutual dependence. Hectic work schedules, joint projects and deadlines-to-be-met are the glue that cements such relationships. When work is being done at a frenetic pace at unearthly hours and in close proximity, “when one develops reliance on a co-worker, work becomes less lacklustre and life fun,” this from Neha who is planning to break off her committed relationship just because her partner does not empathise with the highs and lows of her job as a consultant with an IT major. “I have no intentions of even seeing a guy who makes incessant demands on me, what about what I want…” There is a realisation on the part of women that relationships can be empowering and also liberating. Though Sujata, a marketing professional feels, “It is easy to handle the growth and development of any relationship if it remains platonic. Once physical intimacy develops, it is tough terrain and the situation does tend to get more tricky.” A positive fallout is that here is no longer any room for complacency as far as their partners are concerned. After years and years of fulfilling expectations of society, family and partner, women too have expectations that must be addressed. As Shikha, a software consultant, puts it, “If we can demand and grab a huge share of the cake, icing and all, why should we be content with crumbs doled out as and when?” It appears as if it is goodbye to women as victim, suffering silently shedding tears or moping.
|
|
Mushrooming art
Veteran artist V. L. Mevada’s Confidence is captivating not just for the innate vibrancy in his works but more so for the remarkable allegories that he creates through his subject, the forlorn mushroom! “Delicate—of indistinct colour, form and smell—a mushroom is like an individual taken out of his environment, indistinguishable. But give him the opportunity to flourish and an atmosphere to grow in and the individual will come into his own,” explains the artist. Just like his mushrooms come to life, speaking eloquently, indeed being used as an example of life itself at this remarkable exhibition. “It is not about calibre,” says a self-effacing Mevada citing his own experiences as an example. “I am what I am because of all the support and encouragement I received from well-wishers around me.” It is all about the ‘atmosphere’, as he refers to it, the struggle to be noticed and accepted. His unassuming modesty does not take away from the grace of his work. Yes, he is ‘different’ as he puts it, but Mevada needs no introduction, his art speaks for him. This Baroda-based artist has spent 35 years using the mushroom as a metaphor. Using acrylics and oils he has created works of art that range from the black and grey to strikingly bright paintings. Rocks and boulders abound with mushrooms, all drawn with roots, striving perhaps to find that niche to cling to. Depicting the hardships within which the mushroom strives to find its own place, the rock formations seem to take on myriad shapes, sometimes hard like mountains but sometimes soft, like birds, leaves and even feathers, more fluid shapes. Contrasting this style, his palette also finds expression in vibrant hues ranging from blues, greens, pinks, purples, merging in gradient tones to create vivacious bold works on the same theme. But on all his canvases, the play with space is notable and indeed it plays a special role. And with life as his reference book and mushrooms his figure of speech, these paintings on show make for worthy viewing. The exhibition is on at the Museum of Fine Arts, Panjab University till September 23.
