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JUST laugh it away
The
turbaned jokes have been as much a staple of Punjabi culture as the sarson-ka-saag and makki-ki-roti. In fact, the Santa Banta jokes are to Indian humour what the Pathan gags are to the Pakistanis or Hebrew jokes to the Jews. Not only do such cracklers enjoy a cult status in light literature, but they have quite a fan following in the SMS and Net circuit too. But suddenly, a booklet has been spotted depicting these cult characters as Sikhs — Santa in a pink turban and Banta in a blue one — and the joke hasn’t go down too well with the cultural conscience-keepers of the community. Does this mean that the joke has gone too far or is it a case of taking oneself too seriously? The latest outcry is not an isolated reaction. A couple of months back, a reality show on the tube, the Great Indian Laughter Challenge, faced the ire of viewers. An episode that had a participant taking digs at not only at his community but himself too did not become quite a laughing matter as protesters started queuing up outside the office of the channel airing the show. The community was placated only after the judges dished out a message about the show not having any intention of hurting religious sentiments. On an earlier occasion too, sentiments had flared up when in the then popular music countdown show, the funny pair of Noni and Neetu, played by actors Pankaj Kapur and Satish Kaushik, had not gone down well with the audience in their turbaned avatar. Now, these episodes may actually be a pointer to how thin the dividing line is between what is a matter of jest and what is just not.
— Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC chief That is not to say that the ribaldry that is usually paraded in the name of hilarity in the electronic or other mass media is really furthering the cause or standards of humour in our society. The rash of laughter shows that have broken out on the tube may not really be an indicator of an increased propensity to laugh at ourselves as a nation. It may only be a sign of an increasing disposition towards the risqué. But, as an audience or as a society, the inability to take a joke in the right spirit, without reading too much into it, may also be symptomatic of our falling threshold of tolerance. In these times of heightened sensitivity towards regional and racial identities, reinforced most recently by the Big Brother brouhaha, such reactions may be manifestation of zero tolerance towards multiculturalism and pluralism. Or it may be a sign of an increasing inability to laugh at ourselves given the stresses of everyday living. Whatever, the sardars, after all, are known as much for their humour and hospitality as much for their valour. Their ability to laugh at themselves does not in any way take away from their qualities of head and heart, or from their achievements across the centuries and the continents. They are none the less for it. In fact, this propensity to be self-mocking is born of their large heartedness. The real issue in this case is not so much about the legitimacy of jokes directed at a community as about where to draw the line. The idea of jokes or laughter shows is to evoke the laughs than to make any person or community a laughing stock. Nor should others cross the line and neither should those made the butt of jokes get cross without reason. Why make joking such an issue, seriously?
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Laugh and the world will laugh A
single
sentence was all it took to disable the BBC commentary box. The cricketer Ian Botham fell over his stumps in a freak dismissal, prompting the commentator Jonathan Agnew to exclaim: “He couldn’t quite get his leg over.” The remark sent Agnew and his colleague, the late Brian Johnston, into paroxysms of mirth for several minutes before normal service was resumed. It demonstrated what everyone knows - that laughter is contagious. Scientists studying how the brain responds to emotive sounds believe they understand why. Researchers have shown that positive sounds such as a giggle or a shout of triumph trigger an involuntary
response in the brain that prepares facial muscles to join in, helping forge social bonds. “It seems that it is absolutely true that ‘laugh and the world laughs with you’,” said Sophie Scott, of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, who led the study. “We have known for some time that when we talk to someone we often mirror their behaviour, copying the words they use and mimicking their gestures. Now we have shown the same appears to apply to laughter too - at least at the level of the brain.” Use of laughter as a therapy is growing. The University of Haifa in Israel is starting a degree in medical clowning, and students hope to be hired by hospitals.
