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Life in a Glass house
No that's not all, there is more 'life' at our house. This way…," Chetna Sharma, homemaker from Sector-37, ushers one to a nice, bright and decorated corner. "Here, they also stay with us. Aren't they pretty? Little wonders and they don't bother at all. Yet they are the most pampered ones in our home."
They indeed are. And they come swimming towards me! "They do it every time an outsider comes to see the aquarium," smiles Chetna. This is life inside a small glass tank, complete, rather bedecked, with aquatic plants, a plastic diver and swimmer, 7-8 small golden fish, swimming at leisure and the two black ones taking a nap, hidden behind the water filter. A home aquarium is a lot more than fad. For some, these fishes are a gift and for some, a lesson in patience and a study in silence. And for most, it has changed the ambience of the house.
What you need n Fish aquariums n Aquarium filters n Aquarium lights n Aquarium heaters n Aquarium water pumps n Fish feed n Fish medicines n Decorative pieces "It's a journey, which the two fish started with me seven years back," says Nirmal Parkash, a lecturer in the Government College of Arts-10. Later, I got some more of them but they didn't gel with the old fish, so, I got another aquarium for them. Thereafter, I moved into a new house and that's when I thought I could give them a better swimming space." Now, the aquarium at the professor's house has 12-13 fish, a big parrot and small silver dollar ones. "I can just say that I see the aquarium and the action inside it as a form of life. I like to deck them up with sculptures. Also, I can sit for hours and watch their activities." Ditto for Kulbhushan Kanwar, a retired government official, who has an aquarium since the last six years? "They know me in and out," he laughs. "I can sit and watch them without blinking my eyes. Now, I can read their activities. And they don't ask for much, just look at them once a day with love and that's it." Kulbhushan also offers a scientific reason for keeping fish at home. "I read somewhere that an aquarium helps to keep the blood pressure of the family members in control. In fact, some hospitals abroad have an inbuilt aquarium in the beds. I can't validate that but yes, I feel quite at peace when I see them."
Back to the basics The origin of aquarium keeping can be traced back to thousands of years before. Ancient Sumerians kept fish in artificial ponds almost 4,500 years ago, even the ancient Romans and Chinese people had the same hobby meant for entertainment. In numerous ancient cultures, fish was considered to be sacred for their beauty and agility. A peaceful pas time it sure is, but what of space and maintenance? Those who keep home aquariums have never thought about space constraints nor do they find managing fish an uphill task. Offers Kulbhushan, "It is not a problem to manage an aquarium. Sometimes, you just have to maintain the right combination of species. I have gold fish and sucker cats, which feed on the algae that get collected in the aquarium. Some combinations don't work well. Rest, I get the tank cleaned twice a year properly." As for Chetna, anyone can keep a fish glass tank if you follow certain basic rules. "One, you don't have to overfeed the fish. Keep the aquarium clean and make sure that it gets proper light. Second, go in for an aquarium as per the space at your place. Some people also believe in a specific number combination. Nine is considered a lucky number."
jasmine@tribunemail.com |
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Glam life,
grim realities
It’s a model’s life that many of us want to live. But behind all that glitz and glamour there lies a life full of stress and cutthroat competition. Here, too the rule ‘survival of the fittest’ applies and for many, who entered the glam world hoping to make a mark, life was never the same again. Remember Nafisa Jospeh, Kuljeet Randhwa, Geetanjali Nagpal? All three went through a severe bout of depression, which proved fatal for the former two cases.
