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The wedding planners The logistics of organising glamorous marriages are becoming grander. To cash in on the trend, many wedding professionals have set up shop in City Beautiful, writes Anandita Gupta
As the fashionistas drink in the heady air of festivity, animated youngsters bustle about excitedly. This team of high-profile professionals—venue designers, choreographers, fashion designers and culinary magicians—has proved itself. They have successfully staged yet another shaadi script to its last little detail. Well, the logistics of organising weddings are getting grander. Consequently, many wedding professionals have set up shop in the City Beautiful. We catch up with some of these professionals, who hold the ticket to the thrill ride called a grand wedding. Dreamy decor
True, we may not murmur the ‘I do’s’ or raise toasts at our weddings, yet one Christian-wedding tradition we’ve fondly incorporated is the cake-cutting ceremony. So, whether it’s a towering, seven-tier creation or an intimate-sized cake, all eyes lap up the cake. No wonder, Chandigarh-based Neeta Sukhija has been preparing delectable wedding cakes for a decade. “My USP is that I prepare the wedding cakes myself and these are very personalised”, smiles Neeta, whose clientele now extends to Chandigarh, Ambala, Patiala, Yamunanagar, Ludhiana and even Delhi. Designer dreams
The wholesale wedding ensemble shops in and around Chandigarh have been unfolding yards of silk and chiffon for many decades now. But what brides today are looking for are cutting-edge designer outfits. “Many girls come with cut outs from magazines, asking us to rustle up something similar, while others get their own cloth and ask us to stitch and embroider it,” says Neena Malhotra, who has been designing bridal trousseau for NRIs since 1986. And you thought lights, camera and action was only in the big Bollywood studios or on the lavish sets of Balaji’s saas-bahu sagas? Well, glamorous wedding professionals operating in the city prove you all wrong!
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Booted to health
So what is the big buzz vis-à-vis us? Well, Boot Camp made its debut in Chandigarh at the beginning of this month. ‘Conducted’ by a petite, pretty and soft-spoken individual, it would be wise not to go by the complimentary tags for city-based fitness expert Kiran Sidhu is a master-blaster when it comes to fitness training and what she says ever so gently, translates into ‘must-do’! So what is Boot Camp? “It is a high intensity results-oriented, conditioning programme conducted in an outdoor environment utilising the world’s greatest gym—you. And basically it is for someone who wants something different and wants results,” avers Kiran. An exercise phenomena that has caught on in the USA and Canada, it refers to basic military training conducted by the armed forces for new recruits. A no frills regime, it requires a high degree of self-motivation because only then can it really work. “Improved cardio-vascular health, increased muscle strength, tone and definition and improved flexibility to prevent injury and ensure continual gains are just some of the pluses, but essentially what happens is you reach new fitness levels irrespective of the shape that you start out in,” explains Kiran.
The time is ripe for a peek into Boot Camp but never having witnessed a 6:30 am for a long while (save to catch an early morning Shatabdi!) it is near impossible to crawl out of bed and make it in time. As we struggle in, Kiran is already there looking fresher than fresh despite the time of the day! Raring to go, she is all set (minus the whistle!) and the next 45 minutes are pure pleasurable torture. While the muscles scream, the body feels like a charming daisy what with all the fresh air and exercise! Jogging, running, sprinting, push-ups, jumps, free-weight exercises, lunges, squats, she takes the all-girl class through the whole hog. And unlike in traditional army boot camps, there is no screaming. In a warm show of camaraderie and friendship, the whole class eggs each other on, doing this as a single whole giving words like encouragement and patience coupled with fulsome praise from Kiran for the slightest achievement, a whole new meaning. And indeed the results are showing in a week, insists young interior designer Priyanka Jain (22), living in Sector 8 and an enthusiastic boot camp convert. “Everyone should do this for it is the most energetic and fun fitness class you can join. The morning air, the togetherness, the intense workout are all exhilarating and yes my muscles are getting stronger, my body firmer and I am beginning to feel my abs,” she laughs at the wonder of it all. So first things last, what do we need in Boot Camp? “A bottle of water and a towel,” smiles Kiran. So ladies of the city, are we up to it?
