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Stick-ing together
The star-studded friendly hockey match is expected to bring back the lost glory of Indian hockey Indian Hockey players were miffed over the non-payment of dues. Indian hockey players, led by captain Rajpal Singh, refused to turn up for practice unless their salary demands were met. This was probably the first time that we heard of hockey on television, and read about it in the print. It was the first time, maybe, when most of us took notice of our Indian hockey players, for our sensibilities are so finely attuned to watch Mahinder Singh Dhoni and his Men in Blue. Sandeep Singh, Rajpal Yadav, Prabhjot Singh, Sardar, Arjun Halappa, Deepak Thakur …names that don't ring a bell. Have you seen them walk the ramp? Or, did you see them endorsing a health product on television? Anyone making a special appearance in a movie? Or, they were on the cover of a magazine as the most eligible bachelor? Perplexed! Not your fault. And, neither theirs! The problem is what we say out of sight, out of mind. Now, DLF Pride Of India Cup offers to bring these names closer your heart. Names associated with a major sport. A sport, which is thankfully seeing a renaissance, with the support from the glamour industry of course! But then, glamour and sports - you can't keep separate these two. Need we validate after an overdose of IPL and ICL? The AMR foundation has joined hands with actor and brand ambassador of Indian Hockey team, Suniel Shetty, to organise a series of exhibition hockey matches involving The entire Indian World Cup Hockey squad and film and television stars. The all-stars hockey match to be played at the Sector 42 hockey stadium on February 20 will see glamour industry standing for the support of hockey. Dharmendra (guest of honour), Irrfan Khan, Govinda, Sohail Khan and Boxy Boys, including 15 celebrities from television world, will entertain the audience. Do all the glamour and glitz quotient reminds you of IPL? However, this one is meant solely for the promotion of the game. Says Mahesh Reddy, founder of AMR, an industrialist, who sees it as a small step towards popularising it. "In association with Suniel Shetty and other well wishers we would definitely raise the visibility of hockey. It might take long to make it a craze amongst the youngsters and sports lovers, but we are confident of making the right impact." The build-up to the Hockey World Cup to be played in New Delhi from February 28, has gained momentum, and an exhibition match will provide the much-needed thrust in the right direction. Provides Sunil Shetty, "I have been fighting for the cause of hockey for a long time. Now, the AMR Foundation has come forward to host such an event. I will offer unconditional support to it, and I will seek the same kind of support from our film fraternity." As for actor Irrfan Khan, an ardent cricket fan, hockey is getting a step-motherly treatment, and it needs to be given recognition. It was two incidents, but that warmed up Irrfan for hockey. " A month back I read about Ashok Kumar, a hockey player from Himachal Pradesh who is working as a waiter. And then, I was shooting for Paan Singh Tomar, a movie about an athlete turned dacoit. This is what happens to the players who are not taken care of by the state. Hockey needs to be given its place." The proceedings from the exhibition matches will be handed over directly to the hockey stars. The programme will start with a red carpet walk by film stars, television stars and sports persons where they will face a question-answer session. This will be followed by the four matches of 20 minutes duration, each with a gap of five minutes. But won't the glamour bit will take the attention away from the players? However, Hardeep Singh Sandhu, former hockey player, feels that the glamour element will give a boost to the game and get attract the audiences to the stadium. "How many people know who is the captain of the Indian hockey team? Who are the players? Through an event like this, we plan to bring the public close to game." Here is the point? How many of us know about the Indian hockey? Have you ever seen Sandeep Singh? Do you know what is the duration of a match? For the answers, make it trip to the stadium. jasmine@tribunemail.com
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String operation
The foremost disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar and creator of Mohan Veena is credited with 39 musical albums and ranks among the elite music maestros of the world. Bhatt has attracted international attention with his successful Indianisation of the western Hawaiian guitar with his perfect assimilation of sitar, sarod and veena techniques. In the city to receive the coveted Madan Lal Koser-Guru Shobha Koser Award -2009, he shares his views on the contemporary classical music scene. Says the maestro, "I have been conducting extensive research on how my instrument can produce the optimum melodic sound. My efforts resulted in modification of the Hawaian guitar to Mohan Veena and Vishav Veena, but unfortunately classical musical traditions, especially musical instruments, had never been subjected to any innovation. However, our rich musical heritage has given us a lot to hold on to. I have observed that even the sitting posture of a performer holding the instrument matters and I had added another structure to keep it in slanting position to obtain more vibrations and resonance." Welcoming the technological advancement in music he says, "Sitting in Jaipur, I could direct and give background music for a Hollywood film Empty Streets. We relied on Internet, MP3 and music studios." About the future projects, he says, "My new album Sleepless Nights, 40th in the series, and a jugalbandi with Mett Malley on keyboard and base guitar, produced by Harmonia Mundi of USA, which is scheduled for release in April. Another jugalbandi with Jazz pianist Glen Hills in Canada is also ready.
