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Art of Winning With girls having a clear majority on campus, PU elections have a lot to do with wooing the girl brigade be it through looks, smiles or sporting brands. Purva Grover chats up the budding leaders
Hockey sticks, pleasant smiles, free movie tickets, polite conversations, campaign rallies, blame games, long speeches, deferring rules, shouting slogans, pasting stickers, placing banners...is this all to Panjab University elections? Perhaps not, as we discover on our visit to the campus. It is a lot to do with getting portfolios clicked, visiting spas (not many admit to this), regular shopping sprees, turning down proposals and more. With elections round the corner, we peep into what it takes to contest an election in PU. For a few thousands, city-based studios give you a glowing touch. Gurudev-17, Roshan-9 and Capital-22 are where budding leaders head to for their photo shoots. A single picture can cost anywhere between Rs 1,100 and Rs 2,600. And well you got to look good for your posters will be the university’s new adornment. Dalvir SinghGoldy, the outgoing president got his pictures clicked for Rs 700 from Gurudev. Harpreet Singh Multani, presidential candidate-SOPU spent Rs 2,500 at Roshan. Abhishek Puri, presidential candidate-PUSU got his from Capital for Rs 2,000. Says ex-president and a senate member, Malwinder Singh Kang, “I used my passport size picture for the posters.” But the Gen-X candidates feel that if photographic skills can give the pic a perfect touch, then why not?” We agree.
Once looking good on the posters is done, the candidates redo their wardrobe. For, these young guns want to look smart, fashionable and chic each day. Their fave brand for shirts is Arrow. Goldy remembers purchasing a fine Arrow shirt in green for the Open House. Always seen around in formal wear, he says, “ I thought I looked good in formals so I stuck to them the whole year round.” And, well he even wears the right perfume too. Multani has already picked on his four favourite shirts for the days ahead. Abhishek too tends to stick to Arrow. As for Kang, the concept of shopping for elections is alien. His fans on the campus say, “Kang looked good in casuals as well as his trademark kurta pyjama.” “Seediyan unke liye bani hai, jinhe chhat par jana hai, baadlon pe hai jinki nazar, unhe rasta khud banana hai”, says Vijay Chauhan, univ’s speech guru. Pursuing his Ph.D, Chauhan remembers training, guiding and advising leaders. His elements for an ideal speech — right expression, duration varying between 10-30 minutes, lot of josh, body language and a krantikari touch. Well, give him 10 minutes each day a week and come back charged. Says Chauhan, “I don’t help much in penning down the speech but in narration.” Dressed to kill and an eloquent speaker, this girl charmer brigade of candidates is sure to draw attention. But, the DTK man will have to turn down proposals from all the soni kudis. Reason: the girl and boy ratio is 70: 30. Commitment to any one girl means no support from others. Laughs the candidates, “It is an accepted fact that votes from girls hostels count the most and one has to say no to the proposals.” Does that mean open flirting with one and all? “No”, they say in unison. Well, now who said contesting for an election was easy? purva@tribunemail.com
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The city municipal corporation is trying to put the bite on the residents, at least by imposing dog tax, writes Saurabh Malik Its canine laws now ask you to scoop up your doggie’s excreta before disposing it of in special bins to be placed along the roadside. Nothing wrong with it, but while you are picking up your dog’s crap, that child from your not-so-friendly slum area is defecating in the public. That’s more hazardous and can contribute to the spreading of so many diseases, but then who’s bothered about it. Otherwise also it may be embarrassing for you, but in the absence of proper enforcement of law, guys in the city can continue to drop their drawers and water the trees in public squares, blatantly. But you, as a dog owner, will be fined as much as Rs 500 if your best friend does the “big No.2” in a public place and you do not pick it up. You know it’s crazy. In most other countries, it’s the other way round. “You are proceeded against if you pull your car off the kerb before rushing to the nearest tree for relieving yourself,” says avid traveller-cum-business manager with a multinational Varun Kathuria. “This is not all. Defecating in public is a big no, even for the homeless.” Quoting an example, he says: Calgary City Council in Canada passed a public behaviour bylaw sometime last year. The bylaw makes it illegal to spit, fight, carry a sheath knife, urinate or defecate in public or even to put one’s feet up on public property. The fine ranges between $50 and $300. Out here the laws are not that stringent. And even if they are, the law enforcement agencies prefer to nap over the matter. Public toilets in most markets are stinking and out of form. In fact, most people prefer walking up to a tree, than going to a public loo in the city. “Well, I am not building up an argument in favour of dog owners, who prefer to leave behind the excreta on the footpath. All I am trying to say is that the MC should have its priorities right,” Varun clarifies. “They may enforce the `dog bylaws’, but before that they should use their resources to proceed against those defecating and urinating in public, for maintenance of complete hygiene”. Agreed, but then there’s another issue that’s left Varun and so many others completely baffled. The `dog bylaws’ limit the number of dogs to two per floor. For keeping an additional pet on the same floor, you have to pay a dog tax of Rs 1,000. “Now what does this mean,” questions pet lover Radhika Sharma “If more than two dogs per floor can be problematic, how can an additional payment of Rs 1,000 solve the issue? You can either have three dogs per floor without creating unsanitary conditions, or you can’t have them. How can money make the difference?” After listening to them, it seems the corporation is trying to put the bite on the people at least by imposing dog tax!
