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Salaam
Chandigarh
Hungry at 3 a.m.? Head to Aroma-22 or a handful of coffee shops.
Need fuel at an odd hour? Drive around for a 24-hour pump. Want to catch a blockbuster? Book yourself at the one and only multiplex. (The one that didn’t even get Harry Potter) Planning a gehri in the middle of the night? Warning: Police patrolling. Got a late night shift? Be sure the city will be fast asleep at your pick-up time. Want to party hard? Oops… retired neighbours threaten to complain to the MC. Now in the midst of all this if you talk about 60 years of Independence with the Gen-Y brigade they are sure to retaliate. They protest: We don’t even enjoy the freedom to eat, drink, dance, sing, work and drive. Our question: Is the situation all that bad? We say: Not, really. The solution: Peek into all that you are free to do in the city. (The city that you never fail to whine about, oft compare with metros, call it ‘dead’ and much more.)
Aao azaadi manayen! Bite into butter chicken. Head to Chawlas’, Pal da dhaba or Tehal Singh’s and combine the creamy delicacy with a butter naan. Chak de to Chandigarh kare aashiqui. Swing to all the songs or watch all flicks/serials with a city connection. Dance to the beats of the dhol. Endless remixes by some of the country’s best-known DJs too fail to give competition to the dhol. E-payments under e-Sampark. The project has made standing in long queues for paying bills a thing of the past. Fun amidst flowers. Take a walk in Rose Garden, Fragrance Garden, Hibiscus Garden, Terrace Garden and many more. Go for a gehri. The Sector 10-11 route is filled with fun, emotions, adventures, eyes meeting, hearts skipping and the good ol’ Punjab cops. Hold on to the hundred-and-twentyseven-year-old newspaper. Read a paper that was born much before the country earned its Independence. Icy treat by the ice-cream vendors. A bite into orange-bar, fresh breeze and bumping into neighbours at the roundabouts sounds perfect. Jaunty ride on the jeep. White kurta pyjama, blaring music, unlimited fuel and bird watching. Kewl on a Kinetic. Where else in the country do two-wheelers rule like they do here? Girl riders, good roads, well-managed traffic and much more. Loiter around the lake. Get hold of moongphali or channa and spend a day at Sukhna. Mind-blowing mutiyaars and gabru munde. Notice the wonders of waste at Nek Chand’s Rock Garden. Stroll, sit or admire. (No dates, please) Oye hoye to open spaces. Wide roads, huge parks, ample space for the kids to enjoy a game of football et al. Palate the parantha. Be a part of the parantha culture; outside General Hospital-16, GCG-11 and PGI. Quit ignorance and head to the quite unique city’s condom bar. Respite at the roundabout. Where else in the country can you sit in the middle of the road and yet feel at peace. Sense the fresh air in the country’s first smoke-free city. Say goodbye to cigarette butts and welcome the clean whiff. Track technology at the Technology Park. Higher employment, a boost in economy and much more. Utopian break? Drive uphill. Kasauli, 77 km; Shimla 107 km, Chail 116 km… Vela time on the varsity campus. Sit in the huts, gorge on rajma chawal at Stu-Cee and all this even if you passed out from PU decades ago. Walk to your workplace. The city allows you to sleep late, save fuel and stay healthy. Xercise your right to everything that is Xtra, xtra-helping of pinnis, xtra-large sizes, xtravagant weddings. Yaaran da tashan with yaars at thekas in every corner of the city. Zest for Punjabi zindadili. High energy levels, high on daaru, high on style and high on life.