|
|
Rajesh Kalsi is an artist with a social conscience. But what makes him likable is his ability to laugh at himself. His first ever solo exhibition Aa Dekh Tamasha —Series Blind that opens at Alliance Francaise art gallery on September 22 gives a glimpse of this young man as one goes through his ‘introspective dialogue’ that comes out through each one of his canvas. “I call them social ghosts and are intended to prick our social conscience,” says Kalsi, after he gives the press people a guided tour of the gallery. Standing in the middle of the room and looking at his colourful semi-abstract larger than life portraits one can see, he is right, at least the ghost part, whether they will be able to prick one’s conscience is a different matter altogether. But Kalsi is a realist. “I have not priced them because the idea of selling any of these never crossed my mind. Who would like to hang such paintings in their drawing rooms which will be a reminder of their true self?” So in his blind series, each form comes with self-inflicted blindness. Like his farmer is blind because he opts to commit suicide if something goes wrong and not realising his true power, his politician is blind because he does not have a true vision despite being an intelligent man, his sadhu is blind because he fool himself and others about divinity and his Adam is blind because, of course he was blinded by love to commit such a sin! That’s not all. A few self-portraits of Kalsi make the mockery of his own artistic ambition and also how the system forces him to be blind at times. Quite an-eye opener, what do you say? — Parbina Rashid
|
|
As film buffs get ready to watch the well-loved star Anupam Kher do a Khosla Ka Ghosla with the film releasing this Friday, Dharam Pal speaks to him in a telephonic interview. Kher who has acted in over 300 films, with many a memorable performance, and is all excited about playing an ordinary man whose one dream is to have roof overhead for his family. Tell us something about your role in Khosla ka Ghosla? Khosla is an ordinary man and leading an ordinary life an ordinary manner and by the end of it he is very happy to buy a plot of land outside Delhi in Gurgaon and now his whole life is concentrated on that. And how a political tout grabs that land on the day of the Bhoomi Pooja and how the family gets the land back is basically the premise of Khosla Ka Ghosla. What made you choose this film in particular? I have done about 322 films in the last 22 years. I need to feel excited about the character I am portraying because if I am excited about something, I will make the audience feel excited about it. This character of Khosla really excited me. So I decided to play it. You are from Shimla and have also studied in Chandigarh. Have you faced a similar situation in your life? I too come from a middle-class background like my character. I can understand and relate to the property issues though I personally haven’t faced any such situation I’ve have seen lots of my friends and colleagues go through it.” How was it working with debutant director Dibakar Banerjee? It is always good to work with new people who are full of new ideas and spirit. It also makes me feel young and challenged. I enjoyed working with Dibakar. Did you click well with Boman Irani? It was my first meeting with Boman. He says he has been seeing my movies for the last 20 years and was nervous when he met me first. But when you meet actors you meet them on the same platform. Boman had a lot of experience in theater and he is a very fine actor and a very fine human being. He has done Khurana’s role exceptionally well. Let me say Khurana enhances Khosla’s performance. It was a joy working with him. What is your favourite scene in the movie? My favourite scene in the movie is a drinking scene but I’m not going to tell you more to know more about it you need go and watch the film in the theatres.
|
|
Guru-mantra
Inspiring employees to take out their best in an industrial set up and presenting personalities like Amitabh Bachchan and Amrish Puri, as we struggle hard to make a connection between the two fields, Arjun helps us out, “both fields are complementary as both requires good communicating power,” he says. The communicating power he has today did not come to him overnight. “I was into debate, quiz and extempore speeches right from my school days and had represented Maharashtra in many such events during my college days,” says our lad who is also a mechanical engineer from Mumbai University. In fact it was this background, which gave him the confidence to try out his luck as an anchor. And after presenting Big-B for an ICICI function in 2003 as his first assignment, he was hooked! So how much is the glamour quotient that attracted him towards anchoring? “Glamour is always an attraction but more than that it is people’s appreciation that gives you the ultimate high,” he says. For someone who has tasted glamour (he acted in Jhankar Beats and a couple of commercials like Honebee Brandy and Bay Island shirts) he knows what is he talking about. Coming back to the other-side of his personality, that of a management guru, Arjun has trained thousands of employees besides conducting regular workshops in Mithibhai College, N M College and the Chetna Institute of Management in Mumbai. What makes the new-age management gurus so popular all of a sudden? “It’s important in today’s life when one has to face cut-throat competition and a stressful life and at the same time learns to find happiness within. That is where we come in,” he says. So he teaches right from different modalities of cleanliness to harbouring the right attitude in a company culture. In fact he is here to do exactly that to his family-owned steel manufacturing plant, which is being set up at Baddi in Himachal. “I had tried to implement my knowledge in other two branches which are operating in Mumbai but failed miserably. People are not ready to throw away the age-old traditions to practice new modalities, but here in Baddi people are quite receptive,” says Arjun, beaming with pride. Well Arjun, you may have failed in your own company, but it definitely goes to say that even all these ‘know-it-all’ new-age gurus have a vulnerable side too!
