|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
With the formal launch of ‘Sharan’ on November 11, the city gets its
first loners’ club, reports
We had heard about clubs for single people in the metros, a place for lonely hearts to meet. Now, we have one of our own. But before you brush it off as another frivolous adventure by rich idle people, let us assure you that there is nothing glamorous or glitzy about ‘Sharan—The Loner’s Family Club’, at least as you talk to the founder members, you realize, this is an entirely different concept from what you have seen in Femina or Cosmopolitan. Chand Kapoor, one of the founder members, says they decided on the name ‘Sharan’ because the word meant refuge. Aptly called, for it is a refuge for people who are looking for someone to give them hope to live life. And Chand’s couplet says it all— Dreams may die Don’t get shattered Never ever cry The world is big And has a lot to give Make up a dream That’s the way to live "This club should not be mistaken for something which is there only for celebrating life," says Sharan. "What are we aiming for is to make a family where we are there for one another in times of happiness as well as sorrow." The members are methodical about the way they are going to function. "Each one of us have phone numbers and dresses of other members so that in case of any emergency, we can rush to the person," says former DIG (CrPF) I. J. Singh (retd.). Its not just medical emergency, but also for chores like paying of bills, the members are willing to help one another. Since loneliness does not care much about, either gender or age, the club open for anyone, any age group. "We are open for anyone who is lonely, depressed and uncared for," Chand tells us. The oldest member of the club is Sansar Chand who is 90 years old. The idea came to Chand when she was talking to her neighbour Ajit Singh one day. "We both are single and living alone. While we were sharing the pain of loneliness the idea just came," she says. Sharan has been working as a counselor for different social organizations. The duo has reached out to about twenty loners in the city in the age group of 40 to 60 years. "But we are looking for young members so that we take up social issues and contribute our bits," says Chand. Well, it’s just the beginning. And as they meet for the first time to mark the formal launch of the club, one sees in one’s mind’s eyes, each member taking the vows, ‘in sickness and health, for better and for worst’ with utmost sincerity. Only, this time, the setting is different.
|
|
|
|
Youngsters in the region have put on their dancing shoes and are swirling feverishly to the beats of hip instructors, writes Anandita Gupta Haven’t we all nursed the secret desire that our favourite celebrities—those forever-shining stars on the fame’s firmament—descend down to earth? Well, TV has been cashing in on this public desire to see celebrities beyond their public image, as struggling performers, dancing to our tunes. The result has been a delicious potpourri—kaleidoscopes of colour, hip-jerking, adrenaline-pumping dances by celebs gyrating to everything from Latin American ballroom and Jazz to Cha-Cha, Waltz and boogie styles. Sony’s Jhalak Dikhla Jaa and Star One’s Nach Baliye were clearly the spiciest flavours to sizzle on our TV screens this season. And guess what, these shows have breathed a new life in these versatile dance forms. For youngsters in the region have put on their dancing shoes and are swirling feverishly to the beats of hip instructors. In case, you too wanna hop onto the dancing bandwagon, we scoop out the best dance teachers in town. Age no bar
They are all set to take the
stage by storm—six-year-olds to 60-plus grand moms. Of course, there
are no grandiose sets, glitzy hype or glamorous makeovers. And yet, the
atmosphere seems electric, charged by a touch of their high-voltage
energy. As the 19-year-old Natasha Sinha, who takes classes from her
home in Sector 7, Panchkula, gives last-minute instructions in easy
English, these performers fasten their dancing shoes and get rocking
breathlessly. Feverish with excitement and lost in overwhelming power of
the music, they dance, curled up in each other’s arms, as if there was
nothing before or beyond. “Earlier, most of my students were kids
preparing for their school functions. However, I now have people from
every age group coming to me, learning everything from Salsa to
Bollywood’s latest dance sequences,” smiles Sinha, who has won many
national-level dancing competitions since she was in Class V! Spoilt
for choice
He gives his students the luxury of unlimited choice—the
really hot Latino variety: Salsa, Lambada and Meringue as well as the
slightly quaint ballroom styles: Waltz, Tango and Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Holding dance classes on weekends at Planet Fitness, Chandigarh,
39-year-old Anubhav Kumar has been hopping between New Delhi,
Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar for a decade. “I’ve
travelled frequently and picked up various foreign dances from places
like the Russian and Spanish embassies,” smiles Anubhav, who charges
Rs 1,250 per student for a month. Hip-hop
“With an evening dance
class, one can avoid smoky nightclubs, late nights and find interesting
company. What’s more, one can sensuously swish across the stage at a
family wedding or one’s own 25th wedding anniversary,” laughs Varun,
hip-hop and Salsa instructor at Ozone, Chandigarh. Well dance lovers,
here’s some spadework we did for you. Now all you’ve got to do is
call up all these people and get going. Who knows, you could land up
twirling across the stage, pirouetting and doing a full split (in
mid-air)? After all, if Jhalak’s Mona Singh could swirl around and do
such difficult bends with ease, despite her weight, why can’t you?
