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Tuitions, treadmills and
timepass Rushing the kids to tuitions. Waiting for hours to drive them back. From taking walks to working away in gyms or on laptops, parents have devised ways to pass this in-between time
It’s hard being a teenager, and harder being their parents. With a competitive culture, parents today believe in giving their wards a headstart over their peers. No wonder, the preparations for the ‘battle ahead’ begin early. This run-to-the-top phenomenon witnesses parents painstakingly planning their child’s life, right from his first day at school up to his college graduation, ferrying them from one coaching class to another. We ask some such parents how they are micromanaging their kids’ future and how much they’re stressed out by it. “Our son Amolak is in Class X, the most crucial year of his academic life. His studies our top priority, everything else takes a backseat. While school is important, to reinforce whatever he learns, tuitions are needed. But that comes with a price. As soon as he’s back from school, a glass of milk is all he has time for and he has to be dropped to a tuition. Before that tuition is over, his father is there to ferry him to another class. It’s only by night that he gets free. All he can do after this is hit the bed,” says Maninder Grewal of Sector 19. How about some relaxation and physical activities? “Well, to relax he depends on his computer. There’s no room for outdoor activities in his gruelling schedule. Whatever little time he gets to play is in school only,” she exclaims. Most of the parents agree that there’s no escape. They are even managing their activities according to their kids’ tuitions timings. Some go for shopping, others hit the gym, take a stroll in the park or simply work on their laptops sitting in a car, while the children take lessons inside. “It’s part of the modern-day life,” says Gurmeet Kaur, mom to Rajan Vir Singh, who is also in Class X. “I think at this juncture, my kid needs me more than anything else. I’ve to stand by him and that’s why I took a career break to focus totally on him. Together we chalk out schedule. After his school, we take lunch and move out. I drop him for tuition in Sector 8 and go to gym. When he takes his second tuition, I hunt for groceries. It’s only by night we reach home,” she adds. And how does she handle the stress of it all? “Only perfect planning can save you,” quips the mom. Her son Rajan Vir also seems to be negotiating the testing times pretty well. “I usually don’t get anxious about studies as I am well prepared,” he says. And when does he chill out? “Most of my tuition classes are in Sector 8 so I chill out with friends at a local pastry shop when we have a few extra minutes between tuitions,” he smiles. Banker Veena Arora says it gets too hard at times. “These are the busiest days of my life. I wake up as early at four in the morning along with my daughter who is in Class VIII and is a basketball player. She has to go for practice at 5:15am. After that it’s time for school and tuitions. My husband and I take turns to ferry the kids. We are in Sector 21, Chandigarh, and our daughter goes to Mohali for her maths tuition. There is no point coming back and then going again. So, I usually take a stroll in the park till she finishes. At times, I have to wait for up to 2 hours,” says Veena. The stress takes a heavy toll on the parents too, says Monita Mehta, a lawyer and mother of Class VI student Abhimanyu. “ My son has to attend as many as three tuitions. Earlier, I used to ferry him but gradually it became difficult to manage, so I arranged an auto for him. Yet, I am up late nights sorting out his studies with him,” she adds. Dr Parmod Kumar, psychiatrist, Silver Oaks Hospital-Mohali warns against the trend. “In our clinic we frequently see stressed out parents and their wards. The crux of the problem is that they want results directly proportional to the efforts they put in. Parents get frustrated when their kids do not come up to their expectations.” What’s the solution then? “The catch is multifold focus. There’s need to focus on what the child is good at and not trying to push him or her in every possible field. And let’s face kids do need some time to themselves,” he adds. mona@tribunemail.com
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Roomies with views They share a hostel room but not their mother tongue or cuisine. Well, the regional diversity among roommates isn’t all about clashing and cribbing, say our campus inmates