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Royal platter
Dal pakora, aloo onion kachori and dal bati choorma — the hot and spicy Rajasthani cuisines will bring tears to your eyes but surely a smile to you lips
Merging the original recipes and authentic preparation methods with present-day additions to Rajasthani cuisine, the festival offers a different menu every day with regional specialties making the platter more attractive. Right from starters to the main course, chutneys to chaajh, the royal thaali has options that will make you forget your calorie count. The predominantly vegetarian cuisine, if two things that Rajasthanis like gorging on are chillies and lentils. Add to that lots of ghee and dry fruits and that completes the feast. So, we have spicy offers like dal pakora, dal kachori, aloo-onion kachori and the famous mirchi wada. The main course menu has ker saagri ki sabzi, a dry vegetarian delicacy, gaate ki kadi, daal bati choorma, moong dal and pappad ki sabzi. Well, with an average cooking time of 10-12 hours and loads of herbs spices and dry fruits, the food definitely pleases your senses. "Most of these dishes could last for days and can be eaten without heating. Even with all the ingredients used, they are healthy as the food is prepared in pure ghee, which is an integral part of many preparations or groundnut oil," says Trilok, the main chef at the festival who comes from Ajmer with 18 members in his team.
Even the desserts are not desserts as such. Reason being that Rajasthani sweets are had before, during and after the meal. They are as much relished as the curries. "The specialties in this include mawa kachori from Jodhpur, ghewar from Mewar, jalebi, shahi rabri ke ladoo (gulkand filled inside), motichor and thor, which is flour cooked in ghee and wrapped in sugar," adds Trilok. The pista kesar milk that is cooked on slow heat for 45 minutes, and then served in kulhads is original and yummy. Ask him what makes Rajasthnai food different from other cuisines and he replies, "Mawa, khurmai, pista, almonds, cashews, anjeer, you name it and we use in our food." Well, for someone who has been taking royal flavours to South Africa, Nepal and all over the country, this information sure will help us gorge on a bit more.