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Denims for autumns
It’s time to forget the harsh summer and get ready for those cool Autumn days and breezy evenings as Numero Uno brings its line based on sports theme and unveils its autumn Collection 2006. Fresh offerings from Numero Uno’s design stables include an assortment of offer ultra-cool hooded and various prints, appliques and badges with contrast pipings, front open sweatshirts and snug sweatshirts for men and stylish cropped jackets for women. This season Numero Uno introduces a range of casual footwear in trendy colors and styles, available in leather, suede, denim and canvas for both men and women, priced affordably at Rs 1199 onwards. Also available are Unisex deodorants, Nu Silver, Nu Bronze, Nu Black and Nu Blue priced at Rs 149 only, to add that extra zing to your life. Alpha moisture
Lotus Herbals shows you way to get a glowing skin at home with ALPHAMOIST™ Skin Renewal Moisturiser. This oil-free and light moisturizer is instantly absorbed for a visibly smoother complexion by replenishing moisture content of the skin, enveloping it in softness. ALPHAMOIST™ contains plant derived natural Alpha Hydroxyl Acids (AHAs), which gently triggers the cell re-generation process of the skin. The skin is rejuvenated into looking and feeling younger. It contains natural grape extracts, milk enzymes and Aloe Vera extracts in a scientifically developed formulation for best results. ALPHAMOIST™ is available in 170 ml dispensing pump-aided bottles at Rs 225 at select outlets, throughout the country. ALPHAMOIST™ suits all skin types, leaving the skin, feeling super silky. Tata launches BOGO scheme
Tata Teleservices Ltd., has launched the new Buy One Get One free (BOGO) postpaid scheme that offers two Pantech PA 711 handsets at the price of one. The offer provides customers an exciting opportunity that combines a trendy, stylish handset with value for money tariff plans. Tata Indicom has introduced these innovative products and tariffs to make mobile telephony affordable to the masses. Under the 'BOGO' offer, customers can buy one Pantech PA711 and get another one, for the combined price of just Rs 3, 999. Handset features include a 65 K color display, 32 level polyphonic ring tones and a hi-fi speakerphone. The handset is also BREW 2.1 enabled and is equipped with a high-speed data processor. Fun in food
Whatever your definition of a great Pizza or Pasta, the sauce comes first! Keeping this in mind, Fun Foods have come up with their new and exciting range of pasta and pizza sauce and pizza topping with cheese. To entice your taste buds this range of 100 per cent vegetarian sauces are ideally suited for making mouth-watering pastas and delicious pizzas. This creative range of sauces and topping is set in an international blend, which will now make Italian cooking easy, hassle free and fun. Fun Foods Pasta & Pizza sauce is priced reasonably at Rs 65 per 360 gms and Fun Foods Pizza Topping with cheese is Priced at Rs 55 per 350 gms. Both these innovative products are available at all leading stores across the city. Glamour on calendar Promising 12 months of glamour and visual appeal, the Kingfisher Swimsuit Special 2007 calender, a rare combination of beauty, luxury and fashion and shot across the incredible playgrounds of the super rich and the seriously famous, the French Riviera the 5 th edition of the Kingfisher swimsuit special calender is out. With locales ranging from the historic Hotel Negresco in Nice to the legendary Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint Jean-Cap-Ferrat, the calendar this year is the epitome of luxury. It features designers Abhishek Gupta, Anamika Khanna, Malini Ramani, Namrata Joshipura, Nandita Basu, Pankaj Ahuja, Rina Dhaka, Ranna Gill, Shantanu Goenka, Varun Bahl. Models - Deepti Gujral, Shamita Singha, Nikii Daas, Mia Udeya, Bruna Abdalah and Selma Lasrado, have showcased these designs. Let ITIS protect your eyes Ozone Ayurvedics has launched ITIS, an Ayurvedic eye care product to protect your eyes. Its gulab jal base and thirteen other natural extracts serve as a soothing preparation that is safe for the eyes. Consistent irritation of the eyes – one of the most sensitive and vital organs of the body can be taken care of with this product. The eye, which is constantly exposed to harmful fumes turning them red, start watering and result in consistent irritation. ITIS is available in 5 ml and 10 ml packs for only Rs 15 and Rs 28 respectively. The new ITIS mini pack is easy and convenient to carry in bags, purses or cars and can be used anytime and anywhere. Suitable for all age groups, ITIS is available at all chemist shops and opticians. Lite from Cygnus Cygnus a brand of Laxmi Diamond Ltd, a DTC sight holder comes with beautifully crafted jewellery. The Lite Collection necklaces are skillfully crafted in 18k gold and has brilliant