|
|
|
|
|
Ab PU kare padhai!
COME February and one knows that the university campus is a lot more than geris, hot sams, honking open gypsies and rajma chawal at Stu-C. One and all in the campus come together at this time of the year to announce that they are there to study! Ouch… sounds implausible, right? Well, all you need to do to believe the unbelievable is walk down the campus and watch it for yourself. Hmmm…Agreed that the month is that of romance but so is it of studies, and our university brigade knows that. An absolute revolution takes over their schedules — walking and sleeping hours, eating habits, hangout zones and yes, even group of friends change! Let’s track down their new schedules here.
Now, this is the only time of the year when the good ol’ Stu-C finds itself losing its popularity to the new fave hotspot – the Xerox shops. You just can’t avoid the bunch of students running from one shop to another in the hope of saving a 50 paisa and clearing the exams. Piles of sheets, books, notes (obtained from new best friends i.e. front-benchers, teacher’s pets and the padhakoo lot), sample papers and more. Now, not everyone is a topper, right? Talk of the next fave hangout zone and it’s the A.C. Joshi Library, called by this name only by the teachers and in the prospectus. As for students they call it the lib, the study hall or the air-conditioned room (with a change in weather many can be seen enjoying an afternoon siesta here). And what takes the cake? The christening of the outer hall (on the ground floor with a seating capacity of around 200) as the Swayamvar hall. Why? Cos’ anybody who’s ogled at his/her loved one from between the books here has later tied the knot with the beloved. Yes, it’s the Swayamvar hall where both love nurtures and toppers are born. But, then love can blossom only before the clock strikes 10, for after that the girls — hostlers or day scholars retire to their rooms. The textbook section on the ground floor and the other sections on the first and third floor close down at 10 at night. And as for the Swayamvar hall it is open 24 hours and one has to be really lucky to spot a girl here after 10 pm. So, what all goes on this ‘post 10 boy zone’, in addition to serious studies, attempts to study and pretension of studying! Yawning, snoring, staring into nothingness, making paper boats, SMS and more. As for the rules here, the first is to never leave your seat unguarded for even a mili-second, for there are many waiting outside for it. That explains, why guys carry with themselves bottles of water too. Nine-thirty is the time when many leave for dinner and return back at sharp 11. By 2 am only 1/4th of the really studious ones or those too sleepy to move category can be seen. Second, the dress code that rules here is track pants, shorts, pyjamas with bathroom slippers/chappals or floaters, after all it’s no fashion parade, people! And what keeps the ones outside the library entrance and near the Gandhi Bhawan busy? Well, these are ultimate destinations for group studies that run till wee-hours in the morning. Now, who said studying under the lamp-post is not fashionable! Okie, so who else gains out of this studying routine? Well, the parantha wala at the PGI and the Nescafe coffee counter near the library where students head for their hourly breaks. The caffeine helps one to stay awake and the paranthas as we all know is our all-time fave snack. Well, so all those who haven’t begun burning the midnight oil yet, it’s time to head to the library or the Gandhi Bhawan for some romance, studies and delicacies! purva@tribunemail.com
Mission Annual Exams. The long & short of it: Time: 11 p.m. Venue: A.C. Joshi library & around Aim: To Pass Tools: Notes, guides, textbooks Aids: Coffee, paranthas New best friends: Teachers’ pets & front-benchers |
|
Go ga-ga over gosht
For meat eaters, things cannot get better than this. Right from shammi kebabs to kebab nargizi to gosht biriyani — tried and tasted by generations of bawarchis and rakabdars of Awadh — are laid out to take connoisseurs on a different culinary trip.