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Chi Pui Pang and colleagues point out that so-called green tea "catechins" have been among a number of antioxidants thought capable of protecting the eye. Those include vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Until now, however, nobody knew if the catechins in green tea actually passed from the stomach and gastrointestinal tract into the tissues of the eye. Pang and his colleagues resolved that uncertainty in experiments with laboratory rats that drank green tea. Analysis of eye tissues showed beyond a doubt that eye structures absorbed significant amounts of individual catechins. The retina, for example, absorbed the highest levels of gallocatechin, while the aqueous humor tended to absorb epigallocatechin. The effects of green tea catechins in reducing harmful oxidative stress in the eye lasted for up to 20 hours. "Our results indicate that green tea consumption could benefit the eye against oxidative stress," the report concludes. — ANI
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Frying meat in a pan on a gas hob may be worse than using an electric ring for raising the risk of cancer, according to a new study. The new research suggests that professional chefs and cooks may be particularly at risk.The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has recently classified cooking fumes produced during high temperature frying as 'probably carcinogenic'. Potentially harmful polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs for short, heterocyclic amines, and higher and mutagenic aldehydes, along with fine and ultrafine particles, have all been found in cooking fumes, using vegetable oils, such as safflower, soya bean, and rapeseed oils, as well as lard.However, it is not clear if the energy source or the type of fat used for cooking have any impact on fume content.The research team simulated the conditions found in a typical Western European restaurant kitchen, frying 17 pieces of steak, weighing 400 g each, for 15 minutes. They used either margarine or two different brands of soya bean oil to cook the steak on gas and electric hobs. The margarine contained a blend of soya bean, rapeseed, coconut and palm oils as well as vitamins A and D, but no hydrogenated fats.They measured the amount of PAH, aldehydes, and total particulate matter produced in the breathing zone of the cook.Napthalene, a banned chemical contained in traditional mothballs, was the only PAH detected and ranged from 0.15 to 0.27 ug/m3 air in 16 of the 17 meat samples. The highest levels were produced when frying with margarine on the gas hob.Higher aldehydes were produced during the frying of all the samples, while mutagenic aldehydes were produced for most samples.Overall levels ranged from undetectable to 61.80 ug/m3 air, but the highest levels were found when frying on the gas hob, irrespective of the type of fat used.The peak number of ultrafine particles during frying on the gas hob was considerably higher than when cooking with electricity. Particle size with gas was 40 to 60 nm compared with 80 to 100 nm with electricity. Ultrafine particles are more readily absorbed into the lung.The authors point out that the levels of PAHs and particulate matter found during this study were below accepted occupational safety thresholds.But they add that cooking fumes contain various other harmful components for which there is as yet no clear safety threshold, and gas cooking seems to increase exposure to these components."Exposure to cooking fumes should be reduced as much as possible," they said.The study has been published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine. — ANI
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Bon Appetite A food connoisseur once commented that dessert to a meal is what a 'finale' is to a concert. This crescendo is the exhilarating 'high' before the culmination of the meal. See how my passion for meetha motivates such a flowery flow of language? Well said indeed, for don't our eyes stray towards the dessert options just as soon as the main course has slid down our gullets? If you love dessert, (and who doesn't?), then make a new year resolution NOW…..!Thou will'st venture beyond the basic besan ki barfi made at home towards more exotic, glorious creations that will turn the heads of your guests and become a finale worth remembering! Victorian trifle l
2-3 white cake layers l l l l l l l l l Method Cut the cake into small squares to make them easy to handle. Toss the fresh fruit together with a sprinkling of sugar. Keep aside. Using a glass dish, spread a thin layer of cream or custard, followed by cake soaked in juice. Spread some of the fruit and pineapple bits over it and repeat the same pattern in the same order, finishing off with a smoothened layer of cream. Decorate your trifle with an arrangement of colourful sliced fruit. Chill for 3-4 hours prior to serving Orange mousse l l l l l l l l l Method Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and cornflour and cook in a double boiler set-up. This means you have boiling water in a lower vessel and place the yolks and sugar in another smaller pan to cook them indirectly without allowing contact with the hot water. You can maintain this space by placing a small inverted katori between the two. Remove from heat when thickened. Cool and add orange juice, essence and zest. Stir in the cream and liqueur if using. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the cream and adjust the sweetness, adding more sugar if needed. Sprinkle some lemon juice into the preparation and taste. You may not need to add all the juice if the oranges wee tart. Pour the mousse into a glass dish or goblet and refrigerate until ready to serve. |
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Solar success
Technology defeats its very purpose when restricted by geographical or manmade boundaries. It has to reach out to as many people, benefit mankind and environment. Till everything about technology becomes the common knowledge to all, it’s as good as thousand lab experiments done daily that yield no result, “The reason we shared our technology of making a solar car with the students of IIT Mumbai,” says Tom Boddington, a research scholar and designer of Gwawr, a solar car, hailing from Glywndwr University, Wales.