saurabh@tribunemail.com |
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Fun &
frolic @ peanuts Your child is all excited about his upcoming birthday and it is leaving you tense. For, your budget this year is tight and you can’t spend a fortune on the bash. But then, you want to make the day special and memorable for your little one. We’ll tell you how but before you get going, run through this thumb rule — a sense of involvement, lots of colour and a unique imprint spells a perfect and budget-friendly birthday party. Plan a theme Let the child and his friends decided the theme. Krissh, Harry Potter, Barbie, Power Puff girls, Dhoom… Remember a child would be happier wearing a Krissh mask than swinging to the Arabian Nights theme picked up by your highflying event manager. Next, let them decide on the props for the décor. How about a collage of all his fave sport stars and using sports gear as decoration? Invites made easy Call home the entire cousin brigade and once they are done with playing, giggling and eating, hand them over a box of colours and sheets. If they can’t draw, let them make paper airplanes or boats and jot down party details on these. If your child is learning to use the PC, encourage him to create cards using clip art. Tiny-tots can help fix stickers on to the invites. Dramatic decor Keep the décor simple, colourful and fun. If you have a garden, organise the party outdoors. Use crepe paper to make buntings and hang them from trees or drape them around plants. Make flowers out of bright tissue paper. Fetch gas balloons from the market and a couple of stones from the park. Now tie the string of the balloon to the stone and see them sway in the breeze all evening. You could also use playing cards, glow-in-the-dark rubber balls, temporary tattoos and pictures cut from magazines. Games kids play Plan a whole lot of fun activities. Paper dance, balloon fight, pin the donkey’s tail, passing the parcel, memory ... the more the better. Don’t forget to give the birthday child some responsibility; he will appreciate it more if he puts some effort into it. Time to munch Cake, soft drinks and sweets are all the bunch of brats may seem to want. Bake a cake at home (if that’s not your forte, try the ready mixes), whip some cream and let your imagination do the rest. We suggest colourful gems and sparkler candles. Keep the menu simple – offer stuff that’s not allowed at home like sandwiches, French fries, noodles, chips, Kurkure and cream biscuits. Return gifts Be different. Don’t bother with the usual pencil-eraser-sweet packets or expensive personalised gifts. Get earthern gulaks and paint them in bright colours. Or take down the e-mail address of the invitees and mail them party pictures. Trust us, the kids will be overjoyed to see themselves on screen. Who knows they might actually return a few years later to thank you for the digitalised memories. Smart ideas Run through these ideas and plan
happy celebrations on a shoestring budget: Games
Broken Down Car Race: Each child
plays a part of a car with a problem and runs the race like that. Say, a
stuck horn or wipers that won’t stop moving. Spoon Relay: A
relay race where you transport water from a bowl to a glass. Fill it up
and win. Food
Stop and go
light: Get cxrackers or plain/ salted biscuits. Break them in fourths,
spread peanut butter on and add red yellow and green candies. Sweet
pizza: Melt some chocolate on pizza base. Decorate it with gems,
sweets or colourful sugar coated saunf.