diamond studded all over it. The price starts from Rs. 20000 onwards. Cygnus, a diamond jewellery brand that is taking the nation by storm, embodies grace, beauty and style, across the country. It comes from the houses of the renowned Laxmi Diamond. Cygnus today has presence in over 200 outlets in 40 cities. Laxmi Diamond is one of the most dynamic diamond and jewellery companies in the world today. Berries from Avon Avon brings to you its first fall winter color collection in sumptuous berries and plums - Velvet Crush! The look embodies opulence at its best with luminous eyes, velvety lips, naturally blushed glow and dazzling nails. Velvet crush in all its richness and elegance is the look for this wedding and festive season. The range is in sumptuous shades of berries and plums and flecks of earthy browns in velvet finish. Total well ‘bee’ing with Sona Chandi Sona Chandi Chawanprash a natural health tonic from Emami Limited, the personal, healthcare major in India, is offering its customers a bottle of honey with every new purchase of Sona Chandi Chawanprash for greater energy and well being. Sona Chandi Chawanprash helps rejuvenate and revitalise, strengthen the immune system, and improve resilience to cold and cough. Emami introduces an exclusive offer wherein on a purchase of every bottle of 1 kg Sona Chandi Chawanprash at an effective price of Rs 185 after Rs. 25 off along with 100 gms Himani Royal Bee Honey worth Rs 34 free. Purchase of every 500 gms Sona Chandi Chawanprash, at an effective price of Rs 105 after Rs 10 off along with 50 gms Himani Royal Bee Honey worth Rs 18.
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Chyawanprash charms Associated with a singularly august sage sitting in calm piety, this ‘health tonic’ has come out of the woodworks and is sitting regally atop even on the sceptical youth’s line of vision. And young city-based ‘bohemian’ budding artist Vikas ‘Matisse’ Gill is one such convert. “I grew up watching my grandparents eat it every morning, religiously, and I asked myself why I should have something that seems so ancient. I really believed it did not go with my image,” he laughs. But while dabbling in some books on ayurveda for a painting he wanted to do, the benefits of Chyawanprash sprung up on him! Today even youth-icon Shahrukh Khan is all set to sweep our consciousness or rather unconsciousness by endorsing Emami’s Sona Chandi Chyawanprash in a sword-wielding, swashbuckling avatar which is guaranteed to send an instant message, body as a fit as a fiddle and mind as sharp as a sword courtesy this ‘elixir of life’! A quick tête-à-tête with Aditya Vardhan Agarwal, Director Emami Ltd. opens up the chyawanprash vista for us too. “When we launched our product in 1999, Dabur was the market leader, it still is, but we have managed to capture 12 per cent of the market because we managed to change the perspective of the category itself,” he explains. So from ‘Dadaji Badminton’ (the old commercial) they worked on contemporising the product so that “its utility could reach out to larger number of people.” In came Sona Chandi
Chyawanprash, “a simple enough name but one that denoted premium and which actually used both sona (gold) and chandi (silver), known for their therapeutic values as ingredients,” explains Agarwal. So sure was Emami of their product that they extended a challenge wherein anybody who proved that Sona Chandi Chyawanprash does not contain real gold would get one kilo of gold from the company!
Going one step further they also introduced the Sona Chandi Amritprash replacing the heating ingredients in Chyawanprash like tejpatta, pipali, dalchini, with ingredients like chandan, gulab, bel, moti, mishri which could be consumed in summer but with equally positive health benefits, he averred. In the pipeline is also a chocolate version for kiddies so that good health can be scooped into all age groups. Finally, is it really all that wonderful? “Yes it is because it is a supplementary food which helps in building resistance and boosting the immune system,” says Dr. Pandit Ajay Sharma’s, an eminent city-based ayurvedic doctor who sits at the Patiala Ayurvedic Pharmacy in Sector 27-D and recommends having it with milk. Coming from an impeccable ayurvedic lineage, his grandfather Late Pandit Ram Prasad Sharma was the Rajya Vaidya to Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala and his father Late Pandit Keerti Sharma was a distinguished ayurved too, Dr Sharma is simply continuing with the family tradition but believes in the efficacy of ayurveda in our times because it is not about medicines as it is about a way of life. “Keep and healthy man healthy and cure the ailing,” is the mantra of ayurveda he says because it targets positive health. Something that chyawanprash embodies. Yes, this jammy paste is an unlikely looking elixir, but do you think you’d like a spoonful today?