|
|
Talking about life resembling art and vice versa sounds awfully clichéd but there is something in it. And it is more so when we go to the highly emotionally charged world of theatre. What the audience sees and what the critics comment on is the play but then there are many plays within plays. I recall my favourite Manohar Singh, legendary stage actor who passed away just three years ago but of whom no one really talks anymore, saying: “In theatre we burn our candles at both ends and so it extinguishes fast.” The flame did extinguish much too fast for this actor who was New York Times critic’s pick in the mid-Eighties for his roles in offbeat films New Delhi Times and Damul on a sad November day. But Manohar memorabilia another day maybe in November or in some other space maybe a novella. I will catch up with my dead, if they are dead, later and now onto the living.
Lead kindly light
Sticking to the theme of the theatre of emotions, one recalls another little tale from the city’s cupboard of skeletons. Years ago director decided to stage Manjula Padmanabhan’s play Lights Out with a bunch of students from a theatre repertory participating in it. The plot of the play was that a girl is raped and the community chooses to keep mum about the offence even when they were witnesses. It so happened that a girl of the group charged the director with enticing her, sexual harassment at work place if one were to go by the politically correct terminology of these times, is the and also other students were witness they first joined her in her protest but soon all but her steady deserted her. The play, of course, was never staged and the particular director kept clear of the gender issue drama thereafter and stuck to safer themes. Talk about life resembling art may be clichéd but then clichés have their uses. Did your wise grandma also tell you so? — Nirupama Dutt
|
|
Mike is listening
Mike Welch is funny. Barely into Chandigarh and indeed India and he drew out peals of laughter from the students gathered at the British Library in Sector 9 at the launch of the Quick Reads and Talking Books programme.
“I feel like I am getting married here,” he said looking at the welcome bouquet in his hand. The ice was broken and indeed one felt that this man, who has worked with British Councils all over the world since 1990 (Japan, Hong Kong, Portugal, England) and is now responsible for Business Development in India since August this year, means business! “My brief for India is quite precise. I am to look at the customer services that the British Councils and Libraries deliver in addition to understanding what customers want and how to engage with young people here,” he explains. However, what he is doing currently, is listening! “What I want is demanding customers and for that we have to assess whether what we are offering is the right thing.” So what is the ‘right thing’? For starters, there is more to libraries than just books now, he insists, and that is where the real challenge lies. “What people want is to step out of their worlds and satiate their curiosity, experience life, look at the joys of discovering not just books, but music, cultures, languages, a little bit of this and that.” What that expands into is redefining the word ‘library’ and the British Library plans to do that in the next few years, he promises. “How do we compete with a Sony play-station? We have to work hard,” he smiles. As for the details of the reinvention of this ‘wheel’, well, he promises he will be back to tell more, but after lots more listening!
|
|
Dance like a man
This is the first time that I am seeing a man dancing like a man,” said Nargis, the cinestar of yesteryear. This was when she saw a Bhangra dancer coaching Vyjanthimala and Dilip Kumar in the folksy steps for a sequence in Naya Daur, a film of the Fifties. Bhangra since then has certainly gone places and so have Bhangra dancers. Meet our own home grown dancer Avtar Channa, who also took upon himself to dance like a man, who with his dancing days not quite done, is globe-trotting judging bhangra competitions of the young Punjabi diaspora. The latest kalgi in his turban is that the University of Toronto, Missisauga (Canada) has declared him ‘World’s Best Bhangra Judge’. His other dancing feats round the world include a fitness workshop for dancers at the prestigious Laban Centre of Dance at London. He was invited by the University of Sofia in Budapest and has also conducted workshops at the well-known OMMA Studio at Crete in Greece. Ask him what are the five elements that make Bhangra one of the most popular of dances today and this is what he says: Magical beat: The beat of the dance is truly magical and it inspires people to get up and start dancing. Colourful costume: The costume is very attractive and foreigners just watch in fascination and they just love the turban. Earthy rhythm: It is a harvest dance and deeply rooted in Mother Earth and the earthy rhythm sets the mood. Vigour & vitality: The dance has a truly masculine quality and thus there is a lot of catchy vigour and vitality. Spirit & soul: Last but not least is the soul of the dance that is so spirited that every one becomes a part of the joie d’ vivre.