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Youth speak Adolescence, the age between 13 to 19 years, is one of the most crucial periods of one’s life. This is the time when one decides about their future. This is the time when one wants to be at the top of the world, wants to do something different, and wants to prove themselves right. This stage determines a person’s future life, as it is actually the preparation ground of one’s life. It feels as if whatever we do is right and what our elders say is wrong. We want to live life in our own way without anyone’s interference. There is a complete change in our mental state and our thinking ability. Our minds run faster than time and we want to explore new things, new ideas and much more. Our views about life change. We want to influence everyone by our ideas. We start seeing life from a broader perspective. Relationships start holding a different meaning for us. We want to conquer all the happiness and want to remove all the tensions, stress, unhappiness and sadness. We want to create our own separate world. This is the time when we can proceed in the right direction and reach our decided destinations, conquering all odds of our life and keeping aside things taking us away from our dreams. This is the time when we can light our future by fulfilling our dreams or we can take our future into darkness by going off track from our
goals. Feel strongly about something? If you are under 25, this is the forum for you. Mail us your views in not more than
300 words along with a passport photograph at lifestyletribune@gmail.com |
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New releases Director: Indra Kumar Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Aashish Chowdhary, Javed Jaffery After Masti and Pyare Mohan, Indra Kumar is back with comedy again, this time with Sanjay Dutt. The man who once gave hits like Dil, Beta, Raj and Ishq, wanted to go back to his emotional and romantic stories but his children forced him into comedy. The film is a fun-on-the-run story. Sanjay is after the life of four lovable and foolish smalltime conmen — Arshad, Aashish Chowdhary, Reitesh Deshmukh and Javed Jaffrey — who find themselves in an uncanny situation one after the other. While Reitesh believes that he was born to be the best detective in the world, Javed is blissfully unaware about his intelligence. Javed’s elder brother Arshad has half knowledge about everything and provides expertise to this group. Aashish’s greatest fear is his Darling, let’s do some Dhamaal!
Darling
Staring: Fardeen Khan, Esha Deol, Isha Kopikkar, Zakir Hussain, Nisha Kothari It is a ghost story, but not the typical, scary types. For Aditya (Fardeen), office affairs are just another perk he enjoys, with no strings attached. But when he beds colleague Gita (Esha), he has no clue what a deadly mess he’ll find himself in. Aditya is living every man’s dream — he’s got a beautiful, traditional wife (Isha) at home and a stunning wildcat girlfriend at work. Balancing the two women with clever lies, he gets to experience the best of both worlds. The going is good; till his girlfriend shocks him with the news that she is pregnant. Aditya is cornered. He has to confess to her that he cannot leave his wife as he has been promising her all along. His girlfriend is devastated. She flies into a rage. A brutal fight ensues, in which she accidentally dies. Terrified, Aditya disposes off her body and returns home, thinking that the worst is behind him. But he couldn’t be more wrong. For the nightmare has only just begun. His wild girlfriend is back as a ghost. And she will stop at nothing till she gets her revenge… The fun begins when Esha’s ghost, still in love with Fardeen, enters Isha Koppikar’s body. Aditya’s pretty, homely wife blames stress and tension for her husband’s strange behaviour. Showing at: Fun Republic, Neelam |
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From bulky to chic CEOs, executives or freshers, have your pick from the smart, classy bags designed for your busy schedule Da Milano’s business collection is for the corporate men looking for maximum organisation and simplistic style. You can pick bags in matt, antique and buff leather. The most expensive in the current range is the matt leather portfolio bag for Rs 8,995. Also available are Italian and crocodile prints. “The new lightweight and slim briefcase continues to be a fave with quite a few city workholics,” tells William, manager, Da Milano-17. While, blacks and browns are the favourites, the brand has a handful in reds, greens and blues. One can even get a trolley attachment with the bags, ideal for those on the move. The range starts from Rs 4,000 onwards. Enter the boardroom with confidence and élan with HiDesign’s collection. Says Kiran, manager, HiDesign at Taj-17, ” Men are now buying colours beyond regular blacks and browns.” The fresh range of colours include honey, shades of tan and olive. For a casual look, you can go in for bags with short or long flaps. Suede, canvas and cotton is used as lining in the bags. Backpacks are a rage with the young working class. Single or double buckle laptop bags too are popular. The range here falls between Rs 4,000 and Rs 7,000. If you are looking for an affordable option, then the Poison series of VIP is the right choice for a business meeting. Priced at Rs 1,500, the range includes single and double gasket satchels. A pure leather overnighter laptop bags has space for your files, laptop and a change for the night. “And, if you need more space, then unzip the bag and it gives you another two inches, “ explains Aman, manager, VIP-17. More on leather is at Ebony-9. On offer here are Jane Shilton and Bombay Maid laptop bags, falling in the range between Rs 2,000 and Rs 6,000. If leather is not your choice, then pick up bags in nylon fabrics for Rs 2,500 onwards. For the young working class riding a bike to office, there are backpacks in nylon fabrics. If it is the rich look that appeals to you, then go in for Delsey’s briefcase with gold plating, a pure leather or wood handle and neat leather trimming. The scratch resistant range in shades of browns, beiges and blacks comes at Rs 2800 onwards. A few bags come with hidden pockets reserved for your credit cards and cheques. purva@tribunemail.com Bag it right!