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A foodie’s paradise Have we ever pondered to think about our truly happy and satisfying food experiences? Surprisingly, most of them are not always at plush hotels and hip restaurants but humble places. That old rickety roadside dhaba, where we halt while travelling, that ice-cream ‘rehri’ that stood religiously near our school’s gate every afternoon or the ‘chaat-papri’ guy who stood in sector 22, might have given a much greater joy than an expensive buffet at the Taj. And the best among all these
foodie-experiences, as most movie buffs know, is eating at the cinema halls we all love. If Hindi movies form the staple diet of most Indians, the snacks sold in the dark and often dingy corners of these cinema halls add to the fun of watching our favourite films. No wonder, those home-fried oily potato chips and haldi-yellow-tinted popcorns (sold for Rs 5 a packet each) munched along with sips of chilled Mazza or fruity was an inseparable part of our movie-watching experiences in the past. However, since the resurgence of the cinema-hall culture and coming up of grand multiplexes, cinema food has also undergone a
Cindrella-like-transformation. Just like the grainy picture quality, crackling sound systems and poster-papered shabby walls of the old cinema halls have been replaced by spic and span, multi-floored, hip cinemas, the humble popcorns and colas have found many a company. Enter Fun Republic, Manimajra, and what greets you is a happy medley of feisty foods. Get ready to be gripped by potato fever, but not just with Lays or Uncle Chips. You can rather let your hands shuffle delightful potato concoctions from the Potato basket (Rs. 50)—Twister fries, French fries, wedges, cheese balls, tater puffs and smiles at the kiosk called Friez delight. Each of these can also be had separately at Rs 40 per serving. Digging deep into Mayonnaise dip (Rs 10) or letting a scoop of Kotton Kandy gush through your throat (Rs 25) are the other cool options, provided you are not too lured by Pastaz delight, serving Continental, Mexican and Italian food. And for those with a sweet tooth, there are those 150 varieties of chocolates and candies of course. But for those with the penchant for the traditional, there are those stuffed sandwitches and samosas too, which can be gulped with a hot cup of Nescafe or iced tea. Even the perennially favourite popcorns can be had steaming hot, but in their hip Caramel (Rs 40) or butter (Rs 40)
avataar. But how about the exorbitant pricing? “Many people feel that our products are expensive. But we promise a complete package of variety, hygiene, quality and an excellent taste, with a tinge of spicy innovation thrown in. So, charging for all this is natural. When people happily pay more for a movie’s ticket in a multiplex than in a normal cinema hall, then why complain when it comes to food?” justifies Navpreet Bhasin, owner of Kreative Food Solutions at Fun Republic. Well
Navpreet, you do have a point. But the real judges are the movie buffs, frequenting cinema halls. The day they don’t feel the need to gulp a packet of Rs 10 popcorn-packet under their snug jacket, or tuck a small cola bottle in their purse, before entering the movie hall, would be your real success.