— The Independent
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Unravelling the Vedas Komilla
Sutton, an NRI, is helping the western world unravel the mysteries of the universe. She is based in the UK, and is an internationally renowned Vedic, consultant, teacher and lecturer. “I tend to be very philosophical in the way I teach. Whatever our birth chart is, we have to make the most of it. Nothing is good and bad. We have to understand our charts and make the best out of it to be successful materially and spiritually. It is like a bird with two wings. I think that’s why my students are attracted to my kind of teaching.” Komilla was born in Jalandhar and when in the country, calls Chandigarh her home. She studied astrology in Mumbai under Ajit Sinha, a philosopher and Sanskrit scholar. She is also the co-founder of the British Association for Vedic Astrology Chair, is on the faculty of the American College of Vedic Astrology and is a council member of the Astrological Association of Great
Britain. “I have always been interested in astrology, from a very young age. I looked at the sun sign columns and then went for my first reading in 1977. I realised there was a lot more to astrology. There is a deeper, more spiritual aspect to it.” Astrology became Komilla’s full-time profession after moving to the UK. “Western astrologers didn’t understand Vedic astrology as it is such a different subject. I wanted to teach so they could understand. Now I’m invited to conferences all over the world.” Komilla has written four books called Vedic Love Signs, Vedic Astrology, The Essentials of Vedic Astrology, and Lunar Nodes – Crisis and Redemption. “The books brought me to the attention of western astrologers. It was the first step to international recognition.” She has opened up her own learning centre called Komilla Academy of Vedic Sciences in the UK. Students enrol in a course that takes four years to complete. People from all over the world attend her classes to master the mysteries of the Vedas. Twenty-two students from 11 different countries travelled with her to Tamil Nadu from January 24 to February 5, where they explored the Navagraha temples. Navagrahas are the nine planets used in Vedic Astrology. The group visited the nine temples dedicated to the planetary gods. These temples are unique in Tamil Nadu where, within a short distance, there are separate temples dedicated to each of the nine planets and the Sun, Moon. “As an astrologer, it was a major spiritual journey and an enlightening experience.” “The western students were fascinated by the temples, more so than Indians. We as Indians take our history and culture for granted as we are surrounded by it.” Komilla said her were very involved in the temple ceremonies, walking barefoot and wearing a salwar kameez. They are a diverse range of people from very different backgrounds, but came together to uncover the deeper meaning hidden in the stars. Many are extremely devoted and some have been studying with Komilla for over 10 years, she says. In their daily lives, they are engineers, businessmen, government workers, stockbrokers, yoga teachers, architects, or spiritual therapists from countries like Iceland, Austria and Norway. The prominent astrologer will be back in Chandigarh in October to teach, with her followers from the west, but says all were welcome to attend.
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Meeta Vashisht
uncut We
hated her for being the second woman with so much aplomb for DD’s Swabhimaan back in the 90’s. Even now she is playing a negative role with a dash of humour in the never-ending Saas Bahu saga—Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki. But then of course in her pivotal role of a lawyer in Ghulam and Tejo in Kasba, she presents an intense picture of force and versatility. Well that’s Meeta Vashisht, uncut. In town to receive an award on International Women’s Day, Meeta talks about herself and her future plans. Hailing from a sleepy village, Jataal in Panipat, she graduated from the local MCM DAV College. Meeta has been visiting the city on different occasions but this time around she has some grand plans. Turning her ancestral haveli in the village into a centre of performing arts and media studies is what she is wants to do. “After doing theatre with young girls caught from a red light area in a remand home in Mumbai for three years, I was inspired enough to bring back the art forms of the grassroots. Our urban cities are overburdened and most of the art forms belong to rural India, so I made up my mind to take up the task,” says Meeta. She is all for a reverse migration— from urban to rural India. Her works with the remand home girls has enthused so many people that a German publisher had approached her to write a book on her experiences. A product of the Department of Indian Theatre, Panjab University, and later National School of Drama, chuckles when asked to define herself as an actor, “I am the best actress in the world.” On a more serious note, she says, “Theatre is a medium that has the power to bring about social changes.” Not willing to spill all the beans, Meeta just tells us that soon she will direct a film. But as of now, opening the cultural centre and reviving the old music forms of Haryana is what occupies her mind. “I want to learn Ragini form of singing.” Meeta has a pragmatic approach to life. “Life is an ongoing process and you discover yourself every five years. The goal you start with also grows alongside and you learn from your mistakes.” smritisharma@tribunemail.com
