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Looking for speed?
Join the annual SJOBA Thunderbolt Rally
And the adventure inside the circuit was responsible for the chaos outside. The awe and extreme action rubbed over some enthusiastic souls, though we were spared some near accident situations but not the traffic jam! Almost three decades of exploring the length, breadth and height of adventure motor sports in the region, the SJOBA rally this time has much to offer. "Apart from the Extreme Rally, SJOBA is also organising the TSD Rally, which will be based on the Time, Speed, Distance format and can be called a more sober version of extreme action. This rally is being conducted with the affiliation of FMSCI, which is the ultimate authority in motorsport in India," says SPS Ghai, COC for the rally. The TSD rally will have amatuer rallyists and first-timers getting the feel of high speed adventure sports, competing in their unmodified cars. The Extreme Rally will be open to jeeps, cars, bikes; the participants will be required to cover approximately 600 kms over four days. The flag-off event saw all 101 participants in the four categories bringing out the freak within a close circuit race in the Extreme category on a 600-mt track, an exercise in the Super Special section. "Each team completed two laps and their overall timings will be added to the final result," Ghai informs. The route of the rally has come with some changes as well, but nonetheless, it still charts through 'axle-breaking' tracks, winding hairpin bends, unmetalled surfaces and hilly terrain. SJOBA rally is never short on action and when it comes to extreme action, women are equally inspired. "We have 10 women participants this time, which is the highest in the history of SJOBA. Some are in the bikes category." Interestingly, Gul Panag is also participating in the TSD category with her 55-year-old-aunt as navigator. Well, did we say there is an age limit to adventure? With increased participation and competition among the best, safety concerns have also improved. "It's not a suicide rally, but one of the most reputed and well-organised motorsport event in the country. So there are FIVs (Fast Intervention Vehicles) and ambulances at each competitive stage with SJOBA marshals and doctors available at all times," says Ghai. Well, all said and done, competition or no competition, it sure is an experience to remember and when you have names like Hari Singh, Bittu Mann, Manik Rekhy, Suresh Rana and Sunny Sidhu to testify, who minds going that far extreme! nehawalia@tribunemail.com
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Three musketeers
How do you sell non-cricketing stuff to a country that lives, drinks, breathes, watches, spends only cricket? A question that the hockey fraternity must have contemplated on more than one occasion. A debatable issue, nevertheless.
However, this isn't cricket, hockey or ice-skating. This is about spreading the fire, about sending the message of strength and courage; it is about rising above the given circumstances, it is about sharing a real life story of man who stood the test of time to come out as an ultimate winner. Here, it is about capturing the story of flying Sikh Milkha Singh and working it up in a screenplay. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra announced his prestigious project, Bhag Milkha Bhag, a film inspired by the life and times of the Indian sports icon Milkha Singh. The movie is scripted by Prasoon Joshi, who has also written the songs and dialogues. On Friday, the trio, Prasoon Joshi, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Milkha Singh share the reasons for selecting the topic. Voice over
In every filmmaker's life comes a point when he is bestowed with a story that will make all the difference. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the man who directed Delhi 6 and Rang De Basanti, has found a meaning in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. "I am lucky that I have an inspiring story line to work on," he shares. "This is the story of Milkha Singh that needs to be told to the youth.” Knowing the capability of the director to bring out the uncommon from the common, what is the fountainhead of inspiration in this case? "I want to spread the fire Milkha Singh had to the entire country. All the same, this movie is not about any sport. It is about how people can rise against all odds. In Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, the story is the real hero," says Mehra, who likes to observe life and people, as these are his sources of inspiration. The movie will be shot in Punjab, Delhi, Japan, Russia and Germany. "I have met Milkha umpteen number of times in Chandigarh to understand him, to know what he is all about." Mehra feels that the making of the movie depends on the content. "In this case we have a real story, inspired by a true life. Now, the content is being given the form of a screenplay." For a director who has given hits like Rang De Basanti, the success of the movie is the most unpredictable thing. "The director, actors and writers are the mediums in a movie, and the success of any flick doesn't depend on them. Neither do I take credit for a hit nor do I blame anyone else for the flaws," adds Mehra. Write chord
White and black are not the only shades, life can be best understood through different shades. In fact, Prasoon Joshi caught Milkha Singh in one of the in-between shades. "I knocked at the doors of Milkha Singh's life and entered into those dark rooms where he hadn't gone in ages," shares the writer of the movie. "I didn't know much about Milkha Singh when I began. But, in due course of the time I realised that his story had changed my perspective on life. It was almost like a revelation." Prasoon feels that he was amazed with the story of a 'nobody boy' who went on to create history despite all odds. Prasoon researched on Milkha Singh for two years. "Sports reveal the real character of a person, which is his inherent character. It is truly an eye-opener for me," he says. Flying high