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BON APPETIT When the rains peter out, we eagerly await the “R” months and the on start of the fish season. The Bengalis will be singing a welcome from the rooftops. How passionately they love their Maachher Jhol and Sorson Ilish (the latter is a hilsa prepared with a mustard paste). Actually, I too can sing from the rooftops about fish and their nutritional medals, only, there will be so much to say that this column will extend to the whole page! Fish and other seafood are a rich source of protein, vitamins and minerals. A seafood-rich diet reduces the risk of heart disease, may prolong life after a heart attack, lowers blood triglycerides (fats), may improve heart function and reduce damage from heart diseases, can lower blood pressure and may improve symptoms of inflammatory diseases, arthritis and psoriasis. Need we say more?! Macchi Ka
Saalan 500 gms fish cut into pieces 1 fresh coconut, grated 2 tsp sesame seeds (til) 2 tsp coriander (dhania) powder 1 tsp black mustard (sarson) seeds 1 tsp cumin (jeera) 2 tsp khus khus ½ tsp turmeric (haldi) 1 ½ tsp chilly powder 2 green chillies 4-5 tbsp oil 2 onions (1 finely sliced, 1 roughly chopped) a few curry leaves 1 lemon sized ball of tamarind (imli) Salt to taste Method Grind til, dhania, jeera, sarson, khus khus, chilly powder, haldi, garlic, green chillies and chopped onion to a paste. Grate coconut and pour one and a half cups boiling water over it. Extract the coconut milk. Soak the imli in one cup of water and prepare a pulp from it. Heat oil in a kadhai and fry the sliced onion till crisp. Add the masala paste and fry till the oil separates. Add the fish pieces and toss gently. Pour in coconut milk and add curry leaves and salt. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, adding imli pulp after the first 10 minutes. Serve hot with boiled
rice. Amritsari Machhi 600 gms fish fillets 200 gms besan (gramflour) 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste 1 tsp ajwain 1 tsp red chilly powder 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 egg 100 gms thick yoghurt Salt to taste Oil for deep frying Method Clean, wash and cut the fish into even sized squares. Apply salt, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste and chilly powder to the fish and keep aside for at least 20
minutes (though longer won’t hurt).Make a batter of the besan, egg, yoghurt, ajwain, salt and some water. Dip the marinated fish in this batter and fry till golden brown and crisp. Keeping the fish in this batter for a little while also helps infuse the flavours. Serve sprinkled with chaat masaala with lemon wedges on the side.
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Head Start
‘Spicy’ is the catchword here. Right from spicy chunks of paneer to ‘bhuni hui chat’ to ‘khumb churchuri’ for vegetarians to ‘jhumta kukkad’, ‘kesar and kali mirch ka murgh tikka’ to ‘anar aur kali mirch ka jhinga’, one can not escape the word ‘mirch’ here – be it kali or lal. “People like spicy food here” says Executive Chef Bhartendu. And the sudden emphasis on starters comes from the growing competition the restaurateurs are facing in the city, especially on the menu front. “Not too many restaurants are working on revamping their menu on starters. So we are going to have a head start here,” says Bhartendu. Though the chef has taken his cue from the widely consumed paneer tikkas and chiken tikkas, he has taken pain to leave his signature style on the new-look starters menu. “I have played with ingredients to impart a complete new look and taste to our old familiar starters.” His improvisation comes in form of home-made pickled spices that coats the chunks of paneer, mushrooms or meat. Inspiration comes from Punjab as well as Lucknow. You are likely to see ‘zaffrani stuff tangri’, saffron marinated drumsticks stuffed with chicken keema, a popular dish from Punjab acquiring a new taste at Bhartendu’s hand or something as exotic as kakori kabab, exclusive Lucknowi seekh mixed with spices from Kakori village. Its smell is enough to get one’s mouth watering. So if you are in a mood to indulge, then check it out!
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Looking for the party queen
Call them decoration pieces in star-embellished flicks or objects of admiration oh-so-necessary these days for grabbing attention in movies that keep rolling on! Item-girls are tripping the light fantastic all the way to popularity and glory, gracefully and gorgeously (Ask Rakhi Sawant!) No wonder, search for “good stuff” is becoming all the more rhythmic. If you are having any doubts about the shaking reality, just talk to the Cine Vision people. The city-based event management group is organising a mega “Search for a Bollywood item girl” right here in the city of beautiful. Right folks, you have guessed it right. The group is all
set to hold auditions for taking “a very beautiful and talented” girl from Chandigarh all the way to fame in the tinsel world. So gals, if you still haven’t packed your traveling gear before slipping into your dancing shoes, there is no time to waste on the couch. For, the event — aimed at “mammoth break to the aspirants” — slated to be held on December 9. Girls, the dancing queen will get the opportunity of signing “prestigious contract of playing item number in forthcoming film The Party, along with so many prizes”. She will play her part in the film December 15 onwards at the shooting scheduled to be held at the Warehouse in Chimney Heights, a resort located just on the outskirts of Chandigarh. Just in case you know little about the movie, “internationally acclaimed” director Sunil Babbar is directing the flick. The movie plays out in a single night of partying amidst lots of dance, masti, camaraderie and gaiety until something terrible happens at the bash and the veneer of celebration slips to reveal the hypocrisy of the evening. Woven around a real-life incident and interspersed with fictitious situations, Babbar hopes to send across an ‘intense message’ of right and wrong through the film. The lead actors Ishaan Kakria and Akshita Agnihotri are both from Chandigarh. For providing comic relief, “Great Indian Laughter Challenge master” Khayali Saharan and Pratap Singh Faujdar will laugh their hearts out. “So if you are from Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh or even Jammu and Kashmir, just get ready for the preliminary round scheduled to be held on December 2 at a discotheque here,” says Cine Vision Director Lalit Kumar. And you do not have to worry about the expenses at all. The entry is free, absolutely and can be forwarded through email. What else can you ask for in a city where you have to pay even for love! The “grand finale” will be open to all. Not just dignitaries and special invitees, mercifully. — Saurabh Malik