What happens when someone from the Land of Five Rivers is asked to share a room with someone from God’s Own Country? What would happen if you were from desert land Jaipur and were asked to share space with an inhabitant of Cherrapunji! We guess that you’ve got the picture and we managed to set your imagination rolling. We’ve all heard of the one inevitable part of the hostel life, the roommate. And also heard of the cat fights, politics, even the blatantly fistful and physical fights. But what if your roomie was also from a part of the world you only heard about? Welcome to the world of clashes, adjustments and new experiences or, in other words, as we like to call it ‘inter-state competitions’ where your room is your playground, having things your own way is your trophy and you and your partner the only participating teams. “Being with a roomie is like being married to a person since at the end of the day, you have to be with him almost all the time,” smiles Neha Sharma, a hosteller from Savitri Bai hostel, who once shared her room with someone from Orissa. She laughs, “Being from Jammu, and from a totally different background, initially I scoffed at the idea, but later on things smoothened out.” The scene is not any different with others. As Kiran Mala and Harkiran Kaur, in Kasturba hostel of Panjab University, are from not only totally different backgrounds. Says Kiran, “I am from Manipur and she’s from Punjab. There are differences, like she’s a vegetarian and I am not. And then the language differences.” And so do we expect a lot of fisticuffs and fights? She adds laughingly, “No, never. In fact, even in the mess we eat together. Besides, we got to learn a lot, share culinary experiences. We are friends more than roomies.” These twosomes are a perfect example of ‘variety is the spice of life’. However, some choose to be different. As Vivek Singh from Gujarat, who’s sharing a room with Vikram Singh from Aligarh in the hostel of IISER-26, says, “We’ve been together for three months now. There has been a lot to learn and we are still in the process. Like he’s trying his hand at Gujarati these days.” And any initial hiccups? Laughs Vikram, “Of course, we’ve had our share of fights. Just because we don’t get caught doesn’t mean things are smooth.” Still they are happy to be together. And who says fights are bad? After all, it’s the fights that you had that will be remembered years after you’ll have passed out. Besides being the source of unfading laughter, smiles and table talk. As they say, education teaches you a lot and hostel life, the things that would otherwise have taken you decades to learn. Looks like they had exactly these kind of situations in mind. lifestyle@tribunemail.com
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Blend it like Bolly brides It’s unconventional colours and film-inspired fashion that’re dominating the local bridal scene
The concept of trousseau has changed over the years. Today, the bride is as much concerned what will she wear before the wedding day, as much on the D-day and then on her honeymoon. In fact, even the concept of beauty has changed. It is no longer stereotyped fair, black-eyed, long-haired models who are walking the ramp showcase designer bridal wear. Black is not bad “When it comes to traditional lehenga-cholis, reds have given way to peaches, pinks, lemons and even white and black. Though not on the main occasion but people don’t mind wearing a cream ensemble on the reception and a touch of black is no more considered inauspicious,” says Seema Sharma, fashion designer from Impressions-19. Designers like Rocky S, however, feel that you can’t take tradition completely out of the trousseau. “Fashion keeps coming back and something which may be outdated can make a return as a new trend,” he says. And talking about the outlook of the younger generation, he adds, “Trends are changing, so is the attitude. The new-age bride is not tradition smitten, she wants an outfit that has a traditional touch to it but the cut and the style has to be contemporary.” “The change in attitude has increased the demand for unconventional outfits. So, keeping this in mind we have introduced coloured threads and lots of embellishments to make the outfits exceptional for the main occasion, as that is what the girls want,” says Simple Kaur, fashion designer from sector-35. Bollywood bride Bollywood too has its role to play. We have onscreen brides like Aishwarya, Katirna and Rani to inspire us, innumerable bridal exhibitions and magazines to update on fashion, which present a new look every season, are also playing their part. Not to forget celebrity weddings which are profoundly covered these days. “Women go through a lot of magazines these days and just to save money they would get designs of Ritu Kumar copied,” says Poonam Sood, fashion designer from Poonam’s -22. Ask her, who do the modern day brides copy the most? “J.J. Vallaya and Ritu Kumar lehngas are a big draw.” Well, bollywood inspires trends in jewellery too. Who said gold is passé. Our young brides are once again game for yellow. “No more diamond either. They are all for coloured stones. Oxidised yellow gold is in demand because it goes well with the antique work on the ensembles,” says Sunayana Walia, jewellery designer, who runs Isvara studio in Jalandhar. She adds: “People are experimenting with new colours and shapes. There is a lot of demand for pigeon blood red rubies. Round and oval shapes no more satisfy the bride. They want to experiment with triangular and boat shapes. And in earrings, longer the better.” No more skin deep For that all-important visage, no more homemade potions or the parlour next door. Brides are consulting the bests in the business. “These days, girls are not just concerned about the face and makeup, but they want total body treatment, right from removal of pigmentation to unwanted body hair. They do not mind going for micro-dermabrasion and laser treatment for removing acne scar,” says Meenakshi Veermani, owner Cypress salon in Panchkula.
jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com |
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Ready to Chamko as director
After Nandita Das, avant-garde actress Deepti Naval has turned director. Her directorial debut has a rather poetic title — Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki Baarish and she has signed on her close friend Manisha Koirala as the heroine. But this is not the first time she had directorial plans. She had earlier thought of a film with Madhuri Dikshit playing the lead role.
“The main lead for that didn’t work out. Madhuri got busy with the Yashraj Films’ Aaja Nachle. And she asked me to come and shoot the film in the US. But since that script required me to shoot in Himachal Pradesh, I decided to put it aside for now,” Deepti said. Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki Baarish is a thought Deepti has had in her head for quite some time. “After the other project didn’t materialise, the producers suggested that I develop it. I decided to write screenplay and it was ready in about a month,” said the actress-turned director, who also dabbles in painting and poetry. A film about the relationship among three characters, one of whom happens to be a little boy, Deepti initially wanted a far more earthy actress for “Do Paise Ki Dhoop...” “The character couldn’t be as pretty as Manisha. I thought of Sonali Kulkarni who’s a wonderful actress and also very beautiful in her own way and just right for my film. But then Manisha with her ethereal beauty seemed a bigger challenge. Besides, she’s also a close friend. She has taken pains to make sure her intrinsic beauty is diminished in my film,” she said. Manisha says she is overjoyed to do Deepti’s film. “It’s one thing to do a good film. That in itself is a big high. But to be directed by Deepti, who’s my closest friend, is like a dream come true,” Manisha remarked. Deepti and Manisha go back a long way. “We’ve been on the coolest of holidays together to the remotest parts of the world. She’s a 4 am friend. We don’t have to speak every day. But we know exactly when we need each other. I find Deepti superbly sensitive to my skills as an actress, whatever they may be. This is the best script I’ve ever worked in, and I’ve a role to die for,” said Manisha, whose performances in films like Bombay and Khamoshi: The Musical were greatly appreciated. The film also features Rajit Kapoor, who has starred in films like The Making Of The Mahatma and Sardari Begum. Does Manisha enjoy being directed by a woman more? “Hmmmm. Let me think. You know what? It’s not about the gender. It’s about the comfort level. Even if Deepti was a man I’d enjoy doing Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki Baarish,” Manisha quipped. |
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Arjun Rampal, who plays a Kolkatan filmmaker in Rituparno Ghosh’s The Last Lear, says he travelled incognito around the city in trams and buses to get into the skin of his character. Rampal said he was so moved by the storyline that he literally became Siddharth, the filmmaker, during the making of the movie. “I was so touched by the storyline that even before Ghosh finished narrating the script I agreed to do the film. To get into the skin of my character — a Kolkatan filmmaker acquainted with the vibe of the city — I came here a few days before the shooting started. I wore a bandana so that no one could recognise me and travelled across the city in trams and buses and took photographs,” said Arjun who wowed audiences with his performance in Rock On and Om Shanti Om. Asked how different it was playing a producer in Om Shanti Om and a director in The Last Lear, Arjun said that while the former with negative shades was quite challenging, the latter was like a self-exploration for him as an actor. “Director Rituparno Ghosh was always on his heels to bring something different and more profound out of me. He stressed me so much that at times I felt as if he was the Hitler of our unit,” he laughed. “But one thing that bound us was the urge to do something new and passionate.” Arjun said a unique feature of the movie is that every scene was done in one shot. So any plans of turning director in real life? “I am better off an actor than a director. But I enjoy filmmaking and hence have started a production company called Chasing Ganesha,” Arjun said.
