Not so long ago, we learnt that Michelangelo’s virgin effort was a smallish, slightly customised painted copy of a German print called St Anthony Tormented by Demons. The painting was done when Michelangelo was only 12 or 13. It was only later he turned his attention to sculpture. This secret was unearthed by the 16th century art stargazer Giorgio Vasari.

The second revelation came from Delhi-based artist Paramjit Singh when he visited the city last year. The artist, whose paintings now sell in crores of rupees, candidly told us journos, how he ‘reworked’ on a Rabindra Nath Tagore’s painting and put it in his portfolio for admission at a Delhi polytechnic. “The judges were impressed but it was basically a copy with a little twist here and there,” he told us.

Many a great artists have done copy works but it takes courage to admit it, that too on record. So, we try to get them talk, in our own city circle, and skeletons tumble out of their closets. Our first target is Madan Lal, an established artist from the city.

“My first copy was Sobha Singh’s Sohni Mohiwal which I did during my school days. Those times, where I was growing up, only calendars were available and those were the only source of inspiration. What followed were more calender art like Guru Gobind Singh and Bhagat Singh and by the time I was ready to join the Government College of Art I was already a commissioned artist in my village, doing portraits of my neighbours and dead ones,” says Madan.

“It’s a wrong notion that copying is a bad thing,” says city based Viren Tanwar, who admits of having copied Picasso, John Constable’s landscapes, Mattise and a score of Russian artists whose names he do not even remember. “When I was in the Slade School of Fine Arts in London, we were often taken to art museums and made to copy great masters. You cannot learn as much as you do by copying Picasso or Rembrandt. Because the lines are all presented in front of you in the best possible manner,” says Viren.

Artist Balvinder is one person who has never copied, but feels copying should be part of the curriculum. “The Government College of Art has strong biases about copy works, always emphasising on originality. And since I was total raw before I joined the college, my mindset also became the same. But it’s time to change that and encourage copy works,” says Balvinder.

Maybe it’s also the time for others to throw their skeletons out of their cupboards, even if it’s just for fun sake!

parbina@tribunemail.com

Reigning supreme in the world of rhythm, Kolkata-based tabla maestro Rimpa Siva had earned the title of ‘Princess of the World’ when she was a mere child. Her aesthetic potential, imaginative profundity and technical virtuosity in tabla had been admired and duly stamped by music stalwarts like Pandit Ravi Shanker, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma with whom she was featured in concerts in India and abroad.

Besides geniuses like Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Krishan Maharaj, Anuradha Pal and Avan Mistry, she is the only charismatic female performer who had stormed into the male bastion as soloist.

Coming from a musical family, Rimpa was initiated into music, especially tabla, by her father and guru Prof Swapan Siva. Swapan is an acclaimed tabla player and a disciple of late Ustad Keramatullah Khan of Farukhabad Gharana. Holding a master degree in music from Rabindera Bharti University, Rimpa has performed at many prestigious festivals and music venues. She has three albums, including Dhee Re Dhee Re, Tabla Girl Power and a documentary film “Princesse Des Tablas” has been made on her She is in the city on the invitation of the Haryana Institute of Performing Arts (HIFA). Rimpa was elated to come here on her birthday and she desires to make her performance a special one.

To a question that many music connoisseurs regard her as number one woman tabla player in the world, she reacts saying that in Indian classical tradition, where music is still a mission, there is no grading as such. “But, I have learnt from my papa-guru Swapan ji and musician mother, Jayita, that success of any musician lies in producing such a feeling for the audience that the artist be lost in his innovative aesthetic expression and listeners are lost in performers creations and I always and will attempt it today also,” she says.

Expressing her admiration for Ustad Zakir Hussain, Anido Chatterjee and others for their rich contributions, she recalls her first meeting with Hussain and later his encouraging comments.

“It was after my performance in Paris and Berlin (2002), he told me that he was proud of my dexterity, prowess and skill Such ashirwaad from Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shiv Kumar Sharma rejuvenate me and inspire me to take the Indian classical music to the horizons and bring back its old glory,” says Rimpa.

In usual scenario, mention Haryana when in conversation with a room full of creative and culture specialists, and the not so surprising remarks would be, “The state knows only one culture — agriculture.” But then usual is not what we would like to talk about today.