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Big, fat Punjabi wedding
Punjabis with a robust penchant for perfection can raise a peg to this (Patiala peg, do we need to mention?). For, the flavour of the big fat Punjabi weddings has really caught on, and how! Move over richie-rich North Indian NRIs shelling envious moolah over Page 3 weddings. Our homegrown Punjabis could actually give some competition to Chatwals and Subroto Roy, provided you’re willing to shell around Rs 5lakh on, say, your wedding sangeet or Rs 3lakh on adding that little zing n’ zoom to your company’s much-awaited corporate event. And wait, there’s some solace for the clan of brooding relatives who won’t make it to their loved ones’ wedding — all they’ll need to do to is log on to the Internet and whoa — they can experience wedding revelry! All this awaits Punjabis, thanks to the Canadian show-makers ‘The Flick,’ setting up shop in town. The company, after planning weddings in Canada for four years (including a 100,000 Canadian-dollar wedding), is now launching its operations in India. “We’ve got other cities in the pipeline, but will enter these after assessing our response in Chandigarh,” informs the company’s CEO Gursimran Bhullar. Avers Shivani Sivakhi, director operations, The Flick-India, “Right from invitations, venue, catering, florals, décor, performers, guest lists, security and wedding photographs, we’ll customise everything. Networking being our USP, we can get anything for you — flowers from Amsterdam or a chef from Morocco!” And well, this is not all that these new wedding-planners on the block are offering. “ We’ll jump into product launches, expos, celebrity management and luxe glamping,” chirps the company’s director, Julia Hughes. However, with so many regional event managers having jumped on to the wedding bandwagon, how do they plan to compete? Informs Bhullar, “Survival of the fittest remains our mantra. So, we’ll just cater to the extremely high-end, swish segment of the region. We plan to organise 30-50 weddings a year and each pre-wedding bash could cost much more than 5 to 6lakh.” Considering that we Punjabis won’t be content with less than four pre-wedding functions, doesn’t it come out to be really expensive? Yup then exclusivity comes with a price tag, doesn’t it?
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Sitting in your hairdresser’s chair just got stylish, classier and costlier, Anandita Gupta finds out
A unisex saloon, Head Masters- 8 was set up a decade back with eight people on 800 sq foot area. Avers Pramod Dewan, managing director, “Today, we have 15,000 sq feet of area and 120 staffers.” Come October and they will relaunch themselves as India’s largest hair salon. A four-storey Hair and Beauty Mall, entire floors will be dedicated to tattoos, nails, hair care, scalp care, hair bonding and more.
Fancy & Pricey Tress Lounge-8: Hair spas: Rs 750, Amenixal treatments: Rs 15,000-20,000 Tocado-8, Panchkula: Haircuts: Rs 350-500, Rebonding: Rs 5,000, Protein-based straightening therapy: Rs 7,000, Hair fall treatments: Rs 6,000-10,000. Sylvies-11: Rebonding: Rs 8,000 onwards. Strands-35: Haircut: Rs 300-400, Hair colouring: Rs 1,500, Rebonding: Rs 4,500 onwards, Straightening: Rs 3000, 40-day anti hair loss treatments: Rs 5,500 and perming at Rs 10,000. Botanical hair spas: Rs 700-1,500 per sitting. Highlights/ lowlights: Rs 4,000 and 8,000. La Coiffure, NAC: Fill and seal hair spa, protein & seramine enhancement, anti-dandruff, fortifying and intensive smoothening treatments: Between Rs 600-1800, per sitting. “We’ve tied up with US firms like Pevonia Botanica and Richfeel,” says Dewan. Says Naunihal Singh, manager, Strands-35, “Attitudes are changing fast. One doesn’t really have to be paparazzi fodder to want that professionally done up look. In fact, most of our expensive hair pampering has a lot more to do with normal hair care rather than fancy functions.” Detecting your problems with a scanner is La Coiffure, NAC. They offer a variety of hair enhancing spas and treatments costing between Rs 600- 1500 a sitting. Says Munish Bajaj, Tress Lounge-8, “People have realised how a change in looks can make them look younger and attractive, so they don’t mind spending on it.” But is forking over so much for a haircut justified? Muses Shivraj Nakai, Tocado-8, Panchkula, “Consumer is the king today and he wants the best of everything. That explains our setting up a 1,600 sq feet spacious, lounge-like salon.” No wonder, all this comes at a price. Reasons Dewan, “Salaries of hair experts have shot up around ten times than what they were a decade back. Today, a hair dresser charges anything from Rs 20,000 to 45,000.” Agrees Manav Mehra, Sylvies-11, “We use the best of technology and have a team of experts, so it is justified if our services cost as high as Rs 35,000.” Well, seems like city’s hair-obsessed crème de la crème now has more reasons to splurge!
