From a non-descript village, Aujla in Jalandhar, Pritam Taank’s journey of 155 km to Chandigarh began at sharp 7 in the morning. Sunrays penetrating through the window of PRTC bus made her face gleam, reflecting the emotions she was going through. Nervous, excited, happy, restless — she was all and as she neared her dream to participate in PC Jewellers Miss India Worldwide, the emotions intensified. At the back of her mind, she knew it wasn’t going to be an easy win but then that wasn’t she aimed for. “All I wanted to prove was that I can share a platform with girls who are well-groomed, have excellent communication skills and are from big cities,” says Pritam, exuding confidence.

Of course, Fashion ka hai ye jalwa… and she is not the only one who belongs to what we call the ‘real India’. There are many from small towns and villages coming out to participate in such beauty pageants. Don’t mistake them for daydreamers, for they are pragmatic and know the reality. “We know we stand very little chance in front of the girls from big cities but who wants to win? We just want to be out there and want everybody to take notice of us. We dream big and have the grit to realise them,” is the mutual opinion of these girls. Here we talk to some such confidence exuding girls.

A government teacher by profession, Pritam always wanted to be model. But other than her social background, it was her parents’ wishes that held her back all these years. She says, “They wanted me to have a career in teaching. Having fulfilled their dream, I want to pursue my own aspirations now.”

Five-feet-six-inches-tall, she makes the most of her limited resources. “I watch fashion shows on television and try to imitate the models on ramp walk.”

Rajvir Kaur still can’t forget the thrilling experience of walking down the ramp at the Victoria Face of the Year, a beauty pageant held in the city recently. Her schooling and college from her native village, Dhandowal in Jalandhar, didn’t give her a complex. “I am proud of my background and the fact that I have come so far, inspires me. I gave my introduction on the stage in Hindi without any inhibitions.” It was her grooming lessons at the airhostess academy and her parents’ support that motivated her. “In case I am not able to achieve success in the modeling world, I know my parents will always be there to support me.” As of now, her only plan is to come back next year for the same beauty pageant, “I couldn’t win this year but next time, people should watch out for me.” Some confidence there!

It was Jonsi Sethi’s childhood dream to become a beauty queen. Hailing from Pehowa, a small town near Kurukshetra, she went on to become Miss Chandigarh, first runner-up 2008 and then signed off the year as first runner-up and Miss Photogenic at the Victoria Face of the Year pageant. Having done modeling for many Ludhiana and city-based brands; she is now looking forward to take up modeling as a fulltime profession. “I knew it beforehand that I had to put in more hard work than the girls from Chandigarh and I did that.” And her efforts did pay. “In the last couple of years, I brought around a 180 degree change in my personality. From my attitude, to the way I dress up and talk to people, everything got better. It was a complete makeover.”

Navjot Chahal took her parents to all modeling events she participated in. Hailing from Mansa, she says that was important to make them realise that the glam world is not all that bad. “Once I got their support, there was no looking back.” Though she is only student of Class X, she has all the confidence and determination to make it big.

It might be just the beginning for these aspiring models and we hope the Bachna ae Haseeno, the small town girl song would work for them too.

ashimasehajpal@tribunemail.com

Spell jewellery and what do you think? Define jewellery and what do you say? Intricate structures in a panorama of colours symbolising ultimate feminism! What if it’s further inspired by classics and wedded to tradition? Timeless! Pretty much the motivation behind the theme of Parampara, a semi precious ongoing jewellery exhibition by the label Asha Kamal Modi. Present on the occasion was the designer herself; and out tumbled the scroll of questions, list of doubts and a string of queries.

Even before the theme, let’s begin with the concept, Art Karat. An alternate line of jewellery based on silver and studded with semi-precious to precious gemstones. She says, “There was a time when nobody recognised silver, it was something to look down upon. That has changed.” The theme Parampara stems from the collections inspiration from rituals like passing on a piece of family heirloom to the newly wed. So, there are about 1000 pieces on display comprising key chains in different shades of tourmalines, zircon tussels, kundan necklaces in combination of rubies, sapphires with large pendants and the like.

Didn’t she give in to the current fixation for diamonds? Says Asha, “There is no denial of diamonds’ popularity, but when people are not buying them, they are happy possessing such pieces of art work too.” Times when designers don’t stop raving about their muse, what’s her inspiration? She says, “Whether it is for the US or UK markets, my clients are Asians all over the world, I try to think of what they want, generally don’t get and would like.”

Having had her collection showcased in Bollywood movies Devdas, Monsoon Wedding, Zubeida, does she plan to continue in the industry? Quips Asha, “No. Because that takes too much of time.” Having launched her line back in 1988, what are the changes worth mentioning in the entire industry? She says, “Silver was not a mainstream option, jewellery designing was never a career, there were no institutes, people would buy ornaments chiefly for security.”