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On the Vijay-path For
actor-writer-director Vijay Tandon, his heaviness proved to be a deciding factor in his chosen career. Bollywood was out, but not entirely. Beginning as a hero in Maa da Laadla, a Punjabi film way back in 1971 to playing a villain in more than a dozen films to bagging the National award for the film Kachahri in 1994, life has come a full circle for Tandon. After putting more than three decades into acting, he is now deriving creative satisfaction in penning down scripts. And the latest to add to the list is his first Bollywood venture, Sarhad Paar, finally released this Friday. Directed by Raman Kumar, the film has Sanjay Dutt, Tabu and Mahima Choudhary in the lead roles. The script was written some four years back but unfortunately the film ran into murky waters even before it was completed. Based on the story of prisoners of war, their plight and lives, the film was delayed due to producers and Sanjay’s court case. Nevertheless, sitting cosily at his home in the city, with the walls of his room adorning Vijay’s pictures in his ‘good-old-thin-days’ with film stars like Dev Anand, Meher Mittal, Dharamendra, Ashok Kumar and Sanjay Dutt, he is hopeful, the film will do well in spite of the old storyline. “When I started writing the script, it was a fresh idea. But by the time it materialised, a handful of the films were already made on the subject,” says Tandon. He had initially written the protagonist’s role keeping Nana Patekar in mind but finally had to settle for Sanjay. Now he believes Sanjay’s ‘Gandhigiri’ in his Munnabhai and improvement in the Indo-Pak relations will prove a boon for the flick. On the changing scenario of films, Vijay says, “These days even a good film is considered successful if it runs for four to six weeks.” And as for Punjabi films, Tandon says this is the golden periods for Punjabi films. “There was a time when a Punjabi film will be made on a shoestring budget but thanks the overseas audience. Now things are really looking up.” Tandon, apart from script writing, busy with his acting academy, which will be starting soon. “The USP of the academy will be its affordable courses. Many budding talents are unable to pay the heavy dues of the so-called famous academies. The truth is that however expensive the academies are, no body can promise work.” Well, that remains to be seen. But for now, it’s Sarhad Paar, which is in for an acid test.
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Sometimes
all it takes to become famous is the knowledge of one’s place and cultural heritage and this is precisely what worked for Parminder. A Sangeet Visharad in tabla, not even in his wildest dreams had Parminder thought of being a radio jockey but as luck would have it, beginning his career from anchoring live shows all over Punjab and Chandigarh with Surjit Bindrakhiya, Mohni, Surinder Ladi and others, he is the chosen one among 45 contenders to be a radio jockey for Dubai’s Al Khaleel radio channel. Interestingly, Parminder, who was earlier working with Sunrise Radio channel in London, got selected for his Punjabi accent and knowledge of Punjabi culture. Interestingly, he was rejected by Delhi’s Radio Mirchi due to bad Hindi. Sada Virsa, a countdown programme based on top 10 Punjabi numbers, including folk songs that he hosts, has given him an identity many will be jealous of. “The show begins with the background music of dhol combined with typical old instruments of the state and I am introduced as the ‘Voice of Chandigarh’ in Dubai,” says Parminder. And to keep himself abreast with the latest, the chap is on a reading spree. “ I read poetry by the legends like Amrita Pritam, Surjit Patar, Waris Shah and many Punjabi newspapers and magazines as well.” It’s the Punjabi folk music that Punjabis there crave for and I am going to make them return to the folk.” Besides, RJaying, our lad has other plans too. “Very soon I will be opening an academy where children will be taught tabla free of cost.” Well, that’s the way to go! — S. S.
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FILM Guitarist Jimi Hendrix has been voted the “wildest guitar hero” of all-time, in a poll conducted by Classic Rock magazine. The late music legend of the 60s beat competition from Rolling Stones’ member Keith Richards, who came second, and Stevie Ray Vaughan made it to the third position. Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page was rated at the fourth position and Dimebag Darrell rounded off the fifth position, in the survey conducted for music lovers. Hollywood filmmaker Mel Gibson reportedly has his eyes set on two new movies, and he may soon visit locations in Panama for his next directorial effort. Gibson and his son Edward met and dined with tourism spokesman and singer Ruben Blades recently.
