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Chirping companions
"I know we have a pleasant day upon us when I hear Butter Scotch chirping early in the morning," says Pretty Verma, a public relation consultant from the city, who tells us about her two Australian parrots who are indispensable for her mornings and for the rest of the day. "These are my babies from Lucknow, and now they are members of our family," she caresses the two lovely cockatiels. And you thought only dogs could make good pets. Birds make for nice pets, but if only you can take good care of them. They can be a companion for decades. That's true for any pet that you keep. All the fluttering, chirping, these feathered friends can liven up your day. At the same time, remember, it is nice to have birds that talk, but they don't come with on and off buttons. So, be prepared to for their whims and fancies! "My son's teacher advised us to keep a pet and we thought birds would be a novel idea," says Pretty, who is in charge of 'bird care' in the family. "They have been with us for more than two years now, and they recognize us pretty well. They react when I call out for them, they are scared of my son as he is a little naughty and they are indifferent to my husband, Sanjeev. All said and done, birds are very delicate creatures that need to be kept with extreme care." Amitabh Sen Gupta, owner Fish Point, Sector-46, agrees. He has almost 200 odd parakeets, lovebirds and Budgerigars at his place since the last six years. "It holds true for all pets, they need to be kept with care. The birds should be fed on time, their cage should be clean and you should also ensure that they get their medicines on time," he adds. Amitabh and his family are pretty much attached to the feathery creatures. He feels that kids these days don't get to hear the chirping of birds in the natural surroundings. "At least they get to hear the sound of chirping at home." A nice thought indeed. All the same, never be in a hurry to get these feathered creatures home for just pleasure or merely 'showing off'. Quips Pretty, "A little knowledge before you make a clear choice, can save you from a lot of trouble later on. And be prepared to be a dedicated caretaker. "I have to be sure that I give them the right feed at the right time. Soaked dal, grams, peas, kangani, green veggies are a treat for them." What about the constant chirping? "Its music for the ears now," she smiles. "They don't make much noise on a very hot or cold day. On a pleasant day, they are at their chirping best." And it's very important to note that birds shouldn't be let out of cage. "These are pets and they shouldn't be let out of the cage, they could meet with an accident or fall prey to bigger birds, cats, dogs," cautions Rubal Sandhu, who has two lovely love birds at his home. "We have a Dashund, Danny, so we have to be careful that he doesn't get naughty with the birds. I think they are friends now, or they pretend to be so," he laughs.
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Tum jiyo hazaaron saal
Shobha (Fori) Nehru looked vivacious, dressed in a purple sari, as she greeted guests and enquired about friends and family. Sipping a cup of kahwa, she seemed to enjoy every moment as near and dear ones gathered to celebrate her 100th birthday in the city on Tuesday afternoon. The occasion saw a garden party with soft music playing in the background, and sumptuous food and drinks dished out for the guests to enjoy. Of course, the centre of attraction was the lovely lady who was enjoying catching on with the loved ones. The guests from all across the world had gathered to celebrate the D-day in the life of a very special lady, who is now leading a quiet life in Kasauli. Her life in India started 74years back, in 1934, when she met the love of her life at Oxford as a student and followed him to his country. A Hungarian by birth, she adopted Indian ways even before getting married. Not only does she speak flawless Hindi, family members tell us that she has mastered the Devnagri script as well. Married into a Brahmin family, she also studied Bhagwadgita to get closer to the culture. Wife of late Padma Vibhushan, Braj Kumar Nehru, a distinguished civil servant, an outstanding diplomat and a former president of The Tribune Trust, Shobha herself led a very fruitful life. She played a key role in setting up a cottage industry right after the Independence of India. From the jet-setting life of Washington DC, as wife of Indian ambassador, to reaching out to tribes in India, she did all to help the textile industry bloom in the formative years of independent India. During the tragic partition of the country, she assisted in many a rehabilitation camps. On being asked how does it felt to have had such a long stay in India, she promptly replied, "India is home." mona@tribunemail.com