So, we have a rich and rustic display of what Haryana’s culture is all about. The first Haryana Contemprory Art Exhibition at Punjab Kala Bhavan-16 brings to you the most exquisite and rare collection of terracotta artifacts, ancient pieces of heritage and the reminiscent of a rich past. A wide range of sculptures, weapons, ornaments and copper hoards from as back as 8 BC are on display at the Puratattva Sampada exhibition, courtesy Gurukul, Jhajjaar.

“These sculptures have been found during excavations through major cities like Sonept, Bahadurgarh, Mohanbadi et al and restored and preserved at the museum in Gurukul, Jhajjar.

The exhibition has over 54 artifacts at display all over 5,000 years old,” says Veerjanand Devkarma, director, Gurukul. One look the exceptional display will do the rest of the explanation. Scupltures from Sindhu Ghati, Kushan period, Gupta period in stone and weapons from the Mahabharat period, every piece of art has a story behind it. “By studying the intricacy and aesthetics of each sculpture, it is one the finest collections by far in the country. Not only by the virtue of workmanship but also understanding the fact that the kind of stone used was not from the region yet was managed and maintained well,” says Hridya Prakash Kaushal, a renowned sculptor who works with Gurukul.

Most of the sculptures are in Secunderabad sand stone or white stone found in Rajasthan and Mathura. “Terracotta art is associated with West Bengal. But the one found in Haryana, 1mm terracotta, which is expensive and could not be put on display for security concerns, stands apart from all others. The kind of detailing found in these artifacts is very difficult to achieve even in metal leave aside the wonderful art created by the stone,” adds Hridya Prakash.

Out of the collection, Buddha and Vishnu artifacts are the rarest and best. These include Vaikunth Vishnu, with two protruding heads – one lion and one pig, with Ganga and Yamuna by each side. Then there is one depicting Vishnu in a state of meditation.

Buddha statues from the Kushan period too impress with their fine details and artistic sense. “The works in flat stones have inner cuts and relief for larger aesthetics and longer life,’ says Hridya.

Apart from what is at display, the collection at Gurukul includes copper plates with Ramayan sholakas, coin moulds engraved on stone and ancient lithographs. And, the man in charge, Veerjanand is translating ancient languages to the contemporary world.

The four-day-exhibition tries to connect us to our heritage, it also attempts to change few perceptions. “Haryana has never been explored for its art and culture. This may just be the moment it needed to come fore on the cultural map of the country,” hopes Hridya Prakash.

nehawalia@tribunemail.com

From fantasising to indulging, there’s divinity involved in food. And the blessed souls who enjoy every morsel to the core are always in search of joints that can offer them more than what they desire — in taste as well as price. Chaplin, in Sector 34, is one such joint that is quite a hit with foodies; especially the ones who want it packed or like the concept of home delivery.

Having opened the outlet in 1994, Sanjeev Uppal, proprietor of the joint, says, “I started this joint as a pizza, burger and an ice-cream parlour, but then came up with Indian and Chinese cuisine in 1996.” And how did the change come about? “It was a personal decision; the response I got was overwhelming and since then there has been no looking back.”

While the concept of the joint is home delivery or packed food, one can even order and have it inside one’s car. Says Sanjeev, “These are small booths and one cannot have sitting arrangements inside, so we started with the packed and home delivery concept. I must say it was an instant hit with the people at that time.”

Although the joint is tucked in between a number of shops, the menu is elaborate and you can have your fill from Chinese or Indian cuisine.

Starting with soups, one can have noodles, choupsey, spring rolls, Manchurian etc. For the ones who are fond of Indian food, there is the good old dal, karahi paneer, mushroom, palak paneer, channa, mix vegetable, chicken tandoori, naan, parantha stuffed naan and much more.

And what is more popular? Chinese or Indian? “Both are equally liked, but people order more of noodles and fried rice,” says Sanjeev.

About the team of cooks, he says, “My cooks have been with me for the last 10-12 years and they make sure the taste remains the same. It’s usually in the mornings that we begin cooking, but our customers and orders come late in the evening.”