Organised by UP Tourism in collaboration with CITCO, the festival brings to town seven traditional chefs from Lucknow, known for their expertise in blending spices and fine presentation. By presentation, we are not talking about the ambience or the layout here. For, the makeshift tent on the terrace of CITCO-run Mermaid has nothing to offer in terms of décor except for a few ‘fighter kites’. But the dishes do offer hope — they come with the right look, the right aroma and the right taste! Try out the kebab nargizi, actually one half of a hard boiled egg coated with mutton keema that comes with a textured gravy, and assorted kebabs like boti kebab, seekh kebab and shammi kebab which were on Friday’s menu along with rumali roti or parantha. For rice-eaters, the gosht biriyani cooked dum-style is a good choice. There are equally fancy cuisines for vegetarians too and Friday’s menu included kebab hariyali, paneer chandni, kebab pasand and wajidi pulao. UP Tourism joint director D.K. Burman, who is leading the team from Lucknow, tells us that the menu will change every day to accommodate different dishes. And guess what? If the marinade is ready in a day or two, they will even serve nahari, the chunk of mutton leg piece cooked in a thick, spicy gravy. Well, for Rs 270 per head, the price is a tad steep, but by the time you wash down the main course with a plate of makhan malai, you tend to forget the money part. And here is a piece of advice: Don’t ask them the spices they use. It’s a closely guarded family secret! On till March 3 |
|
Telly Tales FOOD, fashion or flicks, we love to imitate the West. And this story of inspiration and imitation does not end here. For, our telly ville and its inhabitants too are not far behind when it comes to getting influenced from the West. Recall the times when one and all would sit glued to the telly to catch the Bold and Beautiful or Baywatch. Later, Friends became the central part of the Indian viewers’ TV schedule. And anybody who could forecast the future of telly then, knew that this was just the beginning. So, when on Monday Sahara launched the country’s first world TV channel Firangi, we found the Indian-English audience prepared and thrilled to tune into the best in TV from around the world, in Hindi. But then how did it all begin? Well, to put it simply, it started with the sluggish attitude of a few Indians who found it easy to imitate rather than develop original ideas. So, we had an overflow of inspired shows on telly. The most recent being Kaun Banega Crorepati (Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?), Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi (Ugly Betty), Indian Idol (American Idol), Bigg Boss (Big Brother) and many more. And in the midst of this copy-paste act, a few channels started airing English movies with subtitles in Hindi. It worked and gave way to dubbing of English movies in Hindi. Remember the squeaky voice calling the Anaconda, duniya ka sabse bada saanp? Or, the shrill unison of a team of researchers who jumped at the sight of duniya ka ajooba, ek badi chipkali? Then there were Kate and Leonardo who exchanged sweet nothings in piercing and over dramatic tones. Phew, it’s quite a torture to match the voice with the facial expressions and appearances! But then, the idea had surely clicked and appealed. Even today, almost every channel from Set Max to Bindaas to Star Gold is caching in on this opportunity. Well, but all this is history. Getting back to the dose of Firangi from Europe, North America, South America and Asia, one cannot help but wonder of its dubbing quality. Assures Firangi business head Rajeev Chakrabarti, “We have addressed the often ignored quality of dubbing of international content in Hindi in our are full selection of voice artistes and dubbing processes.” Well, we have our fingers crossed. Now this channel will cater to the audience in two-time bands, 5 pm to 8 pm for building in loyal audiences and a repeat at 9 pm till midnight for working men and women. Says Chakrabarti, “The strategy for two-time bands was arrived at after analysis of the viewing habits of Hindi serial viewers, especially those who watch dubbed content. ” For starters there are going to be shows like Lalola, the popular comedy series from Argentina, America from Brazil, and Second Chance from Columbia. The weekends will be reserved for mini-series and movies. Hmm…now that sounds like a lot of fun for us English audience! So all you couch potatoes get tuned to experience the international with a desi touch! (This column appears weekly)
|
|
Exotic, affordable & contemporary. This collection is a feast for every ordinary woman who wants to feel like a princess
THE lady smiles a picture-perfect smile, as an attendant cautiously settles a chunky coral necklace on her delicate neck. Her eyes sparkle warming up to this orange neckpiece, exotic with sparkling zircons, dull golden beads, and sunshine sheen. We let jewellery designer Asha Kamal Modi of Art Karat, settle with all the grandeur around, and try delving deep into her magical world of glint and glitter.