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Stage of transition The modernisation vs heritage issue is taking a toll on the character of the city, laments Vikramaditya Prakash, who’s taken up his late father Aditya Prakash’s cause
The last time we met Vikramaditya Prakash, professor of architecture at the University of Washington, Seattle, at his father Aditya Prakash’s house in Sector 8, the atmosphere was light and the mood was jovial. Because, the talk centered on the influence his architect father had on him and his career choice. And with Aditya Prakash around to interject a heavy dose of his brand of humour, things could be anything but serious. Well, the veteran architect is no more and the entire city has not quite come out of the grief. And this grief has propelled his son Vikramaditya to take up the issue, which used to be close to his father’s heart – Tagore Theatre. “Last time I came here, I learnt about how the Administration has changed the whole structure of Tagore Theatre in the name of renovation and it pained me. Because it is not just an auditorium, it is a building symptomatic to the city and now by changing the superficial aspects and hereby gutting its real life we are distorting the identity and integrity of the city,” says Vikramaditya. Tagore Theatre is only the starting point. “So many changes have been made in the name of modernisation. But the sad thing is there is no sense of ethical responsibility in any of the quarters involved in the act. We, the general public, have no idea how much changes are going to be made and how such changes are going to be carried out,” says the architect and architectural historian. And he knows what he is talking about. One of his books Chandigarh’s Le Corbusier is regarded as one of the established academic account of the city worldwide. “When the city was curved out in the 60s, it was way ahead of its time. But now everything is being done to catch up with the rest of the metropolitans like Delhi, Gurgaon and Pune so that we do not get left behind,” he laments. But then where does one draw the line between modernity and heritage, we ask? “There is no line, growth has to be one smooth flow forward that takes the heritage element along with it,” comes the reply. And this is exactly what Vikramaditya wants the public to understand and be part of the decision making process. “As an academic this is what I can do, write on such issues and generate awareness among the people,” he adds. But there are other things he is doing for his beloved city, like writing a book New History of Architecture of India: Indus Valley to Chandigarh and also organising a study tour for his university students to come here and study the new economy culture (read mall culture) as integrated into Corbusier’s aesthetics. The area of his study will be Sector 17. The resolution in his voice reminds us of Aditya Prakash once more – the man who was passionate about his cause but quiet because he expected everyone to behave according to his own conscious. Like father, like son! parbina@tribunemail.com
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Fuming neighbours of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen at their quiet West Village block have complained that the twins have robbed the neighbourhood of its peacefulness. Residents on West 13th Street are irritated by the tiny twins’ ‘military presence,’ and called the fashionistas “two spoiled brats” who “change the character of the neighborhood” by posting security guards outside. “They are disruptive, intrusive and totally disrespectful,” a neighbour said. In May, it was reported that the multimillionaires were renting two floors of a brownstone on West 13th for $ 12,000 per month. In fact, one source has reported seeing the party princesses “piling out of their gas guzzlers in their little club outfits” in the wee hours. The goons have even rousted residents of the building from their perches on the brownstone’s stoop so the twins can climb the steps in privacy. A block resident has revealed that two giant GMC Denali trucks are parked outside the townhouse every night, with hired security guards who keep the engines idling for hours at a time. “You would think there was a government operation going on,” said the resident. “It is a peaceful, quiet street. Plenty of other celebrities live around this block (Sarah Jessica Parker, Liv Tyler, Gisele Bundchen and Julianne Moore) are good neighbors and blend in with the neighborhood, but these two are invaders,” the source added. A representative for the Olsens have denied that security has never asked anyone to leave the stoop. “If there were significant issues, you would think that the neighbors would address Ashley or Mary-Kate directly, rather than calling the media,” he said.