|
|
Graceful warriors The performance was the culmination of a 10-day
workshop conducted by martial arts exponent from the National School of
Drama, Guru S Biswajit Singh, to help students explore not only their
own bodies but also the space around them. “It is a very important
tool for training actors because martial arts have now integrated
effectively as a performing art,” explained Biswajit. Having been a
part of the NSD since 1989, Biswajit has also developed martial arts
into a full-fledged curriculum having learnt how to use it in
performances from the doyens of Indian theatre like Alkazi (he
choreographed Alkazi’s Julius Caesar in 1992) and Thiyam. “There are
rules to be followed but in theatre everything has to be compromised and
I have learnt how to adapt these forms to this medium,” he smiles.
Proficient in a variety of martial arts—Tai Chi, Kickboxing, Karate—to name just a few, and with a PhD in Martial Arts from Beijing under his belt, this intense man knows what he is talking about. “These forms open up tremendous possibilities both physically and in terms of performances because it helps you to achieve flexibility and energy, both of which are important aspects for an actor.” As for the students, their enthusiasm, precision and concentration were very much in evidence as the sequences ran though a gamut of manoeuvres using sticks and the only defence being in the form of a small shield. But their euphoria of being part of this workshop was clearly visible. For Vikram Singh Rathore (2nd year), it reiterated his belief of theatre requiring the body to perform. “You create visuals with your body and relate that to a good script, for instance Shakespeare’s Macbeth and you realise it is a design being fashioned by the body.” The first few days were tough, they all smile. “We could not get out of our beds but then we learnt how to balance our body to a certain rhythm,” explained second year student Ashu Sharma. Having attended workshops in the Sikh martial arts form gatka and now this, is there a difference, we ask them? “The difference lies in the weapons used, the rhythm, but both require tremendous balance, concentration and, yes, energy,” smiles Sukhvinder Gill. He insists the benefits are not physical alone. “Eye contact increases as does the grace in our bodies.” And indeed, the entire movement around the stage seemed light, almost easy, bringing a round of applause once again to their guru who in a matter of days gave the students the wealth of a lifetime — freedom of movement. Thang Ta—“The Art of the Sword and Spear”—is the traditional martial art of Manipur, integrating various external weapons—sword, spear, and dagger—with the internal practice of physical control through soft movements coordinated with the rhythms of breathing. It is part of the great heroic tradition of Manipur where it was developed to defend them against hostile marauders from neighbouring countries. But it is more than just the training of fighting skills. It is an elaborate system of physical culture that involves breathing methods, meditations and rituals. Some of the sword and spear forms are entirely ritualistic, although they are composed of material techniques. They are to be performed only at special occasions or under special circumstances.