purva@tribunemail.com |
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Looking back in anger
It’s time to salute the flag again and pledge to keep it flying high. It’s time to encapsulate 60 years of our freedom in one-day national celebrations. And it’s time to get into a one-day desh-bhakti mode. But, before we do that, let’s change gears, rewind to our past and ponder — how independent are we? For, aren’t we still in the tight grip of gender inequalities? Some city-women look back in anger:
While most urban ladies in town indulged in kitty parties, spas and shopping sprees, a 22-year-old, semi-clad woman was walking the streets of conservative Rajkot. She had a baseball bat in one hand and bangles in the other. Her destination was the office of the police commissioner. On the way, people gawked at her. Some laughed, some craned their necks for a better look. Neither was this a movie shoot nor a street fashion show; it was rather a one in a million case of a human being driven to disrobing his own self-respect in his own eyes. The reason: Refusal of the system to pay heed to this hapless woman’s complaints. She was constantly nagged by her husband to bring more dowry and they made her life more difficult because she gave birth to a girl child. “The incident is familiar to me. I was forced by my in-laws to abort my girl child or leave my husband. I wasn’t strong enough to resist and ended up having three abortions,” rues city-based Kajal Kalra (name changed on request). Agrees Geetanjali Gill, associated with a city-based NGO, “At a time when India boasts of becoming an international economic giant, its women are being pushed to the brink for dowry and blamed for giving birth to a girl child.” Laments Panchkula-based Sanjoli Sodhi, “Yes, this is the same city where we bring out a book celebrating the space mission of a woman of Indian descent. And yet, this is the city, where an all-women petrol pump fails to sustain itself, the all-woman police post at PGI does away with the tag, thanks to indecent language used by some male colleagues.” Explains Jaswinder Kaur, in-charge of the Palsora police post, “Girls with good educational background are joining the police force, but the married ones face problems. Our job involves a lot of pressure and at times 24-hour duty. And then of course, many men can’t stand a woman police officer as their boss.” The picture, however, is not all dismal. There are women, who’ve made a mark for themselves and continue to break the glass ceiling. Jaswinder herself, for example, is in police since 1999 and is now the in-charge of an all-men police post. That calls for cheer, for sure, but not celebrations till we drive away the gender bias from our minds. Only then can we deservingly celebrate.
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Sense & Sensibility
Capturing the opulence and splendour of nature in all its manifestations is an obsession for Manoj Singh, deputy general manger of the BSNL, which started during his service in the panoramic Shivalik hills of Himachal. To give vent to all his emotions, Manoj delved into literary pursuits.
Though his official commitments kept him busy, the sensibility of a writer emerged stronger enough to register its presence. And his ability of sculpting verses blossomed resulting in his maiden book Chandrikatosav that captured the romance of moonlit nights in the cradle of nature. A prolific writer, Manoj has been a regular columnist for seven leading dailies and complied his articles and poems in a book titled Vyakitatav ka Parbhav. Another meaningful contribution came from Manoj when he chronicled the lives of three generations of womanhood in his latest novel Kashamkash, which will be released this Sunday at the Chandigarh Press Club. The book portrays the sufferings of Schizophrenic people. “It was indeed a challenge to write about them, but the support and encouragement from my life partner and colleague, Rekha Singh, made things easy,” says Manoj. “I visited and stayed in mental hospitals, interacted with families of the patients to give my story a realistic touch.” This is how writing a novel differs from poetical creations, which come from spontaneous flow of emotions and you just have to articulate it in logical patterns. He signs off quoting a couplet by Padmabhushan Sardar Anjum jis ke tufail muhjko meri zindfagi mili, Voh geet maine shayad ab tak likha nahin. lifestyletribune@gmail.com |
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Little Interview
She
made her debut in Vikram Bhatt’s Inteha. Aditya Chopra spotted her on a countdown-cum-travel show on Zoom and next, she was cast opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Chak De India. A trained Kathak dancer for 12 years, dance is her first love. She has also learnt Salsa, Ramba, Samba, Cha Cha Cha and more. Vidya Malavade, the reel captain of Team India talks on SRK, hockey and more.
He is more than an actor. On the sets, he would get fully involved with each and everything and even give us tips on how to better our performance.
It is a very tough game and requires perfect hand and leg co-ordination. After being a part of the flick, I feel everybody should follow at least one sport; it keeps one mentally and physically healthy.
We would wake up at 4.30 am and gather on the field. Play from 6 to 9, after which we would have a healthy breakfast. Next, read about the character and head back to the field for a rigorous training session.
Sixteen girls, one coach and 15 hours on the field. We dealt with back problems, broken ligaments, bruises, mood swings et al. And at the end of a tiring day, all we wanted was to fall flat on the bed.
Sanjay Gharwi’s Kidnap and another flick titled Junction starring Abhay
Deol.