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SIDELANES
Baba used to go out hunting with Tony at the Bir in Hisar. As my sister and I plugged our ears against the impending explosions of the double barrels, the two friends waited behind rocks, sighting the deer that flew past on winged hooves. When a shot brought down an animal, we shared the meat. It was dark, fibrous, fat-less, dry and unlike the succulent chicken and mutton bought from the gosht dukaan. Six decades ago, when a government servant’s salary ranged between Rs 450 and 700 and the game was abundant, shikaar was a “man thing” and legit food for the table. The head was stuffed and put on the wall. The skin was cured and put on the floor or across the sofa back, where it crackled and punctured our shoulders and vertebrae as the house smelt of death and oily fur. While gardening near the front door, a barasingha bust, antlers and all, landed on my head. They say I have never been the same again. Binny and I hated shikaar meat. It was produced at every meal for the sake of protein and growing children. Whatever its end product — kebabs, soolas, steaks, biltong, achaar —brined, stewed or souped — it invariably tasted awful. We struck our spoons in protest and became eggetarian, fish fans. As an Army wife, I tried to keep the windowsills and ledges clean in our minimal MES apartment. Pigeons and their goo foiled all my attempts at a sweet smelling abode. So, an air gun and a 50-paisa reward per bird motivated the boys into eliminating them. I made martbaans of pigeon achaar. After play, my sons helped themselves to whole, pickled birds. Both boys have strong bones and are healthy and very tall. The days of my childhood and youth are history. Salaries have gone up and the animals have come down. Well thought out but ineffective laws “protect” them. But the “man thing” continues. In Goa tourists can order any kind of meat, provided two days advance notice is given. I am sure this is true of all our tourist spots. Poaching and hunting is rampant. Sand grouse, bustards, grenaded fish can be had wherever the Army bunkers in. They have done such a marvelous job on tree planting that wildlife conservation should also be allocated to them. It was a “man thing” when Saif, Salman and Co. shot chinkaras. It was a “woman thing” when Preity, Sonali and Co. daintily picked up the lip-smacking kebabs and soolas and made their heroes feel ten feet tall. All children need to flap their wings till they fall to the ground. I am told Papa Pataudi has slimmed down, grown delicate horns, and hides in the safest place of all — amongst the Bishnois. Our ever lovely Sharmila, in ghagra choli, ministers to his needs in the same village. Why is Salman out on bail within a couple of days well spent in the clink? Give him a month and he will be terrified of chinkaras. My heart bleeds for the tattu carrying the huge Dutt scion on his SOS pilgrimage. Fear and changing circumstances often cleanse our souls and turn us into the stars we thought we were. |
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Setting the stage on fire A weeklong theatrical treat for city art lovers
The annual theatre bonanza, seventh in the series, is being organised by the North Central Zonal Cultural Centre, Allahabad, North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala and the Department of Public Relations and Cultural Affairs, Haryana. Seven acclaimed theatre groups led by thespians like Bansi Kaul, Rohini Hattangady, S. M. Azhar Alam, Umesh Kant and others representing seven different states will showcase their talent. Jaanch Padtaal The festival opens with Sanjay Sahay’s Hindi adaptation of Nikolei Gogol’s play The Government Inspector staged over 300 times in India and abroad by a US-based group called Naatak. The play based on the story of a fraudulent city mayor, his greedy second wife, clever daughter and sycophant associates, brings into sharp focus the hypocrisy, perfidy and administrative lapses prevalent in any governance or organisation worth the name from the times immemorial. Sanjay employs his directorial competence to attempt certain aberrations suiting to Indian milieu. On September 7 Poster The play will be presented by The Performers, Udaipur, under the direction of Layak