And whatever we may say, time and again models have been in the news for all wrong reasons. And it was just yesterday that we read about former Miss Meerut-2005 Priyanka who killed her parents. While the issue has again left us thinking, what lies behind these fashionable minds? We ask the models, for a real take. “When you cannot face the reality, all these things become excuses,” says model Aanchal Kumar. Talking about the issue that is looming large (read depression and suicide), she says, “I have been living in Mumbai alone from quite a number of years now, have struggled my way up and dealt with pressures too, but I am a happy person and enjoy every moment of my life. Stress sure comes, but doesn’t that come in all other professions? It just depends on person-to-person and their ability to cope with the highs and lows of life.” She adds: “When a person is in the glamour industry things are blown out of proportion, and only a few people have gone through this, so we cannot tag all in one category because few could not cope up with depression or committed suicide.” Taking about the murder that involved a model, she says, “People who have just walked the ramp for some show cannot be termed as model, but anyone who commits such a crime must be shallow.” While people from the industry insist that every field had its own share of advantages and disadvantages, Frainy Ahuja, Mrs India-2006 runner-up says, “Everything that is portrayed about models is not right. In fact, I would say what Madhur Bhandarkar has shown in Fashion is not true. There are a few people in the industry who are into drugs but we all are not like that.” On suicides and depressions, she says, “If you want to cross your limits, nobody can stop you. Five fingers are not the same, so are not all models.” Dismissing the whole issue as exaggeration, model Krishna Somani says, “If out of 100, two per cent are into drugs, suffer from depression and commit murder, it’s wrong to drag all into the same genre.” Taking about life and family attachments, she says, “Anyone who has done 10 or 20 odd fashion shows cannot be called a model. I have done almost 600 shows and faced all kinds of pressures but I am living a happy and contented life and many others like me are in high spirits and live a perfectly normal life. It’s a only few who face such problems and they can be from any walk of life, so why highlight only fashion industry?” She further adds, “We are only human, and like other people we too have families and I must say it’s the support from the family that keeps you grounded.” And on this murder she says, “Kids who forget their parents are dead inside, their life as such is not worth living.” For this model-turned-actor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “There is struggle in every profession but the quality of stress in the glamour world is different, especially for models. We are constantly under pressure, first to make a mark and then to maintain it and after we’ve made it, we have to deal with pressures like extended work hours, multiple assignments and the pressure of having to look good. Above all, modelling is a short-lived career and when it comes to an abrupt end, things like these happen. But one has to come to term with life.” jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com
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One two ka four
The International Film Festival of India which commences on November 22, will also feature a Marathi, a Konkani and a multilingual movie during the ten-day extravaganza at the Kala Academy and Entertainment Society of Goa, on the Mandovi river bank. OLLO, a Ronnie Screwvala production, based on a thief from a ghetto of West Delhi, is amongst the seven films to be premiered in the Indian Premier section. The film, directed by Dibankar Banerjee, is a story about a gawky 15-year-old lower middle class kid who graduates to become one of the most wanted master thieves in India. The movie also stars Paresh Rawal and Neetu Chandra. Other Hindi flicks which will be premiered are—Thanks Maa, Dhuaan-From the fire within and Stoneman. Thanks Maa, produced by Quantum Film Limited, is a heart rendering story of a 12-year-old boy. Dhuaaan, a film by doctor-turned-filmmaker Mrinalini A Dayal, is based on the life of a couple in Mumbai. The film has Raj Babbar, Amitabhh Dayal and Lakshmi Gopalswami as lead actors. Stoneman, produced by Bobby Bedi and directed by Manish Gupta is about a serial killer. Tandala'\, a Marathi flick produced by Madhuri Ashirgade and directed by Sanjay Surkar, will also have its debut show at the festival. Also, a multilingual film One day in Cochin by Tom Peirce produced in English, Malayalam and French will be premiered during the festival. However, Goa's own production, Saavariya.com, a movie on internet marriages produced and directed by Rajendra Talak is the only Konkani film in the festival.