Blades has suggested the father-son duo to remake the 1950 film noir Panic in the Streets. The movie is about a doctor and a policeman in New Orleans who have only 48 hours to locate a killer infected with bubonic plague. Isla Fisher pregent? Rumours are rife that Australian
actor Isla Fisher is pregnant with her beau Sacha Baron Cohen’s child. According to reports, Fisher seemed
to be bearing a noticeable baby bump as she strolled along Malibu Beach with Cohen recently. However, it
was the fitting of her tight emerald green silk dress at the Oscars last month that first sparked pregnancy rumours. “Her gorgeous dress looked a little snug in the tummy ... if you look at her face, it’s
beginning to look a little chubbier as well but in a glowing, healthy way,” a Tinseltown source said. Dreamgirl’s obsession
Jennifer Hudson still hasn’t gotten over the shock of winning an Academy Award, and hence insists on taking it around with her wherever she goes. The Dreamgirls star won the Best Supporting Oscar for her performance in the musical drama last month, and she insists the statuette is so special to her that she to every city she goes to.
Jennifer now yoga addict Former Friends star Jennifer Aniston is embarking on a new healthy lifestyle and has cut out cigarettes and eliminated caffeine from her diet. Aniston revealed that her new-found love of yoga is responsible for her efforts to make changes in other areas of her life. And pals are convinced she means business after watching the 38- year-old in action on pal Courtney Cox’s TV drama Dirt recently. In addition to resisting the temptation to indulge in smoking, Aniston also managed to refrain from caffeine.
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PASSION FOR GREEN
As
we enter the house of Dr Arunanashu Behera and Surria Rajpoot in the PGI campus, Sector 12, it’s the sight of colourful flowerbeds and meticulously crafted lush green lawn that greet us. One look at the garden and you know why it’s the most prized possession for the couple. After all everyone’s hobby doesn’t fetch him or her great compliments and for the past eight years their garden has been bagging the best garden award in small garden category at Rose Festival. What started as a hobby, now has become a full-time passion for the couple. They look after their plants like their own kids. Going back in time
“We got married 22 years ago and we realised both shared the same hobby—gardening. In fact, it was passed on to both of us by our parents,” says Surria. After getting married they moved into one of those small quarters behind the PGI. Lack of space was no deterrent for the pair started with about 25- 30 pots in their tiny house. “At that time we were not much aware of the varieties, seeds etc. We had a little practical knowledge, but we wanted to learn more, so we started asking for tips from people having gardens, bought books available on gardening and visited all the nurseries we could,” she says. Moving away from her, we try to strike a conversation with Tony—a 14- year-old parrot looking intensely at the three dogs, barking away to glory. The garden with a mini pond in which few fishes are kept is a reflection of the family’s love for nature. Back to the garden, as we walk along, the lady of the house tells us about some familiar and some not-so-familiar varieties of flowers they keep. Right from yellow marigold to baby pink and deep pink daisies, salvia, kale, dahlia, sweet pees, penzy, star petunia, freesia, poppy to certain rare varieties such as cyclamen and petrima. So how much time you devote for the upkeep? “Since the weather these days is good, an hour in the morning and in the evening are sufficient as only watering and removing weeds is required normally. But at the time of planting of the saplings and seeds, it takes us hours together,” Surria informs. The dedication for the greens is so much that during winters when it grows dark, the duo would still work in candlelight. Ideal escape
For the couple and their two daughters Afreen (17) and Anchita (10), their garden is the best getaway. “Sometimes when we are feeling low, we simply walk in to our garden and sit besides the colourful flowers and we become relaxed. So it’s all in the garden, be it discussions related to a particular arrangement of flowers or designing the garden itself, everything takes place here. “Many a time when differ in our opinion over the choice of flower or its colour, we call everyone out to vote in favour or against and we sort out the matter,” chuckles
Surria.