Hussain. It is a reflection of the struggles of dedicated but subjugated low caste workers. Destined for the hellish living at the mercy of the affulent landlords they accept it their condition as will of God. But the dictates in Poster brought by a lady offers a ray of hope to get their lives transformed through a cohesive effort. On September 8 Kanyadaan The sociological aspects of symbolic meanings and social realities tend to find their true expression in this literary creation of Vijay Tendulakar. To be staged by Darpan, Lucknow, under the direction of Urmil Kumar Thapial, the play revolves round the life of a young educated and idealistic, Jyoti, daughter of a socio political figure who marries a Dalit writer Arun Athawale. Play depicts the conflict between the idealistic approach and practical implementation of an ideology in the real life. On September 9 Prashan Chinn? Presented by Little Thespian, Kolkatta, is a synthesis of the crass communal divide generated by political brutes to grind their axe which had been an age-old practice and holds contemporary relevance. Perturbed at the Gujarat riots, playwright Ismail Choonara had brought alive certain explosive truths which find their true illustration under the directorial elegance of Dr S. M. Azhar Alam of West Bengal. On September 10 Hayvadan The local theatre group Sandli Piran Kala Kendra will stage Girish Karnad’s classic play. A theatrical adaptation by B.V. Karanth, the play depicts the internal conflicts of heart and mind, conscious and subconscious besides reality and fantasy. It has got the Shiromani Natak Kar Award and Balraj Sahni National Award. Noted theatre person Umesh Kant will direct the play. On September 11 Seedi Dar Seedi Urf Tukke Pe Tukka A masterpiece of theatrical elegance by Bansi Kaul, an NSD alumnus is a production of the Rang Vidushak Bhopal, making waves since 1990. The concept and treatment weaved in a hilarious comedy form hints at the governance pattern where the unqualified and incompetent incumbents can hold top positions. On September 12 Aparajita The concluding presentation from Mumbai-based Kalashray provides the grand finale to the festival. The star attraction will be the performance of Bollywood actress Rohini Hattangady, who portrays the protagonist in the play. The play, directed by Jayadev Hattangady, depicts the dilemma of a simple yet talented woman who is being exploited and betrayed by her own family. On September 13 All plays start at 6.30 p.m.
at Tagore Theatre
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Rising Star
“Surviving as just a theatre artiste is indeed difficult especially when a city like Chandigarh has no tradition of professional theatre,” opines the well-known stage actor Suvinder Pal. “But the professional training, versatility and adaptability to all types of roles and theatre forms, including the street genre, keeps you afloat despite little financial gains. There is no dearth of talent in the city but there is no patronage,” he adds. The theatre bug had bitten him when he played the role of Guru in Andher Nagri... when he was still in his school days. Later, he did his post-graduation in theatrical art from the Department of Theatre and Television, Punjabi University. However, recognition came to him with his lead roles in Kanak di Balli and Chpra Kamaal Naukar Jamaal under the direction of Suneeta Dheer and Navnindra Bahl, respectively. Having worked with top directors like Gursharan Singh, Jaspal Bhatti, Umesh Kant, Sahib Singh, Amrohi and others, Suvinder won important roles in TV serials like Professor Maniplant, Full Tension, Vansh, Hostel – Ek zindagi, Do Akalgarh, Rano, Navin Musibatayi, Tutan Wala Khuh, Saude Dilan De, Shadilal Bicholia, Jivan Sathi and Bulle Shah. He played a friend of Gurdas Mann who turned a terrorist in bilingual film Des Hoya Pardes and a police inspector in Rustam-e-Hind besides childrens’ film called Chhu le Aasman and another Hindi film Khushboo. Representing the Punjab folk theatre at a twelve-day workshop held at Bergschellien, Vieana in 1999 was rejuvenating for him. “My production Mirza Sahiban won acclaim. As a full-time professional theatre artiste and scriptwriter, back home I owe my success to my Gursharan Kaur who is an artist,” signs off Suvinder Pal.