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Actor Sharman Joshi, who opted out of the sequel to Golmaal that is raking in big money at the box office, says he made a mistake by not doing Golmaal Returns. "Sure I regret it," Sharman said, weeks after Golmaal Returns was declared a hit. "And not just because the sequel is a success. I hated myself for breaking up the Golmaal team. But it couldn't be helped. My dates were committed elsewhere," Sharman said. Now Sharman, who got noticed for his performance in films like Rang De Basanti and Life... In a Metro, says he won't miss the third segment of Golmaal. "There's no way I'm going to miss the chance to be in the next Golmaal film. All they've to do is to ask. I'd toss aside everything to be in it." There is one hitch - for Golmaal Returns Shreyas Talpade had stepped into Sharman's role. "And stepped in wonderfully. You've to admit Shreyas is amazing in Golmaal Returns," said director Rohit Shetty. Shetty is aware that Sharman is keen to return to the Golmaal family. "I'm aware that Sharman wants to be back. We missed him in the sequel. In fact, there're references to him in Golmaal Returns. Ajay Devgan has Sharman's photograph on his office table. So, yes, I'd love to have Sharman back in the next Golmaal. He didn't opt out for any other reason than a genuine date problem. I can't hold that against him. But I can't ask Shreyas to give the role back to Sharman," Shetty said. But the director is ready to create space to accommodate Sharman. "I'm going to write an extra character for part three. Instead of four boys, there will be five. What's the harm in that? That way I lose neither Sharman nor Shreyas. It's very rare to come across such actors. They are very focussed and their comic timing is perfect. I think having them both will make the Golmaal scheme even more of a scream," said Shetty. Sharman, of course, couldn't have asked for more. "I was genuinely in a fix. Saying no to Golmaal Returns was the most painful decision of my life," the actor said. — IANS, PTI
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Filmy chakkar
At 80, Dara Singh says he was never interested in films He was perhaps Bollywood's first macho man. Dara Singh, who turned 80 on Wednesday, says after starring in over 120 films that the big screen was never his aspiration. "I was never interested in doing films. I was pulled into the industry because of the fame I received from wrestling. I was forced to do King Kong (1962) and it became a hit and that started my film career," Dara Singh said. "But I made it clear to the filmmakers at that time that my main concern was my wrestling career and I would not compromise on that. They agreed. However, after beating American wrestler Lou Thesz in the 1960s and becoming a world champion, I started concentrating on my film career." Dara Singh said he never wanted to play a negative role. "The only thing I never wanted to do and have not done so far is playing a villain. I was always adamant to do positive roles and I also made it clear to the filmmakers that I will not accept a villain's role," he said. Not many know that prior to starring in Babubhai Mistri's King Kong, Dara Singh had done cameos in films like Sangdil (1952), Pehli Jhalak (1955) and Jagga Daku (1959). Born in 1928 in Amritsar, Punjab, Dara Singh is credited to be the first hero in Bollywood to bring the machismo appeal on-screen with his well-built body. Commenting upon that, he said: "It felt good to be the first macho actor as my colleagues at that time were very thin and lanky. No one had a body like mine." Much like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Hollywood, Dara Singh's career too rose because of his body landing him roles in hero-centric films like Rustam-E-Baghdad (1963), Faulad (1963), Hercules (1964), Tarzan Dilli Mein (1965), Sikander-E-Azam (1965), Rustom-E-Hind (1965), and Boxer (1965), among others. After 1970, he forayed into direction and directed six films in Hindi and Punjabi - Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansar (1970), Mera Desh Mera Dharam (1973), Bhakti Mein Shakti (1978) and Rustom (1982) among them. Dara Singh has been immortalised among younger viewers for his portrayal of monkey god Hanuman in Ramanand Sagar's TV adaptation of the epic Ramayan (1986). On being asked what keeps him going, he quipped: "One should keep working. Otherwise you grow old." Dara Singh was also seen on TV in programmes like Had Kar Di and Kya Hoga Nimmo Ka. Right now, though, he doesn't have any plan to go back to the small screen. On his birthday, Dara Singh only planned to spend time with his family. He said he was "content with whatever I have done in life". "I've done everything in life. In fact, I have also worked with everyone from thespians like Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor to the new league of actors."