"I was offered crores to sell my story. My son said we would only share the story with Prasoon Joshi and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra in Re 1," says the visibly excited Milkha Singh. "I only want the youth to take some inspiration from it. If a village boy like me can make a difference, why can't anyone else?" jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Something divine
Despite having over 5,500 concerts to his credit, 200 music albums in six languages; 98 platinum and gold discs for record-breaking sales, versatile singer Anup Jalota is as modest as ever. In Panchkula on an invitation by DPR Haryana for a devotional concert during the ongoing 'navratra' fair at Mata Mansa Devi shrine, the Phagwara (Punjab) born maestro, shares a few things. "From a humble beginning, even performing for a mere 35 rupees for a show to the present position of a devout bhajan, ghazal, playback singer, to a successful film producer, I owe it all to the training imparted by my father guru Parshotam Das Jalota, the acclaimed maestro of devotional music" He informs that none of his achievements has inspired him more than the 'Friendship Concert' series where he performed along with ghazal doyen Ghulam Ali in India Pakistan and the world over, which later resulted in an album titled 'Friendship'. "As you know, music companies that rule the market prefer to make what sells the most," he says. "After the ghazal boom came devotional music and then fusion, but accomplished singers excelled in all genres," claims Jalota. After over 30 years in music, he has now produced a film titled Sab Ka Malik Ek on the life of Shirdi Baba, which is set for release in May. "Jackie Shroff plays the lead with me in the role of a writer-singer- disciple, Das Ganu. Music is the main forte with greats like Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali, Pankaj Udhas and Anuradha Paudwal in the playback. And they have not charged any fee for it," he informs. " My next film 'Monika' features Divya Dutta in the lead role and is based on atrocities against women. Shooting for the other film "Tere mere phere" will commence in June. I have already made five Bhojpuri films," says Jalota. And his take on the ongoing music contests and reality shows on television? "They should be banned with immediate effect. It is mere mockery of our rich musical heritage and exploitation of a devout artiste whose fate is decided by an SMS."
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House the sparrow
"Wherever man has put up a place this bird has followed. The betrayal is all from human side," says Lt. Gen. Baljit Singh (retd), an avid bird-watcher from the city. And now the falling number of these birds has stirred activists into action and March 20 (today) is being celebrated as the first World House Sparrow Day (WHSD). This initiative of the Nature Forever Society, which has been joined in by many national and international associations, including Bombay Natural History Society, Avon Wildlife Trust, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (USA) and Eco-Sys Action Foundation (France), aims at generating awareness in a bid to save our feathered friends. Mohammed Dilawar, the man behind WHSD, president, Nature Forever Society, shares from Delhi, "House sparrows live in houses so it's the common man who has to come forward to save them. And they do not need much. Just making sure a regular 'daana pani' will go a long way in sustaining these birds." Appreciating the effort, RK Kohli, a city-based ecologist says, "Each specie is a significant part of our food web so efforts must be made to ensure survival of all. And we have to make more efforts to save sparrows because they cannot survive in the forests." Kohli is at present doing a project commissioned by the Ministry of Environment and Forests that studies the effects of mobile radiation on urban ecology. "Making little changes in our lifestyle can go a long way in ensuring sustenance of these birds. CDMA technology emits less powerful radiations than GSM services and landline phones are even better. Opting for technology that pollutes less is one way of ensuring our contribution towards the ecosystem," he adds. "As the society progresses, values change. Today's world is increasingly becoming materialistic at the cost of sentiments. Modern housing leaves no space for house sparrows to flourish, but it's not that very difficult to provide a safe haven to them," says Baljit Singh. While most of the city residents complain of not seeing these birds, Singh's house has a thriving flock. And it does not take a lot to do that, shares Singh, "Ours is an old-fashioned two kanal house in Sector 16. When we moved in this place in 2001, there were around 15 to 20 of the house sparrows to start with. Today, we have close to 40. They have made nests in the hedges on both sides of the house. My wife puts a mix of bajra, wheat, rice and bread twice a day on the roof. The house sparrows flock to take their feed and enjoy sitting on the hedge. Trust me if we just give away a hundredth of cereal that we have in a day, it is good enough for the birds." mona@tribunemail.com
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Welcome the summer with a flawlessly natural look as Avon introduces its ideal shade face collection. This complete tailor-made foundation line perfectly complements your skin tone and gives a seamless and smooth look. The collection consists of new precise light technology and natural match pearl, which can direct light evenly to help skin look natural. The collection comprises the following products: Ideal Shade Pressed Powder: It gives a natural look and radiant glow. Its precise light technology contains light-adjusting pearls that make you look natural in every light. Priced at: Rs 499 Ideal Shade concealer stick: Visibly conceal eyebags and blemishes. Priced at: Rs.229 Ideal Shade loose powder: Lightweight, easy to blend loose powder with a velvety feel for a shine-free finish. Priced at: Rs 559 Ideal Shade natural liquid foundation SPF 10: Smooth, — TNS
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Fire & spice