Watch Chak De and come back a proud Indian. |
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I am a 23-year-old girl working with a bank. I have been dating this guy for the past five years and our families have accepted our relationship. But I went to England and when I came back, I found he has been taking drugs. I am alarmed by the situation. How do I deal with this?
Aradhana Shukla,
Panchkula The situation does sound alarming. But since you love and care about him, only you can help him. Be gentle and understanding. Remember only sensitive people develop addictions and they need to be dealt with understanding. Watch his behaviour and be with him during the time that he uses drugs. Also talk to him. Take him to a counselor if he agrees. I am a woman in my late 30s and married with two kids. I have an alcoholic husband who is abusive — both physically and emotionally. Now I am seeing a guy who makes me feel good. Recently I had gone into serious depression and even now I have serious mood swings. How do I deal with this situation? Reena Dhaliwal,
Chandigarh My heart goes out to you. Yours is a hard lesson in life but you have the power to choose. Just eliminate from your mind any negative and fearful thoughts that keep you from being the wonderful woman you are meant to be. Do not allow your husband’s behaviour to get to you. Concentrate on finding your true vocation. Self-esteem is your most prized asset. Finding distraction in a boyfriend or frivolous activities will not solve your problem. Believe in your self. I am in the merchant navy, going steady with a girl for the past four years. But each time I go away, I feel she will not wait for me. Last time, when I was gone, she was moving around with my friend. I got jealous and had an argument. Since we always moved around in a threesome earlier she saw no harm in it. Now that I am going to sail again, the pangs of insecurity have already started. Please advise. Nitin Malhotra,
Mohali You seem to be living with imaginary fears. Remember fear is lack of trust in self. Allow your defence mechanism to get rid of your fear. So just learn to feel secure. Once you trust yourself, you will automatically trust your girlfriend. After all if she has been out a few times with your friend what is there to worry? I’m sure your girlfriend and you have a great life ahead. |
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My kind of Independence
No kidding
Parents think they are neighbours’ envy, owners’ pride. Brands woo them more than adults. Adults feel they own the world. But ask kids, and they aren’t happy enough. “Wish we could be free like grown ups, do whatever we want,” they lament. For a change, lets listen to them and allow them the following freedoms, just this once, in the spirit of the day: Shout at the top of your voice, pillow fight, dance on the bed, keep the lights on for as long as you like at night. Play through the night till you simply can’t keep your eyes open. Order and stock lots of mouth-watering junk food and drink and dig into it at 3 a.m.!
Malestorming session
They are the world’s only hair-chested species that can stare, stray and scowl without the slightest guilt, live in their Jockey shorts on weekends, read papers on the commode, talk non-stop on the world economy (and be absolutely clueless about what’s going on in their house). Here’s how men can celebrate the day: Wake up at 11, hog chips for breakfast, binge on beer, pile up the wet towel on the floor, slip into dirty sweat pants, call over your Chandi-buddies, catch up on the hottest gizmos in town, grab your binoculars for some babe watching, order pizzas and don’t bother to warm them up.
Attention: Workaholics
They see sunrise and sunset through their office window. Their PC, notepad and mobile remain their fave toys and their socialising is confined to colleagues, who’d help them climb the corporate ladder. Well, these job-obsessed souls can have a sip of freedom too: Break your 100 per cent attendance-at-office record, sleep late, lock your Lenovo / Blueberry, switch off your cell, give your appointment diary a break, curl up with a Cosmo (forget Business Mags) and sleep like a baby.
Diet deewane
They might run short of cash in their handbags, but you’re sure to spot a sugar-free pack inside. Gymming sessions have replaced their ‘Satin Evenings’ and their wardrobes stock more sneakers than stilettos. But hey, stop puffing on that tiresome treadmill and enjoy the ‘freedom’ of forgetting it all: Push aside that protein shake. Try sipping some sinful hot chocolate. Curl up in bed with lots of books and packets of chips, and keep handy menus of eateries and keep ordering the whole day. And lest you might step on one, put your weighing machine away. The saas-bahu brigade
Wake up at 2, clink glasses brimming with mocktails, get your hubby and father-in-law to serve breakfast, grab your shopping bags and rush to Sector 17, catch a movie at FR, shop, shop, shop (literally) and call up your men to pick you when you drop.