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These traditional weaves have been there since ages, but every time they make their way to an exhibition, we get tempted to buy them. So, when handicrafts and handworks from Himachal Pradesh are showcased, we do not fail to pick up a traditional product like Angora sweater, a Kullu cap or Kinnauri or Pashmina shawls and mufflers. “The exhibition is a special one for it brings to people those products which we don’t see in the market now,” says Rakesh Sharma, manager of the exhibition. An initiative of H.P State Handicraft and Handloom Corporation Limited, the exhibition of these handcrafted products helps 10,000 weavers from across the state. One major attraction here is the Kinnauri and Pashmina shawls made in contemporary designs. “As these are hand woven, hence come with a traditional look. But this year, weavers have made an attempt to follow the latest designs,” adds he. And as expected a lot of hard work goes behind the making of the shawls, “It takes us five days to three months to create one shawl,” says a weaver from Kullu, Puran Chand. Also hand-knit sweaters and mufflers are available in latest designs and vibrant colours. Besides, helping the weavers directly, the exhibition also serves the purpose of developing the handloom and handicraft industry in the hill state. — TNS These days, we have exhibitions on everything and anything. And, just when we thought we had seen it all, we get an invitation for a quilt exhibition! All right, the subject made us wonder what was different about this one. Well, as it turned out, it is the way the quilts have been made. Having used quilts as a medium to display her creativity, Kamal Grewal, explains the craft that has gone into her exhibits. “I have expertise in American country patchwork quilts, an art that renders them a trendy look,” she claims. Displaying her fare at her place in Sector 8, she tells us about the USP of these hand-made quilts, “Each quilt is made with 6,000 pieces of cloths stitched together.” Other than quilts, she makes bed sheets, cushions, pillow covers too. “It generally takes us three weeks to make one quilt.” Besides the American country patchwork, she also does European and Italian designs on quilts. “Unlike those done in American designs, European ones are made with plain clothes and are known with a special name.” She also has on display beautifully embroidered towels, napkins, tea cozies and hot water bottle covers. The range is between Rs 2,700 and Rs 4,500. — Ashima Sehejpal
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Bloodline
WE have seen signboards that read, Donate blood, Save life. But one man made these lines the biggest mission of his life. Meet Subhash Bhasker, an employee with Markfed, a social worker and a writer. And his selfless work is being honoured at the 55th Markfed Cooperative Week celebrations, where Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Punjab State Cooperative Minister, will felicitate him. Ask about his inspiration and he says, “It came from my mother, who was involved in social work. I just followed her footsteps.” His hobby of helping those in need became a passion when he came to Chandigarh. “I came to the city in 1987. It so happened that a colleague of mine was seriously ill and needed blood. Nobody came out to help him, not even his friends. That made me realise the importance of awareness for blood donation,” he says. His articles on various social issues have been published in Punjabi Tribune and his first book was Biography of Prof K. N. Pathak. His second book, Rock Gardenwala Nek Chand, is also a biographical portrayal of the Padmshree artiste. “I used to write personality-based features for newspapers. So, when it came to authoring books, nothing suited me better than biographies,” explains Subhash. “The biography of Prof Pathak has been translated to Hindi and the second book is also being translated,” he adds. His selfless work in promoting blood donation has also been rewarded. He received a commendation certificate from the Chandigarh Administration in 2000, A.N Kashyap National Award in 2002 and the State Award from the Punjab Government in 2004. So, what about merging both his passions into one? He says: “I want to spread the message of blood donation through my writings. I distribute pamphlets, write articles and organise rallies to create awareness among the people.”
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THEORY Housebreaking your pup Shiv Kaushal You should begin to housebreak as soon as you bring your new puppy home and this is going to take patience. Puppies need to relieve themselves approximately six times a day. A puppy should be taken out immediately after each meal since a full stomach puts pressure on the colon and bladder. Understanding is
key
There are many different methods by which you can housebreak your pet. Whichever way you choose, it is important to understand your puppy. Dogs want to please; the trick is to make them understand what it is you want from them. Puppies do not think like humans. When you are unhappy with your dog, it assumes that whatever it is doing at the exact moment you show disapproval is the thing that is upsetting you. For example: If your puppy relieves himself on your floor and you show disapproval five minutes after he has committed the act, the puppy will think that the mess on the floor is bad. He will not relate to the fact that it was the act of relieving himself on your floor that you disapprove of. The dog will eliminate, see the mess and get worried; you are now going to be unhappy. This is the reason so many dogs will relieve themselves in inappropriate places and look really guilty about it, yet continue to do it. Dogs want to please, right? Praise correct conduct
The important thing to bear in mind is: Always praise your dog after he eliminates in the appropriate place. You must be willing to invest time and energy for just a few weeks in housetraining. The effort you put in now will last for the rest of your pet’s life. Crate training