The one item that can impart a royal touch to even a roadside fast-food rehri is kebabs. Be it marinated, tandoori kalmi kebabs, Mughlai burrah kebabs, the delicate Galouti kebabs; and charcoaled Kakori kebabs, served with yoghurt, salad and mint sauce as complementaries, or a street-side specialty, kebabs are popular…even with those who don't like them! Fine dining is not required for digging into Nawabi cuisine; city foodies now have another option in their hangout directory. Nawab Ke Kebab, newly opened joint in the inner market of Sector 9, offers the real kebab experience! The menu has it all - chicken tikka galouti kebab, malai tikka kebab, tandoori chicken kebab, lemon tikka kakori kebab, paneer kathi kebab, mutton galouti kebab, fish tikka kebab…well, you know the endless cuisine and their names. "The idea behind opening a kebab corner was to have a small, cozy place where you can enjoy a quick snack or a family dinner without having to worry about reservations and weekend waiting lists," says Aman Monga, the owner of Nawab Ke Kebab. Inspired by Salim's at the Khan Market in Delhi, Aman, who has been into the catering and hospitality industry for quite some time now, wanted to bring the same experience to Chandigarh. And what better than serve the Punjabi appetite with rich royal flavours? "People in the region are in love with food and the culture of street food is gradually catching up. So, a food corner at one of the most happening commercial spots is able to cater to families as well as students." Aman also has plans for home delivery of his kebabs. "The response has been great till now. So, I might open outlets in the tricity," he says. And its not just about having a kebab, but enjoying its original flavour with the live grill. The ambience need not be a worry. With a line of Skodas, BMWs, Mercs parked and geri route just a stone throw away, the place is perfect for a night-out with friends. The price list too is another reason that makes you want to dig into some grilled, minced, stewed and charcoaled delights. By now, maybe you know your next dinner date will not be heavy on the pocket! nehawalia@tribunemail.com
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Earn while you eat
TV character Homer Simpson would have loved this job. A company in Britain is looking for a worker who has to do nothing, except eat - and the pay will be nearly 24,000 pounds a year.
Daily Mail Monday reported that the firm Proactol Ltd wants the worker to have a hearty appetite; the candidate should be happy to eat 400 extra calories every day - to test the fat-binding properties of a weight loss product. The candidate will have their calorific intake and weight closely monitored by medics. The firm said their fat binder was clinically proven. The job advertisement reads: "We know it's incredible, but it's true. We are willing to pay you £23,750 a year to continue doing exactly what you do every single day, and all we ask in return is that you eat 16 percent more calories a week - or 400 more calories a day - whilst introducing Proactol into your diet. "The ideal candidate should not already be on a diet but eat a healthy balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins and be prepared to increase their existing calorie intake by 16 percent a week by eating fatty foods such as Chinese takeaways, fish and chips, pizza or McDonald's." At a later stage, the candidate will be able to work from home and the supplies will delivered to them. A Proactol spokesperson said the candidate would enable the firm's medical experts to learn more about the health benefits of taking the product. —
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Avoid ciggies, onions, beer, pickled onions, fish, curry and coffee. According to a new survey, cigarettes make breath smell worst. The poll conducted by Superdrug found 70 per cent of people hate talking to someone who have just finished smoking."When you're getting up close and personal, there's nothing so off putting as having to deal with something like bad breath," said the findings. He added: "Today everyone needs to perform to their best ability in a work setting so we'd advise to look after their dental hygiene - garlic breath at a job interview may make the difference between getting the job or not." Garlic, un-brushed teeth and Marmite followed fags in the poll of 3,000 adults. Also, onions, beer, pickled onions, fish, curry and coffee featured in the top 20. — ANI
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Fresh facts
The study has been hailed as a win for the push towards more natural foods as cloves would be able to replace synthetic antioxidants, which are currently used by manufacturers to make food last longer. Professor Juana Fernández-López, from Spain's Miguel Hernández University, said cloves were a versatile spice. "Out of the five antioxidant properties tested, cloves had the highest capacity to give off hydrogen, reduced lipid peroxidation well, and was the best iron reducer," she said. "The results show that use of the natural oxidants occurring in spices used in the Mediterranean diet, or their extracts, is a viable option for the food industry, as long as the characteristics of the food product are not affected," said Fernandez-Lopez. "These substances exhibit high antioxidant capacity, and could have beneficial effects for health," she added. The study was published in the latest issue of the Flavour and Fragrance Journal. —
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Bon Appetit
My first taste of Kashmiri cuisine was in Kashmir itself, straight from the houseboat cook, rich, exotic, and heavenly in taste. Now that I'm older, meaner and more cynical, I suspect it was also tempered generously with scummy water scooped straight from the Dal Lake! On our 'shikaara' rides, my brother and I loved to dangle our feet off the boat-edge to enjoy the cool lake water rushing over out little toes. The old fossil of a boatman would reprimand us each time "Don't do that!", he would say in broken Hindi, "Iss mein 'nadru' hai!" Having a language barrier, our imagination ran a riot on hearing his warning.