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A dash for the first lecture. Hardly any time for breakfast. Paranthewali gali isn’t for them. So, here’re some rush-hour recipes that students rustle up, writes Jasmine Singh
Half an hour to go for the first class, Munish jumps out from the bed and manages to get ready. But wait, what’s this grumbling sound. “Nod dinner last night and I am damn hungry. But, no time for breakfast either. I will die if I don’t eat anything.” It is a Catch-22 situation for Munish. Come what may, I have to grab a bite, he decides. He runs to the canteen, grabs a slice of bread, stuffs it with a samosa, rolls and literally swallows it. There must be many college and university students who share his predicament. A leisurely breakfast is impossible sometime, especially when you are getting late for the morning lecture. So, what do you do? Toss up your own recipe or lay your hands on anything edible you can find. City youngsters whip up some easy fixes for breakfast. Manjot Dhillon, student of engineering, rustles up a parantha, apples, some achaar and makes a dash for his class. “I can’t think of having a leisure breakfast. I am always running late for my lectures. For me, fruits are my best friend.” He adds, “An apple, banana, or just about any fruit is a blessing in disguise. Kai baar haalat itni bure ho jaati hai that I have to suffice with a bread and Bournvita.” Hey, that’s something new. Bread and Bournvita! But wait to listen to what these girls do. “I haven’t had a hearty breakfast in ages,” says Samita Soni, from PU. “Blame it on my room mate,” she chuckles. “We toss up some weird combos, which serve as breakfast. Sometimes, we have brown bread and raita, sometimes it’s pickle and milk, either it’s an ultra smart sandwich of butter and apple slices with coke.” You can simply wonder and marvel at such combos. And only hostelwallahs can conjure up such shahi breakfasts. Vikram Pratap from PU shares an interesting breakfast recipe that he has picked up from his brother who stays in Canada. “Cornflakes, nutties and milk. It is quite a filling breakfast. But, I miss aloo ka paranthas and dahi. Instead of parantha, I have to make do with aloo key chips. Yaar, breakfast ka time kahan hota hai.” Absolutely, time is a luxury and so is breakfast for students ‘always running out of time.” jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Voice concern
Studies have shown the fear of public speaking is next to the fear of death. Rapid heart beat, wet palm, trembling legs, shaking hands, butterflies in the stomach, frog croaking in the throat, and dry mouth are the common symptoms experienced by novices as well as professional speakers. A little nervousness is good as it keeps one on his toes, forcing the speaker by preparing the talk or do the presentation meticulously. So, how does anyone with the desire to learn, irrespective of age, become a confident speaker? Thanks to the British Library, all is possible now at the Speaker Junction. Speaker’s Junction is an ideal platform for young people to learn the craft of public speaking in a friendly and non-threatening atmosphere. Here, one gets to hone one’s communication skill, conquer stage fright, develop leadership qualities and become a confident speaker. Is there a magic formula they follow at Speaker’s Junction? No, there is no magic formula, nor is there any magic wand. Public speaking is like cooking; the more you cook, better you become. It is a platform charged with the participants’ collective desire to improve. Lao Tse, the 5the century BC philosopher, rightly said, “If you tell me, I’ll listen. If you show me, I’ll see. But if you will let me experience, I will learn.” At Speaker Junction, the approach is the same, learn by doing. There is no teacher or instructor, only a friendly facilitator who makes sure that every participant gets an opportunity to speak. The mechanism of a positive feedback and evaluation by participants help to improve and correct mistakes. There is no penalty for failure. Encouragement and motivation are the key mantra, to help one in the journey to self-improvement. It will not get you rid of butterflies in stomach, but surely the experience would teach you how to fly them in a formation, and speak confidently. It will help you get over stage fear, even if your legs are shaking, palms getting wet, and heartbeat going faster. You will realise that you are not the only one experiencing all these symptoms, it happens with every one and you are in good company. Even the best speakers were once terrified novices, feeling the same symptoms as you, while facing an audience. A typical group has 15 to 40 participants and meets on the third Saturday of the month, for two hours in the library. The next meeting of the Speaker’s Junction is on September 20 and the theme is humour. So, if you fear speaking in front of an audience, if the thought of giving a presentation nauseate you, if you avoid talking to your boss or people in authority, then Speaker Junction is the place for you to be.