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For the love of health The owner of Monica’s in Sector 8, Monica Sood, says the trend is wheat and her top shelf is full of brown bread. “The number of people going to the gym these days tell us about the demand for whole wheat. By one pm, half of our wheat products are gone.” She sells 80 loaves of brown bread a day and only six of white bread. Sector 17’s Empire Store sells only 10 loaves of white bread, while 60 to 70 loaves of whole wheat bread a day. Owner Subash Gulati says they started to make brown bread due to the demand for it. “People feel maida is unhealthy and it causes constipation if consumed too often. Customers are looking for more fibre in their diets.” Bakes and Beans in Sector 10 sells brown bread containing 95 percent whole wheat and 5 percent maida for Rs 25. Loknath, an employee, says 70 percent of their customers prefer whole wheat. Whole Foods in Sector 8 is a store dedicated to those who are health conscious and prefer to cook with wheat-based products. They offer spiral pasta, fettucine and Haka egg noodles, all made from whole wheat. Fortis Hospital dietician Sonia Gandhi is an advocate of whole wheat products. She says they are less processed so are richer in fibre and contain more nutrients. Fibre gives you feeling of satisfaction and allows you to eat less and feel full, she says. “If you eat two whole wheat chapattis your hunger pang will be satisfied. If you eat three white flour or refined wheat chapattis you will still be hungry and accumulate more fat.” Even though locals have become more health-conscious, most bakery and fast food products in India are still made from refined material like white flour, Sonia says. At a bakery near you... Brown bread is now not only restricted to swanky bakeries, big general stores, and cafes. It has become so accessible that you can even find it at any small local shop. These shops are commonly stocking brown breads by Britannia and Bonn, but their customers still prefer white bread, which is generally Rs 2 cheaper. Madan General Store in Sector 10 stocks Bonn Prime Tune brown bread, consisting of wheat flour, whole wheat flour, and wheat bran, for Rs 14. Owner Madan Lal says they sell double the amount of white bread. Sector 10’s Capital Bakery sells 30 loaves of white bread a day, compared to only 7 to 8 of brown breads. “Those who do buy brown bread say maida is too heavy”, says owner H.S. Thakar. Sharma’s Bakery in Sector 9, also stocks a healthy alternative to white bread. They offer bran bread for Rs 14, which is 50 percent whole wheat and 50 percent bran. Owner Shashi Kant says their maida bread is the most popular, but they do still sell 30 to 40 bran loaves per day.
— P. G.
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BON APPETIT
Not a surprising remark, considering cauliflower does trace its ancestry to the wild cabbage though it went through many transformations to reach its present avatar. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and even turnip, all hang in together, belonging to the same family. The Chinese love the thick outer stalks and dark green leaves of cauliflower. Our mandis have heaps of such abandoned greens, rotting on the sidewalks (or being chewed by docile cattle) since we seem only to be interested in the head of white florets. Cauliflower contains phytonutrients which fight toxicity, working as anti-oxidants. (Wonder if that, is why they’re called fight-o-nutrients!) WHF (World’s Healthiest Foods) rates it as excellent, due to its high levels of vitamin C, K, folate and fiber. Studies conducted by the Institute of Food Research, UK, reveals that when chewed, cauliflower releases sulfophrane, an anti-cancer compound. Not only does this magical compound fight cancer, it actually stimulates programmed death of human tumour-cells. This must be some mean, hairy, scary ogre of a compound that it can push cancer-cells into committing suicide. Wow! Gobhi mussalami
750 gm cauliflower To be grounded to a paste:
6-8 Kashmiri chillies
Method
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Avon proudly introduces a fabulous new range of colour cosmetics in India called Avon Simply Pretty. The exclusive colour palette and formulation has been specially researched and developed for Indian women, keeping in mind their skin tones, weather conditions and the latest world colour trends. All products are dermatologically tested and proven hypoallergenic. Avon Simply Pretty Shine-No-More Press Powder gives you long lasting protection from oily-shine while keeping your face fresh and protected. It glides smoothly and helps even out skin tone, leaving you with a matte finish. SPF 14 helps shield skin from damaging UVA/UVB rays. Avon Simply Pretty Shine No More press powder is available in four shades that closely match the Indian skin tone- dusky beige, medium beige, natural beige, and light beige. It is priced at a special introductory price of Rs 80 (MRP Rs 110) for 9gm. Sprite rejuvinated