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Language no bar This Karnataka-born and bred man was in an unhappy situation when he joined Government College of Girls–42 about four years back. “As majority of my students came from the interiors in Punjab, they had difficulty in understanding a lecture in English. So to reach out to them, I had no other option but to learn the language, first to speak and then to read and write. And I found such richness in this language that I got hooked,” he elaborates. His learning methodology is even more interesting than his teaching methodology. “I started speaking with the children in my neighbourhood to increase my vocabulary as well as to get fluency.” The next stage was to listen to Punjabi programmes on DD Punjabi. Pandit Rao, who wants to propagate Jidu Krishnamurty’s teaching methodology, feels Punjabi as a language needs to be taken seriously. “In Kannada, nine writers have won Jnanpith awards, but in Punjabi only two of them have so far. People here are moving away from their mother tongue,” he says. So to lure them back, Pandit Rao is teaching Punjabi to children from nearby villages. He is, in fact, giving his students a stipend of Rs 200 to keep them going with their learning process. “Many people approach me to learn English, but I want to teach only Punjabi,” says this lecturer of sociology. Encouraged by his booklet of Punjabi poetry called Main Ton Main Han, Pandit Rao is now busy with his next book, which is based on the folklore of Nanak Chera at Bidar in Karnataka. “It is in the final stage and is expected to hit the market in a couple of months.” Ask him what about what is it about Punjabis that appeals to him besides their language and his face beams with joy — “ Right from their food to culture, everything is robust about them that the feeling transcends all man-made barriers and unites everyone in happiness.” Here is something to sing to a happy
tune. parbina@tribunemail.com |
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After being in marriage-video business for 12 years now, Vikas Arora, leader of The Team, is all equipped to step ahead of time – with the latest technology to assist him in his endeavour. “There was a time when marriage videos were made with poor quality cameras by poorly trained cameraman. Now with the scene changing for the better, we are trying to stay ahead of time by investing in the latest equipments,” says Vikas who has been in the field of photography for the past 45 years. He has acquired Sony PD-170 cameras, which are used for making of television serials. The most important thing that The Team does everything, right from shooting to editing to presenting the final product, under one roof. The team has a valid reason for such investments. “City residents are really waking up to the trend of shooting marriage videos which look like straight out of a Bollywood film. So much so that they are willing to part with huge amounts like Rs 4 to 5 lakh on it,” he said. Vikas and his brother Naveen Arora have also been making documentaries and events.
— TNS |
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Teachers’ day out
The St. John’s Old Boys Association (SJOBA) felicitated their former teachers and hosted a special lunch in their honour on Teachers Day. The celebration, held at Moti Mahal, Sector 17, was attended by school principal Kavita Das and the staff. SJOBA was represented by Navpreet Singh Aujla. Further, Taj Chandigarh hosted a special lunch on the ocassion. Cakes were sent to several city schools in the morning and teachers were invited to lunch at a special discount.
— TNS
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Exhi-Watch
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He’s one of the hottest stars in town, but Brad Pitt is worried that he’s already losing his famous good looks, now that he’s crossed the 40-year mark. The actor admits that one thing that “sucks” about hitting 40, is that you start to lose your looks. “Your face kind of goes and your body is not quite working the same.” — ANI
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Wearing high heel shoes or cow boy boots causes sustained shortening of the calf muscle leading to calf pain or cramps. — Dr Ravinder Chadha |
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TAROT TALK
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The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has come out with a scoop. 
Balloon Hoppers: Place balloons in the middle, give children a
plastic bag and play the music. They race to collect maximum number of
balloons before the music stops. 
Ice-cream soda: 
Director: Ram Gopal Varma
Sometimes back, the workingmen brigade would envy the women at work. Reason, the corporate women would carry a smart, chic bag each day and at times even match it with their outfits. And, the men were stuck with the bulky briefcase in regular boring colours. But, not any more, for now, even men can make an impressive statement at work. On offer by various brands is a huge range of laptop bags, briefcases, portfolio bags and backpacks. 
A five-star ambience, high-fi technology, a team of experts, soothing music, coffee table books...visiting a city salon is an experience of a kind. The tricity is flooded with swish hair salons that offer your hair the priciest of pampering on a fancy platter. We scour the city to select a few salons, where scissors spell suave style and more.
Except theatre, no other art form can initiate a social or political dialogue and involve the masses instantly. The city art lovers will experience most innovative, vibrant and entrancing theatre performances for a week in the forthcoming Rashtriya Natya Utsav, (National Theatre Festival-2007) starting September 7 at Tagore. 