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After sharing honours with international super models like Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer, the lissome beauty is all set to lend charm to city damsels, says Saurabh Malik
Silky brown tresses with golden streaks cascading down the fragile shoulders, assured gait that brings to the fore her towering height, chiseled features like that of a statue cut out of alabaster and cheerful almond eyes that compliment a jovial smile — you know the country’s much sought after model is here. And when Mehar Bhasin airs her desire of lending charm to the dames belonging to this part of the region by opening a branch of her modeling and finishing school right here in Chandigarh, you know the twinkling star of the tinsel world is all set to shine on the city’s horizon. In Chandigarh for attending a three-day annual convention organised by the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), Bhasin says she has already worked out the modalities for setting the school. “It’s just a matter of time before the project sees the light of the day,” she says. Fellows, just in case you know little about the five-feet-ten-inch beauty that walked right from the ramp into the hearts of so many fans across the world, Bhasin was selected by global cosmetic giant Revlon as India’s first brand ambassador. Right, she has shared the honours with international super models like Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer. Another thing! The credit of resurrecting one of the Doordarshan’s oldest TV song-and-dance show, Chitrahaar, goes to Bhasin. The show was a novelty in the eighties when Channel (V), MTV and so many other channels were not on air. Two decades later, Bhasin’s beauty secrets brought it back on the screen. Now Mehar is back. No, not so much on the modeling scene as on the small screen! Right now she is carry on with programmes like Hafta Wasool and Bhalley-bhalley aired on the intelligent box. Going by the fact that she has hosted programmes like Women’s Hour and Good Morning Zee, Bhasin certainly knows quality stuff from cliché. Well folks, despite all the acclaims she is yet to display much of her flair before the arch-lights in the movies. Ask her and she says promptly: “So many other things have been keeping me busy. Even today I stay in Delhi and fly down to Mumbai for my shoots. Little wonder, half the month I am in the national capital and the other half in the movie capital”. Bhasin strongly believes the future belongs to reality shows on the TV. “Already dance competitions and singing contests on the television are attracting spectators like never before. I am sure you will see more of these shows in the near future.” Ah, beauty with brains! With such talent, her school is bound to do well.
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Anyone’s dream job
Greg Chapell does bhangra with him, so does Gary Hammerson. If you are a cricket fan, chances are that you have seen him at Mohali cricket stadium, looking all-important and hobnobbing with people we only dream of meeting. We are talking about P.M.S. Banga, who is around to see that everything goes smoothly whenever there is an international cricket match at Mohali. If it still does not strike a chord, let us help you out. He is popularly known as Vicky Banga, local manager of the Indian cricket team. A job, which is anyone’s dream job! “It runs in the family,” says Vicky as we go through his huge collection of photographs with cricketers of all nations and ages. “My father G.S. Banga is one of the oldest members of the Punjab Cricket Association, so I was groomed right from the beginning to take up the responsibility,” he says. But he gives one more reason. Banga Jr. loves playing cricket but since his business does not allow him to devote full time to it, taking up administration was the second best option to indulge in his passion. After managing three teams—Sri Lanka, New Zealand and India—in the just-concluded Champions Trophy, Vicky feels exhausted. Things were not very pleasant, especially after the news of Yuvraj Singh manhandling a lensman made front page of the local dailies. “Yuvraj is not like that. But he was upset after his injury. That’s why the incident took place,” clarifies Vicky. But how does he handle such unpleasant episodes? “Diplomacy is the keyword. I try to pacify both the aggrieved and the aggressor and stop things from going out of control,” says Vicky. It is not an easy job for him, especially when it comes to taking care of the celebrities right from their arrival to their stay, outings and, of course, the matches. However, things are not always so glum. “We share lots of jokes and fun moments in the dressing room but one can not disclose these.” And no amount of coaxing will make him do that. After all it takes years to foster that kind of confidence and brotherhood. But ask him to share his most-fun moments and he willingly describes the scene when Greg Chapell did bhangra with him last year at the Taj, Chandigarh and how he tied a turban on Gary Hammerson this year. Any personal favourite when it comes to the teams? “I love the Indian team because I know players like Dravid and Ganguly since they were playing in the junior league but from a detached onlooker’s point of view, the New Zealand team is the best because they are such down-to-earth people.” Of course, who can resist the charm of a celebrity who comes minus all that hot air!