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The success story
Harry Potter has got a rival. And, she is none other than India's teenage adventurer Nikki. You may find it incredible, but the little explorer is already finding its place along Harry Potter on bookshelves across the country.
Ask author G.S. Dutt and he says the sales have been remarkable in the South and quite good in this part of the region. His latest and second in the series, "Revenge of the noble spirit", is about aiming and achieving. And, things are expected to improve further when the third of the six-novel series hits the bookstores. You won't have to wait for long, for it's already in the final stages of publication. Unlike Potter, there is nothing supernatural about Nikki's not-so-bookish adventures. The author introduces her friend Esha's spirit through four-year-old Akram's body. But that's all. There are no demons and devils. And the novels are not mere entertainers but come with a strong underlying message. "At the face of it, they are about the escapades of a small girl," says Bangalore-based Dutt. "Read closely and you will get an insight both into the working of a child's mind and the society. A second level of interpretation further transforms the reader into a more determined person." In Dutt's words, "My second book tells you that if you dare, you will get it". Listening to him at Taj-17 you are reminded of Ernest Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea. After all, it too is about moving forward in the sea against dejection and nature's current, to achieve something that has remained elusive for long. Well, Nikki travels the high seas in a "Casino ship" after leaving the beach house, turns into the "new 007 girl" and nabs the culprits. Read it and you will find the book has all the ingredients of a teenage bestseller. Published by Wisdom Tree, it's priced at Rs 145. On Indian authors for children
saurabh@tribunemail.com |
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HAYWIRE If you thought screen sirens were the only ones with ideas on dressing down, you need some filling in on the latest. Filling, actually. For, it's the dental students who're making a fuss, not over floss but image loss. Extract the staid salwar-suits from our dress code, bring in the jazzy jeans, they say. Those given to plugging mouths full of cavities are themselves finding a yawning gap between their sartorial strictures and the trends of the times. So, what they want now is to drill some frill into their antiquated attire. It's a demand rule makers will have to chew on, even if in the case of some veterans this job may have to be performed by implant-embedded jaws instead of original gums. The idea's actually got bite. For, new couture could do for budding dentists what an orthodontist does to oral sockets embarked upon the route -- rather root -- of shedding. It could lend more polish if not a cutting edge to the wannabe tooth doctors. Who knows, discarding suits may actually turn them into more suit-able boys and girls, as far as the glam quotient goes. A style change may not facilitate their grasp of the nuances of scaling, but it could surely push up their ratings on the hotness scale. It needn't enhance their comprehension of root canal procedures, but it could have the opposite sex rooting for them. So, down with apparel that lowers the chances of those who dress up enamel. But it may not be easy for aesthetics and academics to meet. Not if the detractors of denim have their way. For them, dress code is all about decorum. Western wardrobes and proximity to patients, this situational blend involving doctoral bend just doesn't fit in with their ideas. Well, what if haute couture actually becomes conducive to patient participation? If plunging necklines and visible waistlines could leave caries-ridden mouths gaping, where would be the need for syringes and saliva suckers to pry open the cavernous holes? The patients' propensity to glare wide-mouthed could actually expand in direct proportion to the slinkiness of sartorial expression. Just think -- a makeover could achieve naturally what a dentist's entire repertoire of mouth-excavating apparatus has to struggle for. It's a thought that would entail intellectual tweaking which may not be to the taste of the morality mavens inhabiting academia. As Leonard Woolf points out, "The grinding of intellect is for most people as painful as a dentist's drill." chetnabanerjee@tribunemail.com
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Matka chowk
When we moved to Chandigarh, we thought it was great to have a huge khaali zameen next to our house. It held promises of better breeze, proximity to less concrete and a semi-scenic view. We have since then radically altered our view.