Snap your fingers, cut to the present. It’s recession time now, does she feel the pinch or it’s reality only for few? Says Asha, “I don’t think people would stop getting married, buying jewellery or stop having the desire to possess ornaments.”

Talking of desire, one of every patron’s is affordability. Priced between Rs 5000 and Rs 50,000, does it have any resale value? She smiles, “Yes it does. There’s 25per cent deduction when ever one wishes to exchange.” So far, not a raw deal.

manpriya@tribunemail.com

On till Feb 1 at Hotel Mountview-10

We feed on music. Music channels, FM stations and our very own Bollywood supply us with enough acoustic diet. Our appetite for music is unending and it is only at times, we wish for a little zing. And the wish was granted. Bose, the world giant in audio systems, is now at Centra Mall to provide music enthusiasts a new experience.

With a history of over 40 years, Bose, the audio technology developer and product manufacturers, has introduced in the market audio systems with an IQ. “Our latest technology, Lifestyle 48, has a great music storage capacity. Once you begin to play it, the system judges your choice and then picks up tracks accordingly on its own,” says Ratish Pandey, general manager, Bose Corporation Private Limited, India.

The parameters for the music system to choose it are artistes, instruments and frequency of the music notes.”

It is to the credit of Bose’s initiative that we are done away with the monstrous loud speakers. Its complete lifestyle series comprises a media centre and five speakers. “Our priority is customisation of technology. Two audio streams can be done through these systems where people in a family can also listen to different music at the same time,” adds he. The Lifestyle series has other models to suit different areas and comes with a warranty of one year. “In times, when home-theatres have become a huge trend, the Bose audio system is bound to be the next big thing in India. It offers the complete experience.

Other than the personal audio systems, Bose has its music systems installed at major public places as well. “The latest one we have done at Hyderabad international airport. Also, we have music systems at various shopping malls and hotels in the country.” What makes them the leader in their stream is the extensive research they undertake before beginning a project. “Every detail has to be taken into consideration. Speakers have to be put up at a particular distance so that the music frequency is the same throughout.”

Also, the company has been making audio systems for 17 brands of cars across the world, including General Motors, Audi, Porshe and Ferrari.

— Ashima Sehajpal

The premier tourism organisation of Chandigarh, CITCO, has undertaken various initiatives to strengthen its infrastructure and upgrade the facilities at its flagship Hotel, Mountview.

As part of this endeavour, it has refurbished the coffee shop and a new Health Club and Salon with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities was also opened to the public and tourists recently.

Actor Preity Zinta who visited the renovated Mountview had this to say, “I must say it’s looking gorgeous.”

According to Ram Niwas, IAS, home Secretary, Chandigarh Administration and Chairman, CITCO, the basic approach towards designing and restructuring of Hotel Mountview has been done so as to create a consistent theme-based impact, starting from the green landscaped spaces continuing through the lobby interiors and reconnecting it again to the landscape areas on the north eastern side of the Hotel – culminating into a grand view of a major water feature near the swimming pool complex.

At the same time a fine balance between the heritage of the city and its rapid evolution towards a happening, high tech city has been manifested through the renovation of flagship hotel of CITCO.

A world-class nail art technique shall be introduced through specialists for high-end customers. A comprehensive set of rejuvenation amenities, including Thai Spa, Steam Sauna and Jacuzzi facilities would be added shortly.

CITCO shall also be organizing an Avadhi Food Festival shortly in February. — TNS

It seems the popular belief that men get fleeced by their divorces while women get richer is a myth, for a new study has revealed that male incomes rise by a third after a split while females face financial hardships.

Researchers in Britain have found that divorce makes men significantly richer because their available incomes rise by around one third, while the average woman's income falls by more than a fifth and can remain low for many years.

"The differences between the sexes are stark. But this is not so much a gender thing as a parent thing. The key differences are not between men and women, but between fathers and mothers," lead researcher Stephen Jenkins.

They have based their findings on a comparative analysis of combined data from 14 different British Household Panel Surveys over 1991 to 2004 with results from five surveys carried out in Europe.

The researchers found the positive effect on men's finances is so significant that divorce can even lift them out of poverty while women can plunge into destitution.

When a man leaves a childless marriage, his income immediately rises by 25 per cent, while women suffer a sharp fall in income - in fact, separated women have a poverty rate of 27 per cent, the study found.

Maintenance paid by former partners also has little impact as just 31 per cent of separated mothers receive payment from the father of their children. There are only two factors that have an impact on women's financial position, post relationship breakdown.