Exhibiting her collection ‘Rajwada-The Royal Collection’ at Taj, the lady seems quite pleased. She says, “When I came up with Art Karat jewellery about 20 years back, nobody in India had heard of gold-plated silver jewellery. Everybody was rather sold out on gold, which was perceptually stashed in family lockers. The swish set vouched for the white-hot sparkling diamonds, which again, were never affordable. But my endeavour was to create jewellery that was exotic, yet affordable and contemporary.” You can catch a glimpse of the collection The lady’s been working with gold-plated silver and semi-precious stones and says, “I actually don’t have to do anything for publicity now. Everything Indian is big today and people are eagerly lapping up our traditional designs. A woman would rather pick-up a jhumka or a kaanphul in gold plated silver than keep eyeing the real but unaffordable piece.” We agree, especially after watching (and envying!) our Aishwarya ala Jodhaa in Jodhaa Akbar. And coming to the recent flick, we can’t help but ask, “Don’t you think that the trend of kundan will fade away, once the movie hype dies down?” She replies, “Though the collection I’m exhibiting is inspired by the movie, it’s not just about Mughal and Rajput assimilation. The underlining string is kundan, a jewellery-crafting technique where droplets of lacquer are set in gold and combined with precious stones or enamel. The appeal of kundan is here to stay. For, while chunky gold seems a bit too ‘old-world,’ diamonds are exorbitantly expensive. Kundan and coloured stone-jewellery look regal and contemporary, but can be colour-coordinated only with a few outfits.” And so, on display are haslis, gulubandhs, aaris, patrihaars, jhumkas, balis, kaanphuls, bangles, payals and bajubandhs, handcrafted on pure silver with tourmalines, rubies, emeralds, pearls and kundan. (Rs1,500-45,000).For connoisseurs who crave for more, the lady will soon be setting a shop in town. But there’s time for that, till then you can catch a glimpse of the collection, that’s on display till March 3. anandita@tribunemail.com
|
|
Spiritual Stylists
They give you a sneering look when you tune in to the channels like Aastha or Sanskar. Ask them to accompany you at a jagran in the neighbourhood and they’ll lecture you on how busy they are. As for meditation, they opine it’s boring and for the oldies. Yes, that’s how Gen Y reacts when it comes to religion or spirituality. But, not always, for, when it comes to making a style statement, they don’t mind going the spiritual way. Tees with religious prints, key chains with evil eyes, bracelets with rudrakasha or kurtis imprinted with Gayatri mantra, the fashionistas sport it all. Run through this piece to explore the many ways that can help you flash your spirituality.
Bored of sporting tees flaunting a brand’s logo, irrelevant messages or weird characters? How about expressing your faith on yourselves? From a cool bright— some people spend their whole lives trying to be perfect, others are born Punjabis— stylishly emblazed at the front to a serious one that reads — The turban on my head is a part of my religion. I am not a terrorist; so stop looking at me like I am. Thanks. The site www.cafepress.com has many options to transform you into a true blue ‘religious’ stylist. Or you can order for a tee online at www.magickalbuddha.com. The interesting variety here includes prints like Buddha eyes, alchemy symbols, third eye chakra and more. Or pick up a cotton silk kurti imprinted with the Gayatri mantra from Missprints-8 for Rs 550. Simpler still, pick up badges from Jewels-10 with motifs like Om, Onkar, Ganesha, and Krishna, and pin them on your outfit or bag. So, what else is under the influence of spirituality? Trinkets —earrings, bracelets or pendants. Simple and stylish are pendants in Om, Christian Cross, Khanda, and Shiva. These come in a thick black thread and are priced between Rs 25 and Rs 125. The silver plated pendants with stone embellishments come for Rs 475 onwards. A Swastika adorned with a circle formed with blue stones is a must pick from Jewels-10. For those who want to ward off the negative influences, there’s a range of key chains, earrings, rings, pendants and bracelets with the evil eye interspersed with pebbles, stones, crystals, rudraksha and silver balls. Bracelets and earrings can be picked in the range of Rs 75 to Rs 475, and rings for Rs 40. For those looking for affordable options, there are beaded rudraksha neckpieces between Rs 150 and Rs 250, with streetside vendors. Now, whether these good luck charms bring fortune or not, we are not sure, but they sure help in making a spiritual style statement. So go ahead and share your inner self with one and all!