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Bollywood can’t forget and forgive
There is a sense of shock, dismay and outrage among members of the film fraternity following the bloody terror strikes in Mumbai, India's entertainment and commercial capital. Though most of the stars have returned to work, they are not at ease as images of the massacre continue to haunt them. Film shooting was sporadic Saturday, the day the terrorists who had held the city to ransom for almost 61 hours were flushed out. Bipasha Basu shot for a song with Ahmed Khan and Leena Bajaj shot with Amitabh Bachchan for Teen Patti. Otherwise, all was quiet on the shooting front. US-based Indian filmmaker Mira Nair, who paid a tribute to the city with Salaam Bombay, is unable to talk about it. "I've no words at this moment. I pray for equanimity to prevail and that we don't give in to hysteria," Nair said. Mira has stayed at the devastated Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, one of the three buildings the terrorists had seized, on her frequent visits to Mumbai. Naseeruddin Shah echoed Mira's sentiments and said: "What's the point in spouting clichés? Let's leave that to the politicians. My reaction of outrage and helplessness is no different from that of any sane person." Sushmita Sen, too, is wounded by the attack on Mumbai. "The last couple of days have left me deeply hurt and angered. What's happening to our administration? We now see a basic disregard for human life. I've been praying constantly for all our children's future," said Sushmita. Preity Zinta, who returned from Dubai to a shell-shocked Mumbai, still can't believe what happened. "I was stranded at the Dubai airport on Wednesday night. Innocent women and children being killed. What sense does it make? I've spent so many evenings at the Taj. I remember their hospitable staff with much warmth. Will the Taj ever be the same again? My brother and his family came from the US to ring in my mother's birthday on Sunday. They couldn't have chosen a worst time to come to Mumbai. But it's good to have family with me at such a time," Preity said. She knew all the warm and hospitable staffers of the Taj and can't believe some of them are gone. "Will the hotel ever be the same again? Even when it's re-opened, would we feel comfortable with the heavy security personnel and the memories of the violence?" Preity wondered. A majority of the Bollywood stars were in no mood to resume work, although the city seemed ready to bounce back. Said Suniel Shetty: "The city is in a state of shock. I'm getting to know gradually that I've lost friends in the attack whom I've known for years. This time it's not like other times. My family and I live quite close to both the Taj and Oberoi (Trident Hotel). We saw smoke and fire billowing out of these places where we've spent so many evenings." Suniel shot on Thursday for Priyadarshan's De Dana Dan, but stayed home on Friday. Harman Baweja cancelled his shooting because he says he felt "angered and disillusioned". Sonu Sood cancelled his shooting in Hyderbad and said: "I've been under too much stress in the last four days. I guess I'll start shooting the day after." Vatsal Seth and Celina Jaitley chose to stay away from shooting to attend the funeral of their friend Ashish Chowdhary's sister on Saturday. Ashish's mother and his sister's mother-in-law were inconsolably shattered. There were 10 bodies to be cremated along with Ashish's sister's and brother-in-law's. Will their lives ever be the same again? Lilette Dubey, who lives right next to the Taj, said Mumbai resembled a war zone in the three days. She left Mumbai Friday to be with her family in Delhi. Bollywood is in no mood to forgive, forget and move on. The latest SMS doing the rounds in Bollywood reads: Let's start something. A non-cooperation movement. Something that can tell the politicians we aren't taking this lying down. That we want our safety. Let this movement be started by the corporates. A nameless, leaderless movement. Let's show them how many of us are angry, tired and frustrated. Let's all come together at the Gateway Of India Wednesday. Let's ask for what's our birthright. To live fearlessly.
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NSG gets cheers,
netas invite jeers
Venting his anger on some politicians for their comments over the ghastly Mumbai terror attacks, Bollywood director Karan Johar says they should be "bashed".