The crate training method is as follows. Buy a crate and for the first 3 to 4 weeks keep your puppy in it when you are not with him. Make sure the crate is not too big. It should be large enough for the puppy’s bed, but no larger. Dogs do not want to soil their bed and the use of a crate teaches them to control their urge to eliminate. You must maintain an eagle eye at all times. As soon as you see him pacing, sniffing around, and turning in circles, immediately take him outside. He is telling you: “I am going to pee somewhere. When a puppy starts circling or sniffing around, pick him up and take him outside fast. Paper training
If your puppy is a breed that stays small and it is going to be an indoor pet, you may want to try paper training. Place layered newspaper in the corner away from the feeding and water dishes. After meals take the puppy to the newspaper. Each time the puppy eliminates, change the top layer of the newspaper and leave the bottom layer. Puppies like to go where they smell urine and faeces and will start to prefer the newspaper over any other spot. Be consistent
Remain consistent. Do not allow your puppy to do something one day and not the next. This will confuse him. Never leave an untrained puppy unattended in the house. Make your dog understand what is expected of him. Dogs want to please. Always praise your dog for good behaviour. No form of physical punishment is as effective as praise and encouragement. Handy hints
n Always take your puppy out FIRST thing in the morning, before you do anything and LAST thing before bedtime at night. n
Always take your puppy out immediately after eating a meal. n
Always take your puppy out immediately after playtime periods. n
Use a clock, set it at 30 minutes, and take your puppy out each time the bell rings. If he doesn’t relieve himself, just praise him for going outside. As he gets older, you can increase the time. You only need to stay outside with him for a few minutes. Then take him out again every 30 minutes. Learn to read his body language. Never leave your pup unattended in the house or even a room at a young age. Dogs should not be left alone in a house until they are at least one-year old. shivkaushal@yahoo.com |
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Narcissism on Net
Virtually yours’ is the new buzzword. The social-networking craze seems to have touched an all-time high. Facebook has become a religion and My Space, the changing world order. Together, these two boast a whopping 200 million users worldwide. Thanks to these popular portals, we know everything about people we desire to know — their status, the first thing one would notice about them, their hobbies, bedroom essentials, turn-ons, IQ, favourite movies, music etc and vice-versa. But do you know, SNSs (social networking sites), can tell us something more: How self-absorbed are we? The degree of our I, me and mine delving? In other words, they are an indicator of our narcissistic tendencies. Recently a study conducted by the University of Georgia shows that online profiles could act as an effective tool to find out an individual’s narcissistic leanings. We talk to some city SNS users, who have overloaded scrapbooks and an astounding stock of digital self-portraits, to know about this cyber-companionship culture. Says Aman Singh Multani, B. A. final year student of DAV-10, who has not one but two Orkut accounts and is on Facebook too: “When my Orkut friend list touched the 1000 mark, I had to open another account to accommodate my friends. I have over 200 entries on my new account.” And how did he get to that mind-boggling figure? “One friend led to another, some sent friend request, while I sent some more and before I knew it I ended up having so many friends,” he elaborates. Does he even remember all his friends? Honestly, they all are not my friends. Some are friends’ friends and others are acquaintances,” admits the boy, who checks his scraps almost thrice a day and each time sends 25-30 replies. And does it feel good to be that ‘popular’? “I am over that phase now. But still it is a great feeling that I know people from almost every field. And of course when some girl sends a friend request, I certainly feel good about myself,” he asserts. Similarly, there is Amanpreet Ahuja, a student of GGSCW -26, who has over 250 friends on Orkut and the Facebook number is close to 90. Her Orkut scraps stand tall at 15,000 entries. “I am on these sites for two reasons. First, it allows me to stay wired with those who are far off and second it helps me share my achievements with just a click. I recently won several trophies in the youth festival. I put the pictures on Orkut and everyone came to know about,” she says. The experts feel that online social networks are creating a kind of heaven for the self-absorbed. “It is the world of self-promotion today. Not only one needs talent but also needs to represent it in some form or the other. The social networking sites are just a platform for that,” says Dr Sherry Sabbarwal, chairperson of Sociology Department, PU. “The impulse to gather friends on SNSs is not exactly a search for companionship, but a hunt for status. And these sites, very subtly, promote the quest. Facebook, Orkut, MySpace are designed in a manner to increase participation. The virtual world is addictive and so is its connectivity. Also, herd mentality has a lot do with it. ‘Because everyone is on it so would I’ is the approach,” she says. Dr Simmi Waraich says, “One’s online profiles sometimes help them buffer their insecurities. They represent to the world that they are not in actual life, which leads an alternate personality. We talk to Sanchit Gupta of sector 44, who has 88 friends on his Orkut list, “The people on my list are the ones I personally know. Some are my classmates, seniors, juniors or tuition mates. Orkut helps us keep in touch.” And what does he think of people who have endless friend list? “Well, it’s their way of self projection, probably gives them a high.” he adds. Well, next time you log on to these popular sites, don’t forget to check your ‘self love’ quotient!
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