"The percentage change in income is less if they have worked beforehand and continue working afterwards. The impact is also reduced if they start working after the relationship breakdown," Jenkins said. — PTI

The instant messaging sessions with your beloved could say more than what you think, suggest researchers, who claim that the words send across cyberspace indicate the health of a relationship. A new research has shown that women who use the pronoun 'I' in their IM conversations were more satisfied with their partners.

Men were also more satisfied in their relationships when the women used 'I'.

"Instant messages are a great way to get at how people communicate in the real world," said lead study researcher Richard Slatcher of UCLA.

In the study, volunteers answered questions about relationship satisfaction. After six months, about 60 percent of couples were still dating while the others had broken up.

Researchers read through the conversations, noting the context of the IM threads. Then, they used a linguistic word count program to analyse the conversations' pronouns and words with emotional content.

"We found that the extent to which people used positive emotion words like 'great’, 'happy’, 'love’, tended to be happier in their relationships and to stay in their relationships for a longer period of time," Slatcher said.

Women who IMed with lots of "I's" were 30 percent more likely to stay in their relationships compared with other women. The 'I'-laden instant messages could indicate women were talking about themselves and were comfortable doing so with their partners, Slatcher said.

He added, "An alternative explanation might be that you are not so enmeshed in your relationship that you have lost yourself completely." — ANI

The moment Rashmi (name changed) walked into my clinic, I knew there was something seriously wrong with her. She was a pretty 20-year-old, with shoulder-length hair, but her face mirrored anguish, almost bordering on fear. It was as if her world was collapsing around her. The first thing to do was to make her comfortable. She was in tears, as she reached deep into the recesses of her handbag and her psyche, to bring out an envelope. It was like displaying a prized possession. It was full of hair! Her crowning glory in an envelope! No wonder she was under so much stress. It did not surprise me at all, because this kind of extreme anxiety is so much a part of the problem she had…..alopecia.

Yes, the cause of alopecia and its cure are not fully understood as yet. Many doctors feel that stress is a major contributory cause, or aggravating factor, in many cases. The bald patch had grown larger and the hair loss continued.

We started her on treatments to stimulate the follicles, so that they start growing hair. It also helps the stimulation of blood circulation to the hair follicles, to encourage the flow of nutrients to the follicles. The aim is also to restore the normal balance of the scalp.

In our long experience of treating hair loss, we have found Ayurvedic ingredients extremely useful, due to their powerful healing properties. They not only help to restore normal balances, aid the removal of toxins and stimulate hair growth, but many of these herbs have been known to calm the nerves, induce relaxation and reduce stress. They also contain vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other valuable substances, which are imperative for hair health. Brahmi, for example, helps in treating stress-related hair problems, while herbs like Bhringaraj and Manjishtha have powerful tonic properties. Amla is the richest source of vitamin C and also helps to restore the ideal balance. Trifala, a combination of three herbs, is known to promote hair growth.

The clinical scalp treatments that we gave Rashmi consisted of a course of several sittings, taken on a daily basis to start with. Ayurveda being a holistic system, we also gave her advice on diet. As the treatment progressed and she began to gain more confidence in the treatment, we put her on hair packs and extremely gentle head massage. Ayurveda recognises specific points, called “marma”, on the body and head, where massage has specific benefits. It is believed that the flow of energy is along certain channels and the direction of the massage enhances the flow of energy. The “marma” points are massaged gently, using circular motions in a clockwise direction. Pressure is also applied and released gently.

According to the Ayurvedic tradition, the Mardhi Marma, or crown of the head is said to be the point where blood vessels and nerves meet. It also helps in rectifying “dosha” imbalances. The Marma points are massaged gently, rubbing in small clockwise circles, increasing the pressure gradually and also releasing it pressure gradually. Thus, Ayurveda identifies other sensitive points on the head and these are massaged.

I remember the day, almost three months later, when Rashmi came to the clinic, excited, insisting that we see the new hair that had grown in the bald patch. The tears in her eyes were those of joy and not of despair. That day I knew that we had indeed surmounted a problem that is said to have no cure. It was yet another miraculous Ayurvedic cure.

It is that time of the year when you need to keep yourself warm and snug. Come and feel cozy this winter with the winter collection by Urban 10, the flagship brand of the United Retail, for Girls between one and 14. The brand has launched yet another range of super trendy and comfortable range of stylish and fashionable clothes for young girls. Their new collection of jackets, jeans, dresses and heavy denim.

According to Jeevash Vaid, Founder, Urban 10, " The all-new Fall-Winter collection features a variety of new designs and styles that makes a statement of its own and makes one stand out from the crowd. The new range displays an astounding array of colors."

The pricing is conceptualised keeping in mind the motto of the company "Trendy Fashion at The Right Price".