"Politicians, soulless and emotionless, were addressing the country while reading off tele-prompters. Can you not feel anything? Can you say nothing to make us feel just a little more secure in your hands?" his blog says. Applauding NSG and media for their roles, Johar writes, "Certain politicians should be bashed. Poorly conducted 'press conferences' announcing the death and casualty toll for foreigners with the speaker unable to successfully read a list from a sheet of paper, confusing Austria for Australia and generally making us look like illiterate idiots to a global audience. It left me embarrassed and struggling to find pride in our government". Johar was in New York when the incident took place. "I was glued to the TV screen since late Wednesday night when security personnel battled the terrorists in the city for 62 hours. "In times like these, it becomes a challenge to look at the big picture. Terror attacks, massive loss of life the reality eventually forces you to look at how we react individually and as a collective community." On people's safety in Mumbai, he writes, "In our every day lives where maybe we went to Tiffin for lunch or did some window-shopping at the Taj, we now feel unsafe in our cars with tinted windows and our buildings with multiple watchmen. We now feel what a section of the city's lower-middle class felt on July 11, 2006 when their security was threatened. "Affluent members of society now prance around panels claiming Mumbai is no longer safe. This city isn't safe now, nor was it safe two years ago," he writes. |
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Flag flak
Bollywood's veteran actor Simi Garewal, who kicked up a storm with her comment on a TV show that slums in Mumbai can be seen sporting Pakistani flags, has apologised, saying she was wrong and stood corrected.
"I was wrong on that count and I apologise for that. In the slums near the Race Course in Mahalaxmi in central Mumbai, which I was talking about, they sport Islamist flags; and you know it closely resembles the Pakistani flag. This was pointed out to me by somebody. So, I say sorry and stand corrected," Garewal said in an interview, after Mumbai's 60-hour terror siege in which at least 183 people were killed. Stating that she stood by her views, verbalised in NDTV's "We The People" programme anchored by Barkha Dutt Sunday, that India must dismantle the militant camps in Pakistan if the Pakistani government was incapable of doing so, Garewal asked: "Hasn't the US Army gone in and uprooted the training camps situated in the tribal areas of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan?" She said the government must stop being soft towards terrorists and emphasised that she was "not all disrespectful towards Pakistan's sovereignty". "My suggestion is that the Indian Army should go into POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir), do the job and come back without harming the country or its people." Garewal said she was "still angry and frustrated because we are all so helpless in the face of terror". "When the terrorists from across the border strike India, the Hindus and Muslims suffer equally. We have seen that happening again and again. Perhaps I am being emotional. Like every Mumbaikar, I am angry and frustrated. How long can we live in fear of being attacked by terrorists from across the border? Are we going to be sitting ducks forever, waiting for the next attack. Act and act swiftly." |
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End of a season
The IFFI, which kick started on December 22 with veteran film actor Rekha lighting the traditional lamp, saw one of the largest participation and also the finest movies from the country as well as abroad. The festival came to an end with the screening of Iranian film The Song of Sparrows directed by Majid Majidi. Five days into the festival, the Mumabi terror attacks had cast a shadow of gloom on the celebrations, the festival still continued with all its charm and beauty.
The festival saw one of the largest participation of about 6,000 delegates and was noted for showing the best films, which had already been screened at the world famous Film Festivals like Cannes, Berlin, Venice and Montreal. Six films from Cannes film festival, seven from Montreal, three from Venice and a lot more from other film festivals added charm to the IFFI. Another important feature of the IFFI was that some of the films like that of Bangladeshi filmmaker Abu Sayeed's latest work Rupantor had their world premier in this festival. Dada Saheb Phalke Award winner Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Oru Pennum Randannum, and well-known Malayalam director T V Chandran's Vilapangalkkappuram, had their Indian premier at the festival. Raja Menon's Barah Aana, Anjan Dutt's Chaurastra Crossroads of Love, Vera Chawala's Death Without Consent were all world premiers. Tandoori Love by Oliver Paulus was the Asia premier at the IFFI. Controversies also marred the festival with legendary artist M F Hussain's documentary Through The Eyes of a Painter being deferred. The movie was deferred after some Hindu outfits threatened to launch protests at the venue if it was screened. Later, the film was screened after much protest from the delegates. The Fifteen films from Asia, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Africa, which competed for the prestigious Golden Peacock Award, were well received by the delegates. The world cinema section, which has about 60 films from around the world, was also loved by film buffs. The films made by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in the Film India Worldwide also attracted a large audience. The Indian Panorama also had some very good films from across the country. A unique feature of the fest was the screening of four films based on Taj Mahal from 1928 to 2005. There was also a separate section which showcased digitally restored films from the US, france, Japan and India. The retrospective section which included films of renowned filmmakers Aki Kaurismaki (Finland), John Landis (USA) and Wong Kar Wai (Hongkong) got a rousing reception at the IFFI. Directors Mrinal Sen and K Balachander, actor Dev Anand and Film Editor Waman Bhosle were felictated at the IFFI 2008.