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Talent shows, at a click It’s the age of talent shows. And some of the tricity’s young netizens are tapping the Internet to the hilt to show their talent to the world
Just as a click of the mouse makes the world unfold before you, another click, in turn, can make the world get familiar with you. From quite some time now, Internet has been providing us information about almost everything, from people who make a difference to the world, to places to various events, and now it can also put across important things about ‘you,’ that too as per your command. And youngsters are enthusiastically utilising this opportunity to showcase their talent and achievements to the world and are winning loads of appreciation in return. They have indeed moved ahead after making friends on social networking sites (SNSs) and extracting information from search engines to post their talent on the Internet and let the world know their worth. A student of an animation school, Ankur Kapoor, has already directed and posted 15 movies on Filmaka, a web portal that not just provides a platform to young but less-experienced film directors to showcase their talent but also gives them cash prizes. And the result: Ankur has already won five cash prizes and is recently working on a movie based on the life of an NGO, to be sponsored by another online organisation. “After posting films on the Internet, I started getting rave reviews from people in the industry and even a general audience. It was enthralled to see people sending in their compliments and wishes in huge numbers,” says he. Many offers have come his way but then, all he is awaiting is that one big break. He feels that it is only through this facility that he has been able to reach to a larger audience, “Even if you can direct quality movies, it is not feasible to go about giving CDs of your work to everybody. I just thought of putting my work on display on the Net and things worked out really well.” Abhishek Tripathi, a passout of DAV College-10, just can’t stop praising U Tube which, he says, gave his dance group the opportunity to put forth their talent. He shares his experience, “I got inspired from my friends who had put their party videos on the U Tube and then thought of uploading the dance videos of my group. Though he did it with the intention of making his friends see it, he soon realised that the whole world was seeing it, as compliments poured in from people in other countries as well. “It, at times, feels crazy when people from far-off places send in messages saying they are my fans or wish to learn dance from me and even asking in how many Bollywood songs our group has taken part.” Aikum Bhatti, a student of YPS school, has posted her video of performing with her school’s rock band on a networking site and wishes that some day a bigger rock band will approach her to be a member of their group. “I just can’t imagine myself being anything other than a rock star. I am making all efforts to be one and posting the video of the performance on different websites is part of the same,” she says. So, has anything struck? “Nothing substantial except that I sing well, which provides enough encouragement.” Postings Some smart things youngsters are posting on websites:
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He was recently photographed on the sets of Terminator: Salvation prompting speculation that he is due to return to the hit franchise. Online reports suggest the star will make a brief cameo at the end of the movie, playing his Terminator character. Schwarzenegger shot to fame playing the cyborg in 1984’s The Terminator and followed it up in 1991s Terminator 2: Judgment Day and 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. This is the fourth instalment of the Terminator franchise.
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Beyonce & burgers
I love all the greasy stuff even though I know it’s not good for me,” News of the World quoted her as saying. “I have to be very careful for months on end about what I eat. And then suddenly, I will have a moment of weakness and have junk food. I just try and whiz straight past the drive-throughs now because it can be so dangerous,” she added. Beyonce recently showed off her toned body for the latest US Sports Illustrated magazine. — ANI, IANS
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Deadly donors
Like Priyanka did some months ago, Kalam recently pledged to donate his organs to the Armed Forces Retrieval and Transplantation Authority (AORTA) at a function organised at the Indian Army’s Research and Referral
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How children chill out in between
tuitions:
Munish opens his dreamy eyes. Looks around, and his gaze falls on the clock hung on the wall. “Oh, God. Five minutes to nine. Can’t miss my first lecture again. My teacher will kill me.’ 
Speak up and reach out, is the wisdom handed to us down the ages. But do we speak up? We know what to say but cannot do it when asked to speak in public. Presentations and interviews are unavoidable nightmares for most of us. Business, social, and personal success depends upon a person’s ability to communicate effectively about what he is, what he desires, and what he believes in. But the fear of public speaking gets in the way. 
Hollywood actor-turned-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is reportedly set to reprise his most famous role as an indestructible cyborg in the new Terminator movie.
Beyonce has revealed that although she loves junk food, she has managed to win the battle against her greasy cravings. And giving up fatty burgers and chips has provided the 27-year-old with a body to admire.
What do former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra have in common? Both have pledged to donate their organs for transplantation when they die.