|
|
Campus Cafe 
Panjab University and so many colleges across the city are rocking to the melodious tunes of reverberating dandia music, rhythmically and gorgeously. If you haven’t heard the throbbing beats echoing against the hostel walls decked up with the posters of great rock stars, just drive down the road meandering its way through the academic environs of the varsity and college campuses. You will find so many younglings practicing the delicate steps of disco dandia in the hostel rooms, and even the corridors, meticulously. Dandia in Chandigarh ? Sounds strange! After all the students here were always more interested in cutting footloose to the rhythmic beats of pulsating hip-hop numbers in discotheques and nightclubs with floors illuminated by nice little psychedelic lights. Or else, in performing Bhangra and Gidda on the stage during all those inter-college youth festivals! Then how come the dandia fever is clutching the students in its grip so feverishly? “Well folks, you can attribute the craze to 24-hour entertainment channels airing hottest trends even in dance music in all those soap-operas on the television that tend to go on and on. Or else, you call it the quest for something new amidst the city youngsters. The fact is that more and more students, with navratras just round the corner, are nowadays learning the latest version of dandia dance to lose their blues,” says Chetan Kumar, a student of Panjab University ’s Department of Laws. Flashing abroad smile, he adds: “No wonder, the young crowd is leaving behind the books on the history of English Literature in the hostel rooms for religiously attending the classes on dandia dance going on in an institute in Sector 24”. For them, even the gift and jewellery shops located on the geri route have made ‘special arrangements’. Just push open the glass doors and you will find cheerful dandia sticks on glass shelves dazzling in the synthetic daylight. Right, the ones with maharajas and maharanis carved out painstakingly. “We have brought out-of-the-ordinary jewellery and sticks to Chandigarh all the way from Gujarat and so many other places especially for the Navratri Utsav celebrations, keeping in mind the craze ringing among the students for all such items,” says Raman of The Jewels, a gift shop in Sector 11. “You may find it hard to believe it, but we are actually selling something like five to 10 pairs of dandia sticks to the enthusiastic youngsters daily”. Guys, just in case you know little about the dance form that’s practically sweeping the students off their feet, here is a slice of history: Dandia is a millennia-old celebration. Like Divali, it too commemorates ‘the victory of good over evil’. A nine-day celebration of music and dance, it is an occasion for the community to get together and strengthen the bond of love with the clank of the dandia sticks. So guys, put on your dancing shoes and pick up the sticks, right now! Happing clanking! — Saurabh Malik
|
|
Health tip of the day
Heel pain is often referred to as pain in the neck as it is difficult to diagnose the exact cause. Proper treatment comprises of treating the cause, stretching exercises and changing the shoes. — Dr. Ravinder Chadha |
|
TAROT TALK
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
He does not fit into the usual image of a management guru. In a pair of faded jeans and T-shirt he looks more like a model. Well, do not go by his looks. For Arjun Vatz, the Mumbai-based management guru and anchorperson is armed with a double master degree, one in human resource management and another in para psychology, and even before you open your mouth, he can read you like an open book!
ARIES: Just as green leaves protect delicate blossoms you need to protect yourself. Be expansive and share your richness, wisdom, experience, feelings and expertise with others. Financial and property matters can be concluded by Thursday. Spiritual pursuit of any kind can be rewarding at this time. Lucky colour: Saffron. TIP OF THE WEEK : Beware of judging people too harshly. 
LIBRA: Your card ‘Justice’ reveals an emotional outburst at work or at home. You manage business affairs with skill, capability and creativity. Family and children handle their own affairs and support you as well, but need appreciation from you in turn. Health problems should not be neglected any further. A Taurean person is helpful on Wednesday. Lucky Colour: Orange. TIP OF THE WEEK: You need to cultivate understanding and humility. 