|
|
|
Drop the dead donkey
I am a man of 42 years who was divorced 10 years ago. I have 2 children who live with my wife and come and visit me once in a while. My wife and I parted ways quite amicably and we have shared a cordial relationship with each other over the years. Now suddenly my ex-wife is trying to show special interest in me all over again. She has started making frequent phone calls and says she misses me and would like to try out living with me all over again. For the sake of the children, I am very tempted but I do wonder if it would be a good decision on my part as she is a lady with a vicious tongue and a foul temper. Vimal Ahuja, Panchkula First you have to sort it out within yourself. How do you feel about it on personal level? Are you willing to deal with issues, which you must have thrashed out for yourself before and after your divorce all over again? Sometimes it is good to allow your life to just move on and take its own course. As far as the kids are concerned, after your separation of 10 years they are already at a certain level of emotional understanding and stability in a certain way and a new situation will again make them deal with different emotions. Although yes I do believe that it is every child’s dream to see their parents together. But you must also remember that your marriage is about you yourself as a person. * * * I am 23-year-old young woman and emotional eating is my serious problem. I am grossly overweight and feel very self-conscious and miserable about it but do not seem to be able to do anything about it. I have two other sisters one elder and one is younger to me and both of them have wonderful figures. They are both extremely talented girls and very sought after. I seem to be bearing the brunt of all the strange comments from family and friends. As a child I had an extremely good figure. It is only during my teenage years. I started to gain weight. Each time I get upset I go and binge and feel very happy for those few moments. I seem to raid the fridge every night before going to bed at night before and even if I wake up I snack on biscuits and chocolates. Please help me I am miserable. Hina Machanda, Chandigarh Please relax and do not be harsh in judging yourself. You are a beautiful human being that is why you have been open about your feelings. What is it that is bothering you? Now this is something you need to find out from within yourself. You have to learn to understand yourself a little better. The child within you still needs nurturing and perhaps your self-esteem needs a boost. Even if your 2 attractive sisters are very talented and sought after I am sure there are many talents within you that are lying unexplored. Do try and make an effort to tap your own hidden potential instead of focusing on your negative qualities. When you will feel happy about being who you are, naturally the urge to do comfort eating will go down.
|
|
|
Backless in Chandigarh Anandita Gupta
Fluid and flowing—the cool, refreshing breeze is there, yet again, enveloping the City Beautiful. In fact, every evening, as the dusk softly gathers up the city in its snug arms; these cool winter winds dapple the atmosphere with a charming anticipation of the approaching winter. And strange though it may seem, most evening parties being held nowadays, are celebrating this nip in the air uniquely, with the bold and the beautiful fashionistas going back to ‘backless.’ Yes, at a time when most of us are taking out those trunk-stacked woolies for sunning, and rearranging our wardrobes with snug jackets and sweatshirts, the party circuit is celebrating backless. But why this sudden resurgence of backless? Explains Panchkula-based designer Nidhi Bajaj, “November is the time to get swathed in deep rich hues and every fabric, from wispy chiffon and printed georgette to multi-coloured silk, looks chic. Though the luxurious colour palette belongs to the winters, it’s not so cold that the shahtoosh shawls and pashmina cardigans drape all that we are wearing. And so, it’s the ideal time to show off our well-tanned, well moisturized backs with élan.” “Torso-hugging, cleavage flaunting blouses may do well on our TV’s and cine screens, but when it comes to practibility, backless remains the best. It adds glamour quotient to a woman’s attire, without making her over expose,” reasons fashion designer Harish Bahrunani, who’s boutique Jai’s Meena Bazaar in Shivalik Enclave has backless blouses, that are as versatile as they are form flattering. “Young girls can team them with jeans, wrap-arounds and flairy skirts, with lots of traditional work on them. Women could enhance their sensuality by going for a choli ghagra. The current rage is the backless blouse style cholis, halter blouses, embroidered bustiers and the strappy low-neck cholis. Fitted cholis with side zippers, halter necks and lots of strings are hot faves too,” he suggests. Calcutta-based Bahrunani, who shifted to Chandigarh four years back, today has a treasure trove of ideas, when it comes to custom-making a backless outfits. “Right from a backless top and suit to a hip backless string blouse, we’ll craft anything for you. Just give me a week’s time and Rs. 160—my stitching charges,” he smiles. But with an innumerable fashion boutiques in town, anybody would make a backless blouse. Then, what’s his USP, we probe. “My USP remains variety. Like while making backless blouses, I experiment with diverse fabrics (Crepes, tissue, satin, georgette, net and lace), and cuts (geometrical shapes, heart-shapes, mango and banana cuts, jaalis and modern-arty cuts). Besides, I play with lush colours (reds, oranges, greens and fuchsias).” And how about the embellishments part? “They are deliciously diverse too, ranging from hanging jhumkas and ghungroos to tassles and shells,” muses our desi Sabhyasachi Mukherjee. So city women, as you inhale the sweet whiff of winter, and swirl in the generous folds of sensuous saris, don’t forget to flaunt off your best accessories—your ice rink smooth backs and erogenous necks. Let those oh-so-boring conventional blouses go berserk in their backless avatars!