|
|
Spice up
Good foot posture helps to put the entire body in balance. When you stand, or walk, your toes should point straight ahead. Lift the arches of the feet slightly, so that your body weight is supported by the outside edges of the soles of your feet. If you put excessive strain on the arches, the result will be aching feet and back aches. The best exercise for the feet is to walk bare-feet on grass. Another exercise is to stand up straight, feet pointing ahead, raising yourself on the toes and then lowering yourself back. This strengthens the arches. Curl the toes, as if you are trying to pick up something off the floor with your feet. Stretch the toes and move the front part of each foot in a circular motion. A weekly pedicure really goes a long way to keep the feet free from skin problems. To give yourself a pedicure at home, you will need a nail brush, pumice stone or heel scrubber, nail clippers, cotton wool, cotton buds, massage cream and a small tub for soaking the feet. Soak your feet in warm water, to which you should add some shampoo and any vegetable oil. You can also add coarse salt. Do it for 15 minutes. Then clean the nails with the brush and use the pumice stone on the heels and side of the soles. Scrub the entire feet with a loofah, or rough cloth. Once done, wash the feet with clean water. Use a nail clipper for your nails. Cut them squarely. In-growing toe-nails should not be rounded, as they would tend to grow into the flesh. Apply cream on the feet and nails. Pay special attention to the heels. Use upward strokes for the massage, from the toes towards the ankles. Wipe the feet with a moist towel. Massage a foot cream into the skin. Corns and callouses are caused by ill-fitting shoes that rub against the skin, or squeeze the feet. Shoes should not be too tight, as constant pressure over body areas can interfere with blood circulation. Do not wear shoes for long periods. Expose the feet to the air as often as possible. During summer, avoid closed shoes. Keep the feet dry with talcum powder. Those who walk a lot, or stand for long hours, need shoes with thick soles and low heels. The front should be wide enough to allow space for the toes. In dry weather, cracked heels are quite common. The skin on the heels is harder and thicker than most other parts of the body. Loss of moisture causes keratinization, which is the process of living cells changing to dead horny cells. Therefore, there is a build-up of dead cells. If the lack of moisture proceeds unchecked, cracks develop on the heels and may even extend beyond the dead cells, causing pain. Cracked heels can be prevented by giving the feet daily care, by massaging the skin with creams and protecting them from the cold, dry air. Before bathing, apply a lemon-turmeric cream on the feet and heels. This not only softens the skin, but also protects it from the drying effects. Turmeric provides protection from infections. How to treat cracked heels At night, before retiring, soak the feet in hot water for about 20 minutes. Add some coarse salt and shampoo to the water. With the help of a pumice stone or a heel scrubber remove the dead cells. Avoid metal scrubbers. After washing the feet, massage with a good cream. Take a rich moisturising cream and apply it generously on the heels. Bandage the heels with cheesecloth, or cotton wool and surgical gauze, then wear cotton socks and go to sleep. Keeping the heels smeared with cream all night will soften the skin and replenish moisture loss. Repeat this every night for a week. (This column appears fortnightly)
|
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
We expect so much from our feet. We make them carry our weight in all kinds of footwear and over all kinds of surfaces. So taking care of them is really important. Problems of the feet can arise from ill-fitting shoes, poor posture, fatigue and neglect. Daily care, along with regular exercise can really help keeping them healthy.