We had visions of 'nadru' being a flailing, coiled 'Kaalia' or the Loch Ness Monster lurking under the dull calm of the Dal Lake, waiting to grab our little legs for supper. Petrified, we'd pull out our limbs with the speed of lightning. Mind you, the urge to dip them in, followed by another ticking off happened each time and often, with none of us giving in! We only figured out on our last day what nadru really was. It is lotus-stem! Kamal-kakkri to us! It's an unseen harvest, easily overlooked by the tourists. The boatman did not want ignorant idiots likes of us snapping the submerged stems, rendering them impossible to salvage! Today, I must dedicate one recipe to the never forgotten nadru! Kashmiri cuisine is known the world over for its delicately flavoured food and its combination of condiments. The use of saunf, heeng, yogurt, saunth(dried ginger powder) and Kashmiri chilly result in tantalising flavours, completely unique in character. Nadru chaman
(Bhhein stuffed with paneer) This is a hard work recipe, nouvelle in nature but guaranteed to impress! 750-800 gm lotus stem Lal mirch powder to taste 2 tsp dhania powder 200 gm paneer (chaman) 2-3 tbsp besan 1 inch piece ginger, sliced finely 150 gm ghee or oil (preferably mustard) 1 tsp saunth powder a pinch of hing 2 tsp sugar 4-5 cloves 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp jeera a bunch of hara dhania leaves 2 hari mirch (finely chopped) salt to taste Method Cut the lotus root in 2 inch batons. Wash well to clean out the dirt from its cavities. (A toothpick wrapped in cotton wool does a good clean up job). Using a karhai, fry the lotus roots lightly and remove from the oil. Crumble the paneer and season with some salt and pepper. Stuff this paste-like mash into the cooled bhhein. Pat on some dry besan to each cut end to seal. In the remaining oil, splutter the hing, laung, jeera, and ginger. Lower the lotus roots into the masala and toss lightly. Add saunth, sugar, garam masala, green chillies and salt. Cook on a slow heat, occasionally adding a splash of water. The besan coating will cook with just the steam within the karhai. Garnish with hara dhania Mutton yakhni pulaao 1 kg mutton, fat trimmed and cut in medium pieces 4 cups basmati rice 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon each, ginger and garlic paste 1½teaspoon garam masala 1 cup yogurt 1 pinch saffron, dissolved in a tablespoon of warm milk Chopped dhaniya and roasted nuts for garnish. 2 tbsp vegetable oil Salt to taste Method Mix the cleaned mutton with the all the yogurt, salt and spices and allow to marinate for an hour. A little more time won't hurt! Use a thick bottom pan or a pressure cooker, heat the oil and saute onions on medium heat until crisp and brown. Transfer the fried onions on to a kitchen towel. Mix half of these in the marinating mutton and reserve the rest for a final garnishing. Wash the rice and allow to soak for 15 minutes. Cook the mutton in pressure cooker for 15-20 minutes (or 45-50 minutes in the karhai) until cooked through. Uncover, pour in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Discard the water from the rice and add to the simmering lamb mixture. Cover and cook until rice is tender. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs and nuts and the reserved fried onions. Serve with a raita or a vegetable dish. |
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Its time for adventure again, time to stretch the limits and dare to dare! The adrenalin rush that the annual SJOBA Thunderbolt Rally offers can't get bigger and better.For those behind the wheels, it's a ritual, a way of life, but the unlucky ones become only an audience to the live action. The Autocross Show at the exhibition grounds in Sector 34, as a part of the rally on Friday afternoon, had everything - thrill, adventure, mean machines and adrenaline.
One for success, two for joy, three for letter, four for boy - was the common game that most of us grew up playing with the birds, especially house sparrows.Our lives were so intertwined with these small, plump, chirping friends that have been man's companion since long! But courtesy our modern lifestyle, the number of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) commonly called 'gauriya' or 'chiria' is dwindling at a rapid rate.
Cloves are the best natural antioxidants, which are crucial in keeping food fresh, a new study says.Spanish researchers discovered the spice was the best antioxidant because of the high levels of phenolic compounds it contained. Antioxidants are crucial in keeping food fresh and the findings could have wide-ranging implications for the food industry.