An empty plot has its own problems. For example, the owner feels it is a waste of money to take care of it and after the rains it has started to look like a tropical forest – with weeds that seem to be on steroids. My daughter saw a mongoose run through it. If there are mongooses, can the snakes be far behind? It is also the dog-walking park of the neighbourhood. Dogs of all shapes and sizes are usually leaping around the thickets and mistakenly run into our house when chased by the resident rodents – maybe. The street dogs – the ones that are brave enough — venture into it at night and rustle up some bizarre night-time singing much to our displeasure! In winter, things were so bad, that I almost decided to collect rocks on my roofs for handy pelting at night. It is also becoming a secondary dump-yard for many residents who have little imagination when it comes to disposing unusual garbage. Some mornings, we see some curious objects reposing there – like enormous and very old iron trunks. Sometimes, half a dining table or ceiling fan, sometimes, a worn bookshelf with books still on it. I had to exert real self-control to stop myself from taking a peek at those books! All the neighbours are indignant about the zameen, but the non-resident owner of the land is blissfully oblivious. I had suggested pooling in money to get the land cleared, but that was apparently not a good idea. There was a time when his man came to clear the zameen, but he must have, like so many others here, gone to Canada! Sometimes, late at night, I look out of the window and see the tall grass swinging and the half moon throwing diffused shadows on the angular growth and the world looks half-real. My neigbour’s maid even told me the story of how Lilliputian-like little people actually live under the zameen and one of them was once brought up and died within a few seconds. She even goes and lights a diya there every Saturday so that she would not be sucked into the underworld herself! It has however helped us in giving direction to our house to people: “The white house on the left side; you will see a big khaali zameen next to it.” The way, the khaali zameens are getting constructed on these days in the city, it is a pretty reliable landmark. |
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The second annual August Carnival at Shivalikview, Sector17, promises more than just a shopping experience. With 50 participants from across the country, the ‘bazaar with a cause’ offers something for everyone. You can pick on artificial jewellery, home accessories, western and Indian wear, fashion accessories, designer rakhis and much more.
On display are home accessories in metal with imitation gold work by Delhi-based A.R.Creations. You can pick lampshades, candle stands, coasters and photo frames (Rs 550 onwards) from here. A stall from a Delhi-based designer offers T-shirts in metallic colours with western cuts and fits (Rs 495 onwards). Check out tunics, suits, bags, and wallets at a stall by Kairi. For those in love with tussar, a stall by a Kolkatta participant with tussar saris, suits and duppattas (Rs 3,500 onwards) is a must stop. On display in vibrant colours are gift tags, carry bags, envelopes and more by S.N.Arts. Knick-knacks for children, bags, stoles, trousseau packing, pearls and beads are some other things on offer. You can break your shopping spree and bite into brownies, nut bars and chocolate cookies at one of the stalls. —TNS On till Sunday |
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Ten-year-old Kunall Banerjee loves interacting with nature and his love finds an expression in his paintings. Using water-colour, dry pastels and oil pastels, he has come up with 45 paintings, which are on display at a one-day exhibition at Hotel Aroma-22. “Though I started painting at eight, these works were done during the past two years,” says Kunall. While bright colours attract this student of DPS, Chandigarh, he does dabble his hands in monochrome paintings and pencil sketches too. His personal favourite is oil pastels for ‘the glow and dream-like feel it imparts to a painting’. What about forms? “I have no problem drawing any figures or forms except for animals. They are really tough to draw,” says Kunall.
—TNS |
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Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell might star in the new season of television series Lost. The 27-year-old actress is reportedly in talks with the show bosses to play a new character called Charlotte in the castaways’ caper. It seem that the actress is going to have a blast of a time shooting in Hawaii, for her character will potentially be a series regular for next season. — ANI
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They’ve played the ‘unsung heroes’ of the home for long — dusting paintings, running after maids, chopping veggies and washing nappies. Enjoyment knocks on their living room’s door, but only when some soap pops up on telly screens. And, they can’t even watch those in peace for fear of being labelled
bhenjis! Independence can surely mean more than that. Here’s how:
Until recently, the only books available for teenagers were by foreign authors. Now few Indian writers are showing confidence to challenge their authority. Harry Potter today is more than a child's hero, he is a brand name. With globalisation, Indian authors are getting confident and publishers too are acknowledging it. Dutt believes there has always been a slot for Indian writers, because they are primarily coming out with books full of illustrations for kids.