— IANS, PTI, UNI |
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Let your lips do the talking
There must have been dozen sonnets dedicated to lip colours, and double the amount of prose to lip gloss, while their unsung and rather more functional cousin hardly ever gets written about. It’s time, lip balms, the most practical, handy and ubiquitous piece in the vanity kit received its due. We give you a comprehensive picture.
However, hardly any cosmetics company considers its skin care range complete without coming up with a lip moisturizer, with the result that both kinds and categories galore. Justified, considering the fact, our lips are sensitive to the actions of the sun, wind, salty foods, bacteria et al. No wonder, they require that bit of extra attention. Result, you have balms with or without sunscreens, fragrance, shimmers, a dash of colour, numerous flavours, the options are mind-boggling. Take Streetwear’s for instance, they come in flavours titled, Limealicious, Fruitalicious and Coffeelicious and contain not just the balm but gloss and glitter as well. While the Lip Smooth by Maybelline is colourless and comes in orange, cool mint and violet flavour. Commenting on the popularity of chap sticks, Pooja Suryavanshi, Customer Sales Executive at a Sector 9 mall says, “Their demand skyrockets during winters. People, irrespective of gender, age come and buy them. Though, for girls mostly it’s the fancier versions.” The variety does not stop there. You also get the one’s by VLCC in edible and delicious tangs of strawberry, mint and melon. Only don’t eat them! They even claim to protect from sun with SPF of 10. Move further and in Body shop one gets moisturising sticks in flavours of mango, papaya, passion, almond and much more. The range by Nivea claims to contain calendula oil, shea butter and chemical Dexpanthenol (for good skin penetration). Not to forget the offering by good old Vaseline. Nature lovers can go for plethora of herbal lip balms, but avoid unbranded ones. With so much to choose from, even a navigator would loose track. Dr. Ashima Goel of Parisa Skin Clinic makes it simple for us, as she says, “ Cracking of lips occurs due to vitamin B1 deficiency. Ideally a lip moisturizer should be colourless and fragrance free. One should carefully go through the ingredients among which simple, soft, paraffin is recommended.” She strongly forbids any kind of unbranded products permeating the markets as they might contain certain harmful ingredients. She adds, “Especially those who have allergy, have high chances of contacting dermatitis to the ingredients of the product.” One needs to be careful of the seemingly harmless petroleum products too. They, at times, can actually dehydrate your lips. Also, when a something is applied, a person tends to lick, especially if it’s flavoured, this leaves the lips dry. Those, too cynical to trust their skin to market brands, can go ahead and even make them at home. All you need is base, oil or glycerine for moisture, some flavour (peppermint, jojoba oil, beeswax and any other essential oils), little bit of research, wisdom from granny and it’s easy! Go ahead and prove to the world, the beautiful pout need not be the sole possession of Angelina
Jolie. Mouth matters A few of the lip balm facts you probably were unaware of. Kevin Crossman was a lip balm addict, so much so that he founded a Lip Balm Anonymous. People from all over the world have visited
lipbalmanonymous. com On one of the social networking sites, Facebook, there are 192 groups dedicated to lipbalms, many of them addiction oriented! |
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up Cold care Shahnaz Husain Winters, they get along a number of skin problems. Right from dry skin to chapped lips the problems are galore. But to make you look pretty and stand apart, we get for you some home remedies that can help you curb most of your beauty troubles. Cleanser for dry skin: To a tablespoon of cold milk add 2 drops of any vegetable oil (olive, or tile or sunflower oil). Mix well. Dip cotton wool in it and use it to wipe the skin. You can make this in a larger quantity for 2 or 3 days, but keep it in the refrigerator. Honey: To make your face soft and smooth, mix honey with one teaspoon of orange juice and apply on the face. Wash it off after 20 minutes. Honey suits all skin types. For oily and acne-prone skin, mix one-teaspoon honey with one-teaspoon curd and a little turmeric. Cabbage and carrot: Cabbage is rich in vitamins and minerals. Boil cabbage in enough water. Cool the liquid and use it to wash the face. Cabbage is rich in minerals and is good for all skin types. Then grate carrots and apply on the face for 15 to 20 