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Hindi-Chini man and wife How does sarson da saag with a sprinkling of Chinese cabbage sound? This was pretty much the sum of it all at a sweet wedding of cultures in Panchkula on Thursday where a rather dapper ‘son-of-the-soil’ Chandigarh-wallah (albeit with an American twist!) young man decided to get married to his Chinese sweetheart, Indian style. Neeraj Gupta met lovely Dominique in New York while he was studying at the Columbia University. Cupid struck and off they came to India to get married. And boy, is she “Indian weddings are so glamorous,” smiles the pretty bride glowing in a bright pink salwar kameez set off with delicate diamond jewellery, her hands and feet decorated with the traditional mehndi. The dark red of the mehndi draws excited gasps from all of us. Does she know it signifies that her mother-in-law really loves her, we ask? Oh yes she does, she laughs. And what of her father-in-law. “Bahut pyar” is feisty response! Neeraj’s parents Sushma and Major B D Gupta (retd.) beam delightedly as this conversation bandies about. They are thrilled to have Dominique in their family. “Having been in the armed forces I do not believe in caste and creed and this wedding now supports the credo hindi-chini bhai-bhai,” laughs the Major exultantly. As for Sushma, she truly believes her daughter-in-law is “better than any Indian girl.” Love, camaraderie and hospitality flows warmly. The garden in the front of the house is festooned with flowers and done up in graceful lilac and white satin. The dholkis fill the air with their vibrant beats and the sound system belts out the latest hit music from filmdom while the wedding band strikes up varied notes outside. Dominique’s family is also present in full force, her mother Cindy, her uncles and even an aunt all here for the first time in India seem overwhelmed by the raucous wonder of the Great Indian Wedding. “It is exciting to be here. Everything looks so beautiful and really it is a wonder to see a truly traditional Indian wedding,” smiles Cindy. And as a pretty pink two-tiered wedding cake readies itself to be cut, the jaimala takes place in a noisy bustle, the purple of the orchids in the haar sitting pretty around the neck of the beautiful bride. The conviviality of weddings can truly bring wipe away man-made boundaries. The blissful couple are now off to Thailand for a short holiday before its back to work in New York and their respective jobs.
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Not a party girl
Incredible
Hulk in 2008
Movie bosses at Marvel Studios and Universal Pictures have
announced that their film The Incredible Hulk will be released on June
27, 2008.
The announcement of the Summer 2008 release date of the action- packed
film has been made by Michael Helfant, President and COO, Marvel
Studios, and Kevin Feige, President of Production for Marvel Studios.
— ANI
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Son Pari turns baddie
What is your role in
Solhah
Singaar like? The story is based in Benaras. I play the role of
Alaknanda. It is an excellent grayish character. Sudha Chandran is
playing my mother-in-law and Anuj Saxena plays role of my husband in
this serial. So has the serial been shot in Benaras? Yes, major part
has been shot in beautiful locations of Benaras. All the exteriors have
been shot over there while the interiors are being shot in Mumbai.
According to you, what is so unique in the story of Solhah
Singaar? First
of all, it is not a saas-bahu family drama. It is based on the beautiful
relations between a mother and a daughter. It shows the different stages
and different shades of the mother-daughter relationship. After a long
time you would be able to see Sudha Chandran in a positive role. How
was your experience of working with Jai Mehta’s production house? So
far it has been very good. They have been very cooperative and helpful.