TAURUS: ‘Seven of Cups’ greets you with happiness. You are especially intuitive and in tune with anything that has to do with love and romance. You complete an important assignment and can look forward to new opportunities and expansion. Meditate and spend time in natural surroundings to rejuvenate your energy. Lucky colour: Peacock green. TIP OF THE WEEK: Capitalise on your strength and do not trust others. 
SCORPIO: ‘The Princess of Swords’ brings you face to face with truth and clarity in personal and professional situations. You get past health problems quickly and get ready for a happy journey. Remain centered within to watch the wheel of life spinning around you. Lucky colour: Pomegranate red TIP OF THE WEEK: If you are tempted to travel overseas don’t waste money by financing the trip yourself.
GEMINI: ‘The Emperor’ gets you in touch with your leadership qualities. A gentle and kind approach helps you to get your point across in personal and business partnerships. You can be stubborn and persevering in your efforts. Beware of going over the top while celebrating entertaining or shopping. Avoid mental stress and anxiety. Lucky Colour: Red. TIP OF THE WEEK : Take things one at a time instead of a multi pronged attack that could deplete your energy. 
SAGITTARIUS: ‘The Wheel of Fortune’ spins in some good luck, travel and opportunity in your life. It’s a good time to make breakthroughs at work and changes at home. You enrich your own life and lives of others around you by sharing your wisdom and experience. Health and finances improve from now on. Lucky colour: Crimson. TIP OF THE WEEK: Dare to accomplish those tasks, which normally take up a lot of time.
CANCER: Love and romance in personal relationships, as well as, success and achievement in professional aspects add to your satisfaction. You are individualistic, brilliant, original and daring in creative ventures. A son or young man close to you is ready to embark on an independent journey that brings him success. A happy surprise awaits you. Lucky Colour: Golden yellow. TIP OF THE WEEK: Focus on better to mitigate the bitter. 
CAPRICORN: ‘The queen of cups’ brings romance poetry and dreamy quality in your personal relationships. It’s best to look at new directions, be open to fresh opportunities. Redecorating home and office spaces can bring synergy and fresh ambiance. You make an impact and a big difference wherever you are. You learn more from practical experience and life than from academics. Lucky colour: Pink. TIP OF THE WEEK: Do not swing away from the course you have charted so far.
LEO: The ‘Star’ is a benevolent card, symbolic of the charm and tact that characterise your attitude in this week. New friends and new admirers add to your confidence level and give you the boost you need. Management issues, however, cause confusion in day-to-day affair. A Capricorn person suppors you through a difficult time. Lucky Colour: Coffee. TIP OF THE WEEK: Wait and watch. Impatience will lead to failure.
AQUARIUS: You draw ‘The Ace of cups’ to inspire confidence, loyalty and trust in your partner. Pay heed to the signs your body gives, you could be pushing your endurance limits. Bonding with the family is at an all time low. Travel plans bring about conclusions to affairs. Love and new relationships add meaning in your life. Lucky Colour: Lime green. TIP OF THE WEEK: Be positive and think carefully before taking action.
VIRGO: Love and romance make for a feeling of completeness and well being. Real estate buying, selling and rentals figure in your scheme of things. You could benefit from a transaction if you wait and watch on Saturday. Professionals of the opposite sex assist you in career planning. Health needs attention as you could be required to be active. Lucky Colour: Yellow. TIP OF THE WEEK: Unfinished business will unleash new problems.
PISCES: ‘The Fool’ infuses you with courage. You find ways to express your creativity and emotion. Disruption in business is temporary. Youthful energy allows you to look at new options and beginnings. A business-cum-pleasure trip is on the cards. You stand to win any argument. Meditate to maintain balance of your head and heart. Lucky colour: Ebony. TIP OF THE WEEK: Do not let anyone get the advantage over you.