|
|
|
Glitter & bout Go glamorous this season by wearing a little glitter on your
next evening out, Shimmer, shine, razzle or dazzle with silver, gold or
a frosted pastel, But please do it right. Balance the glitter on your
face and here are some tips on how to avoid gleaming
disasters. Sparkling eyes Eyelids: Use a glitter gel, very
sparingly, on top of the eye shadow. Apply it with your fingers either
all over your lid or just the corners. Brow bone: Apply the glitter gel
just on the brow bone to subtly highlight your eye. Lash line: Use a
glitter liner pencil or loose glitter over glitter gel to add a little
sparkle (could match it with your outfit) to your look. Lashes: For a
dramatic makeup twist, you could choose from a wide spectrum of coloured
glitter mascaras available at cosmetic counters. How you play with
coloured glitter on your eyes totally depends on the occasion and your
outfit. If you are going to dramatically glitter your eyelids as well as
your brow bone then avoid applying it elsewhere on your face (unless
it’s your wedding, when everyone’s permitted to go the whole hog!).
For parties try complimenting your glittered brow bone with a dash of
glitter on your lips. Shimmering pout You could either go light
on the mouth with a shimmer lip-gloss or really do it up. Apply your
lipstick and then spread a little Vaseline all over it. Take some loose
glitter on to a lip brush and smoothen it all over the lips. You could
use a pearl glitter to merge with your lip shade or use the same colour
glitter as your lipstick for a metallic sheen. Do not apply too much
glitter on the lipstick, it tends to get saturated and
flaky. Gleaming cheeks Soufflé glitter works best for cheeks
since it blends wells and lasts longer. Using it directly on your
foundation is best; otherwise use sparingly on top of blush. Apply it
only on cheekbones with fingers. Glitter tips Take a moment to
consider the look you’d like to achieve. Do you want to add sparkle to
your face or shimmer to your body? Most products are face or body
specific. Consider the color of your makeup and the color of your
outfit when selecting a shade. Gold complements a warmer complexion,
while silver works best on cool-toned complexions. Match colored glitter
to hues in your makeup and clothing. Get dressed before applying body
glitter. Your choices will range between glitter powders, gels and
lotions. Focus on exposed skin, such as the chest, back, lower legs and
tops of the feet. Place a small amount of the product on your hands and
distribute a thin layer over the area you want to cover. Apply the
glitter to your body using smooth, consisting strokes. Use light colors
like silver or gold on your body.