Coca-Cola announced the launch of a new brand campaign for – Sprite. The new campaign brings to life the immensely successful tagline of the brand Sprite Bhujaye Pyaas…Baaki All Bakwaas! However, what makes it different is the renewed focus on thirst quenching, no nonsense and unpretentious attitude of the brand. As part of the same strategy, the plan is to build a stronger connection with “Youth”. To drive the entire consumer campaign, a 360 degrees integrated marketing programs are being rolled out. The company also plans to leverage new Digital “Platforms” like the Internet through a specially-created interactive online “Sprite-itude” zone that offers ample creative and gaming opportunities for the youth. The company will roll out this integrated marketing initiative simultaneously across all key markets in the coming week. Bridging the gaps
How often have you noticed good-looking but wide gapped, dislocated tiles in a drawing room? Besides looking ugly, the spaces beneath the tiles harbour pests and are one of the main causes of tile dislocations. Pidilite Industries Ltd has introduced Roff Rainbow Tile Mate (RTM), tile joint filler that effectively fills all kinds of gaps and cracks between the vulnerable joints, making them strong and hard wearing. So fill in those details and keep your tiles as good as new. Roff Rainbow Tile Mate (RTM) is available in 1 kg and 10 kg packs at Rs 48 and Rs 425 respectively A two in one offer
ZAPIZZA is a combination of lip smacking pizzas and exciting games from Zapak.com. The combo comprises of a Large Cheese Burst Pizza from Domino’s menu along with a free Zapak gaming CD with pre-loaded downloadable games worth Rs 450. The ZaPizza combo meal will also have a scratch card. The scratch / serial numbered card will reveal a code that entitles Domino’s customer to win goodies. Offer will be valid till March 25 at all 31 Domino’s outlets across the country. Aamir’s new burpy avtaar
With two of India’s hottest talents, Aamir Khan and Prasoon Joshi coming together for the ‘Sabka Thanda Ek’ campaign, after Rang De Basanti, there is bound to be magic. And that is exactly what Coca-Cola’s new summer campaign promises to be. The new Coca-Cola commercial opens in a train compartment with Aamir shown as a no nonsense attendant. The entering of a tunnel is enough reason for Aamir to find his filled Coke bottle empty. As he follows the “Burpy” trail to nail the culprit a final act ends the search in a surprising climax. Rs 10 for 300 ml
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Health tip of the day
When one’s foot is flat, then the strip (middle part of the foot) is of the same width as the front of the foot, creating a footprint that looks like a stretched out pancake!
— Dr Ravinder Chadha |
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“Sikhs are not the only ones at the receiving end. There are jokes about the Irish and the Polish also but creating humour by attacking communities or individuals is a reflection of poor taste and should be avoided.”
“They should appreciate that comedians direct their jokes at them. The intention is not to hurt the sentiments of a person or community, but to make everyone laugh. They should take it (jokes) in their stride as it’s not the reality.” 
“I have asked the PM to ensure the inclusion of an SGPC member in the film and textbook censor board for ending the practice of racist jokes. Those making and forwarding them do not realise that we are at the helm of affairs in the country. We are the protectors who sacrificed their lives for attaining freedom. Jokes against the community must be avoided.” 
Gibson to direct again
“When I got my Golden Globe, I took it around with me for about two weeks before I would give it up so it could be engraved,” she said. Nevertheless, the proud winner will reluctantly have to give her Oscar up so it can be engraved.
The
Although not all the brown bread being sold is genuine, she says: “You can tell if it is pure whole wheat by the weight. It is meant to be heavy, dense and firm.” 
Cakes and Stuff manager Ashok Mourya says they stock a limited number of white loaves as brown bread is the popular choice these days. 
Nik Baker’s, Sector 9, has a wide range of whole wheat food products in the city. They produce a variety of healthy bread alternatives consisting of grains, or whole meal flour and sell a selection of burgers, dinner rolls, hot dogs, kulchas, pizza bases and muffins ranging from Rs 15 to Rs 20. Brown breads are selling exceptionally well with 200 loaves sold per day. 
In the words of Mark Twain: “The Cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college degree”!