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Tana Bana On the tana bana of their handlooms (the vertical-Tana and horizontal-Bana alignment of thread on the loom) master craftsmen from all parts of the country weave the magic called Silk. Silk - a fabric made out of the saliva of silk moths to produce beautiful threads, has maximum varieties. A few rich varieties of this natural fabric are on display at Kisan Bhavan under the banner called Silkfab. Enter the hall and it’s easy to get lost in the riot of colours, exotic patterns and eye-catching hallmark embroideries of different states. The exhibition has a variety of other garments like saris, shawls, stoles, suits and dress material. You have the Muga silks from Assam, Baluchari Kantha silk work from West Bengal, Chanderi, Mulbery, Maheshwari and Iri silks from Madhya Pradesh, Gadwal Pochampalli Silks from Andhra Pradesh and Gathjora, Patola, Pannetor silks from Gujarat, thread work from Kashmir, Kanjivaram from Tamil Nadu and Tanchoi, Jamdani Jamwar, Bomkai Sambalpuri silks from Orissa and Tassar Kantha. Coming to the patterns of weave, Ikkat and double-weave garments from Orissa, Kanjivaram from Tamil Nadu, Teliya and real Zari saris in Gadwal silk from AP, Kashmiri embroidery from Kashmir, Tussar silks from Chattisgarh and Bihar and raw silk in checks and stripes from Tamil Nadu, you name it, they have it. As these master weavers would tell you it is still the traditional designs the modern women love the most. As for the prices go, the organisers say there is a 20 per cent discount but a little bargaining would not do you harm.
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Health tip of the day
Laughter is a vigorous isometric exercise for all of the abdominal muscles and is a “pleasant
medicine. — Dr Ravinder Chadha |
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There is a distinct punch in the air (Can you feel it?). A whiff of art, fashion and celebration fills the senses— acrobatic acts, fire dancing, fireworks synchronised with music, water curtain projectors and a fairy-tale ambience. 
Imagine two thousand oil-filled earthen diyas lighting up the wedding venue. Or phulkari chaddars, manjis and trucks used in a Punjabi-village theme wedding. Ashu Bhallani and Hema Bedi of Eventitright have done this for seven years. “Each wedding décor is a challenge as it has to be unique. Coordinating every little part of the décor with the theme involves a lot of effort too. Like in this wedding, our clients wanted only earthen lamps and no other lights. So, the entire venue was lit up with oil-filled diyas. Our men were standing at different points with oil cans and matchsticks to ensure that all diyas were refilled periodically.”
The name is Camp, Boot Camp and in true James Bond style it is flamboyantly… tough! And as the name suggests, this is no flossy name for a new kind of shoe, but a near-military exercise regime making waves in the West. 
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Chyawanprash! .jpg)
There was this young fellow named Fischer, Who was fishing for fish in a fissure, When a trout with a grin, pulled the fisherman in, Now they are searching the fissure for Fischer!!! .jpg)
Fusion is definitely in. Not just in case of music or clothes but in food too. Or why would anyone think about pickling broccoli and offering it as a starter? Or for that matter marinating our own desi jhinga in vodka and whiping up a dish called ‘Nashila Jhinga’? If you are an adventurous person and posses a fat purse to support your spirit, then sample out the new range of starters Manor-26 has just introduced..jpg)
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Lindsay Lohan
certainly hates being branded “a party girl,” as she recently poured
scorn on the label on Oprah Winfrey’s show, telling the talk show
queen, “I’m twenty years old! Is it a crime to go dancing with your
friends?” Lindsay appeared on the chat-show with director Emilio
Estevez, publicising the film Bobby. A reserved Emilio told Winfrey that
Lohan was a professional on the set, showed up on time and turned in
“the best work of her life.” This was quite unlike her publically
criticised experience on Georgia Rule this past summer.
Actress Mrinal Kulkarni made her
impressive mark in Son Pari on the small screen. The lady now plays the
important character of Alaknanda in Solhah Singaar on Sahara One
Television. Mrinal is happy with the way her acting career has taken
shape. With six Marathi films this year and Sohlah Singaar going very
strong from the first episode the talented actress has her hands full.
Lifestyle chats up with this actress.