|
|
Selling on radio You may remember that some time ago, I had talked about the importance of voice-overs in any radio or television commercial. Today I should like to take it a bit further and talk about the different types of ‘reads’ and ‘sells’ that are synonymous with this industry. Ever since Wheaties made advertising history on the Christmas Eve in 1926 as the first product to be featured as a singing commercial on network radio, the road towards achieving that perfect sound with your voice has been more or less riddled with potholes. In the early days of radio, direct selling wasn’t allowed, the singers for the jingles simply asked the listeners if they had tried a particular product, what it contained and how would it please the listeners’ taste buds. And it was then and there that the voice of the artiste played an important role in either bringing the customers to the supermarket aisles or pushing them away from them. Now I would like to enumerate some different types of reads or sells and what they mean. Open your horizons for experimentation. The first one on my list is the soft sell, which simply means that the voiceover artiste has to be on the quieter side while performing. He or she needs to be gentle, romantic, warm, caring, loving, etc. Usually it is associated with products like feminine hygiene products, makeup, hair products, health etc. Then comes the hard sell. No playing around here guys because this is a tough, strong and assertive read. In the 1970s, they used to be big on these BUY! BUY! BUY! And in the 1980s, they made a lot of fun of the hard sell, but you were still being pushed with the same thing, then in the 90s they just threw things in your face and acted like they didn’t care but, they got you on the subconscious level, the gut, but it was still happily BUY! BUY! BUY! Or SALE! SALE! SALE! No matter what, it’s a hard sell but it can be approached in a couple of different ways—loud, soft, strong, relaxed, angry or simply happy. And now the flat read, which simply means that you just read the product lines flat without energy, vigour or care. It is really a laid back read that is meant to grab the attention of the listener. It is done very slowly, low voiced and pretty calm. Nothing affects you. Nothing is pushed. It is so real. However, there can be different approaches to a read. You can read it in so many ways and within it you can add any number of adjectives. Flat with more energy or flat but informative or simply flat with a smile. It is basically used for commercials dealing with the corporate world, hotels, motels, etc. Often one comes across commercials that deal with products for the youth, like sports shoes, toys, video games, movies, music, etc. Well, it is here that the high energy or energetic read comes in handy. Your enthusiasm and excitement plays a key role in your voice performance in this case.
|
|
Mellow drama
Sooraj Barjatya’s Vivah, which was released on Friday at Batra, Chandigarh, Fun Republic, Manimajra, and K.C. Panchkula, once again propagates the family values he believes in. Rajshri Productions along with the new pair of Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao makes a promising return. Prolific and talented, Barjatya has come up with a good melodramatic family entertainer. It is embellished with a piously delivered theme of marital bonds. The film traces the relationship of a couple and their journey from engagement to marriage. Barjatya deserves accolades for delivering a delightful script. The movie is technically sound. Experienced composer Ravindra Jain is back with another fine set of songs. His lyrics also signify the relevance of relationships and marriage in life. Shahid Kapoor shows that he can act now. Amrita Rao, too, performs well. Alok Nath, Anupam Kher, Seema Biswas, Samir Soni and Manoj Joshi support the lead stars adequately. A laugh riot
After Shaadi Se Pehle, showman Subhah
Ghai once again comes up with a commercial flick Apna Sapna Money Money.
Directed by Kya Kool Hain Hum fame Sangeeth Sivan, this is a laugh riot.
The film revolves around a bunch of people who worship money. The
audience, with the modern style and look of the film, will appreciate
Sivan’s slapstick comedy. This comic film will keep the viewers
rolling in their seats. Ritesh Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade, Riya Sen,
Koena Mitra and Celina Jaitley give Apna Sapna Money Money a fresh and
young feel. Supporting cast Jackie Shroff, Chunkey Pandey, Sunil Shetty
and Rajpal Yadav also give good performances. Music composers Pritam and
Vishal Shekhar’s musical numbers have excellent funky flavour. —
D.P.