So, all you people who love to have food in the cozy corners of your house take your pick and order the best.

jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com

The three kings in China preferred different flavours - King Su liked spicy and sweet, Tin wanted only sweet and Songh savoured spicy. Keeping up with tradition, the delicacies being served at the Sichuan food festival at Noodle Bar, sector-26, combine the spicy and sweet.

Besides, this is the best way to beat the cold. Gado salad (a mixture of exotic veggies dressings of peanuts and sesame), Sichuan Tong Soup, Lemon Parsley Food, Veg Sichuan Dragon Spring Roll, Crispy Potato Shanghai Style, Lacha Chi, Fish Chilly Basil are some of the gastronomic delights.

Sichuan is a style of Chinese cuisine that originated in Sichuan province of southwestern China and is known for bold flavours, particularly the pungency and spice, which is the result of liberal use of garlic and chilli peppers as well as the unique flavour of Sichuan pepper corn.

“Sichuan food is comparatively more spicy than the rest. The difference comes with the use of Chinese herb. In fact, winters is the best time to enjoy it,” says chef Kamal Singh.

A variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes can be savoured at the food festival. Crispy Fried Sweet Corn Dumpling, Bajanga and Cottage Cheese, Sichuan Pepper Fish, Prawn in Red Pepper, Straw Mushroom Soy Chilli, Kawloon Tofu, Chicken In Guiling Chilli Sauce, Five Spicy Roast Chicken, Double Pepper Lamb, Tai Pey Prawn, to name a few! On till January 31

Next time you find food tasteless, you can blame calcium as it plays a role in taste-making, a new study shows.

Japanese researchers have shown for the first time that calcium channels on the tongue are the targets of taste-enhancing compounds.

Besides molecules that directly trigger specific taste buds (salty, sweet and others), there are other substances with no flavour of their own.

But they can enhance that of those paired with them (known as kokumi taste in Japanese cuisine).

Exploiting this discovery could open the way to creation of healthy foods that contain minimal sugar or salt but still elicit strong taste. At the moment, though, the mode of action for these substances is poorly understood.

However, Yuzuru Eto and colleagues from Ajinomoto Incorporated, Japan, examined whether calcium channels - which sense and regulate the levels of calcium in the body - might be involved in the mechanism.

They noted that calcium channels are closely related to the receptors that sense sweet and umami (savoury) tastes and that glutathione (a common kokumi taste element) is known to interact with calcium channels.

The results of their experiments provided a strong correlation: the molecules that induced the largest activity in calcium receptors also elicited the strongest flavour enhancement in taste tests.

The study appeared in the Friday edition of JBC. — IANS

Vvoodoos Zaika-27 introduces a special lunch buffet priced at Rs.250 has a huge selection of more then 30 items everyday. It is being targeted at the busy corporate and people who are on the go.

The regular dinner menu also has options of day specials wherein you get a few new choice of dish every day with freshest and seasonal ingredients. Dinner here can be enjoyed with a live singing performance every day except Tuesday.

Various cultural, culinary, and other concepts of India are speedily becoming part of mainstream America. Many mainstream grocery stores, including healthy/natural food stores, in USA and Canada now carry various food items of India like basmati rice, chutneys, frozen microwavable foods, etc.

Almost every town has exclusive Indian grocery store/stores now and bigger cities boast of stores specialising in regional Indian groceries like South Indian, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, etc. Indian food is taking North America by storm. Most of the towns (even the small ones) have Indian restaurants now and their numbers are increasing every year. About 90 per cent of their customers are of non-India background and many are flocking to these for healthy ingredients. Classes in “cooking of India” are being offered almost all over the continent. — ANI

Florsheim introduces the ultimate in casual comfort with its latest range of casual shoes. Constructed with superior quality imported leather, these luxurious casual shoes are also popularly known as driving shoes and give a new meaning to the term cruise control. Featuring a smooth, leather upper with quilted stitching and a rubber outsole with a tire-inspired traction profile, these are the trendiest and the fastest thing on two heels. 

Slipper-like hand-sewn comfort, classic styling, and non-slip rubber soles make these a pleasure for both high-tech driving and casual comfort. The ultra comfortable leather upper provides invincible comfort while you’re wrapped in handsome style.  

The collection is available in black, dark brown and beige. It is priced at Rs 4995.  — TNS