What does one do when placed on an alien environment and asked to teach a bunch of kids who speak nothing else but Punjabi? To start with, the teacher becomes a student and learns the language, just enough to strike an effective conversation. But not in Pandit Rao Dharenavar, popularly known as Pandit Rao’s case. He goes one step further, not just learn spoken Punjabi but learn to write as well. And for the past six months he has been doing precisely that — writing in all major Punjabi dailies to popularise modern teaching methodology. What’s more, he is now writing poems in Punjabi too.
If it is gaudy colours and flashy work that you like, then this is not for you. The two-day exhibition at Saanjh in Sector 9 is all about sober colours and delicate intricate work. A semi-formal evening collection for women in the age group of 25 to 40 years, it is a blend of block work, machine and hand embroidery. There is chanderi silk from MP, dabu printing from Jaipur, handlooms from Bikaner, tussar from Bhagalpur besides matka silk, crepes, silk cotton and georgette. Says
Bhavneet, the designer, “I have played with stones, sequins and beads, yet keeping it minimal to add just the right kind of shimmer.” Embroidery with resham threads, French knots and block prints define her semi-formal evening wear. As for colours, you will find a lot of greens and blues. Says
Bhavneet, “These are the two colours that will rule this season. And, then there is the all-time favourite pink.” The range falls in between Rs 1,400 and Rs 2,500.
— TNS
ARIES: The Knight of Swords instigates you to be skillful and clever in work situations. Begin making better use of your time. On the relationship front, things are totally breezy; you may find yourself worrying about your mate’s health. Lucky colour: White. Tip of the week: Avoid frictions with business partners.
LIBRA: Your card Judgement is reversed so be careful not to let public opinion go against you. You are able to stand up for yourself with courage in difficult situations at home and work. Lucky colour: Saffron. Tip: Do what is right and watch your interests.
TAURUS: Your card The Princess of Cups manages to maintain clarity in complicated work situations. Schedule a medical check-up and don’t fret over debts. A female colleague is difficult. Tread cautiously in career and business matters. Lucky colour: Orange. Tip: Take one step at a time.
SCORPIO: Everything in life will seem more fortunate as Ace of Wand is positive. Close colleagues will appreciate your inputs. You tend to dream the impossible dream this week. Listening to advice on Wednesday. Lucky colour: Lotus pink. Tip: Take limited risks with you capital.
GEMINI: Four of Wands advises you not to have any truck with a Capricorn or Aquarius. A shopping spree can set your budget aflutter. There is no room for wasting time at work. Meditation takes you to higher levels of consciousness. Lucky colour: Black. Tip: Results are guaranteed if you stick to arrangements.
SAGITTARIUS: The Hanged man shows tensions throughout the day. Don’t let yourself be upset by bad tongues. The health of a family member may be under suspicion. You find yourself hampered with delays on the work front. Lucky colour: Wine red. Tip: Beware of depleting your energy or resources on others.
CANCER: Your card The Moon says you gain balance and clarity in relationships. It also inspires you with a new vision and joy in your life. You spend lot of money on socialising on Sunday. There will be renovation or gain in property. Lucky Colour: Lime green. Tip: You need to take things slowly.
CAPRICORN: The Sun is the Lord of life and it shines on you to bring glory. Work will be hectic and there could be distractions. The Earth sign of Taurus will stand by you. Concentrate on the practical side of the things. A journey is on the cards. Lucky colour: Black. Tip: You shall prevent a lot of trouble by taking timely action.
LEO: Your card The Empress promises an encouraging a step and a period that will give you a better chance. Put your relationship on a new and more intimate basis. Friendship is indicated through happy working relationships. You may make mistakes on Monday. Lucky Colour: Lotus pink. Tip: Don’t be dismissive of advice from youthful origin.
AQUARIUS: Ace of Pentacles reveals the seed of prosperity and material gain. A new foundation from which to turn your dreams into reality. A work related journey proves fruitful. Responsibilities at home increase on Thursday. Lucky colour: Royal blue. Tip: Leave things open ended for best results.
VIRGO: You drawn The Ace of Wands and feel more lackadaisical, less focused and less energetic. Chance encounters open new possibilities in relationships, career or travel opportunities. Your interest in study may deepen. Lucky colour: Sky blue. Tip: Learn to rely on your intellectual abilities.
PISCES: You draw Six of Wands, which helps in professional work. Don’t get into argument with relatives. Student may need to go slow this week. Family situations will be generally peaceful and there will be spiritual activities in the family. Lucky colour: Blue. Tip: Be optimistic this week.