minutes. Wash off with plain water. Carrot is rich in Vitamin A and good for winter skin problems. For dry skin: Mix half a teaspoon honey, one-teaspoon rose water and one-teaspoon dried milk powder. Mix into a paste and apply on the face. Remove after 20 minutes with water. Applying mayonnaise or egg yolk on the skin also helps to relieve dryness. Body massage: For a fragrant body massage oil, mix four drops of sandalwood essential oil and four drops of rose essential oil to 100 ml pure sesame seed (tile) or olive oil. If you want to use only one of these two essential oils, add eight drops of it. Do not use essential oils by themselves. They must be added to carrier (pressed) oils. For itchy skin caused by dryness, add 2 tablespoons vinegar to a mug of water and rinse the areas after your bath. Hands: For hands and nails, mix almond oil and honey in equal parts and massage into the nails and cuticles. Leave on for 15 minutes and wipe off with a moist towel. Mix together 3 tablespoons of rose water with one-tablespoon glycerin. Apply on hands and feet and leave for half an hour. Wash it off with plain water. Hair Care: Heat pure coconut, tile or olive oil and apply on the scalp and hair. Then dip a towel in hot water, squeeze out the water and wrap the towel around the head, like a turban. Keep it on for five minutes. Repeat the hot towel wrap for three or four times. This helps the hair and scalp absorb the oil better. To add shine and softness to dry, dull hair, take a cup of honey, half-cup of olive oil or sesame seed (tile) oil and two tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir very well and keep it overnight. Then store in a jar. Massage a little of this mixture into the hair before your shampoo. Use the hot towel wrap method for better penetration. Shampoo hair after an hour. For dry and damaged hair, use castor oil. Add one teaspoon of castor oil to two tablespoons pure olive oil or coconut oil. Massage it into the scalp and hair. Comb the hair to make sure it has been properly distributed. Follow the hot towel wrap procedure 3 or 4 times. Applying mayonnaise on the hair helps to nourish and soften it. It can be applied half an hour before washing the hair. Or, beat two egg yolks in one-fourth cup warm water. Massage it into the scalp. Rinse out thoroughly after half an hour.
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Punk unctuality & Passion
German rock band? That would be easy to spot. Just look for crazy, eccentric music lovers with lots of tattoos and weird hairstyles and shrieking make-up. However, one glimpse, and the stereotypical-image lost another battle. Meet Jules, Danny, Denis and Tobi, the members of a rock band Nulltarif, currently on a tour to South Asia and performing today on Panjab University campus. They are relaxing at a city hotel till we snip our fingers, catch their attention and seek opinion on everything under the sun. The name Nulltarif surely sounds and suggests something, even to an Indian. What’s it all about? Answers Jules, the vocalist and guitarist of the band, “Well, we are from the Stuttgart area of Germany and our music is poppy punk rock with German lyrics.” Nulltarif, together since 2003, debuted with their album Licht aus, with their music alternating between melancholy and humour. So, when did this musical journey begin? Says Jules, “We have been into it since school. Me and Toby and then Denis joined us in 2006.” Over 200 gigs in Germany and abroad. What about the audience? Jules says, “Typical Indian audience is quiet at first, then clapping and it takes a while to freak and explode. Whereas back home, they are standing right from the starting.” Heard any of the Indian artists? Smiles he, “Punjabi MC is a hit in Germany, with his hip-hop style. Even the Bollywood thing is very big there.” Having already been to half dozen Indian cities, including Trivandrum, Chennai, Dhaka, Pune, Jaipur, they, post Chandigarh will be heading Colombo, Bangalore and Delhi. Quite an itinerary. So what about India? Indian food? Indian people? “I quite like Indian food,” says Toby, the drummer. He adds, “Especially the chicken meals, dosa and the naan.” And, for Denis, on the vocals and bass, it’s the girls. He says, “Indian girls are pretty. There are lots of them.” One more observation. Over here, in December and still they find the sunshine abundant. Says Jules, “Here the sun is always shining and that’s what I like. Because right now in Germany, it’s like minus 12 degrees Celsius. And, they only wish that Indians could be a little more punctual. Laughs Jules, “God gave us clock and Indians lots of free time!” They will be performing at English Auditorium today at 5.30 pm. Entry by passes only.