In the city on Friday along with fellow researcher Natasha Samantha and Dr. Guru Gujral, Head, Science Environment and Technology, British Council India, Tom discussed the future of electric cars and their viability at the British Library-9, “The question isn’t whether we want solar and electric cars or not. They are a necessity considering how rapidly fossil fuels are being consumed. They are the cars of future, which isn’t farther than thirty odd years.” It took the students of IIT Mumbai mere six days to make the prototype of the solar car since the technology was aptly shared. The car made by the students of IIT Mumbai is certainly not a feasible option for Indian roads but at the same time, the basic idea with a slight modification can be used for eco friendly vehicles. Made of plywood and steel, the three feet long car has 60 solar panels that convert solar energy into charge for batteries, “The car has maximum speed of 60 miler per hours. But the bigger version of the same technology we are working on has a much greater speed of 100 miles per hour.” The model is Tan y Gwaar and with the stored charge can be mobile even without sunlight for 165miles. What makes his cars different from several other eco-friendly cars is, he claims, the policy to use only recycled material, “Our models might not have as great pick up or maximum speed as that of others cars but are far more eco friendly.” On a practical note, Tom accepts the fact that sole solar energy can’t be used in vehicles, “It has to be combined with some other form of energy, be it electrical or a fossil fuel. But the limitation shouldn’t discourage us from optimally utilizing the solar energy that’s available in abundance.” The cost of hybrid and eco friendly cars is ten times the cost of any car that runs on petrol or diesel, which Tom feels lure people to go for the latter option of cars. “But people don’t realise that in the period of five years they would spend much more on the fuel than they have invested on the eco friendly car,” adds he. A word of advice here, invest before the environment infests! |
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Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi organises a lecture by prominent artist Gulam Mohammed SheikhOne of the eminent artists and writers in the country, Gulam Mohammed Sheikh is going to present his works along with a lecture titled, Among Many Cultures and Times at the Government Museum and Art Gallery-10 on the invitation of Chandigarh Lalit Kala Academi. Gulam Mohammed Sheikh is an artist, writer and educationist. As a painter of more than five decades he has pioneered an engagement with historical forbears and a social and political investment in art practice. Through numerous visitorships, residencies and publications he has contributed to a renewed understanding of cross cultural themes in artistic pedagogy, in an Indian and international context. Sheikh bridges a historical appreciation of art and art practice with an engagement with contemporary socio-political concerns. He has had the rare honour of having been invited to exhibit his work Returning Home (a retrospective of work from 1968-1985) at Centre Georges Pompidou, Musee National d’Art Moderne, Paris (1985) to mention just one among many of his other prestigious solo shows. He was founder member of Group 1890, an artist collective established in 1963. The lecture convenes on Sunday at 5.00 pm.—TNS
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Buy the way…
Chandikrit 2010 offers quite a few utility objects which are difficult to ignore
This time the crowd gathers at Parade Ground-17 for Chandikrit 2010, starting Friday. Handicrafts, home appliances, health and beauty products, home décor items, cars, food stalls — there is something for everyone. But, we tried to locate ‘that something different’ and we did quite manage. But of course, the regular knick-knacks, which entice every family, cannot be ignored. Punnet Bhalla has arranged a unique product at his stall under the name Ermas India, Chandigarh. At first it looks like a simple stand. As we take a closer look and go through the brochure, the ordinary looking tray is a handy and utilitarian product used by corporates, and people who are addicted to laptops. It is a laptop comfort tray. It is an accessory that acts as a laptop’s best friend. Explains Puneet, who is into making of microscopes, “I would often hear my friends complain about the laptop getting hot while working on them. These trays allow heat to be dissipated fast. It is also an answer to the strain problems in fingers, palm and necks which are often associated with long