|
|
Autumn leaves Sreedhara Bhasin Since the nip has been felt in the air – I have been feeling like a whole new woman. I have been noticing little things – things that somehow escape me in the midst of summer heat. Are we aware of the fact that every house now looks like a mini horticulture garden? Bougainvilleas of innumerable colours have suddenly sprung up on every terrace and every driveway, making this perhaps the Bougainvillea capital of the nation. The street dogs have become far more energetic. They have taken to chasing cars as their morning warm-up routine again. There are flocks of new birds in the lake. The cormorants have arrived, twisting their serpentine necks in and out of water. The aquamarine kingfishers are out too, diving at the ripples made by new crops of fish. People are buying fish again – for we are back in ‘r’ added month names. Soon, we will have Tawa and Tandoor festivals on green lawns where makai di roti and sarson da saag will be served. Rewris will make their rounds and so will pinni. I see some of the women have taken out the knitting needles and I have no doubt, some children will bear the cross of their mother’s multi-colored knitting marvels this winter. Women are also airing out the winter ware. Rajais are hanging on many verandahs. Sector 17 stores are displaying the new fangled pashminas. The bakeries have rich plum cakes, reminding us that Christmas is not far behind. The busiest people are the gardeners, planting and pruning and getting ready to show-off the thali sized Chrysanthemums. Dusk is falling even before many of us can finish evening walks. Evenings air now smells of blooming Madhurmalti and smoked wood. Soon, there will a lot of weddings and insomniacs will be able to avail of free nocturnal music recitals. Exhibitions are in full swing. My neigbour bought rugs, cosmetic jewellery and nimbu pickle – all at the same place. She also bought tons of oranges to make marmalade. Children are watching uninterrupted TV shows in the absence of load shedding. They are also playing cricket and breaking a few windows in every neighbourhood with gusto. I also see the autumn leaves falling. I have always thought of that as ending of a time in life. Unlike autumn leaves, that get blown away and erased from all existence, we need to hold on to the memories of this year – another good year spent in our beautiful city. Have we done anything for the city this year? Have we practiced kindness for its people? Have we strived to preserve the inspiration of green gardens and majestic trees so ingeniously embodied in creation by the founders of this city?
|
|
Mixing with love Rome was not built in a day, say
the chefs at Taj and the same goes for their Christmas cake! Delightful
piles of golden and black raisins, red cherries, apricots, almonds,
orange and ginger peels, figs and dates and black currant stood in heaps
waiting to be drenched in brandy, whiskey, beer and rum for the
traditional marinate. The ‘mixing ceremony’ began with Mrs Jean
Rodrigues, wife of UT Administrator Gen (retd) S F Rodrigues, sprinkling
spices over the delicious mix—nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom—and
dousing it with liberal gushes of rum. True to Christmas tradition
where the family takes turns in stirring the pudding for good luck,
every member of the Taj family dipped their gloved hands into the mix
fulfilling this wonderful belief. And not just the Taj, even Mrs
Rodrigues shared her family traditions with us. “We do something
similar at home but along with the traditional cakes we also make
kal-kal (a pudding made of maida and coconut milk), rose cookies and
when it all gets too sweet, we add some salt to the cookies,” she
smiled. You can pick up these cakes at the bakery that will be set up
at the Taj from December 21 onwards and if you are lucky you might just
find one of them lucky gold coins (another tradition!) in your cake.
|
|
Health tip of the day
People without Low Back Pain should not sit for more than 50 minutes continuously. People with mild pain should not sit for 30 minutes and with moderate pain for 20 minutes continuously.
— Dr Ravinder Chadha |
|
| 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 | |
As birds chirped
in the quiet distance, the tranquillity of the amphitheatre sprung to
life under the footfalls of an impassioned performance. The dholki beats
called forth the ‘young warriors’ and as the first and second year
students of the Department of Indian Theatre streamed in for an
impressive display of the Manipuri martial arts form, Thang-Ta,
theatre’s ability to draw from every facet of the country’s vibrant
traditions came alive. 
The coming festive
season just got a delicious pep today. Carrying on the tradition from
last year, the Taj Chandigarh—17 had their annual cake mixing
‘ceremony’ to zing things off!