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Prisoner of love
Do you still miss the good ol’ university life? Chit-chatting with friends, unending gheries and a bit of studies made these years worth remembering. Life in a 7x7 feet space can get claustrophobic. But not in a hostel! On the contrary, these small rooms become the most fascinating place for students. And, as they say, life in Panjab University is addictive and has everything to rejoice about. It guarantees fun and academic opportunity which most of us have availed in our student life but there are some people who say it all the time with aplomb — Yeh dil maange more. Meet Harmanjeet Singh Deol, an MBA, a law degree holder, a post-graduate in mass communication and now a research scholar, he has been in the university for the past nine years and is still craving for more. Having joined in 1999, he has been staying in Hostel Number -1 since his first day. “It is now like a second home to me where I have spent all my youth and have enjoyed each day of it.” And he admits that the university scenario has changed over the years. “Earlier, there used to be one or two cars in the parking area of the hostel but today you hardly find to place to park even a two wheeler.” Not just the reducing green belt or the overall ambience, but he feels, the crowd has changed too, “The gawky crowd has been replaced by smart and sophisticated youngsters who do not mind showing off the luxuries they can afford.” Sharing his experience, he adds, “Besides academics, staying here has helped me develop my overall personality. The teaching standards here can be compared to that of any university abroad.” However, what he feels bad is that the student organisations are not so powerful now. He adds that it is quite natural to see the infrastructure getting better with time. Pooja Sharma still feels thrilled to recall her first day at the university. “It was a feeling that I can’t put in words. Out of the college, I, for the first time realised, what freedom meant. The university gave me an opportunity to realise my potential and gave me a lot confidence.” Staying here from the past five years, Pooja after doing her master in sociology and then mass communication, is now pursuing PhD. She further says about her stay in here, “From academics to life-long friendship, staying in the university gives a lot. I cannot forget the late night gossip sessions and parties we have in our rooms at night.” Sudhayan Negi, a PhD student, feels it is the library in the university that makes his stay a memorable one. “It has a rich variety of books of all genres. Also, unlike other universities, there is no restrictions and one has the liberty to pick up any book of his choice.” He adds that it is the fun-filled ambience of the campus that makes the university a home away from home. ashima@tribunemail.com
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Candle comrades
In the wake of any national tragedy, the citizens hold candlelight vigils to commemorate the event. But do these vigils really make an impact or become only a token of remembrance?
The Fire within
Time to act
A silent prayer
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If you like smaller birds, you might go in for finches, lovebirds or parakeets. If you are not intimidated by large birds, a parrot, macaw, cockatoo or conure might make for a good companion.
I think doing such vigils show that the people somewhere care! It's not a really big thing to go out and light a candle but when you think about it, people who ' really care ' take out time from their busy life and do such things. It shows our solidarity and unity. A burning candle symbolizes the fact that no matter whatever happens, there is always a fire burning in people's heart.
The first act of standing together for a cause by holding a candle light march was seen for the Jessica Lal case. And since then we have seen numerous processions and vigils being held everytime some tragedy strikes. Though they symbolize our togetherness in the hour of grief, but I think they fail to create the desired impact. Jessica got justice because of the candle light determination, but what happened to various terror victims in the past one-year who are still waiting their share of justice even after numerous vigils being held. For action to be taken, it's time we do something more than just remembering the sacrifices.
Benu, MCA student from GGDSD college-32
Truly speaking, I don't think they serve much purpose or are that important. What happens is people gather at a place, light candles and then disperse. Functionally, it does not serve much purpose. But, at the same time they cannot be termed completely useless also, because they do attract some attention to the event and show people's solidarity and bring certain amount of reflection to the cause. If we had prayer sessions instead of candle light processions, they would be better.