sittings in front of the laptop.” Puneet has not extensively marketed the laptop comfort tray yet. “ The corporate sector is a good market for this product.” Still trying to find that ‘something different’, we find ourselves at the stall selling Punjabi animation VCDs for Rs 125. Sundri, the Brave Kaur, Banda Singh Bahadur, The Rise of Khalsa are some of the titles that can make for an interesting watch. Did you know the entire work for animation is carried out in Mohali itself? This one is different too — wood paintings by Sonia Dawar under the flagship of Khush Art Point. Nameplates (for Rs 250), clocks, serving trays decorated with colourful paintings look conventional yet ethnic at the same time. Then of course, the stalls laid out medicinal amla vital greens with stress busting features for Rs 85 and Rs 160, bean bags in all colours and patterns starting Rs 2,000, health cars wonder vapouriser, acupressure chappals, play school equipment, partitions that can be used as grills from Techaids, maps, hand-made diaries too had buyers inquiring and some even buying. jasmine@tribuenmail.com
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Art from heart
My work is better recognised outside the city,” says Namita Kohli, an upcoming city-based artist, who has many national and international exhibitions to her credit. A product of the Government College of Art-10 and Kala Bhavan, Shanti Niketan, the artist shares, “Most of my work is abstract, largely acrylic on canvas. I have always got a very good response from the exhibitions abroad that have been put by Kala Bhavan.” Namita also enjoys doing murals. Sitting in front of one at the Mermaid, Sukhna Lake, she says, “I have done this mural in mix media. There is another at Kalagram. In both, I have used triangles as a symbol of energy. There is yet another that I am going to do for the Press Club.” Talking about the art scene in Chandigarh, Namita says, “Art lovers here still go to Delhi and Mumbai for buying and selling art. That is one thing I really want to change. I am in touch with Kala Bhavan to introduce art to our society by doing some kitty parties and stuff.” In her view, a change in attitude is what needed for art to flourish here. “People here should also spend on good art apart from clothes and jewellery,” she laughs. Talking about her college days, she says, “Though the art college is one the most equipped college, it was at Kala Bhavan that I got the exposure to national and international scene.” Art in schools is another issue close to Namita’s heart. “Schools give lot of emphasis on science and maths and art plays a second fiddle. However, with kids so much under stress all the time, I would like art to play a greater role. For, it can act as a great stress buster and also inspire.” Apart from her work, Namita enjoys reading and travelling. She is putting up an exhibition of her works as a tribute to Le Corbusier next month. mona@tribunemail.com
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Any genre of Indian classical music or dance may be rooted in tradition but its survival depends on innovation. This is how the Grammy award winner Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, an heir to the 500-year-old Bhatt family legacy of Jaipur feels.
Complex and exquisite. Spicy and sweet. Just like its culture, Rajasthani cuisine too is rich in taste and variety. And now, city foodies can experiment with their tatse buds at the ongoing Rajasthani Arts and Crafts Festival at Kalagram, Manimajra.
To maintain the authentic flavour, even the raw material has been brought from Rajasthan. About their love for chillies, he explains it is because chillies make for all the taste and colur. "On an average, the chillies found in our region are six to eight inches long and are too spicy. So, they can be used in variety of dishes." The navrattan chutney, with all the dry fruits, mawa and spices add to the flavour.
Green tea contains healthful substances that can penetrate eye tissues, raising the possibility that the tea may protect against glaucoma and other eye diseases, say researchers. Scientists have confirmed the benefits of green tea in ACS's bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Four to five sets of wooden and wrought iron furniture, loads of herbal and homeopathic beauty products, oil, shampoo, hand-made flowers, unstitched suits, electronic appliances like a four set burner, juicers, wooden vases, all kinds an tastes of churans, wall hangings, hand-made gift warps… don’t all exhibitions house more or less similar stuff? Nonetheless, whenever Chandigarh sees one, city folks can’t help rushing to the venue.