The tops are priced between Rs 299-Rs 499, Denim from Rs 599-Rs 799 and Dresses from Rs 699-Rs 799.

Slamming the critics of Oscar nominated Slumdog Millionaire, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said the poverty highlighted in the movie is a ‘reality’ and wondered why people in India tend to become cynical when something good is happening.“Isn’t that (poverty and slums) a reality? If you (critics) have a problem with the word slumdog, why don’t you look positively and see that there is a word millionaire or crorepati also,” Shah Rukh, who returned from Los Angeles after a month-long schedule of Karan Johar’s My name is Khan told reporters.Critics felt that the movie sells India’s poverty to the West and some others had raised objections to the word ‘slumdog’ on grounds that people living in Indian slums were being referred to as ‘dogs’.“I have just returned from the US and people there have become crazy about the film and its music. The film’s sound is also too good apart from a good story and screenplay.The film deserves all awards,” Khan, who has read the original book as well as the script said. Also, the actor said he does not regret declining Anil Kapoor’s role in the film.“I can’t regret something, which I could not have done. I don’t think I would have done justice to the role of a game show host like Anil Kapoor, he said at the launch of his company’s foray into television content last night with Ghar Ki Baat Hai on NDTV Imagine.SRK said during the period which Danny Boyle shot the film, he was already hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) and later Kya Aap Panchvi Pass Se Tez Hai. — PTI

Slumdog Millionaire actor Dev Patel might have become a international celebrity with his debut film but that does not save him from embarrassing moments in real life.The actor has revealed that he was answering nature’s call when his film Slumdog Millionaire won the ‘Best Ensemble’ award at the Screen Actor’s Guild award ceremony this week and had to make a mad rush to get to the stage on time to join his co-stars. The British actor’s ill-timed toilet break resulted in him dashing through the audience in the Shrine auditorium to reach the stage. He recalls, “I literally ran and I broke someone’s champagne glass on the way.” The 18-year-old actor has been taken from anonymity and propelled into stardom with his first film Slumdog Millionaire, which has won 10 Oscar nominations. — PTI

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan met veteran actor Manoj Kumar for an out-of-the-court settlement regarding the cases filed against him in connection with the spoof in his home production Om Shanti Om. Kumar called him to his residence to discuss withdrawal of the court cases, according to Shah Rukh.“He told me that he was elder to me and was forgiving me for the mistake committed. I and director Farah Khan had sought forgiveness from him several times for our mistake,” he said.“The spoof in the film was not with an intention to belittle him or hurt him. He told me that he would not like to carry on the burden of the court cases,” Shah Rukh said.

Kumar had dragged Shah Rukh to court for not honouring the promise of deleting the sequence in the film that shows security guards of a movie theatre beating him up after he displays a driving license showing his photo in his trademark style covering the face with his palm. The veteran, who has produced and directed several patriotic films earning him the title Bharat Kumar, had asked Shah Rukh to withdraw the scene to which director Farah Khan and he as the producer of the film agreed.But, the scene continued to be a part of the film and before its television premiere Kumar filed a case against Shah Rukh. — PTI

Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan today injured his wrist while shooting a stunt sequence for his home production, Kites.Hrithik was shooting in the suburbs for a stunt scene where he was supposed to break a glass. During the shot a piece of glass pierced his wrist.He was taken to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Centre in suburban Andheri and later discharged. The actor’s publicist Dale Bahgvagar said, “It is not a serious injury. Knowing his determination he will bounce back very soon to resume shooting.”Injury on the sets is not new to the actor. While shooting for Krrish and Dhoom 2, the actor had torn a ligament in his right knee. — PTI

Shrek' has been voted the best children's film ever made in a poll of adults. The 2001 animated film by DreamWorks, starring Mike Myers as the voice of the big green ogre along with Eddie Murphy as his sidekick donkey, won the hearts of children and adults alike.

Owing to its adult-orientated gags, the film has made it to the top in a poll of 3,000 adult movie fans. Standing second in the poll by www.onepoll.com, was Johnny Depp's 2003 blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean.

"Shrek is a great film whether you are five or 50. It has the simple plot and colourful characters keep the children entertained, but the jokes and adult humour make sure that it also keeps the older generation happy," a spokesman for www.onepoll.com said.

At the third spot was Disney/Pixar classic Finding Nemo, which tells the story of clownfish Nemo, who is stolen from his coral reef home by a diver to add to his fish tank in Sydney.

Rounding off at fourth and fifth position were Toy Story and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, respectively.

The top 10 children's film ever made are: 1. Shrek 2. Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Finding Nemo 4. Toy Story 5. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 6. The Lion King 7. Mrs Doubtfire 8. Monsters Inc 9. Ice Age 10. Wallace and Gromit — ANI